Strollerderby : peanut butter

What Are Your Family's Favorite Foods?

Brett Singer — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:00:00 GMT

Today's Daily Babble email newsletter (which you can sign up for on our homepage, if you don't already get it) mentioned one of the users in the Babble Playground. One of the questions in her profile is "What are your family's favorite foods?" The answer?

The three P's...PBJ, Pizza and Pasta!

So I was wondering what you and yours are eating over at your house. And can I come over for dinner? (Just kidding. Although if you've got any leftovers...)

At my house, the three P's are definitely popular. Thing 1 also likes pastrami, but not on a sandwich. It's like a kiddie Atkins thing. Thing 2 lives on apple sauce, yogurt, and string cheese, preferably the "double" kind (Polly-O Twists). Both kids like apples, but only Thing 1 eats bananas. Cookies are popular, but that doesn't count.

But enough about me! How about you? What's popular over at your place?

Image: SXC

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What Do Madonna and Peanut Butter Have in Common?

JeanneSager — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 20:32:00 GMT

With the plight of children in Malawi back in the news (thanks Madge!), a little part of me hopes some extra attention will go the way of the groups working to help fight malnutrition in the poverty-stricken African country.

It's never boasted a pointy cone bra, but Project Peanut Butter is a trendsetter in its own right. Created by Mark Manary, M.D., a pediatrician at St. Louis Children's Hospital and a professor of pediatric medicine at Washington University School of Medicine, the non-profit has revolutionized feeding protocols for malnourished kids in Malawi.

The miracle drug? Peanut butter, a paste that's easy to swallow, rich in nutrients, high in protein and lipid dense. Dubbed "ready-to-use therapeutic food," peanut butter can be stored for months with no refrigeration without spoiling. It doesn't need to be cooked (so homes without gas or electric can use it). And it can be easily transported by truck to the rural villages of Malawi, where seventy percent of the children go hungry every day.

Until recently, twenty-three percent of children in the country died before their fifth birthdays (unless, of course, a mega-celebrity swooped in to rescue them). Thanks to Project Peanut Butter, that number is dropping.

Since most of us can't pull a Madonna, Project Peanut Butter accepts donations to help the kids.

Image: Project Peanut Butter

Salmonella Might Be In Second Peanut Plant

Brett Singer — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 04:26:00 GMT

The AP is reporting that samples from a second Texas plant owned by The Peanut Corp. of America have a "presumptive positive" result. What'd they find? Salmonella.

This just keeps getting worse.

The news is currently being reported as a "maybe," and the AP story says that no products from the plant were shipped to consumers. Personally I have a hard time believing that. Not that I have any knowledge of the situation beyond what I've read. I'm just suspicious.

This line made me furious: the plant in Plainview, Texas "had operated unlicensed and uninspected for nearly four years." How exactly does something like that happen?

Are you still giving your kids peanut butter and jelly? Or have you switched to cream cheese or some other sandwich spread?

Source: AP via Yahoo! News

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Whew! Girl Scout Cookies Safe From Peanut Butter Scare

Web Index of Recalled Peanut Butter Products Available

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Whew! Girl Scout Cookies Safe From Peanut Butter Scare

Kate Tuttle — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:01:00 GMT

It's always a big day in our house when we order our boxes of Girl Scout cookies. We don't eat a ton of institutional peanut butter or store-bought cookies in our house, so we hadn't been terribly concerned about the latest salmonella outbreak, but when news came today clearing our beloved Caramel De-Lites (formerly known as Samoas), we all cheered!

Despite some worried calls to local leaders around the country, apparently this season's Girl Scout cookie sales have not been dented by the salmonella scare, nor even by the nation's crumbling economy. Some things really are too big to fail.

In related news, Girl Scouts thin mint cookies are, despite an oversight in the labeling process, kosher.

Web Index of Recalled Peanut Butter Products Available

First Lawsuit Filed in Peanut Butter Salmonella Scare

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Web Index of Recalled Peanut Butter Products Available

JeanneSager — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 21:52:00 GMT

If yours is one of those households that depends on peanuty goodness to get through the day, the salmonella scandal of '09 has probably sent you rushing to the cabinets each time a new product has been added to the list.

Take heart - you're not the only one!

To make things a little easier on us, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set up a searchable index of recalled peanut butter products.

Broken down into brand name, product name, lot and/or stock numbers, labels and packaging size, the list puts all of the information you need in one place. But you do have to do a thorough check. The initial page lists "peanut butter product recalls" in a long list, making you think that's where you need to go to get all the peanut butter-related products. Not so. Other sections on the page link to lists of crackers that were recalled because of peanut butter or nutrition bars recalled for the same reason.

The overall list includes the pet foods recalled too - so it hits the whole family. And if you're as freaked out by all these food frenzies as I have become, at least you can get all your stress out in one place!

Image: Costco

Is The Peanut Allergy Scare Overblown?

Brett Singer — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 19:32:00 GMT

Over at the new SuperEco, Alex Fayle wonders if the increase in peanut allergies and the resulting peanut bans in schools are a lot of hooey.

Fayle cites stats that show the increase in peanut allergies is a North American thing. He says that in Spain, where I guess he resides, "no one ever talks about peanut or other nut allergies." Nuts and nutty spreads are consumed at a much lower rate of course, but when Fayle asks parents about the topic, "they look at me blankly then say that it's the responsibility of the parents to manage their child's allergies."

This jives with my own (admittedly limited) experience. I know someone who returned to the States after living in Europe and giving birth there, and they told me a story about visiting the doctor and asking about allergies. The doctor just shrugged and said, "Well, if you see symptoms, call me." Basically, no big deal, just see what happens. Both of these anecdotes remind me of a Chris Rock routine – "We got so much food in America we're allergic to food. Allergic to food! Hungry people ain't allergic to sh*t. You think anyone in Rwanda's got a f**king lactose intolerance?!"

I did once see a child have a reaction to peanuts that was quite frightening. It was several years ago, before I had children myself. I was working at a theater and during the intermission, a little boy bought a cookie from the concession stand. The cookie had peanuts in it, but there was no sign to indicate that. (Like I said, it was several years ago, pre-allergy mania.) The little boy's grandmother did not that he was allergic. One of the ushers noticed that he was having a reaction, asked the grandmother, who didn't know what was happening. The theater manager called 911 and everything worked out fine. But if no one had been able to figure out what was happening, I don't know that it would have.

At the same time, the wholesale bans on peanuts make me insane. Peanut butter is a staple food in my house. (I myself have no allergy issues; I just don't like peanut butter. Yes, I'm a weirdo. Whatever.) When my children's schools banned peanut butter and all nuts from the premises, I was annoyed. If someone in the classroom has an airborne allergy, I understand a ban in that classroom. But what if there are no kids in the class that have an allergy at all? And not all allergies are airborne. How hard is it to teach kids (and parents) to just keep away from the peanuts, and to keep an Epipen around in case of an emergency?

Other good statistical tidbits from the SuperEco piece include: "50 fewer people die from lightning in the US each year (150 from nuts vs. 100 from lightning)", and a British report from December of 2008 that concluded "that perhaps the protections against nuts are actually making things worse" by creating a kind of "social hysteria."

(Let's not forget the recent recall of peanut butter products due to Salmonella. That's a different issue not related to allergies, but it's worth mentioning. Oh, and check your Cliff Bars too.)

What do you think? Is the peanut allergy epidemic as real and dangerous as some say? Or should we not believe the hype? Should parents take responsibility for their kids' allergies or is it up to society to adjust?

Source: SuperEco

Image: Wikipedia

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What Will Tainted Peanut Butter Really Do To Our Kids?

JeanneSager — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 13:29:00 GMT

The first - and I doubt the last - lawsuit has been filed in the tainted peanut butter scandal.

A mother from Vermont says her seven-year-old son had to be hospitalized from salmonella poisoning after eating Keebler's sandwich crackers, which were filled with a peanut butter spread. Seven weeks later, she says the boy is still recovering.

The makers of the Keelber crackers, Kellogg's, have voluntarily recalled products containing peanut butter that may or may not be tainted, but based on the dates in Gabrielle Meunier's affidavit, young Christopher ate his snacks several weeks before news broke on the possible outbreak and recall.

Like the spinach and tomato scare of 2008, this one has hit home - these are foods my family eats on a relatively regular basis (more so the veggies than the crackers, but peanut butter is a staple in our house). I went rifling through our cabinets when I heard the news and came up with nothing, but who knows what she already powered through (like Amy's kids and those Clif bars).

So what should parents be watching out for? According to the CDC, "most persons infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days, and most persons recover without treatment."

Lest you think this is a simple few days of noxious diarrhea, Christopher Meunier is recovering, but not every kid is so lucky.

Kids are actually the most likely candidates for salmonellosis (salmonella poisoning). The rate of infections in kids under five is five times higher than the rate of infection in any other age group, and children, the elderly and immunocompromised are the most likely to have severe reactions. The CDC estimates that approximately 400 persons die each year with acute salmonellosis.

So, now that I gave you your mega scare for the day, how about a jelly and cream cheese sandwich?

Image: Costco

Recall after Five People Die; Tainted Peanut Butter Blamed

Shannon LC Cate — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 18:30:00 GMT

A company manufacturing peanut butter sold in bulk to institutions and food manufacturers has recalled its product after the deaths of at least two, perhaps up to five people (in three cases, the cause of death is still being determined). 400 people have fallen ill in 43 states due to salmonella traced to the peanut butter.

What makes this outbreak particularly upsetting is the institutional aspect. This peanut butter goes to schools, nursing homes and food manufacturing companies that use peanut butter as an ingredient in other foods. Customers of "Parnell's Pride" and "King Nut" brand peanut butter are being informed by phone of the recall.

Kelloggs is also recalling its Austin and Keebler brand peanut butter crackers as a result. No outbreaks have been traced to these snack crackers, but to stay on the safe side, it's probably a good idea to return any you might have in you cupboard.

Image: Boston.com

Death By Peanut: Epidemic or Urban Myth?

Kate Tuttle — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:29:00 GMT

Everybody knows that peanut allergies are the most deadly known to man, and that an affected child can die from even the slightest airborne contact -- that's why we have nut-free daycare centers and schools, and bake sales and playdates filled with anxiety, right? Well, maybe, wrong. Like killer bees or tainted Halloween candy, the virulence of deadly food allergies is way, way overstated, according to a piece in Wednesday's Huffington Post.

Turns out that most articles you read or experts you hear discussing the issue cite a number of deaths per year from food allergies -- 150 to 200 -- that comes from a tiny, flawed study touted by a lobbying and advocacy group, the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, hardly an unbiased source. So what's the real number? According to Meredith Broussard, author of the HuffPo piece, it's in the high single or low double digits (in 2005 it was 11 people).

Even if the actual number were in the low three digits, it wouldn't warrant the extreme reactions seen in many schools, daycare centers, and other organizations, writes Harvard Medical School's Dr. Nicholas Kristakis, whose work was reported this week in the New York Times's Well blog (the piece was titled "Are Nut Bans Promoting Hysteria?" and the comments section revealed a blend of common sense, bad jokes of the "what a bunch of nuts" variety, and, yes, some hysteria).

My guess is that this kind of fear -- essentially groundless, sourceless yet pervasive, trivial yet all-consuming -- flourishes during economic good times and recedes when things are grim. In our current lousy economy, can any of us afford to scorn peanut butter any longer? And as we say goodbye to an anti-science, anti-intellectual President and swear in his polar opposite, might it be time for American parents to start thinking independently and skeptically, instead of following each new irrational trend that comes along?

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They Say: Pregnant Women Can Eat Nuts

JeanneSager — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:28:00 GMT

Once you're done snickering class, I'll begin. Because unfortunately for you (or fortunately - if you happen to be pregnant), a new study has found pregnant women eating peanuts has little affect on the allergies developed in their offspring.

The report from the British Food Standards Agency Committee on Toxicity says pregnant women with a family history of hay fever, eczema and food allergies can eat all the peanuts they want. Unless they're allergic themselves - of course.

The new look at peanut allergies comes on the heels from a Harvard Medical School expert's statements that parents have been taken over by nut hysteria. According to the BBC report on the new advice, Harvard's Professor Nicholas Christakis apparently cited "a gross over-reaction to the magnitude of the threat" posed by food allergies, and particularly nut allergies."

Parents, overreact? Not us. Oh wait, is that a nut in my daughter's bowl of all natural, high fiber, whole grain, organic sticks and twigs? Shut down the area. We need a decontamination unit, stat.

Oh, er, where was I? So Moms, lay back, take it easy. Eat a peantu butter and jelly sandwich if you feel the need. Or maybe some Reese's Pieces . . . or how about some peanut brittle? What the heck, just go nuts.

Image: BBC

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They Say: More Children Have Allergies

Brett Singer — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 22:30:00 GMT

If you thought it only seemed like every other kid had allergies, it turns out that they do. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "About 3 million U.S. children have a food or digestive allergy -- an 18 percent increase over the past 10 years." The CDC also says that slightly more girls (4.1 percent) than boys (3.8 percent) have some sort of allergy.

What I wonder is how common food allergies are outside of the United States. As Chris Rock said, "We got so much food in America we're allergic to food. Allergic to food! Hungry people ain't allergic to sh*t. You think anyone in Rwanda's got a f**king lactose intolerance?!" Obviously someone in a less developed country could have an undiagnosed allergy, but it's an interesting question.

The article also doesn't say what they think the cause of this allergic increase is, or offer a theory as to whether or not these allergies were always there and just went undetected. (It does, however, mean that when that mother leaps across the table at you during a birthday party and screams, "BUT MY CHILD IS ALLERGIC!" she's probably telling the truth. But it's still OK for you to wish she'd just tell you calmly.) There's also some good news: "Most children outgrow" their allergies to food, they say.

Frankly, I wish I were allergic to Autumn Mix candy corns. That would make it a hell of a lot easier to stop eating them. Maybe.

Source: Reuters

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Reduce Your Carbon Footprint For $25,000 Less Than A Hybrid

Amy S.F. Lutz — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:34:00 GMT

What if I told you that you could significantly reduce your carbon footprint simply by using more frequently items I bet you already have in your kitchen? Would you be interested?

And what if I added that your effors would be much more tasty than the most tricked-out Prius? Interested now?

According to Jonah Lehrer, author of my favorite science blog, The Frontal Cortex, "Every time you eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch instead of a meat based sandwich you reduce your carbon footprint by more than two pounds . . . That's about 40 percent of the savings that are achieved from driving a hybrid car [for one day]."

So, if you were thinking of shelling out for the hybrid, just eat two-and-a-half peanut butter sandwiches a day and call it a wash.

Student suspended for smearing peanut butter on classmate

Brett Singer — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 19:00:00 GMT

A high school student in Wenatchee, Washington has been suspended after he smeared peanut butter on the head of one of his classmates. What's the big deal? The kid has a peanut allergy.

Two facts worth noting:

- The smearer is 19 years old. And in high school
- Despite having a peanut allergy, the smeared had no reaction whatsoever to having peanut butter put on his forehead.

The allergic student, or someone posing as him, posted a comment on the wenatcheeworld.com where this story appeared. He said, " I would like to comment on this, because I am the student who had the peanut butter spread on my forehead….What is not stated in this story, was the fact that he did this to be after i alerted him to the fact that I had a deadly allergy. I simply thought this would be a nice addition to the story."

Now I know this may seem insensitive, but if you have a "deadly allergy" to peanuts and peanut butter is smeared on your forehead, wouldn't you have some sort of reaction? This doesn't mean that the 19 year old smearer isn't a schmuck who deserves a severe punishment. But shouldn't contact between head and peanut butter cause at least a rash or something?

Source: wenatcheeworld

Image: ravenb.com

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Peanut Butter Bullies and (Lactose) Intolerant Idiots

Rachael Brownell (Redsy) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:01:00 GMT

The increased number of kids with food allergies is leading to a new kind of schoolyard bully: The food taunter....

This immediately brings up a picture of kids circling around their victim with a wooden spoon covered in peanut butter and it seems funny. At first...

Bullies targeting kids with food allergies is on the rise in parts of the country and the results can be extremely serious. When some girls felt their classmate was faking a peanut allergy, they planned an entire lunch period where all the kids brought food laced with peanuts. Talk about Mean Girls.

The problem with food allergies, as they become more common, is that it does lend itself to a certain amount of taunting. Some parents seem to use their child's food allergies as a ploy to prove the fragile specialness of their beloved. On the other hand, food allergies pose real danger to many kids.

Kids are the canary in the coal mine on this issue. They bully each other to uncover the acceptability of food allergies and any other differences they perceive as weakness. But the image of children chasing each other around with cartons of milk is amusing. I can't help it.

Kitchenista: Stuff It

Adrienne Martini — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 20:30:00 GMT

My go-to meal is the good ol' PB&J. Problem is that we rarely have bread in the house anymore since the oldest kid can't eat it. What is a lazy mom to do?

Simple. Hack an apple in half. If you're feeling artsy, take a melon baller (Heh. Baller.) and scoop out the core and seeds. If not, just cut them out. Smear the halves with peanut butter. Add jelly, if you have it. Bingo. Snack.

Some over-achievers go one step further and stuff their fruits. Looks yummy, doesn't it?

While I'm going to stick with my easy way out, it dawns on me that the PB apple could be a vehicle for just about anything. Raisins, if you're into that. A mini Hershey's Special Dark sounds even better. Add a nice sparkling white and it's dinner.

Photo credit: Melissa Ray Davis

Fun Birthdays Despite Recession

Madeline Holler — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 22:36:00 GMT

In all this talk about economic downturns and recessions or "recessions" and whatnot, politicians are overlooking one very important thing when calculating rebates and tax cuts and interest rates freezes and economic stimulation: what the hell is a parent to do about birthday parties?

Listen, party-planning expert Lisa Kothari, author of Dear Peppers and Pollywogs...What Parents Want to Know About Planning Their Kids' Parties knows your pain and she wants to help out with her three-part series on recession-proof children's birthday parties. Thank God, because I was worried we'd have to leave it up to our kids this year to create their own fun.

For Part 1, she counsels to "think outside the box," but goes on to give some cool ideas, so stick with me. The first is a Messy Party, with these sugggestions.

Invitations stamped with handprints.
Make a mess out of balloons and streamers; hang them all over the place in no set pattern.
Have the kids paint pictures with chocolate.
Let the kids decorate premade sugar cookies.
Set out paint, roller brushes, and butcher paper for the kids to make fantastic creations.
Have a bunch of stamps and water-soluble ink out and have the kids stamp their arms and legs all over and stamp one another!
Place a pile of dirt in one area of the yard and have the kids make dirt creations using twigs, rocks, and other natural elements.
Make a traditional round cake, ice with vanilla frosting and then drizzle different colors of icing into your own messy masterpiece. Add candy toppings as an added bonus.

Outrageous Cookie Party

Make plain cookie dough and then set out these ingredients for kids to get creative with. Bag them up to take home. Be sure to warn parents in case the kids decide to share.

Ketchup
Mustard
Chocolate Syrup
Ranch Dressing
Steak Sauce
Cherries
Yogurt
Cheese
Peanut Butter
Balsamic Vinegar
Jam
Pesto Sauce
Tomato Sauce
Relish

Don't forget to request all birthday gifts in cash. (Who's going to pay for all that wasted pesto? We're in a recession!)

So what are you doing for a cheap birthday party this year (or any year)? Canceling the tiger cub rental? Yeah, me too. Me too.

Photo: Once Upon a Bash

Kitchenista: Let Them Eat Cookies

Adrienne Martini — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 19:30:00 GMT

One of my little ~~demons~~ darlings has Celiac Disease, which means she can't ingest anything with gluten in it. Once we got the official diagnosis, all foods that had even the slightest trace of wheat, rye or barley in them immediately went on the verboten list. At first, it was an enormous ordeal. At 18 months in, it's not so bad -- especially since my daughter the Diva is now so vibrantly healthy.

The gluten free life isn't so bad. Any diet that lets you eat chocolate and corn chips isn't a hardship. Some situations, however, are still a massive pain in the heiner. Eating out can be tricky, especially once you factor in a 5-year old's food fussiness. It's tough to come up with gluten free baked goods that don't taste, well, like gluten free baked goods.

Enter the gluten free peanut butter cookie, dreamed up by Shauna James Ahern, the Gluten Free Girl. The ingredients are straightforward and require no odd flours, flour blends or gums. All you need is peanut butter, sugar, an egg, baking soda, an oven and the ability to roll things into balls. Kids can help make 'em, too, which is always a plus.

I know gluten free foodies always say this but -- these cookies are as addictive as the "real" thing.

Right now, I'm trying to come up with equally tasty lunchbox items. Anyone have any ideas?

Saving the Environment One PB 'n' J at a Time

Alisyn — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 14:58:00 GMT

When I'm packing my daughter's school lunch, saving the environment isn't my top priority, though I am mindful of what I'm packing foods in, and the overall nutritional content of the meal.

So, it's good to know that just by making her favorite sandwich - PB&J, hold the J - an armchair activist like myself can actually do some real good for the world. Slapping some peanut butter on a piece of whole grain bread (or a whole grain cracker or rice cake) means I'm actually reducing my carbon footprint, by saving the equivalent of 2.5 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions that the average animal-based lunch like a hamburger, grilled cheese, or chicken nuggets necessitates. ( That's about40% of what I'd save if I drove a cool hybrid, instead of a Japanese station wagon.)

Oh, also? Going with PB over a hamburger will save about 280 gallons of water. Three PB&Js a month instead of hamburgers will save about as much water as switching to a low-flow shower head.

Wait, there's more! Making this vegan classic just once a week can save up to 50 square feet of land from deforestation, over-grazing, and pesticide and fertilizer pollution, too!

Want to spend less time making lunches, and save the world while you do it? Join the peanut butter revolution! (Being green never tasted so good)...

Peanut Butter Sandwich Can Send Your Kid To College

Melissa Summers — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 20:04:00 GMT

As the school year starts I'm facing about 250 days of making peanut butter sandwiches, I'm thinking this is a contest I need to get my daughter into. Jif brand peanut butter is running the Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich contest and the award is a $25,000 scholarship fund.

Last year's winner was twelve-year-old Alexandra Yoder of Fort Wayne, Indiana with "Peanut Butter Rolls - Sushi Style," The 'sushi' used pretzel rods for chopsticks and chocolate yogurt for soy sauce. Creative.

The contest is open to children ages 6 to 12, and sandwiches will be judged on the following criteria: creativity, nutritional balance, taste, appearance and ease of preparation. Entries must be postmarked by November 15th and five finalists will eventually compete in a live contest in New York City in March of 2008.

Make sure to check out the past winners from the last four years. Like Shannon's (age 7) "Peanutty Pretty Purse Pita" and Jessica Delaney's (age 12) "Peanutty Wrapple Rolls with Maple Dipping Sauce".

Allergen-Free Peanuts May Be Coming Your Way

Patti — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 13:23:00 GMT

As your kids get older, the peanut butter problem arises more and more often. Peanut-free schools, peanut-free parties, occasions where you aren't allowed to bring anything that isn't store-bought and sealed in its original packaging so the allergen information is clearly stated. It's a little (forgive me) nuts, but given that the number of kids who could possible die from just whiffing a little dust from your Snickers is increasing every year, it's probably the only approach to take.

Dr. Mohamed Ahmedna may go down in history as the patron saint of the nut-allergic. The North Carolina Agricultural and Technical University scientist has perfected a process to remove the allergenic toxins from peanuts, rendering them benign and returning them to the healthy little legumes they once were. The hypoallergenic peanuts would be as versatile within the food industry as conventional peanuts, only they won't kill kids quite so often. Praise the Lord and pass the jelly!

You Could Do So Much If You Didn't Have Kids

Kelly Mills — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 15:29:00 GMT

I realize now that before I had a kid, I didn't even know what "busy" was. And every once in a while, when I'm making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with one hand, and trying to type a blog post with the other, I wonder how much I could accomplish if I was child-free. Like this guy, who built a miniature replica of Himeji Castle in eighteen years. Think about it: in the same theoretical time frame that it takes for a child to go from being pushed out of the comfy womb to being pushed out of the parental home and into the wide world, he built a perfect giant miniature (oxymoron) in his garden. If I had eighteen free years, what could I get done?

Of course, I'm not saying I regret having a kid, best thing that ever happened to me, blah blah blah. But shoot, with all that time I could have done so many things, starting with regular bathing and ending with a Nobel for something cool and peace-y. But the truth is I'm probably kidding myself: most of my relentless efficiency and terrifying multi-tasking today was born out of necessity. Cuz kids will make you good at doing lots of stuff in a teeny window of time. I could probably do a replica castle too, though you might have to ignore the peanut butter smears on it.

Peanut Butter and Babies Equals Crazy Delicious

Mike Adamick (Cry It Out!) — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 12:02:00 GMT

When I was a kid, I couldn't help feeding my dog, Bo, peanut butter. I'd spend hours laughing as the poor thing licked the roof of his mouth, desperately trying to delouse himself.

"We have got to try that with Emme," I told my wife. "Can you just imagine?"

"Sounds good to me," she said.

At the time, our daughter was little more than a month old. She could barely chew on her bottle, but boy, she sure loved peanut butter! It was great fun watching as she licked the roof of her mouth, swatting at her face with her pudgy little hands. She'd smile and coo and drool slobbery gobs of peanut butter onto her pajamas, spitting it out as fast as we could put it in.

"I seriously think I can do this for hours," I remember saying, chuckling at our little game.

Our doctor said it was wrong for some reason, I can't remember why exactly -- something about the lack of teeth maybe. But we quickly learned that not only was it great fun to watch, but it was also good for her. She gained weight like crazy -- swelling up like a prized pig!

It soon got us thinking about other things we're not "supposed" to feed our children, and before long our daughter was sucking down thick slices of hot dog, pieces of Hubba Bubba and, on rare occasions, a can or two of Hamms. (Talk about sleeping through the night!)

"Doctors," I told my wife. "They think they know everything."

Any other "banned" foods that are actually good for young babies?

Quick! Dump Your Peter Pan Peanut Butter; It's Been Recalled!

Karen Murphy — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 11:23:00 GMT

No Fluffernutters tonight.....ConAgra Foods is recalling all of its Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter varieties, as they have been linked to food-borne illnesses that may include salmonella. What's disturbing about this news beyond the obvious is that people have been getting sick from this stuff since last August, and the recall is only being made now, so if this is your brand, I'm hoping you haven't eaten much of it lately. If you do own jars of Peter Pan or Great Value peanut butter (some is made by manufacturers other than ConAgra; check your label on the Great Value), retain the lids for a full refund. Affected varieties will have the product code 2111 imprinted on their lids.

While neither this article or this one give particulars about obtaining the refund, this one specific to the New England area suggests that your store of purchase might well honor the refund. Or if you like to jump through hoops, you can return the lid directly to ConAgra.