Appetizer To Die For

If you're like me you are always on the lookout for a new appetizer recipe. While this one is a couple years old, it still is one of my family's favorites.

Photo courtesy of Athens Foods

 

To make this appetizer really easy you need some mini phyllo(fillo) shells. Athens Foods make them or if you really have a lot of time you can make your own. My suggestion, splurge on the shells. Check the freezer aisles in your favorite market.

 

The next ingredient is some fig jam... yum! OK, I know there are some of you who are thinking Fig Newton filling and going 'yuck!'  Trust me on this one, you do want to try this appetizer even if you HATE Fig Newtons. You can buy fig jam at Whole Foods, but I like hitting my closest Home Goods store or Marshall's and picking it up there (bargain is my middle name!)

 

Photo courtesy of Walmart

 

 

Next you need some Gorgonzola cheese. The crumbles that Treasure Cave sells are perfect for this recipe. Again, not my favorite in large quantities but mix it with the fig jam -- You will feel like you've gone to heaven! Actually you aren't going to mix them together, but put some jam in the phyllo cups, top with some Gorgonzola, and heat until cheese melts somewhat and the jam is warmed up. Remove from your oven (if you have a small toaster oven it's perfect for making these!)

 

 

Photo link

 

Serve and listen as your guests rave! I love this recipe for Thanksgiving because it's fast, easy and you don't have to use your big oven for it, the tiny toaster oven does the job. This means you turkey and other dishes can cook while you make your appetizers. Enjoy! (Oh and be careful, that jam gets HOT!)

For links to other ideas for appetizers for Thanksgiving visit Confessions of a Stay-At-Home Mom, Redefining the Modern Day Donna Reed.

 

Politics, Blogging and the Presidential Race

I've debated whether to bring politics into my blog. I know, sometimes I give a line or two to something political but I've never put whole blog posts behind a candidate before. I've decided it's time to be up front about my personal political opinions.

Can I change your vote? No, only you can change your vote. I just wanted to share why I support President Obama for re-election. If that changes your vote, great. If it doesn't, that's fine too. Just get out and vote! No excuses!

So why do I support President Obama?

I support our President because as the owner of my own small business I believe it's wrong that GE pays less in taxes than many small companies. No more corporate welfare on my tax dime.

I support President Obama because I want to experience peace for the first time in years. Imagine what we could do with all the military spending if we applied it to social problems or to developing energy within our own country.

I support President Obama because I do not want the government deciding what I can or cannot do with my body. I want all citizens to have a choice about their own bodies. I want there to be choice--for everyone.

I support our current administration because I recognize that despite the current hard economic times, the significant deficit was not caused by President Obama. He inherited economic hard times from the Republicans.  He inherited military costs from previous administrations. To expect one man, in one single term to turn around the problems is unrealistic.

I will admit, my family has been hit hard by the ongoing unemployment in the country. Both my husband and I lost our jobs at almost the same time. Despite looking hard for jobs it took 2 or 3 years to find new jobs. We were the unemployed who were no longer part of the statistics. We were the long term unemployed, over 55, and were having a tough time. But we did come through it. Other families have as well. Yes, we were all hurting, many of us still are. None of us came out unscathed. But the opposition wants to provide more breaks for big business--tax breaks, support in subsidies etc. I cannot support that.

I trust President Obama. I know, he's a politician. So I admit, my trust is limited. But I believe he has the ability to turn things around and is working toward it. He has been very successful working with other world leaders in conjunction with his Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. He is respected by other world leaders. I am less sure that the opposition has a clue about foreign affairs.

I support President Obama because I have two disabled adult children. I need the social supports to remain in place that they need. I trust the President to maintain benefits for those who cannot care for themselves.

Now you know why I support President Obama for re-election. Of course I could give you more reasons, but I don't have a month to write this blog post. But let me know why you support the President. Or if you don't, why you don't. Any politely worded comments will be published. Spam or rudeness will not.

What College Is All About

Today I was reading a post by another blogger, Kelly Raudenbush, who writes a blog called I Overthink Everything, My Blog Is A Prime Example and her post about her child in 5th grade math class. It immediately resonated with me, reminding me of my days in high school where I fought a battle trying to learn how to balance equations in my freshman Physical Science class.

I had gone to an eight room Catholic School that was way behind in both math and science. So when I hit high school it was difficult to keep up. I went from being one of the students at the top of my class who never had to struggle to desperately needing help. No matter how much tutoring I got, I just didn't 'get it.'

My confidence in my ability to do well in science classes was seriously undermined, but especially in chemistry and physics. I managed to escape high school and college the first time avoiding those classes, but when I went back to college as an adult I had to retake science classes because mine were 'out of date.'

So I hit Biology class first thinking 'OK, I can do this one.' But in the first month we had to balance equations. It sent me into a tailspin. I was certain I would fail before I started. I dreaded class. But I went (the habits of a lifetime of not skipping classes was still highly ingrained.)  Amazingly enough it was a snap. I COULD do it. I finally got it.

Why hadn't I been able to manage to learn it before? One word: FEAR.  Fear of failure. I spent so much time worrying I would fail when I was in high school that I couldn't get past the fear to learn.

So today, when I face something I've never done before, or am scared of doing, or think I might not do well, I remember the REAL lesson I learned in that college Biology class that had nothing to do with chemistry or biology. I learned that by letting fear paralyze me I was letting it control my life instead of me being in control. As an adult I like being in control so I have to give up the fear and move past it.

While I've never had to balance equations in my everyday life, facing our fears is something all of us do in our lives. So when someone tells you about the value of a college education...listen. College isn't just about the classes you take, it's what you take from class. Listen to them, they're right. (Even if they are your parents!)

Today Is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day

Today, October 15 is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. I know many of you have experienced this devastating tragedy in your lives, those who have not will never really understand how we feel.

We all have our own stories. Some of us lost our baby early in our pregnancy, others lost their baby much later--no matter when it happens it is devastating. We all handle it differently. But inside all of us are crying, all of us will never forget the baby or babies we lost. All of us have those moments when we stop and think of our child who we never held in arms and got a chance to cuddle with, to watch take his or her first steps, head off to school.

My husband and I lost our 2nd child. My oldest was almost two which was just how much space we'd planned on between our children--unfortunately the best laid plans... On Mother's Day my baby suddenly stopped moving, she wasn't kicking or rolling around. I went from feeling her playing soccer inside me to never moving again.What happened?

The umbilical cord consists of three blood vessels. Two arteries carry venous (no oxygen) blood away from the fetus while a vein carries oxygenated blood to the fetus. When my baby was formed she had one artery, and one vein. One of them collapsed resulting in no oxygenated blood getting to my precious baby.

The hardest part? I was nearly eight months pregnant. So close to having a healthy happy baby.

My physician told me it was 'just bad luck' and that my body would automatically expel my baby so he didn't want to induce labor. So for over a month I walked around, looking like a mom who was about to have a new happy and healthy baby. You know how it is, people you don't know come up at the grocery store or the mall and ask you when you're due date is or comment on your new addition.
Unfortunately they had no way of knowing what had happened, and I couldn't just tell a total stranger the whole story, they were just trying to be nice.

Finally after a month I went back to my doctor and insisted he induce labor. Psychologically I just couldn't take it anymore. The labor took forever. I was in hell, physically and psychologically. My husband had been with me all day and the nurse sent him home saying I wouldn't need him. As soon as he left they upped my dose of Pitocin and I delivered in an hour. My doctor or one of his partners wasn't even there. Just some nurses. I really needed my husband there. Them sending him home was the ultimate cruelty. They knew they were going to push the delivery but sent him away when I needed him most and when we needed each other most. Suffice it to say there are some hospitals and doctors I'll never go to again.

Their next cruelty? They sent me to the floor with all the moms with their new babies! And bombarded me with their chaplins pushing me to talk about my feelings. The things I wanted to say to them were not something I wanted to say to anyone who was a priest or minister.  I had come to grips with the loss of my baby, what I had not come to grips with was the cruelty of the medical establishment in the hospital I was in.

Is my story unique? No, of course not. Women lose babies every day. But I felt violated by the way the medical establishment treated me.

The good news?  A few years later I had my third daughter. She didn't take the place of the baby I lost. But I was able to carry her to term without problems.

To any woman out there who has lost a child, nothing I can say will make up for it, so instead, a hug, from someone who has been there. Maybe not in your exact shoes, all our stories are different, but we all have many of the same thoughts and feelings.

To those who have never lost a child but know someone who has, just be there if they need to talk, send a card, but the one thing every woman I know who has lost a child doesn't want to hear "I know how you feel" when in fact, unless you've lost a child you have no idea how I feel. So no platitudes, just prayers.

And on Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day think about your friends who have lost a child, or think about the child you lost and remember them. I count myself fortunate to have only lost one child, I know so many other women who have lost many more before successfully carrying a baby to term. So today, I'm remembering my special little girl lost and honoring her memory by writing this post, hoping it helps someone else through a difficult time.

Give To The Green - Find Out How

Photo courtesy of the Camden City Garden Club

 

Addendum:

Now that the Community Giving Day sponsored by Whole Foods is past, don't forget to add the Camden City Garden Club and the Camden Children's Garden to your list of annual charitable donations.

If you've never been to the gardens be sure to take your children, grandchildren or friends to see the garden. While you're in Camden visit the Aquarium for a well rounded day of fun mixed with education (the kids will never notice the educational info they are getting, they'll be having too much fun!)

Thank you to Whole Foods for sponsoring the Community Giving Day and thank you to all the members of the community who took part in it. I hope some of you were able to join your local Whole Foods Market in supporting this wonderful cause.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Orignal Post:

Whole Foods has designated three dates in October as "5% Community Giving Day." Five percent of their net sales on the specific dates listed below at specific stores will benefit the Camden City Garden Club and the Camden Children's Garden.

Please consider supporting the Camden City Garden Club and the Camden Children's Garden by shopping at the following Whole Foods locations on:

October 16

Marlton, NJ

Princeton, NJ

South Street, Philadelphia, PA

Callowhill, Philadelphia, PA

Glen Mills, PA

Devon, PA

North Wales, PA

P Street, Washington, DC

October 17

Jenkintown, PA

Plymouth Meeting, PA

October 18

Wynnewood, PA

 

 

Nike Killing Kangaroos

Photo courtesy of Bubblews

Did Nike kill kangaroos to make kangaroo leather to make your soccer or football shoes? If you're like me you have been happily wearing and buying many of these shoes without knowing that Nike (and Umbro) slaughter millions of kangaroos in Australia every year to make your soccer shoes.

Millions of children and adults play soccer every year, some of them going so far as to buy special shoes for the sport. Unfortunately, Nike (and Umbro, the soccer specialty company owned by Nike) make some of their soccer shoes (or football shoes depending on where you live) from kangaroo leather.

The kangaroos are not slaughtered humanely, and worst of all after many of the kangaroos have been killed, baby joeys are found dead in their mothers' pouches. If the joeys aren't already dead many are either stomped on to kill them or beaten with sticks or smashed against vehicles because their skin is of no  use to Nike. What kind of company supports this?

Everytime I think of this horrible death for these proud animals and the waste of animal life I get madder. The ridiculous thing is Nike actually makes an alternative to the leather from the kangaroos known as 'Kanga-Lite.' This product offers an excellent alternative to kangaroo leather that does not impact the performance of the athletes. Nike can stop using kangaroo leather and still produce quality soccer shoes. Some of their best models, the CTR360, Total90 Laser IV, and Mercurial Vapor VII are good choices for families looking for a synthetic soccer shoe for recreational soccer.

Wayne Rooney of the Manchester United, Landon Donovan, captain of the Los Angeles Galaxy and Ronaldo, (recently retired) from Brazil all wear or wore Nike cleats where no kangaroos had been slaughtered. If you look at their stats, it seems obvious that the non-kangaroo products used on their cleats certainly didn't have a negative impact on their performance on the soccer field.

If you want Nike to stop using kangaroo leather and start using only animal-friendly high functioning synthetic alternatives be sure to let the company know your opinion. And most importantly, vote with your wallet. Don't buy soccer shoes/cleats made with kangaroo leather. Look for the synthetic models and buy those--vote with your wallet. As a business the one thing that will make Nike sit up and take notice is when their customers refuse to buy the kangaroo leather products.  Write to Nike and tell them why you aren't buying their kangaroo based products, or worse, why you have decided to buy from a competitor as long as Nike continues to use kangaroo leather in thier products.

Ceramics and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

Are you creative? Or just interested in finding a fun way to support JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation?) Come out and join Paula Regalis Todd and friends (young and old) for a night of fun at Color Me Mine in Glen Mills PA.

 

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation  "is the leading global organization focused on type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Driven by passionate, grassroots volunteers connected to children, adolescents, and adults with this disease, JDRF is now the largest charitable supporter of T1D research."

 

The goal of their research is to improve the lives of anyone affected by T1D by accelerating progress on the most promising opportunities for curing, better treating, and preventing T1D. JDRF collaborates with a wide spectrum of partners who share this goal.

 

"Since its founding in 1970, JDRF has awarded more than $1.6 billion to diabetes research. Past JDRF efforts have helped to significantly advance the care of people with this disease, and have expanded the critical scientific understanding of T1D. JDRF will not rest until T1D is fully conquered. More than 80 percent of JDRF's expenditures directly support research and research-related education."

So come out for an inexpensive night of fun with friends (the more the merrier) to support JDRF, it's a great cause. There will be donations from the Phillies, Mary Kay, Tastefully Simple, and Skinny Girl. Donations are welcome if you can not make it. A link for donations directly to JDRF is being set up and will be posted when available.

 

Personalized bracelets being made, which are $5.00 each, the money will go directly to JDRF.

 

So whether you are personally effected by T1D or know someone who is, or just want to come out and have fun, come to Color Me Mine on Sunday, November 11, 2012.