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BHM Home Archive |
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BHM Newsletter
March 26, 2007
The May/June, 2007 issue has gone to the printer. We think it's a good one. When it arrives in your mailboxes next month, along with the usual columns and features, you'll find these articles, and more:
Have you ever wondered what happens to the letters and email you send to BHM? Feedback from readers is the only way we know whether or not we're doing a good job providing our readers with the kinds of articles and features they most want. That's why we read every letter and every email and what you had to say, is taken into account when shaping future issues. A representative sample is included in the print issue and most others posted online on our Feedback page. Please let us know what you think, good or bad, about each issue and or website. Also, please send along any suggestions you may have regarding new features or improvements you'd like to see. It's the only way we can learn. To send feedback via email, address it to editor@backwoodshome.com To send feedback via postal mail, send to Editor
And thanks!
You know that link with the long number at the bottom of every Newletter Notice we send you? That leads to your Control Panel, where you can quickly and easily change your email address or (heavens forbid!) remove yourself from the mailing list. Should you ever have any difficulty using the Control Panel, please send a detailed message to webmaster@backwoodshome.com Subject = Newsletter Problem Happy Spring!! — Dave
From the State Farm Insurance website Note: Links in this article open a new browser window and take you to the State Farm Insurance website. Close the new window to return to the newsletter. Replace or clean your furnace filter. It should be checked once a month and replaced or cleaned as needed. Some filters are reusable and are supposed to be taken out, washed with a hose and re-inserted. A dirty filter can lower the efficiency of the heating/cooling system, increase heating costs and cause fires. Clean the kitchen exhaust hood and air filter. Keeping this clean of cooking grease will help keep a stovetop fire from spreading. Check your electrical system.
Always have a multi-purpose fire extinguisher accessible. Make sure it is Underwriters Laboratories (UL) listed or Factory Mutual (FM) approved. Check the gauges to make sure they are charged and ready to use. Make sure the light bulbs in all your fixtures are the correct wattage The light fixture manufacturer recommends the correct wattage. If too high a wattage bulb is used in a light fixture, heat produced inside the fixture can lead to fire inside the fixture, ceiling or wall. Consider installing a lightning protection system on your home.
Read more at How to choose surge protection for your home. Have a professional air conditioning contractor inspect and maintain your system as recommended by the manufacturer. Maintenance should include:
These steps can help decrease the chance of fire, save money by making the system run more efficiently and help prevent breakdowns. Things you can maintain:
Check for damage to your roof Signs include missing, curling, cupping, broken or cracked shingles. Pooling or ponds of water that fail to drain from flat roofs may indicate low areas and inadequate drainage. Repair all cracked, broken or uneven driveways and walks to help provide a level walking surface. This will help prevent guests and family members from slipping, tripping or falling. Protect your home from sewer or drain back-up losses Read more at Wet Basements. Check all the fascia and trim for deterioration. These areas can become weathered and worn and may lead to potential water damage. Check your water heater.
Check the shutoff valve at each plumbing fixture to make sure they function. Know the location of all valves and what equipment and water lines they serve. Teach all family members. Clean the clothes dryer exhaust duct, damper and space under the dryer. Poor maintenance allows lint to build up in the exhaust duct and cause fire. Replace all extension cords that have become brittle, worn or damaged. Exposed wires may cause arcing, which will produce heat and can start a fire. Care should also be taken to keep appliances and their power cords away from water or a heat source because this will damage the cord's insulation. Inspect and clean dust from the covers of your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Read more at Smoke alarms save lives.
3 quarts water
In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add onions; cover and boil for 9-11 minutes or until tender. Drain; cool for 5 minutes. Cut a thin slice off the top of each onion; carefully hollow out, leaving a 1/2-in. shell. Chop removed onion. In a nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, cook the chopped onion, green onion and parsley in 4 teaspoons butter for 3 minutes. Add the ham, salt, pepper, celery seed and garlic powder; cook until onions are tender and ham is lightly browned. Stir in 1/4 cup bread crumbs; heat through. Stuff into onion shells. Melt remaining butter; toss with remaining bread crumbs. Sprinkle over stuffing. Broil 6 in. from the heat for 3-4 minutes or until crumbs are lightly browned and onions are heated through.
4 ounces goat cheese
Combine cheese and mint in bowl. Wrap tortillas in paper towel. Microwave on HIGH 20 seconds. Spread each tortilla with 1/4 of the cheese mixture. Divide peppers and spread evenly among tortillas Sprinkle with salt. Roll up tortillas and wrap each tightly in plastic wrap, twisting ends to secure. Chill 1 hour. Unwrap tortillas and serve.
1 tablespoon. extra-virgin olive oil
Heat oil in large non-stick skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant but not too brown, about 2 minutes. Add onion, squash and thyme and cook until onion is golden and caramelized and squash is almost tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Add broccoli and cook, stirring occasionally, until broccoli is tender, about 5 minutes. Add broth and chicken and bring to a simmer. Cover and continue gently simmering until chicken is opaque, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until pasta is just tender, 8-12 minutes. Drain pasta and return to same pot. Stir in chicken mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
1 pound asparagus
Shave the asparagus with a vegetable peeler, forming long strips, and place them in a bowl. Add a handful of Parmesan shavings and a handful of arugula. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Whisk the olive oil and lemon juice together, and drizzle this dressing over the salad. Toss to mix thoroughly. Arrange the salad on a platter and serve.
1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and coarsely chopped
Combine the rhubarb, orange and lemon zests, and orange and lemon juices in a bowl. Add the brown sugar, scrapings from the vanilla bean plus the empty pod. Stir well and set aside to marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Toss the sliced strawberries, confectioners' sugar, and lime zest and juice in another bowl. Macerate for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Pre-heat oven to 350oF. Give the rhubarb a stir and place it in a shallow 7-by-11-inch ovenproof dish. Cover with foil and bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until the rhubarb is tender. Remove from the oven and cool. Remove the vanilla pod. Set aside 1/2 cup of the baked rhubarb. Place the rest in a blender and puree until smooth. Once the strawberries have started to release their juice, give them a good stir, place them in a blender, and puree until smooth. Combine the two fruit purees in a mixing bowl and taste. Adjust the flavor with either sugar to sweeten or lime juice to sharpen. Chill the soup in the refrigerator for a couple of hours or overnight. At the same time, place soup bowls in the refrigerator to chill. Divide the soup among the chilled bowls. Garnish with the reserved rhubarb and whole strawberries. Swirl a spoonful of buttermilk over the soup just before serving
1-2/3 cups flour
Mix flour, baking powder and salt in small mixing bowl; set aside. Cream butter, granulated sugar and confectioners' sugar, lemon and lime peels and mint in large mixing bowl. Blend in olive oil and eggs. Stir in flour mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Dip tops in sugar; place on baking sheet, sugared side up. Flatten to 1/8-inch thickness with fork or bottom of drinking glass dipped in granulated sugar. Bake 7 to 11 minutes, or until cookies appear set in center. Carefully remove cookies from pan immediately. Cool on wire rack. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies
This month, we thought we'd give the ladies a few things to chuckle at... And thanks to Susan D. in Tucson for sending these along. One day my housework-challenged husband decided to wash his sweat-shirt. Seconds after he stepped into the laundry room, he shouted to me, "What setting do I use on the washing machine?" "It depends," I replied. "What does it say on your shirt?" He yelled back, " University of Oklahoma .." And they say blondes are dumb... A couple is lying in bed. The man says, "I am going to make you the happiest woman in the world." The woman replies, "I'll miss you..." "It's just too hot to wear clothes today," Jack said as he stepped out of the shower. "Honey, what do you think the neighbors would think if I mowed the lawn like this?" "Probably that I married you for your money," I replied. Q: What do you call an intelligent, good looking, sensitive man? A: A rumor. A man and his wife, now in their 60's, were celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary. On their special day a good fairy came to them and said that because they had been so good that each one of them could have one wish. The wife wished for a trip around the world with her husband. Whoosh! Immediately she had airline/cruise tickets in her hands. The man wished for a female companion 30 years younger... Whoosh...immediately he turned ninety!!! Gotta love that fairy! Q: Why do little boys whine? A: They are practicing to be men. Q: What do you call a handcuffed man? A: Trustworthy. Q: What does it mean when a man is in your bed gasping for breath and calling your name? A: You did not hold the pillow down long enough. Q: Why do men whistle when they are sitting on the toilet? A: It helps them remember which end they need to wipe. Q: How do you keep your husband from reading your e-mail? A: Rename the mail folder "Instruction Manuals" Dear Lord, I pray for Wisdom to understand my man; Love to forgive him; And Patience for his moods. Because, Lord, if I pray for Strength and you grant it, I'll beat him to death. AMEN. Okay, now, ladies. How many of you finished reading those and said to yourself, "Those weren't jokes. I'm married to one of those guys?" Finally, as promised last month, here are more of Julian Beever's fantastic chalk-drawn illusions. Enjoy!
Did a friend or relative tell you about this newsletter? The Backwoods Home Magazine newsletter is free and all you need is an email address so we can let you know when each issue is published and where it can be found. Even better, we sometimes have special offers and discounts that are available only to BHM Newsletter subscribers. Your email address will never be sold, rented, loaned, given, or otherwise provided to any third party. Just visit the BHM web site at www.backwoodshome.com and click on "Newsletter" in the navigation menu on the left side of any web page. Contact Info: Editor/Letters - Dave Duffy, editor@backwoodshome.com
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