For Tuesday, May 31st, 2011

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

MAY 31st, 2011

If you can't see the bright side of life, polish the dull side

It's TUESDAY!

SAVE YOUR HEARING DAY!

Save Your Hearing Day reminds us that our hearing is vital, and needs to be protected.

Many hearing loss problems are avoidable. Hearing loss can result from a variety of reasons, including: health, genetic and environmental causes. On the environmental side, repeated long term exposure to loud, high decibel noises can overtime cause hearing loss. This cause, in particular, is often avoidable.

Use Save Your Hearing Day as an opportunity to learn what you can do to avoid hearing loss to yourself, and your family. Then, practice it.

A good listener is not only popular everywhere, but after a while, he knows something

Wilson Mizner

NEW IN THE KITCHEN

NATIONAL MACAROON DAY

MOUNTAIN TOP MACAROONS

4 large egg whites
1 cup white sugar
dash of salt
3 cups shredded coconut
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/2-1 semi-sweet chocolate, melted
Finely shredded coconut, for sprinkling

In a stainless steel bowl over a pot of simmering water (or a double boiler if you're fancy like that), whisk together the egg whites, sugar and salt until they are warm to the touch and frothy and creamy. The sugar will be fully melted and everything should be a uniform white color. Remove from the heat. Add the vanilla, flour, and coconut and stir to combine; it will be sticky. Cover with plastic wrap and stick it in the fridge for an hour or two until the mixture is firm.

Once your cookie dough is firm, preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment. These cookies are a little sticky and parchment can do double duty here to hold the cookies after they have been dipped in chocolate, so I strongly suggest that you use it.

Using a small cookie scoop, about 1 Tbs, scoop the cookies onto the parchment. They don't really expand, so they only need 1"-1 1/4" between the cookies; enough so that if they do spread they aren't stuck together. Bake them for 10-15 mins, until the tops are golden brown.

Allow the baked cookies to cool for about 15 mins so that they are cool to the touch and then dip the tops in the melted semi-sweet chocolate. Immediately sprinkle a few shreds of coconut on top of the chocolate and let them harden 20-30 minutes

PRAYER FOR OUR TROOPS

Please pray for God's protection of

our troops and HIS wisdom for their

commanders.

Lord, hold our troops in

your loving hands.

Protect them as they protect us.

Bless them and their families for the

selfless acts they perform for us

in our time of need. I ask this in the

name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

AND bless our Police Officers, Firefighters

and Paramedics and EMT's

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

AROUND HOME

Home is where you can say anything you like cause nobody listens to you anyway.

Author Unknown

It's the last day of May and although summer hasn't begun yet, it really does feel like it is here. When I got home from the camper yesterday I did turn on the air conditioning for a little while.

The week ahead looks to be mostly sunny and today they say we may be in the 90's so it looks like a/c season has begun in earnest. I don't like it as I feel as cooped up as when it is cold out but this house heats up pretty fast and takes a long time to cool down too.

I'm sure I'll get some outdoor time in early morning or late evening anyway. The temps are usually pleasant then even when it gets hot out. Right now it is very hard to believe we had temps in the 40's just last week and the furnace was running.

We had fireworks going off in our neighborhood last night. Seems early for that as we used to only hear them the 4th of July. Now I suppose we'll be hearing them all summer.

Have a great Tuesday everyone!

COUNTING THE DAYS

Remember: when you talk you only repeat what you already know, but if you listen you may learn something

Amish School Saying

22 DAYS UNTIL SUMMER!

Keep looking ON THE BRIGHT SIDE of things.

A little smile, a word of cheer,
A bit of love from someone near…

Love,

ma

For Sunday, May 30th, 2011

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

MAY 30TH, 2011

If you can't see the bright side of life, polish the dull side

It's MONDAY!

MEMORIAL DAY IN THE USA!

TODAY'S COLOR ALERT: Red, White and Blue!

Today is Memorial Day in the U.S., honoring the memory of those who have died in battle. Since 1948 the holiday has also included, by presidential proclamation, Prayer for Peace, Memorial Day.

The President proclaimed this Memorial Day as a day of prayer for permanent peace, and designated the hour beginning in each locality at 11:00 a.m. of that day as a time to unite in prayer. He also asked all Americans to observe the National Moment of Remembrance beginning at 3:00 p.m. local time on Memorial Day.

NEW IN THE KITCHEN

NATIONAL BARBECUE DAY

A barbecue is the same thing as a grill, but barbecuing is NOT the same thing as grilling! Barbecuing is cooking over indirect heat whereas grilling is over direct heat. However both cooking methods can use the same equipment.

Barbecuing often involves basting the food with a sauce (like barbecue sauce, of course!). The meats considered "traditional" barbecue vary by region. In the southeast U.S., pork is more common. In Texas, beef is the meat of choice (most commonly beef brisket).

Barbecue is the proper spelling of the word, but you will also see it spelled barbeque, and abbreviated as BBQ, Bar-B-Q or Bar-B-Que.

Barbecued Corn

6 ears corn with husks
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 dash black pepper
2 tablespoons water

Pull husks carefully from corn so that husk remains attached to the bottom of corn ear. Remove silk from corn.

Melt butter in small saucepan, add seasonings, and stir. Brush butter mixture on ear of corn. Pull cornhusk up to cover corn and tie with string.

Place in 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish, sprinkle with water, cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

For Grilled Barbecued Corn: Prepare corn as above to the point of placing corn in the baking dish. Instead place corn directly on the grill over a medium hot charcoal fire.

Cook for 30 to 40 minutes, turning every few minutes. Remove husk which will be brown and dry before serving.

PRAYER FOR OUR TROOPS

Please pray for God's protection of

our troops and HIS wisdom for their

commanders.

Lord, hold our troops in

your loving hands.

Protect them as they protect us.

Bless them and their families for the

selfless acts they perform for us

in our time of need. I ask this in the

name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

AND bless our Police Officers, Firefighters

and Paramedics and EMT's

GOD BLESS YOU!

AROUND HOME

After a leisurely breakfast here this morning everyone will probably begin to pack up everything and get ready to head home. Most have to work tomorrow and will need to get things ready for the new week ahead. Yesterday was a hot humid day and I saw on the news that there were severe thunderstorms at home but here it just got cloudy. No rain is expected for today either. Surprisingly there is more sun than rain in the forecast for the week ahead.

The good news is that it is only a 4 day work week this week. Have a safe and Happy Memorial Day everyone!

COUNTING THE DAYS

Trusting God is a daily choice

23 DAYS UNTIL SUMMER!

Keep looking ON THE BRIGHT SIDE of things.

A little smile, a word of cheer,
A bit of love from someone near…

Love,

ma

For Sunday, May 29th, 2011

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

MAY 29TH, 2011

If you can't see the bright side of life, polish the dull side

It's SUNDAY!

Today is International Day of U.N. Peace Keepers.

UN peacekeeping has been developed to help countries torn by conflict create conditions for lasting peace since the first mission was established in May 1948. There have been a total of 63 UN peacekeeping operations. Currently, the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, with the support of the Department of Field Support, manages 17 operations deployed across five continents. These operations comprise more than 117,000 deployed military, police and civilian personnel.

Over the years, UN peacekeeping has evolved to meet the demands of different conflicts and changing political landscapes. It has proved itself to be an efficient and cost-effective international instrument to restore peace in post-conflict situations.

The basis of world peace is the teaching which runs through almost all the great religions of the world. Love they neighbor as thyself

Eleanor Roosevelt

NEW IN THE KITCHEN

National Coq Au Vin Day

This classic French dish is composed of pieces of chicken, mushrooms, onions, bacon or salt pork and various herbs braised in red wine. The name literally means "rooster in wine" in French, but most commonly we see chicken used in the recipe.

Chicken in wine, how divine!

Easy Chicken Divine!

Ingredients

1/2 cupTuscan House Italian Dressing and Marinade

4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 lb.)

1 tub (10 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Savory Garlic Cooking Creme

1/2 cup milk

1 pkg. (20 oz.)refrigerated sliced potatoes

2 cups frozen broccoli florets

1 cup Shredded Triple Cheddar Cheese with a Touch of PHILADELPHIA, divided

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

Heat oven to 375ºF. Pour dressing over chicken in shallow dish; turn to coat both sides of each breast. Refrigerate 30 min. to marinate.

Mix cooking creme and milk in large bowl. Add potatoes, broccoli and 1/2 cup shredded cheese; mix lightly. Spoon into 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.

Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Place chicken over ingredients in baking dish; sprinkle with pepper. Cover.

Bake 1 hour or until heated through, uncovering and sprinkling with remaining shredded cheese after 45 min.

PRAYER FOR OUR TROOPS

Please pray for God's protection of

our troops and HIS wisdom for their

commanders.

Lord, hold our troops in

your loving hands.

Protect them as they protect us.

Bless them and their families for the

selfless acts they perform for us

in our time of need. I ask this in the

name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

AND bless our Police Officers, Firefighters

and Paramedics and EMT's

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

AROUND HOME

If in our daily life we can smile, if we can be peaceful and happy, not only we, but everyone will profit from it. This is the most basic kind of peace work

Thich Nhat Hanh

Saturday was a beautiful day. It started out chilly but warmed up nice. DS#6 and family came in late afternoon. We had a few sprinkles but no rain to speak of. That was nicest of all. I'm thinking today should be swimming pool weather as it's to be sunny and warmer.

Hope you all enjoy your day of R and R today.

COUNTING THE DAYS

Help other people to cope with their problems and your own will be easier to cope with

24 DAYS UNTIL SUMMER!

Keep looking ON THE BRIGHT SIDE of things.

A little smile, a word of cheer,
A bit of love from someone near…

Love,

ma

For Saturday, May 28th, 2011

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

MAY 28TH, 2011

If you can't see the bright side of life, polish the dull side

It's SATURDAY!

INTERNATIONAL JAZZ DAY

International Jazz Day is always on Saturday of Memorial Day weekend.

International Jazz Day celebrates Jazz music and history, as well as Jazz musicians. Jazz music was born in America in the 1800's. Over the years, it has become popular around the world. Everyone has their favorite style of music, and many say Jazz is tops. Some people have a type of music that they do not like. But everyone likes and/or loves Jazz.

The birthplace and home of Jazz music is New Orleans, La. Until you visit New Orleans and attend a real Jazz show in an authentic setting, you can't fully appreciate the culture and beauty of this great style of music.

Enjoy International Jazz Day by sitting back and listening to your favorite Jazz tunes. Preferably, listen to them today as they are being played by a live jazz band

Music is what feelings sound like.

Author Unknown

NEW IN THE KITCHEN

National Hamburger Day!

There's a lot more future in hamburgers than in baseball.

Ray Kroc

Roy Kroc knew all about hamburgers. In the 1950s he transformed McDonald's into the world's largest food conglomerate. Today's look at hamburgers is just in time for Memorial Day and today is National Hamburger Day.

We've already celebrated National Hamburger-Cheeseburger Day this month, but this time it's all about the burger!

The trick to a perfect, juicy hamburger is to use meat that is 15-20% fat. Also don't just use ground beef, try to buy meat that is specifically labeled as ground chuck. It's a more flavorful cut and not the "bits and pieces" of cuts that are found in ground beef

How to cook a burger just like McDonalds

1 lb. ground meat

Dill pickle slices, try Heinz Genuine Dills

Dried, chopped onion

Mustard

Ketchup

4 tbsp. salt

2 tbsp. accent (MSG)

1 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. onion powder

Waxed paper

Electric grill

Spatula

Make the seasoning that McDonald's uses. Mix the salt, accent, black pepper and onion powder in a shaker. Set aside

Divide the beef into 10 balls of equal size and lay them out on the waxed paper. Freeze them for 1 hour so that they stay together when grilling.

Add water to the dried onions in a small plastic container and cover. Refrigerate for 1/2 hour, remove and drain out the water. This gives you baby onions

Preheat your electric grills: one to 375 to 400 degrees for the burgers and the other to 350 degrees for the buns

Sear the patties for about 30 seconds after they are on the grill by pressing them down carefully and evenly with a metal spatula. Do so for a few seconds. Add a shake of hamburger seasoning.Toast the buns by laying the bun tops face down on the second grill. After about 2 minutes remove them, and repeat with the bottom part of the bun.Flip your hamburger meat over after about a minute, being careful not to break the burgers. Add another shake of seasoning.

Put the condiments on your buns while the second side is cooking. On the top bun, add mustard first in two thin circular motions. Do the same with the ketchup. Sprinkle a small pinch of baby onions over the whole top of the bun. Top with two pickle slices. Flip the burger over and press down again to make sure that it is all the way done. Remove, and set it on top of the bottom bun. Add your top, and your hamburger is finished.

PRAYER FOR OUR TROOPS

Please pray for God's protection of

our troops and HIS wisdom for their

commanders.

Lord, hold our troops in

your loving hands.

Protect them as they protect us.

Bless them and their families for the

selfless acts they perform for us

in our time of need. I ask this in the

name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

AND bless our Police Officers, Firefighters

and Paramedics and EMT's

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

AROUND HOME

Hearing my children's laughter is music to my soul. Their laughter lets me know that all is well with them. Holidays like this Memorial Day weekend is a time I can usually get together with them and there is always lots of fun and good times. Still some are always missing. as time and distance separates us.

What ever and where ever you may find yourself this Saturday I do hope some music, good times and laughter are part of your day too.

Happy Saturday!

COUNTING THE DAYS

Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music

Ronald Reagan

25 DAYS UNTIL SUMMER!

Keep looking ON THE BRIGHT SIDE of things.

A little smile, a word of cheer,
A bit of love from someone near…

Love,

ma