INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 Tablespoon poppy seed
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 teaspoon butter flavoring
• 1 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

INGREDIENTS FOR ORANGE GLAZE:

• 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon almond flavoring
• 1/4 teaspoon butter flavoring

Combine the first 11 ingredients in a large bowl.  Beat 2 minutes at medium speed.  Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured loaf pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool loaves in the pan for 10 minutes.  Remove and let cool completely on a rack.

For glaze, mix the remaining ingredients thoroughly.  Drizzle on top of the cooled loaf of poppy seed bread.

These are the locations where you can purchase Method products:

• Babies R Us
• Bed, Bath, & Beyond
• Costco
• Lowe’s
• Safeway
  
• Staples
• Target
• Toys R Us
• Whole Foods

• $1 on one Swiffer Dusters Starter Kit
• $1 on one Swiffer Dusters Refill
• $1 on Swiffer Dust & Shine Furniture Spray
• $5 on Swiffer Sweepervac Starter Kit

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 10-ounce package Fritos
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup white Karo Syrup
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter

Butter a 9 x 13 inch pan.  Pour Fritos evenly in pan.  Combine sugar and Karo in pan.  Bring to a boil for 1 1/2 minutes.  Add peanut butter and stir until smooth.  Pour over Fritos.  Let cool and cut into squares.

1. How do you make mashed potatoes?

I make them from scratch but in an unconventional way to save the vitamin content of the potatoes:  Bake the potatoes first, let cool until peelings can easily be removed.  Then cut into chunks, add hot milk, butter, a little EVOO to balance out the cholesterol from the butter, salt, and pepper.  Mash with a potato masher and use the mixer briefly for 10- 15 seconds.
2. What do you wash pots and pans with?

I rinse the pans after use and then put some water and a little dishwashing soap in the pan if necessary.  If the pan has a lid, I cover the pan with the lid.  I let them set for a while and sometimes overnight.  Then the pans clean up easily by washing in regular dishwashing soap and hot water in the sink.

3. Name something red in your refrigerator right now.

Apples  (I’m trying to eat more apples.  How many of you remember the saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away?”)
4. Do you prefer to use boullion cubes or the boullion powder mix?

I rarely use boullion but prefer the powder mix.

• “Non-Toxic”
• “No Harsh Fumes”

I had been using another cleaner with such horrible fumes that I had to leave the bathroom.  One time my college-age son asked me what it was that smelled so bad.  That’s how bad it was.  The fumes made me wonder what toxic chemicals were in the cleaner.  So…I was thrilled when I saw this cleaner at Target.  We tried it and think it’s GREAT!  My husband really likes it, too, and is using it to clean a bunch of things.  It’s awesome because:

• Smells great!
• Does an awesome job of cleaning!
• We don’t have to worry about toxins!
• It’s biodegradable!
• Cleaners are plant-derived!
  

Plus…when I first bought it, it happened to have a coupon on it.  I like to use coupons and save money when I can, so I thought I’d give the product a try since it had a coupon.  Now, we’re sold on that product and want to try more Method brand products.   And guess what!  I found another Method coupon!!

For example, Albertsons has some great buys this week.  On the front of their circular, which you can pick up at the front of the store, are store coupons for these items:

• Rotisserie Chicken for $4.77 (regularly $6.99)
• 6-pack of 1/2 liter Ozarka Water for 88c
• 10 ounce bag Pistachios for $1.99 (great deal)
• Lean Pockets for 99c  (I haven’t had these in ages.)
• Swanson Chicken Broth, 2 cans for $1

These are a few of the items on sale that I plan to purchase.

Here are several good reasons not to use anti-bacterial soap:

• The active ingredient is triclosan (and the related triclocarbon) which is linked to liver toxicity.
• Low levels of the above active ingredient may disrupt thyroid function.
• The American Medical Association recommended not to use triclosan at home because it may end up causing bacteria to be resistant to antibiotics.
• This chemical ends up in our water sources because wastewater treatment does not remove all of the chemical.
• Triclosan is very toxic to aquatic life.

So which soaps should we use?  The EWG recommends looking for soaps that do NOT contain these three things:

1. Triclosan
2. Triclocarbon
3. “Fragrance” (which can open the door to all sorts of chemicals)

We do use the instant hand sanitizer which is alcohol based.  That is good to use when hand washing with plain soap and water is not available.

This organic comforter from Happy Planet looks so soft and cozy.  However, I couldn’t keep a white comforter in our bedroom because I put stuff on our bed everyday such as my purse, the mail, plus I fold laundry on it.  So it would have to have a duvet cover on it.  We actually do have a soft comforter with a cover, but it is not organic.  This one would be great for people with allergy problems or anyone who did not want chemicals on their comforter.

INGREDIENTS:

• Lemon cake mix
• 1 small package lemon Jello
• 2/3 cup oil
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar, approximately
  
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup lemon juice, approximately
  

Cake:  Mix lemon Jello with boiling water.  Add oil and lemon juice.  Add lemon cake mix and then add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg.  Pour into greased and floured 9 x 13-inch pan.  Bake at 300 degrees for about one hour.  Let cool for 10 minutes and then ice with glaze.

Glaze:  Add sugar and lemon juice.  Mix together to your desired consistency.  Pour on top of the cake.