Our favorite Martha Stewart Cookie Recipe

INGREDIENTS

Credit: (martha stewart)

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (about 12 ounces) semisweet and/or milk chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

DIRECTIONS

1. 
   

   1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter with both sugars; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; add the salt, vanilla, and eggs. Beat until well mixed, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

   
   

   
   
2. 
   

   Drop heaping tablespoon-size balls of dough about 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
3. 
   

   3. Bake until cookies are golden around the edges, but still soft in the center, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool on baking sheet 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

COOK'S NOTES

If desired, use a small ice-cream scoop for uniform-size cookies.

Karen Watt - Money Tree

Today we have a very special #TBT to when one of our PTHC offices did something very special for another PTHC employee in another office.  Last Halloween #PTHCTeamMaysville invited the neighborhood families to stop by their trick or treat table to join them for a chili cook-off. In return for donations added their giving tree, they gave out treats, chili, desserts & drinks. The donations were to be sent to a Breast Cancer Awareness charity, however, they decided the donations were going to be given to someone much closer to them.   A short while after Halloween, employees from #PTHCTeamMaysville took a drive over to the #PTHCTeamFTThomas office to visit and surprised Karen Watt with the donations from their Giving Tree. Karen is a PTHC employee who has been battling breast cancer. We are happy to report that she has since finished all her chemo and radiation and is doing great!   It was a total surprise for Karen and as you can imagine there were tears of surprise, joy, and overwhelming appreciation.  We wanted to share these pictures from that day to show how committed we are not only to our patients but to each other. We consider ourselves one huge family and no matter how far our offices may be from one another, we come together to show our support for each other in whatever ways that we can. It is amazing how much love comes from these offices. We are proud of our team.

We hope this made you smile today.  Don't forget, to pay it forward whenever you can.   

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Personal-Touch provides home health care personnel and related services to individuals in their homes 24/7. To learn more about our services and about current job opportunities, visit us:

www.pthomecare.com

Facebook: personaltouchhomecareinc

Twitter: PTHomeCareCorp

Instagram: @personaltouchhomecare

#pthomecare #personaltouchhomecare

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

#quoteoftheday

#favoritequotes

#morningmotivation

#wordstoliveby

#inspiredbylife

#inspirationalquotes

#beaninspiration

#bethechangeyouwishtosee

#homecarenurse

#homecareservices

#homehealthrn

#homehealthcarenurse

#elderlycare

#elderlycaregiving

#agedcareprofessionals

#agedcare

#bethechange

#payitforward

#bekind

#breastcancerawareness

#cancersucks 

Wonderful Wednesday - Neptune, NJ

We’re doing a #WonderfulWednesdaypost today because PTHC teams are throwing some amazing holiday events across the country. 🎁
Today it’s all about our Neptune City, NJ Field Staff Office Party. Check out how festive and beautiful their decorations are! 🎁🌲
Thank you #PTHCTeamNeptuneCity for the work that you do! 🎁
 “Customers will never love a company until the employees love it first.” ~Simon Sinek ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Personal-Touch provides home health care personnel and related services to individuals in their homes 24/7. To learn more about our services and about current job opportunities, visit us:
www.pthomecare.com
Facebook: personaltouchhomecareinc
Twitter: PTHomeCareCorp
Instagram: personaltouchhomecare
#personaltouchhomecare
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

How Nursing Changed My Life - Suellen Hormell, LPN

Nursing has personally changed my life from the perspective of taking care of people, which I love.  My patients help me and they are my therapy.  We all get in our ‘poor me’ ruts and when I am in mine, I go to a patients house that reminds me how lucky I am.  To be able to be independent, work, be as healthy as I am and make a difference in someone else’s life.  I can listen to my patients as well as care for them.  Everyone always needs someone else.  A lesson hard learned, but now understood.

Suellen Hormell, LPN 

Employee Recipe Share - Caron's Leek & Lemon Linguine

Ingredients 

• 8 ounces whole-wheat linguine or spaghetti
• 2 large lemons, plus lemon wedges for garnish
• 1 medium leek (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced and rinsed well
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• ¾ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• ¼ cup snipped fresh chives, divided

Preparation

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until just tender or according to package directions. Reserve 1½ cups of the cooking liquid and drain the pasta in a colander.
2. Meanwhile, finely grate 1 tablespoon zest (see Tip) and squeeze ¼ cup juice from the 2 lemons; set the juice aside. Pat leek slices dry. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the leek, the lemon zest, ¼ cup parsley, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the leek is lightly browned and softened, about 6 minutes.
3. Add the pasta, 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid, the reserved lemon juice and the remaining ¼ cup parsley to the pan. Cook, stirring constantly until the liquid is mostly absorbed, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the remaining ½ cup liquid, if desired. Remove from the heat. Discard the garlic. Toss the pasta with ½ cup Parmesan and 2 tablespoons chives. Transfer to a serving bowl or bowls; sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup Parmesan and 2 tablespoons chives and serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

How Nursing Changed My Life - Carole Cantatore

How Nursing Changed My Life

To start with and most likely to end with, Nursing changed MY HEART!

My Heart Changed with every smile from a patient that I have spent time with, shared stories with and provided the care they so well needed.

My Heart Changed when, after years of providing care from our caring Aides, the client passed away.  I have been by the family's side either at a wake, funeral or sitting Shiva in the homes of their loving children.

My Heart Changed as I have seen our clients smile, cry, laugh and share their pain, pain not only physical, but emotional, watching their children care and carry responsibilities for them.  Parents take care of the children, now their children, well loved by their parents, now provide them with the care at this time in their lives that they need.  

My Heart Changed when my Mother needed an aide, developed End Stage Alzheimer's and had the most tender, competent and caring Aides I could ever have imagined, they were, as she said, "these are my other Children"   these Aides, her other children, came to the wake, the funeral and stayed by my side throughout, this CHANGED MY HEART.

Knowing that what we, as Nurse's offer, what I offered was treasured and the appreciation from the family, daughters, sons, grandchildren is insurmountable.  This Changed my Heart.

I have learned, grown weary, sad, happy, have grown in my own right, to know the meaning, the true meaning of GIVING, that's what I wanted to do, longed to do and my Heart needed to do.

Yes, Nursing changed my life, for the better.  To know what a Nurse can provide to someone is far more, much deeper and touches much more than the client, the patient, it touches their entire family, One Patient, One Client and it spreads and fills everyone with the greatest feeling: My Loved One was Truly Cared for by my Nurse, this is what:

                                  CHANGED MY HEART

I am forever thankful and grateful for the encouragement I had to continue to fulfill my dream - to give back.

Thank you

A Nurse

Carole Cantatore  

Employee Recipe Share- Angela Terrano's Sunday Sauce

Angela Terrano’s Sunday Sauce

Angela is the HR Coordinator at Personal Touch – The Early Intervention Program in Fresh Meadows.

This is the traditional “Sunday Sauce” my mother made and passed along to me. My mother called it “gravy” but I call it sauce. This has been passed down to my daughter and, hopefully, she will be passing it down to her family as well. Sunday’s were always spent with family eating a delicious meal around the table, sharing family stories and things that happened with us throughout the week. Family is a very important part of who I am and sitting around the table eating delicious, traditional food made from the heart is part of all the good times with my family. Some say Italians, in general, have a “romance with food.” I truly believe that……..

What you will need:

• 8 Cans San Marzano Whole Tomatoes in Thick Tomato Puree (any brand, however, I  

   use Cento or Red Pack)

• 1 Small Can (any) Paste

• 4-5 Cloves of Garlic

• Fresh Parsley and Basil

• Dry Italian Seasoning

• Locatelli Cheese

• Dash of Sugar

• Beef Bones and Pork Bones (you can add Beef Short Ribs or Pork Ribs if you’re going to

   shred and eat the meat)

• Italian Sausage (hot and sweet or whatever you like)

• Veal/Pork/Beef (For meatballs)

Fry meat in large pot including sausage.  You will fry or bake your meatballs in a separate pan and add them at the end of the cooking time).  Once the meat is seared start the following:

Take first can of Tomatoes and put in blender with Paste, garlic, a handful of Parsley, a couple of shakes of Italian Seasoning, a handful of cheese, dash of sugar and S&P….BLEND (the idea is to add all the ingredients to the first batch so you don’t have to do it again) and then add to meat in pot. Continue to open cans and blend each can and then put in pot. Once the sauce starts to bubble, add some Basil leaves and put on low heat to continue a small simmer and cover halfway and cook for about 2-3 hours stirring frequently.

Make meatballs on side – once fried (or baked) add to pot at the last ½ hour as to not cook the meatballs too much –

Open a nice bottle of wine, some crunchy bread, whatever pasta you want, some fresh Ricotta on the table and Bon Appetite!

My Nonna would always say to anyone we brought to her home for Sunday Supper:

“Si prega di venire a sedersi al mio tavolo e mangiare con noi”

“Please, come and sit at my table and eat with us”

How Nursing Changed My Life - Michelle Dorian

HOW NURSING CHANGED MY LIFE

Employee Name:  Michelle Dorrian, LPN  Branch 059/NN

Since becoming a nurse I have learned many life lessons.  The first is to work with compassion and understanding.  This lesson changed my everyday life from raising my daughter as a single mother to working with dementia patients that were confused and ‘angry at life’.

Nursing also taught me how to adapt to change quickly.  In nursing, you see the beginning of life and its ending.  Just being able to adapt to those environments allowed me to grow as not only a nurse but as a mother and person in general.

Employee Recognition - Kristin Brummett, RN

I would like to recognize Kristin Brummett, RN for her outstanding work!  Kristin began her career with Personal Touch in February of this year.  She came to us as a new nursing graduate, but there is so much more to her story!  Kristin indicated in her cover letter that she went to nursing school not only to become a home health nurse but to become a home health nurse and work for Personal Touch!  She further stated in her cover letter the reason she was inspired to become a home health nurse for PTHC was due to the outstanding care our nurses provided to her family member for several years!  This young nurse was so driven we had to give her a chance, and I am very glad we did!  Kristin is now seeing patients of her own and making a difference in their lives every day as if she were a seasoned home health nurse!  I am forever grateful that our paths crossed and Personal Touch was the company who was able to employ this dedicated, hard-working, home care loving nurse!

Please join me in congratulating Kristin on a job well done!  Keep up the good work Kristin!  We are so glad you chose PTHC as your home and look forward to working with you for many years to come!   

Rachelle Starnes, RN

Clinical Manager

Personal Touch Home Care

Ft. Thomas, KY 

How has Nursing Changed My Life - Eric Walker

How nursing changed my life:

My decision to become a nurse was mostly financially driven, and I knew that as a nurse I would always have employment opportunities. However, while I was still taking general prerequisite classes I began having severe intractable “cluster type” headaches, debilitating back problems and I started having a great deal of trouble ambulating, to the point that I had severe muscle wasting and severe lower extremity weakness. It was soon discovered that I had a severe “Arnold Chiari Malformation” which required a posterior craniotomy to correct. After the surgery I was released and soon developed a complication which required a second craniotomy. I was off of work for a year and spent the better part of that year learning how to walk again. Throughout this time I continued to take classes which propelled me into nursing school.

During my first year of nursing school, my best friend and a man who was like a brother to me, had been diagnosed with liver cancer. After going through my struggles and major life changes, and witnessing the kindness and compassion that my nurses had shown to me, I felt that the only decision I could make for my friend was to give him my liver. However, his cancer was to advanced and had metastasized and I was unable to donate to my friend, and 6 weeks later he passed away.

During my third semester at nursing school I began having trouble with an elevated White Blood Count; they were running 3 times higher than normal. Multiple tests shown nothing and everything pointed towards leukemia. This was difficult news but I decided to continue through nursing school. Two long weeks later I was sitting in class and I got a call from the lab, I excused myself from class momentarily to take the call, my results were negative for CML. When I returned the entire class focused upon me, and when I revealed my good news, the entire class and faculty all came cheered and came through shaking my hand and gave me hugs.

The day before graduation the faculty was handing out scholarships for those who had applied, and I hadn’t applied. However when they got to the last scholarship the Dean announced that every year a scholarship was awarded to the student that they felt most represented St. Mary’s School of Nursing’s morals and values. When my name was announced I was in shock, it took a moment to sink in that they were talking about me. I obviously had to excuse myself from the room for a few moments in order to compose myself.

I hadn’t really noticed over the last 4 years that all of these instances had changed me so drastically. What had started as a dream of a well-paying career had evolved into something bigger than me. I had learned empathy from my surgeries, compassion from my nurses. I had learned to be more giving from my best friend who was dying of cancer. I had learned what it meant to root for, and be rooted for by being a part of a team.

These are just a few small ways that Nursing has changed my life, and I hope I’ve changed for the better. I no longer see myself that looks at my nursing for the financial gains which it can bring. I look at it as what can I bring to the patient.

How Nursing Changed My Life - Marsha Thomas

Nursing has made my life seem more meaningful knowing I am providing great care to someone in their time of need. I feel great joy and validation knowing that I was able to make someone smile or brighten their day with kind words, encouragement or just taking time to be a great listener in someones time of need. 

- Marsha Thomas, LPN

Chesapeake, VA