With grocery costs skyrocketing, I have been reducing the serving sizes here at home. I think many folks are doing this, not only for their budgets, but for their general health, as well. I ran across the following information while going through some of the old paperwork from my daycare, and thought I would share it with you here. It takes a bit of the mystery out of portion controls! I received this in a packet from the River Valley Family Day Care Food Program a few years ago...
3 ounces of meat is about the size and thickness of a deck of playing cards or an audiotape cassette.
A medium apple or peach is about the size of a tennis ball.
1 ounce of cheese is about the size of 4 stacked dice (2 side by side and 2 more stacked on top of those).
1/2 cup of ice cream is about the size of a racquetball or tennis ball.
1 cup of mashed potatoes or broccoli is about the size of your fist.
1 teaspoon of butter or peanut butter is about the size of the tip of your thumb.
1 ounce of nuts or small candies equals one handful.
MOST IMPORTANT:
Especially if you're cutting calories, remember to keep your diet nutritious!
2-4 servings from the Milk Group for calcium
2-3 servings from the Meat Group for iron.
3-5 servings from the Vegetable Group for Vitamin A.
The Battle for the Toy Box Contest! I entered the Battle for the Toy Box Contest
on the HSB Company Porch. I hope to win
over $100 worth of, Tales of Glory, Bible-based toys
from one2believe!!
You know, every once in a while, one comes upon something new, that really isn't new at all! It's been around a while, and yet, for one reason or another, it just isn't something that one has had before.
Well, this was the case with me last week. My son and I took the children to Camden Park (an amusement park here in our town), and afterward we stopped at McDonald's on the way home for supper. He didn't want to go home and cook, and I had no supper plans, so we went ahead and allowed the children to enjoy a bit of fast-food junk. Well, we enjoyed it right along with them. But no, McDonald's was not my discovery, but something they serve was!
Everyone knows that I enjoy a cup of tea in the afternoon. But there are times that I enjoy a cup of coffee instead, especially if I'm out and about. Let's face it-if you're away from home, it's hard to find a good cup of tea unless you go to a tea house, which we don't have here in Huntington!
Now, I don't care much for McD's hot coffee. Nah, it just isn't my Folgers or Community Coffee. But....after we ate, I thought I'd try their new Iced Coffee in the Vanilla flavor. This is strange for a couple of reasons:
I don't like cold coffee-I like it hot with a touch of cream.
I don't like flavored coffee.
I don't like sweet coffee-cream only for me.
So when I handed my son some $$ and asked him to please get me one of those new coffee drinks, he was aghast! "Mom, that's not like a Frapuccino from Starbucks," (the only *other* kind of coffee I like other than what I mentioned above). "I know, Robby, I just want to try one. Please go order me one." So away he went.
He returned with this clear plastic cup filled with coffee, cream, and ice. Well. Okay. So I put my straw in it, and took a bit of a sip. Hmm. Not bad. Took another sip. Wow! Now this is something! And that was the beginning....
Now? Well, I've become a devotee of McDonald's Iced Vanilla Coffee! Now, I'm sure this will be for a limited time, and I'm sure I'm not going to continue paying exhorbitant prices for it, but it's been a nice afternoon treat a few times the last week! However, I think I'm going to try my hand at making it at home. I have good coffee, I have cream, I have ice, and I have some liquid vanilla flavoring made especially for these kinds of things. So, this afternoon I will give it my best try, and if it's as good as McD's, I'll let you know. If not, then I'll keep working on it until I get it right. In the meantime....go ahead and indulge a bit and try one yourself. They also come in Hazelnut and Regular flavors, so there's something for everyone! Enjoy!
The festivities have all slowed down here now, and this day will find me working in my kitchen. I'll have my grandchildren here next week, and also fit in time at school, so I'll be doing a bit of *cooking ahead* today. Oh, nothing along the lines of what I used to do when I had my daycare, but just a bit to make my life a little bit simpler next week.
I'll be fixing some spaghetti sauce and simmering it in the crock-pot all day. I like to do that, as it allows it to cook nice and slow and I don't have to hover nearby and stir it. Just mix it all in, give it a good stir, say a prayer over it, and set it on Low and walk away. By evening time it's finished and ever so yummy! After I give it a cool down, I bag it up into labelled freezer bags and pop them in the freezer. Then it's ready for me to pull out and have for supper some evening when I really don't want to cook much.
While my sauce is simmering in the crock-pot, I'll also be fixing up a couple of batches of waffles. This is wonderful for those mornings when my grandchildren want waffles *right away*! They also like them toasted for a snack--just toast in the toaster, cut in strips, and away they go! Portable, convenient, and satisfying. Now, waffles are also good for a quickie dessert, too. Heat in the toaster, top with a scoop of your favorite ice cream, some chocolate syrup or caramel sauce, and a dollop of whipped cream. Yes, quite good, and easy too!
And lastly, a couple of batches of cookies will slip their way into my oven today. I'm not sure what kinds yet...probably some Snickerdoodles and some Oatmeal-Raisin. The children and I like to take tea in the afternoons, and some homemade cookies to go with it are wonderful! Perhaps I'll fix a batch of little tea cakes-we'll see.
I'll also do the other *little* do-aheads to make the week run smoother. Chop up some onions and peppers and have them ready to go. Move the week's menu items from the deep freeze to the freezer compartment of the fridge, bag up some snacks into their baggies so they'll be in their snack bowl and ready to go when they want them, and shred some cheese for the week.
Why am I doing all of this cooking without the children helping me? Well, it's going to be very warm next week, and there will be quite a bit of time spent in their pool. We'll be covering some learning time, as well, and they'll also spend some time playing outdoor games. I'm sure we may step into the kitchen and make some brownies or muffins throughout the week, but I want to have most of it done today. That leaves more *free time* next week for them to soak up some sunshine, which can be quite healthy for all of us. Morning hours are spent outdoors, and afternoon hours (when the sun is directly overhead and at it's most dangerous levels) are spent indoors learning. Since the children tend to get a bit sleepy then, they sometimes like to lay down and have me read to them. Have no fear--they won't be out of the kitchen very long! They both love to cook, and always help me prepare meals and such. Even with the little *do-aheads* I'm taking care of today, there will still be enough left for them to do. And they'll also be able to spend a bit of time learning how to properly set the dining table for meals and such. Yes, our learning does continue!
Do you ever have days when you just want, or need, a quick and easy meal? One that can be literally thrown together in a matter of minutes? Well, today was one of those days for me, and while I normally would just go ahead and have a salad, I wanted something more today.
One thing I do for days like this is to buy the precooked rotisserie chickens at the grocers. Tyson has them already prepackaged, and many of the grocery stores carry their own in the deli. Buy a couple and put them in the freezer. When you know you're going to be having a busy day, put it in your refrigerator the night before. Or, if it's a last-minute decision, you can go ahead and thaw it in your microwave.
Once it's thawed, heat it up, uncovered, in the microwave for about 10 minutes. That's long enough to prepare some rice or other starch, and heat up some veggies (either frozen or canned). Add a bit of bread and you've got yourself a meal in less than 15 or 20 minutes!
My dinner tonight consisted of rotisserie chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, mixed greens (the canned variety from Glory Foods is wonderful! perfectly seasoned!), and a slice of buttered wheat bread. I didn't even think about a dessert, as I was thoroughly satisfied from the meal itself! I ate early though, so I may have a small dish of fat-free/sugar-free ice cream after a little while. (sssh-don't tell my sister-we're supposed to be watching our diets together!).
Days like this are also a good time to make use of casseroles you've made ahead and frozen. Another idea is to make up a plate of leftovers after each meal and freeze it. Voila! Instant TV dinner - the healthier, homemade way! I do this often, and have actually purchased TV dinners at the grocer's when they're on sale, just so I can save the trays to freeze my own dinners in. That's another one of those "sssh-don't tell" things! It's okay to buy a convenience food or two once in a while, as long as you manage to remain in your budget. Now, you can also buy special plasticware for homemade TV dinners, but they cost more and don't have the added bonus of a meal already in them (if you manage to find one that's palatable).
Feel free to leave me comments about your own favorite Quick & Easy dinner. I'd love to hear your ideas!
I've chosen to stay home today. It's a very wintry day outside...snow, sleet, and freezing rain. There are winter weather advisories for our region, and you know, sometimes one just has to use a bit of wisdom in these types of conditions. So instead of venturing out to church (or anywhere else, for that matter), I've stayed home and have worked on some devotions and will soon begin working on some more of the Nuggets of Wisdom newsletter (see the sidebar to sign up and receive this directly in your inbox).
I pray you're having a blessed and wonderful Sunday!
I just realized yesterday that Thanksgiving is only 2 weeks away! OH, MY! LOL
Well, not to panic. The turkey is in the freezer - my son bought a 26 lb. bird for this year's feast! Can you tell we love turkey?!!! It's just a matter now of deciding on the rest of the menu and getting started on it. The table is already extended to it's fullest - I keep it that way to make it easier for me to study, as I can spread out all of my books and papers and such. It's just a matter now of changing the tablecloth and napkins. Not a problem. I'm also out of school during the week of Thanksgiving, so I'll be able to prepare all of the yummy dishes. I'll be posting my menu and some of my recipes here for you to enjoy, as well!
I started a new crochet project the other day. It's called a Batwing Shawl. When it's finished, I'll be sure to post pictures for you to see it. I'm making it out of Homespun yarn, and it's ever so soft!
I've nearly finished the pillows I've been working on as a Christmas gift. They're crocheted in sage green and black in a granny square pattern, and all that is left is one of the backs. I put a sage green flower on the front of them, but the backs will just be a plain granny square. They'll be perfect in the living room of the person they're intended for! The primary color in there is sage, the secondary color is wheat, and the accent color is black. These will be just right!
I have lots more aprons to get made in the sewing room, too. There seems to be no end to the projects this time of year! LOL I always say I'm going to start earlier on everything, and yet no matter how early I begin, there's always *crunch time* during November and December!
Well, time to get off here and get ready for school. My day there will begin with a test in College Mathematics on Probability and Statistics. So much fun! Oh, yes, one other project I'm working on -- the body for an apple head doll for my Appalachian Culture class! I have to have it finished by Monday, so will be making it this weekend. I'm thinking of not only making the body, but a lovely little dress and trimmings for it as well! I've had such fun learning to make these dolls! They were common when our country was in it's infancy, and the settlers made them not only for their children to play with, but they also carried apple seeds out West on the wagon trains. How ingenius is that?!!! There's an art to making them, and it's one I'm pleased to learn. I checked prices on Ebay for them, and they can be very inexpensive, but also can run up to a nice chunk of change! Hmmmm....there's a thought in that! LOL
Oh, my! I just realized how long it's been since I blogged here, and I must ask you to forgive me. I have had some internet problems at home since September, and they have now been corrected. Life is once again running smoothly (most of the time)!
There have been ever so many changes in recent months. And yet, with the help of our Lord, I am adapting to each of them. Life has turned upside-down, inside-out, and done a complete turn-around! The daycare is closed completely, school is in it's 6th week for me, my apron business is getting started, and I have adapted to not cooking for large numbers of folks eating every day. Wow!
As today is Election Day 2006, I do hope you became informed of the issues and the candidates and voted, and voted wisely. This is not only our right (a hard-won right), but it is our responsibility and our duty. There is a lengthy blog entry at Nuggets of Wisdom concerning this very subject. It's worth reading if you can.
I am working out and fine-tuning my schedule. Not only the Daily Life Schedule, but also a schedule for blogging. I got way off track for a couple of months, and now the time has come to settle in and get to work on my priorities. And one of my priorities is my blogging and all of my writing. If there is a subject you would like to see addressed here regularly, please either email me (the link is in the sidebar), or leave me a comment about it. I will do my best to incorporate your suggestions here.
I pray you have had a lovely and blessed day this day.
This weblog will be a compilation of happening's here in my home. I will be including homemaking tips, recipes, and encouragement for the homemaker who realizes she is a God-ordained Keeper of her Home.
You surround yourself with art and music and are constantly driven to express yourself. You often daydream. You prefer honesty in your relationships and believe strongly in your personal morals.
The daycare is closed completely, school is in it's 6th week for me, my apron business is getting started, and I have adapted to not cooking for large numbers of folks eating every day. Wow!
