THG Formulations

Have you ever used a crock pot? Or what we call a slow cooker in the UK? My father gave me a crock pot for Christmas twenty-five years ago and I only had to replace it, because it got stolen. Some thief must have heard the were great and pinched it for his wife.

It was good-looking enough to leave out on the work surface and I guess that is how it caught my thief’s eye. It was stoneware, really lovely.

That is one of the points I would like to make in this article, some of the crock pots from the better manufacturers are pretty enough to take to the table. The other point I would like to make is that crock pots are not only for making soup or stews in.

I have recipes in the house for bread and cheesecake. Really, most people just do not believe me when I tell them what you can actually do with a crock pot, especially the modern programmable ones.

To prove it, I have reproduced one of my cheesecake recipes below. If you can not be bothered to make, just take it from me that it is gorgeous, simple enough to make and practically automatic to make. Those of you do get around to making it will agree with me, I am sure.

APPLE-NUT CHEESECAKE

Crust:

1 cup (scant) graham cracker crumbs 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 2 tablespoons sugar 3 tablespoons butter, melted 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts

Filling:

16 ounces cream cheese 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated white sugar 2 large eggs 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 teaspoon vanilla Topping: 1 large apple, thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups) 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon finely chopped pecans or walnuts

Combine the crust ingredients and pat into a 7-inch spring form pan. Beat the sugars into the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Beat in eggs, whipping cream, cornstarch, and vanilla. Beat for about 3 minutes on the medium speed of a hand-held electric mixer. Pour the mixture into the prepared crust. Combine the apple slices with the sugar, cinnamon and nuts and then spread the topping evenly over the top of the cheesecake. Place the cheesecake on a rack (or “ring” of aluminum foil to keep it off the bottom of the pot) in the Crock Pot. Cover and cook on high for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Let it stand in the covered pot (after turning it off) for about 1 to 2 hours, until cool enough to handle. Cool it thoroughly before removing the pan sides. Chill before serving; store leftovers in the refrigerator for any normal shop-bought cheesecake, but yours will be better..

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with researching the programmable crock pot. If you have an interest in cooking or crock pots, please go over to our website now at Large Crock Pots

Whether you are cooking for two for romance or out of obligation, you will discover that there are many resources online and off to help you find the perfect meals for your marvelous twosomes. One thing to bear in mind however is that when cooking for two, it is often better if two are doing the cooking. This permits cooking to become a chance for communication rather than just a duty.

In spite of the fact that there are lots of resources and recipes accessible to those that are cooking for two, there are even more recipes for those cooking for four, especially the traditional recipes that are designed to feed a family of four. These offer an opening to stretch your food budget even further.

By cooking traditional meals for four and eating half of it, you have managed to cook two meals for the time investment of one. It is a good deal for many, but above all for those that do not like the idea of cooking at all.

Young and older couples alike frequently find that it is as simple and almost the same cost to go to a fast food or other casual restaurant as it is to prepare a nice, healthy meal for two at home. The one thing they usually forget is that cooking for two can be an appealing way to bring a little romance into the evening.

When cooking for two, you will have as much opportunity to be imaginative as in anything else you do in your life. You have the option of trying appetizing new cuisines and the knowledge that if you do not like the food, you are not throwing away a lot of money.

You can try mixing and matching flavors and textures. You can make works of art on your plate as in nouveau cuisine. Or you can go farmhouse style. Cooking for two opens doors that are not readily accessible when cooking for larger numbers with more limiting tastes.

Cooking for two is a great way to get your partner involved in the cooking process as well. When cooking for two you can find out the things that you both enjoy and those that are not so interesting to one or the other of you.

Make sure that when you are cooking for two that you encourage an open and candid conversation about the things that you like and dislike about the food being prepared. This will help you determine things to add to your regular menu as well as the things to avoid making a part of your dinner rotation.

Perhaps the finest thing about cooking for two is the fact that you can afford to enjoy special occasion cuisine more often when you are cooking for only two than when you are cooking for a larger crowd. Bring on the steaks and lobster tail. Learn how to make shrimp scampi and fillet mignon. Take the time, when cooking for two, to prepare those dishes that you enjoy most.

Cooking for two is a great way of exploring the culinary universe and exposing your palates to some wonderful surprises along the way. The Internet, bookstores, and libraries are filled with books about cooking for two. Take advantage of the opportunity to do just that and you will be flabbergasted at the world of flavors you have been missing out on.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with the Rival Versaware crock pot. If you have an interest in cooking or crock pots, please go over to our website now at Large Crock Pots

I have read tons of reviews about scooters and motorbikes, because I am a subscriber to a scooter and motorcycle enthusiasts’ magazine that carries articles about all the different sorts of scooters and motorcycles on the market. It also recommends the best one to buy depending on whether you are a first time owner or a two-wheeler old hand. The magazine is fantastic, and it helps me understand what other scooter owners feel about the different models and brands of scooters.

I have to say that people’s views vary quite widely on every subject, which is why it’s probably always better to do your own research and get what best suits you, rather than getting what other people say will suit you, when they do not even know you. Having said that, many first time buyers do not honestly know what they are looking for, and it is really these people that these reviews are written for.

However, these reviews are not meant to be taken too factually, rather they are intended as a guideline so that prospective novice buyers have to ruminate about the aspects of buying a scooter or motorbike. It also gives experts a run down of the most important facts. Then you need to make up your own mind whether you care, for example, whether the scooter’s seat is made of leather or plastic.

All in all, I like this magazine because it takes into account people from all walks of life, and its writers and editor appreciate that even if you are interested in purchasing a scooter, you may not have enough money or you might be reading just out of interest in scooters or motorcycles.

We all know that money is difficult to come by these days, and consumers are becoming more and more well-informed about the goods they want, which is a good thing in my opinion. After all, there are other merchants who just desire to get the most money they can for their products and mark up their scooter prices to inflated amounts in the hope that they will get a few stupid customers that did not do their research.

And I am sure that they probably do get a few patrons like that, because they do stay in business somehow and I regularly hear awfulness stories about individuals who have paid far too much for their scooter or motorbike.

When you ask them why they did not take the trouble to read the reviews in a magazine, they usually say that they did not know about the magazines, or even worse, that they did not have enough time. Therefore it seems that they had enough time to work like a dog for the money, but then not enough time to read a short magazine review? I doubt it very much. With a bit of luck, consumers will continue becoming more and more careful about their purchases.

It is such a pity, so, If you happen to be a new scooter fan, or you know someone who is, please make sure you read the scooter and motorbike reviews before concluding a purchase. It can literally save you hundreds or even thousands of your hard earned dollars.

Owen Jones, the author of this article writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with the Pink Razor Scooter. If you are interested in a Razor scooter of any type or colour, just go over to our website now for information and bargains at Razor A Scooter

Everybody likes a meal correctly cooked. The evidence of this, if it needs proving, is that members of religious orders like monks often have to eat dreary food like porridge, gruel and unleaven bread for atonement.

I would like to share a few tips with you to help you get the most out of your food.

Chicken Tarragon – I love chicken tarragon, but this is my favourite version. Take: 1 chicken; .25 teaspoon of chopped onions; 1 heaped tablespoon of dried tarragon (double of fresh); brown stock or Bovril and water, cream, flour and salt.

Roast the chicken, carve it and put in a dish. Pour off the fat and make a gravy with it, the salt and the flour. Bulk the gravy up with the stock or Bovril and water. Add the tarragon and cream and cook for a minute or two. Serve with the gravy already poured over the chicken or serve the gravy separately. Add your favourite vegetables. This recipe will serve four.

Chicken Left-Overs – if you are unsure what to do with left over chicken, you could do worse than try this recipe.

Chop the chicken up small and mix it with sliced avocado. Cover with mayonnaise and sprinkle with crumbled, fried, crispy bacon. If this sounds good to you, take it from me that it tastes even better.

Apple Sauce – if you like apple sauce with your pork, bake a couple of cooking apples alongside your joint of pork. Prepare and core them just as you would as if you were going to cook them separately. Sprinkle with sugar, if required. Then, run a knife tip around them, so that they will puff upwards, but still retain their form. Gorgeous.

Sauces – if you cannot get the sauce right, just strain it and do not tell anyone. Nobody will know the difference and what are strainers for if not straining?

Soups And Stews – if you find that you have added too much salt to a soup or stew at the last moment, do not be concerned. Put a cube of sugar in a large spoon and lower it into the liquid for twenty seconds. It will absorb the surplus salt. If you have longer, and it is appropriate, add a diced potato and it will absorb the salt too.

Pie Crust – if you need a quick, yet flexible topping for a savoury pie like chicken or beef, leave the pastry off. Take a large bag of crisps; pop the bag to let the air out and scrunch it up until the crisps are but crumbs. Tip this over your pie before you bake it. It is unusual but you can experiment with different flavoured crisps.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with researching the Rival Versaware crock pots. If you have an interest in cooking or crock pots, please go over to our website now at Large Crock Pots

Congress and the president have designated ten days as federal holidays. Being ‘federal’, these holidays technically only pertain to federal employees and inhabitants of the District of Columbia, although they are so widely observed that they can be thought of as national holidays.

Legally, it is up to each individual state to designate public holidays. If the holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the Friday before or the Monday after is given in lieu to make a long weekend.

New Year’s Day (January 1) – celebrating the New Year dates back to pre-Christian times, when rites were performed to try to guarantee the return of Spring.

Martin Luther King Jnr. Day (third Monday in January) – before he was shot dead in 1968, Martin Luther King Jnr. was the principal civil rights leader in the 1950’s and 1960’s. He was given the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. Congress set this day aside to celebrate his life and accomplishments in 1983.

Washington’s Birthday (third Monday in February) – originally it was celebrated on Washington’s actual birthday, the 22nd of February, but it was moved in 1971 to make a long weekend. It is occasionally known as Presidents’ Day, because it is close to Lincoln’s birthday on the 12th February.

Memorial Day (last Monday in May) – also known as Decoration Day, it honours soldiers fallen in battle.It dates from the Civil War and is traditionally marked by parades and services.

Independence Day (4th July) – this, the most important US holiday, marks the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain. It was first commemorated in 1777 and is marked by fireworks, parades and speeches.

Labor Day (first Monday in September) – this, the idea of Peter J. McGuire, the president of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, was taken up in 1894 to honour American workers.

Columbus Day (second Monday in October) – Christopher Columbus and his crew landed in the Bahamas on Oct 12th 1492. It was first commemorated in 1792, although it was not formally adopted until 1909. It is a cause of particular pride to Italian-Americans, who claim the Genoan explorer as their own.

Veterans Day (Nov 11th) – or Armistice Day marks the end of the First World War on Nov 11th 1918. It was made a legal holiday in 1938, but its name was changed in 1954 to honour all American veteran soldiers.

Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November) – it was first commemorated in Plymouth County, Massachusetts in 1621, the year in which the Pilgrims landed in the New World to give thanks for the new harvest and the new land they had colonized. President Lincoln proclaimed it a holiday in 1863.

Christmas Day (December 25th) – Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with Franklin Covey planner refillss If you have an interest in calendars, organizers or promotional calendars, please go over to our website now at Promotional Desk Calendars