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   Viewed 68 times - Published on Feb 20, 2010

Birding Bits - Remember Our Feathered Friends








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<b>DONNA'S DAY: CREATIVE FAMILY FUN<br>By Donna Erickson</b><br><br><br>::::start::::What came first: the chicken or the egg? Both of them, in this hearty quiche! It's a twist on the continental classic with the surprising addition of chicken and broccoli. Your kids will want to get in on the action when you let them prepare the easy flaky crust. Yes, easy. Cream cheese is the secret ingredient that makes shaping the dough into the pie pan a breeze. <br>Invite friends over for a late-morning weekend brunch, and serve this unique quiche with fresh cantaloupe slices and your favorite pumpkin or banana bread. You'll have a perfect combination for an easy and tasty meal.<br><br>CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI FAMILY QUICHE<br><br>Ingredients for Easy Crust:<br>1/2 cup butter, softened <br>4 ounces cream cheese, softened<br>1 cup all-purpose flour<br>Pinch of salt<br><br>Place the butter and cream cheese in a large bowl. Add flour and salt. Work together with a pastry blender. Gather the soft dough into a ball with your hands and press into a 9-inch pie pan. This is a perfect job for your child to do. Simply set the ball in the middle of the pan, and press the dough out in all directions to extend slightly over the rim. Flute the edges with fingers. Refrigerate for an hour or more. <br><br>Ingredients for filling:<br>4 eggs<br>3/4 cup half-and-half<br>1/2 teaspoon salt<br>1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, cut or shredded into pieces<br>2 cups frozen, chopped broccoli, cooked and drained well <br>1 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese*<br>1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese*<br>Nutmeg (optional)<br><br>1. Preheat oven to 450 F.<br>2. Beat eggs and mix with the half-and-half and salt in a small bowl. <br>3. Layer chicken, broccoli and cheeses in the pastry-lined pan. Pour egg mixture over the ingredients. Sprinkle nutmeg on top.<br>4. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 F and bake an additional 30 minutes, or until knife inserted comes out clean.<br>5. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Makes one 9-inch quiche cut into 6 servings.<br><br>*Substitute low-fat cheeses, if you prefer. <br><br>Tip: Prepare the crust and put it into the pan the day before. Cover and refrigerate.<br><br><i>Donna Erickson's award-winning series "Donna's Day" is airing on public television nationwide. To find more of her creative family recipes and activities, visit www.donnasday.com and link to the NEW Donna's Day Facebook fan page. Her latest book is "Donna Erickson's Fabulous Funstuff for Families."<br><br>(c) 2010 Donna Erickson<br>Distributed by King Features Synd.</i><br><br> Chicken and Broccoli Quiche for Weekend Brunch
   from Sep 6, 2010



Feed your need for humor in today's not-so-funny world! Each and every week the creator of WebDonuts shares a new view of ourselves and the world around us. Bet you can't read just one!<br><br><img border=0 src=../article-photos/webdonuts1729.jpg hspace=8 vspace=5> WebDonuts: Feed Your Funny Bone
   from Jul 30, 2010



Juicy peaches hot off the grill are perfect with tender seared meat. You'll love this quick and easy recipe that captures the taste of summer without breaking the family's food budget. Give it a try this weekend.<br><br>1 tablespoon curry powder<br>1 tablespoon brown sugar<br>1 tablespoon olive oil<br>1/2 teaspoon salt<br>1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br>1 pinch black pepper<br>1 clove garlic, crushed with garlic press<br>4 (about 5 ounces each) pork loin chops, 3/4-inch thick<br>4 large peaches, each cut in half<br>1/2 cup peach jam, substitute apricot jam or preserves<br>Arugula, for garnish<br><br>1. In cup, stir curry powder, brown sugar, olive oil, salt, cinnamon, pepper and garlic.<br><br>2. With hands, rub both sides of pork chops with curry mixture.<br><br>3. Brush cut side of peach halves and 1 side of chops with some jam. Place peaches, brushed side down, and chops, brushed side up, on grill over medium heat; cook 5 minutes.<br><br>4. Turn chops and peaches over and brush grilled side of chops with some jam; cook 5 minutes longer. Remove peaches from grill when browned and place on platter. Turn chops and brush with remaining jam; cook 2 to 3 minutes longer, until chops are browned on the outside and still slightly pink on the inside. Place chops on platter with peaches; garnish with arugula. Serves four.<br><br>Each serving: About 475 calories, 23g protein, 42g carbohydrate, 24g total fat (8g saturated), 58mg cholesterol, 325mg sodium.<br><br><i>For thousands of triple-tested recipes, visit our Web site at www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipefinder/.<br><br>(c) 2010 Hearst Communications, Inc.<br>All rights reserved</i><br><br>For more recipes, check out our Recipes and Nutrition Weekly Special Section on the homepage (Bottom of red column on right). Our recipe database offers hundreds of delicious recipe options.<br><br>::::second::::<br> Good Housekeeping: Southern Peach Pork Chops
   from Jul 23, 2010



<b>DONNA'S DAY: CREATIVE FAMILY FUN</b><br><l>By Donna Erickson</i><br><br><img border=0 src=../article-photos/summerfun.jpg hspace=8 vspace=5><br><br>::::start::::Summertime offers unique opportunities to enjoy memorable moments outside appreciating nature and spending extra time with family and friends. Here are some get-together ideas and activities to connect with others in the great outdoors, even when the temperatures soar.<br><br><b>ORGANIZE A SUMMER "PICNIC CLUB"</b><br>Set picnic dates with several families to meet at designated parks, nature reserves and/or beaches regularly until the end of summer. Divvy up the food and drinks, and bring snacks, main dishes, salads and beverages to share. <br>For a grand finale, gather on Labor Day weekend in September and enjoy showing pictures and talking about memories of your special times together.<br><br><b>PLAN COOL GAMES TO BEAT THE HEAT</b><br>Whether you're organizing a family reunion, a birthday party picnic or a barbecue at a neighborhood park, summer heat can affect even the best-planned party. <br>To keep everyone smiling, play "Ice Meltdown." Grab some ice cubes from the freezer or a picnic cooler and give one ice cube to each player. See who can melt his or her ice cube first. The ice must be touching the player's body at all times until it's completely melted. But you can't put it in your mouth!<br><br><b>Play "cooperative water balloon</b> volleyball." First, set up a volleyball or badminton net and make some water balloons. To play, toss a water balloon from one side of the net to the player(s) on the other side. The object of the game is to see how many times the water balloon can be thrown over the net without breaking. Or, if you need a little change of pace, play "non-cooperatively" by trying to make the other side miss catching the water balloon. Either way, players are guaranteed to get wet and cool off.<br>Note: Make sure to dispose of all balloon pieces properly.<br><br><b>OUTDOOR STORY TIME</b><br>When young cousins or friends come to visit overnight, enjoy the longer days of sunlight and read favorite children's bedtime stories outside before tucking them all into bed indoors. <br><br><i>Donna Erickson's award-winning series "Donna's Day" is airing on public television nationwide. To find more of her creative family recipes and activities, visit www.donnasday.com and link to the NEW Donna's Day Facebook fan page. Her latest book is "Donna Erickson's Fabulous Funstuff for Families."<br><br>(c) 2010 Donna Erickson<br>Distributed by King Features Synd.</i><br> Donna's Day: Get-Together Ideas for Summer Fun
   from Jul 22, 2010



For sheer unadulterated "messing about on the Internet" what purer form of time wasting than making a Mr Potatoheadesque Picasso painting.<br><br>To try your hand at making your own masterpiece, click <a target=_blank href=http://www.picassohead.com>HERE</a>.<br><br>::::third::::<br><br> Make A Picasso-Style Painting Online
   from Jun 13, 2010



Feed your need for humor in today's not-so-funny world! Each and every week the creator of WebDonuts shares a new view of ourselves and the world around us. Bet you can't read just one!<br><br><br><img border=0 src=../article-photos/webdonuts610.jpg hspace=8 vspace=5><br><br>::::second:::: WebDonuts Comic: Week Of 6-10-2010
   from Jun 13, 2010



<b>DONNA'S DAY: CREATIVE FAMILY FUN</b><br>By Donna Erickson<br><br><img border=0 src=../article-photos/lego.jpg hspace=8 vspace=5><br><br><br><br>::::start::::For the Legomaniac Scott boys and their friends, it was a dream come true when they woke up to the wondrous site of a gigantic Lego truck on the street in front of their house. Ryan, the driver and team member of the "Lego Experience Tour," had no idea how the truck with more than 200 Lego figures emblazoned on its exterior would capture the hearts of the kids when he passed by on the way to set up the exhibit at the Minnesota State Fair.<br><br>With three boys under the age of 8, the Scotts don't actually buy Lego bricks by the truckload, but when Melissa invited me into her sons' "Basement Lego Room" amidst the excitement that morning, I was all smiles. With Lego posters on walls, completed models on shelves and cool projects in process, it's a dynamic gathering place for kids and their creativity.<br> <br>"But we finally had to come to grips with the clutter," said Melissa, as she lifted a bin of wheel parts onto a shelf. "The kids were frustrated when they couldn't find the right piece to complete a project." That's when they decided to sort the zillions of Legos strewn around the house, organize them by color and subject and keep them in one room. See-through plastic bins now house the reds, the grays and the blues, while plastic tackle-box-style containers with dividers store ladders, shields, animals and people.<br> <br>"Now that we've made order out of chaos, they can actually be more creative," she says. "Plus, it makes cleanup less overwhelming at the end of the day."<br><br>Melissa thinks outside the Lego box when it comes to other clever clutter busters. Namely keeping track of electronic gadgets, gizmos and cords that can strangle a family's living space.<br><br>Cell phones, chargers, a camera and even a laptop land in a wide top drawer situated under a kitchen counter top. When a gadget needs charging, it is plugged into a surge protector, which sits in the back of the drawer. A 3-inch hole drilled through the back end of the drawer routes the power-strip cord to an outlet. Brilliant! No more messy cords and no more misplaced phones.<br>Here are more clutter busters:<br><br>- Arrange your child's personal-care items such as hairbrush, barrettes and shampoo in portable plastic caddies or totes with handles. Paint names and decorate the outside. Store in bedrooms or under the bathroom sink.<br><br>- Set a basket at the base of the stairs as a collect-all of everyday stuff such as books, shoes and toys. With just a single trip up the stairs, items may be returned to their proper places.<br><br><i>Donna Erickson's award-winning series "Donna's Day" is airing on public television nationwide. To find more of her creative family recipes and activities, visit www.donnasday.com and link to the NEW Donna's Day Facebook fan page. Her latest book is "Donna Erickson's Fabulous Funstuff for Families."</i><br><br><br><i>(c) 2010 Donna Erickson<br>Distributed by King Features Synd.</i><br><br> Donna's Day: Corral Clutter Creatively
   from Jun 13, 2010



Feed your need for humor in today's not-so-funny world! Each and every week the creator of WebDonuts shares a new view of ourselves and the world around us. Bet you can't read just one!<br><br><br><img border=0 src=../article-photos/webdonuts6-3.jpg hspace=8 vspace=5><br><br>::::second:::: WebDonuts Comic: Week Of 6-3-2010
   from Jun 4, 2010



If you were ever curious about space travel, here is your chance to experience it in real time. This is an ambitious online project backed by the Space Program of John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. The website is divided into 11 stages containing animation, archival photos, video and mission audio that bring Apollo 11 to life.<br><br>To visit the "We Choose The Moon" website, <a target=_blank href=http://www.wechoosethemoon.org/>CLICK HERE</a>.<br><br><br> "We Choose The Moon" Honors Lunar Landing
   from May 29, 2010



<img border=0 src=../article-photos/0531donnas_day.jpg hspace=8 vspace=5><br><br><br><br><b>Send Your Love to Kids at Camp</b><br><br>::::start::::If you are sending your child to summer camp for the first time, you may be experiencing the conflicting emotions reminiscent of that day years ago when the same child boarded the yellow school bus for kindergarten. It's another one of those "letting go" milestones that catches parents off guard.<br><br>While checking off your lists and helping your child pack his duffel bag with the standard camp fare of T-shirts, underwear, swimsuit, pj's, jeans, sneakers, bug spray, a camera, flashlight and extra socks, you may find yourself jolted. "Wait a minute! Is this child really ready for a seven-day, six-night camp experience in the wild?"<br><br>Or, perhaps more accurately, are you ready?<br><br>That's the moment you'll want to tuck in some addressed envelopes or postcards, stamps and a pen in a little bag hoping he will send back his version of time away.<br>Even more, it's the campers who love to receive mail and thoughts from home.<br> <br><b>Here are some tips for keeping in touch:</b><br>- Write and send a note or two to your child's camp two days before he leaves home. Your child will be ecstatic when he hears his name at mail call the first day of camp. <br>- If you child is a baseball fan, remember to send clippings of box scores of games they are missing.<br>- Maybe your child is celebrating a birthday while away. Surprise her with extra fun mini gifts packaged in a plastic bottle! Fill a large, wide-mouthed water bottle with a screw on cap with clever items your child will enjoy: balloons, stickers, mini flashlight, beads, string, rubber balls, lip gloss, rubber spiders and critters to tuck under unsuspecting friends' and counselors' pillows!<br> <br>For a personal touch, find a photo from a previous birthday and cut it into puzzle shapes for your child to put together. Tape the lid with packing tape after you have screwed it on tightly to ensure that it stays closed. Label it clearly, have it weighed by your postal clerk for correct postage and send it off.<br> <br><b>Extra "greetings in a bottle" ideas:</b> <br>- Celebrate the birth of a new baby by sending a sturdy plastic baby bottle filled with a card and small items such as a small fork and spoon, bib and pacifier. <br>- Throwing a backyard party or planning a family reunion? Send a lightweight recycled plastic water bottle filled with confetti and the invitation.<br><br><i>Donna Erickson's award-winning series "Donna's Day" is airing on public television nationwide. To find more of her creative family recipes and activities, visit www.donnasday.com and link to the NEW Donna's Day Facebook fan page. Her latest book is "Donna Erickson's Fabulous Funstuff for Families."</i><br><br>::::third::::<br><br> New Donna's Day Craft Project:
   from May 29, 2010



Feed your need for humor in today's not-so-funny world! Each and every week the creator of WebDonuts shares a new view of ourselves and the world around us. Bet you can't read just one!<br><br><img border=0 src=../article-photos/webdonuts334.jpg hspace=8 vspace=5><br><br> WebDonuts Comic: Week Of 5-27-2010
   from May 29, 2010



<b>DONNA'S DAY: CREATIVE FAMILY FUN<br>By Donna Erickson</b><br><br><img border=0 src=../article-photos/donnas_day415.jpg hspace=8 vspace=5><br><br><br>::::start::::If a flu or cold bug has invaded your house this winter, you know firsthand how the family routine is instantly thrown out of sync. All it takes is one sick child on a weekday morning, and the telephone is abuzz as you frantically rearrange work schedules and piano lessons, request homework assignments and try desperately to find the pediatrician's phone number.<br><br>But once the initial crisis has passed and your child starts perking up, it's nice to offer unqualified TLC to cheer him up. Here are some get-well ideas for recuperating kids:<br><br>--Misery loves company. Dress up and accessorize your child's favorite teddy bear using items that show he also is feeling under the weather: a compress on his forehead; a snuggly sweater to keep warm; a small, cuddly plush toy to hold in his paw; and a special book to read over and over.<br> <br>--Serve snacks and simple meals to your child in a muffin tin. Place the juice cup and food items in the individual compartments for an easy-to-handle meal.<br><br>--As your child's appetite improves, tempt the taste buds beyond chicken noodle soup and soda crackers. Make simple menus on index cards that include a variety of healthy foods to choose from. Leave a space after each item, and let your child check off the choices of juice, cereal, pasta, fruit, etc.<br><br>--If your child orders toast or a sandwich, turn it into a smiling face by cutting the edges to form a circle. Arrange raisins, banana slices and pretzels on top to make the face. If your child has chickenpox, humor him with a few red-hot candies dotting the portrait.<br><br><u>Health Tip:</u> When your child must cough, teach him to bend his arm in front of him toward the opposite shoulder. Then cough into the crease of his arm at the elbow.<br><br><br><i>Donna Erickson's award-winning television series "Donna's Day" airs on public television nationwide. Visit www.donnasday.com to find out when it airs on your local PBS station and to sign up for Donna's e-newsletter.<br><br>(c) 2010 Donna Erickson<br>Distributed by King Features Synd.</i><br><br> Donna's Day: Perk Up Your Child on a Sick Day
   from Apr 14, 2010



Feed your need for humor in today's not-so-funny world! Each and every week the creator of WebDonuts shares a new view of ourselves and the world around us. Bet you can't read just one!<br><br><img border=0 src=../article-photos/webdonuts325.jpg hspace=8 vspace=5><br><br><br><br> WebDonuts Comic: Week Of 3-25-2010
   from Mar 26, 2010



Feed your need for humor in today's not-so-funny world! Each and every week the creators of WebDonuts share a new view of ourselves and the world around us. Bet you can't read just one!<br><br><img border=0 src=../article-photos/webdonuts3-4.jpg hspace=8 vspace=5><br><br> WebDonuts Comic: Week Of 3-4-2010
   from Mar 5, 2010



<img border=0 src=../article-photos/webdonuts225.jpg hspace=8 vspace=5><br><br> WebDonuts Comic: Week Of 2-25-10
   from Feb 26, 2010



Want to visit Boston while enjoying your morning coffee? Or see Niagra Falls on your lunch break? This website is a great resource for webcams from all over America. View (in real time) city skylines, landmarks, and more by clicking <a target=_blank href=http://www.wxnation.com/supersites/>HERE</a>. Take A Trip: Webcams From All Over America
   from Feb 20, 2010



<img border=0 src=../article-photos/webdonuts218.jpg hspace=8 vspace=5><br><br> WebDonuts Comic: Week Of 2-18-10
   from Feb 20, 2010



<b>Discover Winter Fun in Great Outdoors</b><br><br>::::start::::When the forecast calls for rain, sleet, snow or frigid sub-zero temps like we've experienced lately in Minnesota, don't let old man winter keep you inside. Try something new with your kids that you'll never forget. Like ice fishing!<br> <br>That's exactly what Meg Bertas, mom of 3-year-old Julian and 5-year-old Sylvie, decided to do a couple of weeks ago. Lured by a "Winter Kite Festival" on a frozen metro lake, they went out in the single-digit temps to be part of the scene. And what a winter wonderland it was! Pint-sized anglers tried their luck ice fishing for perch through a foot of ice drilled out for them by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in the 20-foot-deep waters, scores of others flew spectacular, colorful kites into the sunny skies, while toddlers, who were bundled up from head to toe, grinned from ear to ear on their sleds as their parents pulled them across the bumpy snow.<br><br><br><img border=0 src=../article-photos/donna211.jpg hspace=8 vspace=5><br><br><br>"Hibernation isn't an option this time of year," said Meg as she patiently untangled her kids' fishing lines that were dangling in a 10-inch-wide hole in the ice. "It's important to remember there's community outside the four walls of our house, and lots to explore even when it's cold outside."<br> <br>Whether you're in the snowy north or fairer temps in the South, cure the winter blahs by trying something new with your kids. Top off the outing with a simple meal when you get home, and if there is still energy to spare, play a card game or board game by the fireplace in your pjs, and you will have made a special day of it.<br>Here are some ideas:<br><br>--Getting out the door doesn't have to take a lot of planning. It can be as easy as walking to the neighborhood bakery, visiting the library and checking out a week's supply of reading, or meeting another family for a favorite activity.<br><br>--For something novel, blow bubbles in the freezing air. Watch them bounce and sparkle. Take a night walk with flashlights or cross-country ski with older kids under a full moon for a wild adventure.<br> <br>--Check online for free and reasonably priced events at your local park, regional nature center or arboretum. It's important to get kids to experience the changes of seasons in different venues, and wintertime provides fun new discoveries of plant and wildlife.<br><br>--Teach your child something that you enjoyed doing as kid, and rediscover that joy when you are together. Build a snow fort, snowshoe, ice skate, hike, take photos of outdoor scenes and people, or build a campfire and toast marshmallows. <br><br><i>Donna Erickson's new award-winning TV series "Donna's Day" airs on public television nationwide. Visit www.donnasday.com to find out when it airs on your local PBS station and to sign up for Donna's e-newsletter. Her latest book is "Donna Erickson's Fabulous Funstuff for Families."<br><br>(c) 2010 Donna Erickson<br>Distributed by King Features Synd.</i><br><br> Donna's Day: Fun Family Activities For Winter
   from Feb 13, 2010



<img border=0 src=../article-photos/webdonuts211.jpg hspace=8 vspace=5><br> WebDonuts Comics: Week Of 2-11-2010
   from Feb 13, 2010



<img border=0 src=../article-photos/webdonuts24.jpg hspace=8 vspace=5><br><br> WebDonuts Comic: Week Of 2-4-2010
   from Feb 6, 2010


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