White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies are a pretty addition to the table, with the contrast between the deep red berries and the white chocolate. They are deliciously just right sweet. I was afraid they would be on the tart side – not true. Cut each cranberry, though. I cheated and put a little hand full of very small ones in whole. THEY were tart -- if you are a tart avoider like me. Bytes said, when he bit into a little whole cranberry, "that had a burst of zing!" Those that were cut without regard to size of the berry, just blended nicely into the overall flavor of the cookie. Use a cookie scoop to make uniform cookies that will bake evenly. The cookies won't spread a lot as they bake so you can space them about an inch apart. The added drizzle is a nice touch. Use the candy ... [Read More]
Thanksgiving
Cranberry Pear Sauce
Colorful and delicious Cranberry Pear Sauce will be a hit this holiday season! It is super quick and easy to make with no refined sugar. Its sweetness comes naturally from ripe pears and a touch of real maple syrup. It is a superb accompaniment to turkey and other poultry as well, as pork tenderloin or pork roast. Once you try this recipe, you’ll never look at store-bought cranberry sauce the same. What kind of pear to use? Bartletts hold their flavor but break down and become "saucy" when heated so they are a good choice for this recipe. They have a true “pear shape” with a large, rounded bottom half that tapers to a smaller curved neck with slender stem. Bartletts come in two colors, red and yellow, that are unique in the pear world in that they darken as they ripen. Bartletts ... [Read More]
Savory Sweet Potatoes
Rich, creamy mashed sweet potatoes are the perfect side dish for any holiday meal. They are so quick and easy , you’ll want to enjoy them throughout the year. Sweet potatoes are as nutritious as they are delicious. They contain fewer calories and are higher in fiber, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C than their white counterparts. See the infographic from Cleveland Clinic below for a quick comparison. You can peel and cut the sweet potatoes in small, uniform cubes before adding to water for boiling. Cook until sweet potatoes are soft enough to pierce with a fork. Remove from heat and drain. OR you can put whole, and thoroughly washed, sweet potatoes in a medium to large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook until sweet potatoes are soft enough to pierce with a fork. Remove from ... [Read More]
Gratitude Can Change Your Life
Practicing gratitude can change your life Gratitude is an emotion that comes from appreciation. It’s an awareness, a thankfulness of the good things in your life, in you and in the world around you. Gratitude is a powerful thing. It can turn any negative into a positive. It can change how you feel inside. It can bring hope and happiness. It can improve your health, your relationships, your career and so much more. Practicing gratitude changes your perspective on life. In this free guided journal, you will learn how to practice gratitude and how you can benefit from this practice every day. Click here to download your free printable "Forever Grateful" journal to start practicing gratitude in your life. Here's what you'll get: A guide on how and why practicing gratitude is so ... [Read More]
Nine Tips for Living Your Life with Gratitude
We often underestimate the healing power of being grateful for what you have, and all the blessings in your life that you might take for granted. Living your life with gratitude allows you to recognize and appreciate the amazing things in your life each day. These basic habits will make it easy to live your life with gratitude! Make it a habit to appreciate the basic things. Begin by being thankful for your body and its abilities, being able to see or hear. Be grateful for experiences you’ve had and will have because of your ability to taste and enjoy food. Express gratitude for the senses that allow you to appreciate beauty of color and form, to enjoy music and good stories. Imagine if you awaken tomorrow with only the things you were thankful for today! Experience ... [Read More]
The Benefits of Gratitude with free printable conversation starters
November begins the holiday season with high expectations for a cozy and festive time of year. However, for many this time of year is tinged with sadness or anxiety. Research (and common sense) suggests one aspect of Thanksgiving can lift our spirits, and it's built right into the holiday — expressing gratitude. Gratitude is thankful appreciation for what we receive, tangible or intangible. However, gratitude is not just for Thanksgiving. It is a way of life. Being thankful allows you to recognize and appreciate the amazing things in your life. It is good for you, too. Benefits – backed up by science and research -- of being thankful include: A connection to something larger than ourselves. With gratitude, people acknowledge the goodness in their lives. In the process, ... [Read More]
