On My Mind Today

Super Bowl Sunday is only a few days away and many of you may be hosting a party. We all know that half of the fun on this occasion is the great food. Several years ago I saw a variation of this recipe on a program I was watching and gave it a try. It was great and is perfect for an event like the Super Bowl. So if you need something for your party this may be exactly what you are looking for. Italian Sausage and Provolone on Garlic & Romano Bread   1 pound ground sweet, hot (or mixed) Italian sausage 1 clove of garlic, minced 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped 1 loaf Italian Bread 1 stick unsalted butter - softened 1 clove of garlic, minced Romano cheese, grated Sliced provolone   1. Cook sausage in pan over medium low heat with the onion, pepper and 1 clove minced garlic. Stir occasionally until meat is cooked and onions and peppers are soft. Keep warm while preparing bread.   2. Mix softened butter and 1 clove minced garlic. Slice

Although these January days in New England have gone from one extreme to the other in terms of temperature, it seems that so far it has been a cold winter. We have had many days in the teens or lower with that brutal, heartless north wind whipping across the lake. The kind of cold that goes into your bones and you can't shake it no matter how many layers of clothing you wear. In the midst of all of this I do try to remember that each season has it's beauty. And on a bright sunny day when the sun is shining on the snow and ice, making it look like sparkling diamonds, that beauty is easy to see. Or when there is fresh fallen snow so pristine white and untouched. These visions are Mother Nature's gentle reminder to see beyond the cold. However, when those cold, gray blustery days are upon us we need some precious memories from the warm days of spring, summer and fall to soften the blow. Memories that are so crystal clear that even our poor cold bones can feel the warmth fr

I love fresh haddock and am always looking for new ways to prepare it. This recipe is a combination of a couple different ones I found and it turned out better than expected. A great mix of flavors that will leave you wanting more. Baked Fish with Scallops   1 lb. fresh haddock fillets 10 large scallops (or 15-20 small) 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup light mayonnaise 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 cup cracker crumps 4 tablespoons butter, melted 1 tablespoons dry white wine Paprika chopped scallions   Preheat oven to 450 degrees   1. Arrange haddock fillets in single layer in a greased shallow pan. Mix sour cream, mayonnaise and parmesan cheese and spread over the haddock. Place scallops on top of haddock fillets.   2. Melt butter, add white wine and mix with cracker crumbs. Place over haddock and scallops. Sprinkle with paprika.   3. Bake for 10-12 minutes until fish flakes when tested with a fork.   Top fish with sliced scallions and serve wi

Respect - noun \ri- ˈ spekt\ 1. :   a relation or reference to a particular thing or situation <remarks having respect to an earlier plan> 2. :   an act of giving particular attention :  consideration   3. a :   high or special regard :  esteem       b :   the quality or state of being esteemed       c plural :   expressions of high or special regard or deference   Social Media has become a tool that is contributing to the decline of respect. Too many believe that what they have to say, or what they believe, can be posted on social media sites without regard to the consequences, or as to how it may offend or hurt others. How can you feel the impact when you are hidden behind a social media page on a computer screen? Easy to dish it out when you don't have to face someone. In fairness, social media sites are not the culprit - they are the avenues used to perpetuate disrespect, bullying and hate. The ease of posting when you are anonymo

This is one of those mornings that New England Patriots fans can't get enough of watching not only the highlights, but also the low lights of last night's game. It was exactly what a great football game is made of - moments of great joy along with moments of great heartache. The anxiety of not knowing if the season will move forward, or be over at the end of the night. We had the pleasure of watching with some good friends who are as passionate about the game as we are. Of course the guys will tell you that the two women in the room were far more colorful at times with the language when a bad call or a bad play was made . As my guy says, "when she is upset she can use language that would make a seasoned Bosun's Mate blush". I'm not so sure that we were that bad, but nobody in the room got through the evening without moments of high emotion. The Baltimore Ravens played with great passion, and made some amazing plays to try and take the win away from the Pat

With the end of the holidays I found myself with some leftover pumpkin, and 3 very ripe bananas that needed to be put to good use. I refuse to throw food out unless I have no alternative. So I went on a hunt for a good recipe using these ingredients and found this. It is a nice moist quick bread and very yummy. Got rave reviews here and I hope you will enjoy it too! Pumpkin Banana Bread   1/2 cup shortening 1-1/2 cups sugar 2 eggs 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium) 3/4 cup canned pumpkin 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans   1. In a large bowl, cream together shortening and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in bananas, pumpkin and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Fold in nuts.   2. Pour into a greased 9 inch loaf pan (or

I was born in the 50's, a child of the 60's, and a steadfast supporter of women's rights. Women work as hard, or harder, than many men, and deserve to be treated as fairly as men. Unfortunately, when women's liberation hit the scene in the 60's I don't think we had any idea of what some of the repercussions or sacrifices would be. Although there have been great strides in women's issues, there still is a need and opportunity for improvement. Women's pay has not yet risen to the level of their male counterparts in the workplace. The "good old boy" network remains in many corporate environments, which women have had to try and break through. Women deserve the same level of respect as men, but that has been slow to come in many circumstances, and women are often still viewed as objects. There are also the sacrifices that women have had to make that men have not. When we left our homes to have the opportunity to enrich our lives and earn our ow