On My Mind Today

We are all in need of some cheer to brighten our days. Thank goodness the Christmas season is upon us to give us a much-needed lift. Once the Thanksgiving holiday has passed, and our body has recovered from the big dinner, it is time to get into the spirit. After giving the house a good cleaning, the fun begins. Although we know what our boxes and bins hold for decorations, we always open them and smile as we rediscover the memories that each one of these treasures hold. Slowly and carefully we place each one in their special spot.  We save the best for last, setting up the tree for decorating. Once we have it perfectly placed the ritual begins. First the garland is wound around the branches near the lights so it will sparkle as they twinkle on and off. Next come the bulbs; shiny glass ones, hand carved wooden horses and sleighs, and precious ones made by our children. When our task is complete, we plug in the lights and take in the masterpiece we have created. Some of us will put deco

This quick and easy scrambled egg bake comes from cdkitchen.com , and is ready for your family breakfast, or brunch with friends within an hour. The basic recipe is very good, but you could also make this adding some of your own favorites such as crumbled bacon, onions, peppers, etc. I cut the recipe in half and used an 8 x 8 square baking dish with great results. Oven Scrambled Egg and Cheese Bake 4 tablespoons butter, melted 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 12 eggs 1 cup milk 1/2 pound grated cheese (Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Swiss, etc.) 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Add the melted butter to a 9 x 13 baking dish, turning the dish to coat the bottom. set aside. 2. In a bowl, whisk together salt, pepper, mustard, and eggs until frothy. Whisk in the milk then stir in the cheese. Mix well. Pour the egg mixture into the baking dish. 3. Place the dish in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the eggs are set. Remove from the oven and let sit fo

Work, cooking meals, homework, laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping; the list goes on and some days seems like it will never end. This does not even include any extra projects that may come up. The pressure that we put on ourselves to accomplish "everything" is unrealistic. Somewhere along the way from childhood to adulthood we came to believe that we must complete all these tasks every day. Much of it is learned behavior from watching our parents. What we neglect to take into consideration are the many ways things have changed over the past couple of generations. We need to look back to understand why our grandparents, and even some of our parents, were able to do some of what we cannot reasonably accomplish in our day. When our grandparents came into adulthood and were raising children, our grandmothers usually did not work outside the home. Their work was taking care of the house and raising the children. They cooked, cleaned, shopped, helped with homework, and strived to c

This year has been difficult for everyone as we have struggled with the pandemic. Although strides are being made for solutions there is a long way to go before we will see an end. Even the toughest of us have felt near the breaking point at times. Unfortunately for many people, the pandemic is not the only burden they carry. As the last several months have passed by many have been faced with personal dilemmas that others may not be aware of. We all know someone who has lost their job due to the pandemic. What we may not know is how many of these people live with the fear of not being able to feed their family, or possibly ending up homeless if they cannot pay their mortgage or rent. They try to hide their anxiety from family members to maintain a sense of normalcy and security. Many others have received medical dianoses that have turned their world upside down. As they come to terms with this and any treatments they must have, they also live in fear of contracting a virus that could e

Many of us turn to traditional vegetables when it comes to the holidays; squash, peas, corn, etc. Every now and then it's nice to mix things up and add new flavor to the table. One of my favorites from Betty Crocker is glazed carrots. With the brown sugar, butter and orange peel, the flavor is sure to enhance your holiday meal. Glazed Carrots 1-1/2 pounds fresh carrots 1/3 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel 2 tablespoons butter 1. Cut carrots lengthwise into 3/8-inch strips. Bring water to a boil, add carrots; cover and heat to a boil. Cook for about 15-18 minutes until tender. 2. Melt butter in a skillet; cook brown sugar, salt and orange peel in the butter until bubbly. Add carrots; cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until carrots are glazed and heated through, about 5 minutes. Serves 5-6

 With the Thanksgiving holiday only two weeks from now, and the COVID-19 pandemic running out of control once again, it's apparent we will not have a large family gathering. If we are lucky we have our immediate family in our home, but there are others who will spend this holiday alone. Although this is extremely difficult, we all need to be thankful if our families are in good health. With this in mind, I felt it was a good time for all of us to contemplate who we would like at our Thanksgiving dinner table if we had the opportunity. So many people that have impacted our world in positive ways. So once again I ask...who would you invite to your dinner table? Events over the last several years have recently had me reflecting on history, and the people who have come and gone leaving a major impact. In the midst of these thoughts one question came to mind; if I could invite anyone to my dinner table, who would it be? The answer was not quite as simple as one might think. As I start

“A library is a cross between an emergency exit, a life-raft and a festival—a cathedral of the mind; hospital of the soul; theme park of the imagination.” ~ Caitlin Moran Much of what we read today is online; whether it is a laptop, tablet or phone, we get a lot of our information from a screen. While instant, easy access can be a great time saver, there is something to be said for reading a book, newspaper or magazine. A trip to the local library can be a great adventure, and although libraries have changed in the last several decades they are still here. Their inventory of books, periodicals, and encyclopedias are now computerized, but as children we used the library card catalogue. These contained individual entries containing bibliographic information, including author's name, book title, and even approximate location. We learned how to research and discover new people, places and things on those index cards. Looking at old editions of local newspapers can teach us much about

 Although we have some warmer temperatures coming up this week, we all know that cooler weather will be here to stay soon. We all start to look to comfort foods when north winds start to chill our bones. Once again Food Network comes through with a nice hearty beef and barley stew. Just throw all the ingredients into your slow cooker and let it cook while you are at work. Come home to a house filled with the smell of deliciousness and a meal ready for your family to enjoy. Slow Cooker Beef and Barley 1-1/4 pounds boneless beef chuck (in one piece) 1 cup pearl barley 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, quartered 4 stalks celery, quartered 2 medium leeks, sliced (white and light green parts only) 1 sprig thyme 4 cups low-sodium beef broth 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 cup water salt and freshly ground black pepper Horseradish, for serving  1. Combine the beef, barley, mushrooms, celery, carrots, leeks, thyme, beef broth and soy sauce in a 6-quart slow cooker. Add 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4

  As anyone living in New England knows, November is traditionally a dark, gray, wet and dreary month. There are times that we are hit with snow early in the month, and depending on your point of view, it is either a blessing or a curse. The upside of early snow is that it allows us to see a bit of beauty as it covers the brown, decaying leaves. The downside...it’s too early for wintry weather.   For those who suffer from symptoms of light deprivation it can be difficult to get out of bed in the morning, and with the limited daylight they are ready to get back into bed shortly after dinner. They will face mood swings and lack of energy or motivation and may self-isolate and reach for the comfort of carbohydrates. Of course, all of this leads to weight gain and a  general  feeling of unhappiness.   November is one of those in-between months. October has many warm days and walks in the woods to enjoy an abundance of bright, colorful foliage. December ushers in winter and the Christmas se