Search

Author: Megan Herren

Green Chile Breakfast Burritos

Megan HerrenFood, Recipes

Breakfast has long been touted as the most important meal of the day. After individuals spend several hours sleeping, breakfast refuels their bodies and prepares them to tackle the day ahead.

People on the go may not have a lot of time to enjoy breakfast, which means they may grab something quick and not always so healthy. But a filling, hot breakfast provides enough sustenance and nutrients to last until lunch. Such is the case with “Green Chile Breakfast Burritos” from “Taste of Home Healthy Cooking Cookbook” (RDA Enthusiast Brands, LLC) by the Taste of Home Kitchens.

Green Chile Breakfast Burritos

Makes 6 servings

6 eggs

3 egg whites

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

Dash cayenne pepper

4 breakfast turkey sausage links, casings removed

3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles, drained

6 whole wheat tortillas (8 inches), warmed

6 tablespoons salsa

1. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, egg whites, jalapeño and cayenne; set aside.

2. Crumble sausage into a large skillet; cook over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain. Push sausage to the sides of pan. Pour egg mixture into center of pan. Cook and stir until set. Sprinkle with cheese and chiles. Remove from the heat, cover and let stand until cheese is melted.

3. Place 1/3 cup mixture off center on each tortilla. Fold sides and end over filling; roll up. Top with salsa.

How To Celebrate Earth Day As A Family

Megan HerrenAdvice, Outdoors

Protecting the planet is a year-round responsibility, and that obligation is emphasized each April 22 when the world celebrates Earth Day. In 1969, an oil spill in California killed thousands of sea animals and contributed to significant ocean pollution. This environmental disaster inspired Gaylord Nelson and Denis Hayes to establish Earth Day in 1970 as a global event to raise awareness about environmental issues.

Every year around a billion people are motivated to protect the planet for Earth Day. Families can work together to do their part in protecting the environment. Here are some ways families can commemorate Earth Day together.

Clean up the Neighborhood

Families can work together to make their neighborhoods cleaner. Litter in streets or parks can end up in waterways after being carried into storm drains by rain or wind, according to the Marine Debris Program. A 2016 report from the United Nations found that nearly 50 percent of cetacean and seabird species have ingested litter. Picking up litter from local neighborhoods is a relatively easy way for families to do their part on Earth Day.

Walk and Bike More

Families can learn about their carbon footprints and how their lifestyle choices affect the environment. One way to cut down on carbon emissions is to walk or bike to school and to skip the car whenever possible.

Visit a Local Park or Wildlife Habitat

Families can experience the beauty of nature and be reminded about humankind’s responsibility to protect habitats and wildlife at a park, sanctuary or wildlife area. When visiting, it’s important to stick to trails and remain mindful of leaving no trace behind.

Create Reusable Bags

Individuals can turn old T-shirts and other clothing into reusable cloth shopping bags. There are no-sew project instructions online that offer tips about how to repurpose old clothing that is no longer worn into something Earth-friendly.

Plant More Greenery

It doesn’t have to be a tree, but families can visit a garden center to purchase seeds, seedlings or full-grown shrubbery to enhance their landscapes with more Earth-friendly plants. CO2METER, a carbon dioxide monitoring website, says plants and trees, combined with oceans, remove about 45 percent of the carbon dioxide emitted by human activities each year. A typical hardwood tree can absorb as much as 48 pounds of CO2 per year.

Embrace Locally Grown Foods

Families can plan meals together that feature in-season foods purchased at a local organic farmer’s market.

Earth Day is a time when families can work together to help protect and preserve the planet.

6 Easter Egg Coloring Tips

Megan HerrenAdvice, Easter, Projects

Coloring Easter eggs is a time-honored tradition dating back more than 2,500 years. There is evidence that people living in the ancient settlement of Trypillia dyed eggs. Ancient Persians also were believed to paint eggs for Nowruz (Persian New Year).

Christians adopted similar traditions to symbolize aspects of the Easter story. Originally Christians dyed eggs red to represent the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed on the cross, according to Chase Oaks Church. Good Housekeeping reports early Christian missionaries adapted the dying tradition to include more egg colors to represent different aspects of the Easter story. Yellow represented the resurrection, blue represented love and red remained a symbol of Christ’s blood.

Whether families dye eggs to symbolize the Easter miracle or simply for fun, the following are some coloring tips to enhance the process.

1. Prevent cracked eggs. Most colored eggs are hard-boiled. To prevent cracking during the boiling process, add a teaspoon of vinegar and a tablespoon of salt to the boiling water. Additional anti-cracking measures include rubbing half a lemon on each shell before boiling.

2. Boil eggs and cool completely. It takes roughly 10 minutes to hard-boil an egg. Fill a pot with enough water to submerge the eggs, then bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Gently lower the eggs into the water with a slotted spoon. Cover, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Drain the eggs and cool in a bowl of water or run under cold tap water.

3. Don’t forget the vinegar. Whether you use colored dye tablets or drops of food coloring from the pantry, use a mix of water and vinegar in the coloring solution. According to Education.com, food coloring is an acid dye and bonds using hydrogen. This chemical process only works in an acidic environment. Vinegar is added to water to make it more acidic and help the dyes adhere more strongly to the eggs and produce brighter colors.

4. Stick to white eggs. Stores sell both brown and white eggs. The species of chicken determines whether the eggs will be white or brown. When coloring eggs, it might be better to purchase white eggs, as the dyes will show up more vividly on the white shells.

5. Create distinctive designs. By covering portions of the bare eggs before dipping into color, people can create unique designs. Things like masking tape, rubber bands, wax (or crayons), and even twine can be used. The dye will only take on the uncovered areas, leaving white behind.

6. Dyes are not the only way to color eggs. Everything from watercolor paint to acrylics to decoupage can be used to cover eggs in vivid colors. Egg decorators also can use colored yarns, fabric or stickers. Search for creative materials to set Easter eggs apart this year.

Coloring eggs is a popular Easter tradition, and there are many ways to ensure this beloved activity produces beautiful results.

How To Make The Most of Your Local Library

Megan HerrenAdvice, educate

Local libraries are invaluable resources for residents, including students and their families. The value of libraries has been recognized for far longer than many may realize. The Franklin Public Library, opened in 1778 in Franklin, Massachusetts, is considered the first lending library in the United States. Since then, libraries have become integral components of communities across the nation and even the globe.

It’s easy to overlook a local library, but residents who resolve to make the most of these venerable institutions can do so in the following ways.

· Get or renew your library card. The first step to making the most of a local library is to sign up for or renew your library card. Each member of the family, including children, can get their own card, which affords access to books on site and often additional texts and offerings the library can request from other branches.

· Acquaint yourself with all the offerings at your local library. Books may be the first thing people think of when pondering local libraries, and modern branches still maintain extensive catalogs of books spanning the genres. But libraries also offer more than books. Film fans may be surprised to learn libraries typically have extensive catalogs of films that can be borrowed on DVD, and some even allow movies to be streamed through library-affiliated streaming services. Libraries also offer services to adults, including seniors, and children that can range from tax preparation tips to passport application assistance to craft projects for youngsters.

· Utilize the research capabilities of local libraries. Card members have access to a wealth of resources at their local libraries, and that includes research databases like JSTOR that might require paid subscriptions if users try to access them on their own. These databases can help individuals grow their knowledge about the world they live in and prove invaluable to students young and old who are conducting research for school projects.

· Open doors to new career opportunities. Many libraries offer career counseling services free of charge. These can be particularly useful to prospective small business owners, recent graduates looking to get a foot in the door in their chosen field, and even mid- and late-career professionals who want a change but aren’t sure where to begin.

· Grow your social network. Not all social networks are grown online. Community-based events and programs sponsored by and hosted at local libraries can be great places to meet neighbors with similar interests.

Local libraries are more than just places to borrow a book. Residents can utilize an array of services to make the most of their local libraries.

Protect Pets Both Inside and Outside the Home

Megan HerrenPets, Safety

Newly adopted pets waste little time becoming beloved members of a household. But much like young children, pets are a significant responsibility, and they rely on their human caretakers to ensure their safety.

Pets are susceptible to illness and injury just like their human companions. The Pet Poison Hotline reported a 51 percent increase in the volume of calls between 2020 and 2021. Banfield Pet Hospitals also saw about half a million more pet visits in 2020 than in 2019. Furthermore, Dogster reports that 47 percent of pet owners had to deal with a serious medical issue or took their pets to emergency care in 2021.

Keeping cherished pets safe in and around a home is no small task. But with some diligence, it is possible to ensure health and happiness for companion animals. Follow these tips, courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Old Farm Veterinary Hospital and Security.org.

· Consider an indoor and outdoor security camera system. Having eyes on pets while you’re away from home enables a quick response should something happen.

· Avoid leaving pet food outdoors overnight. Dog and cat foods can attract other animals, such as bears, raccoons, foxes, and opossums, depending on where you live. Wild animals grow accustomed to receiving easy meals and this could decrease their trepidation about being around a home or yard. Run-ins between your pets and wild animals should be avoided at all costs.

· Skip the retractable leash. Walking a pet on a non-retractable leash allows better control of the pet in the event of an encounter with a person or another animal.

· Be cautious with chemicals. Carefully consider any chemicals you use in your yard, including pesticides and weed killers, as well as any cleaning products used indoors. Pets can ingest or inhale these products and get sick.

· Pick up potential choking hazards. String, small pieces of toys, rawhide bone fragments, and other items can be choking hazards to pets. Be diligent about removing these items from the floor so that pets will not swallow them.

· Tap on your car hood. Families who allow their cats outdoor access should thump on the car hood when it is cold outside, as sometimes cats take shelter near a warm engine block. Cats can become injured if you start the car while they are under the hood.

· Stay up-to-date on vaccinations. Whether pets never step outdoors or have free rein, always vaccinate companion animals against common parasites and other pests.

· Microchip your pets. Microchips not only protect pets should they get lost, but they also can help track down animals that may have been stolen. Remember to keep microchip data current to ensure a swift recovery.

· Keep foods and medicines out of reach. Many human foods can be toxic to pets, as can medications that are kept in a home. Pets can be curious and easy access to these items may make them quite ill.

Pets need their owners to take key steps to safeguard their well-being.

Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes

Megan HerrenBaking, Recipes

Cupcakes are handheld treats that can make any celebration even more spectacular. If guests expect the standard flavors of chocolate, vanilla or even red velvet, change things up with a sunny surprise: lemon!

Enjoy this recipe for “Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes” from “Jane’s Patisserie” (Sourcebooks) by Jane Dunn. Anything with sweet drizzle is a hit, and these cupcakes deliver plenty of lemony flavor in every bite.

Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes

Makes 12

Cupcakes:

1/2 cup butter or baking spread

1/2 cup caster sugar

3 eggs

1 cup self-raising flour

Zest of 1 lemon

Drizzle:

Juice of 2 lemons

5 1/2 tablespoons caster sugar

Lemon Buttercream:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 1/4 cups icing sugar

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Sprinkles

Lemon zest

Preheat the oven to 350 F and get 12 cupcake liners ready. Beat the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, self-raising flour and lemon zest and mix until combined. Spoon the mix evenly into the cupcake liners and bake for 18 to 22 minutes until they are baked through and springy to the touch.

Mix together the lemon juice and sugar for the drizzle in a bowl. Once the cupcakes are out of the oven, carefully spoon the drizzle over the cupcakes, then leave them to cool fully on a wire rack while you make the buttercream.

Beat the butter until smooth; this can take a couple of minutes. Add the icing sugar in two batches, beating well after each addition, then add the lemon juice and beat again.

Pipe or spread the buttercream onto your cupcakes, then sprinkle each one with some sprinkles and lemon zest.

Crafts For St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations

Megan HerrenCrafts, DIY, Holidays

While it certainly can be fun to visit a pub and raise a pint in honor of St. Patrick’s Day on March 17, such efforts are not necessarily a family-friendly way to commemorate the patron saint of the Emerald Isle. Thankfully, there are plenty of activities for children and adults that focus less on imbibing and more on hands-on fun so everyone can be involved equally. Crafting often fits that bill.

The following are some unique craft ideas to celebrate the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day. Many of these projects include items you may already have around the house.

Shamrock Key Chain

Find your favorite salt dough recipe and use a shamrock cookie cutter to cut out the shape of a lucky clover. Poke a hole at the top where you can connect a key ring. When the shamrock is dried and hardened, paint it in a vivid shade of green. Attach keys, a school ID or anything else to the key ring, or simply hang it from a backpack.

Leprechaun Hats

With a little green paint, green card stock and construction paper in black and gold, anyone can create miniature leprechaun hats. Paint the toilet paper tube green, then wrap the bottom in a strip of black and place a gold “buckle” made out of a rectangle of gold or yellow paper. Glue the tube to a round of green card stock, and voila, you have a perfect leprechaun hat for decorating a room or table.

Easy Rainbow Craft

Grab some fruity O-shaped cereal and let kids sort the colors into red, orange, yellow, green, and purple. Glue rows of these colored cereal rings onto a piece of white cardstock to make the rainbow. At the base of the rainbow, glue some cotton balls to serve as the clouds.

Beaded Bracelets

Visit a craft store and stock up on small green, white and gold beads, as well as some bracelet wire or poly string. Spend a few hours making bracelets that everyone can wear with their green attire for St. Patrick’s Day. The bracelets also can be given as gifts.

Shamrock Slime

Those who can find green glitter glue and shamrock confetti can turn their favorite slime recipe into one worthy of St. Patrick’s Day.

Rainbow Cereal Bars

Incorporate some of the marshmallows from a favorite “lucky” cereal brand into the mix of rice cereal treats to give them a rainbow-inspired upgrade.

Pots of Gold

If you have leftover plastic witches’ cauldrons from Halloween, paint them gold and use them to store foil-wrapped chocolate coins. Otherwise, tie green helium-filled balloons to the cauldron to make a perfect centerpiece.

St. Patrick’s Day crafts get the entire family in on the fun of celebrating the Emerald Isle.

Auto Interior Maintenance and Cleaning Tips

Megan HerrenAuto Detailing, Automotive, Cleaning

A number of factors are involved in keeping a vehicle functioning and looking good. Ensuring a vehicle interior is clean and tidy is easily overlooked, but such efforts can improve the driving experience.

Drivers who want their cars and trucks to look their best should not forget their vehicle interiors. Drivers unsure where to start can spruce up their vehicle interiors in the following ways.

Remove any trash

Wrappers, receipts, empty water bottles, and other items can quickly pile up inside a car, especially for drivers who have young children. Routinely go through the vehicle to gather and remove debris.

Vacuum the interior

Start off with a can of compressed air and blow out dust and any other dirt that has accumulated in tight crevices. Then use a high-powered vacuum to conduct a thorough cleaning. Pay attention to the seams of car seats, door handles, armrests, floor mats (and under them), underneath child safety seats, and the trunk or cargo area. If you don’t have a vacuum with a lot of suction, utilize one at a do-it-yourself car wash location.

Scrub floor mats

Drivers with rubber mats can remove them and make a mild cleaning solution of a few drops of dish soap and warm water. Use a soft-bristled brush to clean the mats. Upholstered mats can be shampooed using a carpet cleaner. Then rinse and hang to dry. All mats should be completely dry before being returned to the vehicle.

Clean the upholstery

Seats can get dirty and dingy over time. For cloth vehicle seats, use a proper spray or foam upholstery cleaner. All-purpose cleaner can work on vinyl seats, but leather seats require a special leather soap and conditioner. Avoid products with silicone, which can stain your clothes and may make interior surfaces too slippery.

Address glass surfaces

Turn your attention to the windshield, windows and mirrors. You can use a store-bought glass cleaner on these surfaces and a lint-free cloth. Avoid products containing ammonia, which may damage tinting on windows.

Consider lingering odors

If the interior of the car has an odor, the cabin air filter may need to be changed, or there may be water entering the vehicle somewhere and creating a musty smell. Seek out any problems and address. A car air freshener can further improve the interior smell.

A thorough deep cleaning can be done at least once a month to keep a vehicle’s interior fresh and clean. However, keeping up with interior cleaning and maintenance by doing small jobs regularly will reduce the need for routine deep cleaning.

Strategies To Manage and Tame Stress

Megan HerrenAdvice, Lifestyle

Stress is a part of life. In small doses, stress can have a positive effect. But when stress is chronic, it can take its toll on the body and mind.

Stress can make people irritable and cause them to lash out at others. Stress also can contribute to high blood pressure and adversely affect sleep. When confronting chronic stress, individuals may have to take action to find relief. These stress-busting strategies can help.

Engage In Physical Activity

The Mayo Clinic says any form of exercise can help relieve stress. Physical activity boosts chemicals in the brain and endorphins that help a person feel good. Exercise also can refocus attention so a person is not preoccupied with a stressful thought or situation.

Listen To Music

Music can be calming and serve as a distraction from stressful feelings. Simply listening to music can be a quick fix for a stressful situation and a bad mood.

Review Your Lifestyle

It’s easy to take on too much, but doing so can lead to feelings of being overwhelmed, says the Mental Health Foundation. Prioritizing some things over others and delegating when possible can tame stress.

Practice Mindfulness

Breathing and mindfulness exercises can be practiced anywhere. Research has shown that mindfulness can reduce the effects of stress and anxiety. Deep breathing and being in a quiet moment when stress peaks may help to reduce stress.

Step Away For A Few Minutes

If possible, step away from a stressful situation, whether it is a difficult project at work or a loud room with a lot of activity going on. Many people find commuting stressful. Changing the route to one that avoids busy roads, even if it takes a bit longer to get from point A to point B, might help.

Talk It Out

Sometimes connecting with others and sharing experiences can help to relieve stress. Keeping feelings in and fixating on a situation may exacerbate feelings of stress. Social situations that encourage talking and laughing can lighten a person’s mental load, says the Mayo Clinic.

Don’t Turn To Substances

Alcohol and drugs may temporarily relieve stress, but this approach can lead to addiction and even worsen the physical and mental toll stress takes on the body.

Stress is a part of life, but finding ways to manage chronic stress is vital to long-term health.

Attract Winged Friends With These Bird Feeders

Megan HerrenAnimals, Outdoors

Birds are beautiful creatures that can make a lawn and garden feel even more serene. Providing snacks to supplement what birds naturally find in the wild guarantees up close and personal interactions with the scores of species that call neighborhoods home.

Bird feeders are particularly important in colder climates and during wintertime when food may be scarce. Keeping birds well fed helps them survive over winter and continue to repopulate in the spring. Bird feeding isn’t all for the birds, either. Ashley Dayer, an associate professor in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation at Virginia Tech, argues that feeding birds also is a benefit to humans because it stimulates compassion for the animals.

The type of bird feeder a person places in the yard determines which species may be drawn to the property. The following are various types of feeders to consider.

Suet Feeders

Suet cakes are high-energy food sources that attract birds like woodpeckers and nuthatches. They are particularly beneficial in colder months or regions where birds need extra fat for energy. These cage-like feeders snap around the rectangular suet cake and hang from a pole or tree.

Ground Feeder

Ground feeders are simple screen-bottomed trays that sit several inches off of the ground or on a deck to help keep seeds and grain from coming in contact with droppings. Ground feeders are a favorite of juncos, sparrows, goldfinches, and cardinals, among others.

Sugar Water Feeder

These feeders come in different shapes, from tubes to round dishes, and are magnets to hummingbirds. They typically have red coloring to be more attractive to those high-speed flyers.

Nyjer Bird Feeder

Small birds like goldfinches love to dine on nyjer seeds, which are tiny, black thistle seeds. These feeders are tube-shaped mesh socks designed to hold this specific seed. The small feeding ports prevent seed waste and cater to the small beaks of finches.

Hopper Bird Feeder

These are the feeders many people think of when they envision bird feeders. Hopper bird feeders hold a large amount of seed and often have a roof or a design that mimics a house or barn. The covered design helps to keep seeds dry and might be the best hanging feeder for people who live in areas with a lot of rain. Hoppers will attract blue jays, grackles, cardinals, and blackbirds.

Tube Feeders

Tube feeders will attract an array of birds. They are cylindrical in shape with various ports to enable birds to perch and feed.

Window and Smart Bird Feeders

These types of bird feeders attach to windows to allow homeowners to view the birds up close. Smart varieties have cameras on the feeders that will send a feed via an app to a smart phone or computer. Some even may identify the bird species on the feeder at any given point in time.

Bird feeders provide enjoyment for bird watchers and nutritious food various species.

Call Us: (717) 263-0359
Fax: (717) 263-1314
Members of Mid-Atlantic Community Papers Association Association of Community Publishers Circulation Verification Council
© 2025 The Franklin Shopper Privacy Policy
The Franklin Shopper | 25 Penncraft Avenue 4th Floor Suite 405 | Chambersburg, PA