Sassy Bag of the Month...

I'm sharing my CHOCOLATE!

    








 There are few foods that I feel as passionate about .... okay.. beyond passion..I love Chocolate!!!
 The "sweetness" of  most candies or desserts....is tempting.. but chocolate calls my name.
  -- after all, I don't think many people crave caramel, whipped cream,or  bubblgum!
 But  CHOCOLATE.. it's well... different... when I think about it.... chocolate evokes a pleasurable response. and now with the following article... I have found that I must eat more... because my
                                              Memory and Alertness... is not quite up to par... !

A symposium at the 2007 American Association for the Advancement of Science - hyped as a potentially "mind-altering experience" - presented evidence that chocolate consumption can be good for the brain. Experiments with chocolate-fed mice suggest that flavanol-rich cocoa stimulates neurovascular activity, enhancing memory and alertness.
                                    ( I BET THOSE MICE WERE HAPPY)

Do you make Potholders?

                                               Crocheting is another Hobby I love..I love making
                                                         Potholders.. especially for gifts!

Potholders are Hot Stuff!

Cheryl Miller  

            The evolution of the potholder has a long, long history.  The earliest form of the potholder evolved when man first discovered fire and discovered that he would burn his hands if he attempted to touch the fire.  Animal hides served as the first potholders.  The animal hide was replaced many decades later by sturdy rags, kept near the hearth to transfer the pot to the table for serving.

            Early pioneers discovered that quilting blocks made handy and decorative potholders. Potholders in the 1920s were pretty flimsy and made with knitted lace and were rarely padded (similar to the flapper dresses of the time). Potholders in the 1930’s were crocheted and contained whimsical designs such as animals, faces, flowers, and cars. Potholders, towels, tablecloths, curtains, canisters, and aprons soon evolved into matching sets in the 1940’s.  Women were spending more and more time in the kitchen and decorating ideas abound using their everyday household items.

            Similar to their counterpart, the aprons, the 1950s were the heyday for potholders.  Enthusiastic homemakers knitted, crocheted, quilted, embroidered, and sewed wonderfully creative, but sometimes quirky, potholders. They often followed directions found in women’s magazines during that era but many created their own designs.

            Woman rarely purchased a potholder. Do you remember growing up in the 1950’s with your little Loom Loopers?  Every little girl owned one, and she proudly gifted her lopsided and stringy potholder to some fortunate grandparent, who of course made over it. Again, like aprons, potholders were decorated for various holidays and seasons. Handfuls of potholders were found in every kitchen and linen closet. 

            Potholders are becoming very popular with collectors. They are accruing the vintage potholders, framing them, and hanging them in their kitchens. They are unique because, for the most part, they are nearly all handmade. These often neglected and overlooked kitchen items are no longer on the back burner.  Potholders are making a reappearance as they add a nostalgic and homey feeling, plus a definite touch of whimsy to your kitchen.

How Do You Measure Up?

                                                Measuring Friendship

6 Ways To Be A Good Friend

1. Spend quality time together. If you can’t go for walks or to yoga class together, then telephone or email your friend regularly. The conversations needn’t be long or personal; those quick “I’m thinking of you” moments can go a long way in making a strong support network.
2. Make friends a priority. Maybe you “should” clean the house, wash the dog, go grocery shopping, or watch tv (some people feel they should do that!). But give those “shoulds” the brush and prioritize your friendships. There will be plenty of time for those “shoulds” when you’re dead. For now, think about the health benefits of friendship.
3. Be there for the good and bad. Show up for the funerals and the weddings, the surgeries and the celebrations! Be sincerely sad or genuinely happy for your friend – and include them on the good and bad in your life, too. One way to be a good friend is to be inclusive.
4. Don’t keep score. Who called who last? Who bought lunch last? Who spent the most on Christmas gifts? Who forgot whose birthday? Who cares? If you have a good friend, cut a little slack. If your friendship really isn’t that great, then maybe you need to re-evaluate it. The health benefits of friendship will outlast the score-keeping cards.
5. Notice the little things. The conversations that matter the most are the quick little ones that last only a few minutes. It’s not always the deep long heart-to-hearts that bond friends together -- it's the day to day minutiae of everyday life. One way to be a good friend is to have short, sweet conversations.
6. Focus on the positive. We all have quirks and weaknesses; focusing on your friend’s strengths and wonderful qualities will keep your friendship alive and strong. To be a good friend, forget about the things you wish were different.

I've had so many wonderful friends in my Life..Friends who have been there through thick & thin.
Friends who I can't say "Thank You" enough times too. Each journey I have taken has blessed me with new friends.. I could go on and on.. about  a friend who took the time to teach me to Blog.. or the friend who listens to me as if she has nothing else to do that day.  A friend who lay by my side when I didn't think Life was worth living. Friends that love dinner dates so we don't loose touch. My Book-Club friends.. A Friend who shared her talents so I could write a book. Friends who just drop by in my life at just the right time. My Sister's are my friends.I have Spiritual friends that I serve with.. I have friends who make me smile...
I have co-workers who have become great friends....a friend whose memory loss is just as bad as mine.. but yet we laugh and communiate.... and the list goes on and on and on..... My Mother taught me the value of friendship... she measured 120 inches and then some..
                                              I pray I may measure up to her example !!!!

                WHAT ABOUT YOU.... HAVE YOU HAD A FRIEND .....
                                                       TOUCH YOUR LIFE?

How many of you are in the Dough ???...

                           The Problems With Industrial Bread

Most people in the United States today view the bread purchased at the supermarket as what bread should be. The actual truth is that the bread you buy in the supermarket has the texture and substance that it has for one reason and one reason alone: so that it can be made on an industrial scale and not grow “old” on the shelf at your supermarket.
There are two big explanations for this. The industrial scale process is designed to maximize profit while still producing an edible loaf of bread on the table. This is done by using an excessive amount of yeast in order to create lots of air bubbles in the bread, hence the “light” texture of store-purchased bread. It also allows for the use of lower-quality grains because of this yeast abundance, thus the bread is far from nutrient-rich. In the United States, most recipes are trade secrets, but in the United Kingdom, the standard recipe, known as the Chorleywood Bread Process, is widely known. The goal of this process is to make a loaf of bread as cheaply as possible, foregoing flavor, nutrition, and texture along the way.
The other bothersome part of industrial breadmaking is the appearance of a healthy dose of preservatives. These preservatives are there solely to extend the shelf life of the bread, again reducing costs for the manufacturer. Every time you eat a piece of store-purchased bread, you’re getting a healthy dose of preservatives with each bite.
Take a look at the ingredient list from a loaf of Home Pride butter top honey wheat bread, a fairly standard store-purchased loaf in my area. I bolded some of the ingredients.

Enriched wheat flour (flour, barley malt, ferrous sulfate (iron), “B” vitamins (niacin, thaimine mononitrate (B1), riboflavin (B2), folic acid)), water, sweetener (high fructose corn syrup or sugar), yeast, wheat bran, whole wheat flour, wheat gluten, molasses. Contains 2% or less of: soybean oil, salt, sweet dairy whey, butter (cream, salt, enzymes), maltodextrin, honey, corn syrup, calcium sulfate, soy flur, dough conditioners (may contain: dicalcium phosphate, calcium dioxide, sodium stearoyl lactylate, ethoxylated mono and diglycerides, mono and diglycerides, and/or datem), yeast nutrients (may contain: ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, calcium carbonate, monocalcium phosphate, and/or ammonium phosphate), cornstarch, wheat starch, vinegar, natural flavor, beta carotene (color), enzymes, calcium propionate (to retain freshness), soy lecithin.

                                                Come On Girlfriends.. let's get goin!


                                      I make Bread.. once a week.. and I love the journey..

It's a Must to have a Cute Apron.
( This is a hand-made Christmas Gift from my girlfriend Judy )



Once you start making Bread..it brings you great joy!

                                    The Recipe I use is from a family Restaurant known as
                                                          The Old Fire-House !
                                         My Two Sister's and Mother owned it!
                                           It was the best place to stop in "Payson, Utah"
                                                                   to get a
                                                  REAL HOMEMADE MEAL!
                                                    My Mother passed away in  2005
                                                   and later the the restaurant was sold.

Recipe
2-TBS yeast in 1/2 cup warm water
Sprinkle a little sugar on top to help it start working

Heat 4-cups water
1/2 cup shortening
add 1 can milk
In large bowl or mixer add:
2-TBS salt
1/2 cup sugar
Add liquid

Add flour to cool mixture down- then add yeast
Then I add flour to make a good dough ( I do 2 cups of whole wheat flour- the rest in white )
Add flour a cup at a time beating until thick like a cake mix
When you get a fairly stiff dough turn out on floured surface and knead for about 20 minutes.
Put in greased bowl and grease top of dough.
Cover and let rise again untl dbl. in bulk
Punch down and divide into loaves (1-1/2 lbs to 2 lbs dough per loaf)
Shape loaves and place in greased bread pans.
Let rise until dbl. in bulk.
Bake on 400 for 1o minutes and 350 for approx. 20-25 minutes

My Husband love's baking day..
He also loves Raisen Bread.. soo I divided the dough in half and in one half portion I add 2 TBS. Cinnimmon and 2 TBS of Nutmeg and 2 cups of raisens.. I mix the ingreadients into the divided portion of dough. and continue following the recipe.

A Wise woman puts a grain of Sugar into everything she says
to a Man...and takes with a grain of Salt everything he say's to Her!

Enjoy!

ARE- YOU- A -HANGER ?

Do you Hang Your Clothes Out?

I've been thinking about this lately... When I was a small girl.. we always hung our clothes out.. one time my Mother asked me to go and bring the clothes in from the "Clothes Line" .  I went out to do my duty and there was no clothes on the clothes line.. ( I was about ten years old ) my Mother called the policeman.. there was only two Police Officers back then...... one for the day and one Policeman for the night. 
 ( wow.. I never thought how unique that is ) anyway..our clothes had been stolen.. I was very sad.. my favorite blouse and dress was part of the stolen goods.
About a week later.. the little girl who lived in the Sabby House down the block came to School with my Red Plaid Dress On!.. I didn't say a word.. I skipped home to tell my Mom.. she smiled, and said...
"I guess they needed the clothes & towels more then we did".. my Mom was a single parent.. too four girls.. my Father passed away when I was two years old.. She was a Cook ( a very good one ) trying to raise
 4-girls on a limited budget.

DO YOU HAVE A CLOTHES LINE?



         Your clothes, linens, and other fabric items will smell fresh.

• Sunlight is a natural sanitizing and bleaching agent.^[2] It's perfect for killing insects, bacteria, and other germs.
• Clotheslines only need energy when they're manufactured. Dryers use energy every single time they're used. The savings to you of using a clothesline is about US$120 per year (based on usage of an electric dryer with 400 yearly loads).^[3]
• Line drying is kinder to your clothes than the dryer; clothes last longer the more they're kept out of the dryer. Line drying is also better for items with printed elements, such as t-shirts. And if you wonder why the elastic in your socks and panties is disappearing fast, blame the dryer...^[4]
• If you're already buying and using eco-friendly washing products, what is the point of then using an energy-guzzling dryer? Extend your convictions to the drying cycle too!
• Line drying keeps moisture outdoors. Sure, you can vent the dryer outdoors (and hopefully you are!) and you can even get dryers that collect moisture. But all this has an energy-intensive cost, one that hanging outdoors gets rid of totally!
• It's a great form of exercise; you might even discover your arm muscles are in need of some stretching!
• It can be a source of pride and enjoyment. In the old days, housewives took great pride on how neatly they could hang up clothing. It is still a good idea to hang clothing neatly on the line as this can help prevent wrinkling which means less ironing.
• It's fun as well as rewarding. Getting outdoors even if it's only to hang the clothes can be a way to avoid or dig your way out of depression, so treasure this activity as a "must-do" that gets you some sunshine, kisses from the breeze, and much-needed movement.^[5]
• You'll start noticing the sunny days in between the rainy ones more. They're your "washing days"!
• Clotheslines don't tend to spontaneously combust no matter how much you mistreat them. Dryers can cause fires if poorly maintained, accounting for 15 deaths a year, 360 injuries a year, and 17,700 structure fires a year!^[6] 

  

  A Fresh Breeze blows the towels