Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Happy New Years

Happy New Years Eve!!!! I'm sure you know what's coming by now. I'm going to hit you with the history of New Years. But then I'm also going to hit you with some healthy dinner and drink ideas to help you start the New Year off right.

New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in the Roman Empire since 45 BC.[1] Romans originally dedicated New Year's Day to Janus, the god of gates, doors, and beginnings for whom the first month of the year (January) is named. Later, as a date in the Gregorian calendar of Christendom, New Year's Day liturgically marked the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ, and is still observed as such in the Anglican Church and Lutheran Church.[2][3] In present day, with most countries now using the Gregorian calendar as their de facto calendar, New Year's Day is probably the world's most celebrated public holiday, often observed with fireworks at the stroke of midnight as the new year starts in each time zone

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Mesopotamia (Iraq) created the concept of new year celebration 2000 BC.[4][5] The Romans dedicated New Year's Day to Janus, the god of gates, doors, and beginnings for whom the first month of the year (January) is also named. After Julius Caesar reformed the calendar in 46 BC and was subsequently murdered, the Roman Senate voted to deify him on the 1st January 42 BC[6] in honor of his life and his institution of the new rationalized calendar.[7] The month originally owes its name to the deity Janus, who had two faces, one looking forward and the other looking backward. This suggests that New Year's celebrations are founded on pagan traditions. Some have suggested this occurred in 153 BC, when it was stipulated that the two annual consuls (after whose names the years were identified) entered into office on that day, though no consensus exists on the matter.[8] Dates in March, coinciding with the spring equinox, or commemorating the Annunciation of Jesus, along with a variety of Christian feast dates were used throughout the Middle Ages, though calendars often continued to display the months in columns running from January to December.[citation needed]
Among the 7th century pagans of Flanders and the Netherlands, it was the custom to exchange gifts at the New Year. This was a pagan custom deplored by Saint Eligius (died 659 or 660), who warned the Flemings and Dutchmen, "(Do not) make vetulas, [little figures of the Old Woman], little deer or iotticos or set tables [for the house-elf, compare Puck] at night or exchange New Year gifts or supply superfluous drinks [another Yule custom]." The quote is from the vita of Eligius written by his companion, Ouen.
Most countries in Western Europe officially adopted January 1 as New Year's Day somewhat before they adopted the Gregorian calendar. In England, until the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in 1752, the first day of the new year was the Feast of the Annunciation on March 25, also called "Lady Day". The March 25 date was known as Annunciation Style; the January 1 date was known as Circumcision Style,[9] because this was the date of the Feast of the Circumcision, considered to be the eighth day of Christ's life, counting from December 25 when his birth is celebrated. This day was christened as the beginning of the New Year by Pope Gregory as he designed the Liturgical Calendar.[

And now on to the healthy stuff!!!!


Healthy New Year's Eve Recipes and Menus

Featured Recipes

Spinach-&-Brie-Topped Artichoke Hearts

In this deconstructed version of hot spinach-artichoke dip, we stuff artichoke hearts with lightly seasoned cooked spinach and melt brie on top.

 

Spinach-&-Brie-Topped Artichoke Hearts

In this deconstructed version of hot spinach-artichoke dip, we stuff artichoke hearts with lightly seasoned cooked spinach and melt brie on top.
» Spinach-&-Brie-Topped Artichoke Hearts

Caramelized Onion & Shrimp Bruschetta

Caramelized onion and golden raisins add sweet balance to shrimp in this easy bruschetta. It can be assembled in just a few minutes if you make the onion spread ahead of time. For a vegetarian option, serve topped with crumbled feta


Spinach-&-Brie-Topped Artichoke Hearts

In this deconstructed version of hot spinach-artichoke dip, we stuff artichoke hearts with lightly seasoned cooked spinach and melt brie on top.
» Spinach-&-Brie-Topped Artichoke Hearts

Caramelized Onion & Shrimp Bruschetta

Caramelized onion and golden raisins add sweet balance to shrimp in this easy bruschetta. It can be assembled in just a few minutes if you make the onion spread ahead of time. For a vegetarian option, serve topped with crumbled feta.
» Caramelized Onion & Shrimp Bruschetta

Mini Greek Pizza Muffins

All the flavors of a Greek pizza make these savory muffins bite-size treats for adults and kids alike.

Monday, December 29, 2014

New Years Resolutions

I've had the same weight loss resolution for probably about 15 years now. I usually get half way there and then beat myself up for not finishing out. The only New Years resolution I've ever really accomplished is getting published within the year I said I wanted to.

I had specific detailed resolutions that were grand and huge and then I realized that I cannot predict the future and I am not Super Woman (even though I've got the height for it). So, my resolution for 2015 (excluding world domination, because, that's a given) is to just be the best me I can be. I want to put out 15 books next year (yeah, do the math on that one) but if I get half, heck, a third of the way there, that's amazing and I'll be happy.

December 31st, I'm going to write myself a letter. My future self. The me that is going to read it again December 31, 2016. And in it I'm going to include what I hope for myself, things I'd like to change, where I'd like to be and see how different I become between now and then. And I say that because I am a completely different person than I was this time last year. And by completely, I mean vastly.

I say all of this to encourage you to make goals that you know you'll be able to keep.And to write yourself a letter to gauge your growth.

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Styles you're too old to wear

In my quest to totally avoid editing, I was surfing the net and found this article that I just had to share and get feed back on.

Top 10 Items You're Too Old to Wear

Are You Committing These Fashion Faux Pas?

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 Walk into any mall and you’ll see a 40-something woman wearing every trend from Forever 21: tight tank top, low-rise jeans, metallic platform heels, plastic bangles and oversized earrings. Are you a middle-aged fashionista who just doesn’t know when to quit? Read on for the top 10 clothing items to leave in the past…
Young and trendy clothes may look great on the killer body of a 40-plus woman. After all, Goldie Hawn shines in her trendy outfits even though they look like she raided daughter Kate Hudson’s closet. But should she?

Definitely not, says celebrity wardrobe stylist Ricci DeMartino, whose clients include Eva Longoria Parker, Patricia Heaton and Lisa Kudrow.

“Living in L.A. like I do, you can go to Malibu and see this look any day of the week!” DeMartino says. “But trying too hard only calls attention to yourself – it’s overcompensating. You don’t need to dress like a teenager to look young.”

Most of us don’t push the clothes age barrier nearly as far, but even a tasteful fashionista may not always know how to dress appropriately as she moves past 35, 40 and beyond. How do you know when it’s time to lose which look? Here’s our style experts' top 10 styles you’re too old to wear:



Wear This: Levi’s Mid Rise Boot 553 Jeans ($59.50-$98), at levi.com and select department stores
1. Message T-Shirts

Retail Retirement Age:
30

Why: You’ve seen them on celebrities: “Jesus Is My Homeboy,” “Your Boyfriend Thinks I’m Hot.” The freedom to express yourself via your wardrobe is part of the teen and 20-something years… but beyond that? Letting people know you’re on “Team Kate” vs. “Team Jon” at 35 just seems, well, desperate.

“The message tee boom was fueled by Young Hollywood,” DeMartino says. “But it’s mostly a way for people to express frustration.” And that doesn’t exactly come off as mature.

Stunning Substitute: “Replace the message tee with a great-quality cotton tee you can dress up or down from a line like James Perse in the hot colors of raspberry or grape,” he says.

2. Too-Trendy Denim

Retail Retirement Age: 35

Why: If it’s super-low-rise, torn, distressed, embellished with rhinestones or embroidery on the pockets or – shudder to think – characters like Mickey Mouse are patched on, go outside your house and light a bonfire now. You’re just too old to wear it.

“Because you’re not in your element with these [too-young items], you only end up looking out of place,” DeMartino says. 
 
 
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Wear This: Aerosoles Benefit ($89.00) at aerosoles.com and select department stores
Stunning Substitute: Charla Krupp, TV style expert and author of How Not to Look Old (Grand Central Life & Style), suggests swapping too-trendy jeans for boot-cut versions that don’t ride too low on your hips. Because of its slight flare at the leg, the boot cut minimizes hips. Plus, while skinny jeans come and go, this cut is a classic.

When it comes to color, choose more conservative dark denim or black jeans. Want a funkier look? Go for trouser jeans with an exaggerated flare at the hem – a look that can take you from the PTA meeting to a party when paired with the right top.

3. Costume Shoes

Retail Retirement Age:
Mid-40s

Why: We’ve all done it: Buy a pair of entirely impractical, overly-theatrical shoes that weren’t suited for everyday life. Maybe they were clear plastic “stripper” heels straight out of Frederick’s of Hollywood. Or perhaps they were stilettos with a six-inch heel you could only walk a block in.

Whatever the case, 40-something fashionistas will look fresher without the too-trendy cork wedges, thigh-high boots or up-to-the-knee Gladiator sandals seen on envelope-pushing A-list youngsters such as Mary-Kate Olsen and Rachel Bilson.

“Anything too high or too crazy should be avoided,” DeMartino says. 
 
Stunning Substitute: Toning down what’s on your tootsies doesn’t mean you’re giving up glam, says Krupp, herself a major shoe fiend who adores heels. But finding the right shoes involves more than image: Feet lose their fatty cushion as we age, necessitating comfier pairs.

Look for wider or thicker heels for better support. Also pick shoes with rubber soles or more padding on the inside – increasingly offered up in fashionable styles from Salvatore Ferragamo, Cole Haan, Aerosoles and others.

4. Micro-mini Skirts

Retail Retirement Age: 40

Why: “Age appropriateness [in fashion] is partially determined by who you are and what you do – so yes, Tina Turner can wear micro-minis on stage that the rest of us would look ridiculous in,” Krupp says. Unless you’re the Private Dancer herself, get yourself and your teeny skirts over to Goodwill.

Stunning Substitute: Krupp’s pick? A chic straight skirt or a sexy-yet-classy pencil skirt, because both allow you to show off some curves without making you look as though you’re pretending you were born after the Reagan years. Just avoid anything four inches or more above the knee. DeMartino suggests adding tights to make a short skirt less risqué. 
 
5. Anything Showing Excessive Cleavage

Retail Retirement Age:
50

Why: “An older woman shouldn’t feel she needs to show it all off. Anything below the middle of your [bustline] has got to go,” DeMartino says. “A little goes a long way,” writes Krupp, who in her book bans excessive “boobage” past the age of 40 and warns readers not to display too much sagging skin.

Stunning Substitute: “A well-fitted tweed vest can be worn with a blouse underneath; unbutton a few buttons and you’re going to look sexy but classy,” he says.

6. White, Ribbed Cotton Tank Tops

Retail Retirement Age:
40

Why: Skimpier versions of this men’s-undershirt-style tank are worn all over Hollywood by hot actresses.

“Women today want to keep up with much younger celebrities on TV,” DeMartino says. But what’s cool on the stars of “Gossip Girl” may not work on you. These tanks must go, Krupp says.
 
 
Stunning Substitute: A scoop-neck tee from a higher-end T-shirt maker, such as Three Dots, or a double-layer cotton shirt will “still gives you the ability to show off your figure without wearing something [too young],” he says.

7. Hair Gadgets

Retail Retirement Age:
30

Why: Whether it’s flowery scrunchies, banana clips or your daughter’s plastic kiddie barrettes, whimsical hair accessories are not fitting for a fully grown woman.

“With Hello Kitty in your hair, you’re going to look ridiculous at your age,” DeMartino says. “Remember Chrissy from Three’s Company?”

Stunning Substitute:
If you must use them at all, hair accessories should be subtle – think a tortoise-shell barrette or grosgrain-ribbon headband from J. Crew – and similar in color to your hair. But even some headbands can make for a too-young look – Krupp doesn’t like them at all past a certain age.

8. Oversized, Overly-Decorated Hobo Bags

Retail Retirement Age: 50

Why: Open any magazine, and you’ll see tiny celebrities toting enormous, eye-catching handbags – the skinnier the star, the bigger the bag, it seems. Well, don’t follow suit!

“Avoid these over sized bags with all the bells and whistles…charms…quilting,” DeMartino says. “When you come to a certain age, the good news is you’re beyond trends.”
  
10. Loud Accessories

Retail Retirement Age:
35

Why: The rubber bracelets, goth-inspired studded belts, zebra purses and plastic earrings proclaim to the world that you’re still plugged in to the trends. We get it – but you can look hip without the teen trappings. Gather up your wild accessories and black nail polish and donate them to the nearest ninth-grader.

“[Accessories like nail glitter] make you look like you crashed a sleepover party,” Krupp writes in her book.

Plus, “you never want to combine too many trends in one look,” DeMartino says.

Stunning Substitute: Think quality and quantity. Limit yourself to one funky accessory per outfit – as long as it’s well-made. Think a leopard-print scarf, thin silver bangles or a gold clutch to dress up nice jeans and a simple top.

One last trend to toss, no matter what outfit you’re wearing: visible or colored bra straps. Your undergarments are meant to be hidden.

 

Friday, December 26, 2014

Happy Kwanzaa!

Today is the start of Kwanzaa. If you've been reading my blog for a while now, you know that I'm curious about the origins of things and the where and the whys of things. This, is no different. So here's the ins and outs of Kwanzaa.

  The Continental African Roots
 
Kwanzaa is an African American and Pan-African holiday which celebrates family, community and culture. Celebrated from 26 December thru 1 January, its origins are in the first harvest celebrations of Africa from which it takes its name. The name Kwanzaa is derived from the phrase "matunda ya Kwanzaa" which means "first fruits" in Swahili, a Pan-African language which is the most widely spoken African language.

The first-fruits celebrations are recorded in African history as far back as ancient Egypt and Nubia and appear in ancient and modern times in other classical African civilizations such as Ashantiland and Yorubaland. These celebrations are also found in ancient and modern times among societies as large as empires (the Zulu or kingdoms (Swaziland) or smaller societies and groups like the Matabele, Thonga and Lovedu, all of southeastern Africa. Kwanzaa builds on the five fundamental activities of Continental African "first fruit" celebrations: ingathering; reverence; commemoration; recommitment; and celebration. Kwanzaa, then, is:
The Origins of Kwanzaa the First-Fruits Celebration
  • a time of ingathering of the people to reaffirm the bonds between them;
  • a time of special reverence for the creator and creation in thanks and respect for the blessings, bountifulness and beauty of creation;
  • a time for commemoration of the past in pursuit of its lessons and in honor of its models of human excellence, our ancestors;
  • a time of recommitment to our highest cultural ideals in our ongoing effort to always bring forth the best of African cultural thought and practice; and
  • a time for celebration of the Good, the good of life and of existence itself, the good of family, community and culture, the good of the awesome and the ordinary, in a word the good of the divine, natural and social.
The African American Branch
Rooted in this ancient history and culture, Kwanzaa develops as a flourishing branch of the African American life and struggle as a recreated and expanded ancient tradition. Thus, it bears special characteristics only an African American holiday but also a Pan-African one, For it draws from the cultures of various African peoples, and is celebrated by millions of Africans throughout the world African community. Moreover, these various African peoples celebrate Kwanzaa because it speaks not only to African Americans in a special way, but also to Africans as a whole, in its stress on history, values, family, community and culture. 

Kwanzaa was established in 1966 in the midst of the Black Freedom Movement and thus reflects its concern for cultural groundedness in thought and practice, and the unity and self-determination associated with this. It was conceived and established to serve several functions.
Reaffirming and Restoring Culture
The Organization UsFirst, Kwanzaa was created to reaffirm and restore our rootedness in African culture. It is, therefore, an expression of recovery and reconstruction of African culture which was being conducted in the general context of the Black Liberation Movement of the '60's and in the specific context of The Organization Us, the founding organization of Kwanzaa and the authoritative keeper of its tradition. Secondly, Kwanzaa was created to serve as a regular communal celebration to reaffirm and reinforce the bonds between us as a people. It was designed to be an ingathering to strengthen community and reaffirm common identity, purpose and direction as a people and a world community. Thirdly, Kwanzaa was created to introduce and reinforce the Nguzo Saba (the Seven Principles.) These seven communitarian African values are: Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith). This stress on the Nguzo Saba was at the same time an emphasis on the importance of African communitarian values in general, which stress family, community and culture and speak to the best of what it means to be African and human in the fullest sense. And Kwanzaa was conceived as a fundamental and important way to introduce and reinforce these values and cultivate appreciation for them.


 


The Symbols of Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa has seven basic symbols and two supplemental ones. Each represents values and concepts reflective of African culture and contributive to community building and reinforcement. The basic symbols in Swahili and then in English are:
Mazao (The Crops)
These are symbolic of African harvest celebrations and of the rewards of productive and collective labor.

Mkeka (The Mat)
This is symbolic of our tradition and history and therefore, the foundation on which we build.

Kinara (The Candle Holder)
The Kwanzaa candles and harvest This is symbolic of our roots, our parent people -- continental Africans.

Muhindi (The Corn)
This is symbolic of our children and our future which they embody.

Mishumaa Saba (The Seven Candles)
These are symbolic of the Nguzo Saba, the Seven Principles, the matrix and minimum set of values which African people are urged to live by in order to rescue and reconstruct their lives in their own image and according to their own needs.

Kikombe cha Umoja (The Unity Cup)
This is symbolic of the foundational principle and practice of unity which makes all else possible.

Zawadi (The Gifts)
These are symbolic of the labor and love of parents and the commitments made and kept by the children.

The two supplemental symbols are:


Bendera (The Flag)
The colors of the Kwanzaa flag are the colors of the Organization Us, black, red and green; black for the people, red for their struggle, and green for the future and hope that comes from their struggle. It is based on the colors given by the Hon. Marcus Garvey as national colors for African people throughout the world.

 
The greetings during Kwanzaa are in Swahili. Swahili is a Pan-African language and is chosen to reflect African Americans' commitment to the whole of Africa and African culture rather than to a specific ethnic or national group or culture. The greetings are to reinforce awareness of and commitment to the Seven Principles. It is: "Habari gani?" and the answer is each of the principles for each of the days of Kwanzaa, i.e., "Umoja", on the first day, "Kujichagulia", on the second day and so on.

Gifts
Gifts are given mainly to children, but must always include a book and a heritage symbol. The book is to emphasize the African value and tradition of learning stressed since ancient Egypt, and the heritage symbol to reaffirm and reinforce the African commitment to tradition and history.
x x X
Colors and Decorations
The colors of Kwanzaa are black, red and green as noted above and can be utilized in decorations for Kwanzaa. Also decorations should include traditional African items, i.e., African baskets, cloth patterns, art objects, harvest symbols, etc.

 

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Left over turkey recipes

So I'm totally in a food coma right now. The best friend had me look up left over recipes and I found some that I totally had to share.