Make a Cupcake Cone

STEPS:

1. Preheat your oven to temperature designated in recipe.
2.Make the batter for your cupcakes. Use a cake mix or your favorite scratch cake recipe. Prepare the batter as per directions.
3.Unwrap the ice cream cones slowly, being careful not to damage them as you remove any plastic coverings. Place each empty cone in a muffin tin, one per ungreased muffin cup.
4.Pick up and fill each cone. Replace each cone in its muffin cup.
#Leave a little room at the top for expansion (about ½ to ¾ inch).
#Be careful not to overfill or you will have a mess. See Warnings below. An ice cream scoop holds about the right amount and lets you do a neat and trim job of filling. Aim for cupcakes which do not overflow the cones. These will be more attractive and will be easier to frost.
5.Bake according to cake batter instructions. Bake for the same length of time you would bake regular cupcakes.
6.Prepare your icing or open up your store-bought icing.
7.Place sprinkles in a small bowl.
8.Remove cupcakes from oven and allow them to cool.
9. Frost the cupcakes using a knife or spatula. Try to let the frosting warm up a bit if you have been keeping it in the fridge, as some frostings are more difficult to manipulate when cold.
10.Dip the top of the cupcake in sprinkles. Dip fully or dip just one side for an artsy effect.
11.Place each cupcake back into muffin tin, or place in a serving dish with sides. Carry muffin tin or serving dish very carefully; these cupcakes will be top heavy and may tend to topple.
12.Serve!

TIPS:

#The same technique can be used for a treat at a graduation party. Buy sprinkles in school colors or use frosting of one school color, with sprinkles of the other school color.

Follow Table Manners

Many among us feel out of place when dining thinking how to follow table manners. Admittedly, it is difficult to learn every point of etiquette at once, but here are a few general pointers. Remember, good manners never go out of style.

Steps:

1. Observe your host. What is he or she doing? The whole point of learning table manners is to feel comfortable when dining with others, and the host is a good place to start. If you are the host, don't panic. You can usually get away with observing the guest you feel has the best manners.
2. Emulate your host. Put your napkin in your lap when you see them doing it. Match their rate of eating. (After all, no one wants to have an empty plate when their host is only halfway done with the dish.) If you see them eating finger food with a fork, you must do this also, even if it seems unreasonable. Assume that your host is always right; unless you can definitely tell that they have bad manners, in which case you may follow another guest.
3. Use the appropriate cutlery. If there are many utensils in your place setting and there is more than one course, start on the outside and work your way in. Again, observe your host if you have any doubts.
4. Be polite. Consider every action before you do it, and if you have the slightest doubt as to its rightness, don't do it! You will embarrass yourself and your host. Take small bites; do not chew with your mouth open; do not talk with food in your mouth; and do not place elbows on the table.

Tips:

• As far as wine glasses go, the rounder one is for red wine and the taller one is for white wine.
• If you are chewing gum, dispose of it before you sit down to the meal. Often, there is no place to put it, and sticking it under the table is definitely not good manners.
• Following table manners is more than knowing which fork to use and knowing how to cut up your steak without looking like a Neanderthal; most of it is about your attitude. Even if you slip up in the silverware department, you can make up for it by being polite and graceful in your conversation, which is essential to any well-mannered guest.
• If you make any loud clattering noises or drop a spoon or something, do not call attention to it. Chances are that no one noticed, or even cared.
• When it comes to bread plates, cups, etc., many people wonder which one is theirs when dining at a big table with many other people. Always go for the one on the left.
• Unless you are dining with a very close friend or group of friends, there are certain things you should not discuss while dining. Use your best judgment when it comes to this, and again remember to be polite.
• Taking small bites is very important. If you do not, you could be caught in that rather unpleasant situation in which someone asks you a question just as you are chewing that large mouthful. While this is sometimes unavoidable, you can minimize the time they wait for you to swallow the morsel by taking smaller bites to begin with.

Using a Fork and Knife Properly

It's easy to spoil your image in some social get together or party as you hack away at your food with knife and fork like a hunter. But at parties, or with 'civilised people', you'll want to use these utensils in the classical manner. These are some simple steps to follow:

Steps:

1. The form of holding cutlery is not dependent on whether you are right or left handed
2. To start with the fork is one the left side of plate and knife is on the right side.
3. Pick up and hold your knife in your right hand. The index finger is mostly straight and rests near the base of the top, blunt side of the blade. The other four fingers wrap around the handle.
4. Hold your fork in your left hand. The tines (prongs) face away (downward)from you. The index finger is straight, and rests on the back-side on the handle, not near the head of the fork. The other four fingers wrap around the handle.
5. Bend the wrists, so that your index fingers are pointing down towards your plate. This makes the tip of the knife and fork also point towards the plate somewhat.
6. Hold the food with the fork, by applying pressure through the index finger. Cut with the knife, in the same way.
7. Bring small bits of food to your mouth with the fork, repeat.( if the item is so large that you must angle the item, or lips/ teeth, to get it into your mouth it is too large)
8. Continue to use your left hand to hold the fork. Only Americans swap the fork to the right hand.
9. Rice and small items are pushed onto the back of the fork with the knife. Do not scoop, this is for French people only. It is considered very bad manners outside France.
10. When finished lay the knife and fork together on the plate, from 12 o'clock to 6 o'clock.

Tips:

• Relax the shoulders. They can get hunched up at first.
• Take your time to cut bite-size pieces.
• Bring them gently to your mouth, so as not to spill them on your front.
• Eat quickly so that you don't keep the servants waiting
• Don't stick your elbows out. Learn to keep them in against the sides of the body. Otherwise you might knock your neighbour!

Making Candy Cane Mint Float

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces of hot cocoa
• 1 ounce of peppermint schnapps or 1/8 teaspoon of peppermint extract
• 4 ounces of mint chip ice cream
• whipped cream
• mint candy canes (crushed)

Steps:

1. Mix the peppermint schnapps/extract with the hot cocoa in a mug.
2. Carefully drop the ice cream scoop in the mug.
3. Spray whipped cream on the top.
4. Sprinkle the crushed candy pieces on top of the whipped cream.

Making Choco Vanilla Syrup

Steps:

1. Half fill the glasses with the vanilla ice-cream.
2. Put some water (or milk) in it and stir to make a paste.
3. Put some more milk (don't fill glass completely, adjust) and add half a teaspoon sugar and one teaspoon choco powder. Stir to make a syrup.
4. Drop two or three ice cubes in it.
5. Top up the glasses with milk cream and put a straw in each glass.
6. Your choco-vanilla syrup is ready to be served.

Tips:

• Serve the syrup in decorative glasses so it looks better.
• Serve some wafers or chocolates with your choco-vanilla syrup.

Cooking a Lobster

Ingredients:

1. Boil the lobsters by filling a large pot with water.
2. Add enough salt to get the same salinity as Ocean water.
3. I prefer steaming them using Salty water
4. Bring water to a full boil.
5. Put the lobsters into the pot completely submerged (except if you steam them. I that case, I put approximately 1.5 inches of salt water), and cover. Make sure the cover is air tight and keep the water boiling and time it.
6. Cook the lobster for approximately 8 minutes, depending on the weight of the lobster. Typically, a lobster that is 1 to 1.25 lbs will take about 5-8 minutes to cook. Lobsters above 1.25 lbs can take up to 10 minutes to cook through.
7. Allow the lobster to cool completely.
8. To serve the lobster, start by cutting the tail in half, displaying all the meat.
9. Break the body with a nut-cracker, use your hands to dig in and enjoy!

Tips:

• Guide for cooking lobsters.- 1 - 2 pound lobsters: about 8 minutes
• 2 pounds to 3 pounds lobsters: 10 minutes
• 3 pounds and up, 20 minutes or more.
• User Kosher Salt or other salt with no Iodine
• If you cook your lobster, make sure it is alive before starting. A lobster dead before it's cooked should not be eaten. Why you ask: Lobter blood contains Copper and if the lobster dies before cooking, the copper oxidize and copper oxide is poison.

Hosting a Surprise Party

Steps:

1. Decide who will be invited to your party. Make sure that they are all clear that this is a surprise party, and that they keep it hushed.
2. Make a visit to the store. Buy confetti, cups, plates, napkins, ribbons, and anything else you think is necessary. Tell the "victim" of the surprise party that you are just buying groceries, and be sure that they won't be home when you get back.
3. Hide all the party supplies in a old trunk, a locked car trunk (with no windows), or someone else's house.
4. Have everything ready and decorated before the person arrive, this includes having the guests show up!
5. Think of ideas for how to thoroughly surprise your little "victim". A classic is hiding behind all available furniture and jumping out at the person, but feel free to make edits.

Tips:

• Have great music playing
• Don't have alchoholic beverages at the party, as people tend to over drink at surprise parties
• Make sure there is enough food
• Make sure everyone stays happy!
• Some great ideas to get the special person out of the house are:
• Ask the special person's boy/girl friend to take them out on a date that night and have them be at the house at a certain time.
• Get the special person's best friend to take them to a movie, play, or sleepover.
• Always make sure your guests arrive earlier than the special person, and that they park in an inconspicuous place (not crowded around your house/apartment, etc.). The reason for this is so that the appearance of many cars won't ruin the surprise early, and you don't risk the chance of the special person recognizing a friend's car. Try having your friends park on a different street or down the block.
• If it is for a kid's birthday, have their parents take them to the mall or somewhere as you set up your party.

Hosting a Pool Party

Steps:

1. Pool parties are best in a private pool, but if you don't have your own pool you could hire out the local community pool for your party.
2. Make sure you have enough floats or pool toys (beach balls, volleyball nets, inflatable floats) for everyone - you don't want any childish fights.
3. Try to set up a speaker system safely by the pool, and play summery, up-beat music.
4. Prepare some light food for your partygoers, and make sure they don't have anything like burgers or hotdogs until after they've finished swimming.
5. Have some other activities planned just in case the weather changes, or something goes wrong.

Tips:

• Keep an eye on your food - you don't want it to be burnt.
• Ask some close friends to come over to help set everything up and choose music.

• Remind everyone to bring a swimsuit.
• Set up a room so that people can change.

Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken, 3 to 4 pounds
• parsley
• 2-1/2 quarts cold water
• 2 cubes chicken bouillon
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery with leaves, chopped
• 2 large carrots, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper to taste

Steps:

1. Rinse chicken thoroughly
2. Trim off excess fat.
3. Cut chicken into quarters and place in a large stock pot.
4. Add the water (or broth) and 2 teaspoons salt and bay leaf.
5. Cover the pot and bring to boil.
6. Uncover and skim off the top froth
7. Allow to simmer 2 1/4 hours
8. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and parsley.
9. Allow to simmer 45 minutes.
10. Place cooked noodles or rice in bowl and pour soup over it.

Variations to be Tried:

• Substitute rice or dumplings for the noodles.
• Substitute broth for water when cooking rice or noodles for more flavor.
• Season with lots of dill. Salt and dill is all I use.
• Add a splash of dry white wine for added layer of flavor - the alcohol cooks out so it's safe for children.
• Add One can of tomatoes, drained. Alternatively spicy V-8 juice imparts a different flavor.
• Use soy sauce and ginger for an Asian-style soup.
• Add a can of refrigerator biscuits (cut into quarters) to soup in addition to noodles...simmer until biscuits are no longer doughy.
• Add matso balls. Look for Maneschewitz brand mix in most ethnic food sections, needs an egg. Turn off heat till boiling stops, immediately drop in balls, return heat to very gentle simmer for 20 minutes. They will double in size.

Tips:

• Make your own noodles or use good quality egg noodles
• Add a dash of sugar, it adds a wonderful flavor.

Palak Paneer

Ingredients:

• 3 bunches of spinach, chopped
• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 1 tablespoon of ginger, crushed
• 3-4 green chilies, crushed
• 1 cup of milk
• 2 tablespoons of whipping cream
• 1 tbsp garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
• 1 lb diced paneer
• 2 large tomatoes (chopped finely)

Steps:

1. Wash the spinach. Since spinach is a ground grown vegetable, make sure to clean it thoroughly.
2. Boil spinach and chopped green chillies for 10 minutes. Cool and grind to a fine paste. Roast Kasuri methi on a tava for half a minute (see that you don't burn it). When cooked, cool it and then powder it by rubbing it between your palms.
3. Heat oil in a sauce pan and fry ginger till brown.
4. Add chopped tomatoes and fry till oil shows on top. Add palak paste and Kasuri methi and fry. Add milk. Add garam masala powder and 2 tbsp cream and diced paneer. Add salt. Cook for 5 minutes.
5. Before serving add 1 tbsp of butter (optional).
6. Serve hot with parathas or naan.

Aloo Palak

Ingredients:

• 2 bunches of Palak
• 2 green chilies, finely chopped (optional)
• 3 medium sized potatoes
• 3 medium sized tomatoes / one small tin of tomato paste
• 1 big onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 2 pepper balls
• 1-2 cloves depending on the taste
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp curds
• Salt
• Oil

Steps:

Microwave

1. Poke potatoes with a knife/fork & make tiny holes on them. Sprinkle salt over it.
2. Microwave them for about 5 minutes.
3. Peel the potatoes later & cut them into the desired shape.
4. In a pan add little oil & heat. Place the potato pieces in the pan & roast them on all sides. Keep them aside & prepare the gravy.

Pressure cook

1. Pressure cook the potatoes in a pressure cooker by adding little salt & turmeric powder.
2. Peel the cooked potatoes & cut them into the desired shape.
3. Poke each cut piece with a fork.
4. In a pan add little oil & heat. Place the potato pieces in the pan & roast them on all sides. Keep them aside & prepare the gravy.
5. Fry them & cook them along with palak.

Prepare the gravy

1. Use a pan, heat oil & add jeera, cloves, pepper, Cinnamon, coriander & turmeric powder. (medium flame)
2. Add onions & fry until they sweat.
3. Add ginger-garlic paste & saute for a minute.
4. Add palak & fry for 3-5 minutes.
5. Add chili powder, garam masala & salt.
6. Mix well & then add tomatoes along with curds.
7. Cook till the tomatoes become soft/get cooked well in the pan.
8. Let the mixture in the pan cool down completely.
9. Grind the mixture to a thick fine paste.
10. Put the mixture back into the pan & cook on medium flame.
11. Add the potato pieces & water. (Addition of water depends on how the potatoes are to be cooked. If they were microwaved or pressure cooked & fried, add little water else a little more)
12. Cook for 5 minutes & remove from fire.
13. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves, raw onion, Kasoori methi or roasted cashew nuts or almonds.

Tips:

• Poking the potatoes with the fork is done so that the masala penetrates into the vegetable.
• Fry the palak separately, make a paste out of it & then add it to the gravy.
• Fresh cream can be used along with curds.

Apple Pancakes

Ingredients:

• pancake batter
• water
• apple

Steps:

1. Mix up your pancake batter as you usually do.
2. Get a grater (like a cheese grater but the holes in it have to be a bit bigger).
3. Take a whole apple skin and all and just start grating it on the grater like cheese.
4. Collect most of the apple and put it in the batter.
5. Try to put the right amount of apple in. Too much means the pancakes don't cook, too little makes no apple taste.
6. Sprinkle that leftover apple on top of the pancakes as they are cooking. Drop the apple on the side of the pancake that hasn't cooked yet, so when you turn it over it cooks right in.
7. Cook the pancakes to golden brown.

Tips:

• Try to put just the right amount of apple in.
• Take the pancake off when it is golden brown. When you try it if it is still not cooked then you put too much apple in.
• For the flavor lovers you can put a dash of cinnamon into the apple before you put them in

French Toast

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Eggs
• Bread (quantity depends on the type of bread being used)
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1/2 tablespoon of sugar
• 2 tablespoons of butter preferred melted, but is not necessary
• 1/2 tablespoon of vanilla (if desired)

STEPS:

1. Crack the eggs into the bowl, and beat them with a fork or whisk
2. Add milk to the eggs, and mix using a fork or whisk.
3. Add the sugar and vanilla to the mixture.
4. Put the pan on the stove on medium heat, and add butter or margarine to the pan so that the bread will not stick (you can also use non-stick sprays (Pam).
5. Coat one slice of the bread with the mixture on both sides,and then place the slice into the pan. Repeat this step with the remaining slices of bread.
6. Turn the heat down to low once the pan is heated sufficiently.
7. Cook the toast until browned on both sides.
8. Put the toast on a plate, and then serve immediately with the syrup and cinnamon. (hot apple sauce and cinnamon is also very good.)

TIPS:

• Eggs will blend much better if allowed to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes prior to cracking.
• Ideally you would use old bread (hard baguette or bakery bread not mouldy toast bread)then you can soak it in the mix to soften it before cooking it in the pan.
• Add some vanillia extract and cinnamon for some flavor!
• just 1 minute on each side should be enough.
• An easy estimation for the amount of milk to add is to add about as much milk as there is egg in the bowl before you beat it, then beat and mix the egg and milk at the same time.
• For potentially better results, you can add powdered sugar to the bread just before serving if you'd like.
• Use bakery bread, rather than factory made sliced bread - it will taste that much better.
• Use stale raisin bread for a delicious change and you can eliminate the cinnamon and vanilla extract.
• A good idea for parties and special occasions is to use cookie cutters on the bread (before you add the egg)!