Tuesday Megalinks: The Conjunctivitis Edition

My name is Kris. I’m 30-years-old. I have pinkeye.

“But Kris,” you might say, “I thought only third graders get pinkeye.” And you would be correct.

Next, I’m planning on catching chicken pox and croup. If you’re looking for me after that, I’ll be hanging out on the local elementary school gym mats, hoping to pick up a neato case of ringworm. (*fingers crossed*)

But before that … the links!

Casual Kitchen: How to Use Leftover Ingredients
Neat post from Dan about all the little ways to knock out those bits and pieces hanging around your fridge. (Note: by “bits and pieces,” I mean “vegetables and cheese,” not “British vernacular for manjunk.”)

Casual Kitchen: Stacked Costs and Second-Order Foods - A New Way to Think About Rising Food Costs
A few sites were really, really strong this week with the food links, and this second piece from CK is just the first of double-hits. Here, Dan explains a new approach to buying and consuming groceries. I’ve never seen it anywhere else, and it’s a nifty way to think about things.

Chief Family Officer: Try Online Grocery Shopping
In NYC, there's a company called Fresh Direct that brings food directly to your apartment after you place an online order. The quality varies, yet their produce is decent (if small) and their prepared meals are generally excellent. Cathy’s experience is a bit different in that she picks up the groceries herself, but it’s a neat summary of the service.

The Digerati Life: Reduce Your Grocery Bill With These Practical Tips
Quick and dirty rundown of solid coupon strategies. I hope the kid in the picture hasn't been purchased for eating purposes.

Epi-Log: At War with Deception: How to Feed Kids Right
Once you get past the opening paragraph shill, this becomes an excellent piece on the importance of teaching kids about good eats. It’s the anti-Deceptively Delicious (thank goodness) with GREAT comments afterward from real-life moms in the trenches.

Epi-Log: Name Your Top 10 Kitchen Songs
In no particular order:
“Joey” by Concrete Blonde
“The Wind Cries Mary” by Jimi Hendrix
“Central Reservation” by Beth Orton
“Tangled Up in Blue” by Bob Dylan
“Sweetness Follows” by R.E.M.
“Making Plans for Nigel” by XTC
“Under Pressure” by David Bowie and Queen
“Chop Suey” by System of a Down
“Entertain” by Sleater-Kinney
“Hanging on the Telephone” by Blondie

Forbes: Top Earning Celebrity Chefs
Wow, man. While PauDeen and Wolfgang Puck aren’t fiduciary slouches, Ray-Ray is making MAD cash off her 48,000 culinary/talkshow/magazine ventures. Yummo, indeed. (Thanks to Serious Eats for the link.)

Get Fit Slowly: Expanding Waistlines, Shrinking Wallets
Many, many links from JD’s sites this week. Kicking off the parade is this piece by guest poster Weight Ladder on the ties between money, food, and job productivity. Nice angle on an oft-explored topic.

Get Fit Slowly: Kids Meals–Not So Small After All
AUGH! “The average child in America eats in a restaurant 167 times per year,” and of the 13 restaurant chains surveyed, “Ninety-three percent of 1,474 possible choices … exceed 430 calories.” INSANE.

Get Rich Slowly: The GRS Garden Project - July Update
JD and his wife Kris started a full-on garden back at the beginning of the year. Despite a raspberry-related setback, their efforts are starting to really pay off.

Get Rich Slowly: Cleaning House - When Little Messes Become Big Problems
This isn’t so much about food, per se, but I linked because it’s been an issue within my own family: older people who, through no malice or particular fault of their own, accumulate mountains of mostly useless stuff. In my grandmother’s situation (she was a notorious packrat), creating Himalayas of clutter was a way of maintaining familiarity and exerting some level of control over her increasingly unstable existence. (Uh, and admittedly, she wasn’t the best housekeeper.) For JD’s mom, he’s just getting to the bottom with of the situation. This should resonate with a lot of folks, I think.

Lazy Man and Money: Is Eating Organic Food Worth the Money?
Organic musings inspired by Morgan Spurlock’s 30 Days show on FOX. (Thanks to The Simple Dollar for the link.)

Mom Advice: Me on You Tube - Getting To Know Your Dishwasher
In Amy’s three-minute worldwide debut, she A) puts her (hilarious) kids to bed, B) explains how to use a dishwasher to its best ability, and C) wears a cute shirt. Three thumbs up!

The Moment: Food Industry Roundup - The Cookbook Chronicles
Super-great, monstrously ginormous list of renowned chefs’ favorite culinary tomes. Julia Child and Joy of Cooking come out on top, but most suggestions are far off the beaten path. (Smokehouse Ham, Spoon Bread & Scuppernong Wine, anyone?)

Money Saving Mom: It will be a long time before I'll be able to eat another hamburger
$614 in grass-fed beef + malfunctioning freezer + ten-day vacation = the horror, the horror…

Money Saving Mom: Reader Tip - Save time and money by starting your own cooking club
Great idea from Crystal & Co. about sharing meal prep responsibilities with neighbors and friends.

New York Times: The Overflowing American Dinner Plate
We’re eating about two more pounds of food than we did 30 years ago. WOOO! New world record! USA! USA! (Uh … wait.)

Radar: Alcoholic’s Guide to the Summer Olympics
Hilarious drinking game to go along with the Beijing ‘08. If I could add something: “Two sips for each time you want to punch Tim Daggett in the neck.” Seriously, he makes me miss John Tesh. (Thanks to Serious Eats for the link.)

Serious Eats: Caffeine – The Good News and the Good News
If I may … WOOOOOOOOO! (That was a caffeinated WOO. It’s better for you, apparently.)

Serious Eats: Drinking Good Wines During Rough Economic Times
Sweet piece on identifying non-repulsive vino under $20. If you’re an imbiber, definitely click on over.

The Simple Dollar: Balancing Personal Principles and the Bottom Dollar - The Cost of Healthier Food Choices
An article (and 13 word title) after my own heart. There were 94 most excellent comments last I checked, so please dive on in.

Think Your Way to Health: 6 Added Benefits Besides Saving Money of Bringing Your Lunch to Work
Another good, original take on a frequently mined blog subject. Succinct, too. (Thanks to The Digerati Life for the link.)

USA Today: As food costs soar, it's back to basics for meal planners
McPaper shines with this long, stat-packed article on the steps everyday families take to reduce their food budgets in lean, late 2008. The personal accounts make it. (Thanks to Get Rich Slowly for the link.)

(Photos courtesy of billfrymire, ihasahotdog, and prettyboring.)