Buy In Bulk And Save Money

Buy In Bulk And Save Money
Buying in bulk is by no means a new method of shopping
though it seems to have been somewhat forgotten. There are
so many perks to this form of shopping that it's astounding
more people aren't doing it regularly. Buying certain
products in bulk is a fantastic way of saving both money
and time. Most large towns and cities have some form of
bulk grocery store or distributor. Often a membership fee
is applicable but it's reasonable and not without reason.
Quite often a bulk buying membership pays for itself with
the first shopping expedition.

If you take the time to compare and contrast different
products on the regular grocery shelf with products from a
bulk store, you will certainly see a viable difference in
cost. Savings are substantial when buying in bulk.
Purchasing a bulk sized package of bottled water often
breaks down so that each bottle is almost fifty percent
cheaper when bought in bulk than it would be to buy just
one from the convenience store. Not only do the savings
already apply but buying bulk products that are also on
sale is an added way to increase your savings.

There are definitely certain types of food and household
products that are the most beneficial to purchase in bulk.
Cereal, juice and toilet paper are just a few of the best
items to stock up on in bulk format. The items that you go
through daily are the ones that you spend the most money
on. Consider switching to bulk in order to have more at a
time while saving a little extra. Many people may not find
meat or other fresh products to be a worthy bulk
investment. The truth is that anything that can go into the
freezer is a fantastic bulk choice. Purchase fresh meat in
family packs which can be separated into smaller portions
before going into the freezer.

Most certainly there are some products that are not
recommended for acquiring in bulk. Fruit tends to be
something that should be bought in smaller quantities. It
simply doesn't last long enough to be worth buying in large
amounts. Items that can be stored either in a dry cupboard
at room temperature or in a large deep freezer are prime
bulk buying items. Steer clear of buying things that you
know your family will not eat within a reasonable time
frame to avoid spoilage. If it won't last long in proper
storage then it probably isn't the best selection.

Many families get stuck in a rut where they do the monthly
grocery shopping and still end up having to stop at the
store frequently for things. Stopping at the store
periodically is not a way to save money. If you're going
back for more or extra items, that is your first indicator
that buying in bulk may be best for you. Buying large
quantities and breaking them into smaller ones will save
you money and the time it takes to stop at the store
frequently.

With the rising costs of oil and gasoline, saving time also
equates to saving gas. If you take fewer trips to the store
for meal items and buy more at one time, the need to run
out for groceries will be less frequent. This certainly
means less gas use. Making grocery purchases in bulk is
effective in cutting a variety of costs. Consider the ways
it can help your family save time and money that can be
better spent in other ways.

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Get a free recipe ebook as well as frugal recipes money
saving tips and more at http://www.eatingonabudget.com

Better Food Choices for a Healthier You

Better Food Choices for a Healthier You
Sometimes it seems like life is just too busy to eat what
we should. New health information about foods can get put
in the "to-do when I find the time" file and your body
misses out on the benefits. Reaping the benefits of some of
the latest health trends is fast and easy, though. Here are
a few trendy foods to start eating today.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon has been making headlines lately, and for good
reason. It can make a huge impact on your health. A study
published in the June 2007 edition of the Journal of
Clinical Nutrition found that subjects that ate more than a
teaspoon of cinnamon a day lowered their normal elevations
of blood sugar.

Many experts agree that adding at least ½ tsp to 1
tsp of cinnamon a day to your diet can speed up the body's
metabolism. It also stabilizes blood sugar levels by
stimulating the release of insulin. It also decreases the
build-up of plague, which can cause clogs in the heart.
Cinnamon also works as an antioxidant, which can slow down
cellular damage, free radical damage, and vulnerability to
chronic disease.

Better Meat

Red meat is full of fat and heart damaging properties. A
great alternative is white meat. White meat has been in the
news for years, so it's time to get on the boat! Pork
(known as "The Other White Meat"), chicken breast, and fish
are all great white meats that are lower in fat and
calories.

My local grocery store sells Laura's Lean Ground Beef. It
comes in 4% fat and 8% fat. That's awesome. The 4% variety
gets me mostly protein and hardly any fat. Look for similar
varieties in your store too.

When shopping for pork, look for cuts with the words "loin"
or "round" in their name. These cuts of meat are leaner
than others.

"Eat more fish" is one of the biggest healthy eating
newsflashes today. Why? Fish contain a large amount of
essential fatty acids such as omega 3 and omega-6, which
help with good brain function. Fish can do a lot more than
that, though! Fish oils can be used to prevent, treat, and
cure angina, arteriosclerosis, congestive heart failure,
heart attack, arrhythmias, peripheral vascular disease, and
stroke. How does it work? Fish oil keeps the elasticity of
artery walls healthy, reduces blood pressure, stabilizes
heart rhythm, and it prevents blood clotting. Fish are also
low in fat.

Açaí Berry

The tropical açaí berry (pronounced
ahh-sigh-ee) made headlines when it became touted by Oprah
as the new "super food". This little berry is a powerful,
and tasty, little food that should find its way into your
diet for a number of reasons.

The purple açaí berry from the Amazonian rain
forest has some of the highest levels of antioxidants found
in foods. It also contains fatty acids, protein, and fiber.
A study by the University of Florida found that, in a
cell-culture model, açaí berries caused
leukemia cells kill themselves in 86 percent of the tests,
so they may be an effective preventive of some forms of
cancer.

The fresh form of açaí berries cannot be
found outside of the Amazon because the berry becomes
rancid very quickly. You can buy açaí berries
in a dry powder form that can be added to smoothies,
milkshakes, juice, and other types of foods at many health
food stores and on the internet.

Stop letting good health news go in one ear and out the
other. Start eating these healthy foods today and reap the
benefits!

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The fitness and health blog at
http://fithealthyself.com/blog gives you the latest
information on fitness, health and nutrition. Join the
blog. Share your concerns. Free fitness mini-course at
http://fithealthyself.com .

Tortilla Tactics

Tortilla Tactics
Ever give much thought to the popularity of corn tortillas?
Did you know that they have become so popular in the US,
that they now outsell bread. The simple corn tortilla has
long been the staff of life for the native population in
Mexico and points south.

Corn—the major staple of the Americas, evolved somewhere
north and east of Mexico City and is thought to be a
sophistication of grass.

The corn in tortillas is softened with a long soak in
ground lime and water, thus creating posole, the Mother
process for the corn. It is then ground into masa, which
when mixed with warm water and a bit of salt is fashioned
into corn tortillas, which are the basis for making all
manner of items from corn chips, such as totados, fritos,
doritas and the like, as well as being a major ingredient
in dishes such as enchiladas, tacos and casseroles.

Masa is not to be confused with corn meal. Corn meal has
not been treated with lime, which destroys the fibers in
the corn kernels, allowing the masa to stick together when
moistened. Corn meal simply will not stick together.

Good fresh masa is critical for fresh, corny tasting
tortillas. The masa should smell like fresh corn, not like
rancid fat, which can happen when the masa has been stored
at temperatures above 70 degrees for extended periods.

Corn tortillas are simple, nutritious and make a great
substitute for bread. A very simple snack that is so
healthy and amazingly delicious is to just tuck some stewed
pinto beans into a tortilla and top with chile salsa or
pickled jalapenos. And with freshly made tortillas—it is
amazingly good. We always have them for breakfast during my
weekend and week long cooking schools.

You can bake your own corn chips or tostados in a 425 F
oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until crisp. Sprinkle with
whatever you like, fresh ground cumin, sprinkles of lime
juice, red chile, or fresh garlic granules.

Or, have fun thickening your soups with tortillas. They
make a healthy, terrific taste in most any vegetable or
broth based soup.

Once mastered, home made corn tortillas are great fun to
make and taste so fresh and corny. Mexican native women
fashion the tortillas between moistened palms—it looks so
easy, however it takes years of practice to be as good at
it as they are. Most find it easier to use a tortilla
press and waxed paper to press the balls of masa between.

If you do not have the time or desire to make your own corn
tortillas, then select commercial tortillas without dark
spots for the freshest corniest taste. And for eating out
of hand as a bread or around a filling for a soft taco,
take the tortillas and heat briefly on a hot surface such
as a griddle or a grill.

For making tortillas, the masa must have the correct amount
of water. The dough should not be so moist that when made
into a ball and gently pressed between the palms, it sticks
to the palms. If too moist, stir or knead in a bit more
masa. If too dry and the masa gets cracks in the surface,
then just add a bit of warm water and work into the dough
and retest by making another ball.

Have fun making tortillas. It is a great family fun time.
Here's my favorite Corn Tortilla recipe--

Corn Tortillas
----
The Mayan's of ancient Mexico worshiped the god of corn and
believed that man was created from corn dough, or masa,
meaning that eating food made from corn was a special or
even sacred experience. These tortillas are to be served
warm as bread, or fried to become the basis for tacos,
tostados, or other dishes. They can be frozen for up to
six months.

Yield: 12 (6-inch) tortillas

2-1/2 cups Pecos Valley Spice Co. masa from white, yellow
or blue corn
1 teaspoon salt
About 1-1/4 cups hot water

1.In a medium-size bowl, combine masa and salt, and make a
well in the center of the mixture. Mix in the water and
stir until a firm dough is formed. Finish mixing with your
hands. The dougn should be firm and springy to the touch,
not dry, crumbly, or sticky.

2.To test, roll a small ball of dough and flatten it
between your hands. If cracks form, add more warm water;
if it is too moist and sticks to your palms, add more masa.
For the best-quality tortillas, the dough should be easily
handled.

3.Preheat a comal or well-seasoned skillet over medium high
heat until it is very hot. Pull off one ball of dough at a
time about the size of an egg. Keep remaining dough
covered with plastic wrap. Roll each ball until round,
then place it between sheets of waxed paper or plastic
wrap. Flatten in a tortilla press or with a rolling pin or
the bottom of a cast-iron pan. Trim the edges, if you
wish, to get a round shape.

4.Place the tortillas, one at a time, on the hot ungreased
surface and cook 1 or 2 minutes on each side, or until they
have brown specks and become "dry" on the surface. Stack
them as they cook, and wrap in a warm towel or napkin.

Blue Corn Tortillas:

The dough for blue corn tortillas normally must be more
moist. However, if you still have trouble rolling and
baking them, add ½ to 1 cup white or yellow masa and more
warm water to make the dough easier to shape into tortillas.

----------------------------------------------------
Jane Butel offers an on-line course, "All About Chiles"
through her cooking school, which is hosted by the
University of British Columbia. This course presents an
indepth chile education. Additionally, she operates a
full-participation weekend and week long vacation cooking
school, a mail-order spice company featuring her
cookbooks,and conducts culinary tours and team-building
classes.
http://www.janebutel.com

Where did Tea Originate?

Where did Tea Originate?
History of Tea

Tea drinking originates from China several thousand years
ago and the story goes that a few leaves of the Camellia
plant accidentally fell into some boiling water. The
resulting infusion was then drunk by the Chinese Emperor
Shen Nung who found it highly palatable, and the concept of
tea drinking was born.

Later it was introduced to Japan and then it found its way
over to Europe via the Dutch and the Portuguese during the
17th Century. It wasn't until 1662 when Charles II married
Catherine of Braganza, a Portuguese princess with a passion
for tea, that tea drinking became fashionable and spread
throughout Britain, but as it was so expensive at the time
it was only available to the upper classes. Finally in the
early 18th Century, the taxes on tea were reduced and tea
became accessible to everyone.

Today, tea is arguably the most popular beverage in the
world and indeed, Britain is especially renowned for being
a nation of tea drinkers.

What is a Tea Urn ?

A tea turn can be described as a metal container which is
used to brew tea or to boil large quantities of water for
making tea or coffee. The container has a small tap or
spigot near the bottom of the container which allows the
liquid to pass out of the container and into the cups or
tea pots.

Tea urns can be an extremely useful item for village halls,
fetes, coffee mornings, catering establishments, work
offices, barbecues, rallies, concerts, or basically any
type of function, venue or event that requires the
provision of refreshments for large numbers of people. A
standard tea urn that is capable of holding 20 litres of
water can provide tea for up to 120 people in one sitting.

Electric tea urns are more common if a function is to be
held indoors but where there is no source of power such as
at an outdoor concert or rally, then gas powered tea urns
can be used.

Advantages of using a tea urn

- No need to constantly boil and re-boil a kettle
- Can cater for large numbers of people with a minimum of
fuss
- No need to serve hundreds of people individually as it
allows for self catering if required as people can help
themselves
- Cost effective to use
- Saves on energy

Safety considerations

The main safety consideration is the risk of scalding so
the position of the tea urn has to be thought out carefully
beforehand. Never try to move a tea urn whilst it is filled
with water and make sure that the tap is inaccessible to
small children. It is also important to ensure that the
container is cleaned properly after use in order to prevent
any build up of bacteria.

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If you are a tea enthusiast or serve tea when catering for
events, you could use tea urns as an efficent serving &
storage device.
http://www.hygienesuppliesdirect.com/sub/tea_urns

What is Spray Dried Coffee?

What is Spray Dried Coffee?
Instant coffee comes in three different forms, freeze
dried, spray dried and liquid concentrate. Although the
initial brewing process is the same for all methods they
vary greatly with the methods used to produce the final
coffee product.

Typically the coffee beans chosen for instant coffee
production are from the lower end of the quality scale,
since many of the subtle flavours and aromas of the more
expensive types are lost in the production process.

Freeze dried coffee was discussed in a different article,
so here we concentrate on the production of Spray Dried
Coffee.

Stage One - This stage involves the production of large
quantities of freshly brewed coffee using industrial bulk
brewers. Freshly ground coffee is put into contact with hot
water in industrial brewers until the desired degree of
extraction has occurred. The process can either be the drip
filter method that many use in the home or an industrial
version of the coffee percolator. A large quality of waste
material in the form of used coffee grounds are produced by
these methods. However these days they are recycled for use
in animal foods, used as organic fuels or processed as
compost.

Stage Two - The resulting coffee liquor liquid is then
concentrated through an evaporation process where some of
the volatile aroma components are removed and stored to be
returned later prior to packing.

This stage produces a thick more viscous coffee liquid that
is then ready for the next stage in the making of spray
dried instant coffee.

Stage Three - The concentrated liquid coffee is then sent
to the spray-drying tower where it is turned into powder.
This is achieved by pumping the coffee concentrate through
an atomizer where it is broken into small droplets. These
droplets react with the hot drying gases in the tower and
lose moisture rapidly. They are are suspended in the drying
air and typically separated by centrifugal action.

The resulting fine powdered coffee can often be too fine to
be used easily. Consequently it often undergoes an
additional process called agglomeration, which results in a
more useable and appealing product. The fine coffee
particles are gathered into larger particles using a
partial re-hydration process which produces a more visually
tempting finished product somewhere between the consistency
of powder and freeze dried coffee.

Spray dried coffee is considerably cheaper to produce that
freeze dried coffee, the latter of which is considered the
more higher quality product.

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For more information about coffee and coffee brewing
equipment visit http://www.cafebar.co.uk

Easy Fondue Party -- Types of Fondue Pots, Number of People to Invite and Fondue Recipes

Easy Fondue Party -- Types of Fondue Pots, Number of People to Invite and Fondue Recipes
Hosting an Easy Fondue Party is easy. First you have to
decide what type of fondue party to have. You can either
do a sit down party where everyone gathers around a table
or you can do a buffet party where fondue pots are set up
in various locations around the house.

If you decide to host a sit down fondue party, limit the
number of guests to 8 or 10 as everyone needs to be able to
reach the fondue pots. If you want to host more people,
choose the buffet party and set up pots around the house.

Once you determine the type of party and the number of
people you will invite, it is time to organize your fondue
equipment and select your recipes.

Fondue Pots

There are many styles to choose from but basically it comes
down to the heating source and the size of the pot.

Electric Pot -- Rival Fondue Pots are reliable and work
well for any kind of fondue party. They are convenient and
easy to use because you do not have to worry about the
heating source and their non-stick interior makes clean up
a breeze.

Sterno Pot -- You will find several sterno fondue pots on
the market. Rachel Ray, the Food Network host, has a
series of sterno pots in various colors which work
especially well when you do not want to worry about people
tripping over electric cords. The sterno units last for
several hours too.

Tea Light Pot -- I especially like fondue pots that use a
tea light for the heat source. You can buy a huge bag of
tea lights very cheaply at any craft store and you can find
the pots in varying sizes so they work well with savory and
dessert fondues.

If you are going to host fondue parties regularly, it is a
good idea to have several different pots available so that
you are ready for any situation.

Next, you need to choose your recipes. For a party of 8,
serve 2 or 3 savory fondue recipes and 1 dessert recipe.

Savory Recipe -- Garlic Cream Cheese Fondue

1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Canola oil
2-8oz. packages cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup milk
8 oz. sour cream
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Dippers such as Italian bread, apples, broccoli, steamed
potato chunks

In a heavy saucepan, saute onion and garlic in oil until
translucent.

Add cream cheese, milk, sour cream and mustard and stir
until melted.

Pour mixture into a fondue pot set to low and serve with
dippers. This one is fantastic served with bread and potato
chunks.

Dessert Recipe - Chocolate Caramel Fondue

12 Turtles or another chocolate caramel candy
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Dippers such as pound cake, strawberries, shortbread cookies

Coarsely chop Turtles and place in a microwavable bowl. Add
whipping cream and cinnamon.

Microwave on medium heat for about 1 minute, stir and then
cook another 30 seconds or until candy is completely melted.

Pour into a fondue pot and set to low. Serve warm with
dippers.

The most important thing to remember about hosting an Easy
Fondue Party is to keep it casual. That is what fondue
parties are all about. It is what your guests expect.
Good food, good company, casual environment.

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Sandee Lembke from Theme Party Queen.com
(http://www.theme-party-queen.com/easy-fondue-party.html )
invites you to visit her site for specific recommendations
on fondue pots, chocolate fountains and accessories as well
as several more free fondue recipes.