Rachael Ray's Official Website :: Burgers with Bacon Bits and Blue Cheese with Blue Mashed Potatoes
Burgers with Bacon Bits and Blue Cheese with Blue Mashed Potatoes
Serves 4
Blue mashers and blue cheese add pizzazz and flavor to Rach's latest bacon burger!
6 medium blue potatoes, peeled and quartered
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup chives, finely chopped
2 egg yolks
8 slices bacon, chopped
2 pounds ground sirloin
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
1/4 cup grated onion, with juice
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, thinly sliced
3/4 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup Stilton or other piquant blue cheese, crumbled
4 cups watercress leaves, loosely packed
4 rolls, split, lightly toasted and buttered
Balsamic drizzle, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
Pre-heat the broiler.
Place the potatoes in a saucepot, cover with water and bring to boil. Add some salt and cook until tender. Drain the potatoes and return them to the hot pot. Add the cream, salt and pepper and chives and mash. Scoop the potatoes into a cake frosting piping bag or large zip-top sealable plastic bag with a star tip, if you have one (you can also cut off the corner of the plastic bag), and pipe them into little mounds on a baking sheet. Place under the broiler until golden brown on top, about 2 minutes.
Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high to high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the bacon bits and reserve on a paper towel-lined plate. Remove all but a tablespoon of the bacon fat from the skillet.
In a large bowl, combine the meat with reserved bacon bits, Worcestershire, garlic, grated onion (grate it over the bowl so the juices fall into the meat), parsley, salt and lots of black pepper. Score the meat into four portions, then form patties out of each portion, making them thinner in the middle. Drizzle the patties with EVOO, then add them to the hot skillet and cook for 10 minutes for rare to medium-rare and up to 16 minutes for medium-well burgers, turning once. Top the burgers in the last minute of cook time with the Stilton cheese and tent with foil to melt.
While the burgers cook, heat a small skillet over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the onion, sauté for 8-10 minutes, then add the mushrooms and sauté 8-10 minutes more. If the pan gets dry, add a drizzle of EVOO. Season the cooked onions and mushrooms with salt and pepper.
To serve, pile some watercress on the bun bottoms and top with a burger patty. Pile some of the onions and mushrooms on top and replace the bun caps. Serve the mashed blue potatoes alongside.
by rachael ray
Friday, October 1, 2010
Banana Shake Trio
Banana Shake Trio | Recipe | Yummy.ph - the Philippine online recipe database
Fruit plus ice cream makes these yellow milkshakes slurp-worthy.
Totally Banana
1 whole yellow banana, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup milk
1 scoop vanilla ice cream
crushed ice
Place banana, milk, ice cream, and crushed ice in a blender and blend together (on pulse mode to retain the body and so it won’t come out soupy). Serve right away.
Berry Banana Split
1 whole yellow banana, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced
1/2 cup milk
1 scoop vanilla ice cream
chocolate syrup
crushed ice
pineapple chunks
whipped cream
maraschino cherries
Smear the sides of the glass with chocolate syrup, then place in the freezer while making the milkshake. In a blender, pulse together banana, strawberries, milk, ice cream, and ice until blended. Pour mixture in chilled glasses then top with whipped cream, pineapple chunks, and a cherry.
Nutty Banana
1 yellow banana, peeled and sliced
1/2 scoop chocolate ice cream
1 teaspoon amaretto liquor
crushed ice
whipped cream
chocolate syrup
almonds, crushed
banana slices, for garnishing
Place banana, chocolate ice cream, liquor, and crushed ice in a blender. Pulse together. Pour mixture into tall glasses. Finish with whipped cream. Drizzle with chocolate syrup and top with crushed almonds and banana slices.
Photography by Ocs Alvarez │ Styling by Pixie Sevilla-Santos
by yummy
Fruit plus ice cream makes these yellow milkshakes slurp-worthy.
Totally Banana
1 whole yellow banana, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup milk
1 scoop vanilla ice cream
crushed ice
Place banana, milk, ice cream, and crushed ice in a blender and blend together (on pulse mode to retain the body and so it won’t come out soupy). Serve right away.
Berry Banana Split
1 whole yellow banana, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced
1/2 cup milk
1 scoop vanilla ice cream
chocolate syrup
crushed ice
pineapple chunks
whipped cream
maraschino cherries
Smear the sides of the glass with chocolate syrup, then place in the freezer while making the milkshake. In a blender, pulse together banana, strawberries, milk, ice cream, and ice until blended. Pour mixture in chilled glasses then top with whipped cream, pineapple chunks, and a cherry.
Nutty Banana
1 yellow banana, peeled and sliced
1/2 scoop chocolate ice cream
1 teaspoon amaretto liquor
crushed ice
whipped cream
chocolate syrup
almonds, crushed
banana slices, for garnishing
Place banana, chocolate ice cream, liquor, and crushed ice in a blender. Pulse together. Pour mixture into tall glasses. Finish with whipped cream. Drizzle with chocolate syrup and top with crushed almonds and banana slices.
Photography by Ocs Alvarez │ Styling by Pixie Sevilla-Santos
by yummy
Banana Split A La Pixie
Everything But The Kitchen Sink Banana Split in an ice cream parlor in California was my first taste of banana split and it’s been my favorite ever since. Here’s my own recipe for sauces—which you can drizzle over your over-the-top banana split.
Yield 2 Prep Time 10 minutes
2 large Cavendish or lacatan bananas, peeled, split lengthwise
ice cream, in different flavors
an assortment of toppings
hot fudge sauce or caramel sauce
1 Take out two oblong dishes. On each, place two banana slices to line the dish.
2 Place three scoops of ice cream in the middle of each dish. Add toppings.
3 Drizzle with homemade hot fudge and/or homemade caramel sauce.
4 Make the Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce: In a double boiler, combine 230 grams bittersweet chocolate (chopped), 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup corn syrup, and 1 tablespoon vanilla and melt, stirring continuously.
5 Make the Homemade Caramel Sauce: Put 9 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a heavy pot. Stir just to moisten sugar.
6 Brush sides of the pot with a wet pastry brush to make sure there’s no sugar sticking.
7 Place pot on heat, but do not stir. Let mixture boil until golden brown in color.
8 Immediately remove from heat. Slowly stir in 5 tablespoons all-purpose cream (room temperature).
by http://www.yummy.ph/recipe/banana-split-a-la-pixie
Why Babies Do the Oddest Things: Grasp, Fight Sleep and Tripod
Your little bundle of joy may be the light and love of your life but he will also be the source of baffling, bewildering behavior. Here’s a chance to see things from a baby’s perspective and answer some questions about why babies do the oddest things.
Why do some babies grab onto things so tightly?
A baby’s grasping reflex is one of the first she’s born with and she will damn well use it – it’s strong enough to support her weight (something some parents may no longer be capable of). Research suggests that this grasping reflex action comes from primates, an idea that’s easy to believe if you’ve ever watched Tarzan swinging from vine to vine with his chimp chum, Cheeta. Another study showed that when infants hold onto their mothers, their heartbeats slow down, suggesting that they feel calm and secure while hanging on to Mommy.
Why do some babies fight sleep? Why do babies wake up in the most inopportune times?
The newness of existence in all its glory is the reason your newborn will fight sleep with the ferocity of a Tasmanian devil. Sleep is boring and overrated, thinks your child. Separation anxiety from their parents also keeps a baby crying. And as they haven’t figured out the concept of Night and Day yet, kids will sleep whenever they feel like it.
One key factor is hunger. As a baby’s stomach is roughly the size of a peanut, it can hold just enough milk to keep it satisfied for 3-4 hours. So be prepared for lots of sleepless nights, but take heart: you can begin to teach your baby as early as now that daytime is for staying awake and nighttime is Mommy’s quality snooze time. Check out some baby sleep training techniques.
Why do some babies tripod before they sit up straight?
We may take actions like sitting for granted but try doing so if all your limbs had the consistency of overcooked champorado. Now add that to the fact that you’re doing this for the very first time. That’s how your baby starts out. As he grows, he gets stronger and more coordinated but this happens in stages—stages your baby works out a day at a time for several months. He starts with his head then he begins to work out his upper body doing the equivalent of little baby push-ups and cat stretches. Tripoding (plopped on his rump with his arms straight out in front of him, his hands flat on the floor like a sitting doggie) is a way for a baby to sit up unaided before he has the balance to stay sitting without support.
It’s no wonder that babies do the oddest things. They’re learning everything for the first time and they’re adjusting to nature programming as well.
Photo from sxc.hu
byhttp://www.smartparenting.com.ph/baby/behavior/Why-Babies-Do-the-Oddest-Things--Grasp--Fight-Sleep-and-Tripod
Setting up Bonding Activities Between Your Toddler and Your Newborn
Now that your firstborn is now an Ate (or a Kuya), it is important to foster a loving and close relationship with her new younger sibling. Adjusting to her new role may be effortless or a bit more challenging, depending on your toddler’s mood and readiness. Sibling rivalry and jealousy is fairly common and very natural. However, you can help your firstborn ease into her new role by setting up some bonding activities between your children.
1. Reading a bedtime story
Remember that your toddler loves to mimic your every move. Read her a bedtime story and in return, let her read to her new sibling. Even if she can’t read yet, she can flip through the pages and explain what’s happening in the pictures.
2. Helping with bath time
You can give Ate a washcloth and ask her if she wants to wash the baby’s toes or tummy. You can also ask her to get the baby’s towel once the baby’s all clean. By giving her these roles, she feels important and proud to be an Ate.
3. Looking through (ate’s) baby albums
This is a great bonding activity because it allows your toddler to understand that she was also once a baby who got that special attention from mom and dad. And now it’s time for Ate to give that special attention to her new sibling.
Also, this is not only entertaining for your children but also for you! Take a trip down memory lane and look how big your firstborn has grown.
4. Ate the Entertainer
When the baby is crying or upset, instead of shooing away Ate, have her sing or dance for her younger sibling.
5. Baby massage
Carefully guide your toddler’s hands to gently caress your baby’s hands, feet, legs, and torso. Once Ate has gotten the hang of it, she can do the baby massage by herself, supervised of course.
Teach Ate how to be gentle with her younger sister. It can be difficult at times but just be patient and she will eventually learn. Also expect that your toddler might accidentally hurt her younger sibling eventually. Resist the urge to immediately swoop in and take the baby away from her Ate. Let your toddler try to be the Big Ate and resolve the situation on her own. This also allows her to see herself as a loving and caring older sister rather than a troublemaker.
It is natural to be over-protective of your newborn; your toddler has never seemed so dangerous and threatening when she is around your baby. The worst thing you can do is to alienate your toddler by being too protective. Allow them to bond and out of this will blossom one of the strongest and most beautiful relationships.
by http://www.smartparenting.com.ph/baby/activities/Setting-up-Bonding-Activities-Between-Your-Toddler-and-Your-Newborn
22 Milestone Markers of your 2-3- Month-old Baby
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
May sleep through the night
Holds objects for a few seconds
May bring hands together
Body tone improves
Starts holding chest and head up a short time while lying on tummy, eventually leans on elbows while on stomach
Facial expressions varies
Vocalization increases
Taste buds begin to develop
Follows slowly moving object with both eyes and head from one side of body to the other
COGNITIVE AND MENTAL DEVELOPMENT
Sucks at the sight of breast
Squirms in anticipation when sees breast or bottle
Explores own face with hand
Stops sucking to listen
Turns head to find source of sound
Gazes at hands
Can distinguish speech from other sounds
SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Smiles easily and spontaneously
May laugh or chuckle
Calms down with mother’s voice or soft music
Begins to enjoy taking a bath
Cries less as she learns to gurgle and coo
Starts recognizing and differentiating among family members
Photo from: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mackro/ / CC BY-SA 2.0
Boost your baby's development! (11-12 months)
Here’s a guide on how to interact with your baby based on his developmental milestones.
The Twelfth Month
Baby’s first birthday is coming up and there is so much to celebrate—first steps, first words, and increased control over her actions. She will show that she is a “big girl” by imitating some of the things you do like talking on the phone or pushing her stroller. However, as baby insists on doing things on her own, expect frustration when she is not able to do certain things. Keep your cool and observe first if she can work things out eventually. If not, figure out what is frustrating her; is she tired, is it too difficult, has she tried many times to no avail? Step in and help out if this is the case. More importantly, because it is now very clear to her that she is a separate being, give her the love and attention that she needs to reassure her that you will always be there. Here is what you can typically expect during the twelfth month:
How to interact with your 12-month old:
• First words will not be very clear and may sound like the same word for different things. If you hear baby say a word often enough and it sounds like she means a particular object or picture, show this to her and get her to repeat the word.
• When baby “talks” with you, do talk back. Not with baby talk but with real words. She’s probably telling you something about what she is doing or commenting on where you are. Tell her that, “Yes, it is a windy day and the leaves dancing”, or that “You really seem to be enjoying the game that you’re playing”. Be sure that you use simple words that will be easy for baby to understand especially when giving directions.
• Since baby loves to imitate Mom and Dad, get her to copy what you are doing such as putting the spoon in your mouth, reading a book right side up and from left to right, or packing toys away. SOURCES:
Curtis, G. B. & Schuler, J. (2000). Your Baby’s First Year Week by Week. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Publishing.
First 5 Commission of San Diego. (2008). How Kids Develop. Retrieved from http://www.howkidsdevelop.com/developSkills.html
Orenstein, J. (2000). 365 Tips for Baby’s First Year. Holbrook, MA: Adams Media Corporation.
Powell, J. and Smith, C.A. (1994). The 1st year. In Developmental milestones: A guide for parents. Manhattan, KS: Kansas State University Cooperative Extension Service. Retrieved from http://www.nichcy.org/Disabilities/Milestones/Pages/Default.aspx
BY http://www.smartparenting.com.ph/baby/development-child-care/boost-your-babys-development-1112-months
Hot Prawn Salad with Fresh Fruits
Weight conscious? Look no further with this light and guilt-free Hot Prawn Salad with Fresh Fruits.
Ingredients:
500g prawns
2 tsp custard powder
1 tsp inger, grated
1/4 cup Carnation Evap
Cornstarch
1 can cocktail fruits
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp Carnation Condensada
Oil for frying
Spring onions (for garnish)
Procedure:
1. Marinate the prawns in custard powder, grated ginger and Carnation Evap for 30 minutes to an hour.
2. Dust prawns with cornstarch and deep fry.
3. Mix mayonnaise with Carnation Condensada.
4. Toss in prawns and fruit cocktails into the mayonnaise.
5. Garnish with spring onions.
RECIPE AND PHOTO COURTESY OF MY FAVORITE RECIPES
Fruity Sweet and Sour Pork Tocinong Concepcion
Start your day right with a sweet and sour tocino treat!
Ingredients:
300g pork tocino
1 cup cornstarch
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 white onion
1 green bell pepper
1 celery stalk
1 can fruit cocktail
1/3 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cup tomato catsup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 cup water
AJI GINISA ORIGINAL
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Directions:
1. Place tocino cubes in a bowl, and coat with cornstarch.
2. Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan.
3. Deep fry in the heated oil until evenly browned. Drain on paper towels.
4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the celery, green bell pepper and onion, and cook until tender.
5. Mix 1 cup water, catsup, and 1/2 tsp soy sauce. Season with AJI GINISA ORIGINAL and sugar, add in fruit cocktail.
6. Return to a boil, and stir in the cooked pork tocino. Mix in 2 tbsps cornstarch and 1/4 cup water to thicken. Cook until well blended.
RECIPE AND PHOTO COURTESY OF QUICKFIRE
How to Be Happier: Ten Tips for Being a More Light-Hearted Parent.
by Gretchen Rubin, on Tue Sep 21, 2010 8:37am PDT
One of my Twelve Commandments is “Lighten up,” and I have a lot of resolutions aimed at trying to be a more light-hearted parent: less nagging, more laughing. We all want a peaceful, cheerful, even joyous, atmosphere at home — but we can’t nag and yell our way to get there. Here are some strategies that help me:
1. At least once a day, make each child helpless with laughter.
2. Sing in the morning. It’s hard both to sing and to maintain a grouchy mood, and it sets a happy tone for everyone—particularly in my case, because I’m tone deaf and my audience finds my singing a source of great hilarity.
3. Get enough sleep yourself. It’s so tempting to stay up late, to enjoy the peace and quiet. But morning comes fast. Along the same lines…
4. Wake up before your kids. We were so rushed in the morning that I started getting up half an hour earlier than my children. That means I can get myself organized, check my email, post to Slate, and get my bag packed before they get up. It’s tough to wake up earlier, but it has made a huge difference in the quality of our mornings.
5. I’ve been researching the hedonic treadmill: people quickly adapt to new pleasures or luxuries, so it takes a new pleasure to give them a jolt of gratification. As a result, I’ve cut back on treats and impulse buys for my kids. The ice-cream sandwich or the Polly Pockets set won’t be an exciting treat if it isn’t rare.
6. Most messages to kids are negative: “stop,” “don’t,” “no.” So I try to cast my answers as “yes.” “Yes, we’ll go as soon as you’ve finished eating,” not “We’re not leaving until you’ve finished eating.” It’s not easy to remember to do this, but I’m trying.
7. Look for little ways to celebrate. I haven’t been doing holiday breakfasts long, but they’re a huge source of happiness. They’re quick, fun, and everyone gets a big kick out of them.
8. Repetition works. A friend told me he was yelling at his kids too much, so he distilled all rules of behavior into four key phrases: “keep your hands to yourself”; “answer the first time you’re asked”; “ask first”; and “stay with us” (his kids tended to bolt). You can also use the school mantras: “Sit square in your chair;” “accidents will happen,” “you get what you get, and you don’t get upset” (i.e., when cupcakes are handed out, you don’t keep trying to switch).
9. Say “no” only when it really matters. Wear a bright red shirt with bright orange shorts? Sure. Put water in the toy tea set? Okay. Sleep with your head at the foot of the bed? Fine. Samuel Johnson said, “All severity that does not tend to increase good, or prevent evil, is idle.”
10. When I find myself thinking, “Yippee, soon we won’t have to deal with a stroller,” I remind myself how fleeting this is. All too soon the age of Cheerios and the Tooth Fairy will be over. The days are long, but the years are short.
Have you found any good strategies to cut back on the shouting and to add moments of laughing, singing, and saying “yes”?
*
I like stopping by White Hot Truth -- "because self-realization rocks." Lots of thought-provoking material there.
*
One of my Twelve Commandments is “Lighten up,” and I have a lot of resolutions aimed at trying to be a more light-hearted parent: less nagging, more laughing. We all want a peaceful, cheerful, even joyous, atmosphere at home — but we can’t nag and yell our way to get there. Here are some strategies that help me:
1. At least once a day, make each child helpless with laughter.
2. Sing in the morning. It’s hard both to sing and to maintain a grouchy mood, and it sets a happy tone for everyone—particularly in my case, because I’m tone deaf and my audience finds my singing a source of great hilarity.
3. Get enough sleep yourself. It’s so tempting to stay up late, to enjoy the peace and quiet. But morning comes fast. Along the same lines…
4. Wake up before your kids. We were so rushed in the morning that I started getting up half an hour earlier than my children. That means I can get myself organized, check my email, post to Slate, and get my bag packed before they get up. It’s tough to wake up earlier, but it has made a huge difference in the quality of our mornings.
5. I’ve been researching the hedonic treadmill: people quickly adapt to new pleasures or luxuries, so it takes a new pleasure to give them a jolt of gratification. As a result, I’ve cut back on treats and impulse buys for my kids. The ice-cream sandwich or the Polly Pockets set won’t be an exciting treat if it isn’t rare.
6. Most messages to kids are negative: “stop,” “don’t,” “no.” So I try to cast my answers as “yes.” “Yes, we’ll go as soon as you’ve finished eating,” not “We’re not leaving until you’ve finished eating.” It’s not easy to remember to do this, but I’m trying.
7. Look for little ways to celebrate. I haven’t been doing holiday breakfasts long, but they’re a huge source of happiness. They’re quick, fun, and everyone gets a big kick out of them.
8. Repetition works. A friend told me he was yelling at his kids too much, so he distilled all rules of behavior into four key phrases: “keep your hands to yourself”; “answer the first time you’re asked”; “ask first”; and “stay with us” (his kids tended to bolt). You can also use the school mantras: “Sit square in your chair;” “accidents will happen,” “you get what you get, and you don’t get upset” (i.e., when cupcakes are handed out, you don’t keep trying to switch).
9. Say “no” only when it really matters. Wear a bright red shirt with bright orange shorts? Sure. Put water in the toy tea set? Okay. Sleep with your head at the foot of the bed? Fine. Samuel Johnson said, “All severity that does not tend to increase good, or prevent evil, is idle.”
10. When I find myself thinking, “Yippee, soon we won’t have to deal with a stroller,” I remind myself how fleeting this is. All too soon the age of Cheerios and the Tooth Fairy will be over. The days are long, but the years are short.
Have you found any good strategies to cut back on the shouting and to add moments of laughing, singing, and saying “yes”?
*
I like stopping by White Hot Truth -- "because self-realization rocks." Lots of thought-provoking material there.
*
The 10 Secrets of One Unflappable Working Mother
by Real Simple Magazine, on Mon Sep 27, 2010 12:35pm PDT
Chances are, work-life balance is your most elusive goal. But it’s not impossible.
by Michelle Slatalla
Last Thursday, as I walked into the house after a business meeting followed by a 30-mile round-trip car pool, I smelled something delicious wafting from the Crock-Pot. On my way to the kitchen, I looked in the mirror, gave a thumbs-up to my dependable black pants, and thought, There now, being a working mother isn’t so hard. That day, like most, involved a lot of working and a lot of mothering, often at the same time. Ever since giving birth to my first daughter, 20 years ago, I have intentionally blurred the lines between work and home. That’s just what the experts tell you not to do. But I credit the overlap with helping me stay reasonably calm. Here are my tried-and-true ways to keep domestic (and professional) chaos at bay.
Related: What I Wish Parents Knew
1. Do work at home; do home at work. You need to accomplish a certain number of things during a 24-hour period. Where you complete those tasks is beside the point; you just need to check them off the list in order to free up time for the things you want to do. Pedicures come to mind. And reading. So go ahead: Pay your bills at the office during your lunch hour, and check your work e-mail at home while you’re waiting for the kids to show up at the dinner table.
2. Juggle strategically. Sure, try to accomplish A and B and C simultaneously, but don’t do it all by yourself. Instead, get A to accomplish B, so you can take credit for C. For instance, I like to sit at the kitchen table and work on a laptop next to a child of mine doing algebra. While A does worksheets (and I write my newspaper column), she is being mothered by me. Also, I can change gears fast to Google the “quadratic equation” if A gets stuck. Child aces her math class, and I meet my deadline. Score two points for the working mom.
3. Make your home office a command center. Those pesky experts say that to get any work done at home, you have to be cordoned off in a room far away from anyone who can nag you. This makes me wonder how many experts have children. Instead, figure out which location in the center of your house provides some privacy, while reminding everyone you are a presence to be reckoned with. From this spot, you should be able to stir a pot of simmering soup or assist with a history project that involves the use of glitter (by nixing the glitter).
Related: How to Handle Changes in Your Child's Behavior
4. Ignore the latest parental fear-mongering literature. I don’t want to catch you reading anything with a title like Either I Should Be Drinking More or Less Chardonnay Out of Sippy Cups at Work and Home. Instead, stick to the classics that remind us, with great wit, what we like about this business of being an adult with a complex life. For example, Shirley Jackson’s Raising Demons will help you decide whether it’s more fulfilling to spend the weekend doing housework or playing cards with the neighbors. (Hint: Think mixed nuts and drinks over a few rounds of bridge.)
5. Getting out the door in the morning (without anyone in tears) is the only thing you have to achieve before 8:30 a.m. Stop trying to organize everything. Your only goals are to leave the house looking good and without your first-grader sobbing because she hates getting dressed in the morning. If that means you put her to bed in her school clothes to avoid a 7 a.m. tantrum, I think you’re a genius.
Related: 5 Ways to Save Time in the Morning
6. Arm yourself with secret weapons. Mine include a ream of copy paper (hide it in your underwear drawer so no one can cut it up into snowflakes), an instant thermometer, and emergency high heels (keep a pair stashed in the car).
7. Go with your gut, and don't second-guess it later. If you’ve spent days preparing for a meeting that starts in an hour and the school nurse calls to report a painful, though not hospital-worthy, monkey-bar injury, there’s no one right thing to do. On any given day, your instinct might be to skip the meeting. Or suggest that the nurse apply an ice pack and send Shorty back to class. Make a snap decision and then―this is key―don’t question it later. Let it go. Really. I mean it.
8. Leave your kids (and the stories about them) at home. While I’m sure your coworkers love hearing about Sophie’s ballet recital or poison ivy, you can keep them begging for more by limiting updates on family life to one per week (unless your kid gets a perfect score on his SAT, in which case, keep the good news to yourself forever). Remember―bragging about your kids is what family parties are for.
Related: 10 Business Strategies to Organize Your Family Life
9. Don't obsess over things no one will remember in five years. Come 2015, no one, not even you, will still be angry that the PTA insisted on scheduling meetings during the workday. Or that your child was the last holdout against potty-training at preschool. I learned this from a nursery-school director named Susie Meisler. She used to peel screaming 3-year-olds off their parents, carry them into her office, and call over her shoulder to the fretting parents, “Get a cup of coffee. Everything will be fine.” And Susie was right.
10. Stop thinking of yourself as split into separate but equal roles: mother, worker, me. Listen to philosopher John Locke, who said that a person recognizes himself as the same being throughout his life, in different times and places. You are one person, indivisible, who just happens to wear many hats. And while I get that the weight of all those hats can wear you down, at least be happy you’ve got something important to do.
Chances are, work-life balance is your most elusive goal. But it’s not impossible.
by Michelle Slatalla
Last Thursday, as I walked into the house after a business meeting followed by a 30-mile round-trip car pool, I smelled something delicious wafting from the Crock-Pot. On my way to the kitchen, I looked in the mirror, gave a thumbs-up to my dependable black pants, and thought, There now, being a working mother isn’t so hard. That day, like most, involved a lot of working and a lot of mothering, often at the same time. Ever since giving birth to my first daughter, 20 years ago, I have intentionally blurred the lines between work and home. That’s just what the experts tell you not to do. But I credit the overlap with helping me stay reasonably calm. Here are my tried-and-true ways to keep domestic (and professional) chaos at bay.
Related: What I Wish Parents Knew
1. Do work at home; do home at work. You need to accomplish a certain number of things during a 24-hour period. Where you complete those tasks is beside the point; you just need to check them off the list in order to free up time for the things you want to do. Pedicures come to mind. And reading. So go ahead: Pay your bills at the office during your lunch hour, and check your work e-mail at home while you’re waiting for the kids to show up at the dinner table.
2. Juggle strategically. Sure, try to accomplish A and B and C simultaneously, but don’t do it all by yourself. Instead, get A to accomplish B, so you can take credit for C. For instance, I like to sit at the kitchen table and work on a laptop next to a child of mine doing algebra. While A does worksheets (and I write my newspaper column), she is being mothered by me. Also, I can change gears fast to Google the “quadratic equation” if A gets stuck. Child aces her math class, and I meet my deadline. Score two points for the working mom.
3. Make your home office a command center. Those pesky experts say that to get any work done at home, you have to be cordoned off in a room far away from anyone who can nag you. This makes me wonder how many experts have children. Instead, figure out which location in the center of your house provides some privacy, while reminding everyone you are a presence to be reckoned with. From this spot, you should be able to stir a pot of simmering soup or assist with a history project that involves the use of glitter (by nixing the glitter).
Related: How to Handle Changes in Your Child's Behavior
4. Ignore the latest parental fear-mongering literature. I don’t want to catch you reading anything with a title like Either I Should Be Drinking More or Less Chardonnay Out of Sippy Cups at Work and Home. Instead, stick to the classics that remind us, with great wit, what we like about this business of being an adult with a complex life. For example, Shirley Jackson’s Raising Demons will help you decide whether it’s more fulfilling to spend the weekend doing housework or playing cards with the neighbors. (Hint: Think mixed nuts and drinks over a few rounds of bridge.)
5. Getting out the door in the morning (without anyone in tears) is the only thing you have to achieve before 8:30 a.m. Stop trying to organize everything. Your only goals are to leave the house looking good and without your first-grader sobbing because she hates getting dressed in the morning. If that means you put her to bed in her school clothes to avoid a 7 a.m. tantrum, I think you’re a genius.
Related: 5 Ways to Save Time in the Morning
6. Arm yourself with secret weapons. Mine include a ream of copy paper (hide it in your underwear drawer so no one can cut it up into snowflakes), an instant thermometer, and emergency high heels (keep a pair stashed in the car).
7. Go with your gut, and don't second-guess it later. If you’ve spent days preparing for a meeting that starts in an hour and the school nurse calls to report a painful, though not hospital-worthy, monkey-bar injury, there’s no one right thing to do. On any given day, your instinct might be to skip the meeting. Or suggest that the nurse apply an ice pack and send Shorty back to class. Make a snap decision and then―this is key―don’t question it later. Let it go. Really. I mean it.
8. Leave your kids (and the stories about them) at home. While I’m sure your coworkers love hearing about Sophie’s ballet recital or poison ivy, you can keep them begging for more by limiting updates on family life to one per week (unless your kid gets a perfect score on his SAT, in which case, keep the good news to yourself forever). Remember―bragging about your kids is what family parties are for.
Related: 10 Business Strategies to Organize Your Family Life
9. Don't obsess over things no one will remember in five years. Come 2015, no one, not even you, will still be angry that the PTA insisted on scheduling meetings during the workday. Or that your child was the last holdout against potty-training at preschool. I learned this from a nursery-school director named Susie Meisler. She used to peel screaming 3-year-olds off their parents, carry them into her office, and call over her shoulder to the fretting parents, “Get a cup of coffee. Everything will be fine.” And Susie was right.
10. Stop thinking of yourself as split into separate but equal roles: mother, worker, me. Listen to philosopher John Locke, who said that a person recognizes himself as the same being throughout his life, in different times and places. You are one person, indivisible, who just happens to wear many hats. And while I get that the weight of all those hats can wear you down, at least be happy you’ve got something important to do.
6 Quick Fixes for Fabulous Skin
by Liz Brody, Shine Staff, on Mon Sep 27, 2010 7:16pm PDT
"Botox in an apple?" one skin doctor scoffed, sounding as if he wanted to hang up on me. I'd asked him if any foods or supplements might offer a youthful boost similar to injectable "B." High-tech treatments work wonders; they just make my wallet break out. And I figure if certain diets can help curb heart disease and diabetes, why not the skin? It's the body's largest organ, after all.
The science may not be rock-solid, but tantalizing research does suggest that making a few lifestyle tweaks can help your complexion find its potential. Call it: eat, pray, glow.
HAVE AN ORANGE A DAY: Of all the studies on diet and skin, perhaps the best case can be made for increasing foods with vitamin C, according to Jenny Kim MD, PhD, associate professor of dermatology and clinical medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, who pored through the scientific literature for Yahoo! with the help of one of her residents, Jamie Zussman, MD. She cites a 2007 study that examined national data from 4025 women and showed that a higher intake of vitamin C was associated with a lower likelihood of a wrinkles and aging dryness. The main sources of the vitamin in the study were orange juice, fruit—citrus and other kinds—and tomatoes. You just need two of those oranges, or a cup of the OJ, or four large tomatoes to get more than the recommended daily amount of vitamin C for adult women.
EAT FOR COLOR: Most experts, in fact, vote for a potent cocktail of antioxidants. To RealAge doctor, Michael Roizen, MD, coauthor of YOU: Staying Young, that means loading up on all the colorful vegetables and fruits you can manage, plus green tea. "If you avoid saturated and trans fats, added sugars and syrups, and any grain that's not 100 percent whole—foods that age you both inside and out," he says, "you can eat almost anything else." For Neil Sadick MD, clinical professor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College, it's simpler. "If I had to do two things in my life food-wise to protect my skin," he says, "I would ingest more soy and drink a glass of red wine at night." Once you change your diet, he says, it should take three to six months to notice an improvement.
POUR ON THE OLIVE OIL: New York dermatologist Macrene Alexiades-Armenakas, whose MD and PhD (in genetics) are both from Harvard, claims the secret of the lustrous Mediterranean skin and hair is olive oil. "It not only provides those antioxidants that prevent toxic damage," she says, "but also the fatty acids that are an integral part of skin, hair, and nails." In her opinion you get the best benefit when you don't cook it. "At home, I put raw olive oil on our poached eggs in the morning, drench our salad at lunch, and at dinner, it goes on top (raw again) of any vegetable or pasta dish."
POP A FISH OIL PILL: Journalist Thea Singer, whose book Stress Less: The new science that shows women how to rejuvenate the body and the mind hit the shelves this week, points to a fish oil study that, she says, "really blew me away." Published earlier this year in the Journal of the American Medical Association, it showed that people with the highest levels of fish oil (marine omega-3 fatty acids) in their blood also had the least amount of "telomere shortening," a known marker of aging. Singer explains that telomeres are the tips on the ends of chromosomes that protect the DNA, and when they get too short, the skin cells "go to sleep and start spewing enzymes that chew up collagen and elastin, which ultimately can cause sagging and wrinkling." UCLA's Kim points to other studies suggesting that fish oil may help suppleness and psoriasis. There's no harm in taking a supplement, or in eating more salmon.
GO OFF THE CRAZY DIET: Going back to those telomeres, Singer's book describes a convincing body science—some of it Nobel Prize-winning—showing that chronic stress can speed up the rate at which our cells age (skin included) by ten years or more. One activity that causes the body to produce stress hormones, you may not be surprised to learn, is strict dieting. You'll go much easier on yourself with a more moderate method of weight loss.
TRY DANCING WITHOUT THE STARS: One of the best ways to turn back the clock, Singer believes, is dancing—with a partner, in a class, or alone in your living room. But if that's not your thing, practicing compassion meditation—or any kind (see more here from a wonderful teacher)—is a great way to unwind. Yoga, massage, joining a support group, and feeling grateful, are also proven means to cultivating radiant calm, both inside and out.
"Botox in an apple?" one skin doctor scoffed, sounding as if he wanted to hang up on me. I'd asked him if any foods or supplements might offer a youthful boost similar to injectable "B." High-tech treatments work wonders; they just make my wallet break out. And I figure if certain diets can help curb heart disease and diabetes, why not the skin? It's the body's largest organ, after all.
The science may not be rock-solid, but tantalizing research does suggest that making a few lifestyle tweaks can help your complexion find its potential. Call it: eat, pray, glow.
HAVE AN ORANGE A DAY: Of all the studies on diet and skin, perhaps the best case can be made for increasing foods with vitamin C, according to Jenny Kim MD, PhD, associate professor of dermatology and clinical medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, who pored through the scientific literature for Yahoo! with the help of one of her residents, Jamie Zussman, MD. She cites a 2007 study that examined national data from 4025 women and showed that a higher intake of vitamin C was associated with a lower likelihood of a wrinkles and aging dryness. The main sources of the vitamin in the study were orange juice, fruit—citrus and other kinds—and tomatoes. You just need two of those oranges, or a cup of the OJ, or four large tomatoes to get more than the recommended daily amount of vitamin C for adult women.
EAT FOR COLOR: Most experts, in fact, vote for a potent cocktail of antioxidants. To RealAge doctor, Michael Roizen, MD, coauthor of YOU: Staying Young, that means loading up on all the colorful vegetables and fruits you can manage, plus green tea. "If you avoid saturated and trans fats, added sugars and syrups, and any grain that's not 100 percent whole—foods that age you both inside and out," he says, "you can eat almost anything else." For Neil Sadick MD, clinical professor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College, it's simpler. "If I had to do two things in my life food-wise to protect my skin," he says, "I would ingest more soy and drink a glass of red wine at night." Once you change your diet, he says, it should take three to six months to notice an improvement.
POUR ON THE OLIVE OIL: New York dermatologist Macrene Alexiades-Armenakas, whose MD and PhD (in genetics) are both from Harvard, claims the secret of the lustrous Mediterranean skin and hair is olive oil. "It not only provides those antioxidants that prevent toxic damage," she says, "but also the fatty acids that are an integral part of skin, hair, and nails." In her opinion you get the best benefit when you don't cook it. "At home, I put raw olive oil on our poached eggs in the morning, drench our salad at lunch, and at dinner, it goes on top (raw again) of any vegetable or pasta dish."
POP A FISH OIL PILL: Journalist Thea Singer, whose book Stress Less: The new science that shows women how to rejuvenate the body and the mind hit the shelves this week, points to a fish oil study that, she says, "really blew me away." Published earlier this year in the Journal of the American Medical Association, it showed that people with the highest levels of fish oil (marine omega-3 fatty acids) in their blood also had the least amount of "telomere shortening," a known marker of aging. Singer explains that telomeres are the tips on the ends of chromosomes that protect the DNA, and when they get too short, the skin cells "go to sleep and start spewing enzymes that chew up collagen and elastin, which ultimately can cause sagging and wrinkling." UCLA's Kim points to other studies suggesting that fish oil may help suppleness and psoriasis. There's no harm in taking a supplement, or in eating more salmon.
GO OFF THE CRAZY DIET: Going back to those telomeres, Singer's book describes a convincing body science—some of it Nobel Prize-winning—showing that chronic stress can speed up the rate at which our cells age (skin included) by ten years or more. One activity that causes the body to produce stress hormones, you may not be surprised to learn, is strict dieting. You'll go much easier on yourself with a more moderate method of weight loss.
TRY DANCING WITHOUT THE STARS: One of the best ways to turn back the clock, Singer believes, is dancing—with a partner, in a class, or alone in your living room. But if that's not your thing, practicing compassion meditation—or any kind (see more here from a wonderful teacher)—is a great way to unwind. Yoga, massage, joining a support group, and feeling grateful, are also proven means to cultivating radiant calm, both inside and out.
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