Please Eat Cinnamon

10 Health Benefits of Cinnamon

1. Studies have shown that just 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon per day can lower LDL cholesterol.

2. Several studies suggest that cinnamon may have a regulatory effect on blood sugar, making it especially beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes.

3. In some studies, cinnamon has shown an amazing ability to stop medication-resistant yeast infections.

4. In a study published by researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Maryland, cinnamon reduced the proliferation of leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells.

5. It has an anti-clotting effect on the blood.

6. In a study at Copenhagen University, patients given half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder combined with one tablespoon of honey every morning before breakfast had significant relief in arthritis pain after one week and could walk without pain within one month.

7. When added to food, it inhibits bacterial growth and food spoilage, making it a natural food preservative.

8. One study found that smelling cinnamon boosts cognitive function and memory.

9. Researchers at Kansas State University found that cinnamon fights the E. coli bacteria in unpasteurized juices.

10. It is a great source of manganese, fiber, iron, and calcium.

Found at http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/10-health-benefits-of-cinnamon.html

A Hamilton Family Easter

This past week I'd been feeling a bit homesick. Sad that I wasn't able to hop in a car and drive home to spend the holiday with my family in Texas, I was experiencing the pangs of separation from my parents and sisters, my bed and house, everything I associate with being home on the holidays. Feeling a bit sorry for myself, I was determined to have a good weekend despite the distance. I had planned to have a nice little Easter dinner, to attend a Unitarian church service in Cambridge and to spend some quality time with my temporary dog, Princess....

However, it just wasn't to be so. My friend, my ma'am, Ms. Rachel Hamilton of Wellesley, Massachusetts, who now resides in New York City, invited me to spend the holiday with her family. I had to release my former plans for the weekend, but graciously accepted. Saturday evening, I traveled with her to Welleslely, MA, right outside of Boston and got to enjoy some quality with her family and home, a welcome replacement for my own!

Sunday morning, Rachel and I took in a walk around Wellesley College, breathing in some fresh non-city air and then celebrated Easter with a fabulous lunch at the Hamilton's friend's and neighbor's house. Then, following dinner, the hunting began. All of us donned our own basket and rushed through the yard in search of both plastic and hard-boiled eggs. We all came away with some tasty and fun treats. It was overall a fabulous day! Thank you, to both Rachel and the entire Hamilton family, for your hospitality. And also for the eggs...(:

Photos of the hunt:

Homemade...everything!

St. Patty's weekend, for many, is a time to drink with leprechauns, clad in green and an air of alcoholic festivity. However, for others, perhaps the craftier of us, it is a time to make! To celebrate the holiday, John David and I decided to get creative.

First, we decorated some eggs to bring in Easter a bit early...

Secondly, we made homemade pasta...along with homemade beer bread and homemade butter. For those of you who have never made butter (usually this is an activity reserved for 4th graders and a rainy day at school), it is easy and ridiculously entertaining...all you have to have is cream, a small jar and a vigorous shake of the fist. Since John David had never had the opportunity to do this in his gradeschool career, it was added to the day's culinary feats. The bread was also a part of the menu because a) it had beer in it and seemed appropriate for the occasion and b) it is extremely good and also easy. I guess the pasta was something that both of us had never had a stab at, so it seemed warranted and spurred on the days devotion to cooking.

The following photos demonstrate the pasta making process:

1. Make a hole in the flour and add eggs.


2. Mix with hands.



3. Knead dough until elastic.


4. Roll dough to a thin sheet.


5. Slice into long pasta noodles and enjoy!


To top the night's ultimate dinner, we dyed the wine green! Happy St. Patty's day!