Down Home Kitchen

3/4 c. butter or margarine

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 c. chopped maraschino cherries

1 c. sugar

2 T. milk

2 1/4 c. flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 c. nuts or dates

2 1/2 c. sugar frosted flakes

Combine all ingredients except frosted flakes and cherry halves, mix well and shape dough into balls.  Roll balls of dough in crushed corn flakes and top each ball with a maraschino cherry half.  Place on cookie sheet and bake at 375* F  for 15 min. or till light brown. 

While I’m not a big fan of salmon, several of my family members are.

Herbed Salmon
1 lb. salmon fillet, skin removed

1 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

1 T. thyme, chopped

3 T. olive oil

Salsa Recipe Follows

Rub salmon with salt & pepper, sprinkle or rub with herbs till coated evenly, let stand covered at room temperature for 30 mins.  Heat skillet over high heat, add oil, cook salmon 4 to 5 mins. per side, till crispy on both sides, about medium cooked, move to individual plates and top with salsa.  Serves 4

Cucumber & Peach Salsa

Remove peel & pits and finely dice 3 ripe firm peaches.  Finely dice cucumber, 1 sm. red onion, 1/4 c. fresh mint leaves.   Combine peaches and other ingreds.  in bowl with juice of 1 lime, 1 orange, 1/2 t. salt & 1/4 t. pepper, cover and refrigerate, till served.

  They can’t grow fast enough for me………..I’m ready for some cherry tomatoes, to put in a good salad……..I have plenty of flowers, so maybe it will give me a bunch of cherry tomatoes, and make me happy.

It’s a common thing these days to see people, checking their credit scores.  The three different reporting agencies, have everything listed on your credit that has been accrued since you began buying property or making loans.

I have found that checking your credit report can sometimes, cause an increase in your car and home insurance premiums.  I certainly hope this wouldn’t be the case with this company.

They offer a free credit score for you to compare with the other agencies that are reporting your scores.  There is also an  annual credit report to keep you updated on your yearly accounts.  This help you find any identity theft should it occur.  We  all know what happens when someone takes our identity and uses it to make large loans, or purchases.  I myself, fell victim to such a thing a few years back.  It’s no fun to follow up on all the different companies and try to get things straightened out.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act says that you have to right to get a totally free credit report from each agency per year.  Getting free reports from Experian, Equifax and TransUnion can be done online or you can call them and get a report within 15 days.  They suggest staggering the reports, so that you can get a new one every quarter of the year.  Credit Nexus, can help you with this, today.

It’s hard to imagine a sandwich or burger without good old-fashioned mayonnaise. However,  there’s the appeal of mustard, especially since a tablespoon of mayo will set you back at least 110 calories.  This condiment is full of fat and calories and even the light mayo has 50 calories a tablespoon. Mustard, brings along just as much flavor with a fraction of the calories. One tablespoon of yellow mustard contains 11 calories, and it comes in several varieties, including brown, yellow and honey Dijon.

I found this article on bloating and thought I’d share it with my readers…………
Contrary to popular belief, bloating is not a result of consuming too much water, it’s just the opposite.  If you’re dehydrated, your body actually holds onto water, increasing puffiness and bloating. Drinking water helps prevent constipation by flushing waste out of your system and keeping your digestive tract moving. Drink at least eight glasses daily, and steer clear of alcohol; it acts as a diuretic. Exercise helps gas pass through the digestive tract, so you’ll experience relief faster. Start with a 15-minute walk, something so simple could work wonders.  Sorbitol and maltitol are commonly used sugar substitutes cause gas and bloating.  If you’re addicted to diet soda or sugarless gum, try to kick your habit.  An added bonus to kicking your cola habitis cutting carbonation which  equals less bloating.  Dairy products can cause bloating in those who have a deficiency in lactase . Try eliminating dairy products from your diet and see if you notice a difference. If you’re a notoriously fast eater, you might be more prone to bloating and gas. When you eat quickly, you swallow more air, which results in bloating.  Consuming too much food in one sitting by eating quickly will only add to your abdominal discomfort. Chinese-take-out connoisseurs and potato-chip lovers beware, excess salt bad for your heart, and is also a notorious bloating culprit. Sodium causes our bodies to retain water, inevitably resulting in a puffy, uncomfortable stomach.   Fiber works wonders for your digestive system.  It keeps your tummy full and your digestive system regular. But as with most things in life, balance is key. Bloating can actually be caused by consuming too much fiber AND too little fiber.  Try to stay between 20 and 25 grams a day, make sure to drink enough water, and remember to increase your consumption gradually.

Many people eat too much salt and think they can’t live without it.  Actually, they can’t live with it, if it’s too much. It is no secret that too much salt can be bad on your health. It causes the body to retain water, which can lead to heart disease, kidney stones, fluid retention and high blood pressure. Low-sodium diets are often prescribed to help keep these conditions under control.  The American Heart Association recommends that healthy adults limit their sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams a day. A quarter teaspoon of sodium contains 600 milligrams of sodium. To avoid getting too much sodium, read labels.
One of the biggest problems is that sodium is hidden in foods that many would call healthy. Low-fat frozen entrees and canned foods are among the biggest…Most sodium, comes from regular table salt.  I think this is a good article, an thought you would benefit from reading it.

I put some pork country ribs on the grill yesterday evening, and let them smoke for a while.  It sure smelled great, when I would go in and out to turn the meat.  I threw a few pieces of onion on the grill with them to flavor the meat.

I’ve been trying to cut back on  eating fried foods and putting seasonings on my meat that’s going to just add calories.  So I put some garlic powder, black pepper, oregano, parsley & basil in a shaker to season with.  The smell was outstanding and so was the taste.  I had a few ribs, with a sliced tomato, drizzled with salad dressing……..and that was the extent of my meal.  NO bread or anything fattening, like I normally do………Now, if I can just get me to walking and exercising, to get rid of this unwanted FAT!

I found these growing after the big rains we had last week.    You can be sure these are not the eatable type.  They probably have all kinds of toxins, from growing out in my yard.    The driveway is about 4 feet away, next to them and as many cars that’s been worked on in the past 4 years, I’d say they are very toxic.  Hee, hee, better leave those alone.