Bliss.Com is challenging bloggers.  We’re kicking off the coming New Year with some
motivations and healthy blogging.

The first challenge is to let everyone know why you started blogging & who or
what inspires you the most.

Why I started blogging:

I have always enjoyed cooking and baking but not keeping track of favorite
recipes.  Blogging began as my own personal cooking and baking journal to
document recipes, cooking, baking, kitchen tips and tricks.  The search option
on my own blog made it easy to find old favorites.  That was the beginning but
THEN…I discovered fitness bloggers who were running marathons!  These weren’t
elite runners nor were they under 3 hour marathoners.  These were fit and
healthy bloggers running 26.2 miles for kicks.  I wanted to do that!  And so
began my blogging, not just for recipes, but to keep me motivated and true to my
running goals.  Once I put it out there, I was committed.

The Who and the What that Inspires me the most:

This one is tough.  The “who” would be an assortment of people in my life.
But just to name one or two, beginning with the wonderfully talented writers
who grab our attention with such mundane daily happenings yet we are
intrigued and bedazzled by their writings and recaps every day.
Moving on to family.  My dad who has heaps of energy and is constantly creating
and inventing.  He inspires me to be a better person and to not be afraid to put
myself out there.

Now for the “WHAT” that inspires me.  Life, nature, health/fitness.

Life, in all it’s infinite circles, is inspiring.  It’s our being, breath,
our soul.  It’s new and old and it’s to be cherished every day because no
second, no minute will ever happen again. Life is inspiring because it’s a
gift to be grateful for.

Nature, inspires creativity because it’s fresh, it’s miraculous.  Nature has
the ability to shock, to soothe, it can bite and be cruel, or gentle and
loving.  It’s brilliant and the things we are fortunate enough to witness
are inspiring to the imagination.

Health/Fitness is inspiring because without our health and fitness, we
wouldn’t be able to enjoy the gift of life.  If we have our health and fitness,
we stay happy and focused. Good health inspires working towards new goals and challenges.

Now, an email gift from my cousin that I want to share with you.  Maybe you’ve seen this, maybe not. Either way, it’s sure to bring a smile.

Always try to help a friend in need
Believe in yourself
Study hard
Give lots of kisses
Laugh often
Don’t be overly concerned with your weight, it’s just a number
Always try to see the glass half full
Meet new people, even if they look different to you
Remain calm, even when it seems hopeless
Take lots of naps..
Be weird whenever you have the chance
Love your friends, no matter who they are
Don’t waste food
RELAX
Take an occasional risk
Try to have a little fun each day. …it’s important
Share a joke with friends
Fall in love with someone….
..and say ‘I love you’ often
Express yourself creatively
Be conscious of your appearance
Always be up for surprises
Love someone with all of your heart
Share with friends
Watch your step
It will get better
There is always someone who loves you more than you know
Exercise to keep fit
Live up to your name
Seize the Moment
Hold on to good friends; they are few and far between
Indulge in the things you truly love
Cherish every Sunday
At the end of the day… PRAY
And smile at least once a day!

Last week when swim classes began, I wasn’t complaining too much because the water was warm. That simply means that I could stand it for 45 minutes before my thumbs went numb.

This week, the folks at the college got smart and reduced the temperature. It was back into the “cold zone”. I toughed it out for 50 minutes on Tuesday night. Wednesday night, I was ok until I crashed into another swimmer. It completely freaked me out.

The pool was crowded.

Lap lovers were told to swim down the pool on a black strip and back in the blue area. That’s all well and good, but when your head is down,  it’s not so easy to see someone coming. We hit head on. No one got hurt just a little shocked.  Anyway, it made me paranoid and I couldn’t relax into a good stroke after that. I ended my swim routine after 35 minutes. It was cold, my legs were tired, and I was discombobulated (can’t believe spell check “ok’d” that word?!!!).

It was kind of a weird week anyway. One day, my sister came to work with two different shoes on. At least they were both black otherwise, I’d begin to wonder how stressed out she really is. Maybe the weirdness was due to something going on with the moon or stars or something magnetic? Do you believe in that stuff? That we are affected by the stars?

Just a photo “Here We Go Again”  – are you with me?

See the DVD behind the Confirmation of Acceptance? I’m watching it…over and over again before April 16th.

SWEET OR SAVORY

I was reading a recipe for Italian donuts but the little beauts were deep fried. My stomach doesn’t like DEEP fried foods which spurred the baking experiment to follow.

Sweet

Savory

I made a sweet (cocoa and cinnamon) ricotta cookie

and a savory (sundried tomato and olive) ricotta “donut”.

The sweet treat, simply sprinkle with confectioners sugar and enjoy the delicate, soft balance of flavors.  The savory donut,  heat up your favorite soup and let these round, soft mouthfuls complement the dish.

Which ones your favorite?

Ricotta Mini Muffin or Cookie (depending on how you shape it)

• 1 cup Ricotta Cheese
• 3 egg whites
• 1 TBS vanilla flavor
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour (I’m sure regular whole wheat would work just as well)
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 TBS cocoa powder
• 2 TBS baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• sifted confectioners sugar to top when baked.

In a large bowl, add the cheese, the egg whites, vanilla and cinnamon.  Beat until smooth.

Add the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.  Mix just to combine.

Put into the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Prepare cookie sheet or mini muffin tin with non-stick baking spray.

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Drop by 1 1/2 inch rounds on baking sheet, formed into a ball (they will flatten) or drop about the same measurement into the mini muffin tin.

Put into the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 375 F.  Bake for 12 minutes.  Sprinkle with confectioners sugar and enjoy the delicate sponge.

Ricotta Savory Donuts (Look like meatballs)

• 1 cup Ricotta Cheese
• 3 egg whites
• 2 TBS Italian seasoning mix (or make up about 1/4 cup of fresh chopped herbs such as basil, oregano, thyme)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 2 TBS sliced green olives (black would be great but I didn’t have any)
• 5 oil packed, sun dried tomatoes, chopped fine (about 4 TBS)
• 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour (or use regular whole wheat)
• 1 TBS granulated sugar (*that’s right! SUGAR – even tomato sauce has sugar sometimes but in this case, it’s not for cutting acidity, it cuts a bit of bitterness)
• 2 TBS baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup crushed whole wheat crackers (really fine crush or use seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs)

In a large bowl, add the cheese, the egg whites, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, pepper, olives, and tomatoes.

Beat until smooth.

Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix just to combine.

Put into the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Prepare cookie sheet with non-stick baking spray.

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Form into 1 1/2 inch round balls and roll in the crushed crackers or seasoned bread crumbs.

Place on baking sheet.

Put into the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 375 F. Bake for 12 minutes.

These would be PERFECT with pasta and a little Parmesan Romano!

This weekend is the Falling Leaves Road Race. I’m not running but I’ll be at the Expo and, for all you bread lovers,  the Marathon Mini Loaf will make it’s debut:

Look for me at the Arbonne table to try a sample.

There will be an Arbonne gift basket giveaway and a $50 raffle.

If you’re a runner

or just intersted in the Expo at the Saranac/Matts Brewery on the corner of Varick Street, come on and visit.

The easiest recipe…

Page 122 of our book

and posted by Pete Maneen, there is the best and the most simplistic recipe for Garlic Pizza.

First you have to pick up a pizza shell or the dough from the store or your favorite local bakery…

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Now you spray a pizza pan (use a square baking sheet if you don’t have a round pizza pan) with non-stick spray.  Put the shell or spread the dough on the pan. 

Top the dough with garlic salt (sprinkle it evenly over the crust) and oregano. 

Add 8 oz of grated Mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Serve warm as an appetizer or side. 

The garlic salt may be replaced by garlic powder. 

This pizza was so good, from a 9 x 13, we had only 4 slices left and there were only 3 of us.