MAKE A NOTE!! -- May 5th, 2004
CIRCULATION - 40,453 (From Around the World! :-)
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A Free Twice Monthly (1st and 3d Wednesday of each month) Ezine with (Hopefully) Useful Info on a Wide Variety of Topics
NEXT ISSUE TO BE PUBLISHED ON/ABOUT MAY 19TH, 2004
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NOTE: Each entry has a suggested "POST IT..." location at the end. We recommend that you print out the ezine, cut out each entry, & post it in these locations to make it easier for you to find when you need it. And if you like what you read, be sure to pass it on to someone else who can use it.
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My Favorite: Books
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"Fresh Choices" Cookbook & so much more
The reason I say, "& so much more," is that this "cookbook" is filled with
information that you can use in ALL of your recipes. Whether you prepare one of
the delicious recipes "Fresh Choices" provides, or one of your own, authors
David Joachim & Rochelle Davis will guide you to choices that will help you &
your family to eat healthier, and be healthier. Subtitled, "More Than 100 Easy
Recipes for Pure Food When You Can't Buy 100% Organic," it will appeal to those
who would prefer organic produce, but either can't find it in their area, or
can't afford it. Remember that organic doesn't just refer to produce, this book
has info on EVERY food group, from produce, to dairy, meats, poultry, and more.
It will tell you what fruits should be peeled (due to pesticide residue) and
which can be eaten whole. With their lists for buying seasonal produce (what
months certain fruits may be found locally), alternatives for high pesticide
produce, and articles on food safety & environmental issues in the news, you can
be a more educated consumer and find a better way. But even if this amazing
collection of information above doesn't interest you, then buy it for the
recipes alone, recipes like Orange Walnut Meringues, Chicken & Asparagus Gratin,
and Cajun Catfish in Cornmeal. The authors have graciously given permission for
us to share some of their recipes in this and future issues. So check out the
Garlicky Lemon Broccoli in our recipe section below. If you are looking for a
last minute Mother's Day gift, may I suggest "Fresh
Choices."
POST IT...on your shopping list, and in your cookbook collection.
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New Military Widows/ers Benefit
Just in case you missed the (sparse) news reports about this computer glitch,
if you used your Visa or MasterCard credit card on March 31st at This may be an
even better Mother's Day present for those who don't know about it. When a
military spouse dies of a service related condition, the surviving spouse
receives certain benefits. It used to be if the survivor remarried, all these
benefits were lost. For those on tight incomes, esp. the elderly, this could be
a big loss. But the law has been changed. If a survivor remarries at age 57 or
older, then they no longer lose the benefits. If the survivor already remarried
and lost benefit, but was 57 or older when the remarriage occurred, then they
can apply to reinstate the benefits. The deadline to apply for reinstatement is
Dec. 16th, 2004, only 8 months away. The spouses of these widows/widowers gave
their all for our country, so be sure to pass this info along to community
groups, friends, family, and anyone else who will help spread the word. To
download the form to apply for reinstatement go to...
www.vba.va.gov/pubs/forms/21-686c.pdf
If you have any questions, contact your local Dept. of Veteran Affairs. Thank
you to Beverly P. who was kind enough to bring this to our attention.
POST IT...in your email to forward to your contacts, on your calendar if you need to file, and to anyone else who needs to know.
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Hammocks/Cots for Dad's Day?
Even though it is May, we can't forget the dads out there. If you are one of
the many families with a dad currently deployed overseas, then you'll need to
allow some extra mailing time. These men work hard and look forward to their
bunk time. Many are sleeping on standard issue military cots, which I can tell
you from experience are noisy and not that comfortable. But recently I came
across some "super-cots" and a portable hammock that might make those dads VERY
happy. For the portable hammock, go to...
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com
and enter "hammock" into the search feature, then click on the "portable
hammock." This hammock slips into a nice carrying pouch, similar to the popular
blue canvas folding chairs. They also have a store locator on the site, if you
don't want to buy it online. Now if your dad doesn't want to lose the cot, but
would like a little more privacy, check out the Ventura Camp Systems Cabin Cot.
This is sort of like a little tent that fits on top of your military cot. To get
a better look at it, go to...
http://www.cabelas.com Click on
"Camping/Food Prep" in the left margin, then click on "Sleeping Pads/Cots/Air
Beds" under "Camp Gear" about the middle of the page, then scroll down until you
see the Ventura Camp Systems Cabin Cot and click on the photo. Cabelas stores
are located in the Midwest or you can order online. Even if your dad isn't
deployed, many men who are into camping, or just don't have the space for a
large hammock, would probably enjoy these items.
POST IT...near your computer, and on the calendar.
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Graph Paper Printer
This one is for all those parents out there who have driven all over town,
when the office stores were closed, trying to find graph paper for a child's
homework assignment. Most assignments don't require a huge amount of graph paper
anyway. But you can go to this site and download a program to print your own
graph paper. You adjust the size of the squares, the thickness of the lines,
even the size of the paper. Go to...
http://www.prantnerland.com/PrintGraphPaper.htm
A big thank you to Wally for sharing this with us. Some of our best articles
come from our readers.
POST IT...on your computer.
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Recipe: Garlicky Lemon Broccoli (from "Fresh Choices" Cookbook)
Here's my family's standard side dish for broccoli. It's so simple, I hardly
consider it a recipe. But my kids love eating broccoli this way, so there must
be something to it. Hopefully, your whole family will like it, too.
2 heads broccoli, cut into florets (about 5 cups)
Juice of ½ lemon
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Put the broccoli in a steamer basket set over a pan of simmering water. Cover
and steam until the broccoli is crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Meanwhile, squeeze
the juice from the lemon into a large bowl. Whisk in the oil in a slow, steady
stream until thoroughly blended. Whisk in the garlic, salt, pepper, and pepper
flakes (if using). Add the hot broccoli and toss to coat with the dressing.
Makes 4 servings
Choice Advice: Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels
sprouts rank consistently low in pesticide residues when grown by conventional
methods.
Helping Hands: To quickly cut a head of broccoli into florets, cut off the stalk
crosswise just below the base of the florets' small stems. The bottom layer of
florets will fall away from the stalk. Continue cutting across the stems of the
florets until all are removed. You can use the pieces of stem in this recipe,
too. Just cut them into ½" pieces so they're cooked through when the florets are
ready.
When buying fresh broccoli, look for heads with a dark purple color. These
contain the most beta-carotene, which can help prevent heart disease, cancer,
and cataracts.
POST IT...in your recipe box & shopping list.
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Back Issue Treasure: February 1st, 1999
Okay, most of this back issue is specific to Valentine's Day, but there is a great article on how to get good gifts for your loved ones. This doesn't just apply to Valentine's Day, but also to Mother's Day, Father's Day, birthdays, and any other special occasion. So check it out and YOU won't be disappointed by the look on their face when they open the gift you provide.
To retrieve this back issue click HERE.
POST IT...by your computer.
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Missing Child Info: Palmira Rios
Palmira Rios (12-yr-old, white/Hispanic female, brown hair/eyes, 5'4",
100lbs) was abducted while on the way to her middle school in Haltom City, TX,
USA, by Jorge Vega Baez (19-yr-old, white/Hispanic male, brown hair/eyes, 5'7",
200 lbs) on April 22, 2004. A felony warrant for Kidnapping was issued for the
abductor on April 23, 2004. They may be traveling in a black 1999 Ford
Expedition with Texas license plates C62XYW. Palmira was last seen wearing a
navy blue sweater and jeans. She has a scar on her abdomen. The abductor may use
the alias Jorge Baez Gomez. They may be headed to Mexico.
Go to this link for photos...
http://www.ncmec.org/missingkids/servlet/PubCaseSearchServlet?act=viewPoster&caseNum=986975&orgPrefix=NCMC&searchLang=en_US
OR go to
Http://www.ncmec.org, click on "More Search
Options," then enter in "Rios" under "Last Name" and "Palmira" under "First
Name" at the bottom of the page. POST IT...in your businesses or in your car,
esp. if you are in & around TX or Mexico.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Some of you have tried to access files of children featured in past issues without success. This usually means the children were found and the files were removed.
Final Words
JOKE
A koala goes into a restaurant, orders a big meal, and eats it. Then when the waiter brings the check, the koala shoots him and starts to run away. The manager runs out and yells, "Stop, you can't do that." The koala turns and says, "That's exactly what I'm supposed to do, look it up." So the manager runs into his office, finds a dictionary and looks up "koala." Under the definition it says "koalas eat shoots and leaves." :-)
QUOTE
"...we must do everything in our power to find these killers (the terrorists) and bring them to justice, before they hurt us again. I'm afraid they want to hurt us again. They're still there. They can be right one time; we've got to be right a hundred percent of the time in order to protect the country. It's a mighty task."
--President of the USA George W. Bush (April 13th, 2004)
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