Tuesday Megalinks

This week, it’s all Get Rich Slowly and The Kitchn, all the time. But beyond their seven combined posts (on DIY recipes, winter weight gain, and more), there are some nice entries from Being Frugal on a new coupon service, Like Merchant Ships on feeding your children, and Serious Eats on recession waitressing. Behold…

11th Heaven’s Homemaking Haven: Make it From Scratch Festival
Tons of great cooking and craft ideas from this week’s carnival, hosted by a mother of NINE (so you know she knows what she’s talking about). Leigh’s Vegan Ginger Cookies made the list, so run hence!

Being Frugal: A Full Cup Review
Lynnae’s found a replacement for the Grocery Game. I’ll let her describe: “[A Full Cup] features an easy to navigate message board, coupon database, a list of online printable coupons, online deals, and my favorite feature: grocery lists, featuring items at super great prices, matched with coupons to make an even better deal.” Not bad.

Casual Kitchen: 11 Really Easy Rice Side Dishes
Mmm … Cilantro Lime Rice. I like.

Chow: Single White Vegan Seeks Same - Is it shallow to consider diet when dating?
Beer-loving carnivore asks out girl who won’t eat meat, dairy, sugar, or nightshade (mushrooms), and is allergic to alcohol. Can it possibly work?

Consumerist: Mountain Dew Addiction Helps Rot Central Appalachians’ Teeth
Did anyone see ABC’s Diane Sawyer special on Appalachia on Friday night? It was some really powerful stuff, and portrayed a level of poverty some might not think possible in the U.S. Among the more depressing parts was this bit about children and Mountain Dew. Cheaper than water in some areas, it’s the preferred beverage for kids, and it’s absolutely wreaking havoc on their dental health.

Frugal Upstate: Kitchen Tips
Jenn comps her best cooking posts. Nice!

Get Fit Slowly: The Secrets of the Slim
Consumer Reports did a study on the strategies behind everlasting thinness. You’ll recognize most of the tips, but the methods they found ineffective will surprise you. Cutting carbs? Eating frequently? Making room for lean protein? Don’t seem to work in the long run.

Get Fit Slowly: Ward Off Winter Weight Gain
Ooooo. I need this. But I’m not sure I have the courage to take pictures of myself in spandex. Traumatizing!

Get Rich Slowly: Books With True-Life Stories About Frugality
If you’re looking for some literary entertainment with your frugality tips, you can’t do better than JD’s novel compilation. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn makes the list, along with To Kill a Mockingbird and Angela’s Ashes. Library, ho!

Get Rich Slowly: Confessions of a Butcher – Eating Steak on a Hamburger Budget
Meat-eaters, behold.

The Kitchn: DIY Recipes From The Kitchn
Great googly moogly, it’s the mother of all recipe rundowns, with everything from pesto to potato chips, ricotta to roasted peanuts. Go now. Seriously. Stop reading. Go. (But come back after.)

The Kitchn: How to Save Money by Shopping at Whole Foods
It’s true: the upscaliest of upscale supermarkets can actually save you a buck or two. Stuff your cart with beans, olive oil, and organics, and try to ignore the $12 chocolate bar on the way to the register.

The Kitchn: Ten Kitchen Improvements for Renters
I wish I had written this. For those of us who can’t drastically alter our cooking spaces without incurring the wrath of our landlords, this post is invaluable. And cute!

LA Times: 'Joy of Cooking' or 'Joy of Obesity'?
Could cooking at home be as unhealthy as eating out? (I say no.) The LA Times says maybe. They analyzed The Joy of Cooking, only to find “In the classic cookbook, published since 1931, changes in ingredients and serving sizes have led to a 63% increase in calories per serving in 17 of the recipes.” Ouch.

Like Merchant Ships: 4 Ways to Stop Being a Short Order Cook
When we were growing up, Ma pounded it into our heads that she wasn’t a personal chef. We would eat what she served, and we wouldn’t complain. Here, Meredith shares some of her own you’ll-eat-what-I-make-and-you’ll-like-it tips, with several dozen readers chiming in for their two cents.

New York Times: For Dinner (and Fast), the Taste of Home
What do new immigrants eat for quick weekday meals? The Grey Lady explores and shares their recipes/findings.

New York Post: Eateries Hit On 'Must Tip'
ARG, mandatory tipping makes me crazy. Look, restaurants: we know that you include service charges on the bill to compensate for large groups, tightwads, and non-tipping foreigners. BUT FREAKING STOP IT. I refuse to give some half-assed waiter a 20% gratuity for perfunctorily handing me a plate of eggs. Tipping is dependent on quality of service, and including it on the bill is an insult to the diner.

Serious Eats: Recession Waitressing
On the other hand: DINERS! TIP YOUR WAITERS. These people make $3 an hour. If you can’t afford to tip, you can’t afford to eat out.

Serious Eats New York: Fast-Food Yogurt Parfaits
Winners: Starbucks, Cosi
Losers: None. Because when yogurt and nuts are combined, does anyone really lose?

Yum Sugar: At One London Restaurant, the Bill is Up to You
The Little Bay Restaurant is the Radiohead of British cuisine: you eat what you like, then pay what you want. It’s pub food on the honor system, and it’s working: “the restaurant's made above its average spent per head over the last five days.”

(Photos courtesy of eHow, Katara, and Platinum Kuwait.)