Breakfast of champions

My daughter and I often have the debate over whether or not one should eat breakfast in the morning and what that breakfast should be.  Now of course since she is twelve she thinks she knows everything and that Mom is just dumb!

I have always been pro- breakfast  because I wake up hungry and thirtsty every morning. It amazes me that my daughter can actually get up and lay on the sofa for 2 hours before she wants to drink or eat anything. 

I have come to the conclusion that part of the reason she does not eat right away in the morning is that she has never really liked any type of breakfast food with the exception of bacon.  There have been many mornings that she has eaten leftover chinese or subway...which I don't care as long as she eats before going to school.....it is when she tries to pull out the ice cream... the soda and the cookies we have baked the night before I can assure you that I bulk and that none of those sugary items pass her lips.  Your body does not need to be treated in such a manner! 

My choice of breakfast varies on a daily basis, but always includes some type of tea, fruit, cereal or wholewheat bread.   If you don't fuel your body the right way in the beginning of the day you will surely suffer the consequences....your mind and body will not be able to function properly making simple tasks difficult.

Check it out my breakfast from this morning. Now if you are a Kashi Freak like I am you probably recognize their cereal here.  I have added fresh blueberries, raspberries and bananas.....topped off with skim milk.  I also enjoyed a cup of Good Earth's new pomegranate superfruit tea.  I am ready to workout!

This is part of taking care of yourself....so do your small part...... and by the way I made my daughter a whole wheat bagel this morning with creamcheese and a glass of V-8 juice ( not the tomato, but the fruit medley).

Do you take care of yourself

When was the last time you did something for yourself?  I mean really did something that was good for you....something that didn't involve your husband or wife or children.

I know that most of us have to think long and hard to remember that something right.......Down time for the mind, body and spirit.  I have been trying to think back to when I have done anything  for myself and it has been much longer than I would have liked to believe.

You can only give so much before you crash, if you do not take just a little back for yourself.   Now this is not being selfish...it is actually in the long run, being just the opposite, because if you take care of yourself you will make it possible to continue to give back to others. 

This doesn't have to be a week long vacation in the Bahamas or a 3 day cruise to St. Thomas.....it can simply be an hour Facial or a Pedicure or a Massage.  Maybe you enjoy meditation, accupuncture, a free seminar, or karoke night...whatever helps you relax and rejuvenate that is the ticket! 

So today, when you are writing or reviewing your long list of things to do, pencil in that one thing that helps YOU to let it all go and relax. 

Bloggers Profile...meet Shannon

Sometimes I wonder if people really read your blog or if they are just nosey.    I mean when you go onto a new blog do you go directly to the blogger's profile to see their pictures and what they have written about themselves? 

I can't lie...I most certainly want to read about the person who is writing the blog before I read their blog... or go to see a glimsp of their life even if it is only a small sliver of their reality.  I think that is what makes us human....the ability to either relate to a person's ideas, situations or beliefs.

Now I was just reading an interesting comment that someone wrote the other day and it basically compared their style of writing to various media...like for example do identify your writing style with a newpaper for example....you know fast paced, hectic, ever changing daily news.... or are you the type that likes to write 500 page novels...slowly revealing bits and pieces until you reach the climax of the story....

Me I am more like a magazine where it contains many different articles, but isn't as fast paced as a newspaper, but not as self contained as a novel. Something that gives small information about many things at once.  So this is in fact why I write and take pictures of the many different things that I do with and without my family.

I am a person who needs change to spark my creativity.....my mind does move at a pace that needs challenges, but enough time to work each one out.......and sometimes it is as if I go in creative circles that evolve as time goes on.   Some may call this chaos, but I feel it is my order that keeps me sane.

So here it is a little more into my state of mind..... and if you are the person who needs to know more personal things about the blogger to be able to connect and read the blog I hope this helps shed a little more light on me and who I am. 

One more thing....Let me introduce you all to my lovable schnoodle Maddie.

Maddie is an 18 lb. poodle/schnauzer mix who is by my side 24/7.  She is really the first dog I have ever had as an adult and saying I love her to pieces is an understatement....she is definetly a family member.....everyone loves Maddie and Maddie loves everyone!

So there you have it another piece of me to know!

M&M Chocolate Chip Bars

I just love when a new recipe works out well!   We made M&M Chocolate Chip bars and man are they dangerously good!
I had to bag them up quick and give the few remaining bars away quick before I ate them all.  I have been trying to be a good girl with the calorie intake...so hard when you are baking all of the time.

So I thought that I would share a picture..... just to make you drool a little. Even un-baked they look great.

So here they are before they went into the oven....and guess what they were bagged and eaten so fast that I don't have pictures of them as the final product! 

So if you want to try to make them all you have to do is follow the toll house chocolate chip cookie recipe with a few changes....when it asks for 2 cups of chocolate chips reduce that to 1 cup and add 1 cup of m&m's...... also don't forget to put 1 cup of chopped walnuts!  You could bake these as cookies if you wanted or spread them in a greased 9x13 baking dish like we did. 

Either way they taste great and won't last long!  If you think you would like to eat some, but are feeling a little lazy........ they are for sale at the Market @ Oneida Commons. 

* Remember fresh cookies are baked and brought into the Market @Oneida Commons every friday!

Steam Punk...Bead Punk

Have any of you ever heard of these terms?   Well I was doing this on and off for a while and didn't even know it!

No it isn't anything bad so get your mind out of the gutter!  If you already know then you won't need this explanation, but for those of you out there who don't you will learn something new today when you read this post. 

Steam punk is a jewelry term that basically describes jewelry that is made from industrial re-used or recycled parts like watch gears or antique skeleton keys or typewriter keys, ect.  Now Bead Punk goes one step further by adding intricately beaded designs to the industrial parts giving the pieces a more feminine look.  

Well since I can remember I have loved to collect some of the objects not really knowing exactly what it is that I was going to do with them, but since I have been making jewelry and teaching myself new techniques I began to slowly pull out some of these industrial objects that I have here around the house and this past week I made my first Bead Punk jewelry piece.  I love it already!

So here are some examples of Steam Punk and Bead Punk by some other really talented artisans that I have been looking to for inspiration.
I saw these on http://www.beadpunk.net/   
I really love the bright spring colors on these necklaces!
So if you are a beader, Happy Beading! 




One little Footie's Goodies Note:   There are fresh Blueberry White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookies and a new one we call M&M Chocolate Chip Bars available for sale at The Market @ Oneida Commons.....so get something sweet for your sweet tooth!

Spring Ahead

I am sure glad that we have made it to that time of the year when we must follow the time rule change to SPRING AHEAD......that means Spring is just around the corner.

There is just one little problem with that......we lose an hour....an hour to spend with our family....an hour to just get things done.... and MOST IMPORTANTLY AN HOUR TO SLEEP!   My body doesn't recognize at night that it should go to bed on time which would normally be between 10pm and 11pm....when the time changes, my body thinks wow I am still awake and lets stay up until 12am just because my body thinks it is really only 11pm.

I know in a matter of a couple days my body will adjust, but for these last few mornings.... getting up has had its moments.  Now in general I am not a morning person.....I have to have a cup of Tazo Wake up tea or some Earl Grey with bergamot before I am fully functioning.  In my household the only two living creatures that like to get up and are happy first thing in the morning are my dog and my husband.

Our daughter and our 2 cats have the same morning temperment as I do......cranky and don't bother me until I wake up all the way.   It makes for some pretty miserable mornings when it is just my daughter and I here in the house alone.

My husband is one of those types who gest in the shower immediately and starts singing......not well I might add, but he  thinks he sounds great.  If you see him after you have read this don't tell him I said that. 

 At least today when I got up the sun was shining and that can make my day, even when it is this early in the morning....good thing since we have had a request to bake a new type of cookie today.  When we get them done this afternoon I will publish a new post about them with some pictures as well.

So have your tea or coffee this morning and shake off the sand man's spell....I know that I feel better already!

Baking Solo

Well it has officially been 12 days since I baked last and with the child still sick, I will be heading into the kitchen later this afternoon by myself.  I have to admit that I haven't been very successful finding low calorie recipes that actually satisfy the sweet tooth.  I have begun to think I am a hopeless sugar addict. 

However, many of the biscotti that I enjoy really are lower in calories than alot of the cookies out there. So Today I baked a cinnamon sugar biscotti that really came out great.  It has that wonderful texture and who doesn't love cinnamon and sugar!  So check it out.  I also want to make note that my daughter was taken back to our family Doctor today and she was given a clean bill of health....so no more excuses kid you are going back to school tomorrow!  She can also help me with the rest of the baking that has to get done by Friday.   So if this biscotti is making your mouth water her is the recipe.....or if you are all about the eating and not the baking.... stop in at the Market @Oneida Commons and buy a bag for yourself. 

Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti
2Cups of flour
1 1/2 tsps. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
6 tbsps. of room temp. unsalted butter
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the topping:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 beaten egg for brushing biscotti before baking

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 325F.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper
Whisk together flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder and set aside.
In a mixer cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.  Beat in egg followed by egg yolk. Next beat in vanilla extract.  Add all dry ingredients at once and mix until a stiff dough is formed.  Divide dough in half and make into 2    9" logs.  Flatten slighly.  Brush both logs with beaten egg and sprinkle some cinnamon sugar on top.  Save some cinnamon sugar for sides. Bake for 20 minutes and remove and cool on sheet for about 10 mins.  When cool enough to handle cut diagonally into 1/2" slices.  Put cut sides down on parchment lined baking sheet and sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar.  Then bake for about 12 minutes per side.  Don;t forget to sprinkle the other side with cinnamon sugar after flipping.  Take out and cool on baking sheet. 

Now I think I will make myself a cup of tea, put my feet up and indulge myself by eating a biscotti or two!