Poppies For Sale

By Gregory McLane

How often is that seen? A number of poppies users will likely turn their heads, only to clearly read it more clearly, For Sale: Puppies.

Since the legal implications of the use and the selling of the product is in close scrutiny, buying and purchasing of these poppies are difficult. Accordingly, users who are in scrutiny, are most likely to itemize justifications for it. What, then, are the Legal Aspects of Poppy Pods?

Poppies or poppy pods " scientifically known as Papaver Somniferum, are seeds of a plant, where the narcotic, Opium has been widely known to derive from.

With the implications of Opium being considered as a drug, poppy pods are disapproved by a lot of countries and states. With the content of morphine, about 92%, they are commonly illegally processed chemically in order to produce heroin for illegal drug trade. Why risk the safety, and well, the people's sanity, right?

Nonetheless, dried poppy pods have found a great use in a lot of households and businesses.

The increasing use of these dried poppy pods have made it increasingly more difficult to find actual growers. Being treated as a hot commodity, you'd likely be on the high once you get a good and legitimate source.

Many would ask if it is legal to buy poppies. That would be a clear yes on the conditions that (1) they will be used for ornamental, designing and crafting purposes, and (2) in the treatment of illnesses. Poppies are favorite among crafter because of its varying size, shape and form " giving them versatility as compared to other dry florals. Also, in the use of medicinal purposes, teas and tinctures are commonly used, especially for the treatment of diarrhea, for example. With this, you'll find professional florists, crafter, hobbyists, and pharmaceutical companies vying to get these seeds.

Many would ask, as well, if it is legal to grow poppies. Like buying them, it is legal to grow them as well. However, they are bound with the condition that they are privately and domestically cultivated in small modest amount, since they will not be subject to legal controls. Hence, you shouldn't be surprised when you see them growing in a lot of nurseries and ornamentals, seeing them attractively in varying forms, colors and sizes. But it should differ from place to place. In the case of the United States for example, they require a license, as people in India are free to cultivate them. With this, know how they are legally bound in your respective place of residence.

A poppy is versatile plant that is used in variety of situations. As government, science, medicine, and other fields of interest would always keep a reminder though, it is always wise to know the distinction and difference between use and abuse. With the friendly advice, you'd keep yourself from getting locked in jail, or sanity, through proper use, and / or in moderation " otherwise, you might be best off with Puppies For Sale.

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American Dream is Real for Refugee and Her Spanish Olive Oil

By Michelle Allen

Miriam was 11 years old when she and her parents caught the last flight out of Cuba on Oct. 19, 1962, during the height of the Cuban missile crisis, with one suitcase between them.

"Everything was fear-driven, as we boarded our flight from Havana, Russian missiles were in Cuba pointed at Miami."

In Miami, they met her brother who had left Cuba six months earlier.

"We had to start over," she said. "We were refugees."

But they were refugees with marketable skills. It took some time for her father, who had been a lumberjack in Cuba to find work. But her mother, who was a seamstress in the garment industry, found work almost immediately after arriving in the United States.

Life in Miami was different -- fallout shelters, radiation drills, a different language and a new way of life. Miriam was one of only five children in her school who spoke Spanish.

These experiences helped shape Miriam into the person she is today.

Miriam Vigoa didn't foresee making a Spanish olive oil splash in the health food industry when she added spices to her great-grandmother's herbed olive oil recipe and began serving it on menu items at Cafe Latte.

She was already busy running Cypress Lighting -- a business she purchased in 1983 -- investing in and maintaining real estate and helping run Cafe Latte, the coffee shop she opened with partner Kristi Linebaugh in 1995.

Miriam was happy sharing a bit of her heritage with cafe patrons who were requesting the Spanish olive oil -- now known as Canary Island Garlic and Herb Splash.

After doing some research, she began hand-blending herbs and Spanish olive oil into Splash and bottling it in her kitchen -- just in time for Christmas 2002.

The Splash is now bottled in a small cannery in Winter Springs, Florida but is still hand-blended.

Vigoa and Linebaugh decided to hire extra employees to run the cafe on Fridays and to close it Saturday through Monday.

Weekends are now spent hauling a trailer full of Splash throughout Florida -- and often out of state -- attending trade shows and marketing the product.

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Organic Herbal Gardening For Beginners, At Home

By Susan Honeywell

Deciding to begin an organic herbal garden inside your house will not only have a dramatic and positive effect on your heath, but it will also make your abode more beautiful thanks to the beautiful plants that will grace your windowsills and balconies.

By growing organic herbs indoors, you will be able to enjoy out-of-season delicacies and not worry about a sudden spell of cold ruining your crop. Another great advantage is that you won't need a huge amount of space; just a few pots will allow you to improve your cooking with fresh and free produce.

Regarding the herbs that you can use, most of the varieties that you can grow outdoors are also good indoors. There are many themes around which to plan indoor organic herbal gardening, and of course you can combine these. Here is an example.

If you like Italian herbs, go for rosemary, chives, capers, oregano, fennel and basil. Burnished earthen pots will make your garden look authentically Italian. If on the other hand you are a fan of French and Provencal aromas plant lots of parsley, sage, lemon basil, marjoram.

Another important consideration for your organic herbal gardening plan is the kind of containers that you will employ. You will want to choose pots according to the specific herbs you intend to grow, as some are not suitable for small pots.

First and foremost, those minuscule herb peat pots sold in discount stores give the wrong idea. These are for saplings, and your indoor organic herbal gardening efforts will go nowhere with such small thinking.

Container size is important, so begin with those that are a bit larger than those in which the live nursery plants were purchased. This will give your plants room to start growing. Once your herbs are stabilized and growing well, transplant them into larger containers. This is important to ensure growth and so that nutrients make it from the soil into the plant.

Concerning extra soil and fertilizer, you should make sure that only organic earth and additives are used for your herbs. This will ensure better quality, flavor and health benefits, with little effect on the cost of growing your herbal garden.

In many cases, indoors organic herbal gardening will need lighting. This is especially important for year-round indoor gardens, especially if your growing area is not sunny. Dissimilar plants have diverse light requirements, some need bright sun and others want shade. Most herbs grow better in full sun, but there are exceptions, so learn what each of your herbs needs. Depending on your circumstances, you may want to acquire some purpose-made electric grow lights

Make it a habit to regularly tend your organic herbal garden, and you will find that your food will improve much at little expense, and also that you will have brought a piece of nature to your home.

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Coffee Maker Accessories - Shopping For The Best

By Teresa Abigail

A lot of people need coffee to survive their everyday ventures at work. It is a necessity for those who want to get by everyday life with ease. If you are a coffee addict, it is normal to want at least a cup of coffee on a daily basis. For you to get the right mix of caffeine, you need to have the best coffee maker in town.

Since coffee-making requires a lot of tasting and experimenting with various beans to get the right mix, it is important to have the right coffee maker accessories. These accessories will help in defining the ingredients that will contribute to your drink's success. From an average person's point of view, this can be pretty absurd. But in truth, there are a lot of things that can be done with the best coffee maker accessories.

Bear in mind that your coffee maker must be efficient in producing the finest cup of coffee that is rich in taste and fresh in ingredients. Although you might require the simplest accessories for this, you must put that goal in mind during the stage of purchasing.

When shopping for accessories, look for the best water filters. The flavor of your coffee highly depends on the content of your water or liquid. If you are using tap water, the chances of altering the taste of your drink can be very high. With clean water, it is much easier to extract the richest flavors from your coffee beans.

Along with water filters, you also need specific coffee filters that will help you fully eliminate the presence of ground coffee in your drinks. With a well built coffee filter, you can assure all your cups of coffee to be free of any unwanted residue.

Filters may be bought either as paper or cloth filters. Stores showcase a variety of these accessories depending on your need. There are people who prefer to use cloth filters as they are considered to be more environmental friendly and can effectively filter your coffee drinks.

However, if you have the budget to go along with your accessory shopping, you can also purchase a Gold coffee filter, which is guaranteed to provide you with the best taste of coffee brew.

Other accessories used in coffee-making include mills and grinders. These can give you the best materials to turn your coffee beans into pure powder. You can go online to check on the best brands to use.

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The Art Of Barbecuing Secrets Revealed

By Todd Schuyler

Every spring, North Americans gear up their grill, stock up on the meat and prepare for many mouth-watering barbecues. But how much do we really know about the art of barbecuing? From the familiar pastimes origins to surprising tips and tactics, this list will provide you with all the information you need to wow your friends at the next neighbourhood barbecue!

1) Barbecues originated in pig-pickins, feasts that were common in the Southern United States prior to the Civil War. Whole pigs were cooked and eaten by the crowd.

2) Smoking was used as far as 6000 years ago in order to make meats safe to eat and store.

3) The famous statement Ill slip an extra shrimp on the barbie for you, which appeared in Australian tourism advertisements, is often used to refer to the country.

4) Most Americans today don't actually barbecue. Today, it is actually broiling: cooking at 475-700*F which takes much less time.

5) According to the statistics, half of all marshmallows eaten in the U.S. have been toasted using a grill.

6) For an easy way to check how much propane you have left, bring your bathroom scale outside and weigh the gas tank.

7) The origin of the word barbecue is not clearly defined. Some people believe it came from the American-Indian word barbacoa for a wood on which foods were cooked.

8) To add a smokey flavour to your gas-grill-cooked foods inside the house, use liquid smoke. It is a condensation of actual smoke, this product can be easily added to your barbecue marinades.

9) Brisket, the extremely hard cut of meat taken from a cows chest, takes one to two hours per pound to barbecue. Thats an average 12 hours on the grill for a basic 8-pound piece!

10) Several cities claim to be the barbecue capitals of the world. Kansas City, Missouri, Lexington, and North Carolina are just a few that make these claims.

Now youre set to impress! Want more cooking tips. Competition barbeque secrets revealed here!

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Simply Baby Shower Finger Foods for a Fun Baby Shower

By Edie Mindell

Depending on where you decide to host your baby shower, food might be up to the restaurant to decide, or up to the host to prepare or order. If you decide to have the baby shower at a banquet hall or at somebody's house, you will have more of a say in what will be served to eat and drink.

Today, a popular trend for baby shower catering is to serve finger foods. People associate "baby finger foods" with the celebration for the expected baby. Baby finger foods ties in together with the baby theme for the shower, and is a clever way to emphasize the baby aspect of the event.

Although some people believe serving finger foods are a fancy custom, having a baby shower with finger foods and desserts can actually save you a lot of money. Finger foods can be very inexpensive and easy to make at home. With a few good recipes and good presentation, a finger foods menu can be a great idea and a hit at your baby shower. This article will provide some great suggestions and ideas for finger foods that will look and taste delicious.

A classic staple at any fine and luxurious event is cheese and crackers. Ritz makes a variety of crackers that are dandy. For a less expensive alternative, try a super market brand of crackers. For cheese, Provolone, Mozzarella, Muenster, and Cheddar are popular favorites. Serve this appetizer with wine, and you will look like you have spent a fortune on the shower.

Baby shrimp also looks upscale to serve at celebrations, and contributes to the baby theme. Buy frozen pre-cooked baby shrimp at your local grocery store, then thaw and season them. Serve this on a fancy dish along with a side of marinara sauce, and you have got a fancy food for a great price!

Chips and dip does not have to be boring and conventional. Tri-color corn chips or scoop-shaped corn chips are very popular and tasty. Serve these crunchy treats with artichoke-spinach dip and you will change the whole definition of the common phrase, "chips and dip." Pita chips and whole grain pretzelss are good, healthy alternatives to standard corn chips.

Mini quiches can also be bought frozen at a local grocery store. These are really inexpensive, yet they look and taste exquisite. Common flavors are spinach, corn, and cheese. All you have to do is open the package of frozen mini quiches, place them on a baking sheet, bake them, and voila! These are sure to finish quickly at your baby shower. They are a crowd favorite!

Tea sandwiches are a traditional British tradition for breakfasts and brunches. Make standard sandwiches on white, honey wheat, or whole grain bread, cut off the crusts, and cut into four tiny sandwiches. Popular types of tea sandwiches are ham and cheese, turkey and cheese, egg salad, and cucumber sandwiches.

Finger foods are easy, inexpensive, and look amazing at any social gathering. "Baby finger foods" are sure to be a hit at your celebration!

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The Fun Of Charcoal Grilling

By Ferdinand Emy

One of the basics of charcoal grilling that numerous people overlook is starting the coals at least 20 minutes prior to cooking time. Do not wait to start the coals right before you want to put the food on to cook. One of the first basics of charcoal grilling that should be followed is to ensure that you have placed the charcoals properly on the grill, next, light the coals with a match. You should never serve meat that is done under the minimum temperature guidelines for the meat that you are cooking. When the proper steps for charcoal grilling are followed, the result can be delicious and moist food that will win rave reviews without running the risk of illness or injury.

Critical basics of charcoal grilling include ensuring that you never use anything but lighter fluid. The coals should be placed in a pyramid shape.Other vital basics of charcoal grilling include making sure that you utilize lighter fluid to soak the coals.

Charcoal grilling can be a lot of fun and provide a host of tasty foods for a wide range of occasions, including major holidays. Never use anything like kerosene or gasoline as this can cause an explosion and result in serious injury. Unfortunately, each year many people are injured or become ill by not following the proper basics of charcoal grilling. This can result in serious illness and injury and potentially lead to death. Bear in mind that an outdoor grill should only be used outside.

The pyramid shape provides the critical ventilation that the coals need in order to catch fire. Charcoal grilling need not be difficult, but there are a few basic steps that should be taken into consideration in order to ensure that food turns out tasty as well as safe to eat. Use approximately half of a cup and then wait a minute or so for the lighter fluid to soak into the coals. Do not simply spread out the coals. You should never use an outdoor grill inside or any place where there is not proper ventilation.

When you start to grill the food, ensure that you have a reliable meat thermometer nearby so that you can check the temperature of the meat as it cooks. In addition, there are some basics of charcoal grilling safety steps that should be considered so as to prevent accidents and injuries.

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The Joys Of Grilled Chicken

By Marcus Worthan

Have you ever tried grilling a chicken? Is chicken grilling one of the most difficult things for you? Want to know whats the perfect grilling time? Just a few men know the art of grilling chicken in the right way, and those who just try their hands at it over the weekend find it really hard to marvel the act. One needs to learn several important things before he can actually get the right mouthwatering taste and aroma. Just a little variation can actually soup you into a teeth cutting experience. So read on to impress your folks with a grilling experience on the next barbecue.

The most convenient way to grill a chicken is to let it grill on a low heat. It might take around 45 minutes in this case but you can be always sure of getting the desired results. A meat meter comes very handy when you do not want the release of moisture of chicken in the grill.

Once you have placed your chicken on the grill, do not forget to time the grilling period. A chicken overcooked or undercooked is not anybody's choice. The easiest way to grill a chicken is on a low heat. It may approximately take 45 mins for the chicken to cook properly. The preparation time may vary depending upon the hotness of the grill.

If you have a grill with an iron gate, you should brush it with olive or vegetable oil before cooking. It prevents chicken from getting stuck on the grill. You can also try gas bib grill for a sure success. Top it with BBQ sauce, who knows, you might get the hearts of your friends in your pocket.

After the cooking, do not remove the chicken immediately from the grill. If you remove the chicken instantaneously then it might happen that the fluids may run out. Without the fluids you tend to find a chicken hard to eat. So avoid cutting it into pieces just after its grilling.

For an exotic taste chicken does need a little bit of extra effort. To make your grilled chicken irresistible you can think of topping it with Bbq sauce. BBQ sauce gives an unearthing sweet taste which when combined with the delicious and soft grilled chicken make up a perfect combination. One of my favorite flavor is Apricot-Balsemic vinegar. It tends to suit taste of people of every age group. Even a combination with rosmary and caramelized lemons is not bad. It is a Mexican style, a mixture that helps in getting chicken an extraordinary sweet taste. For this you need to brine the chicken for around 12 hours. While placing it on the grill slip the slices of chopped rosemary and lemons beneath it. In this kind of preparation one need not wait to dig in the chicken after it has been cooked. Chicken is surely an exotic treat and to make your next barbeque party a sure hit, do not forget to try out these tips.

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Choosing Between Charcoal and Gas Barbeques

By Jordan Penner

Charcoal or gas: which is the best choice in a BBQ? People have been arguing this point for many years. There are pluses and minuses to each, but many people have a strong loyalty to whichever type they prefer. But if you're new to barbeque cooking and you don't know where to start, here's a look at the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Gas

* Quick. It only takes 10 minutes or so before you can start cooking.

* The heat is controllable. It gives you the flexibility of pacing the cooking. Some foods need to cook low and slow, while others need high heat for just a short time. Gas can help you easily manage these requirements.

* Versatile. You can use the gas burner on the side to cook some vegetables, and the rotisserie attachment is ideal for slow cooking a roast.

* Flavor. There are those who don't enjoy the taste of food that's been cooked over a gas flame. Plus, you won't get the aromatic flavor of wood smoke that you will with a charcoal flame.

* Easy cleaning. There are no ashes to clean up. Drip trays will take care of most of the mess, and turning the heat up for 10 minutes or so will burn off the rest so it can be easily scraped off.

* Cost conscious. One gas cylinder is enough for 8 hours even at maximum setting.

* The initial cost may be high; however there is a wide range of prices to suit any budget.

* It may prove to be more cost effective in the long run especially if taken good care of, but this depends on the changing prices of gas.

Charcoal

* The taste and aroma of smoked wood can't be beat.

* Initial cost is low, but it may not be efficient in the long run.

* They're slow, both to get started and throughout the cooking. Lighting the briquettes and letting them burn down sufficiently can take up to 40 minutes. This can be a problem if you have a sudden urge for barbeque.

* Timing is important. There is no heat control, so you have to keep a close eye on your food.

* The cost of briquettes may prove to be quite expensive in the long run.

* Ashes are a pain to clean out. The grate is hard to clean, and it takes a long time for the unit to cool down enough to clean it.

Hopefully you'll find these BBQ tips useful in your choice of charcoal or gas. Pick the one that fits both your lifestyle and your budget. Those who lead busy lives might prefer a gas barbeque because they require less time in order to fully cook a meal. However, if you have some time on your hands, you can't beat the flavor that charcoal gives.

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5 Little Facts That Will Create Awesome Parties

By Kathy Baldwin

There are people in this world that just seem to know all the answers to creating a perfect social event. They can just as easily whip up an elegant dinner party, complete with endless courses, fine linens and beautiful crystal as they can create a casual and easy backyard garden party. They seem to magically have the answers about just how best to create these amazing events complete with the best recipes, tips and techniques that seem foreign to others. Their abilities create awesome parties that everyone remembers fondly attending.

For some it just doesnt come as easy.

What makes a great party? First and foremost, it will be you, the hostess, who makes it happen. You can develop a sense of style and a flair for fun that makes any party a success. Try incorporating any or all of these ideas for a wonderful event.

1. What is your reason for wanting to host a party? Is there a special occasion or event that is prompting your party? Whatever your reason, just how much time do you have to prepare for this party? You can easily plan a last minute, spontaneous, impromptu party with a little know how or take all the time you need to plan every last detail with a longer length of planning time. However your actually party is set, use your schedule and plan.

2. To make sure that you do not overstretch yourself, your time, skills or finances to host this party, you need to plan properly. The right menu and recipe selection is critical to achieve your desired outcome and that is taken care of during your planning. The right recipe selection including choosing the right ingredients and knowing how to plan a shopping list correctly. Using effective planning techniques can ease the burden of your time at the last minute. Effective planning can also help make your party perfect. Plan your time, your schedule and your budget carefully and you will be rewarded. If you do not plan properly, your results will unfortunately show that as well.

3. Decide on a theme. You can extend your theme from your invitations all the way through to the decorations, tableware and napkins, and food. Having the right food can set the whole tone for the party! If you like, you can ask your guests to dress according to the theme"Hawaiian style if you are having a luau, or elegant evening ware for a Titanic-themed dinner party. There are so many wonderful ideas to choose from!

4. Do you need to or even should you include alcoholic beverages in your party planning? This can be an area of your party planning that might involve controversy. If you choose to include a cocktail, your choice must also include the glassware and party style along with your drink choice. Prepare to include a food element whenever providing alcohol. Make sure that you also consider providing a non alcoholic beverage for those who choose not to imbibe. Depending on the size of your party, you may consider hiring a dedicated bartender to oversee the serving of drinks.

5. Should your party plan include a more casual feel, you may wish to consider having coolers available to keep your beer, wine and pop cold. This is a perfect solution for an outdoor barbecue party or a beach party. Depending on the size and location of your party, there are options of renting extra needed equipment like tents, grills or even a dance floor. Party rental companies can easily be found in your local yellow page book or by asking your friends and neighbors.

Do not forget to consider conversation starters and party games to get the interaction of your guests flowing the way you want. It is not enough to provide the food and venue to have a successful party because the host is also responsible for creating the framework of the entertainment. The best hosts are ones who are able to oversee the general atmosphere of the party and mingle with everyone.

Hosting an awesome party and creating an event that will be the stuff of memories is done by utilizing all your hosting skills. This is the time to pull out all of your best stuff and enjoy yourself as well.

Even if you were not born into royalty and learned hosting skills as a child, it is possible to learn every one of these skills and be a great hostess! Find the resources that you need to make all your time and effort worth it.

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Can Juice Made From Raw Foods Unlock Powerful Nutrition?

By Trent Lockner

I have always been one of those people who likes to make sacrifices to be "healthy." You figure an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Although I've never had any major health problems, I suspect that diet and exercise play a crucial role in helping us maintain our vitality and increase our functional lifespan. Essentially, I put my money where my mouth was and started going out for 3 mile runs with my pop back in 6th grade.

I have always played sports and been active, kept my weight in check, and have always gotten a good health check from the doctor annually. I thought I was doing great.

But I have just been reading a book called "The China Study" which is actually making me reconsider the "diet" portion of the equation and ponder whether I am on the right track.

According to the China Study, which is a wonderful, articulate research-based book citing over seven hundred systematic studies, animal protein, including eggs, milk and beef, isn't the panacea for good health and muscle-growth that we've all been led to believe. I was fully surprised to learn that skim milk is not a super-food when it comes to strong bones, teeth and muscles. In reality, the author is forced to conclude that - much to his discontent since he grew up on a dairy farm - a diet free from animal protein is truly perfect for augmenting our health and reducing the signs of aging.

The China Study book recommends a vegan diet rich in unprocessed plant-based foods.

Many adherents to this philosophy take this approach a step farther and concentrate on eating raw plant foods, forgoing foods like rice, barley, and pasta, for example. These raw food adherents believe that we preserve and ingest the most nourishment from our foods when we do not prepare them by cooking them.

One of the hardest issues to deal with when preparing and eating lots of plants is that it can just plain take a particularly long time. Cutting, washing, for example is definitely a laborious process. Especially after you begin to have a look at incorporating plants like lettuce, spinach, kale, and celery - which seem especially tedious to wash and dry. We need them, though: greens that are important to our growth.

That is where a robust juicer can solve your issues. Making juice out of your fruits, veggies and greens with the Breville Juice Fountain Elite is a good way to mix your fruits and vegetables into a fresh, tasty and mouth-watering drink that might guarantee you get all the nourishment you would like, even if you don't have time to sit down to "a healthy breakfast" of bacon and eggs.

Consider recipes like carrot-apple-ginger juice or blueberry, strawberry, grape and kale juice. Green smoothies made with bananas and spinach are a fave raw-food vegan classic - the fruit is cheap, the taste is great and it's vitamin-packed!

If you have a regular blender (for making margaritas ), or perhaps a name-brand juicer like Jack LaLanne's from Television , you can find that they don't hold up to daily juicing, they are tough to use because they are under powered, or they just don't clean-up well.

The Breville Juice Fountain Elite solves all these problems. It is German-engineered to be a top-of the line juicer for folks who make juice every day and need a quick-and-simple way to make their juice. In reality, you can produce an 8-oz cup of juice in under five seconds and because the juicer takes Huge pieces of apple, carrot and other hard fruits - you do not have to do much cutting. THe juicer even does a nice job with leafy or stringy products like lettuce and celery. Including vegetables like this in your juice will actually increase their nutritional value.

If you are prepared to make some changes in your diet to become healthier, more energetic, and maybe lengthen your lifespan - begin with including more fruits and vegetables. Like "The Omnivore's Dilemma" recommends - Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants.

Start your program for better health and nutrition with juicy juice from local organic produce made with the Breville Juice Fountain Elite.

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Herbal Gardening - Tips To Get It Right

By Susan Honeywell

Setting out to work on an organic veggie and herb garden is quite an enterprise, but can be one of the most satisfying ways to go green that there is. The definition of organic is grown without the use of pesticides or other chemicals, but naturally.

As you may know organic herbs and vegetables are a better alternative than industrially grown ones, but they can be quite expensive. By setting up your own organic garden you will be able to have a fresh supply for a fraction of the price!

When starting with organic vegetable and herbal gardening, you should prepare a composting box as soon as you can. Good compost is by far the best fertilizer for your garden and also acts as natural pest control. Contrarily to popular belief, your compost heap will neither smell nor look unseemly.

Besides eliminating the need for fertilizer, compost retains moisture and therefore allows you to use less water on your organic garden. You can put all kind of kitchen refuse and garden cuttings on your compost heap, just make sure to avoid big quantities of meat or fish, and don't add human or pet dung! These are too acidic and also the wrong kind of bacteria.

You'll also need to source organic seeds or sprouts for your organic vegetable and herbal gardening project. In most cases, commercial seeds are not organic so you will have to make doubly sure to get the right starters.

There probably are specialized shops that sell organic seeds for gardening in your area, but you can also buy them through an online shop and have them mailed to you. Online is probably better for most users, as you get the convenience of choosing from home from a bigger catalogue, and as for all mailed products you can return organic gardening supplies if they are not up to your expectation.

To begin seeding, don't start your organic garden outdoors right away! Use a glasshouse or put your seeds inside the house, where it's warm. Let them sprout on a piece of damp cotton or paper and then transfer them to small pots and let them grow a bit.

Once your little plants have grown two leaves, you should repot them into biodegradable pots and later bury these in your garden. You can of course also go for an indoor window garden for your herbs. These make additions to windowsills and beautify the house.

Next, think about your soil needs for the organic garden. You will need several bags of organic soil, depending on the size of your herb and vegetable plot. Good organic soil will result in fewer bugs and mites, and will make your plants healthier. Substitute old soil with a new batch, if necessary.

Fill your windowsill pots with organic soil, or put a layer of at least six centimeters in your outdoors organic garden as topsoil. Ass compost and you will be on the right track to grow delicious and healthy organic herbs and vegetables.

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Why Should I Buy A Panini Maker

By Chris Smith

Have you ever wondered what is the most perfect and best tasting sandwich out there. There are so many different variety of sandwiches. Almost every culture in the world has some form of a sandwich. They might put the meat between tortillas or naan flatbread but every cutlure has some form of a snadwich which leads one t wonder who has the best one. Well, my vote is clearly for the panini sandwich. These Italian based sandwiches are typically made on a cibatta roll that is grilled to melt the cheese and goodies on the inside. This combination makes for the best sandwich you have ever put your mouth to. If you haven't already had the pleasure of eating one then you should go out and try one right now. No kidding just stop reading and go get a panini. Now that you have had one here are some of the top reasons why you should get your own panini maker at home.

For Parties And Entertaining Panini sandwiches might be the perfect solution for getting rid of the stress of entertaining friends and family in your home. After all what can be more fun and very stressful at the same time then having friends and family over for a dinner party. Often there is so much food preparation, planning and clean up that has to be done it takes all of the fun of spending time with your guests. Well, in that case a panini maker might be the perfect solution. It is easy to have a build your own panini sandwich bar with a panini grill or maker. You buy all of the ingredients that go on the inside of the panini and then let each of your guests make their own. This way they can customize the sandwich the way they like. Just be carefully and be forewarned people will get addicted and if you don't have enough ingredients someone could get hurt. If you are looking for something a little more on the formal side and don't want to just do the sandwiches then you could always serve the panini for an appetizer and then still have a main course. This is a real crowd pleaser and will kick the party off right from the start.

Quick On The Go If you are busy and on the go like most people these days then you will often get caught in the cycle of eating out. You don't have time to stop and cook a meal and it takes to long. So instead you go out and get some hamburgers or other fast food and eat on the go. This is not healthy for your body as it can lead to obesity and a whole bunch of other health issues. Instead of eating out just break out the Panini maker. It really takes about 10 minutes tops to make a hot Panini sandwich. They are so good and they can be loaded with healthy fillings and really hit the spot when you are in a hurry. You can even eat the Panini in the car on the way to whatever you have to do. This will ensure you are eating something that is healthy and good tasting at the same time.

Make Your Own Panini And Make It Healthy One of the biggest benefits to having a panini maker in your home kitchen is you can make the panini the way you want. If you are really into food and love to eat then the chances are good you are very specific about how you want your food prepared. Too much cheese, or too much mustard and the sandwich just isn't right. However, if you have a panini maker at home you can make it with the exact ingredients that you like and int he right amounts. Not only that you can explore with all different kinds of panini recipes. There are a ton of them online and in cookbooks everywhere. Unfortunately you often can't get a wide variety of panini at the store and you are locked into the way they make it. At home you can explore and come up with your own healthy creations.

While they might be called a panini maker, or a panini grill or even some might call it a panini press they are all essentially the same thing. Each one of those function in a slightly different way but they all make a great tasting panini in your home. The best things about having a panini maker is you can easily make your own healthy panini sandwiches, you can easily entertain guests and you have a quick and healthy option when you are rushed for time.

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Old Popcorn Makers Versus New Popcorn Makers

By Matthew Penrod

Since the start of the entertainment era, popcorn makers have been used to make a great munchie. Popcorn has been a great snack that was invented by the Native Americans. This creation most likely happened when kernels were accidentally thrown into an open fire. Then it was discovered that this popping sound had a great taste.

After the caveman style method of popping corn faded out. The next phase of popcorn making was by putting kernels into a pan and using the stove top. Some decided to drizzle butter over the finished batch of popcorn. Others allowed the kernels to be submerged in butter before popping. Innovative individuals even added cheese or caramel to the popcorn.

Another old method of making popcorn is by using an electric pop corn maker. Some of these are equipped with a small container on the top. This container adds butter while the kernels are popping. This type of maker ensures all the popcorn gets buttered evenly. These types of electric popcorn poppers are available in canister style. The material used to make these can be metal or plastic.

Another method for making popcorn is using an already made disposable tin foil package that can be purchased in stores. All that a person has to do is open and remove the plastic packaging and heat a burner on the stove. Then place the aluminum container on the burner and wait for the popcorn to be heated to perfection. Simply open the top and enjoy. The butter and everything is already included. The empty container can be recycled.

When selecting the brand of popcorn maker that makes a lesser amount. Try to find one that has a separate container that will hold the butter. This way the amount of butter can differ, and the butter will be dripped on the kernels as they are being popped. This creates a taste that is very similar to the movie theater popcorn.

The least expensive method of having and making plenty of popcorn is to buy the kernels in bulk. These are available is one pound or larger bags. Then make sure there is plenty of butter available, and the family can enjoy popcorn anytime, regardless of which style of popping it is chosen. Also there are cheese powders available, and fat free butter in a powder form. These are supposed to be healthier, but definitely not better for the popcorn.

Every family should pick a night of the week to gather together and watch movies. Then every member of the family should know how to properly operate the popcorn maker properly. Each family member can then take turns with the task of operating the popcorn maker.

Whichever way an individual decides to pop the kernels is not important. All methods of popping corn have the same result. Excellent popcorn.

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Food Hampers And Tips For A Perfect Christmas

By Dave Johnston

If you decide to make things at home to put in to gourmet food gift baskets and Christmas hampers you should make sure that the ingredients are fresh and prepared in the best possible way

If you are preparing that perfect Christmas cake try adding one dessert spoon of sherry or rum for every pound of fruit you are going to use and soak the fruit overnight, before heating the oven place a container in the bottom of the oven containing water, this helps to create a warm moist place which will lead to the perfect moist Christmas cake. When you remove the cake, do so in a room without a draught and leave to cool before first wrapping the cake in greaseproof paper then wrapping in tinfoil and store in a cool dry place

On Christmas day, my mother always adds a coin to the finished pudding in line with Christmas tradition. This adds an amusing twist to the eating experience and is especially enjoyed by children. It is best to add the coin or coins after the pudding has been cooked as it can be easily slipped in to the final product. Boil the coins in a pan of water for a few minutes to avoid any untoward bacteria that may be present.

The turkey in most homes is usually the centrepiece of the Christmas dinner. After many hours of cooking; you present it in all its glory, the perfect golden skin cooked to perfection. Now you have to carve it and you need to do this the right way in order to ensure its served as good as it smells, if you plan on carving soon after roasting then cover the turkey with foil and allow to stand for 15 minutes. Always make sure you cut the dark meat first before the light and the secret to removing the wings, legs and thighs is to finding where the bones meet and cutting between the joints.

Top tips for Christmas turkey perfection

Cool your stuffing before you use it and make sure to prepare it in advance

Only stuff the neck cavity of your turkey and not the rear end

Be sure to rest your turkey on a bed of chopped onions in the dish to add some extra flavor. It also helps to stop your bird from becoming watery and you can use the onions in your gravy

Placing sliced oranges or lemons within the cavity of your bird before adding the stuffing will add some different flavors.

You can season turkey skin with spices, salt and pepper mixed with butter of a light cooking oil to really absorb the flavors in to the meat.

Place strips of streaky smoked bacon over the turkey about half way through the cooking time.

Eggnog is always a winner at Christmas and is very popular with the traditionalists. Many people add brandy to their mix, although you can have it without alcohol and even without eggs for th dairly and egg intolerants among us. Eggnog is a quick way to warm any new visitors to the house and is best in small doses as can be very potent.

Separate the yolks from the whites of twelve eggs and beat the whites for this non alcoholic recipe. Add a half cup of sugar while continuing to beat the eggs. You will find that the whites will start to form peaks and become stiff. Beat the yolks in a separate bowl and add 1 cup of sugar as you mix. Whisk a quart of cream until stiff and mix together with a touch of vanilla flavoring. Cool for 24 hrs in the fridge and serve in a bowl, finally adding a touch of nutmeg.

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Make Your Kitchen Look New Again

By Soon Park

The best kitchen design ideas are the result of careful planning and thought. The kitchen is a central room in most houses and one of the most important as it is usually used as a gathering place. If you settle on the wrong kitchen design, you will have set the wrong tone for the whole house.

Anyone wanting to add new life to their house might start with changing things in the kitchen. You can brighten up the kitchen and add value to your house at the same time if you do things right. You might want to get some opinion of your friends first though, before you embark on any big changes.

Choosing the correct colors for your new kitchen is important because the kitchen is often viewable from the living room. The colors in your kitchen may affect how the rest of the ground floor looks and you will want it to all blend together nicely. As people like to hang out in kitchens, the colors you pick should be uplifting and not too dark. You will want to make sure your kitchen walls are a color that creates a happy atmosphere and not one the is too gloomy.

Other than the color of the walls, the cabinets are one of the first things a person sees when they walk into a kitchen. Because they are so visible, the cabinets may be one of the things you want to replace or redo.

If replacing your cabinets sounds too expensive, you can have your old ones refaced. Refacing your kitchen cabinets is one of the cheapest ways to breath new life into your kitchen and make an immediate impact. Whether you end up refacing or replacing your cabinets, they are on of the things that should be at the top of your list when you set out to redesign your kitchen.

Changing the colors in your kitchen and putting in new cabinets are two things you can do that will give it a whole new look. If you improve these two things, it may be all you have to do to give your kitchen a new beginning.

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Popcorn Makers Add A Excitement To Any Movie Night

By Matthew Penrod

Since the start of the entertainment era, popcorn makers have been used to make a great munchie. Popcorn has been a great snack that was invented by the Native Americans. This creation most likely happened when kernels were accidentally thrown into an open fire. Then it was discovered that this popping sound had a great taste.

After the caveman style method of popping corn faded out. The next phase of popcorn making was by putting kernels into a pan and using the stove top. Some decided to drizzle butter over the finished batch of popcorn. Others allowed the kernels to be submerged in butter before popping. Innovative individuals even added cheese or caramel to the popcorn.

Another old method of making popcorn is by using an electric pop corn maker. Some of these are equipped with a small container on the top. This container adds butter while the kernels are popping. This type of maker ensures all the popcorn gets buttered evenly. These types of electric popcorn poppers are available in canister style. The material used to make these can be metal or plastic.

Typically, the industrial pop corn makers do make the best popcorn. If a person is trying to match the taste of this popcorn while at home, their work is cut out for them. There are types of packaged popcorn that can be purchased labeled "movie theater popcorn", however the only way to really match this type of treat is to make a very large batch. Most people do not have these in the home, which is the reason people still visit the movie theater.

One less popular method of popcorn making used to be completely experimental, but more and more people are doing it know. This is the solar powered popcorn maker. While constructing a solar powered popcorn maker, a person just makes a funnel out of card board that can be closed to fit inside the steel container that holds the kernels. Then the funnel gets wrapped in tin foil and set in the sun. Use heavy thermo gloves while using this method, the funnel reaches degrees that will burn the skin easily.

The bag kernels that are used in most popcorn makers can be bought in bags according to weight. In most cases, the kernels are packaged in one pound or greater bags. Storing the unpopped kernels does not become a problem, because the kernels take a long period of time to get stale. Unlike, the already popped popcorn.

New household popcorn makers generally do not take the time of older popcorn makers. Sometimes through perfection takes time. Keep this in mind while evaluating your method of making popcorn. Decide which is better and stick with it. Sometimes new things are not as reliable as the old appliances. Advice given, do not change a tried and true method of making popcorn, unless the old maker wears old or breaks. Then the old popcorn makers cannot be found on a shelf of a department store. So you will have to look at auctions or yard sales in order to replace your old popcorn maker.

Eating popcorn has always been popular and always will be. This snack brings families together and always will remain a family tradition.

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My Favorite Baking Apple

By Cherie Carb

I always wondered how to choose a great baking apple. I mean, what really should I look for? Well a great baking apple has two important characteristics: a tough outer skin and a mixed taste. What is a mixed taste? It is sweet and tart.

My favorite apple to use for baking is the Cortland. I get them in the fall of the year between September and April.

Cortland Apples were a cross breed apple. It came to be at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station 1898.

The name of the Cortland Apple came from the county in New York, Cortland County, which gets it's name from Mr. Pierre Van Cortlandt.

Mr. Cortlandt was the president of the convention that wrote the 1st New York State constitution. He also was the first lieutenant governor as well.

Cortland apple have a white, juicy flesh as where others have a yellow flesh. This makes them an appealing apple to serve as a garnish. The apples do not seem to discolor as quickly as other apples do.

Cortlands can be great served with crackers and cheese on a platter for example or on a kabob of fruit. They also can be great in fruit salad, adding their own unique flavor to the dishes.

To pick a good apple at the stand or grocer, test your Cortlands for firmness. In the palm of your hand, your apple should feel firm and heavy.

Also check it's skin. Is the outer layer wrinkling? If so, pass on the apple. Make sure it has the tough skin. Because if it is wrinkling it was in the cold too long or not long enough.

To keep your apples fresh is easy. Keep them cold in your refrigerator. Freezing will not happen unless the temperatures go below 28F.

A tip if you are going to have them sitting out for a longer period of time sliced up, rub the slices in a bit of lemon juice. It will keep them from browning up too.

Make sure to visit your local orchard to see what great apples they have. It is fun and a great thing to do with the kids. And it is the best way to taste a fresh apple anytime.

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Popcorn Makers Are A Fun Addition To Any Home

By Matthew Penrod

Evolution of popcorn makers have come a long way. For the most part, the original making of popcorn happened on an open fire. The hard kernels were heated until they popped in a metal container placed on an open flame. After the discovery of electricity, popcorn makers advanced greatly.

While camping, in most situations, electric popcorn makers are not used. The reason being, old style camping introduces how to live off of the land with no modern privileges. Therefore, the earliest popcorn making techniques are exercised. Included with this, is the soaking of kernels of corn in butter. Then sizzling the kernels over an open flame until the heat becomes hot enough to pop the kernels into a nice, enjoyable snack for the whole family.

Another old method of making popcorn is by using an electric pop corn maker. Some of these are equipped with a small container on the top. This container adds butter while the kernels are popping. This type of maker ensures all the popcorn gets buttered evenly. These types of electric popcorn poppers are available in canister style. The material used to make these can be metal or plastic.

Typically, the industrial pop corn makers do make the best popcorn. If a person is trying to match the taste of this popcorn while at home, their work is cut out for them. There are types of packaged popcorn that can be purchased labeled "movie theater popcorn", however the only way to really match this type of treat is to make a very large batch. Most people do not have these in the home, which is the reason people still visit the movie theater.

One less popular method of popcorn making used to be completely experimental, but more and more people are doing it know. This is the solar powered popcorn maker. While constructing a solar powered popcorn maker, a person just makes a funnel out of card board that can be closed to fit inside the steel container that holds the kernels. Then the funnel gets wrapped in tin foil and set in the sun. Use heavy thermo gloves while using this method, the funnel reaches degrees that will burn the skin easily.

The best thing about any type of corn used for popping is, it is very inexpensive. Even if you like caramel popcorn, it is very easy to make and very good to eat. Some industrial snack companies have taken traditional popcorn a step further by mixing peanuts with popcorn in clusters. This snack is very fattening, but tastes awesome with a huge glass of milk.

Popcorn can be flavored by using many powders that are available now. There is a butter flavor, and also cheese flavors that can be purchased almost anywhere. These powders are supposed to be healthier for the human body. However, most of these products do not develop a strong flavor of cheese and butter. Real butter and cheese along with a good popcorn maker will satisfy the cravings of movie theater popcorn.

All in all, any kind of pop corn maker will pop corn. Typically, buy a popcorn maker that will pop enough corn at one time to save time making several batches. When you have a lot of popcorn to pop at one time, maybe buying an industrial popcorn maker is your best bet.

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Make Your Meals Delicious With Carne Asada Seasoning

By Ferdinand Emy

When preparing carne asada, obviously with carne asada seasoning, the basic method includes marinating the meat in a lime based marinade.

Keep the carne asada seasoning that you obtained, close to the grill readily available because the grilling will be quite fast. If you feel like adding other fruit juices to the carne asada marinade, do not hesitate. To talk about carne asada seasoning we first clarify what carne asada really is. Therefore a good carne asada marinade must contain a lot of lime juice, onion and black pepper, as well as garlic. Papaya is a natural source of tenderizers.

If you do not have time to make the carne asada seasoning or you do not have the necessary ingredients, you can always buy some from the stores around you. To be successful in carne asada seasoning, remember that the meat should be cooked over a charcoal fire; wood chips in a smoker box might help as well, but nothing compares to a real fire. Thinly sliced, the meat is served on tortillas. Carne asada with carne asada seasoning needs a good marinade if you decide to not skip this phase in the process. Then we will see how carne asada and carne asada seasoning are made and used.

Mind the salt! Do not add any salt to the marinade. We can tell you that papaya in particular will work perfectly well, since papaya makes the meat especially tender. Then let the carne asada seasoning get into the meat and finally grill, roast, broil until you get the expected result. The grilled beef can be used in no matter way you like, in burritos or tacos or simply served up straight. The jar of Durango carne asada seasoning also provides instructions on how to use The mix should be sprinkled on both sides of the meat.

Basically carne asada is a marinated and grilled, at the same time, steak. When it comes to carne asada seasoning, you should bear in mind a few important things. However, if you marinate the meat, you will be able to add some flavor and tenderize the meat. The carne asada seasoning process you need to use salt, actually coarse salt, cumin, powdered garlic. Put all these ingredients and shake them.

For instance you can buy carne asada seasoning made by Durango Products. Then you have to grill the meat over a hot fire and, finally, slice it into thin strips across the grain. This carne asada seasoning costs around $5 and it consists of salt, spices, onion, garlic, parsley, dextrose, dehydrated vegetables. In the process of making carne asada with carne asada seasoning, marinating is not necessarily a must.

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Discover How A Franke Sink Could Add To Your Kitchen

By Lucy Marciani

It would be reasonable to assume that you are already aware of how a Franke Sink could benefit your kitchen. Whether you are a commercial shopper, or looking for something a little bit special for your home, the range of available options is more than impressive.

For some, a simple Single Bowled, Top mounted Stainless Steel design will be all that is necessary. However, if you are an entertainer at heart, or simply have a large family to cater for, perhaps the Double Bowled Granite option will be better suited. And for the professionals too, Triple Bowl, and Prep Bowls solutions are also available.

Whatever you choose, you can be sure that only the best materials will be used. If you want something that will really stand up to anything you can throw at it, with no scratches or dents, then Granite should be your choice. However, even the Stainless Steel options will be more than adequate for the home kitchen. Whilst scratches will appear, these will soon blend into the finish and not detract at all from the operation or longevity.

If you opt for a Simple Stainless steel design, you are assured of only the best quality materials available. Such is the focus on design; a Franke Sink is equally functional in a home kitchen, or for professional usage, with gauges ranging from the commercial thickness of 16gauge right down to the more affordable 20gauge.

Despite the sourcing of the best steel available, to maintain the clean and sleek lines and finish, be sure to maintain it well after every use. And when cleaning after use, do not go reaching for chemical detergents and abrasive materials. Instead, simply wipe dry with a cloth. If a little discoloration occurs, simply wipe over with some water and vinegar solution.

Advice is also available to help you care for your sink, with their dedicated network of experts and excellent website. Help is constantly available to answer any queries you may have, whether it is to relocate your unit, or customize it to better suit your changing needs.

You may not need this advice of course; but a well maintained sink will last forever, and never lose its look, functionality or appeal. If you are planning on designing a new kitchen, or perhaps you are looking for only the best facilities for your professional kitchen, a Franke Sink could well be the answer.

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Who first made Chocolate Chip Cookies?

By Cherie Carb

Most popular cookies is the Chocolate Chip Cookie. Fresh out of the oven is how my husband, my kids and I like them best.

Chocolate Chip Cookies are drop style cookie. They traditionally consist of a dough with brown sugar and white sugar and butter and semi-sweet chocolate chips in it.

Chocolate chip cookies have many variations. Some are m&m's, oatmeal, and nuts. Some variations include white chocolate too, like white chocolate with macadamia nut for example.

A fun dessert, a cookie-wich made by Mrs. Field is two cookies with a middle layer of frosting. Loads of sugar and loads of calories! Our local Mrs. Fields stand closed luckily for me!

Who do we owe thanks to for this great treat? The Chocolate Chip Cookie was first made by a lady named Ruth Graves Wakefield. They were called Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Where did the "Toll House" part come from? It was the name of the inn owned by Ruth and her husband, Kenneth Wakefield in Massachusetts.

Built on a toll road, the inn was a toll booth of sorts, a restaurant and an inn. Folks would pay tolls there like we pat tolls today.

In the 1940's Ruth Graves Wakefield wrote a cookbook based on the years cooking at the inn. It was a best seller called "Ruth Wakefield's Recipes: Tried and True".

The Wakefield's sold the inn in the 60's. Changes were made to it. By the 70's it was sold again. The owners in the 70's restored it. In the 80's a fire burned it down.

Ruth Graves Wakefield lived til 1977. Her grave is in Massachusetts.

In 1997 it was proposed that the Chocolate Chip Cookie be the official cookie of Massachusetts.

There are billions of chocolate chip cookies eaten each year by cookie lovers everywhere. Thanks Ruth Graves Wakefield for this delicious, classic dessert!

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Poppy Seeds: Delicious Recipes for Mouth Watering Goodness

By Krishna Cooke

The term poppy seeds may be new to you but, rest assured that it is no ordinary type of seeds. These seeds have already been a popular ingredient among many tempting recipes where it is often enjoyed as a topping or filling on a lot of baked treats. Its shape is more like a tiny kidney and it can be used as ground or as a whole. But its size is so small that its length is no more than a millimeter and extremely light that 3,300 of these seeds are needed to come up with a gram. And to come up with a pound, a staggering one or two million seeds are needed.

The commonly known poppy seed has a scientific name of Papaver somniferum. These seeds come from the very seed pods of a certain plant called opium poppy. Such plant is considered old and ancient as it has been known and cultivated by ancient civilizations across the globe such as the Sumerians that emerged in Mesopotamia that is presently known as Southern Iraq, and the Minoan that was born in the island of Crete. In these ancient civilizations, poppy seeds were widely used as herbal treatment for various diseases and illnesses. These days, the seeds are more enjoyed to benefit various cooking recipes. Across the globe, poppy seeds are considered as a vital ingredient on many home cooked recipes.

What most people love about poppy seeds is its rare taste and appeal as a dressing on various meals and salads for fresh fruits and vegetables. One delectable mixture of a poppy seed dressing is with the proper blend of cider vinegar, white sugar, mustard powder, onion, and vegetable oil. This certain dressing is known to come perfect on fresh fruits or shredded cabbage and halved grapes. If you are craving for more, then this fine mixture of milk, distilled white vinegar, white sugar and a fat free creamy salad dressing such as Fat Free Miracle Whip will definitely satisfy. Often used on vegetable salads, such dressing is so simple and easy to make that you can make some to have it on hand on the fridge anytime you want to satisfy your hunger for some salad.

Another unique application of poppy seeds is on tasty breads such as the poppy seed cranberry bread that is popularly known through its unique and delicious taste. Baking such bread is easy and simple like with other ordinary types of bread only that it comes perfect with two table spoons of poppy seeds and chopped and thawed fresh cranberries. Such bread comes with a sweet creamy icing on top making a mouth watering appeal on it, perfect for snacks and breakfast. But if you still need more, then lemon poppy seed muffins can be a perfect choice. Such muffins emphasize full lemon flavor, with a delicious taste. Other ingredients needed for lemon poppy seed muffins aside from the poppy seeds are the lemon juice, non fat lemon yogurt, lemon extract, lemon zest, all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, milk, vegetable oil, confectioners sugar, and salt. The muffins need 10-12 minutes of baking time and then you are set for a flavorful taste of lemon poppy seed muffins.

Who doesnt want a cake for a dessert? How about a sour cream poppy seed cake to satisfy your hunger for delicious and mouth watering cakes? To successfully come up with suck cake, all you need is a yellow cake mix, eggs, sour cream, orange juice, vegetable oil, and of course, poppy seeds. You then need to bake the cake inside a pre-heated oven under the heat of 175 degrees Celsius. In just 50 minutes, sour cream poppy seed cake is all yours to enjoy.

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Kitchen Dangers And How To Increase Safety

By Mike Stevens

The kitchen is one of the most important and often used rooms in the house. It is a place where all the family members in the house meet to socialise and eat food. It is, unfortunately, also one of the most dangerous rooms as it contains many electrical and gas appliances which are often left switched on and are unattended. Also it is a place where there is the potentially lethal combination of electricity and water.

In a lot of countries, local governments set out strict guidelines with regards to the design of a kitchen. These have to be adhered to, to meet health and safety standards. Many countries also insist on the installation of fire extinguishers and blankets within the kitchen area. It is important to take these factors into account along with any other local government guidelines.

A lot of the accidents that occur within the kitchen can often be related to the following:

Negligence in the initial design of the kitchen and also negligence whilst occupying the room. Some kitchen appliances may develop faults such as in the cookers, fridges or microwave. Mishandling of potentially dangerous equipment like knives, mixers and ovens.

A disorganized kitchen can be a dangerous place to work in. Risk of infection can be experienced if there are poor methods of food storage, poor drainage systems or bad management of kitchen waste.

To avoid a lot of these problems, it is advisable to observe the following:

It is important to have all appliances in the kitchen regularly serviced. Not only will this increase safety but it can save money in the long run by reducing the need to replace equipment. Address the way food is handled and stored to maintain hygiene. Good ventilation is important to improve and ensure good air quality. Take care when handling equipment and follow any safety warnings. Turning off appliances when not in use is important and again can save you money and reduce environmental impact.

Do not leave any fires in the kitchen or naked flames unattended. It is important to not leave any form of combustible items, or wear any loose garments that may catch fire next to heart sources or flames. Install a fire extinguisher and fire blanket in the kitchen and make sure it is readily accessible. Any young children or infirm people should be supervised.

These kitchen safety measures are quite easy to implement but will require a little investment. It is a small price to pay, considering it is an investment in your family's safety though. The money outlay will go onto equipment such as fire extinguishers, child safety locks and regular servicing to maintain the appliances and their safety.

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Learn Why Should Boil Ribs Before Grilling

By Ferdinand Emy

First, there is often a concern that when you boil ribs before grilling that you will boil out some of the flavor.

Do keep in mind that it is not considered legal to boil ribs before grilling in some grilling competitions, so it is vital to always check the rules for any grilling competition. There is surely nothing better than great ribs fresh off the grill. Another option would be to par-boil ribs prior to grilling. If you choose to do this you need to ensure that you use plenty of seasoning in the water to aid infuse the ribs with flavor before you put them on the grill. One of the problems that many people have with preparing ribs is preparing them so that they are tasty and will also be so tender they will fall off of the bone.

If you do boil ribs before grilling and it turns out later that this was against the rules, you could be disqualified from the competition. One of the most reliable ways to insure that your ribs turn out great is to boil ribs before grilling. Of course, if you are only grilling for friends and family members, then there should be no restrictions on how you prepare your ribs and you can use any method that you like to obtain great tasting results! First, you might consider boiling the ribs in barbecue sauce before grilling. There are a couple of options.

No matter if you believe in a wet rub or a dry rub, it is crucial to insure you know how to prepare your ribs so that they come out tasting great. There are many different ways to prepare ribs and regardless of which part of the country you are from, you probably have a method for preparing ribs that you believe to be the best. There are a few tips to keep in mind when you boil ribs prior to grilling in order to insure that you have the best results with your ribs. While this is a valid concern you can take some steps when you boil ribs before grilling in order to insure that this does not happen. This will really help to infuse the ribs with great flavor.

When you boil ribs before grilling, you are able to provide your ribs with a head start on the cooking and also have the opportunity to give them even more taste and flavor.

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Charcoal or Gas: The Endless BBQ Debate

By Jordan Penner

Charcoal or gas: which is the best choice in a BBQ? People have been arguing this point for many years. Each has its pros and cons, and people are often fiercely loyal to their chosen method of grilling. But if you're new to barbeque cooking and you don't know where to start, here's a look at the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Gas

* Quick. In just 10 minutes, the grill is ready.

* You can easily control the heat. It gives you the flexibility of pacing the cooking. Sometimes you need to cook something over low heat for an extended period, and other times it needs to be at a higher temperature for less time. Gas can help you easily manage these requirements.

* Versatile. You can use the gas burner on the side to cook some vegetables, and the rotisserie attachment is ideal for slow cooking a roast.

* Flavor. Some people don't like the flavor of food prepared on a gas grill. Plus, you won't get the aromatic flavor of wood smoke that you will with a charcoal flame.

* Easy to clean. There are no ashes to clean up. A tray to catch the drippings handles most of the cleaning, and you can increase the heat for several minutes in order to burn off the remains so that they can be more easily removed.

* Cost conscious. You can get eight hours of grilling out of a single propane tank.

* Your upfront costs might be higher, but there are a lot of different price points to fit most budgets.

* It can save you money over the long term if you maintain it properly, provided gas doesn't skyrocket in price.

Charcoal

* The taste and aroma of smoked wood can't be beat.

* Initial cost is low, but it may not be efficient in the long run.

* They're slow, both to get started and throughout the cooking. Lighting the briquettes and letting them burn down sufficiently can take up to 40 minutes. This won't work for the times when you have a sudden desire to barbeque.

* Timing is critical. There's no way to regulate the heat, so it's important that you watch your food carefully while it's cooking.

* The cost of briquettes may prove to be quite expensive in the long run.

* Cleaning out ashes is a tedious job. You have to let the grate cool down completely before you can clean it, and it's a tough job.

So there you have some BBQ tips to help you decide between gas and charcoal. You should choose the one which fits not only your budget, but also your lifestyle. Busy people might want to get a gas grill as they are highly effective time wise. However, if you have some time on your hands, you can't beat the flavor that charcoal gives.

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5 Restaurant Food Preparation Tips That You Can Use In Your Home

By Malcolm J. Richmond

The majority of us love having fresh food prepared for us in a special way by someone who is talented in this field when we dine out at a restaurant. Nonetheless, as well as being a little on the expensive side, does being rushed through your meal because the restaurant needs your table for the next diners or having your meal interrupted by waiters or waitresses spoil the occasion slightly? If so, do you know that it's possible to enjoy just as good a dining experience in your own home? Well, it is and here are five tips to turn your kitchen into a kitchen of delight.

Tip One: Labeling Make sure that everything in your kitchen is labeled. I think we have all at some point picked up something out of the refrigerator and wondered what it was. Spice labels are easily worn off and if you are not familiar with all the scents, you may find that you are adding basil when you wanted to add cilantro.

Be Clean and Safe The best dining restaurants the world over have spotlessly clean kitchens and you are unlikely to walk into such a kitchen and find it in a messy state. Your kitchen is where your food preparation is going to take place for all who eat at your home so make sure it's clean. This will also lessen the chance of food contamination occurring.

A Place for Everything and Everything in its Place Just as in a restaurant kitchen you should keep raw food away from cooked food. Both these foodstuffs have their own place and this is another way of ensuring that food doesn't get contaminated.

Tip 4 - Make Sure Your Foodstuffs Are Fresh You will never find real chefs using packaged or pre-prepared foods. Only the best fresh produce will do, right down to the herbs and spices in their kitchens. With fresh food you will be able to produce flavorsome dishes to tickle your taste buds at the same time as giving your body the necessary nourishment it requires.

Tip Five: Be Creative With a clean kitchen and fresh ingredients don't be afraid to experiment with recipes. Try new food combinations. When you walk into a fine dining kitchen you aren't going to see any cook books or recipe cards lying about. Be creative, mix what sounds good. You may find that you are the best chef you know.

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Get Cooled Down This Summer with a Soft Serve Ice Cream Machine

By Arthur Smith

Summer is hot! Clich. Since summer is here, it is time to cool down while enjoying the sun. One way to enjoy the sunshine is to eat frozen foods. And the best frozen food is no less than.. ice cream!

Another type of ice cream that's become more popular nowadays is the soft serve ice cream. Does it mean that the regular ice cream is hard? You can read up and learn more about this soft serve ice cream machine:

A soft serve ice cream is yogurt, custard or simply ice cream that is not frozen too hard. You can make one with the use of a soft serve machine that allows air to add volume to the ice cream for about 45%. If you can add 25% of air to a gallon of ice cream, that makes it 1.25 gallons of ice cream. What makes up for its creamy consistency is the high temperature and air. Air allows for soft serve machines to use not much ingredients.

The machines are not only cool; they too have cool features. This type of machine is self-contained units that churn, mix, and freeze soft ice cream, which it can dispense too. Some of these machines have LED displays which you can use to set time and monitor the finished product. Once done, this machine will adapt to the mix found in it. The machine has a low mix light which will tell you when to refill the mix hopper. Other machines also have an audible signal which will allow you to add another mix.

Soft serve machines have safety mechanism that guards against compressor burnout. This mechanism allows the compressor to shut down if you don't detect the low-mix alarm within few minutes. But the compressor will cycle after each 10 minutes to keep the ice cream cold until another is added to the mix. Other mechanism includes shooting hot refrigerant gas from the condenser to the barrel to avoid the ice cream from freezing solidly.

When choosing soft serve machines, the capacity must be ensured depending on the desired volume of ice cream to be produced in every setting. Usually, machines are measured in volumes. Machines with high volume can produce ice cream suited for 7 servings, medium for 4-5 servings, and low volume for 2-3 servings.

As to energy consumption, a soft ice cream machine with small capacity generally use up 115 volts while the larger ones consume 208-230 volts.

Once you have the soft ice cream ready, you can serve it in a cone or a bowl. Soft serve ice cream can go with root beer or banana split for a refreshing dessert. You can have any flavor you have for soft ice cream as you walk under the summer heat. Enjoy eating.

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Cooking Barbecue

By Nik Levesque

With the summer finally here for another year (at least by here, I mean where I am), it is usually the time where you can go outside and experience the smells and sights of barbequing. Nothing is better than enjoying a nice barbeque with friends and family.

Bbqing can be a bit tricky at first but with some practice and a bit of knowledge, you will soon become quite a barbecue chef.

The first and probably the most important thing has to be to remember to keep everything as clean as possible. Keeping things like your bbq tools, grill and everything else clean will not only keep you from getting sick, but will also make sure nothing affects the taste of your food.

Cross contamination is also a factor. Make sure to never let raw meat touch anything else that may stay raw when you eat it. This includes any utensils that may touch the raw meat and then come in contact with something like salad or raw veggies. This is the number one way to get sick.

When choosing barbeques, it is basically just a matter of preference. Gas or propane are a bit mroe convenient since you do not have to wait for charcoal to heat up before using it. However, I find that charcoal has a bit better taste from the burning coal. Both types can be found in just about any hardware or deaprtment store.

So these are just a few things to remember in the summer time with barbeque season. Invite a few friends or your entire family for fun in the sun and an enjoyable meal on the barbeque. And remember, even in the winter, you can get some good barbequing going as well -- just have to dress a heck of a lot warmer!

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Best Results from an Electric Yogurt Maker

By Aberdeen Page

Yogurt happens to be everyone's favorite dessert and snack. It makes a good substitute to ice cream. Many people have taken yogurt as part of their daily meal plan; the only drawback for having yogurt as a common food at home is that it is expensive when you buy it from the supermarket. The best solution to this is to make your own yogurt at home by using an electric yogurt maker.

Because of the many options you have regarding brands and models, you should take stock of what its features and uses are. A good quality electric yogurt maker would be able to make enough yogurt for your entire family. There are yogurt makers that are large enough to hold 6 cups of delicious homemade yogurt. It would be easy for you to make yogurt for your entire clan in a single setting.

A great electric yogurt maker would also allow you to make yogurt with varying flavors all at the same time. This will allow you to accommodate the varying preferences of your guests or even by your own family. In that sense you never get bored with a particular kind of yogurt, as there is always variety.

You yogurt maker machine should be user friendly as well. The LCD display timer and control feature allows you to control the settings of your device without fuss. Take note that temperature control and exact fermentation are necessary for your yogurt so that it wont breed any bacteria that may cause diseases. It is better then to look for an automatic shutoff function that ensures you have the right fermentation period even without you having to check on the process at all times.

You have to make sure of the kind of containers that your yogurt maker has. Spill proof covers should be found on it to ensure of the right fermentation. It should have a built in stirrer to make sure that there is the same temperature for the entire fermentation process, making sure that all the nutrients are still intact.

A yogurt is meant to be part of anyone's regular diet, not merely because it is an equally delectable substitute to ice cream, but because it brings with it great benefits for your health, giving you a robust immune system and more.

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