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  • Seven for Saturday: News You Can Use 4/16

    Seven for Saturday: News You Can Use 4/16

    mad-scientist

     

    Torrential downpours mean no games today… good day for science experiments and baking (which is really, in its own way, a series of science experiments). And catching up on my reading! 🙂

    1. Scientists Develop Brain-Computer Interface for Cellphones

    “…a group of researchers in San Diego have developed a system that allows users to dial a phone number on a cellphone using only their thoughts. The method is surprisingly accurate and would be a huge advantage for people with disabilities or anyone who needs a more hands-free experience or who regularly performs tasks that require a high degree of mental focus.”

    Stop the world, I wanna get off.

    2. Is Sugar Toxic?

    “Sugar is not just an empty calorie, [Lustig] says; its effect on us is much more insidious. “It’s not about the calories,” he says. “It has nothing to do with the calories. It’s a poison by itself.”

    If Lustig is right, then our excessive consumption of sugar is the primary reason that the numbers of obese and diabetic Americans have skyrocketed in the past 30 years. But his argument implies more than that. If Lustig is right, it would mean that sugar is also the likely dietary cause of several other chronic ailments widely considered to be diseases of Western lifestyles — heart disease, hypertension and many common cancers among them.”

    I’m still thinking this one through, but the most immediate takeaway is the fact that HFCS is bad, but regular old sugar is also bad. Eat a wide variety of (healthy) foods and do everything in moderation.

    3. Brazilian Blowout hair straightener draws fire from authorities

    “While the product label says “formaldehyde free,” authorities say the formula is anything but. Regulators in several states have found levels of the cancer-causing substance in excess of a range of standards.”

    My feeling about this is similar to my feeling about pesticides on our produce and lead in our children’s toys: don’t buy these products for your own health & your family’s health, BUT ALSO ESPECIALLY for the health of the people who have to work with these products all day. My own hair stylist is pregnant. I hope they don’t have her doing any Brazilian blowouts on people with more money than they have sense.

    4. Mindapples

    “Mindapples is a social enterprise that encourages everyone to take better care of their minds through simple daily activities, and is building a popular culture of good habits and self-care for mental wellbeing. We want to make looking after our minds as natural as brushing our teeth, by asking everyone: “What’s the 5-a-day for your mind?”

    Love this idea of preventative mental health care. So much effort is put into educating us about taking care of our bodies, but our state of mind— not so much. (How much might a healthy mindset affect our physical health? Food for thought.)  Determine five acts a day you can perform for your own peace of mind (it’s going to be different for everyone).

    5. Michael Vick: ‘I Wouldn’t Change Anything In My Life If I Could’

    “I wouldn’t change anything about my life if I could,” he said. “As crazy as this may sound, going to prison really changed my life. I was able to go in and come out with a plan.”

    I was not happy when the Eagles signed Vick. Sports are a big deal around here, and we love our teams, and the thought of all those kids rocking Vick jerseys made me ill. I didn’t want my kids cheering on someone who had deliberately tortured animals under his care, end of story. I thought maybe he could use his influence for good— raising money for animal shelters, for instance— but outside some token appearances at area high schools I haven’t seen a lot. I was looking forward to his Oprah appearance, to really hear his story and how he has learned from it, but then his handlers decided he wasn’t up to the task (some other excuse was given, but I think we can all read between the lines there).

    This feels like one of the more honest things I’ve heard from him. I feel that everything happens for a reason, and that the very worst experiences and mistakes in your life are the most important. This was a risky, easily misinterpreted thing for him to say, and I’m not sure if he’s being insightful or a damned idiot. I’m curious to see if the Eagles will let Vick speak for himself more this year… and if he has anything to say worth listening to.

    6. 5 Work-From-Home Habits Strangling Your Biz

    “…our work-from-home lifestyle was packing on some unintended negative side effects. Like, I don’t know, this weight gain. Or the fact that I was becoming a hermit. And that I was never wearing pants.”

    I didn’t write this… but I could have. Hey everybody, this is why I haven’t called. Or hung out in forever. And why the only pants I wear anymore are crankypants.

    7. How Toy Ad Vocabulary Reinforces Gender Stereotypes

    Er, it appears that high demand has caused the site to crash. Basically, these are the words being used to market toys to your girls (the bigger the font, the more often it’s used):

    And to your boys:

    If that seems like something you want to check out, you can like Achilles Effect on Facebook and I’m sure they’ll update when the site is live again. (I’ll link to this again next week as well.)

    Backup link 7. Study: Half of supermarket meat may have staph bug.

    This is not news, actually, I’ve read this before. It’s why they say to make sure you cook the living hell out of everything, because then the onus is on you.

    I have more to say on this in a dedicated blog post, but for now just remember—

    • Steaks & Roasts, Fish – 145 °F
    • Ground Beef, Pork – 160 °F
    • Egg Dishes – 160 °F
    • Chicken & Whole Poultry – 165 °F

    Bonus Video:

     
     
    That just makes me happy.

    What good reads did you see this week?

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  • Local Family Fun This Weekend: 4/15- 4/17

    Local Family Fun This Weekend: 4/15- 4/17

    amazement

    Each new year is a surprise to us.

    We find that we had virtually forgotten the note of each bird,
    and when we hear it again, it is remembered like a dream,
    reminding us of a previous state of existence…

    -Henry David Thoreau

    Another Saturday, another day at the soccer fields! After a week of being cooped up in the house with feverish kids I’m looking forward to being outdoors so cross your fingers for NO RAIN.

    For local peeps, this is what I’d be doing if not cheering from sidelines:

    Kids’ Greenfest

    Saturday April 16th 10:00am-  3:00pm at the Newark Center for Creative Learning. “This fun-filled event will offer kids’ hands-on activities to learn about green technology, wildlife, energy, food and conservation. Kid-led exhibits and sustainability experts will share easy ways for changes everyone can make. Come enjoy storytelling, live music, local food, art, and environmental displays and activities. Free admission, free parking… Browse your bookshelves for books you and your children are finished with, bring them to Greenfest, and swap them for new-to-you books!”

    Kite Day

    Saturday April 16th 1:00- 3:00pm at Brandywine Creek State Park. April is “Let’s G.O.! (Get Outside!) Month” over at the Children & Nature Network. Kite Day at Brandywine Creek is a registered event! (You can read about why I think kite-flying is a monumentally important childhood experience here, but I think just causing an expression on your kid’s face like Cass has above is reason enough on its own.) Celebrate Earth Day early by making and flying your own kite! $3 per kite.

    National Park Week

    April 16th- 24th. Free admittance to over 100 parks… less exciting for those of us in the DE area, unless you’re willing to do some traveling (but we’re on spring break! So maybe not totally out of the question…) “This year’s focus, Healthy Parks, Healthy People, highlights the connection between human and environmental health and the vital role America’s national parks play in both.”

    Here Comes Peter Cottontail…

    The Easter Bunny will be out and about… laying eggs? Hiding eggs? Why does he have eggs, anyway? I’m going to have to hunt him down at some point Sunday because I have photos I need to take 🙂

    • White Clay Creek State Park Egg Hunt: Saturday April 16th 10:00- 11:00am at the Carpenter Recreation Area (off 896). 10:00 is walking- 4yo, 10:30 5-9yo. Rain date 4/17 starting at 2:00pm, call the Weather Hotline 302-366-7147 if weather is iffy. BYOB (Bring your own basket) to collect goodies and see the Easter Bunny. Park fees in effect.
    • Milburn Orchard Egg Hunts: April 16th & 17th; 21st, 22nd & 23rd plus Bonus Day Monday, April 25th (closed Easter Sunday), 11:00am- 3:00pm. Up to 1800 eggs for the finding every half hour, with prizes to choose from for every hunter. Hayrides through the apple orchards, games & activities, Gigantic Sand Dig, Barnyard Buddies, & the Easter Bunny on the playground. APPLE CIDER DOUGHNUTS. Weather permitting; dress accordingly and call if weather is iffy. $5 per child (containers provided/prizes awarded), $3 per non-prize collecting adults.
    • Hayrides to Bunnyland: Saturday April 16th thru April 23rd, 11:00am– 4:00pm at Linvilla Orchards. Take a hayride thru the woods to visit the Easter Bunnies house, the Easter Bunny visits with everyone on the ride and gives them each a treat. Pony Rides (Sat & Sun only), face painting & train rides; baby chick display & baby animals. $8 per person.

    Feel like heading up to Philly?

    • Philadelphia Book Festival Street Fair: Saturday April 16th 10:00am- 5:00pm at Parkway Central Library. Meet three authors of The 39 Clues series and Chris Van Allsburg (!). Storybook Parade, juggling, face painting, and a heckuva lot more, including my favorite, a Zine workshop for kids 10 and up.
    • Science Carnival: Saturday April 16th 10:00am- 5:00pm on the Ben Franklin Parkway. More than 80 exhibitors offering “non-stop family-friendly experiments, interactive activities, games, and a packed line-up of live entertainment. Enjoy liquid nitrogen ice cream, make gak, meet live zoo animals, check out the inner-workings of robots, take a tour of a helicopter, extract DNA from a strawberry, test a “crime scene” for forensic evidence, and so much more!” Rain or shine, dress accordingly.

    AND, last Winter Farmer’s Market Sunday April 17th from 10:00am- 2:00pm at the Newark Natural Foods Co-op… the outdoor market begins May 1st! Whoop whoop!

    What are you up to this weekend? What do you wish you were doing?

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  • We Made It: Baked Sugar Doughnuts

    We Made It: Baked Sugar Doughnuts

    sugar doughnut

    “Dear Homer,

    IOU one emergency donut.

    Signed, Homer.”

    BASTARD! He’s always one step ahead.

    -Homer Simpson

    My kids like doughnuts. Me, not so much. I’ve really lost my taste for sweets.

    These doughnuts are baked, not fried; I hate frying things (I should say I hate when Jeff fries things, I don’t know I’ve ever actually done it myself) because we’re no good about holding onto the oil and it just seems so wasteful and messy.

    I skipped the “dip in butter” step at the end; just sprinkled some straight up supahfine sugar on and it was perfect for me.

    Baked Sugar Doughnuts

    1 egg
    1/4 cup superfine sugar
    1 cup whole milk, warm to touch
    1 tablespoon active dry yeast (note: if you buy envelopes of yeast, one packet is 2 1/4 teaspoons. So you will need to open two packets & measure this out)
    1 teaspoon salt
    2 teaspoons vanilla extract, plus whatever accidentally on purpose runs over the spoon
    2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for kneading

    8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold butter, cut into cubes

    Sugar Topping

    4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted in shallow bowl
    1 cup superfine sugar, mixed with cinnamon to taste ( I preferred to leave the cinnamon off entirely, next time I’m going to try a vanilla sugar experiment)

    –Get out your trusty stand mixer and fit with the paddle. Beat egg and sugar together on medium speed until combined. Add milk, yeast, salt and vanilla, beat until blended. Change speed to low, gradually add 2 cups of flour, and continue to beat until the dough pulls away from the sides of bowl.

    –Swap out the paddle for the dough hook. With mixer on medium speed (if you have a choice between 4 & 6, go with 6) add chunks of butter one piece at a time. Keep the mixer going until there’s no noticeable chunks of butter left (about 5 minutes). Reduce speed to low and add in additional flour until the dough comes together and “cleans” the sides of the bowl.

    –Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead. If you’re familiar with bread dough, this dough is much softer and doesn’t “firm up” in the same way; keep going until the dough isn’t sticking.

    –Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl and flip once to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour. (Top of fridge or dryer are always good candidates. Or, you could boil some water and then place the pot or kettle in the oven under the bowl. This is particularly good if you’re going the “damp tea towel” route since it keeps the dough from drying out.)

    –Punch down and roll out to 1/2 inch thick or so. Mine were thicker because I am not handy with a rolling pin. Don’t worry about being delicate with the dough; I found that the doughnuts I cut last (after being re-incorporated and re-rolled several times) were the best ones.

    –Cut into doughnut shapes with whatever you have handy: cookie cutter, mason jar, small bowl. (We used a big cup and a shotglass.) Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot until nearly doubled in size, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

    –Bake 5 to 8 minutes, until golden brown.

    –Let cool for a minute, then dip into butter (if you like) and then either plunge directly into the sugar mixture, or sprinkle the sugar on top, depending on your sweet tooth. Really try to resist the temptation to dip too early, it turns everything into a gooey mess (still delicious, but the texture is off).

    I can’t tell you if this reheats well. We had no survivors.

    I’m starting a new series where I make homemade versions of mass-produced treats.
    Ideas and success stories welcome.

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