TABLE OF CONTENTS For Kids of all ages:
18 Science Rocks (MVEC) 21 Critter Page 22-28 Activity Pages
For Parents:
4 Welcome Page 6 South Texas Indian Dancers 7 Inspirations Page 13/14 Dr. Ida Acuna-Garza (English/Spanish) 16 Yum, Yum Page 17-Halloween Food Safety Tips
For the Whole Family
8-9 Halloween Safety (make-up/contact lenses) 11 October Book Reviews 19 Cindy’s Crafty Crafts 30 Festivals, Fairs and Fun
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Want to Submit Content? Are you doing something Interesting? Want to get an Interview with us? Call Us: 956-240-3255 Disclaimer © 2010 Jump and/or its Affiliates. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this publication in any form without prior written permission is forbidden. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable. JUMP disclaims all warranties as to the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of such information. JUMP shall have no liability for errors, omissions or inadequacies in the information contained herein or for interpretations thereof.
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Welcome to Issue #45! October is a busy month, full of activities and observances. See our Festivals, Fairs and Fun Page for happenings around the Valley. I wish there were as many happenings every month of the year! This month, we welcome PSJA ISD into our Jump Family. It is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month and if you have not had regular mammograms, it is time to start doing that--for your family! Soon we will hear about Sandra Chargois story. Stay tuned. We’ve been busy (we, as in me and my clone) at Jump, keeping focused on our mission and spreading “the joy” of reading and learning. In September, Security First Credit Union and I teamed up to be at the Pharr National Night Out and in Brownsville for a Career Day. It was enlightening to visit with the McAllen philosophy Club and at El Rocio for Third Thursday Potluck with Dr. Marcia Davis. We visited with Chef James at the Alhambra in McAllen for their first farmer’s market, which was a huge success (Buy local!). Advertising in Jump becomes a partnership where we help our advertisers through our involvement in the communities that we serve (Brownsville to Alto Bonito (La Grulla). If your business is families and you believe in our mission, then we ask for your participation. We ask that you patronize the businesses we serve. It is through them that we bring you this quality magazine. This month, as I do every month, I received an extra special call from Ms. Rosario Sanchez Graham from McAllen. She picks up Jump Magazine from The Lark Center. Gracias, Ms. Graham por su apoyo. Mr. Milton Lopez submitted a picture of his son, which we have on the Festivals page. Thanks to all of our Jump readers. Submit any pictures or stories, poems, etc. It just might end up in Jump! It’s a cooler October, everyone--so take your family to the many outings that are available FREE! Boo! Betty Ramirez ON THE COVER: Robert Soto from the South Texas Indian Dancers Courtesy Photo. WE ASK THAT YOU PATRONIZE OUR ADVERTISERS, IT IS THROUGH THIER SUPPORT THAT WE BRING YOU THIS FUN LEARNING MAGAZINE!
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Support the love of learning and Reading by ADVERTISING in Jump Magazine. CALL BETTY @ 956.240.3255
Jump Magazine Brought to you by: Betty Ramirez, B.A.,MEd. Publisher/ Editor
Contributing Writers Cynthia A. Ponce Dr. Ida-Acuña-Garza Texascooking.com Graphics: Ramsey Ramirez 956.648.4464 JUMP-MAGAZINE.COM
By: Robert & Iris Soto
A pow wow is a social gathering that is used by our Indian people for dancing and singing as well as fun and good old-fashioned fellowship. It is an opportunity to come together as Indian people to honor God the Creator who made us to be - "American Indians." Many people have a lot of horrible misconceptions about the pow wow; but if they would take the time to attend a pow wow they would see that we are just one happy family and that we as Indian people enjoy meeting together and celebrating who we are as American Indians. The pow wow always starts with a grand entry. This is where all the dancers line up according to dance style and dance into the circle. Once the pow
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wow starts, we go through various formalities such as Memorial songs, honor songs, flag songs and prayer. We always start our functions in prayer. Then after the formalities are over, we start dancing and enjoying our time together. A pow wow is first and foremost for our Indian people. It helps us keep who we are alive through song and dance. It is also a time to educate both our Indian community and the non-Indian community about our American Indian heritage and remind everyone that we, American Indians, are alive and doing well in the twenty-first century. Besides dancers, special
performers who will tell you stories and bless you with their songs will entertain you. You will also find vendors selling their crafts and supporting our efforts to keep our culture alive. The South Texas Indian Dancers Association has the privilege of hosting two pow wows a year. They are always held on the fourth weekend in October
and the second weekend in March. You are welcome to call for information at 956-686-6696 or e-mail Robert Soto at sontree@aol.com. Our next pow wow, the 21st Annual South Texas (Way South) Pow Wow will be held at the Lark Community Center at 2601 Lark Ave. in McAllen Texas. Come and visit our pow wow and enjoy the sounds of the past in our times.
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One day a teacher asked her students to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name. Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down. It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed in the papers. That Saturday, the teacher wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of paper, and listed what everyone else had said about that individual.. On Monday she gave each student his or her list. Before long, the entire class was smiling.
'Really?' she heard whispered. 'I never knew that I meant anything to anyone!' and, 'I didn't know others liked me so much,' were most of the comments. No one ever mentioned those papers in class again. She never knew if they discussed them after class or with their parents, but it didn't matter. The exercise had accomplished its purpose. The students were happy with themselves and one another.. That group of students moved on. Several years later, one of the students was killed in VietNam and his teacher attended the funeral of that special student. She had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before. He looked so handsome, so mature. The church was packed with his
friends. One by one those who loved him took a last walk by the coffin. The teacher was the last one to bless the coffin. As she stood there, one of the soldiers who acted as pallbearer came up to her. 'Were you Mark's math teacher?' he asked. She nodded: 'yes.' Then he said: 'Mark talked about you a lot.' After the funeral, most of Mark's former classmates went together to a luncheon. Mark's mother and father were there, obviously waiting to speak with his teacher. 'We want to show you something,' his father said, taking a wallet out of his pocket 'They found this on Mark when he was killed. We thought you might recognize it.' Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been taped, folded and refolded many times. The teacher knew without looking that the papers were the ones on which she had listed all the good things each of Mark's classmates had said about him. Author Unknown 'Thank you so much for doing that,' Mark's mother said. 'As you can see, Mark treasured it.' All of Mark's former classmates started to gather around. Charlie smiled rather
sheepishly and said, 'I still have my list. It's in the top drawer of my desk at home.' Chuck's wife said, 'Chuck asked me to put his in our wedding album.' 'I have mine too,' Marilyn said. 'It's in my diary' Then Vicki, another classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out her wallet and showed her worn and frazzled list to the group. 'I carry this with me at all times,' Vicki said and without batting an eyelash, she continued: 'I think we all saved our lists' That's when the teacher finally sat down and cried. She cried for Mark and for all his friends who would never see him again. The density of people in society is so thick that we forget that life will end one day. And we don't know when that one day will be. So please, tell the people you love and care for, that they are special and important.. Tell them, before it is too late. And One Way To Accomplish This Is: Forward this message on. If you do not repeat it, you will have passed up the wonderful opportunity to do something nice and beautiful.
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Take these simple steps to help your children have a fun – and safe – Halloween Children shouldn’t snack while they’re out trick-or-treating. Urge your children to wait until they get home and you have had a chance to inspect the contents of their “goody bags.” To help prevent children from snacking, give them a light meal or snack before they head out – don’t send them out on an empty stomach. Tell children not to accept – and especially not to eat – anything that isn’t commercially wrapped. Parents of very young children should remove any choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, hard candies or small toys. Inspect commercially wrapped treats for signs of tampering, such as an unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny pinholes, or tears in wrappers. Throw away anything that looks suspicious. And follow these tips for Halloween parties at home If juice or cider is served to children at Halloween parties, make sure it is pasteurized or otherwise treated to destroy harmful bacteria. Juice or cider that has not been treated will say so on the label. No matter how tempting, don't taste raw cookie dough or cake batter. Before going "bobbing for apples," an all-time favorite Halloween game, reduce the number of bacteria that might be present on apples and other raw fruits and vegetables by thoroughly rinsing them under cool running water. As an added precaution, use a produce brush to remove surface dirt. "Scare" bacteria away by keeping all perishable foods chilled until serving time. These include, for example, finger sandwiches, cheese platters, fruit or tossed salads, cold pasta dishes with meat, poultry, or seafood, and cream pies or cakes with whipped-cream and cream-cheese frostings. Cold temperatures help keep most harmful bacteria from multiplying. And don't leave the food at room temperature for more than two-hours. Source: http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm187021.htm
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places: 1. The list of ingredients on the label. Look for the names of the colors. THEN... Painting your face can be a big part of the fun on Halloween and lots of other special occasions. Most of the time people do this without a problem, but not always. Here are some pointers to help keep your fun from leaving you with a rash, swollen eyelids, or other grief.
Painting Your Face: Special Effects Without Aftereffects
Decorating your face with face paint or other makeup lets you see better than you can if you're wearing a mask. A mask can make it hard to see where you're going and watch out for cars. But make sure your painted-on designs don't cause problems of their own. Follow all directions carefully. Don't decorate your face with things that aren't intended for your skin. If your face paint has a very bad smell, this could be a sign that it is contaminated. Throw it away and use another one. Like soap, some things are OK on your skin, but not in your eyes. Some face paint or other makeup may say on the label that it is not for use near the eyes. Believe this, even if the label has a picture of people wearing it near their eyes. Be careful to keep makeup from getting into your eyes. Even products intended for use near your eyes can sometimes
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irritate your skin if you use too much. If you're decorating your skin with something you've never used before, you might try a dab of it on your arm for a couple of days to check for an allergic reaction BEFORE you put it on your face. This is an especially smart thing to do if you tend to have allergies. Color Additives: The "FDA OK" (Or, A Little Detective Work Won't Hurt) A big part of Halloween makeup is color. But this is your skin we're talking about. Think about what you're putting on it. You might not want to put the same coloring on your skin that a car company uses in its paint. Luckily, you don't have to. The law says that color additives have to be approved by FDA for use in cosmetics, including color additives in face paints and other cosmetics that may be used around Halloween time. It also includes theatrical makeup. Plus, FDA has to decide how they may be used, based on safety information. A color that's OK on your tough fingernails or your hair may not be OK on your skin. Colors that are OK for most of your skin may not be OK near your eyes. How do you know which ones are OK to use, and where? Do some detective work and check two
2. Check the Summary of Color Additives on FDA's Web site. There's a section especially on colors for cosmetics. If there's a color in your makeup that isn't on this list, the company that made it is not obeying the law. Don't use it. Even if it's on the list, check to see if it has FDA's OK for use near the eyes. If it doesn't, keep it away from your eyes.
For That Ghoulish Glow
There are two kinds of "glow" effects you might get from Halloween-type makeup. Ready for some ten-dollar words? There are "fluorescent" (say "floor-ESSent") and "luminescent" (say "loo-min-ESS-ent") colors. Here's the difference: Fluorescent colors: These are the make-you-blink colors sometimes called "neon" or "day-glow." There are eight fluorescent colors approved for cosmetics, and like other colors, there are limits on how they may be used. None of them are allowed for use near the eyes. (Check the Summary of Color Additives again.) These are their names: D&C Orange No. 5, No. 10, and No. 11; D&C Red No. 21, No. 22, No. 27 and No. 28; and D&C Yellow No. 7. Luminescent colors: These colors glow in the dark. In August 2000, FDA approved luminescent zinc sulfide for limited cosmetic use. It's the only luminescent color approved for cosmetic use, and it's not for every day and not for near your eyes. You can recognize it by its whitish-yellowish-greenish
glow.
When the Party's Over...
Don't go to bed with your makeup on. Wearing it too long might irritate your skin, and bits of makeup can flake off or smear and get into your eyes, not to mention mess up your pillow and annoy your parents. How you take the stuff off is as important as how you put it on. Remove it the way the label says. If it says to remove it with cold cream, use cold cream. If it says to remove it with soap and water, use soap and water. If it says to remove it with eye makeup remover, use eye makeup remover. You get the picture. The same goes for removing glue, like the stuff that holds on fake beards. And remember, the skin around your eyes is delicate. Remove makeup gently.
But Just in Case...
What if you followed all these steps and still had a bad reaction? In March 2005 and May 2009, some face paint products were recalled from the market because they caused problems such as a skin rash, irritation, itching or minor swelling where the paints were applied. If you have a reaction that seems to be caused by face paints, your parents may want to call a doctor, and they can call FDA, too. We like to keep track of reactions to cosmetics so we know if there are problem products on the market. To report a bad reaction to face paint, novelty makeup, or any other cosmetic product, see Your Guide to Reporting Problems to FDA. U. S. Food And Drug Administration-Dept. of Health and Human Services
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The Stuff of Legend: Book 1: The Dark by Mike Raicht and Brian Smith By Michelle Shelton, Children’s Supervisor, McAllen Library
An eerie twist on the bogeyman and what REALLY goes on in the back of your closet, The Stuff of Legend leads readers into an adventure of epic appeal. When a young boy is snatched into the Dark by the bogeyman, his toys must band together to try to win him back. A toy soldier, a jack-inthe-box, a ballerina, a wooden duck and the boy's favorite stuffed bear as well as his puppy must join forces to battle the evil and bring back the boy from the darkness, a place feared by man, beast and toy alike. Adventures and plot twists abound in this graphic novel and the ending will leave you anxiously awaiting the details of the next episode.
Volcano Wakes Up by Lisa Westburg Peters
By Michelle Shelton, Children’s Supervisor, McAllen Library
Lava crickets hiss as they await their next meal, the black top road waits for the overflowing lava and a baby volcano throws a “tantrum” as it erupts in this unique poetry book about the life of a Hawaiian volcano. Written in free verse, this book explores the life in the day of a volcano from the several different views. The illustrations are bright and colorful torn paper overlays. Additional information in the back lets you find out all you want to know about the objects of the poems and how each one relates to the volcano. If you like volcanoes and are curious about what happens to the surrounding nature, this is one book you need to check out!
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
By Kate Horan, Assistant Director for Public Services, McAllen Library
Stockett’s debut novel centers on the Mississippi Civil Rights era through the eyes of three women. Skeeter, a white woman, 24-years old and a misfit, lucks into a deal with a New York editor to secretly write the untold stories of black maids Minny and Aibilene. The two black women risk their lives and livelihoods to help Skeeter collect their shocking but true stories. This book’s characters will draw you in and make you think about race relations, then and now, and how members of the same household can see life from different perspectives.
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http://www.mcallenlibrary.net JUMP-MAGAZINE.COM
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Family Financial Literacy in an Insecure Economy The concept of managing money has been a constant process for decades. In other words, there a basic principles which we must follow in good and bad economic times in order to be financially secure. Managing our money can be defined as planning, organizing, controlling, and evaluating the use of all types of income. The purpose of managing our money is so that we can get the greatest satisfaction we can from the money we do have to get the things we NEED first and then the things we WANT last. In this day and time, everyone is feeling the results of a delicate economy. People have lost their jobs and have taken lower paying jobs. Some are still looking for jobs. Others have decided to start their own business. All of this has occurred in order to provide our families with food, shelter, clothing, and the necessities of life like electricity, utilities like water, sewage, and garbage collection. The need for JUMP • 13
and the use of money is dependent on the stage of the family life cycle. If you study the time frame for families with children you can see that there are basically three stages and sub-stages for families that place demands on the families income. The three stages are the Beginning, Expanding, and the Contracting stage. The Beginning Stage is the period of establishment in which the demand for money is light to heavy depending on the type of lifestyle and employment of the family. The next stage is the Expanding Stage which includes four basic substages. The sub-stages include the child-bearing and preschool phase when demand for the family’s money is heavy. The next two sub-stages are the Elementary and High School phases which place a moderate to heavy demand on the family’s income. The last sub-stage is the College sub-stage when demand for the family’s money is heaviest. If families do
not plan for these substages by saving money throughout the beginning stage, they can find themselves ill-prepared to meet the expenses which will be expected. The last stage is called the Contracting Stage which includes a time when the children as college graduates will be adjusting to finding and keeping employment. This will place a heavy demand on the family’s income as parents help support their children’s entry into the workforce. The next substage is called Financial Recovery, when parents begin to recover from the high demands on their income and their children are establishing their own lives. Lastly, the sub-stage of Retirement places light demand on the family income. Knowing what to expect in regards to money demands throughout the family cycle can make everyone in the family more focused on their financial goals and more prepared to deal with financial needs and emergencies.
Dr. Ida Acuna-Garza Education Consultant South Texas Literacy Coalition 956-279-1689 Iacuna@aol.com
To help families learn more, The South Texas Literacy Coalition in collaboration with South Texas College Community Day will be sponsoring a Family Financial Literacy Festival. This event will help families learn more about financial management for all the phases of the family life cycle. The Festival will take place on Thursday, October 28, 2010 beginning at 5 p.m. at the STC Mid-Valley campus in Weslaco. Families will have the opportunity to learn about all types of financial resources and obtain information to help them better manage their financial situations. Along with the financial information, the South Texas Literacy Coalition will be sponsoring a book distribution for children. Each child will be invited to choose a free book to take home to enjoy reading. Don’t miss this great event designed for the entire family.
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Dra. Ida Acuna-Garza Consultante sobre la Educacion South Texas Literacy Coalition 956-279-1689 Iacuna@aol.com
Administración de los ingresos de la familia se pueden definir como la planificacion, organización, control, y la evaluacion del uso de sus recursos. El mayor proposito de la administración de nuestro dinero es para llegar a lograr la mas grande satisfaccion del dinero que tenemos para adquirir primeramente las cosas que NECESITAMOS y luego las cosas que DESEAMOS. Hoy en dia, todo mundo esta sintiendo los resultados de una economia delicada. Muchas personas han perdido su empleo mientras a veces tienen que aceptar empleo de mas bajos ingresos. Otras personas siguen buscando empleo. Aun otras personas han decidido empezar sus propias empresas o hacer lo que pueden para lograr dinero. Todo esto occurre para proveerles a nuestras familias con alimento, alojamiento, ropa, y las necesidades de la vida asi como le electricidad, utilidades como agua, drenaje, y colleccion de la basura. La necesidad y el uso del dinero depende en la etape del ciclo de la vida familiar. Si estudiamos el plazo de tiempo de las familias con hijos podemos reconocer que hay basica-
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Conocimiento Sobre Asuntos Financieros Familiares en una Economica Insegura mente tres etapas con sus sub-etapas que ponen una exigencia en los ingresos de la familia. Las tres etapas son las etapas de Inicio, Ampliacion, y Contraccion. La etapa del Inicio es el periodo de tiempo cuando se esta estableciendo la familia y la exigencia para ingresos puede variar de liviano hasta amplio dependiendo en el estilo de vida y empleo de la pareja. La siguiente etapa es la etapa de Amplicaion la cual incluye cuatro sub-etapas. Estas sub-etapas incluyen los tiempos del inicio de la familia cuando hay bebes y ninos PRE-escolares cuando la exigencia por el dinero es mas extensiva. Las siguientes sub-etapas son las de la escuela primaria, segundaria, y preparatoria, las cuales causan una exigencia plena en los ingresos de la familia. La siguiente sub-etapa es cuando los hijos empiezan y siguen en el colegio y esto es cuando la exigencia para los ingresos es amplia. Si las familias no establezen un plan adecuado para cada una de las etapas con la meta de ahorrar dinero durante la etapa de Inicio, pueden tener momentos difíciles y encontrarse sin preparacion para tratar con los gastos que los esperan.
La ultima etapa se llama la etapa de Contraccion la cual incluye el periodo de tiempo cuando los hijos ya graduados del colegio se estan ajustando a su nueva vida encontrando y manteniendo su empleo. Esto pondra una gran exigencia en los ingresos de la familia porque los padres apoyan a sus hijos a la entranda en el mundo del empleo. La siguiente sub-etapa se llama Recuperacion Financial, porque los padres empiezan a recuperarse de las altas exigencias en sus ingresos y sus hijos empiezan a establecer sus propias vidas. Ultimamente, el sub-etapa de Jubilation, pone una exigencia ligera en los ingresos de la familia. El concepto de la administración del dinero no ha cambiado por siglos. En otras palabras, hay principios basicos que debemos seguir durante los tiempos de abundancia, asi tambien como los tiempos mas difíciles en la economica para mantenernos seguros en nuestras finanzas. La Reconociendo que esperar según las exigencias en los ingresos por todo el ciclo familiar de la familia puede motivar a todos los miembros de su familia que se enfoquen en la metas financiales de la familia y
prepararlos para tratar con las necesidades y las emergencias. Para ayudar a las familias aprenadren mas, La Coalicion de Alfabetismo del Sur de Tejas en colaboración con el Colegio del Sur de Tejas (South Texas College) y su Dia Comunitario estara patrocinando un Festival Para Famlias Sobre el Conocimiento Financial . Este evento les ayudara a las familias aprender mas sobre la administración del del dinero para todas las etapas del ciclo familiar. El Festival se llevara a cabo el jueves, 28 de octubre 2010 dando inicio a las 5 de la tarde en el campus del Colegio STC en Weslaco. Las familias tendran la oportunidad to aprender sobre todo tipo de recursos y obtener información para administrar sus ingresos en una manera mas eficaz. Junto con la información sobre las finanzas, la Coalicion de Alfabetismo del Sur de Tejas, patrocinora una distribución de libros para ninos. Cada nino sera invitado a escoger un libro gratis para llevar a casa, leer y disfrutarlo. No deje pasar este gran evento programado para toda su familia.
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Bird Rescue!!!
Please call if you want one or two cats. They are so playful and sweet. Call Judy after 5 p.m. at 956.624.0251 if you can give them a good home. Gross Out! Make Snot With Your Family! YOU WILL NEED AN ADULT TO HELP OUT! Ingredients: ½ cup boiling water 3 tablespoons of gelatin (green is gross) ¼ cup white corn syrup In a large bowl, pour boiling water and add the gelatin. Let it soften for a bit. Stir well and add the corn syrup. Cool the mixture slowly, adding small amounts of water at a time. You’ve got snot! JUMP • 15
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A story on Wilma’s Animal Rescue was featured in last month’s Jump Magazine. Wilma is taking in only birds, at this time. Her number is 956.356.7752 or call me at 956.240.3255 and I will contact her.
It is hard to get much more Texan than Chicken Fried Steak. Quality of the beef really
counts in this dish. This recipe calls for cube steaks, but good round steak that you have asked the butcher to run through the tenderizer or that you have tenderized yourself with a mallet (no big deal and can be a real stress reliever) can be even better. 4 tenderized beef cutlets (known in supermarkets as "cube steak") OR 1 round steak, with fat removed, that you’ve tenderized yourself (see above) 1 egg 1/4 cup milk
all-purpose flour cooking oil or melted Crisco 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon white pepper Beat together the egg and milk and set aside. Mix together the salt, black pepper, paprika and white pepper and sprinkle on both sides of beef cutlets. Dredge the cutlets in the flour, shaking off the excess. Then dip each cutlet in the egg/milk mixture, then back in the flour. (You’re going to get your hands messy here, so take your rings off.) Set cutlets aside on a piece of waxed paper. Heat the cooking oil in a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes. Oil should be about a half-inch deep in the pan. Check the temperature with a drop of water; if it pops and spits back at you, it’s ready.
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With a long-handled fork, carefully place each cutlet into the hot oil. Protect yourself (and your kitchen) from the popping grease that results. Fry cutlets on both sides, turning once, until golden brown. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 4 or 5 minutes until cutlets are done through. Drain cutlets on paper towels. Makes 4 servings.
Cream Gravy
After the cutlets are removed from the pan, pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of oil keeping as many as possible of the browned bits in the pan. Heat the oil over medium heat until hot. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons flour (use the left-over flour from the chicken fried steak recipe) in the hot oil. Stir with a wooden spoon, quickly, to brown the flour. Gradually stir in 3/4 cup milk and 3/4 cup water, mixed together, stirring constantly with the wooden spoon and mashing out any lumps. Lower heat, and gravy will begin to thicken. Continue cooking and stirring a few minutes until gravy reaches desired thickness. Check seasonings and add more salt and pepper according to your taste.
Okra is not well-known outside the southern states, which is understandable in that it’s a hotweather crop. Fried okra, of course, is immensely popular and has gained fame even in northern climes, but real okra lovers appreciate its flavor when it is stewed -- that is, cooked slowly with a little liquid. Okra can be stewed alone or with other vegetables, most notably tomatoes. Ideally, you should have small pods of fresh okra and big, juicy tomatoes for this recipe to be at its best. 1 small sweet onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup -- sometimes it’s hard to find a small sweet onion, so use half a medium onion) 2 cups okra, rinsed, trimmed and sliced (see below) 3 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped (or 1 14-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes with juice) 2 tablespoons bacon drippings (or 1 tablespoon bacon drippings and 1 tablespoon olive oil) 1/2 teaspoon salt freshly ground black pepper to taste In a saucepan or sauté pan with a close-fitting lid, sauté the onion in the bacon drippings over medium heat until softened, not browned. Reduce the heat to low, and stir in the okra and tomatoes. Add the salt, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the pepper. Makes about 4 servings. Note: If using small pods of fresh okra, just trim the stem ends, leaving the pods whole. If the pods are larger (over 2 inches long), slice them in half.
Note to Cream Gravy novices: Gravy-making is an inexact science. Cream gravy is supposed to be thick, but if you think it’s too thick, add more liquid until you’re satisfied with it.
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ENDANGERED MEANS THERE IS STILL TIME! Loss of a single species from its ecosystem affects others that rely on it. The disappearance of one plant species may affect an entire food chain. Starting with insects that live or feed on the plant, moving on to the birds and frogs that eat the insects, and ending with the larger animals like snakes, hawks, and foxes that prey on the birds and frogs. Approximately 1300 different species in the United States are listed as endangered or threatened. Many people think that animals like whales, eagles, and wolves are the only endangered species. Other endangered or threatened organisms include specific species of shrimp, frogs, butterflies, grasses, spiders, fish, clams, rice, snails, turtles, birds, orchids, squirrels, mice, deer, bats, and cacti. The Endangered Species poster may be ordered from the National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP); EPA Publication Number is 735-F-94-014. http://www.epa.gov/ncepihom/ ordering.html
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Items needed: Sandwich or snack bags Card stock black or orange
Stickers Scissors Markers Stapler Candy
Cut the card stock 6 ½ ” x 5 ½ ”. Fold paper horizontally. Add stickers, write message, and/ or draw pictures. Add candy. Staple card stock to baggie.
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store. 12. Boo-ties! 13. You look boo-tiful tonight. 14. Boo Jeans! 15. Coffee with scream and sugar 16. spookgetti 17. It’s a big pain in the neck 18. She bats her eyes. 19. They’re afraid to relax and unwind 20. Coffin drops
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feet? 13. What did the boy ghost tell his girlfirend 14. What kind of pants do ghosts wear? 15. What do ghosts drink at breakfast? 16. What do ghosts eat for dinner? 17. What’s it like to be kissed by a vampire? 18. How does a vampire girl flirt? 19. Why don’t mummies take vacations? 20. What do you give a vampire with a cold? ANSWERS 1. They’re afraid of flying off the handle. 2. Miss No Body 3. Dayscare Centers 4. His ghoul Friend 5. Romeo and Ghouliet 6. Scare spray 7. Bam-Boo! 8. Boo-boos 9. Ghost Toasties 10. You have to lay off the toil and trouble 11. At the ghostery
1. Why don’t angry witches ride their brooms? 2. Who won the skeleton beauty contest? 3. Where do baby ghosts go during the day? 4. Who did Frankenstein take to the prom? 5. What’s a monster’s favorite play? 6. What do witches put on their hair? 7. What do you get when you cross Bambi with a ghost? 8. What kind of mistakes do spooks make? 9. What kind of cereal do monsters eat? 10. What did the doctor tell the old witch? 11. Where do ghosts buy their food? 12. What do baby ghosts wear on their
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OCTOBER EVENTS October 1,2-South Padre Seafood & Music Festival. October 3-9-National Fire Prevention Week October 9-McAllen Green Living Festival October 7-10-South Padre Bikefest Roar by the Shore. October 13-Metastatic Cancer Awareness Day October 16-McAllen Palmer Pavilion-BBQ Benefit for Recycled Rovers $7.00. 956.461.2678/956.562.4421. October 17 Mission Princess Anna-2-5 PM. (956) 9724 Oct. 18-24-Red Ribbon Week October 21-El Rocio Mission-Third Thursday Potluck. Dr. Marcia Davis (956) 383.6045/802.9993 cell/ mmgamel@hiline.net October 22-23-Lark Center. S.TX Indian Dancers. 956.686.6696 or 208.2344. October 23-McAllenMcPumpkin Run-Parks & (956) 681-3333 October 21-24-South Padre Island-Sandcastle Days October 28-31-Mission-Texas Butterfly - Festival. (956) 583-9009 October 31-Halloween (Be Safe)!
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October 31-McAllen-Palm View Comm. Center Halloween Festival (956) 681-3333 Some Health Observances in October: Cervical Health Awareness Month; Glaucoma Awareness Month, National Birth Defects Prevention Month, Thyroid Awareness Month, National Disability Employment Month, Halloween Safety Month, Eye Injury Prevention Month, National Dental Hygiene Month, National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month.
Do you have a great nature photo you would like to share? Email it to jumpmagazine@aol. com along with your name and a brief description and you could see your photo here!
Did you know that the White House offers a greeting for your newborn? Just send your
baby's name, address and birth date to; White House Greetings Office Room 39 Washington, DC 20500. Treat the envelope with care. The baby's name will not be on the inside and the outside is done with calligraphy.
IN THIS PHOTO: Alan Submitted by Dad, Milton Mission, TX JUMP-MAGAZINE.COM
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