Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

By Sharon Rose


      Parents Want to Know 101, gives honor to a great American, and commemorates this 26th annual federal holiday of MLK, Jr. Day.  Happy birthday Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.!  His words still ring true to every parent, and every boy and girl who dreams of climbing the ladder of equal opportunity to great success and freedom in their lives.  At a time when so many in our country are without jobs, I am focusing on the historical event, March on Washington, which was held to provide a platform for jobs and freedom.  The I Have A Dream speech given by Dr. King on that day, Aug. 28, 1963, has become a signature speech, familiar to many.  This is a great day to re-visit that speech and share its' words and meaning, as a family.  He spoke of the door of opportunity he wanted to see open for all people, for all children.  Let's expose our children to the many doors of opportunity that are open today.  Let's seek out the information on opportunities and keep our parent involvement in their educational endeavours, high.  It is through education that we will acheive our greatest freedom. 

      His words were always powerful and visionary. You can listen to various speeches by Dr. King at online websites that have archived many of his speeches.

      MLK, Jr. Day is designated as a National Day of Service in which we all do our best to volunteer helpful hands in areas that need urgent assistance in our nation.  A fitting tribute to a man who helped so many. 


Adult Reading Selections:  I Have a Dream: Writings and Speeches That Changed the World, Special 75th Anniversary Edition (Martin Luther King, Jr., born January 15, 1929), by Martin Luther King  ( January 30, 1992).

A Call to Conscience: The Landmark Speeches of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., by Clayborne Carson, Kris Shepard and Andrew Young (January 1, 2002).


Children's Reading Selections:  My Brother Martin: A Sister Remembers Growing Up With the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., by Christine King Farris and Chris Soentpiet (December 27, 2005).

Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King, Jr. (Scholastic Bookshelf), by Jean Marzollo and J. Pinkney, January 1, 2006.

A Picture Book of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Picture Book Biographies), by David A. Adler and Robert Casilla (June, 1991).




Copyright, Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Sharon Rose, Parents Want to Know 101, January 16, 2012, all rights reserved.

Crockpot Chili Con Carne Recipe

By Sharon Rose

      Winter is here and time to take out the crockpot and prepare those delicious recipes for your family that please the palate and warm your insides. One of my favorites is Chili Con Carne.  My family can never get enough on a cold winter day when the windows have frosted over.  I prepare it with turkey, olive oil, and cook the dry red kidney beans.  I like the leanness of turkey and olive oil is known as a healthy fat. However, you can substitute these with ground beef, vegetable oil, and canned red kidney beans if that is more to your liking.  For those who need a time saving meal, the canned beans are the way to go.  You can serve this alone with crackers, or with spaghetti, rice, or your choice of sides.  Keep it warm in your crockpot until all have had their fill.

      Our recipe for Chili Con Carne is with ground turkey, olive oil, tomatoes, red beans, chili powder, peppers, and other seasonings.  I like it spicey!  For those who don't, leave out the jalapeno peppers to tone it down.  Bon Apetit!


Ingredients:


• Dry beans or 2 cans (15 ounces each) red kidney beans or small red beans, drained
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, quartered, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) tomatoes
• 1 can mild green chili peppers
• 2 teaspoons fresh, finely chopped jalapeno chili pepper, optional
• 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• dash cayenne pepper, or to taste
• dash ground cloves
• 1 small bay leaf

Preparation:

Prepare dry red kidney beans, unless using canned beans.  Rinse dry beans, cover with cold water, and let soak overnight.  Drain the dry beans, transfer to a large saucepan, and cover with fresh water.  Cover and simmer for about 1 hour, or until tender.  Drain.

In a large skillet, sautee the onion and peppers.  Brown the ground beef in oil.  Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, peppers, and seasonings.  Place all the ingredients in the crockpot, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, adding a little water if needed to keep from sticking.  Check and stir frequently.  Add the cooked or canned beans and heat through.  Serves 6.



Copyright, Crockpot Chili Con Carne Recipe, Sharon Rose, Parents Want to Know 101, January 7, 2012, all rights reserved.

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