67 Charities to Donate: Helping Haiti Heal

From Denny: The outpouring of donations worldwide for the relief of suffering in Haiti following a 7.0 devastating earthquake is incredible. The following are a list of 67 well-known established charities to which you can donate safely.

The Mobile Giving Foundation has received over $30 million in text pledges from cell phone donors the past two weeks. Even the Pew Research Center was well impressed and threw out some statistics:

14% donated by text message
12% donated by phone
23% donated via the web
5% donated via email
39% donated in person via a church or other group

Here's something I doubt any of us thought about when we donated by text message or phone: how long will it take for the phone companies to send out that donation? Turns out it can take from 30, even up to 60 days to transfer customers' contributions, which is then added to the mobile phone bills.

The biggest carriers like Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile have all decided to expedite those donations.

Here's each company's status:

Verizon Wireless: Last Friday, 22 January, they transferred $2.98 million. Today, 28 January, they transferred $4.84 million. Jeffrey Nelson declared the campaign "the largest outpouring of charitable support by texting in history — by far. In all of 2009, all mobile giving (via texting) to all charities totaled just under $4 million for the year."

AT&T: Donations are up to $10 million. The company says they will "advance payment of verified texted donations" to the Red Cross.

Sprint: Donations so far are $3.1 million. By Friday, 29 January, they will advance 80% of the donations with the remaining 20% placed into the usual 30 to 90 day settlement cycle.

T-Mobile: They are working hard to expedite on a weekly basis.

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Relief Agencies where to donate:

Action Against Hunger 877-777-1420
Agape Flights 941-584-8078
American Red Cross 800-733-2767
American Refugee Committee 800-875-7060
American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee 212-687-6200
American Jewish World Service 212-792-2900
AmeriCares 800-486-4357
Beyond Borders 866-424-8403
B'nai B'rith International 202-857-6600
CARE 800-521-2273


CarmaFoundation
Catholic Relief Services 800-736-3467
Childcare Worldwide 800-553-2328
Church World Services 800-297-1516
Clinton Foundation 501-748-0471
Concern Worldwide 212-557-8000
Convoy of Hope 417-823-8998
Cross International 800-391-8545
CRUDEM Foundation 413-642-0450
CRWRC 800-55-CRWRC


Direct Relief International 805-964-4767
Doctors Without Borders 888-392-0392
Episcopal Relief and Development 800-334-7626
Feed My Starving Children 763-504-2919
Food for the Poor 800-427-9104
Friends of WFP (World Food Program) 866-929-1694
Friends of the Orphans 312-386-7499
Habitat for Humanity 800-422-4828
Haiti Children 877-424-8454
Haiti Foundation Against Poverty


Haiti Marycare 203-675-4770
Haitian Health Foundation 860-886-4357
Healing Hands for Haiti 651-769-5846
Hope for Haiti 239-434-7183
Hope for Haiti Now 877-99-HAITI
International Child Care 800-722-4453
International Medical Corps 800-481-4462
International Rescue Committee 877-733-8433
International Relief Teams 619-284-7979
Islamic Relief USA 888-479-4968


Lions Club International Foundation 630-203-3836
Lutheran World Relief 800-597-5972
Medical Benevolence Foundation 800-547-7627
Medical Teams International 800-959-4325
Meds and Food for Kids 314-420-1634
Mennonite Central Committee 888-563-4676
Mercy Corps 888-256-1900
Nazarene Compassionate Ministries 800-306-9950
New Life for Haiti 815-436-7633
Operation Blessing 800-730-2537


Operation USA 800-678-7255
Oxfam 800-776-9326
Partners in Health 617-432-5298
RHEMA International 248-652-9894
Rural Haiti Project 347-405-5552
Salesian Missions 888-608-2327
The Salvation Army 800-725-2769
Samaritan's Purse 828-262-1980
Save the Children 800-728-3843
ShelterBox



UN Central Emergency Response Fund
UNICEF 800-367-5437
United Methodist Committee on Relief 800-554-8583
World Concern 800-755-5022
World Hope International 888-466-4673
World Relief 800-535-5433
World Vision 888-511-6548


Text to donate:

Text/ Number/ Giving campaign/ Amount

"HAITI" 90999 American Red Cross $10
"QUAKE" 20222 Clinton Bush Haiti Fund $10
"GIVE" 25383 MTV telethon $10
"HAITI" 25383 International Rescue Committee $5
"HAITI" 85944 International Medical Corps $10


"YELE" 501501 Yele Haiti foundation $5
"HAITI" 52000 The Salvation Army $10
"HOPE10" or "UNICEF" 20222 UNICEF $10
"HABITAT" 25383 Habitat for Humanity $10
"OXFAM" 25383 Oxfam America, Inc $10


"HAITI" 40579 National Religious Broadcasters $10
"SAVE" or "SAFE" 20222 Save the Children Federation $10
"GIVE" or "WORLD" 20222 World Vision, Inc $10
"CARE" 24383 CARE (Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere, Inc) $10
"AJWS" 25383 American Jewish World Service $10


*** THANK YOU FOR YOUR DONATIONS - even the smallest amount delivers a huge impact!

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5 Cutest Puppies, Most Popular Dog Breeds in America

From Denny: Check it out, see the most popular dog breeds right now in America. It's no surprise that family friendly dogs top the list. It's worth it to watch the video just to see the adorable huge puppies as models for their breeds. :)

5. Beagle - high energy dog good with children, a small compact hound dog that needs lots of exercise and companionship.

4. Golden Retriever - active and very trainable which makes them an excellent choice for guide dogs and and search and rescue work because they are also highly intelligent.

3. Yorkshire Terrier, the Yorkie - these are big personalities in small bodies with the typical terrier tenacity. Did I mention they are also quite portable? Just ask Hollywood celebs and their imitators.

2. German Shepherd - an intelligent breed that needs daily work, social and loves children, very protective of family, makes a great guide dog and works a lot with Homeland Security and the military.

1. Labrador Retriever - because of their extreme gentleness they are the most popular family dog. They are also great companions for family pets and highly intelligent to make great service dogs.

They ranked all 164 AKC registered breeds in America. These are the top five favorites.

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Secrets to the Tastiest Tailgating Party

See Cartoons by Cartoon by J.D. Crowe - Courtesy of Politicalcartoons.com - Email this Cartoon

From Denny: Well, it's official! The New Orleans Saints won their last game and are on their way to the Super Bowl!!! Can I tell you that all of Louisiana is shocked and amazed - and deliriously happy? The Saints deserved a break and this season God finally shined His Face upon them. What a wild ride with so many people holding their breath, wondering if The Saints would make it. Congratulations, Saints!

Sports are big here in Louisiana and tailgating is a long time honored tradition to get together with friends and loved ones to make new friends. CBS Early Show had a great video and some recipes to share.

From CBS: "Wing expert Kevin Roberts, executive chef and owner of San Diego's East Village Tavern, chili queen Elizabeth Karmel, executive chef of New York's Hill Country and pitmaster Ed Mitchell, of Raleigh's The Pit, prepared their best to fill up your guests on game day. You can see Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday February 7, on CBS."

Recipes:

Smokey West Coast Wings
Far East Wings
The Original Buffalo Chicken Wings
Super Bowl Sunday Ribs
Bowl of Red (Chili)



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Kevin Robert's Smokey West Coast Wings

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 pounds Wings (flats and drumettes only)
1 stick butter, melted
1 bottle Cayenne Pepper Sauce
1 can Chipotle Peppers with Adobo Sauce Grilled - until crispy

METHOD:

In a large pot with boiling water boil the chicken wings for 10 minutes. Remove the wings from the water and pat dry. Place on a hot grill and cook until crispy and cooked all the through.

Combine the melted butter, cayenne pepper sauce, and chipotle peppers with adobo sauce. Add the wings and coat thoroughly. Serve immediately.




FAR EAST WINGS

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 pounds (flats and drumettes only)
1 bottle Sweet Chili Sauce
1/4 cup Honey
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
Juice of 1/2 Lemon

METHOD:

In a large pot with boiling water boil the chicken wings for 10 minutes. Remove the wings from the water and pat dry. Place on a hot grill and cook until crispy and cooked all the through.

In a large bowl combine the sweet chili sauce, honey, soy sauce and lemon juice. Mix well and add the chicken wings and coat thoroughly. Serve immediately.

THE ORIGINAL BUFFALO CHICKEN WINGS

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 pounds Chicken Wing Pieces
1/2 cup Cayenne Pepper Sauce
1/3 cup melted Butter

METHOD:

Deep-fry* wings in hot oil (400°F) for 12 minutes until fully cooked and crispy; drain.

Combine Cayenne Pepper Sauce and butter. Dip wings in sauce to coat.

Serve wings with celery and blue cheese dressing if desired.

Note: For equally crispy wings, bake 1 hour at 425°F, or grill 30 minutes over medium heat.




Ed Mitchell’s Super Bowl Sunday Ribs

Ingredients:

Spareribs
Your favorite seasoning or rub
Eastern North Carolina-style, vinegar-based sauce Your favorite tangy barbecue sauce

Prepping: With a good knife and cutting board, remove “skirt” on the bone side of the ribs. Turn ribs over and remove about 2 to 2 1/2 inches along top of rack. Clean both ends of rack if they are ragged. With a small paring knife, lift up membrane on bone side, grab with a kitchen towel and remove from rack. Remove large fat deposits on “meat” side and lightly make several “knife scores” along the rack, parallel with the rib bones.

Next, cut the rack into five bone portions. Four bone or six bone portions are fine, but five are ideal. Once all the ribs are portioned, sprinkle the rub on both sides of rib. Place in covered container if not grilling immediately.

Cooking: Once you have the grill pit hot with charcoal, arrange seasoned ribs, meat side down, on the grill. Allow this side to cook uninterrupted for about 15 minutes. Using tongs, carefully and quickly turn ribs over (bone side down). Baste with Eastern North Carolina-style vinegar sauce. Allow to cook for another 15 minutes or so. With a clean kitchen towel, blot off any blood on the meat side of the ribs. Repeat, turning over ribs at 10 to 15 minute intervals for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until just fully cooked. After each turn, baste with vinegar sauce A properly cooked spare rib will have a nice seasoned browned color.

After removing the ribs from the grill, baste the ribs with vinegar sauce again. This step helps keep the ribs moist and gives the ribs additional flavor. Cover pan with aluminum foil and put in a low-temperature warmer (150˚ F.) until they will be served. Lightly brush ribs with barbecue sauce before to serving.




Elizabeth Karmel's Bowl of Red

Serves: 4 - 6

INGREDIENTS:

2 large yellow onions, finely chopped
Olive oil
1 pound ground sirloin
1 pound ground chuck
1 12-ounce bottle of Lone Star or other beer
2 10-ounce cans Rotel tomatoes with Chiles
6 ounces tomato paste
2 tablespoons freshly ground cumin
1 tablespoon freshly ground oregano leaves
1 tablespoon dehydrated garlic
2 teaspoons kosher salt or more to taste
1 tablespoon Ancho Chile powder
2 teaspoons New Mexican Chili Powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cold Kreuz Market Jalapeno Cheddar link, chopped (optional)
Cornbread or Tortilla chips as an accompaniment

METHOD:

In a large heavy-bottomed pot, onions in olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add beef and continue cooking until onions are translucent. Add beer, Rotel tomatoes and tomato paste and stir. Stir and simmer for a few minutes, then add spices. Stir thoroughly.

Cover pot and cook on a low heat for 2 hours. Stir occasionally to break up the pieces of tomato and make sure all the spices are well incorporated. Add sausage if using and heat for 5-10 minutes more or until sausage is warmed through.

If chili is too thick, additional water or beer may be added, but add slowly and cautiously.

Serve with a slice of cornbread or tortilla chips and extra hot sauce for the heat freaks on the side.

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Chocolate Cake Recipes at Romancing The Chocolate

From Denny: Thought I'd start cataloging these chocolate recipes so you can find them faster than a blog search! This is going to take a while so be sure to check back often for added links. Why waste time looking for a chocolate recipe when you can be digging into it with your fork and enjoying it? :)

CAKES

Most Popular Web Recipe: Double Chocolate Cake

Chef Sandra Lees Easy Frozen Chocolate Cookie Cake

Valentines Day: Impressive Four Chocolates Cake

Flourless chocolate espresso cake with berries

3 Quick Awesome Chocolate Recipes for the Holidays:
Almond Fudge Topped Shortbread
Easy MINI KISSES Cookie Torte
Really Chocolate Chocolate Cake
CHOCOLATE FUDGE FROSTING

Warm Chocolate Pudding Cake

Calorie Monster Chocolate Truffle Cake with Raspberry Sauce

Recipe: Easy Black Russian Cake





Recipe: Easy Cocoa Chocolate Sheet Cake

Recipe: Swiss Chocolate Cake

Recipes: Chocolate Alcoholic Drinks That Taste Like Favorite Foods!

Recipe: Sour Cream-Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting and Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze

Recipe: University Club's Skillet Chocolate Gooey Cake

Recipe: How to Make German Chocolate Cake Without a Mix

Recipe: German Chocolate Cake and Coconut Pecan Frosting

Recipe: Triple Chocolate Mess in a Crock Pot


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How to Cook Perfect Al Dente Pasta, Giadas Simple Recipe

From Denny: Beginner cooks are always asking how to cook pasta just up to the right texture without going past it to the gooey too soft uninspired noodles like you get at a cafeteria.

First of all, start with a huge pot of cold water. Once it comes up to the boil, throw in a fair amount of salt for the volume of water so you get a layered effect of taste. If you wait to salt the pasta after it's cooked it tends to sit on top, not soaked in like if you had cooked it into it.

Second, you don't really need to put any oil into the boiling water to prevent sticking. If you have a large enough volume of water the pasta will "dance" and not stick together at all. Though I like to stir it every now and then with a pasta fork to make sure, especially if it's long noodles.

Or you can break all the proper rules like I do when I'm hard-pressed for time: use a small volume of water to boil and stir constantly. It can get tricky unless you are used to how the pasta is supposed to look when just cooked properly. So, before you break all the rules, first learn them! :)

When you go to drain the pasta, make sure you save a little pasta water, about one cup or so, that has all that starch and vitamins from the processing. Use that to marry your sauce or sauteed veggies to the noodles, thickening the sauce without added butter or oil so you save on calories!

Take a look at the demo:

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*** Chef Giada from Food Network is always showing how to make delicious simple Italian food quickly and this recipe is so easy!

PENNE WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATO PESTO

From: Chef Giada De Laurentis

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ease of preparation: easy

INGREDIENTS

• 12 ounces penne pasta
• 1 (8 1/2 ounce) jar sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
• 1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, blend the sun-dried tomatoes and their oil, basil, and garlic in a food processor just until the tomatoes are finely chopped. Transfer the tomato mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Season the pesto with salt and pepper, to taste.

Add the pasta to the pesto and toss to coat, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

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