What To Do With Pumpkins?

Most people think of pumpkin as a pretty useless squash. Either you carve a face in it for Halloween and leave it to rot on your porch or you buy it in a can to make pumpkin pies on Thanksgiving. But this gourd is actually a remarkably versatile foodstuff if prepared correctly. Here are some recipe ideas.

-        Pumpkin makes a great substitute for zucchini or carrots in breads and muffins. The earthy sweetness of the squash adds a lot to the flavor. Use a cheese grater to roughly grate the meat of the pumpkin and mix it into your dough.

-        The seeds of the pumpkin are actually very high in important nutrients and make a great, healthy snack. Known as “pepitas” when roasted, it’s simple to prepare them yourself. Separate them from the pulp, wash them and dry them thoroughly. Then toss them in oil, salt, and pepper and bake them until they shine.

-        While you can roast most squash to good effect, pumpkin’s flavor can be overpowering if served in large doses. The best way to use it in a main dish is sparingly. One good way to do so is to roast it and blend it with goat cheese, then use the mixture to stuff ravioli.

-        Pumpkin also works well as a base for Mexican sauces – again, roast and puree it before mixing it with garlic, jalapeno, salt, and pepper. It’s great over enchiladas or paired with spicy sausage.

-        Coffee lovers rave over pumpkin spice lattes – using two teaspoons of pumpkin puree, lightly sweetened, as well as vanilla extract and pumpkin pie spice, you can give any beverage a warm, comforting autumn flavor.

App Explosion: Learning About Smartphone Platforms

The days of having a phone that did nothing but make phone calls are long gone. Today’s smartphone is a multi-featured virtual assistant that does just about everything. If you’re on the market for a new phone, here’s a quick guide to the ins and outs of each brand so you can select the device that’s right for you.

-        BlackBerry, made by Canadian company Research In Motion, has been the leader in business applications for over a decade. Unlike many of the other phones on this list, BlackBerries traditionally use a keyboard interface instead of a touchscreen. There is a wide variety of productivity software available, and the Blackberry syncs with home or office computers effortlessly.

-        iOS is Apple’s software platform, featured on its extremely popular iPhone and iPad. iOS was the first smartphone solution to feature the “app store” model, where customers were given access to a large number of programs from gaming to personal improvement. This allows users to personalize their phone with exactly the widgets they need.

-        Android is Google’s mobile computing platform, used to power a variety of phones. Similar to iOS, Android has a robust and vibrant application development community. However, the Android Marketplace is much more open than the Apple store, leading to more diverse and interesting (and sometimes buggy) software.

-        Windows Mobile is Microsoft’s cell phone computing platform. The biggest benefit of selecting a phone on this platform is its top-notch integration with other Microsoft applications, including Outlook and Word.

How to Enjoy Summer’s Last Hurrah

Although summer officially ends on September 22nd, for most of us, the Labor Day long weekend means the end of beach weekends, impromptu days off, and the generally more relaxed feeling in the air. Instead of thinking about the end of the season, check out some great ways to make the most of summer's last hurrah!

Throw a fabulous Labor Day party. Invite your friends, create a theme, dream up an awesome menu, and raise a glass to a summer full of fun. If you have a pool or live by the beach, even better! You can splash around, party the night away, and pretend summertime's only just beginning.

Plan a getaway for the weekend after Labor Day. Summer isn't over until you say it is, so extend the fun for as long as you can! Labor Day vacation prices will be through the roof, so plan a trip to a cute B&B, a beach resort, or a mountain hideaway for the weekend after. You'll save money and have something to look forward to.

Get summer out of your system. From now through Labor Day, do one thing each day that you meant to do all season. Whether it's a great rooftop happy hour you've never checked out, a bike ride through your favorite park (with a picnic stop!), or a day at the beach, do it now!

When the Clock Strikes 5 P.M.: How to Put Down the Blackberry and Relax

According to experts, navigating the issue of work/life balance is one of the most pressing challenges facing many adults in 2010. In these days of Blackberries and 11 p.m. emails from your boss, it can be difficult to snap out of work mode and enjoy the rest of your life. If you are having difficulty switching gears when you get home, instituting a nightly ritual may help. Here are a few ways to take your mind off work and help you decompress.

Sweat it out. Whether you choose a five-mile run or a calming series of yoga poses, an after-work exercise session is a great way to clear your head after a hard day at the office.

Watch TV.  OK, so it may not be the most wholesome after-work ritual, but the soothing routine of tuning into a national news program or a game show can be a great way to tell your mind that it’s time to unwind and shift gears.

Start cookin’. Although many of us see cooking the evening meal as a boring chore, some people regard dinner prep as a foolproof form of stress relief. Baking sweets for your loved ones can be particularly fun. Try looking at cooking as a creative act rather than drudgery tonight, and see if any sparks fly.

Play around. Playing with your kids may not seem like the best way to soothe your jangled nerves after work, but it can actually be a great form of stress relief. A quick game of Old Maid or a coloring book session may be just what you need to relax—and your kids probably won’t complain, either!

Great Gifts for Pet Lovers

Pet lovers are, in actuality, easier to shop for than other people—you have an extra vector of attack to come in on. Here are some great picks for some awesome gifts for the animal lover in your life.

If they’re a dog owner, chances are they have a favorite breed. Many retailers offer a large number of customized items for breed lovers—T-shirts, bumper stickers, statues and the like. This is a nice way to share your appreciation.

If they are a pet owner, why not buy the pet itself some treats? Many major metropolitan cities now have “doggie bakeries” where delicious hand-crafted snacks for dogs and cats are available. This is a high-end way to make a gift special for an animal as well as their owner.

Lastly, if they’re the kind of pet lover who thinks of others, consider making a donation to a local no-kill shelter in their name. Shelters are often desperately underfunded and trying to help as many animals as they can, so even a small cash donation can be extremely helpful.

Not Your Average Pie: Chicken Pesto Pizza

Here's a twist on the usual cheese and tomato pizza—it's quick and easy, and substitutes herb-filled pesto for tomato sauce, fontina for mozzarella cheese, and adds the unique flavor of artichokes plus chicken for a protein boost. Add extra veggies if you like, and get your daily dose of whole grains by using whole wheat crust!

Ingredients

1/2 cup pesto basil sauce
1 (12 inch) pre-baked pizza crust
2 cups cooked chicken breast strips
1 (6 ounce) jar artichoke hearts, drained
1/2 cup shredded fontina cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Spread pesto sauce over the pizza crust. Arrange chicken pieces and artichoke hearts over the sauce, and sprinkle with cheese.

3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until cheese is melted and lightly browned at the edges.

Recipe Courtesy of AllRecipes.com; submitted by Lisa.
See the full recipe here: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chicken-Pesto-Pizza/Detail.aspx.

Best Red Wines for Under $20

Want a top bottle of red for less than top dollar? These fantastic wines taste a lot glitzier than their price tags, and they’re available in most large liquor stores:

Rodney Strong Russian River Pinot Noir, California
$20

California’s Russian River Valley may produce the finest Pinots in the world. This wine’s texture is a perfect balance of richness and softness, allowing the cherry and currant flavors to emerge with pointed subtlety. It’s ready to drink, and pairs well with any dish.

Chateau Souverain Alexander Valley Merlot, California
$16.99

This deep ruby Merlot offers aromas of ripe black plum, blueberry, and currant. The vibrant fruit core balances nicely with soft, round tannins creating a lush mouthfeel. Notes of cinnamon and nutmeg, which come from aging in oak barrels, meld nicely with the rich fruit and lead to a velvety finish.

Le Bombarde, Canonau di Sardegna, Italy
$14.99

This fruit-scented Canonau (Grenache) is very rich and fruity, like drinkable blackberry jam. But don’t mistake it for sugar water; nutty nuances provide great balance, and the alcoholic kick is substantial without being overpowering. The juiciness pairs well with grilled marinated meats.

Andezon, Cotes-du-Rhone Syrah, France
$12.99

Not too heavy or too light, this Syrah tastes like blackberries at first, but the fruit flavors mellow out quickly. Syrahs are well known for their peppery, smoky personality, which makes them pair well with spicy dishes.

Porca de Murca, Douro, Portugal
$5.99

An absolute steal, this red wine is a blend of Port grapes and tastes like ripe, fresh cherries at first sip. As the flavor lingers in your mouth, you'll find an earthy, smooth background comes into focus. An excellent match for red meat.

 

Cooking Decoded: A Cheat Sheet for Diners and Aspiring Chefs

When reading menus it can be tough to keep all those terms straight. And if you’re cooking your way through a cookbook at home, you’re likely to run into some words you haven’t seen before. Keep this glossary on hand to guarantee a tasty, memorable meal.

Blacken. A popular Cajun cooking method in which seasoned foods are cooked over high heat in a super-heated heavy skillet until charred on the outside.

Blanch. To briefly boil a fruit or vegetable in order to loosen its skin. After 30 seconds in boiling water, the fruit or vegetable should be plunged into ice water to stop the cooking action and then the skin easily slices or peels off.

Braise. A cooking technique that requires browning meat in oil or other fat and then cooking slowly in liquid. This tenderizes the meat.

Broil. To cook directly under the heat source.

Dash. A measure approximately equal to 1/16 teaspoon.

Dice. To cut into cubes.

Julienne. To cut into ultra-thin strips.

Poach. To simmer in liquid.

Reduce. To cook liquids down so that some of the water evaporates.

Saute. To cook food quickly in a small amount of oil in a skillet or frying pan over direct heat.

Scald. Cooking a liquid such as milk to just below the point of boiling; also to loosen the skin of fruits or vegetables by dipping them in boiling water.

Sear. Sealing in a meat's juices by cooking it quickly under very high heat.

Simmer. Cooking food in a liquid at a low enough temperature so that small bubbles begin to break the surface. A very low boil.

Zest. The thin, brightly colored outer part of citrus fruit rinds. They contain volatile oils used as a flavoring.

Keep Your Facebook Profile Private

Facebook has become a huge part of online socializing—the social network has become a way to keep in touch with friends and family around the world, quickly and easily. But all this sharing can have some negative consequences as well. The tales are legendary of people who have lost their jobs because of compromising messages on their Wall, so here are some tips to keep your privacy online.

First and foremost, make sure that your settings are secure. At the top right corner of your Facebook page, click Account, and then Privacy Settings. Set everything to Friends Only. Everything. This is the only way to make sure you have total control over who is viewing your page. Second, make sure not to add anyone to your friends list who you are not comfortable with—if you’re ever going to talk about work on Facebook, don’t add anyone from work (although it’s best not to talk about work at all!). Close off the potential exposure and you’ll be fine.

Tips for Throwing a Cinco de Mayo Party!

Interestingly enough, Cinco de Mayo is not celebrated as enthusiastically in Mexico as it is in the United States. The remembrance of the Mexican army’s victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla has become a day to enjoy the culture and traditions of our neighbors to the South. Here are some tips for throwing a great Cinco de Mayo (May 5th!) party.

Don’t be stereotypical. Depictions of Mexico and its culture have been sort of rough over the last few hundred years. But it’s a land of great traditions and beauty. Avoid the donkey jokes, sombreros and Corona flags and try to aim for authenticity. You can still have a great party without being stupid.

Serve great food. Mexican food is probably the world’s best peasant cuisine, with simple, brilliantly spiced dishes consisting of just a few ingredients. Why not try miniature tortas, grilled shrimp and homemade guacamole?

Explore the music. Modern Mexican music comes in a wide variety of genres, from the narcocorridos of the North to the polka-influenced banda. Do some research and come up with some great tunes besides “La Bamba.”

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