Monday, February 6, 2012

Cricut Cake Machine - How to Turn Edible Cake Decorations Into Cash

Cricut Cake Machine - How to Turn Edible Cake Decorations Into Cash-Sugar Free Cookie Recipes

Cake decorating tools just got easier with the Cricut Cake machine. Unlike it's popular cousin, it is specially designed with food safe plastic and stainless steel to decorate cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and candy, just like a professional baker. It uses all the regular cartridges as well as new Cricut Cake cartridges. You just choose the shape and size of your design and press cut and in minutes your frosting, gum paste or fondant decorations are ready to apply to any dessert.

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You do not need to be a professional caterer to appreciate the possibilities the food grade die cutting machine opens up. Just think of your next dinner party and wowing your guests with a fantastically decorated buffet table filled with fancy hors d'oeuvres and finger sandwiches. The Cricut Cake can cut cheese, tortillas, cookie dough, gum, soft candy and chocolate paste for modeling.

Why not use the Cricut Cake personal cutter to make a few extra dollars. Creating custom one of a kind cakes for weddings, anniversaries and parties would be a snap with this cake decorating tool. People are always looking for something special, and your cakes would be something to remember, being the hit of any party.

Here are 5 tips to successful cake decorating with your Cricket Cake.

1. Using the right amount of shorting will prevent the frosting sheet from slipping or bunching up when being cut. Use a pastry brush and apply a thin transparent sheet on the cutting mat. If the shorting gets to warm just put the mat in the freezer for a couple of minutes. Make sure you apply shorting to the back of the frosting sheet as well as the mat, smoothing out all air bubbles.

2. Since you can not re-roll frosting sheets you will want to make every inch count. As long as the left over sheet is larger than 3" x 3" it is safe to reuse.

3. Always keep your cut shapes in a sealed bag until you are ready to use them to prevent them from drying out.

4. Never use flour when working with gum paste. Using cornstarch and powdered sugar will help your designs slide and stick.

5. For best results use gel based food coloring instead of the liquid food coloring drops when making edible cake decorations.

Use your imagination the sky's the limit. Don't be afraid to experiment. Start out with impressing family and friends with your hand crafted confections, who knows it my turn into a profitably hobby, paying for your Cricut Cake in no time. Happy eating, Bon appetit!

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Saturday, February 4, 2012

HCG Diet - Weight Loss Cure, How and When to Cheat, Intentionally Or Accidentally

HCG Diet - Weight Loss Cure, How and When to Cheat, Intentionally Or Accidentally-Sugar Free Cookie Recipes

What do you do, if you just have to have something extra to eat? It is always best to stick to the HCG Diet exactly, if you can. But if you must cheat, some ways are better than others. I've done the diet three times and learned a few things.

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1) First of all, try not to eat anything with sugar or starch. Sugar stimulates insulin and insulin turns it into fat. In "Pounds and Inches," Dr. Simeons cautions against eating sugar or starch during the three weeks just after doing the Hcg Diet. It's a big no-no during the diet, too. If you are wanting something extra to eat, you might be tempted by a donut someone brought into work, some chocolate, etc. But, read on and I have some suggestions.

2) Second, try to stay within the diet by eating something that is on it. I'll explain more in a second. Also, there are a few other foods you may not know about that are included at some Hcg Diet clinics.

3) Third, if you do cheat, try to pay attention to how whatever you eat satisfies. How do you feel after? (This is so you can be more prepared for the next time.) It is really good if you keep a food diary of just what you eat and how you are feeling. It is one of the best things you can do, so you can check your progress. You want to be able to look back and figure out what you did right on those days that you lost more than a pound a day and when you only lost half a pound. Sometimes it is really hard to figure out.

4) If you decide you must eat something totally not on the diet, you will be in effect doing a "loading day." (I don't recommend this!) I have done it, but it means it will be at least three days before you start losing weight again. If you must do this, then save it for a very special event and try not to do it more than once during your 23 or 40 days. This is intentional and planned and best of all you can tell yourself you are taking a day off or doing a loading day. It also works if you are in a stall or plateau.

5) Consider how much going off the diet will be costing you. Add up the costs for the diet plan, the hcg, the syringes, the alcohol wipes, the bottles of sterile water, shipping costs, etc., and divide the cost by 23 or 40 days and then multiply by 3 days and you will know what it costs you financially. If you go to a clinic or doctor, there is that cost, too.

6) Then there is the psychological cost. If you have to wait 3 days to see a new weight loss, it is very discouraging. Generally, if you eat anything not on the very specific diet, you will gain the next day. You'll lose the second, but it isn't until the third that you make new headway.

7) If you are set on having a candy bar, stop and think. Could you substitute a piece of watermelon? It would beat having a chocolate bar! And it can be quite satisfying. For those who are staying strictly on the Dr. Simeons diet, don't listen to this. It's just that I found out watermelon was allowed by a few Hcg Diet clinics. Also a few more fruits and vegetables.

8) One other thing that worked for me, when I felt hungry between meals. I would roll a bite or two of left over chicken into a leaf of lettuce like a sandwich and it made a good snack. Then I would cut back on the amount of meat (chicken, fish, etc.) at the next meal.

More hints: you may find some fat free, sugar free marinades and salad dressings. I like a fat free, sugar free dressing called Maple Grove Farms Raspberry Vinaigrette, that I get at Wal-Mart.

You can make yourself an iced coffee with Stevia. It's not quite like Starbucks, but you can try that. Also you may like to take your handful of strawberries and make a smoothie to drink. Just add water, ice and Stevia in your blender. You won't even be cheating!

9) To stay on the diet, I found that eating a sliced tomato or cucumber with salt and pepper between meals really helped to keep me going and on target with the next meal. You can even broil the tomato in the oven or toaster oven with some spices. I'm not sure why it was so satisfying. It is on the diet, and the few (fat free, sugar free) calories didn't seem to hinder my losing weight.

10) One last thing. When I got sick and tired of chicken or fish, occasionally I had a scrambled egg or hard boiled egg. Dr Simeons mentions in his manuscript, "Pounds and Inches, " about eggs for those who are vegetarians. I still kept losing just the same. I cooked the scrambled egg in a little water in a non-stick pan.

If you have read my other articles, then you know how I accidentally learned about eating salads, with more than one vegetable at a meal. I misunderstood and ate salads every single day and still lost weight really fast.

Remember that when you are taking Hcg, if you eat any calories over the 500 a day, that you will gain. It is the nature of Hcg. It only works to help you lose fat when you do the very low calorie diet, called VLCD. There is a great website that helps you calculate your calories, fat, proteins, etc. called fitday.com

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Friday, February 3, 2012

5 Tips For the Perfect Princess Party Menu - Birthday Party Food Ideas

5 Tips For the Perfect Princess Party Menu - Birthday Party Food Ideas-Sugar Free Cookie Recipes

You're ready... your princess has invited the belles of the ball to the finest Princess Birthday Party of the year. You've purchased decorations, planned a few games and have some lovely take home gifts for your guests. Now it's time to plan the finest menu for your royal princess and her court. Let's make it so fabulous that the girls will remember this day when they're planning their future daughter's parties and one that will make your princess throw her hands around your neck and say, "Oh mom! You're the best ever!"

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What follows are 5 tips for you in creating the menu of the decade for your princess birthday party.

1. Keep it simple. The last thing you need on a busy day is for you to be running around like crazy trying to make cherries flambé or tiramisu with crème fraise. However, with a little creative planning, you can make something spectacular and still be able to take photos of the lovely girls eating your birthday dainties. There are SO many recipes available at your fingertips that are not only delicious but easy to make with items you probably have in the house or can pick up in your local grocery store at minimal cost (another key!). One of my favorite recipe sites for quick recipes is freequickrecipes.com, or you can just punch a name of a recipe into your google search box and hundreds of recipes will pop up. Just keep it simple!

2. Presentation is everything. Think about it, mom. A peanut butter sandwich is nice, but, make that sandwich and cut it with petite cookie cutters into various princessly shapes and you have something spectacular. Even just cutting the sandwiches with a glass into a circle and then cutting the circles in half would work. Display them nicely on a glass plate with some red grapes or flowers and it's no longer just a boring sandwich but a delicacy that's a delight to look at AND eat.

3. Throw the "no sugar" rule out the window. Ok, I'll get hate mail for this one but c'mon mom! Your princess only has the bash of the century once a year, so break the rules a little and provide something sweet to eat. Balance it out with a lower sugar drink and other dainties that aren't sugar laden.

4. Make the drink pink! Pink lemonade, pink Kool-Aid, pink soda... anything pink in a clear plastic cup and you'll be the coolest mom on the block. Float a half of a strawberry in the cup and you may as well get a revolving door to your house. You'll be the hit of the neighborhood!

5. Work with a timeline and schedule for the day of the party. A checklist of what you'll be serving and when you need to pull it out of the freezer or fridge, what goes where, etc., and how long each thing takes will insure that you won't forget any of the details and insure that you won't go to open the fridge for a late night snack after your princess is in dream land and see the strawberries that you meant to put in the royal goblets.

The perfect, stress free Princess party menu is within reach, Mom. Just keep it simple, fancy, tasty and pink! Write out a checklist and you're all set for the finest party menu for your princess and her royal maidens.

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Thursday, February 2, 2012

How to Make the Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey

How to Make the Perfect Thanksgiving Turkey-Sugar Free Cookie Recipes

When it comes to finding directions on how to make the perfect Thanksgiving turkey, suddenly everyone you know becomes an expert. Your neighbor, your mail carrier, your hairdresser, your car repairman (even though he's never cooked a turkey in his life) and last but not least your pest control man. Everyone has to put in their two cents worth on the subject. Well, I guess that means I'm in good company. Here are my instructions on how to cook the best Thanksgiving turkey you'll ever eat.

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Creating Perfect Flavor

I am going to let you in on a little secret. There is a method that the five star restaurants use to give their turkeys incredible flavor. What is it? It's called flavor brining. Yep, that's their secret. Historically, brining was done as a method of preserving. However, today it is used primarily as a vehicle to impart unbelievable flavor and moisture into a lean cut of meat.

Note: You should begin the brining process at a minimum of four days before you plan to cook your bird.

How to Brine Your Perfect Turkey

1. Purchase a 14 to 16 pound natural, young turkey. It should not be a self-basting or kosher turkey. These types of turkeys have a ton of added salt. Be careful to look at the ingredients on the turkey package and if it says it contains sodium or salt, keep looking for one without salt.

If your turkey is frozen, you will need to thaw it for at least two days before you begin the brining process. Remove the innards.

2. You will need a non-reactive, food-safe, 5-gallon plastic bucket large enough to fit your turkey with enough headroom for the brine to cover the turkey entirely by about one inch. Restaurant supply houses usually have these types of containers. You can also check with a local restaurant to see if they have a container like this that they are discarding. Be sure to clean it well with very hot soap and water before use.

3. To determine the amount of brine mixture you will need, put your turkey in the container and covering it with water. Remove the turkey and measure the remaining water. This is the amount you will need to make. Discard this water.

4. Place your thawed turkey (innards removed) neck cavity side up in the container and cover with it the brine (see recipe below). If you need to weigh your bird down, fill one or two large plastic zipper-type bag with ice and place them on top of the bird. This will also keep your bird at a cool temperature.

Refrigerate or place the bird in a cool place to brine for at least 12 hours or up to two days if desired. You can place the bird outside as long as the weather won't cause it to freeze and the lid is secure against pests and animals.

If you are concerned about the bird being too salty, stop after the 12 hour period. It is better to err on the side of caution.

5. When the brining process is complete, rinse the bird well inside and out to remove the excess salt, then pat it dry with a paper towel. Air dry the bird over-night in the refrigerator to let the skin dry. This will help in the crisping of the skin as it roasts. Stuff your turkey as usual and roast according to the instructions below.

The Perfect Brine Recipe

You may need to double this recipe in order to have enough to cover your bird. Additional spices such as allspice berries, crushed thyme leaves, sprigs of rosemary, cinnamon sticks, and candied ginger may be added to this mixture to create your own unique flavor.

Approximately 1 gallon of cold, no-salt vegetable stock or water.

1 cup of Diamond Crystal Kosher salt (if using Morton's Kosher salt, use 3/4 cup)

1/2 cup of light brown sugar

1 tablespoon black peppercorns, crushed

7 fresh leaves sage, bruised

1 onion, sliced thinly

10 cloves of peeled, crushed garlic

Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, sage, onion and garlic in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve all the solids and then bring to a boil. Remove the brine immediately from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.

Pour the mixture over the turkey and refrigerate or pace in a cool place.

Roasting Your Perfect Turkey

The goal in cooking a turkey is to get your bird cooked and beautifully browned without drying out the breast. Here's the problem: white meat cooks faster than dark meat. Traditionally, the bird is cooked breast-side up. This method causes the breast meat to cook quickly while the legs that are under the bird cook slowly. What you end up with is dried-out breast meat in order for the legs and thighs to be done properly.

So what is the answer you ask? Roast your turkey breast side down. Now before you brand me a heretic and have me burned at the stake, hear me out. Yes, this is not how your mother or grandmother did it but I am telling you, once you try this method you will never go back to cooking your turkey breast-side up again.

Why do it this way? Because when the breast meat in on the bottom, not only is it protected and cooks a little slower but all the juices that are in the turkey drain down into the breast making it moist, tender and juicy. Unless you have your heart set on a Norman Rockwell presentation at your Thanksgiving table, this is the best position in which to cook your bird. It may not look as pretty as the other, but who carves their turkey at the table anyway? We never do.

The last tip to the perfect turkey is to put your bird in the oven a leave it there until it is done. Calculate the amount of time that it will take to cook your bird, then put it in the oven and don't peek until the timer goes off. No basting is necessary. You don't need to baste if you cook the turkey breast-side down.

Roast your turkey at 325 degrees F. A 14 to 18 pound, unstuffed turkey will take approximately 3 3/4 hours to 4 1/2 hours.

For an unstuffed turkey, place the meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, taking care that it does not touch any bone. Roast the turkey until the meat thermometer reaches 180 degrees F.

For a stuffed turkey, use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the dressing. The center of the dressing inside the bird (or in a separate baking dish) must reach a temperature of 165 degrees F. for food safety.

After removing the turkey from the oven and before carving, allow the turkey to rest at least 20 minutes so that the juices settle within the meat, which will provide the meat with even more flavor and tenderness and will also make carving much easier.

Bon Appetite!

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