Balloon Juice ? Open Thread: Thursday Recipe Exchange ? Slow ...

by Anne Laurie

From our Food Goddess, TaMara:

Years ago, when I was first learning to ski, I was very frustrated by the amount of time I spent on my ass and not skiing. Someone told me that if I wasn?t spending a lot of time picking myself up, I wasn?t really skiing. I needed to push my limits to get better. In other words, it was all good. I find that information works for a lot of things in life. Cooking is no exception.

This week, I spent a lot of time on my figurative ass, playing with the new crock-pot making various recipes. There were epic failures. The first thing I tried was a slow cooker meatloaf. It called for a basic meatloaf recipe ? I have a favorite ? and then cook all day on low. The results were not stellar. More like steamed meatloaf. An unappetizing color and texture. Not the nice deep brown of a good baked loaf. I was able to salvage it by cutting it into thin slices and frying it up for sandwiches.

The next failure was the scalloped potatoes. This called for a slightly modified recipe, a bit more moisture than in the baked method. The flavor was fine, the texture was horrible. Kind of like if you reheated some that you baked. Rubbery and chewy. I?m not sure how you could modify the recipe to get a creamier texture. I?d love to hear any ideas in the comments.

The rest of the week was spent making traditional slow cooker foods ? soups and a lovely pot roast. It wasn?t a total loss. I did learn that for a fool-proof slow cooker recipe it?s best to have a recipe that can cook, unattended, all day without risk of ruin. Both the potatoes and the meatloaf really could not have cooked any longer than they did. They would have turned out even worse.

So that was adventures in cooking this week. What foods do you use your slow cooker for successfully? Anything usual that we?ve never thought of? Hit the comments. Next week I think our theme will be Mardi Gras, and I?m hoping you?ll come prepared to share some favorite drinks as well as Cajun food recipes. Someone should bring the King?s cake recipe, too.

Here?s one of my favorite fool-proof slow cooker recipes:

Portuguese Beef & Pasta
This works best if you cook the pasta separately and either add it to the beef the last 15 minutes or serve the beef over the pasta. This is one of those slow cooker recipes that the longer it cooks, the better it gets, usually 10 hours minimum for best flavor.

1 lb round steak, cut into thin strips, remove excess fat
1 tsp salt
? tsp pepper
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 green pepper, cut into thin strips
1 tsp crushed garlic
6 oz can tomato paste
2-14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup water
1 bay leaf (remove before serving)
½ tsp crushed red pepper
8 oz dry macaroni**
Slow-Cooker and saucepan

Add beef, salt, pepper, onion, green pepper, garlic, paste, diced tomatoes, water, bay leaf & red pepper to Slow-Cooker. Cook according to manufacturer?s directions (usually 8-10 hours on low) until beef tears easily with a fork. In saucepan, cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain well (you don?t want any water in your beef mixture) and mix beef and pasta and serve.

(**Ditilani works really, or any tiny pasta, like tiny elbow macaroni or tiny bow-ties.)

February 9, 2012 8:58 pm Posted?in:?Cooking, Crock Pot Craziness, Open Thread ?86 Comments

Source: http://www.balloon-juice.com/2012/02/09/open-thread-thursday-recipe-exchange-slow-cookers/

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Britain's Favourite Food - What is Yours?

There's been an interesting survey doing the rounds just now based on What We Adore About Britain. 60,000 Brits were asked what, to them, makes these isles so special and at number one... a bacon butty, not even the Queen or Big Ben. In fact food and drink featured 14 times in the top 50 with all the stalwarts you would expect; Yorkshire Puddings, Cornish Pasties, Fish and Chips et al.

With this year being a really special one for us (London Olympics, Queen's Jubilee etc) we are expecting huge visitor numbers all looking for the best of British Food. So I am on the hunt for what you think are the Top 50 British Foods and Drinks. These foods can be any dish: a starter, main course, or a great British pudding. A condiment, or iconic brand, be part of our history, heritage or culture, may not even be British in origin but is now synonymous with these shores (curry springs to mind). Drinks can be hot, cold, alcoholic or not. It's up to you.

You can let me know by filling out the Reader Survey, post a comment below, send a Tweet to @britishfood or post of my FaceBook page and I will collate them together. Watch this space.

Am pondering mine and thinking it may well have to be a Yorkshire Pudding.

Source: http://britishfood.about.com/b/2012/02/10/britains-favourite-food-what-is-yours.htm

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Effective Pay Per Click Advertising By The Professionals | Monster ...

If your company or organisation is looking for maximum exposure, time, money and skill are required to develop a significant online presence.

Whenever an online marketing campaign to attract business is mentioned, there are certain terms commonly associated with trying to capture an audience: Pay per click (PPC) management and AdWords management are vitally important to creating a successful internet marketing campaign.

Ultimately, the aim of all structured PPC advertising is to make sure your business gets found online and stands out from its competitors.

Pay per click advertising is an internet advertising model that places adverts relevant to searched for keywords on search engine results pages (SERP) or other content sites.

Typically, the adverts you will find will be placed using the Google AdWords, Yahoo! or Microsoft adCenter search marketing systems although content hosts can also choose to place relevant adverts on their sites under the guise of ?sponsored ads? or ?sponsored links?.

When a web user searches for a term or keyword and then clicks on an advert to a particular relevant company?s website, the business in question will benefit.

This forms the viable platform of PPC advertising and management, one that enables both the advertisers and their hosts to generate revenue.

Every time a customer clicks through to a site from one of the adverts that have been placed their interest is noted and ranked accordingly.

If you want to utilise the power of PPC advertising and Google AdWords, amongst other services, look for an expert company who understand the features of managing an online marketing campaign.

Speak to the experts to find a solution tailored to your business needs, no matter whether it?ll be your first PPC advertising campaign or even if you?ve run many before.

Achieving a high Quality Score

Keywords and their associated adverts are ranked by Google and Microsoft in terms of their relevance and effectiveness to calculate a site?s Quality Score.

In line with other competitors they also operate automated systems designed to combat misuse and fraudulent activity.

Simply stuffing keywords into an article is not likely to bring success.

Original and relevant content will always stand a better chance of reaching the top of the SERP.

Achieving a decent Quality Score is something a bespoke online advertising agency can help your business strive for through their detailed understanding of how search-engines rank the sites they are prepared to put in the spotlight.
Large advertising networks such as Google AdWords employ a bid-based model whereby customers paying the highest amounts in a private auction will sometimes see their adverts show up first.

Sites that submit lower bids can still rise above others though if they achieve a high Quality Score.

The specific ranking methodologies of the major networks largely remain a secret.

It is known, however, that a quality landing page containing original content, relevant keywords and one that is easy to navigate, does have an impact.

PPC customers want to see visible financial returns, gauged by the number of people that land on their website?s pages and stay there. The effective management of pay per click and AdWords campaigns is crucial to attracting this type of custom.

PPC experts can help construct an effective online marketing campaign through advertising, copywriting services and by spreading your company?s message on social media sites.

If you want your business to be seen as a trusted source that a wide audience can engage with, hire the professionals to ensure maximum exposure and a fantastic return on your pay per click management investment.

KPI Business Services are the experts when it comes to online search-engine optimised copywriting and marketing. KPI?s wide range of services includes the professional management of structured PPC campaigns that offer real value for money.

Google AdWords management ? from KPI Business Services

Source: http://monsterarticle.info/effective-pay-per-click-advertising-by-the-professionals.html

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Facts About Meditation And Yoga | New Health and Fitness

New Health And Fitness.Org - Health Information You Can Use

Meditation is definitely one of the main principles of yoga, as it is a good tool to use for achieving mental clarity and health. There are a lot of types of meditation exercises that are designed for advanced or beginner yoga students and this fact is a very important thing to keep in mind. As long as you carefully analyze all the details and information provided on each and every one of these techniques and exercises, you will be able to obtain maximum results.

All levels of your being such as your relationship with the world and with yourself is what yoga and meditation deals with. It deals with the senses, body, breath, all the levels of mind, and that which is beyond your mind, often called spirit, soul, consciousness, or Self. A relaxation technique that may decrease blood pressure and reduce insulin resistance among patients with coronary, heart disease is known as Transcendental Meditation.

Below are some advice when it comes to meditation.

Before you start the meditation, your mind should be free of all worries. Try to find a quiet place where you are not likely to be disturbed. It is recommended to choose the same moment of the day, as well as the same place, for your meditation routine. Focus on meditation; do not let your mind get lost in other thoughts. Try to follow a pattern when breathing. Your head, back and neck have to be placed in a perfect straight line.

There is a natural and systematic way to do yoga and meditation therapy. Any products that are not natural should not be used but what you can do is look into rare exotic organic herbs and other natural sources from all over the world to suit your health needs particularly.

When you use herbs that are not restricted to one country but are a combination of best possible herbs from all over the world, then you will have excellent results. Your world will start to look entirely more relaxed and enjoyable with a blend of natural supplements, yoga, and meditation.

Take the stress out of the cheap car insurance companies process.

Source: http://newhealthandfitness.org/2012/02/08/facts-about-meditation-and-yoga/

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NRPA Earns Grant from VA/USOC for Programs for Disabled Vets ...

U.S. Paralympics, a division of the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC), announced that the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) has been selected to receive grant funding in support of Paralympic sport and physical activity programs for disabled Veterans and disabled members of the Armed Forces. More than $4.4M in funds from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has been awarded to 95 community organizations around the country.

Through this program, grants ranging from $2,500 to $500,000 were provided to USOC partner organizations and community programs to increase the number and quality of opportunities for physically or visually impaired Veterans to participate in physical activity within their home communities and in more advanced Paralympic sport programs at the regional and national levels.

?NRPA is pleased to support nine park and recreation agencies throughout the country in the Parks: Return & Restore program this year,? said President and CEO of NRPA Barbara Tulipane. ?We appreciate USOC and the VA recognizing the critical role park and recreation agencies serve in helping our nation?s injured service members and veterans gain access to sport programs and physical activity in their local communities.?

?We couldn?t be happier with this latest round of grants to be awarded to these new partner organizations,? said Director, VA National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events, Chris Nowak.? ?These grants provide more outlets for our disabled Veterans and injured service men and women to stay active and perhaps, ultimately, the opportunity to take their athleticism to the next level of competition as a U.S. Paralympian.?

?This funding is already having a tremendous impact on disabled Veterans and disabled members of the Armed Forces,? said USOC CEO Scott Blackmun. ?Through the USOC/Veterans Affairs partnership many community programs have been able to expand their programming and provide increased opportunities for Veterans to participate.?

Research has shown that regular participation in physical activity has a positive effect on the rehabilitation process, self-esteem, education, employment and overall health.

Parks: Return & Restore grant funding establishes and expands park and recreation programs that provide sport and recreation programs for injured service members and Veterans. For a complete list of park and recreation agencies participating in the program, please visit www.NRPA.org/usoc. For more information about NRPA and its programs, please contact Shelley O?Brien at sobrien@nrpa.org.

Source: http://extremeelkhunting.com/nrpa-earns-grant-from-vausoc-for-programs-for-disabled-vets-armed-forces-2/

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thequestionclub: What lessons have you learned from your

[unable to retrieve full-text content]Consider that the love you so willing give to others (friendship, relationship, family) could also be used toward caring about yourself. Don't forget to remember yourself in that energy/effort or expect others to be a complete ...

Source: http://thequestionclub.livejournal.com/106008067.html

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The Essential Foods for Weight Loss | Health and Fitness Guide

Losing weight is not an easy task as millions have found out. Fad diets and dieting pills don?t work as you only end up gaining the weight back and more when you go off the diet. Although there is no magic cure when it comes to weight loss, some studies do appear to show that metabolism can be increased by eating certain foods. This helps you to burn calories at a faster rate and more efficiently. Here are some that you may wish to incorporate into a healthy weight loss diet.

Spices and herbs ? Back in 2003, a study was conducted at Virginia State University. This study found that the elimination of ten fat grams from the diet, or as little as one tablespoon of butter every day, can help you to lose ten pounds in one year when combined with various spices and herbs. Certain herbs raise the metabolism for up to three hours after eating. These include evening primrose, chili and mustard.

Grapefruit ? Although the grapefruit diet has been around for many years, this fad diet is not healthy. To incorporate grapefruit into your diet in a healthy way, it should be eaten before you eat your regular meal. A study conducted in California at the Scripp Clinic found this is very helpful in terms of losing weight.

Nuts ? Many believe that nuts are bad as they are high in calories. Nothing is further from the truth. Nuts have a high fat content and fill you up, helping you to eat fewer foods that are fattening later in the day. Eating these nuts also speeds up your metabolism by approximately 12%. This results in weight loss happening at a more rapid rate even if you don?t exercise more.

Green and orange vegetables ? As this type of vegetable is high in water content and fat, they are great for weight loss. You are less tempted to overeat after consuming these vegetables as they are high in fiber. Your body needs time to digest fiber which keeps you feeling full longer.

There is no magic solution to losing weight. Eating sensible is a key as is regular exercise. Weight loss can happen if you use common sense while doing so.

Be sure to consult your doctor before going on any weight loss diet. Weight loss can have different effects on people. You may need to get allergy tests, blood pressure, heart rate tests etc before embarking on a diet or exercise regime.

Source: http://www.ubciweek.com/weight-loss-2/the-essential-foods-for-weight-loss.html

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