What Is Glutinous Rice Flour

Glutinous rice flour is a type of flour made from short-grained sticky rice. This variety of rice is very common in Asia, encompassing up to 85 percent of total rice production in Laos. Used as a sauce thickener or as a binding agent in baked goods, glutinous rice flour is known for its ability to withstand both refrigeration and freezing with no breakdown of the product. The flour itself is powdery, white and unparalleled in absorption. The chewy, elastic quality of the dough makes it a popular base for the creation of pastries and sweets throughout Asia, as it is able to withstand the heat and humidity common throughout the Southeast and the bitter cold that can be found in the Northwest. As a gluten-free flour, it is gaining popularity in the Western world, particularly for those who are required to maintain a wheat-free diet. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Glutinous Rice

Glutinous rice, or sticky rice, is a common component in Asian cuisine. When cooked, glutinous rice becomes moist and firm but also develops a notable stickiness. This is the result of having a greater percentage of amylopectin than other types of rice. This starch component interacts with the surrounding water to form a chewy, sweet side dish. When it is not accompanying any number of traditional Asian main dishes, glutinous rice is being ground to make rice flour. This naturally sweet flour is then used to make buns, dumplings and assorted pastries.

Flour

Glutinous rice flour is also known as sweet flour or waxy rice flour. It is frequently used in Asian recipes to thicken sauces or bind ingredients. Sold in Asian markets across the U.S., this flour is known for its ability to absorb any liquid it comes into contact with, resulting in the creation of a slightly rubbery, clay-like ball of dough. The flour is created by crushing whole grains of rice and processing them until they have reached the consistency of a fine powder that is ultra white in color and slightly sweet.

Uses

Glutinous rice flour is the choice of many for a number of reasons. It is easy to digest and is therefore a common ingredient in baby food or for dishes to be given to the elderly or infirm. Because it contains no wheat, it can be used to create products for those who follow a gluten-free diet. It is also used to bind ingredients in rice-based, lactose-free ice cream. Additionally, while the flour is known for its ability to take up moisture, it is also well-known for its ability to retain it, making it a wise choice for products that need to be frozen and then thawed, as these processes generally result in an overall loss of moisture when products are made with traditional flour.

Rice Cakes

The use of glutinous rice flour goes well beyond baby food and frozen goods; you'll find it in everything from egg roll wrappers to moon cakes, but one of the most common uses for glutinous rice flour is in the creation of rice cakes. The sticky rice cake is an indispensable part of Asian culture. It is practically impossible to find an Asian community that has not found a way to incorporate rice cakes into holiday celebrations. In Japan, the traditional rice cake is called mochi and is served as part of the Japanese New Year celebration; in Korea they are called deok and are served as part of almost every holiday dinner. In China, the sticky rice cakes are wrapped in lotus leaves and steamed. They are served during the Chinese New year and the Dragon Boat Festival and are said to bring the eater prosperity in the near future.

Dietary Considerations

This type of rice was labeled "glutinous" because of its tendency to be glue-like when cooked, not because it actually contains gluten. It is therefore safe to use as part of a gluten-free diet. However, specific recipes must be sought as you cannot simply substitute glutinous rice flour for regular flour as their properties when added to other ingredients or used in baking are quite different.

Tags: rice flour, sticky rice, flour known, flour known ability, known ability, rice flour, baby food

The Best Business Ideas For Food

If you love food and have cooking skills, there are numerous ways to turn your love of food into a culinary business that can allow you to earn a living doing what you love to do. These food business ideas range in start-up costs, giving you options to fit your budget.

Start Small

If you want to get into serving food but don't have a large budget, consider approaching business owners and asking if you can deliver homemade lunches to the office daily. Paula Deen, the famous Food Network cook, started her restaurant business this way. Making homemade lunches and placing them in paper bags to distribute to local businesses can be a good way to start off without a large investment.

Coffee Service

A coffee cart that specializes in a variety of coffees, teas, and pastry items can be a profitable food business that even someone with little cooking experience can take advantage of. Start-up cost can vary between $10,000 and $50,000, depending upon how you go about setting up the business. This is an opportunity to visit local business owners who will allow you to set up a cart for their employees at specified times throughout the day.

Catering

A catering business can be one of the best ways to get into the food business, especially if you have friends or family that can help you get started. If you have planning skills, consider incorporating party and event planning with your catering to allow you to offer more services to your customers. Catering weddings, graduations, and parties is a food business you can get into for between $10,000 and $50,000, depending upon how small or large you want to start.

Cake Decorating

Decorating cakes is a food venture you can begin in your home. Creating cakes for weddings, charities, organizations, and parties allows you to control how much money you put into start-up. Begin with the essentials (cake decorating tools and ingredients for making cakes) and advertise locally. If you create beautiful cakes, word-of-mouth advertising can bring in the business that can help you grow,

Franchise Options

Franchising a food business can be easier than starting your own, since most of the business structure is in place. The franchise option also allows you to take advantage of an established name. The downside is the cost can be as high as $70,000 or more, depending upon the franchise you decide to go with. Franchising gives you the option of opening everything from sandwich shops to family dining establishments.

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Culinary School Projects

Give your culinary students challenges in order to help them bring out their best work.

When teaching culinary school or a home economics class, it is important to challenge students and their acquired skills by asking them to participate in projects. You can make the projects small competitions by asking students to vote on the best one, prompting the competitive spirits within students to be the best they can be.

Cultural Food

Have your students focus on their culture or assign the students a culture. Students can then decide to make a dish based on the culture's food. You can ask your students to create a whole meal, just a dessert or appetizer or ask them to mix and match. Students can then discuss the cultural significance of the food or why food is eaten on a certain date or holiday.

Catered Affair

Arrange for your class to cater a dinner or charity event. You can ask those throwing the event what they would like for their party and challenge your class to create a spread or dinner for it. If you'd like to up the ante, have half of your class cater for one event and half of your class cater another. Make sure those who attended the catered event give feedback on your classes' food so they know where their strengths and weaknesses lie.

Fairy Tales

Assign each of your students a fairy tale or ask the students to pick their favorite fairy tale. Students will then cook a meal inspired by the fairy tale. The meal can be one that is portrayed in the story (such as food for a tea party from the Mad Hatter scene in "Alice in Wonderland") or one that is simply inspired by the story. This should be reflected in both the choice of food and presentation of it.

Cooking for a Charity

Challenge your students while having them contribute to their local community. Speak with a local homeless shelter or children's center and arrange for your students to cook a meal during a holiday or to celebrate the end of the semester. You can assign each student a different dish or ask that student collaborate together on their dishes. Students should be aware that even though their food isn't going to a paying client, it is still important that they show a lot of effort and present the food in a pleasing manner. Ask students to set aside a portion of the dish for you to taste and critique and spend the rest of the class serving the food to those at the charity.

Tags: your students, your class, class cater, fairy tale, your class cater

The Difference Between Cream Of Wheat & Farina

Cream of Wheat and farina cereals are of varying nutritional value.

Cream of Wheat and farina are often confused. Both are porridge-style hot cereals but differ slightly in contents. Farina is a milled cereal grain which is typically made from wheat germ and the inner parts of wheat kernels (also known as endosperm). Similar in texture and color to grits, Cream of Wheat is made with the same wheat germ in farina, however it's finely ground, making it smoother in texture and lighter in color.

Cream of Wheat Nutrients

Cream of Wheat is similar in texture (smooth) and color (white) to hominy grits . Nutritionally, it contains just 120 calories per cup and a moderate amount of carbohydrates (23 gm per cup). In one serving of Cream of Wheat, you can get almost half of the recommended daily amount (RDA) of iron. One serving also provides 20 percent of the RDA for calcium. When prepared with fat-free milk, the calcium intake is bumped up to 70 percent. Cream of Wheat is also a great nutritional choice for pregnant women, who are often encouraged to up their folic acid intake to boost vitamin B levels and help reduce the risk of birth defects. A serving of Instant Cream of Wheat provides 25 percent of the daily value of folic acid. It also contains vitamin C, which aids in increasing the amount of iron the body absorbs.

Cream of Wheat Nutritional Weaknesses

While it may be a decent iron source, your fiber consumption needs will not be met with Cream of Wheat, as it contains none. During processing of the cereal, the bran is stripped from the wheat, which results in the elimination of the natural, soluble fiber present in wheat. Another drawback is the lack of fiber causes the elevation of blood glucose and insulin levels, which is dangerous for diabetics or others who need to sustain steady blood sugar levels.

How Farina Compares

Those concerned about cholesterol intake will be happy to learn farina has a zero cholesterol count. Like Cream of Wheat, farina provides some iron -- 15 percent of the RDA) and while Cream of Wheat is empty on fiber, farina provides 13 percent of the RDA in each cup (one serving). Rougher in texture and darker in color (slightly more brown), farina also provides a number of healthy minerals; potassium, in particular, makes up the most with a content of 5 percent.

Where Farina Falls Short

Farina has was far more calories than Cream of Wheat; 549 per serving. And while Farina packs the fiber missing in Cream of Wheat, it also has way more carbohydrates, 46 percent (compared to 13 percent for Cream of Wheat). Farina is also not a good source of vitamins A and C, containing none.

Tags: Cream Wheat, provides percent, also provides, amount iron, Cream Wheat also, Cream Wheat farina

Sell Voip To Small Businesses

With VoIP, a visitor can click to speak to a business's customer service operators directly from his computer.

There's a new game in town that could be one of the most lucrative and important technologies of the decade -- selling Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). If you are interested in selling VoIP to small businesses, unless you have millions of dollars to develop your own telephony system, you will need to sell on behalf of an existing VoIP host. You have two choices: reseller or affiliate. Whichever method you choose, you can expect to be in demand for years to come as VoIP continues to develop. Possible next steps are using cell phones with VoIP technology for cost savings.

Instructions

1. Decide between joining an affiliate program or a reseller program. Consider the benefit of setting your own brand and pricing as a reseller, as well as the tasks involved in redistributing airtime, managing on-site equipment and marketing. Consider the simpler alternative of acting as an affiliate while earning a fixed commission for signing up new users, without the worry of being tech savvy as a reseller.

2. Choose a VoIP host with multimedia communications services with high-fidelity voice quality and near-zero delays. Pay attention to quality of management, traffic services and security. Represent a host that will help small business clients operate and manage their system and assist with setup. Consider the following as examples of hosts for the affiliate program: ViaTalk, Globe7 and Net2Phone. Consider the following hosts as examples of hosts for the reseller program: Quantumvoice, Broadvoice and Net2Phone.

3. Market your services to small businesses. Focus on each small business's telecommunication needs. Discuss current technology and features of VoIP, and how it is quickly becoming the preferred choice for small business telecommunication. Emphasize your strong customer service support. Demonstrate the high voice quality of your VoIP system. Show an example of how a link can be embedded on a small business's Web page, so that visitors can click to speak to a customer service operator directly from their own computers. Provide your customers with a marketing package along with your business card.

4. Address any questions and misconceptions that your small business clients may have regarding VoIP. Stress to your small business customers that their access is the same as the telecom services used by multinational corporations, thus attempting to eliminate any fear that your customers will receive an inferior quality of service. Dispel the myth that traditional hard-wired PBX systems need to be discarded in order to use VoIP, and explain how VoIP adapters can be used to connect remote locations to the PBX system. Demonstrate how VoIP reduces recurring operational expenditures.

Tags: small business, customer service, affiliate program, business clients, business telecommunication

How Are Food Prices Affecting Trade

The demand for wheat and other major crops surpassing supply is a cause for price increases.

The diversion of a portion of corn-based production from food to biofuel in the U.S. has increased demand for corn. Simultaneous with the demand for biofuel is the growth of emerging economies and their demand for food for their growing populations. When the demand for food surpasses the supply, this raises the price of corn, edible oil, rice and other major food crops in crop-producing countries. In addition, uncontrollable environmental factors -- such as drought and storms -- affect production. When the price of food rises for all these reason, it affects trade worldwide.

Lack of Standardization of Prices Hurts the Seller

Coffee is an example of a product with high price volatility. Coffee-producing countries that do not participate in standard pricing are affected during trade when they are forced to sell their product at devastatingly low prices because competitors are producing high quantities of low quality production. For example, in 2001, coffee prices fell to a 30-year low of 45 cents per pound because of overproduction by Vietnam and Brazil. Without standardization of prices for the purpose of trade, coffee-producing countries could face economic devastation that hurts growers, processors and traders.

High Prices Make Imported Foods Less Affordable

As local food prices increase, food becomes less affordable for consumers. Where high costs of imported food become unaffordable for trade, households switch to domestic products. In West Africa, for example, instead of consuming imported rice, homegrown products such as cassava, yam and maize are consumed as farmers try to increase domestic trade.

High Prices Boost Rural Economy to Increase Production and Trade

Where high prices on food have a negative effect for consumers, for farmers in rural areas the boom in the agricultural sector creates opportunities for employment and raises rural household incomes. Those sectors with stronger infrastructure and access to credit and technology are able to take greater advantage of the high food price stimulation for increased production and trade.

Reducing Trade Barriers Lowers Food Prices and Equalizes Trade

When food prices increase, even a loaf of bread can become hard to afford. Rich farmers have an unfair advantage of underselling competitors when they receive trade-distorting subsidies. The inequality of the subsidies and pricing affects rural farming in poor countries, and this can contribute to food shortages. Reducing trade barriers is one way to allow people to be able to keep food prices low around the world so that food is affordable and poorer farmers are less vulnerable to market conditions.

Tags: demand food, food prices, food prices increase, High Prices, other major, prices increase, when they

Commercial Lettuce Varieties

Romaine is a widely used type of lettuce.

Lettuce (Latuca sativa L.) is the leading vegetable crop, in terms of production value, grown in the U.S., with more than 90 percent of the production located in Arizona and California. Production in 2009 totaled 9 billion pounds, according to the Agricultural Marketing Center. Four types of lettuce dominate U.S. production, with the predominant being iceberg because it is best adapted for being shipped long distances. The other three commercial varieties are butterhead, romaine and leaf varieties. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Iceburg Lettuce

The iceberg lettuce variety is also known as crisphead. The round head of lettuce is heavy and large with tightly folded leaves. Prominently veined leaves are crisp or brittle in texture. Outer leaves are green with inner leaves that are a whitish-yellow. Iceberg lettuce is widely used in North America.

Butterhead

Butterhead lettuce is also known as bibb, miniature bibb and Boston lettuce. Leaves are soft with a smooth texture. Commercial varieties are bred in outdoor summer conditions and during winter in greenhouse conditions. Summer butterheads are larger than the winter ones, which are also less compact. Butterhead lettuce is most often used in North Europe.

Romaine Lettuce

Romaine lettuce is known in England as cos. Relatively tolerant to heat, the lettuce is cylindrically hearted and upright-growing, with crisp leaves and a distinctive midrib. Slower to bolt than other lettuces, romaine lettuce is useful as a warm weather crop. Romaine lettuce is widely used in South Europe and the U.S.

Leaf Types and Others

Growing leaf types of lettuce, both red and green, has increased due to the demand for packaged salads introduced in the late 1980s. Other commercial lettuces include oak leaf types, summer crisp, French crisp and stem lettuce, which is sold in specialty Asian markets. Batavian lettuce varieties are occasionally classified as loose-heading crisphead types. Batavian lettuce is grown mostly in greenhouses during winter in eastern and northern regions. Outdoor varieties have been developed, and grow mostly in California and Arizona.

Imports and Exports

During 2009, the U.S. imported almost 291 million pounds of lettuce, with more leaf lettuce and romaine being imported than head lettuce. Top countries exporting to the U.S. are Mexico first, followed by Canada. The U.S., a leading exporter of lettuce second only to Spain, shipped 704.9 million pounds of all types of lettuce in 2009. Canada receives about 85 percent of the lettuce exported.

Tags: types lettuce, widely used, also known, Batavian lettuce, Butterhead lettuce, during winter

Top Food Service Companies

Food service companies are responsible for delivering food.

The food service industry is made up of restaurants, catering companies and food distributors. Essentially, the industry encompasses any meal made outside of the home. Since the industry has such a variety of companies, the three largest companies (by revenue) in the industry are highlighted in this article.

Sysco Corporation

The Sysco Corporation is the largest food service distributor in the world. The company's revenue is about $37 billion, and it has more than 100 different distribution centers in the world. Sysco distributes food and equipment to colleges, hospitals, schools and restaurants around the world. In fact, Sysco was ranked the No. 1 company in the Wholesale Food and Grocery Division by "Fortune" magazine in 2006.

Sysco Corporation Headquarters

1390 Enclave Parkway

Houston, TX 77077-2099

281-584-1390

sysco.com

U.S. Foodservice

U.S. Foodservice is the second-largest food service distributor in the world. The company distributes food and utensils to restaurants, health care facilities and educational institutions. In addition, the company also works with managers of the companies it distributes to on a number of things such as food safety, promotions and trends in the food industry.

U.S. Foodservice Headquarters

9755 Patuxent Woods Drive

Columbia, MD 21046-2286

United States

410-312-7100

usfoodservice.com

Yum Brands

Yum Brands is the largest restaurant company in the world. The company has more than 37,000 restaurants in 110 countries. In 2009, Yum Brands had revenues exceeding $11 billion. The company's restaurant brands include Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Long John Silver's, Pizza Hut, A&W Restaurants and Wing Street.

Yum Brands Headquarters

1441 Gardiner Lane

Louisville, KY 40213

502-874-8300

yum.com

Tags: Sysco Corporation, world company, distributes food, distributor world, distributor world company, food service distributor, more than

Start A Grassfed Goat Meat Business

A grass-fed goat business can be a challenging yet satisfying venture if you're interested in creating a product that provides a healthy meat alternative for consumers. Grass-fed meat businesses tend to be on the smaller scale and give more attention to the pasturing and feeding of their animals than industrial producers. New goat meat producers who can clear hurdles, such as start-up costs and state and federal regulations, can create a sustainable business.

Instructions

1. Apply for business licenses with your state and local agencies. Register your business and business name with the Secretary of State. Contact the IRS to set-up an Employer Identification Number (EIN) if you plan on hiring employees or operating as a corporation or partnership.

2. Contact your state's Department of Agriculture regarding requirements and fees for certification as a grass-fed organic goat meat supplier. If you plan to sell goat meat across state lines, contact the U.S. Department of Agriculture regarding the certification process.

3. Maintain a record keeping system for certification purposes. Your records should document every aspect of your grass-fed goat meat business, including where you purchase your goats and verification that they have been provided with organic feed from at least their third trimester of gestation.

4. Purchase organic feed from a reputable supplier. Keep records of all support materials and invoices demonstrating that the grass feed was organically grown.

5. Maintain detailed records of medical care attesting to the fact that none of your goats are treated with antibiotics.

6. Find a slaughterhouse and butcher in your area that can organically process your goat meat without bringing it into contact with non-grass-fed meats. Contact mobile organic butchers, if possible. These operations are designed to meet small business needs and to lower the stress animals experience during transportation.

7. Develop markets for your grass-fed goat meat products. Determine whether you will sell to a community supported agriculture (CSA) program, directly to customers, independent butchers, restaurants or meat distributors. Make your decision by weighing the time spent making sales directly against the lower prices gained by using middlemen.

8. Brand your grass-fed goat meat products. Communicate with your customers or on your labels about what makes your grass-fed goat meat unique, such as some special features about your farm or the individual care you give your goats.

Tags: goat meat, grass-fed goat, grass-fed goat meat, your grass-fed, your grass-fed goat, goat meat

Know Which People Foods To Never Feed A Dog

A lot of people give their dogs leftovers, including me. I often supplement my dogs' diet with leftovers from dinner like chicken, beef, vegetables and fruits. I think it is very good and healthy for my dogs--but the following foods I never give--and you should avoid giving these to your dog as well.

Instructions

1. Never feed cooked chicken bones. They are dangerous because the bone is very brittle from being cooked. The bone can splinter and break apart when your dog eats it, which can cause damage.

2. Avoid chocolate, especially dark chocolate. It can be toxic to your dog and in large quantities cause death.

3. Stay away from grapes, which can cause kidney failure. I knew a person who used grapes as treats and the dog seemed fine until one day the dog ate a full batch and ended up at the vet with kidney failure.

4. Avoid onions, which can be very hard on your dog's digestive system. A lot of people like to give their dogs leftovers that they get from restaurants. If you do this, make sure there are no onions in the leftovers you give your dog.

5. Never give foods with artificial sweetners such as xylitol, a sugar alcohol used as a sweetener in many products, including sugar-free gum, chewable vitamins, oral care products and baked goods.

While xylitol consumption is considered safe in people, dogs can develop serious, even life-threatening signs from its ingestion. Ironically, the symptoms brought on by xylitol do not mimic hyperglycemia (such as in diabetes), but rather the opposite (hypoglycemia).

6. Stay away from sugar; it's not good for dogs. A lot of dog owners give their dogs ice cream or a small piece of cake, which is not a good idea. Surprisingly, some dog foods even contain sugar, so check labels and don't purchase any that does.

Tags: give their, give their dogs, their dogs, away from, dogs leftovers, kidney failure, Stay away

Florida Laws On Outdated Food

Understanding Florida's food expiration laws.

Aside from baby formula, which is federally controlled, it's up to the states to make and enforce rules on the use of expiration dates on food products. Florida's laws regarding the selling of outdated food are set by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Food Safety. If you are shopping for food products in Florida, there are a few rules to follow to protect yourself. (CE: http://www.doacs.state.fl.us/onestop/fs/foodsafe.html)

Eggs and Dairy Products

Florida Statutes, under Chapter 500, mandate that all eggs and dairy products have a "Use by" date clearly marked on the labels. It is illegal for a producer or store to sell eggs or dairy products after their "Use by" date has expired. After the "Use by" date, the products must be removed from the store shelves. A failure to remove outdated eggs and dairy products from the shelves could result in fines and the suspension of the retailer's food permit. When you shop, be sure to check your cartons of whole milk, cream, and half-and-half, as well as your ice cream and cheese products, for "use by" dates, and buy those items that have a date furthest in the future.

All Other Food Products

For all food products other than eggs and dairy products, no Florida state law mandates that an expiration date be placed on the food label. This includes meat, potatoes, vegetables, chips and canned or boxed foods. The decision to put expiration dates on these food products is entirely up to the producer, and while many producers do place some form of expiration date on their products, such labeling is more for organizational purposes than for consumer safety. Florida has no law prohibiting a store from storing or selling these other food products after the date on the label has passed, and Florida has no law that says a store must police its shelves to remove these other outdated food products. It's up to you to know what is safe to buy and when it is safe to consume these non-dairy and non-egg products.

Tip for the Forida Grocery Shopper

Stores are in business to sell their products, and food stores are no exception. Older products are usually pushed to the front of the shelves to encourage customers to grab them first. For most products, the date doesn't matter and there is no need to reach to the back of the shelf for the freshest packages. The key is the wording of the expiration date; if the label reads "best if used by" or "sell by" a certain date, that means that the product will be safe to eat long after the given date, but will begin to lose quality in its taste or texture after that date. However, if the label reads "use by" a certain date, that strictly means that the product will no longer be safe to eat after that specific date, usually because bacteria can begin to spread after the date expires. So if you're buying products with a "use by" date, pick the product with a date that is reasonably beyond the date you expect to eat the food. If you are buying milk products or eggs, watch the dates closely, and if you see outdated products on the shelves, let the shopkeeper know. If you have questions about food safety, contact:

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Division of Food Safety

3125 Conner Blvd., Suite D

Tallahassee, FL 32399-1650

Tags: food products, eggs dairy products, dairy products, date that, eggs dairy

Creative Ideas For Cupcakes Crabs

Think creatively when decorating cupcakes, considering color, icing and garnishes.

Crabs and cupcakes don't always go hand in hand, but with a little imagination and a squirt or two of icing, bakers can get creative with crab-themed cupcakes. Whether repackaging the traditional crab cake into a smaller, bite-sized appetizer to planning a SpongeBob-themed birthday party complete with Mr. Krabs, crab-themed cupcakes are creative additions to any social event or party. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Fondant Crabs

Apply vanilla frosting to baked cupcakes. Sprinkle each cupcake with crushed vanilla wafer crumbs to resemble sand. Roll out a ball of red fondant 1 inch in diameter to form a sand crab's head, and slice six strips, about 1/2 inch in diameter, to form the claws. Shape the fondant into the head and claws and place on the cupcake. Squeeze two dollops of white icing, each topped with a speck of black icing or a mini chocolate chip, on the head to form the crab's eyes.

Crab Cakes

Make it a crab-cake cupcake.

Substitute sweet with savory by serving crab cakes in paper cupcake molds. Form the crab cakes into small balls and bake inside the cupcake molds. Substitute tartar or Hollandaise sauce for icing, smearing the sauce over the top of the miniature crab cake. Garnish with pimentos or cherry tomatoes.

Peekaboo Crabs

Once assembled, the cupcakes appear to be crabs sticking their heads out of the sand.

Mix a red velvet cake recipe and pour into cupcake pans. Bake and cool. Squirt two dollops of white icing on each cupcake, topped with a mini-chocolate chip, for the eyes. Place the cupcakes into a 2-inch-deep serving dish, with 1 to 2 inches of space between each cupcake. Fill the spaces with cornflakes to resemble sand. Squeeze a thick line of blue icing around the edges of the serving dish to represent water.

The Krusty Krab

Delight young cupcake eaters with a SpongeBob SquarePants-themed dessert referencing the Krusty Krab, the local diner owned my Mr. Krabs in the hit Nickelodeon kid's show. Ice cupcakes with yellow or white frosting to form the sea floor. Garnish with Swedish fish and blue sprinkles, as well as a few pretzel sticks to resemble drift wood. Plant a toothpick into the cupcake with a homemade flag labeled as "The Krusty Krab." Children can follow their imaginations to the diner itself.

Tags: each cupcake, Krusty Krab, crab cake, crab-themed cupcakes, cupcake molds, cupcake with

Make Chicken Korma

Korma is a dish originating in Southeast Asia. It is considered a type of curry. There are both vegetarian and meat versions of korma. It has its roots in the Mughlai cuisine of modern-day India. Here is a flavorful recipe for chicken korma. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Instructions

1. Place cashews in a small bowl, and pour boiling water over nuts. Set aside for 15 to 20 minutes so that the cashews can soften.

2. Chop up garlic and ginger and then puree until smooth.

3. Heat oil in a deep dish pan over medium heat. Cook the bay leaves in hot oil for 25 seconds. Stir in onion, and simmer until soft; this will take about five minutes. Mix in garlic/ginger puree, and add to it your coriander, garam masala, cumin, turmeric, and chili powder. Fold in chicken, and cook for about 5 minutes. Pour in tomato sauce and chicken broth.

4. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Place your cashews in the water, as well as your cream and yogurt, into a food processor. Process until smooth. Mix the cashew mixture into the chicken and onions.

6. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cornstarch mixture, and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes.

Tags: garlic ginger, minutes stirring, minutes stirring occasionally, stirring occasionally, until smooth

Do A 3day Juice Cleanse

Do a 3-Day Juice Cleanse

A 3-day juice cleanse is a type of fast where you limit your diet to raw fruit and vegetable juices. Proponents of juice fasting believe that a high level of detoxification takes place while the body takes a mini-break from processing solid food. The juice itself is also thought to be an excellent source of antioxidants and vitamins.

Instructions

1. Choose a long weekend or 3 day period when you can set aside demands on your time. Take the opportunity for reflection, reading or other forms of quiet relaxation. Ideally, it should be during the warmer months.

2. Prepare for the fast by reducing or eliminating alcohol, nicotine, sugar, dairy, caffeine, meat and fish, eggs and wheat from the diet. Eat mainly beans, organic fruits and vegetables.

3. Consume at least 32 to 64 oz. of fruit and vegetable juice during each day of the fast. Sip the juice throughout the day.

4. Process the fruit and vegetable juice as needed, or purchase it fresh from a juice bar at a health food store. Include fresh carrots, apples, pineapples, cranberries, beets, spinach, kale and cabbage for low-acid juices. Add green vegetables and sprouts that contain high levels of chlorophyll.

5. Return gradually to solid foods. Begin by adding 2 pieces of fruit to your diet, then adding steamed green vegetables the next day. Next, add fresh salad and brown rice and progress to eggs and yogurt. Add chicken, fish or meat to the diet 5 to 6 days after the fast.

Tags: fruit vegetable, fruit vegetable juice, green vegetables, vegetable juice, your diet

Foods For Spiritual Fasting

Some fasts include fresh fruits and vegetables.

Fasting, or abstaining from certain foods and beverages for a period of time, is a spiritual practice that may help you clarify your thoughts, purify your soul and cleanse your body. While some people choose not to eat at all while fasting, you may opt to eat light snacks or healthy foods, particularly if you have health issues or if you plan on fasting for an extended period of time.

Fruits and Vegetables

A variety of fruits and vegetables are often included in a spiritual fast, including the Daniel Fast -- chronicled in the Bible in Chapter 10 of the Book of Daniel -- in which Daniel refuses to eat the Babylonian king's decadent, unhealthy foods. All fresh and dried fruits -- including berries, apples, melons and stone fruits like peaches and plums -- are allowed. Various-colored vegetables like spinach, kale, corn, carrots and peppers also are part of the Daniel Fast. Avoid dried fruits and vegetables with added sugars and/or preservatives since the objective of the fast is to consume foods in their natural, healthiest state.

Grains, Nuts and Seeds

A person for whom significant sustenance is necessary, such as a person who has diabetes, can eat whole grains, seeds and nuts while on a spiritual fast. Unprocessed grains are best because their fiber content is higher and they will help to quickly eliminate toxins from the body. Whole grain breads, crackers and cereals are ideal foods to eat while on a fast that includes carbohydrates. Nuts and seeds, such as unsalted almonds and pumpkin seeds, make a healthy snack during a fast.

Cooking Oils

If you're going to cook vegetables while you're fasting, it's best to use high-quality pure olive or coconut oil, which are high in healthy fat and Vitamin E and, unlike over-processed oils, will not contaminate foods. Grapeseed, sesame and peanut oils are also appropriate. If you're not a vegetarian or if you need to consume a considerable amount of protein while fasting, saute organic fish and seafood in the above healthy oils.

Beverages

Fresh fruit and vegetable juices with no unnatural additives are fitting for a fast that promotes spiritual growth and enlightenment. Drink spring, distilled and electrolyte-infused water to keep well hydrated while fasting. In some religions, drinking beverages is not allowed during certain parts of a fast, such as between sunrise and sunset during Ramadan, a holy month in Islam. After sunset, Muslims can drink the types of waters listed above, as well as juice.

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The Best Chicken Breasts

The best chicken breasts have longer storage lives.

Choosing the best chicken breasts can enhance the flavor of every chicken dish you create. However, there are also other benefits to choosing the best chicken breasts, such as health issues and storage life. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Processed vs. Unprocessed

When choosing your chicken breast, always select meat that has undergone the least amount of processing possible. This will help promote health as well as taste. Overprocessed chicken breast will have additional preservatives, which have been linked to many health conditions, including cancers. Overprocessing can also lead to poor tasting chicken.

Fresh vs. Frozen

Always buy chicken that is fresh, not frozen. Frozen chicken breast has additional sodium, which is bad for your heart and your health.

Chicken Fat

Carefully check all chicken breast for fat. While you can trim extra fat off is possible, this can help reduce the amount of preparation required without sacrificing freshness.

Saving Money While Still Buying Quality

Purchase your chicken breast still with the skin on the bone if you are trying to save money but still want to purchase high quality meat. While this will increase your preperation time, it will also save you a little on your food cost.

Tags: chicken breast, best chicken, best chicken breasts, chicken breasts, your chicken, your chicken breast

Frugal Moving Tips

Moving can be Expensive

By the end of 2007, the average cost of a household move was around $11,000; serious money for most families. The average individual relocates nearly 12 times in his lifetime. Moving can be a headache for many, but it is expensive for everyone. Learn ways to minimize your expenses during your next move.

Free Packing Supplies

Instead of purchasing boxes for your next move, use boxes from grocery stores, department stores and restaurants. Many managers and business owners will be happy to save their boxes for you. Most companies receive weekly shipments of products or supplies and just discard the boxes anyway. Visit area restaurants and shops a week in advance and ask them to set aside their boxes for you. The boxes will usually have to be reformed and taped to be suitable for a move, but can keep you from purchasing expensive boxes that you will only use once. Recycle the boxes when you are done to reduce waste.

Save on packing material by choosing newspapers instead of packaging peanuts. Old newspapers can protect fragile items almost as well as any packing material. Visit the printing office of your local newspaper; most have plenty of leftover newspaper from the previous day and will not mind helping out.

Saving on Moving Trucks

Move as many items as you can with your personal vehicle. If you are not moving a long distance, making a few extra trips with your personal vehicle can keep you from having to rent a larger moving truck. The fuel savings may be tremendous too; most moving trucks get a paltry eight to 12 miles per gallon, even worse if burdened with a heavy load.

When you do rent a moving truck, shop around with several providers to get the best deal. The daily rate is not usually a good indicator of actual cost, as most companies have mileage fees. Calculate the mileage you will accrue on the truck to have an accurate estimation of each company's charges. Opt for a truck with a diesel engine to save on fuel costs (depending on diesel fuel costs); most diesel trucks get 30 to 35 percent better fuel economy.

Tags: your personal vehicle, fuel costs, keep from, moving truck, next move, packing material, personal vehicle

Use Chicken Manure As Garden Fertilizer

Chicken manure is rich in nutrients. Many backyard poultry hobbyists collect their chickens' manure to make fertilizer. Individuals who do not raise chickens can often obtain chicken manure from local farmers or a local feed store. Learn make cheap fertilizer from chicken manure to improve the productivity of your garden and enrich and amend your soil. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1. Research the nutritional properties of chicken manure. This may take some small calculations in order to find the nitrogen content of the chicken manure. Several websites, such as poultryOne.com, offer resources to calculate the mineral content of chicken manure (link in the Resources section).

2. Determine how you plan to use chicken manure as fertilizer and soil amendments. The three most popular methods of turning chicken manure into garden fertilizer includes manure tea, spreading manure directly on the soil, and adding chicken manure to compost.

3. Make chicken manure fertilizer tea. Scoop fresh chicken manure into a burlap bag (may be used or new). Weight the burlap bag with a heavy rock and place in a 35-gallon plastic or metal garbage can. Fill the garbage can with water. Let the manure/water mixture to sit undisturbed for 3-4 weeks. This allows the water to become infused with the nutrients from the chicken manure. Use the water to water your plants, lawn and garden to water and feed your plants simultaneously.

4. Spread chicken manure directly on your soil for another method of fertilization. Approximately 45 pounds of chicken manure is sufficient to fertilize 100 square feet of your lawn or garden. Do not use fresh chicken manure, as the high nitrogen content can "burn" your plants. Instead, let the chicken manure sit in a pile for several weeks before applying it to your soil.

5. Mix fresh chicken manure into your compost pile for a third method of fertilization. This simultaneously ages the chicken manure to make it safe for your plants, while also adding nutrients to your compost. Use the compost as usual for an extra-rich fertilizer and soil amendment.

Tags: chicken manure, chicken manure, your plants, chicken manure into, fresh chicken, fresh chicken manure, manure into

Make My Own Hair Product Line

Increase your profile by making your own hair product line.

Making your own hair product line is a way to promote your business and generate additional advertising when people display the items in their bathrooms at home. In addition, having your own hair product line can elevate your salon and give you an edge above the others in town. Rather than experimenting with making your own shampoo in the kitchen, you can get the product from a supplier and bottle it yourself. While making your own hair product line may seem overwhelming at first, it may actually be easier than you think. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1. Draw up a budget. Calculate how much you can afford to spend on making your own product line and how long it is likely to take you to recover your investment. Avoid the trap of ending up with bills you didn't expect for the product or the labels.

2. Do your market research. Find out how much stores and other salons charge for their hair care line. Ask your customers if they would buy your hair product line, and how much they would be willing to pay for the items to get a feel for the prices you might be able to charge.

3. Experiment with the products you want for your line. Contact different hair product suppliers and find out what they have to offer and how much the supplies cost. Ask if they have trial sizes and try them on your customers to see which ones they prefer.

4. Design your own label. If you are artistic, see what you can come up with for a logo or font that makes a statement about your business. You may want to include a picture of yourself or the salon on the label so customers associate it with you.

5. Start small. Rather than stocking everything from hairspray to mousse, pick the products - shampoo for oily hair and conditioner for dry hair - that clients are most likely to buy. As the interest in your line grows, add more products.

6. Organize the logistics. Ordering the products - complete with your product line label - may be more efficient both in terms of time and money than filling them yourself.

7. Have a product line launch. Invite the press and your customers to come for coffee and cake. Make an announcement about what you have on offer and cut a ribbon to officially launch your product line.

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Where To Buy Supplies For A Bakery

If you are planning on opening a bakery, there are many supplies you need before you can open. From baking staples such as sugar and flour to cooking implements and furniture for your customers, there is a long list of items to acquire. Some easily are found at local stores, and some should be purchased online for the best prices.

Large Equipment

For large supplies such as ovens, dough sheeters and bread slicers, visit an online store such as cafeproducts.com. Also consult with non-local bakery owners--so you are not asking your competition to help you out--to find out where they buy their large supplies and what resources you should look into.

Common items usually are available at warehouse stores, so check there for things such as a quality professional mixer to avoid shipping expenses. For tables, chairs and other furniture, check out furniture stores and restaurant supply stores.

Small and Handheld Baking Supplies

For smaller baking supplies such as whisks, spoons, bowls and measuring instruments, any store that stocks kitchen supplies carries them. However, if you are looking for superior quality, shop at a specialty store such as Corningware or Calphalon. You can also shop for this kind of equipment online on sites such as instawares.com. When looking at potential savings, take the cost of shipping into account. Some places offer discounts on shipping for large orders, but some ship by weight, which can get very expensive.

Food Supplies

For food supplies, one of the best places to shop is a warehouse store. These stores have supplies in bulk, including 50 lb. bags of flour and sugar, and large blocks of butter. Their prices usually are excellent because of the bulk amounts. By picking the food up yourself rather than relying on a food delivery service, you save the cost of delivery. Most warehouse stores have a membership fee that usually is pretty small and is payable annually. If you prefer to save yourself the work, look in the yellow pages for a food distributor to get price quotes.

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Make Chocolate Crunch

Chocolate candy is loved by many people and is a delicious and personal gift to give at holiday time. Chocolate crunch candy combines the creaminess of the chocolate with a crunch that can come from a variety of sources, depending on your own personal tastes. This chocolate crunch recipe is highly adaptable and makes about a dozen pieces of candy. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Instructions

1. Spray a 9-inch baking pan liberally with cooking spray. You can use either a square or round pan.

2. Set 1 cup of chocolate chips on the stove to melt in a saucepan. Experiment with different types of chocolate, including milk, semisweet and white for different occasions. Add 2 tbsp. of butter to help the chocolate to melt smoothly. Stir the chocolate regularly to avoid scorching.

3. Stir in one cup of the "crunch" ingredient once the chocolate is all melted. Use crispy rice cereal, chopped almonds, toffee chips or anything else that will provide the contrast in texture.

4. Put the chocolate crunch mixture into the greased pan and smooth into an even layer with a rubber spatula.

5. Allow the chocolate crunch candy to harden in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

6. Turn out the crunch onto a cutting board and cut into pieces with a sharp knife. For a more rustic, informal feel, break into pieces with your hands.

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Key Success Factors Of Mcdonald'S

McDonald's withstands tough economic times.

In 1940, Dick and Mac McDonald opened McDonald's Bar-B-Que Restaurant in San Bernardino, California. Since then, the golden arches have become one of the most recognizable symbols in the world. Millions have been served French fries, hamburgers and sodas at thousands of franchises through out the world. McDonald's has been able to withstand wars, economic downturns and competition by focusing on key success factors.

Customer Range

A key factor in the success of McDonald's is its ability to appeal to a wide range of customers. For example, in June 1976 McDonald's introduced a breakfast menu to capture more customers, according to a case study by business analyst Jim Nelson's. Nelson stated that McDonald's also created the famous Chicken McNuggets in 1980. Happy Meals appeal to children and the restaurant menu offers a wide range of choices for parents. The Big Mac, Angus Deluxe, Quarter Pounder with Cheese and the Big n' Tasty are just some of the 32 sandwiches offered on the McDonald's menu at mcdonalds.com. McDonald's appeals to a wide range of customer preferences.

Nutrition

On the organization's website, McDonald's states that part of its success is due to its commitment to the well-being of customers. In 2004, McDonald's established a global advisory council to provide expert guidance on nutrition and well-being. To satisfy health-conscious customers, the fast-food company began to include high-quality choices on the menu. Customers are able to choose from hamburgers or salads as their main entr e. Apples may also take the place of French fries in children's Happy Meals. McDonald's also pledged to provide customer-friendly nutrition information on menu items. Customers have access to the caloric and fat content to make better choices. This acknowledgement of customer health has helped keep McDonald's successful.

Availability

McDonald's has made convenience a key factor in its success, according to Jim Nelson's study. Restaurant locations are so prevalent in suburban towns and cities that you are never more then a few minutes away by car or by foot. Shopping centers and strip malls generally have a McDonald's included or within walking distance. Some stores have positioned McDonald's restaurants inside for customer availability.

Affordability

McDonald's has weathered economic downturns because of the affordability of its menu, according to Bloomberg Business Week. Concepts like the Dollar Menu give customers the option to eat a full meal at a small cost. For breakfast on The Dollar Menu, a customer may have a sausage biscuit, a small premium roast coffee and a hash brown for $3 plus tax. French fries, hamburgers and side salads are offered on this menu through out the day. Because of the fast-food restaurant's ability to appeal to low-income and middle class families, the company continues to see profit gain. An October 2010 report from the International Business Times states that, "The world's largest restaurant chain posted 10 percent growth in its third-quarter profit that topped market estimates."

Tags: French fries, wide range, ability appeal, Dollar Menu, economic downturns, factor success, French fries hamburgers

Benefits Of Honey & Water On Acne

Benefits of Honey & Water on Acne

Honey, because of its antibacterial properties, has proven to be a natural cure for acne. Although many people spend exorbitant amounts of money on high-end acne products, the real cure may be in your kitchen cupboard. Does this Spark an idea?

Function

Honey is a natural antibacterial and natural antiseptic. Essentially, honey kills the bacteria that cause acne.

Benefits

Honey also contains natural humectants, so although acne washes will kill bacteria and dry up pimples by literally drying out your skin, honey will kill bacteria and help your skin keeps its natural moisture.

Considerations

Honey, taken internally, can be another way to fight acne from the inside out. Water is also great for flushing out toxins and leaving your skin beautiful. Try mixing a bit of honey into some hot water in the morning as a cleansing morning ritual.

Tips

For an acne mask, apply pure raw honey to a freshly cleansed face. Keep it on for 10 minutes, and then simply rinse off with water.

Fun Fact

Honey stored in an airtight container will never spoil. Sealed containers of honey that were found in King Tut's tomb are still edible after 2,000 years. So go ahead, stock up on it.

Tags: Benefits Honey, your skin, Benefits Honey Water, Honey Water, Honey Water Acne

Stop Being A Junk Food Junkie

Stop your junk food junkie habits

Everyone knows that eating junk food is unhealthy. However, if you're a junk food junkie, you'll sometimes end up caving in to the addiction even when you know you shouldn't. Stop eating junk food and put your junk food junkie days behind you by watching your diet and learning crave healthier foods.

Instructions

1. Ask yourself if you're tired the next time you pick up that bar of chocolate. Some junk food junkies turn to junk food because of a lack of sleep or stress. Put that chocolate bar back down and fill up a glass with sparkling water and lemon juice in order to stop eating junk food. This will perk you up.

2. Determine whether you eat junk food for comfort. Many junk food junkies turn to junk food because they either feel guilty or they're depressed. Instead of stuffing your face with ice cream, talk to someone you trust about what's bothering you.

3. Exercise and keep busy, rather than going through that cookie jar. Several people eat junk food due to boredom. So, in order to stop eating junk food, take a walk outside, meet up with friends, drive around your neighborhood, clean, or do something that you enjoy doing. This way, junk food won't tempt you.

4. Find healthy alternatives that have the same sweet taste or crunch you love. Many junk food junkies like junk food because of the taste or texture. If you love chips, buy it baked rather than fried so that you can stop eating junk food.

5. Maintain regular meals and don't skip breakfast so that you can stop eating junk food. Whenever you have a junk food urge, just take out the water bottle and have a few sips.

6. Challenge others to a bet where, whoever can go up to 7 days without caving in to their junk food addiction, he/she will be rewarded with $20 or so. You can also use other rewards for the junk food challenge, like a movie ticket or a trip to a tourist attraction.

7. Make a list of the grocery items you need before going to the grocery store. Then, while inside the store, use alternative routes to the items on your list so that you don't find yourself passing tempting shelves filled with chips. The plan is to stop eating junk food, not fall into junk food temptation.

8. Learn make delicious and healthy meals at home in order to watch your junk food health. This way, you'll be more satisfied with the taste of your cooking than the taste of junk food. Ask relatives or friends for cooking recipes, look up recipes online, buy cook books, or take cooking lessons.

9. Instead of eliminating junk food altogether, limit how much you eat. If you get rid of all the junk food in your diet, you'll feel deprived later on. This can lead to an obsessive need to have junk food. Treat yourself with a candy bar or bowl of ice cream once a week or even once a month.

Tags: junk food, junk food, eating junk, eating junk food, stop eating junk

Cook Dried Bamboo Shoots

Don't eat bamboo shoots raw or your palate and stomach will revolt.

Bamboo isn't just a fast-growing landscaping barrier, or garden ornament. The dried shoots of young bamboo plants also are used as a vegetable in many dishes, particularly in Asian cuisine. Although sold in commercial batches, usually canned and preserved, fresh shoots are more prized for taste and edibility. They are boiled, dried and regularly sold in produce markets. Make them a part of your next dish - it will take some forethought, but not much preparation. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Instructions

1. Place your bamboo shoots in a large bowl and rinse them in water to remove any residual matter and smell.

2. Cover the shoots with about 2 inches of water and let them soak overnight. If the water is still cloudy when you soak them, replace it - that means you didn't wash them well enough.

3. Remove the shoots from the water and make sure you can easily bend them, ensuring tenderness after cooking.

4. Place the shoots in a pot and cover them with 2 inches of water.

5. Place the pot over high heat and boil the shoots for 1 hour. Add water when the level becomes too low.

6. Drain the shoots, replace the water, and boil again for 1 hour.

7. Taste the shoots after a few hours to check its edibility.

8. Add the shoots to other dishes during preparation. This will give them a little more cooking time with the other ingredients, while absorbing other flavors.

Tags: inches water

What Does Fortune 500 Mean

What Does Fortune 500 Mean?

The Fortune 500 list is synonymous with great capital gain, significant revenue and expansion. Although these achievements are the benchmark of a typical Fortune 500 company, they are not the only factors. Many companies benefit from advances in new technologies, effective marketing campaigns and strong upper management to find success as a business, and eventually land on the list.

Identification

Fortune 500 is a title used to describe the 500 companies that are listed by Fortune magazine for having earned the most after-tax revenue for the year; among public companies.

Formula

Each honoree is evaluated based on the gross revenue collected after all tax liabilities have been satisfied. Fortune magazine uses a formula to confirm gross revenue that does not include pretax dollars.

Past Fortune 500 Companies

Past Fortune 500 companies have included Wal-Mart, Exxon Mobile, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft and JP Morgan & Chase.

Time Frame

The Fortune 500 list is created yearly and businesses are added and dropped each year. A business must cite the year it was listed as a Fortune 500 company along with the gross revenue for that period to use the title.

Potential

Generally, to be a Fortune 500 company revenue should reach the billion-dollar mark. Common returning entrants are large multinational corporations with holdings around the world.

Tags: Fortune company, gross revenue, Does Fortune, Does Fortune Mean, Fortune list, Fortune magazine, Fortune Mean

Garlic Planting Tips

Separate the cloves of garlic before planting.

Garlic, a perennial propagated from bulbs, belongs to the onion family. Each garlic bulb has as many as 20 separate sections called cloves. To grow garlic, you need to plant cloves individually. Garlic is widely used in the kitchen as a spice for its pungent flavor. If you like the idea of growing your own food, there are many garlic varieties you can cultivate at home without much effort. Does this Spark an idea?

Planting Season

Garlic has two planting seasons depending on your climate. According to "Sunset Western Garden Book," if winters are mild where you live, plant the cloves in the fall. But if temperatures often drop below freezing in the cold season, plant garlic in early spring.

Planting Technique

Seed shops sell garlic that's guaranteed to be disease-free. You might also be successful planting grocery-store cloves. No matter where you get the garlic from, it will come as a cluster of cloves called the mother bulb. Before planting, take the bulb apart separating it into individual cloves. You may plant all cloves, but if you plan to grow just a few, choose the larger ones. Put each one in the soil with its pointed end up.

Soil Information

Garlic is a hungry plant. It needs rich, loamy soil that drains well. Besides, plan your garlic bed to allow for the cloves to be buried 1 inch deep and 6 inches apart from each other. If you're going to have more than one row, there should be 15 inches between each plant.

The Harvest

Your garlic plant will be ready for picking in the summer, but not until the leafy top falls over. Instead of pulling the plant, use a garden fork to reach into the ground under the bulb to lift it out. Cut off the tops and put the bulb in a cool and dark place to air-dry before using or storing it.

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Start A School 'Green' Project

Starting a "green" project at your school or your child's school offers diverse educational and environmental benefits for the school and the students. Although it can take a good deal of effort to start a green project at a school, the end result creates a positive learning opportunity for both students and educators.

There are numerous avenues to choose from when deciding to begin working on a green project at school.

Instructions

1. Send out emails to teachers and school administrators to get permission to begin working on a green project before you invest time and planning in it.

2. Register with a group that focuses on getting schools to go green once you have the school system's permission. Project Green Schools, located in Indianapolis, is a place to look for resources and planning ideas for a green project.

3. Begin by getting students involved in the process. Give students a measure of control over the projects and decisions made--a sense of responsibility and achievement will keep them interested and excited about helping the school go green.

Setting up a green student council or club is a simple way to organize.

4. Use email instead of paper announcements to spread information about the green project. Include parents, students and educators when giving out information about the green project.

5. Enlist the help of parents and teachers in getting the program off the ground and helping it run smoothly. Hold meetings at the school and ask teachers and parents for ideas on helping the school go green.

6. Begin forming and implementing green projects throughout the school. Tailor projects for each grade so that all age groups can contribute to the project in some way.

See the tips section and reference and resource websites for more ideas.

Tags: green project, about green, about green project, begin working, begin working green, green project school

Make A Scrambled Omelet

An omelet is a healthy choice to start any day. It provides nutrients that are good for a morning boost. A scrambled omelet is even better. A scrambled omelet is basically a regular omelet that is scrambled, like eggs. It contains fresh vegetables, meats and more. Making a scrambled omelet is a good way to get your little ones to dive into their breakfast. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Instructions

1. Mix the eggs and milk together in the mixing bowl. Add salt and pepper to the mix.

2. Melt the butter in the skillet on medium heat, then pour the egg mix into the skillet.

3. Add the cheese, onions and diced ham to the center of the skillet while the egg is taking the shape of the skillet.

4. Use the spatula to fold the omelet over into a half pie. Flip the half pie over on each side until both sides are brown.

5. Take the spatula and scramble the omelet as you would for scrambled eggs. Plate the scrambled omelet, and top it with a sprinkle of cheese and a tablespoon of strawberry jelly. Serve.

Tags: scrambled omelet

Beginner Mushroom Growing

Growing mushrooms is easier with a spawn set.

Mushrooms grow on decaying material, called a substrate. The substrate must be thoroughly sterilized for the mushrooms to grow properly. When your mushrooms begin growing, check to make sure they are white. If they look pink, they are infested with bacteria and should be thrown away. Mushroom spawn is available from may online retailers and some well stocked gardening centers. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1. Place the amount of bird seed you need to fill your jars into a bucket and soak the seed in water overnight. Place the seed in a large bucket since the seed will expand once it absorbs the water.

2. Rinse the seed in a colander and allow it to drain for about 30 minutes.

3. Fill your jar 3/4 of the way full with the material.

4. Place a filter over the top of the jar, place the lid on top and seal the jar with a lid ring. Place two coffee filters to the top and attach them with rubber bands.

5. Place your jars in a pressure cooker and bring the pressure cooker to 15 PSI for 60 minutes. Let the pressure cooker go to zero and allow the jars to cool slightly. Remove the jars while still hot and tighten the lids. Shake the jars thoroughly. Let the jars cool overnight on a rack to reduce condensation.

6. Inject your spawn from the spawn syringe directly into the jar. Cover the jar again with the coffee filters and let the jars sit for 10 to 15 days. White pinheads will appear at this time.

7. Empty out the jars into an aquarium and cover. Harvest the mushrooms once they reach the desired size.

Tags: pressure cooker, coffee filters, jars cool, jars into, your jars

Barbecue Pigs Feet

Pigs Feet are a popular food in the Southern Region of the United States. Definitely an acquired taste, they can be pickled, smoked or barbecued. Here are a few tips on barbecue them so that the meat stays tender and succulent. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Instructions

Boil the Pigs Feet

1. Wash and clean the pigs feet. Pigs' feet do have a nasty habit--they grow hair on their toes just like humans. While not always present when you buy them from the butcher, make sure all hair has been removed. If not, a razor will come in handy.

2. Split your pigs feet in half length-wise. A quick chop with a butcher's knife will do the trick.

3. Fill the stockpot with water until it is 2/3 full. Then add your pigs feet and the rest of the ingredients. Some people like to chop or dice the celery, garlic and onion, while others simply add it to the water.

4. Bring the pot to a boil over a medium high flame. Once it has reached that temperature, reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow the pigs feet to cook for about 2 1/2 hours. Periodically check the pigs feet and remove any foam that forms on top of the water.

Barbecue the Pigs Feet

5. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

6. Remove the pigs feet from the water after boiling has been completed. A slotted spoon may have the advantage over tongs as the meat will be very tender and may begin to separate.

7. Place the pigs feet on a baking sheet in a single layer.

8. Brush with a thick hearty layer of your favorite barbecue sauce.

9. Bake your pigs feet in the oven for 35 minutes or until the barbecue sauce has formed a nice sugary glaze.

10. Remove from the oven and serve while hot.

Tags: your pigs feet, Pigs Feet, pigs feet, your pigs, Barbecue Pigs

Things To Know About Opening A Retail Store

Retail stores are plentiful---and challenging to own.

Opening a retail store can be challenging, especially in lean economic times. They are one of the biggest components of the U.S. economy, but making one successful is not always easy. Before opening a retail store there are many things to do and steps to consider---and there are risks involved---but you can reduce these by doing your homework first.

Business Plan

A business plan is a written strategy that gives you information about your market and defines your goals and mode of operations. A business plan helps identify your market and competitors and gives you an idea of projected income. It might outline best-case and worst-case scenarios and give you tools to get through either eventuality. And a well-written business plan can help you find the capital you need to get started, which is important as your enterprise moves forward and grows.

Location

Once you've secured enough capital and have decided on what type of store you wish to open you will need to find the best location. Look for an area that is within your budget but provides the highest amount of foot traffic, and make sure you know the competitors in the area.

Try to find an area in which you will be able to carve a niche. For example, if you want to open a bookstore, do it in an area that is not near a large chain bookstore and where education is valued. Post signs in your storefront so that people know what you offer and can easily find you.

Merchandising

Know where you will get the products you intend to sell and know how much they cost. Plan on attending trade shows so you can keep up with trends, and contact wholesalers, manufacturers and distributors to buy products for your store. Know what your markup must be in order to make money and survive against competition, and order products that are in line with your concept and desired pricing.

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Grow & Sell Organic Herbs

Sweet basil, a common herb, is prized by gardeners.

Herbs, bought dry or fresh, add delicious flavors when cooking. However, the use of pesticides might concern you. A healthier and more economical alternative is to grow your own herbs---and sell them to like-minded consumers. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1. Find the ideal planting spot. Many families grow herbs successfully by planting them in small, separate pots placed on a windowsill. To grow herbs for profit, however, a larger plot of land, such as an outside garden, is required. The amount of space you need depends on how much you wish to sell. Herbs should grow separately, both to keep them from choking out one another and to harvesting easier, so decide what garden spaces each herb will occupy.

2. Have healthy soil. Healthy soil is important to produce healthy herbs, and quality soil is especially important if you want organic herbs. If you buy specialty soil, read the labels and buy soil not treated with pesticides or chemicals. The pH of your soil is also important; pH is the measure of the alkalinity or acidity of a substance, and purchasing slightly acidic soil that has a pH of 6.5 will provide the right mix of nutrients like phosphorus and trace minerals to grow healthy organic herbs.

3. Plant your seeds and watch them grow. Push seeds about 1 or 2 inches into the ground in early spring and cover with soil. Water the herbs at dusk to allow for maximum absorption and to prevent the sun from evaporating the water and them out. Keep the soil moist, but not saturated.

4. Protect your herbs against common pests. To keep with organic growing, don't use pesticides to kill insects that threaten your plants. Most insects, such as earthworms, will actually help your plants grow. Others, however, can pose a threat. To deal with these pests naturally, simply add a few squirts of gentle castile soap to a spray bottle filled with water and spray your herbs.

5. Pick the organic herbs when they reach full maturity. Herbs are sold both fresh and dried, although drying deteriorates some of their natural flavor. To dry them, simply wash them and hang them upside down in a warm, dark place until they crumble when touched. Crumble them up and put them in individual containers to sell as organic dried herbs. Herbs fresh and dry can often sell well at farmers' markets where other growers get together to sell their produce. Farmers' markets attract a large amount of consumers looking for organic products, so they make the perfect place to sell organic fresh and dried herbs.

Tags: organic herbs, dried herbs, fresh dried, grow herbs, your herbs

Does Yeast Affect The Decomposition Of Apples And Bananas

Apples and bananas are often used in school science experiments about decomposition.

Decomposition is one of nature's dominant forces. Everything decomposes naturally, through bacteria, fungi, insects and other forces, including temperature, oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. During decomposition, which is nature's recycling process, decomposing organisms are converted to fuel and fertilizer, benefiting the environment. The decomposition process can be delayed, or increased, by adding or subtracting certain elements, including yeast, which acts as a catalyst in the decomposition process.

Yeast

Yeast is a simple, one-celled organism, that is a member of the fungus family. Although there are more than 1,000 different types of yeast, the most widely used is Saccharomyces cerevisiae, common in baking and alcohol fermentation. Often used to break down sugars into carbon dioxide, yeast is a mover and shaker in the decomposition process because it is a catalyst, speeding decomposition's chemical reactions.

Apple and Banana Decomposition

Apples and bananas decompose at different rates. Normally, when yeast is added, fruits with higher sugar contents decompose faster. Apples have 32 grams of sugar, versus a banana's 17 grams. However, bananas decompose faster because apples are slightly acidic, with the acid slowing the decomposition rate.

The Experiment

A school science experiment can test yeast's effect on apples, bananas or different fruit juices. The experiment places apple and banana slices into separate plastic bags, some containing 1/2 teaspoon of dry yeast and others without. The bags are then sealed, labelled and allowed to sit. Some experiments vary temperature, placing bags in the refrigerator, outside or on a counter. Results are usually obtained within four days, and the apples and bananas with yeast added decomposed quicker than those without. Similarly, those in warmer locations decomposed faster than those placed in cooler settings, as temperature affects yeast's productivity.

The Results

The apples and bananas with yeast added decompose faster, because yeast feeds on them. According to "The Yeast Beast," by Liane D'Allesandro of Haverford College, "The reason that the banana with yeast decomposes (ripens) much more quickly than the control banana is that yeast is an organism classified in the fungi group. Since this group of organisms does not contain chlorophyll, as green plants do, they cannot make their own food. Therefore, they rely on other sources for their food." As yeast feeds on the sugars contained within the fruit, the yeast causes fermentation, converting sugar into ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide.

Tags: carbon dioxide, decompose faster, decomposition process, with yeast, yeast added

Vegan Hotels

Vegan hotels feature food, linens and cleaning products created using no animal products or testing.

With more than one million vegans in the United States alone and an increasing population consuming only raw foods, lodging providers are starting to cater to the vegan population. Vegans can now choose from a number of hotels and retreats across the globe that feature vegan cuisine. These eco-accommodations offer environments that only use organic, sustainable and environmentally friendly products.

The Lodge at Grenada

The Lodge at Grenada is a vegan, sustainable retreat on St. George's Island in the Caribbean. Guest rooms at The Lodge include four-poster beds with netting, private balconies and views of the Caribbean Sea. Meals at this hotel are strictly vegan cuisine, with the majority of the food grown organically on the Lodge's grounds. Guest room prices include breakfast and a nightly three-course meal served with vegan wine. Lunches are available at an additional cost. Coconut smoothies and organic bread with homemade preserves are just some of the menu items at this hotel. In addition, all cleaning and laundry products use only vegan ingredients. The Lodge at Grenada is within walking distance of Grand Anse Beach, and just a short drive from the airport.

The Lodge at Grenada

Morne Jaloux

St. George's, Grenada

473-440-2330

thelodgegrenada.com

Wellness Hotel at Minty Wellness

Located in the western part of New York near Darien Lakes State Park, the Wellness Hotel offers vegan and raw food dining options in a relaxing, wooded environment. Room options include single king or double queen beds, all with wetland or pond views, modern furniture and vessel bathroom sinks. The hotel offers three vegan or raw food meals a day, each featuring organically grown ingredients and local produce when possible. Specialties include linguini pomadoro, tomato dill nori rolls and tofu bruschetta paninis. The hotel is home to the Wellness Spa, offering treatments like colon hydrotherapy and massage therapy. In addition, all cleaning products are environmentally friendly and organic. The Wellness Hotel at Minty Wellness is one hour from Niagara Falls, and just minutes from Darien Lake.

Wellness Hotel at Minty Wellness

1961 Church Rd

Darien Center, NY 14040

585-591-3939

mintywellness.com

Waterfall Villas

Waterfall Villas is an ecologically friendly hotel and wellness retreat offering vegan, vegetarian and raw food cuisine in the Baru Rainforest of Costa Rica. Accommodations at this hotel include private villas located on the jungle canopy above the waterfalls, each offering Feng Shui design, teak or bamboo beds with organic linens and high beamed cedar ceilings. A complimentary breakfast is served each morning, and a private chef is available to prepare lunches and dinners. All ingredients are fresh and organic, and specialty dishes include green goddess smoothies, miso soup and eggplant cannelloni with mushroom walnut pate. Located on-site, the Waterfall Spa offers detox treatments and therapeutic massages. In addition, this hotel features guided tours of the Nauyaca Waterfall, Manuel Antonio National Park and the Quetzal Reserve.

Waterfall Villas

Dominical, Costa Rica

506-2787-4137

waterfallvillas.com

Tags: Lodge Grenada, this hotel, Wellness Hotel, beds with, Hotel Minty, Hotel Minty Wellness

Cook A Juicy Turkey Breast

Turkey breasts are healthy and tasty.

Turkey breasts are much bigger than chicken breasts but have the same general cooking rules. If you want the turkey breast to come out tender and juicy, the best method of cooking would be to slow roast the breast in the oven. If you provide the turkey with some moisture in the form of butter or cooking oil and dust it with your preferred spices and herbs, you can tent it with foil to trap the steam and further incorporate the flavors throughout the meat. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Pat the turkey breasts with paper towels.

2. Set the turkey breasts into a baking pan. Make sure that there is space on each side of the breast and that they are not pressing up against each other or the sides of the pan.

3. Sprinkle salt, pepper and any other spice you'd like to use over the turkey breasts. Massage the spices into the turkey breasts with your hands.

4. Pour a stick of melted butter over the turkey breast, making sure to coat it. Allow the butter to run over the breasts and settle into the bottom of the ban. Pour half of a can of chicken broth into the pan.

5. Lay any fresh or dried herbs that you'd like to use on top of the breasts. Tent the baking pan with foil.

6. Put the pan into the oven and allow the turkey to roast for 20 minutes per pound. For the 20 minutes, remove the foil tent to allow the outside of the turkey to reach a perfect golden brown.

Tags: turkey breasts, breasts with, butter over, over turkey, turkey breast, Turkey breasts

N73 Flash Games

Nokia's N73 is a Smart Phone with a built-in "Adobe Flash Lite" viewer that enables the phone to play Flash games. The advantage of the Flash viewer is that you will have access to legal free Flash games via the Internet. As long as a title is compatible with Flash Lite 1.1, it will work on the N73. You can also upgrade your N73 to newer versions of Flash Lite to make even more games compatible with it.

Arcade Games

Among the games that support Flash Lite you will find Flash game interpretations of classic coin operated arcade machines. Arcade games favor quick reflexes and the overriding goal is surviving as long as possible to achieve a big score. "Micro Invaders" is an example of a free game that mimics the "Space Invaders" concept, while "PinkPong" is a commercial title that is based on the "Pong" arcade game.

Puzzle Games

Puzzle games are often simple to play yet addictive, making them ideal for the mobile platform. Some classic games like "Tetris" are compatible with Flash Lite. A common theme is clearing the screen of objects by matching them by color or type. Besides all the free versions of "Tetris" there are also commercial titles like "Magic Beans" that use this formula. Some puzzle games are logic- and number-based challenges such as Sudoku.

Card Games

Card games are also a popular choice for mobile games because they work well for gaming on the go. Flash card games for the N73 fall into two categories: card games that are based on gambling, such as "Black Jack," or less serious ones such as memory match game "Nano Double." While there is no monetary reward for playing the gambling games, they are still a fun way to practice your skills or to learn the rules for the games.

Platform Games

Platform games have been available on consoles for a long time, but with powerful enough phones the experience is available in mobile form as well. The goal of platform games is usually to reach an exit by traversing levels filled with pitfalls and enemies. "Horseface" is one such example starring a character who has to traverse a forest by jumping over obstacles. Playing a platform game with the N73 keypad can feel awkward at first, but with practice it becomes easier.

Tags: Flash Lite, compatible with, compatible with Flash, Flash games, Flash Lite will, games that, Lite will

Help People Get Organized

Collecting and organizing paper can become overwhelming.

Being organized is a habit that can be learned. Many unorganized people do not know keep order in their lives. They have never developed a system for handling their papers or putting things away. There are three styles of organizing: keeping items out of sight in drawers and cupboards, leaving items out where they can be seen and stacking things in neat piles. Set up an organizing system that matches the personality and lifestyle of the person being organized. The organized person will gain control over her space and her daily life. Being organized will save time, money and frustration and relieve stress. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1. Plan your organizing goals on paper. What areas need organizing the most? What type of organizing containers will work best for you? Decide on an organizing style that will work best for you.

2. Create a time line to get organized. Start with baby steps. Tackle one small area or pile at a time. Plan to spend a certain amount of time each day to get organized

3. Eliminate the clutter in the area that you are working on. Throw away or recycle items that are no longer useful to you.

4. Sort the items that are left into categories. Place like items together. Choose a place to store each item.

5. Designate areas or zones throughout the house to store items and products. Create a cleaning closet, food pantry, dish cupboard, toy basket, toy closet, coat closet, linen closet and an office area for all of the paperwork. Keep like items together in one place. Make the decision always to put things back where they belong.

6. Purchase the tools needed to get organized. Some items to start with are bins, baskets, clear plastic containers, a day planner, file folders and filing cabinets. Use a labeler to label each basket and bin.

7. Set up in the office area bins and baskets to store papers as they come in. Label the baskets' priority, to be filed and action needed. Use clear containers to organize.

8. Use a planner to organize appointments and to do lists. Choose a planner that you can carry with you.

9. Set up a message bulletin board to organize appointments, flyers and shopping lists.

10. Establish routines for keeping your items organized. On a daily basis, sort the mail and pick up items that have been left out.

Tags: items that, bins baskets, items together, like items, like items together

Meals With Crab Meat

Crab is a versatile and tasty ingredient.

Whether you catch, clean and shell the crab yourself or purchase the meat on its own, crab meat is a wonderful, tasty addition to many meals. Its sweet, mild flavor and versatility make it a favorite ingredient in many coastal cuisines throughout the world. In simple or elegant dishes, crab meat is right at home. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Crab Pasta

Chopped or shredded crab meat can be added to just about any pasta dish. Crab matches well with cream sauces as well as tomato-based sauces, so add crab meat to your fettuccine Alfredo or your pasta puttanesca. Crab meat is also a great filling for stuffed pastas such as ravioli, tortellini and cannelloni.

Crab Gumbo

A Cajun classic, gumbo is a stew that originated in Louisiana and consists of a thick sauce, vegetables and a combination of meat or shellfish. Crab meat is a common ingredient in gumbo, along with shrimp, chicken and sausage -- usually Andouille. Gumbo is traditionally served over a bowl of rice.

Crab Pizza

On its own or combined with other shellfish like shrimp and scallops or even lobster, crab is a delicious topping on pizza. Crab goes well with many different flavors, so try it on a pizza with a spicy tomato sauce, or add it to a creamy white sauce pizza. Ignore the old rule about seafood and cheese -- crab's flavor and texture are delicious with melted cheese, so don't be afraid to add plenty of cheese to your pizza.

Crab-Stuffed Fish

Crab meat is a popular stuffing for fish, such as flounder, sole and tilapia. The crab is mixed with seasonings and sometimes breadcrumbs, then spread over a fish fillet. The fillet can then be rolled into a cylinder, or another fillet can be laid on top of the filling. The crab stuffing adds sweetness, texture and flavor to the fish.

Crab Curry

There are many types of crab curry, from Indian to Thai to Malaysian. What they all have in common is a spicy, aromatic, vibrant sauce and plenty of crab meat. Because of crab's versatility, it is just as delicious in a mouth-searing, red-hot curry as it is in a more mild coconut-based curry.

Crab Louis

A simple yet delicious and filling dish, the Crab Louis is one of the world's classic salads, first appearing on menus in the early 20th century. It consists of crab meat, preferably Dungeness, lettuce, hard-boiled egg, and sometimes olives, cucumbers, tomatoes or other vegetables. Louis dressing is akin to Thousand Island but with more tang and spice.

Tags: crab meat, Crab Louis, crab meat, dish Crab, well with

Dry Fresh Cranberries

Fresh cranberries can be dried easily at home.

Cranberries are antioxidant powerhouses that offer a wide variety of health-promoting benefits. These small, tart berries are touted for their ability to effectively treat and prevent urinary tract infections. According to the Cranberry Institute, cranberries are also packed with vitamins, fiber and phytochemicals that contribute to overall health. Beyond these health benefits, cranberries are delicious, particularly when dried. Dried cranberries are great for snacking and are welcome additions to both sweet and savory meals. The process of drying cranberries is time-consuming, but the result is tasty, nutritious and worth the wait. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Instructions

1. Preheat your over to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Select firm, ripe cranberries and wash thoroughly. The quality of your final product depends upon the quality of the fresh berries.

3. Fill your large pot about halfway full of water and bring to a boil.Once boiling, pour all the cranberries into the water to blanch them. This will ensure your berries maintain their beautiful red color as well as prompt them to pop open.

4. Allow the cranberries soak until their skins break. The skin needs to burst properly or the drying process will take a very long time. Keep the berries submerged until each one breaks open.

5. Drain the water from your pot once all of cranberries have split open. Use your paper towels to dry off the berries by gently patting each one.

6. Cover the baking sheet with several layers of paper towel. You will probably need about three layers to sufficiently cover the surface of the baking sheet. Once the paper towel layer is in place, add a single piece of parchment paper to the top.

7. Spread the cranberries on the parchment paper in a single layer and then place the baking sheet into the preheated oven.

8. Reduce heat to 150 degrees Fahrenheit and allow the cranberries to dry slowly . This process will take up to eight hours. Keep an eye on the berries and remove when ready. You may choose to leave them in longer depending on how chewy or crunchy you like them.

9. Store the dried cranberries in a sealed glass or plastic container. Stored berries can be used for up to five years.

Tags: baking sheet, degrees Fahrenheit, Keep berries, paper towel, parchment paper, process will

Become A Softdrink Distributor

A soft-drink distributor supplies soft drinks to retail businesses.

A soft-drink distributor is a purchase-supplier. The soft-drink distributor purchases a variety of beverages from a manufacturer, then supplies the products to grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and corner stores, among other outlets. Basically, as a soft-drink distributor you are the middle man. You help businesses connect by supplying the product offered from one business to another business. In order to become a distributor you need to write a sound business plan, acquire the appropriate business licenses, and rent a building to store the product and house the trucks. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Instructions

1. Write a sound business plan that will pitch your distribution company to the beverage supplier; this is a competitive business and a good business plan will distinguish you from the competition. Include your company overview and legal business description, the location of your warehouse and its capacity, and a production and delivery plan. Incorporate the financial analysis detailing the budget and a marketing and sales strategy, as well as your distribution channels and customer profile. Sum up your distribution proposal with an executive summary page and a management team page; an exhibits page that includes project implementation graphs and financial projection charts add an impressive touch.

2. Obtain the proper business licenses by contacting your local city or county clerk's office; contact the IRS for an Employer Identification Number (EIN), if your business is a corporation, partnership or a proprietorship with employees. The clerk's office will tell you what operating licenses you have to acquire for the trucks, as well as, the business fees and taxes you have to pay; for example, a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) is a requirement to operate freight trucks. A soft-drinks tax and a carbonated-beverages tax may apply, along with local taxes, state property taxes and federal taxes; taxes and fees vary from state to state.

3. Contact local insurance companies to inquire about the types of insurance needed for truck coverage, warehouse coverage, workers' liability and business insurance. Get more than one quote and request a detailed explanation of each policy. Purchasing insurance is for the safety of you and your company; insurance will cover any damaged equipment, product recalls, lost or damaged products and worker's compensation if an employee gets hurts.

4. Secure your warehouse location by looking in an area where industrial businesses normally do business; look into refrigerated coolers to keep the beverages from going bad. You may get a good deal on a warehouse building because warehouse space is not prime realty. You also want enough space to park your trucks.

5. Purchase the trucks and office equipment for your warehouse building. Refrigerated trucks, hand dollies, crates, clipboards, invoices and basic office equipment are essential for the success of your company. Hire an office manager. Also hire seasoned delivery drivers who have their CDL.

6. Contact the beverage manufacturer or wholesaler of the soft drink you want to distribute. Numerous manufacturers are looking for new distributors to handle the storage and distribution of their beverage products. A good way to research beverage manufacturers is by looking online and in the Yellow Pages.

Tags: soft-drink distributor, business plan, your company, your distribution, your warehouse, beverages from