December 2008

Welcome to the December issue of Byrne's Bytes Newsletter

I hope you enjoy it!

http://www.christmashousebnb.com/san-antonio-bed-and-breakfast-rooms-and-suites.htm

http://www.christmashousebnb.com/aboutus.html

Celebrate Christmas 365 days a year in San Antonio, TX

A very cool craft from Mycraftbook.com here is a picture of the "Milkweed Angel"

http://www.mycraftbook.com/craftidea.asp?craftID=161

English Muffin Bread
cornmeal (for dusting loaf pans)

2 tsp salt

1Tbs sugar

6 cups flour

2 cups milk

1/2 cup water

2 packets yeast

1/4 tsp baking soda

In a large bowl combine 3 cups flour, yeast, sugar, salt and soda. Heat liquids until very warm then add to dry mixture and then beat well.

Stir in rest of flour to make a stiff batter.

Spoon into 2 loaf pans that have been greased and sprinkled with cornmeal.

Cover and let rise in warm place for 45 minutes.

Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove from pans immediately and cool.

This is great toasted with butter and jam.

Useless Information

A Christmas club, a savings account in which a person deposits a fixed amount of money regularly to be used at Christmas for shopping, came about around 1905.

A traditional Christmas dinner in early England was the head of a pig prepared with mustard.

An artificial spider and web are often included in the decorations on Ukrainian Christmas trees. A spider web found on Christmas morning is believed to bring good luck.

Animal Crackers are not really crackers, but cookies that were imported to the United States from England in the late 1800s. Barnum's circus-like boxes were designed with a string handle so that they could be hung on a Christmas tree.

Before settling on the name of Tiny Tim for his character in "A Christmas Carol," three other alliterative names were considered by Charles Dickens. They were Little Larry, Puny Pete, and Small Sam.

Hallmark introduced its first Christmas cards in 1915, five years after the founding of the company.

http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.204586/

Everyone deserves the dignity of providing for themselves and their families.

http://beginnersinvest.about.com/od/planningforthefuture/Planning_for_the_Future.htm

Advise that anyone could use!

http://www.rd.com/advice-and-know-how/pick-the-perfect-christmas-tree/article14171.html
good tips on picking and removing your Christmas tree

http://funschool.kaboose.com/preschool/holiday-fun/printables/christmas-coloring-pages.html Printable pages to color

http://www.grocerysavingtips.com/grocerytips.htm

Save $200-$300 a month with these tips

http://www.betterbudgeting.com/

In these tough times, manage what you have better!

http://www.screene.com/free-screensavers/holidays-screensavers/christmas/

Free holiday screen savers

http://www.giftoflife.org/Default.aspx

Give the gift of Life... Become a bone marrow donor

Welcome to the NOVEMEMBER 2008 Issue of

BYRNE'S BYTES!

http://www.riu.com/index.php

A beautiful all inclusive resort in Mexico..... I am off to pack my suitcase

This dish has a creamy, flavorful sauce; it's a great way to use leftover turkey or chicken. Use fresh grated Parmesan cheese for the best results.

Turkey Tetrazzini

8 ounces angel hair pasta, uncooked
vegetable cooking spray
2 cups mushrooms, fresh, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp margarine
3 Tbsp flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup light sour cream
3 Tbsp sherry or white wine
2 tsp basil
1/8 tsp pepper
Dash nutmeg
8 ounces turkey breast, boneless and skinless, cooked and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Cook pasta in a large pot of rapidly boiling water until done and drain.
In large nonstick skillet prepared with vegetable oil spray, sauté mushrooms and garlic until tender.
Combine mushrooms and cooked pasta in a large casserole dish that has been sprayed with vegetable oil spray.
In a nonstick saucepan, melt margarine. Blend in flour using a whisk and stirring constantly. Add chicken broth and continue to stir until sauce boils and thickens. Remove sauce from heat; add sour cream, sherry, basil, pepper, nutmeg, and turkey.
Pour over angel hair mixture. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
Bake 30 minutes until heated thoroughly and lightly browned.

Nutrition FactsCalories: 412Total Fat: 10g% Calories from fat: 22%Protein: 28gCarbohydrate: 51gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 588mg

Family Photo Books

Filled with favorite photos, this is just the present for a relative or special family friend, particularly one your family sees less often than you'd like.
CRAFT MATERIALS:
Assorted photos
Craft knife
4-ply and 2-ply rag board (sold at art supply stores)
26-inch-long piece of ribbon
Colored paper
Glue stick
Time needed: Under 1 Hour
1. Choose seven favorites from a stack of family photos. 2. Use a craft knife to cut two 5- by 6 1/2-inch rectangles from the 4-ply rag board for the book covers. For the inner pages, cut one 5- by 39-inch rectangle from the 2-ply rag board. Lightly mark 6 1/2-inch increments along the long edges of the 2-ply rag board, and accordion-fold the sheet at those marks Use a ruler edge to press the folds into sharp creases. 3. Lay the ribbon on a tabletop and center the folded rag board on top so that the side with three creases is on the left and lines up with the midpoint of the ribbon Apply glue to the top of the folded rag board. Then lay the left side of the ribbon over the glued page and top with one of the book covers, pressing firmly until well stuck. Flip over the book and use the same method to attach the right side of the ribbon and the back cover. 4. Now, cut the colored paper into seven 4- by 5 1/2-inch rectangles. Glue one onto the center of each page and the front cover. Then glue the photos onto the colored paper. Finally, print the year on the front cover. Tips: Open the album into a full circle, tie the ribbon binding into a bow and it's ready to display on an end table or dresser.

(Craft found here: http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=10478)

USELESS INFORMATION

Mageiricophobia is the intense fear of having to cook.

When the Hoovers did not want to be overheard by White House guests, they spoke to each other in Chinese.

Despite the fact that 77 percent of Americans go to the grocery store with a list, it's estimated that half of everything bought there is bought on impulse. Supermarkets report very strong sales of almost anything they stock at the check-out line.

Giraffes are the only animals born with horns. Both males and females are born with bony knobs on the forehead.

The first paperback book was printed - by Penguin Publishing in 1935.

In Idaho a citizen is forbidden by law to give another citizen a box of candy that weighs more than 50 pounds.

http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/season/specialfeature/holiday_gifts_ms/

a cool site with lots of fun easy to make gift ideas!

http://www.betterbudgeting.com/articles/money/63giftsunder10dollars.htm

63 gift ideass for under $10

http://sewing.about.com/od/bagstotespurseproject/ss/grocerybag.htm

Make your own "Green" shopping bags...free pattern and instructions

http://www.swaptree.com/WebFrmLandingPageBasic.aspx?mediatype=3&promotioncode=GOOG_DVDsFreeZ&gclid=CIugkfyH55YCFQL91AodYUuBNQ

Swap DVDs CDs and Books FREE!

http://www.bagborroworsteal.com/ui/howitworks

"Borrow" designer bags, sunglasses and jewelry!

http://www.policeauctions.com/

Kind of Like Ebay

Sharing a Small Smile....

Just a word of thanks to all who expressed interest in looking at Byrne's Bytes...

As you might know the "NEW" improved newsletter site is a work in progress so each minth it might have slightly differant articles and catagories.... I hope you enjoy it, and I am always open to suggestions and ways to make improvements. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Byrne