A Christmas Poem

We, Angels and Mortals, Believers and Nonbelievers,
Look heavenward and speak the word aloud.
Peace. We look at our world and speak the word aloud.
Peace. We look at each other, then into ourselves,
And we say without shyness or apology or hesitation:

Peace, My Brother.
Peace, My Sister.
Peace, My Soul.

This is excerpt from the poem, Amazing Peace, that was read by Maya Angelou at the lighting of the National Christmas Tree (2005).

The Girl Effect

Two weeks ago, I watched an Oprah show that resonated with me. Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, co-authors of Half the Sky talked about the Girl Effect.

What is the Girl Effect?

There are 600 million adolescent girls living in poverty in the developing world. By giving one of these girls a chance, you start the girl effect. When girls have safe places to meet, education, legal protection, health care, and access to training and job skills, they can thrive. And if they thrive, everyone around them thrives too.

Watch the following video

Sharing Recipes--Eggnog

It wouldn't be Christmas without eggnog. This recipe has been in my family for years.

Enjoy!


Ingredients

6 cups cold milk
6 eggs
12 tsp sugar
3 tsp vanilla
6 scoops ice cream
Nutmeg

Procedure

• Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl.
  

• Using a blender, mix until smooth.

• Cool in the refrigerator.

• Pour into punch cups and sprinkle with nutmeg.

Makes 12 servings

Mushroom Magic

A study of 2000 Chinese women found that daily consumption of mushrooms (more than 10 grams) reduced the risk of breast cancer by 64%. Mushrooms are loaded with conjugated linoleic acid, a compound that helps protect against the too-high levels of estrogen linked to some breast cancers. They also provide potassium, selenium, riboflavin, thiamine, folate, Vitamin B6, and zinc.

In a recent article, Dr. Oz proposed a few mushroom makeovers that could slash calories and saturated fat. Simply replacing some of the ground beef in such dishes as lasagna and chili can result in 420 fewer calories, and the mushroom makeovers taste just as good as the all-beef versions.

A few tips...

• When buying mushrooms, look for firm buttons with no bruises.
  

• Flavour develops as the mushrooms grow, so the largest of any variety have the most flavour.

• Do not store mushrooms in cling wrap or plastic. Place them in paper bags and store in the vegetable crisper of the refrigerator.

• Five days should be the maximum storage time in the refrigerator.

• Rinse mushrooms just before using them, but do not peel them or remove the stalks. the nutrition of mushrooms is just under the skin and will be lost by peeling. Just slice, quarter, or chop with the skins intact.
  

• Cook mushrooms quickly. If using them in a slow dish such as a casserole, add the mushrooms for the last 20 minutes.

Are You A Carrot, Egg, Or Coffee Bean?

When life throws you in hot water, you can choose to be a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean.

The carrot goes in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softens and becomes weak.

The egg is fragile: its thin outer shell protects its liquid center. But, after sitting in boiling water, its insides harden.

The ground coffee beans are unique. They change the boiling water.

When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond?

Are you like the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity, wilts and becomes soft?

Are you like the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat and acquires a stiff spirit and a hardened heart?

Or, are you like the coffee bean that actually changes the hot water--the very circumstances that bring the pain? If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you instead of letting it change you.

Dieting on a Budget

As the temperature falls, many of us start to crave more carbohydrates. Breads, pasta dishes, and desserts are tempting fare on cold, blustery days. But, over-indulgence can result in unwanted pounds. So, it makes sense to be carb smart:

Consider the following tips:

• Look for the phrase "whole grain" on ingredient lists. Whole grains will help improve blood glucose and cholesterol readings.

• Stretch out servings of starchy foods like pasta and rice by adding plenty of low-calorie vegetables to the mix. For example, adding a cup of sauteed mushrooms and peppers to a cup of pasta will double the portion without adding too many calories.

• When baking items like muffins, increase the recipe yield. Make 15 smaller muffins instead of the 12 called for in the recipe. Be sure to adjust baking times.

• Substitute whole grain bread crumbs for regular ones.

• Use whole wheat flour for part of the all-purpose flour called for in cookies and muffins.
  

A Bit of Humour

Children were lined up in the cafeteria for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. Someone had written a note and placed it next to the apples. It read, "Take only one. God is watching."

A large platter of chocolate chip cookies was placed at the opposite end of the table. One little boy wrote the following note and placed it next to the cookies, "Take all you want. God is watching the apples."

Source: God Jokes

Sharing Recipes--Francesca's Chocolate Snowballs

Growing up, this was one of my favourite Christmas treats. Each year, my mother (Francesca) would make a few batches of these snowballs during the holiday season.

Enjoy!


Ingredients

4 ounces Kraft Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp milk
2 cups icing sugar
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1/4 tsp vanilla
Dash of salt
3 cups Kraft miniature marshmallows
2 cups coconut (amount may vary)

Procedure

• Combine softened cream cheese and milk until well blended.
• Gradually add sugar.
• Melt chocolate and add to mixture.
• Stir in vanilla and salt.
• Fold in marshmallows.
• Drop rounded teaspoons of the mixture in coconut and toss until well covered.
• Place on baking sheet.
• Chill for 24 hours or until firm.

Makes 36 snowballs

Do You Have A Missing Tile?

In his book, Happiness Is A Serious Problem, Dennis Prager talks about the Missing Tile Syndrome.

According to Prager, many of us suffer from this syndrome and are very effective at sabotaging our happiness. Whenever we look at something or someone in our lives, we fixate on the smallest of flaws and ignore everything else. In the book, Prager mentions a conversation he had with a bald man who was very sensitive about his hair loss. Whenever he entered a room, all he saw was hair--other people's hair.

Prager advises us to identify the missing tile in our lives and then follow one of these steps:

• Get it.

• Replace it with a different tile.

• Forget about it and focus on the tiles in your life that are not missing.