April, 2010
Having fun with Facebook
Times are a changing here at the Cruisers. We are now interacting with our guests on a daily basis via facebook. As Cruiser, I am allowed time every day to be on facebook at work! Not a bad gig. We are constantly giving away free stuff to our fans! Craig (who refuses to email) loves facebook! This Tuesday we are giving away a FREE buffet to all our facebook fans! We never know what we will do on facebook but so far we have been having lots of fun with it. I would love to hear some ideas from Maranda’s crowd on what more we can do on facebook for our fans. Any ideas?
MILLION-DOLLAR WINNER!
On April 12 I was lucky enough to attend the Pillsbury Bake-Off® Contest in Orlando Florida. It is truly an amazing event – imagine 100 finalists cooking at 100 ranges all in one big room. These home cooks worked hard and it made me nervous just to watch them try to win the grand prize of 1 million dollars! The Pillsbury Bake-Off® is held every two years and this year there was a new twist. The winner was officially announced on the Oprah Winfrey show on April 14th. Can you imagine being on Oprah and winning a million dollars? I would have fainted!
Sue Compton reacts after Oprah Winfrey announces the Delanco, N.J. woman’s recipe for Mini Ice Cream Cookie Cups as the grand prize winner of the 44th Pillsbury Bake-Off® Contest Wed., April 14, live on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” Compton receives a $1 million prize and a GE Profile™ Induction Free-Standing Range and $7,000 worth of GE Profile™ kitchen appliances.
Sue’s recipe is an easy make-ahead recipe that will make a fun and impressive dessert for any spring or summer gathering.
Mini Ice Cream Cookie Cups
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Start to Finish: 45 minutes
1 package (16 oz) Pillsbury® Ready to Bake!™ refrigerated sugar cookies (24 cookies)
4 teaspoons sugar
1/3 cup Fisher® Chef’s Naturals® Chopped Walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup Hershey’s® semi-sweet chocolate baking chips
1/4 cup Smucker’s® Seedless Red Raspberry Jam
1 1/2 cups vanilla bean ice cream, softened
24 fresh raspberries
Fifth Third Junior!
It’s time for Fifth Third Junior! Join Maranda at Rogers High School on Wednesday, May 7 for a special race just for kids.
Maranda’s Family Fun Update
Here are some fun family events happening around West Michigan this weekend…..Where You Live!
Tulip Time
Saturday, May 1 through Saturday, May 8
Downtown Holland
www.tuliptime.com
This Dutch festival kicks off Saturday with fireworks at Kollen Park. The week will include parades, klompen dancing, children’s events, entertainment and of course, tulips!
Butterflies are Blooming
Final day is Friday, April 30
Frederik Meijer Gardens – Grand Rapids
www.meijergardens.org
Friday is the last day to see the butterflies at the gardens. Bring the kids and walk through the conservatory filled with over 40 species of butterflies.
Girls Gather at the Greenhouse
Friday, April 30 from 5-8pm
Koetsier’s Greenhouse – Grand Rapids
www.koetsiers.com
Ladies – come out and sample great food and shop over 30 local vendors. Cost is $5 per person and proceeds go to purchase cribs for the Pregnancy Resource Center.
Writing for the Real World!
Ionia County educators recently brought together junior high students from schools throughout the district for a “Writing Workshop”. I had the honor of speaking to the students and had a total blast! We talked about ways to tell a story, the importance of accuracy and the power of the written word. I was incredibly impressed with their desire to be good writers. I asked the students to write brief re-caps of our time together and here’s a few of the things they shared, “We students have a passion for writing. It’s amazing how our minds are exploding with ideas!” shared Danielle of Belding Middle School. Alex of Lakewood Middle School commented, “We have a beautiful picture of young teens at the “Writers Workshop”. Stars of the future!” I loved how 7th grader Brianna from Lakewood Middle School described the workshop, “The cream of the crop was ready for a creative day. Writing to their hearts content, what do they have to say?” Students have so much to say-let’s take the time to listen!
It’s Time for Michigan Asparagus!
Did you know that Michigan ranks third in the nation for Asparagus production producing up to 25 million pounds annually! Oceana County, around Hart and Shelby, is the area with the greatest volume of production but there is also substantial production in SW Michigan between South Haven and Benton Harbor. Michigan growers harvest approximately 11,000 acres of asparagus annually. That’s amazing!
Michigan, asparagus is harvested for a six – seven week period from late April or early May through mid to late June so make sure you get to the store to buy some. The total annual value of the Michigan asparagus crop is estimated at $15,000,000 so your purchase is not only good for you, it’s also good for Michigan’s economy!
Asparagus Facts:
-Asparagus is a member of the Lily family.
-Under ideal conditions, an asparagus spear can grow 10” in a 24-hour period.
-Asparagus is a nutrient-rich food which is high in Folic Acid and a good source of potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C and thiamin.
-The NuVal score of Asparagus is 100! That’s as high as you can get!
Delicious Asparagus Recipes:
Pesto Chicken Pasta – This one-dish meal makes dinnertime easy.
8 ounces Mejier uncooked farfalle (bow tie) pasta
2 cups cut-up fresh or frozen Michigan asparagus
3 cups (12 ounces) cubed, cooked chicken
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1 (2.25-ounce) can sliced ripe olives, well drained
3/4 cup prepared pesto sauce
3 tablespoons freshly shredded or grated Romano cheese
- Cook pasta according to package directions; rinse and drain.
Steam or microwave asparagus until tender crisp. Drain. - Combine cooked pasta and asparagus in a large bowl. Stir in chicken, tomatoes, onion and olives. Gently toss with pesto sauce. Serve warm, garnished with cheese. Refrigerate leftovers; they make a great lunch.
Makes 6 servings.
Note: 1 (14.5-ounce) can Michigan asparagus cuts and tips, well drained, can be substituted for fresh or frozen asparagus in this recipe. Heat asparagus for 1 to 2 minutes in a microwave before combining with cooked pasta.
Balance: Giving yourself a slice of the pie
A few blog entries back, I mentioned that striving for balance includes giving attention to how various aspects of our lives—work, family, friends/community, and self–fit together in such a way that is stable, sustainable, and meaningful.
I want to pass along an exercise that I’ve used in my own life as well as in my work with clients that can be helpful in this process of striving for balance. It’s called The Time Pie (credit to Alice Domar PhD), and is a way for you to identify how you can care for yourself in order to give more fully to your responsibilities.
Giving to your work, to your family, friends, and community from a full self instead of an exhausted and depleted self helps lay the groundwork for you to be able to give well, without bitterness or resentment, but instead with an open heart and greater joy.
Reduce, Reuse & Recycle at Goodwill
Recycling clothing is a great way to be green. Whether you’re donating items you no longer need or purchasing used to save money, you’re doing your part to help the planet.
Top 10 Items You Can Donate
One of the ways that people can be environmentally responsible is by donating to Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids. Here are the top 10 items that people might now realize you can donate:
1 - Televisions (working and non-working)
2 - Computers and Electronics
3 - Old Cell Phones
4 - Used Ink Toner & Cartridges
5 - Clothing with Rips, Holes or Stains
6 - Miscellaneous Electronic Equipment
7 - Old Toys & Stuffed Animals
8 - Outdated Clothes
9 - Silverware & Dishes
10 - Belts, Ties & Jewelry
For a donation site near you visit www.goodwillgr.org.
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