Babes Of The Month - Merry Christmas/Fröhe Weihnachten/Joyeux Noël/Feliz Navidad/Buon Natale/Feliz Natal/Wesołych Świąt Bożego Narodzenia.

Acai-Blu Red Rain Energy Drink Review

I finally found it, the last of the Red Rain flavours. I got this bad boy at Wal-Mart for $4.97 CAD per 4 pack. Yes, the rumors are true, you can get 4 packs of Red Rain for only $4.97 CAD and 4 packs of Red Bull for $6.97. There are also 4 packs of Guru regilar and sugar free for the same low price of $6.97 for a 4 pack. That is so cheap - $5 for 4 cans. Why the hell am I buying these from the local 7-11 for $2 per can? I should just go to Wal-Mart once per week and get 2-3 packs of these.

I still haven't tasted acai berries so I cannot say for sure if this flavour captures the taste. It does taste a lot like blueberries though, which I assume is why it is called Acai-Blu. The blueberry taste is actually quite nice - not too sweet and a bit on the sour side. There is no obvious trace of artificial flavours eventhough the back label says there are some. This doesn't taste like other fruit energy drinks, it tastes a lot like a regular Red Rain with some of its flavour substituted with the acai-blueberry one. It still has a bit of the acidic Red Rain taste, but not as much, obviously. The aftertaste is pretty good too. It starts off with a blueberry aftertaste, moves onto the regular Red Rain acidic aftertaste and finishes clean all in 2-3 minutes time.

Same energy content - 80 mg. I got a nice boost early in the morning, but I am sure I have to go for seconds in a few hours. Good thing I got a 4 pack of these for $5.

Scores:
Cost - $4.97 CAD per 4
Taste - 8.2/10
Energy - 6/10

Overall - 14.2/20...I would still buy the regular Red Rain, just because I enjoy the clean taste. This, however, is one of the better fruit energy drinks I have had because of its low sweetness level

Read about the other flavours of Red Rain - regular, cran-orange, mocha, tropical mango.

Bakerella's Book Signing and a Giveaway!

I have the best husband in the world.  He didn't want me standing in line all day at a book signing because I just had the baby.  So, he went to Salt Lake early this morning to get me a ticket to meet Bakerella.  He even had to do some sweet talking to get me a ticket.  I was so very grateful.  I got number 10!

Here she is.......Bakerella!  She is cute and sassy, just as I had envisioned from reading her blog.

I have always been a fan of Bakerella, and I love to make her cake pops.  She just put together a Cake Pop book, with amazing illustrations and step by step instructions to make the delicious treats.  I was so excited to see that Salt Lake was on her list of stops on her book signing tour.

Williams Sonoma had cute displays of her books all over the store.

We ended up getting to Trolley Square just in time for Bakerella to arrive.  There were SO, SO, SO many people there!  And once again, I was happy to have a ticket that said number 10 on it.  They took people back in groups of 10, so I was able to get in quickly.  Bakerella was a lot of fun!  She was so nice to let us get our picture taken with her.  My daughter passed up an opportunity to go to the park with the other kids, just so she could meet Bakerella.  I was so glad to have her with me.

My daughter was a little shy when it came to meeting Bakerella.

When we left, there were still hundreds of people in line waiting their turn.  We had so much fun!

Now for the giveaway.  I have a signed copy of this wonderful book, that I will give to one lucky reader of my blog.  There are 4 ways to enter (you can do all 4 if you would like).....  Please be sure to leave a separate comment for each.

-First, leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite fall treat is.  

-Second, put a link to this post on your Facebook page, and leave a comment telling me that you linked on Facebook.

-Third, become a fan of Crazy About Cakes on Facebook.  Leave a comment telling me that you've become a fan.

-Fourth, become a follower of my blog.  Leave a comment telling me that you follow Crazy About Cakes.

I will be choosing a winner on Tuesday, October 19th using Random.org.  Good Luck!

WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!!
Congratulations to Carrie...comment #24!  I will be contacting you!

 Carrie said...

My favorite fall treat is pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. (Although, I tend to make them year round because they are so yummy.)

Thanks to everyone who entered. 

Pokka Milk Coffee Review

This one is a bit different from the other iced coffees, it tastes like cheap instant coffee with a lot of sugar and some cream. But don't get me wrong, I am not saying that it's bad. You an definitely make this at home and even get the same taste. As I kept drinking I detected a bit of a bitter taste, kind of like the one you get when you have reached the bottom of your coffee cup and there is some coffee residue.

The aftertaste was not bad at first, but half way through the can, it was a bit different. Not the kind of different that makes you wonder how you have never tasted this before, but the kind of different that leaves wondering whether or not that's a good thing. It was a nice cold drink in the late, hot afternoon, but I think there are better iced coffee drinks. I would still buy one of these as it was very cheap - $0.77.

The peformance is OK, nothing exceptional, and nothing bad. It is a little better than the other iced coffees, which leads me to believe that they have used strong coffee in the making process or it was brewed in a way different from other iced coffees.

Now, lets talk about the can...just look at that front. No wonder it retails for 77 cents. If you take a closer look at the people in the background, you will be reminded of your very old dot matrix printer...and what a printer mine was. An Epson, but I cannot recall the model as it was 15-17 years ago...maybe even more.

Scores:
Cost - 10/10
Taste - 6.5/10
Performance - 6.1/10

Overall - 22.6/30...hmmm, not a bad score thanks to its above average iced coffee performance and very low cost

I love you Betty Crocker!

When I learned how to cook, the Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book was my best friend. My mother had purchased it in 1951 when she was a young wife. I still have the book; however it has definitely seen better days. This little piece of history has had the cover taped over and over again but I cannot rid myself of it as the worn pages remind me of cherished times. The book is bursting full of how-to's, recipes and lots of nostalgia so it will continue to reside with me as long as I have more tape to apply.

I fondly recall my ooo's and aaah's as I flipped from page to page especially enjoying the color pictures of baked goods. Learning to measure correctly and follow directions was sometimes frustrating; however the end result was always worth the effort. These are treasured childhood memories which I hold onto dearly.

When I got married in 1984 I was given the "new" Betty Crocker Cookbook and was so excited until I looked inside. The recipes had been changed so much that I barely recognized my old friend. The main difference was the fact that many of the recipes used boxed and processed ingredients like cake mixes, cans of soups and such.

Sometimes changing and improving things is really great; however I'm a firm believer in knowing how to actually cook....don't get me wrong - I've whipped up plenty of recipes using Cream of Mushroom soup; but I'm a good cook because I also know how to follow a recipe and make a homemade mushroom sauce.

I'll be sharing some recipes from my mom's old classic recipe books in the next few days, as well as her handwritten cards which were found in a little metal box (remember, recipe card boxes?).

Betty Crocker, I love you!

New Applesauce Cake

First, make thick unsweetened applesauce (below). Then prepare 13" x 9"oblong pan with grease and flour.

Sift together
2 3/4 cups sifted Softasilk or 2 1/2 cups sifted Gold Medal flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp allspice

Add
1/2 cup soft shortening
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup walnuts, cut-up
1 cup raisins, cut-up
Beat 2 minutes

Add
1 1/2 cups applesauce
1 very large egg (1/3 cup)

Temperature: 350 degrees F (moderate oven)
Time: Bake oblong cake 45 to 50 minutes.

To make 1 1/2 cups applesauce: wash, quarter, and core 6 to 8 tart apples. Add 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook to a mush, stirring occasionally. Press through a siever or food mill.

Handwritten notes by my mom: Very tasty! Substituted 1 3/4 tsp. apple pie spice for cinnamon/cloves/allspice. Sprinkled powdered sugar on top.

Eggs...There is No Substitute

Eggs...there is no substitute. Well, that's not exactly true! Actually I use egg substitute quite often with terrific results as well as without the cholesterol. So, you may be wondering why we are talking about eggs. Eggs are a great way to help your grocery bill, that's why! Eggs are still relatively affordable and they can be used in a multitude of ways.

Eggs provides protein so you could substitute some of your expensive meat eating meals with them. Many people think of eggs as just for breakfast; however they can really be used for every meal around the clock! Omelets, fritatas, burritos, salad, scrambles, quiches, pizza, poached, fried, hard boiled and even quesadillas!

I'm not going to get into the difference between brown eggs, organic eggs, hormone filled eggs or about vegetarianism etc....we're just talking recipes here. We have personally replaced a minimum of two meals a week with eggs instead of meat with great results. We both love egg salad sandwiches so we bought a two dozen pack of eggs at Costco and quickly hard boiled half of them. Hard boiling is so simple, just make sure you store them in an air tight container unless you want everything in the fridge smelling like eggs - LOL!

Hard Boiled Eggs for Snacks or Sandwiches

Hard Boiled Eggs

Place the eggs in a pot and cover with cold water by a 1/2-inch or so. Bring to a gentle boil. Now turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for exactly seven minutes. Have a big bowl of ice water ready and when the eggs are done cooking place them in the ice bath for three minutes or so - long enough to stop the cooking. Repeat until totally cooled and then use or place into air tight container.

Fiesta Frittata

Wouldn't this Fiesta Frittata be perfect for dinner? No meat whatsoever and it's delicious!

FIESTA FRITTATA

Ingredients:
8 Eggs (or egg substitute totaling 8 eggs)
1 (8-ounce) carton low-fat cottage cheese
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese, divided
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chile peppers, slightly drained
½ cup reduced-fat sour cream, optional
½ cup chunky salsa, optional
Cilantro sprigs, optional

Beat eggs; add cottage cheese and 1 cup Mexican cheese, blend well; set aside. In a 10-inch, non-stick, oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add onion and garlic; sauté until onion is tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add green chilies and stir to mix. Pour egg mixture over vegetables in skillet; cook for 2-3 minutes or until mixture looks set around the rim. Keeping mixture in skillet, bake in 350ºF oven until knife inserted in center of dish comes out clean or about 20-25 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cup of cheese and place under broiler for about 1 minute to brown and melt cheese (watch carefully). Cut into wedges and serve with reduced-fat sour cream and salsa and garnish with sprigs of cilantro, if desired. Hint: To make the skillet oven-proof, wrap the handle with aluminum foil.

Pizza Eggburger

How about a Pizza Burger? My husband loves these and I think they would be a hit with kids too.

PIZZA EGGBURGER

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon butter
1 egg
1 whole wheat hamburger bun
2-3 slices of pepperoni
1 tablespoon mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon pizza sauce

Heat butter in small skillet over medium heat. Break and slip egg into pan. Break yolk, if desired. When egg is set but still moist on tip, add slices of pepperoni. Turn egg over and sprinkle with cheese. Cook until cheese is melted. Open bun, spread with pizza sauce, and top with cooked egg.

Egg Bundle Appetizers

These Egg Bundles would be perfect for appetizers and look fancy but are really simple to make.

DELICIOUS EGG BUNDLES

Ingredients:
1 package (16 ounces) frozen phyllo dough, thawed
¾ cup butter, melted
½ cup dry bread crumbs
1 package cream cheese, cut into cubes
12 eggs
1 cup ham, diced
1 cup shredded provolone cheese
2 tablespoons minced chives

Directions:
Place one sheet of phyllo dough on a cutting board; brush with butter. Top with another sheet of phyllo; brush with butter. Repeat three times. Cut phyllo in half lengthwise, then cut widthwise into thirds. Repeat process so you have 12 stacks.

Grease 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle bread crumbs into bottom of muffin cups. Carefully place phyllo stacks into cups. Brush edges of dough with butter. Top each with cubes of cream cheese.

Break each egg separately into a custard cup; gently pour egg over cream cheese. Sprinkle with ham, provolone cheese and chives. Pinch corners of phyllo together to seal. Bake at 400°F for 13-17 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm. Serves 12.

Want even more eggstraspecial recipes?

FRITATAS: http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Breakfast-and-Brunch/Egg-Dishes/Frittata/ViewAll.aspx

FARMER'S MARKET OMELET: http://www.incredibleegg.org/recipes-and-more/recipes/farmers-market-omelets

BACON & EGG QUESADILLAS: http://www.incredibleegg.org/recipes-and-more/recipes/bacon-egg-quesadillas

BAKED CUSTARD: http://www.meals.com/Recipes/Baked-Custard.aspx?recipeid=29738

VEGGIE POACHED EGGS: http://www.eatbetteramerica.com/recipes/breakfast-brunch/eggsegg-substitutes/vegetable-poached-eggs.aspx

Please share your favorite egg recipes in the comments...Happy Cooking!

Chocolate Chip Cheese Bars.....A Guest Post From Jill.

My dear Sister-in-Law posted this recipe, and I thought that all of you would enjoy it.  These Chocolate Chip Cheese Bars are to die for!  Here is a copy of her post.......

First of all, I don't usually post recipes because I am the worst at following them.  I get it from my mom- she calls it the "Football Rules of cooking- unlimited substitutions."  My mom probably gets it from her mom.  I have recipes from my grandma that actually call for a glug of milk, or a glug of oil.  I look at recipes more as suggestions or guidelines, then do my own thing.  Sometimes things turn out really good, and sometimes... not so good.  My husband likes the way I cook, so I guess that's good enough.  I discovered allrecipes.com and found that there are a lot of cooks out there like me.  It makes me laugh when I read the comments, and someone says they didn't like the recipe that much, and that they substituted rice vinegar for apple cider vinegar and left out the ginger or doubled all the spices...  BTW, I do follow baking and canning recipes.


Anyway, my sister-in-law made these yummy bars earlier this year, and passed the recipe along. 


Chocolate Chip Cheese Bars


2 cups of your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe (or 1 tube refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough)
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg

Divide cookie dough in half.  For crust, press half of the dough onto the bottom of a greased 8 X 8 inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and egg until smooth.  Spread over crust.
Crumble remaining dough over top.
Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.  Refrigerate leftovers.


I doubled the recipe, and cooked it in a 9 X 13 pan.  


Here's the recipe I like for Chocolate Chip Cookies:

1 c white sugar
1 c brown sugar
1 c butter flavored shortening (or 1/2 c shortening and 1/2 c butter)
3 eggs
1 t vanilla
1 t salt
1 t soda
3 cups flour
1 bag chocolate chips

Cream together sugars, and shortening.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Add dry ingredients then chocolate chips.  Bake at 375 for 8 minutes.






Thank you so much Jill for this yummy post!

Jones 24C Mandarin Orange Review

I honestly did not know that Jones made anything else other than delicious soda until a few days ago when I found this at T&T. I normally don't look twice at flavoured waters, but this caught my eye because it was placed right next to all the Jones' sodas and not with all the other water products. The cost was low too - $1.69 CAD for a bottle - so I decided to get one and try it. Just like the Glacéau Vitamin Waters, these ones also come in the same bottle type and bear a similar label.

The first thing I noticed about this beverage is the strong mandarin aroma. Unlike the aroma, the taste is weaker, because, well...because this is just flavoured water. The good thing about the taste is the sourness, which makes the overall experience quite refreshing. I am not sure if it is what I ate before I tried the drink, or the drink itself, but there is an off-putting undertone similar to orange seeds. This taste disappears quickly, but it is just something not very pleasant.

Scores:

Cost - $1.69 CAD for a 591 mL bottle

Taste - 7.2/10

Overall - 7.2/10...I will stick to the sodas

Bread and Butter Pickles

 Ive made this on and off thru the years, they are pretty good.

BREAD AND BUTTER PICKLES

8lbs. cucumbers
2lbs. white onions
1/2c. salt (I used coarse kosher salt)
1 qt. white vinegar
2c. sugar ( I used organic)
2 tsp. celery seed
2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. dry mustard

Cut unpeeled cucumbers and peeled onions into slices about 1/8in. thick. 

Arrange in layers in a large kettle or bowl, sprinkling each layer with salt.

 Let stand for 3hrs. then drain and rinse well.

 Bring other ingredients to a boil in a large pot. 

Add drained vegetables and stir to coat with seasonings. Bring to a boil again.Pack into hot, sterilized jars and seal.

 Process in water bath 10min.

I didn'tmake the full recipe this time..........I only had 5lbs of cukes but Idid make the full amt of juice for it and used it all. Also be aware turmeric stains everything so if you spill the juices wipe it up fast.

Celtic thriller as Europe triumph in Ryder Cup classic!

A victory roar from McDowell (left) and Poulter after clinching the Ryder Cup

A stunning days golf at the Celtic Manor in South Wales saw Europe win the closest Ryder Cup contest since Brookline, Massachusetts in 1999.

Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell won the final singles match to help Europe regain the trophy by the smallest possible margin, 14½ points to 13½ points.

Trailing 9-6½ going into the weather delayed finale, the United States fought back superbly to take the match to the wire. Only Europe's Luke Donald, Ian Poulter and Miguel Angel Jimenez managed to win their singles matches, whist victories in the singles today by American's Steve Stricker, Dustin Johnson, Jeff Overton, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Zach Johnson brought the USA level with Europe at 13½ points apiece.

This meant it all went down to the final singles match between McDowell and Californian Hunter Mahan, as Europe went in search of the magical 14½ points needed for outright victory. McDowell, ironically the US Open champion kept his cool and held his nerve as Mahan was forced to concede defeat on the 17th green, sparking wild celebrations among the European team and the majority of the 35,000 fans.

HOW THE FINAL DAY UNFOLDED (BST)

0905: Westwood/Stricker start singles (Europe 9½-6½ USA)
1149: Europe up in 7 matches, USA in 4, one all-square
1247: Stricker beats Westwood 2&1 (9½-7½)
1248: D Johnson beats Kaymer 6&4 (9½-8½)
1302: Poulter beats Kuchar 5&4 (10½-8½)
1320: McIlroy halved with Cink (11-9)
1329: Donald beats Furyk 1up (12-9)
1403: Jimenez beats Watson 4&3 (13-9)
1409: Overton beats Fisher 3&2 (13-10)
1414: Woods beats F Molinari 4&3 (13-11)
1442: Mickelson beats Hanson 4&2 (13-12)
1501: E Molinari halved with Fowler (13½-12½)
1502: Z Johnson beats Harrington 4&3 (13½-13½)
1520: McDowell beats Mahan 3&1 (14½-13½)

"A fantastic result for Europe's golfers, a great advert for the game and a marvellous advert for sport."

Chicago, Illinois is the venue in two years time, when the USA will have the opportunity to regain the coverted trophy on home soil.

The 2010 Ryder Cup in detail: http://www.rydercup.com/2010/

Toffees Need To Stick It To The Gunners - Betting News with Betfred

versus

Everton have been painfully shy in front of goal all season but are going to need their strikers to be on top form if they are to get all three points against Arsenal on Sunday at Goodison Park.

Arsene Wenger's men are riding high in the league despite losing three games and looking shaky. The defeat against Newcastle showed the continued fragility of goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski and the Gunners rode their luck against Wolves in midweek to earn a win.

Everton have recovered from the early season jitters to climb the Premier League table, and should certainly not be on the end of a 6-1 home thrashing like they were in this fixture last season. However despite home advantage and an improvement in results recently, the Toffees are still the outsiders in the Premier League betting at odds of 12/5 for the win with Betfred compared to the 6/5 on offer for Arsenal to take all three points.

David Moyes earned the manager of the month award for October, but he knows his team could be even higher if his misfiring strikers could score on a more regular basis.

Yakubu and Louis Saha have struggled as Everton have scored only 13 goals so far this season, but now the Toffees fans are hoping that Jermaine Beckford can be the one to fire them up the table.

He has been poor so far, but finally came to life with a brilliant last-minute goal against Bolton in midweek, the type of goal his team-mate Leighton Baines claims he has been doing "quite regularly" in training.

"He has now proved he can be a valuable asset for the club," said the defender.

While one goal does not a goalscoring legend make, it could fill the Everton fans with some optimism - especially as the Arsenal rearguard looks more vulnerable than in recent seasons. Beckford is 8/1 in the football odds to be first goalscorer, so this could be a good option, if the game is stalemate going into the latter stages.

With the right pressure in the correct areas the Blues should be able to cause the Gunners defensive problems, but they will have to be wary as the likes of Fabregas, Wilshire, Walcott, Chamakh and Arshavin could really trouble them on the break

My Tip of the Weekend:

Expect a tight game in which Arsenal will be too strong and take all three points back to London with a 1-0 win, a result which is 6/1 with Betfred.

Sunday 14th November: Everton v Arsenal, kick-off 2pm, Live on Sky Sports 1.

By Drew Swainston
(Guest writer from Betfred on behalf of Beer Footy and Birds!)

Lovage Part 2 recipes

Now onto some recipes to give you ideas but you could use Lovage anywhere you would use celery or parsley. I love to add it to my soups. It seems to give them a bit more body too.

APPLE LOVAGE CHUTNEY
6 cups apples peeled cored and chopped

1 cup lovage fresh

1 medium red bell pepper cored, seeded and chopped

1 medium tomato peeled and chopped

1 medium tomato green, peeled and chopped

1 medium onion peeled and chopped

3 cloves garlic

1 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup ginger root peeled and minced

1 cup brown sugar, light packed

1 cup white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon celery seeds

Combine all ingredients in non-reactive pan.Bring to boil over med-high heat, stirring constantly.Reduce heat to med-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, for 45mins, or until thickened.Prepare jars, lids and boiling water bath.Fill jars with hot mixture, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Wipe rims with clean towel and attach lids securely.Place jars in boiling water bath, and when the water returns to the boil, process for 15 min. Prep: 20 Cook: 60 Total: 80 Yield: 6 half-pints

CORN ON THE COB WITH LOVAGE BUTTER

4 husked ears of corn on the cob

4 tablespoons of butter

1 tablespoon of shreded Lovage

Salt & Pepper to taste

Steam or boil the corn until cooked through. Melt the butter in a pan and add the salt, pepper, and Lovage. Heat gently until Lovage is tender, 3-5 minutes. Pour over corn and serve hot.

PEAS AND CARROTS WITH LOVAGE

1 pound of fresh or frozen peas

1 1/2 pounds of baby carrots - sliced

2 tablespoons of chopped Lovage

3 tablespoons of mayonnaise

3 tablespoons of regular yogurt

1 teaspoon of mustard

Combine the peas and carrots and steam for 10-15 minutes. Set aside. Mix the other ingredients thoroughly, then add the peas and carrots. Place in the refrigerator and allow to cool completely, and serve as a cool and refreshing side dish.

Lovage Butter Ingredients:

4 tablespoons of butter

1 tablespoon of minced lovage

Salt & Pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a small pan and add the salt, pepper, and lovage. Heat gently for 3-5 minutes. Serve over vegetables.

EGG SALAD WITH HERBS

6 large eggs

3 green onions thinly sliced

2 tsp. minced lovage

2 tsp. minced parsley

1 tablespoon snipped chives

1 cup light or regular mayonnaise

to taste salt and pepper (optional)

Hard boil the eggs, them place in a bowl of cold water to cool. Peel them, place in bowl and mash. Add the green onions and herbs, then add chives, mayonnaise and mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Serve on bread or on a bed of lettuce.

POTATO AND LOVAGE SOUP

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 cups potatoes, peeled and cubed

3 cups water

Approx. 1 1/4 cups milk

3 Tbsp. minced fresh lovage plus garnish

salt and black pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onions and potatoes. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Add 3 cups of water and continue simmering until the potatoes are tender. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Puree the cooled mixture in a food processor or blender. Place into a clean pan and stir in the lovage and milk slowly, stopping when you feel it's the right thickness. Heat through, and serve with a garnish lovage leaves. Makes 4 servings.

LOVAGE VINEGAR

You will need: 1 quart cider vinegar 2 large sprigs lovage Place into a bottle or jar with a lid. Keep in a cool, dark place for 3-4 weeks. Use in dressings, or stews.

LOVAGE OIL

10-lovage leaves

2 shallots

1-2 tb madagascar pepper

Olive oil

Rinse the lovage leaves and chop the shallots finely. Put lovage, onions and pepper in a jar and pour over the oil. Let the oil seep for 3-4 days. The oil is particularly good when frying fish and pork, but it can also be used in marinades, dressings etc.

HALIBUT WITH APPLE, LEEK and LOVAGE RAGOUT

Leek, 1 large or 2 medium or 3-4 small

Butter, 1 tablespoon

Dry white wine 1/2 cup

Tart apple (I use granny smith) 1 large or 2 small

Apple cider or juice., 3/4 cup
Lovage fresh, chopped 2 tablespoons

Vinegar (mild and pale - white wine, sherry, rice) 1 tablespoon

Salt 1/4 teaspoon

Pepper to taste

Halibut (or other whitefish) 1/2 - 3/4 pound

Clean and julienne just the white part of the leek . (Save the green part of the leek for another use.) Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring frequently, until they soften and start to brown, about 10-15 minutes. Add the white wine and simmer until the liquid is absorbed. Add the apple cider and continue cooking until liquid is reduced to about 25% of initial volume. (This is usually about the time the tops of the leeks are exposed above the liquid.) Add the diced apples,lovage, vinegar, salt and a grind or two of pepper and cook, stirring often, for another minute. Remove from heat. (You can prepare this ahead to the point and store the ragout in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.) Cut fish into individual portions and place in a single layer in a baking dish. Pour ragout over the top of the fish and cover the dish with a lid (or parchment) and bake in a preheated 425° oven until the fish is firm and milky, the center is barely translucent and the flesh flakes with a fork, about 10-15 minutes. Note: Can make this with pork chops, brown one side of the chop on the stove before baking it in the oven as described for the fish.

Spurs have a chance to show their credentials - Betting News with Betfred

versus

Tottenham Hotspur can hammer another nail in Chelsea's Premier League title ambitions at White Hart Lane on Sunday, and given Spurs' recent matches there should be no shortage of entertainment in this London derby.

Harry Redknapp's side have impressed in both the Premier League and Champions League so far this season, with their European heroics overshadowing their domestic form on many occasions.

On Sunday they welcome a struggling Chelsea side, that have been knocked off the top of the Premier League table after failing to win any of their last four league games, and seen them collect just five points out of a possible 18, as well as losing in midweek to Marseille in a Champions League tie.

Considering how well Chelsea started the season they have seen a real contrast in fortunes and Spurs could heap more misery on them at White Hart Lane - with the home side priced at 9/5 in the football betting to take all three points.

Spurs boast a wealth of attacking prowess, which has been proven with their average of three goals a game in the Champions League group stages, and they are likely to pose great problems for a Chelsea defence that has looked more fragile in recent weeks, than they have done in a very long time.

Although Spurs have scored goals for fun at times this season, finding the net has been Carlo Ancelotti's problem throughout this poor run. They have not scored more than once in a Premier League game since the end of October and are 6/4 in the Premier League betting to win on Sunday, meaning they will need likes of Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka to step up.

Redknapp told 'Talksport' that Spurs are now at the same level as Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea - and if they are victorious this weekend then not many people can argue with this.

The veteran manager claimed Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon can "cause anybody problems" and the strikers at his disposal mean he sets out to attack teams. Chelsea would need a real turnaround in fortunes to reverse their recent run, and Spurs can close to within one point of their opponents with victory over their fellow Londoners.

My Tip of the Weekend:

Spurs'attacking prowess will prove too strong for Chelsea, and Tottenham to be winning at both half-time and full-time at 4/1 looks great value with Betfred.
Also with Jermaine Defoe fit again the 6/4 on offer with Betfred that he will score at anytime in the match looks a steal.

Sunday 12th December: Tottenham v Chelsea, kick-off 4pm, Live on Sky Sports 1.

By Drew Swainston
(Guest writer from Betfred on behalf of Beer Footy and Birds!)

EQ Smart Energy Drink Lemon Lime Review

I finally found the time to continue with the EQ Smart Energy Drink line-up. Today's tablet is lemon lime flavoured and this time I poured less than 8 oz of water to see what it will do for the flavour.

Taste

The result has the recognizable lemon lime aroma, but the taste is still very mild. You should expect this from a tablet that promises only 5 calories. A squirt of concentrated lemon juice will improve the taste significantly, but unfortunately I did not have any on hand. Though there is barely any lemon or lime in the taste, it is sweet, just like the other tablets and because it is not carbonated, it goes down really fast. Overall the flavour is very similar to the other ones with only subtle differences in the aroma and taste.

Energy

You will find the same energy blend in here as well - 1,680.7 mg. Because I used less water, I drank the energy mixture faster and thus I felt the results earlier - around the 10 minute mark. It wasn't for another 20 or so that I felt fully energized and ready to go. The feeling lasted for quite a while but it wasn't as intense as some energy drinks on the market. It was more melow and easy going and like the other EQ tablets, I did not experience a crash at the end.

Energy Blend (1,680.7 mg):

• L-Taurine
• d-Glucoronolactone
• Caffeine
• Ginkgo Biloba

Other Ingredients: citric acid, inulin, maltodextrin, natural and artificial flavours, polyethylene glycol, sucralose, canola oil

Scores:
Cost - $1.00 for a tab from the King of Caffeine
Taste - 5.8/10
Energy - 8/10

Overall - 13.8/20...good energy kick, but a bland flavour

Could the USA really threaten England in South Africa? - 2010 World Cup Betting News with Betfred

V.

With England due to kick-off their 2010 World Cup campaign three weeks today, the hype about this summer's World Cup is well and truly underway, and you can't move for adverts in support of our national team. However one football expert reckons Fabio Capello's side face a tricky task early on in the competition.

England, who are third favourites in the World Cup 2010 betting, face the USA in Rustenburg in their opening game on June 12th. The Three Lions are well-fancied to win this clash at 1/2 with Betfred, while the Americans are 5/1 to cause a shock.

One man who thinks it may not be so easy for England is Sir Alex Ferguson, who thinks the USA have a "very good chance at qualifying", which could see some punters seeing the Americans to win Group C at 5/1 as a reasonable shout.

The Manchester United manager said there are a number of players in Bob Bradley's squad who are more than capable of springing a surprise on opposition defences in South Africa.

"I don't think they're going to be overwhelmed with the atmosphere of the World Cup, the importance of the World Cup, the intensity," Ferguson said.

"I think that will be easy for them. I think they'll be used to that. Those players have that, Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey. Dempsey has had a great season in England this year."

He added: "They are very athletic, they apply themselves very well, and are difficult to play against."

England and the USA, the two favourites to progress from Group C, also have to play Slovenia and Algeria. The eastern European nation failed to clock up a point in their only other World Cup appearance in 2002, while the African side also have a poor record in the tournament. They are 15/8 and 10/3 respectively to make it through to the second round, something I can't see happening.

Remember, this is the same USA side that is ranked 14 in the world and made it into the final of the Confederations Cup last summer, beating Spain on the way and giving Brazil a real game in the final. So not only should they make it out of the group, but they could go even further - the online betting makes them 20/1 shots to be knocked out in the semis.


My Opening Tip of the Tournament:

England and USA to qualify from Group C at 4/5 with Betfred, while England at 3/1 to get knocked out in the quarter-finals should also be considered by those punters seeking value.

England v United States - Saturday 12th June, kick-off 7.30pm, live on the ITV.
England v Algeria - Friday 18th June, kick-off 7.30pm, live on the ITV.
England v Slovenia - Wednesday 23rd June, kick-off 3pm, live on the BBC.

By Drew Swainston
(Guest writer from Betfred on behalf of Beer Footy and Birds!)

Bawls Geek Beer Review

The first time I had Geek Beer was a year ago. I stopped at the only gas station/convenience store on a long stretch of county highway, at least 100 km away from the nearest city, and I was surprised to find the store stocked with various energy drinks. That was the last time I saw and had this beverage, until last week. I found a well stocked energy drinks display at a near-by convenience store, which also had Geek Beer for $2.59 CAD per bottle.

I like the color of the bottle - brown - very similar to real beer bottles. The drink is very carbonated and a bit creamy. Unlike other root beers, this one doesn't have many taste ingredients to give it a rich character. It tastes a lot like mass market root beers, such as Barq's and A&W's. The taste is sweet with hints of caramel and the finish is sweet at first, but clean in the long run. More importantly, it is not tainted by the energy ingredients, which makes this an enjoyable drink. I like the taste, and I think this is easier to drink than the original Bawls, but I cannot see myself drinking this on a regular basis.

The bottle does not bear an indication of the amount of caffeine in the bottle, but after a quick look on the ThinkGeek website, I found that the bottle contains 80 mg of caffeine. I wouldn't call this a "high caffeine" guarana root beer, just caffeinated guarana root beer. That's the same amount of caffeine a small can of Red Bull contains, which can give some people a rush, but not me, or any caffeine addicts. If I need a small boost, I go for 80 mg drinks, but if I need to wake up, I need at least double that. I started to feel the effects of the caffeine within 20 minutes of taking the first sip, but the energy boost lasted for just over an hour. On the plus side I did not experience a crash.

Scores:
Cost - $2.59 CAD for a 296 mL bottle
Taste - 7.9/10
Energy - 6/10

Overall - 13.9/20...I think this is more of a niche drink than a mass market one. It tastes good, but it does not have enough caffeine to satisfy the cravings of a caffeine junkie

Just a few recipes

Just wandering thru some of my cookbooks and my personal pile of recipes and thought Id post a few today. The first one is Kalamata Olive Pesto that I created for the restaurant where I worked. We served it as an appetizer over scallion fettuccine. You could make this and just use regular fettuccine and toss in fresh sliced scallions to approximate the flavor. My ex and I were out one day and the car radio was on. There were food reviews and restaurant reviews on at that time and Narsai David was reviewing some. He is a local famous chef and celebrity out here. I got so excited because suddenly I realized he was reviewing my dish from the restaurant! And he just loveddddddddd it . omg omg omg Boy did that make my day! So here it is. .....

KALAMATA OLIVE PESTO Makes 2c.
9oz. black Kalamata olives, pitted
1 fresh red chili 2in. long. or chili flakes
2 garlic cloves
2 shallots
3/4 tsp. minced fresh thyme
3/4 tsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/4c. lemon juice
1 small bunch of chives
If olives are not pitted, remove pits first. Stores are now carrying pitted Kalamata olives tho so that would save tons of time if you can find them. Put all ingredients into food processor and blend well. Refrigerate. Use on french bread with goat cheese or on pasta.

I made a Greek style appetizer out of this one time for a party at my house. I set this out in one of those divided dishes... one had the olive pesto in it, one had dried tomatoes in oil in it and another had crumbled feta cheese in it. You could also just use roasted red peppers too instead of the tomatoes. I had a basket next to it filled with plain sliced baguette and everyone made their own nibbles. It was a huge hit.

But this could be used on pasta with maybe artichokes in it or as a spread on sandwiches too. Or roll it up in some puff pastry from the store and bake it for appetizers. Or you could make it into a nice tart for lunch or a party. Just make a pastry crust and line it with some olive pesto and top with fresh garden tomatoes, a lil S&P, some fresh thyme sprigs and drizzle with more olive oil, then bake.....yum. You could even roll out some bread dough and spread this on it , roll up and bake for an awesome bread for your meal.
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Another thing this would be good on is this next sandwich. I found this years ago at a Trader Joes Market out here. I had it once and never saw it again. But I loved it so much as I ate it I dissected the ingredients and made a list so I could make it myself later on. It was a Greek Salad Sandwich, and its vegan ,,,,,no meat! and trust me you wont even miss it. I'm not a vegan but I don't mind eating that way once in a while. This was awesome tho.

GREEK SALAD SANDWICH
For each sandwich you need:
1 ciabatta roll, it needs to be crusty peasant type bread like this if you cant find ciabattas.
feta cheese, sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, sliced Kalamata olives, chopped green peppers, sliced red onion, chopped pepperonicini peppers, Basil, Mint and Oregano.
Equal parts lemon juice and olive oil for a dressing.
Slice bread, layer all veggies on it. Top with cheese. Make dressing with lemon juice, olive oil and herbs. Drizzle over sandwich and put top of sandwich on and eat. You could also stuff this into a pita pocket. It would be really tasty too with leaves of fresh basil in it.
This would be a great sandwich to use that olive pesto in instead of sliced olives.

DIET is a four-letter word!

Since this is the first post of the New Year it came to mind that most people reading this have either started a diet, contemplating a diet or are wanting to watch what they eat. The word DIET is a nasty four-letter word in my opinion as the diet industry has become big business with low rates of success. If you have dieted, lost weight AND kept it off then congratulations! To the rest of the 95% of us that gained back the weight...or more weight than we lost - never fear, there is hope. I'll be discussing Super Foods in upcoming posts, which may help you in your journey towards a healthier lifestyle (notice, I didn't say a diet which may help you!)


You may be wondering what gives me any authority on losing weight or eating healthier. I won't go into all the details; however I have been overweight for more years in my life, than not. While growing up I was an athlete and could eat just about anything I wanted. I married right out of high school, quickly had a baby and have never been thin again since. As life stresses hit me over the years my weight escalated higher and higher.

In 2007, I lost 89 pounds by simply writing down everything that I ate, adding up the calories each day to keep within 1600 to 1800 calories a day plus ate lots of Super Foods while doing so. I've also been a carb junkie my entire life; but the most important thing was WHY I was a (bad) carb junkie. I truly believe that the reason the majority of overweight people are overweight is because we eat instead of dealing with life. I am a Food Addict and use food to soothe myself when I'm sad, mad, glad, have PMS or bored. I have fond memories of my mother and I going to the local bakery, buying a dozen raised glazed donuts and eating half of them on the way home...it even makes my mouth water just writing about it - plus provides a happy memory of my mother.

You may be able to relate to this, you may not, depending on your circumstances or where you are in your journey to being honest with yourself. If you consider yourself overweight and only have 5, 10, 20 pounds to lose then I can't relate and you probably can't relate to this article.

In March of 2008, life started a toward spiral with two family deaths, long term illness, empty nest syndrome, a job loss, husband's work injury, moving AND I gained back most of those unnecessary 89 pounds. It is hard to accept that I failed yet a great friend basically told me to let go of my self-loathing and failure to move forward. This statement was just what I needed to get started in a forward direction again. I began adding back Super Foods into my life and I'm feeling better (less depression, less aches, better mood, hugely reduced bad cholesterol level).

If you have never written down everything you eat, I highly suggest it! Just eat the way you normally do while writing down the calories for one week (there are many free online calorie calculators). Let me know what you discover about the things you eat.

I'd also love to hear about your experiences with the Super Foods which we will be discussing during the week...first post coming shortly.

Little i Energy Gum Peppermint Review

I know what you are thinking - gum for girls. You might be right if you judge it by its packaging, but do keep in mind that there is a decent caffeine kick in each piece. The Little I website states that two pieces give you as much energy as an energy drink and this is what i am about to find out today.

The gum comes in a small pink tin that has a mirror inside. I thought the mirror would be on the lid, but it actually is inside the tin, covering the pieces of gum. There is small circular hole in the bottom left which allows you to take 1 to 2 pieces at a time. The one thing that really surprised me was that the gum is made in Canada, but I have never actually seen it anywhere. For shame.

Taste

Before I get to the energy boost, I have to see if it tastes like mint gum. Well, it actually does. In fact, it does much better than most other mint energy gums. The gum is minty, intense yet a little sweet like traditional peppermint gums. The energy ingredients start to show themselves after a few minutes, but they are subtle and do not ruin the overall experience. The one thing I should note is the consistency of the gum - it is not as rubbery as regular gums.

Energy

I started with one piece and it worked pretty good. I started to feel something within 10 minutes and in another 10 I was feeling very energized. The kick was clean and there were no jitters or unpleasant effects. It lasted for just about an hour, which is not a long time, but at least there are more pieces of gum in the package. Next time I am taking at least 2.

Scores:
Cost - $2.00 from KingofCaffeine.com
Taste - 9/10
Energy - 7/10 to 10/10

Overall - 16/20 to 19/20...guys, if you can get past the pink exterior, this is a pretty decent energy gum

BERRY BUNDT CAKES........YUMMY!

Berries seem to be all over right about now. Out here they are on sale alot in the grocery stores. I buy some now and then to put in my cottage cheese in the morning but theres always too many and they end up rotting and I toss them out. I stumbled tho on this recipe and I must admit.....its tempting me enough to go buy a bunch and make it....I bet you will feel the same way too!
Berry Bundt CakeIngredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup cholesterol-free egg substitute
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups frozen unsweetened raspberries
2 cups frozen unsweetened blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 6-cup Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Combine sugar, buttermilk, egg substitute and oil in medium bowl. Add sugar mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened.
3. Fold in raspberries and blueberries. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack. Serve with fresh berries, if desired.
Yield: Makes 12 servings

A cup of fresh, delicious blueberries or raspberries supplies about one-third of your daily vitamin C requirements. This fantastic berry cake contains 4 cups of berries!
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And heres another that looks yummy and a bit more upscale....

William's Sonoma's Mixed Berry Bundt Cake

5 eggs
1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
20 Tbs. (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small pieces
2 Tbs. kirsch or other fruit liqueur
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt
3 1/2 cups raspberries
1 1/2 cups blueberries or blackberries
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional)
Mixing bowls
Electric handmixer
Measuring cups and spoons
Bundt cake pan
Saucepan for making the glaze

Preheat your oven to 325°F. Take your bundt pan and Butter and flour it.
Mix all of the following ingredients together in a large bowl. Start by blending the eggs and granulated sugar. Using an electric mixer, beat in the butter and liqueur until fluffy. Add all but 2 Tbs. of the flour and the baking powder and salt, and beat until well incorporated and no lumps remain.

In another bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of the raspberries and the blueberries with the remaining 2 Tbs. flour. Toss to coat the berries evenly with the flour. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the berries into the batter. Pour the batter into the bundt pan. Bake for approximately 1 hour.

Remove the cake out of the oven and place it on a cooling rack. Let the cake cool for 20-25 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and let it continue to cool.

Once the cake has cooled you can add a glaze to it. While this is not in the recipe this adds a little something special. Make the glaze by combining butter, sugar and Chambord in a small souce pan. Bring to a boil and then brush it on.
Once the glaze has been applied you can put the finishing touches on the cake. Dust it with powdered sugar and garnish with blueberries, raspberries and blackberries.

********************************While these recipes call for mixed berries, you could vary the mix or just use all of one kind, just make sure the amounts add up to the same needed for the recipe. I could see adding almond extract a bit to enhance the berry flavor or even orange or lemon. With this last one....same thing for the glaze.... some grand marnier if you use orange extract in it......or just keep with the Chambord since its berry flavored.