Baking bread at home is an incredibly sensual experience. The feel of the gooey, stretchy dough brings back memories of playing with dough as a child. As the dough is mixed and proofed (allowed to rise), the baker can smell the slightly sweet, slightly sharp fermentation that results from the action of the yeast. And finally, as the bread bakes, the fragrance of baking bread fills the house, tempting everyone it wafts past to meet in the kitchen for a taste.

The chewy bite of the crust gives way to the soft, melt-in-your-mouth goodness of the crumb. This is an experience not to be missed.

There are many easy ways to produce those fragrant loaves with only a few ingredients. Freshly baked bread is so much better than the ready-made bread sitting on the grocery store shelves and can be more economical as well. Admittedly, bread from a bakery is delicious, but requires making a trip to the bakery to purchase. Also, it is so satisfying to be able to make something as basic as bread at home and can be a fun way to involve children in food preparation.

Making bread requires three steps: Mixing the dough, proofing, and baking. Making bread dough is as easy as mixing together flour, liquid, yeast, and a few other basic ingredients depending on the variety of bread you are baking. There are four possible ways of mixing the dough.

A bread machine can be used to mix the dough, proof it and bake the bread. Using a bread machine is probably the easiest way to make homemade bread, but it is also the most expensive because of the cost of the machine. A stand mixer with a dough hook is an easy way to mix dough and is something that may already be in the kitchen. Another commonly owned kitchen appliance that makes good dough is the food processor. Finally, bread dough can be made by hand.

Once the dough has been mixed and sufficiently kneaded, either by hand or machine, it just needs to be allowed to rise, and then baked. It really is a simple process. The mixing and kneading take only about fifteen minutes, and the bread baker is free to do other things while the dough is rising. Baking takes little time as well, about twenty to forty minutes, depending on what is being baked.

The best thing, other than the taste of homemade bread, is the fragrance. There is nothing like the smell of fresh bread as it is baking. Making homemade bread requires minimal hands-on time, and the results are definitely worth the effort.

Who does not like chocolates? Whatever forms chocolates may take – bar, drink, ice cream, or cake – many people find chocolates hard to resist. The delicious taste of chocolate satisfies most cravings. No wonder it is a popular gift Philippines because anyone would love to receive chocolates.

There’s a misconception when it comes to chocolates. Some people think that these must be bad for one’s health because it simply tastes too good. However, many studies have shown that chocolates actually have many health benefits. Below are some of these benefits so that you won’t feel guilty the next time you give chocolates as a gift Philippines.

* Chocolates stimulate the secretion of endorphins, which are the hormones responsible for giving someone the “runner’s high”. If eaten, they supposedly produce pleasurable sensation which is the reason why a bar of chocolate is very popular as a gift Philippines between two people who are dating.

* Chocolate releases serotonin. This hormone is a neurotransmitter that acts as an anti-depressant. It’s no wonder many people turn to chocolates whenever they feel down and depressed.

* Chocolates also have flavonoids, which act as antioxidants. Antioxidants like flavonoid help relax the blood pressure.

* Chocolates, particularly dark chocolates, can lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

* Chocolates are made from cacao, which contains antibacterial agents that fight tooth decay. However, still remember to brush your teeth after eating them because chocolates also have a high sugar content which could cause tooth decay.

* Chocolates, particularly a cup of hot chocolate, could diminish appetites if drank before a meal.

* Chocolates contain a number of nutrients. They are high in potassium, magnesium, and several vitamins like B1, B2, D, and E.

* Men who eat chocolates live a year longer than those who don’t

* Chocolates have been used by Mexican healers to treat bronchitis and insect bites.

Also, contrary to what many people might think, chocolates do not aggravate acne and they are not causative factors in acne, although they may trigger headaches in migraine sufferers.

So the next time you feel the need or urge to eat chocolates, keep in mind that in anything we consume, regulation is the key.

Do you have need for A Family Business Card? You might say, what is this world coming to? Why on earth would I need a business card for my family? Well, I find the rational quite sound, and given the fact that I can get them for paying postage alone, I did it.

Friends often ask and need to contact us at more than just our home phone number. They need to access our cell phone numbers and at times they might need to reach my husband at work.

Keeping track of all these numbers proves tiresome because they aren’t used frequently. Now, I have given our friends and family our Family Card and our numbers are easily accessible. Some have even asked for multiple cards to be placed at home, in their purse or on their desk.

Another use for the card could be while filling out forms for credit or a store purchase. I hand them a card. It is a rare situation but I still find it useful when we are having something delivered to our home to hand them a card. There are no typos on their part or misspellings.

I place a card in each of my children’s backpacks. When they are away from home they have a card that a caregiver could use to contact us. While their preschool program has all our contact information on file, it is easier and quicker to access the card.

I have even given them to family members we don’t see often. When we are together and at a large gathering place like say Disney World, it is easy to contact us since they have our card with our cell phone numbers on them.

Does it make for random calls? No. I haven’t had anyone abuse the privilege. Of course we don’t pass them out as if they were water either. I do keep a few copies in my purse and my husband always has a few of them in his wallet.

Many people that have seen them think they are a great idea. And, they are. I used Vista Print to create the card. They have an online template library to choose from. They often run specials for their printing services and I highly recommend signing up for their email list to benefit from these deals. I received 250 Family Cards and I only paid just under five dollars for the postage fees.

Our card includes our names, address, home phone, cell phone numbers, work numbers, email addresses and url for our family website that has photos of our children. You might choose these options or customize your card to your personal needs. I would highly recommend them for babysitters to hand out to all their “clients” as well. I am sure there might be other uses for a nontraditional business card once you put your mind to it. Given the excellent service and price from Vista Print, you might consider more than one!

Hair massacre. It happens and most of us have given into the temptation to just trim a little here and there. Maybe our bangs have become unruly, or our spikes are leaning to the left. We only meant to do a few touch-ups to tide us over until our next salon visit.

A few snips can quickly lead to choppy, uneven hair that’s difficult to correct or hide. If the damage is minimal, you can easily blend the short pieces in with your longer hair.

Bangs that were trimmed a little too much can be pushed back into the sides or top of your hair. Secure these shorter pieces with clips, gel or another styling product that has medium to strong hold. Apply the product to damp hair, and then blow dry while holding the pieces to be secured.

If the damage is severe and your hair has become a mass of indescribable treachery, more drastic measures are needed.

For short, uneven hair, go for a messy look until it grows out. You can easily achieve this by using a quarter sized amount of hair putty, pomade, gel or other styling product with medium to strong hold. Rub it into your hair vigorously, as if you were shampooing, then make final adjustments.

If you were trying to trim your long mane and ended up with an asymmetrical effect, you have no choice but to go short. Only cut the remaining hair as short as the shortest culprit and then decide on a suitable hairstyle from there.

If you have long hair and have mangled your bangs beyond repair, try trying a scarf around the front of your head or use headbands. You can try using clips and styling products to keep the short hair flat against the sides and top of your head, but they will probably pop out during the day. A neat trick is to use those minuscule jaw clips around the hairline. The finished effect looks like a headband and the clips hold the short hair in place. For added hold, wet the short pieces and gel them before clipping them back.

If your hair is medium to long in length with uneven hacks throughout it, a permanent can correct it, as long you don’t mind being curly for a while. If you want the length, curly beats short because you can always blow it straight or use a flat iron. Be sure to use a styling product with heated equipment to protect your hair from damage.

Hats, wigs and hairpieces are readily available and relatively easy to use to hide butchery while hair is growing out. Check your local salon and ask your stylist for advice.

Mother’s Day is a fairly new holiday celebrated in the United States, but there are similar and older traditions around the world going back to the times of ancient Greece. The Greeks honored and celebrated a day for Rhea, the mother of the gods. Another Greek goddess, Cybela was also celebrated in ancient times. In England during the seventeenth century, a day called Mothering Sunday began and was observed during Lent.

Although many people believe Mother’s Day was an invention by greeting card companies, it was actually begun based on the efforts of Julia Howe who began a campaign in 1872 to set aside a day to honor mothers. In 1907, Anna Jarvis continued her efforts with a letter writing crusade to politicians and ministers. Finally in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson made the official declaration making the second Sunday in May, Mother’s Day in the United States. Many other countries, including Italy, Belgium, Finland, and Denmark followed suit and observe Mother’s Day on the same day as the United States.

Internationally, the concept of Mother’s Day has spread far and wide, primarily from the British custom of Mothering Sunday in Great Britain, and the traditional Mother’s Day on the second Sunday in May in the United States. Although many countries celebrate it on the same dates as Great Britain and the United States, many other dates have become popular for this annual honor to mothers. Probably the most popular after these two dates is in conjunction with the vernal Equinox. The first Sunday in May and the last Sunday in May are also very popular. Most eastern European and Russian countries have settles on March eighth as the day to celebrate Mother’s Day.

Like many other holiday’s, most notably Valentine’s Day, this holiday has become more and more commercialized. As with Valentine’s Day, a holiday steeped in tradition is now a day to buy greeting cards, flowers, and taking mom out to a local restaurant. Mother’s Day, a day which began as a simple custom to honor the family’s mother and set aside a time to show her respect and reverence, has grown into one of the most commercialized of all the holidays in the United States.

A similar holiday, Father’s Day was began soon after the advent of Mother’s Day as a day to complement it and to celebrate the father of the family. The holiday hasn’t become quite as commercialized as Mother’s Day, but it is gaining ground.

Don’t be afraid of the world of personal loans, but don’t walk around in that world blindly, either. There are scams out there, but there are also many legitimate financial institutions that can help you get that much closer to your dreams with a boost of a personal loan. You can keep away from scams easily if you keep one piece of advice in mind if it sounds too good to be true, it is!

There are many inhabitants in the alien world of personal loans. Here’s a basic identification guide. One family is called “payday loans” and there are many members in this family.

Online Fax

This is a quick way to get a small loan, even a loan of just $1000. It’s called an online fax loan because you usually get everything done by fax machine instead of having to show up to a bank in person. You usually avoid a credit check by showing your last two pay stubs.

Payday Advances

Payday advance loans can be done with or without a fax machine, as long as you are employed and have a verifiable bank account. Keep in mind that their interest rates are going to be very high, even higher than most credit cards. So, you might wind up paying $1000 for a $500 loanor more.

Cash Advance Loans

This is another type of online fax loans, usually applied for online rather than in an office. Depending on the company, you need to show more proof that you are financially stable than for other online payday loans. You often need to prove that you make a certain amount of money per month.

Cash Advances

When looking for payday loans, you will see them under a variety of names in the internet or in print advertising. One of the names they are known as is “cash advances”, despite the fact that money is put into your back account electronically, not by putting cash into your hand.

Cash Advance Payday Loans

This is yet another term for a payday loan that delivers money electronically to your bank account or your credit card and not as cash in your hand. Years ago, services like credit unions did provide small personal loans as bills in your hand, but not any more. However, the term has stuck.

Another prominent family in the world of personal loans is called “factoring loans”. They are for small businesses only and therefore tend to have lower interest rates than payday loans.

Factoring Services

If you need a personal loan for your business (not just for yourself), then you need the help of a factoring service. They give you a small loan so you can keep your employees and venders paid, while waiting for your customers to pay you.

Invoice Factoring

This is another name for factoring services, but you can get invoice factoring to help get a loan for your small or home-based business. These usually can be for very small amounts (as compared to a regular business loan) with lower interest rates than credit cards.

Factoring

The way factoring works is that you sell what you expect to get from your customers to the factoring service. This is called selling your invoices. This shows the service you have money due. It is technically not a loan, but works like one.

The final prominent family in the personal loan world that we will look at is called “home equity”.

Equity Home Loan Texas

In Texas, you can only borrow up to 80% of your equity, unlike in some other states. That’s still a big chunk of change. However, if you can’t pay back a home equity loan in Texas, you will loose your house.

Home Equity

No matter what state you live in, you can usually be eligible for a home equity loan. This kind of loan is as large as a mortgage, but tends to have low interest rates and a long time in order to pay back.

To those people who are challenged physically the debate continues to rage over the power wheelchair versus the manual wheelchairs. Although the point is not they type of wheelchair that the person has chosen but rather the fact that the chairs are available. Since wheelchair now come in such diverse selection of styles it has become exceedingly difficult for a person to select one that properly fits their lifestyle. With such a diverse amount of information readily available on the net, a person can easily do all their necessary research on both manual and electric wheelchairs prior to purchasing one.

An interesting note is that manual wheelchairs do in fact have benefits over their electric counterparts that one may not imagine. They are lightweight whereas the electric ones are heavy. This may be a significant selling point for those people who lack body strength necessary for some chairs. They are simpler to maneuver and even though the electric power chairs can move by themselves there is the chance that perhaps the battery may die. One of the major advantages of the manual chair is that it can go virtually anywhere. A person in the wheelchair should not be concerned with whether the terrain is uneven or bumpy as they would if they had a power chair.

The major disadvantages of the manual wheelchairs have to do with ones upper body. Although the exercise may be good for the people who push themselves over a period of time the same motion continually can eventually lead to injury. Another disadvantage of a manual chair is that the tires will need to be inflated regularly. A variety of factors must be properly considered prior to a person choosing between a power chair and a manual version.

The manual chairs may not come with all the fancy accessories that the power wheelchairs tend to offer for the handicapped individuals however they can be cheaper and a bit more efficient than their bulky power chairs alternatives. Some insurance providers may not cover the motorized chair and if that is the case it makes the selection all the simpler. It doesn’t matter that a person has to choose between the motorized or manual chair the fact of importance is that they do have the choose. Wheelchairs have tended to move toward greater machines when compared with the original three wheelers of past years and as the choices broaden so much for the better.

Directions

Makes 3 servings

1 8-ounce package Japanese somen noodles
vegetable oil spray
1 12.3-ounce package firm low-fat silken tofu, sliced
2 cups sliced brown mushrooms
2 cups shredded napa cabbage
1 zucchini, sliced
3 green onions, chopped
water or vegetable broth (if needed)
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons agave nectar

Cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain, rinse, and set aside in a large bowl.

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Mist pan with a little vegetable oil spray and add tofu. Cook until golden on both sides. Remove tofu and set aside. In the same skillet, sauté mushrooms, cabbage, zucchini, and green onions until tender. Add a little water or vegetable broth to prevent sticking, if needed. Add tofu and veggies to noodles.

In a small bowl, combine vinegar, soy sauce or tamari, and agave nectar. Pour over noodles and toss.

Nutrition Information

Per serving (1/3 of recipe):

Calories: 457
Fat: 3.2 g
Saturated Fat: 0.6 g
Calories from Fat: 6%
Cholesterol: 0 mg

Protein: 22.4 g
Carbohydrates: 84.3 g
Sugar: 11.7 g
Fiber: 6.6 g

Sodium: 713 mg
Calcium: 122 mg
Iron: 5.4 mg
Vitamin C: 16.6 mg
Beta-Carotene: 528 mcg
Vitamin E: 0.4 mg

From Isis Israel, Cancer Project Educational Alliance Partner, Saladmaster Senior Dealer

“That’s what they’re supposed to do because we’re family”.

Does merely being related offer a guarantee that members of a biological unit should expect kindness without being thankful?

Never.

Family isn’t a family without a special tie, and those ties are created by the loving interactions, whether physical or verbal, that we embrace them with every day. To take advantage of someone because we believe our relationship with them is one in which exceptions are OK is extremely hurtful. I’ve seen people treat their friends better then their parents, brothers or sisters.

How can this be?

Connected by genes somehow makes many think that they deserve special treatment outside of those they are only familiar with. As if somehow, due to no fault or choice of their own, they are required to give without appreciation just because they are tied to one another by the force of nature.

Family needs to stick together, should they not? Indeed they should. However, there are no set of written rules that lists the duties of what is required by each member of a family to another. If we are lucky enough to be born into a life where we are blessed with others in a close knit relationship, shouldn’t we appreciate those people even more?

Appreciation seems to have somehow gotten lost under the words expected and neglected.

What we do for members of our family is normally out of the love or bonding we feel toward them. Should it also mean that because we normally feel stronger toward these people that we feel they need not hear words of praise or thankfulness? Should we expect them to do what we may not feel like doing ourselves, then turn around and neglect to thank them for it. Does being part of a family give you a “free pass” to take advantage of the same people who’d never take advantage of you?

In many families, it happens on a daily basis.

This possibly occurs because as members of a family, we don’t verbally spell out rules or requirements. We may loan our neighbor some money, and both the giver and receiver know it’s a mutual contract to repay in the future. In a family, it’s just what families do.

That’s entirely incorrect. The fact that someone so dear to us is willing to help (the very reason they’re dear to us begin with) should never go unnoticed or be taken advantage of. In fact, the selflessness they bestow on us is a gift that should never be forgotten.

Family members take advantage of one another’s kindness because they think they have the right too. The ties that bind them make it seem OK. What soon happens, is the ties unravel into strings of animosity and pain that can never be woven again.

When a family member comes through for you, consider it a wonderful thing. They are never required to act just because of their biological relation to you; they do so because they are special people.

Learn from them.

If you continue to take advantage of their kindness, you may find yourself empty handed with a family who has given up, solely because they know what they do for you doesn’t matter.

Always let them know it does.

You’ll never know when you’ll need their kindness again.