Greener Brown Bag Lunch

Pack a 'greener' brown bag lunch



One easy way to live a more earth-conscious lifestyle is to turn brown bag lunches green this school year. By thinking green every time you pack a lunch, you can save money and take a small step forward for the environment.

Do right by your wallet and the environment with these simple tips:

* Buy local foods

Look for a farmer's market or grocery store that promotes locally grown and produced food.

Local foods are produced close to home and deliver the freshest taste. Buying local supports a more sustainable food system, since real sustainability goes beyond the methods used in food production. The closer a food source is to where you live, the less fuel it will take to get it to your table.

* Tote a reusable lunch bag

Instead of using an old-school brown paper bag, invite your kids to help pick out a reusable lunch bag. This small lesson in sustainability is an easy way for kids to help the environment. Older kids won’t have to settle for a lunch box covered in cartoon characters -- stylish bags are available that will satisfy even the pickiest seventh grader.

Many reusable bags are insulated to help keep lunches cool. Reusable lunch bags come in a variety of fabrics from neoprene, recycled plastics, polyester and canvas.

* Try sandwich bags that are better for the environment

Feel better about using plastic sandwich bags to pack your family’s lunch with new Ziploc evolve sandwich and storage bags.

The protective, ultra-light bags are made using 25 percent less plastic than traditional sandwich bags, and manufactured using wind power – a cleaner, renewable energy source. The bags are also manufactured with less energy overall, which is a step towards reducing greenhouse gasses.

The bags, which are widely available in grocery, mass merchandise and drug stores nationwide, offer the same quality seal, freshness protection, convenience and price that you rely on to preserve lunches and leftovers.

Visit www.ziploc.com to learn more about Ziploc evolve bags and discover new food storage tips and ideas.

* Double fruits and veggies

Make lunches extra green by packing plenty of fruits and vegetables. You will encourage a lifetime of healthy eating habits by making fruits and vegetables part of every meal, including lunch. Additionally, whole foods typically consume less energy and water compared with processed foods.

Teach your kids to eat a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables to get the most nutrients. Think beyond carrot sticks and apples and try a simple salad of red peppers, cucumbers and green beans dressed with vinegar.



Courtesy of ARAcontent



Grannies Kitchen Going Greener

Flash Burgers

In a Flash Burgers

What You Need:

2 lb ground chuck

Wax paper

Freezer paper

Butter or margarine

How to Make It:

Shape the ground chuck into four inch patties.

Place the wax paper on a flat surface.

Place a patty on the wax paper.

Add a piece of wax paper to the top of the patty.

Add another patty.

Continue until all the patties are stacked alternating back and forth between the patties and wax paper and being sure to end with the wax paper.

Wrap in the freezer paper and secure tightly.

Freeze for up to 2 months.

When ready to use place the butter in a skillet.

Heat on medium heat until butter is melted.

Add the patties.

Cook 7 minutes.

Flip and cook an addition 7 minutes or until as well as you like.

Cleaning Your Microwave

Keep cleaning chemicals out of your microwave by boiling a cup of water in the micro, let sit to steam then wipe with wet sponge/paper towel

A cool and refreshing twist for summer meals

A cool and refreshing twist for summer meals




But besides the typical salads and meat on a grill, it’s a challenge to find new outdoor menu ideas that are easy, summery light and sure to delight your guests.



This summer, try a chilled fresh fruit soup. Fruit soups can be chunky or pureed, creamy or clear, sweet or savory -- the variations are endless. Fruit soups originated in Europe and those treasured recipes came to America with the immigrants. It didn’t take long for creative cooks to realize that blueberries, which are native to North America, are an excellent ingredient in cold, refreshing fruit soups.



Blueberries also pack a powerful punch of good nutrition in a one-cup serving. They’re an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of dietary fiber and manganese.



When shopping for blueberries, look for fresh berries that are firm, dry, plump and smooth-skinned. Keep them refrigerated, and use within 10 days of purchase. Blueberries are such an easy ingredient to work with -- no peeling, cutting, pitting or chopping -- a quick rinse and you’re ready to make soup. To learn more, visit www.blueberrycouncil.org.



Here are two cold fruit soup recipes you can serve at your next luncheon or summer gathering. They are low in fat and calories, so go ahead and ask for seconds:



Frosted Blueberry-banana Soup



Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups blueberries, divided

1 ripe banana, roughly chopped

1 1/2 cups ice

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup vanilla frozen yogurt

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice



Directions:

In a blender, combine two cups of the blueberries, the banana, ice, milk, frozen yogurt, sugar and lemon juice; whirl until smooth. Into four soup bowls, pour soup, dividing equally. Scatter remaining 1/4 cup blueberries over soup. Top with small scoop of frozen yogurt, if desired. Serve immediately.



Serves: 4

Per serving: 131 calories, 3 grams protein, 28 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fat (1 gram saturated fat)



Blueberry Orange Soup



Ingredients:

2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

3 cups orange juice

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon, ground

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon water

1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel

Buttermilk or plain yogurt



Directions:

In a saucepan bring blueberries, orange juice, brown sugar and cinnamon to a boil; stir to combine. Dissolve cornstarch with water; gradually stir into blueberry mixture. Cook and stir until clear and lightly thickened. Add the orange peel. Pour into a bowl; refrigerate overnight. Serve with buttermilk swirled in or top with a dollop of yogurt. Garnish with blueberries and mint, if desired.



Serves: 4

Per serving: 132 calories, 2 grams protein, 31 grams carbohydrates, 0 grams fat (1 gram saturated fat)



Courtesy of ARAcontent

Take Your Laundry To The Next Level

Laundry Day


Everything in its place

Laundry rooms used to be relegated to the basement, but more people are finding space for washers and dryers in convenient areas of the house like upstairs near bedrooms. Experts say installing a “laundry nook” is not only a good investment and can raise the value of your home, but it can make hauling baskets of clothing up and down flights of stairs a thing of the past.

The closer the washer and dryer are to living spaces the more important it is for them to be quiet. “Look for machines with new technologies that reduce vibration for nearly noiseless laundry sessions,” says home design expert Doug Wilson. “If your washer and dryer are out in the open, look for colorful and sleek models that can stand out stylishly on their own. New models are available in a variety of designer finishes such as wild cherry red, Riviera blue and even colors that give the look of stainless steel without the stainless steel price tag.”

Near the laundry area or on the go, make sure to keep the latest stain removal products handy. Treating a stain as soon as it happens can help to ensure your clothing won’t be ruined and prevent the need for multiple washings to remove the stain. Oxygen-based stain removers are gentle, nontoxic and effective on nearly every stain and most types of fabrics. And portable stain-erasing pens and wipes are handy for treating stains no matter where you are.

Get the most out of your wash and save energy

Until now, washers only used one washing motion -- tumbling -- to clean clothes. Select washers from LG now feature TrueCare technology, a new way to care for your clothes with four new washing motions -- rolling, stepping, swinging and scrubbing. Cold care, heavy duty and enhanced hand-wash cycles use a combination of these motions to gently and effectively clean clothes.  For example, the cold care cycle uses cold water in combination with these motions to clean clothes as effectively as the normal cycle that uses hot water, but with an energy savings of more than 60 percent.

Look for the ENERGY STAR label on washing machines, and you can cut your water costs by up to 50 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. There are also machines that automatically adjust the water temperature and the amount of water used for each load to prevent excess and waste. Detergent designed for use in cold water helps to save energy by effectively cleaning clothes without hot water.

Another trend in laundry is the use of steam for greater energy and water efficiency. Steam washers and dryers also offer enhanced clothing care options such as short, steam-only cycles that help to reduce wrinkles and remove odors from clothing with using water and detergent (and can help cut down on trips to the dry cleaner in the process, helping to save money in addition to energy).

Stay healthy/strong
With 70 percent of U.S. households affected by asthma or allergies, LG’s SteamWasher with Allergiene cycle gently and effectively reduces allergens, including common triggers -- like dust mites and pet dander -- on fabrics by more than 95 percent, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

“Now there’s a washing machine that is so effective at reducing common household allergens, the LG SteamWasher, that we are able to certify it ‘asthma and allergy friendly,’” says Mike Tringale, director of external affairs for the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

For more information on the latest in laundry innovations, visit LGusa.com.



Courtesy of ARAcontent

Back To The Fifties

The good ole' days of the 1950's...
When floors were checkered...
the bottles were glass...
music was on 45's in jukeboxes...
and Elvis was taking over the radio...
Sit back with a bottle Coca-Cola
and some fresh popcorn
to take in the sights
and the sounds
of the 1950's!


1950's Room & Gift Shop

The 1950's area at The Official Marx Toy Museum takes you back to the fifties with everything that made the 1950's so memorable...black and white checkered floor...bright restaurant booths...chrome trim...a Wurlitzer jukebox with sounds of the 50's...Coke machines...vintage signs...old bottles...and so much more!



One of the features of the 1950's area is a showing of original television commercials from the 1960's. The commercials are a great way to bring back wonderful memories of Marx toys. Commercials are a great way to bring laughs to families, memories to those who remember the toys, and another piece of Marx history for collectors. Some of the toys highlighted in these commercials include Tony the Pony, Fix-Alls, Big Bruiser, Penny the Poodle, EZ Weaver, Rockem' Sockem' Robots, the Big Wheel, and many more. Guaranteed to make you smile!

The museum offers visitors the opportunity to sit back and relax with a bottle of Coca-Cola and some fresh popcorn to take in the sights and sounds of the 1950's & 60's or to reminisce those wonderful childhood memories of Marx toys...

Refreshments include soft drinks & bottled Coca Cola, in addition to freshly popped popcorn and candy bars...a great break for your afternoon travel...

In the Seventies 70's

The Seventies saw a glut of variety shows trying to capture some of the ratings success that Carol Burnett and Sonny & Cher were enjoying.


The Carol
Burnett Shows
Summer Season
Shows of the '70s

The Golddiggers

Joey and Dad

Lola Falana




Van Dyke
and Company

The Carpenters

Glen Campbell
Goodtime Hour

The Flip
Wilson Show

The Sonny &
Cher Shows



The New
Bill Cosby

The Bobby
Darin Show

Hudson Brothers

The Smothers
Brothers Show

The Cher Show

The Redd Foxx
Comedy Hour

George Burns

Jack Paar's
Goodbyes



Great Variety Show Moments

The Golddiggers at the 2009 Grammys

Timmie Rogers

Dean Martin Show

Bob Hope's 1976
Star Studded Special





In the Seventies,
everybody got a variety show.

A partial list of hosts for these mostly short-lived shows includes:

Tim Conway, Tony Orlando and Dawn, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Captain and Tennille, Donny and Marie, Melba Moore and Clifton Davis, Burns and Schreiber, The Brady Bunch, Ken Berry, Jim Stafford, Julie Andrews, Mac Davis, Glen Campbell, Barbara McNair, Ray Stevens, Ken Berry, David Steinberg, Dick Clark, Dick Cavett, Leslie Uggams, Donna Fargo, Don Knotts, McLean Stevenson, Rich Little, Chuck Barris, Lola Falana, Mary Tyler Moore, Tom Jones, Carol Burnett, Liberace, Sonny and Cher, Dinah Shore, The Hudson Brothers, The Smothers Brothers, The Carpenters, Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters, Sheilds and Yarnell, The Manhattan Transfer, The Starland Vocal Band, Peter Marshall, Kenny Rogers, Pat Paulsen, The Jacksons, John Byner, Johnny Cash, Jerry Reed, Helen Reddy, Andy Williams, Glen Campbell, Sammy Davis, Jr., Dinah Shore, Kelly Monteith, Sha Na Na, Bill Cosby, Ben Vereen, Bobby Darin, Bobby Goldsboro, Bobby Vinton, Don Ho, Dolly Parton, Richard Pryor, Howard Cosell and of course The Muppets.
(Did we miss any?)

The Richard
Pryor Show

Rare Audio
Comedy Clips

Pink Lady and Jeff

David Bowie on TV

Pat Paulsen Half A
Comedy Hour

Hee Haw

George Carlin

Wayland Flowers & Madam

BONUS:
1966 Carol
Channing Special

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Father's Day Cards and Quick Gifts

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Fathers Day Make Him King For The Day

This Father's Day make sure the only lawn mower dad sees is this cute mower cupcake, just one of dozens of dessert ideas for his big day.
These sweet lawn mower cupcakes are a cut-above choice for Father's Day.

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