Delicious And Nutritious Japanese Fried Tofu Recipe

Delicious And Nutritious Japanese Fried Tofu Recipe Fried tofu is a popular Japanese cuisine. Preparation is simple and easy. Fried tofu is known for its delicious taste, high nutritional value and low calorie content. In the West, tofu probably is one of the most popular Asian products. There are many different kinds of ways to prepare tofu. Tofu can be prepared as a main dish or can also be used as an ingredient to compliment other recipes. There are several types of tofu available. Some are sold fresh, some are sold boiled, steamed or fried.

Here is delicious recipe for tofu that is very easy to prepare. Fried Tofu (for two) Ingredients: - Two tofu blocks - One cup of Dashi (you can use beef bullion broth if dashi is not available) -Two tablespoons of soy sauce -Two tablespoons of mirin (if mirin is not available, you can use sweet Japanese rice wine, white wine will work too) - Mix one tablespoon of corn starch in a small amount of water - Use this corn starch to coat tofu - One tablespoon of grated ginger - Arrange to decorate - Cooking oil Preparation: - Place the tofu in a flat plate, on a kitchen paper towel or on a soft cloth to cut. - Put a kitchen paper on top of the tofu and place another flat plate on top of the kitchen paper. Slowly lift the plate and gently tun it sideways to let excess water off the tofu. Be careful not to crush the tofu when you are doing this. - On the side, Prepare the dashi, mirin and soy sauce using a deep casserole or pan. Heat the casserole or pan and as soon as it boils, add corn starch and water, mix well. - Now dry the tofu using a kitchen paper towel or a soft cloth and slice them in half. Lightly coat the tofu with corn starch. - In a sauce pan, place plenty of cooking oil and fry the tofu until it turns to golden brown in color. - Remove the sauce pan from the flame. Place the tofu on kitchen paper towels to remove excess cooking oil and place in a bowl. - Add the sauce prepared previously on the tofu. Gently sprinkle a small amount of grated ginger on the tofu. - You can also add grated radish, pepper, fish flakes, or some green if you like. Goes well with white rice. Serve hot and enjoy. Delicious And Nutritious Japanese Fried Tofu Recipe

Banana Ice Cream Recipe - 5 Easy Steps to Delicious Homemade Ice Cream

Banana Ice Cream Recipe - 5 Easy Steps to Delicious Homemade Ice Cream A banana ice cream recipe? Is that what you're looking for? I've got just the recipe for you! Great choice by the way! If you've never made this frozen treat before, banana ice cream is a great recipe to start out with! What if you don't have a maker? Don't worry!

Why? Because one of the main problems with making this homemade delicacy is that the end product can often turn out hard, rather than smooth and creamy. One of the "home remedies" to make this tasty treat softer is to add a little bit of banana to the recipe. When you make this homemade frozen treat, you definitely will be adding banana! The result? A smooth, creamy, hard-to-mess-up (though don't feel bad if you do!) batch of homemade heaven! Banana ice cream not only has a wonderful texture, it also has a delicious taste. This frozen treat tastes just like a banana split! So if you've got a love for banana splits, this recipe will definitely be a favorite! Enough about this great flavor, it's time to make it yourself. I'll let you make the final decision on whether or not you like it! What You'll Need 3/4 cup lowfat milk 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/8 - 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 3 - 4 medium bananas, very ripe 2 cups heavy whipping cream 1 tsp vanilla extract What You'll Need to Do Step One: Using a whisk or a hand mixer on low speed, mix milk, granulated sugar, and nutmeg. Continue mixing until sugar dissolves. (This will take 1-2 minutes.) Step Two: Purree (or mash) bananas until they are pureed well. Add mashed bananas to the milk/sugar mixture. Step Three: Chill banana mixture for at least one hour. Chilling the mixture will produce a smoother product in the end. Step Four: Stir in heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract. Step Five: Pour mixture into your maker and allow it to churn for about 25 - 30 minutes or according to the manufacturer's instructions! Last and best of all, get out that spoon and enjoy! You can spice up this delicious recipe in several different ways. About 5 minutes before your treat is done churning in your maker, you can add some of your favorite banana split toppings to the churning mixture! This frozen treat is also great served "Sundae Style." Just get out your favorite sundae toppings and sundae sauces and make yourself the banana ice cream of your dreams! Banana Ice Cream Recipe - 5 Easy Steps to Delicious Homemade Ice Cream

Delicious Old Fashion Bread Recipes

Delicious Old Fashion Bread Recipes These delicious old fashion bread recipes are perfect to enjoy or give as gifts. Old fashion Gingerbread to Pineapple Carrot Bread you and your friends and family will love them! While some people think of gingerbread only at the holidays, it is a good healthy bread and we enjoy it year round. The Pineapple Carrot Bread is a delicious sweet bread and is perfect for brunches, gifting, and holiday breads from Easter to Christmas.

GINGERBREAD 2 1/4 cups unsifted all-purpose flour 3/4 cup sugar 1 tsp soda 1/2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp ginger 1 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp ground cloves 14 tsp salt 3/4 cup soft margarine 3/4 cup water 1/2 cup dark molasses Place the flour, sugar, soda, baking powder, spices and salt in a mixing bowl; mix together well. Add the margarine, water, and molasses. Mix at low speed of an electric mixer until well blended, about a minute. Pour the batter into a lightly greased 10-inch cast iron skillet or a 9-inch square baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until the gingerbread springs bakc when lightly touched in the center. Best served warm. Yield: 12 servings PINEAPPLE CARROT BREAD 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 pkg active dry yeast 1 can (8-oz) crushed pineapple in its own juice 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup butter 1/2 tsp salt 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup shredded carrot Lightly greased an 8-inch loaf pan and set aside. In a large mixing bowl stir together the 1/4 cup of the flour and the yeast; set aside. Drain the pineapple and reserve 1/3 cup of juice. In a saucepan, heat and stir reserved pineapple juice, sugar, butter, and salt just until warm (120-130 degrees) and butter is almost melted. Add to the flour and yeast mixture. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Using an electric mixer on low speed, beat the mixture for less than a minute, scraping down sides of bowl. Increase speed to high and beat for 3 minutes. Stir the pineapple and carrot into the mixture. Using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, stir in the remaining 2 cups of flour. This batter will be sticky. Spoon into the prepared pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until almost double. This will take about 45 to 60 minutes depending on heat. Preheat oven to 375 degrees a few minutes before ready to bake. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown, covering with a piece of foil the last ten minutes or so if it starts to get too brown. Remove bread from the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Yield: 1 loaf of about 16 slices. Enjoy! Delicious Old Fashion Bread Recipes

Delicious Recipes for Baked and Filled Sweet Potatoes and Idaho Potatoes Supreme

Delicious Recipes for Baked and Filled Sweet Potatoes and Idaho Potatoes Supreme Do you have a meat and potatoes eater at your house? If you get tired of serving the same old potatoes, try this old fashion recipe for Baked and Filled Sweet Potatoes. This is an old recipe from my our northern neighbor when I grew up in Indiana. My uncle and aunt lived in LaPorte, Indiana when I was a child. They had friends who lived across the border in Michigan. If you get tired of sweet potato casserole, try this recipe instead. The Idaho Potatoes Supreme idea is one I came up with after seeing a recipe from a lady in Idaho many years ago.

BAKED AND FILLED SWEET POTATOES 6 large sweet potatoes 1/4 cup orange juice 6 tablespoons cold butter, divided 1/4 cup flour 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 cup chopped pecans Scrub potatoes and pierce with a fork. Bake in a 375 degree oven until tender, approximately 40 to 60 minutes. Allow to cool to the touch. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise; carefully scoop out the pulp, leaving a quarter-inch shell. Place the removed pulp in a large bowl; add the orange juice. Melt half the butter and add to the pulp; beat until smooth. Stuff the potato shells with this mixture. Place stuffed potatoes in a large ungreased baking pan. In a small bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and ginger. Cut the last half of the butter into this mixture until crumbly. Stir in the pecans and sprinkle the mixture evenly over the potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 12 servings. IDAHO POTATOES SUPREME 8 to 10 medium Idaho potatoes 1 can (10 3/4-oz) condensed cream of chicken soup 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided 1 cup dairy sour cream 3 green onions, chopped, including green part 1/2 tsp salt (or more to taste) 1/4 tsp black pepper Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish or pan; set aside. Peel and diced potatoes; place in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, cover and cook until almost tender. Drain. In a mixing bowl, combine the cream of chicken soup (undiluted), half of the cheese, sour cream, onions, salt, and pepper; gently toss in the potatoes to combine well. Place the mixture in the prepared baking dish or pan. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Bake the casserole at 350 degrees, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes until heated through. Yield: 8 to 10 servings Enjoy! Delicious Recipes for Baked and Filled Sweet Potatoes and Idaho Potatoes Supreme

How Can a Diabetic Enjoy Banana Cake? With These Recipes For Chocolate Banana Cake & Yummy B Cake

How Can a Diabetic Enjoy Banana Cake? With These Recipes For Chocolate Banana Cake & Yummy B Cake Here are a couple of recipes for diabetics to enjoy banana cakes. Choose from Chocolate Banana Cake and/or Yummy Banana Cake. Note: The first recipe does contain a small amount of sugar. Keep this in mind when incorporating this cake into your diet. This should be a good cake recipe for most diabetics. As always, eat sweets after a meal that has contained protein. And eat only a small piece. Over indulging will almost always cause a spike in blood sugar!

CHOCOLATE BANANA CAKE 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 2 tbsp butter 1 egg beaten or 1/4 cup egg substitute 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup Equal-Sugar Lite 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 cup & 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 cup mashed banana 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/4 cup water 1 1/4 cup boiling water Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, Equal, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and the 3/4 cup cocoa powder. In a 1-quart saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in banana, egg, vanilla, and 1/4 cup water, stirring until blended. Stir in flour mixture just until blended. This mixture will be thick. Spoon into an ungreased glass 8" x 8" baking pan, spreading evenly. In same bowl, with a wire whisk, beat brown sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa and boiling water until blended. Pour over chocolate batter. DO NOT STIR! Bake 35 minutes; should have some fudgy sauce on the top. Serve warm. Makes 8 servings. YUMMY BANANA CAKE 2 1/2 cups cake flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp baking powder 3/4 cup butter 1 1/2 cups Equal Sugar-Lite 2 eggs 1/4 cup buttermilk 1 1/4 cups finely mashed ripe bananas 1 tsp vanilla extract Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, stir baking soda and baking powder into flour. Set aside. Cream butter and Equal together until smooth. Add to the flour mixture. Mix in eggs, buttermilk, bananas and vanilla. Mix together until well blended. Pour into a 9x13-inch baking pan that has been sprayed with a non-stick vegetable oil spray. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Topping: Place 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 3/4 cup Splenda Granular in blender. Blend until a very fine powder. Using like you would powdered sugar, sprinkle over top of cake Store any leftover in an airtight jar. Enjoy! How Can a Diabetic Enjoy Banana Cake? With These Recipes For Chocolate Banana Cake & Yummy B Cake

Delicious Recipes For Using Tasty Healthy Apples: Fritters and Applesauce Crisp

Delicious Recipes For Using Tasty Healthy Apples: Fritters and Applesauce Crisp An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Remember that saying? I'm sure that probably meant a raw apple but there are delicious recipes for using apples in all types of recipes. Both of the recipes in this article feature this delicious healthy fruit! The delicious crisp features both raw apples as well as applesauce for a double apple whammy! Yum! And Apple Fritters are so perfect this time of year. What a better way to say welcome to Fall than with a hot drink and homemade fritters?

APPLESAUCE BAKED APPLE CRISP 8 cups unpeeled apples, thinly sliced 2 tbsp granulated sugar 1 tbsp + 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice 4 tsp ground cinnamon, divided 1 1/2 cups applesauce 1 cup uncooked oats 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/3 cup evaporated milk 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk 1 cup vanilla fat-free yogurt Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, toss the apple slices with the granulated sugar, lemon juice and half the cinnamon. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and spoon the mixture into the dish. Spread the applesauce over the apple mixture. In a medium mixing bowl, combine th oats, brown sugar, flour, both milks and other half of the cinnamon. Spread this mixture over the applesauce. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm with the yogurt. APPLE FRITTERS butter-flavored shortening for frying 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 3 tbsp sugar 2 tbsp cornstarch 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp ground allspice 3/4 cup milk 2 eggs, slightly beaten 1 tbsp butter, melted 2 cups chopped apples In a deep-fryer or deep saucepan, heat 2-inches of the shortening to 375 degrees. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, allspice, milk, eggs, and butter. Stir with a wire whisk until just blended. Fold in the apples. Drop the batter by level tablespoons into the hot oil. Be careful not to splatter and burn yourself! Fry a few at a time for 2 to 4 minutes or until golden brown, turning once or twice. Drain on cookie sheet lined with a double layer of paper towels. Serve warm with maple syrup or dust with powdered sugar. Keep warm in a 175 degree oven if necessary. Enjoy! Delicious Recipes For Using Tasty Healthy Apples: Fritters and Applesauce Crisp

Chocolate Cake Enhancement Made Simple

Chocolate Cake Enhancement Made Simple There's truly nothing more tempting and so heavenly than being able to enjoy a rich and luscious serving of chocolate cake. When it comes to cake decorations, chocolate is king. There is great value in learning how to properly master the art of using chocolate for cake decorations and it will certainly go a very long way in terms of presentation. But before you start delving into the various methods and recipes available let's start with the basics first. It would be a great injustice to take chocolate very lightly.

First, you need to learn how to melt chocolate. The problem that most beginners have is that they tend to melt the chocolate a bit too quickly. In order to melt it properly, the chocolate must first be broken down methodically. Whether the piece or chunk is sliced or shaved, the heat must be made to work on the entire surface area of the chocolate being melted in order for it to be of uniform smoothness. The best way of doing so is to place the pieces into a small container and putting it inside a pot of warm or hot water. Note that boiling water is not advised at all. The chocolate will begin to melt evenly but do not forget to stir. Keep at it until the chocolate becomes completely melted and without any lumps or chunks. Once the chocolate has been properly melted, you can now begin the process of shaping and forming the chocolate into any desired shape or purpose. Making curls and cutouts from the chocolate is made possible once the chocolate has reached a certain velvety smoothness. In order to do so, the chocolate should be spread evenly onto a flat surface like a metal baking pan or cookie sheet. It should be left to cool by itself at room temperature. Chocolate curls are made by scraping the chocolate with a metal spatula. If done properly, the chocolate will start forming curls as it is being scraped. Place the scraped chocolate onto some parchment in order to allow it to cool and harden further. Chocolate cutouts, on the other hand, are just as easy to make as the chocolate curls. All it takes is to simply use a sharp knife or other tool available to make the desired shape or design. Depending on the situation, even a cookie cutter will work just as well for the job. Besides melting the chocolate, there's also another important method of using chocolate for making simple yet very stunning effects on any cake. This is with the use of sifted cocoa powder. The process involves topping the cake with a stenciled paper design and slowly sprinkling the cocoa powder onto the cake. Once the design is removed, what results is a very nice design with a powdered accent. Now that the basics have been covered, more advanced steps or techniques can now be started. Feel free to get the basics right first and then build on that foundation. Everyone loves a delicious chocolate cake so taking the time to properly prepare one will certainly reap a lot of satisfaction in the long run. Chocolate Cake Enhancement Made Simple

Delicious Guava Recipes from Barbados

Delicious Guava Recipes from Barbados December in Barbados is guava time. Our tree is raining guavas, a bright yellow fruit with a taste that is part pear, part strawberry and resembles a large lemon in appearance. Second only to the blueberry in antioxidant power, the guava is a nutritional powerhouse containing more than 5 times the vitamin C of an orange. It is also loaded with the cancer fighting nutrient lycopene.

There are dozens of varieties of the guava family. Our local Barbados guava is an Apple guava, known scientifically as Psidium Guajava. Locals usually wash the fruit and eat it whole, rinds and seeds. Others may choose to cut the fruit in half and its pulp can be scooped out with a spoon; the seeds are completely edible. We harvest the prolific fruit each morning, scooping out the inside and freezing it for future use in our cheesecakes, jams, chutneys, and sauces. The remaining rinds are washed and then boiled down, adding a 1 to 1 (1 cup of rind to 1 cup of sugar) mixture of rind to sugar, along with 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice. The resulting ambrosia can be used as a topping for ice cream or as a base for guava bread. At a recent catering, a guava reduction was used as a base for an absolutely delicious combination of boneless duck breast and guava coulis. Below are a few of our favorite guava recipes: Pan Seared Duck Breast with Guava Coulis: For the duck breast, score the skin into 1/4 intervals (do not cut into breast meat). Rotate breast and score again making a criss-cross pattern. Season w salt/pepper. Add Duck Breast skin side down to an ungreased preheated 325 degree skillet. Allow to cook about 10 minutes until skin is crisp and brown. Turn breasts over and cook another 2-3 minutes. Add 4 oz Chicken Stock (preferably homemade), cover pan tightly and cook another 2-5 minutes to preference---we prefer to cook the duck until medium rare. Remove breast from skillet and let rest 5-10 minutes before slicing. For the Guava Coulis, boil 10 whole guavas, cut in half, in 1 cup of water for 8 minutes or until soft. Allow to cool, and then puree the mixture in a blender until smooth. Strain the seed from the pulp and return to a sauce pan. Over medium heat, add 1 cup of sugar, ½ cup of white vinegar, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a dash of hot pepper sauce. Heat for approximately 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Serve with Grilled Zucchini and Sweet Potato Mash. Ham Panini with Guava Cream Cheese Ingredients: Any bread may be used for this recipe, but we prefer to use a fresh baguette. Ham (we use Boars Head brand) Gruyere cheese Sauteed onions Guava cream cheese (mix 2 tablespoons of the above guava base with 4 oz of cream cheese) Method: Assemble the above ingredients. If using a panini grill, simply grill for 3 minutes or until golden brown. In a frying pan, lightly brush the top and bottom with extra virgin olive oil and place in a medium hot pan. Press down with either a spatula or you can use a smaller diameter frying pan. Turn over and repeat until both sides are browned. Guava Smoothie Combine 2 tablespoons of the guava base with 3 large scoops of coconut ice cream (or ice cream of your choice), 1/2 cup of whole milk, and a dash of fresh nutmeg. Blend until smooth. A favorite variation is to add 2 ounces of Mt Gay Extra Old Rum for a truly refreshing after dinner drink! Delicious Guava Recipes from Barbados

Chocolate Whipped Cream Layer Cake is a Delicious and Cooling Summer Dessert

Chocolate Whipped Cream Layer Cake is a Delicious and Cooling Summer Dessert Hot summer days remind me of my mother's chocolate whipped cream layer cake. My mother, an excellent baker, was famous for her orange sponge cake. She didn't bake sponge cake in the summer, however, because she didn't want to heat up the kitchen. Instead, Mom bought a sponge loaf from the store. She cut the cake into layers and frosted the layers and sides with chocolate whipped cream.

Cream cakes, or ice box cakes as they used to be called, have been around for years. Fannie Farmer's "Boston Cooking School Cook Book," first published in 1898, contains a recipe for French Cream Filling. The filling is made with heavy cream, powdered sugar, a stiffly-beaten egg white, and vanilla. The wartime edition of "The Victory Cook Book" has a recipe that is almost identical to Fannie Farmer's recipe. Gelatin powder is added to the whipping cream to keep it stiff. The original "Joy of Cooking" by Irma S. Rombauer and Marion rombauer Becker, also has a recipe for whipped cream frosting, only they call it Sweetened Whipped Cream and Creme Chantilly Frosting. Their recipe has many variations: almond cream (toasted slivered almonds or almond paste), toasted coconut, orange marmalade or other jam, and fresh berries, to list a few. In her two-volume book, the "Modern Encylopedia of Cooking," Meta Given devotes an entire section to refrigerated cakes and ice box cakes. "Refrigerated Cakes are ideal party cakes because they are usually made the day before they are served," she writes. Certainly, I felt like I was at a party every time I ate Mom's Chocolate Whipped Cream Layer Cake. You will turn an ordinary meal into a party when you serve this creamy, chocolaty, and decadent dessert. Ingredients 1 10.75-ounce frozen pound cake 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin powder 2 tablespoons water 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup (Mom used Hershey's.) 1 dark chocolate candy bar Method Cut defrosted pound cake into three layers. Dissolve gelatin in water and set aside for five minutes. Combine powdered sugar and heavy cream in a small mixer bowl. Beat cream until it starts to thicken. Gradually add the chocolate syrup and dissolved gelatin. Continue beating until the cream makes soft mounds, but is not stiff. Frost the layers with the whipped cream mixture. Stack the layers and frost the outside of the cake. Garnish the top with shaved dark chocolate. Stick two toothpicks in the top of the cake (to protect the frosting) and cover with release foil. Referigerate the cake for at least four hours. For Coffee Whipped Cream Layer Cake substitute two tablespoons of cold, extra-strong coffee for the chocolate syrup. Makes 6-8 servings. Copyright 2008 by Harriet Hodgson Chocolate Whipped Cream Layer Cake is a Delicious and Cooling Summer Dessert

Using Quince to Make Delicious Desserts

Using Quince to Make Delicious Desserts Quince is a relative of pears and apples. The trees have grown around the Mediterranean and in Asia for more than four thousand years, making it one of the earliest known fruits. This fruit was discovered by the ancient Greek armies in Iran and Asia and brought to Greece. Today quinces are grown on the Greek island of Crete. Quince is also available today in the United States, the Middle East and in Latin America. Quinces in Western Asia are juicier and softer than those in the United States.

Quince varies in different regions and in cold climates, the fruit is rich gold in color, has a heady fragrance, and has a firm shape. The rind is rough and the flesh is hard. In a warmer climate, however the fruit can be eaten raw and the woolly rind is not there. Quince is often used to make jellies because of its tart and astringent flavor. How to Choose and Store Quinces Firm, big, yellow quince without any green are the best ones. Handle them carefully because they can bruise. Wrap the fruit in plastic and keep them in the refrigerator for up to a couple of months. Quinces are available from September to January. Quinces are great for baking, poaching, or stewing, to make dessert recipes. They can also be stewed with meat because the high amount of tannins found in quince helps to tenderize the meat. Membrillo - A Mexican Specialty Quince is known as membrillo in Spanish and it is cooked into a firm red paste called dulce de membrillo in Spain, Uruguay, Chile, Argentina, Venezuela, and Mexico. It is served with manchego cheese in sandwiches or on crackers. There is a similar dish in Hungary and also in Portugal. Dulce de membrillo is especially popular in Mexico and if you enjoy making Mexican recipes, and especially Mexican dessert recipes, you might like to try making this delicacy yourself. Recipe for Dulce de Membrillo You will need: 4 lbs quince 1 vanilla pod 3 tablespoons lemon juice 4 cups white sugar 1 tablespoon melted butter 2 strips lemon peel, 2 inches by 1/2 inch How to make it: Wash, peel, core and roughly chop the quince and put the pieces in a big pot. Cover the quince with water, and then add the lemon peel. Split the vanilla pod and add it to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce it to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook the mixture for about half an hour or until the quince is tender. Strain the water. Discard the vanilla. Puree the quince in a blender or food processor. Measure out the quince puree. You will need the same amount of white sugar. It will be about four cups. Put the quince puree back into the pot and add the sugar. Cook over a low to moderate heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the lemon juice and simmer for about an hour and a half or until the quince paste is deep orange and thick. Preheat the oven to 125 degrees F. Line an eight by eight inch baking pan with parchment paper, then grease it with melted butter. Pour the quince paste into the prepared pan, and then smooth the top to make it even. Bake for an hour to dry it, and then let it cool. Cut the membrillo into squares and serve it with manchego cheese and bread. Store uneaten membrillo in the refrigerator. Using Quince to Make Delicious Desserts

A Delicious Carrot Cake Recipe

A Delicious Carrot Cake Recipe A good carrot cake should be light, moist, and delicious. Walnuts are often used in these recipes because their flavor is so good with the carrot. Pecans would be another good choice. Serve this recipe sliced and buttered, alongside a cup of tea or coffee.

Some people who are new to making dessert recipes find that their attempts fall or sink in the center. This is disappointing but it can be avoided. If your cake collapses in the middle, this might be because you have beaten it too much, which incorporates an excess of air into the batter. Perhaps you have not baked it for long enough or you did not let the oven heat up before putting the batter in. Other causes of sinking might be opening the oven door before at least three quarters of the cooking time have passed, not measuring the ingredients properly, not making sure the oven is allowed to preheat for at least half an hour or using the wrong size of baking pan. Carrot Cake Step by Step The following recipes makes a one pound dessert and you can decorate it however you like. Walnut halves are a popular option. Store any uneaten leftovers in an airtight container. Carrot cake is always a good standby to have if you have visitors because most people love it and will gladly accept a slice if it is offered to them. This recipe is healthy because of the carrots in it and the following recipe also uses brown sugar and whole wheat flour, because they are nicer in such a recipe. The topping adds calories and fat and you might want to omit it if you are looking for something healthier. What you will need: 1 carrot 3 fl oz groundnut oil 4 oz whole wheat flour 2 oz chopped walnuts 3 oz soft brown sugar 1 beaten egg 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 1 oz sieved powdered sugar 1 oz softened unsalted butter 2 oz full fat cream cheese 8 walnut halves (optional) How to make it: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Peel the carrot and grate it into a mixing bowl. Sift in the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and bicarbonate of soda. Add the groundnut oil, chopped walnuts, and egg and stir the batter well. Transfer it to a greased one pound loaf tin, which also has a layer of greaseproof paper in the bottom. Bake the cake in the middle of the oven for an hour or until it has risen well. It should come two thirds of the way up the loaf tin and be starting to shrink away from the sides. Let it cool in the tin on a wire rack, then turn it out and let it finish cooling. Beat the powdered sugar, butter, and cream cheese until the mixture is smooth, and then spread this over the top of the cake. Arrange the walnut halves on top. A Delicious Carrot Cake Recipe

Delicious Ground Beef Recipes

Delicious Ground Beef Recipes There are many recipes using ground beef. Some of the best recipes include the ground beef chili recipe and ground beef potato pie. These recipes are easy to follow as long as you have all the ingredients required.

The beef with chili recipe can be cooked in thirty minutes by having the complete ingredients namely; three pounds of ground beef, one big onion, one green pepper, two ribs of celery, two cans of beans, one can of tomato paste, one jar of fresh salsa, tomatoes that have been diced, one can of broth (beef kind), two cups of water, one fourth cup of powdered chili, two tablespoons of Worcestershire, one tablespoon of grounded basil, two teaspoons of cumin, two teaspoons of sauce for steaks, one teaspoon of powdered garlic, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of powdered pepper, onions that have been chopped and cheese. 1. The first step is cooking the beef as well as the onion, green pepper and celery in a big pot until it becomes brown and the celery become tender. Then drain off the oils. Then add the beans and all the other ingredients but don't add the cheddar and the other onions yet. 2. The second step is bringing all the ingredients to a boil and then letting it simmer without the pot's cover for thirty minutes. Then make sure the chili is already thick. Serve it in bowls topping it with the onions and the cheese. The second one of the best ground beef recipes is the ground beef potato pie. This recipe became a third place winner in a cooking contest in Florida. The ingredients for this recipe include one and a half pounds of ground beef, two cups of bread crumbs, three cups of onions that has been chopped, two big eggs, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of pepper, two tablespoons of oil, four cups of potatoes that has been shredded, one half pound of cheese and one tomato for the garnishing. 1. The first step is preheating your oven to three hundred seventy five degrees Fahrenheit. Then mix the beef with the bread crumbs, onions, salt, eggs and pepper. 2. The second step is putting the mixed beef in a thick pan. 3. The third step is baking it for fifteen minutes. Then sauté the potatoes and the onions for eight minutes and constantly turning it so it does not stick together. Add the result to the baked beef and add the cheese. 4. The last step is baking it again for twenty five minutes until it gets brown in color. Delicious Ground Beef Recipes

Enjoying 'Different' Cookies Through Gourmet Cookie Recipes

Enjoying 'Different' Cookies Through Gourmet Cookie Recipes Chocolate chip cookies, raisin cookies, or wheat-based cookies are perhaps among the most loved of all time. But for anyone who wants to try something different, gourmet cookie recipes might be the one for them.

As the term suggests, gourmet cookie recipes entail doing something different with the usual recipes people make. The term gourmet is mostly used to high quality cuisine or foods that are prepared with exquisite care or with a unique presentation. For anyone who wants to bake gourmet cookies, one should be more resourceful and creative so as to distinguish them from the more commonly baked treats such as chocolate chip cookies. Baking can be quite a delightful surprise if one decides to be a little creative and different with what they want to create. Cookies are always a wonderful treat especially for kids, but for parents who want to bake something else than chocolate chip cookies, there are recipes they can use to give their kids a different kind of treat. There are times when some would prefer to have a little 'adventure' with their treats. One example of a cookie that most people are not aware of is the banana bread cookies. They are easy to bake and a lot different from the cookies that people are used to eating. Banana bread cookies are simple to bake. By just adding bananas that are peeled and mashed in replacement of chocolate chips or chunks, anyone can already enjoy cookies that actually taste like banana bread. There are also gourmet cookie recipes that include coconuts as the added ingredient. Coconut macaroon cookies are becoming a favourite treat and they are simple to make. From coconut to bananas, baking gourmet cookies can help anyone use their imagination to create a wonderful delicious treat. The best thing about these recipes is that they are available online. Thus, learning how to make gourmet cookies is not a lot easier! Enjoying 'Different' Cookies Through Gourmet Cookie Recipes

Favorite Christmas Cookies 2 - Toll House Variety Chip Cookies - 2

Favorite Christmas Cookies 2 - Toll House Variety Chip Cookies - 2 After you have gathered all your ingredients, heat the oven to 350*. You will need 2 bowls: a medium one for the dry mixture and a large one to mix all the ingredients for the cookies. In the medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients (4 & ½ cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons salt, 2 teaspoons baking soda). In the large bowl, add the 1 & ½ cup of granulated sugar and 1 & ½ cup of packed brown sugar, 4 sticks (2 cups) softened margarine, and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and beat until creamy. Add 4 eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after adding each one.

Now, gradually add the dry mixture. Stir in 2 bags of your choice of morsels (and nuts if you choose). Drop a rounded tablespoon of dough onto ungreased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Place a few morsels on top of each cookie and bake 9-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes then remove to wire racks. This will make about 9 dozen of the best tasting cookies you will ever have! It is fun to see if someone in your family or a close friend wants to share their favorite cookies with you by becoming part of a Christmas Cookie Exchange. Because many people have favorites of their own, you will be able to enjoy a variety of cookies. It is simple when you double your recipes. You will be able to share ½ of your baked goods and receive ½ of theirs so you will have a bigger selection. My family loves my Christmas cookies but they also love and enjoy eating different kinds of cookies baked by their aunt. In Favorite Christmas Cookies 1, you saw how I made Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies. In Christmas Cookies Part 3, you will see another kind of cookie called Swirled Turtle Brownies. You can also see other recipes in the article entitled "Cookie Exchange Will Save at Time at Christmas". Enjoy the time you spend making Christmas cookies and memories and remember, make it fun. Favorite Christmas Cookies 2 - Toll House Variety Chip Cookies - 2

The History Of Italian Food

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

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

Why Chocolate for Valentine's Day?

Valentine's Day is many things to different people- a chance to start new relationships, rekindle old ones, or remind that special someone how wonderful they really are. Others feel it is just another "Hallmark" holiday where they are expected to do something for unknown reasons. Regardless of your hopes, expectations, or reservations about Valentine's Day, chocolate has long been a favorite gift for lovers.

Since the days of the Aztecs chocolate has been used as a gift. Today a box of luxurious quality chocolate says a thousand "thank you's", "good luck", or "I love you". Chocolate can be given as a way of saying "congratulations", "I am sorry" or "get well soon". On Valentine's Day chocolate clearly says "I LOVE YOU!" Chocolate is more than food, it not only fills your belly but also makes you feel soooo good. Elaine Sherman wrote "Chocolate is heavenly, mellow, sensual, deep, dark, sumptuous, gratifying, potent, dense, creamy, seductive, suggestive, rich, excessive, silky, smooth, luxurious, celestial. Chocolate is downfall, happiness, pleasure, love, ecstasy, fantasy ... chocolate makes us wicked, guilty, sinful, healthy, chic, happy." What more could you want to say to your lover on Valentines Day? Even the scientific name for the tree from which chocolate is derived, Theobroma cacao, translated from Greek, means "food of the gods". Why does chocolate evoke so many feelings and emotions for us? Chocolate has long been associated with passion, romance and love. This association may go all the way back to the Aztecs. They believed chocolate was a source of spiritual wisdom, incredible energy and elevated sexual power. Chocolate was widely used as a nuptial aid and was widely served at wedding ceremonies. The Aztecs did not know chocolate as we do today; they consumed the cocoa as a drink. Reports indicate that the Emperor Montezuma consumed large quantities of the drink every day and always fortified himself with a cup before entertaining his harem. The explorer Cortes reported to Carlos I of Spain that chocolate is "... the divine drink which builds up resistance and fights fatigue. A cup of this precious drink enables a man to walk for a whole day without food." From the earliest times, chocolate was considered a substance of power and a source of vitality. Chocolate has been a subject of study since the first shipment from Veracruz arrived in Spain in 1585. But modern science has made some interesting findings that may help explain our lust for quality chocolate. Chocolate contains organic substances known as alkaloids. The most important of these substances is theobromine, which works as a stimulant to the kidneys. Stimulants in chocolate also affect the central nervous system, with effects similar to caffeine, which is also present in chocolate. A chocolate bar may contain as much as 200 mg of theobromine but only about 25 mg of caffeine. Another important substance found in chocolate is phenylethylamine, which is part of a group of chemicals known as endorphins. Endorphins have an effect similar to amphetamine and are found naturally in the human body. When endorphins are released into the bloodstream, the mood is lifted and feelings of positive energy are reached. The sensation known as "runners high" is caused by endorphins released during exercise. Phenylethylamine levels in the brain have also been linked to "falling in love". One more chemical found in chocolate is seratonin. Seratonin is known for its calming properties. The presence of these chemicals may explain the multitude of feelings chocolate evokes. Debra Waterhouse, author of Why Women Need Chocolate, conducted a survey and found: 97% of women reported cravings, 68% of which are for chocolate, 50% would choose chocolate over sex, and 22% were more likely than men to choose chocolate as a mood elevator. These findings could easily be interpreted as a result of how chocolate makes us feel. I don't know why more women choose chocolate than men, for I am a man and I love chocolate. Critics would say that the benefits of eating chocolate are small when compared to the sugar and fat contained in a chocolate bar. The best chocolate, dark chocolate with high cacao butter content has no added fat, as well as a high percentage of cacao solids and correspondingly less sugar. Although chocolate will never be considered a health food based on its nutritional value, it is still good for you! Good for your heart and soul-anything that helps relieve stress and makes you feel so good must be. Receiving a nicely wrapped box of chocolates causes a sense of anticipation. The pleasure of unwrapping the box, the sensual smell, lifting the soft seductive papers, the look of the smooth dark chocolates. When it finally passes your lips and starts to instantly melt filling your mouth with exquisite pleasure. The taste and smell flood your senses with overwhelming ecstasy. Eating it slowly, taking time to enjoy and savor every bit. What better way to start off an evening of love?

The Dangers In Chocolate

Let's face it, many of us are chocoholics. If we weren't, we wouldn't be constantly bombarded with ads for Ring Dings, Devil Dogs and what have you. If you counted the number of ads in newspapers, magazines and on TV for some kind of chocolate product and tied them end to end, you could probably go to the moon and back a hundred times. Well, as good as chocolate might taste, especially that absolutely incredible German chocolate, it is probably one of the worst things you can put in your body. In this article, we'll cover just a few of the dangers of chocolate and chocolate based products. You may not ever eat another Ring Ding for the rest of your life.

The cocoa bean, of which chocolate is partially made, is loaded with caffeine. This is a good part of the reason why kids who eat a lot of chocolate are so hyper. The caffeine in some chocolate products is actually greater than the caffeine in a cup of coffee or even a can of cola. Chocolate in children is like putting them on speed. One of the biggest causes of ADHD in children is because of chocolate and chocolate based products. But caffeine is only part of the problem and really just the tip of the iceberg. If you ever tasted chocolate in its pure form, you probably noticed that it was actually a little on the bitter side. It certainly isn't sweet like the chocolate products that you are used to eating. The reason these products are so sweet is because they are loaded with sugar. It is almost impossible to find a chocolate based product that isn't loaded with sugar, outside of dietetic products, simply because they quite honestly don't taste very good and there wouldn't be as big a market. As a result, the sugar contained in these chocolate products causes a number of problems including diabetes, high blood pressure, hardening of the arteries, and way too many illnesses to list here. As a matter of fact, sugar is one of the leading caused of health problems in the United States. To further add insult to injury, most commercially available chocolate products are loaded with chemicals to keep them fresh. Did you ever look at the expiration date on a package of Ring Dings? Nothing should last that long and still be edible. So, as much as we all love chocolate (I am an ex addict), it is something that we can all do without. I personally have been chocolate free for 6 years and don't miss it one bit. Try eliminating it from your diet before it begins to eliminate you. To YOUR Health, Steve Wagner

Quick And Easy Way To Home Package Cookies With These 8 Yummy Creative Ideas

You've spent the time and effort to bake your delicious homemade cookie gifts, now it's time to package them!

Don't spoil all your hard work with boring cookie boxes and packaging ideas. You want cookie gifts that say "Yummy!" - Perception is everything! First impressions are truly important. So it's unavoidable that you make a little effort to package your home-baked treats. But where do you start? Here it is... Theme: Think about what the theme is for your cookie gift packages. For example, it is a birthday gift or for Christmas holiday giving? Perhaps it's for your Valentine? Use the theme on your packaging. Ingredients: What are the main flavors or the cookie ingredients you used? Apply this element to help enhance the aroma that you may want to portray on your cookie boxes or packages. Protection: Are your cookies fragile? Or do they need to be air-tight and stored in the fridge? Consider using for example, zip seal bags, if necessary. Hygiene: Always clean any used containers (or even store-bought new boxes) and dry before using. When decorating your packages, be sure to use food safe items. Eg. Don't use glues where cookies may be in contact. Consider the point that your cookie gift recipient may not always be as careful as you when replacing cookies back into containers. Think from their viewpoint and see whether there is an alternative method for better hygiene. With that said and done, here are your "8 Yummy Creative Package Ideas": HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 1: "The Coffee Cup" You may have seen a similar idea before, using a mug or coffee cup, but this is really a brilliant idea as people associate coffee cups with aroma. Whether it be coffee or tea, this idea spells: 'Good times with a friend over a cup of coffee/tea and some sweets!' - Pre-pack about 2 - 4 cookies in cellophane or sealed bag and place inside cup. - Embellish with a gift tag and fabric ribbon around cellophane. (You can also write a message or recipient name on the mug). HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 2: "Milk Carton" This is perfect for butter cookies or packaging cookies for children. Either way, the milk carton makes a great packaging box. - Wash and dry container before use. Carefully open the top without tearing the cardboard. - Place cookies inside. - Seal top with staples or strong sticky-tape. (Do not use glues as they are unhygienic and not re-openable. - Decorate exterior with wrapping paper or fabric and ribbon. If you are computer savvy, you could create a milk carton label with recipient name, theme graphics and colors to print and apply to your cookie carton! Use one litre carton for giving to an entire family or a smaller carton for children or single recipients. This is a great container for refrigerating your cookies also. Plus, the benefit is that the design of the carton semi-closes on its own with the folding techniques incorporated. HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 3: "Peanut Butter Bottle" Great for peanut butter cookies! The theme, feeling and association is already there! And you don't even need to worry about pealing the bottle stickers off. Use it instead to create a quirky cookie packaging. Use a square piece of fabric almost twice as large as the lid size and cover cookies before closing with the lid to create instant effective packaging. Create a label digitally and print out for a dynamic gift. You don't have to cover the entire glass or bottle, leave a bit of room so they can take a peek at the yummy cookies you baked. HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 4: "Butter or Margarine Containers" Unusual but very effective and fun. What's more, it has a lid and is lightweight for posting your cookies. Just keep in mind that most butter containers aren't air-tight. You can decorate the exterior by creating your own labels, or sticking appropriate wrapping paper over. I recommend a food style, earthy tones and colors for this method. Lastly, tie a ribbon around the package like you would a gift box. Large wide ribbons would give you a dazzling package. Great for milk and butter cookies. HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 5: "Milo or Food Tins (with lid)" Tins come in all different sizes and are great for air-tight cookie storing. And you won't have to pre-package your cookies in bags first. Ideal for cookies that do not need to be refrigerated. Also makes a great cookie gifting idea for boys or men. You can even etch in writing or graphics onto the tin if you have the proper tools and use correct safety precautions. HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 6: "Candy or Chocolate Boxes" Candies and cookies go hand in hand! These are little treats that the whole world love! - Place your cookies lying flat into the box. You may need to take out the pre-made mould shapes used and use cardboard dividers to separate your cookies. - Simply tie with ribbon and gift tag the package! HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 7: "Cocktail or Martini Glass" Great for alcohol-based cookies like rum balls during Christmas season! - Place one cookie or two in cellophane, seal and place inside glass. - Seal glass with clear food wrapping. Add ribbon and gift tag on glass stalk. HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 8: "Tea Box" Use small aroma infusion tea packaging boxes - usually ones that have only 10 tea-bags in each box. You can pack 2 to 3 cookies in each box and give more than one tea box for fun. - Seal cookies with cellophane or food bag first and place inside decorated tea boxes. Why not leave one tea bag in front of your cookies? It's a perfect invitation to a relaxing snack with a drink. If you do not have any of these containers handy, you can easily buy them and transfer contents to other containers. Just make sure that it's well washed and that most of the original scents are gone (except in the case such as the peanut butter bottles). Not only are these 8 Yummy Ideas creative and fun, they also bring out the aroma of your delicious homemade cookies. Start using these mouth-watering cookie packaging ideas. It's a sure way that your cookies will be eaten instantly!

Creepy and Cute Halloween Cake Design Ideas

To help you get started scheming and designing your ghoulish confections, here are a few Halloween Cake Design Ideas. Try these or create your own spin-off's!

Haunted House - Sheet, Novelty Pan or Sculpted Castle

This Halloween cake can be made in many ways.

1. Trim a sheet cake into the shape of an old Victorian house with gables. Then pipe icing windows, doors, and other details, including cobwebs. Ghostly shapes are easy to pipe and fill in with snow-white buttercream icing. Add bats and other easy to pipe Halloween creatures.

2. Or you can use a novelty cake pan with the haunted house theme. Many of these come with decorations and instructions.

3. For a really exciting Halloween cake, try a haunted castle cake! Butter cakes works well. Stack two or more cakes, being sure to place supportive plates in between the layers. If the cake is large like a wedding cake, add cake dowels.

Towers can be created with upside down ice-cream cones or paper towel rolls, shortened to fit proportionally to your cake.

For edible towers, bake a pound cake in a jelly roll pan, and then using a cookie-cutter or glass, cut our circular pieces of uniform size. Skewer these, and then stick the skewered towers into the cake. Then ice them and pipe designs and windows.

For an amazing haunted house castle - think detail. For example, you could cut out windows and place inside kooky ghosts or other ghoulish figures (modeled with rolled buttercream, created with gum paste molds, or store-bought).

You might even want to add a moat and drawbridge! Tuck green miniature lights behind the turrets and under the drawbridge for an eerie glow.

A basic set of confectionary tools will help you model your Halloween cake creatures. You can find these and all sorts of decorating supplies at www.CandylandCrafts.com

If you model your Halloween cake figures with gum paste, creations will dry hard and last for years, but the children won't enjoy the taste much. Marzipan's expensive, and this almond paste isn't as much of a hit with kids as grown-ups. Your best bet for your Halloween cakes is Rolled Buttercream. It's a great tasting icing dough that can be easily modeled or molded.

Frankenstein's Bride - Vintage Halloween Cake

Here's a spin off from our charming doll cake that is made with a Barbie type doll and a cake dress. Use a doll with black hair. Tease the hair so it's all puffed up and then paint the lightening stripes up each side of her hair do. (For a humorous version, you could make her hair stand straight up).

Paint her face a pasty white, add make-up (search online for "Bride of Frankenstein doll" and "Bride of Frankenstein costumes" for ideas. Cover the negligee dress with smooth, white buttercream and maybe add some black spiders and lacy impressions.

Another idea: A vintage 60's Halloween doll cake could be fashioned after the Adam's Family's Mortisha.

Jack o' Lantern Bundt Halloween Cake

This is an easy Halloween cake for cake decorators new to cake sculpting.

Young children will adore a Jack o' Lantern cake with a cute or goofy expression, while most older kids will get a kick out of an outlandish or spooky face.

Start with 2 bundt cakes (butter, pumpkin and pound cakes work well). Then after leveling and icing the bottom of the cakes, fit them together to form the pumpkin. Cover the pumpkin with smooth, orange buttercream. Then pipe and/or use rolled buttercream to model the facial features. Pipe green leaves on top and add a stem made of rolled buttercream or an upside-down ice cream cone, iced with green.

Last, but not least, here's an important Halloween Cake tip. The amount of liquid food coloring needed to create black or dark brown icing will probably give your icing a bitter taste. To avoid making a Halloween cake that tastes creepier than it looks, try one of these ghoulishly clever tips:

· Use gel, paste or powder coloring. They're concentrated, so you won't need as much.

· Begin with dark chocolate buttercream, and you'll need even less.

· Instead of black icing, cover plain buttercream with crushed, dark chocolate cookies, and use licorice and such for spiders and bats.

Red Potato Recipes - Easy Potato Recipes

I love red potatoes because they are so versatile, not mention all the vitamins that go into your meal when you add the red potato as a side dish. The white potato itself, red skin or otherwise, boasts almost half the daily requirement of vitamin C and over 600 mg of potassium. One of the big questions when preparing potatoes is always the same "To peel or not to peel?" The choice is totally up to you, but if you eat potatoes with the skin on you are adding about 2 grams of fiber per serving. Mom would be so proud! Just remember to hold the potato under cool water while using a vegetable brush to clean the skin really well before cooking. Below are a few of my favorite red potato recipes and I have even added a couple of variations.

Easy Steak Fries: *preheat your oven to 350 degrees *about 2-3 potatoes for each adult *clean the skin or peel potatoes and pat dry *cut each potato into 4 wedges *place in a large bowl and drizzle generously with olive oil, salt and pepper *toss to make sure all potatoes are coated well *for easy clean up line a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper *place potatoes on paper-lined cookie sheet for about 20 minutes, then turn and cook an additional 15-20 minutes. *Potatoes are done when they are firm to the touch and start to brown. *Serve with ketchup or your favorite dip (variation) instead of salt and pepper use fresh or ground rosemary Yummy Mashed Potatoes *In a 2 1/2 to 3 qt pot fill with enough water to cover the potatoes about 2 inches *about 2-3 potatoes for each adult *clean the skin or peel potatoes *quarter potatoes and then cut each quarter in half (you should have chunks of potatoes) *boil potatoes on medium-high until tender, then drain water (about 20 minutes) *put potatoes back on a very low fire *use a potato masher to smash the potatoes, then stir with a whisk, or fork or hand mixer --FOR EVERY 6 POTATOES *add about 1 teaspoon butter, and 1 tablespoon milk *season with salt, pepper to taste and stir well (variation) - add about 1 tablespoon sour cream for every 6 potatoes (variation) - add about 1/8 cup cheese for every 6 potatoes-whatever kind you like, cheddar, american, colby... (variation) - add about 1/2 clove garlic for every 6 potatoes and put the garlic in the pot when you first put the potatoes in The possibilities are endless with red potato recipes and that is the good thing. There is very little stress. If you are in a hurry when trying these red potato recipes, just skip the skinning process. Give them a good scrub and start cooking. Keep them on-hand for a quick, nutritious meal anytime, day or night.

Wine and Food Pairings - Which Wine to Serve with Dinner

Most people love to throw dinner parties for their friends and family. But, they may avoid serving wine because they do not know exactly what to serve. Do you serve red or white with fish? Will Merlot be okay if you are serving a Mexican dish? Do not stress over it - there are some basic wine rules you can follow.

The number one rule of thumb when choosing wine is "red wine with red meat, white wine with white meat." This is not always true, but it generally works quite well when you are unsure. One exception is chicken. The meat is white, but a nice fruity red wine goes well with it. The same can be said for tuna or salmon, so you do not have to always follow the rule of not serving red wine with fish. The second rule is the rule of complements. It is okay to match sweet seafood such as lobster with a sweet white wine. The next rule is the opposites attract. While you usually want to match like flavors, sometimes a contrast, such as a White Bordeaux with bluefish can be wonderful. Outside of the basic rules, there are certain things you can look for and certain things you can avoid depending on what you are serving. Here are some hints as to what to serve with particular types of food. Salads and Appetizers You should avoid serving wine during your salad, as vinegar and wine do not mix well. But, if you are having an appetizer, you need to consider the ingredients in the appetizer to help you choose your wine. If you are having a cheese tray, the type of cheese will help you determine the wine. For example, cheddar is best with dry reds, Merlots, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Pinot Noir goes best with Swiss. Camembert and brie are great with a Chardonnay. The cheese we tend to think of as Italian such as parmigiano, romano, and reggiano go well with Italian dry red wines like Chianti and Barlol. If you are serving something a fried appetizer, consider serving a crisp, fruity white or red wine to help cut the oily flavor. Beef, Steak and Lamb Do you remember the "red wine with red meat" rule? That one is great to use when serving beef, steak, and lamb. Choose a dry red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon or a burgundy like Pinot Noir. You can also consider serving an Italian red such as Barolo or Chianti. Fish and Seafood To be safe, stick with a dry, crisp white wine. Sauvignon Blanc goes well with white fish while Sancerre and Muscadet go well with oysters. If you want to be different, try a fruity red wine (without tannins). But, use caution when serving red, especially if you are serving white, delicate fish. Cabernets with tannins combined with fish can leave a metallic taste in your mouth. Poultry, Pork and Veal For the most part, you want to follow the "white meat, white wine" rule with these. White chardonnays and Pinot Blancs are great. If you want to serve red with chicken, remember to choose a wine that is fruity like a Merlot or Zinfandel. Turkey Think back to Thanksgiving. Do you remember how well your cranberry sauce went with the turkey? The same rule applies here. For turkey, since it has both white and dark meat, you want something fruity and tart such as a Beaujolais for red or a Riesling for white. Spicy Foods If you are planning on service something spicy like Thai or Indian food, a sparkling wine works best. Avoid wines with tannins and look for something fruity. And, make sure the wine is well chilled. Cold wine goes well with spicy foods. Dessert The best thing to serve with a delicious dessert is a dessert wine. In fact, you can skip the dessert part and just serve a dessert wine to your guests. These are sweet wines often sold in smaller bottles as you don't drink as much dessert wine as you do regular wine. Wines such as Sauternes, Beerenauslese, Bermet and Cammandaria will make a great end to any evening. The most important rule about what wine to serve is to avoid being snobby about wine. There are no right answers, only basic rules to go by and even those, as you have seen, can be changed. Do not be afraid to experiment with different tastes. Chances are if you do not act like there is anything wrong with the wine you are serving, your guests will not either.

Healthy, High Calorie Foods For Weight Gain

Who's sexier - Jennifer Lopez or Olive Oyl from the old Popeye cartoons? Most people would emphatically reply, "J-Lo!" Some of us are naturally endomorphs, and have difficulty losing weight. At the other end of the spectrum are ectomorphs, who are thin and actually have trouble gaining weight. Being skinny can be emotionally difficult. That may be hard to believe, especially for women, given our current "thin-is-in" culture of beauty. Others who may want to gain weight include body builders and those who are overcoming eating disorders.

The idea behind gaining weight is not to become obese of course - so fast food is definitely out of the question. That's because obesity is accompanied by serious health risks such as heart disease and diabetes. Rather, people who want to gain weight need healthy high-calorie foods for weight gain. The healthy way to gain weight naturally is with high-protein foods - which will also build attractive, lean muscle. The three primary nutrients for the human body are protein, which supplies amino acids; fats, which supply fatty acids; and carbohydrates, which supply glucose. These three primary nutrients are also the foods to gain weight with! Here's a snapshot of how to optimize your diet with healthy high-calorie foods for weight gain. Protein should be the building block of every meal and snack. Protein builds lean muscle. This does not mean fast-food burgers! Be sure that your protein sources are lean: chicken, fish, or vegetarian alternatives such as beans and tofu. Red meat and dairy products are not generally recommended because they're high in saturated fat. However, there are healthy ways to eat red meat and dairy products, which we'll discuss shortly. Your serving of protein should be the largest portion on your plate. Lean protein snacks include hummus, nuts, low-fat cheese and yogurt. Enjoy hearty whole-grain carbohydrates. This does not mean white, highly processed carbs such as potato chips, white bread and bagels! Think brown. Whole-grain carbs include items such as multi-grain crackers, whole wheat bread and basmati rice. People who are watching their weight avoid highly processed carbs and reduce their intake of whole-grain carbs to one or two servings per day. Since your goal is to gain weight, feel free to eat whole-grain carbohydrates with every meal. Seven-grain crackers dipped in hummus makes a hearty snack! Eat at least five servings of fresh fruits and vegetables every day. You can boost your serving intake by also drinking 100 percent natural fruit juices. Also, be sure to add a fruit or vegetable to every meal. We could change that old saying "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" to "Five servings a day keeps sickness at bay!" Enjoy healthy fats. Fats encourage nutrient absorption, facilitate nerve transmission, and maintain cell integrity. This does not mean eating greasy french fries! Not all fats are created equal. There are good fats and bad fats. The good guys are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats lower LDL, or bad, cholesterol and they also increase HDL, or good cholesterol. Tasty examples are nut, canola and olive oils. Polyunsaturated fats lower LDL and total cholesterol, too. Those healthy omega 3 fatty acids that you're always hearing about are polyunsaturated fats. Salmon, fish oil, and corn, soy, safflower and sunflower oils are high in polyunsaturated fats. Dip your whole-grain bread from a local baker in gourmet olive oil! Make a big, creamy batch of guacamole from hearty avocados--throw in some chunks of tomato and onion. These are delicious, healthy, high-calorie foods for weight gain! Avoid bad fats, as they instigate heart disease and certain types of cancer. The bad guys are saturated fats and trans fats. Saturated fats raise LDL and total cholesterol; they're found primarily in animal products, including meat, dairy and eggs. Trans fats come from hydrogenated oils. Scientists whip hydrogen into any type of oil, even originally healthy oils, to give processed foods a longer shelf life and a creamier "mouth feel." French fries and buns, stick margarine, vegetable shortening and countless packaged foods contain partially hydrogenated oils. Read the labels, and avoid them. If you're going to eat animal products occasionally, protect your health by doing it the right way. If you want to enjoy some red meat and dairy products as part of your healthy plan to gain weight, here are some tricks to keep bad fats in check. Opt for meat and dairy products that come from grass-fed animals, preferably from local small family farmers in your area. Now, organic and grass-fed meat is available at most supermarkets. Not only are these products vastly superior in flavor, but also contain more good fats, especially omega 3 fatty acids, than bad fats. They also have conjugated lineolic acid, and are high in beta-carotene. These nutrients plummet in ordinary mass-produced meat and dairy products, because the animals are fed corn, which is less expensive and makes animals larger. You might also be shocked to learn that the animals are often fed truckloads of stale or ruined junk food such as snack cakes from bakery outlets because it's so cheap. Another method you can use to supplement healthy foods to gain weight is by focusing on anaerobic exercise rather than aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise is moderate activity performed over an extended period of time, such as running and bicycling. Aerobic exercise burns fat. However, if you're trying to gain weight, retain a little fat to sculpt into lean, attractive muscle, and turn to anaerobic exercise. Anaerobic exercise is high-intensity with short bursts of action, such as weight lifting, sprinting and jumping. Weight lifting is the perfect anaerobic exercise for someone who's trying to gain weight. Body builders use this type of anaerobic exercise to build muscle mass, and non-endurance sports athletes use it to build power. Weightlifting creates a hard body for men that women love, and it sculpts those curves on women that men appreciate! Once you attain your desired weight, you can supplement anaerobic exercise with aerobic exercise for overall cardiovascular health. In addition to these diet tips, you can supplement your healthy diet with protein supplements. It is often difficult to eat enough protein each day, so supplementing with a soy or whey protein shake can help increase overall intake. Everyone who is too skinny wants to gain weight, look great, and build strength. Take the next step today, and enjoy the benefits of a fit, healthy body.

Potato Salad Recipe: Two Delicious Potato Salad Recipes

Are you looking for a tasty and delicious potato salad recipe? There are tons of salad recipes available. These salads are great, because they are very versatile. You can serve a potato salad as a side dish with many different dishes. You can serve it with ribs, burgers, chicken salad, grilled chicken, baked chicken, sandwiches and many other main dishes. There are lots of different salad recipes to choose from. Read this article for potato salad recipes that taste great and look great!

And how about potato salad recipes without mayonnaise? You can make a salad without mayonnaise, and it will be very tasty as well. They key here is to use very flavorful ingredients, such as onions and cheese. A great dressing will also make your dish taste great, even if you do not add mayonnaise. If you are looking for recipes that do not contains mayonnaise, there are tons of recipes to choose from as well. For example, you can create a Greek style potato salad that has feta cheese and a tasty dressing that does not contain mayonnaise. Or, here is another great idea for a salad that you can make with potatoes. You can combine blue cheese, with potatoes and onions, and you will get another delicious dish that you can serve. If you are looking for a tasty and flavorful potato salad recipe, check out these two great salad recipes: 1. Greek Style Salad Recipe With Potatoes, Feta, Onions And Herbs. Take a look at this great looking and great tasting dish! It has red potatoes and red onions, and it looks great, and it tastes great. The combination of feta cheese, red onions makes this salad great to look at, and it also makes the salad very tasty! Plus, when you add herbs such as parsley and dill, which add green color, you will make this dish even tastier and even more colorful. Here is how to make the Greek Style Salad. Cook and cool the potatoes. Chop the onions, dill, and parsley. Crumble feta cheese. Combine potatoes and onions. Make salad dressing and combine with potatoes and onions. Mix, then add dill, parsley, and feta cheese and mix. The salty feta combined with potatoes, onions, dill, parsley and dressing made from vinegar and olive oil, makes an extremely flavorful and delicious dish! 2. Potato Salad With Blue Cheese. Here is another very easy to make salad without mayonnaise. If you are looking for potato salad recipe without mayonnaise, you should check out this great tasting recipe as well. For this salad you will need red potatoes, onions, blue cheese, dill, and parsley. You will also need to make a salad dressing. Here is how to make this great tasting and colorful salad with blue cheese. Cook and cool the red potatoes. Chop the onions, dill, and parsley. Crumble blue cheese. Just like with the other recipe, combine potatoes and onions. Add the dressing and mix. Then, add blue cheese, dill and parsley and mix again. What you have a great tasting salad, and it does not need mayonnaise in its dressing to taste great!

H&K Tunstall - The Delicious Dozen

Hollinshead and Kirkham, originally of Burslem in Staffordshire, moved their pottery works to nearby Tunstall in 1890. They catered mainly for the middle class end of the market and, in the main, produced a range of conservatively designed dinner ware. However in the economic slump following the First World War the company needed to do something to address their falling sales. Designer Harold Growcott was their White Knight.

Growcott came up with a range of designs for hand painted porcelain that tapped into the growing interest in all things Art Deco. The designs featured an abstract painted background of two or more colours on which bold fruit or floral designs were hand painted. The result was bold and exciting. The Delicious Dozen as it came to be known was actually a range of 14 designs, but let's not be pedantic about a good nickname. The designs were applied to many of the existing pre-war shapes, to give them a new lease of life, as well as some fresh new shapes more in keeping with the Art Deco style. Due to its similar subject matter and large bold painting style H&K has also been dubbed 'Poor Man's Moorcroft' but if the prices I have had to pay for some of my pieces are anything to go by, that's not a title that fits today's collecting market. This is the major collectible area for this pottery. Hey made many dinnerware designs, many of them very attractive but none of any real collector interest (except, of course to people who have a set handed down to them from their grandmother). But the Delicious Dozen have become extremely popular in recent years and if you come across a piece you will understand why.

The Recipes of Wales Modern and Traditional Foods

When people think of Wales the food is not what they immediately think of. Indeed, much of the traditional cookery of Wales is what might be called 'peasant food'. This is hardly surprising given Wales' history. After all the country has been rich in resources but poor in income for many centuries.

Industry dominated the country, whether predominantly agriculture in the North and heavy industry in the South. But everyone was working for someone else rather than themselves. The pennies had to be eked out and salaries were supplemented with small holdings that grew vegetables, pigs and chickens. Each and every last drop of use was drawn from the food an frugality was the watchword. Thus the traditional food tends to be plain, simple and hearty. In many households this is what the staple fare is like, even today. But as the country grew more affluent and developed a middle class some traditional recipes became entrenched but, in general, there was a move away from the traditional fare to something more exotic. Influences were brought home from across the globe and there was a tendency, even at home, to mix and match. So that traditional ingredients were combined with exotic spices and ingredients to produce something new. A new Welsh cuisine that few people ever get to see. Here I bring you a traditional Welsh dish followed by an example of modern Welsh Fusion cooking. Pastai Oen Cymreig (Welsh Lamb Pie) Ingredients: 675g neck of lamb 4 carrots, sliced 1 onion, chopped 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped 2 sprigs of parsley 250g prepared shortcrust pastry salt and black pepper beaten egg to glaze Method: Remove the meat from the lamb neck and chop the meat into small cubes. Add the bones to a pan along with the onion and whole parsley sprigs. Cover with water, season and boil for 90 minutes before straining the mixture and retaining the liquid Tip the pastry onto a floured surface and roll out. Use half to cover the base of a 1l pie dish. Add the carrots to the base and cover with the meat before adding the chopped parsley and seasonings. Wet the edge of the pastry with water, use the remaining pastry to cover and crimp the edges with a fork. Trim the excess then cut a steam hole in the centre of the pie (this should be large enough for you to insert a small funnel later). Place the pie in an oven pre-heated to 170°C and bake for about 100 minutes, or until the pie is cooked through and golden. When the pie is ready re-heat the stock and use a funnel to pour about 60ml of this into the pie. Serve immediately. Cig Oen â Saws Llus (Lamb with Bilberry Sauce) Ingredients: 4 x 150g lamb leg steaks 1 tbsp olive oil 125g finely-chopped onions 2 cloves finely-chopped garlic 50ml raspberry vinegar 1 tsp cracked black peppercorns 120ml fresh orange juice 120ml dry white wine 1 tbsp tomato purée 150ml water 125g fresh bilberries (or the same weight of blueberries plus 1 tbsp red wine vinegar) 1 tbsp honey 3 strips of orange peel salt and black pepper to taste Method: Add the olive oil to a hot pan, season the lamb leg steaks then and fry until browned on both side then set aside. Add the onion and garlic to the pan then fry until soft. At this stage add the raspberry vinegar and black pepper to the pan and boil until the vinegar has almost completely vanished. Now add half the bilberries, the honey, the white wine and the orange juice and the orange peel. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer for five minutes. Now add the water and bring back to the boil. Transfer the sauce to a lidded oven-proof dish and add the lamb steaks to this. Place in a moderate oven and cook for forty minutes. Set the meat aside in a warm place, tip the sauce back into the original pan and bring to the boil. Reduce to thicken then add the remaining bilberries and continue cooking until the skins are just about to split. Spoon the sauce over the lamb steaks and serve immediately.

How to Make a Delicious Pineapple Dessert Pie

When it comes to making homemade dessert pies, you don't have to slave for hours making a recipe that is difficult and time consuming. This particular recipe was given to me 25 years ago by my grandmother and to this day, it is one of our favorites to make.

You can purchase two pre-made pie shells or make your own pie crust using your favorite recipe. Once the pie has completely cooled to room temperature, you will want to store it in the refrigerator.

When it comes to serving it, I recommend vanilla ice cream, vanilla yogurt or some whipped topping. If desired, you can place a few fresh cherries on top of your chosen topping right before serving.

Pineapple Pie Recipe

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons quick cooking tapioca

1/4 teaspoon table salt

4 cups fresh pineapple, chopped into pieces

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 unbaked pastry shells

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar, tapioca and table salt. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped pineapple pieces and lemon juice. Gently stir the sugar mixture into the pineapple mixture to combine all ingredients together. Let this mixture stand at room temperature for approximately 15 minutes.

Pour mixture into an unbaked pastry shell and dot the top with butter or margarine. Use the second pastry shell to make a top crust, seal the edges with a tad of water if necessary.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35 minutes or until done. Cool pie to room temperature and then refrigerate.

How to Bake Beautiful Lavender Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients:
1. 3 tbsp fresh lavender flowers OR 1 1/2 tbsp dried lavender flowers ( Redman/Phoon Huat brand)
2. 1 cup butter ( leave to soften at room temp for about 10 mins)
3. 1/4 cup cornstarch
4. 1/2 cup icing sugar ( more if you have a sweet tooth)
5.1 tsp vanilla essence/vanilla extract
Makes approximately 30 or more cookies ( depending on the size of your cookies!)

Set oven at 170 deg c

Steps:
1. Cut up softened butter into smaller pieces using a knife
2. In a large mixing bowl, roughly mix together lavender flowers, softened butter, icing sugar and cornstarch using a spatula.
3. Place rough mixture into a food blender, and gently pulse the mixture. Stop blending and in small amounts, pour flour into the mixture in the food blender.
(NOTE: If the mixture becomes too caked up or dry, add in 4 tbsp of water, add water SPARINGLY)

4. Blend the ingredients till a ball of smooth dough forms.

5. Lay your work surface with a lightly floured grease paper and place the ball of blended dough onto the sheet and lightly knead the dough into a firm ball.

6. Wrap up the dough with the same grease paper and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
( NOTE: If you plan to make the dough in advance and serve it on another day, the dough can be frozen and thawed then baked in the oven on the day you wish to serve the shortbread cookies.)

7. After 30 minutes, take out the dough and let it thaw awhile.

8. Roll the thawed dough into a log shape using either your hands or using the existing grease paper.

9.With a sharp knife, cut the log into 1/2 inch rings so they come out as round, flat cookies.

10.Place the cut round cookie dough pieces onto a fresh piece of grease paper.

11. Place them in the oven at 160 deg c for 15 minutes.

(NOTE: Different ovens will have different heating styles so watch the cookies even as you set the time at 15 mins as they might burn before the stated time if you're not using a convection oven!)

Creative Suggestions/Ideas:
For kids' parties:
1. If you're baking these cookies with kids in mind, try coating the cookie surface with plain icing or coloured icing( recipe for cookie icing is below!)
2. cookies can be cute into various shapes using cookie cutters, simply roll out the thawed dough(step8) and use your hands or a lightly floured rolling pin to flatten out the dough into a sheet 1/2 inch thick) then use cookies cutters to cut out the desired shapes.
3. Using the icing as a food "glue", coat the cookie with icing, then dip the lavender cookies in rainbow sprinkles.

For formal high tea gatherings:
4. If you're baking it with adults in mind for a more serious high tea party, lavender cookies can be artfully outlined with icing sugar.( see below for icing sugar recipe)
5. Cookies can be cut out into simple heart shapes( see point 2) to give the lavender cookies a "chic" feel.
6. Serve the cookies with a light fragrant tea like green tea or chinese oolong tea. ( preferably no sugar added in the tea as this will override the delicate taste of the lavender cookies)

Icing Sugar Recipe:

1. 150g butter ( soften at room temperature for 10 minutes)
2. 250g confectioner's sugar
3. 1 tsp vanilla essence
4. 2 tsp water

Steps:
1. Beat the softened butter and sugar together with an electric mixer.
2.Once well-combined, add vanilla and water. Beat until smooth and creamy.

NOTE: All cookies that have been iced need to be stored in the fridge to prevent the baked products from going bad.

Varieties of Cookie Jars

Any outsider would think this to be crazy, but only the people who have grown up eating those special cookies cooked by grandma would appreciate the real value of that glimpse of a cookie jar. It is almost magical - the effect that brings water to your mouths like in the case of that classical conditioning experiment with the dog. It seems like a lot of Americans especially and other kids around the world have had this special experience with cookies which has till today the cookie jar industries. Some of the most amazing products are seen below:

- Company name: Vandor
- Jar Specialty: Musicians, especially pop like Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Betty Boop etc. Later also joined by other famous celebrities like Marilyn Monroe, Scooby doo, Uncle Sam etc.

- Company name: Quaker Oats
- Jar Specialty: Commonly found boxes in market, Aunt Jemina etc.

- Company name: McCoy
- Jar Specialty: Marilyn Monroe, Marvin Martian, Maxine Series, M and M etc.

- Company name: Nightmare Before Christmas
- Jar Specialty: NBC Peacock, Nestle Bear, Nabisco etc.

- Company name: Keebler
- Jar Specialty: Little Red Riding Hood

Here we can see the great influence of American tradition, myths, stories, legends and even pop culture clearly visible on the cookie jars. It is like an untold story. These treasured items even today remain a very impressive antique collection. Like the collection of Andy Warhol that was sold for 0,000.
Other items listed in the most valued list may include Superman, Batman, James Dean, Felix the Cat, The Three Stooges, Amazing Grace, Ragtime, Jazz Player, Babe Ruth, Animals, basketball, American Bisque, Animal Crackers, Brush Pottery Jars, Coca Cola, Easter, Entertainment Logos, Encore's Buddies, Flying saucer, Flamingo, Frog, Football, Foo God, Ghosts, Grant Howard, Halloween, Hearts, Howdy Doody, IGA Circus, Hopalong Casidy, Leprechauns, Mickey Mouse, People, Penguins, Planet Hollywood, Sports themes and so many more.

The awesome variety of designs and ideas is just staggering. Nothing more beautiful could be imagined than what the artists inspired from. This whole collection stares right back at you with all the historic themes and stories that come with it. Imagine if you are looking at an ancient inscription on an old cave's walls. What would you have seen? Their stories, their lives were written on those walls. How they dressed, how they played, how they danced and how they loved is all brought to us by their paintings. There are no words involved as words leave far lesser to your imagination.

The cookie jar undoubtedly are one of these remains of the earlier times when we set on our paths of economic progress, learnt our heavy lessons from the world wars and economic turmoil. They will tell the future generations about the themes and decorations of our lives. When a kid born in 2020 will eat his favorite cookie from a jar carved with Mickey Mouse and Elvis Presley, will he not wonder who these famous personalities are? Perhaps this is our way of writing our stories.