my 'websites of interest' column

this column, found at the top right of my blog (hint -->), contains websites that i think are important/helpful in regards to food, cosmetics, and being good stewards of what we have been given- be it food, home,  land, or "stuff".

the first (many) sites listed have to do with food; they contain articles, where you can find local food (here's another), and videos on how big agriculture may be harming small scale farmers, the environment, and our future (click here too) - please watch the food inc. trailer, and then watch the movie (via netflix, or whatnot) and that will get you ready to watch the future of food movie, which is free to watch via their own website.  

the following sites found on my column are about the dangers of our cosmetics and how to find out how your current cosmetics rate and what may be a safer alternative.

last but not least, the final site is about the stuff that we have/buy and what happens to it when we get rid of it.

i will probably add more sites as i come across them. 

please peruse through these sites whenever you are able.  

and no, i am not getting paid to write a spiel about them  :)

testing out my mobile picture posts

i made this yogurt herb bread and butter (thanks to sally fallon's recipes).  and hubster and i are enjoying it very much.  i'm actually eating it and blogging with one hand.  next time, now that i know i can, i will post pics of the bread making process.  see butter recipe below :)

grass fed steak... it's yum, just plain yum!

i was born in brasil and raised in texas = i LOVE grilled meat, specifically steak!!!

when i would come home from college (a distance of almost 900 miles), my parents knew that with my arrival would also come a special request for us to grill out (at least once) before i returned to my dorm-room and school cafeteria.  

and we did.  regardless of the weather.  

i remember a time when my daddy hung a tarp up above the beautiful brick grill (that he built by himself) in order to avoid the heavy rains as he fired up the grill.

and boy can he grill!

and when he grills, there is no such thing as lighter fluid or quick burning briquettes.  it's all about patience.  he has a special technique to getting the fire to start and to remain.  then, once the flame has died down and is not so hot, it's time to put the meat on. 

....this past november i was able to attend a conference where i got to hear shannon hayes, a woman after my own heart, talk about all things beef and how to  prepare and cook them.  she grew up on a livestock farm and knows pretty much all there is to know about a good steak- from farm, to butcher, to grill.  she actually shared with us, step by step, about the importance of each of the aforementioned stages in order to have the best possible piece of meat on your plate come dinnertime.  

she shared a lot of interesting and helpful information, including recipes - two of which i want to share with you---