There are many ways you can make a positive impact. Think about how the small and simple changes in your life you can make to make a difference. Here are a few I came up with, feel free to add to yours to the list by adding them to the comment section.

• Focus more on the local. In a global economy it can be easy to order whatever your heart desires from the other side of the globe, but why not try to buy locally? Food is one big thing you can purchase locally whenever possible. We have a local turkey farm that raises their turkeys free range and organic, so we make sure we support that farmer, especially around the holidays. Local crafters and artisans would also benefit from your support when you shop for your gifts locally.
• Volunteer to help out those that are less fortunate than you. If you seem to be struggling yourself with bills, or being able to purchase all the gifts you’d like to, put it all into perspective by volunteering to help at your local food or clothing bank. Spending just a few hours is a good example of simple things you can do to make a positive difference. The experience can put things in perspective and help you be thankful for the things you do have.
• Remember it’s the thought that counts when you’re selecting gifts. You don’t have to spend big money on a gift for it to be appreciated. You can select a smaller thoughtful gift, or make something yourself that will be cherished by the receiver just as much (maybe more) than that high priced gadget you have your eye on.
• Give back to your community. Besides volunteering, you can also give back to your community by donating your extras. If you have unused, or gently used toys, or clothing, or extra food in your pantry, why not donate it to someone who needs it?
• Change your attitude. A positive attitude can go a long way. You’ll be surprised at the changes you can make in others just by using a positive attitude. The next time a store clerk is rubbing you the wrong way on a bad day, just smile and wish them a great day. Just maybe their day is going worse than yours and they could use the well wishes.
• Remember what you have and what you’re thankful for. Sometimes it’s easier to focus on what we want, and we don’t take the time to focus on the wonderful things we already have. Slow down and think about what you have. This is a good time of the year to sit down and take a minute to write down all the things you’re thankful for.

Be more conscious of the world around you and the impact you have on them. Sometimes small and simple changes in your own behavior can make a positive difference in the world around you.

Image (c) L Gerlach

This post is sponsored by Tom’s of Maine.

Post from: Blisstree

Simple Ways To Make A Positive Difference

This fettuccine recipe is loaded with fresh herbs and vegetables, including the fall flavor of butternut squash. If you’re lucky enough, you might still have some of these ingredients growing in your garden.

I love food with lots of color, and flavor, this recipe definitely delivers (with a little bit of heat added in).

Autumn Harvest Fettuccine

• 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces, about 4 cups
• 1 leek, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 pound green beans, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons original Tabasco® brand pepper sauce, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 8 ounces fettuccine pasta
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley or basil
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450º F.

Toss butternut squash, leek, red bell pepper, green beans, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce and 1/2 teaspoon salt in large roasting pan. Roast until vegetables are browned and tender, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, cook fettuccine as package directs.

Toss roasted vegetables with fettuccine, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and parsley in large bowl.

Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Makes 4 servings.

Courtesy of  Tobasco

Post from: Blisstree

Autumn Harvest Fettuccine

TruWhip is the only all natural whipped topping with no trans fats, no hydrogenated oils, no high fructose corn syrup and no GMO’s, it’s 70% organic, and it’s gluten-free. It has the convenience of CoolWhip, but without any of the questionable ingredients.

TruWhip sent me a container of their whipped topping to try out. My son’s a big fan of all things dessert, so he was excited when he saw the container. He’s been bugging me to give it a try.

So did it pass the taste test? It definitely did at our house. My son loves whipped topping, so I usually whip up my own, once in a while we’ll use CoolWhip. I gave him a dollop of the TruWhip on top of his pumpkin pie, and asked him what he thought of it. He said it was yummy. His answer for anything he likes.

I thought the TruWhip was very good too, of course there’s nothing better than whipping up your own batch of whipped topping the old fashioned way. If you are short on time, and don’t want to make your own, I would say TruWhip is a great alternative.

Image (c) L Gerlach

Post from: Blisstree

TruWhip~ A Greener Topping For Your Dessert

It turned out delicious so I thought I’d share the recipe here. We topped the pumpkin pie with some TruWhip, which I’ll be back with a review of in the next day or so.

Crustless Pumpkin Pie

• 3 cups cooked pumpkin
• 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 3 eggs (slightly beaten)
• 1 teaspoon salt

Mix all the ingredients together well. Spray 2 pie pans with no stick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 425`F, then pour the pumpkin pie mixture into the pie pans. Bake at 425′F for 20 minutes, then turn the oven down to 325′F and bake the pie for another 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Image (c) L Gerlach

Post from: Blisstree

Crustless Pumpkin Pie

You can even start baking to avoid the last minute holiday rush. Much of your holiday baking can be done ahead of time and frozen until you’re ready to use it. You can make cookies, cakes, pies, and even cupcakes ahead of time. You’ll still have plenty to do when the holiday season hits.

The tip is to get your baking done now, then right before the holidays pull your cookies, or cakes out of the freezer and let them defrost, then add your decorations. If you need some holiday baking inspiration to get you started check these links out:

• BHG 12 Luscious Chocolate Cookie Recipes
• 50 Best Cookie Recipes
• 50 Cute and Tasty Christmas Cookie Ideas
• Make Your Own Holiday Fruit Cake
• Martha Stewart’s Holiday Cookie Gallery
• The Food Network’s Collection of Gingerbread Cookie Recipes

Have fun!

Image: Istockphoto.com

Post from: Blisstree

It’s Not Too Early To Start Holiday Baking

Usually I would have this over rice, but I decided I’d try something a little different and serve it over a bed of fresh spinach leaves. It turned out delicious, so I thought I’d share this quick lunch idea with you today.

Saute’dChicken Mushrooms and Almonds Over Spinach Leaves

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts grilled or baked (diced)
• 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1/2 of a small onion diced
• 1  cup diced carrots
• 2 cups of fresh spinach leaves
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 small handful of almonds, or almond slices

How To Make It:

Saute the carrots, onions, and mushrooms in the oil, then add the chicken and the almonds and heat through. Place one cup of spinach leaves on each plate, pour the chicken vegetable and almond mixture over the top of the leaves and serve.
Image (c) L Gerlach

Post from: Blisstree

Chicken Mushrooms and Almonds Over Spinach

Fall Fruit Salad

• 4 medium apples(peeled, cored, and chopped)
• 1 cup grapes (cut in half)
• 1/3 cup chopped walnut pieces
• 1 cup vanilla yogurt

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and fold them together. The walnuts add a nice crunch, but you could also add a little granola right before you served it for a little extra crunch (or substitute granola for the walnuts if you’re not a walnut fan). Serve it up in little fruit cups, makes about 4 servings.

Image (c) L Gerlach

Post from: Blisstree

An Easy Fall Fruit Salad

I usually use the smaller pie pumpkins because they  have a better consistency and flavor than larger pumpkins do. I cut the pumpkins in half, and scraped out all the seeds and the pulp. An ice cream scoop, or a large spoon work great for scooping out the pumpkin guts.

Don’t throw out the seeds, save them and you can have roasted pumpkin seeds, or try this recipe for roasted garlic pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds are loaded with vitamins, and healthy fats.

Once you have all the stringy middle out of the pumpkin, lay the halves face down on a baking dish, and add about an inch of water to the bottom of the dish to keep the pumpkin from drying out.

Preheat your oven to 350`F, then bake the pumpkin for about an hour. When the pumpkin is soft, and gives to your touch it is done. Depending on the size of your pumpkin, it may take a little longer than an hour.

Let the pumpkin cool, then remove the peel and puree the pulp to add to all your pumpkin recipes. You can also freeze it in freezer bags to use later.

I’ll be back with some pumpkin recipes to use up your pumpkin. Now I just need to decide what I’m going to make. Maybe some pumpkin butter, pumpkin custard, pumpkin cheesecake, or some pumpkin muffins. Hmmm.

Image (c) L Gerlach

Post from: Blisstree

How To Bake A Pumpkin

Crab cakes may seem out of the question when you’re watching the family food budget, but canned crab is a fraction of the cost of fresh, equally nutritious, and ready-to-use without worrying about the need to clean the crab of shell. When I’m using it for crab cakes, I usually don’t notice the difference between can and fresh crab.

In this classic recipe, a can of creamed corn (adds a little sweetness and moisture) is added to the cakes, a dash of hot pepper sauce for a little extra kick, and some chopped green onion for a fresh from the garden flavor.

Corn and Crab Cakes
Courtesy of Mealtime.org

Ingredients:

• 2 cans (6 oz each) crabmeat, drained
• 1 can (8.25 oz) cream style corn
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
• 2 medium scallions (green onions), trimmed finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups seasoned bread crumbs, divided

Total cost: $7.85

Preparation time: 7 minutes

Cook time: 8 minutes

Preparation:

1. Mix crabmeat, corn, hot sauce, scallions and 3/4 cup bread crumbs in a medium mixing bowl until well blended.
2. Spread the remaining breadcrumbs on a sheet of foil and divide the crab mixture into 8 even portions (about 1/3 cup each). Roll each portion in bread crumbs until the surface is well coated, and form into 1/2-inch thick patties.
3. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour in some canola or vegetable oil (about 3 tablespoons). When the oil is hot, brown the crab cakes on both sides, about 4 minutes per side.

Serving Suggestion: Garnish with lemon wedges, if desired.
Servings: 4
Serving size: 2 crab cakes

Nutrition Information Per Serving (including 3 tablespoons oil used in cooking): Calories 380; Total fat 14g; Saturated fat 1.5g; Cholesterol 75mg; Sodium 760mg; Carbohydrate 39g; Fiber 3g; Protein 24g; Vitamin A 2%DV*; Vitamin C 8%DV; Calcium 15%DV; Iron 15%DV

*Daily Value

This recipe is part of Mealtime.org’s new Kitchen Countdown which features easy recipes for families on the go that require 1 pot; 5 ingredients; cost 10 dollars or less; take 15 minutes or less to prepare and have 400 calories or less per serving.

Image: Mealtime.org

Post from: Blisstree

Meals On The Go: Easy Crab Cake Recipe

Foodies can get the latest news on their favorite Food Network programs, star happenings, and news on the latest food trends.

I browsed around a while to see what fans were saying. Chopped is one of my favorite new Food Network shows, and one fan suggested they have a judges Chopped, where the judges have to face off. I’m sure it won’t happen, but it sounds like fun to me. They should get to experience everything from the other side. It’s only fair don’t you think? Maybe past Chop Champions can be the judges. Hmmm.

I could probably get lost there for a while checking out the latest buzz.

I Love Food Network also has avatars for your website, and a place to send I Love Food Network ecards. Fun!

Image: I Love Food Network

Post from: Blisstree

A New Website For Food Network Fans