Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} Nuts by Kacy Cook ISBN 13: 9780761456520. Kacy Cook was born in Columbus, Ohio, the second of six children. Her father was a federal agent, and her mother was an artist and dress designer. Kacy still lives in Columbus and has three grown children. She also has three cats. Since attending Ohio State University, Kacy has worked in journalism and publishing. In addition, Kacy writes books for young people. Her interest in children’s literature began when she homeschooled her children. This is also when her interest in nature and wildlife began. She is a big fan of squirrels! From School Library Journal : Grade 3–6—Eleven-year-old Nell and her younger brothers, Jack and Charley, find two baby squirrels that have fallen out of their nest. Nell goes online to research how to care for them, and despite learning that she should take them to a wildlife rehabilitator, she convinces her parents to let the youngsters care for the babies at home, a feat made easier by the fact that they are homeschooled. Using the online advice, Nell is able to raise Mantha and Jess, all the while trying to convince her parents that they should be allowed to keep them as pets. As Nell's lies mount to cover up for the fact that it is illegal to have native wildlife in Ohio without a permit, animals die and people get hurt. The plot is heavy with educational information that slows the pacing and makes it preachy and didactic. Even an afternoon outing at a baseball game with friends turns into a science lesson as the kids discuss what type of animal their team, the Bearcats, represents, making the conversation stilted and forced. Nell's first-person narrative lets readers know what she is thinking, but the rest of the characterization is superficial. Children who are able to stick with the story will gain a new appreciation for the wildlife in their backyards, but most readers won't get that far.— Kristine M. Casper, Huntington Public Library, NY Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Mary’s G-o-o-o-d Stuff. I got this recipe from a recipe exchange that I belonged to in the late 2000s, but unfortunately I did not make a note of who submitted the recipe. If you know where this recipe came from, please let me know. Servings: 6. 2 Tbsp water 1 lb Italian sausage 1 onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 15 oz can diced tomatoes 4 oz green chile, chopped 2 cups water 8 oz uncooked short pasta (shells, rotini, farfalle, penne, etc.) 1 Tbsp dried oregano 1 Tbsp dried thyme ½ tsp nutmeg 1 cup sour cream. Heat 2 Tbsp water in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Add sausage, cover and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove cover and let water evaporate, browning sausage lightly. Drain off fat. Add onion & garlic and cook 5 minutes longer. Add tomatoes, chiles and water. Bring to a boil. Add pasta and spices. Return to a boil, turn heat to low. Cover and cook until pasta is al dente. Mixture should be loose, but not too soupy. Turn off heat and stir in sour cream. I use bulk Italian sausage. If you use links you will need to remove the casings. I prefer “petite diced” tomatoes which are cut into appx ½” pieces. You could also use fresh or frozen tomatoes. You can substitute 2 – 10 oz cans diced tomatoes with chiles (e.g., Ro-Tel) for the canned tomatoes and the chiles. You can substitute plain yogurt for the sour cream. Vi’s Fruitcake. This recipe was developed by my friend Judy Begley Trimarchi’s mother, Violet (Vi) Begley. Yes, it’s fruitcake, but not the kind of fruitcake that your parents warned you about. This cake is full of raisins, dates, and walnuts with some candied fruit, held together by a moist spice cake flavored with molasses, apple jelly, coffee, cinnamon, nutmeg & cloves. Try it, you will be surprised! When I was first offered a piece of this fruitcake, I was reluctant to try it, but I quickly changed my mind and ate two more pieces. Servings: 48 cupcakes. 1 cup shortening 2 cups brown sugar 6 eggs 3 cups flour 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 tsp cinnamon ½ tsp cloves 1 tsp nutmeg ¾ cup brewed coffee ½ cup apple jelly ½ cup molasses 1 lb raisins ½ lb currants ½ lb dates, chopped ½ lb nuts, coarsely chopped 1 lb candied fruit. Cream shortening and sugar. Beat in eggs. In another bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt & spices. Stir in flour mixture alternately with liquids (coffee, jelly & molasses) until well combined. Stir in fruit and nuts. Pour into greased and floured loaf pans or lined cupcake pans, filling almost to the top. Bake at 300℉ until a toothpick comes out clean. Cupcakes about 25 minutes, 2″x 4″ loaf about 45-50 minutes. You can substitute other dried fruit for any of those listed. This year we used dried pineapple & dried cherries instead of the candied fruit – yum! You can substitute another mild-flavored jelly if you prefer. Beau Monde Seasoning. My mom used to keep this seasoning, made by Spice Islands, on hand. I used to put it on everything. It is a versatile mixture of spices that can be used to perk up the flavor of beef, pork, poultry, seafood, vegetables, soups, salads and eggs. Beau Monde is often used with homemade dips, salad dressings and sauces. This recipe is found on many different sites online. 1 Tbsp ground cloves 1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1 Tbsp salt 1 Tbsp ground bay leaf 1 Tbsp ground allspice 2 Tbsp ground black pepper 1 Tbsp ground white pepper 1 tsp ground nutmeg 1 tsp ground mace 1 tsp celery seed. In a small mixing bowl, mix together all ingredients. Pour into a tightly closed jar and store in a cool, dry place. Hot Buttered Rum. from Dennis via Judy Begley Trimarchi 2 cups light brown sugar (packed) 1/2 cup salted butter pinch of salt 3 sticks cinnamon 6-8 whole cloves 1/2 whole nutmeg 8 cups water 2 cups light rum whipped cream grated nutmeg. Combine sugar, butter, salt, cinnamon, cloves, whole nutmeg and water in a crockpot. Cook on low for 5 hours. Add rum. Serve in warm mugs with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Rice Pudding. adapted by Alycia Davis from several cookbook recipes 1 cup uncooked rice (or 3 cups cooked) 1 can sweetened condensed milk 1 can evaporated milk 2 cans water (only 1/2-1 can if rice is already cooked) 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp vanilla 1 cup raisins (optional) Mix all ingredients in oven proof bowl. Bake at 350 degrees about 45 min or until top is lightly browned. Serve hot or cold. Refrigerate leftovers. You could try another dried fruit instead of raisins. Aunt Louise’s Zucchini Relish. from my husband’s great aunt, Louise Cooper Purinton. 5 cups chopped unpeeled zucchini (2-3 large) 2 cups chopped onion (about 2 med) 1 / 2 red bell pepper * 1 1 / 2 Tbsp salt 1 1 / 8 cups vinegar 2 1 / 2 cups sugar 1 1 / 2 tsp pepper 1 1 / 2 tsp mustard seed 1 1 / 2 tsp turmeric 1 Tbsp celery seed 1 / 2 tsp nutmeg. Grind vegetables to pickle relish consistency. Add salt. Put in large bowl & cover with water. Let stand overnight. Drain. Rinse with cold water. Drain well. Place in large pot. Add remaining ingredients. Cook for 15 minutes. Pack into jars & seal. Process for 5-10 minutes in boiling water bath. Makes about 4 pints. Variations: substitute carrot for bell pepper – it’s mostly there for the color substitute cucumber or other veggies for zucchini (total 5 cups veggies) substitute apple cider vinegar for white vinegar substitute garam masala for turmeric (will be sweeter & a little spicier) substitute saffron or annatto (achiote) for turmeric if you only want the color. A Salad to Make You Famous. 12 oz can white meat chicken (or 1 cup cooked chicken, chopped) broth from canned chicken 1 can pineapple chunks, drained 1 cup strawberry halves 1 lg banana, sliced 1 avocado, cubed ¼ cup milk ¾ cup plain yogurt ½ tsp vanilla generous dash each of nutmeg & cinnamon. Mix chicken broth (if not using canned, add a little water if necessary to thin the dressing), milk, yogurt, vanilla & spices. Gently toss fruit & chicken. Serve with dressing on the side. The original recipe called for buttermilk that I never have on hand, so I replaced it with ½ milk and ½ yogurt – this works in other recipes also. Roasted Turnips with Parmesan. 2 lb turnips (about 4 medium), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch wedges 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1/8 tsp coarse salt 1/4 tsp ground pepper 1/4 cup grated Parmesan. Buttermilk Scones. These are very different from most scones – they are made with yeast so they are softer and less like biscuits than other scones I have eaten. They are a very good way to use up sour milk since they use a quart at a time. I got this recipe from a recipe exchange, but unfortunately I did not make a note of who submitted the recipe. If you know where this recipe came from, please let me know. Servings: 8. 2 Tbsp yeast 1/4 cup lukewarm water 1 qt. buttermilk (or sour milk), warmed 2 Tbsp sugar 1 Tbsp oil 1 1/2 tsp salt 1 Tbsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 8 cups flour. Soften yeast in water. In a large bowl combine buttermilk, sugar, oil, salt, baking powder, soda, and softened yeast. Add 4 cups flour and beat until smooth. Add enough of remaining flour to make a soft dough. Cover and let rise until doubled. Punch down, cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or overnight. Roll out circles appx 6″ diameter and 1/2″ thick. Mark each circle into 6-8 triangles with a fork. Bake at 350℉ for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. I have always baked them, but the original recipe says to cut the dough into rectangles and fry at 375℉ until golden brown – these are called Utah Scones or Mormon Scones. Vi’s Fruitcake. This recipe was developed by my friend Judy Begley Trimarchi’s mother, Violet (Vi) Begley. Yes, it’s fruitcake, but not the kind of fruitcake that your parents warned you about. This cake is full of raisins, dates, and walnuts with some candied fruit, held together by a moist spice cake flavored with molasses, apple jelly, coffee, cinnamon, nutmeg & cloves. Try it, you will be surprised! When I was first offered a piece of this fruitcake, I was reluctant to try it, but I quickly changed my mind and ate two more pieces. Servings: 48 cupcakes. 1 cup shortening 2 cups brown sugar 6 eggs 3 cups flour 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda 1 tsp salt 1 tsp cinnamon ½ tsp cloves 1 tsp nutmeg ¾ cup brewed coffee ½ cup apple jelly ½ cup molasses 1 lb raisins ½ lb currants ½ lb dates, chopped ½ lb nuts, coarsely chopped 1 lb candied fruit. Cream shortening and sugar. Beat in eggs. In another bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt & spices. Stir in flour mixture alternately with liquids (coffee, jelly & molasses) until well combined. Stir in fruit and nuts. Pour into greased and floured loaf pans or lined cupcake pans, filling almost to the top. Bake at 300℉ until a toothpick comes out clean. Cupcakes about 25 minutes, 2″x 4″ loaf about 45-50 minutes. You can substitute other dried fruit for any of those listed. This year we used dried pineapple & dried cherries instead of the candied fruit – yum! You can substitute another mild-flavored jelly if you prefer. Multi-Grain Biscuits. Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Place baking mix into a bowl. Quickly stir in just enough water to moisten; don’t overstir. Drop dough on ungreased baking pan, flattening slightly or pat out 1/2-3/4″ thick on a floured board and cut it into rounds or wedges. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. (Makes six 3″ biscuits) Multi-Grain Pancakes. 1 1/2 cups Multi-Grain Baking Mix 1 cup water 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla extract 1–2 Tbsp butter. Place the baking mix in a mixing bowl. Whisk together the milk, egg, oil, and vanilla in a separate bowl. Pour into the baking mix, and gently stir to combine. The batter may be a bit lumpy. If it’s too thick, add a bit more water. Preheat griddle and add 1-2 tsp butter for each pancake (I usually use a stick of butter to grease each spot lightly). Cook the pancakes for a few minutes on each side, flipping when air bubbles start to appear on the surface of the batter. (Makes six 4″ pancakes) Amish Friendship Bread – Instructions for Friends. Do not refrigerate. When air gets in the bag, let it out – this will also allow new yeast spores to get in. It is normal for the batter to thicken, bubble and ferment – this is what we want it to do. Day 1 – You receive the bag from a friend. Day 2 – Squeeze the bag several times. Day 3 – Squeeze the bag several times. Day 4 – Squeeze the bag several times. Day 5 – Squeeze the bag several times. Day 6 – Feed the starter: add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup milk. Squeeze the bag several times to combine. Day 7 – Squeeze the bag several times. Day 8 – Squeeze the bag several times. Day 9 – Squeeze the bag several times. Day 10 Pour the batter into a large non-metal bowl. Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup milk. Sharing. Pour 1 cup starter each into 4 gallon zipper bags. Keep one for yourself and give three starters with instructions to friends. Use the remaining batter to make Amish Friendship Bread. For a successful fermentation process, the starter should not come in contact with any metal (spoons, bowls, etc.) After fermenting for 10 days, you can freeze this starter for later use. Frozen starter will take at least 3 hours at room temperature to thaw before using. Amish Friendship Bread. Preheat oven to 325. Lightly grease 2 large loaf pans. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pudding mix. Make a well in the center. Add Amish Friendship Bread Starter, oil, milk, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Stir in nuts. Pour batter into pans. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean, about 1 hour. Variations: Lower fat: substitute ½ cup oil and ½ cup applesauce for 1 cup oil. Apple Cinnamon: add 2 apples. peeled, cored and finely chopped when you add the nuts. Banana Nut: reduce cinnamon to 1/2 tsp and add 3 large ripe bananas, mashed. Chocolate: substitute chocolate pudding mix and “flour” the pans with cocoa – omit cinnamon or leave it in for a Mexican chocolate flavor, omit nuts if desired. Lemon Poppy Seed: substitute lemon pudding mix, reduce cinnamon to 1/2 tsp, omit nuts and add 2 Tbsp poppy seeds. Muffins: pour into greased muffin tins and reduce the baking time to 23-25 minutes. Pistachio: substitute pistachio pudding mix and pistachios. Raisin or Date: add 1 cup raisins or dates. Amish Friendship Bread Starter. This recipe was passed along to me years ago by a friend at work. I have also been given a new starter by my daughter, Marissa Davis Hefner, after mine expired in the refrigerator from neglect. This is a sourdough starter and can be used for other sourdough recipes also. 1 cup flour 1 cup sugar 1 cup milk. Mix flour & sugar. Stir in milk. Pour into a gallon zipper bag several times. Growing the Starter. Do not refrigerate. When air gets in the bag, let it out – this will also allow new yeast spores to get in. It is normal for the batter to thicken, bubble and ferment – this is what we want it to do. Day 2 – Squeeze the bag several times. Day 3 – Squeeze the bag several times. Day 4 – Squeeze the bag several times. Day 5 – Squeeze the bag several times. Day 6 – Feed the starter: add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup milk. Squeeze the bag several times to combine. Day 7 – Squeeze the bag several times. Day 8 – Squeeze the bag several times. Day 9 – Squeeze the bag several times. Day 10 – Pour the batter into a large non- metal bowl. Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup milk. Sharing. Pour 1 cup starter each into 4 gallon zipper bags. Keep one for yourself and give three starters with instructions to friends. Use the remaining batter to make Amish Friendship Bread. For a successful fermentation process, the starter should not come in contact with any metal (spoons, bowls, etc.) After fermenting for 10 days, you can freeze this starter for later use. Frozen starter will take at least 3 hours at room temperature to thaw before using. Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cloverleaf Biscuits. 1 cup sour cream 1 cup butter or margarine 2 1/2 cups self-rising flour. Melt the sour cream and butter in the microwave and stir in the flour. Mixture will be quite soft – refrigerate briefly if desired. Roll marble-sized balls and put 3 in each muffin cup. They won’t fit down to the bottom of the cup, but you don’t want the balls to be too small. Bake at 450 for 10- 12 minutes, or until edges are golden. This will make 36 – 48, depending upon the size of the biscuits. Multi-Grain Baking Mix. adapted from My Kitchen Addiction & Recipe Codex I like the mix of grains on My Kitchen Addiction, but I added cornmeal, powdered milk, and butter to the mix like Recipe Codex so it could be used for biscuits as well. This also reduces what you need to add to make pancakes. 2 cups whole wheat flour 1 cup rye flour 1 cup ground oats (pulse old fashioned oats in food processor) 1 cup cornmeal 1/2 cup ground flax 1/2 cup wheat germ 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup baking powder 1/2 cup nonfat powdered milk 2 teaspoons salt 1/2 cup cold butter, cut in ¼” pieces. In a food processor, mix the flours, oats, cornmeal, flax, wheat germ, sugar, baking powder, powdered milk, and salt. Add butter a few pieces at a time. Pulse only until lightly mixed. Store in zipper bags in the refrigerator or freezer.* (Makes enough for about 5 batches of pancakes or biscuits) My food processor is large enough to handle this in one batch. If yours is smaller, split amounts in half and mix in 2 batches. If frozen, measure what you want to use and let it come to room temperature for an hour before using. * I write the instructions for pancakes & biscuits on quart bags with a Sharpie, then put 1 1/2 cups mix in each bag. Multi-Grain Pancakes. 1 1/2 cups Multi-Grain Baking Mix 1 cup water 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla extract 1–2 Tbsp butter. Nuts by Kacy Cook. Nuts is a realistic fiction novel by Kacy Cook. Contents. Description. Sometimes even the smallest thing can change your life forever. A squeaking sound outside her bedroom leads eleven-year-old Nell to a baby squirrel abandoned in her yard. Nell and her younger brothers end up saving two wild squirrels that appear to be orphaned. With the help of some online research and a new friend, Nell learns how to care for the squirrels, but she also learns that she shouldn’t try to do this on her own. Still, if Nell, who is homeschooled, has the time and devotion, why shouldn’t she keep the squirrels? She loves them, and they need her—don’t they? Nell is willing to do anything to keep her new pets safe, even if it involves telling a few lies. . . . Kacy Cook has crafted a beautiful, classic debut novel about love, family, and nature that young readers will never forget. Kacy's Guide to Health, Fitness and Diet. Join me on my Journey to getting Fit and Healthy. My goal is to Exercise, find a healthy Diet, and leading a more balanced, happy lifestyle. Sunday, February 14, 2010. It's Important to Stretch. I can't express to you the importance of warming up and cooling down when working out, or doing and type of sport or strength training. Stretching is not the only type of warm up, cool down activity that you can do. You can ride a bike, walk, jog, or jump rope. Personally I like to jump rope, and use a fitness ball. However it is important that you stretch as well as one or more of these other exercises. Stretching can help prevent an injury , and post-exercise muscle soreness , as well as improve your range of motion (ROM). I do the same stretching set before and after a work out. I like to do the set backwards in cool down, to keep me concentrating, and I prefer to go from Lying to Standing before then, Standing to Lying after wards. Each stretch I do is held for a count of 30, and it's really important to focus on the area your stretching while your stretching it. This seems to intensify the stretch. My stretching routing looks like this: (If your unsure of any of the stretches follow the links) Position Stretch Lying Down Groin Stretch Lying Tuck Sitting Groin Stretch Ham String Stretch Iliotibial Band Stretch Golfers Elbow Stretch Level 1 Golfers Elbow Stretch Level 2 Tennis Elbow Stretch Level 1 Tennis Elbow Stretch level 2 Keeling Chest Stretch Lat Stretch Cat Stretch Standing Calf Stretch Soleus Stretch Groin Stretch Ham String Stretch Quadriceps Stretch Then the same but backwards for after my weight lifting routine. Tuesday, February 9, 2010. Protein and You. When I first started lifting weights, my fiancé and I talked about taking protein supplements, and we decided to try it out for a while. Although I'd never had the need to try supplements before my partner had and he had noticed a benefit. So after a bit of research, and experimentation we found a supplement that suited our needs. We tried it out for a few months, it was very expensive and although I noticed results at first, things dramatically changed when our diet did. At first I noticed that my muscles weren't as achy after a workout and I felt much more energized and active. Over these few months our diet dramatically changed, we added many more protein rich foods, and cut out a lot of carbohydrates, and fats. All of a sudden the energized feeling I was getting from the protein developed into a more tired, bloated feeling. Once we stopped the supplements and concentrated on getting enough protein from out diet this feeling subsided. Not only do I feel better now, but my fiancé and I have noticed a dramatic difference in fat loss and muscle gain. I'm sure that now that we are getting the needed protein from our diet we are much better off. I've just finished reading an excellent article called: Do You Need To Take Protein Supplements? This article explains the importance of protein and when you need to consume supplements. This is a wonderful read if your interested in getting the most out of your diet and therefore your body. Saturday, February 6, 2010. Rice, What's the Difference? At the supermarket yesterday I noticed a packet of brown rice, I wondered if there was any truth to how much healthier it claimed to be, so I decided to do some research, this is what I discovered. Brown rice , also known as "hulled rice", is not milled or only partly milled rice. It is chewier than white rice and has a slightly nutty flavor. It has more nutritional value than white rice but by comparison decomposes more quickly. White rice is rice which has been milled, having it's husk, bran and germ removed. This is done to extend the life of the grain, so that it can be shipped further and stored for longer. The Milling process The main difference between brown rice and white rice is the milling process, which affects the nutritional content. Milling is often referred to as "whitening" because the variety of rice may be identical, but milling removes the husk and the bran from the grain turning it from brown to white. After milling, white rice is polished, to give it a bright, white, shiny appearance. During the milling and polishing process many vitamins and dietary minerals are lost. In "enriched" white rice some of these nutrients are added back in a chemical form, such as vitamins B1, B3, and iron, but the majority are lost. In removing the bran layer the oil is also removed, a recent study has shown that rice bran oil may help lower LDL cholesterol. Fiber and fatty acids are also lost in the process, one cup of brown rice has over three grams of fiber, while the equivalent white rice has less than one gram. Brown rice is reputedly easier to digest, because it contains more bran than it's white rice counterpart. To prepare brown rice, use 2 cups of water for each cup of brown rice, and salt to taste. Bring salted water to a boil, and stir in rice. Reduce heat to a minimal simmer, and cook tightly covered for 30-45 minutes or until all water has been absorbed into rice. Thursday, February 4, 2010. 9 Nuts For Your Health. While in the vegetable shop this morning, I brought some roasted nuts. All the way home, I wondered if there were any health benefits to all the nuts and seeds we eat. So I've done a little bit of research and I thought I would share my results with you. Firstly a nut is a dried fruit with one (sometimes two) seeds, and there are many different types. Nuts can be high in calories and fat, yet they have many health benefits. Eating nuts is believed to reduce your risk of heart disease, lower serum LDL cholesterol concentrations, plus nuts generally have a very low glycemic index (GI) , therefore are helpful for patients with insulin resistance problems such as diabetes mellitus type 2. I wanted to look at the Health benefits of 9 most common Nuts/Seeds, we have here at home: