Back in my grandmother’s day people seldom used a measuring cup when they cooked or baked. I often wondered how Grandma was able to cook and bake without using them. She may have had a coffee cup that was equivalent to a measuring cup, but mostly it was hand and eye. We can still use her method today, especially when it comes to portion control regarding the amount of food we eat.

Most people are aware that a meat portion is about equal to the size of a deck of cards. The palm of your hand is equal to 3 or 4 ounces, which is considered a serving of meat, fish or poultry. It’s easy to remember.

The size of your fist equals 1 cup, and it is a good method of remembering that when you are eating cereal or soup. It is also a good method to remember when eating ice cream, pudding, cooked vegetables, potatoes, beans, rice or pasta.

Another method of measuring is using the thumbnail as your guide. Your thumbnail equals 1 teaspoon if you are using butter, margarine, mayonnaise, and oils. The thumbnail measurement is also a good measure for salad dressing, sour cream, cream cheese, peanut butter and hard cheese.

Two cupped hands is a good guide when you are trying to compare 3 or 4 ounces as a measure for chips, popcorn, crackers and potatoes. It is up to you to decide if those extras are worth it. Less is always better than more. Yes, it does taste good, but do you really want more?

Don’t do it! Give your body time to catch up with your mind. It is always good to think about how much exercise or movement you will need to do to "pay" for your indulgences.

Speaking of food and its importance, Easter will soon be here and the pastor at Salem Lutheran in Albert Lea recently shared a special educational and thought provoking treat with the Sunday School students at the church.

The lesson he shared was important to my granddaughters, Mallory and Morgan, so they decided to share what they had learned with our family. The girls proudly showed us during a visit to my mother’s how to make some tasty treats that had a special story to tell and remember.

The girls brought along a package of marshmallows, a container of crescent rolls, a small amount of margarine which they melted in the microwave, a container that contained a mixture of cinnamon and sugar, as well as a cookie sheet and a roll of waxed paper.

The girls proceeded to explain the marshmallows represented the body of Jesus. The melted margarine and the cinnamon and sugar represented the oil and spices and the crescent rolls represented the white linen cloth that Jesus’s body needed to sealed with, and then wrapped in before he was placed in the tomb.

Mallory and Morgan proceeded to roll the individual marshmallows in the melted margarine, and then in the mixture of cinnamon and sugar before they placed the marshmallow in the center of the individual crescent rolls. They carefully rolled the crescent roll up around the marshmallow, making sure to seal it well before they placed the individual units on the cookie sheet that had been covered with a sheet of wax paper.

They placed the cookie sheet in the oven, which had been heated to 350 degrees, and they kept a careful eye on their creations, removing them after they were baked to a nice golden brown.

The girls then placed the rolls on snack plates and shared their treats with their family. They explained as we were opening them that with these special treats, which represented God's special gift, we would not be able to see the marshmallow, or Jesus, as it had risen just like Jesus had done.

May we remember that the friendships we have begun in this world can be taken up again in Heaven.

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Some of our Star Eagle readers have commented they like to read about events such as family and school reunions, birthdays and anniversaries, and birth and wedding announcements. In order to read about these important things we need our faithful readers to pass along the information to us. Also if you have an idea for a story that you think would be of interest to our readers, please contact me.

If you have birthdays and anniversaries you would like include, or news to share please contact me via e-mail, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; by postal mail, P.O. Box 192, Geneva, MN 56035 or telephone, 507-256-4405.

This week’s birthdays and anniversaries:

• Thursday, March 12th: Sadie Jaymelynn Arends, David Paulson, Jason Bowman, Terri Engel, Robert Hall, Harla Stanley Malz, Spiering Brody Sundbland, Gary & Barb Paulson, Jack & Virginia Jensen

• Friday, March 13th: Joanna Ver Hey, David Mangskau, Lynda Kruckeberg, Darla Waltz, Jessica Liverseed, Craig Lunning, Tony Tonsing

• Saturday, March 14th: National Potato Chip Day! Laura Katherine Worrell, Connor Duane Klemmsensen, his 7th; Sierra Christine Krause, her 5th; Brian Cerney, Brent Huber, Marcia Hutchins, Lee Loverink, Mary Finch, Kathy Molenaar, Trevor Titus

• Sunday, March 15th: Angie Haberman Lyman, Marvel Beiser, Andy Ditlevson, Robin Jepson, Judy Lunning, Tim Phagan, Steve Clausen, Tony Motl, Julie Peterson, Don & Cindy Gould

• Monday, March 16th: Ava Pospesel, Blair Pospesel, Al Batt, Cortnee Langlie, Judy Waage, Tyler Lewis Hagenbrock, Jackson Taylor William Churchill, Harold & Pat Wayne, Hugh & Karen O'Byrne

• Tuesday, March 17th: St. Patricks' Day, Ashley Marie Hagen, Shannon Weckwerth Pacholl, Mike Cady, Dakota Ray Janning, Nicole Hanna, Patrick Wobschall, Harvey Zicafoose, Mandy Galbraith, Joel Hill, Jenifer Jensen Pietari, Kevin & Marsha Jensen

• Wednesday, March 18th: Axel Jameson Ladlie (2011), Ashley Marie Hagen, Lynn Sommer Eaton, Chad Cornelius, Randy Brandt, Michelle Bartness, Dan Enzenauer, Matthew Larson, Wanda Stanley, Kent Toft, Matt & Jennifer Van Hal, Dean & Sue Westrum

• Thursday, March 19th: Samuel Bartness, his 3rd; Larry Klocek, Jill Rye, Jill Neitzell, Tyler Crabtree, Bethany Butler, Tori Lynn Sage, Wyatt Marcus Westergrin

• Friday, March 20th: Jayda Moon, Tricia Renae Hanson, Nicole Christensen, Neva Lembke, Gary Reichl, Jim Butler, Tammy Harpel Nielsen, Winfred Bergdale, Shelly Hoeve, Billy Jo Johnson Schwierjohann, Dennis Olson

• Saturday, March 21st: Amy Foster, John Krell, Doris Krause, Trent Steven Pence, Kelly Marie Dobberstein, Phillip Ingvaldson, Pam Farr, Kent Paulson, Diane Marlin, Kelly Nelson, Doris Krause, Brody Grunwald, Darrell & Cindy Farr

Surprise somebody. Call someone. Send a card and make their day. Little things mean a lot.