1. What is one food that is grown, produced or made near where you live.

Peaches are grown in the north central Texas area and are so juicy & yummy!  I can’t wait to get some.
2. What is one food from another location that you haven’t had anything like anywhere else.

When we were in Hawaii several years ago, we went to a luau.  That was really fun and we ate food that was different from what we have here.
3. What is your favorite food from somewhere else?

My mother-in-law has places close to her where people can go and pick fresh strawberries.  They are so fresh and flavorful.  I wish we could do that here in Texas!
4. Share a family, ethnic or international recipe.

Peggy’s Singapore Curried Chicken

This is a recipe from a friend that I really want to try.  Sounds delicious!

This is a great recipe for a special occasion!

Ingredients for Curried Chicken:

• 3 pound chicken
• 1 cup water
  
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons margarine
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
• 1 1/2 fresh curry powder
• 5 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cup milk
  

Ingredients for Singapore Curry:

• 1 cup rice, cooked  ( I would cook 2 1/2 cups of brown rice for 8 servings – we like rice!)
  
• 2  15 1/2 ounce cans pineapple tidbits
• 1 can coconut
• 1  8 ounce can salted peanuts
• 3-4 bananas, sliced
  
• Durkee French Fried Onion Rings
• Tomatoes, diced (optional)

Cook chicken in water and salt until tender.  Cool, debone, and cut into small pieces.

To make the sauce, melt margarine, add onions and cook 3 to 4 minutes.  Mix in salt, flour, and curry powder.  Add to margarine and stir until smooth.  Add liquids and cook, stirring constantly until thickened.  Add chicken and cook about 5 minutes.

Serve 1 cup rice per serving, topped by curried chicken mixture.  Add sliced bananas, pineapple, coconut, peanuts, onion rings, and tomatoes.

Makes 8 servings.

Glutathione, which occurs naturally in some foods, helps in keeping down weight, according to studies done at the University of Michigan.  Now that I’m older and gain weight easier, I’m looking for healthy ideas…but not boring or tasteless ones!  Here are some foods which are rich in glutathione and are definitely not boring or tasteless:

• Avocados (We love fresh made quacamole!  So yummy!  In fact, I think I’ll make some for supper tonight.)
• Grapefruit (A nice juicy grapefruit is overflowing with flavor!  For a refreshing summer treat, serve sweetened fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice over ice.)
• Oranges (Peel and pull apart into sections – great snack food!)
• Tomatoes (Served fresh in a salad, fresh slices drizzled with olive oil & salt/pepper, salsa with added fresh chopped tomatoes & onion, or spaghetti sauce over a one cup serving of pasta)
• Potatoes (baked with low-fat toppings, Low-Fat Mashed Potatoes)

Being organized is a good feeling!  It feels great to be able to get something when it’s needed without having to hunt for it.

There are all sorts of great organizing products in stores now for organizing the kitchen, etc.  Having everything needed to do a job, and having it organized, eliminates the frustration of not being able to complete a task because of not having a needed item.  The office area of a home is an area where organization really comes in handy.  Having the right office supplies at hand makes the job easier.

What better time to work on organization than during the summer.  If there are unused items to get rid of to make more space, it’s the perfect time for a garage sale!  There’s always room for improvement in the area of organization, so whether it’s a room or maybe just a desktop, now is a great time to get better organized!

Trying to lose weight?  Many consider fiber one of the best weight loss tools.  Not only does fiber fill up the tummy by absorbing many times its weight in water so that a person feels satisfied after eating, but it lowers cholesterol by soaking up the fat in our bodies.

Here are a few ideas to get added fiber in our diets:

• Fiber One “Oats & Chocolate” bars – 9 grams of fiber per bar & tastes great (also comes in peanut butter and caramel flavors, but chocolate is my favorite)
  
• Fiber One Honey Clusters Cereal – 13 grams of fiber per serving & tastes good (also comes in Raisin Bran Clusters)
  
• Fresh fruit salads (can be mixed with yogurt & topped with granola)
• Add fiber to recipes (example: Ranger Cookies with added fiber)
• Popcorn (great source of fiber)
• Salads & veggies

If you’re planning to repaint a room, and you’re not absolutely sure what color of paint would look best, then go to Behr’s “ColorSmart / Paint Your Place.” For only $4.95 a year, you can take unlimited pictures of your home with a digital camera and preview paint colors on your own photos.  In seconds, you can see what a room in your home would look like with several different choices of wall color.  That is awesome!

Clutter can build up within just a few days!  It’s absolutely crazy how fast it can accumulate.  Here are some good tips to remember:

1. HANDLE MAIL ONE TIME.  Sort mail as it’s being looked at.  (I do good for a while, and then we have company or something else happens.  Then the mail is in a pile for a few days.)

Here are some sorting suggestions:

• Basket for bills and things needing a response
• Basket for coupons and sale ads
  
• Have the shedder nearby and shred as needed, especially credit card applications, forms, etc.
  
• Have a recycling bin nearby and recycle everything possible

2.  “SOMETHING IN, SOMETHING OUT” is a good practice.  If something new is bought or received, something old needs to be donated to a charity or given to someone who can use it.  (I haven’t actually done this, but we have charities that come on a regular basis and pick up donations off our front porch.  I put things out for them regularly, so I think it balances out.)

3.  PRIORITIZE WHAT IS KEPT.   Keep only things that are actually used or that will be used in the near future, things of great sentimental value, etc.  (I’m working on this one because I keep way too much stuff!)

4.  KEEP THINGS IN THEIR PLACE.  When something is used, it’s good to put it back where it belongs…right after using it.

These are just a few suggestions, and I’m sure you have some great ideas.  Please share!