sardines, tomatoes, & pasta

Is it me or has this week just flown by?! Which is why today I made one of my favorite "5 or less" meals. Not only is this one supereasy but it's also superhealthy AND supertasty---the trifecta of happy eating. :-)

While the pasta water was boiling, I opened a can of sardines packed in tomato sauce. In a saute pan, I added a little olive oil, a couple cloves of finely chopped garlic, and a diced tomato. Then, after adding the pasta to the water, I cooked the garlic and tomatoes for a couple minutes before mixing in the sardines and sauce. I prefer to remove any larger fish bones beforehand, but it's not necessary. Simmer for five minutes and then toss with the cooked, drained pasta. Voila!

Today I added some chopped olive and fresh Italian parsley as well. I also tend to follow the Italian tradition of not mixing cheese with fish, so I mixed in some fine breadcrumbs seasoned with garlic and parsley; the breadcrumbs give a very similar texture as finely ground romano. Obviously, though, if you love cheese, traditions are always made to be broken. ;-) Enjoy!

sweater blanket

Wow, do I love this idea! ReadyMade (another one of my favorite sources for inspiration) has published instructions to make this gorgeous patchwork blanket using old sweaters and a bit of satin ribbon. Have I mentioned how much I love this idea? :-) Anytime an article is repurposed, recycled, reused gets the "thumbs up" from The Happy Recessionist, and when the end product is a beautiful warm winter blanket---and you know how much these cost retail---I make an appointment to scour our drawers and the local charity shop for sweaters looking for a second lease on life. I like the idea of mixing up basic knits with textured and cabled pieces, too. Obviously, the size can be played with as well, so the kids can have smaller versions of their own. ReadyMade DEFINITELY gets The Happy Recessionist seal of approval for this creative concept. :-)

Photo by Kate Lacey.

keeping happy in hard times

Although some have declared the Great Recession officially over, for those who are still struggling, who are still without jobs, this declaration does little to ease the worry or make the rent or mortgage easier to pay. Regularly we need to remind ourselves to take one day at a time, that we are not to blame, that we still have a reason---and a right---to seek joy and happiness even during difficult economic times.

Which is why Dr. Robert Holden's article here is a must-read for anyone who has been affected by the current recession (and who hasn't!) and who is seeking to turn this time of financial uncertainty into a positive life lesson. I can say from personal experience that the rough times that affected my family during the dot.com bust of the late 1990s and the subsequent soul-searching we did then have helped us immensely to cope during the Great Recession. We were forced to examine what were the priorities in our lives; we also redefined what a happy and successful life meant for us, not for society in general or marketing executives or our neighbors or anyone else, but US.

Dr. Holden refers to this in the article under "The Real More" and "The Reality Check" sections. Other points he highlights include taking responsibility for your finances, making time for the important relationships in your life, taking stock of your blessings, scheduling time for having fun and self-care (which you still need and deserve whether you're a full-time employee or a full-time homecarer or a full-time job seeker), maintaining a positive attitude (as much as possible) and keeping the faith, and remembering to invest in yourself and others. For example, I have signed up for free courses at Creative Techs, who provide educational online webinars on subjects like Photoshop, creating iPhone apps, watercolor, and photography lighting. And did I mention they're FREE?!! :-D

Now I am off to spend the rest of this glorious day with some of my most precious blessings, my family. The husband has made a huge pot of leek and potato soup that smells amazing and is perfect for a chilly Sunday afternoon. Enjoy the rest of YOUR weekend! :-)

kitchen aid

I have been a convert to eating seasonally for many years now, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate this helpful (and cool-looking) kitchen aid from the UK restaurant Leon. And although it is UK-centric, most of the categorizations can be applied in the US as well. Check out the original posting at re-nest for a link to download a full-sized pdf suitable for printing and hanging in your kitchen. :-)

the importance of a dream

tomato soup therapy

What chicken soup does to ease the common cold, I think a bowl of tomato soup, along with a grilled cheddar sandwich of course, does the same to comfort an overworked and harried woman when she finally gets a moment to sit and relax.

Which is why there is a pot of this tomato and bread soup simmering on the stove top in the kitchen right now. The Sunday afternoon skies are cloud-filled and gray, and a dose of tomato soup therapy will provide the color and warmth of spirit needed on an otherwise dreary day.

A personal suggestion: a dollop of crème fraîche on the tomato soup = divine. :-D


Painting is Campbell's Soup Can by Andy Warhol.

foto spot #19

Olives, south of Spain, January 2009

when the earth moves

Regular readers know that my husband and I are survivors of the 7.6 earthquake that struck the northern areas of Pakistan and Kashmir in October 2005. To experience an earthquake, yet alone one of that magnitude, makes an impression on your life that will almost certainly never be forgotten.

Which is why my heart is heavy for the people of Haiti today. I know firsthand the shock and horror they have experienced---and continue to experience because the aftershocks torment, keeping one intensely on edge for days. I see the same expressions on their faces that I saw in Pakistan, the wide eyes unable to register the crippled, unrecognizable but familiar world before them.

Like the people in Pakistan, many people in Haiti had so little to begin with, even before yesterday's earthquake. They need our help urgently. Here are links from NPR and MSNBC that list charitable organizations that are working in Haiti. Additionally, donations can always be made to the International Red Cross here. Give as much as you are able. And then say a prayer.

break the cable habit

Six months ago, I first wrote about our family's decision to give up the cable tv habit, as well as being asked what exactly we do in the evenings if not watching the tv machine.

To be fair, the transition was not particularly difficult for us because we weren't huge television watchers to begin with. If you are thinking about at least giving cable-free life a trial run, here is a great article on "how to cut the cord." The author provides multiple suggestions on how to still catch many of your favorite programs, without the high prices of monthly subscription fees.

According to the article, the average American spends about $75 per month for digital cable. Which means in eight years, our family has had an extra $7200 (!!!) dollars to play with simply by turning off the tv. Now that is a sum that should make everyone look twice. Plus, think of all the hours you can free up to tackle projects and spend time with friends and family and maybe even just sit and listen to music or read a book or do absolutely nothing but daydream about that trip to Paris or Hawaii or Istanbul that you'll now have the money for. :-)

brrrr

Like much of the northern hemisphere, we too find ourselves in the grips of a cold snap. Frosted windows, wooly hats, many cups of tea fill our days. I confess it is on days like these that I am grateful to work from my home office. :-)

This week has seemed to go on forever, hasn't it? I suppose that's what we get in return for the shortened work schedules during the holidays. Which is why I am glad I have left my agenda for the weekend virtually open. I have a bit of paperwork and some correspondence to catch up on, but otherwise, the time has been left for the family to decide how we should best spend it. For one, I have a baby blanket to finish knitting, plus a recipe for vegetarian meatloaf that I have been meaning to try. And stacks of reading to keep me going through the winter of 2017. In this kind of weather, staying indoors seems like the sensible thing to do. Unless you're a child, of course. ;-)

Which is why hot chocolate is just the most wonderful January treat! We like to dress ours up with the usual whipped cream and cocoa powder---plus cinnamon for me and the tiniest sprinkle of cayenne for the husband. If you haven't tried spiced hot chocolate before, here is a recipe worth making this weekend, guaranteed to warm you up pronto.

Have a GREAT weekend, everyone!!!

Photo is from Free Stock Photos.

heartwarmer

Whenever we need a little inspiration or reminder of the good that DOES exist in the world, remember this story about a Good Samaritan who came to the rescue of someone's grandmother this holiday season. I think "Sir, do you mind telling me what you do because I've always admired shiny shoes" may be the cutest "pickup" line I've ever heard. :-)

(And shame on the airlines for not looking after their passengers better than this!)

retrospectives

And so on this Three Kings Day, the Epiphany, our holiday season officially draws to a close---although our family tends to keep up most of our decorations and the twinkly lights through most of the winter. I think they help to brighten the darkest and coldest months of our year.

Our festive season certainly did not start off well, with that visit from the Grinch. And after all the stressful phone calls and paperwork in the days that followed, I admit my Christmas spirit was nowhere to be found. But as the 25th of December drew closer, some cheer resurfaced after an afternoon spent relaxing in the kitchen and the company of good friends. By the time the big day finally arrived, I was ready to sing and sing BIG. :-)

As the end of the year loomed, my thoughts became both retrospective, as I took stock of the past twelve months, and prospective, as I begin to contemplate the forthcoming change of the calendar. Plans were made for how to spend the year's final night, and I am pleased that I ended 2009 by trying something I had never done before. Almost a week now into 2010, I have begun to work through some of the life changes I have decided to make priorities for the next twelve months. The new year is bright with possibilities---and a brand-new bankcard, which finally arrived yesterday. :-)

Today also is the concluding day of Holidailies. Thank you to all the Holidailies readers and fellow bloggers who have stopped by during the last month. Smart, funny, quality blogs seem to be harder to come by these days, but I have enjoyed all the entries I have read by participants this year! Finally, kudos to the folks behind this project. This was the third season I have been involved, and I am happy to say Holidailies has become one of my Christmas traditions. :-) May 2010 bring you all much peace, abundance, and joy---see you next year!!!

samasource

I decided with the new year I would revisit the idea of tithing. I have tithed in the past---not to a specific church but rather to charitable and nonprofit organizations whose work I admired and believed in supporting. When the recession hit us hard, however, my good intentions fell by the wayside because my paychecks were needed to fund another charity, that is, my own family.

Even though my husband still holds the title of "job seeker", our finances have stabilized somewhat, and I feel in every way ready to recommit a chunk of my income to help out those in greater need. One of the most important lessons I learned during our trip to Pakistan four years ago was that riches are all relative and that one person's pocket change can be a fortune to someone else. Which is why I think I am drawn to supporting programs like Samasource.

Samasource trains and provides basic computer work to women and refugees in developing countries like Ghana, Pakistan, and Kenya. The work is provided by start-up and small businesses in the United States who are bound by tight budgets and could not otherwise afford to pay higher Western wages. The end result is a win-win---previously low- and unskilled workers are given jobs that pay two to three times their local salaries and small business owners elsewhere are given the opportunity to grow their company. A complete profile is provided on Samasource's web site.

Our world has been too stingy of late, and the time has come for all of us to de-Scrooge ourselves as we ease into this new year, into the future. Perhaps we all can dig into our pockets and learn to live without those few extra dollars or pounds or euros in 2010.

greening up the new year

A few years ago, we rented a cottage here for two weeks---two weeks without Internet but with this view to greet us each morning. :-) The vacation was one of the most relaxing I've ever had, the days being spent cooking, reading, hiking, and napping. We chose this holiday spot for several reasons beyond the obviously gorgeous setting. For one, pets are enthusiastically welcomed, so the fur bundles were able to make the trip with us. Additionally, we really liked the owners' mission and approach---from the restoration of the original buildings, the solar power, the on-site recycling and composting, the use of green cleaning products, and well as their support of the preservation of nature and the many local organic farmers and merchants. Our stay not only allowed us to chill out and relax, but also I returned home recharged and even more committed to a healthier lifestyle for me and the family.

re-nest recently published a round-up of the best green cleaning products out there. Many of the better-known brands are on the list, like 7th Generation and Mrs. Meyers, and readers have left good contributions as well. We use a lot of Ecover at our house, as well as inexpensive vinegar (fabric softener, floor cleaner), lemons (decalc, floor cleaner), and baking soda (sprinkled on carpets before vacuuming). Getting rid of the harsh chemicals contained in the cleaning products stored under the kitchen sink is just one easy way to start the year by doing something kind for yourself and your family.

And yes, after a couple jittery early days, we did manage to survive the two weeks of Internet deprivation. ;-)

i am ready

Ah, the party weekend is drawing to a close, and truth be known, there was a whole lot more reading and relaxing and puttering and cooking going on at our house this weekend than partying. :-) The mood was reflective but festive, though, and I will go to bed tonight recharged and ready to get back to work.

Yesterday I was reading a year-old copy of Body+Soul magazine (which is why I didn't renew my magazine subscriptions this year---I decided I would take 2010 to read all the issues I never got to read last year!), and there was an article on words to eliminate from regular use. The one that got me was "should", which the author expanded to include "have to". It was "have to" that especially hit a nerve with me. Because I use those two little words a lot, too much. So much that I can almost feel my muscles tense as "[I] have to..." leave my mouth. These words introduce a sentence that states almost always the opposite of what I WANT to do (for example, "I have to work/make an appointment/pay bills/clean the bathroom...). Furthermore, "have to" particularly makes it seem as though the "I" has no choice in the matter. And the implication of "should" is of a martyr, sacrificing what she wants to do for what she SHOULD do.

The result, although perhaps subtle, is a whole pile of blech. Since I am all about purging as much blech from my life in 2010, I am following the article's author advice and replacing as the overused "shoulds" and "have tos" with the more positive "am ready", as in "I am ready to get started on this new project" and "I am ready to pay the bills now so that I have time this evening to watch a DVD with the family." As one who used to make the annual mile-long list of new year's resolution, I found a few years ago that the most effective changes I made in my life were not the grand gestures but rather the understated, barely noticeable---initially---ones that grew exponentially as the months passed.

So as the holiday season winds down and life resumes a more regular rhythm, I am ready to face the new year and see where the journey takes us next. First, though, I think there's time for one more mug of hot chocolate, with whipped cream of course. :-D

Photo is from Mummer's Parade, Philadelphia, PA, January 1, 2008.

new beginnings

“…to make an end is to make a beginning.”
— T.S. Eliot


And so for Nochevieja I decided to end the year by trying something new---make my own sushi rolls. Perhaps some of the crab and avocado pieces are a tad off center, but that didn't seem to bother anyone as everyone gave my first attempt at DIY sushi the big thumbs up. So good they were I think I may have found myself a new culinary hobby for 2010. :-) A belly full of sushi and this cute, thoroughly enjoyable New Year's Eve-themed movie made for the perfect, stay-at-home evening, topped with a little bubbly at midnight and sweet dreams of the many delights that await us in the next 365 days. Here's to new beginnings!