Superbowl Ads and Appetizers

Football is my least favorite sport to watch, but since moving in with my boyfriend a year ago I have been forced against my will to watch it. But luckily for us, and my boyfriend's sake, his favorite team the 49'ers made it to the Superbowl, but as we know from yesterday, didn't take the top prize. I love getting together with a big group and enjoying the festivities, the food, the beer, the company. I also love watching the Superbowl ads. As a marketing student, I like grading the best and worst and what company spent their millions the best.

Overall, the ads weren't stellar, and over than CBS promoting their own shows, the ads only played once so they really had to make an impression. My favorite ads in no particular order are below. 

1. Volkswagen "Get in. Get Happy."

2. Taco Bell "Viva Young"

3. NFL Network "Leon Sandcastle"

And the award for the most awkward and uncomfortable ad of the afternoon goes to Calvin Klein. And yes, I'm going to post it so you can see it again. 

Now on to the most important stuff, the grub! At our Superbowl party we had the usual things; pizza, beer, chips, dip, wings, and sweets. I decided to contribute an easy Stuffed Mushrooms recipe I found. It was super easy, just prepping the mixture and pulling the stems from the mushrooms without breaking them, took the most time. Luckily I baked them on a sheet pan with raised sides, as water from the mushrooms leaked onto the pan creating a pool. These were so addicting, and perfect for any occasion like a party or potluck where you have to bring a side dish. 

Image and recipe from Chef in Training Blog

Find the recipe here
   

XMas Wishlist

I don't ever feel like I need anything come Christmas, and that's because if I do, I usually end up buying it myself. But just for fun, I put together a hypothetical wishlist of things that would be fun to unwrap on Christmas morning. 

iPhone 5

 I use my phone for everything, and right now I have the iPhone 4. It sounds so dated, doesn't it? Especially since I am blogging now and taking pictures of my culinary creations on the spot to immediately blog, the camera on the iPhone 5 is a big reason to upgrade. I also use so many apps and social media tools, my 4 is just slow now, and I am getting impatient! I am eligible for an upgrade too, so I just need to pay $200 for the phone. 

Fruit/Vegetable Juicer

When I worked at Jamba Juice way back when, my favorite thing to get was a freshly squeezed orange-carrot juice with ice. There was nothing better, and it tasted so fresh, and healthy! Now that juicing has become a "thing", there are so many home appliances available. I don't want anything fancy or expensive, just something under $100 where I can juice a glass every so often and not break after a week. :) 

Mane Message Hair Ties

 I have been seeing these hair ties in fashion magazines lately and hear they are great for your hair (no annoying creases!) and when they are on your wrist they look cute (bonus!) They usually come in sets and vary in styles, but with how often I put my hair up, these are definitely worth a shot. 

SF Giants Tickets

Alex and I love nothing more than a trip to the city for a Giants game. But we've been to regular season games plenty of times. I really want to go to the Giants season home opener at the beginning of April. Since the team won the World Series, the home opener (Friday, Saturday or Sunday) is especially exciting, since they present the team with the rings, and do fun pre-game festivities.

Olay Pro-X Cleansing System

The Clarisonic skin cleansing system is very popular and allegedly works wonders on your skin. I have very sensitive skin and would love to try this system out. But I would never spend $200 to "test it out", so Olay has a similar system for a mere $30. My friend has it and says it's wonderful!

What's on your list this year?

World Series 2012

In honor of the San Francisco Giants making the World Series, (and Game 1 is on as I type!) I must dedicate a post to my excitement for this team, and for our fans. What a crazy year it has been, rather torturous to put it in Giants' terms. I was lucky enough to go to 3 games this year, but I can't tell you how much I wish I was there now! I leave you with a Brian Wilson meme. Because, why not? He can't play, but he will be seen and heard.