Saturday, November 17, 2012

Ultimate Mashed Potatoes

Serves 8

Ingredients
3 lbs. russet or Yukon Gold potatoes
1-1 1/2 cups of Organics Milk
2-8 tbsp. Lucerne Sweet Cream Butter, at room temperature seasoning choices (optional)
salt and pepper

Instructions
Prep & cooking time: about 45 minutes

1. in a covered 5 to 6 quart pan over high heat, bring 1 quart of water to a boil
2. peel and rinse potatoes. Cut into 1 inch chunks; carefully add to boiling water, cover and return to a boil, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until potatoes are tender when pieced with a fork, about 8 to 10 minutes
3. Meanwhile, heat milk in a microwave oven just until steaming (do not boil.
4. Strain potatoes. Mash with a potato masher or mixer. Add butter, hot milk and/or desired seasonings, if using, a little at a time. Mix or beat until potatoes are fluffy. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Easy Turkey Gravy

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
drippings from the turkey roasting pan
1 3/4 cups safeway chicken broth
2 tablespoons dry white wine (optional)
salt and pepper

Instructions
prep time: about 15 minutes
1. in a 10 to 12 inch frying pan over medium high heat, stir flour until medium-brown in color, 6 to 7 minutes.
2. Skim off and discard most of fat from drippings in turkey roasting pan. Whisk toasted flour into drippings in pan until smooth. Slowly add broth and wine, whisking until smooth.
3. Set pan over high heat and stir, scraping drippings free from pan until gravy boils vigorously. Simmer and Stir until smooth 5 minutes more. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Friday, November 9, 2012

80 interesting food facts.

Strange Food Facts

  1. The citrus soda 7-UP was created in 1929; "7" was selected because the original containers were 7 ounces. "UP" indicated the direction of the bubbles.
  2. Ketchup was created for use as a drug, not as a condiment.
  3. The liquid inside young coconuts can be used as substitute for blood plasma.
  4. Apples, not caffeine, are more efficient at waking you up in the morning.
  5. The 57 on the Heinz ketchup bottle represents the number of varieties of pickles the company once had.
  6. The first product to have a bar code was Wrigley's gum.
  7. The average American/Canadian will eat about 11.9 pounds of cereal per year!
  8. Eskimo ice cream is neither icy, or creamy!
  9. A company in Taiwan makes dinnerware out of wheat, so you can eat your plate!
  10. You'll eat about 35,000 cookies in a lifetime! Wow!
  11. The average American/Canadian drinks about 600 sodas a year!
  12. Fortune cookies were actually invented in America, in 1918, by Charles Jung!
  13. Chewing gum while peeling onions will keep you from crying!
  14. Smelling bananas and/or green apples (smelling, not eating) can help you lose weight!
  15. Two-thirds of the world's eggplant is grown in New Jersey.
  16. Americans on average eat 18 acres of pizza every day.
  17. Almonds are a member of the peach family.
  18. Peanuts are one of the ingredients in dynamite.
  19. During an average person's life, they will consume about 60,000 pounds of food.
  20. Every time you lick a stamp, you're consuming 1/10 of a calorie.
  21. Did you know that there are coffee flavored PEZ?
  22. The world's largest wine cask is in Heidelberg, Germany.
  23. Hershey's Kisses are called that because the machine that makes them looks like it's kissing the conveyor belt.
  24. Coca-cola was originally green.
  25. The world's oldest piece of chewing gums is 9000 years old.
  26. It takes about a half a gallon of water to cook macaroni, and about a gallon to clean the pot.
  27. They have square watermelons in Japan. They stack better.
  28. Cream does not weigh as much as milk.
  29. Iceland consumes more Coca-cola per capita than any other nation.
  30. Pilgrims ate popcorn at the first Thanksgiving dinner.
  31. Only food that does not spoil: honey
  32. Cranberries are sorted for ripeness by bouncing them;  a fully ripened cranberry can be dribbled like a basketball.
  33. The average ear of corn has eight-hundred kernels arranged in sixteen rows.
  34. A full seven percent of the entire Irish barley crop goes to the production of Guinness beer.
  35. Nutmeg is extremely poisonous if injected intravenously
  36. In Japan meat from the 'Fugu' or spiny puffer fish is considered a rare delicacy, however the liver and intestines contain a powerful neuro-toxin and the slightest contamination during preparation can be deadly. Restaurants who serve fugu must have 'Fugu certified' chefs. In Japan about one hundred people on average die annually from fugu poisoning.
  37. Broccoli is a vegetable with a nervous system. Primitive though it may be, it CAN feel pain.
  38. It is believed ALL citrus fruits derived from the Chinese orange.
  39. There are 18 different animal shapes in the Animal Crackers cookie zoo!
  40.  round 19 billion hotdogs are eaten annually in the United States.
  41. Five hundred and fifty (550) hot dogs are eaten every second of the day in the United States.
  42. During the Fourth of July weekend, Americans will consume 175 million hot dogs.
  43. Hot dogs are served in 94% of homes in the USA.
  44. Children prefer hot dogs (first choice) to hamburgers (second choice) and ice-cream.
  45. The average hot dog is consumed in 6.1 bites. (average sized mouth tested)
  46. Mustard remains the most popular hot dog topping - 88% of hot dog eaters use mustard.
  47. Children prefer ketchup to mustard as their favorite hot dog topping.
  48. Hot dog consumption is uniform throughout various income levels.
  49. Southerners eat the largest portion of hot dogs.
  50. NASA has approved hot dogs as a regular item on Apollo moon flights, Skylab missions and space shuttle flights.
  51. The world’s biggest hot dog was 1,996 feet long, created by Sara Lee Corp. in honor of the 1996 Olympics. A 2,377-foot chicken dog was made in 1985 by Maple Lodge Farms in Norval, Canada.
  52. Marlene Dietrich said that her favorite meal was hot dogs & champagne.
  53. Babe Ruth once ate 12 hot dogs & 8 bottles of soda between games of a double header. He was reportedly rushed to the hospital after the game with a severe case of indigestion.
  54. Al Capone’s favourite food was Nathan’s Coney Island hot dogs, as was Cary Grant’s.
  55. On July 4, 1916 four Irish immigrants held a hot dog eating contest to decide which of them was the most patriotic. The winner, James Mullen, at 13 dogs & buns in 12 minutes.
  56. President Franklin Roosevelt served King George VI of England hot dogs & beer during a White House visit in 1939. Mrs. Jimmy Carter served hot dogs at a White House picnic in 1977. Queen Elizabeth II served hot dogs at a royal banquet held for the American Bar Association.
  57. During the war, soldiers were fed the dreaded K-rations which often consisted of beans, corned beef, or hot dogs. To make the hot dogs seem a little bit more appetizing, the mess staff referred to them as steaks in a tube, or Tube Steaks.
  58. 7-Eleven sells close to 100 million fresh-grilled hot dogs every year, more than any other retailer in America
  59. apple is made of 25% air, that is why they float.
  60. apples, onions, and potatoes all have the same taste? Try the test: Pinch your nose and take a bite out of each. 
  61. avocado has the highest protein and oil content of all fruits, but most of this is the healthier unsaturated type. 
  62. cabbage is 91%  water. 
  63. carrots were originally purple in colour, changing in the 17th Century to orange with newer varieties.
  64. celery requires more calories to eat and digest than it contains. 
  65. cherries are a member of the rose family.
  66. corn always has an even number of ears. 
  67. corn makes up about 8% of the weight in a box of corn flakes.
  68. eggplants are actually fruits, and classified botanically as berries.
  69. honey is the only edible food for humans that will never go bad. 
  70. lemons contain more sugar than strawberries.
  71. orange does not rhyme with any other word.
  72. peanuts are legumes and not a tree nut. 
  73. peanuts are one of the ingredients in dynamite. 
  74. pear is a fruit that ripens from the inside out. 
  75. strawberries are the only fruit which has its seeds on its outer skin.
  76. Microwave cooking was discovered accidentally, when a chocolate bar melted in someone’s pocket. This is very true and very scary – imagine what it was doing to his leg! The fact is, Percy LeBaron Spencer of the Raytheon Company was walking past a radar tube and he noticed that the chocolate bar in his pocket melted. He then tested popcorn in front of the tube (surely turning up the power and standing out of the beam), and it quickly popped all over the room. He is (obviously) known as the inventor of the Microwave oven.
  77. Worcestershire sauce is made from dissolved fish. Worcestershire sauce, the popular English sauce, is made from dissolved anchovies. The anchovies are soaked in vinegar until they have completely melted. The sauce contains the bones and all.
  78. Refried beans are only fried once. The reason for this misconception is a translation error. The originals are frijoles refritos which actually means “well fried beans” – not re-fried.
  79. The FDA allows you to sell bugs and rodent hair for consumption. The FDA allows an average of 30 or more insect fragments, and one or more rodent hairs, per 100 grams of peanut butter. I will certainly think twice before buying my next jar!
  80. The most expensive coffee in the world comes from civet poop. Kopi Luwak are coffee beans that come from Civet (a cat sized mammal) poo. The animals gorge on only the finest ripe berries, and excrete the partially-digested beans, which are then harvested for sale. Kopi Luwak is the most expensive coffee in the world, selling for between $120 and $600 USD per pound, and is sold mainly in Japan and the United States, but it is increasingly becoming available elsewhere. My question is: who the hell discovered that it tasted good?

Grandma's Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 cup sour cream
3 (14.5 ounce) cans French style green beans, drained
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup crumbled buttery round crackers
1 tablespoon butter, melted.

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth, and cook for one minute. Stir in the salt, sugar, onion, and sour cream. Add green beans, and stir to coat.
3. Transfer the mixture to a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. Spread shredded cheese over the top. In a small bowl, toss together cracker crumbs and remaining butter, and sprinkle over the cheese.
4. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is golden and cheese is bubble.

(allrecipies.com)

Pumpkin Cheese Pie

Ingredients:
1 (8ounce) package cream cheese
2 cups pumpkin puree
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie

Directions:
1. preheat oven to 350 degress F (175 degrees C)
2. Mix cream cheese and condensed milk together until smooth. Stir in the pureed pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and eggs. Mix until well combined. Pour batter into the pie shell
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted 1 inch from the edge comes out clean. Serve warm.

(allrecipies.com)

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Festive drinks

Chris-Mist
Ingredient:
1 oz cranberry juice (either regular or sugar free)
1 oz cranberry vodka
Splash of Lime Juice
Top with Sierra Mist

Directions: In shaker combine: Cranberry Juice, cranberry vodka and lime. Shake over ice and strain into glass. Top with Sierra Mist.

Berry Christmas
Ingredients:
2 oz cranberry juice (or other favorite red juice)
Splash of lime juice
Sierra Mist

Directions: Fill glass with ice (or chill all ingredients and skip the ice). Add to glass: cranberry juice, splash of lime juice and then top with Sierra Mist. Granish with something festive and fun (above: glass is rimmed with green sugar crystals and adorned with a candy cane twist).

Cosmopolitan Slushy

Ingredients:
10 ounce (1 1/4 cups) citrus-flavored vodka
1/2 cup Rose's lime juice
2 cups cranberry juice
4 ice cube trays

Directions
1. Combine vodka, lime juice, and cranberry juice  in a pitcher with 2 cups water and stir to blend. Divide between ice cube trays and freeze at least 4 hours or overnight (the drink cubes will freeze only partially.
2 Just before serving empty trays into a large bowl and using a fork, break up cubes to loosen ice crystals (the ice will be slushlike). Spoon slush into tall stemmed glasses and serve immediately.


Lime Sorbet Margaritas
Ingredients
1 lime, cut into 8 wedges
1/4 cup sugar
2 pints lime sorbet
1/2 cup tequila

Directions
1. rub the lime wedges around the rims of 8 stemmed glasses. Place the sugar on a small plate. turn each glass upside down and dip the rims in the sugar to coat.
2 place 2 scoops of sorbet in each glass and pour 1 tablespoon of tequila over the top of each serve with a spoon.

 Cucumber Saketini
Ingredients
3 ounces gin
1/2 ounce sake
5 thin slices of cucumber.

Directions
1. In a shaker with ice, mix together the gin and sake. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with the cucumber.

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Peppermint Mocha

It is the greatest time of the year. The Christmas drinks are finally out at Starbucks. It really does make me feel in the spirit of Christmas.


Thursday, October 25, 2012

La Llorona

Ingredients:
  • 3 ounces Pisco Brandy
  • 1 ounce fresh lime juice
  • 1 ounce fresh lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • Dash of Angostura bitters
  • Crushed ice
  • Dry ice (optional) (see note)
Preparation: 
In a cocktail shaker filled with crushed ice, combine brandy, juices, and sugar. Cover, shake vigorously for 15 seconds, and strain into a cocktail glass. Top with a few drops of bitters. Add some dry ice for a spooky effect.

El Chupacabra Martini

Ingredients:
  • Freshly squeezed juice of 4 blood oranges or 1 cup orange juice
  • 4 ounces coconut rum
  • 2 ounces açaí juice
  • 1 ounce guava nectar
  • 1 ounce pineapple nectar
  • 1 cup crushed ice
  • 1 blood orange, sliced, for garnish
  • 1 star fruit, sliced (optional), for garnish
Preparation: 
In a cocktail shaker combine all ingredients with ice. Shake until blended and then strain into 2 martini glasses.
Garnish each glass with a blood orange slice or a star fruit slice. Serve.

Blueberry-Drop Biscuit Cobbler

Makes: 6 to 8 servings
prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 2 hours (includes baking and cooling time.)

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons plus 1 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" pieces
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon crème fraîche or sour cream
  • 6 cups fresh blueberries (about 2 pounds)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°F. Whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add butter; using your fingertips, incorporate until only pea-size lumps remain. Gently mix in crème fraîche. Knead in bowl until a biscuit-like dough forms, 5–7 turns (overmixing will make dough tough).
Combine remaining 1 cup sugar, remaining 3 tablespoons flour, berries, juice, and zest in a large bowl. Toss to coat. Pour into an 8x8x2" glass baking dish or divide among six 6-ounce ramekins. Tear biscuit topping into quarter-size crumbles; scatter over berries.
Bake cobbler until juices are thick and bubbling and topping is cooked through and deep golden brown, 20–25 minutes for ramekins or 45–50 minutes for baking dish. Let cool for at least 1 hour.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie with Gingersnap Pecan Crust

For Crust
  • fourteen 2-inch gingersnaps (about 4 ounces)
  • 1 cup pecans (about 4 ounces)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter melted and cooled

For filling
  • 1 envelope (about 1 tablespoon) unflavored gelatin
  • 2 tablespoons brandy rum or water
  • 1 cup milk
  • 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1 1/4 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream

  • Accompaniment: whipped cream
  • Garnish: chopped toasted pecans

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
Prep:
Make Crust:
In a food processor grind gingersnaps, pecans, and sugar fine and add butter, blending until combined well. Press mixture onto bottom and up side of a 9-inch (1-quart) glass pie plate. Bake crust in middle of oven 15 minutes, or until crisp and golden around edge, and cool on rack.
Make filling:
In a small bowl sprinkle gelatin over brandy, rum, or water and let stand.
In a heavy saucepan whisk together milk, brown sugar, yolks, pumpkin, spices, and salt and cook over moderately low heat, whisking, until mixture registers 160°F. on a candy thermometer. Remove pan from heat and immediately add gelatin mixture, whisking until gelatin is completely dissolved.
Transfer filling to a metal bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and cool, stirring constantly, just until the consistency of raw egg white. Remove bowl from ice water.
In a bowl with an electric mixer beat cream until it holds stiff peaks and whisk about one fourth into filling to lighten. Fold in remaining cream gently but thoroughly and pour filling into crust. Chill pie until set, at least 3 hours and up to 24, covered with plastic wrap after 1 hour.
Top each serving with whipped cream and garnish with nuts.

7 picky eater solutions

The power struggle: over!

Little kids long to control their worlds, and doing that through food comes naturally. To break the push-pull cycle:

Let go of your end of the emotional rope. You can't force your child to do anything, especially eat, so just stop trying. Simply offer her nutritious, varied foods -- and eat them yourself. She can have hers, or not, but you're showing her how. Do you still remember having to eat your veggies or clean your plate before you could leave the table? Adam Strauss, M.D., a pediatrician in Westwood and Mansfield, MA, offers a word of caution. "When parents demand that their kids eat certain foods, they're attaching negative connotations to it. Pretty soon, the struggle is worse." Put the food on her plate, but if it stays there, don't push her, and don't stress over it.

Give straightforward praise, even if he takes only one bite of something new. For example: "It's great that you tried the chili!" Basing the praise on how you feel ("Mommy's so happy!") sends a questionable message: He controls your emotions with his fork. "I used to feel really attached to my kids' eating the dishes I'd taken the time to make. My emphasis on my split-pea soup especially made everyone miserable. Finally, one day I ignored the soup but put out some fun sides, and the kids ended up tasting the soup," recalls Heather Swain, mom of Graham, 2, and Clementine, 4, in Brooklyn.

 Don't get hung up on the time of day your child eats, or how much she eats at a sitting. It's okay if your kid doesn't eat three square meals every day as long as over the course of a week or two she eats things from each food group.

Offer choices that don't matter. You may face stubborn insistence that toast have a corner unbuttered to avoid messy hands, or that cereal be served only in a Go Diego Go! bowl, or that nothing touch. While this kind of behavior is draining, it's typical at this age, says Dr. Strauss. Give him an option -- the green plate or the blue? Offering your child a limited choice is often enough to end the power struggle. But make your rules clear: "At home, you can choose your cup, but when we're out, you have to use whatever they have."

Quirks: solved!

My kid won't eat meat
The texture turns off many preschoolers, and that's fine. "My two-and-a-half-year-old is basically a vegetarian, barring hot dogs and his latest discovery, ham," says Elizabeth Gonzalez, mom of Jason, 2, in Yorktown Heights, NY. "I offer lots of peanut butter, cheese, yogurt, and veggie burgers, and he's doing just fine. We always ask if he wants meat when I make it, but when he invariably says no, we say A-OK and try not to press it." Like Jason, your child can still get all the protein he needs from:
  • yogurt, cheese, or cottage cheese
  • nachos with beans and cheese
  • hard-boiled eggs or any egg dish
  • his favorite crackers dipped in hummus or spread with peanut (or nut) butter
  • cheese or even meat-filled ravioli (the pasta exterior goes a long way for meat-haters)
  • mini-tuna melts (if he's game for fish, but stick to chunk light, only twice a week) 


  • Veggies? Yeah, right
    This is the most common picky-eater problem. To convince him it's easy being green, try:
  • thinly sliced veggies stir-fried with teriyaki sauce, maybe a little chicken, and rice. Go with carrot slices and baby corn to start. Water chestnuts have little taste, and can be a good stepping-stone to serious veggies
  • zucchini muffins and veggie lasagna. (Find the world's easiest, kid-friendliest recipes at 10 Tasty Veggie Kid Meals.)
  • lettuce wraps. Use a filling he'll eat (anything goes, from turkey to cream cheese) and a romaine leaf as a wrap. The novelty of the whole thing may just win him over.
  • dressing -- honey mustard, ranch, even ketchup or melted butter -- with veggies for dipping. Put the plate next to a sure thing (say, grilled cheese) to lure him to the table. We all tend to eat more when the food is right in front of us.
  • thinking outside the frozen-corn box. "Graham hated all vegetables -- or so we thought," says Heather Swain. "We tried peas, carrots, corn...then we put kale in front of him. Turns out, he likes the bitter 'adult' veggies like kale, chard, and broccoli rabe. By continually offering him choices, we finally hit on what appeals to his taste." 

  • Unless it's white, it's a no-go
    Preschoolers like lots of colors in their pictures, but not always on their plates. Consider:
  • fruit smoothies. Blend a banana with vanilla yogurt for a healthy sweet snack. You can freeze this for ice pops, too.
  • mac and cheese made with whole-wheat (or whole-wheat -- blend) macaroni. This may not fly, but you've got a better shot with a cheese sauce than a tomato sauce or butter.
  • oven-baked fries -- half regular and half sweet potato to ease your child into the idea of other spuds.
  • half white-/half whole-wheat -- bread toast and sandwiches in fun shapes. Use cookie cutters.
  • a rainbow meal. Take her to the market to pick out red, orange, yellow, purple, pink, and green foods. 
  • Bright spots and trouble spots, revealed!

    We tracked a gaggle of preschoolers called picky by their moms. We then asked Inger Hustrulid, R.D., a family nutritionist and president of the Massachusetts Dietetic Association, to look at the log of The Pickiest: Genie, 4. Guess what? Hustrulid found some good things. Check them out, along with her quick fixes for the not-so-good.

    Bright spots and trouble spots, revealed!

    MONDAY
    Breakfast: chocolate-chip waffle with fat-free whipped cream, orange juice
    Yay! Genie eats breakfast. Kids who skip this meal may be more irritable.
    Lunch: 3 chicken nuggets, orange juice
    Dinner: buttered pasta, half of a Shake 'N Bake chicken breast
    Snacks: Teddy Grahams, ice pop, pack of Care Bears fruit snacks

    TUESDAY
    Breakfast: Froot Loops, milk, orange juice

    Trade super-sweet cereal for one with less than 8 grams sugar and more than 4 grams fiber, like Clifford Crunch.
    Lunch: 1 slice pizza, cake, M&M's
    Dinner: 3 chicken fingers, a few french fries, 1/4 of brownie à la mode, milk

    Sweet treats are fine, but try to keep them to once a day.
    Snacks: pack of Care Bears fruit snacks, a slice of 2% mozzarella cheese


    WEDNESDAY
    Breakfast: Froot Loops, milk, orange juice
    Lunch: 4 Mickey Mouse cheese ravioli with butter and salt, pack of Transformers fruit snacks

    Try olive oil or tomato sauce on pasta for more healthy fats and lycopene.
    Dinner: 2 fried mozzarella sticks (breading picked off), 1/3 cup plain white rice, 1/4 cup Rice pudding, cranberry juice
    Snacks: pack of Transformers fruit snacks, apple


    THURSDAY
    Breakfast: chocolate- chip waffle with fat-free whipped cream, orange juice
    Lunch: Velveeta Shells & Cheese
    Dinner: 3 chicken fingers with french fries, chocolate ice cream

    Sweet-potato fries make a vitamin C-packed substitute. You can buy them frozen.
    Snacks: pack of Transformers fruit snacks, lollipop, half of a 2% Polly-O string cheese, banana


    FRIDAY
    Breakfast: chocolate- chip waffle with fat-free whipped cream, orange juice
    Lunch: 3 chicken nuggets, orange juice
    Dinner: 4 Mickey Mouse cheese ravioli with butter and salt
    Offering her "usual" with a child's-fist-size portion of veggies is ideal. Isn't happening? Just keep trying.
    Snacks: half of a 2% Polly-O string cheese, apple

    SATURDAY
    Breakfast: chocolate-chip waffle with fat-free whipped cream, orange juice
    Lunch: 3 chicken nuggets, orange juice
    Dinner: buttered pasta, corn

    Corn is fine, but try to swap in a new veggie now and then. Baby carrots are a safe bet.
    Snacks: half of a 2% Polly-O string cheese, ice pop, pear, Tootsie Roll, Teddy Grahams, apple

    The string cheese is a great calcium-rich snack.

    SUNDAY
    Breakfast: chocolate-chip waffle with fat-free whipped cream, orange juice

    Switch to a 100% whole-grain waffle. Try your luck at topping with peanut butter for protein and sustained energy.
    Lunch: 3 chicken nuggets, orange juice

    Genie actually has protein every day. Nuggets count!
    Dinner: 1 slice brisket with gravy, a few sips of matzo-ball soup, 1 Mallomar
    Snacks: banana, apple, Teddy Grahams, 2 fun-size Hershey bars, lollipop

    (Article from parenting.com) 
     

    Easy Hashbrown Casserole recipe

     Prep time: 5 min

    Cook time: 35 min

    Ready in 40 min

    Servings: 6

     

    Ingredients

    • 2 bags frozen shredded hashbrowns
    • 2 cans cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
    • 1 stick of butter
    • 2 bags of shredded cheddar cheese (more or less to taste)
    • 1/2 cup cooked chicken, bacon or sausage

    Preparation

    1. Mix all ingredients and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
    2. Broil for 5-10 minutes to brown the top.
    3. Crumble bacon or sausage or chicken on top of the casserole and serve

    Top candies of the world.

    Baci, Italy

    Hershey's isn't the only one with kisses — Italy has its own version, Perugina's Baci. These chocolate bonbons are filled with hazelnut chocolate cream, topped with a whole hazelnut, and wrapped in a love note.

    Botan Rice Candy, Japan

    Even if you've never been to Japan, you may have come across Botan Rice Candy in Asian supermarkets. Botan, which means "peony," is a prominent brand in Japan and makes a sticky rice candy with a slightly citrusy flavor.
     

    Bounty, United Kingdom

    Mounds lovers will appreciate Bounty, a coconut-filled bar enrobed with milk chocolate.
     
     

    Cheong Woo, Korea

    Leave it to South Korea to come up with pumpkin candy — a mellow, slightly salty candy with a prominent squash-like flavor and the texture of Starburst. If you can track it down, it's perfect for this time of year.
     
     

    Chimes Mango Ginger Chews, Indonesia

    I'd never heard of Chimes Mango Ginger Chews before, but these individually-wrapped Indonesian ginger candies in the quaint tin turned out to be my favorite. They had a latent heat and spiciness to them, thanks to ginger that's grown on volcanic soil in East Java.
     
     

    Kinder Country, Germany

    I wasn't sure what to make of Kinder Country, which was described on the wrapper as "milk chocolate with rich milk filling." It was unlike anything I'd ever had in the States: a creamy, milky white center, made crunchy with puffed rice and then doused in milk chocolate.
     
     

    Lion, United Kingdom

    I was really happy to bite into a Lion Bar, another chocolate confection that hails from the UK. It was similar to a ToffeeCrisp, with caramel, crisp cereal, and a wafer enrobed in milk chocolate and reminded me of an even heartier 100 Grand. This lion was one of my top candy picks and definitely made me roar.
     
     

    Peko Milky Candy, Japan

    Peko-chan Milk Candy is commonplace among children in Japan. The individually-wrapped candies are firm yet chewy and have a distinctive sweet milk flavor.
     
     

    ToffeeCrisp, United Kingdom

    Nestlé makes a number of chocolate bars in Europe that aren't readily available in the United States. One of them is ToffeeCrisp, a staple in the United Kingdom. The long, slender milk chocolate bar is filled with crackling puffed rice and caramel. Its motto? "Somebody, somewhere, is eating a ToffeeCrisp."
     
     

    Yorkie, United Kingdom

    The Yorkie bar — originally titled so because it was made by Rowntrees of York — was created in the 1970s as a larger chocolate bar alternative to Cadbury's Dairy-Milk. To this day, the chocolate stays true to its original branding with the slogan, "It's not for girls!"
     
     
     

    Monday, October 22, 2012

    Grown up grilled cheese sandwich

    Total time: 25 minutes
    Prep: 15 min
    Cook: 10 min

    Makes 4 to 6 servings.

    Ingredients

    • 1 loaf Italian bread such as ciabatta
    • 1 pound Teleme or Brie cheese
    • 1 pound sliced smoked ham (applewood if available)
    • Butter
    • 3 to 4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
    • 1 cup roasted red peppers

    Directions

    Cut loaf of bread in half lengthwise. Top the bottom bread slice with the Teleme cheese, then the smoked ham, distributing it evenly. Place top of bread on sandwich and brush with butter.
    Heat a sandwich grill until hot. Set sandwich, butter side down in grill. Butter top side of bread. Place a heavy pan on top of entire sandwich to evenly distribute weight and cook until nicely browned and the cheese is melted, turning once, 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
    Transfer the sandwich to a work surface and remove the top slice of bread. Spread the underside of the bread with mustard, and add roasted peppers, if desired.
    Replace the top slice of bread, cut the sandwiches into slices, and serve immediately.

    Grilled Chicken Tortilla Soup with Tequila Crema

    Side note: This one is a doozy time wise. So make sure that you plan ahead.

    Total time: 9 hours 5 minutes
    Prep 20 minutes
    Inactive: 8 hours
    Cook: 45 minutes

    Makes 4 to 6 servings

    Ingredients

    For marinade:

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 2 ounces silver tequila
    • 2 limes, juiced
    • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
    • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
    • 1 tablespoon chili powder
    • 4 cloves garlic
    • 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
    • 4 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin removed

    For soup base:

    • 1 jalapeno, roasted and minced
    • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
    • 1 yellow onion, diced
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 teaspoon chili powder, plus some for dust tortilla strips
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • 8 cups chicken stock, make sure this is stock, not broth (recommended: Kitchen Essentials)
    • 1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed fire roasted tomatoes (recommended: Muir Glen)
    • 1 lime, zested and juiced
    • 1 corn tortilla, cut into strips

    For serving:

    • 2 1/2 cups vegetable oil, for frying
    • 8 corn tortillas, cut into strips
    • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
    • Pinch chili powder
    • 3/4 cup sour cream
    • 2 tablespoons tequila
    • 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
    • 1 Hass avocado, halved, pitted and flesh diced
    • 1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves roughly chopped
    • Lime wedges, for garnish

    Directions

    Put the vegetable oil, tequila, lime juice, chipotle pepper, cumin, chili powder, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Put the marinade in a plastic bag along with the chicken. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours.
    Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Add the jalapeno and grill until the skin is well charred. Remove the jalapeno to a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap to sweat the skin. When cool enough to handle, remove the stem, skin, and seeds, then finely mince.


    Heat a large, heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Once hot, add the onion and saute until starting to caramelize, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, minced jalapeno, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper, to taste. Cook about 3 or 4 minutes, being careful not to burn the mixture. Deglaze the pan with some of the chicken stock, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.

    Add the remaining chicken stock, the crushed tomatoes and the lime juice. Add the tortilla strips and bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

    While soup base is simmering, heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade and put on grill. Grill, turning until cooked through, about 14 to 18 minutes. Remove from the grill, to a large plate and when cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones and shred. Keep warm.


    For serving:
    Heat the vegetable oil in a tall sided skillet to 350 degrees F. Add the tortilla strips and fry until they are golden brown. Remove to a paper towel lined plate and season with 1 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of chili powder.

    Combine the sour cream, 2 tablespoons tequila, and the remaining lime zest in a small bowl and season with salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper.

    To serve, put some of the shredded chicken in the bottom of each bowl and pour in the hot soup base. Top with diced avocado, fried tortilla strips, the tequila crema, and cilantro. Garnish with lime wedges and serve.

    Thursday, October 18, 2012

    Almost famous bloomin onion

    Prep: 54 min
    Cook 6 min
    Total time: 1 hour

    Directions

    For the dip

    Ingredients
    2 tablespoons mayo
    2 tablespoons sour cream
    1 1/2 teaspoons ketchup
    1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauc e
    1 tablespoon drained horseradish
    1/4 teaspoon paprika
    pinch of cayenne pepper
    kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

    For the onion
    1 large sweet onion, such as Vidalia (about 1 pound)
    2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
    1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    2 tablespoons paprika
    1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
    1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
    1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
    Freshly ground black pepper
    2 large eggs
    1 cup whole milk
    1 gallon soy or corn oil
    Kosher Salt


    Combine all of the dip ingredients in a bowl, cover and refrigerate.
    Slice the onion (see below). Whisk the flour, cayenne, paprika, thyme, oregano, cumin and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a bowl. In a small deep bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and 1 cup water.
    Place the onion in a separate bowl, cut-side up, and pour all of the flour mixture on top. Cover the bowl with a plate, then shake back and forth to distribute the flour. Check to make sure the onion is fully coated, especially between the "petals." Lift the onion by the core, turn over and pat off the excess flour; reserve the bowl of flour.
    Using a slotted spoon, fully submerge the onion in the egg mixture (spoon on top, if necessary). Remove and let the excess egg drip off, then repeat the flouring process. Refrigerate the onion while you heat the oil.
    Heat the oil in a large deep pot over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 400 degrees. Pat off excess flour from the onion. Using a wire skimmer, carefully lower the onion into the oil, cut-side down. Adjust the heat so the oil temperature stays close to 350 degrees. Fry about 3 minutes, then turn the onion over and cook until golden, about 3 more minutes; drain on paper towels. Season with salt and serve with the dip.

    How to slice a bloomin onion
    1. Cut off 1/2 inch from the pointy stem end of the onion, then peel.
    2. Place the onion cut-side down. Starting 1/2 inch from the root, make a downward cut all the way through to the board.
    3. Repeat to make four evenly spaced cuts around the onion.
    4. Continue slicing between each section until you have 16 evenly spaced cuts.
    5. Turn the onion over and use your fingers to gently separate the outer pieces.

    Tuesday, October 16, 2012

    Secret menu items at various places.

    Applebees:
    Chicken salad” – past menu item that’s still available on request.

    Arby's:
    ”Untoasted French Dip” - the old school original.
    ”Wet Fries” - fries with cheddar cheese sauce.

    Blimpie:
    "Cheese Trio" – vegetarian style with no meat.

    Burger King:
    “Sourdough Whopper” - Whopper on sourdough bun.
    "Mustard whopper," a whopper with mustard rather than mayo.
    “Veggie whopper” a whopper with the meat omitted.
    "Bull's-Eye BBQ Burger" –
    "Suicide" - Four meat patties, four slices of cheese, bacon and sauce on a sesame seed bun.
    “Ham and Cheese sandwich” - comes on long bun with lettuce and tomato.
    “Rodeo Burger” - cheeseburger with onion rings and bbq sauce)
    “Big King” - Their version of the Big Mac, no longer offered. Make your own by ordering a BK Stacker minus the bacon, then add lettuce, onion and pickles.
    “Frings” - half fries, half onion rings.

    Chili's:
    ”Chili” – long gone menu item.

    Chipotle:
    “Nachos”- All of the fresh and higher quality ingredients (in comparison to other fast food restaurants) make nachos at chipotle a big improvement from your usual baseball stadium or taco bell nachos. Chipotle nachos don’t have the amount of cheese that you would picture a “normal” plate of nachos would have by any stretch of the imagination. What they lack in cheese they make up for in taste. Corn salsa and Pico de Gallo make a great fresh texture and flavor. Unless you’re willing to switch to a fork, stick with either chicken or steak to avoid a mess. The only thing bad about nachos at Chipotle is that the chips they use are the same chips that you get when you order chips as a side dish. They have an excessive amount of salt and a hefty amount of lime juice. The lime juice goes well with the other ingredients but the salt can be too heavy and conflict with the other flavors.“Quesadilla” - A great cheap way to enjoy the flavors of the grilled chicken and steak at Chipotle is in a quesadilla. Chipotle simply takes a burrito tortilla and fills it with cheese. This is only a dollar plus tax. If you’d like all the trimmings including meat it’s a buck or two more. If you choose to enhance your quesadilla with salsa, avoid the roasted corn salsa. The Pico de Gallo warms up deliciously with the melted cheese and the hot sauces give a great kick, but the sweet flavor of the corn clashes in the sea of cheese. Both chicken and steak are excellent for chipotles quesadilla because of their flavors and also their texture and steak. Barbacoa would not be the best choice for a quesadilla because of the spices involved as well as the texture.
    “Quesorito” - a quesadilla with burrito fillings, rolled like a burrito.
    Chipotle will make anything they have the ingredients for.

    Dairy Queen:
    Supposedly they will make you anything they have ingredients for. DQ has a big book of instructions on how to make old menu items.
    “Peanut Buster Parfait” - Long gone menu item from the past. A parfait cup with several alternating layers of vanilla soft-serve ice cream, peanuts, and hot fudge
    "Chocolate Chip Blizzard" - A Blizzard whirled with the quick-hardening dipping chocolate usually reserved for DQ’s ice-cream cones
    "Banana Split Blizzard" - a Blizzard composed of all the classic banana-split ingredients
    "Lavender Blue Sundae" - a blueberry sundae mixed with marshmallow



    Fatburger:
    Spanish-style burgers & fries” - has a fried egg on top, and though who knows why you'd want to, you can order a burger or fries this way.
    “Chili-Cheese Onion Rings” – why didn’t I think of that?
    “Hypocrite” - a veggie burger topped with crispy strips of bacon.

    Five Guys Burgers:
    “Cheesey fries” – They're already known for their fresh cut fries. Here it goes to the next level.
    “Fries well done” – crisper is better.
    “Veggie burger” – sans the patty.
    “Veggie hot dog” – sans the weiner.
    “Grilled cheese” – just like mom would make. Can also have veggies added too.


    In-N-Out Burger:
    Burgers
    ”Veggie Burger” (A) - A hamburger with extra tomatoes instead of meat.
    "Veggie Burger" (B) - All the veggie toppings on a bun, without the meat and cheese.
    ”Extra Toast” - This order toasts your bun a little bit more than usual making it extra crispy.
    ”Protein style” - Protein style removes the bun and wraps your burger in lettuce like a burrito.
    ”Grilled Cheese” - A bun, tomatoes and onions, if you want them, grilled with melted cheese.
    ”Flying Dutchman” - For the ultimate meat eater. No bun, no veggies, just two beef patties and two slices of cheese.
    ”Double meat burger” - a double double without the cheese.
    ”Animal style” - makes any burger come with extra pickles, extra sauce, grilled onions, and a mustard cooked patty.
    ”3 by Meat”- three beef patties and no cheese.
    ”2 by 4” - a double double with two extra slices of cheese. Not for the weak hearted.
    "A X B" - As many beef patties (A) with as many cheese slices (B) as you want. (I "Googled" this and there is a picture of a 100 x 100 on the internet.)
    ”Chopped Chilies” - This adds diced jalapenos to any burger.
    ”Mustard grilled patty” - ask for this and they will spread your patty with mustard before grilling it.
    ”No Salt” - you wouldn’t think that this would apply to a burger but it does. In-N-Out patties are heavily salted, ask for no salt and you will get a much healthier and fresher tasting patty.
    Fries
    ”Fries animal style” - an order of French fries drenched in cheese, grilled onions, and special sauce (a thicker thousand island dressing).
    ”Fries Light” - French fries taken out of the fryer a little early. These are a little bit raw on the inside and less crispy.
    ”Fries Well-Done”- The opposite of fries light. This order leaves your fries on the fryer extra long, making them really crispy and oily.
    ”Cheese Fries”- Fries with melted cheese on top.
    Drinks
    “Neapolitan shake” - All the milkshake flavors swirled together, vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry.
    ”Root Beer Float” - Half vanilla milkshake and half root beer soda.
    ”Choco-Vanilla Swirl” - A chocolate milkshake swirled in with a vanilla milkshake.
    ”Lemon-up” - Lemonade and seven up mixed together.
    Large and extra large shakes: if you ask for a large shake they’ll give you a shake in a medium sized soda cup and extra large in a large soda cup.
    ”Tea-Ade” - An Arnold Palmer. Half iced tea and half lemonade.

    Jack in the Box:
    “Secret sauce” – This is the orange tangy sauce that came on the cheeseburger all through the 1970’s. Available on your burger or in a ketchup size packet.

    Jamba Juice:
    Blue Gummi Bear
    Chocolate Gummi Bear
    Green Gummi Bear
    Pink Gummi Bear
    Red Gummi Bear
    White Gummi Bear
    Andres' Surprise
    Apple Pie
    Berry Depressing
    Blue-Topia
    Butterfingers
    Chocolate covered Strawberries
    Dirty Org*sm
    Fruity Pebbles
    White Fruity Pebbles
    Pink Fruity Pebbles
    Hello Jesus
    Reese pieces
    San Diego
    Skittles
    Sourpatch Kid
    Starburst [aka Pink Star]
    Lemonade Lightnin'
    Strawberries Dreamin'
    Strawberries Lightnin'
    Strawberry Shortcake
    Sunny Delight
    Thank You Jesus
    Tootsie Roll
    Tropical Tango
    Melonade wave
    Now and Later
    Orange Dream Machine
    Pacific Passion
    Peanut Butter and Jelly
    P*nis Shooter
    Pineapple Dreamin'
    Rainbow Sherbert
    Raspberry Dreamin'

    McDonald’s:
    "Chicken and Waffles" - a McGriddle sandwich with a chicken pattie in the middle
    “Biscuits and Gravy” – breakfast hours vintage menu item from the 80’s.
    Burgers
    “Grilled Cheese” - hamburger bun with nothing but melted cheese in the middle. A Sesame seed bun will cost extra.
    “The All-American” - A normal sized hamburger with nothing but pickles and ketchup.
    “The Big McChicken” - Big Mac with McChicken patties instead of the bun.
    “Mini Mac” aka “The Poor-Man’s Big Mac” - Order a double cheeseburger with Mac-sauce and lettuce. Ask for diced onions on the side and lettuce on your burger (both are free at McDonalds). For only a dollar all you miss out on is the Big Mac’s sesame seed bun.
    “McGangBang” - a double cheeseburger with a McChicken in the middle, some McD's will include the McChicken bun as well for 4 buns total)
    “Land, Sea, and Air Burger” - a hamburger plus Filet O'Fish and McChicken patties.
    “McKinley Mac - aka Big Mac with Quarter Pounder patties instead. (This one is from Alaska)
    “Mega Mac” - aka Double Big Mac - a Big Mac with four patties and extra cheese.
    “Monster Mac” - a Big Mac with eight patties and extra cheese.
    Fries
    “Fries with Big Mac Sauce” - Just ask the cashier for a side of Mac-sauce. It is delicious for dipping fries. Also good as a dipping sauce for McNuggets.
    Drinks
    “Pie McFlurry” - McFlurry with blended with your choice of pie.
    “Apple Pie Fudge Sundae” - a warm apple pie with a fudge sundae on top
    “Mint-Chocolate Milkshake”aka “McLeprechaun” - (seasonal) chocolate and shamrock shakes layered in a cup.
    “Creamsicle Milkshake” - (seasonal) vanilla and orange milkshakes layered in cup.
    “Coke float” – Coca cola with an added soft serve top.
    “Root beer float” – Root Beer with added soft serve.
    “Neopolitan shake” – A layered combition of a vanilla, chocalte and strawberry shake.

    Popeye's:
    "Naked Chicken," - chicken with no breading.
    “Breaded chicken livers” - have fun.

    Potbelly's:
    ”Cheeseburger” - meatball sandwich, no marinara, with ketchup, mustard, cheese, pickle.
    ”Fireball” - meatball sandwich with chili on top.
    ”Wrecking Ball” - combo of two sandwiches - the meatball and the wreck.

    Red Robin:
    ”Petite Burgers” - mini burgers.
    Anything you can create on their website using The Customizer, you can get in a restaurant. Want a Natural Burger with Battered Cod, bacon and avocado on Texas toast? They'll make it.

    Sonic:
    ”Frito Pie” - order a Frito Chili Cheese Wrap, minus the wrap and the lettuce and tomato)
    ”Grilled Ham and Cheese sandwich” - Grill cheese on Texas Toast with added ham.
    "Grilled Cheese with Bacon" - Grill cheese on Texas Toast with added bacon.
    “Purple O” aka “Purple Rush” aka “Purple Sprite” - Powerade, lemonade, sprite and cranberry juice. Genius.
    “Sonic Sunrise” – a mixture of orange juice and cherry limeade.
    ”Pickle O’s” – deep fried pickle slices.

    Starbucks:
    “Biscotti Frapuccino” - Buy biscotti and ask the barista to blend it up with any flavor of frapuccino. It blends into tiny cookie chunks that add a delicious little crunch to your frozen coffee.
    ”Short Drink” - The sizes the “mainstream menu” gives you are “Tall,” “Grande” and “Venti,” but if you say you want the “short” size to any Starbucks drink you can receive a less expensive and smaller sized drink. Although this size is in their cash register, they don’t put it on the menu as a marketing strategy to make customers buy larger and more expensive drinks.
    “Short cappuccino” - A “Short” cappuccino is a more Italian style cappuccino. Basically this cappuccino leaves out the gallons of milk Starbucks puts in for the more traditional amount of dairy that the drink originated with.
    “Red Eye” - A shot of espresso in regular drip coffee.
    ”Black Eye” - Two shots of espresso in regular drip coffee.
    “Green Eye” - Three shots of espresso in regular drip coffee. Not for anyone with a heart condition or road rage issues.
    ”Poor Man’s Latte” - Order an Iced Americano with no water and half ice, then you can add free half and half at the little milk and condiments table. This is the same drink as a Breve Latte but costs much less. Just watch out for the classy police. This is definitely not the most chic thing to be caught doing by your mother-in-law or boss.
    ”Poor Man’s Chai Latte” - Order a Chai Tea Misto with extra foam, two tea bags, and half cinnamon-half vanilla syrup. This is basically the same drink but almost half the price.
    ”Cafe au Lait” - If your French and looking for something nostalgic of your homeland order the Misto without foam for a classic French coffee drink.
    ”French pressed coffee” - You can choose any coffee they sell by the bag and have it served in a French press. For coffee snobs, this is one of the best ways to appreciate all of the flavors of the coffee you chose.
    ”Chocolate Cream Frapuccino” - Chocolate syrup and chocolate flavoring. Lots and Lots of chocolate! Do not underestimate the amount of chocolate in this frozen blended coffee. Only for the true chocolate lover die hard.
    "Cake Batter Frappuccino" - A vanilla Frappuccino made with both vanilla bean and almond flavoring
    "Crunch Berry Frappuccino" - A strawberry-and-cream Frappuccino with hazelnut flavoring; it tastes just like Crunch Berries cereal.
    "London Fog" - Earl Grey tea blended with vanilla flavoring
    "Zebra Mocha (aka Penguin Mocha)" - a combination white-chocolate/chocolate mocha
    "Red-Tux Mocha (aka Bleeding Penguin)" - a Zebra Mocha plus raspberry flavoring

    Basically Starbucks will make you absolutely anything you want no matter how insane it is.

    Subway:
    "Pizza sub" - former menu item that includes nine slices of pepperoni and copious amounts of cheese slathered in marinara sauce.
    "Mini sub" (snack size) - ask for a mini sub and they will make a four inch version of your favorite sandwich.
    Also, they can't sell "broken cookies," so they may give you some for free.

    Taco Bell:
    “Fresco alternatives” - order anything Fresco and they'll replace the cheese with pico de gallo (fiesta salsa) and omit the sour cream or other sauces for a healthier version
    “Spicy Green ______ “ - say "Spicy Green" before any menu name and you'll get the much sought after Taco Bell secret Green Chili sauce on your food. The rare green sauce is supposedly only found at some locations.
    “Lava _____ “ - like it hot? They will gladly add Lava sauce to any item.
    ”Cheesy Gordita Crunch” - no longer on the menu but they'll still make it.
    “Enchirito” - beef, beans, cheese, diced onions and red sauce make up their version of the enchilada.
    "Cheesarito" - A 1980's favorite. Basically a Meximelt minus the meat. Melted cheese and scallions rolled in a tortilla.
    You can also substitute Chicken for Beef in any item.
    Everything Taco Bell makes is comprised of a few basic ingredients, so they'll likely make anything they have the stuff for, which is probably pretty much anything they've ever served. Examples to attempt: Cheesy Gordita Crunch, Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes.
    You can buy a cup of chicken or beef a la carte for under a dollar.

    TGI Friday's:
    "Five Easy Pieces" - policy that says they'll make anything you want with the ingredients they have in the kitchen.

    Wendy's:
    "Grand Slam" - 4 pattie classic aka “the meat cube.”
    “Quarter pound double stack with cheese" - think McDonald's double cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, and onion and it’s only $1.29.
    “Value Crispy Chicken Club” - Value menu Crispy Chicken with bacon, lettuce, tomato and mayo.
    “Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe”- Adds lettuce, tomato, and onions to the pickles and ketchup on a regular Jr. Cheeseburger.

    Whataburger:
    “Whataburger with ____________” - Basically you If you request it…..They will make it. Period.
    “Whataburger Hulk” – consits of filling a cup of ice 1/8-to-1/4 full with Powerade and adding Vault soda until full.
    “Grilled cheese” - available on either a bun or texas Toast.
    “Veggie Burger” - can be ordered with a potato hash brown patty as the meat with all the other veggie fixins you love.
    “Chicken and waffles” – Available during breakfast hours only. Consists of ordering pancakes, which can be ordered as part of their breakfast platter or ala carte, and chicken strips, which are sold in a biscuit sandwich. Skip the biscuit and wrap a crispy fried chicken tender in a pancake, drown in syrup and you have an instant replacement for the classic chicken and waffles.

    "Secret" drinks at Starbucks.

    1. Captain Crunch Frapuccino
    Strawberries and Creme Frapuccino with a pump of caramel, two pumps of toffee, one pump of hazelnut and two scoops of chocolate chips.

    2. Biscotti Frapuccino
    Buy a biscotti and ask the barista to blend it up with any flavor of frapuccino. It blends into tiny cookie chunks that adds a delicious little crunch to your frozen coffee.

    3. Neopolitan Frappucino
    Ask for a Strawberries and Cream Frapuccino with vanilla bean powder and a pump of mocha

    4. Raspberry Cheesecake
    Order a White Chocolate Mocha (iced, hot or as a frap) and add a few pumps of raspberry.

    5. For a Chocolate Turtle  flavor
    Any drink that has mocha, caramel and toffee nut

    6. For a French Vanilla flavor
    Any drink that has half toffee nut and half vanilla

    7. Blended Strawberry Lemonade
    Strawberry lemonade frapuccino

    8. Oreo Frapuccino
    Ask for a double chocolate chip Frap with white mocha syrup instead of the regular mocha

    9. Tuxedo Mocha
    Order a regular mocha with half white chocolate and half regular chocolate.

    10. Nutella
    Order a Cafe Misto with a pump of chocolate, a pump of hazelnut with caramel drizzle. For the sweet toothed you can also ask for caramel drizzle inside the cup.

    11. Super Cream Frapuccino.
    Blend some whipped cream into the drink so that the drink will be more smooth than icy.

    12. Three C's
    Order a cinnamon Dolce latte with a pump of caramel and a pump of chocolate mocha syrup

    13. Chocolate Pumpkin
    Order a pumpkin spice latte with chocolate syrup for a drink that tastes like a pumpkin chocolate chip bread.

    (From thefw.com)

    How to make drinks at Starbucks

    Basic Drinks
    Coffee: plain black coffee brewed less than an hour ago.
    Iced Coffee: Plain Coffee, that was brewed double-strength so the ice wouldn't dilute it. Placed in fridge
    Tea: Green, black, herbal, blends, decaffeinated.
    Iced Tea: Plain tea that has been brewed at several points during the day and kept in the fridge. Normally black and passion, sweetened or unsweetened and with or without lemonade added
    Misto/Cafe au Lait: Consisting of half coffee, half steamed milk and a bit of foam. Can be made of decafe, nonfat etc.

    Espresso drinks

    Latte: Espresso, steamed milk, and foam, not sweetened in any way unless you ask for syrup or sugar in it
    Cappuccino: Like in a latte, only much more foam: normally half milk half foam, unless "wet" or "dry" is specified
    Caramel Macchiato: Vanilla latte with less vanilla and extra foam, with caramel sauce drizzle
    Americano: Espresso diluted with hot water until it's roughly the strength of regular coffee
    Mocha: Espresso and steamed milk mixed with chocolate and served with whipped cream on top.
    White Mocha: Espresso and steamed milk mixed with white chocolate syrup and served with whipped cream.
    Mocha Valencia: Mocha with Valencia (orange) syrup with an extra espresso shot added.
    Cinnamon Spice Mocha: A mocha with cinnamon syrup added, served with foam and cinnamon on top instead of whipped cream.
    Toffee Nut Latte: Latte flavored with the new Toffee Nut Syrup.
    Espresso: Single shot.
    Espresso Macchiato: Espresso dropped into a cup of milk foam, and only foam.
    Espresso Con Panna: Espresso in a big squirt of whipped cream ordered by the number of shots, rather than cup size

    Non Espresso
    Hot Chocolate: Chocolae and steamed milk, with a little vanilla added because the mocha syrup is not very sweet and served with whipped cream
    Steamed milk. Steamed milk usually with a dollop of foam on top.
    Vanilla Creme: Steamed milk with vanilla syrup and whipped cream
    Chai Latte: Sweetened Chai syrup (tea and spices) added to steamed milk.
    Steamed Cider: Apple juice/cider steamed to a nice hot temperature.
    Caramel Apple Cider: Steamed cider with cinnamon syrup, whipped cream, and caramel sauce.


    Coffee-Based Blended drinks.
    Coffee Frappuccino: Pre-made coffee/sweetener base blended with ice, resulting in kind of a milkshake looking concoction.
    Mocha Frappuccino: Coffee Frappuccino with chocolate syrup mixed in,
    Caramel Frappuccino: coffee frappuccino with caramel syrup added, served with whipped cream and caramel sauce drizzled.
    Java Chip Frappuccino: mocha frappuccino with chocolate chips blended in.
    White Mocha Frappuccino: Coffee Frappuccino with white mocha syrup mixed in.
     Espresso Frappuccino: coffee frappuccino with a shot of espresso added.

    Creme-Based Blended
    Vanilla Creme Frappuccino: Nonfat milk and soy (to thicken it) blended with vanilla syrup and ice, with whipped cream on top.
    Chocolate Creme Frappuccino: Creme Frappuccino made with chocolate instead of vanilla.
    Green Tea Frappuccino: Creme Frappuccino made with green tea flakes.
    Chai Creme Frappuccino: Creme Frappuccino made with the same Chai syrup used to make the Chai latte, with whipped cream on top.

    Sizes
    Short: 8 oz
    Tall: 12 oz
    Grande: 16 oz
    Venti: 20 oz hot 24 oz cold.

    Caffeination
    Decaf: decaffeinated espresso
    Half-Caf: Half regular, half decaf espresso

    Espresso Shots
    Single: one shot of espresso.
    Double: two shots
    Triple: three shots
    Quad: four shots
    Ristretto: normal shot of espresso takes about twenty seconds to pull: a ristretto shot is stopped at fifteen seconds, making a slightly smaller, less bold shot.

    Flavor Syrup
    Syrup: can be added to any drink including regular coffee, frappuccinos, iced tea and Chai

    Milk
    Nonfat: All normal drinks can be made with nonfat milk instead of whole.
    Lowfat/"percent" 50-50 mixture of whole and nonfat.
    Breve: half and half instead of regular milk.
    Soy:will cost extra
    Organic: will cost extra
    Eggnog: Only available during the winter


    Extra
    Foam: fluffy foamed milk on top.
    Wet/dry: cappuccinos are made with much more foam than lattes: Starbucks standards dictate half milk half foam. A dry cappuccino has more foam, a wet cappuccino has less.
    Whipped







    Monday, October 15, 2012

    Starbucks green tea frappuccino

    1/2 tsp. green tea powder
    1/8 cup hot water
    1/2 cup milk
    1 tbsp. sugar
    1 cup ice
    Blender

    Instructions
    1. Dissolve the green tea powder in the water to make the tea beverage and then pour it into your blender
    2. Add the milk and the sugar.
    3. Blend the liquid ingredients with a few pulses
    4. Add the ice. Blend until the ice is chopped, giving it a milkshake consistency
    5. Pour into a serving glass and enjoy.

    Monday, October 8, 2012

    Copa Di Vino

    My guilty pleasure is watching Shark Tank and one of the people that was on the show twice was a man who created a cute little thing called Copa Di Vino. Meaning Cup of Wine. Saw him on the two episodes that he was on and I wondered if he had ever been picked up by any investor after getting denied twice on the show.

    So I was at Ralph's this week and discovered that they had them. They are adorable looking. I am not the typical wine drinker even though most people assume that since I am a female that I love the snot out of wine. For me personally I have to be in the mood for having wine and normally it is the sweet wines that I prefer the most. The ones that Ralph's has is the typical types of wine such as Pinot Grigio. Not the types of wines that I would go for but I am willing to try out new things.

    They are small in size but they are the perfect size for the average person. It is the same amount of wine that would be in a typical glass of wine.

    Sunday, September 30, 2012

    Wells Banana Bread Beer




    I am a beer drinker. I am willing to admit that because I am a girl and most people think that girls don't drink beer. So I love finding different kinds of beer to try. Went to San Diego this  year for Fourth of July as many of you know the fireworks show as the Big Bang Bust. The night before the fireworks show went to the bar to get some drinks and found Wells Banana Bread Beer. Thought that it was a very interesting sounding beer and decided to order it. Asked the bartender what it was like and he said that it was like drinking the liquid version of the bread and he was very much right. It has a very smooth taste to it and the Alc by vol is 5.2%. It is a very good fall type of beer.

    Thursday, September 27, 2012

    Farmer's Market

    It is always good to support the local farmer's and the companies that really try their hardest to make healthy products. The local mall hosts a farmer's market every Wednesday night during the summer. Went last night and it was nice to get some fresh fruit and veggies. There was even locally made honey which tastes AMAZING. There are local stores that are selling all natural items like corn on the cob, fresh made lemonade, and various other items. Total vibe that you can't get anywhere else. This is the second best way to get fresh fruit and vegetables the first being growing them in your own garden.

    There are also things for the kids to do at farmers markets. The one by me had a rock wall for various ages, petting zoo, and bounce houses. Also there are venders who sold things that were not produce. One vender had trinkets for children, purses, braclets, earrings, and various other things. Another vendor sold cell phone cases.

    Sweets

    I have the biggest sweet tooth. When you see me you will be able to tell that I do. But since I am getting married next year I really need to slow down on those sweet foods. Sweet foods can really cause your weight to really balloon because of the calories. When you are making sweet items at home but don't want the same calories as the original recipes switching out things that would add those unwanted calories.

    1. Sugar can be replaced with splenda or other sweetners.
    2. All purpose flour can be replaced with whole wheat flour
    3. Whole milk can be replaced non-fat milk
    4. Fat free icing
    5. Making smaller portions

    Friday, September 21, 2012

    Refreshers at Starbucks

    I have tried both the Cool Lime and also the Very Berry Hibiscus Refreshers at Starbucks. They are both very interesting tastes to them. Both wake you up right when you take your first taste. As much as I enjoy the sweetness of the Very Berry Hibiscus I prefer the Cool Lime because it is much crisper.

    Very Berry Hibiscus:
    Perks:
    Get blackberries in drink
    Sweet

    Cons:
    Needs more berries.

    Cool Lime:
    Perks:
    Crisper
    Not as sweet.

    Cons:
    Little bitter after each sip. 

    Wednesday, September 12, 2012

    Does fatty food actually clog pores?

    You might have heard that eating chocolate or greasy foods can cause acne, but these are both just myths. The truth is that food has little to do with breakouts.
    Acne occurs when the openings of hair follicles become blocked with oil secretions, dead skin cells and bacteria. Breakouts typically occur on the face, neck, chest, back and shoulders -- areas of the body with the largest number of sebaceous, or oil, glands. Your oil glands moisturize and protect delicate skin tissue, but when dead skin cells block the glands, oil can build up and cause a bacterial reaction, resulting in the inflammation associated with acne [sources: Mayo Clinic, WebMD].
    Although some studies suggest that food may contribute to acne formation, most doctors agree that acne actually results from a combination of factors, including hormonal changes, genetic predisposition and skin friction [source: Mayo Clinic].

    Junk food is often blamed for acne breakouts, and one researcher investigated whether hormones in milk caused acne in teenagers. The study found that junk food, including soda, chocolate and potato chips, had no effect on acne -- but it did find a link between acne and milk. However, the results of this study aren't entirely reliable given the conditions under which the study was conducted, and researchers say the link needs to be investigated further [source: American Academy of Dermatology].

    Additional studies have looked at whether the common Western diet may contribute to acne. Many people in Western cultures eat large amounts of refined carbohydrates and smaller amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables. The researchers in this study found that in countries where people ate low-glycemic diets -- consisting of fresh fruits, vegetables and lean proteins -- acne presented little or no problem. However, adequate research hasn't been done to examine the link between high-glycemic diets, such as those in the West, and acne breakouts [source: American Academy of Dermatology].
    Still, other studies show that eating foods high in vitamin A and beta-carotene can increase your resistance to bacteria and improve the overall health of your skin. Such foods include carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, apricots, kale and spinach [source: WebMD]. However, more research is needed to determine if eating such foods really promotes clear skin.


    (from howstuffworks.com)

    Friday, August 24, 2012

    Pork with Squash and Apples

    Ingredients

    • 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 large cloves)
    • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
    • 2 1-pound pork tenderloins, trimmed
    • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
    • 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
    • 2 cooking apples, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
    • 1 medium red onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
    • 1 tablespoon honey mustard
    • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
    • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

    Directions

    • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Mix the nutmeg, 1 teaspoon garlic and the sage in a bowl. Rub over the pork and season with salt and pepper.
    • Toss the squash, apples, onion, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon garlic, the honey mustard, and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl. Spread out on a long sheet of foil. Add the rosemary and 3 tablespoons butter, then bring the ends of the foil together and crimp to seal into a packet. Place the packet on a baking sheet and roast on the upper rack until tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Poke holes in the packet to release steam.
    • Meanwhile, heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, then brown the pork on all sides, about 8 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons water and scrape up any browned bits from the pan, then transfer the skillet to the lower oven rack and roast until a thermometer registers 150, about 15 minutes. Transfer the meat to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes.
    • Return the skillet to medium heat. Add 1/2 cup water, scrape up any browned bits and simmer about 2 minutes. Slice the pork and drizzle with the pan juices. Serve with the squash and apples.
    Per serving: Calories 487; Fat 22 g (Saturated 12 g); Cholesterol 164 mg; Sodium 367 mg; Carbohydrate 25 g; Fiber 5 g; Protein 47 g

    Autumn Leaves

    Ingredients:
    4 oz Dolin Dry Vermouth
    1/2 oz Benedictine
    1/4 oz Chambord Liqueur
    1 Rinse Green Chartreuse
    2 Dashes Regans Orange Bitters
    Top with soda
    Directions:
    Add all ingredients in an ice filled mixing glass except for the green Chartreuse.
    Stir for 20 seconds.
    Rinse a glass with the green Chartreuse and strain the mixing glass into the coupe.

    Milk Chocolatini

    Ingredients:
    3 oz Blue Ice Vodka
    1½ oz Godiva Chocolate Liqueur
    ½ oz White Cream de Cacao
    Several chunks of milk chocolate
    Directions:
    Add vodka, Godiva Chocolate Liqueur and White Cream De Cacao into a cocktail shaker and fill with ice.
    Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass.
    Garnish with a toothpick of milk chocolate chunks.

    Read more: Best Fall Cocktail Recipes - Drink Recipes for Autumn - Cosmopolitan

    Smoking Apple

    Ingredients:
    2 oz whisky (such as The Macallan Fine Oak 10 Years Old)
    .75 oz fresh lemon juice
    1.5 oz hand-pressed apple cider
    2 fresh figs
    2-3 sage leaves
    .5 oz simple syrup
    Directions:
    Add ice.
    Shake.
    Strain over double rocks or martini glass.
    Garnish with a sage leaf.

    Read more: Best Fall Cocktail Recipes - Drink Recipes for Autumn - Cosmopolitan

    Camarena Candy Corn Coridal

    Ingredients:
    1 oz Familia Camarena Reposado Tequila
    ½ oz butterscotch schnapps
    ½ oz Crème de Cacao
    2 oz fresh orange juice
    1 tsp dark cocoa
    4 pieces candy corn
    Directions:
    Rim a martini glass with orange juice then cocoa powder.
    In a shaker, add tequila, butterscotch schnapps, crème de cocoa and orange juice.
    Add ice and shake well.
    Strain into prepared martini glass.
    Garnish with an orange wheel and toothpick of candy corn.

    Read more: Best Fall Cocktail Recipes - Drink Recipes for Autumn - Cosmopolitan

    Wednesday, August 22, 2012

    Rainbow Cake in a jar

    Ingredients:

    • 1 Betty Crocker Super Moist white cake mix
    • 1 Tub Betty Crocker Whipped Ready to Spread white frosting
    • 3 egg whites (for cake mix)
    • 1/3 cup vegetable oil (for cake mix)
    • 1 1/4 cup water (for cake mix)
    • Betty Crocker NEON food colors in neon pink, neon blue and neon purple
    • Regular food colors in yellow, green, red and blue
    • 3 (1-Pint) wide-mouth glass canning jars
    • Non-stick cooking spray
    Directions: 
    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash canning jars and dry thoroughly. Set lids and rims aside. Spray inside of each glass jar with a generous amount of non-stick cooking spray.
    2. Make cake batter according to directions on cake mix box.
    3. Divide batter evenly between 5 bowls (approximately 1 cup of batter in each bowl).
    4. Add 15 drops of neon pink food coloring to the 1st bowl. Stir to blend well.
    5. Add 14 drops of regular yellow food coloring to the 2nd bowl. Stir to blend well.
    6. Add 24 drops of regular green food coloring to the 3rd bowl. Stir to blend well.
    7. Add 7 drops of neon blue food coloring to the 4th bowl. Stir to blend well.
    8. Add 8 drops of regular red + 7 drops of regular blue + 3 drops of neon purple food coloring to the 5th bowl. Stir to blend well.
    9. Spoon about 1/4-cup of each color batter into each of the jars, layering the colors in this order: purple (first), blue, green, yellow, pink (last). Use a paper towel to wipe any spills or drips from the jars.
    10. Place the jars in a glass baking dish. Add 1/4" of water to the bottom of the dish surrounding the jars. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Cake tops should spring back to the touch when done, but don't bake so long that the cakes are brown. You can also use a long bamboo skewer to test doneness if you have one.
    11. Allow cakes to cool completely, about one hour, before frosting.
    12. Spread frosting over top of cake and decorate as desired.
     

    Brownie Ice-cream Sandwiches

    Ingredients:
    • 1 (8-ounce) package semisweet baking chocolate
    • 1 stick butter 
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 4 large eggs 
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1 quart vanilla ice cream 
    • 1/4 cup white and semisweet chocolate chips (optional)
     Preparation
    1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°.
    2. 2. Cut aluminum foil or parchment paper long enough to fit bottoms of 2 (8-inch) square pans, allowing a 2-inch overhang on each end. Lightly coat foil with cooking spray.
    3. 3. Simmer chocolate and butter together in a small saucepan over low heat until melted. Cool slightly. Beat sugar and eggs at medium speed with an electric mixer 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Gradually add melted chocolate mixture, beating until blended. Stir in vanilla. Fold in flour and salt until blended. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 13 to 15 minutes or until a tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool brownies completely in pans on a wire rack; freeze in pans for 2 hours.
    4. 4. Spread 3 cups ice cream over 1 brownie layer in pan. Remove other brownie layer, and peel away foil; place over ice-cream layer, and press gently. Cover and freeze until firm, about 4 hours or overnight.
    5. 5. Remove from pan, remove foil, and cut into quarters. Cut each quarter diagonally to form 8 triangles. If desired, place chocolate chips into 2 small zip-top plastic bags; seal. Microwave 30 seconds at a time until chocolate melts. Snip a tiny corner from 1 side of bag; drizzle melted chocolate over bars. Serve immediately.

    Iced coffee Frappe

    Ingredients: 
    • 1/4 cup instant coffee granules 
    • 1/2 cup chocolate syrup
    • 1/4 cup sugar
    • 1 1/2 cups boiling water 
    • 2 cups half-and-half
    • 1 quart vanilla ice cream 
    • 2 cups ginger ale 
    • Vanilla ice cream, optional

    Preparation: 
    • Stir together first 4 ingredients in a large pitcher; cool. Cover and chill at least 8 hours. Stir together coffee mixture, half-and-half, and 1 quart ice cream in a punch bowl. Stir in ginger ale; ladle into glasses. Top with ice cream, if desired. 

    Avocado and Shrimp Sushi

    Ingredients:
    • 2 cups uncooked short-grain white rice
    • 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon wasabi (Japanese horseradish)
    • 1 avocado, peeled and mashed 
    • 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
    • 24 large shrimp, cooked, peeled, and halved crosswise (about 8 ounces) 
    • 6 nori (seaweed) sheets
    • 12 chives
    • 12 (7-inch-long) julienne-cut seeded peeled cucumber strips 

    Preparation

    1. Prepare rice according to package directions. Stir in vinegar; cover and cool to room temperature.
    2. Combine wasabi and avocado in a small bowl, and set aside. Combine cilantro and shrimp in another small bowl; toss well.
    3. Cut off top quarter of nori sheets along short end. Place 1 nori sheet, shiny side down, on a sushi mat covered with plastic wrap, with long end toward you. Pat 3/4 cup rice mixture evenly over nori with moist hands, leaving a 1-inch border on one long end of nori. Spread 1 tablespoon avocado mixture over rice.
    4. Arrange 8 shrimp pieces, 2 chives, and 2 cucumber strips along bottom third of rice-covered nori.
    5. Lift edge of nori closest to you; fold over filling. Lift bottom edge of sushi mat; roll toward top edge, pressing firmly on sushi roll. Continue rolling to top edge; press mat to seal sushi roll. Let rest, seam side down, for 5 minutes. Slice crosswise into 8 pieces. Repeat procedure with remaining nori, rice mixture, avocado mixture, shrimp mixture, chives, and cucumber.

    Easy Apple Crisp from Disney's Grand Californian Hotel and Spa

    Please enjoy this simple video on how to make Apple Crisp.