5 Hints for Absolutely Delightful Family Meals

Writen by Norma Schmidt

Everyone's talking about family meals these days.


News stories show how busy families are making a commitment to increase the number of meals they eat together each week. Experts are promoting family meals as a way to fight childhood obesity and boost student achievement.


But we all know that family meals can go awry. Uncommunicative kids, annoyed parents or disappointing conversations can lead to an unsatisfying time together.


The good news is, some simple, positive strategies can make family meals a delight. Here are five hints for family meals you'll love:


1. Keep mealtimes peaceful.


Save disciplinary issues and major disagreements for another time so that no one feels tense or afraid at the table. Let your answering machine take any phone calls during this time, and turn off the TV.


2. Use positive strategies for teaching table manners, letting go of expectations of perfection.

Here are a few ideas:


• Model the table manners you want your children to use.


• Make sure that children understand that using kind words is the most important table manner of all.


• Use friendly reminders at the beginning of the meal and as needed during the meal. Or, if one child is forgetting what to do, praise someone at the table who is behaving correctly. For example, a dad could say, "Mom, you're sitting up straight with both feet on the floor. Thank you!" It's likely that the kids will take the hint. Thank them when they self-correct.


3. Make the table beautiful.

Have flowers on the table or, if the kids are old enough to follow safety rules, light candles (never leave lit candles unattended, and have a pitcher of water handy in case of any emergency). As an alternative, you could invite your children to take turns each week finding something beautiful to serve as a centerpiece.


4. Begin the meal with a moment of gratitude and peace.

You might keep this as a time of silence, or sing or say a table grace. Some families join hands during this time. You can find table graces at http://www.gbgm-umc.org/AldersgateUMCMI/graces.html


5. Add a little structure for a fun and satisfying conversation.


You might ask everyone at the table to tell what was the best thing that happened in their day. Everyone else at the table responds with a comment and a follow-up question. As an alternative, ask everyone at the table to share something new they learned during the day.


Or, you can allow family members to choose from a basket of conversation-starter cards. A variety of commercially produced cards are available at www.target.com (do a search on "conversation starter cards").


You can also make your own conversation-starter cards. Ask such questions as: What's the best meal you ever had, and why? If you ruled the world, what's the first thing you would do? When did you have the most fun, and why?


With these simple steps, you'll be well on your way to family meals that you and your children will remember fondly.

(c) Norma Schmidt, LLC (limited liability corporation)

Norma Schmidt is a parent, a parenting workshop leader and a hospice chaplain. Her latest online publication, "The Parent's Bag of Behavior Tricks," is ready for instant downloading at http://www.BehaviorMagic.com Get Norma's free report: "61 Ways to Boost Your Child's Money IQ: How to Raise Wise, Responsible Money Managers," at http://www.ParentCafeOnline.com

A Guide To Modern Wine Racks

Writen by Ellen Pedersen

Wine has been a part of our lives since as long as I can remember.

It has a well deserved reputation as a sophisticated drink, which requires knowledge and acquired taste in order to fully appreciate it. But, of course, newcomers can take much pleasure as well.

To enjoy wine at its true value and preserve the best taste, one must invest in storing it in the right place, angle and temperature. While that was a hard thing to do in the past and only the very rich could afford it, requiring underground cellars, nowadays storing wine is made easy with the modern wine racks.

If you are an amateur with just a few bottles to account for, or a collector with a vast selection, but live in an apartment/house that has limited space to be dedicated to a wine hobby, tower wine racks may come to your rescue.

These modern wine racks can hold anywhere from three to hundreds of bottles.

Tower wine racks are made to accommodate versatile needs and allow you to start small and grow your collection with time.

These racks are designed vertically, not horizontally and, therefore, save on ground space, while allowing you to store numerous bottles.

In addition, modern wine racks are made with today’s requirements in mind – to match every d้cor possible - wooden, metal, glass, and so on.

Tower wine racks can be divided/made on request into separate cabinets to achieve optimum temperature required by various wines, such as – white wine in cooler temperature and red wine at room temperature.

Most of these modern wine racks come with built-in drawers and shelves, enabling you to store wine connected items (corkscrew, decanters and other items).

Modern wine racks also add to the beauty and sophistcation of your home and apartment. They can be installed on the wall at the back of your bar, kitchen or any other place that you desire.

They let your guests know that you are someone with stylish tastes, and they are sure to spark numerous conversations as you sip and share your wine with pleasure.

View the best modern wine racks we've discovered at our free resource: http://www.wine-racks-selection-guide.com

5 Great Recipes for Thanksgiving

Writen by Linda Jenkinson

5 Great Recipes for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to share memories and enjoy wonderful and unique meals together. If you need some great recipe ideas the ones below are five great recipes for Thanksgiving that your family is sure to love.

(1)Sweet Potato Surprise

• 3 medium sweet potatoes

• ฝ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• ผ cup raisins
• ผ cup marshmallows
• 1 cup orange juice
• 3 tbsp. walnuts, chopped
• 2 tbsp. butter, melted
• ผ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch

Preheat oven to 350. Boil sweet potatoes. Run cold water over potatoes then let them air dry to cool. Once cooled, you can peel them. Cut potatoes into 2 inch pieces. In 9 inch baking dish arrange potatoes to your liking. Combine raisins, cornstarch, and orange juice. Cook over medium heat. Stir constantly. Add salt and butter to saucepan. Mixture will become thick and that is when it is done. Pour over potatoes. Sprinkle with marshmallows and chopped nuts. Bake for 20 minutes. Yields 6-8 servings.

(2)Pumpkin Bread

• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup water
• 1-8 oz. can pumpkin
• 1 ผ cup flour
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ฝ tsp. cinnamon
• 1/3 tsp. salt
• 1/3 tsp. baking powder
• 2/3 cup raisins (optional)
• 2/3 cup nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Beat together sugar and shortening. Add pumpkin, eggs, and water. Blend until smooth. Add flour and sugar. Stir in raisins and nuts, if desired. Add baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder. Grease 9 inch baking pan. Bake for 1 hour. A toothpick inserted will come out clean when done. Let cool. Serve with melted butter and a sprinkle of sugar.

3) Green bean Casserole

• 2 cans (8 oz each) cut green beans
• 2 cups brown rice, uncooked
• 1 sm. jar regular cheese wiz
• 1 sm. jar jalapeno cheese wiz
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 2/3 cup butter, melted
• ฝ cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1cup your favorite shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Measure rice accurately. Cook rice per package instructions. Drain rice completely. Let rice completely dry. Add green beans. Blend soup and butter together until creamy. Combine the two mixtures together. Add both jars of cheese. Add cheese gradually stirring as you go. Add garlic and onions. Before putting greased casserole dish into oven, top casserole with shredded cheese of your choice. I prefer mozzarella. Cook for 50 minutes or until cheese is bubbling or has started to brown on to

Pasta Salad

3 cups pasta, any will do

1 cup grape tomatoes, diced

1 tsp. chopped banana peppers

ฝ cup chopped red onion

1 cup chopped cucumbers

1 whole avocado, chopped

1 cup shredded carrots

ฝ cup diced red bell pepper

ฝ cup diced yellow bell pepper

ฝ cup celery

1 cup Italian dressing

Parmesan cheese (optional)

Cook pasta until tender, drain. Chill in refrigerator for at least one hour. Run pasta through cold water before you start to prepare it. Add vegetables to pasta. Blend in one cup Italian dressing. Sprinkle on parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve with whole wheat crackers.

(5) Orange Stuffing with Cranberry Sauce

• 7 slices of bread
• ผ cup butter
• 2 medium oranges
• ฝ tsp. poultry seasoning
• ฝ cup canned cranberry sauce
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup red onion
• 1 cup chicken broth

Take slices of bread. Cut into half inch cubes. Set aside. Cook celery, red onion, and butter on medium heat. Cook until celery and onion are tender. Add oranges to mixture. Cook on low heat for ten minutes. Add cranberry sauce. Cook on low for 10 minutes. Combine poultry seasoning and chicken broth. Add to celery mixture. Cook until broth is well dissolved. Take off heat Pour entire mixture over bread mixture immediately. Mix well and serve with extra cranberry sauce on the side. Garnish with orange wedges and basil.

At our site you can download a PDF file packed with tips and recipes for the holidays.

Linda is author of

Christmas and Thanksgiving Cooking Tips at http://www.steaks-guide.com

10 Simple Kitchen Organizing Tips

Writen by Mila Sidman

A lot of the times we mean to get in there and finally organize the kitchen, but once things get out of control the job can seem so daunting and you just don't know where to start. These top 10 kitchen organizing tips will help make your kitchen pleasant and welcoming.

The best way to start a big task is to start small and think of one thing at a time. If you think of everything you need to do you may just never do it!

Here are some easy kitchen organizing tips:

Mentally Prepare - Look in your kitchen and make a mental note of what belongs in there, what can be put away, what you don't need anymore, etc.

Organize Kitchen Cabinets - Take everything out of your kitchen cabinets, clean, and place them back into different categories such as glasses, plates, baking trays and so on. If your cabinets are organized you will save a lot of time during cooking.

Clean your Pantry - It's amazing the things you'll find stored in the back of a pantry. We often buy things we already have because we simply can't find them. So, take everything out of the pantry, clean and place back in categories. Use one shelf for dry foods such as cereals, pasta, etc. Use another for canned goods, and so on. Use baskets in your pantries for smaller items like stock cubes and gravy mixes. This will make them easier to find and avoid spillage from opened packets.

Use a Spice Rack - By simply using a wall-mounted or counter top spice rack you can save a lot of cabinet space and have your spices close at hand. Clearly label your spices and place the ones you use more often towards the front of the rack.

Clear your Counter Tops - Remove any items you don't use on a regular basis from your counter tops. Instead, store them in a cabinet or even your basement or garage (if you don’t use them very often). Group appliances together for conveniences like the toaster and coffee pot.

Organize that Junk Drawer - Okay, just because we all call it the "junk drawer" doesn't mean it shouldn't be organized. Take a look through and throw out any items you many not need. Place small baskets in there to store items like batteries, clips and all those other interesting things we seem to collect in our kitchens.

Clean up your Cleaning Products - Buy an inexpensive plastic dish drainer and place it under your sink. These make it easy for you to organize cleaning products, sponges, etc. Please remember to keep a lock on all cabinets with dangerous items if you have young children.

Clean that Fridge - Every time you go grocery shopping clean out your fridge. You'll find lots of things in there which have gone bad, are empty, etc. Throw out all these items and give your fridge a good wipe. Bacteria in fridges can accumulate quickly so you want to make sure this area is cleaned weekly.

Set up a Message Station - If your kitchen allows, set up a specific place for the telephone, messages, keys, etc. I have a small peg board where I keep reminders and messages. Underneath that there's a wall-mounted key rack, and under that a small desk with the telephone, a basket for mail, a calendar and pens and paper for writing. Having an area like this can save you tons of time and you won't loose messages or mail again. If you don't have space for this in your kitchen then place it in your hallway or living room.

Invest and be Clutter Free - Now you can find all sorts of inexpensive organizing products and gadgets for your kitchen and home. If possible invest in a few of these as they will make your job much easier. A simple pegboard where you can keep photos, messages or your kids works of art can be a lifesaver. The same thing goes for a plastic bag organizer or good spice rack. Invest a little and you'll reap the rewards in time saved and much more pleasant kitchen to cook in.

For more cooking tips, family-friendly recipes, nutrition articles and free fun kid recipe ebook visit http://www.easy-kid-recipes.com - The site for good home-cooked food and balanced nutrition!

An Introduction To Gourmet Coffee

Writen by Steve Valentino

Over five hundred billion cups of coffee are consumed each year making it the most popular drink on this earth. For centuries, this aromatic, spirit-lifting drink has been the beverage to serve at any and all events. Many board meetings and friendships have thrived over a cup of coffee. Extracted from the seed of cherries growing on coffee trees, coffee is grown extensively in fifty-three countries across the equator.

Specialty gourmet coffee is very popular among coffee drinkers today. As a matter of fact, statistic show that it is one of the fastest growing food retailers netting approximately $8.5 billion a year. People enjoy the taste of the sophisticated beans used in the making of this delightful gourmet drink. The beans are grown at very high altitudes on Arabic trees and feed on volcanic ash. A cool climate and lots of moisture result in a high quality bean group. The soil the beans are grown in produces the very distinct flavors of the gourmet beans. Gourmet coffee has a more balanced flavor and richer taste than the standard mass-produced coffee. The beans go through a rigorous process of certification that is very strict to help keep the quality high. To help keep standards high, the Specialty Coffee Association of American was created in 1982, for the specialty coffee trade.

You can find gourmet coffee in most grocery stores, specialty shops, restaurants and coffee shops. If you are a true connoisseur, you might compare gourmet coffee to a wonderful bottle of wine.

Gourmet Coffee provides detailed information on Gourmet Coffee, Gourmet Coffee Beans, Gourmet Flavored Coffee, Decaf Gourmet Coffee and more. Gourmet Coffee is affiliated with Gourmet Coffee.

Buy a Chocolate Fountain

Writen by Dianne Davies

Some people (with little vision or desire to entertain) would be forgiven for wondering why anyone would want to buy a chocolate fountain? It all depends. If you are the type of person who invites people around then rations the food and drink and expects your guests to like it or lump it, then perhaps it’s not for you. (I’ve certainly been to those kind of parties, where the hosts were so mean you were searching for takeout on the way home!)

However if you are a generous host or hostess who wants to really send your guests away happy, then the thought that you might buy a chocolate fountain won’t seem so strange to you. Sure, the sort of person who wants to show off would also want to buy a chocolate fountain for their next party, but there’s nothing wrong with trying to make an impression on your guests.

Entertaining is just that – it’s your turn to make sure that your guests are amused, fed and watered to the very best of your ability. You might want to buy a chocolate fountain if you are planning a grand party like a wedding reception, or a retirement party or special birthday. Conversely you might want a fountain just to make a small, intimate party have that “wow” factor which will put a smile on the face of your guests.

Imagine if at dessert time at the end of a dinner party you produced a chocolate fountain and a big dish of strawberries? How great would that be? If you go ahead and buy a chocolate fountain you won’t regret it because you can use it in so many different circumstances. Once you’ve used it once, you can rest assured your guests will be hoping to see it again, so it’s probably best to buy a chocolate fountain rather than rent.

In order to obtain a fountain you can try Party Rental firms who might be selling off used ones, try a manufacturer, try local party good suppliers and also of course surf the internet in search of the bargain you really want when you go to buy a chocolate fountain.

Dianne Davies has written more about chocolate fountains at http://www.chocolate-fountains.without-tears.com