A Wake for the Departed GEAC

Please join us at 10 a.m. on Friday, January 18th to mourn the passing of longtime acquaintance Geac PLUS.

Obituary Notice

Cook Library resident Geac PLUS passed away in early 2008, a drawn out death at the age of thirty-four. He was the modern day version of a 'renaissance man', being able to locate materials across the district at sometimes quick speeds. The eldest son of the fondly remembered Gaylord “ker-chunk” machines and the card catalog, Geac was proud to assist library patrons and staff in locating materials.

Born Geac CLSI, he lived most of his life in libraries across Lake County. In 1999, changing his name to Geac PLUS, he began a new era in library searching.

A lover of literature, even more than music and movies, he had always dreamed of being a categorizer. His favorite classic titles were “Error” and “Title Not Found”. Known in his youth for what was affectionately called “Geaction,” in his later days he converted to what might be called “Ge-inaction.”

In lieu of flowers, please bring cemetery-themed food to Geac’s wake, which will be held in the Staff Lounge on Friday, January 18. Visiting hours will be held between 10 a.m. and Noon. In honor of the deceased, an award will be given to the most morbid contribution.
Geac’s organizational responsibilities will be assumed by his next of kin, Innovative Millennium, who will officially take office on February 14, 2008.

Ladies and Gentlemen, it's the Snacker of the Month

It is my great pleasure to inform you that Sonia has been selected as January's Snacker of the Month.

Thanks to all for your terrific comments -- the competition was fierce this month. 19 comments were submitted, and Sonia was the lucky winner whose comment was chosen at random from all those submitted.

What will she choose? Salty, sweet, healthy? The choice is hers, folks. Congratulations, Sonia!

Perhaps after what we've taken to calling "Snacktober," with training and snacks and Snacktacular and snacks and Halloween and snacks, you've taken a turn to the virtuous and are snacking on lovely healthy things like this beautiful veggie plate. That's ok! Snacks can be healthy, too!

Here's a great article from Real Simple magazine featuring 9 healthy snacks (including this yummy cashew-butter treat)! Mmmmmmm!

I myself have been on a fruit kick lately. Just this morning I had some Skittles!

No matter what your snacking pleasure, you'll be thrilled to know we have a new Snacker of the Month! Susie P. is this month's lucky snacker. She'll be receiving her choice of snack -- healthy or indulgent -- simply because she posted a comment to I Luv Snacks!

You, too, could be a winner! Tell us what you think of the Word of the Week -- or what words you'd like to see featured there. Tell us if you've eaten all your kids' Halloween candy yet (I haven't, but I'm working on it!). Tell us what you had for lunch, or your favorite healthy snack recipe. Let the comments roll!

Spectacular Snacktober Snacktacular!

Some of the races were close, but here's the winners from yesterday's Snacktacular!

Sweetest Snack
Cook: Heather's Pretzel Turtles
Evergreen: Julie Forslev's Autumn Cupcakes

Healthiest Snack
Cook: Nicole Bosak's Fantastic Cantaloupe
Evergreen: Deborah Gafka's Hotter Then Hell Hummus

Saltiest Snack
Cook: Winnie Collins' Roll Gold Pretzel Sticks
Evergreen: Pam Strain's Bunch of Nuts Mix

Prettiest Snack
Cook: Danielle Quist's "It's All About The Presentation" Bundt Cakes

Most Chocolate-y Snack
Cook: Bungy Lowry's Best Damn Chocolate Cake In The World
Evergreen: Arlene Lane's Orgasmic Brownies

Best Dip
Cook: Winnie Collins' Ranch Dip with Crosscut Vegetables
Evergreen: Craig Backe's Brother's Ex-Wife's Crab Dip

Most Fun Snack
Cook: Carol Zwolski's Chocolate With Hats and Pretzel Brooms
Evergreen: Sarah Simpson's Licorice Haunted House

Contests
Guess The M&M's
Jar 1: Cindy Ugaste
Jar 2: Michele Esteve

Words In The Word Millennium
Winnie Collins found 30 words in the Millennium!

Winners, come claim your prizes! We have certificates, rubber duckies, and fun Innovative prizes for everyone who won.

And...thank you to everyone who contributed to the Snacktober Snacktacular. As Barb Jarvis said, "It was a Spectacular Snacktacular!"

You Can Talk The Talk, But..

Can you deliver the snacks?

We are looking for the best of the best at tomorrow's Snacktober Snacktacular!

Will you be named Queen of the Prettiest Snack? Diva of the Healthy Snack? Sir Salty Snack? Person With The Most Fun Snack? The Best Dip?

Only tomorrow will tell.

The Snacktober Snacktacular starts tomorrow at 10 a.m. at both Cook and Evergreen in the Staff Room (or Staff Area). Everyone who attends can vote for their favorite snack for each of the five categories. Each winner will receive blog recognition, a certificate of achievement, and loot from the Bag of Swag, so be sure to label your snacks!

Mmmmmm... Snacks!

Fall snacks are wonderful, aren't they? 'Tis the season of pumpkin pie, apple cider, cider doughnuts, Halloween candy, bobbed-for apples, pumpkin bread, candy corn, and caramel apples! Learn how to make your own caramel apples with this simple recipe (thanks, eHow.com!).






If caramel apples are too healthy a snack for you (all that fruit, you know) or if they're too bad for your teeth, try this lovely recipe for caramel apple cupcakes from the Cupcake Bakeshop. They look just like the real thing, but with cake! How bad could that be?




Finally, congratulations are in order for our Snacker of the Month, Deb Lindahl. Deb received some double-chocolate cookies, home-baked by the very talented Deborah Gafka. The cookies were declared to be absolutely delicious!





You, too, could be Snacker of the Month. Each month, a name is randomly chosen from all comments written to I Luv Snacks. Every comment gets you another chance to win! If you'd like to comment, but don't know how, ask one of your friendly neighborhood ILS folks for help.

Snacker of the Month

Ladies and Gentlemen, start your mice! The race for Snacker of the Month begins again today!


Congratulations to Laura Hadjimitsos, September's Snacker of the Month!

Laura's name was randomly chosen from all those who left comments last month on the I Luv Snacks blog! Laura has chosen a chocolate snack, which will be delivered to her desk fresh from the oven later this week.

You, too, could win a homemade snack. Click below to leave a comment. The more comments you make this month, the more chances you'll have to win. I hope you're hungry!

Snacker of the Month

I'm pleased to announce that Gail Finegan is the winner of the August snacks drawing! Gail has chosen to receive my homemade brownies, with frosting, for her Snack of the Month.

You, too, could receive homemade snacks, if your name is chosen in the Snack of the Month drawing. All you have to do to be eligible is to leave a comment on the ILuvSnacks blog! Ask us a question about the new ILS. Tell us what worries you about the transition to a new system. Tell us a joke, or share a snack recipe!

In the meantime, be extra nice to Gail, and maybe she'll give you a brownie.

Snack Like a Queen

The Cook kingdom has come to a great impasse, divided between a love of chocolate and salty snacks.

In the spirit of bridging a divide between the chocolate lovers and the salt addicts, we are sharing recipes to appease both camps. Enjoy!

Oh yea, and don't forget to share your favorite snack by voting on the right or commenting below.

Nancy Hart's Blonde Brownies

Oven 350 degrees
¾ C. butter
1 ¼ cup packed brown sugar or raw sugar or combination of the two. (I usually only use 1 cup sugar)
-Cream the two ingredients

Add:
3 eggs
1 t. vanilla
-Beat into the butter and sugar

Add:
2 cups of Rolled Oats processed in a food processor until
resembles coarse flour.

Add:
1 ½ C. flour (unbleached or a combo of whole wheat and white)
2 ½ t. baking powder
½ t. salt

At this point you can add about 10 oz chocolate chips and chopped nuts if desired. When I put the dough in a pan to bake, many of the chips seem to lump in one place and there are few in others, so I usually sprinkle the choc chips over the dough after it’s been put in a greased pan. You can even them out more this way and then just press them into the dough with damp fingers.

Depending on whether you want a “cakier” or thinner cookie bar you can use either a 9”x13” pan or larger jelly roll pan. Of course the baking time will vary some depending on the pan you use. I usually make the 9”x13” version and bake for about 20 minutes. If I make the thinner ones, I will sometimes bake just the dough (10-15 min) and then sprinkle the chips on after they are baked. The heat will melt them and you can then spread the chocolate and sprinkle with nuts if desired.

Arlene Lane's Baked Potato Dip

1 8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened
1/2 of a large carton of sour cream
1/2 cup of finely shredded cheddar cheese
1 can of Oscar Mayer bacon bits,
-Or 4-6 slices of bacon cooked and crumbled
2 green onions chopped

Mix together all ingredients and spread into a small casserole or baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Serve with potato chips or crackers.

What's Your Favorite Snack?

Mine is brownies. Ooey, gooey, fudgey brownies that get your fingers all chocolatey when you eat them and that are impossible to cut into squares without losing a few to brownie smush. (Then you have to eat the smushed ones, of course.) Such brownies must be consumed with a tall glass of milk.

Queen of Inspiration (a.k.a. Head Cheerleader) here to announce our monthly blog contest. To inspire all you loyal readers to keep checking in for snack news and updates on Millennium, I'm offering bribes. Check in, and tell us what you think. Share your ideas, your concerns, and your questions, by clicking the word "comments" below. Make sure to leave your name, because once a month, I'll collect all the comments and draw the name of a lucky winner. If you're the winner for the month, yours truly will provide homemade snacks.

That's right; you heard it here first! One lucky commenter each month will receive home-baked brownies (or another snack to be negotiated with the winner)! My mouth is watering already.

free + snacks = true love

If there's one thing this bunch loves, it's the opportunity to share free snacks.

That's why it's my pleasure to share not one but two free snack occasions with you...

ILS Brainstorming Meeting
Give us your ideas, and we will dazzle you with a free continental breakfast. Everyone--even Gary--is invited! Drop by between 8:30 and 10 a.m. on July 10. Sign up here.

Free Panera Bread
Stop by Panera and pick up a free loaf of bread--on us (ok, ok, it's on Panera). The offer expires July 28, so click here to print your free coupon. [Sorry, Panera has rescinded the offer. They were probably overwhelmed with CMPLD staff members' response to the offer.]

Check back often for more ILS and free snack information.