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Sundried Tomato Pesto Harvest Vegie "Noodles"
Shhhh … they aren't really "noodles" … they just look sort of like noodles. They don't really taste like noodles either, but I love the noodley look of this colorful vegetable medley. The Pesto Rosso (a.k.a, sundried tomato pesto) really complements the sauteed veggies too, especially when you add some crumbles of cheese on top.
It was getting very close to bedtime last night when I realized I was hungry. I didn't want to have a big, heavy meal right before bed, but I didn't want my stomach waking me up in the middle of night either. So I decided at the last moment to cook up something light and healthy but filling enough to tide me over till morning. I've been toying with the idea of using zucchini and summer squash as noodles with sauce over top, but when I went to make it, I thought "why just zucchini? why not toss some other vegetables too?" … and so I did.
For me, this was a late night snack, but I could envision these lovelies as a beautiful bed for meat, fish or chicken. Can you imagine how appetizing that would look? Or you could eat them as is for a wonderfully healthy vegetarian dinner. If you want a heartier meal, toss them with some whole grain fettucine or linguine. The wonderful thing about eating vegetables for dinner is you can pretty much eat as many as you want without guilt or worry.
Sundried Tomato Pesto Harvest Vegie "Noodles"
This makes about enough for 1 hearty plateful or two side servings. Multiply if you have more mouths to feed!
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 – 1/2 of a small sweet onion
- 1/3 of a large bell pepper (I used a yellow one)
- 1/2 of a medium-sized zucchini (yielding a heaping cup or so of zucchini "noodles")
- 1 roma tomato
- About 2 tablespoons fresh herbs, chopped (I used Basil and Terragon)
- A splash of wine (or water)
- About 1 Tablespoon Pesto Rosso (Sundried Tomato Pesto … recipe here)
- About 1/2 Tablespoon white wine (or water)
- To top: crumbled feta or queso fresco — or thin "shards" of freshly cut Parmesan & a cherry tomato or sprig of fresh basil or parsley, for garnish
- Peel and chop the garlic finely and, in a small bowl, mix it with the olive oil. Set aside to allow the garlic to infuse into the oil while you chop up the vegies.
- Slice the vegies into thin noodle shapes. For the onion, slice it vertically and very thin. The zucchini: slice it in half, then slice each half into very thin slices. Cut the slices into noodle-sized strips. The tomato: cut it vertically, then slice like you did the zucchini. The bell pepper: just cut it into very thin strips.
- Now heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic with olive oil, onion and bell pepper and sautee until the onion is soft. Then add the zucchini and tomato and sautee until the zucchini "noodles" are tender. If the pan gets dry while you are cooking, add a splash of white wine (or water) to keep the vegies moist and tender and make sure they don't stick to the pan.
- Mix the pesto rosso with a bit of white wine (or water) to thin it out, then toss it with the vegies.
- Top with crumbled cheese or shards of parmesan, garnish with a cherry tomato and/or fresh herbs and serve immediately.
This recipe was shared at Tasty Tuesday, Wonderful Food Wednesday, Cast Party Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday, Fit & Fabulous Friday, Weekend Potluck and Newlyweds Recipe Linky.
Cucumber Pesto Buttermilk Salad
This is one of those salads that came to me in the middle of the night. I was trying to think of something different to do with cucumbers beyond the regular cucumber salads … hadn't come up with anything, but then about 3 a.m., I woke up and thought "Pesto! Pesto would be awesome on cucumbers!" So yeah, I guess I never stop thinking about food, even when I'm sleeping.
I have a bunch of English cucumbers my mom gave me from her garden. They are the BEST cucumbers, so crunchy and sweet, tiny little seeds that are never too big, and no sharp bitter taste at all. She had brought in a box of them and said to me "this is today's pick … tomorrow we will have another bunch like this. So you may as well take them all."
I found a bit of buttermilk in my fridge and thought I should use that up, so I mixed it with the pesto along with some yogurt to make the dressing. Together they made this lovely creamy blend that made me smile. I had actually intended to put some chickpeas in this salad as well, but I completely forgot about them until the salad was gone. Oh well, the chickpeas will go into something else!
Cucumber Pesto Buttermilk Salad
with Tomato, Feta Cheese and Pinons
- 2 cups chopped English cucumber (or other fresh garden cucumber … )
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved, or chopped fresh tomato
- Feta cheese crumbles
- Pinons, toasted
- Fresh basil leaves, for garnish (if desired)
- 2 Tablespoons buttermilk
- 2 Tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
- 2 Tablespoons pesto (my recipe is here)
Chop up the cucumber and toss them in a bowl with the tomatoes, saving a few tomatoes for garnish on top of the salad. Mix up the buttermilk, yogurt and pesto till smooth and then toss the cucumber/tomato mixture with enough dressing to just coat the vegies. Top with feta cheese crumbles, pinons, the reserved tomatoes and fresh basil leaves and serve.
This recipe was shared at Fit & Fabulous Fridays, Summer Salad Sundays and Raw Food Recipes.
Triple Tomato Ranch Pasta Salad
This was the salad I had in mind when I created the sundried tomato ranch dressing. A super simple, very tomato salad bursting that really focuses on the tomato. I forgot to put the feta cheese on BEFORE I took the pictures … ooops! But don't forget to add the feta. The tangy salty feta is so good with the juicy tomatoes and ranch.
Triple Tomato Ranch Pasta Salad
You could add other fresh vegies to this salad as well … this recipe made enough for two meals for me, but I'm not a big eater.
- 1 cup dry cellentani pasta (rotini, bowtie, or penne would work well for this too)
- 1/2 cup chopped sweet onions
- 2 red ripe tomatoes, chopped
- Mixed greens
- 1/4 cup sundried tomato ranch dressing (recipe here)
- Several sundried tomatoes, chopped into bits
- Feta cheese crumbles
- Leftover grilled meat (optional … I tossed in some of my Spiedies) … or try some cooked chickpeas (or other beans) instead and maybe some sunflower seeds?
- For garnish: Green onion, snipped
First, make the dressing and set it aside while you create the salad.
Cook the pasta in boiling water till done, then drain. In a bowl, mix together the pasta, sweet onions, tomatoes and ranch dressing.
Cover your salad plate (or bowl) with a layer of mixed greens, then add a healthy bunch of the pasta salad mixture. Top with the chopped sundried tomatoes, chunks of meat, feta cheese crumbles and snipped green onions.
Enjoy! (I did take ONE photo after I added the feta … I had already started in on devouring the salad by then though …)
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This recipe was also shared at Manic Monday, Cast Party Wednesday, and Tastetastic Thursday.
Jump Up Chicken Orange Salad with Feta & Pecans
I was scrounging for lunch again yesterday … my body was so hungry for something good, delicious, healthy. My organic salad greens in the fridge were almost gone. There wasn't much to be had in the fridge except some cut fruit and a bit of cheese.
But I ALWAYS have plenty of food in the freezer. AND I have a yard full of edibles! I went out and collected some wild violet and dandelion leaves, a bit of fresh basil, some Johnny Jump Ups (as my mom calls them … they are also known as Violas), cooked up a frozen chicken patty, toasted some pecans from the freezer and voila! I had a beautiful salad definitely worth jumping up for.
Jump Up Chicken Orange Salad with Feta and Pecans
- Greens (I used wild violet and dandelion greens)
- Cooked chicken, cut into chunks (I used a breaded chicken patty, but grilled chicken or even rotisserie chicken would work too)
- Orange, peeled and cut into small chunks
- Toasted pecans
- Crumbled feta cheese
- Viola flowers (Johnny Jump Ups … preferably from a source that isn't sprayed with herbicides or pesticides)
- Fresh basil leaves
Fill your bowl most of the way with greens. Tuck in the chicken, orange pieces, sprinkle with pecans and feta. Add the flowers and the basil and drizzle with a pleasing vinaigrette. I used my Honey Lemon Ginger White Wine Vinaigrette, but I think the Tequila Lime Vinaigrette would be lovely on this salad too … I need to make some more of that beautiful dressing.
This recipe was shared at Cast Party Wednesdays, Fit & Fabulous Fridays, Fabulous Friday, Weekend Potluck, Mom's Everyday Meals and Mealtime Monday and Delicious Dish Tuesday.
Rainbow Symphony Fruit Salad with Walnuts & Feta
on Wild Greens with a Honey Citrus Poppyseed Dressing
We made rainbow fruit kebabs for my daughter's birthday party. Both of her parties, in fact (one for her school friends, one for her dance friends). The second party was smaller, so now my fridge is filled with fruit. Fruit in literally all the colors of the rainbow.
That just screams for a salad, doesn't it?
Now, you could arrange all these pretty fruits over the greens in the shape of a rainbow I suppose. I just wanted a sprinkle of fruit amongst my greens, though. And a crunchy nut flavor with some salty, creamy cheese. The best part of this salad, I think, was each time I encountered a new fruit, the taste was a little different. But the greens, the dressing, the cheese and the walnuts held it all together so it was a constant symphony of taste with changing fruit highlights. Sort of like different singers singing the same melody, or different instruments playing the same tune. It felt a little like listening to a really good orchestra playing a beautiful piece of music … like being at the Symphony.
Rainbow Symphony Fruit Salad on Wild Greens
with Toasted Walnuts & Feta Cheese
- Greens of your choice (I used dandelion greens.)
- Fresh blueberries
- Honeydew melon
- Chopped fresh pineapple
- Fresh orange, peeled and cut into chunks
- Fresh strawberries
- Toasted walnuts
- Feta cheese
Fill your salad bowl most of the way with greens. Tuck the fruits in amongst the greens, sprinkle with a few toasted walnuts and a bit of crumbled feta cheese. Drizzle with Honey Citrus Poppyseed Dressing.
Honey Citrus Poppyseed Dressing
Okay this isn't really a NEW salad dressing recipe … it's a salad dressing transformation. I wanted that honey lemon, but I also wanted a bit of creaminess, a bit more sweet citrus taste, and some poppyseeds, so I just added them. I think you could get away with using the Honey Lemon Ginger White Wine Vinaigrette as is. Or you could go a different direction and just add some honey to the orange juice, yogurt and poppyseeds.
- 1 Tablespoon Honey Lemon Ginger White Wine Vinaigrette
- 1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed orange juice
- 1 Tablespoon plain yogurt
- 1/2 teaspoon poppyseeds
Mix all ingredients and drizzle over the salad.
Enjoy the symphony.
This recipe was shared at Mealtime Mondays, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, Trick or Treat Tuesdays, and Tastetastic Thursdays.
Pesto Salmon Pizza with Capers & Feta
I'm guest blogging over at Nutri-Savvy today! Lauren challenged me to create a recipe with a set of unusual ingredients for her Mix it Up Mondays. The list included salmon, capers, tomatoes, kale, and feta … that sounded to me like it would make a perfect pizza!
And it did.
Pop over to Nutri-Savvy for the recipe.
This recipe was shared at Mealtime Mondays.
Greek-Style Baked Fish
I am guest posting at Full Belly Sisters today! Justine is one of my favorite facebook foodie friends and when she asked me to share a fish dish, I immediately thought of this one. I've been meaning to blog it forever because it's one of those dishes I have made over and over again over the years …
So head over to Full Belly Sisters for the recipe! I think you're going to love it …
This recipe was shared at Everyday Mom's Meals, Talent Show Tuesdays, Cast Party Wednesdays, Tastetastic Thursdays and Fit & Fabulous Fridays.
Bread and White Bean Salad with Feta & Basil
Yesterday my little blog reached a new milestone: 5,000 "likes" on my facebook page. I was so excited I took a screenshot! … I have met sooo many wonderful foodie friends through this blog. It has been an incredibly rewarding journey for me. My foodie friends take me on culinary journeys all over the world, but not only that, they lift me up when I am down, they always have a cheery good morning and a good night, a cup of hot coffee, and oh the amazing foods we share. We have parties together, share stories, food, music, drinks … They are my inspiration, but more than that, they are my friends … I want to do something to celebrate and thank all of you but I wasn't quite sure what to do. One of my friends suggested "5 different things" … we tossed around some ideas for that … at first I was thinking party foods, but I think I will go with 5 favorite foods.
First of Five Favorites: Salad. One of my very favorite foods is salad. I loooove salad! I think I could eat salad every day. Salads are often meals for me. I dress them up with all sorts of things, and I love to make my own salad dressings. And I love sharing my salads with my foodie friends.
For this salad, I wanted to do something like an Italian Bread Salad with my sunflower spinach parmesan bread, but I didn't follow a recipe. This salad just sort of "happened", like a lot of recipes in my kitchen do. I just wing it. Most of the time it turns out pretty good. This one was really good, but I'll warn you it's super garlicky. Personally I like that. One of the things I want to do before I die is to get to the garlic festival in Gilroy, CA. I already have two garlic cookbooks from there and they are very well used. We drove through Gilroy once. You can smell the amazing garlic from inside the car. For a couple minutes, our car smelled like an Italian kitchen. I bet everyone in Gilroy cooks with a LOT of garlic. I think I'd fit right in …
Bread and White Bean Salad with Feta & Basil
Makes 1 "meal-sized" salad or 2-3 side salads. Multiple if you are cooking for more people!
- 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 2 slices of french bread or Sunflower Spinach Parmesan Bread
- 1/2 cup cooked Great Northern, Cannellini or other white beans
- 2 whole canned tomatoes
- Granulated garlic
- Red Robin seasoning (or seasoned salt)
- Italian seasoning
- Mixed greens
- Red onions, thinly sliced
- Feta cheese crumbles
- Fresh basil leaves
- Sunflower seeds, toasted
- Lowfat garlic ranch dressing (I used this one) … or I think a garlicky balsamic vinaigrette would be nice on this salad too …
- In a small bowl, mix the olive oil and granulated garlic. Cut the bread into cubes, and brush lightly with the olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees for about 5 – 10 minutes or until the bread is toasted and crunchy.
- While the croutons are baking, put the beans in a small bowl and crush the tomatoes over them, allowing the juices to drip into the beans, then add the tomatoes. Season to taste with garlic, Red Robin seasoning and Italian seasoning. Heat the beans in the microwave or a small pan till they are hot.
- Assemble the salad: in a salad bowl, toss the greens with the onions, beans, and croutons. Sprinkle with feta, basil leaves, and sunflower seeds and drizzle with the dressing.
This recipe was shared at Totally Tasty Tuesdays, Midweek Fiesta, Cast Party Wednesday, Tastetastic Thursdays, Fit & Fabulous Fridays and Weekend Potluck.
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Black Bean, Feta and Avocado Couscous Citrus Salad
with cilantro, cucumber, and toasted pinons
I couldn't stop eating this salad. It was one of those find-things-in-your-fridge-and-toss-them-together kind of meals … but once I got it all together, I could not believe how good it tasted.
I was telling my yoga friend about this salad and she asked how it is that I have all these strange things "on hand" in my kitchen … I think what I do is I just collect interesting ingredients and let them flow together. Oh, yes, there are times when I buy things specifically to make a particular dish, but it quite often doesn't work out that way. Life gets in the way. My plans get thrown out the window. I have learned along the way that plans are only a point of departure, and you have to be ready at any point in life to make new ones. I find myself doing a lot of that.
In any case, this was a very happy accident.
Black Bean, Feta and Avocado Couscous Citrus Salad
with Cilantro, Cucumber, and Toasted Pine Nuts
If you haven't got any kumquats, you could try substituting other citrus fruits.
- 2/3 cup uncooked whole wheat couscous
- 1/2 of a large cucumber, sliced and cut into small chunks
- 3/4 cup cooked black beans
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped fine
- Roughly 1/3 cup feta cheese crumbles
- 2 kumquats (about 2 inches in diameter, add more to taste depending on how large your kumquats are), sliced thin and chopped (reserving a few slices for garnish)
- About 2 cups of green leaf or romaine lettuce, chopped fine
- About 3/4 cup of fresh cilantro leaves
- About 1/3 cup of toasted pinon nuts
- 1/2 of an avocado, peeled, pitted, chopped
- Prepare the uncooked couscous according to the package directions and make the dressing.
- In a medium bowl, toss everything but the avocado until mixed.
- Toss the avocado in the dressing to coat (the kumquat juice in the dressing will help the avocado from turning brown), then toss the avocado and the dressing into the salad and stir gently to combine.
- Garnish the top of the salad with extra feta crumbles, slices of kumquat, cilantro leaves and a few pinons.
- 2 Tablespoons of kumquat juice
- 1/2 teaspoon of granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons of honey
- 2 teaspoons of rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil
Whisk together all the ingredients in a small bowl.
This recipe was shared on Fit & Fabulous Fridays, Everyday Mom's Church Supper, Weekend Potluck, Love your Hearth Month, Midnight Maniac Meatless Mondays, and Freaky Friday.
Kumquat Prosciutto Salad with Feta & Romano
and a Kumquat Ginger Yogurt Dressing
This is an intense salad, with bursts of contrasting flavors all over the place. Smoky salty prosciutto contrasting with the sharp cheese, nutty almonds, onion, and then those kumquats come along and blow your taste buds away. Top it all off with some a tangy sweet kumquat ginger yogurt dressing and oh my your taste buds will start dancing.
Not for the faint of heart … this salad is bold and feisty.
First make the dressing and let it sit while you mix up the salad …
Kumquat Ginger Yogurt Salad Dressing
This dressing has an intense ginger taste. If you are not a ginger fanatic, or if you are not sure if you are, I would recommend seriously toning down the amount of ginger in the dressing.
- 1/8 cup plain greek yogurt (nonfat or lowfat)
- 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon freshly grated ginger root (if you're not a ginger fanatic like me, cut it down to 1/2 – 1 teaspoon)
- 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 1 tablespoon kumquat syrup (from making candied kumquats … you could substitute orange marmalade)
Mix all ingredients until well blended.
Kumquat & Prosciutto Salad with Toasted Almonds, Feta, and Romano Cheese
- Mixed greens
- Thinly sliced red onions
- Thin sliced prosciutto
- Kumquat, thinly sliced
- Feta cheese crumbles
- Shards of fresh Romano cheese (slice off very thin slices of the cheese)
- Toasted almonds
Fill your salad bowl about 3/4 of the way with the greens, then add the rest of the ingredients as you please. Drizzle with the dressing and enjoy the party in your mouth.
This recipe was shared at It's a Keeper Thursdays, Fit and Fabulous Fridays and Weekend Potluck.
Fabulous Baked Felafel
Felafel is a traditional middle eastern food: usually deep fried little balls of spiced chickpea batter. Crunchy, delicious, and actually healthy for you, even if you fry them.
These felafel are baked, though, so they are even better for you. Packed with protein and vegies and all kinds of good herbs and spices. Don't even try to fry them. I had a few that didn't fit on my little baking sheet, so I tried frying them in olive oil and just trust me on this one, the baked ones were SO much better.
I hear there is a lot of controversy over felafel. It seems many Palestinians believe that Israelis have stolen falafel, a traditional Arab food … personally I don't understand why we need to fight over food.
I am more of a peaceful soul who likes to enjoy good food … I really don't care who invented it … just as long as it's good. And these little babies are definitely good.
Fabulous Baked Felafel
Adapted from Shutterbean
Makes 10 – 15 or so felafel
- 1 1/2 cups of cooked chickpeas (aka, garbanzo beans)
- 1 small onion
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro (alas, I had no cilantro, so I substituted basil …)
- Juice of 1 kumquat (or 1 teaspoon of lemon juice)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons feta cheese
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Put all the ingredients into a handy chopper or food processor and blend till everything is chopped fine and forms a paste. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Form into small balls, about 1 1/2 – 2 inches diameter and flatten into patties. Place your lovely little felafels onto a baking pan sprayed with cooking spray.
- Bake for 15 minutes on each side, until nicely browned (since it's baked, only the part actually touching the pan will be browned and crispy).
Felafel are typically served in pita bread with lettuce, tomato, and a tahini sauce. I had them for lunch today with a bit of onion, lettuce, tomato, Mia's fantastic avocado hummus and some feta cheese. I really wanted some tzatziki to go alongside, but alas, I had no cucumber. They were still pretty dang fabulous.
They are quite nice just to munch on as a little appetizer too. Just be careful … they are slightly addictive.
This recipe was shared at Talent Show Tuesday, Totally Tasty Tuesdays, and Newlyweds Recipe Linky.
Kiwi & Chicken Salad with Feta, Basil, & Mixed Greens
with Tequila Lime Vinaigrette
Do you see the kiwi in there? It's a master at hide-and-seek …
Yesterday I walked into my kitchen looking for some lunch … I am trying to eat up that big tub of herb organic salad mix my mom and dad got for me, so I thought I'd make a salad. And I'm trying to clean out some of the things in the freezer, so I added some chicken nuggets. And then I found some feta cheese and a red onion from Dad's garden. But it sounded boring … what else could I add to my salad? Aha! a bunch of kiwis my daughter hasn't eaten yet … and some basil …
That's how this salad came to be. I just kept finding things to put in it. Some of my best recipes are born that way.
I told my daughter that I put Kiwi in my salad today and she said yes, of course, it goes great in fruit salad. I said no, I used it in a green salad with chicken and cheese and red onions. She said that's just weird.
Well, yes, maybe it is a little weird. But it is also really good. The taste of the crispy chicken, the sweet juicy kiwi, the salty cheese, the greens, and the herbs — it is just a really good flavor combination. You will just have to try it and find out for yourself.
Kiwi & Chicken Salad with Feta, Basil, and Mixed Greens with Tequila Lime Vinaigrette
- Mixed Organic Herb Mix or Mixed Greens (including fresh dill … if it's not in the greens I do recommend adding it!)
- Chicken nuggets or grilled chicken or other chicken (this is a great use for leftover chicken!)
- Red onion, cut in small chunks
- Kiwi fruit, peeled and cut into pieces
- Feta cheese crumbles
- Fresh basil leaves (and flowers if you have them!)
First make the dressing and let it set to mix the flavors while you prepare the salad.
Fill the salad bowl 3/4 full with the organic herb mix, and sprinkle with remaining ingredients as you please. Drizzle with the Tequila Lime Vinaigrette.
Tequila Lime Vinaigrette (from Cooking Light Magazine)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons tequila
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
- Dash of salt
- Toss all ingredients into a food processor and whir till blended. Or you can just whisk them all together in a bowl, but the food processor will chop up the cilantro really nicely. I used watermelon-infused tequila (made by soaking watermelon cubes in tequila for several days). Cover and chill until ready to use.
This recipe was shared at Tastetastic Thursdays.
Herb Salad with Chicken, Feta, Pinons & Oriental Vinaigrette
I don't know if you noticed but I was away from my kitchen last week, travelling in California. The company I work for lives out in California … everyone else who works for this company lives in California. Most of them come into the office every day. I am the lone midwestern employee, working remotely. They give me a lot of crap about the weather. My boss loves to call and tell me when he's wearing shorts in sunny 70 degree weather and we are up to our armpits in snow. It's all in good fun. My son and I called them all wimps when we were visiting last week and they were shivering in their jackets while we were reveling in what (to us) was lovely weather.
We got home late Sunday night, so there was no time for grocery shopping, and work began early Monday morning, so I wondered what on earth I was going to eat. But I was in luck. My parents were here to stay with my daughter for the weekend and they left me a big, beautiful tub of organic herb salad mix.
So all I needed to do was find something to go with it. I scrounged up some frozen (natural) chicken nuggets, feta, pinons, tomatoes, onion and pulled out one of my homemade dressings and haha! I had a lovely lunch.
Herb Salad with Chicken, Feta, Pinons and Oriental Vinaigrette
- Organic herb salad mix
- Chicken nuggets, cooked and cut into small pieces (I used 4 for my salad)
- Pinon nuts, toasted
- Feta cheese crumbles
- Chopped tomato
- Sliced onion
- Fill the salad bowl most of the way with herb salad mix.
- Top with remaining ingredients.
- Drizzle with dressing.
Oriental vinaigrette salad dressing
- 2 T. soy sauce
- 1/2 c. rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
- 2 T. honey
- 1-2 cloves garlic, chopped fine OR 1/4 t. granulated garlic
- 1/2 t. ground ginger
- About 10 drops of sesame oil
- 1 T. canola oil
- 1 T. fish sauce
- 1 T. chinese mustard
Pour all ingredients into a bottle and shake well to blend the flavors. Refrigerate.
This recipe was shared at Totally Tasty Tuesdays, Tastetastic Thursdays and Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways.
Thick & Hearty Curried Pumpkin Black Bean Soup
I got in a fight with my teenage son this afternoon … it was, as usual, a very emotionally charged exchange. We were both livid by the time we left the house. I was driving him to his dad's place and yes, I was angry, but after a moment, I forced myself to calm down and breathe so I could drive safely. Still, I was fighting back the tears of rage.
I was just crossing through an intersection where the light was green on a country road that crosses the edge of the city when a lady in a silver car turned right in front of me, just as I was nearing the edge of the intersection. Perhaps she didn't see my little gray car coming; perhaps she wasn't paying attention. I slammed on the brakes and managed to stop without hitting her. There wasn't anywhere else for me to go, no other lane to swerve into. But in that moment I saw both of our lives flash before my eyes. I thought to myself how miniscule our argument really was, in the scheme of things. Apparently my son had the same thought because he looked at me and said, "that really puts things in perspective, doesn't it?"
Now don't get me wrong, we needed to fight today. There were things I needed to say to him, and he needed to get out some of the rage he was holding inside. But we also needed to remember how precious and fragile our connections to each other are. They could be broken … gone … in an instant. So often in an argument, we say hurtful things and we forget.
This stranger, in a moment of carelessness, sent us a powerful reminder.
Thick & Hearty Curried Pumpkin Black Bean Soup
Roughly adapted from Smitten Kitchen
- 3-5 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1/2 large onion, peeled
- 2 t. olive oil
- 2 t. curry powder
- 1/2 t. smoked paprika
- 1 t. cumin
- 1/4 c. chardonnay or other dry white wine — although I think a dry red might work even better
- 2 c. black beans
- 1/2 quart canned tomatoes with juices
- 1 c. pumpkin puree
- 1 c. beef or vegetable broth
- Red Robin Seasoning or your favorite seasoned salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 – 1/2 t. cayenne seasoning (or more to taste)
- Feta cheese crumbles and/or roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) and a few whole black beans for garnish
- Whirl the onion and garlic in a handi chopper or food processor till they are in tiny chunks (or chop into small bits with your knife).
- Over medium high heat, sautee the chopped onion and garlic with the cumin, curry, and smoked paprika in the olive oil until the onion and garlic is soft. It should be sort of a paste of onion and spices.
- Add the wine and cook for a few minutes until most of the wine has evaporated.
- Whir the beans and tomatoes briefly in the handi chopper or food processor (do them separately if your device won't hold them all at once!) or mash with a potato masher to break down the beans and tomatoes to a sort of rough puree.
- Add the beans, tomatoes, pumpkin and broth to the pan. Season to taste with Red Robin Seasoning, freshly ground pepper, and cayenne.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20 – 30 minutes or until the flavors have all mixed well.
- Serve hot with feta cheese crumbles and a few whole black beans and/or pumpkin seeds for garnish.
Curried Stuffed Summer Squash
My parents came to visit this weekend and with them they brought SO much beautiful bounty from their garden: peppers, onions, potatoes, eggplant, turnips, tomatoes, yellow watermelon, butternut squash.
They brought me a jar of salsa that they had made and a box full of canned tomatoes. AND a case of dad's homemade wine.
We debated whether we should go out for dinner or stay in and cook– but since we had SO much food in the house, well, it just seemed like we should cook up some of it!
So I took the summer squash that my friend gave me last weekend and stuffed it some of dad's venison apple sausage, some feta cheese and a bunch of goodies from the garden. Oh it turned out good. We had a bit of soup and some bread along with some Pinot Grigio and we were well fed and happy.
Here are the squash sisters. Aren't they pretty? The dark green one was a winter squash that had a mild sweet taste to it and smooth texture. The brighter green stripey one on the left was the one we ate last night. I am not sure what kind of squash these are since my friend says they were volunteers in her garden, but I sure love the taste of them. Someone told me they are cushaw squashes. Do you think that's what they are?
Curried Stuffed Summer Squash
You can adjust the seasonings to your own tastes. I didn't actually measure anything either … just threw it all together, so feel free to adjust up or down on any of the ingredients.
- 1/2 of a large summer squash or zucchini (eggplant would be good this way, too!), sliced lengthways and seeded if it has seeds in the middle like mine did
- 1 t. extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 of a large bell pepper, chopped
- 1 red onion, peeled & chopped
- 3 -4 cloves of garlic, peeled & chopped
- 5- 7 fresh mushrooms, sliced and diced
- about 3/4 c. chopped fresh tomato
- about 3/4 c. cooked low-fat sausage (I used 2 venison-apple sausages, but turkey or chicken sausage would be good too. Peel off the casings if the sausage has them then chop. You could also leave out the sausage if you prefer just vegies.)
- about 3/4 c. breadcrumbs
- About 1/3 c. feta cheese crumbles
- 1/4 t. cinnamon
- 1/4 t. nutmeg
- 1 – 2 t. Thai red curry paste
- 1/2 t. smoked paprika
- Scoop out the flesh of the summer squash with a grapefruit spoon, leaving about 1/4 – 1/2 inch thick shell so it's sturdy enough to hold the stuffing when it's cooked.
- Chop up the scooped out flesh of the squash.
- Heat a medium saucepan to medium-high heat, then swirl around the olive oil in the pan. Add the squash, onion, garlic, peppers and mushrooms and sautee until the vegetables are tender.
- Remove from heat and stir in the sausage, tomato, feta cheese, breadcrumbs, and spices. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon the stuffing back into the squash shell, packing it in so it all fits. If it doesn't all fit back into the squash, you can bake some in a separate casserole dish. Sprinkle with a bit of extra feta cheese and top with a few chopped cherry tomatoes if you like.
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the cheese on top is melted and everything is well heated through.
- Scoop out servings from the beautiful squash shell.
Gorgeous Greek Layer Dip with Toasted Pita Chips
This is my first of a series of 31 Days of Connecting through Food.
I am on a total Greek food kick lately. I love Greek food and we have no good Greek places in town, so if I want Greek food, I have to make it. Greece is definitely on my mind. My daughter and I have been dreaming of going to Greece, but my son isn't interested in Greece. He would rather go to Florida. Again. We went to Florida last year! Let's go somewhere different. That's what vacations are all about, right? I did talk him into going to Colorado this year somehow instead of going back to Florida. I have no idea how I'll talk him into going to Greece, other than perhaps spending part of the vacation in France. But he isn't that crazy about going to France, even though he's taking French. Sigh. I've been told my daughter and I should just go without him. Perhaps we will!
So anyway back to Greece. No I haven't been there. It's very near the top of my list of places to go. I've seen pictures and studied their mythology and reveled in every Greek restaurant I could ever find in every place I've ever lived. I really LOVE Greek food. Garlic, oregano, feta, lemon, mint, creamy thick yogurt, cucumber, lamb. Gyros, hummus, spanakopita, dolmas, falafel, oh and that lovely Greek chicken! I love it all.
So when I saw this Greek layer dip from Avid Appetite, I wanted to make it right away. Except I didn't have any hummus! So I had to wait until I had time to whip up a batch of hummus. And by the time I did that, I didn't have much tzatziki left. But I used what I had to make a mini-layer dip. It was perfect for lunch/snacking throughout the afternoon … would probably be just fine for a snack for two. If you want to make a big party version, just use more stuff!
I ate this one all by myself. Just munched on it all afternoon. And now I am sad. It is gone. My tzatziki is gone. I ate what was left of my hummus for dinner. I miss them … want more. May have to start on a new Greek trip tomorrow. Wish it could be for real …
Greek Layer Dip & Pita Chips
*Adapted from Avid Appetite who adapted it from Food Network Magazine
- Whole wheat pitas or pita pockets, cut into chip-like wedges
- Aboug 1/2 c. ground lean meat (I used venison, you can use turkey or lamb or whatever you like)
- Hummus (I used my Cannellini hummus, but I think the Basil-iferous hummus would be nice too … or whatever you have on hand)
- Tzatziki (I used my world's best tzatziki that Kalyn taught me …)
- Red onion, finely diced (ok, if you don't have red, you can use white, but red is prettier)
- Fresh garden tomato, diced
- Feta crumbles
- Kalamata olives, chopped (I skipped the olives … not my thing!)
- A bit of mixed lettuce, chopped
- Fresh oregano leaves
- kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- cooking spray
- To make the pita chips, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Layer the pita wedges on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Spray liberally with cooking spray. You can sprinkle with salt if you like–I didn't bother with salt on mine. Bake for 7 minutes or until crispy.
- Brown the ground meat in a skillet over medium heat. While cooking, season with salt, pepper and oregano. Set the meat aside.
- Meanwhile, chop up the onion, tomato, olives and lettuce.
- Spread the hummus in the bottom of the serving dish. (If you use a glass dish, you could actually SEE the layers unlike with mine!) Next, sprinkle on the prepared meat. Carefully spread the tzatziki over the meat. Layer the onions, tomatoes, lettuce, feta, some fresh oregano leaves and olives over top.
- Serve with your lovely toasted pita chips and enjoy!
This recipe was shared at Katherine Martinelli's Game Day Blog Hop and Fit & Fabulous Fridays: Superbowl Edition.
Cannellini Bean Hummus with Feta & Oregano
I have a not-so-secret fascination with hummus. That creamy garlicky lemony dip with a kick of tahini … ah it is one of my very favorite foods. I snack on it, spread it on my sandwiches, would probably bathe in it if I had enough of it! Well, no, that would be a waste. Because I would want to eat every. last. little. bit. I would be licking the tub. That would not be pretty.
That is how much I love hummus. I have seen hummus made with cannellini beans instead of chickpeas, so I had to give that a whirl. Oh, it turned out delicious. Too bad it is already gone … I didn't make enough! So I recommend you double the recipe. Or maybe triple it? I SO need to make some more.
Cannellini Hummus with Feta and Oregano
- 1 c. cooked cannellini beans
- 1 t. olive oil
- 3 cloves of garlic
- A bit of lemon zest
- Juice from 1/2 a lemon
- 2 T. crumbled feta cheese
- A few sprigs of fresh oregano or 1/2 t. dried oregano
- 2 T. pinon nuts
- A few drops of sesame oil
Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor till smooth. Add a little water if you need to for getting it to blend smooth. Serve with toasted pita chips.
How to toast pitas into chips:
Spray a baking pan with cooking spray. Cut the pitas into wedges and arrange in a single layer on the pan. Spray liberally with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes or until lightly brown and crisp.
Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato Salad
with Feta and Basil Vinaigrette
Oh it was one of those crazy busy emotionally exhausting days when you barely have time to think, let alone cook. Lunch was a scramble, grabbing whatever I could find in the kitchen. My body was worn out from all the emotional ups and downs life has thrown us lately and was crying out for something super-nutritious. I have a bunch of those gorgeous cherry tomatoes from my friend and some organic spring mix that really needed to be used up. I bet I was in the kitchen 5 minutes. Maybe 10. And back to work. Whoosh!
So what goes with tomatoes and lettuce? Duh, BACON!
Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Salad with Feta and Basil Vinaigrette
So this is what I found:
- 2 strips of lower-fat bacon, fried crisp, drained on a towel and crumbled
- A bowl full of assorted spring mix lettuce
- A bunch of cherry tomatoes, halved
- A bit of chopped onion
- A good sprinkle of tomato-basil flavored feta cheese
- Chipotle-flavored sunflower seeds
- Just a few fresh basil leaves
- Basil Vinaigrette
I topped it with a basil vinaigrette I made the other day after a trip to my friend's basil "field" … really she doesn't have that big of a garden but the basil has gone CRAZY this year.
Basil Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
I found this recipe on Farm Fresh Living when I was looking for a way to use up some of my plentiful basil (besides pesto!). I used a LOT more basil than the recipe called for. And I adjusted it quite a bit … like I always do …
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 1-2 tablespoons Garlic peppercorn mustard (or Dijon)
- 1/8 c. balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 c. rice wine vinegar
- Juice from 1/2 lime
- Juice from 1/2 orange
- 1 small tomato diced
- Several BIG handfuls of basil, chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra- virgin organic olive oil
Toss all the ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth. Drizzle it over your favorite salad toppings.
I love the color in this salad. It was such a relief on a crazy, crazy day.
A Simple Sunday Meal for a Very Tired Camper
We went camping at a folk festival this weekend. This is something I haven't done in years, so I had forgotten what it's like to live without computers, internet, blogging, twitter, facebook, electricity, hot water … even cell phone coverage was iffy and all our phones worked so hard trying to find a signal they all went dead. We were only there maybe 24 hours, but it feels much longer than that (and at the same time shorter? if that makes any sense), almost like we left the planet or entered a different dimension.
I remembered what it's like to eat cold food out of the cooler, cook sausages and hot dogs on sticks over a hot fire, eat cereal out of a plastic cup, stay up late just talking by the fire, hike in the woods, stare up at the stars, heat water on a campstove for tea–and all of this was set to the beautiful sounds of some amazingly talented musicians singing late late into the night. We could hear them from our campsite. I have no idea how long they kept playing … they were still singing long after we crashed I bet.
We ate good of course … we had Basil Lime pesto (my friend's version!) over cold bowtie pasta, hummus with corn chips, the kids had hot dogs and the grownups had these lovely chicken sausages on these awesome bakery buns, chocolate peanut butter muffins, fresh fruit, and one of the vendors was making stone-fired pizzas … and of course we made s'mores. We had fruit and tea, milk stout (my new favorite kind of beer!), water, juice, tea, Pinot Grigio … but no, there weren't any fancy plates. No napkins even.
I saw wildflowers, amazing big oak trees, beautiful puffy white clouds, more stars than you can imagine.
There was a stick bug about 5 inches long … I'd never seen anything like it before! It was crazy, like something you would see only at a zoo.
And the forests called to us …
Ah it was lovely! But back to reality.
We managed somehow to get home today around 4 pm. Even though I stayed up most the night, I woke at my normal time this morning, and there was much to do around the house when we got home. I did laundry, dishes, mowed the lawn, went grocery shopping … and all of this while I am dead tired from lack of sleep …
And now I'm hungry. But I have no energy to cook. Yet I want something civilized after the wilderness-eating.
Good thing I thought to pick up some salad greens and pita bread while we were at the grocery store. And I have the first fresh tomato of the season! And some hummus left as well. I was in dire need of something saladicious.
Pita with hummus, mixed greens, goat cheese, feta, tomato & toasted pinons
So here's what you do to make one of these beauties:
- Take a whole wheat pita pocket and slice it in half.
- Spread the inside with hummus. (I used my basil-iferous hummus.)
- Add:
- chopped vidalia onions
- mixed greens
- chopped fresh tomato
- tomato-basil feta
- toasted pinons (pine nuts)
- crumbled goat cheese.
Ah! It's good to be home! :)
Nutrition Information:


text:
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March 12, 2004
Moultrie - How young were you when you decided what you wanted to do in life? Some south Georgia fifth graders are looking over the possibilities of all sorts of careers.
We found two aspiring broadcasters and put them to the test. The two 11-year-olds hold the microphone and say to the camera, "Hi, I'm Payne Newsome and I'm Saige Frazier. Today, we are at career day with the fifth graders."
Payne and Saige are anchors for J. M. Odom Elementary School in Colquitt County.
Their career day mission is to interview out in the field for WALB. Payne asks student, Dwayne Todd, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Dwayne answers, "A pilot." Payne adds, "That's an interesting career, can you tell us what type of pilot you want to be?" Dwayne says, "I don't know." Payne laughs, "He doesn't know."
While Payne is trying to get the scoop, Saige is taking notes and then we flipped duties. Saige asks friend, Miranda Fletcher, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Miranda answers, "Right now, I want to be a veterinarian because I just really love pets."
So far so good, but these co-anchors don't always see eye to eye. In fact, they got in a minor disagreement during our shoot. Payne tells Saige, "You are, like, the boss." Saige says sternly, "Yeah, cause I have to write all of your scripts." Luckily, they made up.
When asked if Payne is a celebrity at school, he said no. His girl co-anchor says otherwise. She says she gets recognized at school and is asked for her autograph.
These two are well on their way to being star journalists. They wrap up their mission on camera, "I'm Saige Frazier and I'm Payne Newsome, reporting for WALB."
Saige and Payne anchor a weekly news broadcast at their school.
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P.O. Box 3130
Albany, GA 31706
(229) 446-1010
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(229) 446-4005
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text:
In 1936, the Associated Press College Football Poll was born. It brought college football together in a way that no one had before. Decades later, everyone hates the polls. That's too bad.
Tom Osborne not in top five coaches because he's bland. Apparently he should have punched someone as that would have made him more memorable.
Commentary on Stewart Mandel's statement that Nebraska's recruiting class was this years "biggest disappoinment".
Stewart Mandel of Sports Illustrated's "College Football Mailbag" offers up "Bowls, Polls And Tattered Souls" covering the biggest issues in college football. Say what you want about Mandel. Call...
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What a knock? 175 from 141 balls, while chasing a mammoth total of 351. People have short term memory loss; this year sachin has scored 3 centuries (the highest by anyone this year) at a very good average better than most others. Yet people say he has grown old, and ... Read More »
Home > Tag Archives: Lara
Tag Archives: Lara
Mr. Chappell again.. but with a difference
"The young South African has shown he has the right stuff to take over from Ponting when the time comes." – Ian Chappel. "Ricky Ponting has long been considered the master of the willow wielders. He attained this lofty status even with the presence of Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara, ... Read More »


text:
|From the HSLDA E-lert Service:
Scott W. Somerville, Esq., Staff Attorney of HSLDA
Nevada--Department of Education Pushing for Curriculum Approval of Home Schoolers
From the HSLDA E-lert Service...
Dear HSLDA Members and Friends,
The Nevada Department of Education is trying to control the content
of every home school program in Nevada. They have advised local
school districts that every home school curriculum must now comply
with the State's new "Academic Standards." This is a dramatic
reversal of policy that could affect every Nevada home schooler not
using an "approved correspondence course." (The correspondence
courses on the approved list must meet the Standards to be approved.)
This is a serious situation. If the Department of Education does not
change its position, many families may be ordered to change the way
they teach their children. Few home school curricula are designed to
match Nevada's secular Academic Standards. Home schoolers who insist
on using the curriculum of their choice now face a genuine risk of
prosecution. HSLDA and home school leaders in Nevada are already
working together to change this policy. If this effort fails, we
must change Nevada's law.
1) Communicate. Nevada is one of two states in the country that has
no active state-wide home school organization. If you are a member
of a local support group, please make sure this information reaches
everyone in your group. If you know other home schoolers online,
please pass this message on to them. Encourage people to sign up for
HSLDA's free e-lert service.
2) Activate. If you are not in a local support group, it may be time
to find one. Ask your home schooling friends about groups in your
area. Contact your county's home school administrator, if you need
3) Legislate. This problem was caused by two words ("equivalent
instruction") in state law, and the most straightforward solution to
the problem would be to take those two words out of the law. We need
to contact each legislator in Nevada to see who will support home
school freedoms. With a lot of prayer, patience, and hard work, a
united home school community could get a good home school bill
enacted into law when the Legislature opens for business next
For years, Nevada home schoolers have had two basic choices. They
can either use a curriculum from the State Department of Education's
"approved correspondence course" list, or they can consult with a
licensed teacher from any state or a homeschool parent with at least
three years' experience. (There are more options, but these are the
ones that really matter.)
Then HSLDA got a call from a home school leader in Churchill County.
The home school administrator there told one of the home schoolers in
her group that he would not accept KONOS as a home school curriculum.
When home schoolers told him that the law allowed parents with a
consultant to use any curriculum they wanted, the administrator
handed her the following email from the State Department of
- - - - - - - - - -
July 25, 2002
Dear Home School Administrators,
FYI-I am getting some calls from parents in various districts telling
me someone at the district office is telling them that if they choose
a legal option other than the "approved correspondence program" such
as a consultant, they can use whatever curriculum they want to.
In case someone is giving out this information - this is not the
Whatever curriculum a homeschooling parent chooses, someone in the
district has to be familiar with it, or review it, to be able to know
it indeed matches the state standards. For various reasons they may
want to choose a correspondence program for example that is not on
the approved list (they like it, it's less expensive etc. however it
couldn't be on the approved list because the correspondence program
is not accredited). In that case it's kind of a catch 22 because
they don't want to purchase the curriculum to have it reviewed and
then have someone say it doesn't match the state standards. However,
it may be hard to make the determination from a scope and sequence
only. If a program is accredited the correspondence program may want
to contact me to find out about sending in a sample of curriculum to
have it reviewed as per matching the standards - and then hopefully
get board approval to be on the approved correspondence program list.
If you have further questions, please call me.
Leslie James
- - - - - - - - - -
I have spent the last seven days trying to make sure this is not just
some horrible mistake. Unfortunately, The Attorney General's office
has apparently advised the Department of Education that Nevada law
requires each home school program to match the state's new Academic
Standards. (You can see what these standards require by looking at
http://www.nde.state.nv.us/sca/standards/index.html.) Few home school
programs are designed to match this set of secular standards. No
home schooler that I have spoken to ever imagined that these public
school standards might be applied to home schools.
When the Department of Education discovered that Churchill County had
told families they could not use KONOS, Leslie James sent out another
email to clarify matters.
- - - - - - - - - -
August 6, 2002
Home Schooling Consultants,
FOLLOWING NAC and NRS:
Re: NAC 392.015 "A child must be excused from compulsory attendance
at public school when written evidence is provided to the board of
trustees of the county school district that the child will receive
equivalent instruction..."
And: NRS 392.070 (1) "Attendance required by the provisions of NRS
392.040 must be excused when satisfactory written evidence is
presented to the board of trustees of the school district in which
the child resides that the child is receiving at home or in some
other school equivalent instruction of the kind and amount approved
by the state board."
As I have discussed with some of you on the phone...
IN REVIEWING CURRICULUM listed in the notification packet to assure
that the child will receive "equivalent instruction" (aside from the
curriculum on the list of "Approved Correspondence Programs" which
has already been reviewed), please work with the parents to help make
the decision as to whether the curriculum substantially matches the
state standards, rather than automatically telling parents they
"can't use a curriculum not on the list of approved programs." They
CAN use a curriculum not on this list--as long as it matches the
state standards.
The district needs to have someone familiar with the state standards
who can review the curriculum so that "written evidence is provided
to the board of trustees of the county school district that the child
will receive equivalent instruction".
Options regarding review of curriculum:
1) Review a scope and sequence to make sure the standards are
substantially covered. If an area looks like it is missing e.g.,
writing- the parent can supplement with other curriculum that matches
the state standards.
2) If you can't tell that the curriculum substantially matches the
state standards by looking at the scope and sequence, have the parent
see if the vendor will submit a sample of the curriculum to the
district for review if the parent doesn't have it yet. If you need
further help in reviewing curriculum, you can consult with the
curriculum consultants here at the State Department of Education...
I know this is not an easy issue for districts to handle.
Leslie James
- - - - - - - - - -
The situation is serious but not immediately dangerous. No school
district has threatened prosecution over this matter--yet. Clark
County, the largest school district in the state, has a "Notification
of Intent Form" that does not even ask which curriculum a parent uses
unless they choose an approved correspondence course. With school
starting in just two weeks and approximately 3,000 home school
students in the district, Clark County's officials may be as
astonished at this development as the home schoolers are.
Benjamin Franklin said, "We must all hang together, or we shall most
assuredly all hang separately." Hanging together doesn't mean
everyone agrees on everything: in Nevada, home schoolers differ on
many issues. The vast majority of home schoolers agree, however,
that their home schools are not subject to Academic Standards
designed for public schools. It's time for home school families to
rally together for freedom.
Pass this message on! If you got this message from a friend, you can
sign up for your own elerts at the HSLDA website (www.HSLDA.org).
Yours for liberty,
Scott W. Somerville
HSLDA Staff Attorney
The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of:
Home School Legal Defense Association
P.O. Box 3000
Purcellville, Virginia 20134
Phone: (540) 338-5600
Fax: (540) 338-2733
E-mail: email@example.com
Web: http://www.hslda.org
How To Subscribe:
- Subscribe to the HSLDA E-lert Service at our website:
- Or send an e-mail with name and complete mailing address to:
Subscription Information:
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the e-mail address you want to unsubscribe to:
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subscription, visit the HSLDA E-lert Service account web page at:
POSTMASTERS: This message is being sent to the most recent address we
have for our subscribers. If this is an invalid e-mail address or you
have other problems, please reply to email@example.com.
DISCLAIMER: This is considered a private and confidential message
from HSLDA to its bonafide HSLDA E-lert Service subscribers.
HSLDA cannot attest to the authenticity of copies posted, forwarded,
or sent by any party other than HSLDA.
NOTE: Please do not reply or otherwise use this e-mail address;
email@example.com is for broadcast purposes only and is not intended to
receive incoming messages. We cannot reply to any e-mail sent to this
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text:
February 2009
More on being an advocate
As part of MS Awareness Week, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is going to have a free program on advocacy. I assume it will be useful for people advocating for causes other than MS awareness, as well.
"Advocacy: What It Is, What It Is Not, and How To!" will be at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 4, in Classrooms 3 and 4 at Parkwest Medical Center. Featured speaker is Cynthia Rocha, acting associate dean of UT's College of Social Work.
You can register by calling 1-800-FIGHT MS (1-800-344-4867). Press the 1 key.
Health-care reform -- reporter's ramblings
Or, My Longest Blog Entry to Date.
I had the opportunity to attend the Tennessee Health Care Campaign's fourth annual regional conference today. It wasn't the first of TCCH's regional conferences I'd covered, but it was definitely the best-attended, and it seemed to me that people were more excited to be there than I've seen at a health care-related meeting in a long time.
The backstory to the buzz, of course, was Obama's Feb. 24 speech to the joint session of Congress, in which he quite plainly said, "We can no longer afford to put health care reform on hold. We can't afford to do it. It's time." This was music to the ears of the THCC folks, who have been fighting to reform health care at the state and national levels for years. In fact, executive director Tony Garr said, early in the conference, "This moment is what we've been waiting for for the past 20 years. It's what we've been working for."
Most of THCC's advocacy focus has been on reforming TennCare, the state's beleagured, decimated and now somewhat cobbled-together public insurance (Medicaid) plan. The grassroots organization has a Knoxville "organizing group" that meets monthly. Through the years, THCC has also been criticized because its advocacy efforts invariably protect those who abuse the system along with those who need it. However you want to look at it, there's no arguing those people are passionate about access to care.
Continue reading "Health-care reform -- reporter's ramblings"
I love this guy
I always get a big kick out of reading Dr. Douglas Farrago's on-target Placebo Journal magazine and Placebo Gazette blog.
Today, his commentary on a useful new study just cracked me up.
Everybody's talking about health-care reform
You can get in on the conversation by going to one of the Tennessee Health Care Campaign's Regional Conference. The Knoxville-area conference is 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at the Literacy Imperative, 201 Harriet Tubman St.
THCC is an advocacy group that has come out against a lot of the changes in TennCare. This conference, however, also focuses on national health-care reform, though "local perspectives" are promised. Workshops will deal with "how to work locally for national reform," organizers say.
Keynote speaker is the Rev. Henry Blaze III, pastor of Nashville's Progressive Missionary Baptist Church, who just received the Consumer Health Advocate of the Year Award from Families USA, a national group with goals and ideals similiar to THCC's.
The conference is free. If you have any opinions about health-care reform, even if they're not necessarily in line with these organizations', I urge you to attend.
Giving green
The Muscular Dystropy Association is hoping for good luck raising money in a tight economy, with its 26th annual Shamrocks drive.
You'll be seeing the green and gold shamrocks for sale ($1 and $5) at grocery stores, restaurants, etc. through St. Patrick's Day.
The money goes to fund MDA's network of 215 medical clinics; a youth summer camp; research; education and advocacy; and services.
In addition to folks with muscular dystrophy, MDA helps people with other diseases, such as ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).
Concussion repercussions
On InterFaith's wish list
North Knoxville's 17-year-old nonprofit InterFaith Health Clinic, which served 3,791 patients on-site October-December last year, is looking for these items:
-- Sample tubes of toothpaste
-- Individually wrapped toothbrushes
-- Paper for copy machine
-- Disposable gowns
-- LEEP machine
-- Digital camera (new or used)
Who has the flu?
I'm getting a lot of calls/e-mails from citizens who say there seems to be a lot of flu around, and they want to know if our numbers are higher than usual.
Last week, the Health Department sent me the stats for confirmed influenza infections for Knox County this year. The week of Feb. 8-14, the most current I have, there were 134 new cases, bringing the number up to 361 so far this flu season, which started with the first case the week of 10-5-08. There were 99 new cases the week of Feb. 1-7, and 32 new cases the week before that. So there has been an increase.
But a look at the same week last year (2-10-08 to 2-16-08) showed Knox County had 562 new cases that week and 921 cases of flu for the season (which started a week earlier than it did this year). So we're still way behind where we were this time last year.
Last year, the number of new cases peaked the week of 2-17-08 and then started going down, but there were still hundreds of cases a week until about mid-March, when it started to decline. So if you haven't gotten a flu shot this year, it could still benefit you.
In the Sept. 2007-April 2008 flu season, 2,594 people countywide were confirmed to have influenza. This doesn't take into account that a lot of people who have flu just stay home and ride it out, or that sometimes cases of flu aren't cultured and confirmed in a medical lab (which costs money). If it's already flu season and your doctor is pretty sure you have influenza, he or she might just treat your symptoms.
If you're early in the infection, your doctor can prescribe medicine (like Tamiflu) that can shorten your illness by a couple of days, but if you don't have insurance (or have a high deductible) that can be expensive. In any case, go to the doctor if you have chest pain, difficulty breathing, fever that lasts more than 2 days, vomiting, or persistent coughing or headaches.
Otherwise, STAY HOME if you can (we don't want your flu!), drink plenty of fluids, get plenty of rest, and wash your hands frequently so that you won't pass the virus on to others.
Resurfacing ... and shredding!
I'm sorry I've been neglecting the blog as of late. I'm getting back on track now!
And with that, I'd like to share with you an important breaking news bulletin that crossed my desk today: "The simple act of shredding" paper can make you feel less stressed, not to mention safer, calmer, smarter, more organized and in control. So says Staples, office supply company and, coincidentally, seller of shredders, which in January paid out perfectly good money for a study "revealing Americans' emotions and feelings associated with shredding." (Serendipity: This important scientific study coincided with "the launch of its new line of shredders.")
Staples touts shredding as an "emotional release" and quotes consumer psychologist Richard Feinberg of Purdue University: ""Consumers use products like a shredder for utilitarian purposes, but then these products have very significant and positive emotional and psychological impacts. These psychological impacts may not even be known by the consumer, but they can unconsciously improve their life. In a world where people are time deprived, increasingly stressed, and feeling more and more out of control, shredding may provide positive psychological fuel."
Other findings:
- One third of Americans surveyed have a strong association with the word "stress reliever" when it comes to shredding. (Actually, that's two words, and I can think of many things I associate more strongly with them...we'll leave it at that.)
- Almost half of respondents believe there is something very soothing about the act of shredding. (Not the grating mechanical noise, I'd guess.)
- More than 25 percent of Americans get a huge rush of glee from the sound of utter paper destruction, and 39 percent like to stick papers in a shredder just to watch it shred. (Most of them 12 and younger.)
- When asked what they would most like to shred, 51 percent would choose to shred their outstanding credit card balance statement. (Out of sight, out of mind ... until the next one comes, with a late fee.)
Anyway, in the face of this convincing evidence, I have decided to give shredding a try. I'll start with this press release from Staples.
Aaaaaaahhhh. Much better.
A day focused on diabetes
Next weekend -- that's Saturday, Feb. 28 -- the American Diabetes Association will have its 2009 Diabetes Patient Education Symposium 8 a.m.-noon at Bearden High.
This is a good chance to get a bunch of information in one place. There will be various speakers and exhibits from organizations and makers of diabetes equipment and drugs, as well as screenings (blood glucose meter checks, blood pressure, bone density and eye exams).
Cost is $5 a person. But Blue Cross Blue Shield Tennessee-Volunteer State Health Plan is a sponsor, so if you are a member and show your card, you get in free.
Weather watching for people who hurt
So a lot of my friends who regularly have migraines or body aches say they have noticed a connection between their body and weather conditions. I've read some people with arthritis, asthma, diabetes and heart conditions have noted a connection between weather and how they're feeling as well.
Now a doctor and a meteorologist have started a Web site, MediClim.com, that tracks weather patterns, identifies when coming weather conditions are likely to aggravate your particular health problem, and sends you an e-mail to warn you.
The press release says the two worked on this for the last 25 years, coming up with "14 distinct categories of weather known to affect health," and that the site may later warn sufferers of even more health problems.
Sign-up is free, and the site also has a Facebook application.
Powerful persuasion
PR people like to send journalists all kinds of odd stuff in the mail, hoping we'll get excited enough to write a story about whatever they're pitching. That's why I have in my desk drawer, among other things, a pacemaker, a mold swab kit, a copper IUD, tablets to treat radioactive water and a rubber ducky wearing a red hat. (Never say I'm not prepared.)
Ethically, we really discourage this sort of thing. Books and toys and knicknacks and the like that we aren't writing about are put in a sale that benefits charities; health and beauty products that I receive, I generally stockpile and then take to the homeless clinic a few times a year. You really can't buy news coverage this way.
Unless it's with chocolate. Hershey's sent me a bag of Extra Dark chocolate "infused with raspberry," in the hopes I would enjoy it enough to write about the health benefits of dark chocolate (at least, as they apply to selling you chocolate).
I'm here to tell you, though -- any health benefits are pretty much negated if you eat the whole 4.4-ounce bag in one day.
Watching your heart
Well, it might not protect you from bad relationship choices, but two local hospitals have educational events coming up to help you understand heart health.
Mercy Health Partners is sponsoring a slew of "Know Your Numbers" breakfast programs around the area that each include a cholesterol screening and a featured speaker. In addition to West and downtown Knoxville, there are still programs in Campbell, Cocke and Jefferson counties scheduled. Check out the calendar here.
Mercy also offers the HEARTaware assessment tool, a seven-minute online test that identifies your cardiac risk factors.
Then UT Medical Center has planned a Heart Wise event 7:30 a.m .2 p.m. Saturday at its Heart Lung Vascular Institute. It includes various free speakers, Ask-A-Doc, nutrition and smoking cessation information and cooking demonstration. You can register in advance to take on-site CPR classes ($5) or get screenings including cardiovascular risk ($15), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (free) and cardiac calcium scoring ($99). Call 865-305-6970 or 1-877-UT-CARES to register.
Salmonella: Two more Tennessee cases
Salmonella madness continues as the state reports two more confirmed cases, these in Upper East Tennessee. Like the others, these residents have already recovered from salmonella, which typically makes people sick for only a few days.
TDOH is continuing to work with federal and state health department authorities on this investigation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has updated information on the outbreak and consumer guidance on its Web site. This site includes a link to the Food and Drug Administration's searchable list of products that have been recalled due to this outbreak. Consumers may find this information online at www.cdc.gov/salmonella/typhimurium/.
TDOH reminds consumers to follow these safety tips:
- Do not eat products that have been recalled and throw them away in a manner that prevents others from eating them.
- Use FDA's online database on the Web at http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/index.cfm to check if foods you're concerned about are on the recall list.
- Postpone eating other peanut butter containing products such as cookies, crackers, cereal, candy and ice cream until more information becomes available about which brands may be affected.
- Call the consumer hotline phone number that may be on any product packaging you have to get information directly from the product manufacturer.
- Consult with your health care provider if you think you may have become ill from eating peanut butter or peanut products.
- For more information on this outbreak including symptoms of salmonella infection, as well as information on other recalls, visit the TDOH Web site at http://health.state.tn.us/salmonella.shtml.
Don't flush your old meds
Your Samoas are safe.
And that goes for Do-Si-Dos and Tagalongs, too. Girl Scouts of the USA wants you to know that neither of the bakers who make Girl Scout cookies uses peanut butter from the company implicated in the recent national salmonella outbreak.
So, eat those yummy cookies. Don't know any Girl Scouts? Find one to sell you cookies.
Interesting perspective -- prenatal testing for autism
I found this article in The Guardian, written by someone on the autistism spectrum, interesting. (Cheri, thanks for sending it.)
I Don't Want to be 'Cured' of Autism, Thanks
Anya Ustaszewski
Wednesday 14 January 2009 10.00 GMT
Article history I am not a savant or genius. I'm no good at maths or science, so I don't meet the criteria of the special gifts that might be lost if prenatal testing enabled parents to terminate foetuses deemed likely to develop autism. But I find it disturbing that no one yet seems to have seen fit to seek the opinion of individuals on the autistic spectrum.
Continue reading "Interesting perspective -- prenatal testing for autism"
Breast biopsy by robot
Now, this is really cool.
Duke University bioengineers, funded by the NIH, have developed a robot that can find "the earliest traces" of a mass in breast tissue and then sink a biopsy needle into the mass -- without human help.
The somewhat rudimentary tabletop robot "sees" breast lesions using 3-D ultrasound, and its "brain" (an artificial intelligence program) processes the information, calculates the position of the lesion and guides the needle to the exact location.
Ultimately, this could mean you could get a breast exam and biopsy at a sort of self-serve station -- likely much cheaper and easier than you can get one now. One of the research team members actually said it could happen in 5 to 10 years.
Next, they're going to test a more advanced robot, using turkey breasts (which, I didn't know until today, "approximate the density of human breast tissue").
Mercury-free flu shots
A reader sent me an e-mail yesterday because she'd seen a TV show on the flu vaccine and pregnant women and said it failed to mention that a flu shot without mercury preservative is available. She wanted pregnant women to know that's an option for them.
Many physician practices automatically give pregnant women this vaccine, which is in shorter supply then flu shots containing thimerosol (a preservative that is almost half ethylmercury), and you can always request it from your doctor. Generally if you're getting the shot at a mass clinic, it's not going to be the mercury-free one.
I should pause here to note that the CDC maintains that years of study have found no link between mercury in vaccines and adverse effects, including autism. But if you are so inclined to play it safe, here's some more info.
Unethical tooth whitening?
A local dental hygienist sent along a warning to those who might get their teeth whitened outside a dental facility -- say, at the mall or a tanning bed.
"I think it's important that people know when they are paying for illegal or unethical dental services," she says, and passes along the Tennessee Board of Dentistry ruling on such.
"Tthe important words are LICENSED hygienist or dental assistant (who should be ready available ... don't just take their word for it) and DIRECT SUPERVISION (meaning a dentist on site)," she says.


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Charter of the New Urbanism
Charter Awards Ceremony 2008Submitted by Filmanowicz on Thu, 04/24/2008 - 2:03pm
Description: The Congress for the New Urbanism's Charter Awards program recognizes today's best work in urban design, architecture, development, and placemaking. Each year CNU convenes a jury of expert urbanists to review submissions and select the ... read more »


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Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
- 3 cups shredded sweetened coconut
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp light corn syrup
- 1.5 cups water, separated
- 4 tbsp unflavored gelatin
- 1 tbsp coconut extract
- 2 egg whites
1. Preheat the oven to 325, place the coconut in a small baking or cake pan, and toast it in the oven until golden brown. The secret to good toasted coconut is consistent browning, so be sure to stir it every 2 minutes until it is an even golden color. It will probably take 8-10 minutes, but monitor your coconut carefully. Once toasted, remove the coconut from the oven and set it aside to cool.
2. Prepare a 9x13 pan by spraying it with nonstick cooking spray, and sprinkle about a cup of the toasted coconut in an even layer on the bottom of the pan, so that the bottom of the pan is covered with coconut.
3. Combine the granulated sugar, corn syrup, and ¾ cup water in a large pot over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved, then stop stirring and allow the mixture to come to a boil. Continue boiling until mixture reaches 260 degrees (hard-ball stage). This process will take a while, so move on to the next two steps while the sugar syrup cooks, but be sure to check the sugar syrup frequently so that it does not go above 260 degrees.
3. While the sugar syrup cooks, prepare the gelatin mixture. In a small saucepan, combine 3/4 cup water and the coconut extract. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top and stir briefly. Let the gelatin sit for 5 minutes, until it is completely absorbed by the liquid. Set the pan over low heat and stir constantly until the mixture is liquid.
4. While the sugar syrup is boiling and the gelatin is softening, place the room temperature egg whites in the clean bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Once the sugar syrup nears 245 degrees, begin to beat the egg whites. Beat them until they hold firm peaks, but do not overbeat or they will be crumbly. If the egg whites are ready before the sugar syrup reaches the correct temperature, stop the mixer until the sugar syrup is ready.
5. Whisk the gelatin mixture into the sugar syrup. This mixture now needs to be poured into the egg whites. If your saucepan has a spout you can pour it from the saucepan, but if it does not I recommend pouring the syrup into a large measuring cup or pitcher so that it is easier to pour. The sugar syrup is very hot and it can cause painful burns if it accidentally spills or splatters. With the mixer running on low, carefully pour the hot syrup in a thin stream into the egg whites. Once all of the sugar syrup is poured, turn the mixer to medium-high. Continue to beat the marshmallow in the mixer until it is thick enough to hold its shape and is completely opaque. Depending on your mixer, this will take about 5-10 minutes.
6. Pour the marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top flat with an offset spatula. Immediately sprinkle another cup of the toasted coconut on top of the marshmallow in an even layer. The remaining coconut will be used to coat the sides of the marshmallow squares when they are cut later, so set it aside for now. Allow the marshmallow to set for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
7. Once the marshmallow has set, it's time to cut it into squares. Lift the marshmallow from the pan using the foil as handles, and flip it facedown on the prepared surface. Peel the foil off the top of the marshmallow. If the top is sticky, sprinkle it with a little more of the toasted marshmallow.
8. Spray a large, sharp chef's knife with nonstick cooking spray. Cut the marshmallow block into small 1" squares, or whatever size marshmallows you desire. You can also use sharp metal cookie cutters to cut different shapes out of the marshmallow. Dredge the cut edges of the marshmallows in the remaining toasted coconut so that they are not sticky. Your marshmallows are now ready to eat! They are best soon after they are made, but if your environment is not too humid, you can store them up to three days in an airtight container at room temperature. You may need to dredge the sides in toasted coconut again if they get too sticky.View More Marshmallow Recipes:


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Forget what the weatherman says, spring is here and summer can't be far off.
Time for ice cream.
ScoopAHHHDeeDoo has been serving up scoops for the past week in a new storefront next to Little French Market in the off of Old Columbia Pike.
And on Saturday, April 28, kids can get a free scoop after completing a mask-making tour during the .
Owners Kimberly Kepnes and Debbie Kehoe are offering more than 20 flavors of hard ice cream from Taharka Bros, based in Hampden, as well as soft serve and frozen yogurt.
"Something for everyone!" Kepnes said.


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Visit Us
Come explore the core of art in Tubac. Here you'll see and learn about the roots of Tubac's artistic community. Visit the new Master Artist Gallery to see works by those artists that made this area known as where "Art & History Meet". Spend time viewing outstanding art exhibitions and shop at our Gift Shop Gallery filled with jewelry, pottery, a great selection of books, cards, prints and more. Admission is FREE. Tubac Center of the Arts is a member–supported nonprofit organization and the first place to visit and return to in Tubac. Click here to download the NEW "Destination Tubac – Tumacacori" Brochure. Conde Nast Travel: Tubac is a "not to miss" destination for 2014. Read more by clicking here. Visiting Tubac? Check out all of the local events on the new community calendar, TubacCalendar.com.
Latest News
Summer Sizzler Music Events – Line up Announced!
Tubac Center of the Arts is pleased to present three Summer Sizzler Music events. Save the dates: June 13th, July 12th, & August 9th Bass Culture – Reggae in the Park and Jamaican fare from D's Island Grill start off the series on June 13th in the Park at Barrio de Tubac. Heartbeat Oldies will have you dancing in the streets in front of the art center in July and Domingo DeGrazia is back in Tubac with his band for some Spanish guitar music in August. Click here for more information.
Hi-Art Exhibit Opens Friday, May 2, 2014
The annual High School Art Exhibit, "Hi-Art" represents the art work by students of Sahuarita, Walden Grove, Rio Rico and Nogales High Schools. Click here for more information.
Arizona Gives Day!
Santa Cruz Valley Art Association/Tubac Center of the Arts is one of the nearly 1,000 nonprofit organizations expected to participate in Arizona Gives Day, an online fundraising initiative, scheduled to take place on Wednesday, April 9, 2014. Click here for more information.
"From the Earth" Opens Friday, March 14, 2014
Tubac Center of the Arts presents "From the Earth", an art exhibit of glass, clay and paper. Fifty six works of art from artists in twelve different states were selected by Tucson jurors, Tom Philabaum, Hirotusne Tashima, & Catherine Nash. Click here for more information.
Arizona Aqueous XXVIII Award Winners
Award winners were selected in person by juror, Judy Morris of Beaverton, OR during the opening reception on Friday, February 7th. Click here for more information.
TCA Acquires Two New Sculptures
Friday, January 24, "Waves of Wind", a 16′ tall, 1,800 pound steel sculpture by Tubac artist, Lee Blackwell was installed at Tubac Center of the Arts. The steel sculpture joins "Tubac Jack", a 7′ 4″ tall bronze sculpture weighing 207 pounds created by Tubac, wildlife artist, Nicholas Wilson. Both sculptures were acquired through community donations. Read the full story by clicking here.


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Black and Silver Sparkling Brilliance Royalty Combo
Sparkling Brilliance Silver/black ComboCROSBR SBK
In Stock - 1 business day processing+shipping
Your Price: $38.99 each
Choose this affordable Black and Silver Sparkling Brilliance Royalty Combo.The Black and Silver Sparkling Brilliance Combo is simply beautiful with it's rhinestone tiara and black fabric covered crown with faux fur. Each Black and Silver Sparkling Royalty Set includes one 1 3/4 inch Dream Catcher Tiara and one 5 1/2 inches high x 9 inches wide Metallic Royal Crown. Let your crowning moment shine with this economical royalty set.
Please allow ample time for delivery. Our ship date for this product is noted in your shopping cart. Many items are shipped separately, so please allow extra time for these items to arrive. Shipping charges are based on the value of the merchandise and not the number of shipments. For additional shipping information, contact our Customer Service Department at (firstname.lastname@example.com or 1-800-227-2789).
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ALOHA, Ore. -- Washington County deputies raided 14 homes that they said were part of a $1-million-a-year marijuana grow operation.
Investigators said the massive operation was part of an organized crime ring involving 12 homes in Washington County and two in Portland. No arrests had been made, but deputies said 32 people were under investigation.
Officers pulled the marijuana and grow equipment out of one home in Aloha Thursday morning, and they believe it, along with the 13 other sites in the area, were used for the past several years just to grow pot.
Investigators believe the operation has been operating for the past four or five years, clearing as much as $100,000 a month in profit.
Deputies said someone associated with the Aloha house had an Oregon medical marijuana card, in an effort to stay off deputies' radar, but they said the suspects were producing way more than allowed under the Oregon law.
"In this bag here is anywhere from 10 to $12,000 in marijuana that would be ready for packaging and shipment," Sgt. Bob Ray with the Washington County Sheriff's Department showed KGW Thursday. "And they're very organized so that they can maximize their profits, which is what it's all about."
Investigators didn't reveal how they found out about the operation, but they said tips from the public often point them in the right directions.
KGW reporter Mark Hanrahan contributed to this report.


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ORANGE — Joe Max McKnight, 77, of Vidor went home to his Lord and Savior on Friday, November 15, 2013 at Baptist Hospital in Beaumont.
He was a native of Sacul, Texas; born on September 17, 1936 to the late Aaron Oscar and Lula Mae McKnight. He had lived in the Orange area since 1958 and was a member of Lakeview Baptist Church. He was a Baptist Minister ministering around the world; his last church he was a pastor at was Central Baptist Church. Mr. McKnight was a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend who will be missed dearly.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sons, Aaron Lynn McKnight, Alvin Lee Miller; brothers, Dan McKnight, Billy McKnight; grandsons, Jason and Jeremy Vercher
He is survived by his wife, Myrtle McKnight of Vidor, daughters, Gladys Ross and husband, Clyde of San Leon, TX, Connie Bankston and husband, Woody of Gillis, LA, Linda Holder and husband, Charles of Orange, Lois McCullough and husband, Lyn of Orange; son, Joe Allen McKnight of Dayton, TX. Also left to cherish his memory are his grandchildren, Dennis Eugene Bankston, Brandy and Jimbo Vercher, Angela Clifton, Mandy Thomas, Aaron Lynn McKnight Jr., Cristina McKnight, Shane and Tiffany McKnight, Darren and Gary Gardner, Meagan and Charlie Holder; numerous great grandchildren.
A visitation will be held on Saturday, November 16, 2013 from 5 pm until 9 pm at Dorman Funeral Home. A funeral service will be held on Sunday, November 17, 2013 at 2 pm at the funeral home, with Rev. Fred Yount officiating. Burial will follow at Autumn Oaks Memorial Park.


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By Lori
hair piece inspiration
On 23, Apr 2009 | 2 Comments | In crafting, wedding | By Lori
I bought my dress this weekend. I can't even believe what a huge weight has been lifted with signing that check. I can now stop obsessing over this decision and start focusing on the details. Shoes, hair, makeup, jewelry, hair piece.
The gown is modern, a plunging v-neck with a slightly trumpted skirt. The absolute complete opposite of the dress I designed for myself but pictures don't lie, it's really the most flattering fit of all 40 dresses I tried on. I've been toying around with the idea of a birdcage veil.
Unveiled Bridal Designs has a Bandeau Birdcage veil with feathered clip that's stunning. I'm hoping this will be a DIY project for the wedding…to save money and to keep my hands busy through the long stressful summer.
Twigs and Honey has some absolutely breathtaking feathered pieces as well. I love the idea of having a little color in there.
Now…on to shoes!