single life

Candied Pecans

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These candied pecans are simple, comforting, and one of those recipes that makes the house smell like the holidays almost instantly. I sometimes make them for the stocking exchange at work or give them as little extra gifts for everyone. They’re perfect for snacking, gifting, or tossing on a salad when you want something a little special without a lot of fuss.

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg white
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon water
  • 4 cups pecan halves

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 300° and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Set it aside.

In a larger bowl, whisk the egg white, vanilla, and water until it’s nice and frothy. Add the pecans and toss until they’re all coated.

Pour the sugar mixture over the pecans and gently stir until everything is evenly covered. Spread the pecans out in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 30 minutes, giving them a good stir every 10 minutes so they don’t stick or burn. Once they’re done, take them out and let them cool completely on the pan—this is when they crisp up.

When fully cooled, store them in an airtight container.

Storage Tips

  • On the counter: up to 10 days
  • In the refrigerator: up to 2 weeks
  • In the freezer: up to 2 months

Nutrient Facts (Approximate per 1/4 cup serving):

  • Calories: 200 kcal
  • Total Fat: 16g
  • Saturated Fat: 1.5g
  • Polyunsaturated Fat: 4.5g
  • Monounsaturated Fat: 9g
  • Sodium: 25mg
  • Total Carbohydrates: 12g
  • Dietary Fiber: 2g
  • Sugars: 9g
  • Protein: 5g

Nutrient values can vary based on the specific nuts used and the exact measurements of ingredients.

Home style ham salad

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This salad brings back a lot of good memories for me.

This ham salad recipe comes from my ex-husband’s grandparents who lived in a little village called Ilion in upstate New York. Making it brings me right back to their home. Brown carpets, the smell of food in the kitchen, and everyone sitting around that brown Formica table, laughing. Grandpa Dulak talking about his days at Union Fork and Hoe, Grandma sharing stories about taking the girls to camp at Canadarago Lake. It’s amazing how a simple recipe can carry so many great memories.

Hold on to all the good memories you can.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound cooked ham, chopped
  • 1/2 cup mayo
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
  • 1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Chop or dice the hame up. I prefer it to be chopped because it I don’t like chunky ham.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the mayo and ham
  3. Add the chopped celery, onion, and salt and pepper to the mayo and ham. Stir well.

You can have it as a sandwich or on crackers. I always end up seasoning it a little more with salt and pepper.

Nutrition Facts can vary depending how much more or little (per 1/2 cup serving):

  • Calories: 250
  • Total Fat: 20g
  • Saturated Fat: 3g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Cholesterol: 50mg
  • Sodium: 900mg
  • Total Carbohydrates: 3g
  • Dietary Fiber: 0.5g
  • Sugars: 2g
  • Protein: 12g

Mud

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Have you ever felt like your feet were stuck in mud? Metaphorically speaking obviously.

You are in limbo. You don’t know whether you are coming or going.

You are just sitting and waiting. Waiting and waiting.

My life has been on hold for 5 years. No actually since my divorce in 2006. Maybe even before that but I have such a bad memory I can’t remeber beyond 1993.

I felt like I was living in a pinball machine and I was the ball getting knocked from side to side just waiting to fall through the hole and be done with the game.

It’s been a rough ride down. It hurt going from one side to the other side and being smash by the metal prongs.

I just wanted to fall through the hole and lay my head down and rest.

I am almost to the bottom but my body is sore. My brain is over being jolted. There are too many thoughts being thrown around. I’m over it.

I’m tired.

But, it’s almost over.

You have to believe and never give up.

There is Peace in Silence

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People say, ” you can never be in complete silence because of the noises that are going on around you.” There is some truth to that but you can silence your mind and tune those noises out. The noises go way beyond the audio you hear. They are a derivative of its source. Life that goes on around us is the creator of the noises we hear. Noises affect our mental psyche. It alters our thinking, behaviors, and overall our stability in life. The stillness you get from silence creates the peace inside you.

Worrying is one source of what makes up the chatter and noises that consume your thoughts. It can be debilitating at times. If you can learn to worry less about the things you have no control of, it’s only then that you’ll see that the noises in your mind start to fade. Quieting your mind isn’t easy. Anxious feelings will consume you at first but if you can surrender those feelings of anxiousness and worry, the silence will become peaceful.

That is when the healing begins.