Of all the vegetables that my children will eat at dinner, Broccoli is the one that is pretty much a go and not an argument anymore. The only problem I have now is coming up with different ways to serve them to my kids.  Coming up with different recipes for my children to enjoy these vitamin packed vegetables allows me to try and get creative.

If you feel like you run into this same dilemma let me help you as well.  First, when you buy broccoli make sure to always purchase heads that have firm stalks and tight bright green clusters of buds.  Make sure to refrigerate unwashed broccoli in a plastic bag in the vegetable drawer.  Broccoli has the potential to stay fresh for up to five days.

Here are a few different ways you to can eat and serve broccoli.

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First, let me start off by saying that for the longest time I had no idea what the differences were between Miracle Whip and Mayonnaise.  I never realized until one day I went to th supermarket and ran out of Mayonnaise and accidentally picked up a jar of Miracle Whip.  Well, let me say that I definitely learnt quickly how different these two really are.

Miracle Whip IS NOT I repeat IS NOT mayonnaise.  According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requires that anything labeled “mayonnaise” contain a minimum of 65 percent vegetable oil by weight.  Kraft Miracle Whip made its debut in 1933 at the Chicago World’s Fair, it has been labeled a “dressing” rather than a mayonnaise.

Although Miracle whip contains mayo’s key ingredients, egg, soybean oil, vinegar, water but is different due to its sweet, spicy flavor. 

Which one do you prefer Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise?

Image by foodistablog/ Flickr
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Do you ever wonder what foods you should place in your freezer to keep over time?  While I was researching this subject I cam across this article from Real Simple, stating that the majority of foods that contain a lot of water should not be frozen.  Though I am sure that many of us will place meats and poultry items in the freeze it is always good to remember that their quality will lessen with time.  

However, here are a few examples,  that should never be stored in the freezer:

• Cottage cheese, ricotta, and cream cheese due to its soft consistency and high water content.  When these cheese come out of the freezer and return to room temperature they will become loose and lose its fluffy texture. 

• Shelled eggs, which by common sense is known to be dangerous to your health if consumed after frozen.  Freezing eggs will cause the eggs water content to expand and potentially crack the shell allowing bacteria to seep in.

• Mayonnaise and cream, food emulsions, if frozen will develop large ice crystals that will puncture the cell walls.  When these thaw, they will separate and curdle.

• Fresh water vegetables, such as celery, lettuce and cucumbers can be frozen but when de-thawed they will become soggy and limp.  Not very tasty.

Image: noodlepie/Flickr
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• How To: Measure Dry Baking Ingredients: Learn all that you need to know to bake your favorite desserts.

• Ants in the kitchen are never fun or appetizing, find out ways to get rid of them for good.

• Quick and Easy Recipe: Fried Rice.  Just add your favorite addition inside the rice, chicken, pork, or shrimp.

• Did you know there are different kinds of salts to cook with…. Here are 6.

• Got MILK?  Or maybe Fizzy Carbonated Milk, the new addition to the Global Coca-Cola brand. 

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Each week we round up our most yummy posts and recipes from our friends at the Kitchn.

This week, the kitchn defines a Southern Italian dish of roasted suckling pig, Porchetta.

Also in the Kitchn, nutella at home, blueberry picking, turn soup into a dish, Ethnic market shopping tips.

• How Can I Make Nutella At Home?:  Want your own kind and not the one out of the jar.

• 8 Tips Of Blueberry Picking:  Tips and advice from an expert picker.

• Tip: Turn Leftover Soup Into A Dish: Thicken up your leftover soup and create something different.

• 5 Tips On Finding The Best Products At Ethnic Markets: Learn new secrets on how to find new ethnic products.

Hmmmmm…. Chopsticks!  I think I was one of the fortunate ones out of my siblings that were able to pick up on chopsticks at a very early age.  It was never a thing where I couldn’t get it.  Although I am comfortable eating with them, I wouldn’t call myself an expert.  I started wondering if there were other people out there who have been able to master eating with chopsticks?  If not then tell me what’s your skill level?

If you have problems, here is a easy How To Guide and Chopsticks Etiquette

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Image: Hiromy/Flickr
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Ever have trouble on measuring out ingredients when you are wanting to bake. Here is simple guideline to help you next time.

• Flour: Before measuring flour, stir through the container, this will help to loosen the flour that has been sitting there. Lightly spoon the flour into a dry measuring cup, then level it off with a spatula or knife. Try not to shake off the excess flour, shaking will compact the flour and you’ll end up having too much.

• Sugar: Spoon sugar into a dry measuring cup. Pack it firmly until it is all one level.

• Shortening: Spoon shortening into a dry measuring cup. Pack it firmly into the cup and level off the top.

• Liquids: Measure liquids in a glass measuring cup. Make sure to fill it just to the measuring line.

• Butter: Butter sticks have tablespoon markings on the wrapper,  8 tablespoons per stick. Just slice off what you need when you need it.  *Always remember: 1 stick equals 1/2 cup butter.*

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Ants…. these little annoying crawly buggers that love to attack anything that might sit on your counter for more than 20 minutes at a time.  I started thinking about a way to get rid of these tiny critters after speaking with my sister who happens to be a victim of these lil monsters.  Every time Aly, my sis, leaves out a box of donuts or cookies that are still in the container mind you, she comes back to find an army of ants feasting on her beloved sweets, and if you knew my sister you would know that doesn’t sit well with her at all!
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• On a hot summer day try a homemade Paletas (fruity Mexican ice pops). —  San Francisco Chronicle

• Want to know what works for mother of all hangovers?  —  Washington Post

• A different way to enjoy Pie crust, without it being on the bottom.  —  New York Times

• Sweet mild almonds are nutritional superheroes.  —  Miami Herald

• Ten of the Best Bars for the over 35 crowd.  —  Boston Globe

Image: douglemoine/Flickr

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Have you ever tried chcolate made from camel’s milk before?

If the answer is no, don’t worry you will now have a chance to… due to Dubai’s Al Nassma, the world’s first brand of chocolate made with camels’ milk, plans to expand into new Arab markets, Europe, Japan and the United States.

“We aim to be the Godiva of the Middle East,” Van Almsick said in an interview. “It’s a luxury product, so we will never be in supermarkets. Almsick also stated the different benefits of this chocolate which ranges from camel’s milk, which has more vitamin C than cow’s milk, less fat, less lactose, and more insulin, which makes the chocolate a better option for lactose intolerant and diabetic consumers.”

What do you think of this new chocolate?  Will you be trying some?
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