Blog for the Kitchen, Home and Food

Food for Families

TV Ads With A Taste Of Summer

As we finally get the first hint of a proper summer starting, there are some ads that really put you in the summer frame of mind. Fosters funny ads featuring Brad and Dan are a great example.

If you haven’t seen any of these yet, you’ve been missing out on a treat. All of ads feature hot sunny scenes of a beach in Oz, where the two boys sit in a nice cool shack enjoying their chilled Foster’s lager while they watch the world go by.

The boys’ lifestyle will look idyllic to some people – they spend all their time on the beach, sometimes with a barbecue in the background. It makes you think of being on holiday and taking time out to relax. Seeing these ads makes you want to get friends round for a barbecue and get plenty of nice cold beers ready for the evening!

Each of the Foster’s good call ads is based around a common theme. A young male Brit calls the boys in Oz on the Foster’s helpline to get some advice on a problem they need help with.

For example, there’s Dean who calls in from his holiday in Cyprus. Dean’s friend has asked him to put sun cream on his back, and Dean wants to know if that’s ok. Being stereotypically macho Aussie males, Brad and Dan are horrified by the idea: “Holy Dooley! A delicate matter, but a burnt wingman is useless.”

They tell Dean it’s ok as long as he can follow their rules: “Only put cream on where he can’t reach, between his shoulder blades – the safe zone!”

They also tell him he can’t do any of the following: “Eye contact, scented candles, power ballads, and do not apply if he’s wearing budgie smugglers.” Dean’s grateful for the advice and rings off. As his mate approaches in some light green speedos, Dean shakes his head and tells him to change into something else!

All the Foster’s good call ads are similarly light and frothily-themed, and are perfect for getting us all into the summer spirit!

Different types of bread

Being a staple part of most of our diets, bread is something that most of us eat almost every day. It’s cheap, filling, nutritious, and readily available, so it’s no surprise that bread remains an essential part of most families’ shopping lists across the country.

When you buy bread for your family, you probably opt for a trusted favourite such as Hovis bread, but are you aware of the difference between the types of bread out there and the different types of bread that can be found in other parts of the globe?

White, brown, and wholemeal bread are the most commonly consumed types of bread in this part of the world. Wholemeal bread contains wheatgerm, whereas this is removed from bread made with white flour. Brown bread is simply white bread coloured with caramel unless it is called wholemeal. You can also find wheatgerm bread, which has added wheatgerm for extra flavour.

Granary bread is made from flaked wheat grains and brown or white flour and often has seeds added for extra flavour and texture. Rye bread is dark in colour, high in fibre and has a stronger flavour than many other commonly bought breads. It is made using rye grain flour and is particularly popular in Germany, Russia, and Scandinavia.

Other breads popular in different parts of the world include roti, which is a wholewheat bread enjoyed mainly in South Asia, and chapatti, which is a larger version of this. Naan bread is another similar type of bread, but one which is leavened so that it rises.

Flatbreads are generally unleavened, so they don’t rise, and made with water, flour and salt to create a flat dough. Another flat bread is crisp bread, which is generally enjoyed as a cracker and is made using rye flour.

These are just a few of the many wonderful breads out there for you to try!

Vegetables by stealth

Striking a balance between serving food that is healthy and food your children will actually eat is an age-old problem, and an emotive one at that. There’s nothing worse than spending half the afternoon chopping vegetables and roasting meat only to have your family turn their noses up at it. Yet to give in and serve potato waffles, fish-fingers and baked beans every day of the week is no solution either.

Next time you are browsing the internet for your bathroom project or whatever, once you’ve followed all the “click here to get digital shower from Mira” links, take some extra time to research recipes that have been popular with your family. Think back to what you have bought from the supermarket that went down well, perhaps a jar of korma sauce, a cheese and onion pasty or a pizza from the freezer. All these items can be re-created in your own kitchen, at less cost. Also visit forums and read magazines for parents, as these often have tried-and-tested recipes that are family-friendly.

“The best way to include vegetables in your children’s diet”, writer Alison Bayne has found, “is to get them in by stealth.” For this, a hand-held blender is essential and these can be easily and cheaply bought via the internet (steer away from the “click here to get power shower from Mira” bathroom research) and find a reliable price-comparison website or try an online auction.

Vegetables like onions, mushrooms, peppers and courgettes can be cooked in olive oil first, added to just about any sauce you like, such as curry, pizza topping or pasta sauce, and then blended. Carrots, broccoli, a little bit of anything you have in the vegetable rack, or defrosted from the freezer, can be sneaked in, adjusting the flavours afterwards with tomato puree, dried or fresh herbs, and condiments. This works for casseroles, lasagne, pasta bake and any other sauce-based recipes – feels good to be getting their five a day into each meal, and tastes good too.

milk&more – Dairy Products and More!

milk&more

In addition to the large supermarket chains, there is now a convenient alternative in the online grocery shopping market. milk&more is a service provided by the well established Dairy Crest Group. This useful service allows you to order dairy products as well as groceries and household items online for your next delivery by your local milkman. There are no delivery charges and no minimum spend applies to the service.

In addition to the traditional dairy products, fruit and veg, your milk&more Milkman can deliver a large range of products from household names such as Kellogg’s and Walkers. The convenience of having heavy items such as multi-packs of pet food or large bags of potatoes delivered alongside your daily pint of milk makes milk&more a popular choice for their 1million or more existing customers.

With no minimum spend, milk&more is a great choice for smaller households, whilst the larger packs such as the vegetable boxes that it also offers are ideal for families. There is no need to book a time slot as milk&more deliver early in the morning, up to six days a week providing you order online before 9:00pm the previous evening.

Dairy Crest are building on a 150year tradition of British milkmen and women and incorporating modern online shopping into that tradition and in turn are helping to support local businesses. Unlike the faceless supermarket giants, milk&more offers a friendly, reliable local service straight to your door. For further information about their services and product range visit them at www.milkandmore.co.uk.

How to make an ice cream soda

Ice cream sodas are a tasty summer treat that’s so easy to make. Sometimes called an ice cream float, an ice cream soda is created by mixing ice cream with soda or gaseous water and flavored syrup. While many individuals consider root beer and vanilla ice cream to be the classic ingredients for an ice cream soda, there are lots of possible adaptations for you to try. For instance, you can make a “Brown Cow” by mixing Coca-Cola, chocolate syrup, and vanilla ice cream. Make a “Canary Island Special” by mixing chocolate ice cream, vanilla syrup, and seltzer. [Read More...]

Furnishing your Home

Cookers, Ovens and the Environment

Although using our cookers and ovens is not the most harmful thing we can do for the environment it does represent three per cent of the average persons co2 emissions. So that means there is always room for improvement. Doing things such as using less water when boiling vegetables and using a lid on the [...]

What’s the best cooker for my kitchen?

One of the first decisions to make is what type of hob you need as there a few possibilities – Gas hob, Electric hob, Halogen hob, Induction hob. I would then think about what style of oven you need, again there are many possibilities – Electric or gas should be your first decision.

Kitchen Equipment

Kitchen Equipment Ranges

February 10, 2011 By admin

Kitchen equipment can be thought of as the things in your kitchen that are more easily replaceable and cost less. Replacing your kitchen equipment is another way of giving your kitchen a bit of a makeover without breaking the bank. Kitchen equipment tends to be things that are useful and assist us with the jobs [...]

The Kitchen Appliance

February 5, 2011 By admin

Large kitchen appliances are usually quite expensive and are viewed as an investment as in the long run it should save you time. Like most things in life, if a kitchen appliance is maintained it will last longer. Most quality appliances will come with a warranty as the consumer expects some guarantee for their expense. [...]

Kitchen Applicances

Washing machine broken down? Do basic checks, then dial for a Manufacturer Engineer

Time was, way back when, that people washed their clothes in the local river by pounding them against the rocks. They say the first laundry detergent came from the ashes of animals that were sacrificed in ancient Rome. I can remember an elderly relative using a washboard – the washing machine came much later and was offered pride of place in the kitchen.

Thing is, we’ve got used to having washing machines now. In fact most aspects of 21st century living are well covered by new electronic or mechanical inventions upon which we have come to rely. So, if your friend suddenly has a breakdown, you need to make contact fast with your local, friendly washing machine repair man. [Read More...]

Energy Efficiency

Sustainable living – Reduce Waste

November 22, 2011 By admin

We cannot help but become more aware of the problems of getting rid of kitchen waste. Our modern lifestyles seem to generate bins full of it and the government requires councils to recycle more and more of our waste. Recycling itself is a problem and the UK still has few markets for recycled goods so a lot of material for recycling is exported (not very green is it?)

What we should be trying to do for more sustainable lifestyles is to reduce the amount of waste we produce in our daily living as much as possible.

Here are some ideas of how you can reduce waste and make your home more sustainable

1) Don’t buy heavily packaged goods

If you have a choice buy products in refill packs or concentrated products. Reuse your supermarket carrier bags or use your own strong shopping bags.

3) Invest in sustainable energy sources such as solar panels for your home, ground source heat pumps or wind turbines on your land.

2) Buy less

Resist the power of marketing to persuade you to buy something you don’t need. Don’t buy it. Or can you make it yourself ? Only need to use it once – can you borrow it? Buy in charity shops? [Read More...]

Energy Saving Schemes and the Kitchen

March 4, 2011 By admin

Some energy providers are now rewarding their customers with cash incentives to conserve energy. This is a real win win situation for the energy company. They are recognized for being responsible by acknowledging our climate change problem and as trying to make changes. They can also promote their company by advertising there scheme and anything offering a cash reward will surely get people’s attention. A good example of a company currently doing this is Scottish Hydro. They offer a reward that works on the basis of customers getting fifteen pounds credited to their bill if they reduce their energy consumption by ten per cent. For a twenty per cent or more reduction customers will get a twenty five pounds credit. The scheme goes by the name of ‘Betterplan’ and is a good example of how a company can use an energy saving scheme to gain a good reputation and gain recognition. One way of signing up to a reward scheme and making it work for you is to have energy efficient appliances in your kitchen. The kitchen has to be the easiest place in the average person’s home to save energy. Some may ask is it worth joining a scheme aimed at saving money and then going and spending on new appliances. Well, yes it is worth it as you will quite quickly earn your money back in savings and then after everything you save is a real bonus. There is also the satisfaction you will have knowing you are doing something that is really making a difference to the environment. [Read More...]

Rewards for being energy efficient!

February 28, 2011 By admin

In the US a fairly new scheme has been launched to reward people who make the decision to invest in energy efficient appliances. It is referred to as an energy efficient tax credit. The purchasers of energy efficient appliances are entitled to claim up to fifteen hundred dollars in the special tax credit, this is the limit for a two year period. There are special requirements of the appliances bought. They have to have the ‘Energy Star’ logo and they also have to be included on the government’s lists of included items. For instance ceiling fans are not included on the scheme even if it is installed in your kitchen. For people in the US who want to take part in this scheme the advice is to read up on the scheme and make themselves fully aware of all the rules so not to end up disappointed. Tax rules do change regularly so it is very important to be up to date on the current situation. [Read More...]

Shopping for your Home

Redesign your bedroom

The bedroom is surely one of the most important rooms in our home. After all, if you’re anything like the average person, you spend up to a third of your life asleep, so it would be wise to make sure that you have comfortable surroundings to sleep in.

The choice of bed is paramount to you getting a good night’s sleep, of course, but it’s also pivotal in helping you decide what other furniture UK you are going to have in your bedroom. You may view the bedroom as a sleep-only zone; so want little else apart from a bed in there. If you have the space you may have a separate dressing room, so you might not need to store your clothes in the bedroom.

However, most of us don’t have that much space available in our homes, so usually it’s pretty standard to need a chest of drawers and a wardrobe in the bedroom. You may have room for occasional furniture like a dressing table or a chaise longue in there too. It depends how you use your bedroom and how much room you have once you have decided on the size of bed.

As for the materials you choose, this will depend on your taste and style. It’s a good idea to get all your bedroom furniture from the same collection – to coordinate the whole room. So if you have spotted an oak bed that you like, see if you can find an oak chest of drawers and wardrobe that will complement it – and maybe a couple of oak blanket boxes to complete the look. You might like the natural beauty of waxed wood, or prefer the elegant look of painted wooden furniture. It depends on the size of your room and how much natural light falls on the room.

Whatever you choose for your bedroom try to remember that it should please you; it’s not about impressing other people. After all, your bedroom is your private domain and it’s you that has to lie in it!

Choosing A Furniture Style

Whether you have just moved into a new home or are looking for ways to spruce up your current home and give it a bit of a makeover, getting the style of furniture right is key.

There are many different furniture styles to choose from and which look you decide to go for will depend on a number of factors. Some of the different furniture styles you can choose to feature in your home are contemporary, art nouveau, traditional, rustic, antique and classic, and each has its own recognisable look and feel.

Of course, you might choose to feature a variety of furniture styles in your home, for example by including modern oak TV units in the living room and classic dressing tables in the bedroom. There is no rule saying you have to stick with one look throughout the house.

Modern and contemporary furniture is great for creating a clean and minimalistic look and feel in a room, whereas antique furniture is perfect for creating a sense of romance and nostalgia. If you enjoy the history of items, then antique furniture is the way to go. If you lean more towards clean lines and space in the home, then modern and contemporary furniture is ideal.

When deciding on the type of furniture to include in your home, think about what will work best in each room. Perhaps you would like a cosy feel in the bedroom, for example, in which case classic furniture styles would probably work best. If you want your kitchen to look spacious and clean, then try contemporary furniture styles, and for a rustic kitchen go for rustic and traditional style furniture.

Look at show rooms in store and online to get a feel for how a particular furniture style might look in your home. A particular style might seem like a nice idea in theory but then not work so well in reality depending on how the rest of the room is decorated. Mix up the styles throughout your house by featuring different styles in different rooms, but stick to one main style per room to maintain a classy overall finish.

Family Health

Three possible causes for a chronic cough

Many people suffer from a cough that simply won’t go away. After you’ve had a cough for eight weeks or more, it can be considered to be a chronic cough.

There are various causes for a chronic or persistent cough; here we list three potential culprits.

1. Asthma and allergies

Asthma is a chronic lung disease where the airways are often inflamed and swollen. It is characterised by coughing bouts, wheezing and a tightness of the chest.

It can start at any age, but sufferers often have it from childhood. Triggers include exercise, cold air and cigarette smoke.

By breathing in dust, pollen, pet hairs and other irritants an allergic reaction can be triggered, causing symptoms such as blocked nose, sneezing and coughing.

2. COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a range of lung conditions that includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. It is more common in people aged over 45 and occurs when the airways in the lungs become inflamed or damaged. Often the cause is smoking. To combat the inflammation, the lungs produce great quantities of mucus, which the body then tries to expel through coughing. COPD sufferers will often cough up green mucus. Another symptom of COPD is breathlessness.

3. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

GERD is a condition that develops when stomach acid backs up into the oesophagus because of a weak oesophageal sphincter. The main symptom is painful heartburn but other symptoms include chest pain, wheezing and a chronic cough.

If you’re suffering from a persistent cough, any one of these conditions could be at the root of it. However, it could be a number of other things, so the best suggestion is to seek medical advice to get a diagnosis.

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