Squawkfox will take you step-by-step through the process of making your own Starbucks-like frappacino for cents on the dollar. First, gather the following ingredients:
• 1 cup double-strength Starbucks coffee OR 3/4 cup fresh espresso (cold)
• 3/4 cup milk or milk substitute
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar (or to taste)
• 2 cups ice
• Pinch of xanthan gum OR 1 teaspoon dry pectin
You will also need a good blender, and if you want to trick people into thinking it's a true Starbucks Frappacino, you will need Starbucks plastic cups.
Making your own frappacino's is a great way to save money and impress your friends and colleagues.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
Uncommon Cuisine from Around the Globe
What dishes have become infamous for their controversial flavors, ingredients and preparation methods? Check these out.1. Fried Spiders – Cambodia
When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. By this logic, if life hands you a country full of terrifying spiders the size of a human palm, throw a little oil in the wok and fry them up for dinner.
2. Haggis – Scotland
Stuff a sheep’s heart, liver, and lungs into the sheep's stomach with some onion, oatmeal, suet, spices and salt, stand back and wait for a few hours, and viola! You have haggis.
3. Natto – Japan
This smelly, slimy, fermented soy bean dish is typically consumed for breakfast over rice. Natto typically comes in to-go cups comparable to the iconic Styrofoam Ramen noodle container.
4. Kutti pi (goat fetus) – India
This dish, pronounced ‘cootie-pie’, is anything but adorable.
5. Fried-brain sandwich – St. Louis, Missouri
Don’t think you’re going to get away with your weird food, America! This sandwich features thinly sliced deep fried calves’ brains between two heavily battered hamburger buns. Since the rise of mad cow disease, this specialty burger has dwindled in popularity, forcing some restaurants to switch the primary ingredient to piglet brains.
6. Turducken – England
Gluttony at its finest, the turducken is quite literally a de-boned chickened stuffed into a de-boned duck stuffed into a deboned turkey. This culinary feat originated in 18th century England.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Healthy Frying? You Bet!
Love fried food, but not the consequences? Good news. Not all oils are unhealthy, and there are methods of frying that result in less fat and fewer calories. Read on, and learn the secrets to healthier frying.
What oil should you use for frying? Live Fit blog helps you choose.
Eating Well recommends an oven-fry instead of deep-frying. They coat the food in a light breading, spray it with a heart healthy oil, and bake it on a rack. The exterior crisps while the inside remains moist. Best of all, this method requires very little oil.
Some research shows that pan frying is less healthy than deep frying, as it produces more carcinogens. Again, they type of oil matters, as does the food you are frying.
Proper frying methods matter, too. Make sure your heart healthy oil is hot enough, but not too hot that it scorches the food. Fry your food for the proper amount of time, and then place on paper towels for several minutes to drain off the excess oil.
What oil should you use for frying? Live Fit blog helps you choose.
Eating Well recommends an oven-fry instead of deep-frying. They coat the food in a light breading, spray it with a heart healthy oil, and bake it on a rack. The exterior crisps while the inside remains moist. Best of all, this method requires very little oil.
Some research shows that pan frying is less healthy than deep frying, as it produces more carcinogens. Again, they type of oil matters, as does the food you are frying.
Proper frying methods matter, too. Make sure your heart healthy oil is hot enough, but not too hot that it scorches the food. Fry your food for the proper amount of time, and then place on paper towels for several minutes to drain off the excess oil.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Smarter Choices for Your Sweet Tooth
We all love a good dessert, and despite the sugar related ailments, who wants to give up the sweet stuff completely? Not to worry, there are healthier options sure to satisfy. So, if you're trying to cut your risk of heart disease (The American Heart Association connected sugar to heart disease in the 1970s) or diabetes, or lessen your acne, arthritis, or fatigue, or simply boost your immunity, here are several options you should try in your recipes.
• Fresh fruit. Mashed bananas and applesauce are great substitutes for sugar in your baked goods.
• Date sugar. With the consistency of sugar, no one will be the wiser.
• Rice syrup. Containing complex carbs and minerals, rice syrup is a better option.
• Honey. Loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, honey does a body good, especially honey in the raw.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Best Foods for Fighting Stress
Who knew? The following three foods are top stress fighters, according to Bottom Line Secrets.
• Sweet potatoes. High in beta-carotene, Vitamin C, potassium, and fiber, sweet potatoes protect your body against a host of illnesses.
• Black-eyed peas. Commonly eaten as a source of good luck on New Year's Day, black-eyed peas are packed with Vitamin B, especially folate. B Vitamins are rapidly consumed by your body during periods of high stress, so be sure to fill up!
• Yogurt. Yogurt contains beneficial bacteria that your digestive system needs. Eating yogurt is especially helpful if you're taking antibiotics, as antibiotics often destroy the natural good bacteria in your body.
• Sweet potatoes. High in beta-carotene, Vitamin C, potassium, and fiber, sweet potatoes protect your body against a host of illnesses.
• Black-eyed peas. Commonly eaten as a source of good luck on New Year's Day, black-eyed peas are packed with Vitamin B, especially folate. B Vitamins are rapidly consumed by your body during periods of high stress, so be sure to fill up!
• Yogurt. Yogurt contains beneficial bacteria that your digestive system needs. Eating yogurt is especially helpful if you're taking antibiotics, as antibiotics often destroy the natural good bacteria in your body.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Storage Tips and Products for Small Kitchens
Small kitchen? This post will help you organize to maximize space and show you which gadgets will help you make the most of your kitchen.
Create a Work Flow
Before you start to organize, stop and think about how you use your kitchen. Do you tend to cook in a certain area? Do you use the counter to store bills? Is it a place where you socialize? You’ll want to set up your kitchen to meet all of your needs.
Clean and Sort
A good rule of thumb is: if you haven’t used it in over a year, you’re likely to never use it again. Get rid of those items. Donate them to your local Goodwill, or a friend, family member, or neighbor who might need it.
Have multiples of several items, such as can openers, cheese graters, or spatulas? Narrow it down to one or two that you frequently use. Donate the others.
Small appliances that you don't use frequently, such as crock-pots, juicers, and bread machines, can be stored in a hall closet, utility room, or the garage.
Storage Tricks
Store baking pans in the oven. Just don’t forget to remove them before pre-heating!
Nest smaller items inside larger ones. This works especially well for bowls, pots, and pans.
Hanging baskets are a great solution for storing fruit, vegetables, and small
kitchen items.
Space Saving Products
Hanging Baskets
UsefulThings.com offers 4 styles of Hanging Baskets. Choose between the Copper 3 Tiered, 3 Tiered Chrome, 3 Tiered Bronze, and the 3 Tiered Nickel Hanging Baskets to free up space where you need it most.
Collapsible Silicone Funnel
Don’t waste precious space in your cabinets with bulky funnels. This Collapsible Silicone Funnel expands to 4″ diameter by 4″ tall with a 7/8″ spout. When you’re finished using, simply collapse the funnel and store it in even the smallest of drawers. $8.95.
Collapsible Silicone Colander
Colanders also take up a ton of space, but this collapsible version ensures compact storage. When expanded, it has a 2 1/2 quart capacity. $23.95.
Cutting Mats
Cutting boards can take up a lot of space, especially if you have one for fruits and veggies, one for meat, one for fish, and one for bread. Try using these ultra slim and portable color-coded cutting mats instead. Use one color for each food group, and you won’t have to worry about contaminating your food. Plus, these flexible mats will fit nearly anywhere, and they are dishwasher safe. $9.95 for a set of 4
Folding Grater
Chunky box grater taking up precious space? The innovative design of this grater will save you time and space. The Folding Grater folds flat for easy storage, but expands into a V shape for quick and stable grating. The grater disassembles for easy cleaning and is dishwasher safe. $10.95
Create a Work Flow
Before you start to organize, stop and think about how you use your kitchen. Do you tend to cook in a certain area? Do you use the counter to store bills? Is it a place where you socialize? You’ll want to set up your kitchen to meet all of your needs.
Clean and Sort
A good rule of thumb is: if you haven’t used it in over a year, you’re likely to never use it again. Get rid of those items. Donate them to your local Goodwill, or a friend, family member, or neighbor who might need it.
Have multiples of several items, such as can openers, cheese graters, or spatulas? Narrow it down to one or two that you frequently use. Donate the others.
Small appliances that you don't use frequently, such as crock-pots, juicers, and bread machines, can be stored in a hall closet, utility room, or the garage.
Storage Tricks
Store baking pans in the oven. Just don’t forget to remove them before pre-heating!
Nest smaller items inside larger ones. This works especially well for bowls, pots, and pans.
Hanging baskets are a great solution for storing fruit, vegetables, and small
kitchen items.
Space Saving Products
Hanging Baskets
UsefulThings.com offers 4 styles of Hanging Baskets. Choose between the Copper 3 Tiered, 3 Tiered Chrome, 3 Tiered Bronze, and the 3 Tiered Nickel Hanging Baskets to free up space where you need it most.
Collapsible Silicone Funnel
Don’t waste precious space in your cabinets with bulky funnels. This Collapsible Silicone Funnel expands to 4″ diameter by 4″ tall with a 7/8″ spout. When you’re finished using, simply collapse the funnel and store it in even the smallest of drawers. $8.95.
Collapsible Silicone Colander
Colanders also take up a ton of space, but this collapsible version ensures compact storage. When expanded, it has a 2 1/2 quart capacity. $23.95.
Cutting Mats
Cutting boards can take up a lot of space, especially if you have one for fruits and veggies, one for meat, one for fish, and one for bread. Try using these ultra slim and portable color-coded cutting mats instead. Use one color for each food group, and you won’t have to worry about contaminating your food. Plus, these flexible mats will fit nearly anywhere, and they are dishwasher safe. $9.95 for a set of 4
Folding Grater
Chunky box grater taking up precious space? The innovative design of this grater will save you time and space. The Folding Grater folds flat for easy storage, but expands into a V shape for quick and stable grating. The grater disassembles for easy cleaning and is dishwasher safe. $10.95
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Food Safety Guidelines
Whether you work in food service or just serve your family food out of your home kitchen, these food safety guidelines will help keep everyone safe from food-borne illnesses.
According to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Services:
• Perishable food should be refrigerated within 2 hours, or 1 hour if the temperature is above 90 degrees.
• Poultry, fish, and ground meat should be cooked within 2 days of being thawed or purchased. Beef, veal, lamb, and pork should be cooked within 3 to 5 days.
• All raw ground meats should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees, while all poultry should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. For raw beef, pork, lamb, and veal steaks and chops, cook to a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees.
• When serving, hot food should be kept at 140 degrees or warmer, while cold foods should be kept at 40 degrees or cooler.
• When sanitizing, cutting boards and countertops can be cleaned with 1 tablespoon of liquid chlorine bleach per 1 gallon of water.
For a complete list of food safety guidelines, and a comprehensive cold storage chart, please visit USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Site.
According to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Services:
• Perishable food should be refrigerated within 2 hours, or 1 hour if the temperature is above 90 degrees.
• Poultry, fish, and ground meat should be cooked within 2 days of being thawed or purchased. Beef, veal, lamb, and pork should be cooked within 3 to 5 days.
• All raw ground meats should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees, while all poultry should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. For raw beef, pork, lamb, and veal steaks and chops, cook to a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees.
• When serving, hot food should be kept at 140 degrees or warmer, while cold foods should be kept at 40 degrees or cooler.
• When sanitizing, cutting boards and countertops can be cleaned with 1 tablespoon of liquid chlorine bleach per 1 gallon of water.
For a complete list of food safety guidelines, and a comprehensive cold storage chart, please visit USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Site.
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