FRENCH ONION SOUP: HOW TO BE WON OVER

French Onion Soup. This is how to be won over. Or how to treat yourself like an Emperor. And your subjects will sing you praises till the next millennium…

FRENCH ONION SOUP...
FRENCH ONION SOUP…OKAY I’M HOOKED.

Shopping List

Butter: 3 T
Red Onions: 1-2 even 3 medium to large sliced
Garlic: 3-4 cloves minced
Bay Leaves: 2
Fresh Thyme: 2 sprigs
Salt & Pepper: to taste
Red Wine: 1 cup
Flour: 3 T
Beef Broth: 1 box (add another box if feeding an army or for left-overs)
Sour Dough Bread: 1 slice per bowl
Swiss Cheese or Provolone: 1 slice per slice of bread 

Preparation

First melt butter on high in crock-pot. Then add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme sprigs. Next cook until the onions are caramelized. And stir frequently, about 25 minutes.

Then add the wine and let boil, reduce heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are somewhat dry.

Next discard the bay leaves and sprig.

Then dust the onions with the flour; cook about 10 minutes.
Next add the broth and bring back to high until heated strong. Then on low for 2 hours until thick and rich

Lastly ladle the soup into oven safe bowls. Then set bowls in oven with bread and cheese on-top of soup. Next broil on high until bubbly brown.

Then turn off broil and remove from oven; carefully.

FRENCH NOTES

Onion soup is nothing fancy per-say. But it’s good slurping on a cold day! Especially in February.

In fact, the onion or Allium has long been a staple ingredient of flavor in recipes from A-Z for about 5000 years. WOW! AND, way to hang in there ONION…Its genus includes onions of all sizes and colors—even garlic. And there is a variety of them. Like dry onions, which are the most common. Each has a strong flavor like the Vidalia or Walla-Walla.

We then move to the red or Spanish onion which is mild and sweet. And also varies in size. But has that fabulous red skin, which actually looks purple.  

Next we have the babies of the family: pearl, shallots, and green. Which harvest before the bulb actually has time to mature. And naturally every onions has its own special—VERSATILITY!

So whether your choice is to roast, glaze, boil, salute, sir-fry, or pickle; the onion poses purpose. In fact, pro-inflammatory assets are distinct in all the allium family.

And of course, if your liven the Yogi life-style you’ll certainly be including a daily intake of: garlic, onion, and ginger in your diet. Because these good-fells are excellent for over-all health and recovering from sickness. Especially in February! And this powerful trio will have you loving your numbers by lowering your risk for heart disease and strokes. While also, offering a potency to all vital organs.

ONIONS:It’s a miracle food that also plays a big role in cooking.

PLEASE DON’T EAT THE DAISY’S?

SOUPING THEM IS NO PROBLEM!

Caring About Communication: Should We?

Should We Be Caring About Communication?

We Should All Be Caring For Our Relationships-Are You?

“Communication is worth caring about,” insists Tammy. “Research shows that better disclosure of our feelings can answer the often-painful split, between our inner thought and our spoken word. Frankly, I find it hard to tell when dialog starts and stops.”

Because what happens long before we speak may sway the outcome. Also, what happens in our “talk” might have an impact in the future. Because we connect with others, especially partners, in a variety of ways.

So, each setting calls for some kind of successful transfer skills. Suppose child hood friends Joe and Tom now live 1,500 miles apart. What was once an easy friendship, is now awkward. Talking on the phone, texting, or emailing isn’t working for them.

Joe shakes his head, “I can’t remember the last time Tom and I hung out together.”

He shrugs, knowing his girlfriend Tammy will ask him about it tonight.

“I can’t stand talking about it. She’s always on my case. Even our relationship,” he grumbles. Joe wishes he could keep the relationship with Tom going across the miles. He hates talking about affections with Tammy.

Joe rubs his hand across his forehead, turns off the TV, and finishes dressing for his date with Tammy.

Like Joe, most of us have to communicate daily. Sometimes it’s vital to a long-distance relationship, a romantic one, or just to get what we want. Opportunities to do it right fill our everyday lives. Even demands it. Because how we talk, listen, and retain information shows how much we care about the exchange.

Joe would than understand why Tammy likes to talk about their love even when no problem exists. Joe’s insight into long distance friendships might help him with Tom despite the miles.

Smiling. He thinks, “Wow, better communication skills can save my relationship with both Tom and Tammy. I’m kinda glad I’m listening.” 

Most of us want better skills while Caring for our personal relationships.

In fact, it’s the early days of courtship that help us gain identity. We show each other who we are and where we rate.

Joe tells Tammy, “You’re so smart.” “Your beautiful.”

She says, “Well, your very handsome.” “Joe, you make me laugh so hard!”

We see ourselves through the eyes of others. These messages are important to our self-concept. Joe’s messages to Tammy as well as Tammy’s to Joe forge bonds. Content produces either a high or low-level of meaning. Because later on these are the values that reflect how we see ourselves in a relationship.

Our personal values directly influence our health and happiness.

Studies shows that being in touch with others actually promotes health and wellness benefits. Whereas isolation is believed to produce stress, disease, and early death.

Groups looked at many things and found “When we lack closeness to others we have greater levels of worry, anxiety, and depression.”

Which can leave us sensitive to a range of minor and major illness.

“In fact, social isolation of any kind is as dangerous as any chronic illness, smoking, or obesity,” writes Crowley.

Dr. Ornish studied both healthy and sick people for years. In an interview, Dr. Ornish stated, “Love and intimacy are at the root of what makes us sick and what makes us well. I am not aware of any other factor in medicine-not diet, not smoking, not exercise-that has a greater impact.”

Communication has power!

In a similar Newsweek article, it became clear to one reporter that, heart and breast cancer patients recovered 50% faster with support and talking to others.

“I never knew communication was so important to our health.”

Marriage counsels persist that, “Healthy communication is key to A Caring and enduring relationship.”

Sandy leans forward, “When my boyfriend moved away, the hardest part wasn’t missing the big things in each other’s life. It was missing the little stuff. The little things that happen in our lives each day.”

Janet smiles, “I know. It was like we weren’t part of each other’s normal life anymore. The small talk mattered to me the most.”

Failure is not always troubles, problems, or conflict, but rather actual talking. Both young women seemed to be satisfied with that answer.

Janet says, “Most Americans will agree that the #1 reason for splitting is no talking; surpassing sexual and money problems.”

You and I can probably agree that routine small talk forges stronger bonds and sustains intimacy more than a loud declaration of love! Most romantic couples report that small talk, brief chit-chat, or short dialog of current events was more satisfying. In addition to keeping a steady pulse in their relationship.

Without hesitation Tammy says, “There’s never a problem Joe. I just feel that we have a lot going for us. It’s obvious you do too.”

Joe nods, “Yeah. I just didn’t know how important it was for our health and happiness.” He leans forward kissing Tammy on the forehead, “Now I know how to deal with things. That don’t go my way.” 

Read On:

http://www.ornish.com

http://www.newsweek.com/communicationandhealth