Strawberries and Shades

Today is Pick Strawberries Day.

Although here in Wisconsin, it's about one month too early to be able to go to a berry patch and pick a quart or two. I love to make strawberry jam. The sweet smell that permeates the kitchen, the luscious red color in the jam jars, and the fact that I will be able to savor the sweet taste far into the cold winter months makes the task of picking them so worthwhile!

Here is a "little bit" of strawberry trivia and folklore for you to impress your friends and family:

• The strawberry was a symbol for Venus, the Goddess of Love, because of its heart shape and red color.


• If you find a double strawberry, break it in half and share it with a member of the opposite sex, you will soon fall in love with each other.


• To symbolize perfection and righteousness, medieval stone masons carved strawberry designs on altars and around the tops of pillars in churches and cathedrals.


• The strawberry is a member of the rose family and is the only fruit with seeds on the outside rather than the inside.

I also shared this recipe for "Chocolate Berry Shortcake":
2 c. baking mix 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg ¾ c. low-fat vanilla yogurt
3 Tbsp. honey 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 c. sliced strawberries 1 Tbsp. sugar
1 ½ c. sweetened whipped cream or nondairy whipped topping
Preheat oven to 425. Combine baking mix, cocoa & nutmeg in medium bowl; mix well. Add yogurt, honey & oil, stirring until a soft dough forms. Drop dough by large spoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet, 1” apart forming 6 shortcakes. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Place baking sheet on wire rack & cool for 20 minutes. Combine strawberries & sugar in small bowl. Slice each cooled shortcake in half horizontally; place bottom halves on individual plates. Divide whipped cream and strawberries among shortcake bottoms. Top with remaining shortcake halves. Serve immediately.

It sounds YUMMY doesn't it?

If you have always been a fan of the children's classic, "Goodnight, Moon" then you'll want to be sure to get a copy of the new book, "The Fathers Are Coming Home".

Although Margaret Wise Brown (author of Goodnight, Moon, passed away in 1952, over 70 of her manuscripts were recently found in an old cedar trunk in a barn on her sister's farm. This new book was written to honor all the men (and fathers) that were soon to be coming home from WWII and its classic rhythm and lyrics will resonate with children and families today. (It would make a great fathers day gift idea!)

We also talked about wearing sunglasses. Just as it's so important to wear sunscreen, you need to protect your eyes. If you're going to be purchasing new "shades" for the summer make sure that the label says "99% or 100% unltraviolet blocking" instead of just "UV protection".

May is the month for many celebrations including Mother's Day and I am blogging this at almost the end of the month!

Experts say it takes 21 days to create a "habit" and so I am really going to try to blog for the next 21 days. My thought is that after 3 weeks, I will have carved out time in my hectic, busy day and I will be more inclined to be sure to get my thoughts down regarding the show, or the books I've read, or the interesting bits of information I can share with you.

I've had some GREAT interviews and read some very interesting books this month.
If you are looking for a great birthday gift for a girlfriend, sister or just a great read for yourself get a copy of "Life's Too Short to fold Fitted Sheets"-by Lisa Quinn. There are some great shortcuts and tips for cleaning, entertaining and just getting yourself a little more organized without feeling that you have to "do it all". Lisa also gives permission for "Tiara Time" - a chapter in the book that you will want to check out.

"How to have your second child first" by Kerry Colburn and Rob Sorensen, is a great book for first time parents. The book is sprinkled with humor and lots of practical tips and advice. Tip #1 is: you don't need to buy all that stuff!" It's a great reference book for both MOM and DAD.

While reading "52 Loaves, by William Alexander", I had the strongest urge for a piece of fresh baked, crusty, warm, French bread! William covers the 6000 year history of a food that uses only four ingredients: flour, salt, water and yeast. He sets out trying to bake the "perfect loaf of bread (one loaf per week) and chronicles his journey to achieve his quest.

Whether you are a history buff, a poetry lover, or follower of Emily Dickenson, you may want to pick up a copy of "Maid as Muse", by Aife Murray. She shows us how the servants in Emily Dickenson's life influenced her life and the poetry she wrote. Beside her poetry, Emily Dickensen was also a wonderful baker and included in the book are many of her recipes.

If you're ready to start your spring cleaning (the weather hasn't really been warm enough for me to tackle my windows!), you can clean almost everything in your home with plain soap, baking soda and vinegar.
Kitchen and bathroom floors: (not recommended for wood floors): Use vinegar, either straight or mixed with water. Vinegar and a stiff brush will work great for cleaning grout as well.
Sinks: make your own sink scrub with one part vinegar and flour parts baking soda. Scrub on the paste, let sit for a few minutes and rinse.
Tubs and toilets: Spray with vinegar; sprinkle with baking soda. Scrub and rinse clean.
Windows: Spray with vinegar; wipe with crumpled newspaper or a lint-free towel. Avoid streaks by not clenaing windows in direct sunlight.
Carpets: To absorb odors, shake baking soda over carpet; then vacuum. For spot cleaning, spray vinegar and scrub with clean towel. Don't worry about the vinegar smell, it won't last long.

Animals and Alzheimers

On Thursday, I had the chance to interview Dr. David Dosa, author of the book, "Making Rounds with Oscar-The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat." Although I'm not really a "cat lover", I had read excerpts of the book in both Guideposts and Readers Digest and knew that I wanted to learn more about Oscar. In case you aren't familiar with the story-Oscar is a cat that resides at a nursing home in Rhode Island and he has the uncanny ability to know when one of the residents is near death. He will climb up on their bed, or the window sill and hold his vigil until they have passed on. The book is touching and inspiring. Over 5 million Americans are afflicted with this some form of dementia and the book also addresses the many issues of caring for a loved one with this disease. It will introduce some topics that may be difficult, but that need to be discussed.

It is so important to eat a good breakfast! If you are "crunched" for time in the morning, try one of the following:
Morning Monte Cristo- Top a low fat whole grain waffle with 3 slices of honey baked deli ham and 1 oz. reduced fat Swiss cheese. Place in toaster oven toast until cheese melts. Remove from oven and drizzle with 1 tsp. light pancake syrup; top with 2nd toasted waffle.
Banana'wich-Spread 1 tsp. peanut butter on hot dog bun. Add 1 small banana, sliced, and drizzle with 1/2 tsp. honey.
Eggs-in-a-wrap-Spread 1 oz. goat cheese on 100-calorie whole wheat wrap. Add 1 egg, scrambled, and 1 c. baby spinach leaves; fold wrap.

Happy Birthday to my daughter Sarah-
~the start of a whole new decade to explore and enjoy!

Attitude and Asparagus

One of my favorite quotes is :

"The way choose to see the world, creates the world we see"


It's all about attitude. If I surround myself with negative thinking and negative energy, that's how I will view everything. It's easy to get down, depressed and feeling sorry for myself. If I choose to be optimistic, look on the bright side and decide to make lemons from lemonade-my day will go much better, my outlook will improve and everything will run more smoothly. I'll be able to adjust to the bumps in the road.

I have not been keeping up with my blog, of late. I plan to change my attitude and to make time to share my thoughts and the interesting things I learn and share with my listeners.



Fresh fruits and vegetables! There's nothing better (well, maybe chocolate, but that's another story!) This is the time of year for sugar snap peas, spinach, mushrooms and asparagus...

My Dad, who is a very "particular" food connoisseur-loves asparagus. I served it at Easter dinner and was suprised that he would even try it. He shared the story of how as a young boy, he and his father would pick the vegetable as it grew along the side of the road. Food can be very powerful in invoking memories and emotions. I'm sure my Dad remembers those great times with his father whenever he tastes the great flavor of this wonderful spring vegetable.



If you haven't tried it lately here are a few tips:
Wash well to remove sand and grit. Trim by snapping the bottoms. Take several spears at a time and bend them an inch or so from the bottom until the woody, dry sections naturally break off.

Choose your cooking method:
Steamed: Pour 1" water into a 12" skillet with a tight fitting lid. Insert a collapsible steamer basket. Bring water to a boil over medium high heat. Add the trimmed asparagus, cover and steam until fork tender (about 4-6 minutes, depending on thickness).

Roasted: Heat oven to 425 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss trimmed asparagus with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and 1/4 tsp. of both salt and pepper. Roast until tender, about 8-10 minutes-depending on thickness.

Grilled: Heat outdoor grill or indoor grill pan. IN large bowl, toss trimmed asparagus with 1 Tbsp. olive oil and 1/4 tsp. each salt & pepper. Place spears flat across grill top in opposite direction of grill grate. Grill 3 minutes. Using tongs, rotate spears and cook until tender, about
2-3 minutes longer.

Careers and Crockpots

Another great book interview today with author, Harvey Mackay. Fortune Magazine refers to him as "Mr. Make Things Happen". He talked about his new book, "Use Your Head to Get Your Foot in the Door".

If you are looking for a job or know someone who is unemployed this is a great career resource book. Harvey will help you prep for the interview with a chapter that highlights a 44 question checklist. He discusses attitude, how to create a job application video (a very interesting concept), how to constructively think about your next job while you are still employed and maybe the most interesting concept: the invisble web. We all know that it's important to do research on the company you are going to be interviewing with. This technique will "humanize" your interview and create a more personal connection if you can search out "personal" information about your prospective employer (hobbies, interests, etc.) before the interview. Harvey did his research. He had checked out my blog and knew my interests and hobbies and introduced them into our conversation. His comprehensive book covers everything you need to know AND he offers a money back guarantee! You can access his website at www.harveymackay.com and click on the "job secrets" toolbar.


I found another great website that I'd like to share. www.50plusfriends.com If you like to use your crockpot this is a "must bookmark" site. You can find recipes for any category-appetizers, meat, fish, desserts-almost anything you can think of. All you need to do is click on the appropriate category and it brings up the recipe! Very easy and the recipes look good, too. Check it out and if you try one of the recipes, let me know the results.

Great guest line up for next week's show.
On Monday, 2/22 we'll talk with Pamela Yellin about her book: "Bank on Yourself"
On Thursday: 2/25 we'll have Sue Frederick. Her book, "I Can See Your Dream Job" generated a lot of fun and excitement when I spoke with her last fall. She will be taking calls so if you would like her to give you a quick overview of what you REALLY should be doing she will just need your birthdate. Should be another facinating interview!
And then on Friday, 2/26, we are going to talk to Tracy Trivas about her new book "The Wish Stealers". Fiction that is geared toward pre-teens but a fascinating story with a great lesson.

I am a big believer in quotes. From time to time I will pass some of my favorites on to you. Today's quote comes from Mark Twain:
"If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything"

Happiness Project

If you missed the program today, I talked with Gretchen Rubin author of a great new book,
"The Happiness Project: Or Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle and Generally Have More Fun".

It is a great book and one I highly recommend!

Gretchen spent one year trying to be "happier". Focusing on a different subject each month, she made resolutions and then charted them. For the month of March she focused on work-her challenge was to "aim higher". Are you happy at work? Are you happy with the kind of work (career) that you do? Check out Gretchen's website www.happiness-project.com or pick up a copy of her book. It's a facinating concept. If we all try to make our homes, family relationships, friendships and workplace just a little bit "happier" we'd all reap the benefits.

I also found a GREAT website: www.stilltasty.com. If you aren't sure about the food in your refrigerator or pantry, this is the place to go. Just type in the food or beverage, indicate how long you've had it and you'll find information as to its "shelf life" in both the fridge or the freezer. It's also great to check those spices and other staples that have been sittin on your shelves. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Saturday, February 13th, 2010

Happy Valentine's Day!







Are you hoping to receive flowers, or better yet, roses for Valentine's Day?
Here are a few tips to lengthen their life and enhance their beauty:


*Select a vase that is half as tall as your flowers

*Cut off any leaves or thorns that will be below the water line. (Wear
gardening gloves to protect your hands).

*Hold stems under running water and cut off at least 1".

*Place taller stems in center and arrange shorter ones at edges.

*Fill in with greens and or baby's breath


*Keep away from direct heat or sunlight and drafts.

*Add fresh water regularly and continue to snip stems, about 1/4"-1/2"
every time you change the water.