Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Flowers Can Be Therapeutic?

someone sent me flowers
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Feeling a bit stressed out today and just not myself, I heard the doorbell ring.  I was expecting the Aquarium men who clean our fish tank and instead a man with a beautiful bouquet of flowers stood there with a cute little smile on his face waiting my reaction.  I felt a rush of energy and found myself slipping into a good mood. I thought  What a satisfying job that must be to deliver flowers and always get to see a persons face light up and their disposition change in front of you. I also wondered if there has been a study done about flowers and mood changes.  So I found a nice little study done by a Rosie Flores
 (appropriate name I thought).
 
Flowers Can Be Therapeutic
By: Rosie Flores

"Besides the myriads of beautiful things that flowers are known for, they also have a therapeutic effect on us. Flowers just make you feel good, and you like having flowers around as much as possible. Flowers have the power to lift your spirits.  A thing of beauty is joy forever and flowers surpass everything in beauty. A room full of aromatic flowers makes you feel good and your stress seems to dissolve in the wonderful scent of those flowers. Giving and receiving flowers has a charm beyond compare. You just feel you're on cloud nine with flowers around you. Until now there was not any scientific reason or research to prove that flowers could actually affect your mood and make you happy. The researchers have discovered that there is an instant effect on a person's mood when you receive flowers. You break into a smile involuntarily irrespective of your age or your temperament Even those who were feeling low and were in a depressed mood felt good almost immediately after receiving a gift of flowers. No wonder, we have the tradition to take flowers when we go to see someone in the hospital. Flowers have a healing touch. They make people feel more optimistic and look at the brighter side of life."




Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Sista Mae is going to the Farmers Market

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My Sister MaeBell and I had a nice little conversation yesterday.  The Girl is thinking about going to the Farmers Market on the weekends to sell her Delicious cookies in California.  I have to say that's one of my favorite things to do, strolling in the farmers market on the weekends, nice Fall day.  Growing up in Carolina I loved going to the Market near the Biltmore House in Black Mountain and all of the Mountain Folk selling their veggies and apple butter which I think is the perfect food besides my pop's cube steak and Gravy.  In this area of Westchester it really does remind me a lot of Asheville NC.  It makes me feel close to home.  Good Luck sissy. 

Monday, September 13, 2010

yummy cold gazpacho.

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Gazpacho was traditionally eaten by workers in the fields of vineyards, olive plantations, citrus groves, wheat fields, or cork farms. Gazpacho was originally nothing but bread, water, and olive oil, all pounded in a large wooden bowl. It was poor people's food.

The word gazpacho is believed to come from the word "caspa", meaning "residue" or "fragments", an allusion to the small pieces of bread and vegetables in a gazpacho soup.
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I started off roasting the tomatoes and onions,
with a lil' salt and pepper
and a splash of olive oil.
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Then I did a lot of chopping...
3 cups tomatoes, red ripe, seeded and diced
2 cups red bell pepper, diced medium
2 cups red onions, diced medium
1/2 cup celery, diced medium
2 cups cucumber, diced medium
1 teaspoon garlic, minced.
1 cup chopped cilantro
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1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2.5 cups organic vegetable juice
1/4 worcestershire sauce
pinch cayenne
1 teaspoon cumin
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Wallah...
  It's an excellent make-ahead dish for summer parties.
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Sunday, September 12, 2010

Summer Days have come and gone....

....Way too fast my darlings. 
So we ended it with a fun little dinner party that I have been wanting to put on for my friends for quite sometime.  Nothing like wonderful food and simple conversation to make a fun evening... The adult beverages weren't so bad either               
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Lemon and raspberry tarts...

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Slow roasted beef with scrumptious veggies...


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Slow roasted baby tomatoes...


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Goat cheese appetizer with pistachio pesto, roasted tomato, and basil...

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Classy and fun appetizers kept guests happy and set a perfect ambiance for the dinner that followed...

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I think these photos sum up the fantastic experience of throwing a simple yet classic dinner party with the best in life... Friends.

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Well I think I'm stuffed.

Oh! And I almost forgot the take-home surprises I made for everyone!
 Just a mini chocolate chip cookie with a white chocolate and raspberry gnash in the middle. 
Heavenly and Divine.

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...Melted white chocolate with a little raspberry puree and cream.
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And don't forget the presentation!


I packed and wrapped them with a pretty bow:


Here's to the next one!