A Jeanne in the Kitchen

I love pesto of all kinds.  It may just be one of my favorite types of sauce.  It originated in Genoa, Italy, and is traditionally made with basil, garlic, Parmigiano cheese, salt, pepper, pine nuts and olive oil.  Today, pesto can be made with just about anything.  The only requirements are some kind of nuts, some kind of a hard cheese, salt, pepper and olive oil.  The rest is up to you and your imagination.  I was feeling creatively lazy and had to come up with something quick and easy for dinner, because once again, I was pressed for time.  It seems I have been pressed for time all summer, but I digress.  Pesto!  That’s what the sauce will be for dinner.  Pesto is super easy to make, does not take long, and I think almost everything tastes better with pesto.  I decided to try something a little different with my pesto this time too.  I made a delicious Southwestern pesto that I used as both a marinade and a topping for my chicken.  I call it pesto with a punch.

I like open fire-roasted peppers and chilies.  I use them quite a bit.  They are super easy to  make.  Place your peppers directly onto the open flame if you have a gas stove or on the grill and cook until the peppers are completely black on the outside.  Then remove the pepper from the flame and place it in a plastic bag to sweat for at least 1/2 hour.  The blackened skin will just peel right off by rubbing it with your fingers.  Rinse off all the residue skin and use how you like it.  The blackened, charbroiled process really enhances the flavors and gives them a nice smoky taste.  Roasting Peppers

Southwestern Pesto Chicken

1 bunch cilantro, stems removed

1/2 pistachios

1 roasted poblano, seeds removed

1 TBSP garlic

1 tsp cumin

1-2 TBSP Romano cheese

salt & pepper to taste

2 TBSP lime juice

1/3-1/2 cup olive oil

2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste

1 tsp oregano

 

Put everything into the food processor and blend until everything has made a thick sauce or paste.  Use it as a sauce or a marinade to add to or with your favorite foods.

I rubbed some all over my chicken breasts and let them marinade for about 2-3 hours before grilling them up.  Then I use some of the leftover sauce (not used for the chicken at all) as a topping on my chicken.  I served it over red beans and rice with some grilled corn on the cob.  Vegan Dirty Rice and Andouille Sausage

A simple, quick and easy dinner is served.  Delicioso!

 

 

The Sunshine Blogger Award is given by fellow bloggers to people who are positive and creative and inspire others in the interweb.  It is a great award.  It is a sign of recognition given to bloggers by other bloggers.  It says that what you do matters to others and helps spread a little much needed positivity.  In essence, being nominated for this award says you are helping spread a little sunshine into an often dark world.   “A Jeanne in the Kitchen” was nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award by Suze, from suziland too or obsolete childhood.  Thank you so much.  WOW!!!!  I am honored, yet again.

 

The Rules Are:

1. Use the sunshine blogger award logo

      2.  Give thanks to the blogger that nominated you

      3.  Answer the 11 questions given to you

       4.  Nominate 11 other bloggers and ask them 11 questions  (this is the hard part, there are so many great and inspiring bloggers)

 

My Questions from Suze are:

1.  How did you pick your blog’s name?

Well …. My name is Jeanne and I have been cooking all my life.  My mother had a picture of me helping her cook when I was about 3 years old, and I have been cooking ever since.  I became a professional chef in my late 20’s and worked in restaurants for many, many years.  “A Jeanne in the Kitchen” just made sense to me.

2.  Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give your 13-year-old self?

HMMMMMM …… Always be true to yourself, no matter what everyone else says or does around you, you have to be true to who you are.

3.  What’s your favorite TV/Radio show?

Well, I don’t really watch to a lot of TV.  I’ve never really liked TV much, and it has only gotten worse over the years.  I don’t really listen to Radio shows, but I love music of all kinds.

4.  What are three things you cannot live without?

Family and friends; my four-legged, furry children; and being in and around water.

5.  Who is your favorite fictional character?

James Bond 007, Sherlock Holmes, The Bionic Woman (with Lindsay Wagner, back in the 1970’s).

6.  What is your most prized possession?

I don’t really have any “prized possessions”.  Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of things I love, but they are just that, things.  If I didn’t have them around me, I would still be just fine.

7.  Describe yourself in three words.

Wet, complex, honest

8.  What is your favorite place where you have traveled and why is it your favorite?

Tough question.  We travel all over the place.  I love, love, love to travel.  I enjoy most places I go, for different reasons.  But if I have to choose just one, I would have to say Cozumel, Mexico, for the best scuba diving in the world.

9.  What single quality do you most appreciate in people?

Honesty.  I would much prefer someone be honest with me, and tell me something I don’t like or don’t want to hear than have them lie to me by telling me things I like and do want to hear.  The worst thing someone can do to me is to lie to me.  At least, if they are honest with me, I know where I stand with them.

10.  What’s your favorite post that you’ve written? (Link, please!)

They are all my favorite posts at the time I write them, and then another one comes along, and changes everything.  I will leave you my link, and let everyone choose their own favorite post(s) of mine.  You can check out my posts at ajeanneinthekitchen.com  I would love your feedback for what YOUR favorite posts are and why you think so.

11.  Does your blog have a focus, and if so, what is it?

🙂 🙂 🙂   For my blog to have a focus, that would mean I would have to have a focus.  I just kind of go where the wind blows.  Although, my blog is all about food and enjoying life, both in and out of the kitchen.

 

My Questions to you:

1. Who is your hero/ role model? Why?
2. What is one random thing about you not many people know?
3. What makes you laugh?
4.  What makes you cry?
5. What is better, taking a risk or going for a sure thing? Why?
6. What is more important to you, money or happiness?
7. Can you have both?
8. What is your favorite food?
9. Are you a morning person or an evening person?
10. How did you start your blog?  Why?
11. If you could start all over again, and start from scratch, would you change anything?

My Nominees are:

1. sports, food,actives,life
   @sasegirls
2. thegotogirlsblog
   @thegotogirlsblog
3. indianeskitchen
   @indianeskitchen
4. Jonetta (Ejaygirl) | Blue Mood Café
   @jonettaallen
5. lillyevechristie
   @lillyevechristie
6. koolkosherkitchen
   @koolkosherkitchen
7. dreamgoexplore
   @dreamgoexplore
8. Laleh Chini
   @avoicefromiran
9. David A Fischer
   @damarministries1991
10. My Life As A Mom
    @mylifehobbiesasamom
11. Marc-André
    @medran001

Good luck to you all, and thanks for always making the day just a little brighter.  Keep on doing what you do.  Once again, many, many thanks to Suze from suziland too or obsolete childhood for my nomination.

 

It’s been to hot to really cook and time has had a mind of it’s own lately, so I am glad I had something in the fridge that I could easily use to re-create into something else.  Thankfully, “The Queen of Leftovers” is a frequent visitor at my house.  She never disappoints on the days she pays me a visit.  We had some of my lemony garbanzo bean salad Lemony Garbanzo Bean and Spinach Salad and some steak that both needed to be used, so I added more spinach and tomatoes, then sliced the steak and heated it up and …. VOILA!!!!! A Mediterranean steak salad was born.  I cooked up some orzo and mixed that in with the rest of the salad, then added the steak strips and topped the salad with some left over tortilla strips as well, for a little extra pizzazz.  Southwestern Brisket Salad.  Within minutes, a new tasty salad was created, with very little time in the kitchen, and I got to use up all my leftovers.  I served it with warmed ciabiatta with an olive oil/balsamic vinegar dip, along with a cool, crisp chardonnay, that we enjoyed out on the deck in the cool of the evening.  I just love it when a plan comes together like this.  😋

From this ……

to this.

Cooking scallops is relatively easy and does not require a lot of time.  Both of these qualities are something I have been striving for in my meal preparations lately.  Time has been going against me these last few weeks.  I just get way to busy and to spread out, with to many things to do and places to be.  We had some scallops down and I was looking for something a little different when I came across the idea to make them in a tarrgon-lime butter sauce.  It is a very interesting combination that I would not have thought about until I saw it in a recipe for something else.  But it really worked well, and with only a few simple ingredients too.  And I got to use up some of my leftovers, which is always a fun thing for me to do.  It was a win/win for me.  WHOOOOO HOOOOO!!!!!

Scallops and Vegetables in Tarragon-Lime Butter Sauce

1 1/2 lbs scallops, rinsed

4 oz (1/2 stick) butter

2 TBSP lime juice

2 tsp dried tarragon or 1 TBSP fresh tarragon

1/4 onion, sliced thin

salt & pepper to taste

2 TBSP herb vinaigrette, optional

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 cup broccoli, cut into small florets

 

Steam the carrots and broccoli together for about 7 minutes, or until cooked.  You want both the the carrots and the broccoli to be cooked, tender, but firm.  Do not overcook them.

Cook your rice or pasta or lentils.

Season the scallops with salt & pepper.  In a hot skillet, melt the butter, then add the scallops and cook for about 3 minutes per side, or until they are lightly browned on all sides.   Add the lime juice, the onion slices and the tarragon (I also added my leftover herb vinaigrette), then continue to cook for about 5 more minutes.  Adjust the seasonings as needed.  Add the vegetables and mix everything together well then serve over rice, lentils, or pasta.  I served it over a combination of rice and red lentils.

This is a very quick and easy meal that tastes great and is a healthy choice for a light meal too.   Delicious!

Semifreddo is Italian for half frozen.  A semifreddo is a delicious frozen dessert similar to ice cream and gelato.  It is a combination of a custard and a mousse that is frozen in a pan.  This dessert is a very popular dessert in both Italy and Spain.  The Spanish call it semifrio.  Some people like to refer to this decadent dessert as an ice cream “cake” because it is frozen in a pan and sliced like a cake would be sliced, but there is no cake in this dessert at all.  It is similar to ice cream, but it is not churned like ice cream is, and is not frozen hard like ice cream would be.  The main ingredients are eggs, sugar and cream, just like what you would use to make ice cream, but then it is also mixed with something not frozen, most often whipped cream, to make it a soft or half freeze, which gives it that creamy mousse-like consistency.  Also just like ice cream, the possibilities are endless, and you can use any flavor combinations you like, once you get the techniques for making it down pat.

The other day, we went to our friends Janet and Bob’s house for a simple summer dinner.  It was yet another scorcher, so for dessert, I thought this cool and refreshing chocolate hazelnut semifreddo would be a welcomed reprieve from the heat.  It was a delicious, decandent treat loved by all.  Because the semifreddo just wasn’t decadent enough on its own though, we decided to make it even more decadent by adding even more whipped cream, and of course … ice cream.  It definitely cooled us down though, that’s for sure.  The semifreddo definitely needed something added to it because it is very, very rich on its own.  A little bit goes a long way.

Chocolate Hazelnut Semifreddo

1 cup heavy whipping cream

4 large egg yolks, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

3 TBSP milk

1 1/4 cups cocoa powder, preferably dark

1/2 cup Nutella or hazelnut spread

2 large egg whites at room temperature

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

dash of salt

 

Line a 9×5 baking pan with plastic wrap, with enough plastic wrap hanging over the sides so you can fold it over the semifreddo later and place in the freezer to make it very cold.

In a chilled bowl, with chilled beaters, beat the whipping cream until firm peaks form, then place it in the refrigerator while you make the rest of the dessert.

Make the custard or zabaglione part of the dessert by mixing the egg yolks, 1/4 cup of sugar and the milk together in a metal, non-reactive bowl placed over a pot of simmering water and whisk constantly for about 5 or so minutes until the custard starts to thicken and doubles in size.  You need to whisk the custard constantly so the eggs don’t scramble and cook.

Once the custard is ready, thoroughly mix in the hazelnut spread and the chocolate, making sure all the lumps are gone and the mixture is smooth.   You can also mix the hazelnut spread and chocolate into the whipped cream, again, making sure it is thoroughly mixed in and smooth.  Mix the custard and the whipped cream together thoroughly and place back in the refrigerator while you make the meringue.

Clean and dry the beaters again to make the meringue.  Mix the egg whites, cream of tartar and a dash of salt in the metal non-reactive bowl, and again place it over the simmering water and beat for about 3 minutes or until the egg whites are stiff, light and shiny.  Remove the mixture from the simmer water and continue to beat for about another 2 minutes until the meringue is thick and billowy.  Once the meringue is made, gently fold it into the chocolate custard mixture then evenly spoon it into the chilled pan.  I topped it with chocolate chips then wrapped the plastic over the top and froze it.  Let the semifreddo freeze for at least 6 hours before serving.

When the semifreddo is ready to enjoy, slice it in thin slices and serve immediately.  It can stay in the freezer for up to a month too.

Larry made his semifreddo particularly decadent by adding two kinds of additional ice cream and a heavy topping of extra whipped cream.  It was definitely delicious though and worth all the calories.

 

 

 

 

Garbanzo beans, also commonly known as chick peas, are a member of the Fabaceae family of legumes.   Some of the other common names they are known by are Bengal gram, Egyptian pea, chani and chole, to name a few.   The name chick pea, or chickpea, comes from the French word chiche and the Latin word cicer, dating back to the 13th century.  The name garbanzo is the modern Spanish version of their name, which grew from a combination of arvanca and garvance, from the old Spanish names for these beans.  They are the oldest cultivated legumes in history, dating back 7500 years.  They were originally grown and cultivated in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern regions of the world.  So far, there have been 90 different varieties named.  There are many uses for this very popular, very healthy legume.  Most often, there are eaten whole, and can be found either dried or in cans, or ground up to make chick pea flour and falafels, or mashed to make hummus.  Chickpeas are the main ingredient for hummus, and are also used for stews, soups, curries, and salads.  In 1793, The Germans would grind up chick peas to use as a substitute for coffee.  This was done during the first world war as well, and even now, you can still sometimes find ground chick peas as a coffee substitute in some parts of Germany.  Chick peas are very healthy and are a very good source of protein and fiber, not to mention many, many other health benefits as well.

I love chick peas or garbanzo beans.  I eat them quite often.  I love them fixed and prepared in many different ways.  This lemony garbanzo bean and spinach salad was a new and very tasty way for me to make and enjoy them.

Lemony Garbanzo Beans and Spinach Salad

3 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped

1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup cheery tomatoes, cut into wedges

1/4 red onion, sliced very thin

1/3 cup green onions, sliced thin

1/3 cup mixed olives, cut in half

1-2 TBSP parsley, chopped rough

1-2 TBSP lemon verbena, chopped rough, optional

salt & pepper to taste

1-2 tsp red pepper flakes, optional

1 heaping TBSP garlic

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tsp tahini sauce

1/3 cup Parmigiano cheese

 

Toss all the vegetables together and mix well.

Combine the seasonings, herbs, lemon juice, tahini sauce and olive oil together and whisk together well.

Add the dressing to the vegetables right before serving and toss together well.  Top with the Parmigiano cheese and serve.  If you would like to make this a main meal, add chicken or shrimp, or your protein of choice, before adding the cheese.  This salad is very light and very refreshing, and is just perfect for a hot summer day.

 

 

Brisket is a cut of beef or veal that comes from the breast or lower chest areas of the cow.  Because cows have no collarbones, these muscles support around 60% of the cow’s body weight, and are therefore very strong muscles, which can make the meat very tough.  Because this cut of beef is a very tough cut of meat, it needs to be cooked properly.  The best way to cook a brisket is in a long, slow cooking process, usually requiring liquids of some sort to keep the meat moist and tender throughout the cooking process.  There are many different ways to cook a brisket, and every culture has it’s own specific way of preparing this very popular cut of beef.  Here in the United States, and particularly in areas where BBQ is a way of life, a smoked, slow cooked cooking method has the best results, and therefore the best flavor.  Brisket is a staple in the diet of Texans, and has been a part of the Texas culture since the times of the Indigenous Indians who lived in the Southern parts of Texas.  Brisket is a part of every Texan’s BBQ repertoire, as well as all the other BBQ hotspots in the United States.

When we had our friends Priscilla and Jonathon over, Our Colorado Gaucho Grill, brisket was part of our festive menu as well.  We are still finishing up that large piece of meat, using it up in many different ways.  We froze what we could not eat at the time, and slowly have been taking out more as needed.  I think we have finally finished this brisket off.

We eat a lot of salads in the summer and a lot of different varieties of salads are on our summer  menu.  We love Southwestern foods, and I made a Southwestern Brisket salad with tomato-jalapeno vinaigrette to go with it.  It was quick and easy to make as well as being cool and refreshing to eat.  It was a win/win, particularly while eaten and enjoyed out on our beloved deck, with a glass or two of a smooth red blend to complete the meal.

I always make each of our salads slightly different, because we both have different tastes.  Larry is a big cheese eater, and I am not.  I love avocados, Larry doesn’t.  I like variety and texture, whereas Larry, not so much.  As with all of my recipes, make things the way YOU like them, since after all, you are the one who is going to be eating and enjoying the meal.  I only offer suggestions and my own preferences.

Southwestern Brisket Salad with a Tomato-Jalapeno Vinaigrette

2 cups shredded lettuce

1/4-1/2 red onion, sliced very thin

1/2 cup shredded jalapeno cheddar cheese, or favorite cheese, or as much or as little as you like

1 tomato, diced small

1 cup cooked black beans

1/2 cup cooked corn

1/2 avocado

1/2 red pepper, sliced thin

1 lb cooked brisket, shredded

fried tortilla strips

chopped cilantro

hard boiled eggs, sliced thin – optional

Tomato-Jalapeno Dressing

 

Layer all the ingredients on your salad as you like, and top with the fried tortilla strips and chopped cilantro.  Then add the dressing.  You can make this salad in layers, or toss everything together.  Either way, it all tastes great.

To cook the tortilla strips, cut a tortilla, corn or flour, into very thin strips and cook in hot oil.  This will only take about a minute.  Don;t over cook the tortilla strips or they will burn.  Once they are done, immediately remove them from the hot oil and toss with salt.

I use my food processor almost as much as I use my chef’s knife.  Both are vital tools in my kitchen, and as you can see, my food processor is WELL USED.  I have another one, but I refuse to give this one up until I absolutely have too.  My food processor has to be close to 30 years old.  It was a gift from my late mother, so it has a lot of sentimentality to me.  I will only stop using it when it is on its last legs and can process no more.  But I digress …..

 

Tomato-Jalapeno Dressing

2 tomatoes

1 heaping TBSP garlic

1/3 cup lime juice

1/2 cup olive oil

1 large jalapeno

salt & pepper to taste

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste

1 tsp chocolate chili spice – optional

1 tsp oregano

2 TBSP cilantro

 

Place everything in the food processor and blend until everything becomes a liquid.  Chill before using.

When it’s time to eat, top your salad with the dressing, then sit back, relax, and enjoy your Southwestern brisket salad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am working on a concept and an idea that will hopefully materialize shortly.   Ideally, if possible, I would like to have these ready for the holidays, but I may be just a bit to ambitious to make that happen for this holiday season.  I am working on creating “A Jeanne in the Kitchen” apron as one of the latest and newest creations from the “the kitchen”.  Is this something you would be interested in?  Do you think this idea is something that would sell? Please let me know your thoughts.  I am just starting the design phase, but before I do, I want to know what your interest levels are.

I am also still looking for my next guest chef to be featured on “A Jeanne in the Kitchen” as well.  Everyone is welcome and all recipes and ideas are always encouraged.  Who Wants to be My Next Guest Chef?

 

 

 

 

As I have mentioned many times, I have been teaching water aerobics for many years.  Through all these years of teaching and all my classes, I have also made many wonderful friends.  Friends come in many different varieties and each one offers their own special relationship.  My friends Lois and JoAnna are two such people, both of whom I met quite a few years ago while teaching for the Town of Erie.  My friend Lois recently had a nasty fall and is currently in a rehab facility until she can get back to doing all the things she loves to do.  So JoAnna and I decided to bring her favorite lunch from our favorite restaurant, where the three of us have had many wonderful lunches and shared many good times, to help brighten her day and brighten her spirits.

Lois’ son Richard also joined us for lunch and we all feasted on The Wishbone’s famous fried chicken, along with cole slaw, baked potatoes and Texas toast.  YUMMY!  Lois said that was her best day and best lunch in quite some time.

Lois, JoAnna and I loved to meet for lunch at The Wishbone,  located in Westminster, CO. The Wishbone is a family owned and operated restaurant that has been around since 1963 and is still going strong today.  It was founded by Joe and Francis Lochi, and is now owned and operated by second and third generation Lochi Family members.  The Wishbone has a very loyal following and owe the success of their restaurant to the people who have frequented their restaurants throughout the decades; the very same people whom they call friends.  “Our five-plus decades of success is due to our incredibly supportive customers and dedicated staff. We have had the honor to serve many generations and look forward to serving many more”.  The Wishbone offers a large menu with a wide variety of good, wholesome food, but what it is really known for is its fabulous fried chicken.  Fried chicken from the Wishbone is some of the best fried chicken I have ever eaten.

Elvis is in the building … along with a lot of other fun and memorable facts and artifacts that were popular back in the early years of The Wishbone.  All of these help add to the fun, family atmosphere that has kept customers coming back for decades.

Though The Wishbone is famous for its fried chicken, there is so much more good food too.  Whether you dine in or dine out, your taste buds will most definitely be in for a treat when dining at The Wishbone.  The Wishbone is located on the corner of 97th & Federal, in Westminster, CO.  Go check them out at http://www.wishbonerestaurant.com.

 

 

 

First of all, I want to really apologize for my delay in getting to this.  These past few weeks have just been so crazy and hectic and I am struggling to stay afloat, which means that unfortunately, there is a bit of a delay on getting back to people and responding to things.  I thrive on busy and chaotic though, even if it means I get a little behind.  I was nominated for the Real Neat Blog Award by fellow blogger dnhess at Life On The Patio.  Thank you so much.  I am flattered and honored that you thought of me and my blog, “A Jeanne in the Kitchen”.  All of these award nominations are truly an honor.  They make me feel like what I am doing has meaning and that it makes a difference to people out there.  Thank you, thank you.

The rules of Real Neat Blog Award are:

• Put the award logo on your blog.

• Answer the 7 questions asked by the person who nominated you.

• Thank the person who nominated you and add a link to their blog.

• Nominate any number of people, linking to their blogs and let them know you nominated them by commenting on their blogs.

• Come up with 7 questions for the people you nominated.

 

The questions:

1.  What is the coolest thing you’ve ever done?

Tough question.  I am always looking for fun and cool adventures.  Life in general is a pretty fun and cool adventure.  I live life to the fullest and never take anything for granted.

2. What is the nicest thing you’ve ever done?

I have no idea.  I guess that would depend on who you were asking and how it applied to them.

3. What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done?

I’ve done many things that people think are crazy, but they don’t seem all that crazy to me.  I will do and try just about anything.  I am always up for an adventure.

4. What is your best feature as a person?

My honesty.  It can be a double-edged sword at times, because I can be brutally honest, but no matter what, you always know I am telling you the truth.

5. What is the best thing your blog can offer to readers?

That it is OK to make mistakes.  It’s OK to change things around a bit and to customize foods and recipes to your liking.  I want to help people feel more comfortable in the kitchen and with cooking in general.  Cooking is supposed to be fun, not rocket science.  

6. What does summer means to you?

Summer means a lot of things to me:  1) being able to swim outside; 2) vacations; 3) being 4) able to take a break; 5) being busy; 6) being outside are just some of the things summer means to me.

7. What does coastal means to you?

Coastal means being by my beloved ocean.  It means being able to do my favorite thing, which is scuba dive.  It means being able to live my live in and on the water.  It means home.

 

My nominees are:

1. Renee/Heart Tokens
   @hearttokens1
2. joypassiondesire
   @joypassiondesire
3. lillyevechristie

   @lillyevechristie
4. crushedcaramel
   @crushedcaramel
5. badfinger20
   @badfinger20
6. hawkfeatherstories
   @hawkfeatherstories
7. Gail’s Snapshotsincursive
   @gaildorna
8. bottomlesscoffee007
   @bottomlesscoffee007
9. floatinggold
   @floatinggold

 

Silly me.  I am always getting things backwards and mixed up.  Oh well.  It just makes things more interesting that way.  I answered the wrong questions, but I liked those questions and I like my answers.  I also like the questions that I was supposed to answer, so I will use those as my questions to you.

My questions to you:

1. What brings you happiness?
2. Where is your favorite place to travel to?
3. What is your favorite food?
4. When you blog, who is your audience?
5. What is your biggest accomplishment in life?
6. What is your favorite type of blog to follow?
7. What motivates you each day?

Good luck to all of you, and please, definitely keep up the good work.  I enjoy all your blogs.  Everyday, you either make me think about things in a new way or you just brighten my day with encouraging words of wisdom.