On My Mind Today

My old-fashioned traditional Whoopie Pie recipe is great; they are always delicious and other Whoopie Pies never seem to compare. I recently decided that I would like to make adjustments to my recipe for a new flavor. Since I am a fan of Mexican chocolate cake, I came up with some changes and additions. I added chili powder and cinnamon in the cake, and substituted some cold brewed coffee and cocoa powder in the filling. Not only did they smell amazing while they were in the oven, but the results were outstanding! Mexican Chocolate Whoopie Pies with Mocha Filling 1-1/2 cups sugar 1/2 cup shortening 2 eggs 1/2 cup sour milk* 1/2 cup cocoa and 1/2 cup hot water (I used dark cocoa powder) 2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon chili powder or cayenne 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 cup mini chocolate chips * To sour milk, add 1-1/2 teaspoons vinegar or lemon juice and enough milk to make 1/2 cup) Preheat oven to...

Our lives are not always what we want them to be, or as we had ever envisioned. We make plans with our hopes and dreams in mind; always thinking that if we are meticulous with our planning, and then stick to that plan, then everything will be as we wish. However, as we all know, things don't always go according to plan. There is an expression about "the best laid plans" which basically states, no matter how carefully we plan, something may still go wrong. There are times we are our own worst enemy. Somehow, we find a way to sabotage our dreams and perhaps some of that is out of fear. If we come up with reasons why we can't do something, then we don't have to deal with the possibility of failure. What we forget is that sometimes we need to fail in order to succeed. It can be extremely difficult to accept our lives when it seems that so many things are not going right. Even the smallest glitch in the day can be overwhelming and make us freeze and not move forwar...

Milk - noun: an opaque white fluid rich in fat and protein secreted by female mammals for the nourishment of their young. Some have added to the definition that it is also a food product produced from seeds, nuts or fruit that resembles milk. Despite this addition, real milk comes from mammals. Every time I see advertisements for almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk, or any of these products calling themselves milk, my first thought is "nuts and vegetables don't produce milk". With that in mind I offer the following to make my case: Almond milk - contains less than 2% almonds. The rest is water, added vitamins, minerals, sweeteners and thickening agents. At its most basic, almond milk is a drink made from ground almonds and water. Coconut milk: Liquid that comes from the grated pulp of a mature coconut. Has a high oil content, most of which is saturated fat. Soy milk: A plant-based drink produced by soaking and grinding soy beans, boiling the mixture and filtering o...

At times we become bored with the usual breakfast/brunch fare and go searching for something new to serve our family or friends. From the omnivorescookbook.com, these egg and green onion crepes are light, airy and delicious. Between prep and cook time they are ready to serve in less than a half hour. Egg and Green Onion Crepes 3 eggs 1/2 cup water 4 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 cup) 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons chopped green onion (green part) 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1. Combine eggs and 1/2 cup water in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk until egg is just combined with water. 2. Sift in flour and whisk until flour is fully combined and there are no lumps in the mixture. The batter should be very thin and easy to spread once added into the skillet. 3. Add salt and green onion and mix well.  4. Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a medium-sized nonstick skillet until warm. Swirl the skillet and use a spatula to spread oil over every inch of the bottom...

Fashion industry, modeling industry, Hollywood and marketers you need to stop! Stop telling adolescent and teen girls that in order to be beautiful they need to be stick thin and flawless; insinuating that they must attain your image of "perfect" to be accepted. It's difficult enough for young women to accept who they are as they navigate through the adolescent and teen years. Even those who appear to have good self-esteem question if they are pretty enough, or if they will be accepted by their peers. To have fashion magazines, models, Hollywood and marketers make them feel inadequate is an added burden they don't need. I'm not sure when the image of a beautiful woman began being portrayed by someone who was stick thin; no hips, almost non-existent breasts and no curves. Perhaps it started in the 60's when Twiggy came onto the modeling scene, and that image propelled the fashion and modeling industries to continue on that path. In the process they have cau...

Today is a typical early April day in New England; gray, rainy and cool. It's the kind of day that would make it easy to stay in bed covered by not only warm blankets, but also gloomy thoughts. There are those who may look forward to giving in to the rainy, dreary day as if it's a chance to escape from the world for a while. Many of us, however, prefer to look at these April showers in a more positive light. Instead of letting them surround us with a melancholy mood we choose to see what they will soon bring. The trees that have been barren all winter are sprouting buds that will suddenly burst into green leaves. The transformation always seems to happen overnight as we sleep, and the sight is as refreshing as a breeze gently blowing across our face. Birds that have returned to nest for the season reap the benefits of April showers. They provide puddles for drinking and a quick bath and will bring worms and bugs closer to the ground's surface for the birds to feast up...

This recipe is quick and easy, and takes tomato soup to another level. It's full of flavor with a little kick, and goes well with a grilled cheddar cheese sandwich. I used the petite diced tomatoes with rosemary, garlic & olive oil which added nice flavor. When you harvest fresh tomatoes in the summer you can use them in place of the canned tomatoes. Tomato and Roasted Red Bell Pepper Soup 1 - 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes 1-2/4 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken stock 1/2 cup chopped roasted red bell peppers, drained if bottled 1 Tablespoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil 1/4 teaspoon sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1. In a medium saucepan, stir together the tomatoes with the liquid, roasted peppers, basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. 2. Remove from ...

Life can be exhausting at times. There is too much noise, too much chaos, and an overabundance of negativity coming into our days. It's not surprising that people look back at different eras and think that life may have been easier, or at least simpler with less stress. In thinking about this, I decided to look at a few different eras of days gone by to see what they were like. I wonder if anyone might choose to go back to any of these times? 27 BCE-14 CE: The Roman Empire - a period in Roman civilization that was governed by emperors and large territorial holdings around the Mediterranean Sea in Europe, North Africa and West Asia. There were secure borders and a stable central government, and they enjoyed a period of prosperity and technological advancement. If you were a Roman citizen you were entitled to education, military pensions, democracy and welfare for the poor. A non-citizen received protection from invaders, free passage for supplies, and engineering advancements fo...