On My Mind Today

Summer is here along with fresh berries waiting to be enjoyed. This easy dessert is a great addition for your 4th of July cookout.   Rustic Blueberry Tart with Apricot Glaze   1 Prepared (refrigerated) pie crust All purpose flour for dusting For the Filling: 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest 1/8 teaspoon fine salt 1 pound fresh blueberries ( do not use frozen ) or a mix of blueberries, raspberries, and apple slices 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice Water 2 teaspoons coarse grained sugar   Apricot Glaze: Take 2-3 tablespoons of apricot preserves, put in small sauce pan and heat until melted.   1. Heat oven to 400 degrees and place the rack in the middle. Place a baking sheet on the rack while the oven is heating. Take pie crust out of refrigerator to let it soften slightly. Fill a small bowl with water and set aside.   2. Cut a 14 inch piece of parchment paper and place it on a work surf

My mother's birthday was this past weekend. A special day for her, but even more wonderful by how it was celebrated. For the first time in almost 10 years all six of her children were there to celebrate with her. I sometimes wonder what she thinks and feels when she looks at all of us. Now adults and no longer the babies she brought into the world, is what she sees the life she imagined for us? We gathered at Mom's house before taking her out for her birthday dinner, and enjoyed a relaxing afternoon catching up on our lives. So many things to talk about as we all know that life changes for us almost daily. Although we keep in touch often, there is nothing better than looking at one another and being able to see the animation in someone's eyes as a story is told. At dinner we reminisced about things from our childhood that brought us to laughter over and over. One sister remembering that every winter someone at the bus stop would inevitably stick their tongue on the me

I came across this recipe a couple of years ago as the grilling season was just beginning for the summer. For all the pizza lovers who don't want to use the oven on those hot summer days, this quick and easy grilled pizza will become one of your favorites. Don't be afraid to try some of your own favorite toppings. Grilled Vegetable Pizza Olive Oil No-Stick Cooking Spray 3 tablespoons pure olive oil 1 (11-12 inch) prepared pizza crust 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 (8 ounce) package shredded four-cheese blend 1 (6 ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and halved 2 to 3 small Portobello mushrooms, sliced 1 small red onion, cut into 1 inch wedges 12 (1/4 inch wide) red bell pepper slices 12 black olives, oil cured, pitted and halved 1 teaspoon fresh chopped herbs to taste   1. Spray cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Combine pure olive oil and minced garlic and brush onto both sides of pizza crust.   2. Place pizza crust onto hot gril

As I look out at an absolutely breathtaking day at the lake, it is nice to see people relaxing and enjoying time with family and friends. We need to do this more often as it becomes so clear as we age that the years go by in a flash. One day you are a child playing hide and seek, and in the blink of an eye (or so it seems) you are moving into retirement years. Where did all those years in between go? I know that when I was young I was like everyone else. I could not wait to go to school, become a teenager, learn to drive, to be out on my own, to get married, and to have children. All that time spent hurrying my life away unaware that some day I would be wanting all those years back. If I had only known how precious all that time was perhaps I would have slowed myself down and enjoyed it more - and perhaps not. I guess when we are young we feel that we will live forever so no need to go slow. There will be plenty of time tomorrow for that. Today the hurrying and wishing life away se

"Collidin' with the very air she breathes" - Neil Young's Unknown Legend Saturday we took our first motorcycle ride of the season together over to the coast. We didn't take the highway or highly traveled roads, just a leisurely cruise along back country roads. The half cool/half warm breeze blowing across our faces. It was a spectacular late spring day full of sunshine and warmth. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue with puffy cotton ball clouds scattered here and there. The feeling of riding is hard to describe if you have never experienced it. The exhilaration of nothing coming between you and Mother Nature frees your spirit and soul. Traveling east along Route 108 I let my mind wander and take in the beauty of old homes, lazy rivers and sunshine peeking through the trees in the woods.  From time to time closing my eyes and breathing in the aromas of fresh cut grass, the perfume of flowers in bloom, and once we approached the ocean, the salty sea air, an

From the recipe files of Cooking Light this delicious casserole is meant to be prepared ahead of time as it must be refrigerated for at least 8 hours, but can be left overnight. It serves 12 so is a great addition to your brunch menu for friends and family. Marmalade French Toast Casserole   3 tablespoons butter, softened 1 (16 ounce) sourdough French bread loaf, cut into 24 (1/2 inch) slices Cooking spray 1 (12 ounce) jar orange marmalade (or mixed fruit marmalade) 2-3/4 cups 1% low-fat milk 1/3 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 6 large eggs 1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts   1. Spread softened butter on one side of each slice of bread. Arrange 12 bread slices, buttered side down, slightly overlapping in a single layer in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spread marmalade evenly over bread; top with remaining 12 bread slices, buttered side up.   2. Combine milk and next 4 ingredients (through eggs), stirri

We don't need more "Reality" programs that show the worst of people. They are not reality - they are a stage for those who want to exploit themselves for 15 minutes of "fame" and money. I often wonder if they are aware how degrading the programming is. I also wonder why people enjoy watching them so much. I don't know about you, but I can have enough drama in my own life, so I don't need to be a voyeur in someone else's. This latest fad cannot pass by soon enough for me. What we need are more of the good guys. Men, and women, like Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Seeley Booth, Sheriff Longmire, Captain Sharon Raider, Detective Kate Beckett and so many others. These characters are more "real" than those presented in reality programming. They are not perfect by any means - they have their flaws and struggle with them at times. However they have the one fundamental character trait that is so important. They believe in living honorably and doing the right

So........on my mind today are automated answering services - we all deal with them on a daily basis. The never ending recorded voices telling us to choose 1 for payments, 2 for account information, 3 for this...and there never seems to be the option to speak to a "live" person. If you are lucky you can bypass all of this by saying "representative" or pressing 0. Many do not allow those options immediately, so you have to listen until they become available. If I didn't need to take care of whatever issue I called for I would hang up immediately. Being told every few minutes that all agents are assisting other callers and that they will be with me in a few minutes between the elevator music is maddening. Thanking me for my patience does not help alleviate my declining mood as more and more time passes on hold. I know I am dating myself when I fondly remember getting a real person on the other end when I called customer service. My issue was handled in a timely