Planet Earth Quiz: Answers and Winners! by PW Fun & Learning

Yay for our planet! That was a bit challenging but we hope you had fun! Now we have this sudden urge to go out and explore the world. Maybe when yoga pants become the official international travel attire?

Note: It was pointed out that Question 10 could be true or false depending on how you interpret the wording of the question. To avoid any ambiguity, we threw the question out when calculating the scores.

 
Here are the stats, answers, and winners.

 
STATS

1,304 people took the quiz.
192 people scored 100%!
The question most people (about 98%) got right was…#7!
The question most people missed (only 36% got it right) was…#22.

 
ANSWERS

Q.3
The official highest recorded temperature is 134 degrees Fahrenheit (yikes!). Where was it recorded?
Gobi Desert
✓ Death Valley
Sahara Desert
Australian Outback
 
Q.4
What is the longest above-water mountain range?
• The Himalayas
• The Rocky Mountains
✓ The Andes
• The Appalachian Mountains
 
Q.5
True or False: The deepest known point in the ocean is found in the Atlantic ocean.
• True
✓ False
 
Q.6
Our planet’s solid inner core is almost entirely composed of this element.
• oxygen
• magnesium
• hydrogen
✓ iron
 
Q.7
Which of the following is NOT considered a continent?
✓ Caribbean
• Antarctica
• Australia
• Europe
 
Q.8
The world’s deepest and largest (by volume) freshwater lake is Lake Baikal. Where is it located?
• Ukraine
• Iran
• Tanzania
✓ Russia
 
Q.9
The lowest natural temperature recorded at ground level was almost -129 degrees Fahrenheit (yikes again!). Where was it recorded?
• North Pole
✓ Antarctica
• Alaska
• Siberia
 
Q.10
True or False: Earth is closer to the sun than Mars (is).
✓ True
• False
 
Q.11
What is the most abundant gas in the earth’s atmosphere?
✓ nitrogen
• oxygen
• argon
• hydrogen
 
Q.12
What is the world’s tallest waterfall?
• Yosemite Falls
• Victoria Falls
✓ Angel Falls
• Niagara Falls
 
Q.13
What is the imaginary line that divides the earth into Northern and Southern hemispheres?
• Prime Meridian
✓ Equator
• International Date Line
• Tropic of Cancer
 
Q.14
Which of the following is considered a dormant volcano?
✓ Mount Kilimanjaro
• Mount St. Helens
• Mount Etna
• Mount Vesuvius
 
Q.15
In terms of physical volume of water, what is the world’s largest river?
• Nile
• Yangtze
• the Mississippi
✓ Amazon
 
Q.16
Where is the lowest point on land?
• Salton Trough
• Death Valley
• Jordan Valley
✓ Dead Sea
 
Q.17
What do you call a mound or tapering column rising from the floor of caves?
• helictite
✓ stalagmite
• magma
• stalactite
 
Q.18
True or False: Half of the water on Earth is fresh water.
• True
✓ False
 
Q.19
Which of the following deserts is the largest?
✓ Sahara
• Gobi
• Arabian
• Kalahari
 
Q.20
What do you call the outside rocky layer of the Earth?
• outer core
✓ crust
• mantle
• permafrost
 
Q.21
The Earth is what kind of planet?
• dwarf
• exoplanet
• protoplanet
✓ terrestrial
 
Q.22
What kind of tide occurs when the moon is full?
✓ spring tide
• neap tide
• rip tide
• bore tide

 
WINNERS

The first winner is…Deborah G…!
The second winner is…Chenae S…!
The third winner is…Andrea E…!

Congratulations, winners! Contact prizes@thepioneerwoman.com to claim your gift card!

 
 

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Planet Earth Quiz: Answers and Winners! by PW Fun & Learning

Planet Earth Quiz: Answers and Winners! by PW Fun & Learning

Yay for our planet! That was a bit challenging but we hope you had fun! Now we have this sudden urge to go out and explore the world. Maybe when yoga pants become the official international travel attire?

Note: It was pointed out that Question 10 could be true or false depending on how you interpret the wording of the question. To avoid any ambiguity, we threw the question out when calculating the scores.

 
Here are the stats, answers, and winners.

 
STATS

1,304 people took the quiz.
192 people scored 100%!
The question most people (about 98%) got right was…#7!
The question most people missed (only 36% got it right) was…#22.

 
ANSWERS

Q.3
The official highest recorded temperature is 134 degrees Fahrenheit (yikes!). Where was it recorded?
Gobi Desert
✓ Death Valley
Sahara Desert
Australian Outback
 
Q.4
What is the longest above-water mountain range?
• The Himalayas
• The Rocky Mountains
✓ The Andes
• The Appalachian Mountains
 
Q.5
True or False: The deepest known point in the ocean is found in the Atlantic ocean.
• True
✓ False
 
Q.6
Our planet’s solid inner core is almost entirely composed of this element.
• oxygen
• magnesium
• hydrogen
✓ iron
 
Q.7
Which of the following is NOT considered a continent?
✓ Caribbean
• Antarctica
• Australia
• Europe
 
Q.8
The world’s deepest and largest (by volume) freshwater lake is Lake Baikal. Where is it located?
• Ukraine
• Iran
• Tanzania
✓ Russia
 
Q.9
The lowest natural temperature recorded at ground level was almost -129 degrees Fahrenheit (yikes again!). Where was it recorded?
• North Pole
✓ Antarctica
• Alaska
• Siberia
 
Q.10
True or False: Earth is closer to the sun than Mars (is).
✓ True
• False
 
Q.11
What is the most abundant gas in the earth’s atmosphere?
✓ nitrogen
• oxygen
• argon
• hydrogen
 
Q.12
What is the world’s tallest waterfall?
• Yosemite Falls
• Victoria Falls
✓ Angel Falls
• Niagara Falls
 
Q.13
What is the imaginary line that divides the earth into Northern and Southern hemispheres?
• Prime Meridian
✓ Equator
• International Date Line
• Tropic of Cancer
 
Q.14
Which of the following is considered a dormant volcano?
✓ Mount Kilimanjaro
• Mount St. Helens
• Mount Etna
• Mount Vesuvius
 
Q.15
In terms of physical volume of water, what is the world’s largest river?
• Nile
• Yangtze
• the Mississippi
✓ Amazon
 
Q.16
Where is the lowest point on land?
• Salton Trough
• Death Valley
• Jordan Valley
✓ Dead Sea
 
Q.17
What do you call a mound or tapering column rising from the floor of caves?
• helictite
✓ stalagmite
• magma
• stalactite
 
Q.18
True or False: Half of the water on Earth is fresh water.
• True
✓ False
 
Q.19
Which of the following deserts is the largest?
✓ Sahara
• Gobi
• Arabian
• Kalahari
 
Q.20
What do you call the outside rocky layer of the Earth?
• outer core
✓ crust
• mantle
• permafrost
 
Q.21
The Earth is what kind of planet?
• dwarf
• exoplanet
• protoplanet
✓ terrestrial
 
Q.22
What kind of tide occurs when the moon is full?
✓ spring tide
• neap tide
• rip tide
• bore tide

 
WINNERS

The first winner is…Deborah G…!
The second winner is…Chenae S…!
The third winner is…Andrea E…!

Congratulations, winners! Contact prizes@thepioneerwoman.com to claim your gift card!

 
 

http://bit.ly/2FzGJTr

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The Same Sunrise by The Pioneer Woman

Ladd had just left to feed cattle a few mornings ago when I looked out the window and saw this glorious January sunrise. Because I have learned the hard way that when it comes to photographing sunrises, “He who hesitates is lost,” so I grabbed my phone and ran outside in bare feet. I had been reading Psalms in my yoga pants, and socks (let alone shoes) hadn’t entered the picture yet. Then I ran back into the house and stuck my feet under the nearest Basset Hound I could find.

Basset Hound make the very best foot warmers.

 
Not five minutes after my feet made contact with the underbelly of a Frito-scented hound, the text chime on my phone started to sound. They were messages from Ladd, who was experiencing the same sunrise awe as I. Only he was wearing shoes.

Boots, actually.

 
 
He sent photo after photo of his view from the feed truck, and while they were all photos of the same sunrise, I could tell he was snapping in as many different directions as he could.

 
 
Whenever I’ve asked Ladd (or any of the cowboys) what their favorite thing is about the job they do, the answers always seem to involve getting up and being able to watch the sun rise.

And watch the sunrise.

(One is a verb, one is a noun.)

Anyway, cowboys express that no matter what is going on in their lives, a beautiful sunrise can suddenly make everything seem clearer.

 
 
If you are a late sleeper, you should set your alarm at least once a month so you can see the sun come up. It doesn’t solve all the problems of the world, but sometimes it helps you put a different filter on them.

Happy Wednesday, friends!

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The Same Sunrise by The Pioneer Woman

The Same Sunrise by The Pioneer Woman

Ladd had just left to feed cattle a few mornings ago when I looked out the window and saw this glorious January sunrise. Because I have learned the hard way that when it comes to photographing sunrises, “He who hesitates is lost,” so I grabbed my phone and ran outside in bare feet. I had been reading Psalms in my yoga pants, and socks (let alone shoes) hadn’t entered the picture yet. Then I ran back into the house and stuck my feet under the nearest Basset Hound I could find.

Basset Hound make the very best foot warmers.

 
Not five minutes after my feet made contact with the underbelly of a Frito-scented hound, the text chime on my phone started to sound. They were messages from Ladd, who was experiencing the same sunrise awe as I. Only he was wearing shoes.

Boots, actually.

 
 
He sent photo after photo of his view from the feed truck, and while they were all photos of the same sunrise, I could tell he was snapping in as many different directions as he could.

 
 
Whenever I’ve asked Ladd (or any of the cowboys) what their favorite thing is about the job they do, the answers always seem to involve getting up and being able to watch the sun rise.

And watch the sunrise.

(One is a verb, one is a noun.)

Anyway, cowboys express that no matter what is going on in their lives, a beautiful sunrise can suddenly make everything seem clearer.

 
 
If you are a late sleeper, you should set your alarm at least once a month so you can see the sun come up. It doesn’t solve all the problems of the world, but sometimes it helps you put a different filter on them.

Happy Wednesday, friends!

http://bit.ly/2TNpDnY

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Cómo ahorrar y seguir comiendo bien

Cómo ahorrar y seguir comiendo bien

Seguro que cada mes que comienza (o cada lunes) te prometes a ti misma que vas a empezar a comer mejor. Que vas a empezar a llevar una rutina más saludable y, si cabe, que también vas a comenzar a ahorrar. Y seguro que has empezado con buen pie intentando llevarlo todo a cabo pero, qué difícil es a veces continuar con nuestros propósitos, ¿verdad? Si eres de las que las intenciones las dejas en eso, en intenciones, te vamos a ayudar a que las cumplas. Y es que, Kaiku Sin Lactosa, la marca de lácteos sin lactosa más amplia del mercado, nos ha chivado cómo ahorrar y seguir comiendo bien y lo vamos a compartir contigo. ¡Ahí va!

Trucos para ahorrar y seguir comiendo bien

Comprar alimentos de temporada

Menor impacto medioambiental, menor coste, y más sabor. Las frutas y verduras de temporada se hacen esenciales a la hora de ahorrar en el supermercado y evitar alimentos tratados en exceso con pesticidas y conservantes. Estar al día del calendario de alimentos de temporada permite comprar verduras y frutas en su punto perfecto y natural de maduración.

 

Cocinar (de verdad) en casa

Cocinar más en casa y salir menos a comer y cenar permitirá ahorrar dinero y sobre todo, mantener una alimentación saludable y equilibrada. Una buena forma de evitar tentaciones es la de preparar con tiempo la comida. ¿El tupper perfecto? Lleva una base de carbohidratos como arroz integral, una parte de proteína (pollo, salmón o ternera) y otra de fibra (vegetales y verduras). De postre, algo ligero y fácil de llevar como un yogur sin lactosa y una pieza de fruta. De esta forma, se controlan tanto los ingredientes como las cantidades, asegurando un plato equilibrado y saludable. 

 

Comprar a granel

Comprar a granel y evitar mayoritariamente productos que vengan pelados y cortados. Los frutos secos a granel salen a mejor precio que comprarlos en bolsas ya preparadas. Otro consejo es aprovechar los alimentos para distintas elaboraciones: los huesos de un pollo o la parte menos comestible de las verduras, son bases perfectas para elaborar caldos o sopas que además se puede congelar para aprovechar más adelante. Bueno con uno mismo, con el bolsillo y con el medio ambiente. 

 

Practicar el ‘meal planning’ y congelar (mucho)

Practicar el ‘meal planning’ o lo que es lo mismo, plantear menús semanales y prepararlos con antelación evitará el momento “no tengo nada de cena” que se traduce en “pedir comida a domicilio”. Además, al cocinar en grandes cantidades un día y congelar las sobras, no existen excusas para no comer sano y sobre todo, rápido.

The post Cómo ahorrar y seguir comiendo bien appeared first on StyleLovely.

http://bit.ly/2Clu0Qe January 15, 2019 at 03:28PM

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How to Make Sauerkraut by Erica

Sauerkraut is one of my favorite fermented foods. The flavor is fairly neutral, so it goes with a lot of meals. My kids love it because it isn’t spicy like other ferments. It’s a great, easy way to get some good probiotics into your day!

Making sauerkraut at home can really save some money—a jar of fermented sauerkraut can cost upwards of $7 a jar! I can make organic sauerkraut for much less than that. And the process of making sauerkraut is quite simple, so the work involved doesn’t mitigate the savings. The only downside is the waiting: if you run out of sauerkraut, you’ll have to wait for your jar to ferment to enjoy it again. But it’s worth the wait!

Let me share my method of making sauerkraut at home!

 
 

Start with a head of cabbage. Before you do anything to it, weigh it. Write down the weight—you’ll need this to calculate how much salt to use later.

Peel off the outer leaves of the cabbage. These tend to be dirty or damaged. You don’t want them in your sauerkraut!

 
 

Next, cut out the core of the cabbage.

 
 

I like to give the cabbage a good rinse at this point. Since you cut out the core, the water can flow into the leaves and wash them. Make sure to turn the cabbage upside down and shake out any water.

 
 

Peel off one more outer leaf and save it for later.

 
 

Shred your cabbage and place it in a large bowl. I usually do this the old-fashioned way with a knife, but you could use a food processor if you prefer. Lisa from the blog Farmhouse on Boone suggests shredding your cabbage through the grater blade on your food processor if you like your sauerkraut fine. I tried that and it makes slicing a breeze!

 
 

Now it’s time to calculate how much salt you need to use! It really depends on how salty you like your sauerkraut. If you like it nice and salty, use 2 teaspoons of salt per pound of cabbage. If you prefer a less salty kraut, use 1½ teaspoons of salt per pound of cabbage. I personally find that 2 teaspoons of salt per pound is too salty. I go for the 1½ teaspoons.

For example, if your cabbage is 2 ½ pounds, use 3 ¾ to 5 teaspoons salt. If your cabbage is 3 pounds, use 4 ½ to 6 teaspoons of salt.

 
 

Toss the cabbage with the salt and let it sit for 15 minutes.

 
 

After you let the cabbage rest, it’s time to massage it! This makes the cabbage release some of its liquid, which you’ll be using as your brine.

Knead the cabbage for 5 minutes. Your arms will get a workout, but it’s so worth it!

 
 

You should have a fair amount of liquid at the bottom of the bowl after kneading.

 
 

Now grab handfuls of cabbage and cram them into a very clean glass quart jar. You want to make sure to pack the cabbage down really well so you can fit it all in the jar!

 
 

Pour the liquid left in the bowl on top of the cabbage to cover. If you don’t have enough cabbage juice to cover the cabbage in the jar, you can mix together a 2% solution of salt water. This is equal to about 1 teaspoon of salt per cup of water.

Note: If your tap water contains fluoride or chlorine, make sure to use filtered water instead.

 
 

Remember that cabbage leaf that you saved earlier? Cut a circle out of it the same size as the opening of your jar.

 
 

Place the cabbage leaf on top of the shredded cabbage in the jar.

 
 

You want to weigh the cabbage down so that it stays below the brine. Any cabbage that’s exposed to the air is a potential mold grower. I invested in glass fermenting weights because I ferment veggies on a regular basis. But I have also used small glass bowls or jars for the job. Another suggestion from Lisa is to use rocks to weigh down the cabbage: Put clean rocks in a zip top bag, seal the bag, and place on top of the cabbage.

 
 

Screw a lid on top, and set the jar aside to ferment! I suggest using a plastic instead of a metal lid since metal lids can rust. This has happened to me before!

The time you let your sauerkraut ferment is really up to you. I like to let mine go for 2 weeks, but you might prefer the taste at 1 week or even 4 weeks! Keep an eye on your sauerkraut throughout the fermenting process. If the liquid gets too low, top it off with a 2% solution of salt water. If any scum forms on top of the liquid, skim it off.

 
 

Here’s a comparison of what a freshly made jar of sauerkraut looks like compared to a fermented jar. The cabbage definitely loses its green hue and becomes more dull or yellow as it ages.

 
 

When your sauerkraut is fermented to your liking, remove the weight and round of cabbage leaf. Store in the refrigerator. Sauerkraut can stay good in the fridge for months! It will have a better chance of not growing mold if the liquid covers the cabbage at all times. Again, you can always top off the liquid with a 2% salt water solution. 

It’s also a good idea to make sure to use a clean fork when you dish up sauerkraut. And put the lid back on the jar as soon as possible to minimize the risk of bacteria getting into the jar.

Some people like to flavor their sauerkraut with herbs such as dill or caraway seeds. You can also add other veggies such as carrots, garlic, or ginger. I personally haven’t experimented with anything but salt and cabbage, but I’d like to give flavored sauerkraut a try!

 
 

How about you? Are you a sauerkraut fan? How do you like to serve it?

 
 

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How to Make Sauerkraut by Erica

How to Make Sauerkraut by Erica

Sauerkraut is one of my favorite fermented foods. The flavor is fairly neutral, so it goes with a lot of meals. My kids love it because it isn’t spicy like other ferments. It’s a great, easy way to get some good probiotics into your day!

Making sauerkraut at home can really save some money—a jar of fermented sauerkraut can cost upwards of $7 a jar! I can make organic sauerkraut for much less than that. And the process of making sauerkraut is quite simple, so the work involved doesn’t mitigate the savings. The only downside is the waiting: if you run out of sauerkraut, you’ll have to wait for your jar to ferment to enjoy it again. But it’s worth the wait!

Let me share my method of making sauerkraut at home!

 
 

Start with a head of cabbage. Before you do anything to it, weigh it. Write down the weight—you’ll need this to calculate how much salt to use later.

Peel off the outer leaves of the cabbage. These tend to be dirty or damaged. You don’t want them in your sauerkraut!

 
 

Next, cut out the core of the cabbage.

 
 

I like to give the cabbage a good rinse at this point. Since you cut out the core, the water can flow into the leaves and wash them. Make sure to turn the cabbage upside down and shake out any water.

 
 

Peel off one more outer leaf and save it for later.

 
 

Shred your cabbage and place it in a large bowl. I usually do this the old-fashioned way with a knife, but you could use a food processor if you prefer. Lisa from the blog Farmhouse on Boone suggests shredding your cabbage through the grater blade on your food processor if you like your sauerkraut fine. I tried that and it makes slicing a breeze!

 
 

Now it’s time to calculate how much salt you need to use! It really depends on how salty you like your sauerkraut. If you like it nice and salty, use 2 teaspoons of salt per pound of cabbage. If you prefer a less salty kraut, use 1½ teaspoons of salt per pound of cabbage. I personally find that 2 teaspoons of salt per pound is too salty. I go for the 1½ teaspoons.

For example, if your cabbage is 2 ½ pounds, use 3 ¾ to 5 teaspoons salt. If your cabbage is 3 pounds, use 4 ½ to 6 teaspoons of salt.

 
 

Toss the cabbage with the salt and let it sit for 15 minutes.

 
 

After you let the cabbage rest, it’s time to massage it! This makes the cabbage release some of its liquid, which you’ll be using as your brine.

Knead the cabbage for 5 minutes. Your arms will get a workout, but it’s so worth it!

 
 

You should have a fair amount of liquid at the bottom of the bowl after kneading.

 
 

Now grab handfuls of cabbage and cram them into a very clean glass quart jar. You want to make sure to pack the cabbage down really well so you can fit it all in the jar!

 
 

Pour the liquid left in the bowl on top of the cabbage to cover. If you don’t have enough cabbage juice to cover the cabbage in the jar, you can mix together a 2% solution of salt water. This is equal to about 1 teaspoon of salt per cup of water.

Note: If your tap water contains fluoride or chlorine, make sure to use filtered water instead.

 
 

Remember that cabbage leaf that you saved earlier? Cut a circle out of it the same size as the opening of your jar.

 
 

Place the cabbage leaf on top of the shredded cabbage in the jar.

 
 

You want to weigh the cabbage down so that it stays below the brine. Any cabbage that’s exposed to the air is a potential mold grower. I invested in glass fermenting weights because I ferment veggies on a regular basis. But I have also used small glass bowls or jars for the job. Another suggestion from Lisa is to use rocks to weigh down the cabbage: Put clean rocks in a zip top bag, seal the bag, and place on top of the cabbage.

 
 

Screw a lid on top, and set the jar aside to ferment! I suggest using a plastic instead of a metal lid since metal lids can rust. This has happened to me before!

The time you let your sauerkraut ferment is really up to you. I like to let mine go for 2 weeks, but you might prefer the taste at 1 week or even 4 weeks! Keep an eye on your sauerkraut throughout the fermenting process. If the liquid gets too low, top it off with a 2% solution of salt water. If any scum forms on top of the liquid, skim it off.

 
 

Here’s a comparison of what a freshly made jar of sauerkraut looks like compared to a fermented jar. The cabbage definitely loses its green hue and becomes more dull or yellow as it ages.

 
 

When your sauerkraut is fermented to your liking, remove the weight and round of cabbage leaf. Store in the refrigerator. Sauerkraut can stay good in the fridge for months! It will have a better chance of not growing mold if the liquid covers the cabbage at all times. Again, you can always top off the liquid with a 2% salt water solution. 

It’s also a good idea to make sure to use a clean fork when you dish up sauerkraut. And put the lid back on the jar as soon as possible to minimize the risk of bacteria getting into the jar.

Some people like to flavor their sauerkraut with herbs such as dill or caraway seeds. You can also add other veggies such as carrots, garlic, or ginger. I personally haven’t experimented with anything but salt and cabbage, but I’d like to give flavored sauerkraut a try!

 
 

How about you? Are you a sauerkraut fan? How do you like to serve it?

 
 

http://bit.ly/2AN2hrx

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