Substance of Living

Personal Size Gluten-Free Berry Brownie in a Bowl You've probably heard of cakes in a cup or seen some photos flying around the internet or have received a recipe in your email.  In fact, it took until the other night that I actually made one of these chocolatey delights. Couldn't find the email with the recipe so I went in search of a recipe that was quick, easy, and hopefully yummy.  Well, there were so many!  Where was I to begin?  OK, one thing was that I didn't want to make an entire cake so anything that required the usual cake staples had to be eliminated or modified. On hand were some mixed berries and Neufchatel cheese that I wanted to try and incorporate. Here is what I came up with after looking at so many different recipes out there.  I don't even remember all that I looked at; but here are a few Jessicakes , Clay Designs by Glee , and Squirrel Momma . Personal Size GF Berry Brownie in a Bowl with a glass of wine Ingredient...

The WINNER of the post Semi-Homemade Tres Leche Cake Recipe and A Giveaway! is:  Noreen Noreen, I've sent you an email. Now onto today's originally scheduled post: Homemade Nut Butter Do you like all natural nut butter - such as peanut butter, almond butter, pistachio butter?  Bet you don't care for the price, though. You can buy any nut you prefer or use up all your leftover nuts from the holidays or your last party. Averie from Averie Cooks shows us how easy it is for us to make our own nut butter at a fraction of the cost. Since Averie shares the actual recipe, It would really be best if you visited her site.  She also provides a printable version of the recipe. I did make a couple changes to Averie's recipe that you'll see in the Findings section of this post.  Mixed Nuts Getting started. If you like crunchy nut butter, you might want to take some out at this point to add back in later. Perfect for a pie crust or ba...

A goal is a dream upon which one acts. The First Step in goal setting is to decide which dream you'd like to turn into a goal and eventually a reality.  Then figure out if this goal is: Short-Term - something that can be accomplished within a day or week Daily or Weekly To-Do List Intermediate - something that will take longer than a week but typically a couple months Canning or preserving items from your garden Long-Term - Buying a house or going on a dream vacation A daily To-Do list is a great way to keep each day organized as well as break down tasks to reach your goals.  To make a long-term goal managable, break it down into intermediate goals, then into short-term goals and then list each task on the daily To-Do list. Once you incorporate a daily To-Do list, guesstimate more time than you think a task will take.  Then mark down how long the task actually took.  This will help you more accurately schedule your time in the future. For example,...

I'd like to start with a personal note by saying , "Happy Father's Day, Dad!" Father's Day is a time to reflect on the men who have made us who you are today.  These men may not have been our dad and they might not have even been a dad.  They did, however, play an important role in our life.  Sometimes we are molded by a smile or a few words of encouragement.  Sometimes it is a hug. Who are fathers?  Are all fathers dads?  No.  They can be Coaches, Teachers, Big Brothers, Supervisors, Neighbors, Uncles, Strangers.  They teach us through love and support.  They instill in us honor, pride, honesty, self-respect, and inner strength.  They show us how to give our children and future generations a chance. Have you been looking at your dad and wondering who he is or what he even enjoys?  Remember back a few (OK, maybe more) years and think about how you spent time with him.  Were you in the garage working on engines?  We...

I am an avid reader. I wasn't always a reader.  I'll bet that there are a lot of people out there like me, though. Since graduating from high school, I went on to college and became hooked on books.  I literally have at two or three books going at all times.  Now, with options like the original hand-held hard or paperback books there are audio - cassette, CD, MP3, iTunes; electronic books provided by Kindle , Nook, e-Pub, and so many other juicy options. Where do I get my books?  Local bookstore, library, Amazon , friends, and anywhere else a book might appear.  I've also been known to get books at wholesale stores, garage sales and charity stores. These are the books I read last month.  It's not that I think you're interested in what I've been or am currently reading, but you might be curious about new options, authors, or genres.  I read everything.  I've been known to actually read a recipe book and believe it or not, my car manual. ...