HAPPY BIRTHDAY GREAT GRANDMA HELEN!

I have enjoyed the month of August as I have celebrated all of the people born this month.  Birthdays are a special day enjoyed with a million balloons or a simple walk in the park with your favorite pet.  It is a time to pause and honor yourself, honor your life, and perhaps set goals for the future.  A person's life goals or "bucket" list can begin at any age.

Yesterday my mother-in-law Helen turned ninety.  She lives in Alaska and has lived a long and productive life.  To this day she has a radiant smile.  She raised three successful sons, has six delightful grandchildren, one great-grand daughter and always appreciates the simple things in life.  Helen loves nature, art and people.  She shared her talents with her family where creativity and a love of the outdoors are paramount in their lives.

Helen lived through the Depression era and was a young woman during World War Two so learning to stretch the penny, and laugh instead of cry were part of her daily experience. In fact, her son's first electric guitar came from saving 'green stamps'.  Value those coupons folks!  Helen, like Heritage House (where she lives) would be an advocate of KITCHEN ART.  At Heritage House they keep the elderly entertained with songs, beautiful smiles and a multitude of creative projects.

So here are two new food projects that can be done for a two-year-old a ninety-year-old or anyone in-between.  Happy Birthday Helen!

TASTY GREEN SNAKE DIP

INGREDIENTS:  3 avocados, red pepper, one pint cottage cheese, one olive, 1/4 cup salsa, lettuce, alfalfa sprouts

TOOLS:  spoon, knife, tray, cutting board, fork, bowl

INSTRUCTION:   Create snake body: 1. Peel and mash avocados.  Add cottage cheese and salsa, mix.  2. Scoop onto tray and shape your snake, making it long, thin and wiggly.  3.  Make features:  cut bit of red pepper for tongue and olives for eyes.  Create background:   4. Cover the rest of the tray with lettuce and sprouts.  YUM!

ADDITIONAL IDEAS:  Use walnut bits to create rattle on tail.  Or create palm trees in background with celery sticks, carefully scallions and bits of radishes or olives.

CREATIVE SANDWICHES*

Did you ever notice your child eats more when they make it themselves?  These are fun and tasty open-faced sandwiches that your child will love.  And maybe the staff at Heritage House will think to try this themselves!

INGREDIENTS:  soft sandwich bread, sliced cheese, pickles, olives, tomato, walnuts, tin foil

TOOLS:  cutting board, cookie cutters, knife, broiler*

INSTRUCTION:  *  Adult supervision required.  1. Place a slice of bread on cutting board, cover with slice of cheese and use cookie cutter to make sandwich shape.  2. Decorate sandwich with bits of olives, pickles, tomato, and crushed walnuts.  3. Toast and enjoy!

ADDITIONAL IDEAS:  Use avocado and sliced cucumber.  OR make pizza sandwiches: tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and olives.  YUM!