Cleaning House: How To Take Out the Trash

Did you know that the average American creates over 4 pounds of waste a day? And did you know that the average American has no idea how to dispose of those 4 pounds of waste properly? Even though I’m pretty careful about recycling and composting and taking hazardous material to the right places, I recently did some research on household waste disposal, and I realized I had a lot more to learn.

Compost

Leftover food in your garbage is actually a problem for the landfills. When food decomposes it gets hot. I mean, really hot. Adding coffee grounds to the mix gets it even hotter. That heat is capable of initiating chemical reactions in non-food garbage in the pile at the landfill. That would be the best scenario because in the end the food actually decomposes. Unfortunately, most landfills are dense, compacted masses without air flow. No oxygen means no composting. Last year's Thanksgiving leftovers could still be sitting there! Starting a compost pile of your own keeps the food out of the landfill and produces organic fertilizer for you. Compost isn’t just for vegetable gardens, by the way. Your lawn and landscape plants need nutrients, too, and compost adds organic material into the soil that helps with water retention.

Recycling

If you don’t have curbside recycling in your area, find a recycling center and lobby local officials to make the curbside recycling available. Glass, plastic, and metals don’t decompose. Often they simply leach unwanted chemicals into the soil and into the water table. Keep them out of your landfill.

If your recycling bin is overflowing every couple of days, take a look at what’s in it. Evidently, there is a weight-loss show out there that all of the food a person has eaten in a week is piled on the table in front of them as a reality check. Think of your recycling bin as that same reality check. What are you spending your money on and what are you eating? Is your bin filled with water bottles? Well, cut it out! Get yourself a refillable bottle and stop being wasteful. Is it filled with ice cream containers and boxes from processed and quick-to-fix foods? Well, cut it out. Those boxes might break down great in the compost, but the food that was in them doesn’t break down real well in you! Get a healthy diet and get a lot less wasted packaging.

Yard Debris

Toss grass clippings and leaves into the composter or use it as mulch under large landscape plants and trees. If you have a chipper shredder, mulch those large branches and debris from pruning trees and trimming hedges. Don’t have a chipper shredder and don't want to rent one? Look for a brush site in your area that mulches large yard debris for use in public areas like parks and government building landscaping or given away free to residents. Although large branches do eventually decompose naturally, they take a very long time. Turning them into mulch speeds up the process and helps gardens and landscaping to retain water and prevent weeds.

Batteries, Electronics, and Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Batteries, electronics and fluorescent light bulbs all contain hazardous materials that leach into the soil or run off into the water supply. Many home improvement stores and office supply stores have started “take back” programs that allow you to bring in your old batteries, electronics, fluorescent light bulbs and even print cartridges for safe disposal. Keep an eye out for more of the programs starting in the future.

Medicines

Most of us have been taught to flush expired medications down the toilet. That is a very, very bad idea. Can you imagine the chemical reactions and contamination occurring from a multitude of miscellaneous medications mixing and morphing in the sewers? If you wouldn’t mix it in your kitchen sink, don’t mix it the sewers.

More Hazardous Junk

Car maintenance items like old oil from your last oil change, dead car batteries and used filters also leach bad stuff into the environment if not taken care of properly. Leftover paint from your latest home redecorating project is also hazardous to the environment. The best option for disposal of paint is to use it all or pass it along to someone who will. If no one wants your what-were-you-thinking-putting-that-on-the-kitchen-walls neon orange latex or acrylic paint, let the paint dry in the can before disposing of it. Oil paint must be disposed of at a hazardous waste site. If you don’t know where these items belong, call your city’s waste management office. Many offer pick-up for these items. If not, they’ll have a list of places for drop off.

Disposing of household waste safely and properly is a bit more work than you probably thought. Drop this off here, drop that off there, and so on. However, making these drop-offs a part of your normal errand day will make this a lot easier, and someday your children and grandchildren be able to toast you with a tall glass of clean drinking water.

No-Knead Artisan Bread

I’ve been baking bread regularly for my family for many years. I use fresh-milled flour for good health and good flavor. A while ago, all of my bread-baking friends were trying the no-knead artisan bread recipes that surfaced when the book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François hit the stores. I tried it, too. The bread was tasty, but we were eating a lot of sandwiches at the time, and this is definitely not a peanut butter and jelly bread. This bread is hearty tasting with a soft moist crumb but a nice chewy crust. It’s pretty close to a good sourdough bread but with out the work of creating and keeping a starter.

Because we’ve been eating a lot more salads, soups, and grain-less meals, I re-visited the recipe. Actually, my husband re-visited the recipe, and we both decided artisan bread needed a place on the menu. The beauty of this recipe is that it has no sugar or fat and is so filling that a little really goes a long way. It also has so much flavor that you can skip the butter, and you won’t miss it all.

We lovingly call this bread “Jesus Bread” because instead of slicing it, we simply rip a chunk off and pass it along which makes me think of stories of holiday dinner traditions that my father used to tell us about his childhood. From what I can remember, the tradition was similar to having communion at the beginning of Christmas and Easter dinner. I think that’s a tradition that needs to come back!

Anyway, here’s the basic no-knead bread recipe that I like. I highly recommend picking up a copy of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François from the library. It won’t be long, though, before you realize you’ll want a copy to keep!

No-Knead Artisan Bread

3 cups lukewarm water

1 ½ tablespoons yeast

1 ½ tablespoons coarse kosher or seas salt

6 ½ cups unsifted flour

Heat water in a large bowl to about 100°F. Add yeast and salt.

Mix in the flour by gently scooping it up and then leveling the top of the measuring cup with a knife. Do not pat it down.

Mix with a wooden spoon or a heavy duty stand mixer, until uniformly moist. Do not knead!

Place dough in a 5-quart container that has a lid. Do not seal the lid. Cover loosely and let the dough rise at room temperature until it begins to collapse, at least 2 hours. Refrigerate until you are ready to make bread. Keep the dough covered, but do not completely seal the container.

On baking day, prepare a cookie sheet by sprinkling it liberally with cornmeal or covering it with a piece of parchment paper.

Wet your hands to prevent the dough from sticking to you. Scoop out a 1 pound ball of dough, about the size of a grapefruit, and cut it away with a serrated knife.

Gently stretch the surface of the dough around to the bottom, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go. Do not knead the dough. You are simply stretching the surface dough until it ends up on the bottom of the loaf. Don’t overthink it…like I did.

Place your dough on your cookie sheet. Let rise uncovered for about 40 minutes. You may or may not see any actual rising happening at this point, but the dough will rise in the oven during baking, so don’t worry.

Twenty minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 450°F and place one oven rack in the middle of the oven and place a second one on the bottom. Fill a glass baking dish with ice cubes and place it in the oven on the bottom rack.

Dust the top of the loaf liberally with flour. Slash lines across the top of the loaf, ¼” deep, with a serrated knife.

Bake at 450°F for 30 minutes. Place the bread immediately on a wire rack. Cool completely.

Refrigerate the leftover dough to use over the next two weeks.

Tips:

You can use unbleached all-purpose flour, but I’ve found that fresh-milled flour works great and makes a bread with a lot of flavor that’s not as dense as most breads are when made with all fresh-milled flour.

I find this recipe to be a bit salty for my taste, so I only use 1 tablespoon. Try it the original way first and tweak it as you need to,

I gave you instructions for baking this bread on a regular cookie sheet. The original recipe uses a pizza peel to slide the dough onto a preheated stone. I don’t have a pizza peel or a stone so I made adjustments for what I had. If you do have the peel and the stone, sprinkle cornmeal on the pizza peel and let the dough rise on the peel. Place the stone in the oven when preheating the oven in order to heat the stone. When you’re ready to bake, slide the dough from the peel to the stone and bake at 450°F for 30 minutes.

I use ice during the preheat to create steam in the oven. You can also place a broiler pan on the bottom rack and after placing the dough in the oven, carefully pour about an inch of water into the broiler pan. In either case, be very careful when opening the oven. A lot of hot steam will come pouring out at you!

I haven’t tried any of the variations in the book, but they if they’re anything like this original recipe, they should be pretty yummy! I hope you enjoy!

 

Menu Plan Monday, 04/25

Did you read my menu last week? How sad that I didn’t even realize that Sunday was Easter when I planned the menu. We did have the pasta salad as originally planned, but instead of adding chicken to the salad, I made a small spiral ham and a tossed salad and a carrot cake for dessert. I told you it’s been a crazy school year!

                                                                                              

Don’t forget to stop by Organizing Junkie for more menu ideas! If you’re looking for some new recipe resources, check out this Recipe Index Round Up.

Menu Plan for Week of 04/25/2011

Breakfast 

Oatmeal, fruit, granola, toast, yogurt, smoothies, or cinnamon-raisin bread.

Lunch

Last week I mentioned that my husband had changed his lunch routine, but I thought he was still taking potato chips. My bad. He even stopped packing those! Now he just takes a lunch bag full of fruits, veggies and ice water. How does he replace lost salt when working in the heat? He sprinkles just a bit of salt on his veggies. I love our new healthier diet!

Lunch of the week – PBJs, veggie sandwiches, leftovers, or salads

Fruit of the week – Apples, plums, and whatever summer fruit is available at the produce stand tomorrow

Dinner

Monday – Leftover ham, pasta salad, and tossed salad

Tuesday – Grilled chicken salad w/artisan bread

Wednesday – Split pea soup, tossed salad, artisan bread or crackers

Thursday – Breakfast for dinner

Friday – Veggie wraps with hummus (Thanks, Lacey, for the inspiration!)

Saturday – Grad Bash! Colleen and I won’t be home for dinner so the boys are on their own. Oh wait, so are we!

Sunday – Pork chops, apples, and sauerkraut

Snacks – Crackers and peanut butter, fruit, yogurt, carrot and celery sticks, or popcorn.

Thank you for stopping by!

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Betty

Florida Extension Survey

Since I’m still coming up empty on something fresh for the blog, I have a link for you. We are involved in 4H and in our county cooperative extension. Our county 4H agent posted a note on the 4H blog about improving the Florida Extension over the next 10 years. She asks all Florida residents to fill out the survey linked to in the note.

So, all my Florida friends, take 10 minutes and take the survey. The survey doesn’t even ask your name so you won’t get bombarded by emails or junk mail, but the information can help your community.

You might not be aware of all of the amazing services available through your county extension. If you have gardening issues, whether the problem is with your landscaping ornamental, your lawn, your vegetable garden, or your fruit trees, they can help you. They do soil testing and water testing and offer a myriad of free classes. Check it out! And please, check out the blog post and take the quick survey.

Thank you!!

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Betty

Homestead Living Giveaway...ends today!

I’ve been working a lot lately. Since I’m a writer, working more leaves me feeling a little empty when it comes to blogging. I think I only have so many words to use in a day, and I’ve been pouring them into articles about canners and compost. Not at the same time, mind you. You don’t put compost in a canner. At least I don’t think you do.

Anyway, until I get back to regular blogging, which will be soon. I promise. I have a special giveaway for you to enter over at Homestead Revival.

If you are truly interested in turning your personal piece of paradise into a homestead filled with homemade goodness and self-sufficiency, head on over to Homestead Revival and enter this week’s giveaway. Amy is giving away a set of 4 homestead living books!

All four of these books are by Ashley English and are a wealth of information for anyone interested in changing to or improving their homestead lifestyle. Our library only carries two of these books, Canning and Preserving and Keeping Chickens. I’ve checked both of them out, and they really are a good read.

So, take a few minutes to pop over to Homestead Revival, visit a bit with Amy, and sign up for the giveaway. By the way, you have to go NOW. The giveaway ends today. Sorry about the late notice. I told you it’s been a rough writing week.

Oh, and if you win and you don’t want any one of the books, I’d be more than happy to help you out with that!

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Betty

Thought for the Day

Never steal, lie, cheat or drink.

If you must steal, steal away from bad company.

If you must lie, lie in the arms of the one you love.

If you must cheat, cheat death.

If you must drink, dink in the moments that take your breath away.

Menu Plan Monday, 04/18

 

It’s starting to warm up here. We’re in the mid-80s every day now. We’ll be seeing those 90s soon, I’m sure. It’s time to start looking for more hot weather dinners! I need something that won’t heat up the house and is cool but filling. Any suggestions?

                                                                                              

Don’t forget to stop by Organizing Junkie for more menu ideas! If you’re looking for some new recipe resources, check out this Recipe Index Round Up.

Menu Plan for Week of 04/18/2011

Breakfast 

Oatmeal, fruit, granola, toast, yogurt, smoothies, or cinnamon-raisin bread.

Lunch

Hubby no longer takes any sandwiches to work. He said they’re just to filling and slow him down everyday. So, now he just takes a variety of fruits and vegetables and potato chips. Why the potato chips? My husband does construction in Florida, and we don’t believe in using sports drinks to replace electrolytes. Way too much sugar! But, a small serving of potato chips does the trick and satisfies hunger all at the same time. Water is for re-hydration, not sugar!

Lunch of the week – PBJs, veggie sandwiches, leftovers, or salads

Fruit of the week – Apples and whatever summer fruit is available at the produce stand tomorrow

Dinner

Monday – Hot dogs, potato salad, tossed salad, coleslaw (we didn’t get to these last week)

Tuesday – Grilled chicken salad w/artisan bread

Wednesday – Spaghetti, tossed salad

Thursday – Texas Ranger Soup, tossed salad

Friday – Spinach Potato Pie

Saturday – Caribbean chicken over rice, salad

Sunday – Pasta salad, heavy on the veggies

Snacks – Crackers and peanut butter, fruit, yogurt, carrot and celery sticks, or popcorn.

Thank you for stopping by!

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Betty

The Future of Public Schools

Although we have been homeschooling for the past ten years, I still care about public education. First, we have friends and family who are teachers in the public school system. Second, we have friends and family trying to get an education in the public school system. And third, while there are over 3 million registered homeschooling families in this country, a majority of families send their kids to public school, and I am concerned about the future of public education.

I grew up in Pennsylvania in a school district that even though budget issues regularly graced the local paper’s headlines, education flourished. No matter what budget cuts had to be made, there always seemed to be enough to go around. In fact, if the same education and opportunities that I enjoyed growing up were available here in Florida, I doubt we would have ever considered homeschooling. But, like so many other school districts across the country, even that district that was so full of abundance, is hurting.

The state cut funding to the Hazleton Area School District, the place where I grew up. The school board has to cut over $7 million from the 2011-2012 budget. After eliminating 11 teachers, 30 aides, 2 principles, 1 vice principle, 1 nurse, 1 nurse’s assistant, summer school, all 7^th and 8^th grade sports and all extra-curricular activities, the board is only about halfway to its goal.

Here in Pinellas County, the schools aren’t that lucky. They have to cut $60 million dollars from the budget. To give you an idea just how much school officials are at a loss for finding any kind of solution, they solicited ideas from the community. Some of the ideas were very interesting.

• Use classroom teachers to teach PE and reduce PE (yes, let’s raise up yet another unfit generation)
• Pay to play. In other words, clubs, activities, and sports would not be funded by the schools but by the participants.
• Volunteer coaches
• Eliminate driver’s education (yes, let’s put even MORE bad drivers on Pinellas county roads! As if we don’t have enough people out there making right hand turns from the left turn lane. But I digress.)
• Eliminate magnet programs
• Shorten the school year
• Electronic textbooks
• Sell advertising on buses, school marquees and the district website

These are only a few of the ideas from the community. My favorite suggestion, though, is the suggestion to eliminate the cafeteria. Everyone has to bring their own lunch. I’m not even going to talk about the kids who only get to eat each day because of the free lunch program. Believe it or not, we do have kids in our community who get almost no food if school isn’t open. But this suggestion comes right before the article in the Chicago Tribune which reports that in Chicago some schools have banned homemade lunches for the last six years. Unless your child has a medical condition backed by a doctor’s note, your child will eat what is available in the school cafeteria or starve.

Since we do homeschool, obviously my husband and I don’t believe that the public school system is the end-all-be-all answer for education. I don’t know what the future holds for public schools, but I do know that most homeschooling communities are not hurting for extra-curricular activities, and we’re already used to paying to play and serious fundraising. All of these extreme budget cuts either mean we’ve put too much emphasis on what the school should be responsible for or we’ve really lost sight of our priorities. All I know is this is just one more reason to homeschool.

Thanks for stopping by! During your quiet time this week, would you please pray for our schools, the parents, the teachers, the students and especially for the school officials who have to make these very tough choices.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Betty

To Dye or Not to Dye

My husband was lovingly teasing me the other night about my grey hair. He calls it the “Fountain of Youth” because my hair looks like my head sprang a leak at the front and the grey hair kind of “fountained” out. Of course, it’s all right at the front, and I see it every single time I look in the mirror. Sigh.

I’m not much for high-maintenance dyeing. Besides, my hair is about twenty different shades of blonde, and I like it that way. Dyeing it would change it all to one color. I think my only options are to have my daughter “paint” my grey with a highlighting solution or cover all the mirrors in my house. I look terrible in hats, so that’s not even remotely an option.

How timely that I found this message of inspiration to embrace to signs of aging today. It’s absolutely beautiful! Laurie at Living Well Moms shared some wonderful reminders in her post Whose Backside is this and What is it Doing in My Jeans?   Maybe I won't dye my grey hairs and just wear them proudly as the badge of wisdom and experience that they are... Or maybe not.

You Might Be a Homeschooler If...

I put a call out on FaceBook and to my homeschooling friends to finish this sentence. Thank you everyone for your fun, creative, and very real answers!

Finish this sentence: YOU MIGHT BE A HOMESCHOOLER IF.....

…the object of yesterday's biology lesson was also the entree for last night's dinner! –Kimberly Johnson

…your school uniform is your pajamas! – Nate Maloney

…you are frequently confused by the use of the terms “schoolwork” and “homework.” – Nate Maloney

…doing house chores and yard work can all count as credit towards Home-Ec, Science and Physical Education. – Nate Maloney

…your teacher gets you started in math and then runs off to take a shower. – Brett Johnson

…every time you go out, your kids ask if this counts as school for the day. – Jodi Latham

…your children ask if you can go to the grocery store without a math/science/nutrition lesson. – Linda Wooldridge

…you're completing this sentence! – Linda Wooldridge

…you get strange looks from friends when they ask you if you like your teacher this year and you reply "I love her like a mother". – Nancy Jansen

…you’re eating a baloney sandwich during class. – Holly Yarbrough

…your final exam on your unit in electricity requires you to rewire the entire house. – Betty McNelis

…your math manipulatives are edible. – Betty McNelis

…every time you drive past road kill, you actually contemplate stopping to have the kids dissect it! – Caroline Witsey

…your children cannot answer the question “What grade are you in?” – Neoka Apple

…you open your email and one of the subject titles in your email is... "Sheep Uterus Dissection." – Brandy Strouse

… you still do school even with a fever. – Michelle Glandon

…you discuss the x-ray pictures with the orthopedic doctor while saying "Oh, how cool!" and "This is so awesome!" – Melinda Stortenbecker

…you talk to yourself and call it a parent-teacher conference. - Betty McNelis

…a light bulb goes out, and you go to the library to check out 4 books on electricity and a Thomas Edison biography, have your children study the history of lighting methods which includes dipping candles, then organize a field trip to the store to buy 2 light bulbs for $1.99 and have everyone figure out the change that comes back if you paid with a $5 bill, which prompts a discussion about Abraham Lincoln as his picture is on the five dollar bill. Finally, after building a ladder out of branches dragged from the woods, the light bulb is installed. – Michele Ervin

Thanks for stopping by! Hope you enjoyed this little bit of whimsy. Please, add a comment with some your own!

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Betty

Baked Penne with Sausage, Tomatoes, and Ricotta

Although I love baked ziti, I always thought that if I’m going to go through all that trouble and the ingredients are the same, why not just make lasagna. Also, my baked ziti always, always, always got dry on the edges. This dish is similar to baked ziti but has a lighter, fresher taste, and always comes out nice and moist! Oh, and it also makes a great potluck offering.

Baked Penne with Sausage, Tomatoes, and Ricotta

1 pound dried penne pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound Italian sausage, hot or sweet or a mixture, removed from casing

3 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach

½ pounds fresh tomatoes, coarsely chopped

½ pound ricotta cheese

10 fresh basil leaves, sliced into 1/4 –inch ribbons

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cook penned pasta in a large post of salted boiling water according to package directions. Drain.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks. Add the spinach and cook just until wilted.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the sausage and spinach with the tomatoes, ricotta, and basil. Add the cooked, drained pasta and stir well. Salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer the pasta mixture to a greased 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Let rest about 10 minutes before serving.

Boys Will Be Boys

Evidently, my son had a really good day yesterday.

Yes, he did have shoes on.

And the reason for all the dirt? He was digging a hole. Why? I have no idea. Boys don't actually need a reason to play in the dirt. I think it's programmed deep inside their DNA. Thank you, Lord, for making him washable!

4H Fun!

Not only did we have the fun of Prom last week, but we also had 4H County Demonstration Day. Along with manicures, make-up and mousse (okay, I was desperate for an “M” hair word. Work with me.), we had final preparations for Demonstration Day, which was, by the way, the day after prom. It’s been that kind of school year!

Anyway, for those of you who think 4H is all about raising a cow for slaughter, you need to take another look at 4H. 4H is about agriculture, but it’s also about arts, science, citizenship, and leadership. Of course, your child could raise a cow, take it to the fair to show, and then sell it at the end of the fair for slaughter. Or, your child could do a project about photography or performing or electricity or cooking or veterinary science or rockets or, or, or….you get the picture. When we first got involved with 4H, I was really surprised by the diversity of projects and competitions and the depth of the projects.

A 4H project is quite the learning experience. The project book has about 21 activities that get pretty in depth in information. A completed project involves 6 or 7 of those activities depending on the project. But a completed project is more than just a few activities in a book. There’s also the demonstration which is a formal presentation lasting 3 – 12 minutes complete with visual aids. Plus, there’s an exhibit or poster that displays one aspect of the project. Plus, there’s a record book which is a written record of the child’s journey through the project. So, you want some relevant and personal writing practice for your children? Here it is!

For animal projects your child learns a lot about the care of the animal, of course, but also about anatomy, animal husbandry, different breeds, nutrition, grooming, and handling. If your child shows an animal at the fair, he/she not only learns about showmanship but also about some system within the animal. This year, the skillathon test was on the digestive system. Jared showed one of his rabbits and had to take a test about the digestive system of a rabbit and create a poster about it. Talk about English and Science classes in overdrive! It was quite the education!

Let’s not forget Demonstration Day which is where this blog started. Every project requires a demonstration or illustrated talk at least at the club level. However, to improve public speaking skills, we encourage our kids to at least present at the county level.

My son’s piano teacher recently reminded me why we need to let Jared perform in public as often as possible. When we have to perform we tend to work harder to perform well. I’m not talking about an over-the-top obsession to be the best, just a little more attention to detail so we can be the best we can be. And let’s be realistic, how much are you going to put into something that no one sees? So, we urged all of the kids in the club to at least compete at the county level.

Do you remember what it was like to write and give a speech that lasts from 3-12 minutes that’s organized, stays on topic, and has visual aids?? Jared is 12 years old. I know I couldn’t do that at 12!! But these kids delivered! If you are looking at working on your child’s public speaking? Look at 4H!

Here are some pictures of our 4H kids. Did I tell you? We lead a 4H club this year. I know. Crazy. But, wow, it was fun and seriously educational!

Jared dressed the part for his talk!

Colleen did a team demonstration with her friend Sarah!

Cheyenne was all business for her demonstration!

Lacey had some stiff competition in the horse category!

By the way, do you see all those blue ribbons? All of our kids are moving on to the district competition in May. I don’t know if my nerves can take this! I think I was more nervous than the kids!!

The Hare Raisin' Homesteaders 4H club with an extra Crazy4Canines and missing one Hare Raisin' Lanae.

 

Thanks for stopping by! The 4H year begins September 1^st, but many areas and clubs start getting together earlier than that in order to be organized for the year ahead. Check it out! It’s not just cows, corn, and canning anymore!

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Betty

Prom 2011

This time last year, I was up to my elbows in glitter and pink satin. Colleen and I made just about everything for prom last year: the dress, the jewelry, the purse, and the corsage ( I don’t do undergarments or shoes). I was still picking glitter out of my sewing machine six months later! But it was worth it. Colleen looked lovely and had a wonderful time at prom.

This year, she found the perfect dress for less money than it would have cost to by the material. Woohoo!! All I made this year was the purse. Not that I mind the challenge of creating formal wear, but I welcomed the break.

Colleen's BFF Sarah

Colleen, Sarah, and Bekah

Another BFF Bekah

The shoes just say it all!

The Menu

All these pictures and this talk of prom, you might be wondering if we still homeschool. Yep. We still homeschool. We just happen to belong to a local homeschool support group that organizes a homeschool prom. In fact, there are two in the area every year. They are lovely formal affairs that emphasize celebrating the graduating class and the coming end of the school year rather than the whole dating scene. In fact, I believe more teens showed up at prom without dates than with!

Thanks for stopping by! And a HUGE THANK YOU! to my friend Linda for putting her heart and soul into organizing THE BEST PROM EVER (according to my daughter anyway!)

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Betty

Menu Plan Monday, 04/11

This week’s menu looks a lot like last week’s menu. Between getting ready for prom and putting the final touches on 4H demonstrations and my working a few more hours last week, we ended up throwing together quickie salads more often than following the menu. Praise God for my dear family who doesn’t mind eating the same thing 4 days in a row!

                                                                                              

Don’t forget to stop by Organizing Junkie for more menu ideas! If you’re looking for some new recipe resources, check out this Recipe Index Round Up.

Menu Plan for Week of 04/11/2011

Breakfast 

Oatmeal, fruit, granola, toast, yogurt, smoothies, or cinnamon-raisin bread.

Lunch

Hubby usually takes one sandwich along with chips, carrot and celery sticks, and a piece of fruit in his lunch. The rest of us will be eating either sandwiches, salads, or leftovers.

Sandwich of the week – PBJs, veggie sandwiches, or salads

Fruit of the week – Apples, oranges, and cantaloupe

Dinner

Monday – Chicken, black bean, and corn salad (we didn’t get to these last week)

Tuesday – Grilled chicken salad w/artisan bread

Wednesday – Baked Sausage, tomatoes, ricotta and penne pasta, salad

Thursday – White chili w/ tortilla chips and salad (We didn’t get to this either last week)

Friday – Breakfast for dinner (eggs over easy, pancakes, and sausage and potato skillet)

Saturday – Baked chicken, herbed rice, salad, green beans

Sunday – Hot dogs, potato salad, tossed salad, coleslaw

Snacks – Crackers and peanut butter, fruit, yogurt, carrot and celery sticks, or popcorn.

Thank you for stopping by!

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Betty

Menu Plan Monday, 04/04

What a crazy weather week! We did go strawberry picking, but only came home with 56 quarts before we got hit with some pretty serious rain. So, we planned to go back out later in the week. Fat chance with tornadoes touching down everywhere! Considering the amount of trees down, a few thousand homes without power for 24 hours, an RV flipped over on a house, and over 5 inches of rain fell from the sky in a very short period of time (that’s over 5 feet of snow in less than a day for you northern folk), the strawberry fields are done.

In spite of all that craziness and the light harvest, we still managed to enjoy strawberry shortcake twice (once was for our 4H club), I put up a dozen jars of strawberry jam, my friend Karri and I enjoyed a couple of daiquiris while our daughters enjoy a couple virgin ones, and I still have enough in the freezer to make one batch of wine and smoothies for a few months plus my Christmas jam and a new experimental jam that uses 5 different kinds of berries, none of which are in season at the same time. So, it didn’t turn out so bad after all. Just pray for another good peach harvest this year like we enjoyed last year!

Well, I better get this menu finished. This Saturday is Demonstration Day for 4H, and a certain young man still has a lot of work to do. The boy just came off of a full week of birthday celebration, but now it’s time to get back to work! I know; I’m such a meanie.

                                                                                              

Don’t forget to stop by Organizing Junkie for more menu ideas! If you’re looking for some new recipe resources, check out this Recipe Index Round Up.

Menu Plan for Week of 04/04/2011

Breakfast 

Oatmeal, fruit, granola, toast, yogurt, smoothies, or cinnamon-raisin bread.

Lunch

Hubby usually takes one sandwich along with chips, carrot and celery sticks, and a piece of fruit in his lunch. The rest of us will be eating either sandwiches, salads, or leftovers.

Sandwich of the week – PBJs, veggie sandwiches, or salads

Fruit of the week– Apples, bananas, cantaloupe, and plums

Dinner

Monday – Taco salads (we didn’t get to these last week)

Tuesday – Grilled chicken salad w/artisan bread

Wednesday – Spaghetti w/ homemade sausage and fresh pasta

Thursday – White chili w/ tortilla chips and salad

Friday – Breakfast for dinner (eggs over easy, pancakes, and sausage and potato skillet)

Saturday – Baked chicken, herbed rice, salad, green beans

Sunday – Chicken, black bean, and corn salad

Snacks – Crackers and peanut butter, fruit, yogurt, carrot and celery sticks, or popcorn.

Thank you for stopping by!

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Betty

A Hole in the Roof

 ¹ A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. ² They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. ³ Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. ⁴ Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. ⁵ When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”… ¹⁰ But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, ¹¹ “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” ¹² He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” Mark 2: 1-5, 10-12

Confession time. How many of you are hung up on the fact that the four men put a hole in the roof? Can you say vandalism, destruction of private property, and no home-owner’s insurance? Who’s going to pay for this mess? Somebody has to pay, right? We’ll see.

Luke also tells this story, relating many of the same details as Mark. Both Mark and Luke create a scene of complete chaos. The house is overflowing with people spilling out of the doorway. Onlookers at the back of the crowd are jockeying for better positions. Heads are bopping from side to side, straining to see around the heads in front of them. Every once in a while, an energetic soul jumps up a few times, hoping for even a glimpse of the Master inside.

Along come these four men carrying their paralytic friend on a mat. Seeing no hope for getting their friend through the crush of people to set him before Jesus, they climb to the roof, remove a few tiles, dig through the insulation, and remove a tile from the ceiling in order to lower their friend down to Jesus. And Jesus, of course, heals the paralytic.

No where in these verses does a single person scream foul over the temporary opening of the roof, not even the homeowner who just happens to be Jesus! The Pharisees, of course, get upset at Jesus, but even they don’t care about the roof. In fact, because of the great lengths the men were willing to go to in order to help their friend, Jesus heals the paralytic without even a second glance at the hole in his own roof.

So, why do we get so hung up on such inconsequential matters?! The hole in the roof can be fixed. Which is more important? A temporary inconvenience or a permanent condemnation?

While Mark and Luke really emphasize the compassion these men had for their friend, Matthew tells the story a little differently.

² Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”
 ⁶ But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” ⁷ Then the man got up and went home. ⁸ When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man. Matthew 9: 2, 6-8

Did you notice Matthew’s focus? No crowds. No roof ripping. Just faith and Jesus. Because in the end, Faith and Jesus and faith in Jesus are all that really matter! Where is your focus?

Without Jesus, we live the same life as the man on the mat: paralyzed by sin. Are you willing to cut a hole in the roof to get to Jesus for the freeing forgiveness that comes only from Him? Are you willing to do it for a friend? I know how easy it is to get caught up in the temporary inconvenience created by doing true ministry. Been there, done that. But think about this, is it more satisfying to worry over the hole in the roof or to rejoice over the salvation of a friend?

Thanks for stopping by today! I am well aware that I skipped over the verses about the Pharisees. Don’t get me started on their nonsense! That is a post for another day! But, by all means, go read them. Every time I read passages like this I have to wonder how Jesus got any teaching done!

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Betty

Wascally McDonald’s Does It Again

Move over chicken. Move over Pork. There’s a new white meat in town, and it’s only available at McDonald’s. McDonald’s restaurants will be proudly introducing their new line of Bunny Burgers™, Wabbit Waps™, and Hot Hare-Raising Hasenpfeffer™ this week, just in time for Easter.

This daring move should not come as a surprise to consumers. McDonald’s has a long history of identifying and satisfying the public’s needs. In 1968, you wanted more than just a hamburger, and the Big Mac™ was born. In 1973, you wanted breakfast-on-the-go, and the Egg McMuffin™ emerged.  In 1979, you wanted smaller portions and more fun for your children, and Happy Meals™ hit the menu. When you wanted more fruits and vegetables, McDonald’s created a new line of salads and sides just for you.

In recent years, American’s have embraced a new nutritional regime filled with more natural foods, low in carbohydrates, minimal fats, and lots of protein. McDonald’s has heard your pleas and has found the answer: rabbit.

Why Rabbit?

Ray Kroc, founder of the McDonald’s franchise, once said, “Whatever we are doing today, we can do better tomorrow.” That same spirit inspired the exploration of new and better alternatives to high-fat beef and hormone-laced chicken.

After several alarming incidences with Mad Cow Disease and Avian Flu, McDonald’s corporate executives realized it was time for a change. Trying to suppress his signature laugh, Dr. E. J. Fudd, the head of the Research and Development team, assured the higher-ups that his team was “ready to do some serious hunting.” And hunt they did.

Specialties from every corner of the globe were tasted, tested and inspected for their nutritional value, economic assessment, and feasibility as a new product for McDonald’s restaurants. Researchers looked at ostrich and elephant from the African grasslands, lamb and mutton from the British Isles, rattlesnake and buffalo from southwestern United States, llama from South America, yak from Asia and kangaroo and goanna from Australia, but rabbit emerged the clear victor.

Let’s see just how well 100 grams of rabbit compares to 100 grams of traditional ground beef.

Nutrition Fact Comparison*

Nutrient	Ground Beef (75% lean), 100g	Rabbit, 100g
Calories	293	197
Total Fat	25g	8g
Saturated Fat	9g	2g
Protein	16g	29g
Thiamine	.044mg	.090mg
Riboflavin	.144mg	.210mg
Niacin	3.804mg	8.43mg
Vitamin B6	.301mg	.470mg
Vitamin B12	2.11mcg	8.3mcg
Folate	8 mcg	11mcg
Iron	1.79mg	2.27mg
Magnesium	15mg	21mg
Potassium	244 mg	383mg
Phosphorus	145 mg	263mg
Sodium	67 mg	47mg
Copper	.056 mg	.189mg
Manganese	.009 mg	.032mg
Selenium	14.3 mcg	38.5mcg

*Data obtained from www.eLook.org, 2007

As you can see, rabbit is rich in protein, B vitamins, iron and potassium yet low in fat and sodium. The US Department of Agriculture reports that rabbit contains more protein than chicken, turkey, beef, or pork. Domestic rabbit is also naturally lean, and lean meat means less waste for McDonald’s and less waist for McDonald’s customers.

In addition to its unparalleled nutritional value, rabbit is also environmentally practical. A grower can produce two pounds of rabbit meat with the same amount of feed and water it takes to produce one pound of beef. Baby rabbits grow quickly on their mother’s nutrient-rich milk, and weaned rabbits eat only natural grains such as sweet alfalfa hay, oats, wheat, and barley. So, unlike chicken, no stimulants, additives, or preservatives are needed in either growing or processing domestic rabbits. Rabbit is hormone free and likely to remain that way.

Nutritional superiority and environmental friendliness are great ideas, but the bottom line is taste. How palatable is it? Very. Fryer meat (from a young rabbit up to the age of 12 weeks) is tender and fine grained. Its flavor is mild and comparable to turkey. Domestic rabbit is all white meat and as versatile to cook as chicken. And since it is also easy to digest, rabbit is recommended by the American Heart Foundation and the American Medical Association for people on special diets.

What’s Up?

To coincide with its new nutrition philosophy, McDonald’s has created a whole new menu showcasing the versatility of rabbit meat:

The Quarter Pound Hopper® – The legend lives on. One thick, 100%

ground rabbit meat patty, slathered with mustard, ketchup, onions, and pickles, on a sesame seed bun. Don’t forget the cheese!

The Big Hopper® – Two all-rabbit meat patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese,

pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun. This two-hander is a new

American Classic. If you haven’t had one, you haven’t lived.

The Bunny Burger® - A masterpiece of simplicity. One 100% ground rabbit

meat patty, ketchup, and mustard on a sesame seed bun

Baby Bunny Burger® – A smaller version of the Bunny Burger®, and just the

right size for your own baby bunny.

Bunny Bikkets® – tender cuts of domestic rabbit, lightly breaded and

deep fried to crisp perfection. Choose from three new dipping sauces: creamy carrot ranch, Ballistic Bunny hot sauce, or traditional low-fat Honey Mustard. Bunny Bikkets® are available in 4-piece, 6-piece, or 10-piece servings.

Wabbit Waps® – Warm, crispy Bunny Bikkets®, cheddar jack cheese, fresh

shredded lettuce, and a creamy carrot ranch dressing, all wrapped up in a soft flour tortilla.

Hot Hare-Raising Hasenpfeffer® – Get ready to ‘kick it up a notch’ with this

spicy twist to classic rabbit stew. Chunks of tender rabbit meat are

marinated and simmered over a low fire. Adding chopped chipotles 

really turns up the heat on this already peppery stew.

Hoppy Meal® - Each Hoppy Meal® comes with your choice of a Baby Bunny

Burger®, or 4-piece Bunny Bikkets®, small French Fried Carrot Sticks,

a small drink, and a red and yellow Mr. McLucky® lucky rabbit’s foot.

More yummy choices are in the works at McDonald’s and will be added to the menu within the next year. Watch for Foo Foo Fizz®, a frosty shake made from nutrient rich rabbit milk, to hit restaurants by mid-summer. Foo Foo Fizz® will be available in three flavors: Peter Punch, Velveteen Vanilla, and Mopsy Milk Chocolate.

A Rare Treat

In an unprecedented show of global unity, all McDonald’s restaurants around the world will simultaneously change their menus on the upcoming Easter Sunday. To commemorate this most auspicious occasion, customers will be treated to a rare glimpse of the inner workings of a McDonald’s kitchen.

Each restaurant has not only been remodeled with a new playful forest theme but each and every McDonald’s restaurant has also been outfitted with special observation areas. Ten foot long and five-foot high windows will now open the dining area to a first hand view of what is really going on in the kitchen. For a limited time, guests will be able to see a McDonald’s team of experts butchering and processing live rabbits. Every step from the first rabbit punch to the final disjointing and deboning will be on display for all to enjoy.

“We here at McDonald’s are proud to offer our customers the unique opportunity to witness where their food comes from,” says McDonald’s new Vice President of Social Responsibility, F. H. Leghorn. Mr. Leghorn adds, “Who doesn’t appreciate knowing beyond a doubt that the meat they eat is as lean and as fresh as advertised?” Mr. Leghorn also assures guests that although US regulations does not require inspections of rabbit meat, “McDonald’s has willingly volunteered for any inspection the USDA deems necessary.”

The observation areas are expected to remain open for the first four weeks of the menu change. After that, these areas will become holding pens and diners who wish to linger and enjoy the new woodsy atmosphere will be able to choose their rabbits when ordering.

So, McDonald’s has done it again. Come Easter, the McDonald’s Corporation will once again take bold steps to maintain its reputation as a forerunner in the fast food industry by introducing its brand new Bunny Burgers® to the public. Keep an eye out for those one of a kind McDonald’s commercials, too. You just might hear Mr. McLucky (played by aging actor Clint Eastwood) whisper, “Do you feel lucky?” Well, do you?

Disclaimer: Before you get too excited about this unusual press release, please look at your calendar.