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This is the year of the Dragon. It brings with it health, wealth and long life to those who are born under its stars and to those who honor it. On Monday January 23rd you will have a chance to celebrate the beginning of this lucky year with a little Chinese festivity. The Chinese New Year is the most important and most lavishly celebrated holiday of the Chinese calendar. It welcomes Spring as it closes out the old year. It may seem to be a tad early for Spring, but the idea is that it is the Spring season itself that brings the good fortune.
It is a time to cherish family and forgive past wrongs. It is a time to plan and pray for the future and a time to wish happiness and peace to all.
This year is also the 100th anniversary of a local Butte County favorite TONG FONG LOW known in Oroville and now Chico for their fresh and fabulous food. Tong Fong Low was formally known as CHARLIE'S in Oroville starting in 1912. It has been a busy, well loved restaurant since then, often having lines form out onto the street as people crowd in for lunch and dinner.
Check out their web site http://www.tongfonglow.com/about.html for menus, locations and new events as well as their Facebook site.
If you are thinking of having a Chinese New Year bash, try the restaurant supply stores like Cash and Carry for bags of fortune cookies and Chinese bowls and implements. My fortune cookie says "Keep at it, this is the year it will pay off.". I think I will keep this one and stick it on the fridge door...just in case.
Tong Fong Low does take away as well as delicious in restaurant meals. If you haven't tried it yet... now is your chance! Enjoy!
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HOW VINEGAR SAVED THE WORLD.... There have been many claims to this
fame in the food and beverage world, but usually by those who have
imbibed in their chosen hero a tad. In this case, vinegar really does
have claim to being the “chosen one” as it has uses far beyond
the world of beer and wine.
White vinegar is made from oxidized
distilled alcohol and is possibly the most versatile solution known
to man. Did you know that if you wash your windshield with 1 part
water and 3 parts vinegar, your windshield won't frost over? How
about a little leather cleaner with 1 part water and 1 part vinegar?
The laundry and household cleaning uses are endless and, as an added
bonus is not toxic and doesn't leave a residue.
We have become accustomed to the scent
of pine and lavender as a sign that we have cleaned and if the
problem area is too tough, we bring on the bleach for the reassuring
scent of over-kill and annihilation. Vinegar offers an effective
cleaning method that also allows the immune system room to do it's
job and build up resistance to the germs we are desperate to
eliminate. The smell of vinegar does not stay long and, for extra
credit takes other offending odors with it. If you really want a
fresh scent to cap off your cleaning day, try warm water with a
little lavender oil as the final floor rinse.
White vinegar can be used as a remedy
against bacteria and fungi (as one can see in the pickling process)
and cuts through grease like a skater on ice! Essentially, white
vinegar can be used to destroy the environment germs like to live and
breed in. It is preemptive cleaning at its best.
Lets not forget the other vinegars; all
with their own unique flavor and stylings.
Apple cider vinegar is made from the
fermentation of apples and is often used as a health remedy in toxin
cleansing, reducing and eliminating plant disease, as a gargle for
sore throats and even in salad dressing. One of the most popular uses
is as an ingredient in BBQ sauce!
Wine vinegars are made from the acetous
fermentation of grapes and is most commonly used in cooking, salads
and to bring out the sweetness in melons and berries.
Traditional balsamics have a long
production process and can be expensive, but the common Modena
balsamic vinegars make this sweeter vinegar possible at most tables.
It is used to flavor meats after cooking and with dipping oil for
breads.
Whether cleaning, degreasing or
cooking, vinegar has long proven its versatility. It can be said, if
you can't find a solution; try vinegar!
http://www.versatilevinegar.org/usesandtips.html
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THE SECRETS TO DIETING SUCCESS....
It is no surprise that we are all
thinking about our diet, expanding waistlines and wanting to feel the
freedom we had when we were pounds thinner. As we get older, our
metabolism slows down and we have formed eating and activity habits
that slow us down even more. I don't want to wear teen's clothing, I
don't need to be a bikini model, I don't even want to join a sports
team... I just want to know that when I reach into my wardrobe I will
fit what I have and not look like a badly stuffed sausage when I go
out! Not a lot to ask for I thought, but I have found that if I stray
from my vigilant routine I can sneak up a size without the courtesy
of a warning letter!
Losing weight and getting healthy
starts in the mind. Really. Think about it. Who is telling you that
the extra mayo is a good idea? Who talks you out of the walk or bike
ride you had planned? There are deep reasons for weight gain –
depression, protection, defense, loss and poor self image – and so,
it is to the mind that we must go to find the key to our success!
In deciding to change your life's
eating habits, consider what you know of the culprit...errr... of
your inner workings. Do you crave sweets? Are you a stress eater? Do
you plan events around food? What are you doing that keeps you in
front of your food?
I noticed I was bored and alone of an
evening and would wander into the kitchen just to see if anything
looked liked it needed my company. Usually something called to me and
we sat and pretty soon I was just a little bit bigger. I also noticed
I was serving the same portions as I served my growing teen son!
Something was out of whack and only I could get myself out of the
rut.
Regardless of what diet or exercise
plan you are working with here's what I have found to be true:
BE PREPARED: plan your menus and
pre-cook whatever you can so that when you need to eat you have it
ready to go. Our weakest moments are when we are hungry and just
need an infusion of nutrition...that is when we will fall back on
old habits. I keep cooked lean meats in my fridge for a fast,
protein filled snack in case of emergencies!
BE AWARE: of what you have in your
kitchen and on your shopping list. Habits take time to change and
the less temptation around you the better off you will be. Remove
them before they call to you in the wee small hours...
BE COMMITTED: whether you do it in
private or with a friend, staying on course is your personal goal
and one that deserves respect. Changing how you see yourself...from
a “hopeless” place to a vital and healthy person requires your
commitment. See yourself as fit and lean and eat that way.
BE CONSISTENT: it isn't easy to
change old habits, but they CAN be changed! It takes time for your
taste buds and mindset to align with your desire. Give yourself
small rewards along the way and then move back on track.
BE FORGIVING: and resilient! We
are human and slip up from time to time. Don't see it as a failure,
but as a part of the process. This is a forever change so you have
time to keep changing! Stop the downward spiral with a glass of
water and a walk... a signal that you have forgiven and are back on
track.
I ask myself this... “What would the
lean and fit me choose?” It gives me a sense of control and
reminder of my goal...
Good luck and stay strong!
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It is the New Year and before you know it, everything is happening; taxes are being organized, the summer vacation is being planned and... well there is that drawer we need to sort and the garage we just know holds three yard sales worth of treasures... but it can be overwhelming to say the least!
Enter...the expert! I asked Natalie Conrad of Organized Habits to help me with a few tips and maybe a new product or two that would help get me started on the road of eternal clarity and organization... she came through!
Natalie is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers and has a no-nonsense approach to mastering the huge tumble that seems to take over our nooks and crannies. She suggested we actually make a date with ourselves to get organized. Put everything on one calendar (one life one calendar) so that nothing gets left out...including clean up day!
Prepare the area with storage suitable for your use...if you are an "out of sight- out of mind" person then opaque tubs may not work for you.
Start by making piles for keeping (most often used), maybe (can't quite let go) and to go (donate and trash). It is easier to let go the further you move along as you realize that so much of what we have is there "just in case" and never gets its proper use.
I had never considered calling a professional before as I have been cleaning my room since I could pick up a toy...but when our lives get so busy it is easy to let things get out of hand. Natalie comes with a bundle of wonderful gadgets and storage options that fix the problem and have multiple uses. It made the process so much easier and fun...having someone there who knows what you are going through and what needs to be done is a blessing!
Natalie will be giving a workshop through the Chico CARD classes on January 28th of 2012. You can get more information on attending this by going to this link..http://www.chicorec.com/Classes/Special-Interest/Lectures--Workshops/index.html
It is a step by step process and is one of the most rewarding things we can do for our hectic lives. Give Natalie a call if you need a little nudge!
https://www.facebook.com/OrganizedHabits?sk=wall
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CELL PHONE ETIQUETTE I was sitting at lunch with two
girlfriends discussing the assorted life predicaments we were each
facing and a smattering of business just to ensure it qualified as a
business lunch, when I noticed the teens at the table next to me.
Like us, they had their cell phones present though theirs were not
placed on the table within easy reach, but at their ears and
fingertips while their disjointed conversation took place over
coffee. As I turned mine to silent mode, I wondered if we had become
so self important that it was now impossible to just allow a few
minutes to really connect with the people we had worked so hard to
organize time to spend lunch with?
Don't get me wrong, I have become as
reliant on the cell phone as the next person, but I have also become
increasingly uncomfortable with the way it dominates my life. Anyone
who has tried to converse with another while they eye their texts, or
are interrupted repeatedly with “Just a sec. I need to answer this”
probably agree with me... it is time to put the phone in the pocket
or just stay home and talk via text.
I recently left home without my phone
and was delighted at the freedom I felt after the initial panic wore
off! I felt like a smoker suddenly aware of the new scents in the air
and the deeper breaths I could take once I left the cigarettes
behind. The loudness of the lady in the next aisle conversing as
though in private to someone called Judy on the other end of the
'line'; the obnoxious ring tone of the laughing baby growing louder
and more frenzied as the owner of the phone continued shopping; the
person right behind me following my shopping route while talking to
her husband about last night's debacle (some things can really and
truly wait to be discussed “face to face”!) punctuated my short
shopping trip.
I have seen a few lists of cell phone
manners and decided I would add my own, just to remind us that we CAN
control where these tech. advances take us...
Just because it is ringing,
doesn't mean there is a meteor heading this way and you need to get
the call...just in case.
When you have the privilege of
speaking to a human being “face to face”, do not demean the
occasion by cramming a text conversation into the pauses. It goes
both ways and you will be as important to others as you make them to
you.
Like our children, our
conversations are as loveable to some as a bowl of cold oatmeal.
Just because you think they are interesting doesn't mean everyone
does. If you need to talk louder than a quiet hum, take it outside
or to a private place. You wouldn't talk about your private life so
loudly in person...we hope.
It is thrilling that you have
spent hours searching for the amazing phone ring that sounds like a
whining woman calling out for her children in pigeon English (and
set to music no less!) but other than demonstrating your aptitude
for obscure humor, there seems to be little added to life by this
choice. Worse yet, it is usually set at a volume that makes all
social occasions halt until the poor woman can be found and put out
of her misery. Please keep your ring tone low and set to vibrate so
it lets YOU know you have a call, not the entire room.
Like a wrong turn on a freeway,
answering a phone call is not always the most important thing in our
lives. We can still get there if we just calmly take the next exit
and safely make our way back (or return the call when we have time).
Imagine, less than 20 years ago people still relied on corded phones
and got in a lot of focused living between calls. Live a little!
Though texting and talking on the
phone while driving is a time saver, it also is self-limiting when
you drive off the road with phone in hand...into a rock. This is
something I have tried just the once and found it a good deterrent
from road texting. Nothing is so serious that I can't pull over and
respond to...or wait.
Always ask if this is a good time
to talk when you call someone on their cell. They carry their phone
with them everywhere and may not have read this list – and so,
have picked up the phone mid-conversation with someone who really
needs to talk with them about their private life and now your call
has distracted them. Give them an out by asking if this is a good
time and offering to call back. You will LOVE the results!
This is by no means an all inclusive
list, but it is a good start. I can guarantee that if you follow
these 7 rules, you will be adored by your friends and family
because.... they will know you appreciate them and consider them in
your life...even on a cellular level!
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LOCAL GIFTS FOR UNDER $100... It can be quite a challenge to find
something out of the ordinary for those special people we buy for at
Christmas. We want something that means more than a pair of socks and
a new coffee maker. By buying locally we gift our hometown (wherever
that may be) with economic flow and support for local producers and
artists. All of that feeds back into the community, keeping smaller
companies in business and sustaining outlets for all those who create
and manufacture. It is as easy as looking for services and businesses
that supply items that your special someone would enjoy.
Golf certificates, spa and facial
coupons, locally made cosmetic products, wines, beers, mustards and
agricultural products are a great start. Put local restaurant gift
certificates or cooking classes in a basket with local wines and food
items. How about clothing made here or gifts sold for less than the
big stores?
Not only will you find the service more
personalized, but you will be guaranteed to be able to find them
again if you have questions!
Here are a few local companies I have
used over the years...
CHICO BAG COMPANY.
http://www.chicobag.com/
These can be found in numerous
locations around town as well as on line. They have a large number of
bags that I am sure you have not even seen yet...I just discovered a
backpack that folds in on itself! Always creating great bags for
every use on the planet!
LEON BISTRO
http://leonbistro.com/
Ann Leon offers superb meals (local
produce) as well as wonderful cooking classes and gift baskets with
her amazing additions to your pantry. Try a gift certificate for her
famous calamari dinner or try a class... you won't be disappointed!
MONKS WINE LOUNGE AND BISTRO
https://www.facebook.com/MonksWine?sk=info
This terrific local wine institution
not only offers Wednesday night wine tastings, but Farmer's Market
cooking classes (starts in Spring) and some of the best ribs in town!
Sample local wines with a tasteful selection of accompanying
foods...your palette will be very happy!
THE ADDRESS
http://www.theaddressforstylishliving.com/
Always a great location for the perfect
gift for the perfect price. I have had guests from New York shop with
me and they have been amazed at the inexpensive, well chosen
selection at The Address. From small stocking stuffers to larger
items, it will only be hard to decide what to leave behind!
MADE IN CHICO
https://www.facebook.com/pages/MADE-IN-CHICO/69917237744
This fun store is always full of whimsy
and one of a kind items made by local artists and crafts persons. A
wonderful selection of souvenirs and the best products from around
the area. This is one stop shopping for exceptional gifts and
supporting the local economy!
There are local art galleries, farm
stores, farmers markets and eateries all waiting for you to delight
your family and friends with their delicious products... make it a
fabulous and meaningful season...enjoy!
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DECK THE HALLS WITHOUT DRAINING THE
BANK... I LOVE to use things in unexpected ways
and delight in seeing the surprised looks some of the outcomes
elicit. I have been doing it all my life and, though it has had some
basis in necessity, most of it is just plain fun! The thought of all
those things we manufacture that end up as small pieces in a landfill
somewhere makes me shudder. What a senseless waste of time and energy
when, with a little thought and sense of adventure, we can save
ourselves some money and keep things in balance with our creativity!
Christmas is a time that we bring out
traditions. We unpack our boxes of family decorations and all the
cutouts the kids made in school. It can also become a very costly
time of year with extra food, gifts, decorations on top of new winter
clothing and energy bills. Fortunately we can control some of that
with just a little forethought and time...
Back in Australia, my family would use
our pillow cases as stockings for Santa to fill. First of all, it
ensured he didn't have to leave any gifts out as it was big enough
for everything! The pillow case would be left under the tree with our
name on it (lest he should forget!) and would be filled by morning. I
was one in seven children, so this certainly reduced the amount of
gift wrap; everyone knows Santa doesn't wrap gifts and, it gave the
kids a creative outlet by decorating their own special Christmas
pillow case.
Candy canes were one of my favorite
decorations when my own children were small. We had very little
money, so everything we did got as much bang for the buck as
possible. I used the canes to decorate wreath forms, to stick in
garlands, around candles and to hang on the tree. Of course, by
Christmas there were significantly fewer candy canes than at the
outset, but I think it became a treat to sneak the canes... a new
tradition!
The Christmas tree and the use of
evergreen boughs as interior winter decorations started many years
ago. It is thought that people brought the evergreen branches in side
or hung them around the door to fend off evil and illness. It is also
a reminder during the long, dark winter that spring will soon be here
with the sunshine not far behind. It probably went a long way to
staving off depression too. This is a very easy and inexpensive way
to decorate for the Holiday Season. Take long walks and gather pine
cones, berry boughs and pine or fir branches to sway across the
bookshelves or mantle in your home. Use red ribbon to liven up all
that green!
Another use of the evergreen inside was
to freshen up the stale air of ancient homes shut up against the
winter chill. You can imagine how, without the frequent bathing and
fresh air we enjoy today that a home could start to smell less
welcoming in a short time. The use of simmer pots and potpourri was
in use; though without the electric versions, to lessen the trapped
odors. Scent is a quick way to “decorate” the home. Just put two
cups of water in a small saucepan and turn it on low. Add cinnamon,
nutmeg and even some coriander for a spicy, Christmas scent
throughout the home.
I love wrapping gifts and enjoy the
challenge of making each one special. Try wrapping a box in a scarf
tied in knots at the top. The gift includes the scarf! Smaller gifts
can be wrapped and used a tree decorations – a great idea if you
have a few places on the tree that need a little something.
PROJECT IDEAS;
- SNOWFLAKE CUTOUT ORNAMENTS
(cardboard, glue, glitter)
-TABLE TOP TREES – use a cardboard
tree form or coffee can with paper cone on top and paint the color
of glitter, then apply glue and glitter. Alternative idea- apply
glue and strips of newspaper, feathers or beads to make tree.
PAINT ALL OLD ODDS AND END
DECORATIONS WITH SAME COLOR – use what you have by making it up to
the minute with a spray of the same color...this unifies the
collection and gives it the Wow! Factor.
USE WHAT YOU HAVE IN A NEW WAY –
find a basket and make a table top wreath complete with xmas balls
or candy canes.
DECOUPAGE your xmas wrap onto old
boxes and tie with ribbon for a new ay of wrapping. These look great
tucked into the tree as decorations too.
TIE A RIBBON around your plain
white candles. White candles work for all occasions, so tie a ribbon
or wrap with a cutting of artificial greenery for a holiday feel.
TOP WITH SNOW – if old ornaments
are scratched, I repaint them and add a touch of SNOWTEK fake snow
paint. It is permanent and looks like...snow!
All it takes is a little imagination
and a splash of glue and your old decorations get to sparkle for one
more season... Happy Holidays!
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This holiday season I am proud to be a part of a wonderful workshop called STEP INTO YOUR POWER THROUGH YOGA. It is designed to help you identify what the stress is in your life and where you carry it within your body. Kristiana Lopez of AWAKENED YOGA STUDIO here in Chico http://www.awakenedyogainchico.com/ will guide us through basic yoga poses and will teach us what each is doing for our bodies, where our stress is and how to release it. Don't worry if you have never done any yoga at all, Kristi is great at easing new comers to the gentle art of Yoga.
I will be leading the workshop on identifying issues and making the changes that we unblock during yoga. It is a great way to start the New Year!
Join us Dec. 3rd, 17th and/or 18th for this inspiring workshop...
Contact me at christinemacshane@yahoo.com or
Kristi at awakenedyoga@hotmail.com
Hurry...seats are going fast!
Workshop is $60.00 for 4 hour workshop.
10am-2;30pm
1390 East 9th Street Chico.
SANTA'S WORKSHOP
I will be hosting an art/craft workshop at the LIVING LIGHT STUDIO
2155 Park Ave Chico
Saturday December 10th 10am-2;30pm
BRING your painting and craft projects you have wanted to finish or need help on...BRING new paintings and projects you would like to get started on and have those hand-made gifts ready to wrap!
I will help you with all your art and craft during this wonderful workshop just for you!
Contact me at christinemacshane@yahoo.com for more details or to sign up.
ONGOING CLASSES
Don't forget I have ongoing art classes on Mondays... day and evening classes.
Contact me for details!
Happy Holidays to you!
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Turkey off the table...some great
recipes to add to your Thanksgiving meal. While some of us look forward to the
juicy brown bird being carried from the oven to the table on
Thanksgiving Day, there are a great many who opt for a meatless meal.
Rather than just serving the side dishes for your vegetarian guests,
try these recipes and WOW them instead. WINTER SQUASH LASAGNE
2 Tblspn olive oil
2 onions chopped
2 bundles swiss chard, washed,
de-stemmed and chopped
1 teaspn salt
1tspn pepper
½ tspn sage
¼ nutmeg
3cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup cream
½ cup parmesan cheese
Cook onions and chard in olive oil. Add
salt, pepper, sage,nutmeg. Set aside.
Boil lasagne noodles.
Mix pumpkin puree, cream and cheese, ½
tspn sage, 1tspn salt, ¼ nutmeg,
layer noodles, onion, noodles, pumpkin
mix until final layer. Finish with pumpkin mix and top with extra
cheese.
Bake at 400 degrees.
TERI'S FLOPPY SQUASH SOUFFLE.
3 cups pumpkin or butternut puree
½ cup honey
1tspn salt
3 Tablspn flour
¼ tspn nutmeg
¼ cinnamon
3 eggs separated
¼ cup chopped pecans
combine all ingredients up to and
including egg yolks. Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into pumpkin
mix. Pour into souffle dish, top with nuts. Bake 45 min at 350
degrees.
WINTER VEGETABLE CURRY
1 cauliflower head sectioned into
florets
2cups diced pumpkin
3 med. Potatoes scrubbed and diced
1 cup small carrots
2 onions chopped
Cook in 2 tablspn olive oil for 3
minutes stirring frequently
Add
2 chopped garlic cloves
¼ tspn ginger
1 tspn paprika
2 tspn grnd coriander
1 tblspn curry powder
cook 1 minute stirring constantly
Add
1 ¾ cup vegetable stock
2 cups chopped tomatoes
salt top taste.
Cover and simmer 30 minutes
Blend 1 Tblspn corn starch
2/3 cup coconut milk
2- 3 Tblspn ground almonds
Stir in until smooth.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving Meal and let me
know if you do try one of these dishes. I have and they are on my YUM
list!
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Despite how we feel about it, things are changing and among those changes; there are some that are good! We are looking for ways to stop ourselves from getting into the hardships we have ended up in as a result of our haste and poor judgement (areas like the larger economy or personal lifestyle choices). Even with our own well being it seems to me that we are heading toward a meld of holistic remedies and mainstream medicines. Something that has taken years to do. This year, I am determined to make sure that I am keeping a balance in my own lifestyle so that I am healthy enough to cruise through the winter without succumbing to the flu.... we shall see!
I have help though! Brittan Scott of VITALITY WELLNESS STUDIO here in Chico offers some new products ( home made and other product lines) as well as holistic medicines, massage and facials all focused on keeping the body healthy and balanced so that it can repair and stay healthy without stress.
Stress is often one of the larger contributors to colds and flus. We seem to come down with them at a point where we have deadlines to meet, kids to take care of and ...we are out of tissues!
Brittan loves to create wellness and so, I delighted her the other day by having her show me her latest products....Pumpkin seed oil massage salts...great in the bath or scrubbed on before getting in the shower. The sugar scrub stimulates the circulatory and the lymphatics, which are huge in keeping our immune system active. It also sloughs off old skin cells and keeps it from blocking with oils and dirt, on top of that... there is more...pumpkin seed oil is an anti-inflammatory ,it contains Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids as well as Vitamins C, D, E and Zinc which are great for the body and the skin!
Cranberry scrub is also part of the holistic seasonal product available. It is an antibacterial and had strong antioxidant properties (detoxifies the body). So a facial or massage, using these products helps to reduce stress and allows some of Nature's own remedies to work for you!
I had a steam facial that was HEAVEN! The soft cloud of steam allowed the facial creams to work their magic and all I had to do was hope I wasn't snoring!
Brittan has a WHOLE-istic approach to your well being. Come in for a massage and leave armed with knowledge... this is what will help with those aforementioned choices...how to reduce stress and still keep the world spinning, how to relax and how to be sure that you are keeping your health at a premium... using seasonal foods and supplements and helping your body to take care of you this winter season.
Try... meditation, prayer, take up a fun hobby - singing, art, dance, move your body, yoga, swim etc to release toxins and blocked energies; try a healthier version of your favorite comfort food; smile, smile, smile! ( it has been shown to release stress!)
You can reach Brittan at
http://www.vitality-wellnessstudio.com/Services.html
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vitality-Wellness-Studio/172147772814420?sk=info
VITALITY WELLNESS STUDIO
1324 MANGROVE AVE. STE 208
CHICO, CA
530-588 3757
AAA-CHOO!
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Sierra Oro Farm Trail kicks off fabulous Fall foods.
Living in northern California, it is hard to imagine a lack of produce
from season to season. Each week ripe tomatoes, red to the point of
bursting sit beside mysterious purple eggplants and lean cucumbers amid
the chaos of local farmer's markets. Trucks loads travel the highways to
local canneries and then on to the store shelves. Cheeses from the
happiest cows in the world, wines from the sunniest grapes, nuts from
the craziest trees and olive oil from aged groves...just a few products
that originate right here in the California basin that keep our own
tables and local restaurants stocked with fresh, delicious ingredients.
Each area has its own celebration for its celebrity product
http://www.gilroygarlicfestival.com/
http://www.ontheridge.com/appleday.html or, you can pick your own farms
to visit as you make your way across the state...
http://www.calagtour.org/. In the Butte County area north of Sacramento,
the Sierra Oro Farm Trail combines both the feel of a festival with a
tour of local farms and businesses that produce the harvest bounty we
are known for. (https://www.facebook.com/SierraOroFarmTrail?sk=info ).
This
week, I decided to create a simple menu that celebrates the beginning
of Fall and the harvest of our local products. Lets see how many I can
fit in to a three course meal...
Butternut Squash Soup.
2Tblspn butter
1 small onion chopped
1 stalk celery chopped
1 medium carrot peeled and chopped
2 medium potatoes peeled and cubed
32 oz chicken stock
1 medium butternut squash peeled, seeded and cubed (try it roasted first then cubed)
salt pepper to taste
Heat
butter in large pot and saute vegetables until lightly browned. Add
chicken stock to cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer
for 1 hour. Cool. Blend soup in blender. Add more stock for desired
consistency and season to taste.
Olive Pizza
pizza dough
corn meal for dusting
olive oil
2 sweet onions thinly sliced
3 Tablespoon water
3 cloves garlic chopped
10 pitted and chopped black olives
1/3 cup goat cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees
Heat olive oil in pan. Cook onions until golden and soft. Add water, garlic and salt and pepper. Cook down to caramelize.
I use local pizzeria dough bought at pizza restaurants in the area.
Roll dough out to desired thickness on corn meal board.
Spread goat cheese on rolled dough. Spread onion mixture next and top with olives and parmesan cheese.
Bake 10-20 minutes.
Rice Pudding
pre-heat oven to 325 degrees
1 1/2 cups cooked Lundberg white rice
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
4 large eggs beaten
1tspn vanilla extract
1/2 tspn cinnamon
1/4 tspn nutmeg
2/3 cup raisins
Mix all ingredients together and pour into sprayed baking dish. Bake for 30 mins
Stir. Continue cooking additional 20 mins. Should be firm but custardy.
Fall
is a time when we can still eat the fresh garden salads and bring into
play some comfort foods as we start to include our winter gardens in our
menus.
Enjoy the change of season. Eat healthy, local and with deliberation...you really are what you eat!
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I recently completed my first long cycling challenge, well, for me it was long... and well worth the nap after! I have always ridden bikes but never with the intent of keeping up with a 'pack' and never with such a feeling of satisfaction regardless of the loss of feeling elsewhere!
We woke to a crisp fall morning, which is perfect for those of us 50 and over as we are fairly sure we will not over heat during the ride. Breakfast was the first of many delights as I indulged in what is technically called "Carb. Loading"...done before a ride to provide adequate easy energy. Girls, if there is no other reason to ride a bike its this... carb. loading means donuts, waffles with syrup and cookies for breakfast! Now I know it is not what they recommend in the serious sporting magazines, but as there were no magazines around, I felt fairly safe forcing myself through a waffle or two.
The Wheels Around Lake Almanor cycling challenge ( http://www.lakealmanorwala.com/) would circle the 34miles around Lake Almanor in Plumas County, California and take approximately 3 hours. The hand-cyclers lined the roadway and those of us on regular bikes staggered ourselves throughout the pack. Support vehicles waited along the road to ensure all were on their way safely as we found our speed and met the first big climb.
The way I figure it, there are as many "ups" as there are "downs" so as an over all median, I would say it is a flat ride...(though I can't say I felt that way on the hills!) The reward is in coasting down; smile widening with increasing speed...my twelve year old self emerged on the first long down hill slope. No fear. Elbows in, head tucked down. She was free and flying onward!
I am a solid rider as long as I have a goal. If we are just meandering and not going "somewhere special" I am a great big wiener. I start to get tired early and want to go home or buy ice cream. Give me a goal and I will hunker down and do what it takes to get there.
You learn a lot about your self riding.
I learned that though I can talk 24 hours straight most days, once I start pedaling I stop talking. I CAN talk. I just don't. I go inside. I think, I watch the wheel spin, I look around me and see everything in a different way - slower, closer and quieter than when I drive by. I have learned that I tend to ride straight into things I look at. So far that includes a tree and a boulder. I also solve my problems as I ride and plan things I want to create when I can wobble off the bike later...after the nap!
Al, my guy, rode behind me on the uphill. He has been riding longer than I and can move from ambulatory socializing to pedal-power chats with ease. As I said...I don't talk. I can answer you with a 'yes' or 'no', and a quick explanation if needed, but that's all you get. So, we are riding up the hill with a few folk and they are chatting away behind me. This is a good thing, as I get to listen in without breaking my stride. I nod occasionally as though I WOULD join in were it not for the narrow bike lane forcing me to the front...
It is a good thing I smile when I ride. I try to smile anyway (better happy wrinkles than frowns)... but I have actually found this to be the best way to suck in air without the air-krill that are buzzing by. How is it that no matter how fast I go, the bugs keep up? Am I really moving at all or do they fly with me in my airstream? Perhaps I am thinking too hard. Perhaps I loaded too many carbs.
We come to the end of the ride. The final 1/2 mile is the flattest and hardest to finish. Legs are moving as though weighted with stone, slower and slower until the last lean in and a cut across through the traffic to the Elk's Lodge in town. There is a welcoming applause, my smile deepens. I suck in more air and my feet finally hit the earth.
Everyone glows with a mutual achievement. Personal bests are bettered, some (like us) complete the course for the first time, others just enjoyed the ride. We all relax with lunch and beer and promise to return next year.
My eyes close. Nothing can hold me awake as we snake down HWY 32. Home. My nap awaits and eventually I will find the energy to start some of those projects I dreamed up along the way.
Money raised through this event is used directly and wholly to assist those who are disabled and in need of help or equipment. Please go to their website for more information and to support this great cause.
http://www.lakealmanorwala.com/
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I rode past MODERN SPACES AND SHEDS every day and wondered what on earth it was all about. Eventually, I could contain my curiosity no more...so I called the number on the sign... and am I glad I did!
Eric Enns is the creator and builder of these individually designed and custom built units. Each space is created to suit the function and budget of the client, from yoga studios, art studios, home offices and even a guest house addition.
The great thing about Eric's work is that it can all be done without a permit as long as the design conforms to the dimensions of a shed. You can build them bigger, but there would be a permit required if they get beyond the shed specifications.
I was surprised that you can go as high as a 14' ceiling, so when it comes time to build that man cave out back, you can add a loft bed for a new twist to sleeping "in the dog house".
Eric has built them with decks connecting them to the main house, all on their own in the back yard and ready to move on skids. Each comes with options such as fold out beds, storage, track lighting and window options.
You can get more information on this up and coming concept in home design by checking out his web site...http://www.modernspacesandsheds.com/
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Whether you are in a sumptuous castle or a single wide mobile home, you are more likely to want to enjoy the space you have rather than shutting it down. These five tips will help you understand the workings behind the decorating ideas so that you can visually open up any space.
1. DON'T BLOCK THE FLOW....A room has a flow pattern from a doorway to another exit like the window or another door. If it does not have either, you can create that flow by placing a large mirror in the room as a visual escape. Do not block this flow with large bulky furnishings and solid blocks of wall color. The trick is to let the eye wander around the room without being halted by sudden shifts in contrast such as a huge red wall or a solid over-stuffed chair.
2. FURNISHINGS SHOULD BE IN KEEPING WITH THE SCALE OF THE ROOM.... The Swedish had the right idea when they designed all that sleek, contemporary furniture. It maintains the feeling of openess as it allows the eye to see it, but also to see space through it and around it instead of being blocked by a large mass of fabric and pattern. If you prefer softer furnishings, ensure that they are not over-sized for your space. The idea is to keep the space from feeling crowded.
3.CHOOSE COLORS THAT FLOW... Sudden shifts in contrast arrest the eye and make the viewer stop and look. This is great for impact, but it can also feel as though it reduces the size of the room as the contrast will bring the walls closer to you visually. Color is good. It adds character to a space. High intensity colors will begin to close the space in as they direct the eye toward the walls and not around the room.
4.KEEP IT SIMPLE... The French have a way of dressing that suggests one remove an item of jewelry or accessory before leaving the house. This ensures you are not over stated. Small spaces can have a large impact just by placing great furnishings in the right way. If they get cluttered, even the most beautiful piece you have will lose impact. Take a lesson from museums...even though they are huge, objects and art are placed to allow the viewer to appreciate each piece and rest the eye before the next...
5.KEEP IT CLEAN...Uncluttered means tidy too. Keep mirrors and windows sparkling clean and table tops free of clutter. It doesn't matter how large a space may be, if the floor is a landmine of magazines and toys, it will always feel as though you have been cheated on room to move. Get rid of things that do not add to the space... like baking cakes, you can only get so many ingredients in before it weighs the whole thing down.
I hope this helps understand the way in which room decorating can be approached...it works for large spaces too! Enjoy!
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As parents, we hope that what we have installed in our children will be fused with the common-sense God gave the thriving and a deep seated desire to succeed. Other than that, we hope they will be empathetic, efficient workers, polite and balanced....and the cherry on the cake would have to be...clean.
By "clean" I mean that they wash their hands, clean their teeth and keep their abodes in such a way that dropping food on the floor does not negate the 10 second rule. In my case, my daughter has her own cleaning business, so "yay" for me!...Sometimes I even get to experience this phenomenon in my own home...small fee involved...My son however, is more on the 'normal teen male' side of the bar graph. Nothing but the occasional inexplicable urge to clean up his environment can get him to clean his room. In most cases the door just remains closed and things get slid in and out...mostly in. I am still waiting for the other half of my dinnerware to reappear in the kitchen cupboards, but that may have to wait until he moves out this fall.
As he prepares to leave his den, I am preparing a list for him should he ever wonder what it takes to keep life from returning to the tar pits.
Here's the list so far...
1.Washing dishes daily not only keeps you supplied with dishes, but keeps the bug population from expanding.
2.Hanging freshly laundered clothes while they are still warm can actually replace ironing them...in some cases. It will also help organize the 'clean' from the 'dirty' pile and eliminate the sniff test.
3.Speaking of the "sniff test"... showering, shampooing and shaving each day is of benefit to the entire community and so, can be used as community service credits.
4.Laundromats have internet service and are usually located by food stores. You will be able to survive the entire wash cycle cloistered in the laundromat... wash your clothes!
5.Buy clothes that do not need ironing. Just have the one spectacular shirt, tie and pants clean and ready to go for those job interviews...
6.The vacuum cleaner is a machine. Guys like machines. This is a great machine to use at least once a week... or before and after guests.
7.You can save money by decreasing purchases of fast food, soda, alcohol and red plastic cups.
8.You should NOT save money by buying cheap toilet paper, using dish soap for laundry or using both sides of your underwear.
9.Learn to cook. It will save you money, keep you healthy and impress your friends.
10. If all else fails, have odor absorbing gels and sprays available at all times. Not only is it a courteous thing to do, but in some cases it will be the only thing between you and a social life.
If in doubt, I would also suggest finding a local store that can supply you with all your cleaning needs. In this case - CATHY'S SEW AND VAC. is it!
CATHY'S SEW AND VAC.
2418 COHASSET RD
CHICO
http://www.cathyssewandvac.com/
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