Home run with Yule Log

After trying to find a Christmas dessert my family likes, I finally hit the mark this year. Fruitcake is, well fruitcake. It's a family tradition that will die with my generation. Strike One.

I've tried a trifle. My background is English, and since we hate fruitcake, an old-fashioned trifle seemed to be true to our heritage and better tasting than fruitcake. I'm the only one who likes it, Strike Two.

This year it was either Strike Three or a Home run. I think I hit a homer with a traditional Yule Log. It was attractive, traditional and chocolate. Who could go wrong? It takes a little while to prepare, but the end result is worth it.

Here's the recipe:

5 eggs, separated
1 c. Confectioners sugar, divided
1/3 c. Nestle cocoa
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

FILLING:
1 tbsp. water
1 c. heavy or whipping cream
1/3 c. confectioners' sugar
3 tbsp. Nestle cocoa

FROSTING:
1/2 foil-wrapped bar (1 oz.) Nestle unsweetened chocolate baking bar
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Dash of salt
1-1/2 c. confectioners' sugar
3 to 4 tbsp. milk

Cake: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1 inch baking pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. In small mixer bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar until stiff peaks form; set aside.

In large mixer bowl, beat egg yolks and remaining 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar until thick and pale yellow. Blend in 1/3 cup cocoa and flour. Fold in egg white mixture; spread in prepared pan. Bake 13 to 15 minutes until top springs back when lightly pressed.

Sprinkle cloth towel with additional confectioners' sugar. Immediately invert cake onto towel. Gently peel off wax paper. Starting at short end, roll cake jelly-roll style with towel inside. Place seam-side down on wire rack; cool.

Filling: In small mixer bowl, dissolved instant coffee in water. Add heavy cream, 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar and 3 tablespoons cocoa. Beat until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate.

Frosting: In small saucepan over low heat, melt unsweetened chocolate baking bar and butter, stirring until smooth. Transfer to small mixer bowl; cool to room temperature. Add vanilla extract and salt. Gradually beat in 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar alternately with 3 tablespoons milk until light and fluffy. (Add additional 1 tablespoon milk if necessary for desired consistency.)

Place filled cake on a festive tray or platter. Frost lengthwise using spatula to make the "grain" of the log's bark. Use a dollop of frosting to form a knot on the log. Garnish with silk or plastic flowers. Serve chilled.

Fast Holiday Treats

No one has spare time at the holidays. Why not put your microwave to work? Here are two tasty, time-saving candies that can be prepared in minutes in your microwave. Merry Christmas!

Microwave Peanut Brittle

If your looking for a fast treat this holiday season, then this peanut brittle is perfect.

1 cup raw peanuts
1 cup white sugar
½ cup white Karo Syrup
dash of salt
1 Tbs. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
Peppermint Crunch is festive and fast

Combine first four ingredients in a 1-1/2 quart dish, covered. Microwave 8 minutes on high setting. Uncover and stir halfway through the cooking. Stir in butter and vanilla and cook 2 and a half more minutes.

Stir in baking soda. Pour onto a lightly greased cookie sheet and cool. Break apart.

Eat carefully (peanut brittle is notorious for chipping teeth!)

Peppermint Crunch

This holiday treat is super fast and easy. It also looks beautiful on a cookie tray.

1 lb. white chocolate melts (Wilton's work well)
1 cup red and green peppermint chunks (available at most candy supply stores)

Melt chocolate for 3 min. at 50 percent power in the microwave. Stir until melted.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper. Spread the melted chocolate evenly to cover cookie sheet. Sprinkle with peppermint pieces and allow to cool. Break into serving size pieces.

Fresh Pumpkin Rocks

CAUTION: If you've never had fresh pumpkin pie and you've been eating that canned junk, then do not attempt this method. You can happily pop open that can, add ingredients, slap it in a pie shell and be none the wiser. If you proceed, your tastebuds will be forever ruined and you will no longer be able to enjoy anything but the fresh pumpkin. Proceed at your own risk.

Use 1 pie pumpkin or small standard pumpkin (pie pumpkin has a thinner rind). Cut pumpkin in half and remove seeds. Place pumpkin halves open side down in a baking pan. Fill pan with enough water to reach a half-inch up the pumpkin. Bake 350 degrees for 1-2 hours depending on the size of the pumpkin. Add water if needed. Bake until the pumpkin is fork tender.

Remove pumpkin from oven and cool. The rind will peel off easily. Place pulp in a food process and puree until smooth. Use 1-1/2 cups of pumpkin per pie. Pumpkin can be measured and placed in freezer bags and frozen for up to a year.

We always save back one Halloween pumpkin for pies. We just paint on a face or use transfers on it so that it can become Thanksgiving pie. Once you've tasted the fresh pumpkin, you'll never return to the "Canned Side."

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Halloween

Halloween is just around the corner. This will be my 14th Halloween with children. Along the way I've learned a few tips to make the evening more enjoyable for everyone:

1. If you live in the north, plan a warm costume.
Face it, it's always cold on Halloween. You spend a fortune on a costume and then no one sees it because your child has a jacket covering it up.

Also line up the costume a day or two before so it's not a hassle to get everyone out the door on Halloween.

2. Enjoy a good, warm dinner before the kids go out trick-or-treating.
Have a healthy, warm meal (chili or hot soup is our frequent choice) before going out for the treats. If the kids have a full stomach of healthy food, they'll eat less candy later in the evening.

3. Lighten up with glow sticks or flashlights.
Tie a glowstick on your kids or buy a Halloween flashlight from the local dollar store. This way you can spot your kids from everyone else's and drivers can see them too.

4. Go early.
Start as soon as your local neighborhood allows trick-or-treating to begin. You can catch a little daylight and you'll be finished before it's too late. It is always hard to get sugar-high kids to bed on Halloween, and it can be a problem if there's school the next day.

5. Let the kids pass out treats at your house.
My children enjoy this almost as much as getting treats themselves. Keep a tally of how many treats you give out--it's fun to keep track of the number of trick-or-treaters.

6. Take advantage of Harvest Festivals or mall trick-or-treating.
If the weather is inclement, indoor Harvest Festivals at church's and schools or local mall trick-or-treating is a fun option (even if the weather is good). These offer more than just candy. There are usually games and non-candy prizes. Some even serve dinners. We sometimes do both--trick-or-treat with good friends and neighbors and then take in special event.

7. Get in the spirit.
I sometimes dress up with the kids. You're never too old to have fun and your kids will always remember the time you dressed up as Mickey Mouse or a mummy.

Happy Halloween!

Products We Love -October

Stop the Stink

This month's favorite products are all types of air fresheners that we like:

Odor-Cide
My favorite odor neutralized is one that I discovered while working in a hospital. One day the hospital morgue ventilation system failed. My office sat directly above the morgue, so you can imagine the stench. The housekeeper started spraying something, and immediately the odor vanished. I asked her what she'd used, and she showed me the bottle. The product was Odor-Cide and I've been a believer every since. You can purchase the product at Wal-Mart, or if your store is out or doesn't carry it, you can order it direct from the manufacturer, Winston Company. I use it on pet stains, litter boxes, gym bags and as a general air freshener.

FreshMatic

A new product that I like for air freshening is from Air Wick. It is their new FreshMatic air cleaner. The unit is similar to ones used commercially in public restrooms. It comes with batteries and can be wall mounted or sit on a shelf. It releases air freshener in pre-selected intervals (from twice to about 4 times per hour). It is much better than the electric wall units for continous air freshening.

Glade Scented Oil Candles

Another new home fragrance product we like are the new Glade scented oil candles. They come in a beautiful bowl that can be used as a centerpiece. The oil candles burn completely away and will fill an average sized room completely with scent. If you're disappointed with how candles don't "scent" the room, you'll be very happy with these scented oil candles. Another plus is that there's no cleanup. The candle oil burns completely away. Also, the holder has a magnet in it to hold the candle firmly in place.

Have a "scent-sational" time enjoying this month's products!

Online Grocery Shopping

I've discovered the next best thing to picking
out sliced bread in person. Online grocery shopping.

I've been waiting for a local grocery to come up with an affordable and decent system, and one of our groceries, Farm Fresh, has done it. I've been shopping online for the past month, and it is a wonderful time and money saver. I just click, tell them what time I want to pick them up, go into the customer service counter and they have my order waiting for me (the cold stuff is in the back and they bring it out). They generally pick better produce than I select and will substitute items if I want that option.

Total time for a big weekend grocery shop is about 25 min. compared to about 1.5 hours in the store. If I spend over $150 the service is free. Under $150 and there's a $4.50 service charge (a small price for the convenience).

There are a few tips I've discovered about online grocery shopping that may help you venture into the virtual grocery aisle:

1. Make certain you recheck your list before clicking "complete order." Last time I ordered bananas, I accidentally clicked bananas, plantain. These are definitely NOT the same thing.
2. Know the weights of the products you want to buy. I ordered canned green beans. The 8 oz. size seemed right, but when I got them home they were the tiny cans (the regular size I found out is 14 oz.)
3. Don't be afraid to make notes about the products you want to help store personnel make selections for you. It helps you get what you really wanted.
4. If the store doesn't have what you want online, ask for it anyway. They are happy to sell extra products even if it isn't online.

Look to see if any of your local groceries offer this service. Most will also deliver to your house for an additional fee. I don't mind driving to the grocery when the entire roundtrip is only 15 min., but if I were sick I would certainly have the groceries delivered.
Happy shopping!

Have Your Way Day

Helping Children Learn Decision Making Skills

Today is my daughter's "Have Your Way Day." We celebrate this day on the Saturday closest to the individual's half-birthday (six months after the real birthday). The day chosen is negotiable as it needs to be one in which parents are free to enjoy it with the child. I wish I could take credit for this idea, but it was the brainchild of my oldest daughter. Waiting a year for a Special Day is a long time, especially for children. The Have Your Way Day gives them another special day to anticipate in addition to their birthday.

How it Works
On your Have Your Way Day, you get to decide the day's activities and meals. You decide what we do, where we go and what we eat. It is a day when you get to plan a day that is completely yours.

There are a few groundrules. There are no presents or party like on a regular birthday. Also, you cannot exclude other family members from activities, force them to do something or break any normal family rules.

Benefits of the Have Your Way Day
We never considered the benefits of this day when we first started the tradition about seven years ago. However, we've discovered some wonderful benefits. The first benefit is a day where parents are "forced" to understand the child's interests and focus completely on the child.

Secondly, children are told day in and day out what to do. It is a pleasant change for them to have the opportunity to direct a special day.

Another benefit is that children learn important planning skills. They soon realize that you can only cram so much into a typical day. They have to set priorities and plan how long various activities will take. There are very few opportunities like this in an average child's day, so this experience provides a great learning opportunity. For the non-celebrants, it is a lesson in putting others before yourself.

Adults Need a Special Day Too
My husband and I also take a Have Your Way Day. Initially, we didn't celebrate one because after all we are adults and usually get our way. But even as adults we sacrifice our own needs and wants for those of our children. So it's nice to have your way even if you're all grown up!

Daily Devotions With Children

Lighting a Spiritual Flame

Taking care of the mind, body and spirit is important for a person's overall well-being. Too often we overlook the spiritual side of our health.

Daily devotions are a way to keep the spirit healthy. We have daily devotions before bedtime with our children. It is a great way to get everyone calmed down, develop spirituality in our children and prepare for the night and the next day ahead.

Preschool and Elementary
We have enjoyed many great devotional books. We've read through countless children's Bibles. They provide oral reading experience for our children as well as understandable Bible truths for the kids (and adults). The illustrations bring the Biblical stories to life and are wonderful for pre-school and early elementary aged children.

Elementary and Middle School
We've also enjoyed the Questions Kids Ask series by David R. Veerman which are readily available on Amazon.com. They list common questions and Biblical answers plus tips for parents on how to lead discussions on topics. They are better for elementary and middle school children.

Middle and High School
Sometimes reading a book gets tiresome. To liven up our nightly devotions, we've found a wonderful video series that we've all enjoyed. It is very contemporary and speaks to issues that high school and adult audiences will appreciate. The videos run about 10-15 min. each and cost $10. They are from Nooma and feature Rob Bell. Even our younger children have appreciated the videos.

We've had a few devotional books along the way that we didn't like. They were either too involved or took too long to complete before bedtime. When you hit one of these, just admit that it was a bad choice for your family and move on. We've struggled too long through some bad selections and it can ruin this special time.

Most days fly by too fast. Stopping for a moment for a little study, prayer and family time is a great lesson to teach your children.

Perfect Grilled Pork

We struck a homerun this week on the grill. It was by far, the best pork I've ever eaten.

Here's the secret recipe:

6 boneless loin pork chops
1 pkg. McCormick Meat Marinade (prepared as directed)
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/8 tsp ground thyme

Mix above ingredients. Place pork chops in zippered plastic bag. Pour marinade over the chops and let rest for 15-30 min. Grill over moderate heat just until juices run clear. Brush with marinade as chops cook. Do not overcooked the pork.

This is simple and easy and the taste is amazing!

Boneless Appetit!

Products We Love - August

Top Product Picks For August

Toilet bowl cleaning isn't something that comes up during dinner party conversation, but when you visit our bathrooms you'll find they're clean.

So why do I love this product? It's because it has my kids fighting to clean the toilet. This little brush has kid fun written all over it. The brush comes with a disposable cartridge that attaches to the brush. When you push a button, foam cleanser sprays out the brush head. Now, you may have to buy a bunch of the refills, but who's complaining if it makes cleaning the toilet fun for your kids? Since I bought these, I haven't heard one complaint about cleaning the bathrooms, and that is more than worth the price of this product pick.

Superior Iced Tea

Any of you who've had me to your house know that I am a tea drinker. I generally don't like "fruity" tea, but this month's pick has made me change my tune (and tea).

Stewarts Peach Mango tea is the best tasting fruit-flavored tea I've ever encountered. It has a light peachy flavor that doesn't completely overpower the tea taste. It is exceptional iced. We hardly drink anything else. We use 4 teabags per pot (in our iced tea maker--another great product).

Stewart's teas (and coffees for those of you who drink that vile beverage) are available in grocery stores and online. Give the peach/mango a try, especially iced for a truly wonderful experience.

Moving On

Tips from a marathon mover

If there's one thing that a military wife (which I am) knows, it's how to move. In 22 years of marriage my hat has been hung under 18 roofs. Invariably, each time we move I find there are some things you absolutely must have to keep the household running.

Before your next move, set aside these items (along with clothing and needed pillows, bedding & towels). Invariably, the movers will box and take away items you need to survive. Items for your in-transit moving kit include:

Manual can opener
Pot holder
Cookie sheet
Paper towel
Trash bags
Cleaners (glass, bathroom, etc.)
Laundry Detergent

Vacuum

Mop and Broom
Coffee (tie coffee into the pantyhose and place in fridge/freezer--it keeps it from smelling bad)
Old knee-hi pantyhose
Dish soap/Dishwasher soap
Towels
1 Phone
Phonebook
Paper plates, plastic silverware
Toilet Paper

Plunger (Yes, our movers clogged and overflowed a toilet during one move and guess what had been packed already!)

If you have other ideas of what should be included, please post them for us.

Happy Moving!

July Product PIcks

Products We Love - July

The Microplane Zester (top) and

the Toby Tea-Boy are my top picks

this month.

Microplane Zester
The kitchen gadges listed this month are two new purchases that we simply can't live without. The Microplane Zester is always in the dishwasher, so that's proof that either we never run the dishwasher or we're using it all the time. I first read about it in Good Housekeeping magazine and I am firmly convinced this is a must have kitchen gadget.
It makes the fluffiest, freshly grated Parmesan cheese you've ever eaten. It also comes in handy when you burn toast or a grilled cheese (not that I've even done this) to scrape off the burned part so you're family will still eat the stuff.
I bought my zester at a kitchen outlet, but you can find them online at Amazon.com
Toby Tea-Boy
For those of you who know me, I am a tea afficianado. I love loose, black and oolong teas, but hate the nasty tea leaves floating in my cup. I've tried dozens of gadgets, but all of them fail to keep the tea leaves out of my drink. That is until I found my Tea-Boy.
This gadget from tea-lover central (England) is plastic and has a nylon mesh lining. It snaps shut tightly and keeps 100 percent of the tea leaves where they belong--in the infuser. You can get individual or teapot size models.
I bought my first one in a hardware store in New Holland, PA and liked it so much that I had to get another (which was a good thing since the first one took a suicidal jump into the garbage disposal.) I was panicked that I'd never find another one. But never fear, you can get everything online!
Share your posts on these products when you try them!

Saturn Peaches are one of nature's sweetest, summer treats. They're currently in season, but you have to hurry. The season is short and there's only a few weeks each year to enjoy them. 

Summer Fruits and Veggies

Summer Produce

Summer rewards us for tolerating long, hot days with a bounty of great, fresh fruits and veggies. Our family frequently enjoys "Summer Supper" which is a mean entirely of summer's best sans any meat. The main dish is the bounty of fresh produce--sweet corn, green beans, watermelon, cantaloupe, peaches, etc. Here are some of our favorites.

Saturn or Donut Peaches

These peaches just came into our stores this week. They'll only be available for the next two or three weeks, then it's another year before we can enjoy them again. If you haven't tried these babies, you are missing out on some of the sweetest, juiciest peaches you'll ever wrap your tongue around. These are juice dripping down your arm white flesh peaches. They are flattened and are a flattened shape (like their common names indicate).

They are a little pricey, so bring your pocketbook. Don't bring any sugar. When they are fully ripe, they don't need any. These peaches used to be only available at high-end groceries, but they've become so popular that Wal-Mart Supercenters even carry them.

Pick the fruit with dark red coloring that are slightly soft near the stem. If they are hard and greener colored, you can ripen them in 1-2 days in a paper bag on your kitchen counter.

Sweet Corn

My mouth waters just thinking about fresh from the field corn. Local corn is coming in season in most parts of the corn-growing country. Don't be fooled by "yellow" field corn. To any sweet corn lover, this stuff is cattle feed and shouldn't be served on any table. You want to get the real sweet stuff. I think the white and bi-colored varieties are the sweetest and best.

Pick full ears and shuck it at the store if they provide bins. It saves the mess at home and lets you see what you're buying. Pierce one of the hulls with your fingernail. Juice should spurt out forcefully. That's the sign that the corn is fresh. If the ear is hard to pierce, then the corn will be chewy.

I always boil the corn (preferably the same night I buy it) in water with 2 tablespoons of sugar added. Don't overboil the corn. Once the ears look darker (usually 4-5 min.) the corn is ready.


Mini Watermelon

If you haven't tried the new mini, seedless watermelon, I encourage you to give them a go. We had our first ones a couple of weeks ago and were very pleased with this new variety. The mini melons fit very nicely in the refrigerator (compared to their larger cousins) and ours was sweet, juicy and seedless.

I bought ours at Sam's Club which was selling them two to a package. The ease and convenience of cutting, storing and serving these mini-watermelon makes them my first pick this summer.


What's your favorite summer fruit or veggie? Feel free to post your tips and preferences!

Enjoy a Summer Supper at your house.

Traveling With Kids

I haven't posted recently as we've been on the road visiting family. After 13 years of traveling thousands of miles in the car, I've learned a few things about road trips with kids. Here are some of my best tips.

Entertainment

Whether we like it or not, our kids are accustomed to being entertained 24x7. The car (or plane/train/bus) is no different, except that their movement is severely restricted. Try being strapped into a carseat for 8 hours and see how fun it is. If you don't want endless "Are we there yets?" then you need to plan car entertainment the same way you plan your hotel reservations (ahead of time-hopefully).

Babies & Toddlers

Infants are challenging to keep entertained on long car trips. There are ways to keep the crying to a minimum.

1. Put interesting pictures on the seat back to give the baby something to focus on.
2. Purchase a couple of fresh new toys to hang from their carseat as well as an old favorite.
3. Seat one adult (if you can) in back with the infant to help keep the child comfortable and entertained.
4. Buy a portable potty for toddlers (we used one in the car and it was a lifesaver!)
5. Don't be in a hurry. Plan extra time for your trip so you can stop every 2 hours or so and keep everyone fresh.

Children and Teens
The best suggestion I can give you is --Portable Video System. Whether a DVD or VHS, it is truly a lifesaver. We bought one when our children we preschoolers and haven't been without one since. It can keep you on the road and them entertained for hours, just bring plenty of movies to cover your road time.
Here are some other suggestions to break the monotony.

1. Dollar Store Toys -- or a few bucks you can provide some fresh toys to keep the kids entertained for at least part of the trip and when you get to the hotel. If they lose them on the trip, oh well, they only cost a buck.
2. Glow Sticks--after dark the video systems can be distracting for the driver and when it's past bedtime, you want the kids to sleep. The glowsticks are comforting too when you get to the hotel and the kids want a nightlight.
3. Car Games--Our family always enjoys going through the alphabet and finding something outside the car that starts with each letter. At night on two-lane, less traveled roads, we look for "peepers" (car headlights). The first to say "peeper" and spots a car gets a point and the one with the most points wins. Twenty questions also is a good way to pass time. Here's a nice list of some other car games.
4. Audio Players--for older kids tape, CD players, MP3s (with headsets) can eliminate the fight over which radio station should be playing.

Of course, all ages like snacks. Just remember to plan ones you don't mind cleaning out of car seats and the floor. Chips and popcorn seem to make awful messes and Cheetos, Goldfish, and Oreos don't look great on upholstery. In hot weather, fruit snacks can be a mess. (This is the voice of experience on all of these.) Sipper cups are lifesavers and probably should be used until you are at least 80.
Most importantly, try to get a little sleep yourself before you hit the road. It improves your patience with the inevitable hassles of traveling with kids.
P.S. Don't forget the blessings of Dramamine!

Why didn't I think of that

Keeping ribbon spools tidy

My sister was helping me move and was watching me try to tape the ends of the spools of ribbon. She asked me why I was taping the ends that way, and I explained I was trying to keep them from unraveling and tangling.

She whipped out her scissor and made a small slit in the ribbon spool. She then tucked the loose end of ribbon in the slit. It works just like the slit in a spool of sewing thread to prevent unraveling.

This works great. Now why didn't I ever think of that?

A small snip in the edge of a ribbon spool keeps the ribbon from unwinding. It works just like the notch on a spool of thread. 

May Products We Love

In the ongoing product review this month has one that I'm very impressed with.

Silver and metal polish
MAAS metal polish is one of my new best friends. This stuff is truly amazing. I polished some vintage silver spoons and they look almost brand new. The polish does its magic with little elbow grease. I've also tried it on a stainless steel sink. There's more work to polishing stainless (compared to the silver), but the results were very good. I also used it on a vintage Chuck E. Cheese token, and it looks brand new (my son says it's his "Lucky" token). You can buy it in many groceries and also online. I works on all types of metals, but silver is really its strength.

May Baskets are a Sweet Treat!

May Baskets can be simple. These baskets we made use a plastic cup with two holes paper punched for the pipe cleaner handle. We used self-adhesive foam cutouts for decorations and filled them to the brim with caramel corn and prepackaged candy. A notecard tells whom the gift is from.

Happy May Day!

Drag out the Maypole, pick a few flowers, hang a May basket on a neighbor's door--Spring is here!

May Day celebrations date back over 2000 years ago. Giving out May baskets on May 1 was a lot of fun when I was a child. The tradition seems to have mostly passed away. We try to keep the spirit alive at our house. Since the kids beg for candy from the neighbors at Halloween, why not return the sweet favor at May Day?

Over the years, we've given May baskets to our co-workers, nursing home residents, and our next door neighbors and friends. This year, we're giving baskets to teachers, and our neighbors in our apartment building. We're also distributing some on our new cul-de-sac as a way to introduce ourselves to the new neighbors.

Making your May Baskets
Making May baskets is an easy task. We usually use pretty plastic or paper cups. A paper punch makes holes through which we thread a pipe cleaner handle. We've also used plastic strawberry baskets and construction paper and doilies. Almost any simple container is fine. We've decorated them with silk or live flowers.

Filling Your May Baskets
Here are some suggestions for filling the baskets:
Caramel corn (see recipe from yesterday's post)
Mini candy bars
M&M's
Pretzels
Popcorn
Candy Kisses
Cookies
Nuts
Raisins
Fudge
Candy Corn

Delivering Your May Baskets
May baskets are supposed to be delivered anonymously. Traditionally, the giver hangs or places the basket on the front door. He or she then rings the doorbell or knocks and runs away and hides. Should the recipient see or catch the giver, they give the basket giver a kiss. If the recipient is cute, you can always linger and barely jog away (hoping they know the tradition).

Unfortunately, we live in a post 9-11 world. While we still "ring and hang" at our house, we put a custom printed card (I make the note on a business card in Print Shop) on ours baskets wishing the recipient a "Happy May Day" and letting them know the basket is from our family. That way they don't have to worry about anthrax, cyanide or some other terrorist attack on their front porches.

You're never too old to give a May basket. It's a great way to brighten someone's day, and they don't have to be elaborate or time-consuming. Revive the tradition and share a random act of kindness today!

Need a recipe?

I was looking for a caramel corn recipe that I love. I didn't have it in the limited stash that I brought with me, my Mom couldn't find it, and my sister was in her car when I phoned and couldn't help me. But my sister suggested looking up the recipe on the Internet. As always, Google did not let me down and I found the recipe plus a great Web site.

If you're hunting for a recipe, I highly recommend Cooks.com It has a robust search engine and about any recipe you can imagine. I found my caramel corn recipe in under 1 min. (and several variations on it).

By the way, here's the recipe. It is a little time consuming, but produces caramel corn just like you'll get from a popcorn store.

Caramel Corn

1 c. butter

2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. light corn syrup

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

6 qts. popped popcorn
1-20 oz. bag salted peanuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Grease two large, shallow baking pans. Remove unpopped kernels from popped popcorn. In a saucepan, melt butter over low to medium heat. Add brown sugar and corn syrup. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Lower heat, and gently boil for 5 minutes, continuing to stir. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla, salt and soda.

Mix caramel sauce and popcorn (and peanuts-if desired) together. Spread coated popcorn evenly in the two pans. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool and break caramel corn apart before serving.

Fleece is available in a vast array of patterns. From SpongeBob to military insignias, there is sure to be a pattern to suit your tastes or decor.

Warm Up

Since I've been down from recent surgeries, I've had time to do a little "crafting." My recent projects have been those wonderfully warm fleece blankets.

The fleece is readily available at Wal-Mart, Hobby Lobby or any fabric store. It comes in a wide array of patterns from kittens and rainbows to Spiderman and Care Bears, there's likely a pattern or style to match your taste.

The blankets are a snap to finish, and you don't necesarrily have to sew to complete one. Whatever method you choose, you need to finish the perimeter of the blanket. You have a variety of ways to accomplish this task.

Machine Finishing

I've made these blankets for the children previously, using the blanket or zigzag stitch on my sewing machine to finish the edge. This takes less than 30 min. and you have a warm fuzzy for the kids. You could also serge the edge if you have the technology.

You can also sew 2 panels together for a doubly thick blanket. Usually, I just do a single weight as it doesn't get that cold here, but in northern climates, double up for extra warmth.

Hand Finishing

My latest blankets have been hand finished. Since I'm not feeling well enough to sit for long periods at the sewing machine, I've been blanket stitching the edges with yarn. I use standard weight yarn, a yarn darning needle and a skewer (for punching holes). You can finish a standard sized panel in 3-4 hours. (A rental movie helps pass the time)

Here's how to do a blanket stitch:

Blanket stitch is worked from left to right. The needle is brought up vertically and brought out of the fabric with the thread tucked under the needle. (See posted diagram below)

If you don't like sore fingers, then you'll want to prepunch hole for your need to pass through. I found a metal shish-ka-bob skewer works great for this purpose.

At the corners work several stitches in a fan shape from a single hole opposite the corner. That will reinforce and provide a nice corner finish.


No-sew option

Had needles and machines? You still can finish a fleece blanket with hand-tied fringe. Create a template of cardboard that is 18-24 inches long, four inches deep and has 1-inch marks on it. Use the template to mark your blanket edge (use one of those disappearing fabric markers to mark the blanket). Draw a line 4 inches deep on your blanket. Then mark the 1-inch widths. Cut the 1-inch strips to the 4" depth you marked. Once you cut the fringe, tie a slip knot at the base of each strip (You can make it longer or thinner--this is just a suggestion based on my attention span. Thinner strips look nice, but it means more tying.) Continuing knotting all the strips until finished.

When finished, find a loved one, drape and snuggle!

This is a diagram of the blanket stitch. You can use this stitch to hand finish fleece blankets. 

Products we love - April

Each month, I'll let you know about products that we've tried and love. These are our own endorsements and have not been paid in any way by a sponsor. They are my and my family's opinions. If you do or don't agree, feel free to add you comments to the post.

Here are two of our latest favorites:

Philly Swirl Stix

These Italian ice pops (they also come in cups) are wonderful and my kids love them. They have only 48 calories a bar and the come in kid (and adult) friendly flavors. They have a new sugar-free variety at Sam's Clubs that I also would like to try.

The company is small and super friendly. I emailed them and received a personalized response which is a rarity in today's mega-corporation environment. So not only is it a tasty, low-cal snack, but a nice bunch of people to do business with.

Here's the link to their Website: Philly Swirls

Dr. Scholl's Odor Destroyer Spray

I admit it. I have very stinky feet. Add a pair of nylon hosiery and you better pray my shoes can contain the stench.

Actually, I had stinky feet, until I found the newest Dr. Scholl's spray. This stuff actually works, and believe me I've tried them all. I finally can take off my shoes without clearing the room.

Since using this product daily, I have completely eliminated my foot and shoe odor problem. So if you share the stench, try out Odor Destroyers.

Let me know if you found these product reviews useful. I'll post some monthly (or more often if you like them).

Shop 'till ya drop!

No More Store Squabbles

I've only had a couple of great parenting revelations, but here is one of them.

I hate children who whine for items in the store. I've seen children cry, plead, throw tantrums, much to everyone's dismay. None of my children have ever done this due to one simple rule:

If you ask for it, I won't buy it.

Notice the period at the end of the rule. It is critical that nothing else is added. You have to be firm and unbending on this rule. If they ask for milk and it is on your list--you cannot for any reason buy it.

The result of firm adherance to this rule is that your children will not ask for anything in a store. If you have more than one child, there will be sibling pressure to keep them from asking. If they start, all you have to say is "You're asking, so I can't buy it." Always let them know if you had been planning a special treat and they blew it by asking.

For all of our peace when shopping, please use this rule with your own children.

Also, don't take small children to the store after 9 pm, late in the afternoon or anytime when you or the child is tired. You're just asking for trouble.

Go enjoy some peaceful shopping!

The most beautiful bouquets are those picked by a child. I've had three dandelion bouquets this week and they touch my heart more than a dozen roses (of course one would have to receive flowers to have a real point of reference!)  

Being fresh is OK

Being fresh with a co-worker, especially of the opposite sex, might not be OK; but being fresh in the kitchen is definitely OK. Here's some stay fresh tips for various snack foods:

Cereal
My kids love cereal--that is, they love to open cereal but never finish it. Ziploc bags are my best friend. Pull out the cereal bag, push in a new zipper bag (I prefer the zipper Ziplocs) into the empty box and fill it with the cereal, zipping it shut for freshness. Why bother putting the cereal back in the box? The box is what attracts the kids to the cereal, so if you just put the cereal in the Ziploc bag, they won't eat it! It's kid logic, don't try to figure it out.

Potato Chips
Those chip clips really work, but who can ever find one? I'm always left "holding the bag" without a clip. Binder clips, paper clips and clothespins will work just as well as the bag clips, and I generally can find these easier. Kids (or grownups) open up two bags without finishing one? Go ahead and combine them into one. You'll have better luck getting the single bag rather than the two separate bags finished before going stale. Again this is kid logic, so don't even try to understand it.

Marshmallows
Just give up on trying to keep these fresh even with a clip in the original bag. Putting the original, opened bag in a Ziploc and pressing out the excess air seems to work best. You can freeze marshmallows, but I think they lose some flavor and texture when frozen. They can be stored in plastic containers, but the double bagging with a Ziploc is my preferred method.

Saltine crackers
I love my cracker tin. I think it works better than any other solution and keeps the crackers from breaking. I use the original packaging and just use a twist tie to seal the opened package. My tin holds all four packages from the original box. I don't know of any new sources for tins, but you can located vintage ones on eBay for under $5.

Popcorn
The moisture content of popcorn is critical for proper popping. The moisture content is a closely guarded trade secret because it is so important. The best popping corn is undoubtedly Orville Redenbachers, but a lot of it is the packaging. How is it packaged? In a sealed bottle. That's what you need to do, keep your popcorn sealed and at room temp (don't put it in the fridge as that can mess up the moisture content). A clean, dried glass jar with a good lid will work just fine for keeping your popcorn at its freshest.

Happy snacking!

Fluffy Omelets

I've made fluffy omelets, but they are just too much work. You have to separate the eggs, beat the whites until stiff, beat the yolks until thick and then fold them all together. Not being a morning person, this is not a process I'm capable of before 11 a.m.

So how can you get fluffy omelets without all the hassle?

A pinch of baking powder.

I saw the tip in Woman's World magazine, and thought I'd give it a try. Sure enough, the eggs puff right up. When you take them from the heat, eat fast as the fluffiness is short lived, but every bit as light at the well-beaten variety.

Have only 2 minutes for breakfast but want an omelet? I recommend the Schwan's omelets. They are tasty and cook up in about 2 min. in the microwave. Not as good as a fresh one, but a close second.

Bon apetit!

Easter Ham Leftovers?

This week we've been trying to use up all the leftovers from the meal for 20 that I fixed for the five of us. I dredged up an old recipe (courtesy of a couple of phone calls to Mom), made some variations and came up with the following. Total prep time is under 10 min.

Leftover Hoagies

Hoagie Roll (sliced in half lengthwise)
Garlic Butter (mix 1/4 tsp. {or more to taste} garlic powder in 1/4 c. whipped margarine)
2 slices of leftover Easter ham
3 slices of Genoa salami
2 slices of provolone or swiss cheese

Spread garlic butter on one side of hoagie roll. Place ham and salami on roll and top with cheese slices. Top with remaining roll and put two toothpicks in to hold sandwich together. Bake at 450 degrees for 7 min. Serve hot.

Our Somali kitten, Nacho, proofs my copy for this Blog (which explains any typos). If you've got a great caption for this picture, share it with us! 

Creative financing helped us land our new house in Newport News, VA 

Out of the frying pan and into the fire

We unloaded one house and now we're headed into a new one. We just purchased a 4 bedroom home in Newport News, VA. The housing market is double the price of anywhere we've lived before. So how did we afford a large home in a nice neighborhood? Well, it is courtesy of some creative financing (and a loving God).

Instead of the standard 30-year fixed rate VA mortgage we usually get, we tried some new products. Our hats are off to Countrywide mortgage and their local branch manager, J. Mansisidor (plug intended). He found a product that allows us to keep our payments within $300 of what we paid for a house that cost $120,000 less than the current one. Sure, we're essentially renting the new house from the mortgage company, but since we'll likely only be here a couple of years, we wouldn't build equity anyway.

Here's how we did it. First we're getting a one-month LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate) an index on which some ARMs (Adjustable Rate Mortgages) are based. This index is a global index which generally varies less than U.S. interest rate based ARMs. Here is some additional information about LIBORs. Because the loan is a one-month ARM, it will fluctuate each month. Looking over the last four years of data, however, the payments never vary more than about $10 per month.

Ever pay PMI (private mortgage insurance)? If you don't put 20 percent or more down on a home, you usually have to pay this insurance, even if you have perfect credit. We've paid a lot of it over the years and it can cost up to $200 per month. In our current loan package, we are taking out a second home equity line of credit to pay the 20 percent down on our house, thus avoiding the costly PMI. This means we'll make two payments on the house each month. Why no one ever suggested this to us in the past, I don't know, but it is a brilliant way to avoid PMI on 100 percent financing.

If all this financial talk has your head swimming, just remember that there a lot of loan products available today other than just a 30-year or 15-year fixed rate or standard ARM. You don't have to be an expert, just find yourself one who can guide you through the lending maze.

Easter Egg Hunt

If you have more than one child, you know that comparisons and the words "That's not fair" are constants. When we do Easter Egg hunts, one child always complains that the other got more eggs than he or she did.

Here are some ways to end the bickering that turns a fun event sour: (requires plastic hinged eggs):

1. For small children, let them keep only certain pre-agreed upon colors (have the same number of each color).
2. Reading age children can only keep the eggs with their names written on them
3. Older children must find a message written one letter at a time on eggs. You can keep the focus on the season by using religious messages such as "Jesus is alive" or "Jesus rose again from the dead." The word "Resurrection" is great as it is an even dozen letters.

Sibling rivalry is a natural part of growing up, but if you can do something to keep the peace during your holiday festivities, why not do it?
Hope you have a happy, peaceful Easter!!

This Easter Centerpiece is filled with candy and tastes as good as it looks. 

Easter Centerpiece

The best ideas are stolen, and this one comes from an arrangement I saw in the current issue of Family Circle. I adapted it to use plastic eggs. It's pretty fast and easy. I made two of these while I watched a movie. Here's the directions:

Supplies
1 small Easter basket
13-15 plastic hinged eggs
1 styrofoam half ball to fit basket
drinking straws
pastel tissue paper
candy (M&Ms or jellybeans)
floral picks (with wires)
glue sticks and glue gun
Bunny pick (opt.)

Assembly Directions

Cut base of straws at an angle to make to make a point on one end, leaving straws about 6 inches long. Glue plastic eggs to straight end of straw. Use a big dollop of glue so that the straw stands upright. Hold in place until glue sets up.

Cut tissue paper in 3-1/2" squares. Poke the pointed end of the straw into the center of a square glue to the base of the egg. Take a second square in a different color, poke the straw through the center and glue this piece at a right angle to the second one. Attach tissue to all the eggs.

Cut green tissue leaves and attach to the floral picks with the attached wires. You'll need about 1 doz. leaves.

Fill eggs less than half full with candy (too much candy will bend the straw).

Glue styrofoam to base of basket. Arrange eggs and leaves in basket. Cut additional lengths off the straws to obtain a nice round arrangement. Use the leaves to fill in gaps. Add a bunny pick as an accent.

Where to shop

You can get the styrofoam at Wal-Mart and they have plastic eggs fairly cheap. The bunny pick I got is from Dollar Tree (2 to a pkg.) . The total cost is about $5-7 depending on how pricey a basket you use. I found mine at Walgreens for $3. Walmart had cute ones for $1.50.

OK, so this is a little Martha, but I doubt she'd use plastic eggs. She'd probably have you blow out and color goose or ostrich eggs.

For those who can't be trusted with glue guns

You can get the same effect by using foil wrapped chocolate eggs. Just take a bamboo skewer and stick it through the candy and the tissue paper and put into the basket.

House is sold

Selling a house or giving birth -- which is worse?

I'm not certain which is worse. Probably it's selling a house, because your pain lasts so much longer.

Truth about flat-fee listings

We tried a flat-fee listing this time where you pay a fee for listing on the MLS, get a sign and a lockbox and nothing more. You are responsible for marketing and selling your home. Sounds great? Usually the listing agent doesn't do a lot to earn the large commission, so you can save some bucks by doing it yourself.

We had a hard time finding a flat fee lister in Illinois. We did find one and $700 later we thought we were all set. ($200 to an online agency to find a broker and $500 to the agent) We were wrong.

Turns out that Illinois became the first state to require real estate agents to provide minimal service (i.e. no flat-fee listings). The Realtors promoted this bill on the pretense that it prevents them from representing both sides of negotiation (which of course they'll do if they sell their own listing). The truth is that they just want to protect their listing agent commissions.

Our Realtor was a gem and agreed to handle the negotiations and closing for what we paid him as that was the deal. The local MLS was threatening to ban him if he didn't. We wound up giving him an additional $500 to help with closing and he did earn his money as local city inspections wound up requiring a bunch of repairs on 0ur home (another major issue).

Tips if you decide on flat-fee listing

Before you try a flat-listing, here's my advice:

• Make sure your state allows it. If you get wind they're considering legislation like Illinois, write your legislator and have them vote against it.
• Select a title company before you sell and find out what assistance they'll give you.
• Don't do a flat-fee listing if you have to move before the house sells. If you're long distance you really need a Realtor.
• Don't waste a lot of money on newspaper advertising. Most of all your leads will come from the MLS.

So what's next? Now we're trying to buy again. Maybe we should rent. It's a lot less painful!

St. Patrick's Day

How do we celebrate St. Patrick's Day?

With the eatin' of the green.

St. Patrick's Day is a great time to use up all the green food color in your cabinets that is starting to crust over from age.

Everything at dinner is green. Menu suggestions?

Green milk or apple juice
Green mashed potatoes
Green beans, peas, brocolli or artichokes (no food coloring needed)
Green Jello
Green Cool Whip (it works better if it's thawed--but who has time?)
Green Crescent Rolls (use the new spray food color on them before baking)
Green Catsup (you have to use the good Wilton food color to turn catsup a dark green)
Green Meatloaf (I usually just put the green catsup on top)

Just put a few drops of green food coloring in all your food or spray on green color with the new green food spray. You're kids will be grossed out and your spouse or significant other will try not to be (but they will). Everything tastes the same (or does it when it's green?) Make sure its food coloring not other green growth that you're serving!

No way you'd ever cook anything? Then use the spray coloring on whatever food came out of your paper bag or styrofoam container! Green is great!

Always try to make certain you expose your children to cultural opportunities on your vacations. You're kids won't remember the art museum, but they will remember seeing the Wienermobile.