Friday, May 14, 2010

Cucumber Applications







1. Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

2. Feeling tired in the afternoon, put down the caffeinated soda and pick up a cucumber. Cucumbers are a good source of B Vitamins and Carbohydrates that can provide that quick pick-me-up that can last for hours.

3. Tired of your bathroom mirror fogging up after a shower? Try rubbing a cucumber slice along the mirror, it will eliminate the fog and provide a soothing, spa-like fragrance.

4. Are grubs and slugs ruining your planting beds? Place a few slices in a small pie tin and your garden will be free of pests all season long. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminum to give off a scent undetectable to humans but drive garden pests crazy and make them flee the area.


5. Looking for a fast and easy way to remove cellulite before going out or to the pool? Try rubbing a slice or two of cucumbers along your problem area for a few minutes, the phytochemicals in the cucumber cause the collagen in your skin to tighten, firming up the outer layer and reducing the visibility of cellulite. Works great on wrinkles too!!!

6.. Want to avoid a hangover or terrible headache? Eat a few cucumber slices before going to bed and wake up refreshed and headac he free. Cucumbers contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body lost, keeping everything in equilibrium, avoiding both a hangover and headache!!

7. Looking to fight off that afternoon or evening snacking binge? Cucumbers have been used for centuries and often used by European trappers, traders and explores for quick meals to thwart off starvation.

8. Have an important meeting or job interview and you realize that you don't have enough time to polish your shoes? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe, its chemicals will provide a quick and durable shine that not only looks great but also repels water.



9. Out of WD 40 and need to fix a squeaky hinge? Take a cucumber slice and rub it along the problematic hinge, and voila, the squeak is gone!

10. Stressed out and don't have time for massage, facial or visit to the spa? Cut up an entire cucumber and place it in a boiling pot of water, the chemicals and nutrients from the cucumber will react with the boiling water and be released in the steam, creating a soothing, relaxing aroma that has been shown to reduce stress in new mothers and college students during final exams.

11. Just finish a business lunch and realize you don't have gum or mints? Take a slice of cucumber and press it to the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds to eliminate bad breath, the phytochemcials will kill the bacteria in your mouth responsible for causing bad breath.

12. Looking for a 'green' way to clean your faucets, sinks or stainless steel? Take a slice of cucumber and rub it on the surface you want to clean, not only will it remove years of tarnish and bring back the shine, but is won't leave streaks and won't harm you fingers or fingernails while you clean.

bet you thought this would be rude

13. Using a pen and made a mistake? Take the outside of the cucumber and slowly use it to erase the pen writing, also works great on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!!

Pass this along to everybody you know who is looking for better and safer ways to solve life's everyday problems.

Super Duper Can be Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies

                                                    Natalie Turner
*Everything I want my kids to eat starts with Super Duper

2 ¼ cups flour – I use all whole wheat
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup coconut- or less depending on taste
1 cup oats -  I like to use a ½ old fashioned and ½ quick
1 cup butter – I will use ½ cup butter and ½ cup bean puree OR 1 cup bean puree instead
¾ cups packed brown sugar
¼ cup white sugar
1 pkg. (3.4 oz) INSTANT vanilla pudding
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips- milk or semi sweet
1 cup chopped walnuts – some prep work is involved- soak walnuts before chopping for 15-20 mins(gets rid of the bitterness) then I like to put them in the freezer for another 20-30 mins, then I smash them so there aren’t pieces- the kids eat them better this way.

Preheat oven to 350˚F.  Sift together the flour, baking soda, coconut, and oats -  set aside.   In large mixing bowl cream butter(and/or bean puree) with both sugars.  Beat in pudding until blended.  Stir in eggs and vanilla.  Add flour mixture a little at a time.  Dough will be kinda stiff.  Stir in nuts and chips- I like to do this one at a time.   Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased pan or sheet.  Bake 12-15 mins until golden brown.  Makes about 4 dozen. 

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Apple Surprise Mini Pies

makes 12
(You can visit this site to see pictures.)



Ingredients:
  • 1 3/4 C. (1 package) Graham Crackers
  • 1/3 C. butter, melted
  • 24 oz. (3 pkg) Philadelphia Cream Cheese
  • 3/4 C. sweetened condensed milk
  • 2/3 C. white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 3 cans apple pie filling
  • 2 ready-made pie crusts (the kind that is just dough that you unwrap, or make your own)
  • 12 half pint canning jars or ramekins
  • Drinking glass (a little larger than your jar lids), to cut out crust

Directions:
  1. Place graham crackers in ziploc bag and crush. I think this was the kids' favorite part. Wham! Wham! Wham!Pour melted butter into baggie with graham crackers and shake to mix well. Place 2 heaping tablespoons of graham cracker mixture into bottom of a half pint jar and carefully spread around.
  2. For cheesecake layer, beat cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add sugar, eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice and mix well. Place 1/3 c. of cream cheese mixture into each jar.
  3. Fill jars to the top with apple pie filling (about 1/2 C).
  4. Unroll pie crust. Find a drinking glass or round cookie cutter that is about 1/2" larger than your jar lid and cut out 4 circles. Re-roll remaing dough and cut out 2 more circles. Repeat with other pie crust. If desired, cut small slits or a little shape in the middle of your crust.
  5. Place one cutout crust on each jar and pinch edges to resemble a pie crust. Finish with a light dusting of white sugar.
  6. Place on a cookie sheet (just in case any of them leak, you don't want to clean that out of your oven!) and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes until pie crusts are browned. I came back in the kitchen to find these two little bakers waiting veeeeeery patiently for their pies to come out of the oven... Remove from oven. Tie a small ribbon around each jar, if desired, and serve. I can't wait to make these for our next sit-down dinner, they'd be adorable served to each guest for dessert!

Salmon Glaze



  • 3/4 cup melted butter
  • 3 cloves fresh garlic
  • 3-4 Tbl. honey
  • 1 Tbl. soy sauce
  • dash of hot sauce (opt.)
  • Mix all together & warm up in microwave.
Hope you enjoy!

Friday, December 4, 2009

Slow-Cooker Lasagna

Kraftfoods.com

1 lb ground beef
1 jar (26 oz) spaghetti sauce
1 cup water
1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 pkg (7 oz) shredded mozzarella
1 egg
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
6 lasagna noodles, uncooked


Brown meat in large skillet and drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce and water. In separate bowl, mix ricotta cheese, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, and 2 tbsp Parmesan, egg and parsley.

Spoon 1 cup meat mixture into crock pot. Top with layers of half each of the noodles, broken to fit; then cheese mixture. Cover with 2 cups meat sauce, then remaining noodles, then cheese mix. Top with meat sauce. Cover with lid.

Cook on LOW 4-6 hours or till liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses; let stand, covered, 10 minutes or till melted.

For best results, do not cook on HIGH!

For lower fat options, use lean ground beef, skim ricotta, and reduced fat Parmesan.

Serves 8

Monday, November 30, 2009

Sweet Pork Burritos

Julie Johnson
1 Pork Roast
1 cup Salsa
1 cup Brown Sugar

Add all ingredients together in a crockpot. Cook on low for about 8 hours. Pull pork apart in to small pieces once it is finished cooking. Serve on warm tortillas with cheese and sour cream.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Julie's Peanut Butter Rice Krispies

Julie Johnson
1 1/2 cups Sugar
1 1/2 cups White Karo Syrup (Light Corn Syrup)
1 TBSP Vanilla... Read More
1 cup peanut butter
10 cups rice krispies
1 bag milk chocolate chips
1/2 bag butterscotch chips
1/2 bag white chocolate or vanilla chips

Mix sugar and corn syrup in a pan and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add vanilla and peanut butter until completely mixed. Mix into the large bowl of rice krispies. Press into a jelly roll pan lined with wax paper (I spray the wax paper with pam, it makes it way easier to get them out). Melt all the chips together and spread on top. Put them in the fridge until the chocolate sets. YUMMY!!!