On My Mind Today

With the beginning of a New Year right around the corner, I find myself thinking about what it may bring. Will 2020 be the year that is the dawn of a bright new world, or are we going to endure and accept more of the same? It is almost inconceivable that as members of the human race we are not striving for a better world. We may be from different countries, but the majority of us all want the same things; a good life for our families, prosperity and peace. This can be achieved if we are willing to work together and stand up to those who continuously strive to keep the status quo. The leaders of the world know that if they continue to bully, spreading hatred and negativity, then their citizens will be divided. These same leaders will use the old “smoke and mirrors” method of hiding what they are doing by putting the spotlight on something else. In the midst of this, all their citizens' energies will be focused on fighting against one another, and they will be blind to the fact tha

While traveling in Italy we stopped for lunch in Assisi, and I had the most amazing creamy carbonara. When we returned I went in search of a recipe that would duplicate the wonderful meal I remembered. This classic Italian creamy carbonara from Alyssa Rivers is made with mushrooms, onions and a cheesy egg mixture. The recipe calls for bacon, but I used chopped pancetta like the restaurant, which gives it an amazing flavor. Even if this is not "the" recipe, it comes very close to the original. As suggested I did double the sauce recipe and it was perfect! Creamy Carbonara 2 eggs 1/4 cup heavy cream 1/3 cup Parmesan Fresh diced parsley or dried flakes 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/2 pound chopped pancetta 3 mushrooms, chopped (I used Portabella) 1 small onion, chopped 1 pound pasta 1. Cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve a few tablespoons of the pasta water in case the sauce gets too thick. 2. While the pasta is cooking, f

"Twas The Night Before Christmas," was written in the early 19th century, and is one of the oldest and most popular Christmas poems. There is a dispute over the author, and the poem has been attributed to both Clement Clarke Moore and Henry Livingston, Jr. over the years. It was first published on December 23, 1823 in the  Troy Sentinel  newspaper in upstate New York. It is also referred to as "A Visit From St. Nicholas" or "The Night Before Christmas." Today I want to share with you the original lyrics to the poem. Hope you will enjoy sharing this with your children and grandchildren. 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro' the house, Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,  In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar plums danc'd in their heads,  And Mama in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,  Had

Taormina sits on the side of a mountain with one winding narrow road that goes in and out. As you make your way up you encounter some very high bridges that can make those of us afraid of heights hold our breath and pray. One in particular had me closing my eyes and asking him to tell me when we were back on solid ground. However, once you arrive in Taormina the breathtaking views and old cobblestone streets will bring you back to another time. From our Airbnb terrace we had a view of the harbor, and for the adventurous soul there is an aerial tramway that will either take you down to the beach, or up to another part of town at the top of the mountain. The trams proximity, in terms of how high it was off the ground, kept me from taking this journey. There was more than enough for me to experience with my feet on the ground. As you go through the old archway onto the cobblestone streets there are restaurants and shops to explore; enough to fill a whole day if you choose to do so. We sto

I love a good breakfast, but am not a big fan of cooking one. Love to cook any other meal or bake sweet treats, but breakfast, not so much. Any recipe that can be prepared the night before is always welcome, and even better it gives family or guests a delicious hot meal. This can be put together in less than a half hour, then placed in the refrigerator until the following morning. I cut the recipe in half since there are only two of us, but the full recipe makes a 13 x 9 pan. If your family is not a fan of peppers and onions you can leave them out, or replace the peppers with broccoli or another veggie that you like. The cheese could also be switched to Swiss, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, etc. Overnight Breakfast Casserole 1 pound ground breakfast sausage 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced 1 red bell pepper, or green bell pepper, diced 2 cloves minced garlic 12 large eggs 1/2 cup whole milk 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 30 ounce bag shredded hash browns, froze

What do you want for Christmas? We have all heard that question many times over the years. Often when I was asked, I tried to determine my answer by who was asking and what I felt they could afford to give. I never wanted anyone spending money they really did not have to spare. As with most of us, when I was younger there were many things I could think of that I would like to have or thought I needed. Early in life we are easily influenced by advertising and our peers. If it is the latest trend and all our friends have it, then we must need it too. Children want a specific (usually expensive) toy, and with teenagers it is the latest fashions or technology. If they do not have these things then they feel they don't fit in with everyone else. At this time in our life the needs and wants are endless, and we can fill a page with requests. When I had children my needs became fewer, as they were now more important than any needs I had. I could still think of things that I wanted, but

And here we were boarding the ferry to leave Italy for the short trip over to Sicily. Memories of the last two weeks were in our minds, and we were filled with anticipation of what adventures would meet us. Although his family was scattered all over the mainland of Italy, his family's roots began in Sicily. Our Airbnb was about 30 kilometers west of his family's hometown of Messina. Milazzo appeared to be a buslting little city, but when we went up the hill we drove onto cobblestone streets and the medieval part of town. It was as if we had been transported back in time, and the area was serene and peaceful. We stayed in one of the very old homes which was simple yet comfortable, and the big surprise was the amazing view of the harbor from our terrace.  We went into Messina for the afternoon as he wanted to try and find the few remaining family members that might be there. We were able to find the house that used to belong to his Aunt, but of course it had been sold ma

Who doesn't love chocolate chip cookies? Just in time for the upcoming holidays, Food Network Magazine comes through with another winner. The pumpkin pie spice blended with the chocolate chips is divine! Your family and guests will have trouble stopping at one, two or even three of these delicious cookies. Make a double batch ahead of time and keep in the freezer until needed. Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled 2 large eggs 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1-1/2 cups chocolate chips 1. Position racks in the lower and upper thirds of the oven; preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. 2. In a separate la

So hard to believe we were coming down to the last week of this amazing vacation. Next stop was an overnight stay in Naples so we could visit Pompeii. What can I say about Naples? Large, congested and chaotic, with some street construction added in for good measure. Of course our Airbnb was right in the middle of the construction with no place to park. We took one of the narrow cobblestone streets across from where we would be staying, and followed it up the hill and around a corner or two before we found a parking garage. After getting the car settled, we headed back down the narrow streets in the heat, dragging our suitcases behind us. The Airbnb was small, but updated, clean and comfortable. Our host greeted us and told us a bit about Naples, said he would make a dinner reservation for us at one of his favorite places, and even offered to return in the morning to help bring our suitcases to the car. We couldn’t ask for better accommodations and service. After a brief rest we headed

The Holiday Blues are defined as temporary feelings of anxiety or depression during the holidays. It’s not surprising that many people tend to experience the holiday blues. We no more than get through Halloween, and the onslaught of holiday shopping commercials begin. Black Friday is no longer delegated to just the Friday after Thanksgiving; oh no, we now have early Black Friday sales. You don’t have to wait until that one day to start spending your money. Then there are the school parties for children, and work parties for adults putting expectations on us. Gifts for exchanges, food items to donate, and obligations to contribute to a holiday luncheon not only create additional work, but also a financial burden. Not everyone can afford to spend money on these things; they struggle just to have enough to spend on their own family. The holidays should be spent enjoying time with family and close friends. We need to stop taking on unnecessary burdens that detract from the real spirit of

I love comfort foods, and Shepherd's Pie is one of the best. Since I couldn't find a recipe in either my Betty Crocker or Fanny Farmer cookbooks I searched online. I found this one from Delish.com, and was very happy with the results. The added thyme gives it a nice burst of extra flavor. You can make your own mashed potatoes as directed, or use the family size Idaho butter flavor instant mashed. I had enough for 2 meals so I froze half, and it was just as good when I reheated it. Easy Shepherd's Pie For the potatoes: 1-1/2 lbs. potatoes, peeled Salt 4 tablespoons melted butter 1/4 cup milk 1/4 cup sour cream Black pepper For the beef mixture: 1 tablespoon olive oil 1-1/2 lbs. ground beef 1 onion, chopped 2 carrots, peeled and chopped 2 cloves minced garlic 1 teaspoon thyme 1 cup frozen petite peas 1 cup frozen corn 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)

As we were driving into Rome, there were many things that I had envisioned, and many more that I had not. The city is definitely as large as I imagined, and as with all the Italian cities I had seen so far, there were many new buildings surrounding the ancient sites. The large amount of graffiti painted on buildings and walls was something I did not expect. I was told much of it has to do with political statements, but in my mind I couldn’t imagine defacing the ancient buildings; it was a blemish on their beauty. We were meeting up with another of John’s cousins in Rome, and their reunion was as joyful as the others had been. After a nice mid-day meal at their home, we checked into our Airbnb and then went sightseeing. His cousin’s wife has an archeological degree, so was very knowledgeable about the historical sites. They took us to the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, St. John the Baptist Church, Piazza di Spagna and the Spanish Steps, and many more. Although I have seen phot