Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

This is one of the best desserts you will ever taste!  You would never guess it is gluten free – the crust made from Betty Crocker gluten free yellow cake mixtogether with butter and pecans will blow you away!  This recipe is truly amazing and your family and/or guests will love it.  If gluten is not a problem for you, then this recipe can be made with gluten – simply sub regular yellow cake mix for the gluten free cake mix.

• 
• 1 box Betty Crocker Gluten Free yellow cake mix
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 2 tablespoons whipping cream
• 2 eggs

Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, stir together cake mix and pecans. With pastry blender or fork, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Reserve 1 cup mixture for topping. In bottom of ungreased 13×9-inch pan, press remaining mixture. Bake 10 minutes.

In large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add remaining ingredients; beat until well blended. Pour over warm crust. Sprinkle with reserved topping.

Bake about 35 minutes or until center is set. Cool 30 minutes. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until chilled. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

http://healthpositiveinfo.com/

14 Simple Ways to Add Happiness to Your Day

Every day has its ups and downs, but sometimes you might find more downs than ups! Rather than waiting around for things to change, you can make an active effort to add a little happiness to your day.

Sometimes you may need to make a big effort, but most of the time all you have to do is something subtle and simple to completely change how your day turns out.

Here are some easy ways to add happiness to your day:

1. Watch a movie. Curl up with a big bucket of popcorn and your favorite movie. Leave all your worries behind you as you engage in an activity that you’re sure to love.

2. Watch your kids or loved ones. Instead of focusing on yourself, take some time to place your attention on the people you love. Simply observe them and think about how much you appreciate the fact that they’re in your life.

3. Call your best friend. A phone call with a close friend is a great way to pass some time in a way that is comfortable and familiar to you. You can think about old times or enjoy planning something fun for the future.

4. Go out for ice cream. While it’s not a good idea to indulge all the time, it’s definitely okay once in a while. Grab your favorite treat whether it’s ice cream, a smoothie, or even Starbucks.

5. Enjoy nature. Take in nature by watching the world around you. You can do this by going on a nature hike or even just observing the beauty of the stars at night.

6. Take a hot bath. This is a great way to bring happiness to your day, especially if you’ve found the day stressful. Light some scented candles to include the benefits of aromatherapy to the relaxing warmth of the bath.

7. Play a sport. Gather your friends and have a friendly competition. Sports are a fun way to get some exercise and relieve stress.

8. Take a nap. An afternoon nap may be just what you’re looking for. Even 15 minutes of shut-eye can help you feel more energized and happy.

9. Snuggle with your partner. Take the time to appreciate your partner and snuggle up for some couple-time. It’s a great way to reconnect, especially if you’ve been really busy.

10. Be lazy. Sometimes you might not feel as happy as you’d like because you expect too much from yourself. Take some time to simply be lazy, with no responsibilities, and give yourself time to recoup.

11. Listen to your favorite song. Your favorite song is bound to brighten up your day. Bring out your iPod or music player and start cranking up the tunes.

12. Make casual conversation. Strike up some lively conversations with strangers. If you’re friendly and happy towards them, they’ll likely be the same to you.

13. Be thankful. Reflect on all the things that you’re grateful for in your life and write them down. You might be surprised at how long your list is! Sometimes changing your focus to what’s going right in your life is all you need to turn that frown upside down.

14. Enjoy time with your pets. Pets are part of the family too. Snuggle up with your pet for some quality time together.

Always remember that the list is endless when it comes to ways to brighten your day. Be creative and try new activities that you might like. Most importantly, seek a way to enjoy each moment, and your life will be filled with new happiness.

http://healthpositiveinfo.com/

I Shouldn't Be Alive- Dog Saves Injured Owner

The word "tango" acquired the standard meaning of the place where African slaves and free blacks gathered to dance. It was there the compadritos took the tango back to the Corrales Viejos—the slaughterhouse district of Buenos Aires—and introduced it in various low-life establishments where dancing took place: bars, dance halls and brothels. It was here that the African rhythms met the Argentine milonga music (a fast-paced polka)

Where are the days that ladies looked and behaved like LADIES????

Medicinal Pickled Garlic

Garlic is an incredibly potent natural product that can be used for:

• Treating colds and flu
• Soothing sore throats
• Improving sluggish digestion

It is also a powerful antiseptic, antibacterial and antimicrobial agent capable of treating all sorts of infections.

This pickled garlic is a powerful healing medicine that doesn’t possess the harsh taste you’d get with biting into raw garlic.

This recipe comes from Rosemary Glastar’s book “Rosemary Gladstar’s Medicinal Herbs: A Beginners Guide”. 

Ingredients:
Peeled garlic cloves
Apple Cider Vinegar
Raw Local Honey

Fill a mason jar with the cloves and cover them with apple cider vinegar.  Place in a warm but dark place for 3-4 weeks.  I like to put my jars in a paper bag and then place them in the sun.

After a few weeks, strain the liquid and set aside.
Using half the liquid, place it in a small saucepan over very low heat and add the honey until fully incorporated.
Pour this back over the garlic and allow to sit for another 3 weeks in a cool dark place, like your pantry.
You can eat a clove of the garlic whenever you wish, but for treating cold or flu, you should eat about 3-5 cloves a day. 

LEMON CHIFFON CAKE

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 8 eggs, separated
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ¼ cup water
• 2-1/2 tbsp grated lemon zest

Lemon Glaze

• 6 tbsp butter , melted
• 1 tbsp grated lemon zest
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
  2. In large bowl, add flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Add oil, egg yolks, lemon juice, water and lemon zest; whisk until well combined. In large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold ⅓ of whipped egg whites into the batter to lighten. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites until mixture is combined; do not over mix or batter will deflate. Pour into ungreased pan; tap gently on counter to release air pockets.
  3. Bake 50-60 minutes or until cake springs back when touched. Invert pan immediately after removing from oven and allow to cool completely. Run knife around the sides and center of cake to loosen.
  4. For glaze, combine butter, zest, powdered sugar, juice and vanilla in medium bowl; stir until smooth. Pour over cooled cake and spread with spatula. Glaze will set hard within 30 minutes.
  5. http://www.jocooks.com/