iPods & Stray Cats...

"Music is the shorthand of emotion."  

~Leo Tolstoy

You've heard the song "Video Killed the Radio Star," 

appropriately the very first video that aired on MTV in 1981.

Well, if that's true, than I think it's fair to say 

that iPod killed the record store.

Now, I'll be the first to admit that I'm smitten over the iPod.

I mean really...a portable jukebox of my favorite music??

Genius. 

I love the thrill of customizing tasty playlists 

for different moods and occasions... 

Makes my "inner DJ" swoon I tell ya.

I'll never forget the first day I caught a glimpse of it's glimmer.  

It was a sunny day in 2001, 

 sitting down at my mother's kitchen table, 

when my sister Stacy showed me the latest technological indulgence 

that she scored off of EBAY... 

a shiny metallic lime green Mini iPod.

My eyes grew as big as millstones 

while visions of sugar plums danced in my head.

  I gazed upon her thumb going 

round and round and round the dial,

showing off her library of songs and playlists.

ohhhhh snap. 

Just the thought of replacing my bulky "discman" 

brought a Kool-Aid grin to my face. 

But there was a time in the not too distant past 

when I could spend a whole afternoon at the record store with my friends. 

Charley's records and tapes, or Krazy Kat's Vinyl's, even Hastings. 

A parade of long haired rocker guys 

and laced up pant rocker girls combed up and down the aisles. 

Racks of posters and concert t-shirts neatly displayed in the back of the store. 

Big cushiony earphones awaited you at a station to sample the most recent new release. 

Hours would go by, though it felt like minutes.

I remember my first 45.

"Stray Cat Strut" by the Stray Cats.

And my first vinyl full length album.

"Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor. 

Do remember how cool the album art used to be??? 

It would fold out and sometimes there was even art on the inside sleeve. 

What treasures they were.

I have further flashbacks of my tape recorder, 

which I not only used to hide behind plants 

to record my parents private conversations, 

*what a little spy I was*

but also to play music. 

Soon my collection began to grow, 

thus came the need for a wooden cassette holder 

to display them all for my perusal. 

Of course, then came the illustrious CD. 

How cutting edge was that?

Do you remember your first 45/vinyl LP/8-track/cassette/cd????

Well, I must say, 

as much as I enjoy scrolling the I-Tunes online store 

for the latest and greatest new music, 

I sure do miss those days at the record store...

don't you?

Here's a sample of some of the tunes I'm diggin on lately: 

a little something for everyone :o)

(p.s. if it doesn't show you the video with the first click because of restricting the view from certain sites, just click "watch on youtube" and it will take you right to it in a separate window.....check it out!)

for those of you who like something fresh:

for those of you who like to chill:

for those of you who like to have some fun:

for those of you who like to roooock your face off:

for those of you who are contemplative:

for those of you who like to 

step out of the comfort zone:

It's My SITS Day!!!

“Each friend represents a world in us, 

a world possibly not born until they arrive, 

and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.” 

~ Anais Nin

Silence.

And then....

A chorus of HALLELUJAHS slowly begin to rise in the air...

Hooooooly Heavens...... it's my SITS day!!!!!

It's my SITS Day...It's my SITS Day...It's my SITS day.

*doing the "cabbage patch" dance...very awkwardly I might add*

Wait....what is SITS you may ask???

For reals?

Where've you been bella????

Alrighty...time for you to crawl out from under that rock 

and let's get you up to speed....

SITS stands for "The Secret is in The Sauce"

Sooooo what's the secret????

It's diving into the sauce baby....

SITS is an amazingggg sisterhood of 15,000 bloggers

dedicated to supporting one another by leaving comments

and learning about blogging.

I have discovered so many incredible blogs through SITS,

and the friendships that have forged through this community

are irreplaceable.

I feel so blessed to be a part of it....

and today....Mangiabella is on the menu.

So welcome SITS-tahs....

have a seat, 

grab a lavender pear muffin, 

and take a look around.

I've gathered a few tasty selections to whet the appetite...

enjoy, and Mangia!

If you'd like to know how it all began....read this

if you need a little perspective...read this

if you're feeling weary & in despair....read this

if you're going through a fierce trial....read this

If you're in the mood for a little distraction...read this

if you're hungry....read this

if you're thirsty...read this

if you're longing to simplify...read this

and if you're trying to please everyone around you...stop it....and read this 

I hope your soul finds rest today...

That amidst the hustle and bustle

and busy-ness of life,

you'll find a moment to be still.

To ponder. To reflect. To listen.

That you'll feel a stirring deep within...

And respond.

Praying for an extra measure of strength 

and courage

 to walk the path set before you....

Keep Shining Sweet Bellas!!

Pear Mousse...and Friendships!

"There was never yet an uninteresting life. Such a thing is an impossibility. 

Inside the dullest exterior there is drama, a comedy, and a tragedy." 

~ Mark Twain

I was thinking about friendships in general today, and what a gift they are.

I especially love that "confidante" element of girlfriend friendships.

Males don't seem to enter in, in that way, you know?

At least most of them don't...

there are definitely exceptions to the rule.

But you get two women together over a cup of coffee

and the sharing is immediate.

Do you have any friends who excel in that way?

I can think of several.

I can say anything and they will add to it

and usually take us beyond the point that I wanted to make.

It's so refreshing to have friends 

who keep you on your toes in conversation

don'tchya think?

Always pushing us to that higher level,

desiring us to be more...

more alive,

or more importantly,

more AWAKE!

When I think more intently on the friendships God has given me,

I delight in how each one has brought

such a unique element to the table,

making my life so much richer and more satisfying.

Distance is a barrier to serious affection shown

but I send smiles & warm embraces along these lines...

YOU ARE A GIFT TO ME! 

The recipe I'd like to share with you was given to me by

one of the sweetest bellas I know, Pat Danforth.

She charms everyone who crosses her path 

with her East Coast accent

and her pearls of wisdom,

and ALWAYS brings the most sensational desserts

to potlucks and fellowships.

This mousse is light and delicate

with hints of lemon and the sweetness of pears.

The moment it graced my lips 

I knew I had to have the recipe.

She emailed me a typed out piece of paper

with this recipe, by Barb Olson.

With only 4 ingredients, it couldn't be any simpler.

I do hope you'll give this a try,

I think it would be lovely to serve it in puff pastry,

phyllo cups, or champagne flutes :)

Pear Mousse

Ingredients:

1 - 29 oz. can of Pears

1 - large package of Lemon Jello

8 oz. of softened cream cheese

8 oz. of Cool Whip

Directions:

Drain pears and reserve juice. 

Heat juice to melt Jello and set aside to cool,

but DO NOT SET.

Blend pears in blender or mash until smooth.

Add 8 oz. of cream cheese and blend until smooth.

Add cooled jello - mix well.

Fold in cool whip and refrigerate until set.

(I allowed mine to set overnight)

Garnish with fresh fruit just before serving, if desired.

Enjoy...and Mangia!

Those Were The Days...& an Ode To Felix

"I don't cry over spilt milk,

but a fallen scoop of ice cream is enough to ruin my whole day."  

~Terri Guillemets

I spent a decade living in a small town 

nestled in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

Taos, New Mexico.

Best known for it's stellar skiing, fine arts, exceptional cuisine,

and the kind of breathtaking scenery that allowed one to indulge in

every outdoor activity you can imagine.

But one thing Taos didn't have was an "ice cream man."

The most I'd seen driving around there was an old school bus

that had morphed into a Grateful Dead mural on wheels.

Did you have an "ice cream man" in your old neighborhood?

When I was growing up, we had an ice cream man,

and where I lived, he ruled the streets.

He stocked the best of the best...

Not only a full display of good humor products,

but tons of candy & all the crazy practical joke toys that 

kids loved and parents hated.

Like those snappers you'd throw on the ground that sounded like a firecracker.

Cherry bombs. Stink bombs. The works. Even parachute men!

He had his own special song that played, 

and his name was proudly displayed above the windshield...

 "FELIX"

When all the kids on the block heard his tune,

we would run into our houses like Speedy Gonzales 

to raid our piggy banks or beg our parents for spare change

so we could make our score.

Of course, we had bionic hearing back then,

we could hear his song playing from blocks away.

Looking back, I wonder if he had subliminal messages in his music...

It would literally put us in a trance, 

as if he were The Pied Piper luring us in.

All the neighborhood kids would line up
for italian ices, red white & blue bomb pops,
choclate eclair & strawberry shortcake ice cream.
We'd stuff root beer bottle caps, sweet tarts,
jolly rancher sticks, fun dip & & candy rings 
in our pockets to fuel us for
the next round of fun in the streets.

Ahhhh, yes, those were the days....

when we were wild eyed and carefree...

sitting on the curb with sticky fingers & cherry red stains on our lips 

from the popsicles we'd just consumed...

The days when we'd ride our bikes alll dayyy looong.

The days when we'd build go carts

and act out scenes from X-Men comics in the streets...

Torturing locusts by day and catching fireflys by night.

Those were the days...

Nowadays, I like to fanc-i-fy my ice cream whenever possible.

I like to scoop ice cream in liquor glasses and chop up fresh ingredients.

Something about it makes it feel...special...indulgent.

Pictured above is good ol' fashioned vanilla ice cream

served in a cobalt blue margarita glass and topped with blueberries, kiwi & coconut.

The other is served in an eclectic clear martini glass with strawberries, chocolate, and sliced almonds.

How fun is that?!!

What about you?

If you could choose any toppings you wanted,

how would you dress up your ice cream?

I'm thinking it's time for an ice cream party...

yet another great way to draw in the youth 

and stir up some meaningful conversation :)

The Youth of a Nation...And Meatball Lasagna

"We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, 

yet we forget that he is someone today." 

 ~Stacia Tauscher

Is anyone else concerned about the youth of this generation today? 

Is anyone else alarmed?

I came across some nationwide statistics that I had jotted down a few years ago 

when I heard Ron Luce from Teen Mania Ministries speak, 

and let's just say it is BEYOND troubling.

This is the largest generation of youth that has ever been.

33 million teenagers in America.

Larger than any other generations before them, 

and they are struggling, big time.

1,500 of them kill themselves each year.

1 out of 5 have thoughts of suicide. That's staggering.

1,000,000 of them are pregnant.

750,000 of them had abortions last year.

½ of them are no longer virgins.

9 out of 10 have viewed porn online. That is a lot.

8,000 of them get an STD EVERY SINGLE DAY – 

that blows my mind.

The most common STD is gonorrhea of the throat 

(because teens today don't think that oral sex is really sex)

This generation views 16 to 17 hours of television each week 

and sees on average 14,000 sexual scenes 

and references each year. 

That's more than 38 references every day.

This generation spends 3 hours a day online 

and is the first to grow up with the point and click pornography. 

90% of them say that they have viewed porn online 

while doing homework. 

(there is estimated to be at least 300,000 adult websites)

Teenage girls wear "sex beads" that tells boys, 

depending on the color of beads they are wearing,

what they will do with them in the bathrooms at break.

Is anyone else troubled by this? 

Is anyone else noticing a serious moral decay of a generation?

Friends, a battle is waging for our youth. 

The casualties are mounting.

If things are this bad now, 

what will it be like when your toddlers are teenagers?

We can't just sit back and not do anything about it. 

We have to get involved with our youth of today. 

We need to get out there on the battlefield ourselves 

and start mentoring these youths. 

Get out of our comfort zones and really step it up a notch.

We have to try to make an effort to win back this generation.

These kids are struggling with 

depression

lonliness

acceptance

purpose and meaning in life....

and many many other things....

We must try and capture their hearts before it's too late......

Don't you think???????????

Invite a youth over, reach out, make a connection, 

make them a meal....

make them meatball lasagna...

I mean hey, who doesn't love meat-a-balls?

Meatball Lasagna

I make my sauce in so many different ways, it all depends on the mood. 

Sometimes I use a mirepoix, other times I use red wine, 

other times I use meat...but this time I made a very simple marinara,

and I doubled the batch so there would be enough sauce for the lasagna. 

Here is the way I make a single batch: 

I start with a 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes, I add 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 

appx. 2 TBSP worth of fresh basil, 

1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper,1/4 teaspoon of freshly 

cracked black pepper...AND THAT'S IT! 

I heated that over low heat for about 15-20 minutes, 

stirring occasionally, while I prepared the meatballs.

I also make my meatballs many different ways, 

sometimes I use a 3 part meat mixture, sometimes I use cream cheese instead of egg, but this time, I used:

1/4 cup of bread crumbs, 1/4 cup of chopped italian flat leaf parsley, 2 large eggs

lightly beaten, 2 TBSP of whole milk, 

1/2 cup of grated parmigano reggiano,

a generous pinch of salt, probably almost 1 tsp worth, and the same amount of freshly ground black pepper. 

I mixed all of these ingredients into a medium sized

bowl, and then added 1 lb of ground turkey into the mix, incorporating gently, always

being careful not to over-work the meat. 

I rolled them into golf ball sized balls, and

then browned in a skillet with olive oil, appx. 3 minutes each side. Then removed and drained on a paper towel, and set aside.

I took a small container of ricotta cheese, 

and mixed in 2 handfuls of freshly chopped basil,

1 clove of minced garlic, a pinch of salt and pepper.

I have never made my own pasta, 

one of the things on my bucket list for sure, 

so even though I'm a lover of those no cook lasagna sheets, 

this time I used regular lasagna sheets, and boiled them

for about 8 minutes, putting them into the pot one at a time, 

waiting for it to soften enough to submerge

into the pot. Because I used a smaller pot, 

I cooked 6 at a time and made it in two batches. 

Once the noodles were ready, 

I laid them on a dry towel until I was ready to begin layering, 

this helped the excess water drain off, and was easy to grab.

In my 9 x 13 baking dish, I ladled some sauce on the bottom, enough to gently cover the entire surface.

Then I layered three sheets side by side. 

I spooned 2 heaping tablespoons of the ricotta mix onto each 

noodle, and gently spread until they were covered in a thin layer. 
Then I grated more parmigano reggiano 

to cover the ricotta entirely. 

Then I placed 6 meatballs on each sheet, for a total of 18.

Next, ladle more sauce over to cover the meatballs. 

Then, repeat that process one more time: noodles,

ricotta mix, parmigano reggiano, meatballs (18), sauce. 

Then, put one more layer of noodles on top,

followed by a very generous layer of sauce, you want to make sure all the noodles are covered otherwise

they will dry out inside the oven. 

Finally, I cut up fresh buffalo mozzarella 

into little slices and covered the 

sheets, you can use shredded mozzarella if you want. 

I sprinkled some dried oregano on top and put it

in the oven at 375 degrees for 35 minutes. 

Serve with garlic bread and a green salad. 

Mangia!

Fear

Proverbs 31:25

"Fear cannot take what you do not give it."  

~ Christopher Coan

 I used to write a lot of poetry in high school, and a bit after, 

then sort of stopped for no apparent reason - 

thought you might enjoy reading one from "the vault"

I wrote it over a decade ago.

Funny how these words can still speak after all this time...

"Fear" 

by Jaime Carrillo

What is the word

That lingers

In my mind

Telling me I can't 

Robbing my joy

Stealing my confidence

Giving me grief

TAKING 

         MY 

             TURN

Stepping on my toes

Holding me back

What is the word?

      FEAR

so what about you bellas? what's holding you back??