I believe you, because I always knew too. It was like the Easter bunny... like, I always knew that there wasn't *really* a magical rabbit that went around hiding eggs in the yard, it was just a story. For some reason though, I did actually believe in the tooth fairy until the year my dad got lazy and left me a…

+1

While Sam is a shortened version of Samuel, it has become a name in and of itself. People sometimes name their kids their shortened form. Same for Jeff, Matt, etc. Calling them Samuel or Jeffrey or Matthew would be wrong, because that's not their name.

I like it, but I do think it's not a universal taste. Like fliiiing, I like the "popping" texture, although often I find it too salty.

Really? You hate all casserole? Even lasagna?

I wouldn't suggest deep frying in olive oil; because of it's low smoke point (and thus lower cooking temp) the food won't come out as crispy as it would otherwise... and what's the point of deep frying if your food is going to come out soggy?

What the hell? Tell your sister to stop lording her fancy gold Solo cups over the rest of us red-cuppers!

Are there people who use canned sweet potatoes? Gah!

Yep, I agree about aikido—very close to hapkido—although how much you get out and how quickly depends on how you're taught, I guess. I move around a lot so I have found that the style and focus sort of varies—my first teacher was really focused on self-defense via hapkido, whereas my second was more focused on…

Hapkido is also a good martial art for self defense as it has a large focus on defensive and disarming techniques, as well as throws and strikes.

Cornmeal is just dried corn, corn is a vegetable, so...

Oh definitely use real maple syrup, not the fake stuff (ugh, can't imagine that one!) although I think brown sugar is great in sweet 'toes. The thing is, brown sugar is better for the texture and consistency of the dish. Syrup is going to make it much thinner. Or you could go half-n-half, and whip the potatoes a…

As MissEdith says, you should check to make sure you are not downloading recipes from the makers of those packets. But for the most part, recipes from place like the Food Network (except for that horrible "Semi-Homemade" and its ilk) are going to be based on fresh ingredients. You should also check to make sure your…

I had the same thought. Maybe both?

It is. Sweet potato casserole (or sweet potato souffle, as it's referred to in the South) is a staple of Southern cooking, while green bean casserole seems to be more Midwestern.

If you're American and you think Americans have a terrible food culture, you should probably get out of your house a little more and stop looking at fast food and chain restaurants as representative. For starters, American food culture is not monolithic, but varies by region. Southwest, Midwest, Pacific Coast,…

Sweet potato souffle (I've never heard anyone refer to it as casserole) is basically pie without a crust. It's a side dish (part of the regular meal), but a sort of ridiculously indulgent treat for holidays, not regular meals.

Not a fan of green bean casserole myself, but you have to remember that this recipe came from an era where vegetables in the winter were coming out of a can and needed to be 'livened up' somehow. It became tradition, even now that fresh (and much tastier) green beans are normally available year round.

What's your budget, what do you want to do with the tablet, are you in graphic design/computer illustration/animation etc, do you want it new or would you be willing to buy it used, have you ever used a tablet before?