Delicious Hot Cocoa

Ingredients:
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup white sugar
1 pinch salt
1/3 cup boiling water
3 1/2 cups milk
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup half-and-half cream

Topping: (optional)
Whip Cream
Cocoa powder
Chocolate Shaving
Cinnamon Sticks

Combine the cocoa, sugar and pinch of salt in a saucepan. Blend in the boiling water. Bring this mixture to an easy boil while you stir. Simmer and stir for about 2 minutes. Watch that it doesn't scorch. Stir in 3 1/2 cups of milk and heat until very hot, but do not boil! Remove from heat and add vanilla and half-and-half cream.
Divide to 4 mugs or 2 big ones ;)

Top with whip cream, sprinkle on cocoa powder and chocolate shavings! Garnish with cinnamon sticks! Heavenly!

Guacamole

Ingredients:
3 avocados - peeled, pitted, and mashed
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon salt
1 tbsp onion powder or 1/2 onion chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic or 1 tbsp garlic powder
1-2 serrano chiles, stems and seeds removed, chopped
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper (optional)



Cut avocados in half. Remove seed. Scoop out avacado from the peel, put in a mixing bowl.Using a fork, mash the avocado. Add the chopped onion, cilantro, lime or lemon, salt and pepper and mash some more. Chili peppers vary individually in their hotness. So, start with a half of one chili pepper and add to the guacamole to your desired degree of hotness.Keep the tomatoes separate until ready to serve.Remember that much of this is done to taste because of the variability in the fresh ingredients. Start with this recipe and adjust to your taste.Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole to prevent oxidation from the air reaching it. Refrigerate until ready.Just before serving, add the chopped tomato to the guacamole and mix.



Tip: keep in mind that avocados brown very quickly. Make this only 1 hour ahead of time for best results.

Spanish Rice

Ingredients:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups uncooked rice
1 bell pepper, chopped
12 oz can tomato sauce
1 tsp cayenne pepper
salt & pepper to taste
Mexican Cheese blend to sprinkle on top (optional)

Add oil to non stick pan. Heat to medium heat. Saute onions and pepper. Add rice. Brown rice. Add salt and pepper. Remove from heat and add tomato sauce along with enough water to cover the rice completely. Stir and return to heat. Bring to boil. Put lid on pan. Lower heat to simmer and let simmer for 15 mins. Turn off heat, stir and replace lid on pan. Let the rice stand for 15 more minutes. Do not remove cover. After 15 mins, separate with a fork. Sprinkle mexican cheese on top and enjoy with your favorite mexican/spanish dish!

Optional: you can add corn, beans or jalapenos to this mixture also. I have made different variations. Post any comments/questions!

Enjoy!

Dreams

I've written many blogs... Some when I'm angry, some when I am happy and some just to convey my feelings to others. Today, I take the time out to write down my dreams. One day I hope to look back at this post, smile and say, Yes! I made them come true!

Dreams to me are like goals. There is a difference between the two. Goals are somewhat realistic whereas dreams can be fantasy... unrealistic. Some might disagree and I welcome those comments.

So here it goes......

I dream to have my own place soon. Hopefully, if god allows, by the end of this year. No I'm not buying a condo or a house, just an apartment. A home to go to. I live in a beautiful home right now but I want to build my own. Decorate it with pieces that reflect me. Fill the home with smells of things that represent me. The walls, the furniture, the ambiance should scream, ROMI!!!!!

Of course to get an apartment, I hope to get a job or two in Austin. This should be first of the list... Moving to Austin, Texas. I have so many dreams conjoined with that place. I have a feeling that I will find the real me once I get there. I am so excited. Nervous and scared too but staying strong because I know, I will make it. I have faith in myself!

Law school is high on the list too. Right now by profession, I'm a pharmacy technician. I love working with people but I have always dreamed of becoming a lawyer. Once I get settled in Austin, Texas, my behind is going back to school and working my way up to Law School! 10 years later, my dream of being lawyer will definitely come true.

Family. Amongst my fondest dreams lies the dream of providing for my family. I hope to help my mom find all the happiness that she wants in her elderly years. She has gone through so much for us. I am here today because of her and one day I hope to be there for her 100% as she has been for me. I also plan to have my own family.

That brings me to my last dream: having my own family. A lovely husband. If he and I agree on having kids, then yes two at the most... maybe a cat and a dog.... Us living in a beautiful home, that screams US! Having a beautiful kitchen in my home, entertaining while he does what makes him happy but knowing at the end of the day, I can cuddle with him, lean on him and tell him, Baby you are my dream come true. I love you. This dream is almost like fantasy for me, but I know one day my prince will come along. I believe in this so much! Look out everyone, one day Romi Romika Lal will become someone's princess!

Evolution

Today I evolved. To what? The next level. A very close friend of mine, someone who is very dear to my heart helped me get where I am now. I learned and realized today how to live in the moment.

A few weeks ago, I saw a hummingbird about 5 feet away from me. The hummingbird felt like a blessing from god... a hello from someone I was yearning for. It came about 5 feet away from me, looked at me, and smiled. I swear that moment could not compare to any other in my life.

My friend used that very moment to help me realize how to live in the moment and to freeze that moment in time. He asked, "How did that bird make you feel?" I ofcourse said, "Happy and Free." Hes reply," that moment, did you feel like capturing the bird to repeat the moment?" OFCOURSE I DIDNT!

The minute I understood what he said, I felt so free. When you enjoy the company of someone, you shouldn't feel like repeating the moment again. Live in that moment. Don't worry about repeating it. Freeze that moment in time and let it become a memory. Once you evolve to this level, trust me, you feel unrestrained. Its an amazing feeling! Enjoy whats around you... Look at the sunset, the birds, the flowers, the simple things in life... and enjoy them... freeze the moment... a flower thats blooming today might be dead tomorrow... Enjoy it while it lasts and capture the moment in your memory. Because once that flower dies, it will never return.

Living in the moment

To realize the value of ONE YEAR,
ask a student who failed a grade.

To realize the value of ONE MONTH,
ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.

To realize the value of ONE WEEK,
ask the editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize the value of ONE HOUR,
ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.

To realize the value of ONE MINUTE,
ask a person who missed the train.

To realize the value of ONE SECOND,
ask a person who just avoided an accident.

To realize the value of ONE MILLISECOND,
ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.

I found this beautiful poem... touched my heart!

You're the first thing I think of
Each morning when I rise.
You're the last thing I think of
Each night when I close my eyes.

You're in each thought I have
And every breath I take.
My feelings are growing stronger
With every move I make.

I want to prove I love you
But that's the hardest part.
So, I'm giving all I have to give
To you... I give my heart.

Changes

I think it's time for a new beginning again. My trip to Virginia made me realize many things. Sometimes you really don't realize what you have until you loose it. Being away from family and actually being physically handicapped while going through a heartbreak seems so overwhelming. Got me thinking about moving. Do I actually want to be that far away from family?

The past couple of days have been so much fun! I've hung out with people that mean the world for me but I also realized that time does change people as do circumstances. That's totally acceptable. But- it does get you thinking about many things

My minds been going a million miles per hour. I have to much going on in there, I sometimes feel like I need to scream!

I hate that I get attached to people so easily! Always gets me in trouble. And funny thing is, I keep saying I'll change but how can I change who I am?

This is me. I love unconditionally until my heart is broken. Then I cry myself to sleep until I'm used to the circumstances and then, I repeat the viscious cycle all over again. Will the search ever end? Do good people really exist? Is it time to step out the fairytale world? Should I change myself? Maybe it is time...

Trust

Trust is a rare commodity. To find somebody with whom you can share all aspects of your life is an incredible blessing, so if you wind up with that comfortable connection do whatever you can to maintain it.

Austin... Here I come......NOT!

So, theres been a STOP to Move Romi to Austin. Reasons: cash shortage... circumstances and MOM. She doesn't want me to leave yet. She NEEDS me she said. I'm sure everyone does. That's how life has been for me. One minute they need me and the next, I'm left to fend for myself. So heres the deal. If I don't get a regular job, I get to work with my brother to continue the Janitorial work... Get lots of money to pay the bills. Mine, the house, moms.. all that... and if only if theres any money left, then I get to save up and move sometime later this year. Now thats wonderful! I feel like walking at the end of the world and disappearing again. I wish I could just get up and leave but I can't. I don't have the money nor the heart. I can't leave at a time when I know my mom clearly needs my help. I can't be that SELFISH. I'm angry yes! VERY ANGRY! I kept telling her... mom secure your future. None of your kids will stay around to help you ALL your life. She never listened. Now, shes stuck. Or she thinks she is. These are her exact words: "I have way too many responsibilities to settle down." Really mom? Really? Last time I checked you had 4 grown kids that are very much capable of taking care of themselves... Now whats your problem? I just don't understand. Maybe I'm being stupid and bitter right now. Maybe leaving now isn't a great idea but I always wonder, GOD, why me? I hate it here! No jobs, no life. I can't even go out with my friends because I don't have the money for anything. I work and hand over the cash. The minute I speak up, hell breaks loose! I don't know what to do anymore! Seems like all the problems come in bundles!

Scattered Heart

My heart, it has been rejected,
It has suffered oh such pain.
And now you want to cradle it in your arms,
And consider it your gain.

Who am I that you should bother?
Who am I that you should care?
I am just a shattered mess,
My heart is scattered everywhere.

-Unknown

One step back

In life, I have been hit hard by so many things. Things that broke me many times but each time I managed to get back up, pick up the pieces and be me again. A month ago, I had all my guards up... Never trust another again. That was my motto! Why did I let it down? I don't know but they are back up. Thank you to God.

Ladies, never trust anyone unless they gain your trust. For the longest time, I believed, everyone should get 100% trust to begin with! WRONG! Don't trust right away. Let the person gain that trust. Learn it from someone who gives in way too easy. Trust everyone easily. Innocence is another word for ignorance which gets you NOWHERE in life. NOWHERE!

If you find yourself falling fast for someone one day. STOP. Take a step back and realize the truth. Sometimes we think that the person might have the same feelings because all the "signs" point towards it but until a person comes out and bluntly says it to you, don't believe it. Take it one step and a time and from time to time, take a step back. Make sure both of you are on the same page... Be blunt about it. Be prepared to be heart broken from day one. Because if you set yourself up for all this, it will hurt less in the end. You might get lucky and find someone that might not hurt you... still, be careful. Because, to trust someone in this world is to love someone and love is a painful feeling.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6OgNUqMGiw