Love pumpkin so I'll have to try my hand at making the pumpkin butter - 10/15/2010   9:20:43 AM

We live in Mexico and have always been warned over the years to disinfect all fruits and veggies with an iodine or bleach solution. This leaves things less than tasty, and wondering if the solution might itself be toxic. I get tired of that, and end up just rinsing. I'm tickled to try the vinegar solution followed by a rinse. THANKS for the link! (Also can't wait to try the black bean hummus!! It sounds scrumptious!) - 10/11/2010   11:46:20 AM

SUGGESTION: I know Spark People spoils us and here I am asking for more but....the recipes are always so good. It sure would be nice if a link was made to Spark people recipes section so we could have an easier way to add them to our Spark People cookbooks.. I loved the Black Bean Hummus and so I'll probably enter it so I have all my healthy recipes together, but in the past I've skipped a few because I didn't have the time to enter a recipe I hadn't tried before. - 10/11/2010   10:17:08 AM

Have always washed with just water and a prayer, so I guess I'll just keep doing that! - 10/11/2010   8:50:35 AM

I am definitely going to try the pumpkin butter -it sounds yummy!!!! - 10/11/2010   8:37:44 AM

I've been washing melons and squach with soap and water for years. I read that you should because as you cut into them, contaminates are spread across the fruit. I also enyoyed the Joy Bauer's article. - 10/11/2010   7:57:28 AM

thanks for the Pumpkin Butter recipe---I just bought some and now I can make my own. - 10/11/2010   7:22:42 AM

Six ways to bring out the athlete in a kid:
I made all five of my children go to classes like JUDO (martial arts) and STAY WITH IT. THey played Soccer, and I took them swimming from the time they were babies so they learned to be GOOD swimmers. Most kids don't want to do things when they first start because they aren't GOOD, but you have to stay with things in order to get good. NO QUITTING. My son loved football, but the 3rd one had no interest. My dd loved Cheerleading, but didn't like music lessons. - 10/11/2010   12:46:49 AM

Joy Bauer's article - 10/10/2010   11:23:33 PM

Loved Abbe's dinner party, & am definitely going to try the oatmeal parfaits! (That;s Anne's.... can't type without looking at the keys! - 10/10/2010   9:19:03 PM

The Hungry Girl article of what to beware this Fall caught my attention. I don't eat at any of those places so I will not fall victim to the fat, calories or the cost. WooHoo! - 10/10/2010   8:54:03 PM

Hey all!!! While pumpkin butter is AMAZING... it should NOT be canned at home! You can buy it canned from commercial kitchens, but here is the DL on why you should not can it at home.

http://www.pickyourown.org/pumpkinp
recautions.php

But, go ahead... make it! Put it in your mason jar-- give it as a gift. Just use it within a couple of months! Or freeze it!!! It is AMAZINGLY DELISH!!!! - 10/10/2010   5:59:14 PM

you will love it when you get it . but in the meantime what you have is fine . we all deal with gadets we think we do not like , if we can wait we find we find we love them . - 10/10/2010   5:41:51 PM

LOVE pumpkin butter have been making it by the gallons for years!!! - 10/10/2010   4:19:57 PM

I'm going to try the Black Bean Hummus. I have a food processor, not a Magic Bullet, but it works pretty well for everything I do. Great blog! - 10/10/2010   2:22:08 PM

The pumpkin butter caught my attention. I saw it in my local grocery store ad and almost went looking for it. Then I read the blog and they say not good for canning. The other one was the soap and water rinse--I always use vinegar and water solution, never soap. And how to not gain weight during the holidays of course is a must read. - 10/10/2010   1:49:26 PM

I LOVE THE WEEKEND BLOG POST THERE GREAT !!!! - 10/10/2010   12:31:15 PM

I love making regular hummus with chickpeas, garlic, fresh lemon, and tahini. I would like to make the black bean hummus. I wish I had a Magic Bullet but I do have one of those little blenders. I told my son I want a Magic Bullet for my birthday or Christmas. - 10/10/2010   11:18:01 AM