~FABULOUS FOODIE FRIDAY~

Each Friday- food is going to be the theme of the day. I will be sharing some of my favorite recipes with you. I am definitely a foodie and LOVE to try new things. Sweets are my weakness (I am ashamed to admit) and I am chocoholic BIG time. Don't be surprised if you see lots of dessert recipes!

Cheesecake is one of my personal favorites and when spring and summer come- it is the perfect dessert to help cool you down. Particularly this week with the 90 degree temps we have had here in Virginia. Try this one out:

Citrus Cheesecake

12-14 ServingsPrep: 30 min. + chilling Bake: 65 min. + chillingIngredients

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel



FILLING

5 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

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1-3/4 cups sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1-1/2 teaspoons grated orange peel

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 eggs, lightly beaten

2 egg yolks, lightly beaten

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream



TOPPING

1-1/2 cups (about 12 ounces) sour cream

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. Combine flour and lemon peel; gradually add to creamed mixture. Mix until dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Divide dough in half; cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.

Remove sides of a 9-in. springform pan. Grease bottom. Between waxed paper, roll one half dough to fit bottom of pan. Peel off top paper; invert dough onto bottom of pan. Remove paper; trim dough to fit pan.

Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 6-8 minutes or until light browned. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Attach sides of the pan and grease sides. Pat remaining dough 1-1/2 in. up sides of pan, pressing dough to bottom crust to seal.

For filling, in another large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, flour, peels and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs and yolks; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in cream just until combined. Pour into crust. Return pan to baking sheet.

Bake at 400° for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325°; bake 55-65 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Combine topping ingredients; spread over cheesecake. Refrigerate overnight. Yield: 12-14 servings.



Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 slice) equals 442 calories, 25 g fat (15 g saturated fat), 196 mg cholesterol, 165 mg sodium, 45 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 7 g protei

ENJOY!!!

Creative Process in Intellectual Terms

C-R-E-A-T-I-V-I-T-Y

So what inspires you? What helps you to come up with those fabulous ideas that spring from your mind into your hands and help you to create such beautiful art!? Here are some fabulous tips that can help each and every one of us find some inspiration in our lives when things slow down a bit and we find our wells running dry.

» Get Relaxed – Take a moment to do something that makes you happy; that brings you joy; that you love; that centers you. Meditate, take a walk, go for a swim, read something that puts you in a good mood, write a diary – writing down your thoughts.


» Give Gratitude - Thinking about all things you are grateful for produces a positive energy flow and vibration. As you feel the love in your heart for all the wonderful blessings and gifts in your life, you will instantly relax and feel all warm-and-fuzzy inside. In that moment of warmth and love, you are open to creative energy.

» Tickle Your Imagination – Imagination is highly visual. Try closing your eyes, and imagine that you are in a scene, any scene. Okay – pick your ideal scene, practice seeing the details of your environment in this scene. See the colours, the textures, touch something. What does it feel like? What do you hear? What do you smell? What is the temperature like? Etc. This makes you more relaxed and gives you gratitude also.

» Be In the Moment - Every outstanding musician or artist will tell you that when they are creating great music or art, there are no thoughts, they are completely in the moment, and experiencing flow. Athletes call this ‘being in the zone‘. You can practice present moment awareness by giving full attention to whatever you are doing: eating, washing dishes, making your bed, etc. Meditation helps tremendously. The book “The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle is also highly recommended.

» Be Inspired - Practice seeing beautiful things that moves you emotionally. Flip through a book containing thought provoking images, go to an art gallery, read something inspirational, talk to someone who calms you.

» Draw - This may sounds funny, but one of the effective ways to practice getting in touch with your creative side is to start drawing. Drawing forces you to see things differently.

» See Alternatives - Be curious. Practice asking yourself how to do something differently. When seeing the solution to a problem, ask yourself, “What are some alternative ways to doing this?“. Develop the mental attitude that “there is always another way” even when alternatives seem ‘impossible’.

» Be Open - Never shut down any idea that comes your way, do not make judgments about it. Appreciate any idea that comes to you, even ones that seem “stupid” or “obvious”. This way, you encourage more creative ideas to surface from your being.

» Think on Paper - With a bunch of loose paper, start jotting ideas down. Write everything down that comes to your head: random words, phrases, ideas, thoughts: sometimes you might want to circle things and draw lines to connect ideas. When an inspiration hits, follow it. If you suddenly have a different idea, jot it down somewhere on the page or in a new page.
 
Reference: http://justcreativedesign.com/2007/11/26/how-to-be-creative/

Blue Sky- Yellow Cars

So spring is in full bloom here in good old Central Virginia. Easter has come and gone and the heat is on. Once again we seem to have skipped right over the lovely spring and gone straight to summer!

Beautiful, beautiful blue skies and a nice breeze- 91 degrees! In April! Of course the pollen is here and my car is now a lovely shade of yellow. Oh, Virginia- nothing like your springs, summers, and moody winters. humidity, pollen, heat, snow. You name it and we have it!

Working on a studio

There is HOPE! It is very difficult when you work long days at a full time job, entertain at your home more than normal people should, have a brigade of animals, and are undergoing several remodeling efforts in your home. To find a space to call your own, to get your own business off of the ground when it has always been your dream. But everyone needs a studio right? A place where you can sit and create and become inspired! I have decided on that place and I am ready to get cracking at it! I have picked out a porch/sunroom area in our home that will be perfect for me. There are windows surrounding with the perfect view out to my backyard and my newly blooming azaleas and dogwoods and tulips. There is storage space and wide open area for my work table. Plus my dogs have a bed so that they can keep mom company.

Now for the actual inspiration to begin the work. That first sale of my products would be so sweet. Not to mention the fact that finishing our kitchen would motivate me that much more!

Ahhh- to be creative in a place where you can make a mess throughout the process and not worry about moving it all out of the way to entertain or simply serve dinner.

New Items posted to A Unique Frame of Mind!

Here are some of the latest things I have been working on! I am working on some new picture frames to get posted and hope that they will be well received. Hoping to do a "How-to" step by step posting of my wreath making soon!

Stay tuned!