It’s Easter time and eggs are in abundance. Do you know how to properly peel a boiled egg? Well, I just read how and I’m willing to share this information. Boil your eggs however you want; add a bit of vinegar, a little lemon juice, a teaspoon of baking soda, or a pinch of salt, because all these additions help make it easier to peel boiled eggs. Slightly older eggs are easier to peel, but it’s hard to plan having old eggs available in your refrigerator. Start with water that’s already boiling. Ahh. This was not what I was taught, but this new article said that slow-cooked egg whites tend to bond with the membrane on the inside of an eggshell, and we don’t want that to happen. Cook for 10-12 minutes, then cool them in an ice bath or a bowl of very cold water for at least five minutes. Set a timer and do not disturb. Once they’re cool enough to handle, fill a clean bowl with room temperature water, and submerge the eggs, then gently start cracking the shells on the edge of the bowl. Gently. Once cracked, the water will help to separate both the membrane and the shell from the egg white, making it easier to peel. Then I want you to finely crush or grind your shells (I leave mine in a box in the garage drying until I have a bunch to work with), then throw them into your compost, or crush into larger pieces and sprinkle them (along with your coffee grounds) around your garden plants to stop crawling bugs and insects like slugs, snails, caterpillars (they don’t like to crawl over the pieces.) A fun and environmentally-friendly way to start your seedlings is to use the larger half pieces of shell, fill them with dirt and garden seeds, then plant the whole thing in the garden when they’re big enough to put out. The shell will eventually decompose, and you have just upcycled something you already had on hand, which is great for the garden. What a deal.
What does Charles Dickens keep in his spice rack? The best of thymes, the worst of thymes.
This was just posted to Instagram: “Bodega was founded on creativity and curiosity; from exotic snacks to creative specials and an ever-changing variety of desserts. Opening a month prior to the Global Pandemic, we are no strangers to perseverance. It was your support that has allowed us to sustain this long. Unfortunately, during the delayed and extended road construction we have experienced a reduction of nearly half our business making it impossible for us to continue. We thank all of you for your continued love and support.” I have told you in this column (several times) that they have the absolute best chicken salad in town. This road construction has been horrible for so many businesses. It was difficult to just get from our cars to the office without eating a lot of dirt. The pandemic was horrible for so many businesses. People think it’s over, but the effects will be with us for a long time. I am very sad to hear this. Be sure to go by before Saturday and tell them thank you. They will be missed. BODEGA – Downtown Lake Jackson. ☹
When you cook, sprinkle your salt from about a foot above your food. Chefs call this technique raining because it distributes the salt more evenly. I say it’s a good way to make a mess in your kitchen. I spilled a container of corn meal last night and I don’t think I will ever be able to get it all out of my grout lines.
When tennis balls are no longer usable, ship them free to RecycleBalls.org. They partner with Wilson Sporting Goods to collect/recycle/reuse by turning them into tennis courts, stucco… Note: Tennis balls, like many things we use each day, do not EVER decompose.
Do you know why tennis balls are now yellow instead of white? When broadcasting in color came into our homes, it was hard to track the balls especially when they fell near the white court lines, so the International Tennis Federation did a study and found that yellow tennis balls were easier for home viewers to see on TV.
RECENT BIRTHDAYS: Many former child actors are included this week. Actor Patricia Arquette is 54. Actor Taran Noah Smith of Home Improvement is 38. Actor Jennie Garth of Beverly Hills 90210 is 50. Actor Nancy McKeon of The Facts of Life is 56. Actor Keshia Knight Pulliam of The Cosby Show is 44. Rudy Huxtable. Actor Kristen Stewart of Twilight is 33. Actor Elle Fanning of Because of Winn-Dixie is 25. Singer Jackie Evancho is 23. Singer-actor AJ Michalka of Aly and AJ is 32. Actor Daisy Ridley of Star Wars is 31. Actor Ricky Schroder is 53. Actor Abigail Breslin of Little Miss Sunshine is 27. Actor Emma Watson of Harry Potter is 33. Singer Agnetha Faltskog of ABBA is 72. (Now I’m going to be humming Dancing Queen all afternoon.) Country singer Pat Green is 50. Rapper-producer Pharrell Williams is 49.
Actor Robert Downey Jr. is 57. Guitarist Izzy Stradlin of Guns N’ Roses is 60. Singer Julian Lennon is 59. Actor Billy Dee Williams of Star Wars is 85. Actor Marilu Henner of Taxi is 70. Actor Paul Rudd is 53. Singer Charlie Thomas of The Drifters is 85. Movie director Francis Ford Coppola is 84. Actor Marsha Mason is 80. The Goodbye Girl. Singer-guitarist John Oates of Hall and Oates is 74. Singer Janis Ian is 71. Actor Jackie Chan is 68. Actor Russell Crowe is 58. Singer Wayne Newton is 80. Singer Tony Orlando is 78. Actor Alec Baldwin is 64. Actor David Hyde Pierce of Frasier is 63. Comedian-actor Eddie Murphy is 61. Singer Leona Lewis is 37. Actor Craig T. Nelson is 78. Talk show host David Letterman is 76. Have you seen My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman, on Netflix? It is really good.
Actor Joel Grey is 91. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1973 for his performance as the Master of Ceremonies in the 1972 film version of Cabaret which also had Liza Minnelli win Best Actress and Bob Fosse win Best Director, although Cabaret lost the Best Picture to The Godfather. For that same role, Grey also won a BAFTA award for The Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles and Best Supporting Actor awards from the Golden Globes, Kansas City Film Critics Circle, National Board of Review of Motion Pictures, National Society of Film Critics, and a Tony Award for his original stage performance six years prior, making him one of only ten people who have won both a Tony Award and an Academy Award for the same role.
NASA named four astronauts – three Americans and one Canadian – one woman, three men, all in their 40’s, who will fly around the moon late next year, then turn around and come right back home. This has never been done before… we have never seen the back side of the moon… the dark side of the moon. This exercise is in preparation of an actual lunar landing taking place one year later. They will be the first to fly NASA’s Orion capsule, with three of the astronauts having lived on the International Space Station. “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
When you are going to ice a cake, put it in the freezer for 30 minutes before. You won’t pick up as many crumbs when you spread the frosting.
If you lightly coat chocolate chips or blueberries with flour before you add them to your batter, they won’t sink to the bottom when cooked. I made muffins last night because I had a few bananas that were on the ripe side. I added shredded coconut, blueberries, a diced apple with the peeling, dried cherries, oatmeal, and then something new…dried powdered beets. Before you wrinkle your nose and think to yourself, “Ew, ugh, eww, clech, ick, yech or gross,” I want you to know that the taste is quite nice. but then again, I love beets. I will use this again… to make my Red Devil breakfast muffins! 😊 Actually, next time I’m going to add cacao powder to give it a little chocolate flavor … especially since chocolate strengthens the heart. At least that’s what I tell myself. Plus, I never seem to have a problem getting rid of my mistakes when I’m cooking.
The Easter egg symbolizes our ability to break out of the hardened, protective shell we’ve surrounded ourselves with that limits our thoughts and beliefs. Siobhan Shaw
Finland has become the 31st member of the NATO security alliance, doubling the length of member states’ borders with Russia. Finland’s white-and-blue flag joined the circle of 30 other flags. It means if Finland were invaded or attacked, all NATO members, including the US, would come to its aid. “One for all and all for one,” said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Finland brings a well-equipped and trained, active armed force of about 30,000, with 250,000 reserves on call.
If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring? Pilgrims.
You heard about the movie, Cocaine Bear, a horror comedy based on the true story of a 175-pound black bear found dead near a duffle bag, a few empty packages, and $2 million in cocaine that had been dropped from a plane by a drug smuggler in 1985. The drug smuggler was a former police officer and lawyer who eventually crashed the plane in Tennessee, with more cocaine and cash. They made a movie and it’s a great success. Well, have you heard of cocaine cat? In January, in Cincinnati, a big wild cat escaped from his owner’s car during a police stop. Responders were able to retrieve 30-pound Amiry from a tree and bring him to a shelter, where a medical team called in an expert (whose credentials include working on the Tiger King case), to identify his species. They suspected he was a serval, a long-legged, big-eared wild cat native to Africa… and illegal to own in Ohio. The medical team took a DNA sample, and he was indeed a serval, and just happened to test positive for cocaine. No, it’s not a movie. Yet. Amiry has been placed with the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden and is acclimating to his new environment. He is young, curious, and eating well, but we sure have a bunch of losers in our midst. I believe we are supposed to take care of the old, the children and the animals.
I have to work with young people today so that we try and raise new generations to look after this poor old planet better than we have, before it’s too late. – Jane Goodall
Times have changed, people. A proposed sexual health bill in Florida could see young girls banned from discussing periods and menstruation in school until 6th grade. The bill is likely to be signed into law by their governor. Times have changed. I did a little research. Obesity in children has tripled in the past 30 years, which could be part of the cause of earlier maturity. Fat cells make estrogen so the more estrogen your body makes, the more female sex hormone you have. Little girls are starting their periods and maturing earlier and earlier. Also mentioned was possible chemical exposure; chemicals found in everything from beauty products to furniture. Pesticides are on so many foods. Food preservatives, soy products, the plastic that lines food cans, plastic food storage containers and eating containers, and maybe even the nonstick coating on your frying pan, along with social and psychological stress. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Women’s Health says that “A girl may start her period anytime between 8 and 15,” which means a little girl could start her period in the third grade. I was still playing with dolls in 6th grade, so times have changed. I know you folks don’t want to talk about this, but the first day of a girl’s period is a pretty scary day, even if you have had the best mom (or dad) in the world that prepared you. Most don’t. Surely some readers remember that day. I know I do. I didn’t have a mom that talked to me. As human beings, we don’t need to talk less about periods and the way a body actually functions, we need to talk MORE. Why are we acting like it’s something we should be ashamed of? It is a life function allowing people to have babies – oh, wait, I forgot. It’s the responsibility of the woman once she gets pregnant. The rules are changing so fast, I’m having a hard time keeping up. ☹ I want you to know that I am feeling very blessed this Easter. I hope you are too.
Lisa
Send comments to Lisa Baker at lisa@thesourceweekly.com
