Consuming Thoughts by Fay Strickler y enn State Extension Home Economist For Berks Co. Onion lovers will find one of the most popular varieties. Sweet Spanish onions, in abundant sup ply from September into April. These extra large, high quality onions, grown in southwestern Idaho and eastern Oregon, com prise one-third of the onions on the market during those seven months. There, ideal growing con ditions prevail and informed growers take pride in producing a quality product All are USDA in spected to meet U.S. No. 1 or U.S. No. 2 grade standards for size and quality. You’ll recognize Sweet Span ish onions in the fresh produce counters by their globular shape and bronze colored, parchment like skin that crackles to the touch. They are often called the “Gentle Giants” for their mild flavor and large size. At the peak of perfection. Sweet Spanish onions frequently reach a diameter in excess of five inches and often weigh from VA to 2 pounds. If onions exceed three in ches in diameter, they are classi fied as “jumbos” in the onion mar ket This region of Idaho-Oregon also markets a large quantity of 2'A to 3 inches “medium” sized Sweet Spanish onions, which weigh 8 to 10 ounces each. Sweet Spanish onions are ex- PACER PUMPS m Self-Priming Centrifugal Pumps Features • Self-priming to • Total heads to 120 feet • Capabilities to 200 U.S. GPM • Built in check valve 10 feet • Equipped with I 1/2” or 2” female threaded connections, NPT Full Line Of Hose And Couplings In Stock • 3 H.P • 5 H.P • 5 H.P. ‘S’ Series ‘S’ Series ‘S’ Series l/.-Or2" Port! 2- ports wlth Indu * ,ri * l “W* En * ll,e 2" Ports Reg $234.00 Reg $284 00 Reg $3BO 00 SPECIAL SPECIAL SPECIAL *204.75 $ 248,50 *332,50 • SVi H.P. • 5 1 /* H.P. • ‘S’ Series ‘S’ Series ® Series PcdCStftl With Bonds Engine. 2" Port. with Bri «» Vsngsrd Engine Pump Only Ki| $534 00 Port* IW" or 2" APFrtAI Ref $484 00 Ref $l5O 00 orCiviAL eoirrTAi *467.25 *423.50 $ With Cf e $B2l 50 With Cefe $477 75 ■ w 1 We Also Stock A Complete Line Of: Sprayer Nozzles And Accessories Pumps And Accessories • Spravcr Hose • Ball Valves • Nylon Fittings ♦ Poly Tanks paul b. z: . HARDWARE • FARM SUPPI cellent keepers. Simply put them in a crate or mesh bag and place in a dark, dry and cool location that has good ventilation. Once cut they should be coveted with plas tic and refrigerated. For longer storage, chop and freeze the onions, ready to conveniently use as needed. Add these onions to your mar ket list and let them give a boost to your menus. For example Sweet Spanish onions lend their distinc tive flavor to this Cajun-style en tree. Serve over hot cooked rice, with a tossed green salad and hot Parmesan-topped French bread, for a special dinner. Cajun Sweet Spanish Onions and Shrimp 3 medium (8 to 10 oz. each) Sweet Spanish onions '/i cup olive oil 'A cup red bell pepper, diced 'A cup green bell pepper, cut in strips 'A cup sliced celery 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons butter or margar ine 1 can (28 oz.) tomatoes, diced 1 teaspoon dry basil A teaspoon seasoning salt /* teaspoon black pepper 'A teaspoon hot pepper sauce 1 pound large cooked shrimp |( Tour Complete Raven Tough Polyethylene Tanks !*<*< _ , T|p| » • SPRAYER TANKS • STATIONARY Foi New Or Replacement TANKS - For Liquid Fertilizer Storage jJtltt, PA 17543 lEphmta bso Icornar Rd., j MltaWaato<| | (717JHMH IS • CUSTOM] sow< iMAMUfACTUBINQI* CRAR^fEI •s <&: ALL SIZES AVAILABLE FROM 25 GAL. to 2500 GAL. RMAW, INC HOURS Mon Thurs Fn 7 8 W Tues Wed 7 S W Sal 7 4*oo Food Facts And Myths Myth: Margarine contains few er calorics than butter. Fact: Ounce for ounce the calorics and total fat content of re gular stick margarine and butter are the same about 100 calories and 12 grams of fat per table spoon. Myth: Eating grapefruit or vinegar bums calorics. Fact: Digestion of any food 'A cup small pitted ripe olives 4 to 5 cups hot cooked rice Peel onions and slice in thin wedges. Heat oil in large deep skillet or saucepan. Add onions, peppers, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until vege tables are tender crisp. Add butter or margarine, tomatoes with liq uid, basil, salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce. Bring to simmer and cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until vegetables ate tender. Add shrimp and olives. Heat 2 to three minutes. To serve, spoon Cajun Onions and Shrimp over hot cook ed rice. Makes 8 to 10 servings. The healthful benefits of Sweet Spanish onions are often over looked in lieu of their great eating qualities. Nutritionally, onions supply essential carbohydrates and significant amounts of import ant nutrients including vitamin C, the B-vitamins and several miner als. And, they’re a boost to die ters’ menus. One hundred grams of Sweet Spanish onion (about % cup, chopped) will contribute only 38 calories. So enjoy them in a variety of way, but remember the calories increase to about 310 cal ories when you eat them in a regu lar serving of fried onion rings. If you haven’t tried these “gentle giants,” plan to include them in your future menus. ttollow Boole Biff • Repairing Old Family Bibles • General Book Repair S * Leather Covers for Personal Bibles 831 pals, • Changing Soft Cover Books to Hard Cover Irl- M i3l * Bindin 9 Periodicals |1 i ljgl • Repair of School Books gW W -Binding of New Books 460 sleepy „ ollow Rd . 717/627-3090 Lititz, PA 17543 Lancaster Farming, Saturday, September 18, 1999-B5 uses a small amount of energy. But no food can “bum up” the calories in food or “melt away" body fat. Myth: Do Vitamin B-17 sup plements prevent cancer? Fact: No, in fact vitamin B-27 also known as laetrile, isn’t a vita- min at all. Instead it’s a substance derived from the inedible pit of apricots and stone of other fruits. Myth: Drinking chocolate milk makes kids hyper. Fact: There is no scientifrc evi dence that the sugar or the very small amount of caffeine in cho colate milk are linked to hyperac tivity. Myth: Drinking milk causes cotton mouth or mucus. Fact: So called “cotton mouth" is described as dry mouth with thick saliva or a feeling of mucus. The condition has nothing to do with milk. With colds, milk may simply coat the mucus in the mouth, making it seem thicker. Myth: Honey is natural and won’t raise blood sugar levels. Fact: Natural or not, honey is basically sugar, which acts like other sugars, like sugar, 1 table spoon of honey counts as 1 carbo hydrate exchange. Myth: Brown eggs are better for you than white ones. Fact: The color of the shell has no relation to the egg’s nutritional value. Varying from white to deep brown the shell color depends on the breed of the hen. Myth: Washing rice gets rid of some calorics. Fact; Washing rice before or after cooking doesn’t get rid of calories. But it does wash away some important B vitamins added to enriched-fortitied rice. Myth: Hair analysis can diag nose a vitamin or mineral defi ciency. Fact: Except to detect poison ous elements such as lead or ar- senic, hair analysis isn't a valid way to check nutritional status. Myth: Eating gelatin makes your fingernails strong. Fact: That's wishful thinking, fingernails are mainly dead pro- teins that get their strength from sulfur in amino acids. Myth: Red beets are a good source of iron. Fact: Just because red beets are red does not mean they will make your blood red. Good sources of iron are meats, dark green leafy vegetables, and fortified foods. Myth: A glass of milk before bedtime makes you sleepy. Fact: Tryptophan, an amino acid in milk, can help make you drowsy. In theory you would need more milk than you could prob ably drink to get enough trypto phan to make you sleep. Regard less if milk at bedtime is a comfort food that helps you relax, go for it Myth: You need “stress” vita mins when you’re under emotion al stress. Fact: No, emotional stress from a busy harried lifestyle doesn’t in crease nutrient needs. Any claims that promote vitamins supple ments for stress relief are mislead ing. The physical stress that comes with recovery from illness, sur gery or injury may benefit from a physician prescribed supplement Bjy
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