New 2012 Fast Food Recipes

Banana Fruit Smoothies - Recipes

2013-03-17T04:17:00.003-07:00

By Heather Stanford

Did you know that bananas promote a healthy digestion by helping your system eliminate toxins and impurities in the body? And did you also know that is contains tryptophan, which is a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin - also known as the "happy neurotransmitter" and is in charge of our mood center - and makes us feel more energetic and youthful? Which is why bananas are just perfect for recipes for smoothies.

Here are some recipes that you can try at home, provided that you have a blender and an ample supply of bananas at home:

- Pour 1 cup of strawberry nectar or apple juice and a cup of milk in the blender. Add 1 frozen banana (should have been chopped before freezing), 1 and a half cup of frozen strawberries and a cup of strawberry yoghurt. Blend until smooth. (Note: frozen fruits release more sweetness than normal temperature fruits, eliminating the need for sugar.)

- Blend 2 bananas, 1 large mango (or 2 small ones, should be pitted and peeled) and half a cup of full cream (or full fat) milk. Blend it until smooth. Best if served immediately. Can also be frozen as popsicle sticks or can be served with some ice cream on top.

- Blend 2 bananas, 8 oz. crushed and drained pineapple, 1 and one-fourth cup of milk, half a cup of strawberries (preferably frozen), a scoop of vanilla ice cream and 2 tablespoons of honey. Start adding the 6 ice cubes gradually until blended and a bit slushy. To add a little pizzazz, top with whipped cream, chocolate syrup and some maraschino cherries with a sprinkling of some chopped nuts.

- Blend 1 banana, 1 cup of limeade, 1 cup of key lime yoghurt, half a cup of banana yoghurt, while gradually adding 2 cups of ice. Serve immediately for better satisfaction.

- Blend 1 chopped banana, 8 oz. of natural or plain yoghurt, and a cup of milk for a couple of seconds. Add 1 teaspoon of honey and process just to blend it in. Pour into a glass and sprinkle some cinnamon on top.

- Bananas and eggnogs can be combined too for a special feel of the Christmas spirit. Blend 2 cups of eggnog, 1 banana, 1 cup vanilla or natural yoghurt, half a cup of milk, 2 cups of ice, a pinch of nutmeg and a pinch of cinnamon. Add some cinnamon on top to garnish. Serve immediately.

You can create a ton of banana smoothie recipes and you still can't get enough. Try these out or create one of your own.

Enjoy!

Love to try a new strawberry banana smoothie recipe? Click on the link for more info.

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Raw Banana Avocado Ice Cream

2013-03-17T04:10:00.001-07:00

By Heather Krasovec

Many health conscious people are trying to incorporate more raw foods into their diets. They do this for many different reasons, including the preservation of enzymes and important nutrients. Most health care professionals agree that people need more fruits and vegetables in their daily diets, and eating them raw is a natural choice.

I try to eat foods that will contribute to good health. However, I will not give up flavor in my quest for healthy foods. Years ago I stumbled upon a single ingredient recipe for a banana ice cream substitute. It involved simply freezing a banana and puréeing it in the food processor. The author of the recipe promised it would taste like soft serve banana ice cream. It didn't.

The resulting concoction had a watery taste that didn't mimic ice cream in any real way. It was similar to the taste of a banana popsicle, but had no creaminess to it. It wasn't bad; it just wasn't what was promised.

I began to wonder how I could keep this recipe as healthy as it was while making it taste a bit more like ice cream. I tried adding almond milk, coconut cream and a few other creamy products. Nothing gave it the right texture and taste. That is until I added an avocado. I know it sounds weird, but avocados are loaded with good monounsaturated fatty acids. These good fats combine with the banana to create a creamy, tasty treat your taste buds won't believe. Top it with chopped nuts for an even more satisfying snack.

This is what you will need for four servings:

4 very ripe bananas

1 ripe hass avocado

2 teaspoons freshly ground cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)

Directions:

Cut the bananas into one inch slices. Put into a sealable bag and freeze for at least twelve hours. Transfer the bananas to the food processor work bowl, fitted with a multi-purpose blade. Let sit at room temperature for five minutes to slightly thaw. Process until smooth. Add the avocado and spices (if desired) and continue to process till well combined. At this point it will be the consistency of soft serve ice cream and can be served as is. If you want a firmer texture, return it to the freezer for 30 minutes. Do not allow to completely freeze or it will become too hard. You can find the detailed recipe with pictures at FOOD PROCESSOR REVIEWS, as well as other recipes designed to help you get the most out of your food processor.

Heather Krasovec, creator of http://food-processor-reviews.net/, uses her extensive experience in food based industries to help consumers make better choices when stocking their kitchens.

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Dairy Free Banana & Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Recipe

2013-03-17T03:57:00.002-07:00

By Linda Walsh

Who would have thought that your child's food allergies could actually save you money? We are finding that our son's dairy allergy has been a blessing in disguise. I now make all our own snacks including travel snacks, camping snacks, and movie snacks. They not only taste great and are easy to make, but are healthy and saves us a ton on the impulse buys at the grocery store.

I have a growing number of great travel snack recipes that are available on my blog for parents to access which include homemade granola, homemade dairy free breakfast bars, cookies, cakes, dairy free parfait, homemade fruit rolls, homemade pop corn, pies, cakes, sweet breads, dairy free and artificial free candy, muffins, cup cakes and more. Today's article I am happy to provide you our family favorite:

Dairy Free Banana & Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Items you will need: heavy based sauce pan, whisk, measuring cups, measuring spoons

Ingredients:

3/4 Cup Sugar

1/8 tsp Salt

1 3/4 Cups Rice Milk, Almond Milk or other dairy free milk

2 large eggs, beaten

1 1/2 Cups Milk, either rice milk, almond milk (recipe works best if you can use Goat Milk if it can be tolerated)

2 teaspoons Banana extract (or vanilla)

In heavy sauce pan, combine sugar, salt, and milk. Cook over medium heat stirring occasionally until mixture is steaming. Reduce heat to low.

In medium bowl, slightly beat eggs. Slowly whisk half of the hot mixture into the eggs and pour back into the sauce pan. Cook over medium-low heat until slightly thick, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and refrigerate until chilled or overnight.

When ready to freeze, stir in the 1 1/2 Cups Milk (preferably Goat Milk, but any other type of milk will work), and banana (or vanilla) extract into the chilled custard mixture.

Start ice cream maker and pour mixture through hole in lid. Freeze until desired consistency then add two or 3 overripe mashed bananas, 1/2 cup dairy free chocolate chips, and even a broken up dairy free sugar cone to the ice cream maker. Let it mix for an additional 15 minutes.

Ice Cream will be soft, so put into the freezer for 4 hours before serving. Get started on your next batch because this one won't last long it's so yummy!

For other great healthy homemade snacks and travel food ideas come visit my blog. Be sure to organize your travel foods for long road trips by taking advantage of some great kids car organizer products. They not only keep healthy snacks within your kids reach, but keep the car tidy too.

Happy Travels!

Linda Walsh is a mother of 3 young children - one with special needs and a forth child on the way. She is also a family travel expert who has developed a unique system for traveling with babies and young kids, budgeting money, cooking from scratch on the road, managing life with special needs, and living an organized lifestyle to get the most miles out of raising her family. If you would like to find more ways to simplify and organize your travels through life with your children, visit her website or blog at [http://www.familytravelgear.com].

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2013-03-17T01:04:00.000-07:00

Easy Bread Recipe - Anyone Can Bake Bread!

2013-03-17T01:03:00.001-07:00

By Sarah J Angel

I'm about to show you an easy bread recipe. A REALLY easy bread recipe.

How do I know it's so easy? I made it. Why is that so special? Because my first loaf of bread was indirectly responsible for a broken toe.

Here goes:

What You'll Need

First off, you'll need a couple of 1 qt Pyrex bowls. You'll also need a big mixing bowl and a small mixing bowl.

Ingredients are as follows:

4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 cups lukewarm water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons active-dry yeast
2 tablespoons soft butter

In preparation, grease you Pyrex bowls. There's nothing worse than having bread burnt onto your bowls.

As for the actual recipe, you'll first want to mix flour and salt in your big mixing bowl.

Then, in the small mixing bowl, dissolve the sugar in the lukewarm water. Once it dissolves, sprinkle the yeast over top of it and let it stand for about 10 minutes.

Secret trick to getting just the right water temperature for your yeast: Mix 1 part boiling water with 2 parts cold water from the faucet. You'll get the right temperature every time!

Next, mix the sugar water into the bowl of flour/salt thoroughly. Your dough should be sticky. If it's not sticky, add a little water until it is.

Cover your bowl with a warm towel and let it rise for AT LEAST an hour. If you can sacrifice 2 hours, even better, because you won't have to wait so long for it to rise the second time. Just don't go past two hours, because really bad things start happening. Like broken toes.

This is about the time you'll want to pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees.

Once your dough finishes rising, punch it back down. Now, I know 'punch' is a harsh word, but it doesn't require much drama. In fact, the dough is rather delicate. It's more like suggesting it down.

Now, split the dough in two halves, and place the halves in their respective bowls (or pans, if you so choose.) Let them rise for another 30-45 minutes.

Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 25 minutes. If you like crispier crust, take the loaves out of their pans and place them in the oven for an additional 5 minutes or so.

Now get out there and make people think you're a domestic queen!

Find more from me at Domestic Anarchy!

Visit http://domestic-anarchy.net to sign up for my 7 Favorite Penny-Pinching Tips and A LOT MORE!

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Making Soups and Stews in the Crockpot

2013-03-16T11:37:00.001-07:00

By Christine Szalay-Kudra

Soups and stews make for delicious lunches and dinners any time of the year and when you use the crockpot to cook them, the flavors seem to blend together perfectly.

With just a few adjustments to cooking times and to the amount of liquids used, most recipes for soups and stew made on the stovetop can be converted for the crockpot. In general, you will have to cut the liquid or moisture used in a stovetop recipe in half when cooking in a crockpot.

Also, remember that when you are making dishes in the crockpot with noodles it is important to watch them carefully. Noodles can overcook easily becoming mushy and basically falling apart all throughout your soup or stew.

You will find that most recipes for soups and stews made in the crockpot call for adding the noodles 10 to 15 minutes before the end of the cook time. The exact time will also depend on the type of noodle and whether you are cooking on the high or low setting.

For soups and stews in the crockpot, try using different types of meats including various cuts of beef, poultry, and pork.

Ham cooks wonderfully in a slow cooker and can be combined with ingredients such as beans, cabbage, and potatoes. Pork chops and spare ribs fall off the bone effortlessly and are incredibly tender when cooked in the crockpot. Both can be served with potatoes, rice, and salad for a tasty meal.

Chicken and turkey are also ideal for soups made in a slow cooker. There is nothing quite like homemade chicken noodle soup and there are many delicious varieties of chicken soups to choose from including those with Asian, Mexican, and Southwestern themes, just to name a few.

To make a hearty stew in the crockpot use beef including less expensive cuts such as chuck roast or cubes of meat that are intended for stews.

How to Make Beef Barley Vegetable Soup in the Crockpot

What You Need

1-1/2 to 2 cups water (Add 1-1/2 cups first)
1-1/2 to 2 pounds of beef chuck roast or beef stew meat
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 cup frozen green beans
1 cup frozen corn
2 cans (28 ounces total) diced tomatoes, un-drained
2/3 cup pearl barley, uncooked
8 ounces tomato sauce
2 cans (28 ounces total) beef broth

How to Make It

Combine all of the ingredients in the order they are listed inside of a 3-5 quart crockpot.

With the lid in place, cook the soup on the low setting for 8 to 9 hours, or if you prefer, use the high setting for 4 to 5 hours. Stir only once halfway through the cooking time. Add the other half cup of water if necessary.

You will know that your beef barley vegetable soup is done when the barley, meat, and vegetables are all tender.

If you have a newer crockpot that may cook some foods faster, or you are not sure if the cooking times listed are accurate, check the soup at 7 hours when cooking on low or at 3-1/2 hours on the high setting.

The best crockpot recipes are those that contain foods that will naturally complement one another when cooked at low temperatures. Crockpot beef stew is a timeless classic that your family is sure to appreciate especially when you use their favorite vegetables and serve with delicious salads and bread.

The Best Crockpot Recipes Start With Our Recipes - BestCrockpotRecipes.net

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Make Your Own Gyros on the Gril

2013-03-16T11:24:00.003-07:00

By Kelley Lang

If you love gyros you know you get a craving for them from time to time. More and more restaurants are starting to serve gyros so you no longer have to wait until you are in the big city where a restaurant will serve them or wait even longer for a festival to eat one.

If you choose not to dine out, now you can enjoy making your own gyros on the grill. You may have seen the meat at the restaurant or at the festival hanging. You do not need to have the entire lamb. You can make your gyro with sirloin and only one pound of lamb meat.

Gyros

What you will need:

1 pound ground sirloin
1 pound ground lamb
2 tsp granulated onion
2 tsp dried oregano
1-1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Pita bread
Swiss cheese, sliced
Chopped tomatoes
Chopped red onion

Next you will make the delicious sauce for your gyro.

Tzatziki Sauce
1-1/2 cups Greek yogurt, or drained plain yogurt
1/8 cup honey
1 medium cucumber
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1/4 tsp granulated garlic
1/4 tsp ground cumin
Juice of 1/2 lemon

You must make sure that your dried herbs are fresh. If your dried herbs are over six months old it is time to buy new fresh dried herbs. It does and will make a difference in the taste of your food.

To prepare recipe:

First you want to peel your cucumber, slice it the long way by cutting it in half. Now take a spoon to scrape out all of the cuke seeds. (If you leave the seeds in the sauce will be very watery.) Now mince the cucumber and place in plastic wrap. Sprinkle with sea salt. Let sit for 30 minutes.

In a medium size bowl, add all of the rest of the ingredients and whisk well. Cover and place in your refrigerator.

Once the 30 minutes are up for your cucumber, open one side of the plastic wrap so you can easily squeeze out any excess water. Once you have completed this you can add the cucumber to the rest of the sauce. Stir well. Cover and place into the refrigerator.

You can get out a large mixing bowl and add the beef, garlic, onion, oregano, marjoram, black pepper, lamb, thyme and sea salt together. Now dig in with your hands and mix well. Once all of the ingredients are mixed very well place into a foil pan. Cover your pan and let sit in the refrigerator for two hours or more.

Thirty minutes before your meat is ready you can fire up your grill. Whether you have a charcoal grill or a gas grill you want your fire to be at 325º-350º. Cook over indirect heat for one hour.

Next, you want to take the loaf out of the foil pan and grill indirect for another 45 minutes. Take the loaf off of the grill and tent with foil. Let your meat sit for one hour. Slice very, very thin.

At this point, you may need to add more coals to your grill if using a charcoal grill. The temperature should be at about 325º of indirect heat. Cover the grate with tinfoil. Place two slices of Swiss cheese and slices of the thinly sliced meat on each piece of pita bread.

Place the pita bread on the grill. Grill on indirect heat until your cheese is melted. Take off of the grill and put some of the tomato, Tzatziki sauce and red onion onto your pita bread. Enjoy!

Kelley Lang is a freelance writer for Holland Grill. This grilling recipe is sure to become one of your favorites! For more information on grilling, grilling products and grilling recipes, please visit http://www.bakersgas.com/hollandgrill.html.

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British Recipes and Cuisine

2013-03-15T09:03:00.000-07:00

By Sunil TannaSometimes under-appreciated, traditional British cuisine offers many wonderful dishes and great variety from the different corners of the United Kingdom. British culture (and cooking!) have been greatly enriched by immigration and overseas influences.

Although there are commonalities throughout the British Isles, it should be remember that the United Kingdom is a union of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, each of which has their own distinctive cultural and culinary traditions. Additionally, as already mentioned, immigration and trade with other nations have greatly influenced British food, and caused the emergence of new culinary styles such as Anglo-Indian.

British, and especially English cuisine, has not always had the highest reputation abroad. For example, in 2005, French President, Jacques Chirac described English food as the second worst in Europe (he considered Finnish cuisine the worst). However, while it's true that there are some poor quality restaurants, despite this reputation, there are in fact many excellent British restaurants too (in 2005, Restaurant Magazine said 14 of the 50 best restaurants in the world were in the United Kingdom), and a willingness among the British population to experiment with new styles and dishes, both at home and when eating out.

Some popular British meals and foods include:

- Full English breakfast - Sausage, bacon, eggs (usually fried or scrambled), fried bread, fried mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, black pudding (a type of blood sausage) and baked beans.

- Sunday roast - Roasted meat with roast potatoes and vegetables, traditionally eaten on a Sunday. There are several common varieties: roast beef (beef with gravy, horseradish sauce and mustard, served with Yorkshire pudding - a dish made from baked dough), roast pork (pork with "crackling" (crispy cooked pork rind), apple sauce), roast lamb (lamb with mint sauce or redcurrant jam), and roast chicken (chicken with chipolata sausages (small thin sausages), bread sauce, and cranberry sauce or redcurrant jam).

- Toad in the hole - Sausages cooked in Yorkshire pudding batter.

- Fish and chips - Battered and fried fish (often cod or plaice) with French fries. Mushy peas (a green "soup" made from peas) is a popular accompaniement.

- Bangers and mash - Sausage and mashed potato.

- Pie and mash - A pie containing ground ("minced") meat, served with mash potato. Traditionally, in the East End of London, pies were made with water left over from stewing eels, which are served as a cold side dish ("jellied eels").

- Shepherd's pie - Ground ("minced") lamb covered with a layer of mashed potato, and optionally cheese. Variations exist with beef ("cottage pie") or fish ("fisherman's pie").

- Lancashire hotpot - Meat, onion and potatoes baked in a pot or casserole dish for a long time on low heat.

- Cornish pasty - A baked pie with a distinctive shape, traditionally filled with beef, onion, potato and swede (rutabaga). Traditionally, these were eaten by miners working in the Cornish tin industry, and it sometimes claimed that fruit would be placed at one end of the pasty to serve as a sweet dish.

- Kedgeree - Flaked fish (usually smoked haddock), with boiled rice, eggs and butter. The dish has its origins in the time of the British Indian Empire.

- Chicken tikka massala - An Anglo-Indian dish made by cooking chunks of marinated chicken in a curry sauce. Usually eaten with rice or naan (Indian bread).

- Balti - An Anglo-Indian dish originating from Birmingham: A thick curry made using lamb ("balti gosht") or chicken ("balti murgh"), cooked and served in flat-bottomed iron or steel pot. To eat it, naan (Indian bread) is used to scoop up the sauce.

- Cock-a-leekie soup - A Scottish soup made from potato, leek and chicken stock.

- Arbroath smokie - Lightly smoked haddock, originally from Arbroath in Scotland.

- Haggis - One of the most famous Scottish traditional dishes, haggis is made using a sheep's heart, liver and lungs (collectively known as the "pluck"), minced (ground), and mixed with oatmeal, onions, suet, spices and stock, and then boiled in the sheep's stomach.

- Mince and tatties - Minced (ground) beef and mashed potatoes.

- Welsh rarebit (sometimes called "Welsh rabbit") - Grated cheese mixed with beer, milk and butter, and then spread on toast and grilled (broiled).

- Bakewell tart - A traditional English pudding, consisting of a pastry shell, filled with jam (fruit preserve) and a sponge-like filling.

- Spotted dick - A steamed pudding containing dried fruit and raisins. Often served with custard.

Originally published at http://www.recipesmaniac.com/cook_british.php - visit this site for more information, photographs and cook books.

Discover more about recipes and cooking at http://www.recipesmaniac.com/

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Apple Galette

2013-03-15T08:37:00.001-07:00

By Angelia McGowan

This apple galette is an easy, delicious dessert that is very fast. A galette is a very forgiving free form tart. It is classic and elegant, comforting and rustic. Its a classic French country dessert. You get all the delicious parts of an apple pie, with none of the fuss. My favorite part of a pie is the crust. With a galette, you get more flaky crust, yet it is much easier. The only downfall of this dessert is that it disappears too quickly. For the crust, I used apple jack brandy. Using alcohol instead of water prevents gluten from forming in the dough. This will make your crust so tender, you will not believe it. I did not bother to peel the apples for the dessert. The skins of the apples are very beautiful, and come out very tender in this recipe. You can peel the apples if desired. I used Macintosh apples, because they were on sale, you can use any type of apples you like.

Ingredients

Crust

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
6 oz cold butter, sliced
3 tablespoons Apple Jack Brandy, or water (you may need to adjust this amount, it will be enough for the dough to come together)

Filling

3-4 sliced apples and cored, I used Macintosh apples
4 tablespoons brown sugar
a pinch of kosher salt
the zest of an orange
about a teaspoon of orange juice, freshly squeezed

Topping

egg wash for crust
3 tablespoons Apple Jelly

Method

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare the dough in the food processor with the dough blade, or by hand with a pastry knife or fork. I prepared this one easily in the food processor.
First add the flour, sugar, and salt and mix or pulse to combine. Then add the sliced butter, and cut in or pulse until the dough is grainy.
Then add the apple brandy or water a little at a time until the dough comes together. Then place the dough in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Prepare the filling by slicing and coring the apples. Add to a large mixing bowl. Add the orange zest and squeeze about a tablespoon of the orange juice over the apples. Add the brown sugar and salt, and toss the apples well.
Remove the dough from the fridge and roll out. I used a pizza stone for the galette. Press the dough out into a circle and then cover with saran wrap. Then roll the dough out in an even layer about 1/8 inch thick.
Then arrange the apples in concentric circles around the dough. Fold up the dough over the apples. Brush the edges of the dough with the egg wash for a beautiful golden brown color.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and apples are very tender.
While galette is warm, take a pastry brush and brush apple jelly on top of apples, very gently. Serve warm or at room temperature.

For more great apple recipes and dishes for this fall, visit Southern Grace Gourmet. Angelia McGowan is the owner of Southern Grace Gourmet. Southern Grace Gourmet is a food, cooking, and homemaking blog. On this site, you will find many recipes from different inspirations as well as great southern and all American recipes. There are also homemaking tips and tricks, product and book reviews, giveaways, and other fun and useful information. Angelia is a stay at mom to one little toddler, and loves cooking, baking, and photography.

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The Evolving Grilled Cheese Sandwich - From Simple to Gourmet in Easy Steps

2013-03-14T22:50:00.000-07:00

By Deborah Taylor-Hough

Personally, I find a lunch consisting of a warm grilled cheese sandwich and a hot bowl of tomato soup to be one of the all-time great comfort foods that exists. Brings back warm, fuzzy memories of both my mom and my grandma.

I got the idea for creating an "Evolving" sandwich from Jamie Oliver's popular cookbook, Jamie's Food Revolution. Jamie has several Evolution Salads in one chapter of his book that go from basic two or three ingredient simple dishes to gourmet extravaganzas, just by adding another ingredient or two at each evolutionary step.

The Evolving Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Evolution #1 - Mild Cheddar Cheese & Mayo

Evolution #2 - Mild Cheddar Cheese & Mayo PLUS Sliced Tomato

Evolution #3 - Mild Cheddar Cheese & Mayo & Sliced Tomato PLUS Deli-sliced Turkey

Evolution #4 - Mild Cheddar Cheese & Mayo & Sliced Tomato & Deli-sliced Turkey PLUS Cooked Bacon

Evolution #5 - Mild Cheddar Cheese & Mayo & Sliced Tomato & Deli-sliced Turkey & Cooked Bacon PLUS Thinly Sliced Dill Pickle

Evolution #6 - Mild Cheddar Cheese & Mayo & Sliced Tomato & Deli-sliced Turkey & Cooked Bacon & Thinly Sliced Dill Pickle PLUS Thousand Island Dressing (or you can serve the 1,000 Island on the side and use it for dipping the sandwich - which is what I usually do ... YUM!)

Ingredients for Evolution #1:

(Makes 1 Basic Sandwich)

2 slices bread (sourdough or Ciabatta are the bomb for grilled sandwiches - but just plain ol' white bread or whole grain is fine! Use what you have)
Butter, softened (probably about a teaspoon, depends on how thick you spread it)
Mayonnaise (enough to lightly cover a slice of bread)
2 thin slices mild Cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat a large skillet or griddle to a medium-high heat. Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place one slice, buttered-side down in hot skillet/griddle. Cover with the thinly sliced cheddar, then but mayo on the un-buttered side of the other slice of bread and place on top of sandwich in grill, buttered-side up. Grill on hot skillet/griddle, flipping when necessary, until both sides are golden brown and cheese is beginning to melt. Serve warm.

For Later Evolutions:

Just keep stacking the ingredients onto the bottom layer of buttered bread, except you'll only put on one slice of the cheese at first. Then you'll be ending the stack of ingredients with the 2nd cheese slice and the last slice of buttered bread. The melted cheese slices will act sort of like the glue on either side to hold the whole yummy thing together.

Deborah Taylor-Hough (free-lance writer and mother of three) is the author of several popular books including Frozen Assets: Cook for a Day and Eat for a Month, A Simple Choice: A Practical Guide for Saving Your Time, Money and Sanity and her newest book, The Simple Mom's Idea Book. To subscribe to her free email newsletter, Simple Times, send an email to:subscribe-simple-times@hub.thedollarstretcher.com Visit Debi online and read more articles dealing with simple living, frugality, parenting and much more: http://www.simplemom.com/

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Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches With Your Favorite Ice Cream

2013-03-14T22:48:00.002-07:00

By Dennis R WeaverHow to Make Your Own Ice Cream Sandwiches

Make your own ice cream sandwiches. You will find them much better. Choose flavors like pumpkin, butter brickle, lemon custard, and more. Use homemade cookies that are much better than the sticky wafers you find in the store. And they are easy to make either by hand or with a tool. Get the kids to help and you will have a ball.

Ice Cream Sandwich Recipe or a Mix

The secret is in the wafer cookie. You want crisp, thin wafers that crumble when bit rather than squishing the ice cream out. Both sugar and shortbread cookies make excellent sandwich cookies. Or you can use a mix available online.

The following chocolate shortbread cookie recipe works particularly well. It makes thin, dense, rich shortbread cookies that are sturdy but crisp. The cornstarch in the powdered sugar holds the cookie together to make it less crumbly. (If granulated sugar was used, the grains would cut through the butter leaving tiny air pockets that would tend to leaven the cookie and make it less sturdy.) This dough can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or frozen for two months.

If you like dark, intense chocolate, you can make a richer cookie. Use four ounces of unsweetened chocolate instead of the semisweet chocolate plus two tablespoons powdered sugar.

Ingredients

3 one-ounce squares of semi-sweet baking chocolate

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup butter

1 cup powdered sugar

1 dash salt

4 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

ice cream of your choice

To make the cookies

1. Melt the chocolate and one tablespoon butter in the microwave. Set aside.

2. Cream the remaining butter and powdered sugar together. Add the salt.

3. Add the four egg yolks, beating after each. Add the vanilla.

4. Add the flour in three parts, beating after each addition.

5. Scrape the dough onto a large sheet of waxed paper. Pat the dough into a square or round log. Wrap it in waxed paper and smooth the edges into a uniform log. Refrigerate the log for at least an hour.

6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the dough into 3/16-inch thick slices. Place them on an un-greased baking sheet. Bake for eight to ten minutes or just until set. Cool on a wire rack.

To assemble the sandwiches

Once the cookie wafers have cooled, you are ready to assemble your sandwiches. It is easier if the ice cream is slightly soft. Place a cookie wafer face down on a flat counter surface. Use a small spatula to press the filling onto the cookie. You can make them as thick or as thin as you like. Top it with another cookie and press the two together. Use the spatula to clean up the edges. Wrap the sandwiches in plastic wrap and put them back into the freezer for an hour or more. You can store your ice cream sandwiches in the freezer for two weeks.

Dennis Weaver, president of The Prepared Pantry, is an expert in the art and science of baking. He is the author of many recipes and baking articles, including " How to Make Ice Cream Sandwiches ". He has worked professionally as a baker and has baked and cooked for over 30 years. He loves the ice cream sandwich tool kit and cookie mix and uses them often.

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Serve Deluxe Fried Egg Sandwiches for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner

2013-03-14T22:47:00.002-07:00

By Harriet Hodgson

Restaurants are bringing in customers with all-you-can-eat breakfast buffets and specials. Last Saturday I had breakfast at a local restaurant that is famous for its weekend brunch. The buffet was still available, but I tend to eat too much, so I ordered from the menu. The fried egg sandwich (FES for short) caught my attention because it brought back memories of childhood.

When my parents were low on groceries or money, we had fried egg sandwiches, an egg with crispy edges between two slices of buttered bread. Since I thought this sandwich had disappeared, I was surprised to see it on the menu. Out of curiosity I ordered one and when it came it was huge: two slices of rye bread, two slices of cheese, cooked onions, four slices of bacon, two fried eggs, and chopped lettuce.

It was so big I could hardly get the sandwich in my mouth. When I took my first bite I almost swooned at the combination of flavors. One half of a sandwich, and the side of fresh fruit, were enough for me, and I left the second half on my plate. But I can't stop thinking about that scrumptious breakfast.

The old recipe can be adapted easily. What was its origin? I checked two historic cookbooks and found recipes that included shredded cheese and cheese sauce. More recent cookbooks contained recipes that were a cross between a the classic bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich and the egg sandwich.

Websites and blogs have also posted hybrid recipes. The Food and Wine website, for example, has a recipe that includes Monterey Jack cheese, rustic white bread, bacon, sliced tomatoes, butter lettuce, mayonnaise, and of course, an egg. According to most of the recipes, the egg is cooked until the center is almost firm, yet still a bit runny.

The Denver sandwich is different, however, made with scrambled eggs, chopped green peppers and onions. This mixture is cooked until it is completely firm, cut into triangular wedges, and used as filling.

Are you wondering what to serve for breakfast, lunch or dinner? Maybe it's time to give this classic sandwich a try. I didn't want to eat onions for breakfast, so I substituted mushrooms. Instead of fatty bacon, I substituted Canadian bacon. And one egg is sufficient for me. Here is my recipe for an updated FES.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon butter

1 teaspoon olive oil

3 mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 slice Canadian bacon

1 slice reduced fat Swiss cheese

1 large egg

1 leaf of butter (Boston) lettuce

2 slices rye bread (without seeds)

Method

Melt butter in a small non-stick skillet. Add olive oil. Saute sliced mushrooms until they start to brown. Set aside. Cook Canadian bacon until it starts to brown. Set aside. Add another dash of olive oil to skillet. Fry egg until the center is firm, but not totally so, and the edges start to brown. Lay Swiss cheese on one slice of rye bread. Top with cooked mushrooms, egg, Canadian bacon, butter lettuce, and second slice of bread. Cut in half and serve immediately with seasonal fruit. Makes one serving.

http://www.harriethodgson.com

Harriet Hodgson has been an independent journalist for 35+ years and is the author of 31 books, including six grief resources. Her latest books are "Happy Again!" Your New and Meaningful Life After Loss" and "Help! I'm Raising My Grandkids: Grandparents Adapting to Life's Surprises." Please visit her website and learn more about this busy author.

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Peanut Butter Sandwich Recipes

2013-03-14T22:45:00.002-07:00

By Kathryn Reap

Try these peanut butter sandwich recipes with different types of peanut butter, cashew butter, walnut butter, and many other types found in specialty shops. Basically there are three kinds. Smooth, chunky and natural styles. The main difference between creamy and chunky is mostly in texture, not in taste. Natural styles are without hydrogenated fats, which extend shelf life and keep oils from separating out. They are more expensive, need to be mixed before serving, and are usually less sweet.

When choosing what type you like, examine the label. If you're on a low-sodium or low-sugar diet, check the list of ingredients. I looked at the labels of the most popular brands and found that most were about the same.

Per 2 Tablespoons

190 calories
25% daily value of Total fat
14-16% daily value of saturated fat
3-6% daily value of sodium
9% daily value of fiber
2-7 grams sugar

Because of many children with peanut allergies, many schools are banning peanuts altogether. Soon there may be a big boom in alternative, non-peanut spreads, such as cashew, almond or apple butters. The best way to find out what you like best is to buy a small jar. Check out health food stores in your local area for many other alternative spreads.

PB2 is a Powdered peanut butter with only 45 calories in 2 tablespoons. This product is only available online at BellPlantation.com

Ingredients: Roasted peanuts, sugar and salt.
Serving size: 2 Tablespoons (12 grams)
Servings per container: 15
Amount per 2 Tablespoon serving (when mixed with water):
Calories: 45
Calories from fat: 13

Value and % Daily Value

Total fat 1.5 g 3%
Saturated fat 0 g 0%
Trans fat < 0.01 g
Cholesterol < 0.01 mg 0%
Sodium 94 mg 4%
Total carbohydrate 5 g 2%
Dietary fiber 2 g 8%
Sugars 1 g

Try using different types of peanut butter in these sandwich recipes.

Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich Recipe

whole wheat bread
peanut butter
banana

Toast the bread and add margarine or butter if desired. Spread as much or little peanut butter on top, then add sliced banana. Can also be made without toasting; add ingredients between bread.

Elvis Sandwich Recipe

Basically the same as above except it is fried in a pan with lots of butter until both sides are golden brown and crispy. Spread peanut butter and banana between two slices of bread. Add lots of butter to the skillet or spread on outside of bread slices. Some people like to add chocolate chips or jam to the mix.

Kathryn Reap is a health care worker in British Colombia, Canada. In her spare time she enjoys camping, fishing, and researching recipes for her website [http://www.kathys-sandwich-recipes.com] a free sandwich recipe site including [http://www.kathys-sandwich-recipes.com/PeanutButterSandwichRecipes.html]

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Mango Pudding: Cold and Delicious

2013-03-14T22:38:00.000-07:00

By Francisco Miranda

This type of pudding is typically made during the summer in Mexico. This is because the fruit ripens in the summer and mango fruit does not store well. Fresh mango is available throughout the year in the tropics.

Mangos in the U.S. come mostly from Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Guatemala and Haiti. These countries harvest their mango crops at different times of the year, which means we get to enjoy mangos all year round.

Mangoes are also used to make other desserts such as cakes and ice cream. These desserts are typically low in calories, but high in fiber. Mango desserts are also high in vitamins and antioxidants.

Ingredients

Mangoes are the primary ingredient in mango pudding. This fruit should be used in desserts only when it is very soft to ensure it is fully ripe. A ripe mango is generally red, orange and purple.

This type of pudding typically contains gelatin to provide the desired texture. This practice is not universal, as some people prefer recipes that only call for natural ingredients. Flour or cornstarch is also a common thickening agent for this type of pudding.

Whole eggs are usually used to make this kind of pudding. Whole or condensed milk is also a common ingredient in this type of dessert. These pudding recipes typically call for additional sugar. Some recipes also use slices of mango as a topping for the pudding.

Preparation

The primary ingredients are mixed in a large bowl. This is commonly done by hand, although some recipes specify mixing the ingredients in a blender. This mixture must be heated to a low boil until it reaches a thick consistency. It must be stirred frequently to ensure it doesn't burn.

The pudding is then poured into a serving container, typically a bowl or mold. Some recipes call for allowing the mixture to cool first. Other recipes call for pouring the pudding into the containers while it is still warm.

The pudding should then be refrigerated until cold, typically a minimum of three hours. The pudding should be very thick at this point. Mango slices may be added just before serving. Mango pudding should be served while cold.

Mexican Pudding Recipe

Ingredients:

3 mangos
1 can of evaporated milk
Sugar as desired

Preparation:

Peel and dice the mangos.

Liquefy/puree the mango with milk and sugar.

Refrigerate before serving (for about 1 ½ hour).

Servings: 4-6

Buen provecho!

About Francisco

"Pancho Taco"

I still remember the joy I felt when at seven years old my mother asked me to help her by preparing food for all of the relatives that my parents used to invite every other Saturday, at that moment I began my affair with Mexican cuisine.

Cooking brings deep pleasure to many of us.

If you have not yet experienced this, I hope you will take some time to let it happen. It is a good way to slow down and connect with your creative side.

There is always something to learn and simple pleasures to be found.

I wish you every joy and success in your cooking adventures.

Buen provecho!

Francisco (Pancho Taco)

Your Mexican Recipes Expert

[http://www.panchotacomexicanrecipes.com]

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Four Super Sesame Street Cupcake Recipes

2013-03-14T01:10:00.001-07:00

By Patricia Estridge

Kids (and some adults) will go crazy for these seriously cute Sesame Street cupcakes. Learn to make The Cookie Monster, Big Bird, Elmo and Oscar the Grouch in cupcakes. All designs use the Vanilla Cupcake and Buttercream Cheese frosting recipes which are at the bottom of this article.

The Cookie Monster

Make 12 vanilla cup cakes and allow to cool completely before decorating - you will need to use 2 of these to make the cookies, so only decorate 10!

To Decorate:

1 Portion Buttercream cheese frosting
Black food colouring
Blue food colouring
Chocolate chips

1. 'Butterfly' 1 side of the cupcake - cut across along the paper until way into the top, slide down way across the top to release a circle of the top of the cake.

2. Use 2 chocolate chips to prop the circle of cake up, so it looks like an open mouth (think Pac-man).

3. Take 1 spoon of the uncoloured icing and set aside. Take another 2 spoons and colour black.

4. Fill a piping bag, fitted with a medium sized round nozzle, with the black icing and fill the mouth with it - smooth to make sure it covers the whole mouth and secures the mouth open.

5. Colour the main part of your icing blue and ice your cake by putting a dollop in the centre of the cake and smoothing over the edges with a spoon.

6. Fill a piping bag, fixed with a small round nozzle, with the 1 spoon white of icing that you set aside and pipe two eyes with it.

7. Add chocolate chips for the iris.

8. Slice the 2 remaining cakes into 10 half circles (the rounds should be about a cm thick. Use the black icing make small dots like chocolate chips.

9. Finally, insert your cake cookie in to the cookie monster's mouth.

Nam nam nam nam nam - cookie monster!

Elmo

What a cutie - Elmo, the people's favourite. The kids will love these cupcakes!

Make 12 cup cakes of your choice (see recipes) and allow to cool completely before decorating.

To Decorate:

1 Portion Buttercream cheese frosting
Red food colouring
Black food colouring
Orange food colourig
Chocolate chips

1. 'Butterfly' 1 side of the cupcake - cut across along the paper until way into the top, slide down way across the top to release a circle of the top of the cake.

2. Use 2 chocolate chips to prop the circle of cake up, so it looks like an open mouth (think Pac-man).

3. Take 2, 1 dessert spoon portions of the uncoloured icing, colour one of them Orange, and set aside. Take another 2 spoons and colour black.

4. Fill a piping bag, fitted with a medium sized round nozzle, with the black icing and fill the mouth with it - smooth to make sure it covers the whole mouth and secures the mouth open.

5. Colour the main part of your icing red and ice your cake by putting a dollop in the centre of the cake and smoothing over the edges with a spoon.

6. Fill a piping bag, fixed with a small round nozzle, with 1 spoon white of icing that you set aside and pipe two eyes with it.

7. Add chocolate chips for the iris.

8. Finally, take your orange icing and use a medium sized round nozzle to pipe Elmo's nose between the eyes.

Big Bird

What Sesame Street collection would be complete without Big Bird?

Make 12 cup cakes of your choice (see recipes) and allow to cool completely before decorating.

To Decorate:

1 Portion Buttercream cheese frosting (or any of the frosting recipes here - we used Lemon frosting)
Yellow food colouring
Chocolate chips

1. Take two, one dessert spoon portions of the uncoloured icing, colour one orange and set aside. Colour the rest of your icing yellow.

2. Fill a piping bag, fitted with an arrow shaped nozzle with the yellow icing. Starting with the edges of the cake and working inwards, pipe short feathers using the arrow tip.

3. Take the white icing that you set aside and pipe two eyes on each cake. Add chocolate chips for the irises.

4. Finally, put the orange icing into a piping bag with a medium sized round nozzle on it and pipe two pointy blobs to form Big Birds beak.

Oscar the Grouch

They can't all be sweetness and delight - bad boy Oscar the Grouch completes your Sesame Street collection.

Make 12 cup cakes of your choice (see recipes) and allow to cool completely before decorating.

To Decorate:

1 Portion Buttercream cheese frosting
Green food colouring
Black food colouring
Red food colouring
Chocolate chips

1. 'Butterfly' 1 side of the cupcake - cut across along the paper until way into the top, slide down way across the top to release a circle of the top of the cake.

2. Use 2 chocolate chips to prop the circle of cake up, so it looks like an open mouth (think Pac-man).

3. Take two, one dessert spoon portions of the uncoloured icing, colour one red and set aside. Colour the rest of your icing yellow.

4. Fill a piping bag, fitted with a medium sized round nozzle and fill the mouth with the black icing - smooth to make sure it covers the whole mouth and secures the mouth open.

5. Colour the main part of your icing green and ice your cake by putting a dollop in the centre of the cake and smoothing over the edges with a spoon.

6. Fill a piping bag, fixed with a small round nozzle, with the 1 spoon white of icing that you set aside and pipe two eyes with it.

7. Add chocolate chips for the iris.

9. Finally, take the red icing and use a spoon or a knife to spread a red streak into Oscar's mouth to form a tongue.

Vanilla Cupcakes - Makes 12

60g Unsalted Butter - softened
120g Caster sugar
140g Self-raising flour
1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla extract
100ml Milk

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 F (170 C).

2. Line a 12 cup cake pan, with cup cake papers.

3. Place all the ingredients, apart from the eggs, into a large bowl.

4. Crack the eggs into a cup and beat lightly with a fork.

5. Beat with an electric mixer or by hand, adding the eggs in 2 parts, until the ingredients are incorporated.

6. Divide the mixture evenly between the cake cases.

7. Bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and firm to touch.

8. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.

9. Allow to cool fully before icing.

Buttercream-cheese Icing

60g solid vegetable shortening - available from good supermarkets, get original not butter flavour if you can find it
90g cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
400g icing sugar
25ml Milk

Method:

1. Cream shortening and cream cheese with electric mixer or in a kitchen mixer.

2. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed.

3. Add milk and give a final fast mix for a few seconds.

4. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl.

5. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.

For more recipes, baking and cake decorating inspiration, visit us at http://www.a-slice-of-cake.com

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Red Velvet Cupcake Toppings

2013-03-14T01:03:00.001-07:00

By Dominique A Arrington

For this recipe you will need: a medium bowl, 1 ¾ cups of confectioners sugar, 8 ounces of room temperature cream cheese, 6 ounces of room temperature butter, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, milk, a small bowl, red food coloring, ¼ cup of all purpose flour, ¼ cup of brown sugar, 1/3 cup of chilled butter, a cookie sheet, and parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Step 1:

Cut the butter into small cubes no bigger than ¼ an inch.

Step 2:

In the small bowl add your ¼ cup of all purpose flour.

Step 3:

In the same bowl, add your ¼ cup of brown sugar and mix them together.

Step 4:

Once the flour and brown sugar are combined well, add in the ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Step 5:

In a cutting or stabbing motion with a butter knife or small plastic spatula, break the butter up into small pieces into the dry mixture a few pieces at a time. You should start seeing the butter combine with the cry ingredients into small crumbs.

Step 6:

Once majority of the butter has been added and majority of the mixture is crumbled, add 4 drops of red food coloring scattered throughout the mixture.

Step 7:

Preheat your oven for 350° F.

Step 8:

Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper. If you do not have parchment paper at home you can use a well greased sheet of aluminum foil.

Step 9:

Sprinkle your streusel crumbs throughout the cookie sheet making sure that they are not all combined into large clumps.
Step 10:

Bake your streusel at 350°F for about 7-8 minutes and begin your icing.

Step 11:

Let your pretty red crumble cool before adding it as the finishing touch to your cupcakes.

Step 12:

Place the eight (8) ounces of room temperature cream cheese into the medium bowl and begin to whip at a medium-low speed. You want to make sure the cream cheese is room temperature because that will allow it to create the creamy, smooth texture of icing.

Step 13:

Add the four (4) ounces of room temperature butter to the bowl and combine the two ingredients until you start seeing them form into the whipped consistency.

Step 14:

Turn the mixer down to low and add in your 1 ¾ cups of powdered sugar. Incorporate all the ingredients together until it has the smooth whipped consistency of an icing

Step 15:

Once at a good consistency add in your teaspoon of vanilla extract and mix for about another minute.

Step 16:

Check the consistency of your icing, some brands of cream cheese whip better than others. If the icing is a little too thick or lumpy add a tablespoon of milk and mix that into the icing for about 30 seconds. Test the consistency again and add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed until it is the right consistency.

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Decadent Red Velvet Cupcake Recipe

2013-03-14T00:57:00.002-07:00

By Christan Monin

I first made this Red Velvet cupcake recipe for a wedding cake tasting for a friend. The cake was wonderful, however, I have made some tweaks and additions that I think really make these cupcakes superb. The addition of extra chocolate emboldens the cupcakes' flavors and leaves the final product a gorgeous, deep red that is as luxurious as its' name. I advocate adjusting your recipes to your own tastes. Feel free to add more or less of the flavoring, adjust the amount of red dye you use. Adding just half an ounce of the dye will brighten your cupcakes in an instant for any festive occasion! If you prefer something even more decadent a filling can always be made for the center of each cupcake. Chocolate ganache, Bavarian cream, or even the cream cheese filling make a decadent center that amp up this recipe. Just use a 10 inch feather weight piping bag with tip 230, and you have utterly sublime cupcakes that will enthrall any crowd.

The Cream Cheese frosting is the perfect compliment to your Red Velvet cupcakes. The perfect combination of cream cheese and sugar gives this frosting a subtle and elegant flavor that enhances the flavors of the cupcake.

Makes 10-12 Cupcakes

3 ½ tsps cocoa powder
½ ounce red food dye

½ cup butter (1 stick)
1 egg
1 cup sugar

1 ¼ cups cake flour
½ tsp salt

½ cup buttermilk

¼ tsp baking soda
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla (or any flavor of your choice)

Mix the cocoa powder and red food dye together using a metal whisk until completely blended and smooth. Set aside. In a stand mixer beat the egg. Add the butter and sugar and mix until light and creamy (speed 5). Combine the red dye mixture to the eggs and sugar; mix well (speed 3). Sift together dry ingredients and add to mixture alternating with the buttermilk (always start and end with the dry ingredients). Combine the baking soda and vinegar; add to the mixture. Once combined add the vanilla (or alternate flavoring).

Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese frosting
½ cup butter (1 stick)
1 tsp vanilla
1 box confectioner's sugar (1 pound)

Cream together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla. Slowly add the sugar mixing the entire time (start at speed 1 so as not to engulf yourself in a cloud of sugar). If the mixture appears too thick add water or milk one tablespoon at a time. The frosting is perfect when it looks elegant and satiny.

Happy Baking!

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Cream Cheese Recipes

2013-03-14T00:53:00.003-07:00

By Audrey Okaneko

n I think of cream cheese, I immediately think of bagels. I love bagels and cream cheese. However cream cheese is wonderful in many other recipes.

I think one of my favorite recipes is crab and cream cheese wontons. Although meant as an appetizer, I can easily devour a dozen of them leaving no room for the actual dinner.

Crab and Cream Cheese Wontons

4 ounces of crab meat (you can use fresh or canned)

2 ounces cream cheese (solid is best, not whipped)

1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons chives

Small dish of water

Wonton wrappers

Mix the crab, cream cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper and chives together. Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste.

Put a spoonful of mixture into each wonton shell. Use water to moisten the edges and fold into triangles.

When ready to eat, heat in oil until brown on both sides.

Another of my favorite recipes using cream cheese is this recipe for chocolate cupcakes, using cream cheese to make them very moist:

Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcakes

1 package chocolate cake mix (any brand)

1 package cream cheese (softened)

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 cup mini chocolate chips (I always use milk chocolate, as I like the cupcakes sweet)

Preheat oven to 350F. Put cupcake papers into pan. Prepare chocolate cake mix according to package instructions and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together the sugar and the softened cream cheese until smooth. Beat egg and add to sugar mixture, mix well. Gently mix in the chocolate chips. Fill cupcake cases 1/2 full of chocolate cake batter. Then add 1 full teaspoon of cream cheese mixture to center. Top with more chocolate cake batter. Cupcake cups should be 3/4 full. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched in center.

Note: You can use peanut butter chips instead of chocolate chips for a wonderful peanut butter and chocolate taste.

And finally, a wonderful cream cheese dip to serve with either crackers or vegetables:

Horseradish & Cream Cheese Dip

2 packages (3 oz. each) cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

1/4 cup mayonnaise (I use low fat)

1/4 teaspoon salt

pepper to taste (experiment using both white and black pepper)

6 slices of bacon, crumbled

Mix the cream cheese, horseradish, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Add bacon pieces and mix. Refrigerate over night so flavors can blend.

This is just a small sample of what you can do with cream cheese as your main ingredient in recipes.

Bon Appetite!!

Audreys mom always entertained when she was growing up. Audrey learned to prepare for large groups and has often entertained 15-30 people in her home at a time. You can find more great recipes at http://www.recipe-barn.com

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Learn to Bake

2013-03-14T00:50:00.004-07:00

By Rayna Roy

In today's world, where shopping and eating is more of a matter of convenience than an art, baking has become something that we consider an extravagance, the province of those who wish to wear the crown of domestic god or goddess. With baking often taking quite a lot of time, most people do not have the same interest in baking that was shown by their parents or grandparents.

Baking should be given more precedence than it is shown. The notion of our daily bread and living on bread alone gives us an idea of how necessary baked goods really are to us. Truth be told, baked goods such as bread are still important to most of us, it is just that we let someone else do the baking nowadays.

So, at one end of the spectrum we have bread as our most elemental staple. At the other we have cake as the ultimate celebratory food, used to mark our most important social functions. There can be no doubting that baked foods are essential to us and, while baking each day is a luxury many of us cannot afford time-wise, maybe by baking our own goods every now and again we can better treasure those simple meals and special social occasions by more directly adding to them.

Baking is the technique for extended cooking of food by dry heat, normally in an oven. It covers a huge number of different dishes and bakeware. All the cuisines internationally have a signature bread, dessert, or pastry, so the options can be overwhelming. What if our early efforts are not treasured or prove too difficult to complete successfully? Is there something that might be a sure-fire hit and will be a basic introduction to baking? Well, you will be pleased to know that there is a treat that fits the bill here nicely.

Strangely enough, although their charm is in their small size, cup cakes are huge in today's world! They are not just for kids and, like so many of the basic pleasures we have always loved, they have been touched by the gourmet's hand. Something that is popular, festive and - believe it or not comparatively easy to make - is a good project for the unprofessional baker.

You might be surprised to know that these tasty little dishes have been around since the 19th century and were originally baked in single clayware cake pans or ramekins. Here is a bit of trivia for you: they are named fairy cakes in the UK and Ireland, probably because you can easily envisage one feeding a whole party of thumb-sized sprites. Anyway, cupcakes have a long pedigree, but they have also evolved.

If you live anywhere near a metro area, the probabilities are good that there will be a bakeshop nearby that specializes in cup cakes, because they are currently a favorite. While the hope here is that you will bake your own cupcakes every now and again, these bakeries are great places to get inspiration in terms of decorating and recipes go. Nothing like a ready-made excuse: when you are leisurely savoring their goods, you can say it is all being done in the name of research!

In fact, there are lots of reasons why cupcakes make a good early adventure into the fine tradition of baking. One of the biggest motivators here is that it is not all hard work, an element of play comes into things and anyone can exercise their creative powers - regardless of how gifted they are. Time to break out the frosting and sprinkles!

After you have mastered the cupcake, it is not too much of a stretch to make a cake proper. The ingredients are the same and similar decorating techniques are employed. If you found the presentation element to be the most satisfying, then you will want to explore 3-D cakes or cakes in the round. By that we're talking about cake as sculpture. Certain examples here include birthday cake trains hauling cars of lollies or a village of holiday cake cottages. Several manufacturers, such as Wilton and Nordic Ware, sell 3D cake pans in the shape of castles, trains and more. Cakes made with such pans become real centrepieces at the event or party and they are going to be remembered.

Again, you will find all sorts of information on the web on how to mix, knead, and bake flour, water and yeast (believe it or not, the ingredients are that basic, though what you can add to the standard triad is virtually limitless). It might take you a few attempts to get your chosen recipe perfect, but knowing that you made the most basic of foods with your own hands imparts a deep, quiet gratification that cannot be denied.

For More Info: bakeware, cake pan.

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Kid Birthday Cake Idea Collection - Cake Decorating Without Fear

2013-03-14T00:48:00.001-07:00

By Patricia Jensen

Our kid birthday cake idea collection makes cake decorating fun and fearless. You don't have to be a pastry chef to create a professional quality cake for your child's birthday or other special event. Learn unique and easy cake decorating ideas to make spectacular homemade cakes.

PARTY CAKE CONCEPT AND DESIGN

The most important kid birthday cake idea is choosing a cake concept which fits with your party theme. You can start with a simple sheet cake topped with small toys or figures, or piece the cake itself to form a unique design.

For example, a Construction Party cake could be topped with tiny toy dumptrucks and bulldozers pushing a chocolate chip mountain. Or, the cake itself could be cut, pieced and frosted to look like a dump truck.

For a Train Party, set a miniature choo-choo train on licorice tracks atop your cake, or line up several brightly colored frosted loaf cakes to form train cars.

For a Luau party, a simple round or sheet cake can be festooned with a silk flower lei, or form a string of cupcakes in a circle and adorn each one with silk or frosting flowers. Connect with a licorice string to make a cupcake "lei".

Baking cakes in an oven-safe glass bowl or in a special 3D sports ball pan is great for making any kind of perfectly round ball cake, or the dress part of a Barbie doll cake. A wonder mold cake pan makes small single serving doll cakes and other cute creations!

Think of the design you'd like to make and what shapes you need to make it - round, sheet, loaf, cupcakes, or a combination.

Peruse cake decorating books for a kid birthday cake idea which fits your needs. Many books provide templates forcutting and piecing cakes to create any number of popular designs. You decide just how simple or challenging your cake will be.

For a no-fuss kid birthday cake idea, apply an edible cake art image to the top of a frosted cake. Many popular themes and copyrighted images such as Disney are available to provide a professional looking cake design.

Themed cake pans are another popular cake decorating option. They provide the shape and visual design to follow for an impressive finished cake. Popular TV and cartoons characters are well represented in cake pans, as well as teddy bears, butterflies, pirates, Tigger,Mickey Mouse, and lots more.

FROSTING CHOICES

Homemade Frosting - Dig up that famous family recipe or check out one of the many online recipe sites and make your cake frosting from scratch. Be sure to plan ahead how much of each color will be needed for both basic foundation and decorative trim.

Canned and Tube Frostings - Easiest and quickest, prepared canned frostings are available in grocery stores in the baking aisle with the cake mixes. They generally come in white, chocolate, and a handful of other popular flavors. Keep a few ready-to-use tube frostings on hand in various basic colors to add the finishing touches.

Fondant Frosting - Gaining in popularity in this country in recent years, fondant frosting gives a beautiful smooth finish to your cake decorating creation. Fondant can be rolled out and draped over a cake, poured on as a glaze, or sculpted into shapes. It is easily tinted, and can be flavored as well. Ready-made fondant is available through party supply outlets. There are also many recipes online for homemade fondant.

CAKE DECORATING WITH CANDY AND SMALL TOYS

Cookies, candies, and other materials can be used for special and impressive effects. Frosted sugar cones can serve as the fins on a space ship cake or the turrets on a castle cake. Make a surprise cake filling with jello.

A wide variety of plastic stand-ups or cake toppers are available in craft stores. Or, simply use a toy which fits in with the party theme as a cake topper and give it to the party child when the party is over. Action figures, small dolls, animals and cartoon characters all make good choices.

Add cool candy accents with M & M's, licorice pieces, licorice whips, animal crackers, oreo cookies, paper umbrellas, pretzel sticks, tootsie rolls, jimmies, gummies such as worms, bears, etc, gumdrops, mini marshmallows, colored coconut, jellybeans.

THE LATEST CAKE DECORATING FADS!

There are many novel choices for placing the finishing touches on your party cake. Dress it up in style with one or more of these unique special effects:

Spray Color Mist - is a fun addition to your baking repertoire. Frost your cake white, then spray on edible color from an aerosol can. Available in many colors, it can be used with stencils to make unique designs, as a highlight to whipped topping - even on your child's mashed potatoes!

Luster Dusts - are an edible food safe "dust" which can be used on any frosting recipe that dries hard and firm to the touch. Brush it on white frosting for a metallic-like glossy sheen or layer it for interesting color effects.

Cake Stampers - can be used along with brush-on color for fondant icing. Simply stamp shapes and designs into the finished fondant and tint with brush-on color.

Cake Stencils - Place stencil on iced cake and sprinkle edible glitter, confetti sprinkles, or use spray-on color mist.

Edible Color Markers - These unique markers are used just like an ink marker. Draw fun designs on cakes, cookies, fondant frosting, even cheese, fruit slices and bread. Decorating marker kits are available for children.

Edible sugar-shape decorations,
decorative candles, themed cake picks and rings,and edible glitter are all fun tools in your cake baking arsenal.

Now you're armed with lots of great ideas for cake decorating success - without fear!

Go forth and create... and above all, have fun!

For more cake decorating information, check out our webpage: Kid Birthday Cake Idea Collection

Patricia B. Jensen is a mother of three and kids party enthusiast. She is the webmaster and owner of Kids-Party-Paradise.com - a complete resource for kids party ideas including invitations, cakes, decorations, games, costumes, favors, and food.

For all the latest party news, read her Kids Party Blog.

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Cake Decorating Expert

2013-03-14T00:47:00.002-07:00

By Reden Abanes Dollano

For some, cake decorating is a hobby, and for others, it is a career. The amateurs are those who find it fun and gratifying to bake the cakes and then decorate them for their family and friends, saving money by doing it themselves. With expert training along with good decorating tips and ideas, anyone can master this art. With this art form you will be able to stretch your imagination. If you continue building your skills, you will experience the joy of making others happy with your expertise.

The art of decorating cakes takes place when a man or woman has turned the kitchen into an art studio. When a cake is decorated in an artistic design it is pleasing to both the creator and the recipient. Creating a cake does not have to be a stressful experience, you just need to get creative. Don't be afraid to try new ideas and techniques. For the amateur, it is the simple cake decorating tips, which are the best ways to help you get started. Decorating can be as simple as using a stencil and dusting confectioner's sugar or cocoa powder on the top of a cake.

Cakes can be iced with butter cream, royal fondant, or cooked icing. Adding to the icing cakes can be topped with flowers, spun sugar, or candy. Cakes can be created to look like a hot dog, pizza, or just about anything you have the imagination to create.

If you want to be an amateur cake decorator, you will need to learn the basics and pick up as many of the tips you can. There are many tips and ideas widely available. You may decide to continue making and decorating cakes as a pastime or you may decide to look into making a career out of decorating and baking cakes.

Whatever your desires or your goals when it comes to cake decorating, now that you are armed with this guide dedicated to cake decorating mastery, you will become a force to be reckoned with and win the envy and admiration and praise of those around you... all while having incredible fun as you go!

GETTING STARTED...

To begin decorating, you will need to ensure that you have all of the decorating tools needed.

Tips (otherwise called tubes) are an integral part of decorating cakes. Tips are simple metal cones, which you squeeze icing or a medium through to form different shapes and designs.

The size and shape of the opening on a decorating tube determines the type of decorations the tip will produce. There are 7 basic decorating tip groups: round, star, leaf, drop flower, rose, basket-weave and specialized.

A new decorator should have at least one or two tips from the first five tip groups. Then, as you become more proficient in your decorating you will want to expand your collection with tips from other groups.

Today, we will walk you through the process of trimming and splitting a cake into layers, icing it, and then finishing it with a few simple decorating techniques.

Don't worry; you won't need a pastry bag or tips, just a little patience. We recommend that you equip yourself with a few tools that can make all the difference in the finished appearance of the cake and minimize your frustration:

- a long serrated knife for trimming and cutting
- a 10-inch flexible icing spatula
- cardboard rounds, and, ideally, a rotating cake stand.

For an alternative to the rotating cake stand, improvise by setting a dinner plate upside down on top of an upside- down cake pan. The cake won't spin freely, as it does on a rotating cake stand, but this arrangement does elevate the cake and gives you an edge to grip and spin.

LEVELING AND SPLITTING THE CAKE

A cake can be cut into layers, or cakes baked separately can be layered together.

Either way, level cakes are much easier to ice than mounded ones that must be supplemented with an overabundance of icing. Use a long serrated knife to level an uneven cake and/or to cut it into layers. When the cake has cooled completely, set it on a cardboard round that is cut about 1⁄8 inch larger than the cake.

Place the cake close to the edge of the counter for more clearance when cutting.

First, determine the cake's lowest point. Steady the cake by gently pressing an outstretched hand on its surface. Holding the knife parallel to the work surface and using a steady sawing motion, begin cutting at the same level as the cake's lowest point, slicing off the mound. Remove the trimmed area.

If you are cutting the cake into layers, measure the height of the cake (that has been levelled, if necessary) and cut a small incision into the side with a paring knife to mark the desired thickness of your layers. Repeat every 3 or 4 inches around the circumference of the cake.

With a serrated knife held parallel to the work surface, cut superficially into the cake. Then, with an outstretched palm gently pressed on the surface, slowly spin the cake away from you while pulling the knife toward you. The goal is to connect the incisions and score the cake, not slice it, to create a clearly defined midpoint. Following the midpoint-marking, cut deeper and deeper in the same manner.

Gradually move the knife closer to the cake's center with each rotation. When the knife progresses past the cake's center, the cut is complete. Carefully slide the knife out then remove the cake from the cardboard round.

ICING THE CAKE

When filling and icing a cake with a butter-cream frosting, the challenge is to prevent crumbs from catching in the icing.

To help frosting spread more smoothly, get rid of loose crumbs with a pastry brush.

Cold icing is difficult to spread and pulls on the surface of the cake, so if you've made the icing ahead and chilled it, give it ample time to warm and soften. Also, placing the cake's sturdy bottom crust face-up on the top layer minimizes crumbs and provides distinct, clean edges that are easy to ice. Spreading a thin coating of frosting on the sides helps seal in any crumbs, allowing for a smoother overall look.

Finally, applying a base coat, or "crumb coat," of icing seals in loose crumbs so that they do not mar the cake's appearance.

To anchor the cake, spread a dab of frosting in the center of a cardboard round cut slightly larger than the cake. Center the upper layer of a split cake crust-side up or one cake of separately baked layers bottom-side up on the cardboard round.

Spread a dab of frosting on the center of the cake stand, then set the cardboard round with the cake on the stand.

Place a large blob in the center of the cake and spread it to the edges with an icing spatula. Imagine that you are pushing the filling into place rather than scraping it on as if it were peanut butter on a slice of toast.

Don't worry if crumbs are visible in the icing; since the filling will be sandwiched between layers, these crumbs will not be noticeable.

To level the icing and remove any excess, hold the spatula at a 45 degree angle to the cake and, if using a rotating cake stand, turn the cake.

If you're not using a rotating stand, hold the spatula at the same angle, and, starting at the edge farthest away from you, gently drag the spatula toward you. It will take a few sweeps to level the icing.

Using a second cardboard round, slide the top cake layer crust-side up on top of the frosted bottom layer, making sure that the layers are aligned.

Press the cake firmly into place.

A thin base coat of icing helps seal in crumbs. To coat the top, place a blob of icing in the center of the cake and spread it out to the edges, letting any excess hang over the edge. Don't worry if it is imperfect.

Scoop up a large dab of icing on the spatula's tip: Holding the spatula perpendicular to the cake spread the icing on the side of the cake with short side-to-side strokes.

Repeat until the entire side is covered with a thin coating.

Refrigerate the cake until the icing sets, about 10 minutes.

Apply a final thick coat of icing to the top and the sides, following the steps above, making sure that the coat is even and smooth.

When icing the sides, apply a coat thick enough to cover and conceal the cardboard round. Dipping the spatula into hot water will help create a smooth coat.

As you ice the top and sides, a ridge will form along the edge where they meet.

After you've finished icing, hold the spatula at an angle, and, with a very light hand, starting at the farthest edge of the cake, smooth the ridge toward the center. Rotate the cake and repeat until the ridge no longer exists.

SOME FINISHING TOUCHES

With a perfectly coated cake, you've got a base on which to apply some finishing touches to give the cake a polished look. You can just add simple ingredients like flaked coconut or almonds, or chocolate shards, or sprinkles or what have you, and this can look truly lovely and simple... BUT if you really want to take your cake decorating and all those finishing touches and flourishes to the next level, then you really need to dedicate yourself to a good decorating guide or road map.

And I have just the guide for you! It's called Cake Decorating Genius, and all the wonderful information and advice presented above was gleaned from this incredible book.

I really wanted to uncover all the insider secrets and tips in the area of cake decorating for you, and so we've created and compiled the most comprehensive manual that you will ever read! We worked with all the top experts and professionals in the field to bring all this incredible content together, and believe me, this is information that will truly take your cake decorating skills to an impressively high level!

Here's to your cake decorating success,

Reden Dollano

[http://www.cakedecoratinggenius.net]

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5 Fantastic Ideas For Kids' Birthday Cake

2013-03-14T00:46:00.003-07:00

By Albert Lee

The most vital birthday cake idea for your kid is choosing a party cake concept that will fit with the party theme he or she likes to have. For starters, have a sheet cake that is simply topped and decorated all over with your kids' most beloved figures or toys.

You need not settle for the standard circular, rectangular or square cake. You can hide any small disasters in the cake form you produced by piecing it together to form something totally unique. You can shape it up like your kid's favorite animal, cartoon character or action figure.

Some example of fantastic kids' birthday cake ideas:

1. Construction birthday party cake

Is your child a lover of construction vehicles and motor vehicles then this cake idea will be a big hit. You can top it with several tiny toys shaped like bulldozers and dump trucks shoving mountains of chocolate chips or candies. You can also have the cake itself to look like a frosted dump truck loaded with candies and chocolates.

2. Train birthday party cake

Your kid cannot go over with anything connected with trains? Then it would be terrific idea to present him with a birthday cake topped with a miniature train with candy trimmings and running on tracks made of licorice. You can also make a big enough train made from several frosted and brightly colored loaf cakes. Line up these loaf cakes to form train cars. Adorn with candies and chocolate bars for windows.

3. Luau party cake

Is your kid a lover of all things Hawaiian? Then you can present her with a totally luau kid birthday cake made of a simple sheet or round cake festooned with silk flowers for leis. You can also have several cupcakes decorated with frosted flowers and stringed together with long brightly colored marshmallows or licorice. The product would appear like a "cupcake lei."

4. Doll birthday cake

As a base, bake your cake placed in a glass bowl that's oven safe or a special 3D pan shaped like a sports ball. This will make your cake turn out a perfectly round ball shape. You can top it up with your kids' favorite doll.

5. A fabulous castle cake is also a spectacular idea of a kid's birthday cake fit for a princess.

To learn more birthday cake ideas, visit http://www.birthdaycakeideas101.com

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Princess Cake Ideas For a Princess Birthday Party

2013-03-14T00:45:00.000-07:00

By Shelby Strong

You've got the princess Disney costumes set aside from the girls dress up costumes. You've even made a selection from the princess costumes adult for you to wear to the birthday party. Everything is lined up for the perfect princess birthday party... except the cake. Well don't get your Cinderella princess dress all in a ruffle! There are a lot of great options for the perfect princess birthday cake, from a Snow White princess standing cake to simple cupcake holders. Whatever your style, there is a princess cake option that will, quite literally, put the icing on the cake for your princess party.

The most extravagant cake idea is the standing princess doll cake. You'll need a Barbie-sized plastic doll for this cake of a Cinderella princess or Snow white princess or other princess of your choice. Bake a cake in a round bundt or bell-shaped pan. Strip the doll, wash her quickly, and gently press her into the center of the cake. Decorate the cake as the dolls dress, using the princess Disney costumes as a guide. This standing cake looks just like the princess herself, and is memorable for the birthday girl to have a cake that looks just like her girls dress up costumes.

Castle cakes come in all shapes and sizes. They can be as simple as a sheet cake with a couple castle-shaped toppers or as extravagant as piled loaf cakes cut into a castle, complete with moat. Castle cakes are more than just cakes; they are centerpieces to the party. The memory of a mother in a princess costumes adult, carrying a lit castle cake to the center of a table of singing friends is a memory that is sure to last a lifetime.

Cake toppers are a simple way to make any cake special. Look for toppers shaped like a Cinderella princess, Snow White princess, or other princess. What is the birthday girl's favorite princess Disney costume? Is she wearing a special girls dress up costume to the party? If so, you can search for a cake topper that would match the birthday girl's attire. A simple sheet cake can be a princess playground with just a cake topper two.

Cupcake toppers are a simple, convenient expansion to cakes with cake toppers. Lined cupcakes make the birthday cake a less messy option, and individual cupcake toppers give each child a special trinket to bring home with them.

There are cupcake holders available as well, typically modeled after the princess Disney costumes. Each cupcake holder has a princess on it, and provides the same benefit of the cupcake topper. Although there isn't a large, beautiful cake with this option, it makes for an easy cake that keeps the girls dress up costumes clean.

Shaped cake pans are a special way to turn a sheet cake into a masterpiece. There are cake pans shaped like crowns, which can be decorated with candy "jewels." Cake pans shaped like castles are an easier option than the traditional standing castle cake. After baking the cake, these castle-shaped cakes are easier to frost into a beautiful castle fit for any princess. Coaches, unicorns, and princess shaped pans are also great options for the perfect princess cake.

Toss an apron over those princess costumes adult and step into the kitchen for a princess cake masterpiece. With a these ideas, you'll be able to make the most memorable cake fit for a queen-I mean, princess.

Shelby is the mother of 2 girls and 1 boy and lives in Orem, Utah. She also runs a home-based business called My Cute Dressups at http://www.mycutedressups.com that sells Princess dress up clothes and other fun pretend play items for kids, toddlers, and even teenagers and adult princess costumes. She also has an eBay store and a local store run by the same name. She has seen a noticeable difference in her kids after encouraging dress up play. Visit her website for more biographical information or to see her exciting line of Princess Costumes like Cinderella dresses, Snow White Costumes, Sleeping Beauty dresses, wedding dress up, Medieval Princess, Yellow Beauty, Winter Beauty, Rapunzel dress, doll clothes that fit American Girl, 18 inch doll clothes. She has a Cinderella doll dress that matches exactly with the girl Cinderella dress as well as matching Snow White doll dress.

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Making a 3D Cake At Home

2013-03-14T00:43:00.003-07:00

By Angie Kennedy

Making a 3D cake at home can be as simple or complex as you like. For my daughter's birthday, she wanted a dinosaur cake, and I didn't think the simple pan cake with a picture or figurines would do. I researched different cake styles, pans, ideas and came up with building my own cake.

Using simple box cake mix, with a few tweaks to make it stand up to a lot of icing and a little imagination, I was able to come up with a real hit for her birthday celebration. It all comes down to cutting basic round cake layers and I make a rectangle pan cake and have found that the small egg shaped pan works very well to add some shaping to the cake for legs, facial features etc. A crumb coat layer is essential in building the cake and using the icing to stick the layers together.

I actually get something to look at for the shape like a toy or picture for inspiration and draw out a sketch of how I am going to use the cut pieces and put them together on my cake board. I then actually put the pieces together and move them around until I get exactly the scale and shape that I want.

When that is done, glue them together with the icing and prepare to frost, which is the most time consuming aspect. Using a basic butter cream frosting recipe, frosting bag and basic tips (star tip and round tip), color gels for coloring and a lot of patience you can bring your shape to life. There are many resources online for inspiration and help.

My favorite is http://www.coolestcakes.com

Angie Kennedy

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Mastering That 3D Cake

2013-03-14T00:42:00.002-07:00

By Angie Kennedy

In "Making a 3D cake at home", I went through the basics of taking a boxed cake mix and basic cake pans and building them into a wonderful character or object of your choosing. It usually takes 2 boxed cake mixes to accomplish the scale of cake that can reasonably feed a crowd of people. Most box cake mixes turn out a cake that is soft, moist and easily can crumble and fall apart, which makes is difficult to manage when manipulating into your shape. Taking out the fat from the egg yolks added and only adding egg whites makes the cake more spongy, and much easier to handle when cutting and standing up on it side. It gives the cake the strength it needs to stand up to a lot of icing as well. I love the texture of the cake that results from doing this. I also substitute milk for the water, to add a little more moisture. While building the cake, my daughter and I eat every leftover corner or cutout left behind, because it is so good. Using a good serrated knife, or bread knife when cutting the cake helps to keep from tearing or crumbling the cake. Once you have cooled your cake completely and cut your round cakes into halves, (I cut 2 round cakes into halves) you can begin to assemble them on a prepared cardboard cake board.

The shape of the object you are building will determine the way you place your cake pieces on the board. I will use the dinosaur for my example. I placed the cut round halves with cut side to board, using 3 halves side by side for thickness. The halves will stand well until you get everything arranged to the shape you want them, then you can use icing to glue them together and crumb coat your cake. I then take the last half of the round cake, cut it in half and stand these two pieces up on their side on the cake board for the head, placing it in on the front side of the other 3 half rounds. For the tail, I cut the last round cake into a half moon shape and place it behind the rounds. You can curve it whichever way you want. For the legs, I made 4 egg shapes, using the Wilton egg shaped pan, which are perfect for the legs. Place these to each side. You can secure these with small wooden dowel rods, or just glue on with icing. Stand back and look at your shape, tweak where you need to. I curved my dinosaur a little on the board. When you get everything arranged into the shape you want, go ahead and place buttercream icing between pieces to stick them together and gently ice over all the pieces for a crumb coat. This prevents excess crumbs on your final icing.

Icing the cake, like I said is the most time consuming part of the process. I use buttercream icing from a basic recipe. You will need to double the recipe for enough icing to fill in your cake. A wonderful basic buttercream icing recipe is as follows.

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup shortening

4 cups powder sugar

2-3 tbsp. milk

1 tsp. vanilla flavoring

I use gel coloring to color the icing. I usually separate it into separate bowls and color it, using a large part for the body and smaller portions for shading and details on the form ie., eyes, claws, spiney forms on dinosaur. I used green for the large portion of the body, a shade darker to enhance around the legs, and create the spines on the back and tail, black for the claws, white for the eyes and teeth. I used just a plain small round tip for the small details. It is necessary to fill in the spaces between the head and body, around the legs and between the tail and body, building with the icing with the star tip to get the full shape you want. Looking a picture of your object is a big help with enhancing the coloring. Embellishments with candies and chocolated cut to shapes is another great idea. I put small chocolate chips in the eyes. You can get as extravagant is you like. The options are endless. After your first one, a basic sheet cake just will not do. It is a lot of fun and your kids will love getting into the decorating. The hard part is watching it get devoured at the party!

For pictures and further information visit http://www.easy3dcake.blogspot.com

Angie Kennedy

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