Refreshing and Delicious Dessert Recipes - Fruit Luau, Easy Apple Dessert, Fruit Pizza, Etc

Refreshing and Delicious Dessert Recipes - Fruit Luau, Easy Apple Dessert, Fruit Pizza, Etc Sometimes the meal has been heavy or it is so hot one just wants a lighter refreshing dessert. For those times we recommend the following recipes: Fruit Luau is a refreshing dessert of fruit and ice cream. In keeping with the Hawaiian theme, the Hawaiian-Style Dessert is an easy dressed-up tapioca pudding. I recommend my late mother's recipe for an easy Fruit Pizza as a good way to get the kiddos to eat fresh fruits and berries. The Apple Dessert is probably not as light but is a good cake-like dessert you can enjoy without frosting. All are yummy desserts!

FRUIT LUAU 1 can fruit cocktail, drained Vanilla ice cream Pineapple rings whipped cream or frozen whipped topping, thawed 4 fresh strawberries Divide the fruit cocktail into 4 small dessert dishes. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Lay a pineapple ring over the ice cream. Fill pineapple center with whipped cream and top with a strawberry. DREAMY HAWAIIAN-STYLE DESSERT 1 pkg (4-servings size) vanilla tapioca pudding mix 1 small can sliced pineapple 2 tbsp butter 1/3 cup brown sugar, firmy packed 1/4 cup flaked coconut Prepare the pudding mix according to the package directions. Set aside to cool for 15 minutes. Stir the pudding well and then spoon evenly into 4 dessert dishes. Chill. Drain the pineapple well, reserving 1/3 cup juice. Cut the pineapple slices in half. Melt the butter in a skillet and add the brown sugar, stirring until softened. Gradually add the reserved pineapple juice while stirring constantly. Add the pineapple and the coconut and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and just simmer for 4 minutes. Serve the pineapple warm over the pudding. MY LATE MOM'S EASY FRUIT PIZZA 1 roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough 1 pkg (8-oz) cream cheese, softened 1/3 cup sugar 1 tsp vanilla fresh fruits and/or fresh berries of your choice Completely cover a pizza pan with the cookie dough and bake it according to the package directions. Cool completely. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together until creamy and smooth. Spread mixture over top of the cooled pizza cookie. Arrange the fresh fruit in a pretty fashion over the top of the cream cheese mixture. Chill before serving to allow the cream cheese layer to set. EASY APPLE DESSERT 1 can apple pie filling 1/2 box yellow cake mix, dry 1 stick butter 1/4 tsp cinnamon Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8 X 8-inch baking pan or dish with a nonstick cooking spray. Empty the can of pie filling into the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly over the pie filling. Cut the butter into portions and dot over the top of the cake mix. Sprinkle the cinnamon evenly over the top (may use more cinnamon or apple pie spice, if desired). Bake at 375 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes. This is great served as is. It is especially good served warm with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Enjoy! Refreshing and Delicious Dessert Recipes - Fruit Luau, Easy Apple Dessert, Fruit Pizza, Etc

Homemade Energy Bar Recipe

Homemade Energy Bar Recipe Energy bars take up almost as much space on the isles of grocery stores and gas stations as candy bars. They provide a quick fix of calories for people on the go, or the athlete who needs extra fuel. The bars are typically high in protein, though many contain high amounts of corn syrup and sugars as well. Energy Bars come with names like "Splendor Berry," "Cocoa Supreme," and "Peanut Surprise." But these products contain more "surprise" and less natural ingredients like peanuts, cocoa, or berries. In fact, the modern energy bar is such a potent lab development of artificial sweeteners and designer whey that the actual product barely resembles or tastes like anything that could come out of the ground...

Which is why you should make your own energy bars. Natural, organic, high protein energy bars. And this is a recipe for one of the best. Ingredients 0.25 cup sesame seed meal 0.25 cup almond butter 0.25 cup coconut oil (can be found at health food store or higher quality grocery stores) 0.5 cup almonds (chopped or slivered) 0.5 cup pecans 0.5 cup dried blueberries 0.25 shredded coconut (unsweetened) 0.5 teaspoon natural honey 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 0.25 teaspoon salt Instructions Toast nuts and shredded coconut on a baking sheet. During baking, give the sheet a good shake occasionally to flip shreds for a more even toast. Blend the mixture in a food processor until ingredients are thoroughly chopped and pulpy. Microwave the almond butter and coconut oil together for about 30 seconds. Stir until the mixture becomes gooey and smooth. Mix the honey, salt, and pure vanilla extract into the almond butter/coconut oil. Fold the sesame seed meal and nut mixture into the "goo" and mix vigorously. Add the blueberries, and keep mixing vigorously. Flatten the mixture into a 4 x 8 bread or loaf pan. Refrigerate for thirty minutes. The mixture should be thick, but not brittle. Cut into 6 bars, or for kicks, slice up into "cookie cutter" shapes like stars and hearts for the kids. The great thing about these energy bars is that they are naturally low in carbohydrates. Yet, they still provide that calorie kick as well as healthy nuts and fats associated with a high protein diet. It's perfect for the carb counter who's looking for a boost of energy without overloading on sugar. If this is up your alley, check out these healthy nut recipes for more high protein options. Homemade Energy Bar Recipe

Fast, Easy, Healthy - Peanutty Sesame Noodles

Fast, Easy, Healthy - Peanutty Sesame Noodles Love the peanut sauce and sesame-flavored noodles from your favorite Asian restaurant and wondering how to make it at home? You can use regular spaghetti, some fresh vegetables, and an easy peanut sauce recipe to make it fresh in your own kitchen. The peanut sauce is very similar to what you have tried in Thai and Indonesian restaurants, and it takes just seconds to make, using premade teriyaki sauce, peanut butter, and sesame oil. Make extra sauce and use on chicken skewers, as a vegetable dip, or eat with fresh spring rolls. All the ingredients can be purchased at Trader Joe's. If you like these types of recipes also try the Black Bean Soup.

8 oz (1/2 a pkg) spaghetti 1 cup shredded carrot 1 cup sliced cucumber 2 green onions, chopped 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, crushed (optional) 1. Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cool water. Drain and place in large bowl. 2. Pour Easy Peanutty Sauce (recipe below) over spaghetti and toss until evenly coated. Add carrots and cucumber. Toss gently. 3. Top with green onions and crushed peanuts. Easy Peanutty Sauce 1/4 cup Trader Joe's Soyaki, or other bottled teriyaki sauce such as Veri Veri Teriyaki 1/4 cup creamy salted peanut butter 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil 1/4 cup water 1. Whisk together Soyaki, peanut butter, and sesame oil until smooth. 2. Add water and mix until smooth. Serves 4-6 Variation: For extra protein, add chunks of leftover chicken or pre-cooked Just Chicken About Us: We're the authors of 3 independent Trader Joe's Cookbooks. Everyone loves Trader Joe's for their gourmet bargains, natural healthy products, unbeatable wine selection, and unique products from around the world. Our recipes feature Trader Joe's ingredients, such as sauces and other prepped items, in easy, healthy, and delicious meals that can be made in minutes - perfect for parents and busy people. Our cookbooks are available on Barnes & Noble, Borders, your local bookstore, or via our website Fast, Easy, Healthy - Peanutty Sesame Noodles

Fun Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes

Fun Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes The emotional trigger that a smell can stir up is one of the most powerful triggers that there is. If you live anywhere in the United States, chances are that the smell of chocolate chip cookies baking conjures up some kind of emotional memory for you. Smells are part of how we remember, part of how we define our memories, our stories, our lives.

For me, the smells of baking were part of my childhood, part of the fabric of how I define my childhood and part of the fabric of how I define my life to this day. The smell of a favorite baked treat can still bring a smile of remembrance to my face. What kitchen smells define your childhood memories? What smells do you want your children to define as their childhood memories? Here a couple of great variations on that old favorite, chocolate chip cookies. I hope you use these baking recipes to make wonderful memories with your children. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies 1 1/4 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3/4 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 1/2 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, brown sugar, and peanut butter. Mix together until creamy. Add in the egg and vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture. Add in the chocolate chips and peanuts. Drop the dough by teaspoons onto baking sheets. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 7 to 10 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are set but the centers are soft. After removing the cookies from the oven, leave them on the baking sheets for 4 minutes before removing them. Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies 1 3/4 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed 1 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup sugar 2 eggs 2 tablespoons milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 1/2 cups quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 cup chopped nuts (optional) In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, mix together the brown sugar, butter and regular sugar. Add in the eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Slowly add the flour mixture. Add the oats, chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by tablespoons onto baking sheets. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 9 to 10 minutes for soft cookies and 12 to 13 for crispy ones. Fun Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes

Chicken Pot Pie Recipe- Easy Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

Chicken Pot Pie Recipe- Easy Chicken Pot Pie Recipe This recipe makes a great chicken pot pie without preservatives (no need for them because this won't stick around for long in your refrigerator).

2 (9-inch) deep dish frozen pie crusts, thawed 1 (15 oz.) can mixed vegetables, drained 2 cups chicken breast, cooked and diced 1 (10.75 oz.) can condensed cream of chicken soup 1/2 cup milk Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine the mixed vegetables, chicken, cream of chicken soup and milk. Pour mixture into one of the pie crusts. Turn over the other crust and pop it out of the tin and onto the top of the filled pie. Seal the edges and poke holes in top crust. Bake for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown. => Chicken Pie Recipe: Bisquick Chicken Pot Pie Recipe This classic Bisquick recipe has been around for ages. It's easy to make and it'll be a favorite for years to come. 1/3 cup butter, melted 1/2 cup Bisquick 1/3 cup onion, chopped 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/8 teaspoon thyme 1/2 cub chicken broth 2/3 cup milk 1 3/4 cup chicken 10 oz. pkg. frozen peas and carrots Direction In a saucepan, combine butter, Bisquick, onion, pepper and thyme; bring to a boil. Stir in the chicken broth and milk. Bring to a boil again, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Add in the chicken and frozen vegetables. Mix thoroughly and take pan off of the heat. Pour mixture into a 9-inch square baking dish. Make topping and place over pie. Bake 45 minutes or until crust is a light, golden brown. Topping 1 1/2 cup Bisquick 3 tablespoons hot water 3 tablespoons butter, softened Directions Mix together all ingredients and form into a ball. Roll out dough and place over pot pie mixture. => Best Chicken Pot Pie Recipe: Cheesy Homemade Chicken Pot Pie Recipe Nothing better than homemade chicken pot pie with cheese added. Yum. 1 1/2 cups chicken stock 1 cup chicken meat, cooked and shredded 3/4 cup green peas 1/3 cup celery, diced 1/3 cup carrots, diced 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1/4 cup milk 2 (9-inch) pie crusts Directions Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a medium saucepan, combine the chicken stock, shredded chicken, peas, celery and carrots. Bring mixture to a boil. Mix the cornstarch with the milk and stir into the stock mixture. Cook the mixture for 5 minutes; stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let cool for 1 hour. Stir the cheese into the filling mixture and pour all into a 9-inch pie crust. Place the second crust on top of the mixture and seal the edges. Cut slits into the top of the crust to vent. Place pie on a cookie sheet and bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Chicken Pot Pie Recipe- Easy Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

Easy Cupcake Recipe

Easy Cupcake Recipe Imagine yourself, sitting on your favorite bench and reading a good book. To make the scene perfect, your mom brought you this delicious and eye - satisfying cupcake. Isn't that great?

Did it ever occur to you how your mom can make such wonderful cupcake? Stop wondering. Here are some easy to do cupcake recipes that you'll certainly love doing. Here is White Cupcake Recipe for you! Ingredients: • 1/2 cup of softened butter • 3/4 cup of sugar • 2 pieces of eggs • 2 teaspoon of vanilla extract • 1 - 1/2 cup of all - purpose flour • 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder • 1/4 teaspoon of salt • 2/3 cup of milk Instructions: 1. Pre - heat the oven until it reaches 350°F. Line the cupcakes with the use of paper or foil. 2. Mix the butter and the sugar. 3. Add the eggs, one at a time. Beat it well. 4. Stir the vanilla extract to the mixture. 5. Mix together the dry ingredients. After that, get the butter mixture and add it. Do it 1/3 at a time and alternately with the milk. 6. Pour the mixture to cupcake pan and bake them for 18 to 24 minutes. The cupcake is done when you insert a toothpick and come out clean. 7. This mixture can create an average of 12 cupcakes. Another good cupcake recipe is the "Golden Butter Cupcake". This is so delicious and easy to bake like the first one I have mentioned. How to make a Golden Butter Cupcake: Ingredients: • 2 cups of all - purpose flour • 1 1/2 cups of sugar • 2 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder • 1teaspoon of salt • 3/4 cup of softened margarine or butter • 3/4 cup of whole milk • 1 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract • 3 pieces of large eggs Instructions: 1. Pre - heat the oven until 350°F. Line the muffin pan cups (2 1/2 inch) with paper liners. 24 2. Using a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt use an electric mixer in low - speed for better results. Do this until they totally combine. 3. Add the milk, butter, vanilla and the eggs. Beat them until they blends. Use again the electric mixer, switch to high and give 1-2 minutes for the mixing. 4. Spoon the mixture into the muffin pan cups. Allow them to cook for 20-25 minutes or until they turn to golden in color. The cake is ready if the toothpick comes out clear after insertion. 5. Cool the cupcakes and prepare the frosting. You can create beautiful designs using cake decorating flowers, edible shapes like stars and animals. There are so many different cake decorating kits in the market today. Yup! You can also use cake decorating add-on in decorating your cupcakes. Easy Cupcake Recipe

Popcorn Recipes - A Healthy Choice

Popcorn Recipes - A Healthy Choice Popcorn is fun and convenient whole grain snacks. It is an excellent source of fiber. It also helps steady one's blood sugar levels. Aside from this, it can be incorporated as a low-fat snack, having a lot of nutritional benefits.

By experimenting with some healthful ingredients on your popcorn, one can achieve a healthy balanced diet without any risks. Below are some of healthy popcorn recipes that can meet your daily needs, for a delicious and quick snack mixture. Peppy Popcorn Preparation Time: 10 minutes Ingredients: o 14 cups popcorn, air-popped o 2 tbsp. parmesan cheese, grated o 1/4 tsp. dried oregano o 2 tsp. paprika In a small bowl, mix oregano, paprika and cheese. Sprinkle these onto the popcorn and toss. It can yield up to 14 cups. You can also melt organic raw cheese with organic milk and pour this over the popcorn. Nutrition Data for 1 cup serving: 30 calories/0.5 grams fat Spicy Peanut Curry PopCorn Preparation time: 10 minutes Number of serving: 1 Ingredients: o 8 cups air-popped popcorn( no oil or salt) o 1 teaspoon chili paste (Sambal Oelek) o 2 tablespoons Better than Peanut Butter o 1 teaspoon curry powder Air-pop about ½ cup of corn kernels. Put peanut butter on a microwave cup. Add sambal with small amounts of water. Stir in order to make out a creamy and thick peanut butter mixture. Microwave it approximately 30 seconds. Fold the peanut butter mixture onto the popcorn. Praline Popcorn Crunch Ingredients: o 12 cups popped popcorn o 1/2 cup margarine o 1 cup firm-pack brown sugar o 1/2 teaspoon vanilla o 1/4 cup honey o 1 cup pecan halves o 1/2 teaspoon baking soda Grease a 15x10 inch baking pan and place the popcorn on top. Combine sugar, honey and margarine in a 1 ½ quart saucepan. Cook and stir constantly with a wooden spoon. Place this in medium heat until it boils. Cook this for about 5 minutes and then remove from the heat. Mix vanilla and baking soda then pour it over the popped corn. Next, add some pecans, stir until evenly coated and bake at 300 degrees for about 15 minutes. Stir gently for five more minutes and lay everything down on waxed paper. Lastly, allow to cool and break into chunks. Popcorn Trail Mix Full Recipe: 1 quart Yield: 3 cups Ingredients: 1 quart air-popped popcorn 8 ounces raisins 6 ounces dried fruit (apricots, apples, etc.), diced Add diced fruit and raisins to a large bowl of popped corn. Combine and toss thoroughly. Nutritional Information (based on 3-cup serving) - Protein 8g; Calories 651; Carbohydrate 162g ; Fat 5g; Saturated Fat 3g; Fiber 15g; Sodium 420 mg. Other nutritional ingredients that can be mix in popcorn are: - 1 /3 cup chopped dried fruit provides iron and fiber - 2 tbsp. soy nuts gives fiber and calcium - 2 tbsp. whole almonds gives protein, iron and fiber - 2 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese gives protein and calcium - 10 pretzel sticks gives B vitamins - 2 tbsp. pumpkin seeds gives protein and fiber - 1 /2 cup dry unsweetened cereal gives iron and B vitamins While enjoying your favorite movies at home you can prepare popcorn in just a few minutes. There are many ways to include popcorn on one's healthy diet. Popcorn Recipes - A Healthy Choice

Flavoring Your 10-Inch Cheesecake Recipe

Flavoring Your 10-Inch Cheesecake Recipe The 10-inch cheesecake recipe is the most common size found both in cookbooks and on recipe Web sites, and it's a big canvas on which to write a flavor signature. While the base recipe is a marvel of creamy goodness, it's natural to want to branch out and add your favorite flavor into the mix.

One of the most popular flavors to add is peanut butter, usually in combination with chocolate chips or a drizzle of chocolate sauce. However, if you are a true peanut butter devotee, you don't need no stinkin' chocolate in your peanut butter! In fact, why not go whole-hog with your effort and make it peanutty from top to bottom? Use crushed peanut butter cookies for the crust, peanut butter in the mix (and even some chopped peanuts if you like) and sprinkle chopped dry-roasted peanuts on top right before serving. Chocolate purists have even more options when it comes to creating the ultimate in chocolate perfection. Not only can they use a variety of chocolate cookies to create the crust, but their options for adding chocolate into the cheesecake are legion. There's the straightforward mixing in of chocolate syrup, adding a swirl of fudge, sprinkling in chocolate chips, putting a layer of shaved chocolate on top and even making a layered cake, with dark chocolate on the bottom and straight cheesecake on top. The toppings for a chocolate cheesecake run the gamut, too. I've got a friend who lets her daughters use Magic Shell to make "cheesecake in a shell" for sleepover snacks. There are the usual chocolate syrups, of course, and shaved dark chocolate can't miss. If you want to go a step beyond, though, make a decadent chocolate ganache and pour it over the cake before serving. You'll have diners asking if they can stay overnight for the leftovers! These are just two of the options for flavoring your 10-inch cheesecake recipe. There are as many more as there are flavors in the world ... experiment and discover! Flavoring Your 10-Inch Cheesecake Recipe

Fun Jello Cookies

Fun Jello Cookies If you are looking for an easy dessert recipe, try some Jello cookies. They are quick to make. The cookies turn out light and fluffy, but have the fun colors from your selection of Jello. Make cherry and lime for red and green cookies for the holidays. Use orange, lemon, and lime for spring colors. You are limited only by your imagination and the choices of Jello on your store shelves.

These cookies are great favorites with the kids because of their fun colors. You can always brighten up the colors slightly with a drop or two of food coloring if you wish; the Jello makes a nice pastel color on its own. Make them when you want to cheer someone up; the colorful cookies will bring a smile to their face. This dough holds a shape pretty well. You can roll out the dough and cut the cookies out in shapes using cookie cutters. You can also press them flat with a glass or with a mold that has a pattern. You could also make a pattern on them like you would a peanut butter cookie and use a fork dipped in sugar to make criss cross marks. This recipe also works well in a cookie press. You can make all sorts of fun shapes with a cookie press. The Jello provides the color and a bit of flavor to the dough. You can even choose the colors of Jello to match a theme party if you want. Let your imagination run wild; make pink and blue for a baby shower or match colors with wedding colors for a bridal shower. Green would be perfect for St. Patrick's Day, of course, and orange would work well for Halloween. Some people like to sprinkle the freshly baked cookies with a little sugar; it sticks better when they are warm. Otherwise, you could sprinkle a little on before you bake them, but you need to watch so the sugar does not burn. You can also frost them when they are cool. Cream cheese frosting works well with most Jello cookies. Garnish with an appropriate fruit or put some colored sprinkles on top. Recipe for Jello Cookies Kids love these colorful cookies. What You Need 4 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1-1/2 cups butter 1 cup sugar 1 3-ounce package of Jello, any flavor 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla How to Make It Sift the flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, cream the butter, and then gradually add the sugar and Jello. Add the egg and vanilla; mix well. Gradually add the flour mixture, making sure it is well incorporated into the batter. Chill the dough for at least an hour. Fill a cookie press with the dough and press out cookies onto a baking sheet. Alternatively, you can roll the dough into balls and press them flat with the bottom of a glass. Bake at 400 degrees F for 13 to 14 minutes. Makes 60 cookies. Fun Jello Cookies

Recipes For Old Fashion Gingerbread and Scandinavian Almond Crescents

Recipes For Old Fashion Gingerbread and Scandinavian Almond Crescents I love digging through my vintage recipe collection and finding new (well old, really) recipes to try. Here are a couple that are perfect for the holidays but would be tasty treats at anytime of the year. This old-fashion gingerbread recipe is perfect for the holidays since it is quick, easy, and serves eighteen. The Scandinavian Almond Crescents make a wonderful treat for sharing with family, friends, co-workers, teachers, etc. They would also make a great "food" gift that's sure to please. I hope you will enjoy these recipes.

SCANDINAVIAN ALMOND CRESCENTS This recipe was cut from the back of an old Parkay margarine package. 1 container (8 oz)Soft Parkay Margarine Sifted powdered sugar 1 1/2 tsps almond extract 2 1/4 cups flour 1/2 cup finely chopped almonds, toasted Beat margarine and 1/4 cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in extract. Add flour; mix well. Stir in almonds. Shape leve teaspoonfuls of dough into crescents; place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheet immediately. Cool 5 minutes; sprinkle lightly with additional powdered sugar. Yield: Approximately 5 dozen cookies OLD FASHION GINGERBREAD 2 eggs 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup shortening 1 cup molasses 1/2 cup sour milk with 1 tsp soda* 2 1/4 cups flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp cloves 1 tsp cinnamon 1 1/2 tsp ginger 1 cup hot water or hot coffee Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix eggs, sugar, shortening, molasses, and milk thoroughly. Add flour, baking powder, salt, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger. Mix into sugar mixture; mix well. Add the hot water or coffee; blend thoroughly. Grease and lightly flour a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes. Serves 18. *Sour milk is buttermilk Enjoy! Recipes For Old Fashion Gingerbread and Scandinavian Almond Crescents

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

Homemade Trout Dough Bait Recipes

Homemade Trout Dough Bait Recipes There are obviously many types of trout bait sold in retail stores, but making homemade trout dough bait is a great way to really involve yourself in the process of catching some trout. Homemade trout bait recipes can easily be altered based on what colors, flavors, and smells are successful for trout in your area. The following are guidelines for making two different types of homemade trout bait.

The first type of homemade bait is meant to entice the trout's taste buds and sense of smell by employing cheese and garlic. First, take a quarter of a pound of Velveeta and melt it in your microwave. Then, create the dough by mixing together the melted Velveeta, 2 cups water, 1 cup flour, 1 cup cornmeal, ½ cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon garlic powder (you can always add more garlic powder to create a stronger smell). Once you have mixed these ingredients until they form a pliable dough, fill a stockpot with water and bring it to a boil. Form the dough into small balls and cook in the boiling water for 1-2 minutes as if you were cooking dumplings. After cooking, dry the dough balls out by laying them on some sheets of paper towel. The second method of creating homemade trout dough bait is done by utilizing food coloring to attract trout visually. The use of sardines will also cater to their sense of smell. In this recipe, combine 1 cup water, ¼ cup light corn syrup, several drops of food coloring (your choice of color, just make sure it is bright) and about 2 tablespoons peanut butter in a small saucepan and allow it to heat up. Mix ½ cup flour and ½ cup cornmeal in a bowl and add this mixture to the saucepan. Continue to cook over low heat until the mixture has thickened. Remove the saucepan from the stove and add to the dough mixture ¼ cup Marshmallow Fluff and one can of sardines. You will want to puree the sardines in a blender or food processor so it is liquefied before adding it to the dough. Allow this mixture to cool, and then mix in some cotton balls, which will help give your bait some texture and shape, and then form the dough into small balls. This recipe is very smelly but the discomfort you may experience while cooking up this concoction could lead to some very big rewards the next time you are trout fishing. Both of these trout baits can be attached to a treble hook and used with a bobber. By engaging several of the trout's sense at one time, you will find that these dough baits are some of the best rainbow trout lures you could ever use. Homemade Trout Dough Bait Recipes

Sugar Free Cookie Recipes

Sugar Free Cookie Recipes So many foods are loaded with sugar. This is really no big surprise. The reality is that people in general, at least in America, love sugar. It gives you a quick burst of energy, and it tastes great. You can find it in all kinds of foods, such as cookies, candy, chocolate, ice cream, juice beverages, soft drinks, liquor drinks, popsicles, cake, pie, and even condiments. Although may not have given it much thought before, ketchup has a great deal of sugar in it. Just read the label on the back. You may not even realize the amount of sugar you consume on a daily basis. However, there are ways to cut out a lot of sugar; even from dessert foods.

Ever heard of sugar free cookie recipes? Regardless, there are plenty of them out there. Now, I know you may be thinking, but you should not pre-judge sugar cookie recipes before you have tried them out. Even though there is not sugar used in these tasty treats, they can still be great. The thing is, artificial sweeteners are used instead. There are a number of artificial sweeteners nowadays that are actually made from real sugar. Okay, it may sound a little confusing. To clear things up a bit, we will refer to them as sugar substitutes. You can substitute sugar with a number of options like Truvia and Stevia. What do these sugar free cookies taste like? This is the ultimate question, and it always comes down to the taste. Well the first factor is what sugar free cookie recipes were used? There are some that turn out bad, and there are some that turn out wonderful. You cannot even distinguish the difference between the sugar free cookies and the real thing. So, what you need to do is have an open mind to modern sugar cookie recipes. These may be what you need to alter your diet a bit. Especially if you have diabetes or are worried about getting type 2 diabetes in the future. It is time to pull some sugar out of your daily diet plan. The main hype of sugar free cookie recipes comes from the problem with type 2 diabetes. With so many people suffering from this condition, as well as obesity, it is important to seek out ways to alter or adjust your lifestyle. One of these ways is with sugar free recipes of all kinds. There are not merely sugar cookie recipes. There are also countless recipes for cakes, pies, candy, and other desserts that are sugar-free. This is very important to some people, since their life depends on it. In order to check out a few sugar cookie recipes and other recipes, try the website called allrecipes.com. Sugar Free Cookie Recipes

Easy Recipes for Your Stand Mixer

Easy Recipes for Your Stand Mixer If you're like me, I have a stand mixer that's well...standing. I try hard to use it often, but just run out of ideas. One thing that has helped me is to look at what foods I buy in a jar, box or can. Sauces, dough, soups and even ice creams can be made very easily with your stand mixer when you have a recipe. Luckily, there are literally thousands of recipes available on the internet and in books for this exact appliance. If you too own a stand mixer that's just sitting idle, here are a few jump-start recipe ideas for you to consider.

Stand Mixer Pancakes What You Need: 2 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt 2 eggs 1 ½ cups milk 3 tablespoons butter How To Make It: Begin by mixing all your dry ingredients together and place it in the stand mixer bowl. Allow this to mix slowly with a flat beater and then add in your wet ingredients little by little. You will then want to beat them together on a medium setting for about 15 seconds, or until the mixture is smooth. Take the griddle or skillet you have and coat it with non-stick spray or oil. Place 1/3 cup of batter onto the cooking surface and then allow the mixture to cook until bubbles form. That's how you know it is ready to flip. Flip once to brown on the opposite side. Serve warm with butter or peanut butter. Stuffed Cheese Shells What You Need: 2 eggs 1 package ricotta cheese 2 cups shredded mozzarella 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese 2 teaspoons parsley 2 teaspoons salt Jumbo pasta shells 3 cups marina sauce How to Make It: Begin by taking all of your ingredients, except the marinara sauce and shells and place them into your mixer. Turn on the mixer to a medium setting and allow the mixture to mix thoroughly. Then take 3 tablespoons of this mixture and fill each shell, placing them in a baking pan. When filled, pour your marinara over them. Bake in the oven, covered in foil, for 35 minutes at 350 degrees. Fantastic Whipped Frosting What You Will Need: 1 cup cream cheese 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 2 cups heavy cream How to Make It: Place your cream cheese, vanilla, almond extract and sugar into a mixing bowl and allow it to mix slowly until smooth. When that is done, increase the speed of the mixer to medium and add in your whipping cream slowly. Begin to scrape the sides of the bowl as it mixes and remove the bowl when peaks begin to form in your frosting. Your fantastic frosting is done and ready to top your favorite cupcake or dessert. These are just some starter recipes to give you ideas on how to use your stand mixer more often. I hope you will go explore and find more recipes for sauces, fillings, dough (think cookies!) and much more. Easy Recipes for Your Stand Mixer

3 Easy Baked Salmon Recipes You Will Love

3 Easy Baked Salmon Recipes You Will Love If you are looking for a fast and easy way to feed your family tasty and healthy meals, one excellent choice would be to get a hold of some easy baked salmon recipes. The good news is that this fish is rich in flavor as well as healthy Omega-3s. It does not require a lot of ingredients or advanced cooking skills, so that makes it easy for you to prepare a great tasting dinner for your family.

The Easiest Baked Salmon Recipe Ingredients 1 1/2 pounds of salmon fillets (serves 4), with the skin still on one side 1/4 cup melted butter 4 tablespoons of sliced butter Juice from 1 lemon 4 teaspoons of Mrs. Dash Cooking Directions Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a glass baking dish (9x13) with 2 layers of foil and spray the foil with cooking spray. Place the salmon on the foil, with the skin side down. Pour the juice from 1 lemon and melted butter over the fish. Sprinkle Mrs. Dash on top of each fillet along with slices of butter. Fold the foil loosely so that it is closed, but still leaves some space between the foil and fish. Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until the salmon flakes off easily with a fork. Baked Salmon With Red Pepper and Cream Cheese Ingredients 4 pieces salmon to serve 4 1 red pepper 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese 1/4 cup cream cheese 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise 2 cloves of garlic Cooking Directions Cut the red pepper up into small pieces. Crush the garlic using a garlic press. Mix together the parmesan cheese, cream cheese, garlic, red pepper and mayonnaise. Place the pieces of salmon on a baking sheet and cover with the sauce. Sprinkle extra parmesan cheese over the top. Bake in the oven at 350-375 degree for 15-20 minutes. Italian Baked Salmon Recipe Ingredients 1 large salmon fillet (serves 2) 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1 teaspoon dried oregano Pepper to taste 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1/2 onion thinly sliced 1 tomato, thinly sliced 1/4 cup of dry bread crumbs 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil Cooking Directions Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray a shallow glass baking dish with cooking spray. You can also line the pan with foil. Place the salmon in the baking dish. Mix together the Italian seasoning, oregano, pepper and garlic together and sprinkle it over the fish. Thinly slice the 1/2 onion and 1 tomato and place the slices on top of the fish. Sprinkle parsley on top. Mix up the bread crumbs with vegetable oil and place on top of the fish. Bake in a 450 degree oven for about 10 minutes, or until the bread crumbs brown and the salmon flakes off a fork easily. Baked salmon recipes are so delicious. Just add a few of your favorite herbs and seasonings, stick the fish in the oven for a few minutes, and you will have a tasty, healthy meal to enjoy in no time. 3 Easy Baked Salmon Recipes You Will Love

White Chocolate Apricot Oatmeal Cookie Recipe

White Chocolate Apricot Oatmeal Cookie Recipe The white chocolate apricot oatmeal cookie recipe is just plain great! Fruits always mix well with the rich flavor of oats, and dried apricots have to be near the top of this combination list. Add some white chocolate-and you'll be in heaven!

Ingredients 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) salted butter, softened 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1 egg 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 1/2 cups rolled oats 1 2/3 cup coarsely chopped white chocolate 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots Hardware Large bowl Cookie sheets Mixer Step 1: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Step 2: In a large bowl, with an electric mixer set on medium-high speed, beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Step 3: Add egg; beat well. Step 4: Add flour and baking soda; beat until well blended. Step 5: Stir in oats, white chocolate pieces, and dried apricots. Step 6: Drop by teaspoons 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Step 7: Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned; do not overbake. Let cookies set for 1 minute before transferring to a cooling surface. Makes 36 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. White Chocolate Apricot Oatmeal Cookie Recipe

Simple Cookie Recipes for The Young and Old

Simple Cookie Recipes for The Young and Old Cookies have always been favorite baked products of both children and elders. They are also the preferred dessert for a dinner party or potluck gatherings. Nobody can resist the smell of baking homemade cookies. With the advent of simple cookie recipes, baking cookies is just as easy and quick as reciting your alphabet.

Some people are just crazy for cookies. There are variations in types of cookies that allow even people who are watching their diets to enjoy them. There are simple cookie recipes that use low carb ingredients as well as low fat or fat free ingredients. Some types of cookies that you commonly find baking in many home kitchens are thumbprint cookies, chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies and peanut butter cookies. Mother and children find do their bonding while creating no bake cookies. Take a look at some simple cookie recipes that you may want to try the next time you plan on entertaining at home. Sunflower Seed Butter Cookies: This cookie recipe is a good substitute for peanut butter cookies. The ingredients are 2 cups of all purpose flour, a teaspoon of baking soda, 3/4 cup each of sugar, packed brown sugar, softened butter and cold sunflower seed butter, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, 2 large eggs and 1 and ½ teaspoons vanilla. Preheat your oven to 275 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, combine together baking soda, baking powder, flour and salt. In another mixing bowl, combine together and beat sunflower seed butter, sugar, butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Then add eggs and vanilla and beat to combine. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix them well. Then wrap the dough in plastic food wrap and chill for about 3 hours. Roll dough into balls and placed on ungreased cookie sheet. Dip into the flour the back of a spoon or fork, then press in each cookie to flatten. Bake for 10 minutes and then allow to cool slightly before placing the cookies on wax paper or cooling rack. Snickerdoodle Cookie: Another must-bake recipe, this cookie needs ½ cup softened butter, a cup of sugar, ¼ teaspoon each of baking soda and cream of tartar, a large egg, 1 and ½ cups of all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon vanilla, 1 and ½ teaspoons of cinnamon and 4 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, beat the butter for 30 seconds. Then add sugar, cream of tartar and baking soda. Combine together and beat well. Add egg and vanilla and beat well to blend. Also blend in the flour. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour. Combine the sugar and cinnamon. Roll the ball-shaped dough into the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat. Then place the dough on an ungreased cookie sheet, making sure that each is 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 11 minutes and allow to cool before serving. There are thousands of simple cookie recipes that you can try. Be creative when it comes to ingredients because the fun of baking cookies is substituting the usual ingredients and coming up with cookies that are more to your taste or suit the occasion. Simple Cookie Recipes for The Young and Old

Ice Cream Pie Recipe: Easy Strawberry Ice Cream Pie

This frozen strawberry pie is so easy to make and delicious on a warm summer afternoon.

1 (3 oz.) package strawberry flavored gelatin 1 1/2 cups boiling water 2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced 2 cups vanilla ice cream, slightly thawed 1 1/4 cups boiling water 1 (9-inch) ready made graham cracker crust Directions Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Gradually add in the vanilla ice cream. Stir until ice cream is melted. Put mixture into freezer and chill just until thick, but not firm (about 25 minutes). Fold the strawberries into the ice cream mixture. Pour mixture into prepared pie crust. Chill for up to 3 hours, or until firm. Garnish with whipped cream and walnut halves. => Ice Cream Pie Recipe: Easy Lemonade Ice Cream Pie Here's a new way to enjoy the taste of cool, refreshing lemonade. For a delicious variation, you can substitute the lemonade for limeade. 1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened 1 (6 oz.) can frozen lemonade concentrate 1 (8 oz.) container frozen whipped topping, thawed 1 (9-inch) prepared graham cracker crust Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the pie crust for 8 to 10 minutes, until it is a light brown color. Allow crust to cool. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the ice cream, lemonade and whipped topping. Mix until nice and creamy. Pour into the pie crust. Place in freezer for 30 to 60 minutes. => Ice Cream Pie Recipe: Orange Dream Ice Cream Pie This pie tastes a lot like the orange creamsicle pops of your youth. Each bite reminds you of a lazy, warm summer day. 1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened 1 pint orange sherbet, softened 2 cups whipped topping 1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges 2 tablespoons coconut, toasted 1 (9-inch) prepared graham cracker crust Directions Spread softened ice cream into prepared crust. Spread softened sherbet over the ice cream. Freeze pie for up to 3 hours, or until firm. Take pie out of freezer and add whipped topping on top. Freeze for another 30 minutes. Before serving, remove pie from freezer and garnish with mandarin oranges and sprinkled toasted coconut. => Ice Cream Pie Recipe: Banana Split Ice Cream Pie Here's a winning recipe for making ice cream pie that will take top prize with your family and friends. It features strawberry ice cream, bananas, pineapple, nuts, cherries and a chocolate crust. 2 bananas, sliced 1 quart strawberry ice cream, softened 1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained 1 cup heavy whipping cream 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped (or use almonds) 1 (9-inch) chocolate cookie crumb pie crust (you can use a prepared crust instead) 1/4 cup maraschino cherries (optional) Chocolate syrup (optional) Directions To make pie crust from scratch: Crush chocolate cookie crumbs and mix them with 1/4 cup melted butter or margarine. Press crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie plate. Place sliced bananas in bottom of pie crust. Spread the strawberry ice cream over bananas, evenly. Next, add the pineapple. In a bowl, whisk the cream until peaks form. Spread whipped cream on top of the pie. Sprinkle with nuts. Freeze pie for up to 3 hours, or until firm. Garnish with cherries. Drizzle chocolate syrup on top. => Ice Cream Pie Recipe: Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie This frozen pumpkin pie is a very pretty pie to serve for a holiday meal. You'll definitely get repeated requests for this one. Pie Crust 1 1/2 gingersnap cookies, crushed 1 tablespoon sugar 1/4 cup butter, melted Pie Filling 1 cup pumpkin puree 1 cup white sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed 2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened Directions Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Pie Crust In a bowl, combine gingersnap crumbs and the 1 tablespoon of sugar; mix well. Stir in the melted butter. Press mixture into a 9-inch pie shell. Bake crust for 15 minutes. Let cool. Place crust in freezer for 1 hour so that it is nice and firm. Take pie shell out of freezer and make pie filling. Pie Filling In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin, remaining sugar, salt, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix completely. Fold in the whipped topping. Spread the softened vanilla ice cream in the bottom of the pie crust. Pour pumpkin pie mixture on top of ice cream. Freeze pie for up to 2 hours, until firm. Garnish with whipped topping and gingersnap cookies.

Drop Cookie Recipes For Diabetics

Most of you diabetics know that all our sweets cost more in the stores than the regular sweets do. If you are tired of buying the more expensive cookies, or you pass them up to save money, try these quick and easy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies that are sweetened with orange juice or the Orange Drop Cookies. The Orange Drop Cookies do have a small amount of sugar so remember that when adding these to your diet.

OATMEAL RAISIN DROP COOKIES 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup uncooked rolled oats 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/8 tsp ground cloves 3/4 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed 3 tbsp egg substitute 2 tbsp margarine, melted 2 tsp vanilla 1/2 cup raisins Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray. Combine flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and cloves in a large bowl. Combine remaining ingredients in a medium bowl; blend well. Add to dry ingredients; blend well. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Remove from refrigerator and drop 2 tablespoonfuls dough 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on wire racks. Yield: 28 cookies ORANGE DROP COOKIES 1 cup butter, softened 1 1/2 cups Splenda 1/2 cup sugar 3 eggs 1/3 cup unsweetened orange juice 1 tbsp grated orange peel 4 cups flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda In a mixing bowl, cream butter, sugar, and Splenda together. Beat in eggs, orange juice, and orange peel. Combine the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and mix well. Drop by teaspoonfuls 2-inches apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: 8 dozen Note: These cookies do contain a small amount of sugar. Remember this when working them into your diet. Do not over indulge! Enjoy!

Top 3 Red Lobster Recipes

Red Lobster Cheese Biscuits 2 cups Bisquick 2/3 cup milk 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese 1/4 cup butter 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes

Heat oven to 450. Mix Bisquick, garlic powder, milk and cheese until well blended. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. Combine butter, garlic powder, old bay, parsley and salt. Melt in microwave for 20 seconds. Red Lobster Shrimp Alfredo Ingredients: 1/3 cup olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined and remove tails 2/3 cup clam juice or chicken broth 1/3 cup dry white wine 1 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons each lemon juice and chopped parsley 1/4 teaspoon each dried basil leaves and dried oregano leaves, crushed 1 package linguine pasta (8 ounce size) cooked and drained Directions: Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; reduce heat to low. Simmer until garlic is tender. Add shrimp in same skillet and cook over medium-low heat until opaque. Remove; reserve liquid in pan. Add clam juice (I use the chicken broth when I'm out of clam juice); bring to a boil. Add wine; cook over medium-high heat 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; add cream, stirring constantly. Add cheese; stir until smooth. Cook until thickened. Add shrimp to sauce. Heat through. Add remaining except linguine. Pour over linguine in large bowl; toss gently to coat. Serve with additional grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. Red Lobster Shrimp Scampi 1 cup white wine 1/2 cup unsalted butter, do not use margarine 3 teaspoons minced garlic 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined Bake at 350-degree oven for about 6 to 7 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the Shrimp. The shrimp is done when it has turned pink.

HCG Weight Loss Diet Meal Plan

HCG Diet Overview

During the first two days of taking HCG drops, you should be eating very high calorie foods that contain high fat and sugar contents. There is no limit to the number of calories or the types of foods that are eaten. Sweets, cookies, ice cream, deep fried foods, etc are all acceptable foods. It is important that you "load" properly, this is a very critical part of the diet. Do not begin loading if you have not started taking the HCG Drops. It is common for people to gain 3-5 pounds in the first two days. Don't worry, you will lose it all in the follow 48 hours. People that chose not to "load" properly have found that the rest of the unwanted weight does not drop as easily as those people who took the time to "load". So, start your diet with a party and eat as much as you can! Sample Diet (after loading) Drink lots of water each day (at least 2 liters) Breakfast: Tea or coffee in any quantity without sugar. Only one tablespoonful of milk allowed in 24 hours. Saccharin or Stevia may be used. Stevia is a much healthier choice. Lunch: 100 grams of veal, beef, chicken breast, fresh white fish, lobster, crab, or shrimp. All visible fat must be carefully removed before cooking, and the meat must be weighed raw. It must be boiled or grilled without additional fat. Salmon, eel, tuna, herring, dried or pickled fish are not allowed. The chicken breast must be removed from the bird. Boneless and skinless. One type of vegetable only to be chosen from the following: spinach, chard, chicory, beetgreens, green salad, tomatoes, celery, fennel, onions, red radishes, cucumbers, asparagus, cabbage. One breadstick (grissino) or one Melba toast (Wasa Bread is also acceptable). An apple, orange, or a handful of strawberries (6-9 depending on their size) or one-half grapefruit. Dinner: The same four choices as lunch (above.)No oil, butter or dressing. Hint: Our clients have found that saving your fruit and/or melba toast for a snack between lunch and dinner has helped them to not feel as hungry as well as keep their metabolism burning more steadily throughout the day. 5 Sample Recipes When you order a 21 or 40 day kit, the Diet Manual contains another 17 hCG Diet Recipes for main dishes, drinks, marinades and desserts in the manual when you order the 21 or 40 day kits. Green Onion Soup Green onions (allowed amount) 2 c vegetable broth 1-2 t liquid aminos 1 t parsley 1 t zsweet 1/2 t paprika 1/2 t salt 1/2 t dill 1/2 t thyme 1/8 t cayenne or red pepper flakes 1/8 t celery seed Briefly steam the green onions until tender. Preheat saucepan over MED heat. Chop steamed green onions. In a saucepan, saute the green onions in a bit of vegetable broth for a couple of minutes, then add the parsley, zsweet, paprika, salt, dill, thyme, celery seed, and cayenne. Saute 1-2 mins more. Add remaining vegetable broth, reduce heat, cover and simmer 20-30 mins. Lemon Pepper Fish 100g whitefish juice of half lemon 1-3 cloves minced garlic 1/2 t black pepper 1/4 t salt 1/4 t cumin powder 1/8 t turmeric Place fish in small bowl. Add garlic, black pepper, salt, cumin, and turmeric. Ensure to coat both sides. Cover & marinate at least 1 hour in refrigerator. Preheat oven to 400. Place the fish in a non-stick baking dish, & cover with the marinade. Bake 10-20 minutes depending on thickness, until fish easily flakes. Squeeze with lemon juice. Serve. Crockpot Swiss Steak 100g steak 1 T shake 'n bake 1 T liquid aminos 3-4 cloves minced garlic 1 stalk celery - sliced 1 onion - sliced 1 tomato - diced 1/2-1 c beef broth Preheat pan over MED-HI heat. Sprinkle steak with liquid aminos. Dip steak in shake 'n bake, coating both sides. Add steak to pan and brown on both sides. Transfer steak to crockpot. Cover with garlic, celery, onions, and diced tomato. Top with beef broth. Don't stir! Cover and cook on low until reaches desired doneness. When done, serve immediately, and cover with juices from crockpot. NOTE: This dish includes 3 vegetables which are meant only for flavor. When finished cooking, you can discard veggies, or choose to eat just one of them (as we aren't allowed to mix veggies on phase 2 per Dr S). Asparagus Frittata 3 egg whites 1 whole egg Asparagus (allowed amount) 1-2 cloves minced garlic 1 T dehydrated minced onion 1 T water 1 t parsley Salt/pepper (to taste) Tabasco (optional) Preheat pan over MED heat. Snap woody ends off asparagus and discard. Snap each asparagus spear into 2-3 pieces. Add to pan with garlic & heat through until tender. Preheat oven to 400. In bowl, mix eggs & water. Add asparagus, minced onion, parsley, salt/pepper. Pour egg mixture into non-stick baking dish (or dish lined with parchment paper). Place in oven and cook 10-15 mins until done. Top with tabasco (optional) and serve immediately. Orange Ginger Chicken 100g chicken - cut into chunks Black pepper orange - cut in 1/4s 2-3 cloves minced garlic 1 T fresh ginger root (about 1/2"-1" long piece, peeled & minced) 1/2 t basil Juice of half lemon Preheat pan over MED heat. Sprinkle chicken with pepper. Add chicken to pan and stir fry until brown on all sides, about 5-10 mins. Add garlic and cook for 1 min. Squeeze juice of orange quarters over chicken. Peel & separate orange into sections. Add orange sections, ginger, lemon juice, and basil. Stir well. Cover and simmer for about 20-30 mins. NOTE: This includes your meat and fruit portion for this meal. Recommended Shopping List for Grocery Store Meats Shrimp, White Fish (Talapia, Halibut, Orange Ruffy, etc). Turkey, chicken breast. Lean Ground Beef, Steak or Roast Vegetables Asparagus Cucumbers Onions Celery Beet Greens Lettuce Green Onions Spinach or Swiss Chard Tomatoes Radishes Fruit Lemons Strawberries Apples Oranges Grapefruits Spices Mrs Dash Bragg Liquid Amino (Like Soy Sauce) Garlic Cloves Stevia- Both powder as well as liquid and flavors Kosher Salt or Sea Salt Other spices (be careful of ingredients, no sugars) Other Items Herbal Tea Green Tea Coffee Water container with ounces for tracking Apple Cider Vinegar No Fat Cottage Cheese Eggs Fresh Salsa (no sugars or preservatives) Melba Toast, Grissini Bread or Wasa Bread Multi-Vitamin (make sure that there are no oils). Miracle Noodles can be found online. There is a great deal more detail and specifics in the manuscript itself, which you'll get a free copy of when you order the 21 or 40 day kit. It is suggested that this summary be used as a quick reference only. As with any diet program, if you experience complications or if you have any health risks or concerns, consult your Doctor immediately before beginning this or any other diet program.

1500 Calorie Diet Menu and Meal Plan

1500 diet menu and meal plan is one of the effective ways to lose weight. This plan gives a nominal amount of calories that are required to support the metabolism and the daily functioning of the body. Weight loss in this case is induced by consuming fewer calories than what we consume normally. This 1500 diet plan provides the right amount of calories which will stimulate weight loss and at the same time will keep your body energetic and filling that you will never feel that you are on a diet.

The best way to start with a 1500 calorie diet menu is to strip your refrigerator of all the junk food. Go grocery shopping and fill your fridge with a lot of fruits, vegetables, nominal amount of dairy products and skinless chicken. Throw away all carbonated drinks like sodas and diet sodas. Your primary source of fluids during this period should come from water, green tea and zero calorie beverages. The next step that you need to do before starting on the diet plan is to talk with your doctor or a dietitian or seek the help of a professional health expert. Be sure that you are taking in the right nutrients during the entire dieting period. Only if you get a green signal for your diet plan here from the doctors, should you proceed with your plan. Do not follow diet plans on your own as it is very risky and you may irrevocably destroy the body that you now have. Once you have done all this, you are ready to start with a plan. Sample 1500 calorie diet plan: With a 1500 calorie meal plan dieting will not be a grueling or boring process. You have a lot of options to make up the 1500 calories every day. You should aim at attaining 30 percentage of necessary fat content, 40 percent of proteins and 30 percent of carbs for a day. Sample Diet 1: Breakfast: The breakfast in a 1500 calorie diet plan typically consists of one and a half cup of shredded wheat meal, one and a half cup of skimmed milk and half a cup of juicy strawberries. Mid Morning Snack: You can have scrambled eggs that include one whole egg and the white of four other eggs and half a grape fruit. Lunch: Lunch should primarily consist of half a cup of brown rice, hundred and ten grams of skinless chicken and hundred and eighty grams of beans. Evening Snack: Hundred and fifty grams of salmon, a cup of cooked broccoli and 150gms of yams can be taken as an evening snack. Dinner: 110gms of chicken breast, three table spoons of light Italian dressing and two cups of mixed green salad will make up the dinner. Make sure that you have your dinner at least two to three hours before you go to bed. Sample Diet 2: Breakfast: You can have a spoonful of peanut butter splattered on whole wheat low fat bread for breakfast. Morning snack: Your morning snack can be made as small low fat yoghurt that is topped with teaspoon full of ground flaxseeds. Lunch: For lunch you can have two cups of steamed vegetables along with a mixed salad topped with olives and vinegar and three ounces of mahi mahi that is grilled. Afternoon Snack: You can treat yourself with a small apple and a spoonful of natural peanut butter. Dinner: Dinner can be chiefly made of a salad that is comprised of two cups of lettuce or spinach seasoned with a pinch of salt and a squirt of lemon, two hard boiled eggs, a thin slice of turkey, a thin slice of chicken, half a tomato and quarter a cup of sunflower seeds. The above mentioned diet plans are not a prescription. They can be taken as the starting point to begin fat and weight loss. Taking these as a base you can devise your own diet plans. Make sure that they are rich in proteins, carbs and also has adequate amount of essential fats. Fats can come from plant based foods such as olives, olive oil and avocado. Skinless, boneless chicken, turkey and fish are good sources of protein. Fresh fruits and vegetables and whole wheat products are rich in carbs. But always remember, before embarking on a diet plan it is absolutely critical to get the approval of an expert, a doctor or a dietician. Also find out the consecutive number of days this weight plan should be sticked on to. Following such low calorie diets for a prolonged period of time can seriously affect the metabolism and the balance of your body. It should be followed only for the prescribed period of time for which the body can withstand the effects of the low calorie intake. So be sure to do a lot of ground research before you start with your diet plan.

Stacked Wedding Cake Construction - Tiers for Fears

That day you've secretly feared since you started decorating cakes is quickly approaching. You've been asked to make a wedding cake - a five tiered, stacked wedding cake! And it's for your sister's wedding!

As you go over designs with your sister by day, you dream about the cake at night. The cake in your dreams is taller than any cake you've even seen. As bride and groom pose for the cake cutting ceremony pictures, you look on as each tier slowly sinks into the one beneath it, and just as your sister and her new husband smile and begin to slice their first piece of cake, the force of gravity and the domino effect take hold and the cake implodes. All four top tiers sink into the bottom tier, turning a once majestic beauty into a giant pile of fondant covered cake rubble! (And then you wake up, covered in sweat, only to realize that this dream could actually become reality.) But wait! This nightmare does not have to become reality. And no, you won't have to add therapist bills to your cake budget to get through your big project. These sorts of nightmares are normal for first time wedding cake makers. Beyond a healthy amount of butterflies, you have absolutely nothing to fear if you follow these tips. Stacked Wedding Cake Construction 101 Unlike wedding cakes with tiers that are separated by plates and pillars, the tiers on a stacked wedding cake appear to rest directly on top of one another. This is just an illusion since the cakes actually rest on a system of hidden pillars and plates. To stack a multi-tiered cake without plates and pillars is a very risky proposition with the weight of each cake. Stacked cakes of more than 4 layers need some sort of support in the form of plates, spikes and/or dowels to keep the upper layers from sinking into the lower layers. So whether your wedding cake will be stacked Victorian style (graduating round tiers) or à la chic with fondant covered gift-box style tiers, here are the basics: To create a perfectly constructed tower rather than an experiment on the effects of gravity on cake and icing, you can either use a purchased set of cake plates and spikes, or you can build your own system using cardboard cake plates and dowels. To build your own system, pick up some 1/4-3/8-inch round cake dowels (or other food safe wooden dowels) and a hammer (yes, even if you flunked high school Woodshop) and follow these tips: 1. Plan the dowels' placement by centering a cake plate the size of the next cake to be placed on top of the bottom cake, and then marking the spot by pressing down gently on the plate. 2. Within the boundaries of these markings, insert four evenly spaced dowels. Insert the first dowel straight down through to the bottom of the cake and mark the dowel even with the top of the cake. Pull out the dowel and, using wire cutters, cut off at the mark. Cut three more the same height. Then push the dowels straight down into the cake in the places you marked so that they form a square inside the circle. (Be sure the dowels are perfectly even with the top of the cake for the best support.) 3. Place your next smaller tier on a round cake board of the same size, and then place it on top of the bottom tier. The dowels will prevent the top tier from sinking into the bottom tier. 4. Measure the next set of dowels from the bottom of the bottom cake to the top of the top cake. Cut the dowel at an angle to taper the end and cut it so that it is just slightly shorter than the height of the two bottom cakes. Insert the dowels tapered end first straight down through the cake. When the dowel stops at the first cake board, give it a firm tap with the hammer to break through the board down to the bottom of the cake. To prevent the hammer from landing in the icing, place another small section of dowel end to end with the measured dowel to hammer it into position. 5. Finally, ice over the little blemish to hide the tip of the dowel, and your tower construction is finished! You can rest easy knowing that your wedding cake is stable enough to withstand the forces of gravity. No more nightmares! These stress relieving tips are courtesy of "Cake Decorating Made Easy!" Volume 2, which is available at http://www.CakesMadeEasy.com. Finally, here's one more tip: Not all cakes have the buoyancy and mass needed to support the weight of multiple cake tiers stacked one on top of the other, even with the support of cake plates and dowels. So for the wedding cake of your dreams (not nightmares), use a tried and true wedding cake recipe such as a fruit cake, butter cake, dense carrot cake or any of the wedding cake recipes in "Cake Decorating Made Easy!"

Breakfast Cereals-2007's Best

The most healthful breakfast is whole grain cereal. If you're trying to lose weight, control cholesterol or diabetes, or just need a lot of energy, your best bet is a hot cooked cereal of whole grains, such as oatmeal; or barley, brown rice or wheat berries cooked and served like oatmeal. Flavor it with raisins or other dried fruits, cinnamon, and perhaps a handful of nuts such as pine nuts.

If you prefer cold cereal, you need to check the list of ingredients carefully. The FIRST ingredient should be a whole grain. Then scan through the entire list and if you see the words "partially hydrogenated," put the box back on the shelf. We recommend that you avoid foods with partially hydrogenated oils (or "trans fats"), and they still show up in many cereals (see the list below.) Once you've eliminated all the brands made with refined grains or partially hydrogenated oils, check for ADDED sugars (you want little or none) and fiber (you want a lot.) Raisins or other dried fruits will add a lot of grams of sugar to the listing on the nutrition panel; they are not distinguished from added sugars, so you can only estimate the amounts. The fiber content listed on the nutrition label can be confusing because it's based on serving size, and very light cereals (such as puffed wheat) show little fiber per serving, but an acceptable amount when you adjust for weight. Cereals made from bran (the outer covering removed from whole grains) will have higher fiber content than cereals made from whole grains (which have the germ and starchy parts of the grains as well as the fiber), but they can be hard to digest. 2007 Update:I'm delighted to note that partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats) have been taken out of many cereals. The old list included 56 brands with PHO's; the new list has only 13! Most of the popular General Mills, Post and Quaker cereal brands no longer have them. Kelloggs is the one major cereal maker that has not yet removed them from many of their leading products; hopefully they will respond to consumer pressure soon. Is it really whole grain? Manufacturers have also responded to the call for more whole grains in our diet, so you will find a lot more choices that meet my recommendation of "whole grains as the first ingredient". However, many that claim to be "whole grain" still include refined grains. You may need to do some detective work to see what you're getting. One-ingredient whole grain cereals (i.e., shredded wheat, puffed wheat, oatmeal) are sure bets. If you see milled corn, corn meal, wheat flour or rice in Cheerios - General Mills Chex, Wheat or Multi Grain - General Mills Cinnamon Toast Crunch - General Mills Cinnamon Grahams - General Mills French Toast Crunch - General Mills Golden Grahams - General Mills Grape Nuts - Post Grape Nut Flakes - Post Great Grains, all varieties - Post Healthy Choice Toasted Brown Sugar Squares - Kelloggs Kashi (all varieties) - Kashi Company Life - Quaker Mini-Wheats, all varieties - Kelloggs Muesli - Familia Nutri-Grain, all varieties - Kelloggs Oatmeal Crisp, all varieties - General Mills Oatmeal Squares - Quaker Organic Healthy Fiber Multigrain Flakes - Health Valley Puffed Wheat - Quaker and others Shredded Wheat, all varieties and sizes - Post and others South Beach Diet Toasted Wheats Total - General Mills Uncle Sam - U.S. Mills Weetabix Wheaties - General Mills Barbara's, Cascadian Farm, Mother's, Nature's Promise and other smaller brands that specialize in "healthful" cereals (but always check the list of ingredients). Recommended: All Bran or High Bran Cereals (no trans fats, little or no added sugars. ) 100% Bran - Post All Bran, all varieties - Kelloggs Bran Flakes - Post Chex, Multi-Bran - General Mills Complete Wheat Bran Flakes - Kelloggs Complete Oat Bran Flakes - Kelloggs Cracklin' Oat Bran - Kelloggs Crunchy Corn Bran - Quaker Fiber 7 Flakes - Health Valley Fiber One - General Mills Fruit & Bran - Post Granola, Low Fat - Kelloggs Oat Bran - Quaker Oat Bran Flakes - Health Valley Oat Bran Flakes with Raisins - Health Valley Organic Bran with Raisins - Health Valley Raisin Bran - Kelloggs Raisin Bran Flakes - Health Valley Raisin Bran, Whole Grain Wheat - Post Raisin Nut Bran - General Mills Shredded Wheat 'n' Bran - Post Total, Raisin Bran - General Mills Weight Watchers Flakes 'n' Fiber 100% Natural Granola - Quaker Not Recommended - Cereals that Contain Partially Hydrogenated Oils (Trans Fats)* Many also are primarily refined grains and high in added sugars. Basic Four - General Mills Cocoa Krispies - Kelloggs Corn Pops - Kelloggs Froot Loops - Kelloggs Golden Crisp - Post Granola with Raisins, Low Fat - Kelloggs* (see note below) Healthy Choice Mueslix - Kelloggs Healthy Choice Almond Crunch with Raisins - Kelloggs Healthy Choice Low Fat Granola with Raisins - Kelloggs Mini-Swirlz - Kelloggs Smacks - Kelloggs Smart Start - Kelloggs Special K - Kelloggs Not Recommended - Cereals Made from Refined Grains Many of these also contain a lot of added sugar Apple Jacks - Kelloggs Cap'n Crunch, all varieties - Quaker Chex, Rice or Corn - General Mills Cocoa Frosted Flakes - Kelloggs Cocoa Blasts - Quaker Cocoa Pebbles - Post Cocoa Puffs - General Mills Cookie Crisp/Chocolate Chip - General Mills Corn Pops - Kelloggs Corn Flakes - Kelloggs and others Count Chocula - General Mills Crispix - Kelloggs Frosted Flakes - Kelloggs Fruity Pebbles - Post Honey Bunches of Oats - Post Honey Comb - Post Honey Nut Clusters - General Mills Kix - General Mills Lucky Charms - General Mills Product 19 - Kelloggs Puffed Rice - Quaker Reese's Peanut Butter Puffs - General Mills Rice Krispies, all varieties - Kelloggs Total Corn Flakes - General Mills *When I checked these cereals on 1/26/07, Kelloggs' Low Fat Granola with Raisins contained partially hydrogenated oils while their plain Low Fat Granola had none. I hope this means that Kelloggs is following the lead of the other cereal makers and that PHO's will soon be gone from all of their products. Meanwhile, protect yourself and check the list of ingredients! Cereal recipes change.

1200 Calorie Diet Menu and Meal Plan

A 1200 calorie diet is nutritionally adequate for most of the people for a healthy, safe and permanent weight loss. Starving your body with fewer calories will slow down your metabolism and consequently using up of the calories by the body will also get decreased. This will result in a tired and emaciated body and also the weight loss will not be as much as expected because the calories are still stacked up inside the body.

Following a daily diet of 1200 calories is shown to be nutrition rich to support a healthy body and also brings about the calorie deficit which eventually leads to weight loss. Of course, the actual calories that should be taken depends on a lot of factors such as age, gender, metabolic rate, body size and other medical conditions to name a few. 1200 calorie diet plan fits most of the people on average but it is necessary to confirm with a doctor or dietician before starting with the diet. How to choose the best 1200 calorie diet menu? The diet plan should be chosen in such a way that it strikes a proper balance of the macronutrients. The macronutrients include proteins, carbohydrates and fats. The calories that come from the macronutrients should be ideally distributed as follows: 15% of the calories should come from proteins, 55% of the calories should come from carbohydrates, 30% of the calories should come from fats and only less than 10% of the total calories should come from saturated forms of food. When the diet plan is composed of healthy, nutritious and wholesome food it will keep your food cravings in check and you will feel full for longer. Moreover there will not be any compromise to your health when you follow a diet that satisfies all the above conditions. A diet is followed to make us healthy, supple, strong and slim. Any proper diet should work to achieve all of these. Therefore make sure that you take nutritious food whose calories add up to 1200 or so. Sample 1200 diet plans: Below are two diet plans whose total calorific value comes around 1200. From this you can get an idea of how to construct your diet. Sample 1: Breakfast One whole wheat muffin with a spoon of peanut butter and half a banana. Mid-Morning Snack An apple and few almonds. Lunch 2 slices of whole wheat bread; 2 oz. low sodium turkey breast; 1 oz. cheese; a lettuce, an orange, a tomato and a spoon of mustard. Mid-afternoon snack 8 oz. low fat yoghurt Dinner 3 oz. skinless grilled, baked or boiled chicken breast. A cup of cooked broccoli and 2/3 of a cup of brown rice. Snack A cup of milk and two fat free fig cookies Sample 2: Breakfast A hard boiled egg, 2 slices of whole wheat bread smeared thinly with butter and a large slice of watermelon. Lunch 100gms of baked potato and baked beans and 100gms of reduce fat cottage cheese. Snack Muesli meal replacement bars. Dinner Pasta salad made with olive oil. Wash it down with tinned tuna in brine. Typically any 1200 calorie diet plan can be broken down into the following proportions: The breakfast is the most important meal of the day and makes up 300 calories of the entire 1200 calories. The mid-morning snack adds up to 100 calories, lunch to 300 calories and the mid-afternoon snack to 50 calories. Finally the dinner contributes to 450 calories of the total. Any nutrition rich diet plan that follows this breakdown can achieve good results in terms of weight loss. Snacks can be taken at any time of the day where you feel the need to snack. But timing is important for breakfast. Make sure that you finish you breakfast within an hour of the time you woke up at. For the rest of the day, timing is up to you and you can divide the calories as you want among the meals, but make sure that the total calories don't exceed 1200. Last but not least, wash down you meals with lots of water. Adequate amount of water is absolutely essential for maintaining the metabolism and for the healthy functioning of the body. Keeping your body well hydrated is an important factor that constitutes weight loss. Make it as a habit to drink at least eight glasses of water each day. It may look difficult at first, but once you start making conscious efforts it will no longer seem as hard as it was at first. A word of caution: Before you kick start on a diet, please catch up with your doctor or dietician and get expert advice on the meal plan that you have formulated. This is especially important for pregnant or breast feeding women. You don't want to follow some diet and weaken you body, so always ask for the doctor's opinions and then jump into your diet plan.

Cooking - Liver

All liver is a great source of iron and B vitamins and should be a regular part of a healthy diet and if cooked correctly liver can be delicious. Although liver does have bad press and many people will not even consider trying it. Sometimes it calls for the cook to be somewhat inventive to get people to try liver. There are many recipes to choose from and it is worth the experimentation.

The best liver is the liver from young animals as it is mildest and tenderest. Calf's liver is delicate and delicious but fairly expensive. Real calf's liver is paler in color than the redder more mature baby beef liver. For a mild flavored liver choose the palest that you can find. The darker the color the stronger the flavor. Take care when choosing liver as sometimes baby beef liver is labeled calf's liver in the supermarket or grocery store. To ensure purchasing true calf's liver buy from a butchers or a reputable gourmet supermarket. Baby beef liver is stronger in flavor than calf's liver but is very good and preferable to actual beef liver. Liver from beef is dark red and the color corresponds to the strength of flavor. Beef liver is readily available but many believe it is too strong for simple preparations. Some cooks after buying beef liver soak it in milk or a flavorful spicy marinade such as a white wine marinade before cooking to soften the intense flavor. After marinating throw the liquid away and pat the liver dry before cooking. A lovely tender well-flavored liver is lamb liver but this is generally quite difficult to find. Also hard to find is pigs liver, which is strong in, taste but extremely tender. Again for pig's liver it can be soaked or marinated like the beef liver. When choosing liver it should be impeccably fresh with no slimy or dry patches and should have a clear scent. Should you find yourself preparing a whole liver first wipe it with a damp cloth, then with a sharp knife remove any exposed veins, ducts or connective tissue. With your fingers peel away the thin outer membrane without tearing into the liver itself. You then just slice on the diagonal to the desired thickness your recipe calls for. Of course presliced liver can be purchased and is actually more commonly available than whole livers. If the butcher has not done so remove the outer membrane on the slices. Before cooking make 1/8th inch cuts at 1-inch intervals around the outside of the liver slice. The reason for this is because liver has a tendency to shrink and curl when it is cooked and these cuts will help to prevent that from happening. The liver is now ready for cooking. Liver should be cooked until it is pink but firm in the center. If liver is overcooked or cooked on excessively high heat it will toughen. Liver is a lot richer in flavor than many other types of meat so a 4-ounce serving should be ample as a main course for most appetites.

Ten Tips For Beating Depression

I heard about a woman who was suffering from depression, so her concerned husband took her to a psychiatrist. The doctor listened to the couple talk about their relationship, and then he said, "The treatment I prescribe is really quite simple." With that, he went over to the man's wife, gathered her up in his arms, and gave her a big kiss. He then stepped back and looked at the woman's glowing face and broad smile. Turning to the woman's husband, he said, "See! That's all she needs to put new life back into her." Expressionless, the husband said, "If you say so, Doc, I can bring her in on Tuesdays and Thursdays."

Okay, that's not how to treat depression, but I have a few other suggestions that make more sense. As a result of trial and error, over the course of thirty years, I've found ten blues battling strategies that often help me. These are not quick fixes, and this list is not exhaustive. It is also not a "must do" list. When you're depressed, the last thing you need is a list of expectations to live up to. Don't stress about forcing yourself to accomplish all these things. They're not items to be checked off a list each day. The only one that is crucial is number one. After that, you can experiment with the others as you feel able to. 1) Get the Facts and Get Help. Web sites and books on depression abound. Find them and do some research. You need to know what you're dealing with. Learn all you can about depression, so you can make educated decisions about your own health, learn how others cope, and find what medical treatment is available. Many books have self tests to help you determine whether you are experiencing clinical depression or temporary sadness in reaction to an event. In addition to reading everything you can get your hands on, one of the most important things you can do for yourself is seek medical help right away. Depression is much too complicated for you to solve on your own. Clinical depression is a serious medical condition that is very complicated to treat. Often it is a physical problem that requires long term medication. In my own experience, it's taken years of medication, counseling, and practicing various self help methods to slowly emerge from it, and it's still a daily battle. Many people suffer needlessly from depression because they won't consult a doctor. If you're waiting for God to heal you, consider this: God gives scientists intelligence, which they often use to create helpful medicines; and He gives doctors wisdom to treat illnesses. Wise doctors and modern medicines are gifts from God and vehicles through which He often heals. Doctors can help you determine whether what you feel is truly depression, or if you are just reacting normally to a sad life situation. If you've experienced depression, you already know it is not an illness you can "snap out of," no matter what others may tell you. It's not something to be ashamed of either. Depression can be a serious physical illness caused by an imbalance of brain chemicals or other factors. Like any serious medical condition, depression needs to be treated. Without the proper treatment, none of my suggested coping strategies will do any good. 2) Get Focused. Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness pervade the life of a depressed person. The opposite of depression is a hopeful attitude. Focusing on hope and developing a hopeful heart is a must. It can be accomplished in a couple ways. One way is to search the Bible for the numerous Scriptures that tell how God has helped those who felt hopeless. It's helpful to memorize verses like these: Hebrews 4:15 (For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin.); 2 Corinthians 4:8 & 9 (All-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.); Matthew 6:34 (Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.); Isaiah 41:10 (Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.); and John 14:27 (Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.). The story of Job and the book of Psalms are the most worn pages in my Bible. While at my lowest, I've read and re-read them more times than I can count. My fridge and the mirrors in my house are covered with sticky notes reminding me of how God intervenes in the lives of His people. Another way to focus on hope is by practicing positive self talk. This simply means telling yourself good things. I made a list for myself of positive affirmations like "God cares and understands my pain. God values me. God is giving me strength. I am made in God's image. I can choose my attitude. I choose not to put myself down. I'm a worthwhile person. I have a purpose. I enjoy life. I choose to be happy and I am competent." If you struggle with depression, I think you'll find it helpful to write down as many of these affirmations as you can think of and read them every day. Even if they're not currently true or you don't really believe them, it's okay. Say them to yourself anyway. Your mind will come to believe what you tell it, so tell it you are already the type of person you want to become. Be sure to remind yourself often that God is with you and He is pouring his strength on you. "Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance. ...For You are the God of my strength..." (Psalm 42:5 and 43:2 NKJV) 2 Corinthians 4:18 says we need to "fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." Focusing on positive, heavenly things rather than earthly things will keep the feelings of hopelessness at bay. 3) Get Friendly. Fellowship with other people is a mood lifter. Being alone is the worst thing you can do when you're depressed. Unfortunately, it's usually the very thing I want most. Depression grows best in isolation. I find it very difficult to get out and socialize when I'm depressed, but if I push myself to do it, I'm almost always glad later. Some ideas for socializing include joining a club, taking a class, inviting someone to meet you for lunch, or visiting a nursing home to chat with the residents there. It especially helps me to be with friends who enjoy the same hobbies I do. Shopping, watching movies, and rubber stamping are some of the things I enjoy doing alone, but they're twice as much fun when I do them with friends. 4) Get Giggling. I collect cartoons and funny newspaper columns. I visit humor web sites online, watch funny movies, and read funny books. Best of all is laughing with friends. One of the reasons I enjoy my grandson so much is because he makes me laugh. I can act goofy with him and let go of my inhibitions. We dance and sing and make up silly rhymes. I have photographs of us wearing funny glasses with big black mustaches. I laugh every time I look at those. Laughing affects brain chemicals. It releases endorphins, which make you feel good. Chocolate does the same thing, but a good laugh is less fattening. A friend of mine, who had a very frustrating job, told me that one day she was inspired by someone who had a huge, bright smile. She decided to emulate that woman and smile at everyone she encountered. Right away, she realized that smiling was addictive. It seemed to make the time pass more quickly and she found herself less frustrated and more at peace. She told me, "It sounds corny, but it really works!" Paul wrote, "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4 NKJV) I've heard that a person can act her way into feeling better. Act happy, act glad, and it helps you to feel happy and glad. Paul exhibited this truth in his own life. Acts 16 tells how Paul and Silas were attacked, beaten, locked in stocks, and thrown into solitary confinement. Yet, at midnight, what were they doing? Feeling sorry for themselves? Asking God, "Why?" Moaning and complaining like I do? No, they were singing! Sure they were suffering, but they knew they were children of God. Paul may have even been remembering his personal encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. (Acts 22:10) They were praising God because they had been rescued from their sins, filled by the Holy Spirit, and added to God's family. No jailer could take that away. That was worth being grateful for, no matter what else happened to them. Even if they were to be killed, it would only send them to heaven. So why should they fear? That's some awesome faith, isn't it? 5) Get Rhythm. When I feel a case of the gloomies descending, that is not the time to play melancholy music. Positive upbeat tunes are in order -- the sort of music you might hear at a parade or a circus. Music gets your toes tapping and your blood flowing. It makes you want to sing. Singing and dancing sends a message to your brain that you're happy. Your brain is an actualizer. Whatever it "thinks" is true, it works to bring about. This is why positive thinking works. You tell yourself, "I'm happy" often enough and your brain accepts it as fact. It actualizes that truth, making it happen. I've found that when depression takes hold of me, I tend to ruminate on negative thoughts. Listening to good, Christian music with positive lyrics helps to pour good things into my brain and crowd those negative things out. There's a list of good things to ponder in the fourth chapter of Paul's letter to the Philippian church. It says to think about whatever is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, noble, right, or admirable. Philippians 4:8 says, "If anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things." Christian music helps me accomplish this. 6) Get Busy We all need to feel like we're involved in something significant. We need to participate in something outside ourselves. You might consider volunteering at a local women's shelter or food pantry. I've enjoyed both and discovered that when I stay busy helping others and concentrating on their problems, I get a break from focusing on my own troubles. This is how HUGS and HOPE began. It started with a small effort to make a difference for one family and it grew. I've learned that joy boomerangs. When you give it away, it comes back to you. Helping others gives you the heart-warming satisfaction of knowing you are making a difference in the world. That will elevate your mood as well as your self esteem. 7) Get Physical This is two-fold. Physical exercise is good for us, but physical contact is equally important. Our bodies need to move to be healthy, and going for a walk is the easiest exercise for me to do when I'm depressed. It doesn't require as much energy and motivation as other activities. Breathing the fresh air and looking at the beauty of nature can be helpful, and taking my dog along is even better. Just watching his ears flop as he bounces down the road in front of me often brings a smile to my face. Exercise affects brain chemicals, and the healing touch of physical closeness does too. If you're depressed, hug somebody - anybody, everybody! A hug is good medicine. It reduces stress and tension and it boosts your immunity to illness. Hugs raise self esteem and lower blood pressure. They feel good and make people happy. And they're free! Hugs are the universal language that communicates love and acceptance. They're healthy for the "hugger" as well as the "hugee." 8) Get Quiet I need to lean heavily on God's word and spend time with Him. When I pray, I talk things over with God. When I read the Bible and meditate on it, I hear Him speak to me and I contemplate what He says. I've found this to be one of the best anti-depressants there is. However, I need to add a word of caution here. Too much solitude can worsen depression. Isolating yourself and avoiding people can make depression grow. Don't use meditation time as an excuse to avoid human contact. Time with God is of the utmost importance, but balance between quiet time alone and time spent with others is essential. 9) Get Forgiveness - And Give it Too! I've read that many psychiatrists agree that depression is guilt or anger turned inward. David is an example of someone whose guilt led to depression. After committing adultery, he wrote, "When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer." (Psalm 32:3-4) Sin makes you feel bad, but when you receive God's forgiveness, your guilt is removed; and often depression is removed too. Depression can sometimes be caused from the need to forgive someone else or yourself (whomever is making you angry). Grudges cause feelings of frustration, which aggravate the hopeless feelings of depression. When we forgive, we let go of past hurts and give up bitterness. Then depression has no negativity on which to feed. If you free yourself from feelings of hate and open yourself up to feelings of love, you may feel as if the depression is physically lifting off your shoulders. My friend Nance went through a difficult divorce, which left her bitter about the past, anxious about the future, and miserable in general. She harbored a lot of grudges and guilt, and she worried constantly. She felt the need to control everything in her life, yet she knew she couldn't. After attending a women's retreat, Nance realized what her negativity was doing to her.She released her worries, fears, anger, and resentments at the foot of the cross. Then she felt a renewal in her heart. She was happy and at peace. When she was dying, Nance told me that the most difficult thing she'd ever had to do was forgive - both her ex-husband and herself -- for past mistakes. She said forgiving was even harder than dying! Forgiveness isn't a simple one time event. It's a process that often takes time (sometimes years), but it's an important step to healing. Jesus taught forgiveness when he said we'd be forgiven in the same way we forgive others, and when he told Peter we should forgive, not seven times, but seventy times seven. Of course, Jesus also lived forgiveness. While hanging on the cross, he looked at his torturers and said, "Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:34) 10) Get Thankful. When I'm depressed, I need to make a conscious effort to count my blessings. An attitude of hopelessness and discontent has a hard time competing with an attitude of gratitude. 1 Thessalonians 5:28 says, "In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." It's important to remember that depression is not fatal and it doesn't last forever. You WILL survive! Remind yourself that this cloud of despair will pass eventually. It may seem like there's no light at the end of the tunnel, but trust that there is; and be thankful for that, as you wait for the light to appear. So, while kisses from your husband (or a psychiatrist) may be great, they can't cure depression. But along with medication and the proper treatment, now you have some practical steps you can take for your own well being. There are times when one of these strategies may be more helpful than the rest. Other times, it may seem that none of them makes a huge difference. But I keep practicing all of them anyway, because I know they are steps toward a healthier lifestyle. Following them on a regular basis may not eliminate depression forever, but they help me to minimize their severity. These tips can be helpful for people who are not depressed too. They can be useful for anyone who is a little discouraged, a little blue, or needs to refocus on more positive things in life. I hope that by trying these ideas you may find yourself on the way to experiencing more joy. ******************