Imerge Magazine Nov 2013

I thank God that I found my gift early in life! Playing with makeup is fun for most little girls but for me it was a passion. I loved the way you could transform your face into someone you don’t rec- Totally 100% non-athlete but I discov- ognize in the mirror. ered walking as a way to loose weight a little over a year ago. Now I walk be- As I got older I realized that I wanted professional training and cause I love it and have made a total went to Esthetics School to learn about skin and makeup. I had transformation in my life. I walk a lot found my calling! during the day with my job then al- Making women and men feel better about their skin and helping most every night I go to the local com- them to look their best satisfies my soul. We are all beautiful munity center and walk at a minimum works of art by God, but some need some help to see them- of 45 minutes there. I've increased my selves in the best light! pace to where I'm doing. 5 miles in an hour. Recently I stretched out and did. 7 miles in 90 minutes. I am going to shoot for a half marathon next spring. I will keep everyone updated. The picture was taken just before the Color in Motion 5K my daughter and I did.

To 5k or not: search. If you decide you are A 5k, 10k,1/2 marathon are not ready to try a 5k you can find in everyone's future but if you them fairly easy check some of decide you might want to try local papers weekend sections one I have a few tips. There is they usually announce them usually always a entry fee ($20 about a month ahead of time. -$50) a little pricey I agree. Sign up for one you'll be bene- Generally all of these events fiting a worthy charity and benefit a very deserving chari- you'll benefit your health. ty all the money raised goes to- On a side note I have new fa- ward said charity. I recently vorite shoe. They are New Bal- competed in the Fight Like a ance 490v2's I have to say my Kid 5k/10k it benefited child favorite shoe to date super cancer research. I actually won comfortable. the 10k walk also my daughter and I did the Color in Motion 5k it was an untimed race but a to- tal blast it was for MS re-

Len in Ruston, Louisiana writes: I am 11 years old and my parents won't let me walk the streets, they say it is not safe so I have to walk at the football track and I don't like it because it hurts my feet walking on the asphalt all cracked up. Is there a shoe to protect my feet from that? Well Len that's a tough one I don't know of a particular shoe de- signed for rough surfaces maybe try walking on the grass or have your parents find a better spot for you. Robin in Lynchburg Va: I think I am hopeless I keep trying to walk a mile and I never make it I have to make it to the fire station I see the station but turn before I get there I just cant make it it hurts my leg so much I weigh over 350 pounds and I know walking is good for me but lets face it I'm fat and it hurts but a mile is a lot for a fat lady Robin if you don't want to walk don't do it. If you really want to try then go as far as possible and stop, tomorrow go a bit further. I know this does not sound easy and it's not but after awhile you will crush that mile and beyond. Stan in Toronto wants to know how long did it take you to prepare for your race? the one that you won? Stan I had been power walking for several months prior to the race I had only went that distance a few times prior to that race. I was pretty sore afterwards I should have trained a little more before- hand.

When you are having success the sight of a food celebration can scare you; so when the holidays come you may want to run from them like Virtual Vickie did this Thanksgiving. She thought she could save herself from all of the calories, after all, thanksgiving was about Thanksgiving after all, wasn’t it? It too her all of 3 months to lose 28 pounds and she was not go- ing to let a holiday about a stuffed bird ruin her success Vickie was determined to not celebrate Thanksgiving this year. Oh her family could celebrate, that was fine, they could go to whoever’s house and have turkey and stuffing and casseroles made with heavy creams and butter and cream cheese, cheddar cheese and six oth- er cheeses. They could have the baked macaroni, the candied yams, the greasy stuffing, the eleven different pies and six different cakes. But not Vickie, no sir, not Vickie, she was going to run from Thanksgiving. She had been working out at the gym now for 3 months, got her cardio going, was pumping the weights, doing the aerobic classes, learned how to do Zumbo and Tai Chi and she was

in the zone. Thanksgiving afternoon when her family was sitting at the table gorging them- selves Vickie was going to be at the gym walk- ing around the track or maybe she’d be at the lake doing a Tai Chi Class or taking a drive through the country enjoying the beautiful au- tumn colors She would not gorge herself, she would not over eat. She would drink carrot juice, she would eat a salad, she would have berries and lemon juice. No way was she going to indulge in that disgusting heathen ritual. She went down to the mall the day before thanksgiving while everybody was at the grocery store getting their favorite foods. She was not going to buy food this year, she was buying new walking shoes. She had her requests from family. “Hey Vickie, you gonna make that great Spinach Casserole this year?” “Hey Vickie, save me a piece of that Pecan Praline Cake, please!!” All Vickie had to say was “be gone from me, evil eaters!” No way was she partaking in any of that stuff this year, she was not going anywhere near a stove, not going anywhere near an over, she knew better. She had fallen victim to the kitchen too many times in the past and she could not trust herself in there. She had a long way to go and she would not let herself slide to the seduction of the fumes of the cinnamon, would not let herself fall to the call of the butter, the cool creamy waves of half and half and cheese

begging to be put in a casserole. No way, not this time, she was free! Thanksgiving morning she woke up early and before she could allow her family to give her the words, she raced to the gym. She was racing up the stairs to the track, lacing her new tennis shoes and trying to get the vision of turkey dinner out of her head as she started her first lap around the track. Mama’s dressing—she al- ways made the same kind, with the rice and olives, she remem- bered the first time Mama let her climb up on the chair to help It was a momentous occasion for Vickie, she smiled thinking about it. She had taught her daughter how to make that very stuffing. Now this year the family would go without it because she was not going to make it. As she rounded the bend she could hear the gobbling of Thanksgiving past running behind her warning her. “It’s not too late, Vickie, you can still join the feast.”

“Shut up, you old buzzard!” Vickie yelled and then raced away hoping a rush a adrenalin would was away the vision. Driving home she stuck to her plan. I won’t go home, I’ll go to the lake and meditate, she thought Then I will do an hour of Tai Chi. I will be so strong and full of vitality, I will never miss this silly holiday The lake was lovely, the sun was bright and as her shadow towered over her Hugging the Tree move, there he was. That stinking bird was back, gobbling and singing about Thanksgiv- ings past, reminding Vickie of all of the many dinners she’d cooked for her family, the traditions she’d started. Not all of her foods were unhealthy; she’d made corn pudding, sugar free cranberry sauce and relish and what about her Italian Green

Beans everyone was always asking for? And if it was desserts she was worried about, who was it that made the fruity yams with- out the sugar? Who needs sugar, when you have so much sweet fruit, remember? You could enjoy it if—-Vickie was almost swept away by the memory, but suddenly realized her 28 pounds and screamed “Get away from me you yodeling crack pot!” and raced to her car. It was time for her ride in the country, she put the radio on, nice and loud didn’t want to hear anything but the sound scapes she enjoyed so much while driving through the country. The autumn colors were so wonderful. She came to an apple orchard with bushels of apples for sale on the side of the road. She got excited and pulled over to buy a bushel and without realizing it, thought of how great it would be to make an apple crisp for the family with them and there he was sitting on the hood of the car dancing and

singing about apples and strudel and how turkeys will eat anything. Vickie was angry with the turkey, called him a loon and drove away as fast as she could. But she did not fight the Turkey any more. He was right. Thanksgiving was more that just a celebration of eating and stuffing foods down our throats, it was about tradition and family. Through the years of Vickie’s life she had built many memories in the kitchen with her mother and sisters, her father and grand mother and daughter and now, because she was having a problem with fat, she could not just kill the tradition, she had to find a way to keep the good. It would not be easy, but she would have to find a way to make it work. So home she went, home to her daughter to make the Rice and olive stuffing and all of the other wonderful traditional foods they looked forward to making every year. Thanksgiving is not about the food, it’s about the family, and for now, Vickie was happy with that.

It doesn’t have to be complicated, it can be a wonderful gracious occasion without the drama, the fire, the catastro- phe. The key to success is planning your event and allowing plenty of time to complete every task. 1. Make a List. Best laid plans always begin on paper, so get your ideas together, begin with your menu and work out every thing down to every last detail. 2. Enlist Help. Don’t be a culinary hero. Don’t be afraid to ask your husband to go shopping or your kids to peel potatoes or chop vegetables or shuck corn, there’s something for every- body to do and when the clock is counting down to the big dinner you should not be the only one doing all of the work. 3. Shop Early. Do not wait for Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving to be going out there to wrestle with everybody else to get your stuff, have it all done by the weekend be- fore.

4. Start Cooking Early. I always start cooking the Sunday before Thanksgiving I have a system, I make my casseroles and freeze them, that way they get to marinate and all we have to do is stick the in the oven on Thanksgiving Day. 5. Buy Disposable Casserole Pans and Trays. You will thank me for this when it is time to clean up and you don’t have to do anything but throw those disposables away.

6. Plan Your Table Scape and Settings Ahead of Time. I know you are going to want to plan your design and center piece and know what you want your table setting to look like, but on Thanksgiving you are going to be too busy to worry about setting the table, so make sure someone else has this job. 7. Make your Desserts the Day Before. Then put them in an air tight container, they will keep just fine for 24 hours un- less otherwise noted 8. Buy a Turkey Roaster. It frees up the oven for warming up

the side dishes, making pies and rolls. 9. If you have timed everything properly, your turkey is roasting, sides are warming in the oven, desserts on ready and waiting to be served and you can sit and enjoy time with your family. 10. Be Sure to Assign a Clean Up Crew to take care of cleaning up and putting things away.. You deserve a rest now. Happy

PASTRY TARTS Puffed Pastry Egg wash Prepared Pudding Fresh Fruit You can use fresh berries, pineapples, peaches, plums, figs, persimmons or whatever fruit you choose. Roll out your Pastry dough un- til it is 1/8 of an inch. Using 2 round pastry cutters, cut one large circle first, then cut a smaller circle out of the same round of dough so you have a

ring. You are going to brush the wash over the round, (figure 1). Now place the ring over the round and seal with fork (figure 2) and then prick base with fork (figure 3). Bake in 350 degree oven til risen and puffy. Fill with 1 ta- blespoon of pudding, then top with fresh fruit. Wholesome dessert!

Low Fat Lemon Cheese Cakes ful of the cracker mixture, 1 package of graham crack- mash into the paper to ers form the dough for your mini-cheesecake. 1 stick of low fat margarine Pour the cheese cake mix 2 8oz squares of light into a gallon size zip lock cream cheese bag then snip off the edge 1 teaspoon lemon flavoring of one of the bottom cor- ners and pour the mixture 3 Tablespoons of Sugar into the cups. Bake in 350 1/4 cup light sour cream degree oven for 25 minutes or until tests done, 1 egg knife comes out cleanly. Put the crackers in the bowl Take out and let cool. Peel the papers off of the of food processor and pro- cakes and place on a plate cess, then stir in melted and top with fruit of margarine until it looks like choice, I like to use all a cookie paste. Set aside. fruit or light cherry pie Put the remaining ingredi- filling. 120 calories a mini ents into a mixing bowl and cake, a yummy dessert and mix until well blended all of the goodness you ex- Place muffin papers into the pect from a cheesecake muffin tins and ad a spoon-



Peanut Butter Pie 2 (1)Mix together cheese, sugar 8 oz low fat room temp and peanut butter (2)Add cream cheese whipped topping. (3) Pour into 1/2 cup confectioners sugar Crust. (4)Let set in refrigera- tor for 4 hours Serve with 1/3 cup peanut butter plain or with a drizzle of 8 oz frozen whipped topping chocolate sauce. This is a yummy dessert that will make (thawed, fat free) you want to slap your mamma. Reduced Fat Graham Cracker Pie Crust)



There really is no secret formula to beating the gluttony monster, you just have to pay at- tention to what you’re doing. When you walk into a room and see all of the glorious food, it’s hard to not feel like a kid in a candy store and want to reach for all of the goodies. There are two things at work here, you don’t want to gorge yourself and make yourself sick, this is a definite possibility, especially if you haven’t eat- en a lot of rich foods in a long time. Convincing yourself that it’s a holiday and it’s okay to go crazy because of it may get you past the family and the horn of plenty, but once you are home holding the pepto and praying for a healing, you might be wishing you would have done the Di- anna Ross and the Supreme thing and Stopped in the name of Love. The other thing happen- ing is unleashing the beast, you know the one I’m talking about, the one you’ve kept pent up all this time. The one who wants the chocolate the sugar , the fatty foods, the stuff you know is not good and forbidden. Once he gets a taste

of the no no stuff, you might not be able to get him back into his cage and you are going to find it a problem getting back in- to the swing of your healthy lifestyle. So what do you do? Somewhere, somehow you have to find a way to be sensible and see the food for what it is— exactly what it always has been—fuel for your body, if your tank only holds ten gal- lons you cannot force fifteen into it. It cannot be done. Take a look at the bounty, check out what’s there for you to eat and choose wisely. Know that there is only so much room in your tank, or on your plate and you cannot have anything past it’s boundaries. When you get to the edge of it, you are finished. Pick the things you want the most and then relish them, enjoy them. Don’t feel guilty, don’t look back and regret them, know that you did it, you behaved decently and responsibly and tomorrow you will be able to return to your healthy regime.

From year to year we look for new and innovative ways to impress our family and guests with our culinary skills in preparing the Thanksgiving Feast. Here are a few basics to help you keep the smoke out of the kitchen. I’ve done some research through tips to help you do the dance in the years trying to discover new the kitchen with the turkey this and exciting ways to bring new year and make everybody hap- life and flavor to the turkey. The py. truth of the matter is, most fami- Brining a Turkey. lies are only interested in one thing when they sit down to Brining a turkey is a wonderful Thanksgiving Dinner, a flavorful, technic used by many who say it moist turkey. Nobody likes a dry is the best way to fill it up with bird and nobody wants it burned flavor and make it plump and and tasteless. So here are a few juicy and once you brine a turkey

From year to year we look for new and innovative ways to impress our family and guests with our culinary skills in preparing the Thanksgiving Feast. Here are a few basics to help you keep the smoke out of the kitchen. you will never want to eat a tur- Find a Suitable Turkey. key any other way. Most people Be sure you have a proper who Smoke their turkeys or container (plastic) to hold grill them must brine them first. the bird and Brining liquid A good rule of thumb is to check in your label, a lot of turkeys have Make your Brining Liquid. already been injected with a 1 ½ cups of kosher salt brining solution, so no sense in ½ cup of brown sugar double brining. Follow these 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar steps for a successful Brining: ¼ cup onion powder ¼ cup of garlic powder

¼ cup of black pepper assembled to apply to 8 quarts of cold water the outer or inside of the Place Turkey into the Brine turkey skin. Here is a and Refrigerate for 48 simple recipe. hours 2 sticks of butter at room Rinse thoroughly and pre- temperature pare for smoker or oven 1 teaspoon sage, and prepare as directed. 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon Rose- Basting mary This is the traditional way of 1 tablespoon of garlic making a turkey, birds minced finely have been going into the 1 tablespoon of salt oven butter basted and 1 teaspoon of stuffed with mom’s best crushed black pepper dressing for years and 2 tablespoons of grated years and the directions lemon peel are simple. Find your Combine all of the turkey, wash it, remove above into a paste and the giblets and neck, pat apply to the skin of the it dry and place it in a turkey. roasting pan. A simple Salt and Pepper butter based rub can be the cavity of the bird and

then add the following: turkey with your favorite 2 large carrots, cut up stuffing if you want, but 1 large onion the benefit of putting 2 stalks of celery these guys in there is 1 garlic clove that they will perfume 1 large orange quar- the bird with flavor, as it tered. roasts, the steam rolls 1 Apple through the cavity and You can stuff your carries the flavor and in-

fuses it with the meat of rest and all of the juices the turkey. will disperse properly. Roast in a 450 de- The Best way to gree oven for 30 minutes know when your turkey is only. After 30 minutes, done? An internal ther- turn the oven down to mometer. Stick in be- 350 degrees. This caus- tween the leg and thigh es the fat to render and bone for the best reading now the juices are flow- and when it hits 160 de- ing. Now you are going grees it is done. to want to roast it until the juices run clear and the BAGGING internal temperature is A good friend of mine 160 degrees. You are has made a genius of going to want to check cooking simple foods in your turkey every hour or masterful ways and his so for dryness and using bag basted/marinated a pastry brush, brush turkey breast is one of your bird with its own my favorite ways to eat juices, or baste it, to keep turkey breast. If you’re it moist and tender. not in the mood to deal When the bird is done, with the entire bird or you tent it with some foil and don’t have to feed that let it sit for half an hour to many people, this meth-

od will work perfectly for 3 tablespoons oil you. 1/3 cup onion flakes Find yourself a nice 2 teaspoons garlic turkey breast, then put it powder into a gallon sized zip 1/4 cup of bourbon lock bag. Prepare a mar- Stir the marinade well inate with: and pour over the turkey 1 cup of teriyaki sauce breast. Seal the bag and 1cup of water sit the breast in the refrig- 1/4 cup white sugar erator for at least 24 1/4 cup or hours Prepare as de- Worcestershire sauce sired. Works well either 3 tablespoons white roasted, grilled or vinegar smoked.

right. If you insist on BLASTING giving it a try, here is a I’m from Louisiana, link for detailed instruc- and everybody and tions. their cousin thinks they http:// know how to deep fry a www.wikihow.com/ turkey. I’ve seen peo- Deep-Fry-a-Turkey ple lose their eyebrows Or you can get an doing this, but what’s electric fryer, check out worst, I’ve seen walls this demonstration on burn down and entire you-tube. http:// families running down www.youtube.com/ the street screaming watch?v=Q9T747z0dlI “call 911!” or “My Dad- dy can’t find the hose, can I use your, quick!” Not a pretty picture. So deep frying is not something you want to do folks, unless you are experienced with fryers and live close to a fire station. First of all you need to buy the proper equipment and you have to be sure that your conditions are just

If you’re like me, you hate throwing away your clothes, through the years you develop a good relationship with the garb and it’s hard to let some of them go, but there comes a time to empty the closet and when you do it’s nice to know you’re close are being put to good use. Imerge Magazine is sponsoring a Clothes Vault—a place for you to sell, donate, exchange your clothing. Here are the rules and links. This is a clothes exchange where you will be able to sell, buy, trade, or give away clothing you can no longer wear, or find stylish clothes in the sizes you need . IMERGE will provide ad space, and the rest is up to you. Imerge is not responsible for shipping or payment issues. We do ask that you follow a few guided lines. 1. When placing an ad remember that the deadline is the 15th of each month. 2. Include a detailed description, a photo if possible, price (if you are selling the item), and an email address. 3. All clothes must be in excellent condition, no damaged items. 4. Please be sure items are clean before sending it out. 5. Remember to choose the least expensive shipping or mail- ing rates.

BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPERS GUIDE If you spend your time of what you and your wishing away the Autumn family want. Pay par- so that you can finally ticular attention to the get that coveted circular Sunday newspapers. filled Thanksgiving News- 2. Assign each family paper filled with all of member a colored the great flyers and bro- marker and tell them to chures and posters telling mark the ads to what you what’s on sale for they want. When you Black Friday than we go through the ads have something in com- you’ll know by looking at mon. Here are a few tips the color who wants on making Black Friday a what and be able to or- great shopping day. ganize your shopping. 1. Start Early. The flyers 3. Check out the ads early and ads start coming on line. A list of online out early so make notes deal finders follows.

BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPERS GUIDE 4. Plan your shopping day have the deals delivered to ahead of time and position your house. You can often your shoppers wisely . If get the same deals for the you are going to the mall, same or better prices. Try send your older and more these links. responsible shoppers out to http://www.theblackfriday.com/ get the deals and appoint a meeting place after a desig- http://blackfriday.com/ nated time This will save http://bfads.net/ time and energy. http://www.blackfriday.fm/ 5. When you are strategizing http://dealnews.com/black- your shopping, make sure friday/ you know what sales are for what days, some sales are http:// on Wednesday only, www.cybermonday2013.com/ Thanksgiving Day Only and http://www.coupons.com/ you may think it’s on Friday. cyber-monday/ 6. If you don’t want to face the http://cybermonday2013.io/ crowds, go online, shop with the major stores and

Enjoy the Artistic Wonder of Juan Alcantara Inside this Issue of Imerge Magazine