On My Mind Today

This recipe for cheesy spinach baked eggs comes from Sarah Thomas-Drawbaugh at healthyishfoods.com . This is great to have on hand for weekday breakfasts, or as a nice addition to your weekend brunch. Made from a few simple ingredients, it is filled with great flavor and will become a favorite of your family or friends. Cheesy Spinach Baked Eggs Yield: 8 Squares Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes Total Time: 40 Minutes 5-6 eggs, depending on size ½ cup low fat cottage cheese  tablespoons grated parmesan cheese 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese pinch salt cracked black pepper, to taste 5 ounces baby spinach, wilted in a pan 1 tablespoon butter, to wilt the spinach EQUIPMENT 1 8x8-inch glass baking dish 1 large mixing bowl Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 5×9-inch glass baking dish with non-stick baking spray. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, low fat cottage cheese, grated parmesan cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, a pinch of salt and cracked black p...

"Music is the universal language of mankind" ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Music is a universal feature of the human experience, and its melodies influence the emotions we feel while listening to it. It is true that music can communicate beyond culture and language. Even when we don't understand the language in a particular song, we can feel the emotion that is intended. The melody can express happiness or sadness through rhythm, pitch and tempo. Lively up-tempo music with a great beat can be felt deep within our bodies. We will dance, spin and twirl to the rhythm that vibrates within us, such an exhilarating feeling. When listening to a classic opera like  LaTraviata,  we may not understand the words they are singing, but we can understand the story they are telling. Their voices can convey the joy of the moment, or make our hearts feel the immense sadness as their voices cry in song. The music of the romance languages such as Italian, French or Spanish can fill our heart...

Incivility: rude or unsociable speech or behavior; rudeness, discourteousness, disrespect, insolence, impertinence." 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 am not sure if I am 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 is 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 is no doubt when you observe what is taking place in society, that incivility is out of control. All those years ago when our government was formed, I am sure there was not a single person who could have imagined we would end up where we...

If you are looking for a delicious Italian casserole for your family dinner, this recipe from Rachel Ross at  Real Recipes from Real Home Cooks | Just A Pinch  is a winner. Filled with lots of cheese, meatballs, and penne pasta it is sure to be a big hit with your family. Quick and easy to prepare, it will be out of the oven and on your table in about an hour. Serves 8-10 people.  Cheesy Italian Meatball Casserole 16 oz. dried ziti or penne pasta 1 jar (26 oz.) tomato pasta sauce 1 pkg (16 oz.) Italian-style frozen cooked meatballs, thawed 1 can (15 oz.) Italian-style tomato sauce 15 oz. ricotta cheese 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese Cook pasta according to package directions, drain. Return to pan. Stir in pasta sauce, meatballs and tomato sauce. Transfer to an ungreased 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish or 3-quart rectangular casserole. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Meanwhile in a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese and...

If you feel down and your spirits need a lift, take time to observe the innocent joy of a child. Listen to the sound of their laughter as they play, and soon your troubles will begin to fade. Children are born with a heart full of love, no worries or fear of the world. If cherished and protected from the start, they will find joy to share with you. Infants quickly recognize their mother's smile, they babble and coo to bring it forth. When they smile in return it circles around, and our heart is filled with warmth. Toddlers talk to imaginary friends, sharing what they have come to know. They laugh and giggle as they play, no inhibitions holding them back. Children grow and make new friends, tell secrets and play games for hours. No worries will cloud their day, just fun and laughter together. Cherish them and keep them safe, and their joy will remain as they grow. We will be the fortunate ones, as their innocent laughter enters our soul.

I love the holiday season! The lights, music, and gatherings with family and friends make it a very warm and magical time of year. So many wonderful memories made to carry forward once the festivities come to an end. After taking some time to unwind and breathe, we look around and realize that it is time to undo all the Christmas magic we created so many weeks ago. Keepsakes to carefully wrap and store, trees that need to have decorations removed, candles to be taken from the windows, and cards to reread before parting with the warm sentiments they brought. So many mixed emotions come with this task. Slowly we begin to undo what it took so long to create. With each task, our home which seemed so warm and cozy for weeks, starts to transform. The tree that once filled the front window is put back into storage leaving a big empty void. The decorations once again go into hiding, staying safe and snug until the time arrives for them to shine once more.  We dust, vacuum, and clean throug...

I wanted to make an apple pie for our family gathering at Christmas, and in my search, I found this recipe from  Pillsbury Kitchens . It makes a crowd-sized sheet-pan pie that's guaranteed to be a big hit. A sweet filling of spiced fresh apples is baked between layers of flaky pie crust for a perfect holiday dessert. I use more apples and spices in my pie for a fuller flavor. I also used the King Arthur Gluten-Free Pie Crust mix (2 packages) so it could be enjoyed by all. Apple Slab Pie 2 boxes (14.1 oz) refrigerated Pillsbury™ Pie Crusts (2 Count), softened as directed on box 9cups thinly sliced peeled apples (about 9 medium) (I used 12 cups of apples) 1 1/4cups sugar 3tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 1/4teaspoons ground cinnamon (I used 2 teaspoons) 1/2teaspoon salt 1/4teaspoon ground nutmeg (I used 1/2 teaspoon) 2tablespoons lemon juice Heat oven to 425°F. Remove 2 of the pie crusts from pouches. On lightly floured surface, unroll and stack crusts one on top of the other. Roll to...

We all have our own reality - the life we live every day, and depending on what is happening it can be wonderful, or it can be extremely difficult. As we go through each day doing the best we can, what we see from other people on social media can crush our soul. While we struggle, nothing is worse than seeing the endless posts of how great someone's life is, or the constant affirmations telling us if we just think positive everything will be wonderful. It is not that simple. Having said this, please know that I think it is great for those who are living the life they imagined. They are fortunate that what they have done in life has put them on the path to good things. For others it is not that they have taken the wrong path, it may be the path they were given has created struggles they had not imagined. Not everyone has the opportunity to make choices - sometimes they are made for them. Social media can bring people together who may live far apart. Having the opportunity to see rec...

Another year is reaching its end, time so quickly passing by. It all began a short time ago, with intentions to accomplish so much. We make resolutions to do this or that, and promise we will succeed this year. Though we start off strong, in the end, a multitude are forgotten too soon. Often, we are too hard on ourselves, and expect too many things. We are, after all, mere humans, and we falter every now and then. We celebrate others small successes, without seeing them as incomplete. Why can we be kinder to others, than we would be to ourselves.  A new year with a new beginning, so many possibilities abound. We start refreshed and ready to go, with no doubts getting in our way. Perhaps we should start off slowly, and not burden ourselves too much. The lighter the load the easier it is, to succeed regardless of what we do. Maybe we should start with just one thing, to make the new year bright. And maybe that one thing should be, peace and kindness to ourselves and the world.