All Natural Formulas

Running out of your favorite household cleanser, laundry detergent, spot remover or insecticide means an unwarranted trip to the local grocer or hardware store—or does it? There are many products inside your cabinets that serve dual purposes if you know the secrets.

Citrus, baking soda, and vinegar are just a few of the hundreds of items whose uses are wide and varied. Years ago, before fancy labels and compelling ad campaigns, products such as these were the norm for dozens of uses and they performed just as well as our new and improved modern marvels of today. Keep in mind also, these old tried and true natural products are much less toxic and far more environmentally friendly. Using these natural products in and around your home will improve your indoor air quality rather than detract from it as so many chemical products will.

Some compelling reasons to get back to natural products include the safety of children and pets (no dangerous storage of “harmful if swallowed” products), they co-exist in our environment, they improve rather than detract from our indoor air quality, they contain no harmful vapors, and they save money. “New and improved” is not necessarily better!


SOME BASIC FORMULAS

Oil Stain Remover For Marble
Items Needed:

9-¾ Ounces of cereal flour
13-½ Ounces of hydrochloric acid (use with care)
4 Ounces of chloride of lime
2 Teaspoons of turpentine

As a safety precaution, gloves and a mask should be worn. Place all the items into a glass or porcelain container and mix into a paste. Apply the paste on the stains and let set for 6-8 hours. Remove the paste with a brush or piece of soft leather. Once the stain has been removed, polish the marble and enjoy. This formulation easily removes grease from marble.

Wood Floor General Cleaner
Items Needed:

2-¼ Cups of mineral oil
¾ Cups of oleic acid (from drug store)
2 Tablespoons of household ammonia (toxic)
5 Tablespoons of turpentine (toxic)
2 Quarts of cool tap water

Mix the mineral oil and oleic acid thoroughly in a container. Add the ammonia and turpentine and mix thoroughly. Add 1 cup of the mixture into the 2 quarts of water. Wet a sponge mop with the mixture and apply to floor. Rinsing is not necessary. Keep all cleaning products out of the reach of children.


Wax Remover (Non Toxic)
Items Needed:

5+ Cups of washing soda
Warm water as required

Mix the washing soda in a bucket with just enough water to create a loose paste. Apply the paste to the floor and allow mixture to dry. The wax should bubble up and flake off easily. Thoroughly rinse the floor until the wax and washing soda mixture is removed. The longer the washing soda is left on and moist, the more wax will be removed.

Wax Remover #2
Items Needed:

2 Cups of household ammonia
½ Cup of washing soda
4 Quarts of warm tap water

Wear rubber gloves as a precaution. Mix all the items thoroughly in a bucket. Apply the solution using a sponge mop, making sure to put a fair amount of the solution on the floor and allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes. Scrub the floor as you would normally and the old wax should be loosened and easily removed.

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BEEF 'N A LITTLE TRIVIA

Generally, the term “meat” refers to the flesh of mammals such as beef, pork, and lamb. But it also refers to poultry, fish, wild game, and even insects. For this section, our attention will be focused on mammals that are domestically raised for food purposes.

Many chefs include most of the non-muscle organs of these animals as meat also. Examples of such are kidneys, liver, tongue, heart, and brain. USDA has quality grades for beef, veal, lamb, yearling mutton, and mutton. It also has yield grades for beef, pork, and lamb. Although there are USDA quality grades for pork, these do not carry through to the retail level as do the grades for other kinds of meat.

Since many cuts of meat such as steaks, chops, and roasts are labeled with a USDA grade, you do not have to be a meat expert to identify the quality you want. Just look in the meat counter or case until you find the cut you want. Then, look for the USDA quality shield on the package to make sure you are getting the quality you want.

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Burgers International
Burgers come in many different tastes depending on the country you are in. Here are some exciting taste delights for you to discover and enjoy.

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A little trivia to entertain us while we indulge in our burgers:

There is some contention as to who invented the hamburger. In 1885, Charlie “Hamburger” Nagreen made claim to serving the first hamburger sandwich at the Outagamie County fair in Seymour, WI. The hamburger was described as a “flattened meatball” and “butter fried ground beef”.

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Argentina
Place a “boiled” burger on a piece of pumpernickel bread and top with an egg.

Germany
In a bowl mix the following: ground beef, wet bread, onions, mustard—and never forget an egg.

Switzerland
The Swiss enjoy their burgers the good old American way, except they add a bit of class by eating them with a knife and fork.

Korea
Spice it up with kimchi, which is a mix of pickled cabbage and some very hot peppers, and you have a Korean burger.

Sweden
Called a pannbiff, the Swedes mix their ground beef in a brown sauce with fried onions and a special ingredient, Lingonberry preserves. Mmmmm, Good!

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Ever have your meat turn grey while cooking? To eliminate the problem just cook a smaller amount in the same size pan.

Seems overcrowding causes excess steam and that is the culprit. Want to save money when buying meats? Check the cost per pound and you may find that some boneless cuts cost less per serving.

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ALERT: some turkey bacon may contain as much fat as regular bacon! Read the labels.

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...And finally a little hamburger humor (very little):

Q: How do you make a meat loaf?
A: Send it on a vacation!

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The following video, Vintage Welch`s grape juice TV commercial, courtesy of You Tube.

The Holiday Party Primer

Once again, tis the season for holiday entertaining and the sinking economy need not be a stumbling block for any celebration. The following party planner primer has been developed to help make your preparations simple and your party a success!

Getting Started
As you begin to plan your party, consider the following questions before deciding on location, guests, food and entertainment. If you’re hosting with others, be sure to get together well ahead of time and decide the responsibilities. Plan a final meeting closer to the party to make sure you’ve covered everything.

A Casual or Formal Occasion?
A holiday party with friends and family? A gathering of extgended family? A Superbowl game? A baby shower? A birthday celebration? The occasion is the starting point that will set the tone for your event.

When and Where?
Will the party be at your home, a rented room, a freiend’s house or a neighborhood park? What time of year is the event? What time of day? Indoors or outdoors? The location and setting will help you decide how many people to invite.

Guest List
Your closest friends? Your relatives? Your co-workers? Are your guests adventurous or conservative? Are they health conscious? Any vegetarians? What are the ages? Will there be children included? The number of guests and their preferences will lead you to the right menu selections.

What’s The Budget?
The amount of money you plan to spend will help determine the number of guests and an appropriate menu. Whether you’re serving coffee and dessert or an elaborate five-course dinner, there are many options available to fit any budget.

Invitations?
A small, informal get-together among friends may simply require a phone call or e-mail. A lager or more formal gathering usually calls for a printed or handwritten invitation. Be sure to include the essentials: occasion, date, time, location, attire and response required. “R.S.V.P” ensures a response, while “Regrets only” may result in a less accurate head count.

Menu Selection
The next step is selecting your menu. Watching a game with a few friends lends itself to drinks and snacks. A seated dinner should begin with a salad or appetizers, followed by a main course and dessert. A larger gathering may call for a buffet-style meal or heavy hors d’oeuvres.

Plan The Main Course First
A standing rib roast or smoked turkey is perfect for a seated dinner. If it’s a picnic, perhaps custom subs and buffalo-style chicken wings are the way to go. For heavy hors d’oeuvres, try a selection of platters, such as fruit and cheese or a round pumpernickel with spinach dip.

Make Sure Flavors Go Together
Be sure to balance the meal with strong and mild flavors. A strong main dish needs a mild side, while a boldly flavored side can complement a subtle main dish. A rich, heavy meal calls for a light dessert and visa versa.

Mix Up The Temperatures
Serving foods at a combination of temperatures will not only free up your oven but will also add variety to your menu. Mix cold platters with warm tasty foods. You might even add items served best at room temperatures like some delicious mini danishes and rugalach.

Consider The Time of Day and Year
A late-night party calls for smaller portions than a 7 p.m. gathering. Season and location are also important factors. Chili wouldn’t be appropriate on a hot summer day, nor would ice cream on a cold, winter night.

Calculate Serving Sizes and Portions
Ordering and purchasing the right amount of food is one of the trickiest parts of entertaining. As a rule of thumb, always plan for a little more than you think will actually be consumed. A few leftovers will give you something to enjoy after the party. Taking your guests’ preferences into consideration, use the following guide to calculate how much food to serve:

Per Person:
Appetizers: 4 to 5 per/hour
Fruits/Vegetables: 1/2 - 2/3 cup
Meat/Poultry/Seafood: 4 to 8 ounces, uncooked
Side Dishes: ½ cup, per side dish
Salad: 1 to 1-1/2 cups
Sauces/Dips/Dressing: 2 to 3 tablespoons
Soups: ¾ to 1 cup

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The following video, Lucy & Ricky have dinner with Tallulah Bankhead, courtesy of You Tube.

Don’t Forget Your Critters

Throughout your cooking adventures, do not forget your critters. Some spices, herbs and specialty recipes can be beneficially healthy for your pet as well as fun for you both. Homemade healthy treats and foods aid as rewards during training and good behavior.

The myths contrived by pet food producers has magically transformed our society into thinking that the foods we eat are nutritionally unacceptable to feed your pets. Imagine that! The foods you feed your children are not fit for your dog! Feeding your dog nothing but the nutritionally balanced formulas they produce is hogwash, plain and simple.

We do not feed our family daily with processed fast foods, but think nothing of maintaining it for our pets’ diet. The ingredients used in processed pet foods certainly do not undergo the rigorous scrutiny of inspections or quality controls placed on foods ingested by humans. Dog and cat diet is similar in nature to our own, and caring owners need to awaken to the fact that pet food is possibly more harmful than meals we cook for ourselves. Let’s face it…would you eat it?

The nutritional intake that a dog needs is basically the same as humans: protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Dogs are meat eaters but a variety of vegetables and starches add to a well-rounded diet. Similar to human beings, a dogs’ eating habits and nutritional needs change as they get older. A dog's age, health, physical activity, and surroundings all play a part in its nutritional needs.

Domesticated dogs are classed as carnivorous, and need to get a well balanced diet introduced into their meals. Dogs that eat only meat can develop an imbalance of calcium and phosphorous in their diets. The results of this can be fragile bones, weight loss, joint diseases, intestinal problems, a lack-luster coat, and loss of energy. Packaged and processed food is not always what you expect it to be and homemade foods can be much more beneficial for your pet. Remember that your home cooked pet food does not contain any preservatives, so limit the amounts you cook, or consider freezing till needed.

A Nice Reward For Rover

Homemade basic biscuits
2 eggs
¼ cup milk
2 cups whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons wheat germ

Directions:
• Preheat oven to 350º.
• Blend eggs in mixing bowl. Add wheat germ and milk. Stir until smooth. Add whole wheat flour and mix into egg mixture using your hands. Pat dough into a long rectangle, about 3" wide (or as wide as your bone-shaped cookie cutter is long), and ½" thick. Cut it into bone shapes. Place dough 1 inch apart on an increased cookie sheet.
• Bake for 25 minutes on one side, then turn over and bake another 25 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let biscuits cool on racks.
• You can add additional flavors of any kind!
• Recipe will make about 15 average sized biscuits

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The following video, Lassie and Timmy, courtesy of You Tube.

A Quick History of Food

MANY OF THE MODERN AND DIVERSE foods we are familiar with and enjoy today were actually developed during a brief period of time from 1850 to 1900, much of which was promoted for its healthful properties and beneficial effects then, as it is today. Thus were the beginnings of what is referred to today as “nutritional science.”

Scientists (in concert to some extent with medical practitioners) began to realize the relationship between our health and the foods we eat. Further, exciting advances in analytical chemistry provided hard scientific data to prove it.

Recognizing the power behind the old adage, “you are what you eat,” food advertisers were quick to herald such news to a public that was open to learn about this “new” nutritional science. By 1901, food ads were calling attention to the “wholesomeness" and "healthfulness" of their food products. “Eat less meat and more Quaker Oats," and “Cereal leads to good health,” the American Cereal Company's ads proclaimed.

On the other hand, Dold's Packing Company, was adamant that their "corn-fed porkers made sweet healthful food." Vendors distributed literature and trading cards at markets and any venue where food was sold. They hired "barkers" at local fairs and events to sell their “healthy foods” in every way possible. The public was being effectively educated on the idea that healthy food products would make them feel better and live longer.

The result over time was that the general public became better educated in nutrition and, better yet, more discerning today of what constitutes genuinely healthful food.


CANNED AND PACKAGED FOODS
Ironically, as the emphasis on eating healthier food grew, so did the public's desire for quick and easy to serve processed food products. The late 19th Century saw the development of the canned meat and fruit industries— Libby's, Armour's, Van Camp, Borden and Heinz were the giants of the day. During this period saccharin, synthetic vanilla, and flaked cereal also entered the market, as well as the numerous soda pop brands, most of which are still sold today. The decade of the 1890s was an especially lucrative one for "quick food" producers with products like minute tapioca, "instant" cereal, condensed soup, and pre-ground coffee guaranteed to ease the labor of meal preparation.

The first metal cans/containers were patented by Englishman Thomas Kensett in 1825. While canned meats, fruits and vegetables were produced in America on a limited basis prior to the 1850s, the Civil War "created a significant need for portable foods to feed the troops and as a result, the canning industry rapidly expanded."

Opening canned foods was somewhat problematic until the invention of the can opener in the 1860s. Development of an opener was possible once cans were made of steel rather than iron.

The initial response to canned foods was one of skepticism and the age-old practice of "putting-up" preserves, fruits and vegetables at home continued in many middle-class kitchens. By the time the new century had arrived, hundreds of food products were being commercially prepared, and sales began to indicate that the American homemaker was accepting these new, convenient products. Not only did packaged goods bring economy to the kitchen in terms of time and convenience but the increased availability of fruits and vegetables all year round meant the family no longer had to dine according to what was in season.


THE BIRTH OF SOME POPULAR FOODS
1872: Blackjack Chewing Gum
1874: Ice Cream Soda
1876: Premium Soda Crackers (later Saltines)
1876: Hires Root Beer
1881: Pillsbury Flour
1886: Coca-Cola
1887: Ball-Mason Jars
1888: Log Cabin Syrup
1889: Aunt Jemima Pancake Mix
1889: Calumet Baking Powder
1889: McCormick Spices
1889: Pabst Brewing Company
1890: Knox Gelatin
1890: Libby Introduces Keys to Canned Meat
1890: Lipton Tea
1891: Del Monte
1891: Fig Newton
1891: Quaker Oats Company
1893: Cream of Wheat
1893: Good & Plenty
1893: Juicy Fruit Gum
1894: Chili Powder
1895: Shredded Coconut
1895: Triscuits
1896: Cracker Jack
1896: Michelob Beer
1896: S&W Canned Foods
1896: Tootsie Roll
1897: Campbell's Condensed Soup
1897: Campbell's Tomato Soup
1897: Grape Nuts
1897: Jell-O
1898: Nabisco Graham Crackers
1898: Shredded Wheat Cereal
1900: Coney Island Hot Dog
1899: Wesson Oil
1900: Chiclets Gum
1900: Cotton Candy
1900: Hershey's Chocolate

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The following video, Coca-Cola Natal Christmas 1944-1973 - 2007, courtesy of You Tube.

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