On My Mind Today

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

Germophobe: A person with an extreme fear of germs and an obsession with cleanliness. Mysophobia, germophobia, verminophobia, and bascillophobia are all a fear of contamination and germs, thought to be related to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Although many people feel the need to clean, not all are afflicted with one of these disorders. Considering the fact that I just finished a thorough cleaning of our home, it's a bit ironic that I'm writing about our obsession with cleanliness. I know over the years I've spent far too much time cleaning because I couldn't stand the thought of a dirty house. Fortunately, with age I have relaxed a bit, but still can't seem to totally let it go without feeling that things are "dirty". At least I have reduced the thorough cleaning to bi-weekly. People tend to think that the more they clean the less germy their home is. However, over cleaning can not only wipe out good bacteria, but create an environment so steril

 If you're looking for something unique for your weekend brunch, this breakfast pizza may be just the thing. From Denise Wright at MyLifeCookbook.com   this is a quick, easy and tasty meal. A low carb version with all the regular toppings, the pizza lovers will be pleased. Great for breakfast, brunch, lunch or even dinner with a side salad. Only 40 minutes from preparation to table. Low Carb Breakfast Pizza 12 eggs 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 8 oz. sausage 2 cups peppers, sliced 1 cup shredded cheese 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Cook peppers in microwave for 3 minutes. 3. Brown sausage in cast iron skillet (or any pan that can go from stove to oven). Take it out and set aside. 4. Mix eggs, cream, salt and pepper and add to skillet.  5. Cook for 5 minutes until sides start to set up. Put in oven and bake for 15 minutes. 6. Take out and add sausage, peppers and cheese. 7. Set under broiler for 3 minu

civility [səˈvilədē] NOUN 1.  formal politeness and courtesy in behavior or speech. 2. polite remarks used in formal conversation. As the old saying goes: "What you put up with, you end up with." Or, in other words, what you tolerate becomes the cultural norm. I'm not sure if I'm disappointed, disillusioned, discouraged, appalled, ashamed, or all of these when I look at what has become of our culture. I try to understand when and why society began to tolerate incivility and bad behavior as the norm. Either people are accepting of it or they have become numb to it; whatever the reason, it's not behavior children, or anyone else, should be exposed to. How can we expect our children to behave in a civil manner if adults are acting like bullies. There was a time that our culture would not tolerate this type of behavior; we expected more from our leaders, and adults in general. We were able to look up to those who led our citie

And the journey continues. On our way to Villa San Nicola and Ortona to reunite with more family, we stopped in Assisi to see St. Francis of Assisi Church. The church sits high on a hill above the town of Assisi, and is an amazing sight as you walk down the old narrow street. There is so much to see and history is deeply imbedded in the walls; difficult to take it all in. As we were ending our tour of the church the skies opened up and heavy rain blanketed the streets. During a brief lull we made our way up the street to Ristorante San Francesco - Assisi for lunch. We were told it never rains so heavily this time of year; was this some kind of sign? Our meal was absolutely magnificent; the creamy Carbonara was the best I've ever had, and I hope that I will be able to recreate it at home. As we drove into the country and arrived in Villa San Nicola I was transported back in time. This was truly an old Italian village with narrow cobblestone streets and homes that seemed to have st

From the always reliable Betty Crocker, this variation of apple pie is absolutely delicious! Think caramel apples and you will know how great this combination is. Prep time is only about 25 minutes, and it's easy enough to make with your children. I know this pie will be one that is made often in our home, and it's sure to be a hit with your family also. Caramel-Apple Pie 1 box prepared, refrigerated pie crust (2/box), softened as directed on the box, or you can make your own pie crust. 1/2 cup butterscotch caramel topping (I used sea salt caramel topping) 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 8 cups baking apples, peeled, cored and sliced 1/2 inch (6-8 apples) Fresh McIntosh work well. 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon milk 2 teaspoons sugar 1/2 cup butterscotch caramel topping Vanilla ice cream , if desired 1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Place cookie sheet on bottom rack. Make pie cru