Frying rosemary in olive oil not only turns the herb into a crispy garnish, it also flavors the oil to create a delicious base for the sauce.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Click here for the recipe!

today’s recipe: penne with creamy pumpkin sauce from Everyday Food Blog – MarthaStewart.com

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Click here for the recipe!

today’s recipe: Cider-Glazed Chicken Sausages with Butternut Mash from Everyday Food Blog – MarthaStewart.com

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Click here for the recipe!

today’s recipe: Pork Tenderloin with Orange-Parsley Topping from Everyday Food Blog – MarthaStewart.com

In a tall glass filled with ice, combine 1/4 cup vodka, 1/3 cup pineapple juice (or lemonade), and 1/2 teaspoon blue curacao. Top with tonic water and stir to combine.

The quinine in the tonic water will glow an icy electric blue when placed near blacklights!

Coktail O’ Clock : Demonic Tonic from Everyday Food Blog – MarthaStewart.com

This dish delivers omega-3s from the salmon, whole-grain fiber from the brown rice, and folate from the greens.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Click here for the recipe!

today’s recipe: seared salmon and greens from Everyday Food Blog – MarthaStewart.com

Who says spring is the best time for clearing the clutter and welcoming order? Getting ready for school is as brilliant a time as any to create more order and feel more peace.

Sometimes I dread the process of simplifying. Then I commit and dive in and am astonished at how little time it actually takes or how incredibly huge the payoff is. Organizing your family and home ultimately saves you tons of time and energy, decreases your stress, and teaches your kids to live in a smart organized way. Here are a few ideas and expert advice to get your ducks in a row.

1. Simplify your space.

Revamp and de-clutter the house so it can be tidied up quickly. That means clearing clutter from tables and surfaces (even the floors—do you really need all those throw rugs?), storing away clothing items and outerwear no longer in season, and re-thinking over-furnished rooms. It is easier to vacuum or sweep wide open spaces free of clutter, and you may be surprised at how much better you feel when visual clutter is eliminated.

You don’t have to save the world in a day. Simplifying in small chunks is just fine. Samantha Buck, a professional organizer on lifeorganizeit.com, suggests setting a timer for yourself. She says “I like to set a timer for 30 minutes and work fast as I can to complete decluttering projects. You’ll be amazed at how much you can get done by using the clock to challenge yourself.”

2. Create a file system.

The school papers, permission slips, homework, etc. can pile up quickly so a little preliminary planning will work miracles. Clearly designate a home for school-related stuff, and make sure each student has a binder or folder for report cards, phone numbers, sports info, handbooks, etc. It’s also a good idea to have a stash of school supplies in a designated area.

3. Trash last year’s school stuff.

Think about scanning or taking digital photos of your children’s artwork since those precious treasures can pile up and steal precious space. Hans Hofmann is credited with saying “The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.”  Let this year’s stuff speak.

4. Store toys where you want them to be played with.

This is huge and relates to #1. It’s far simpler to tidy up the house swiftly when it is not strewn with a zillion playthings so insist they corral toys to zones you approve.

Often the problem is too many toys, Cynthia Ewer, author and editor of Organized Home, sees a toy library as the answer. She says, “Using a large lidded plastic storage container, large box or even plastic garbage bag, entrust a selection of toys to the ‘toy library.’ Store the container in an out-of-the way place for several months.”

5.  Address those closets!

This is a perfect time to purge closets since the kids will have a few new things to wear and be ready to part with some of the old. Don’t forget the beauty of hooks! Kids love ‘em, and they do the job.

Remind your kids that hangers don’t bite and that their clothes will stay wrinkle-free if they actually use them. Organizing expert Ewer says that toys and belongings used most should be stored on lower shelves or on the floor. Have a basket or shopping bag accessible in the closet for clothing and shoes to donate when they no longer fit.

6. Think again before buying MORE cool storage items.

Some of us think that to organize means buying lots of containers. Sure there are a ton of awesome storage options claiming to make our lives easier, but it’s important to question “Why am I keeping this anyway?” or “How often do I really use this?” or “Do I love-love-love this?” Most of the time, we don’t even know why we’re holding on to stuff and just need to purge.
Julie Morgenstern, organizing guru and author of “When Organizing Isn’t Enough,” says “The process of throwing things out forces you to recognize what your attachment is.”
Answering these questions will help you limit what you bring home so it won’t be necessary to invest in more storage items (or a bigger house!).
Good luck as you welcome autumn and with your family say hello to a tidier nest that works for all of you.

————————
Michele Ranard adores a tidy nest. She is a freelancer with blogs at cheekychicmama.com and hellolovelyinc.com.

Get Organized for the School Year from San Diego Family Magazine

Six Steps to Starting a Mother-Daughter Book Club

Reading with your daughter is a great way to gain insight into her world. While talking about characters in a book, she’s more likely to open up with you about issues that are important to her that may not otherwise come up in day-to-day life. Sharing good books can also be a lot of fun.

You can make reading more social by forming a mother-daughter book club. These reading groups have been growing in popularity during the last decade, and it’s easy to see why. Among the many benefits you may enjoy, book clubs help you to

stay close to your daughter as she grows connect with others in the community around you, including other moms and daughters, teachers, librarians and encourage your daughter to read for fun, an important factor in overall literacy.

With a little bit of thought and planning, you could have a book club ready to go in no time. Here are six steps to get you started:

1. First, make sure your daughter is ready for a book club. The ideal age is about nine. At this age, girls are often able to read on their own, enjoy spending time with their moms, and like being with their friends. You can start earlier if you keep the books simple or have the moms read to the girls. Your daughter’s never too old to get started as long as she’s interested.

2. Second, think about how big you would like your group to be. Do you feel more comfortable in a crowd, or do you prefer more intimate gatherings? Larger groups can be more open, with new people invited to join all the time. Meetings may be at a fixed time for whoever’s available to attend. Smaller groups provide more time for each person to talk during discussion, and fewer people means fewer schedules to consult when you’re choosing your next meeting date.

3. Next, consider whom you may want to invite. You can start by asking one other mom and daughter who you feel close to, and then asking them if they have ideas for others to join. You could also tap members of a school class, Girl Scout troop, or church group. You’ll probably want to define a few expectations. For instance, everyone in the group should know that as it’s a mother-daughter book club— mothers and daughters should both plan to attend meetings and read the books.

4. Once you know who will be in your club, you can decide where you’ll plan to gather on a regular basis. Will you trade off going to each other’s homes? Will you meet at a library or in a bookstore? Consider, too, whether you want to serve a meal or snacks at a meeting.

5. Now’s the time to talk about choosing books. You can let the girls decide what to read, or let the moms and daughters select titles together, but I don’t recommend having the moms alone choose. It’s important for girls to know they have a voice in the process, and they’re not just reading what their moms think they should read. Other ideas that may help you choose books include picking a theme, focusing on a genre, reading from book lists (e.g. award winners), and getting recommendations from librarians or booksellers.

6. The last step is to talk about what you’d like to do when you get together. You’ll definitely want to include time for socializing in addition to discussing the book. You may also want to consider playing games or making book-related crafts. It all depends on how much energy your book club members want to put into planning your meetings.

Click Six Can’t Miss Titles to get your book club started!

———————
Cindy Hudson is the author of “Book by Book: The Complete Guide to Creating Mother-Daughter Book Clubs.” Find more ideas and recommendations for book clubs at www.motherdaughterbookclub.com.

Six Steps to Starting a Mother-Daughter Book Club from San Diego Family Magazine

Auto Insurance
This government program is brought to us by the California Dept. of Insurance. It offers low-cost liability car insurance to income-eligible, good drivers. The policies are issued by licensed California insurance companies. Visit www.mylowcostauto.com.

Bankruptcy
Your house can be exempted, but include your car, credit cards and other debt. It costs about $2,000 with most of it paid to the attorney in monthly payments. Your debt is court-ordered to be reduced 30–60 percent so the creditors have to accept it. This way you are still making payments at a lower rate and are legally protected. Your rates cannot be raised as long as the agreement is kept current. You can keep your car or other property being paid on. Make sure you choose an experienced bankruptcy attorney.

Childcare

The Free State Preschools give 4-year-olds priority to make sure they are ready for kindergarten, but they do have openings for 3-year-olds. It is recommended that you sign up at least six months prior to the session you are interested in. There are also Child Development Centers. Both are located at many elementary schools and some colleges. Learn more at www.sdcoe.net/student/eeps/pfa/?loc=families.

The Centralized Childcare Eligibility List has a list of approved preschools for your child to attend, fully paid for. You can also request a preschool not on the list. If approved, they mail the payment directly to the caregiver you have chosen. Again, eligibility is based on income, and single mothers take priority over married couples. www.childcaresandiego.com

College

Free classes for computers and other subjects are available through the San Diego Community College District (www.sdce.edu). If you plan on attending, sign up soon as this program may be cut. If you are collecting unemployment benefits, the state may extend your unemployment while you train in an approved field. Many colleges offer free childcare at the college you are attending.

Clothing
Host or attend a closet exchange! I get some of the nicest clothes this way. Women bring gently worn clothing, and we try on one another’s clothes to see what fits. Of course, we make it a party with appetizers and tea or wine.

Credit Counselors
I paid off a $7,000 debt this way. Credit counselors will work to negotiate a much lower interest rate for you, along with no creditor fees. The cost is nominal ($20-$30/month) since these are nonprofit services. The creditor payment is an automatic monthly deduction from your bank account.
The local San Diego branch has counselors and educational resources.

       Money Management Systems (formerly Consumer Credit Counselors)
2650 Camino del Rio North #209 Mission Valley
www.moneymanagement.org
866-490-9478

       Christian Credit Counselors
5838 Edison Pl., Carlsbad
www.christiancreditcounselors.org
800-377-4469
I personally used them for seven years. They have been in business since 1962 and have a great reputation.

Dental Work
La Maestra Dental Clinics charge 50–70 percent less for dental work. Independent financing plans are available. www.lamaestra.org;
619-741-3045

Discount Plans
These often include vision, medical, dental and chiropractic. Prices range from $15–$44 per month. Do research to see which benefits are covered. For example, Ameriplan offers huge savings on lab work (50–80 percent) and decent savings on fillings (40–50 percent).  However, I needed a front crown and the savings were nominal (only 25 percent). The listed discount was on metal, not porcelain crowns. Obviously I did not want a metal front tooth crown. www.Ameriplan.com  

Electricity Savings
We received a $341 payment toward our SDG&E account when we were behind on our bill through Campesinos Unidos, which administers a Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program locally. Assistance takes from 8–12 weeks to receive. There is also emergency assistance available for Energy Crisis situations, e.g., when the electricity will be turned off within 48 hours or there are serious health complications for the residents.

California Dept. of Community Services. www.csd.ca.gov; 866-675-6623, 800-371-1380

Eye Glasses
You can purchase glasses for $50–100 each with a prescription. J.C. Penney often has 50 percent off eyeglasses or one pair of eyeglasses and one pair of prescription sunglasses for $400 total. I’ve also seen coupons for 70 percent off frames. Look for the coupon in the mail. Wal-Mart wasn’t discounted like I thought it would be, because a separate company rents the space and doesn’t charge Wal-Mart rates. Other stores also offer discounts at the end of their business quarter. You can also order online from China at www.prescriptionglassesonline.net and receive glasses for as little as $50–100 dollars. You must have your prescription.

Grocery Shopping
There are many resources for affordable food. I discovered there were many people just like me who were struggling and needed a little help for these times. Do not hesitate to seek help as most of us have worked for years and contributed to the system.

WIC (Woman, Infant & Children)
This program offers vouchers for food staples (eggs, juice, milk, cereal and more) once per month to pregnant and nursing women, and families with children up to age 5. Redeem the vouchers at participating grocery stores and Farmer’s Markets. www.sandiegowic.org; 800-500-6411

CalFresh—Apply for food stamps online, by phone, mail or in person at any Health and Human Services office. A family of three can receive from $100–500 per month based on income. The benefits card looks just like a credit card so it is not obvious that you are receiving aid. www.benefitscalwin.org; 866-262-9881

Golden Share Foods—This grocery co-op sells food for 30–70 percent less than grocery stores. It is available once per month and is a great supplement to your regular shopping. The warehouse drops the food off at a location in your neighborhood (usually a church) and you pick it up on an assigned date.  If you miss it, you can go to the warehouse one Tuesday a month and buy food on the spot that is left over from the packages.
www.goldensharefoods.com

Treasure Box—specializes in frozen food which you can collect from the same pick-up location once per month. The food is also discounted 30–70 percent.
www.thetreasurebox.com

>>Read Part Two (H-Z) of this story in our October issue for more great resources!

—————–
Monica Gaut lives in La Mesa with her 4-year-old daughter and husband. She is still a stay-at-home mom who is currently starting her own business making aromatherapy items and crafts.

The ABCs of Surviving Hard Times in San Diego: Part One from San Diego Family Magazine

Any new parent will agree that there is something so wonderful about the way a baby smells straight from a bath. But, did you ever stop to think that the delightful aroma that lingers every time we shampoo, powder and lotion our little one’s bodies may be placing their health at risk?

Hectic schedules and exhaustion are nothing new to parents. With such busy lives it’s very easy for moms and dads to run into their local grocery store and pick up any familiar brand of baby skin care product straight off the shelf, without taking the necessary time to read all the product ingredients. Time-crunched families may fail to realize that they may have actually purchased a product that is loaded with ingredients so unnatural, that every time they bathe or refresh their baby, they are exposing her to a chemical with toxic effects.

The Facts Behind Phthalates

The Environmental Working Group (EWG), a public health and environmental advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., explains that phthalates (pronounced ‘thah-lates’) are a family of compounds made from alcohols and ophthalmic anhydride. They are oily, colorless, odorless liquids that do not evaporate readily. The chemical industry produces billions of pounds of phthalates each year that are primarily used in vinyl products, plastics, solvents, toys, household products, cars, plastic bottles and containers. They are a key ingredient in cosmetic and personal care products, helping lotions to penetrate and soften skin.

The chemical industry declares that there are no conclusive studies that have been conducted in humans that suggest phthalates are dangerous in the amounts that we are currently exposed to. However, several consumer and environmental advocacy organizations and medical experts disagree. Phthalate exposure during infancy and into childhood has been linked to low birth weight, hormonal and endocrine abnormalities.

Studies Reveals Startling Results

Researchers at the University of Washington’s Seattle Children’s Hospital and the University of Rochester tested urine samples of nine different phthalate metabolites in 163 infants in 2008. Their study, Baby Care Products: Possible Sources of Infant Phthalate Exposure, revealed that all of the urine samples collected contained at least one phthalate at measurable levels. Eighty percent of these samples had measurable amounts of at least seven different types of phthalates.

“We found that infant exposure to phthalates is widespread, and that exposure to personal care products applied onto the skin may be an important source,” says Sheela Sathyanarayana, an acting assistant professor in the University of Washington’s Department of Pediatrics. The phthalate associations were found to be the strongest among infants younger than 8 months old.  These infants may be more vulnerable to the developmental and reproductive toxicity of phthalates due to their immature immune systems.

What makes the Pediatrics study so unique is its focus. Several of the concerns raised about phthalates over the years have centered on the ingestion of phthalates, as they have also been found in the plastics that make up numerous children’s toys, baby bottles, nipples and teething rings. Now, this study has provided the vital evidence confirming that in fact, phthalates are also transmitted to babies through the skin via personal care products.

Congressional Legislation Actions

Several members of congress have introduced a new bill that has the potential to alter the landscape of chemical regulation in the United States by empowering researchers to take swift action against these potentially harmful chemicals. The Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals Exposure Elimination Act of 2011 would give the director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and a panel of experts selected by the director, the power to ban up to 10 chemicals from commerce each year by categorizing them as being of high concern. Those chemicals would become unlawful to use 24 months after receiving that designation. As of July 13, 2011, the bill has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

What You Can Do To Protect Your Children

Our skin is a complex filtering system that blocks certain substances and absorbs others. What you rub on your skin can end up inside your body, so you should choose personal care products with the same attention you give to choosing healthy foods. This is especially important for babies, as their developing bodies are vulnerable since their hands and feet often end up in their mouths. Babies can, quite literally eat the products you put on them. But, fear not, as there are a variety of simple steps that parents and caregivers can take to reduce their child’s exposure to phthalates.

• Limit the amount of baby care products you typically use on your baby, especially if your infant is 8 months or younger (unless certain products are medically prescribed, for example, if your little one has been diagnosed with eczema or a severe case of diaper rash).
• Look for products that are labeled phthalate-free. While this can be difficult (since skin care manufacturers are not required by the FDA to list phthalates), you can always research the product on the internet or use the Environmental Working Group’s Safety Guide to Cosmetics and Personal Care Products and research by product, ingredient and/or company.
• A word of advice—as phthalates are also added to containers to make them more flexible and durable, the chemical can leach from the container into a product. You’ll need to determine whether a product’s container is phthalate-free.

Jennifer Lacey and her family try to incorporate green living into their lives each day. She is a freelance writer and editor, and proud mom of one.

What’s Lurking in Your Infant’s Skin Care Products? from San Diego Family Magazine

Happy Halloween

 

Halloween Happenings & Fall Fun
We promised you fa-boo-lous fun, and we deliver! Check out our Haunted Halloween & Fall Happenings for things to do and places to go to get your ghostly groove on!

Got some “scary” teens at home? These extra spooky events might be just what the doctor (Jekyll) ordered!

Halloween Photo Gallery
Cute kids in costume! Share your pictures with our readers by posting them in our spooktacular online photo gallery.

Ghoulishly Good Grub
Need a night out or a quick bite? You’ve never seen pasta served like this!
Read Devine Pastabilities from our Restaurant Reviews.

Make no bones about it! It’s time to conjure up some creepy cuisine for a ghoulishly good Halloween party for the kids. Get started at our Dining & Recipes

Costume “Tricks” and a Crafty “Treat”
>> Happy HallowGREEN
Tips to stay green this Halloween
>> DIY Halloween Costume Guide
Inject some do-it-youself magic into homemade costumes
>> Boo on a Budget
Cheap, Quick Halloween Costumes
>> Fast, Fun Costumes for Mom and Dad
Scare up a costume for yourself, just in time and on a dime

>> Sugar Skull Mask
Make a mask for the Day of the Dead that looks good enough to eat!

>> Pumpkin Carving Templates
Download pumpkin carving ideas!

>> Halloween Fun for Adults
Scare up your own good time with a Halloween party for grown up guys and ghouls!

Halloween Headquarters! from San Diego Family Magazine