On My Mind Today

"If you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die?" ~ William Shakespeare - The Merchant of Venice S trip away race, color, religion, politics, gender, etc., and underneath it all we are the same. We are human beings. We have the same needs, wants and desires. We want a good life for our families; a good community to live in; friends and neighbors we can trust. We want to be treated with dignity and respect, and to feel comfortable voicing an opinion, without the threat of being attacked by someone who happens to have a differing view. It is disheartening to look at human behavior in the world today. People feel that if they are unable to have what they want, or if others don’t agree with their views, then it gives them the right to say hateful things about them.   Spreading hatred and fear to all who will listen because someone has a bit more than they do, or is not exactly in line with what they believe.   All the...

Growing up our mother would make grilled cheese sandwiches and serve them with a hot bowl of soup. Even now as an adult, there is something very comforting about a warm grilled cheese sandwich; almost feels like home and brings back fond memories. I recently found this recipe from Karina at Café Delites, that takes a traditional staple and turns it into something amazing! Once you try this grilled cheese, I'm sure it will added to your recipe collection as it has mine. Spinach and Ricotta Grilled Cheese 1 clove garlic, crushed 1/3 cup ricotta cheese (regular or reduced fat) 1/4 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese sea salt and cracked pepper, to taste dried oregano and basil, to taste 1/4 cup grated light mozzarella cheese (or fresh thinly sliced) 4 thick slices sourdough bread 1 tablespoon butter 1/2 cup of your favorite marinara sauce 1. In a medium sized skillet, sauté the garlic in a small amount o...

I will preface this blog by stating that I'm very aware that I'm not as young as I once was, so my views are changing some as time passes. I also know that over the years there have been advancements that have changed how we live our daily lives. Having said that, I think that many of these changes have made life more difficult for parents. We all want to do the very best we can for our children. My parents did more for us than their parents, as we did more for our children than was done for me and my siblings. All in the belief that it's exactly what we should have done; give them more than we had. As I reflect on this, I believe that this way of thinking may be wrong. Especially upon listening to some young adults who feel they were somehow deprived because they didn't have all the things that their peers may have. This is the same belief and attitude they are passing on to their children. I'm all for giving our children the opportunities to succeed in life, b...

Over the past month I have been blessed to have time with all three of my grandchildren. There is nothing better than having the joy and laughter of children in the house. It can be exhausting, but it is also uplifting and nourishing for the soul. It reminds you what life is all about. In July my two granddaughters came for four days. We decided to have them come together this year as the youngest is still a bit apprehensive about coming by herself. She usually is fine once she is here and settled, but it really did work out well with the two of them here at the same time. Even though they are cousins, they are much like sisters, so they did have a few moments here and there of bickering. We took them to the ocean to play in the waves, and then they swam in the lake for hours playing with the neighbor's children. One day we went out to have hot fudge sundaes for lunch (grandmothers can get away with things like that), and went out on the boat so they could "drive".  We ...

With the chaotic summer we have had, I haven't had the opportunity to try these muffins yet, but they sound like a great grab and go breakfast treat. They are high in protein and if made with certified gluten free oats, the muffins are gluten free. I tend to be a creature of habit when it comes to breakfast so it's nice to find something easy to make, and quick to grab on the way out the door. Of course we all know that I love most anything chocolate so I look forward to trying it soon. This easy recipe comes from Kristine's Kitchen. Chocolate Black Bean Blender Muffins 1 - 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained 3 eggs 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt 1/2 cup pure maple syrup or honey 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with silicone (or paper) liners.  2. Place all ingredie...

It seems that too many people today feel that the rules and laws in place apply to everyone but them. I don't know what possesses them to think that they can do whatever they want and not have to pay any consequences, but if they see someone else breaking a rule or law they are quick to say they should be punished. We wonder why we have a generation of children growing up who think that they can say whatever they are thinking, or do what they want without thinking about whether it is right or even legal. All you have to do is look around at the adults they are watching and you have your answer. Whether it is in the workplace, in stores, or on the highways, people are doing what they want without taking into consideration the people around them. If it means that they get what they want or get where they want to be faster, they don't care if they break a rule or law. I guess if they are not caught or nobody holds them accountable, then the behavior will continue; perpetuating t...

“Heigh ho, heigh ho, it’s off to work we go.” We all know where this line comes from – our childhood friends the seven dwarfs. And as they went to work they were whistling the tune and all smiles; happy to be going to work. Wouldn’t it be great if we all felt this way as we embarked on our day; full of optimism and looking forward to the task that lay ahead of us? It seems that so many people that I talk with are not content with the work they do. It is simply a means to an end; a way to support their families and pay the bills. Going through the motions each day without feeling any joy in what they do. I know that nobody is going to be happy with their work every day, but I do know some who have found what they love to do and made it their work. These are the ones who look forward to their day. When they head out in the morning they know that what lies ahead will lift their spirits – not drag them down. These are the fortunate ones who found their passion and searched for the ...

Although we have been trying to minimize our intake of sweets, sometimes you just need to feed the sweet tooth before you go totally overboard. Today is one of those days where my sweet tooth is calling so I went looking for something to appease the need for sugar. With very little in the house to bake with I went to my always reliable Betty Crocker cookbook. With just a few ingredients I was able to make these Baked Cinnamon Apples. Simple and delicious they are sure to be a hit in your home. Baked Cinnamon Apples 2-4 baking apples ( Rome, Golden Delicious, McIntosh or your favorite) Brown Sugar Cinnamon Butter 1. Core the apples, and pare a 1-inch strip of skin from around the middle of each apple to prevent splitting. 2. Place apples upright in an ungreased baking pan. Put 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon margarine and 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon in the center of each apple. Pour water (1/4-inch deep) into baking dish. 3. Bake uncovered in 375 degree oven u...

Over the last few years there has been more and more road construction on our highways. Given the work being done, it's apparent that they are expanding the highway system to accommodate the ever increasing number of vehicles on the road. If you are on the highways on a daily basis and stuck in traffic jams, you're keenly aware of the necessity to expand the roadways. In the process of revamping the highway system, I truly hope that they make improvements over designs from the past. I have always been baffled as to how engineers came up with the plans for our earlier highways. Did they sit in a room and say to one another; "I think that vehicles entering the highway should do so right in front of a vehicle trying to exit."? Every time I'm desperately trying to enter the highway travel lane without cutting off a vehicle exiting, my first thought is, what engineering genius designed this? If they thought about it at all they would have realized it was not a safe s...