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YumSugar Gift Guide: Wacky White Elephant

partysugar — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 10:54:13 -0800

A White Elephant is a type of gift exchange in which each guest is asked to bring an anonymous wrapped gift. Usually, there is a maximum amount of money that can be spent, and oftentimes the gifts are unpractical and eccentric. If you are attending a White Elephant party bring fun shaped ice cube trays. A set of Emeril's spices are hysterical and could provoke conversation about the future of Food Network. However, my favorite gift is this chicken kitchen timer. It's ten percent bizarre and 90 percent practical. I definitely wouldn't buy it for myself, but it would be fun to get at a White Elephant gift exchange.

For more wacky White Elephant gifts, browse below.

Ice cube tray ($1.99)	Chicken Kitchen Timer ($8.95)
Veggie Ornaments ($9.99)	Wine Bottle Gift Bags ($12.95)
Essence Assortment (Set of 4) by Emeril Lagasse ($14.95)	Way Cool Way Hot Mini-Fridge ($130.00)

Keep Your Camping Food Cool

YumSugar — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 04:27:13 -0700

Summer's slowly coming to a close, but there's still time to pack up the car, pack up the cooler and go on a weekend camping getaway. That's why we're declaring this week camping week here at YumSugar. All week long we'll bring you great camping tips and ideas. Whether you're going on a quick jaunt to the woods, or planning a seaside escape, you won't want to miss out.

For starters, here are a bunch of must-read camping food tips.

Plan your menus ahead of time. Think about how long you'll be camping and whether or not you're going to bring perishables. Are you hiking in? Will you be able to carry everything you plan? If your meal calls for a cup of rice, only bring a cup not the entire bag.
Be sure your coolers are sturdy and hold plenty of ice.
Consider taking two coolers, one for raw foods and one for fresh. This will help avoid cross contamination.
Store coolers in the shade, and open as infrequently as possible. If you can, cover with light-colored blankets.
Pack your coolers in the reverse meal eating order. The current meal should be on top. This will prevent you from having to dig through the coolers.
Consider bringing soups or stews. You can make them in advance and freeze them. This way they'll also act as ice packs.

For more camping food tips, read more

Make sure that everything is cold before it goes into the cooler.
Avoid loose ice if possible. Go with cold ice packs, or ziploc bags of ice if you don't have cold packs. Or better yet, freeze bottles of water - this way you'll also have extra cold water.
Make sure you bring plenty of snacks, but don't overpack.
Be aware of bears and other wild animals, keep food sealed tightly and use a bear box if possible.
Dice vegetables like onions, garlic, bell peppers in advance.
If bringing a camp stove, make sure you bring enough gas along with you.
If you're going to bring eggs, consider breaking them into a sealable container ahead of time, or choose an egg alternative.

Do you have any secret camping food tricks? Share them with us below!

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Yum Market Finds: Entertain Outside

partysugar — Fri, 18 May 2007 15:38:31 -0700

I'm totally looking forward to doing tons of fabulous entertaining outdoors this summer. At their vacation house, my parents recently got a brand new gigantic deck, so there will be plenty of grilling, eating, and wine tasting under the sequoias. Judging from some of the latest bookmarks over in the Yum Market on TeamSugar, it looks like entertaining outside has been on your minds as well. When the moonlight is not enough to see your food, cast a romantic glow with this hanging candle holder that was bookmarked by SU3. It creates a circle of light and can easily encircle your picnic table's umbrella. Fixing up your patio, backyard, or deck with a chic entertaining space? Get more ideas, just read more

Keep drinks cool with this chic little outdoor ice bucket. Its lovely blue color adds a touch of cool ocean breezes to your patio, even if you live miles from the coast. Thanks for the fabulously fun find crispet1!

Treat your outdoor living space as you would your indoor rooms and add lots of atmosphere with this Moroccan inspired embroidered pouf. Lolipop89 saved this pouf that you can throw on a patio lounge chair to create a loungey, relaxed, laid back feel.

Found a cool kitchen tool, outdoor appliance, or chic cooking accessory? Share them with us all in the Yum Market! To learn how to do so read geeksugar's guide.

Mr. Cruisin' Cooler Man Rules

GiggleSugar — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:00:00 -0700

BabySugar took these lovely sunset pics of a bitchin' dude tooling down the street in Houston on his CoolerMobile (TM), with a lit cigarette in one hand and a beer between his strangely tan and hairless legs. Too bad the pics don't come with a soundtrack, as he was emitting Metallica ("Enter, Sandman" if you must know) from an unknown source. Aside from the beer (don't drink and drive!), this guy is my hero. I miss Texas.

View 2 Photos ›

Do You Have a Swamp Cooler?

CasaSugar — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 08:30:41 -0700

A few years ago, I watched a contractor install a swamp cooler (also known as an evaporative cooler) on an elderly woman's roof. Her home, which had previously been uncomfortably, even dangerously hot, was given immediate relief when the evaporative cooler was turned on. Evaporative coolers work by drawing exterior air into special pads soaked with water. The air is cooled by evaporation, and then circulated throughout a room or home. Evaporative coolers, which work best in hot, dry climates, are significantly less expensive and more energy efficient to run than air conditioning units. Do you have one in your home?

Source

Off to Market Recap: Wine Cooler

partysugar — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 15:18:39 -0800

Last week, I told you about DearSugar's search for a wine cooler to give at Christmas. She always gives me wonderful advice, so I agreed to research wine refrigerators. I asked you to help Dear and me by hunting for an extraordinary wine cooler. You looked for fridges that have dual-temperature settings, can hold more than 30 bottles, and are free standing and attractive. You saved the wine fridges in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag Wine Cooler.

The fridge that Dear plans on purchasing is one that both gruaig_rua and emalove discovered. This wine cooler holds up to 50 bottles, is totally freestanding, and has chrome, pullout shelves. Thanks ladies! For more options browse through below.

Get more info on bookmarking when you read geeksugar's informative article.

Good, Better, Best: Outdoor Party Coolers

CasaSugar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 06:00:02 -0700

Whether you're lounging solo by the pool or hosting a massive backyard bash, warm beer is not going to be well received. These outdoor party coolers will keep massive quantities of beverages very cold, and they're way more stylish than your typical foam-core Igloo. Here are three choices to suit three different budgets.

Good: You'll have the essentials covered with this insulated Coleman Stainless Steel Party Cooler ($169.99), which sits pretty on a chic stand and doubles as a drink dispenser.

For two even better versions, read more

Better: Slightly more advanced is this Margaritaville Tub-N-Tap Party Cooler ($299.96). It holds beer on one side while the other side can dispense deliciously chilled adult beverages from a tap.

Best: The swanky and decadent Frontgate Portable Outdoor Cooler ($499) is basically a bar on wheels, with a granite cutting board, a storage compartment for extra booze, and a towel bar.

MP3 Player Cooler Bag: Love It or Leave It?

GeekSugar — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:40:20 -0700

Hola, Summer! We may be a couple months away, but I'm all about putting my arsenal together - you know, new bathing suit, sunglasses, and clearly, this bag.

The MP3 Player Cooler Bag ($79) from Pottery Barn is not the first iPod-playing tote anyone has seen - and certainly not the first from Pottery Barn (last Summer gave us this bag).

It's not even the first MP3 player bag that cools your drinks, though this one is way, way bigger (and thus better, as conventional wisdom tells us).

That said, is a beach bag worth 80 bucks, electronic advantages and all?

Off To Market: Wine Cooler

partysugar — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 13:13:39 -0800

My good friend DearSugar is searching for a wine cooler to gift at Christmas. She always gives me wonderful advice, so I agreed to research wine refrigerators. Can you help Dear and I hunt for an extraordinary wine cooler? Look for fridges that have dual temperature settings and can hold more than 30 bottles. It should be free standing and attractive. Bookmark the wine fridges you find in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag Wine Cooler. On behalf of DearSugar and myself, thank you!

Get more info on bookmarking when you read geeksugar's informative article. To check out a list of my favorite online shops, read more

Bed, Bath & Beyond
CB2
Cooking.com
Crate & Barrel
Ikea
Linens and Things
NapaStyle
Pier 1
Plum Party
Pottery Barn
Sur La Table
Target
Restoration Hardware
Williams Sonoma
Wishing Fish
World Market

Doubling Up: Water Cooler Squats

FitSugar — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 14:30:00 -0700

You know how much I love multi tasking and when I can combine two things I love, all the better. So I have taken to doing a classic squat while filling my water bottle. Squats and hydration combined, what more could a girl want out of a trip to the office kitchen.

You should try it too, especially if your water cooler is in an inconspicuous spot. Also it helps to not be afraid to look a little un-cool by the cooler. So, instead of bending over with straight knees and rounding your back, stick your booty out and bend your knees and squat. In this situation having a bigger water bottle is a bonus because you will need to hold the squat longer while your big bottle fills up. If you are tall, then you will have to squat a little deeper, but don’t let your pelvis go below your knees.

Do you want more specifics on how to perform a squat? Check out this post: You Don't Know Squat. It should answer any of your questions on technique. If you aren't sure how much water you should be drinking daily, you need to enter your stats in the Fit Calculator and find out.

A little impromptu thigh work and getting some thirst quenching water simultaneously – now that is what I call doubling up.