Tractor Supply Sweepstakes

Tractor Supply Company Sweepstakes

ends 4/25/12.

www.TractorSupply.com/DemoDays

for official rules and entry instructions.

Friday Foto

Western Oklahoma Sunset

Salad Bowl Planter

After I planted my peppers and tomatoes in my recycled Cats Pride containers I felt the need to add a little color to the "garden" area. A couple days ago I posted about my container garden. Today I want to tell about my Marigold adventure. I wanted to put a pop of color between each white veggie container. Marigolds are suppose to help keep the bugs away from your garden, if you ever smell one you will understand why the bugs do not like them.

I went to Wal-Mart and checked the prices of Marigolds. I could get a 4 inch container with 4 Marigolds in each container $2.48. That would be 6 containers of Marigolds and put 3 in each pot.  I wanted one pot between each white veggie container I would need 8 pots. Next I checked the price of the pots....just regular flower pots and the medium size was $1.97 each. That was more than I wanted to spend.

Since I had other shopping to do in the store...off I went. As I passed the "summer" plastic ware I stopped and looked at the salad bowls. YES! They were $1.00 each 5 inches deep and 12 inches wide....perfect for the Marigolds...and came in a variety of colors, but I love bright green.

I already had potting soil mix. I took the green salad bowls and made holes in the bottom. I grabbed a nail with a pair of pliers and heated it on the cook stove to burn the holes in the bowls. I filled them with potting soil and put three Marigold plants in each.

With the flowers added it went the entire length of my front porch.

I think the salad bowls would be great along any one's walk way, patio area, deck or porch and they had them in a variety of colors. Always think outside the box when you need something and it is a little more than you want to pay.



Lemons

The lemon selection at our local grocery store.

I love http://www.care2.com/  they have so many interesting topics....you can sign up to get their newsletter, send care2 ecards and keep up on current world event topics too. I found this lemon information on their site.

Allergies: Lemons contain the phytonutrient hesperetin which has been shown in studies to alleviate allergic symptoms.

Brain and Nervous System Disorders: Containing the potent phytonutrient tangeretin in the peel, lemons have been proven to be effective for brain disorders like Parkinson’s disease.

Eye Disorders: Rutin, found in lemons, has been shown in research to improve the symptoms of eye disorders, including diabetic retinopathy.

Anti-Viral: In addition to being effective against cold and flu viruses, terpene limonoids found in lemons have proven anti-viral effects on other types of viruses.

Diabetes: In addition to improving eye problems linked with diabetes, lemons contain hesperetin which lowers blood sugar levels (when they are high).

Gall and Kidney Stones: The citric acid found in lemon juice helps to dissolve gallstones, calcium deposits, and kidney stones.

Anti-Aging: The vitamin C found in lemons helps to neutralize free radicals linked to aging and most types of disease.

Cook with Lemon! Remember my husband's lemon cake....yum! See blog post 9-27-10

Bowel-Cleansing: The bitter taste of lemon gives these fruit the ability to increase peristalsis–a pumping-motion in the bowels–which helps to eliminate waste from the bowels and improve regularity. Add the juice of one lemon to warm water and drink first thing in the morning.

Cancer: Lemons contain 22 anti-cancer compounds, including limonene—a naturally-occurring oil that slows or halts the growth of cancer tumors in animals. Lemons also contain a substance called flavonol glycosides which stop cell division in cancer cells.

Colds and Flu: Lemons are rich in vitamin C and flavonoids that work in conjunction for a serious punch against infection.

Liver: Fresh lemon juice added to a large glass of water in the morning is a great liver detoxifier.

Nutrition: Lemons contain vitamin C, citric acid, flavonoids, B-complex vitamins, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and fiber.

Balances Body Chemistry: While lemons are acidic they interact with the body’s metabolism to have an alkalizing effect on the bodily fluids helping to restore balance to the body’s pH.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/13-healing-powers-of-lemons.html#ixzz1lKaCLOrd



Recycle Cats Pride Container Garden

I know plastic containers can be taken to the recycling center, but I love to find ways to recycle stuff myself. I started saving my Cats Pride kitty litter containers to use for my container garden. This is the first time I have decided to try a container garden. Normally we just plant in the ground like everyone else. As we have grown older it it nearly impossible for us to get up after we have gotten down to plant. I told my husband that if we put the containers along the front porch we could reach them easily for watering and picking. (The neighbors already know we are a crazy.)

First, I took the label off the Cats Pride container and then used a sharp knife to cut off the handle part. I did use a pair of scissors to cut off the high spots and "smooth" out the top.

Next, I took a really sharp three prong fork and wiggled it back and forth to make holes in the bottom of the planter. I made six holes in each one. It is important to have drain holes in the bottom of the container in case of over watering.

We found Miracle-Grow Potting soil on sale and purchased 2 bags.

(Each bag was 2 cubic foot of soil. BIG BAGS.)

By using this we will not need to fertilize the plants.

We also decided to go ahead and purchase some good looking plants we found at Ace Hardware. The pitiful little ones in the front came from Atwoods. Lesson learned.

After we had the recycled Cats Pride containers filled with soil and plants we lined them up along the front porch. We put 32 inch tomato cages in the containers, we only planted peppers and tomatoes. Atwoods only had 8 cages and Wal-Mart only had 42 inch and larger ones. Still have to find one more 32 inch one. We nearly drove the cats crazy doing all this activity on the porch...one watched out the window and the other out the door.

I also reused the containers that the veggies came in to plant some seeds. I read somewhere that you need to stagger the planting times of your veggies to have a more continual harvest for a longer period of time. I hope my chives come up...I love chives.

I decided those white veggie containers would look better with some flowers in between them. So I went to Wal-Mart and checked out the flower prices. Marigolds are suppose to help keep the bugs away, so that is what I got to brighten up the area.

More about the Marigolds in a couple days....

4 Mexican Meals 10 Ingredients

I love the Nate Berkus show! He always has such neat tips about saving money decorating, fashion and cooking. These 4 Mexican Meals using 10 ingredients was one of the cooking segments on his show. Go to www.thenateshow.com to learn more awesome tips.

Learn how to make four Mexican meals with just ten ingredients from Chef Marcela Valladolid!


Ingredient List
1. Guajillo Chiles
2. Tomatoes
3. Garlic
4. Onions
5. Corn Tortillas
6. Refried Beans
7. Mexican Crema
8. Whole Chicken
9. Monterey Jack Cheese
10. Lettuce
Standard Kitchen Ingredients
Salt & Pepper
Canola Oil
Olive Oil

Guajillo Enchiladas
4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
6 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed, seeded, soaked in boiling water 5 minutes (reserve 1/3 cup soaking liquid for sauce)
4 tomatoes, cored
4 garlic cloves, with peel
1 onion, peeled and quartered
8 corn tortillas
2 cups shredded monterrey jack cheese
1 can organic refried beans
2 tablespoons Mexican Crema
Directions
Preheat oven to 350.
Heat heavy large saucepan over high heat. Add whole tomatoes, garlic with peel and onion quarters to dry skillet (no oil necessary). Cook for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until vegetables have browned in spots. Transfer vegetables to blender along with soaked chiles and reserved 1/3 cup soaking liquid. Season with salt and pepper and blend until smooth. Transfer to shallow platter.

Heat enough oil in saucepan to come 1/2-inch up the sides of the pan to 350F. Working with 2 tortillas at a time, add tortillas and cook 3 minutes until beginning to crisp but still pliable. Using tongs, take tortillas out of oil and dip into enchilada sauce, turning to coat.
Transfer to cutting board. (You make a mess, but it’s worth it).
Fill each with 2 tablespoons refried beans and scant 1/4 cup cheese. Roll up like a cigar and arrange snugly into large glass baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
Pour any leftover sauce over quesadillas. Sprinkle with any remaining cheese and drizzle with Mexican crema.
Transfer quesadillas to oven and cook until cheese melts, about 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Tortilla Soup
Serves 6
Ingredients
4 large tomatoes, cored
1 small white onion or a 1-inch-thick slice of a large white onion, peeled
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 medium-large dried guajillo chile, stemmed, seeded, and torn into large pieces
4 cups chicken broth (recipe is at the end)
4 corn tortillas, torn into pieces (used for soup thickening)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 additional corn tortillas, halved, cut into 1/2-inch wide strips
Canola oil for shallow frying
Mexican sour crema for serving
1 medium-large guajillo chile cut into rounds
Directions
Soup
Line a heavy saute pan with aluminum foil. Place over medium-high heat until hot. Put the tomatoes, onion, and unpeeled garlic cloves in the pan. Roast, turning frequently until garlic is soft, about 10 minutes. Remove garlic when soft, but slightly blackened. Peel garlic and place in a blender. Continue roasting tomatoes and onions for another 2 to 4 minutes. Remove onion and put in blender with garlic. Roast the tomatoes, which should be charred and blackened in spots, for another 5 minutes. Place in blender. Carefully puree the contents of the blender. Check the consistency of the soup. It should be slightly thickened; add the 4 torn-up tortillas to the blender with enough soup to blend easily. Set aside.

Put the chicken broth in a large pot. Add the contents of the blender to the pot along with the guajillo chile. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 20 minutes to blend flavors. Carefully puree the soup in batches in the blender. (Add more torn up tortillas to blender to thicken if desired). Return to pot, simmer for 5 minutes. Check and adjust seasoning.

Tortilla Strips
In a medium size heavy skillet, pour enough oil to reach a depth of 1/2 an inch. Heat over medium-high heat until very hot, but not smoking. Add the tortilla strips in batches and fry until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels. Set aside.
To serve, ladle the soup into 6 indivual serving bowls. Drizzle with Mexican Crema and top with dried chiles and tortilla strips.

Chicken Broth
1 whole 6 pound chicken divided into 6 pieces (2 legs, 2 thighs, 2 wings) leaving the breasts aside for later use
1 white onion quartered
3 garlic cloves peeled
In large heavy sauce pan, add chicken and fill with enough water to barely cover all chicken pieces. Add onion and garlic. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for about 1 hour or until chicken is fully cooked.
Turn off heat. Remove chicken and let cool off. Meanwhile, strain liquid and reserve for later use.

Chicken Tostadas
Serves 4
Ingredients
Vegetable oil, enough for frying
4 corn tortillas
1 cup cooked shredded chicken DARK meat, boneless, skinless (what was used to make the broth for the tortilla soup)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 can refried bean, preferably organic, warmed
Shredded iceberg lettuce, enough for serving
Purchased canned salsa verde
Mexican crema, enough for serving

Directions
Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Add tortillas (no oil) and grill until very crisp and beginning to brown, about 15-20 minutes. To make sure it’s a tostada, it has to crumble like a tortilla chip, it shouldn’t be chewy at all.
Season shredded chicken to taste with salt and pepper. Spread 1 tablespoon of refried beans to tostada. Add 1 tablespoon of shredded chicken. Garnish with lettuce and salsa verde. Drizzle with desired amount of Mexican crema and serve immediately.

Chicken Chilaquiles
Serves 4
Ingredients
For sauce
*Use same sauce as chilaquile guajillo sauce above.

For Tortilla Chips
10 corn tortillas
Vegetable oil, enough for frying
Salt
1 cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese
1 cup cooked shredded chicken white meat, boneless, skinless (what was used to make the broth for the tortilla soup)
Mexican crema, enough for serving
Directions
Heat oil in large heat sauce pan until hot. While heating, stack tortillas and cut stack into 8 triangles, like a pizza. Working in batches, fry tortilla triangles until crisp and golden in color, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from oil and drain excess oil in paper towel. Season to taste with salt.
Bring tortilla chips to pan with warm salsa making sure all chips are fully incorporated with salsa. Add cheese and let melt. Stir in shredded chicken. Drizzle with Mexican crema and serve immediately.

Plant Your Garden

What to plant in your garden...Sow your seeds well...
Here are some ideas for your garden:

FOR THE GARDEN OF YOUR DAILY LIVING

PLANT THREE ROWS OF PEAS:
1. Peace of mind
2. Peace of heart
3. Peace of soul

PLANT FOUR ROWS OF SQUASH:
1. Squash gossip
2. Squash indifference
3. Squash grumbling
4. Squash selfishness

PLANT FOUR ROWS OF LETTUCE:
1. Lettuce be faithful
2. Lettuce be kind
3. Lettuce be patient
4. Lettuce really love one another

NO GARDEN WITHOUT TURNIPS:
1. Turnip for meetings
2. Turnip for service
3. Turnip to help one antother

TO CONCLUDE OUR GARDEN WE MUST HAVE THYME:
1. Thyme for each other
2. Thyme for family
3. Thyme for friends

WATER FREELY WITH PATIENCE AND CULITVATE WITH LOVE
THERE IS MUCH FRUIT IN YOUR GARDEN BECAUSE YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW.

Eating Well

Eating Well has a whole series of cookbooks and Eating Well 500-Calorie Dinners is a new one that popped up in my e-mail. I love their recipes and have included an example of one in this post.                                          http://www.eatingwell.com/

EatingWell 500-Calorie Dinners makes eating well easy by throwing the diet concept out the window and demonstrating instead how to eat deliciously and healthily for life. EatingWell takes the guesswork out of how to build a healthy meal by providing simple, tasty recipes and menus for dinners that come in around 500 calories, an amount many health experts say will help most people lose weight without feeling deprived. This book also demonstrates how to include favorite treats, like wine and chocolate, as part of a healthy diet. By learning how to get the most out of your spices and ingredients with these menus, you will never feel like you are on a diet again.

“I always say, ‘Life is hard...food should be easy.’ EatingWell 500-Calorie Dinners makes deciding what to have for dinner easy and delicious! With nearly 100 dinner menus that are satisfying and nutritionally balanced, this book is a great tool for anyone who’s trying to get—or stay—slim.”
—Joy Bauer, MS, RD, CDN, nutrition/health expert for The Today Show and bestselling author of Your Inner Skinny

Eggplant Pomodoro Pasta

 

From EatingWell: July/August 2009

Diced eggplant turns tender and tasty sautéed with garlic and olive oil. Toss with fresh plum tomatoes, green olives and capers and you have a simple light summer sauce. We like it over angel hair pasta, but any type of pasta will work. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a mixed green salad.

Recipe 6 servings

Active Time: 35 minutes

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium eggplant, (about 1 pound), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 plum tomatoes, diced
1/3 cup chopped pitted green olives
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
4 teaspoons capers, rinsed
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, (optional)
12 ounces whole-wheat angel hair pasta
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, or basil

Preparation

1.Put a pot of water on to boil.

2.Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, until just softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add tomatoes, olives, vinegar, capers, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper (if using) and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes begin to break down, 5 to 7 minutes more.

3.Meanwhile, cook pasta in boiling water until just tender, about 6 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and divide the pasta among 6 shallow bowls. Spoon the sauce over the pasta and sprinkle parsley (or basil) on top.

NutritionPer serving: 282 calories; 7 g fat ( 1 g sat , 5 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 50 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 10 g protein; 11 g fiber; 467 mg sodium; 416 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Magnesium (25% daily value), Vitamin C (18% dv), Folate & Iron (15% dv).
Carbohydrate Servings: 2 1/2
Exchanges: 3 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fat

I just love Eating Well....mmmm....ok I love reading about Eating Well....I just don't do it as much as I should. Seriously check out the Eating Well series of books or subscribe to their magazine or e-mails. I think you will enjoy their great tips and recipes.    http://www.eatingwell.com/



Friday Foto

Jonquils or Daffodils

Laughter Yoga

Laughter Yoga

Laughter Yoga is a concept with healthy benefits, started in 1995. Laughter Yoga teaches that anybody can laugh without any jokes, humour or comedy.

Laughter Yoga is a revolutionary idea – simple and profound. An exercise routine, it is sweeping the world and is a complete wellbeing workout.

The brainchild of Dr. Madan Kataria, a Physician from Mumbai, India, launched the first Laughter Club at a Park on March 13, 1995, with merely a handful of persons. Today, it has become a worldwide phenomenon with more than 6000 Social Laughter Clubs in about 60 countries.

Laughter Yoga combines Unconditional Laughter with Yogic Breathing (Pranayama). Anyone can Laugh for No Reason, without relying on humor, jokes or comedy. Laughter is simulated as a body exercise in a group; with eye contact and childlike playfulness, it soon turns into real and contagious laughter. The concept of Laughter Yoga is based on a scientific fact that the body cannot differentiate between fake and real laughter. One gets the same physiological and psychological benefits.

Check it out at http://wwwlaughteryoga.org

I saw a story on the news about the Laughter Yoga program, at one of the retirement facilities in the city. I thought that would be fun, and if it improved health even better! Look at the site and read all the benefits of Laughter Yoga.

Same View Photos

Three photos looking out the same window.

Photography is amazing...a step sideways or back can change the photo.

Butter

Who knew there was so much information one needed to know about butter! The Food Network Magazine had a butter facts article, that I found interesting. Why do some recipes say use unsalted butter and then use salt in the recpe? The answer to that is so that you can control the amount of butter used. Salted butter contains 1 to 2 percent salt. It lasts about a month longer than unsalted, but unsalted is better for cooking and baking.

European style butter has a higher fat content and richer taste than standard American butter. It is also more expensive. Cultued butter that is popular in Europe, is made from fermented cream, has a yogurt like flavor. Sweet cream butter is not cultured; it can be salted or unsalted.

Whipped butter, sold in tubs, is injected with nitrogen gas so it's light in texture and easy to spread. Not good for use in baking.

Clairfied butter is butter without the milk solids. It is used for high heat cooking because the milk fats in butter burn at 250 degrees, while clarified butter can withstand temperatures up to 400 degrees.

Spread is soft butter mixed with oil. Buttery spreads are margarine like condiments made mostly with oil.

My husband keeps garlic butter in our frig at all times. He mixes a couple tablespoons of minced garlic into some butter and uses it to make garlic toast or add to other recipes.

I see lots of television chefs make other flavors of butter that they roll into a log and freeze. When they want to serve it they get it out and slice of the pieces. The Pioneer Woman mixed berries in her butter and rolled the log in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil before freezing. Then she used the slices for breakfast pancakes. I have also seen the chefs add herbs to butter and then add it to the top of a steak. I guess it is just up to the taste of the individual.

Do you use flavored butter?

Fig Cake

Fig Cake

1 package yellow cake mix

mix according to package directions

add ground nutmeg approximately one teaspoon

add ground cinnamon approximately one teaspoon

(or you could use a spice cake mix)

add one cup chopped figs

bake according to cake mix directions.

I did not frost this cake. We just ate it like a bread.

I would be good with a cream cheese frosting.

Quotes - Will Rogers

I am already so tired of the political stuff, so I thought we needed a break to laugh! Will Rogers said so many funny things, most of which still apply today.

Garry Gamber a public school teacher wrote: Will Rogers was an amazing person and one of the wisest men of any generation. His accomplishments include being a champion lasso thrower, a performer on the Broadway stage, the star of 71 movies, a radio broadcaster, an author of six books, and a syndicated newspaper columnist. Will Rogers traveled around the world three times and befriended presidents, senators, prime ministers, and kings.

Will Rogers was famous for his simple, insightful humor and his ability to connect honestly with everyone he met. His comments about politics in general and the politics of his generation are among his most memorable.

The following are some of the best Will Rogers political quotes:

There’s no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you.

Ancient Rome declined because it had a Senate; now what’s going to happen to us with both a Senate and a House?

I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat.

I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.

The more you read and observe about this Politics thing, you got to admit that each party is worse than the other. The one that's out always looks the best.

The income tax has made more liars out of the American people than golf has.

On account of being a democracy and run by the people, we are the only nation in the world that has to keep a government four years, no matter what it does.

The man with the best job in the country is the Vice President. All he has to do is get up every morning and say, "How's the President?"

An economist’s guess is liable to be as good as anybody else’s.

Alexander Hamilton started the U.S. Treasury with nothing -- and that was the closest our country has ever been to being even.

If stupidity got us into this mess, then why can’t it get us out?

Be thankful we’re not getting all the government we’re paying for.

Politics has become so expensive that it takes a lot of money even to be defeated.

Diplomacy is the art of saying “Nice doggie” until you can find a rock.

A fool and his money are soon elected.

About all I can say for the United States Senate is that it opens with a prayer and closes with an investigation.

Our Constitution protects aliens, drunks, and U.S. Senators.

Anything important is never left to the vote of the people. We only get to vote on some man; we never get to vote on what he is to do.

Politics is applesauce.

Diplomats are just as essential to starting a war as soldiers are for finishing it… You take diplomacy out of war, and the thing would fall flat in a week.

I bet after seeing us, George Washington would sue us for calling him “father.”

There ought to be one day—just one—when there is open season on senators.

The country has come to feel the same when Congress is in session as when the baby gets hold of a hammer.

If I studied all my life, I couldn’t think up half the number of funny things passed in one session of Congress.

If you ever injected truth into politics you’d have no politics.

Things in our country run in spite of government, not by aid of it.

We don’t seem to be able to check crime, so why not legalize it and then tax it out of business?

Everything is changing. People are taking their comedians seriously and the politicians as a joke.

Liberty doesn’t work as well in practice as it does in speeches.

Ohio claims they are due a president as they haven’t had one since Taft. Look at the United States; they have not had one since Lincoln.

The 1928 Republican Convention opened with a prayer. If the Lord can see His way clear to bless the Republican Party the way it’s been carrying on, then the rest of us ought to get it without even asking.

There is no more independence in politics than there is in jail.

All I know is just what I read in the papers, and that’s an alibi for my ignorance.

Will Rogers was asked about the nature of his humorous remarks about politicians. "I have often said in answer to inquiries as to how I got away with kidding some of our public men, that it was because I liked all of them personally, and that if there was no malice in your heart there could be none in your gags, and I have always said I never met a man I didn’t like."

Label Cords

An easy way to label cords is to use the little plastic thing that comes on a loaf of bread.



Friday Foto

Granny's Love at Southwest Tire

Bananas

I sometimes grab a banana on my way out the door to work. It is a quick breakfast. Bananas have a mood-lifting power, in their combination of vitamins B6, A, and C; fiber; tryptophan; potassium; phosphorous; iron; protein; and healthy carbohydrates.

When you eat a banana, you get a quick boost from the fructose as well as sustaining energy from the fiber, which helps prevent a blood sugar spike. Carbohydrates aid in the absorption of tryptophan in the brain, and vitamin B6 helps convert the tryptophan into mood-lifting serotonin. Bananas are also a great source of potassium. Although potassium isn't directly related to mood, it is needed to regulate fluid levels and keep muscles working properly, which is important for feeling energized. Bananas also give us iron, which produces energy and fights fatigue. Bananas are available year-round and are easy to take along.

Bananas can be added into a variety of smoothies or made into many types of other dishes. I love to dip bananas in chocolate and freeze them....yummy!

Bobby Deen

Have you seen Bobby Deen's new show on the Cooking Channel or Food Network? It is a neat show where he takes his Mama Paula Deen's famous recipes and cuts out most of the calories while keeping the taste. It is a neat show! I found this bio info on the Cooking Channel site:

Growing up in a traditional Southern kitchen, self-proclaimed “Georgia boy” Bobby Deen went to work in that kitchen — his mother Paula’s kitchen — when he was 18. Bobby, now 41, has been an essential ingredient in the recipe that has made his mother an American hospitality and cooking icon. The warmth, humanity and kindness that are so much a part of Paula Deen’s persona are really family traits that were passed on to Bobby and his older brother, Jamie. As the family continues to cook, write and effectively welcome the world to sit in the kitchen and be a member of their family, Bobby maintains his own style, interests and passions.

After high school, Bobby was the delivery man and an integral part of the now-legendary home business that launched Paula Deen on the road to success. Bobby brought “lunch-and-love-in-a-bag” to the customers and the praise and feedback to Paula. The Bag Lady saved Paula and her two young sons from near homelessness. The business would soon grow into a restaurant, The Lady & Sons.

Bobby Deen was in the front of the house and took care of the customers, leaving his mom to craft recipes that gave The Lady & Sons its first national exposure and launched Paula and her family on a trajectory that has made them one of the most recognized and beloved families in America.

With The Lady & Sons firmly established, Bobby and Jamie began appearing to rave reviews on their mother’s cooking shows on the Food Network, and then launched their own show on the network, Road Tasted. The success of the program had Bobby and Jamie exploring America in search of more examples of love and warmth-infused cooking, and began to draw younger people and a new audience to the growing number of Deen family fans in America.

By mid-2011, the Deen brothers had published four books: The Deen Bros. Cookbook-Recipes From the Road in 2007; Y’all Come Eat, released in 2008; Take It Easy in 2009; and Get Fired Up in 2011. They published four standalone magazines in 2010 and have plans for more in 2011. They’ve expanded their efforts with a line of spices, barbecue sauces and T-shirts.

Bobby and Jamie continue to work together, and in 2011 they were again judges in the Beringer Great Steak Challenge. Both also worked with the Grain Foods Foundation by supplying grain-based food recipes to promote a healthy diet.

But Bobby, after starting to lift weights, work out and master jujitsu with friends when he turned 30, has developed a new passion. He still loves the traditional foods, but he’s developing healthier versions of some of the family classics because of the changes in his lifestyle that came with his training. He’s still a devoted sports fan, and he still plays the drums, something he started as a kid. Bobby continues to evolve and even picked up acoustic guitar, a craft he’s now devoted to learning.

Bobby makes his solo television debut on Cooking Channel in his new series Not My Mama’s Meals, where he develops healthier versions of the traditional foods he grew up on.

Find Bobby Deen at:
http://www.thedeenbros.com/
www.facebook.com/thedeenbros
@thedeenbros on Twitter

Cards of Love

This month has been a little crazy around here! First my Mother had a stroke and spent a week at the Mayo Clinic. I was worried sick about her. Knowing how worried I was, my friend Pat from Arkansas made a connection with the Cards of Love group president Della Ivy Levan in California. I began receiving beautiful cards in the mail from people I did not know, but they noted my friend Pat had given them my information. It was so beautiful to open the mail box and find the cards.

Before the week was over we had attended the funeral of our dear friend Jim Williams (no kin, but a member of our extended family). Then we received word that our nephew Scotty Williams had been killed in a truck accident. I would not want anyone to have to attend a funeral on Saturday and another on Tuesday. Those cards really helped us during this difficult time. Bless all the ladies who took the time to send a card and write such encouraging words.

CARDS OF LOVE

BLESSINGS FROM ABOVE

HEARTS REACHING OUT

SPREADING CHEER ABOUT

BRIGHTENING SOMEONE'S DAY

VERY PERSONAL WAY

TAKING THE TIME

ADDING ENCOURAGING LINES

GETTING IN TOUCH

MEANS SO MUCH

CARDS OF LOVE

BLESSINGS FROM ABOVE

We are very thankful for CARDS OF LOVE....and thankful for Pat and Della.

Lady Gaga Born This Way Foundation

I love it when celebrities use their fame to promote a project or create a foundation to help others. Lady Gaga may only be 25 year old, but she is setting an example for others with her new "Born This Way Foundation" with the name inspired by her hit song. I watched the news with her and Oprah talking about how she hopes to inspire young people.
With a little help from Oprah Winfrey and a few others, Pop singer turned philanthropist Lady Gaga formally and officially launched her “Born This Way Foundation” (Wednesday Feb 29) at Harvard University.


The newly launched foundation’s point of existence is to “challenge meanness and cruelty by inspiring young people to create a support system in their respective communities,” Gaga said.


Though bullying is a favorite cause of Gaga’s, the singer says that the BTW foundation wasn’t created to just fight bullying alone, but rather to empower youth and promote bravery.

GO TO THIS WEBSITE AND CHECK OUT HOW YOU CAN HELP!

http://bornthiswayfoundation.org/

...you go girl!