Monday, November 29, 2010

Colorbok Learn to Kit - To Knit & Crochet Spool Critters

Kids very often like to knit and for that you can have a look at Kids Knitting Projects. However, some do not have the perseverance to do a whole project and that is where spool knitting comes into mind as a viable alternative.

Spool knitting is a fun activity for children who enjoy craft. It uses a spool to create a narrow tube of knitting without the need for knitting needles. This is ideal for little children as it teaches them the basics of knitting before they move on to proper knitting.

The Colorbok Learn to Kit - To Knit & Crochet Spool Critters includes one plastic spool knitter, one plastic safety needle, a craft stick, yarn in different colors, pipe cleaners, pom-poms and other decoration bits and pieces. With the help of the instructions, your kids will have fun making little knitted animals, such as a fish, lion, cat, or butterfly and can decorate them with googly eyes and pom-poms.

Overall, I think this would make a great and fun gift set for any crafty child.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Subs That You Can Make Ahead Recipe

As we all know it is sometimes quite difficult for a busy mom to always have a tasty meal ready on a busy day. So, having these subs ready in no time will really help a lot. What is important though, is that some chopping is necessary and for that you can use a food processor such as the Cuisinart 11 Cup Pro Custom 11 Food Processors that are also easy to clean up and will save you some time.

So here is the recipe for your subs you can make ahead Recipe:

What You Need For Your Subs That You Can Make Ahead Recipe:
  • 1 (16 oz) loaf of French bread
  • 1/2 (8 oz) container of sour cream ranch dip
  • 3/4 C of pkg. shredded carrots
  • 1 C of lettuce, shredded
  • 1/2 of a cucumber, peeled, seeded and shredded
  • 2 oz thin sliced deli roast beef
  • 2 oz. thin sliced deli ham
  • 2 oz. thin sliced deli turkey
  • 2 oz thin sliced deli chicken
  • 4 oz thin sliced provolone cheese
How to Make It:
  1. Cut the bread loaf in half lengthwise.
  2. Spread the sour cream ranch dip onto the cut sides of the bread.
  3. Layer the carrots, lettuce, cucumbers, all 4 types of meat and the cheese onto one side of the cut bread.
  4. Close the bread over the top.
  5. Wrap tightly in saran wrap and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.
  6. To serve, cut into 8 slices and secure with a toothpick.
Makes 8 servings

Have plans on Saturday and know your going to be rushed when it comes to eating? This sub will help you out. Use your favorite deli meats and your favorite type of cheese. Purchase already shredded carrots and lettuce, if you do not have a food processor, and if you prefer use sliced pickles instead of the cucumbers.

Keep in mind that if you purchase already shredded carrots and lettuce you will be losing quite a lot of nutrition from these foods. Fresh is always better as you are going to store these subs in the refrigerator already.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Cherry Blossom Smoothie Recipe

I love smoothies, winter or summer, they are always a tasty treat. So, if you have a Cuisinart Smoothie Maker or a Cuisinart CBT 700 Blender you will love this Cherry Blossom Smoothie Recipe. If you use the sweet cherries this smoothie is a real sweet treat. So, try it, even though it is now winter in the most places, you will love it.

Cherry Blossom

What You Need:
  • 2 C cherries, sweet or tart and frozen
  • 1 banana, peeled and cut into pieces
  • 1 C cherry juice
  • Maraschino cherries
How to Make It:
  1. Place the frozen cherries, the banana pieces and the juice into the blender.
  2. Blend until smooth.
  3. Pour into glasses and top with the maraschino cherries.
Sweet cherries make this drink quite a sweet delight. Tart cherries take away some of the sweetness but they still make a delightful drink.

Remember, the Cuisinart CBT 700 Blender is a strong blender and will be able to handle anything you throw its way. If you use the cherries frozen you will see that you get a "soft" and thick almost ice cream texture. If you want this kind of almost "ice cream" smoothie you can also freeze the banana before making it.

A food idea is to cut fruit and freeze them in byte sizes ready to make smoothies when you need them. This way you can make use of specials on fruit etc.

Monday, November 8, 2010

Easy Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Recipe

This time of the year, with all the holidays coming, you may enjoy making a few pumpkin dishes that differ from those that you bake every year. Pumpkin and cream cheese is a very good combination and that is why this recipe is such a winner.

To make this recipe successful you will need either one of the KitchenAid 5 Speed Blenders With Polycarbonate Jars or a food processor such as one of the Cuisinart 11 Cup Pro Custom 11 Food Processors.

Easy Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Recipe

What You Need:
  • 1/3 C lite margarine, at room temperature
  • 2 C graham-cracker crumbs
  • 1 (24 oz.) container no fat cottage cheese
  • 1 (12 oz.) container lite cream-cheese
  • 1 1/4C light brown sugar, packed firm
  • 2 lg. egg whites
  • 2 lg. whole eggs
  • 2 C pumpkin puree
  • 2 TBSP cornstarch
  • 2 tsp. pumpkin-pie spice
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
How to Make It:

  1. Place the margarine in a small mixing bowl.
  2. Add the graham cracker crumbs and mix together until the crumbs are completely moist and stick together well.
  3. Spray a spring form pan with a non stick cooking spray.
  4. Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan and set aside.
  5. Place the cottage cheese into the blender or food processor.
  6. Add the cream cheese and blend for 2 minutes until mixture is thick and smooth.
  7. Place the brown sugar into the cream cheese mixture and blend until dissolved.
  8. Add the egg whites and the whole eggs and blend until completely combined.
  9. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the mixture into a large mixing bowl.
  10. Add the pumpkin, cornstarch, pie spice and vanilla.
  11. Mix with a rubber spatula until completely combined and smooth.
  12. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie crust.
  13. Place the oven temperature on 325 degrees and allow the oven to heat.
  14. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes until set.
  15. Cool to room temperature then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
8 Servings

Be sure to allow the pie to come to room temperature before covering and placing in the refrigerator. This keeps condensation from building on the top of the pie which leads to a mushy consistency. The pie can be kept in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days.

This pie can be a lifesaver when you are entertaining as it is one less thing you have to do on the day itself. Make it the day before and leave you and your stove free for the other dishes you plan on making. So, try this Easy Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Recipe

Friday, November 5, 2010

Tips on How to Sell Your Crafts Online

If you think Silk Painting Is Fun, you may end up with articles that you cannot use as you have too many. This means you may want to sell some of it. So here are a few ideas to help you.

It’s not unusual for people to enjoy crafting as a hobby. People have been doing it for years, either because they simply enjoy it or because they want to share an activity with a loved one. Many people wonder about selling their craft items and decide to go the craft show route. Wouldn’t selling your hard work elsewhere be good? Here are some tips on how to sell your crafts online.

Attending and participating in craft shows and fairs can run into a good amount of money. Not only do you have to make the crafts you plan to sell, you also have to have tables, ways to display your crafts, possibly a tent if the shows/fairs are outdoors, and the money to participate. By the time you’ve spent all that money, you may be lucky to make a profit or even break even.

Selling crafts online can be a much better option. Not only do you have less overhead, you can actually sell craft items online at any time of the day or night, even while you sleep. Selling online also enables you to reach a much larger clientele than what would possibly attend a craft show during a weekend.

It’s a great idea to have a large amount of crafts pre-made before trying to sell them online. This will help ensure that you have enough for everyone who is interested and are able to give those purchasing your crafts some choices. Know ahead of time what your cost is to produce the crafts to ensure you make a profit on each item sold.

Start out by finding a way to accept payments. One of the easiest ways to accept payments from anyone is with a PayPal account. You don’t have to pay to set up an account but they will charge you a small fee for each transaction. After you’ve been selling your items for a while successfully and profitably, you may want to consider a merchant account but it does have its limitations.

Next you’ll want to think about where you’ll sell your crafts online. Most people think of eBay, but that’s not the only option. Other auction sites specialize in home-made items, such as Etsy.com. Both eBay and Etsy are free to set up an account but you’ll have to pay a transaction fee for each item listed and sold. Free options include eCrater and Love.li. Whichever website you choose, include photos of your items to help potential customers see what you have for sale.

Depending upon your skill on a computer, you may want to set up your own crafting website. The process includes buying a domain name, finding hosting, and designing a website. If that seems too ambitious to begin with, continue to sell on Etsy or eBay while you do research and learn about websites.

Don’t forget to let others know about your crafts. You can do this by joining crafting forums, mentioning items you have for sale on either auction website or by printing out business cards with your craft website address on it.

Offer to give away some of your craft items on a blog you admire. Giving away a few items may seem counter-productive, but it will give people a reason to visit your website or your current auctions.

Using these tips on how to sell your crafts online, you could be well on your way to a new career. Most people selling craft items online start out small. Best of luck in your endeavor!

Monday, November 1, 2010

Homemade Soup Recipe - Short Rib Soup Beans Recipe

What can be tastier than hot soup with freshly baked homemade bread on a cold winter's day? I think it is the ultimate comfort food.

If you have a breadmaker such as the Cuisinart CBK 100 Programmable Breadmaker and a slow cooker such a Cuisinart PSC 350 3 1 2 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker, producing such a meal will not be a problem.

With your slow cooker you can be away all day and the soup will be ready when you return and the same goes for the breadmaker as it is programmable and you can set it to have the bread ready at the time you want it.

Here is a soup recipe to try out and serve with your homemade bread. It may be a little too big for a Cuisinart PSC 350 3 1 2 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker, but as it is for 8 people it is easy to half the quantities for a small family.

Short Rib Soup Beans Recipe

What You Need:
  • 1 lb Great North Beans, soak overnight then rinse and drain
  • 3/4 C onion, chopped
  • 1/8 t pepper
  • 11/2 lb beef short ribs
  • 6 C water
  • 1 t salt
  • 1 C barbecue sauce
How to Make It:
  1. Place the soaked beans into the slow cooker.
  2. Add the onion and pepper.
  3. Place the short ribs into the slow cooker.
  4. Pour the water over the top and stir gently.
  5. Cover and cook on low heat setting for 10 hours.
  6. Remove the short ribs from the crock pot and use to forks to shred the meat off the bones.
  7. Return the meat to the crock pot and discard the bones.
  8. Pour in the barbecue sauce.
  9. Recover, turn the heat setting to high and continue cooking 30 minutes.
Serving Size: 8

If you want a little more of a beef taste reduce the water to 4 C and add 1 can of beef broth to the crock pot. Always be sure to soak the beans. This will ensure a soft bean when the soup is done.