The Inspirational Place

Thanksgiving Aftermath

nobody@vox.com(Inspirational Place) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 10:00:33 -0800

This is what I felt like after Thanksgiving..
Sleepy & stuffed with food

Hope you had a great holiday too :o)

Green for the Holidays

nobody@vox.com(Inspirational Place) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 10:18:37 -0800

Holidays are jam-packed with events, gifts and all sorts of merriment (desserts!). So maybe this is a good time to take a moment and reduce our global "footprint" on the earth. Use less material things and give more of our time, our wisdom, our companionship..

Check out this article from Planet Green on Reducing Holiday Waste..it's got some great ideas :o)

9 Tips for Reducing Holiday Waste

Newspaper wrapping

1. Cook from Scratch - If you're not buying packaged, processed foods, you'll cut your waste by a lot. While you're at it, avoid frozen or canned foods if you can.

2. Skip the Wrapping Paper - There are tons of great wrapping paper alternatives. Try gift bags, boxes or fabric, or if you just can't give up the wrap, upcycle old paper products such as newspapers, magazines and even maps as "wrapping paper." 3. Buy in Bulk - Individually wrapped products use excessive amounts of packaging. Look for products you can buy in bulk or in larger quantities with minimal packaging.

4. Buy Only What Your Need - Buying in bulk is not always the best option - if you don't need 50 pounds of potatoes, you should resist the urge to save a few dollars on the giant bag, as anything you saved will probably go to waste before you can use it.

5. Don't Eat With Your Eyes - How many of us take too much at the holidays, only to throw a lot out? Start with small portions - you can always take more!

6. Share Leftovers - Whether you send a plate home with friends or family, invite a few friends over for some post-holiday party snacking, or take some foods to the office for co-workers to nibble on, make sure you use those leftovers up so they don't go to waste.

7. Do DIY Gifts - This season, when families have smaller holiday budgets, DIY is a great option for reducing your environmental impact. Make gifts personal and useful. Layer ingredients for your famous cookies in a mason jar, or upcycle teacups as candles for friends. Personal touches make a big impact, and they don't have to cost much.

8. Don't Buy Junk - Everyone has a story about small gifts that collect dust in a basement or on a shelf. If you have less money to spend this year, stretch your dollars by buying less things but investing in quality. Even most kids would rather have one great toy than a bunch of little things that they'll soon bore of.

9. Ban Single-Use Products - Set a household ban on single-use products. No paper plates, no plastic cutlery, no aluminum foil, no plastic wrap, no paper towels, no disposable roasting pans, no ... you get the picture.

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Happy Thanksgiving!

nobody@vox.com(Inspirational Place) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 17:30:46 -0800

Happy Thanksgiving To You

"Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare.
They are consumed in twelve minutes.
Half-times take twelve minutes.
This is not coincidence."

~Erma Bombeck

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Express Gratitude

nobody@vox.com(Inspirational Place) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:19:54 -0800

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget
that the highest appreciation is not to utter words
but to live them.

~John F. Kennedy

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Happy Bundt Cake Day!

nobody@vox.com(Inspirational Place) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 11:47:25 -0800

Happy National Bundt Cake Day!

Bundt Cake Day

Actually, National Bundt Cake day was last Sunday (but it was too good of a holiday to pass up) and I found some great recipes featured on The Kitchn. I cannot wait for our kitchen to be completed so I can start cooking some of these delectable treats..

I also love the shape of a bundt cake..it's got some funny curves and gives you more outer crust to enjoy ;o)

What looks yummy to me:

- Spiced Upside-Down Apple Bundt Cake, from Food & Wine

- Chai-Spiced Honey Bundt Cake, from epicurious.com

- Browned Butter Pumpkin Bundt Cake, from Bliss tree.com

If you end up making any of these lovely cakes, drop me a comment & let me know how it goes..

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Healthcare for All

nobody@vox.com(Inspirational Place) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:19:56 -0800

Healthcare for All

"Our lives begin to end the day
we become silent about things
that matter."

~Martin Luther King, Jr.

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What makes a Strict Parent?

nobody@vox.com(Inspirational Place) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:16:40 -0800

I have been living in a "Fire-drill" at work lately, so one of the few comforts I have is television (and twitter unfortunately). I have to say I have really found the show World's Strictest Parents quite fascinating.

Teens Introduced to real work on a farm - Yikes!

Worlds Strictest Parents

I am shocked by how some of today's teens have so much control over their parents, which would never have happened in my household growing up. They have their own large bedrooms with TVs, Computer's, phones, designer clothes..I remember sharing a room with my sister for 10+ years, we never got to have our own phone or tv in our bedroom.

I don't remember ever getting allowance - We had to do chores around the house and if we wanted money we had to work for it (outside of school hours of course). I am guessing that my childhood was not unique?

Check out this link & watch some of the show's greatest showdowns between spoiled teens and normal "classified as strict" parents..

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Thanksgiving Plans

nobody@vox.com(Inspirational Place) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 07:36:25 -0800

As Thanksgiving approaches, I am not sure what I am going to be able to make for dinner without an oven or stove. Our kitchen remodel is moving forward nicely, but we will not be ready until late December.

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite meals to make..and I absolutely love making stuffing! (and eating stuffing too). It won't be the same without a turkey..

So I might have to resort to Snoopy's Thanksgiving solution
..toast, popcorn & jellybeans ;o)

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Connecting to the Universe

nobody@vox.com(Inspirational Place) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 06:24:14 -0800

To Walk on Earth

The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe,
to match your nature with Nature.

~Joseph Campbell

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Pumpkin Crumb Cakes

nobody@vox.com(Inspirational Place) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 07:18:22 -0800

It's been awhile since I posted a recipe on the blog..I think this is due to the fact that my kitchen is still under remodel and I am only reheating food from our temporary kitchen in the garage (i.e. microwave & toaster oven getting lots of action).

To wake me from my food prison, I thought this recipe sounded yummy and perfect for the fall season. If you have a chance to make it, please let me know how it tastes ;o)

Pumpkin Crumb Cake

Pumpkin Crumb Cakes
from The Kitchn
makes one 13x9 cake or 18 individual cakes

Dry Mix
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder

Cake Batter
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 dry mix

Pumpkin Filling
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup dark brown sugar
2/3 cup milk
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Crumb Topping
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoon water
1/2 dry mixture (see above)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Heat the oven to 350°F. Sift together the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder for the dry mix.

Beat the butter until whipped and creamy and then beat in the eggs and vanilla. Beat in about half of the dry mix of flour and sugar. Set aside.

Whip together the eggs, pumpkin puree, milk, brown sugar and spices for the pumpkin filling. Set aside.

Mix the rest of the dry mix with a stick of butter, an extra half cup of flour, and the spices. Add a tablespoon of water and mix with fingers until loose and crumbly.

To make a full pan of crumb cake, grease a 9x13 baking pan and pat the dough into the bottom. Pour the pumpkin filling over top and sprinkle the crumb topping over it. To make individual cakes instead, repeat using 4-ounce paper souffle cups. After they are baked, let the individual cups cool for an hour then cut the paper cups away with scissors for individual cakes.

Bake for about 45 minutes or until the filling is set inside. Let cool for at least an hour before slicing.

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