WOW ‘EM WITH MEXICAN LASAGNA

If you have company coming for Thanksgiving, it’s going to be a long holiday. You can’t eat turkey all weekend. After the leftovers have been exhausted, serve this festive make-ahead recipe on Friday or Saturday night. Wow ’em with Mexican Lasagna!

MEXICAN LASAGNA

1 ½ pounds lean ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 (15 oz) can enchilada sauce

1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 (2 ½ oz) can sliced ripe olives, drained

½ teaspoon salt

1 clove garlic, finely chopped or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 cup small curd cottage cheese

1 egg

½ pound Monterey Jack cheese, thin sliced

8 (8 inch) , corn tortillas, halved

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Brown beef and onion in a large skillet. Drain. Stir in enchilada sauce, olives, tomatoes, salt, garlic and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Combine cottage cheese and egg in a small bowl; set aside. Spread one third of the meat sauce in a greased 13 in X 9 in X 2 in baking dish. Top with half the Monterey Jack cheese, half the cottage cheese mixture and half the tortillas. Repeat layers, ending with meat sauce. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake ten more minutes. Makes 6-8 servings.

This dish is much easier to prepare than Italian Lasagna. Because you’re using tortillas, there are no noodles to boil and drain separately. It really cuts down on a lot of time and messy pans.

You might offer to make this dish at home and bring it to an overworked relative or friend who is hosting the big Thanksgiving meal. It will surely be appreciated!

November 8, 2019November 9, 2019

WAKE ME WHEN IT’S OVER

Public hearings in the U. S. House of Representatives impeachment inquiry of President Donald Trump will begin next week. But I won’t be tuning in. I know it’s going to be upsetting and revealing and all that awful stuff, and I’m just not up for it. We’re the greatest country in the world, and we should be proud of our politicians. Instead, we’ve been subjected to three years of nasty, vicious politics and infighting. I’m glad it’s finally coming to a head, but I don’t want to see or hear the gory details. Wake me when it’s over, please.

Public impeachment hearings are an embarrassment to our natiion — Public hearings in the impeachment inquiry of Trump begin next week.

Maybe the British have it right, after all. I’ve always wondered why they support the monarchy, but I’m beginning to understand. The monarchy doesn’t change. The royals represent everything that’s good about England: Dignity, Class, Courage, and Grace under Pressure. They may have a Donald Trump clone for a prime minister, but it doesn’t matter. No one outside England pays him much attention.

When we think of England, we visualize the magnificent Queen Elizabeth. She’s always the same. Regal, restrained, and strong. Charles blew it with Diana, but the queen got everything back in control. And now we have the future king and queen, Kate & Will, who always do their duty and look glamorous while they’re at it. Poor Meghan doesn’t understand the importance of a stiff upper lip, but perhaps she’ll come around.

Once upon a time, people felt passionate about the candidates they voted for. Presidents like Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama, stirred our souls and warmed our hearts. But now, most of us vote for the candidate whom we dislike the least.

Whatever happens, Congress needs to act swiftly. As a nation, we’re anxious, depressed and tired of it all. Worse yet, we’re ashamed of our country.

Wake me up when the national nightmare is over.

November 6, 2019November 6, 2019

HOW TO PLAN YOUR FLU SHOT

“Side effects are rare, and are mild if they occur.” That’s what the printout they hand you after a flu shot says. This gives you a guilt trip if you admit that the shots usually make you kinda sick. Before retirement, my husband and I used to scoff at people who complained about bad reactions to the flu vaccine. But something happens to your immune system after 80. And yes, the flu shots do have side effects now. Still , you must have them, so here’s how to plan your flu shot.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING WHEN PLANNING FOR A FLU SHOT.

First, we always wait until November 1^st. Pharmacies and grocery stores start advertising free flu shots in September. But since the shots are only effective for three months, that would leave you vulnerable once again around the holidays. Bummer! Can you get a second flu shot? No way. It’s not recommended and your insurance won’t pay for it. The shots don’t reach peak effectiveness until two weeks after you get them, so timing is everything. If you aren’t doing anything much over the holidays, you might even wait until December, so that you have full protection in the coldest winter months.

Now comes the important part of your flu shot plan. Before you get the shot, choose a week where you have few scheduled club meetings, bridge games or social events. No doctor’s appointments or places where you need to be. If you don’t get sick, you can go on as usual. But this way, you won’t have to miss out on an activity just because you are having some side effects.

Finally, if you do feel “off,” take it easy. You may feel extra tired. Or have sore muscles. Maybe you’ll have an upset stomach or diarrhea. Sometimes, you can’t put your finger on what’s wrong, you just know you aren’t feeling too well. Don’t run five miles or swim laps in a cool swimming pool. Settle down with a good book. You will probably feel better in a few days, but it may take about a week before you’re back to your old self again.

If all goes well, a little discomfort will pay off. You won’t get the flu this winter. And if you do, it won’t be your fault for not getting a flu shot.

November 4, 2019November 4, 2019

DEADLY DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME

Last night, we turned back the clocks, and everything is back to normal. Don’t you wish we could get rid of daylight savings time? People wouldn’t have to spend the late spring and early fall driving to work or school in the dark. It’s time to abolish deadly daylight savings time once and for all.

Daylight savings time can be hazardous to your health — Children shouldn’t have to walk to school or wait for the bus in the dark.

Yanking little children out of bed for school when it’s pitch black outside is borderline child abuse. It’s not natural at all. In fact, some school districts have decided to reschedule class times to start at 9 a.m. Recently, in Indiana, three children in the same family were killed as they ran for the school bus. It was so dark that the oncoming driver didn’t realize she was passing a school bus. Unfortunately, she was convicted of murder and now sits in prison. All of which could have been avoided if it hadn’t been for daylight savings time .

Yes, it will get dark earlier in the afternoon, now. But by that time, we’ve been awake for hours and can easily handle the darkness. A groggy person stumbling out of bed isn’t in shape to drive or walk to school or work when they can’t see where they’re going.

Worse yet, changing the time disrupts our body clocks, and can have more serious consequences. The first week after we change the clocks in the spring results in more car accidents, workplace injuries, and suicides.

According to a study at the University of Colorado, the risk of heart attack increases by 25% when we lose an hour of sleep. Another study by the American Academy of Neurology suggested that turning the clock behind or ahead an hour increases the risk of stroke.

Who likes daylight savings time the most? Small business owners and retailers. The Chamber of Commerce has been the biggest supporter of daylight savings time in the USA. The Chamber realizes that if you give people more sunlight at the end of the day, they’ll stop and shop on their way home. Golfers also love daylight savings time—but how many people play golf?

The truth is, the public is being hoodwinked by those who want to make more money and play more golf. It’s time to do away with deadly daylight savings time.

November 1, 2019November 1, 2019

HOW ABOUT THOSE APPLES?

Do you believe an apple a day keeps the doctor away? It’s not a new idea. The proverb came into usage at the end of the 19^th century. It was based on an original Welch rhyme, “Eat an apple on going to bed and you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread.” But is there any truth in that advice? How about those apples?

An apple a day keeps the pharmacist away — Eating an apple a day has been proven to reduce the use of prescription drugs.

Nutritionists have done several studies to evaluate the merits of apple consumption.. And they’ve concluded that eating one apple a day doesn’t necessarily save on doctor bills. However, they did find that eating an apple a day reduces the use of prescription drugs. Their overall conclusion was that apple eaters “were somewhat more likely to avoid prescription medication use than non-apple eaters.” In other words, an apple a day keeps the pharmacist away.

According to HealthLine, The benefits of apple eating are as follows:

Apples are nutritious
They may be good for weight loss
Apples may be good for your heart
They may help control diabetes
They have a prebiotic effect and promote good gut bacteria
Substances in apples may prevent cancer
Apples have compounds that may fight asthma
They may be good for bone health
Apples may protect the stomach against injury from non steroid anti- inflammatory drugs like aspirin
Apples may help protect your brain

It’s important that you eat the skin of the apple. By peeling apples, you miss out on powerful nutritional benefits.. According to the Unite States Department of Agriculture, one medium (three-inch-diameter) unpeeled apple has nearly double the fiber, 25 percent more potassium and 40 more vitamin A – just to choose a few important nutrients.

The grocery stores now have many varieties of apples to suit every taste. I prefer the tartness of McIntosh and Jonathans, while you may like the sweeter varieties. Apples are nutritious, inexpensive, and make a delicious between meal snack.

How about those apples?

October 30, 2019October 30, 2019

SOPHIA LOREN’S STRANGE EYE MAKEUP

When you make it past eighty, you start comparing yourself to famous people who are also octogenarians. There are lots of aging glamour girls like Jane Fonda, who make us feel like we’re not keeping up as we should. Another famous beauty apparently wowed everyone at the Governors Award Ball in Los Angeles. I guess she looked okay from a distance. But Sophia Loren’s strange eyelash extensions and cat-like eyeliner only made her look worse, not better.

Too much dark eye makeup is aging on an octogenarian — Too much eye makeup on Sophia Loren makes her look worse, not better.

There’s a point in every woman’s life when she has to face the fact: less is more. Heavy dark eye makeup only draws attention to wrinkles and aging skin. By the time a lady enters her eighth decade, all the cosmetic surgery in the world can’t make her look 20 again. A trip to Palm Springs always amazes me. There, you see aging California celebrities proudly walking around with misshaped faces, duck lips, and padded cheekbones. And of course, eyelash extensions are a must.

Cosmetic surgery on an aging face may make someone look younger, but definitely not better. The same goes for too much makeup—especially around the eyes. In this case, all the eyeliner and lash extensions made Sophia Loren look like she was at a Halloween party. I hope older women don’t start trying to emulate her. Debra Winger, who is aging so beautifully, has bemoaned the “face lift epidemic” in the United States. We loved her in “Urban Cowboy, “ and she’s still beautiful in “The Ranch.” But you’ll never see Debra with the “raccoon eyes,” that make anyone past 70 look older.

Sophia Loren’s eyelash extensions and signature cat- like eyeliner may have wowed them in Hollywood. But here in the Heartland, she would have simply looked strange.

October 28, 2019October 28, 2019

ARE YOU WEARING TOO MUCH PERFUME?

Back in the fifties, my two sisters and I shared a precious bottle of Chantilly Lace perfume. My Dad had lost the sight in one eye, and also his accounting job. Money was scarce, and all of us worked part time to keep things going. But being teenagers, we still managed to have a social life. We rolled our hair up on bobby socks to make it wavy, and wore lipstick. And when we had a date, we dabbed a bit of Chantilly Lace behind our ears and on our wrists. The perfume was only meant to be detected by someone who got close—like a boy who was kissing you goodnight. You weren’t supposed to reek, as many do today. Are you wearing too much perfume?

When I was in college, a boyfriend in the service sent me a bottle of Joy perfume that he’d bought in Japan. It was potent stuff. But even though I had it all to myself, I was careful not to overdo it. Why? What’s wrong with dousing yourself in fragrance?

Well, mainly, because many people are allergic to any kind of fragrance. I’m not sure when my allergies began. But sometime in my mid thirties, I couldn’t walk past the cosmetic counter of any department store without sneezing. I hated that, because I knew what it meant. I was developing an allergy to perfume. Just when I could afford Chanel #5, my sinuses began to rebel.

Many people are allergic to perfume — Many people are extremely sensitive to fragrances.

If I’m in the middle of a cold, or during allergy season, it get’s worse. Today was a case in point. We haven’t had a killing frost, so the pollen count is still high. Even with antihistamines, I need a Kleenex on hand at all times. We were at brunch in a local restaurant, when I started to sneeze. I could smell the approaching woman before I could see her. She was middle aged and well dressed. The woman seemed oblivious to the fact that her overdose of perfume made me sneeze, or might be giving someone a headache. Although studies have, shown that people who wear too much perfume may be depressed , she seemed to be enjoying herself.

It’s the same at the local swim pool. There’s always a least one swimmer who exudes a strong fragrance. There’s a sign asking people not to wear perfume, but it is ignored by those who prefer to navigate through life in a bubble of Musk. Sometimes, I feel the urge to say something to the fragrance offender, but I can’t think of a way to do it without sounding like a crabby old lady. And so, I swim away, or suffer in silence.

Are you wearing too much perfume? .

LIVING WELL AFTER 80

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