Apple Aficionado

It is shaping up to be a lovely apple season.  Orchard rows are resplendent with their trees offering up succulent fruit.  Apple harvesting season heralds Autumn--and all the splendor of cooler weather, brilliant Fall leaves, and savory sweets.  In celebration of ripening apples everywhere, Girl Friday Agency offers a choice recipe for Breakfast Apple Granola Crisp. 

Breakfast Apple Granola Crisp
3 pounds of whatever apples, or mix of apples, you like to bake with, peeled, cored and cut into medium chunks
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt
1 stick (8 tablespoons or 4 ounces) unsalted butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup flour
2 cups oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened, as you wish; I used unsweetened)
-Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix apple chunks with lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and pinch of salt in a 9×13-inch baking dish until apples are evenly coated. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter with the honey. Stir in the flour, oats, almonds, coconut and another pinch of salt until clumps form. Sprinkle evenly over the apple mixture and bake in the oven for about 45 to 55 minutes, or until the apples are softened and bubbly. Should the granola brown before you wish it to, cover the baking dish carefully with foil for all but the last few minutes of baking time, when removing the foil will help the granola recrisp. Cool to room temperature and then stash in the fridge to eat with your morning yogurt.




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Do You "Thank You"?

We all know we should express our gratitude when we receive a favor, gift, or thoughtful gesture.  One especially polite and tasteful way to acknowledge a kindness is a thank you note.  Sadly, the art of letter and note writing is waning.  My grandmother elucidated the value of note writing when she professed, "Writing thank you notes shows good breeding".  In effort to promote courtesy and etiquette, Girl Friday Agency's tip today will assist you in writing simple and thoughtful thank you notes.  

1. Dear [Name of person]. If "Dear" sounds too formal to you and you know the person well, you can get away with "Hi" or "Hello", as in "Hi Emily!"
2. Thank you for the [description of gift] [name of gift]. Example: Thank you for the lovely engraved necklace.
3. At least one sentence about the item; something you did with it, a reason you like it, when you plan to use it. Ideally, make the sentence 2 parts, like the example below. This makes the note feel more sincere. 
   Example: It looks great with so many of my tops and I know I'll wear it often on date nights.
4. Tell the giver you appreciate the thought or time they put into it and the occasion for which the gift was given.  Example: It was so thoughtful of you to think of me on my birthday.
5. Mention something about the giver such as family members or something happening in their lives. Example: Best wishes to Brian and your sweet children. OR Have fun house hunting, looking forward to hearing all about your adventures in home purchasing! 
6. Sign off. "Love" is fine for family members and close friends. For others, some choices are "Yours Truly",  "Best", "Regards", or "Warm Regards".
7. Sign your name. Don't make this an autograph scrawl; neaten it up so you they know it's you.

For more thank you note writing tips for various occasions, please visit this website.   




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"Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials" ~Lin Yutang

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Life Advice. Career Advice.

This is an insightful and savvy video instructing us on how to refine some our most valuable life skills.

--video link--

Enjoy and let your sagacity bloom!



















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"Anywhere is paradise; it's up to you" ~Author Unknown

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Smart Snack Attack

 Having an arsenal of sensible snacks on hand is essential for maintaining healthy eating habits.  Girl Friday Agency's tip instructs you on how to construct two well-rounded, well placed snacking stations.

-Place one stack station in the cupboard.  In this snack station place pre-measured containers of nuts, dehydrated fruit; add some granola bars, peanut butter, and crackers to complete the station.  
-Place the second snack station in the refrigerator.  Add containers of pre-cut fruit, yogurts, veggies, and cheese sticks and you will be a savvy snacker!   

For additional information please review this article. 





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Budget Bookworm

Reading and acquiring books is a common hobby.  Hither and thither, book-lovers can be found perusing the shelves of book stores looking for additions to their personal library.  However, if saddled with an ardent fondness for books and a smallish pocket book, what is a fan of literature to do? 

Here are a couple options for individuals who are delighted with new books, but are not keen on purchasing full priced books:

-Websites like bookmooch.com, and paperbackswap.com allow you to send in books you no longer want and trade for books you select. 
-Visit a local used book store.  These places are a gold mine for book discount seekers.  For help finding a local book store, try biblio.com, or you can purchase books from this website as well.





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"I believe in America because we have great dreams - and because we have the opportunity to make those dreams come true" ~Wendell L. Wilkie

Cunning Communicator

Possessing effective communication skills is essential, as we are in a perpetual state of communing with family, friends, co-workers, and even strangers.  Everyone could benefit from a communication skill set brush-up, so Girl Friday Agency offers some communication boosters.

-Be an active listener.  When in a conversation, truly listen and hear what the speaker is saying.  Instead of listening to the speaker only to construct a rebuttal, seek to listen and understand what the speaker is saying and feeling.  Pause and reflect on what the speaker is saying.   

-Stay on topic.  When in a heated discussion, topic shifting is easy.  You may feel bring up past grievances will strengthen your point, however citing past issues will muddle the discussion and increase frustration.

-Seek support.  Some topic are too sensitive and the emotions associated with them are too intense to engage in a calm, respectful, and informative discussion where all involved feel understood.  At this point the wise and brave move is to enlist help.  Engage an unbiased third-party, such as a mediator, counselor, or family therapist--that person can observe the conflict from an unemotional objective platform, thus allowing them to offer previously unnoticed insights and observations.

-Keep it friendly.  There is no place in a discussion for yelling, name calling, or physical violence.  Ever.  No discussion will result in a fair and positive outcome with negative and hurtful tactics. 

For more communication tips, please review this article. 






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Cucumber Conundrum

Whilst dinning at a friend's home, she served a scrumptious cucumber & tomato salad.  As I complemented her on the dish, she lamented that she is running out of tasty cumber recipes--and a cucumber plant on overdrive.  My hostess proceeded to show me her refrigerator that was indeed over flowing with cucumbers, and told me dozens more were still on the vine.  As this lovely lady's predicament is not unique, and many home-gardeners' cucumber cupboards are over flowing--Girl Friday Agency offers several clever cucumber uses.


A delightfully healthy creamy cucumber soup can be eaten warm, or chilled as the perfect antidote to summer heat.  Or let this versatile vegetable bring some pizazz to your side dishes; try this recipe for Summery Couscous with Cucumber and Mint.   


Cucumbers are also the unsung hero in skin care.  Cucumbers can be used make outstanding skin toners and masks.  The high water content hydrates even the most sensitive skin.  Additionally, cucumbers have the same pH as the skin so they help restore the protective acid mantle–they also possess hydrating, soothing, nourishing and astringent properties.  For cucumber skin savers and more cucumber uses, read this article. 

    


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Attention Adventurer!

This clever traveling website gives the standard vacation booking site an update.  At Wonderfly you are offered an assortment of travel destinations based on your interests and budget.  Whilst perusing destinations, Wonderfly offers pictures, a list of activities, places to visit near your destination, and flight availability.  This website offers handy tools to select your interest (such as art, luxury, shopping, adventure, etc.), price range, and travel dates--or just plug in your budget and wander...











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Munch Munch Nibble Save!

Take the trash out of your lunch with reusable food containers.  Packing lunches for children and for the corporate worker bees in your household can create masses of garbage.  The baggies we typically use to keep sandwiches and snacks fresh can take nearly 1000 years to decompose in a landfill.  Decrease waste output by using reusable sandwich keepers such as this adorable Wrap-N-Mat.  

Plus, you can minimize rubbish with containers for lunch sides, such fruits and vegetables.  These clever little containers can carry snacks to work and school, and then after a wash be ready for food duty the next day.