Sometimes knowing that other women, mothers, sisters, friends, and care takers just like us face the same battles of what to make for dinner. Be it our task/chore/burden/or hobby of what to make for our families to eat each day sometimes it just seem easier to bear when you have a good recipe recommended from a "GIRLFRIEND"; they provide us with the boost to get over the lack of motivation or stumbling blocks in our way and get dinner on the table!


The number of those who report that their “whole family usually eats dinner together” has declined 33 percent. This is most concerning because the time a family spends together “eating meals at home [is] the strongest predictor of children’s academic achievement and psychological adjustment.”

Family mealtimes have also been shown to be a strong bulwark against children’s smoking, drinking, or using drugs. There is inspired wisdom in this advice to parents: what your children really want for dinner is you.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks Good, Better, Best (Nov. 2007)

Two researchers at the University of Minnesota investigated the potential benefits of family mealtimes on children and found that families that dine together tend to have healthier, more well-adjusted children. Their studies indicate that the more often children and teens west with their parents—and the happier, more structured these mealtimes are—the more the children gain these benefits:


Better Nutrition

Better language and literacy

Fewer Eating Disorders

Fewer risky behaviors


The national center on addiction and substance abuse at Columbia University (sept 2005) found that compared with teens who dine frequently with their families (Five to seven dinners a week), teens who have fewer than three family dinners per week are:

Two and a half times likelier to smoke cigarettes

More than on e and a half times likelier to drink alcohol.

Almost three times likelier to try marijuana


“….Mealtime becomes a way for families to bond. To show children they have access to a caring adult.” (The Food Nanny Rescues Dinner p. 11)


So as Women, Sisters, Daughters, Wives, Mothers, Grandmothers we can not put a price on the work that we do. Dinner hours and menus can be daunting at times and others it feels like a breeze. As we gather together and share in our love for caring for our families and enjoying the connections we have with them as we sit around the dinner tables of our homes. I hope that each of us can step back occasionally on those hard mommy days and “Believe in what we are doing! Believing in who we are and that we can make a difference one meal at a time.

~ Jill


Thursday, October 22, 2015

Grapefruit Slush

Grapefruit Slush-Jill Carpenter
Thanksgiving and Christmas Must have for me!

My Grandma Bartholomew always served this slush at every holiday for as long as I can remember. We had it at all our family holiday feast. It is one tradition from my family that I continue to carry on with my own children and even my in-laws are hooked. If you like grapefruit you will enjoy this appetizer. I have cut the sugar in half from my grandmothers original recipe and I don't notice much of difference, but I am hoping my hips will. ;-) I enjoy this with more slush that soda pop in my glass and like to eat it with a spoon like a Slurpee. Find your favorite way of spooning, slurping, or drinking this recipe. Cheers-Enjoy!

2 cup sugar (I have cut it back to 1 cup and think you can taste the grapefruit flavor more)
2 cups water
2 cans grapefruit with juices/syrup (another reason to cut back on the sugar) *remove the seeds**I love to use Red Ruby grapefruit, but any will do.
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
Maraschino Cherries (optional) We cut these in half and blot on paper towel add as many as desired.


Blend grapefruit in blender. Combine with all other in ingredients freezer safe container and stir until well mixed. (I personally like to heat the sugar and water together until I know the sugar is dissolved) 
Freeze well. Serve with sprite or 7-up.

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