Let’s go back to 1913, in fact May 19, 1913. Hazel Curtis laid on her bed looking out across the field of corn just barely coming up thru the ground, it maybe was about an inch or two up, there was a light snow laying around the young green growth. She had just given birth to her third child. Marjorie Naomi Curtis. Yes, on this day, 113 years ago my mother was born. I do not know much about her youth growing up in the Meigs County rural area around Longbottom, Pomeroy Ohio. But from what I do know of it my grandparents were poor but very rich in love and Christian values. Mom was active in her teen years with the 4-H Program Yes they had it back then. In fact, she made a quilt by hand back then, which was normal. She had embroidered spoke wheels with everyone in the family and the area neighbors and her friend’s names in it on blocks and then pieced them together, and quilted it onto a larger heaver blanket with matting in-between and tied it off. That was the way back then. She then entered it in the Columbus State Fair. Gee that must have been in the 1920’s by then. OBTW she won first place! I at one time had the blue ribbon and paperwork in my items. I do have that quilt carefully folded up and placed in a plastic blanket container for safe keeping. What will happen to it when I pass on to join her I have no clue as I have no one to pass it on to. 
Later in life she went on and got her CNA and worked as that around the Pomeroy, OH area. I saw photos of that as a child and heard stories of that from my Grandmother Curtis. She also went on and got her education to be a bookkeeper and did that for her remaining life. She moved to the Columbus Ohio area and then on to Dayton Ohio and married to Charles E Rathburn and had one son, Warren W Rathburn and then 13 years later of course I came along. The little surprise lol. 
She married my step father John Brewer when I was about 9 years old and their favorite thing was to go fishing. Smh and smiling. When I was about 15 yrs. old they retired to Adams County Ohio and later she moved on back to Meigs County to take care of her mother Hazel Curtis. There she resided until she was unable to take care of herself. She then moved in with my brother back to Dayton and resided with him and in a Retirement home until her death. Mom and Dad John got to be known around Meigs County as the Fishing Couple, as they were always together somewhere fishing. Especially when they would put in the trout into the Forked Run Lake and other lakes in the area. Oh there are plenty of negative bad memories as she and I was like two old stubborn mules, we didn’t want either one to pass the others path and we never saw eye to eye about anything. There was and is still much resentment against her. But she is my mother. And at the age of 65 and having children of my own, I see that she did the best she thought she knew how. From what I was told she as she aged, realized she too did wrong by me in many ways. The good thing was. Toward the end. We got back together. I forgave her. I love her. I did need her even though she was not there for me when I did need her. She was never there. But I SURVIVED. I am a stronger woman for it A stronger person for it. So Maybe I should be thankful for it. Maybe she did me a favor. Even though I missed out on so very much and didn’t develop socially as I should have. 
Well mom it isn’t too late, I know you’re in Heaven Celebrating your birthday with God, Grandma, Grandpa and Dad John. So I wrote this in tribute to you for your birthday. I want to tell you I love you.. I want to wish you a very happy 113 birthday in heaven. I will be joining you soon.. It is just in the cards. I am not getting any younger lol

NOTE:  I wish I knew how I could post photos in here,  I have never learned how in the blogs when I write them.  I believe I just learned how to do it on my page. .   after all of these years being a member  lol  

Tags: Tribute to My Mother, Birthday

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ALL ABOUT FRIDAY 13th..

Some people are dreading today,  Friday 13th.  I say HOGWASH!   it is just another day like anyother day folks.  lol  I went and looked it up several years ago when I was doing another type of blog and then earlier this week I looked up for newer information,  as if there would be.  Below is what I found of interest and thought I would share it with you,  as that is just the type of person I am.  

Friday the 13th has always been a lucky day for me.  I even got married on Friday 13th 18 years ago!  Good things have always happened to me on that day.  So  Friday I plan to go out  and see if I can find a pair of sandles to my liking and to my feet's liking.  I am easy to please but they sure are not!  Maybe I will get lucky and even find some on sale!  smile. . .I know it is gona be my lucky night. . it is my other half and my anniversary.  We met on a Friday 13th 19 yrs ago.  I am gona be taken out for dinner to celebrate!  (yay no cooking and no dirty dishes lol)

Enjoy your day and Blessings to you...

Friday 13th Info

History

The fear of the number 13 has been given a scientific name: "triskaidekaphobia"; and on analogy to this the fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskevidekatriaphobia, from the Greek words Paraskeví (Παρασκευή, meaning "Friday"), and dekatreís (δεκατρείς, meaning "thirteen").

The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci

The superstition surrounding this day may have arisen in the Middle Ages, "originating from the story of Jesus' last supper and crucifixion" in which there were 13 individuals present in the Upper Room on the 13th of Nisan Maundy Thursday, the night before his death on Good Friday. While there is evidence of both Friday and the number 13 being considered unlucky, there is no record of the two items being referred to as especially unlucky in conjunction before the 19th century.

An early documented reference in English occurs in Henry Sutherland Edwards' 1869 biography of Gioachino Rossini, who died on a Friday 13th:

He was surrounded to the last by admiring friends; and if it be true that, like so many Italians, he regarded Fridays as an unlucky day and thirteen as an unlucky number, it is remarkable that on Friday 13th of November he passed away.

Rossini by Henri Grevedon

It is possible that the publication in 1907 of Thomas W. Lawson's popular novel Friday, the Thirteenth, contributed to disseminating the superstition. In the novel, an unscrupulous broker takes advantage of the superstition to create a Wall Street panic on a Friday the 13th.

A suggested origin of the superstition—Friday, 13 October 1307, the date Philip IV of France arrested hundreds of the Knights Templar—may not have been put together until the 20th century. It is mentioned in the 1955 Maurice Druon historical novel The Iron King (Le Roi de fer), John J. Robinson's 1989 work Born in Blood: The Lost Secrets of Freemasonry, Dan Brown's 2003 novel The Da Vinci Code and Steve Berry's The Templar Legacy (2006).

Tuesday the 13th in Hispanic and Greek culture

In Spanish-speaking countries, instead of Friday, Tuesday the 13th (martes trece) is considered a day of bad luck.The Greeks also consider Tuesday (and especially the 13th) an unlucky day[citation needed]. Tuesday is considered dominated by the influence of Ares, the god of war (Mars in Roman mythology). A connection can be seen in the Roman etymology of the name in some European languages (Mardi in French or martes in Spanish). The fall of Constantinople to the Fourth Crusade occurred on Tuesday, April 13, 1204, and the Fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans happened on Tuesday, 29 May 1453, events that strengthen the superstition about Tuesday. In addition, in Greek the name of the day is Triti (Τρίτη) meaning literally the third (day of the week), adding weight to the superstition, since bad luck is said to "come in threes

Social impact

According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute in Asheville, North Carolina, an estimated 17 to 21 million people in the United States are affected by a fear of this day, making it the most feared day and date in history. Some people are so paralyzed by fear that they avoid their normal routines in doing business, taking flights or even getting out of bed. "It's been estimated that $800 or $900 million is lost in business on this day". Despite this, representatives for both Delta Air Lines and now-defunct Continental Airlines have stated that their airlines do not suffer from any noticeable drop in travel on those Fridays.

In Finland, a consortium of governmental and nongovernmental organizations led by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health promotes the National Accident Day, which always falls on a Friday the 13th.

Rate of accidents

A study in the British Medical Journal, published in 1993, concluded that there "is a significant level of traffic-related incidences on Friday the 13th as opposed to a random day, such as Friday the 6th, in the UK."[19] However, the Dutch Centre for Insurance Statistics (CVS) on 12 June 2008 stated that "fewer accidents and reports of fire and theft occur when the 13th of the month falls on a Friday than on other Fridays, because people are preventatively more careful or just stay home. Statistically speaking, driving is slightly safer on Friday the 13th, at least in the Netherlands; in the last two years, Dutch insurers received reports of an average 7,800 traffic accidents each Friday; but the average figure when the 13th fell on a Friday was just 7,500."

When is Friday the 13th?

How often does the 13th day of a month fall on a Friday.

Friday the 13th occurrences

Year Date Month Since last Comment

2010 Friday, August 13, 2010 August 1 time in year 2010

2011 Friday, May 13, 2011 May + 9 months 1 time in year 2011

2012 Friday, January 13, 2012 January + 8 months 3 times in year 2012

Friday, April 13, 2012 April + 3 months  

Friday, July 13, 2012 July + 3 months  

2013 Friday, September 13, 2013 September + 14 months 2 times in year 2013

Friday, December 13, 2013 December + 3 months  

2014 Friday, June 13, 2014 June + 6 months 1 time in year 2014

2015 Friday, February 13, 2015 February + 8 months 3 times in year 2015

Friday, March 13, 2015 March + 1 months  

Friday, November 13, 2015 November + 8 months  

2016 Friday, May 13, 2016 May + 6 months 1 time in year 2016

2017 Friday, January 13, 2017 January + 8 months 2 times in year 2017

Friday, October 13, 2017 October + 9 months  

2018 Friday, April 13, 2018 April + 6 months 2 times in year 2018

Friday, July 13, 2018 July + 3 months  

2019 Friday, September 13, 2019 September + 14 months 2 times in year 2019

Friday, December 13, 2019 December + 3 months  

2020 Friday, March 13, 2020 March + 3 months 2 times in year 2020

Friday, November 13, 2020 November + 8 months  

Between years 2010 and 2020 this occurs 20 times. 

Tags: Friday 13th, History, Calendar, Info

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Cell Phones

3 April 1973

Motorola was the first company to produce a handheld mobile phone. On 3 April 1973, Martin Cooper, a Motorola researcher and executive, made the first mobile telephone call from handheld subscriber equipment, placing a call to Dr. Joel S. Engel of Bell Labs.

Who would have thought when they were first introduced that they would become such a very big part of our lives today?   I mean like  they put you in touch with anyone you want in just seconds.   Via telephone, text and even interent.   I wonder if Mr. Cooper had it in his mind that they would be used in such a large variety of ways in the future.   

     Now  the problem with those cell phones.    People can't get off of them.  They have to have them to drive, to sit and watch tv, to have dinner, to visit with their parents and friends.  To even go dump their trash.    

    We went to take the trash of to the dumpsters as we sometimes have to do down here in S, and  this one man in front of us  could NOT get off the phone long enough to pull up to the dumpster, get out of his truck,  pull out the two bags of trash and put them in the dumpster.   He could not get off his phone long enough to use two hands to do this, which would make that job so much easier.  Those trash bags  were stuffed full and looked so very very heavy.  smh.   And as he drove off, very slowly,  still on that phone,  I noticed he almost side swiped the fence surrounding the dump site and almost pulled out in traffic.  Yup from what I could tell he was still talking on that darn phone when he made the turn into traffic.  SMH.   (this person was not younger person either  probably in his 50s)  he should known better. smh.

Not long after us dumping our trash we went on to do our chores of getting lunch and then some shopping.  Another was on their phone waiting in line to pay for their groceries.  smh  Gish  . . .    Again  I encountered  someone standing in line to place their order. . . yup  they were texting or playing a game. ... they couldnt put it aside to place an order quickly and let someone do their order . . .lets get those long lines to place the orders quickly -   lets put that phone aside for just a little while. . .please. . 

While eating  I noticed   several had their noses into their phones  instead of enjoying their food and the company of their companion.    smh.    How many interesting conversations and exchange of ideas are we losing now because of that    "'CELL PHONE"  ?   THINK ABOUT IT....

I see parents complaining of their adult children and grands coming for a visit.    What kind of a visit is it you are giving your parents when you have your noses stuck in your phone?   How are you telling Mom and Pop about your activities, how the kids are doing in school, how you are doing in your daily walk in life.  How your job is.  What your thoughts are now your an adult?    hmmm????     THINK ABOUT IT....

I see so many drivers  driving  and talking on the phone and texting too.     Now tell me  How safe is that?    How can your full attention be on that road and other drivers when you are talking on the phone  or have your mind and hands on that cell phone trying to text?  Oh you say you have hands free now?  What an invention for that Cell Phone. . . still taking away your attention and your eyes have to be taken off the road and onto the tiny screen and refocused to that screen for a few minutes.   Long enough to cause an accident.   THINK ABOUT IT....

Someone please explain to me,  what is so darn important in that phone that it can not wait for just that little while you drive, eat, visit someone. . .It just may save a relationship, a life. 

Is there something wrong with that?

Can we put that CELL PHONE aside for just a little while..... while we take care of business at hand?     HMMMMM?????

Tags: fussing, cell phones, problems with them

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Mother's Day 

First lets begin by defining what is a Mother to find out what this is all about. . .

Defination of a Mother -

  moth·er    ËˆmÉ™TÍŸHÉ™r/

noun

1.  a woman in relation to a child or children to whom she has given birth.

synonyms: female parent, materfamilias, matriarch; More

verb

1.   bring up (a child) with care and affection.

"the art of mothering"

2.      dated

give birth to.

synonyms: give birth to, have, bear, produce, birth; archaicbe brought to bed of

"she mothered two sets of twins"

Now we have established the defination of Mother  

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If  you find yourself in one of the above catagories you find yourself being a Mother.  

Yes,  If you gave birth to a child, and children, and raised them to the best of your ability and knowledge.   YOU ARE A MOTHER!!!!

Yes, if you gave birth to a child,  and had lost it  due to death, or having to give that child up due to unforseen circumstances   YOU ARE A MOTHER!!!

Yes,  If you took in other children in your home and nourshed them and raised them as your own supplying their needs of childhood giving them love, etc.    YOU ARE A MOTHER!!!

Yes,  If  you have taken in as an older adult  an younger adult with children and have helped them along their way with life matters, and their children, etc. . . YOU ARE A MOTHER!!!!

Ok,  I find myself in the above catagories.  I have given birth to 3 healthy boys, losing one to SID's.  I have taken in other peoples children and raised and loved them and still do as my own.   I have had other adult children and helped them thru life's obsticles and raise their children for maybe only a year or so,  but grew to love them as my own.  

As I face another depressing Mother's Day, (Oh how i despise this day, and Father's Day as well for Bill for same reason as he was a father figure for others in his later years)  I ask myself  where are these people I called my family?  I so proudly called my children and grandchildren?   smh.   Family, children and grandchildren  are special people.   Mothers, Fathers, Grandmothers and Grandfathers are special people.  Without them we would never exist in many many ways.  

This year I am being tired sick and selfish.  I am asking  myself  where is my thanks for being there,  for the help and the love that I poured into these relationships?    To my sons, raising you myself,  for never giving up on you regardless where you go and what you do.  for loving you as a mother should and still loving you regardless of what has come between us.  I wonder now, if it was  all only temporary  and self servicing for that period of time and that chapter of my book?     What about the memories they made in my mind and heart that they left behind?   Where is that love now?    Love is to be everlasting, not temporary.   That is the way I understand it from the Bible.   

I am asking for a MOTHER's DAY Present this year.    If you find that you are among the ones that has a woman in your life that fits in the above catagories  and you have NOT contacted her or remembered her lately or on Mothers Day   how about  doing so this year.   Put aside all the past,   Time on earth is short,  there maynot be a Tomorrow to contact that Lady to thank her  and give her some respect and love back for those times she was there for you.  

Tags: Rememberence,

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REMINDER FROM GOD:

Watchman: A Solemn Warning

"But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone's life, that person's life will be taken because of their sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood."1

In ancient days, as in the days of Ezekiel some 500-600 years BC, many cities built large stone walls several feet thick—sometimes a double wall—surrounding their entire city to protect them from invading armies. Tall towers were built at the corners of the wall in which watchmen were stationed to keep a look out for any approaching hostile forces. More watchmen kept watch by walking on the walls while other watchmen were on guard at the city gates. When the watchmen saw an enemy army approaching, they were to blow the warning trumpet to alert their troops and to warn the people of the approaching enemy. If the watchmen failed to warn the city, they would pay for their failure with their life.

God also commissioned the prophet Ezekiel to warn the people of Israel against living ungodly lives saying, "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to a wicked person, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn from their wickedness or from their evil ways, they will die for their sin; but you will have saved yourself."2

Today, God is calling every Christian to be a watchman/woman to inform people that "it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment."3 That is, every person will, when they die, stand before God to give an account of his/her life, and unless one has received God's forgiveness for all their sins, they will have to bear that judgment for themselves—the just penalty being to spend eternity totally separated from God and all loving relationships in the place the Bible calls Hell—whatever and wherever that may be. However, the good news is that God has given his Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross to pay the penalty for all mankind's sins so all who choose to do so can receive God's pardon for all their sins and receive God's gift of eternal life to live forever with Him in Heaven. As God's Word says: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."4

Equally important is that every Christian is also called to be a watchman/woman having been commissioned by Jesus Christ to let everyone know that God has provided a way of escape from the punishment of Hell by providing a full pardon for all who choose to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. As Jesus commissioned his followers saying: "You are to go into all the world and preach [God's] Good News to everyone, everywhere."5

The Word of God gives a solemn warning to all mankind regarding judgment after death. It also notes a solemn responsibility for every Christian to be actively involved in informing people regarding God's warning and for sharing God's message of forgiveness through the saving gospel of Jesus Christ —the only hope for lost mankind and our sin-sick world.

Will you answer God's call to be a Watchman/woman for Jesus Christ? To help you do this in a simple and attractive way, please prayerfully consider joining with ACTS as a People Power for Jesus Partner. There is no charge and simple helps are provided for every person who has an e-mail address and access to the Internet. For more information and to join with us please go to: www.actsweb.org/people_power/. Please don't delay, join with us today as 150,000 people a day are dying—most of whom are going to a lost eternity without Jesus Christ and without hope.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, in appreciation for your giving your life to pay the just penalty for all my sin, and for your forgiveness and the gift of eternal life with you in Heaven forever, I surrender my heart and life to you and choose, with your help, to be a watchman or watchwoman to help share the saving gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ with as many people as possible. I admit that I am afraid, but I am available for you to do your work through me. Thank you for your help, for using me, and for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Ezekiel 33:6 (NIV).
2. Ezekiel 3:17-19 (NIV).
3. Hebrews 9:27 (NKJV).
4. John 3:16 (NKJV).
5. Mark 16:15 (TLB)(NLT).

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WORD FOR THE DAY:

    schmooze
    audio pronunciation
    SHMOOZ

    DEFINITION

verb
: to converse informally : chat; also : to chat in a friendly and persuasive manner especially so as to gain favor, business, or connections

    EXAMPLES

Conference attendees will have plenty of chances to schmooze with the industry's power players.

"Children were given the opportunity to try on costumes, test their balance on a mini tightrope or schmooze with the clowns." — From an article by Sara Schweiger in the Telegram & Gazette (Worcester, Massachusetts), October 4, 2012

    DID YOU KNOW?

"Schmooze" (also spelled "shmooze") is one of a small, but significant, number of words borrowed from Yiddish that have become relatively common parts of the English language. Other such words include "chutzpah," "lox," "maven," "mensch," "nebbish," "schlep," and "schlock." Though classified as a High German language, Yiddish also borrows from the Slavic and Latinate languages as well as from Aramaic and Hebrew. It was the Hebrew "shemu’oth" ("news, rumor") that provided Yiddish with the noun "shmues" ("talk") and the verb "shmuesn" ("to talk or chat"). Although originally used in English to indicate simply talking in an informal and warm manner, "schmooze" has since also taken on the suggestion of discussion for the purposes of gaining something.

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RECIPES:

Acorn Squash with Cranberry Stuffing

“You just can’t go wrong with this recipe if you have squash or cranberry lovers at your table,” promises Dorothy Pritchett of Wills Point, Texas. “I found the recipe a long time ago in a newspaper. The blend of flavors is delicious, colorful, and goes great with Thanksgiving dinner.”

    Prep: 10 min. Bake: 55 min.
    Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients

    2 medium acorn squash
    1/4 cup chopped celery
    2 tablespoons chopped onion
    2 tablespoons butter
    1 medium tart apple, peeled and diced
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
    1/8 teaspoon pepper
    1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
    1/2 cup Imperial Sugar® / Dixie Crystals® Granulated Sugar
    2 tablespoons water

Directions

    Cut squash in half; discard seeds. Cut a thin slice from the bottom of squash halves so they sit flat. Place squash hollow side down in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Add 1/2 in. of water. Cover and bake at 375° for 45 minutes.
    Meanwhile, in a small skillet, saute celery and onion in butter until tender. Add the apple, salt, lemon juice and pepper. Cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat until apple is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cranberries, sugar and water. Cook and stir until berries pop and liquid is syrupy.
    Turn squash halves over; fill with cranberry mixture. Cover and bake 10-15 minutes longer or until squash is tender. Yield: 4 servings.

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Chicken Pockets

If you are a hearty eater, you will enjoy these doughy pockets of chicken, prepared with a creamy filling and stuffed with vegetables. Talk about the comforts of homecooking. These are definitely a feather in your cap.

Makes
6 servings

Ingredients

      &nbs p; 3/4 cup green onion, chopped
        3/4 cup mayonnaise
        3 tbsp. lemon juice
        3 cloves garlic, minced
        3/4 tsp. dry tarragon
        2/3 cup of butter, melted
        12 sheets filo dough
        6 chicken breast halves, boned and skinned
        2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated
        Salt and pepper to taste

Methods/steps
Thaw frozen filo dough in its pkg. for 8 hours in the refrigerator, and then let it stand for 2 hours before you use it. Once the filo dough has been opened and unrolled, place a slightly damp towel over it to prevent drying out. Mix together green onion, mayonnaise, lemon juice, 2 cloves of the garlic and tarragon and set aside. Combine remaining garlic with the butter. Place one sheet of the filo dough on a board and brush it with about 2 tsp. garlic butter. Arrange a second sheet on top and brush it with another 2 tsp. garlic butter. Lightly sprinkle a chicken piece with salt and pepper, spread one side with the mayonnaise mixture. Turn over one corner of the filo and top with more mayonnaise mixture (about 3 tbsp. in all). Roll the corner of the filo over the chicken. Fold side over top and roll again. Fold opposite corner over then roll up. Repeat for all chicken pieces. Place slightly apart in ungreased baking pan. Brush all packets with remaining garlic butter. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes, or until golden. Serve hot.

Additional Tips
Ready in 50 min

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Iced Coffee Mousse

Yield: 1 servings

1/2 ts Unflavored gelatin
2 tb Water
1/2 c Sweetened condensed milk; (not evaporated)
1 1/2 ts Instant espresso powder
1/2 ts Vanilla
1/2 c Well-chilled heavy cream

In a small saucepan sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let it soften for 2 minutes. Add the milk and the espresso powder and heat the mixture over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until the powder is dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the vanilla, and set the pan in a bowl of ice and cold water, stirring the mixture every few minutes until it is thick and cold. In a small bowl beat the cream until it just holds stiff peaks and fold the coffee mixture into it gently but thoroughly. Spoon the mousse into 2 chilled long-stemmed glasses and chill it until ready to serve.

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Irish Raisin Soda Bread

This soda bread tastes great with hearty soups on cold winter evenings.

Serves: 2 loaves
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons honey
3/4 cup plain lowfat yogurt
1/4 cup Crisco® Vegetable Oil
1 large egg
1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds

Directions:

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together through a wire strainer into a large bowl. Add the raisins and caraway seeds and toss well.

Put the honey, yogurt, oil and egg into a bowl and beat until well combined. Stir the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined. Knead the mixture in the bowl for about 1 minute, adding additional flour if necessary to make a soft, moist dough.

Divide the dough, and with lightly floured hands, form it into rounds. Place the rounds on an ungreased baking sheet. With a sharp knife or single-edged razor, cut an "X" about 1/4-inch deep on the top of each round. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Transfer the loaves to a wire rack and cool completely before eating.

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Stromboli Wraps

These wraps are perfect for supper or a party.

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 min.

4 Mission® Burrito Size Flour Tortillas
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
6 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
4 oz. provolone cheese, thinly sliced
4 oz. salami, thinly sliced
4 oz. capicola, or ham, thinly sliced
1/2 cup jarred, roasted bell peppers, rinsed and cut into strips
4 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
marinara sauce or pizza sauce, heated


1. Heat oven to 400° F.
2.  Lightly spread one side of each tortilla with softened butter; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon Parmesan. Arrange one fourth each of provolone, salami, capicolla (or ham) and roasted peppers over center of tortillas, leaving border around edges. Sprinkle with one fourth of the mozzarella. Fold up “wrap fashion”. Place seam side down on nonstick baking sheet. Brush with remaining butter; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.
3. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Slice each “stromboli” in half on the diagonal. Serve with marinara or pizza sauce, if desired.

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Walnut Chicken Sauté

Serve a loaf of crunchy bread with this dish and you're all set.

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 26 minutes

1 1/4 pounds (12-14 small) red-skinned boiling potatoes, or larger red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
Non-stick cooking spray
salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
4 (1-pound total) boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved
1/2 pound mushrooms, halved, or quartered if large
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped, toasted if desired
several sprigs parsley, or watercress (optional)

Boil potatoes in water to cover for 7-10 minutes, or until barely tender when pierced. Drain well and set aside.

Coat a large skillet with no-stick cooking spray and place over moderate heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and brown about 3 minutes on each side. Remove chicken and set aside. Add potatoes and mushrooms to skillet and cook, tossing and stirring frequently, for 5-10 minutes, or until vegetables are lightly browned. Add wine and 1/4 cup broth to skillet then place chicken breasts on top. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Blend cornstarch until smooth with the remaining 1/4 cup broth. Add to pan along with green onion and rosemary and stir about 1 minute, until sauce thickens. Stir in walnuts then season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange chicken and vegetables on a platter and garnish with parsley or watercress.

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Top 10 Crimes Against Pie
    By Jasmin Sun, Food & Wine

At Chicago's Hoosier Mama Pie Company, former Trio pastry chef Paula Haney and her team make up to 600 pies a week, kneading dough nonstop for as much as an hour per day, and burning through literally a ton of flour in as little as eight weeks. But practice does make perfect, as Haney's pies--like her Cherry-Berry Pie--come out superbly flaky and intensely flavorful. Here, Haney tips off home bakers to the many mistakes that can get in the way of pie perfection.

1. Using preserved fruit. "Using any kind of canned filling, or any frozen fruit that's out of season is just ridiculous," says Haney. "That is the absolute biggest crime against pie." If frozen fruit can't be avoided, she suggests using cherries, because they freeze well. Since frozen fruit can taste a bit flat, Haney also recommends adding a teaspoon of lemon juice to help enhance the fruit's flavors.

2. Trusting the wrong thickener. Different fruits require different thickeners. Cornstarch works for fruits with a lot of pectin (a natural thickener), like apples. On the other hand, blueberries need a lot more thickening and call for a flavorless thickener like tapioca starch, as cornstarch develops a noticeable flavor if too much is used. Tapioca starch also starts thickening at a lower temperature, which allows the fruit's juices to set sooner than cornstarch would. "Using the wrong thickener just turns the filling to goo," says Haney. "It's nasty."

3. Letting the butter melt. Crusts become flaky when flecks of solid butter get trapped within the dough, creating pockets of air once baked. To help prevent the butter from melting too quickly, Haney suggests incorporating it in two stages. After cutting the butter into one-inch cubes, add the first two-thirds in with the dry ingredients. Freeze the last one-third of the butter and incorporate that once the first batch of cubes has been reduced to pea-size pieces. Keep many of the other ingredients for the dough--like water--ice-cold, to further slow down the melting process.

4. Reaching for Crisco. "Never use Crisco or any other vegetable shortening," says Haney. "It's one of my biggest pet peeves. It wasn't even invented as food; it was created for use in candles and soap. Sure, crusts are flaky if you use it, but to me they come out kind of flavorless. There's also this unpleasant pastiness that coats your mouth."

5. Overmixing the dough. Overworking dough causes too much gluten to form in the mixture, making it tough, and difficult to manage. Haney suggests mixing the ingredients together in a food processor only until the point before dough begins to form (when "it looks like wet crumbs," she says), then kneading the mixture by hand until it comes together.

6. Not letting the dough fully rest. To prevent a puffy, misshapen crust, rest newly formed pie dough at least 20 minutes in the refrigerator before rolling it out. After forming the crust, let the dough rest another 20 minutes before baking the pie. "If your dough has time to rest, you'll end up with a more tender dough that's easier to handle," says Haney. Trying to bake dough that hasn't rested will result in an undersize pie crust, as it will shrink and slide down the sides of the pan when baked. "It'll still taste good, but it won't be the nice, pretty pie that you wanted."

7. Baking a fruit pie without the freezer step. One of the biggest problems with fruit pie is that the bottom crust can get soggy. Haney suggests freezing the pies for at least 20 minutes before baking them. This way, the bottom crust has time to cook before the fruit filling thaws and begins soaking into the crust.

8. Removing pie from the oven too soon. "I often see a lot of anemic-looking pies that have no color at all," says Haney. "Just like with good bread, you really want pie crust to have some caramelization. It'll have a lot more flavor, and it'll be better able to stand up to the filling." To achieve a golden brown crust, be sure to bake pies for at least an hour and 20 minutes, or until the bottom of the pie shell is completely dry.

9. Trying to eat the pie before it has a chance to cool. Giving fruit pies a couple of hours to cool allows the juices in the filling to thicken and gives the flavors a chance to further develop. "We find that our mixed stone-fruit pie (with both berries and stone fruits) actually tastes better the next day," she says.

10. Storing pie in the fridge. Store only pies with a cream- or egg-based filling in the refrigerator. Otherwise, pies should be kept at room temperature--since the crust tastes best then--and eaten completely within two to three days. "I've had people call and ask if it'd be OK to eat a week-old pie," says Haney. "And I say, 'Just throw it out!' Real food shouldn't last a week--that's why we make smaller pies, because most people can't eat a whole pie in two days. I can, but most people can't!"

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JOKES:

Best New Year's Eve Quotes

    "Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right." - Oprah Winfrey
    "Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring, happy bells, across the snow: The year is going, let him go; Ring out the false, ring in the true" - Alfred, Lord Tennyson
    "New Year's is a harmless annual institution, of no particular use to anybody save as a scapegoat for promiscuous drunks, and friendly calls and humbug resolutions." - Mark Twain
    "I made no resolutions for the New Year. The habit of making plans, of criticizing, sanctioning and molding my life, is too much of a daily event for me." - Anaïs Nin
    "I think in terms of the day's resolutions, not the year's." - Henry Moore
    "Many years ago I resolved never to bother with New Year's resolutions, and I've stuck with it ever since." - Dave Beard
    "Good resolutions are simply checks that men draw on a bank where they have no account." - Oscar Wilde

Funny New Year's Day Quotes

    "Now there are more overweight people in America than average-weight people. So overweight people are now average - which means, you have met your New Year's resolution." - Jay Leno
    "New Year's Eve, where auld acquaintance be forgot. Unless, of course, those tests come back positive." - Jay Leno
    "An optimist stays up until midnight to see the new year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves." - Billy Vaughn
    "But can one still make resolutions when one is over forty? I live according to twenty-year-old habits." - Andre Gide
    "The only way to spend New Year's Eve is either quietly with friends or in a brothel. Otherwise when the evening ends and people pair off, someone is bound to be left in tears." - W.H. Auden

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New Year Wish

On New Year's Eve, Marilyn stood up in the local pub and said that it was time to get ready. At the stroke of midnight, she wanted every husband to be standing next to the one person who made his life worth living.

What happened next was embarrassing.  As the clock struck 12, the bartender was almost crushed to death.

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DECADES OF NEW YEAR'S DAY DINNERS

Some 15 year old girlfriends decided to meet for dinner on New Year's Day. They discussed where to eat and finally agreed on McDonald's next to the Sea Side Restaurant because they only had $6.50 between them and Bobby Bruce, the cute boy in science class, lived on that street.

-

10 years later, the same girlfriends, now 25-year-olds, discussed where to drive for their New Year's dinner. Finally they agreed to meet at the Sea Side Restaurant because it had free snacks, there was no cover charge, the beer was cheap, the band was good and there were lots of cute guys.

-

10 years later, the same girlfriends, now 35-year-olds, discussed where to meet for their annual dinner. Finally they agreed to meet at the Sea Side Restaurant because the combos were good, it was near the gym and if they went late enough, there wouldn't be many whiny little kids.

-

10 years later, the same girlfriends, now 45-year-olds, discussed where to meet on January 1st. Finally they agreed to meet at the Sea Side Restaurant because the martinis were big and the waiters wore tight pants and had nice buns.

-

10 years later, the same girlfriends, now 55-year-olds, discussed where to go on New Year's day. Finally they agreed to meet at the Sea Side Restaurant because the prices were reasonable, it had widows which opened (in case of hot flashes), the wine list was good and fish was good for their cholesterol.

-

10 years later, the same girlfriends, now 65-year-olds, discussed where to see each other on New Year's. Finally they agreed to meet at the Sea Side Restaurant because they had an Early Bird Special and the lighting was good.

-

10 years later, the same girlfriends, now 75-year-olds, discussed where to eat on New Year's day. Finally they agreed to meet at the Sea Side Restaurant because the food wasn't too spicy and it was handicapped accessible.

-

10 years later, the same girlfriends, now 85-year-olds, discussed their New Year's dinner. Finally they agreed to meet at the Sea Side Restaurant because they'd never been there before.


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PERKS OF BEING OVER THE HILL IN 2012

-There is nothing left anymore to learn the hard way.

-Things that you buy now won't wear out.

-Your supply of brain cells is finally down to a manageable size.

-You no longer think of the speed limit as a challenge.

-Your investment in health insurance is finally paying off.

-You can quit trying to hold in your stomach no matter who walks into the room.

-Your secrets are safe with your friends because they can't remember them anyway.

-You can sing along with elevator music.

-Your joints are more accurate meteorologists than the guy on the television.

-Your eyes won't get too much worse.

-Kidnappers are not very interested in you.

-People call you at 9 p.m. and ask, "Did I wake you????"

-You can get into a heated argument about pension plans.

-You can eat dinner at 4:00 in the afternoon.

-In a hostage situation you are the most likely to be released first.

-No one expects you to run -- anywhere.

-You are no longer viewed as a hypochondriac.

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Recently I went to the doctor for my annual physical.

The nurse asked me how much I weighed. I told her 135 pounds. Then she weighed me and the scale said 160.

She asked me how tall I was. I said, "5 feet, 5 inches." She measured me and I was only 5 feet, 3 inches.

So she took my blood pressure and told me it was high.

"Of course it's high," I said. "When I came in here I was tall and slender. Now I'm short and fat!"

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'An elderly man in Louisiana had owned a large farm for several years.

He had a large pond in the back. It was properly shaped for swimming, so he fixed it up nice with picnic tables, horseshoe courts, and some apple and peach trees.

One evening, the old farmer decided to go down to the pond and look it over, as he hadn't been there for a while.

He grabbed a five-gallon bucket to bring back some fruit.

As he neared the pond, he heard voices shouting and laughing with glee.

As he came closer, he saw it was a bunch of young women skinny-dipping in his pond.

He made the women aware of his presence and they all went to the deep end.

One of the women shouted to him, "We're not coming out until you leave!"

The old man frowned, "I didn't come down here to watch you ladies swim naked or make you get out of the pond naked."

Holding the bucket up, he said, "I'm here to feed the alligator."

Some old men can still think fast.

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Today, God's message for you is that every day is important. Learn from the past and plan for the future, but keep your focus on making the most of the gift that is today.

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This is the last Grammy's Bulletin for a few weeks, I am taking a rest from it for the first of the year.  Don't know when I will be back, but will, Cant stay away long.  Been a bad end to 2012 and need to re-coop from it and get things in order when we get into 2013.  I know my readers can and will understand.
Have a great 2013.  Love you all. .

Tags: Religion, Recipes, Jokes, Tidbits

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REMINDER FROM GOD:

Title: No Ifs, Buts, or Maybes ? God's Imperative

I heard a speaker recently talking about almost being a Christian, which sounded as rational as the drowning man who was almost rescued. Obviously, he wasn't. Likewise, the person who is almost a Christian, isn't.

In today's world many claim to be Christians because it is the "politically correct" thing to say in certain circles, or because they claim that they are not heathen; or because they attend church; or because they live a moral life, or even because they are religious. But do any of these qualify one for being a Christian? No. Not at all.

If any of the above issues qualified one for being a Christian, then Nicodemus, a highly respected religious leader in Christ's day, would have qualified, but he didn't. Besides being a religious leader, Nicodemus was undoubtedly a model citizen—strong in character and a man of integrity. In fact, as good a man as Nicodemus was, Jesus assured him that unless he was born again he wouldn't even see the Kingdom of Heaven, let alone enter it.

To this good man Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."1 And again, "Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'"2 Jesus then reinforced this imperative by telling Nicodemus that unless an individual is born again of God's Spirit, he/she "cannot enter the kingdom of God."3

"You must be born again" is an imperative that applies to every one of us. That is; if you and I are going to see and enter God's Heaven, there are no ifs, buts, or maybes—we, too, must be born again. No matter how good, famous, rich, poor, or humble we are, we, too, must be born again.

So what does it mean to be born again? Nicodemus was confused, too, and asked the same question of Jesus. Simply put, it means that we need to be born spiritually as well as physically. That is, when we entered the human race we were born physically; to enter God's Heaven we need to be born spiritually! And how can we be born spiritually? We do this by confessing to God that we are a sinner in his sight; by believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that He died on the cross to pay the just penalty for all our sins; and by inviting Him into our heart and life as personal Lord and Savior and asking for His forgiveness for all of our sins.

If you are not sure that you have been born again spiritually, the following prayer will help you to do this: "Dear God, I confess that I am a sinner and am sorry for all the wrongs and sins that I have committed. I believe that your Son, Jesus Christ, died on the cross to pay the penalty for all my sins. Please forgive me. I invite you, Jesus, to come into my heart and life as my Lord and Savior. I commit and trust my life to you. Please give me the desire to be what you want me to be and to do what you want me to do. Thank you for dying for my sins, for your free pardon, for your gift of eternal life, for the assurance that I have been born again, and for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, Amen."


1. John 3:3 (NKJV).
2. John 3:7 (NKJV).
3. John 3:5 (NKJV).

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WORD FOR THE DAY:

    hagiography
    audio pronunciation
    hag-ee-AH-gruh-fee

    DEFINITION

noun
1
: biography of saints or venerated persons
2
: idealizing or idolizing biography

    EXAMPLES

The book effectively portrays the leader's strengths without resorting to hagiography.

"'Lincoln' gratifyingly dodges the kind of safe, starchy hagiography that some Spielberg skeptics feared. Rather, the filmmaker … proves yet again that he is the best filmmaker currently engaging in the form of assiduous research and creative interpretation known as historical drama." — From a review by Ann Hornaday in The Washington Post, November 9, 2012

    DID YOU KNOW?

Like "biography" and "autograph," the word "hagiography" has to do with the written word. The combining form "-graphy" comes from Greek "graphein," meaning "to write." "Hagio-" comes from a Greek word that means "saintly" or "holy." This origin is seen in "Hagiographa," the Greek designation of the Ketuvim, the third division of the Hebrew Bible. Our English word "hagiography," though it can refer to biography of actual saints, is these days more often applied to biography that treats ordinary human subjects as if they were saints.

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Dr. Stengler's Cold and Flu Protection Plan

Every year, I advise my patients to protect themselves against colds and flu. The best defense against these illnesses is a strong immune system. Here’s how to protect yourself this winter...

MY FLU-PREVENTION PROTOCOL

As many of you know, I don’t recommend the flu vaccine for healthy people, although I do suggest that some people consider getting the flu vaccine (see below). Instead, I recommend a powerful protocol for flu prevention that my patients, my family and I all follow. My strategy this year is different from that of years past because several relatively new, well-researched remedies now are available. (All can be found at health-food stores and online.) Begin this protocol now—and continue it through April.

The protocol includes...

Influenzinum. I have recommended this homeopathic remedy on its own for the past 15 years. The manufacturers of Influenzinum reformulate it annually based on the flu viruses expected to predominate that year. One French survey found that 90% of 453 people who took Influenzinum did not get the flu.

Dosage: Follow label instructions. Adults and children (age six and older) should take one dose (three pellets of a 9C potency) dissolved under the tongue once weekly for six weeks, beginning at the start of flu season. (For infants starting as young as one day old, crush one pellet and place on the tongue.) Influenzinum is available at health-food stores and online. It is made by several manufacturers including Boiron.

Vitamin D. Many studies show an association between low levels of vitamin D and respiratory tract infections. A study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that only 10% of school-age children who took vitamin D got the flu, compared with 18% who took a placebo.

Dosage: Adults and children age 13 and older should take 2,000 international units (IU) daily, then increase to 5,000 IU during peak flu months (January through March). This is higher than the dose I typically recommend, which is 1,000 IU to 2,000 IU, but these higher doses of vitamin D are safe. Infants and children up to age 12 should take 1,000 IU daily, then increase to 2,000 IU during peak flu months, though for infants, check with a pediatrician before increasing the dose to 2,000 IU.

N-acetylcysteine (NAC). This antioxidant helps prevent flu and reduces severity of symptoms if infection occurs. A landmark Italian study found that only 25% of older people who were injected with flu virus after taking NAC for six months experienced flu symptoms, versus 79% who took a placebo.

Dosage: Adults and children age 13 and older should take 1,000 milligrams (mg) daily. Children ages six to 12 can take 500 mg daily. At the first sign of flu symptoms, increase to 4,000 mg daily for adults and 1,500 mg daily for children, and continue until symptoms subside. Higher doses, such as 4,000 mg, may cause digestive upset. Reduce the dose if needed.
NATURAL COLD REMEDIES

Colds can be hard to distinguish from flu. Colds come on slowly with symptoms affecting the chest, neck and head. Flu comes on quickly with more intense symptoms, including bodywide aches and pains, high fever and often digestive complaints.

Even if you follow my immune-boosting flu-prevention protocol, there’s always a small chance that you will catch a cold. Take one or both of the herbal remedies below at the first sign of a cold until symptoms are gone. There are no side effects, except as noted—and you can safely take more than one of these remedies at the same time. For dosing information for adults and children, follow label instructions.

Pelargonium sidoides. The focus of more than 20 clinical studies, this South African plant has been found to be effective in relieving cold symptoms, sinusitis, sore throat and bronchitis. It is available in many forms, including syrup, lozenge and chewable tablet. Brand to try: Nature’s Way Umcka ColdCare or Umcka Cold+Flu (www.NaturesWay.com).

COLD–FX. This remedy contains Panax ginseng extract, which is used in Chinese medicine to increase energy. Studies show that COLD-FX can strengthen the immune system to beat the common cold. A study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that healthy adults who took COLD-FX had 25% fewer colds per person than those in the placebo group. COLD-FX is available online and at health-food stores.
GET THE FLU VACCINE?

I have concerns about flu vaccines—mainly because we don’t know the long-term impact of using them. However, the flu vaccine (mercury-free is best) should be considered by those who are over age 65...suffer from chronic pulmonary or cardiovascular disease...have a weakened immune system from a chronic disease such as cancer...and by women who are pregnant. Contrary to the recommendations of mainstream medicine, healthy caregivers do not need to get the vaccine.

Source: Mark A. Stengler, NMD, is a naturopathic medical doctor and leading authority on the practice of alternative and integrated medicine. Dr. Stengler is author of the Health Revelations newsletter, author of The Natural Physician’s Healing Therapies (Bottom Line Books), founder and medical director of the Stengler Center for Integrative Medicine in Encinitas, California, and adjunct associate clinical professor at the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. http://MarkStengler.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~... Migraines with Homeopathy


Q: I get terrible migraines, and my pain medication causes side effects. Is there a homeopathic remedy that could help?

A: Homeopathic remedies are very specific, so a remedy that works for one type of migraine might not work for another. That’s why it’s important to identify the most appropriate treatment based on your individual symptoms. Still, homeopathic remedies are completely safe, cause no side effects and are available over the counter at health-food stores and online—so there’s no harm in trying them to see if you get relief.

Choose the remedy below that best corresponds to your symptoms. At the first sign of a migraine, dissolve three 30C pellets under your tongue. If your symptoms improve significantly, do not repeat the dose. If symptoms improve somewhat, repeat the dose once or twice, 15 minutes apart, for a maximum of three doses per headache episode. If symptoms do not improve at all, consider a different homeopathic remedy. If you have no success after trying two different remedies, see a professional homeopathic practitioner for guidance. Try…

    Iris versicolor for classic migraines that begin with a visual aura, worsen when you sit still and sometimes culminate with vomiting.
    Nux vomica for migraines that make you irritable and worsen when you move around or are exposed to cold, noise or light.
    Belladonna for migraines characterized by extreme pulsating pain on the right side of the head and a feeling that your eyes are bulging out.
    Bryonia alba for migraines that begin over the left eye and then spread and that worsen with the slightest motion.
    Spigelia for migraines that involve stabbing pain directly above the left eye and that feel worse upon exertion and/or exposure to cold air.
 
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Helpful Tips:

-Continue to clean or replace HVAC filters monthly

-When using a humidifier in winter, set it so the
humidity does not exceed 55%, because excess humidity may result in condensation on windows and window frame. Thoroughly dry and clean these areas if condensation occurs to prevent potential mold growth.

-Keep garage doors closed as much as possible to
prevent heat from escaping

-Lubricate locks, hinges and latches

-Check and clean dryer vents and the vent duct to remove any lint or obstructions, which could spark a fire, or trap moisture that could promote mold growth

- Set heat at a minimum of 65 degrees when you are away from home

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RECIPES:

Majestic and Moist New Year's Honey Cake

yield: Makes 8-10.

I like a New Year's honey cake to be extra moist and sweet, as good on the day of baking as it is days later. This one is queen of the realm—rich, nicely spiced, in a word, majestic in taste and stature. I went through many variations and tasting sessions until I was satisfied with this definitive cake. One tester gave the ultimate compliment, saying "This one is worth the price of the book." Like most honey cakes, it is a good keeper and can be made a couple of days ahead.

Ingredients

    3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    1 tablespoon baking powder
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
    1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
    1 cup vegetable oil
    1 cup honey
    1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
    1/2 cup brown sugar
    3 eggs
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    1 cup warm coffee or strong tea
    1/2 cup fresh orange juice
    1/4 cup rye or whisky (see Note)
    1/2 cup slivered or sliced almonds (optional)


Preparation

I like this cake best baked in a 9-inch angel food cake pan, but you can also make it in a 10-inch tube or bundt cake pan, a 9 by 13-inch sheetpan, or three 8 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease the pan(s). For tube and angel food pans, line the bottom with lightly greased parchment paper. For gift honey cakes, I use "cake collars" (available from Sweet Celebrations) designed to fit a specific loaf pan. These give the cakes an appealing, professional look.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Make a well in the center and add the oil, honey, sugars, eggs, vanilla, coffee, orange juice, and rye or whisky.

Using a strong wire whisk or an electric mixer on slow speed, combine the ingredients well to make a thick batter, making sure that no ingredients are stuck to the bottom of the bowl.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan(s) and sprinkle the top of the cake(s) evenly with the almonds. Place the cake pan(s) on 2 baking sheets stacked together and bake until the cake springs back when you touch it gently in the center. For angel and tube cake pans, bake for 60 to 70 minutes; loaf cakes, 45 to 55 minutes. For sheet-style cakes, the baking time is 40 to 45 minutes. This is a liquidy batter and, depending on your oven, it may need extra time. Cake should spring back when gently pressed.

Let the cake stand for 15 minutes before removing it from the pan. Then invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Note: If you prefer not to use the whisky, replace it with orange juice or coffee

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Mint-Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cake

Active Time: 15 Minutes
Total Time: 3 Hours 15 Minutes
Yield: Makes 12 servings
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
2 quarts mint-chocolate chip ice cream
1 cup finely crushed chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
3 tablespoons melted butter
COUPONS
2 tablespoons green creme de menthe (optional)


DIRECTIONS
Remove the ice cream from the freezer and allow it to soften slightly.

In a medium bowl, combine the cookie crumbs and melted butter, tossing until evenly moistened. Press the mixture over the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.

Using a large, sturdy spoon, mix the ice cream until spreadable, but not melted. Spread 1 quart of the ice cream evenly over the cookie crumbs. Drizzle the creme de menthe over the ice cream.

Spread the second quart of ice cream over the creme de menthe. Cover with plastic wrap and place the pan in the freezer for at least 3 hours, or overnight.

To remove the cake from the pan, warm the blade of a knife with hot water and run it around the perimeter of the cake. Unlatch the springform side and remove.

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S'mores Nachos

8  rectangular graham crackers
3/4  cup milk chocolate chips
1 1/2  cups miniature marshmallows

1  Break each graham cracker into 4 pieces. Pile pieces in ungreased pie pan. DO NOT USE GLASS. Top with chocolate chips and marshmallows.
2  Broil 6 inches from heat for 30 to 60 seconds or until marshmallows are puffed and golden, watching to prevent burning.

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Caramel Apple Cookie Pizza

1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookies
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 medium apples
1/4 cup caramel topping
1/3 cup toffee bits

1  Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 12-inch pizza pan with shortening or cooking spray. In pan, break up cookie dough; press dough evenly in bottom of pan to form crust.
2  Bake 16 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
3  In small bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and brown sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Spread mixture over crust. Slice apples, and arrange over cream cheese mixture.
4  Drizzle caramel topping over apples, then sprinkle with toffee bits. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Popovers

A basketful of piping hot popovers is a welcome sight on any table. Serve popovers as soon as you can after removing them from the oven.

Serves: 6
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
 
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil

Directions:

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Butter the popover pans. If using custard cups for baking, heat them in the oven and brush with melted butter just before filling.

Combine the flour and salt. Stir in the eggs, milk and vegetable oil, and blend until smooth. Let the batter rest for at least 10 minutes or for as long as 30 minutes.

Fill the popover pans or custard cups slightly less than half full. Bake for 30 minutes. Do not open the oven during baking time or the popovers may sink


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Braised Brisket with Garlic

Braised brisket is a lovely dish for the holidays or anytime for that matter. Advance preparation cuts down on last-minute cooking and makes it easier to remove the fat from the gravy.

Serves: 8 to 10
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 1/2 to 3 hours

 
36 plump cloves garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
about 5 pounds beef brisket, trimmed of fat, patted dry with paper towels
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 cups beef broth, or chicken broth, preferably homemade
3 fresh thyme sprigs, or 2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 fresh rosemary sprigs, plus 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest


Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Drop the garlic cloves into boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain immediately and peel as soon as they are cool enough to handle. Set aside on paper towels to dry.

In a roasting pan large enough to hold the meat, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat (you may have to use two burners). Add the brisket and cook for about 10 minutes until well browned on both sides. Transfer to a platter.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat in the pan. Add the garlic cloves and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the edges of the cloves are tinged with gold.

Add the vinegar and scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the stock, thyme, and rosemary sprigs and reduce the heat to a simmer.

Season the brisket on both sides with salt and pepper and return it to the pan, fat side up. Spoon the garlic sauce over the meat.

Cover (use foil if necessary) and roast in the oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours until the meat is fork tender. Baste it with the pan juices every 30 minutes. Periodically check the pan juices; they should be gently bubbling. If they are boiling rapidly, reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and tent it loosely with foil.

Strain the pan juice, reserving the garlic and discarding the thyme and rosemary sprigs. Skim and discard as much fat as possible from the liquid.

Transfer about half of the garlic cloves and about 1 cup of braising liquid to a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth. Transfer the puree, the remaining garlic cloves, and the braising liquid to a skillet. Add the chopped rosemary, minced garlic, and lemon zest. Bring to a boil and cook over high heat until the gravy is reduced to the desired consistency. Taste and adjust the seasonings. (For a smoother gravy, puree all the garlic.)

Cut the brisket into thin slices across the grain at a slight diagonal. Arrange on a serving platter and spoon some of the hot gravy over the meat.

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Hawaiian Chicken

This is a great dish, and is so simple to make.

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
   
INGREDIENTS:
     
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks in juice
1/2 cup FRENCH'S® Honey Mustard GRILL & GLAZE Sauce
1 green or red bell pepper, cut into chunks

DIRECTIONS:

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in nonstick skillet. Cook chicken for 5 minutes until well browned; drain.

Add remaining ingredients. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 5 to 8 minutes until chicken is no longer pink in center and sauce thickens slightly. Serve with rice if desired.

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JOKES:

 A New Year Prayer For the Elderly

God, grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway,
The good fortune to run into the ones that I do,
And the eyesight to tell the difference.

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Ten Indications of a New Year Hangover

    You get it into your head that chirping birds are the Devil's pets.
    Trying to gain control of the situation, you continue to tell your room to "Stay still."
    Looking at yourself in the mirror induces the same reaction as drinking a glass of fresh paint.
    The bathroom reminds you of the fairground cry, "Step right up and give it whirl!"
    You'd rather chew tacks than be exposed to sunlight.
    You set aside an entire afternoon to spend some quality time with your toilet.
    You replace the traditional praying on your knees with the more feasible praying in a fetal position.
    Your catch phrase is, "Never again."
    You could purchase a new fridge on the proceeds from recycling the bottles around your bed.
    Your new response to "Good morning," is "Be quiet!"

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 New Year's Day QuotesNew Year Jokes

    New Year's Day: Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual.
    Mark Twain
   
One resolution I have made, and try always to keep, is this: To rise above the little things.
    John Burroughs
   
Good resolutions are simply checks that men draw on a bank where they have no account.
    Oscar Wilde

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New Year's Day Party - That Never Was?

As in many homes on New Year's Day, Janet and Nigel, a happily married couple, faced the annual conflict of which was more important: the football match on television, or the lunch itself.

Hoping to keep the peace Nigel ate lunch with the rest of the family, and even lingered for some pleasant after-lunch chat before retiring to the lounge to turn on the television.

Some minutes later, Janet looked in to see how he was and graciously even bought a cold beer for Nigel. She smiled, kissed him on the cheek and asked what the score was. Nigel told her it was half time and that the score was still 0-0.

'See?' Janet said happily, 'You didn't miss a thing.' 

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New Year's Resolutions by Fido

    I will not bark each time I see or hear a dog on TV.
    I will not steal underwear belonging to my mistress and then dance all over the back yard with it.
    I will not chew red crayons or pens, because my master will think that I am haemorrhaging.
    I will not roll my toys behind the fridge.
    I must shake the rainwater out of my coat BEFORE I enter the house.

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Today, God’s message for you is to laugh.  There is joy and happiness to be found even in the darkest of hours.  Be the eternal optimist that leads those around you to see the promise of God for a future full of hope.

Tags: Religion, Recipes, Jokes, Tidbits, Etc

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REMINDER FROM GOD:

When In Is the Way Out

"So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lion's den. The king said to Daniel, 'May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!'"1

Most of us will be familiar with the story of how Daniel, supposedly because of his religious beliefs, was thrown into a den of hungry lions. No question, Daniel got a dirty deal. He was set up by jealous lesser men who wanted him out of the way. It seemed as if they were about to succeed except for one thing: They overlooked Daniel's trust in God.

The interesting thing, however, about Daniel being thrown into the den of lions is that God didn't deliver him out of the den before Daniel first found deliverance in it.

Imagine if Daniel had fought against being thrown into the den (which he would have been justified in doing), and gone into the den fighting against it every inch of the way. Chances are that the lions would have torn him to pieces before he hit the floor of the den. But Daniel didn't struggle. He accepted his lot, and trusted his life to God who shut the lion's mouths.

On more than one occasion when in a very frustrating situation, I have asked God that if I am not going to be delivered out of my "lion's den," would he please help me find deliverance in it.

Sometimes God has a lesson for us to learn through a difficult situation, and before he delivers us out of it, like Daniel, he delivers us in it. It is also important not to base our beliefs and actions on the way we feel. Keep in mind that it is the Word of God, the Bible, which is our final voice of authority—not the way that we feel. We need to find deliverance in it. The good news is that once we learn the needed lesson, we don't have to go through the same experience again.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, regardless of my feelings and my circumstances, I choose to trust my life to you in the frustrating situation in which I find myself at this time. And like the father whose child had a dumb spirit said to you, I also say, 'Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief.' Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Daniel 6:16 (NIV).

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WORD FOR THE DAY:

    campestral
    audio pronunciation
    kam-PESS-trul

    DEFINITION

adjective
: of or relating to fields or open country : rural

    EXAMPLES

"Santiago's proximity to ski resorts, beach resorts, and the idyllic countryside, with its campestral and ranching traditions and colonial estates, offer plenty for the traveler to see and do." — From Frommer’s Chile and Easter Island, 2011

"Just about any amateur naturalist who pays attention to the birds, beasts, flowers and seasons in campestral Maine will find an eye-opener or two here." — From a book review by Dana Wilde in the Bangor (Maine) Daily News, October 26, 2009

    DID YOU KNOW?

Scamper across an open field, then, while catching your breath, ponder this: "scamper" and "campestral" both ultimately derive from the Latin noun "campus," meaning "field" or "plain." Latin "campester" is the adjective that means "pertaining to a campus." In ancient Rome, a campus was a place for games, athletic practice, and military drills. "Scamper" probably started with a military association, as well (it is assumed to have evolved from the Latin verb "excampare," meaning "to decamp"). In English, "campestral" took on an exclusively rural aspect upon its introduction in the 18th century, while "campus," you might say, became strictly academic.


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 Auld Lang Syne Lyrics by Robert Burns (1788)

 Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot And auld lang syne? Chorus: For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne, We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet For auld lang syne! We twa hae run about the braes, And pu'd the gowans fine, But we've wander'd mony a weary fit Sin auld lang syne. We twa hae paidl't in the burn Frae morning sun till dine, But seas between us braid hae roar'd Sin auld lang syne. And there's a hand, my trusty fiere, And gie's a hand o' thine, And we'll tak a right guid willie-waught For auld lang syne! And surely ye'll be your pint' stowp, And surely I'll be mine, And we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet For auld lang syne! Translation Should old acquaintances be forgotten, And never brought to mind? Should old acquaintances be forgotten, And days of long ago ! Chorus: For old long ago, my dear For old long ago, We will take a cup of kindness yet For old long ago. We two have run about the hillsides And pulled the daisies fine, But we have wandered many a weary foot For old long ago. We two have paddled (waded) in the stream From noon until dinner time, But seas between us broad have roared Since old long ago. And there is a hand, my trusty friend, And give us a hand of yours, And we will take a goodwill draught (of ale) For old long ago! And surely you will pay for your pint, And surely I will pay for mine! And we will take a cup of kindness yet For old long ago!


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RECIPES:

 Buckeye Bars
Buckeye Bars

time
prep:15 min
total:2 hr 15 min
servings
total:25 servings

    What You Need
    1/2    cup  butter, softened
    3/4    cup  PLANTERS Crunchy Peanut Butter
    22     NILLA Wafers, crushed (about 3/4 cup)
    2    cups  powdered sugar
    1/2     of 8-oz. tub COOL WHIP Whipped Topping (Do not thaw.)
    3    oz.  BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate

    Make It

    LINE 8-inch square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Beat butter and peanut butter with mixer until blended. Add wafer crumbs; mix well. Gradually beat in sugar. Press onto bottom of pan.

    MICROWAVE COOL WHIP and chocolate in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 min.; stir. Microwave 15 to 30 sec. or until chocolate is melted; stir until well blended. Spread over peanut butter layer.

    REFRIGERATE 2 hours. Use foil handles to lift dessert from pan before cutting to serve.
    Kraft Kitchens Tips
  
 How to Store
    Keep refrigerated.
   
Serving Suggestion
    Serve in holiday-colored foil candy cups.
  
 Make Ahead
    Store in airtight container in freezer up to 1 month. Thaw in refrigerator before serving.
    servings
    total:
    25 servings

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Chicken Wellington

A variation of the classic beef Wellington, this stunning entrée stars boneless chicken breasts topped with a mushroom-onion mix and wrapped in tender puff pastry.


Serves: 4 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
   
  INGREDIENTS:
 
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast half (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 1/4 ounces sliced mushroom, sliced (about 3/4 cup)
1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/3 of an 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
all-purpose flour
1/2 of a 17.3-ounce package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the oven to 400°F.  Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork.
Season the chicken with the thyme and black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes or until well browned on both sides.  Remove the chicken from the skillet.  Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Heat the remaining butter in the skillet.  Add the mushrooms and onion and cook until they're tender and the liquid is evaporated, stirring occasionally.  Stir in the parsley.
Stir the cream cheese and mustard in a small bowl.
Sprinkle the work surface with the flour.  Unfold the pastry on the work surface.  Roll the pastry sheet into a 14-inch square.  Cut into 4 (7-inch) squares.

Spoon about 1 tablespoon mushroom mixture on each square. Top with the chicken. Spread about 1 tablespoon cream cheese mixture on the chicken.  Brush the edges of the pastry with the egg mixture. Fold the corners of the pastries up over the chicken and press to seal.  Place the pastries seam-side down onto a baking sheet.  Brush with the egg mixture.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown.
Ingredient Note: We develop our recipes using a 4-to 5-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast half per serving. However, there are a range of sizes available in-store, from the butcher counter to the meat case and the freezer section. Use whichever you prefer- just follow the recipe as written above for the best result. If you're using larger chicken breasts they may require a little longer cooking time.

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Meatball Sandwich

"Meatballs in tomato sauce with melted cheese on a lightly toasted baguette." — BIGGUY728


Original recipe  4 servings

    1 pound ground beef
    3/4 cup bread crumbs
    2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
    2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
    1 egg, beaten
    1 French baguette
    1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
    1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
    1 pinch salt, or to taste
    1 (14 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
    4 slices provolone cheese

Directions

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
    In a medium bowl, gently mix by hand the ground beef, bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic, parsley, Parmesan cheese, and egg. Shape into 12 meatballs, and place in a baking dish.
    Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cooked through. Meanwhile, cut the baguette in half lengthwise, and remove some of the bread from the inside to make a well for the meatballs. Brush with olive oil, and season with garlic powder and salt. Slip the baguette into the oven during the last 5 minutes of the meatball's time, or until lightly toasted.
    While the bread toasts, warm the spaghetti sauce in a saucepan over medium heat. When the meatballs are done, use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the sauce. Spoon onto the baguette and top with slices of provolone cheese. Return to the oven for 2 to 3 minutes to melt the cheese. Cool slightly, cut into servings, and enjoy!

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New England Clam Chowder

If fresh clams are unavailable (or you're running short on time), substitute two 10-ounce cans of baby clams and 6 cups of bottled clam juice.
 
8-10 servings

    Active: 1 1/4 hours
    Total: 1 1/4 hours

Ingredients

    8 pounds cherrystone clams, scrubbed
    1 tablespoon unsalted butter
    8 ounces bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
    2 celery stalks, minced
    1 large onion, minced
    1 garlic clove, minced
    2 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
    1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
    1 bay leaf
    2 tablespoons cornstarch
    2 cups heavy cream
    Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
    Chopped fresh chives
    Oyster crackers or Vermont Common Crackers

Preparation

    Bring clams and 4 cups water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Cook until clams just open, 8-10 minutes (discard any that do not open). Using a large slotted spoon, transfer clams to a large rimmed baking sheet; set broth aside. Let clams cool slightly, then pull meat from shells; discard shells.
    Chop clams into bite-size pieces. Strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve set over a large bowl. Add water if needed to measure 6 cups. DO AHEAD Clams and broth can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill.
    Melt butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon begins to brown, about 8 minutes. Add celery, onion, and garlic and cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add reserved broth (or 6 cups bottled clam juice), potatoes, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring chowder base to a simmer; cook until potatoes are tender, 20-25 minutes. Stir cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl to form a slurry. Stir slurry into chowder base; return to a boil to thicken. DO AHEAD Base can be made 1 day ahead. Let cool; cover and chill. Keep clams chilled. Bring base to a simmer before continuing.
    Remove base from heat. Discard bay leaf. Stir in reserved clams (or two 10-ounce cans baby clams) and cream. Season with salt, if needed (clams' brininess varies), and pepper.
    Divide chowder among bowls. Garnish with chives and oyster crackers.

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old fashioned lemon pie

2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 (9-inch) frozen ready-to-bake deep-dish pie shell, thawed


What To Do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, with an electric beater on medium speed, beat all ingredients except pie shell for 1 to 2 minutes, or until well mixed.

Pour into pie shell and bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until a crust forms over the top and turns golden. Serve warm, or let cool, cover, and chill until ready to serve.

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Today's Tip

 The Funnel Trick for Separating Eggs
         
If you want to separate eggs, do it as soon as you take them out of the fridge. They’re easier to separate when they’re cold.
And here’s a clever way to do it. Buy a little funnel. Place the funnel in a glass, then crack the egg over it. The egg white will glide into the glass and the yolk will stay in the funnel.

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 Clean Your Leather Upholstery…With Beer

 If there’s a wax buildup on your leather furniture, rub it with stale beer…or a solution made from ¼ cup of distilled white vinegar combined with ½ cup of water. Then wash the leather with saddle soap (available at tack stores where saddles and other equine supplies are sold, as well as some shoe-repair stores) and water. Complete the job by buffing the upholstery with a soft cloth to bring out the leather’s shine.


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JOKES:

A young man was wandering, lost, in a forest when he came upon a small house. Knocking on the door he was greeted by an ancient Chinese man with a long, gray beard. "I’m lost," said the man. "Can you put me up for the night?" "Certainly," the Chinese man said, "but on one condition. If you so much as lay a finger on my daughter I will inflict upon you the three worst Chinese tortures known to man." "OK," said the man, thinking that the daughter must be pretty old as well, and entered the house. Before dinner the daughter came down the stairs. She was young, beautiful and had a fantastic figure. She was obviously attracted to the young man as she couldn’t keep her eyes off him during the meal. Remembering the old man’s warning he ignored her and went up to bed alone. But during the night he could bear it no longer and snuck into her room for a night of passion. He was careful to keep everything quiet so the old man wouldn’t h
ear and, near dawn, he crept back to his room, exhausted but happy. He woke to feel a pressure on his chest. Opening his eyes he saw a large rock on his chest with a note on it that read, "Chinese Torture 1: Large rock on chest." "Well, that’s pretty crappy," he thought. "If that’s the best the old man can do then I don’t have much to worry about." He picked the boulder up, walked over to the window and threw the boulder out. As he did so he noticed another note on it that read "Chinese Torture 2: Rock tied to left testicle." In a panic he glanced down and saw the line that was already getting close to taut. Figuring that a few broken bones was better than castration, he jumped out of the window after the boulder. As he plummeted downward he saw a large sign on the ground that read, "Chinese Torture 3: Right testicle tied to bedpost.":)


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Bad Dreams

Priyanka was taking an afternoon nap on new year's eve before the festivities. After she woke up, she confided to Adil, her husband, "I just dreamed that you gave me a diamond ring as a new year's present. What do you think it means?"

"Aha, you'll know tonight," answered Adil as he smiled.

At midnight, as the new year was chiming, Adil approached Priyanka and handed her a small package. Delighted and excited she opened it quickly. There in her hand rested a book entitled, "The Meaning of Dreams!"


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Four Easy Tricks to Remember Names Better


Imagine this—you’re at a party when someone greets you by name with a hearty handshake, but you suddenly draw a blank and can’t for the life of you remember his name.

How embarrassing!

We’ve all been in situations like that before, but we don’t have to be in them again.

“Your ability to remember is not necessarily something you’re born with—you can train yourself to become better,” said Scott Hagwood, a four-time National Memory Champion and author of Memory Power.

Here are Hagwood’s four favorite mental exercises that will train your brain to remember names more easily—and, better yet, they’re all so simple!

WHEN YOU MEET SOMEONE NEW

Try at least one of the following tricks every time you meet a new person.

Alliterate to Learn. It’s amazing how much memory power you can get by using alliteration, the stringing together of words that start with the same sound. To do this, when you first learn someone’s name, think of a characteristic that describes this person and that starts with the first letter of the person’s first name. For example, you might think to yourself, Hannah wears high heels…Tom is tall…or Donna loves drama.

Rhyme to Remember. Rhyming is also a powerful memory booster. So in your mind, rhyme a new person’s first name with an associative characteristic. For instance, Anna eats a banana…Max plays the sax…Jim likes to swim. (This won’t work for every person, of course, but it’s worth trying whenever possible.)

Link New Acquaintances with Old Ones. Say you were just introduced to someone named George who seems to be a bit of a joker. Can you think of someone else you know well who is also named George and who has a similarly playful personality? If so, make a point of linking these two people in your mind (“the two jokers”) so that the next time you see this new person, an image of the old George will pop into your mind—along with the name George. (Or maybe your old George has no sense of humor at all, so you can remember this “new George” as his complete opposite.)

Repeat the New Name. To firmly imprint a new name on your mind, repeat it both out loud and to yourself several times. Make a point of saying something such as “Great to meet you, Jason” at the beginning of the conversation and “Hope to see you again soon, Jason” at the end of the conversation.

WHEN YOU MEET SOMEONE AGAIN

When someone you’ve already met reappears and his name slips your mind…what do you do? First, think of the above tricks that you used to remember this person’s name in the first place. Does he have some characteristic that you notice that starts with the first letter of his name? Does he enjoy doing something that rhymes with his first name? Is he exactly like—or the complete opposite of—someone who you know who shares the same name?

If none of those methods works, don’t panic. When you’re in a group, be attentive, because someone else might say the name. Or just keep talking to the person without guessing at his name, because sometimes your subconscious works while you’re talking, and after a few minutes, the name might come to you. If all else fails, accept defeat and politely say, “I remember talking to you before, but I’ve met so many people. Can you please give me your name again?” It won’t be held against you!

A Special Lecture

On new year's eve, Aditya was in no shape to drive, so he sensibly left his van in the car park and walked home. As he was wobbling along, he was stopped by a policeman.

"What are you doing out here at 4 o'clock in the morning?" asked the police officer.

"I'm on my way to a lecture," answered Aditya confidently.

"And who on Earth, in their right mind, is going to give a lecture at this time on New Year's Eve?" enquired the constable sarcastically.

"My wife," replied Aditya, grimly.

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A New Year’s Resolution

A friend asks his friend, Rahul, for a cigarette.

Rahul says “I think you made a new year’s resolution to quit smoking?”

So he replies, “I am in the process of quitting. Right now I am in the middle of phase 1.”

“What's phase 1?”

“I've quit buying!”

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New Year Wish

On New Year's Eve, Marilyn stood up in the local pub and said that it was time to get ready. At the stroke of midnight, she wanted every husband to be standing next to the one person who made his life worth living.

What happened next was embarrassing.  As the clock struck 12, the bartender was almost crushed to death.

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 New Years Eve Short Jokes Q: What do you tell someone you didn't see at New Year's Eve? A: I haven't seen you for a year! Q: What happened to the Irish man who thought about the evils of drinking in the New Year? A: He gave up thinking. Q: What's the problem with jogging on New Years Eve? A: The ice falls out of your drinks!

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 New Years Resolutions You Have No Chance At Keeping When I hear a funny joke I will not reply, "LOL, LMAO, or ROTFLMAO!" Start using Facebook for something other than Farmville and stupid quizzes I will try to figure out why I "really" need 5 facebook accounts. I resolve to work with neglected children... my own. Lose 20 pounds by going to the gym! I will stop using, "So, what's your URL?" as a pickup line. I will spend less than five hour a day on the Internet. I will read the manual... just as soon as I can find it. Spend less than $1000 for coffee at Starbucks this year. Lose weight by inventing an anti-gravity machine Stop repeating myself again, and again, and again. I will stop tagging pictures of myself in pictures even when I’m not in them I will think of a password other than "password" New Years Resolutions You Can Actually Keep Read less. I want to gain weight. Put on at least 30 pounds. I will start buying lottery tickets at a luckier store Stop exercising. Waste of time. Watch more TV. I've been missing some good stuff. Watch less T.V. in standard definition Gain enough weight to get on The Biggest Loser. Watch more movie remakes. Start washing my hands after I use the restroom. Procrastinate more. I will do less laundry and use more deodorant. I will no longer waste my time relieving the past, instead I will spend it worrying about the future. Drink. Drink some more. Stop buying worthless junk on Ebay, because QVC has better specials Start being superstitious. Spend more time at work. Stop bringing lunch from home: I should eat out more. Take up a new habit: maybe smoking!


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Today, God’s message for you is that you are perfect just the way you are. This isn’t to say that you are finished, only that you are well on your way. Yet, for this time, this place, wherever you may be in life, you are still perfect, every step of the way.

Tags: Religion, Recipes, Jokes, Tidbits, Etc

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REMINDER FROM GOD:

Matthew 24:32-44

(32) "Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. (33) So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors! (34) Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. (35) Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. (36) "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. (37) But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. (38) For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, (39) and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. (40) Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. (41) Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. (42) Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. (43) But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. (44) Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

There are quite a number of interesting things to consider in Jesus' instructions here. First, this is not instruction given generally to the public, but rather it was directly to His disciples. Second, He says that we should know from the signs given that His return is near. Our predictions may not be specifically accurate, but at least in the ballpark—near. Third, He emphasizes the element of surprise, even terrifying surprise. The impression is that the world will be taken completely by surprise. Fourth, the overall point of this instruction is that by being alert to the signs and taking advantage of them, we should be ready. The fifth is a final warning in verse 44, because He feared that even the attention, the alertness of His disciples, would be threatened: "Therefore be you also ready: for in such an hour as you think not the Son of man comes."

Are we getting anxious about Christ's return? I do not mean anxious in a sense of being fearful, but anxious in terms of seeing it come to pass. First, because things are getting so bad one wonders at times whether it can get much worse, and yet we know that it can. Second, because of the pressures of enduring life. There is some measure of concerned anxiety, because the end seems to be taking so long to come to pass. We are undoubtedly in "the time of the end," but at the same time we feel that we have been on the gun lap a very long time.

Part of our anticipation exists because we have had it drilled in our minds to watch for certain events to happen. Sometimes it looks as though those events indeed are coming to pass, and right now some of the more important events we had drilled into our minds just are not happening in a clearly visible way. If they are, they are being worked out in a way that we are not prepared for, and therefore probably do not see.

Jesus meant this admonition in the sense of a soldier on guard duty, alert to what is going on around him, and so watch we do! But what if our point of view—the perspective we are looking from—is not correct? We might be alert, diligently and sincerely looking in that direction, but at best, we are only getting a part of the picture. We might be likened to a soldier on guard duty who is alert, but looking in the wrong direction, and so the enemy sneaks up from a blind spot and surprises him, despite him looking intensely in a particular direction.

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WORD FOR THE DAY:

 trundle TRUHN-dl , verb:
To move or walk with a rolling gait.

They get her into a wheelbarrow and trundle her all over town.
-- Alice Munroe, Meneseteung

Fling leaflets down basements; expose them in stalls; trundle them along streets on barrows to be sold for a penny or given away.
-- Virginia Woolf, A Room of One's Own: Three Guineas

Trundle, first used in the 1500s, may originate from the Old English trendel, "ring or disk," which is also the root of the modern English trend.

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 One Valuable Lesson for All of Us to Learn


I ask for nothing. In return I give All. There is no earning my Love. No work needed, no effort. ~Ki Longfellow, Flow Down Like Silver: Hypatia of Alexandria

Often times we feel like the things we do for the people we love are very important and valuable, which of course they are, but somehow the many things they do for us aren’t when in fact they are.

I want to share this story with all of you today and know that no matter if you are a parent or not and no matter if you are young or old, the lesson you will learn today will be a valuable one that will definitely change the way we look at things and hopefully will help us appreciate the people around us a lot more.

“A little boy came up to his mother in the kitchen one evening while she was fixing supper, and handed her a piece of paper that he had been writing on. After his Mom dried her hands on an apron, she read it, and this is what it said:

For cutting the grass: $5.00
For cleaning up my room this week: $1.00
For going to the store for you: $.50
Baby-sitting my kid brother while you went shopping: $.25
Taking out the garbage: $1.00
For getting a good report card: $5.00
For cleaning up and raking the yard: $2.00
Total owed: $14.75

Well, his mother looked at him standing there, and the boy could see the memories flashing through her mind. She picked up the pen, turned over the paper he’d written on, and this is what she wrote:

For the nine months I carried you while you were growing inside me:
No Charge.

For all the nights that I’ve sat up with you, doctored and prayed for you:
No Charge.

For all the trying times, and all the tears that you’ve caused through the years:
No Charge.

For all the nights that were filled with dread, and for the worries I knew were ahead:
No Charge.

For the toys, food, clothes, and even wiping your nose:
No Charge.

Son, when you add it up, the cost of my love is:
No Charge.

When the boy finished reading what his mother had written, there were big tears in his eyes, and he looked straight at his mother and said, “Mom, I sure do love you.” And then he took the pen and in great big letters he wrote: “PAID IN FULL”. ~Unknown

Always remember that everything and everyone counts; look for ways to offer your love and appreciation more often to those around you without asking anything in return.

Give yourself entirely to those around you. Be generous with your blessings. A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal. ~Steve Maraboli
 
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Today's Tip

Make Your Bread Last Longer
         
Don’t throw out your stale bread. To make it fresh again, spray with a bit of water or milk and wrap it in aluminum foil. Put it in a 350°F oven for about 8 minutes, and the bread should taste as though it just came out of the oven…for the first time.

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 Fix That Sticky Toaster Mess
          
Did a plastic bread bag get too close to your toaster? Apply petroleum jelly on the melted plastic bag, and toast a piece of bread so that the toaster heats up. Rub off the warm plastic with a paper towel or cloth. Be careful not to burn your fingers.

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RECIPES:

Make-Ahead Pizza Meat Loaves

Here's a go-to recipe when you need to plan ahead to get dinner on the table really fast.  You can make the meat loaves up to 3 days in advance...when you're ready for dinner, just heat them in the skillet. Plus you've got the family favorite flavor combination of meat loaf and pizza...it's a winner.

Serves: 6 servings (1 meat loaf each)
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
 
1 jar (24 ounces) Prego® Traditional Italian Sauce or Roasted Garlic Parmesan Italian Sauce
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 1/2 cups Pepperidge Farm® Herb Seasoned Stuffing
2 eggs, beaten
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 teaspoon Dried oregano leaves, crushed
4 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 6 pieces

Mix 3/4 cup of the sauce, beef, stuffing, eggs, onion, pepper and oregano thoroughly and shape firmly into 6 loaves, placing 1 piece of cheese in the center of each loaf. Place the loaves in a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan.
Bake at 400°F. for 30 minutes or until the meat loaves are cooked through. Cool them slightly. Wrap them and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Cover and refrigerate the remaining pasta sauce.
Place the meat loaves and remaining pasta sauce in a 12-inch skillet. Cover and heat over medium heat, until they're heated through.

Notes: Nutritional Values per Serving using Prego Traditional Pasta Sauce: Calories 407, Total Fat 20g, Saturated Fat 7g, Cholesterol 151mg, Sodium 921mg, Total Carbohydrate 26g, Dietary Fiber 4g, Protein 31g, Vitamin A 14%DV, Vitamin C 7%DV, Calcium 21%DV, Iron 22%DV

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Chicken Wellington

A variation of the classic beef Wellington, this stunning entrée stars boneless chicken breasts topped with a mushroom-onion mix and wrapped in tender puff pastry.


Serves: 4 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
   
  INGREDIENTS:
 
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast half (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 1/4 ounces sliced mushroom, sliced (about 3/4 cup)
1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/3 of an 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
all-purpose flour
1/2 of a 17.3-ounce package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the oven to 400°F.  Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork.
Season the chicken with the thyme and black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken and cook for 10 minutes or until well browned on both sides.  Remove the chicken from the skillet.  Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Heat the remaining butter in the skillet.  Add the mushrooms and onion and cook until they're tender and the liquid is evaporated, stirring occasionally.  Stir in the parsley.
Stir the cream cheese and mustard in a small bowl.
Sprinkle the work surface with the flour.  Unfold the pastry on the work surface.  Roll the pastry sheet into a 14-inch square.  Cut into 4 (7-inch) squares.

Spoon about 1 tablespoon mushroom mixture on each square. Top with the chicken. Spread about 1 tablespoon cream cheese mixture on the chicken.  Brush the edges of the pastry with the egg mixture. Fold the corners of the pastries up over the chicken and press to seal.  Place the pastries seam-side down onto a baking sheet.  Brush with the egg mixture.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown.
Ingredient Note: We develop our recipes using a 4-to 5-ounce skinless, boneless chicken breast half per serving. However, there are a range of sizes available in-store, from the butcher counter to the meat case and the freezer section. Use whichever you prefer- just follow the recipe as written above for the best result. If you're using larger chicken breasts they may require a little longer cooking time.

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Smoky Country-Style Pork Ribs

Kids will enjoy this dish because they can eat it with their fingers, and Dad will love it because it tastes so good!

Serves: 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 1/4 hours

3 pounds country-style pork spareribs
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons liquid smoke flavoring
1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice

Sprinkle ribs with garlic salt and freshly ground pepper. Combine remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally; keep warm.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.Place ribs, rib bones down, on rack of a shallow roasting pan. Baste with sauce. Bake for about 2 hours, turning and basting with sauce every 30 minutes. Cut into serving-size portions. Bring remaining sauce to a boil and serve with ribs.

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Rigatoni with Sausage and Tomato Cream Sauce

Tubes of rigatoni hold the tomato sauce, giving you a burst of creamy flavor with every bite. Use either hot or mild Italian sausage here, depending on your preference.

Serves: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
   
INGREDIENTS:
 
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 pounds mild or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree, (from a 15-ounce can)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup light cream
1 pound rigatoni
Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

In a large frying pan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat with a fork, until it is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the sausage from the pan. Discard all but 1 tablespoon fat.

Reduce the heat to moderately low. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook until it almost evaporates, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sausage, tomatoes, and salt. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the pepper, parsley, and cream.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the rigatoni until just done, about 14 minutes. Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce. Serve with grated Parmesan.

Wine Recommendation: A Chianti Classico Riserva is the wine of choice with this dish. Look for a wine with a few years of age; it will be mellower and will complement the sauce better than a younger wine could.

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Linzer Torte Bars

These are easy to make and so good to eat!

Serves: makes 36 bars
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 to 25 minutes
View Nutritional Facts

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup ground walnuts
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine or butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 cup red raspberry preserves

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix all ingredients except preserves until crumbly. Press two-thirds of crumbly mixture in ungreased square pan, 9 x 9 x 2 inches. Spread with preserves. Sprinkle with remaining crumbly mixture; press lightly. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely. Cut into about 2 x 1-inch bars.

Apricot Linzer Bars: Substitute ground almonds for the ground walnuts and apricot preserves for the raspberry preserves.

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JOKES:

Once upon a time there lived a woman in Brampton who had a maddening passion for baked beans. She loved them, but unfortunately they always gave her a very embarrassing, and somewhat lively reaction. When it became apparent that she and her boyfriend would marry she thought to herself, ”He is such a sweet and gentle man but I don’t think he can live with my problems.” So she decided to make the supreme sacrifice and give up beans.

A year later her car broke down on the way home from work. Since she lived in the country, she called her husband and told him she would be late because she had to walk home. On her way, she passed a small diner and the odor of the baked beans was more than she could stand. Since she still had miles to walk, she figured that she could walk off any ill effect by the time she reached home. So she stopped at the diner, and before she knew it she had consumed three large orders of baked beans. All th
e way home she putt-putted.

Upon arriving home she felt reasonably sure she could control it. Her husband seemed excited to see her, exclaming delightedly, ”Darling I have a surprise for dinner tonight.” He then blindfolded her then led her to a chair at the table. Just as he was about to remove the blindfold the phone rang. He made her promise not to touch the blindfold till he came back. Then he went to answer the phone.

The baked beans she had consumed were still affecting her and the pressure was becoming almost unbearable, so while her husband was out of the room she seized the opportunity, shifted the weight to one leg, and let it go. It was not only loud, but it smelt like a fertilizer truck running over a skunk coming froma pulp mill. She took a napkin and fanned the air around her vigorously. Then she shifted to the other cheek and ripped three more, which reminded her of cabbage cooking. Keeping her ears turned to the conversation in the other room, she went on like this for another ten minutes. When the phone farewells signed the end of her freedom, she fanned the air a few more times with the napkin, placed it on her lap and folded her hands upon it, smiling contently to herself, she was the picture of innocence when her husband returned. Apologizing for taking so long, he asked her if she peeked and she assured him that she had not. At this point, he removes the blindfold to reveal twelve dinner guests seated around the table to wish her a first Happy Anniversary!:)

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Obscene caller

Hello darling," breathed the obscene phone caller. "If you can guess what's in my hand, I'll give you a piece of the action."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

"Listen Honey," drawled the lady, "If you can hold it in one hand, I ain't interested."

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Tattoo

This lady went to a tattoo artist and told him she wanted a turkey tattooed on the upper most inner side of her left thigh.

He had seen weirder, so he didn't think too much about it.

Then she wanted a Santa tattooed on the upper most inner side of her right thigh.

After he finished the last tattoo, he just couldn't help asking her, "Why the turkey and Santa?"
.
.
.

She replied, "I'm tired of my husband complaining that there is nothing to eat between Thanksgiving and Christmas!"

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Firearms Refresher Course:

1. "Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not."~Thomas Jefferson

2. "Those who trade liberty for security have neither." ~ John Adams

3. Free men do not ask permission to bear arms.

4. An armed man is a citizen. An unarmed man is a subject.

5. Only a government that is afraid of its citizens tries to control them.

6. Gun control is not about guns; it's about control.

7. You only have the rights you are willing to fight for.

8. Know guns, know peace, know safety. No guns, no peace, no safety.

9. You don't shoot to kill; you shoot to stay alive.

10. Assault is a behavior, not a device.

11. 64,999,987 firearms owners killed no one yesterday.

12. The United States Constitution (c) 1791. All Rights Reserved.

13. The Second Amendment is in place in case the politicians ignore the others.

14. What part of 'shall not be infringed' do you NOT understand?

15. Guns have only two enemies; rust and politicians.

16. When you remove the people's right to bear arms, you create slaves.

17. The American Revolution would never have happened with gun control.

18. Gun rights ensure all your other rights. Don't support gun rights? Then you don't support other rights, and therefore since you don't support them, you should not be able to exercise those other rights.

19. Self-defense is a right that every human has naturally. No government can ever take that away.

20. Guns don't kill people, people kill people.

Class Dismissed. -

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A child's point of view...

A nursery school teacher was delivering a station wagon full of kids home one day when a fire truck zoomed past. Sitting in the front seat of the fire truck was a Dalmatian dog. The children fell to discussing the dog's duties.


"They use him to keep crowds back," said one youngster.

"No," said another, "he's just for good luck."

A third child brought the argument to a close. "They use the dog," she said firmly, "to find the fire hydrant."


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Jonny's goldfish

Little Jonny was in the garden filling in a hole when his neighbor peered over the fence.

Interested in what the rosy-cheeked youngster was up to, he politely asked, "What are you up to there, Jonny?"

"My goldfish died," replied Jonny tearfully, without looking
up, "and I've just buried him."

The neighbor was concerned, "That's an awfully big hole for a goldfish, isn't it?"

Jonny patted down the last heap of earth then replied, "That's because he's inside your cat!"

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When I grow up...

The teacher asked her class what each wanted to become when they grew up. A chorus of responses came from all over the room.


"A football player," said Jim.

"A doctor," said Alfred.

"An astronaut," said Suzy.

"The president," said little Al. (Everyone laughed).

"A fireman," said Fred.

"A teacher," said Lisa.

"A race car driver." said Mario.

Everyone that is, except Tommy.

The teacher noticed he was sitting there quiet and still. So she said to him, "Tommy, what do you want to be when you grow up?"

"Possible." Tommy replied.

"Possible?" asked the teacher.

"Yes," Tommy said. "My mom is always telling me I'm impossible. So when I get to be big, I want to be possible."

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Today, God’s message for you is to forgive yourself. Any shortcomings or perceived failures are only lessons in God’s love. Forgive yourself and allow yourself to move forward. God still loves you. You can, too.

Tags: Religion, Recipes, Jokes, Tidbits, Etc

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GOD'S CHRISTMAS LIST
Have you ever wondered
About God's Christmas list
And what He'd really wish for,
If He were to make a wish?

He'd wish for spiritual blessings
And for the blessings we can't see,
Instead of earthly treasures
Piled high beneath our tree.

He'd wish that everyone, on earth,
Be saved by His Son's grace.
Then, He'd wish for peace and happiness,
To replace all fear and hate.

He'd wish there were no Santa Claus
To take the place of His Son's name.
Then, He'd wish the whole wide world could see
The main reason Jesus came.

He'd wish that everyone believed
In a Comforter their eyes can't see
And that the material blessings of this earth
Are worthless compared to His Son's birth.

He'd wish for hope, with faith and love,
And spiritual blessings sent from above.
But, first of all, on His list He'd pray
For us to honor His Son on Christmas Day.

~ * ~

And she shall bring forth a son
And thou shalt call His name Jesus:
For He shall save His people from their sins.
Matthew 1:21

Merry Christmas to all!

by Unknown

Tags: Religion Christmas

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