Our Guide to Quick Thanksgiving Recipes

 

We know cars, but we also know FOOD!  As Thanksgiving approaches, we know you’re working frantically to get things in order.  The Turkey and ham must be properly prepared and seasoned, family members are waiting at the airport, and beer must be supplied in plenty.  You’ve got a lot to do.  So, as time winds down, we’ve come to the rescue.  Check out our quick guide to a fast recipe you can put together under pressure.  Oh, and have a great Thanksgiving!

Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

6 medium sweet potatoes or yams (2 pounds)

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

3 tablespoons water

½ teaspoon salt

Step 1: Scrub sweet potatoes, but do not peel.  Place potatoes in 3-quart saucepan. Add enough water just to cover. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until tender. Drain; cool slightly. Slip off skins. Cut into 1/2-inch slices.

Step 2: Heat remaining ingredients in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly. Add potatoes. Gently stir until glazed and hot.(Courtesy of Betty Crocker)

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Automotive Advertising

Are Self-Driving Cars Coming Sooner Than We Think?

Yes.  Yes.  Yes.  According to Daily Finance: “This is no pipe dream. Google's (GOOG) well-publicized experiments with self-driving cars have shown the world that this is real technology, not a science-fiction dream. In fact, it's just one more step on a journey that has been under way for several years -- a journey toward taking the "driving" out of car ownership.”  Google has been hard at work at this process, you can check out their progress here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9Fxp3HK6DI  The vehicle drives itself, maintaining speed and angles throughout. 

Other manufacturers like Mercedes are working on a system that will allow drivers to leave the car to drive itself at speeds of up to 30 mph (gotta start somewhere!).  The process is somewhat similar to radar cruise control, in which the autonomous driving system uses a series of cameras and sensors to control the speed of the car and the distance to the front of the other vehicle.  Mercedes-Benz engineer Dr Stefan Schweher told the website the technology "allows the driver to concentrate on other things" while they navigated morning or evening traffic.

Wow, sounds pretty cool! What do you think?  Would you want your car to drive for you?  Leave us feedback!

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Automotive Advertising

Preventing Auto Theft

The restaurant is dimly lit; creating an ambiance that is both inviting and tasteful.  You bite into your steak, looking through the window outside as you measure the flavor of your first morsel.  It’s then; you see a shadowy figure huddled by the drivers’ side of your car.  You watch, as if in slow motion, as the individual quickly enters your car via force and drives off in your brand new car.  The scariest moment during theft is watching your hard earned vehicle being taken by someone who wanted a quick buck.

            In today’s blog, we discuss some solutions for protecting your car from theft.  Theft begins with opportunity, as we all know.  The thief sees a opportune moment to strike.  Diminish these opportunities by being prepared.  An alarm system is a good beginning, however most thieves have a full understanding of most theft systems.  Here are some ways to protect your vehicle:

Obviously, you should never do any of these things:

• Never leave the windows down or the sunroof open;
• Never leave the keys in the ignition, or someplace else in the car such as under the visor;
• Never leave the car running and unattended, even for only a few minutes;
• Never leave car unlocked

• Don't leave your spare key somewhere a thief is likely to look, like magnetically stuck to the exhaust pipe or sitting on top of the tire;
• Only leave the ignition key with the valet, and make sure that the key to the glove box is a different cut;
• When you park on the street, turn the front wheels sharply into the curb and always use the emergency brake;
• Disable the car in some way, either by removing the electronic ignition fuse or by some other method;

Stolen vehicles are usually sold as parts because it’s more difficult for police to track hundreds of vehicle parts, as opposed to an entire car.  Want to keep your car immune from theft?  Consider these options:

• Ignition and fuel kill switches;
• Floorboard, gearshift, tire/wheel and hood locks;
• Vehicle tracking device
• If you have a rear-wheel drive vehicle, back into the driveway; if you have a front-wheel drive vehicle, drive straight into the driveway;
• If you have a garage, clean it out and park your vehicle in there, and always lock your garage doors;
• Install a motion-sensor light or alarm system on your garage doors;

We hope that we provided some great tips for you, guys.  Have a great week! Feel free to share any experiences you might have had, or additional tips.  Thanks!