Innovative Cake Mold

I love to entertain at home and I usually prepare some baked goodies like cookies, muffins, bread or cake to pair with cup of tea or coffee to cap the event. Some of my girlfriends are usually on a weight watch so not everybody wants to indulge on sweets. On the other hand, the kids really love to always get a second or third servings of a cake. So to address the issue of who wants to get the bigger or smaller piece, I found just the perfect kitchen gadget that provides the solution, it is the Charles & Marie cake mold.

This Charles & Marie cake mold is made of silicon that measures 11.8" or 30 cm in diameter. When I normally slice a cake into 8 equal pieces, this cake mold pre-shapes any cake into 15 separate pieces. The sizes of the cake vary from small to extra large. So anybody who has got the biggest appetite may choose to eat the extra large piece; the ones on a diet may get the smallest ones; and the rest may get the ones in between. This innovative cake mold is also a great tool to avoid food wastage as guests will only get the piece that they can really consume. So problem solved.

Pea and Basil Soup

Green pea is one of the favorite veggies in my household. It is very versatile, I use it for just about anything - to make soup; mix in pasta and casserole; mix in stew or stir fry. My little tot loves to snack on it just plainly steamed and mixed with butter.

PEA AND BASIL SOUP

INGREDIENTS:
2 Tbsps olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 lbs (about 4 1/2 cups) frozen peas
3/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 cups chicken broth, divided
2 cups cream
4 to 6 very thin slices fresh mozzarella cheese (optional)
1/4 cup diced roasted red bell peppers (jar is fine) (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Place a medium soup pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil, butter, onions, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the peas and basil, and heat until the peas are thawed.

2. Place the pea mixture in a blender. Add 1 cup of the chicken broth and pulse until pureed, adding more broth, if necessary, to puree. Return the pureed mixture to the pot. Stir in the remaining chicken broth and cream. Return the pan to medium heat and cook until hot, but not boiling.

3. To serve, place the soup in bowls. Float a thin slice of fresh mozzarella cheese on top of each soup and sprinkle with the diced roasted red bell peppers. Serve immediately.

YIELD:
Makes 4 to 6 servings (6 1/2 cups)

Appetite Suppressant Food

One of the things that I hear moms like myself complain about is weight gain. It seems hard if not impossible to include exercise in our busy schedule, so some moms resort to the easy way out of popping diet pills or perhaps going under the knife. But there are natural food that act as appetite suppressants so you don't have to go through drastic measure to lose weight. The next time you feel like your hunger doesn't go away or you can not stick to your diet, before nibbling something you shouldn't be nibbling on, try eating or taking any of the following appetite suppressant food:

1. Apples

Do you know that it takes 20 minutes for our brain to process whether or not we are full? Apples take longer to chew and when you don't cut them up into little pieces it takes even longer. So when you chew longer it gives the brain time to process that you are full. Needless to say that apples are also rich in fiber which means that you will feel full for a longer period of time, and they don't digest quickly.

2. Green Tea

Green tea in particular is another good appetite suppressant food that is also known for its ability to help burn fat. This explains the popularity among people who wish to lose weight. Green tea can however also stimulate the release of hormones that can control or limit food cravings.

3. Chocolate

Not all chocolates are good appetite suppressant food. There are some kinds of chocolates that should definitely be avoided. There are also some brands and types of chocolates that carry a lot of calories and are sugar rich which makes them major weight contributors. However, very small portions of dark chocolate may be good for you. The bittersweet taste of pure dark chocolate has been known to suppress many appetites.

4. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is an appetite suppressant too. This is why it should be in your breakfast menu more often. Oatmeal contains carbohydrates that slowly burn as it is used for energy, hence making you feel less like eating more. Oatmeal is also a fiber rich food that will make you feel fuller faster and last.

5. Flaxseeds

Flaxseeds are another rich in fiber food. Flaxseeds are best consumed when raw. If you want more flavors with your flaxseeds, you can mix them with your early morning bowl of oatmeal which can serve as a double appetite suppressant food.

6. Water

Drinking plenty of water throughout the day can keep you hydrated. It also limits your appetite especially if you drink a glass before a meal.

(Source - HubPages)

Wordless Wednesday- Fettucine with Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

FETTUCINE WITH CHICKEN & SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

I am a pasta lover and I love eating and making just about any pasta dish. This Fettucine with Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomatoes is a pasta lunch I ordered at Cheesecake Factory. The sun-dried tomatoes add even more flavor to the already tasty sauce.

Easter Eggs Filled with Jelly Beans

Aside from Christmas, another celebration that really gets my little tot very excited is Easter Sunday. Not only because he gets different goodies like egg-shaped chocolates and marshmallow bunnies and chicks, he also gets to experience Easter egg hunting with his little friends. Last year before Easter, I scattered different colorful Easter eggs filled with jelly beans at different spots inside the house and little tot very eagerly and excitedly hunted for them. It was such a delight to see the excitement and anticipation from my little tot's eyes as he moved from room to room while his basket filled up. He just loved the jelly beans and couldn't get over them.

ASSORTED JELLY BEANS

This year I am planning to do the same thing again, except that I'm ordering my Jelly beans at OhNuts.com. I found that OhNuts.com has got wide array of assorted colors and flavor jelly beans collection, with countless taste sensations at the most reasonable price. Jelly beans have certainly come a long way. There are just too many yummy flavors in exciting colors now as compared to when I was a kid, which was not too long ago, LOL. Jelly beans at Oh! Nuts are also available in separate colors and flavors like white or electric blue coconut; tangerine; blueberry; wild cherry; light pink bubble gum; pale pink strawberry cheesecake; pink speckled tutti fruiti; red fruit punch; orange n' cream; purple grape; brown root beer; and so much more. I am buying in bulk because I can save more as they are priced at a discount. I will also fix some gift baskets for my little tot's friends to enjoy. This will be another fun Easter egg hunting time.

Cucumber, Asian Pear, and Watermelon Salad with Ricotta Salata

As the name of the recipe implies, it calls for Ricotta salata, a crumbly, salty cheese, but I substituted feta cheese instead. This salad is a welcome treat to the usual mixed green salad that I always prepare. I got this recipe from my Cooking Light magazine subscription.

CUCUMBER, ASIAN PEAR & WATERMELON SALAD
with RICOTTA SALATA

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled seedless cucumber
2 cups (1-inch) cubed seedless watermelon
2 cups halved red grapes
3/4 cup peeled, cubed Asian pear (about 1 pear)
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lime rind
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/3 cup (3 ounces) crumbled ricotta salata cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Combine sour cream, honey, rind, juice, and pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.
3. Pour sour cream mixture over fruit mixture; toss well to coat.
4. Sprinkle with cheese.

YIELD:
Makes 8 servings.

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Wordless Wednesday - Fried Apples

FRIED APPLES

We love eating breakfast at Cracker Barrel on Saturdays and Fried Apples is one of the side dishes that I order often. Cracker Barrel is where you find good country style home cooking prepared from scratch. I also love that I can shop some goodies in their old country store after a satisfying meal.

See other WW participants HERE