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Oh Valentine’s Day, how you creep up at the beginning of every year and put the pressure of finding the perfect way to tell people you love them. Never fear, friends, we have a great idea to simplify your Valentine’s Day – stay in, have some fun, and save yourself some cash!
First thing is first – get the gift now! No really, planning ahead will allow you to find a thoughtful gift that your sweetie will actually like instead of rushing at the last minute to find something that kinda works. It’s ok to stay away from the “typical” chocolates, flowers, and jewelry. Go for a unique gift or check out fair trade chocolate, eco-friendly or organic flowers, and ethical or recycled jewelry. Oh and ladies, don’t forget your man this year – they need to feel the love too!
Keep it real. Unrealistic expectations and over the top plans can really fizzle if they don’t come to fruition. Let’s be realistic people, going out to dinner on Valentine’s day never seems to be as wonderful as you hoped it would be. Restaurants are crowded, the servers are grumpy about working, and it’s difficult to put out the vibe with hundreds of strangers around you. Make dinner at home, heck try cooking together for some more time together. Not sure what to make? Here’s what we think makes for a laid-back evening with your sweetie, friends or family:
German Cheddar and Beer Fondue
Image: Food Network
A simple recipe from Rachael Ray at the Food Network that is fun to eat – I mean come on people, we’re talking about cheesy delicious fondue! Pair it with a tasty salad to get your veggies and add a course.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 sack, 10 ounces, 2 1/2 cups, shredded sharp Cheddar, available on dairy aisle
1/4 to 1/3 pound, 4 to 6 ounces, Gruyere, shredded
1 rounded tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup German lager beer (or your favorite beer!)
2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
A few drops hot sauce
A few drops Worcestershire sauce
For Serving:
1 1/2 pounds cubed or thick sliced and browned wursts: knock, brat or brot, etc.
1 package mini party franks (recommended: Boars Head)
1 head cauliflower, separated into florets
1 small jar mini Gherkin pickles, drained
1 small jar pickled onions, available on vegetable aisle
1 small, round loaf rye, pumpernickel or sour dough bread, cubed
Directions:
Combine cheeses in a bowl with flour. Add beer to a small pot and bring up to a bubble over medium heat. Reduce the heat to simmer and add cheese in handfuls. Stir constantly, melting the cheese in batches. Stir in a figure-eight pattern with wooden spoon. When the cheese has been incorporated fully, stir in the mustard, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Transfer fondue to warm fondue pot.
In a large skillet, bring 2-inches of water to a boil and blanch the cauliflower for 2 to 3 minutes, drain and arrange around the fondue pot.
In the same pan, bring the cooking water back to a boil and add the mini franks and sliced wursts. Cook, uncovered until all the liquid has evaporated. Add 1 tablespoon butter to the pan to crisp the casings. Pile wursts and dogs near fondue. Complete the dipping selections with dishes of pickles, onions and cubed bread.
Flourless Chocolate Cake with Dark Chocolate Glaze
Image: Whole Foods
Make this recipe from Whole Foods ahead of time and save yourself some stress the night of Valentine’s dinner. So simple and so delicious!
Serves 12
Ingredients:
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips or bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
1 cup (2 sticks) plus 3 tablespoons butter, cut into chunks
1 1/4 cups sugar
6 eggs
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray, then line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. Spray the paper with cooking spray, too, then set the pan aside.
Place two-thirds (8 ounces) of the chocolate and 1 cup (2 sticks) of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Stirring often, melt chocolate with butter until completely blended. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl. (Alternatively, you may use your microwave to melt the butter with the chocolate, if desired). Add sugar and mix well. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Sift cocoa into bowl and stir until just blended.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cake has risen and top has formed a thin crust. The cake should be just firm in the center when done. Cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto a plate, removing sides of springform pan. Remove and discard parchment paper and set cake aside to cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the chocolate glaze. Melt remaining 4 ounces chocolate and 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat, then stir in milk, honey and vanilla. Set aside to cool slightly.
When cake has cooled, pour glaze onto the center. Using a spatula or the back of a spoon, very gently smooth glaze along the top and sides of the cake. Chill cake, uncovered, for 30 to 60 minutes before serving to set the glaze and make the cake easier to slice.
Now crack open your favorite bottle of organic wine, pop open a beer, or go all out and do champagne! Rent a movie and enjoy eachother’s company without the stress of a big Valentine’s Day to do!
Guffly loves any excuse for a celebrating and is your source for stylish products and unique gifts that ease your shopping conscience by being eco friendly or fair trade. The website features one new Daily Guff at an extra affordable price each weekday. Guffly features creative goods ranging from personal accessories, home goods, clothing, office & desk accessories, to pet accessories. The team happens to think that making stylish and modern purchasing decisions doesn’t have to mean using excess resources, filling up landfills, or relying on unfair labor. Check Guffly out at http://guffly.com/
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February is the month of love and we just love our Guffly customers to pieces. Since our December Get 5 promo was so popular we thought we would introduce a new promotion this month! For the entire month of February EVERYTHING SHIPS FOR FREE from www.guffly.com! That’s right, from the Daily Guff to the Top Guffs – we’re shipping everything for nothing, nadda, zilch!
So shop til you drop from the comfort of your own home, the coffee shop, or wherever you find yourself cruisin’ the interwebs. It’s a great time to get gifts for Valentine’s Day, upcoming birthdays, anniversary gifts, or self-gifting! We hope you enjoy the free shipping on all the eco friendly products at Guffly!
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Oh snap! Guffly is spreading the green love around to our awesome Facebook fans. On Tuesday February 9, we are going to randomly select one Facebook fan of Guffly to win one of our favorite eco friendly products, the Cupid’s Travel Kit!
Cupid's Travel Kit
The kit includes a 2oz personal lubricant, 2oz love oil of your choice,and cocoa mint body dessert – yum yum! All the products included in this set are made with mainly organic and vegan ingredients, so you don’t have to worry about your goods being contaminated with chemicals, dyes, and other mojo-killing substances.
So get over to Guffly’s Facebook page and become a fan now! You’ll get updates about the Daily Guff, promotions, interesting news and random fun. If you happen to already be a fan, no worries – we love you too…you’re already eligible!
Rules:
Enter the giveaway starting Thursday February 4, 2010 by becoming a fan of Guffly on Facebook. There is no purchase necessary to enter. All Facebook fans 18 years and older, US residents are eligible to win. The giveaway ends on Tuesday February 9, 2010 at 4:00pm EST. You must be a Fan of Guffly on Facebook prior to this deadline to be eligible.
One winner will be randomly selected on February 9, 2010. A member of the Guffly team will notify the winner via the winner’s Facebook account. The selected winner has 24 hours to respond. If the winner is not eligible, rejects the prize, or does not respond, Guffly will randomly select another winner from the fan base.
Assuming the winner responds promptly with shipping information Guffly will have the prize to you by Sunday, February 14, 2010 – just in time for Valentine’s Day!
The giveaway has ended and the winner has been selected and notified…stay tuned! Thanks and welcome to all our new Facebook fans!
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The Vintage Glass Earrings on the Daily Guff come from avid glass and bottle collector, Laura Bergman – founder of Bottled Up Designs. Laura saw an opportunity when collectors took the whole bottles but left the broken glass behind for the environment and wildlife to deal with. We commend her for identifying this problem and truly making the most of it!
She has lived in Pennsylvania Amish Country her entire life and has spent many hours poking through old glass and bottle dumps in the area, which are now in wooded natural habitats. In her words, “To me, though broken, this glass still has beauty and history, so I decided to pick up the pieces and turn them into something beautiful again, in my remarkable line of recycled glass jewelry.”
She goes the extra mile in working towards being environmentally friendly by not using older or flux, as this process produces chemicals that are extremely harmful to the environment. We appreciate that extra effort!
As an added bonus, each of her pieces comes with “The Story of the Glass,” which details what the jewelry piece was originally made from and approximate age. This little detail really makes it a special, one-of-a-kind gift.
Check out the amazing Vintage Glass Earrings in 5 colors on the Daily Guff: guffly.com
*Remember it’s only 16 days until Valentine’s Day! Don’t forget to get a cool eco gift for the ones you love!*
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Valentine’s Day is celebrated the world over as a day where people express their love for each other. In today’s world, this tends to mean goofy Valentines at school, romantic dinners with your main squeeze, sending flowers, and enjoying chocolates. Whether you’re down with the whole holiday or not there is no better time to let the people you love know you appreciate them!
At Guffly, we think that green gifting is the new language of love. Unique, eco gifts show how much you care for both the recipient and this lovely planet we live on. This doesn’t have to mean products that aren’t stylish, desirable or affordable! Check out these fabulous eco chic gifting ideas:
The Ecofriendly Wine Tote helps you transport not one but, two bottles of wine or bubbly or beer (hey, go with what you love!) to a romantic picnic location. To-Go Ware Utensil Kits are the perfect set of picnic tools to replace plastic utensils. If it’s freezing out like it is in Detroit at Guffly HQ might we suggest a picnic at home with candles, carry out food, a cozy blanket and indoor fun.
Often the men can be overlooked during this schmoopy holiday – don’t leave him out! Cufflinks made from recycled Legos (comes in blue or black too!) or discarded Scrabble tiles are great pieces of man jewelry that are sure to make him smile. He may also like a fancy new Reusable Razor Kit that gives him a closer shave eco-friendly style for those intimate moments.
While jewelry may seem like the obvious choice for your leading lady, don’t go to the old standbys. Chances are she already has those and has seen other gals rocking the same pieces of jewelry. Make her feel extra special with one of a kind pieces like the Chunky Ring, Recycled Sterling Silver Ring (extra chic when stacked), Recycled Cork Cuff Bracelet, and Upcycled Scarf Necklace (with more colors than you can think of). Each piece is eco-friendly in its own special way and sure to make her feel like a princess.
For those you love-like-a-friend, surprise them with a cute gift that’s super nice to your wallet – the Recycled Game Tile Valentine’s Pendant is sure to make them feel appreciated. Also available in our top selling Tree design.
To make for a spicy, green Valentine’ Day consider enjoying the Cupid’s Travel Kit that’s equipped with travel sized love potions that are natural, vegan, and delicious. Ladies will also love this Sexy Eco-friendly Lingerie set that is comfy and flirty all at once! Ooh la la!
All of these fun, eco-friendly gifts are found on Guffly – your source for stylish products and unique gifts that ease your shopping conscience by being eco friendly or fair trade. We happen to think that making stylish and modern purchasing decisions doesn’t have to mean using excess resources, filling up landfills, or relying on unfair labor. Guffly searches high and low so that you can bet our green products are stylish, fun, and attractive – eco stylish if you will. Check out the eco chic products at http://guffly.com
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Oh la la! Things are spicing up on the Daily Guff! Today’s Sexy Eco-friendly Lingerie Set is designed and handmade by the lovely ladies at Urban Fox, a Midwest-based lingerie company founded in 2007, that’s keeping it real with cute designs, eco-friendly fabrics, and hand sewn products. Seriously, what’s not to love about these sexy little things!?
To stick with the Guffly mission of finding eco friendly products that don’t make you sacrifice your sense of style, we spotted this lingerie set and just had to get it. While it’s a bamboo and organic cotton blend this isn’t your average undies. It’s more burlesque-inspired with designs and models that are much closer to what we see in the mirror.
Since each of these lingerie pieces is handmade, it’s going to take us a little longer to get them to you. Make sure you order yours – or a set for your leading lady as soon as you can to ensure fun times for Valentine’s Day. Run, don’t walk to check out the Daily Guff: http://guffly.com/
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Why yes, we are shaking things up on the Daily Guff a bit just in time for Valentine’s Day. The Cupids Travel Kit that is featured today is created by the company Good Clean Love. The company provides natural love products and on a mission, “to increase the awareness and experience of love in the world.” They always said love one another, why not do it the eco-friendly way?!
Good Clean Love was founded by Wendy Strgar. She describes herself as, “a loveologist who writes and lectures on Making Love Sustainable, a green philosophy of relationships which teaches the importance of valuing the renewable resources of love and family. She has learned that physical intimacy is an important component of sustaining healthy loving relationships through her own marriage of over 24 years.” This lady knows what she’s doing and is offering top quality eco-friendly love products, the nature lover in all of us can certainly appreciate that!
We’re offering the special Cupid’s Travel Kit that’s equipped with TSA size approved Almost Naked Organic Lubricant, Love Oil of your choice and Cocoa Mint Body Dessert. Intriguing, isn’t it? Treat your Valentine to some good clean love this Valentine’s Day by getting one of these on the Daily Guff: http://guffly.com/
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These awesome Handmade Journal Sets on the Daily Guff today come to us from the husband and wife team of This Is It! Creations. We love their eclectic handmade gifts that happen to be fantastically eco-friendly!
Founded in 2005 in southern Oregon, this duo creates products that are designed to help you reflect, appreciate each moment, and remember what’s important in life: peace, love, beauty and fun! (that’s a quote straight from them…we love it) All of their paper comes from environmentally sustainable sources (Nepalese lokta paper for these journals) and the Handmade Journal Set comes with individually wrapped journals in biodegradable sleeves. We enjoy the humor and thought behind the sayings on the covers of these journals – you get to pick your favorite 3!
Their motto is “Freedom from the ordinary – Freedom for the animals.” You know that’s something we get behind here at Guffly. What’s more is they currently donate 5% of their profits to animal welfare groups.
Family Picture!
Hat tip to you Jodi and Dan of This Is It! Creations – you’re fighting the good fight and we support you! Support them (and the animals!) by getting your very own Handmade Journal Set on the Daily Guff: http://guffly.com
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Instead of offering a product today on the Daily Guff we offer you an opportunity to give a Christmas to less fortunate children in Detroit. This year the Old Newsboys’ Goodfellow Fund of Detroit will distribute 36,000 holiday gift boxes – their community fundraising goal is $1.4 million. While looking for a charity for Guffly to support this holiday season, it just made sense to help them cover Christmas 2009 expenses and maybe even help towards their 2010 goal.
The Old Newsboys’ Goodfellow Fund of Detroit is a 95-year-old charity founded in 1914 by James J. Brady. The organization includes 300 members whose sole mission is to ensure that there is “No Kiddie without a Christmas.” Each holiday season the Detroit Goodfellows distribute holiday gift boxes to children ages four through 13 living in Detroit, Highland Park, River Rouge and Hamtramck. Each child receives warm clothing, toys, books, games and candy.
The Detroit Goodfellows are not affiliated with any other Goodfellow organization and there is no national headquarters. As a Detroit business, Guffly feels that it is important to us to support efforts to improve our city. You have all heard the bad stuff about Detroit and here is an opportunity to help one of the good things about Detroit. We see great things happening in Detroit every day and we hope that by bringing this incredibly worthy charity to the Daily Guff we can be a part of some of those things.
Learn more about how you can make a charity Christmas gift that will be match dollar for dollar by Guffly on the Daily Guff: http://guffly.com
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The Daily Guff today is featuring the Recycled Nylon Laundry Bag made by a company called Gorilla Sacks based in Atlanta, Georgia! They are not creating your average reusable bags down there. All of these bags are made from recycled aerial banners. Believe it or not they actually hand cut the pieces of their bags from the billboards!
Worried about the cleanliness level of something like this – no worries man, after the banner is unfolded, inspected and cut it’s sent to the washer with eco-friendly Charlie’s Soap and a bit o bleach to disinfect it (you don’t want sky cooties on your underoos do you?)
The cleaned up pieces then head to the master sewers at Gorilla Sacks – they get to work from the comfort of their homes in the good ol US of A! We like American made products that really are made in the US under great conditions!
Given the nature of recycled materials, each of these awesome, oversized Recycled Nylon Laundry Bags is one of a kind. We think these could be a great beach bag too! Make doing laundry fun on the Daily Guff: http://guffly.com
