There isn’t be a more appropriate holiday to make a mark with meat other than Father’s Day. I already tested this dish twice. I serve up these succulent Hot Tub Beer Brats at a party and then, text my dad’s girlfriend in all caps that I have the BIGGEST SURPRISE.
The surprise: I purchased a meat product and then prepared the delicacy for the grill.
These can be steamed in the oven, too.
Check out my video captured at Marblehead Estates & Yacht Club or follow the simple instructions. If I can wow my own father with this marvel which requires only a few basic ingredients and a bottle or two of favorite brew, anyone can be the star of this supper or lunchtime show.
Steam for twenty minutes and then brown for ten on the grill. Using the oven doubles the steam time. The broiler can be used to crisp the outer shell. Serve with sauerkraut, potato salad, pickles (or dill relish) and spicy brown mustard.
Besides my 1st Generation iPad from Holiday 2010, loaded with Kindle and The ChesterJosie Style for the Home faux fireplace, (that story here) there are several fundamentals which have made my holiday on glacial ground splendrous. For the perfect cup of cocoa I am spooning up heaping servings of Godiva Dark. I took off on nearly all of my evening hike’s with a cup. Dark chocolate is a powerful source of antioxidants. Underneath one of four pairs of boots I’m rotating I went with Made in the USA boot socks from Amelia’s Organic Legwear from The Kroger Co. They’re super soft and offer the right amount of added warmth, plus stay up! I picked a pair up in every color.
On my face I have been applying a coat of Sarah McNamara’s Skin Transformer Miracle balm on at night and again in the morning. The soothing scent is described as a warm botanical aroma. When the winds are whipping up I apply another layer of Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream on top; namely as a protective shield on my cheeks.
Note: This ointment is safe to rub on the bottom of your pup’s paws to shield from ice scrapes.
These items keep me healthy and happy when the elements have the potential to wreak havoc on an otherwise healthy system. Plus, I could never wait to get home to curl up under The Chester faux fireplace in layers of down. I added the Pedastal Space Heater by Lasko that provides 1500 watts of comforting warmth.
A fast from chocolate didn’t last this season once the region was pummeled with the white stuff. Instead I splurged on a close to a pound of powdery Godiva Chocolatier Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa. Touted as “luxuriously rich”, this confection made my two-walks a day with the puppy dog into the tundra hours to look forward to.
So simple to make. Boil almond milk or regular milk (I used the microwave) in a favorite (microwaveable) mug. Add two heaping scoops of powder and stir, stir, stir. The powder has a tendency to stick to the spoon. Keep at the task at hand until the powder dissolves.
The reason I said microwaveable…
We have these vintage Looney Toons coffee mugs to celebrate the Chevy Chase Christmas Vacation we all know we’ve had! Remember he was swinging one of these around the office! These can not be microwaved! They’re so festive and fun. Simpy heat your milk on the stove and then whisk in the powder. For the whipped cream I make this fresh every day. Keep a stainless steel bowl in the freezer or refrigerator and then top your cocoa or coffee and add sprinkles.
There are many items I can’t seem to live without here in the nation’s Great Lakes Region this December. Now that the mercury has plummeted and the terrain has turned to tundra number one is fur. Whether worn or used to fashion the home, real or simulated to save the animals, I can’t surround myself or drape myself with enough of the everlasting look, luxury and warmth.
The Vintage Sage Fox Fur coat is available online and sets the tone for stepping out in the glacial domain. The worn-before garment is priced anywhere between one hundred and twelve hundred dollars depending which style and company is chosen. Splurge to stay sizzling when everyone else suffers slightly in a polyester wool blend.
This year I dressed up the mantle and tree in faux fur to compliment a “Let it Snow” holiday decor theme to celebrate Christmas on the River. There are two options which can’t lead the home stylist off-target. Components from Michaels Shimmer Noel Collection or invest in Nicole Miller white soft luxury. I mixed up the two labels throughout the home for a pleasurable experience.
Especially at a time when the outside elements are clearly not so pleasurable these tricks show the North Pole-like climate is conquerable and also one to celebrate.
Josie is spending Holiday 2016 at the family home located on the Coastal Ohio Trail where temperatures are barely hovering in the double-digits. The land, and river, is frozen.
The mercury will barely be in the double-digit range today across Coastal Ohio and the Lake Erie Islands. There is a wind advisory and the sun is shining! Cold weather and ice doesn’t have to equate to all out inquietude. Find glee in the gear. Here’s what I can’t live without for these next couple of weeks starting with my first generation iPad.
The iPad was given to me as a Holiday 2010 gift. I use as a Kindle for reading. I just downloaded three new books last night including Settle for More by Fox anchorwoman Megyn Kelly. $9.99 gives readers a month of unlimited downloads.
Snuggle up and read or rest on a feather top mattress topper. This one is from LL Bean. The added warmth and fluffy feather fill keep feelings of being frigid at bay. Cover with more down for added icing of comfort.
Next to the bed I have a Josie Style for the Home white faux fireplace. Here the hearth not only emits ambiance, the furniture acts as a bookcase, and this time of year is appropriate for knitted stockings (twenty-year vintage Macy’s). (Stocking holders are vintage Kroger Co.) Originally designed for space in Chester Avenue Lofts in downtown Cleveland to fill in blank space, this home element, The Chester Fireplace equals upscale Ohio.
Semplice, delizioso and the perfetto after-dinner digestivo!!!
Everyone colto and sofisticato knows they have found themselves at the dinner party of all holiday dinner parties when a bottle of homemade Limoncello is brought out once the dishes are cleared. Limoncello won’t burn the stomach and isn’t sickly sweet.
This delicacy is the second most popular drink on the Almalfi Coast second only to Campari. According to Walks of Italy no one knows specifically where Limoncello originated just that this distinct drink was clearly sent from the heavens. So, it makes sense to think its origins are in a convent or monastery.
Drinking digestives after a meal can be traced back to the ancient Romans. Hippocrates, a Greek physician of the age of Pericles, indulged after meals as a way to assist his digestion. (Again that information from Walks of Italy).
On the Lake Erie Islands, resort owner, developer, and former City of Euclid Council President Ed Gudenas realized he had an entire case of lemons left over from a sensational summer season. A few moments of researching made us realize these leftover lemons were going to realize a holiday spectacular of spirits typically forgotten.
The reason it is so important to make this now: time is of the essence. The peels need time to steep to release the oils. The more time, the more potent your potion.
Here is what you need. We used the recipe from Food Network’s Giada De Laurentiis from her Everyday Italian show Summers in Capri episode and adapted the infusion time.
Removing the rinds and pith from the lemons is time indulgent. Some suggest using a vegetable peeler. After two batches I determined the easiest way to approach this task is to cut the lemon in half, remove the seeds and squeeze all of the juice out into a container to later use for lemon water.
Then, pull the majority of the pith out with your fingers. Lay the rind flat on top of a cutting board. With a small vegetable knife begin whittling away the remaining pith.
Aim for extracting as many of the little white bubbles as possible. Set aside in a dish.
Once ready with all ten lemons add them to the container and soak in a favorite vodka spirit.
Once vodka is poured over the peels, cover with plastic wrap and push back into the corner where sunlight won’t reach the container.
Infuse for at least four days. The majority of the infusion happens in these days and even this short timeframe will fructify a flavorful refreshment. More days make for a more bold blend. Take up to a month for the infusion.
When ready, create the simple syrup.
Bring to a gentle low boil while stirring the water and sugar together continuously to dissolve. Once sugar granules can not be seen turn off the heat and move to a cooling place. Let cool completely and once the sugary swig is back to room temperature incorporate into the infused vodka. Let stand overnight.
The next day, grab your bottles and begin to fill with gioia.
I placed a mesh sifter over a glass pitcher and poured the vodka and simple syrup into this container. The spout on the glass pitcher made transfer of the Limoncello into the bottles an ease. Seal and refrigerate.
I purchased multiple sizes from local craft and outlet stores. The tags and ninety-nine cent ribbon is available at Hobby Lobby. I picked out the eye-popping Red Quatrefoil Grosgrain and Red Striped Satin Ribbons available in the scrapbook section to make memorable tags.
Recipients will be exultant they are not being presented with another paper plate of cookies. These bottles are ideal to gift to your ring of professional associates such as your realtor, banker, investment manager, bartenders, and public relations managers. Plus, aunts, uncles and cousins will enjoy the effort.
Having a bottle in your own home adds a nice touch of cheer you already have to offer guests. Serve in chilled cordial or shot glasses. Buone Feste my friends!
Josie in an award-winning journalist and tenured lifestyle reporter. Her southeastern European roots are that of the Adriatic and Black Seas.
Either an invite has been sent or a place booked on an island in the waters in between Ohio and Canada. Reservations are the first priority to tackle when taking on the remote island system inaccessible via car.
You may want this posh South Beach-style one-one on MBI.
The next is to pack.
I added swimwear and several pairs of sandals (flip-flops) and workout gear. The mercury can fluctuate anywhere between 55° and 95°. Suggestion: pack a pair of sturdy Key West Kinos and, or, starfish sandals by Kirsten’s Kloset from DK’s Style Hut. Dancing is highly likely. Flip-flops fall apart.
Guys, this is the perfect opportunity to wear a flashy, collared button-down shirt depicting your tourist-like, under-the-radar status.
Go Tommy Bahama or opt for any loose clothing depicting your sailing adventures.
The official Florida Turnpike shirt captures the island essence.Crisp white yacht club polos set the tone.
(Call 863-216-5744 or send an email to [email protected]. to order your Fla Turnpike shirt. Visit Florida Marina Clubs here.) The idea is to leave the Tribe, Browns, and Cavs gear where it belongs for this soiree. Live the island life.
Line the bottom of your tote bag, or suitcase with the shoes.
Roll all of your clothing up to keep wrinkles to a minimum.Place any intimates and swimwear in travel bags.
Place these bags and hair essentials such as a hairdryer, straightener, or curling iron on top.
For the ladies, in an oversized tote like this white-zippered Style and Co. Purse from Macy’s first slide in a notebook computer (if you plan to work. Internet service is unpredictable.) Then a rolled up bath towel, toiletry case, make-up bag and a clutch containing driver’s license, debit and credit cards, business cards and cash.
The front compartment fits chargers and internet hot spot.
Remember if a car isn’t being taken onto a ferry, or a personal boat isn’t available to load all of your weekend gear onto, each person is responsible for carrying the clothing from the parking lot, to the ferry, onto the shuttle, and to accommodations.
For the gentlemen, have a watercraft stocked with Cruzan or El Kraken Spiced Rum, beer and limes.
Luxury on the lake means packing all the gear of a smooth sailor.Plus, pack plenty of beach towels.
Josie is a former TV anchorwoman and award-winning journalist. She grew up on Coastal Ohio and continues to explore all of the nooks and crannies which make the region spectacular.
There’s an awakening on State Route 51 east of Toledo and west of the Lake Erie Islands in a rural community called Genoa. An RN, and mother, experienced what she describes as a Lakshmi moment and is in the process of developing 33-acres of the family farm into a plot of land that promises healing with a yoga studio and future plans for composting and organic vegetables. On this International Yoga Day we are given a glimpse at how the comics are coming into alignment.
The Property
“My husband’s family farms and they wanted to ensure businesses and industry aren’t going up across the street where their grandson is growing up,” owner Heather Zeller explains.
The yoga property sits on 500-acres and students can delight themselves with wildlife sightings as they become ever the more mindful with mantras. On this particular day we saw a groundhog and rabbit scamper by.
Statues of the Hindu gods greet students.
Colored squares of fabric showcased above the statue outline the seven chakras. In the Indian culture they believe these are spiritual power points through which our energy flows.
“Just coming onto the property promotes a feeling of serenity,” Zeller outlines. “It’s really hard to be here and not be connected with nature. That alone starts to put you into that meditative mindset. It’s also a lot different than walking onto a yoga studio in a busy shopping center situated between a hair salon and a movie theater. I’m not knocking that experience. It’s great to have yoga everywhere. This is an opportunity to bring people into a rural setting to integrate their practice with nature that takes us to the next level.”
Zeller believes Lakshmi came and said, “here ya go. Enjoy!”
Zeller the Visionary
Heather Zeller is a petite nurse by day and lifelong student. She works as an Registered Nurse and has about two decades of experience in mental and psychiatric nursing. She also works with women in addiction recovery at an alcohol and drug treatment center offering metaphysical counseling, reiki and hypnotherapy.
On the day we gathered material she appeared utterly and effortlessly comfortable in her long, black patterned yoga pants, Flashdance-style one-shoulder marbled top and with Mala Tulsi beads draped loosely around her neck hanging down to her sternum.
A bindi is permanently tattooed on her third eye center.
“The bindi shows that as a yogini I am seeing life from a spiritual perspective. I’m committed to a path of dharma,” she clarifies from her space on the red yoga mat.
More tattoos sprawl from her knuckles down her forearm and onto her collar bone to her back and beyond in what she refers to as her living sarcophagus.
“I equate this to what Egyptians do at the time of death. On their sarcophagus there would be different pictures of their life and pictures of gods and goddesses and those pictures are what would carry them into the next life. For me every piece of art is connected to my spirituality and my journey; huge lessons, blessings and heartache,” Zeller speaks to what we can all relate to.
The Yogis and Yoginis
Dressed in purple yoga pants that resemble a constellation in the sky and black tank top with a Fitbit fastened to her wrist observers wouldn’t reckon Rebekah Schwab, a resident of Genoa, Ohio, is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran.
During boot camp she fell off of an obstacle course on Parris Island during boot camp and busted up the bone in her spine.
“My back injury has given me a curvature of my spine. Then this past April I felt the calling to work on inversions. I’ve been working on them for two months now and am getting back into alignment and finding that inner space space to connect. This is an onward journey,” Schwab supplies.
Her interest in the practice began in 2008. For the past two years she’s been showing up regularly on the mat and believes there is healing in the holistic practice.
“My friends told me I needed this and that’s when the practice clicked for me. This is a mind, spirit and body coming together in this healing atmosphere.”
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Schwab is securing her education at Heidelberg University in Tiffan with a major in History and Minor in Archaeology. She is spiritual years beyond her young age having been raised in a Christian non-denominational home. There has always been a very spiritual aspect to her life. She was encouraged to study world religion and visit synagogues.
“This one reads, ‘I will go,'” Schwab describes what her ink illustrates, “every woman’s story in the bible she says to step out in your calling, to your dharma.”
She doesn’t know what career path she’ll take upon graduation, but is committed to becoming a certified instructor with hopes to hold a veterans’ yoga night.
Schwab is stoic, “all of us come back with turmoil from deployment or the transition of getting out and going in. Right now twenty-two veterans commit suicide per day. My hope is to give them a place of safety to connect with themselves and find a place of healing.”
Spouses will be encouraged to join with proceeds going to the 22 Foundation.
The Lessons
In this space do not be surprised for a twenty to thirty minute psychology session between you, Zeller and the other yogis and yoginis to take place. This given session equanimity, or the ability to hold even mindedness (peace) in all situations, was the core class focus.
Schwab shares her exploration into this, “this is fun to talk about because for the last two months I have started to practice. There’s something to learn here and I am going to go into this with grace and stay on an equal level.”
The practice may sound simple but in the world we are all constantly tested to hold our space, which is easy when practicing together with like-minded individuals where the energy field supports your own.
Enter Zeller, “the paradigm world doesn’t support this focus. The world is very materially focused and very egocentric. The small eye is ruling. We’re coming up against that energy. Whether we’re in a traffic jam, in a line at the store, or we’re dealing with family members. Our practice allows us to hold that space. We learn who we really are. We learn we don’t have to respond to all of the negative stimulus the way that we used to.”
She points out that if we begin to navigate our karma, even stressful periods can bear spiritual fruit and allow us to grow. This is more peaceful than trying to find a recipe to escape your destiny because of your own behavior. We are programmed to cling to past pleasure and pleasurable experiences as well as avoid those that are painful.
Yoga becomes tangible when students realize they can tap into a higher power that is within them and not an esoteric or abstract idea. Genetic programming can be changed by influencing the energy fields around us. We can turn proteins around us off and on by the foods we eat and mindfulness, or consciousness we practice.
“When were not in alignment,” Zeller expresses the rococo of yoga, “we are functioning from the reactive receiver. For most of our lives we have built our responses out of recreating pleasurable experiences or avoiding displeasureable experiences and people. If we are not present we are responding to every situation and not living in equanimity.”
Chanting positive mantras, exercising, eating clean unprocessed food and reacting to situations in a conscious state of mind versus using the subconscious wired with old reactive, negative programming are the main keys to building a positive well-being.
Zeller takes the class to Schedel Arboretum and Gardens in Elmore at 6:30 pm every Thursday evening. For other class times check the Mindbody ap or visit her on the web. See you on the mats!
Om Shanti Om. My soul honors your soul.Josie is a former tv anchorwoman and award-winning journalist. She has USF course credit in Religions of India, studied Catholicism on the island of Islamorada and spent two years studying theology in the basement of Cleveland’s St. John’s Cathedral.
Make sure you read the Forward for definitions of the complexity of this article. If you have a story idea you’d like to share, you can email her at [email protected]
I’m starting to break down the 33-acre energy field nestled on 500-acres of family farm on Route 51 on the Coastal Ohio Trail.
This location popped up on my iPhone6 screen with two taps of the MindBody app. I entered “Explore”, “Fitness”, then “Yoga”. The screen led me to Prajna Consciousness and after two attempts to locate the property on the west side outskirts of Genoa, Ohio, I knew there was a story.
The studio sits against vast fields.
A trip down the unpaved driveway leads visitors and yogis to their journey before they can put the car in park and turn the ignition off.
How fitting to work on this piece on June 21, 2016 International Yoga Day 2016.
Before we delve into the deep discussion of consciousness, energy fields, the students and the owner, Heather Zeller, I feel a lesson in the lingo of the land of yoga, Sanskrit, associated with the country of India dating back 6,000 years, is an absolute necessity.
Explains Zeller, “Sanskrit is the oldest language on the planet and is also based off of mathematics and vibration. The sounds are not necessarily based on phonics. There is an energetic principal that lies in Sanskrit.”
Plus, one of the students I will profile is a former U.S. Marine
I felt her terminology, too, is necessary to expand on.
Prajna Consciousness Dictionary
Bhagavad Gita: a 700-verse Hindu scripture that presents the synthesis of the concept of Dharma. Ancient Indian text written between 400 and 200 BC as a guide to spiritual realization
Bindi: a red ornamental dot worn or tattooed in the center of a woman’s forehead between her eyebrows, most commonly in India, and is of vast importance reminding the self and others focus is on the spiritual journey versus the material connecting to the third-eye center
Dharma: law or doctrine of Buddhism that believes we are all subject to the principle of cosmic order
Divisa: Lord, God
Epigentics: belief we can change our genetic (DNA) programming based on our environment and energies we are attracting and projecting rather than being subject to creation programming via our conception
Equanimity: mental calmness and composure in a difficult, stressful, and or trying situation
Grunt: U.S. Marine Corp slang for Ground Unit
Jehovah Nissi: translation: the Lord is my banner
Jyotisha: the Hindu system of astrology to track and predict energetic movements with astrology
Karma: destiny or fate due to personal behavior and actions
Krishna: Lord God in the Bhagavad Gita, the embodiment of love and divine joy, born to establish the Religion of Love
Lakshmi: the Hindu goddess of wealth, prosperity and fortune, an active energy source and wife of Lord Vishnu
Mala Tulsi: equal to the Rosary beads of India, these wooden beaded necklaces are made with sacred wood of the Hindu religion and worn by yogis and yoginis for protection and to worship Vishnu, Krishna and Ram
Metaphysical Counseling: guidance from a higher source of power to guide us through life
Om: the sound of creation, known as the first sound in Sanskrit, belief we are aligning with and connecting with the highest part of our consciousness
Parris Island: site of Marine Corps boot camp training since 1915 located within Port Royal, South Carolina
POG Life: U.S. Marine Corps terminology meaning Person Other than Grunt
Reiki: a healing technique based on the principle that the therapist can channel energy into the patient by means of touch, to activate the natural healing processes of the patient’s body and restore physical and emotional well-being
Raga: personal impurity or fundamental of character
Rose of Sharon: first appears in English in 1611 in the King James Version of the Bible in Solomon Chapter 1 Verse 2 speaker says, “I am the Rose of Sharon, the lily of the valley”
Sarcophagus: from the Greek language defined as flesh-eating or outer layer of protection such as a coffin or decorated body art containing representations of the deceased
Shanti: Sankrit for peace
Song of Solomon: celebration of sexual love, two lovers praising and yearning for each other
Tuefel Hunden: motivational nickname in the U.s Marine Corps translated to Devil Dog
22 Foundation: Non-profit organization and suicide-prevention program designed for military and former military members and their families coping with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Traumatic Brain Injuries, Military Sexual Trauma, and Combat Stress Reduction
Josie is a former TV anchorwoman and award-winning journalist. She has USF course credit in Religions of India, studied Catholicism on the island of Islamorada and spent two years studying theology through Cleveland’s St. John’s Cathedral
Coming up on this International Yoga Day
“If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency, and vibration.” – Nikola Te …
Let go of using the leafy greens for just a slight moment as a salad base.
Instead open up a can of garbanzo beans.
This recipe, a variation from allrecipes.com, can actually be eaten by one person as an entire meal, or just double the portions and serve alongside a main dish.
Garbanzo beans, or chickpeas, are a legume and the USDA recommends we consume at least three cups per week. They’re chock full of folate, manganese, protein and copper. Iron and magnesium intake also gain check marks from the flavorful chickpea. Two cups of garbanzo beans contain the daily recommended intake of fiber, creating a fullness effect.
Here is what you need.
1 Can of Garbanzo Beans
10 Cherry Tomatoes
1/4 Cup of Chopped Red Onion
1/2 – 1 ounce of Feta Cheese
1/2 Lemon
1 Diced Garlic Clove
Ground Pepper
Ground Sea Salt
Italian Dressing or Seasoning
Open the can of garbanzo beans, rinse, and place in a bowl. Cut the tomatoes in half, and add in the chopped onion, garlic and Feta cheese. Squeeze the juice from the lemon onto the ingredients. Either sprinkle with Italian seasoning and stir in Sunflower oil and sea salt until desired taste is reached or use about 1/8 cup of Italian dressing.
I used Corp Sunflower Oil and added taste with several shakes of Italian Seasoning from Tank’s Meats in Elmore Ohio.
Spanish explorers spread the taste of the buttery bean after Middle Eastern cultures began to cultivate them around 3,000 B.C. The benefits of the garbanzo bean are boundless and have proven to lower cholesterol.
If you prefer, add a cucumber then chill for 30 minutes to two hours before stirring and serving. When prep time doesn’t involve cooking the taste is simply stunning when summer is a couple days away.
Greek take on a nutty, buttery bean. Greek Garbanzo Bean Salad.
If you prefer to use dried Chickpeas. Pre-soak in three times of the amount of water. Boil for two minutes, remove from heat, cover, and allow to stand for four hours. This reduces the oligosaccharides, which is Greek for simple sugars, or carbohydrates, and also chances for gas or bloating after or during digestion. Dried chickpeas are a more natural and healthy option.
Whichever packaged bean you choose, either is the base to shake up a summer salad.
Josie is an award-winning journalist and former TV anchorwoman. She splits her time between the Florida Keys and Coastal Ohio.
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