THOUGHTS AT THREE A.M.

WHAT TO DO TO FIX IT, WHEN YOU PUT TOO MUCH SALT IN SOMETHING!!

Well, if it is something cooked, it's easy. Boil a potato in it, which will magically draw the excess salt right into the potato! Aha! But what if the something is a salad, and even trickier, what if the salad is a POTATO salad? Aha again! Interestingly enough, the answer is the same...with an important addition. Prepare(peel and chop) one more potato, plus another egg, and boil them to the desired doneness, blanch or ice, and add that to the salad, and more of whatever else you normally put in your salad, such as mayo, mustard, sweet relish...however you prefer it, without, of course, more salt,and mix it all up,and taste. That should take care of the overage of salt, unless you got really carried away! Now, if that is the case, there is an alternate answer beyond just throwing the whole thing out, and doing it all over again, from scratch. All the ingredients in the salad are washable...or at least, riseable! Throw it all into a tight holed collander,and use a gentle sprayer, and rinse the excess salt and dressing away, dry it all as well as you can with paper towels, or use your salad spinner, and you should end up with potatoes,eggs, and onions, ready for the mayo and mustard, etc. Again, do not salt the salad! If it tastes a little bland, put the salt and pepper on the table, and let everyone season the salad to their own taste..which is a pretty good idea to begin with,don't cha think?

After all that, you may find that the potatoes still have a salty taste all their own, but if they do, it should be negligible. Also, the separate components of the salad may not stand up too well to being rinsed, and you may have to pursue both methods to salvage your salad, but even then, it's better than wasting the whole thing, isn't it? In any case, good luck with that,and don't forget to chill it well before serving,and returning it to the 'fridge as soon as everyone has had their portion..just to keep it cold, since it contains eggs,and by-products of eggs!

OUI?

LISTEN! DO YOU HEAR IT? IT'S A REAL TREAT COMING DOWN THE STREET!

You would hear that call, from all around the block. About this time of the year, almost flag day, we would begin to see horse drawn carts, coming in town from local farmers, clopping down the red brick roads. We knew they would have the freshest of the fresh strawberries,rhubarb, corn, green and red tomatoes,still damp from that morning's dew on them, and lovingly grown and attended, and picked at the peak of perfection that day. The children would spot the horses coming,and get all thrilled to see a horse in town, and run in the house, and mom would grab her change purse,and follow the kids out to flag down the cart. This wasn't hard, because the horses never moved very fast. Most would have just had a quick trot into town, but then were allowed to plod along while the women..(.usually women drove the carts)....from the farm,and the women and kids from town, would haggle over the prices.All the children helped in their own way, anxious to pet and talk to the horse, which would usually slow to a walk, or just stop altogether, and stand there patiently enjoying the gentle affection being lavished upon it by a dozen kids, and swish it's long tail around, and shake it's head to jingle the bells entwined in it's long grizzled mane, to the utter amazement of every onlooker under the age of 15. We didn't know it was to get rid of flies. We thought the horsie was just showing off,and we loved it. While the bartering went on, we saw to the horse's comfort.Bringing it towels to rub on it's neck and sides to dry the sweat, buckets of water to drink,and carrots and sugar cubes to nuzzle out of our hands. Often times, the carrots would be the first thing mom would buy, at the request of the children, just to feed to the horse. Many times, they would be small,stunted, or just baby carrots, picked too soon, just to have a few to sell, but we didn't care, because they were sweet and tender, just the way horses like them, and that's all we wanted.

Sometimes the farm lady would have some fresh eggs,cold bottles of milk or cream, butter, or even chickens to sell too, but it was the produce that caused the most interest, because they had what you couldn't get in the stores  yet. Fresh chives, cabbage and lettuce, bell peppers,spring mushrooms, and all manner of berries, and oh the sweet corn, all started in mid winter inside, so they would fetch a good price, early in the season. I can remember going home with a paper sack or a box given us by the cart lady if we bought enough, or if not, my grandmother would have an apron full of produce, and go on and on about the grand dinner we would have that night with what she had been able to get, and for next to nothing! On occasion, she would plan to bake a pie from the peaches or berries she had got. "It's still early to be picking peaches, but in a pie, they will be wonderful!"  It was no trick to get children to eat fresh fruit, or even salad then, because it was something they couldn't have all winter. By June, seeing Mother sweating to peel and slice onions and cucumbers into vinegar, and tear lettuce and slice up tomatoes was a desirable thing, and we couldn't wait to taste something sweet and fresh and crunchy that didn't come out of a can or a jar.

Later on, of course, there came less and less horse carts, but the jingle would still come down the street, in the form of a boy on a bicycle, pushing another sort of cart, with a row of bells on the handlebars.All in white. the boy wore white, the cart that he peddled around was white. In the cart, was dry ice, and on top were two little doors. One side had Popsicles,and the other side had crushed, or shaved ice, and paper cones,and lots of flavorings. red, blue and yellow,and purple. I was never sure just what the flavorings were, but I usually picked red...it was either cherry or strawberry, but it really didn't matter. It was cold and sweet,and it only cost a nickle, so who cares what the flavor was?  The other side was Popsicles,but they cost a dime, and when I had that much money, I usually went for an orange or root beer Popsicle, if they didn't have any fudgsicles that day. Chocolate was my favorite, so a fudgsicle would be my choice, but they were probably the most popular, because by the time the boy got to our street, he usually was out of them. I know they also carried grape Popsicles, but I never liked grape that much,and my brother would tease me if my face, lips or tongue were purple. I also shied away from red Popsicles, because the teasing was even worse if I was red than purple. Besides that, Grandmother never reacted too much if I came in with orange or brown sticky stuff on me, but would faint dead away if that sticky stuff was red, for some reason. Now, of course, I understand why, but at the time, no one explained it to me...they just attended to the fainter,and then told me in no uncertain terms never to scare my Grandmother that way, ever again! Later,naturally, I figured out on my own that my Grandmother must have thought I was bleeding to death! But, it was  a good lesson anyway. I learned, that if I wanted a treat on my way home from school,or while out playing, anything red was not a good choice,and that it was best to wash up before my family saw me.

Fortunately, with age comes wisdom, and now when I hear  a jingling and clopping coming down the street,I know it's probably a parade,or a severely disabled car being unced along to the repair shop...or home,but if I hear the music-box tunes coming from a white van, I just send one of my kids out to buy me an ice cream bar....if they can make it from the back yard  vegetable garden to the front of the house in time!

OUI?

KITCHEN APPLIANCES I HAVE KNOWN AND LOVED!!

Throughout my life there have been two particular kitchen appliances with which I have had a strong, almost emotional fondness for, and no, I am not talking about either the refrigerator, (or the ice-box,as some people still stubbornly call it) or that stupid hot sandwich maker,which I think got used about twenty times,and then was retired to the back of a lower cupboard, and shall languish there until we finally pitch it,or give it away in a yard sale.The appliances to which I shall always have a fond attachment to, are the old fashioned ice cream maker, and my GE electric frying pan.

I can still remember the excitement of everyone gathering around the kitchen, or outdoors at the picnic table, assembling the ice and the salt for the outside of the cream basket, and then the cream and vanilla and sugar and other flavoring for the actual ice cream itself. We usually used strawberries,half-mashed, for the other flavor. Then, once it was all assembled,the cranking would begin. I was very little, so I don't recall if there was any cooking going on of the slurry( the ice cream mixture) but I do remember that all the men, my father included,sitting around, sweating, red-faced and red-necked, turning that crank, which in turn turned the container,and the longer they cranked it, the more the ice cream would freeze. Now, some of the more adventurous women, such as my mother and my grandmother would start the cranking, but it always got to a point that the only ones who could turn that crank were the most muscular, and strongest of us all, and that is when the men would take over. Inevitably, the ice cream making would  come down to a laughing, joking, hard working contest between the last men standing, when everyone else was begging off, with sore muscles and aching backs,but somehow, it was always my Dad, and Dick Jones, best friends, who would try to see who could last the longest, but the contest would be called, when the women noticed there was more salty ice water than ice on the outside of that wooden churn,and they would open the top of that container, and there was the most beautiful pink strawberry ice cream, just waiting to be scooped out. And Oh! The smell of that confection, the sweet strawberries and cream aroma that wafted out at us was enough to make anyone's mouth water! Lest you think this was just a quick turn or two of the handle, I shall disabuse you of that notion right now. The cranking went on for hours, while we roasted wienies, and ate them with baked beans and drank lemonade and iced tea to keep away the hunger pangs and relieve the dryness in our mouths, waiting for that ice cold dessert being slowly, painfully  created before our very eyes. All of us kids would put on our swim suits,and run though the sprinkler,and end up playing tag, and they would still be cranking. We'd break out the potato salad, and ham salad sandwiches, and they would still be cranking....we'd hack up the icy cold watermelon,and devour it, leaving nothing but a puddle of pink juice,and rind and a smattering of seeds, and they would still be cranking! But finally,about the time they were starting to call us to the bonfire to toast marshmallows, we would have a choice,because they would also be calling, "U scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream!" And, as far as I was concerned, there was no contest. After waiting for it all day, nothing tasted better than homemade ice cream! And it is still the best today, even though the new machines are practically effortless, homemade is still hands down, the very best.

The other appliance, as I said, was my GE electric frying pan. After working all day,it was a total joy to come home,and throw something into the frying pan. It was so versatile, I could start out with a pound of ground beef, brown it, throw in a hamburger helper,and some veggies, put the lid on it, go bathe,  change clothes, add water to the fry pan, stir it up, run my son's bath, and set out his jammies,and by the time he came out all fresh and clean, dinner would be ready, and with little physical work! Of course, it didn't have to be ground beef, sometimes I would start with a can of pork and beans, and throw in some hot dogs, or chili,and hot dogs,add a salad, poof, dinner! Then with the evening meal over with, I would pull the element out of it, save whatever leftovers there were, and set it down in the sink to soak(without immersion ) while we read bedtime stories, and once Yon son was tucked in, swish with a brush,and rinse, and set it on the countertop for the next day, and it's off to bed we would go! I so loved that frying pan! It took no time to heat up, and didn't turn the kitchen into an inferno in hot weather, and there was almost nothing we couldn't cook in it. It was called a frypan, but it didn't just fry. It roasted, it poached,it simmered, it stewed,it boiled, it BAKED! I could not only fry a chicken, I could make barbecued chicken,boiled chicken, or shake and bake. And, you could mix up a cake, butter the bottom and sides, pour the batter in, set the controls, put the high domed lid on the pan, and walk away...and later on, you would have a cake! That pan was such a treasure, it would do almost anything but set the table,and pour the milk. I sure wish I had another one. It was an instrument that gave me more time to be with my little boy, than if I had to cook each dish for a meal in a different pan. The only thing wrong with it? That I only had one!

Oh,by the way..you say you still call your refrigerator an icebox? Good...What day does your ice man come?

OUI?

A NEW DIET:HOW TO TO EAT ANYTHING YOU WANT, AND STILL LOSE WEIGHT!!!

Now, before you accuse me of pandering, or trying to sell you something, I must tell you, that I did not lie with that heading.This is the absolute, honest to God truth. However, what I am about to reveal to you isn't what you think it is. It's not a trick, or you have to walk so many miles a day, or a drink, or a candy, or any of that.It is about your relationship with food, in connection with your relationship with God.It's about being able to eat normally, to satisfaction, without denying yourself of the things you love! What could be better for your body and your weight than that? However, I have to be frank with you, there is one thing that is necessary to see this come about in your life.It will only work, so far as I know, for Christians...now, hear me out, because I know that there is a great need amongst all of us to hear this message,and I am doing it so badly,but I am praying that God will help me to say this right.See, it's not what you eat,or how much of it you eat, it is what you want that is the problem.Do you see where I am going here? Artificially imposed limits on your eating habits, which have grown up over a lifetime don't work. What we need, is a change of heart, a change of what we want to eat, from the inside out,not the other way around.And God is the only one who can do that. Now, I am not saying that this is a magic thing, where one prays to God to make this change,and it happens overnight. It could, but in my case, it took a long time.I have been praying over this problem because I am diabetic,and we must watch our food intake so carefully, that naturally, the Lord was just as concerned about it as I was. He always is. He loves me. He loves you.Anything we care about, God cares about.So, my concerns over my food plan is just a natural part of my prayer life,and I pray about it every day. God, help me to make smart choices.Be there for me when I am tempted to eat something I shouldn't...that sort of thing.

So, today, with the Sunday papers, I got circulars.One of them is for Steak'NShake. Oh, I am such a sucker for a chocolate malt, and a burger with french fries. Or...I used to be. But, today, after church, I happened to go through the paper, and I got this whole page ad, of coupons for free sides with a purchase of one of their new Premium Topping Steakburgers,(In full color) and normally, I would have been sitting there with my mouth watering,thinking of ways to  get there and take advantage of this promotion,even though I had a wonderful breakfast,and wasn't in the least bit hungry. But, we don't have to be hungry to eat in this country, do we? No. Not when it comes to a burger and fries. And in the middle of this feast for the eyes, I stopped. And, I looked again.And I didn't see big juicy burgers and chili and fries and milkshakes. I saw, grease, and salt, and carbs, and way too much sugar! I saw too much food being offered as one meal. And yet, thinking back, I realized it didn't just start today. For some time now, things have been changing, slowly. It started, if I recall correctly, with my nighttime snack I was told to have with my evening pills,at 10 p.m.. The nutritionist recommended popcorn, three cups of it, with a minimum of salt, and a tiny bit of melted buttery flavored margarine.I have had that snack, with a diet caffeine free cola, and my five pills every night for years.Okay.But in the last couple of months, this snack has not been sitting well, and so I have had to make a substitution, and I fixed on a bowl of oatmeal.Calories and carbs pretty much equal, but the oatmeal is better for me, but I am not married to that. I can also choose to have Cheerios, with skim milk, or an apple and a piece of hard Carmel candy, or an orange, and a small oatmeal cookie, with raisins,(homemade)  depending on how high my blood sugar is, and/or how much my stomach is growling. This last is a big consideration, because I just can not sleep when my stomach is making a fuss.Also, I have to think of creative ways to get my 5 to 7 servings of fruits and vegetables in every day, and believe it or not, it's not easy to make that quota.But I struggle on.Well, almost as soon as I got the nighttime snack issue settled, then my appetite started going haywire.We had KFC one night for dinner,and normally, this is one of my all time favorite meals.Well, I had one piece of chicken,a couple bites of the mashed potatoes and gravy,and filled up with the cole slaw.Most of the rest of it was too greasy,and too salty, but they do make the best cole slaw! Do you see where I am going with this? One by one, the Lord was addressing my food fixations,and taking my taste for them away! Praise the Lord! He didn't say to me, you can't have that, he just adjusted my taste back to the way it should have been all along, before I got so used to all the salt and carbs and grease and sugar! Then, he did the same thing with pizza, and then with carry-out Chinese food. And then, with frozen dinners. I finally got to the point, that Yon son would say, " What do you want for dinner?"  And I couldn't think of an answer.There was nothing I wanted.So, I would have a salad, and say" I don't care. Fix whatever you want."
And, that is where  I am now.I eat when I am hungry,and my food cravings are, as far as I can tell, arrested,and all the Honor and the glory for it goes to God. Now, since God is no respecter of persons, he will do the same thing for you he did for me. In fact, he'll do for you, what no other power can do.Praise God!

How's that for a diet?

OUI?

SNAPPLE, FULL OF THE BEST STUFF ON EARTH, ALSO HAS CAFFEINE!!

Caffeine,the bugaboo and bane of the existence of those of us with high blood pressure. That was one of the first things my Doctor told me to avoid,as soon as I was diagnosed with high blood pressure.Which, incidentally, was the same time I was told I was diabetic.It was then, he laid upon me my motto for life, my mantra from then on. No salt, no sugar, no alcohol, no caffeine, and low carbs.It's amazing how a simple, small phrase like that can change your life, overnight.You go from buying and consuming whatever you like, whatever sounds good at the time, to shopping so carefully, that it takes you forever to get through the grocery store.I have spent hours upon hours, going up and down the aisles, reading nutritional information on cans, jars, bags, boxes, and bottles.I even had to nag the manager of my favorite stores, to  put paper towels in the frozen food section, so that my hands wouldn't freeze,from holding and reading those cold packages.But, the greatest surprise, was the caffeine. They don't tell you how much, or how little caffeine is contained in items such as tea or coffee. You only get that information two ways. With caffeine, or decaffeinated.And, there are some wide open secrets about that too. Anything that ordinarily has caffeine in it, does not necessarily say, with caffeine...because it is assumed that you know coffee or tea has it in it.The general rule of thumb is, pop has caffeine, unless, it says somewhere on the can or bottle, decaffeinated.And, you have to hunt for this info.Normally, it is not listed with the nutritional information,  but under the list of ingredients,or it is part of the label, right up front along with such things as diet.So, it is no longer as simple as saying, as someone goes out the door to buy beverages, please bring me a coke. No. Now, I am obliged to call out, in one breath, please bring me a diet,caffeine free coke,in a bottle if possible! Thank you! (gasp!) And, if one has interrupted a conversation,or was in the midst of correcting a child at the time, one can easily run short of air, and turn blue in the face by the time they are done.It also complicates the situation in other ways.Three other people may have made their request, and that was fine, but once I have made mine, the person reverses direction, comes back in the door,and asks, " Make me a list." This never fails to make me feel as though I am way too picky, and my request is a huge inconvenience,and because of that, many times I will bite my tongue,and just have ice water...which, is probably better for me anyway. Which is fine. I have never been much of a pop drinker anyway.It was an occasion when I had pop as a child, because I grew up in a diabetic home.Back then, there was no such thing as sugar free pop,so we rarely purchased it, and never had it on hand, unless we were going to have company, or went out to eat, or were going on a picnic,such as on the Fourth of July. In hot weather we always had a pitcher of unsweetened iced tea in the refrigerator, home brewed, not instant, and not only without sugar, but also without lemon, since lemon requires sugar.Which brings me back to Snapple. My Father would have been fascinated by Snapple.He loved iced tea, and he loved fruit. Imagine how delighted he would have been to be able to stop at a local convenience store,and pick up a bottle of ice cold peach flavored tea, diet, with flavor so good, you can almost feel the fuzz on the peach! And, trust me on this, Snapple is the only brand of flavored tea that is that good.The others try, but they just can't duplicate what Snapple has achieved as far as the true peach taste  in their tea.On the other hand, it goes without saying, that I don't have Snapple very often, considering they cannot even duplicate that good taste, themselves, in the diet.Besides that, I don't know what it is these companies have to do to take the natural caffeine out of tea and /or coffee. I cannot fathom why it changes the flavor, because caffeine has no flavor.Perhaps, the processing either adds or deletes something from the product itself,which is also evident in the flavor of diet pop, or caffeine free pop.However, once you get used to the decaff,or the diet version of any of those beverages, and then you go back,and have the same thing, full strength, if you will, one finds that the non diet pop is too sweet, and the caffeineated is too, something, and you prefer the diet or the decaf. I just wish there was a way to find a value system for the amount of caffeine in a drink, so that you know how much you are actually getting. Because, as you know, even in decaf, there is still some caffeine present. And, if your blood pressure is really touchy to caffeine, then you should be aware just how much you can tolerate.It makes sense to me!

OUI?

GOD IS MOVING IN MY DIET!!!

I've lost my appetite, so severely that in the last couple of days...maybe a week, I have only eaten just enough to keep my stomach from growling or hurting,  and then, only after going through a whole list of things I could have. I didn't want any of it,but I knew I had to have my basic requirements covered. After much deliberation, and a taste here,and a taste there, I have finally said, alright, okay, I'll have this piece of pizza, but then I also have to have a salad,and a piece of fruit. Well, I scraped the toppings  off and ate that and threw the crust away.I now am dawdling forcing down the salad, even though it's my favorite kind, I don't really want it, but I must have it to fulfill my daily quota of veggies, and that along with my second tangerine of the day should bring me right up close to that mark.Some of you may not understand what I am going through, but it is hard for me to actually consume 7 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Being diabetic is a real tight-rope-walk every day...every meal  is filled with decisions that I would rather not have to make, but I make them because I take certain medications that must be taken with food,and I can not fudge on that and eat a cookie, because that would just add empty carbs and sugars I don't need, and negate the nutritious food that I should be having.And. I can't take them without food, because some of those pills would burn my stomach. So, it is a multi-faceted conditional situation,in which I never fancied myself being found. Oh, yeah, I can hear you saying, why doesn't she just not eat? If your not hungry, don't eat, isn't that it? Well, I would love to not eat, but I want to wake up tomorrow, feeling good. If I don't follow the food plan..I not only will feel terrible tomorrow, I may not wake up! Going too far, one way or the other, I could find myself either in a diabetic coma, or an insulin coma, and both can kill you....or me. And, here is the strange part of it. For years, I have sought the lord on the battle of the bulge. When I got saved, the Lord took my taste for alcohol away from me, like, overnight, (praise God) and boy was I glad to see it go, but no one else was. It was a major change in me,and my lifestyle,and my life as a whole, because suddenly, I was a tea-totaler, and this was an offense and an affront to all my friends and my husband.Even my mother and step-dad were wondering what was going on with me.Only Yon son did not jump on me over it, and that was because he outwardly supported me in whatever I did, even as I tried to do with him, but yet, even he admitted to me later, when he got saved, that he was upset and didn't understand why I had changed either, even though I had told them. I told them God took the taste for alcohol away from me,and they wanted to know if I had joined a cult! Well, of course I had not.But after years of being a non-drinker, and then having to work as a bartender to live, I got sucked into a lifestyle that pretty much blind sided me. After working on my feet 12 to 14 hours a day, when I got off work, I couldn't just get my coat and go home, because my feet would be numb clear up to my knees! I had to sit down, or fall down. The incoming bartender would automatically set me up with a drink...(courtesy) and off I'd go. By the time I recovered enough to be able to walk home, I'd be half sloshed. Without even being aware of it, I was becoming a drunk, in bondage to a thing I used to hate! Finally I woke up one day, and realized that I didn't know anyone but bartenders and drunks, with the exception of family,and immediately set about to change that situation! I quit the bar,and found another job, another place to live,and completely divorced that lifestyle, but time would go by before I would get saved and break that bondage. Well, this is different, but It feels very much the same, with the diet. As I said, I have struggled for years with my food problems, but now, suddenly, the thing has been done for me, thank God, and all I have to do now, is get used to it.

OUI?

AT FIRST GLANCE, IT JUST LOOKED LIKE A REALLY GOOD MENU ITEM!!!

Now, I did not make this up, or write it.I received this from someone on line, in an email. It was a simple picture of a KFC, in NY.An actual sign. On the marquee, it said, "Hillary special two fat thighs with small breast, and a left wing."

Actually, it sounded rather delicious, but then I am a sucker for KFC anyway.But then the intent sunk in, and, I can't help it, it struck me funny.Yon son saw it,and got this look on his face. " I don't think that is a bit funny." He intoned. He was right, of course. My reaction was not the Christian response. Now, neither of us has any particular fondness for Hillary, but Yon son's point was, it wasn't kind and it wasn't fair.And, he is right. I was being naughty.Just because every time I think of it, I have to bite my tongue to keep from laughing again, does not mean he isn't correct. It's just, I have this imp of humor, that keeps this giggle coming up in my throat when this thing flashes across my mind.

I just hope I don't gnaw my tongue to pieces, before I get that menu item off my mind!

OUI?

JUGGLING THE FLU WITH LOW CARBS!!

Ever since this stomach flu hit, I have experienced the most unusual difficulty.Normally, I have no problem eating lightly, clear soups, jell-o and the like, gradually working up to normal menus as the symptoms pass. However this time, it's different.Chicken soup is too greasy, Jello is too sweet...even sugarless! Beef broth is too salty, creamed soups are to high in carbs...and if I am running even a low grade fever, I shouldn't have milk anyway.Oatmeal is good, but it gets so boring...and who wants cereal for three meals a day? I am craving tomato soup, and salad, but that doesn't sit well, probably too acidic. The only thing left at this point is tea and toast, but that can easily run into too many carbs,but one must eat something in order to take certain medications. The only thing wrong with that is, if I have toast, I am going to want an egg, or I will feel unsatisfied, and in order to keep up my strength, I should have some protein. So, I run my blood sugar, and then sit and go through this mental list, wondering what to eat, knowing full well, that no matter what it is, there is a real good chance it's going to upset my stomach anyway.Yon son solved that problem last night when he suggested we order out Chinese. Rice is so digestible, I don't know why I didn't think of it myself! Our place delivers, so it was a really good idea, for even though I ordered small fried rice, and steamed rice to go with sweet and sour chicken, there was more than enough so we could have left-overs today.Well, it turns out the sweet and sour wasn't such a good idea, but the rest of it was wonderful. And there are a myriad of ways to use two cartons of white rice. I put some in a bowl with a pat of almost butter, and heated it in the microwave for a minute and then poured hazelnut creamer over it, and wow! It was delicious, and it smoothed my tummy right out. Of course, I am still wishing for a bowl of cream of tomato soup, but, I'll just have to wait until this stomach bug is over to try that again, along with that green salad with tomatoes and bacon, and my dessert of an orange...Acid, acid, acid! I guess a few spoonfuls of blueberry yogurt will have to do.

I guess, sometimes you just have to go with the carbs, and be comfortable, and keep your portion size down to a minimum, to satisfy your hunger AND keep your blood sugar in check, while the digestive system comes back to it's normal self.

OUI?

SIMPLE HAM GLAZE

The beauty of a simple at-home-glaze is, you make up your own rules.Where it is traditional to use brown sugar, pineapple, and cherries to fit-out and cover your ham for roasting, it is not completely necessary. There are several ways to keep your ham from drying out and burning without all that fruit, although it is tasty. Since I am diabetic, as was my father before me,it is hard to resist saying don't glaze it. However, I shall resist.With all the wonderful cooking bags available, it is now much easier to trim the fat off your ham,spritz it with water, put it in a bag in your roaster, and wait until it is nearly done, like, within an hour, before you add the glaze.Of course, if you have gone the scored and cloves route, and added the pineapple, then it is simplicity itself to reserve the pineapple juice, mix it with brown sugar,with just a touch of vinegar,blend to the desired consistency, and brush it on your ham,as thickly as you like. Just remember that you will need to reapply the glaze at least once for it to be and even coating that will get down into the meat, and glisten on the top. If you don't go for pineapple, then any good fruit juice will work. Orange juice is best, but I have also seen it done with apple juice, and even some kinds of grape. If you prefer a stronger pink color of glaze, then perhaps you might want to try grenadine syrup, with just a hint of brown sugar, and then some fruit juice and vinegar. If you are trying to limit your intake of sugars, then you will want to go for center slices of the meat, rather than go into a sugar coma, because grenadine is very sweet.On the flip side, you could also use the juice from a jar of maraschino cherries.

After reading this over, I see that you may have been waiting for more, like, measurements.Well, for that sort of recipe you can go to a cookbook, such as one at the library, but the reason I don't post them for a thing like ham glaze is, it is completely subjective, and personal. The amount of the brown sugar depends on the size of the ham in question, and the amount of fruit juice you have left over from the pineapple juice.In addition, you may want your glaze to be thick or thin. I don't know that, only the cook knows what they want. Don't be afraid to play with it! Pile on the fruit to keep the meat juicy, and use the glaze liberally to seal in the flavor and put a nice shine on the finished product!

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THE INGREDIENTS OF SIMPLE FOODS, SUCH AS ORANGE JUICE!!

Okay, I don't mean to be a smarty-pants, but stop and think a moment before you ask questions on the Internet.The ingredients in a glass of orange juice is... Oranges, squeezed to make juice! Apples make apple juice, grape juice is from grapes. See how it works? Now, if you are buying anything else but orange juice, like say, orange DRINK, then you will have lord knows what in that stuff, but if it says orange juice, it better be comprised of orange juice, or you have the right to raise a fuss about it. Most Drinks, or cocktail drinks also list such items as pear juice, extra sugars, ascorbic acid, and calcium added, but they must by law list other things, if it is not 100% orange juice.Understood? Alright, I feel like a complete moron for even posting this, however, I followed a referrer back and they wanted to know the ingredients in orange juice. At first I thought this was a joke, but then I got to thinking. Not all our readers are from the United States, and some probably don't know what orange juice is. It could happen. Anyway, that is the long and the short of it,and remember if it's not so easy where you are to get a carton or a jug of orange juice, it will take several oranges to squeeze out just one glass of juice, and it's easier to get that juice out by cutting the oranges in half, and then use a juicer, or just squeeze away,and once that is accomplished, either eat out the meat or pulp of the orange, and throw the rind away.But, look at the fruit first, because a dried up dark orange is no good, and neither would a mushy one be.They should be plump, and of a bright orange color, but a pale one can be good as well. When in doubt, taste it first.It is best when served really cold, and one more piece of advice. Do not brush your teeth before drinking orange juice, the foaming agent in toothpaste makes orange juice taste terrible!

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