Good morning everyone. How’s things in your neck of the woods? I’m still kind of shaking out the cobwebs right now. It was a pretty rough night for me. Hopefully as the day progresses, I’ll feel a little better.
You know how when you don't feel good, things irritate you more than normal? Well I go outside to get one of the baby cats out of my planters and guess what I saw? Something OR SOMEONE has picked every single strawberry I had growing off my plants!!!!! I had like 6 or so growing and turning red, etc. and they are ALL GONE! The stems look like they have been picked off, instead of broken like an animal would do… I swear some people have no respect! Guess I need to be the "good little tenant" and bring it up to my landlord (like he'll do anything about it... he won't put up a fence or anything else. Guess I should just bring them inside every night!)
Ok, so yesterday mom told me about the Jamie Oliver show with the school foods and the little 1st graders who could not recognize their vegetables, etc. So last night I HAD to look it up. The show is called Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution and let me tell you… I am setting the DVR to catch the next episode! I couldn’t find the whole episode online to watch but what it is about is a famous British Chef goes to what the government named the “unhealthiest town in America” which is Huntington, WV. He tries to help these people, whose population is 50% obese, change the way they are eating so they don’t die! His first mission is the elementary schools. OMG while my mom was talking to me about it I was teary eyed (like I am right now), but when I watched the clips I could find last night I was like OMG and started crying a bit. There is a part you see with a construction industrial sized dumpster full of FAT, lard, grease, etc. that they use to cook the kids food in at the Elementary School in one year!!! It was SOOOO gross!
Then he visits the home of a family with a mom, dad, teen, and toddler... all obese. He takes all of the food out of her house and dumps it on the table (pictured). Then he offers to take them to a doctor and also buys them all new food for their house in hopes to get them eating healthier. He goes back in like a week and that lazy mom made a million excuses why over half the food was still there! Jamie Oliver began to cry. He tried telling that woman how she is killing her family... HER KIDS! And she didn't seem to care! WHAT IS WRONG WITH PARENTS TODAY! OMG!!!! Well I commend this guy for what he is doing and for trying to help! Check out the show… especially if you have kids! And the bad part is, its not just schools and kids… its everywhere! Why just this morning Yahoo featured an article about the Unhealthiest foods at the mall! How many of you have teens who like hanging out or going shopping there? Yep it’s getting them at school AND their favorite hangout! Check out the Mall article… You might be surprised! I was… cause I am even guilty of buying a couple of things off this list!
Now if you have learned about me, I am all about getting and making the most with little money. I was driving around the other day and saw a bunch of garage sale signs. Ya know spring is here and everyone is cleaning out their old “junk” LOL! I love to go to garage sales really. Its true- one person’s trash is another person’s treasure! Well sometimes at estate sales, you can find neat older furniture and that has inspired today’s craft! Its at minimum a weekend project, but I would LOVE to find an old armoire so that I could do this… even do one in my bedroom or something! So if you have one or happen upon one, here’s an idea to give it a fresh new look AND use!
Craft Idea of the Day: Kitchen Storage Armoire
When you run out of room in the kitchen cabinetry, try this idea for a tablesetting station. Deep shelves and neatly labeled drawers keep tableware and linens in place and close at hand. You could also adapt this to be a extra pantry!
Using a precut alphabet stencil, trace the words for the drawers onto paper, then cut the words from stencil plastic. (The plastic makes the stencil sturdier and easier to paint.) Center the word stencil on the drawer and use a stencil brush to paint. Choose words that identify what you will store in the drawers for easy organization.
For extra pretty touches, stencil flower-and-scroll patterns onto the corners of the door panels. Then glue strips of eyelet trim to the shelf edges for added feminine flair. Decorate the shelves with your favorite teapots, pitchers, and plate stacks. Use large and small bowls to corral cloth napkins and silverware.
Now today for dinner, I’m not sure what I am gonna make, so I’ve decided to share with you a deliciously sweet treat. Key Lime is a favorite in this house, as is cheesecake. So why not combine the 2? It’s low calorie and diabetic friendly as well.
Key Lime Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
6 squares low-fat honey graham crackers, finely crushed (1/2 cup)
2 Tbsp. margarine, melted
1 tsp. sugar
1 4-serving-size pkg. sugar-free low-calorie lime-flavored gelatin
3/4 cup boiling water
1 16-oz. container fat-free cottage cheese (1-3/4 cups)
1 8-oz. pkg. fat-free cream cheese, softened
4 TBS of confectioners sugar
1 8-oz. container frozen fat-free whipped dessert topping, thawed
Key Limes or limes, cut in wedges (optional)
Directions
In small bowl combine graham crackers, margarine, and sugars. Press crumb mixture in the bottom of a 2-quart square baking dish. Refrigerate while preparing filling.
In large bowl combine gelatin and water. Stir until gelatin is dissolved. Set aside.
In blender or food processor combine cottage cheese and cream cheese. Cover and blend or process until smooth, stopping several times to scrape down sides. Whisk 1/2 cup of the cottage cheese mixture into the gelatin mixture. Whisk in remaining cottage cheese mixture until smooth. Fold in whipped dessert topping.
Spoon filling over chilled crumb mixture.
Cover and refrigerate 8 to 24 hours or until filling is firm. To serve, cut in squares. Top with lime wedges. Makes 9 servings
Well folks, that’s all the time we have today. I’ve got tons of things I have to do today around the house and everywhere else even though I don't want to do anything today! The guys are going back out to my parents house to work on the floors again. Until tomorrow… HUGS!
