Focused at Fifty

Every month, my office sends out a department newsletter over email. There are several sections such as anniversaries, birthdays, get-to-know new employers, co-worker trivia, and quotes. I began reading the co-worker trivia section to try and figure out who it was. The first sentence was "the first thing I notice about people is their confidence." Wow, I thought, I do that too! I always am drawn to other confident people! Next, the person "preferred cats over dogs, and summer over winter." Hmmm, I thought, me too. I have two cats and I am SO OVER this winter! After that, the person had written that they liked Asian food, the color royal blue, movies with happy endings, and mint chocolate chip ice cream. You know, I said to myself, I could easily be friends with this person! I have so much in common with them. Now I also like the color grey and coffee ice cream but royal blue and mint chocolate chip ice cream are ultimately at the top of my list! So I checked a...

"Voile" Pasta Measurer by Alessi Throughout the years, I have acquired several favorite cooking tools as gifts or through my own discoveries. I am always on the lookout for cool kitchen gadgets. Mom's favorite kitchen tool was the wooden spoon. When we stepped out of line, she would grab it and threaten to paddle us with it. She was kidding/half serious most of the time but I think I remember once or twice when I got the spoon to my butt for being a bad kid. Mom swore by wooden kitchen tools and to this day, I have plenty in my kitchen as well. The first favorite kitchen tool is the "Voile" Alessi Pasta Measurer. Alessi is an incredible Italian design company. Check out more of their wares at www.alessi.com . It was a gift from my father and stepmom Martha. Each circle in the pasta measurer is for a different amount of pasta. It was truly a perfect gift from the two of them as it encompassed Martha's passion for the kitchen and cooking, and ...

The Ingredients! Can a Jewish Mother make a good, possibly great quick marinara? You bet she can! Now in the 70s and 80s, my Mom was more of a jarred tomato sauce type of gal. There wasn't too many option available at the local Pathmark supermarket. She did mix it up though, adding her own onions, garlic, peppers, and spices. She often browned ground beef and added it for meat sauce. That's what I grew up with and was always proud to call it my Mom's sauce. But later, I was so happy to discover this recipe of hers while going through her recipe box. Now if you don't have an entire afternoon to boil your own tomatoes, peel them down, separate the seeds and water, and then blend them, this is a great quick marinara you can make within an hour. It comes out so much better than your average jarred sauce. It tastes fresher and you have the satisfaction of knowing that YOU made it and it's healthier for you too.  You can thank my Mom. MOM's QUICK MAR...