Homemaking Tip

Love this awesome storage idea I found on a post on facebook. Simply Use a tension rod under a sink to hang cleaners on! It saves space on the "floor" of the cabinet I love it a cleaning cabinet where everything is in one space.

Deep Dish Beefaroni Pizza

Ok so you have not a whole lot of time to cook supper for the family. Busy schedules do just this to a meal plan. Don't worry though as there are still lots of great recipes to enjoy and you don't have to have a lot of time to make them

2 cans (2 x 425g) Chef Boyardee^® Beefaroni^®

1 Baked tart shell (large) or prepared pizza dough

1 cup (250 mL) sliced pepperoni/chopped green pepper (or other ‘pizza ingredients')

2 cups (500 mL) grated Mozzarella cheese

½ can (340 mL) Hunt's^® Thick and Rich Pasta Sauce (any flavour)

Spray 9" x 13" pan with PAM^®. Press pizza dough into the pan, pressing the dough about 1 - 1½ " up the sides. Mix the Chef Boyardee^® Beefaroni^® and pasta sauce together and spoon evenly onto dough. Top with grated cheese, then add your favourite pizza toppings. Bake at 400°F on the lowest rack for 25-30 minutes

 

recipe source here

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what to do weekends

Go for Broke Day with a Special Recipe

Go for Broke day is the day for those that gamble for money, love or just chance. It is a great day to put it all on line and take a chance. Great day to take a chance on that risky project or to take upon a new job or even ask that special gal out on a date. Not one to take many chances well today may be the special day to hold it just a bit looser. Go for broke and check the risk. Today we took a chance and are offering this great new recipe to you for raisin and spice day

 

 

Christine's Chewy Raisin and Spice (With Oats and Other Healthy Stuff) Bars
 

1/3 cup honey
1 cup strong black tea
1 cup raisins
1 1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 cup applesauce
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup oats
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp all-spice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350.  Line the bottom of  a 13" x 9" baking pan with parchment paper.  In a microwave safe container, microwave the tea, the honey, and raisins for 2 minutes.  Stir and microwave for another 2 minutes if the honey is still thick.  Let the raisins, tea, and honey stand for at least 5 minutes to allow the raisins to plump up a little.  Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl together and set aside.  Measure the brown sugar into a large bowl.  Pour the tea/honey/raisins over the brown sugar.  Stir until  all the sugar has dissolved.  Add the vanilla and applesauce and stir until applesauce is spread throughout.  Add dry ingredients and mix until well combined.  Pour into prepared dish and bake for 40 minutes.  Cool completely.  Cut into bars about 1"x 2".

  recipe source here

National Walk To Work Day

The first Friday in April is always walk to work day. It is beautiful outside here, a whole lot wet, but what a great day it would be to take a walk. What is it like in your neighborhood. Have you been out to take a look what the storm did, what flowers are coming up , or even what is a bit different in your neighborhood? Maybe today is that day to take a walk.

The secretary of health and human services has declared the first Friday in April as national walk to work day. Because the threat of obesity and sedentary lifestyles among us this day was created. It is a great start of a way to start an exercise program to get into shape. If it is not possible for you to walk to work then take a walk during lunch or at another time today. The goal is to get everyone walking 30 minutes a day. That simple 30 minute walk will improve ones health by lowering weight, less chance of heart disease, less risk of diabetes and many more health benefits.


Walking is free of charge but gives more benefits than one can imagine. A simple walk is healthy and relaxing. Perhaps today is the day to make walking part of your life style

      
         

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Spend Time With Your Child

April is Child Prevention month. I thought I would share some great ideas that you could do to help your child be healthy feel safe and secure

Saturday 1 Compliment a child's accomplishment.
Sunday 2 Read a book with a child.
Monday 3 Fly a kite together.
Tuesday 4 Involve a child in preparing a special meal.
Wednesday 5 Catch your child doing something good.
Thursday 6 Remind your child that your love is not dependent on schoolwork.
Friday 7 Leave a love note in your child's lunch bag.
Saturday 8 Ask your child's opinion on an issue that affects the family.
Sunday 9 Go to a playground or a park together.
Monday 10 Coordinate a scavenger hunt around your house.

Tuesday 11 Tell a child about something funny that happened to you when you were a child.

Wednesday 12 Take flowers home to your spouse with a note on why you value your marriage.
Thursday 13 Bake and decorate a cake or make cookies together.
Friday 14 Work on an art project together.
Saturday 15 Talk with a child about what to do in an emergency.
Sunday 16 Look for figures in the clouds.
Monday 17 Give a new responsibility—and a new privilege—to your child.
Tuesday 18 Practice crossing the street safely.
Wednesday 19 Visit neighbors together, particularly if they have children.
Thursday 20 Donate old clothes, toys, or household items to charity together.

Friday 21 Watch a video together.

Saturday 22 Help a child write a letter to his or her grandmother, favorite TV star, or the President.
Sunday 23 Have a picnic in the yard or the park.
Monday 24 Choose something to count (trucks, dogs). Take a walk and keep track of how many you see.
Tuesday 25 Plan an outing to a free outdoor concert or exhibit.
Wednesday 26 Give your child a hug.
Thursday 27 Plant a flower or some herbs together.
Friday 28 Go to a ball game together.
Saturday 29 Do a puzzle together.
Sunday 30 Tell your child that you love him or her.

Make Your Own Playdough Mats

Make your own playdough mats its simple, easy and best of all its free. Perfect for that rainy day weather

Instructions
1.Click on the image of your choice to get the full-sized version
2. Print out the picture
3. Laminate it
4. Get homemade or store bought dough of your choice
5. Have fun!

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Best of the Weekend
saturday sharefest

Baseball History

Today in history Hank Aaron goes past the home run record that Babe Ruth set. What an awesome record to have been accomplished. Now again that record was passed but in the year 1974 was a feat to be celebrated

Strawberry Salsa recipe on Vitamin C day

Vitamin C also known as ascorbic acid is a water soluble vitamin which is essential for the normal function of the body. Humans are unable to make our own vitamin c instead we must get it through our diet. Fresh vegetables and fruits normally provide enough vitamin C in our diets. Juice is a great way to get all the vitamins in our diet. History has shown the inability to get enough vitamin c has led to scurvy.

1 cup finely chopped strawberries
1/4 cup finely chopped peeled avocado
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons finely chopped jalapeño pepper
1/4 teaspoon Agave Nectar, honey or white sugar

 

Gently mix all ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Serve immediately.  You can make this a couple of hours before serving, but if you let sit too long, it will develop a liquid base.

Serve with cinnamon tortilla chips, or over top of grilled chicken, pork, or fish for a sweet and savory addition to your meal.

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Full Plate Thursday (W830)- Miz Helen's Country Cottage
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Thursday Link Party (T- Hani at Craftionary
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Its Ok Tell A Lie

When I was a little girl I was told that the white specks on my finger nails resembled white lies that I told. Now that made me really worried and I started to tell the truth no matter how hard it was and every day I watched my fingernails. As I got older I started to understand that there was many times that I would have to bend the truth, not really lie but bend it to make life a bit more easier to live. I do have friends that prefer to never bend the truth and to tell it stark and loud no matter who it hurts or bothers. Today is tell a lie day and maybe you can use this day to tell all those little untruths and escape to tomorrow where the truth will rule again. Later on this month national day of honesty will be observed.
   

Happy Birthday Pony Express

One story I do not think I have ever shared with you is that my father was a rural mail carrier and on Saturday mornings we would travel with him to deliver mail. I remember having lots of fun on these Saturdays. But realize that if had not been for the creation of the Pony Express the days of mail may not have been here at all.

On April 3, 1860, the first Pony Express mail, traveling by horse and rider relay teams, simultaneously left St. Joseph, Missouri, and Sacramento, California.  On April 13th, 10 days later, the westbound rider and mail packet completed the approximately 1,800 mile journey and arrived in Sacramento.  He beat the eastbound packet's arrival in St. Joseph by 2 days and set the new standard for speedy mail delivery.  The Pony Express was short-lived and unprofitable, but it captured America's imagination and helped win federal aid for a more economical overland postal system.  While the Pony Express was active it contributed to the economy of the towns on its route, serving the mail service needs of the American West in the days before the telegraph or an efficient transcontinental railroad.  It debuted at a time before radios and telephones, when California, which achieved statehood in 1850, was still very cut off from the eastern part of the country.  Letters that were sent from New York to the West Coast traveled by ship, which usually took at least a month, or by stagecoach on the Butterfield Express overland route.  This took from three weeks to many months to arrive.  When compared to the snail's pace of the ship or stagecoach methods, the Pony Express' average delivery time of 10 days seemed really fast! 

The Pony Express Company was the brainchild of William H. Russell, William Bradford Waddell and Alexander Majors, owners of a freight business.  It  was set up with over 150 relay stations along a pioneer trail across what are now the states of Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Nevada and California.  Riders were paid about $25 each week and carried loads up to about 20 pounds of mail.  Every 75 to 100 miles riders changed, horses were switched out every 10-15 miles.  Among the riders was the legendary frontiersman and showman, William "Buffalo Bill" Cody (1846-1917).  It is said that he signed on with the Pony Express when he was 14 years old.  The company's riders set their fastest time with Lincoln's inaugural address, which was delivered in just less than eight days.  The initial cost of Pony Express delivery was $5 for every 1/2 oz of mail.  The company began as a private enterprise and the owners had hoped to gain a profitable delivery contract from the US Government, but it never happened.  With the start of the first transcontinental telegraph line in October of 1861, the Pony Express stopped operating.  The legend however, of the lone Pony Express rider galloping across the Old West frontier to deliver the mail, lives on today.  So cool!  Happy Birthday Pony Express Company. 

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Thursdays Favorite Things

Paraprofessional day

There are many schools that have a teacher / student ratio is high. If it were not for the paraprofessional we may have had children (our most precious commodity) slip through the cracks. Thank you to the Paraprofessionals every where

Find A Rainbow Day

 I remember as a child hearing the story of Noah's Ark and God's promise not to destroy the earth in a flood again.  Here in Illinois I have seen many a flood and my mind can not imagine the entire world to be a flood. That is why I am so happy that God gave us the rainbow in the sky as a promise that there would never be a flood to cover the entire earth again. I simply love the beauty of the colors of the rainbow. Have you ever noticed how pretty the colors of the rainbow through a prism shine. The light even makes it sort of dance.
If you ever forget the arrangement of the colors of the rainbow then remember this little silly line
 "Roy G. Biv" -  Each letter of the name stands for a color of the rainbow -  in order … red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. (Although a true rainbow actually contains colors along the entire spectrum.)  

  Make your own rainbow using half a paper plate covered with cotton balls as the cloud and colorful streamers attach to the plate and hang down as the colorful rainbow.


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Home and Garden Thursday

Love Your Produce Manager Day and a delicious spring recipe

4 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 small leek, white and pale green parts only, halved, washed and thinly sliced

1 small yellow summer squash, quartered lengthwise, then cut into 1/2-inch pieces

4 ounces sugar snap peas, halved crosswise (1 cup)

16 grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup vegetable broth

2 tablespoons minced fresh basil leaves

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

 

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until just tender, about 9 minutes or according to package directions.Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add leek and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add squash and peas; cook, stirring often, until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and broth and bring to a simmer, stirring often. Simmer until the tomatoes begin to soften, about 1 minute. Add basil and pepper; cook, stirring, until the tomatoes are juicy, 1 minute more. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Drain the pasta; add it to the ragout and toss well to combine.

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National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day

As a kid I can not tell you how many pbj sandwiches I ate. As a mom I made many of these as well. Recently I found a fun updated version of the old fashioned PBJ

                       

2 tablespoons JIF® Creamy Peanut Butter

2 tablespoons SMUCKER'S® Strawberry Jelly, Jam, or Preserves

2 slices bread                                                    

Remove crusts from bread. With a rolling pin or large soup can, completely flatten bread.

Spread 1 tablespoon of Jif peanut butter and 1 tablespoon of Smucker's fruit spread on each slice of bread.Roll each slice into a tight spiral. Cut each spiral into 4 pieces.

 

recipe source here

happy tater day to you what a wonderful day it is. There is a rainbow of potatoes to be thankful for

a delicious way to fix  potatoes any time of year

3 pounds small red or white potatoes

1/4 cup good olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut the potatoes in half or quarters and place in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic; toss until the potatoes are well coated. Transfer the potatoes to a sheet pan and spread out into 1 layer. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until browned and crisp. Flip twice with a spatula during cooking in order to ensure even browning.
Remove the potatoes from the oven, toss with parsley, season to taste, and serve hot.

recipe source

We Said Goodbye Many Years Ago

19 years ago today a young rising star was shot to death and the music stopped for this amazing young lady. Selena was loved by so many for her beauty and beautiful voice.


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xmas dolly

Trip To Sun Studio

Recently I was able to travel to a famous and musically historical place. The place was Sun Studio where many of the famous musical artist of yesterday. Popular stars such as Elvis, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis once performed at these famous studios. Opened by the rock pioneer Sam Phillips in Memphis Tennessee in January 3, 1950. Ironically that is my wedding anniversary as well but was married in 1987. It was originally called the Memphis Recording Service and shared the building with the famous Sun Records.

If you ever find time to visit I truly recommend taking a moment and checking out the Sun Studios.


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Sunlit Sunday

Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed Peppers

4 green or red bell peppers
1 lb lean ground beef
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 can diced tomatoes (undrained)
1 ½ cups cooked brown rice
½ cup ketchup
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Dash of tabasco sauce

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Slice peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds & stems. Boil peppers 5 minutes to soften. Remove from water and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Sautee beef, onions and garlic in a large frying pan until beef is browned. Drain excess fat. Season beef mixture with salt and pepper, then add diced tomatoes and cooked rice. Place peppers open side up in a baking dish and stuff with meat and rice mixture. Bake peppers for 25-30 minutes.

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Snickerdoodle Sunday (Sat7p)- 2 Crochet Hooks
Submarine Sunday- USS Crafty
Sunday Best Link Party (Sun7p)-The Girl Creative
Sunday Dinner (Sun a.m.)- The Magical Slow Cooker
Sunlit Sunday (Sat7p)- My Little Home and Garden
Sweet and Savory Sunday (Sun 11a)- The Velvet Moon Baker, Cookin for the Seven Dwarves
Sweet Tea Social (blog)- Texas Women Bloggers