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Rely On These Cooking Substitutes When You’re in a Pinch

June 13, 2014 by

There’s nothing worse than realizing that you don’t have all the required ingredients to make your favorite dish, especially if you realize after you’ve already started baking. These handy kitchen substitutions will show you how to use one ingredient in place of another the next time you’re in a pinch.

  1. Butter. If a recipe calls for one cup of butter, you can substitute one cup of regular margarine or one cup of vegetable shortening in baking. If the recipe calls for melted butter, you can use one cup of oil instead.
  2. Whipping Cream. Instead of whipping your own cream, which can often be difficult and time consuming, you can substitute a commercial pre-whipped cream if you know how to do it. Keep in mind that one cup of unwhipped whipping cream expands to two cups after it’s whipped. This means that if a recipe calls for one cup of whipping cream, you could substitute two cups of already-whipped cream.
  3. Egg. There are a number of different substitutes for a basic egg, which come in handy when your carton runs out or if you’re attempting to do some vegan baking. Try 1/4 cup of an egg substitute product or two tablespoons of mayonnaise for a perfectly moist cake or other baked goods. If you don’t have those products, you can also use a blend of 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, one tablespoon of vinegar and one tablespoon of water.

Common Ingredients Substitutions [All Recipes]
Cooking: Ingredient Substitutions [UNL Food]
Baking Ingredient Substitution Table [Joy of Baking]

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Cooking Without Eggs? Bookmark These 2 Webpages

June 6, 2014 by

Eggs are a staple in just about every recipe, but many people can’t consume eggs due to food allergies or a vegan diet. If you want to cook the delicious foods that you love without eggs, these websites offer simple tips and clever substitutions that can help.

Chef In You
The Chef In You Egg Substitutions page features just about everything you need to maintain an egg-free kitchen. A detailed chart describes things that you can substitute for eggs in a variety of dishes, including products like tofu, bananas, and commercial egg substitutes. There are even recipes that show you how to make desserts, breakfasts, and entrees without using eggs.

Kids With Food Allergies
Whether you have a child with a food allergy or not, this informative website will show you how to cook without eggs. The detailed articles describe alternatives for using eggs as a binder, a leavening agent, or a glaze, and there’s even a list that tells you some uncommon foods to avoid if you have an egg allergy. If you want to make an egg-free dish at home, Kids With Food Allergies also provides a few free recipes for baked goods without eggs.

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Replace Your Potato Salad With These 5 Unique Recipes

May 23, 2014 by

Potato salad is a staple dish at any picnic, barbecue, or summer party, but after a while it can start to lose its charm. If you love potato salad but want to update your outdated recipe, these five creative versions offer the same great taste with some subtle changes.

Yellow Mustard Potato Salad [Food Network]
The zesty taste of yellow mustard, relish, and pimento gives a unique flavor to this thick, hearty potato salad.

German Potato Salad [Food Network]
Prepared just like the Germans make it, this potato salad uses a broth rather than a creamy sauce. Adding bacon and apple cider vinegar ensures that it’s anything but bland.

Dairy-Free Potato Salad [AllRecipes]
This one is ideal for vegans or those with milk sensitivities. Simply toss cubed red potatoes with spices and roast until they’re slightly browned for a potato salad with a vinaigrette-style dressing.

Texas Ranch Potato Salad [AllRecipes]
By incorporating the zesty tastes of ranch dressing and bacon, this potato salad takes on a whole new dimension of flavors. Plus it’s so hearty, this one eats more like an entree than a side dish.

No-Mayo Potato Salad [AllRecipes]
Cutting the mayo also cuts a great deal of calories for those trying to manage their weight, but it doesn’t take away any of the savory taste.

Public Domain/Public Domain
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5 Interesting Facts About Frank Sinatra

May 16, 2014 by

Frank Sinatra’s voice made him quite possibly the most popular singer of the 20th century, delivering personal lyrics and irresistible melodies with command and flair. He was a tough guy with a softer side, and American audiences simply couldn’t get enough of Ol' Blue Eyes. Here are some of the most interesting facts about Frank Sinatra.

  1. Frank Sinatra was so inspired by Bing Crosby that he dropped out of high school to pursue singing as a career. He performed at local nightclubs in the Hoboken, New Jersey, area and even got some air time on the city’s radio stations.
  2. After noticing his local success, bandleader Tommy Dorsey invited Sinatra to join his band. Sinatra and Dorsey enjoyed two years of hit songs together, but eventually Sinatra quit to pursue a solo career.
  3. In just three short years between 1943 and 1946, Sinatra released 17 Top 10 singles.
  4. In addition to his incredible voice, Sinatra was also a talented actor. He made his film debut in 1943 with the movie Higher and Higher, and in 1953 he won an Oscar for From Here to Eternity.
  5. Though Sinatra was signed to Capitol Records for the beginning of his recording career, he left the label to start his own label, Reprise, in the late 1950s. Warner Bros. bought Reprise, and Sinatra then started his own film production company, Artanis.

Are you a Sinatra fan? Tell us which song by Ol' Blue Eyes is your favorite!

Frank Sinatra [Biography]
Frank Sinatra Biography [Rolling Stone]
About Frank Sinatra [MTV]

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Expecting Company? Try These 4 Simple, Elegant Appetizer Recipes

May 14, 2014 by

Don’t get caught off guard the next time you have a last-minute gathering at home. With these convenient appetizer recipes, you can prepare beautiful and delicious hors d'oeuvres without taking time out of your busy schedule.

Bacon-Wrapped Apricots with Sage [Real Simple]
With such contrasting ingredients coming into play, this appetizer seems like it’s much more complicated than it is. All it takes is some apricots, crispy bacon, simple seasonings, and a few toothpicks to create a handheld appetizer.

Orange and Fennel Marinated Olives [Oprah]
No one hosts a party better than Oprah, and her sweet and savory marinated olives will have your guests asking for the recipe all night.

Endive with Ricotta, Almonds and Raisins [Real Simple]
Endives make an attractive vessel for eating the creamy ricotta in this simple appetizer, and the crunchy almonds and sweet raisins are just the icing on the cake.

Leek Tart [Martha Stewart]
A tart looks pretty and it’s easy for guests to eat, but most tarts are complicated and time-consuming to make. This one uses basic frozen dough and a few simple tricks to turn create a perfect tart crust.

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3 Ways to Make a Great First Impression

May 9, 2014 by

The old adage is true: You only have one chance to make a good first impression. Because the saying rings true in both social and professional situations, it's helpful to remember a few key pieces of advice when meeting new people. Here are three handy tips:

1) Dress to impress.
Wear clothing that's appropriate for the occasion. Doing so will help bolster your confidence, which will, in turn, be relayed to the other party. If you're headed for a job interview, accessorize minimally, and be sure that your hair and nails appear well-groomed.

2) Be aware of your body language.
Whether you're at a cocktail party or interviewing for a job, crossed arms tell the other people in the room that you're unavailable for conversation. Similarly, excessive fidgeting, slouching, and avoiding eye contact signal that you're anxious and lacking confidence. Sit up tall (just like Mom used to advise!) and smile warmly when warranted by conversation.

3) Don't talk too much.
This might seem counterintuitive when meeting new people, but steamrolling conversation can make you seem self-absorbed. If you find that you tend to ramble when nervous, remind yourself to ask plenty of questions about the other person. This will show that you're truly interested in getting to know them. Offer information about yourself when asked.

5 Ways To Make a Killer First Impression [Forbes]
How to Make a Good First Impression [Real Simple]
Making a Great First Impression [Mind Tools]
It Takes Just 3 Seconds To Make A Brilliant First Impression [Business Insider]

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Technology Trivia: Three Important Chess Computers

May 2, 2014 by

Playing chess against a computer opponent is fairly commonplace stuff today. But the development of computers able to play chess competitively led to many important milestones in artificial intelligence, culminating (at least for now) with Watson, the famous Jeopardy!-playing computer, and Siri, the iPhone virtual assistant.

If you're interested in learning more about the history of artificial intelligence, here are three important chess computers:

Kotok-McCarthy
The Kotok-McCarthy computer was the very first computer program able to play chess competitively. It was developed between the years of 1959 and 1962 by a group of students at MIT. Advanced for the time, it was very slow by today's standards: it took anywhere from five to twenty minutes to calculate a single move! This computer also participated in the very first chess match between two machines, losing to a slightly more advanced computer from the Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Physics.

Deep Thought
Deep Thought was developed in a partnership between Carnegie Mellon University and IBM; it was named after a fictional computer in the book series The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. The computer won the North American Computer Chess Championship in 1988 and the World Computer Chess Championship in 1989. Deep Thought is perhaps most well known for losing two widely-publicized games to chess champion Gerry Kasparov.

Deep Blue
Deep Blue was developed as a successor to Deep Thought. In 1997, it became the first computer to win a game with normal rules against a reigning world chess champion, beating Gerry Kasparov twice yet losing the match 4-2. The match was controversial, as Kasparov later accused technicians of making moves on Deep Blue's behalf. The match — and the controversy — later became the subject for a documentary called Game Over: Kasparov and the Machine.

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/soupboy

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7 Heart-Warming Facts Guaranteed to Put a Smile on Your Face

April 25, 2014 by

Have a rough day? Turn that frown upside-down with these seven heart-warming facts.

1. Prairie dogs greet each other with kisses.

2. To keep from drifting apart, sea otters hold hands while taking a snooze.

3. Squirrels are partly responsible for reforestation. Countless new trees are planted every year simply because squirrels forget where they planted their nuts.

4. Jim Cummings, the voice actor for Winnie the Pooh, is known to make telephone calls to hospitalized children to cheer them up in Winnie the Pooh's voice.

5. Cows have best friends. They spend the majority of their time together and become upset when separated.

6. A group of kittens is called a kindle, a group of bunnies is called a fluffle, and a group of hedgehogs is referred to as a prickle.

7. Penguins mate for life, but only after the male proposes to his mate with a pebble.

65 Amazing Facts That Will Blow Your Mind [Mental Floss]
30 Of The Happiest Facts Ever [Bored Panda]
15 Facts That Will Instantly Make You Happier [Savvysugar]
64 Mind-Blowing Facts That Will Make You Feel Incredibly Happy [Buzzfeed]

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5 Facts About Professional Golfer Jack Nicklaus

April 18, 2014 by

Professional golfer Jack Nicklaus made his entire life about golfing, from his championship career to his later years working behind the scenes. Here are a few key facts about Nicklaus’ life and golf career.

  1. Nicklaus grew up in Columbus, Ohio, in the early 1940s. He was introduced to golf when he was a small child because his father used the game to rehabilitate a broken ankle, but the younger Nicklaus soon showed a true talent for the sport.
  2. Nicklaus won the Ohio Open at the early age of just 16, led by his Scotio club pro Jack Grout. He then won the International Jaycee Junior Golf Tournament at age 17.
  3. While in school at Ohio State University, Nicklaus managed to win the U.S. Amateur title in both 1959 and 1961, and he also won the NCAA Championship in 1961.
  4. Nicklaus got his nickname “The Golden Bear” because of his dominance and his light, skillful touch.
  5. Now retired, Nicklaus develops golf courses in more than 35 countries.

Jack Nicklaus [Biography]
Jack Nicklaus Biography [Golf.About]
Jack Nicklaus [The Famous People]

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Brain-Training Exercises You Can Do Online

April 17, 2014 by

When you’re at work, you likely only utilize certain parts of your brain. Accountants utilize the mathematical side, artists use the creative side, and whichever part you don’t use as frequently may become sluggish and underutilized. If you want to maintain full brain function, the fun activities on these websites will help you stay as sharp as a tack.

Games for the Brain
This simply designed website features a variety of brain-training exercises for every type of thinking. NumberHunt improves your basic math skills, Colored Lines uses logic and special reasoning, and Memocoly improves your memory by asking you to remember a series of colors in the order in which they appear on the screen. Games for the Brain even allows you to rack up points to monitor your improvement over time.

Lumosity
You’ve likely heard of the Lumosity website, but it’s worth the hype. This attractive site allows you to create a profile and build a personalized training program, specifying the areas of the brain you want to work on. It incorporates memory, speed, problem solving, attention, and flexibility into its simple games and tests, and it tracks your improvement in each area along the way.

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