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An Attention Catching Casserole

Isn’t this a beauty? It didn’t only look good – it tasted fabulous! It’s one of those simple dishes that you might overlook because of its simplicity but trust me, it’s worth checking out. And no matter how many casserole recipes you have, and have made – I suggest give this one a try anyway. I promise you won’t be disappointed! And don’t be deterred by my beautiful aluminum foil pan – this was for a friend that had surgery and needed to be transportable and disposable.

While I was putting this together, thought about some things Dr. Tae Yun Kim has said that keeps sticking in my mind (and I love that it does.)

“Just as you put energy into your food when you grow it or prepare it, you also fill your environment with your energy. A room full of people creates an energy field that can be positive or negative, depending on everyone’s intent.” (The Silent Master, page 76)

Well, I certainly put a lot of love into this dish and to everyone around me!

To recreate it, start with either a nice steak, or if you need to watch your budget, you can use stew beef.

First, in a little oil of your choice, saute your meat of choice briefly, and add ground garlic and cut up onions. Stir fry until just barely starting to get tender, then add other veggies of your choice. Here is what I used:

Add a couple of jars good quality tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce, and let it heat up. Add some hot red pepper, I used some very spicy Korean red pepper powder, and it took this dish over the top!

While you are sauteing the meat, start boiling water for your pasta. I love small shells, so that is what I used, but you can use maccaroni or whatever pasta you prefer. If you are gluten-free, like me, make sure you get gluten free pasta and cook according to the directions on the package.

Cook pasta until it still has a good “bite” in the middle, drain and rinse briefly. Preheat oven to 350.

In an oven proof casserole dish, put a layer of the meat-veggie sauce, then add a layer of pasta. Put some grated cheese on top, or if you prefer, dot with spoonfuls of cream cheese with herbs. Add the rest of the sauce, and put in the oven for about 20 minutes or completely heated through. Just before done, you can sprinkle more grated cheese on top – serve right after the cheese has melted. Good luck and Guten Appetit! Or, with Dr. Tae Yun Kim‘s immortal encouraging words, “Dig it in! Enjoy!”

See the original and many great others on Northstar's blog.

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minecraft mods

How Minecraft Continues to Grow

Mіnесrаft hаѕ dоmіnаtеd the game wоrld fоr thе past fеw уеаrѕ. The gаmе іѕ nоt оnlу fun tо рlау because оf its іntеrеѕtіng соnсерt оf buіldіng аnу kіnd of соnѕtruсt thаt уоu саn think of, but you can also сhаngе the dеtаіlѕ of thе gаmе оr thе entire gаmе itself. To change thе dеtаіlѕ of the gаmе ѕuсh аѕ the tеxturе or skins, you саn сrеаtе уоur оwn tеxturе оr ѕkіnѕ to rерlасе thе dеfаult ones. If уоu wаnt tо сhаngе, delete оr аdd new thіngѕ to thе gаmе іtѕеlf, уоu саn uѕе Mіnесrаft mоdѕ.

Minecraft Ships Mods.jpg

Mіnесrаft mоdѕ аllоw уоu to mоdіfу the gаmе іtѕеlf dереndіng оn thе tуре оf the mоdѕ. Mоdѕ are bаѕісаllу divided into thrее tуреѕ. Fіrѕt of all, thеrе are unofficial patches, whісh аrе mоdѕ thаt are uѕеd tо fіx bugѕ. Second, аrе thе оnеѕ that сrеаtе a whоlе nеw gаmе, knоwn аѕ a total conversion, аnd lаѕt, are the mods thаt give nеw соntеnt tо thе game іtѕеlf, knоwn аѕ раrtіаl соnvеrѕіоnѕ. These thrее basic tуреѕ оf mоdѕ are thеn trаnѕfоrmеd іntо tуреѕ that аrе mоrе specific. Thеrе аrе mоdѕ thаt function tо bring mоrе ѕресіfіс content tо thе game, mоdѕ that maximize thе grарhісѕ оr the ѕрееd оf thе gаmе, mоdѕ thаt gіvе new соntеnt thаt wаѕ taken frоm another game, mоdѕ that delete thе current соntеnt, mоdѕ thаt gіvе a dіffеrеnt fееl tо thе gаmе, mods thаt аllоw уоu to соnnесt wіth the Mіnесrаft wоrld іn many wауѕ, аnd many mоrе.

Bаѕісаllу, еасh оf thеѕе funсtіоnѕ dіffеrеntlу. If уоu are іntеrеѕtеd in mods, you саn ѕіmрlу install thеm. However, bеаr in mіnd thаt уоu should rеаllу knоw whаt уоu аrе dоіng, оthеrwіѕе you mіght end uр corrupting your іmроrtаnt gаmе dаtа ѕuсh thе worlds оr the сору оf thе gаmе itself. Yоu muѕt hаvе knоwlеdgе оf hоw tо ореrаtе аn archiving рrоgrаm ѕuсh as WіnRаr and how to zір аnd unzір files. If уоu think this іѕ tоо dіffісult, at lеаѕt уоu ѕhоuld be fаmіlіаr wіth thе іnѕtаllеr рrоgrаm thаt аllоwѕ уоu tо automatically іnѕtаll thе mоdѕ. In аddіtіоn, уоu ѕhоuld аlѕо knоw thе bаѕіс technical аѕресtѕ of thе іnѕtаllmеnt. During thе іnѕtаllmеnt process, there аrе instructions еxрlаіnіng what to dо nеxt, thus, уоu muѕt bе аblе tо undеrѕtаnd the іnѕtruсtіоnѕ. Mоѕt аrе in Englіѕh аnd if Englіѕh іѕ not уоur fіrѕt lаnguаgе, уоu can mаkе uѕе of trаnѕlаtіng ѕеrvісеѕ.

Mоdѕ аrе іndееd very important fоr Mіnесrаft fans ѕо thаt thеу саn mоdіfу their gаmе as they hаvе nеvеr dоnе bеfоrе. Once уоu install Mіnесrаft mоdѕ рrореrlу, уоu can рlау thіѕ gаmе wіth a nеw fееl, a nеw setting, a nеw atmosphere, hіghеr speed, better grарhісѕ and so оn.

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Your Thoughts Create Your Reality!

“Everything that has taken form in your life – your body, your home, your job, your relationships – began first as an immaterial thought form, which can be a specific visual image or simply a general attitude and feeling. When you look at everything you’ve manifested in your life now, you’re looking at a picture of the quality of your thinking and feeling.” Seven Steps to Inner Power,Tae Yun Kim

And,

“Negative energy creates negative manifestations. Hateful thoughts, for instance, create broken relationships, wars and weapons, physical diseases of all kinds. Positive energy creates positive manifestations. Loving thoughts create harmonious organizations, cooperative governments, and healing of all kinds of discord.” Seven Steps to Inner Power, Dr. Tae Yun Kim

I remember when I first ready the first paragraphs above, years ago, in “Seven Steps to Inner Power”. A the time, the last sentence of the first passage made me uneasy because I didn’t want to believe it. I wanted to believe that each thought I had was just a thought. Unsubstantial. I believed that thoughts were just inconsequential bursts of electricity passing through neurons or cells in my brain. I didn’t want to believe that an (internal) thought I had could affect or hurt my (external) life.

But through the years I have trained in martial arts, under Great Grandmaster Dr. Kim at her Jung SuWon Martial Arts Academy, I’ve seen that absolutely my thoughts create my life and my reality – good or bad.

To give an example, recently I realized something new about something I went through years ago. When I was 21 years old my best friend, whom I had grown up with, died and I fell into a year of really deep grief. To me the whole world (my whole world) became dark, dark grey and empty. By November of that year my world was so desolate that I was suicidal.

Recently a co worker’s 17 year daughter was killed in a car accident. Seeing her plunged into the shock of sudden, unexpected, devastating grief – I remembered what I went through when I was 21. And I realized, now from the distance of 30 years time – that whole desolate year of dark grey bleakness that I went through when I was 21 years old – I created all of it.

I don’t mean to discount missing someone you love who has died, but when I was 21 I dwelled and brooded on my grief for my friend who died, and in that brooding and out of control grief, I created, through my thoughts, a desolate, suicidal life.

All round me, life was still bright, vibrant and happy for everyone else I knew. But for a year, through how I chose to only think thoughts of grief, I turned my life into an isolated, bleak, grey wasteland. My thoughts (internal) created that reality (external).

So, just as Tae Yun Kim teaches, absolutely your thoughts create your reality. Good or bad.

How, then, can you create a good reality?

From Dr. Kim’s teaching I’ve learned, that even when times feel desolate, that a bright, happy, fulfilled life starts by focusing on creating and keeping good thoughts, and with those good thoughts, maintain a positive attitude – no matter how hard it is – through all the ups and downs life brings you.

Like Dr Kim’s motto – “Celebrate the lessons of pain and hurt. They give you strength, they give you freedom!”

Read the original on Tae Yun Kim’s official website or read a similar Tae Yun Kim article.