Sunday, June 30, 2013
Word For You Today -- Online Devotionals: THERE’S NOBODY LIKE HIM! (5)
Word For You Today -- Online Devotionals: THERE’S NOBODY LIKE HIM! (5): “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” Ps 27:1 NKJV We all need an encounter with t...
Friday, June 21, 2013
Word For You Today -- Online Devotionals: THREE LEVELS OF ATTACK (1)
Word For You Today -- Online Devotionals: THREE LEVELS OF ATTACK (1): “Command that these stones become bread.” Mt 4:3 NKJV The Bible says, “Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the ...
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Stefan Sisters: Ming Makes Cupcakes
Stefan Sisters: Ming Makes Cupcakes: If you are thinking about making your own cupcakes for your wedding/party/weeknight, at MingMakesCupcakes there are 33 different cupcak...
15 Things You Should Give Up To Be Happy
Here is a list of 15 things which, if you give up on them, will make your life a lot easier and much, much happier. We hold on to so many things that cause us a great deal of pain, stress and suffering – and instead of letting them all go, instead of allowing ourselves to be stress free and happy – we cling on to them. Not anymore. Starting today we will give up on all those things that no longer serve us, and we will embrace change. Ready? Here we go:
1. GIVE UP YOUR NEED TO ALWAYS BE RIGHT
There are so many of us who can’t stand the idea of being wrong – wanting to always be right – even at the risk of ending great relationships or causing a great deal of stress and pain, for us and for others. It’s just not worth it. Whenever you feel the ‘urgent’ need to jump into a fight over who is right and who is wrong, ask yourself this question: “Would I rather be right, or would I rather be kind?” Wayne Dyer. What difference will that make? Is your ego really that big?
2. GIVE UP YOUR NEED FOR CONTROL
Be willing to give up your need to always control everything that happens to you and around you – situations, events, people, etc. Whether they are loved ones, coworkers, or just strangers you meet on the street – just allow them to be. Allow everything and everyone to be just as they are and you will see how much better will that make you feel.
“By letting it go it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try. The world is beyond winning.” Lao Tzu
3. GIVE UP ON BLAME
Give up on your need to blame others for what you have or don’t have, for what you feel or don’t feel. Stop giving your powers away and start taking responsibility for your life.
4. GIVE UP YOUR SELF-DEFEATING SELF-TALK
Oh my. How many people are hurting themselves because of their negative, polluted and repetitive self-defeating mindset? Don’t believe everything that your mind is telling you – especially if it’s negative and self-defeating. You are better than that.
“The mind is a superb instrument if used rightly. Used wrongly, however, it becomes very destructive.” Eckhart Tolle
5. GIVE UP YOUR LIMITING BELIEFS
about what you can or cannot do, about what is possible or impossible. From now on, you are no longer going to allow your limiting beliefs to keep you stuck in the wrong place. Spread your wings and fly!
“A belief is not an idea held by the mind, it is an idea that holds the mind” Elly Roselle
6. GIVE UP COMPLAINING
Give up your constant need to complain about those many, many, maaany things – people, situations, events that make you unhappy, sad and depressed. Nobody can make you unhappy, no situation can make you sad or miserable unless you allow it to. It’s not the situation that triggers those feelings in you, but how you choose to look at it. Never underestimate the power of positive thinking.
7. GIVE UP THE LUXURY OF CRITICISM
Give up your need to criticize things, events or people that are different than you. We are all different, yet we are all the same. We all want to be happy, we all want to love and be loved and we all want to be understood. We all want something, and something is wished by us all.
8. GIVE UP YOUR NEED TO IMPRESS OTHERS
Stop trying so hard to be something that you’re not just to make others like you. It doesn’t work this way. The moment you stop trying so hard to be something that you’re not, the moment you take off all your masks, the moment you accept and embrace the real you, you will find people will be drawn to you, effortlessly.
9. GIVE UP YOUR RESISTANCE TO CHANGE
Change is good. Change will help you move from A to B. Change will help you make improvements in your life and also the lives of those around you. Follow your bliss, embrace change – don’t resist it.
“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls” Joseph Campbell
“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls” Joseph Campbell
10. GIVE UP LABELS
Stop labeling those things, people or events that you don’t understand as being weird or different and try opening your mind, little by little. Minds only work when open. “The highest form of ignorance is when you reject something you don’t know anything about.” Wayne Dyer
11. GIVE UP ON YOUR FEARS
Fear is just an illusion, it doesn’t exist – you created it. It’s all in your mind. Correct the inside and the outside will fall into place.
“The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.” Franklin D. Roosevelt
“The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.” Franklin D. Roosevelt
12. GIVE UP YOUR EXCUSES
Send them packing and tell them they’re fired. You no longer need them. A lot of times we limit ourselves because of the many excuses we use. Instead of growing and working on improving ourselves and our lives, we get stuck, lying to ourselves, using all kind of excuses – excuses that 99.9% of the time are not even real.
13. GIVE UP THE PAST
I know, I know. It’s hard. Especially when the past looks so much better than the present and the future looks so frightening, but you have to take into consideration the fact that the present moment is all you have and all you will ever have. The past you are now longing for – the past that you are now dreaming about – was ignored by you when it was present. Stop deluding yourself. Be present in everything you do and enjoy life. After all life is a journey not a destination. Have a clear vision for the future, prepare yourself, but always be present in the now.
14. GIVE UP ATTACHMENT
This is a concept that, for most of us is so hard to grasp and I have to tell you that it was for me too, (it still is) but it’s not something impossible. You get better and better at with time and practice. The moment you detach yourself from all things, (and that doesn’t mean you give up your love for them – because love and attachment have nothing to do with one another, attachment comes from a place of fear, while love… well, real love is pure, kind, and self less, where there is love there can’t be fear, and because of that, attachment and love cannot coexist) you become so peaceful, so tolerant, so kind, and so serene. You will get to a place where you will be able to understand all things without even trying. A state beyond words.
15. GIVE UP LIVING YOUR LIFE TO OTHER PEOPLE’S EXPECTATIONS
Way too many people are living a life that is not theirs to live. They live their lives according to what others think is best for them, they live their lives according to what their parents think is best for them, to what their friends, their enemies and their teachers, their government and the media think is best for them. They ignore their inner voice, that inner calling. They are so busy with pleasing everybody, with living up to other people’s expectations, that they lose control over their lives. They forget what makes them happy, what they want, what they need….and eventually they forget about themselves. You have one life – this one right now – you must live it, own it, and especially don’t let other people’s opinions distract you from your path.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Overnight Breakfast: A Feast For Reluctant Risers
T. Susan Chang for NPR
I've never been much good at mornings. For most of my life, I prided myself on being a night owl, the type of gal who could always handle one more thing after midnight — another phone call, a few more pages of a novel, a last turn on the dance floor. For years, I even showered at night. And if, in the morning, I couldn't produce a civil word before my first sip of coffee, well, that was a small price to pay.
You'll be surprised how many recipes can be divided into a brisk and busy Night Before stage and an easy Morning After stage. Before you know it, you'll be eating roast chicken and lasagna at 7 in the morning.
The other price was breakfast. Night owls are clumsy in the morning, and always running late — so making a plate of eggs or baking a muffin or frying a sausage, I felt, would have been hazardous as well as time-consuming. For years, I knew no breakfast. Not even on the weekends, when by the time I eased my idle toes out of bed into a puddle of late morning sun, it was basically time for lunch.
It never occurred to me that I could have spent my last few conscious moments the night before making breakfast, instead of watching one more YouTube video or Googling the definition of "lagomorph." Hence, I failed until recently to explore the many charms of the overnight breakfast.
Overnight breakfasts take advantage of the fact that many recipes fall naturally into two parts: 1) the chopping and prepping and mixing, and 2) the application of heat. The first half requires fine motor skills, attention to detail and balanced judgment. The other requires the turning of a knob.
About The Author
T. Susan Chang regularly reviews cookbooks for The Boston Globe andNPR.org and the cookbook indexing website Eat Your Books. Her first book, A Spoonful of Promises: Recipes and Stories from a Well-Tempered Table (Lyons Press), was just released. For more information, visit her blog, Cookbooks for Dinner.
Escarole, Cinderella Of The ChicoriesMarch 14, 2012
Fish Stews: Comfort Without The WorkOct. 26, 2011
'No Wheat' Doesn't Mean 'No Noodles'June 21, 2011
The Other Half Of The EggMarch 30, 2011
So it seems natural to broker a deal between the delusional night owl who thinks she can do it all, and the morning misanthrope who can scarcely heft a toothbrush.
For the most part, overnight breakfasts involve a starchy component that doesn't mind hanging out in the fridge for several hours, and in fact may be better off for it. Oats soaked in apple juice, for example, swell and soften into the no-cook oatmeal known as muesli. Sweet breakfast buns slowly rise, developing gluten and flavor. Slices of bread become one with beaten eggs, merging into a hybrid that will puff and bronze in the oven.
You'll be surprised how many recipes can be divided into a brisk and busy Night Before stage and an easy Morning After stage. Before you know it, you'll be eating roast chicken and lasagna at 7 in the morning.
If you're the sort of person who thinks nothing of updating your blog at 10 p.m., you can handle mixing up a simple dough or cracking a couple of eggs while the moon sets sail across the sky. Afterward, you may even have enough energy for an episode of Mad Men before you hit the hay. The point is, once you've made it through Act I of the recipe, the food doesn't care what you do. It simply sits there on the counter or in the fridge — apparently inert but still making progress, like a sleeping passenger on the red-eye from L.A.
The following morning, as the hazy residue of dreams is washed away by the scalding aroma of coffee, you flip on the oven or stovetop. You sip, smugly, while breakfast essentially makes itself. Voila! You've averted the pain of an early morning scramble, while deviously concocting something grand enough for a lazy Sunday brunch.
To tell the truth, I am no longer much of a night owl. We live a semi-rural life, and my husband has a long commute. We're often up and about by sunup, long before the rooster across the street gets going. But that hasn't stopped me from lazily savoring breakfast made last night. Maybe it's too early to call it "morning." Maybe it's too early to call it "breakfast." Whatever you call it, it tastes just fine.
Fresh Muesli With Yogurt, Berries, Apples And Nuts
I've adapted Beatrice Peltier's gorgeous recipe from La Tartine Gourmande (Roost Books 2011) just a little. She calls for raspberries cooked down with sugar. This is divine, and you should try it if you can. But nice raspberries are not always available, so I've adapted the recipe to make use of dried cranberries. I've also moved all the prep work to the night before, so you can simple-mindedly assemble your bowl in the morning.
Makes 4 servings
2 cups apple juice
2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
2 cups dried cranberries, chopped into slivers
6 tablespoons slivered almonds
2 tablespoons shelled unsalted green pistachios
1 large apple, such as a Pink Lady or a local heirloom variety
Lime or lemon juice, to taste
Whole plain yogurt, to taste
Maple syrup or honey, to serve
The Night Before
In a medium bowl, combine the apple juice, oats and dried cranberries, if using. Place the bowl in the fridge to sit overnight. Toast the almonds in a frying pan for 4 or 5 minutes, until lightly brown and fragrant. Remove from the heat and let cool. Chop the pistachios and add them to the almonds. Make sure the nuts are quite cool, cover and set aside overnight. Grate the apple and squeeze some lime or lemon juice on top to prevent discoloration. Cover and set in the fridge overnight.
The Next Morning
Divide the oats among 4 bowls. Add the apple, yogurt, pistachios and almonds to each bowl. Top with a drizzle of maple syrup or honey and a squeeze of lime or lemon juice to taste.
Cranberry Nut Breakfast Rolls
This recipe is adapted from an entire book of overnight recipes written by a B&B owner, Carol Gordon. It's called Sleep On It (Hyperion 2006).
Makes 24 rolls
For The Rolls
1/4 cup orange juice
1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted and cooled, plus 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, softened
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
3 to 4 cups bread flour
1/3 cup coarsely chopped roasted pecans or walnuts
Vegetable oil or nonstick vegetable oil spray
Zest of 1 orange, removed in strips and finely diced
1/2 cup heavy cream
For The Icing
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon pure orange extract
1/4 cup strained fresh orange juice, or enough to thin the icing to desired consistency
The Night Before
For the rolls, bring the orange juice to a boil in a small saucepan and place it in a bowl with the dried cranberries. Let stand for 10 minutes, then strain, reserving the liquid.
Gently heat the 4 tablespoons melted butter with the buttermilk until warm (not more than 115 degrees).
Place in a mixing bowl. Add the eggs, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, salt and yeast and mix together. Add the flour and knead until the dough is cohesive. Add the strained cranberries and nuts and distribute evenly throughout the dough, then continue to knead until dough is smooth and elastic.
Oil or spray a large mixing bowl. Shape the dough into a ball and place in the bowl, turning to coat with the oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until double, about 1 hour.
Oil or spray two 9-inch cake pans and set aside.
Divide the dough in half. Roll one half into a 12-by-8-inch rectangle. Smooth 3 tablespoons of the softened butter on the dough.
Sprinkle the dough with half the orange zest and 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar. Roll up from the long side. Dampen the edge with water and seal the seam. Cut 12 even slices. Place the rolls, cut side down, into a cake pan.
Repeat with the remaining dough. Cover the pans and refrigerate overnight.
For the icing, in a small bowl combine the confectioners' sugar, orange extract and orange juice. Whisk until smooth, cover and store in the fridge. Pour the cream into a measuring cup, cover, and set it as well in the fridge.
The Next Day (rolls can be refrigerated up to 4 days)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place in a warm place to rise until the rolls have increased slightly in size, about 1 hour. Don't worry if they haven't doubled — just make sure they're soft to the touch, slightly risen and at a warm room temperature before you put them in the oven. Just before you bake, remove the cream and icing from the fridge, too.
Drizzle the measured 1/2 cup of heavy cream over the two pans of rolls. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove to a cooling rack.
To ice the rolls, place the cooling rack over a tray or foil to catch any drips. Re-whisk the icing briefly and use a brush or spoon to spread a thin coat of icing over the tops of the rolls. Transfer the rolls to a plate and serve warm.
Overnight Baked French Toast
You want an eggy, finely textured bread for this, such as challah or brioche. I've kept it on the less sweet side, so you can liberally douse it with maple or your syrup of choice in the morning.
Makes 4 servings
For The French Toast
8 slices of challah, 3/4-inch thick (or enough to snugly fill a standard 9-by-13-inch dish)
6 large eggs
2 cups milk
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
For The Topping
1 cup whole hazelnuts (shelled but no need to skin them)
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into a few pieces
1/4 cup cream
The Night Before
Set the slices of bread snugly in a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Beat or blend together the eggs, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt.
Pour the liquid mixture over the bread and let it soak for about 15 minutes. Then flip the bread over so the other side can soak. Press a sheet of wax paper right against the damp bread and slide the whole thing into the fridge.
For the topping, in a food processor pulse the hazelnuts and sugar until the hazelnuts are little bigger than rice grains. Add the butter and cream and pulse until you have a gritty, cohesive mixture. Scrape this mixture into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and store in the fridge.
The Next Morning
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Take the soaked French toast out of the fridge and discard the wax paper. Strew the topping all over it and bake in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes. When the liquid has been completely absorbed and the bread is puffed and golden, it's done. Serve immediately with as much maple syrup as you like.
I saw this a couple of months ago and have been debating whether or not I should straighten my hair...at any rate, its good to see how others do it. So enjoy!
How I Straighten My Natural Hair (by KinkyKurlyQueen)
Just in case it's hard to read the captions I transcribed them for you below...(0:41)• Prepping To Flat Iron (in order):
Wash w/ Elucence Moisture Benefits Shampoo.
Condition w/ Aubrey Organics GPB Conditioner.
Deep conditioner overnight using Bee Mine's BEE-U-Tiful deep conditioner.
Rinse in the morning.
Apply Grape Seed Oil and allow the hair to air dry until damp.
Blow dry using the "Tension Method".(2:2)• NoteWhat looks like smoke is actually steam...Steam is the MaxiGlide's key feature.
It helps to smooth the hair and gives shine!! If you look closely
you can see me pressing the steam button :)(3:41)• The only products used to straighten my hair were
Grape Seed Oil, which was apply when my hair was wet
and Cantu "Super Shine" Hair Silk.
Try not to pile on too many products, doing so can
weight the hair down too much and cause buildup.(7:15)• High heat is NOT necessary to get "natural hair" straight! My
MaxiGlide is only set to level 4 (of 10) and
although it's not bone straight it's close enough for me.
Maintain a medium heat setting and use small/thin sections. This way
you'll get it straight without having to go over it more than once, twice at the
most. Slightly lowering the risk of heat damage.(11:02)• This video was recorded on 11/24 and I was able to maintain the look up
until 12/14. I actually could have keep it straight longer, but
my ends were screaming for water and my scalp needed a good wash!!
Also I'm happy to report that my kinks and curls made a full recovery
back to their natural selves lol! I won't front though...I always get nervous
and feel like they just might not come back this time...but they did. Thank
Goodness :) Flat ironing is risky business, be careful ladies!For more pictures visit my teaser post HERE!
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