Sherri's Helpful Hints

Tips for Losing Weight "On the Go"

For many people, finding an effective way to lose weight can be difficult - almost as difficult as finding a few extra minutes in their jam-packed days.

In a world of exhausting commutes, long workdays and multitudes of daily chores and errands, the task of shedding those extra pounds can often fall to the wayside.

But with the right action plan, losing weight can be simple and easy, even for folks with a limited amount of free time. Larry Turner, diet guru and creator of the Hollywood Cookie Diet, suggests the following tips for making weight loss part of your day, without sacrificing an excessive amount of time:

* Go the extra mile. A few extra blocks here and there can make a big difference in your efforts to lose weight. If you commute to work by subway, consider getting off the train one or two stops early and then walking the extra distance. If commuting by car, park farther away than usual.

* Cut the fat off extra trips. If you're considering joining a gym, find one that's located close to your workplace. It's more enticing and time-efficient to attend a gym that's along the path of your commute, not someplace far outside of it.

* Drink less soda and more water. Soft drinks are loaded with sugar and add empty calories to your diet. Add flavor and variety to your water with slices of lemon, lime, orange or even cucumber.

* Add activity wherever you can. Look for daily opportunities to burn extra calories. For instance, wash your car by hand, work manually in your garden or take your bike while doing errands instead of taking your car. It may be easier than you think to blend chores and exercise.

* Always have a low-calorie meal at your fingertips. To help you avoid the temptation of eating unhealthy fast food when your time is running low, make sure that you have a readily accessible alternative.

Sunset Health Products' Hollywood Cookie Diet, for instance, consists of individually wrapped cookies that are tasty yet low in fat and high in fiber and protein, meaning that they can serve as a healthy and safe meal alternative. The cookies, which are currently popular with such celebrities as Kelly Clarkson and Jennifer Hudson, provide a high level of appetite satisfaction per calorie.

Christian Quote of the Day

I saw that a humble man, with the blessing of the Lord, might live on a little; and that where the heart is set on greatness, success in business did not satisfy the craving, but that commonly with an increase of wealth, the desire of wealth increased.

...John Woolman

RECIPE of the Day - 7/12/2007

These carrots are really delicious. The flavor is just the right blend of tartness and sweetness that complements the carrots perfectly. These are a great side dish for chicken or pork.





Orange-Glazed Carrots

8 large carrots, peeled and halved crosswise
2 C. wter
3 T. butter
Juice of 1/2 lemon or lime
2 T. light brown sugar
1 T. orange marmalade
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper

Boil carrots in large, covered saucepan over medium heat 30 to 35 min. until tender; drain well. Return to heat and shake pan gently to drive excess moisture from carrots.

Add butter, lemon juice, brown sugar, marmalade, salt and pepper and simmer, uncovered, over lowest heat for 30 min., shaking pan often until carrots are richly glazed.

Serves 4.

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Wendy's Hamburger for free in select cities. You can get a list of the cities and dates that you will need to be able to take advantage of this offer. The free burger times go from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. To find out where you can get a free Wendy's burger, click here!

Stopain Spray sample. This is without a doubt the best pain spray my husband or I have ever tried. It works in 30 seconds and keeps the pain at bay for hours. I will keep this posted until the sample is no longer available; everyone who has pain needs to have the opportunity to try this. To get your free sample of Stopain, click here!

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Free 411 calls. This is a link to a few different companies, including Google; some are ad-based and some are ad-free. The price of 411 calls is outrageous, this helps so much when you need to get a phone # quickly and easily (plus, they connect you for free). To get your free 411 service, click here!

TGI Friday's free appetizer coupon. They have some really great appetizers, so while you're there, you might as well take advantage of the coupon and get something extra. To get your printable coupon for a free appetizer, click here!

24 Hour Fitness free 7 day pass. They have over 370 locations, lots of amenities and free exercise classes. You can test drive the equipment, classes, etc. to see if it's for you. This isn't a bad deal at any rate to get 7 free days of fitness. To register for your free 7-day guest pass, click here!

Target and Super Target printable coupons. They have a lot of useful coupons for your next trip to Target. To get your coupons, click here!

Reebok Outlet coupon. Save 40% off your entire purchase for their Friends & Family Event from 7-11 to 7-15. You can redeem your coupon at Reebok, Rockport or Greg Norman Outlet Stores. To get your 40% savings off Reebok, click here!

Payless Shoe Source coupon. This is good for $2.00 to $8.00 off, depending on how much you spend. Payless does have a nice selection of shoes at really good prices. To get your coupon, click here!

Factory Tours USA. They have different factories and points of interest for every state and most of them are free. You just click on your state or any place that you will be visiting to get all the available tours. To visit some really interesting places for free, click here!

AMC Theaters free movies. This is their Summer Movie Camp and it runs from 6-27 to 8-15. The free movies start at 10:00 a.m. every Wednesday and you even have a special price for a KidsPack refreshment which includes: one small drink, one small popcorn and a kid's size snack. To get more info on the free movies, click here!

Free concerts in Detroit. These free concerts are every Friday night at 8:00 p.m. starting 6-29 and ending 8-10. They have some great artists: Grand Funk Railroad, The Guess Who, Asia, 38 Special and more. To get a listing of the artists and dates, click here!

Birthday freebies. This has dozens of birthday freebie sites; everything from Baskin Robbins to Hollywood Video to Shoneys and much more. To get some cool birthday freebies for you and your whole family, click here!

Free prescription savings card from TogetherRx. Prescription drugs are so costly anymore, that we could all use a little extra help to keep the cost down. They have 4 requirements: legal resident of the US, not eligible for Medicare/Medicaid, income less than $30,000 for a single person and no other prescription drug coverage of any kind. To get this great deal, click here!

Software giveaway of the day - Features a different title every day. These are about $20.00 regular price, so what a deal!. For your free software, click here!

Game giveaway of the day - Features a different game every day. They have arcade, puzzle and action games. For your free game, click here!

Free 10 minute calling card from Callingcards.com. This is a global calling card - you can call anywhere - and there are no strings attached. They will e-mail you with the pin # and info and you're ready to start making calls. To get your free 10 minute calling card, click here!

Free phone number and voice mail from Private Phone. This is through Net Zero and is the greatest thing. You can have a phone number to give out for freebies, sweepstakes entries and to people that you don't want to have your actual phone number. They will get your voice mail (you record your own greeting) and you can check messages online or by calling the number. I have this and it is a real lifesaver. They send you e-mail or mobile phone notifications of messages that you get, so you know right away. To get this great deal, click here!

Free Online Language Courses from the BBC. This is a great opportunity to learn another language (or two or three...) and do it at your own pace. They give you correct pronunciation, helpful phrases, etc. I don't know of anyone who couldn't use this - I want to teach our daughter French, so this may be just the way to do it. To get your free online language courses, click here!

Sherri's Helpful Hints

Natural Flea Control

"Avoid contact with skin."
"Harmful or fatal if swallowed."
"This product is toxic to fish, birds and other wildlife."
"Harmful if absorbed through skin."
"Harmful if inhaled."
"Avoid contact with eyes, skin or clothing."
"Keep out of reach from children."
"Dust released by collar is a cholinesterase inhibitor." [Cholinesterase inhibitors lead to an accumulation of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.This produces paralysis and then death in insects.]

Those are common precautionary statements on many readily available flea treatments. If it is so bad for a person, then what is it doing to your pet? There are countless stories of pets, and even people, who have suffered the ill effects of flea treatments, but finding alternatives can be a problem for most people.

A few facts about fleas:

• Fleas are similar to cockroaches in that they adapt to their environment. They become stronger and more immune to these popular chemicals with each generation.

• Most of the fleas are living in your pet's environment, rather than in its fur. (Every flea found on your pet may mean that there approximately 30 more living in your home.)

• A single flea can lay as many as 60 eggs per day. The lifespan of a flea is about 90 days. Controlling fleas does require some effort, but there are there safer and effective ways to control fleas than several well-known commercial flea control products.

"Buyer beware" -- Toxic products masquerading as "natural"

Even if all the ingredients in a flea repellent product are natural, this doesn't ensure that they won't be toxic to your pet. For instance, d'Limonene, which is derived from citrus peels and found in many natural anti-flea products, can be highly toxic to cats. Herbal flea collars, though they don't contain the poisons that conventional flea collars do, come with the same warning: do not let children play with the collar. If it's not good for your child, why would it be good for your pet?

It is advisable to read product labels carefully. For example, one line of supposedly natural flea sprays and dips contains "all natural synthetic Pyrethrin." Pyrethrins are insecticides derived from the African chrysanthemum (Pyrethrum). Pyrethroids are synthetic derivatives of pyrethrins. Both are commonly used in conventional preparations which make the product sound innocent because it's derived from a flower. But pyrethrins alone can be toxic to the animal and pyrethroids expose your animal to more chemicals.

Other natural ingredients known to cause allergic reactions or have toxic effects in some animals include Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) oil and Pennyroyal oil.

Cat owners take special note: Cats should not be given any essential oils, period.

The use of essential oils with cats is a potentially volatile combination. Cats do not efficiently metabolize essential oils and their use can lead to symptoms of toxicity. In addition to essential oils, cats have known metabolic sensitivities to certain herbal preparations and allopathic medications. Because the cat's body does not efficiently excrete essential oils, they can build up to toxic levels. Symptoms of toxicity include vomiting, dizziness, clumsiness, lack of appetite, lack of energy and shock. In addition, cats have very thin, delicate skin. Essential oils are absorbed rapidly into their skin and enter the bloodstream, overwhelming their systems. Cats dislike strong odors and generally keep away from strong scents -- even highly diluted essential oils.

Many people find that they can use essential oils on their cats with no obvious adverse effects. Although one or more applications of an essential oil product or blend may not cause immediate harm, the effects of essential oils can be cumulative and manifest themselves at a later date in the form of toxicity for which owners and vets often can find no attributable cause. (source: www.aromaleigh.com)

So what are the alternatives?

Animal health -- Nutrition first

Food- and plant-derived substances are a healthy substitute for chemical-based products. But are they strong enough to control fleas and ticks? Well, why are some people are more prone to mosquito bites than others? There's a nutritional reason, and it has to do with the strength of each person's immune system and the levels of B complex, zinc, selenium and antioxidants in the body and bloodstream. A strong immune system and high nutrient levels help repel insects. (source: www.alternativemedicine.com)

If your cat or dog has a severe flea problem, it is often a signal that their health is not as it should be. Many commercial pet foods are nutritionally inadequate and contain harmful additives and by-products. By feeding your animals a high-quality, natural diet, free of additives and preservatives, you improve their health and dramatically increase their protection from fleas. A healthy animal does not taste or smell as good to fleas.

Some excellent nutritional supplements we offer include Nupro Dog Supplement, Nupro Cat Supplement as well as the Animal Essentials line, Herbal Multi-Vitamin Powder (overall health support), Plant Enzymes and Probiotics (digestive aid), Omega 3 Plus (an essential fatty acid supplement aimed at skin, coat and heart health). Both Nupro and Animal Essentials supplements will greatly enhance your pet's health and thus, strengthen their immunity.

You can also add these inexpensive, easy nutritional supplements (you may even have these in your cupboards right now).

Garlic and yeast

Fleas particularly dislike the flavor of garlic and yeast (nutritional or brewer's yeast). Mixing garlic and yeast with your pet's food can render their blood unpalatable to fleas.

Cat owners: Please be aware that raw garlic is known to be toxic to cats. According to Dr. Randy Kidd, the use of garlic, as well as onions, shallots and chives, has been shown to cause damage to feline red blood cells which can result in hemolytic anemia and eventual death. Raw garlic and onions can also cause ulcers and irritation of the mouth, esophagus and stomach.

Use about a teaspoon of brewer's (or nutritional) yeast daily for cats and small dogs, and a tablespoon for a 50-pound dog. Some animals are yeast intolerant and will react with a skin allergy. Discontinue use if this occurs. Combine the yeast with the garlic in your animal's food, and consider doubling the dosage during peak flea season.

Other natural repellents include vitamin B1 (thiamine) and apple cider vinegar. (See your veterinarian for the correct amount of a vitamin B1 supplement for your pet.) The dosage of apple cider vinegar is about one teaspoon daily in the pet's drinking water. Apple cider vinegar helps strengthen the immune system.

Controlling fleas in the environment -- indoor control

Grooming

Combing your cat or dog daily with a flea comb is an important part of flea control. Bathing animals regularly is also advised. There is no need to use chemical flea shampoos. A water bath with a gentle soap that won't irritate their skin is sufficient to eliminate existing fleas.

Set a trap

You can trap fleas by placing a dish of soapy water under a night light near where your pet sleeps. Fleas are attracted to warm light and will easily drown in the soapy water. This works for adult fleas only, but with diligence, can be very effective reducing the flea population. Fleas already residing on your pet aren't likely to leave, so you will still need to flea comb and/or bathe them in a mild shampoo (even a baby shampoo will work as fleas don't survive well in soapy water). If the idea of keeping a soapy water dish near your pet is not attractive, plug-in flea traps are available. These electric traps are equally, if not more, effective. (They seem to work well for ants, as we have noticed in our personal experience.)

Sanitize your pet's environment

Fleas lay their eggs everywhere -- in carpets, curtains, upholstery, animal bedding, cracks and crevices. Destroying the fleas' eggs by thorough weekly vacuuming and frequent washing of animal bedding goes to the source of the problem and will help eliminate the flea population in your house. After vacuuming, be sure to replace the bag right away and take the old bag out of the house. Keeping clutter on the floor to a minimum also will deprive the fleas of hiding places.

Outdoor control

Nematodes

While you can't kill off the fleas that your pet is going to encounter when it goes outside, you can keep the population down in the area around your house by using nematodes. These microscopic worms eat flea larvae and are therefore a natural way to control the flea population.

You can purchase nematodes online, or at pet and garden stores. Place them in moist, shady spots near your house; neither fleas nor nematodes survive in the hot sun. As nematodes multiply rapidly, you have only to introduce a small number to have the desired effect.

Article contributed by: RobbinsPet Care

Christian Quote of the Day

May you feel His arms around you and know that His hands are there, helping you turn your feeble attempts into true masterpieces. Remember, God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the 'called.' Life is more accurately measured by the lives you touch than by the things you acquire.

...Anonymous

RECIPE of the Day - 7/11/2007

This is one of our favorite casseroles. It has the most amazing flavor and is not only easy to make (though time consuming), but a meal that everyone will love.




King Ranch Chicken

Sauce:
2 T. butter
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 t. ground red pepper
1/8 t. ground cumin
2 T. flour
3/4 C. chicken broth
1/2 C. cream
2 T. sour cream
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper

Filling:
1 T. butter
1 small yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1/4 C. chopped roasted green chilies
6 oz. mushrooms, cleaned and finely chopped
1/2 C. canned crushed tomatoes
2 T. minced pimiento

Tortillas:
Vegetable oil for frying
8 corn tortillas

Chicken and other layers:
3 C. diced cooked chicken
1 1/2 C. shredded mild cheddar cheese
1/4 C. ripe olives
1/4 C. thinly sliced scallions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 11x7x2 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Sauce: Melt butter in medium heavy skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, red pepper, and cumin and stir-fry 1 min. Blend in flour, add broth and cream, and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth - about 3 min. Stir in sour cream, salt and black pepper to taste; set aside.

Filling: Melt butter in large, heavy skillet over moderate heat. Add onion, green pepper, green chilies, mushrooms, tomatoes, pimiento and cook, stirring often, until vegetables soften and flavors meld - 10 to 15 min.

Tortillas: Pour oil to depth of 1/2" in small heavy skillet, set over moderate heat, and heat until ripples appear on skillet bottom. Holding tortillas by tongs, dip one by one into oil just long enough to soften - 5 to 10 seconds. Drain well on paper towels.

To Layer: Arrange half of tortillas in bottom of prepared baking dish, then build up layer this way, distributing each evenly: 1/2 chicken and 1/3 sauce; 1/2 each filling, cheese, onions, scallions and 1/2 remaining sauce; remaining tortillas, chicken, filling, cheese, olives, scallions and finally, remaining sauce.

Bake uncovered until bubbly - about 30 to 35 min. Serve immediately.

Serves 6.

FREEBIES of the Day - 7/11/07

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EZ-Sip sample from Straw Claw, Ltd. You slip EZ-Sip's flexible retainers over the side of a glass, bottle or cup, slip the straw into the holding arms and that's it. It's EZ. Just click on the country and it takes you to an e-mail request form. This is a great product; to get your EZ-Sip sample, click here!

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Metamucil Fiber Sample Kit. This allows you to try a few of the many Metamucil varieties including: wafers, powder and capsules plus calcium. I really like the wafers, they taste like cinnamon and are really very good. To get your free fiber kit, click here!

K'nex Building Bricks sample for kids. These are meant for children ages 5-12, but they can also bring out our inner child. They have some really cool blocks and accessories to build whatever your imagination can dream up. To get your free sample of building bricks, click here!

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Wendy's Hamburger for free in select cities. You can get a list of the cities and dates that you will need to be able to take advantage of this offer. The free burger times go from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. To find out where you can get a free Wendy's burger, click here!

Stopain Spray sample. This is without a doubt the best pain spray my husband or I have ever tried. It works in 30 seconds and keeps the pain at bay for hours. I will keep this posted until the sample is no longer available; everyone who has pain needs to have the opportunity to try this. To get your free sample of Stopain, click here!

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AOL free personalized e-mail address. They are the first free e-mail provider to let you create your entire personalized e-mail address from scratch - not just the part before the @. You can set it up for you, your friends, family or business. To get your free personalized e-mail and get the address you really want, click here!

Free 411 calls. This is a link to a few different companies, including Google; some are ad-based and some are ad-free. The price of 411 calls is outrageous, this helps so much when you need to get a phone # quickly and easily (plus, they connect you for free). To get your free 411 service, click here!

TGI Friday's free appetizer coupon. They have some really great appetizers, so while you're there, you might as well take advantage of the coupon and get something extra. To get your printable coupon for a free appetizer, click here!

24 Hour Fitness free 7 day pass. They have over 370 locations, lots of amenities and free exercise classes. You can test drive the equipment, classes, etc. to see if it's for you. This isn't a bad deal at any rate to get 7 free days of fitness. To register for your free 7-day guest pass, click here!

Target and Super Target printable coupons. They have a lot of useful coupons for your next trip to Target. To get your coupons, click here!

Reebok Outlet coupon. Save 40% off your entire purchase for their Friends & Family Event from 7-11 to 7-15. You can redeem your coupon at Reebok, Rockport or Greg Norman Outlet Stores. To get your 40% savings off Reebok, click here!

Payless Shoe Source coupon. This is good for $2.00 to $8.00 off, depending on how much you spend. Payless does have a nice selection of shoes at really good prices. To get your coupon, click here!

Factory Tours USA. They have different factories and points of interest for every state and most of them are free. You just click on your state or any place that you will be visiting to get all the available tours. To visit some really interesting places for free, click here!

AMC Theaters free movies. This is their Summer Movie Camp and it runs from 6-27 to 8-15. The free movies start at 10:00 a.m. every Wednesday and you even have a special price for a KidsPack refreshment which includes: one small drink, one small popcorn and a kid's size snack. To get more info on the free movies, click here!

Free concerts in Detroit. These free concerts are every Friday night at 8:00 p.m. starting 6-29 and ending 8-10. They have some great artists: Grand Funk Railroad, The Guess Who, Asia, 38 Special and more. To get a listing of the artists and dates, click here!

Birthday freebies. This has dozens of birthday freebie sites; everything from Baskin Robbins to Hollywood Video to Shoneys and much more. To get some cool birthday freebies for you and your whole family, click here!

Free prescription savings card from TogetherRx. Prescription drugs are so costly anymore, that we could all use a little extra help to keep the cost down. They have 4 requirements: legal resident of the US, not eligible for Medicare/Medicaid, income less than $30,000 for a single person and no other prescription drug coverage of any kind. To get this great deal, click here!

Software giveaway of the day - Features a different title every day. These are about $20.00 regular price, so what a deal!. For your free software, click here!

Game giveaway of the day - Features a different game every day. They have arcade, puzzle and action games. For your free game, click here!

Free 10 minute calling card from Callingcards.com. This is a global calling card - you can call anywhere - and there are no strings attached. They will e-mail you with the pin # and info and you're ready to start making calls. To get your free 10 minute calling card, click here!

Free phone number and voice mail from Private Phone. This is through Net Zero and is the greatest thing. You can have a phone number to give out for freebies, sweepstakes entries and to people that you don't want to have your actual phone number. They will get your voice mail (you record your own greeting) and you can check messages online or by calling the number. I have this and it is a real lifesaver. They send you e-mail or mobile phone notifications of messages that you get, so you know right away. To get this great deal, click here!

Free Online Language Courses from the BBC. This is a great opportunity to learn another language (or two or three...) and do it at your own pace. They give you correct pronunciation, helpful phrases, etc. I don't know of anyone who couldn't use this - I want to teach our daughter French, so this may be just the way to do it. To get your free online language courses, click here!

Cat Bathing as a Martial Art

Know that although the cat has the advantages of quickness and utter disregard for human life, you have the advantage of strength. Capitalize on that advantage by selecting the battlefield. Don't try to bathe him in an open area where he can force you to chase him. Pick a very small bathroom. If your bathroom is more than four feet square, I recommend that you get in the tub with the cat and close the sliding-glass doors as if you were about to take a shower. (A simple shower curtain will not do. A berserk cat can shred a three-ply rubber shower curtain quicker than a politician can shift positions.)

Know that a cat has claws and will not hesitate to remove all the skin from your body. Your advantage here is that you are smart and know how to dress to protect yourself. I recommend canvas overalls tucked into high-top construction boots, a pair of steel-mesh gloves, an army helmet, a hockey face mask and a long-sleeve flak jacket.

Prepare everything in advance. There is no time to go out for a towel when you have a cat digging a hole in your flak jacket. Draw the water. Make sure the bottle of kitty shampoo is inside the glass enclosure. Make sure the towel can be reached, even if you are lying on your back in the water.

Use the element of surprise. Pick up your cat nonchalantly, as if to simply carry him to his supper dish. (Cats will not usually notice your strange attire. They have little or no interest in fashion as a rule. If he does notice your garb, calmly explain that you are taking part in a product-testing experiment for J.C. Penney.)

Once you are inside the bathroom, speed is essential to your survival. In a single liquid motion, shut the bathroom door, step into the tub enclosure, slide the glass door shut, dip the cat in the water and squirt him with shampoo. You have begun one of the wildest 45 seconds of your life.

Cats have no handles. Add the fact that he now has soapy fur, and the problem is radically compounded. Do not expect to hold on to him for more that two or three seconds at a time. When you have him, however, you must remember to give him another squirt of shampoo and rub like crazy. He'll then spring free and fall back into the water, thereby rinsing himself off. (The national record is--for cats--three latherings, so don't expect too much.)

Next, the cat must be dried. Novice cat bathers always assume this part will be the most difficult, for humans generally are worn out at this point and the cat is just getting really determined. In fact, the drying is simple compared to what you have just been through. That's because by now the cat is semi-permanently affixed to your right leg. You simply pop the drain plug with your foot, reach for your towel and wait. (Occasionally, however, the cat will end up clinging to the top of your army helmet. If this happens, the best thing you can do is to shake him loose and to encourage him toward your leg.) After all the water is drained from the tub, it is a simple matter to just reach down and dry the cat.

In a few days the cat will relax enough to be removed from your leg. He will usually have nothing to say for about three weeks and will spend a lot of time sitting with his back to you. He might even become psycho-ceramic and develop the fixed stare of a plaster figurine.

You will be tempted to assume he is angry. This isn't usually the case. As a rule he is simply plotting ways to get through your defenses and injure you for life the next time you decide to give him a bath. But, at least now he smells a lot better.

"To bathe a cat requires brute force, perseverance, courage of conviction - and a cat. The last ingredient is the hardest to come by".

Stephen Baker

Sherri's Helpful Hints

Measurement Equivalents

3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon = 15 ml

4 tablespoons = ¼ cup = 60 ml

5 1/3 tablespoons = 1/3 cup = 79 ml

8 tablespoons = ½ cup = 118 ml

16 tablespoons = 1 cup = 237 ml

1 fluid ounce = 2 tablespoons = 30 ml

8 fluid ounces = 1 cup = 237 ml

16 fluid ounces = 2 cups or 1 pint = 473 ml

32 fluid ounces = 4 cups or 1 quart = 946 ml

Can Size Measurements

5 oz can yields 5/8 cup

8 oz can yields 1 cup

10 ½ - 12 oz picnic can yields 1¼ cups

1 lb. 13 oz. or No. 2½ can yields 3½ cups

14 oz. Condensed Milk can yields 1 1/3 cups

5 1/3 oz. Evaporated Milk can yields 2/3 cups

American Liquid Measures

1 gallon = 4 quarts = 3.79 litres

1 quart = 2 pints = .95 litres

1 pint = 2 cups = 16 fl. oz = 450 ml

1 cup = 8 fl. oz = 225 ml

1 T = 1/2 fl. oz = 15 ml

1 t = 1/3 T = 5 ml

Oven Temperatures

225 F = 105 C = Very Cool

250 F = 120 C 275 F = 130 C = Cool

300 F = 150 C 325 F = 165 C = Very Moderate

350 F = 180 C = Moderate 375 F = 190 C

400 F = 200 C = Moderately Hot 425 F = 220 C = Hot

450 F = 230 C 475 F = 245 C = Very Hot

Christian Quote of the Day

Every action of our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate in eternity.

...Edwin Hubbel Chapin

RECIPE of the Day - 7/10/2007

We really love Jambalaya at our house and we usually eat this about twice a month (or more). If you don't like shrimp, use chicken instead, it makes a delicious jambalaya. This is really great when accompanied by a good, southern corn bread.





Shrimp & Sausage Jambalaya

2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 pound shelled medium shrimp
1 pound ham (preferably smoked), cubed
1 pound kielbasa, andouille, or chorizo sausage, sliced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 large celery stalks, diced
1 green or red bell pepper, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
1 16-ounce can diced tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Heat the oil in a large, heavy stockpot over high heat and add the shrimp. Cook, stirring constantly, until the shrimp curl and just begin to brown, about 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the ham and sausage to the stockpot and cook, stirring frequently, until both are well browned, about 15minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add the garlic, celery, bell pepper, and onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the rice, tomatoes, broth, salt, cayenne pepper, and half the parsley. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes or until the liquid is almost absorbed. Stir in the shrimp and the remaining parsley. Cover and cook until all the liquid is absorbed, 3 to 5 minutes more. (Can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Reheat, covered, in a 325º F oven for 20 minutes or until heated through, stirring once or twice.)


Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings

FREEBIES of the Day - 7/10/07

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Smart Fiber Stixx sample. This is a great way to get your daily fiber; it's a powder that dissolves completely in liquid and has no taste whatsoever. This also helps you to maintain a healthy digestive system. Our digestive system contains both good and bad bacteria, prebiotic fibers known as smartfiberstixx (scientifically known as inulin) selectively stimulates the growth of good bacteria (bifidobacteria and lactobacillus). Increasing the good bacteria helps to: protect us from invading bad bacteria, absorb more calcium and vitamins, and decrease our risk to chronic disease. To get your free sample of this healthy, productive fiber, click here!

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Hampton Suncare Privet Bloom fragrance sample. This is a delicate scent that captures the purity and elegance of summer in the Hamptons, with a fresh and unique blend of sea spray, dune grass, blue plum and the captivating privet blossom. This sounds really interesting, I have always loved the beach (which is as close as I'm going to get to the Hamptons). To get your free Privet Bloom fragrance sample, click here!

Biz Stain Activated Booster sample. This is the one product that provides superior cleaning on every type of laundry stain. The free sample icon is at the lower right-hand corner and you have to move completely to the right to get to it. To get your free sample of superior stain fighting, click here!

Wendy's Hamburger for free in select cities. You can get a list of the cities and dates that you will need to be able to take advantage of this offer. The free burger times go from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. To find out where you can get a free Wendy's burger, click here!

7-11 slurpee for free on 7-11. Go into your local 7-11 on July 11th and they will give you a 7.11 oz. slurpee for stopping by. To visit their site and locate a store near you, click here!

Stopain Spray sample. This is without a doubt the best pain spray my husband or I have ever tried. It works in 30 seconds and keeps the pain at bay for hours. I will keep this posted until the sample is no longer available; everyone who has pain needs to have the opportunity to try this. To get your free sample of Stopain, click here!

Hugo Pure Purple fragrance sample for women. This has the luscious scent of marzipan from le calisson, amber and white suede and is very feminine. To try this fragrance from Hugo, click here!

Free 411 calls. This is a link to a few different companies, including Google; some are ad-based and some are ad-free. The price of 411 calls is outrageous, this helps so much when you need to get a phone # quickly and easily (plus, they connect you for free). To get your free 411 service, click here!

Bose In-Ear Headphone Accessories. They will send you new ear tips that stay in place more firmly than the silicone ear tips and a stability enhancement accessory including a clothing clip and lanyard (these reduce the cord's "pull" during increased activity). To get your headphone accessories, click here!

RP rectal pad sample. This isn't a topic that is addressed very often, but there are bladder control pads out there and now there is something for the other problem. To get your free sample of rectal pads, click here!

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TGI Friday's free appetizer coupon. They have some really great appetizers, so while you're there, you might as well take advantage of the coupon and get something extra. To get your printable coupon for a free appetizer, click here!

24 Hour Fitness free 7 day pass. They have over 370 locations, lots of amenities and free exercise classes. You can test drive the equipment, classes, etc. to see if it's for you. This isn't a bad deal at any rate to get 7 free days of fitness. To register for your free 7-day guest pass, click here!

Target and Super Target printable coupons. They have a lot of useful coupons for your next trip to Target. To get your coupons, click here!

Reebok Outlet coupon. Save 40% off your entire purchase for their Friends & Family Event from 7-11 to 7-15. You can redeem your coupon at Reebok, Rockport or Greg Norman Outlet Stores. To get your 40% savings off Reebok, click here!

Payless Shoe Source coupon. This is good for $2.00 to $8.00 off, depending on how much you spend. Payless does have a nice selection of shoes at really good prices. To get your coupon, click here!

Factory Tours USA. They have different factories and points of interest for every state and most of them are free. You just click on your state or any place that you will be visiting to get all the available tours. To visit some really interesting places for free, click here!

AMC Theaters free movies. This is their Summer Movie Camp and it runs from 6-27 to 8-15. The free movies start at 10:00 a.m. every Wednesday and you even have a special price for a KidsPack refreshment which includes: one small drink, one small popcorn and a kid's size snack. To get more info on the free movies, click here!

Free concerts in Detroit. These free concerts are every Friday night at 8:00 p.m. starting 6-29 and ending 8-10. They have some great artists: Grand Funk Railroad, The Guess Who, Asia, 38 Special and more. To get a listing of the artists and dates, click here!

Birthday freebies. This has dozens of birthday freebie sites; everything from Baskin Robbins to Hollywood Video to Shoneys and much more. To get some cool birthday freebies for you and your whole family, click here!

Free prescription savings card from TogetherRx. Prescription drugs are so costly anymore, that we could all use a little extra help to keep the cost down. They have 4 requirements: legal resident of the US, not eligible for Medicare/Medicaid, income less than $30,000 for a single person and no other prescription drug coverage of any kind. To get this great deal, click here!

Software giveaway of the day - Features a different title every day. These are about $20.00 regular price, so what a deal!. For your free software, click here!

Game giveaway of the day - Features a different game every day. They have arcade, puzzle and action games. For your free game, click here!

Free 10 minute calling card from Callingcards.com. This is a global calling card - you can call anywhere - and there are no strings attached. They will e-mail you with the pin # and info and you're ready to start making calls. To get your free 10 minute calling card, click here!

Free phone number and voice mail from Private Phone. This is through Net Zero and is the greatest thing. You can have a phone number to give out for freebies, sweepstakes entries and to people that you don't want to have your actual phone number. They will get your voice mail (you record your own greeting) and you can check messages online or by calling the number. I have this and it is a real lifesaver. They send you e-mail or mobile phone notifications of messages that you get, so you know right away. To get this great deal, click here!

Free Online Language Courses from the BBC. This is a great opportunity to learn another language (or two or three...) and do it at your own pace. They give you correct pronunciation, helpful phrases, etc. I don't know of anyone who couldn't use this - I want to teach our daughter French, so this may be just the way to do it. To get your free online language courses, click here!

Politically Correct Terms

A Crook - morally (ethically) challenged
Bald - follicularly challenged.
Body Odor - nondiscretionary fragrance.
Broken Down Automobile - mechanically challenged
Chronically Late - Temporarily Challenged
Clumsy - uniquely coordinated
Computer Illiterate - Technologically Challenged
Cowardly - Challenge Challenged
Cowboys - bovine control officers
Crime Rate - street activity index
Dishonest - Ethically disoriented.
Earthquake - geological correction
Fail - achieve a deficiency.
Fat - gravitationally challenged
Fictional / Mythological - ontologically challenged
Gas Station Attendent - petroleum transfer technician
Having PMS - cyclically challenged
Ignorant - factually unencumbered
Incompetent - Differently Qualified
Klutz - kinesthetically challenged
Large Nose - nasally gifted
Lazy - motivationally deficient.
Logger - Paper Pirate
Messy - differently organized
Not with somebody at the moment - romantically challenged
Off - energy-efficient
Old - chronologically gifted
Plagiarism - Previously Owned Prose
Redneck - rustically inclined
Rudeness - Tact Avoidance
Shoplifter - Cost-of-Living Adjustment Specialist
Short - vertically challenged
Spendthrift - negative saver.
Stained - creatively re-dyed
Stupid - intellectually impaired
Thin - horizontally challenged
Tone Deaf - musically delayed
Trees - Oxygen Exchange Units
Ugly - aesthetically challenged
Unemployed - Involuntarily leisured.
Worst - least best.
Wrong - differently logical.

Sherri's Helpful Hints

More Food Preparation Techniques

Bouquet Garni

A classic bouquet garni, often called for in French roasts, soups, and stews, includes:

1 part leaf thyme
1 part whole peppercorns
4 parts finely chopped parsley
1 bay leaf

Fresh or dried herbs can be used, or a combination of both. Place herbs and seasonings in a cheesecloth square that is tied up with clean butcher's string. For especially easy removal, make the string extra long and tie one end to the pot's handle.

For a variation, try experimenting with rosemary, tarragon, summer or winter savory, and whole cloves.

Beans

Cooking Dried Beans:

Before cooking dried beans, rinse them well and pick them over for stones or inferior beans.

If more water is needed when cooking beans, always add very hot or boiling water as cold water will discolor the beans.

More flavor can be obtained by adding a couple of tablespoons of sugar to cooked beans.

Adding 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to the water used to boil beans will eliminate "gas attacks."

Eggs, Boiled

Put eggs into a pot (avoid aluminum as it will darken) and cover with cold water. Add a pinch of salt. Bring the pot to a boil over high or medium high heat, then lower the heat and simmer. Depending on the size of the eggs, they will need to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes for soft boiled, about 4 to 5 minutes for medium and 15 to 20 minutes for hard boiled. Drain the eggs and immerse them immediately in cold water to stop the cooking process. Refrigerated boiled eggs will keep for about a week.

Corn on the Cob

Method 1: Fill a large kettle with two inches of fresh water. Add a steamer basket to the bottom of the kettle, and bring the water to a boil.

Meanwhile, shuck the corn, removing all silk. Arrange the corn in a single layer in the steam basket, and place the lid on the pan. Bring it to a full boil. The moment it reaches full boil, remove the pan from the burner, and let it stand for 5 to 8 minutes, depending on how large the ears are. Serve with butter, salt and pepper. (If you want to add even more sweetness to the corn, you can sprinkle a teaspoon of sugar over it before it begins to boil.)

Method 2: Put the whole ears (husks and all) in the oven and bake them for 25 minutes at 350 degrees F.

When you're ready to serve the corn, just put on a pair of oven mitts and peel the husks off the ears. The husks and silk just fall completely off.

Mashed Potatoes

Peel the potatoes. Cut them into chunks, then cover them with cold water in a very large pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer until very tender all the way through. Drain the potatoes, then put them back into the pot over VERY low heat to evaporate any excess liquid. This will dry the potatoes.

While the potatoes are drying, heat whole milk just until hot, but not boiling. A good rule of thumb is to use about 2/3 cup milk for every 2 to 3 pounds of potatoes. You can use a mixture of cream and milk, if desired. Add butter or margarine to the hot, dry potatoes, keeping them over very low heat. Mash with a hand masher until the butter is melted and the potatoes are very smooth.

With an electric mixer, beat the potatoes (with the pot still over low heat) as you add the hot milk, a little at a time, until the potatoes are the desired consistency. Scrape sides of the pot with a rubber spatula. Do not overbeat. Stop beating when they are creamy and fluffy. Add salt and white pepper to taste. The white pepper is used so that they are no "unsightly" black specks in the potatoes.

NOTES:

Always work quickly so that the potatoes do not cool down. Lukewarm potatoes turn pasty. Adding cold milk can turn hot potatoes pasty.

Courtesy of Recipe Goldmine

Christian Quote of the Day

To be prayerless is to be without God, without Christ, without grace, without hope, and without heaven.

...J. C. Ryle

RECIPE of the Day - 7/09/2007

If you love Dreamsicles, then this is the dessert for you. It has a wonderful flavor that you and your whole family will love.




Orange Creamsicle Dessert

2 small boxes orange gelatin
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cold water
2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding
2 cups cold milk
2 (11 ounce) cans mandarin oranges, drained
2 cups prepared whipped topping, divided

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water; stir in cold water. Chill until slightly thickened.

Prepare pudding according to package directions using milk. Reserve 5 mandarin oranges for garnish. Fold remaining oranges, thickened gelatin and 1 cup whipped topping into prepared pudding.

Pour into 6-cup ring mold. Chill 4 hours or until set.

Unmold onto serving plate. Spoon remaining whipped topping in center of ring. Garnish with reserved mandarin oranges.

FREEBIES of the Day - 7/09/07

Safe Home Clean Home free dryer sheet sample. These are non-toxic, natural, fragrance free, biodegradable and recyclable as well. These will soften clothes, reduce static cling, rivals performance of Bounce and is a vegetable based softener. This is perfect for those who have allergies or sensitivities. To get your free sample of healthy dryer sheets, click here!

Claritin RediTabs Tablet sample. These give you 24 hour allergy relief without drowsiness. They dissolve quickly, taste really good (not chalky) and they're convenient - no water needed. To get your 4 pack of allergy relief to try, click here!

Dove samples and coupons. They have: Dove Cool Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner, Dove Energy Glow, Dove Pro-Age, plus a $3.00 coupon off a Dove Skin Vitalizer. To get in on these great freebies, click here!

Desperate Housewives Forbidden Fruit fragrance sample. With all the publicity of the Eva Longoria/Tony Parker marriage, this is back in the spotlight as well. To try this fragrance, click here!

Wendy's Hamburger for free in select cities. You can get a list of the cities and dates that you will need to be able to take advantage of this offer. The free burger times go from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. To find out where you can get a free Wendy's burger, click here!

7-11 slurpee for free on 7-11. Go into your local 7-11 on July 11th and they will give you a 7.11 oz. slurpee for stopping by. To visit their site and locate a store near you, click here!

Stopain Spray sample. This is without a doubt the best pain spray my husband or I have ever tried. It works in 30 seconds and keeps the pain at bay for hours. I will keep this posted until the sample is no longer available; everyone who has pain needs to have the opportunity to try this. To get your free sample of Stopain, click here!

Kellogg's Frosted Flakes "Earn Your Stripes" wristband. This freebie is still out there and all you need to do is enter the code M1ghty T1g3rs. Our daughter just loves playing with these and they are very useful for tennis, basketball, quite a few different things, actually. To get your free wristband, click here!

Blue Spa Select cat food sample. They will send you a 4 oz. sample for your cat to try, and most likely, enjoy. The 1st ingredient is always chicken or fish, they include veggies and fruit and they have no animal by-products, no artificial colors or flavors, no preservatives, no corn, wheat or soy proteins and they have nutrients and antioxidants. This is a really good, nutritious product for your cat. To get this healthy, great tasting sample of cat food for your cat to try, click here!

Blue Life Protection Formula dog food sample. They will send you a 4 oz. sample for your dog to try, and most likely, enjoy as well. The 1st ingredient is always chicken, lamb or fish, they include veggies and fruit and they have no animal by-products, no artificial colors or flavors, no preservatives, no corn, wheat or soy proteins and they have nutrients and antioxidants. This is a really good, nutritious product for your dog. To get this healthy, great tasting sample of dog food for your dog to try, click here!

Post-it Sortable Cards. These are really great for so many things. They are like sticky index cards, so you have lots of room for notes and a space at the top for your title, name or whatever. To get a sample that helps you get organized, click here!

Puritan's Pride Vitamin Catalog and $5.00 coupon. This is a great catalog of every kind of vitamin and supplement you can imagine (and the prices are outstanding). You can save so much money by buying your vitamins, supplements, creams, etc. from them (and we all need savings on things like these). To get your free catalog and $5.00 savings, click here!

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TGI Friday's free appetizer coupon. They have some really great appetizers, so while you're there, you might as well take advantage of the coupon and get something extra. To get your printable coupon for a free appetizer, click here!

24 Hour Fitness free 7 day pass. They have over 370 locations, lots of amenities and free exercise classes. You can test drive the equipment, classes, etc. to see if it's for you. This isn't a bad deal at any rate to get 7 free days of fitness. To register for your free 7-day guest pass, click here!

Target and Super Target printable coupons. They have a lot of useful coupons for your next trip to Target. To get your coupons, click here!

Reebok Outlet coupon. Save 40% off your entire purchase for their Friends & Family Event from 7-11 to 7-15. You can redeem your coupon at Reebok, Rockport or Greg Norman Outlet Stores. To get your 40% savings off Reebok, click here!

Payless Shoe Source coupon. This is good for $2.00 to $8.00 off, depending on how much you spend. Payless does have a nice selection of shoes at really good prices. To get your coupon, click here!

Factory Tours USA. They have different factories and points of interest for every state and most of them are free. You just click on your state or any place that you will be visiting to get all the available tours. To visit some really interesting places for free, click here!

AMC Theaters free movies. This is their Summer Movie Camp and it runs from 6-27 to 8-15. The free movies start at 10:00 a.m. every Wednesday and you even have a special price for a KidsPack refreshment which includes: one small drink, one small popcorn and a kid's size snack. To get more info on the free movies, click here!

Free concerts in Detroit. These free concerts are every Friday night at 8:00 p.m. starting 6-29 and ending 8-10. They have some great artists: Grand Funk Railroad, The Guess Who, Asia, 38 Special and more. To get a listing of the artists and dates, click here!

Birthday freebies. This has dozens of birthday freebie sites; everything from Baskin Robbins to Hollywood Video to Shoneys and much more. To get some cool birthday freebies for you and your whole family, click here!

Free prescription savings card from TogetherRx. Prescription drugs are so costly anymore, that we could all use a little extra help to keep the cost down. They have 4 requirements: legal resident of the US, not eligible for Medicare/Medicaid, income less than $30,000 for a single person and no other prescription drug coverage of any kind. To get this great deal, click here!

Software giveaway of the day - Features a different title every day. These are about $20.00 regular price, so what a deal!. For your free software, click here!

Game giveaway of the day - Features a different game every day. They have arcade, puzzle and action games. For your free game, click here!

Free 10 minute calling card from Callingcards.com. This is a global calling card - you can call anywhere - and there are no strings attached. They will e-mail you with the pin # and info and you're ready to start making calls. To get your free 10 minute calling card, click here!

Free phone number and voice mail from Private Phone. This is through Net Zero and is the greatest thing. You can have a phone number to give out for freebies, sweepstakes entries and to people that you don't want to have your actual phone number. They will get your voice mail (you record your own greeting) and you can check messages online or by calling the number. I have this and it is a real lifesaver. They send you e-mail or mobile phone notifications of messages that you get, so you know right away. To get this great deal, click here!

Free Online Language Courses from the BBC. This is a great opportunity to learn another language (or two or three...) and do it at your own pace. They give you correct pronunciation, helpful phrases, etc. I don't know of anyone who couldn't use this - I want to teach our daughter French, so this may be just the way to do it. To get your free online language courses, click here!

Exercise Calorie Burning Chart

Passing the buck 25

Hitting the nail on the head 50

Swallowing your pride 50

Bending over backwards 75

Beating around the bush 75

Jumping to conclusions 100

Dragging your heels 125

Pulling out the stops 150

Climbing the walls 150

Jumping on the bandwagon 175

Eating crow 200

Pushing your luck 220

Putting your foot in your mouth 250

Pulling your foot out of your mouth 275

Throwing your weight around (depending on your weight, of course) 50 - 300

Making mountains out of molehills 400

Picking up the pieces 500

Sherri's Helpful Hints

Food Preparation Techniques

Chicken Stock

In a large pot, cover 4 pounds of washed, raw chicken bones or parts with cold water - enough to cover them by 5 inches. Necks and backs are the most flavorful bones of the chicken, so they are ideal, but you can also make a wonderful chicken stock with a whole, cut-up, raw chicken. Bring water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, skim the fat and scum that have risen to the top with a ladle or spoon. Add 1 pound of a combination of chopped carrots, onions and celery, and the herbs of your choice. Cook chicken stock for about three hours - long enough for the full flavor to come to the fore. It is important to make sure that the bones stay covered during the entire cooking process, so add more water if needed. Strain the stock through a sieve or a colander before using, refrigerating or freezing.

Beef Stock

Heat oven to about 400 degrees F. Put cleaned beef into a large baking pot. Add any fresh vegetables you care to, including carrot tops, if desired. Carrots, celery, and bell peppers are good to use. Place in the oven and brown for about 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven. Place roasted meat and vegetables in a stockpot. Add spices, as desired, such as garlic cloves, whole peppercorns, parsley, bay leaf, thyme and/or rosemary. Don't add salt, as you normally add this to the dish you are preparing which uses the stock. Cover the meat and vegetables with double their volume in water. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Leave the pot uncovered so that some liquid evaporates and intensifies the taste.

Beef should simmer at least several hours. Cook the stock until about one-third of the original liquid remains. Strain it, let it cool, and degrease it. The stock can be frozen in ice cube trays and cubes used as needed.

For vegetable stock, simply omit the meat from the above instructions.

Yeast Dough

Dissolve one package of dry yeast into 1/4 cup of water that is slightly cool to the touch, about 85 degrees F. Yeast is killed at temperatures of more than 105 degrees F, so while cool water may slow proofing time, it will avoid killing the yeast.

Add one teaspoon of sugar to feed the yeast. Yeast is a fungus that feeds on sugars and gluten in flour. It in turn multiplies and produces carbon dioxide as a by-product. Carbon dioxide bubbles cause dough to rise. Stir to dissolve yeast and sugar. It will take about ten minutes until the yeast begins to bubble or foam. If it does not foam, it is not alive and should not be used.

Combine the entire proofed mixture with the liquid ingredients in your dough recipe. Remember that rich ingredients such as butter, oil, honey and even salt slow the rising action of the yeast, so be sure to allow for enough rising time when baking with these ingredients.

Self-Rising Flour

To make, add 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt to each cup of flour called for in the recipe.

Ice Cream Cakes

If you use a loaf or square pan, spray the inside with nonstick cooking spray and line the pan with plastic wrap. Let the plastic hang over the edge by a couple of inches and be sure to press it into the corners.

Springform pans also work well, and there's no need to line them. To unmold, just run a knife along the inside edge and release the latch.

Bake the cake in the same pan in which you'll assemble the ice-cream cake, so the cake won't require trimming. Freeze all pans at least 15 minutes before filling them to help keep the ice cream from melting.

Choose a recipe for a cake that won't get too hard when frozen. Many cakes freeze solid, but an ice-cream cake should succumb easily to a fork or a bite.

Beat the ice cream before smoothing it onto the cake so it will spread evenly. This can be done in a bowl with a wooden spoon or a potato masher or in a standing mixer with the paddle attachment.

Whichever method you use, first place the bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes. Let the ice cream stand at room temperature for five minutes (fewer if your kitchen is very warm), then place it in the cold bowl and beat until smooth. This will take only a few seconds.

With a rubber or thin metal spatula, evenly spread the ice cream in the pan. If your cake has several layers of ice cream, let each layer freeze for about 30 minutes before adding the next flavor to keep the flavors from mixing together.

Freezing ice-cream cakes can take anywhere from six hours to overnight, depending on the temperature of your freezer. They'll keep at least a week in the freezer, so you can make them well in advance.

When it's time to unmold the cake, invert it on a cutting board or platter and remove the pan by gently pulling the plastic wrap away from the pan.

Cut ice-cream cake with a sharp knife. If the cake is very hard, use a hot, dry knife (between each slice, run a knife under hot water and dry it with a towel) or let the cake stand at room temperature for a few minutes to soften.

Garnishes for ice cream cake are abundant but optional. Depending on the ice cream flavor selected, use caramel and chocolate sauces, toasted chopped almonds or pecans, or fresh berries or sliced peaches.