When you’re done reading Panolian, here’s what to do

Just a couple of weeks ago I renewed my children’s online subscriptions to The Panolian.  A somewhat late Christmas gift for each of them but I do like to keep it going for them. Seems the younger set prefers the e-versions. I like mine in print.  DW reads The Clarion Ledger online for Mississippi news and sports and because we couldn’t get it delivered. But he prefers the paper edition of The Panolian because he likes to work the crossword puzzle.  Make that loves to… looks forward to it…and is disappointed when it’s not in the Tuesday paper.
The only problem with having two newspapers delivered every week is having two newspapers every week to do something with.  My solution for 30-plus years now has been to stack Panolians, neatly, on a rack in the bottom of the coat closet at the back door, where we keep our jackets, yard shoes, and the cans we take to Zachary for recycling.
I read in the paper last week that clean-up day is tomorrow, April 8, and started thinking about my stack of already-read newspapers and wondered what everyone else does with theirs. So, I made a list of good things to do with newspapers in case you’ve been wondering:
1.     Recycle: If nothing else, it’s most important to take newspapers to a recycling center, complete with all the circulars, ads, and magazines.  That will certainly reduce the total amount of waste that goes to the landfill and keep paper from blowing all over our roads.
2.    Start a fire:  Rolled or crumpled up and placed in a fire place, outdoor fire pit or a burn pile, (when legal to do so, of course) newspapers can get the kindling going and the fire burning.
3.    Use as packing material for breakable items when moving things from here to there.
4.    To insulate hot foods: place a pan of hot food on top of several layers of paper covered by a towel. It will help hold the heat in for a short wait or transport.
5.    To finish homemade ice cream.  My grandmother always placed a thick stack of newsprint on top of a freezer of churned of ice cream and wrapped the whole thing with a big towel which helped it to “ripen” and harden. Perfect ice cream was the result, but waiting was hard.
6.    To sit on.  In Girl Scouts, I remember making a “sit-upon” out of a 2-inch stack of newspapers, folded in half and wrapped in a piece of vinyl and glued together.  Perfect for sitting on when you didn’t have anything else to sit on.  Especially when sitting ‘round the campfire.
7.    To kill bugs:  You can roll up a section of newspaper to swat at bugs and critters. I think I even remember being swatted by my grandmother.  Maybe I got a little too anxious for the ice cream.
8.    To clean your windshield:  This came from a tug boat operator on the Mississippi River, where river spray, bugs, dirt and grime made window washing a non-stop chore on the river.  Spray glass cleaner on your windshield, crumple up a page or two of newsprint in your hand and wipe away.  No streaks, no smudges, just ink all over your hands, so designate a pair of latex or dishwashing gloves for this chore.  Actually works on any window, land or sea.
9.    As a boot tree:  Roll up a couple of sections of paper, tightly, and secure with a piece of twine or  ribbon. Stick a roll in each of your boots.  Keeps boots from flopping over as well as dry. Even removes stinky foot odors too. Newspaper is good….
10.    Mulch a flower bed:  My favorite, the trifecta of recycling, because it reuses, reduces, and recycles.  Use newspaper as you would a landscape fabric; place a couple of layers of newspaper down, around flowers and shrubs and top with mulch.  DW adds that this also works in the garden.  Layer paper around vegetable plants and cover with wheat straw.  Holds moisture in and keeps weeds out.  Reduces work! Oh yeah!
And, of course you can read your newspaper and pass it on!  That’s the goal of recycling, pass it on, or use it up.

Recipe of the Week

Good and Good for You Oatmeal Pancakes
Shared by John Howell!

1 ½ cups uncooked regular oatmeal
¾ cup milk
1 egg
1 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Place oatmeal in food processor or blender; process until it reaches the consistency of all-purpose flour.  Remove oat flour from processor; place all other ingredients in processor in order listed, adding oat flour last. Cover; process until smooth.  Let stand for 5 minutes to allow flour particles to absorb the liquid. When pancake batter is ready, ladle onto preheated griddle over medium heat.  When bubbles form and burst, flip each pancake over and let cook for 1 – 2 minutes longer. Makes 12 4-inch pancakes.  Options: add ½ cup chopped pecans, ½ cup finely chopped apples, ½ cup blueberries or your favorite berry or fruit to batter. Serving suggestion:  John recommends topping pancakes with a dollop of peanut butter!