I went out to check on the progress of the straw and pumpkin bin today. (I had also dumped a bag of Starbucks grounds into it.) I was amazed at the decrease in size over just a few days, and the pumpkins are all warm gushy and mushy deep inside, just composting away! My husband says he thinks The Rat Family that we got rid of last year might be back to take up residence in that cozy bed and breakfast that I've created for them...pumpkin scones and Starbucks coffee and a warm bed...what more could a rat want?

I hope this helps... Here's the recipe I use for lemon squares. 1 1/2 cup plus 3 tbsp AP flour 1/2 cup confectioner sugar 3/4 cup cold butter 4 eggs, beaten 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 tsp baking power 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice Additional powdered sugar for garnish Combine 1 1/2 cup flour, powdered sugar and cut in the cold butter until crumbly. Press into a 9 x 13 greased pan. Bake for 15 to 20 mins until brown around the edges. Combine the other ingredients and pour over the baked crust. Bake 20 mins. Cool and cut into squares and sprinkle with powered sugar. Makes 24 to 36 squares. Linda P

Our traditional Christmas Breakfast began when the kids were smaller. I tried for a few years to make something special for breakfast--something that could be done and finished by the time we needed to head out to the Grandparent's houses for family celebrations. They didn't care--they wanted to open toys, and then they wanted to play with toys, and they'd snacked on the candy in their stockings when they were mousing around before we woke up, so heck, they weren't even hungry. So one year I made some Chex Mix and put it out for breakfast. It was a hit, and now that they're older teenagers, it's still our traditional Christmas breakfast. The recipe is on any box of Chex. I like to add Cheeze-Its. :-) Cj

What a healthy group we are! I can't eat right away, but I need caffeine right away. Cup of black tea with a dash of milk. Then, depending on my schedule, it might be 20 minutes or an hour later, I have one of the following, depending on how much time I have: One piece whole grain toast w/ PB. If I have this, I usually also have a banana later in the morning. Or, I have a banana before I exercise, then have the toast later. About a cup of 2% greek plain yogurt, topped with a drizzle of honey and a lot of berries. (Discovered this breakfast at my hotel in London in April and became addicted.) Sometimes sprinkle sliced almonds on top. Scrambled egg or omelet, sometimes w/ one piece of toast. Occasionally, a Think Thin bar.