Buying a New Flat Screen TV: Need Your Help!!

We are looking into replacing our 10 year old television and getting a flat screen TV. A television that actually has "plug in's" in the front rather than the back of the set and that does not weigh 400 pounds. Oh, that's an exaggeration, it probably weighs only 200 pounds and the huge entertainment weighs like 900 pounds. I hope it doesn't weigh that much, we need to be able to carry it downstairs to the new kid's playroom!!

When we first purchased the entertainment center, we were looking for a way to hide our TV. We wanted doors that we could close so we would not have to look at it all the time. While we watch TV, we are don't have it on constantly and really monitor what we are watching so it only seemed right to put the TV behind closed doors.

In the past few years, we've burned through 3 DVR's because we insisted on "covering up" our box behind doors and it got too hot! Guess it needs air and sunshine just like kids.

Now, televisions are like works of art or at least priced like them. You want them displayed prominently and the bigger the better. You can even mount them on the wall like a deer head! They become the centerpiece of your family room. What happened to the good old days of fireplace chats when that was the "screen" everyone looked at. Of course, I realize that now that we are trying to enter the 21st century in our family so we need to get our electronics up to date, too.

Seriously though, the whole researching, reading about and looking at electronics confuses me. I've checked out CNET, talked with the geek squad at the blue and yellow store, and looked on line for any and all information about the difference between plasma and LCD, 1040 vs 620, computer calibrations of the pixels and what size looks best on a new entertainment center without doors.

So, here's my question to you my family of readers: Do you have any suggestions on picking a flat screen TV that does not cost as much as my college education and that will not take over a whole wall in my family room? Anything we need to look for? Avoid? Do we need experts to come in and set it up for us or can we carry it away ourselves from the store and get it set up? Finally, what did you did with your new TV, is it on the wall, on a unit, or just sitting on the floor?

Super Bowl Sunday is just around the corner and electronic stores are going crazy with sales so we hope to have something new in time for Game Day. Plus, I have a donation truck coming on February 8th to take our lovely Hooker Brand Red Cherry Entertainment Center with Big Doors away.

Getting Domestic: The Produce Edition

I bought canning jars the other day at the grocery store. You heard that right, after harvesting our lone red tomato and purchasing a bushel of cucumbers at the Farmers' Market this weekend, I was inspired to get in the kitchen and make something of my fresh produce.

Look at my results:

Homemade Refridge Pickles: Made with Farmer's Market Pickling Cucumbers and Fresh Dill

Homemade Salsa: Made with Garden Tomatoes and Cucumbers from the Farmer's Market

While only 1 large tomato came from our garden I feel good that the other 4 came from our local Hy-Vee with a tag saying they were grown here in our state on a farm about 1.5 hours away. They were very fresh.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread: A favorite from a Bed and Breakfast in Kansas City

Made with Zucchini from a friends garden. They were huge and yummy. This recipe makes two big loaves and we've already eaten the first one in a day's time.

I'm not a food blog but I could post the recipes if you wanted. They are not originals but they are treasured "friends". We had a little sampling party tonight with the salsa and the pickles before dinner. Yummy! The salsa had just enough kick and the pickles were crisp and tasty with a dilly sweet taste.

Who knows, maybe later this summer, I might can a few more items that actually require canning. Both of today's recipes in my Ball Canning Jars are just for refridge; no boiling required. I'll have to admit that the real canning seems a little difficult to me!

On a completely different note, we've found a fabulous bread store in town that sells fresh bread. They are a bakery that sells directly to stores in the area and, for years, we've loved their hot dog/hamburger buns and Italian bread. Now. we are getting their bread at deep discounts. The outlet store is right near my husband's office so when he walked in today from work with the bread, he smelled like a "bagel" according to A.

All this bread was purchased for only $3.75 and the most expensive was the Cinnamon Raisin Bread at $1.85 which we enjoy in the mornings toasted with a little butter.

Raisin Cinnamon Bread, 12 Hamburger Buns, Loaf of Italian Twist Bread and a Loaf of Wheat Bread ....

Am I making you hungry?