Relationship between Parents and Children

We are in an era of science and technology. Modern gadgets like computers, laptops, mobile phones, gaming consoles etc have facilitated us on one hand and have created a gulf between the children and their parents. What could be imparted through a gentle nod, a little grin or a few words of advice cannot be substituted by any data bank of knowledge on the internet.

As we are getting involved into the busy life routine we tend to ignore the importance of our availability for our kids for those invaluable experiences and joys of relationship. Relationship between the parents and their children is very delicate; it is primarily because of the reason that children have tender age and as a consequent not very mature emotionally. Due to young age, which is very impressionable, the kids are not really able to interpret things properly and at times formulate opinions that are misleading and not based on rational facts. It is usually the way they perceive the things to be or the way they interpret what they see.

So the prime responsibility of the parents is to get into the shoes of their children and understand what they think about the things. The parents are the one who have to eventually deal with the problems of their children. Peers and teachers at schools also play their role in grooming the children and improving their habits but is there a substitute of the parents' kind and loving words? We must look for an opportunity to devote some time for our children, not for the sake of improving their habits but to build a strong bond of trust and love with them.

Here are some suggestions to improve the relationship and level of understanding with your children:-

1. Spend some time with them to be able to understand them thoroughly.

2. Seek the opinion of your children. Allow them to give their input as well.

3. Have meal with them because that’s the time when they share their thoughts with you.

4. Let your children help you in small chores; this will foster the relation further.

There could be many other ways and occasions that you could capitalize upon in order to build up your relationship with your children further. But the key to all this is yourself being available to your children whenever they require. Even if they don't need you at a particular juncture for any help you should still endeavour to devote time to guide them, show them your love and try to understand their needs and problems as they grow.

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Spicy Mushroom Soup

SPICY MUSHROOM SOUP

Ingredients

1.         Coconut Milk               -           2 Cups

2.         Vegetable Stock         -           2 Cups

3.         Mushrooms                 -           6

4.         Lemon Grass              -           1 Tbs

5.         Ginger                         -           2 or 3 slices

6.         Green chilli                  -           2

7.         Lemon                         -           1

8.         Coriander Leaves       -           2 Tbs (Chopped)

9.         Salt                              -           ½ Ts

10.       Fish Sauce                  -           1 Tbs

11.       Black Pepper              -           To taste

Recipe

            Mix coconut milk, vegetable stock and fish sauce in a bowl. Then boil these ingredients. After they are boiled mix salt, black pepper, ginger, green chilli, mushrooms and lemon grass in it. Mix it well, then boil it for five minutes and remove from the stove. Pour it into a boil. Garnish it with lemon and coriander and serve it hot.

credit pics:

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Noodles and Mushroom Soup

NOODLES AND MUSHROOM SOUP

Ingredients

1.       Chicken Yakhni (Soup)     -              6 cup

2.       Boiled noodles                  -              ½  cup

3.       Mushroom                        -              6

4.       Boiled chicken                   -              1 cup

5.       Soya sauce                        -              1 tbs

6.       Vinegar                             -              2  ts

7.       Black pepper                     -              ½  ts

8.       Corn flour                          -              2 tbs

9.       Salt                                   -              1 ts

Recipe

Boil the chicken stock, then mixed the soya sauce, vinegar, black pepper and salt in it. Boil it for a minute then mix chicken, mushroom and noodles in it. At the end mix the corn flour in water and put it in the soup. Mix it well and stir it for five minute. Remove it when it thickens up.

Delicious soup is ready.

pic credit

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Red meat and breast cancer

RED MEAT AND BREAST CANCER

1.            In our day to day life we use red meat a lot. Presumably, for the reason that it tastes good and gives us more energy.  However, the doctors feel that high blood pressure and that the patients of high risk of cardiac issues should cut down on the use of red meat.

2.            According to a new research “red meat” has rang up the danger bells.  Excessive use of red meat increases the risk of breast cancer. Those ladies who have more red meat in their diet are likely to run a greater risk of the disease.

3.            My advice is that ladies should watch out on the intake of red meat, try and reduce your weight. You should resort to a regular work out to keep yourself fit and attractive looking. A lot of water intake will also be helpful in this regard.  Eat healthy and stay trouble free. Give your best to your life and those whom you love and to those who love you.

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Delicious Fish Cutlets

FISH CUTLETS

Fish Cutlets :-)

Ingredients

1.         Fish                 -              200 grams

2.         Garlic              -              1 clove (chopped)

3.         Egg white        -             1

4.         Lemon juice    -             1TS                                                                                                       

5.         Sesame           -            1 TS

6.         Sesame oil      -            1 TS

7.         Capsicum        -            1 (chopped)

8.         Onion              -              1

9.         Bread slice      -             1

10.       Carrot              -              1 (chopped)

11.       Oil                    -               For frying                                           

Recipe

Steam the fish and mash it. Then mix all the ingredients in a bowl then make medium size round or square pieces/cubes. Dip it in the egg white and then roll it in the bread. Best served with fresh salad.                 

            

pic credits: pic

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Chicken Biryani

Chicken Biryani

Ingredients
2 cups rice (preferably Basmati)
500g chicken
6 tablespoons oil
300ml yoghurt
3 cloves of garlic, crushed and chopped
1.5cm ginger, peeled and sliced
5 large onions, chopped
½ cup tomatoes, puréed
2 chilis, chopped
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
5-6 strands saffron
8 cloves
10cm cinnamon stick
5 black pepper corns
8 cardamom pods
1 teaspoon cumin

Salt to taste


Method
Cook soaked and washed rice.(Preferably Basmati Rice)
Marinate the chicken in lemon juice, yoghurt, ginger, garlic, salt, turmeric powder, cumin powder, cloves, chillis, chopped tomatoes, tomato purée
Heat oil in a cooker and add onions, cook till onions turn golden brown. Add these to the chicken.
Grease a heavy bottomed deep and wide mouthed pan. Place a layer of rice. Put in the masala (the chicken and marinade) Top with the rest of the rice and put the saffron on top
Heat in the oven for 1 - 1½ hours at 150°C (300°F); to check whether ready, cut into a piece of chicken to see if it is cooked.
Serve the biryani with yoghurt on the side

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Chocolate Cheesecake

Chocolate Cheesecake

Chocolate cheesecake, rich in both chocolate and cheese. It is noticeably less sweet than many other American desserts, and somewhat more complicated.

Crust

• 5 Tbs butter, melted
• 2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs, or the equivalent in chocolate cookies or chocolate Graham crackers

Filling

• 3 packages (8 ounces (235g) each) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 5 large eggs
• 4 ounces (215g) (4 squares) semisweet chocolate, melted

Frosting

• 6 ounces (150g) (6 squares) semisweet chocolate, melted
• ½ cup sour cream

Method

1. Place rack in center of the oven. Preheat oven to 150 °C (300 °F).
2. If starting with whole cookies, crackers, or wafers, place them in a sturdy plastic bag a few at a time and crush using a rolling pin, or grind using a food processor.
3. Mix together chocolate crumbs and melted butter.
4. Press crumb mixture into bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan.
5. In a large bowl, beat together sugar and eggs at medium speed, slowly adding cream cheese, until smooth and fluffy.
6. Spoon half of cream cheese mixture into crust.
7. Melt 4 ounces of chocolate using a double boiler or, with care, a microwave. Stir into remaining cream cheese mixture until well blended.
8. Drizzle over batter in crust. Draw a spoon or other implement through the batter a few times to make swirls. Spread evenly.
9. Bake cheesecake for 50 minutes. After the first 30 minutes has gone by, place aluminum foil on top to prevent cracking and scorching.
10. Cool completely.
11. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill for about 2 hours, up to several days.
12. Transfer cheesecake to a serving plate.
13. Uncover cheesecake; carefully remove side of pan.

Enjoy

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Grilled Cheese Sandwhich

Grilled Cheese Sandwhich
A grilled cheese sandwich is a simple dish consisting of two slices of bread with cheese between them, grilled, optionally with other ingredients.

Ingredients

• For 1 sandwich:
• 1–3 slices of cheese, or shredded to taste
• Any smoothly melting cheese; typically cheddar, gouda, Limberger or American.
• 2 slices of bread
• Any bread that toasts well: generally white bread (including sourdough).
• butter
• margarine can be used, but is not recommended, as direct heating tends to negatively affect the taste of margarine
• other ingredients as necessary (see below).
• The key variable is the ratio of cheese to bread; this depends on the thickness and density of the bread, and the amount of cheese used, and varies according to taste; generally more cheese is preferred, so that the bread doesn't overwhelm the cheese.

Preparation

With presliced bread and cheese, there is very little preparation.

Method

Buttering the bread makes the outside of the bread brown, rather than dry and burn, and is widely recommended.

Butter the slices of bread, then place butter-side down (the butter is on the outside of the bread), in the pan or on other cooking surface. Follow this by placing the grated cheese or sliced cheese on top, then the other slice of bread, butter-up. Do not place the butter side down on a prep surface, as it will come off and make a mess.

Alternatively, one may melt butter in a pan, and then place the bread on it; when flipping, one should add more butter, then flip the bread.

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Nuked Nachos

Nuked Nachos

Nuked Nachos are an easy to prepare quick side dish, great with a quick-made lunch or such.

Ingredients

About 1/3 to 1/2 (per serving) cups (80g to 120g) of cheese (Whatever works, cheese-dip, pre-melted cheese, diced cheese, grated cheese...)

How ever many servings you want of corn chips (other chips that are good as nachos will work too.)

Method

1. Spread cheese (or whatever you use) over the chips.
2. Add any other microwave-safe ingredients. Taste great with hamburger, or peppers.
3. Make sure that the plate/bowl that the chips are in is microwave-safe, and put it in the microwave for 30 seconds.

Cheese may have melted onto the plate, do not worry. Just rip it off the plate and put it on the plate!

Eat while its hot!

Serve, and eat!

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Microwaved Quesdilla

Microwaved Quesdilla

Microwave Quesdilla is a dish in Tex-Mex or Mexican cuisine, which involves cooking ingredients, most popularly cheese, inside a corn or wheat tortilla

Ingredients

2 tortillas
Shredded cheese (typically Monterey Jack cheese, but others cam be used), To Bind (about ¼ Cup or 30 mL)
Fillings To Taste (Optional)
salsa
sarza criolla
chili peppers
Chopped tomatoes and cilantro
Cooked meat or seafood
avocado or guacamole
Fresh spinach--washed and torn into small pieces
Black beans--canned, rinsed and well drained
Toppings To Taste (Optional)
salsa
guacamole
Sour cream

Method
Place one tortilla on a microwave-safe plate. Cover with half the cheese. Sprinkle on fillings as desired. Spread remaining cheese over the toppings, and place second tortilla on top. Place in microwave on high power for 30-60 seconds (or until cheese is melted and fillings are warm). Add desired toppings and enjoy.

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Microwaved Egg

Microwaved Egg

Using a microwave oven is a quick and relatively easy way to cook eggs.

Eggs are difficult to cook in a microwave oven if they are not prepared properly. Because of this, certain measures are advised when cooking eggs via a microwave oven.

First, one should pop the egg's yolk and let it leak with the egg's white. When the egg's yolk is not popped, it tends to explode.

Second, one should melt butter and spread it along a bowl before placing the uncooked egg. Otherwise, the egg will stick to the surface of the cookware, thus causing difficulties when cleaning.

Method

This method has none of the cons mentioned above:

1. Put two eggs in a coffee cup with some butter
2. Cook on high power for 30 seconds
3. Remove, stir and replace
4. Cook another 30 seconds on high

Time may vary slightly depending on the microwave ovens high power default setting.

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Chocolate Mousse Cake

Chocolate Mousse Cake


Ingredients

1½ C Unbleached white flour
⅓ C Unsweetened baking cocoa powder
1 t baking powder
1 C Unrefined sugar
1¼ C water
¼ C vegetable oil
2 t vanilla extract
2 T vinegar (Plain red, plain white or rice vinegar)
a pinch of shredded coconut

Filling

6 oz chocolate chips
6 oz tofu
½ T vanilla extract

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. In bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and sugar.
3. In another bowl combine water, oil and the 2 teaspoons of vanilla.
4. Pour liquid into dry ingredients, whisk with fork.
5. Add vinegar and stir. You'll see bubbles when the acidic vinegar reacts with the basic baking soda!
6. Pour into baking dishes, bake for 25-30 minutes.
7. While cake is baking melt the chocolate chips.
8. For chocolate tofu filling add the tofu, ½ T vanilla extract and melted chocolate chips to blender. Blend until creamy.
9. Pull cake out of oven, let cool. Cut the top of the cake off and set the top aside. Pour the chocolate tofu mousse on the bottom half of the cake. Replace the top half.
10. Refrigerate until mousse thickens.

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Double Chocolate Brownies

Double Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup unsalted butter
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¼ cup water
• one 12 ounce package dark or bittersweet chocolate chips, divided in half
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¾ cups all purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup chopped nuts (optional)

Method

1. Let the eggs and butter sit out for 30 minutes to bring to room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 325°F.
3. In a small bowl sift in the flour with the baking soda and salt then set aside.
4. In a small saucepan combine butter, sugar, and water. Bring just to a boil then remove from heat.
5. Add ½ of the chocolate chips (6 oz) and vanilla. Stir until smooth and shiny.
6. Transfer the chocolate mixture into a large bowl.
7. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
8. Gradually blend in flour mixture.
9. Stir in remaining chocolate chips and nuts if desired.
10. Spread in a greased 9" square pan.
11. Bake at 325°F for 30-35 minutes.
12. Cool completely before cutting into 2-1/4" squares.

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Loco Moco

Loco Moco

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 hamburger patty
• 1 cup of rice
• gravy

Method

1. Cook the 2 eggs sunny side up.
2. Cook up the hamburger to your preference.
3. Boil the cup of rice, heat up the gravy.
4. Assemble in this manner:
   • rice on bottom;
   • hamburger on top of that;
   • then the eggs;
   • pour the gravy all over the top.

Result -- an awesome Loco Moco. Ono!

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Barbecue Sauce

Barbecue Sauce
Barbecue Sauce is a tomato or ketchup based sauce used on meats. Kansas City-style barbecue sauce is the most common version used in the United States. It is tomato or ketchup based with sweet, sour and smoky elements. Barbecue sauce can be added to the meat before, during or after cooking. This version contains quite a bit of sugar, so it should be added near the end or after cooking the meat to avoid burning the sauce.

Ingredients

1. 1 cup (235 mL) ketchup
2. 6 tablespoons (90 mL) Worcestershire sauce
3. 4 tablespoons (60 mL) butter or margarine
4. 3 tablespoons (45 mL) white vinegar
5. 1 tablespoon (15 mL) plain prepared mustard
6. 3 tablespoons (45 mL) finely minced yellow onion
7. 4 teaspoons (20 mL) bottled liquid smoke flavor (hickory)
8. 1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) Louisiana-style red pepper sauce
9. 1/2 cup (120 mL) brown sugar
10. 1 tablespoon (15 mL) granulated sugar
11. 1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt
12. Makes 2 cups (470 mL) of sauce.

Method

1. Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan.
2. Mix well.
3. Simmer over low heat for 20-minutes, stirring occasionally.

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Apple and Almond Cake

Apple and Almond Cake

Apple and Almond Cake is delicious warm or cold as a dessert or "stand-alone" cake, this simple and reliable recipe is tried and tested. Cuts into 8 slices.

Ingredients

• 5 ounces (145g) butter
• 2 large eggs
• 8 ounces (230g) caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond essence
• 8 ounces (230g) self-raising flour
• 1½ level teaspoons baking powder
• approx. ¾ pounds (330g) peeled cooking apples (Bramleys)
• icing sugar to dredge

Method

1. Grease a 9" (23cm) loose-bottomed spring-form cake tin.
2. Melt the butter in a pan gently, then pour into a large bowl.
3. Add the eggs, sugar and almond essence and stir well until mixed. Then add the flour and baking powder. Stir well - at this point, it should be a stiff mixture.
4. Spread just under two-thirds of the mixture into the cake tin.
5. Immediately afterwards, peel, core and slice the apples and place on top of the mixture in the tin. Cover these with the remainder of the cake mixture. At this stage, the cake may appear "untidy", but the cooking process eliminates most unevenness or gaps in the surface.
6. Bake for 1¼ to 1½ hours in a pre-heated oven at 325 °F/160 °C/Gas Mark 3.
7. Once cooked, allow to cool slightly in the tin, loosen the sides of the cake with a knife and gently push the cake out onto a plate. Lightly dust the top of the cake with sieved icing sugar once cool. Serve warm or cold, with cream for best results

Storage

This cake will last for at least 3-4 days, and can be re-heated as necessary. Keep covered or alternatively refrigerate.

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Atomic Fudge Cake

Atomic Fudge Cake

A delicious chocolate cake recipe.

Ingredients

1. 3 cups (710 ml) sugar
2. 1 ¾ cup (415ml) flour
3. 1 ¾ cups (415ml) baking cocoa
4. 1 ½ teaspoon (7 ml) baking soda
5. 1 ½ teaspoon (7 ml) baking powder
6. 1 teaspoon salt (5ml)
7. 2 eggs
8. 1 cup(235 ml) milk
9. ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
10. 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
11. 1 cup (235 ml)boiling water

Method

Mix the dry ingredients well in a large bowl. For better texture, sift them together.

Add the eggs, milk, vanilla and vegetable oil and mix well. Then add the water. Mix it until it has a lot of little bubbles. This batter will be very thin.

Pour into two greased 9 inch round baking pans

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 °F (175 °C) for thirty minutes. (About 20 minutes for a convection oven)

Frosting or Filling

1/8th cup (30 ml) cocoa

7 oz (200 g) dark chocolate

1/8th cup (30 ml) boiling water

1/16th cup (15 ml) sugar or powdered sugar

2/3rds cup (156 ml) whipping cream

A hot fudge sauce to go over top of the cake is a nice extra touch.

warning: don't try and substitute baker's chocolate for the dark chocolate. The huge amount of sugar you'd have to add would be a pain, especially if using the powdered sugar, and if you use regular sugar, it gets grainy and crunchy. Also, to make things more interesting, spices such as cinnamon can be added, if so desired.

Melt the chocolate by placing it in a small bowl or pot and placing that in boiling water.

Mix the sugar and cocoa together in a small bowl and mix in the water.

Stir the sugar/cocoa/water mix into the melted chocolate

quickly stir in the cream and mix until it has a nice smooth consistency.

Immediately 'frost' the cake with this, and make sure that there is quite a bit between the two layers of cake. The cake will need to be refrigerated to harden the fudge, so don't worry about its relatively liquid nature.

Refrigerate Cake

Enjoy

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Sushi

Sushi

In Japanese cuisine, sushi (寿司, 鮨, 鮓) is vinegared rice, usually topped with other ingredients including fish (cooked or uncooked) and vegetables. Outside o
f Japan, sushi is sometimes misunderstood to mean the raw fish by itself, or even any fresh raw-seafood dishes. In Japan, sliced raw fish alone is called sashimi and is distinct from sushi, as sashimi is the raw fish component, not the rice component. The word sushi itself comes from an outdated grammatical form of a word that is no longer used in other contexts; literally, sushi means "it's sour."
Sushi can be eaten as is or dipped into shoyu (Japanese soy sauce) and then eaten. Much care is put into the creation of the dish and the many methods of preparing the food indicate the importance of appearance to the educated consumer.

If you did not understand this explaination, sushi is basically a dish composed of rice, nori (and sometimes seaweed) and fillings such as seafood, chicken, tuna etc. Sushi is made by first cooking rice, then cooling it, wrapping it in nori; using a bamboo mat to help and then cut into smaller pieces. Usually served cool and with soy sauce/shoyu. (The description above is one that is only relative to making makizushi).

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Blue berry Muffins

Blueberry Muffins


Ingredients

1. 1 cup oats
2. 1 cup buttermilk
3. 1 cup white wheat flour
4. 1 teaspoon baking powder
5. ½ teaspoon baking soda
6. ½ teaspoon salt
7. ¾ cup brown sugar
8. 1 egg
9. ¼ cup butter - melted
10. 1 cup fresh blueberries - drained well or 1 cup frozen blueberries - thawed, drained well

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Combine oats and buttermilk in a small bowl; set aside and let stand.
3. Combine flour, baking powder, soda, salt, brown sugar, stir well.
4. Add egg and melted butter to oats.
5. Add dry ingredients and stir just until all is moistened.
6. Gently fold in blueberries.
7. Spoon into muffin pan until three-quarters full each.
8. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes.

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Peanut Butter Pie

Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients

• 1/2 C. creamy peanut butter
• 2 C. milk, heated very hot
• 1/2 C. sugar
• 1 (9 inch) pie shell, unbaked
• 4 eggs
• Whipped topping (optional)
• 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla

Directions

1. In small mixing bowl at medium speed, beat eggs until well beaten.
2. Add peanut butter and continue beating.
3. Beat in sugar and vanilla until well blended.
4. At low speed, gradually beat in milk until smooth. Pour into pie shell.
5. Bake on bottom rack of preheated 400°F. oven until knife inserted near center comes out clean – approximately 35 minutes.
6. Cool on a wire rack, then refrigerate. Garnish with whipped topping and peanut halves, if desired.

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