On My Mind Today

Although we have had bitter cold temperatures, it is a joy to wake up to a bright sunny sky. It has not been a terrible winter in New England terms, but it has been a cold one. These bitter temperatures are  more  difficult to deal with than warmer ones filled with several feet of snow. Since we are more than a month beyond the shortest day of the year, each day brings us more daylight hours which makes winter more tolerable. Longer days and sunshine  give  us hope for what will come in the next several weeks. Although we will inevitably get more snow before all is said and done, the warmer days ahead will prevent it from remaining for an extended period of time. Each milestone lifts the burden of winter a bit more. In just four weeks we will turn the clocks ahead for daylight savings time making the weight on our shoulders feel a bit lighter. Two weeks after this the first day of spring arrives making our soul feel brighter and hopeful for what is to come. Then East...

I have been trying to prepare meals that are healthier for my pasta loving Italian. This recipe is from the GLP-1 Weight Loss Accelerator Cookbook by Christina Dick. She uses ground turkey in this, but I did substitute lean ground beef as I knew he would not eat the ground turkey. If I had not told him, he never would have known that I used cauliflower rice instead of white rice. Definitely delicious and it will be added to my recipe collection. The recipe listed ingredients per servings, so I adjusted for 4 servings. Stuffed Bell Peppers with Ground Turkey & Cauliflower Rice 4 large bell peppers, halved and seeded 16 oz. lean ground turkey 1 cup cauliflower rice 4 tablespoons tomato paste 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon dried oregano 4 teaspoons olive oil salt and pepper, to taste Preheat oven to 375℉.  In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onion and turkey until browned. Add cauliflower rice, tomato paste, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook 2-3 more mi...

There is magic in the wind,  and her wings bring enchantment as they fly. Some days they will envelop us in warmth, and others the bitter cold will cut through us like a knife. March winds come in cold from the north, and become gradually warmer as spring arrives. As they rush through, they cleanse away the weariness of winter, preparing us for new growth to come. Summer days her wings will feed our soul with a warm southerly breeze, bringing much needed contentment. Its warmth reaches into our bones and eases daily worries for a time. We cling to this warmth for as long as we can, as we know these days will be shorter than our heart desires. The magic of fall arrives on cooler winds that still have a hint of warmth. Her wings carry that distinctive smell of autumn, a mix of drying leaves, wood fires, and spices from homemade apple pies  awakening memories from the past. As fall begins to fade, the wind whirls falling leaves for one final dance. Winter winds can be so harsh an...

The blame game has become more prevalent, and extremely dangerous to our country over the past year. Fueled by hate speech from the top, telling people who to blame for all that is wrong in their life, and elected politicians who refuse to uphold their oath and do their jobs, the division that has been created should have everyone deeply concerned. We have a choice to either reject the hatred and work towards creating a better world or sit back and allow things to deteriorate even further.  Once again, I ask, "who do you blame?" When our lot in life is not as we envisioned it's easy to find someone to blame for this. Circumstances in our lives sometimes play a role, but the biggest culprit is the economy. When the increase in the cost of living has outpaced the increase in wages, it's a recipe for disaster. What ensues is the finger pointing game. Those with money and power will try to tell us who we need to blame for our financial troubles. Over and over, they will s...

If you love peanut butter cookies, but need a gluten-free option, these will become a favorite. This recipe comes from the Woman's Day Kitchen, and it pairs the perfect peanut butter cookies with chocolate ganache, and who can resist peanut butter and chocolate? It is one of my favorite combinations. Nothing better than a cup of coffee and a cookie! Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies 2 cups creamy peanut butter 2 cups packed light-brown sugar 2 large eggs 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 cup coarsely chopped cocktail peanuts Ganache: 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 cut bittersweet chocolate chips Garnish: chopped peanuts 1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat peanut butter, sugar, eggs and baking soda in large bowl with electric mixer for 2 minutes or until smooth and blended. Stir in 1 cup chopped peanuts. 2. Drop by level teaspoonful 2 inches apart, flat side down, onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake, one sheet at a time, 10 minutes or until cookies are puffed and slightly golden. Cool 5 minutes an...

Wake up members of the human race! There is a negative force in play that is working overtime to turn us all against one another, and the sad part is many don't even realize it. Open your eyes to what is happening in our world: We have become a society of I, me and my, and have lost we, us and our that hold us together. People who feel their opportunities have been taken away are being drawn into messages of hatred and fear that separate us. The negative forces have cunningly pitted us against each other along religious, political and ethnic lines, magnifying our differences. We have "leaders" who are not leading to unify, but to divide. In that division they become more powerful because nobody is paying attention. Those who swore to serve and represent us no longer do so. Afraid to go against their "party" they are not standing up to the false leaders. The messages of hatred and fear are fueling hate groups making them feel empowered; with that false power they...