Cranberries ~ An Excellent Fruit!

Compounds in Cranberries May Be

Antibacterial Agents

ScienceDaily (Nov. 14, 2007) — Cranberry sauce is not the star of the traditional Thanksgiving Day meal, but when it comes to health benefits, the lowly condiment takes center stage. In fact, researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) have found that compounds in cranberries are able to alter E. coli bacteria, which are responsible for a host of human illnesses (from kidney infections to gastroenteritis to tooth decay), in ways that render them unable to initiate an infection.

To read this article in it's entirety, please click here.

What You Can Do With Fresh Cranberries?

Cranberries are so nutritional. Here are two recipes we found at the Ocean Spray website. Click here for more recipes.

Bon Appetite!

Cranberried Lemon Yogurt Bread

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups flour2 teaspoons baking powder3/4 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup lowfat yogurt, plain
2 eggs
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 6 ounce package Ocean Spray® Original Craisins® Dried Cranberries
1 lemon, zest of 1

GLAZE:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan.

Combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl; set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar in a medium mixing bowl, until light and fluffy. Add yogurt, eggs and lemon juice; mix well. Stir in dried cranberries and lemon zest. Add to dry ingredients. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Makes 1 loaf.

CRANBERRY APRICOT BREAD

INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons yeast
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 eggs

FILLING:
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
3 1/4- 3 3/4 cups flour
1 cup Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Dried Cranberries
1/2 cup apricot jam
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:

Combine 2 cups flour, sugar and yeast in a medium mixing bowl. Combine milk and butter and heat to a temperature of 120ºF - 130ºF. Add to dry ingredients, mixing thoroughly. Add eggs; mix well. Add enough of remaining flour to make a soft dough that is not sticky when handled.

Lightly grease a medium mixing bowl. Place dough in bowl and roll around so that it is lightly covered with grease. Place bowl with dough in a warm place until it has doubled in size. Set aside. Meanwhile, combine egg and water in a small mixing bowl; set aside. Combine filling ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cook on low heat until jam has melted, stirring occasionally.

Bake at 350ºF. Grease a cookie sheet.

Punch down dough and place on a floured surface. Roll into a 13 x 11-inch rectangle. Cut into 3 11 x 4-inch strips.

Spread about 1/3-cup filling on each strip, leaving 1/4-inch all around. Brush egg mixture on edges. Fold strips over lengthwise, pressing to seal edges. Place seam side down on cookie sheet. Repeat with other 2 strips.

Braid the 3 strips. Press ends together to seal, tucking underneath braid. Brush with egg mixture. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size.

Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 1 loaf.

Seven things we can be thankful for

November 25, 2009 | By Amanda Reinecker, The Heritage Foundation

As we gather with family and friends to celebrate our blessings at Thanksgiving, we should remember how fortunate we Americans are to live in a free and just nation.

America was founded upon sound conservative principles grounded firmly in human nature and not in radical idealism. And today, we see that these principles, though under attack from the Left, are still very much alive. As Heritage Foundation scholar Matthew Spalding explained in 2003, Thanksgiving maintains the tradition of the American Founding and affirms that "while we are committed to upholding religious liberty, we remain one nation under God."

Click here to read the rest of Amanda Reinecker's article off MyHeritage.org. I am certain you'll be encouraged.

Meanwhile, have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Kathy

Heart Full of Thanks!

Frugal Homemaking Tips

This morning as I was cleaning our kitchen, I wondered if there was a homemade type solution that I could make up that would clean our floors better. So I did a Google Search, "homemade floor cleaners," to discover this excellent site.

Creative Homemaking . . . Dedicated to your homemaking needs ~
Cleaning tips for kitchens, carpets, floors, laundry, general cleaning, and more! ~

You can access it by typing in: http://www.creativehomemaking.com/cleaning/floor-cleaners.shtml

Of course, there are many resources available that have similar recipes for homemade products. Just think of the immediate benefits, no harsh chemicals, more money in your household budget plus it's fun learning better ways to clean our homes.

Just a side note, you can buy the squirt bottles at Dollar Tree and other discount places for reasonable prices. Get your children involved and have

them make their own labels for their own cleaning products. Yes, I realize that perhaps some of the cleaning recipes you find online will not be original but you may experiment; soon they will become personal favorites.

Maria, in "Sound of Music," had a song, "My Favorite Things." Well here are some of my favorite things to use when I'm cleaning.

* White Vinegar (help with the smell; add lavender essential oil and lemon juice)

* Baking Soda

* Lemons or Lemon Juice

* Borax (use wisely; it can scratch items; if in doubt, use baking soda)

* Salt

* Peroxide

* Club soda (carpet mishaps)

* Tea tree oil

Here is an idea that I picked up from a web site; "the tree hugging family." Although their worldview and mine are different. We can learn from others.

A Glass Cleaner That Doesn't Smell Like Vinegar

Use straight up lemon juice or club soda. If you use club soda than newspaper is the best scrubber to use. If you use lemon juice than use an old less linty cloth.

I'm a work in progress insofar as learning to use the items I have in my kitchen to clean our home.

A sweet reminder from God's Word, "Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men," - Colossians 3:23 (Amplified Bible)

Happy Cleaning!

Kathy

A Reminder to What A Real President Was Like Even Before Becoming One!

We Come To God On His Terms Not Ours

Hey, Wake Up!

Where's Your Obedience?

Are You A Sheep or A Goat?

Let's Not Be Guilty of . . .

Enemies Within the Camp

¹BUT UNDERSTAND this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear].

²For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane.

³[They will be] without natural [human] affection (callous and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement); [they will be] slanderers (false accusers, troublemakers), intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good.

⁴[They will be] treacherous [betrayers], rash, [and] inflated with self-conceit. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God.

⁵For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them].

⁶For among them are those who worm their way into homes and captivate silly and weak-natured and spiritually dwarfed women, loaded down with [the burden of their] sins [and easily] swayed and led away by various evil desires and seductive impulses.

⁷[These weak women will listen to anybody who will teach them]; they are forever inquiring and getting information, but are never able to arrive at a recognition and knowledge of the Truth.

⁸Now just as Jannes and Jambres were hostile to and resisted Moses, so these men also are hostile to and oppose the Truth. They have depraved and distorted minds, and are reprobate and counterfeit and to be rejected as far as the faith is concerned.

⁹But they will not get very far, for their rash folly will become obvious to everybody, as was that of those [magicians mentioned].

¹⁰Now you have closely observed and diligently followed my teaching, conduct, purpose in life, faith, patience, love, steadfastness,

¹¹Persecutions, sufferings--such as occurred to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra, persecutions I endured, but out of them all the Lord delivered me.

¹²Indeed all who delight in piety and are determined to live a devoted and godly life in Christ Jesus will meet with persecution [will be made to suffer because of their religious stand].

¹³But wicked men and imposters will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and leading astray others and being deceived and led astray themselves.

¹⁴But as for you, continue to hold to the things that you have learned and of which you are convinced, knowing from whom you learned [them],

¹⁵And how from your childhood you have had a knowledge of and been acquainted with the sacred Writings, which are able to instruct you and give you the understanding for salvation which comes through faith in Christ Jesus [through the leaning of the entire human personality on God in Christ Jesus in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness].

¹⁶Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose, and action),

¹⁷So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work. - (2 Timothy 3:1-17 - Amplified Bible)

(graphic courtesy: www.heartlight.org)

The Battle Is The Lord!

(graphic courtesy: www.heartlight.org)

Who & What We're Fighting Against!

(graphic courtesy: www.heartlight.org)

It's Spiritual Warfare!

(graphic courtesy: www.heartlight.org)

Proverbs 6 - in the Amplified Bible

¹MY SON, if you have become security for your neighbor, if you have given your pledge for a stranger or another,

²You are snared with the words of your lips, you are caught by the speech of your mouth.

³Do this now [at once and earnestly], my son, and deliver yourself when you have put yourself into the power of your neighbor; go, bestir and humble yourself, and beg your neighbor [to pay his debt and thereby release you].

⁴Give not [unnecessary] sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids;

⁵Deliver yourself, as a roe or gazelle from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

⁶Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider her ways and be wise!--

⁷Which, having no chief, overseer, or ruler,

⁸Provides her food in the summer and gathers her supplies in the harvest.

⁹How long will you sleep, O sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep?

¹⁰Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to lie down and sleep--

¹¹So will your poverty come like a robber or one who travels [with slowly but surely approaching steps] and your want like an armed man [making you helpless].

¹²A worthless person, a wicked man, is he who goes about with a perverse (contrary, wayward) mouth.

¹³He winks with his eyes, he speaks by shuffling or tapping with his feet, he makes signs [to mislead and deceive] and teaches with his fingers.

¹⁴Willful and contrary in his heart, he devises trouble, vexation, and evil continually; he lets loose discord and sows it.

¹⁵Therefore upon him shall the crushing weight of calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken, and that without remedy.

¹⁶These six things the Lord hates, indeed, seven are an abomination to Him:

¹⁷A proud look [the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

¹⁸A heart that manufactures wicked thoughts and plans, feet that are swift in running to evil,

¹⁹A false witness who breathes out lies [even under oath], and he who sows discord among his brethren.

²⁰My son, keep your father's [God-given] commandment and forsake not the law of [God] your mother [taught you].

²¹Bind them continually upon your heart and tie them about your neck.

²²When you go, they [the words of your parents' God] shall lead you; when you sleep, they shall keep you; and when you waken, they shall talk with you.

²³For the commandment is a lamp, and the whole teaching [of the law] is light, and reproofs of discipline are the way of life,

²⁴To keep you from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a loose woman.

²⁵Lust not after her beauty in your heart, neither let her capture you with her eyelids.

²⁶For on account of a harlot a man is brought to a piece of bread, and the adulteress stalks and snares [as with a hook] the precious life [of a man].

²⁷Can a man take fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burned?

²⁸Can one go upon hot coals and his feet not be burned?

²⁹So he who cohabits with his neighbor's wife [will be tortured with evil consequences and just retribution]; he who touches her shall not be innocent or go unpunished.

³⁰Men do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry;

³¹But if he is found out, he must restore seven times [what he stole]; he must give the whole substance of his house [if necessary--to meet his fine].

³²But whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks heart and understanding (moral principle and prudence); he who does it is destroying his own life.

³³Wounds and disgrace will he get, and his reproach will not be wiped away.

³⁴For jealousy makes [the wronged] man furious; therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance [upon the detected one].

³⁵He will not consider any ransom [offered to buy him off from demanding full punishment]; neither will he be satisfied, though you offer him many gifts and bribes.

(graphic courtesy: www.heartlight.org)