March 5, 2008 – as published in the Beacon News and Naperville Sun

By Bill Garlough

As this winter drags on, our spirits can be nourished by comfort foods. A great wine pairing with these dishes are the hearty and rustic reds of the Southern Rhone Valley in France.

The Rhone Valley in France stretches from the center of the eastern side of France to southern France. This valley is divided into two distinct wine regions, simply called the North and South. The Northern Rhone Valley lies just below the Burgundy region and has a cool climate. The grape vines are planted on steep slopes overlooking the Rhone River and has soil that is mainly granite and slate. The Southern Rhone Valley offers a stark contrast. The climate is warm to hot, and is heavily influenced by the Mediterranean Sea. Hot gusts of wind referred to as “Le Mistral,” are prevalent and have two positive affects. These winds cool the grapes at night to help preserve the grapes acidity levels and dry the grapes on the vine, to reduce mold and mildew.

The Southern Rhone Valley is considerably larger than the Northern region and the vines tend to be planted on the valley floor. The Southern Rhone Valley’s major wine appellations (called villages) include Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Vacqueyras and Gigondas. Of these, the most celebrated village is Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

Chateauneuf-du-Pape’s terrain is covered with softball-sized round limestone rocks that dominate the vineyard’s landscape. These rocks help hold moisture in the soil and impart a limestone minerality that is the trademark of these wines.

The French use two general terms to describe a wine’s style – “elegante” (wines of finesse and subtle flavor) and “savage” (wines that are bold, more in-your-face). Chateauneuf-du-Pape reds definitely fall into the second category, as these wines are dense, earthy, spicy and bold. With this style, they pair well with a hearty stew, game, grilled meats, heavier pasta dishes (Bolognese sauce for example) and peasant-style breads. Hard-aged cheddar and nutty Swiss Gruyere cheeses pair especially well with these wines.

Bill’s Picks

Here are my Chateauneuf-du-Pape Value Wine Picks

(with suggested retail prices):

• Domaine du Grand Tinel – $22

• Domaine des Relagnes – $22

• Clos du Mont-Olivet – $30

• Cuvee du Vatican – $30

• Bosquet des Papes – $35

• Clos St. Jean – $37

For more from Bill Garlough’s Perfect Pairings visit My Chef.

Cold Weather Comfort Foods & Wine is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Incoming search terms for the article:

• Rhone wines

For generations, there’s been a perception that men have an exclusive franchise on sports fandom. We see advertising images of guys sitting at home in front of their television sets, rooting on their favorite teams, or sitting in sports bars with their eyes trained on TV sets over the bar. Sports commentators are almost exclusively men, and the first woman reporter who did an interview in a locker room caused a huge controversy.

Well, times have changed. Women are sports fans, too, and female sports fans are just as enthusiastic about their favorite NFL, MLB, NHL, and NBA teams as guys. Like men, women want to express their enthusiasm by wearing sports jerseys adorned with the numbers and names of their favorite players. Historically, though, women who wanted jerseys have been forced to settle for oversize men’s sizes and cuts. The result? A far cry from a fashion statement.

Luckily for female fans, NFL, MLB, NHL, and NBA teams have begun to sit up and take notice, recognizing that women constitute a good portion of their fan bases. They’ve also discovered that women are longing for jerseys that reflect women’s enthusiasm for sports, but that also have a feminine twist. Increasingly, female sports fans are finding that there are a number of jerseys created specifically with women in mind. Today, a woman can find a pink jersey, a vibrant jersey, a fashion jersey, or a glitter jersey from virtually any team in the NFL, MLB, NHL, and NBA.

Breaking out from the pack in women’s sports apparel is actress Alyssa Milano, known for her role in the WB’s “Charmed” and for her love of baseball. Not only does Alyssa Milano have season tickets to the Los Angeles Dodgers, but she also has her own MLB blog. Moreover, she’s gone to the next level and has designed a line of women’s MLB apparel. Called “touch,” her line features fan wear that exudes femininity.

For example, the “touch” women’s criss-cross white tank top features a shelf bra with a screened logo in the center of the chest area. The scoop back features criss-cross spaghetti straps that give the top its feminine appeal. Her baseball jerseys are tradition with a twist: the white body and colored 3/4-length sleeves may be old school, but the rouching detail at the hem on the side seam is purely modern. Alyssa Milano’s spaghetti top features tie strings at the shoulders, while her short-sleeved hoodie features a zipper, contrast stitching, and the team logo near the bottom left hemline. Other jerseys accent short sleeves with glitter stripes.

There’s no doubt that women’s fashion sense is making a splash in the sports world. Replica storm jerseys, fashion jerseys, pink ribbon jerseys, and glitter jerseys are giving female fans one more thing to cheer about!

Sports Jerseys With A Feminine Flair is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

A person sometimes might want to ponder whether adopting a better quality approach to life will be an appropriate treatment for acne for them. It has been found folks who eat high levels regarding hydrogenated oils tend to have lots more blemishes and other ailments. Additionally, those folks can gain extra weight. These oils can be present in food products for example spaghetti sauce plus peanut butter. People’s body is unable to process this oil therefore hydrogenated oils develop into a poison within one’s system. Pollutants are eliminated via people’s bowels plus bladder. Although, pollutants could be expelled by way of people’s epidermis. When contaminants, bacteria and excessive oil exists in an individual’s skin then an outbreak may happen.

Folks in search of a blemish cure might want to consider appropriate hygiene. Appropriate regular cleansing can eliminate contaminants, bacteria along with abundant sebum from people’s skin pores. An individual should wipe off following showering for the reason yeast could develop inside moist places and that possibly will bring about a yeast infection.

In case folks have skin that is greasy then he or she may want to steer clear of oil based cleaning items. In case people have skin that is dry then they may want to steer clear of bathing products having alcohol. That particular scenario seems uncomplicated however many people tend not to read product labels. The main thing is folks must read package labels.

Speaking of labels on packages, folks might want to take into consideration taking a moment in order to read all the food labels. That scenario appears not complicated however a non traditional treatment for acne requires folks to look at product labels. Companies have made unwholesome substances for keeping food product prices inexpensive. For instance, popular brands of spaghetti sauce and peanut butter contains hydrogenated oils within them for keeping manufacturing expenses minimal. Healthful food products which use good oils cost just a bit more in order to create. Whenever people read package labels they will observe this difference. An individual in search of an acne treatment may want to think about skipping every product which has items folks are unable to pronounce. Moreover, a person might want to take into account skipping each food product which includes blue, yellow and red color dyes. Whenever companies have to add such dyes then the product happens to be unhealthy to ingest.

Do not forget, whenever pollutants, bacteria plus excessive oil have a presence in people’s skin then an outbreak might happen. People’s blemish cure will need to include eliminating at least one of these things. People will need to understand there are lots of products which turn to contaminants within a person’s system. Plus, people will discover several liquid products which turn to pollutants inside people’s system including sugary pops. An excellent treatment for acne happens to be to find out what drink and food items do in no way turn into toxins.

Keep Away From Hydrogenated Oils As Acne Remedy is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

February 14, 2008 – as published in the Beacon News and Naperville Sun

By Bill Garlough

Baby it’s cold outside! This is a great time of year to stay inside and enjoy a hearty glass of red wine. While there are many wonderful choices of bold red wine, including Ribera del Duero from Spain and the Bordeaux and Rhone wines of France, this column will focus on Napa Valley California Cabernet Sauvignon.

Grape-growing

Cabernet sauvignon is king in Napa. While (red) Zinfandel grapevine plantings have just surpassed Cabernet in numbers, it is cabernet sauvignon that has given Napa Valley international acclaim as a world-class wine region.

There are several reasons why winemakers in Napa are producing extraordinary wines. Cabernet is known for its big style, structure and long-term aging potential. Tannins are the reason behind this, and are found in the cabernet sauvignon dark purple grape skins, seeds and stems.

Over the years, Napa winemakers have become more skilled at determining when to harvest, based on the grape’s ripeness including amount of juice, sugar, acidity and tannins. Oak barrel aging from 18 to 24 months is done to soften the wine and help bring it into focus, creating a balanced, flavorful wine. Oak contributes toasty, vanilla and earthy notes. Well-produced cabernets are lush and rich, with complex flavors of black fruit (blackberry, currant and plum) and notes of cedar wood, leather and cassis.

Napa’s cabernet grapevine plantings originally occurred on the valley floor, as the soil is rich with nutrients and has good water retention. Popular American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) include Oakville and Rutherford.

Food pairings

Tannins bind together with protein, enhancing the food’s flavor and aiding in digestion. Time softens tannins. A mature wine is softer and considered more elegant. As the wine matures, the tannin molecules bind together to form larger particles. These drift to the bottom of the bottle and are referred to as sediment.

Decanting cabernets before drinking is helpful. Decanting a wine means carefully and slowly pouring the wine from the original bottle into a larger glass vessel or decanter. The sediment usually will come out last, so the person decanting the wine must watch for the sediment and stop pouring when this is visible. It is best to decant at least one to two hours before serving. Decanting also aerates the wine, mixing the wine with oxygen to help “open up” the wine. This allows you to better taste the fruit, complexity and finish of the wine.

A light and fruity style of cabernet pairs well with chicken salad, roast beef sandwiches and proscuitto. Medium weight cabernets complement beef broth-based and mushroom soups, gnocchi or pasta with marinara, pizza and seasoned, roasted chicken. Full-bodied cabernets naturally go with heartier fare such as rib roasts, barbecue, bleu cheese, aged cheddar cheese and dark chocolate desserts. Cabernet sauvignon’s quintessential pairing is with steak. Young, tannic cabernets pair well with T-bone steaks. A mature cabernet (older than 5 years) works well with beef tenderloin.

Bill’s 2004 California Cab Picks

Cabernet Sauvignon can range in price from $10 to over $500 a bottle. My value picks with suggested retails are:

Castle Rock (Napa): $12

Beaulieu Vineyards (Napa): $18

Rodney Strong (Sonoma): $25

Robert Mondavi (Napa): $27

Duckhorn Decoy (Napa): $29

Beringer (Napa): $40

Groth (Oakville): $41

Chappellet Napa Valley Signature: $46

For more from Bill Garlough’s Perfect Pairings visit My Chef.

Cold Weather & Cabernet Go Mitten in Mitten is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Incoming search terms for the article:

• spagetti carbonada

Jessica took the looks to net us consider she was a genetically-enhanced womanhood in the sci-fi hit Dark Angel, and has the torso to net any guy need to go meet a biddy flick like Honey. Even though she’s lasting out from the highlight for a few years, Jessica has ever been on our intellects.

She may only be in her old 23s, but Jessica Alba has discovered a quick rise in celebrity in a compact time period of time and did to stage a thriving riposte, a feat that is nigh supersonic of in Hollywood.

With an attitude, a chip on her shoulder and a whole lotta get, Jessica Alba proves that she’s no one-hit wonderment, time and time again.

personality & talent Jessica is the antithesis of Jennifer Dear Hewitt. Fine? Yes, she terminate be particular, but what for? How galore people really get leading in life by follows nice? Jessica is one of those chars who images ambition as a sexual morality.

Don’t let her geezerhood fool you; she wants to be an A-list leading. Her acting powers own yet to be rattling sure, so you can’t quotation us on her natural endowment yet, just if it’s anything same the rest of her package, watch outside.

natural beauty Anyone with strawberry-like mouths will incessantly grade well with us. In That Respect are a million and one analogies we can role to better identify her, but why bother? She was scenic as a brown angel, and she’s firm hotter with her honey-colored hair and dusky skin as a terminal dancer in Sine City. It’s that simple.

personal way There’s inner one way to describe Jessica’s style: sexual. It appears that Jessica Alba has of late got nice partial of low-cut, spaghetti-strap evening out gowns. God consecrate whoever devised spaghetti-strap dresses.

Jessica lives how to do her mature, but when the function calls for it (like an presents ceremonial occasion or premiere), she recognizes how to stop dealings with a classy flushing gown. And non just any eventide down: a really low-cut, mean one.

We neck her in anything from lawsuits and environs to T-shirts and jeans. But we’d rattling like to check her in special of the golf game outfits she dons while hit the connections.

Who is the Most Beautiful Woman in the World is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

In the modern age of Internet and Google searches, one has a limitless amount of information at their fingertips at all times.  This information encompasses just about everything that should strike the searcher’s curiosity.  And now, the potential for sharing and exchanging delicious recipes has been greatly increased by such access to information.  All one must do it dream up something they want to make, and they will surely find suggestions or instructions online.  There are recipes for such classic treats as oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, sweet potato casserole, spaghetti with meatballs, garlic mashed potatoes, and more.  Then there are exciting fusions to experiment with: cilantro lime chicken with curry rice, sweet pork tacos with pineapple, Greek-style pizza, the list goes on.  Satellite internet broadband gives the cook the freedom to expand their repertoire and try new things without fear.  The chef can view various recipes and pick the one that appeals the most, or come up with something completely original, pulling ideas from various dishes and whipping something up that is entirely their own.  

Sometimes when traveling to foreign countries, all you need is to sit down to a wholesome meal to get a taste of home.  Now it’s not necessary to bring your cookbook along since you can look up basically any recipe online.  Never before have we been so uninhibited in getting instructions that will produce a good meal.  In the past, recipes were safeguarded, their owners often stingy in spreading the wealth and letting word leak out of how exactly one creates a culinary masterpiece.  Presumably it was thought that if everyone had access to such information, the delicious treat would no longer be unique and thus lose its value.  Those days are over now that there are tens of thousands of recipes online for all to enjoy.  Although less exclusive, the resulting meal made from a good recipe is just as delicious each time it is repeated and it is now possible for far more people to dabble in cooking.  

Cooking and eating are such an integral part of our daily lives that we sometimes forget how much love and creativity is put into it.  Such creativity now has enormous potential that is only a satellite broadband connection away, where the culinary arena is chock full of new and old recipes complete with suggestions and instructions.  When it comes to the kitchen, the skies the limit.

Exploring Culinary Creativity With Satellite Internet is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

2010 is such a heaven for bridesmaids to boost their styles on trends. The dress styles are still feminine and elegant. The color palette is rich in lovely soft shades. And here come some feast-eyes bridesmaid looks this summer.

A-line dress is still the optimal choice as it is almost universally flattering. The forgiving cut of A-line skirt will hide a multitude of sins that a tighter skirt would reveal. This styled dress enables slim women use more shoe and the busty gals balance out their top half. Tall or short, thin or heavy, it doesn’ t matter. A bridesmaid dress in a fabric that has a crisp hand enough to hold the shape of the A-line skirt is mostly chosen and the choices are available among You can choose taffeta, satin, faille for winter wedding and organza, chiffon for summertime.

As to the neckline, strapless is still the staple choice for summer bridesmaids in 2010. It is great to show off the arms and collar bone and highlight the upper look. As well, halter neckline is a great option to release a huge relief for bridesmaids who can’ t stand wearing a strapless one as it can accommodate a convertible bra. In addition, trendy bridesmaids this summer are also seen wearing pretty dresses with other necklines like vogue one shoulder dresses or uniquely draped cowl necks, which are really on the trend this year. Spaghetti straps are also opted for a light and summery look.

A polished cotton bridesmaid dress is really the highlight in a casual wedding this year. And the fashion trend goes to soft and flowing fabrics instead of shiny stiff fabrics like satin this summer. Dresses made of chiffon, organza, tulle, bobinette are viewed feminine and beautiful for summertime nuptial. Think of that a cotton dress can be dressy enough to compliment the wedding appearance and thus the ease of a natural styled dress is sure to be the followed trend in 2010′ s summer.

It is even more exciting to reveal the color palette of 2010 bridesmaid dresses. Bright color choices can be turquoise or coral. And nothing can be comparable with these cheery hues to make a fresh and festive appearance in micro pleated chiffon dresses with spaghetti straps. To complete such a look, simple yet elegant bridesmaid jewelry sets and strappy sandals in a neutral color are the best bet. Deep colors like rich plum, navy or classic black are also unexpected in vogue this summer. The rich plum is refined and graceful in a strapless gathered chiffon styled dress. And navy, black, charcoal are just the shades for abundant bridesmaid dresses this year. Pay attention to the ornaments while dark colors are chosen for bridesmaid dresses. Get expressive with bridesmaid jewelry sets and layered necklaces are a chic finishing touch for strapless look 2010. The color trend also goes to the other end of the spectrum-Very pale neutral tones for bridesmaid dresses are popular to give an ethereal feel in wispy tulle, organza or chiffon. Blush, cashmere and ivory make a hit this year. Designers also introduce some darker colors to lend such dress more visual impact. The almost white gowns that just set a different mood are such an enchanting touch to complete a gracious wedding in 2010.

To sum up, trendy bridal party dresses are composed of always the most natural yet sophisticated fashion elements like natural materials, chic colors and the most flattering styles. Have fun and enjoy the fashionable moments you will encounter.

2010 Bridesmaid Dress-Boost on Trends is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

While the study is mainly concerned with fructose found in table sugar and refined foods, this may come to a shock to those who praise fruit-juice based detox diets to aid in quick weight loss.  According to the study, fructose spikes uric acid levels, which leads to insulin resistance and other metabolic problems.  Researchers are especially concerned with those with existing metabolic conditions who are trying to lose weight through fad diets that emphasize eliminating foods like pastas and bread. 

This is not meant to scare people away from eating fruit altogether.  The largest concern is still processed foods and soft drinks, which contain the most fructose.  Almost all processed foods contain a high-fructose corn syrup, a sugar substitute.  Researchers have been able to make a correlation between the amount of sugar consumed and the rise in numbers of Americans who are obese or have some insulin or metabolic related disease.  They state this problem began back in the 1800s and has been on the rise ever since.

One of the largest breakthroughs is the discovery that it doesn’t matter what kind of sucrose it is.  Whether you eat the naturally occurring version from fruits or the refined sugar in processed foods, too much sucrose can be dangerous.  While eating one piece of fruit is okay, eating five apples at a time would pose the same risk as someone who drinks soda.  An alternative to going overboard on fruit is to try calorie reduction with supplements.  One of the most popular, hoodia, is available in a fast acting version.  This hoodia shot can be taken minutes before cravings usually hit to aid in avoiding temptation at your most vulnerable times.

Fructose Consumption not as Safe as You Think is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

It is not OK to hold your waitress hostage at your table.  As I have reiterated in previous posts, you really aren’t the only customer in the restaurant! That sounds like such a ridiculous, common sense concept to have to constantly explain. But trust me, so many RCs have blinders on, and they do not see anyone else in the restaurant. Just them, and their waitress, and a whole bunch of other waitstaff who couldn’t possibly have several tables of their own. I mean, we shut the entire joint down just so we can all focus on you and your family! I would be laughing as I type this if it wasn’t such a typical attitude with RCs.

If a table has no idea what they would like to order, I will offer to answer any questions that they may have about our menu. I will also offer to make suggestions. If you have no questions, and you do not want my helpful suggestions, then I will offer to get your beverages, so that you can have a few moments with the menu. If you don’t know what you want to drink, don’t want beverages at this time, or I have already secured your beverages for you, then I will still offer to return in a few minutes while you peruse the menu. I am trying to be helpful to you, but I am also trying to be helpful to the other customers I am taking care of. NO ONE has time for me to stand there while you verbally brainstorm about what you should eat for lunch.

“Do I want steak today?” How should I know?
“Or do I want chicken? Oh, wait, I had chicken last night, I really don’t feel like having chicken again.” Then don’t!
“But I really don’t want to eat steak this early, its so heavy! I wish you guys had spaghetti!” We’re a steakhouse. I usually hit up an Olive Garden when I have a taste for spaghetti, but that’s just me.
“I would get a salad, but I’m not going to eat again until late, so I really need something more substantial…”

After these fascinating musings, I inject with my offer to give you a few moments. What is the RC response to my polite suggestion? “No, because I’m in a hurry, so I need you to get my order in.” Then I will need you to ORDER something in order to expedite this for both of our sakes! But no, because the RC expects me to stand there while they continue to go through every single item on the menu, expounding the pros and cons of each one. I could have taken another tables order, brought drinks to an additional table, and cashed out a third, all while you’ve held me captive at your table.

Also, I do not have time to wait while you have a dialog with each and every one of your six children about what it is that their little hearts desire for dinner tonight. When it’s time for me to take your order, we need everyone to be on the same page. It doesn’t count that you and your husband know what you want if I have to stand there and endure this:

“Johnny, you can have the hamburger, but you can have broccoli or carrots with it. No, broccoli or carrots. No fries. No, no fries. No, no fries. No, you cannot have shrimp because you are allergic. No, you are allergic. No, you are allergic. Fine Elizabeth, if you don’t want the chicken fingers anymore, what do you want? No, they don’t have hotdogs. Because, they don’t have hotdogs. Because they don’t. Because they don’t. No, Johnny, you are allergic to shrimp! No, you are allergic. No, you are allergic. No, broccoli or carrots.  Broccoli or carrots.”

This is a family discussion, so when I offer you a few moments, you need to take it, and get your family’s order together.  When you, and/or your loved ones are undecided about the meal, and do not want my input on the matter, then let me go attend to other guests. I promise I’ll come back!

If You’re Not Ready to Order, I Promise I’ll Come Back! is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Incoming search terms for the article:

• i promise i will come back to you

Davis Veterinary Medical Consulting via BalanceIT offers dog owners the ability to custom design safe dog food recipes by making menu selections much like in a restaurant. They offer ethnic recipes, traditional recipes, and even seasonal options.

An example of some of the healthy dog food menu options includes chicken breast, ground beef, pork, lamb, and salmon.

You’ll make a selection of your preferred meat protein and couple it with your choice of egg, cottage cheese, tofu, rice, potato, sweet potato, spaghetti, oats, barley, couscous and tapioca.

Once you make your menu selection, they will make a custom recipe for your dog that is healthy and safe dog food without all of the fillers and problems associated with commercial dog food. Certainly a better option than trusting the health of your dog to commercial dog food, which continues to be suspect with new brands being recalled almost daily.

The cost for these recipes is not cheap, it’s $20 for 1 recipe, $30 for 2 recipes and $12.50 for 3 or more recipes. So if you order several, the price becomes more affordable.

If this still seems a bit pricey to you there is another option.

Sandra Bailey, author of “Real Dogs Don’t Eat Kibble” tells us that heat used to cook commercial dog food destroys important nutrients that dogs need for immune system support. This contradicts the premise of cooked recipes but is touted by many dog nutritionists as the best option for your dog.

Ms Bailey suggests a home made raw dog food diet to maximize the delivery level of nutrients. This is easy to do and an improvement in your dog’s health can be detected in just a matter of days.

The challenge for many is how to design a healthy dog food recipe. Ms Bailey answers this challenge by including a variety of dog food recipes and tips.

Ultimately, the choice between a raw and cooked dog food diet is up to you. The key is to make sure that only healthy, natural ingredients are included in your best friend’s food. Anything less will contribute to potential health hazards, illness and a shortened life span.

If you’re not convinced that feeding commercial dog food is dangerous just take a look at what is included in many dog food brands at Once you do, you’ll want to do your research and make sure that your dog is not the next victim of tainted, posion commercial dog food

Article written by MR Bruno.

Want a Safe, Healthy Dog Food you Can Trust is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Most of the time a buffet sounds like a good idea, particularly if you’re very hungry—but it rarely is. The majority of buffets are made fast and cheap, the same way they’re consumed, but the customer’s stomach can pay the ultimate price. Not the case with Golden Corral—they are dedicated to serving fresh, family-style meals at affordable prices. Here are a few examples of ideal buffet-situations, worthy of Golden Corral.

1. You and your spouse have been running around shopping with your brood of children, everyone is starving and the grocery store is the next stop. You know that if they don’t eat beforehand your shopping cart will wind up twice as full. Lunch is the only answer. You take a vote…one wants chicken, another screams for hot dogs and the youngest wants spaghetti—your husband suggests tacos, and all you want is something that you won’t regret eating.

At Golden Corral you can count on fresh, home-style favorites plus some. When no one can agree, take them to the Golden Corral buffet and let the kids pick and choose from countless items…your husband can get those tacos and you can hit the salad bar before indulging.

2. It’s just the two of you, deciding on a restaurant shouldn’t be that difficult. But what you’re really in the mood for is tacos and spaghetti with a side of mashed potatoes, and your date is talking about pizza—Chinese sounds kind of good too.

When it’s you being indecisive, Golden Corral is the place to go and not feel silly for mixing your food genres. You wouldn’t be able to order fried chicken and popcorn shrimp off the menu at most other restaurants—and if you did you might have two full meals to eat, at a great price. Take your indecisive tummy to Golden Corral and fill your plate with bite-size, sample portions of everything your heart desires.

3. Your son has joined little league, the parents collectively promised to take them out if they won. But they lost, and now it seems even more important to take them out to boost morale. But where can you take twenty-some kids and their parents?

When you bring the whole team, make a reservation in advance and get a discount on groups 25 or more! Everyone will find something and the parents can save some money.

Golden Corral may not be the place to go for a romantic dinner for two—not that I’ll judge if it’s your choice—but it is the place for a relaxing, family setting and home-style favorites at low prices. Visit ShopAtHome.com for Golden Coral coupons and more amazing Golden Coral specials.

Why Buffet? is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

In any discussion concerning the origin of pasta, it should be clear whether it is fresh or dry pasta. Fresh pasta is dough consisting of water and flour that exists in nearly all customs and on every continent. Dry pasta is connected with the Italian flag as it started in Italy and got on board from there to dominate the world. People have wrongly credited Marco Polo for making spaghetti acquainted with Italy from China. Ahead of the Romans, Mediterranean folks were aware of fresh pasta; dry pasta was also then unfamiliar to Chinese.

Dry pasta was well-known within the Mediterranean region during 13th and 14th centuries; it was cited in Genovese texts as well. In Europe, the initial evidence of pasta originated from Sicily in which manuscripts of the 12th century account of somewhat resembling an industrial unit of pasta, restricted within the Palermo area. From this place, dry pasta was subsequently traded to other areas of Southern Italy.

In the Mediterranean, seafarers in Genova were really hard-working merchants. Sure enough, Genova developed into being trader and maker of pasta in the 13th century, expanding it to a lot of other centuries.

The most ancient macaroni dishes originated in Sicily: macaroni with sardines and macaroni with eggplant, wherein eggplant was made known by the Arabs to Sicily roughly the year 1000. These yummy foods still currently exist in Sicilian cuisine.

Other businesses came out in Southern Italy and the slim shape pastas that are known today as spaghetti (meaning “thin string”) and vermicelli (meaning “little worms”) were named tria or trii during that time.

Pasta – Where it All Began is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Despite its Italian origin, pasta attracts everyone around the world. There is hardly a person who controls his or her appetite for a delicious plate of spaghetti combined with your favorite meatballs.For their love for pasta, many of us spend a huge amount of money on ensuring a plateful of their preferred form of pasta. But few of them are careful enough to save their bucks by spending their money on getting a quality pasta die maker. With a quality pasta die maker machine, you can prepare a pasta dish within no time by using freshly cooked pasta dough at home only.

Nowadays, pasta dies are available both manually and automatically pattern. You need to choose the one that matches your comfort and satisfies you as a user. People prepare to keep their traditions, opt for manual form of pasta die maker. These machines work on a simple principle, you have to prepare the dough of your own and crank it to get different shapes of pasta conveniently. If you do not want to follow things in a traditional way, you can get yourself an electronic pasta maker. These machines have an attached electric motor that can be used authentically for making interesting shapes of pasta.

This automatic setup can help you to make pasta with different thickness level. Change the attachment options as per your needs and make different kinds of pasta within a few minutes. Make a plateful of spaghetti or macaroni, lasagna, cannelloni and much more.

Make Mouth-Watering Pasta with Pasta Dies is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Italian food has always been my default meal when I haven’t been able to think of anything else to cook. But now that I have the KitchenAid KPEX Pasta Set, I’d have to say that the cooking of Italian food has been elevated to an an actual event. It has made a real difference to my Italian cooking and the way our family eats.

The KitchenAid KPEX Pasta Set is a set of chrome-plated appliances that plug right into the front of your KitchenAid stand mixer. By using the homemade pasta dough that you make in your mixer, you can easily use the KitchenAid motor to run the dough through these appliances, making instantly fresh pasta that is ready to cook.

If you have never enjoyed real fresh, homemade pasta, then you really have no idea what Italian food is all about. As soon as I started turning out my own fettuccini and lasagna noodles, my family couldn’t wait for “Italian night”. In fact, it seems as if we are having Italian food more often than not these days as they want to try all the different types of pasta that this set turns out.

The KitchenAid KPEX Pasta Excellence Set includes a versatile array of tools for making every kind of pasta, including a ravioli attachment so you can make your own exotic, creative ravioli. Although I do have to say that the ravioli cutter isn’t as quite straightforward to use as the other attachments. It is a manual,rather than automatic attachment, though I guess that makes sense. It took me quite a few goes to get to a stage where I was making ravioli that I was happy with, and I have heard that some other people have struggled with the ravioli attachment as well.

Having the Kitchenaid do all the cranking is great – and the Spaghetti maker actually makes ROUND spaghetti, not just tagliatini type little flat noodles. The pasta that you will get out of the KitchenAid KPEX Pasta Set is nothing like what you buy in the grocery store – that is a guarantee!

It is also important to read the instructions thoroughly. When I first started using the KPEX pasta excellence set the attachments kept turning round and round. It was only after reading through the instructions properly that I realized you have to insert each attachment far enough into the mixer so that the little pin on the pasta maker fits into the notch near the tightening screw. IF you don’t do that, it will go around and around.

If I were to recommend only one product in my kitchen, it would probably be the KitchenAid KPEX Pasta Set. This pasta set has made a huge difference in the way I cook, and more importantly, in the way my family loves to eat.

The KitchenAid KPEX Pasta Excellence Set – Authentic Italian Pasta At Your Fingertips is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

The idea came to me when I was out looking for a special present. On every aisle they had gift box ideas. I thought why not take a box and personalize it. I had a friend who loved to read. I bought her a book by her favorite author, put a mug inside with a gourmet hot chocolate tucked in the cup and an aromatic candle. All told the Christmas basket cost me eleven dollars and I knew she would be thrilled with the thoughtfulness of my choices.

For many of my family members I make Christmas baskets full of goodies. For those of you who are familiar with making jellies or canning there are hundreds of recipes that are very easy to fix, require little time and are so much more fun than the traditional tie or sweater. Some choices are zucchini pineapple preserves, jalapeno jelly, lavendar sugar, chocolate coffee, or spiced tea. Make your own gourmet instant soups. All of these are incredibly easy to make and take very little time and can be made months in advance of December. Wonderful Christmas baskets!

If you have a backyard garden try making your own spaghetti sauce, enchilada sauce, pickles or relishes. All vegetables can be dried as well as herbs. Why not try dehydrated tomatoes, bell peppers, squash or onions. Following the directions of your dehydrator chop herbs finely or thinly slice fruits, dry and put into zip lock bags. Keep in the freezer until time to pack into your Christmas baskets and deliver.

Every cook loves fresh herbs. Plant seeds a couple of months ahead of time in very small pots and put under growing lights. Chives, parsley, rosemary, or different mints are favorites. Including these in your Chistmas baskets will make you a favorite of any cook. These are beautiful gifts to give and receive.

For your favorite gardener put a variety of flower or vegetable seeds, bulbs, a favorite tool, gloves or a unique garden ornament into your Christmas basket.

The last ten years I have been making goody baskets for my siblings and immediate family. They have been a huge hit. I bought several 12inch x12inch x 8inch baskets at my local hobby store. In each basket I put a jar of homemade spaghetti sauce, relish or pickle, packages of dried herbs and a jar or two of jelly, homemade pint bag of 12 bean soup, hot cocoa or chocolate coffee.

The exact list that goes into the Christmas basket changes from year to year depending on how much gardening I have an opportunity to do; new ideas or recipes I have found. The wonderful thing is my Christmas baskets are ready to be packed in August or September at the end of the gardening season and I didn’t have to beat the rush or the crowds. I hope this has inspired you to try something new this gift-giving season. Try Christmas baskets!

Christmas Baskets for Christmas Gift Giving is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

The best Italian food and particularly tasty recipes goes back a long way and everyone seems to love food cooked the Italian way. It is a food rich in history and each Italian city has added its own signature authentic Italian recipes to the pot.

Traditional and authentic Italian food has become famous all over the world, particularly its pasta based dishes and the use of cheese. The food is mostly combined with sauces, cured meats and antipastos.

Italian gourmet food often includes a variety of exquisite cheeses which help produce filling and satisfying dishes and such food is the full flavour expression of the rich history of Italy.

Most non-Italians, find this kind of cuisine restricted to the many special dishes that they have become famous for world wide, especially spaghetti and pizza. People tend to assume that the traditional food of this country is all pretty much alike and that there is no such variety in the Italian way of cooking. The truth however is quite the opposite as the cuisine in its entirety is extremely rich and varied.

There are so many recipes which can be found for just pasta. This is a great example of the options in cooking Italian recipes. Meals such as spaghetti and risotto are extremely popular because they are easy to prepare, and offer virtual ready meals for the cook.

Pasta happens to be the most popular food item in Italy. Any pasta base can be accented with an unlimited number of additions including sausage, chicken, red and green peppers, fish and a wide variety of other vegetables and meats that create an authentic dish.

However an Italian cooking recipe isn’t just about sticking to pasta recipes and pizza. Its got a long way to go. Find starters such as cured meat and cheeses with fresh vegetables and special Ciabatta bread. Superb salads, beautiful, fresh breads and delicious puddings add on to the rest of the exquisite menus.

Roast fillet of salmon served with braised lentils, green beans and a mustard dressing, braised lamb shank served with sage potato puree in a rich tomato sauce, prawns cooked in a tomato sauce with fresh garden peas served with bread. These are just some of the delicious meals on offer.

Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Incoming search terms for the article:

• italy traditional dishes

It is now possible to buy in stores all kinds of pasta, very tasty and of good quality. But there was a time when everything that you could find on the shelves of a supermarket is thick gray spaghetti. Young people today probably do not remember those times.

To prepare high-quality home-made noodles, you must quickly make butter dough. If during kneading you find that the dough starts to crack, immediately add little water and reshape the dough.

Take 400 grams of flour, pour on the table in the middle of the recess as well, in which we place 2-3 g of salt, whips 8 egg yolks, add 50 grams of butter to the dough rolled thin, pouring 1 tbsp. spoonful of cold water and gently stir with a knife. When the yolks have joined hands with water, gently combine them with flour and a long and very carefully mix dough with hands that it is not dragged under the cutting knife and that it had no lumps.

Roll out the dough very thin, cut into 4 strips, sprinkle a little flour, put one on another, cut into very thin long strips and fold with your hands. Writing strips dry out from time to time turning over and rake with your hands.

When the pasta will be enough dry, you can cook various dishes from them!

Following advice from experienced chefs will help you to achieve a better result. They prompt us how to cook spaghetti and pasta:

Pasta, noodles and vermicelli boil badly in milk. If you are going to cook milk soup with pasta, cook them for 3-5 minutes in water.
Cook pasta in a pot with the lid closed for 20-30 minutes. They have to be served hot. The taste of pasta can be improved if they are sprinkled with grated cheese.
In order to turn out vermicelli or noodles crumbly, you must boil them in hot water, then discard in a colander and rinse with cold water. But if you cook the casserole, then vermicelli or noodles should not be washed, or casserole collapse.
Soup with homemade noodles will not be dull, if you first separate the noodles for a minute in hot water, discard them in a colander, then put in the broth and cook until done.
When cooking pasta in broth goes up to 10 percent of nutrients. So do not pour this brew, and use it for cooking other dishes such as soups or sauces.
When making any pasta salads, first boil pasta in salted water and let the water drain. If noodles are long, cut them small (1 cm), and then mix them with different products and tuck sauce.
Add to pasta chopped green onion, grated raw carrot, tomato sauce, mayonnaise or sour cream, stir and sprinkle with grated cheese.
Combine the pasta with finely diced tomatoes, sweet peppers, grated apple. Fill with mayonnaise or sour cream and sprinkle with grated cheese.
Add the to pasta chopped ham, pickles, shredded cheese, tomatoes, mix mayonnaise and tuck

To learn more about preparing exquisite Italian food and how to benefit from using the best pasta maker, try visiting bestpastamaker.com, where you will find this and a lot more tips including facts helping you to choose the right Atlas pasta makers to enjoy your homemade pasta together with your family.

Recipe to Make Fresh Italian Pasta Without a Pasta Machine is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Exquisite sauces are one of the best existent additives to Italian pasta. So if you want to make an unforgettable dinner for the whole family, preparing pasta with a delectable sauce is the perfect option for you. But you don’t have to forget about food preferences of all of members of your family. Children won’t be pleased if in their adorable spaghetti will be onion, garlic, olives or other similar ingredients. That doesn’t mean you have to limit yourself at ketchup as single sauce for pasta. In this article you can find other interesting recipes which will meet all your kids’ requirements.

Classic Italian sauce “Sugo” (Spaghetti Bolognese)

You will need: 2 cloves of garlic, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 25 g butter, 1 onion, finely chopped, 1 carrot, finely chopped, 1 stalk celery, finely chopped, 85 g chopped Pancetta (ham), 250 g minced beef, 250 g minced pork, 300 ml milk, 300 ml dry white or red wine, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 2×400 g canned tomatoes and 2 teaspoons of mixture of herbs.

Chop the garlic. Pour olive oil in a large deep saucepan, add butter, and then put the pot on the fire, stirring with a wooden spoon for 1-2 minutes, until the butter is melted. Add chopped vegetables, garlic and Pancetta and fry for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender but not brown.
Add two minced. Stir and knead them with a spoon, to avoid lumps. It is very important, as the sauce should not turn out lumps. Stir and crush with a spoon for 5 minutes, until stuffing is not fry until brown.
Pour the milk and stir, then slightly increase the fire, stirring, for 10-15 minutes, until all the milk has been absorbed into the meat. Do not worry if there are slightly folded pieces of milk – they will disappear later. Pour the wine, and repeat the process, as with the milk.
Add the tomato paste and pour the tomatoes. Fill both cans of tomatoes from the water and also pour them in a saucepan. Pour herbs and 1 / 2 teaspoon salt, add pepper. Increase the fire and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally and crushing tomatoes with a spoon.
Put the pan on the smallest fire. Cover, leaving a small opening to discharge steam. This sauce is prepared 2 hours, lifting the lid and stirring the sauce every 20 minutes. At the end the sauce should be thick and shiny.
Turn off the heat, the pan tightly and allow sauce to “rest”, while you cook pasta. Pour most of sauce to pasta and mix with two large spoons, adding a teaspoon or two of water from the pot, where cooked pasta, if they look rather dry. Serve immediately, placing the remaining sauce on top. Serve grated cheese in a separate dish on the table.

There is also another recipe that will not leave your kids

You will need:
- Bank of canned tomatoes (2 pcs),
- Bank of tomato paste (1 g),
- white sugar (4 g),
- clove garlic (5 pieces),
- laurel (1 pc),
- onions, sliced (120 g),
- ground black pepper (1 g),
- pepper (0.5 g),
- olive oil (60 ml),
- lean beef (450 g),
- fresh bread crumbs (50 g),
- salt (10 g),
- dried parsley (1 g),
- dried basil (1 g),
-grated parmesan cheese (5 g),
- garlic powder (0.3 g),
- egg, beaten (1 item).

In a large bowl combine ground beef, bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, 1 / 4 teaspoon black pepper, garlic powder and beaten egg. Mix well and make the mixture obtained from 12 balls. Put a plate on the cooling in the refrigerator.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook onion and garlic in olive oil until onion becomes transparent. Mix in the tomatoes, salt, sugar. Add the bay leaf. Cover the pan, reduce heat to low and simmer for 90 minutes. Add the tomato paste, 1 / 2 teaspoon pepper, and meatballs, and cook for 30 minutes. Serve.

Two Recipes For Exquisite Pasta Sauces Your Kids Will Enjoy is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

The history of pasta is fascinating not only because of its interesting facts but also grace to the myths and legends surrounding them. There are legends that speak of the creation of pasta at the times of ancient Romans, ascribing them as a divine creation of Gods. But the ancient sources claim that China invented pasta and Marco Polo brought it to Italy in 1292. However, when Marco said he has “discovered” pasta in China, it was implied that he had discovered something new, when in fact he discovered that the Chinese have noodles “just the same as we had”.

The origins of pasta were also attributed to Etruscan times. In fact, that is 500 years before the Chinese noodles. However, this is not enough convincing evidences. In one of the Etruscan tombs scientists have found tools, seemingly to be the ones for making pasta. But they didn’t exclude the possibility that they could be used for something else. The first written evidence of pasta can be found in the Apicius’s cookbook, which included some recipes of nowadays well-known lasagna, and to the XII century, pasta became important enough product to attract the attention of legislators who take care of the quality of products. Indians and Arabs ate pasta at least since 1200, and possibly earlier. The Indians called them sevika, which meant “thread”, and the Arabs – rishta, which also meant “thread” in Persian. Italians, in turn, have chosen the word spaghetti, formed from the word spago – “thread”.

For many years people ate pasta fresh, but as a result of the increase of trading system of maritime republics of Venice, Genoa, Pisa and Amalfi, they had to invent a product that is easily stored on the board of the ship for months at the sea. Sailors from Amalfi on one of their frequent trips to Sicily took over the art of drying pasta. As a result, the Naples area began producing its own dried pasta. Early pasta masters were supposed to be fascinating weather-prophets, as they had to decide, to produce short or long pasta, depending on humidity and wind on the day.

By 1770 in English, appeared the word “macaroni”. In England the word “macaroni” meant the perfection and elegance. The phrase “that’s macaroni” meant something particularly good. Also in the XVIII century, Catherine de Medici introduced the pasta in France, and almost then it began to gain its popularity worldwide. In XIX century, there was settled the very first company that produced spaghetti “Il Pastifico Buitoni”, founded in 1827 by a woman Giulia Buitoni. This company still exists today and it’s one of the largest pasta producers in the world.

Nowadays, the process of pasta production is very advanced. When electricity was discovered in 1900th, life became much easier for the pasta industry. There were invented machines for mixing the dough and electric pasta makers, due to which the whole process of making pasta was transformed to fully automated one.

To learn more about authentic Italian Pasta and how to find the best pasta maker, try visiting bestpastamaker.com, where you will find this and a lot more tips including facts helping you to choose the right manual pasta maker to complete your kitchen.

About the History of Pasta – Where Does it Come From? is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Its dinner time and you’re wondering what to make. All housewives ask this question daily while mentally checking off all prerequisites. Will the children like it? Is it nutritious? Is it healthy? Do I have enough to time to prepare it after coming home from work? Can we afford it? Pasta covers all of these and a healthy pasta dish is one of the most popular meals in the world and a personal favorite of mine.

Pasta is easy to make and you don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen. Kids love it and although it has all those carbs, whole wheat pasta is a good source of dietary fiber. Furthermore, preparing a Healthy Pasta dish at home is recommended where you are in charge of the ingredients you add. Try to always keep the size of a portion under control and by adding more vegetables and lean meat you couldn’t ask for a more delightful and healthy meal.

To most people, pasta means spaghetti and meatballs. It is not so. By using your imagination and whatever is available in your pantry you can make some very healthy pasta dishes with simple toppings such as grated cheese, or by adding lean meat, leafy green vegetables, red and green peppers, or onion and garlic you can have a masterpiece of nutrition that will be healthy and economical. You can also serve a healthy pasta dish warm, with a delicious sauce or cold, in a salad.

When you need that extra bit of magic in your meals, forget the same old boring recipes you have been using for ages and try some of these healthy pasta dishes at home for a change.

These healthy pasta dishes can be prepared in very little time and are sure to be a hit with family and friends who might decide to drop in suddenly:

- Mushrooms, tomatoes, onion and bits of bacon sautéed in olive oil with garlic paste.

- Tuna with chili, fresh tomatoes and onion sautéed in olive oil and seasoned with pepper and salt, to be served with the pasta.

- Spinach, sliced cucumber, rocket leaves, and a few halved cherry tomatoes mixed together in salad cream or to make it a more healthy pasta dish, you can use tomato sauce.

- Breadcrumbs sautéed in olive oil with chili and garlic with a few herbs such as oregano or basil and seasoned with pepper and salt.

- You can also add cooked pasta to a bowl of chicken, or vegetable soup which the children will love and will also be a healthy and nutritious meal for them.

It is always much better to use a tomato based sauce rather than a cream sauce in order to keep your meal healthy.

A healthy pasta dish is also good for athletes as it helps sportsmen by creating energy. This is due to the fact that pasta contains carbohydrates which are stored as glycogen in the muscles and acts as a source of energy during strenuous workouts.

Now you can say “ciao” to the boring old spaghetti and meatball dishes and ‘wow’ your family and friends with easy to prepare healthy pasta dishes with great toppings and delicious sauces.

Kirt Westred enjoys playing for any audience, whether busking on the street corner or playing with his buds at the local club. While not playing, Kirt has written a site with reviews of Alvarez acoustic guitar, as well as a review of the Epiphone acoustic guitar.

Healthy Pasta Dishes is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Talking about pasta cannot be separated from Italy. Indeed, this noodle is famous for the first time from this country. More than 600 kinds of pasta are born in this country. Now, this noodle has spread to all over the world.

The followings are several kinds of pasta:

Farfalle is pasta in the form of butterfly tie with jagged edge. This noodle is suitable for salad beverage or main menu with creamy sauce, like mornay sauce.

Conchiglioni is like scallop-shell. This noodle is suitable for the content of soup, salad, and the main menu.

Cannelloni is pasta in the form of hole tube with diameter about 3cm and length about 5cm. Its another type is shorter, known as rigatoni, while its another type with pointed askew is known as penne. This noodle is suitable to cook with meat and cheese in both roasted and boiled beverage.

Lasagna is in the form of slight sheet with length about 27 cm and wide about 5 cm. This noodle can be met in three colors; yellow for roasted beverage, red that is usually cooked with tomato sauce, and green that is suitable to mix with spinach and kinds of vegetables.

Spaghetti is in the form of long palm leaf rib without hole. This noodle is usually served with bolognaise sauce (tomato sauce with mincemeat). Another type is known as vermicelli. It is same as spaghetti, but its size is smaller and shorter. It is usually cooked with sea beverage, meat, or the content of soup.

Fusilli is in the form of non skid. It is usually cooked with cream sauce with tomato and pea.

Macaroni is pasta in the form of arched tube with hole in its middle. It is suitable for roasted beverage like macaroni and the content of soups.

Fettuccine is flat and wide. It can be met in three colors; green from the essence of spinach, black from the ink of squid, and yellow from eggs. It is suitable for the main menu with meat, vegetable, or seafood.

Recognizing Several Kinds of Pasta is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Incoming search terms for the article:

• kinds of carbonara

Gnocchi in short are potato dumplings or potato pasta if you will. Many have tried and failed to make a good batch of these tiny marvels. But the fact is, that gnocchi are not hard to make well if you know what you are doing.

So without any further delay, here is my mother’s famous potato Gnocchi.

INGREDIENTS

•8 potatoes

•2 cups all-purpose flour

•2 Eggs

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Now must most people will start out by telling you to boil your potatoes until they are tender. Well, my mother did that for a long time. Then one day she experimented and found that if you make your gnocchi from baked potatoes in stead of boiled potatoes, the come out much lighter.

1.Bake your potatoes until cooked and tender. There is no need to over cook them. Scrape the inside of the potatoes out and discard the skins. You can mash the potatoes; however, you will have much better results if you use a ricer.

2.After they have slightly cooled, place your riced potatoes onto your work surface or cutting board and make a well in the center. Add your egg and some flour and knead into a soft dough. Too much flour will ruin your dish. You want to include just enough to give you workable dough and no more.

3.Now take your dough a handful at a time and roll it into a long rope about one inch in diameter on a floured surface. Cut the ropes into one-inch pieces. When you have all your pieces cut, you’re going to gently roll them off the end of a fork with your thumb. This will give the gnocchi a nice texture and shape.

4.Now, boil a pot of salted water add your gnocchi and give them an occasional stir. The cook rather quickly – about 3 – 5 minutes. When the rise to the top of the pot, they are done.

5.Drain the gnocchi and mix with your favorite sauce. Most people will have them with pomodoro sauce or meat sauce. I myself love them with a nice basil pesto and topped off with a dollop of ricotta cheese.

My Mother?s Potato Gnocchi is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

 There are any number of reasons to make a trip to the beautiful city of Bologna.  It might be for business, since Bologna is a center of commerce, or  for great shopping,  or to eat the meat-rich regional food.  Pasta bolognese, anyone?  It could be to wander through the multitude of arcaded walkways, dry in winter and cool in summer, that give the city its architectural harmony.  Or it might be to visit the vast cathedral with its sculptures by Michelangelo, or the archeological museum, stuffed with Etruscan artifacts.  None of these treats drew me and my family to Bologna the first time, although we were delighted to discover them once we’d arrived.  It was, instead, the paintings, drawings and watercolors of Giorgio Morandi housed in the Museo Morandi, right in the ancient center of Bologna, that first opened up the beauties of the city for us.

 If you are not yet familiar with the work of Morandi you have a very special experience before you.  Why Morandi?  What is the fuss about?  At first glance his paintings seem simple.  He paints the sames subject over and over again.  These are an arrangments of small objects, a particular bottle and bowl, a vase with one flower, or a glimpse of the walls of the courtyard outside his studio, returning to these subjects repeatedly and painting them in a hundred different ways.  The variations of colors are subtle, a pinkish grey, a muted green, the softest wash of yellow ochre.  However the objects and narrow views he painted have a powerful, steady presence.  It is difficult to look away from them.  You can see in the calm of these works, not only influences of twentieth century artists like Paul Cezanne but also of Renaissance painters like Uccello, Giotto and Massaccio. 

 Except for short stays in the nearby country town of Grizzana, Morandi lived in Bologna from the time he started at the Accademia di Belle Arti at the age of 17 in 1907 until his death in 1964. Throughout much of his life he taught drawing in Bologna’s elementary schools and some of the freshness and liveliness of his paintings surely arises from this work with children.   As a young man he associated with Bolognese intellectuals and artists like the painter Osvaldo Licini and the writer Mario Bacchelli, with whom he worked on a magazine called La Raccolta .

Perhaps because of this association with intellectual life, writing on Morandi can tend to get a little abstract, about the “metaphysicality of objects” and the other heady constructs that can sometimes build up around a body of work.  However, in contrast, the quiet immediacy of his paintings speak quite simply for themselves in their soft beauty. When you walk up to the second floor of the City Hall that houses Museo Morandi museum and walk through the rooms filled with his painting it feels like someone is there, the artist himself, showing you the way he saw.

The museum features a reconstruction of the studio where Morandi painted for many years.  The objects that we get to know so well through his paintings are all right there on the shelves near his narrow bed.  The ordered chaos of the working painter is in  evidence.  What strikes one about this space is how constrained it is, and how few subjects he painted.  There is that particular vase, there the bowl and small rounded dish.  His window looked over a courtyard enclosed by buildings, with just a glimpse of a tree branch, and a blank wall.  Tellingly, Morandi chose this constricted space for his studio, instead of another room available to him which had views over distant hills and an orchard.  It is this narrowing of focus which makes his work so intense and influential.

In fact, I would go so far as to say, that looking closely at the paintings of Giorgio Morandi has deepened my ability to experience and appreciate the beauty of Italy, itself.  How so?  It is because he looked so closely at a small part of Italy, specifically the limited view over his enclosed courtyard, or the way light fell on a few objects in his studio, that he makes you look at everything in this country again.  Sometimes, when I happen on a window with a view over a blank, wall, a corner of sky, or a few angular bits of roof, I stop and gaze, struck by the narrow glimpse of beauty.  This is in part because this one artist spent his lifetime showing us the way light falls and changes in such a limited space.  Thank you, Giorgio Morandi.

Having made this pilgrimage, gazed our fill, somewhat overwhelmed by the sheer extent of this body of work, it is a relief to head back out into the living bustle of Bologna.  Here the rich brick red of the arcades, the delicious smell of baking lasagna and bread coming from the open restaurants are full of welcome.  The loud cheer and energy of a northern Italian city at midday, seals in the experience of the quiet, empty spaces of Morandi’s works, an interior quiet that goes with us into the lively bustle of Bologna.

 If you are staying at the UNA Hotel Bologna , it is an easy and pleasant walk up the main street of Via dell’Indipendenza to the Museo Morandi at Piazza Maggiore, 6.  Or you can take a more meandering route through the smaller streets of the town

By Mary Murfin Bayley

Finding Morandi In Bologna is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Incoming search terms for the article:

• morandi

AF MACARONI SALAD

I call this recipe my Air Force Macaroni Salad since the recipe was given to me by a lady who worked in a restaurant in New Mexico when I first went there as a young Air Force bride in the 1960s.

2 cups cooked macaroni
1/2 cup diced cheddar cheese
1/3 cup diced green bell pepper
3 tbsps finely chopped onion
1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/4 cup chopped sweet pickle (or sweet pickle relish)
1/4 tsp salt

Mix all the ingredients together. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours before serving.

CLASSIC MAYO MACARONI SALAD

1 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp prepared mustard
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
8-oz elbow macaroni, cooked, drained
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion

In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, prepared mustard,sugar, salt, and pepper with a wire whisk until combined. Stir in the macaroni, bell pepper, and onion. Mix well. Cover bowl and refrigerate until serving time.

Enjoy!

How to Make Old Fashion Macaroni Salads is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Homemade noodles and spaghetti are very different from the ones you get in the market. They have great flavor, taste delicious and don’t look like machine stamped ones. Your kids will keep asking for more. And the best part is that it is simple and not too time consuming. You can treat your family as well as guests with some great Italian pasta using the Popeil.

The concept of pasta makers is not very new. Most people have bread makers, so definitely you must think of pasta maker as well. Try investing in Popeil pasta maker for a fine Italian dining experience. It will need some space in your pantry but then if you look at the positive side, you could have some delicious Italian food in the comfort of your home. Good food creates good memories and if you want to give your family the best pasta, then you should think of buying Popeil pasta makers:

The Popeil pasta makers by Ronco are widely advertised on TV and one can see it in several infomercials.
It is one entire unit by itself and includes dyes for making various pastas like fettuccine, angel air, spaghetti, lasagna, macaroni and many more.
It also claims to be a five-minute pasta maker.
It includes a video that instructs you how to make the pasta. All you need to do is to select the required attachment for the pasta shape you want and the machine automatically makes pasta. The machine even does the mixing and kneading for you.

Cleaning up the Popeil pasta is as simple as its operation. All its parts can be washed in the dishwasher safely. The parts are all FDA approved for contact of food. The machine has a very powerful and lightweight motor. It is capable of making gourmet pastas as well. Popeil pasta makers even have a recipe booklet that will give you several pasta recipes to choose from. The machine has measuring cups and also built-in dryer and built-in cutter. You can make huge quantities of pasta if you go on pouring the ingredients in the machine.

There is something actually genuine about homemade pasta, not just the eating part but the making part as well. Homemade pasta is comfort food and lifts your spirits. Making pasta at home could be a joyride. Popeil pasta maker comes with a whole set of attachments that help you make different types of pasta as the recipe demands. The varieties of pasta that you can make and the flavors you can use are indeed limitless! Popeil pasta enables you make such pasta that you will never be satisfied with pasta bought from stores!

The Reasons Why Popeil Pasta Maker Is Good for You is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

FRESH VEGETABLE LASAGNA

8-oz uncooked lasagna noodles

1 pkg (10-oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1/2 cup sliced green bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 1/2 cups 1% lowfat cottage cheese

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt

2 egg whites

1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms

1 can (14-oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

2 cups (8-oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook noodles according to the package directions, omitting salt.  Drain.  Rinse under cold water until cool; drain well.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine spinach, carrots, green onions, bell pepper, parsley, and black pepper in a large bowl.  Set aside.

Combine cottage cheese, buttermilk, yogurt, and egg whites in a food processor or blender and process until smooth.

Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Arrange 1/3 of the noodles in the bottom of the pan.  Spread with half each of cottage cheese mixture, spinach mixture, mushrooms, artichokes, and mozzarella cheese.  Repeat layers ending with lasagna noodles on top.  Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top.  Cover and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove the cover and continue baking 20 minutes or until bubbling and heated through.  Let stand 10 minutes before cutting to serve.

Yield: 8 servings.  Per serving: 250 calories, 26 g carbs, 22 g protein

The protein to carb ratio makes this a good diabetic pasta dish, especially for those diabetics who don’t like meat.

Enjoy!

How to Make a Fresh Vegetable Lasagna that is Diabetic Friendly is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Incoming search terms for the article:

• vegetarian Lasagna -tomato - -

The Healthiest Year of Your Life with Nomi Shannon, raw gourmet, author and raw food educator.

Kevin: Let’s talk about salad again. Like you said, it’s sometimes tough or you get bored with salad. What are some of the things you can do to spice up some greens in a salad?

Nomi: I really think the secret of the salad is the dressing. I remember when I worked at Hippocrates, Annamarie Clements was speaking and she told us about a young girl who was very ill and was really having a hard time. They don’t just eat salads; they have a ton of sprouts in them. She said to Annamarie, if only her favorite dressing could be in it she’d be able to eat it better. They went out and bought it for here. It wasn’t even that healthy a thing. It helped to get it down. So it’s terribly important that it taste well.

So here’s a quick one that you can just make in a bowl. I call it Orange Tahini dressing. Use half a cup of fresh orange juice. Look, people are going to go out and buy Minute Maid or whatever that stuff’s called, and use it. I wouldn’t but you do the best you can for yourself at each moment. If that’s the best you can, in other words if you can’t make yourself squeeze an orange, which is a little hard for me to grab my brain around, I know that, especially when you’re starting out, you might recommend fresh orange juice and a couple of tablespoons of raw tahini. Tahini is made out of sesame seeds. It’s just like peanut butter only it’s made with sesame seeds. It’ll be hard to find in a grocery store or health food store raw and if your health food store has it and it says it’s made out of toasted seeds then go up and say, could you please get this for me in raw, because the same companies that make it toasted also make it raw. Half a cup of OJ, two tablespoons of raw tahini, grate a little piece of fresh gingerroot. You can buy an inch long piece of gingerroot at the grocery store. You don’t have to buy the whole chunk. Just break it off, stick it in a baggy and they’ll charge you whatever it is, 29 cents or whatever. Quarter teaspoon of cinnamon, a pinch of curry powder, a pinch of sea salt.

Just put it in a bowl, whisk it with your fork and toss that over your salad and it’s very, very yummy dressing. Then I’ll tell you what I use whenever I have a salad. It’s not all raw, but I’m not all raw. I used to be all raw. 100%.

I use a little bit of balsamic vinegar, which isn’t on everybody’s good food list. A tiny, tiny amount of toasted sesame oil which is definitely not on the good food list but it gives it a wonderful, I like an Asian flavor personally. Then I use a small amount of either flax or hemp oil which I keep in my freezer to keep fresh, a dash of Chinese rice cooking wine, which is called mirin. I always use seaweed if I don’t use big fresh chunks you can get shakers of different seaweeds or kelp at most probably health food stores, and something sweet. I’m talking teeny amounts, like agave or maple syrup. Maple syrup is not raw. I don’t know if agave is. People say that it is but I find it hard to believe. Then something salty, like a tiny bit of sea salt or nomashoiy which is a soy sauce that’s supposed to be raw. So it has something sweet, something salty and something tangy.

That works for me in a salad. Is it a perfect recipe? Absolutely not, but it gets me eating big volumes of salad.

Kevin: It’s almost like you’ve kind of got to go with what works for you in order to make it palatable. What are some of the flavors that you can add to make different, like international meals. I think one of the other challenges, say you do prepare something from the Salidako and now you’ve got this great zucchini pasta and you’re like, man, I just don’t want to have Italian any more?

Nomi: Exactly. You want to get over the Italian. Well, I’m going to my pantry right now because it’s a really good question and there’s all kinds of things now on the market that make it easy. For example, if you want something to taste Chinese, I love that flavor. There’s a spice put out by several companies, called Chinese Five spice. Just smelling it, you know. It includes star anise, cloves, cinnamon, fennel and pepper. Let’s see. The other one is anise, cinnamon, star anise, cloves and ginger. So they’re a little different. Just that alone will make almost anything taste Asian. Then as I mentioned, sesame oil which is definitely to be used in minute quantities because there’s nothing good about cooked oil. It’s bad for you. So that’s your Asian.

There’s also, I have ground star anise powder which has a very licorice-y taste. Then Frontier Spice, which is a wonderful company. My favorite spice that they make is called Pizza Seasoning and I use this is my salads, too. I didn’t even mention the seasonings I put in it. It makes almost anything taste Italian but it also complements most other dishes. It just has a nice variety of things in it. But Frontier also makes something called Bombay Veggy Blend. Just smelling it, you think you’re at an Indian restaurant. It’s fabulous.

Then other Indian spices would be cumin and I have something called garamasala which has coriander, cumin, chilies, something I can’t read, I think it says clove, bay leaf, cassia and ginger. So the health food stores probably are the best bet to get these. The spices you buy, like the big supermarket brands, they’ve all been irradiated, which is a whole other topic, but you want to avoid irradiated food.

Another good spice is curry powder, back to the Indian. I love cinnamon. Cinnamon isn’t just for dessert. For people who like things spicy, a little cayenne pepper in just about anything. A very wonderful spice, it has very therapeutic aspects to it. I even have some real washabi powder which I wouldn’t be shy about. If you love the taste of washabi, which is that hot horseradish green paste that they serve in Japanese restaurants.

Kevin: Feel it in the back of your forehead.

Nomi: If you have too much, right, but the thing is, for people who aren’t used to using spices these mixes, like the Bombay Blend or the Italian spices are really a good bet.

Nomi: Kind of like a no-fail approach?

Nomi: People can be a little afraid of using spices.

Kevin: Now, you mentioned desserts a little bit. I think one of the coolest things about raw food is that you can have your dessert and sometimes it’s not that bad for you.

Nomi: Usually if you’re making a pie, the crust is made out of some kind of nut. And then the filling, just endless the variety of things you can make, some kind of fruit. Lots of time people will make something like this and eat it for breakfast. It isn’t always necessarily the perfect food combining. My book, each recipe has a little symbol next to it if it’s properly “food combined” and that’s explained elsewhere in the book and there is not one recipe in the dessert section that has that symbol.

They’re just not, but a lot of people could care less about proper food combining and that’s fine. Whatever works. I don’t always completely follow it, although I never have protein and carb in the same meal. So there’s almost endless things you can do with dessert.

One of my favorite quick things is, if you like whipped cream. This is so much better than whipped cream. Cashews, that have been soaked a little while, water and dates or maybe agave, if you prefer that. You just can whip that up. It’s just so delicious and of course, you can use it on top of other things. The other day I just was craving something sweet and I was lucky enough to find some fresh figs, which to me, are like manna. I cut each fig in half, usually I just eat them plain they’re just so good, but I wanted something a little sweeter than that and then I took a few dates and cut them into quarters and just stuck a date in the middle of each fig and that was it. Just sort of leaning against the counter I made myself a little treat. It can literally be that simple.

Kevin: Say you want to make a raw pie, how much time does it take compared to making something that you stick in the oven?

Nomi: With raw food it’s all prep. With cooked food it’s prep plus waiting. Say you’re making spaghetti sauce and it’s cooking on the back of the stove and the steam is rising, that’s how eventually you’re getting the taste you want. With raw food if you’re making spaghetti sauce you don’t just use fresh tomatoes you also use dried tomatoes to thicken it up. So the most – - you’re making a crust so that was probably a food processor and then you’re making a filling, so that’s probably a blender, so it could take you 45 minutes to an hour to make a raw pie.

Kevin: It’s pretty comparable I guess. This has been an incredible amount of information in a short amount of time. Why don’t you tell everyone a little bit more about some of the information on your site and your book so they can be prepared?

Nomi: Well, thank you. I would love to. My site is called rawgourmet.com and my book is called The Raw Gourmet. It’s a good book in terms of answering all the questions. If you literally take this book and read it like it’s a novel from the beginning to the end including appendix, you will have everything you need to know about having a raw food kitchen. It has 250 or so recipes in it, filled also with full color photographs. A lot of people really appreciate photographs of the food they’re making.

Kevin: From the website it looks amazing. So, Nomi, we’ve just run out of time here so I want to thank you so much for being on this call. This is a ton of information. I know that my wife, Ann Marie, is going to absolutely love this, because she’s always looking for new ways to bring raw into the kitchen. So thank you much for sharing this.

Nomi: It’s my pleasure, Kevin. We did touch on a lot of interesting subjects and there’s just a lot more to it. It was just really a great pleasure to speak to you.

Salads, Dressing, Spices And Deserts In A Raw Food Lifestyle is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Here is the recipe that she passed down to me, and now I am passing it down to my daughter.

Italian Lasagna Recipe

Sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 lb. lean ground beef
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 cup water

Filling:

1 lb. Mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 packages frozen chopped spinach, cooked and well drained
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3 eggs
bread crumbs
Parmesan cheese, grated
salt to taste
pepper to taste
garlic powder to taste

In a large saucepan, brown the finely chopped onions in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add in the lean ground beef, salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Fry the beef until its done and no longer pink. Drain off the excess grease and discard. Stir in the rest of the tomato sauce ingredients and heat the sauce over medium heat for 10 minutes and then turn the heat down to low and simmer sauce for 30 minutes.

In a medium sized bowl, combine all of the filling ingredients. Use enough bread crumbs to hold the mixture together.

In a large stock pot, cook the lasagna noodles in hot salted water according to package directions. Drain water and set aside.

In a large rectangular baking dish, alternate layers of sauce, pasta noodles and filling until all ingredients are used. Sprinkle the top with grated Parmesan cheese. Cover the baking dish with one layer of aluminum foil. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour, remove foil from baking dish and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

How To Make Homemade Italian Lasagna is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Dry foods such as crackers, canned goods, flour, cake mixes and seasonings should be stored in the original packaging or tightly closed airtight containers below 85°. Humidity levels above 60% can cause foods to absorb moisture, which will leave your products stale, or cause cans to rust and leak. Cans that are rusted, badly dented, leaking or swollen should be discarded. Always keep food separate from items such as household cleaners, insecticides and paper products as these can cause contamination. If products are marked with a “best if used by date” it means that they are not the best quality after this date, but can still be used safely for some period of time. In order to keep pantry foods fresher, keep your pantry organized and create sections for various types of foods and stack items together. Try to avoid overstocking and only purchase what can be eaten within a reasonable amount of time.

A set of airtight storage containers will be extremely useful, they allow you to see what is on hand and they keep out air which in turn will keep pantry foods fresh. Always reseal packages once opened, either by using a sealer or by adding a clip to the top, in fact some packages come with a zip top or stickers to reseal the bag. Shelf life is extremely important and it greatly depends on the following storage conditions:

Oxygen in the air can cause enhanced growth of microorganisms and cause vitamins, flavors, fats and food colors to deteriorate.

Food storage can be impaired by high temperatures, some vitamins will be destroyed, proteins breakdown, and flavor, odor and color may be affected. Food in the pantry should always be stored at room temperature or below.

Moisture can create an environment in which chemical reactions may take place and microorganisms can thrive.

Light exposure can result in the deterioration of proteins, vitamins and fats, vitamin loss, discoloration and off-flavors.

Testing conducted at Brigham Young University has determined that many foods stored in sealed cans at controlled temperatures can last for years after their expiration dates, some of them for instance; rolled oats for 20 years, powdered nonfat dry milk for 13 years, pinto beans or baking soda for 24 years, white flour for 12 years, pasta for 17 years, potato flakes for 16 years and sugar, salt, white rice and wheat for an impressive 30+ years!    

The following are examples of the kind of things commonly found in pantries:

Canned or bottled; tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, grated cheese, anchovy paste, evaporated milk, kidney beans, mustard, whole tomatoes, peanut butter, corn syrup, honey, bouillon, soup, pie fillings, canned fruits, assorted pickles and olives.

Spices; nutmeg, salt, dry mustard, ground ginger, cloves, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, ground cumin, celery seed, ground turmeric, pickling spice, caraway seeds and ground cinnamon.   

Oils; canola, peanut, olive, extra-virgin olive oil as well as cooking oil spray and olive oil spray.

Vinegars; balsamic, cider, red wine and white distilled.

Dried herbs; garlic powder, thyme, parsley, dill seed, marjoram, oregano, chives, cilantro, onion powder, basil, minced garlic, rosemary, tarragon, bay leaves and rubbed sage.

Spirits; brandy or cognac, dry white wine, dry sherry, dark beer, dry red wine, port, liqueurs, rum, gin and vermouth.   

To help keep food fresh in the pantry, try a product called eggstrafresh®. It is a revolutionary breakthrough in food preservation that is scientifically proven to dramatically reduce oxidation and retain moisture. Oxidation and moisture loss are the 2 leading factors that foster mold, bacteria, nasty odors and rapid food spoilage. Additionally, eggstrafresh® will improve the taste, flavor, texture and natural color of all of the food in your pantry and your refrigerator. Please visit http://www.eggstrafresh.com to learn more.

How to Keep Food Fresh In the Pantry is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Spring is just around the bend and flowers are beginning to bloom. Birds are chirping their songs of merriment. No time of year evokes feelings of love and new beginnings quite like springtime, making it a favorite time of year for weddings.

When it comes to dressing your bridal party, many brides like to use the vibrant colors of nature as their guide. While this tactic will help wedding colors take shape, it will not always lead you to the best style. If you could use a little help, here are some beautiful flower girl dress styles for a spring wedding.

Floral Inspiration

Nothing makes us think of spring quite like the image of flowers. Why not make this young member of your bridal party the flower girl in more than one way? Not only can she sprinkle petals, but she can also feature beautiful blooms on her dress.

Consider a satin dress with a floral skirt for your flower girl. The colors of the season are alive on a sleeveless dress that will look at home on any girl. To add the perfect finishing touch, pair it with a simple pair of sandals and a matching headband. For weddings scheduled for earlier in the season, a white or ivory crochet sweater is perfect to fend off the chill.

Spring Colors

For the bride who wants to limit the flowers to her bouquet, a solid color dress is a great way to incorporate color without compromising taste. A tea-length ball gown in satin is a classic option. Wide spaghetti straps work well with the season and all of the hottest color trends are available.

A great accessory for this style of dress is a coordinating sash or bow, especially since the satin is unadorned with any embellishments. The addition of wrist length gloves will help add a bit of glamour. Finish the ensemble with matching sandals and your flower girl will be ready to walk down the aisle in style.

A Hint of Color

Many brides enjoy the beauty of the classic white dress, but still want a hint of the color from their bridesmaid dresses. For the older flower girl, a satin dress with spaghetti straps and a lace-up back may be exactly the look for which the bride has been searching. With wide bands of color at the top and hemline of this floor length A-line gown, it is the perfect compromise between tradition and color.

A floral hair wreath will help remind everyone who the flower girl is, even when she is no longer carrying her basket of flowers. A slight heel for the girl comfortable with the extra height keeps this dress from dragging the ground, potentially as a trip hazard. For the bride not wearing white herself, ivory is also available.

Simple Elegance

If your wedding is a more formal affair where you will be walking down the aisle in true queen for the day fashion, why not let your flower girl dress like a princess? Choose a champagne satin dress with delicate spaghetti straps. The pick-up skirt will keep the hem of this floor length gown off the floor and the intricate embroidery on the bodice will make this dress an elegant choice.

A hazelnut sash gives the eye a perfect place to rest as it attempts to take in all the detail of this gorgeous gown. Top off the look with a tasteful tiara, jeweled sandals and elbow length gloves. Your flower girl will look as though she just stepped off the pages of a fairy tale in time for your wedding.

Classic Beauty

Few dresses can ever hope to rival the traditional beauty of the white flower girl dress. If timeless class is the look you crave for your wedding then a gown with a split front A-line embroidered skirt is the perfect option. Beaded embroidery on a sleeveless satin bodice ensures sophistication from neckline to floor length hem. In addition, the netting that provides the slight flair of the skirt is made from nylon, making it an itch-free alternative.

Difference between Spring and Winter Wedding Invitations is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Back in the 70’s, Eric Clapton – the original guitar god, founder of Cream and Derek & the Dominoes, writer of the immortal “Layla” – liked to eat at this quirky American restaurant in London, England, called the Hard Rock Cafe.

The diner was this funky old building that used to be a Rolls Royce dealership. It was run by a couple of young American guys who liked to keep it loose. Hard Rock Cafe was an instant classic. You could be yourself at the Hard Rock. It was good food and a good time.

So Clapton got to be friends with the American duo and asked them to save him a regular table – put up a brass plaque or something. And the young proprietors said, “Why don’t we put up your guitar?” They all had a chuckle, and he handed over a guitar, and they slapped it on the wall.

No one thought much more about it. Until a week later, when another guitar arrived (a Gibson Les Paul, by the way). With it was a note from Pete Townshend of The Who which read: “Mine’s as good as his. Love, Pete.”

The young proprietors put it on the wall. After that, the guitars never stopped coming.

The restaurant franchise continues this practice today with Hard Rock Cafes in more than thirty countries worldwide. Each Hard Rock Cafe is filled with Rock & Roll collectibles. Many famous musical artists continue to donate items to the restaurants.

Hard Rock Cafe features fun menu items like Blackened Chicken Penne Pasta, Hickory Smoked Chicken & Spinach Dip, Famous Pig Sandwich, Love Me Chicken Tenders with Honey Mustard Sauce, Rock Your World Chicken Quesadillas and their Purple Haze Mixed Drink.

>>> So if you want to prepare a delicious meal to impress family, friends or even a hot date – maybe someone you met on a romantic dating site – here is Hard Rock Cafe’s most popular meal of all – BAKED POTATO SOUP FOLLOWED BY CHICKEN QUESADILLAS & ORANGE FREEZE DESSERT…

–Hard Rock Cafe Baked Potato Soup–

8 slices bacon

1 cup Diced yellow onions

2/3 cup Flour

6 cups Hotchicken stock

4 cups Diced — peeled baked Potatoes

2 cups Heavy cream

1/4 cup Chopped parsley

1 1/2 teaspoon Granulated garlic

1 1/2 teaspoon Dried basil

1 1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 1/2 teaspoon Red pepper sauce

1 1/2 teaspoon Coarse black pepper

1 cup Grated Cheddar cheese

1/4 cup Diced green onions — white Part only

Additional chopped bacon –

Grated cheese and Chopped parsley for Garnish

Fry bacon until crisp. Chop bacon and reserve drippings.

Cook onions in remaining drippings over medium-high heat until transparent, about 3 minutes. Add flour, stirring to prevent lumps.

Cook 3 – 5 minutes until mix just begins to run golden. Add chicken stock gradually, whisking to prevent lumps, until liquid thickens. Reduce heat to simmer and add potatoes, cream, chopped bacon, parsley, garlic, basil, salt, pepper sauce and black pepper. Simmer 10 minutes; DO NOT ALLOW TO BOIL. Add grated cheese and green onions.

Heat until cheese melts smoothly.

Garnish each serving as desired with chopped bacon, grated cheese and chopped parsley.

–Rock Your World Chicken Quesadillas–

4 flour tortillas

1 grilled chicken breast

barbecue sauce

crushed pineapple

bacon bits

colby-jack cheese

cooking oil spray

Take flour tortilla and sprinkle half of it with cheese and 1/4 of cooked chicken.

Add bacon bits and a little bit of crushed pineapple (no juice) if desired. Pour a little bit of BBQ sauce on top. Don’t be too generous with the sauce or it will seep out of the quesadilla.

Spray the pan with cooking spray. Fold the tortilla in half and place in pan. It only takes a few short minutes to brown one side and then flip over to brown the other side.

When done, cut into wedges and serve with added BBQ sauce if you like to dip.

–Hard Rock Cafe Orange Freeze–

2 cups orange sherbet

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/4 cup milk

1 sprig fresh mint (for garnish)

In a blender, place the sherbet, juice, and milk; blend for 15 seconds or just until the sherbet is smooth.

You may have to stop the blender and stir the mixture up a bit to help it combine.

Pour into a tall, chilled glass and place a sprig of fresh mint on top.

Serve immediately, either to drink or as a dessert.

Or try…

–Hard Rock Cafe BBQ Beans–

2 15-ounce cans pinto beans (with liquid)

2 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/2 cup ketchup

1/3 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons diced onion

1 teaspoon prepared mustard

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

1/2 cup shredded pork or chopped bacon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour entire contents of the can of pinto beans into a casserole dish (with a lid). Dissolve the cornstarch in a small bowl with the 2 tablespoons of water.

Add this solution to the beans and stir. Add the remaining ingredients to the dish, stir well and cover.

Bake for 90 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Stir every 30 minutes.

After removing the beans from the oven, let the beans cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

–Hard Rock Cafe Grilled Vegetable Sandwich–

6 Tbl Mayonnaise

1/2 ts Fresh Parsley — Chopped

Dried Oregano

Salt to taste

1 Red Bell Pepper

1 sm Zucchini

1 Yellow Summer Squash

1/4 Eggplant

1/4 c Olive Oil

2 Sourdough French Roll

1 TB Parmesan Cheese — Grated

8 Onion Ring Slices

4 slices Tomato

2 Pieces Red Leaf Lettuce

Preheat the barbecue or stovetop grill.

To prepare spread, put 3 tbsp of the mayo into a small bowl and add the parsley, oregano, and a pinch of salt. Set this and the remaining mayo aside until you’re ready to make the sandwich.

Prepare the bell pepper by cutting it into quarters and seeding it. Brush the entire surface with olive oil. Slice the zucchini, squash, and eggplant into lengthwise slices with oil as well.

Cook the red pepper on a hot grill for 2 or 3 mintues. At that point add the remaining vegetables to the grill and cook everything for 4 to 5 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender.

Be sure to salt the vegetables and turn them halfway through the cooking time. When the veggies are tender and begin to char, remove them from the grill and prepare each sandwich by first cutting the french rolls in half lengthwise through the middle. Spread the parsley-mayo mixture over the bottom of the rolls.

Arrange the zucchini onto the rolls. Stack the yellow squash and then the eggplant.

Peel the skin off the red peppers and then add to the sandwiches. Arrange the onions over the peppers. Divide the parmesan cheese and sprinkle it over the peppers. Arrange the onions and tomato slices next.

Add the lettuce and spread the mayo on the top of the rolls. Close sandwiches and cut in half. Pierce each half with a toothpick and serve.

Dig In and Enjoy!

A Graduate of the Holland College Culinary Course, Brian Alan Burhoe has cooked in Atlantic Coast restaurants for over 30 years. He is a member of the Canadian Culinary Federation. Brian’s articles reflect his interests in food service, dreamstudy, imaginative literature and our best friends — our dogs.

His Home Page is A CULINARY MYSTERY TOUR – A Literary Chef. His articles have been reprinted on numerous culinary websites and various Blogs, including the popular Romantic Relationship site WUVING.com.

Other Popular items on the Hard Rock Cafe Menu:

Hard Rock Cheeseburger or Bacon Cheeseburger : Served with Seasoned Fries.

Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken Sandwich: Topped with bacon, lettuce, tomato & Jack cheese. Served with Seasoned Fries & Coleslaw.

Hard Rock Cafe Veggie Burger: Served with a Side Salad.

Hickory Bar-B-Que Chicken: Served with Seasoned Fries, Coleslaw & Ranch Beans.

Entrée House Salad: Fresh mixed greens with shredded cheese, seasoned bacon bits, dried cranberries and in-house made garlic croutons. Served with choice of dressing.

HOME COOKING: Hard Rock Cafe Recipes You Can Cook At Home – Rock Your World Chicken Quesadillas – prepare a delicious meal to impress family, friends is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Spring is just around the bend and flowers are beginning to bloom. Birds are chirping their songs of merriment. No time of year evokes feelings of love and new beginnings quite like springtime, making it a favorite time of year for weddings.

When it comes to dressing your bridal party, many brides like to use the vibrant colors of nature as their guide. While this tactic will help wedding colors take shape, it will not always lead you to the best style. If you could use a little help, here are some beautiful flower girl dress styles for a spring wedding.

Floral Inspiration

Nothing makes us think of spring quite like the image of flowers. Why not make this young member of your bridal party the flower girl in more than one way? Not only can she sprinkle petals, but she can also feature beautiful blooms on her dress.

Consider a satin dress with a floral skirt for your flower girl. The colors of the season are alive on a sleeveless dress that will look at home on any girl. To add the perfect finishing touch, pair it with a simple pair of sandals and a matching headband. For weddings scheduled for earlier in the season, a white or ivory crochet sweater is perfect to fend off the chill.

Spring Colors

For the bride who wants to limit the flowers to her bouquet, a solid color dress is a great way to incorporate color without compromising taste. A tea-length ball gown in satin is a classic option. Wide spaghetti straps work well with the season and all of the hottest color trends are available.

A great accessory for this style of dress is a coordinating sash or bow, especially since the satin is unadorned with any embellishments. The addition of wrist length gloves will help add a bit of glamour. Finish the ensemble with matching sandals and your flower girl will be ready to walk down the aisle in style.

A Hint of Color

Many brides enjoy the beauty of the classic white dress, but still want a hint of the color from their bridesmaid dresses. For the older flower girl, a satin dress with spaghetti straps and a lace-up back may be exactly the look for which the bride has been searching. With wide bands of color at the top and hemline of this floor length A-line gown, it is the perfect compromise between tradition and color.

A floral hair wreath will help remind everyone who the flower girl is, even when she is no longer carrying her basket of flowers. A slight heel for the girl comfortable with the extra height keeps this dress from dragging the ground, potentially as a trip hazard. For the bride not wearing white herself, ivory is also available.

Simple Elegance

If your wedding is a more formal affair where you will be walking down the aisle in true queen for the day fashion, why not let your flower girl dress like a princess? Choose a champagne satin dress with delicate spaghetti straps. The pick-up skirt will keep the hem of this floor length gown off the floor and the intricate embroidery on the bodice will make this dress an elegant choice.

A hazelnut sash gives the eye a perfect place to rest as it attempts to take in all the detail of this gorgeous gown. Top off the look with a tasteful tiara, jeweled sandals and elbow length gloves. Your flower girl will look as though she just stepped off the pages of a fairy tale in time for your wedding.

Classic Beauty

Few dresses can ever hope to rival the traditional beauty of the white flower girl dress. If timeless class is the look you crave for your wedding then a gown with a split front A-line embroidered skirt is the perfect option. Beaded embroidery on a sleeveless satin bodice ensures sophistication from neckline to floor length hem. In addition, the netting that provides the slight flair of the skirt is made from nylon, making it an itch-free alternative.

Spring Style

While there are as many different styles of flower girl dress as there are bridal gowns, a few style choices are a perfect match for spring weddings. Bare shoulders are in fashion so leave the puffy sleeves in the dress shop. Open toe shoes to show off polished toenails are a must. Of course, do not forget about color because every color is back on the table as nature blooms back into life.

Flower Girl Dress Styles for a Spring Wedding is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Learning the Basics in Cooking Plain Couscous

The easiest way of cooking couscous is by preparing and  serving it to public very plainly. When cooking plain  couscous, it is valuable to arrange a tasty and pleasant  sauce with the intention of will be diverse with the wheat, since the sauce  will be the single source of feeling in this dish. Combine  couscous and sauce in a pan and boil pro several minutes.  The excitement should be turned-off as the mixture reaches boiling  top to dodge couscous from apt ended cooked. Before  let the mixture stomach pro a further five minutes, it is  valuable to cover the pan to prevent the wheat from being  impure. Serve the dish at once.

Knowing the Steps pro Cooking Couscous with jade Oil

Another unadorned way provide a cover pro the pan.
Let the dish stomach in the pan pro by generally ten minutes.  Transfer the dish in a further bowl and supply at once.

Important Tips in Cooking Couscous

For those who be inflicted with appeal in cooking couscous, here  are approximately valuable tips with the intention of they must consider. Instead  of boiling the wheat in plain fill up, they can aid juices,  chicken have a supply of, and beef have a supply of as alternatives. Additionally,  to persons who like to arrange couscous with olive smear with oil, they  can permanently add languish nuts to enhance the feeling of the dish.  Furthermore, the aid of approximately herbs such as thyme, herb,  oregano, marjoram, and thyme is encouraged to increase the  taste of the wheat. Finally, as it comes to preserving  surplus couscous, they must permanently place it inside a  container and deposit in a refrigerator to save its clearness.

Cooking couscous is very straightforward and unadorned. Inside addition, it is  not calculate consuming, which earnings with the intention of all can arrange  couscous dishes. By following the procedures in cooking  these two recipes, public can add extra feeling and taste to  the traditional way of preparing this special kind of wheat.

Straight forward to get on to Cooking Couscous lovelyly is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

The vegetables make a great base for this sauce.  I have found that the sugar and milk balance out the tartness of all the tomato ingredients.  You may choose to add more or less of each.  It will take some experimenting to find your taste.  This is perfect for my family.

We also put meat in the sauce for a meat sauce twist and allow it to simmer for another 15 minutes or so.

1 Medium Onion, chopped fine
1 Stalk Celery, chopped fine
2 Carrots, chopped fine
2 Cloves Garlic, chopped fine or put through a garlic press
1 28 oz. Can Crushed Tomatoes
1 16 oz. Can Tomato Sauce
1 6 oz. Can Tomato Paste
3/4 C. Red Wine
1 t. Basil
1/2 t. Oregano
1/2 t. Crushed Fennel Seed
1 t. sugar
2 T. Milk
1 t. Sea Salt
1/2 t. crushed Black Pepper

In a heavy pot, or dutch oven, heat about 2 T. olive oil. Add the onion, celery, carrots and garlic. Saute over medium heat, stirring until the vegetables are soft, being careful not to burn the garlic.

Add the wine and allow to simmer until reduced until liquid is gone.  

Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste, stirring to blend.  

Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Mix in about 2 cups of water.  

Let simmer for 1 to 2 hours until flavors blend and sauce thickens.

Pour over cooked pasta and serve with Parmesan Cheese.  

You can also add cooked ground beef the last 15 minutes of simmering for a meat sauce.

If you do not use the entire recipe, it freezes well. I usually freeze it in single meal portions in zipper bags.

Best Marinara Sauce is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Incoming search terms for the article:

• freeze marinara recipe

Planning a wedding is a stressful, but exciting time. The decisions and errands are many, but the payoff is great. And while it is easy to feel overwhelmed by all of the details, some wedding planning errands can even be fun, such as cake tastings, visiting the floral shop, picking out wedding favors and even dress shopping can be enjoyable, creative outlets with the right attitude and approach. All of these loose ends, however, need to be tied together. Proper planning and coordination is essential to achieving a wedding which looks fantastic from the invitations to the flower girl dresses.

Of course, that is not to say that planning and coordinating are not daunting tasks. For example, choosing just the right color and style of dress for everyone else in the wedding party can become more time-consuming than making a final decision on the bridal gown.

Each member of the bridal party has individual tastes and styles to consider. Even after the hurdle of bridesmaid dresses is cleared, the youngest members of the bridal party still need to be dressed. But there is no need to stress over that detail, because coordinating flower girl dresses can be a breeze with a few handy tips.

Flower Girl Dresses and Wedding Themes

Color, style and theme are essential when it comes to picking the perfect flower girl dresses. Take some time to carefully consider your themes and motifs before heading to the bridal shop or dress store. Will my wedding be formal or casual? Is there a common style I want for all the dresses? Do I want to use a specific color palette for my wedding party dresses? These are all critical questions to answer before final dress selections. Next, decide whether the flower girl dresses should coordinate with the bridal gown, bridesmaid dresses or another flower girl dress.

Coordinating Flower Girl Dresses with the Bridal Gown

By far, the most popular option is for the flower girl dress to mimic the color and style of the bridal gown. Granted, not every bridal gown style lends itself to a miniature copy.  The strapless gown, for example, is generally not an appropriate look for young girls.  Take extra care to keep the flower girl dresses you choose age appropriate.

If you have always dreamed of coordinating the flower girl dress to the bridal gown, you are in luck, the options are boundless. For the bride going strapless with a traditional flowing skirt, a white flower girl dress with spaghetti straps is a good alternative. Choose a satin A-line dress with beadwork and a tulle overlay floating over the split front skirt to ensure that the little one is ready to do her job in style. A small veil can also be a beautiful addition for this look.

Coordinating Flower Girl Dresses with Bridesmaid Dresses

Many brides choose to have the members of the bridal party, including the flower girls, wear coordinating dresses, thus making their grand entrance even more dramatic. However, this does not mean that flower girls and bridesmaids need to wear the exact same dresses.  In fact, the flower girl may even wear the color of the bridal gown in the style of the bridesmaids’ dresses. Again, little girls need tasteful and age-appropriate versions of these dresses.

A simple flower girl style for weddings of any season starts with the A-line skirt made popular by bridesmaid dresses. In a white dress with spaghetti straps and a delicate sweetheart neckline, your flower girl will look adorable and elegant walking down the aisle. To tie in the other colors, you can add a sash or find a dress with apple-hue lace and beadwork bodice.

Coordinating Multiple Flower Girl Dresses

A less common, but still tasteful, option is coordinating multiple flower girl dresses.  Decide first whether they will wear the same shades as the bridesmaids, or if the colors will be pulled right out of the bridal bouquet. Going with the latter can add beautiful colors to your wedding photos.

Satin tea-length ball gowns are a great style for this particular look. Choosing wide spaghetti straps ensure an age appropriate look without sacrificing elegance. For picture perfect results, try mixing and matching colors. For example, choose a clover dress with candy pink sash for one flower girl, and a candy pink dress with clover sash for the other.  Or, try this with varying shades of the colors that make up the wedding’s overall scheme. Either way, coordinating flower girl dresses is a snap.

Whether you are modeling flower girl dresses after the bridal gown, bridesmaid gowns or simply coordinating multiple flower girl dresses, it is important to keep the dresses age appropriate and consider your overall wedding theme.

Coordinating Flower Girl Dresses is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

For those who want to try out other thins on the side, pasta delights are also very tempting. Be it Chicken Alfredo or Lasagna, Spaghetti Dinner or the New Colossal Bite dinner, you can take a pick that is close to your heart. What is more, if there is someone in your group who wants to chew on something lighter, here are a variety of salads, sandwiches and wraps to choose from, which prove to be not only filling but also add to a healthy diet. Chicken Club Wrap, Ham and Cheese Wrap, Garden Wrap and Italian Wrap are some of the more popular ones.

Desserts at Warsaw, Kentucky’s Hometown not only add to the high point of the dining experience, it also adds oodles to one’s sense of gratification. The double Chocolate Caramel Cake topped with an extra creamy chocolate icing and caramel simply melts in the mouth, leaving a warm sense of lingering magic in your senses for a long time.

In the business of making the most delicious pizzas, Hometown was set up by Mike and Mary Jane Foster in LaGrange County in 1982. The joint sees success in the form of guests returning to continuously repeat the experience.

Pizza Restaurants in Warsaw, Kentucky is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Are you planning to organize a Halloween costume party this year and you do not know what food to prepare? Why not make your party more fun by preparing fun Halloween recipes. Aside from the interesting costumes worn by your guests and the spooky Halloween decorations that you have prepared, your party will be doubly fun if you also prepared Halloween-themed foods. Here are some fun Halloween recipes that you should include in your party’s menu.

You can prepare the very traditional spaghetti with meatballs for your Halloween party. You might wonder if it is appropriate for Halloween. Yes, of course, if you add a little twist to it. Why not make the spaghetti meatballs look like eyeballs? It is very easy. Cook the spaghetti and meatballs the way you always cook them. Once the meatballs have been cooked and moulded into balls, you can add a small portion of cheese at the center of the meatball to make it look like an eyeball. Simple yet very Halloween-ish. You can also bake a pumpkin pie that looks like a spider web. Get a recipe for making pumpkin pies. Bake the pumpkin crust. Once the crust is baked and cooled, spread cream over the surface of the pie. This will be the background of the web. To create the web, you can sue a mixture of chocolate and butter heated inside the microwave. Draw a spiral from the center of the crust to the edges. Using a toothpick, draw lines from the center to the edge of the crust for it to resemble a spider web.

Fun Halloween Recipes for a Great Halloween Party is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Per ottenere cominciati, potete godere alcuni di parecchi antipasti come l’insalata di Panzanella, insalata di Rotini con il formaggio di Feta ed olive nere, insalata italiana della patata con i pomodori seccati al sole, Pecorino e basilico Crostini, razzo (Arugula) o cereale Panzerotti del bambino e pomodoro Bruschetta.

Muovendosi su voi può aggiungere uno di molti piatti dalla pasta al vostro regime di cottura vegetariano. Alcuni di questi piatti sono favoriti anziani ed alcuni sono brandnew. Questi includono Eliche Arrabbiata, Linguine con spinaci Pesto, Rigatoni con Gorgonzola, Fusilli con il pomodoro seccato al sole Pesto, zucchino, spinaci e fungo selvaggio Lasagne, cannellone con il formaggio di Ricotta in salsa del vino rosso, Manicotti con i carciofi in salsa di pomodori verde, Capellini in pomodoro e salsa del basilico, Conchiglie Genovese con coriandolo Pesto, vermicelli piccanti con i funghi dell’ostrica, i maccheroni con formaggio, Fettuccine in salsa bianco panna, Tagliatelle con la salsa di pomodori, Penne Pesto, spaghetti con l’olio di oliva e l’aglio, Farfelle Marinara e pasta Primavera. Ci sono inoltre parecchi piatti da gnocchi che potete godere. Sono Gnocchetti in salsa di Pomodoro, fungo della patata ed erba cipollina Gnocchi, spinaci e formaggio Gnocchi di Ricotta e zucca e semolino Gnocchi.

Il qualcos’altro che potete godere è risottos. Se non li avete provati, qui sono alcune scelte che forniranno un’introduzione piacevole. Alcuni di questi piatti includono Risotto Alla Pomodoro, Risotto Alla Milanese, Risotto con i funghi del Porcini ed il riso sbramato cotto con le verdure arrostite. Potete anche anche godere provare le salse differenti che sono disponibili. Questi includono la salsa del burro della mandorla, la salsa dell’aglio del basilico e la salsa di fungo di Herbed.

L’uso delle verdure nella cottura italiana è molto piacevole. Alcuno del più suculant è melanzana Parmigiana, mais dello Zucchini e gratin dell’Au del pomodoro e verdure e fagioli Alla Veneziana.

Un altro senso godere le vostre verdure è su una pizza vegetariana. Potete cominciare con una base fresca della pizza della pasta. A questo, aggiungere uno di questi guarnizioni quali la pizza vegetariana Gourmet della crosta sottile, pizza profonda Margherita della vaschetta, formaggio e fungo Calzone, o formaggio Stromboli di Feta e degli spinaci.

Per rifinire fuori del vostro pasto, potete aggiungere un dessert vegetariano. Alcuni di questi sono Risotto e saettano in alto la torta, verdura e riso Timbale, pepe rosso e Spaghettini Flan, Tiramisu, vaniglia Panna Cotta del limone con vino e salsa fresca della ciliegia e torta di formaggio della fragola.

Se siete nuovi al vegetariano che dinning o state godendo questo tipo di alimento per un certo tempo, potete aumentare la vostra esperienza aggiungendo i piatti vegetariani italiani al vostro cuisine.

Piatti Che Vegetariani Italiani Potete Godere is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Incoming search terms for the article:

• sansevieria spaghetti
• pasta carbonara verdure
• sanseveria spagetti
• spaghetti carbonare

The fun part about Halloween parties is not just wearing unique and interesting Halloween costumes. It is very fun and exciting to eat or prepare Halloween party recipes. You have to be creative when preparing foods for your Halloween party if you want to make your food appropriate for your party’s theme. Here are some tips for preparing Halloween party recipes.

You can use traditional or common recipes. Just tweak it a bit to make it suitable for your party. For instance, you can prepare spaghetti with meatballs. Just make the meatballs look like human eyeballs. Your guests will surely feel as if human eyes are staring at them whenever they get a serving of your spaghetti with eyeballs. Prepare foods that resemble body parts of humans like fingers, ears, heart, eyeballs, bones, skulls, nose, tongue, and so on. You have to use your creative juices to be able to come up with such recipes. Or you can search for them in the internet, which is easier and more convenient. Create spooky or gross names for your recipes. For example, you can serve ‘spaghetti with eyeballs’, ‘fried bat wings’, ‘finger foods’ (make it literal and serve finger foods that look like fingers), and so on. For your beverages, you can choose drinks that look like blood, goo, or mud. You can choose drinks that are blood red, slimy green, or murky brown in color.

These tips for preparing Halloween recipes for your party will surely make your party the talk of the town. Have fun cooking spooky meals!

Tips for Preparing Halloween Party Recipes is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

A diet gives you after the pyramid therefore the best conditions for an optimal nutritional status and long-term health and performance maintenance.

The good news: They will have to sacrifice anything. For signals the great diversity of food, that food shall be so diversified as possible. There are no Verbotel. Only the medium to long term supplied amounts decide on a healthy or unhealthy diet.

The consumption of healthier alternatives makes a substantial contribution to maintaining your health and increase your physical and mental performance. In addition, these fat-and low-sugar variants a valuable and indispensable aid to a reduction and long-term stabilization of your body weight.

My recommendation: Replace the food step by step in order to gradually get used to the new taste. You never should it suffer the feeling of having to give up something and losing quality of life. The opposite is the case. Good luck with testing!

rather … instead …

Drinks
Fruit-juice = fruit juices (100% fruit) with water or mineral water mix Soft drinks, cola, fruit juice drinks Iced tea produce itself (tea, fruit juice, water), unsweetened tea Iced tea Diet beer e.g. of Köstritzer Beer

Cereals & Potatoes
Whole wheat bread, whole wheat bread White bread, white bread Yeast-risen pastry Croissants Rolled oats, unsweetened cereal or homemade mixtures, dried fruit Sweetened corn flakes, breakfast cereals Potatoes, baked potatoes Pommes frites, croquettes Brown rice / brown rice White rice (polished rice) Whole grain pasta Noodles Vegetarian Pizza (with wholemeal) Salami-/Schinkenpizza

Fruits & Vegetables
fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables Canned fruits and vegetables

Dairy products
skimmed milk (1.5% fat), skim milk Whole milk (3.5% fat) low-fat yogurt Yogurt cream Natural yogurt with fresh fruit pieces or dried fruit Fruit yogurt Quark Cream cheese Cheese to 17%, cottage cheese Full fat (45-60%)

Meat & Sausage
Ham without fat edge, turkey, chicken without skin, corned beef, smoked meat Salami, ham, mortadella lean fat meat

Fish
unpanierter fish Canned fish in oil or sauce, fish fingers

Fat, beef fat
Halbfettvarianten, oils Butter, margarine Canola oil, olive oil Sunflower oil Mustard, mayonnaise, light, yogurt sauce Mayonnaise Sour cream (sour cream) Whipping cream Coffee cream Crème fraîche

Sweet
dark chocolate, dried fruit, popcorn, rice cakes Milk chocolate Water ice, sherbet, sorbet Ice cream Biscuits, crispbread Cookies Whole cakes, fruit cake Cake, cream cake Pretzel sticks, pretzel Potato chips, chips, salted peanuts

Sauces
Tomato paste, tomato sauce, fresh tomatoes Ketchup

What is the food pyramid? is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Incoming search terms for the article:

• how to replace the cream in spaghetti carbonara
• tomato paste in food pyramid

Whether you live in the three states of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia in the United States or you happen to visit these states officially or on vacation, there is one thing that you should never miss. That is the visit to the Brother\’s Pizza Martinsburg WV located in Greencastle, Pennsylvania, Martinsburg, West Virginia, and Maugansville, Maryland. The menu in these three restaurants is simply superb and the eating experience unforgettable once you taste their various dishes. The major specialties are the Pizzas, Pasta and Panini, apart from the traditional burgers and things, local specialties, wraps, starters and salads, separate kid’s menu, and several types of drinks.

The specialties of Brother’s Pizza are the Original Taco, Soft Taco, Bean Burrito, Bean Beef Burrito, and Special Burrito, all of them made of flour tortilla, with different ingredients for unique tastes and flavors. Other specialties are Gerardo’s Special, Gerardo’s Special with chicken, and Taco Salad. The tortilla items should be tasted to believe the special care taken by Brother’s Pizza in preparing them.

The wraps provided by Brother\’s Pizza Martinsburg WV are Tuna Salad Wrap, Chicken Caesar Wrap, Special Fajita, Special Fajita with Grilled Chicken or Grilled Steak, Shrimp, or choice of any two with the Special Fajita, Nachos Grande, Mexican Pizza, Quesadilla, Quesadilla with Cheese, Chicken or Steak, Turkey Wrap, and Texas Wrap.

Panini items include Italian Panini, Turkey Club Panini, Chicken Panini and Philly Panini. The famous original Italian Pasta items are Fettuccini Alfredo, Chicken Alfredo, Fettuccini Primavera, Shrimp Fettuccini, Spaghetti a la Marinara, Spaghetti Italiano, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Chicken, Veal and Eggplant Parmigiana items, Shrimp fra Diavolo, and Penne al Salmone.

The regular Pizzas are catered to in 3 sizes, 12”, 14”, and 16”. Plain Cheese pizzas or pizzas with 1, 2, or 3 toppings are available. Sicilian Pizza is also served. The toppings include anchovies, bacon, extra cheese, feta cheese, onions, spinach, pepperoni, banana peppers, sweet peppers, tomatoes, ham, black olives, roasted green, pineapple, broccoli, Canadian bacon, and mushrooms.

The hot and cold subs, the burgers and things, the kid’s specials, the starters and salads, and the soft drinks list are too long to be mentioned here. You just have to visit one of the three locations of Brother\’s Pizza Martinsburg WV to understand and enjoy the sheer variety and unbelievable taste offered by them at lowest possible prices.

Brother’s Pizza Martinsburg WV is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Nannie was a God fearing woman who attended church, well, religiously. And as the ever mindful church-goer, Nannie believed it was her duty to bake pumpkin pie for the church bake sale. At least I think it was pumpkin pie; I didn’t taste it since my Mom forbade me to ever eat something Nannie had cooked unless Mom tasted it first: “And if I keel over, don’t eat it!” Nannie’s pies were the only pastries that ended up under the bake sale table. On this one and only subject the congregation unanimously agreed: if Myrtle brought a pie to any potluck/bake sale/fund-raiser, quickly stick it under and away from everything edible. Or send it to the Catholic Church across the street.

She had good intentions, as the enchilada casserole for the church picnic story will attest. As she was backing out of her Dodge Rambler with her hot and steaming dish, every church member would whisper ahead, just like in the game Telephone, warning the next one to “beware of the enchilada casserole.” Nannie proudly placed the suspect dish on the buffet table with all the other macaroni-pork and beans-stroganoffs-and-fried chickens, and saw her good friend, Mrs. Carmecito, one of the kindest ladies in the church. Upon the execution of what would church lore would tag as The Carmecito Signal, The Nannie Squad would descend upon the blue and white Corningware dish and whisk it under the table where it could do no harm. One time Einstein, who was Mrs. Carmecito’s little terrier dog, sniffed out the dish under the table, and proceeded to down half the entrée. Poor little Einstein was soon seen scooting his bottom across the ground and howling through the duration of the picnic. Witnesses swear they saw flames shooting out of poor little Einstein’s derriere. The enchiladas that burned his bottom on the way out were a warning: Woe betides the victims of Myrtle’s casserole.

One time she actually made pyracantha jam. I really don’t even know what a pyracantha is, but my mom insists to this day that they are poisonous berries. Nannie brought a couple of jars over to our house and Mom called Dad to say that his mother was trying to kill us with pyracantha jam. Dad told her to not be silly; that he had eaten Nannie’s cooking all his life and he was still alive. Mom just muttered, “That explains it.”

Back to the disciplinary loaf: Someone in the town finally named it that because no one knew what else to call it. When Nannie would make dinner for her boys, she would save all the leftovers. At the end of the week, she would take her trusty meat grinder and grind up whatever leftovers she had. Salmon, apple cobbler, leftover tuna sandwiches, spaghetti, you name it; she put it in the meat grinder. It would emerge like a grey piece of matter that she would form it into blocks. This spread is what she would serve her guests and children for lunch, neatly sandwiched between two slices of bread. (Everyone knew not to go to Myrtle’s for lunch.) Nannie could never understand why she had no visitors around the noon hour. Even the Fuller Brush Men would take the long way around between noon and two. She would invite them over sure enough, but everyone would bow out. And I really don’t know how my Dad survived childhood as he reportedly took a DL sandwich for lunch everyday of his young life. He was a brave man. He once told me that when he arrived at school each day, his teacher, Miss Broad, changed his sandwich out for one she had made. They never told Nannie, as they didn’t want to hurt her feelings, but I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Miss Broad for saving my dad’s life.

But the loaf in and of itself was not the reason for the legend that is still to this day recounted from Bakersfield to Sacramento. Nannie’s infamous loaf was responsible for saving Mr. Linden’s life.

Nannie had caught wind that Mr. Linden was feeling a bit under the weather, so she showed up on his doorstep with a block of the grey matter and told him it was good for what ailed him. Tales of The Loaf had preceded Nannie, however, and after he had profusely thanked her for her thoughtfulness, he set the loaf on the kitchen counter for later disposal. Mr. Linden, heading for bed later that evening, decided he was in need of a snack. The loaf was still sitting on the table; he had forgotten to throw it away. At that moment he heard a noise in the far corner of the kitchen. A flip of the light switch revealed it was a big old bear, standing right there, two yards away from him. The back door was open but he was between the door and the bear. Just then the black bear reared up on its hind legs and began to growl. Mr. Linden thought he was a goner. Eagerly searching for a weapon, the closest thing within reach was Nannie’s disciplinary loaf, which he grabbed and threw as hard as he could. He heard a loud thud as the loaf hit the bear’s head, knocking the unsuspecting ursine unconscious. Mr. Linden made his escape and jetted to the nearest neighbor to call the animal control.

Nannie’s disciplinary loaf made the paper. The whole town woke to the headline: Bear’s Late Night Visit No Loafing Matter. Nannie never made disciplinary loaf again.

Disciplinary Loaf is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Pizza Hut was the first international brand to cross the threshold in the food retail segment in India. When the first Pizza Hut restaurant Bangalore was opened, the fast food service industry was at a budding phase and the pizza category was subjugated by a solitary regional player which had a marginal existence.

Pizza Hut’s unvarying attempt to offer additional importance – whether it is the pizzas which are offered to go with every price range, fresh promotions or the beginning of modern product ranges has allowed it to expand its existence in India to the current 70 fast food restaurants across 18 cities. Pizza Hut plans to level up its occurrence with 100 more restaurants. While strengthening its charisma in the metropolitan cities e.g. pizza hut restaurant Mumbai, Bangalore etc. they have also expanded in the various NCR e.g. pizza hut restaurant gurgaon, noida etc.

In India, eating out is alleged as a type of leisure, that’s why Pizza Hut servers and provide their customers great food, they also sing and dance for them. The jig n jeeto contest was organized in pizza hut restaurants Delhi for the first time and it received an extraordinary response.

A serious reason in its achievement has been its bill of fare that has frequently changed and extended to accommodate to the varying desires and particular likings of customers in different parts of the world. In having understood the pulse of the customers in India, Pizza Hut Italian restaurant has undoubtedly customized itself as a brand name with an Indian sensitivity. In addition to presenting an extensive array of vegetarian pizzas, pastas, appetizers, desserts etc., it was the first pizza chain to open a 100% vegetarian dinner restaurants in India.

A significant aspect in its victory has been its exclusive dining experience. Crewmembers at Pizza Hut make every effort each day to endow with ‘customer mania’ – the kind of service that makes certain that every visit of the customer is an unforgettable one.

Internationally and in India, Pizza Hut has come to become tantamount with the ‘best pizzas under one roof’. It is dedicated in providing uncompromising product value, presenting customers the utmost assessment for money and giving service that is affectionate, pleasant and special.

Pizza Hut Dining Restaurant ? A Welcoming Indulgence is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Harvesting butternut squash in the fall is one of most satisfying experiences in the garden. You’ve waited all summer long for the skin’s color to change from pale green to creamy beige. You’ve watched as the leaves start to turn brown and whither away. You’ve sat by patiently as the sun cures the rind to a golden perfection. Then you take them home and find that you have a heck of a lot of butternut squash, and no idea what to do with it.

Even if you aren’t growing butternut squash, you have no doubt seen it at your local store or farmers market. If you have been wondering about how to use it, here are a few basic ideas of how to prepare butternut (and other winter) squash:

Roasted Butternut

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Oil a rimmed baking sheet

Cut 1 squash into cubes (removing seeds and skin)

Toss the squash cubes with a couple tablespoons olive oil

Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste

Roast in the oven 20 minutes

Stir the cubes and roast another 20 minutes until caramelized

Baked Butternut

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Cut 2 squashes in half lengthwise and remove seeds

Place halves cut-side up on a foil-lined baking sheet

Dab with butter (about 4 Tbsp.)

Sprinkle with salt

Bake until soft, about 50 minutes

Butternut Soup

Slice 2 small onions

Slice 4 cloves of garlic

Chop and peel 3 cups butternut squash

Cook the onion and garlic in 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat until soft

Add the squash and 3 cups of water and 2 cups of apple cider (or 5 cups vegetable stock total liquid)

Bring to a boil and simmer 30 minutes, until squash is tender

Season with salt and pepper

Puree with an immersion blender until smooth

Buon Appetito!

What to Do With All That Butternut Squash is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Working Capital

What Is Working Capital?

A measure of both a Project’s efficiency and its short-term financial health.

“Knowledge of men is the prime secret of business working capital.”

The working capital ratio is calculated as:

Working Capital= Current Assets- Current Liabilities

POME shall take a step-by-step tour of the Balance Sheet. You will learn how the operating Project Manager affects these accounts and how the financial information reflected in these accounts affects the operating Project Manager. This particular POME Chapter concentrates on short-term assets, those that make up the working capital assets. These short-term assets are often the most critical assets of a business, requiring a high degree of management attention and careful understanding to assure that these resources are properly utilized. POME talks about proper management as well as the consequences of improper management of these important financial resources.

The management of short-term assets, also known as working capital assets, is a very, very important management function. As we will see, mismanagement of these assets, particularly inventories and accounts receivable, can consume resources that would otherwise be used to support and strengthen the business. It is important to recognize that management of these assets is a comprehensive function. One cannot focus on only one of these asset categories at a time.

We will also see that there is a direct relationship between the management of short-term assets and the management of short-term liabilities. As we noted earlier, financial transactions that affect one part of the Balance Sheet ultimately affect another part, because the Balance Sheet always balances. Understanding the other side of the Balance Sheet effect helps us understand the impact of management actions

POME concentrates on cash, accounts receivable, and inventories. The other current assets are generally relatively small and have little impact on the operations or the financial strength of the business. In those companies where these assets are important or significant, the Project Manager whose function required the expenditure often holds specific responsibility for the prepaid expense or deposit.

POME Case Study:

Attention and Improvement

“It’s been a while since we’ve gotten together. I thought we could revisit some of the initiatives you put in place already. Pat, has the customer service group continued to follow the ACP (Average Collection Period, also known as Days’ Sales Outstanding) ratio?”

“We have, Koppala. And Accounts Receivable began some initiatives of their own. Mary said that by collecting sooner, we’ve got cash coming in faster and we’ve been able to invest it in more raw materials for our fastest growing lines. This means we’ve had enough stock on hand to fill orders promptly—and my group is noticing a difference in the phone calls we’re getting. Almost no complaints about late deliveries. That’s helped the morale in customer service—as has knowing that our ideas for improving the ACP had a measurable effect on another department and overall performance.”

Positive working capital means that the Project is able to pay off its short-term liabilities. Negative working capital means that a Project currently is unable to meet its short-term liabilities with its current assets (cash, accounts receivable and inventory).
Also known as “net working capital”.

If a Project’s current assets do not exceed its current liabilities, then it may run into trouble paying back creditors in the short term. The worst-case scenario is bankruptcy. A declining working capital ratio over a longer time period could also be a red flag that warrants further analysis. For example, it could be that the company’s sales volumes are decreasing and, as a result, its accounts receivables number continues to get smaller and smaller.

Working capital also gives investors an idea of the Project’s underlying operational efficiency. Money that is tied up in inventory or money that customers still owe to the Project cannot be used to pay off any of the company’s obligations. So, if a Project is not operating in the most efficient manner (slow collection), it will show up as an increase in the working capital. This can be seen by comparing the working capital from one period to another; slow collection may signal an underlying problem in the Project’s operations.

Everyone knows what cash is. We also know, from our personal experience, what it is used for. Here we are less concerned with its uses than with the consequences of the choice of use we select. Cash is the most liquid asset, immediately available for use. As such it carries the least risk to its owner. However, if cash is not managed properly, several measurements used to assess the business may be adversely affected.

we looked at several ratios and other measurements that analysts use to evaluate the business and its management. Large cash balances affect these measurements and lead to conclusions about the Projects. For example, if cash balances are high, the current ratio may be high, suggesting that the Projects has not used its cash to generate income for the Projects and return for the shareholders. If the cash balance is high and the current ratio is not, then it may be that the Projects has more interest-bearing debt than it should, reducing the income of the Projects and penalizing the return that the shareholders receive.

If we have a large cash balance, we must consider the alternative uses for cash that management has chosen not to employ. Suppose management decides to hold cash instead of paying down a note payable. Management may have recognized that if the Projects had paid the balance, it might not have been able to borrow that same amount at a later date. Therefore, management may have made the choice to retain the cash and incur the interest expense in order to retain the flexibility that the cash provides for a future time. As we study the financial statements, we may see this as an indication that management must renegotiate the arrangement with the lender to permit a revolving loan rather than a term loan. And if we have extended credit to this Projects in the past, we may want to take a hard look at the situation before we extend any more.

Another possibility is that the retention of cash in a liquid form, generally in a checking account, provides management with a sense of security. After all, having cash makes a Project Manager comfortable that, whatever may occur, there is a resource to take care of it. This is a very conservative approach. However, the very existence of that cash, if substantial, may make the Projects attractive for a takeover. An aggressive Project Manager may recognize that same cash as an underutilized resource, capable of earning a significant return and may attempt to gain control of the Projects in order to take advantage of that resource. This belies the security that the earlier Project Manager felt.

Hence, Working Capital refers to the cash a Project requires for day-to-day operations, or, more specifically, for financing the conversion of raw materials into finished goods, which the company sells for payment. Among the most important items of working capital are levels of inventory, accounts receivable, and accounts payable. Analysts look at these items for signs of a Project’s efficiency and financial strength.

Take a simplistic case: a spaghetti sauce company uses 0 to build up its inventory of tomatoes, onions, garlic, spices, etc. A week later, the company assembles the ingredients into sauce and ships it out. A week after the checks arrives from customers. That 0, which has been tied up for two weeks, is the company’s working capital. The quicker the company sells the spaghetti sauce, the quicker the company can go out and buy new ingredients, which will be made into more sauce sold at a profit. If the ingredients sit in inventory for a month, company cash stays tied-up and can’t be used to grow the spaghetti business. Even worse, the company can be left strapped for cash when it needs to pay its bills and make investments. Working capital also gets trapped when customers do not pay their invoices on time or suppliers get paid too quickly or not fast enough.

The better a Project manages its working capital, the less the Project needs to borrow. Even companies with cash surpluses need to manage working capital to ensure that those surpluses are invested in ways that will generate suitable returns for investors.

DOI

Days of inventory

DSO

Days sales outstanding

DPO

Days payable outstanding

DWC

Days of working capital

DOC

Days of cash

Fig:Operations and Cash Cycles

Not All Companies Are the Same
Some companies are inherently better placed than others. Insurance companies, for instance, receive premium payments up front before having to make any payments; however, insurance companies do have unpredictable outgoings as claims come in.

Normally a big retailer like BIG BAZAAR, India has little to worry about when it comes to accounts receivable: customers pay for goods on the spot. Inventories represent the biggest problem for retailers, who must perform rigorous inventory forecasting or they risk being out of Projects in a short time.

Timing and lumpiness of payments can pose serious troubles. Manufacturing companies, for example, incur substantial up-front costs for materials and labor before receiving payment. Much of the time they eat more cash than they generate.

Evaluating Companies
Investors should favor companies that place emphasis on supply-chain management to ensure that trade terms are optimized. Days-sales outstanding, or DSO for short, is a good indication of working capital management practices. DSO provides a rough guide to the number of days that a Project takes to collect payment after making a sale. Here is the simple formula:

Receivables/ annual sales/365 days

Rising DSO is sign of trouble since it shows that a Project is taking longer to collect its payments. It suggests that the Project is not going to have enough cash to fund short-term obligations because the cash cycle is lengthening. A spike in DSO is even more worrisome, especially for companies that are already low on cash.

The inventory turnover ratio offers another good instrument for assessing the effectiveness of WCM. The inventory ratio shows how fast/often companies are able to get their goods completely off the shelves. The inventory ratio looks like this:

Cost of goods sold (COGS)/Inventory

Broadly speaking, a high inventory turnover ratio is good for business. Products that sit on the shelf are not making money. Granted, an increase in the ratio can be a positive sign, indicating that management, expecting sales to increase, is building up inventory ahead of time.

For investors, a company’s inventory turnover ratio is best seen in light of its competitors. In a given sector where, say, it is normal for a company to completely sell out and re-stock six times a year, a company that achieves a turnover ratio of four is an underperformer.

Computer giant and stock market champion, Dell, recognized early that a good way to bolster shareholder value was to notch up working capital management. The company’s world-class supply-chain management system ensures that DSO stays low. Improvements in inventory turnover increased cash flow, all but eliminating liquidity risk, leaving Dell with more cash on the balance sheet to distribute to shareholders or fund growth plans.

GE’s exceptional WCM certainly exceeds those of the top executives who do not worry enough about the nitty-gritty of working capital management. Some CEOs frequently see borrowing and raising equity as the only way to boost cash flow. Other times, when faced with a cash crunch, instead of setting straight inventory turnover levels and reducing DSO, these management teams pursue rampant cost cutting and restructuring that may later aggravate problems.

Cash is king, especially at a time when fund raising is harder than ever. Letting it slip away is an oversight that investors should not forgive us.

The diagram below illustrates the working capital cycle for a manufacturing operations

The upper portion of the diagram above shows in a simplified form the chain of events in a manufacturing firm. Each of the boxes in the upper part of the diagram can be seen as a tank through which funds flow. These tanks, which are concerned with day-to-day activities, have funds constantly flowing into and out of them.

• The chain starts with the firm buying raw materials on credit.

• In due course this stock will be used in production, work will be carried out on the stock, and it will become part of the firm’s work in progress (WIP)

• Work will continue on the WIP until it eventually emerges as the finished product

• As production progresses, labour costs and overheads will need to be met

• Of course at some stage trade creditors will need to be paid

• When the finished goods are sold on credit, debtors are increased

• They will eventually pay, so that cash will be injected into the firm

Each of the areas – stocks (raw materials, work in progress and finished goods), trade debtors, cash (positive or negative) and trade creditors – can be viewed as tanks into and from which funds flow.

Working capital is clearly not the only aspect of a business that affects the amount of cash:

• The business will have to make payments to government for taxation

• Fixed assets will be purchased and sold

• Lessors of fixed assets will be paid their rent

• Shareholders (existing or new) may provide new funds in the form of cash

• Some shares may be redeemed for cash

• Dividends may be paid

• Long-term loan creditors (existing or new) may provide loan finance, loans will need to be repaid from time to time, and

• Interest obligations will have to be met by the business.

Unlike movements in the working capital items, most of these ‘non-working capital’ cash transactions are not everyday events. Some of them are annual events (e.g. tax payments, lease payments, dividends, interest and, possibly, fixed asset purchases and sales). Others (e.g. new equity and loan finance and redemption of old equity and loan finance) would typically be rarer events.

Working Capital Report

The monthly Working Capital (WC) Report shows overall working capital performance for each SBG as well as total Company (excluding working capital balances from Corporate).  The report includes:

Graphical summaries of Working Capital balances, WC metrics (working capital turns, DSO, DOS and DPP) and WC components (Inventory, Receivables and Payables & Advances).  Comparisons are shown versus latest forecast, AOP and PY.
Working Capital balances and WC components (Inventory, Receivables and Payables & Advances) in absolute values for the current month.  Comparisons are shown versus latest forecast, AOP and PY.

The components of Working Capital are direct extracts from FM Balance Sheet accounts but do require some POME Chapter adjustments.  Since Working Capital performance focuses on the cash producing activities of the operations, adjustments identified as Cash Flow Blocks are made to capture the impact of certain events such as acquisitions, divestitures and inter-company Balance Sheet transfers.  These events may have a favorable or unfavorable impact to cash that inaccurately reflects the real cash generation capacity of the business unit operations.  For example, in the case of an acquisition where the purchase price includes working capital balances, an adjustment is made to recognize the cash outflows as investing activities instead of a use of cash flow from operations.

For the purposes of evaluating WC, as a general rule:  an increase in Assets is a use of cash; a decrease in Assets is a source of cash.  Conversely, an increase in Liabilities is a source of cash; a decrease in Liabilities is a use of cash.

For more detailed descriptions of the FM Balance Sheet accounts mentioned in the following paragraphs, the COA can be reference on the Corporate Controller’s web-site via the intranet.

Key Financial Metric(s):

Working Capital

+   Working Capital Receivables

+   Inventories

–   Accounts Payables & Customer Advances

=   Working Capital

Within this metric calculation, Working Capital Receivables is a calculation of the following FM Balance Sheet accounts:

+   Current Receivables

–   Discounted Trade Accounts Receivables

–   Discounted Trade Notes Receivables

–   Legacy Receivables – Current

–   Income Taxes Receivable – Current

–   Long Term Financing Receivables

–   Financing Receivables

+   Long Term Receivables

–   Long Term Legacy Receivables

=   Working Capital Receivables

Accounts Payables & Customer Advances is the summation of the following FM Balance Sheet accounts:

+   Trade Payables

+   Customer Advances and Deferred Income

=   Accounts Payables & Customer Advances

Working Capital Turns 13 Point Average (FM 924110)

Recent 12 months External Sales

¸

Working Capital 13 Months Average

The Recent 12 Months External Sales is the summation of the last 12 months of external sales captured in the Income Statement within Net Sales & Operating Revenue – External account.  The Working Capital 13 Months Average is calculated by taking the last 13 months ending Working Capital balances and dividing by 13.

Days Sales Outstanding (DSO)

Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) is an operational metric that designates the number of days invoices remain in the receivables balance.  DSO is calculated using the “back out” method.  There is a current month calculation  as well as a  three-month average  which is the last three months divided by three.  Both metrics are calculated but only the 3-month average metric is used for management reporting purposes.

The following is an example of the DSO calculation for December month end:

There are three DSO metrics that are used to measure Working Capital Receivables month end performance:

Days Sales Outstanding with Unbilled
Days Sales Outstanding without Unbilled
DSO Cash In

The corresponding 3-month average DSO metrics are:

DSO With Unbilled 3mo Avg.
DSO Without Unbilled 3mo Avg.
DSO Cash In 3mo Avg.

Days Sales Outstanding with Unbilled

This metric measures the healthiness of receivables driven by sales of both short cycle and long cycle businesses.

The components are Adjusted Trade Receivables with Unbilled and Adjusted External Sales for DSO

Adjusted Trade Receivables with Unbilled is calculated as follows within FM:

+   Trade & Note Receivables – Current

–   Discounted Trade Accounts Receivables

–   Discounted Trade Notes Receivables

=   Adjusted Trade Receivables with Unbilled

Adjusted External Sales for DSO captures the true up to sales for VAT (Value Added Tax) taxes, since the receivable balances captures this tax for businesses that sell in regions and countries where VAT is imposed.  Sales reported in the Income Statement excludes VAT taxes.  The following calculation is performed within FM for Adjusted External Sales for DSO:

+   Net Sales & Operating Revenue – External

+   Ext Sales Adjustments for DSO

=   Adjusted External Sales for DSO

Days Sales Outstanding without Unbilled

This metric measures the healthiness of trade receivables primarily driven by sales of short cycle businesses excluding the impact of unbilled revenues driven by long cycle businesses.

The components are Receivables W/O Unbilled and Discounted and Adjusted External Sales for DSO as described previously.

Receivables W/O Unbilled and Discounted is calculated as follows within FM:

+   Trade & Note Receivables – Current

–   Discounted Trade Accounts Receivables

–      Discounted Trade Notes Receivables

–      Unbilled Receivables

=   Receivables W/O Unbilled and Discounted

DSO Cash In

This metric measures the overall cash generating capacity of the business by capturing the cash collected through customer cash advances/deferred income and netting these amounts against trade receivables and unbilled balances to determine the overall “cash in” position of the company.  This DSO metric is more aligned with Customer-to-Cash strategies by focusing cash collection efforts on initiatives that have a greater net cash impact to the business.

The components are Adjusted Trade Receivables Cash In (w Unbilled and Advances) and Adjusted External Sales for DSO as described previously.

Adjusted Trade Receivables Cash In (w Unbilled and Advances) is calculated as follows within FM:

+   Trade & Note Receivables – Current

–   Discounted Trade Accounts Receivables

–      Discounted Trade Notes Receivables

–      Customer Advances and Deferred Income

=   Adjusted Trade Receivables Cash In (w Unbilled and Advances)

Past Due Receivables

+   Receivable Past Due 1-30

+   Receivable Past Due 31-60

+   Receivable Past Due 61-90

+   Receivable Past Due 91-180

+   Receivable Past Due 181-365

–   Receivable Past Due 365+

=   Past Due Receivables

Past Due Receivables are those receivables that customers have not paid on time.

Past Due Receivables %

Past Due Receivables

÷

Trade Receivables without Unbilled and Discounted

Trade Receivable without Unbilled and Discounted is a calculation of the following FM Balance Sheet accounts:

+   Trade & Note Receivables – Current

–   Discounted Trade Accounts Receivables

–   Discounted Trade Notes Receivables

– Unbilled Receivables

=   Trade Receivables without Unbilled and Discounted

Days of Supply (DOS)

Days of Supply (DOS) is an operational metric that designates the number of days products remain in the inventory balance.  DOS is calculated using the “back out” method.  There is a current month calculation as well as a three-month average which is the last three months divided by three.  Both metrics are calculated but only the 3-month average metric is used for management reporting purposes.

The following is an example of the DOS calculation for December month end:

The components of DOS are Product Gross Inventory and Cost of Goods Sold

The Product Gross Inventory is different than the Working Capital Inventory mainly due to the exclusion of Rotable Inventories, Contracts in Progress – Engineering, Stores Inventory and LIFO Pools.  The following calculation is performed within FM for Product Gross Inventory:

+   Inventories Related to Cost of Sales

–   Progress Payments – Production Inventory

+   Contract Inventory

–   Service Inventory:  Progress Payments – Contracts

+   Inventory Other

–   InterCo out of Balance Trade Rec/Pay

–   Stores Inventory (History Only)

–   Non-Product Related Inventory

+   Inventory Reserves

–   Inventory Reserves – LIFO

=   Product Gross Inventory

Cost of Goods Sold is an FM Income Statement account and is a summation of the following accounts:

+   Total Variable Cost of Goods Sales

+   Total Fixed Cost of Goods Sold

+   Other Manufacturing Costs

+   Distribution & Logistics Expense

+   Other Operating Expense

=   Cost of Goods Sold

Days Purchases in Payables (DPP)

Days Purchases in Payables (DPP) is an operational metric that designates the number of days supplier invoices remain in the payables balance.  DPP is calculated using the “back out” method.  There is a current month calculation as well as a three-month average  which is the last three months divided by three.  Both metrics are calculated but only the 3-month average metric is used for management reporting purposes.

The following is an example of the DPP calculation for December month end:

The components of DPP are Trade Payables and Cost of Goods Sold.

Reasons for Holding Cash

College finance textbooks describe three purposes for holding cash: transactions, emergencies, or opportunities. Most of the cash we have is used to pay bills in the normal course of business. However, with a prior arrangement, the bank will provide “overdraft” protection for our checks, assuring that our check when presented will be honored, whether we have available cash or not. Therefore, if we have arranged for overdraft protection, or a revolving line of credit, we do not need to hold cash for transactions unless we are certain that the cash flow that normally occurs will not be sufficient, even with the overdraft credit, to meet our payment needs.

In the case of emergencies, unless we have extraordinary amounts on deposit, the cash balance may not be sufficient. Additionally, if our business is well managed, such emergencies should not be manageable only with cash. Here, too, a prior arrangement with the bank will enable us to deal with the emergency without having to hold cash.

In the third instance, opportunities, we cannot know in advance how much cash we will need. Therefore, it may be much more effective to establish the type of banking relationship that, when appropriate, will give us access to the appropriate resource.

In all three of these situations, we have turned to the bank to cover our cash needs. Some Project Managers do not like to use debt, but we all know that used properly, debt can enhance wealth. The most obvious example is in the purchase of a home. There are very few of us who can pay cash for a house. We borrow money, the mortgage, in order to be able to buy an asset that we believe will improve our lifestyle, help control our costs, and ultimately increase our wealth through the equity we build up as house prices rise and we pay down the mortgage. Clearly, the use of other people’s money, in this case through the bank, is a means of increasing our own wealth as well as providing a return for the lender and the suppliers to the lender. It is the same way in business. The judicious use of other people’s money increases our own ability to make money. Holding cash for comfort, or, “just in case,” may not really be to our advantage.

POME Prescribe:

About Your clients and stakeholders

ü  Keep the stakeholders updated: Keep the sponsors and stakeholders posted about the progress. This becomes more important when there are unforeseen problems or newer risks; like when there are delays.

ü  Understand the need: When working on the project, it helps if you understand what your project need will fulfill. Sometimes (make that often) your client’s description the project will not match his need. Ensure that what you are doing will serve the purpose that it is meant to serve.

ü  When to give in and when to hold your ground: Once a project has started, the client will almost always want you to incorporate changes and add tasks. Sometimes requests are legitimate, and it is possible to incorporate them without throwing the project off track. But when the client’s demands require significant changes, you need to take a call. Michelangelo Buonarroti’s ceiling of the Sistine chapel project is a classic case in point. The original project involved creating twelve paintings. By the time the project was completed, over 300 paintings had been created, costing the artist his health and youth.

ü  When stakeholders do not respond to information or do not respond in an expected manner; create alternative, proactive communication mechanisms to avert trouble.

ü  Don’t forget to ask, “What does my client want to be able to do as a result of this project?” Translated to real life situations, every time you work on something, ask yourself what you (or someone else) hope to accomplish from that activity. The answer can be as simple as “feeling refreshed and rejuvenated” to something as complex as “moving towards my dream of contributing to a cleaner and healthier planet”.

Working Capital From Pome By Gautam Koppala is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Incoming search terms for the article:

• Total engineer

But let’s be factual about this. After all, there are plenty of restaurants who will actually make the same boast but DeVino’s has four factors on its side to work with: Experience, Taste, a Loyal Following and a strong importance for Tradition.

When it comes to something as important as food and its preparation, experience teaches proper technique. Experience allows for you to have the best on your table. DeVino’s has been at it, trying to perfect making pizzas for over 25 years. Owner and operator Dave Sharretts gained experience by being an apprentice for a bigger pizza place before he went on to experiment and eventually open DeVino’s with family and friends.

And when experience is present, taste inevitably follows. DeVino’s combination pizzas like DeVino’s combo filled with pepperoni, salami, mushroom, sausage and The Vegetarian with mushroom, fresh tomatoes, bell peppers and olives are sure crowd pleasers. But when you’re up to spending a little extra, upgrade to their gourmet pizzas like the In the Mood filled with mushroom, zucchini, pancetta, parmesan and oregano or the classic BBQ and Chicken. When pasta’s concerned, they also have a wide array of selections from Bandolini with grilled Portobello mushrooms with smoked mozzarella to Penne, Fettuccine and Prawns, as well as Linguine with Clams, Fusilli and Sausage and Baby Back Ribs.

But a restaurant is more than just taste. It also has to be about ambiance. A big reason why DeVino’s eventually gained a loyal following is because of the entertainment factor when coming to the place. Watch workers making your pizza in a clear-glass kitchen setup while you wait. And booths and tables are reminiscent of the old pizza parlors where family and friends used to hang out. Family owned and operated DeVino’s meant for it to be this way. After all, they of all people understand ties should be preserved with good food and great conversation.

So, when confused about which Pizza in Pleasant Hill to try first, go for the one chosen by the locals who know best about these things. They would tell you it’s the charming and quaint independent place on Morrello Avenue. Go to Hillcrest Shopping Center at Taylor Boulevard and Morello and knock on DeVino’s door.

The Ultimate Comfort Food at DeVino’s Pizza in Pleasant Hill is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

However sometimes, there are things that are not covered by the warranty such as stains and unbearable odors. Most stains on your food container can be removed with baking soda paste. (just add water to baking soda powder) Unfortunately, if the stain has set in for a long time, then try straight bleach. You won’t believe it but placing your stained food storage containers on the lawn when the sun is out also helps because the chlorine in the grass helps removes the stains.
Most of the stains come from the red pigments in tomato based products like the vegetable itself or even spaghetti bolognaise sauce. It would be a good idea to run cold water through your containers before placing tomatoes in them. This process helps close the pores of the plastic food containers to minimize staining.

To quickly remove tomato based stains before it sets, wash the items under cold water immediately with dish washing liquid soap. You may also try a light coat of vegetable spray into your Tupperware bowls before you put in your tomatoes.

If you have previously stored a food item that emitted a strong smell in your Tupperware containers, the smell may seem hard to remove. However, just crumple some old newspapers, put them into these containers and seal them tightly. The carbon from the newspaper ink will absorb the bad smell. After a few days, you can remove them and wash your containers like usual. If the smell is still present, you can repeat this procedure a few times. Better still if you have a piece of charcoal which you just stick into your container for a few days to do the trick!

Some people do not like the idea of carbon or charcoal, so you can substitute it with baking soda paste and smear the area that is stained. Seal it and leave it for a few days like before. Then wash it with soap and water. Another fantastic trick is to take left over apple peeling and stuff it into your Tupperware container that smells. Seal it, after a few days, give it a good wash.

Some consumers complained that older Tupperware containers become sticky and greasy and these oily stains are not easily removed with soap and water. Use a degreaser or baking soda paste or even a diluted bleach solution – definitely will get rid of the stickiness, trust me!

Last but not least, sometimes you get mold growing on these products if they are not dried well after being washed. Easiest way to solve this problem is to put in some vinegar into the container, seal it for a couple of days and voila, no more mold!

Tupperware Food Storage Containers- Tips to Solve Two Most Common Problems! is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Incoming search terms for the article:

• carbon storage

You don’t want to eat fettuccine alfredo too often if you are concerned about your health. But every once and a while, I indulge myself with this absolutely wonderful dish. The major key to successfully making this relatively easy recipe is eating it promptly after it is made. If you wait, the butter and cream begin to gel and the taste changes amazingly fast. The change is one of the reasons I hardly ever order it in restaurants – it can sit on a counter too long waiting to come to my table. I also strongly recommend that you use fresh noodles. Finally, I want to make you aware that there are thousands of variations on the theme. You can add chicken, shrimp, ham, etc. if you want to expand on the basic recipe. In fact, the basic recipe, which comes from Rome, never included cream.

Ingredients (5 servings):

1 pound – fresh fettuccine pasta
¼ pound – pancetta
1 tablespoon – extra virgin olive oil
1 cup – heavy whipping cream
1 cup parmesan cheese
White pepper to taste
2 tablespoons – fresh Italian parsley

Preparation:

In a large pot, boil several quarts of water and add the fettuccine. It should only take a few minutes to cook if you are using fresh noodles. Meanwhile, fry the pancetta in a pan until the fat is translucent.

Pancetta

Pancetta frying in olive oil.

Pour the pancetta onto a paper towel and allow the oil to drain. Pour off any oil remaining in the pan and add the butter and cream. Melt the butter on a medium to medium low flame until it has melted.

Cream and butter.

Make sure the cream and butter are mixed well. Add the parmesan and mix until the sauce is well blended.

Just after the parmesan has been added.

Pour the sauce over the fettuccine along with the pancetta, Italian parsley, and pepper and mix thoroughly.

Fettuccine alfredo

Remember to serve immediately after you have mixed it. Bon appétit!

Fettuccine alfredo – recipe is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

It is not absolutely necessary to have flue connections for an electric stove, as such a stove does not require a draft and gives off no products of combustion to be carried away. In fact, one of the favorable points about an electric stove is that it produces no dirt and causes no inconvenience. When the cooking is done, the electricity can be turned off, after which the stove quickly cools. When electricity is used for cooking, cooking utensils, methods, and recipes can be applied in the same ways as when other means of producing heat are employed.

SMALL ELECTRIC UTENSILS.–In addition to electric stoves, there are a number of smaller electrical cooking utensils that can be attached to an electric-light socket or a wall socket. Among these are percolators, toasters, hotplates, or grills, chafing dishes, egg poachers, and similar devices. The toaster is arranged so that bread to be toasted may be placed on each side, as well as on top, of an upright part that gives off heat when the current of electricity is turned on. The grill is so constructed that a pan for cooking may be placed under and on top of the part that gives off heat.

All About Electric Stoves is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Cacio is the epitome of the central Italian working man’s cheese that is readily available in people’s homes and any neighborhood restaurant throughout the area.  Fancy is not its middle name.
For us at Olio&Olive, Cacio particularly takes us back several years to a memorable trip to Rome, where we had a fantastic lunch at La Fiaschetteria Beltramme, a small restaurant near the Spanish Steps that dates back to 1886 which was a favorite haunt of Fellini’s and where one can now (literally) rub shoulders at their communal tables with the likes of Monica Bellucci and other famous patrons.

We got to meet the chef and watch him in action preparing their signature dish, Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe. Simple. Satisfying. Delicious. An egg-based pasta (think square spaghetti) with cacio cheese and pepper. This is Mario’s flavor with Rachel’s cooking time!!

Aren’t you lucky we have all the ingredients AND the recipe?? Just saved you a chunk of change on flights and lodging (but DO go to La Fiaschetteria when you are next in Rome to see how it’s done)!

Get the recipe

<input id=”gwProxy” type=”hidden” /><input id=”jsProxy” />

<input id=”gwProxy” type=”hidden” /><input id=”jsProxy” />

<input id=”gwProxy” type=”hidden” /><input id=”jsProxy”>

If It’s Good Enough for Mario is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Pesto is synonymous with the northwestern city of Genoa (remember? Where Chris Columbus was from!), and its popularity is due to the fact that well, frankly, it’s delicious. Though many families have their own recipe and method in making pesto at home, the Consortium for Genoese Pesto demands that producers in the region who want to call their product “Pesto Genovese” adhere to a set of ingredients and production methods, so that people will be able to distinguish the phonies from the real deal. This involves the use of a DOP basil (denominazione di origine protetta – or denomination of protected origin), grown in the area of Genoa and characterized by its smaller, delicately fragrant leaves which are totally devoid of that minty aroma one often finds in basil elsewhere. It also involves the use of a mortar and pestle – the latter of which gives its name to this fresh, herbalicious condiment.

The following recipe is adapted from the Consortium’s official pesto recipe, but we’ve decided to give you a break and let you use the food processor (we do it all the time, but don’t tell). Though traditionally served with trenette or trofie shapes of pasta, pesto lends itself very well to most cuts, long or short, as well as being a great topping for minestrone soup, as they do in Genoa as well, or on boiled meats.

We use Olio&Olive’s Paradiso Extra Virgin Olive Oil, as its mild flavor won’t mask the fragrance of the basil and other ingredients. Of course, we also use genuine Parmigiano Reggiano and pecorino, as “parmesan cheese” and “romano cheese” found in most supermarkets are nothing more than over-processed imitations that will never give you the same result as the genuine varieties you will find at Olio&Olive.

Get the recipe

Olio&Olive

<input id=”gwProxy” type=”hidden” /><input id=”jsProxy” />

<input id=”gwProxy” type=”hidden” /><input id=”jsProxy” />

<input id=”gwProxy” type=”hidden” /><input id=”jsProxy”>

Pesto: Italians Are the Real Greengos is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Once you have people coming into your pipeline through a coherent and multi-faceted lead generation strategy you must set a rate that doesn’t repel people, but instead attracts people.

Most people I encounter fall into one of two camps.

They are either undercharging by a considerable amount.
Or they have no idea what to charge at all and they feel lost.

So, I’m going address this common issue for entrepreneurs right now. Let’s make this simple.

Grab a piece of paper and write down what you think you should charge. For this exercise make it an hourly rate. Don’t think about it too hard, just write it down.

Now I want you to double that number.

Somewhere in between that initial number and the doubled version is what your actual rate should be. You can take an average of the two numbers if you want to make it simple and you’re set.

This new rate will start you off, but it certainly won’t be the rate that you’ll have forever. As you grow, you should be raising your rate appropriately.

You don’t want to have a rate that is so low that people say, “hmmm… does this person know what they are doing?”

Your rate is an announcement to the world of your confidence in your skill set.

When you tell people your rate, what are you saying about yourself? You must establish a rate that is meaningful and that really represents you as an expert in your field.

Beyond that simple hourly rate, you should have a menu of services. Too many coaches, consultants, healers and other Helpingpreneurs only offer one thing.

If you went to an Italian restaurant and the only thing they had was spaghetti, even if you loved spaghetti, I doubt you’d go back there again because not everyone going with you may like spaghetti and you may want something a little bit different. You must have a menu.

On the other hand, don’t create a menu of services that is extremely large or complex. If you have 20 different items or services, it might be so confusing that it will overwhelm people.

You should start with about three packages. Why? Most people don’t like to make decisions!

When offered three choices, they will usually go with the middle package. At convenience stores, the number one drink size chosen is the middle one. People think, “the small one may not be enough, but the big one looks too large, so I’ll pick the middle one.”

Having three packages helps people make a decision. Generally people will feel safe and comfortable with the middle package.

So the key points to remember when evaluating your rates are:

Don’t undercharge. Remember that your rate is a statement to the world of your confidence in your skill set.
Continually re evaluate your rate and make changes when appropriate.
Have a menu of services – optimally around three main programs at different price points.

Fee Setting Tips: What Does Your Rate Say About You? is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

The good news when cooking for children is that you do not necessarily need to incorporate all the important nutrients into dinner food. The truth of the matter is that raw cucumbers, which are thinly sliced and sprinkled with salt make a much healthier snack than potato chips and many little ones love this for a snack. You get a vegetable in their system and they are getting a treat at snack time. The same holds true for melon and cantaloupes. These make excellent snacks and are a much-needed fruit in these important diets for little ones.

When it comes to cooking for little ones, however man, woman, and child cannot live on macaroni and cheese alone. It’s been tried and tested and failed miserably. Try mixing things up whenever you can while keeping meals kid friendly. It is important that you try to introduce whole grains, proteins, and vegetables whenever possible at meal times around your home. The good news is that there are many prepackaged convenience foods that are introducing whole grains like never before in order to meet the growing demand of consumers for healthier meals that can be prepared with little fan fare or fuss.

Cooking healthier meals for kids is now easier than ever before. Fresh fruits and vegetables are best whenever possible. However, if you cannot manage fresh, you should avoid canned (fruits especially as they are often swimming in sugary sweetness) whenever possible. Frozen is far preferable to canned when it comes to both fruit and vegetables, as there are often fewer additives.

If you need some great meal ideas that are kid friendly and easy on the budget, you can often find recipes readily available online. You can meet your child’s calcium and dairy product needs by adding milk as the drink of choice for meals or a slice of cheese melted over their favorite vegetable. Ice cream, yogurt, and pudding also make excellent calcium rich treats, in moderation of course.

Encourage your children to try new things rather than cooking the same few meals over and over again that you know they are likely to eat. This prevents two things from happening. First of all, it helps you not to get bored when cooking for your children. Second, it allows your children to try new flavors and textures and form opinions about them. By trying new things they will learn not only about the things they dislike but also the foods they really enjoy.

You should also keep in mind that your children are people too when cooking for them. Just as you have foods you like and dislike they also will develop tastes over time. Those tastes may also change in time as well. It’s frustrating, I know, to spend time and money preparing a meal only to have your child push the plate away and refuse to even try the meal. For this, I recommend enlisting their help in the kitchen. Children are much more likely to eat the things they had a hand in preparing as a matter of accomplishment and pride. It’s psychological warfare I know but all is fair in war and dinnertime.

Perhaps the greatest gift you can give yourself (much greater than the help in the kitchen) by ‘forcing’ your little ones to help prepare dinner is that they will learn to better appreciate your culinary efforts and eat peacefully rather than sullenly. This tactic has met with great success in my household when cooking for little ones. I hope you will enjoy the same degree of success as well.

The Different Ways To Cook For Little Ones is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Your wedding ceremony is likely to be one of the most momentous and memorable events of your entire life, so it only makes sense that the party afterward should match it in epic fashion. Since formal wedding gowns can be difficult to get down in on the dance floor, many brides choose a lighter, more accommodating and comfortable reception gown to change into once the ceremony is over.

Of course, the reception is your party, so you’ll want to pick a dress that lets you stand out from the crowd. A great reception gown will echo the dress you wore earlier in the day while allowing you to move freely and breathe a bit easier. Take a moment to consider these stand out gowns that will let you shine and look your very best as you dance the night away at the reception.

Beaded Lace Sheath Dress

After spending most of your day perfectly primped and made up in your wedding gown, it will feel fantastic to take a breath and pull on this fabulous beaded lace sheath dress from David’s Bridal. This classic short dress offers a very comfortable style with lots of elegant flourishes and extras to create a special look.

You’ll be certain to stand out with this number’s eye catching bead work and floral details that add a lot of flair to a fairly straight forward design. Its scoop neckline has a conservative cut and is trimmed with floral scalloped edges for a charming touch of femininity. A medium matching belt at the waist line helps accentuate your natural curves while a soft V in the back finishes the look off. This fully lined dress is made of imported polyester and lace and is available in white and ivory.

Hammered Soft Satin Tiered Gown with Cap Sleeves

If you plan to sport a more formal look at your wedding reception, consider this perfectly elegant hammered soft satin tiered gown from David’s Bridal. This beautiful and modern looking dress combines the high waist of an empire silhouette and a mermaid cut skirt that flares out at the knees.

The gown’s most eye catching and unique feature is the tiered design, which adds drama with tapering laser cut satin layers that are thinner near the bust and wider as they travel down the dress. The gown’s straps also get wider as they travel up the shoulder, ending in charming and modest cap sleeves. The piece is finished off with the extra upscale addition of a sweep train, reminding all your guests whose special day it is.

Strapless Taffeta Bubble Dress

For a summertime outdoor reception, many brides may want to opt for a decidedly warm weather look, as can be seen in the strapless taffeta bubble dress by David’s Bridal. This flirty dress has a strapless neckline and a bottom hem that extends to just above the knee, giving you all the freedom you need to pull off your best dance moves.

The perfect blend of simplicity and feminine beauty, the dress features a high waist line that is emphasized by a ruched belt-like band just below the bust. From there, the dress flares gracefully with an empty space of taffeta that meets of field of embroidered floral accents that extend to the bottom hem. This dress is made of imported polyester and taffeta and is available in white and ivory.

Spaghetti Strap Chiffon Gown with High-Low Hem

Another very summery number that adds an extra bit of charm and grace, the spaghetti strap chiffon gown with high-low hem from David’s Bridal is sure to keep you at the center of attention throughout your wedding reception. An incredible blend of comfort and high style, this stunning dress features an empire silhouette to flatter any body shape.

It begins with a well fitted but modest jersey bodice that is bordered just below the bust with a medium band of fabric and covered throughout with subtle yet effective and charming floral detailing. The spaghetti straps make the gown perfect for warm weather, although this number could easily be combined with a thin cardigan to ward off drafts.

The dramatic flowing skirt is made of two layers of chiffon fabric and features an elegant high-low hemline that stops just below the knee in the front and extends to the floor in the back. This amazing dress is available in white and ivory.
A knockout reception gown can help you make the most out of the big party following your wedding. Although many brides choose to stick with their dress from the ceremony, switching to a more comfortable gown, even for part of the night, can make a big difference in your mood and overall enjoyment. Take these head turning styles as your cue to find the reception dress that’s right for you.

Dance the Night Away in These Flirty Reception Gowns is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Looking For A Best Diet Supplement,Visit http://www.healthuse.com/2009/02/memory-conditions-of-regional-diet-may-help-stave-off/

Researchers at Columbia University already knew that people that followed a high-intake regimen of these regional foods could help distance Alzheimer’s disease but they did not know if there was a direct connotation between a Mediterranean diet and MCI. The study, conducted in New York, tracked a volunteer group of 1,393 people who had no problems with their memory and an additional group of 482 patients who were already diagnosed with MCI.

The results were conclusive that a rich diet of these regional ingredients mostly of fish and vegetables was associated with a lessened risk of MCI development and those already diagnosed with MCI had less of a chance of developing full blown Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).  Specifically, 275 of the healthy 1,393 volunteer group developed memory problems within the time period of the study and patients in the top diet score (meaning they ate more Mediterranean-type foods overall) had 28 percent lower risk compared to those in the bottom group of diet scores. Of the 482 participants who already had MCI at the beginning of the study, 106 developed Alzheimer’s but the top third who ate the more healthy diet reduced their risk for development of AD by 48 percent.

Read More:http://www.healthuse.com/category/beer/

Memory Conditions of Regional Diet May Help Stave Off is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Some basic tips for making your favorite recipes healthier include:

1. Decrease the meat and increase the vegetables called for in stews and casseroles.
2. Choose whole-grain versions of pasta and bread; substitute whole-wheat flour for bleached white flour when you bake.
3. Serve imaginative whole-grain side dishes like bulgur or kasha instead of white rice or pasta.Cook with less fat by using non-stick skillets.
4. Blot all fried meats on paper towels. Or better yet, try baking instead of frying.
5. Use garlic or onion powder instead of garlic or onion salt, and use unsalted or low-salt vegetable broths and products.
6. Buy reduced-fat cheese or use mozzarella, which is naturally lower in fat.
7. Avoid cooking with soy or Worcestershire sauce and products that contain monosodium glutamate (MSG).

8. In recipes calling for milk or cream, substitute reduced fat versions or try using other “milks” such as rice milk, nut milks or soy milk. Also use low-fat cream cheese, yogurt, and mayo.
9. Unhealthy fats like certain oils, butter, or margarines can usually be cut by 1/3 to 1/2 in recipes. At first try a small cut-back and then use less and less over time; you’ll hardly notice the difference.
10. You can also use fat substitutes like prune purees and applesauce in baked goods.
11. Use fresh-frozen fruit without added sugar if fresh is unavailable.
12. Cut the sugar called for in most recipes by 1/3 to 1/2.
13. Sweeten waffles and quick breads with cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla or almond extracts in order to cut the sugar content
14. Try salsa on a baked potato or salad rather than high-fat dressing or butter.

Breakfast recipe ideas

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal – whole grains with fresh fruit are a great way to start off the day. Grains give lasting energy and pack a great fiber punch. You can also use a left over grain from another meal and simply heat it up with a little more liquid, some cinnamon and apple slices. Click here for recipe

Veggie Scramble or Omelet – eggs are filled with energizing protein and make a great healthy breakfast, especially when served with healthy tasty veggies.

Oat Pancakes – this version of an American favorite has lots of flavor (as well as more fiber) and is lighter on the tummy. Cook these once and have enough for multiple meals.

Fritters/Pancakes – breakfast doesn’t always have to be the same thing. Experiment a little! Fritters are extremely variable and make a great breakfast option. Try using a left over grain such as quinoa or millet with some added flour, egg and liquid. Or use veggies such as zucchini, spaghetti squash, or sweet potatoes. Add different herbs or spices to make meals savory or sweet. Two recipes are Polenta Fritters and Spaghetti Squash Potato Pancakes.

Nut Butter Banana Toast – this simple breakfast gives you a nutritious mixture of whole grains, protein and fruit, plus it tastes great. Simply spread a whole grain toast with your favorite nut butter and cut slices of banana on top.

Lunch recipe ideas

BYOS – Build Your Own Sandwich. Most work places have refrigerators, so bring some lean lunchmeat, some lettuce, tomato, cucumber or other veggie toppings you enjoy and a loaf of hearty whole wheat bread to make your own sandwiches for lunch. Save time, money, and your health. Spice it up with different condiments like mustard, hummus or pickles.

Veggie Deluxe Sandwich – This sandwich is filled with nutrients and is also quite filling. The hummus provides protein. The avocado is a healthy fat. Plus it’s versatile so you can mix it up by using different condiments, veggies, or flavors of hummus.

Grilled Chicken & Artichoke Salad – packed with flavor (as well as fiber and nutrients) this salad is an energizing lunch.

Whole Grain Salad – Any cooked grain will work for this twist on a salad. Yes, whole grains taste great cold!

Potato Lentil Soup with Greens – this soup is quick and easy to make. The lentils have lots of nutrients, fiber, complex carbohydrates, and folic acid. The greens offer a rich source of vitamins and minerals.

Some time saving tips for cooking quick healthy meals.

If you do not have time to cook a meal that is healthy, and are forced to buy fast food meals or junk food.  THINK AGAIN!  Here are a few ways to save time to cook a healthy meal for you and your family. 

Cook simple. Steam or sauté some veggies. Bake a sweet potato. Grill some fish or chicken. Simple cooking is a great way to keep things easy and quick. To make the food more interesting, you can add condiments, spices, and/or dressings to your food when you eat it. Individuals with different preferences can spice up their food in their own unique way. This is great for families.
Prepare food ahead of time. This will allow you to have easy access to items that you can add to your meals. Chop veggies ahead and store them in containers in the fridge. Hard-boil some eggs for breakfast. Package meal sized portions to grab and take with you for lunch.
Cook more than you need for one meal. It’s great to have leftovers that can be used for a quick and easy lunch or dinner the next day. Also, when making things like whole grains, cook at least double the amount you need and store it in the fridge to use with other meals.
Use a timer. Many things don’t take a lot of preparation time, but need longer to cook. Using a timer allows you to prepare food in a short period of time and then do other things as they cook. For example, it doesn’t take long to wash some root veggies and put them in the oven, or measure, rinse, and throw rice into a pot to cook.
Invest in kitchen tools. There are many tools that make cooking easier and time saving for you. A few are: rice cooker, crock-pot (slow cooker), immersion blender, and food processor. Some of these devices save you time by cook while you do other things (rice cooker & crock-pot). Others make it easier and quicker to make things like soups, smoothies, and hummus. These items are often easy to find at garage sales or second hand stores.

Some basic tips for saving money when preparing healthy food:

Eating health doesn’t always have to be expensive; 1 extra dollar for substitutions will save you money in the long run for your health.  Here are a few ways to eat healthy while saving money! 

Substitute veggie protein for the meat protein in some of your meals, especially if you tend to eat meat at most meals. Legumes, especially when bought in their dry form, cost a lot less than meat.
Find a large farmer’s market where local veggies are sold. Often you can find amazing deals on very fresh produce. In addition, if you go towards to end of the market, venders often sell what’s left at even more reduced prices.
Buy in bulk. Find a grocery store that sells grains, legumes, nuts, seeds and other items in bulk. Store the items in glass jars to keep them fresh.
Make you own version of items such as salad dressing or smoothies. They will be much healthier if you make your own and they are very easy. Easy salad dressing: olive oil, vinegar, mustard, herbs, and a little salt & pepper. Smoothie: ½ banana, 6 strawberries, handful of blueberries, liquid of choice (i.e. splash of juice and low fat milk) and blend until smooth.
Pack a lunch. Bring leftovers or purchase ingredients to make your own lunch. Say you spend $10 each workday on lunch, that’s $200 per month. Sandwich fixings for a week’s worth of lunches wouldn’t be more than $20 per week, which is $80 per month, saving you $120.

I hope these recipes help you eat healthier and at a more affordable rate.   There’s nothing like taking year off your life plus saving money simultaneously.  Utilizing these methods to eat healthy while saving money is just one step, eating healthy alone is not enough.  Daily exercise is always required, no matter how you get it.

This is Jon Jung and… I’m out.

INFO@JungleFitnessOC.com

Jungle Fitness Orange County Personal Training is Orange County’s Best Personal Fitness Trainers for Fat Loss & Lean Muscle Building. Our Jungle Fitness Orange County Personal Trainers have helped our clients achieve significant fat loss and lean muscle building and are considered the top Fitness Experts in Orange County. Our training philosophy is one that is results-oriented, goal-oriented, and success driven. Jungle Fitness Orange County Personal Trainers:  Aliso Viejo | Anaheim | Brea | Costa Mesa | Corona Del Mar | Dana Point | Foothill Ranch | Fountain Valley | Huntington Beach | Irvine | Ladera Ranch | Laguna Niguel | Laguna Beach | Long Beach | Mission Viejo | Newport Beach | Orange| Orange County | OC | Placentia | Santa Ana | San Clemente | San Juan Capistrano | Seal Beach | South Coast Metro | Tustin | Westminster | Yorba Linda

Personal Trainer Costa Mesa – Eating Healthy Breakfast and Lunch Recipes while saving money is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Rotate Roster
Every household has their regular meals that they rotate every couple of weeks. Getting it down on paper can make the difference between remembering to take the mince from the freezer or ending up with McDonalds again. Print it out from a computer – (like I do to hide messy handwriting) An example meal menu is below.

Double Quantities
I swear by the old ‘double quantity’ preparation to have meals on two consecutive nights. Admittedly my hubby wasn’t thrilled about the prospect of regularly eating the same thing two nights running, considering he was used to a different meal every night made by his mother as he was growing up, but times have changed! He soon got over this when he saw how much more time I had with him and the kids, and less washing up for him too!

Quick Check
Have a quick look at your Dinner Menu Roster at the start of the week and it will prompt you to make a few decisions about the upcoming week and what you actually need to buy for it to go smoothly. Then grab your pre-printed Shopping List and ‘Bob’s your Uncle’ (sorry to our non- Australian subscribers – it’s an Aussie term for “Everything will work out great!”) You will have all your ingredients and will have more time relaxing not making a quick dash to the supermarket to get a couple of things you forgot.

Pre- printed Shopping List
Keep your Dinner Menu Plan with all the usual ingredients you may need – adding any special infrequent items on the back.  Put it somewhere everyone can add to –fridge/telephone table etc.

Freeze Freeze Freeze
The freezer is a great time and money saver but try not to over-rely on it and eat as much fresh food as possible. As with anything – maintain a balance.

Mix it up
I tend to steer clear of the old steak and three Vege’s option, opting for Meat and Vege’s mixed together because I prefer the flavor more, and if you have kids then this is more palatable. My kids actually love spinach would you believe – due to not having to eat it on it’s own as it makes all the difference!

DINNER MENU IDEAS:
Tuna & Coconut Milk Rice Bake
Spaghetti Bolognaise
Curried Vegetable Filo Pastries
Chow Mien
Chilli Concarne
Roast and Vege’s
Nacho’s / Taco’s
Carbonara
Plum Sauce Beef Stir Fry
Smoked Salmon & Spinach pasta (with olive oil & garlic)
Jamie Oliver’s Roasted Pumpkin, Chives and Feta Risotto

Now, you can rest assured the week will go more smoothly because you’ve given meals some quick thinking time, then acted on it by buying what you need and therefore know you won’t unexpectedly not have a vital ingredient.

Pre-Organize your Meals so you don?t succumb to Advertising Ploys is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Multivitamin supplements are often necessary when a child is sick and unable to eat but, in general, we should encourage the consumption of good food containing all the nutrients children – and adults – need to maintain health.

Children often refuse foods because they don’t like the look, smell, or texture. Frequently they just want to challenge the rules.

Parents have some opportunities to get around those moments without anguish. Since most children like spaghetti, lets prepare a spaghetti sauce with all the hidden ingredients they don’t like but need.

Ingredients for a Spaghetti Sauce Picky Eaters Will Love:
4 large, fresh tomatoes or 1 can of tomato puree
½ onion
1 leek
1 small carrot
2 garlic cloves
Fresh parsley
Oregano
Basil
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Pinch of sugar (optional)

Preparation:

In a saucepan, heat up 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Cut the onion, garlic, leek, fresh parsley and carrot in small pieces and cook it in the oil for about 5 minutes.

Add the tomato puree or the fresh tomatoes (peeled and cut). Cook in low heat for about 30 minutes. Separate from the heat and mix, using a hand blender, until all he ingredients are forming a sauce of uniform consistency. Add the dried oregano and basil, salt and pepper and cook for additional 10 minutes. You can also add a pinch of sugar is desired.

Now we only have to cook our favorite pasta, add some cheese and pour in the sauce. Your child won’t notice the difference. Leftover sauce can be frozen for later use.

When dealing with picky eaters I encourage parents not to enter into the emotional side of the struggle. The refusal to eat certain foods has many origins and it seldom has anything to do with the food itself. Sometimes there is a secondary gain, which may be simply the attention and concern of the entire family. Eliminating the emotions surrounding the problem removes the motivation and often solves the problem of a picky eater.

Recipe: Sneaky Spaghetti – Vegetables Kids Will Love is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

The biggest problem with food allergies is caused by the fact that our modern lifestyle brings us into contact with many products that may have the allergen in it or has been contaminated with the problem product.

Here’s the top eight most common food allergies

1. Milk and dairy products.

Problem Source: a lot of restaurant food is prepared on a common grill. Butter and cream is often used in many products. Even products labeled as “nondairy” may contain a substance or compound derived from milk or dairy.

2. Eggs

Egg whites are also a source of problem for many. Eggs substitutes are known to use egg whites in an attempt to be heart healthy and limit cholesterol. If you have a sensitivity to eggs, most pasta including macaroni and spaghetti can cause a problem.

3. Peanuts

Consider the fact that although a person with a peanut allergy may simply order an ice cream cone at the local Dairy Queen, the cone itself, wrapper and most probably the counters may have all come in contact with peanut toppings.

4. Tree nuts (such as almonds, cashews, walnuts)

Here, the problem is more with cooking oils than anything else. Foods can be prepared in a variety of oils that are derived from nuts. Many foods use oils in the manufacturing of the product. Modern food manufacturing also can cause cross-contamination or contact as many foods are made using the same equipment. Tree Nut shells have also found their way into many common products as an abrasive.

5. Fish

While identifying are fishy friends from the ocean is relatively easy, don’t forget that a lot of prepackaged sauces may also contain fish oils and products. Common steak and Worcestershire sauces may contain in anchovy dish

6. Shellfish – shrimp and lobster

Cross contact contamination in restaurants is a big issue here. Your nice big steak may have been sizzling right next to the other diners stack of shrimp

Watch also when going in for medical tests. This is especially true for any MRI type test that requires dye injections. Depending on the body part to be examined, a contrast medium or dye can be injected into your veins. These contrast mediums can be shellfish based!

7. Soy

Although considered a healthy product, for someone with a story and tolerance many foods. Cereals, soups, infant formulas, prepackaged sauces, and many baked goods can all use soy or soy products in their recipes.

8. Wheat and Gluten

From a food perspective, this is probably one of the most challenging to keep under control. Wheat-based products and gluten are used in many products. Think flour. We’re talking about most baked goods, all breads, rolls, crackers, tortillas, fried foods breading and anything else where flour is an ingredient.

Top 8 Most Common Childhood Food Allergies is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Incoming search terms for the article:

• food allergies carbonara
• food allergy carbonara
• prepackaged carbornara
• spaghetti for allergies

With a fascinating history, you’d never figure that the tomato is actually part of the nightshade family, where a few poisonous cousins exist. Interestingly, the lineage of the tomato is also connected to that of tobacco, eggplants, chili peppers, and the potato. Without tomatoes, some of the favorite edibles around the world would cease to survive. Overall, I find tomatoes a versatile vegetable, which shapes the many reasons why I celebrate their existence.

1) A Happy-Looking Vegetable

Tomatoes are colorful and not only come in the bright red variety, but also decorate dishes with orange, green, pink, purple, yellow, and even white selections. Some are multi-colored, while others display funky stripes. All in all, the tomato makes a rather attractive addition to a recipe that actually helps uplift a gloomy disposition.

2) Important Salad Ingredient

A salad isn’t complete without tomatoes, as there are many different selections to consider. Tomatoes and cucumbers with Italian dressing make a great accessory to any dinner, which is also fast and easy to prepare. Add cubed cheese to this side dish and you have a filling, speedy lunch for on the go.

3) Hamburger Helper

Sprinkle a little salt on sliced tomatoes and you have a refreshing treat. A juicy hamburger with all the fixings isn’t the same without a couple of slices, adding zip and matching perfectly with lettuce.

4) Please Pass the Ketchup!

Thanks to the tomato, the popular burger condiment of ketchup heightens the taste of freshly grilled items on a hot summer day. Will you please pass the ketchup for my hot dogs, French fries, Thousand Island dressing, sandwiches, and other fried foods?

5) Good Stuff for the Body

Red foods are known to supply the body with lycopene – a heart-healthy, powerful antioxidant proven to fight against cancer and other ailments. When you want to provide the body with the healthiest boost, seek out crushed-, tomato sauce- or paste products.

6) Fried Green Tomatoes

Fannie Flagg brought attention to this tasty treat when she published “Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café.” The novel was later turned into a comical drama starring Kathy Bates and Jessica Tandy, prompting curious thoughts regarding the actual taste of fried green tomatoes. FYI: They’re delicious!

7) Easy to Grow

Sometimes the price of tomatoes is ridiculous, but with a little patience – you can generate your very own supply in a homemade garden. While the rabbits nibble at strawberries and corn becomes riddled with bird pecks – you’ll always have a healthy crop of tomatoes to enjoy. This easy-to-grow vegetable becomes so plentiful; you’ll have enough to share with family and friends.

Pizza, Pizza!

Without tomatoes, the magical blend of most of the four food groups wouldn’t come together in a neat pie slathered with tomato sauce. The added spices of rosemary, oregano, and other Italian selections bring the flavor of tomatoes to life in this rather vital component of pizza making.

9) A Taste of Italy

Joining pizza, the thousands of ways to prepare pasta, including heaping mounds of lasagna and the childhood favorite of spaghetti and meatballs isn’t the same if tomato sauce and tomatoes aren’t available.

10) Mexican Delight

Nothing tempts the palate at a Mexican restaurant like the taste of fresh salsa with sturdy tomatoes that burst inside your mouth. Many other Mexican dishes rely on the use of tomatoes, whether included in a recipe or merely decorating the side of a plate.

Ten Reasons Why I Have a Love Affair With Tomatoes is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Most of the islands are accessible to tourists, with the exceptions of Montecristo, which is open only to marine research scientists, and Gorgona, home only to a large prison. By far the largest and best known is Elba, which is linked to Piombino on the mainland by regular hydrofoil and ferry services. Famous as the place where Napoleon was briefly exiled before his final defeat at Waterloo, it has lovely beaches, campsites shaded by pines and, last but not least, a flavorful and tasty traditional fare.

The food of the Tuscan Archipelago is characterized by the simplicity of the ingredients and the wide variety of recipes, due to the isolation of the various communities over the centuries. Each island has absorbed different cultures and customs into its traditional cuisine. This is particularly evident in the larger islands such as Elba, where traditional cooking offers differences and variations from one area to the next. In Portoferraio there is the Savoy cabbage, in Capoliveri the potato, egg and onion soup, In Marciana the stuffed sardines and in Rio Marina the ‘guruglione (a spanish influenced vegetable soup).

Fish is certainly the king of cooking in the Tuscan Archipelago: from boiled octopus to ‘zerri’, a delicious variety of local fish served fried, roasted, marinated, in soups or in stews. The archipelago’s tastiest seafood recipes include spaghetti with spider crab or fresh tuna sauce, anchovies with pesto, stuffed squid, squid with chard and the ubiquitous ‘cacciucco’ (a variation on the famous fish soup from Livorno).

Elba cuisine offers some great soups in the Tuscan tradition. The most popular recipes are made with ‘cavolo nero’ and beans or with fresh chard and egg. This was traditionally prepared by the island’s farmers for the ‘Lombards’, a generic term used for the seasonal labourers. As well as squid, Capraia is known for its sammule (wild garlic) and wild asparagus fritters. Specialties from the island of Giglio include ‘coniglio alla cacciatora’ (wild rabbit cooked in a spicy tomato sauce), ‘baccalà in agrodolce’ (salt cod in a sweet and sour sauce) and ‘tonnina salata’ (fresh tuna immersed in salted water and then placed in brine).

All of the tasty dishes mentioned above are almost always accompanied by some local wine. Despite the decrease of the vineyard area over the last years, Elban grapes manage to produce an array of fine wines, which for some years now have been given the D.O.C. certification label (the Italian equivalent of the French A.O.C.). Among the most renowned are Elba Bianco (white), Elba Rosso (red), Rosato (rosè), Moscato and Aleatico, both of which are sweet dessert wines.

Speaking of dessert wines, it is only natural to mention a popular Elba Island treat called ‘Schiaccia Briaca’ (literally ‘drunk cake’, where the cake is drunk with Aleatico). Schiaccia Briaca is made with kneading flour, wine, sultanas and dried nuts. Except from the wine, many of the same ingredients can be found also in the ‘panficato’, coming from Giglio Island.

Being a popular travel destination, the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago are fille with restaurants and other eateries, even though most of the establishments are open from late spring to early autumn only. Many of the archipelago’s restaurants offer a variety of traditional dishes and the quality is generally good. Before entering a place, however, it is always a good idea to take a look at the price list displayed outside of the premise. Smaller islands tend to be more expensive than mainland Italy and the Tuscan Archipekago makes no exception to this rule.

If you are on a tight budget, attending one of the many food festivals held throughout the year is an excellent way to taste some of the local specialties spending only a few euros. Among the several celebrations taking place periodically, the traditional ‘Squid Festival’ held on November in Capraia deserves a special mention. The festival begins with a squid fishing contest and continues the following day with all the fished squids cooked and eaten on the spot.

–

This article is part of a series covering the most important italian travel destinations and regional cuisines. You can search for related articles about eating out in Rome, Florence, Milan, Naples and Venice.

Eating Out in Italy: Elba Island and the Tuscan Archipelago is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Incoming search terms for the article:

• eating pasta in tuscany italy
• pasta carbonara milan
• Pasta in Elba island
• spaghetti & crabs italy island
• tonnina giglio
• travel articles elba

1. Fat Free Milk. You should always have some fat free milk on hand. Cereal in the morning is a great way to get a good easy meal.

2. Water, always have some cold water on hand. Get yourself a pitcher or something that you can keep water in the ice box. I would suggest that you don’t run to the store to get more bottled water. There are many products that you are use to filter your tap water. One of my favorites is the pitcher with the filter in it. I’m sure you have seen these on television before. When you pour the water, it goes through a filter.

3. Carrots. These are great for snacking. Just add some low fat dip and you have a snack that will rival any deep fried snacks.

4. Fruits. Always have some fruit on hand. It is great for snacking. You can eat fruit and instead of potato chips.

5. Eggs. You need these for baking and other specialties. Also they are great for a protein filled breakfast.

6. Peanut butter. This is a great way to get some protein without having to worry about the fat. Use it on your toast for breakfast instead of butter.

7. Butter. You shouldn’t suck on butter like you do a lollipop. But, butter is a must for baked goods. Also, fried eggs taste great cooked in butter.

8. Yogurt. This is great for hot summer days. You can make tons of drinks out of this. Also, it is great with chicken. You should learn a bit about Indian cooking for more ways to use yogurt. Indians love yogurt and eat it often. Also Activa is a great way to help your digestive tract.

9. Mayo. Don’t use this stuff every day. But, you do need to use some if you make tuna or chicken salad. It can also be great on low fat cuts of chicken and such. It is good on items that are dry. Make sure to buy the low fat kind and to use as little as possible.

10. Lemons. These are a must if you eat a lot of seafood. Also, a cold glass of lemonade is great after a hard days work.

11. Fresh ginger. This will keep for a long time in your ice box. Don’t cover it or anything like that. Keep it whole in your ice box for best keeping.

12. Cheeses. This is certainly a must have. Don’t ingest too much of it. Cheese is the beauty of life. It can make a dull dish come alive.

13. Drinks. Always have some drinks on hand. Have some fruit juice, beer and sodas in the ice box. Don’t go over board with them, but you can have a beer from time to time as a treat.

14. Mustard. I like to use this instead of mayo on sandwiches. It is a great way to knock out the fat. You can choose regular or spicy. In any case they are healthier than Mayo.

15. Pasta. Want a meal in a minute? Pasta is the way to go. It only takes a few minutes to cook.

16. Canned veggies and fruits. When in a pinch, canned is better than none at all. You should always eat fresh fruits and veggies, you should always have some canned ones in the pantry. How do you know when you will have a craving for corn and not have any fresh on hand? Canned food can last a very long time, so you don’t have to eat it right away. I would suggest to you that you eat as many raw veggies as possible. If you must cook them, blanch them slightly. Just cook them long enough so that they starchy feeling of a raw veggie is gone. Certainly don’t cook them until they are limp and colorless. That robs them from anything that is worth eating. You are eating these to be healthy, that is a choice you make. Cooking them to the point that they are worthless might be an easier way to force yourself to eat them, but your efforts are being wasted.

17. Bread. You should always have some bread on hand. Don’t go hog wild here on the carbs. A good sandwich is great from time to time. I would suggest that you find a local bakery and buy your bread there. Don’t buy that awful white stuff that has been sitting on the shelf for who knows how long.

18. Jerky. You can make fish jerky, turkey jerky and beef jerky. I love making jerky because it saves me so much money. I don’t have to pay over ten dollars a pound for jerky. I can use what ever cut of meat that is on sale at the store. You can always go with the same boring veggie platter for a snack. I do love my veggies, but this can get a bit boring at times. That is why I love the dried fruits and veggies.

19. Cereal. Great for that last minute breakfast. Have some of this on hand so you don’t have to wait in line at the fast food joint to get your heart attack on a muffin.

20. Spices and herbs. Always keep some of these on hand. Go to a place where you can buy them in bulk. Don’t buy those little containers in the store. Not only are they too expensive, but you don’t know how long they have been sitting there. When you buy from a place that sells bulk, you know that you will be getting fresh items.

Here are some ways to increase your fruit and veggie consumption:

For breakfast-time put some fruit in with your cereal. I love doing this. This gives your cereal a sweet zing without adding a bunch of sugar. Also you can drink a glass of juice along with your breakfast. Juice is a great way of ‘eating’ your fruit. Make sure to get juice with the pulp in it, it is also good fiber.

Lunch. Eat healthy salads. Make sure not to load them with bad dressing. Have veggie sticks along with your meal, this will also fill you up.

For desert you can have a piece of fruit. This is a better desert than having a ice cream or something you will regret.

For dinner I would suggest that you try vegetarian pizza or meals based around veggies.

Why not eat some flavorful fish and a plate full of greens and corn? You can mix and match things how ever you like it.

The main thing to understand, make fruits and veggies fun. If you keep them bland, you won’t be encouraged to eat them. Get a cook book or your favorite cooking web-site and learn how to prepare your fruits and veggies. You will notice a drastic difference in the way you feel and people will see it too!

For more helpful dietary information, Go Here!

20 Must Have Foods for Single Men is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Incoming search terms for the article:

• wild beef

So, what do you give your little learner in the morning? Sandra recommends something that will stick in their bellies. “Some of these kids are eating breakfast at six a.m., and lunch isn’t until noon,” she says, “they need something that will stick with them…not just a bowl of sugary cereal.”

The best breakfast, like any other meal, consists of whole grains, proteins and fruits or vegetables. Some ideas:

Whole grain cereal with milk and fruit Bagels with peanut butter and banana, or cream cheese and sliced fruit Waffles or pancakes, served with fruit and eggs Hard-boiled eggs and toast Breakfast bar with milk Fruit smoothie with some protein powder Oatmeal with raisins or fruit

Even though they might be aware that eating a good breakfast is smart, kids still might resist. Some excuses:

I’ll be late if I eat breakfast

Set the alarm for 10 or 15 minutes earlier. Stock in some healthy breakfast bars and fruit such as bananas or apples that can be eaten on the way to the bus stop or school.

You don’t eat breakfast, so why should I?

Uh oh. Busted. You should be eating a healthy breakfast, too. You’ll see your productivity go way up, and if you’re trying to lose weight, eating breakfast can actually help. Maybe you can do a little kid bonding in the morning over a bowl of oatmeal.

I’m not hungry.

Lots of kids don’t start feeling hungry until they’ve been awake for a few hours. Unfortunately, they might be right in the middle of math by then. Try a fruit smoothie or drinkable yogurt.

Breakfast food is yucky.

Not everyone likes oatmeal or bagels. That’s ok! You don’t have to follow IHop’s breakfast menu in the morning. Serve them leftovers from last night’s dinner. Make them a ham and cheese sandwich on wheat bread. Spaghetti is a perfectly acceptable breakfast food. Really!

Providing your child with a healthy breakfast takes a little advance planning, but it can be done! Enlist the help of other family members to:

Put breakfast food like fruit and breakfast bars in easy-to-reach cupboards or bowls. Help plan the breakfast menu for the week and go shopping together. Make it a point to eat breakfast together as a family. Look into your child’s school breakfast program.

Child Nutrition Breakfast is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Incoming search terms for the article:

• Child Development

Some parts of the menu have changed over the years and some have stayed the same as different chefs have come and gone. However, the basic philosophy has remained in place and that involves serving top-quality food and wine with formal service and attention to details. Also, the menu always has always had many traditionally-based dishes as well as some updated versions of classic dishes from the chefs’ own repertoires.

One thing that is definitely classic at Don Giovanni is their strict adherence to the traditional way of making a Caesar’s Salad. This is, I believe, the only place in town where you can get a Caesar’s Salad made at your tableside. This may not seem like a big deal but to some purists a Caesar is not a Caesar unless it’s made at the table. I’m not that strict about it personally but I do think that the original recipe should be followed or it’s really not a Caesar Salad is it? Many times I have eaten in a trendy Italian place, or others too, and the chef in the restaurant decides that his interpretation of a Caesar Salad is superior to that of Chef Caesar Cardini who originated this creation in his Tijuana, Mexico restaurant in 1924. The results sometimes are ludicrous with the chef throwing in everything but the kitchen sink in a vain attempt to put his personal mark on this signature dish. They should just do themselves a favor and follow the original recipe as they do at Don Giovanni’s. It will taste better, the purists will be happy and the gastronomic gods will smile upon them.

There are other dishes here, though, where the chefs have used their own ideas as to how certain dishes should be presented. I don’t always agree with them: carpaccio, for example, should be made of beef and not tuna or veal, but usually we’re on the same page, so to speak. In the appetizer section there’s a great example of mixing top-end ingredients when they serve a goose liver cr?me brulee with pan-fried foie gras, apple mousse and black truffle sauce. The richness of foie gras and truffles together is just plain delicious and only on the edge of overdoing it.

The rest of this ample menu contains enough choices to keep anyone happy whether you want something simple like spaghetti with an oregano and tomato sauce or something a little more elaborate like a baked rack of lamb with black pepper crust and tarragon-infused lamb sauce. My own favorites include the deep-fried seafood plate, the Australian sirloin and the pan-roasted tenderloin wrapped in pancetta bacon with foie gras. There are many more that I like from all the sections of the menu – risottos, pastas, soups, appetizers and the meat and fish entrees – but these are the ones that have left the deepest impression.
There are plenty of good wines to accompany your meal here as well in the enclosed wine cellar inside the restaurant. These, along with the service and the food here, will have you singing Don Giovanni’s praises yourself, perhaps not in an operatic style, but joyously nonetheless.

Don Giovanni Italian Restaurant In Bangkok is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Incoming search terms for the article:

• australian wine
• bangkok italian restaurant

Your wedding is a special day and, of course, you want everything to be perfect. Extra care should be taken to make sure the smallest details are in line. In order to ensure that everything is exactly as it should be, proper time must also be taken to get things right.

Many brides-to-be have spent hours paging through bridal magazines and wedding websites in search of the perfect gown. Bridesmaid dresses must be selected as well. All that remains is the selection of what your flower girl will wear down the aisle, but it can be difficult to find something age appropriate that fits the tone of your wedding. Look at these adorable styles of flower girl dresses that are sure to give you some ideas.

Flowered Dresses

Flower girls of any age will look darling in a satin dress featuring big floral blooms. For example, a white satin tank bodice looks great with a tangerine flowered skirt. Either sandals or flats go well with this age appropriate selection. Consider adding small bud or two to her hair as the perfect finishing touch.

Cuffed Dresses

Another effortless way to add color without a floral dress pattern is a cuffed dress style. This option features wide bands of color at the top and bottom hems of the dress. The cuffs could also be done in the same shade of white or ivory as the majority of the dress for the bride who prefers a monochrome look.

One option to pull off this look in style is to select a floor-length A-line satin dress. A lace-up back and delicate spaghetti straps will make your flower girl feel like a special member of your wedding party. A way to add drama is to use apple-colored cuffs and headband to accent the brilliant white of this adorable dress.

Miniature Bride

A popular trend is to dress the flower girl in a dress of similar appearance to the bridal gown. One way to achieve this look is by selecting a floor-length gown that flair from the waist. A sleeveless satin bodice with beadwork and embroidery completes this timeless look. Depending on how ornate the bridal gown is, you could even use an embroidered A-line skirt with a split front.

If there are any concerns about a dress of this kind for a younger flower girl, consider pairing the dress with a floral hair wreath that features a hint of ribbon flowing down her back. Another option is to add a crocheted sweater. Flats or ballet slippers are always a good choice for a younger girl.

Colorful Dresses

Regardless of season, colorful flower girl dresses are always in style. Using a dress color other than white is a great way for a bride to display the two different colors she has selected for her wedding. If only one color was selected then all members of the bridal party could also wear the same shade.

A satin dress with wide spaghetti straps will not only look adorable, but is also a great alternative to the thinner spaghetti straps worn by the bridesmaids. A gown in a tea-length is another substitution more appropriate for younger girls. The addition of a bow is the perfect way to either tie in the color of the rest of the wedding party or to add a coordinating shade all her own. Since this is an evergreen style, matching sandals are perfect for weddings in the spring and summer while close-toe shoes are a better option for the colder months.

Pick-up Dresses

Nothing is more adorable on flower girls than a pick-up dress – especially when the bride is in a similar style. This dress style is as functional as it is beautiful because the pick-up skirt keeps the length from becoming a trip hazard while adding body to the skirt. A white bodice displaying metallic embroidery and spaghetti straps will catch everyone’s eye as she travels down the aisle, sprinkling her petals.

If the bride has opted to wear a different color dress then the flower girl could also wear this same look in champagne-colored fabric with a lovely hazelnut sash. Ivory is another simple choice. The bride wearing a jeweled headpiece might also select a small tiara or rhinestone pins to enhance the beauty of this dress. Shoes with gemstone accents are another darling option.

The most important thing to keep sight of during the planning process is that this is your special day. While the little details can be daunting, it will soon all be worth it. No matter which adorable style of flower girl dress you choose, this youngest member of your bridal party is sure to look her best!

Adorable Styles of Flower Girl Dresses is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Other meals might take 30 minutes if you have part of the meal prepared ahead – for example, leftover chicken or a batch of Tomato Sauce in the freezer.  Chicken Parmesan, Chickpea Curry or Spaghetti Bolognese could be whipped up in under 20 minutes if you had a quantity of Tomato Sauce at hand.

Be Prepared:

The key is being prepared. Do you find that you are constantly frustrated because you can’t produce the meals that you want to?  You don’t have the correct ingredients at hand? That was me! But juggling a busy schedule and kids has meant that I have had to bring a modicum of order to the way I go about cooking nutritious meals – hence the meal planning scheme we have developed, which means that shopping is organized and there are always ingredients at the ready.  

At the beginning of each month, I devise a Monthly Meal Plan, whereby consideration is given to Main Meals and clever ways to use the leftovers from those meals.  For example, a main meal of Oven Baked Whole Chicken could make an entirely new “leftovers” meal as Easy Chicken Enchiladas.  Similarly, a hearty Beef Stew could make a reappearance a few nights later as a pie, topped with crispy, light puff pastry.  In this case, the Beef Stew took longer to cook than 30 minutes, but the spin-off was that the Beef Pie took under 5 minutes to prepare!

Monthly Meal Planning is seasonal, so you get the benefit of fresh, affordable ingredients.  Quick, easy meals feature strongly in the planning. We cater towards busy people who don’t have hours to prepare meals.

Use your freezer:

Make use of your freezer: batch cook quantities of Tomato Sauce that can be added to Chicken Parmesan or Chickpea Curry. Freeze leftovers for later use: for example leftover topping from Baked Fish with Coriander Parmesan Crust  can be frozen and used for Stuffed Mushrooms.

None of us wants to live our lives in the kitchen.  But, by cooking smart you can have fun whilst producing easy, nutritious meals. The October Meal Plan is a free plan which is now available.

30 Minute Meals – a lifesaver! is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

It has a warm, aromatic but gentle flavor, with a hint of spicey aniseed. It’s well known that it goes extremely well with tomatoes, where it can be served raw in salads such as the classic Italian Caprese, or cooked into a rich tomato sauce for pasta or other hot dishes.

Basil is also popular as the prime ingredient of pesto sauce (known as pistou in France), which is made by pounding fresh basil leaves with pine kernals, olive oil, parmesan cheese and garlic to produce the distinctive thick green sauce so often used with spaghetti or as a dipping condiment.

Like most herbs, basil is widely available in both fresh and dried forms. Again like most herbs, the fresh version is generally considered to be superior. If you come across a cheap and bountiful supply of the fresh herb, you can dry it slowly in a very low oven before crumbling it and storing in airtight jars. This method of preserving it costs much in terms of flavour though, and a better option is to puree the leaves and freeze into ice cubes, which can then be dropped from frozen straight into the recipe you’re cooking.

Basil can be quite expensive to buy in the fresh form, so if you become a fan of the herb you might like to try growing it yourself – it’s much cheaper that way, and you can also ensure that the leaves you’re using will be as fresh as can be! It’s also one of the easier herbs to grow and so is ideal for beginners.

Basil is a native of warm climates, and so needs to be planted in a sunny and sheltered spot if it is to flourish. If you have a patio or terrace with a south facing wall, then sowing it in a pot there is ideal. It’s all the better too if you can grow it close to your kitchen for easy picking whenever you need it!

Left to itself, basil will tend to grow into a tall, thin, ungenerous-looking plant with little in the way of edible leaves. You can encourage a more rewardingly bushy growth by ‘pinching out’ the plant as it grows, removing the top young leaves to encourage more sideways growth. Harvesting the herb regularly will also encourage more vigorous growth.

Basil is a tender annual, and will die off quickly in cold weather. You may be able to prolong its life by bringing it indoors at the first sign of a cold snap, or you could sow a succession of new plants indoors for a year-round supply.

Although it is mainly a culinary herb, basil does have some minor antiseptic properties, but is not widely used medicinally by herbalists. It is however a member of the wider mint herb family, and in common with its relatives it’s said to be a good digestive aid.

There are many varieties of basil available, but the most popular are the Genovese type which gives the typical authentic italian flavour and aroma, and the purple-leaved ‘holy’ basil which is used more often in Asian cooking.

Whichever variety you choose, and whether you decide to buy it or grow it, basil is a treat for your senses and a great addition to your culinary toolbox.

Did you find this article useful?  For more useful tips and   hints, points to ponder and keep in mind, techniques, and insights pertaining to credit card, do please browse for more information at our websites.
<a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(’/outgoing/article_exit_link’);” href=”http://www.yoursgoogleincome.com
“>http://www.yoursgoogleincome.com
</a>                                     
<a rel=”nofollow” onclick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(’/outgoing/article_exit_link’);” href=”http://www.freeearningtip.com
“>http://www.freeearningtip.com
</a>

About Basil? is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

RED AND GREEN PEPPER STEAK

1 1/2 lbs London broil, 1 1/2-inches thick

1 green bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

1/4 cup canola oil

1 clove garlic, minced

2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1 1/4 cups beef broth

1 cup chopped onion

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

6 tbsp soy sauce

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp Splenda granular

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

4 cups hot cooked brown rice or whole-wheat fettuccine

Cut steak into strips.  Heat oil in large skillet over high heat.  Add steak and saute until browned, approximately 5 minutes.  Add garlic, tomatoes, and 1 cup of the beef broth to skillet; reduce heat to simmer.  Cover and simmer about 25 minutes or until tender.  While beef simmers, cut bell peppers into thin strips.  When beef is tender, add onion and peppers to skillet.  Cook, covered, an additional 10 minutes.  In a small mixing bowl, mix cornstarch and the remaining 1/4 cup beef broth together until smooth.  Stir into the steak mixture.  Add Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, ginger, black pepper and Splenda to skillet.  Mix well.  Cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened.  Serve over hot rice or fettuccine. 

Remember to eat all things within reason.  Do not load your plate with rice or pasta and a little bit of steak!  That’s cheating.

Enjoy!

Red and Green Pepper Steak With Brown Rice or Whole-wheat Fettuccini is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

The sight of a cute flower girl strolling down the aisle will instantly warm the hearts of your wedding guests. Flower girls are easy to shop for because they look adorable in anything. However, you should choose a flower girl dress that your family will adore. Here are some creative ideas for choosing colorful flower girl dresses that any family would cherish.

Tulle Tiered Ballgown

This flower girl dress is extraordinary and unique! This lovely dress is a spaghetti strap, tulle tiered ballgown and it features a beaded waist and a huge bow on the back. If you want your little flower girl to look like a princess and stand out from the crowd, you will love this dress. This flower girl dress is rich in details, elegant, and perfect for any kind of wedding. This dress comes in ivory and white and sizes 2T to 14.

Spaghetti Strap Ribbon Waist Dress

This gorgeous flower dress is a satin, spaghetti strap dress with a pick-up skirt and ribbon waist. This dress is charming and one-of-a-kind! Your flower girl will look fabulous with this dress on, which is available in white and ivory. A colorful, beaded satin sash is also available for this dress, and it comes in a variety of colors like pink, orange, blue, green, red, black, and others. A sash will make this dress look bolder and more energetic! If you have already picked out the colors for your wedding, you should definitely purchase this colorful flower girl dress for your big day.

Satin Beaded A-Line Dress

This satin A-line gown features a pleated bodice, an empire waist, and gorgeous beaded detail that adds sparkle to the dress. This dress is sophisticated, stylish, and perfect for your wedding day! This A-line style dress is also flattering for any kind of girl and it comes in ivory or white and sizes 2T to 14.

Lace-up A-Line Dress

You can add a splash of color to your wedding with this beautiful, flower girl dress. This satin A-line gown has spaghetti straps and a lace-up back and it comes in white or ivory. This dress also comes with a beautiful color trim on the top and bottom of the dress in the color of your choice. A variety of vibrant colors are available like Apple, Black, Canary, Champagne, Sangria, Watermelon, and many others. This dress is simple and sassy, and it is fit for a real princess.

Cotton Sateen Dress

If you think white flower girl dresses are boring, you will love this dress. This dress comes in 41 gorgeous shades and it is fun and festive! This tank strap, cotton sateen dress comes with a beautiful bow in the back and it features a t-length skirt. Your flower girl will look beautiful and so sweet in this dress!

Keep your flower girl’s personality in mind when you are shopping around for her dress. If your flower girl enjoys dressing up, she will love an elegant, fancy dress or ballgown. If your flower girl doesn’t like wearing dresses, she will feel pretty silly wearing a lacy, feminine dress, so you should go with an understated, simple dress that she will be comfortable in. Keep in mind that your flower girl will look spectacular wearing a colorful dress that matches your wedding theme or wedding dress.

You will also have to decide what length is right for your flower girl’s dress. If your flower girl is young, you should choose a shorter, or tea-length dress because there is no risk of falling. An older flower girl can wear an elegant, sophisticated, longer dress.
Finally, keep in mind that you can make any flower girl dress better if you purchase the perfect accessories. The accessories you purchase should enhance your flower girl’s beauty and it will add the finishing touch, whether she is three years old or 13, so shop around until you find the perfect veil, headpiece, gloves or shoes.

David’s Bridal sells traditional, fancy, modern, colorful, and casual flower girl dresses. Their flower girl dresses are made from high-quality fabrics and decorated with exquisite embellishments like crystal highlights, beading, lace, and ribbon embroidery. David’s Bridal has a huge selection of flower girl dresses, so you will not have a problem finding the perfect dress for your special event. If you need a flower girl dress, visit David’s Bridal online or in person. If you shop around for the perfect dress and accessories, your little princess will look fabulous on your special day.

Here Are Creative Ideas for Choosing Colorful Flower Girl Dresses is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Everyone knows, from big city restaurants to restaurants in resort areas, that tourists can be very difficult at times. But, when it comes to restaurant service, the reality is that one must get past the surface, and be most understanding of a tourist’s situation.

Jet lag, being in a foreign place, unfamiliarity with the language or currency are all factors that feed into the bizarre actions and wacky behavior of a tourist. I won’t even to exclude myself from this category at certain times when traveling.

Instead of taking on these attitudes personally, a restaurant operator or waiter must flip the coin to the other side where a little compassion and understanding goes a very long way regardless of the situation.

For example, I had just experienced a long, but most interesting day touring the incredible and wondrous sights of this city when all I wanted to do was get a decent, relaxing bite to eat. As I kept walking into restaurants asking a simple question, I would receive unexpected poor treatment in return. Now, everyone in the world who goes out to spend the money to dine wants to relax and feel welcome–not to feel intimidated or threatened in any way.

But, the latter kept happening to me time and again. So I kept walking out of these restaurants in utter disbelief —refusing to plunk down money for a bad food service experience.

Then, I finally gave it one more chance at a small trattoria on a little side street asking for one of my favorite dishes–fettuccine with clam sauce. All of the other restaurants had turned me down. They would only serve “spaghetti” with clam sauce and no other variation.

But, this owner of the restaurant said “Yes, certainly sir, whatever you would like us to prepare for you.” So, I sat down and enjoyed the entire “fettuccine with clam sauce” thoroughly. Then, I ordered an excellent dessert, and the owner brought me a cappuccino on the house (pennies to make)– with a big smile on his face.

Well, to say the least, everything was perfect: the meal and the incredible customer service. The owner had relaxed me quite a bit after a somewhat stressful day–as touring can be sometimes.

From that point onward, this customer service expert owned me. At the end of each touring day, I kept returning to enjoy his restaurant -–most happy to bring him the extra business.

As a restaurant service person, if you are going to put in the time and effort into performing a job, why not put the ego aside to please the customer with a smile and friendly service? It really is the humane thing to do. Otherwise, one is wasting precious time in this industry.

Restaurant service for tourists is always a double edged sword. On one hand, it is very difficult to serve tourists for the reasons mentioned above. Yet, on the other hand, their spending can often make or break a business. These days, nobody can afford to lose business simply because of a lack of courtesy and respect.

As time goes by, tourism will be increasing in this world as people with more disposable income want to get out of their own dwellings and find out the mysteries of other cultures. Just because one tourist walks in a little nutty, doesn’t mean they all will.

Also remember, these tourists will tell their friends about their restaurant service experiences, even in other countries. I, myself, will definitely recommend this particular restaurant to family and friends who travel to this city in the future.

Who wants to take the chance of getting burned somewhere else?

Whether you are an owner/operator, manager, or waiter are you treating tourists well in your establishment?

Restaurant Service: Maintain A High Service Level For Tourists Too is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Incoming search terms for the article:

• bad experiences in restaurants services

It would be useful to have on hand some basic ingredients that are found in lots of Italian cooking. By that way, you will be able to serve your Italian food most days without having to do an extensive grocery shop.

Lets look at the ingredients that you need to have in your grocery list.

Garlic: This may sound like a cliché to you, but this modest bulb has its own place in all Italian kitchens. Keep garlic in a dry and cool place, such as a pantry or root cellar. Look for bulbs with no discoloration on the bottom when buying garlic as these discolorations indicate moulding and age.

Tomato Sauce: You do not have to buy the expensive tomato sauce. The national brand or house brand at your nearby local grocery store will be fine in your Italian dish. Local made tomato sauce does not affect the taste of your Italian cooking. Try not to buy from the “pre-seasoned” blends, as you will be adding your own spices and herbs.

Pasta: Do not buy a huge quantity of any one specific pasta. It is preferable to keep a little amount of the most regular types such as wide egg noodle, large and small shells, elbow macaroni, linguine and spaghetti. It will be good if you have storage so that you can keep the long noodles in a long container. Moreover, you can find many tuppaware makers that are specially design to keep the pasta in to maintain freshness.

Parmesan Cheese: Freshly ground Parmesan cheese is always a welcome addition to the top of any Italian dish even though it may not always be needed in the ingredients of the Italian recipe you are cooking. The famous cheese brand, Kraft, has a new product with a block of cheese in its container along with its grater. The price is not expensive and it works very well with Italian cooking.

Olive oil: One of the mistakes that many Italian food amateurs make is using pricey olive oil for things like pan-frying. Using the standard olive oil, which is yellow in colour is just fine for this.

Keep these ingredients well stocked and you will be ready and prepared to cook any Italian dish.

Preparing to Cook Italian is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Incoming search terms for the article:

• Shell oil

Cream cheese comes in a variety of flavours and normally you can use plain cream cheese in your dinner recipes to create a rich taste for your dish. If you are health conscious, low-fat cream cheese is a good alternative to heavy cream and coconut, with the added benefits of nutrients vitamin A, calcium, and iron.

Creamy Pasta Dishes
Cream cheese is also helpful in enhancing the flavour of your homemade pasta sauce and curries. For example, by mixing half a cup of cream cheese with garlic, Parmesan cheese, milk, salt and parsley, you will get the perfect Alfredo sauce for spaghetti.

Rich Curry Sauce
Cream cheese can also be used to create the little cheese balls in vegetarian curries. You simply mix the cream cheese with the masala spices you’ll be adding to your curry sauce and refrigerate overnight so the flavours can blend.

If you are more interested in a curry dish rather than a snack, you can make curried chicken using Indian spices such as garam masala, ginger, garlic paste, cumin seeds, coriander and turmeric powder. Brown your chicken, then lightly fry with your spices, add liquid to cover, add vegetables and heat. Before serving, add the cream cheese to the chicken pot and allow to simmer slowly. Soon you will have a tasty curry chicken with a thick, creamy gravy.

Prawn Risotto With Cream Cheese And Leek
Risotto is a popular rice dish that originates from Italy. The knack to a good risotto is the creamy texture of the rice – but you can cheat. Preparing this dish may not be as difficult as you think and, by adding cream cheese, you will be able to serve the smoothest risotto imaginable. Here’s a recipes for risotto with leek and prawns.

First, cook leek and garlic for five minutes in hot oil before you add in your Arborio rice and mix them well. Then add 3/4 cup of white wine and stir it into the rice. Gradually add four cups of chicken stock. Remember: you need to wait for the stock to be fully absorbed before you add in more.

Now add bay leaves, prawns, and lemon to the rice and leave them simmering for five minutes. When the prawns are white and cooked through, stir in the cream cheese and gently mix well until the cheese has liquefied evenly. Serve with finely chopped parsley or coriander.

Spring Vegetable Spagetti
For a quicker dish, you can try making spaghetti with spring vegetables. First, cook spaghetti in boiling water until it softens. Heat up some oil in a pan with olive oil and garlic and begin cooking the vegetables of your choosing for three to four minutes until the vegetables are softened. Put the cooked vegetables aside and pour a cup of chicken stock into the cooking pan and turn down the heat. Add 125g cream cheese and allow the ingredients to simmer on a very low heat for five minutes. Add lemon, seasoning and vegetables to the cream cheese mixture before you stir in the spaghetti.

Char-grilled Salmon With Creamy Mustard
If you are a seafood lover, this creamy mustard sauce goes fantastically well with char-grilled salmon. Boil half a cup of cooking wine and onions in a saucepan for two minutes, then reduce the heat and add 250g chopped and softened cream cheese into the mixture. Add in one and a half table spoons of mustard (English or seeded) and cook the sauce for three minutes until it thickens and cream cheese has melted evenly. Remove the sauce from the heat and add seasoning. Set aside. Put olive oil into a char-grill pan and cook the salmon for around four minutes. Remove from heat and pour on sauce. Serve with a lemon wedge and steamed rice that has finely chopped dill mixed through it. Green beans are a nice compliment.

Quick Dinner Recipes with Rich Cream Cheese Flavours is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

The heart of this cooking or eating is the use of ingredients. These ingredients are available in all the seasons. These ingredients are used to change ordinary items into works of art in the form of pastas, side dishes, breads, sauces, main dishes, deserts and soups. The possibilities are rally endless and very exciting. If you are really Italian food lover then you must buy cookbooks so that you can easily increase the taste of your food. These are a number of recipe books that have pictures of the completed dish so that you will able to know what it should look like. These books can help you a lot if you have never seen the dish anywhere. It is really best to follow a recipe when you first start to learn a new recipe but don’t be panic to start experimenting once you have the basics down.

Following are some ingredients that you need to have in your grocery list.

1) Tomato Sauce:

Tomato Sauce is one of the important ingredients. You need not have to buy the expensive tomato sauce. The national brand or house brand at your nearby local grocery store will be fine in your Italian dish. Try not to buy from the “pre-seasoned” blends, as you will be adding your own spices and herbs.

2) Pasta:

It is highly recommended that you should not buy a huge quantity of any specific pasta. It is preferable to keep a little amount of the most regular types such as wide egg noodle, large and small shells, elbow macaroni, linguine and spaghetti. It will be good if you have storage so that you can keep the long noodles in a long container. Moreover, you can find many Tupperware makers that are specially design to keep the pasta in to maintain freshness.

3) Parmesan Cheese:

Freshly ground Parmesan cheese is always a welcome addition to the top of any Italian dish even though it may not always be needed in the ingredients of the recipe you are cooking. The famous cheese brand, Kraft, has a new product with a block of cheese in its container along with its grater.

4) Olive oil:

Olive oil is also one of the integral parts of ingredients. One of the mistakes that many Italian food amateurs make is using pricey olive oil for things like pan-frying. Using the standard olive oil, which is yellow in color, is just fine for this.

Tasty and Healthy Italian Food is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

The heart of this cooking or eating is the use of ingredients. These ingredients are available in all the seasons. These ingredients are used to change ordinary items into works of art in the form of pastas, side dishes, breads, sauces, main dishes, deserts and soups. The possibilities are rally endless and very exciting. If you are really Italian food lover then you must buy cookbooks so that you can easily increase the taste of your food. These are a number of recipe books that have pictures of the completed dish so that you will able to know what it should look like. These books can help you a lot if you have never seen the dish anywhere. It is really best to follow a recipe when you first start to learn a new recipe but don’t be panic to start experimenting once you have the basics down.

Following are some ingredients that you need to have in your grocery list.

1) Tomato Sauce:

Tomato Sauce is one of the important ingredients. You need not have to buy the expensive tomato sauce. The national brand or house brand at your nearby local grocery store will be fine in your Italian dish. Try not to buy from the “pre-seasoned” blends, as you will be adding your own spices and herbs.

2) Pasta:

It is highly recommended that you should not buy a huge quantity of any specific pasta. It is preferable to keep a little amount of the most regular types such as wide egg noodle, large and small shells, elbow macaroni, linguine and spaghetti. It will be good if you have storage so that you can keep the long noodles in a long container. Moreover, you can find many Tupperware makers that are specially design to keep the pasta in to maintain freshness.

3) Parmesan Cheese:

Freshly ground Parmesan cheese is always a welcome addition to the top of any Italian dish even though it may not always be needed in the ingredients of the recipe you are cooking. The famous cheese brand, Kraft, has a new product with a block of cheese in its container along with its grater.

4) Olive oil:

Olive oil is also one of the integral parts of ingredients. One of the mistakes that many Italian food amateurs make is using pricey olive oil for things like pan-frying. Using the standard olive oil, which is yellow in color, is just fine for this.

Italian Food: a Good and Healthy Choice is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

Incoming search terms for the article:

• italian

It’s dark indeed but sexy at Vai’s tall center table . Photo: Steven Richter

Yes, it’s dark in here but once we solve the menu hurdle, dinner by votives in the shadows seems almost romantic. Executive chef Vincent Chirico, late of Frederick’s, with partner Bennet Orfaly built the place, painted it and found the mirrors in New Jersey.

With tables both tall and normal, hot music competing with a joyful clamor, and doors thrown open to the street on a mild night, Vai clearly wants to be a wine bar – with charcuterie and cheese plates ($16 for three cheeses, $19 for five) and more for the hungry. The kitchen creeps on a busy night but our cheerful server brings a giveaway of olive oil, chopped marinated tomatoes and eggplant-marscapone spread in a long divided platter to pile on toast, smilingly replacing it during the long wait.

Lemon preserve and capers set off grilled calamari. That’s Boston lettuce behind. Photo: Steven Richter

At last, food arrives. We love grilled calamari with lemon preserve and caper sauce as well as clams roasted under a crust of andouille, chili and lemony breadcrumbs. The smallish sea scallops on fennel cream are good too but not much to eat for $14. And Vai wants to play big time too with a chef’s menu and a flight of five wines for two to share at $75 each and a “small bite menu” with tastes of seven wines for $69. Entrees served naked on the plate seem reasonable enough ($17 to $21, with a $29 rib eye) till the server insists you’ll need sides ($6). That big, nicely moist pork chop does look lonely. But what’s listed as “baby” chicken is huge, juicy too, enough for tomorrow’s lunch, and a order of parmesan asparagus and a bowl of crispy artichoke chunks work for the table.

Chicken can be so boring but not this one, even naked on the plate. Photo: Steven Richter

By dessert time, after two glasses of a Grenache Syrah (the least expensive red at $34), we’ve actually forgotten the wait. Nutella crepes would never be my choice – our guests seem to love them. The fig tart is just enough sweetness to frost a pleasant evening. The erratic pricing feels aggressive right now with the continuing market shock, but given all these options, it’s possible to choose an affordable supper.

225 West 77th Street near Broadway 212 362 4500

Copyright Gael Greene 2008

I Did it My Vai is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

The spread of Italian food diversity began after the fall of the Roman Empire when individual city states began to uphold separate identities and traditions. Each region began to display its own unique way of cooking, right down to the formation of a meatball to the characteristic cheeses and wine produced in a locale. The north developed Tuscan beef, while black truffles were very popular in Marches. Provolone and mozzarella cheeses developed in the south, as well as a host of interesting citrus fruits.

Even today, the history of this food continues to evolve. Much of the changes now, though, take place beyond the shores of Italy. In America, for example, chefs like Mario Batali have fused classic dishes with American cuisine to come up with dishes that combine the best of both worlds. In cities and towns all over the country, chefs are taking traditional ingredients and combining them in new ways. In what could perhaps be called a full circle journey for pasta, some Italian Asian fusion restaurants are even beginning to evolve.

No doubt that this food has captured the hearts of people around the world. People of this place have a gastronomical affair with food. Eating is a passion and an integral part of the culture in country. So when you are in this place, expect to add a few pounds to your frame. Italian cooking finds it roots back to different regions and is influenced by various factors. If you are looking for healthy and cheaper eating, then you must venture into South Italy.

The world famous and supremely popular Pizza was born in Campania along with tubular pizza and the various tomato based pizza and pasta sauces. Even if you are one of those few people who do not like pizzas, you should try one. The reason the pizza of place is popular is because of its simplicity and its fresh ingredients. Pizza margherita is the most popular pizza in Italy named after Queen Margherita.

No body can deny that, these dishes are some of the tastiest preparations in the world. Along with including various healthy ingredients like fresh vegetables and grains, a large number of recipes are served best with different types of specialized sauces and condiments. Among the rest, meat sauces, prepared in a variety of ways, form some of the most common parts of a variety of Italian recipes. From pastas and spaghetti preparations to lasagna and meatballs, meat sauces are served with a wide variety of the dishes. The desserts are probably the most unusual, at least to Americans. They include things with names like spumoni and tortoni. If you don’t know what they are, find yourself a good Italian restaurant and experience them.

Italian Cuisine a Great and Tasty Choice is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

How Do Your View Cooking? While this question is asked somewhat rhetorically, it is a question you should ask yourself and answer. Do you view cooking as a chore or duty or do you view it as a project? There is something much more exciting about embarking on a new project than getting around to a loathsome chore. If you do view cooking as a chore the more important question might be why?

Some common reasons that people dislike cooking include the following: lack of skill, lack of confidence, boredom, or you could simply dislike the inevitable clean up far more than you enjoy the process of cooking. For each of these, there are solutions if you are willing to make the effort.

A lack of skill when it comes to cooking can be easily corrected in most cases by taking a few cooking classes. Classes are offered for varying degrees of skill sets and are meant to help you develop your cooking talents while teaching you the basics of meal planning and preparation. You can increase your skills by taking more classes down the road.

While a lack of confidence is a little more difficult to address having a few ‘dinner parties’ in which your quests can compliment your culinary talents can often solve this particular dilemma. The key in this process is to plan your menu carefully and remain well within your comfort zone. You will be amazed at the wonderfully rich and delicious meals that can be prepared with very little effort if you are willing to sift through the recipe books in order to find them.

Boredom in the kitchen is perhaps one of the easiest problems to fix there is. The solution is exceedingly simple-find a challenge. Try cooking Thai or Indian cuisine. Try more difficult recipes. Try making only meals from scratch or simply try broadening your use of spices and seasonings. There are many things you can do in order to bring some excitement back into your kitchen. You may even discover hidden talents and tastes in the process.

There will always be clean up. My suggestion is to make a deal with either your partner or your children and they can draw straws over who cleans up. Of course if this won’t work in your family, you could always turn over a new leaf and clean as you go whenever possible. This makes the clean up process after dinner so much simpler to handle that it is well worth a few extra minutes during meal prep.

Cooking for pleasure is really the only way to cook. If you have difficulties when it comes to finding the enjoyment and entertainment value of cooking, perhaps it’s time you bring some fun back into your kitchen. If you’re barbecuing, put on some Jimmy Buffet and dance around your kitchen. If you’re cooking Italian find some nice Italian music to set the mood. Bring the fun back into your kitchen and you will find that cooking is a pleasure rather than a chore.

How Cooking is Pleasurable is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara

The first chemical leavening agents were devised by housewives themselves. They consisted of a combination of saleratus, an alkali made from wood ashes, and sour milk or molasses. The results obtained were more or less satisfactory, but never entirely accurate or certain. Later on, chemists by employing the same idea combined an alkali with an acid in powder form and produced an accurate and satisfactory leavening agent in the form of baking powder. The discovery of baking powder, however, has not displaced the use of other combinations that form chemical leavening agents, for soda is still combined with sour milk, molasses, and cream of tartar in the making of various hot breads. Therefore, so that a proper understanding of the various chemical leavening agents may be obtained, a discussion of each is here given.

SODA AND SOUR MILK.–When soda is used with sour milk for leavening purposes, the lactic acid in the milk is so acted upon by the soda as to produce gas. However, these two ingredients–soda and sour milk–do not make an absolutely accurate leavening agent, because the quantity of acid in the sour milk varies according to the fermentation that has taken place. For example, sour milk 48 hours old contains more acid than sour milk that is kept under the same conditions but is only 24 hours old.

The proportion of these ingredients that is usually effective in batters and doughs for hot breads is 1 level teaspoonful of soda to 1 pint of sour milk. So as to derive the best results in using these chemical leavening agents, it will be well to observe that if they are mixed together in a cup the milk will bubble and may, provided the quantity is sufficient, run over. These bubbles are caused by the gas that is formed when the acid and soda meet, and when they break gas escapes, with the result that some of it is lost. Formerly, it was the custom to mix these leavening substances in this way, and then to add them to the other ingredients. Now, however, in order that all gas produced may be kept in the dough mixture, the soda is sifted in with the dry ingredients and the sour milk is added with the liquid ingredients.

A point well worth remembering is that sour milk and soda may be substituted for sweet milk and baking powder in a recipe that calls for these ingredients by using 1 teaspoonful of soda to each pint of sour milk. This information should prove valuable to the housewife, especially if she has accumulated a supply of sour milk that should not be wasted. Occasionally it will be found that baking powder and soda are required in the same recipe, but this occurs only when an insufficient amount of soda to produce the desired result is specified.

SODA AND MOLASSES.–Although molasses, which is a product of sugar cane, is sweet, it contains an acid that is formed by the fermentation that continually occurs in it, an evidence of which is the tiny bubbles that may be seen in molasses, especially when it is kept in a warm place. Because of the presence of this acid, molasses may be used with soda to form a chemical leavening agent, and when they are combined in hot breads or cake, the chemical action of the two produces carbon dioxide. However, accurate results cannot always be obtained when these ingredients are used, for the degree of acidity in molasses is as uncertain as it is in sour milk. Molasses that is old or has been kept in a warm place will contain more acid than molasses that has been manufactured only a short time or that has been kept cool to retard fermentation.

The proportion of soda to molasses that can usually be relied on for hot breads and cakes is 1 teaspoonful of soda to 1 cupful of molasses, or just twice the quantity of soda that is generally used with sour milk. To produce the best results, the molasses should be mixed with the liquid ingredients and the soda sifted in with the dry ones. As molasses burns very quickly in a hot oven, all breads or cakes containing it as an ingredient should be baked in an oven of moderate temperature.

Chemical Leavening Agent For Bread is a post from: Spaghetti Carbonara