Archive for July 2015

Senior Discounts

July 23, 2015 General Info No comments

Im not at the age to benefit from this list yet (thank GOD) but I have friends and family that could, so please pass it on.

Dunkin Donuts gives free coffee to people over 55 .
If you’re paying for a cup every day, you might want to start getting it for FREE.

YOU must ASK for your discount !

RESTAURANTS:
Applebee’s: 15% off with Golden Apple Card (60+)
Arby’s: 10% off ( 55 +)
Ben & Jerry’s: 10% off (60+)
Bennigan’s: discount varies by location (60+)
Bob’s Big Boy: discount varies by location (60+)
Boston Market: 10% off (65+)
Burger King: 10% off (60+)
Chick-Fil-A: 10% off or free small drink or coffee ( 55+)
Chili’s: 10% off ( 55+)
CiCi’s Pizza: 10% off (60+)
Denny’s: 10% off, 20% off for AARP members ( 55 +)
Dunkin’ Donuts: 10% off or free coffee ( 55+)
Einstein’s Bagels: 10% off baker’s dozen of bagels (60+)
Fuddrucker’s: 10% off any senior platter ( 55+)
Gatti’s Pizza: 10% off (60+)
Golden Corral: 10% off (60+)
Hardee’s: $0.33 beverages everyday (65+)
IHOP: 10% off ( 55+)
Jack in the Box: up to 20% off ( 55+)
KFC: free small drink with any meal ( 55+)
Krispy Kreme: 10% off ( 50+)
Long John Silver’s: various discounts at locations ( 55+)
McDonald’s: discounts on coffee everyday ( 55+)
Mrs. Fields: 10% off at participating locations (60+)
Shoney’s: 10% off
Sonic: 10% off or free beverage (60+)
Steak ‘n Shake: 10% off every Monday & Tuesday ( 50+)
Subway: 10% off (60+)
Sweet Tomatoes: 10% off (62+)
Taco Bell : 5% off; free beverages for seniors (65+)
TCBY: 10% off ( 55+)
Tea Room Cafe: 10% off ( 50+)
Village Inn: 10% off (60+)
Waffle House: 10% off every Monday (60+)
Wendy’s: 10% off ( 55 +)
Whataburger: 10% off (62+)
White Castle: 10% off (62+) This is for me … if I ever see one again.

RETAIL & APPAREL :
Banana Republic: 30% off ( 50 +)
Bealls: 20% off first Tuesday of each month ( 50 +)
Belk’s: 15% off first Tuesday of every month ( 55 +)
Big Lots: 30% off
Bon-Ton Department Stores: 15% off on senior discount days ( 55 +)
C.J. Banks: 10% off every Wednesday (50+)
Clarks : 10% off (62+)
Dress Barn: 20% off ( 55+)
Goodwill: 10% off one day a week (date varies by location)
Hallmark: 10% off one day a week (date varies by location)
Kmart: 40% off (Wednesdays only) ( 50+)
Kohl’s: 15% off (60+)
Modell’s Sporting Goods: 30% off
Rite Aid: 10% off on Tuesdays & 10% off prescriptions
Ross Stores: 10% off every Tuesday ( 55+)
The Salvation Army Thrift Stores: up to 50% off ( 55+)
Stein Mart: 20% off red dot/clearance items first Monday of every month ( 55 +)

GROCERY :
Albertson’s: 10% off first Wednesday of each month ( 55 +)
American Discount Stores: 10% off every Monday ( 50 +)
Compare Foods Supermarket: 10% off every Wednesday (60+)
DeCicco Family Markets: 5% off every Wednesday (60+)
Food Lion: 60% off every Monday (60+)
Fry’s Supermarket: free Fry’s VIP Club Membership & 10% off every Monday (55 +)
Great Valu Food Store: 5% off every Tuesday (60+)
Gristedes Supermarket: 10% off every Tuesday (60+)
Harris Teeter: 5% off every Tuesday (60+)
Hy-Vee: 5% off one day a week (date varies by location)
Kroger: 10% off (date varies by location)
Morton Williams Supermarket: 5% off every Tuesday (60+)
The Plant Shed: 10% off every Tuesday ( 50 +)
Publix: 15% off every Wednesday ( 55 +)
Rogers Marketplace: 5% off every Thursday (60+)
Uncle Guiseppe’s Marketplace: 15% off (62+)

TRAVEL :
Airlines:
Alaska Airlines: 50% off (65+)
American Airlines: various discounts for 50% off non-peak periods (Tuesdays – Thursdays) (62+)and up (call before booking for discount)
Continental Airlines: no initiation fee for Continental Presidents Club & special fares for select destinations
Southwest Airlines: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)
United Airlines: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)
U.S. Airways: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)
Rail:
Amtrak: 15% off (62+)
Bus:
Greyhound: 15% off (62+)
Trailways Transportation System: various discounts for ages 50+

Car Rental:
Alamo Car Rental: up to 25% off for AARP members
Avis: up to 25% off for AARP members
Budget Rental Cars: 40% off; up to 50% off for AARP members ( 50+)
Dollar Rent-A-Car: 10% off ( 50+) Enterprise Rent-A-Car: 5% off for AARP members Hertz: up to 25% off for AARP members
National Rent-A-Car: up to 30% off for AARP members

Overnight Accommodations:
Holiday Inn: 20-40% off depending on location (62+)
Best Western: 40% off (55+)
Cambria Suites: 20%-30% off (60+)
Waldorf Astoria – NYC $5,000 off nightly rate for Presidential Suite (55 +)
Clarion Motels: 20%-30% off (60+)
Comfort Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)
Comfort Suites: 20%-30% off (60+)
Econo Lodge: 40% off (60+)
Hampton Inns & Suites: 40% off when booked 72 hours in advance
Hyatt Hotels: 25%-50% off (62+)
InterContinental Hotels Group: various discounts at all hotels (65+)
Mainstay Suites: 10% off with Mature Traveler’s Discount (50+); 20%-30% off (60+)
Marriott Hotels: 25% off (62+)
Motel 6: Stay Free Sunday nights (60+)
Myrtle Beach Resort: 30% off ( 55 +)
Quality Inn: 40%-50% off (60+)
Rodeway Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)
Sleep Inn: 40% off (60+)

ACTIVITIES & ENTERTAINMENT :
AMC Theaters: up to 30% off ( 55 +)
Bally Total Fitness: $100 off memberships (62+)
Busch Gardens Tampa, FL: $13 off one-day tickets ( 50 +)
Carmike Cinemas: 35% off (65+)
Cinemark/Century Theaters: up to 35% off
Massage Envy – NYC 20% off all “Happy Endings” (62 +)
U.S. National Parks: $10 lifetime pass; 50% off additional services including camping (62+)
Regal Cinemas: 50% off Ripley’s Believe it or Not: @ off one-day ticket ( 55 +)
SeaWorld, Orlando , FL : $3 off one-day tickets ( 50 +)

CELL PHONE DISCOUNTS :
AT&T: Special Senior Nation 200 Plan $19.99/month (65+)
Jitterbug: $10/month cell phone service ( 50 +)
Verizon Wireless: Verizon Nationwide 65 Plus Plan $29.99/month (65+).

MISCELLANEOUS:
Great Clips: $8 off hair cuts (60+)
Supercuts: $8 off haircuts (60+)

NOW, go out there and claim your discounts – – and remember — YOU must ASK for discount —- no ask, no discount.

Turtle Courtbouillon

July 19, 2015 Recipe's, Turtle Recipes No comments

Ingredients:

2 lb Turtle meat
1 lg Onion; chopped
1 lg Bell pepper; chopped
3 Ribs celery; chopped
1/2 c Green onion tops; chopped
2 Cloves garlic; minced
3 tb Oil
1 cn Rotel tomatoes
2 cn (large) tomato sauce
1 1/2 Tomato sauce cans water
2 tb Lemon juice
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Saut‚ onion, garlic, bell pepper, celery and onion tops in oil. Add Rotel tomatoes, tomato sauce, lemon juice, and water. Simmer 30 minutes. Add seasoned turtle meat and simmer 1 hour. Serve over hot rice.

Carrot Walnut Cookies

July 17, 2015 Dessert Recipes, Recipe's No comments

Ingredients

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
1 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
2 jars (4 oz each) baby-food strained carrots
1 large egg
1 Tbsp freshly grated orange peel
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 tsp each baking soda and ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp each salt and ground nutmeg
1/3 tsp ground cloves
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts

Orange Cream Cheese Icing

3 oz low-fat cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp butter, softened
1 tsp freshly grated orange peel
2 Tbsp fresh orange juice
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Have baking sheet(s) ready.
2. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl with mixer on medium speed. Beat in strained carrots, egg, orange peel, orange juice, baking soda, ground cinnamon, salt, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves one at a time until blended (mixture may look curdled).
3. With mixer on low speed, beat in flour just until blended. Stir in the walnuts.
4. Drop by rounded tablespoons 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until tops look dry. Cool on baking sheet 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Icing: Beat cream cheese, butter, orange peel and juice until creamy. Beat in confectioners’ sugar until blended and smooth. Spread about 11/2 tsp on each cookie; sprinkle with walnuts. Let icing set 1 to 2 hours.

Sweet Banana Chocolate Cookies

July 16, 2015 Dessert Recipes, Recipe's No comments

Ingredients

3 large, ripe bananas, well mashed (about 1 and 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut oil, barely warm- so it isn’t solid (or alternately, olive oil)
2 cups rolled oats
2/3 cup almond meal (put almonds in a food processor)
2/3 cup coconut, finely shredded and unsweetened (optional)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 ounces chocolate chips or dark chocolate bar chopped

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Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, racks in the top third.

In a large bowl, combine the bananas, vanilla extract and coconut oil. Set aside. In another bowl whisk together the oats, almond meal, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks/chips. The dough is a bit looser than a standard cookie dough, but don?t worry about it. Drop dollops of the dough, each about 2 teaspoons in size, an inch apart, onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 – 14 minutes. I baked these as long as possible without burning the bottoms and they were perfect – just shy of 15 minutes seems to be about right in my oven.

How to Store Garden Produce

July 16, 2015 Gardening No comments

With this being the first year that I have planted a full garden, I have done a lot of research online and gotten advice from more experienced gardeners about the best way to store and preserve my veggies that I get from my garden.

garden1   garden2   garden3

All food contains natural enzymes that cause it to ripen, and eventually spoil, over time. Light, air and temperature also play a part in how fast food spoils. Storing garden produce in ideal conditions helps retain valuable vitamins and nutrients, and provides a controlled environment that prolongs shelf life.
Handle fresh food with care. Bumps and bruises break down the natural barriers of fruits and vegetables, leaving items vulnerable to pests and spoilage.

Tips for storing common garden produce:

  • Wash leafy greens very well and wrap loosely in a flour sack rag. Store in fridge crisper drawer at low humidity.
  • Don’t wash mushrooms until use. Store in a brown paper bag in the refrigerator.
  • Most stone fruits like peaches, nectarines and plums store best in the pantry. The exception is cherries, which keep better in the refrigerator.
  • Tomatoes are best stored in the pantry. To prevent tomatoes from ripening too quickly, do not store them with high-ethylene emitting foods. This tip also works in reverse; if you want to turn green tomatoes red store them with high-ethylene emitters in the pantry.
  • Peppers, berries and grapes always last longer in the fridge.
  • Store sweet corn in-husk, in the refrigerator until use, or cut kernels off the cob and freeze.
  • Root vegetables keep best in cool, dark storage. If you don’t have a root cellar, store carrots, beets and turnips in the fridge for 2 weeks.
  • Potatoes are light and temperature sensitive. They thrive in a cool, dark cellar atmosphere. No root cellar? Store in a covered bin in the pantry.
  • Onions also require cool, dark storage, but resist the urge to store them with taters. Storing together causes taters to sprout prematurely.
Fruit / Vegetable Storage Method / Time Tips
Melons (Watermelon, Honeydew, Cantaloupe) At room temperature until ripe Refrigerator: 3 to 4 days for cut melon For best flavor, store melons at room temperature until ripe. Store ripe, cut melon covered in the refrigerator. Wash rind before cutting.
Nectarines, Peaches, Pears Refrigerator crisper: 5 days Ripen the fruit at room temperature, and then refrigerate in plastic bags. Wash before eating.
Onions (Red, White, Yellow, Green) Dry onions: Room temperature 2 to 4 weeks; green onions: Refrigerator crisper: 3 to 5 days Store dry onions loosely in a mesh bag in a cool, dry well-ventilated place away from sunlight. Wash green onions carefully before eating.
Peas Refrigerator: 2-3 days The sugar in peas quickly begins to turn to starch even while under refrigeration, so eat quickly after harvesting. Store peas in perforated plastic bags. Wash before shelling.
Peppers Refrigerator crisper: up to 2 weeks Wipe clean and store in plastic bags. Wash before using.
Potatoes Room temperature: 1 to 2 weeks Store potatoes in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from light, which causes greening. Scrub well before cooking.
Summer squashes (zucchini, patty pan) Refrigerator: 2-3 days Wipe clean and store in plastic bags. Wash before using.
Tomatoes Room temperature; once cut, refrigerator crisper: 2 to 3 days Fresh ripe tomatoes should not be stored in the refrigerator. Refrigeration makes them tasteless and mealy. Wipe clean and store tomatoes at room temperature away from sunlight. Wash before eating. (Refrigerate only extra-ripe tomatoes you want to keep from ripening any further.) Store cut tomatoes in the refrigerator.
Winter squashes, pumpkins Room temperature for curing; then cool, dry storage area for 3 to 6 months. Most winter squash benefits from a curing stage; the exceptions are acorn, sweet dumpling and delicate. Wipe clean before curing. Curing is simply holding the squash at room temperature (about 70 degrees) for 10 to 20 days. After curing, transfer to a cool (45 to 50F), dry place such as the basement or garage for long term storage. Do not allow them to freeze. The large hard rind winter squash can be stored up to six months under these conditions. Warmer temperatures result in a shorter storage time. Refrigeration is too humid for whole squash, and they will deteriorate quickly. The smaller acorn and butternut do not store as well, only up to 3 months. Store cut pieces of winter squash in the refrigerator.
Apples Room temperature: 1-2 days; refrigerator crisper: up to 1 month Ripen apples at room temperature. Once ripe, store in plastic bags in the crisper. Wash before eating.
Asparagus Refrigerator crisper: up to 3 days. Once picked, asparagus loses quality quickly. Wrap the base of a bunch of asparagus with a moist paper towel, place in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator. Wash before using.
Beans, green or yellow Refrigerator crisper: up to 3 days Store in plastic bags. Do not wash before storing. Wet beans will develop black spots and decay quickly. Wash before preparation.
Broccoli Refrigerator crisper: 3 to 5 days Store in loose, perforated plastic bags. Wash before using.
Beets, Carrots, Parsnips, Radish, Turnips Refrigerator crisper: 1 to 2 weeks Remove green tops and store vegetables in plastic bags. Trim the taproots from radishes before storing. Wash before using.
Berries (Blackberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Blueberries) Refrigerator crisper: 2-3 days Before storing berries, remove any spoiled or crushed fruits. Store unwashed in plastic bags or containers. Do not remove green tops from strawberries before storing. Wash gently under cool running water before using.
Brussels sprouts Refrigerator crisper: 1-2 days The fresher the sprouts, the better the flavor. Remove outer leaves and store fresh sprouts in plastic bags. Wash before using.
Cabbage Refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Store, after removing outer leaves, in perforated plastic bags.
Chard Refrigerator crisper: 2-3 days. Store leaves in plastic bags. The stalks can be stored longer if separated from the leaves. Wash before using.
Collards Refrigerator crisper: 4-5 days Collards store better than most greens. Wrap leaves in moist paper towels and place in sealed plastic bag. When ready to use wash thoroughly. Greens tend to have dirt and grit clinging to the leaves.
Corn Refrigerator crisper: 1 to 2 days For best flavor, use corn immediately. Corn in husks can be stored in plastic bags for 1 to 2 days.
Cucumbers Refrigerator crisper: up to 1 week Wipe clean and store in plastic bags. Do not store with apples or tomatoes. Wash before using.
Eggplant Refrigerator: 1-2 days Eggplants do not like cool temperatures so they do not store well. Harvest and use them immediately for best flavor. If you must store them, store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Be careful as it will soon develop soft brown spots and become bitter. Use while the stem and cap are still greenish and fresh-looking.
Herbs Refrigerator crisper: 2 to 3 days Herbs may be stored in plastic bags or place upright in a glass of water (stems down). Cover loosely with plastic bag.
Lettuce, spinach and other delicate greens Refrigerator crisper: 5 to 7 days for lettuce; 1 to 2 days for greens Discard outer or wilted leaves. Store in plastic bags in the refrigerator crisper. Wash before using.

Ideal food storage conditions for pantry, fridge and freezer:

The ideal temperature range for the pantry is 50-70 degrees F. Keep the pantry dark and dry. Store fresh food in brown paper bags, cardboard boxes and bins to reduce humidity.

Set your refrigerator temperature to 34-40 degrees F. Purchase an inexpensive fridge thermometer if your fridge doesn’t provide a reading. Most refrigerators have crisper drawers with humidity controls. Set humidity at LOW to store high-ethylene emitting fruits and veggies like tomatoes, apples and pears. Store ethylene-sensitive produce such as cucumbers and leafy greens at HIGH humidity. Loose, breathable bags are best for fridge storage.

The freezer temp should be 0 degrees F or less. Freezer bags, jars and vacuum packs prevent freezer burn by controlling air and moisture.

Information found on Farm and Dairy , the University of Maine and from friends and family.

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