On My Mind Today

Living with a Sicilian, I am always looking for new ways to serve pasta that may be a bit healthier than red sauce filled with sausage and meatballs. From eatingwell.com  contributor, Devon O'Brien, this quick and easy one-pan pasta dish is filled with the flavors of garlic and lemon. It is super simple, yet nice enough for dinner with friends. Ready in 25 minutes and it serves 4; just top with grated Parmesan and enjoy! Chicken & Spinach Skillet with Lemon & Parmesan 8 ounces gluten-free penne pasta or whole-wheat penne pasta 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1-pound  boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed if necessary, and cut into bite-sized pieces 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup dry white wine juice and zest of one lemon 10 cups chopped fresh spinach 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large high-sided skillet over med...

Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland located in an Alpine setting at the northwestern end of Lake Zurich. It is a financial, cultural and industrial center about 60 miles from the northern foothills of the Alps. On our second day we were escorted to Old Zurich City for a walking tour. The old city spans the Limmat River, an outflow of Lake Zurich. The Altstadt (Old Town) is well preserved with many restored historic buildings, and includes St Peter's Chruch, elegant guild houses, and aristocratic residences. The green spaces throughout the city extend to the shores of Lake Zurich. After completing our walk, we boarded a boat for a cruise around Lake Zurich. We enjoyed coffee and cold drinks while we cruised along the shore of the lake. The beauty of the parks on the water's edge led to land that rose up to the slopes of Zurichberg. It was very relaxing and a perfect way to end our tour. On day three, we checked out of our Zurich hotel and boarded buses to Basel. Basel is l...

Last year we booked a river cruise for 2022 that would take us from Zurich, Switzerland to Paris, France. Although we were optimistic that the world would return to normal by then, we were also aware that it may not. And then the time finally arrived for our long-awaited journey, and we were elated that everything was a go. With bags packed, and spirits high, we parked our car at the local bus station and boarded for the trip to Logan Airport in Boston. This option is far more relaxing than driving into Boston and paying to park the car for a week or more. We arrived in plenty of time to check in and have a leisurely lunch before our flight. We had not flown in three years, so we were not sure how difficult a process we might encounter. Fortunately, boarding the plane went quite smoothly and before we knew it, we were in the skies and on our way. Airplanes have changed over the years, in some ways for the better and in others not. Technological advances and enhanced safety make for a m...

From my Betty Crocker cookbook, this Zucchini Spice Cake with Lemon Glaze is very moist and filled with great flavors. With all the zucchini ripening in the garden, this is the perfect time to make your favorite zucchini recipes and put a few things in the freezer for future gatherings. This recipe is very easy and can be ready for the oven in less than 20 minutes. The lemon glaze tops it off with a perfectly refreshing citrus flavor. Spicy Zucchini Cake 1/3 cup boiling water 2 cups grated zucchini (do not let the zucchini stand) 2 cups all-purpose flour 1-1/4 cups sugar 1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 cup vegetable oil 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla Lemon Glaze 3/4 cup powdered sugar 1 Tablespoon, plus 1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice 1-1/2 teaspoons lemon zest Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan or spring form pan. Beat zucchini, boiling water, and remaining ingredients on ...

Poverty does not treat men and women equally, especially in old age. Per a report from the nonprofit research center The National Institute on Retirement Security, at the age of 65 and older, women are 80 percent more likely to live in poverty than men. If they are age 75 to 79, they are three times more likely to live in poverty and will face the greatest hardship as they become older and frailer. Fifty percent of women report that Social Security is their biggest source of income at retirement vs 38 percent of men. Women are also 14 percent less likely to receive a retirement pension. Even if they have had jobs that included a 401 (k), many have had to cash them out during times of unemployment to pay daily living expenses. Many women over the age of 65 did not save for retirement; either because it didn't occur to them when they were younger, or because they worked in positions that did not pay well leaving very little left after covering expenses. This applies to  most of the 2...

When we have guests for the weekend, I am always looking for something new and different for breakfast or brunch. This recipe from Betty Crocker is very easy and ready in about an hour. The blend of flavors from the Cheddar, Monterey Jack and green chilies, combined with the salsa on top, are sure to wake up your taste buds in the morning. Chili-Cheese Oven Omelet 2 cups shredded Cheddar 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies, drained 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese 1-1/4 cups milk 3 tablespoons flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 eggs Salsa for serving Layer Cheddar cheese, chilies and Monterey Jack cheese in greased square baking dish 8x8x2 inches. Beat milk, flour, salt and eggs; pour over cheese mixture. Bake, uncovered, in 350-degree F oven until set in center and top is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Serve with salsa. The original recipe calls for heated tomato sauce, but we like something with a kick, so I used salsa.

Today, so many of our days are filled with work, household chores, errands, financial worries, health issues and more that feel like a heavy weight. When we're in the midst of this it is difficult to rise above it all, and even harder to find our inner peace. With everything that comes at us today we feel more stress than the generations before us. I'm not saying that they were without stress, but they were not confronted by millions of images and sounds as we are today. It can be nearly impossible to shut it all out and find time with silence to think and rejuvenate. There are times I envy those who lived without computers, cell phones and television with over 200 channels. How nice it must have been to live each day without those distractions; to have time to do something that brought them inner peace. People today don't take time to find out what that is, or to indulge in it once they discover it. Being over 60, I do know the things that bring me joy, reading, writing, c...