The holiday hustle is fast approaching. Are you trying to create that perfectly decorated and spot-free house and also prepare an elaborate meal for your family and friends? Why not have potluck?
Is gift giving becoming a chore? Are your expectations realistic? Are you dreading the thought of going further into debt? To help in assessing your situation ask yourself:
- What do you want your holiday season to be like?
- Where do you want to be – at home or away from it all?
- What is needed to make your holidays satisfying?
- Who will bring you happiness?
Read Also
Canada’s rural crime problem far from fixed
Farmers on the Prairies are worried about crime rates and safety, but an effective approach to meaningfully reduce rural crime remains out of reach so far.
Christmas shopping tips
- Plan ahead. Set a realistic budget and stick to it. Make a gift list to avoid impulse buys that may be inappropriate or too expensive.
- Before making a purchase, ask the merchant about its refund and exchange policy. A store is not obligated to accept items for refund, exchange or credit unless the item is defective or was misrepresented.
- Know your rights when placing orders through catalogues, mail order, TV or shopping networks. Additional information on mail and telephone order shopping is available from the Federal Trade Commission, www.ftc.gov. Ask about delivery times, delivery costs and how returns are handled. Contact the Better Business Bureau to obtain a report on the company.
- If you are shopping on the internet and are not familiar with the online merchant or company, again, contact your Better Business Bureau at www.bbbonline.org for a report. Know the website’s privacy policy before you place an order. If you are not comfortable entering your credit or charge card account number online, phone the company or get a prepaid credit card with a low limit to reduce the amount you could lose in event of fraud.
- Give, but give wisely. If you are approached in person for a donation, do not give if you are pressured. If the solicitor is vague ask for written information to review. If the appeal is legitimate, your donation will be just as appreciated after the holidays as before.
Check with the Wise
Giving Alliance, www.give.org, for additional advice on charities, for additional advice on charities.
Source: Council of Better Business Bureaus.
Love chocolate?
Numerous studies have linked dark chocolate with health benefits including lower blood pressure and cholesterol, reduced blood clot risk, improved blood vessel function and helping cells use glucose more efficiently.
The most recent study published in July found that a small 6.3 gram serving of dark chocolate per day, only 30 calories worth, lowered blood pressure in people with hypertension or high blood pressure.
What was interesting about this study was that it showed it took only a small amount to get a drop in blood pressure. A 6.3 gram serving is a little less than two Hershey’s Kisses. Previously it was reported that a daily dose of 100 grams of dark chocolate, 400 calories worth, lowered blood pressure.
Unfortunately, we cannot get the same effects with other chocolate. Dark chocolate’s heart healthy effects are thought to be due to the action of flavonoids, natural compounds in cocoa beans that give dark chocolate its bittersweet taste. Dark chocolate has a high concen-tration of flavonoids. Milk chocolate contains fewer because it’s diluted with milk, and white chocolate contains none.
Orange chicken rice bake
1/2 cup frozen 125 mL
orange juice concentrate,
partially thawed
1 10 oz. can condensed 284 mL
low-fat cream of mushroom
soup
1 cup low-fat milk 250 mL
3/4 cup uncooked 175 mL
converted rice
1/2 teaspoon garlic 2 mL
powder
1/8 teaspoon each salt 0.5 mL
and pepper
2 cups mix of sliced 500 mL
red and green pepper strips
4-6 boneless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon chopped 15 mL
fresh parley
Set two tablespoons (25 mL) orange juice concentrate aside. Mix soup, remaining juice concentrate, milk, rice, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a two quart (two litre) baking dish. Spread evenly with peppers. Top with chicken and sprinkle with parsley. Cover and bake at 400 F (200 C) for 50 minutes or until chicken is cooked and rice is fluffy. Remove cover and brush chicken with remaining orange
juice concentrate.
Pumpkin angel cake
I acquired this recipe a few years ago. It is so easy and good that it has replaced pumpkin pie at our house.
1 cup canned pumpkin 250 mL
1 teaspoon vanilla 5 mL
extract
1/2 teaspoon each 2 mL
ground cinnamon and
nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground 1 mL
cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground 0.5 mL
ginger
1 package (16 oz.) white
angel food cake mix
whipped topping or whipped
cream
additional ground cinnamon,
optional
Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Fold a fourth of the batter into pumpkin mixture; gently fold in the remaining batter. Gently spoon into an ungreased 10 inch (25 cm) tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets.
Bake on the lowest oven rack for 40 minutes or until top is golden brown and cake springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert pan; cool completely, about one hour.
Run a knife around side and centre tube of pan. Put cake on a serving plate. Garnish each slice with one tablespoon (15 mL) whipped topping; sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired.
Cranberry dessert
If pumpkin is not your thing, try this glistening dessert. It is sure to be a hit at your Christmas potluck. The color is so rich and seasonal.
2 packages (85 g each)
cranberry gelatin
11/2 cups boiling water 375 mL
1 16 oz. can whole 500 g
berry cranberry sauce
11/2 cups cold water 375 mL
11/2 cups graham 375 mL
cracker crumbs
1/2 cup sugar, divided 125 mL
1/2 cup butter, melted 125 mL
1 package cream 259 g
cheese, softened
1 carton (500 mL) frozen
whipped topping, thawed,
divided
1 10 oz. can mandarin 284 mL
oranges, drained
In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Stir in cranberry sauce and cold water until blended.
Refrigerate for 45 minutes or until partially set.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup (60 mL) sugar and butter. Press into an ungreased 13 x 9 inch (33 x 22 cm) pan. Refrigerate until set.
In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and remaining 1/4 cup (60 mL) of sugar until smooth. Fold in half of the whipped topping. Spread over crust. Fold oranges into gelatin mixture; spoon over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate for four hours or until firm. Cut into squares; dollop with remaining whipped topping. Yield: 12 servings.
Source: Taste of Home.
Holiday innovation
For our annual Christmas draw, we invite you to tell us about any change in how you celebrate the holidays. Is it becoming less complicated? Do you now share your children with in-laws? Are you spending less on gifts and giving more time? Is your menu preparation simplified?
For a chance to win a prize, send in your story along with your name and address to: Team Resources, Box 2500, Saskatoon, Sask. S7K 2C4 or contact team@producer.com.
The prizes include a silicone Christmas tree-shaped food mould from MaryAnn Barnett of Prairie House Kitchens Ltd. and five cookbooks from The Western Producer entitled A Taste of Christmas: A Treasury of Holiday Recipes, Menus, Customs, Crafts and Gift-Giving Ideas written by Jacquie Schmit, Eileen Mandryk and Jo Wuth.
Along with each cookbook will go a pair of woolen Western Producer flip flap mittens. We have a variety of Norwex cloths for cleaning without chemicals, a Saskatchewan Pulse Growers’ cookbook and a Tupperware item.
Jodie Mirosovsky is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and one of four columnists comprising Team Resources. Send correspondence in care of this newspaper, Box 2500, Saskatoon, Sask., S7K 2C4 or contact them at team@producer.com.
