Apple-cranberry Crisp

This is delicious!



1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/3 cup plus 1 T whole-wheat flour
4 cups cubed Granny Smith apples (cored but not peeled)
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 T soft margarine (I like to use butter) melted
2 T honey

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9-inch square baking dish with low-fat nonstick cooking spray. In a asmall bowl, combine the cinnamon, sugar and nutmeg with 1 T of whole-wheat flour. Combine apples and cranberries in a large bowl. Add the cinnamon mixture to the fruit and toss to coat. Place the fruit in the prepared baking dish.

Combine the remaining 1/3 cup of flour with the oats and brown sugar. In antoher bowl, mix the margarin with the honey. Slwoly pour the margarine mixure ober the dru ingredients and stir with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle evenlyover the fruit. Bake for 40 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Serve warm. Store leftovers in the refrigerator. Serves 9.

Nutrition analysis per serving: Calories 220, Fat 3g, Sarurated fat 0g, Trans fat 0g, Carbohydrate 47g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 30mg, Fiber 4g

Growing season continues...

For anyone who was wondering if I have been successful in growing in the back yard here is an update on where they plants are. Nothing edible...yet, but hopefully soon.

We currently have 18 tomatoes, and over a dozen blossoms. One of the tomatoes is finally starting so show color other than green. I have contemplated trying fried green tomatoes, but I have been holding out hoping that they will turn red.





We have had a rough time with the cucumbers. There was a freeze around Thanksgiving, and I am not sure this plant every fully jumped back. We have one plant left and as of today it has 3 cucumbers on it. There have been other cucumbers before these...but they didn't make it. Hopefully these 3 will.



I went out to water today and for the first time I found a flower on the strawberry plants. Make it 3 flowers I found today, YEAH! The plants still look very healthy we just haven't had any flowers until today. Super happy about that!

Lady Moment...12th week/tip

A lady when dancing.

A lady cannot refuse to dance with any gentleman who invites her unless she has a previous engagement. Young ladies must be careful how they refuse to dance. She should give a good reason, lest the gentleman takes it as a personal dislike. Once a lady refuses, she should not accept another invitation for the same dance.

Lady Moment...11th week/tip

A lady never shouts or raises her voice.

There really isn't too much to add to this one. Just remember to keep your voice controlled.

Lady Moment...10th week/tip

Refrain from staring when observing others/the unpleasant.

A lady never points out negative observations about someones manners, the bad behaviour of someones child, the state of her house or car etc.

She makes people feel at ease, never takes it personally, is never offended if they did not do as she would have done.

She pretends to not notice at the child's bad behaviour, a person's unkempt appearance, knowing that she might have had a bad time at home before she came out.

She never stares when someone chews with their mouth open, talks with their mouth full, spills, knocks over the coffee cup, sneezes, coughs.

She does not stare or point no matter what.

Lady Moments...9th week/tip

A Lady doesn't make jokes at other's expense.

The lady who wrote this states:Even though it has been many years, I can still recollect the painful memories when I was a child, a teenager, a young woman of being laughed at. They could be due to the lack of income, of designer things, lack of sophistication, lack of knowledge of clever things etc.

I get laughed at my inability to speak fluent 'local' Mandarin, for being too skinny, for saying a wrong word etc.

I never want others to ever feel how I felt and go through extra pains to never make anyone feel terrible about themselves. Its better to encourage them.

**From personal experience I too can say that it is no fun to be on the receiving end of someones joke. Sometimes it can take years to overcome and realize that it is not the truth.

Always remember to put yourself in their shoes.