Tolkein Day is Coming!

Now that Christmas is officially past, many people are eagerly looking forward to New Year's as their next cause to celebrate and enjoy a rich repast.

And while I certainly hope you have a wonderful New Year's, I'd like to offer you a cheerful reminder that your celebrating doesn't have to end January 1st, because January 3rd is Tolkien Day!!

In honor of the fabulous world created by J.R.R. Tolkein, I recommend celebrating by eating like a hobbit - see the schedule at right if you're not familiar with it.  (If your January resolutions including eating better, however, you can still participate by eating like an Elf... lots of greens and a little flatbread.)

If you're in need of creative ways to celebrate, there are all kinds of great ideas floating the web - suggested party menus, movie marathons, games, trivia - you name it! If you're feeling really adventurous, wear a wizard hat or your favorite battle axe to work... that should spark some great conversations!

Whatever you choose, great literature is one of life's simplest pleasures, so try to take at least a few minutes this year to raise your glass or tip your hat to one of the masters of the literary arts! (And if you have a child in your life who has not been introduced to Tolkien's amazing books, will you take a minute to recommend them? Every library will have a complete copy of the set, and everyone deserves the joy of exploring a great adventure between the pages of a epic.)

See you at afternoon Tea!

Helpful Tips for Administering Medicine to Your Dog

Mud? What mud? Seriously, throw the
frisbee already!

We have two beautiful border collies, whom we love to pieces. Border collies are the workaholics of the dog world and consider themselves to be made of adamantium or some other relatively indestructible substance. They plow through (and sometimes pile-drive into) anything that gets in their way, usually without stopping to notice.

But every once in a while, they come up against an injury that actually makes them slow down. Since it's hard to watch my babies hurt, I've done some research over the years to figure out what is and is not safe to give them on such occasions, and I wanted to share a few quick tips and a helpful link with anyone else who is a furry parent and might benefit.

Allergies/Hives
Dogs can have children's benedryl (or the generic loratadine) as an anti-hystimine medicine to reduce itching and allergic-style reactions to things they've encountered. Both in come in relatively small doses (and tiny pills) and are easy to administer.


Pain Relief
While administering medicine is something we do very sparingly with our dogs, sometimes it can go a long way towards easing their misery when they've sliced open a paw or otherwise been injured. Aspirin is the recommended pain medication for dogs, and I like this very helpful chart for how much to give by weight. Note: Puppies and cats should never be given aspirin! 


Food Poisoning

It's not the years, it's the miles...

When your dog has been ill, particularly after food poisoning or other vomit-inducing illness - they can easily get dehydrated and be reluctant to eat or drink. The best solution for this that we've found is a few tablespoons of maple syrup. Sometimes they'll lap it out of a small bowl, other times you may have to coax them to lick it off your fingers, but if you can get it into them, it usually kick-starts their system and will get them drinking again.

To ease them back into eating, give them rice cooked in chicken stock (or any other kind of stock). It will be gentle on their stomach and get some nutrients in them to help their body fight off the illness and re-balance itself.

Hopefully, you won't ever need these remedies, but with the holidays around the corner and the world outside blanketed with snow and ice it's far better to be prepared to take good care of your furry companions than to be caught unaware when they need you!

A Glimmer of Hope

If you have ever read science fiction, you know that mankind's ingenuity and invention are among its crowning glories. History is full of people - plain, once obscure people - who found new ways to do things and revolutionized the world.

Working in the grants world, where politics often result in money going to pointless projects that the science proves won't work while really worthwhile endeavors get left in the cold, frequently leaves me feeling extremely cynical about the ability of the world's current population to live up to either our ancestors or our hopes for the future.

Until I watch TED Talks.

Not all TED talks are created equal, but just one good one can go a long way towards restoring my faith that there are, in fact, still brilliant and passionate people making the world a better place. Recently, I was blessed to find not one but two AWESOME talks on a subject near and dear to my heart: America's food system.

Take note funders griping about the lack of women entrepreneurs/scientists: I think perhaps there is not so much a lack of women in these roles, as a lack of women in these roles doing what you want them to... ha!

Please, when you can, take a couple minutes to watch these and pass them along. Both of these women have created real tools, functional and relevant to the real world, that can empower all of us to exponentially increase the impact of our efforts to crack the hold of Monsanto and other nasty mega-agribusinesses and create the kind of food system that is healthy for us, the environment, and generations to come!

Technical difficulties with blogger are preventing me from simply inserting the videos here for some reason, so here are the relevant link:  Can a Simple Piece of Paper Change the Way We Eat? Kavita Shukla at TEDxManhattan   and  Why Food Transparency Matters and How RealTimeFarms.com Can Help: Cara Rosaen at TEDxManhattan. 

31 Days to Happiness by Dr. David Jeremiah

I was a little surprised to see a book with a “self-help” title like 31 Days to Happiness being written by Dr. Jeremiah, being somewhat familiar with his usual style of work from his radio show. As it turns out, this isn’t really particularly about happiness – the subtitle (How to Find What Really Matters in Life) is a much better descriptor of the book’s content. The author takes readers through an in-depth look at the book of Ecclesiastes and its truths about life.

As usual, Dr. Jeremiah’s work is right on target in terms of being spiritually/theologically accurate, well researched, well laid out, and well written in all technical aspects. His points about how to approach life (and therefore find happiness/meaning/peace of mind) were all right on target. I periodically found myself having a hard time staying engaged (the numerous stories/ examples sometimes felt more distracting than helpful), but I was reading straight through rather than reading 1 chapter per day in a devotional fashion as the book is intended to be used. If you are looking for good insights in grappling with life from a Christian worldview, this is a great resource. If you’re looking for self-help books related to happiness, this isn’t what you want.

A Word to the Wise About Charitable Giving This Holiday Season

As the end of the year rapidly nears, many of us stop to take stock of our finances. (Or would, if we weren't running around like crazy people amidst the holiday rush.) Charities of all stripes are quick to remind us that donations made by Dec 31st can count as deductions on this year's taxes - and who couldn't use more of those?

But as someone who sits on the Board of Trustees for a non-profit and writes grants for a living (and therefore is in a prime position to see where money is being funneled to and what it's used for), may I offer two words of wisdom to consider while making your charitable and financial decisions this holiday season?

Tip #1: Consider giving at the individual level.
By law, non-profits are almost never able to give money directly to individuals and it's exceptionally
rare that they are able to directly pay for what struggling families or individuals actually need - things like relief from suffocating medical bills, house/car repairs, or groceries. If your heart is to make a powerful difference in people's lives, consider giving at the individual level this year. There are all kinds of ways to go about this, but whichever method you choose, this is one of the most powerful ways to use your dollars to produce real change in a person/family's life.

Tip #2: Always specify what your donations can be used for.
If you decide to donate to an organization, always specify what your donation can be used for. This is as simple as writing the program or purpose on your check, in the online donation form, or on an envelope holding your cash.

Why does this matter? Because unless you've done really thorough research, you might be shocked (and a little appalled) by how your money is used. Sure, every organization uses some of its income to pay for boring, non-missional expenses like printer paper and phone service. But few people are aware of just how diverse organizations' programs tend to be - especially if the organization makes grants itself, channeling the money into other non-profits. 

Case in point: I was recently researching a funding opportunity for a client and encountered a grant program run by a huge and extremely well known cancer research non-profit that dished out fairly substantial amounts money every year. Based on the organization's slogans, events, and marketing, 99% of people raising money for or donating to it understandably believe their money is going towards finding a cure - i.e. research, experimental treatment programs, and other highly scientific, medically-based efforts.

Aura paintings.... one of the
many things you wouldn't expect
to find being funded with your
cancer research donations.

When I pulled up the information on what had actually been funded, however, I discovered that they'd spent a good chunk of money on therapeutic retreats for cancer victims and survivors consisting of Reiki, aura readings/ aura painting, yoga, journaling instruction, and nature walks.

While I fully appreciate the therapeutic value of nature and journaling, but I'm pretty sure that when people wrote checks to this organization in memory of loved ones lost to cancer, they fully expected the money to go to new treatments that might prevent their children and grandchildren from being lost or suffering loss to this terrible disease - not pay for cancer survivors to sit around a table with glitter paint, talking about their auras. 

As a grant writer, I see situations like this all the time. So if you donate money this season, take the extra 30 seconds to spell out what your money can be used for (be it a general programmatic priority like cancer research, or the title of the program that prompted you to want to give such as Mercy House new construction). In an era where money is painfully tight and non-profits are increasingly viewing themselves as businesses rather than charities, it's critically important that we retain responsibility for ensuring good stewardship of our money and make our donations count. 

Hope & Joy

We're a week into December now, and if the airwaves and tv stations near you aren't already rolling out their usual lineup of stories on hope, joy, and Christmas miracles, they will be soon. In keeping with that spirit, I wanted to share this video. Dog stores make me cry like nothing else (I can't watch Eight Below without waterproof mascara), and this was no exception.

Furry companions are an endless source of hope and joy in our lives that I think it is uniquely wonderful to see one them get the miracle they need. Enjoy.

Quilting

Now that winter is upon us, and the days are short, there's much less opportunity to be outside working on things and I have been able to find some time to get back to my quilting.

Red fabrics for an upcoming quilt.

I've been regretfully neglecting it for more than a year, mostly because I knew once I started unpacking all of my quilting supplies, it would be quite an undertaking to get them all sorted out! The last time I had all of my quilting things out was at our apartment. When we moved, all the totes came in, got stacked in a closet, and then ignored because there was far too much to do and nowhere to spread everything out and get it sorted.

But in the last few weeks (with my wonderful husband's encouragement) I've dragged it all out, gotten it sorted, and been able to start new projects. I have quilt tops and backings draped all over the library, waiting for me to remember to pick up some batting so that I can finish them, and have gotten all my spools of thread lined back up on their rack for quick access.

Friendship star block.

I sat down to sort my fabric, thinking I'd find what I needed to start a new quilt, and instead found myself with my next three quilts lined up! At my current quilting rate, that should keep me busy for an exceptionally long time.  :)

Here's a sneak peek of the current plan (highly subject to change):


 (1) Red & Black Quilt: I found some red fabrics (above right) that I want to combine with some lovely black fabric I have in Friendship Star Blocks (shown left) or something like this.

Scrap Jar Star Blocks

(2) Scrap Jar Stars Quilt: This one has been on my radar for a while, and I'm finally actually starting it. I'm cutting squares of the right sizes from the remnants and remainders of my other project fabrics as I go, and dropping them in a jar on my sewing table. By time I get to work on this pattern, I should have an excellent start on my pieces. It's nice to feel like nothing is going to waste! 









(3) Fields of Blue: This is my current project, and I'm essentially making it up as I go along, based on my favorite components of three or four different quilts I have pinned to my quilting board. It started with the desire to constructively use a pile of blue and yellow printed fabric I inherited, and was nudged along by the discovery of a gorgeous blue and white flower print I ran across.

Lovely flowery print.

The fabric that got me started.

Any time I make a scrappy quilt, I like to lay the pieces out before I even think about sewing any of them together. (Usually I use the floor to do this, but wet weather and muddy puppies have prompted me to take over the dining room table for the moment instead.)

I like the diagonals of the two fabrics I have the most of going down the center of the quilt, and am still playing with the other fabrics to ensure there's a nice balance of lighter and darker squares throughout. I will be either making the dividing strips thinner or switching to a different shade of blue, but I'm not quite sure which yet.

I'm also hoping to use this as an experiment in alternative methods of backing a quilt. I'd like to follow one of the tutorials in which you sew together small chunks of the top at a time, then combine them with their batting and backing, then sew together the finished chunks to get your final quilt. (As opposed to the standard method of sewing the whole top, then combing it with the whole batting and backing.) It won't work for every quilt, but it should allow me to use pins instead of spray adhesive to hold the layers together and reduce the stress of backing my quilts. It's expensive to send them out to be done (and unjustifiable for a simple quilt that doesn't need complex quilting), but because I tend to make bigger, heavier quilts, doing it myself on my sewing machine can be a challenge.

Anyway, that's enough rambling for now! I'll try to remember to take pictures as I go and post them here to record my progress as I go.

Editorials & Ignorance

I ran across a reference to this editorial (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/27/opinion/sunday/slaves-of-the-internet-unite.html?pagewanted=2&_r=0), which has apparently been causing quite the furor. I have had some experience with the phenomenon plaguing the article’s author and can empathize with his frustration. I can also validate some of his arguments: the still struggling economy and mass expansion of digital media have altered the playing field for all workers and in many ways the world is still trying to catch up. Then, too, of course, there will always be those who try to take advantage of others and get something for nothing.

But I think that the troublesome trend the author so resents has roots in a much larger issue, as well. The alarming reality is that a huge proportion of Americans simply don’t understand the basics of how a business works.

I have seen the evidence of this in every field I’ve worked in or with. People of all ages, education levels and backgrounds have absolutely no frame of reference for the critical, behind-the-scenes infrastructure essential to keeping businesses functioning. Although few would ever phrase it so bluntly, most carry a vague conception that every business has a pot of money somewhere fueling its operations. The pot naturally and continuously grows, simply as a natural byproduct of the business’s operations. What difference does a little pro bono work, goofing off, or inefficiency make? Surely someone somewhere else in the organization is simultaneously creating a surplus and it will all even out in the end.

Admittedly, this deeply flawed assumption is rarely their fault. Once, it was standard practice for children to work in the family business from a very young age. They were exposed early and often to the workings of a business, learning new positions as their abilities increased and thereby acquiring a picture of the business as a whole. By the time they were ready to learn a trade or take on significant roles in the company, they had a solid understanding of how every task – from sweeping the floors to serving customers to working carefully and efficiently in the back – impacted the success and prosperity of everyone involved.

Modern youth, but contrast, are forbidden to work until 16, and often can’t get hired until 18 due to severe restrictions on what they are allowed to do. Most of the work available to them falls in tightly limited spheres removed from any association with the management or operations of the company. Your average retail associate, restaurant hostess, or teacher’s aide shows up for their shift, does the specific tasks they’re assigned, and leaves. They work might be overseen by a shift supervisor/ assistant manager, or occasionally the general manager, but will typically have little opportunity to cross train, and even then only into an equally confined position. Even internships are of little use as, in most cases, they are also narrowly confined as a result of insurance and corporate privacy concerns.

College graduates fair no better. I know very smart women with Masters degrees who know nothing about the back-of-house necessities of running a business of any size. It simply wasn’t taught in their coursework, and they’ve never worked for an organization in which such functions were not the sole domain of nebulous individuals performing specialized functions in a separate office – often far removed from their own workspaces. They genuinely have no frame of reference for the amount of time, energy, or resources that go into performing another person’s task.

Of course such individuals can ask for free creative work with a clear conscience and without a second thought. Our brains reflexively and unconsciously assign an inconsequential value to that which we cannot quantify (the inputs necessary to create the requested output), and our standard operating assumptions (that individuals engaging in business must automatically be generating supporting income in that mysterious pot of money) assure us that they must have the time and energy to spare, so what is there to stand in the way?

Certainly, proper respect for all working individuals – regardless of their gifts or fields – is a worthy and appropriate goal. But perhaps, more than shifting our perspectives on our peers, we need to shift our perspectives on our systems. This is merely the latest alarm bell, alerting us to the devastating impacts of segmenting and specializing tasks to such narrow degrees and denying both our youth and our employees the opportunity to understand businesses as whole entities. Small businesses are consistently the documented as the largest job growth sector in America’s struggling economy – if we act soon, by reducing restrictions and barriers to their success (and their employment of young people) we can still harness their potential as deeply eye-opening learning experiences and train up the next generation of workers to truly understand how and why businesses and individuals fail or succeed.

Eating Rats

Several years ago, I spent about a year as the primary food safety instructor for all my employer's units in our region. I was pulling together materials for yet another food safety class when the salmonella- contaminated peanut butter scandal broke.

Not the least bit surprised by the outbreak, I was nonetheless horrified by a casual comment quoted in a national newspaper by an employee of the besieged peanut butter company (who no doubt was quickly quarantined and castigated by the resident PR people when they were alerted to his gaff). He told the journalist, in a somewhat mystified manner, that everyone knows there are rats in the peanuts - but usually the roasting process kills them off.

I couldn't help but think back to that gut-twisting comment when I read that a new study shows that 12% of America's spice imports are contaminated with rodent hair (and by extension, feces). http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/4738/20131102/12-percent-spice-imports-contaminated-rodent-hair-insect-parts-fda.htm

Researchers suspect that the spices may be responsible for far more salmonella outbreaks that can be proven, in part because food-borne illnesses in general are dramatically under reported (many people attributing their gastric upsets to the flu, or just shrugging it off as part of life and never following up with reporting or the testing necessary for health departments to document the case), and in part because people rarely report spice usage when recounting their diet during research for an outbreak. Think about it - you would report that you had pizza or chicken, perhaps, without ever thinking that the basil or oregano you topped those meals off with could be the cause of your illness.

Do I think that this news is something to panic over? No. Realistically speaking, we consume spices in such small quantities that their potential for negative health consequences is a very small threat compared to many of the other food-system atrocities we also currently face. Furthermore, from a strictly practical standpoint, there are many spices that cannot be reliably grown in the U.S., and the production/distribution chains for them are impossibly difficult to trace, regulate and hold accountable. That kind of time and effort is simply not practical when there are so many bigger, more serious issues to address.

This news does, however, renew my determination to grow as many of my own herbs as I can next summer and to supplement my stock wherever possible with locally-grown options. There's nothing I can do about the cinnamon I buy, except to purchase from reliable (preferably organic) companies and trust that they are doing all they can to ensure quality. But so many every-day spices from oregano and basil to thyme and red pepper flakes are cheap and easy to make myself - as long as I plan ahead. So as we head toward winter and begin planning for next year's gardens, will you consider joining me in going a few herbs of your own? Every step, no matter how small, towards healthy diets and food independence is powerful and so, so worthwhile!

Mud, Sweat & Beer: A Review

Over the summer, my husband and I did three obstacle runs: the Warrior Dash, the Tough Mudder, and the Spartan Sprint. The Dash and the Sprint were 5ks, and the Mudder was about 11 miles. I have never been a runner, and the entire experience was new to me. I’ve been thinking for a while about reviewing the events for the benefit of anyone else thinking about getting into obstacle runs, and finally settled on the following abbreviated format, which I hope covers everything without getting too boring for those of you who have no intention of ever running one. 

(All obstacle photos pulled from the race websites, since I couldn't get the logos to copy over here.)

The Warrior Dash

Distance: 5k (about three miles)

Pros: The obstacles were well spaced along the course, and challenging enough to be interesting without being brutal or out of reach for the less experienced or less fit participants. Lots of friendly banter between runners throughout the course, and the warrior-themed outfits sported by many participants bring a fun, easy-going air to whole event. The ability to choose your event time and free open showers at the end were also bonuses!

Cons: I liked the festival grounds the least – the visibility was lower and the walkways a bit narrower than the others, making it harder to meet, hang with, and keep track of friends or teammates.

Notes:  I hadn’t been sick as a dog the morning of the run, this might have been my favorite. Definitely a great place to start for anyone looking to dip a toe into the waters of obstacle running!

Tough Mudder

Distance: about 11 miles

Pros:  I loved the atmosphere at this event! It was all about viewing the course as a challenge, and powering through to the finish. The other runners on the course were your teammates, and you worked together and encouraged each other whether you knew them or not. Everyone was upbeat and the people working the event throughout the course were amazing in their attitude and energy. The obstacles were well spaced, absolutely stretched you to your limits, and were a thrill to overcome, but there was no shame in bypassing one if you needed to. I enjoyed and pride in completing this one the most.

Cons: First, it’s long enough that you need to plan a whole day for it (as opposed to the Dash, which you could complete in a morning and still plan to do something else in the afternoon/evening). Second, you don’t get to choose your start time and if you’re not at least halfway through the course by their cut-off time (I think 2pm), you are pulled from the course and don’t get to finish because they have a required kill-time by which everyone must be done and if you’re not at least halfway you’ll never make it. (That would suck.) Third, there is a charge for spectators, so unlike the Dash, you can’t bring your family and friends for free to cheer you on or party with you later.

Notes:  Watch the videos for these obstacles before you go so that you have some idea of what you’re facing, then go have a blast! Also, I strongly recommend packing GU gels or your preferred equivalent – this took us 5 hours, and we needed a recharge part way through. They hand out bananas, but if you’re like me and don’t do bananas, you’ll want an alternative. Also, the sense of humor in this event was fantastic – we passed as sign at the 5k mark that said “if this was the Warrior Dash, you’d be done now!” Lol!

*We're already signed up for TM 2014 - anyone want to join us?!

Spartan Sprint

Distance:  5k

Pros: This is the event for highly social people. Between the pre-parties and after-parties, you could easily make an entire weekend out of it. There is no charge for spectators, and there are plenty of kids-themed activities to keep your mini-humans busy while you’re on the course.

Cons: This was the least well managed event, in my opinion. Signage to find things like the bag check was lacking, and the parking situation was atrocious. Obstacles were poorly spaced, creating long stretches with nothing and then two or three obstacles right on top of each other. The 5k Sprint and 13 mile Beast were running concurrently and partially sharing courses, which made for some confusion and led to Sprint participants being pushed past by more competitive, highly time-conscious Beast participants, which also tarnished the happy atmosphere. Staff was noticeably less engaged than at the Mudder, as well. 

Notes: I don’t expect to do the Sprint again; I didn’t enjoy it enough. I would consider doing the Beast at some point in the future, simply because there isn’t really an equivalent elsewhere, but would definitely plan around the poor management when dealing with technicalities like parking, bag drop, etc.

General Notes

Beware the inclines – in both directions. I knew there would be (steep) hills involved, but I was simply not prepared for slopes so aggressive that I (and many others) practically crawled up them. Make sure you practice running on steep inclines before you tackle anything more than the Warrior Dash, or you’ll find yourself walking large portions of the run. (This is my area of biggest growth needed before next summer!)

Don’t wear cotton. It will soak up mud and water immediately, and you’ll be soggy the rest of the day! Wearing clothing designed for wicking that won’t weigh you down and that might even dry a bit between obstacles if it’s sunny. J

Do wear gloves. Not necessary for a 5k, but a god-send during the Mudder!

Braid your hair (girls). Don’t try to pile it on top of your head – it will catch on every obstacle. Low braids, crown braids – think simple, secure and tight. Don’t rely heavily on bobby pins, as you’re not likely to keep them in!

High traction shoes are worth their weight in gold. You will be going up and coming back down slopes that are muddy, rocky and otherwise tricky. Take your safety seriously and wear sneakers with the most traction you can find!  

How Children Succeed... or Don't

I only recently figured out how to use my library's download-able audio book feature, and I was delighted when my efforts were rewarded with the ability to listen to How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity and the Hidden Power of Character.

This has been on my reading list for ages, but I haven't been able to get my hands on a copy, so it was with much anticipation that I hit the "play" button and waited for the greatness to begin.

Only instead of heralding greatness, I found that the title disguised a great mess! Although the author is quick to state his very reasonable- sounding thesis up front, the book quickly devolves quickly into divergent, uncoordinated and sometimes blatantly unrelated material. The content meanders without clear purpose before slumping into long stretches of un-engaging and overly detailed observations about disadvantaged students and their teachers. It never manages to recover into a coherent, cohesive or compelling conclusion.

I didn't find a single argument that hadn't been already made (and far better presented) in other places, but the author treats them all like startling new material.

What galled me the most was that after spending an entire book proving (perhaps accidentally) what we already knew - that stable homes and capable, loving parents are the key to creating healthy, well-adjusted and successful children at every economic level - the author tries to blame our education system and politics for the massive failure rates of impoverished children. He accuses us of not spending enough money on education and anti-poverty measures and suggests that only a handful of deeply committed educators are actually making a difference and the rest should be scrapped. 

As I always am when such discussions arise, I remain appalled and baffled at this logic. How is it the school's fault or a politician's fault that a child was born to a drug addict mother and a dirt-bag father who has 15 kids by seven different women? What possible sense does it make to spend eight or ten hours a day for 18 years trying to mitigate and compensate for the physical, mental, social and emotional damage being caused to children, only to send them back to hell hole in which they live for fresh damage every night? It's not about poverty, or intelligence or "the system" - it's about the reality that we as a society are letting people clearly unfit to take care of so much as a goldfish have and keep as many children as they can pop out, even though we KNOW that it means lifetimes of abuse, abysmal odds for recovery and success, and is the number one cause of gangs, murderers, serial killers, serial rapists and other violent, incorrigible criminal activity. (That is not hyperbole - it's a proven fact.)

How many more children need to end up murdered and thrown away by parents who should never have been allowed to have them in the first place before we acknowledge what has painted clearly before us for more than a century and agree to tackle our social ills at the root - in our homes?

Homemade Pepperoni

Pepperoni has been scarce around our house for the last couple years. We try to avoid unnecessarily added nitrates/nitrites and commercially processed meats, which means regular pepperoni is off the table. Safe alternatives are few and far between, and everything I was able to find online was astronomically expensive.

Until it occurred it to, in a long overdue flash of insight, that I should absolutely be able to make my own. So I went hunting for recipes and discovered this recipe for homemade spicy pepperoni. The first batch lasted less than a week - we found excuses to eat some almost every day. The second batch I more strategically sliced and froze promptly, so it's holding out a bit better.  :)

(Please forgive the terrible photos.) Because I used standard sea salt rather than curing salt (which contains nitrates), the meat did not turn the reddish/pink that commercial pepperoni does. (If you look at the photos accompanying the recipe I used, you will notice that the curing salts she used did turn her batch a more familiar pinkish/red color.)

This took surprisingly little time, even considering that I ground my own pork. (Practicality based on what was available - not a Martha Stewart complex, honest!) You literally mix all the raw ingredients, toss them in the fridge and ignore them for a couple days. (I found the 72 hour batch better consistency-wise than the 48, and plan to make that my standard.) Then you take five minutes to roll it into logs and pop it in the oven, and another 5 minutes when it's done to slice and bag it. That's it! Less hands-on time than it takes to make a batch of cookies.  :)

Color notwithstanding, the flavor of this is right on for traditional pepperoni! Being a food geek, of course, I had to do the math and find out what the cost comparison was.

Ready for this?

My homemade pepperoni is between 1/4 and 1/3 the price of the (nitrate-free) commercial equivalent!! 

I used pork instead of beef because I couldn't get out to the farm and the beef options in local supermarket are spotty and unimpressive at best. I can consistently get antibiotic free, all natural pork for good prices, though, so that's what I went with. (Hence the 1/4 to 1/3 range - making the recipe with pork puts me at 1/4. Using beef from the farm would put me closer to 1/3.)

It cost me $5.27 to make a roughly 2 lb batch of pepperoni. (Started with just over 2 lbs of raw meat and the end product can be expected to weigh slightly less, due to the loss of water and fat.) Although I can't slice it quite as thin as the commercial stuff, my logs were wider than standard and it still goes a pretty long way (if you can restrain yourself to cooking with it rather than sitting down and eating the whole log straight off the cutting board!).

I know that making your own pepperoni is certainly not for everyone, but I hope that seeing that it can be done encourages people to challenge their own assumptions (as mine were challenged) about what we can and can't do to take more control of our own food security.

Hopelifter

In her newest book, Hopelifter, author and natural encourager Kathe Wunnenberg reaches out to other women to share the value of being an encourager and practical tips on how to become one. The first half of the book focuses on the Biblical imperative of encouragement and the author’s experiences founding the Hopelifters organization; the second half contains single page “recipes for hope”, labeled and sorted by topic for easy reference, designed to provide readers ideas on how to encourage others in difficult circumstances.

The book has some very positive strengths: it reminds women to be realistic about what they are able to do in their current season of life, acknowledges the importance of meeting core roles (wife, mother, etc.) first with our time and energies, provides a solid scriptural basis for encouragement, and teaches readers to saturate all the encouraging efforts in prayer to make sure they’re providing words and actions of life and hope instead of accidentally doing damage through poorly timed/ executed/ uninformed words of actions, however good the intentions behind them.

That said, other portions of the book felt out of place or off topic, such as the author’s experiences founding the Hopelifters organization or the emphasis on leaders establishing prayer teams, etc. The recipes for hope section at the end was also only marginally of interest. I appreciated its intent, and some tidbits of advice were valuable, but it largely felt repetitive and as though much of it should just have been common sense.