Peanut Butter Jelly Time!

Moms and kids alike share the common craving of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. When left up to the kids, however, the making of this classic sandwich can experience some creative twists. And that's what the makers of Jif peanut butter wish to celebrate with a good old American competition.

The Seventh-Annual Jif Most Creative Peanut Butter Sandwich Contest kicks off August 4 through November 14 - and kids across the nation are encouraged to invent new creative peanut butter sandwich recipes for entry.

Sandwiches will be judged on the following criteria: creativity, taste, appearance, nutritional balance and ease of preparation. The grand prize is a $25,000 scholarship fund. Four runner-ups will each receive a $2,500 scholarship fund. (That's definitely something worth talking about!)

To submit your original recipes (such as the peanut butter and jelly sushi rolls pictured at right), go to the Jif Web site.

-Gretchen

"Save Some Green and Go Blue"

While drought-like conditions aren't as wide-spread this summer as in the past, The City of Dallas Water Utilities' "Save Some Green and Go Blue" water conservation program offers these tips for staying water-wise this summer:

Outdoors
-Fill a bucket of water to wash your dog or car to avoid leaving the hose running
-Cover your pool or spa to reduce evaporation
-If you use an automatic sprinkler system, be sure it does not water sidewalks, driveways or streets.

Indoors
-Fix leaky faucets.
-Take shorter showers, using low-flow shower heads.
-Upgrade your toilets (if installed prior to 1992) to a low-flow, water efficient model.

For more tips on how to save water this summer, visit SaveDallasWater.com.

-Gretchen