Spinal Cord Injuries .....

Your spinal cord is made up of nerves and never fibers. These nerves are responsible for sending signals back and forth between your brain and the body. The signals tell the bodies muscles to move and your body when to feel sensations. The spinal cord is located in ones back and is protected by vertebrae. The vertebrae and spinal cord pair are known as the spinal column. There are 4 parts to the spinal column (1) cervical (neck) (2) thoracic (upper to middle back) (3) lumbar (lower back) and (4) sacral (tailbone). 

When trauma or disease occurs at the spinal column spot a spinal cord injury can take place. If your spinal column presses down on or pinches your spinal cord an injury takes place. The injury can cause swelling or bruising to take place. Likewise, if infection or disease takes place an injury can take place in your spinal cord.

If a spinal cord injury takes place but the person still has some feeling or movement below the level of injury then the injury is said to be incomplete. However, if the individual has no movement or feeling below the level of injury it is said to be a complete injury.

If you have ever been in an accident where a possible spinal injury has taken place then you know that the first step is that they put you in a firm brace or in traction. If you have never experienced this then trust me, they will brace you so that if the spinal column has not been injured it wont be. Movement during a spinal cord injury may damage it more. Medicines to keep you from moving may also be given. If bad enough surgery to remove the part of the spinal column that is damaging or blocking the spinal cord.

Spinal cord injuries affect individuals differently but many will have both physical and emotional issues. Spinal injuries may cause:

• loss of movement in legs making it hard or unable to walk
• loss of movement in the chest, trunk, hands, or arms 
• loss of feeling in parts of the body
• loss of bladder and bowel control
• pain or stinging sensations, spasms

In addition to physical conditions anxiety and depression may affect those with spinal cord injuries and the family and friends that love them. Fear  loss of dreams is often the first thoughts when a spinal injury occurs but that is not the only thought other factors include:

• details of the spinal cord injury
• age often plays a role 
• cause of injury
• life situation --- job, school, where you are in life
• ability to get to specialist and rehab workers after injury
• obtaining those that will help and encourage both personally like family and friends as well as others in the social network. 

The main thing is that you know that there is still life. That there are those that love you and you can make it even though the road is a bit harder now

Lemon Drop Shake

Earlier this month a national salute to milkshakes took place. ooopppsss!!!! I missed it but still want to share with you about those yummy treats. Milkshakes have for long been a favorite of our family and many others as well. They come in many flavors, more than when I was a kid that is for sure. May I ask what your favorite is?? With all the different flavors it is hard to believe that the craze of a milkshake started in a bar.

Yes, that's right I said a bar. The term milkshake came about after a fad of shaking the bartenders hand if the milkshake was enjoyed. If the milkshake served to the patron was not the best, there was no shake and definitely no tip. Milkshakes came along away since those early days.

The invention of malted milk powder was invented in 1897 by James and William Horlick. It was not until 1922 when a soda jerk by the name of Coulson added it to milkshakes. The malted milkshake or "malt" was created at that time. The year, 1922 was also good for the makers of milkshakes as the electric blender for milkshakes was invented making them easier to prepare.

5-6 scoops of vanilla ice cream (using an ice cream scoop)
1/2 cup lemonade
optional, sugar and lemon juice to rim the glass
\
In a blender, combine the vanilla ice cream and lemonade. Blend until combined.
Use a little bit of lemon juice in a shallow dish to wet the rim of the glass. Then dip the rim into another shallow bowl filled with sugar.
Pour the shake into the glass. Enjoy and top with a lemon slice if desired.

Chicken and Dumpling #Recipe

2 pounds Chicken breast ; Skinless
4 tablespoons Butter
1 small can Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
2 Carrots ; pealed and chopped
1 stalk Celery ; chopped
1 can Chicken broth
DUMPLINGS
1 1/2 cups All purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Lowfat Milk
6 teaspoons Butter

 Place the chicken, soup, butter, soup, carrots, celery and chicken broth in the crock pot. Fill the crock with enough water to cover. Cover. Cook for 5 to 6 hours on High, or 9 to 10 hours on Low. About 30 minutes before serving, combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Melt butter and mix with milk; add to flour mixture and stir just until combined.

Drop dumplings by tablespoons onto hot, bubbling chicken mixture in crockpot. Cover and cook on HIGH for 20-25 minutes until dumplings are cooked through, fluffy, and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

recipe source here

Bobcats Common in Illinois

To me this looks like a big beautiful cat. In reality it is a member of the Felidae family and is known as a Bobcat. They are an average of 2 1/4 to 3 1/2 feet in length, including tail. They can grow to 2 feet high at the shoulder. Adult bobcat males can weigh up to 40 pounds but average 22 pounds. Adult females are smaller and weigh a bit less. Bobcats are normally a yellow to reddish brown fur with black spots and streaks. In the colder months the bobcat's fur will come in more grayish brown. Bobcats have 5 toes on the front two feet and on the back they have 4 toes on each foot.

Bobcats prefer to live in the forest. Bobcats have been to known here in Southern Illinois in the Shawnee Forest. The wooded habitat offers protection as well as a place to den. Bobcats hunt in the fields and open areas surrounding the woods.

Bobcat breeding season takes place in January through June. Peak season occurs February and March. Gestation period is an average of 60 days. Bobcats average 2 to 3 kittens per litter, one litter per year. Baby bobcats are spotted grayish brown fur The cubs are weaned by 2 months of age. The mother will watch over the cubs til the fall of the first year. Females start to breed around 1-2 years of age. Males do not breed until their second year of life.

Bobcats dine on rabbits, mice, and squirrels to name a few. While known as carnivores bobcats also enjoy eating birds, frogs, insects, fish and snakes. Larger animals like deer that are injured become easy food for the bobcat as well.

Bobcats make few sounds but you one can hear an occasional growl or high pitched scream. Breeding season brings among the most sound from the bobcats. During breeding season bobcats make squalls, howls, meows and yowls. The most active time of the bobcat to roam is just a few hours prior to sunset until dawn.

Bobcats were endangered here in Illinois during the mid and late 1900s. The number of bobcats has grown since that time and are commonly saw in the southern 1/3 of the state. This fall, hunting season for bobcat started again. While I understand the number of bobcats in the wild needs to be controlled I would hate to see the number of bobcat deplete to the average it was 20 - 30 years ago



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Chippewa Chicken and wild rice #recipe

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons butter
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons chicken fat or butter
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup diagonally sliced carrot
1 cup finely chopped onion
⅓ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
⅓ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
2 cups white shoe peg corn or corn niblets
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 medium jalapeno
1 gallon chicken broth
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon white pepper
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1½ pounds cooked chicken breast halves, coarsely chopped
3 cups cooked wild rice
1 cup heavy whipping cream
½ cup slivered almonds, toasted

Heat the butter in a skillet until hot. Stir in the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes or until it is the consistency of roux, stirring constantly; do not brown.

Heat the chicken fat in a large saucepan until hot. Add the celery, carrot, onion, green pepper and red pepper. Sauté until the onion is tender. Stir in the corn, mushrooms and jalapeno. Cook until the mushroom begin to turn golden brown, stirring frequently.

Remove from heat.

Bring broth to a boil in a 2-gallon stockpot. Stir in roux. Simmer until thickened, stirring frequently. Stir in vegetable mixture, parsley, salt, black pepper, white pepper, nutmeg and cayenne. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.

Add chicken, wild rice and whipping cream and mix gently. Cook just until heated through, stirring occasionally. Ladle into soup bowls. Sprinkle with the almonds

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Benefits of Classical Music

During the month of September I have shared with you some of my favorite classical music composers. In this post I want to tell you how this smooth music can also help you with health issues. While we listen to and enjoy the pleasant background noise it could be helping us become smarter, healthier and even get a good night of sleep.

The readers digest published a story that shared how Classical music could be just what the doctor ordered. Studies have suggested that those who listen to classical music may have significantly lower blood pressure than others. Reasoning is that listening to music may help your heart recover from stress thus lowering blood pressure levels.

For those that struggle with sleep classical music may be just what they are looking for. A study that looked into sleep disorders found that when they fell asleep to classical music slept better than others. The regular rhythm, low pitches, and tranquil melodies all help offer a better sleep quality.

Mozart's sonata was put to a test when participants of a study were asked to listen to 10 minutes of it a day. Following the 10 minutes subjects were found to be smarter than before the listening to the music. This phenomenon was known as the "Mozart Effect"

Save The Koala

 Koalas are marsupials. Their closest animal is wombat

Koalas have been known as sloth's, monkeys, bears and even monkey bears. In fact it is still quite common to hear a koala referred to as a koala bear. Many have called it a bear because of its stocky build and long legs bear like appearance.

While the koala is considered to be lazy it has been known to climb a 150 food Eucalyptus tree Koalas are quick tempered and very muscular with a pouch. Koalas live near eucalyptus trees where they obtain their water from the leaves.
Koalas also lounge in trees during the day and stay up dining on the tree leaves during the night.

Koalas have grey and white fur and feet that are adapted for tree climbing with thumbs on all four feet and sharp claws.

The number of koalas in the world have been decreasing in number. Climate change and a degraded environment are two of the main contributions for this decreasing number. September is Save the Koala Month it is a chance to bring awareness to the fact that the koala number is decreasing.

Pulmonary Fibrosis

Pulmonary fibrosis is where the lungs become scarred and causes the intricate pulmonary passageways to thicken and harden. Thick hard passage ways will not allow oxygen to pass freely through the tiny air sacs located in the walls of the lungs. The lack of oxygen in the bloodstream leaves individuals with pulmonary fibrosis and a feeling of being short of breath even after rest.

Pulmonary fibrosis affects everyone a bit different. Some will have the fibrosis develop quite rapidly and others will have a slow progression occur over time . Doctors will often prescribe medications, inhalers and oxygen therapy. Alternative treatments such as cellular therapy is also available.

Tasty Fall Chicken and Sauce recipe

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
salt and pepper
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon minced garlic
⅛ teaspoon cumin powder
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
1 tablespoon olive oil
⅓ cup finely diced yellow onions
2 tablespoons minced jalapeños
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Using a mallet, pound down the chicken breasts/thighs into ½ inch thickness. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper on both sides of the chicken.
In a 2 cup measuring cup or a small bowl, combine the chicken broth, lime juice, garlic, cumin and red pepper flakes.
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375ºF.
Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken and allow to brown on both sides for 2-3 minutes per side. Don’t worry if the chicken isn’t cooked completely, we’ll finish it in the oven. Remove the chicken to a plate.
Reduce the flame to medium, add the diced onions to the skillet along with the chicken broth mixture. Using a whisk, scrape the bottom of the pan so all the brown bits are loosened. Let sauce reduce for about 9-12 minutes or UNTIL ABOUT ⅓ CUP OF THE SAUCE REMAINS. Add the minced jalapeños and stir to combine.
When the sauce has reduced, remove from the flame, add the butter and whisk until it melts completely. With the skillet off the flame, add the heavy cream, whisk to combine. Place the skillet back over the flame for just 30 seconds, DO NOT allow the sauce to boil. Remove from heat, add the chicken back into the pan and drizzle the sauce over the chicken. Place the skillet in the oven for 5-8 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through. Top with chopped cilantro and serve warm with additional lime wedges.

recipe source here 

Omelet Waffle

2 eggs (per omelet)
Bell peppers (green, red, orange, yellow - your choice)
Roma tomatoes
Yellow onions
Any other veggies
Salt and pepper
2 Tablespoons milk

Wash and dice the vegetables in to a fairly small dice.
Crack 2 eggs into a bowl and add salt and pepper for seasoning.
Add 2 Tablespoons of milk to eggs and whisk together.
Mix in veggies.
Add egg and veggie mix to waffle maker and cook until eggs are firm (don't pay attention to waffle maker timer)
Serve with some fresh tomatoes and top with shredded cheese if desired. Enjoy a healthy omelet !

recipe source here 

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Prosper WHere Planted

Life is not always easy. It is not always the way we think it should be. Life is not always there to hand us everything we want or even everything we need. That is why it is important to bloom where we are planted, make the best out of whatever circumstances we find our lives in.

At times we have all most likely found ourselves in what we feel is an unfair place in life. Being overlooked somehow at work , not making the sports team, not being accepted into the school of our choice, or maybe you are in marriage that seems not to be working out the way you life.

“Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable.” – 1 Corinthians 9:24

God does not make everything super simple for us. Life is a game that we must work at. If life was always easy where would the glory be in the days that we are successful or the discipline when we need it. We must learn to bloom where we are planted.

While we may not know the reason we are where we are in life, God does. He holds the reason, rhyme and plan in life. A plan that we may not understand and definitely do not know but in all God is safeguarding us and has a plan to help us prosper. All we have to do is trust Remember Faith is what keeps our heads up.

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Get Out And Vote Let Your Voice Be Heard

The ancient greeks gave us one of the first illustrations of Democracy. The ancient romans offered a way to use democracy and give us the people a voice. Today, in the United States our government offers us the chance to vote in a democracy and allows the people to have a voice and offer their opinions. In our democracy the elected officials are held accountable for their behavior while representing This is why it is so important to both register to vote and use our voting privilege to express our opinion.

Both voting and democracy are crucial in order for government to allow individuals a voice and participate in their government as well as holds elected representatives responsible for the decisions they make. By voting, casting a ballot allows self expression and with that comes free choice. The more that people get involved and participate the more democratic and fair a nation. The citizens of the United States have a voice and should use it to voice their personal opinion.

Once and in some places mob rule is still the way of life. Let us not see this happen again
leadership.

What IS Creative To You

Being creative seems to be a great way to not only have fun but to reach out and want more out of life as well. Skills of creativity can also help encourage others as well as make one want to do more for their himself as well. Creativity can help in areas of

• problem solving
• communication
• stress relief
• brain function

“The brain can be developed just as a set of muscles.” ~Thomas Edison

It has long been believed that creativity was something you were born with and inherited from your family. Since that time the belief that parents can help strengthen children's creative abilities has long been stressed. Some things that parents can do to help children build upon their creativity are to

• provide unstructured playtime allowing children to create their own activity
• Keep blank paper, crayons, markers, glue stick and other simple supplies on hand
• Get out in nature, visit the park, or simply outside 

Even in every day life we can help our children to be creative in what they do. Allowing them to make some mistakes can help them learn from them. Remind them that everyone makes mistakes and if they were put in the same spot what would they do differently?? 

Remember that messes happen. Simply enter my grand-kids area of the home and you will find legos, slime, arts and crafts , and lots of other things that are easy to make a mess with. Allowing them to make a mess will help build their creativity, having them help or to do the cleanup after they are done will also build responsibility. 

Sometimes when things do not turn out just like we want them to emotions can show. Our children do the same thing. The next time that they create something even if it is not as well as they can do offer them a bit of praise. Allow them to feel special as well by offering them applause when they do something they have been working hard on to get done and finally complete it

Here's The Beef

The source of beef as we all should know comes from cows. But that may be all that some of us know. Beef cows are slaughtered and following that are divided into primal cuts. Primal cuts include pieces of meat that are first separated from the carcass during the action of butchering. Primal cuts are sectioned divided out into other subdivisions, these cuts are not the same as considered to be of higher quality.

The USDA defines 8 quality levels of beef. When originally separated the pieces of meat are stamped on the carcass of the meat the butcher uses these markings to know what they have and use as shield shaped sticker on the package to let you know it was inspected. Meat is divided into 3 groups based on the tenderness, juiciness and flavor of the meat. 

• Prime is the grade given to beef that comes from young, well fed beef cattle. Abundant in marbling this cut of beef is not often found in super markets but instead reserved for restaurants and hotels. Prime grade is best for broiling, roasting and grilling
• Choice grade is high quality of meat with less marbling than prime grade. Choice roasts and steaks come from the loin and rib area. The tender, juicy and flavorful beef does well in dry heat cooking. Choice cut of beef are most tastiest if "braised" 
• Select grade of beef is uniform in quality and normally leaner than higher grades. Offers a tender texture but less marbling than the top 2 grades which means it may lack in juiciness and flavor. Select grades of loin, rib, and sirloin should be cooked over dry heat. Marinate other cuts before cooking to offer maximum tenderness and flavor
• Grades by the name of standard and commercial are often sold as "store brand" meat
• Grades of utility, cutter and canner cuts are often made into ground beef and processed products. 

I hope this offers you a look into beef, so the next time you go looking for that perfect cut you will know what you are after 

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Prostate Cancer Awareness

During the month of September there is an effort to bring awareness to prostate cancer. This type of cancer occurs in the prostate. The prostate is a small gland located near the bladder and helps make the fluid that carries sperm. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. men. When diagnosed early there is nearly 100 percent survival of 5 years.

Prostate cancer is most top cancer diagnosis for men it is the second leading cause of cancer in men as well. One in every 7 men will be diagnosed with Prostate Cancer in the United States. It is estimated that 1 man is diagnosed with prostate cancer every 3 years.

Men who are older, smoke and eat a lot of red meat have an increased risk of having this condition. The primary symptom of prostate cancer is frequent urination, difficulty starting to urinate or pain while urinating. Serious symptoms such as bone pain occur in advanced stages.

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Breakfast for a Mountain of a man

Camping cookware needed:
Large cast iron skillet with lid (any skillet will work, but a cast iron one works best)
A sturdy spatula and large serving spoon
Medium to large bowl or pan, and fork, to scramble the eggs
*Check out these basic camping cast iron cookware discount prices.

Basic ingredients: (to serve 4 to six campers)
Sage sausage – one 16oz. package
Hashbrowns – diced or shredded – one 26oz. package frozen hashbrowns, or two 16oz. dairy-case hashbrowns (like Betty Crocker “Simply Hashbrowns”)
Eggs – one dozen
Cheddar cheese, shredded – two cups
Bacon* – one 12oz or 16oz package (*optional but recommended)
Salt & Pepper – season to taste – approx. 1.5 tspn. salt and 1 tspn. pepper
*Two tbspn. cooking oil if bacon is not used

Cook bacon strips until well browned and crispy. Remove bacon, but do not drain skillet.
Then crumble the sausage into the skillet and cook, (over high heat), until browned.
Use the spatula to chop the sausage while it cooks to avoid ending up with large chunks or semi-patties. You want to end up with the texture of cooked hamburger
Remove the cooked sausage, (do not drain skillet), and set aside. Then add hashbrowns and cook, (over high heat), until browned.
*the bottom of the skillet should be covered with the bacon and sausage grease – if not add a little cooking oil until it is.
Don’t over-stir these. Use the spatula to turn them a couple times at approx. 5-minute intervals
Scramble the eggs in a bowl while the hashbrowns are cooking
When hashbrowns are done, add back the cooked sausage, then pour in the scrambled eggs. Stir once to mix things up, then cover the skillet and cook over medium heat until eggs begin to set. Stir as needed to keep the eggs from sticking and burning.
When eggs are set, and almost done, crumble the bacon strips and sprinkle over top, followed by two cups of shredded cheese – sprinkled to cover top. Cover the skillet and wait approx. five minutes for the topping to melt.
 Remove from heat, sprinkle on Parsley or Fennel – and serve.

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Be Sure To Wash Hands

Alcohol based hand sanitizer does not do the job of getting hands clean as good old soap and water. While sanitizer kills most of the bad germs that can make someone sick it does not kill all. Alcohol sanitizer is often more effective and less drying than using soap and water and does not create antibiotic resistant superbugs. So you take the good... you take the bad.... and you end up with clean hands.

Good hygiene is important to everyone from health care professionals to school children. Nearly 80% of infections are spread by touch but only 30% of people use soap while washing hands. Both the WHO and Centre of Diseases and Control recommend most effective and often the most underappreciated method to fight infections is through proper hand washing routine.

***********Most individuals only wash their hands for *********
***********    around 10 seconds. This short period of time ******
***********  does not remove all bacteria that could be present *****

Good hand - washing technique should include the following :

• wash hands for 30 seconds                                                                                 
  
• if there is no water available then use sanitizer                                                     
  
• Do not touch your face as many infections are spread by touch and enter your system through your eyes, nose or mouth

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Do You Have RLS

Have your legs ever hurt you at night so much that the pain keeps you awake?? Do you have to move your legs often because they feel uncomfortable no matter what you try to do?? Does the pain lessen or go away when you get up and move about?? Does sitting to long or laying down to long make your leg pain increase?? Does the leg pain increase in the evening and night time hours??

If you answered yes to these questions you may suffer from Restless Leg Syndrome or RLS. The national sleep foundation believes that an average of one in every ten American adults suffer from RLS. Many still believe that RLS is underdiagnosed.

Restless leg syndrome is a neurological syndrome that is also considered a sleep disorder as the symptoms increase at night. RLS often feels like a twitch or jiggling sensation is occurring in their legs.

RLS often runs in families and is increased by stress, inflammation and poor diet choices. It is believed that a healthy lifestyle will help improve symptoms of Restless Leg Syndrome.

In addition nutritional deficiencies play a part in RLS. Nutrient deficient diets in magnesium, iron, folate, vitamin B6, vitamin D and electrolytes are all critical to function of the nervous system.

If you think this may be you, or you have symptoms that relate to these you should contact your doctor to find out what to do. There is treatment and medications that can help and would it not be great to get a good night of sleep

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Best of the Weekend

Childhood Dishes and a Pot Pie Recipe

Some of my childhood memories include the foods that we ate. As I look back I recall several meals of Banquet potpies and T.V. dinners. Oh they were super tasty except for the peas and carrots. Perhaps, that is why mom chose to serve us those meals or perhaps it was the fact that she was very busy as well as suffered from depression, knew she had to feed her children and did the best she could.

I love to cook and bake for my children so I try to recreate many of the childhood meals. Take for instance pot pies, they are not as hard to make as some would think. I love the flaky crust and I can put my choice of ingredients into the pie. Pot pies are great at allowing you to explore your freedom by using whatever ingredients you like best. The most important tip to keep in mind is to use quality ingredients.

Keep in mind that you don't want mushy veggies in your pot pie so don't use veggies that don't hold up to the heat after being heated for a while. Try different things for example mix up what the crust is made up of. From cornbread to the traditional crust will work. Its your pie make it your way.

4 Tablespoons butter
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 in pieces
3 medium carrots, cut into 1in pieces
1 medium onion
1 rib of celery
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
6 Tbsp all purpose flour
3 cups chicken broth (or veg broth for veg version)
4 cups cooked chicken meat, shredded or cubed
2/3 cups frozen peas
1/2 cup plus 1 Tablespoon heavy cream, divided
1 Tablespoon minced parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 package (15 oz) refrigerated pie pastries (2 will be in the package)
1 egg

In a large pot, add butter, potatoes carrots, onion, celery and garlic. Sauté until tender. Stir in flour until blended.
Gradually add broth.Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in peas, ½ cup cream, parsley, garlic salt and pepper. Stir in chicken.
Spoon into two ungreased 9 in pie plates. In a small bowl, whisk egg and 1 Tbsp or cream, set aside.
Roll out the pastry to fit the top of each pie. Place over filling and trim, seal and flute edges. Cut slits in pasty to vent. Brush top of pies with egg mixture. Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes or until golden. Let stand for 10 mins before cutting.

NOTE: You can bake both pies, or cover and freeze one potpie for up to 3 months. To use frozen potpie, remove from the freezer 30 minutes before baking. Cover pie loosely with foil. Place on a baking sheet. Pre heat oven to 375-degree F and bake until lightly browned and bubbly, about 30 to 45 minutes. Oven times will vary.

NOTE: Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 425 for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350, remove foil. Bake 55-60 minutes longer or until golden brown.


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Candy Blondies

2 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups light brown sugar, packed
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup white chocolate chips
3/4 cup White Chocolate Candy Corn M&M's

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium sized bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt until combined.
In a separate large bowl beat together the butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Then slowly beat in the flour mixture until all combined. Then stir in the white chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of White Chocolate Candy Corn M&M's.
Spread the batter evenly in a greased 9x13 pan. Then place the remaining 1/4 cup of White Chocolate Candy Corn M&M's on top.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Makes 12 larger bars, but they can be cut into smaller pieces. Store in an airtight container.

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What DO YOu Think .... Banned Books

Banned book week started in 1982 to create awareness of the harm of censorship. During the week a challenge to read and express ideas is given.

In the past several of our favorite childhood books were banned. Here are just a few examples:

• The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                                                A public library in Colorado banned this book in 1988 as it was thought to be too sexist. Some believed the young boy was continually taking from the female tree and never offering anything in return. The young boy continued to take from the tree til the tree had nothing left to offer
• The Lorax by Dr. Seuss                                                                                                                             
  
                                                                                                                        was banned in 1989 by a California school because it was portrayed logging industry in a bad light. The Lorax was criticized for excessive portrayal of consumerism where greedy Americans want the latest and greatest items regardless of consequences
• James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl                                                                                       
  
                                                                                                                                                                                                    This book has been banned several times for being too scary for targeted age group. It has also been said to promote bad behavior, disobedience and at times to some comunism. 

What Do You Think???

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Time To Clean The Yard

Time to do those fall chores. Not only will doing some chores now make the yard better but it will help cut down on work needing down next spring. Some chores that you may consider doing include:

• Rake leaves now rather than later. If snow falls on unraked leaves they get wet and matted down Raking now avoids dead patches in the spring. Leaves in the garden area however is a good thing. 
• Use a slow release fertilizer to soak up nutrients. 
• time to pull weeds 
• dehydration can occur during cold months so water trees and shrubs now
• Clean out the garde with leftover fruit and veggie debri. 
• Plant spring bulbs like daffodils and tulips 

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Make Up Some Cute Magic Brooms

String cheese
Mini pretzel sticks
Chives

Cut the string cheese in 2” strips.
Insert a mini pretzel stick into one end of the string cheese. Carefully pull or cut the bottom half of the string cheese into strips.
Tie on a chive to finish.

this recipe and many other fun halloween ideas can be found here


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Ovarian Cancer Awareness

the United States an average of 20,000 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer this year alone. Each year an average of 15,000 women will die from the cancer. Many cases are not diagnosed until the cancer has reached the later stages when recovery statistics are poor. This could be avoided though, if the cancer was diagnosed and treated earlier before the cancer travels out and away from the ovaries. When found early the survival rate for 5 years or more improves to 90%. This is why it is important to be able to learn early signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer.

The symptoms that go along with ovarian cancer are not always obvious. The ovaries lay deep inside the abdominal cavity. Symptoms that commonly come with ovarian cancer are

• bloating
• frequent urination
• trouble eating
• pelvic pain
• pain during sexual intercourse
• changes in menstruation
• upset stomach or heartburn

Ovarian Cancer occurs in 4 stages. Your doctor should be able to determine your stage through surgery. Stages of ovarian cancer are:

• Stage 1                                                                                                               The first stage is the earliest where the cancer is still inside the ovaries. The first stage has 3 phases known as A, B, and C. The phases help detail where the cancer is located. 
• Stage 2                                                                                                               By the time the cancer reaches stage one or both of the ovaries have been affected as well as the pelvic extension
• Stage 3                                                                                                               The cancer has affected one or both ovaries. The cancer has spread beyond the pelvis and / or is spreading to the lymph nodes
• stage 4                                                                                                                the most advanced stage , cancer has affected one or both ovaries and has spread to organs outside of the peritoneal cavity.

Treatment for Ovarian Cancer comes in one of the following :

• Surgery is the most common form of treatment
• Chemotherapy often follows up surgery
• Radiation rarely used 

Crockpot Apple Monkey Bread

This is perfect dish for breakfast, after school treat, dessert or to take anywhere you may need to bring a dish. The crock-pot makes it transportable for those times away from home as well. The apple scent and flavor is perfect for fall. I hope you enjoy this fall inspired dish

3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
a few grates of fresh nutmeg or a pinch of ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
4 7 1/2 ounce cans refrigerated biscuits (40 biscuits total)
1 1/2 cups diced, peeled cooking apples
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup apple cider
1 teaspoon vanilla

Spray inside of a 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix together granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the sugar mixture in the bottom of the prepared slow cooker. Set the remaining sugar mixture aside.
Cut each biscuit into quarters. Add biscuits and apples to sugar mixture in the bowl, tossing to coat. Add mixture to slow cooker. Sprinkle with any remaining sugar mixture. In a small bowl stir together butter, apple cider, and vanilla; pour over biscuits.
Cover and cook on high-heat setting for 2 to 2½ hours or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Turn off slow cooker. Carefully remove lid so that condensation does not drip onto bread. Cover opening of slow cooker with paper towels and place lid on top. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of slow cooker, then move bread to serving platter. Spoon any topping from the cooker onto bread; cool slightly. Serve warm.

recipe source here

• 1 Tbsp olive oil (for sauteing onions- sub water for lower calorie option)
• ½ medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 oz. Canadian bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces
• 4 cups baby spinach, washed
• salt and pepper , to taste
• 6 large eggs
• 2 cups milk
• ½ tsp dry mustard
• 6 cups 1 inch cubes Italian bread (about ¾ loaf of Italian( or French ) baguette )
• 4 oz. Gruyere cheese, grated ( about 1 cup) ( or your favorite cheese, like cheddar, Swiss or jack)

Instructions

1. Spray a 8x11 or 9x9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. set aside.
2. In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions are just about translucent ( about 2-3 min.) . Add Canadian bacon and cook for an additional minute. Add spinach and stir into mixture. Turn off heat and season with salt and pepper (to taste). Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl wisk together eggs, milk and dry mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Spread half of the bread cubes in the bottom of prepared baking dish. Spoon half the bacon/spinach mixture over the top of bread. Sprinkle half the cheese on top. Repeat by spreading the remaining bread crumbs, topped with the remaining bacon/spinach mixture. Pour the egg mixture over the casserole, making sure to get the sides of the dish. Top with remaining cheese. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight). 
   
5. Preheat oven to 400F. Uncover dish and bake until golden brown (about 45-50 minutes) . If necessary cover casserole with aluminum foil for last few minutes of baking if it is becoming too brown. Remove from oven and let sit 5 minutes before serving

n we draw little hearts we often associate them with love. For the heart in a human body that is exactly what we should do we should love our selves enough to take care of our heart. The heart is a vital human organ that should not be neglected. Any failure in the hearts functioning may result in discomfort or lead to death. Care should be placed on ones health before our heart ruins its normal lifestyle. A healthy life style including mood swings and an active lifestyle are important to have. Attention should be placed on our diet as well.

Foods rich in food fiber, folic acid, folate and vegetable fats. These foods avoid the increase of bad cholesterol and in turn protect the state of the blood vessels

You may be surprised when I say that chocolate is good for your heart. Dark Chocolate that is. Cocoa beans can help lower body fats. One oz. of dark chocolate only has 150 calories

Oatmeal is another food that is good for the heart. High in soluble fiber will lower cholesterol Instant oats is not as good as it may contain extra sugar.

Berries are helpful in caring for heart disease Eating at least 3 servings of berries a week can help lower chance of heart attack by 1/3.  Both strawberries and blueberries can help in dilating blood vessels and decreasing blood pressure.

Citrus fruits and vitamin C helps cure many hearts and skin diseases. Oranges, lemons and grapefruits help lower blood pressure. Be cautious of packaged fruit and juices as they may have extra sugar included

Grapes contain flavonoids that do dual duty. They fight against cancer and help prevent heart attacks.


You may also want to read about protecting your health by Adding flavor not salt

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