Traditional Jamaican Christmas Cake

Traditional Jamaican Christmas Cake-Christmas Cookies

Christmas fruitcakes have been baked for centuries with the oldest known recipe dating back to Ancient Rome. Fruitcakes were a way to preserve fruits and nuts as well as a way to celebrate the harvest and seek good luck in the coming year. Jamaicans favorite Christmas cake is dark, spongy and heavy, with rum soaked fruit and rich flavor. Eaten only at Christmas the cake is a favored gift and family tradition.

Christmas Cookies

Ingredients:

* 1 lb. Raisins

* 4 oz. Cherries

* ½ lb. Chopped prunes

* 2 oz. Cranberries

* 32 oz. Dark Jamaican rum

* 4 oz. Citrus peels

* grated rind of 1 lime

* 6 oz. or 1.5 cup flour

* 8 oz. butter

* 8 oz. sugar

* 4 eggs

* 1 tsp. cinnamon

* ½ tsp. allspice

* ½ tsp. Ground cloves

* ½ tsp. salt

* 1 cup wine/brandy

* 1 tsp. baking powder

* 1 tsp. vanilla

* 2 tbsp. browning

Directions:

Soak fruits, peels and rind in rum for two weeks before baking. In a separate bowl whip butter, sugar and browning until creamy. Combine dry ingredients in separate bowl and mix well. In a third bowl beat eggs and brandy together until well blended.

Add egg mixture to creamed butter mixture and blend well. Strain and add fruits, keeping rum for fruity drinks. Gradually mix dry ingredients to batter and fold together.

Pour batter into a lightly buttered 9" cake pan and bake at 350F for 1-½ hours checking after 1 hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

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Swedish Christmas Cookies - A Recipe To Make Pepparkakor

Swedish Christmas Cookies - A Recipe To Make Pepparkakor-Chocolate Christmas Cookies

Christmas is a special time in Scandinavia and Sweden in particular. Tradition and Heritage are extremely important to Swedish culture and there are many traditions which are widely upheld. In most traditional Swedish homes, the smell of home baked foods and desserts fill the air at Christmas time. The Swedes really love to cook and for many, the holiday season and the Christmas Eve celebration is the highlight of their year.

Chocolate Christmas Cookies

One recipe, which is very popular in Sweden, is for a cookie called the Pepparkakor.

Pepparkakor, literally translated, means "pepper cookies" but I've yet to see a recipe that included any pepper. They are similar to the American gingersnap cookie but they are generally thinner, crisper and smoother in texture.

Many refer to this cookie as a "ginger thin" and they are commonly called "gingernuts" in the United Kingdom. Besides their great taste, pepparkakor cookies are used as Christmas decorations as well. They are frequently shaped like little men or women, pigs, hearts or goats. If left round, they are decorated with frosting to give them more character.

Using a drinking straw, you can create a small hole in the pepparkakor cookie prior to baking. After the cookie has cooled, tie the cookie to the Christmas tree with a beautiful white or red colored ribbon.

Swedish Christmas Cookies or Pepparkakor

Makes 2-3 dozen cookies (depending on shape/size)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup molasses

3/4 cup white sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

8 ounces butter

2/3 cup water

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 egg

1 tablespoon light (or dark) corn syrup

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

Preparation:

The dough should be well-chilled before baking. You can either start a day early and chill overnight, or start preparing 1-2 hours before the cookies will be needed.

In a heavy pot, combine the molasses, sugars, spices and water. Turn the heat up and bring the mixture to a boil while stirring frequently.

Add the butter to the mixture (in pads or chunks) and remove the pot from the heat. Continue stirring the mixture until the butter has melted and the mixture is uniform in consistency. Pour the hot mixture into a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, combine the flour, corn syrup, egg and baking soda and whisk until well-blended. Combine with the hot mixture and stir until the dough has formed. Place the dough on a lightly floured board and knead for 1-2 minutes. Wrap the dough in waxed paper and chill until the dough is firm (1-2 hours or overnight).

On a lightly floured board, roll the dough out to about 1/8 inch in thickness (the thinner, the crisper) and either cut into shapes or make round cookies about 2 inches in diameter. Put the cookies on a lightly greased cookie sheet.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and bake for 8-10 minutes until they are golden brown. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool.

About the only thing left to do is to enjoy these fabulous Swedish Christmas cookies with the ones you love... Enjoy!

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Original Handmade Christmas Gift Ideas

Original Handmade Christmas Gift Ideas-Chocolate Christmas

It's that time of year again and you're looking for a way to save some money at Christmas time. One way to not only save money but make your Christmas gifts a bit more personal is to give out homemade Christmas gifts. Making gifts for family and friends can be very rewarding and will also make sure that you are giving an original gift that they have never received before. Read on to find out a few homemade Christmas gift ideas that should help you get started.

Chocolate Christmas

Gift Basket - Find a good size basket line it with colored tissue paper, red and green work well. Then make up a theme for the gift basket. If you are making this for a female then you can get some nice bath soaps and crystals. Add in a few scented candles and a nice bath towel or robe, add in a nice book and you have a great gift ready to go. If it's for a male then you can go with some wine glasses, and a nice bottle of wine, or some beer mugs and a six pack of their favorite beer. The point here is to find out what the person likes and just add that to your homemade Christmas gift basket.

Gift Jars - Making homemade Christmas gifts in a jar can be just a simple as the gift baskets. Find out what types of foods the person likes and place them in a nice jar. You can find them at any home good stores. There are especially good for someone that likes to cook. You can find all the ingredients of a favorite recipe and put them the jar. Make a nice label to put on the outside with the instructions on how to make it. This can be on a card tied to a string around the top. Use your creative side to figure out what to put inside your gift jar and it's sure to be a hit.

Personalized Recipe Book - On the same idea as the gift jar you can find some great recipes in magazines or on the internet and gather them all together for a nice personalized recipe book. Do they love chocolate? Then find a bunch of different chocolate recipes and print them out or make copies. Place them into some clear sheets that can be placed into a 3 ring binder and your done.

Photo Album - This can be a great gift for older children. Get out your photo albums and trace back their childhood through pictures. Start from infant to today. Not only with this be a keepsake for years to come but the time spent reminiscing while looking through will bring a smile to everyone's heart. This can also be a nice gift for a mother, grandmother, father or grandfather. Putting together a photo album of the children for them is always a terrific gift.

As you can see this is just a few of the homemade Christmas ideas that can make your next Christmas a very special day. The people you give these homemade gifts to will know that you really thought about them and came up with a unique idea just for them. Cost effective and fun to do. Don't run around the shopping mall trying to spend as much as you can to show how much you care this Christmas. Make some homemade gifts to really show them.

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Potato Recipe - Party Potatoes for a Hungry Crowd

Potato Recipe - Party Potatoes for a Hungry Crowd-Chocolate Christmas Cookies

Party potatoes will satisfy even the hungriest crowd! How do I know? Read on.

Chocolate Christmas Cookies

Back in college my volleyball team was in my hometown playing in a tournament. Mom was gracious enough to accept my request to host a team dinner at the house. Mom always says her goal is to prepare enough food to feed "Cox's Army." Maybe this is some secret service special detail that only a Mom would know about, because I don't remember reading about "Cox" in any of my history classes.

Mom made her menu and prepared the meal and believed she had the army covered. And she was right! The team was quite satisfied after dinner and the only dish the team left empty was the party potatoes! Mom was very proud to have more food than could be eaten! She certainly does not like anyone to leave the table hungry.

If a large family gathering is scheduled for Thanksgiving, the following recipe from my Mom's kitchen can add a very filling side dish to your table.

2 lb. bag hash brown potatoes

1 pt sour cream

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of potato soup

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese

Salt & pepper to taste

Mix and put in casserole dish.

Bake 40 minutes @ 350 degrees.

Optional:
Put some shredded cheese on top of casserole.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Thanks Mom.

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The Best Kids Christmas Party Game Ideas

The Best Kids Christmas Party Game Ideas-Chocolate Christmas Cookies

If you've decided to throw a Christmas Party for a group of children this year and you are stuck for great kid's party game ideas, then here are some fun ideas and suggestions that will keep them well and truly entertained.

Chocolate Christmas Cookies

Simple, traditional party games can be adapted to suit a particular theme, so as it's a Christmas party you could adapt the following classic games into a Christmas theme:

'Santa Says' - this is instead of 'Simple Simon' played in exactly the same way.

Snowman Freeze - when the music stops, children have to freeze and stand still like a snowman. The child that moves is out until the last remaining child is left.

Pin the Tail on Rudolph - like 'Pin the Tail on the Donkey' but adapted to pinning a big red nose on Rudolph instead.

'Santa, Santa, Elf' - Re-named 'Duck, Duck, Goose'. You can choose other appropriate names too if you prefer.

Pass the Christmas Gift Box - same as 'Pass the Parcel' but why not wrap a box in Christmas design wrap and fill with pre-wrapped gifts for each child. Apart from the traditional style games, here are some other games and activities that are really fun to play:

Fill The Christmas Stocking Relay: Ideal for a larger group of children, this game involves splitting the kids into two teams. Hang up a couple of Christmas stockings and get two large bowls and fill them with sweets. The children have to scoop up sweets with a spoon, walk over to the stocking and fill it, then run back and give the spoon to the next child in the line. The team who fills up the stocking the most sweets are the winners. If you can use anything suitable to fill the stocking with if you don't wish to use sweets.

Pass the Candy Cane: Form two groups of children if possible into two lines. The Children have to pass a Candy Cane sweet to each other using one finger only. The first team to pass the Candy Cane up and down the line is the winning team.

Christmas Word Countdown: Great for smaller groups of older children that can read and write. Write out Christmas related words (e.g Father Christmas) on a piece of paper then cut them out and place in a bag. Each child in turn has to pull out a word then see how many smaller words they can create from that word within a set time (e.g Fat, Mister, Sister etc)

Hunt the Star or Bauble: Ideal for kids of all ages, hide star or bauble decorations around the room and the child that finds the most wins a prize.

Decorate a Cookie: Kids love a bit of cookie decorating, especially when they get to eat their creations. Make cookies beforehand into shapes such as snowmen, Christmas trees, gingerbread men, round Christmas puddings. Children will have so much fun with icing and adding sweets and sprinkles to them.

Whatever party games you decide to play at your Christmas party, remember it should be fun activity rather than too competitive.

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China's Chocolate Market Dominated by Foreign Brands

China's Chocolate Market Dominated by Foreign Brands-Christmas Cookies

Foreign chocolate brands such as Dove, Cadbury and Hershey's have now captured about 70% of the Chinese chocolate market. As Barry Callebaut, the world's largest chocolate manufacturer with 25% of the global market, recently opened its first chocolate factory in China in Suzhou City, the top 20 chocolate companies in the world have now all entered the Chinese market. But in the face of global competition, China's local chocolate companies have been further suppressed down the value chain.

Christmas Cookies

Second largest chocolate market

As the CHF 4 billion-revenue-per-year Barry Callebaut set up its first production line in Suzhou, a complete multinational chocolate industry chain is also emerging. Industry insiders suggested that this would be a blow to local Chinese chocolate companies in this globalized competition. It further indicated that keeping up with international competition is particularly important, or the Chinese industry chain will become even more vulnerable.

In recent years, the global chocolate market has notably slowed down, with only 2-3% growth per annum. This is mainly because per capita chocolate consumption in developed countries is already at a high level, averaging 11 kg. On the other hand, China's per capita chocolate consumption is only 0.1 kg, and its domestic chocolate market has been growing at a staggering 10-15% per year, with an estimated market potential of US.7 billion. Thus China has become the world's second biggest chocolate market only behind the US. The world's top 20 chocolate companies have all entered China, and there are more than 70 imported or JV chocolate brands in today's Chinese market.

Barry Callebaut has made it clear that they are coming to share and participate in China's economic growth. It plans to build the Suzhou factory into the largest among its 38 factories globally, and achieve a 6-fold sales increase in the next five years via the Suzhou factory's high capacity. "We hope we can fully utilise this factory's capacity to rapidly increase output from 25,000 tons to 75,000 tons, making it the world's largest chocolate factory," said Barry Callebaut CEO Patrick De Maeseneire.

Multinational ambitions

It is understood that Barry Callebaut's new plant in Suzhou will become the company's Asia-Pacific headquarter, as well as a sales network centre for serving China and multinational food manufacturers and specialised customers. Major brands, such as Cadbury, Hershey's and Nestle, all currently have large quantity of outsourcing manufacturing contracts with Barry Callebaut, whose OEM output of cocoa liquor and chocolate products amounts to 15-20% of each of the three major brands' annual output. So the Swiss Barry Callebaut is indeed the Big Brother of the global chocolate industry.

In fact, even before the arrival of Barry Callebaut, China's local chocolate companies had already been losing market shares to multinational competitors. The US Hershey's has determined to plough the Chinese market, planning to achieve 23% share of the local market by 2010 and the runner-up position in China. Meanwhile, Korean and Japanese chocolate producers are also accelerating their entry into the Chinese market.

Local companies not in the local market

Although the rapidly growing Chinese chocolate market is good news for its local chocolate companies, Chinese consumers today are frequently referring to foreign brands such as Dove, Cadbury, Hershey's and Ferrero but seldom mentioning local brands.

As a foreign product, China only has a chocolate manufacturing history of less than 50 years, so there is inevitable gap behind foreign brands in terms of production techniques and technologies. Due to inappropriate processing equipment and incomplete production facilities, product quality assurance is difficult for many local chocolate companies. Furthermore, most Chinese chocolate companies are weak in product R&D, resulting in slow product changes and updates. At present, most local chocolate companies are stuck in an embarrassing situation of low product quality.

The above industry issues have costed local companies' opportunities to participate in the competition for the Chinese chocolate market. Multinational chocolate brands have come to the Chinese market one by one since the 1990s, and now they are in a dominant market position. With their considerable financial power, multinationals can play their technological and cultural cards, as well as promoting their premium quality and unique tastes, to rapidly capture the Chinese market.

As Barry Callebaut finally entered the Chinese market, its Suzhou factory will make chocolate production even cheaper for multinational brands. For local Chinese companies that are mostly in the low-end market, they may no longer hold this market segment firm.

Keep up with the globalization

Statistics showed that there are about 63 large-scale local chocolate companies in China, with annual production of 150,000 tons. Statistics from industry associations also revealed that China currently has about 250 chocolate companies in total.

Industry insiders pointed out that the Chinese food and beverage industry is a highly and internationally competitive market. The vast potential of China's chocolate market is not only for foreign brands, but is also laid in front of local chocolate producers. The local chocolate industry is now in a structural change and survival-of-the-fittest stage, and no doubt the entry of foreign brands will present challenges to the local industry. But if local chocolate companies can participate in this international competition, it could not only drive the chocolate demand from Chinese consumers, but also promote development of China's chocolate market.

Local Chinese chocolate companies need to constantly improve their product quality, select finer raw ingredients, upgrade production facilities, adopt international technologies, enhance product innovation and brand management. Only then can they compete with multinational companies on a level-playing field, and make a breakthrough in this foreign-dominated Chinese chocolate market.

For more information on Chinese businesses, please visit www.chinabizintel.com

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The History Of Italian Food

The History Of Italian Food While some of the most popular dishes associated with the Italian culture include a tempting slice of pizza and a heaping plate of pasta, there is much more to the world of Italian cooking. Throughout the many regions in Italy, the distinctive cuisine of the Italians shines through in a wide-range of eating habits, styles of cooking, and selection of local ingredients. The changing of the times has also influenced Italian food, as the meals served in the pre-Roman era possess both similarities and differences in the cuisine of today.

The culinary history of Italy established a reputation more than 2,000 years ago, which includes an illustrious movement during the Roman Empire. Culturally, food preparation was quite important in the past where flashes of significance have been captured in the only surviving cookbook (Apicius), which dates back to the first century BC. The spread of Italian food diversity began after the fall of the Roman Empire when individual city states began to uphold separate identities and traditions. Each region began to display its own unique way of cooking, right down to the formation of a meatball to the characteristic cheeses and wine produced in a locale. The north developed Tuscan beef, while black truffles were very popular in Marches. Provolone and mozzarella cheeses developed in the south, as well as a host of interesting citrus fruits. Diverse types of bread, variations in pasta, and varying food preparation techniques also differed according to region. The southern regions of Italy embrace hard-boiled spaghetti, while the north often prefers a soft egg noodle. Milan is known for their risotto, while Bologna has a deep history regarding tortellini, and Naples is famous for their pizzas. Over the years, Italian cuisine has greatly evolved in part because of a wealth of outside influences that have added to its characteristic flavor and appeal. In the beginning, ancient Greek cookery became an integrated part of Italian cuisine. Eventually, a wealth of imports found their way into the kitchens of early Italians, who sent Roman ships to collect a variety of important foods, including wheat, wine, exotic ingredients, and fine spices from around the world. Some ships even traveled to faraway locations, such as China, to bring back edible resources that catapulted the depth and variety of Italian cooking styles. Coastal regions are known for their developments in delicious fish and seafood dishes. For example, the island of Sardinia supplies a more traditional and simple style of cuisine, which often incorporated delicacies, associated with the sea. Swordfish, lobster, anchovies, sardines, and other Mediterranean treats represent Italian cooking of the area. In Sicily (another island region), a great deal of the cooking drew heavily from North African influences. An Arab influence also affected cuisine on the island and within the rest of the south, especially with the introduction of various spices and sweets, such as the Sicilian ice cream cake called cassata. As for one of the most popular Italian dishes, while the history books often state that pasta was a product of the Chinese brought back by Venetian merchant, Marco Polo, it was actually a rediscovery of a food item eaten during Etruscan and Roman times. It is believed that the first pasta in Italy was made similar to the noodles of today - from the same durum wheat - which was cooked in ovens instead of boiled in water. Today, the differences in Italian cooking still show through in the distinctions between the north and the south. Each region still carries their own traditions in cooking that reflects deep history and culture with a never ending supply of main courses, appetizers, and desserts that continuously tempts the taste buds. The History Of Italian Food Related articles: Spring Valley Vitamins , ทำseo

Unique Halloween Party Food Ideas

Unique Halloween Party Food Ideas Having a Halloween party is lots of fun, and that should include the food too. Instead of the usual, try some of these Halloween-themed foods to really liven up the party. These ideas would also make a great edible gift to bring along if the hostess asks for your help with food for the party. If you are hosting a kid's party, you can involve your children in helping to make any of these treats.

- Scary Jell-O shapes. There are a lot of Jell-O molds you can buy that are perfect for Halloween. Two of the more common shapes are brains and hands. Use red gelatin (cherry or raspberry) to fill the mold, then "garnish" around the mold with a knife and fork so guests can enjoy a slice. If you really want to make an impression, use a flesh colored flavor (like peach), and then use some red food coloring drops along the cracks of the gelatin. For an adult only Halloween party, you can make spiked Jell-O with vodka or other alcohol. - Pumpkin or Apple cheese ball. These are fun cheese balls you can make that are shaped for the holiday season. To make a pumpkin cheese ball, you'll want to use cheddar cheese, with just enough cream cheese to hold it together. Form the ball into a pumpkin shape, and use a dull knife blade to make the ribs on the pumpkin. Keep it wrapped in the refrigerator until it is time for the party. You can make a "stalk" for your pumpkin using an upside down piece of broccoli stalk. Put your pumpkin in the center of a lined basket, and surround it with gourmet crackers. To make an apple-shaped cheese ball, you can use the same ingredients; only shape your mixture to resemble an apple. Right before serving, roll the ball in paprika to give it a red coating, and use a cinnamon stick and bay leaf for the apple "stem." - Halloween punch. To make a memorable party drink, make a light-colored punch, and then use Halloween-shaped Jell-O molds to make giant themed "ice cubes." For example, you could use a hand mold, fill it with red juice, and then freeze it. Just before the party starts, pop the frozen juice out of the mold and put it in the punch bowl. Not only will it make an eerie floating hand in the bowl, but since it's frozen it will help keep the punch cold. - Spider web cupcakes - These cupcakes are sure to be a hit. First, make a batch of your favorite cupcakes; chocolate, apple spice and pumpkin are popular options. Then top with a white or cream cheese frosting. Finally, using black food coloring, decorate the tops of each cupcake to look like a spider web. The easiest way to make the spider webs is to make 2 or 3 concentric circles with the black icing, then drag a toothpick through the icing outwards from the center. Repeat the toothpick dragging four or five times are the top and you'll have a realistic effect. You can also use Halloween themed paper cupcake liners. Unique Halloween Party Food Ideas Related articles: Spring Valley Vitamins , ทำseo

How to Make Italian Cream Cake and Cream Cheese Frosting

How to Make Italian Cream Cake and Cream Cheese Frosting Here is a great recipe for Italian Cream Cake. This cake is easy to make and you will be rewarded with many smiles and compliments from your family and friends. An Italian Cream Cake is perfect for special occasions such as birthdays. They are also great treats at office parties, church pitch-ins, family reunions, etc. I call this Donna's italian Cream Cake because Donna is the one who brought this delicious cake choice to our attention. Now Italian Cream Cake variations are one of the most popular cake types in my home.

DONNA'S ITALIAN CREAM CAKE 5 eggs 2 cups sugar 1 stick butter 1/2 cup shortening 1 cup buttermilk 1 tsp vanilla 2 cups flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1 can of coconut 1 cup chopped pecans Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream the sugar, shortening, butter and vanilla together. Separate eggs and set whites aside. Add egg yolks and mix in with the creamed mixture. In a small bowl, mix the flour, baking soda and salt together. Add to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Add the coconut and nuts. Beat the egg whites and fold into the batter. Pour into 3 8-inch cake pans that have been well greased and floured. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. CREAM CHEESE FROSTING 8-oz cream cheese, softened 1 stick butter, softened 1 lb. powdered sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup chopped pecans Combine the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer on slow to medium speed gradually add the powdered sugar. Stir in the vanilla extract. Fold in the chopped pecans. To assemble cake, put 1 cake layer on a decorative cake plate. Cover the top with frosting. Repeat the process with the second layer and then the third. Use remaining frosting to frost the sides of the cake. Make some decorative swirls on cake top for a pretty presentation. A small circle of whole pecans in the center adds a decorative flair. Enjoy! How to Make Italian Cream Cake and Cream Cheese Frosting Related articles: Spring Valley Vitamins , ทำseo

Hosting a Holiday Open House for Your Business - Sample Your Wares

Hosting a Holiday Open House for Your Business - Sample Your Wares Hosting a Holiday Open House at your shop can net you one of your biggest sales days of the year. Consider having one each quarter. Come up with ideas that make sense for your shop. Obviously we have a Holiday Open House as soon as we've decorated the shop for Christmas. We have one in the spring near Easter, one for Mother's Day because 99.9% of our customers are women, and a fourth one late in the summer to celebrate the date we opened. We call that one our Anniversary Open House.

Our customers love, love, love our open houses. We treat them like guests and make them feel special. During your Holiday Open Houses you have the opportunity for your customers to sample your wares, particularly if you have foods that you sell. We carry scone mixes, cheeseballs mixes, teas, chocolate, coffee, and cider drink mixes, etc. We sell cookbooks. During our holiday open houses we would make a selection of foods and drinks based on our products, on our cookbooks. A number of things that we would have to nibble on throughout the shop were cheesy, easy things. Pretzels dipped in chocolate, M&M's, small trays of cookies etc. were things we would use to augment everything, but it was essential to allow customers to sample our wares. When sampling your wares, make it very obvious what they are tasting. Set up a display of those items in that sampling area. When we had customers come in who we know have never purchased one of these items, we try to get them to just have a taste of it. Many times all they had to do is taste it and they change their mind about what they think about it. Get them to realize that this will make their life so much easier at their next party. Make sure that your staff has tasted everything that you are serving as well. They need to be able to talk knowledgeably about it and give recommendations for how that can be served and how it would make your customer's life easier at a specific event. "For holiday entertaining it is really nice to be able to just open this up, add two ingredients and you have the most unique and delicious appetizer or dessert. I don't have a party without serving these." These are the kinds of things your staff needs to be able to say. Above all, your customers need to feel as though they have been invited to something special, and when they come in they need to be greeted that way as well. Make sure you have enough staff on hand to help people find items, talk to them about what you're serving, and above all make sure you can check them out quickly. Most people are quite willing to wait when they know they're getting something special. By treating your customers as honored guests at a Holiday Open House, you guarantee that they will return every single time you host one. Hosting a Holiday Open House for Your Business - Sample Your Wares Related articles: Spring Valley Vitamins , ทำseo

Creative Holiday Gift Ideas for the Person Who Has Everything!

Creative Holiday Gift Ideas for the Person Who Has Everything! Tired of giving the same old-same old? Embarrassed to give out those impersonal department store gift certificates because you're stumped and don't know what to buy for the person who has everything? Well, here are some wonderful ideas for unique gifts; some unusual, some personal; something for everyone on your list!

Group two, three or more items (mix and match) and place in an interesting basket or unusual container to present your gifts, covering the container with colorful cellophane and topping it all off with a fancy ribbon and bow. Purely Personal - Scented candles, handmade soaps, bubble bath and a big fluffy bath towel. - Fancy hair ties, hair clips, shower gel, shampoo and conditioner for the teenage girl - A movie night basket with a video of DVD of a movie you know they don't have, a box of microwave popcorn, candy and a movie guide book - An interesting book or magazine (and a gift subscription), a tiny booklight, a cute mug and packets of hot chocolate with mini marshmallows, or a small bag of flavored gourmet coffee - A cozy robe - one pocket containing envelopes of hot chocolate and the other, a small bag of mini-marshmallows. - A spa day with a pair of comfy slippers and a big fluffy towel or robe - A set of fancy beeswax candles and a brass candle snuffer - A towel wrap, terry-cloth slippers, shower soap, shaving lotion and a fancy hair comb (or a special moustache comb for the moustached man!) - A hot/cold pack (see how to make - www.whimsies-online.com/hotcoldpack.htm) with a box of soothing herbal teas and a whimsical mug - Buy a variety of medium to large seashells and fill some of the shells with melted red wax and a few drops of cinnamon candle scent; and the rest of the shells with melted green wax and a few drops of pine candle scent; adding a short wick before the wax sets and you have an assortment of bath candles all ready for the holidays. Holiday Bath Salts 2-1/3 cups of epsom salts 1/2 cup of sea salt 5 drops of peppermint scent 3 drops of red food coloring Pour half of the first three ingredients into a bowl. Pour the other half of the ingredients into another bowl, adding the red food coloring only to the second bowl. Using a tall, clear bottle, layer contents of each bowl until all ingredients are used up (think red and white stripes). Close the bottle and tie with a festive ribbon and a couple of small candy canes. - The Gift of Time: coupons for one night of baby-sitting, car washing, gardening, cleaning out the garage, walking the dog, re- arranging a closet, etc. Hobbies and Sports Gifts - Tickets to their favorite game and a sweatshirt or t-shirt imprinted with their favorite team logo - Art supplies that they use often - sketch pads, paint in often- used colors, charcoal pencils, etc. - Scrapbooking supplies, storage boxes to keep supplies in, rubber stamp set, embossing powder and heat gun - Computer supplies: CDRW's, blank CD cases, a furry Pet Virus novelty or a Virus Survival Kit just for fun (www.petvirus.com) - For the aspiring writer (or student): folders, pencil case, binders and lined paper, fancy colorful pens, notebooks, personalized notes, a good thesaurus and dictionary, an agenda or diary, colorful post-it notes and a personalized CD coaster to hold their favorite mug of coffee (see how to make one - http://www.whimsies-online.com/cdcoasters.htm) - For the young artist of craftsperson: a craft box with handle; colorful paper squares, set of scissors with different fancy blades, glue, felt in an assortment of colors, wiggly eyes, lengths of colorful wool, colored pipe cleaners - For the person who love to bake: a set of cookie cutters in letter and number shapes, a pair of colorful oven mitts, a cute timer, a set of fancy cake tins, mixing bowls, cookbook on baking - For the BBQ chef: BBQ apron, mitts, a set of large salt and pepper shakers, a BBQ brush, a BBQ recipe book - A large interesting piece of pottery, kitchen utensils, a cookbook, a set of cute salt and pepper shakers, apron and potholder set - A fancy flower pot with gardening tools, plant ties, garden gloves, a plant care guide and a kneeling pad. Fancy Food Gifts - Chocolate-dipped Spoons: buy heavy clear plastic spoons and dip them in melted chocolate, either all dark or all milk chocolate or let cool and re-dip in melted white chocolate but only halfway up the spoon bowl. Sprinkle with abit of cinnamon before the white chocolate dries for a variation. Let dry on wax paper. Wrap individually in colorful cellophane and tie with a curly ribbon. Add a couple of chocolate-coated spoons in a fancy mug along with packets of gourmet coffee. You can also add abit of extract or liqueur or even cherry juice to flavor the chocolate before dipping. For another variation on the chocolate-covered spoons, sprinkle the spoons with finely-crushed candy canes and let dry. Drizzle melted white chocolate onto your dark chocolate-dipped spoons or drizzle dark chocolate onto your white chocolate-dipped spoons for a different look. - Here's a different twist to your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. Make up a batch, let cool and then dip them halfway into melted chocolate. For a variation, add a sprinkle of coconut or candy sprinkles before the chocolate coating dries. - Here's a way to use up those little plastic coffee creamer containers you've been saving. Check out this yummy recipe: Coffee Creamer Cherry Chocolates - http://www.whimsies-online.com/cherries.htm - Breakfast Treat Basket: pour a box of pancake mix into a clean glass jar. Add the lid, cover the top of the jar with a square of pretty scrap fabric and tie on a colorful ribbon or raffia. Type the recipe from the pancake box and print it out onto cardstock to hole-punch and add to ribbon before tying the finishing bow. Add small zip-lock bags of the following: chocolate chips, dried fruit including raisins, walnuts, almonds, pecans, coconut. One or more of these added to the pancake mix makes a unique treat! Include a bottle of pancake syrup and the gift is complete. - Muffin Magic: add your favorite muffin recipe to a 1 or 2-quart mason jar or clear, fancy container. Decorate the jar with a square scrap of fabric and tie with a ribbon or raffia. Add your recipe to a printed card (make sure you adjust your recipe if you've cut the ingredients by half to fit the jar!). Include a muffin tin, a wooden spoon tied with a pretty bow, a bag of fancy paper muffin cups and a colorful oven mitt or two. - Pasta Perfect: an assortment of clear glass jars filled with fancy pastas, a wooden spoon tied with a festive ribbon, a shaker of mixed Italian spices and another of grated parmesan or romano cheese - Your Fortune: mix up a batch of Chinese fortune cookies (see recipe at www.whimsies-online.com/weddinggallery.htm) that you add your own printed fortunes or silly sayings to (think Confucious Say!). Place them in a colorful tin from the dollar store. - Caffeine-fix: a set of small tins filled with an assortment of special hot cocoa mixes and/or flavored coffee using the following recipes. Create tags for each to describe each mix and the directions. (All cocoa recipes: add 1/3 cup of mix to 6 oz. hot water. All coffee recipes: add 1 heaping teaspoon, or more, to 6 oz. of hot water) Basic Hot Cocoa Mix 1-1/4 cup dry milk 3/4 cup powdered coffee creamer 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 3/4 cup sugar -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mexican Cocoa Add 1 tablespoon of cinnamon to above mixture and a cinnamon stick to the tin when you tie on the recipe card. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cocoa-Malt 1/2 cup malted milk mix 1 cup instant cocoa mix 1/3 cup powdered coffee creamer -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Very Berry Cocoa Mix one package of unsweetened Koolaide in a berry flavor to 3 cups of instant cocoa mix -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Coffee 'n Spice 1 cup instant coffee 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon allspice or apple pie spice mix 1 cup sugar -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mocha Magic 1 cup instant coffee 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 cup sugar 1 cup powdered coffee creamer 1/4 cup dry milk -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Toffee Coffee Mix equal amounts of brown sugar, instant coffee and powdered coffee creamer -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Personalized Gifts - An arrangement of family photos in a large frame - use nice gift wrap or other fancy paper as a background, or a collage of handmade papers from your art store. - Any item personalized with the person's name: a t-shirt with an interesting graphic along with their name; a personalized coffee mug; a picture of their favorite hobby or occupation in cartoon form with their name; a silly caricature made from their photo; a personalized BBQ apron. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You'll find a unique assortment of personalized cartoon pictures for any hobby, occupation or occasion and fun computer novelties including the Pet Computer Virus at: http://www.whimsies-online.com. Be sure to pick up your free gift just for stopping by! Creative Holiday Gift Ideas for the Person Who Has Everything! Related articles: Spring Valley Vitamins , ทำseo

Christmas Gift Basket Ideas

Christmas Gift Basket Ideas Looking for ideas for making your gifts this holiday season? Gift baskets are a great choice for gifts. Make your own themed baskets in no time with these wonderful ideas for making festive gift baskets for everyone on your list.

CHRISTMAS GIFT BASKET 1 Fill a decorative Christmas box or tin with: assorted home-baked cookies ~ assorted chocolates ~ Christmas ornaments (better if you made them yourself)~ pre-recorded Christmas music ~ tuck in some candy canes or foil wrapped chocolate Santas for a finishing touch. CHRISTMAS GIFT BASKET 2 Fill a basket with: hot apple cider mix ~ large mugs ~ home made christmas ornament ~ a letter saying why you love Christmas ~ matching mittens, hat and scarf ~ some mistletoe ~ Christmas music CD ~ home made Christmas cookies - with the recipe included CHRISTMAS DECORATING GIFT BASKET Fill a basket with: nativity set ~ assorted Christmas ornaments (store bought or hand-made by you)~ decorative lights ~ candles ~ hanging crystals CHRISTMAS RECIPES GIFT BASKET For a friend/relative who loves cooking, fill a basket with: Martha Stewart Living Christmas Cookbook ~ assorted Christmas recipes written on Christmas-themed Recipe Cards ~ Christmas Meal or Party Menu Ideas Sheet CHRISTMAS PARTY GIFT BASKET Fill a basket with: Party Supplies (paper plates, paper napkins, straws etc.) in red & white or similar Christmas colors, Holiday Delight Candles from Party Shop, 6 Plastic Glasses, Assorted packs of Dips, Pasta, Snacks CHRISTMAS BAKED GOODIES GIFT BASKET Fill a basket with: homemade goodies, e.g., cookies, candies, chocolates, muffins, peanut brittle, jams, jellies, etc. WARM YOU UP GIFT BASKET Fill a basket with: mug, assorted cocoa mixes, peppermint sticks, Hershey kisses, mini marshmallows all inside the basket. WINTER FUN Fill a basket with: lip balm ~ moisturizer ~ mittens ~ hot packs ~a pass to the local ski hill ~ hot chocolate Extras: add a crazy carpet or a sled (although it won't actually fit inside the "basket", you can present it on the side). WREATH MAKING GIFT BASKET Fill a basket or a rubber/plastic box with: grape vine wreath ~ dried flowers ~ pine cones ~ hot glue gun and glue sticks ~ wreath hanger ~ ribbon These personalized gift baskets are sure to put the joy back into this gift-giving season. Christmas Gift Basket Ideas Related articles: Spring Valley Vitamins , ทำseo

Top Selling Christmas Gifts For Women

Top Selling Christmas Gifts For Women The list of top selling Christmas gifts doesn't really vary much from year to year, and yet, every year it's the same old story: Suddenly its Christmas time and we are racing around desperate to find last minute Christmas gifts.

This year, be kind to yourself. Get in early, make a list and buy a few presents whenever you can. Use the ideas in this article to help you along. Whether you are seeking out unique Christmas gifts or want to stick to the top 10 Christmas gifts, it's best to spend some time thinking about the woman you are buying for. The worst Christmas gifts are those that have been bought with no thought or consideration to the person you are guying for. It doesn't matter how expensive it is, if it's not something the woman you are buying for likes, then it is worthless. Does she have a hobby? Is she sporty, homey or career oriented? Does she keep up with the fashions? Does she always put everyone else first? Here are my top tips, in no particular order: 1. Lingerie: - Look for well made classy items. Choose something well designed and elegant. Something that will make her feel feminine dressed in her power suit or overalls, something she can wear anytime. The best Christmas gifts are ones that can be used, not kept for special occasions. 2. Perfume: - Perfume is always in the top 10 Christmas gifts. Fragrance can effect our emotions and attitude and no woman should have to face the world without it. Buy a gift set of mini bottles if you aren't certain what she likes. 3. Day Spa: - Most women love the idea of having an hour, a few hours or ... any time focused ONLY on them. Vouchers for a Day Spa always make great Christmas gift ideas. She could have a massage, a facial, body treatment, or whatever else makes her feel special. 4. Jewelry: - Before you go off saying that your wife or girlfriend already has heaps of jewelry, just stop a moment. Does she really? Many women will spend money on costume or fashion jewelry, but never buy themselves pieces of real quality. That job is up to you. Look for classic pieces like tennis bracelets, elegant chains with heart shaped pendants, or small hoop earrings. 5. Electronic Goodies: - Whoever said women don't like gadgets? Popular gift ideas are things like digital photo frames, mobile phones, iPods, digital cameras, navigational systems, or lap top computers. 6. Kitchen Equipment: - It seems like only yesterday that giving a woman a kitchen appliance for Christmas would have resulted in divorce. Now, everyone wants to get back to the kitchen. We're all into gourmet, home cooked experiences using top of the range utensils and authentic ingredients. Cookbooks by celebrity chefs, restaurant quality cooking gear, funky gadgets and gourmet ingredients all make great Christmas gift ideas. 7. Chocolates: - Do you give her chocolates every year? Well this year you're going to give her chocolates she won't forget. Sign her up for a Chocolate of the Month Club so she gets to enjoy a taste of gourmet, handmade chocolates for the whole year! 8. Handbag: - If your wife or girlfriend has one of those handbags that look like an emergency survival kit designed to see a family of 8 through a nuclear holocaust, then you may hesitate before buying her a sleek designer bag. Just remember, inside every fat bag there is a skinny bag crying to be let out. She'll thank you for it. 9. Art or Ornaments: - Women love to decorate their homes to create an inviting space. Look for something that will suit her current décor. If she has loads of knick-knacks and country style furniture, then choose a painting or print of a landscape in a wooden frame. If she favors modern furniture and clear surfaces, then go for a modern abstract. Ornaments also need to suit and lift what she already has. Go for hand blown glass, hand carved wood or top quality porcelain. 10. Stationery: - Personally, I believe you can never have too much stationery. No woman should be without a beautiful set of notepads, diary, and folders. To make your gift truly special, add a good quality pen that you have had engraved with her name or a message that she will treasure. The list of top ten Christmas presents never fail to please women. You know the woman you are buying for, so you can judge which items are most likely to please her. Stick to the tried and true list of top selling Christmas gifts for women and stop stressing over what presents to buy. Now, don't be fooled into thinking you have heaps of time to shop, remember, Christmas is coming! Top Selling Christmas Gifts For Women Related articles: Spring Valley Vitamins , ทำseo

Christmas Treats Kids Can Make

Christmas Treats Kids Can Make Most children enjoy creating, whether it's art, stories or cooking. Christmas is a great time of the year for children to create treats and snacks for guests or even to give as gifts. Here are a few simple recipes your child can start with.

1. Peanut Butter Crunch 1 stick of butter 1 cup of peanut butter 1 pound box of powdered sugar 1 large box of crispy corn cereal squares 12 oz package of milk chocolate chips Melt the butter, peanut butter, & chocolate chips in large microwaveable bowl on medium until melted and stir. Empty the box of cereal in a large bowl and pour the chocolate mixture over the top and coat thoroughly. Pour the powdered sugar over the top and stir until all pieces are coated with sugar. Store in 2 large zipper bag in the refrigerator. S'more Balls 16 ounce bag of large marshmallows 16 ounce bag of chocolate chips 16 ounce package of graham crackers toothpicks Crush the graham crackers until they are almost like powder and put them in a big bowl. Melt chocolate and stir often until smooth. Stick a toothpick in one of the marshmallows and dip it in the chocolate all the way. Then dip it in the graham cracker crumbs half way. Set on the wax paper to dry. White Chocolate Mix 10 oz of mini twist pretzels 5 cups of toasted oat cereal 5 cups of crispy corn cereal squares 2 cups of salted peanuts 14 oz of candy-coated milk chocolate pieces 11 oz of white chocolate chips 3 tablespoons vegetable oil Line 3 baking sheets with waxed paper or parchment. In a large bowl, combine mini pretzels, toasted oat cereal, crispy corn cereal squares, salted peanuts, and candy-coated chocolate pieces. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat chips and oil on medium-high for 2 minutes, stirring once. Microwave on high for 10 seconds; stir until smooth. Pour over cereal mixture and mix well. Spread onto prepared baking sheets. Break apart when it's cooled. Store in an airtight container. Christmas Treats Kids Can Make Related articles: Spring Valley Vitamins , ทำseo

Chocolate Kisses Cookies

Chocolate Kisses Cookies This has been in our family for a long time. The recipe is easy and the cookies are delicious! Kids love to help bake these cookies, and is a good way to enjoy holiday baking. What could be better than a warm cookie and a cold glass of milk?

Ingredients 1 16 ½ ounce package of refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough 1/3 cut unsweetened cocoa powder 2/3 cup chocolate flavored sprinkles 2 tablespoons milk Dark chocolate kisses, unwrapped (about 40) Directions 1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet and set aside. Combine cookie dough and cocoa powder in a resealable plastic bag. Seal the bag, and knead with your hands until the dough and cocoa are mixed together. Remove the dough from the bag. 2.Place chocolate sprinkles in a shallow dish or small bowl. Put the milk in another small bowl. 3.Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Dip balls in the milk to moisten the dough, then roll in chocolate sprinkles. Place the cookie balls 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet. 4.Bake the cookies in a preheated oven for 8 minutes, or until the edges are firm. Immediately press a chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. Move cookies to a wire rack to cool. Makes about 40 cookies. To Store: Layer cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container and cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days, or can be frozen for up to 3 months. Chocolate Kisses Cookies

How to Make Beef Jerky in the Oven - The Homemade Beef Jerky Guide

How to Make Beef Jerky in the Oven - The Homemade Beef Jerky Guide Jerky makes a delicious snack for the whole family and a great gift for friends. It's always nice to have some great jerky recipes to prepare.

I've listed 4 jerky recipes you can try at home: 1. Venison Jerky Ingredients: - 2 lb Venison - 1 c Soy sauce - 1 t Lemon juice - 1/2 t Black pepper - 1/4 t Garlic Directions: - Cut the venison in strips approximately 1/4 x 1 x 8-inches. - Mix all ingredients and marinate venison approximately 10 hours turning once every hour. - Smoke venison on grill until completely dry or you may use oven on low heat with venison spread out on broiler pan. 2. Deer Jerky Ingredients: - 3/4 C soy sauce - 1 C worcestershire sauce - 3 T kosher salt - 2 T crushed black peppercorns - 2 T graham marsala - 1 T garlic powder - 1 T onion powder - 2 t Prague Powder #1 Directions: - Combine in a blender, mix with sliced beef or venison in a white trash bag (in a metal container so you don't create a mess!). - Refrigerate 24-36 hours, mixing occasionally. Dry about 15 hours at 125'F. 3. Deer Jerky Ingredients: - 1 1/2 To 2 lbs lean boneless deer meat, partially frozen - 1/4 c Soy sauce - 1 tb Worcestershire sauce - 1/4 ts Ground pepper - 1/4 ts Garlic powder - 1/4 ts Onion powder - 1/4 ts Hickory smoked salt - 1/4 c Firmly packed brown sugar - 1 sm Bottle liquid smoke Directions: - Trim all fat from the meat. Slice the meat as thinly as possible. - In a bowl combine the remaining ingredients. - Stir until dissolved. - Add the meat and mix well. - Cover and refrigerate overnight. - Shake the excess liquid from the meat and arrange in a shallow pan or cookie sheet. - Dry the meat in a 150F or 200 degree F oven until dry and brown, a minimum of 8 hours. - Cool, remove from the pan, and store in a glass jar. 4. Chinese Beef Jerky Ingredients: - 3 lb Flank steak - or London broil Marinade: - 1/2 c Light soy sauce - 4 1/2 tb Honey - 4 1/2 tb Dry Sherry - 6 lg Garlic cloves - minced - 1 1/2 tb Ginger - fresh, minced - 1 1/2 tb Sesame oil - 1 1/2 tb Red pepper - crushed dash freshly ground white pepper Directions: - Cut meat in half lengthwise and slice diagonally crosswise into paper-thin strips 1-1/2 to 2 inches wide and 4 inches long. - Transfer to shallow pan. - Combine marinade ingredients and rub thoroughly into meat. - Arrange meat on racks and let dry at cool room temperature overnight (do not refrigerate). - Preheat oven to 250 F. - Line two large baking sheets with foil and set wire rack(s) on top of each. - Arrange meat on racks in single layer. - Bake 30 minutes. - Reduce heat to 175 F and continue drying meat another 40 minutes (meat should be lightly browned but not burned). - Let meat continue to dry on racks at cool room temperature overnight before packing into jars. - Dried meat can be brushed lightly with sesame oil for additional flavor and shine. Makes 36 pieces or 10 buffet servings. How to Make Beef Jerky in the Oven - The Homemade Beef Jerky Guide

Best Holiday Chocolate Recipe

Best Holiday Chocolate Recipe I've browsed the net looking for a chocolate recipe that would be the best, all-time, holiday chocolate recipe and after several hours of choosing from the many chocolate recipes, I finally settled for the one I feel most deserving to be hailed as, "The Best Holiday Chocolate Recipe" and it's the Chocolate cookies recipe. You can have chocolate cookies for Easter parties, Halloween, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas eve dinner, and even on New Year's Day! They are certainly an all-time favorite, from toddlers to teens to grown-ups.

Here is a simple but wonderful Chocolate Cookies recipe. Ingredients: 2 cups of chocolate chips (choose semi-sweet chips) 2 tablespoons of butter 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder 1/4 teaspoon of salt 2 large eggs 5 tablespoons of brown sugar 1 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 cup of nuts, preferably walnuts, chopped The first step in making this wonderful chocolate recipe is to preheat your chocolate cookie-making oven to 350F. Put in a cup of chocolate chips and the 2 tablespoons of butter in a microwave-proof container, preferably a transparent bowl, and heat it up until it melts. Mix the mixture well until it smoothens. After that, put the 1/3 cups of all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a mixing bowl and mix them together. Be careful when mixing as not to whisk the mixture too hard or you will waste some. Using a kitchen mixer or just by hand, beat the 2 large eggs and when done, add in the 5 tablespoons of brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and mix well. Add the melted chocolate chips mixture you've previous heated up in the oven bit by bit into the mixture of eggs, brown sugar and vanilla. Next add in the dry ingredients and don't forget to add as well the 1/2 cup of chopped nuts and the other cup of chocolate chips. After mixing all the ingredients, you will have a dough. Take a scoop of the dough and place it onto a baking sheet at about 2 to 3 inches apart. If you want to make the dough firmer, refrigerated it for about an hour or more. Bake it for 10 to 15 minutes while rotating the cookie sheet every once in a while until your wonderful chocolate cookies are a little shiny and cool them completely on the baking sheets. To make your chocolate cookies suit more into the holiday season, decorate it with sugar or butter cream icings. Enjoy your best holiday chocolate recipe! Best Holiday Chocolate Recipe

Shedding Pounds This Holiday Season With the New Candy Cane Diet

Shedding Pounds This Holiday Season With the New Candy Cane Diet The holidays are a time of joy, spending time with family, friends, and avoiding fruitcake at all costs. Throughout December, we're bombarded by platters of brownies, pies, cookies, cheese plates, gin fizzes and those tins of stale flavored popcorn. When I'm offered sweets or appetizers at work, cocktail parties and my parent's house, it's easy to put on a few pounds between Thanksgiving and New Years.

In order to combat the added calories, I developed a very simple "Candy Cane Diet" that works which I first jokingly blogged about on MySpace back in 2005. Sounds weird, right? But believe it or not, people actually used MySpace at one time. And for the handful of friends that may have read it six years ago, I've been on this seasonal diet (Nov-Jan) since then and revised the plan with even more research to back up my findings. The Facts: 1. Peppermint works as a natural appetite suppressant. I noticed years ago that eating a peppermint candy cane after a meal kept me full and not reaching for more goodies. 2. This diet is less expensive than weight loss supplements, drinks, or paid programs. 3. Whether you have a sweet tooth or not, this diet works and canes can be substituted with Peppermint tea. Here is how the Diet works: Diet Plan* 1. Eat a well balanced breakfast around 400 calories. It's okay to drink coffee too. 2. After a reasonably portioned lunch, skip the cupcakes or cookies and grab a candy cane. 3. Snack around 3pm-Like oranges, nuts, pretzel crisps, string cheese, Greek yogurt with honey & berries. 4. After dinner, as soon as you feel full instead of indulging in desserts, grab a candy cane. 5. Doing steps 1-4 most days will allow you to eat more at a holiday dinners or events during Dec. *Actual weight loss results may vary and may increase tooth decay, (but trust me it works). The candy cane must be the standard size & peppermint flavor (watermelon, blueberry or fruity candy canes won't work. (Box of 12= 40 calories each. Try to stick to 2-3 canes a day) *These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This diet is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. And exercise (even if it's just walking) and drinking H20 helps, as with any diet. Added Benefits: 1. A candy cane is a festive edible accessory during the holidays. Cuter than a lollipop, and much healthier than cigarettes. Plus, they easily fit in your purse, pocket or clutch. 2. No hostess will feel the need to force goodies or egg nog down your throat if they see you with candy. 3. Minty fresh breath in case you meet Mr. or Mrs. right under the mistletoe. 4. You can lose weight & still eat your favorite holiday foods in reasonable portions a couple times a week. In closing, I also just read last week I just read yesterday in Better Homes & Garden magazine, (Dec. 2011, pg. 181) that "Next time you need a nudge to exercise, try a peppermint stick. Studies suggest the fresh scent can rev mental energy and boost athletic performance." Shedding Pounds This Holiday Season With the New Candy Cane Diet

The Newlyweds' First Christmas

The Newlyweds' First Christmas For couples being married this year, one thing that they will have to look forward to is their first Christmas spent together as husband and wife. It can be a magical time to spend with family and friends. Your first Christmas is also a wonderful time to establish traditions that you will celebrate for the rest of your life.

The holidays can be a very busy time. For newlyweds, they can also be a stressful time. You have to decide: do we spend the day with my family or yours? When the parents of each person are demanding their presence around the holiday table, it is easy to feel torn. Many couples handle this by alternating holidays. They spend Thanksgiving with one family, then Christmas with the other. The following year, they can switch where they go for each holiday. This is one of those solutions that may not entirely please anybody, but it is often the most equitable. If your families live far away, or if it seems impossible to go to just one of them for Christmas, the newlyweds might decide that they are better off staying home. Perhaps you could extend an invitation to both sets of parents to join you to start a new holiday tradition. If they decline, well, at least the effort was made. It is always very exciting to get your first Christmas tree together. If possible, make the event extra memorable by going to a farm and cutting it yourself. Traipsing through the snowy woods together searching for that perfect tree is a lot of fun. Afterwards, you can enjoy a cozy mug of cocoa snuggled in front of a crackling fireplace. Decorating the Christmas tree is equally fun. Sometimes the bride or groom will have sentimental ornaments from their childhood that they want to hang, but often a couple does not have any of their own decorations. You can create a great homey tree without spending a lot of money if you make your own ornaments out of natural materials. Put on a classic Christmas movie, and watch it while stringing popcorn or cranberries. You can spraypaint pinecones a soft gold for terrific looking decorations that will last through the years. Other great natural materials you can try include orange slices (which look beautiful with white lights twinkling behind them) and star-shaped gingerbread cookies. Every new husband or wife wants to make sure that their first holiday together will be one that they will always remember fondly. One way to do that is with a very special gift. The man might consider giving his new wife a handmade piece of jewelry to complete the set she wore for their wedding day. A fun way to present it is to hang it from the tree on Christmas morning. Even if it just the two of you, be sure to have a real holiday dinner with all of the trimmings. It is an important ritual to establish. The meal will feel even more festive if you both dress up for it. Depending on your lifestyle, you could choose to go really fancy, with a beautiful dress and high heels. It is also a great excuse to pull out your handmade wedding jewelry. For more casual couples, dressing up might mean a festive sweater and a nice pair of wool pants. Just don't spend the whole day in your pajamas - that is not romantic. Your first Christmas together will be one of the occasions where you get to decide what traditions from your childhood to keep and pass down to future generations. It is also a wonderful time for newlyweds to establish the traditions that will be important in their own little family. The first Christmas after the wedding is a joyous time - be sure to enjoy it to its fullest. The Newlyweds' First Christmas

Have an Office Cookie Exchange for Holiday Fun!

Have an Office Cookie Exchange for Holiday Fun! If you and your family love having (or giving) a variety of home-baked cookies for the holidays, but you just don't have the time or energy this year, here's the solution: a holiday cookie exchange!

You can bake just one large batch of your favorite holiday cookies, take them to the cookie exchange, and come home with several different kinds of freshly baked cookies! You'll be the family hero, with minimum effort! Cookie exchanges can be done with friends and neighbors at home parties, or with co-workers at the office. Since the focus of this article is saving time and energy, we'll discuss the office version. Hey, you won't have to spend time cleaning up the house before and after the exchange! Here's how to have a cookie exchange at work: 1. Pick a date. Plan ahead so you can give people plenty of advance notice... at least two weeks. 2. Reserve a conference room or other area for the exchange. Book it for an hour. You're probably safest to plan it for the lunch hour, when your fellow employees will be free to have some non-work-related fun. 3. Invite people to participate. Be careful how you do this at work. Some companies frown on sending personal emails or using the copier for unofficial fliers. Do what's acceptable where you work. You'll want a minimum of six people to make the exchange worthwhile, but less than ten so the amount of baking everyone will have to do is manageable. Explain in your invitation that everyone will need to bake a dozen cookies per participant. So if eight people sign up for the exchange, everyone will need to bring at least eight dozen cookies (extras for sample tasting are encouraged!). Emphasize that family favorites or traditional cookie recipes are preferred, so there will be less chance of two or more people bringing the same type of cookies. Also ask them to bring copies of their cookie recipe for sharing. This is not only a great way for everyone to obtain new cookie recipes, it's a safety mechanism for people with food allergies. They can review the recipe before trying the cookies. 4. Ask everyone you invite to RSVP at least a week prior to the exchange and specify the type of cookie they'll bring. 5. Share the RSVP information with all participants, so everyone will know how many cookies to bake and bring (and how many copies of their cookie recipe). Ask everyone to bring their cookies already counted out, one dozen cookies per participant, packaged in sealable plastic bags (or other containers they don't mind giving away). If eight participants, they'll bring eight bags containing one dozen cookies each. 6. At the exchange (in a decorated room if you're ambitious), it'll be nice to provide coffee or water, and encourage people to sample the cookies. That way you can all rave about each others' culinary skills and have fun swapping stories about baking adventures, cookie recipe development, or the biggest nuts in the company. Relax for a while, have a good time, and take home some new and delicious goodies for the family! For some great cookie recipes for cookie exchanges, visit www.Cookie-Crazy.com. Have an Office Cookie Exchange for Holiday Fun!

Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe - How to Make Snickerdoodles Without Cream of Tartar

Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe - How to Make Snickerdoodles Without Cream of Tartar Cream of tartar is an age old ingredient, found in just about any Snickerdoodle recipe. The common household baker rarely knows what cream of tartar is, let alone has this acidic based salt in their spice cupboard. Suffice it to say you can still enjoy delicious Snickerdoodles even though you may not have any on hand. You may even find you like the end results better with a simple common substitution.

Cream of tartar is commonly used in conjunction with baking soda when making Snickerdoodle cookies. Baking soda is the leavening agent while cream of tartar has no leavening qualities at all. It is the acidic counterpart that allows the baking soda to react and not leave a bitter taste in the cookie after it is baked. Baking soda must always be used with an acid based food such as buttermilk, yogurt, fruits, and cream of tartar. A Snickerdoodle recipe usually calls for two parts cream of tartar to one part baking soda. However, in the absence of cream of tartar you can replace this two to one formula with baking powder. Baking powder is also a leavening agent. It produces a gas during the baking process that raises the baked good in the oven. Baking powder makes a good substitution in this recipe because it is conveniently made of baking soda, cornstarch, and cream of tartar. If you have baking powder in your cupboard, then you have the cream of tartar necessary to make Snickerdoodles. However, although you can substitute baking powder in your Snickerdoodle recipe, you may arrive at a different finished result. It will taste every bit as good as you want it too, you will find that it is a thicker cookie that has spread less in the oven during the baking period. Since most people find this favorable in a cookie then it should not be a problem. If you have always enjoyed thinner, crispier Snickerdoodles, then stick with the original formula that uses cream of tartar. Whether you are using the baking soda cream of tartar combination or the baking powder alone, you will make a crackled, spicy, sweet treat enjoyed by all. Try these Snickerdoodle cookie recipes: one with cream of tartar and one without to see which one you prefer the most. Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe - How to Make Snickerdoodles Without Cream of Tartar

3 Homemade Candy Recipes That You Can Make For Holiday Gifts

3 Homemade Candy Recipes That You Can Make For Holiday Gifts When it comes to making homemade food to give as holiday gifts, I think we all will agree that candy is at the top of the list. All three of these recipes are easy to prepare and will take less than 15 minutes to make (not including set up time).

You can make the candies and then package them in cellophane food-safe bags, metal cookie/candy tins or decorative holiday plastic containers. You can safely make these recipes up to 1 week before you plan on giving them as a gift. Holiday Marble Bark 6 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate 6 squares premium white baking chocolate 1 cup crushed peppermint candies Using 2 different microwave-safe containers, melt the semi-sweet and white chocolates in separate bowls. You should use the high power setting, stirring the chocolates at 30 second intervals until they are melted. I find that using a silicone nonstick spatula works best for this task. Stir 1/2 cup of the peppermint candies into each container. Alternately spoon melted chocolates onto waxed paper lined cookie sheet. Swirl chocolates together with the spatula to give it a marbled effect. Refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours or until firm. Break into bite-sized pieces. Double Peanut Clusters 2 cups peanut butter morsels 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening 2 cups salted peanuts Melt the peanut butter morsels and shortening in the top of a double boiler over hot, not boiling water. Carefully stir in the peanuts until they are well covered by the mixture. Line a baking sheet with waxed or parchment paper. Drop mixture by the teaspoons onto the baking sheet. Cool until firm. Pecan Pralines 1 lb. bag brown sugar 2 tablespoons butter 1 cup whipping cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup whole pecan halves Using a medium-sized saucepan, combine the brown sugar with the whipping cream. Simmer this mixture over low for 10 minutes, stirring often with a nonstick silicone spatula. Remove from heat and stir in the butter, vanilla extract and pecan halves. Beat this mixture by hand for 3 minutes. Line a baking sheet with waxed or parchment paper and drop the mixture onto the sheet by rounded tablespoons. Cool until firm. 3 Homemade Candy Recipes That You Can Make For Holiday Gifts