On My Mind Today

With the new year arriving tomorrow, many of us reflect on the events in our lives over the past year, and ponder what the new year will bring. It has been a challenging and difficult year for so many people I know. A slow economy with low paying jobs, and prices rising almost daily have made it a struggle for families. Relationships that have ended even when every effort was made to repair them. And my heart goes out to all who have lost loved ones - the most difficult thing to endure. The void left by this loss is impossible to fill as we move through our daily life, but we keep them in our hearts and memories as we do so. Tonight is New Years Eve and as I think about the upcoming year I am hopeful that it will be a good year for all. My wish is that in the midst of all the difficulties we encounter each day, that we will also be able to see what opportunities are in front of us. Each day we can choose to see what is "wrong", or we can choose to ask ourselves what opp

New Year's Eve is just around the corner and many of you will be entertaining friends and family. I recently made this appetizer and not only is it delicious, but it also received rave reviews. Impress your guests with this easy, and visually appealing, appetizer! Phyllo Wrapped Asparagus and Proscuitto   10 thin slices prosciutto, cut in half (long strips) 60 - asparagus spears, trimmed 10 of (14 x 9) sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed 1/2 cup butter, melted 1/2 cup grated Romano or Parmesan   1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.   2. Snap off tough ends of asparagus. Unwrap phyllo pastry and cut lengthwise into long strips. Cover phyllo dough to keep from drying out.   3. Take one piece of phyllo and brush lightly with melted butter. Sprinkle with cheese, top with one long thin strip of prosciutto. Put 3 asparagus spears on short end of phyllo and roll up. Place seam side down on a baking sheet, brush with butter and sprinkle with cheese. Repeat until all as

A Charlie Brown Christmas was released on December 9, 1969. Even after 45 years I have not tired of the simple story of everyone getting caught up in the commercialism of the holiday, and Charlie Brown's struggle to find the true meaning of Christmas. It warms my heart each time I hear Linus explain this to Charlie Brown. Below are his simple words that mean so much..... Linus on The True Meaning of Christmas: Charlie Brown: Isn’t there anyone, who knows what Christmas is all about?! Linus: Sure Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about. Lights please? And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a

I recently had brownie bites with peppermint centers which were amazing! I decided I would make some for Christmas Day, but knew that the peppermint would not go over well in my home. When asked what kind of center I should have, the reply was raspberry. I went looking for a small chocolate candy with a raspberry center that would fit in the middle of the brownie bite. I finally found the Hershey Bliss Raspberry Meltaways. Perfect size for this recipe. To simplify things I have used a brownie mix. Brownie Bites with Chocolate Raspberry Center   1 - Fudge style brownie mix (13 x 9 pan size) 2 packages Hershey Bliss Raspberry Meltaways   1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line mini-muffin pan with miniature muffin cup liners. Lightly spray with cooking spray.   2. Prepare brownie mix as directed. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake for about 10 - 12 minutes - test with toothpick. Do not overcook.   3. Immediately upon removing from oven press one Hershey Bliss candy in

With the very hectic lifestyles people tend to lead today, it would be easy to disengage from the world around us. And there are many who do because the alternative can be a daunting task. Negativity and apathy are rampant, and difficult things to break through, but as a society we need to persevere. If not then we will continue down the slippery slope we are on. Pointing fingers, blaming others and not being a part of the solution is non-productive. The media continuously reporting about those who prefer to cause chaos than be a part of the solution does not help. It only encourages others to jump on the negativity bandwagon. Very easy to complain and protest - much harder to take a positive approach to be one who helps solve the problems. It really is not as difficult as it may appear. The first thing that everyone needs to understand is that nobody can have it their way all of the time. If you are reasonable and truly compromise to do what is best for the majority, then all of s

This blog I originally posted in December of 2012. After seeing on the news this morning that the University of Maine has banned students from displaying any form of holiday symbols (right down to candy canes) I felt it was worth posting again. They say they don't want to create an atmosphere that will divide - I feel that they are doing exactly that. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, which happened over 2000 years ago. The word "Christmas" translates to "Mass Of Christ". Many of the traditions that we observe during the Christmas holiday season began way before the birth of Christ. Exchanging gifts, decorating trees, and the burning of the Yule log were all winter traditions that began before Christ was born, but were eventually incorporated into the holiday that became known as Christmas, and became part of Christmas history. I am not sure when it all began, but over the years society has not only lost the meaning of Christmas,

When planning for guests I am always on the hunt for something new and different. We all attend gatherings where the traditional brunch items are on the menu, so it is nice to find a recipe that has a chance of being a new favorite. This is a variation of a recipe I recently found, and I hope you and your guests will enjoy it. Spinach and Feta Bread   5 ounces fresh chopped spinach Olive Oil 1-2 cloves minced garlic 4 ounces crumbled Feta 3/4 cup sour cream 1/2 cup vegetable oil 2 eggs 1-3/4 cups flour 1 tablespoon sugar 2 teaspoons each chopped rosemary and thyme 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon lemon zest 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/4 teaspoon baking soda   1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 5 loaf  with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides; coat well with cooking spray.   2. Sauté the chopped spinach in olive oil with garlic. Set aside.   3. Whisk sour cream, vegetable oil and eggs in medium bowl.   4. In separa

I have a couple of great recipes for pulled pork that I have used several times - one is Tex Mex Pulled Pork and the other is a White Wine and Garlic Pulled Pork. Both are easily made in the crock pot and are absolutely delicious depending on what version you have a desire for that day. My mother was recently asking me about a southern style pulled pork recipe as my brother had made this for her a while back. I did some research and found this at southernplate.com . Southern Style Pulled Pork BBQ   Pork Roast - approximately 5 pounds 1 tablespoon salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1-1/2 cups cider vinegar 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon hot sauce 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1. Put roast in slow cooker and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour cider vinegar over roast. Cover with lid and cook on low for twelve (12) hours (can be cooked overnight). Turn off slow cooker and remove pork roast, shred with forks. Drain juices from slow cooker, reserving two cups of liq

Children are born with no preconceived notions about life or people. The only thing they know is the need for love, nourishment and warmth. If given all of these things they will flourish physically and emotionally. Everything else, we as parents/adults in their lives, will teach them. From the time they come into the world children are like little sponges just waiting to absorb everything they see and hear. It is our responsibility to ensure they are learning the right things. It is evident if you look at society and its behaviors today, that somewhere along the way we have not put the emphasis on behaviors that children should be learning. What we see are many young people who are focused on themselves with no regard as to how their attitudes and behaviors impact those around them. In fairness, much of the fault falls on their parents first, other adults in their lives second, and last, but not least, the media (Internet, movies and television). Wherever children look they will

"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,   Jack Frost nipping at your nose,   yuletide carols being sung by a choir,   and folks dressed up like Eskimos." Once again it is time for all those wonderful recipes we pull out once a year. If you're an eggnog lover like me, then this one is for you.  I hope you and your family enjoy this Christmastime treat! Eggnog Pie   1/2 cup sugar 1 envelope of unflavored gelatin 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 eggs, separated 1-1/4 cups milk 1/2 teaspoon rum flavoring 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup chilled whipping cream Nutmeg   1. Stir together 1/2 cup sugar, gelatin and salt in saucepan. Blend egg yolks and milk; stir into sugar mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until mixture boils. Place pan in bowl of ice and water, or chill in refrigerator, stirring occasionally until mixture mounds slightly when dropped from spoon. Stir in rum.   2. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar