Category: Points of interest

Food Tip

Amazing Animal~

Slide 10 of 21: First described in 1798 This tiny, punky mammal can only be found in one place on Earth: Madagascar, off the coast of southeast Africa. These animals can grow up to 20 centimetres long (eight inches), weighing only 125 to 280 grams (four to 10 ounces). Its spines, like those of a porcupine, are detachable, providing a defence mechanism while foraging on the ground. This tenrec also uses its quills to communicate with other members of the species, rubbing them together to warn of a predator.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/pets-animals/20-animals-that-you-never-even-knew-existed―until-now/ss-BBX3nhf?ocid=spartand

Lowland streaked tenrec

First described in 1798

This tiny, punky mammal can only be found in one place on Earth: Madagascar, off the coast of southeast Africa. These animals can grow up to 20 centimetres long (eight inches), weighing only 125 to 280 grams (four to 10 ounces). Its spines, like those of a porcupine, are detachable, providing a defence mechanism while foraging on the ground. This tenrec also uses its quills to communicate with other members of the species, rubbing them together to warn of a predator.

Laugh a Little

Uses For Shredded Paper

https://www.mnn.com/lifestyle/recycling/blogs/uses-shredded-paper

1. Use it as packing material. It can cushion breakable, valuable items when you’re storing them or when you’re moving.

2. Put it in under kitty litter. Since cats like depth, it can add some depth to the litter box, meaning you’ll need to use less litter.

3. Loosely stuff it into empty toilet paper rolls or cut up paper towel rolls to make kindling or fire starters.

4. Make more paper. The video below shows how easy it is if you have the right tools. (Tip: In the video they use paper towels in the process, which would get thrown away after. Try using an old cotton scarf in place of the paper towels that can be washed and reused.)

5. Stuff it in an opaque vase to keep silk flower arrangements in place.

6. Donate it to an animal shelter where they can use it for bedding or litter, but call first to make sure they need it.

7. Use as filler for gift bags.

8. Use it as a layer of mulch under fill dirt, compost or other mulch. This works best with plain white paper or newspaper. Colored paper or paper that’s glossy won’t break down as easily.

9. Make paper clay. This video below demonstrates how to make DIY shredded paper clay that can be hand molded or used in molds.

10. If you don’t want to do anything with it, offer it on Freecycle or a Facebook neighborhood swap site. There may be others who may want it for any of the above reasons.

Thanksgiving Foods That Are Not Good For Pets

https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/pets-animals/6-thanksgiving-foods-that-are-bad-for-cats-and-dogs/ar-BBX3zjg?ocid=spartandhp

  • Stuffing: Thanksgiving dressing is often made with onions, scallions or garlic. These ingredients are extremly toxic for pets and can cause life-threatening anemia. This is the destruction of red blood cells.
  • Ham: Ham and other pork products can cause pancreatitis, upset stomach, vomiting and diarrhea. Pork is also high in fat, which can lead to obesity in pets. Even a small amount of ham can contribute a very large amount of calories to a small dog or cat’s diet.
  • Turkey Bones: Bones can cause severe indigestion in dogs and cats, potentially causing vomiting and obstructing the bowel. Bones may also splinter and cause damage to the inside of the stomach and intestines. In some cases, turkey bones may even puncture through the stomach and cause a potentially fatal abdominal infection.
  • Mashed Potatoes: While potatoes are safe for pets to eat, mashed potatoes usually contain butter and milk, which can cause diarrhea in lactose intolerant pets. Additionally, some recipes call for onion powder or garlic, which are very toxic to pets.
  • Salads with Grapes/Raisins: There are many salads served at Thanksgiving that include grapes or raisins as an ingredient, from fruit salad, to waldorf salad, to ambrosia. However, grapes and raisins are very virulent and potentially deadly. Grapes can cause severe, irreversible and sometimes fatal kidney failure in dogs. Be sure to keep all dishes that include grapes and raisins away from pets.
  • Desserts: While pumpkin pie is the most famous Thanksgiving dessert (canned pumpkin also has many pet health benefits), many people offer a variety of chocolate desserts at Thanksgiving. Chocolate is toxic to dogs and cats, yet dogs love the smell and taste of it. The darker the chocolate, the more toxic it is. Keep all chocolate desserts out of the reach of pets to prevent an emergency trip to the veterinarian.

If your pets ingest any of these foods this Thanksgiving, be sure to call your veterinarian immediately.

Copyright 2019 WAFB. All rights reserved.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/pets-animals/6-thanksgiving-foods-that-are-bad-for-cats-and-dogs/ar-BBX3zjg?ocid=spartandhp

Brown Butter and Butternut Bread

https://food52.com/recipes/7390-brown-butter-and-butternut-loaf
Ingredients
  • For the butternut loaf:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 cups puréed roasted butternut squash
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (preferrably freshly ground)
  • For the brown butter icing.
  • 5 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar, plus more if needed
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  1. Preheat your oven to 350° F, and grease two 9-inch loaf pans.
  2. In a large frying pan, heat the butter over medium high heat. It will melt first, and then start to foam. Turn the heat down to medium. Stir the melted butter almost constantly, scraping any browning bits from the bottom of the pan. When the butter has turned a brown color and smells rich and nutty, remove it from the heat. (This should take about 7 minutes). Allow it to cool for about 10 minutes.
  3. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat together the eggs and sugars on high speed for several minutes, until the color has lightened (Random side note: in Norwegian this is called an “eggedosis”). Scrape in the browned butter and beat for another couple of minutes, until the mixture is smooth.
  4. Add the puréed squash to the wet ingredients and beat until smooth and uniformly mixed in.
  5. In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and nutmeg. Add this to the wet ingredients, and mix on low until fully incorporated.
  6. Divide the batter evenly into the 2 prepared loaf pans and bake for about 50 minutes, until a tester comes out clean. Take the bread out of the loaf pans and allow to cool completely before glazing (recipe below).
  1. For the brown butter icing.
  2. Brown the butter in a pan, just as described in step 2 for the bread (it may take a little less time because there’s less butter) and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Scrape the butter into a mixing bowl.
  3. Sift the confectioner’s sugar to remove lumps. Then whisk the vanilla into the butter. Next, whisk in confectioner’s sugar until your reach a spreadable consistency.
  4. Spread the icing onto the loaves, and allow to set for about 30 minutes before slicing.

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