From time to time I will be giving some brain teasers for readers to solve.
The first one :-
The word PODS produces fourteen numbers, six of which were drawn in the uk lotto (5 main numbers + Bonus ball).
Can you tell me what the fourteen numbers were?
I look forward to seeing your replies!!!
NB. The numbers must be between 1-49.
Thursday, February 07, 2013
Saturday, February 02, 2013
What to do about shrinking supermarket product sizes
On your last visit to the supermarket, you may have noticed that many of the big brand food manufacturers have embarked on shrinking the size of their packets yet the price of the product remains the same. why are these manufacturers doing this and if we notice why do we accept this?
The answer is that these food manufacturers want to hide the fact that food prices are rising and instead of passing on the cost to the consumer by way of higher prices, they shrink the package size instead. These manufacturers know more about us than we think. Particularly the point that consumers are more sensitive to changes to price than to size and weight. If these manufacturers reflected the rising manufacturing costs by way of higher prices, they know that we will all start looking at cheaper alternatives. Please do not be tricked understand what is happening, food inflation is rising, in that we all able to purchase less for the same amount of money than we did last year. However by keeping the prices the same and reducing the sizes or weight of products and keeping the prices the same, then they try to convince us that this is not the case.
So what should we do to counteract this situation? well the obvious thing to consider is to start buying supermarket's own label products, whilst they may be shrinking the items, the cost that we pay at the checkout is a great deal cheaper. We have to think smarter to counteract the affects of austerity on us.
An alternative is we could use the fact that we are being cheated by maybe cutting out or reducing our consumption of these products, which are often unhealthy and contribute to the nations burgeoning waste lines, in so doing, you reduce your risk of developing Diabetes, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure.
Lets work together for our benefit the same way that the food manufacturers work together for their own benefit.
The answer is that these food manufacturers want to hide the fact that food prices are rising and instead of passing on the cost to the consumer by way of higher prices, they shrink the package size instead. These manufacturers know more about us than we think. Particularly the point that consumers are more sensitive to changes to price than to size and weight. If these manufacturers reflected the rising manufacturing costs by way of higher prices, they know that we will all start looking at cheaper alternatives. Please do not be tricked understand what is happening, food inflation is rising, in that we all able to purchase less for the same amount of money than we did last year. However by keeping the prices the same and reducing the sizes or weight of products and keeping the prices the same, then they try to convince us that this is not the case.
So what should we do to counteract this situation? well the obvious thing to consider is to start buying supermarket's own label products, whilst they may be shrinking the items, the cost that we pay at the checkout is a great deal cheaper. We have to think smarter to counteract the affects of austerity on us.
An alternative is we could use the fact that we are being cheated by maybe cutting out or reducing our consumption of these products, which are often unhealthy and contribute to the nations burgeoning waste lines, in so doing, you reduce your risk of developing Diabetes, Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure.
Lets work together for our benefit the same way that the food manufacturers work together for their own benefit.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Are Your Teenager's Smoking?
Each year more than 1 million people die from tobacco related illnesses.
Because of advertisements and other forms of media that promote smoking, many teens think it is okay and cool to smoke. And now many teens are getting addicted to nicotine and cigarettes.
What Influences Teens To Smoke?
Often the biggest influences for teen smoking are the kid's parents. When a child sees a parent smoking they begin to think it is okay for them to do the same thing.
Though parents are a big influence some other huge influences for teens to smoke are: movies, television, advertising and friends.
Advertisements for smoking that target kids are so effective that the government has issued a policy to discourage tobacco advertisement to children on penalty of fine.
Your teen's friends are also a big influence. Friends of your teen can often be the source that provides the cigarettes. Friends use peer pressure to encourage smoking.
When your teen gets a hold of cigarettes and starts experimenting, nicotine's addicting traits help to quickly ingrain the smoking habit.
Nicotine - The Addicting Drug in Cigarettes
Nicotine is a key ingredient in cigarettes. It is key because it is so highly addictive to the smoker. Nicotine not only is the main cause of the smoking addiction, it is also extremely toxic and causes irritation of lung tissue. It constricts blood vessels, increases blood pressure and heart rate and stimulates the central nervous system. In recent years, cigarette makers have been boosting the levels of nicotine in their cigarettes - no doubt to increase smoking addiction and sell more cigarettes.
Smoking’s Long Term Health Problems
Of the many long-term health problems you can get from smoking, emphysema, heart disease and cancer are the worst. Many people think the only cancer you can get from smoking is lung cancer. This is not true. You can also get mouth, pharynx, oesophagus, pancreas, urinary gland and kidney cancer.
Smoking is Hard To Quit
The physical craving for nicotine makes it hard for smokers to quit. It may seem hopeless once a smoking habit has begun; however there are many treatments for quitting smoking.
5 Tips To Help Smokers Quit
1- Get rid of all your cigarettes, tobacco, lighters and other smoking paraphernalia.
2- Get support from friends, family or a smoking cessation group.
3- Learn new skills and behaviors you can do when you get the urge to smoke.
4- If needed, get medication for smoking cessation and use it correctly to cut the craving for cigarettes.
5- Be prepared for difficult situations and temptations to relapse.
For some people getting prepared to quit by following the tips above is not enough to successfully follow through. Many people who want to quit smoking have to give themselves additional motivation to stop smoking.
Some additional motivators include:
- Parents focus on how stopping smoking will help their children have less chance of becoming smokers themselves.
- Many people remind themselves of the money they will save each day by not smoking. If cigarettes are averaging $4/pack, and a person smokes a pack a day that is $120/month or $1,440 each year.
- Other smokers who want to quit focus on the ill health effects they are exposing themselves to like heart attack, stroke or cancer.
Bottom line is that smoking is a detrimental habit that causes disease and wastes money. Smoking cigarettes is foolish - the only way to be cool is to quit.
Because of advertisements and other forms of media that promote smoking, many teens think it is okay and cool to smoke. And now many teens are getting addicted to nicotine and cigarettes.
What Influences Teens To Smoke?
Often the biggest influences for teen smoking are the kid's parents. When a child sees a parent smoking they begin to think it is okay for them to do the same thing.
Though parents are a big influence some other huge influences for teens to smoke are: movies, television, advertising and friends.
Advertisements for smoking that target kids are so effective that the government has issued a policy to discourage tobacco advertisement to children on penalty of fine.
Your teen's friends are also a big influence. Friends of your teen can often be the source that provides the cigarettes. Friends use peer pressure to encourage smoking.
When your teen gets a hold of cigarettes and starts experimenting, nicotine's addicting traits help to quickly ingrain the smoking habit.
Nicotine - The Addicting Drug in Cigarettes
Nicotine is a key ingredient in cigarettes. It is key because it is so highly addictive to the smoker. Nicotine not only is the main cause of the smoking addiction, it is also extremely toxic and causes irritation of lung tissue. It constricts blood vessels, increases blood pressure and heart rate and stimulates the central nervous system. In recent years, cigarette makers have been boosting the levels of nicotine in their cigarettes - no doubt to increase smoking addiction and sell more cigarettes.
Smoking’s Long Term Health Problems
Of the many long-term health problems you can get from smoking, emphysema, heart disease and cancer are the worst. Many people think the only cancer you can get from smoking is lung cancer. This is not true. You can also get mouth, pharynx, oesophagus, pancreas, urinary gland and kidney cancer.
Smoking is Hard To Quit
The physical craving for nicotine makes it hard for smokers to quit. It may seem hopeless once a smoking habit has begun; however there are many treatments for quitting smoking.
5 Tips To Help Smokers Quit
1- Get rid of all your cigarettes, tobacco, lighters and other smoking paraphernalia.
2- Get support from friends, family or a smoking cessation group.
3- Learn new skills and behaviors you can do when you get the urge to smoke.
4- If needed, get medication for smoking cessation and use it correctly to cut the craving for cigarettes.
5- Be prepared for difficult situations and temptations to relapse.
For some people getting prepared to quit by following the tips above is not enough to successfully follow through. Many people who want to quit smoking have to give themselves additional motivation to stop smoking.
Some additional motivators include:
- Parents focus on how stopping smoking will help their children have less chance of becoming smokers themselves.
- Many people remind themselves of the money they will save each day by not smoking. If cigarettes are averaging $4/pack, and a person smokes a pack a day that is $120/month or $1,440 each year.
- Other smokers who want to quit focus on the ill health effects they are exposing themselves to like heart attack, stroke or cancer.
Bottom line is that smoking is a detrimental habit that causes disease and wastes money. Smoking cigarettes is foolish - the only way to be cool is to quit.
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Grilled Vegetables - Try Something New Today
If you have never grilled vegetables on your barbecue before, now is the time to start. It is easy to do and you will experience tastes only obtainable by grilling.
Here are some tips and techniques for preparing and grilling vegetables.
What vegetables are best for grilling?
Almost any vegetable can be grilled, obviously some grill better than others. Here is a list of vegetables that do especially well on the grill:
Corn on the cob, all types of peppers, Zucchini and summer squash, eggplant, asparagus, whole tomatoes, Portabello mushrooms, potatoes, artichokes, fennel, and whole onions.
How to prepare your vegetables for grilling.
For corn on the cob, peel the husks back a little over half way. Do not pull them off completely. Try to get most of the corn silk off, then pull the husks back up and tie them to the cob, then soak the whole ear in water for about an hour before setting over a hot fire on the grill.
You can also do this. When you take the cobs out of the water, untie them and brush them with a mixture of melted butter and chili pepper sauce, salt and pepper, then tie them back up and then put them on the grill. They are really good!
Zucchini should be washed thoroughly, ends trimmed off, then slice the Zucchini lengthwise in one-quarter inch thick slices. Brush with olive oil and place over a hot grill. They will not take long so keep and eye on them. Do not over-cook.
Asparagus can be rolled in olive oil, salt and pepper and placed across the grill and turned occasionally. They are great and again, do not over cook.
Eggplant should be sliced about half an inch thick, salted and placed in a strainer to drain. After about half of an hour, dry the slices with a clean paper towel and brush with olive oil and grill.
Artichokes should be halved lengthwise and placed in boiling salted water for about 15-20 minutes, then drained thoroughly. Brush the cut sides liberally with olive oil, salt and pepper and place cut side down over hot fire.
Whole bell peppers can be grilled till the skins blister and turn black. Then scrape or pull the blackened skin off, toss with olive oil and salt and pepper and enjoy. You can also do this with Anaheim chiles and Chiles Poblanos, also known as Ancho or Pasilla chiles.
Russet potatoes should have their skins cleaned thoroughly and dried. Then cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until only half cooked. Let them cool and cut into triangles lengthwise and spray with olive oil, place on hot grill, turning occasionally until brown and crispy.
You will notice that we have used olive oil in all the examples above but you can use peanut oil, walnut oil, or hazelnut oil if you wish. Canola or sunflower oils are just too bland for grilling.
Also, we have been grilling our vegetables directly on the grill but you can also use foil to construct a package for your vegetables. For example, slice a bell pepper and an onion, place in the middle of a large piece of foil, enclose the vegetables after dousing with olive oil and salt and pepper. Seal the package and place on the hot grill. It should be done in about 15 minutes.
You can also prepare a whole onion this way. Skin the onion, cut a cross from the top down three-quarters of the way through the onion, pour on some olive oil and wrap with foil, salt and pepper and put on the grill. Wallah!
There you have a few examples of the wonderful world of vegetable grilling. Now here are some more tips on grilling in general.
If you are going to buy a gas grill, be sure to get one with at least 40,000 to 50,000 BTU's (British Thermal Units) as this will give you enough heat to make those attractive grill marks on your steaks, hamburgers and vegetables.
Vegetables generally are grilled over high heat, so when grilling with charcoal, build a 3-zone fire with the coals piled in a double layer on one side of the grill, then in a single layer in the center of the grill and then with no coals on the other side.
This lets you sear over the high heat of the double layer, cook over the moderate heat of the single layer, and keep your vegetables warm over the coal free zone.
You may want to invest in a vegetable tray. That is a tray with small holes that you can place onto the grill which will hold smaller vegetables like cherry tomatoes, garlic cloves or various sliced vegetables.
Another valuable accessory would be a fish basket. This eliminates the fish from sticking to the grill and flaking-up and falling through the grills.
Stock up with some bamboo skewers for small kebabs and chicken sate (Thai style chicken). To keep the skewers from burning just soak them in water for about an hour before using.
So there you are. This information should give you the confidence to begin grilling those vegetables for your next barbecue party.
Here are some tips and techniques for preparing and grilling vegetables.
What vegetables are best for grilling?
Almost any vegetable can be grilled, obviously some grill better than others. Here is a list of vegetables that do especially well on the grill:
Corn on the cob, all types of peppers, Zucchini and summer squash, eggplant, asparagus, whole tomatoes, Portabello mushrooms, potatoes, artichokes, fennel, and whole onions.
How to prepare your vegetables for grilling.
For corn on the cob, peel the husks back a little over half way. Do not pull them off completely. Try to get most of the corn silk off, then pull the husks back up and tie them to the cob, then soak the whole ear in water for about an hour before setting over a hot fire on the grill.
You can also do this. When you take the cobs out of the water, untie them and brush them with a mixture of melted butter and chili pepper sauce, salt and pepper, then tie them back up and then put them on the grill. They are really good!
Zucchini should be washed thoroughly, ends trimmed off, then slice the Zucchini lengthwise in one-quarter inch thick slices. Brush with olive oil and place over a hot grill. They will not take long so keep and eye on them. Do not over-cook.
Asparagus can be rolled in olive oil, salt and pepper and placed across the grill and turned occasionally. They are great and again, do not over cook.
Eggplant should be sliced about half an inch thick, salted and placed in a strainer to drain. After about half of an hour, dry the slices with a clean paper towel and brush with olive oil and grill.
Artichokes should be halved lengthwise and placed in boiling salted water for about 15-20 minutes, then drained thoroughly. Brush the cut sides liberally with olive oil, salt and pepper and place cut side down over hot fire.
Whole bell peppers can be grilled till the skins blister and turn black. Then scrape or pull the blackened skin off, toss with olive oil and salt and pepper and enjoy. You can also do this with Anaheim chiles and Chiles Poblanos, also known as Ancho or Pasilla chiles.
Russet potatoes should have their skins cleaned thoroughly and dried. Then cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until only half cooked. Let them cool and cut into triangles lengthwise and spray with olive oil, place on hot grill, turning occasionally until brown and crispy.
You will notice that we have used olive oil in all the examples above but you can use peanut oil, walnut oil, or hazelnut oil if you wish. Canola or sunflower oils are just too bland for grilling.
Also, we have been grilling our vegetables directly on the grill but you can also use foil to construct a package for your vegetables. For example, slice a bell pepper and an onion, place in the middle of a large piece of foil, enclose the vegetables after dousing with olive oil and salt and pepper. Seal the package and place on the hot grill. It should be done in about 15 minutes.
You can also prepare a whole onion this way. Skin the onion, cut a cross from the top down three-quarters of the way through the onion, pour on some olive oil and wrap with foil, salt and pepper and put on the grill. Wallah!
There you have a few examples of the wonderful world of vegetable grilling. Now here are some more tips on grilling in general.
If you are going to buy a gas grill, be sure to get one with at least 40,000 to 50,000 BTU's (British Thermal Units) as this will give you enough heat to make those attractive grill marks on your steaks, hamburgers and vegetables.
Vegetables generally are grilled over high heat, so when grilling with charcoal, build a 3-zone fire with the coals piled in a double layer on one side of the grill, then in a single layer in the center of the grill and then with no coals on the other side.
This lets you sear over the high heat of the double layer, cook over the moderate heat of the single layer, and keep your vegetables warm over the coal free zone.
You may want to invest in a vegetable tray. That is a tray with small holes that you can place onto the grill which will hold smaller vegetables like cherry tomatoes, garlic cloves or various sliced vegetables.
Another valuable accessory would be a fish basket. This eliminates the fish from sticking to the grill and flaking-up and falling through the grills.
Stock up with some bamboo skewers for small kebabs and chicken sate (Thai style chicken). To keep the skewers from burning just soak them in water for about an hour before using.
So there you are. This information should give you the confidence to begin grilling those vegetables for your next barbecue party.
Monday, July 23, 2007
How To Make Your Children Smarter
Scientific research shows that intelligence is both genetic and environmental. Intelligence is also not fixed but can be increased because the brain develops new neurons and interconnections with stimulation.
A supportive environment fosters numerous aspects of intelligence. The following 10 easy ways to stimulate intelligence in children will provide an "enriched environment" for brain growth.
One: Love and Self-Esteem Improve Academic Performance
In a long series of experiments, Prescott Lecky, an American educational researcher, found a high correlation between low self-esteem and learning problems in children.
He correctly theorized that by raising a child's self-esteem, learning performance would also improve.
His success stories include a poor speller who averaged 55% in spelling improved to 91% in six months, a Latin student who went from 30% to 84% after three encouraging conversations with a teacher, and a student considered to have no aptitude for English who improved over a semester to win the school's literary prize.
Two: Breast Fed Babies Are Smarter
Danish researchers found that mother's milk contained essential micronutrients for brain development. In fact, the longer the child was breast fed, the more the brain was nourished. For example, infants breast fed for 9 months were smarter than infants only breast-fed for two months.
Three: Proper Nutrition Improve Health And Nerve Conduction
Diets high in sugar, Trans fatty acids, and salt decreased health in children. Junk food failed to provide sufficient iron for healthy brain development, resulting in poor nerve impulses. Children with nutritional deficiency also missed school more often because of illness and fell behind their peers.
Four: Proper Breakfast Improves Attention At School
Thirty years of research has shown a strong correlation between breakfast and mental alertness. Children who had nutritious breakfasts had better memory. They also concentrated better and absorbed more information during class. Those who had no breakfast or poor breakfast were more irritable and distracted during class.
Five: Exercise Benefits Intelligence And Personality
Research conducted by the University of Illinois showed that fitter children performed better academically. Besides the obvious physiological benefits of improved oxygen intake, blood flow, immune stimulation, and neural transmission, there was also a psychological and sociological component, too. Psychologically, fitter children showed higher self-esteem. Sociologically, those who participated in organized sports displayed more confidence, more cooperation, and spontaneous leadership.
Six: Musical Training Improves IQ Into Adulthood
Long-term research by the University of Toronto showed that organized music lessons benefited children all the way into adulthood. The longer the child studied music, the higher their IQs as adults. Music students also displayed better grades throughout their schooling.
Seven: Some Video Games Enhance Mental Acuity
Research by the University of Rochester found that certain video games improved sensory perception, strategic thinking, and planning ahead of time. The video games that created positive mental improvements had an educational element that improved motor skills and enhanced memory.
Eight: Mind Games Do More Than Entertain
Board games like chess, checkers, creative games like Lego and jigsaw puzzles, and brainteaser games like crosswords, cryptograms, riddles, and Sudoku improved intelligence. Specifically, they stimulated better decision-making, smarter analytical thinking, and more accurate problem solving.
Nine: Reading Improves Both Creativity And Logic
Whether a child was read to at bedtime, or actively read their own books, silently or aloud, they displayed increased left and right brain intellectual growth. Both fiction and non-fiction books improved creative imagination and logical, sequential thinking.
Ten: Nurturing Curiosity Creates An Open, Absorbent Mind
Curiosity, the urge to seek knowledge, is essential to improving intelligence in children. Conducting educational outings, teaching new skills, and supporting hobbies encouraged the development of curiosity.
These 10 ways of raising intelligence in children are easy to apply, practical, and within the reach of parents and teachers. Research has shown that they are highly effective in creating the environmental support children need to develop their intelligence.
A supportive environment fosters numerous aspects of intelligence. The following 10 easy ways to stimulate intelligence in children will provide an "enriched environment" for brain growth.
One: Love and Self-Esteem Improve Academic Performance
In a long series of experiments, Prescott Lecky, an American educational researcher, found a high correlation between low self-esteem and learning problems in children.
He correctly theorized that by raising a child's self-esteem, learning performance would also improve.
His success stories include a poor speller who averaged 55% in spelling improved to 91% in six months, a Latin student who went from 30% to 84% after three encouraging conversations with a teacher, and a student considered to have no aptitude for English who improved over a semester to win the school's literary prize.
Two: Breast Fed Babies Are Smarter
Danish researchers found that mother's milk contained essential micronutrients for brain development. In fact, the longer the child was breast fed, the more the brain was nourished. For example, infants breast fed for 9 months were smarter than infants only breast-fed for two months.
Three: Proper Nutrition Improve Health And Nerve Conduction
Diets high in sugar, Trans fatty acids, and salt decreased health in children. Junk food failed to provide sufficient iron for healthy brain development, resulting in poor nerve impulses. Children with nutritional deficiency also missed school more often because of illness and fell behind their peers.
Four: Proper Breakfast Improves Attention At School
Thirty years of research has shown a strong correlation between breakfast and mental alertness. Children who had nutritious breakfasts had better memory. They also concentrated better and absorbed more information during class. Those who had no breakfast or poor breakfast were more irritable and distracted during class.
Five: Exercise Benefits Intelligence And Personality
Research conducted by the University of Illinois showed that fitter children performed better academically. Besides the obvious physiological benefits of improved oxygen intake, blood flow, immune stimulation, and neural transmission, there was also a psychological and sociological component, too. Psychologically, fitter children showed higher self-esteem. Sociologically, those who participated in organized sports displayed more confidence, more cooperation, and spontaneous leadership.
Six: Musical Training Improves IQ Into Adulthood
Long-term research by the University of Toronto showed that organized music lessons benefited children all the way into adulthood. The longer the child studied music, the higher their IQs as adults. Music students also displayed better grades throughout their schooling.
Seven: Some Video Games Enhance Mental Acuity
Research by the University of Rochester found that certain video games improved sensory perception, strategic thinking, and planning ahead of time. The video games that created positive mental improvements had an educational element that improved motor skills and enhanced memory.
Eight: Mind Games Do More Than Entertain
Board games like chess, checkers, creative games like Lego and jigsaw puzzles, and brainteaser games like crosswords, cryptograms, riddles, and Sudoku improved intelligence. Specifically, they stimulated better decision-making, smarter analytical thinking, and more accurate problem solving.
Nine: Reading Improves Both Creativity And Logic
Whether a child was read to at bedtime, or actively read their own books, silently or aloud, they displayed increased left and right brain intellectual growth. Both fiction and non-fiction books improved creative imagination and logical, sequential thinking.
Ten: Nurturing Curiosity Creates An Open, Absorbent Mind
Curiosity, the urge to seek knowledge, is essential to improving intelligence in children. Conducting educational outings, teaching new skills, and supporting hobbies encouraged the development of curiosity.
These 10 ways of raising intelligence in children are easy to apply, practical, and within the reach of parents and teachers. Research has shown that they are highly effective in creating the environmental support children need to develop their intelligence.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
The Lazy Cooks Guide To Cooking
Have you ever found yourself wondering how you can give a new lift to old favorites? Or worrying over how you can tempt those picky eaters?
Try keeping a few sheets of frozen puff pastry in the freezer.
Puff pastry is one of the most useful, and at the same time most overlooked, weapons in the cook's arsenal. It gets less exposure than it should because many people are nervous of using it. If you are one of those, read on. You are about to become an expert.
Frozen puff pastry is one of the food industry's great success stories. From the cook's point of view it's easy to handle, needs no preparation and, even more to the point, it works every time.
On top of all that, it's versatile enough to be used in any number of ways from making mini pizzas to decorating the lamb roast. There is practically no end to its flexibility.
Take desserts for example. Cut one sheet of thawed out puff pastry into four pieces, place a spoonful of fruit into the middle of each one, bring the opposite corners of the pastry into the center and crimp them together between finger and thumb. Lightly glaze with an egg beaten in milk, top with half an apricot and a sprinkling of sugar and pop into a medium hot oven for 15 minutes.
You can use exactly the same technique for individual savory pies or, for a terrific farmhouse-style result, use two whole sheets, one for the base and one for the top.
You don't even need a pie dish. Put the base directly on to a baking sheet, add the filling and top with the second sheet, folding the edges over and pinching the corners together. The base will be light and crisp when cooked and the crust golden-brown and flaky.
Once you get started on using puff pastry in this way, you may find it difficult to stop. One great technique is to cut the pastry into shapes using a cookie cutter, glaze and bake the individual pieces and then use them to decorate whatever dish you are serving.
You could use crescent shapes to top off a casserole, or prepare triangles and place them artfully on cooked meat or chops. You could even cut the pastry into rounds, cover with something like sweet chilli sauce and grated cheese, bake for 15 minutes or so and serve them with pre-dinner drinks.
Kids love these min-pizzas too.
The truth is you can go down any path your imagination takes you. As an ingredient this kind of pastry is just so forgiving it's hard to get it wrong. There are really only a couple of things to guard against.
One is incorrect cooking temperature, either too hot or too cool. Most ready-made puff pastry 'lifts' successfully at around 200-220 degrees Centigrade. The other thing to bear in mind is not to overdo the glaze. Too much egg-wash may result in a soggy finish that will not rise successfully. Just a light brushing will do.
So there you have it. A great product that is labor-saving, versatile, looks good and tastes great. What more could you ask for?
Try keeping a few sheets of frozen puff pastry in the freezer.
Puff pastry is one of the most useful, and at the same time most overlooked, weapons in the cook's arsenal. It gets less exposure than it should because many people are nervous of using it. If you are one of those, read on. You are about to become an expert.
Frozen puff pastry is one of the food industry's great success stories. From the cook's point of view it's easy to handle, needs no preparation and, even more to the point, it works every time.
On top of all that, it's versatile enough to be used in any number of ways from making mini pizzas to decorating the lamb roast. There is practically no end to its flexibility.
Take desserts for example. Cut one sheet of thawed out puff pastry into four pieces, place a spoonful of fruit into the middle of each one, bring the opposite corners of the pastry into the center and crimp them together between finger and thumb. Lightly glaze with an egg beaten in milk, top with half an apricot and a sprinkling of sugar and pop into a medium hot oven for 15 minutes.
You can use exactly the same technique for individual savory pies or, for a terrific farmhouse-style result, use two whole sheets, one for the base and one for the top.
You don't even need a pie dish. Put the base directly on to a baking sheet, add the filling and top with the second sheet, folding the edges over and pinching the corners together. The base will be light and crisp when cooked and the crust golden-brown and flaky.
Once you get started on using puff pastry in this way, you may find it difficult to stop. One great technique is to cut the pastry into shapes using a cookie cutter, glaze and bake the individual pieces and then use them to decorate whatever dish you are serving.
You could use crescent shapes to top off a casserole, or prepare triangles and place them artfully on cooked meat or chops. You could even cut the pastry into rounds, cover with something like sweet chilli sauce and grated cheese, bake for 15 minutes or so and serve them with pre-dinner drinks.
Kids love these min-pizzas too.
The truth is you can go down any path your imagination takes you. As an ingredient this kind of pastry is just so forgiving it's hard to get it wrong. There are really only a couple of things to guard against.
One is incorrect cooking temperature, either too hot or too cool. Most ready-made puff pastry 'lifts' successfully at around 200-220 degrees Centigrade. The other thing to bear in mind is not to overdo the glaze. Too much egg-wash may result in a soggy finish that will not rise successfully. Just a light brushing will do.
So there you have it. A great product that is labor-saving, versatile, looks good and tastes great. What more could you ask for?
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Get Your Kids to Eat Fruit and Vegetables
Most children don't like to eat fruit and vegetables. How can parents get them to eat the food that is so good for them? Here are some ways:
1. Healthy breakfast
Fill your kids up on their fruit for the day at breakfast.
a. banana on toast, maybe with peanut butter;
b. cereal with fresh or dried fruit;
c. pancakes or waffles with fruit toppings;
d. fresh fruit smoothies and a yogurt and sliced fruit combo.
2. Hide vegetables in a sauce.
a. Grate and chop zucchini, carrots and spinach into pasta and cheese sauces;
b. puree mushrooms before putting them into spaghetti sauce to avoid kids seeing them and picking them out.
3. Add to dessert
a. Add fresh fruit pieces to Jello, yogurt or ice cream for a healthy treat;
b. puree fruit to use as homemade topping in place of chocolate or caramel syrup;
c. let your kids make their own fruit parfaits.
4. Put vegetables into the meat;
a. grate vegetables in meat dishes;
b. hide grated vegetables in meatball, casseroles, meatloaf, shepherd's pie and lasagna;
c. try an all-vegetable lasagna;
d. make all-vegetable "hamburger" patties.
5. One pot, many vegetables
a. Making homemade soups stews and chili are all easy ways to increase your family's intake of vegetables and fruit (yes, fruit!) Everything and anything healthy should go into the pot. Puree vegetables that the kids don't like and add them to the stock to use as a thickener.
b. Make gazpacho, a fruit soup using mangos, yellow pepper, yellow tomatoes, carrot, cantaloupe, cucumbers, papayas, raspberry vinegar, honey and vanilla extract.
6. Mystery foods
a. Use the kids' favorite cookies, cakes and breads as a cover for fruits and vegetables. Make sweet breads and desserts with vegetables - zucchini bread, sweet potato pie and pumpkin pie.
b. Slip fruits and vegetables in all kinds of things: applesauce in cookies, zucchini in chocolate cake, and grated carrots in pasta sauce.
7. Fast and healthy food
a. Homemade pizza. Give the kids tons of healthy toppings to choose from such as tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, spinach and pineapple. Let them make their own pizza.
b. Tacos or fajitas can be a great way to get kids to add vegetables in various forms - diced tomatoes, salsa, etc.
c. Stir fries - sugar peas, snow peas, spinach and carrots.
d. Omelets - salsa, tomatoes.
8. Keep fruit and vegetables handy
a. Keep washed fruit in a bowl nearby;
b. Have ready-to-serve individual fruit cups in the fridge;
c. make up vegetable-and-dip packs for snacks;
d. serve fruit and vegetables as a side dish at meals.
If at least some of the items on this list don't work, try making their food more interesting - like shapes out of vegetables - trees, animals, houses and let your kids pretend to be King Kong eating his surroundings.
1. Healthy breakfast
Fill your kids up on their fruit for the day at breakfast.
a. banana on toast, maybe with peanut butter;
b. cereal with fresh or dried fruit;
c. pancakes or waffles with fruit toppings;
d. fresh fruit smoothies and a yogurt and sliced fruit combo.
2. Hide vegetables in a sauce.
a. Grate and chop zucchini, carrots and spinach into pasta and cheese sauces;
b. puree mushrooms before putting them into spaghetti sauce to avoid kids seeing them and picking them out.
3. Add to dessert
a. Add fresh fruit pieces to Jello, yogurt or ice cream for a healthy treat;
b. puree fruit to use as homemade topping in place of chocolate or caramel syrup;
c. let your kids make their own fruit parfaits.
4. Put vegetables into the meat;
a. grate vegetables in meat dishes;
b. hide grated vegetables in meatball, casseroles, meatloaf, shepherd's pie and lasagna;
c. try an all-vegetable lasagna;
d. make all-vegetable "hamburger" patties.
5. One pot, many vegetables
a. Making homemade soups stews and chili are all easy ways to increase your family's intake of vegetables and fruit (yes, fruit!) Everything and anything healthy should go into the pot. Puree vegetables that the kids don't like and add them to the stock to use as a thickener.
b. Make gazpacho, a fruit soup using mangos, yellow pepper, yellow tomatoes, carrot, cantaloupe, cucumbers, papayas, raspberry vinegar, honey and vanilla extract.
6. Mystery foods
a. Use the kids' favorite cookies, cakes and breads as a cover for fruits and vegetables. Make sweet breads and desserts with vegetables - zucchini bread, sweet potato pie and pumpkin pie.
b. Slip fruits and vegetables in all kinds of things: applesauce in cookies, zucchini in chocolate cake, and grated carrots in pasta sauce.
7. Fast and healthy food
a. Homemade pizza. Give the kids tons of healthy toppings to choose from such as tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, spinach and pineapple. Let them make their own pizza.
b. Tacos or fajitas can be a great way to get kids to add vegetables in various forms - diced tomatoes, salsa, etc.
c. Stir fries - sugar peas, snow peas, spinach and carrots.
d. Omelets - salsa, tomatoes.
8. Keep fruit and vegetables handy
a. Keep washed fruit in a bowl nearby;
b. Have ready-to-serve individual fruit cups in the fridge;
c. make up vegetable-and-dip packs for snacks;
d. serve fruit and vegetables as a side dish at meals.
If at least some of the items on this list don't work, try making their food more interesting - like shapes out of vegetables - trees, animals, houses and let your kids pretend to be King Kong eating his surroundings.
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