Money Magazine: Selecting a knife that is a cut above the rest

I found this video on knife selection.  It is hosted discussed by one of the associate deans at the Culinary Institute of America.

Click here to view the video on CNNMoney.com.

To subscribe to Money Magazine click on this link for a 1-year subscription for $10:  Money (1-year)

Money Magazine: Make the Best of a Bad 401(k)

In this article by Penelope Wang, she discusses some of the common problems (or concerns) with some 401(k) accounts and how to approach them.  For example:

• If it offers awful choices
• If there isn't an employer match
• If there are excessive costs
• A combination of the above

I am still getting Money Magazine for free. Click on this link to subscribe for one year for $10 through Amazon: Money (1-year)

Click here for the article on CNNMoney.com

Money Magazine: 20 best websites

I still am getting Money Magazine for free. The label as a Dec10 in one of the corners so apparently I will be getting through the end of the year. Click here to subscribe for 1 year for $10: Money (1-year) subscription.

In one of the recent issues, the main article spent some time briefly discussing their top 20 websites that they recommend.

Click here for the article.

Free Bingo Card Maker from Teach-nology

I was involved in an activity several weeks ago where I noticed someone had made bingo cards from the following website: www.teach-nology.com.

I thought I would share it with you.  It looks like it automatically creates a random 3x3 or 5x5 bingo card which you can then print out for your game.  What is great about it is that it is easy to use.

Click here:  http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/materials/bingo/ 

43 percent have less than $10,000 saved for retirement?

We all need to start saving more.  Click here for the CNNMoney.com article.  Previously it was 39 percent in 2008.  It also says that 24 percent have postponed their retirement (working longer) compared with 14 percent in 2008.

Markets still seem a little overbought

My last market update was that they seemed overbought.  Although the short-term extremism (if that is a word) is not as severe, it continues to be so.  I am still probing and taking positions that would benefit myself if the market would drift to the downside.  The short-term support for the DIA would be somewhere around 99 and 100.  For the USO, it is around 35.

Recipe for Ribelkuchen: German coffee cake

Here is the recipe we used 

Here is the recipe we used to make homemade Ribelkuchen.  This time we used Persimmon jam, but in the ingredients list, you can use the flavor of your choice. To view pictures, go to my photoblog by clicking here. 

Ingredients:

• 50 gms of fresh yeast or 1 packet rapid rise yeast
• 1 cup milk (I use soymilk)
• ½ cup sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp vanilla 
• 1/3 cup butter
• 2 eggs (beaten)
• 3 ½ cups flour
• Jam/Jelly flavor of choice 10-12 oz jar will do (place in bowl and beat gently for easier spread on dough)

Ribel:  1 cup flour, ½ cup sugar, ½ cup softened butter, cinnamon or pumpkin spice to taste (mix all together in a bowl and form crumbs)

Heat up milk, sugar, salt, vanilla and butter until butter melted.  When mixture is warm, add the beaten eggs.  In a large bowl, place the flour, packet of rapid rise yeast, add the wet ingredients and mix well using a mixer at medium speed.  The dough will have a sticky consistency.  Cover with dishtowel and set in warm oven to rise (this will take about 1 hour)

Oil or butter a deep cookie sheet.  Place the dough on the cookie sheet and spread out (might need to use some flour on fingers to help spread the dough out- since the dough is sorta sticky).  Cover cookie sheet and place back on warm oven to rise for about 15 minutes.

Remove cookie sheet and spread jam/jelly of choice on top of dough.  Cover with Ribel and place in 350 degrees oven, middle rack, for about 20-25 minutes (depending on how goldren brown you want crust).

When done, place cookie sheet on top of cooling rack.  It should be ready to eat in about 1- 1 ½ hours. 

Cut to desired shape.  In this case, we cut into squares.

For more cookbooks to make coffee cake, you can also look at: Amazon.com for coffee cake