Weight Loss - Drinking Water Before a Meal

Study - Drinking Water Before a Meal aids in Weight Loss

Adapting Standard Recipe's to a Crock Pot

Here are some suggestions for best results when taking a standard recipe and using it in a crock pot.

• Remember that liquids do not cook away like they would if on the cook top. Use half the amount of liquids called for in the standard recipe. Also, add liquids last, after meat or vegetables have been placed in the cooker.
• It is not necessary to brown larger pieces of meat unless you need to cook off some of the grease before adding the remaining ingredients. For example, browning ground beef, sausage or bacon first and draining the fat is recommended.
• Milk, cream and sour cream should be added during the last hour of cooking to prevent curdling.
• Do not remove the lid except to add ingredients. It takes up to 20 minutes for the heat to build back up to the proper temperature.
• Spices intensify during long cooking times so use half the amount and add during the last hour of cooking.
• To thicken sauces after cooking the meat, you can add quick-cooking tapioca or a paste made of flour or cornstarch and water and cook on HIGH an additional uncovered 10 minutes.
• Most vegetables should be thinly sliced or placed near the sides or bottom of the cooker. They cook slower than meats.
• Cut whole chickens and any meats in half that are over 2 lbs to be sure they cook thoroughly.
• For safety, always cook meat and poultry dishes on HIGH the first hour to speed up the time it gets to get to a safe cooking temperature for meats. Then reduce to LOW for the remainder of the cooking time.

Which fork? Which plate for what?

Confused as to how to set your table for a dinner party?

Basic place settings for a meal consisting of salad, bread, soup, beverages and a main course with dessert and coffee following are as follows:

Plates and Bowls

Dinner plates should be placed approximately 2 inches from the table's edge, centered on the placemat (if using placemats) or directly in front of each chair.

Soup bowls are placed on top of the dinner plate.

Salad plates are placed to the left of and just above the forks.

The bread plate should be placed to the right and slightly above the salad plate.

Another option is if soup will be served first, the soup bowl will be placed on top of the dinner plate and the salad dish will be brought out after the soup bowl and spoon has been cleared.

Silverware

Silverware should be placed on the table in the order it will be used; silverware that will be used first should be found on the farthest left and right sides of the plate.

Forks are placed to the left of the dinner plate; knives and spoons go to the right.

Knives should be placed with their cutting-edge toward the dinner plate, except the butter knife which should be laid flat on a bread plate.

Utensils should be about 1/2-inch away from the plate or each other, and they should also be lined up evenly from their bottoms.

Avoid placing more silverware than the meal calls for.

If you choose, the dessert silverware can be placed at the table setting before the meal and should be centered above and parallel to the dinner plate. Or if you choose, brought out when the dessert is served.

Cups and Glasses

Water glasses should be placed above the dinner knife, with other drinking glasses arranged neatly nearby the water glass.

Coffee cups and saucers may be placed on the table to the right of the knife and spoon.

Other Items

Napkins are commonly placed on the plate, to the left of the forks or inside of a drinking glass.

Place cards are always a good idea if your dinner party is large. Place the card above the dessert utensil, to the left of the drinking glasses.