Life's Little Instruction Book: Life's short. Eat more cheesecake and fewer rice cakes.

A slice of my Raspberry Cheesecake

A few years ago I picked up a book on the bargain shelf at Border's called The Complete Life's Little Instruction Book by H. Jackson Brown Jr.  It is a really good book for your coffee table, bathroom, office etc. with some great nuggets of wisdom.  I typed up my favorites and hung up the list in my office for those days I need some inspiration.

You can learn more about the book at: http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Lifes-Little-Instruction-Book/dp/1401603327/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1284080948&sr=1-1

I was flipping through this book again this week, and came across one of my favorite life lessons: eat more pancakes and fewer rice cakes.  I also saw an Ina Garten recipe for a Raspberry Cheesecake I've been wanting to make, so the moon and stars all aligned. So, let's eat more Cheesecake and fewer rice cakes!!!

I used one of my favorite Ina Garten cookbooks, Barefoot Contessa Family Style, for the recipe.

Ina's recipe for her Raspberry Cheesecake, can be found at:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/raspberry-cheesecake-recipe/index.html

I followed the recipe, and it came out great.  It is pretty easy, but there are a lot of steps with the oven.  You change the temperature several times (first 450 for 15 minutes, then 225 for 1 hour and 15 mins, then turn off the oven, but leave it in for 30 minutes with the door open, then cool for 2 hours, then put in fridge)....quite a process. I also bought and used by first spring form pan, which was fun!

I made this cake for my family and family friends tonight. They LOVED it.  They said it was light, fluffy and delicious. I would definitely make this again.

Some of my favorite lesson from The Complete Life's Little Instruction Book (There are 1500+ lessons):

68 - Be brave. Even if you're not, pretend to be. No one can tell the difference.
127 - Wear audacious underwear under the most solemn business attire
171 - Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with big dreams is more powerful than one with all the facts
186 - Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
205 - Loosen up. Relax. Except for rare life-and-death matters, nothing is important as it first seems
220- Don't major in minor things
271 - When facing a difficult task, act as though it is impossible to fail.  If you're going after Moby Dick, take along the tarter sauce.
346 - Be bold and courageous.  When you look back on your life, you'll regret the things you didn't do more than the ones you did.
358 - Be decisive even if it means you'll sometimes be wrong
401 - Don't ever watch hot dogs or sausage being made
460 - Look for opportunities to make people feel important
505- Be a leader: Remember the lead sled dog is the only one with a decent view
525 - When you feel terrific, notify your face.
553-Talk slow but think quick
593 -When you have the choice of two exciting things, choose the one you haven't tried
707- Don't be a person who says, "Ready, fire, aim."
708 - Don't be a person who says, Ready, aim, aim."
711 - Read more books
969 - Travel. See new places, but remember to take along an open mind.
1005 - Life is short. Eat more pancakes and fewer rice cakes.
1427 - Never make fun of people who speak broken English.  It means they know another language.
1435 - Enter a room or meeting like you own the place.
1458 - Never go up a ladder with just one nail.