Tuesday, November 26, 2013

How to be happy

You can learn how to be happy in every period of trying to reach your goal. If you want to change your life, then education becomes very fun and is most important.


Moreover, if you do not choose to change your spirit at the present moment, then you can not reach to the top from the starting point.

Looking for happiness somewhere "outside" never seems the right way to do. Therefore, you should not waste your time to find happiness from the situation happening around you,, which is like chasing after a rainbow. You will be very disappointed when you realize that there is nothing that can last with you other than looking right "inside" of yourself.

Of course, you can be very ecstatically happy at the moment of going shopping or getting a new friend, but that is all help from the outside. Remember, all the feeling of happiness only lasts for a short time. Therefore, the best way to find true happiness is to look deep inside your soul. Pay attention to everything, whereby focusing on them will create the reality for you. Therefore, if you just focus on something that makes you happy, then you can be stimulated, and joy will stir up inside. All those feelings that you now own are the gifts that God already gave to you.

By looking deep inside of your soul, you will attract many positive things because they share the same frequency – the valuable and the natural characteristics that you represent. The ability to take control of the happiness will bring you more self-confidence and relaxation. Also, it is the way for happiness to slowly enter you.

Respect the small changes in life, such as always doing things that bring joy and relaxation, to wake up the happy mood in you. Perhaps meditation, watching a comedy movie, having conversations with people with positive outlooks on life, exercising often, and just remembering to change clothing is appropriate for you.

Doing all the things that make you happy will contribute to your spirit and attract all the beautiful things in life. You never can change the reality if you do not change your affected state of mind. Therefore, when you always pay attention to the positives of the situation at the moment it happens, you will see the conversion.

The truth is that when you start choosing your happiness without any reason, you are creating the signal in your mind that you are converting yourself into the more positive. Because many people feel strange when they think about happiness without reason, their narrow confidence will quickly bring them back to the past situations. The past feelings never had any change.

For example, in the situations when you choose to have joy while you work on familiar jobs or read an old book, these tasks seem very ordinary, but suddenly you feel very interested. However, if you hear a voice in your head saying to you, “Why are you happy?” There is nothing to be happy about. You haven't finished all the important things in your life, never reached the goal that you wanted to, and not even did you see any signal that you will be successful. In conclusion, you do not like this reality.

After hearing all these noises in your head, you start to doubt and feel guilty when allowing yourself to be happy. Therefore, you are dragged back to the last state of mind – negative at this reality. When this situation happens, you will surrender to the old habits, and this way of thinking will stop the happy feeling trying to come in. A better future never has a chance, but what should you do?

Always remember the results that you receive in life won't be a complete evolution right away because the state of your brain will not change that quickly. A metaphoric image is to sow new seeds around the weeds.

The secret is you have to stay calm and relaxed even if at the moment the change appears to be just a small signal and so insignificant in life. However, if you solemnly respect the small changes, then the big changes will quickly come to you

Now, be aware and appreciative about the small things: small amounts of money come to you, an invitation to a party, or meeting an old friend. And the happiness will appear in your mind if you got a compliment from someone.

Source: Internet

Quick Ginger Bread

Fresh ginger is used in many Asian dishes. Ginger is also the best medicine to fight colds or sore throats. I want to use fresh ginger in as many dishes as I can. This easy bread will be one of them and with a ginger scent. It is lovely to serve with hot lemon tea or even with some tropical fresh fruit for dessert.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup nonfat yogurt
4 tbs fresh grated ginger
Grated rind of one lemon
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup peanut oil or coconut oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Top with 1 tbs butter cut up and sprinkle with 1 tbs sesame seeds

Directions:
Combine oil, egg, yogurt, milk, ground lemon rind, and salt. Mix lightly until everything is well blended.

Sift the remaining ingredients into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of this mixture. Stir the milk mixture into the well and stir all together just until smooth.

 Do not overmix.

Grease and flour a 9” x 5” x 3” loaf pan.

Pour the batter into the pan. Top with butter and sesame seeds.

Bake in a preheated oven set to 350° for one hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes and remove from pan.

Cherry Pie

I like to make pie, but I was always afraid of making pie crust at home. Recently, I bought a new KitchenAid tilt head stand mixer. I decided to give the new mixer a chance with this task. I followed the recipe in the mixer’s booklet exactly. With my fingers crossed, I hoped that this time I could get the fear of making pie crust out of my mind. I remember that cherry pie is one of my brother, Dzung's, favorite desserts, and this one is for him--in spirit.

Ingredients:
KitchenAid pie pastry:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening, well chilled
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, well chilled
5 to 6 tablespoons cold water

(I do not recommend this recipe because the list of ingredients provided does not produce a sufficient amount of dough for an 8 Inch diameter pie.)
Directions:
Place flour and salt in mixer bowl, Attach bowl and flat beater to mixer. Turn to stir speed and mix about 15 seconds. Cut shortening and butter into pieces and add to flour mixture. Turn to stir speed and mix until shortening clumps are the size of small peas (30 to 45 seconds).
While continuing on stir speed, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time, mixing until ingredients are moistened and dough begins to hold together. After removing from bowl, divide dough in half. Pat each half into a smooth ball and flatten slightly. Wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in refrigerator for 15 minutes.

For two-crust pie:
Trim pastry even with edge of pie plate. Using second half of dough, roll out another pastry crust. Add desired pie filling. Top with second pastry crust. Seal edge. Crimp as desired. Cut slits to allow steam to escape. Fold edge under.


Cherry filling ingredients:
2 pie dough crusts
1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling
1 ½ cups frozen blueberries
2 tbs cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:
I found this easy recipe for cherry and blueberries pie on the Pillsbury website. It is so simple to use for entertaining guests. Especially since Thanksgiving is around the corner.
Heat oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, mix 1/2 cup sugar, the cornstarch, and cinnamon. Stir in cherry pie filling and blueberries. Spoon into crust-lined pan. Top with second crust. Seal edge and flute. Cut slits in several places in top crust.


I do not decorate this pie well.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

20 Ways to Get Rid of Stress

1) Love things that you do. You will feel happy and work better.
2) Look at all the factors to cause stress. Try to get rid of the elements that cause the useless angers.

3) Do not try to please everybody. You should understand that you cannot do that.

4) Live truthfully with yourself. Do not waste your energy on useless things.

5) You first for pleasing, and happy.

6) sometimes, bring yourself to solitude and look deeply into your mind.

7) Try to express the feeling by talking out what you are thinking and the sensitive feeling.

8) Avoid the troublesome and face the issues right away. Do not delay for the next day the things that you can do today.

9) Do not let so many important changes in life continue happening in the short time together. Stress on top of stress will make you feel that you do not have enough time to solve them.

10) Save time to do the things that you are fond of or just sit still and dream.

11) Set aside 15 minutes a day for meditation. Twice is even better.

12) Exercise to use some of your energy. Hans Selye said, “When we are hungry, taste is better, and we need to be tired to feel completely relaxed".

13) Sometimes, leave your car at home and walk to your destination.

14) Do not sacrifice your leisure time.

15) Live moderately, have enough food, eat at regular times, and get enough sleep.
16) Start every day with a good nutritional breakfast.

17) Smile with everybody around you. The relationship will get better.

18) When feeling angry, take a deep breath. Count to 10 and the anger will subside in half already.

19) Learn how to love (with your eyes, soft voice, or gentle touch). Love is the best medicine for spirits.

20) Avoid some noises. Try not to watch TV while eating. Try to find yourself more and more in silence and quiet time.

Source: Internet

Stir-Fried Chicken with Water Chestnuts

Chicken is always perfect for stir-fried dishes. It is quick to prepare and tastes good. This is a recipe for a lazy weekend dinner. If the pantry is stocked with a can of bamboo shoots or a can of water chestnuts, and dry shitake mushrooms, that is all that is necessary.

Ingredients:
One 8 oz. chicken breast, sliced
5 dried shitake mushrooms, soaked in water
8 oz water chestnuts, sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper (about 1/2 tsp)
3 tbs peanut oil
1 cup chicken stock
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tbs white wine or dry sherry
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup white onions, sliced
2 tbs cornstarch
2 tbs water

Green onions and cilantro for garnish

Directions:
Mix together the soy sauce, 1 tbs cornstarch, and dry sherry and pour over the chicken. Cover and marinate for at least one hour.
Drain the soaked mushrooms and slice.
Heat the peanut oil with onions, garlic, and salt on low heat until fragrant. Add the chicken with the marinade. Stir-fry for 3 minutes until the chicken is lightly browned. Add the mushrooms and water chestnuts and continue to stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. If the sauce has not thickened sufficiently, then mix the rest of the cornstarch with water and stir into the sauce. Cook until the sauce is thickened. Garnish with chopped green onions and cilantro and serve.

Friday, November 22, 2013

Braised Salmon with Pineapple and Mushrooms

Everyone who loves to cook loves to experiment with new dishes and new tastes. I feel compelled to explain most of the dishes that I have created in my blog, which are a combination of my knowledge for so many years of helping in my family restaurant and working in the California Pizza Kitchen. From those experiences, I like to have some recipes that are made with the Westerner's taste in mind. Most dishes are cooked on a stovetop and quick to prepare. Most ingredients are familiar to the reader and most of them are sold in American grocery stores for the reader’s convenience. My recipes are ideal for busy moms or college students who want to prepare home-cooked meals without stress.

Ingredients:
1 lb. salmon with skin and bone in
1 cup fresh pineapple cut into big chunks or 8 oz of canned pineapple chunks
5 fresh button mushrooms, each sliced in half
1 knob ginger, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup sweet onions, chopped
1 cup fish stock or chicken stock
2 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs sake or dry sherry
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp sugar
2 tbs peanut oil or vegetable oil
3 green onions, sliced

Directions:
Cut fish into 4 big chunks. Sprinkle with salt and let stand for 10 minutes.
Heat oil in a heavy pot and fry fish until brown on both sides.

Add sweet onions, ginger, garlic, cook, and stir for 2 minutes.

 Add the remaining ingredients except the green onions and bring to boil.
 
 

 Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Uncover and add the green onions. Cook for another 5 minutes or the liquid is reduced until almost evaporated. Serve with rice.

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Three Valuable Best Things


Three things in life that you cannot have back when they are gone:

•           Time

•           Words

•           Opportunity

Three things in life you shouldn’t lose:

•           Relaxation

•           Hope

•           Faith

Three most valuable things in life:

•           Love

•           Self-Confidence

•           Friendship

Three things that do not last long in life:

•           Dreams

•           Success

•           Property

Three things that create the value of a person:

•           Hard Work

•           Honesty

•           Success

Three things that destroy a person:

•           Selfishness

•           Conceit

•           Anger

Source: Internet