When young adults start out in life, often they must learn how to cook. Cooking is fun — but often young adults are surprised by just how many items they need to cook with! If there is a young adult in your life, it can be a great idea to give them a gift to help them cook for themselves. There are many fun gift ideas that new cooks would love.
Cookbooks are an easy choice for new cooks. There are literally cookbooks for every type of cuisine you can think of and every course in a meal. How to Cook Everything is a great starting cookbook for new cooks as it gives lots of beginning instruction on basic things that cooks learn how to do — and that lots of cookbooks simply don’t explain in the directions. Other cookbooks — like a chocolate dessert cookbook, can be lots of fun to make sweet treats.
Gadgets can be fun gifts for new cooks, but aren’t always necessary. It depends on the cook and their personality. Some people truly love gadgets. They love the idea of using a new “toy” and having the latest of anything that is on the market. If that describes this person to a “T” then you’ll want to consider getting them cooking gadgets. Another reason to get them cooking gadgets is if you know that cooking gadgets would save them a lot of time or money to do something. A pizza stone is a great cooking tool for cooks to own that makes pizza taste delicious. Somehow the pizza stone simply works better than other things.
Classes or cooking lessons can also be an ideal gift. Now don’t think that this has to be a formal gift. You can make up your own gift certificate to teach the new cook how to make special dishes that you know they enjoy. If the new cook has always enjoyed your stews or soups, then make them a gift certificate to teach them how to make these on their own. They will be thrilled to have a little TLC and guidance in the kitchen to get started.
While children across the U.S.A. first think of candy when it comes to Halloween, many parents are trying to put a stop to this. They think there is simply too much candy and treats out there on this holiday for kids. There are alternatives to candy for Halloween if you think creatively.
It used to be if you gave kids raisins or apples for Halloween, you were setting your house up to be “egged” on Halloween! Now many of these kids parents would be pleased to see some type of healthy treat handed out.
On Halloween, treat safety is of utmost concern. Do not hand out opened or uncontained treats unless to children you know closely and that their parents are there when you give them these treats. Parents: always inspect any treats before your children eat them.
Nuts look like an excellent choice as a treat to give out, but unfortunately, this is one healthy treat to avoid as many kids today have peanut allergies. It is suggested to give out another type of healthy treat on Halloween.
Granola bars are an ideal healthy treat. While many granola bars do have some sugar in them, they certainly have far less sugar than a candy bar or other types of sweets that will be handed out on Halloween. A granola bar is still a treat that a kid enjoys. You do want to hand out a treat that kid will actually want to eat — not simply something “good for you” that the kid will push to the side and never eat. This truly defeats the purpose.
Giving children non-food treats like fun shaped erasers or Halloween themed stickers is also a great alternative. Many boys and girls collect stickers. Lots of children use erasers for math problems and other school subjects. This is an ideal treat that children will enjoy. It is key to think of a treat that children of many ages will like and also one that both boys and girls will be happy to receive.
Fun packs of raisins or other types of dried fruit can be a great sweet snack. Fruit leathers are also very popular with kids and make a great Halloween trick or treat snack. They come in many flavors and colors and are terrific to pop into a lunchbox. These snacks are perfect in kid-sized portions that will fit nicely into a kid’s lunch for during the week or as an afterschool snack.
Gum can also be a great healthy alternative treat instead of candy. Many kids like gum — it can be lots of fun to blow bubbles! Sugarless gum in moderation is a great treat for many kids to enjoy. This is also a treat that is low cost and easy for many of a moderate budget to buy and know they are purchasing something that is healthy for children and still very fun for Halloween.
A gift from your heart is the one that matters the most. It is little surprise than many people would give gifts from the heart from their kitchen. You can get very creative and select delicious things to give from your kitchen. This is an ideal way to give someone a very personal and thoughtful gift.
Flavored olive oil is an easy gift to make and many cooks appreciate this as a gift. You’ll need a fancy looking bottle of olive oil, and herbs and other things to flavor it with. Let these herbs marinate in the olive oil for several days for best taste. Some great herbs to select are basil, tarragon, oregano and thyme.
A jar filled with cookie mix ready to make is a fun gift to give many families. These became very popular several years ago. You can make this look so pretty by lining the items along the bottom of the jar to create patterns. So if you give chocolate chip cookie mix then make lines of chocolate chips and then add in the baking soda or the raw oatmeal and all of the other ingredients. This is a fun gift to give families with young children as cookie baking is a fun gift for families to do.
It seems that more families are holding Halloween parties these days than are going out trick-or-treating on Halloween night. The Halloween party has gathered more and more popularity as it is safe and contained. Parents know exactly where their children are on Halloween night. Parents also can control what type of treats their children eat or do not eat as they will know the menu for the party. A Halloween party is a great way to spend the evening having fun with their friends. You can make your Halloween party even more fun with these tips for success.
Decorate for Halloween
This may sound very basic, but some that hold a Halloween party don’t decorate keeping the holiday in mind. You don’t have to decorate your house like a magazine shoot. Some jack-o-lanterns and some fake spiderwebs can truly add to the fun. Even some spooky Halloween themed music can be lots of fun for the kids. Little touches that remind people what day it is.
Make your party age appropriate
The party for fourteen year olds will be entirely different than a party for ten year olds or even for seven year olds. The ages are not so far apart, but there are maturity levels and preferences to keep in mind. Halloween needs to be toned down (or up) appropriately for the age level.
Focus on making your party fun, not scary
Halloween parties seem to get out of control when kids that are coming think they are going to be scary. There are tears and unwarranted fears that need to be comforted. Parents have to call parents and on it goes. Encourage your child to focus on planning a Halloween party that focuses on being fun, not scary or spooky. If the party does have scary or spooky elements, make them optional so kids can opt out of them without missing the party.
Plan activities for the party
Kids are different. So your crew may want to have pizza and a movie. Or they may want to do crafts and eat a submarine sandwich. Or they may want some snacks and to tell ghost stories. But plan some activities to keep them busy. Don’t just leave kids on their own to do “anything” as that’s when things can get out of control. Give kids their space, but let them also have some things planned to give the party focus.
Try a costume contest
Kids very often have fun with contests of all types. Including a costume contest in your Halloween party can be a great idea and it will encourage kids to come up with very creative (and wild!) costumes. Give prizes and lots of attention for everyone’s costumes. Take lots of pictures. Enjoy Halloween.
Halloween is almost here, and this is the perfect time to make some sweet treats for the little (and big) kids that will soon be at your door wearing adorable Halloween costumes.
Halloween cookies are an ideal treat, especially for people that love to make cookies. You can bring Halloween cookies to school for a party. Or you can eat Halloween cookies at home for a party the kids are having to celebrate Halloween.
There are many images that lend themselves nicely to cookie themes. Making pumpkin or cat cookies sound adorable and are very cute shapes. Witch hats are also fun cookies. Ghosts can also be great cookie shapes that kids will easily identify. You can make sugar cookies and then frost them with colored frosting. Try personalizing cookies with the names of kids who will be coming to your door. What could be more fun that a pumpkin cookie with your name on it?
Here’s a video giving another type of Halloween cookie you can make. Try these spider cookies for fun!
Fall is the perfect time for making soup. A great low-calorie option is to make vegetable soup. Many people love vegetable soup. One of the best things about vegetable soup is that you can easily add diced chicken, sausage or other cooked meat to the soup you are eating for the day to make this a heartier meal.
To create a great vegetable soup you’ll first need a variety of vegetables. Many people like to add carrots, celery and chickpeas to their vegetable soup. There are other vegetables you can add such as squash based on taste.
Adding spices and herbs is critical to make your vegetable soup flavorful. The vegetables will have natural flavor, but you can make this spicy or more rich tasting with the gentle addition of herbs and spices. Basil, tarragon, oregano, rosemary and cilantro are popular choices. Garlic is an easy option to include in your vegetable soup.
To learn more about making vegetable soup, check out this YouTube video:
If you love to cook, then chances are you have had someone refuse to eat something you’ve made because they are on a diet. It can be so frustrating, and even hurt your feelings to have someone refuse food that you have cooked. Well the best technique to combat this is to learn to cook for people who are dieting.
The first step is to learn who in your life is on a diet and exactly what type of diet they are on. Different diets call for different modifications. While we can’t discuss every modification here, we suggest that if you have a family member or a friend that eats your food regularly you get a copy of their diet book and read it to understand the basics of their diet. This will best help you know exactly what you need to cut out.
The two most important things to cut from your foods will typically be fat and sugar. Quite frankly, it can do everyone a world of good for you to learn to cut these down from your own cooking as well! We truly don’t need to consume as much fat and sugar that we do. Things can taste delicious when you use substitutes.
Look for lower fat ingredients to cook with to begin with to cut calories and fat. Blot dry foods to also cut fat. Grilling meats instead of frying them or cooking them other ways means that there will be less fat.
You can often bake a recipe with about half the sugar you are used to, or even eliminate it entirely. The trick is using applesauce instead. Some cooks also like to use vanilla or cinnamon to sweeten their recipes. Sweeten to taste what you are cooking. When the batter tastes sweet, you know you are successful. Another benefit of using applesauce is this means you are adding fiber to this recipe.
Check out this brownie recipe to see just how healthy you can get:
The Christmas season is coming upon us quickly. Of course that means the dreadful Christmas shopping season is also upon us. In recent years I have become very much an Internet shopper, and the few times I do make it out to the store are generally in October or early-November. I am absolutely not a black-Friday shopper!
So what do I buy for Christmas gifts? It really crosses the board from jewelry to knick-knacks (for those who already have everything known to man). A couple years ago though my mom said she would just like a subscription to a couple of her favorite magazines. They were cooking magazines that she loved having around the house.
To help you with your magazine needs, I’ve rounded up a few good cooking/family magazines that can be had for under $20.
Cooking Light specialized in including light cuisine recipes. Their typical magazine is loaded with both recipes and pictures. Often they will include food and nutrition news, and regular fitness, health and beauty articles.
Bon Appetit targets hands-on cooks who love spending time in the kitchen, as well as readers who love to travel and dine out. There are articles to meet the experience level of all cooks including experienced cooks and kitchen newbies.
Better Homes and Gardens is the old standard. I distinctly remember my mom reading this magazine when I was in grade school (a long time ago). BHG has everything family/food/cooking related!
Family Circle is truly a quick and easy read, loaded with easy recipes, health tips, decorating tips and more. Family Circle is the down home style read that is pleasant to have around the house.
Southern Living is definitely geared to satisfy southerners. However, I think that it is actually a good read even for those of outside of the deep south. Southern Living almost always has great articles about travel, homes, gardening, and generally living in the south.
Country Living does not present itself necessarily as a cooking magazine. It is however a great magazine for those in to the country living motif. You will find great articles covering topics as diverse as food, decorating, gardening, entertaining, and even travel.
Gourmet in my opinion, is definitely an upscale Bon Appetit. It is a great read, and upon having to choose between the two, I’d subscribe to both!
You should note that there are food and cooking magazines for nearly every niche you might want to find. The seven magazines I listed are just my favorite in the sub-$20 price range (most are under $15).
As many brides prepare to get married, their friends and family throw them a bridal shower. At this shower, they give them gifts to prepare for married life. One of the best showers to give a new bride is the kitchen-themed shower. A kitchen-themed shower is fun and will give them many fun hours cooking delicious food for their family. There are so many creative ideas you can come up with when it comes to a kitchen-themed shower.
Try a cookbook shower. Have every guest bring the new bride a cookbook. This is a very specific type of shower and it means that she will start married life with many cookbooks filled to the brim with delicious recipes. She’ll be ready to cook for her family with this shower!
Create a bridal shower cookbook. This is a fun project and very easy to do. Have every guest bring a recipe that they love to share with the new bride. Put these recipes on index cards or on paper to go in a plastic binder. Present this to the bride during the shower from everyone. She’ll be thrilled to have such a thoughtful gift from everyone. When cooking these dishes, she’ll think of each person that came to her bridal shower.
Invite a chef to teach cooking techniques. A fun idea for the bridal shower with a kitchen-theme can be to invite a local chef to teach cooking techniques. They can do a cooking demonstration and a tasting of the food. This is a great way to get everyone involved in the cooking theme, and have everyone learn something about cooking at the shower.
Give the bride the latest cooking gadgets. Some brides love the latest cooking gadgets. If this bride is all aglow about her stainless steel refrigerator in her new house, then she’d love a shower about kitchen gadgets for her kitchen. Have each guest bring her a fun cooking gadget that she can use in the kitchen.
When you are looking for a sweet dessert everyone will love, you simply can’t get more perfect than cupcakes. Cupcakes are pretty and easy to make. There are many ready-to-make mixes available to easily make lots of different types of cupcakes. You can make chocolate, vanilla, carrot cake, banana, pound cake, swirl, red velvet and other types of cupcakes quite easily just by following the directions of a mix.
A very popular choice to do when making cupcakes is to “doctor” a cupcake mix. That is to add things to the cupcake mix to make it even more special. You can do this in a simple way such as adding mini chocolate chips to vanilla cupcake mix. Or fancier ingredients to make your cupcakes taste yummy. Simply think of things your family, friends and guests would enjoy.
One of the best things about cupcakes is that these are portioned desserts where everyone already has their dessert sectioned out for them. There is no worrying if your child will eat to many cookies or anything like that, as you just give them one cupcake. This is a great way to eat a moderate diet and still enjoy the sweet things in life.
