Apple season

One of my family's favorite Autumn desserts is my homemade French Apple Pie. Last weekend we went to Retzner's Apple Festival and did our traditional stocking up of various apples, which are not available at the supermarket. Saturday evening... yummy! French Apple Pie, hot out of the oven served with frozen vanilla custard. mmmm m. So good, in fact, I though I should be a good neighbor and share the recipe with you.

French Apple Pie

• 6 C. apple (peeled, pared, sliced) I like to use at least 2 different types of apples
• 1/2 to 2/3 C. Sugar
• 2 t. cinnamon
• 2 T. flour

Mix the above together in a large bowl and place in your pastry lined pie pan.
top with the following in the form of crumbs:

• 1/2 C. butter
• 1/2 C. brown sugar
• 1 C. flour
• 1 or 2 t. cinnamon

Bake 15 min. in a 450 degree oven. Drop temp to 350 and bake 20-30 min. longer. If top or crust browns too quickly, cover with foil.

Serve warm with frozen vanilla custard for most favorable results. Enjoy!

simply rich

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Coffee, chocolate, men ...

some things are just better rich.

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Drink your milk

As women, it is especially important that we make sure we are getting enough calcium in our diets. For most of us that is hard to do. My doctor advised taking a supplement. That left me with a few questions worth addressing.

This is what I learned:

• We need calcium especially to help prevent osteoporosis. Calcium helps us to achieve maximum bone mass as well as helping to prevent the breakdown of that mass.
• According to womenshealth.org, Calcium: An Important Mineral For Women breaks down the amount of calcium we need at different hormonal times of our life.
• According to http://www.calciuminfo.com/, "Your body needs it every day not just to keep your bones and teeth strong over your lifetime, but to ensure proper functioning of muscles and nerves. It even helps your blood clot."
• It is important to utilize a supplement because we don't usually get the amount of calcium we need in our daily diets. Most of our usual 'food' resources are very fatty, which leads to other health problems. Some good, non-fatty sources of calcium include:

Broccoli, turnip greens, sardines, spinach, soy beverages, pink salmon, oatmeal, ocean perch, black strap molasses

To read more about bone health from the Surgeon General check out their report on the subject: Report

Appendix B. Food Sources Of Selected Nutrients , http://www.womenshealth.org/a/calcium_woman.htm, http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/bonehealth/

The F word

Check out more about the 'F' word being heard all over the media today at: The New Face of Feminism

chocoholics

I won't even try to hide the fact that I am a chocoholic. Here is how Merriam-Webster defines it:

"chocoholic
Main Entry: choc·o·hol·ic
Variant(s): also choc·a·hol·ic \ˌchä-kə-ˈhȯ-lik, ˌchȯ-, -ˈhä-\
Function: noun
Etymology:chocolate + -aholic
Date: 1968

: a person who craves or compulsively consumes chocolate"

http://www.merriam-webster.com/

I qualify! Certain times more than others... :)

Today I feel better about my compulsive cravings. Did you know that there is strong evidence that chocolate is actually good for us? Ahhhh my sweet chocolate, how can you be this good?

Lower blood pressure, reduces stress, high in antioxidents, a reduction in pain... yada yada yada.. I've heard enough to make my justification complete.

Check out these sites for more information:

• http://www.immunesupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/ID/3464/


• http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20030827/dark-chocolate-is-healthy-chocolate


• http://www.healthcastle.com/chocolate-cocoa-benefits.shtml


• http://archives.cnn.com/2000/HEALTH/diet.fitness/02/02/chocolate.wmd/

Let's face it. Most of us look forward to the little indulgences which include chocolate. As long as we don't overdo it (which I have also been guilty of) a moment of rich, dark, smooth chocolate is enough to cheer up a cloudy moment. Enjoy!

History in the making

Today is a historic day. Today is the day when many courageous women return to school. No, I'm not talking about teaching preschool.

For whatever reason many women have never gone to or completed college. These women are realizing in their 30's, 40's, 50's and even 60's that the educational sky does not need to cloud over with age.

You might be thinking about going to college to finish up a degree or even as a first timer. Now IS the time.

• Am I too old to go back to school?
• I went to school a long time ago. Are my credits still good?
• Will I be able to transfer all of my credits?
• Can I get credit for life experience?
• What is portfolio assessment?
• Where can I get information about completing my high school education through a GED?
• Where can I find out about financial aid?

The future belongs to us, all of us. It is what we make it. (after all, isn't that what we are telling our daughters?) Let's take a little of our own advice and reach for the sky!

http://www.adultstudentcenter.com/