Brain Power

Do any of you remember the "old" public television ads, "the more you know"? As a kid I just thought it was a catchy little phrase and as an adult I think yep 'tis true. So I'm on this journey in life to be a better me or at the very least a good me and hopefully help a few people be gooder thems too. (No I'm not illiterate it's just funny to use poor language sometimes.) Part of this journey is my love for food and being a know it all wanting to learn more and more about how food works and doesn't work with our bodies. Many of us could give two shakes about where are food comes from or what the lives of those who produce it are like. It's human nature to tune out the world that isn't in front of our face.
I do find fads and new miracle products rather interesting though and always like to do a little investigating to see how long something has been popular, if it was popular in another country before it was popular here, weigh the health benefits and risks, and learn about where it comes from. One example is the coconut oil craze. I admit I have some in my kitchen. I used it once in a vegan recipe when a dear vegan friend came to stay with me for a short visit. I vaguely knew that coconut oil wasn't the healthy miracle oil that it was being touted to be. It wasn't until I got involved with Wildtree that I learned how truly unhealthy coconut oil is! Making small changes in your kitchen is one step to a healthier family. Don't fall for the fads and do a little research before you invest. There just might some big corporate giant behind the news flash of "healthy" benefits their product offers. As you can see by the diagram below coconut oil is higher in saturated fat (the artery blocker) than any other oil!

And you are probably saying but BY GOD grapeseed oil is sooo high in poly unsaturated fat. Here's a great link for a quick education on how fats work to help and hurt our bodies http://www.nutristrategy.com/nutrition/fat.htm:

Saturated Fat:

• Function: tends to increase blood cholesterol levels.
• Sources: found mostly in meat and dairy products, as well as some vegetable oils, such as coconut and palm oils (tropical oils). Butter is high in saturated fat, while margarine tends to have more unsaturated fat. Most saturated fats tend to be solid at room temperature, with the exception of tropical oils.

Polyunsaturated Fat:

• Function: tends to lower blood cholesterol levels
• Sources: found mostly in plant sources. (safflower, sunflower, soybean, corn, cottonseed)

Monounsaturated Fat:

• Function: tends to lower LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol)
• Sources: found in both plant and animal products, such as olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, and in some plant foods such as avocado

As you probably know by some of my other posts I feel that our health is one of the few things we can try to maintain some control over in our lives. No my health insurance isn't really any cheaper if I stay healthy BUT in the long run if we all adopt a semi-healthy and semi-responsible attitude about our health maybe just maybe something in this country will change. This is the first generation of kids to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. Adults are not faring any better… 90% of Americans have one or more of the following: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, or are overweight – 90%! Why? The biggest reason is the food we eat. Virtually everything in the grocery store is full of sugars, hydrogenated oils, super high levels of sodium, preservatives, chemicals and dyes. If you do a google search, you’ll find dozens of studies that clearly show these foods are the biggest cause of our health problems.
With a few easy tricks, you can resolve to cook and eat healthier in 2013:

1. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store. Fresh produce, dairy and meats are found in the outside aisles. These items are less expensive than the processed, pre-packaged foods plus they are all natural and don’t contain added sugars and hydrogenated fats. Most Americans then shop the center of the grocery store for mixes and ingredients. Instead, I get these things from Wildtree. Wildtree is an all-natural, organic food company that offers everything from appetizers to desserts and everything in between. Wildtree^® products have no MSGs, no preservatives, no chemicals, no dyes and are nut free with low-to no levels of sodium and sugar Wildtree also offers Gluten Free products.
2. Use Grapeseed Oil, the “Miracle Frying Oil.” While grapeseed oil is healthy, I love its cooking properties. The flash point is 420°, so you won’t burn the oil. And the infusions are fabulous! Pop popcorn in the butter oil. Sauté veggies in the garlic oil. Brush meats with the hickory oil before grilling. Use the basil pesto oil on pasta salad or drizzle it on steamed veggies. These oils are the biggest reason why my food tastes good.
3. Plan your meals in advance. According to Consumer Reports, Americans who don’t menu plan throw away $20 for every $100 spent by buying things that go unused. Who wants to take $20 out of their wallet and throw it directly in the waste can? That’s why I menu plan with Freezer Meals! This saves me time and money, plus gives me a peace of mind knowing that I have a healthy and delicious meal ready for my family.

Freezer Meals

There are more than 90 Wildtree Freezer Meal Recipes, so I shop in bulk or buy protein when it’s on sale. Then I prep all my meals at one time and freeze them until I need them. You can even host a “freezing party,” so you and your friends go home with 10 meals (4-6 adult portions) or 20 meals (for smaller families) that are freezer-ready. It’s fast, fun and social!
For more information on prepping healthy meals, feel free to contact me at:

Serena
www.mywildtree.com/serenar/

You Aren't What You Eat

Yeah yeah you've all heard it more than a million times right? I was reading a friend's post on Facebook the other night ranting about the barrage of post in her feed about healthy lifestyles, the bragging about "my eating habits are better than yours", I exercise so I am a god, etc etc. I guess I am the type of person that if I am passionate about something I want to share, not in an I'm better than you way but in a give it a try IF you're interested and I want you to be the best you and happy and healthy and all that jazz kind of way. It's everyone's privilege to rant on Facebook just as it's everyone's privilege to gloat, boast, share, and discover on Facebook. I tend to just ignore those that I think are dopes and keep on scrolling past whatever self-invovled, snotty, political, religious, or other drivel they are pedaling for the day, keeps me less stressed and overall more happy with my life choices. If I just can't take your nonsense anymore well there's always the "unfriending" option. Alright I didn't intend this to be a Facebook etiquette commentary.

So as the title of this post states you aren't what you eat! Exactly, as I dive further into the world of Wildtree products I learn more everyday just how F*ed up our food supply has become. I get it that it's partially due to the explosion of the human population yada yada that we "need" all of these foods to be highly processed and filled with chemicals to maintain an average shelf life of say 5 years in order for the big corporate giants to reduce waste and increase profits. Sarcasm, yeah you got it. Don't get me wrong I am by no means on some high horse shopping at the local coop 5 times a week buying organic dandelion greens and free range, hand fed, hugged daily chickens as a staple of my household. The fact of the matter is the arrangement my other half and I have is that I cover the groceries for six people, handle the meal planing and cooking, and a few other household expenses and my regular expenses in exchange for his contribution to the majority of the other bills like the mortgage and utilities etc. This usually works but truth be told 100% organic probably isn't an option if I want to continue to make my car payment every month!

OK after that rant here's the point, if I can make small changes in my household and take some control over my health and the health of my family I will. I try to buy meats that offer anti-biotic and hormone free grown options, not use crazy cleaning chemicals in the house when possible, AND pay closer attention to all those extra little pharmaceutical sounding ingredients in the everyday foods I use. Before I was introduced to Wildtree I paid a little attention but really never did much investigating. Come to find out even products like that little packet of taco seasoning most of us grew up with on taco Tuesdays contains a common ingredient found in pesticides and pet food that is known to cause health issues in animals and is toxic to fish! So why in the HELL would I want to put this in my body? See below.

Call me crazy, call me a food snob, call me a big ole B if you want but the way I see it if I can take some responsibility for my health, hopefully avoid a family history of breast cancer, teach my children the value of making good choices, and maybe not treat the health care system as the band aide it is then well ultimately I feel better about myself. If I can help someone else make a better choice, learn something new, be available for support, and help them realize the government and health care system as they are now are not our friends when it comes to making healthy choices then I feel great about myself.

So sorry for the annoyance of clogging up your Facebook feed in advance! I'm just really excited. www.wildtree.com/serenar/

Cheers to good choices,

Serena

In the Mind's Eye

     Many people talk about super natural experiences they can't explain. Seeing a random outline of something that looks remotely human now and again in their home or things not being where you swear you left them. I've always wanted to believe and not believe at the same time. As a kid I swore my great grandma lived in our basement after she passed away. Why should would choose the dark, damp, basement of a rambler nowhere near where she had lived her life I never could figure out. I remember playing in our cool basement on the concrete floor with the walls painted with 70's stripes. On either side were two louvered doors, one leading to the laundry room and the other the storage room. I would often turn on the light in the laundry room when I would play in the basement because something just didn't feel right. Before heading upstairs I'd flip the light off, race to the top of the stairs, feet pounding them like my life depended on it, whip around and shut the basement light off. My heart racing, like I'd just been chased up the stairs by one of those monsters from the movie Critters, I'd stare back down the stairs in shock that the laundry room light was on.

     Over the years and even as a young adult I felt something wasn't right about that basement. As a kid I would start to pay extra close attention and care to turning off the light in the laundry room. It never failed, I'd reach the top of the stairs and the light would be on! Never could explain it and didn't confess this to my mother until just a few years ago. This brings me to my most recent experience. The house I currently live in gave me a funny feeling long before I moved in while dating my other half. Again something just wasn't right. A few weeks ago I awoke from a very deep sleep. One of those awakenings where you aren't sure if you are really still asleep or awake. As I started to come to I saw what seemed to be a light from something like an ambulance or police car whirling and flashing through the crack in the curtains. There was someone standing at the window looking outside to see what was going on. I started to call my other half's name when I realized the man standing there, tall, dark haired, and very thin couldn't have been my boyfriend. I ducked my head under the covers and went back to sleep.
     Come to find out my boyfriend has felt and seen similar things elsewhere in our home! Eeeek! Ha! We accidentally discovered this over dinner one night when I again confessed my sighting. No harm has come of us and I've been told to leave well enough alone. Maybe just a young man passing through his childhood home, who knows.
     I think I do know that the universe is a complex place and certainly energy knows no end. I also know I don't watch scary movies because they get stuck in my head, ha! Poke fun at me if you will but no doubt some of you have experienced similar things you cannot explain. I just wanted to share my story because I keep getting freaked out!

Funny is as Funny Does

Just so you all know who you're dealing with here, yeah that's me doing my best Julia Child impersonation. And yeah I really am such a big dork I've watched this video of MYSELF 101 times and laugh every time. The way I see it life is WAY to short and complicated and messy to take yourself very serious. I love to laugh and I love getting a laugh out of other people even more. Now whether the laugh is intentional or by something stupid I've said or done it doesn't really matter. Funny is funny no matter which way you spin it. This was part of an self introduction video I did for our annual company meeting back in November 2012. The subject was, "Your most favorite thing to do in the whole world." Well obviously my favorite thing is cooking. My children actually asked me why my most favorite thing in the whole world wasn't them and I told them, "Well I can't eat you"!

 

Enjoy!

Serena

PS Sorry about the little logo thing in the video, novice blogger here.

An Open Letter to My Kids....

Maybe someday you will ask or maybe you won't but hopefully this information will tell you more about what made me who I am.

• Loved to ice skate by myself for hours at the local outdoor ice rink when I was in grade school.
• A new housing development was going up one year and there was a gigantic pile of dirt, must have been 25 or 30 feet high, Grandpa would take Aunt Vanessa and I to it during the winter and we would sled down it out onto the frozen pond.
• Before Aunty Ness was born I used to go with Grandpa to the model airplane fields and spend all day watching him fly the small planes. There was a funky old outhouse that he would take me too and always hold the door open a little because it was dark and full of spiders. He would give me rides on his shoulders and taught me to suck the nectar out of the purple clover there. I remember riding in his pickup, in a brown plastic booster seat (like you see in restaurants) and hitting a bump on the way out of the field and sliding down the seat and under the seat belt.
• Sometimes I'd go with Grandpa to the airport when he needed to check on something over a weekend. The hangers always seemed so huge and scary and smelled like oil, they were cool and dark. He'd always tell me to watch my head as we walked under the airplane wings, but really I think he did it to remind himself not to hit his own head.
• Grandpa would take me up in a bright blue and yellow stunt plane that he took care of for Albert Baggs, the name of the plane was the Funk.
• Grandma was full of adventures when we were kids. We traveled all over, Chinatown in Chicago was always a favorite. We would stop in the funny shops and get rice candy and surprise gift. The surprise gift came wrapped in Chinese newspaper and was usually $1. We would get lost a lot and often end up in not so nice neighborhoods but Grandma always figured out where to go. We went to the hologram museum and played at the beach. One time Grandma to my best friend Cheryl and I to the beach at Lake Shore Drive. We got all wet and didn't have any extra clothes so we took our clothes off quick in the parking lot and put on tee shirts for the ride home. We thought it was very funny. When I got older Grandma and I would always go to Penny's Noodles in the pot for Thai food and then we'd go to the shops on Belmont, The Alley, the army surplus store and the thrift stores were always my favorite.
• One of the funniest trips we took with Grandma was to Indianapolis, IN. I don't think she had much of a plan during that trip. We were in a restaurant when she asked the waitress if there were any good and cheap places to stay. The waitress replied that her roommates were out of town touring with the Grateful Dead and we could stay with her if we wanted, we did!!! We ate at a funny little diner called The Canary Cafe and Grandma scared us by driving down a big one-way street the wrong way!
• Dawn dish soap, the original blue, and saw dust remind me of my Dad. He'd always come home after work and scrub up and Dawn removed the grease. The house smelled like saw dust most weekends I can remember as a kid as Dad was always working on the house.
• Grandma Nonie, your great great Grandma, was feisty as anything. She always wore sequined tops to family gatherings, demanded real wine, and was sharp as a tack right up to the very end.
• From 6th grade through 8th grade I played the flute and marched in the Mokena Meteors marching band. Band was always before school started so I was always up very early. During the summer I would ride my bike up to the junior high for marching band practice and loved marching in the parades. Our uniforms were wool and scratchy and hot and the hats were heavy but it was still fun. I was 2nd chair flute all through junior high even though I challenge the first chair flute, Amy Rice, a few times I never did beat her. I always thought our band instructor, Mr. Lamb, could tell who what playing during the challenge. He had one bad eye, I think it was glass, and he seemed like he was 1,000 years old back then. He loved classic rock, well what we kids considered classic rock, and those were always the songs we learn in band and music class. I played in the pep band too. Louie Louie was always my favorite song to play. I hated solo and ensemble competition as I had horrible stage fright, sometimes not even making it through my piece without crying. I won many medals and eventually learned to get over the stage fright. I decided not to keep going with band once I reached high school as it was like a full-time job at the high school level and I wanted to do other things.
• I started Girl Scouts in 1st grade and stayed with it through 8th grade. My favorite part of Girl Scouts were the trips we would work toward each year. One year we went to Mackinac Island in Michigan, one year Washington DC, and one year to Turkey Run Indian (that's where we tipped the canoe).
• We went to Great Grandma Tippy's house almost every summer when I was a kid. (Grandma with the Cows as you guys called her). She got her name when I was little. She had a dog named Tippy that I recall walking with a limp but I might be wrong. I couldn't keep the Grandparents straight so I started calling her Grandma Tippy and the name stuck.
• I used to make mud pies at Grandma Tippy's house for fun and look at the shells she always had in the gardens.
• Often I would walk down to the levee from Grandma Tippy's house. It was always fun and mysterious because it was such a different place than home. Walking down the dirt road in between the tractor ruts looking for ducks and muskrats and the occasional skunk in the fields or in the drainage ditch. Sometimes I would see decoy ducks floating that a hunter had left. The levee was always fun. I'd look for shells or pretty rocks but mostly it was just neat because I was up high and could see all around and it was always cooler there by the river.
• Your Great Great Grandmother Melba's house was just across the cow pasture from Grandma Tippy's house. I only remember going in it once but it hadn't been lived in for many many years. When Great Grandma Tippy grew up there they didn't have electricity until she was maybe 8.
• I remember Great Grandpa George (Grandma Tippy's husband) taking me for rides on the tractor and he let me "drive" it once. I remember feeling like I was going to crash it. He would take me into town to the general store and I'd get candy corn when I'd come to visit. I'd always eat the white ends off first. They taste the best. He passed away when I was about 6 or 7.
• Grandpa George worked at the grain elevator up by the levee where they would store the grain and fill barges with it. He took me up there once when they were filling a barge and it was very very noisy.

To be continued....

What We Don't Know.....

I have become painfully aware of how little I know about my parents, not who they are as my parents, but who they are as people. What did they accomplish as children, what things did they do that they aren't so proud of, who did they dream of being, what sort of things did their parents do that they hated as kids, what were family gatherings like, etc. Maybe I just wasn't listening those twenty some years I was home, maybe I was too self-absorbed being a kid or trying to figure out who I wanted to be to care about who they were.

As my Dad's 60th birthday has come and gone and a recent visit to Chicago I'm left with a lump in my throat telling me I don't have forever with them. This may be a morbid thought but it's also a progressive one. Humans are innately sentimental, at least I believe this to be true, over our past, our history, and what events have shaped us to be who we are. We wouldn't spend billions on therapy, self-discovery, and self-help books if we didn't give a shake about the things that happen to us and to those that came before us. We'd simply be one sheep following one another until we met our maker.

My Grandma Tippy had the forethought to compose two small booklets about her childhood some years ago in which she presented copies to all of us each Christmas. I cherish those books and actually keep them in my safe. They are a story, in her own words, of what life was like back when. Tales that seems like fiction, that just couldn't be true; riding horses to school, deep poverty, an orange as a prized Christmas gift. It was after reading those booklets, complete with images she'd drawn herself, that I understood a bit more about who she was as a person, as my Grandmother.

I don't think I am alone in that we so often long to know more about someone after it's to late to ask questions. We don't want to be rude or pry about what their lives were like and unless that person is forward and open about their life we just never assume to ask. Do my kids know that I was second chair flute all through grade school? Do they know I won several first place ribbons in my high school senior art exhibit? Do they know that I once canoed down a river and tipped over in chest deep rapids? Do they care, will they want to know?

This blog was created not as a place of self-promotion but almost as an open working journal, that if kept up long enough, might just become a place my children can come to learn about their crazy mother and her life's experiences. Make a list of all the things you've done in your life, good and bad, add to it as you remember them, ask questions of your parents and Grandparents, keep it in a safe place and someday that might just be the best gift you could ever give to your kids. Sometimes understanding the way someone came to be who they are can give you a greater appreciation for why they do the things they do. There may just be a reason or ten why your Mother does that thing that makes you crazy!

Holy Sabbatical Batman

Today's totally random blog post brought to you by memories, bbqs, failures, laughter, and the Food Network.

Have you ever "Bing mapped" your childhood home? http://binged.it/LUEjhl I did and I was sad, sad that the giant garden we had as kids was filled in and now just more sod, sad that the old full service gas station up the street had been bulldozed to make way for some other giant change store, and sad that well it just wasn't MY childhood home anymore. It brought back a flood of other memories though. The two great big Locust trees in our front yard and how every fall they would create a mess of tiny yellow leaves that would stick to everything after a rain; the memories of the shared suburban driveway leading to two tiny single car garages and learning to navigate the numerous protrusions while backing the car out when I learned to drive. The early morning visits with my wonderful retired neighbors in the wee hours of the morning when I was little; the garden window with its sharp corners that my Dad always managed to smack his head on at least once a year. The cedar siding that was more work than it was worth and the carefully crafted 10 ton wood front steps my Dad built. So many memories came flooding back and I realized what an awesome childhood I was blessed to have. If you haven't Google Earthed or Bing mapped places from memories past I recommend you do so. It can give a sense of where you've been and where you want to go.

After a sabbatical from the blog it became very obvious to me that I am great at starting things just not so great at keeping up with things that have no intended end point or goal. I think we all like to feel a sense of accomplishment, I know I do. The older I get and the more gray hairs I discover the more I realize I am at a point in my life where my goals are to keep my kiddos happy and healthy, teach them manners, respect, and how to fend for themselves. While I'd love to be climbing some corporate ladder or earning some higher degree I figure maybe just maybe with any luck I'll have lots of time to reinvent myself when they are older. Excuse, yeah probably, reality most certainly.

I figure with the amount of cooking shows I am addicted to and had watched as a kid I should have the equivalent of a culinary arts degree in about 20 years. I find GREAT joy in my culinary creations and honestly I'm not sure I would love it as much if I did it for a living. I work well under pressure when it's something someone needs me to produce for someone else, but turn the table and I get antsy and ornery and well kind of mean when the pressure is self-inflicted to produce something fabulous for others. (Make sense?) See we had a group of friends over for a casual get together and while I grilled wonderful pork tenderloins, made all the sides from scratch, and even produced dessert I was a mess and testy with everyone, who dared to cross my work zone, all day. My Food Network inspired dinner was a great outlet for my culinary prowess (kind of became my own personal version of Chopped), however why the heck did I put so much pressure on myself? It all turned out great and we all laughed and had a wonderful time.

Today's lesson: lighten up!

(Totally random blog post but eh who cares.)

Here's the menu from our summer adult bbq!

What does a nosey pepper do? Get's jalepeno business! (bwahahaha)
These jalepeno poppers have become a huge hit (thanks to my other half's sister for discovering them).
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/cheese-bacon-jalapeno-rellenos-53897.aspx#.T_L8cqm1R4w.facebook
Use the full 8oz of cream cheese if you dare. I've discovered baking them for 10 minutes then about 2-5 minutes under the broiler works best for a nice crispy top.
Marinated Grilled Pork Tenderloin

http://shar.es/teQ0e

I used four tenderloins for eight people. Increase the oj and let them marinate overnight. These are fabulous and soooo easy. I prefer my pork done to about 145 degrees and slightly pink (which is now acceptable), no you won't get worms.
Smokin' Potato Salad
http://shar.es/teQeg

This is fantastic potato salad! I used quite a bit more smoked paprika but the beauty of this is making it to taste. I dressed the potatoes while they were still warm so they would absorb more of the flavor and also pureed the capers. (I have someone in my life who is anti-caper, though he never knew the difference once I snuck them in there.)

Long Beach Coleslaw
http://shar.es/teF0q

This was a totally new take on your traditional coleslaw and received rave reviews from the peanut gallery. It's a great "make-ahead", then just cut up the iceberg lettuce right before serving, mix and enjoy.

Killer White Peach Sangria

And by killer I mean yeah its so good you'll swig it back and realize you're going to have a killer headache the next day good. This is my own concoction and had everyone cheering for more.

1 giant bottle Pino Grigo or your other favorite white wine (about 8 cups)
1 regular bottle peach vodka (about 4 cups, eh or just use the whole thing like we did)
4-8 cups Sprite (for the sissies who like their booze diluted)
1 can frozen lemonade (do not dilute)
1 bag frozen fruit cut into bit size chunks (I used peaches, pineapple, and strawberries)

Freeze the Pino and Vodka overnight, then mix everybody together in a large pitcher and serve over ice.

Dessert (shhhhh I lost the recipe but I'll add it as soon as I find it)

Easy Easter Wreath

Spring is in the air, well summer really. Us hearty Minnesotans, yes I am starting to identify more with the folks native to the great white north rather than those of my native Chicago, manage to embrace the outdoors even is subzero temps but when spring arrives we come truly alive. Unusual March temps in the 80's have us all dizzy with spring fever. I also find my need to create is much stronger when the sun shines again, maybe it's the whole rebirth thing that spring brings about. I found myself anxious to take down the Christmas lights and joyfully cleaning out the gutters yesterday. Normally a disgusting task I was just happy to be up on the roof without fear of launching myself 20 feet into the air with a quick misstep onto some ice.
After removing the remnants of Christmas and winter paraphernalia from our house it just looked so sad and naked and colorless. I went digging through my box of seasonal decor and discovered a plethora a pretty plastic Easter eggs. Not having any bushes to decorate or trees with branches low enough to hang them from I thought...hmmm....a wreath. I scoured the town high and low to find a simple wreath form that wouldn't break the bank as it would be covered by pretty plastic eggs. Ah ha, Goodwill. If you haven't already discovered go check out your local Goodwill. I was elated with the wide array of wonderful Easter decorations and once loved floral arrangements and slightly tattered wreaths that were available. I managed to score a sad little grape vine wreath that had obviously seen better days. The clerk agreed $.99 was a fair price and with two bags of lime green plastic Easter grass at $.49 each I was ready to go! 

Here's what you'll need:

1 12" diameter wreath form of some sort
1 bag of plastic Easter grass
An assortment of sizes and colors of plastic Easter eggs
A hot glue gun and glue sticks

First using the hot glue, stick generous amounts of the Easter grass on your wreath form so as to cover it completely. I used one large egg to help mash the grass into the glue so I didn't burn my fingers.
Next glue individual eggs to the form/Easter grass. You'll want to vary the sizes and apply glue to both the side contacting the wreath form and sides adjoining any other eggs.

And voila! You have a pretty, weather proof decoration! This was a fun little craft project and something that should last for quite a long time, unlike the 80 degree weather we are experiencing in March!

Lost and Found

We are bombarded daily by celebrity successes and equally their failures, their "innate" talents thrown in our faces. We probably all know someone who seems to be able to achieve the impossible with very little effort and we all surely know someone who can just never seem to get it together. Most of us, however; probably fall somewhere in between, never quite reaching the celebrity we surely thought we were destine to attain as children and tired of the pitfalls that keep landing in front of us. I've wrestled most of my life with secretly wanting to be the best, to please my parents and have them  be proud of my successes and accomplishments, to please my boss, my coworkers, and my life partner.

I've always wanted to have that one God-given talent that everyone recognizes and falls back in pure awe that it's me with this talent. Then the other day a simple post on Pinterest struck me to the core. Now you are probably wondering why the heck this post contains a photo of Albert Einstein, right? It was a quote of his that suddenly made it all so clear to me. We need not have a special talent capable of winning a high-school talent contest or work tirelessly to perfect a skill we are sure will make us special but rather accepting that a talent in and of itself is being curious about the world. It struck me like lightning that I am a seeker of experiences, that my talent isn't tangible, it isn't to produce wonderful food, or beautiful art, or play guitar. My talent is to feel, to produce joy, to find out why, to add to my catalog of life's experiences.

As I get older I have realized through the many wonderful and sometimes not so wonderful people in the world and the vast array of experiences both good and bad I have had that the world is truly magnificent, that it offers up every kind of experience one could ever want if we only open ourselves up to it. I may be wrong but if I take history as a lesson so many people take the world for granted, choosing only to see the doom and gloom brought to us on the nightly news or to let the misfortunes of others or maybe ourselves derail us immediately upon their arrival.

The more I learn about Albert Einstein the more I identify with him. I may not be a genius however he did not identify himself as such either. The quote that struck me is the quote to the right.

That was my AH HA moment. The moment I realized it is ok not to have just one God-given talent, which sometimes I think may be more of a curse than anything, just one talent you can do better than almost everyone you know but then maybe the rest of your life is lacking and less than perfect. Maybe it is better to just be curious about the world and to feel fulfilled by getting to know it, its experiences, and its people.

Albert Einstein, no doubt, has hundreds of popular quotes which I am sure many were taken out of context though I don't care if this one was or not. It speaks to me and the more I learn about this man the more I love him. His moral code, his passion to understand, accept, and choose his own God, and of course his fierce commitment to knowledge and understanding.

Today I breathe, I breathe because I know who I am and that person is ever changing, and that is OK. There is nothing to loose in having a talent just as there is nothing to loose in discovering that you have none, finding out that your talent is simply being curious about everything, I'll take that in a heart-beat.

Back to Basics

So by now you have no doubt viewed the Chipotle commercial that aired during the Super Bowl, if not take a peek now. I am literally nearly brought to tears by this commercial. Not just by the sweet sentiment of the thoughtful farmer or the cleverly animated little piggies but by the over all concept. I commend Chipotle for not only building an environmentally conscious business model but for being bold enough to put together a mass marketed commercial stating their opinion on what is wrong with our agricultural society, government, and consumption without being blatantly offensive.

While Chipotle is technically "fast-food" and isn't necessarily healthy it presents an option to the giant, corporate, conglomeration fry it up and pump it out as cheap as humanly possible chains. If Chipotle can sustain this type of business model my question is why can't all fast food chains? Sure this would probably mean they'd have to increase what they charge for a burger, but would that be the end of the world? If it means making their global foot print smaller and maybe avoiding what seem to be inevitable increased taxes on their products to make up for their unhealthy burden on those with less than stellar will power and failing health why would they want to continue to use up precious resources that eventually will decrease their revenue?

Maybe I'm getting to gushy over a little ole commercial but deep down a little part of me was touched and reawakened by Chipotle's commitment to a better product and a better business model. Food is just plain important, it doesn't need to be pumped full of chemicals and antibiotics to be mass produced to feed an ever increasing population or feed our ever growing waist-lines. Maybe if we all stop being such gluttons in American and quit pointing the finger at each other or at our government and own up to our decisions this type of practice would be sustainable for every business.

Love the Skin You're In

I made a trip home to Chicago which became the speed dating version of visiting my family. With only four days and four households to visit the kids and I spent one night at each family members home. Wheew were we tired when we made it back to Minnesota. Families are complicated, everyone knows that, but they get logistically more complicated when they are spread far and wide across the Chicagoland area. My parents divorced shortly after my ex-husband and I did in 2007 after some 30 years of marriage. I knew, unfortunately, from early on they most likely would not be married forever. Sometimes though this is for the better. Both of my parents now seem happy in their new lives and still have respect for each other and there hasn't been any family drama to emerge out of their separation. The only real challenge for me has been trying to find a way to spend any amount of quality time with them and their new spouses now that I live 400 miles away!

From left to right: My sister, my son, me, my daughter, and my magnificent Grandmother.

The kids and I and my wonderful sister spent a few hours with my fraternal Grandmother on Saturday afternoon. She is completely amazing to me. Into her 80's now she is one of the most intelligent, compassionate, articulate, and motivated women I have ever met. All of my life and all of hers she has been passionate about the environment, working tirelessly to support any cause she thought could make a difference. She is an animal lover to the extreme and was an avid hiker and horseback rider. A gourmet cook and health nut, Dr. Decker is what we lovingly and mockingly call her because of her knowledge and passion for all things health related. Oh and the art oh the art! Her home is filled with her masterpieces and I have been lucky enough to inherit several of her works which proudly hang in my home. She is and always will be a legacy to which I am sure I will never live up to. Visiting my Gram was one of the highlights of this trip.

It dawned on me after my visit home that one of two things generally happens as we age, either our mind goes before our body gives out or our body gives out before our mind is ready to give up. We have little control or choice in the matter of aging. The way I see it we should take full advantage of our mind and body while they both get along. The world is far to big and exciting, colorful and wonderful to allow ourselves to be unhappy or bored. Maybe I'm feeling a bit sentimental with it being Valentine's Day and all but the truth of the matter is our time with our loved one's is limited and the legacy we choose to leave or the one that happens by accident is in fact important. I want my Grandchildren to look at me some day and think the same things and be inspired by the same wonderful motivations my Grandmother has represented to me.

Happy Valentine's Day today and everyday!

Handyman?

I laugh sometimes at my determination to take on household projects that are typically left to male counterparts. I grew up with one half of my family, on my Father's side, who were all creative types. They are and were artists of every medium, architects, painters, sculptors, builders, you name it and it could be imagined, designed, and created. Food of course was the one common element that united us all no matter what other medium someone specialized in. My Father chose to go against the grain of his family, while still working with his hands, he became an airplane mechanic.

I grew up in a house that was well never really finished. It was a beautiful rambler that when I was about 5 or 6 my parents decided to COMPLETELY remodel including adding an enormous addition. At that time interest rates to buy a new home were something between 17.5% and 22%! It was much more economical to take out a loan than to buy a new home. Over the years I watched my Father pour literal blood, sweat, and tears into our family home. When I hear a table saw running it instantly draws me back to my childhood, hearing the scream of the blades running and the smell of fresh cut lumber in the air. The smell of the old blue Dawn dish soap does that for me too. My Dad would first wash his hands at the kitchen sink to scrub away the oil and debris of the day when he got home.

Being 6 when the projects started I was naturally curious and looking for any way to help. I remember being given jobs such as picking up nails around the outside of the house that had fallen into the bushes and grass after the house had been reroofed. My friend across the street and I got a penny a nail. Other odd jobs included handing sheets of tile to my Dad when he tiled the sunroom or taking the old hardwood flooring outside from the then den after it was pulled up. I remember it was Bruce hardwood and we thought that was so funny because that was my Dad's name too.

Other jobs I was given around the house as a kid which I LOVED were to carry bags of shot down to the basement at I think 25lbs a piece. My Dad was a trap shooter when I was between 9 and 12 years old and he taught me how to reload shotgun shells. We'd spend hours sitting at the reloading station at his workbench in the basement and he'd always tell me to be sure to put the primer in the right way or the shell could backfire. The bags of shot he'd never forget to tell me each time to not drop them or b-b's would be everywhere. Of course I never dropped one but he did!

I certainly didn't grow up a girly girl. I was expected to pull my weight as my Mom coming from a rural farming family no doubt wasn't allowed to just sit around and cause trouble either. Mowing the lawn when I was barely big enough to use my own weight to push the thing was fun back then and a challenge and I always felt like I accomplished something for the good when I was done.

Being the oldest with only one sister 6 years younger than me I received the brunt of the household tasks. Laundry, dishes, picking up sticks in the yard after a storm were all just part of regular expectations. Though we weren't "rewarded" monetarily my parents certainly made sure we were taken care of and had fun.

The point being because I wasn't treated as a girly girl I learned to wheeled a hammer and drill and fix things that needed fixing with confidence as an adult. So much of this transpires into cooking too. I'm not afraid to try a new gadget or ingredient or cooking method and I'm eager to learn new skills.

Last night I decided to tackle a small project that has been eating away at me for the better part of 2 years waiting for my other half to do something about it. Our 2 year old Golden Retriever/Yellow Lab mix is a chewer. She managed to get her teeth into a small dent in the basement door and chew a 2 foot by 8 inch hole in it. The door handle had stopped working properly some months ago and would lock anyone who visited the basement and closed the door behind them down there. So yesterday with my kids by my side and my son amazed at my ability to use a drill and jig saw helped me fix the door and solve a long standing problem.

To me life is about teaching my kids that it doesn't matter if you're a boy or a girl. If there's something that needs fixing fix it, if someone has a problem help them, and if you are told you can't do something because of what's in your pants then try harder and prove them wrong!

Handyman, no, capable person yes!

Recipie for Success

I was asked recently to think back over my life thus far and jot down any accomplishments or acheivements I was proud of and ENJOYED doing. Doesn't sound like a difficult task really until you start thinking about that word, enjoyed. Sure plently of us were mathletes, spelling bee champs, athletes and so on, but how many of our accomplishments were acheived because they were expect or better yet demanded of us. Deep down who is the real you, what did YOU do that you felt good about becasue it was a reflection of your inner spirit. I've started a journey of soul searching to find out about the real me. The me that will try and fail and the me that will try, fail, and pick myself up and move on and somehow stumble across my calling. Sometimes we find out we are right where we're supposed to be we're just going about it the wrong way and sometimes we find out just the opposite. So for your reading enjoyment, and I challenge you to this test of your wills too, a list of the things I have been most proud of during my short 33 years.

(Segment your life into three categories or more like I did below and then try to come up with a minimum of 5 accomplishments or acheivements that your really truly and honestly enjoyed doing.)

Accomplishments
Childhood
Earned lots of Girl Scout badges and stayed in G.S. from 1st to 8th grade.

Held second chair flute for 6th, 7th and 8th grade.

Won 5 awards my senior year of high school for my art.

Being elected to our youth church council for a year.

Attended 19 youth conferences in high school.

Was voted pfoof master my senior year of high school. (Don't ask.)

Traveled across the country to attend national youth conferences by myself.


Young Adulthood
Researched colleges and found one to attend on my own.

Was awarded college scholarship by the theatre department.

Designed and created sets for several theatre productions in college.

Helped design, plan, and build a room for an ASID showcase house and had it featured in a Chicago paper.

Spent several semesters as a life model for an art class at my college.


Adulthood
Bought a car on my own.

Packed up and moved to Minnesota a week after graduating college.

Had two of my kitchens published in magazines.

Was invited to judge a National Kitchen and Bath competition.

Volunteered to present about becoming a designer to a group of design students.

Won 5 customer service awards at Expo Design Center.

Survived a divorce and made new friends because of it.

Lost 20lbs and kept it off and discovered that I like working out in group fitness classes.

Participated in two polar plunges to raise money for a local zoo’s polar bear habitat.

Addict or Enthusiast?

In a world where we readily have oh 1000+ television channels available at any given time with slight variations of roughly the same programing on virtually all of them and at least 50% of those channels promoting reality TV that represents pretty much anything other than reality I find myself sucked into any cooking or travel experience available on the boob tube. If there's been anything that's been a consistent interest of mine since I was a kid it has been the narrative, conversational format of cooking, travel, and nature shows. My favorites growing up were The Frugal Gourmet and Marty Stouffer's Wild America. I also willingly ate Grape Nuts and tofu as a kid so I'm not exactly sure how I didn't end up back-packing around the world and living out of a tent though sometimes that seems like a much more fulfilling alternative to life in the burbs.

The mass variety of culinary viewing available is almost mind boggling.  How many shows specific to ethnicity, budgets, dietary restrictions, and weird foods can there be? There's a lot riding on being a celebrity chef and often I wonder how much control they actually maintain over their passion once they've gone mainstream.

As I pursue my culinary endeavors I wonder if it's normal to develop crushes like a teenager for her high school teacher. The know how to wheeled a knife, wisdom, and the worldliness that come with years of international travels of any professional chef become intangibly sexy.

Crush #1

Couple the sarcastic, dry, intelligent wit with the bad boy, reformed, I don't give a f@$k attitude and experienced chef/world traveler/brilliant food critic/writer persona and this girl melts like chocolate under a heat lamp.

Crush #2
OK, not your classic beauty but come on every girl has to have a crush on the cute funny guy who'll eat or do anything to impress her, right? If humor and a talent for cooking make a man attractive well then Andrew Zimmerman has that all buttoned up.



Crush #3
And what girl doesn't love a grown man that goes by the name Bobby ya'll. Throw in a sweet southern drawl, a love for his Mama, and well it doesn't hurt to be tall, dark, handsome and a little funny and he can mash my sweet potatoes all day long.


Some gals drool over pro athletes and some over rock starts, obviously my weakness is for professional and celebrity chefs. I can think of worse things. A little inspiration never hurt in the kitchen so until I win the lotto (I need to start playing first) and can quit my day job to go travel the world, learn French, and go to culinary school I'll just have to keep watching my cooking and travel shows to survive my daily 9 to 5. The occasional cooking class or new cookbook should keep the dream alive too.

Cheers to you all who find your inspiration and motivation in the every day and keep dreaming big.