Babies Dressed As Food

Babies Dressed As Food


http://www.buzzfeed.com/gavon/20-photos-of-babies-dressed-as-food

Homemade Tortilla Chips

10 tortillas (white or yellow flour OR corn)
vegetable oil cooking spray
popcorn salt (optional)

Directions:

1
Preheat the oven to 350 or 375.
2
Lay the tortillas on the counter top, side by side, very close together.
3
Spray ’tillas generously with the oil spritzer; sprinkle with optional salt.
4
If using the pizza cutter AND in a hurry, stack ’tillas in piles of 3 or 5 and slice up quickly into triangles (make five to six cuts to get uniform sizes).
5
If using cookie cutters, don’t pile up the tortillas–it’s too thick and aggravating!
6
Lay the “chips” on the cookie sheets and pop them into the oven—bake ONLY until a very light brown.
7
Cool slightly and THEN–dive in!
8
You might as well double the recipe, because you’re going to wish you did as soon as you take your first bite!

Read more: http://low-cholesterol.food.com/recipe/oh-so-good-homemade-tortilla-chips-260763#ixzz1m8hIvQsN

New Asian buyers thirst for fresh wine tastes

New Asian buyers thirst for fresh wine tastes

(Reuters) – The bubble may have burst in the Bordeaux market, but new Asian collectors are seeking diversity and in some cases even choosing second growth Bordeaux for value, said Robert Sleigh, head of Sotheby’s Asian wine department.

Global economic uncertainty has hit the Asian wine market, with demand falling for top Bordeaux at the auction house’s first Hong Kong wine auction of the year in mid-January, leaving many bottles unsold.

Though the auction overall raked in sales of more than $5 million, it failed to match its pre-sale estimate and only 85 percent of the lots found buyers.

“Some of the prices are a little bit softer than the end of last year. That adjustment is really on the back of the historic price increases we’ve seen over the last three years,” said Sleigh, referring to the top Bordeaux.

Those wines, including the prized first growths, have seen historic price rises from 2008, up to 400 percent at their peak, Sleigh said. But they’d come off those highs by some 5 to 20 percent by the end of last year.

Sleigh attributed some of the cooling interest to a growing thirst among investors for a far broader array of wines, and increasingly sophisticated tastes.

“You’re seeing a growing diversification of the market. Burgundy is very, very popular,” he said, although he added that the supply of top quality Burgundy remains quite limited.

“People are trying to get everything they can, and second growth, which has been undervalued for the last three years — they’re moving up as well. So I think it’s the signs of a more sophisticated market and ultimately a healthier market.”

Second growth Bordeaux — some of which are known unofficially as “Super Seconds” for their quality — have been drawing the attention of pan-Asian buyers from those in established markets such as Hong Kong and the mainland, all the way to newer collectors in Taiwan, Singapore and Indonesia.

“There were really few brands that made an impact in the Asian wine market in recent years,” Sleigh said.

“That led to the top names increasing in value enormously and the second growths really got left behind, and they were undervalued. I think there is now a realization that as people understand more about wines and more about how to trade them, that those wines … have moved up to meet that quality level.”

In addition, investors seeking a similar flavor profile to the Bordeaux that have been most popular in mainland China are diversifying somewhat to California wines, such as Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines from the Napa Valley, he said.

“The new collectors have cut their teeth on the Bordeaux, the big names, the well-known names, and now they’re ready to spread their wings a little bit and diversify,” Sleigh said.

Overall, the coming year is likely to be one of price adjustments, with estimates “finding their level” and continuing to soften, then possibly flattening out towards the end of the year, he said.

At that point the fine wine market may show signs of improvement — but all depends on broader macroeconomic conditions as well as supply and demand.

(Editing by Elaine Lies and Paul Casciato)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/25/us-hongkong-wine-idUSTRE80O0PN20120125

Play dough for kids

Rubbery Play dough

2 cups baking soda
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup cornstarch

Mix with a fork until smooth. Boil over med. heat until thick. Spoon onto plate or wax paper.

Nature’s Play dough

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1 cup water
2 T oil
2 T cream of tartar
beet, spinach, and carrot juice

Mix flour, salt and oil, and slowly add the water. Cook over med. heat, stirring until dough becomes stiff. Turn out onto wax paper and let cool. Knead the dough with your hands until of proper consistency. Use as is, or divide into balls and add a few drops of the vegetable juices to make green, pink, and orange.

Bumpy dough

Add 3/4 cup water to 1/4 cup salt, then mix with 2 or 3 tsp. water.

Bread dough

Cut the crusts off slices of bread and mix with diluted white glue. Form into shapes, animals, etc. When dry, paint and/or shellac.

Paper Mache Paste #1

1/2 cup non rising wheat flour
1/4 cup powdered resin glue (available at hobby shops)
1/2 cup warm water
1 1/2 cups hot water
4 drops oil of wintergreen

Mix the flour and resin glue in a saucepan. Slowly pour in the warm water. Then add the hot water and stir vigorously. Cook over low heat stirring until paste is smooth, thick and clear. Should be used in 2-3 days.

Paperhanger’s Paste

1 cup non rising wheat flour
1 T powdered alum
1 T powdered rosin (yes, rosin)
1 1/2 cups warm water
4 1/2 cups hot water
1 1/2 cups cold water
8 drops oil of cinnamon

Mix the flour, alum and rosin in a saucepan. Then add the warm water, stirring until smooth. Pour in the hot water and stir vigorously. Place over low heat and boil until the paste becomes thick and clear. Thin with cold water. Add oil as a preservative, if not using immediately.

“GUM” for stamps and paper labels

1 (1/4 3 ounce packet) of unflavored gelatin
1 T cold water
3 T boiling water
1/2 tsp white peppermint extract
2 drops boric acid solution

Sprinkle the gelatin into the cold water to soften. Pour into the boiling water, stirring until dissolved. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

To use glue, brush thinly onto the back of a stamp or some paper and let dry. When applying to paper, just moisten it a bit. To keep, store in a small jar or bottle with a lid. Warm in a pan to turn into a liquid again.

Gouache Paint (opaque paint that dries quickly and can be painted on in layers)

2 cups dextrin (hobby stores have it)
4 T DISTILLED water
1/2 cup honey
2 tsp glycerin
1/2 tsp boric acid solution
powdered or poster paints

Dissolve the dextrin in the water (will be foamy). Then add the honey, glycerin and boric acid. Stir well, or shake in covered jar.

Mix this base with powdered paint or poster paint and store tightly covered. Thin with water if too thick.

Crayons

Put pieces of old crayons of the same or similar colors in a coffee can and set it in a pan of water on the stove. Cook until melted. Pour the wax into a mold and allow to harden.

Feelie Bags

1/2 cup dippity-do hair gel
food coloring
zip lock bag

Add food coloring and dippity-do to zip lock bag- make sure it is sealed well, and let children manipulate.

Durian Puffs

Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutesCook time: 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS
Strawberries and whipping cream:
3 baskets of fresh strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
Whipping cream
Vanilla
METHOD
Remove the stems from the strawberries. Slice into thin (1/4″ to 1/8″) slices. Put into a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of sugar (depending on how sweet the strawberries are to begin with) and mix into the strawberries. Set aside at room temperature to macerate (which means that the sugar will soften the strawberries and help release their juices).
After the strawberries have been sitting for 20 minutes or so, take a potato masher and mash them a little. Not too much, just enough to get more juice out of them.
Whip the cream, adding a drop or two of vanilla and a teaspoon of sugar.
To serve, break up one biscuit per person into big pieces into a bowl. Ladle strawberries over the biscuit. Add a dolop of whipped cream.

Biscuits from scratch
3 cups all purpose flour
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
12 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Toss with a fork to combine. Cut the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or a fork until the largest pieces of butter are the size of peas. (Or pulse several times in a food processor.) Combine the cream and vanilla in a liquid measure. Make a well in the center of the flour and and pour the cream mixture into the well. Mix with a fork until the dough is evenly moistened and just combined; it should look shaggy and still feel a little dry. Gently knead by hand five or six times to create a loose ball.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and pat it into an 8-inch square, 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Transfer the dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment or silpat, cover with plastic and chill for 20 minutes in the refrigerator. Heat the oven to 425ºF. Remove the dough from refrigerator. Cut the dough into 9 even squares and spread them about 2 inches apart from each other on the baking sheet. Bake until the biscuits are medium golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.
Makes 9 biscuits. (Adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine, July 2003)

Bisquick biscuits:
2 1/3 cups Bisquick baking mix
3 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
3 Tbsp sugar
The strawberry shortcake biscuit recipe used to be on the side of the Bisquick box. For some unfathomable reason, the company has started to print the recipe on the inside of the box. Talk about not understanding your customers! If you can’t find the recipe, here it is:
Heat oven to 425°F. Stir baking mix, melted butter, milk, and 3 Tbsp of sugar in a mixing bowl until soft dough forms. Drop by 6 spoonfuls on to a greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
Makes 6 biscuits.

Gluten-free biscuits:
1-1/2 cups Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour (Bob’s Red Mill)
1 Tbsp. Sugar
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Xanthan Gum
1 tsp. Guar Gum
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/4 cup Shortening
1/2 cup Milk
1 large Egg White
Preheat oven to 350º. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or grease lightly.
In food processor, pulse dry ingredients (flour through salt) with shortening until mixture is consistency of small peas. Add milk and egg white. Blend until dough forms ball, scraping down sides with spatula, if necessary. Dough will be somewhat soft.
Place dough on parchment-lined or greased baking sheet that’s been lightly dusted with rice flour. Gently pat to 3/4-inch thick circle with hands or spatula. Lightly dust dough with rice flour. Cut into ten 2-inch circles with floured biscuit cutter. Shape remaining dough to 3/4-inch thick and cut again. If dough is sticky, lightly dust with more flour. Arrange evenly on baking sheet.
Bake 12-15 minutes or until nicely browned. Best when served warm or gently reheated in microwave oven. Serves 10. (Recipe from Bob’s Red Mill)

Foods High in Salt

Foods High in Salt
Child Nutrition Basics

By Vincent Iannelli, M.D., About.com Guide

Adults often know that they should avoid a lot of added salt in their diets, and in fact, are sometimes on salt restriction diets because of health problems, especially high blood pressure.

Eating salt is often thought to be less of a problem for kids though, as many parents assume that their kids don’t have a lot of salt in their diets. This is only true if you don’t add much salt to the foods that you cook. Keep in mind that many of the processed and prepared foods that are popular with parents and kids — usually because they are quick and easy — are often loaded with salt.

Some of the Oscar Meyer Lunchables, for example, can have up to 1440mg of sodium per serving.

Why is monitoring your child’s salt intake important? Some studies have reported that children with low-salt diets may avoid high blood pressure as adults. And maybe even more important, salt intake has been linked to childhood obesity, as kids with high-salt diets have been reported to drink a lot of high-sugar, high-calorie drinks, which increases their risk for obesity.

Foods High in Salt

Of course, any foods to which you add table salt (sodium chloride) will be high in salt.

In addition, foods that are usually high in sodium (more than 400mg per serving) include:

Onion soup
Foods made with seasoned bread crumbs
Sauerkraut
Spaghetti sauce (ready to serve)
Potato salad
Cheese sauce
Baked beans with franks
Macaroni and cheese
Pizza slice
Cheeseburgers, hamburgers, hot dogs, tacos, and many other fast foods
Beef stew (from a can)
Cottage cheese
Minestrone soup
Submarine sandwiches
Tunafish salad
Pretzels, potato chips, and other snacks
Sliced ham, bologna, salami and other cold cuts
Cream-style corn (from a can)
Pickles
Beef jerky snacks
Egg bagels

This is just a partial list, but reviewing it and then getting in the habit of reading food labels can help you spot other foods high in salt. As you can now see, high-salt items are typically many canned foods (especially soups), cold cuts, snack foods, and fast food.

Low Salt Diet

Most kids don’t actually need a low-salt diet. Instead, they need a normal salt diet and to learn to avoid too many foods that are high in salt and to eat a healthy diet with a variety of foods. Although there is no specific recommended daily allowance for sodium in children, unlike the adult RDA of 2,400mg of sodium a day, a typical salt intake for kids would usually be up to about:

1000-1500mg for children 2-3 years of age
1200-1900mg for children 4-8 years of age
1500-2200mg for children 9-13 years of age
1500-2300mg for children 14-18 years of age
In general, if you simply don’t add extra salt to the foods you prepare and your child eats and avoid a lot of the foods high in salt, then you shouldn’t have to worry about your child’s salt intake.

Keep in mind that like adults, kids can develop a taste or preference for salty foods. That makes it important to avoid salty foods and not add extra salt to foods when your child first begins solids as an infant and toddler.

And if you are concerned about your child’s salt intake, especially if he is overweight, then look for more foods that are low in salt, with less than 140mg of salt per serving.

Salt vs. Sodium

Although people often use the words salt and sodium interchangeably, they are different. Salt is actually made up of sodium chloride (NaCl).

One teaspoon of salt (3g) equals about 1200mg of sodium, and it is the mg of sodium that you will see on a food’s nutrition label.

Sources:

High salt intake, its origins, its economic impact, and its effect on blood pressure. Roberts WC – Am J Cardiol – 1-DEC-2001; 88(11): 1338-46.

IOM 2004 Dietary Reference Intakes: Electrolytes and Water.

USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18. Sodium, Na (mg) Content of Selected Foods per Common Measure, sorted by nutrient content.

Salt Intake Is Related to Soft Drink Consumption in Children and Adolescents: A Link to Obesity? Feng J. He, Naomi M. Marrero, and Graham A. MacGregor. Hypertension. 2008;51:629-634.

http://pediatrics.about.com/od/nutrition/a/0208_foods_salt.htm

CNN news

From Int’l New, CNN: NASA reports, that by the next 10 months, earth
gets hotter by 4 degrees from now. Himalayan
glaciers are melting
at rapid rate. Our climate is changing drastically & it’s getting
worst. So we must help fight Global warming by the
doing the following:
1. Plant more trees
2. Don’t waste water, water is precious
3. Use cloth bag instead of plastic
4. Don’t burn plastic
and please don’t delete without forwarding even to just one (1)
person. Do your share and part. SAVE OUR PLANET! Pass
this and save our mother earth.

Coke Cake

While having a drink of coke the other day, it just struck me on the idea of baking a cake with it. On top of adding coke into the cake mixture, I also made some coke glazing to pour over the baked cake for a glossy finish. The taste of coke was not prominent as those who tasted the cake could not guess that coke was one of the ingredients until I told them so. Here’s how the recipes goes:

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup coke
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs – beat/whisk until fluffy
3 tbsp salted butter
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Glazing:
1 1/2 cup coke
1 tbsp brown sugar

Method:
Add sugar and coke into a pan, simmer until you get a thick syrup and reduced to half the portion.
Off the heat, add butter and stir slowly to dissolve it.
Let it cool down, then the shifted the flour, soda and baking powder. Gently fold in.
Add the eggs and do the same.
Line a baking tray with parchment/baking paper, covering all sides/angles
Pour the cake mixture inside and bake at a preheated oven (10mins) – 200c for 40 Min’s or until the cake is done with.
For the glazing, simmer the coke and sugar, again to obtain a thick syrup.
Pour over the cake while its still warm.
Let the cake cool down before cutting in shapes you prefer.

Wire transforms objects into works of art….

Wire transforms objects into works of art….