My lil man can walk!

Okay, not REALLY, but he is old enough apparently to sit in his walker!! His feet just barely touch the ground and I think he likes sitting/standing up like a big boy! He likes to go for the Elmo spinning toy too.

((You can find this awesome walker here: Sesame Street Elmo Activity Walker))

Don’t forget to vote for us today at Little Remedies! And remember, every time you vote (1x/day) also gives YOU an additional entry to win $1000! THANK YOU!

Leftovers. Pick and cook asparagus correctly for best flavor.(Flavor/Gracious Living)

The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA) March 15, 2006 Byline: REBECCA BURCHER JONES BY REBECCA BURCHER JONES CORRESPONDENT THE SKINNY on asparagus is this: March, April and May are when California harvests peak, so now is the time to begin enjoying the best of fresh domestic asparagus.

To ensure you’re buying the freshest asparagus in the grocery bin, select bright green spears with compact, firm tips and smooth, tender skin. California growers, according to the California Asparagus Commission, offer a range of sizes, from “standard” with an approximate diameter of one-fourth inch to “jumbo” with an approximate diameter of three-fourths inch. Both are tender, as tenderness relates to color — the greener the asparagus, the better it is.

You should handle asparagus spears like flowers. Trim the butt end of the spears, then refrigerate, upright, standing in an inch of water. Cover loosely with plastic. Or wrap the cut ends in a wet paper towel and store in a plastic bag with the top of the bag left open. Stored this way, fresh asparagus keeps for two to three days refrigerated.

A pound of asparagus contains 12 to 15 spears that measure 9 to 10 inches long; a pound will serve two to four people. Before cooking, trim about an inch from the butt end and cook the spears until they are barely fork tender. Do not overcook them; asparagus will absorb water and break down. Once cooked, refrigerate asparagus for no more than two days.

You can blanch asparagus in boiling water, steam it in a steamer rack over a large saucepan, microwave it in a glass baking dish, stir-fry it in oil or butter, or grill it directly on the grill.

It’s naturally low in calories, fat, cholesterol and sodium, and it’s an excellent source of folic acid and potassium. this web site online grocery coupons

Featured today is a recipe, supplied by the California Asparagus Commission, for a sandwich of smoked salmon and asparagus.

New PETA program Norfolk-based PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has developed a new scorecard program to rank animal welfare policies of 200 top grocery stores, restaurants, and meat suppliers. PETA will use the information it collected via surveys from these companies to encourage shoppers to support businesses that show consistent progress with animal welfare.

Copies of the surveys are available by request. Contact PETA by dialing (757) 622‑7382. For additional information about PETA, visit the organization’s Web sites at www.peta.org and www.goveg.com.

Clip and save online Clipping coupons from newspapers and advertising fliers has been a popular pastime for decades. With the growth of technology and the Internet, coupons now are available online as well, but consumers still don’t use online coupons with the same frequency as they use preprinted ones.

Enter www.boodle.com, where you can access online grocery coupons for free. You have to register (also free) and then can click and print the coupons you want and start saving on your grocery bills.

A purchase for charity March is National Red Cross Month, and Circulon, makers of cookware, has announced that it will donate $5 to the Red Cross every time one of its specially marked red chef pans is sold. These special pans are set to go on sale in April, and the donation program will continue through 2006. The pan has a 4-quart capacity and measures 10 inches in diameter. It’s made of hard-anodized aluminum and features a non-stick interior and exterior. go to site online grocery coupons

The red porcelain exterior is in tribute to the American Red Cross. The pan retails for $49.99 and is identified by item number 80485.

Clear your clutter If you have cabinets full of pots, pans, dishes and glassware that you seldom use, then you may find a new book helpful in motivating you to clear your kitchen clutter. The book is titled “The Itty Bitty Kitchen Handbook” (Random House, $12.95) by Justin Spring.

In a conversational style, Spring encourages simplicity in the kitchen. Although he’s writing primarily for cooks who operate in small spaces, his advice applies to anyone who’s holding onto something that “might come in handy someday.” Spring suggests inviting a friend to help with a kitchen purge because it’s easier for someone with no attachment to help sort out the necessary from the unnecessary.

Spring, whose own kitchen measures only 45 square feet, makes recommendations for restocking cabinets and drawers and includes some 100 of his favorite recipes.

nSend news for Leftovers to Rebecca Jones at vpleftovers@cox.net. Send mail c/o Flavor, 150 W. Brambleton Ave., Norfolk, VA 23510. Fax (757) 446‑2963.

CAPTION(S):

California Asparagus Commission Cream cheese and red onion add zing to this Fresh California Asparagus and Smoked Salmon Sandwich.