Cottage Cozy

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Creating a Gift is Joyful!

I had the privilege of attending a baby shower for a girlfriend of one of my daughters.

The baby is a boy and she is naming him "Jack", a name I am very fond of.

(My father's name was Jack)

I always try to give a little something that I hand make...

... my way of adding a personal touch to gift giving.

As all of you crafters know...there is just something special about receiving a present that exudes the love, time and thought that went into it.

So I made this for dear little Jack!

Friday, February 5, 2010

Do you remember these?

I uncovered some of these old books of stamps recently...

...and boy did they bring back memories...fun memories!

Remember pasting the stamps in books for your mom?

We had a system...once our tongues were dried up from licking, we would take a wet sponge, put it on a little plate and form a "wet & paste" assembly line.

It was so much fun...working together for a common goal.

When the books were filled and counted we would look through the catalog page by page wondering what prizes our mom would choose?

The catalog seemed to offer just about everything!

S & H Green Stamps were a form of trading stamps popular in the United States from the 1930s until the late 1980s. They were distributed as part of a rewards program at grocery stores, gas stations, and other retail stores. The first S&H Green Stamps were issued in 1896!

During the 1960s, the rewards catalog printed by the company was the largest publication in the United States and the company issued three times as many stamps as the U.S. Postal Service.

The amount of stamps you would get was based on the amount of dollars you spent.

You took your stamps to the Green Stamps store...where the prizes were on display. When your choice had been made...the item would come out from the back stockroom on a conveyor belt for pick up, like the luggage claim at the airport!

What most people do not know is that S&H is still around! Even better, S &H Green Stamps are still valid! Today you can exchange them for their new digital currency known as "S & H greenpoints" or cash.
Fun times...

Oh...and do you remember these too?

Perhaps you have a memory to share about these stamps?

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Cheese... Optional

Here is a quick recipe for a "middle-of-the-week" dinner...

I call it:

"Triple P Pasta"

(I will tell you what the 3 p's stand for at the end of this post)

This dish can be made in a jiffy...I found some wonderful pre-cooked ham (sodium nitrate free) that I cut into thin strips and sauteed in a pan with 4 cloves of garlic and a little olive oil. After cooking for 10 mins or so, I added some frozen peas, kalamata olives, diced tomatoes and some of this fabulous spread from "Trader Joes".

You can use this spread on toast or crackers...even as a veggie dip, but I frequently use it for a quick pasta sauce or as a thickening agent.

As you can see from the label...it contains all "real" ingredients...(acetic acid is a colorless, organic acid, which gives vinegar its sour taste and pungent smell.)

I usually stir in a little water to thin it out and then sprinkle in whatever spices I have on hand.

Boil the pasta....and your meal is ready!

Oh yes...I didn't forget...the three "P's?..."Pasta, Peas & Pig?"...ok ham!

I bet you thought it was Parmesan...

La Buona Cucina!

Monday, February 1, 2010

Step into Organic...with Greek Yogurt and a Giveaway

I was recently contacted by Stonyfield Organic asking if I would be interested in sampling their Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt and if I was pleased with it...if I might share it with my readers.

Well I am here to tell you that it is truly a very delicious and nutritious product. Greek yogurt has an incredibly rich and creamy texture, about twice the protein of regular yogurt, less lactose, and fewer carbs. Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt has 0% fat and just 80 calories per serving and Stonyfield uses fresh, delicious organic milk from family farms.

I used Oikos yogurt as a substitute for mayonnaise to make this tuna patty recipe...and it was incredibly yummy. I mixed tuna (from the can), chopped pineapple, green onions, bread crumbs, an egg and spices.

You can add whatever you like! I have a stovetop grill....but it would probably work great in a George Foreman style grill too.

You could make these up and keep them handy for a quick lunch or dinner. And instead of using the mixture for a patty, it makes a delicious cold tuna salad or spread! (in that case use a hard boiled egg)

Yogurt, whether it be this brand or another healthy organic choice, can be used in place of mayonnaise, sour cream, cream cheese, half and half, butter and oils in many recipes for a lighter, healthier outcome. Stonyfield provides a fabulous substitution chart on their website that you can use for your cooking and baking.

Visit the Stonyfield website and you will find all kinds of recipes, organic tips and facts, recipes, other products and even coupons!

What does this little green seal mean?

The U.S. Organic Standard. To put it simply when you see this green seal, under the USDA regulations, the product must contain a minimum of 95% organic ingredients. The first person to comment and correctly guess the year this was put into effect will win a DVD from Stonyfield entitled "Why Eat Organic?"

There you go...another baby step in "Going Organic"!

Sunday, January 31, 2010

January Giveaways...

The Winner of this January Giveaway from my awesome "List of Followers" is:

~Teresa from Blooming on Bainbridge~

Congrats , Teresa~Hope you enjoy the goodies!
(email me your address)

I will be choosing one more winner for January on Wednesday...so...
add your name to my follower list and you'll have a chance to win too!

Teresa is having a ~fabulous Pink Party~ right now with lots of fun & prizes ~
Stop by and pay her a visit!

You just might win something too!

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Pink Saturday ...

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Baby Steps to Eating Organic!

I told you all that my New Years Resolution is to eat as close to Organic as possible! I am doing well and you can too. You just have to decide to make a change...one step at a time.

Dieting is not the only answer...it may help you to lose weight but it won't necessarily make you "healthier"... When you realize the real pleasure in food comes in the first couple bites, and it diminishes thereafter, that’s a kind of reminder to focus on the experience, enjoy those first bites, and as you get into the 20th bite, you’re talking calories and not pleasure. I think there’s a lot of wisdom in that. And you MUST eat "real food"! Real food is alive...and it is suppose to eventually die or rot! As author Michael Pollan says, " If a "food choice" has ingredients listed that a 3rd grader cannot pronounce...don't eat it!"

I realize that..."organic" can be more expensive...but did you know that as a society ..."The less we spend on food, i.e. cheap fast food and inexpensive processed food, the more we spend on health care! Where would you rather have your money go?

Take a small step today to better health for you and your family!

Here is a place to begin...the bread you eat...

We eat Ezekiel 4:9® Bread, made from freshly sprouted organically grown grains, it is naturally flavorful and bursting with nutrients. Rich in protein, vitamins, minerals and natural fiber with no added fat. It is made by a company called Food for Life. It is found in the refrigerated/frozen section of most grocery stores.

Ezekiel Bread is REAL bread...

Just look at these ingredients:

INGREDIENTS: Organic Sprouted Whole Wheat, Filtered Water, Organic Malted Barley, Organic Sprouted Whole Millet, Organic Sprouted Whole Barley, Organic Sprouted Whole Lentils, Organic Sprouted Whole Soybeans, Organic Sprouted Whole Spelt, Fresh Yeast, Sea Salt.

It is hearty and delicious and for those counting...one slice has 80 calories and only 0.5 grams of fat!

Give it a try!

Monday, January 25, 2010

My Date Night Bonus...(not what you might think)

One of our favorite ~Date Nights~ is going out for Sushi...and then off to Border's for coffee and browsing.

We grab a few of our favorite magazines and books... find a table at the cafe to call home for the next hour or two... and then sit, chat, share, laugh, people watch and sip coffee! It's fun!

This past Saturday all of their calendars were on sale for $4.00...and look at the one I found.

It was the last one too!