Volume 9, Issue 1 Jan & Feb 2010 The Jax g{x ]tv~áÉÇä|ÄÄxFacts V{É|vx Are You A Chocoholic? Inside this issue: Is chocolate the fifth basic food from cocoa butter and does not contain Headline 1 group? In doing a little research, I the beneficial flavonols of dark choco- found that what I thought were late nor the caffeine stimulants. Food 2 myths, were actually facts! • One recent study concluded that Facts 2 • The most beneficial form of choco- eating 30 calories a day of dark choco- Get-A-Ways 3 late is dark chocolate with a cocoa late lowered blood pressure, thanks to Humor 3 content of at least 70 percent. The the high flavonol content. And, there Health 4 & 5 darker the chocolate, the higher the is more good news: The study showed percentage. that a 30-calorie indulgence didn't re- Announcements Back sult in weight gain or elevated blood • Cocoa is rich in flavonoids. Fla- PASS THE WORD!!!!! vonoids act as antioxidants and help sugar. the body's cells resist damage caused Chocolate in any form contains calo- Please check our website by free radicals from environmental ries and fat-about 150 calories and 8.5 occasionally to see new contaminants like cigarette smoke. grams of fat per ounce. A little daily happenings, open posi- Flavonols in chocolate also have anti- chocolate might contribute beneficially tions and closings due to to good health, though stopping at 30 inflammatory and anti-platelet ef- the weather: fects. Decreasing clot formation low- calories (about the size of a chocolate www.cityofjacksonville.net ers the risk of heart attack and candy kiss) is not necessarily easy to stroke. Dark chocolate, which is less do. processed than lighter chocolates, Chocoholics will readily admit that retains the highest level of flavonols. eating chocolate makes us feel good HAPPY • One study concluded that choco- and studies show a little dark choco- NEW late is a good source of anti-oxidants- late may be good for us. As much as I YEAR -those beneficial compounds that would like to leave you thinking that lessen the risk for cancer by reducing heart shaped box of chocolates is good cancer cell growth and lowering the for your heart and your overall health, From Your LDL cholesterol to help prevent heart moderation in the key! Awesome disease. HR • Substances in chocolate trigger Is anyone Department mood enhancing chemicals in the besides me brain to create feelings of giddiness, interested attraction, euphoria and excitement. in signing up for the • White chocolate is not the same next chocolate study? as dark chocolate because it is made Chili For Chili Night’s White Chicken/Turkey Chili medium heat, stirring occasion- ally so it doesn’t stick. Serves 10-12 6 cups cooked chicken or turkey meat 1 large container sour cream 2 lbs shredded Cheddar/Colby Jack Serving Suggestions: 1 small can diced green chilies (does not make it Saltine Crackers spicy) Garlic Bread/Toast 2 large boxes chicken broth (6 cups) French Bread 6 cans Great Northern Beans (1 can per person) Use your biggest crock-pot or soup pan. Mix all ingredients except 1lb of the shredded cheese (use that for your topping). If you use your crock-pot, you get to enjoy the aroma all day, cooking on low for about 8 hours; cooking on high for the last hour. Using a large soup pan, allow 2 hours for prep and cooking time. Cook on low- Winter Safety 5) Do not pass maintenance vehicles or plows on Knowing the current road conditions helps pre- the right and give them at least 200 feet between vent disasters on the road. This is often accom- them and your vehicle. plished by calling your local weather 411 service, viewing weather and traffic information on the 6) Avoid traveling on bridges during icy condi- Internet, checking the local news for weather ad- tions. visories and traffic reports, and paying attention to flashing electronic highway signs. 7) Since trucks take longer to stop than cars, do not cut in front. On the Road In addition to maintaining the safety level of your 8) Avoid cruise control or overdrive in freezing vehicle, you must also pay extra attention to the cold weather. way you drive in the wintertime. This means staying off of the cell phone and adhering to the 9) Vehicles with four-wheel drive may get drivers legal speed limit. Additionally, a driver should: going quicker on the road, but does not help them stop any faster. 1) Always wear a seatbelt. 10) Avoid pumping anti-lock brakes - it is much 2) Stay alert and drive completely sober. better to "stomp and steer." 3) Drive with headlights on. 4) Give ample amount of time to slow down when roads are slippery. When roads are icy, it is sug- gested to delay travel, especially when "black ice" is involved. Page 2 Volume 9, Issue 1 Pure Romance We run around the entire year bargaining with time, because sometimes we don't have time for our loved ones or for ourselves. Special days like Valentines Day serve as good reasons to take time to be with our loved ones. We often struggle with this, since it can be hard to come up with romantic valentine ideas. As we lose touch with this softer side of life spending too much time at work, often times we can't easily get into the world of romance. What would be the ideal Valentines Day gift? How about a dozen roses, 11 red and 1 white rose signify- ing her beauty standing out among the rest. Maybe “Love Coupons” with each one having a romantic message on it. Sidewalk chalk, cheap and easy and can make a sweet mes- sage on the driveway. Romance doesn’t have to be expensive, but only thoughtful. It can be as simple as a soft touch as you walk by each other or a post-it note on a mirror, on their steering wheel or the page in their book where they left off. It’s important to keep the spice in your relationship and to let your partner know how much their love for you is desired. Have fun this Valentines Day!! Police & Fire BUDGET CUTS?? The Jacksonville Choice Page 3 January 2010 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 It’s Munchies Time!!! Whether it’s just you or 15 more for your Superbowl Party, you’ve got to have easy, fun snacks. Sunday, February 7, 2010 is the scheduled day so get out your party planner. You can make enough of the right ones and not even need a main course. Check these ideas out below: BLUE 22 PIZZA SNACKS 2 cans Pillsbury® Refrigerated Pizza Crust 8 ounces Mozzarella cheese, cut into 48 cubes 48 pepperoni slices 1/4 cup olive oil OR vegetable oil 1 1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning 2 teaspoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese Heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray two 9-inch pie pans or one 13 x 9-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Remove dough from both cans; unroll. Starting at center, press out each dough rectangle to form a 12 x 8-inch rectangle. Cut each rectangle into 24 squares. Top each square with cheese cubes and a pepperoni slice. Wrap dough around filling to completely cover; firmly press edges to seal. Place seam side down with sides touching in sprayed pie pans. In a small bowl, combine oil and Italian season- ing; mix well. Drizzle over filled dough in pans. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 degrees For 16 to 22 minutes or until golden Serves 15-20 people TOUCHDOWN ROLLS 2 packages cream cheese, softened 1 sm can chopped black olives 2 cups cooked ham, shredded or minced 1 cup green onions, diced 1 packages large tortillas Page 4 Volume 9, Issue 1 February 2010 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 Superbowl 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Mix all ingredients together in a bowl except tortillas; spread evenly on each tortilla; roll up like a jelly- roll. Refrigerate for an hour; cut ends off tortillas, then cut into half-inch pieces. Lay them in a serving tray. Serves 15-20 people HALF-BACK PASS TATER WEDGES 10 large baking potatoes, each cut into 8 wedges 5 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 tablespoons ground black pepper Cheese Sauce: 1 pkg Velveeta, melted 4 tablespoons finely chopped green onions 2 tablespoon imitation bacon bits Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a re-sealable plastic bag, toss potatoes with oil, salt and pepper. Spread evenly onto baking pan and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes, remove cover and turn potatoes. Bake for 10 additional minutes or until lightly browned. For the sauce, heat oil in medium saucepan and stir over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add milk and stir. Reduce heat to low; stir in cheese, green onions, bacon bits and pepper. Serve potato wedges with warm cheese sauce. Serves 8-10 people The Jacksonville Choice Page 5 The only true Hollie Shoup 982-4671 [email protected] Announcements happiness in life…. to love and be loved. A special THANK YOU to our Fire, Police, 911, and Street Departments for everything they did while responding to the “Call of Duty” during all the rain.