12 Pomegranate Seeds for Good Luck

copyright 2011 Art of Living, PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati Italian tradition says that you must eat 12 pomegranate seeds at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve. Here's a tasty salad for a New Year's Eve appetizer using my special blend of Tuscan spices (only available at www.marialiberati.com)

Walnut, Pomegranate & Tuscan Picnic Salad *4 handfuls mixed salad greens (arugula, romaine,baby spinach) *1 lb gruyere cheese *2 hard boiled eggs *3 tblsps extra virgin oilve oil *4 tblsps shelled walnuts *2 tsps Sempre Sapori spice blend (Tuscan Picnic flavor) *2 tblsps pomegranate seeds Wash, dry salad greens. Slice cheese into very thin,transparent slices. Boil eggs for 8 minutes, peel and chop. Fold cheese, eggs, walnuts,pomegranate seeds into salad in a large bowl. In small bowl whisk together lemon juice, 3 tblsps extra virgin olive oil, Sapori. Pour over salad, toss and serve.

A Christmas in Italy and Panettone

copyright Art of Living, PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati Christmas in Italy would not be the same if it did not include panettone, the traditional sweet bread that is prepared and enjoyed during the holiday season. Although its origins are said to be from Milan, Italy, its immense popularity has made it a requisite treat throughout the world. Panettone is no longer prepared by the Italian nonna (grandmother); in today's global society, the sweet bread is also made in many non-Italian kitchens, as well as being a favorite item to buy in the stores. The word panettone derives from the Italian word panetto, which means a small loaf of bread. The traditional version of panettone contains orange and lemon zest, as well as raisins, which are added dry and not soaked. However, as a means of appealing to a widely diverse consumer market, other versions of panettone have been made available, such as plain or chocolate. For many panettone aficionados, however, the traditional versions remain the favorite. Most panettone breads have a cupola shape, and are served in slices that are vertically cut. A sweet hot beverage or a glass of sweet wine usually accompanies panettone. Although the process of making panettone can be a very time consuming affair, numerous recipes have been amended to make it less laborious, so that it may be enjoyed by all during the holiday season. These much easier recipes still retain the bread's delicious taste, just whennonna made it. With its origins dating back to the Roman Empire, its popularity has made panettone a timeless classic. This recipe is for a simpler version of panettone. You can bake this in a high but small cake pan lined with parchment paper. Or a 1 lb coffee can lined with parchment paper. Many gourmet cooking stores now carry the distinctive brown paper that commercial panettone is baked in-if you want that distinctive look. Ingredients

2 eggs 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 stick unsalted butter - (softened-left out at room temperature) 1 teaspoon orange or lemon peel 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon orange oil 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons salt 1 cup buttermilk 2 cups slivered almonds 2 cups golden raisins (optional) 3 cups chopped mixed dried fruits (optional) Method: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Take either a small high cake pan or a clean, empty 1-pound coffee can. Line either with a parchment paper, cut to fit, and butter paper. Some paper should be overlapping top of pan or can so you will be able to take bread out when finished by lifting on edges of waxed paper. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until thick and pale yellow, about 5 minutes. Beat in softened butter, lemon peel and extracts. In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt and blend into egg mixture alternately with buttermilk. Stir in almonds, raisins and dried fruit. Pour batter into prepared pan or can and place on a baking sheet. Bake 55 to 60 minutes, or until bread is golden on top and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool bread in can for 10 minutes. Lift bread out of pan by parchment paper edges on top. Turn out onto a rack to finish cooling. To serve, cut into thin wedges.

Decorating

Guest post by Gerard Mcdaniel

When I decided that it was time to redecorate our bedroom, I never dreamed what all would be involved. The first thing I had to do was to prepare the walls for painting. I already knew what color I wanted to paint them so all I had to do was to get my husband motivated enough to go to the Home Depot to buy the paint, new brushes and rollers, and all the other stuff that goes into painting a room. Of course I had to go with him or else he would have spent the whole day there. We got the painting done in one weekend while my husband watched many football games along with the painting. I am sure that is why it took a whole weekend. Anyway, when it got down to buying draperies, a new comforter, and bed linens, I started going to various stores that I like to shop in to try to find the perfect ones for our bedroom. After a weekend of shopping, I was getting very disheartened because I could not find what I wanted. A friend suggested looking online to see if I could find what I wanted there. Since we had signed up for Yakima wireless internet I had no problem shopping on the internet. It took no time at all for me to find exactly what I was looking for. We just got everything delivered yesterday, and I cannot wait to set everything up.

Blue Sky Scrubs Are Stylish

Scrubs for women have sure changed http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/categories/Scrubs/Scrubs-for-Women/ No more drab greys and greens. Women have so many more choices now. For busy women this is great! Throughout history women have gained many freedoms, now you have the freedom to choose a stylish scrub.

Not too long ago, women were stuck with unflattering scrubs. Now you can go from work to a night out with some of these styles and you can choose your own designs. I love the scrub tops So colorful and fun to wear. You can brighten up your work day by wearing one of these tops. But you may be even tempted to wear them when not working or to a pair of pants to make a great ensemble, colorful and stylish.

Now you have a reason to look forward to your work day, picking out and wearing your favorite scrub colors.