The word “Quiche” produces a lot of snickering from men because quiche seems to be something served at uncomfortable restaurants where the little frilly chairs are crushed into corners for intimate talks. I mean quiche doesn’t seem to go with hard hats and cowboy boots. Face it; quiche is pretty feminine.

It also makes kids turn up their noses and call, “Foul ball!”

But once the initial taste test is done, most people who like scrambled eggs love quiche. Quiche is a lot like swamp soup – quiche is the place for leftovers.

The nice thing about quiche is, it’s an anytime meal because you nearly always have the ingredients to make it without going to the store.

The crust is simple: 2 cups flour; 1/2 cup fat; a little salt and enough (4 TBSP) boiling water to make pie crust. Mix in a food processor, roll out, fill the biggest pie plate you have and the rest is about as easy as watching TV.

Now for the insides! What’s good in a quiche? Anything left over. Last night I used a lot of mushrooms, broccoli, cheese cubes, a pound of bacon and six ounces of shredded cheese.

But any thing left over will do. Lunch meat, last week’s roast, cooked bacon, a blade of ham cubed or ground, cheese, veggies of any kind, even a layer of spaghetti sauce will make a fine quiche.

You just fill the pie plate with anything you’ve got.

The egg part is easy. Take four, five or six eggs and mix them with milk like you are making scrambled eggs. Pour into the crust over the fillers, and then top with grated cheese or shredded cheese and bake for about forty-five minutes.

Tip: You’ll get a man to eat this if there is a lot of meat like bacon or ham. Kids will eat a plainer stock – just eggs and cheese.

Quiche can be made for individual tastes in cute little single serve pie pans or muffin tins. For quick dinners, buy store bought mini pie crusts, line them up on the counter and make each one different, bake and serve.

It’s marvelously nutritious if you make the crust from scratch with whole wheat pastry flour.

Has anyone tried this? Got this from Edith. Think it will work?

ZIP LOCK BAG – Good tip!

We went with friends to Sweety Pies on Sunday for breakfast and sat in the patio section beside the house. We happened to notice zip lock baggies pinned to a post and a wall. The bags were half filled with water, each contained 4 pennies, and they were zipped shut. Naturally we were curious! Ms. Sweety told us that these baggies kept the flies away! So naturally we were even more curious! We actually watched some flies come in the open window, stand around on the window sill, and then fly out again. And there were no flies in the eating area! This morning I checked this out on Google. Below are comments on this fly control idea. I’m now a believer!

Zip-lock water bags

Ann Says:
I tried the ziplock bag and pennies this weekend.. I have a horse trailer. The flies were bad while I was camping. I put the baggie with pennies above the door of the LQ. NOT ONE FLY came in the trailer. The horse trailer part had many. Not sure why it works but it does!

Lots in the hopper this week. We accomplished some good reading and writing work, and incorporated some painting into the mix. The children are all very accomplished in what they can do. We noticed a lot of creativity and nice handwriting this week. The portfolios the children are making are getting big and stuffed. These portfolios will go home with the child on awards day. Please be patient with us.

Isaac is reading “My Father’s Dragon” which is a third or fourth grade level book. Worked on a word bingo, and Jasmin was our winner. Isaac did well and Emily did very well too.

We had two births in the pet room this week. We had guinea pigs born – eight. If anyone would like a young pig, we have four to give away. Guinea pigs are herd animals and need to go in pairs or they die of loneliness. Guinea pigs do not need to be caged. They are delightful in a small corner bricked in with three levels of bricks. They don’t climb. They eat anything but potatoes and require a little grain. They are really nice little animals.

This week we had a little to do about wearing shorts. Shorts are mandatory for school during the hot weather. It is unsafe and hygienically unsound for children to wear winter clothes during hot and sultry days – no matter what the children prefer. To pass out or become over heated or dehydrated for “a child’s taste in clothes” is a big NO at school.

Summer is quickly upon us. Please remember to get your summer fees in soon.

Have a great weekend!

From Food Navigator

Avoid potential carcinogens in food, suggests government panel

By Caroline Scott-Thomas, 10-May-2010

Comment: An interesting idea. As we move farther from “store boughts” and prepared food, I feel better about what I put on the table for children. It doesn’t always take a lot of work. Fresh is easier to prepare than de-frosting and opening a can.

Related topics: Organics, Food safety, Financial & Industry, Food safety and labeling

A new report from the President’s Cancer Panel has raised concerns about the levels of potential environmental carcinogens, including pesticide residues on conventionally grown food.

These included choosing foods grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers and washing conventionally grown foods before consumption; eating free-range meat to avoid exposure to antibiotics, growth hormones and toxic run-off from feed lots; avoiding processed, charred and well-done meats; microwaving food in glass or ceramic containers instead of plastic; and drinking filtered tap water instead of bottled water.

However, the American Cancer Society has criticized the report, saying that it overstates the risks.

An epidemiologist for the Cancer Society Dr. Michael Thun said in a statement that the report was “unbalanced by its implication that pollution is the major cause of cancer, and by its dismissal of cancer prevention efforts aimed at the major known causes of cancer…as “focused narrowly.””

He also said that the report’s conclusion – that the effect of pollution has been “grossly underestimated” – is provocative in that it restates one side of an ongoing scientific debate as though it were fact.

However, he added that the Cancer Society does agree with some of the main points of the report, namely, that there are too many synthetic chemicals in the food chain, that many have not been adequately tested, and that children could be more susceptible to harm.

Good Morning!

It’s another weird weather week. Today cooler, but by Thursday it’s going to be 87. So please watch what the kids wear.

This week our focus is on reading and writing. It’s our exam week. The children will write, write, write, and read, read, read this week. We are making a portfolio for our Awards Day celebration on the 28. Parents will receive a folder of their best work on that day.

No field trips this week. We will be at school the entire week.

Please watch for pink eye, and strep. These two things are going around at a rampant rate. Please remember that strep does not always go with a fever or even a sore throat. It can go undetected because the only symptoms can be a restless and poorly behaved child. If your child is particularly “strange” and you can’t put a finger on it, you might look into his mouth to see what is going on in his throat. If you are suspicious, please take him in. My grandson was one of these kids, and the strep ended up in his kidneys.

Lunch this week includes spaghetti, pork roast, pizza, chicken quesadillas, and picnic weather permitting. There is a good chance for rain every day this week.

We put in two new plum trees where it floods in the parking lot. Mr. Terry and I have a bet about those trees. If you are reading this and ask about the bet, your child will get a treasure box pass.

Have a great week!

While my delightful daughter, Annie, was home for the weekend from Chicago, we decided on the spur of the moment to make shish kabob. We purchased about $3.00 worth of beef end cuts, and $4.00 worth of boneless chicken breasts, onions, green pepper, and giant mushrooms. It was a simple shish, and we decided that it would be an easy dinner, so a lot of the things you “could” have put on the skewer, we left off for the sake of ease.

Anne picked up a bottle of Italian dressing already made. If it had been my choice, I would have used a homemade marinade. The Italian dressing played two parts: it gave the meat great flavor, and it also tenderized the meat.

With a sharp knife, I cut the meat into pieces about 1.5 inches thick. I sliced the green peppers into long wide pieces, and I cubed the onions. The mushrooms I left whole.

Onto the skewers in patterns, I placed all the meat and vegetables. We popped the filled skewers into a 9 x13 pan and poured the salad dressing over the top and baked them for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

We served this with plain brown rice and asparagus.

This is a wonderful bake, broil, barbecue kind of dinner. It’s easy, and cheap to make. It would work with fish, ham, left overs, pork, bacon, and any kind of vegetable that doesn’t break being put on the skewer. Don’t forget the marinade.

A good marinade involves sweet, sour, salty and something to bind. I usually use a base of ketchup (about 3 tablespoons) soy sauce( 1/4 cup) pepper, olive oil (1/4 cup) , balsamic vinegar(1/4) cup , and garlic.

At school I use a lot of brown sugar and ketchup and fruit juice to marinade. I add oil, pepper and salt.

Have a great Mother’s Day!

From The National Institute for Early Education Research (www.nieer.org), a unit of the Graduate School of Education, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, supports early childhood education policy by providing objective, nonpartisan information based on research. NIEER is supported through grants from The Pew Charitable Trusts and others.

Comment: Got this from a distributor and thought it was interesting. Of course when you do it yourself, cuts are not involved. As an independent program, we won’t suffer.

“Recession Hits State Preschool Programs; More Cuts Expected Annual Survey Shows Drop in Spending Per Child“

Washington, May 4 – Preschool-age children across the country are feeling the impact of the recession as states cut back on early education programs, according to the annual survey of state-funded preschool programs.

“We are seeing a pause in the rapid increase in state preschool programs that we have seen in the last several years,” said W. Steven Barnett, co-director of the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) at Rutgers University and author of the report, The State of Preschool 2009. “In some states enrollment has been cut back to the lowest levels in many years. Other states have cut funding and quality.

“The immediate future of pre-K seems much more perilous than past trends might suggest,” Barnett said. “State budgets will more fully bear the brunt of the recession in 2010 and 2011.” Looking ahead, one state, New Mexico, already has cut pre-K spending for 2011 and cuts are being considered in 11 states including Florida, Illinois, Wisconsin, New York and Arizona. In Arizona, the program may be eliminated. More cuts may be coming as state legislatures cope with budget shortfalls.

Barnett called on the Obama administration to provide incentives to encourage states to improve and expand preschool programs. “Mr. President, as a candidate you promised to guarantee access to quality, affordable, early childhood education for every child in America. Now is the time to keep that promise. A $1 billion challenge fund for preschool education, if matched dollar for dollar by the states, could increase enrollments in quality preschools by nearly a half million children,” Barnett said.

NIEER released its report at a news conference that focused on the impact of the recession on young children. Participating with Barnett were Marci Young, a project director with the Pew Center on the States, and Julia B. Isaacs, The Child and Family Policy Fellow at the Brookings Institution.

Young expressed concern for struggling state programs. “As findings in the NIEER Yearbook underscore, state-funded prekindergarten programs are facing increased challenges,” Young said. “If we want to improve our schools, Congress should add funds and incentives into the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to build on state investments and strengthen pre-K’s proven ability to prepare children for success in school and in life.”

“My recent estimate is that nearly one in seven American children, or more than 10 million children, are living with an unemployed parent,” Isaacs said. Citing studies by colleagues at Brookings, she said the recession may increase the number of children living in poverty by 5 million.

The NIEER survey ranks all states for the 08-09 school year on enrollment in state-funded preschool programs and the amount states spent per child, and reports how many of NIEER’s 10 quality benchmarks a state met.

The report showed that the average amount states spent per child, when adjusted for inflation, declined from $4,179 in 2008 to $4,143 in 2009, ending an upward trend. Real spending per child declined in 24 of 38 states with programs.

Total enrollment and spending increased, but not in every state. In nine states—Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri and Oklahoma— the percentage of children enrolled actually declined. And 12 states—Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming—provided no state-funded preschool programs.

Other key findings showed modest growth in some areas and vast discrepancies between states:

· Enrollment nationally increased by more than 81,000. More than 1.2 million children attended state-funded preschool education, over 1 million at age 4.

· Total funding for state Pre-K rose to more than $5 billion. The increase in state funding was $446 million, about half the increase of the previous year.

· Twenty-three of 38 states with state-funded preschool failed to meet NIEER benchmarks for teacher qualifications and 26 failed to meet the benchmark for assistant teacher qualifications.

· Six states had programs that met fewer than half of the benchmarks for quality standards. States failing to meet most benchmarks included three of the four states with the largest number of children —California, Texas, and Florida.

· Texas sets no maximum class sizes or limits on staff-child ratios. California and Maine limit staff-child ratios but not class size. Most other states limited classes to 20 or fewer children with a teacher and an assistant.

· Oklahoma remained the only state where almost every child had the opportunity to attend a quality preschool education program at age 4.

· Oklahoma was rated as the leader of the top 10 states in the country followed by Arkansas, West Virginia, New Jersey, Maryland, Georgia, North Carolina, Illinois, Louisiana and Tennessee. The top 10 ranking is based on enrollment, quality standards, funding adequacy, and evidence of program effectiveness.

· Enrollment of 3-year-olds continued to rise, though in very small numbers. Illinois, Vermont and New Jersey were clear leaders in serving children at age 3.

“With more families facing economic hardship, publicly supported preschool is more important than ever,” Barnett said. He cited new research published in the journal Child Development showing that low family income has disproportionately more negative effects on preschool-age children than on older children and adolescents. Those effects include higher school dropout rates, lower income as adults, and greater adult health problems.

“We need to get the recession babies on a progression path so they don’t carry the scars for a lifetime,” Barnett said.

“The worst economic decline since the Great Depression has sharply reduced the ability of parents to provide for their young children,” said Barnett. “As family incomes fall, more children become eligible for and in need of state preschool programs. Yet, at the same time, state pre-K budgets are being squeezed, making it nearly impossible for them to meet the need.”

“As pure economic stimulus it is hard to beat pre-K programs,” Barnett said. “Pre-K is a high-return investment in our children’s future that will help pay for the deficits we run now. In the meantime it generates jobs in local communities, with virtually none of the money spent on imported goods or services.

“The alternative of cheap child care with low standards may reach more families, but it is bad policy, doing little to improve child development or the quality of our future workforce.”

This week in school we are concentrating on art. It’s a year’s review to remind us how we do certain things in art and also demonstrate all we have learned about painting, beading, cutting and pasting, drawing, finger paints, clay etc. Should be a great week.

We will be staying at school all week – no field trips.

This week we will enjoy pizza, barbecued steak, lasagna, chicken quesadillas and picnic.

We will practice our good manners with a medal contest. Please see list of names on the front door.

Please remember that it’s hot out now, and long winter clothes are uncomfortable for kids. Please remember that we do not wear sandals or jellies to school. Children must wear socks.

Have a great week!

From Food Navigator

Cereals offer best potential for US immune-supporting ingredients

By Mike Stones, 30-Apr-2010

Comment: a bit much for a Sunday, but interesting none the less. With more kids making dinners from cereals, this might just be the ticket.

Cereals offer the best potential for growth in the immune-supporting ingredients sector, according to a new report from Danish-based research group Bio2com.

Although the report identified the US as the primary growth driver of pre and probiotic immune-supporting health ingredients in the short term, in the longer term the focus of growth would switch to India where growth rates are high now but volumes are still low.

The global market for pre and probiotics is forecast to reach $20bn within the next five years with US and European markets claiming 15 per cent of the total market. The pre- and probiotic market is expected to grow about on average by 5%.

Modern probiotics

Meanwhile, Asian immune products are likely to combine modern probiotics with traditional remedies as medicinal herbs.

In the European market, the dairy sector, in the form of yogurt and fermented drinks, is strongest in probiotics immune products.

In the dairy category, colostrums enriched products are part of the claims. Dairy fractions are rich on bovine immunoglobulins and lactoferrin which have potential antibacterial or immune modulating functions and are typically marketed as enriched milks.

Just a new way of looking at the modern child in the modern classroom. Thought it was funny.

Q: Are children too much in the modern world, and do they need a reprieve to just play in the sand box, have kittens in their homes, get to go next door to borrow a cup of sugar and stay for tea with a loving neighbor?