WFMW: Sandwich Ideas for Peanut Allergies

When my son was in daycare, there was a child who was deathly allergic to tree nuts, so we were not able to send any peanut butter sandwiches, trail mixes, granola bars, or anything containing nuts.

As you can imagine, that makes packing lunches less than ideal, as most kids love peanut butter and jelly! Fortunately, I only had to pack his lunch one time each week. I fell back on a good old standard: cream cheese and jam sandwiches.

As a result, to this day, Hunter does not like peanut butter. And while he loves peanuts and nuts of all kinds, I haven't been able to figure out if it is the texture or the flavor that turns him off. He just wont eat it. He does love tuna, hard boiled eggs, ham, turkey and other standards, but now that Hunter is going to pre-school and I'll have to pack lunch every day, I wanted to find some new cream cheese based sandwiches for him.

Here are nine recipes I'll be using this school year. Hopefully, I'll be developing more as the year goes on. If your child has peanut allergies, you might enjoy mixing these sandwich ideas up! Measurements are strictly for an idea. You know the consistency that your child would like, so use these recipes as a guide.

Cream-Cheese Banana Sandwiches

4 oz. cream cheese (room temp.)
1/2 ripe banana, mashed
1/4 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 c. raisins
2 slices canned pineapple, chopped

Combine cream cheese, banana, lemon juice, raisins, and pineapple. Spread on raisin bread.


Cream Cheese Cucumber Sandwiches

4 oz. cream cheese (room temp.)
1/3 med. cucumber, grated and well drained
1/4 small onion, grated
Pinch of salt
Mayonnaise (enough to make mixture spreadable)

Mix all together. Spread on bread.


Cream Cheese Veggie Sandwiches

4 oz cream cheese (room temp.)
1/4 carrot, shredded
1 green onions (chopped fine)
2 Tbsp green and red bell pepper (chopped fine)
Pinch of celery seed
Pinch of chopped dill
1 tsp lemon juice

Mix ingredients together in bowl. Spread on bread.


Fruity Cream Cheese Sandwiches

4 oz cream cheese (room temp.)
3/4 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
2 medium strawberries, sliced, diced or slightly mashed (more or less, depending on how much fruit you want in the sandwich)

Combine cream cheese, honey and orange zest in a bowl. Add diced strawberries (or blueberries, diced apple, raspberries, crushed pineapple, etc.). Spread on bread.


Thanksgiving Cream Cheese Sandwiches

4 oz cream cheese (room temp.)
2 Tbsp whole-berry Cranberry Sauce
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
Turkey or ham slices leftover from Thanksgiving dinner

Combine cream cheese, cranberry sauce and orange zest in a bowl. Spread on bread. Add leftover turkey or ham slices.


Pumpkin Bread Cream Cheese Sandwiches

4 oz cream cheese (room temp.)
chopped dried cranberries (optional)
chopped pecans nuts (optional)
1/8 tsp. pumpkin-pie spice
1/8 tsp. orange zest
orange juice (enough to make it spreadable)

Mix all together. Use thinly sliced pumpkin bread for sandwiches.


Peach Cream Cheese Sandwiches

4 oz cream cheese (room temp.)
1 peach, diced
A few drops of milk if necessary

Mix ingredients together in bowl. Spread on bread.


Mexican Cream Cheese Sandwiches

4 oz cream cheese (room temp.)
Salsa (add enough for desired consistency)
Shredded cheddar cheese (enough for desired consistency)

Mix ingredients together in bowl. Spread on bread.


Mandarin Orange Cream Cheese Sandwiches

4 oz cream cheese (room temp.)
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
Mandarin oranges, juice drained (save juice to make a smooth consistency)

Combine cream cheese, honey and orange zest in a bowl. Add Mandarin oranges. Spread on bread.

Hospitality Outside the Home

I'm sorry -- I had some technical difficulties today, and am just now able to post!

Today, I'm guest-posting at Reluctant Entertainer about Drop and Run Meals -- in other words: sharing hospitality outside the home. In that post, I mentioned two different meals, and wanted to share one of the recipes today.

Pop on over to Sandy's place and see what I wrote about, then come back and write these recipes down for the next time you need a meal idea to take to some one's home. They are very tasty and very simple to make -- even the least experienced in the kitchen will be able to put these recipes together.

Basil Chicken Pasta "To Go"

1 package fresh pasta (found in the deli section)
3-4 chicken breasts, cut-up in strips (about the size of your thumb)
Olive Oil
1 stick butter
1 jar Alfredo sauce
1 cup frozen Sweet Peas
1 red pepper, chopped
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped finely
1 hand full of fresh basil
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 disposable foil pan with clear lid

In a pot of salted boiling water, cook the linguine per instructions. Drain and set aside.

In a large frying pan, add half of the butter and a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Season the strips of chicken with salt and pepper, then cook until brown. Strain on a paper towel and set aside.

Melt the rest of the butter. Add the onions and red peppers and cook until tender. Add the peas, chicken, garlic and basil and cook until peas are warmed through. Toss with the noodles, Alfredo sauce and Parmesan cheese. Toss well.

Place pasta and chicken in a metal foil disposable pan. Sprinkle top liberally with Parmesan cheese and cover with clear lid.

Options: You can add any of the following veggies: broccoli, asparagus tips, mushrooms, diced tomatoes, sliced zucchini or squash, brussels sprouts. You can use any veggie combos, the key is to cook them until tender in butter and/or olive oil. In this particular dish, the butter gives the veggies a richer flavor.

Substitutions: You can substitute the chicken for left over diced turkey or ham, or crab and/or peeled shrimp. Cook the crab and shrimp in hot butter with garlic.

ENJOY!

Home Made Ice Cream

THAT'S IT... I've had it. If I have to read one more blog about home made ice cream, I think I'll scream. It's just WRONG, people!

I can't stand it, and because of that... I'm ordering an ice cream maker TODAY.

I don't care that I can't walk right now or bear weight on my one bad foot... I must sacrifice and take one for the team. So we can have delicious ice cream. Because I'm a good and generous mom like that.

It's all for the love of my family, you know.

Now... rush on over to Reluctant Entertainer and Pioneer Woman and snag their ridiculously delicious ice cream recipes. And I promise... these are women you'll love to hate to love. You'll love them so much you'll hate yourself for loving them but you can't help yourself. Whew. It's a split personality thing.

Reluctant Entertainer's Vanilla Ice Cream
Pioneer Woman's Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Pioneer Woman's Blackberry Ice Cream
Part 1
Part 2

Never mind. I can't get to my wallet.

FOILED AGAIN.

WFMW: Low Maintenance Garden

Head on over to We are THAT Family for more Works For Me Wednesday Tips!

As I've mentioned in posts past, this year, we built two raised garden beds.

Let me tell you ... they are the epitome of gardening. They are fabulous, easy and LOW MAINTENANCE!!! No tilling, and no digging holes in the impossible hard ground (we have all clay and rock)!

There are many reasons to consider gardening: economical, satisfying, hormone-free, delicious. If you haven't planted a garden, I strongly encourage you to do so.

Let me tell you what I did to make the garden low maintenance:

1. First, it is a raised garden -- with new, fresh top soil and leaf compost (we purchased a truck load per bed at the nursery - a great investment in my eyes). No old weed roots to deal with.

2. I mulched, mulched, mulched. Not only does it look good, but it keeps the soil moist longer, and holds back the weeds.

So the key to a low maintenance garden? MULCH!!! (once we establish our strawberry bed, I'll use straw around the strawberries)

In the last three months, I've only had to pull approximately 4 or 5 blades of grass that have popped up. That's pretty awesome, if you ask me! I'll keep everyone posted on how we do in the summer months with weeds.

WFMW: Quick Stain Remover for Work

Kristen at We Are THAT Family is the new host of Works For Me Wednesday (WFMW)... Thanks, Kristen for hosting this great carnival!!! Hop on over to catch a gazillion tips.

My tip is simple. I've improved on a tip that Oprah shared many, MANY years ago. I don't watch Oprah any more, so if she's shared this already, than I'm none the wiser... but for the sake of argument... let's say I'm the brilliant one here, okay?

Actually, a friend at work shared this tip with me. I can't take ANY credit for being brilliant.

Anyway - at one time, Oprah toted the MIRACLE! of BABY WIPES! for CLEANING STAINS! off of your clothing.

I disagree -- respectfully, of course... because after all, there IS a reason why Oprah is a self-made billionaire, and I ... well, I AM NOT. But the reason I disagree with Oprah is simple: The very ingredient that she claimed removed the stains (Glycerin) actually leaves a stain on the garment. Did you know that? Yep. A little greasy spot. I guess it might actually be one of the many other ingredients in baby wipes -- because glycerin is toted as a stain remover... anyhow... I'm just going off of personal experience of dozens of little baby-wipe stains.

A friend of mine brought to my attention the power of a wipe that has actually worked very, VERY well for me: Clorox Disinfecting Wipes.

Yep. You heard me! Clorox Wipes.

They do NOT contain bleach, and they do NOT contain glycerin. They do not discolor or stain. I wear a lot of "dry clean only" items to work. I also spill a lot of stuff on my "dry clean only" items. You know what I do? I wipe it lightly with the Clorox Wipe (or sometimes vigorously), and let it dry. It actually evaporates within minutes. Done. Clean. No stain.

I know cleaning stains off clothing is not an "approved" use of Clorox Wipes, and I know I'm not an expert on chemicals or natural "stuff" -- but it really works.

It's what works for me!

WFMW: Stomach Bug Hydration

Thanks to Shannon from Rocks in My Dryer for hosting the Works for Me Wednesday Tip Carnival -- you'll want to go HERE to get hundreds (literally) more tips!

So ... I have another totally non-spiritual post -- Hey! I'm on a roll here!

This is a tip I found MOST helpful while I was sick for SEVEN DAYS with the stomach virus that came straight from down below the earth's core where it is really hot and fiery. And molten lava.

On the 5th day, I had HAD it. I went to my doctor, and he prescribed an anti-nausea medication which was like nectar from the heavens. But, that's not the tip.

He proceeded to tell me to go straight to the hospital for some IV Fluid and some Electrolyte action. I asked him if he had fallen out of the crazy tree, hit every crazy branch on the way down, and forgot I had a three year old, and going to the hospital was not happening... because, no matter HOW hard my husband works at caring for my three year old, I couldn't do it to him.

Then, he (the doctor) gave me the two most profound tips (at that moment in time) that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

He said that 1) no matter how sick to your stomach you are, once you get fluids in your system you will really feel better ... but more importantly, 2) he gave me this code to live by when attacked with the stomach bug: Semi-solids IN, Semi-solids OUT ... Liquids IN, Liquids out. If you've had the stomach bug, you know what I'm referring to... if you haven't, I'll explain it off line. And as an FYI -- anything in a semi-frozen or pureed state (like applesauce) is what he's referring to.

ANYHOW ... on my way home, I stopped at the local Smoothie joint (ok, it was out of my way) and got a super-duper large mango smoothie with three-times extra electrolytes.

Remember what the doc said... semi solids in ... you know where I'm going.

I proceeded to sip slowly on that thick smoothie and guzzled naked Gatorade the rest of the day, forcing fluids into my body, and sure enough, I felt so, SO much better. Especially after the anti-nausea meds kicked in and I could actually HOLD something in.

Moral of this tip: If you are sick to your stomach (in either direction), eating applesauce is better than drinking apple juice. Burnt toast helps absorb acid (the carbon on the burned part). Smoothies made with electrolytes are heaven's answer to being sick.

Homemade Remedy: If you have been sick for a while, and are in need of electrolytes, try making a smoothie at home... Mind you, these are rough calculations -- try it out and master your own recipe. In a blender, mix about 8-10 ounces of Gatorade or pedialyte, 1 cup of ice, 2 scoops of sorbet (trust me on this one - don't cut the sorbet out and DO NOT substitute it with ice cream or yogurt or ANYTHING dairy -- just DON'T) and some frozen fruit. Blend until smooth and sip slowly through a straw. If you're having a problem with the smoothie sticking to the blades and freezing up, it needs more liquid (use Gatorade or pedialyte again). I personally love the combination of Mango Sorbet, Frozen Mango pieces -- yum. And when I'm not sick, we make this with some simple syrup or juice instead of the Gatorade.

Semi-solids, and electrolytes.

Works for me!

WFMW: "Kill The Mouse Dead" Mouse Trap Tip

Each week, Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer hosts the weekly "Works For Me" carnival, where hundreds of people can share their wonderful, tried and true tips and ideas. Shannon just had a mouse die in her walls. This happened too a while back, so in honor of Shannon, I bring you my "Kill The Mouse Dead" Mouse Trap Tip. I'm sure PETA will swarm all over me, but try living with mice in your house.

Back to the "Kill The Mouse Dead" Mouse Trap Tip. Here's my experience and qualifications in killing mice dead: We used to live in a house that was old and out in the country-ish -- originally built in the late 1890's, it burned down, and part of it was rebuilt in the 1920's. It was remodeled in the late 1990's after the owner passed quietly in her reclining chair (still makes me shiver -- they were cat-loving-pack-rats, too -- a bad combo for reasons you will never imagine) ... and did I mention that it was drafty, un-insulated, and had thousands of places for mice to squeeze in through (like in the kitchen around the piping for the faucet if it is on an exterior wall, powder rooms, laundry rooms, etc.)? It was a lovely little cottagie-style home in an historic area, surrounded by a white picket fence, and lots of land and trees -- I adored it.

I did not, however, adore the mice mommas and all their babies that liked to cohabitate (or whatever) with us in our cold and uninsulated, yet cozy little cottagie-like home.

Ewwwwww -- I still shudder. Especially when I think of the mouse-momma that squeezed her tiny babies under one of our bookshelves and went off to get some food for them, only NOT to come back at all because we SNAPPED her in our mouse trap. We found the dead babies when we moved, and it was so disgusting, and ... well ... never mind.

ANYHOW -- First, you need to go through the inside of your house and look at all your exterior walls (under cabinets, behind radiators, etc.) and SEAL any cracks (no matter how tiny they are) with expanding foam -- because believe me -- you would be SHOCKED at how tiny of an entry these little mice need to welcome themselves into your home.

THEN -- ah, yes... then you put out mouse traps. Not just any ol' mouse trap ... the only one that we found to work, and caught TONS of mice with is... the Snap-E Mouse Trap. Did you hear the heavenly beings sing a chorus of hallelujahs?

Ehem.

Seriously -- this mouse trap ROCKS over any other mouse trap because it has a special platform that holds a little cup of food. The only way the mouse can get the food is to step up on the platform that automatically releases the arm and ... well, it's curtains for the little mouse before it even figures out what hit it - heh heh. Plus, it flips up a bar that you release the mouse with, never coming in contact with dead mice, or contaminated mice-trap parts. I'm ordering them right now for the mice in my garage -- shudder again. (see testimonials and more pictures HERE)

In all the years we lived in this house, we NEVER had a mouse eat the food out of this trap and get away alive. Ever. We have, on the other hand, had a mouse die in our walls (so this is in honor of Shannon) and the coffee grounds did the trick in removing the odor -- after a few weeks. Oh, my -- we discovered this on the day I was having a girl's Christmas party. Nothing says "Merry Christmas y'all!" like the smell of dead mouse lingering in the air. And to put Shannon at ease, the stink does not come back in the hot months, Praise the Lord! One more thing... You do NOT want to burn candles -- especially the ones you really like, because the smell of Cinnamon-orange-fruited-dead-mouse will never leave your head, and the candle will never smell the same to you again. And it will turn your stomach each time someone lights it. I'm just lovingly speaking from experience.

Finally, to close out this whole WFMW segment graciously, I'll tell you what DOESN'T work AT ALL --

1) chasing after the mouse with a slipper in the middle of the night while your wife is screaming in the middle of your bed;

2) the old fashioned wooden mouse traps (Victor);

3) cats (we had several wild cats living in the barn and they were NO GOOD to us, I tell you -- and I'm deathly allergic, too);

4) the electronic rodent repellent/deterrents (for the love of Pete -- don't even waste your money to experiment -- they just do NOT work)

One of these days, I'll have to tell you about the dead cat the neighbors found while cleaning up the house after the previous pack-rat-owner died (way before the house was gutted out, remodeled, and cleaned up, and WAY BEFORE we owned it).

Nah. That'll gross you out too much.

Have a mouse-free day.

WFMW: Lower Cholesterol AND High Blood Pressure

Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer hosts the weekly "Works For Me Wednesday... go check her out and all the other awesome tips!

This is totally the easiest way to take a step toward healthier living in 2009! As many of you may have read in a previous post of mine, we had a heart scare with my husband. He is now under strict orders to change.his.life.asap.

So... change his life we shall! One step at a time. We eat fairly healthy anyway (well, at least in the home), but there are some extra changes we need to make, and one came in a fairly easy form.

Promise Healthy Heart (the Promise butter spread people) offers several heart-friendly products that actually help lower cholesterol and high blood pressure without major or drastic changes in your diet. Actually, ALL of their products are heart-friendly. One of the products is called "SuperShots" -- which is a "drink" that tastes like a weak yogurt, and while yogurt is a very BAD option for you if you have high cholesterol, this drink has NO cholesterol content.

Each Cholesterol reducing drink contains enough plant sterols to help remove cholesterol from your body (so do all their spreads!).

They also have a SuperShots for reducing high blood pressure, loaded with potassium which flushes sodium (causes high blood pressure) from the body (because "salt happens")!

So -- How easy is it? You drink one of each per day. ONE. That's it! They cost around $4.50 for a pack of 4 (WalMart carries them, as do most grocery stores). I'm willing to pay $30-40 a month for a healthy alternative to prescription drugs!!!

Why do I say this works? Because my brother-in-law started taking the Cholesterol reducing SuperShot, and his cholesterol went down 30-some points in one month. He continues to drink them and has maintained low cholesterol readings. I think he said something like... "it's the easiest way to change your lifestyle, reduce your cholesterol, without really doing a lot of "changing" and hard work" (of course there are other healthy changes you need to make, and he has too... but this is a great and easy start!).

As for the high-blood pressure SuperShot, my husband started taking them on Christmas Eve. On January 2, he had a 4 hour stress test, and at the beginning of the test (a resting state) his BP was 110 over 80. That's GREAT in comparison to what it had been!!!

Next step: Have one meat-free meal per week, working towards two.

This totally works for us!!!

WFMW: Removable Bumper Stickers

Works for me Wednesday is hosted by Shannon over at Rocks in my Dryer! Head on over for other valuable tips!

Ok -- I must admit that I have this "THING" against putting bumper stickers on my car.

Some might say it is because I like to keep my car a pristine, snow-driven white and don't want to destroy it with bumper stickers pasted all over it... until you get up close enough to see how filthy my car really is, in which case, I would become a liar in your eyes.

Others might say it is because I am a type A personality and am a raving fanatic about cleanliness and orderliness ... until you look inside my car, at which time, my liar status would also be confirmed.

Personally, I just think it is one of those quirky ticks I have -- the NOBUMPERSTICKERSONTHECAR tick...

But because I feel it is my civic duty to REMIND EVERYONE TO VOTE FOR MCCAIN... I wanted to put a McCain/Palin bumper sticker on my car. Our neighbor gave us two, and my husband, without a moment of hesitation, peeled it and slapped it on his truck. Me, on the other hand ... well, I thanked her for it, walked inside the house, set it on the dining room table, all with a nervous twitch in my eye, and my shoulder jerking violently at the thought of my husband being so bumper-sticker-careless.

Instead, I did what I used to do while I was in college a gazillion years ago, and had to have a new parking sticker on my car every year. I got a page of magnetic paper from the craft store, applied the bumper sticker to THAT, cut it out, and THEN I applied it to my car.

I got a "ProMAG" brand (Paint a Mag) magnetic sheet from Michael's for $2.99. They sell it in sheets, rolls, etc. You want a flat sheet that you can apply the whole sticker to (not magnetic strips or circles).

Now, I can remove the sticker whenever I want (like if I ever sell the car overmydeadbody), and not have a sticky, yucky mess to deal with.

So, if your child is on the honor roll at The Best Elementary School, but the next year ... he fails second grade... you can take that bumper sticker right off. Easy peasy!

If you ask me (and my nervous twitchy eye), bumper stickers and magnetic sheets work for me!

WFMW: Invisible Kool-Aid & Cool Splenda Packs

Works for me Wednesday is hosted by Shannon over at Rocks in my Dryer! Head on over for other valuable tips!

So, who hates those red or blue or green stains on your kitchen counter, tables, floors, carpet, clothing, and faces??? I know I do! AND... There is nothing more frustrating than trying to make a pitcher of Kool-Aid only to have powder residue floating all over the counter, cabinet, wall, or anything else close to the pitcher. It is really annoying.

The remedy??? New Kool-Aid Invisibles.

Okay, maybe they aren't all THAT new ... but they are to me! I accidentally got a couple packages thinking they were the ones that change color when you add water, and when I went to mix it, NOTHING HAPPENED. It remained clear. It sort of confused me, because I was expecting a color change... until I checked the packages and saw that the mixes I got were indeed... INVISIBLE!

The smart people at Kraft have removed the dye from some of the Kool-Aid mixes, and as a mom of messy-Marvin, let me just say... Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!! And not only does it make less mess, but I don't have to worry about the hyper-causing affects of red dye any more. Whew! Some of the flavors are: Watermelon-Kiwi, Grape, Cherry, Lime-Kiwi, Strawberry...



And for those of you that are shocked that I allow my son to drink Kool-Aid ... relax ... I don't use sugar in the drink mixes. I use Splenda, and the nice folks at Splenda have created a "Quick Pack" for "use with your favorite Kool-Aid flavor"! It is the same size as a Kool-Aid Pack, and can be found right next to them! Love it.

And while we're talking about Splenda... check out these adorable Splenda packet holders! They would make an adorable stocking stuffer, don't you think?

So let's recap: No faces to scrub. No shirts to soak. No drips to contend with. No hyper child. No sugar highs and crashes. No dye residue... no stains... no mess. this combination sure makes me happy, and TOTALLY works for me!

WFMW: Links for Low Carb Recipes for Type-1 Diabetes

Works for me Wednesday is hosted by Shannon over at Rocks in my Dryer! Head on over for other valuable tips!

At the bottom of this post are a couple links I would like to share with you ... it is for all the moms, grandmas, sisters, aunts, or friends that have children with Type-1 Diabetes (Juvenile Diabetes) and are suddenly faced with having to change the way they cook. (link at bottom)

But first... It is very difficult to post something about Juvenile Diabetes and NOT make it a long post. There is so much to say on the subject. The most important point I'd like to make is ... be aware of your child and their everyday behaviors. Be aware of this silent but deadly disease. Know the symptoms. Sadly, one misconception is that children outgrow diabetes. They DO NOT. They are dependent on insulin the rest of their lives, and the only way out is by finding a cure! And friends, that totally stinks.

When you have a child in your family that is struck with Juvenile Diabetes (JD), your whole world is suddenly turned upside down, and the way you think about food changes -- immediately. And when you're the MOM (or Dad) of a child with JD, you suddenly become ferociously protective, and want to take harm (carbs) out of your child's life... really, all moms (and dads) feel like that, but when your child can't yet make wise decisions for themselves because of their young age, I think the Mom (or Dad) in you tends to take over more aggressively.

In my case, my sister's second oldest (out of 4) was diagnosed with JD almost 5 years ago. She was only 5 years old. It was a frightening moment. Time stood completely still for my dear sister as she stood beside her daughter battling for her life while she lay in the hospital in a diabetic coma. She was told to prepare for her daughters death. Words NO parent should have to hear coming out of a doctor's mouth.

My nice had Ketoacidosis, a condition directly related to Type-1 Diabetics (they are insulin dependent) who are not getting enough insulin. The Ketones (acids in your blood) build, and in essence, poison your body. This condition can be triggered any time the Ketones in your body are thrown off balance -- with a minor cold, the flu, an infection...

Here is a brief explanation about Type-1 Diabetes in my nieces words:

"When you have diabetes, your immune system attacks the pancreas and you are no longer able to make insulin. Insulin is the hormone that allows your body to convert the food you eat into energy. Without insulin, your blood sugar gets very high. These high blood sugars are what cause damage to your body. My blood sugar was so high that my blood had become so acidic [with Ketones] that it was as a toxin to my body. I was falling into a diabetic coma and the doctor told my parents to prepare for my death."

You can read a letter Lexi wrote about her condition and her personal struggle with Juvenile Diabetes HERE. It is very informative.

In any case, parents who have a child that has JD are more careful about restricting carbs and sugars (face it: a carb is a carb is a carb, whether it is sugar or pasta or rice or bread) in the child's life. In my niece's case, as well as all other children that have it becomes difficult to "fit in normally" because she tests her blood (finger pricks) up to 12 times a day, and takes insulin 10 times a day. Even in the middle of the night.

Life changes dramatically. You are no longer a normal child living a normal life. When the children in a class party are enjoying a cup cake or a monster cookie, you can't. When the kids are sharing a can of sprite, you can't. When the kids are having a pizza party, you can't. Actually, you can, you just have to calculate the amount of insulin you will need before enjoying yourself. The other kids don't. Your child is suddenly thrown into an unfair world of "pick and choose" against their own will -- they literally have to weigh out the consequences of eating everyday foods we take for granted, and calculate insulin levels regularly.

I had to do this for a very brief 5 months while I was pregnant with gestational diabetes, and I can tell you, it was awful. Imagine having to do it day in and day out ... for the rest of your life!

And now that I know it runs in the family (we're not sure which side -- my sister's or her husband's), that's good enough for me to change the way my own son eats -- we're not taking any chances.

Yes, I do feed my child foods made with Splenda, NutraSweet, and other artificial sweeteners. Yes, he is allowed to drink diet drinks. Yes, I try to give my son healthy snacks. Yes, I do substitute Splenda for sugar when baking. No. I don't want to start a debate about how healthy it is or isn't for me to give my son those items with artificial sweeteners. I simply want to cut out carbs that are with in my control, and sugar is one of them.

Here is a website that I found very helpful in finding recipes that are lower in Carbs, if not Carb free. They offer ways to substitute or eliminate carbs from many recipes that we eat regularly, and the end product really does taste good! Also, they have a store that sells substitutes.

If you have a child with JD, or know of a family that is affected by this disease, I hope this link will serve as a good resource for you!

Low Carb Recipes (click on the pictures towards the middle/bottom to take you into a list of recipes)

Low Carb Products (Unusual substitutes you may not find in a regular grocery store can be found here)

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation offers support and valuable information.

I keep begging my sister to start a blog to help other parents and offer support and tips... but with 4 kids that range from 5 to 11... free time is hard to find! Maybe my niece will start one?!?

Remember: Children do NOT outgrow diabetes.
The only way out is a cure!

WFMW: Fluffier Biscuits & Entertaining Made Easy

Works for me Wednesday is hosted by Shannon over at Rocks in my Dryer! Head on over for other valuable tips! (For some reason, the graphic isn't showing up right -- sorry!)

I have a few tips for you today that I think will make entertaining easier on you, AND give you better biscuits -- because everyone needs better biscuits!

1) When I entertain, I try to prepare everything in advance so that when my guests arrive, I can enjoy time with them. I pre-cut veggies, pre-cook as much as possible, prepare my salad by washing, and then cutting my lettuce and putting it in a colander and pre-cutting the veggies that go in the salad and putting them in a separate bowl and putting both of them in the fridge, I prepare my desert well ahead of time, etc. Then I time all my cooking to be done shortly after they arrive, and keep things warm so I have time to sit down and enjoy an appetizer with my friends. Pre-prepping and pre-cooking things saves a lot of last-minute time and allows you to enjoy your company without rushing around and working up a sweat! That totally works for me!

2) I also try to have an empty dishwasher and NO pots or pans in the sink or strainer. I find it easier to wash as I cook, dry things and put them away immediately. The empty strainer makes it easier for me to wash last-minute cooking utensils and set them aside as I'm cooking so I have less clutter in the kitchen, the empty sink makes it easier for me to set the dirty dishes in the sink and clean up quickly right after dinner, and the empty dishwasher gives me a spot to put all those empty dishes after my guests have left, making cleanup a snap. That totally works for me!

3) Having said that, Saturday evening, I made biscuits for dinner, and one of the things I didn't want to be doing when my guests arrived was rolling out biscuit dough, because that can be such a mess to clean up (imagine flour on counter, on floor, on me). So, I prepared my biscuit dough ahead of time (about 40 minutes before my guests arrived), kneaded it, rolled it out and cut the biscuits out. I placed them on my prepared baking stone, covered them with saran wrap, and set them aside on the counter. To my amazement, they ROSE! Instead of being about 1/2" thick, they rose to about 3/4" thick, and they turned out to be very moist and very fluffy! In fact, some of the best biscuits I've ever made!! So, I think that from now on, I will let my biscuits rise for about 30 minutes before baking. Also, I used the Heart-Smart Bisquick mix, and it is very good! I don't know about you, but big fluffy biscuits and Heart-smart Bisquick TOTALLY work for me!

Head on over to Shannon's for more excellent tips!

WFMW: Easy Canning Tutorial for Fruit Jams

Works for me Wednesday is hosted by Shannon over at Rocks in my Dryer! Head on over for other valuable tips!

Edited with a few extras. You'll see them with-in the text, appearing in bold orange.

This is the first year I have really "canned" anything, and "canned" it properly. I've always been too scared to try, thinking that it was too difficult. Low and behold... it's not. So, here is a tutorial to help anyone else that is anxious about canning jams, but wants to give it a try. Jump off the anxiety fence and dive into jamming fruits with confidence! It really is easy, and having jars of jam made from fresh summer fruits really WORKS FOR ME! (pictures below -- sorry for bad quality -- used camera phone bcs I couldn't find my camera)

Now, before you read this, you must understand that this tutorial is NOT for freezer jam -- but don't worry! Do NOT stop reading. Canning jam is just as easy! The difference is that you will actually be processing your jars of jam in a boiling water bath. And again... these instructions are for the novice canner. I'm certain that experienced canners have more tips and tricks to add, but these are the bare bones I came up with.

What you will need:

1. half-pint wide-mouthed canning jars (jams are sticky, and it is just easier to get them in the wide-mouth canning jars, but you can use what ever kind of 3-part jar you want)
   
2. a wide-mouthed funnel
3. a heavy bottomed 6-quart pan for cooking the jam (I use the one I make my spaghetti sauce in)
4. a tall stock pot (8 qt) or preferably, a canning pot
5. rubber-tipped tongs
6. large glass bowl
7. potato masher
8. large glass measuring cup for crushed fruit
9. plastic dry-measure cup for sugar
10. a TON of sugar
11. fruit
12. pectin
13. a good recipe (the boxes of pectin all have good recipes in them)
14. Instant read thermometer
    

STEP 1: First, I put the stock pot or canning pot of water (filled up to within 2-3 inches of the top) on the stove to start boiling (it can take a long time). If it comes to a boil before I'm ready, I just let it go, because it takes too long to get it re-started.

STEP 2: Place all the canning jars, lids and rings into the dishwasher and run it on the hottest setting with the heat dry option on to sterilize them. I did use detergent in the cycle.

STEP 3: Begin crushing your fruit in a single layer in a large glass bowl with a potato masher. Pour the mashed fruit into a measuring cup and continue mashing until you reach the required amount. Mashing the fruit releases the fruit's natural sugars and flavors. (or, you can place your fruit a little at a time in a zip loc and squeeze it -- that's what I do, and trust me -- it is more fun that way!)

STEP 4: Measure out your sugar and have it all in one bowl, ready to pour into your hot fruit and pectin. It will make the whole process go smoother.

STEP 5: Have your recipe and ingredients ready. Read through it numerous times so you are familiar with it, because you will be working quickly. The box that the pectin comes in will give you instructions on how much fruit, sugar and pectin to use. It will also tell you to use a "non-reactive utensil" to stir the jam ... in layman's terms... use a wooden spoon when stirring the jam. I used a very long-handled wooden spoon so as not to burn myself with splattering, bubbling jam. I also put my hand in a glove-style pot holder, because I was burned badly with hot, melted sugar (it sticks to your skin and keeps burning) when I was little, so I'm a bit gun shy. And... to add to my gun-shyness, I now use the pot holder when adding or removing jars from the water bath because I got scalded with splashing water a few weeks ago. But -- don't let that scare you. Jamming isn't all that bad -- I'm just a pansy!

Also: Do NOT double jam recipes, because the jam won't "set" properly. Make sure you boil your jam fully in a "rolling boil" fashion ... NOT a simmering boil. Follow the instructions carefully. Each jam has a different boil rate (liquid pectin is less than powdered pectin), but regardless of the time, to have a good firm jam, it MUST boil. Make sure you stir constantly while boiling it, and DON'T multi-task with more than one pot of jam. Trust me. I tried, and it just doesn't work.

STEP 6: Once you've properly boiled your jam (regardless of boil time, it should reach 220 degrees, which can be read with an instant read or candy thermometer), you will want to fill the jars when they are HOT so they don't break. I placed the funnel in the jar, and used a plastic soup ladle (do not use metal) to pour in the jam -- it made the whole process go smoothly and a lot cleaner. I also used the glove-styled pot holder to hold my jars while filling them, because the boiled fruit is very, VERY HOT. After you fill them, make sure your jars are wiped clean of any splashes. Cover them with the lids (I ran my finger along the edge to pre-heat the gummy sealer) and rings, and begin placing them into the boiling water bath.

I processed my first batch of jam in a stock pot that was brought to a rolling boil for 10 minutes. I didn't bother to buy a canning pot until later on, which I love, but you can do it in a stock pot. Just make sure you place something at the bottom so that the jars don't touch the bottom of the pan. Once you carefully add the jars to the stock pot (they should be covered with about 1" of water, so you may need to scoop some water out -- I used my Pyrex glass measuring cup to scoop water out with), bring it BACK to a full hard boil and then begin timing the boil for whatever amount of time the recipe calls for.

STEP 7: When you take out your processed jars of jam, make sure you use tongs that have rubber or silicone tips, otherwise your jars might slip and cause the water to splash out and scald you ... this happened to me the first time. After that, I went out and purchased silicone-tipped tongs and was super careful. I put the wet jars back into the case they came in (with the dividers) and placed them in a single layer on my kitchen table to allow them to cool. You will hear the lids popping and crackling as they settle into their sealed position.

STEP 8: Allow your jars of jam to cool without touching or bumping them in a draft-free place (usually takes overnight). Once the jars are cool, you can check that they are sealed by pushing down on the lid to make sure it has been sucked down -- just press in the center, gently, with your finger. If it it pops up and down, it is not sealed, and must be placed in the refrigerator right away. In all the jam I made, I didn't have one single jar that didn't seal properly.

Once they cool and sit a couple days... you can either open a jar for daily use (I only waited 24 hours because I was so anxious...) or you can store them on a shelf in a climate controlled pantry or basement. Do not store them in the garage where it would be un-heated or un-cooled (those are very technical terms).

I hope these instructions help out any first-time, anxious canners out there, and if you are a seasoned canner, please feel free to add any tips in the comment section!

Now, GO FORTH and pick some yummy fruit and can your own jams!! Then come back and let me know what a rock star you are to your family!

WFMW: The Five-Ingredients-Or-Less Edition

EDITED to ADD: ONE MORE RECIPE!!! And ... IT COOKS ITSELF!! WOOT!

This is the special Five-Ingredient-Or-Less Edition of Works for me Wednesday, hosted by Shannon over at Rocks in my Dryer! It was hard to keep the recipes under 5 ingredients, so I didn't count salt and pepper as an "ingredient" -- even though technically, it is. Also, I didn't count the pasta as an "ingredient" either ... just use your imagination. Its a shame it wasn't the 6-ingredient-or-less edition!

Also, make sure you take a few moments to check out all the other 5-ingredients-or-less recipes that are being shared over there!!

As a side note: Can you tell which ingredients I love to use the most??

Easy Creamy Pasta Dish

1) 1 Jar of your favorite Spaghetti Sauce
2) Ground Beef
3) 1/4 onion, chopped
4) 1 clove garlic, crushed
5) Cream Cheese

Cooked Angel Hair Pasta

Season ground beef with salt and pepper and brown with onion and garlic. Strain out fat. Return to pan and add spaghetti sauce. Heat thoroughly. Add cream cheese and stir until smooth and creamy. Serve over cooked pasta (Angel Hair spaghetti cooks up within 4 minutes) and top with Parmesan cheese.

Creamy Primavera ("spring style") Pasta

The following recipe is a great way to use up all your garden vegetables -- any combination will do.

1) 2-3 tablespoons butter with a swirl of olive oil
2) 3 cups of chopped vegetables from your garden -- any combination will do (sweet onion, asparagus, carrots, squash, zucchini, tomatoes)
3) 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
4) 2 cup heavy cream
5) 1 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese, additional for topping

Cooked thick spaghetti (tubed pastas don't seem to work as well)

In a large, family-sized pan, heat up the butter and oil. Add the vegetables and cook until almost caramelized (add tender veggies last). Add the cream and simmer until the sauce is just thick enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. Add cooked pasta and 1 cup of Parmesan cheese, toss to mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with additional Parmesan cheese.

Strawberry-Infused Lemonade

The lemonade is a really pretty corally-color, and has a wonderful flavor to it. The recipe is best when made early enough that you can chill it.

1) 2-1/2 cups of water
2) 5 washed and hulled strawberries (I slice them up)
3) 1-1/2 cups sugar (or 1-3/4 cups, depending on how sweet you like your lemonade)
4) Juice of juice 6 lemons (1 cup and a little extra)
5) 3 cups cold water

In a small saucepan, make a syrup by bringing to a boil the water, strawberries, and sugar; soft-boil for 3 minutes.

In the mean time, combine the lemon juice, and 3 additional cups of water. Stir well. Add your strawberry syrup (at this point, you can choose to either leave the strawberries in or remove them).

Taste (remember that it will be hot) to make sure it's sufficiently sweet (if not, add more sugar), or if it's overly sweet (if so, add more water or lemon juice). Cool in refrigerator ... unless you're too anxious to wait, pour over a lot of ice. If you can stand the wait, chill for several hours before serving. It is even better the next day.

I forgot to include this recipe, and when I put my name on the Mister Linky, I typed in 4 recipes, but when I went to get my link, I only saw 3 recipes -- it didn't compute in my poor old brain until AFTER I published my link.

Anyway, while this may sound like an odd concoction, it really works, and tastes fabulous together.

Slow-cooked Roast

1) 1 Beef Round Eye Round Roast
2) 1 envelope dry Good Season's Italian Dressing Mix
3) 1 envelope dry Ranch Dressing Mix
4) 1 envelope dry Mushroom Gravy Mix
5) 1-1/2 cups water

In a medium sized bowl, mix all dry mixes together. Rub all over beef roast. Place roast in crock pot and pour reminder dry ingredients all over roast and around roast.

Pour water around roast, being careful to not let it pour over roast.

Cook for 8 hours, turning roast once.

Thicken juices for gravy (taste first ... may need to be diluted a bit so it doesn't taste too strong).

It's What Memories Are Made Of! (and Monday Menu Plan)

This weekend was a bit of a blur. Busy picking berries, crushing berries, jamming berries... but more about that in a later post. Promise.

But, in the rush-about of this busy weekend, I also managed to squeak a trip in to Costco on Saturday, and was shocked at how much MEAT is going up! Now, you need to understand something -- I'm TOTALLY a beef girl. And to see my precious and beloved meat SKYROCKETING in price just breaks my heart! Even ground beef!!! Phooey!

I must have looked at all the meat for over a half hour trying to decide what to do, and finally chose a pack of fat tenderloin pork chops (not my favorite, but cheap), some ground beef, a package of London Broil, salmon, a big bag of frozen chicken breasts, and some asparagus. And when I grabbed the package of Salmon, I was only thinking of my sister and brother in law, because they are practically the only people we can enjoy grilled salmon with. They love it as much as we do, and for some odd reason, I really enjoy Costco's salmon over any other! Maybe it's because it is farm-raised, and lacks in that wild-sockeye-fishy flavor (oh, don't get me wrong -- it's fishy, just not OVERLY fishy), or maybe because I'm spending less on the package at Costco. That really makes me happy.

So when I got home, I called my sister-in-law (forgetting they were at the beach for the weekend) and invited them for dinner on Sunday. They called back to say they would join us! YAY! Hunter was over the moon with excitement!

So Sunday, we enjoyed a wonderful meal of Caesar salads (with homemade dressing, of course), Asparagus with a lemony mayo topping, Teriyaki Grilled Salmon, and Pene with tomatoes, onion, garlic, Parmesan cheese and a splash of cream... and a yummy fruit salad with a dollop of homemade whipped cream with Splenda on top. It was such a wonderful and delicious way to cap the busy weekend off. So good. So easy. It's what memories are made of!

And let me just say -- my boy can chow DOWN on salmon. At one point, he even reached over to the serving dish and grabbed a second slab of salmon without us noticing! Naughty boy! But how can you fault him when he's eating something so healthy!


Moving on to Menu Plan Monday -- You simply must join Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie for TONS of tips and ideas for fresh and easy menus for your busy week! This week, it's being hosted by Laura at Heavenly Homemakers... Here's mine:

• Hamburgers, salad, leftover Pene with added sauteed sweet onion slices, chunks of tomatoes, squash and zucchini chunks
• Rigatoni and meat sauce, salad, whole grain bread
  
• Shredded Pork tacos with corn tortillas, fresh corn and black bean salad
  
• Salmon and Cheddar Impossible Pie, sauteed garlicky spinach
  
• Marinated London Broil, salad, grilled potatoes and carrots
• 4th of July picnic at my in-laws home (I'll be making a coconut cake for my FIL, and individual cheesecakes, and maybe a side)
• Dinner out at the Japanese Steak House with out of town guest (maybe -- depending on budget)

WFMW: BBQ-ing with Charcoal Chimneys

I updated this post to add links back to Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer, who hosts the weekly edition of "Works for me Wednesday", where you will find oodles and oodles of valuable tips. Click on over and join the rest of the blogging world at Shannon's blog! (I'm getting very forgetful in my old age)

Nothing says summer like a beautifully grilled fat, juicy, hamburger, steak, ribs, chicken... well -- you get the picture... And, while a gas grill is easy, it just doesn't taste as good as a charcoal grilled slab o' meat.

We own both a charcoal grill and a propane grill, but we rarely ever use the propane grill. In fact, we grill year round -- with charcoal. Yup! It's that good! Well, actually, "we" don't grill, my husband grills, and that's who this tip comes from.

Most people don't like to grill with charcoal because it takes so long to start, takes so long for the coals to get perfectly hot, and if you use fluid lighter -- well, that's just nasty. So, here's a tip to all the charcoal grill lovers that have been living under a rock... and I say that lovingly.

The easiest, quickest way to get your charcoal lighted and hot is to use a charcoal chimney (or starter). It's a metal cylinder with a grate a few inches from the bottom, and a handle on the side. You fill the cylinder with charcoal, and place about two or three pieces of crumpled newspaper on the bottom part of the cylinder (under the grate). You light the newspaper through the holes on all sides. Remember not to use more than 3 pcs of newspaper, because it will smother the fire.

The charcoal on the bottom lights first, and then ignites the rest of the charcoal. It smokes away for about 10 minutes until the coals are turning ashy white and are red hot. Perfect. Then, you just dump the hot coals in the grill (carefully, of course), and grill away! My husband is an EXPERT at this, but I did find a video on You Tube so you can actually see it being done (below), and I've included pictures of our chimney in action.

Most of the time, we use briquettes without lighter fluid on them, but the best charcoal to use is Cowboy lump hardwood charcoal, which we get at our hardware stores and grocery stores. One thing we've noticed... hardwood charcoal burns hotter and tastes far better than charcoal, but doesn't last as long.

One last thing: My sweet trendy-church-friend just started a weight loss ministry at church. She's doing an awesome job. She just emailed out a great recipe that I thought I'd share with you for your healthy summer BBQ-ing... I make something very similar to this (I use lime juice instead of balsamic vinegar, and add finely chopped onion, a teaspoon of brown sugar (Splenda) and no oil), and trust me when I say... it is very, VERY easy, and yummy! We usually eat it with a Caesar or tossed salad. I hope you enjoy it!

Marinated Flank Steak

1/3 cup light soy sauce
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. olive oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 flank steak

Combine soy sauce, vinegar, oil, garlic, ginger, and pepper. Put all ingredients and flank steak into a ziploc bag and marinate for at least an hour. Grill or broil the steak and eat with a baked potato and vegetable.

WFMW: Ground Beef Tips

One of these days... I'll learn to keep my WFMW tip SIMPLE!!!

Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer hosts the weekly edition of "Works for me Wednesday", where you will find oodles and oodles of valuable tips. Click on over and join the rest of the blogging world at Shannon's blog!

Here are a few tips for using ground beef...

1. Prevent ground beef from sticking to your hands: This is so simple, it's not even funny, but so appropriate for the grilling season... before shaping your ground beef into patties for grilling, wet your hands. When you pat the meat out with wet hands, the water prevents the meat from sticking as badly, and makes it simple to clean up afterwards. This also works when you're making meatloaf, or meatballs. By the way... see number 2!!

2. Season, season, season: Always, ALWAYS season your ground beef before you cook it. For instance, add salt, season-salt or garlic powder to the raw ground beef so the flavors cook into the meat... even if you're making spaghetti sauce, tacos, etc. Other yummy things to add to ground beef for burgers are: 1 envelope of beef-onion soup mix; 1 envelope of ranch dressing; 1 envelope of good seasons dressing mix; Pampered Chef chipotle seasonings ... just don't put all of those seasonings in at the same time.

3. Tender and juicy burgers: When making hamburgers, meatballs, or meatloaf, don't "over-work" the ground beef, because this will cause the finished product to be dry and tough. The heat from your hands and the friction of mixing and squeezing the meat can break down those itty-bitty bits of fat that you want to keep in the ground beef for juicy results.

4. Get leaner ground beef without buying lean ground beef: Buy the cheaper ground beef instead of the leaner ground beef. Brown it as you would for tacos, spaghetti sauce or soups, then pour the cooked meat (grease and all) into a colander in the sink, and rinse with hot water. Drain well, and blot dry with paper towels. When you do this to regular ground beef, the fat content is reduced down to that of the more expensive lean ground beef. Tight times call for wise actions.

5. Prevent a lot of shrinkage when cooking meat up: The higher the cooking temperature, the greater the shrinkage, so cook ground beef at a medium heat rather than high heat. At the same time, make sure your grill or pan is hot when you place the meat on it so that it will sear the outside and seal the juices in.

6. Don't loose the flavor: Never use a fork to poke holes in your burgers or smash them down with a spatula while it is cooking because you will squeeze out all the juice and flavor.

And... here are some easy recipes for ground beef:

Gourmet Ground Beef Stroganoff
Shepherds Pie
Salisbury Steak
Baked Ziti
Chili Mac
Beef Enchiladas

WFMW: Affordable and Quality Household Items

Updated to add current prices. Please see disclaimer at bottom.

Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer hosts the weekly edition of "Works for me Wednesday", where you will find oodles and oodles of valuable tips. Click on over and join the rest of the blogging world at Shannon's blog!

For all of you who are money conscious (and really, who isn't) ... yet still cherish QUALITY ... than bring your eyeballs closer to this screen because I'm going to share with you four of my biggest household money savers... (yes, I know this is a long post... but it is worth it!) By the way... This post is for the person that always wondered, but didn't want to put out the money to find out first hand...

#1: Baby Wipes

Okay moms... I know you are all picky about your wipes -- each mom having a preferred brand -- especially when it is your first baby. So am I. When Hunter was first born, we used a boat load of wipes that were given to us at showers -- all brands, scents, sizes and packaging. But the wipes I loved the very best (and still do) are ... drum roll please ... Kirkland Signature Unscented Baby Wipes.

In my humble, yet picky opinion, these wipes are high quality for "generic" wipes. The box contains 8 packages of 88 wipes for a total of 704 wipes. The individual soft plastic packages have plastic flip tops, and are each sealed with a piece of plastic sticky tape, but once the tape is removed, the plastic flip top does a great job of keeping the wipes moist. And to be honest, I occasionally leave the top open, but only the top wipe dries out, while the rest stay moist. According to the package, these wipes are not flushable... but... I've been known to flush them, and our toilet hasn't clogged (although, I would NOT recommend this for a septic tank).

Things I love about Kirkland Signature unscented Baby Wipes:

• They are affordable ($15.49 per box = $1.93 per package, or $0.02 per wipe).
• They are strong.
• Each individual sheet is very large (7.1" x 7.9").
• They are alcohol and scent free.
• They are gentle -- enough for me to use them to remove my makeup and my eyes don't burn or sting.
• They last me forever!
• Enough said.
  

#2: Toilet Paper

I am a stickler when it comes to toilet paper. It has to be soft but not too soft, strong, and work. I hate Scott brand, Angel Soft brand, and others because they are too scratchy... but still, I like affordability, as I'm sure you do to!

I also hate buying new things just to try them out -- especially when they are in bulk. If I don't like it, it becomes a waste of my money! So ... imagine my surprise when I was at a home group meeting a few years ago at my TrendyChurchFriend's house and saw that she was using Kirkland brand toilet paper! Basically, I got to try it out for free, plus, she gave me her own glowing review. And... I fell for it -- hook, line and sinker. I've been using it for years now, and have even sold my mom on them ... and she's the pickiest queen bee I know.

Things I love about the Kirkland brand toilet paper:

• The total package is HUGE with (I think*) 24 rolls of toilet paper
• The rolls are individually wrapped in clear wrapping, enabling me to leave a couple rolls sitting out in a basket or back of the toilet without getting dusty or nasty, or take a roll with us when we travel. This would be great for campers.
• It works well in a septic tank.
• It is soft. Not Charmin soft... but then again, I don't like it THAT soft -- too "linty" and Kirkland TP doesn't have lint. I LOVE that, because sometimes I use it to take off my eye makeup (if I've run out of wipes).
• It is strong.
• It is affordable (*$17.99 for 36 rolls = .49 per roll -- cheaper than what I thought it was yesterday!).

Gotta love it!

#3: Paper Towels

I'm sure it will come as NO surprise when I announce that my favorite type of paper towel to use is... Kirkland Premium Big Roll Paper Towels. Not because it is "Kirkland brand," although one might think I slightly favor this store brand over others (I have NO idea why you would think that) ... but because they are really, really good, absorbent and strong. Like the toilet paper, only more so.

I use a lot of paper towels. More than I should admit... but I like that they are more sanitary than using a dish towel. I use them to wipe off my counters, stove top and microwave, table, chairs, Hunter's hands and mouth (well, sometimes his whole body ... depending on what we've eaten), I clean bathrooms with them, sometimes I dry dishes with them, I dry my hands with them... the list goes on and on... but these stinkers are strong!

Actually, Consumer Reports tested name brand and store brand paper towels to see which ones were truly the best. They soaked the various products in water for the same amount of time, each towel was weighed to see how much water it would hold, and then a special machine was used to measure the amount of force required to tear a towel. They found one store brand that was the strongest, absorbed fastest, and cost 42% less ... Kirkland Signature paper towels from Costco. Which makes sense, since the Kirkland Signature brand is so good... and did you know that the Kirkland brand toilet paper and Kirkland brand paper towels are the largest selling items in the entirety of Costco???? It's true. But a savings of 42%??? That TOTALLY rocks in MY pocketbook.

Things I love about the Kirkland brand paper towel:

• Each roll is individually wrapped so they won't get dirty or dusty.
• It takes forEVER to use them all.
• You get 80 large sheets per roll -- 85 square feet per package
• Each sheet is 2 ply
• Each package comes with 12 rolls
• You get a 42% savings over other store and name brands (*$15.99 for 12 rolls = $1.33 per roll, or $0.014 per SHEET!)

Now ... the trick is navigating your way through Costco and leaving the checkout line with a bill that is UNDER $200.


#4: Laundry Detergent

I know what you're thinking... Kirkland brand again...

SURPRISE!!! I'm not choosing Kirkland brand! WHAT??? Heresy... Burn her at the stake!

Calm down... Kirkland brand isn't bad... it's just NOT what I use. I use "All Free and Clear" -- which, surprisingly, is CHEAPER THAN KIRKLAND Free and Clear brand at Costco. Yes. It is. My husband has very sensitive skin -- so does my baby. It works great at cleaning clothes, it doesn't break out anyones skin, and comes in huge containers at Costco.

Things I love about All Free and Clear (I buy the really big jumbo bottles, but couldn't find a picture of one to show you) laundry detergent:

• #1 Recommended by dermatologists and allergists
• Hypoallergenic
• Clear of dyes
• Free of perfumes
• Proven to remove two of the top everyday allergens (dust mite and cat dander)
• Available in HE (high-efficiency front loading) formula (which sadly, I don't need -- BIG sigh)
• Lasts forever
• *A 300 ounce container of All Free and Clear is $8.75 -- compared to Kirkland brand of Free and Clear which is only 170 ounces at $12.99! Incredible!
  

Each of these items I've mentioned are BULK items... which means, you need to have a place to store them. Many people don't like to buy bulk for that very reason -- I'm included in that "many people" bunch -- but I make an exception for these items because they are so cost efficient and the quality is so high. In fact, I'm starting to like bulk more and more.

*Prices were confirmed from our local Costco on 6/10/08 -- prices may vary depending on location -- new information is in blue.

WFMW: 7 FREE things to do for summer fun

Shannon at Rocks in my Dryer is hosting the "Mom I'm Bored" edition of Works for me Wednesday, where you will find hundreds (literally) of ideas for keeping the kids busy during the summer.

Last week, I listed 20 things that we are planning to do with Hunter. Sadly, we both work full time, but because we do, we only have to plan activities for weekends. Here is an abbreviated list of the free things (or relatively cheap) that we plan on doing:

1) I strongly recommend that you research your area and see if you have an Aquatic Garden around. They are usually free to visit, and have a ton of ponds with floating gardens, cool fountains, birds, turtles, and such -- and they have tanks and tanks of beautiful fish. I particularly enjoy the fact that he can run wild and work off a lot of energy, and then we can enjoy a picnic lunch.

2) We also plan on going for long walks on the toe path along the canal (Potomac River). Dad loves to fish, so we'll pull out a fishing pole and have at it. Picnic lunch would be most appropriate.

3) I can't wait to visit the local Amish Market and Farmer's Markets -- although, that probably won't end up being free, per say -- because we'll probably want to purchase a ton of food.

4) Our town has a city park where they host free evening concerts at their bandshell. Can't wait to see what they have in store this summer!!!

5) Check out your local hobby shop (not the Hobby Lobby kind -- the kind where you get stuff to build stuff). Ours has a cool full-sized indoor race track for remote control cars, and they have races on weekends. They also have a great area set up with three large tables for toy trains, and Hunter loves to sit there and play.

6) Of course, I'll be baking with Hunter, and taking care of our little garden. We will also go to a "pick-your-own" farm, and pick fresh fruit to make jams, freeze fruits, and make yummy desserts and popsicles.

7) Finally, last year I posted about a way I found to capture my child's attention for hours on end. This tip is specifically and only for toddlers, as an older child would find it boring. Anyway, my son was afraid of the pool last year (he's over that now), so I created a water bin and bubble bowl for him. I found a medium- to large-sized storage bin, a huge bowl, some tear-free bubble bath, and a handful of non-destructive kitchen stuff (ladles, plastic cups, Tupperware bowls, etc.) I filled the storage bin with clear water, and I filled the huge bowl with bubble bath and water. He literally spent hours playing with the water, scooping it, sloshing it, spilling it, blowing it, splashing it, sitting in it, and wrinkling up in it. This year, I'll use this same idea if it is a rainy day where he can't go outside and play in the pool or sprinkler (in the garage).Whatever fun thing you have planned ... DON'T FORGET THE SUNSCREEN AND HAT!!!

Oh yeah ... one more thing ... head on over to Rocks in my Dryer for more fun summer stuff to do when the kids are bored!

Below are pictures of Hunter having fun in his water bin and bubble bowl last year, but first, here are some quick water safety tips:

Water Safety: Never, ever leave your child unattended while around any water ... never take your eyes off your child or turn your back on them, not even for one second, and don't depend on flotation devices as a substitute for supervision. One of the biggest dangers is water -- a child can drown in as little as three inches of water, and after 3-5 minutes of submersion, a child can face irreversible brain damage or death. Be sure that you are aware of all buckets, basins, tubs, bins, bowls, or other kinds of containers in your yard. They can hold water in them, and a child can easily topple into these items. Even a puddle can be a danger. Finally, learn CPR.