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Friday’s Fresh Five! (11/16/12)

Posted in About me, Creativity, Entertainment, Gift Ideas, Helping Others, Holidays, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Photography, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 16, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Bartlett Pears

Photos by Linnell Chang

“No two are alike,” I think to myself as I study a trio of Bartlett pears sitting on my kitchen counter. Their rosy-hued coloration, their skin texture, and even their stems are all a bit different. Wanting to capture their unique beauty, I get my camera out. Some 50 photographs or so later, I remind myself how thankful I am for the invention of the digital camera. To be able to shoot photo after photo, without concern for cost, helps this amateur photographer fulfill her desire to capture the beauty found in simple things. Looking at objects through the camera lens provides me with perspectives that I might not normally have. There’s an honesty in what the camera lens reveals as it frames the art existing in everyday objects.

#1 – A Few More Ideas
Colander as a planter Simple objects can be transformed into wonderful gifts. In these economically-depressed days, it is more important than ever to be creative. With the holidays right around the corner, here are a few more creative ways to reuse things. From Earth911 comes this article on 100+ Ways to Reuse Thrift Store Finds. Remember, it’s the thought behind the gift that matters.

#2 – Free Thanksgiving Printables
Decorate your your home and Thanksgiving table with homemade decorations and special touches. It’s easy with the help of FREE printables. Here are just a few that I found:

Cupcake holders and toppers at Fleece Fun
Thanksgiving free cupcake printables

“Thankful” dessert flags from Pizzazzerie
Thanksgiving Dessert Flags

Large and small place cards at Gwenny Penny
Thanksgiving place cards Small thanksgiving place cards

Turkey place card and treat boxes at Spoonful
Thanksgiving place card and treat boxes

#3 – Don’t Forget . . .
While thinking about all that you are thankful for, don’t forget to thank yourself. Everyone’s list of self-thanks is different, but here are a few examples: thank yourself for all of your accomplishments – whether great or small; for staying true to yourself no matter what; for having a kind heart; for taking care of your body; for nurturing your spirit; for staying positive in difficult situations, etc. Along that line, Pick The Brain: Grow Yourself  has a read-worthy article titled, “7 Steps to Positive Self Talk.”

#4 – Learn
Watching this video whet my appetite and made me think of the words from young Oliver Twist, “Please, sir, I want some more.” In this case, I’m not literally referencing food, but the hunger to learn and to do more. Watch it and see if you don’t have the urge to go out and learn something new!

#5 – No Two Alike
“There are something like eighteen billion cells in the brain alone. There are no two brains alike; there are no two hands alike; there are no two human beings alike. You can take your guidance and instruction from others, but you must find your own path.”
– Joseph Campbell

Make this weekend unlike all others!

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Chocolate-Pomegranate-Ginger Bark

Posted in About me, Gift Ideas, Holidays, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 13, 2012| 2 Comments »

Chocolate-Pomegranate-Ginger Bark Candy

The intensity of bittersweet chocolate mixed with the spicy zip of candied ginger tantalizes my taste buds beyond delight, but the bursts of fresh, tart, pomegranate juice in my mouth sends them into pure ecstasy. This confection combines few ingredients to create a depth of flavors you’d not expect from such a simple recipe. Individually, each ingredient is potent enough to stand alone, but when combined, they deliver an incredible treat. Flavonoid-rich dark chocolate, zingibain-rich ginger, and antioxidant-rich pomegranate juice give impressive reasons to eat this candy. Too bad I had to force myself to sample so many pieces to write this review!

Chocolate-Pomegranate-Ginger Bark
Recipe from Oct/Nov issue of Fine Cooking Magazine

Ingredients:
10 oz. bittersweet chocolate (60% cacao), broken into 1-inch pieces
1 cup fresh pomegranate seeds (from 1 large pomegranate)
1½ Tbs. minced candied ginger
1/4 tsp. fine sea salt

Directions:
1. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or waxed paper.

2. Put the chocolate in a wide, shallow, microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high until it just starts to melt, about 1 minute. Stir with a spatula until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth, heating in additional 15-second increments if necessary.

3. Gently stir half of the pomegranate seeds, the ginger (break up any clumps with your fingers), and the salt into the chocolate.

4. Scrape the chocolate mixture onto the baking sheet and spread it into an 8×10-inch rectangle.

5. Sprinkle the remaining pomegranate seeds evenly over the top, pressing them into the chocolate.

6. Refrigerate until fully set, about 30 minutes.

7. Break the bark into chunks with your hands (be careful not to crush the seeds), and serve. The bark will keep, refrigerated, for up to 5 days.

Serves 6

Linnell’s Notes:
1. Obviously, the better quality chocolate you use, the better tasting bark you’ll have.
2. To open up a pomegranate see the instructions in my “Linnell’s Notes” section of my post Brussels Sprouts Roasted on the Stalk. The pomegranates I had were huge, so I used more pomegranate seeds than called for. The next time I make this recipe (and I will be making this again), I will cut back on the amount of pomegranate seeds.
3. I minced a little bit of extra candied ginger to sprinkle on top of the bark.
4. You might be considering omitting the salt from this recipe, but don’t! I think the salt adds a good counterbalance to the other flavors.

Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (11/9/12)

Posted in About me, Aging, Creativity, Entertainment, Environment and Ecology, inspiration, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 9, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Pasadena, CA

Photo by Linnell Chang

Like clockwork, my hip started to ache as soon as the weather grew colder. The saying goes, “You’re only as OLD as you feel.” Or is it, “You’re only as YOUNG as you feel”? Let me think about this: My hip hurts, so I feel old OR my hip hurts, so I don’t feel young. Really, I think the sayings are one and the same. However, if I disregard my cranky hip and listen to my mind instead, I am young. My mind is my fountain of youth – like the fountain I photographed one warm summer day, my mind “bubbles” with energy and activity.

#1 – New Life for Old Bottles
glass bottle Christmas Tree What to do with old bottles? The obvious answer is to find ways to reuse them! Check out this post Impressive DIY Ideas With Empty Bottles for more creative ways to reuse bottles.

#2 – It’s Okay
Orca Bookstore sign This sign from the Orca Bookstore in Olympia, Washington, gives you permission, as an adult, to read young adult books (YA). It’s not like you need anyone’s permission to read these books, you just need to get over the self-limiting-stigma you impose on yourself. Besides popular series such as Harry Potter and The Hunger Games, good books with great story lines exist in the young adult categories. If you’re too embarrassed to purchase a YA book in person, order one online. After reading the comments to the 22 Words post and taking notes on particular authors, my “Must Read!” list is now longer.

#3 – Under the Sea
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Moby Dick, The Little Mermaid, and Finding Nemo reflect the interest of both the old and the young in sea creatures and the ocean. Oceanographer David Gallo said, “Today we’ve only explored about 3 percent of what’s out there in the ocean. Already we’ve found the world’s highest mountains, the world’s deepest valleys, underwater lakes, underwater waterfalls . . . . There’s still 97 percent, and either that 97 percent is empty or just full of surprises.” Watch this TED presentation and be prepared to be astonished at the amazing sea creatures captured on film.

#4 – Autumn Leaves
poplar leaves If the youthful side of you enjoys identifying familiar shapes in clouds, you might like New York Time’s illustrator and graphic designer Christoph Niemann’s Bio-Diversity collection of leaves.

#5 – As Young as You Feel
“You are as young as you feel. If you begin to feel the warmth of your soul, there will be a youthfulness in you that no one will be able to take away from you.”
― John O’Donohue, Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom

Go ahead and feel young this weekend!

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Brussels Sprouts Roasted On The Stalk

Posted in Holidays, In The Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 6, 2012| 1 Comment »

Roasting Brussels Sprouts on a Stalk
Are you a hater or a lover . . . of Brussels sprouts, that is? Which category do you fall into? Scientists at Cornwall College have discovered a genetic reason why people fall into one category or the other. These scientists discovered that some people have a mutated gene which makes them immune to the bitterness of Brussels sprouts. Too bad for those who don’t eat these sprouts, though, because they are packed with nutrients – with high levels of fiber, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin K, and iron, just to name a few. I purchased a whole stalk of Brussels sprouts at an Asian market for only $3.99 and roasted it, stalk and all, in maple syrup and olive oil. For an added nutritional punch, I sprinkled fresh pomegranate seeds over it. Treat your family to this visually interesting, nutritionally-charged vegetable this Thanksgiving and you’ll feel less guilty about serving them the other nutritionally-challenged Thanksgiving fare!

Brussels Sprouts Roasted On The Stalk
Recipe from Trader Joe’s and The Fresh Market

Ingredients:
1 Brussels sprout stalk
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup olive oil
Freshly ground pepper and sea salt, to taste
Fresh pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries, for garnish

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Trim the stalk down to the fullest, best looking part, if necessary. Trim sprouts off one side of stalk to make a flat bottom. Also trim off any discolored or blemished leaves. Brussels sprouts stalk 3. Rinse stalk and trimmed sprouts in fresh water.
4. Wrap damp stalk in plastic wrap and heat in the microwave for 4 to 5 minutes (or blanch in a large pot of boiling water). Place trimmed loose sprouts in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 3 minutes.

Blanched Brussels sprout stalk

Blanched Brussels sprout stalk

5. Whisk maple syrup and olive oil together. Place stalk flat-side down along with any loose sprouts in a roasting pan and pour the maple sugar mixture over it.
6. Use a pastry brush to mop the maple syrup mixture onto all sides of the sprouts and stalk.
7. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Brussels sprout stalk

Ready for oven

8. Place in oven and roast for about 45 minutes or until sprouts on the stalk are fork tender and caramelize to a golden color.
9. To serve: Place stalk on a holiday platter, pour any syrup from the roasting pan over the stalk. Garnish with something bright and tart such as cranberries or fresh pomegranate seeds*. Roasted Brussels sprout stalk with pomegranate seeds

Serves 6 – 8

Linnell’s Notes:
1. The stalk I bought was covered evenly with sprouts, so I did not need to trim off any straggly stem.
2. Before trimming the sprouts off of one side, you need to decide first which side is the most attractive, then turn it upside down and trim off the sprouts that prevent it from laying down flat. Trim off as few as possible. I did not trim off any near the top back portion of the stalk, because when I flipped it over it was balanced and laid flat nicely.
3. If you are blanching the stalk in a large pot of boiling water, instead of microwaving it, you will have to turn the stalk over so that the both ends of the stalk gets some time in the hot water.
4. For easy clean-up, I covered my roasting pan with a sheet of parchment paper.
5. When selecting pomegranates, select the heaviest ones. They’ll contain more juice. It’s not important how red they are on the outside, unless you’re buying pomegranates to dry for decorations.
6. To serve, I just snipped the sprouts off with kitchen shears and served them on the same platter.

*How to cut open a pomegranate easily and without a mess:
1. Wash and dry the exterior of the pomegranate.
2. Fill a medium-large bowl with water and put it in the sink.
3. Cut off the top, just below the crown, and then cut the bottom off.
4. Notice that four to six sections of white membrane are now exposed. Cut the skin vertically along each section.
5. Put the pomegranate into the bowl of water and break apart along the cut lines.
6. Break the sections into smaller parts, loosening the arils and allowing them to sink to the bottom of the bowl.
7. Using a spoon or your hands, scoop up the pieces of white membrane that have floated to the surface of the water.
8. Pour the arils and liquid through a strainer and let drain.

ENJOY!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (11/2/12)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Community, Creativity, Environment and Ecology, Health, Helping Others, inspiration, Pets, Photography, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 2, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Goldfinch molting

Photos by Linnell Chang

“Whatcha lookin’ at, lady?” the bird seemed to say crossly as it stared back at me. A rather rotund, but scraggly-looking bird sat on the ground, hardly moving, not even as I approached it. “It must be sick,” I said to myself as my brain tried to recall information on local bird rescue groups and as I considered the possibility of West Nile Virus. I sat there watching it for several minutes, willing the little bird to move, “Come on little one . . . get going . . . fly away.” And it finally did, but not very far. Sitting on a weeping cherry tree branch, five feet away from its original spot, the bird posed for my camera and dared me to observe it more closely. I noticed its feathers were dingy and bedraggled-looking. Some stuck out at odd angles on his head and neck.  Since some Goldfinches molt twice a year, I thought, “Maybe it’s molting.” I am hoping this is the case – that this little bird was merely changing into the fall version of its beautiful self.

#1 – Begging For Change
Holding a sign scrawled with the word “Change” and a small tin can, a homeless man sits on the pavement in front of a store. Is he asking for change, as in money, or for change, as in changing the world? Watch this 10 minute movie, written and directed by Sharon Wright, and think about her message.

#2 – Sugar High
How apropos that I came across this infograph the day after Halloween. With my own sweet tooth trying to sway the decision as to what to do with the leftover candy, this graph helped me change my mind. The candy is going to my husband’s office!

SugarGram

 #3 – Be the Change

Hurricane Sandy rescueMohatma Gandhi once said, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” We’ve seen the images and read the stories of the brutality of Hurricane Sandy. Now is our chance to “be the change” – to help change someone’s life. Check out How You Can Help After Hurricane Sandy and consider making a donation.

Hurricane Sandy dog rescue Sadly many evacuees left their homes quickly and either could not take their pets with them or became separated from them. For many people who have lost everything, they anxiously want to find and be reunited with beloved pets. To read about and to find ways to help with animal rescue as a result of Hurricane Sandy, check out these links:
Red Rover
North Shore Animal League
Hurricane Sandy Lost and Found Pets
Petfinder

#4 – Light Graffiti

TCB Light Graffiti

Light Graffiti by TCB, Twin Cities Brightest

In art, light is a key element. In light graffiti art, light is THE most important element, for in a mere second light can change the entire piece of artwork. Squiggles, curves, and lines of light create focal points, movement, and color that are captured in photographic compositions. Much imagination and skill goes into creating light graffiti. You can see spectacular examples in Light Graffiti: 10 Masters of Light Photography. Pablo Picasso is one of them.

#5 – Change
Life is change. Growth is optional. Choose wisely.
William Somerset Maugham

This weekend, change something for the better!

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Pumpkin Cream Pie

Posted in About me, Holidays, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 30, 2012| 2 Comments »

Pumpkin Cream Pie As leaves start taking their final bows and nights become longer, fall’s spectacular show appeals to our senses more than ever. Acorns make music as they fall from tall oak trees and drop to the ground. Autumn leaves paint fiery displays of color on bright blue backdrops of sky. Familiar smells of favorite spices set the stage for the holidays. With a little over three weeks until Thanksgiving, now is a great time to test out new fall recipes. Imagine a fluffy and lightly-spiced pumpkin cream pie – one that even non-pumpkin-eaters will like and one that can be prepared in advance. That’s my idea of a fall showstopper!

Pumpkin Cream Pie
Recipe from The Pioneer Woman

INGREDIENTS
For the Crust:
1-1/2 package graham crackers (about 15 Cookie Sheets)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 stick butter, melted

For the Filling*:
1 box (3 oz. box) Vanilla Pudding (Cook and Serve variety)
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup heavy cream
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves
2 tablespoons whiskey, optional
1/2 cup pumpkin purée
1/2 cup additional heavy cream
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Extra graham cracker crumbs, for garnish

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 300 degrees F.

2. Grind graham crackers in a food processor (if you don’t have a food processor, place them in a large Ziploc and pound them with a rolling pin). Add powdered sugar and melted butter and process until totally combined. Press into the bottom and sides of a pie pan until nice and firm. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until warm and “set.” Remove from oven and allow crust to cool completely.

3. In a medium saucepan, mix dry pudding mix with half-and-half and cream. Add spices. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbly and thick.

4. Remove from heat and stir in whiskey, if using. Add pumpkin and stir to combine. Place lid on pot and set aside to cool. When cool enough, place pot in the fridge to cool completely.

5. When mixture is cool, remove from the fridge. In a mixing bowl, add 1/2 cup heavy cream and brown sugar. Beat until very light and fluffy. Fold in pumpkin cream mixture until combined. Pour into cooled crust.

6. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight. Serve with graham crackers crumbled on top.

Serves 8

Linnell’s Notes:
1. This recipe called for 15 graham cracker “cookie sheets” which I assumed meant 15 double sheets or the sheets as they come out of the bag. This was way too much, so the author’s definition of a sheet must be half of that. I used part of the leftover crumbs for the garnish.

2. *In the photo of the pie on The Pioneer Woman I noticed the pie looked a bit shallow, so I decided to double the filling ingredients. A 15-ounce can of pumpkin purée was a bit more than what a doubled amount would have been, but I went ahead and used the whole can. Didn’t make sense to let a small amount of pumpkin go to waste. Extra filling filled four individual ramekins and was called pumpkin mousse!

3. The next time I make this pie, I will try sprinkling a tiny bit of finely chopped candied ginger on top along with the graham cracker crumbs – just for a special interest.

Enjoy!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (10/26/12)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Entertainment, Helping Others, inspiration, Kids, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 26, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Frank Ocean quote In the yin and the yang of life, dark cannot exist without light. Joy surrounds us everyday, but some days we relish it, some days we ignore it, and some days we have to dig deeper to uncover it. On a day-to-day basis, many emotions can overwhelm and mask the joy. But as dark, as sad, as pained, or as impassive as we feel, we must strive to find the yang in our lives – the light that keeps us going, the gratitude for what we have, and all the joy that exists in our lives.

#1 – Finding the Key to Empowerment
Singer Alicia Keys wrote an inspirational guest editorial on What It Means to Be Empowered. Here’s an excerpt, but you’ll want to read it in its entirety:

To be empowered to me means finding our own way every day– learning more about ourselves so we can be honest and bold in our choices and actions, and not let anyone deafen the voice that whispers within us to help us find our direction. Trust yourself! No one knows you better than you and it’s truly a beautiful thing!

#2 – The New Old
pumpkins made from old sweaters More ideas for upcycling, but his time it’s all about sweaters! Whether old, out-dated, or too small, you’ll want to hang on to some of those sweaters after you see these 30 Easy and Cuddly DIY Ideas for Recycling Old Sweaters.

#3 – Circle the Cat
How hard can it be to block a “cat” from jumping off a rectangle of green dots? Pretty darn hard! I played this addictive Circle the Cat computer game a few times with zero success. If you beat the game, let me know how you did it!

#4 – With A Little Thread . . .

Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam play structure

Photo by Masaki Koizumi

Crocheting is not just for old ladies! Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam, a Japanese fiber artist, noticed children jumping on one of her pieces of artwork and decided to take that concept to another level. Using her crocheting skills, she created a colorful, large-scale, play structure for children. See more of her incredible structures here.

#5 – Starlight
When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Find joy this weekend.

This post is dedicated to the memory of Matthew Drag.

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Buffalo Chicken Dip

Posted in About me, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 23, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Watching the great Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Juan Marichal, Orlando Cepeda, Gaylord Perry, and the Alou brothers play baseball at the infamous Candlestick Park, ranks among my favorite childhood memories. Back in the day when it was deemed safe for children to be out and about the city all by themselves, my cousins and I would catch San Francisco Muni buses to go watch Giants games. Because of the unpredictable weather at Candlestick, we either froze in the damp overcast or toasted in the bright sunlight. But bags of peanuts, tasty hotdogs, boxes of Cracker Jack, and chunks of Bazooka Bubble Gum more than made up for any discomfort we experienced.

To honor the great Giants players of the past and the current National League Champions, I present a dip that’s worthy of a Giants World Series party. It’s even the right color – orange! So . . . LET’S GO GIANTS, LET’S GO!

Buffalo Chicken Dip
As featured in How Sweet It Is

Ingredients:
2 – 8 oz. blocks of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup blue cheese dressing
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1 cup Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce
3 cups shredded chicken
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese*

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, combine softened cream cheese, ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, and buffalo wing sauce. Using a hand mixer, mix until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes.

3. Fold in shredded chicken and 1 cup of shredded cheese.

4. Pour into a baking dish. Top with 1 cup of shredded cheese.*

5. Bake for 20 minutes or until dip is warmed through.

6. Serve with tortilla chips, bread, sturdy crackers, and celery sticks.

Linnell’s Notes:
1. Instead of buying chicken breasts and cooking them, I was lazy and purchased a rotisserie chicken and shredded the meat. Other versions of this recipe call for using canned chicken.

2. When this came out of the oven, small pools of oil sat on the surface and I blotted them off.

3. Next time, I will try adding blue cheese crumbles instead of blue cheese dressing. I think this would intensify the blue cheese flavor and cut back on the oiliness of the finished product.

4. *Also, the problem with baking shredded cheddar cheese on top of the dip is that as the dip cools the cheese hardens and creates a cheese crust that gets in the way of the dip. Next time I will omit the cheese topping and will mix in less fatty shredded mozzarella cheese instead of cheddar.

5. The heat in this recipe can be adjusted by adding a little more or a little less of Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce.

6. Makes enough for a small gathering of snack-craving people.

Enjoy!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (10/19/12)

Posted in About me, Community, Creativity, Entertainment, Helping Others, inspiration, Kids, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 19, 2012| 2 Comments »

Oooo . . .

how dark it was . . .

how dread it was . . .

walking the road

to the end of the town . . .

for the halfway tree . . .

the Ghost-Eye tree . . .

was feared by all . . .

the great and the small . . .

who walked the road

to the end of the town . . .

Rounding the bend and seeing the Ghost-Eye tree, that I had imagined many years ago, those words from a children’s book fluttered back into my consciousness. Deep-cut bark created a pattern reminiscent of some exotic animal skin, while twisted gnarly branches became sinewy “arms” that, in a moment’s notice, could reach out and snatch someone. Old branch scars bulged out like “eyes” keeping watch.

When my children were young, I would dramatically read them the tale of The Ghost Eye Tree by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault. They loved the scary story of a little boy and his sister who were forced to walk past the dreaded Ghost-Eye Tree in order to fetch a pale of milk on the other side of town. I always told my children it was just make-believe, that there was no real Ghost-Eye Tree. But standing in front of this tree, I realized I was wrong. The Ghost-Eye Tree exists in my imagination because someone planted the seed about it, but my imagination took it a step further and applied it to reality. The notion that minds can convert things in our imagination into reality is powerful. So much of progress and change stems from seedlings in our imaginations. Keeping our minds open to possibilities is what makes the impossible possible.

#1 – Make A Difference
Make a Difference Day Everyday is an opportunity to change lives and to make a difference in this world. But imagine a day when a nation collectively strives to make a difference. On October 27th join others around the nation and participate in Make A Difference Day: National Day of Doing Good. Click here to search for a Make a Difference Day event near you. It does not matter whether what you do to help is on a large or small scale. It just matters that you’re making a difference.

#2 – Virtual Choir


Using his imagination and creativity, composer Eric Whitacre gathered over 2,000 video submissions on You Tube and engineered them into a virtual choir. These beautiful voices from around the world sing together in perfect peaceful harmony.

#3 – Inspired Writing
Short Story Ideas When was the last time you sat down and wrote something for the sheer enjoyment of writing? A document for work or an expository piece for school certainly does not qualify on this count. Go to Short Story Ideas and click on the button that says “Inspire Me!” Three random words will appear in a small white box. Using those words as a source of inspiration, start writing. If you need more inspiration or a different type of inspiration, click on any of the headings in the toolbar at the top. For example, if given the first line, “It was never going to be an ordinary day” or if given the setting, “A bus stop is the location, money is the root of all evil is the theme. A fur coat is an object that plays a part in the story,” what would you write about? Let your imagination flow. Your writing doesn’t have to be perfect or well-thought out. It will not being graded or looked at by anyone else but you, so write because it’s fun, challenging, and good exercise for your brain!

#4 – Advice To Your 15-Year-Old Self
Arianna Huffington Advice Using your imagination, go back in time. Go back to when you were 15. What advice would you give to your 15-year-old self? What things do you wish you’d known back then? In honor of the International Day of the Girl, CNN collected these inspirational thoughts and reflections from remarkable women around the world. Read each of their Things I’d Wish I’d Known.

#5 – Speak Your Truth
“Speak your truth even if your voice shakes. By being yourself, you put something beautiful into the world that was not there before. So walk your path confidently and don’t expect anyone else to understand your journey, especially if they have not been exactly where you are going.”
Marc and Angel Hack Life

Have a wonderful weekend!

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Severed Finger Cookies

Posted in Holidays, In The Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 16, 2012| 7 Comments »

Severed Finger Cookies

Long dirty fingernails punctuate irregularly-shaped fingers. An extreme paleness gives them a ghostly appearance, while thick red puddles form around their severed ends. Strewn across an old chopping block, the fingers suspiciously point to a nearby meat cleaver and to a handwritten note that says, “For Dessert.”

Severed Finger Cookies
Recipe from Rachel Ray Magazine

Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2¾ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Raspberry jam

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Mix in the sugar, egg and vanilla, then mix in the flour, baking powder and salt. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Using your hands and working quickly, roll a heaping tablespoon of dough into a finger shape. Place the fingers about 3 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Stick a sliced almond on one end of each for the fingernail. Use a table knife to make three crosswise knuckle marks in the middle of each cookie.

3. Bake until lightly golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.

4. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, cook the jam over low heat until it reaches a saucy consistency. Once liquefied, remove from the heat and pour into a small bowl; dip the severed end of each cookie into the sauce.

Makes about 50 cookies

Linnell’s Notes:
1. I made the dough the night before, took it out the next morning, and let it sit on the counter for a little bit, until it was pliable enough to shape.

2. I covered my cookie sheet with parchment paper.

3. Sort through the sliced almonds before you begin and put “nail-worthy” ones in a small bowl. This will make the assembly of the “fingers” faster. Carefully press the sliced almonds onto the dough fingers. If you press too hard, you can break the almond slices. However, if you do not press them into the dough well enough, they fall off after the cookies are baked. A few almond slices fell off my cookies, but I just stuck them back on with a dab of jam. It created the look of “bloody cuticles.”

4. These are sturdy and not delicate cookies. They seemed a little dry to me, so the next time I make these, I will make the fingers a little smaller and adjust the baking time. Their texture makes them good cookies to dunk, though!

5. After 15 minutes in the oven, take a look at the cookies. The cookies won’t be golden at this point, but you do need to keep an eye on the thin almond slices. They can darken or burn quickly, so don’t set the timer for 25 minutes and walk away.

6. I used cherry jam instead of raspberry jam. I strained the jam for cherry chunks before heating it. I also microwaved the jam instead of putting it in a saucepan. It just seemed simpler to do that.

7. I put a wire rack over a piece of waxed paper. After dipping the severed ends of the cookies into the jam, I put them on the rack. Any sticky jam drops fell onto the waxed paper.

Enjoy these Halloween cookies!

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