Introduction: 20 Minute Lasagna / Skillet Lasagna. <PIC> 20 minute Lasagna /  Skillet Lasagna is the easiest Lasagna ever. It is so cheesy, yummy and delicious homemade lasagna. It is perfect to make for busy weeknights. You gonna cook this dish in just one skillet, so you only have one dish to wash.  There is no need to pre boil the lasagna sheet.  Try out this simple dish and enjoy :) Thanks for visiting..Preparation: 3 minutesCooking time: 17 minutesServes: 3 to 4 Adults Step 1: Ingredients. <PIC> Ingredients:250 gm Minced chicken1 Onion, diced4 Garlic, mincedAbout 4 to 5 Lasagna noodle sheets, broken into 1/4th size1 cup Pasta sauce1 cup Water1/2 tsp Italian herbsSalt to taste2 tbsp vegetable oil1/4  cup Parmesan cheese1/2 cup Mozarella cheese 1/4 cup Ricotto cheeseBasil Leaves for garnishingThings required:You will need a skillet wit lid to cook this dishSpatula Step 2: Cook Chicken & Lasagna Noodle. <PIC> Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion, garlic and minced meat. Season with salt and italian herbs, Mix, cook and stir occasionally for 5 minutes.Add broken lasagna noodles, pasta sauce and a cup of water. Close the pan with its lid and cook for 5 minutes. Step 3: Cheesy Time!. <PIC> After 5 minutes, open the lid and stir again. Now add parmesan cheese and give a stir. Sprinkle mozerella cheese on top and close the skillet and cook for 5 more minutes on medium low heat. Finally top with ricotta cheese and close the lid an cook for 2 minutes.Remove the skillet from heat, garnish with some basil leaves and serve hot..


Introduction: 15 Minute Vegetables Tacos (from a Meat Guy) . <PIC> I'm a meat eating guy. I hunt. My idea of a great meal was traditionally a big steak. But I also was recently diagnosed with high blood pressure. And since my grandfather had a bad stroke, and was never the same until his death, and then my dad had a stroke (small one but still), I figured maybe I don't like steak and bacon as much as I want to see my kids grow up. Honestly, sometimes I add in a few ounces of chorizo (it doesn't take much to add flavor) or a little bit of chicken breast. I like it but I don't have to have it. You can also see there is no salt. Add it to your liking. Blood pressure and salt don't like each other. So I don't. Nutritional information:33 calories in a zucchini 30 calories in a yellow squash44 calories in onion24 calories in bell pepper Olive oil 119 calories per tablespoon (2)87.5 calories in tomatoes 385 calories in black beans That makes this mixture 907.5 calories total. And it fed a family of 5. With leftovers. So we ate about 60-75% of it. Of course there are calories in the tortillas and avocado, as well as cheese and other things you may add. Entire cooking time is 15 minutes. Assuming you prepare beforehand this is a great last minute meal. Honestly even the prep, for me, is way less than 10 minutes. Step 1: Ingredients . <PIC> 3 zucchini 1 yellow squash 1 onion 1 bell pepper (which I forgot to buy so I used frozen) Cilantro 1 can black beans 1 can of Rotel (I'm cheap... I used Kroger brand) 1 TBSP cumin1 TBSP chili powder Step 2: Cilantro . <PIC> Wash it. Unless you enjoy sand. This was the cleanest cilantro I have bought, and you can see the dirt. Untie it and put it in a bowl of water. Shake it around. The dirt and sand stay. The stalks of cilantro have a lot of flavor, but they super stringy. I chop the very ends off... And then chop the rest of the stalk very fine. Put it in the pan with the olive oil. On medium heat.  Step 3: Onion . <PIC> Cutting an onion isn't rocket surgery, but it can be a pain in the eye. Anyways. 1. Cut the ends off2. Sit it on one flat end. Cut it in half. 3. It's now really easy to pull the skin off. 4. Turn it so a flat end is towards you. I cut from the outside to the center. This keeps the slices consistent. 5. When you are halfway through, just turn it around in one unit. Otherwise it's super hard to cut the other direction. For me anyway. 6. Once it's sliced, turn it 90 degrees. At this point you can cut it small to dice it. For this recipe I only wanted to cut it in half. In the pan it breaks up perfectly.  Step 4: Cilantro, Onion, and Garlic . <PIC> Put all of this into the pan at medium heat and let it all get happy while you cut up the zucchini and squash.  Step 5: Add the Gourd . <PIC> Cut them up pretty small (think small bites) but consistent. It's going to feel like you need more oil or something... But you don't I promise. Just put a lid on it, get your spices ready and start opening your cans.  Step 6: Spices. <PIC> I don't actually measure anything. And I use a little bit of cayenne as well. But it's good without it. I mix it all up before I add the other ingredients.  Step 7: Beans and Rotel . <PIC> I rinse both several times by adding water in the can and pouring it out. This is because of the sodium. You don't have to do this if you don't care about being healthy. In which case you probably aren't reading this. Dump them in... Mix them up and crank the heat so the liquid will cook off.  Step 8: Corn Tortillas . <PIC> I had tacos in Arizona where my wife is from and they were great. They used 2. But I could never recreate the flavor. And so I always used flour. But flour tortillas are made with white flour and lard. Delicious... But not exactly healthy. I will sheepishly tell you that I picked up the secret to good corn tortillas from the movie "Turbo". Anyway... Take 2 tortillas together. Spray the pan with cooking spray. Put the tortillas in the pan together. Spray the top of the second one immediately. This traps the moisture and the 2 tortillas will join together. You will see it starts to bubble up. When you see that... Flip it as a unit. You'll notice the cooked one is a little bit smaller because the water is evaporated (I guess). When the bottom one shrinks up, pull it. They should kinda stick together. Don't separate them. You'll use 2 per taco. Done this way, the tortillas are both crispy and still soft inside. If you don't care about sodium, it's amazing to salt them before you flip them. Like eating off a chip... Dang I miss salt.  Step 9: Back to the Mixture. . <PIC> Don't forget about it... But don't worry about it either. Just stir it now and then while you prep the tortillas. I chop a little extra cilantro and add it at the end. The mixture cooks a total of about 15 minutes.  Step 10: Plate It. <PIC> I add a little slice of avocado. Cheese is great on it, but again with the dying thing, so I don't. My daughter does.  Step 11: Leftovers . <PIC> What's left is after a total of 11 tacos.Usually I add it to an omelette (hey I am not actually a vegan) the next morning. Also pretty good.


Introduction: SWEET DREAMS. <PIC> Sweet nutty bites made out of dates and nuts, served with a creamy mango dip. I am sure you will love it. Do hit the ' I made it ' button once you try it! Step 1: INGREDIENTS. <PIC> FOR BITES (refer to picture 1) :1. One cup ripe dates2. Half cup cashews3. Half cup almondsFOR DIP (refer to picture 2)1. One cup cashews2. One cup ripe mango Step 2: MASH DATES. <PIC> Mash / grind dates preferably with a hand grinder. Step 3: DATES × NUTS. <PIC> Grind cashews and almonds in a dry mixer/grinder ( picture 1).Separate out the bigger pieces of nuts from the finer particles ( picture 2 & 3).Mix togather the big nut pieces and dates mash, with your hands to make a nice stiff dough kind of batter (picture 4). Step 4: SHAPE. <PIC> Take small chunks of the prepared dough/batter and shape them with your hands or cookie cutters as you wish (picture 1).Since the dough is quite sticky it wont take much effort to coat these bites/cookies with the fine cashew+almond particles (picture 2). Step 5: DIP. <PIC> Blend mango chunks and cashews. Add water accordingly to adjust the consistency. Yummy dreamy creamy mango dip is ready to be served with your sweet bites/cookies. Do not add sugar to this mix as it is introduced to nullify the extra sweetness of dates. So enjoy this dip in its mild sweet flavour! Step 6: SERVE. <PIC> Refridgerate both the items for a while. Serve the sweet bites with dreamy creamy dip, chilled :)


Introduction: Honey Oolong Tea. <PIC> After a long day’s work at the office, your fingers are numb from the diligent typing on the keyboard, your neck is sore from hours of craning over your computer screen, and your feet hurt from the uncomfortable work shoes you had to endure throughout the day.I want to show you a blend of Honey Oolong to help you relieve your work stress with some sweet honey goodness.Honey as we know it, is busy bees’ life work.Honey is known to be rich in antioxidants, which lead to some key benefits such as:lower blood pressureimprove cholesterolimprove general heart healthsuppress coughs Step 1: Mix Honey and Taiwan Oolong Tea. <PIC> You get to mix in all the ingredients from the get-go.Since you will use plenty of ice in the cocktail shaker to mix the drink, you can hot brew the Oolong tea, with 6 oz (177 ml) of hot water at 195 degrees Fahrenheit (91 degrees Celsius) to steep 4 teaspoons (4-6 g) of loose leaf Taiwan Four Seasons Oolong for 3-4 minutes.Once you have all the ingredients ready in the cocktail shaker,It’s time for some light exercise. Step 2: Shake Your Honey Oolong and Serve. <PIC> Let’s shake your cocktail of honey and Oolong tea.Let’s treat this like a wild dance of sorts.With a wee flick, thrust and whip of your forearms, you get to release all the tension in your arms and shoulders in 30 seconds.Once you have shaken your drink thoroughly for about 30 seconds, you are ready to drink and pat yourself on the back for a job well done.Please visit us to learn more ways to eat and drink healthier with Taiwan tea.


Introduction: Apple Picking With Totoro. <PIC> I basically love anything that is Studio Ghlibli related. Over the summer, I got the chance to visit a Studio Ghlibli exhibit! And let’s just say after visiting the exhibit my love for Miyazaki’s work has just doubled maybe even tripled in size… So this cake is inspired by the TOTORO! Who doesn’t love that giant furry thing?!I also wanted the cake to reflect the current fall season. Fall reminds me of two things: apple picking and pumpkins. I didn’t have any pumpkins on hand, but I did have a lot of apples so I made *drumroll* Apple Cinnamon Cake! This is one of my all time favorite recipes. The whole kitchen smells like warm cinnamon goodness when the cake is in the oven! The best part is the addition of apple chunks. (The addition of fruit technically makes this a healthy dish.) My favorite way to eat this apple cake is when it’s still warm with the addition of a healthy scoop of vanilla ice cream. Because I’m decorating the cake with fondant, I sadly had to exclude the ice cream. But I covered the cake with a silky cinnamon buttercream. If you couldn’t tell by now, I really love cinnamon. TO THE KITCHEN (or wherever else you bake) Step 1: Ingredients and Materials. <PIC> Ingredients: For the Cake(made 6 inch cake and 18 cupcakes)3-4 apples (I ended up using two one fuji apple and three red delicious ones)2 cups of flour2 eggs1 cup of vegetable oil 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 1.5 cups of white sugar1.5 teaspoons of baking powder2 teaspoons of cinnamonFor the Buttercream:(amount for 6 inch cake)1/2 cup butter softened 1 cup powder sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract1-2 tablespoons milk (for consistency) For Fondant:1/4 pound of red fondant1/4 pound of brown fondant1/3 white fondant1/4 pound of black fondant ********************************I used pre-made fondant.You can get fondant at Michaels. To make your own fondant:1 pound of marshmallows2 pounds of powdered sugar1. Melt Marshmallows on HIGH in 30 second intervals in the microwave. 2. Once marshmallows are melted slowly stir in powder sugar. Be careful as the marshmallows are really hot!3. Once powdered sugar and marshmallows are combined, the mixture will get very sticky. 4. A sticky ball should form. Knead the fondant until it is smooth and no longer sticky. Dye fondant with GEL food coloring only! Liquid will ruin the fondant! *I prefer buying the fondant outside, because making fondant can be messy! If you choose to make fondant, I suggest making large batches at a time and then storing it in an airtight container at room temp.Materials6 inch cake pan and 2 cupcake pansParchment PaperRolling PinFondant toolsCrisco Flat surface t Step 2: Make the Cake . <PIC> Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line cake pan with parchment paper. 1.Peel and dice apples into small chunks. Set aside apples while making cake batter.2. In a large mixing bowl combine the two eggs and vegetable oil. Beat until the mixture is a creamy yellow color. Mix in vanilla extract.I used a stand mixer, but this recipe works with a handheld electric beater or just by hand. I’ve baked this cake using all of these ways before.  3. Once the mixture is a creamy yellow, add in the sugar. Beat together until the mixture is pale yellow in color. 4. In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.  5. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Whisk together. Once combined repeat the same steps for the rest of the dry ingredients.  6. Add in 1/2 cup of milk to thin out batter.  7.Once mixture is well incorporated, use a spatula to fold in the apples.  8.Fill cake pan 3/4 with cake batter.   9. Bake the cake for 50-55 mins.  at 350 degrees Fahrenheit or until a toothpick comes out clean. 10.***I used a 6 inch cake pan and the rest of the batter made 18 cupcakes*** Step 3: Fondant Time:Totoro. <PIC> While the cake is in the oven, it's time to work on the fondant decorations for the cake!To make Totoro:**Tip** to prevent fondant from sticking to your hand. Grease hands with some crisco. 1.Take around a quarter coin size of white fondant and black fondant. Knead both pieces together until colors are well blended and the fondant is grey. 2. Roll fondant into a ball. 3. After rolling fondant into a ball,roll the fondant so it look more oval shaped.(look at the picture) 4. Once the fondant is oval shaped, take two fingers and pinch the top part of the oval. Gently pinch the top part so it becomes more narrow on top. (this will be Totoro's face) 5. To make Totoro's belly, roll a white fondant ball that's about pinky sized. Once you have the ball of white fondant, press the fondant onto the fatter part of Totoro's belly. Use your finger to press down and smooth out the white ball of fondant. The end result should be a half-circle looking shape. 6.  Form two small balls of white fondant. (This should 1/4 of the fondant used for Totoro's belly) 7.Press the fondant down, but not too much so that the fondant doesn't spread and flatten. Form two smaller balls of black fondant. Press onto the white fondant eyes. (If the fondant does not stick, you can brush on a little water to the fondant. The water will act like glue) Once the black fondant is on, form two even smaller balls of white fondant. Press them onto the eyes. (*** THE EYES ARE THE HARDEST TO MAKE***)8. Knead together more grey fondant. Form fondant into a very thing log shape. Cut out three tiny sections. Shape the grey section into an upside down "V" and using a little water stick the "Vs" onto Totoro's belly. Totoro's nose is just a tiny piece of black fondant (formed into an oval)9. For Totoro's arms, roll out a small grey ball of fondant (a little bigger than fondant used for his belly). Roll the ball out so its cylindrical and tapered at one end. Do this step to make two arms. Once done, attach to the body by using water to help stick. 10. THE FINAL STEP!! Totoro's  ears are easy to make. Just form two balls of small grey balls and roll them out do they are more thin and tapered at one end. Pinch the tapered end to forma sharper tip of the ear. Brush water onto the wider end of the ears and stick them onto his head. Hold the ears in place for five mins to ensure that the ears do not fall off.  Step 4: Fondant Time: Soot Sprites. <PIC> These adorable soot sprites were so much fun to make and they add the cutest touch to the cake. 1. I made five soot sprites, but you can make as many as you like. Form a small ball (dime sized) with the black fondant. The soot sprites don't have to be perfectly round. Some of mine were more oval and you can also make them all different sizes. 2. Form two small ball (half of a dime size) of white fondant. Press them onto the soot sprite-when pressing try to make it so that the eyes are oval-ish not circles. Take two smaller pieces of black fondant (half of what you used for the white fondant) Press them onto the white parts.  If the fondant has a hard time sticking just apply a bit of water. ***I've found that letting the soot sprite body harden a bit before applying the eyes prevents the body from being squashed too much*** Step 5: Fondant Time: Apples and Leaves. <PIC> We've arrived to the easiest part of the fondant decor: the apples and leaves!Apples: Take a dime sized amount of red fondant. Roll it into a ball. Use a round end of a pen (I used my fondant tools) to make a small dent in the middle of the apple. Take a small piece of brown fondant and roll it into a small stem (about 1 inch in length.) Wait for the fondant stem to harden a little before putting it on the apple. Leaves: Depending on how many leaves you want to make, adjust the amount of fondant you use. First roll the red fondant into a ball. Using a rolling pin, roll the red fondant out to about 1/2" inch thick. Using the shaped cookie cutter, press out as many leaves as you want. Do the same for the brown leaves.  You can also try yellow leaves or orange ones. At this point, the cake should be done and cooling.  Step 6: Buttercream. <PIC> While the cake is cooling, prepare the buttercream. Buttercream:(Recipe makes enough buttercream to cover a 6 inch cake and frost an extra 5 cupcakes. 1. Cut the 1/2 pound of softened  butter into small cubes. 2. Beat the butter until fluffy.3. Add in 1/2 cup of powdered sugar. Beat until combined. Add in other 1/2 of powdered sugar. 4. Add in vanilla extract and 1-2 tablespoons of milk until buttercream is at the texture you want it at. 5. OPTIONAL You can sprinkle in some cinnamon for some extra flavor Step 7: Cover the Cake. <PIC> 1. Trim the top off the cake. 2. Put a big dollop of the buttercream on top of the cake. Using a flat spatula or knife turn the cake to frost it.3. Once the cake is completely frost, let it set in the fridge for one hour to overnight before covering with fondant. 4.  Roll out a large piece of white fondant until it's 1/2" inch thick. 4. Carefully lift fondant and place it on top of the cake. Smooth out any bumps with your hands or a flat board.  Step 8: Decorate and Enjoy the Cake!. <PIC> Last Step is to place your fondant decorations on the cake! It's up to you how you want to place the leaves, apples, Totoro and the soot sprites! I ended up placing an apple in Totoro's hand/ paw and having the soot sprites crawling down the cake. If brush on a bit of water onto the fondant pieces. This will help it adhere to the white fondant. Once you are done, step back and admire your hard work! Don't forget to eat a slice. It's the ultimate fall cake!


Introduction: Tamagotchi Cake. <PIC> This is my Tamagotchi cake, based on the first generation that came out when I was in 7th grade!
I still love Tamagotchi and I always will.  My very first one (which I still have) is purple with the pink zig-zag border.  I meant to make that color for my cake, but I opened up my bucket of fondant to see that it was blue!  So I had to improvise.  :)
I wanted to save this cake, and not eat it, so I made it from a "cake dummy", which is foam, covered and decorated as you would decorate a real - baked cake.  If you follow my instructions, the only thing you have to sub out would be the Styrofoam for real cake, layer it and carve it with a serrated knife to your tama-shape!
This Tamagotchi Cake features blue and green fondant, starburst buttons, a sugar glass screen, backed by airbrushed rice paper and the character and functions were hand-drawn with an edible ink.  (Ball chain is real, so don't eat it.)  This thing makes me want to hoist it over my shoulder and play those cute beeping noises to rep my generation.  (I don't have a boombox.)   Step 1: Materials!. <PIC> I am going to try and name everything!
- cake or foam
- fondant (2 colors)
- starburst or fondant for your buttons
- food color paste to dye fondant if needed
- sugar, lite corn syrup, water to make sugar glass
- rice paper
- airbrush (i used my mom's) or you can hand draw on rice paper
- knife and stove flame to heat the knife and cut candy glass
- random fondant tools or improvised , ie . skewer
- black edible ink marker (cake shop)
- skewers to hold your foam together if you make a dummy version
- wire and ball chain to add the effect of a real tama
- patience!! Step 2: Making Your Dummy.. <PIC> I bought these three shapes from the dollar store, put them together and knife-traced my shape.  From that point, I used a sharp knife to saw away the big chunks, and I carefully shaved the edges that I wanted smoother.
I stuck skewers throughout the pieces, to hold them together as one piece, ultimately.  I chose to go in different directions to cause variation for a better hold.  Stick the skewers in most of the way, break it off carefully and leave a small piece at the end.  I used a hammer to get rid of the excess and to push it into the foam the rest of the way.
Once it's all in one piece, you can use your knife to saw, sculpt and shape it the way you'd like.  (the fine edges and soft curves) This will also help the 3 pieced become one.
Now, if you have a cake, you can give a light layer of icing, or a "crumb coat" I believe.  But in this case, I used a spatula and piping gel - a clear gooey glue, edible, to help the fondant adhere in the next step. Step 3: Cover Your Cake.. <PIC> My purple is totally blue.  lol.
Now it's time to get your main color, knead it a while so it becomes a little soft.  Then use a fondant roller or a clean rolling pin to use pressure and roll out the fondant so that it's thin, but not too thin.  You don't want it to tear.  Most importantly, you can't fix this step, so you want to make sure that you have enough, and you roll it out wide enough to cover your cake.  It's okay to have too much, but it's a tragedy to have too little.  :)
Carefully transfer your fondant to your cake, use your soft fingertips to press and smoothen out the top, no air bubbles!!  Then walk your way over the edge of the cake on top, and go around, edge your way lower, and walk it around.  You have to go tiny bit, by tiny bit, all the way around.  Don't skip ahead or you will be caught in some nasty folds and you will mess your fondant up.
By the time you reach the bottom, you will be proud of yourself because those scary folds don't matter anymore for your awkward shape!! :D  Then trim the excess and smoothen your edges. Step 4: Make Your Screen.. <PIC> This is the horrible, wonderful, fun, painful, bleeding cuts, innovative, skilled step.
My first time making candy glass and it was a pain in the booty.  I don't know how those 10 year old boys do it on youtube!  BS. lol.  So, I mixed 3 cups sugar, 1 cup light corn syrup, 1 cup water and slowly boiled it to 290 degrees.  I turned up the heat at one point and that's probably why my glass turned yellow.  But that's okay, because the airbrushed colors on my rice paper, they made it look like an old tamagotchi screen.  So it's all good.  ;)
Basically, find your preferred recipe and method for making sugar glass and follow it perfectly.  :)  I tried.
After your glass sets up, put it on wax paper.
Get your rice paper, cut to a template size that you'd like, airbrush, color or do nothing to it, for your desired look of an "under screen".  The layered effect is awesome!!
Once your rice paper is ready, lay it face down onto the glass and make sure you have no air pockets.  Adhere it really well by pressing it carefully.
As per the Dexter Slide Candy Instructable (thank you!), heat up an ugly knife and ASAP slice your candy glass around your rice paper.  CAREFULLY.
Eventually, your screen will be cut and ready!
Next, use an edible ink, and make the function icons freehand.  Try not to mess up because it's a pain if you do! lol.  (I'm assuming it would be.)
After your icons are ready, figure your spacing and make your tamagotchi!!  I chose a side view of Tarakotchi.  Sketch him out in the strange/gummy/sticky candy glass and try to make him look pixelated. Step 5: Ziggy Zaggy!. <PIC> Make your white fondant into the color you desire, or find fondant already colored.  :)  My aunt gave me the color paste colors from Williams Sonoma and I think they are the best option for coloring fondant because they are a thick consistency, less liquid.
Roll your fondant out, big enough to make a shape around your screen.  Put your screen on top, trace-cut around it, take screen off, remove the square, put it away to use some other time.  Next, cut your zig zags and make sure that your screen-frame will still fit on your tamagotchi.  This will take patience and ... trickiness.  I used an exacto, only purposed for food, to clean up and shave rough edges.   Step 6: Buttons. <PIC> Now, open those starburst and knead them in your fingers as tough as possible to let your body heat soften them up.  I got two buttons out of one starburst.  Place them where you'd like them to show!
You can use piping gel to adhere your screen and buttons to the cake.  :) Step 7: Humongo Ball Chain As a Finishing Touch!. <PIC> I went to Ace Hardware and picked out the biggest ball chain they had.  I made it 1.5 feet long and I bought the coupler thingy to close the chain.
I got a piece of wire with ... 2 long sides, so that I could stab it into the cake, fondant and foam to anchor it.  It worked!!
Just make sure you position your ball chain where you want it (in terms of the closure piece) because you won't be able to move it afterward.  :)
Now that your tamagotchi cake is done, display it however you'd like and eat it if it's real!  I put mine on a jean jacket which was forced upon me as a child, so I had to include it ;) hahah.
********* Bandai, if you see this - I'd really love a Tamagotchi iD, color screen tamagotchi! <3  ************


Introduction: How to Make Gummy Red Carpet. <PIC> My wife and I were throwing an Oscar party. And we needed to serve at least one foodthing that our guests would remember, since neither we nor the oscars are ever that memorable. So the search began.And it abruptly ended with the realization: we're both gummy fiends. We pray to the church of Haribo. We embrace worms and bears and often swap their body parts. Our party's secret ingredient was evident:Gummy + Oscars = Gummy Red Carpet.INGREDIENTS:2 small boxes of Jello6 packets unflavored gelatin (there are 4 packets per box)1/2 cup waterA potSomething non-stick -- a silpat/silicone baking mat, wax paper, etc... Step 1: First, Get Jello and Lots of Plain Gelatin. <PIC> I first tried 1 jello box to 7 gelatin packets, which equals 8 parts gelatiny things. The flavor was weak. So I replaced one unflavored gelatin itemproduct with one flavored product to make it a a 2-6 flavored-unflavored ratio.  Step 2: Mix Jello, Gelatin, and Water. <PIC> ...in a saucepan and turn on medium heat.Stir a lot till it;s smooth and no longer looks offensively like lumpy alien flesh. Should be smooth and runny. Ew. Step 3: Spread It Out. <PIC> Have your silicone baking mat/was paper on a cookie sheet ready, because you'll have to pour this molten napalm lava quickly. Almost as soon as it touches the cooler air, it starts to gel. So work, nimbly, Nimblefingers.Try to tilt pan to make it an even thickness. You may have to smooth it out with the spatula. I know, the two photos look different. I made cherry...and blacker cherry. Step 4: Chill It. <PIC> Put it in the fridge/freezer for only about 5 minutes.Pull it out and remove the flap from the tray, being careful not to rip it. Step 5: Cut It. <PIC> Lay this red flap on a cutting board. Trim the edges square with a pizza cutter/carpet trimmer. Divide up into uniform intervals and slice away.Serve with miniature velvet rope.


Introduction: Marshmallows With Nutella and Hundreds and Thousands. <PIC> This is a fun way to decorate marshmallows! They're easy to do and look great on a snack platter! Step 1: Things You Will Need. <PIC> - Marshmallows- Nutella - Hundreds and Thousands Step 2: . Spread the Nutella onto the marshmallow. Step 3: . Dip the marshmallow into the Hundreds and Thousands. Step 4: . <PIC> Then you are done! It is so simple to do and a fun way to decorate your marshmallows.


Introduction: Simple Biscuit Doughnuts With a Vanilla Glaze. <PIC> Delicious, semi-homemade baked in no time glazed doughnuts. There are 4 easy steps to making these a special morning. Step 1: . <PIC> Are you surprised at how easy these doughnuts are to make? The last couple of weeks, I’ve been reading cookbooks by Marlene Koch.  She writes recipes that are quick, easy, and healthy. She’s a registered dietician that focuses on healthier lighter versions of your favorites. And yes, I still read cookbooks. I don’t have to tap my laptop every 2 minutes to get back the screen usually with flour-filled hands.Makes 16Ingredients 2 cans large buttermilk biscuits 1 ½ cups powdered sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 5 teaspoons of half and half chocolate shavings Directions Lay out the biscuits on an 11 x 17 cookie sheet and with a 1 ½-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out the middle of each biscuit. I couldn’t find mine so I used a plastic cap from a juice bottle. It’s about 1 ½ inches wide.  Roll the doughnut holes into a circle. Place on cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes. Cool completely.  Meanwhile to make the vanilla glaze combine  powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and half and half. Add the half and half a teaspoon at a  time until desired consistency. Dip doughnuts in glaze or pour on with a spoon. Add chocolate shavings and serve.  Store remaining doughnuts in an airtight container for up to 3 days.


Introduction: How to Make Spaetzle, the Easy Way.. <PIC> Spaetzle (or spätzle) is a flour dumpling that comes from somewhere in Europe, according to Wikipedia the original source is unknown. Every time I have ordered it from somewhere it's been from either a German or Austrian place. So there you have it, now on to the fun part. Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients. <PIC> The basic recipe I use is a very simple one, though I have seen others that vary mainly in garnishment. You will need:
1 cup flour (any kind should work, maybe you should try a fancy one, I just use white flour)
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
a pinch of freshly ground pepper (this is totally optional, though again, try something fancy like white pepper)
a gallon size zippered plastic bag (or a pastry bag if you have one) Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients. <PIC> In the plastic bag, mix the flour, salt, nutmeg, and pepper if you are using it. If using a pastry bag just mix in an appropriate sized bowl. Step 3: Mix the Wet Ingredients. <PIC> In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and mix in the milk. Step 4: Mix the Wet and Dry Ingredients. <PIC> Pour the milk and egg mixture into the plastic bag, zip it up and knead it until thoroughly mixed and sticky. Step 5: Get a Big Pot O' Water Simmering. <PIC> I mean pretty big here, we're talking like a gallon of water. Step 6: Prepare the Bag. <PIC> Try and smoosh all the dough into one corner of the bag, even if you doubled the recipe (you'll probably want to once you try it) there should be plenty of room in the bag. Once it's all on one side, clear the very tip of the corner (pic 2), and cut it off (pic 3.) The smaller the hole, the smaller the dumplings (that's how I like it.) Keep in mind that the hole will stretch over time, and the longer you let the dumplings cook will also determine their size. Step 7: Squeeze 'em Out. <PIC> Gently squeeze the dumplings into the simmering water. I try not to make them too long. Let gravity help you. They will sink to the bottom and when they are done, they will float to the top. Use a slotted spoon to scoop them out and place into a frying pan. Also, clean your stove and counters before taking any pictures. Step 8: The Finishing Touches. <PIC> Add the butter to the frying pan with the spaetzle. If you are making more than the recipe states, you may need to do more than one batch, or use a larger frying pan. Now, turn the heat up to medium or medium-high and saute the spaetzle in the butter until it is a nice golden brown color. Step 9: Serving Suggestions. <PIC> The way I usually eat mine is with brown gravy. I just use the cheap packets that you just add to water. For this particular meal I was preparing, I served polska kielbasa cooked on sauerkraut, along with the spaetzle. If you wanna try this, just throw it in a casserole dish and bake until hot. Step 10: Eat It!. <PIC> Go enjoy your creation. I love this stuff and eat it all the time, especially with other eastern European foods, like wienerschnitzel, sauerkraut, corned beef, bratwurst, and whatever else I can get my hands on.


Introduction: How to Make White Trash! . <PIC> This is a very quick and yummy desert to make for any occasion! This takes about 15 min to put all together and then 30 min for it to harden! Within 45 min you could have a delicious desert everyone will love!  Step 1: Get Everything You Will Need. <PIC> For this you will need a pot, oven, wax paper, stirring utensil, M&Ms, pretzels, and two bags of white chocolate. You should first get them all out! Step 2: Dump Both Bags of Chocolate Into Pot . <PIC> You should dump both bags into a pot that is on an oven at medium heat. Stir often.  Step 3: Mix the Pretzels and M&Ms Together . <PIC> Take your pretzels and M&Ms and toss them together in the bowl you will be stirring in. Step 4: Dump Chocolate Onto Pretzel Mix. <PIC> Use a rubber scraper to get all the chocolate out of the pot and onto the pretzels. Step 5: Stir Together Well. <PIC> Mix until all pretzels are well covered. Step 6: Dump Onto Wax Paper. <PIC> Dump all contents onto wax paper. Step 7: Flatten. <PIC> Then flatten out as best as you can! Wait 30 min for the chocolate to harden then break it up and enjoy!


Introduction: EASY "Cupcake-Candy". <PIC> Handmade candy to decorate your cupcakes!  and its REALLY easy!  You can WOW your friends and family and best of all- you don't need any artistic talent to do it!!  Wouldn't these look AMAZING for a little girl's birthday party? or a baby shower? or any occasion at all?
IF YOU LIKE MY INSTRUCTABLE PLEASE VOTE FOR ME IN THE CANDY CONTEST!!DISCLAIMER The recipe I used has raw egg whites which has the potential for Salmonella food poisoning.  The risk is small using proper food handling technicques (i.e. not allowing the egg white to mix with the exterior of the egg shell.) Here is a website with a lot of great information http://whatscookingamerica.net/Q-A/EggPasturization.htm and it even talks about how to pasturize (kill bacteria) in egg whites. If you use raw egg whites its at your own risk! But there is GOOD NEWS - there is an alternative reicpe that uses meringue powder instead of egg whites. I will post this alternative recipe at the end of this instructable. I didn't have any meringue powder so I opted for the egg whites :-) Step 1: Gather Materials. <PIC> You will need
	2 large egg whites
	2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
	3 cups confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted (measure three cups first, then sift)  HINT I used a fine mesh colander
	mixer- NOTE the Kitchen Aid mixer shown is my Mother's, but I'm hoping to win my own!! (hint, hint)
	waxed paper
	rubber spatula
	air tight storage container
	decorating bag with coupler and a #3 round tip
	toothpicks
	scissors
	phone books (optional)
	printed images to use as templates (optional)
	food coloring, sprinkles, etc (optional)
	cup of tea (optional, coffee or wine may be substituted where age appropriate)
	  Step 2: Mix Ingredients. <PIC> Prepare the royal icing by first beating the egg whites and lemon juice until well mixed
Add the sifted powered sugar a cup at a time until its all added
Mix at medium speed until the right texture is acheived- some reicpes say mix 5-7 minutes but I usually mix mine for 2 minutes with good results.  You will know you have the right texture when you stop mixing- if the surface of the icing immediately 'melts' into soup you need to beat it more, if the icing has little 3D valleys and hills than its perfect!!
If you want you can use food coloring to change the color of the icing. Spoon the icing into several small, airtight containers and dye each one a different color- keep the lids on so the icing doesn't start to dry out. Step 3: Prepare Decorators Bag. <PIC> Prepare the decorator's bag- the coupler fits INSIDE the bag, place the #3 tip on the outside of the bag snug with the coupler, place the collar of the coupler over the tip and tighten. Make sure its fairly snug so the tip doesn't come off in the middle of your project!  Roll the edges of the bag down like you would roll your sleeves up.
Using the rubber spatula, spoon some of the royal white icing into the bag- DO NOT fill the bag the whole way to the top. Leave at least an inch and a half. Now fold in the two corners and roll the edge until you get to the icing. As you use the icing keep rolling the edge down- this will help you keep nice, steady pressure and makes less of a mess!IMPORTANT Put the remainder of the white icing into the airtight container and store it in the fridge BEFORE you move on to the next step as it dries and gets crusty really quickly Step 4: CREATE!! (The FUN Part!!). <PIC> Lay out sheets of waxed paper and go nuts!!  Anything you can imagine!  Butterflies are my favorite but flowers, stars, hearts, abstract squiggles- the sky is the limit!!  If you want to add sprinkles or jimmy's do so while the icing is still wet. Allow the icing to dry a full 10-12 hours before trying to remove it from the waxed paper. This stuff dries in the bowl in minutes but takes forever to dry on waxed paper. (Go figure!)  Here are some things to remember....
DO try to make lines a uniform thickness
DO use toothpicks to make minor touch ups as needed
DO leave the candies to set for 10-12 hours
DO NOT make images that are too large as they tend to break easier
DO NOT make images that are too elaborate as they also tend to break
DO NOT try to make lines that are too thin, believe me- the candy will be beautiful regardless!! Step 5: No Artistic Talent? No Worries!. <PIC>
	Go online and google "tribal butterfly" then click on the "Images" option.... getting inspired yet?? Print out some of your favorite images- nothing TOO complex or TOO big....
	Tape a piece of waxed paper slightly larger than your image to your work surface and slide the image underneath.  Ta-da!  Instant template!!  and the best part is you can pull the template out and slide it under another piece of waxed paper to make MORE!! Simply trace the image!! Step 6: Making 3D Candies. <PIC> Wondering what the phone books were for??   3D art!!
Open the phone books to roughly the middle.  Fold a piece of waxed paper so theres a nice crease running down the middle and line that crease up with the crease in the book. This is an excellent way to make 3D butterflies but use your imagination- a cup turned on its side will give you curved images or scrunch up some aluminum foil to make your own three-dimensional template (just make sure you cover it with waxed paper first!)
That last image shows my attempt to make curved icicles and lace just MOMENTS before I bumped the coffee can and it rolled off the counter- WHOOPS! but you get the idea... Step 7: Removing the Candies From the Waxed Paper. <PIC> This is, without a doubt, the most difficult part of the process!  It takes a light touch and a steady hand to remove these delicate candies. You will probably break a few so start with your ugliest candies first!!  DO NOT TRY TO REMOVE THE CANDIES UNTIL THEY ARE FULLY SET!!   It takes 10-12 hours for these candies to set so be patient!!   Its worth the wait!!
I like to CAREFULLY cut around each candy before I try to peel the waxed paper off- that way my hand doesn't slip and destroy a whole tray.
Lightly hold the waxed paper underneath the candy and SLOWLY peel the waxed paper back.  Remember- the waxed paper is flexible, the candy is NOT. I try not to grasp the candy itself but with a featherlight touch you can. Step 8: Just Add Cupcakes!!. <PIC> Cupcakes, full sized cakes, sorbets, how about making these candies to decorate a plate or a table setting??  Planning a wedding?  Make a template of the couple's initials and place a custom made candy at each place setting!!  Once you start making these you won't want to stop!!
You can also use this icing on cookies but you should pipe it directly on the cookie because once it hardens it won't stick. Also makes a great gingerbread house 'glue.' Step 9: Tips for Success. <PIC> Practice making these candies at least once before your special occaison- they're very easy to make but better to practice!
Make lots of extra candies- you'll want to have plenty in case some break (and they WILL!)
Try not to move the pieces of waxed paper until the candies are fully set. If you think you will have to move them set the pieces of waxed paper on cookie sheets or books so they stay flat when you move them.
The royal icing can be made up to two weeks in advance- keep it in an airtight container in the fridge.
If you don't have a decorator's bag and tip/coupler- invest in one! You can try putting it in a ziplock baggie and snipping off the end but you will HATE both the process and the results.
If you are transporting these don't put the candies on the cupcakes until AFTER you reach your destination- they don't travel well once they're on the cupcake!
Don't hesitate to try new designs or techniques!! Push the limit and post your own instructable!! Step 10: Egg White FREE Recipe. Royal icing using meringue powder (taken straight from the Joy of Baking website)
4 cups confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar
3 tablespoons meringue powder
1/2 teaspoon extract (vanilla, lemon, almond) recommended to improve the flavor of the meringue
1/2 - 3/4 cup  warm water
In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder until combined. Add the water and beat on medium to high speed until very glossy and stiff peaks form (5 to 7 minutes). If necessary, to get the right consistency, add more powdered sugar or water.
Read more: http://www.joyofbaking.com/RoyalIcing.html#ixzz1GLpAQw8O


Introduction: How to Make Indian Pizza With Caramelized Onions, Potatoes, and Pistachios. <PIC> Indian pizza, in my mind, trumps nearly every other flavour out there. I think it's the combination of complexly flavoured spices and tastes found in Indian food, but with the bread and cheese combo that is perfect on pizza.   Sadly, this winning combination seems to be scarcely available outside of California, so, during my years in Massachusetts, I started making my own. This recipe is based on those by Shari from My Fancy Pantry and Deb Perelman from Smitten Kitchen. I highly recommend both of these blogs, so please go and check them out! You will need:Equipment: - a oven and stovetop - several bowls - a frying pan - a wooden spoon - a pizza pan - a good sharp knife and cutting board - a rolling pin - a food brush (optional, but definitely useful)Ingredients: - 1 medium size onion - 2 small yukon gold or purple potatoes - pistachios - honey - cilantro - garlic - olive oil, hot pepper flavoured if available - pizza dough, or ingredients to make such - a soft, easily meltable cheese: I recommend fontina, preferably smoked if you can find it - paneer (optional, but delicious. See my other instructable for how to make your own flavoured paneer) - Indian spices: I used garam masala, paprika, tumeric, cardamom, cumin, coriander, cloves, and vadavan spice blend Step 1: Caramelized Curried Onions. <PIC> Make some caramelized onions, flavoured with the spices of your choice. First, I heated some hot pepper olive oil and some garlic over medium-low heat. Once that was hot, I added two chopped onions - one large white and one small red, for diversity of flavour.  Then I added my spices. I used 1 tablespoon each of vadavan spice blend (available from Amazon) and garam masala (tastier if you make it yourself), 1 teaspoon each of paprika and tumeric, and 1/2 teaspoon each of cardamom, cumin, coriander, and cloves. Mix them up in the onions, and let cook for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, cover with a lid, lower heat down to low, and cook for another 20 minutes before transferring to a bowl. Do not wash pan yet! You will probably have extra onions - resist the urge to each them immediately on toast with an egg on top, but feel free to indulge in that later, with the leftovers.  Step 2: Make Pizza Dough. <PIC> If you are feeling up to the challenge, and are not yeast-impaired like my mother, make some pizza dough. I used Deb Perelman's Rushed Pizza Dough from her book The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, which I highly recommend for everyone.  Mix 1 1/4 teaspoons of active dry yeast with 1/2 cup of warm water, and let sit for 5 minutes (also known as proofing the dough). During these five minutes, heat oven to 200 deg F very briefly, and turn off before yeast is done proofing. Then add 1 cup of white flour, 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, and 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro, and combine to form a rough shaggy dough.  Knead for 5 minutes, either by hand or with your handy-dandy dough hook.  Transfer dough to a well-oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rise for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size, in your pre-heated oven.  If you don't want to make your own dough, there's no shame. Trader Joe's makes delicious pizza dough, and it will certainly cut down on how many things you have to juggle at once.  Step 3: Lightly Toast Sliced Potatoes. <PIC> While your dough is rising, slice your potatoes as thin as possible. If you have a mandolin, this is the perfect time for it. Add some oil to your onion-spice pan and heat on medium heat. Toast potato slices for 1 minute on each side.  Step 4: Prepare Pizza Dough. <PIC> Once the dough has doubled in size, remove from oven. Heat oven to 450 deg F. Roll out pizza as thin as possible, to fit either a 12 inch or 16 inch pizza pan, whatever you have available. Brush the pizza with oil (hot pepper olive oil preferred) and bake for 5 minutes.  Step 5: Assemble Pizza Toppings. <PIC> Grate your fontina or other soft cheese, until you have about 2/3 of a cup.  Layer your toppings on the pre-baked pizza crust. I prefer this order: - potatoes - onions - pistachios - paneer - fontina Step 6: Bake Your Pizza. <PIC> Bake your pizza for 10-15 minutes, or until crust is brown and crunchy, and all the fontina has melted. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with cilantro as soon as it comes out of the oven. Cut into wedges, and enjoy!


Introduction: Sliced Banana Trick . How to do the sliced banana magic trick! Fool your friends and be the  life of the party with this awesome magic trick! This video will show you how to cut a banana before you even peel it! All that you will need for this cool trick is a needle and a banana. Step 1: What You Need.... <PIC> You will need a banana and a sewing needle. Step 2: Choose an Edge. <PIC> Choose what edge of the banana that you would like to work with and poke a hole into it. Be careful that you don't poke the needle all the way through. Step 3: Move the Needle and Cut the Banana. <PIC> Move the pin back and forth inside the banana to actually cut the banana inside of the peel. Step 4: Repeat the Process. <PIC> Now just repeat this process and make your way down to the bottom of the banana. Step 5: Flip the Banana. <PIC> Now for the trick to work, you are going to have to flip the banana so the person peeling it cannot see the holes. Step 6: Peel the Banana. <PIC> Now you can remove the pin and peel the banana. After it's peeled you will have a pre-sliced banana and a cool trick to show your friends! Step 7: Watch the Video!. Either click the embedded video or hit this link to see the video on how to do this trick! Sliced Banana Trick - YouTube


Introduction: Gorgeous Potato Mushroom Tarts. <PIC> Gorgeous Potato Mushroom Tarts are a great appetizer or hors d'oeuvres for all occasions. The recipe uses a delicious and flaky pie crust and a great Duchesse potato recipe. I add some special flavors to spice it up and give everyone a surprise but be creative with it :)
The crust is a great buttery one with emphasis on the “flaky.” The actual filling is delicious, too. It’s a variation of a duchesse potato recipe and a bed of mushrooms on the bottom.
Make these for a party or just a family dinner. Everyone is sure to enjoy them. Now this recipe is very simple so try it out! Step 1: Ingredients. <PIC>
          Here’s what you need:
To make the potato and mushroom filling, you will need:
		2 small-medium red potatoes (both of mine together weighed 12.5 ounces)
		1 tablespoon of butter
		1 tablespoon of milk
		1 egg yolk
		6 mushrooms
		enough water to fill a 1/4 of a saucepan
To make the crust, you’ll need;
		1 stick of cold butter
		3/4 cup of all purpose flour (plus some extra for the counters, the rolling pin and your hands :)
		1/2 cup of cake flour
		1/4 cup of cold water
		1/2 tablespoon of sugar
		1/2 teaspoon of salt
		olive oil for greasing the pan
A pastry blender will be helpful in make the crust and make sure all the ingredients for the crust are cold (including your materials- bowl, pastry blender, etc.)
When I made this recipe, I just filled a 12-cupcake pan with the recipe with pretty good sized tarts.
Let's get started! Step 2: Preparing the Potatoes. <PIC> First start preparing the potatoes. Fill a saucepan 1/4 of the way with water. Turn the stove top onto to high and wait for the water to boil. Meanwhile, peel both potato skin and cut in about fourteen pieces.
Put them into the boiling water and cover. Boil for about 10 minutes. Step 3: Making the Crust. <PIC> Take out the cold butter (make sure all your ingredients for the crust are chilled). Cut the butter into tiny cubes and put into a chilled bowl. Add both flours (cake and all purpose), salt, and sugar. Step 4: More Crust. <PIC> Use a chilled pastry blender (see emphasis on the chilled :) to cut the butter into the flour. Make sure you still see pea-sized butter pieces in the dough. The butter in the crust is what makes it extra flaky. The picture below is about 1/4 through the cutting in process.
Once the butter is mixed into the flour (remember pea-sized pieces), add the 1/4 cup of water and gather into and ball. Definitely add more water if needed. Once you have that done, it’s time to put it in the fridge!
Well we finished one half of the recipe, so now for the second half. Remember you still have potatoes boiling away on your stove top :) Step 5: Making the Potato Filling. <PIC> After the potatoes are soft enough (a knife should enter easily), quickly drain and put in a bowl. Take a knife and chop the potatoes up into small pieces. Here’s a picture so you can see what it’s supposed to look like. Hmm…it’s starting to smell potato-y in here :)
Add in the milk, egg, and butter. Use a rubber spatula to combine and smooth. The consistency right now should be like mashed potatoes. Step 6: Flavor It!. <PIC>
This is also the time to add in any flavorings you want to use. There are so many options so experiment with it! but here are some to get you started: 		Salt and Pepper- You can’t go wrong with the typical S and P. Give them a few shakes and fold the potatoes to combine.
		Green Onion and sauteed garlic- Almost kind of an Asian twist to it. Add some soy sauce and you’re all set to go!
		Olive oil and garlic powder- Add a little Italian flair to it. Some olive oil would give the potatoes a different texture so experiment and see what you like.
		Rosemary or oregano- Spices? Oh yes :)
		Cheese- Throw in some pepperoni to make it a pizza potato tart.
		Chili- Now there’s a new one. You can make your own but if you’re in a hurry use some straight out of the can.
Make up your own and be creative!
Now to make this a bit more nutritious, I decided to add in some yummy mushrooms. Don’t like mushrooms? Well try some other veggie or none at all. Try it and find out :)
I chopped the mushrooms into tiny pieces and put it in a bowl to use a bit later Step 7: Preparing the Crust. <PIC> It’s back to preparing the crust. Take the crust out of the refrigerator and start rolling it out. Roll the dough until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Don’t make it too thick though because this dough tends to be puffy as a result of all the delicious, flaky layers :)
Use a biscuit cutter or what I used, a wide glass. The glass I used was approximately 3 1/2 inches wide so it made pretty good sized circles. Step 8: Baking and Finish!. <PIC> After making the circles, place them into a greased (with olive oil) cupcake pan. Smooth out the dough and poke each of the crusts twice with a fork. Bake just the crust at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes.
Once the crusts are done baking , wait 5 minutes for them to cool. Meanwhile, fill a decorating bag with the potato mixture so you can make some pretty designs on your tarts. :)
When the crusts are cooled a bit, spoon some the mushrooms onto the bottom of each crust. Then pipe the potatoes into the tarts. Mhmm yum. Time to stick it in the oven again!
Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 15minutes until the potato is stiff. You’re done! Aren’t you proud of yourself? :)
These tarts are great anytime. The great thing about this appetizer/hors d’oeuvres is that you can change up the flavoring to your taste. Make them at your next party or just for a family dinner.
Make some and tell me how they are!


Introduction: Hershey Kiss Cookies. <PIC> If you want to make one of the best cookies ever, then you have come to the right instructable! These cookies are truly a classic in the art of cookie making. My mom and I always make these near Christmas. I hope you enjoy. Step 1: Ingredients. <PIC> Here is what you will need.
~ 2 2/3 cups flour
~ 2 teaspoons baking soda
~ 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
~ 1 cup butter
~ 1 teaspoon salt
~ 1 cup sugar
~ 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
~ 2 eggs
~ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
~ Additional sugar
~ 5 dozen Hershey kisses, unwrapped
 Step 2: DIRECTIONS. <PIC> First preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Then in a large bowl, mix flour, salt, and baking soda. Add butter and peanut butter and mix until smooth. Add sugars and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until smooth. Step 3: Making the Balls. <PIC> Make balls out of level tablespoons of dough - add flour if needed. Then roll in sugar. Step 4: Baking. <PIC> Bake 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet for 8 minutes.
Remove from oven and add 1 kiss to the center of each cookie. Return to the oven and bake for 2 more minutes. Remove and cool.
 Step 5: Enjoy!. <PIC>  Enjoy what you just made!~Thanks for reading! Please comment.Happy Cookie Making!


Introduction: Italian Roma Tomato and Mozzarella Grilled Pizza!. <PIC> One of my favorite Grilled Pizza Combos! (and we do grilled pizza at least once a week!) Step 1: Supply List.. <PIC> You'll need pizza crust, sauce, Roma tomatoes (these would be awesome from your garden) and Mozzarella Cheese...you could make your own like I did here! Thinly slice your tomatoes and slice up your cheese. Mine was presliced, but they were really thick...I tried to cut them in half. Step 2: Grilling Time.. <PIC> Heat up the grill on low. Put your entire crust right on the grill. Wait for it to lightly brown and flip the entire thing over. Add your tomato sauce...I always go with the garlic kind. Add you tomato slices like pepperoni! Add your chunks of mozzarella on top. Sprinkle with some basil...or Italian seasoning. Let the cheese soften and the underside of the crust cook... then get it off the grill and cut it up! Step 3: Enjoy!. <PIC> Looks like ice cream!  So yummy!  Perfect Garden Pizza! Try it out and vote for me in the Italian food contest! Thanks!  :) Check out my blog doodlecraft for more fun too!


Introduction: Spiced Pumpkin Smoothies. <PIC> This morning, I invented these lovely Vegan Gluten-free Creamy Spiced Pumpkin Smoothies! Ooh yay! There are very filling, scrumptious & perfect for this time of year! I also used in here frozen home-made pumpkin purée that I thawed into the microwave for 5 minutes! Check these out! Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients!. Recipe: For 2 big smoothies, each 500 ml!Ingredients:2 cups (500 ml) unsweetened soy milk 1 cup frozen home-made pumpkin purée that I thawed into my microwave for 5 minutes 1/2 cup (50 gr) gluten-free medium-sized oats 2 tablespoons agave 1 large frozen banana 1 tablespoon broken flaxseed 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground couscous spices ( my blend has a combination of ground cinnamon, ground coriander seeds, ground black pepper, ground ginger, ground cayenne pepper & ground nutmeg in it) Step 2: Blend & Enjoy!. Take your Vitamix container & place all ingredients in this order in it. Place fitted lid & tamper on. Blend onto high until it is fully blended in. Use tamper to push ingredients into the running blades. This took me 10 seconds. Taste! You must taste the pumpkin & spices! Pour into 2 lovely smoothy glasses, sip & enjoy!You can also find this tasty recipe here on my blog : https://sophiesfoodiefiles.wordpress.com/2016/11/15/vegan-gluten-free-creamy-spiced-pumpkin-smoothies/


Introduction: Making Lox at Home. <PIC> My wife wanted Lox for Easter.  She's meshuggeneh, right?  Hi, I'm Scotty C. and I make delicious things to eat.  2.5 years ago my wife bought me a class on charcuterie and I've been making sausages, BBQ, ham, bacon and smoked cheeses ever since.  I had been cold smoking cheese and bacon the last 6 mos so she bought 2 lbs (0.9kg) of lovely COHO salmon ($11.99/lb) at Whole Foods and told me, "make this into LOX."  Lox is a cold smoked cured salmon.  It is a delicacy to be savored and enjoyed.  It's also expensive as hell, the above photo shows 2lbs delivered for $105.  After you do this Instructable you can make Coho Lox for about $13/lb.I did a lot of research online and discovered one thing.  Everyone has their own way to make lox, and no two ways are exactly the same.  I finally settled on two recipes that were similar and blended them together to make my own Lox.  This is a long 3 day process to make.  There are a lot of steps.  I will break it down for you.  You can do it.   Step 1: Prep, Deboning, Fresh Vs Frozen Salmon. <PIC> Whole Foods had a previously frozen COHO salmon section, previously frozen is fine because then you don't have to worry about any parasites.  My wife bought it, it was $24.00 for 2 lbs.  Using a clean utility knife on the lowest setting score the skin so it reaches the flesh.  This lets the cure penetrate the skin side.Use a pair of pliers to remove the bones.  These bones can be removed before or after the process, I prefered to do it before.  You can see them easily and feel them with your finger by running it along the fish on the highest part of the fillet.  There will be a lot of bones, and you might miss a few.  Don't panic.  Do your best.The Thing About Fresh vs Frozen FishMost "fresh" salmon sold in your store was frozen on the boat after it was caught, but the store doesn't tell you this.  Ask your fishmonger if it was previously frozen.  Freezing kills any bacteria and parasites in the fish before making your lox.  If you can't confirm your salmon was previously frozen I would advise a 4-6 hour freeze when you are done making the lox, then thaw before serving.  Of course, people have been eating this preparation for hundreds and hundreds of years with few side effects, I am just mentioning this since it is a cured, smoked, but uncooked product. Step 2: Dry Brine the Salmon. <PIC> A dry brine is prepared of these ingredients:100g salt 60g dark brown sugar1 tsp black peppercorns5-10 juniper berries I used a coffee grinder on the pepper and juniper berries after I heated them in a pan to release their essential oils.  Mix all the dry ingredients and spices together thoroughly. Get a sealable reusable  plastic food container and line the inside with plastic wrap with lots of overhang. Pour about 1/3 the cure on the bottom of your dish.  Place the fish skin side down into the container.Take the the remaining 2/3rd of cure, work it in slowly and gently on top of the fish, lightly rub it on then pack it over the entire fish.Wrap with overlapping plastic wrap and poke a lot of holes with a sharp paring knife in the plastic on the skin side to allow the liquid to drain off.   Cover with the lid, and place into the fridge for 8-12 hours.As for the nebulous 8-12 hour time estimate allow me to explain.  Guides for this step online vary greatly in time estimates, some claim "8 hours maximum or you'll ruin the fish".  Others say 12hrs.  Still more say longer times. I settled on a merging of two recipes that were similar in every way other than the times.  In any case where there were conflicting or disparate claims on times, I took the average.  In this case, the fish was in the dry stage for 10 hours.  Yes I know the note says 8, I changed my mind.  This is my Lox party. Step 3: 10 Hours Later, Wet Brine. <PIC> The second stage is a wet brine, where the fish is submerged in a salt and sugar solution to further cure the fish and remove water from the flesh before cold smoking.  This is a very important step.I had a recipe for a brine that called for 50lbs of salmon from one place.  Another recipes was for 5 gallons, so I reduced the quantities down for 1 quart of water.   Most recipes assume for larger quantities of fish because it's so time intensive to make lox.  Your fish will sit in this brine for 8-12 hours.Wet Brine:1 Quart water 0.7 cups of salt 0.35 cups dark brown sugar 1/4 tsp. peppercorns 4-5 juniper berriesThe spices were lightly toasted in a frying pan then crushed before adding.  The brine should be left for 4 hours minimum in your refrigerator before using, this will allow the spices to meld.  I made this brine in advance and let it sit overnight while the fish was in the dry brine stage.The salmon is removed from the plastic lined container, there will be a lot of liquid in there to discard.  Gently rinse the salmon off under lightly flowing cold water.  Wash out your plastic container and place the rinsed fish into it.  Pour the brine over the fish so it is completely covered and put the lid back on.  Label the time and date.I leave notes on all my projects because even I forget what the heck is in my fridge from week to week.  I also set alarms on my phone's calendar to go off to remind me.  If you have 4 or 5 ore more things working at once you need to get into the practice of labelling everything you make.  It's a good practice, and doing things like this incorrectly can make people very ill.  Good notes let you repeat the process over and over.  Keep a small notebook with quantities, ingredients, cook times, etc. and you will get better and better at this in time. Step 4: Freshening the Salmon. <PIC> While many recipes for making lox couldn't agree on much, they all agreed you needed to let the cured salmon to sit in a sink under cool running water for 30m.  So after dumping out the brine, that's just what I did.  Let it run under cold water on a moderately low setting and just let that go for 30 minutes. Step 5: Drying the Salmon. <PIC> The best way to get the fish to dry before cold smoking is to use a teflon lined cookie cooling sheet over a sheet pan with paper towels on it.  You don't need the paper towels, but it makes cleanup a lot faster. Remove the fish from the water and pat it dry on the drying sheet.  You can also use a clean grill grate in place of the teflon lined cookie cooking sheet.  It works just as well. Put the Salmon into the fridge for a few hours, I let it dry for about 6 hours.  According to other recipes they called for drying your fish for as little as 1 hour, and as long as up to 24 hours.After 6 hours remove from the refrigerator, 30m before this you should prep your smoker as shown in the next step. Step 6: Cold Smoking, My Method . <PIC> There are a lot of schools of thought on cold smoking.  Sawdust or pellets are the preferred method.  I use pellets because I tried them a year ago and they work the best for me.  You can use any method you want with any wood, wood sawdust, charcoal, pellet or blend you like.  No hate, just LOVE for my BBQ and charcuterie pals.Wood Pellets DemystifiedThey are compressed sawdust.  They give a great wood flavor to anything you eat.  Mystery Over.  Wood pellets for smoking foods can be gotten in many wood varieties and are relatively cheap and last a long time.There are two brands shown here in my photos, the front is Trager - they are just OK to me and are made of 30% applewood, 70% oak (oak is considered a filler wood, not a flavor wood) but they are decent on cheese.  The other bag shown are made by CookinPellets and are an all hardwood blend of maple, hickory, apple and cherry. I went with those, and recommend them, they are a remarkable bargain.Smoking TraysI am using a sawdust (and wood pellet) smoking tray from Amazenproducts.  This little tray is what I use for all my cold smoking projects, sausages, cheese, or to add more smoke to BBQ projects.The easiest way to light the wood pellets is with a simple hardware store propane torch.  I set the tray on a brick before lighting.  It takes a good minute or two to get them to light. I load both sides of the tray, but only light one side.  When the left side burns out in 6 hours I can remove it, light the other side, and quickly get it back inside my smoker.  I will get 12 hours of smoke from this set up.My SmokerDon't let the heavenly rays fool you, it's just an older 30" Masterbuilt Electric Smoker.  To cold smoke we use it like a refrigerator.  The smoker is not plugged in or turned on at all during the cold smoke process.I put ice into 1-2 sealed ziplocks and use 2-3 frozen bottles of water to use in the smoker to keep it cold.  I want the chamber cold, but not too humid.  If I just put ice loose into my drip pan the chamber would be very high in humidity.  We want it cold and dry.  The idea is to not let the smoker get above 70F (21C) in the chamber - this is a great temperature for cold smoking fish and cheese.I used two temperature probes, one in the metal rack under the fish, one outside the smoker poking into the smoke outlet.  I took the average of the two to determine temperature inside the chamber.  They ran within 2 degrees of each other most of the smoking process.I let the fish smoke for 15 hours over cold smoke.   The temperature of the smoker averaged 64F (18C) the whole time, with a low of 59F (15C) and a high of 68F (20C).  I had an alarm set on my temperature remote to go off it the temperature went above 72F.  If you don't own a wireless remote temperature probe, you should try one out once you seriously get into this hobby, they are essential for long smoking projects.I don't have a cold smoker tray, can I make one?You can make a simple smoking pellet tray from a disposable steel pie pan (no non stick ones please). Poke holes with a small nail in the shape of a letter C on the pie pan - make the holes fill a 1" (2.5cm) wide band. Place a 1x1" (2.5cm x 2.5cm) line of wood pellets over the holes and light one end, it will burn like a snake. Make a small coil of aluminum foil into an S shape. Place S shaped foil in your smoking box, and put the pie pan on top, this gives good airflow.I don't have a cool smoker setup like you, can I make one?YES!  A aluminum lined cardboard box with a piece of unglazed quarry tile on the bottom will work well.  Just make a hole on top for your smoke to escape, and a small air inlet on the bottom to let air in.  Use your pie pan as described above to burn the pellets.  I will make an instructable in the future showing how to make both of these. Step 7: Taste Test, Vacuum Seal. <PIC> I let the fish sit in the fridge for an hour before slicing, tasting and vacuum sealing.  Fish cured, smoked, and sealed in this manner will keep up to 3 years in your deep freezer.  It won't ever last longer than 3 months though because you will eat it all once you sample a piece.  The flesh is firm, the color is a deep orange, and the taste was spot on.  And the best part?  It looks and tastes just like the real thing for 1/4 the price. It is a time consuming process to make, but well worth it.  After I did this, I understand why people do this 50lbs at a time, it takes almost 3 days from start to finish!Maybe the best lox ever?  Y E S !


Introduction: Banana Boat Camping Treat. <PIC> In this Instructable I will be teaching you how to make a great snack on a camping tripWhat you'll Need- Aluminum foil- Bananas- A plastic knifeSomething to Stuff Your Bananas With Like:- Chocolate- Reeses - Jam- ANYTHING YOU WANT  Step 1: Cutting the Banana.   DO NOT PEEL THE BANANA!!!  At the top of the banana use your knife to punture the banana, but do NOT go all the way through!! From the hole at the top, slit the banana down to the bottom. Do not cut through the end of the banana. Step 2: Filling the Banana. <PIC> This is the easiest part. JUST STUFF WHATEVER YOU WANT IN THE BANANA! But be careful not to overfill the banana too much. Your delicious filling should be between the actual fruit of the banana.  Step 3: Cooking the Banana. Now all you need to do is wrap the banana in aluminum foil, making sure there are no loose ends. Then you set it about 5 in. away from your fire, leave it there for about one minute. And you were done just unwrap the banana and enjoy it.


Introduction: Healthy Dairy Package. <PIC> (NOTE: This instructable is addressed to who live in states and countries where buying raw milk is legal)all of us drink 406 fl oz of pasteurized milk boxes and bottles for around $45Buy Cream for desserts for around $9Buy 1 lb unsalted Butter for around $11(6 lb for $66)or Buy 17 ounce of Margarine for bout $24so your list will be for $120 if you choose butter with cream and milk or $78 if you choose margarine with cream and milk.what if you can get the same list with more healthier products, more nutritious value, and with no chemicals for just $36? Step 1: Prepare Cream and Whipped Cream. <PIC> First of all you should pasteurize milk buy simply put it on any pot and watch it till it boils, when boils it will start to raise so turn off fire immediately, it needs only 4 seconds boiling to pasteurize.leave it to cool then put in the refrigerator for the next day.get out the cream formed on the surface.now you have milk to drink and free cream.you can mix a small amount of milk and sugar to the cream to have free sweetened whipped cream. Step 2: Prepare Butter. <PIC> you can store the extracted cream in the freezer if you buy smaller amounts of milk till you have enough cream.get that stored cream, put it in the mixer for 3 minutes, it will become more solid like in the picture.grap it and squeeze to get milk out of it, then form in solid balls.now you have natural and the healthiest butter for free + milk to cook with + previously milk to drink+ you may used some cream before and not stored the full amount. all for free. Step 3: Prepare Margarine. <PIC> you may not use all butter, you can put them on a bowel add salt and boil them till it has clear liquid and brownish solids. it may take an hour boiling.put that liquid in a jar (it is Margarine) when cool will turn to white solid margarine, put these solids in another jar with a table spoon of milk and mix them well (it is kind of cheese).now from the raw milk you have:pasteurized skimmed milk to drinkcreamsweetened whipped creambuttermilk for cookingMargarinecheeseand again the offer is to buy raw milk then have not only free package but also healthy food without chemicals and processing that kills nutrition values.(NOTE: This instructable is addressed to who live in states and countries where buying raw milk is legal)


Introduction: Santa's Merry Muesli. <PIC> http://delightfulvegans.com/recipe/santas-merry-mu...We've been getting into Muesli for breakfast lately, and then I thought, wouldn't it be great to have a Christmas inspired Muesli? So that's when the idea sprang into my head! Santa's Merry Muesli! Couldn't get any better than this!This is a delicious combination of oats, nuts, Christmas spices and some dried fruit. The best part is, you can mix it up as much as you like! We toasted our oats and nuts, but you could totally have it raw (that would be great if you wanted overnight oats!). We put slivered almonds and macadamias in ours - because let's face it - they're kind of Christmassy! But you could totally swap it up and use pecans, walnuts, or even sunflower seeds or pepitas!We're now a bit obsessed with this muesli and - shock horror! - sometimes we don't even eat it at breakfast time. In fact, it makes a great snack for any time of the day!It's that time of year - time to get into the festive spirit - check out our other? Christmas Recipes ? to get inspired for an awesome vegan Christmas!We've got another great muesli recipe in our 7 Ways to Kickstart your Day FREE eBook! - All you need to do is to subscribe to our newsletter and we'll send it to you for free!Please share Santa's Merry Muesli around with your family and friends! Step 1: What You Will Need. <PIC> Ingredients:2 cups of Oats1/3rd cup of Slivered Almonds1/3rd cup of Macadamias (Chopped)1/2 a tsp of Nutmeg1 tsp of CinnamonRind of Half a Lemon1 Tbsp of Coconut Sugar1/4 cup of Maple Syrup1/4 cup of Goji Berries1/4 cup of Dried Blueberries1/4 cup of Dried Cranberries1/2 cup of Shredded Coconut Step 2: . <PIC> In a bowl mix the oats, slivered almonds, macadamias, nutmeg, cinnamon, orange rind, coconut sugar and maple syrup. Spread out on a baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 180℃ for around 10 minutes, being careful not to burn it! Step 3: . <PIC> Let the mixture cool. Add the goji berries, cranberries, blueberries and shredded coconut and mix well! Now you have made Santa's Merry Muesli! Enjoy!


Introduction: Picnic Baked Beans . <PIC> Picnic Baked Beans by Cyann : ) These baked beans are a family favorite… for over 30 years I’ve been baking these beans for my family and friends. Through the years, so many have asked for my recipe, even my friend’s friends have called me for the recipe. Many times I have made this Picnic Baked Beans dish a day ahead, letting the flavors enhance, resulting in a better tasting dish. These beans are also great tasting served cold!!Ingredients:4 (15 ounce) Van Camp's Pork & Beans, drain juice out of two of the cans of beans1 cup Heinz Ketchup1 cup firmly Del Monte packed light brown sugarblack pepper, to taste1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper1/2 cup Karo® Light OR Dark Corn Syrup 2 squirts of French’s yellow mustard1 medium onion, peeled and chopped2 cloves garlic, minced4 pork chops, seasoned, cooked, and chopped 1 lb. bacon, cooked and drainedDirections:Pre heat oven 325°F degrees.In a large mixing combine and mixing together the pork & beans ketchup, brown sugar, black pepper, cayenne pepper, corn syrup, yellow mustard, onion and garlic.In a fry pan, place bacon in a single layer, cook on medium heat to your desired crispness, turning frequently. Drain bacon on paper towels, set aside. Drain most of the bacon grease from pan, add 2 tablespoons of butter and melt. Wait until the bacon has cooled and crumble with your hands.Add the season pork chops to the fry pan, cooking on each side for about 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden on the outside, juices run clear and fork tender. Remove from fry pan, drain on paper towels.  Wait until the pork chops have cooled, and cut up into little cubes. Add the bacon and pork chops to the bean mixture, and mix together and pour into a greased 2 ½ to 3 quart  greased casserole. Place the bacon on top of the beans. Place casserole on a lined cookies sheet and place in pre heated oven. Bake at 325°F degrees for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the beans are bubbly.  Let rest to thicken before serving. Yields: 8 to 10 servings.


Introduction: Piggy Minion. <PIC>  Step 1: . <PIC>  Step 2: . <PIC>  Step 3: . <PIC>  Step 4: . <PIC>  Step 5: . <PIC>  Step 6: . <PIC>  Step 7: . <PIC>  Step 8: . <PIC>


Introduction: S'mores French Macarons. <PIC> Macarons are tricky item to make. Most people need three tries to perfect these glorious cookies. Just keep trying, and you will see the amazing macarons you have made. Have fun, but be attentive;one wrong move, and you've ruined your cookes. Step 1: Mise En Place.  To start, you should have all your ingredients out. These are French cookies, so precision is key. You can weigh out ingredients, but I really don't have time for that. Measure out 3 egg whites, at room temperature, 1/4 cup of white sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar (optional), 1 cup of almond flour, or ground blanched almonds, 1 3/4 cups of confectioner's sugar, and 1/4 cup of cocoa powder. Sift together the cocoa, almond flour, and confectioner's sugar. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit . If you cannot find cream of tartar, use a small squeeze of lemon juice. This will help stabilize your meringue, as cream of tartar would. Step 2: Making the Cookie. <PIC> Put your egg whites in a bowl of a stand mixer, or hand mixer with a whisk attachment, with the cream of tartar. Whip the egg whites until they get foamy. Start adding the sugar very gradually, about a tablespoon at a time. Keep whipping the egg whites for about 8 minutes. 8 minutes on my stand mixer could be different than yours. When you are done, the egg whites should be glossy, and hold a peak. To test, take off the whisk attachment, stir at the surface of the egg white mixture, and when you take the whisk out, the egg whites should be stiff.  MAKE SURE NOT TO OVER MIX THE EGG WHITES!!! If you do, there is no going back, and your egg whites will turn into white liquid. Over-mixing or under-mixing will ruin your cookie by either making them crack on top or spread out. Once you are done, add the dry mixture in by thirds. Fold the dry mixture in, not stir. This is where most people ruin their macarons, you cannot over mix the batter, or the shells will spread and flatten. If you undermix, your cookies will rise too much and crack on top. The consistency NEEDS to be like molten lava! Step 3: Piping the Cookies. Put about half your batter into a piping bag with a round tip. Pipe 2-3 inch little circles on parchment paper. You repeat with all your batter. Next, let these sit out to dry for 30 minutes in a dry area. Humidity will cause these fragile cookies to crack on top when they are baked. If you want your cookies to have the crisp, outer edge of a macaron while they rise in the ove, called feet, it is crucial they sit out. Bake them in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until they come of the paper without breaking. Let them cool off. If you do not know what macaron feet are, search perfect macaron on the internet, and just below the cookie, you will see the ring around the smooth top. That is a foot. Step 4: The Filling. Since macarons are sandwich cookies, they need a filling. You will need 3/4 cup of marshmallow fluff, 4 ounces of cream cheese, and 1- 2 cups of confectioners sugar, depending on how sweet you like your frosting. Fill in a piping bag and pipe in your macarons. Next, crush up some graham cracker and roll the frosting that oozes out of the macaron to catch the graham cracker crumbs.


Introduction: Delicious and Easy Thai Iced Tea. <PIC> Ever wanted to enjoy your own sweet, milky, bright orange and heavily caffeinated thai iced tea? Read on and learn how easy it is to make yourself!It's personally my favorite drink and love how easy it is to make. Step 1: Materials. <PIC> You only need a few different ingredients for this delicious summer drink:Thai Tea Mix (link to buy) This is your main ingredient. Use this delicious smelling blend of spices and added orange coloring to make the iconic beverage. If you want, you can actually make this mix from scratch! But it's not really necessary, and a lot easier to start from the mixTea Sock (link to buy) This is used to strain out the mix; I'll explain it's exact usage laterSugar (2 cups)Evaporated Milk (one can)Optional: you can also use sweetened condensed milk; in this case, use less sugar in the mix, as the sweetened condensed milk is very sweet.Other Materials needed:Large pot Large pitcher Stirring spoon Measuring cup Step 2: Cooking. <PIC> Now it's time to cook. I really like Thai Iced Tea, so I make large batches at once. Feel free to scale down the recipe if necessary. This makes plenty for a large gathering of people, or for just me for a week or so.Boil 8 cups of water in the large pot Add 1 cup of thai tea mix to the pot Add 2 cups of sugar and stir in Cook for five minutes, stirring as necessary Let sit for 10 minutes (off of heat) Filter into new container through tea sock Let cool in fridge for 40-60 minutesAnd now you're almost there! Step 3: Pouring a Glass. <PIC> Time for the fun part.Prepare a glass by filling it with ice; pour your tea over it.Now add your evaporated milk (or condensed milk if you chose that recipe variant). I find a few tablespoons is good, but feel free adjust based on your preference.Next, stir in and enjoy the beautiful swirls the two liquids make with each other.Enjoy!


Introduction: Fried Bread Pakoda - Who's Hungry. <PIC> Fried Bread Pakoras is a quick bread snack recipe and they are great as a tea time snack. There are two ways these are made. First one is plain bread pakora and the other is potato stuffed one. The plain one has not stuffed anything inside the bread. The other ones are made similar to the bread rolls or bread bonda but not the same. One such recipe is the Fried Bread Pakoras.So let's put on your cooking hats and start cooking !! Step 1: Ingredients Required. <PIC> Needed:6 Slices of Bread.Stuffing:1 cup of cubed potatoesGreen peas(optional)1 cup of chopped Carrot1 cup of chopped beansa sprig of curry leaves2 green chilies chopped1/2 Tsp ginger paste1/2 Tsp chili powder1/2 Tsp garam masalaGenerous pinch of turmeric powderFew coriander leavesSalt as needed.Batter:1 cup Gram flour/Besan2 - 3 tbsps rice flour1/2 Tsp red chili powder1/2 - 3/4 tsp carom seedsGenerous pinch of turmeric powderSalt as neededWater as needed Step 2: Boil the Potatoes. <PIC> Steam or boil the potatoes until just cooked. Do not over cook as they will turn soggy. You can use a steamer or just boil in a pan with little water. You can also include a handful of green peas which is completely optional. Step 3: Peel * Cut * Mash. <PIC> When the potatoes are just boiled, set them aside and let them cool.Peel the potato skin and cut them into cubed shape.Once cooled mash them with a masher. Step 4: Make It Delicious. <PIC> Add Gram flour and Rice flour.Add chili powder, turmeric, Hing, garam masala, and salt.Add the mashed potatoes and mix them well.You can also include coriander leaves it's optional. Step 5: Bread Sandwich. <PIC> Place the bread slices and then spread the potato stuffing.Cover with another slice of bread. You can also spread green chutney on the other slice. Press the bread slices well to hold the stuffing properly. Step 6: Slice. <PIC> Slice them into half by cutting them into diagonal, so the stuffings are cooked well. Step 7: Let's Make the Batter. <PIC> In a mixing bowl add Gram flour, red chili powder, carom seeds, salt, rice flour, and turmeric.  Mix them up very well. Add water just as needed and make a thick batter. Step 8: Dip Them :. <PIC> You will have to gently lift the stuffed bread and dip them in the batter. Make sure it is coated on the sides as well. Hold towards the 2 edges and lift them gently from the batter. Gently wipe the excess batter. Drop in Hot oil. Step 9: Fry Them:. <PIC> Heat the Oil as needed. Once the oil is heated.Drop the dipped bread stuff in the hot oil. Fry until golden on both the sides by flipping. Step 10: Drain. <PIC> Once they turn golden amber in color, remove them from the oil and place it on to some paper napkins to remove excess oil.That's it!! Now you have some awesome Fried Bread Pakodas. Step 11: Serve With LOVE. <PIC> Serve the Fried Bread Pakodas with green chutney or Sause.This is by far the best combination to enjoy with hot tea.That's all Foodies!! Happy Tea-Time.


Introduction: Kite Cake. <PIC> This is a relatively easy cake to make, that I had a lot of fun making! It's simple, and ends up looking very good!  Step 1: Ingredients . <PIC> Ingredients-300g soft butter300g caster sugar6 eggs1 tbsp vanilla extract80g plain flour 300g self-raising flour100g plain full fat Greek yoghurt 3 tbsp milkJam (to sandwich cakes together) Decoration-150g soft butter300g caster sugarPacket of ready to roll white icing Ready to roll pink icingReady to roll blue icing Ready to roll green icing (alternatively, purchase extra white icing and blend it with food coloring of each color mentioned above)Chocolate icing pen (optional) Step 2: Technicals. <PIC> Heat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius (fan oven)Grease and line two tins; one 18cm one and one 13cm one. Step 3: Batter . <PIC> Whisk the butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Add rest of ingredients (except the jam) and whisk together to form a smooth batter. Step 4: Bake. <PIC> Fill the two cake tins three quarters full with batter. The 13cm cake bakes for an hour and ten minutes, while the 18cm cake bakes for an hour and a half.Be careful, when removing small cake to do it quickly so the larger cake won't sink.  Step 5: Build-A-Cake. <PIC> Trim the tops of cake so they are flat, then cut each one in half, and sandwich back together using the jam.  Step 6: Icing . <PIC> Whisk the soft butter with sieved icing sugar to make butter-cream icing. Cover both cakes in it, and cover in white roll on icing.Then use the butter cream icing to sandwich the two cakes together  Step 7: Decorate!. <PIC> Now decorate your cake!I covered the top in blue roll on icing and cut out the white icing in cloud shapes. I then cut out a triangle in pink icing and used a chocolate icing pen to draw in lines and the tail of the kite. I used a caramel pen to make the bows on the kite's tail.I used small flower cutters to decorate the sides of the bottom cake, and green roll on icing to make the grass. Now cut your cake and enjoy!


Introduction: Bacon Jalapeno Cheesy Popper Pockets. <PIC> Every so often you come across Bacon wrapped Jalapeno Poppers. For those who don't know, these are jalapenos stuffed with cheese mix and wrapped in bacon then grilled. While I thoroughly enjoy those and have made them many times, I wanted to make a slightly more portable version so I figured out a couple ways to pack it. See the next steps to find out how. Step 1: The Ingredients List. <PIC> Your ingredients for this are as follows:- Bacon (1lb)- Cream Cheese (1lb)- Cheese (1lb)- Jalapenos - Wet (1/2lb - 1lb) OR Dried (2oz - 4oz)Proportionally I prefer to keep all ingredients in equal portions. It may seem like overkill but the remaining filling that doesn't get used tastes great and can be melted for chip dip or spread on a bagel. I will explain Wet/Dry in subsequent steps. Step 2: The Jalapenos - Wet Version. <PIC> Wet Version1. Take approximately 1/2 lb to 1lb of fresh Jalapenos and rinse them.2. Chop the tops off.3. If you really, really like jalapenos you probably have a jalapeno corer if not you can use a paring knife to help remove the center seed pack.4. Rinse them out unless you want the seeds for extra kick.5. Your finished cleaned jalapenos need to be split and will go in your food processor. Step 3: The Jalapenos - Dried Version. Dry Version (You can buy dried jalapenos if you want but this is how I do it since it is cheaper)1. Repeat steps 1-4 of Wet Version 2. Split the cored jalapenos. 3. Place them in your food processor and blend them down to a paste.4. Spread the jalapeno paste onto a cookie tray. For obvious reasons don't use one with no edges unless you want jalapeno juice everywhere.5. Set your oven to between 140 and 180 degrees. The reason I give this range is due to not all ovens go down to 140. Anything above 180 will risk cooking the jalapeno paste vs drying it out.6. Place your jalapeno paste in the oven and place a cloth in the door to let any moisture escape.7. Within a couple hours you will have reduced a decent amount of moisture will be gone from the jalapeno paste. I'll explain why drier jalapenos have an impact on the end product in a little bit. Sorry I don't have any pictures for this step as I opted to work with the wet version this time. Step 4: Jalapeno Bacon Mix - Base. <PIC> To make your Jalapeno Bacon Mix:Wet Mix1. Cook the bacon using your preferred method.2. Place the (wet) jalapeno slices and bacon in your food processor.3. Blend until it is a paste.4. Place into your blender/kitchen aid/mixing bowl.Semi-Dry Mix1. Cook the bacon using your preferred method.2. Place the (dry) jalapeno paste/powder and bacon in your food processor. 3. Blend until it is a paste. If you dried your jalapeno paste until it was a dry jalapeno powder, it will turn back into a paste due to the grease from the bacon. 4. Place into your blender/kitchen aid/mixing bowl. Step 5: Why Wet Vs Dry?. Now the explanation.Through trial and error I discovered the flaw of these delicious jalapeno popper pockets lies both in the wrap technique and the water content of the filling.Fresh Jalapenos = Wet Filling = Trapped Steam = Popper Pockets more likely to POPFresh Jalapenos, Dried = Semi-Dry Filling = Less Trapped Steam = Popper Pockets are less likely to POPThe water content of your filling is directly affiliated with the quantity of jalapenos in your base mix and whether or not they are fresh (wet) jalapenos or dried to some degree.The ideal wrap method that I have discovered is the one reviewed in this Instructable.  Step 6: The Final Filling. <PIC> For consistency purposes, I like using my Kitchenaid Mixer. This can be done by hand however it may require greater effort to get a consistent mix.Add the cream cheese and your choice of standard cheese. Fold the mix on itself for about 5 minutes. You should end up with the picture above. Step 7: The Fold. <PIC> As stated earlier, this is my best variation of how to wrap the jalapeno popper pockets. I have made them about 20 times. 1. Place a sheet of eggroll wrap onto a plate and brush it thoroughly with water.2. Take a cookie scoop or a large tablespoon and put a glob of filling about 2oz - 3oz in the center of the eggroll.3. Fold one point in toward the center and fold it tightly.4. Fold each side into the center, overlapping with the other.5. Finish rolling the pocket until the final point lands on the opposite side of the pocket Step 8: FRY and ENJOY!. <PIC> After prepping all the jalapeno popper pockets you're going to make, throw them in the fryer. Be sure to flip them and watch for if they are at risk of popping. They only need about a minute or so per side. Remember the wetter your filling, the more likely they are to bubble up and risk popping. Finally, enjoy your delicious appetizer!


Introduction: How to Sprout Grains and Beans. <PIC> Sprouting grains and beans on your own is cheap and easy to do! You can eat sprouts on their own raw, or cook them and add them to other dishes. You can even make flour from sprouted grains! :)In this instructable I'll cover how to sprout grains and beans on your own and what sorts of beans and sprouts are safe to eat raw.My absolute favorite things to sprout are quinoa, lentils and mung beans - they're great raw. :D Step 1: What You'll Need + Beans and Sprouts to Eat Raw. <PIC> (What I'm sprouting, left to right: quinoa, French lentils, brown rice, wheat berries, chickpeas - quinoa and French lentils are my favorites, though the wheat berries are really tasty too!)Equipment:quart sized mason jarscheeseclothBeans/legumes to sprout and eat raw:whole lentils (I'm using French green lentils)mungadzukichickpeasgreen peasGrains to sprout:wheat berriesquinoabrown ricebarleyThis page has a more complete list and lots of info!You can also sprout greens like alfalfa and clover, but I tend to just buy those because they're super easy to find and I save myself some effort. Keep in mind that there are certain beans that are toxic eaten raw, so always do your research before eating them raw. You can sprout and then cook them, however! Step 2: Soaking. <PIC> Please keep in mind that the grains/beans will swell when soaked, so make sure you never fill the jars more than 1/3 of the way full.You'll want to rinse the grains/beans and pluck out any rocks or odd colored pieces. Then pour them into jars and cover with cool water almost to the top.Cover with the cheesecloth and seal with the lid ring and let them soak at room temperature for 6-8 hours. Do this out of direct sunlight. :)I always lean more towards 8 hours, because that way I can go to sleep or head to work and let them soak while I'm doing something else.  Step 3: Draining + Rinsing. <PIC> After the initial 8 hour soak, pour out the soaking water and rinse the grains/beans very well. I like to set them over a baking sheet on a rack so that they can continue draining.For smaller grains like quinoa, you'll want to drain them really really well - otherwise they can get quite stinky! Holding the jars at a 45 degree angle lets them drain a little better.After the initial rinsing, let them sit upside down on the rack (or on a dish rack!) unless you're rinsing them. You'll want to rinse them 3-4 times a day and set them back to drain until they begin to sprout.  Step 4: Sprouting Times. <PIC> Most beans and grains will be ready within 48 hours, though some can take 4-5 days - Keep them rinsed and well drained during this time or the sprouts can go bad. In most cases, I stop sprouting them as soon as I see a little tail, anywhere from 1/8 - 1/2 inch. Brown rice takes a while longer, however - and the leafy green sprouts can do with another day in sunlight so they grow tiny shoots. :)Keep in mind that if you let the sprouting process go too long, you can alter the flavor in a huge way, and often not for the better. The length of time that you let them sprout will be something you figure out with a little trial and error. Step 5: Storing Your Sprouts. <PIC> To store your sprouts, first rinse them well in a sieve or colander and let them sit for a bit to remove most of the water. Then store them in a small container or a ziploc bag - pop a dry paper towel in there to leech out some of the moisture. You'll want to store them in the fridge and use them pretty fast - they can get funky quick! I always try to use them within 3-4 days.


Introduction: Easy Homemade Soda (Soft Drink). <PIC> The best old school soda is made not with a carbonation device but with yeast! The base recipe can be modified with just about anything. I mean just about anything, there are no limits. Use what's in season, what's cheap at the farmer's market or just with the tastes you love. This base recipe makes about 2 liters. Ingredients1/2 cup sugar - you can adjust this to taste and according to the sweetness of the  fruitWaterYeast - champagne or ale yeast. After some practice you can use a wild yeast Fruit of your choice. eg : watermelon, ginger,apple, strawberryJuice of 1 or 2 lemons or limesPinch of saltEquipmentSaucepanMeasuring jugBlenderWooden spoonFunnelBottles, can be glass or plasticDisclaimer: This drink has a small amount of alcohol. The byproduct of fermentation is alcohol.The short fermentation process limits the production of alcohol. If the drink is fermented for the recommend time it usually is less then 0.5%. Step 1: Making the Base. <PIC> Depending on the fruit you are using - Peel, juice and/or pulp your fruitand set aside. I am using mandarin orange so I am just using the freshly squeezed juice. If I was using ginger I would boil it with  water to bring out the flavor. Use your own judgement, try different  things.I  have squeezed 1 liter of juice. Again this is flexible and you may use less or more.In large saucepan -  Bring a cup of water, sugar and salt to the boil. Step 2: Bottling. <PIC>  Add juice  to plastic 2 liter bottle. You can use glass, but it's good to fill a small plastic bottle out of each batch to help test when it's ready. With practice you will be able to use just glass.Top up with sugar syrup, lemon juice and extra water if needed. When cooled add a pinch of yeast. Give it a shake and leave in warm place. Let stand to 12 to 48 hours. Feel the bottle - when it is rock hard the soda is carbonated. Refrigerate now to stop fermentation. It needs to be stored in the fridge, so fermentation doesn't start again and over carbonate your bottle. After a day or 2 in the refrigerator it is ready to drink.  Step 3: Ready to Drink. <PIC> Open slowly - it may be really fizzy!Serve ice cold! Make any flavor you like. I likeApple, ginger and beetroot  Watermelon and mint  Strawberry  Starfruit  Ginger  My personal favorite Wild raspberry with a drop of vanilla for a yummy sweet creamy soda.The garden of the world has no limits, except in your mind. So go out there and play!