The Vernal Equinox has come and gone (March 20) and we are moving forward into Spring! The expression ‘March goes in like a Lion, out like a Lamb’ dates back centuries and references the constellations: Leo, the Lion and Aries, the Lamb. March 21st celebrates the beginning of that little Lamb, Aries. Here are a few fun facts about the sign that carries us into spring.
•Aries are a fire sign and the first sign of the zodiac.
•Aries’ ruling planet is Mars.
•Red is typically an Aries color.
•As An Aries, you are courageous, excitable and energetic.
•Aries friends would say you are impulsive, but you are very optimistic, so you have a positive outlook on your side!
•Aries are open to change and love new experiences.
Do you have an Aries in your life? Find out more by talking to a gifted Astrologer! And be sure to sign up for your daily horoscope at PsychicSource.com.

Getting your Horoscope is like checking your own astrological forecast! Looking for love? In a relationship? You’ll find how the week will unfold by checking your Free Weekly Love Horoscope.

How Astrology can help

• While you can get an astrology horoscope reading based upon astrological signs, there are general planetary  happenings that impact us collectively.

• Reading a general horoscope provides a sense of the rhythm of the universal energy.

• Knowing the impact of the movement of the planets will give you an advantage.

Astrology is the study of how the planets’ patterns relate to human events. It is an ancient science that is still taught at a university level.

Horoscopes are like today’s weather forecast… A horoscope reading is sort of a mini-. When you consult with an Astrologer at Psychic Source, he or she looks at the aspects and transitions of the planets and determines how they will impact individual astrological signs.

     Being that we are more than half way through 2010, this New Moon is a good time to assess where you are with all those New Year’s resolutions. Maybe you need to rethink what you thought was possible and set attainable short term goals. Another option, try something new to bring rejuvenating energy into your life, and release behaviors that no longer suit you or grudges that you’ve been holding on to. Confront those negative emotions, and get the support you need to reconcile them. If you are one of those people who have crossed off things on your resolutions list – celebrate those victories, and be proud of yourself! Take that momentum and keep going.

     How will you spend the remainder of 2010? What would you like to accomplish before we ring in the New Year? I know…on the East Coast we’re experiencing record high temperatures in the upper 90’s, and the thought of December 31st seems like a lifetime away, but just think how time has sped by since you rang in 2010!

     To help you get started, I thought I’d share my New Moon refresh list. I’m focusing on the little things that make me feel whole and good. When I’m happy and energized, I am at my best and available for others.

Here’s my list:

•  Be a better listener;
• Finish the Harry Potter series before the next movie comes out in October;
• Treat myself to a massage;
• Take Yoga classes at least 2x/week;
• Ask for help more often when I need it – team work is a beautiful thing;
• Cut down on my Cable News show viewing – I think it’s one of my unhealthy, guilty pleasures – more so than peanut buttercup ice cream;
•  Release unnecessary worries – today is the day I worried about yesterday, and today is a good day!

At Psychic Source, we’re always rooting for you. Harness the power of this lunar energy to make positive changes in your life…get out there and live the best life possible!

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Ingredients
1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus additional as needed
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons
1 medium onion, sliced
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup dry white wine or vermouth
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions
Toss the washed, peeled shrimp in a medium bowl with 1 teaspoon of salt and red pepper flakes. In a large skillet, heat 3 Tbls of oil at medium temp. Add the shrimp and sauté for one minute, toss, and continue cooking until just cooked through, approximately 1 to 2 minutes.

Remove shrimp to a serving plate; set aside. Add the onion to the same skillet, adding 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices, wine, garlic, and oregano.

Gently simmer for about 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Return the shrimp and juices to the tomato mixture; toss to coat, and cook for another minute; just until the flavors marry.
Stir in the parsley and basil. Serve with Vermicelli and enjoy!

Horoscopes are an interpretation of the position of the Sun, Moon and planets. A knowledgeable Astrologer is able to determine how these factors may influence your life. Having your birth data, including the time, date & place of birth, offers great insights. The more skilled the Astrologer, the more accurate and useful the horoscope!  The sign you were born under is like a tiny peak into your personality as well as a way for you to see who you’re compatible with. 

Here are a few of the Winter Signs and some of the personality traits that go along with them:�
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Sagittarius: You’re outgoing; a philosopher; a natural-born teacher, you are a visionary, but you like to procrastinate. Your friends may say you’re outspoken, but you love helping others, so it’s worth it! You enjoy freedom, travel & nature.

Capricorn: You’re patient & reserved. Your friends may say you’re pessimistic at times, but they admire your determination and discipline. You enjoy being at work & receiving praise & approval for a job well done.

Aquarius: You’re assertive & independent. Your friends may say you have strong dislikes & firm opinions, but they love your progressive thinking. You love your independence & inventing new ways of doing anything!

Pisces: You’re intuitive, emotional, mystical & adaptable to most any situation.
Your friends may say you’re imaginative & wishy-washy at times, but they love your romantic nature. You enjoy learning about mysticism & psychic phenomenon.

Anyone who’s interested in Astrology should experience a one-on-one reading with a trained Astrologer.  It’s a great way to learn more about yourself and to discover the best times to make decisions.

To receive your monthly Love horoscope, written by Psychic Source Advisor Moira, call our customer service department and let them know you’d like to be on our email list or you can login to your online account and update your communication preferences.

In honor of all my wonderful Capricorn friends I am sharing the recipe for my favorite soup! I’ve been serving up bowls of this wonderful, hearty delight for over a decade.  The recipe is from an old copy of Bon Appétit.  It’s so wonderfully Capricorn like: hearty, healthy, practical and yet elegant…that little dab of sour cream blended with apple cider reduction; simply amazing.

Make the soup ahead, or better yet double the recipe and freeze some for the middle of January when Cap’s ruler Saturn will go retrograde and 5 heavenly bodies (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, & Pluto) are lined up in Capricorn. Soups on!

Butternut Squash Soup with Cider Cream

Ingredients:
5 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
2 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only)
1/2 cup chopped peeled carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried sage leaves
5 cups chicken stock or low-salt chicken broth – For Vegetarians:  substitute 5 cups Vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups apple cider
2/3 cup sour cream                                                                                                                                                                             1/2 cup whipping cream
Chopped fresh chives

Method:
Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add squash, leeks, carrot and celery; sauté until slightly softened, about 15 minutes. Mix in apples, thyme and sage. Add stock and 1 cup cider and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until apples are tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Cool slightly.

Working in batches, purée soup in blender. Return soup to pan. Boil remaining 1/2 cup cider in heavy small saucepan until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Cool. Place sour cream in small bowl. Whisk in reduced cider. (Soup and cider cream can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.)
Bring soup to simmer. Mix in whipping cream. Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle with cider cream. Top with chives.

Happy Birthday Capricorns!

Sagittarius natives love social gatherings; plan a fun gathering and they will be the life and light of your next dinner party. The natural world traveler of the Zodiac, archers love adventure and they enjoy a wide variety of cuisines.  A little tour of Italy is fun and you can double or even triple these easy recipes to entertain a large party.  Think expansive, like the planet Jupiter – which is the Sag ruler. The more the merrier! Happy Birthday Sag!

Easy Time Chicken Florentine

Ingredients
-6 chicken breasts
-6 slices prosciutto
-1 large bunch spinach, steamed
-1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
-2/3 cup ricotta cheese
-1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese
-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
-Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Few grates nutmeg
-4 tablespoons olive oil

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Drain spinach and squeeze out all water.

3. Toast nuts and combine with spinach in a bowl, mix in cheeses, garlic, salt, pepper and nutmeg. 

4. Cut into and across but not all the way through the chicken breasts, opening them up like a book with a sharp knife.

5. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Fill each with a small mound of spinach-cheese mixture.

6. Fold chicken breasts back over stuffing and wrap each breast with prosciutto to seal them, carefully covering the whole breast.

7. Place in baking dish and brush chicken with olive oil and roast 20-25 minutes until cooked through.
Serve the Chicken dish with this equally the easy pasta dish and a simple Salad of  Arugula, Pomegranate Seeds, and Toasted Pecans tossed with a vinaigrette of olive oil and lime juice.

Whole Wheat Penne with Gorgonzola Sauce
-2 (12-ounce) packages whole wheat penne pasta
-2 tablespoons butter
-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
-2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
-1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
-1 cup cream
-8 ounces Gorgonzola, cut into small pieces
-2 ounces Parmesan Cheese grated
-A few leaves fresh sage, finely chopped
-Freshly ground black pepper
-2 handfuls baby fresh Basil leaves

Directions
1. Heat water to a boil for pasta, salt water and cook pasta to al dente.

2. Heat butter in a large sauce pot, add garlic, cook 1 minute then whisk in flour, cook 1 minute.

3. Whisk in stock, then cream, bring to a bubble and stir in Gorgonzola and Parmesan cheeses, until melted.

4. Stir in sage and a little pepper and cook 2 -3 minutes more. 

5. Drain cooked pasta and place in a large serving bowl. Toss hot pasta with sauce and fresh Basil. 

Serve immediately.

Ruled by the Planet Pluto

Animals Related to the Sign:
Scorpion, Eagle, Grey Lizard                                                                                                    

Best color is a deep, dark red, which should be worn as much as possible for good luck, strength and confidence.
Best month is February. Best day is Wednesday.

Love & Relationships
Scorpio matches extremely well with Cancer, another Scorpio or Virgo.
Relationships with Pisces rarely ever last long term.

Scorpio’s Passions:
Scorpio’s are passionate about everything-work, play, and most of all love.
Scorpio’s love to wear sunglasses to hide their intense look; these people love to stare and hide behind the glasses to make it harder for someone to notice.
Scorpio’s long for new vistas and are always looking for new challenges.  They can take on many at the same time. They have very good instincts, very intuitive and are very good at keeping secrets. 

Interesting…
One of the strangest patterns in astrology is the death of a relative in the family within either a year before or a year after the birth of a Scorpio. When a Scorpio dies, there will be a birth in the family within a year before or after. It happens at least ninety-five percent of the time.

An In Depth Look at Scorpio’s

Those born between Oct 23rd and Oct 31st:

These are the Scorpio’s that are the most loyal and dependable.  They are capable of being influenced by others around them.
Those born between Nov 1st and 10th:

 Are more friendly and chatty and therefore a little less tactful.  They are the nicest of the Scorpio types. But they can be hurt more easily than the other types of Scorpio’s.  Although all Scorpio’s are very sensitive.

Those born between Nov 11th and Nov 22nd:

These Scorpio’s are the most ambitious.  Ambition knows no bounds for them.
The constitution of these types of Scorpio’s especially, is the strongest. It is hard for them to have to give in even when undergoing great strain.  One might compare them to a power station; they appear to generate a little extra energy just at the last minute, when most needed to finish the job.

Scorpios have very discerning palates and they are often fantastic chefs. The natural born food detectives of the Zodiac, they can taste the mystery spices in any dish. If you are invited to their kitchen (a delightful honor) your Scorpio will charm you with rich delights and sweet treats that are often long kept secret recipes!

Here is one of my personal favorites: Happy Birthday Scorpios - We must have desert!

Yummy yellow Cupcakes dipped in Scorpio-Luscious Chocolate Ganache

Ganache is actually very easy to make, and even easier to love.  When this wonderful concoction is still warm it can be poured over a cake or torte for a smooth and shiny glaze. Let it cool to room temperature and it’s becomes a spreadable frosting or filling.  Chilled Ganache can be formed into truffles and rolled in cocoa and coffee!  In the words of my kids: “OMG. This stuff is amazing, why is it not a food group?”

Chocolate Ganache

-1 pound fine quality dark chocolate
-1 ½ cups heavy cream
-2 Tbls. Butter
2 Tbls. raw sugar
-1 teaspoon vanilla or brandy

1. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized stainless steel bowl. Set aside.

2. Heat the cream and sugar in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil.

3. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate, stir in butter until melted.  Allow to stand for 5 minutes.

4. Stir with a whisk until smooth. Add the vanilla or liqueur. Whisk until glossy!

When cupcakes have cooled, dunk them in the Ganache. One at a time, of course. Place cupcake upside down in Ganache. Give it a hearty dunk, up until the lip of the cupcake. Swirl the cupcake in Ganache, and pull up while twisting, to keep chocolate from dripping off. Now watch your cupcakes disappear; it’s magic!

Yummy Yellow Cupcakes

Our family likes the chocolate Ganache paired with these simple, yellow vanilla cupcakes. They are so light and yummy, and perfect with a thick chocolate top.

Ingredients
-3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), at room temperature
-1 cup sugar
-1 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted
-1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
-1/4 teaspoon fine salt
-1/2 cup milk, at room temperature
-3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
-3 large eggs, at room temperature, separated

Directions

1. Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.

2. Line the muffin pan with paper cupcake liners. (one dozen)

3. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar and mix on low speed until just incorporated. Raise the speed to high and mix until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. (Occasionally turn the mixer off, and scrape the sides of the bowl down with a rubber spatula.)

4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and vanilla, and also set aside.

5. Add the egg yolks to the creamed butter one at time, waiting for each one to be fully incorporated before adding the next.

6. Reduce the speed of the mixer to low. Alternately, add the flour mixture in 3 additions and the milk in 2 additions, waiting for each to be fully incorporated before adding the next (scrape the bowl down occasionally). Raise the speed to medium and mix briefly until a smooth batter is formed. Transfer the batter to a large bowl.

7. Thoroughly clean the bowl of the mixer and put the egg whites inside. Whip the egg whites on high speed, using the whisk attachment, until stiff peaks are formed.

8. Working in 3 batches, using a rubber spatula, fold the egg whites into the batter, until just incorporated. Divide the batter evenly among the cups in the muffin pan. Bake, rotating the pan once, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

9. Remove the cakes from the oven and cool completely.  Dip cupcakes in Chocolate Ganache (recipe above)

Enjoy!

Kale with Pinto beans and Roasted Red peppers

- Two bunches of Tuscan Kale (or curly kale)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 can pinto beans, drained
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 5 green onions, chopped
- 1/2 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (or whole depending on your taste)
- 1 cup parsley, finely chopped
- 1 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp cumin, freshly ground
- 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 red pepper, roasted, peeled and finely diced
- The juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions

1. Wash the kale and remove the stems. Chop roughly and set aside.
2. Pour the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the onions, cover and cook until translucent but not browned, stirring frequently.
3. Add garlic, jalapeno pepper, cumin, paprika and herbs and cook for a few minutes until fragrant.
4. Add the chopped kale, cover and cook until wilted and the leaves turn bright green.  Season with salt and pepper.
5. Add the beans, drained, and the roasted red pepper.
6. Stir, cover and let cook for another 10 minutes for the flavors to marry.

Serve on a plate drizzled with some good olive oil, the lemon juice and sprinkle with chopped coriander and green onion. Yummy!

Sweet Potatoes Tagine

- 2lb sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- ½ cinnamon stick
- A pinch of saffron
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1tsp orange blossom water
- 1tbsp honey
- 1 cup water
- A pinch of salt
- 1tbsp sweet butter
- A handful of raisins to serve (optional)

Directions

1. In a saucepan, put all the ingredients and bring to a boil over a medium heat.
2. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered with a lid, until the potatoes are just tender, but not too mushy, and the sauce reduces to a thick syrup, about 20 minutes.
3. Serve immediately sprinkled with raisins or roasted, flaked almonds.

Are you a Libra? Maybe you know (or have a crush!) somone with a Libra birthday. Check out their astrology horoscope.