Cookie Monster Costume for Kids

Cookie Monster Costume for Kids Sesame Street is one show that you can definitely relate to with your kids since you grew up with it, too. It won't come as a surprise if you can still name the characters of this popular children's educational show by heart. From Jim Henson's Ernie and Bert, Count Dracula, Big Bird, Elmo, and Oscar the Grouch, to name a few, you can't really wrong. Choosing a character from the show will be fun especially for your toddlers who still hopefully enjoy watching it regularly. And probably one of the most lovable characters among them is the Cookie Monster. So, a Cookie Monster costume for kids is surely a popular choice to dress your child up with this Halloween season.

A Cookie Monster costume for kids is a great idea, not only because it's cute, but also because it can also be the best way to dress up your child warmly in areas where the weather is really cold. If you find the right materials and if you have loads of time, you can do the costume yourself. Its simple design can really be easy to make for yourself. But, not all moms have the luxury of doing everything by hand. Buying one would be the best option. But, if you feel like this would be cheating the fun out of Halloween, here are some costume ideas that you can add to the basic costume to make the look more special for your little one. Since the Cookie Monster costume for kids is really simple, you won't have much to work on. What you can do instead, is work on the props to go along with the costume. You can get a lightweight plastic cookie jar that he or she could carry around to put the treats in. Or you can fashion an old cookie jar that you can carry for your little cookie monster yourself. All you have to do is personalize the cookie jar by sticking on it a "Cookie Monster's Cookie Jar" label that you can print out on a blue poster paper. Or better yet, you can write one out yourself in how you imagine Cookie Monster would be writing it. You can also fashion a small blue tote bag or carry all with the label as an option to the jar. Another cool idea that you can do if you have another toddler, is to dress the other kid as a cookie jar or as a cookie to go hand in hand with your Cookie Monster. There are other ways that you can do to spice up your ready-made Cookie Monster costume for kids and make it extra special. There really is no limit to how you can make your Cookie Monster costume for kids unique and impressive. As with any other costume ideas, the most important thing is that your kid will have as much fun wearing it as you did in putting the costume together. So go ahead and be adventurous this Halloween. Cookie Monster Costume for Kids

Using Glass Candy Jars in Your Store

Using Glass Candy Jars in Your Store You don't have to be a candy store owner to want to create an attractive candy display for your customers. All sorts of businesses - from convenience stores and grocery stores to bookstores and ice cream parlors - create candy displays to both please their customers and increase sales.

But before you head out to order glass candy jars wholesale, there are three things you should consider: Your customers, your store's environment, and the kind of candy you want to display. 1. Consider Your Customers Glass candy jars might be best known for the roles they've played as charming display fixtures in old-fashioned candy stores, but that doesn't mean the typical candy store customer (i.e., a child) is the best person to trust around glass candy containers. Of course, not all candy store customers are children - many customers consist of parents and adults who like candy, too! If your candy store customer base consists of a mix of ages, consider using plastic candy containers as display fixtures in the areas where children are most likely to venture, and save the more elegant glass candy jars for the areas where you display candy products geared toward adults, such as gourmet chocolates. 2. Consider Your Store's Environment Even if your store sells no other kind of candy but the kind of candy adults would be most attracted to, such as gourmet candies, you need to consider your store's environment before you decide whether or not to use glass candy jars. Fast-paced stores with high volumes of traffic lend themselves to the kinds of situations that can lead to broken glass, so if your store stays pretty busy, you might want to opt for plastic candy jars instead of glass candy containers. Of course, you could also mix your containers up, using plastic containers in the higher traffic areas and glass containers where things seem to be calmer. You know your store's usual traffic volume best, so be sure to consider it before you order your glass candy jars wholesale. 3. Consider Your Merchandise Obviously, candy is going to work well with glass candy jars - but you need to consider the kind of candy you want to display in your jars before you actually purchase them. Some store owners like to use glass fish bowls to display their candy. These containers work well for a number of merchandise displays, and it's no surprise the work well for creating candy displays, too; however, fish bowls leave the merchandise exposed, so if you opt to use glass fish bowl containers as part of your candy display, make sure you choose wrapped candy. If you plan to display unwrapped candy, choose glass jar lids. These glass jars are just as attractive as every other kind of glass display fixture, and the lids offer extra protection to the unwrapped candy. Note that some candy just isn't right for glass candy jars. Candy bars, for example, look out of place and fit awkwardly in these kinds of candy containers. Save your glass candy jars for smaller pieces of candy. And remember: Brighter pieces of candy help create even prettier displays! Using Glass Candy Jars in Your Store

Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe The sour cream chocolate chip cookie recipe turns out a light and fluffy, moist chocolate chip cookie! Don't blink your eyes-these delicious morsels will be gone that fast!

Ingredients 2/3 cup salted butter, softened 1/2 granulated sugar 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar 1/2 cup sour cream 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional) Hardware Whisk Large bowl Medium bowl Cookie Sheets Mixer Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Step 2: Lightly grease cookie sheets; set aside. Step 3: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Step 4: In a large bowl, with an electric mixer set on medium-high speed, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Step 5: Add sour cream, egg, and vanilla extract; beat until well blended. Step 6: Stir in flour mixture; blend well. Step 7: Stir in chocolate chips, and chopped nuts (optional). Step 8: Drop tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets. Step 9: Bake 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer cookies immediately to a cooling surface. Makes about 40 cookies. For more information on baking procedures and hardware used in this recipe see our Baking Tips section. Important: Feel free to republish this article on your website. However, you are not allowed to modify any part of its content and all links should be kept active. Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Cake Flour Makes Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookies Crispy and Delicious

Cake Flour Makes Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookies Crispy and Delicious Changing a recipe can alter results significantly. A few small changes can turn a good recipe into a fantastic one. The opposite is also true. I've added cold coffee to cookie dough, changed baking temperatures and times. Fortunately, the changes I made to a basic oatmeal cookie recipe improved it big time.

When snow is forecast, as it was several days ago, I have the urge to make soup or cookies. Cookies won out this week. I checked the pantry and found a box of cake flour that should be used soon, a large bottle of vanilla, a large bag of chocolate chips, and three cartons of oatmeal. (Why I had three is a mystery.) Of course, oatmeal cookies came to mind. I found several recipes in my cookbook collection. One was a basic cookie with nuts. I made several key changes to the recipe, starting with substituting chocolate chips for walnuts. Since I adore vanilla, I added twice the amount. I added a hint of almond as well. Instead of all-purpose flour I used cake flour. This was a risky decision. Annette Wolter, author of "Cakes and Pastries Cookbook," describes baking as an exercise in creativity. She thinks the type of flour you use "is an important variable" in baking success. Cake flour is best for pastries, tarts, and cakes," she explains. But Wolter doesn't say anything about using cake flour for cookies. Would my cookies be yummy and crispy or would they be as hard as hockey pucks? The only way to find out was to start baking. Cake flour is finer than regular flour, but I thought the oatmeal would hold the batter together. I measured the cookies carefully and put the first batch in the oven. The instant the edges started to brown, I whisked the cookies out of the oven. The smell of the cookies made my mouth water. It was time to taste the first cookie. What is the ending of this story? These are some of the best cookies I ever made. I think you will love them too. Ingredients 2 sticks I Can't Believe It's Not Butter 1 cup light brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 1/2 cups cake flour (I didn't even sift it.) 2 large eggs, room temperature 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon low sodium salt 1 large package (11.5 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips Method Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. If you are using non-stick baking pans, lower the temperature to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugars together until fluffy. Add eggs, extracts, baking soda, and salt. Work in chocolate chips with a wooden spoon. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto baking pans. Make sure you leave two inches between the cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Take the cookies out of the oven and let them cool for about 20 seconds. Remove from baking pan with a metal spatula. Store cookies in tightly covered container. Makes about 5 dozen. Copyright 2011 by Harriet Hodgson Cake Flour Makes Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookies Crispy and Delicious

Homemade Chocolate Pie

Homemade Chocolate Pie I like Pie! Don't you? Why yes, everybody likes pie! With so many fabulous flavors from fresh and fruity to decadent chocolate and creamy with whipped cream or a la mode. Pie is taking the place of the trendy cupcake and it's no wonder since pie is appealing to young and old, male and female alike. Men love a delicious homemade pie and don't usually like those foo foo princess cupcakes. Since chocolate is what many dessert lovers crave, I decided to share with you my favorite homemade chocolate pie recipe which is rich, creamy and oh so satisfying!

I recommend this homemade chocolate pie for any occasion. It's great for birthdays, family gatherings, pot-luck dinners, ladies luncheons, as a thank you gift to a pastor or teacher, and it's a great way to show you care to someone that's ill or needs uplifting. Homemade Chocolate Pie Ingredients: Baked Pie Crust (below) 1/4 cup (stick) margarine or butter 3 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate 1 cup sugar 3 tablespoons cornstarch 3 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup whipping cream Whipped Cream Directions: 1. Prepare Baked Pie Crust 2. Melt butter and chocolate in 2-quart sauce-pan over low heat, stirring occasionally; remove from heat. Mix sugar and cornstarch; stir into chocolate mixture. 3. Beat eggs in a separate bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until thick and bright yellow, stir into chocolate mixture. Cook chocolate mixture over medium heat 5 minutes, stirring constantly, mixture will become thick and glossy. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool for 10 minutes and stir occasionally. 4. Beat whipping cream in chilled bowl with electric mixer on high speed, until stiff. Fold chocolate mixture into whipped cream. Spread in pie shell. Cover and refrigerate a minimum of 4 hours to set. Garnish with whipped cream. Pie Crust Ingredients: 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening 1 cup all-purpose or unbleached flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 to 3 tablespoons cold water Directions: 1. Cut shortening into flour and salt, using pastry blender or fork, until the mixture becomes crumbly. Sprinkle with cold water, one tablespoon at a time, blending with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl ( 1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if needed). 2. Shape pastry dough into a ball. Shape into flattened round with lightly floured rolling pin. Make certain not to overwork the pastry as that can cause the pastry to become tough. 3. Roll pastry into circle that is 2 inches larger than upside-down pie plate, 9 x 1 1/4, or 3 inches larger than 10- or 11-inch tart pan, with floured cloth covered rolling pin. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie pan. Unfold and gently press into pan. Please note: I recommend using heat resistant glass pie plates or dull-finished aluminum pie pans. Due to the pastry being made with shortening there is no need to grease the pan. Also, if you have a food processor you can save time by placing the shortening, flour and salt in the processor and pulsing with quick short pulses until the mixture becomes crumbly. Then pour water all at once through the feed tube and pulse until pastry dough begins to leave the side of the bowl. Homemade Chocolate Pie

Bizarre Christmas Traditions

Bizarre Christmas Traditions It may be just a rumour but it is popular folklore, Christmas in Germany has a strange tradition of using pickles. When German households furnish their Christmas trees, history quotes they use a glass bauble that looks like a pickle and hang it as the last item on the Christmas tree! This is then put on the tree well out of sight of the little ones who first thing in the morning rush down who attempt to discover where it's been hidden on the Christmas tree by the adults. Whether this Christmas custom ever took place remains clouded in mystery despite there being hundreds of tales being spoken of it! It still remains one of the most unusual customs we've learned about even if it's not true

However, it's time to crown Spain, Italy and Portugal with the 'Most Bizarre Christmas Tradition' award. Do you know that the Italians, the Portuguese and the Spanish have an additional figure in the Nativity Play that we know and appreciate so much? Let me welcome you to the Caganer. Joining the shepherds along with Joseph, Mary and the little Jesus, is the Caganer a tiny statue of a man, which you can find placed in the corner of the nativity play inconspicuously. Why is this figure inconspicuously placed that no person can look at him although he is so significant? Coming initially from from Catalonia, the Caganer statue represents a man in the process of (how can I say this without sounding rude) taking a poo. Although this is an extremely unusual custom there are no records of it going back further than the seventeenth century. It is still unknown as to why a figure of a man taking a poo has any meaning to Christmas. However, maybe God is seeking to use the Caganer as a means to show himself and call to us every time he deems it is necessary and show that whatever gender or race we are, in the end we are all the same. It has of course developed into a fun game for the children! When Christmas starts it's well known that we should keep the young children busy and we search for ways to entertain them. Even though we may perhaps feel the custom is a little strange, it seems the legend is a little closer to home than we first believed! Behold the pooping Santa! Would you believe me if I stated this is the Caganer brought up to todays perception of the past! Candy literally tumbles out of Santa's behind if you squeeze it carefully. Santa is wearing his traditional red-colored clothing and to get things going 15 grams of candy are provided. All you need to do is fill him up with sweets and tap him on the back to get your reward! Should Santa suffer from a bout of constipation a little shake tends to get everything out! Should you be searching for a more traditional Christmas item could we offer the humble Christmas cracker? They have been a tradition in the Uk for over two hundred years and a Christmas turkey dinner won't be complete without having Christmas crackers. These days they've grown to be more sophisticated and gone are the days of cheap crackers to be superceded by higher end luxury Christmas crackers. Bizarre Christmas Traditions

Guide to Piazza Navona Christmas Market, Rome, Italy

Guide to Piazza Navona Christmas Market, Rome, Italy If you happen to be in Rome during the Christmas season, you should not fail to pay visit to the Piazza Navona Christmas Market. From the market, visitors will be able to spot famous Roman architecture in the surrounding areas. The market square is an important part of the city's architectural history and was built in the first century to serve as a Roman Circus where the people could enjoy games, horse races and theatrical shows. The piazza Navona was once known as the Stadium of Domitian. It is is hedged in by a beautiful church and three fountains, namely, the Fountain of the Four Rivers, Fountain of the Moor and the Fountain of Neptune. There are a few other buildings around the piazza as well.

Currently, the piazza Navona functions as a Christmas market that combines nostalgia with brisk business. It is an excellent location for this market since its rich cultural history and splendid fountains makes it popular with tourists. During the Christmas season, it comes alive as a spectacular market and features Christmas decorations, paraphernalia, statuettes, cribs, nativity figurines and Christmas tree decorations. You can find interesting seasonal food items and Italian Christmas cuisine specialities as well as souvenirs. There is no vehicular traffic on the square, leaving plenty of space for pedestrians to walk around and explore the area. The fountains in the Piazza add to the beauty of the Christmas market and cool down the area. Taking pictures around the fountains is a popular activity of tourists. The easily accessible shops, stalls, cafes and terraces around the square augur well for shopping enthusiasts. The Piazza Navona Christmas Market also features street performances, mimicry, a carousel and Santa Claus in his grotto. The Santa section of the market is very popular with children, and adds to the festive mood of Christmas. For those interested in purchasing Christmas cookies, breads, puddings, cakes and other Italian dishes, there is plenty to choose from. The traditional Christmas cakes to look for are torrone (a nougat bar made with almonds and honey), biscotti, panettone and pandoro. Porchetta sandwiches made of pork, prosciutto and capicolli with spiced sausage should be on your list of local food items to sample at the Piazza Navona Christmas Market. There are also candies, cakes, pastries, ginger bread and plenty of other sweets on sale. After the Christmas season, the market becomes a Befana market and celebrates Befana, a local festival that follows Christmas. Celebrated on January 6th, an old woman called Befana replaces the Santa Claus act by handing out sweets to children. Guide to Piazza Navona Christmas Market, Rome, Italy

Make Your Own Fudge and Candy For Christmas Gifts

Make Your Own Fudge and Candy For Christmas Gifts Everybody, or nearly everybody, enjoys a tasty piece of fudge or a homemade candy. If you are making up a sweet platter, homemade chocolates are just the answer and a candy and fudge platter can look and taste fantastic with a coffee after dinner.

I love nestling down at night and being able to watch a bit of TV and nibble on some of my favorite flavors. To be honest the TV doesn't excite me too much but if I means an excuse to satisfy the sweet tooth so be it. The other TV watchers in the family don't seem to mind because they also get the benefit from my having a sweet tooth. One of my favorites is peanut brittle because you can change the flavor just by changing the type of nut you put in, or you can make it into a fruit and nut brittle which is just lovely. If you have to take a little something to a party or a gathering of some sort there is absolutely nothing like a platter of homemade chocolates, candies and fudges. They are so popular. Homemade candy and fudge is also the most fantastic gift for Christmas, but throughout the year it is a really touching gift to give to older folk, because often they can't get out to shop or their money is so limited that they don't allow themselves these sorts of treats. Another benefit of perfecting candy and fudge is that you don't have to keep many items in the cupboard. I find with cookie making you always seem to have to keep so many different ingredients that I tend to fall back into making the same old ones all the time so that I know I have the ingredients available. <B>MAKING CANDY AND FUDGE CAN BE A GREAT FAMILY PROJECT TOO. </B> Getting the family involved is a great idea and what really is a benefit is that most of these can be made a week or so before. You really only need to make sure that you choose the particular recipes that will last well. There is a good chance that you will have to hide them, but I am sure you could find a 'safe' place!! Many people really appreciate getting homemade candies and fudge because it is often something we would like to do ourselves but just don't get around to it. When you look around in the shops they always look so wonderful, but if you make your own you can make them so much cheaper. As well as that the gift receiver will know that you have made them specially for them which is always a nice thought. If you want to give a Christmas gift that is appreciated but does not cost you a fortune, put some homemade candy and fudge in a jar, dress it up with Christmas ribbons and you will have a much appreciated Christmas gift. Copyright (c) 2008 Kaye Dennan Make Your Own Fudge and Candy For Christmas Gifts

Edible Christmas Gifts

Edible Christmas Gifts Edible Christmas gifts have become very popular. Partly because, most everyone likes receiving a nice food gift. They are easily adaptable to whoever you are buying a gift for.

Goodies like chocolates, fresh baked goods and gourmet treats are high on the list of edible gifts. Do you have a hard to buy for person on your Christmas list? Edible gifts are your solution. Give them a basket of gourmet goodies like sausage, cheese and crackers, cookies, cakes, or any number of other treats. All gourmet style of course! No more ties or clothing that doesn't get worn. Are you looking for a corporate Christmas gift to give to a business associate? Food items are always a good choice. Give enough for them to take home to their family or share with the office. Your generosity will be remembered long after Christmas is over. You could even provide a nice lunch for an office of clients. Maybe you have a one-of-a-kind chili recipe that you want to share. Gifts like this will be the talk of the office and you will be top on their list when they need the services or products you provide. When the edible gifts come in a gift basket, it makes it even more special. Presentation can make such a difference when giving these types of Christmas gifts. Put them in a holiday style basket and your gift looks like it cost much more than it actually did. Godiva, Ghirardelli or Perguina chocolates are among the finest chocolates, and when they come in a pretty basket with a Christmas bow on it, it will light up anyone's day. Other edible gifts include boxes of candy, cans of caramel corn and homemade Christmas cookies. All will be appreciated. Wrap them up in some pretty Christmas paper or put in a gift bag and you have added a special touch. If you want to add a homemade touch, make some cut-outs or some gourmet popcorn. Growing up, we always had a blend made up of popcorn, butter and almonds. It was so tasty! Some nice baked goods make a wonderful gift. Breads, muffins or pastry will be a real treat. I love receiving breads, such as banana or zucchini bread that someone else makes. They seem to always taste better than my own! Edible Christmas gifts will be a hit and will be a gift that actually gets used. Choose some goodies and get busy gift giving. Edible Christmas Gifts

Essential Cookie Recipes For Your Christmas Cookie Exchange Party

Essential Cookie Recipes For Your Christmas Cookie Exchange Party This Christmas, instead of making or buying cookies for Christmas, why not try having or attending a cookie exchange party? With this event, you and your friends each plan to make several batches of one type of cookie. Then each person brings several dozen to the party, enough for everyone to have a certain amount of each cookie that is made. This way, everyone goes home with a huge variety of homemade cookies! This is a great, fun way to save time and money around the holidays. Here's some of the essential types of cookies that are really must haves for your next cookie exchange party:

Sugar From fancy, decorated cutout cookies to simple sugar cookie drop cookies to slice and bake sugar cookies. You won't want to forget to make sure there's enough of these classic cookies at your party. They are probably the #1 essential! Other Classics There's a few recipes that are modern American Christmas classics, and are traditional for so many families. Cookies like Peanut Butter Blossoms, which are simple peanut butter cookies with a Hershey's kiss pressed into the middle and also Snickerdoodles, so classic yet simple to make and tasty too. Bar These cookies are great for cookie exchange parties, since they are easy to make very quickly. There's less mess since they are usually made in one bowl and you can make a full batch all at once, in one pan. This makes bar cookies a very handy choice. There's many choices in this category that are sure to please the other cookie exchangers. Try brownies with different additions like candies or different types of chocolate chips and chunks. Also try blondies and shortbread bar cookies. Gingerbread Gingerbread men are one of the most traditional Christmas cookies you can make. They are like sugar cookies except sweetened with some molasses and flavored with spices like ginger, allspice, cloves and cinnamon. They have a very distinct flavor and, along with the sugar variety, are a popular cookie to set out for Santa on Christmas Eve. Shortbread Shortbread is quite underrated, they are quite easy to make, since often they use only a few ingredients and they have a rich, buttery taste that are a nice contrast to the super sweet treats you find around Christmas. So don't forget the shortbread! Ethnic Choices Christmas is celebrated in many countries and each country seems to have their own traditional Christmas recipes as well. In Mexico, they have a butter cookie that is flavored with anise and cinnamon called Biscochitos. Biscochitos are also sometimes dusted with a cinnamon sugar. In Italy, they have many varieties of Christmas cookies, but a popular choice is amaretti, which is a cookie made with almonds and egg whites. Ethnic cookies are a great choice to bring some variety to your party. Whatever the recipe choices for your party, don't forget to bring along enough containers to hold all the cookies you'll be going home with! Essential Cookie Recipes For Your Christmas Cookie Exchange Party

Christmas Recipes - How to Make Peppermint Bark

Christmas Recipes - How to Make Peppermint Bark One of the easiest options to make PEPPERMINT BARK CANDY is to use white chocolate. You will need:

1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies 1 pound white chocolate or white bakers chips Melt the chocolate or chips in a pan over water (a double boiler if you have one). Crush the peppermint candies finely by placing them in a plastic bag and using a rolling-pin or a hammer. The bottom of a can also works well. I would suggest doing this on a cutting board and not on the counter top. Stir the peppermint candy into the melted chocolate. Spread onto a greased cookie sheet and allow to cool. Break into pieces. PEPPERMINT BARK FUDGE CANDY You will need: 3 cups granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup evaporated milk 3/4 cup light corn syrup 2 tablespoons butter 2 cups crushed peppermint candies In a saucepan over medium heat combine the sugar, salt, baking soda, milk and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue to stir and cook until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage, 236 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat. Let cool 5 minutes. Stir in the butter and peppermint. Beat by hand until the candy thickens and begins to look cloudy. Quickly drop by spoonfuls onto wax or parchment paper or well greased cookie sheets. Allow to cool. You could sprinkle additional chopped candies over the tops if you wish. For a lighter, melt in your mouth version try PEPPERMINT MERINGUE BITES. For these delicate treats you will need: 2 egg whites 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (helps stabilize the egg whites) 3/4 cup of sugar 1/8 teaspoon of vanilla extract 1 cup crushed peppermint candies or candy canes (red are peppermint and green are usually spearmint) 2 to 6 drops of green or red food coloring (this is optional). I mix up 2 batches for the holidays, one red and one green. They look as great on a cookie platter as they taste. But beware, you may be making these almost daily. They are that good. Lightly grease baking sheets, or line with parchment paper and set aside. In a large bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Slowly add sugar and continue beating until the egg whites are stiff. This can take up to about 7 minutes, depending on your mixer. Alternately you can do this by hand with a whisk. Gently fold in the peppermint candies. Folding is done by taking the spoon or preferably a spatula and plunging it into the egg whites. You then pull back up through the mixture and fold the mix from the bottom over the top. Do this gently so as not to break down the egg whites you have beaten so successfully. Drop the mixture onto the prepared baking sheets to form small mounds. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes at 350 degrees until dry to the touch. Cool and store in air tight containers. Any of these recipes will give you an attractive addition to your Christmas dessert tables or cookie trays. Try them all. Each version will appeal to different guests because of the difference in textures and hardness. Remember, taking the little bit of time required to make these and other homemade treats tells your family and friends just how much you care. Enjoy. Christmas Recipes - How to Make Peppermint Bark

Christmas Decorating on a Shoestring Budget

Wondering how to cut back on the costs for your Christmas decorating this year? There are some things that you can do that will still make your Christmas decorating look fantastic, but that will cut back on some of the expenses of decorating.

Thrift Shops and Garage Sales: Many people like to buy brand new decorations every year, and they often give their older decorations to thrift shops. You can often find great deals when you shop in thrift stores for Christmas decorations, and you will most likely find that they are still in very good condition, especially if they were only used for one Christmas. Likewise, keep on the lookout for Christmas decorations at garage sales too, you can often pick them up for almost nothing there. Christmas Lights: Instead of buying new Christmas lights because your old ones just aren't working, invest some time instead. Buy some new bulbs, and then set to work to find out exactly which bulbs are blown. It can be a bit time-consuming, but it can also be a great job for one person in your family to do who perhaps isn't that gifted at decorating. This can really save a lot of money. Reuse old Baubles: If you have Christmas tree decorations or baubles that have lost the string for hanging them on the tree, you can still use them. Set them together in a basket to make a colourful Christmas bauble display. Then set the basket--a glass bowl will do just as well--on a table, shelf, or on the mantelpiece. Candles: You can usually pick up nice looking candles fairly cheaply. You don't necessarily have to buy fancy patterned candles, but just choose simple red, green and white candles and put them on a candlestick or buy clay and stand them in the clay. Then, cover the clay up with Christmas cloth, or ribbons, or pine needles. Cheap and effective, they look great sitting on the table or set around the living room. You can also match silver, gold and blue to make a great Christmas color scheme as well. Bake Cookies: Not only will you save money on store bought cookies and cakes, but you will probably have a lot of fun if you get a few people together and bake your own cookies. Play Christmas music in the background, drink a glass of wine or hot chocolate, and start up your own Christmas tradition of baking. It can be lots of fun and really brings out the festive spirit of Christmas. Christmas Music: No Christmas is complete without Christmas music wafting throughout the house. It is great to play during meal times, soft muted Christmas carols or instrumentals, and it's also fantastic to work to, to decorate to and to bake to. Make sure you have a big enough selection though so you're not listening to the same songs or album over and over again. Once Christmas is over, pack away the Christmas music till next year. Pine Cones: If you live in an area where you can freely gather pine cones, do so. They make great Christmas decorations. Either leave them natural looking, or you can paint them silver or gold, or even spray 'snow' on them. Scatter them under the tree and in other areas around your room, to add to the Christmas look. Decorate your Table and Bring out Christmas Table-wear: Look for your most Christmassy looking tablecloth and use that for your Christmas meals, and dinners leading up to Christmas. Also bring out your most colourful dinnerware and serve your meals on that. If you want to, you can invest in this type of tableware during the year, or over a few years, so that you gradually build up a special Christmas set. Again, once Christmas is over, tuck it away till next year. Table Piece: Design your own center piece for your table. It can be easily done with a sawn off tree branch, some ribbons, a bit of clay and candles. Be inventive and make up a natural looking Christmas center piece for your table. If you make it sturdy enough you can use it year after year. Christmas Teddies and Dolls: Get your children in on the act. It's really fun to see little teddy bears or dolls all decked out in Christmas outfits. If you don't have anything specifically Christmassy for them, just tie ribbons around them and give them a little Christmas present to hold under their arm or to sit on their lap. Cluster the teddies and dolls around the room, for a real cute festive look. These are just a few ideas of how you can cut costs this Christmas. Just think, if you are able to save on your decorations you'll have more money to invest into either your Christmas presents, or your Christmas celebrations. And, it can look just as nice as if you had spent a lot of money on expensive ornaments and decorations. Happy Holidays!

What Gift Should You Give Your Security Guard?

You should give your security guards gifts. After all, they are the people who watch you and your property day and night. You should be able to show them your gratitude with well-chosen gifts that are as memorable as they are useful. This article contains a few suggestions about what you should give your guards for any special occasion.

First of all, know what your security guards are interested in, and know what their families might want and need. For instance, do your security guards like to read? You can give them useful books, whether fiction or non-fiction, that they can read off the job. This will give them a way to relax when they are not working. You might also want to give their children or spouses special gifts or tokens to remember you by. For example, give them something to help keep cooked food warm. This can allow your guards to have warm food on the job. When nights grow cold, you can also have sweaters and jackets to give your security guards and their families. Second, get things to keep your security guard safe. They may leave their duty late and could be put in danger. Give them their own stun guns or portable knives. You may also want to keep your security guards awake and alert, so coffee is a good security guard gift. You may choose to give coffee beans, ground coffee, or even coffee mugs and thermal containers to keep coffee warm. A gift basket is always a good gift to give. Make sure that you have only the best quality products in your gift basket. A good theme would be gourmet foods, which your security guard can share with his or her family. You may also want to give chocolates or coffee, which can keep a security guard up and alert. Last, although you might cringe at the thought, money is still a good option. Your security guards may or may not be paid thousands of dollars to do their job, but at the end of the day, they still need to have some cash on hand to make up for their expenses. A few hundreds will be a good gift without you appearing condescending. These are only a few things that you can get your security guards. Remember, they are the ones who keep you safe and sound, and they deserve to be recognized for their bravery and strength.

Grapes, Nuts, and Your Dogs Health - Foods that Fido should Avoid

"Magoo was a big, playful Labrador retriever who often got himself into sticky situations..."

So begins a story in the latest report from the ASPCA on foods that may be toxic to dogs. It turns out that Magoo got into the pantry and snagged himself about a pound of raisins. He ate the whole thing, of course. The ASPCA never mentions Magoo's fate. But they do tell us that as little as a handful of raisins can impair a dogs health and has been fatal for some. Ditto for the grape. Who Knew? Growing up, I regarded our family dogs as "the first cycle of the dishwasher". They were good about waiting their turn for whatever we left on our plates, and we weren't too concerned about offering them "people food". It never crossed our minds that our dogs health could be affected by a few measly table scraps. What was safe for us, we figured, was safe for our pets. What's more, whenever I ate grapes, I liked to give one or two to our German Shepherd "Tiffany". The grapes always popped out of her mouth when she tried to bite into them and Tiffany, ever the good sport, refused to give up until she'd squashed each one into submission. It guaranteed at least 60 seconds of harmless fun. Tiffany was also fond of chewing gum (she chewed it -- wrapper and all -- but didn't swallow it!) We had the sugarless kind, which is often sweetened these days with xylitol. Little did I know that I might have been poisoning our family pet! (More on xylitol below). Why are grapes harmful? As far as grapes and raisins go, no one is sure why they're harmful. It's been confirmed that even grapes grown without fertilizers or pesticides can be toxic to dogs. But not to every dog, and not every time. It's also not known whether small amounts eaten over a long time period could have a cumulative effect. What we do know is that the end result in nearly all reported cases of grape or raisin toxicity is acute kidney failure. (The term "acute" means that the condition is severe and comes on quickly.) The dog ultimately can't produce urine, which means they can't filter toxins out of their systems -- a process essential to life. During the twelve-month period in which the effects of grapes were studied, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center handled 140 cases involving one or more dogs. Over a third of the dogs developed symptoms ranging from vomiting to kidney failure, and seven dogs died. The ASPCA based their study on reported cases, so naturally there may be cases where a dogs health is entirely unaffected by eating grapes. But until they know all the facts, the Society advises against feeding pets grapes or raisins in any amount. An ounce of prevention So, your dog just scored himself a big box of raisins. What's a pet owner to do? The first line of defense, if the grapes or raisins were eaten recently, is to induce vomiting and administer activated charcoal (it absorbs toxins in the GI tract). Vomiting is also the first sign that your dog is in trouble, so skip right to the activated charcoal if vomiting has already occurred. (In a pinch you can make your own activated charcoal by charring a piece of toast until it's blackened and crumbles easily.) Then call your vet right away. Can't reach the vet? Call ASPCA Poison Control: 888-426-4435 The vet will keep your dog on intravenous fluids for at least 48 hours and monitor blood chemistry daily. Normal blood work after 3 days usually means your dog is in the clear. Keeping a watchful eye out, of course, is the best way to keep your pet out of trouble. Like children, dogs (and other pets) have a knack for getting into mischief when we're not looking. It's Not Just the Grapes... There are other foods your dog should be kept away from, and some of them may surprise you. Here are some other foods that can put a dogs health in harms way: Chocolate Who can resist chocolate? Like it your not, your dog. Chocolate is made with cocoa beans and cocoa beans contain a chemical called Theobromine, which is toxic to dogs. Different types of chocolate have varying effects on dogs health. Dark chocolate has the largest theobromine, coming in at a whopping 450mg (compared to 1mg for white chocolate). So on Valentine's Day, you're actually being kind to your best buddy if you eat all the chocolates yourself! Cocoa Mulch Cocoa bean shells are a by-product of chocolate production (which is how mulch made it into the "foods" category) and are popular as mulch for landscaping. Homeowners like the attractive color and scent, and the fact that the mulch breaks down into an organic fertilizer. However, some dogs like to eat it and it contains Theobromine. Fatty foods Fatty foods are hard for a dog to digest and can can overtax the pancreas, leading to pancreatitis. This can threaten your dogs health and is potentially fatal. Nuts Macadamia nuts should be avoided. In fact most nuts are not good for a dogs health since their high phosporus content is said to lead to bladder stones. Mulch Mulch isn't food, but there's one type tempting enough for dogs to eat. Some dogs are attracted to cocoa mulch, and will eat it in varying quantities. The coca bean shells can contain from 0.2% to 3% theobromine (the toxin ) as compaired to 1-4% in unprocessed beans. Onions Onions, especially raw onions, have been shown to trigger hemolytic anemia in dogs. (Stephen J Ettinger, D.V.M and Edward C. Fieldman, D.V.M. 's book: Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine vol. 2 pg 1884.) Stay away from onion powder too. Potatoes Potato poisonings among people and dogs are rare but have occurred. The toxin, solanine, is poorly absorbed and is only found in green sprouts (these occur in tubers exposed to sunlight) and green potato skins. This explains why incidents seldom occur. Note that cooked, mashed potatoes are fine for a dogs health, actually quite nutritious and digestible. Artificial Sweeteners Xylitol is used as a sweetener in many products, especially sugarless gum and candies. Ingesting large amounts of products sweetened with xylitol may cause a sudden drop in blood sugar in dogs, resulting depression, loss of coordination, and seizures. According to Dr. Eric K. Dunayer, a consulting veterinarian in clinical toxicology for the poison control center, "These signs can develop quite rapidly, at times less than 30 minutes after ingestion of the product" states Dr. Dunayer, "...therefore, it is important that pet owners seek veterinary treatment immediately." Turkey Turkey skin is currently thought to cause acute pancreatis in dogs, partly due to it's high fat content. Other foods listed by the ASPCA as harmful: Alcoholic beverages Avocado (the only "fatty" member of the vegetable family) Coffee (all forms of coffee) Moldy or spoiled foods Salt Yeast dough Garlic The Bottom Line Thanks to a more educated public, fewer fatalities from foods like chocolate are being reported these days. But it's important to keep up with what's currently known about foods and their effects on dogs health. Grapes and cocoa mulch, for example, were only discovered very recently to have harmful effects. Check frequently with sources like the ASPCA, or sign up for the "Cold Noses News" and we'll keep you informed. (You'll also get a bunch of cool dog stuff along with your free registration). Of course, being alert and getting your pet to the vet promptly will help assure a happy outcome if something unfortunate should happen. Here's to your dogs health and good nutrition!

Easily Make Dried Cranberries at Home

There are many benefits for eating cranberries. They provide antioxidants and can even help ward off bladder infections. Buying dried cranberries in the grocery store isn't all that expensive but the major problem with buying dried cranberries is that there is sugar added. Look in your local grocery store and you will almost always find every single brand of dried cranberries labeled as "sweetened dried cranberries". Seldom will you see "unsweetened dried cranberries sold in a regular grocery store, you will most likely have to head out to a specialty health food store to get them unsweetened.

You can make your own cranberries at home by either dehydrating them or using your oven. By making your own dried cranberries at home, you are in control as to the amount of sugar you add to them or if you do not wish to add sugar at all. To make your own dried cranberries you will need: - a bag of fresh cranberries (fresh is best but frozen can be used) - a large saucepan - Water - Sugar or a sugar substitute (optional) - a food strainer - a food dehydrator or an oven The first step in preparing your cranberries to be dried is to wash them thoroughly place the berries into an empty saucepan. If you choose to sweeten your berries then do so now with your choice of granulated sugar, a sugar substitute like Splenda or my personal favorite is Stevia; which is made from the Stevia Plant found in nature and not a chemically engineered sugar. You will first dissolve your sugar choice in a cup of water. The amount of sugar will depend on how sweet you prefer your berries to be and the type of sweetener used. Pour the sugar mixture over your berries that are in the saucepan. Next you will boil the cranberries in water. If you sweetened your cranberries, there should be some of the sugar water mixture in the pan still but you may need to add more water to the pan if the water is not covering the cranberries. If you did not choose to sweeten your berries, then you will also need to add water to the pan so that the water is covering the berries. Set the saucepan on high enough heat to boil the water. The reason why you need to boil the berries is to blanch them which causes the cranberries to burst as the outer skin will split. This step is important because if the cranberries do not split they will not dry properly. Keep the cranberries in the boiling water until you can easily identify that the skin on all of them have split. Drain all the water out using a strainer and lay out some paper towels over a baking sheet. You can let the berries sit in the strainer a few minutes to cool off and then place them on top of the paper towel and pat them try. If using a food dehydrator then set your dehydrator on 120 degrees and begin layering the cranberries spread out on a single layer. The cranberries will take approximately 12-24 hours to dry in a food dehydrator. Be sure to stir the berries every 2 hours to help them dry evenly. You know they are down when they are chewy yet leather in texture. If using an oven, preheat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Take a cookie sheet and place 2-3 layers of paper towels directly on the cookie sheet followed by the very top layer to be parchment paper. Next take your berries and lay them over the parchment paper so that they form a single layer. Once the oven has preheated a few minutes, lower the heat to 150 degrees Fahrenheit and then place your cookie sheet into the oven on the middle rack. It will take approximately 8 hours to dry them. Test them after 8 hours, they should have a leathery texture and be chewy. Enjoy your dried cranberries!

Vanilla Fudge Recipes - Easy Vanilla Fudge

This quick and simple recipe is made with sweetened condensed milk.

3 cups white sugar 1/2 cup corn syrup 1 1/4 cup condensed milk 1/4 pound butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Directions In a saucepan or double boiler, combine the white sugar, white syrup, condensed milk and butter. Cook over medium heat until fudge reaches the firm ball stage on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and beat in the vanilla extract. Turn the fudge out onto a prepared sheet of buttered wax paper. Let cool. Cut into squares. => Fancy Vanilla Fudge This is a deliciously mouthwatering homemade vanilla fudge recipe made with, white chocolate candy bar, marshmallow crème and pecans. 2 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup butter 5 oz. can evaporated milk 2 cups marshmallow crème 8 oz. white chocolate candy bar 3/4 cup chopped pecans 1 teaspoon vanilla Directions Line a 9x13-inch pan with foil, let the foil extend over the sides of the pan. Butter foil thoroughly. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, butter and the milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Continue to boil for 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat. Add in the marshmallow crème, white chocolate bar, pecans and vanilla. Stir mixture until smooth. Pour into prepared pan. Let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until firm. => Walnut Vanilla Fudge Here's a great homemade vanilla fudge with crunchy black walnuts. 1 package vanilla bits 2 cups sugar 5 oz. evaporated milk 1/4 cup butter 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup black walnuts 7 oz. marshmallow crème Directions Grease a 9x9x2-inch pan. In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, milk and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture comes to a boil. Continue boiling and stirring for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add in the vanilla bits, vanilla, walnuts and marshmallow crème, stirring until well blended. Pour fudge mixture into the prepared pan. Let cool. Cut into squares. => Cherry Vanilla Fudge A rich, creamy and colorful fudge that's perfect for any occasion. 2 cups granulated sugar 1/2 cup dairy sour cream 1/3 cup light corn syrup 2 tablespoons butter 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons vanilla 1/2 cup Maraschino cherries, quartered 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped Directions Butter an 8-1/2 x 4-1/2-inch loaf pan. In a microwaveable bowl, combine the sugar, sour cream, corn syrup, butter and salt. Microwave on high heat for 5 minutes. Stir well until the sugar is dissolved. Microwave on high heat for another 6 minutes, or until the mixture reaches 236 degrees on a candy thermometer. Let stand for 15 minutes (do not stir). Add in the vanilla and beat the mixture about 6 minutes (until it starts losing its gloss). Stir in the cherries and walnuts. Pour into prepared pan. Let cool. Cut into squares.

Learn How Homemade Wax Sugar Waxing Recipe Can Help You Achieve Divinely Smooth Legs

There are many different homemade wax sugar waxing recipes and methods out there. This recipe is definitely one of the best recipes available because it is so simple to make and the results it achieves are great and most importantly... long lasting.

I've tried every home waxing kit available... I've spent countless hours pulling and applying the wax and ending up with irritated skin and not much to show for. I've tried shaving, and do I have to even mention the tediousness of the daily shaving routine. Sheesh! A friend shared this homemade wax sugar waxing recipe with me. I've tried it and never looked back. There are many variations of this homemade wax sugar waxing recipe out there. But, I prefer to keep it simple since it has consistently given me such great results. Homemade wax sugar waxing recipe You'll need: 2 cups of regular granulated sugar 1/4 cup of water (some people use distilled water, but tap water is just fine 1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice (remove seeds). Technicalities A saucepan A plastic container or jar Dull knife Cotton strips (cut out an old t-shirt) Cooking thermometer. Preparation 1 Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan. 2 Start with heating the mix up on low temperature, until the bubbles start showing up. 3 Using the thermometer, make sure the mix has reached 250F. When this happens, take it off and pour into the previously prepared container. Let the mix cool down. 4 Make sure the mix has cooled enough so it doesn't burn you. 5 Using the dull knife, spread the mix in the direction of hair growth. 6 Place the cotton strip, press with your fingers a bit and then pull in the direction opposite the hair growth. To wash off, use warm water and soap, that will do it. Homemade wax sugar waxing tips Make sure the hairs are 1/4 inch or so long. If too short, you won't be able to pull them out. This mix can be reused if you haven't used it all up the first time. Simply keep in the refrigerator and then reheat in the microwave when you want to use it. Finally, to help pull out the hairs more easily, take a shower beforehand and use a body scrub to remove extra dead skin that sugar might adhere to.

Cricut Cake Machine - How to Turn Edible Cake Decorations Into Cash

Cake decorating tools just got easier with the Cricut Cake machine. Unlike it's popular cousin, it is specially designed with food safe plastic and stainless steel to decorate cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and candy, just like a professional baker. It uses all the regular cartridges as well as new Cricut Cake cartridges. You just choose the shape and size of your design and press cut and in minutes your frosting, gum paste or fondant decorations are ready to apply to any dessert.

You do not need to be a professional caterer to appreciate the possibilities the food grade die cutting machine opens up. Just think of your next dinner party and wowing your guests with a fantastically decorated buffet table filled with fancy hors d'oeuvres and finger sandwiches. The Cricut Cake can cut cheese, tortillas, cookie dough, gum, soft candy and chocolate paste for modeling. Why not use the Cricut Cake personal cutter to make a few extra dollars. Creating custom one of a kind cakes for weddings, anniversaries and parties would be a snap with this cake decorating tool. People are always looking for something special, and your cakes would be something to remember, being the hit of any party. Here are 5 tips to successful cake decorating with your Cricket Cake. 1. Using the right amount of shorting will prevent the frosting sheet from slipping or bunching up when being cut. Use a pastry brush and apply a thin transparent sheet on the cutting mat. If the shorting gets to warm just put the mat in the freezer for a couple of minutes. Make sure you apply shorting to the back of the frosting sheet as well as the mat, smoothing out all air bubbles. 2. Since you can not re-roll frosting sheets you will want to make every inch count. As long as the left over sheet is larger than 3" x 3" it is safe to reuse. 3. Always keep your cut shapes in a sealed bag until you are ready to use them to prevent them from drying out. 4. Never use flour when working with gum paste. Using cornstarch and powdered sugar will help your designs slide and stick. 5. For best results use gel based food coloring instead of the liquid food coloring drops when making edible cake decorations. Use your imagination the sky's the limit. Don't be afraid to experiment. Start out with impressing family and friends with your hand crafted confections, who knows it my turn into a profitably hobby, paying for your Cricut Cake in no time. Happy eating, Bon appetit!

Grandma's Canned Sausage

During the canning season I can often recall that my grandmother used to take and can sausage patties. She would take fresh made patties and stack them neatly inside a wide mouth jar and then fill the container full of hot sausage grease. She would then place the lids securely on them, turn them upside down to seal and she was done. How I remember going to the food closet and seeing dozens upon dozens of jars carefully stacked upside down. It seems that in those days it was customary to place the jars upside down to ensure a good seal.

Over the years as I grew up and investigated the art of canning on my own I discovered there are two major ways to can sausage. You can form and bake the patties until they are firm similar to the way my grandmother did it or you can fry the sausage up and let it crumble and then fill your jars up.

With the second way you would fry some of the sausage until it started to separate into small pieces and then can these pieces for use in gravies or casseroles. Here are some tips to follow when attempting this on your own.

You should omit any use of sage from your recipe if you decide to mix your own sausage. When canning your sausage the sage will tend to make it taste bitter. I generally use very little herbs and spices in my mix and that also includes the use of my favorites such as garlic or onions as they will actually become stronger tasting when your product is canned. Instead you could use a little bit of hot red pepper, salt, black pepper, some thyme or perhaps a bit of marjoram to season the sausage that you plan to can.

When selecting the meat make certain to choose 2/3 of lean meat to about 1/3 fat in order to make the best canned sausage that you can. You would can your sausage in the same manner as you would ground meat except that you will make small patties and cook it until it's very well done.

Unlike ground beef you can use the fat from cooking the sausage to actual can it in. Be certain not to fill the jar too full, 2/3 full is plenty enough for it. Pour the grease in and make sure that it covers the sausages. You may wish to melt some extra lard to use for covering the sausages in the jar. Keep the lard or grease very hot while it is waiting to be poured into the jar.

Lastly, you will want to adjust the lids onto the jars and place then into a pressure canner set for 10 pounds of pressure. For pint jars cook for 75 minutes and quarts for 90 minutes.

How to Lose Weight With Lemonade

Have you heard rumors of a lemonade diet? Or maybe you've heard you can actually lose weight with lemonade? Hard as it might be for some to believe, it's actually true. And there are a couple of ways it can be done...

First let's look at what's known as the "Lemonade Diet". This is actually just another type of juice fast diet. In other words, all you do is drink lemonade and water for several days. It's not quite that simple but that is the gist of things. Lemons are extremely high in vitamins and nutrients, plus they help clean out your colon. So here's the details of how this diet works: 1. Create real lemonade from the juice of lemons. If you try using bottled lemon juice - or worse: Instant powdered lemonade drink, you will not see any progress. The powdered stuff is usually just lemon flavored sugar water, and the bottled juice often has preservatives and other misc stuff included that's not great for your body. So squeeze some real lemons, or use a juice machine. Either way, make sure you're using fresh lemon juice. 2. Mix in organic maple syrup to taste. This is used for sweetener, but it also provides you with additional vitamins and minerals to help keep you healthy during your juice fast. It also helps keep your blood sugar from dropping too low. Since this is a form of sugar though, it should be used cautiously - especially by diabetics. Too much of any kind of sugar will prevent you from losing weight. 3. Mix in water to taste. Straight lemon juice by itself is way too tart for most of us, no matter how much syrup might be mixed in. It's usually a good idea to use filtered or spring water here, to be sure you're not feeding your body all the junk and pollutants that come from our taps. Create a new batch of this juice each day. Usually one gallon mixed at the beginning of the day is good, then you simply drink the juice all day long. You can have as many glasses of pure water as you'd like too. This diet has been maintained by some for multiple months with great success. A juice fast of any kind can be dangerous though, and I don't recommend doing one for longer than one or two weeks - if you must. A better, and safer way to use Lemonade in your weight loss efforts, is to simply include it with your regular healthy meals. Lemonade - in fact any citrus - will help slow the digestion of carbs in your system. So having lemonade with your meal will effectively help reduce how fast your body reacts to the carbs in that meal. And by reducing how fast it reacts of course, you reduce the whole cycle of insulin spikes that cause the weight gain problems to begin with. You still need to make healthier choices with your meals of course though. Having a tall glass of lemonade with your chocolate cake is not likely to produce the weight loss progress you'd like.

How To Throw The Best Italian Dinner Party Ever

You walk into an Italian Restaurant - the whole experience is just wonderful - the smells, the atmosphere and hopefully when your order is delivered - the food. The background noise is all a part of the experience - it's often at a higher frequency than most restaurants but it's all part of the fun.

Why not take this same experience back to your own home and create a more intimate and less busy Italian dinner party? A dinner where people can enjoy a more leisurely dining experience within the comfort of your own home. A night where you can share your favorite Italian recipes with people who are important to you - or maybe even try out some new recipes? Italian food never seems to lose its popularity. There's often a feeling of comfort and contentment attached to Italian food and the flavors are simply sensational. So, just how do you host a great Italian dinner party then? 1. Planning - In your planning, consider who you will invite and check the foods that they don't like or can't tolerate and set the date and time well in advance. 2. Invitations - Will you just invite your friends by sending them an email or can you do something a bit more creative with your invitation? You could attach a note to something very Italian. I saw a suggestion of sending the invitation attached to a small packet of biscotti or you could incorporate the colors of the Italian flag as the background (three vertical columns - green on the left, white in the middle and red on the left) on your invite. 3. Atmosphere - Do you want red and white checkered table cloths with chianti bottles as candle holders with wax dripping down the sides - just to give it that really authentic look? Or a plain white, red or green table cloth? Try to get hold of some background Italian music like some opera for example. Some of Italy's best singers generally have included Enrico Caruso, Luciano Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli, Mina and Claudio Villa. 4. Food - since Italians are renowned for taking great pleasure in their food, wine and the company of their friends dinners can often go on for hours. Italians see meals as a time to spend with family and friends instead of to gain immediate sustenance. The number of courses served can range from three to six courses (called portate) or sometimes more courses! You'll no doubt have some lovely smells permeating into the house before your guests arrive - you could also slowly bake some garlic bread in the oven so the smell is wafting through the house as your guests arrive. This will really let your guests know they've come to the right place! You could start with antipasto which literally means "before the meal". This is also the traditional first course of a formal Italian meal. Rather than hors devours offered on trays that guests enjoy before they are seated at the dinner table, antipasto is served at the table and signifies the beginning of your Italian meal together. An antipasto plate is usually placed at the center of the table. The antipasto dish doesn't even getting numbered as one of the courses.. it's just a given. Diners are given small plates on which to place their choices. Traditional choices can include cured meats (prosciuito, mortadella, smoked ham and salami), marinated vegetables, olives, peperoni (marinated small peppers - not the meat called peperoni) along with an assortment of cheeses (like provolone, bocconicini and mozzarella). The first course primo piatto (also referred to as simply primo) or minestra may consist of soup (minestroni perhaps?), pasta, gnocci, risotto or polenta - this should only be a small portion like a cup or so. This is a dish rich in carbohydrates. The second or main course is called secondo piatto or piatto di mezzo which usually consists or fish or meat. Traditionally veal, pork and chicken are the most commonly used meat, at least in the North. The side dish is called contorno and may consist of a salad or cooked vegetables. A traditional menu features salad along with the main course. The first dessert which consists of cheese and fruit is called Formaggio and frutta - the cheese and fruit is usually served together. Then it's onto Dolce - dessert such as cakes or cookies. You should also serve coffee/espresso known as Caffè. Finally, Digestivo or "digestives" which are liquors/liqueurs like grappa, amaro or limoncello - sometimes referred to as "coffee killer" or ammazzacaffe. All these dishes sound great and I imagine when people see the number of courses it may seem a bit daunting but you only need serve as many courses as you choose. I have discovered a great website hosting 3000 free recipes from around the world. Under Italian, I noticed they offered 217 recipes so I'm sure you can find all you need there.

Naughty But Nice Gifts For Her

The women in your life do so much for you throughout the year. They boost your ego and pick you up when you are feeling down. They have dinner all cooked and ready to eat when you cannot be bothered to make more than a slice of toast. They mop your fevered brow when you are under the weather. They deal with the practicalities of life, multitasking for efficiency as they go. So, don't you think when it comes to choosing gifts for her that you should treat her to something naughty but nice? Surely, after all she does for you; the least you can do for her is to make her feel good and happy knowing that you have taken considerable care in your selection.

Some of the most exciting gifts for her that are naughty but nice involve food of some sort - usually food that the girls know they should not even be looking at let alone considering consuming. With this in mind, the ideal gift for her is the cheeky little Naughty but Nice Lip Gloss set, with 6 mini cake lip glosses to keep her pretty lips soft. These dinky pots look and smell like the real thing. The only difference is she can't eat these tempting treats. They include delicious raspberry cream, sumptuous strawberry cream, lip smacking chocolate cream, mouth watering chocolate sprinkle, rich cream tart and scrumptious wild berry tart. They come in a gorgeous cake box display and each lip gloss comes in a handy size which fits nicely into a handbag or pocket. Christmas would not be Christmas without all the festive food - the rich fruity Christmas cake, the Christmas pudding brought flaming to the table, the brandy butter and of course the chocolate log. A personalised Christmas Yule log will make a fabulous gift for her. Imagine how surprised she will be as she returns to the family dining room with dessert to find a chocolate log with her own name on it waiting to be distributed around the table. What a shame it will not last long either. There's one way to get around that problem though, and that's to order 2 Christmas yule logs. It will not be difficult finding a good home for them both. If she really is serious about avoiding those extra calories, you cannot go wrong with a beautiful Personalised Chocolate Sauce Print. It features a slice of divine chocolate cake with her name written next to it in chocolate sauce. Try as she might, she will not be able to eat this slice and it will last a whole lot longer than the real thing. It comes in 2 sizes, which means that even the bigger version with a larger slice of cake can do her no harm. We all remember the fabulous dance routines from Dirty Dancing. Some of us insist on actually trying to copy them. Some of us take it a tad too far and do this in public. But there are some memorably classic quotes from the movie too. If she loves this film still she will love the perfect gift for her - a Dirty Dancing in Your Pocket Keychain. This lovely vivid pink gadget plays some famous lines at the press of a button to brighten up the dullest of days and get her grinning again. For those girls who are secret cookie monsters on the sly, the best gift for her could be Mrs Manley's Best Biscuits Little Cookbook. This decorative and traditionally presented gift includes 7 of the most delicious biscuit recipes, all of which are easy to follow. So even if she has never baked so much as a crumb before, she will be able to whip up and devour these mouth watering biccies in a flash. In fact, these recipes are so simple that this would also make a fab gift for little girls (and boys for that matter). She will never have to buy cookies again. If you are buying for a female friend, I'm sure she will not be insulted by the Instant Adoring Boyfriend DVD. In fact, her hunt for the perfect man may suddenly screech to a halt when she watches this hugely satisfying DVD. Ladies, this guy is handsome, kind, considerate, sweet smelling, generous and would never generate an unpleasant odour in his wildest dreams. Let's face it girls, he exists only in our wildest dreams - he is seriously too good to be true. And if he does exist he is bound to have been grabbed by now. So let's dream on and spend some quality time with this fabulous hunk of a man. The perfect accompaniment to this lovely gift for her has to be an Emergency Chocolate Bar, made of delicious Belgian Chocolate. And the great thing is that she won't have to share this bar with him, because he's just too polite to ask. All girls deserve a naughty but nice present. Just don't expect them to share it.

Christmas Gift Ideas for A Sister-In-Law

The holiday season is just around the corner, and you are thinking: "Who knows some great Christmas gift ideas for a sister-in-law?" Well, here you go! Because there is no way of telling whether your sister-in-law is closer than a sister or further from you than Mars, this list of five thoughtful gift ideas ranges from very personal to very impersonal, but still classy:

1) Spa Day - If you know everything about her. She works hard, meets the needs of everyone else, and would never give this gift to herself-get her the massage, facial, mud wrap or full-boat special spa deal you know she'd love. It's incomparable! 2) (Fill in the blank) of the Month Club - If you know anything about your sister-in-law's collections, habits, or fetishes, you can go to amazingclubs.com and find a membership for it. No kidding! Start with a three-month gift membership. 3) Bracelets & Baubles - If your sister-in-law wears jewelry and has funky, eclectic taste (NOT diamonds), search for original artsy baubles at some of your local fall craft fairs to find her something no one else has. She will really adore the item if you can find it in her favorite color. To carry this perfect Christmas gift idea for a sister-in-law over to the internet (because who has time to scour craft fairs?) check out the massive internet craft fair: Etsy.com. They have gobs of original stuff you can get your hands on quickly. Look at their top creators on the main page, but don't be afraid to dig deep to find some really interesting stuff. 4) Unique Gifts - So you know your sister-in-law a little, but frankly you haven't got much in common. She's a meticulous housekeeper and crunchy granola eco-freak, and you're...well...not? It's okay. There are tons of Christmas gift ideas for a sister-in-law at RedEnvelope.com where you can buy gifts like the extremely pretty and useful Envirosax floral market bags. They're so pretty you don't notice how useful they are. Maybe she is a chocolate lover. Who doesn't enjoy chocolate? • Does your sister-in-law have just about everything? Does she have real estate? Land? Land in all 50 states? You can get her a real legal Deed of Land and she will be the virtual owner of a square inch of land in each of the fifty states of America. A land deed can be bought via email, ready to be printed and framed. This is a very cool gift item that's bound to make her smile.

Chocolate Candy is Just an Amazing Gift

Chocolate candy is a fantastic gift to give someone you care about for their birthday, or mothers day, in fact candy will also make a great gift on Valentine's day and Halloween. Looking for a great gift for Christmas too, then look no further than chocolate. An interesting fact about this sort of candy is it seems that the presentation box is almost as important as the candy inside. So be sure not to spend to much on a basket, its not that important.

Chocolate looks fantastic in good packaging: Many individuals who eat chocolate usually like many different sorts, from the cheapest to the more expensive gourmet ones. This is great when it comes to buying a chocolate gift for them, because as long as the wrapping looks good you can go for a less expensive type. You will not have to spend all your money on the gourmet ones, that is unless you want to. Its amazing to find that an Hershey's Kiss will take some beating for both taste and price. Chocolate candy is actually quite inexpensive, therefore you could be a little extravagant and a tad crazy about how you present the candy. A fun idea would be to have some sort of theme like buying some chocolate balls and wrapping them to look like basketballs and baseballs is a fantastic way to please the sporting person in your life. Making a plastic baseball helmet, or football helmet and filling them with these sports themed chocolate is a super idea for a gift. For that dog lover in your life, another creative gift would be to buy chocolate candy shaped as dogs and wrapped in beautiful cellophane, and fill the dog bowl with them. This crazy idea will work for a cat lover as well, or you can buy fish shaped chocolate and fill up the small fish bowl. Just remember you are only limited by your imagination. Chocolate fruit: Another creative and possibly crazy idea that would definitely fit into a theme, would be to find some fruit covered chocolates, like chocolate covered fruit peels and marzipan fruit and create a fruit chocolate fruit salad. Chocolates that are orange flavored are sometimes sold in slices, like real oranges, so making sure your fruit salad looks like it was made of real fruit, and not chocolate candy is where your imagination and creativity can come into its own. Use your imagination when choosing your chocolate candy gift: Laughing at funny and creative gift baskets is part of the pleasure your friend or loved one gets when receiving a gift of chocolate. You could take chocolates left over from Christmas and re-use them for another occasion. For instance, chocolate lips and hearts normally reserved for Valentine's Day would work in a romance themed basket at any time of the year. Just have fun and totally enjoy the experience of buying the person in your life a chocolate candy gift, when thinking about buying a present.

Best Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

Very little compares to the joy of chocolate cupcakes - both serving and consuming them! You can now stop asking yourself how to make cupcakes, especially of the chocolate variety, and get online to investigate the different recipes.

When it comes to birthdays or on festive occasions, chocolate cupcakes become a natural choice of many. The best of chocolate cupcakes need not necessarily be the most elaborate in the making. They are simple but delicious, non messy but a feast for royalty. With a few tips on how to successfully use cocoa in cakes and the combos you can try with this ingredient you will be ready to try out your own cupcakes. It is very important to use cocoa or chocolate in any other form to the measure because the cakes could turn out a complete disaster otherwise. Also chocolate does not go well with just about any fruit or nut. You need to experiment with how to make cupcakes of chocolate after checking out ingredient combos that work well, like walnuts, raisins and cashew nuts among dry fruits. Here is one of the best chocolate cupcake recipes. Chocolate Sins Your line up of ingredients include 2 cups of self rising flour or all purpose flour, a teaspoon each of baking powder and baking soda, 2 cups sugar, 2 eggs (large), 1/2 cup shortening, 3/4 cup each of milk and water, a teaspoon of vanilla essence, 4 ounces of unsweetened and melted baking chocolate. Prior to getting into the final preparation of the chocolate sins, preheat the oven to about 350 degrees. On a large tray, line the cup cake pans with paper liners and set aside. Take a large cake mixing bowl or the bowl of your food processor and mix together all the ingredients. Mix well for around 5 minutes, alternating speeds low to high. Carefully fill the cup cake liners about 2/3 full. Bake your chocolate sins for around 20 to 25 minutes and allow them to cool. Frost the 'sins' only when they are cooled completely. Alternately grate fresh chocolate slabs and liberally sprinkle each one of your chocolate cupcake indulgences. If you still want to know how to make cupcakes, then you should indulge in some quality research. Today there are a number of resources that help you in the endeavor. Making chocolate cupcakes is very easy, and like any other baking indulgence once you learn to measure the basic ingredient, you are sorted. These cakes make grand appearances at kitty parties, birthdays and even on the family night out! There is no denying that chocolate is by far the most preferred flavor in cupcakes. Though cupcakes like chocolate sins seem elaborate, they are not. Chocolate cupcakes also go well will a filling of your choice. All you need to do is cut the baked cupcakes in half, horizontally and place a filling of any fruit of your choice in the center prior to serving the 'sins'. Also try serving them warm with a dollop of vanilla ice cream!

Chocolate Brownies - Five Facts About Brownies You Didn't Know

Five quick facts below to make your mouth water.

1.    The first time that a the name 'brownie' appeared in a recipe book was in the 1896 version of the Boston Cooking School Cook Book by Fannie Meritt Farmer. This brownie was in reference to tiny cake like versions, not a true brownie like you would find today.

2.    It was pretty quiet in the world of brownies after that - it took almost 11 years for a real brownie recipe to appear, also in the Boston Cooking School Cook Book, which was the first time a brownie was we know it today was published.  I'm not sure if it had colour pictures in, or referred to using organic or fair-trade chocolate, but it was certainly a groundbreaking recipe.

3.      One of the most popular stories about the origin of the brownie is told in the Encyclopedia or American Food and Drink, which reports that a housewife in Bangor, Maine forgot to add baking powder to her brownie, and therefore her batch didn't' rise properly.   Ever the impeccable host, she carried on and sliced her now invented brownie and served it unashamedly, claiming her new invention

4.    Chocolate brownies are one of the few foods where there is a strong divide between the way a brownie should be prepared.   Half of the world loves a cake like brownie, whilst the other half would die without a beautiful fudge brownie to devour.

5.    I personally love chocolate fudge brownies, infinitely more than cake versions.

So there you go, just a few facts on Chocolate Brownies for you. Now go and eat some!

Christmas Baking Recipes - Creme Brulee

This rich custard dessert is real favorite during the holidays. You can use a small blow torch to brown the sugar, instead of the broiler.

4 cups heavy whipping cream

9 egg yolks

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Brown sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a large and heavy saucepan, heat the cream to exactly 180 degrees over medium heat; stir frequently.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla. When the cream reaches a temperature of 180 degrees, slowly stir the cream into the egg yolk mixture.

Pour mixture into eight 6-ounce custard cups. Place the cups into a baking pan. Add 1-inch of boiling water to the pan. Bake uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Take custard cups out of the pan.

Before serving, sprinkle each cup with brown sugar. Put the cups onto a baking sheet. Heat up the broiler. Broil 6-inches from the heat source for 3 to 5 minutes or until the sugar on top is carmelized. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings.

Christmas Baking Recipes: French Vanilla Cream Puffs

These elegant cream puffs are surprisingly easy to make.

1 cup water

1/2 cup butter

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

Cream Puff Filling

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.

In a saucepan, add butter to water and bring to a boil. Add in the flour and salt together; stir until a smooth ball forms. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one. Beat until mixture is smooth and shiny.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2-inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove puffs to wire racks or plates. Immediately cut a slit into each puff to allow the steam to escape. Let puff cool.

Split puffs in two and remove the soft dough. Add filling.

Cream Puff Filling

1 1/2 cups cold milk

1 pkg. instant French vanilla pudding mix

1 cup whipped topping

1 pkg. miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Confectioners' sugar

Directions

In a bowl, beat the milk and pudding mix on low speed for 2 minutes. Let sit in the refrigerator for 5 minutes. Fold in the whipped topping and chocolate chips. Remove puff pastry tops. Fill each puff pastry with cream filling right before serving; put tops back on puff pastry. Dust each pastry with confectioners' sugar.

Christmas Baking Recipes: Banana Cream Brownie Dessert

An irresistibly decadent chocolate dessert.

1 pkg. fudge brownie mix

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided

3/4 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped and divided

3 medium firm bananas

1 2/3 cups cold milk

2 pkgs. instant vanilla pudding mix

1 (8 oz.) carton frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare a 13x9-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Prepare brownie batter according to package directions for making fudge-like brownies. Stir in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips. Stir in 1/4 cup of the peanuts. Spread mixture into prepared pan.

Bake for 28 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let cool.

Slice up the bananas and arrange in a single layer on top of brownies, Take the remaining chocolate chips and chop them up. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the chocolate chips and 1/4 cup of the peanuts over the banana layer.

In a large bowl, beat the milk and pudding mixes on low speed for 2 minutes. Fold the whipped topping into pudding mixture. Spread on top of chocolate chip and banana layer.

Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips and nuts on top.

Makes 12 to 15 servings.

Holiday Dessert Recipe Ideas - Jello Chocolate Kahlua Cake

Are you all ready for the holidays? Do you have all your Christmas shopping done for everyone on your gift giving list this year? Do you already have your holiday meal planning done? We may not be able to help you find all your holiday gift surprises, but we can help you find some really wonderful and tasty holiday dessert recipe ideas today. For instance, if you love the taste and flavors of chocolate, coffee, cocoa and Kahlua, you might be interested in making the decadent and tempting jello chocolate Kahlua cake as your holiday treat this year.

Liven up the Holiday Atmosphere with Jello Recipes

You can liven up any holiday atmosphere when you choose to include jello recipes to your party planning and meal planning projects. Some of them are so easy that even your children may want to help you make the desserts at your house and some of them they can easily make themselves to surprise you. Try this delicious recipe for your next holiday party or social gathering; everyone will be asking you for the recipe so they can make their own wonderful and chocolaty jello cake. The holidays are for celebrating and spending time with family and friends. Use this recipe to bring a smile to the face of everyone you know and love.

Recipe for Jello Chocolate Kahlua Cake

What You Need

1 chocolate cake mix 1 package Jello chocolate fudge instant pudding ½ cup vegetable oil 4 eggs ¾ cup Kahlua ½ cup cold strong coffee 6 Tablespoons butter or margarine 1 pound box powdered sugar 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa 3 Tablespoons Kahlua 3 Tablespoons hot strong coffee

How to Make It

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare a cake pan by greasing and flouring and then set aside until needed.

Using a large bowl and an electric mixer add the cake mix, chocolate pudding, oil, eggs, ¾ cup Kahlua and ½ cup cold coffee and then beat until thoroughly mixed and then beat for about 2 or 3 more minutes.

Pour this cake batter into the prepared cake pan and bake in oven for approximately 45 to 60 minutes depending on the size and type of cake pan you are using or until done. Check by using toothpick method to ensure the cake is done. After cake is done, allow for 20 to 30 minutes of cooling time. You will not frost this cake until it is completely cooled.

To prepare the Kahlua frosting you will cream the butter or margarine and then add the powdered sugar and cocoa and cream well. Keep beating this mixture as you slowly add the Kahlua and then the hot coffee. Beat until it is a smooth yet thick consistency for spreading over the cake.