Monday, October 31, 2011

Cookie Jar Value

The sight of a lovely old traditional cookie jar is always welcomed. They take you back to a time when you were visiting your Grandma and choosing a cookie was the only decision you had to make. If you have a collection of cookie jars there is bound to be one amongst them that will bring back memories for each of your visitors. Some jars are elaborate and decorative, some novel and some are just traditional and functional. You are bound to have your favorite and the cookie jar value may not be measured just in dollars but in sentimental value too.

Some collectors will specialise in a certain style of cookie jar. Some favour antique jars which may hold a good financial value and others may prefer the novelty ones which are quirky and are often collected just because they appeal to the collector. If you decide that you wish to start collecting cookie jars, whether they are ceramic or metal, novelty or traditional, a cookie jar value guide will help you establish a rough value for your collection. You will also be able to see the kind of money that you will have to pay for pieces that you want to buy.

Cookie Recipes

A cookie jar value guide can be quite easily found. These days, with the internet being so easily accessible, there are many sites which specialise in helping collectors and some of them even have forums where you can keep in touch with others who have a similar interest. This makes finding pieces much easier and also helps you with identification of jars that you have found and important information regarding collector's fairs and auctions.

Many cookie companies have produced jars as advertising and merchandising items and some of these are now worth much more than when they were first put onto the market. Oreo, for example have a whole range of jars and some of these are actually quite difficult to find. If you happen to be at a garage sale or a market and notice an Oreo jar, or indeed any other cookie manufacturer jar, it may be worth buying it, if the price is right. If you only have to pay a small amount for the item you should invest there and then. You can always refer to a cookie jar value listing later and see if you have found a real bargain. If not, well, you still have a cookie jar which you will have paid very little for!

If you need some help in identifying a particular cookie jar or are trying to establish a cookie jar value, a good website to start at is 'The American Cookie Jar Association' (www.cookiejarclub.com). They have a number of interesting articles, can help identify jars and also have a good forum where you can be put in touch with other collectors. Cookie jars are lovely items to collect. Whether they are pretty, ugly, branded or traditional, there is a jar that will bring back fond memories for each and every one of us.

Cookie Jar Value

Wendy Pan is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about cookie jar value [http://vintagecookiejars.info/cookie-jar-value], please visit Vintage Cookie Jars for current articles and discussions.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Sugar Free Cookie Recipes

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

Ever heard of sugar free cookie recipes? Regardless, there are plenty of them out there. Now, I know you may be thinking, but you should not pre-judge sugar cookie recipes before you have tried them out. Even though there is not sugar used in these tasty treats, they can still be great. The thing is, artificial sweeteners are used instead. There are a number of artificial sweeteners nowadays that are actually made from real sugar. Okay, it may sound a little confusing. To clear things up a bit, we will refer to them as sugar substitutes. You can substitute sugar with a number of options like Truvia and Stevia.

Sugar Free Cookie Recipes

What do these sugar free cookies taste like? This is the ultimate question, and it always comes down to the taste. Well the first factor is what sugar free cookie recipes were used? There are some that turn out bad, and there are some that turn out wonderful. You cannot even distinguish the difference between the sugar free cookies and the real thing. So, what you need to do is have an open mind to modern sugar cookie recipes. These may be what you need to alter your diet a bit. Especially if you have diabetes or are worried about getting type 2 diabetes in the future. It is time to pull some sugar out of your daily diet plan.

The main hype of sugar free cookie recipes comes from the problem with type 2 diabetes. With so many people suffering from this condition, as well as obesity, it is important to seek out ways to alter or adjust your lifestyle. One of these ways is with sugar free recipes of all kinds. There are not merely sugar cookie recipes. There are also countless recipes for cakes, pies, candy, and other desserts that are sugar-free. This is very important to some people, since their life depends on it. In order to check out a few sugar cookie recipes and other recipes, try the website called allrecipes.com.

Sugar Free Cookie Recipes

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Saturday, October 22, 2011

Wheat Free Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Here is a classic favorite made without wheat flour, if you can believe that. I did everything in my food processor for this recipe.

What you need:

Sugar Free Cookie Recipes

1/2 cup natural crunchy peanut butter (I love Kroger Brand......only two ingredients!)
1/2 cup unsalted real butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup egg whites (or 2 egg whites)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups whole oats (keep one cup separated, we'll use that first)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

How to make them:

Preheat oven to 375 F. Using the multi-purpose blade, take the separated cup of whole oats and the 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder and put them in your food processor. Turn it on until the oats look like flour. Add butter, peanut butter, sugar, brown sugar, egg whites and vanilla to food processor and mix until everything looks creamy. This should only take about a minute, if that. Add the rest of the whole oats to the food processor. Hold down the pulse for about 2 seconds, 10-12 times or until all the oats are mix into the batter. Do not over mix. Scoop out rounded teaspoonfuls of batter and place on ungreased cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for a minute or two and then finish cooling on a baking rack. Make several batches and freeze the left overs (if there are any!) for a great healthy snack.

Wheat Free Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

http://www.blenderbreads.blogspot.com

Friday, October 21, 2011

What Signs Or Symptoms Indicate High Blood Sugar?

There are many factors in the body which work to regulate the level of glucose, a kind of sugar, in the blood. For diabetics and hyper or hypoglycemics, it is very important to monitor glucose levels, and to be aware of the signs and symptoms that indicate an unsafe level of glucose in the blood. There are a variety of diabetes testing supplies and diabetic medications available on the market to help control and monitor glucose levels in the blood.

Glucose is a kind of sugar that is broken down by our bodies and used as our main energy source. In healthy people, the level of glucose in the blood is regulated safely by the release of insulin from the pancreas. However, conditions like diabetes can affect the healthy release of insulin, and lead to unsafe levels of glucose in the blood stream. Over time, high levels of glucose can be very damaging, leading to difficulty with eyesight, neuropathy, and heart complications. In these cases, diabetes testing supplies and diabetes medication are important tools for keeping glucose levels at healthy levels.

Sugar Free

For otherwise healthy people, not necessarily diabetics, there is a range of safe glucose levels in the blood, which fluctuates throughout the day based on caloric intake. Before meals, blood sugar levels should generally be somewhere between 80 to 120 milligrams per deciliter. After meals, as the body breaks down the energy it just received, they can safely climb to as high as 160 or so milligrams per deciliter. Diabetics and people with concerns about their blood sugar levels should consult their physicians to obtain appropriate levels for their individual conditions.

There are a variety of signs and symptoms to look for when the level of glucose in the blood is becoming dangerously high. The most accurate indicator is a home test of glucose level, which is obtained through the use of a home glucose monitor. A lancet is used to prick skin on the finger (or other area), and the resulting drop of blood is placed on a test strip and put inside the glucose monitor, which tests it and quickly displays a reading, usually in milligrams per deciliter. If your diabetes testing supplies indicate that your blood glucose level is higher than that specified by your doctor, you should seek medical attention.

Often, dangerously high blood sugar levels will manifest themselves through physical symptoms, including, in the early stages, excessive thirst and fatigue. Late symptoms can include blurred vision and even coma. A diabetic or hyperglycemic should seek medical attention regarding blood sugar level if they are experiencing shakiness, tiredness, confusion, painful urination, frequent diarrhea, or a rapid heart beat.

What Signs Or Symptoms Indicate High Blood Sugar?

Diabetics and hyperglycemics should be very aware of their blood glucose levels at all times throughout the day in order to prevent these complications. Consistent testing and monitoring with the right equipment is very important. Diabetes testing supplies and diabetes medication, combined with regular medical attention, can help to keep blood glucose levels in check. Visit ValueMedical.com for all your diabetic supplies.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Sugar Crystals

When sugar crystals are mentioned, the first thing that you may think of is food preparation. Sugar crystals are used to decorate food, adding glamour and decadence to the style and presentation. But many other types of sugars like glucose, fructose, lactose and maltose form sugar crystals. Several industries, apart from the food business, use sugar crystals.

Crystals that form out of sugars are used to construct glass-like surfaces. These surfaces are used in movie stunts. When an actor comes crashing through a window, for example, he breaks sugar crystals, not real glass. The use of props made of sugar crystals minimizes the risk of injuries, without sacrificing the edgy look of the stunt.

SUGAR

In the kitchen, sugar crystals for use in pastries and other concoctions are absolutely made. The sugars used in the process ordinarily come from sugarcanes, a bamboo-like plant whose stalks yield juice that is processed to come to be sugar granules. The sugar can also come from sugar beets. Practiced cooks pay attention to the use of the right quality of ingredients, as sugar crystals are very soluble and very viscose.

Growing sugar crystals is easy. There are two uncomplicated methods you can use -- the evaporation recipe and the slow cooling method. These two methods wish that you begin with a saturated clarification of water and sugar granules. The evaporation recipe employs the use of heat to cut off the water from the sugar. This process may take a long time, depending on the solubility of the sugar in your solution. The slow cooling recipe produces sugar crystals by letting a very hot and very saturated sugar clarification cool down slowly. The slower the processes, the bigger the sugar crystals are formed. The process may take as long as Several hours to Several days.

Sugar Crystals

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Bust That Sugar Addiction in 4 Weeks - How to Break it and Lose Weight

Are you cursed with genetic high cholesterol and sugar addiction? Maybe it's about time that you lose sugar addiction because it will only make you tip off the scale. Break free from the sugar addiction and start losing weight. Sugar is a substance that can make you double up the size of your waist. You are also a likely candidate for type II diabetes. You are also categorized as a likely candidate for Alzheimer's and a range of cancers.

Do you think that this is all worth it? Isn't better to do something about this? It may not happen immediately, but if you are addicted for let's say twenty years, it might happen eventually. Do you think that the delay will make any changes in your life? Does it make a difference? What if you would be able to live better without the sugar addiction? Living a healthy life will enable you to do a lot. Start making changes now and be free from being overweight.

Sugar Free

There are some reported cases wherein too much of it can cause depression. It is unfortunate that a lot of foods contain it. Never give in to the temptation. Do not give up. There is more to life than sweets. Or eat sweet fruits instead; these are a good alternative that will bust your cravings. Here are other things you may do to lose pounds.

Drink a lot of water. Your body is composed of eighty percent water. It is essential to life. It will help get rid of toxins in the body. There were studies that showed that people who drank more water lost some pounds as compared with people who drank less.

Eat dietary fiber. Fiber will keep you feeling full longer. It aids in the process of digestion.

Bust That Sugar Addiction in 4 Weeks - How to Break it and Lose Weight

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Monday, October 17, 2011

The Relationship Between Carbohydrates and Your Blood Sugar Levels!

From eating a piece of bread, some potato salad or drinking a Coke, the effect is the same. Blood sugar levels rise fast and in proportion to simple carbohydrate content. Simple carbohydrates are one of the food groups that affect blood sugar levels the most. Rice, pasta, breakfast cereal and muffins may all look differently, but in terms of diets, they are basically the same.

Quite simply, simple carbohydrates consist of chains of simple sugar molecules. Most of the carbohydrates that people consume are just chains of glucose molecules. The shorter the chain, the sweeter the taste. Some chains are longer and more complicated that tend to have many links and even branches similar to a plant root. The other type is simple. Whether they are "simple" or "complex" carbohydrates, they all are mostly composed of sugar. Many forms of food obviously are not visibly coated with sugar; however, once the body digests these foods, they turn in to sugars, affecting blood sugar levels.

Sugar Free

Your body has a unique digestion process, which breaks down all four major food groups into their basic elements and then these can be used by your body as needed. The basic element of most carbohydrate foods is glucose. We usually think of simple carbohydrates such as sugars (white or brown) as fast burning and complex carbohydrates as fruits, grains and vegetables as slow burning. Some of these can also be fast-acting carbohydrates. Fast-acting carbohydrates are those types that are broken down rapidly by the enzymes in saliva and the digestive tract and then turned into free glucose very quickly such as grapes. These affect blood sugar levels differently than a majority of slower burning complex carbohydrates which are an essential and healthy fuel for the body.

The key takeaway point is that although pushed by media and various diets, carbohydrates are essentially sugar that can affect one's blood sugar levels in drastic ways. The question is are they fast burnout sugars that cause spikes and drops or healthier slower burning sugars from complex carbs that provide longer lasting fuel supply to the body and thus healthy duration of steady metabolism between meals or re-fueling.

It is imperative that people who have high normal glucose levels watch the type and amount of carbohydrates that they consume in order to maintain steady blood sugar levels and a normal glucose metabolism. We should all try to make complex carbohydrates like vegetables, fruits whole grains and sweet potatoes part of our slower burning choice of daily fuels.

The Relationship Between Carbohydrates and Your Blood Sugar Levels!

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Sunday, October 16, 2011

Sugar Gliders, The Perfect Pocket Pet

If you have been thinking about getting a great small pet that is friendly, fun and entertaining then you should consider a sugar glider! Here is some great information about these cute little critters.

Sugar Gliders are marsupials which means that the babies are born extremely immature and then grow in a pouch on the mothers abdomen until they are mature enough to survive outside her body on their own.

Sugar Free

The adult sugar gliders size is usually around 5-6 inches long with a weight of 4-6 ounces.

Between the wrist and the ankle, sugar gliders have a fur covered membrane called a patapium. To see an example of a sugar glider in flight visit http://www.LittlePawsPetClub.blogspot.com. By spreading out their hands and feet the sugar gliders patapium acts like a parachute allowing the sugar glider to float through the air.

Sugar gliders have large apposable toes on their hind feet which allows them to grip branches. This assists the sugar glider while gliding from limb to limb and while climbing. Sugar gliders second and third toes form a grooming comb which they can use to groom their fur.

Sugar gliders are extremely social and enjoy companionship. Because of this fact sugar gliders usually bond well with their owners. If you do not have a lot of time to spend with your sugar glider it is a good idea to keep more than one.

If you plan on keeping more than one sugar glider it is advisable to raise them together from a young age as it can be difficult introducing unaquainted adults.

Be sure to purchase an appropriate cage for your sugar glider. It is best to get the largest cage that you can afford to give your sugar gliders plenty of room.

Before purchasing a sugar glider as a pet, be sure to research their nutritional needs. Sugar gliders have some special dietary calcium requirements that are important to follow to keep your sugar glider in optimum health.

Sugar gliders are nocturnal animals, so if you plan on owning a sugar glider be prepared to have a pet that is most active during the night. Sugar gliders make a chainsaw like sound, so you may want to place their cage in an area where their talking does not disturb you while you sleep.

In spite of the fact that sugar gliders are nocturnal, they are usually happy to spend time with their owners during the day by sleeping in a pocket or pouch. Many sugar glider owners find this trait particularly charming and take their little sugar glider pocket pets with them everywhere they go.

Sugar Gliders, The Perfect Pocket Pet

For more free pet tips, recipes, and fun visit http://www.LittlePawsPetClub.blogspot.com

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Sugarless Almond Meringue Cookies

I developed the following recipe for mother's day when my mom was on a low-carb diet. Though I am not an advocate of the particular diet she chose, I wanted to appease her sweet tooth, which had been neglected for nearly a month. I found that I needed about double the Splenda sugar equivalent to get an acceptable taste; the texture of these meringues is more delicate that the traditional version, due to the lack of sugar in the recipe.

The following recipe will require making an egg white foam and a hand mixer.

Sugar Free Cookie Recipes

Pre-heat oven to 275 F

Ingredients:

4 egg whites (fresh, room temperature)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

½ teaspoon cream of tartar

1½ cups Splenda

Directions:

1. Beat egg whites and extracts at a medium speed until thick and foamy.

2. Add the cream of tartar.

3. Slowly add the Splenda about ¼ cup at a time until stiff peaks form (turn mixer on high about after all Splenda is added).

4. Place large spoonful of the mixture on a large cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.

5. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden and completely dry*

6. Turn the oven off and allow cookies to cool in the oven for one hour.

Nutrition: Variable based on the size of the cookies, but the only nutrition in the recipe is from the egg whites (about 12g protein total) and some starch mixed with the sucralose sweetener in Splenda.

* Meringues cookies do not fair well in humid environments; do not set out on a plate. Will keep for a week or two in an air tight container.

Sugarless Almond Meringue Cookies

Jean Jitomir MS, RD is an experienced nutrition coach, physique competitor, and Exercise Nutrition Ph.D. student. She write fitness and nutrition articles and blogs regularly at http://builtnutrition.blogspot.com

Her personal websites is:

[http://www.jeanjitomir.com]

Friday, October 14, 2011

Low Fat Key Lime Cheesecake Recipe, Very Low Fat Content, And Sugar Substitute Can Be Used

This is a low fat key lime cheesecake recipe. If you are a cheesecake fan, I would strongly recommend this recipe. If you are a diabetic then this would be a good recipe to try as well. You can substitute the sugar with Splenda and it is still a great recipe. I hope you enjoy this recipe.

Ingredients to make to the crust:

Sugar Free Cookie Recipes

1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/3 cup of fat free margarine, or butter if you must

Ingredients to make the cheesecake filling:

16 ounces fat free sour cream

3 packages of 8 ounces of room temperature fat free cream cheese

1/4 Cup of fat free milk

1 cup sugar or sugar substitute

2 teaspoons of a good vanilla bean paste

1/3 cup of key lime juice

1 9" spring cheesecake pan

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9 inch spring form pan with cooking spray. You will mix your graham crackers and margarine, or butter. Mix until incorporated. You will then want to add your graham cracker crumb mixture very evenly over bottom or your spring pan. In a large stainless steel mixing bowl you will mix together the fat free cream cheese, sugar or sugar substitute, and vanilla bean paste. I will start out on a low speed, until blended. I will then increase the speed and whip the mixture until it is very creamy, and smooth. After the first set if ingredients are incorporated, I will add my key lime juice and continue to mix thoroughly. Then you will add the milk, and finish mixing all items together until it is very smooth in texture. If your mixture is too runny, you may want to add more cream cheese.

**Helpful tips**

You can use a food processor if you like, if you do not have a hand held mixer. I prefer a hand held because it is easier on the clean-up.

Ready to bake off your Key Lime Cheesecake: After you have your spring pan ready, and your filling made it is time to put them together. You will need to get a spatula to scrape the bowl after you pour the creamy filling into prepared pan. You will scrape any extra filling into the pan, unless you want to sample your filling. This is not a bad idea. You can adjust for any flavorings you would like to add at this time. Some prefer a sweeter taste, or maybe more vanilla or Key lime juice. So, you can add at this time to suit your needs.

You will then need to add your cheesecake filling into the spring pan. After the filling is in the spring pan you will transfer the spring pan, to larger pan and add a water bath. The water will need to be about 1-2 inches up the side of the spring pan to prevent burning. You will need to check after about 30 minutes, and bake until center puffs and is almost set. Remove from oven, and the water bath. If you have a cooling rack let cool until cool to the touch, and then put into the refrigerator and chill completely. You can add fruit to your dish if you like for garnish. It makes a beautiful presentation if you decide to do so. I hope that you enjoy this dessert recipe.

Low Fat Key Lime Cheesecake Recipe, Very Low Fat Content, And Sugar Substitute Can Be Used

Chef Shelley Pogue, a Cum Laude, Le Cordon Blue graduate and Executive Research and Development Chef, for Vertical Sales and Marketing, San Ramon, CA.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Healthy Breakfast Cookie Recipe

Cookies for breakfast? Yes, it is possible to start your day with cookies as long as they are made from healthy ingredients like whole wheat flour, oatmeal, wheat germ, peanut butter, eggs, fruit, vegetables, and nuts.

I know it's a cliche but, for most people, a healthy breakfast is important to get the day started right. What you eat for breakfast can set the tone for how you feel all day. Studies show that a good breakfast with protein and fiber can boost your metabolism and positively influence your eating choices the rest of the day, resulting in a slimmer, healthier, more productive you!

Sugar Free Cookie Recipes

Healthy breakfast cookies might be the perfect solution for breakfast skippers. They are quick, easy, tasty, and portable. No time in the morning? With a plate of healthy breakfast cookies on the counter or a bag of individually wrapped ones in the freezer, you can just grab one and go.

I like to enjoy one with a piece of fruit and a little plain organic Greek yogurt for a completely satisfying breakfast.

Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies Recipe
makes about 2 dozen cookies

Packed with the added punch of protein from peanut butter, these wholesome cookies are satisfying. Perfect for a quick breakfast on the go, especially when you add a piece of fruit. They are good with almond butter and chopped almonds too.

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/3 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup raisins or craisins

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease them.

In a large bowl beat together butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in eggs and water.

In a medium bowl stir together flours, oats, wheat germ, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda. Mix flour mixture into peanut butter mixture. Stir in raisins.

Drop by ice cream scoopfuls (or 1/4 cup measuring cupfuls )2 1/2 inches apart on greased cookie sheets. Flatten slightly.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until golden but still soft.

Remove from the oven and cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.

Healthy Breakfast Cookie Recipe

Martha McKinnon is a health coach who believes that healthy eating and losing weight can be simple and delicious when you slow down and learn to trust your body's inner wisdom. Her website, http://www.simple-nourished-living.com, is full of practical tips for losing weight and feeling great & offers a FREE e-cookbooklet of great recipes for healthy homemade granola bars. 

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Dessert For Diabetics - Orange Glazed Pumpkin Bundt Cake and How to Make Sugar-Free Powdered Sugar

Pumpkin is always a favorite fall and holiday item. All our images of fall seem to have a pumpkin in them somewhere. But not only are pumpkins a part of our fall decor, they are also a big part of our diet. And pumpkin is a healthy food we should all enjoy. Help the diabetic in your life to enjoy pumpkin treats, too. Orange-glazed pumpkin bundt cake is a diabetic friendly recipe.

ORANGE-GLAZED PUMPKIN BUNDT CAKE

Sugar Free

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup Smart Balance Butter-Flavored Spread
1/2 cup Splenda
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 large egg or 1/4 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp orange juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 6-cup bundt pan with non-stick cooking oil spray and set aside.

Combine flours, spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium mixing bowl and whisk to mix well. Set aside.

Combine butter-flavored spread, Splenda and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with electric mixer at medium speed until well blended. Beat in egg and pumpkin. Reduce mixer speed to low, beat flour mixture into pumpkin mixture. Beat in buttermilk and vanilla just until moistened. Spoon the batter into pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

If you wish to use the glaze, combine the powdered sugar and orange juice in a small bowl. Stir until well mixed; add water a drop at a time if needed to reach drizzling consistency. Drizzle over cooled cake.

NOTE: This recipe was adapted from "The Big Book of Diabetic Desserts" by Jackie Mills.

*To make sugar-free powdered sugar:

Put 3/4 cup of Splenda Granular and 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a blender and blend until it is a very fine powder. 0 grams of sugar and only 4 carbs per tablespoon.
Now don't tell. Most people won't know the difference.

Enjoy!

Dessert For Diabetics - Orange Glazed Pumpkin Bundt Cake and How to Make Sugar-Free Powdered Sugar

For more of Linda's recipes and diabetic information go to http://diabeticenjoyingfood.blogspot.com
She also shares her vintage recipe collection at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com

Live the Good Life with Sugar Free Recipes

It's not always a good idea to give in to temptation. Digging into your favorite dessert can do some serious damage to your system, especially if you're diabetic. Americans tend to have a sweet tooth, and that is perhaps the reason why most of us, succumb to Diabetes. In fact, the amount of sugar we eat and drink every year has soared nearly 30 percent since 1983 and is most likely a major contributor to the soaring rates of obesity in this country.

Although the USDA recommends we get no more than 10 teaspoons of sugar a day, the average American downs about 34 teaspoons--more than three times as much. Uncovering all the sugar in your diet isn't easy. Sugar often hides under several pseudonyms and turns up in even the most innocuous foods (like bread, crackers, salad dressing, ketchup, and mustard). However, by observing a little caution, you can have the cake, and eat it too- literally!

Sugar Free

Switch to Sugar free Recipes. Incorporating less or no sugar in your everyday meals will help you maintain a healthy diet and keep fit. Different assortments of food are available for everything you need for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some select online stores carry candy, chocolates, drink mixes, protein bars, desserts and many other delectable snacks. With such a vast amount of scrumptious Sugar free Foods, you will certainly find everything you need to keep your taste buds satisfied.

Go half and half. A quick No Sugar Recipe is that you mix half a regular soda with half a diet soda. Half a carton of sweetened yogurt with half a carton of plain yogurt. Half a cup of regular juice with half a cup of seltzer. Do this for two weeks, then cut back to one-quarter sweetened to three-quarters unsweetened. Continue until you're only drinking the unsweetened version.

Grant yourself a daily sugar "quota," and use it on foods where it matters most. For most of us, that means desserts. Don't waste it on dressings, spreads, breakfast cereals, and soda. Not only will this reduce your sugar intake in a day, but it will help you lose your sweet tooth. Sugar is incredibly addictive. Train your taste buds to become accustomed to less and you'll be satisfied with less.

Establish rules about dessert. For instance, only have dessert after dinner, never lunch. Only eat dessert on odd days of the month, or only on weekends, or only at restaurants. If you have a long tradition of daily desserts, then make it your rule to have raw fruit at least half the time. Keep trying new Sugar free Dessert Recipes and enjoy a hearty sweet dish without feeling guilty about it.

Instead of downing sugary-sweet drinks like lemonade, make your own "sun tea." This is an interesting Sugar free Recipe where you steep have to decaffeinated tea bags in water and set the pitcher in the sun for a couple of hours. Add lemon, lots of ice and sugar substitute for a carb-free summer quaff.

Today most condiments and other packaged foods for people with diabetes are made without sugar or with sugar substitutes. Here are the common ones: brown sugar, corn syrup, dextrin, dextrose, fructose, fruit juice concentrate, high-fructose corn syrup, galactose, glucose, honey, hydrogenated starch, invert sugar maltose, lactose, mannitol, maple syrup, molasses, polyols, raw sugar, sorghum, sucrose, sorbitol, turbinado sugar, and xylitol. All No Sugar Recipes and Sugar free Dessert Recipes use these ingredients to get that same taste.

Live the Good Life with Sugar Free Recipes

A great place to shop for Sugar free Foods is the Diabetic Direct store. Shop at leisure and get an assortment of goodies for your next Sugar free Recipe! Enjoy!

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Take A New Look At Sugar Cookie Recipes

The only kind of recipe that may be more common than peanut butter is sugar cookie recipes. Sugar cookies are the ultimate "simple sweet," without much flavor of their own other than the sugar and a light, pleasing texture that makes it possible to munch them by the handful.

During holiday time, when everyone's cookie factories crank up in their home kitchens, sugar cookies are turned out by the tens of dozens. Because the dough is so simple to make, large batches are usually prepared at once and kept refrigerated until it's time to dish them onto the baking sheet. Some people even make the dough weeks ahead of time and freeze it until it's time to bake, although the results from that can be mixed.

Cookie Recipes

This year, before holiday time, do a little experimenting. Sugar cookie dough is cheap to make, so you won't be risking any major investment doing so.

First off, try some flavorings. Almond extract is a great flavor to try, just a teaspoon or so per batch. For an extra special touch, place a slice of almond on top of each cookie right when they come out of the oven, while the top of the cookie is still hot and a little bit sticky.

Vanilla is a classic flavor, as is lemon. In fact, many sugar cookie recipes have lemon or vanilla extracts already listed as ingredients. For a change of pace, try amaretto, peppermint or any other extract you'd like to explore. The only limit is your imagination.

Add-ins are another great way to explore. Be careful here, though. Sugar cookie dough isn't as durable as chocolate chip cookie dough, so you can't cram in quite the volume of extras you would normally. But that's fine, as you want the flavor of the cookie to come through with your addition. Try chopping up dried or candied fruits to add flavor and color. A little ground or chopped almond, pecan or walnut is also a great choice. Again, your options are as varied as your creativity can make them. Don't be afraid to explore!

Take A New Look At Sugar Cookie Recipes

Ann Marie Krause has been making cookies for over 30 years, at persent I am retired, for over 23 years I owned a Gourmet Bakery called The Cheese Confectioner.You can visit my site at http://www.annsgoodies.com

NOTE: You are welcome to reprint this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the about the author info at the end).

Monday, October 10, 2011

How to Make Cookies Using a Cake Mix

It's happened to everyone. You were supposed to bake cookies and forgot. It's the last minute and now you don't have time to run out to the store. What do you do? Short of buying packaged cookies on the way to the bake sale (and receiving dirty looks from those who baked from scratch), you do have an option. You can doctor up a cake mix you have at home and make cookies out of it.

If you never knew this little insider's secret, now you're in on the fun. Cake mix is a great alternative and shortcut to making delicious cookies. It saves you time running around looking for ingredients and you don't have to measure much. You will want to add a few things though to make it work.

Cookie Recipes

A cake mix is a cake mix. Most are generally about the same. Start with a cake variety you like. For vanilla flavored cake mix, add the package (which is usually 18 ounces) to a bowl. Beat the mix with electric beaters and ½ cup of softened butter. Don't use margarine as it will turn out tasting a bit off. Add in one egg and beat. That's it. Now you can add other flavors or textures.

Try adding in chocolate chips, walnuts, pecans, chopped almonds, candy cane pieces, dried cherries, dried cranberries, coconut, oatmeal flakes or any other flavors and textures that appeal to you.

Drop the cookies onto ungreased cookie sheets. Non stick is best so you don't have to worry about breakage. Place them at least an inch apart to allow for spreading. They should bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for around 9 minutes. If your oven is not calibrated, your cookies may take more or less time. So don't go away. Watch your cookies through the oven door to check for doneness. Every time you open the oven door, you allow heat to escape and you'll have to add time to the clock.

The one difference in the recipe that you'll need to watch out for is that chocolate mixes require two Tablespoons of water in addition to the butter and egg. It's just something about the consistency of the mix. Don't forget.

If you experiment with other types of cake mixes, like Funfetti, carrot cake, devils' food cake or lemon, you should get the same results. Angel food cake mix may not work right as it includes whipped egg whites. But don't be afraid to try different types of mixes. And get as wacky as you like with the final product. Place a Hershey's Kiss on top of each one when they come out of the oven. Or sprinkle with sanding sugar before baking.

No one will be able to tell that you didn't bake your cookies from scratch. Your own personal slant on the cookies is what will make them unique. So wrap them up with pride for that bake sale or create a new favorite holiday cookie with fewer steps.

Join fellow bakers in the best kept secret in cookie baking. You don't have to do it all from the beginning. Give yourself a jump start by using store bought cookie mix and then add your flair to it to make it uniquely delicious.

How to Make Cookies Using a Cake Mix

Betty Ann Sherman is a mother and a baker of tasty treats. She has a special passion for baking cookies, pies, cakes, and everything wonderful. Check back for updates from Betty on her delicious treat adventures.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Cookie Recipes

Looking for some cookie recipes? The Internet is the ultimate place to search for exquisite cookie recipes. You will find various sites offering some great cookie recipes. Some recipes are quite simple. You can surprise your family and friends by preparing cookies with these recipes. Thanks to those websites, all the latest cookie recipes will at your fingertips. Whether it is chocolate brownie cookies, blarney stone cookies or peanut-butter cookies, online cookie recipes will help you make them perfectly. Not only that, you will also find sugar-free cookie recipes for those who have diabetes. Sugar is also strictly prohibited for those who want to lose weight. For those cookie lovers, it's quite painful to resist the temptation.

Sugar-free cookie recipes will give people an opportunity to enjoy cookies without worrying about calories and carbohydrates. These types of cookie recipes use artificial sweeteners. The use of artificial sweeteners is the real problem area, as artificial sweeteners can leave a nasty flavor in your mouth. Nevertheless, cookies will remain popular. If you want to give someone a gift, you can do that with cookies. It's really impossible for anyone to dislike cookies. That's why cookie recipes are quite popular worldwide. During the holiday season, the demand for cookie recipes will be sky high.

Cookie Recipes

If you want to know more about cookie recipes, all you need to do is check out various websites offering innovative cookie recipes. Learning traditional Christmas cookie recipes has now become quite simple. Just log on to those sites specializing in these cookie recipes. You can also learn how to make other popular cookies, such as refrigerator cookies, shortbread cookies and more. You will definitely feel temped to try the cookie recipes at home. Explore the world of cookie recipes on the Internet.

Cookie Recipes

Cookies [http://www.i-Cookies.com] provides detailed information on Cookies, Cookie Recipes, Cookie Baskets, Cookie Bouquets and more. Cookies is affiliated with Chocolate Gifts [http://www.Chocolate-ontheweb.com].

Christmas Cookie Recipes - Santa Face Cookies

Santa Claus pays a visit to your table in these delightfully cute cookies.

1 cup butter

Sugar Free Cookie Recipes

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups flour plus additional for rolling

Royal Packaged Icing Mix

Red food coloring

Pastel candy dots

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place butter in a bowl and cream until nice and fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the milk and vanilla. Add in flour; mix thoroughly. Chill dough for 1 to 2 hours or until it is easy to handle.

Work with 1/3 of the dough at a time and leave rest in the refrigerator until ready to use.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Take a Santa shaped cookie cutter and dip it into flour, then cut out Santa faces. Place cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until just golden brown. Let cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Remove from cookie sheet and cool completely.

Prepare the royal icing according to package directions. Color half the icing red and leave the other half the original color. Using a icing bag or plastic bag with a hole cut in it, pipe a red Santa hat on each cookie. Follow up with white icing for Santa's beard, eyes and hat pompom.

Place a candy decoration in the center of each white eye. Allow icing to set before serving.

Makes 18 to 24 cookies.

=> Christmas Cookie Recipes: Easy Snowmen Cookies

These snowmen are easy to make and they make nice centerpiece decorations.

1 (16 oz.) package Nutter Butter Cookies

1 1/4 pounds white candy coating, melted

Miniature chocolate chips

M&M miniature baking bits

Pretzel sticks, halved

Orange and red decorating gel or frosting

Directions

Using tongs, dip cookies in candy coating; shake off excess. Place cookie on waxed paper.

To decorate: Place two chocolate chips on one end of cookies for eyes. Place baking bits down middle for buttons. For arms, dip ends of two pretzel stick halves into coating; attach one to each side.

Let stand until hardened. Pipe nose and scarf with gel or frosting.

Makes 32 cookies.

=> Christmas Cookie Recipes: Peppermint Twist Kiss Cookies

The peppermint twist isn't just a song, but a delicioius holiday cookie that is colorful and festive.

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 to 8 drops red food coloring

36 chocolate kisses

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and the sugar. Add in the egg yolk, peppermint extract and vanilla extract; mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture.

Divide the dough into two sections. Tint one section red. Divide the dough into four sections. You should have two red sections and two regular sections. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Shape each section into a 9-inch log. Place one plain log next to one red log. Gently twist the plain and red logs together and create one swirled log. Repeat with the other two logs.

Cut each log into nine slices; roll each slice into a ball. Place each slice 1-inch apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with a glass.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. Press a chocolate kiss candy piece into each cookie center, while cookies are still warm. Let cool.

Makes 36 cookies.

Christmas Cookie Recipes - Santa Face Cookies

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Saturday, October 8, 2011

Sugar Free Recipes: How to Stay Sweet With Stevia

As Type 2 diabetes begins to take on almost epic proportions in western nations, many are starting to look for sugar free recipes that can help to reduce the spikes of blood sugar that, over time, can lead to diabetes as well as excessive weight gain. Others too are looking more towards sugar free recipes as a way to aid in health and wellness, especially as we learn of the ill effects of excessive sugar intake. Stevia, an all natural and zero calorie sweetener, is a great way to indulge your sweet tooth, without the negative ramifications of using sugar, or the potential negative health effects of using artificial sweeteners.

Stevia comes from the plant stevia rebaudiana. Native to South America, this plant has been used for its natural sweetness for many generations. Stevia is also many times sweeter than actual sugar, which means just a little goes a long way. You can now find stevia in a number of forms, from liquid to crystallized like sugar, and even fresh and dried leaf. Stevia recipes are now starting to abound even more as more people are seeing the positive benefits of using this all natural sweetener.

Sugar Free Cookie Recipes

As mentioned above, stevia is sweeter than traditional sugar. This means that when cooking with stevia, you do not need to use as much. A quick web search will provide you with all the conversion tables you will need to know how to substitute stevia for natural sugar in recipes. This information is free and widely available.

Stevia recipes are now starting to become more widely available as well. But it is also entirely possible to modify your own existing recipes, using the conversion tables mentioned above, as a way to create your own unique stevia recipes from scratch. While there are some limits to the uses of cooking with stevia, they are not very wide. Stevia is a bit different in molecular composition to sugar, which means it reacts to heat differently. Cooking techniques such as caramelization are hard to attain with stevia, but for pretty much anything else, you can use it with ease.

Whether you are looking for a sauce or glaze for a grilled meat dinner, or want to make fudge or cookies, cooking with stevia makes it possible and quite easy. When you choose stevia recipes, you are making the statement that you can have your cake and eat it too, literally. Just because one suffers from diabetes, or wishes to reduce their sugar intake does not mean that all the sweetness needs to be removed from their lives. Just try a few sugar free recipes using stevia, and you are sure to be sold on this zero calorie, all natural sweetener.

If you are looking for some ideas for sugar free recipes with stevia, you can either create your own, changing the amount of sugar called for in a recipe, or you can do a quick web search. As cooking with stevia, and the sweetener itself have gained in popularity, so too have the number of sites dedicated to helping people use this sweetener with ease.

Sugar Free Recipes: How to Stay Sweet With Stevia

Do you want to discover more about sugar free recipes with stevia, or the sweet leaf's many benefits? Then sugarfreestevia.net is a great place to start. All your questions will be answered there, and the site offers a lot of resources, including extensive information on growing stevia yourself.