Earlier this year, while attending a provisional meeting for the Junior League of Dallas, I had the opportunity to hear Colleen Walker, CEO of Girl Scouts of North Texas, speak. She ended her speech with a poem that she said inspires her and promotes the message of leadership that the Girls Scouts promulgate.

Something about these words really resonated with me. Especially the line about playing small. Being the best version of yourself isn’t just good for you; it’s good for others.

The inspiration this poem provides is applicable for so many pieces of my life: career, relationships, family and more. Read it for yourself. Then tell me what these words mean to you in the comments!

Our Deepest Fear

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear
is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness,
that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous?
Actually who are we not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people
won’t feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine as children do.
We were born to make manifest
the glory of God that is within us.

It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.
And when we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.

- Marianne Williamson

{Photo via Pinterest}

Yesterday I touched on the fact that I find cooking for one less than ideal. Though I don’t enjoy cooking for myself nearly as much as I enjoy cooking for others, I have perfected a few meals for one that I simply adore.

One of my favorite spring/summer meals is crab cakes from Whole Foods. Though they come packaged in twos, I usually ask them to split a pack since I just need one. They always happily oblige. This saves me money and from having to eat the same meal two days in a row. One crab cake usually costs about $6.

Of the two varieties usually offered, I prefer the Maryland Blue Crab Cakes. I don’t remember the name of the other one, but I’ve tried it and found it a bit spicy for my taste.

I usually sear both sides of the crab cake on the stove then pop it into the oven for 10-20 minutes. Served with a light, summery salad (like the strawberry vinaigrette salad pictured above), this meal is both quick and easy to make. And at only 330 calories, it is a marvelous meal option for those trying to stay slim during swimsuit season!

{Photo by: Kendall Shiffler}

Most people think that because I like to entertain, I also like to cook. This couldn’t be any further from the truth. Planning the menu, of course, is an ever important part of a successful soiree, however; this task is most often left up to my Mom or her best friend Leslie who have flawless taste in food and a surefire stock of recipes.

Entertaining, in fact, is one of the few times I actually enjoy cooking. You see, as a single gal most meals I prepare are for one. I find it hard to get enthused about preparing a meal that only I will be able to enjoy. The thrill of pulling off a new recipe is just not as fun when not shared with a friend.

Maybe that is why I like hosting parties so much — it challenges me to experiment in the kitchen and also comes with the added pressure of getting it right.

Over the past year, my adventurous spirit in the kitchen has blossomed. While in the past I was satisfied with heating up taquitos or ordering in Chinese, I’ve stepped up my game and ventured to try some new dishes that require more than a cookie sheet and a hot oven.

At a party I hosted for the most recent premier of The Bachelor, I served up a panini bar, offering a delicious array of deli meats and cheeses with a serious selection of spreads. Also, I recently attempted a new avocado bruscetta recipe for a dinner party I attended.

I’ll save the rest of my culinary crusades for upcoming posts, but I’ll leave you with the recipe for avocado bruschetta — a delicious little number I picked up from Lauren, Leslie’s daughter, who is a pretty good cook herself!

Remember, a good hostess doesn’t always have to be a good cook. Do like me and fake it till you make it! Chinese and frozen bites are always a great fallback when your short on time, money or culinary creativity! Throw them on a pretty porcelain platter and your guests will never know!

Avocado Bruschetta

• 2 T. lemon juice
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 2 T. red wine vinegar
• 1/4 c. chopped cilantro
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
• 3/4 t. salt
• 2 avocados, cubed
• 1/2 t. red pepper flakes
• 1/2 in. ciabatta slices
• 1/2 t. dried oregano
• 1/4 t. ground black pepper

Combine lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, oregano, and black pepper in a small bowl.  Whisk in oil, then stir in cilantro and parsley.  Fold in avocado cubes.  Brush ciabatta slices with olive oil and toast lightly under broiler.  Spoon avocado mixture onto toast slices, and serve.

{Photos via Pinterest and Elle’s New England Kitchen}

I love to cook for other people, but when it comes to cooking for moi, I just can’t ever seem to find the motivation. Frozen dinners, cereal and sandwiches are the usual fare when it comes to dinner at the Shiffler abode. In an effort to cook more and ultimately, eat healthier, I’ve added a line up of food blogs to my Google Reader repertoire. This week’s menu includes recipes from and inspired by some of my new favorite recipe blogs!

Monday

This Monday it is my turn to host the girls for The Bachelor again. This season each of our hostesses has been really good about offering up healthy fare — a stark contrast to our cupcake and pig in a blanket filled seasons past! With a long day at work and little time for pre-party prep I oped to prepare an easy crockpot meal I’ve posted about before. Black Bean Crockpot Chicken can be served in many healthy ways. I’ll be offering up corn tortillas for those who want to make tacos and fresh greens for the taco salad types.

The appetizer, Creme Cheese Sausage Dip, I admit, is a bit less calorie conscious, although I did choose to use light creme cheese which make it a little better! I made the dip a few weeks ago and froze it, so again, no prep time.

Wednesday

I’m guessing I’ll have leftovers from Monday night’s meal so I planned my next cooking venture for Wednesday. This easy looking vegetarian recipe comes from No Eyeballs Please, a blog by one of my fellow GHS alums, Danielle. She recently launched her blog where she posts recipes that are “always vegetarian and occasionally vegan.”

Danielle’s Lemony Creamy Linguine is one of the many recipes I have slated to try out. I love that there are very few ingredients, making it an easy and affordable meal. (Just the kind I like!) I haven’t tried this recipe before so I’ll report back on how it goes. It sure looks delicious though!

Friday

My last recipe of the week was inspired by the Roast Chicken with Balsamic Bell Peppers recipe on Keeping up with the Joneses. I’m not a huge fan of bell peppers and don’t have the time or motivation to make my own mashed potatoes, so I sought out a similar roasted chicken recipe. A quick search and I came up with McCormick’s Rosemary Baked Chicken with Potatoes recipe. I love that it has few fresh ingredients, because who knows if I’ll actually get to this recipe this week!

Do you plan your meals for the week in advance? If so, what’s on your menu for the week? Do you actually cook or opt for frozen meals?

{Photo Credits: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 }

A giant cup of coffee, my most comfortable sweatshirt and a day of just me and my best friend, WordPress. I couldn’t ask for a better snow day!

What are you doing on your snowy day at home?

Some girls are awesome at pulling off trendy, chunky baubles. I’m certainly not one of them. When it comes to jewelry, I stick to a few staples and layer other accessories as appropriate.

Silver has long been my go-to look. Not only do I love my silver jewelry staples, but each piece has a special meaning to me.

Pi Beta Phi, Official Crest Ring; Swiss Army, Alliance Watch; Tiffany & Co., letter “K” pendant,

First is my Pi Phi Crest Ring. You’ll rarely (if ever) see me not wearing this ring. My mom gave it to me for Christmas several years ago and then again last year after I lost my first one. Looking at this ring reminds me of all the amazing friendships I’ve made through my involvement in the sorority over the years. It also reminds me to live the values of Pi Beta Phi: integrity, honor and respect, lifelong commitment, personal and intellectual growth, philanthropic service to others, and sincere friendship.

(While that’s special and all, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t secretly hope that someday I’ll have a cheeseball moment a la Legally Blonde 2 where a fellow Pi Phi recognizes the ring and we can do our secret handshake!)

My next silver jewelry staple is my Swiss Army watch. My mom and dad gave this to me as a gift last Christmas. Ever since I was a kid my dad has worn Swiss Army watches. I’ve always loved the look of their watches and was so excited to finally have my own. It’s waterproof and tough as can be, but still dainty and feminine. Exactly what I look for in a watch!

Lastly, but certainly not least, is my cursive K necklace. My cousin Katie gave this to me as a thank you gift for being a reader in her wedding. Katie and I not only share the same first initial, but also a friendship and sisterhood in Pi Phi. This necklace is so special to me and reminds me of Katie whenever I wear it. Plus, it’s so cute and it’s Tiffany’s — totally classic!

Michael Kors, MK-5071 Gold Watch, Dogeared Wishbone Necklace

As it has become more trendy to wear gold jewelry recently, I decided I should pick up a few staples in this metal as well. I fell in love with the idea of the gold wishbone necklace after seeing Jennifer Aniston sport one in He’s Just Not That Into You. After lusting over it for almost a year, I was finally gifted this little treat. The wish bone is a symbol of luck and I always feel a little extra lucky when I wear it!

My Michael Kors watch is my most recent acquisition and I love it. I was a bit hesitant to try a larger face watch even though I know it’s trendy. I have small wrists and many boyfriend watches just look ridiculous on me. Luckily, my mom found this great style which is a bit bigger than I’m used to but still well proportioned.

I’m still searching for a ring to round out my gold collection. Let me know if you have any suggestions! And next time you see me around, check out my jewelry. I’ll likely be sporting one of the combos pictured above!

Do you have jewelry staples or do you have a different set of accessories for every outfit? Does any of the jewelry you wear have a special or significant meaning?

Being single occasionally has its perks. There always hot water in the shower, no one ever cancels your scheduled DVR shows, and you don’t get an exaggerated eyeball roll when you try to open a bottle of white. (Seriously, who propagated the lie that it’s not macho for guys to drink white wine?!) Lazy Friday nights are one such perk. You can wear jammies, drink wine and watch all the rom-coms you want without catching any grief!

Tonight I went over to Blockbuster, my favorite place to buy previously viewed DVDs. Enticed by the 2 for $20 action they had going on, I splurged and picked up four chick flicks I have been dying to own. $40 for DVD, I admit may not be the best allocation of my budget. But since three of them (Letters to Juliet, It’s Complicated and She’s Out of My League) I’ve already seen/rented at least 3+ times, I figure it would be a cost savings in the long run.

A little Washington White (gotta love Colombia Crest Chardonnay!) and a 100-calorie pack of Orville Redenbacher (mixed with M&Ms, of course.) and I’m on my way to a fantastic lazy, single Friday night! Now if I just had a bath tub…

What do you do to unwind after a long week of work?

I’m hoping you’ll find this post romantic and creative, instead of what it actually is — really, really nerdy.

I started compiling things for this post a while back and though the “New Twitter” isn’t really new anymore, I am still obsessed with the video Twitter produced to promote it. If you missed it, check it out on YouTube here.

The short commercial follows a young man throughout his day and as the clip progresses, you realize that he has been preparing for a special date. I won’t ruin the end, but the video still gives me chill bumps when I watch it — it’s just so sweet! (I can’t help it, I’m a romantic.)

Inspired by the clip, I pulled together a toolkit of everything you need to recreate the special stargazing date. Check out the list below to find out where you can snag these wares and plan a romantic date of your own!

• Strawberries: Dallas Farmers Market
• Music: Weathervanes, FreeLance Wale’s LP, $15.99 or MP3 Download, $5.99
• Wine: Fledgling Pinot Noir, $25 from Fledgling Wine
• Book: The Stargazer’s Guide: How to Read Our Night Sky, $12.47, on Amazon.com
• Battery-Powered Record Player: Crossley 6002A, $149.95 from CrosleyRadio.com
• Picnic Basket: Avignon Picnic Basket, $45 at Crate & Barrel
• Blanket: Striped Wool Picnic Blanket, $70 by Mexichic on Etsy.com

The only thing I’m missing is a good spot to stargaze near Dallas. Any recommendations?

Photo booths are all the rage right now. From weddings and birthdays to corporate shindigs, these fun are a great way to entertain guests and capture those Kodak moments that you’ll remember forever! Today I’ve been swooning over this lovely photo booth, produced by Smilebooth, hosted at HITCHED and posted on I Art U. Don’t these photos make you wish you were at this party?!

This particular photo set has all the ingredients you need to execute a successful photo opp area: (1) a great backdrop (2) fun props and (3) enthusiastic & creative guests!

A little digging and I discovered that you can get your own Smilebooth ANYWHERE in the US. The concept? You don’t have to have to pay for a professional photographer to get great party photos. Due to the custom nature of their booths, prices aren’t listed online. I can’t imagine that they are cheap though — price includes set-up, 4 hours coverage, a Smilebooth attendant, online gallery, and a disc of high-resolution images.

Nonetheless, the Smilebooth site is a great place for great photo booth inspiration! Also, be sure to check out the rest of the pics from HITCHED on I Art U!

Photos courtesy of: {HITCHED & I Art U}

A couple of months ago when my mom was in town visiting I noticed a bright, white silicone bracelet adorning her wrist. Was it in support of a cause a la Livestrong, I asked. Nope, a neighbor kid gave it to her for helping her out with homework. “It is supposed to increase strength and flexibility” she explained. Disinterested and unimpressed by her lack of enthusiasm, I left it at that.

That was until last weekend when mom was back in town I was intrigued when I saw her still wearing the same bracelet. After a more rigorous questioning, this time, she instructed me to stand with my feet together and put my arms out so I was in a T position. “I’m going to push your arm down to your side. Try your hardest to keep it up,” she said. Yes, I’ve been slacking on the gym lately, but still I was surprised at how quickly she was able to defeat me. Next she slipped the bracelet off her wrist and onto mine. We repeated the same exercise. The results: incredible! I was much stronger than before.

We repeated it with a few other flexibility exercises and again I was wowed by the power of this magical little bracelet.

My mom explained that these bracelets were apparently “all the rage” with professional athletes and in Hollywood. So why hadn’t I heard of them?

Mom didn’t know the brand or manufacturer, so I ran a google search for “silicone strength flexibility” and PowerBalance.com came to the top. After a bit of research I learned that these $29.99 bands (which also come in neoprene and in the form of necklaces) are said to work by balancing the body’s energy with a small holographic disc that is on the band. Their site is loaded with all sorts of testimonials, (including some from some big name athletes like Lamar Odom & Shaq) but very little information about how the bands work.

The reviews on Amazon.com run the gamut. Some people swear by PB, others warn of scam. Some of the discussions are actually pretty heated which kinda makes me laugh. It costs $30. It’s a novelty. It’s not the end of the world if it doesn’t work, right?

The only good article I could find about the bands (besides the robust Press section they have on their site which is mainly geared towards pictures with celebs sporting the bands) was this one from the San Francisco Chronicle. The article basically says that the bands have no medical merit and chalk the phenomenon up to the placebo effect.

Nonetheless, after seeing this puppy in action, I seriously want one. This begs the question: Does being a believer make me a fool? Tell me what you think in the comments, or keep reading to read the research I did on how to get the best deal on a PowerBand!

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