Grilled T-Bone Steaks Tuscan-Style

We grill year round even though there is a couple of feet of snow in the backyard right now. We made these about a week ago. There is nothing wrong with a good steak.

4 t-bone steaks, 1 1/2 inches thick
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. minced garlic
4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tsp. minced rosemary leaves
3 tbsp. lemon juice

1. Preheat a gas grill to high; leave one burner off. If using a charcoal grill, build a fire, let burn down until coals are glowing red with a light coating of ash. Spread the coals in an even bed on one side of the grill. Clean the cooking grate.
2. Brush the steaks with a bit of the oil and season generously with the garlic, salt, pepper and rosemary.
3. Grill the steaks over direct heat until marked, about 2 minutes on each side. Move the steaks to the cooler part of the grill and continue to grill over medium heat until desired doneness, 6 to 7 minutes per side for medium.
4. Transfer meat to cutting board or platter. Drizzle each of the steaks with 2 tsp. or more of olive oil and finish by sprinkling the steaks with lemon juice. Let the steaks rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving into slices.

Great side dish for the steaks!

Herbed Polenta

4 c. chicken broth
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 c. yellow cornmeal
2/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. butter
2 tsp. chopped rosemary
1 1/4 tsp. chopped thyme

1. Bring the chicken broth to a boil and season with salt and pepper.
2. Add the cornmeal in a stream, stirring constantly, until it has all been added.
3. Simmer, stirring often, until the polenta has thickened and starts to pull away lightly from the sides of the pot, 10 to 25 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and blend in the cheese, butter, rosemary and thyme. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if desired.

Fantasy Fudge

It's Christmas! Let's eat fudge. This is really good fudge. I make this once a year. I bring it to work as a gift to my co-workers. It has 6 cups of sugar and 3 sticks of butter. What's not to like? I do not have a candy thermometer nor do I want to figure out what soft ball stage means. My second to the youngest sister told me that once it starts boiling, boil the crap out of it for exactly 10 minutes (no more, no less, set a timer stupid, don't leave the scene because you must stir) and it will be perfect. Once step #2 has been completed (and don't take too long accomplishing #2), pour it into the pan ASAP. This stuff sets up fast!!! If you don't line the pan with tin foil, you will regret it. You can lift it right out and peel the foil off and cut it on a cutting board. NOTE: I don't use nuts because I make this for a gift. Use nuts if you love them! I think pecans would be awesome, although 2 cups seems excessive to me.

6 c. sugar
1 1/3 c. evaporated milk
1 1/2 c. butter
2 (12 oz.) bags of semi-sweet chocolate chips
lg. jar marshmallow cream
2 c. nuts, optional
2 tsp. vanilla

1. Boil sugar, evaporated milk, and butter stirring constantly, until soft ball stage; remove from heat.
2. Add chocolate chips, nuts, marshmallow cream and vanilla. Stir until well blended.
3. Pour into a 9x13 pan that has been lined with tin foil and buttered.

Bay Flavored Brown and Wild Rice

This is easy to make. The bay leaves give it an interesting flavor. It freezes well for a quick side dish some other time.

1 c. brown rice
3 tbsp. wild rice
2 1/4 c. chicken broth or water
2-4 bay leaves
1/4 c. shallot or onion, finely minced
1 tsp. butter
1/2 tsp. salt (use if cooking with water)

1. In saucepan, sauté shallot or onion in butter until very lightly browned. Add brown and wild rice plus chicken broth, salt and bay leaves.

2. Bring to a rapid boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes. Don’t remove cover until 45 minutes are up, then fluff with fork. If any liquid remains, stir lightly, and then continue to cook over low heat for 5 more minutes.

Pumpkin Pie Muffins

My son said these are "awesome" and I agree. This is one of the best healthy muffin recipes I have ever found. They freeze well which is such a bonus. Enjoy!

1 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. whole-wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar
3 tbsp. molasses
1/4 c. canola oil
2 eggs
1 cup (not whole can) canned solid-pack pumpkin
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 c. buttermilk
1/4 c. raw pumpkin seeds

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease muffin pan.
2. In med. bowl, whisk together flours, baking soda, salt and spices.
3. In lg. bowl, whisk together sugar, molasses, oil and one of the eggs until well combined. Add the other egg and whisk well. Whisk in the pumpkin and vanilla.
4. Stir in the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the buttermilk, just until combined.
5. Pour batter into prepared muffin pan. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds. Tap the pan a few times to remove any air bubbles.
6. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the muffins comes out clean, about 20 min.
7. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 min. Run a knife around muffins to loosen and unmold.

Holiday Relish

I got this recipe out of a Parade magazine a few years ago. I'm not against cranberries out of a can, but this is a bit more sophisticated and tastes wonderful. I will be bringing it to Thanksgiving.

12 oz. bag fresh cranberries
1 large apple, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
1 c. dried golden raisins (or regular if you can't find golden)
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. orange juice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon or ginger (I have not tried ginger.)
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1. Put all ingredients except vinegar in a saucepan and stir to combine.
2. Stirring, bring ingredients to a boil over med. heat. Lower the heat and simmer gently until relish thickens, about 5 min.
3. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar.
4. Spoon into a heat proof container, cover with plastic wrap, and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate. Tightly covered, the relish will keep for up to two weeks.

Peppered Beef and Vegetables

I love the pepperyness of this dish; relatively healthy and good.

4 oz. whole wheat spaghetti
1/2 c. water
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 tsp. corn starch
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 c. fresh or frozen pea pods, halved crosswise
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
canola oil
1 lb. lean boneless beef, cut into thin bite-size strips

1. Cook spaghetti according to package directions, drain, keep warm.
2. For sauce, in small bowl stir together water, soy sauce, cornstarch, ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Set aside.
3. Add small amount of canola oil to large skillet. Heat to med-high. Add garlic and saute for 30 sec. Add pea pods and green and red bell peppers, saute a few minutes. Add mushrooms, saute until vegetables are tender. Remove vegetables from pan.
4. Add 1 tbsp. canola oil to pan. Stir-fry beef until done. Push beef to sides, stir sauce and pour into center. Cook until thickened and bubbly. Return vegetables to pan, stir and cook until heated through. Toss with spaghetti, let warm a minute.

Women, Food and God by Geneen Roth

I used to feel like I was an observer of my own life instead of a participant. This book beautifully sums up why that is true for a lot of people. I still struggle with "the voice" inside that enjoys torturing me and trying to convince me that I am somehow tragically flawed and that any minute my life can fall completely apart.

Some quotes from the book:

"We think of ourselves as walking heads with bothersome, unattractive appendages attached. It's as if we would rather pretend we don't have bodies. As if they are the source of our trouble, and if only we could get rid of or otherwise dismiss them, we'd be fine. We crash around in our arms and legs, let them lift for us, hold our children for us, walk for us without ever taking time to actually live in them. Until we are about to lose them."

"Your body is the piece of the universe you've been given; as long as you have a pulse, it presents you with an ongoing shower of immediate sensate experiences."

"Our minds are masters at blame, but our bodies...our bodies don't lie. Which is, of course, why so many of us learned to zip out of them at the first sign of trouble."

"And you realize that torture isn't having these arms or these legs; it's being so convinced that God is out there, in another place, another realm that you miss the lavender slip of moon, your own awakened presence."

Blue Diamond Nut-Thins

These are natural nut & rice cracker snacks. They are wheat & gluten free. Even if you do not have allergies, these crackers are just plain good. My favorite flavors are almond and pecan. I have seen them in the health food section of the grocery store, but just as often in the regular cracker aisle.

Recipe Contest Winner

A lady I work with entered a recipe contest and won which is very exciting! Check out Dana's recipe at Morey's Fine Fish and Seafood. She entered two recipes and they both won, so they are printing her other recipe on some of their packaging.

Brenda's Banana Bread

This is very easy. Who doesn't love banana bread? The original recipe called for three bananas and that works, but four is better. I don't mash the bananas too much because I like little chunks of banana in my bread. My husband has been eating a lot of bananas lately. When they get too ripe to eat, he peels them and puts them in freezer bags. If you use them after being frozen, don't pour out the liquid. I did that once and the bread ended up kinda dry.

1/2 c. butter
1 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
4 bananas, mashed
1 3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Cream butter and sugar. Stir in eggs and banana.
3. Sift in dry ingredients and stir only enough to combine.
4. Pour in large greased and floured loaf pan and bake for 1 hour.

Crustless Quiche

You will never miss the pie crust. You can obviously use any combination of ingredients you want for this recipe. I personally like onions, mushrooms, bacon and Cheddar cheese along with the Parmesan cheese, but have gone as far as using steamed asparagus and various sausages. I do not have a food processor and so I beat the crap out of it with a whisk; whatever works is all good. I use a glass pie plate that belonged to my Grandma. It just seems right. Be sure you let the oven come all the way up to temperature before baking this quiche. You really need to let this sit for 10 minutes or so after you pull it from the oven to set up properly. I freeze what's left in single servings and microwave for a minute or possibly two.

2 tbsp. butter
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
4 eggs
1 c. sour cream
1 c. small curd cottage cheese
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
4 drops Tabasco sauce
2 c. (8 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 c. chopped cooked ham, bacon or sausage

1. Heat butter in a skillet until melted. Add the onion and sauté until tender. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 2 min.
2. Process the eggs, sour cream, cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, flour, salt and Tabasco sauce in a food processor. Pour into a bowl. Add the cooked onion mixture, Monterey Jack cheese and ham and mix well.
3. Pour the ham mixture into a buttered 9-inch square pan. Bake quiche at 350°F for 45 min.

Cincinnati Chili Mac

This dish does not contain meat. I'm pretty sure I got it out of a Vegetarian Times magazine many years ago. This is my effort to consume less meat. If I can find one meal a week without it, that would be a good start. My husband liked it. I love the chili/spaghetti combination. I always use all three garnishes.

1 c. chopped onion
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 med. green bell pepper, diced
1 med. red bell pepper, diced
1 fresh hot chili pepper, minced (optional)
1 (16 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (16 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
2 (16 oz.) cans kidney beans, drained & rinsed
salt & black pepper, to taste
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. allspice
8 to 10 oz. spaghetti

Optional garnishes: diced tomatoes, chopped onions or scallions, grated cheddar cheese

1. In a large skillet, sauté onion in oil over med. heat until translucent, about 3 min. Add bell peppers and continue to sauté until onion is golden, about 5 more min. Stir in chili pepper, tomatoes, beans, chili powder, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, and allspice, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for 30 to 40 min. Season with salt & pepper.
2. Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain. Place a small amount of spaghetti in a wide, shallow bowl and top with chili. Garnish with tomatoes, onion and cheese, if desired.

Such a Pretty Fat

or why pie is not the answer; one narcissist's quest to discover if her life makes her ass look big. This book by Jen Lancaster is really fun to read. I laughed out loud several times. On the back cover it states "It's possible that my high self-esteem is bad for my health." and "I hate the message that women can't possibly be happy until we all fit into our skinny jeans." You can buy this book at Amazon

Jen Lancaster also has a blog "Land of the Free, Home of the Bitter"

Tuna Hotdish

That would be tuna casserole to those of you that don't live in the Midwest. My husband actually requested that I make tuna casserole because we have an over abundance of peas in the freezer. (Why does this bother him?) However, I love tuna hotdish. We try not to make things with creamed soups very often anymore because it's not exactly health food. It is comfort food since we consumed cases and cases of it growing up.

2 cans cream of mushroom soup (I use one each cream of mushroom and cream of chicken.)
1 c. milk
1 c. peas
2 cans tuna
4 c. cooked egg noodles
2 tbsp. dry bread crumbs
1 tbsp. butter, melted

1. Stir soups, milk, peas, tuna and noodles in a 3 qt. casserole.
2. Bake at 400°F for 30 min. Stir.
3. Mix bread crumbs with butter and sprinkle on top of casserole. Bake 5 min. more.

OPTIONS:
- In place of bread crumbs, use 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese.
- Substitute 2 c. cooked cubed chicken for tuna.

We skipped the bread crumbs and butter and used shredded cheddar cheese and crushed potato chips instead.

Flower Pots

This is one of my favorite flower pot combinations; 14-16" pot, spike in the middle, asparagus fern in the front, alternate geranium, Diamond Frost euphorbia, second geranium, second Diamond Frost euphorbia, and a third geranium around. So beautiful! I have four pots exactly the same because I read that three or more the same make a statement.

Body Beautiful

I have had food issues and body image issues since forever. I am not model material, but I am far from ugly. I am not thin, but I am far from fat. I am tired of being on a "diet." I'm done. I am what I am. I AM. I'm exactly what I should be. This is not to say that I am going to let myself go. I am still going to eat healthy most of the time, take my supplements, go for walks, work in my garden and just be me. Have you ever looked at a small child smiling and think how wonderful it is that they just know that they are perfect and loved. Why do we lose that?

Namaste (the spirit in me which is also in you; the God within).

Lemon Bars

My grandmother made these bars, my mother makes them and now I make them. I'm pretty sure the recipe is in the Lutheran church cookbook as is most of the recipes my mother made for us growing up. I usually squeeze fresh lemons, but if you use the stuff in the green jar, it's OK.

Lemon Bars

1 c. butter
2 c. flour
1/2 c. powdered sugar
4 eggs, well beaten
2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
7 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. baking powder
4 tbsp. flour
powdered sugar

1. Melt butter and mix together with 2 c. flour and 1/2 c. powdered sugar. Press into a greased and floured 9x13-inch pan. Bake at 325°F for 20 min.
2. Combine eggs, sugar, salt, lemon juice, baking powder and 4 tbsp. flour. Mix well and pour over hot crust. Bake 30 min. at 325°F.
3. Cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut into squares.

Black Bean Dip and the Blender

I recently found a recipe for black bean dip that sounded easy and tasty. You just put the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Serve with fresh veggies or tortilla chips.

1 can black beans, rinsed
1/2 c. prepared salsa, hot or mild
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp. ground cumin (or a little more)
Salt and freshly ground pepper (I used 1/8 tsp. of each; there is probably plenty of salt in the salsa)

I simply refuse to buy a food processor. I have a blender, hand mixer and some wooden spoons. I should be able to beat, blend, or stir most ingredients with one of these things. Actually, I just don’t want a cupboard full of kitchen gadgets and electronics I don’t use. (I’ll talk about the rice cooker another time.) So, I dug the blender out of the back of my lowest cupboard and rinsed the dust off it. It worked like a charm. It has a button labeled puree that I pressed and watched my ingredients turn into dip. Maybe I’ll leave the blender on the counter for awhile and be inspired to make other recipes that call for processing or blending. It could happen.

Black Beans & Rice

I love both rice and beans. When you put them together, it is a wonderful thing. I gave this recipe to my oldest sister and now it is her go to potluck dish.

1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tbsp. + 3/4 tsp. olive oil
1 c. long grain rice
1/2 med. onion, chopped (1 c.)
1/2 lg. green or red pepper (1/2 c.)
1 med. cloves garlic, minced (1 tbsp.)
1 (15-oz.) cans black beans, undrained
1/2 c. chicken broth
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 bay leaves
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 c. sliced scallions (optional)

1. In a med. saucepan, combine 2 c. of water with 1/2 tsp. of the salt and 3/4 tsp. of the olive oil. Bring to a boil. Stir in the rice, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 min. or until the rice is tender.
2. In a large saucepan, heat the remaining olive oil over med. heat. Saute the onion, green or red pepper, and garlic until the vegetables have softened, about 5 min.
3. Add the beans, broth, vinegar, bay leaves, black pepper, cumin, and remaining salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 10 min.; remove the bay leave.
4. Spoon the beans over the rice and sprinkle with the scallions, if desired. Serve warm.
NOTE: This recipe can be easily doubled.

Eco Chic Boutique

This is a green boutique that just opened this month. It is conveniently located at 4955 17th Ave S just west of the 45th St Happy Harry's (in case you also need beer/wine). The flowers out front are a nice touch. They have a seating area where you can have a visit/rest while drinking a cup of coffee. I added the link to my favorites. My first purchases were Earth Muffin clean and natural deodorant (grapefruit vanilla scented with a much drier application than some), Alba leave in conditioner for my hair, and Natracare pads. I will definitely be spending some time there. In fact, I think I'll run over there this morning and get some bug spray. I can't stand the idea of spraying nasty chemicals directly on my skin.

Lilacs

I have always liked lilacs for their flowers and scent. This lilac bush came with the house. I only saw purple and white lilacs growing up, so I like the fact that it is pink. Traditional is good, but I like different too. I think it is a Miss Canada.

Recipe Folder

I have a folder about an inch thick with recipes I have saved to try sometime. I have decided to actually do that. Last night I made "Corn-Filled Muffins" which involved a can of creamed corn. How could that not be good, right? After 20 minutes at 400 F, they were not anywhere near done. Back in the oven for many more minutes, they were stuck so good to the muffin papers that we ate the tops off a few and gave up. They weren't awful by any means, but I'm not keeping the recipe. I hope the next recipe adventure turns out better.

Pasta with Meat Sauce

I grow tomatoes in my garden and freeze them in quart size freezer bags. I put them in boiling water for a minute to pop the skins off, but you can freeze them whole and do that when you use them. I like to make my own pasta sauce so that it doesn't contain sugar.

Pasta with Meat Sauce

1 lb. ground beef
1 med. onion, chopped
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
~1 qt. tomatoes (fresh, frozen or canned)
1 tsp. salt (1/2 tsp. if using canned tomatoes)
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. Italian herb mix
1 tsp. Pasta Sprinkle (I buy this from Penzey's.)
1/4 tsp. fennel seeds
2-3 oz. tomato paste
8 oz. whole grain pasta
Parmesan cheese, optional

1. Brown ground beef, onion and garlic, drain off any fat. If meat is lean, add a tbsp. of olive oil to help brown.
2. Add tomatoes, salt, black pepper, Italian herb mix, Pasta Sprinkle (add an additional tsp. of Italian herb mix if you don’t have pasta sprinkle OR some fresh herbs such as basil, oregano, and thyme), fennel seeds, and tomato paste (helps thicken sauce).
3. Simmer at least half an hour (additional time is good).
4. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain. Add to sauce and toss. Add some grated Parmesan to pasta and sauce with additional grated cheese for serving.

Sheyenne Greenhouse, Sheldon, ND

This is my second year going out to Sheldon to buy my plants at Sheyenne Greenhouse. I like it very much. They have all kinds of plants including trees, herbs, annual and perennial flowers, and vegetables. The owners, Lee and Judy Schobinger are very friendly and helpful. It is worth the drive. They are located at 5836 140th Ave SE or about 1/4 mile south of Sheldon. Contact them at (701) 882-3421 or jlschob@mlgc.com

Steaks with Fresh Herbs

I am in the process of planting my herbs for the year. The parsley, tarragon, thyme and chives came back by themselves. I have picked up more parsley, rosemary, basil, dill, oregano, and mint. It made me think of this recipe. Lucky for me, my husband loves to grill.

Steak with Fresh Herbs

1 c. packed fresh parsley leaves
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tbsp. fresh oregano leaves
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 lbs. steak

1. Finely chop parsley, garlic, and oregano. Add the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and mix well.

2. Rub both sides of steak with the parsley sauce. Broil or grill.

Smoky Corn Chowder

I love soup. Pretty much any kind. I made this last night. I deviated from the ingredients by using a leek I had in the drawer plus half an onion and part of each of a green, red, and yellow bell pepper that were left over from another recipe. It was so good. I have never had fresh parsley on hand and so skip the whole garnish thing, although I'll have some in my garden this summer and so may try it next time.

Smoky Corn Chowder

1/2 tsp. canola oil
2 slices bacon, diced
1 med. onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1/4 c. flour
2 (14 1/2 oz.) cans chicken broth
3 med. ears corn, husked OR 2 c. frozen corn, thawed
2 med. potatoes, peeled and diced
1 1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over med. heat. Add bacon, onion, bell pepper and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened and beginning to brown, 7 to 8 min. Sprinkle flour over vegetables and cook, stirring, for 1 min. more. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 15 min.
2. Meanwhile, cut corn from cobs. (You should have about 2 cups.) I have used canned whole kernel corn.
3. Add potatoes, milk, salt and corn to saucepan. Return to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until vegetables are tender and soup is slightly thickened, 20 to 30 min. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with parsley.

Pheasant Chili

Wonder what to do with all of those pheasants in the freezer? My husband found this recipe on a website for sportsmen. We have modified it to suit us. It has become one of our favorites.

2 pheasant breasts OR chicken breasts or thighs cut into pieces
(1 1/2 lbs.)
1 med. onion, chopped
1 red/green/yellow pepper (1/2 ea.), chopped
2 small jars chopped pimento
2 cans Northern white beans
1 can corn, drained
6 or 8 drops Tabasco
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 (14 oz.) cans chicken broth
8 oz. cream
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tbsp. parsley
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1. Brown meat in olive oil.
2. Put all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low 8-10 hours.
NOTE: All tsp. and tbsp. measurements should be rounded (more is better).

Crumb Coated Chicken Thighs

My husband likes to use his fish breader for this recipe. The meat ends up evenly coated with the spice mixture.












1/4 c. dry bread crumbs
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. curry
1/4 tsp. pepper
8 chicken thighs, skin removed

1. In a large re-sealable plastic bag, combine the first seven ingredients. Add chicken, a few pieces at a time, and shake to coat.

2. Place on a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake, uncovered at 400°F for 20 min. Turn chicken pieces over; bake 15-20 min. longer or until a meat thermometer reads 180°F.

For an easy meal, place baked potatoes on the oven rack alongside the chicken.

Comfy Pants

Everyone needs a pair of these pants. They are sooooo comfortable and yet they don't look sloppy. I would wear them to the grocery store and I am totally against wearing sweat pants in public.

L.L.Bean
TA252075 Perfect Fit Pants, Boot-Cut

I get the medium tall. I have a 31" inseam and yet I'm short; go figure.

Brownies

These brownies are unbelievably good. It could be the stick of butter.

1 c. butter, melted
2 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 eggs
1 c. all-purpose flour
2/3 c. cocoa powder
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt (omit if using salted butter)
1 c. chopped pecans, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a mixing bowl, blend together the melted butter, sugar and vanilla. Add the eggs and beat well with a spoon.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Gradually add to the egg mixture until well blended.
4. Fold in the pecans if using.
5. Spread in a greased 9x13 pan and bake for 40-45 min. (35-40 min. in a glass pan) or until brownies begin to pull away from the edges of the pan. Cool and cut into squares.
NOTES: Be sure the oven is fully preheated. I used salted butter, but I still used 1/8 tsp. salt for good measure. I used 1/2 c. of pecans. I like nuts, but thought a whole cup was too much.

Eyebrows

I have spent years waxing my eyebrows into submission. So, when the lady that currently waxes my brows gave me some powder to fill in spots where the hair does not grow anymore, I thought "this is a cruel twist." It’s not that I don’t have to wax them anymore either. The hair still grows where I don’t want it. I would highly recommend that you get someone that really knows what they’re doing to wax your brows. And what’s up with the wrinkles between my eyes that a friend likes to refer to as the 11? She told me it was nothing Botox won’t fix. I think I’ll just keep my bangs longer to cover both the eyebrows and the 11.

PS: I have a mustache and wild chin hairs too. If you see me tweezing chin hairs while sitting in my car looking in the vanity mirror, it’s because it’s the best light. Just ignore me and be polite enough not to tease me about it.

My Closets are Blue

The closets in our house needed to be redone because the organizers that the previous owners had installed were not working for us. I uninstalled everything and patched the holes. Then my husband painted and installed the new shelf and pole. The idea for the blue paint came from a white bookshelf that I had seen years ago where the inside had been painted an aqua blue. I loved the way it looked. Is there anything else blue in my house? No. Does everything have to match? I'm pretty happy with the result.

Aztec Salsa

I really like this salsa. It's festive. I skip the avocados, but if you can get it eaten in a short period of time, I think they would be great in it. I use one jalapeno and a half of a green bell pepper instead of one or the other.

1 pkg. Good Seasons Italian dressing
1/2 c. olive oil
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
2 avocados, chopped fine (optional)
1 can Mexican corn, strained
1 can black beans, rinsed
6 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 small jalapeno peppers or 1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped

1. In small bowl, mix dressing, olive oil, and vinegar.
2. In large bowl, mix the remaining ingredients thoroughly. Add dressing, mix, and chill.
3. Can serve with Frito corn scoops or other favorite chips such as natural blue corn tortilla chips.

"Simplify Your Life: 100 Ways to Slow Down and Enjoy The Things That Really Matter" by Elaine St. James. I read this book and a couple of others by her back in the mid 90s. It changed the way I look at all material things. It was a long process, but I went through every cupboard, closet and drawer, and got rid of everything that was not useful or beautiful. I would imagine that was about 75% of what I owned. I donated it to the local thrift store. The trick to living this way is to apply this same criteria (useful or beautiful) to all new purchases or acquisitions. When I see something I think I want, I usually wait at least a week, maybe two, and see if I still want it. More often than not, I don't. The area that I still struggle with is clothing, but I'll keep trying. One good thing recently came of this; I bought a couple of decent bras that actually fit and got rid of all of the rest of the pitiful things I didn't pay enough for or try on.

Chicken Pot Pie

This recipe is wonderful. I love the departure from the expected vegetable mix.

Cooking spray
1 1/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 leeks, bottom 4 inches only, washed and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 medium white potatoes, left unpeeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 lb. green beans, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I used frozen; it was fine.)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 c. skim milk
1/3 c. flour
2 c. chicken broth
1 c. peas, thawed if frozen
2 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (Go with the fresh herbs!)
1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
3 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
2 tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare either one baking dish or four smaller individual baking dishes by spraying with cooking spray or coating with oil.

2. Season the chicken with 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Heat 2 tsp. oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and brown. Transfer to a plate.

3. Add 2 tsp. additional oil to pan along with the leeks and celery. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the potatoes, green beans, garlic and the remaining 3/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. black pepper and cook for 2 minutes more stirring to combine everything.

4. Add milk. Stir flour into broth and add to pan. Cook, stirring until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer stirring occasionally for 10 minutes.

5. Stir in the chicken, peas, parsley and thyme. Spoon into baking dish(es).

6. Put the remaining 1 2/3 tbsp. oil in a small bowl. Unroll the phyllo dough. Cut into quarters if using individual baking dishes. Place a sheet on top of baking dish and brush with oil. Repeat with all three layers. Tuck edges in and sprinkle the top with the Parmesan.

7. Place on baking sheet and bake until filling is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Serve hot.

NOTE: I made a regular pie crust from a recipe out of my Betty Crocker cookbook and baked it for an hour. I recommend having everything chopped and ready to go before you start.

Am I happy?

I recently read an article in More magazine about the state of women’s happiness and how yet again we seem to be suffering. Personally, I know that I am happy because I am not unhappy. I’ve been unhappy for periods of time in my life that lasted for years. And now I am not unhappy and therefore must be happy. I definitely believe that it is more about satisfaction, and whether or not you feel fulfilled, content, and secure. We hear too much about the great job, best purse, perfect highlights, and amazing sex. Being happy should not be about being perfect. Your life should be as simple or as complicated as you would like it to be.

Massage Therapy

I think everyone deserves massage therapy. I think it is not only good for my body, but my soul as well. The knots in my muscles get worked out and my energy starts flowing freely again. I just feel such a profound sense of relief both physically and mentally. My relationship with my massage therapist started 15 years ago. A friend at work recommended massage therapy and gave me a phone number. I was in excruciating pain at that time from what I learned was fibromyalgia (My massage therapist suggested this not a medical doctor. The medical doctor’s suggestion for me was antidepressants.) I did not feel depressed; I was in pain. I am much better now than I was 15 years ago both physically, but especially mentally. I have learned what I need to do and not do to keep my pain at a manageable level (massage therapy once a month if possible, 8-9 hours of sleep a night, supplements, and movement plus trying to stay relatively stress free). I am very grateful for having found this wonderful person, my massage therapist and artist extraordinaire and friend.

Before Sunrise

1/4 c. pomegranate juice
1/2 c. orange juice
1/4 c. grapefruit juice

Pour over ice in the order listed.