Friday, December 17, 2010

Healthy Top of the Morning Shake Recipe

If you have a blender such as the KitchenAid 5 Speed Blenders with Polycarbonate Jars you can make this healthy shake recipe with ease. If you want to add a little more to it, add some protein powder for more saying power.

What You Need:
  • 1 1/2 C of fat free milk
  • 1 C of unsweetened raspberries
  • Splenda to equal 2 tbsp of sugar
How to Make It:
  1. Pour the milk into the blender.
  2. Add the strawberries and sprinkle with the Splenda.
  3. Cover and blend until smooth and thick.
  4. Pour into glasses and serve.
Makes 4 servings

This tasty breakfast shake can be made with any type of fresh berry. Try strawberries, blackberries or blueberries for a change of pace. It’s nutritious and quite healthy so fix yourself a different shake each day of the week.

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per serving)
Calories 152 ; Fat 2g; Saturated Fat 1g; Carbohydrates 25g; Fiber 2g; Protein 9g; Cholesterol 7mg; Sodium 161mg

So, even as it is, this shake has 9g of protein and it will last you quite a while. Remember you can use full cream milk if you prefer, but then the protein will be less as the fat will be more.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Fancy Party Strawberries Recipe

This time of the year we all tend to have a lot of parties, even if it is only family visiting you want to serve something tasty and exceptional. Well, with this recipe you will give strawberries a whole new dimension. To chop the nuts that you need for this recipe a Cuisinart SG 10 Electric Spice and Nut Grinder will come in very handy.

What You Need For This Recipe:
  • 1 qt. fresh whole strawberries
  • 1 C of vanilla ready to spread frosting
  • Miniature semisweet chocolate chips
  • Chopped nuts
  • Colored sugars
  • Candy sprinkles
  • Grated chocolate
  • Shredded coconut
How to Make It:
  • Rinse the strawberries under cold water and place on paper towel to dry.
  • Place the frosting into a microwave safe bowl.
  • Heat on high for 15 seconds or until the frosting is melted and smooth.
  • Place the chips, nuts, sugars, sprinkles, chocolate and coconut into separate shallow bowls.
  • Cover a cookie sheet with wax paper.
  • Dip the bottom of each strawberry about 1/3 up into the frosting.
  • Quickly dip the frosted strawberry into one of the toppings.
  • Place the strawberry on the wax paper.
  • Continue until all of the strawberries have been dipped.
  • Place the strawberries into the refrigerator for 5 minutes or until the frosting has hardened.
Makes 40 strawberries

Place these strawberries on your appetizer table for the kids to enjoy. They will definitely feel special when they know these little goodies are just for them. Any type of frosting can be used such as chocolate or strawberry. Use your imagination when it comes to the toppings.

Preparation Time: approximately 40 minutes
Chilling Time: approximately 5 minutes
Total Time: approximately 45 minutes

Nutritional Information per strawberry: (approximate values)

Calories 50; fat 2 g; sodium 0 mg; carbohydrates 8 g; sugar 8 g; protein 0 g

With this recipe you move away from the normal strawberries dipped in melted chocolate and the extra sprinkles you toll it in gives it a nice crunchiness to it.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

A Slightly Different Cheese Fondue Recipe With Your Cuisinart CFO 3SS Electric Fondue Maker

If you have a really good fondue maker, such as the Cuisinart CFO 3SS Electric Fondue Maker, you will be able to treat your friends to this cheese fondue that is a variation of the typical Swiss fondue.

Ingredients for your cheese fondue recipe:

  • 1 pound grated cheddar cheese
  • 3 tablespoons chopped onions
  • 2 tablespoons brandy
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • Garlic
  • 1 pinch of ground nutmeg
  • ¾ dry white wine
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Cubed pieces of crusty bread
Method:

  1. Rub your fondue pot with the garlic
  2. Melt the butter and brown the onions in the butter taking care to prevent burning
  3. Add the wine and stir until boiling point to prevent burning
  4. Mix the cheese and flour and add slowly while stirring
  5. Add salt and pepper
  6. Add the brandy and pour the mixture into your Cuisinart CFO 3SS Electric Fondue Maker
  7. Serve with the bread
This recipe is delicious and far tastier than the traditional Swiss recipe and I am sure your friends will love it.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

How to Make a Clay Menorah

This craft is a very good craft and ideal for Fimo clay. If you, however want to go into more Fimo clay projects I would recommend that you have a look at Creating With Fimo Acrylic Clay. On that page I discuss a book that you will find very handy for creating more Fimo Acrylic Clay projects.

The menorah is one of the most recognizable symbols of Israel. The Festival of Lights, or Hanukkah, is celebrated each year to commemorate the miracle where one day’s worth of the specially made oil remained lit for eight days until more could be made. Each year families light their own menorahs to celebrate. If you’d like to learn how to make a clay menorah, you can use it to celebrate Hanukkah this year.

To make a menorah, or hanukkiah, you’ll need the following items:
  • Self-hardening polymer clay such as Fimo or Premo
  • Ruler
  • Butter knife to cut the clay
  • Hanukkah candles
  • Cardboard
  • Acrylic paints and paintbrushes (have a look at Acrylic Paint Sets)
How to make your clay menorah:

Use a clean work surface when making the menorah. Roll the self-hardening polymer clay into a cylinder which is about one inch in diameter. Make the roll as long as you can and then mark off ten lengths of about 1 1/2 inch each. Cut eight of the lengths off and leave the remaining two lengths together to make the Shamash. Re-roll the cylinders if they flattened out while cutting them.

Push one of the Hanukkah candles into one end of each cylinder so it will be able to hold the candle. Try to make sure each hole is created so each candle will stand about the same height. Reshape the cylinder if becomes flattened or misshapen.

Line the cylinders next to each other with the tallest cylinder in the middle. There will be four cylinders on each side of this one which is called the ‘helper’ candle or the Shamash. Brush a little bit of water on the cylinder and then gently press them together so they stick.

If you want your menorah to be taller, why not make small blocks of clay and adhere the cylinders to them? You can then brush water on the sides of the blocks to ensure they stay together.

Using other polymer clay, create decorations for your menorah. Create a very small coil and wrap it around the menorah, make a Star of David or other shapes which are customary for Hanukkah. If the clay isn’t sticking very well, use a little bit of water.
Allow the menorah to dry for several days. You can also use the directions on the clay package to bake them in the oven.

Paint the menorah using white, silver and blue paint and allow it to dry thoroughly. When you’re ready to begin lighting your candles, pick up the Shamash candle and light one candle each night starting on the left. You would light the Shamash which would then be used to light the candle all the way to the left. The next night you would use the Shamash to light the first and second candles from the left and so on until all candles are lit.

It is possible to find menorahs in many different materials. They can be metal, wood, stone or glass. They also come in all shapes and sizes. Learning how to make a clay menorah is something you can do to celebrate Hanukkah each year.