How to Build Chest Muscle Lightning Fast in 3 Easy Steps

How to Build Chest Muscle Lightning Fast in 3 Easy Steps If you've been trying to build chest muscle but aren't seeing the gains you were looking for then there are a few key steps you can take to build chest muscle in lightning speed.

How to Build Chest Muscle Step I - Dissect your chest work out If you want to build chest muscle you have to dissect your chest workout. Your chest which consists of your pectorals "pecs" are pretty big muscles, which means you're going to have work out different parts of your chest "one at a time" if you want maximum results and the fastest gains possible. It's real simple. All you have to do is break down your chest workout or chest exercises to work out the 4 main parts of your chest. These 4 parts are your upper chest, your lower chest, your inner chest and your outer chest. Here are a few exercises you can use to build chest muscle very quickly. Upper Chest Muscle Exercises - Incline Barbell Bench press - Military Dumbbell Presses - Incline Dumbbell Flyes Lower Chest Muscle Exercises - Decline Barbell Bench press - Parallel Bar Dips - Decline Dumbbell Flyes Inner Chest Muscle Exercises - Standing Cable Crossovers - Flat Bench Dumbbell Flyes Outer Chest Muscle Exercises - Flat Bench Barbell Presses - Flat Bench Dumbbell Flyes By dissecting your chest workout in this way you will not only build chest muscle fast but you build ALL the different areasof your chest muscle which leads to a bigger, stronger and wider chest. How to Build Chest Muscle Step II - Work Your Chest to Failure If you want to build chest muscle, you have to train your chest to failure. If you don't know what I mean, it's very simple. You have to push your chest muscles to the point where it is unable to do any more reps on its own during that set. This is why you also NEED a spotter - someone to help you when your muscles fail during an exercise. For example, if you're bench pressing and your muscles fail halfway on your last rep, you want someone there to assist you, so you can keep pushing even though your muscles have failed - that's the key to unlocking HUGE muscle gains. When you train your chest muscle to failure like this, your body says "Woe, I better start sending more nutrients (protein, water, calories, etc.) to build my chest muscles so next time we deal with this stress (weight training to failure), it won't be as strenuous as last time". Training like this can and will lead to HUGE chest muscle gains quickly. How to Build Chest Muscle Step III - Don't Cheat on Your "Negatives" What are "negatives"? - Negatives are the eccentric or lowering phase of your particular exercise. For example, if you were bench pressing, your negative would be when you are lowering the barbell once you've reached the top. In other words, negative is the motion you take after you have contracted your targeted muscle (in this case lowering the barbell after we have contracted our chest muscle to push the barbell to the top). Most people use gravity during negatives instead of having a controlled movement downward. This is what I call "cheating your negatives" and it's also hazardous to your muscles. Think about it, if you just finished pushing a 150lb barbell upward, it'll be pretty dangerous and "useless" when you're trying to build muscle if you just relaxed your chest muscles as soon as you were about to lower that barbell it. Instead, take your time and bring the weight down in a controlled motion and try to really feel the burning in your chest muscle as you lower the weight thus stretching and really targeting your chest muscles as a result. Remember, it's not quantity but quality. Think about it, you could lift 30 pounds ten times with poor form or 30 pounds six times with proper form, and you would notice much better results with the latter example So don't cheat yourself out of building the massive chest you desire by cheating on your negatives - this is when much of the pressure is being put on your muscles, so don't "wimp out". To anyone who wants to learn how to build chest muscle and quickly at that simply follow these 3 simple steps and you'll be on the road to a massive chest in no time. Copyright 2006 Richard Knight How to Build Chest Muscle Lightning Fast in 3 Easy Steps

How to Make Rock Candy at Home, Step-By-Step

How to Make Rock Candy at Home, Step-By-Step When people are thinking about candy making, many will instantly assume that chocolate is the most popular style. What they don't know is that lollipops, rock candy and even toffee remain popular items to make. With all these different choices, there is almost no doubt that rock candy is the easiest to make.

Now, if you are wondering how to make rock candy at home, you will want to pay close attention. A single cotton thread on a stick or pencil that is stuck in a jar is the best method. You will have the thread a single inch above the base of the jar. You can begin this process by taking a paperclip and placing it on the end of a thread. Then on the other end, attach a weight to ensure that it falls straight. This will also help you to determine the height of your thread. Next, you will place his thread inside of water to get it wet then roll it in granulated sugar. When this is done, you will find there are sugar crystals on it. Next, you will need to create a batch of sugar syrup while you are allowing your thread to dry. This is simple, just go online and look for a recipe you can make. From there, you will pour the sugar in a jar and then place your string in it, ensuring you don't allow it to come closer than one inch of the bottom of the jar. Then cover the jar with a paper towel and allow the process to take place. During the next few hours, the rock candy should begin growing. As they are growing, be sure you keep an eye on them and remove the string if you see the candy growing into the sides of your jar. When that is done, you can enjoy your new delicious treat! Once this basic step is done, you will have in turn created your easiest hard candy type. You can then bring this idea into the creation of lollipops. These will require corn syrups, sugar and water as well. You will then need to do just a few simple steps. Start with 3 ½ cups of sugar and mix it with a cup of water and 1 ½ cups of corn syrup, then place it into a decent sized saucepan. Next, bring your mixture to a medium high heat as you wait for your sugar to dissolve into the solution. When it has done this, begin to stir until the mixture is melted and reaches the final boiling point. Next, allow the mixture to continue to boil without mixing it, you will need to wait until it hits 300 degrees Fahrenheit. While you are doing this, you can mix in your flavoring and colors as well. Once this is done, you can place them in the candy molds, just be sure you watch closely as the candy will be very hot. Before it cools, place in sticks and you are done. When you have the final candy form, you can place wax paper and some cellophane over them and this will help to keep your candy fresher. The biggest thing about making rock candy is to ensure you hit 300 degrees at a minimum. If you don't reach this temperature you will end up with a gooey substance you can't use. Also, if you end up stirring too much, you will experience the same results. To avoid this issue, many people will blend in the color and flavor with the sugar solution from the start. With this in mind, also make sure you never stir for more than 4 seconds when you remove the mixture as well. While you learn how to make rock candy, keep in mind that you will find a number of tips and tricks you can take with you. Just be open to expanding your knowledge and try new recipes at home whenever you can. How to Make Rock Candy at Home, Step-By-Step

Easy to Make Pecan Turtle Cookie Bars Recipe

Easy to Make Pecan Turtle Cookie Bars Recipe Pecan turtle bar cookies have been a favorite in our household for over 15 years. This recipe takes less than 30 minutes to make and is made from common every day ingredients.

It starts off with a layer of buttery crust, then accented with the nutty taste of pecans and finally topped off with a delicious layer of chocolate. Once they are cooled and cut into bars, you will want to store them in an airtight container. Crust Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed 1/2 cup butter, softened Caramel Layer Ingredients: 2/3 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed 1 cup whole pecan halves 1 cup milk chocolate morsels (chocolate chips) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the all-purpose flour, brown sugar and softened butter until creamy and fluffy. Press the crust ingredients inside a 13 x 9" baking pan. Sprinkle the pecan halves evenly over the crust. For The Caramel Layer: In a large mixing bowl (you can reuse the first bowl), cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until creamy. Pour mixture into a 2 quart saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until it boils; remove from heat. Pour this mixture over top the pecan layer in your baking pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 16 to 18 minutes or until done. Remove the baking dish from the oven and immediately sprinkle the milk chocolate chips over top so that they melt. Using a silicone spatula, swirl the melted chocolate around to give it a marbled effect. Let the cookies completely cool and then cut into bars. Easy to Make Pecan Turtle Cookie Bars Recipe

How to Make Cheap Homemade Birthday Party Invitations

How to Make Cheap Homemade Birthday Party Invitations You are thinking that you don't have the time are talent for this. However you can do it, and we will take you through all of stepson how to make cheap homemade birthday party invitations, that will be as attractive as any store bought cards.

Search the web for free templates with orb without designs already in place. Be aware that some web sites only allow you to access free templates and or designs if you purchase your blank cards from them.. However there are some sites that have free templates, designs and wording samples that are truly free. If you are making invitations for a senior citizen's birthday look for clip art from the time when they were small children or teenagers. If you can find a baby picture of Grandpa or a school picture, what a cool invitation that would make. My cousin's father-in-law was born in 1928, so when she made the invitations for his birthday party she put a picture of Mickey Mouse on the front of the invitation , since Mickey was also born in 1928 also. On the Front of the card She wrote Happy Birthday to Jack Smith and Mickey Mouse. Her father-in-law loved it! The next thing you have to do is choose the wording. You may of course use the standard type of invitation verse but it would be so much more unique if you created your own wording. When you buy you're your blank invitation cards, get a few extra , incase of a paper jam, ink smear or other un-forseen problem Have extra ink cartridges on hand. You don't want to run out in the middle of printing your invitations. Before you start printing the project run one copy on a piece of paper the size of your invitation cards. This will let you know if there are any typing errors, and you can make sure everything is lined up the way you want it. The project shouldn't take more than an hour so to complete. Now that you know how to make cheap homemade birthday party invitations, enjoy the process. If the birthday boy or girl was born on or close to a major holiday, incorporate symbols of that holiday on the invitations. A friends husband was born on the 4th of July, so she made the invitations for his party with an exploding firecracker for her design on the front and this quote from George M. Cohan "I'm a real live nephew of my Uncle Sam, born on the 4thof July". My neighbor is a police officer and her kids made her invitations using a photo of her badge, hat and nightstick For a member of the Clergy, use a symbol of his or her office ,such as a bible, pulpit, chalice, cross or Star of David. The design choices for children are just about endless. Cartoon characters, superheroes, animals, Disney characters, toys and the list goes on. Teenagers are a little harder to find clipart of guitars, CD's rock and roll , car and sports images are all good choices for teen birthday party invitations. Let invitations for adults reflect their careers, hobbies or other interests. My husband loves to hunt and fish, so of course I made his birthday party invitations to reflect those interests. He really like the one I made when I used a picture of him standing on the bank of casting out into the river. You can use free templates and print then with your wording choice and then rubber stamp the designs, for another unique approach to invitations. But, that is very time consuming time. Now share the fun, get a bunch of your friends together, and teach them how to make cheap homemade birthday party invitations. Find here great free party invitation templates: http://www.4n-invite.com and wedding invitation templates : http://www.2n-invite.com How to Make Cheap Homemade Birthday Party Invitations

How to Make Homemade Futon Bunk Beds

How to Make Homemade Futon Bunk Beds Futons are very valuable pieces of furniture because they serve as a couch/bed combination. Futon bunk beds are increasing in popularity because it allows for a bed on top and a bed/couch combo on bottom. If you don't want to invest in a futon bunk bed and it's quite possible to build your own out of two existing futons. Follow the instructions to successfully build a futon bunk bed.

1. Take two futon sets, it is highly recommended to use identical sets. Measure the length, width and thickness of each wooden piece. That include the headboard, footboard, and all the posts. 2. Get some lumbar of your own from a timber yard or hardware store and construct your own headboards and floorboards. Keep in mind that the posts should not be higher than seven feet. They should also be wider and thicker the originals, twice as thick is perfect. 3. Using a power drill, drill holes into these parts that are just large enough to fit the bolts that came with the frames of the futons. 4. Using strong bolts and nuts, attach the futon frames to the headboard and the floorboards. Your bolts should be the same width but because your posts are thicker this time, you may need longer bolts. 5. Be sure that the parts are securely attached. Check all the bolts to double check that their tightly fastened and make sure the frame does not jiggle at all. Especially pay close attention to the stability of the top bunk. 6. Using your lumbar, build a ladder for the top bunk. It is highly recommended to permanently attach your ladder to the headboard and floorboards. This will keep it in place and deter any harmful accidents. How to Make Homemade Futon Bunk Beds

Easy Homemade Chocolate Recipes

Easy Homemade Chocolate Recipes If you would like to make some chocolate treats then there are lots of different ways of doing this.

The simplest chocolate cakes don't even require the oven to be switched on. You will need to melt some chocolate though. Do this in a bowl over a pan of bubbling hot water. Use a couple of hundred grams of chocolate chips, or a large bar. You will also need a spoonful of golden syrup stirred in to the melted chocolate and a large volume of either cornflakes or crispy rice cereal. Melt chocolate, add syrup, take off heat. Pour in the cereal and stir until well covered. If you don't put enough cereal in then there's a higher chocolate ratio which some people like. The general rule is you keep adding cereal until you have no melted chocolate at the bottom of the bowl. Put the mixture in to cup cake cases and leave to set. Children can help you mix in the cereal and ladle out the mixture. Add chocolate chips to any cup cake recipe. You can add them to biscuit mixes too. Any recipe almost can be made more interesting with the addition of chocolate. You can buy special cooking chocolate for this or use bars of normal chocolate. Cooking chocolate is in small chips which makes it easier to melt. It's also available in white, dark as well as milk. You can also add chocolate chips to ice cream for an extra treat! Or use it to melt and mix with butter or cream to make an icing for the tops of cakes. This is delicious and stays sort or hard according to the recipe you use. You can easily get a good finish with a little practice at pouring! Easy Homemade Chocolate Recipes

How to Make Love - 3 Simple Easy Steps to Body Shaking Orgasms!

How to Make Love - 3 Simple Easy Steps to Body Shaking Orgasms! Are you searching for how to make love tips to spice up your sex life? Do you feel, like others, that real passionate love making is only possible when the sex is between two strangers?

This is only on television or movies. While it is true that there is a lot of passion in a new relationship, couples who have been together a long time can also feel that same passion as well about how to make love and enjoy it. There are a number of ways for maintaining passion in a relationship even long after you have been together. You will be able to learn a few how to make love secrets that help you keep an intimate relationship alive and a physical connection heightened throughout the entire relationship. Tip No: 1 First of all, it is important to let your partner know exactly what's on your mind and what you want during making love. If your partner doesn't know that you're feeling bored in the relationship or are a bit tired, he or she can't help you alter your sexual routine to spice up the relationship and the sex act. It may hurt your partner's feelings at first when you tell them how you're feeling about your how to make love experience with them but it will serve as a way to drive his or her thoughts toward positive action. It's better to be honest than it is to go outside of the relationship for sex. Rather than allowing the passion to continue to dwindle, let him know the relationship needs some work such as spicing up their lovemaking session with new excitement and fun. Believe me, they will benefit from a change as well. Let them know that your ultimate goal is to have a satisfying sex life for both of you. Tip No: 2 Secondly, allow the research of science to fall in your favor. Scientists who study intensively in human sexuality area will tell us that when we fall in love, a chemical known as dopamine increases within the brain and gives you the feeling of love when you are with your sexual partner making love lovingly. And it does so especially when you have a sexual encounter. By continuing to do novel things with your partner, you can keep dopamine going within the brain. The brain actually enjoys new and novel things so keep the sex new and different in order to spice up your lovemaking and your dopamine. Many folks think that what it means is having "love making vacation". While vacation sex can definitely spice up a relationship, a couple can find ways on how to make love much more often. In order to spice up the sexual experience, try a new lubricant as there are always new ones coming out on the market. Try a new sex toy or an older toy used in a newer way. All of this can make love making more delightful and more unique. Tip No: 3 Thirdly, allow yourself to be open-minded about how to make love. One reason that you or your partner might be in a rut is because you are reluctant to try something new with them. You might feel embarrassed that you can't get it right or you might just feel like going with what has felt comfortable. It's easy to tell yourself that the old lovemaking way is the best way but when it comes to your brain chemistry, what is new is what is going to be more satisfying. Be willing to try whatever your sexual partner feels might be new or exciting lovemaking events. If you enjoy it too, then terrific! If not, keep trying things that will make you feel more excited about how to make love with your partner. How to Make Love - 3 Simple Easy Steps to Body Shaking Orgasms!

Recipe To Make Natural Homemade Sexual Lubricant

Recipe To Make Natural Homemade Sexual Lubricant Sexual lubricants are used in order to reduce the friction and add moisture between the two moving objects such as human reproductive organs or sex toys. While sexual lubricants are commonly available in drug stores, adult book stores, and novelty shops and even in some departmental stores, it becomes quite hard for people to choose the right sexual lubricant for them at times. For this purpose, it is refreshing news that sexual lubricants or lubes can be prepared at home by day to day accessories and ingredients. Preparation methods for these lubricants are easy and not very complex. They do not take a lot of time and should be stored in clean and sterilised containers in order to avoid the growth of any bacteria which might cause diseases and infections.

Preparation method In order to prepare sexual lubricants at home one must follow certain fixed recipes. A mixture of four teaspoons of cornstarch or potato starch and a cup full of water should be taken in a bowl. If you are planning on replicating flavoured lubricants which are available in the market then you can add flavoured extracts from certain products according to your own tastes. A few drops of flavoured extracts should suffice for adding flavour to your lubricants. Following this, take the mixture in a pot and boil it for a few minutes before pulling down the heat and allowing it to simmer. Stir the mixture in order to remove lumps and make it smooth. The process is completed once the mixture cools down and is smooth. Storing In order to store the home made lubricants you can use boxes, jars or containers with lids. Even bowls which have tight lids can be used in order to store the mixtures. Transfer the sexual lubricant into your storage medium and put the lid on tightly. While there are some home made lubricant recipes which need to be stored in refrigerators, this particular recipe must not be stored in a refrigerator since it is susceptible to forming a skin like layer on top which is unfavourable to your needs. If you are lacking a lid then you can use a plastic wrap as a cover and store the prepared lubricant at room temperature. Make sure that the container, bowl or jar you use is properly cleaned and sterilised before storing the lubricant in it so as to avoid any bacteria which might cause infections and diseases. Recipe To Make Natural Homemade Sexual Lubricant

How to Make Homemade Beef Rouladen For Dinner

How to Make Homemade Beef Rouladen For Dinner Living in Pennsylvania Dutch Country means we often enjoy German cooking and recipes. Several years ago, I met a German woman down in Lancaster County who gave me her recipe for Beef Rouladen.

What is Rouladen you might ask? It is a thinly sliced beef steak that is wrapped around onions, bacon, mustard and pickles and then tied shut to form a roll. Traditionally it is served with potatoes, dumplings or cabbage. Here is the recipe that she shared with me. Ingredients: 1 lb. beef round steak, cut 1/4" thick in 4 rectangular slices 2 slices bacon, halved 1 sweet pickle, cut in 4 length-wise strips 2 teaspoons prepared mustard 1 small onion, cut into quarters 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 cup catsup 1/2 cup hot tap water 1 beef bouillon cube 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce Directions: Spread 4 pieces of beef steak with mustard to within 1/2 inch of steak edge. Top each steak with a bacon slice, pickle strip and a piece of onion. Roll up the beef like a jelly roll and tuck in the edges. Tie the roll with cotton string or fasten with a small skewer. In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Coat the meat with the flour mixture. In a large frying pan, melt your vegetable shortening. Place meat into the pan and brown on all sides. Dissolve the bouillon cube in hot tap water, add the catsup and Worcestershire sauce. Pour this sauce over the browned meat. Cover the pan and simmer over low heat for 45-60 minutes. Remove the meat from the sauce and remove the string or skewer. Serve the Rouladen on a dinner plate with a spoonful of sauce. How to Make Homemade Beef Rouladen For Dinner

How to Make Icing

How to Make Icing A quick visit to the local, corner bakery is not only a feast for the nose and taste buds. All of the colorful, decorated cookies and various treats are enough to inspire awe. The secret to many of those professional looking cookies is in the icing.

Making icing at home, whether for cakes, cookies or even muffins, is a very basic and simple process. With just a few basic ingredients, both baking enthusiasts and the novice alike can decorate their creations with colorful coatings that dry to a lovely matte finish. Basic Icing for Cakes and Cookies 1 cup powdered sugar 2 tsp milk 2 tsp light corn syrup 1/4 tsp almond extract Assorted food coloring of choice 1. In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in the corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing appears to be too thick, add more corn syrup, a little at a time. 2. If using color, divide into separate bowls, and add food coloring to each to the desired intensity. 3. Dip cookies, or paint them with a brush. If using with cake or muffins, thin the icing slightly and drizzle over the top. Tip: This icing can be spooned into a pastry bag or clear sandwich bag and piped onto the cookies to create detailed decorations. If using a sandwich bag, simply snip off one of the bottom corners with a scissors, and twist the bag as usual to press through the opening. Royal Icing One of the most popular types of icing used on cookies by both the hobbiest and professional pastry chef, is royal icing. The basic recipe produces a beautiful glossy white icing, but once drops of food coloring are added, can transform into a rainbow of colors. There are two basic royal icing recipes; one using meringue powder, and the other using egg whites. Royal Icing with Meringue Powder 4 cups of powdered sugar 3 tbsp meringue powder 1/2 tsp of vanilla or almond extract, though any extract variety will work 1/2 - 3/4 cup warm water 1. In a large bowl, mix the powdered sugar and meringue powder until combined. 2. Add the warm water and beat on medium to high speed until very glossy, stiff peaks form, about 5 to 7 minutes. 3. Take a few moments to assess the consistency and if needed, add either more powdered sugar or water, depending on whether the mixture is too dry, or too wet. Tip: To get the correct consistency for achieving a nice coating on a cookie, once the beater is lifted from the mixture, a ribbon of icing should linger on the surface before disappearing. Royal Icing with Egg Whites 2 large egg whites 2 tsp fresh lemon juice or 1 tsp vanilla extract 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted Assorted food coloring of choice 1. With a hand mixer, beat the egg whites with the lemon juice or extract until frothy. 2. Add the sifted powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined, smooth, and shiny. Turn to high and beat approximately 5 minutes till stiff and glossy. 3. Add food coloring, if desired, and transfer to a pasty bag to pipe onto cookies. Tips: If using food coloring with any of these recipes, begin by adding a single drop and mix well, slowly adding more color as needed. It's always better to start with slightly less food coloring than needed, to ensure too much isn't added at once. It is always easier to make the icing darker by adding more coloring, but making it lighter requires adding more ingredients, so start slow. These icing recipes all dry pretty hard, so this should be noted if being used with a cake. More liquid can be added to each recipe to create a thinner consistency. The best method for coating a cake with this type of icing is to drizzle over the top, rather than using a brush which can pull cake crumbs into the icing. Learn more about how to make icing here. How to Make Icing

Homemade Detox Drink Recipe

Homemade Detox Drink Recipe You can forget expensive dieting programs. You can detox naturally at home, and see the pounds melt away. Make your own homemade detox drink with this recipe from the Master Cleanse.

The homemade detox drink recipe includes simple-to-find ingredients that help you get rid of impurities in your body and quickly lose weight. If you've never heard of the Master Cleanse, basically it is... A 10-day cleansing diet where you drink a home-made lemonade detox drink. A detox recipe that has been used by thousands of people with remarkable results. The process of cleansing body toxins and losing weight is combined into one remarkable system. A popular detox lemonade and weight-loss diet that has been used by many celebrities. Recently got a publicity buzz when pop star Beyoncé Knowles lost 20 pounds in 10 days to slim down for her role in the film Dreamgirls. Also known as the Lemonade Diet, the Master Cleanse detox recipe dates back to the 1970s. Stanley Burroughs created this drink to help people detox their bodies in a safe and natural way. It is one of the best known methods for cleansing your digestive system and quickly losing weight. Although it was not originally intended as a weight-loss diet, it is extremely effective at helping you balance your body and "rebooting" the metabolic process--which often results in weight loss. This is the very essence of detox. What is the Detox Drink Recipe? This 10-day day detox involves mixing together the Master Cleanse lemonade recipe, a mixture of lemon juice, maple syrup, cayenne pepper and water. When you wake up in the morning, you start your day with the lemonade. Then, you simply drink the lemonade several times a day, when you get hungry or thirsty. One of the most exciting results that people experience, along with the quick weight loss, is an overall feeling of greater energy and mental clarity. Here's what people say about it... "I've done the lemonade diet over 5 times and will continue to do it! It helps me stay on track and shed the extra pounds I gain during stressful times and holidays... Plus I always feel energized and like a new person every time I do it." "The key is following the process and sticking with it, which can get difficult in the first few days as your body adjusts to it. When you start seeing results, and feeling more clear, it keeps people going because they feel empowerment and control toward their health and weight loss efforts." The Master Cleanse lemonade recipe is an extremely effective homemade detox. There is no doubt in everyone's mind that the Master Cleanse really does work. Homemade Detox Drink Recipe

How to Build Muscles the Easy Way - Leg Muscle Groups (Part 4 of 4)

How to Build Muscles the Easy Way - Leg Muscle Groups (Part 4 of 4) This is the last part of the series "How To Build Muscles The Easy Way". In this article, we shall see how to train the 3 main muscle groups found on the legs, namely the quadriceps (front part of the upper legs), the hamstrings (back of the upper legs), and the calves (back of the lower legs). However, most people including me, often neglect training the lower body. The emphasis is on the upper body (obviously, because people notice our upper body first). It's time to pay some attention to our legs because they deserve so. Here are some recommended exercises. If you need visual illustrations, you can find lots of such videos on YouTube. All I can do is to describe them in the easiest possible way. Use them at your own discretion.

Training the quadriceps The quadriceps are the largest and most powerful muscles of the human body. Most sports require the use of this muscle group. We also use the quadriceps for our daily activities, such as walking, running and jumping. 1. Doing squats. This is the easiest way to train your leg muscles. Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your legs and allow your butt to reach your ankles. Slowly stand up. Repeat. Keep your back straight throughout the exercise. 2. Doing Lunges. This is a forward pushing movement. Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart. Place your hands on your hips. Step out with one leg and bend your leg until it forms a ninety-degrees angle. Step back to your original position and repeat with the other leg. Training the hamstrings The hamstrings are made up of three muscles, which allows you to bend your knees and rotate around your hips. The hamstrings suffer from cramps easily because they are often neglected during warm-ups before the exercise. 1. Doing lying curls. Lie comfortably on your stomach on the hamstring machine. Use comfortable weights or ask the trainer for advice on the weight that you should use. Curl the weight upwards with both legs. Return to the starting position slowly and repeat. You can also do the one-leg lying curls. Begin with one leg, and then repeat with your other leg. 2. Doing barbell deadlifts. Keeping your back straight, squat down and grab the barbell with both hands using an overhand grip. Stand up and lift the barbell to your thigh level. Slowly lower the barbell to its starting position. Repeat. Training the calves Calves are prone to cramps because they are used in almost any activities related to the legs. Marathon runners have the nicest-looking calf muscles around, because they use them all the time. So here are some easy to do exercises for those, oh-so-sexy muscles. 1. Climbing the stairs. Climbing stairs is actually a good exercise for all 3 major muscle groups, the quadriceps, the hamstrings, and the calves. Climbing the stairs also help to burn more energy, hence, aid in weight loss. 2. Doing dumbbell calf raises. Grab a dumbbell in each hand and hang them by your sides. In a standing position, 'tip-toe' your legs. Be sure that you are able to stay balanced and not fall forward. Return to the starting position and repeat. You can also do this without any dumbbells. Just allow for more repetitions. In conclusion, leg muscles are often the most neglected during muscle building. It is vital that you exercise your leg muscles as well because they are prone to injuries and muscle cramps. And having a pair of sexy, fit-looking legs will turn heads....especially for girls! How to Build Muscles the Easy Way - Leg Muscle Groups (Part 4 of 4)

How to Make Quick and Easy Munchies For Game Watching - Cheesy Party Mix & Southern Coated Pecans

How to Make Quick and Easy Munchies For Game Watching - Cheesy Party Mix & Southern Coated Pecans Whether watching the game on TV or going to a local high school game, we always need munchies. Here are recipes you can make quickly and easily to enjoy during the game. Try Cheesy Party Mix or Southern Coated Pecans stuffed in baggies inside your bag if the cost of snacks keeps you from taking your family to the local high school games. Both of these recipes are also great for snacking at home during the game. The pecans make great holiday gifts and the party mix is great for parties, especially the upcoming Halloween parties.

SOUTHERN COATED PECANS 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup cold water 3/4 tsp salt 1 tsp vanilla 1 tsp cinnamon 1 lb pecan halves In a 2-quart saucepan combine the sugar, water, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon. Cook this mixture for 10 minutes or until bubbles cook down. Add the pecans and stir until all the pecans are coated. Continue stirring until syrup turns to sugar. Pour onto a cookie sheet and separate. Allow to cool. Note: These pecans make excellent holiday gifts stuffed in fancy bags or tins. CHEESY PARTY MIX 4 cups corn bran cereal 1 1/2 cups thin pretzel sticks, broken into halves 1 cup salted peanuts 1/3 cup butter, melted 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 tsp onion powder Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the cereal, pretzel sticks, and peanuts. Pour the butter over the cereal mixture, mixing well. Sprinkle the cheese and onion powder over the mixture and toss well to thoroughly coat. Spread mixture into an ungreased 15 x 10-inch jelly roll pan and bake at 325 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Enjoy! How to Make Quick and Easy Munchies For Game Watching - Cheesy Party Mix & Southern Coated Pecans

Marshmallow Fondant Recipe - How to Make Homemade Fondant

Marshmallow Fondant Recipe - How to Make Homemade Fondant A marshmallow fondant recipe is a great choice for a rolled homemade fondant cake covering. Learning how to make marshmallow fondant is easy, and it looks and tastes great. This homemade fondant recipe makes about two pounds, and it's simple enough for anyone to do, even if you thought you'd never tackle the challenge of learning how to make marshmallow fondant.

Marshmallow Fondant Recipe Ingredients 8-ounce bag of marshmallows 2 pounds of powdered sugar (also called confectioner's sugar or icing sugar; you won't quite use all of it for this recipe) 2 tablespoons of water vegetable shortening (Crisco) for greasing hands and tools How To Make Marshmallow Fondant Put the marshmallows and water in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on high for about two minutes. The marshmallows should be puffy but will still hold their shape. Stir thoroughly until smooth. Next, add about 1 1/2 pounds of the powdered sugar and stir with a spoon well greased with the Crisco. The homemade fondant at this point should be a very sticky dough. Thoroughly grease your hands and work surface with the shortening and knead the fondant, adding a little bit of powdered sugar at a time until the mixture isn't sticky anymore. If it's sticky, add more sugar. If it's dry and tearing, add a teaspoon or two of water and knead it in. The homemade fondant recipe is finished when the dough is pliable and stretchy without tearing. If you won't be using the marshmallow fondant recipe right away, cover it with a little bit more Crisco and wrap it well with plastic wrap. Seal it in a bag and keep it in the refrigerator, where it will last for several weeks. Adding Colors & Flavors To The Homemade Fondant Recipe For color and flavor in your fondant, it's best to use icing colors and candy oils. These are highly concentrated, so you'll only need a few drops, and the results will be much better than if you used other food coloring or flavor extracts, which you'll find suggested in some homemade fondant recipes. Wait until you're ready to use the fondant on your cake before coloring and flavoring the recipe. If the fondant has been in the refrigerator, let it warm up a little in a warm bowl or for a few seconds in the microwave. Separate the fondant into sections if you'll be using more than one color and flavor combination, and keep the separated fondant wrapped in plastic wrap while you're working. Knead the fondant until it's soft and pliable, and form it into a ball. Apply only a few drops of your color or flavor in a few spots on top of the ball. Wear gloves to keep your hands from staining as you knead the marshmallow fondant recipe until it's well blended. Repeat the process with a few more drops and plenty of kneading until you get the results you want. It's important to work slowly in this way, since you can always add more color or flavor, but you can't take some away if you go too far. Learning How To Make Marshmallow Fondant Is Worth The Effort You may think it's easier to buy ready-to-use fondant than to learn how to make marshmallow fondant yourself, but this homemade fondant recipe is very easy to make and well worth the time and effort. A homemade marshmallow fondant recipe will have a better flavor than store-bought, with the same sleek, professional look. If you haven't tried a homemade fondant recipe in your cake decorating, try this marshmallow fondant recipe, and you'll find that learning how to make marshmallow fondant lets you add another layer of creativity, style, and flavor to your decorated cakes. Marshmallow Fondant Recipe - How to Make Homemade Fondant

Dog's Healthy Diet: How to Make a Homemade Dog Food?

Dog's Healthy Diet: How to Make a Homemade Dog Food? Canine companions have been around since our early history. Dogs are companions, help protect us and guard us and even work for us. Our pets are often considered part of the family and usually take on human quirks and traits.

Dogs are also extremely good at manipulating their owners - they always seem to have room for a tasty morsel from your plate and always seem to be willing to be food tasters. The problem with feeding your dog table scraps is that you could end up causing all sorts of health problems. Dogs can also get a range of "human" ailments like high blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. Think of it this way - if all the salt and fat we eat is bad for us, how much worse is for a dog that is so much smaller? Of course, that is not to say that you have to feed your dog tasteless, dry food, only that you need to monitor what he or she eats. The best way to do this is to make your own dog food. Making dog food is fairly simple - you just need to remember to include some meat, some greens for vulcanized fiber and perhaps some rice to bulk it up. Also add about a tablespoon of olive oil per big batch to ensure that your pooch is getting enough essential fatty acids. Prepare the food carefully and bought the best quality ingredients you can afford. Try to get as much visible fat trimmed from the meat as possible and then ask the butcher to mince it for you. You can even mix fatty cuts of meat, like beef or mutton, with chicken or turkey - mince both lots of meat and mix together, your dog will love it. With regards the greens, you want to add some but not go overboard - dogs do need vulcanized fiber but they are actually carnivores. Add some cooked rice to make the mixture go further and then fry the whole lot in some olive oil. Do not add salt or stock or any flavor enhancers except for herbs - fresh or dried. Remember to let the food cool down before feeding your dog. Consider cooking in bulk lots and freezing individual portions. Allow the portions to defrost for at least a day in the fridge before serving. With a little bit of care and effort, you can make sure that your dog's diet is healthy and so ensure that he or she is around for a long time to come. Dog's Healthy Diet: How to Make a Homemade Dog Food?

Homemade Barbecue Beans Recipe

When it comes to choosing side dishes for a barbecue, there are a few choices that are a given. Potato salad, cole slaw and baked beans are standard fare whether dinner is being prepared at home by Aunt Sal or catered by an elite party planner out of Hollywood. The caterer may toss in a few exotic ingredients and spiff up the name, but a good old-fashioned homemade barbecue beans recipe is the only way to go for a true barbecue.

Whether you decide to go hometown or gourmet, the basics remain the same: beans, sauce and spices & vegetables and meat. You can make baked beans without meat, but the roots of barbecue beans are firmly planted in the carnivore category. It is rare to find a "quick and easy" homemade barbecue beans recipe that doesn't start with canned pork and beans. And the more authentic the recipe, like the ones that call for soaking dried beans overnight, the better chance you will find some type of meat in it. These recipes are, after all, for barbecue beans and in parts of the South, barbecue is another named for slow cooked pork. The sauce in the homemade barbecue beans recipe should consist of some combination of ketchup, mustard & molasses. Some recipes call for barbecue sauce, but the real homemade barbecue beans recipe will have you make your own sauce. Most start with ketchup and build from there with mustard, molasses, honey, brown sugar or Worcestershire sauce. There are more exotic choices such as maple syrup, pineapple juice, beer and soy sauce; most of these add sweetness that compliments the smokiness of the barbecue they are paired with. Spice is the other universal ingredient. Salt and pepper, of course, but cumin, coriander and any number of others can be found in a homemade barbecue beans recipe. For added kick, many home chefs will add peppers to their barbecue baled beans; some go mild with green bell peppers, others wild with chipotles or habaneros. Onions and garlic round out the flavor for most recipes. When searching for your perfect homemade barbecue beans recipe, you will have to decide which variety of bean to use. Pinto beans are popular as are canned pork & beans, or navy beans. Some recipes utilize more than one type of bean to present an aesthetically appealing appearance as well as a delicious combination of flavors. These combinations may use lima beans, cannelloni beans, kidney beans and even black-eyed peas. Not only do the flavors blend well, the textures and colors are nice, too. Choosing meat for homemade barbecue beans is an interesting task. The more traditional recipes call for bacon or the burnt ends from the brisket; ground beef, sausage, turkey wings and even oxtail are found in some of the homemade barbecue beans recipes. Any of these will do & will really boost the flavor of your homemade barbecue beans recipe.

1200 Calorie Diet Menu and Meal Plan

A 1200 calorie diet is nutritionally adequate for most of the people for a healthy, safe and permanent weight loss. Starving your body with fewer calories will slow down your metabolism and consequently using up of the calories by the body will also get decreased. This will result in a tired and emaciated body and also the weight loss will not be as much as expected because the calories are still stacked up inside the body.

Following a daily diet of 1200 calories is shown to be nutrition rich to support a healthy body and also brings about the calorie deficit which eventually leads to weight loss. Of course, the actual calories that should be taken depends on a lot of factors such as age, gender, metabolic rate, body size and other medical conditions to name a few. 1200 calorie diet plan fits most of the people on average but it is necessary to confirm with a doctor or dietician before starting with the diet. How to choose the best 1200 calorie diet menu? The diet plan should be chosen in such a way that it strikes a proper balance of the macronutrients. The macronutrients include proteins, carbohydrates and fats. The calories that come from the macronutrients should be ideally distributed as follows: 15% of the calories should come from proteins, 55% of the calories should come from carbohydrates, 30% of the calories should come from fats and only less than 10% of the total calories should come from saturated forms of food. When the diet plan is composed of healthy, nutritious and wholesome food it will keep your food cravings in check and you will feel full for longer. Moreover there will not be any compromise to your health when you follow a diet that satisfies all the above conditions. A diet is followed to make us healthy, supple, strong and slim. Any proper diet should work to achieve all of these. Therefore make sure that you take nutritious food whose calories add up to 1200 or so. Sample 1200 diet plans: Below are two diet plans whose total calorific value comes around 1200. From this you can get an idea of how to construct your diet. Sample 1: Breakfast One whole wheat muffin with a spoon of peanut butter and half a banana. Mid-Morning Snack An apple and few almonds. Lunch 2 slices of whole wheat bread; 2 oz. low sodium turkey breast; 1 oz. cheese; a lettuce, an orange, a tomato and a spoon of mustard. Mid-afternoon snack 8 oz. low fat yoghurt Dinner 3 oz. skinless grilled, baked or boiled chicken breast. A cup of cooked broccoli and 2/3 of a cup of brown rice. Snack A cup of milk and two fat free fig cookies Sample 2: Breakfast A hard boiled egg, 2 slices of whole wheat bread smeared thinly with butter and a large slice of watermelon. Lunch 100gms of baked potato and baked beans and 100gms of reduce fat cottage cheese. Snack Muesli meal replacement bars. Dinner Pasta salad made with olive oil. Wash it down with tinned tuna in brine. Typically any 1200 calorie diet plan can be broken down into the following proportions: The breakfast is the most important meal of the day and makes up 300 calories of the entire 1200 calories. The mid-morning snack adds up to 100 calories, lunch to 300 calories and the mid-afternoon snack to 50 calories. Finally the dinner contributes to 450 calories of the total. Any nutrition rich diet plan that follows this breakdown can achieve good results in terms of weight loss. Snacks can be taken at any time of the day where you feel the need to snack. But timing is important for breakfast. Make sure that you finish you breakfast within an hour of the time you woke up at. For the rest of the day, timing is up to you and you can divide the calories as you want among the meals, but make sure that the total calories don't exceed 1200. Last but not least, wash down you meals with lots of water. Adequate amount of water is absolutely essential for maintaining the metabolism and for the healthy functioning of the body. Keeping your body well hydrated is an important factor that constitutes weight loss. Make it as a habit to drink at least eight glasses of water each day. It may look difficult at first, but once you start making conscious efforts it will no longer seem as hard as it was at first. A word of caution: Before you kick start on a diet, please catch up with your doctor or dietician and get expert advice on the meal plan that you have formulated. This is especially important for pregnant or breast feeding women. You don't want to follow some diet and weaken you body, so always ask for the doctor's opinions and then jump into your diet plan.

Trouble With Digesting Nuts

How to Digest Nuts Better: Behind the Scenes

Salting, roasting, toasting, soaking - what helps, what hinders and why do so many people have problems with eating nuts? Here is a step by step breakdown of the digestive process, and how nuts are impacted by one's digestive system. How Digestion Breaks Down Nuts in Stages Roughly a three-stage process, digestion begins in the mouth, when as you are chewing, enzymes in the saliva begin to break down the starch in foods. Later, enzymes in the stomach begin to release or unfasten the bonds (chemical in nature) that hold the proteins in food together. Still more enzymes in the intestines, together with bile, continue to break down foods (and nuts), working on the protein, starches and fats. Not all materials can be broken down by the body, however, and high on the list is fiber, which is not digestible. Fiber makes its way through the intestines, only partially broken down by the bacteria in the colon; this process is again aided by the production of enzymes in this part of the body. Comparatively, starches are broken down in a couple of hours or less, while proteins take at least that long, and may stay in the body for upwards of 5 hours. Fat takes even longer, which means that high fat meals stay in the body for potentially many hours. How Nuts Are Composed: Proteins and Fiber High in both fiber and protein (as well as healthy fat - upwards of fifty percent), most tree nuts also contain a good deal of protein (10-20%). The fiber content in nuts is also significant, amounting to upwards of ten percent of their nutritional make-up. Nuts make up an excellent source of nutrition and sustained energy for these very reasons: the fiber and healthy fat contents, along with the protein, all make for a slow digestion cycle in the body. Digesting Nuts: How Preparation Might Factor In As mentioned earlier, cooking methods like roasting or baking can also influence the how your body successfully (or otherwise) digests nuts. Any type of cooking essentially breaks down food at a chemical level, in a way not dissimilar to the body's own methods. The lower the temperature, the better the process aids the body itself in further breaking down and digesting the food. High-temperature baking and cooking destroys many of these same chemical bonds. The good fats to be found in nuts are among these bonds that are destroyed in high-temperature cooking. Other Compounds Found in Nuts, and Digestion Tannins, found in nuts, are naturally occurring complex polyphenolics, and are often found in woody plants. Polyphenolics are simply natural antioxidants that comprise an organic defense for plants; these may also be good for human health. The tannins' main function in nature is a protective one, as their bitter taste deters many animals from eating the foods that contain them. For example, walnuts are chief among the foods high in tannin. Additionally, tannins are contained in cashews, pistachios, pecans and the skins of almonds and peanuts. These same tannins are heat-resistant, so even high temperature baking and roasting does not break them down, which partially explains why the nuts might give some people trouble when digesting. The fibrous quality of nuts, given the intestine's inability to completely break down fiber, also explains why there may be some trouble digesting nuts. Gas is produced by the intestine in many cases as some of the colon's bacteria attempts to break down whatever parts of the fiber that it can. Cooking, Roasting, Baking: Digestion Helpers With Nuts? Cooking nuts in a variety of fashions, to recap, does aid in breaking down the starch elements of the the nuts' nutritional make-up. However, the very elements that might increase difficulty in digestion, the high proteins, tannins and fiber, still produce problems for many. The plant protein-rich quality of nuts may prove to be handled well by the stomach, though in many cases, where the pancreas aids in the process, the roasting of the nuts can help improve nuts' digestibility. Digesting Nuts May Be Slow, But Benefits Are High It is the healthy fats found in nuts that end up contributing to the slowing down of digestion the most. This is especially true when compared to how quickly the body may break down foods that are high in carbohydrates, like breads and fruits. The fiber in nuts is generally what gives a feeling of fullness, but the gas that is produced in the intestines as some bacteria attempt to break down the nut's fiber may also promote a full feeling. Eating too many nuts at a time (beyond two servings) may produce many of the symptoms and effects mentioned above, leading a person to feel full and perhaps suffer mild indigestion. The reality is that the proteins, fiber and healthy fats are the cause - not over-eating. Benefits of Soaking and Re-hydrating Nuts Soaking nuts like almonds and cashews in filtered water re-hydrates them. (To find out even more on Re-hydrating Nuts [http://www.greeneggsandplanet.com/blog], read this Green Eggs and Planet post.) Beyond the enriched flavor and new texture, the process also removes chemicals known as enzyme inhibitors. These chemicals are natural, and exist for the purpose of protecting the nut until it is the appropriate time for it to sprout. When you soak the nuts in water, the fluids release the enzyme inhibitors and wash them away. For those who experience a bit of trouble when digesting dried nuts, removing the enzyme inhibitors (which can make the nut difficult to digest) may solve the problem. Other options to aid in digestion include eating raw nuts in smaller portions, to maximize the healthy benefits of the nuts while minimizing the pain of indigestion, or lightly roasting nuts to begin the process of chemically breaking down the nuts. Avoid commercially roasted nuts, however, as the high temperatures (+170F) cause a breakdown of the fats in nuts, thus producing free radicals that are harmful to the body.

10 Ridiculously Easy Christmas Gift Basket Ideas

There are many themes you can use when crafting your own holiday gift baskets. However, the list below contains some traditional gift basket ideas as well as a few for special friends on your gift list. You can get most of your crafting supplies at local stores like Hobby Lobby, or if you shop on the Internet, simply type "gift basket supplies".

Let's start with one of my favorites to share with your inner family and close friends. 1) The Traditional Christmas Gift Basket: Fill your basket with hot apple cider mix large mugs, homemade Christmas ornaments, a letter or poem on why Christmas is important to you, matching mittens, hat and scarf (or, depending on your climate you could substitute sunglasses, sun block lotion, a cool destination theme cap) some mistletoe and or other fragrant scents. You could even include a popular Christmas music CD, and for a super nice touch... some home made Christmas cookies - with the recipe included. 2) Christmas Decorating Gift Basket Fill a basket with nativity set, assorted Christmas ornaments (store bought, but better if hand-made by you,) decorative lights, homemade candles or seasonal candles from your local craft store and a little traditional mistletoe and holly 3) Coffee Lovers Gift basket Fill a basket with gourmet coffees, coffee mugs, novels, or books on coffee regions and making processes, dark chocolates, and a decorative bookmark that you make yourself) 4) Chocolate Lover's Gift Basket Fill a basket with, chocolate cookies (home baked is best,) chocolate bonbons, chocolate sauces, chocolate syrup, chocolate dipped coffee spoons and for a special touch wrap them in cellophane with a bow, hot chocolate mix, chocolate covered coffee beans, chocolate flavored coffee beans and some chocolate recipes from around the world 5) Christmas Survival Kit Spray paint a basket white, then stencil the International Red Cross symbol on each side. Fill the basket with Tylenol - to take away the headache of overdoing, Tea - to calm, relax, and soothe away the tension, peppermints - to settle the tummy from overindulging, Slimfast - to kick off the diet you will need to start, pocket date book - to track all of the 'to do's, CD that includes soothing quiet music to listen to while wrapping gifts, tape - to use to wrap the gifts because you forgot to buy any, a package of gift tags that you made, your favorite quick and easy yummy cookie cookie recipe and last, but not least include some nice bath oil or bubble bath to soothe the weary body 6) Faraway Grandparent (or relative) Gift basket Fill a basket with children's artwork, gifts made by the kids, frames for family pictures (let the kids buy plain wooden frames and decorate them with stickers,) videos of the family, a long-distance calling card. Extras: fill out the basket with candy, coffee, tea, biscuits, Christmas ornaments, candles, etc. Include printed notes from the kids with "why I love you Grandma/Pa sentiments) 7) Golf Lover's Gift Basket For the golfer, fill a basket or a golf bag with golf tees, golf balls, a baseball cap, sunscreen, score cards, a small towel, a can cooler to keep a can of pop or beer cold. A nice touch is to personalize the towel or baseball cap (you can stitch on them, use fabric paints, etc.) 8) Fisherman's Gift Basket Find a large basket or, use a tackle box and fill with assorted lures, leaders, long nose fishing pliers, gloves, guide to local fishing, DVD's on fishing tournaments, and gift certificate for a rod or reel 9) Baby Boomer's Gift Basket Fill a basket with books and magazines on men or women's health issues, a variety of herbal teas, skin care lotions for maturing skin, hair care products with herbal scents, skin care accessories such as exotic sponges, brushes and loofahs, humorous coffee mugs, 60's CD's of great groups like the Beatles and of course... humorous articles on aging 10) Father/ Mother Gift basket Fill a basket with subscription to his/her favorite magazine, favorite cologne/perfume, comfy warm slippers, a handmade coupon book... i.e., (take the day off Dad/Mom...I'll mow the lawn this time, wash the car, run errands, paint a room, etc.,) a gift certificate to his favorite sports shop favorite cookies or treat, a personal letter (in your own handwriting) telling him why you love and what you admire about him/her, favorite popcorn spices, favorite movie, a nice picture frame (with the picture of the family in it) OK! There you have it. But Wait! Here's your bonus! Just kidding... I guess I'm watching too many infomercials. Your going to get several more great gift basket ideas, just because the Holiday season is all about giving. Here are two more great homemade Christmas gift basket ideas. Idea #1 Executive Gift basket Fill a briefcase with a Daytimer, business card holder (one for the wallet, one for the desktop,) pen and pencil set, business newspaper subscription, emergency shoe polish travel kit, reference books like a new updated dictionary, CD of business forms, coffee mug with gift certificate to Starbucks, etc. Idea #2! Exerciser's Gift basket Fill a tote bag or backpack with microfiber towels, water bottle, workout DVD or magazines, power bars, sports drinks, sports socks, headband, and for a really good boss... a trial spa or gym membership Take these Christmas gift basket ideas, mix them up and use them any way that makes sense to you. Just remember one thing. Everyone loves to receive a personalized gift basket. You don't have to wait for Christmas or any other holiday. Just sit down and organize your ideas for each person you'll be giving a basket to. Many times you'll get a break by purchasing in bulk. Use this to your advantage and don't go shopping and buy on impulse. You'll end up spending more than you planed; become a smart shopper this season.

Homemade Hair Conditioner Recipes - Moisturize, Soften and Restore Your Hair

A hair conditioner is a term that means more than one thing.

The first and foremost purpose of it is to moisturize the hair and the scalp. Due to external influences and also internal body reactions (hormones, stress...), the skin on our head reacts differently. The most common reaction is dryness. In homemade hair conditioners, ingredients like avocado and olive oil act as humectants. They trap in the moisture and keep it locked so that the hair shaft can receive the moisture it needs. Combining them with natural hair care products also is a great way to help and restore damaged hair. It coats the shaft and protects it, infusing it with nourishing elements that help its resilience and shine. Nourishing hair conditioner is specifically used for dry hair and dry scalp. It has oils that don't leave a greasy residue, but still provide enough moisture for hair to shine and look healthy. You could always choose to buy a shampoo, but there are homemade recipes that are cheaper to make and all natural. Oily hair shampoo and conditioner target the excess oil that causes the hair to become oily. On the other side, there are dry hair shampoo recipes which restore the moisture and prevent dry, flaky skin of the scalp. They are often used as detanglers, coating the hair shaft with polymers that prevent it from sticking together and tangling up. The best conditioner is the one that give the best results when used on your hair. There is no way to tell the specific hair conditioner will be "the one". You need to try them and see which one fits you best. To finish off, use a hair rinse which will boost up the natural shine and volume. The first recipe helps moisturize the hair. The avocado is a moisturizing element and together with mayonnaise added it is perfect for dry, brittle hair. Avocado hair moisturizer Ingredients * 1/4 avocado, peeled and mashed * 1/4 mayonnaise * blender or food processor Preparation * Combine avocado and mayonnaise in a blender or food processor until the mass is consistent and smooth * Apply on hair and cover with a shower cap * Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes * Rinse off with a gentle shampoo Deep conditioner Ingredients * 3-4 drops of essential oils of your choice * 1 teaspoon of olive oil * 1 egg Preparation * Beat the egg * Mix in the rest of the ingredients * Apply on the hair and leave on for 15 to 20 minutes * Rinse off using a gentle shampoo This hair conditioner helps moisturize (olive oil) and soften your hair (egg). You can keep it refrigerated in a plastic container with a lid. Shake it well before using it.

The Best Homemade Chocolate Chips Cookie Recipe

My big family loves chocolate chip cookie so much that we make batches of if on most weekends and special occasions. Everyone simply loves them that they disappear very fast during family events. We have our own special recipe which has become a tradition we all cherish, and I call this the best chocolate cookie recipe ever. This makes more than 5 dozens of chocolate chip cookies.

You will have fun with this recipe which you can choose to modify to your personal taste. So, to get started, you need to prepare all the ingredients. You will need: 1 cup pure butter 3/4 cup brown sugar 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 cups all-purpose flour or your favorite cake mix 2 cups semi-sweetened chocolate chips 1teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 2 eggs Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 2. Dissolve butter. Add the granulated and brown sugar. 3. In a large mixing bowl, beat all ingredients until thoroughly combined. 4. Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat just enough to combine all ingredients. 5. In a separate bowl, combine all-purpose flour, salt and baking soda. 6. Slowly add the flour mixture, beating with a mixer. 7. Add in chocolate chips gently stirring with a spoon until mixture is evenly mixed throughout the batter. 8. Drop in rounded tablespoonfuls, on a cookie sheet,or baking pan. 9. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes until the edges turn golden brown. 10. Watch your cookies closely, do not overcook. These fantastic cookies are ideal for almost any occasion. Its goodness makes it perfect for dessert and snacks. Now you have just discovered my family's favorite chocolate cookie recipe. One top secret is the type of flour you use. I love the yellow boxed cake mix, of course, you still could use any of your favorite brands. Just learn by heart that using the best cake flour will deliver your cookie a little more body than any ordinary unbleached flour. If you are doing smaller cookies, remember that baking time also goes down. Many ovens produce heat from the bottom, and so as not to burn the bottom of the cookies, I simply double pan them before baking. Spend time experimenting different mixes, it is the only way to obtain the ideal chocolate chip cookie you desire. As soon as you get hold of the best combinations, you too will enjoy the delicious treat of chocolatey goodness you and your family will be delighted as well.

Zucchini Baking Recipes

It always seems like if you plant even one zucchini plant, you have enough zucchini to feed a very large family plus the neighbors. So, of course, there is then the question of what to do with all of that zucchini. It always amazes me that zucchini can taste so good in baked goods. Hope you enjoy these two baking recipes for zucchini!

Zucchini Granola Cookies 3/4 cup butter or margarine (softened) 1 1/2 cups brown sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla grated rind of 1 orange 3 cups grated, unpeeled zucchini 3 to 3 1/2 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup butterscotch or chocolate chips 3 cups granola cereal In a large bowl, mix together the butter and sugar. Mix in the egg, vanilla, orange rind, and zucchini. Add in the flour and baking soda. Mix in the granola cereal. Then mix in the butterscotch or chocolate chips. Grease a cookie sheet and put teaspoonfuls of the dough onto the sheet. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Chocolate Zucchini Bread 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup margarine 1/2 cup oil 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 3/4 cup buttermilk 3 cups flour 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda 5 tablespoons cocoa 2 1/2 cups grated zucchini 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips 1/2 cup raisins 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional) In a large bowl, mix the sugars, oil, and margarine together. Add the egg into the mixture one at a time. Mix in the buttermilk and vanilla. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and cocoa. Add in the zucchini and dry mixture by alternating. Add in the chocolate chips, raisins, and nuts. Grease a 9x13-inch pan and pour the batter into it. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

What Causes Your Hairline (Edges) To Become Thin?

If you're like me, I've dealt with a thin hairline for most of my life. I believe some of it is hereditary and some is because of unhealthy hair care practices. My edges took a turn for the worse when I got micro-braids in my hair. They were braided so tight, that they literally pulled a good portion of the hair out. That was eight years ago and I haven't had braid since then. When I began my journey towards healthy hair, this was one of the areas in which I wanted to see improvement. Through some research and talking to others with the same issue, I found the following tips to be helpful in re-growing my hairline and thickening it up a bit.

First thing is to stop any practices that contribute to adding stress to your edges. This may include wearing braids and pony tails that are too tight, wearing cotton hair bands, applying gels, constant brushing, frequent touch-ups, etc. Castor Oil - applying this oil on a regular basis helps to stimulate the hair follicles Scalp Massages - another practice that aid in stimulating the hair follicles and blood circulation in the scalp. My suggestion would be to massage your edges every other day with castor oil and other essential oils. Moisturize - apply a moisturizer to your edges every night after your scalp massage. My suggestion would be a homemade moisturizing sprits consisting of water and castor oil. Be Consistent - success does not happen overnight and hair growth certainly doesn't either. It is imperative to be consistent with the above practices and remember that it takes time. Determine how often and for how long you will apply these practices and then stick to it. You will see the results of your labor in due time and will be rewarded with a thicker hairline.

Conversion Vans Vs Mini Motorhome (Class B RV)

Conversion Vans vs. Mini Motorhome (Class B RV) How many people know the difference between a Conversion Van, Camper Van, or Mini-Motorhome? Knowing the differences can help an individual make "Good Purchase Decisions". The right Van can be your daily transportation or RV. The differences become important for simple reasons like:How much will it cost me to insure my vehicle?

How do I determine a fair "Blue Book" price to buy or sell? Does my neighborhood association allow me to park my Van at Home? Safety: Is my Vehicle Crash Tested by a Government Agency? Who will service my Van when I need repairs or maintenance? Conversion Vans are not Motorhomes, but they can offer many of the features of a Motorhome. So let us clear up the differences! Keep in mind there is room to stretch from one class of vehicle to another; and there is no defacto industry definition; just guidelines. Search the listings at RVTRADER.com and you'll find many Class C's mixed into the Class B listings not to mention the Class B's in the Bus Conversions. You'll even find ordinary Conversion Vans in the mix. It seems people really don't know what they have! Confusing isn't it? We love vans and own several different types and is how we at Conversion-Vans.NET define the Vehicle Classes. Cargo Van - A Cargo van is a vehicle provided direct from the Manufacture with no rear seats, carpeting, or windows. These vans can be "Up fitted or Converted" to meet the needs of a variety of purposes. Camper Van - This is the simple conversion of a stock cargo van to add features helpful for "camping". So a Camper Van is any van that has been converted for the purpose of camping - simple enough! Yes and No. There is no such thing as a commercial "Camper Van" - unless you get outside of the USA where the nomenclature changes. Camper Vans are typically "Homemade" modifications. A Class B Motorhome can be Called a Camper Van if you please, but you can not call a Camper Van a Class B Motorhome unless it has some very specific features! (See next) Class B Motorhome (Class B RV) - Any full fledged Motorhome built on a Cargo Van Chassis by a licensed up fitter. The van may have the top removed or the sides widened, but it is still essentially a van in size and shape. Additionally in order to qualify as a Class B Motorhome the van must have built-in sleeping, eating, and bathroom facilities (Including properly mounting fresh and grey water holding tanks). If the frame of the van has been cut down clear to the floor level (they come direct from Ford, Chevy, and Dodge this way - just a frame and a cab) and built up completely from the floor it's a Class "C" not a Class "B". Conversion Van (aka Luxury Van, Custom Van) - Any van that has been customized for comfort can be considered a conversion van. These are really luxury vehicles used to transport 6-10 people in comfort. Conversion vans can have some of the features of a "Camper Van" or even a "Class B Motorhome", but are typically more upscale and designed for daytime use and luxury transportation. These vans may have a raised roof, fancy paintjob, Custom Wheels, Leather Seats, 4 Captains chairs, dual stereo, TV/VCR Combos etc. Mini C's & B+'s - These are really Class "C" Motorhomes masquerading as Class B Motorhomes. They feature sleek aerodynamic body styles - often made of a single fiberglass shell. The Chinook line of Motorhomes by TrailWagons, Inc. is probably the best example. These are also sometimes referred to as B+ Vans. They are in fact built from the same chassis as a Class C, but are made more to look like a Call B. Confusing? Ultimately it doesn't matter, as long as you find what you want. So there you have it! The Van is an incredibly versatile mode of transportation that can be "converted" to suit the needs of a variety of individuals and purposes. Vans offer large storage capacity for hauling cargo to completely self contained luxury travel. So don't just rush out and get a giant RV until you have considered a Conversion Van or Class B RV.

Benefits of Martial Arts Training For Kids

Admit it. When the going gets tough at home, we've all plopped the kids in front of the television and breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, we can get started on dinner, maybe check email or sort that massive pile of laundry.

But when your five-year old yells at you "Mom, Kids Rule!" or your ten-year old horrifies you with language that would make a sailor blush, you realize there must be something amiss with what these "family programs" really teach our kids. And sadly, its happening all over the media today, from sports to cartoons, and our children are learning things that we, as parents, vowed we would never teach them. Old fashioned values like respect and self-discipline, seems to have been forgotten, replaced by the dreaded "bling bling" pop culture of today. Just the thought of your angelic three-year old morphing into a designer-clad, smart-mouthed, money-worshipping, me-obsessed, lay-about is enough to make any parent consider that threatening military school brochure, but there is a solution out there to consider. Martial Arts training. From Ninja Turtles to The Karate Kid You and your kids have all seen the flying kicks, battle cries and mighty chops of their favorite TV characters, as they beat the bad guys to submission - but, you may ask, how on earth can these acts of violence teach my child anything worthwhile? First, know that what you see on television (save perhaps the Karate Kid) is a far cry from what real martial arts are all about. The fact is, martial arts training is based on non-violence. Originating in Asia (mainly Japan, China and Korea, although Thailand and Vietnam have their own practices as well), martial arts range from a variety of types and styles, all of which are based on well-rounded, moral teachings. The beauty of learning martial arts is that it encompasses not just the physical aspect of the "sport", but mental and emotional lessons as well. Comparing that to other kid's activities and sports, where fierce competitiveness and "winning at all costs" seems to be the order of the day, it's not surprising that many children grapple with issues of self-esteem and misplaced aggression. Now imagine your child actually learning valuable life lessons, skills that he will take throughout life, laying the foundation for a happy, well-adjusted and fulfilled adult life. If only karate for kids was popular in the 70's, when I was growing up! The Advantages o Karate, and other martial arts for kids, builds confidence and self-esteem as well as self-discipline, respect, concentration and courtesy. o Many martial arts schools also offer leadership courses for kids, in conjunction with their karate for kids programs, or similar lessons. o Martial Arts is ideal for children who do not do well in team sports, giving them the ability to flourish this activity, while combining physical and mental practices. o Many do not realize this, but it is a fact that martial arts training are safer than most school sports. o Children with special needs, such as ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), learning difficulties and hyperactivity are often recommended to participate in martial arts for kids because of the clear benefits in its structured training techniques. Kung-Fu Master or Ninja Warrior? Before you sign up Junior for the first martial arts class you see, take some time to check out the different methods available, and match it with what you know would suit your child best. This is a good way to avoid any problems that may sprout from a conflict of your child's personality and the training techniques. Is your little Zach a sensitive soul? Then maybe a class that doesn't center on sparring (full-on kicks and punches training) but rather, slower, defensive maneuvers would fare better for him. Kids with an aggressive streak, however, may prefer the more forceful moves and thrive in competitive sparring. Here's a quick primer on the kid-friendly martial arts training you're likely to find: Martial Arts From Japan Karate o Uses defensive and aggressive moves o Centers on building strength and endurance o Involves chops, punches, kicks, strikes, blocking and sparring o May use weapons Jujitsu o Uses defensive and aggressive moves o Involves lots of sparring o Teaches a fair amount of weapons training Aikido o Uses a more "spiritual" and harmonious style in redirecting the aggression of the attacker as the form of defense, using throws, pins, rolls etc. o Taught on the premise of disabling an aggressor without attacking, through your individual inner energy o Does not involve sparring or competitions Judo o Uses gentle, "wrestling-like" movements o Considered one of the safest methods of martial arts o Emphasizes physical control as well as mental development o Engages in competitions Martial Arts From China Kung-Fu o The generic term referring to Chinese martial arts with a variety of styles o Involves attack movements as well as defensive techniques o Teaches kicks, punches, chops, throws, falls, grappling, katas, leg sweeps and blows among others. o Engages in sparring competitions Martial Arts From Korea Taekwondo o Competitive in nature, involves techniques using elaborate footwork and unique high kicks. o Emphasizes strength, force and attack methods. o Engages in lots of sparring and competitions. Choosing The Right Instruction If you have an idea of the type of martial arts class you'd like your child to participate in, the next step would be to find the right school. Finding the right class that not only matches your child's and your needs, in terms of teachers you feel comfortable with, the price, facilities and so on, are all important factors. Say you've found a local place that specializes in Karate for Kids. What are the things you should look for? 1. Good Instructors Check out their qualifications, teaching methods and watch carefully how they interact with the other children. It should be a fun learning experience! 2. Space and Safety Obviously you would want to entrust your child in as establishment that is safe, well-maintained, and clean with ample space as well as decent facilities and equipment. 3. School Values Different martial arts schools inevitably go by different values, for instance, one kid's karate class may handle aggression in one way, while a judo class would have a different approach. Take some time to observe which school's ideals match your family's principles. 4. Prices and Schedules Prices for martial arts training can vary according to school and location, so make sure you the instruction you choose represents fair value. Finding the most effective way to fit martial arts training into your family's lifestyle is also essential, knowing what works best with your schedule and other activities. Baby Blackbelts Starting your child young in karate training is ideal (children as young as the age of four are usually accepted, as it is also a good way to hone fine motor skills), and lots of parents have found that in as little as a year, their children who were involved in martial arts had noticeably gained positive traits such as increased self-esteem, respect and overall physical fitness. Many parents also opt to join a martial arts training program themselves, making it a great bonding experience for the entire family.

Farmville Neighbors Not Showing Up - How to Find Your Missing Neighbors

Lately more and more Farmville players have bumped into the bug where you can't see your neighbors. It occurs both on old neighbors and just added ones. The game's developer Zynga has also acknowledged this problem, but for some reason it has been going on for some time now and they have yet to fix it. In most cases it's rather simple to fix, but some people have had to work some more for it.

The simple fix is to send a gift to one of your neighbor. For most people, this fixes it. Now, of course you can't do it via the friends link at the bottom of the screen, instead you should use the 'Free Gifts' link in the top. However, if that doesn't fix it for you, you must upgrade your Adobe Flash Player. You want to do this thoroughly so start by uninstalling your old Flash Player. Go here and download the Uninstaller compatible with your operating system. Save it, quit all applications and then run it. Next, go here and get the current Flash Player. It should recognize your OS but if it displays a wrong one, just click where it reads 'Different operating system or browser?' and select yours. Now just download and install. This should make your neighbors show up again for most, but if it still doesn't work here's something you might want to try. First, clear your browser's cache and cookies. Try playing Farmville via the official site instead of through Facebook. You can also try a different browser. Unfortunately, if it still doesn't work after all of this, there's really nothing more you can do about it and it's up to Zynga to fix it.

The Best Chewy Chocolate Cookies

This cookie is a favorite for people who love the great flavor and texture of brownies in a cookie shape. These warm irresistible freshly baked cookies are moist and bursting with chocolate. You find these chewy chocolate cookies taste as good as they look, melting in your mouth one bite at a time. If you find yourself craving something soft and chewy that will satisfied that chocolate lover inside of you then look no more because this is the perfect cookie for you and your family and friends that's if you feel like sharing. Bet you can't just eat one.

Ingredients: 1 ¼ cups of butter, softened (you can substitute the butter with butter flavored Crisco) 1 and ½ cups of white sugar 2 eggs 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract 2 and ½ cups of all-purpose flour ¾ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon of baking soda ½ teaspoon of salt 2 cups of semisweet chocolate chips This recipe makes four dozen of cookies and is ready in about 55 minutes but the actually cooking time is about 10 minutes. So, how do you make the best chewy chocolate cookies? Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (175 Celsius). Position the rack in the middle of the oven. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat the eggs in one at a time until well incorporated and then stir in the vanilla. Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda and cocoa, mix well together until the batter has the consistency of cream. Now it's time to stir in the chocolate chips. Drop the dough by tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheet (size of golf balls) and space them out as you go (tip: place the dough about 2 inches apart on baking sheet to allow for spreading while the cookies bake) Bake for 8 to 9 minutes. The chewy chocolate cookies will be soft, let them cool slightly for about 1 or 2 minutes before removing them. Eat'em up while they are warm. Tips: Remove the cookies off the baking sheet in 1 to 2 minutes after they've cooled, you don't want them sticking to the baking sheet. For best results, bake cookies on the middle rack of your oven. To keep your chewy chocolate cookies moist and chewy, place the slightly warm cookies in a plastic or metal container with a lid or cookie jar.

Quick and Easy Guide to Making Fondant-Covered Sugar Cookies

New to sugar cookie decorating? You're not alone. Where do you start? I'll tell you. Get some good cookie cutters in whatever shapes you want to make. Luckily, the list is endless these days. And, if you cannot find what you want, you can purchase an easy to use kit to make your own cookie cutters in minutes.

Have a good, sturdy and tasty sugar cookie recipe? If not, don't fret. A Google search will turn up millions of sugar cookie recipe results. Once the cookies have been baked and cooled, you'll probably stand there looking at them trying to decide just how you're going to get them to look like the designer cookies you saw in various bakeries, at a party or online. As long as you pick a quick and easy design, you'll alleviate the stress and have fun decorating. To get started decorating, use a food safe paint brush. Take some piping gel and place in a small container. This will be your "glue" between the fondant and the sugar cookie. Hold your cookie in one hand and lightly paint the inner part of the cookie leaving the edges clean. You should barely see the piping gel on your cookie. This is important because the fondant cutout is not as large as your sugar cookie. Set this cookie aside. Before rolling out your fondant, it is important to make sure that your entire working surface is clean. Keep a white cotton towel nearby to use between fondant color changes to clean off your non-stick mat and rolling pin. Use a non-stick mat so that your fondant does not stick to the mat or distorts your fondant cutout when it is removed to place on your cookie. Do not use confectioner's sugar if your fondant is sticking to the mat or rolling pin. It is better to use a little Crisco on the rolling pin to alleviate this problem. Start rolling your fondant out in one direction, lift it completely off the mat, turn it 90 degrees, roll, lift and turn 90 degrees, roll, lift and turn 90 degrees until it reaches the thickness you want. One quarter inch (1/4") thickness seems to be standard, though some people use 1/18" thickness. See which works best for your design. Not sure which fondant to use? You should try several different brands because they all taste different. Don't like the flavor? Add some of the concentrated flavors available at cake stores or online. Pick one that compliments your cookie flavor. The fondant available at the craft stores has been improved so try it on your sugar cookies. Use coupons to save money. Need a lot of fondant? Buy the 5 lb. container. Some companies have fondant that works well with decorated sugar cookies. It comes in many different delicious color flavor combinations. You can order samples online. Another company offers deep rich colored fondant in purple, red, yellow or black, and it is available in most cake stores and online retailers. When your fondant has been rolled out, take the same cookie cutter used to bake the cookies (make sure that it is cleaned using a dry cloth) and cut out your fondant. The best technique to use to get a clean cutout is to press firmly all the way down, continue to hold your hand completely on top of the cookie cutter, and then give it a slight twist. I call this technique "press down and wiggle." This clean edge cutout in the beginning saves time when you don't have to remove ragged edges. Remove the cutter and lift your fondant cutout up and place on top of your piping gel covered cookie. Take your finger and slide it all over the cookie being careful not to press down or leave fingerprints. Now you have a smooth surface on which you can create your design. Decorating is the best part! Use simple tools to get started, and the process, save time and money. The first set you should purchase is the Designer Pattern Press Set. It is available at most craft stores. In this package, you will find some very elegant presses. The symmetrical swirl, small and large fleurs de lis, corner flourish, flower, heart bow, scroll and curliques. These presses can be used to decorate cakes. Whether you're working on wedding cake cookies, baby shower cookies or any other design, you'll find one of the presses will suit your need as a beginner. Just practice imprinting your fondant before you start designing your cookies so you know how much pressure is needed to get a clean pattern imprint. This set is a deal under and a steal you use a discount coupon. Play around with them. They will become your tools of the trade and will give you professional results every time. When you turn them in different directions, sometimes going on and off the edge of the fondant, you create a lot of different options for designs to use. The second tool to purchase is the Quilting Patchwork cutter. This can be used horizontally, diagonally and vertically to make interesting designs. Need to make a monogram cookie for a wedding? Embellish the edges of a square cookie and use a stamped initial press for the center. Want something fancier? Put sugar pearls in the cross sections to make your cookie more elegant. An easy way to add sugar pearls is to use the pointed end of a small paint brush to make an indentation in the fondant (a slight dip) where you want the sugar pearl to land, and then add the sugar pearl. It will go right into the slot just like a pinball into the hole. Need to add a line of pearls? Use a ruler to make a line impression in the fondant. Sit your cookie on a rimmed plate and then pour the pearls over the line. You can easily line up the pearls and press them all the way down into the fondant. Once the fondant is dry, the sugar pearls will not move. Check out craft stores or departments for more easy to use and inexpensive tools. Some of the same presses used for clay can be used on your fondant. Experiment. Rubber stamps are also inexpensive (again, think coupons) and great tools for embellishing your fondant. Look at the depth of the design on the stamp to get an idea of what it will look like when you press it into the fondant. Some presses only make light imprints. Use these presses only for your cookies and not for your crafts. Practicing the amount of pressure it takes to get your designs to come out clean and even is important to make your cookies look professional. Take some fondant out of the package, roll out and then practice with the stamps and presses. If your design is not evenly imprinted across the fondant, re-roll out and then try again using both hands gently pressing the tool into the fondant and then lift. When you learn how much pressure you can use to imprint your design, you can do the imprint directly on the cookie without worrying whether the cookie will break. It may take you a couple times to get the cookie the way you want it to look. You can easily remove the fondant off the cookie if you don't like the design. Use a little Crisco and re-knead the fondant to take away the stickiness of the piping gel. Look at your cookie. You may have to add a little more piping gel to it before adding the fondant. Once all of your cookies are decorated, let them sit in a dry place to dry overnight or 5-6 hours. Once the fondant is dry, you can use a food-safe paintbrush to add a little sparkle with Super Pearl luster dust. A little goes a long way. Cellophane bags can be purchased to put your cookies in and add a decorative bow. Get ready for all of the compliments!