Give Daily Thought and Thanks.....

Maybe your having a rough day.... or maybe a delightful one. In any case, here are some very wise, useful and valuable thoughts.... These things will prove harmony.

Here's to inspiring each other!

Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

Your job won't take care of you when you are sick.
Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

Over prepare, then go with the flow.

Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or  joyful.

All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting. Everywhere.

The best is yet to come...

You Scream for Ice Cream!

This pie is delectable. If you need a little ego boost when it comes to your cooking skills, make this. It is sweet, soft, crunchy and simply a real treat. Great for a bday cake. Make sure you give it enough time in the freezer--- plan to make the day before you serve.

Indulge yourself. Not all the time. But with this pie.

Heath Bar and Hershey Chocolate Frozen Ice Cream Pie

Crust
2c crushed gram crackers
1/2c crushed Heath bars (1 1/2 Heath bars)
4Tbsp melted butter

Filling
1 pint of chocolate ice cream, softened
1 pint coffee ice cream, softened
1/4c Kahlua or Irish cream
3/4c Crushed Heath bar (2 Heath bars)

Topping
Whipping cream
3/4c Hershey syrup

Making Crust:

Crush graham crackers, making 2 cups. The easiest way to crush the Heath bars is to take a hammer to it. Sounds a bit much, but you got to get the job done. Unwrap the bars, lay them on a cutting board and cover with plastic wrap. Hammer away. Crush up 1 1/2 bars and mix with graham crackers. Drizzle 4Tbsp. of melted butter into the crushed mix-- stir. Press into 8-9inch pie dish (I like using tin, so the pie stays colder).

Making Filling:

Fold in all filling ingredients. Add half of the ice cream filling on to the crust. Drizzle Hershey syrup. Add the remaining ice cream mixture and top again with Hershey syrup.

Freeze pie overnight for best results or allow at least 6-8 hours. Allow to sit out in room temperature for 15 minutes before serving. Top with whipped cream and a slight decor of chocolate syrup.

The Golden Globes, Red Carpet, and what you missed.

Just in case you missed the awards show last night, I’ll give you the skinny to get caught up. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) is a group of 90 individuals, who represent 55 countries--- these members are international journalist and ultimately nominate ballot contenders and vote on category winners. The HFPA hosts the annual Golden Globe awards to recognize achievements in both film and television, which is followed by a glitzy evening of Beverly Hills after-parties.

Evening highlights….

Angelina and Brad we’re as always, breathtakingly beautiful--- camera caught them cuddling in their seats and Miss Jolie fixing Brad’s bow-tie. Seriously, can you be any more damn perfect…. Barf. Neither took home any awards but Angelina was up for work on the Tourist.

Halle Berry is hot. Take a look at that dress. That’s, that.

Eva Longoria’s dress was stunning. Black, cap sleeves, plunging neck line, open back, and perfectly fitted. She looked gorgeous, even though she attended stag. Take that Tony--- looking beautiful, confident and available is the best revenge.

Glee’s Chris Colfer, who plays an openly gay high school student, received the Supporting Actor in a Series award. His speech was the most inspiring, thanking fellow cast members and the kids who tune in each week---- His comment went something like this, “Thank you to all those kids who, watch the show. To the kids that our show celebrates…..who are constantly told no..by bullies…. That they can’t be who they are…. Well screw that kids! (Holding the Golden Globe up).”

Let that be a reminder to all, acceptance is the way to happiness.

Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 3 nabbed the Best Animated Film. They always seem to win, but the win is always well deserved. I would say the same for Toy Story 3, it made me tear up--- which proves it’s got life…. heart. Like Toy Story 3 director Lee Unkrick noted on his acceptance speech—Thank you to those who embraced an animated movie, that beats with a human heart.

And the BIG win of the night was The Social Network. It won for Best Motion Picture-Drama, Best Director- Motion Picture and Best Screenplay- Motion Picture. The writing in this film was phenomenal, the story itself was risky, the acting was rich and the morals are relatable. See it. Bravo!

Take Care of that Body!

Someone once told me.....

Eating fruit plays a major role in detoxifying your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and daily activity. Eat your fruit on an empty stomach, or before your meal-- it will digest better.

If you have mastered eating the correct amount of fruit, you have the Secret of Beauty, Longevity, Health, Energy, Happiness and normal weight.

Only drink fresh fruit juice, NOT the concentrated juice from the cans. Don't drink juice or fruit that has been heated-- the nutrients cook out, leaving you with the taste, but not the benefit.

Facts on your favorite fruits:

KIWI: Tiny but mighty, and a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin E and fiber. Its vitamin C content is twice that of an orange!

AN APPLE a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a low vitamin C content, it has antioxidants and flavonoids which enhances the activity of vitamin C, thereby helping to lower the risk of colon cancer, heart attack and stroke.

STRAWBERRY: Protective Fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits and protect the body from cancer-causing, blood vessel-clogging free radicals.

EATING 2 - 4 ORANGES a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent and dissolve kidney stones, and reduce the risk of colon cancer.

WATERMELON: Coolest thirst quencher. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which helps boost our immune system. Also a key source of lycopene, the cancer-fighting oxidant. Also found in watermelon: Vitamin C and Potassium.

GUAVA & PAPAYA: Top awards for vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fiber, which helps prevent constipation. Papaya is rich in carotene, good for your eyes.

Got anything to contribute? Can you relate?

HOLLAR @ the DOLLAR!!

The Dollar Tree that is.

If you are not aware of this establishment, I will summarize; Grocery like retail shop, where bins are mismatched, scents are unfamiliar, the green carts are little person sized, and EVERYTHING in the store is $1, but requires the patience to "dig deep" aka " find the diamond in the rough".

Here is a good example of a Dollar Tree find and also a reminder to get your thank you's out there. People still love getting hand-written notes in the mail, these days it is unusual to get fun things in the mail. Make someones day and send them a personal, hand-written, creative, inexpensive holiday thank you. Here's a great example:

Supply list Cost
8 blank Dollar Tree cards + envelopes $2
3 Dollar Tree sticky decals $3

TOTAL= $5
Per Card= .63 +postage

Stick & trim. Just get creative, don't worry if they are perfect-- that is the beauty in it. I think the saying goes, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder". And writing a charming personal note will grant the opportunity to give your gratitude as well as brighten their day.

Change is Good

Someone once gave me this thought: "Tomorrow you could die and become and ant, and someone will be setting traps for you. But today you are precious, aware, and awake. It ushers us into grateful living. It makes hesitation useless. Grateful and awake, ask what you need to know now. Say what you feel now. Love what you love now."

No matter your current situation, it will change. It will change for both the good and the bad. Hold on and stick with the ride, as the ride is all part of the journey. The universe is always at a state of metamorphose and you are most defiantly a component of our universe. So just remember, seasons change and so will you. There is a path for you, if you so choose to stay awake to drive it.

Enjoy this video as a reminder to accept change, Mother Nature ain't scared.
Relish in the present.
Namaste.

One year in 2 minutes from Eirik Solheim on Vimeo.

How to Effectively Reheat Leftovers

Don't use a microwave.

Personally I've been cooking excellent meals for the last 2 years, entirely without a microwave. No, I did not become some radical hippie--- I simply choose to live this way. I have found the food tastes better, you eat healthier, and teaches patience & planning. If you ever want to use your ovens more, here are some tips for the rookie:


#1 Don't give up. When you look at the back of the pizza box and it takes 4 times longer to cook in the oven then the micro, don't give up on the oven. In the long run, I promise it will taste so much better--- the cheese will be perfectly bubbly.

#2 Don't be lazy. You will have to get out pots & pans and will eventually have to wash them. You will also have to be a participate in preparing your own food, rather than some automatic machine doing it for you.

#3 Have a good timer. You will rely on this to remind you something is in the over-- some times you forget you are even hungry because enough time has gone by.

#4 Plan. Know what your going to cook daily. Think about what will need to go in the oven and what items you will cook on the stove.

#5 Don't Cheat. Need to reheat? Depending on what your reheating, heat a saute pan with a bit of olive oil, throw in the reheat food--- toss. Cover for 2 minutes. Toss. Repeat until food it cooked to your liking. Slice of pizza- heat oven to 350. Put pizza on pan. Cook 5-8 minutes.

Try this method next time you have leftovers. See the difference in the taste. You are also getting more nutrients from your food if you don't microwave it--- especially if your reheating something thats already been cooked. Best of luck!

Can you relate to any tips on oven cooking?

Random Review: 2 Movie Reviews, worth the cash?

BLACK SWAN & TRON LEGACY

I’ll try and help you out here, when making your next movie watching decision…. Hey, movies are pricy these days, and the studios keep pumping out films in mass quantities, cut awesome trailers, for you in turn to spend your cash--- causing a thing I like to call, “over promising, and under delivering”. Checking out online reviews before you hit up the theater is not a bad idea; I like to use www.rottentomatoes.com or just ask people. It’s always a great conversation starter when meeting new people—like, “Hi my name is Megan. So, whatcha think of Natalie Portman going totally lesbo with that chick from that 70’s show in that one movie?”……… And heres my thoughts…….

BLACK SWAN

If you like dance or have an appreciation for it, you will enjoy this film. If you’re a dude, and you could give a rats ass about ballet, you will also enjoy this film because there are hot chicks that make out…. more than once. Oh, and in addition anti-ballet people, you will also enjoy this film’s strange, dark, elegant and sexy theme. I would highly recommend seeing this film and might be worth checking out in theaters before movie award season starts. It’s already short listed for the OSCARS and has some nominations @ the Golden Globes.

Beautiful choreography & acting at it’s finest

TRON LEGACY 3D

In order to fully immerse yourself into this movie you must have an interest in technology, digital capabilities, fiber optic wiring or other topics of these sorts. Or you have some nostalgic memory attached to Disney’s 1982 TRON. Or your just a nerd, like me. I enjoyed this film and support the 3D used. I feel some 3D movies go overboard and provide a “gimmicky” feel--- this one did NOT. The 3D told a good story, new/old mix of actors and the “grid” was very visually interesting. If your not a geek, I wouldn’t recommend seeing this film, don’t waste your money; 3D is cool, but you would probably get antsy.

Cute, 20 year old main actor boys are good, DAFT PUNK rocked it on the score and Disney’s still got it.

Seen these movie and can relate to a review?