It's just too easy to post on blogger. I don't even have to make much of an effort to post daily. All I have to do is to set my posts to update on a schedule. This means I only have to post one day a week and it was still look like I am posting every day. The bigger problem is coming up with content. I can see why this would be a challenge. There is only so much crap one person can spew in one day.
What I do find amusing is that, despite this ease in producing posts consistently, the Google Corporation still makes it mandatory that there is sufficient content on a blog before they add AdSense.I can understand this from a marketing point of view; as you want a blog to have a sufficient following before you put your ads on it. It would not make sense to place ads on the site that is not seen. However in two weeks I could have two months worth of posts ready to be published on a schedule.
If I did have two months worth of posts ready to be published on a schedule, do you think that Google cooperation would reconsider my AdSense application? I don't think they would, as although their posts are published and set to a schedule to be placed on the blog, they are not yet viewable by the public. It is not as though it bothers me, however I just raised a point of contention. As I could argue that, while the posts are not published to public view yet, the posts are up on the site and must be considered content.
I know it is really a strange thing to wonder about, but it is making me think.
Saturday 14 April 2012
Knives: Tips for Knife safety and Knife care.
Knife Care is fairly simple, obvious process, however I am constantly shocked by how carelessly I've seen people handle or leave their knives. Often, habitual behaviours are quite potentially dangerous; for example, placing knives in a full wash up sink with the rest of the washing - I've cut myself at work on many occasions because a colleague has helpfully dropped a knife is a full sink. As a result I decided to compile a list of tips I learnt while on my Hospitality course.
Knife care.
Always keep knives clean and dry. When storing knives it is best to keep them in a storage block or on a magnetic wall holder. If one does not have either then these then the best option is either to roll the blades up in a tea-towel or place them spaced apart in a draw so that the blades are not in contact. This is for two reasons. Firstly, contact with other metal, Glass or ceramic surfaces will only dull or knick your blade. Secondly, spacing them apart of rolling into a tea-towel means you can pick one knife out without brushing against the blade of another accidentally.
Knife safety.
Always leave knives in fashion which the blade is clearly visible.
Never leave knives near the edge of benches or in positions where the blade can be knocked off.
When washing up place the knives by the sink until the moment you clean them. Don't leave them in the bottom of the sink, where they can be hidden by other items or suds.
Only leave knives on the drainage board if they are on a flat surface and are uncovered. Don't leave them inverted in cutlery holders - this is bad for the blade and extremely dangerous. I have seen knives left in this fashion fall out and cause gashes.
When walking around with knives always hold the knife so that the blade tip is pointing towards the floor and, and this is so obvious it's silly, don't wave it around; even as a joke.
If this list prevents so much as one accident that would have resulted from carelessness, then I have succeeded.
Knife care.
Always keep knives clean and dry. When storing knives it is best to keep them in a storage block or on a magnetic wall holder. If one does not have either then these then the best option is either to roll the blades up in a tea-towel or place them spaced apart in a draw so that the blades are not in contact. This is for two reasons. Firstly, contact with other metal, Glass or ceramic surfaces will only dull or knick your blade. Secondly, spacing them apart of rolling into a tea-towel means you can pick one knife out without brushing against the blade of another accidentally.
Knife safety.
Always leave knives in fashion which the blade is clearly visible.
Never leave knives near the edge of benches or in positions where the blade can be knocked off.
When washing up place the knives by the sink until the moment you clean them. Don't leave them in the bottom of the sink, where they can be hidden by other items or suds.
Only leave knives on the drainage board if they are on a flat surface and are uncovered. Don't leave them inverted in cutlery holders - this is bad for the blade and extremely dangerous. I have seen knives left in this fashion fall out and cause gashes.
When walking around with knives always hold the knife so that the blade tip is pointing towards the floor and, and this is so obvious it's silly, don't wave it around; even as a joke.
If this list prevents so much as one accident that would have resulted from carelessness, then I have succeeded.
Friday 13 April 2012
You know you are a student when...
When you can't afford not to be working on one assessment or the other.
When you can't afford to spend anything outside of bills or you might not make it through summer.
When you see more of you computer than you do your partner.
When you panic and seize the nearest piece of paper to jot down an inspiration.
When you begin to write/type in coffee chains, buses, bus stops and even work.
When coffee seems like a cure-all.
When the easiest way to socialise is to convince people they really want to go out drinking.
And finally,
When you realise that most of the people you work with are poorly under-educated about their jobs.
Thursday 12 April 2012
Damn email
I am having an issue with my university email I can't figure out. I was trying to send an email from my Hotmail account on Google chrome. No matter what I did to the filters, the message just would not send! So, in frustration, I tried sending it from the Opera browser. The message sent instantly! How bizarre!
Pizza: Home-made and Gluten Free.
Pizza is such an easy and cheap meal to make at home, even for those of us who have intolerances. It really makes me wonder why domino's does so well. Of course, I say the same about Macca's.
Please note, this can be used to make wheat based pizza of course. The main difference, apart from flour, is that you need to knead the dough a little before you roll it out.
Ingredients:
Pizza Base:
Gluten-Free flour (Duh, really); 1 and 1/2 cups.
Water (up to three cups)
2 Tablespoons oil (olive oil adds the best flavour - but any will do)
A pinch or two of salt.
Half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda.
Toppings:
Tomato puree
Cheese; Lactofree cheese; or soy cheese (depends on diet requirements clearly)
Anything you wish to put on top :) However, do ensure any meat is cooked before placing it on the pizza.
Preparation directions:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Sift the Flour into a bowl. Add the salt and Bicarbonate of Soda. Mix in the oil. Begin to add the water, however this need to be done in small amounts because of the nature of gluten-free flour. Essentially add some water and then stir. Keep using this process until all the flours comes together as a ball. Next Sprinkle some flour on a clean bench. This is to prevent the ball of dough sticking to the bench. Place the ball on the bench surface and gently spread it out too your desired shape. It is important to remember with gluten free flour that the dough must be slightly sticky and that it is not necessary to knead it like you would ordinary pizza dough. Once you have spread the dough into the desired shape place it on a lightly greased oven pan. Cook for 20mins or until the bread is par-cooked (cooked but not brown).
Remove the Pizza base from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Once it is cool enough to handle, spread the tomato puree on the bread base. Sprinkle cheese or equivalent on the base. Even disperse your choice of toppings on this cheese and then top with a second sprinkling of cheese. Place the pizza back into the oven until the cheese /Soya cheese turns brown. Slice up and enjoy your creation :).
Please note, this can be used to make wheat based pizza of course. The main difference, apart from flour, is that you need to knead the dough a little before you roll it out.
Ingredients:
Pizza Base:
Gluten-Free flour (Duh, really); 1 and 1/2 cups.
Water (up to three cups)
2 Tablespoons oil (olive oil adds the best flavour - but any will do)
A pinch or two of salt.
Half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda.
Toppings:
Tomato puree
Cheese; Lactofree cheese; or soy cheese (depends on diet requirements clearly)
Anything you wish to put on top :) However, do ensure any meat is cooked before placing it on the pizza.
Preparation directions:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Sift the Flour into a bowl. Add the salt and Bicarbonate of Soda. Mix in the oil. Begin to add the water, however this need to be done in small amounts because of the nature of gluten-free flour. Essentially add some water and then stir. Keep using this process until all the flours comes together as a ball. Next Sprinkle some flour on a clean bench. This is to prevent the ball of dough sticking to the bench. Place the ball on the bench surface and gently spread it out too your desired shape. It is important to remember with gluten free flour that the dough must be slightly sticky and that it is not necessary to knead it like you would ordinary pizza dough. Once you have spread the dough into the desired shape place it on a lightly greased oven pan. Cook for 20mins or until the bread is par-cooked (cooked but not brown).
Remove the Pizza base from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Once it is cool enough to handle, spread the tomato puree on the bread base. Sprinkle cheese or equivalent on the base. Even disperse your choice of toppings on this cheese and then top with a second sprinkling of cheese. Place the pizza back into the oven until the cheese /Soya cheese turns brown. Slice up and enjoy your creation :).
Wednesday 11 April 2012
In House Green House
Spring is making it's presence known. Suddenly I want as many plants as I can stuff in my room. I suspect that come autumn I will have no surface space, as it will all be taken up by plants. This, of course, is not good for the plants. I am a plant murderer and my room in hospitable environment. My last Four plants die either because of incorrect care or bad environmental factors. So I had to make up some criteria/rules for plants that I choose to buy.
1) The plant must be resistant to temperature changes. I live in a Victorian terrace house, with all the original pieces including the lack of insulation. This said, if I want my plants to survive winter, I might want to consider leaving a heater on when I'm out.
2) Plants must be able to survive a week without water. In case I forget to water them.
3) Plants must come with plastic pot that have drainage holes on the bottom. So that I can get away with over watering them accidentally.
4) Plants must be able to handle dry air, because I'm not going to realise they need misting until their leaves die.
5) Pots must be small so that I can lift them. I need to be able to move them for watering and cleaning.
I feel this criteria is the perfect tool for keeping the numbers of plants in my room the bare minimum. This is a good thing, as the crimes against plants must stop!
1) The plant must be resistant to temperature changes. I live in a Victorian terrace house, with all the original pieces including the lack of insulation. This said, if I want my plants to survive winter, I might want to consider leaving a heater on when I'm out.
2) Plants must be able to survive a week without water. In case I forget to water them.
3) Plants must come with plastic pot that have drainage holes on the bottom. So that I can get away with over watering them accidentally.
4) Plants must be able to handle dry air, because I'm not going to realise they need misting until their leaves die.
5) Pots must be small so that I can lift them. I need to be able to move them for watering and cleaning.
I feel this criteria is the perfect tool for keeping the numbers of plants in my room the bare minimum. This is a good thing, as the crimes against plants must stop!
Tuesday 10 April 2012
Procrastination
Properly organised, I open my assignment.
Right, I need to send an email.
On next to Blogger.
Coffe, my study pal.
Really good time clean.
As well it's not due tomorrow
Since I have wasted an hour.
Then an hour.
Instead of working
Needlessly shirking
And then the day is done.
There is a dawning realisation,
In dazed consternation,
One single word
Nothing.
Right, I need to send an email.
On next to Blogger.
Coffe, my study pal.
Really good time clean.
As well it's not due tomorrow
Since I have wasted an hour.
Then an hour.
Instead of working
Needlessly shirking
And then the day is done.
There is a dawning realisation,
In dazed consternation,
One single word
Nothing.
Monday 9 April 2012
Dairy Free, Gluten Free Carbonara Sauce
I have a difficult time using commercial foods with my food intolerances. Over the years I have discovered shortcuts and simple recipes that are every bit as good as their dairy counterpart. This is an excellent Carbonara substitute, however I do warn those who are looking for a milk alternative with that milky taste that this is far from it.
Ingredients:
Bacon rashes
1 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon Tahini
2-3 cloves of Garlic
Cornflour
Cooked Pasta
Preparation: Peel and crush the garlic. Dice the Bacon rashes. Heat the Garlic at a low temperature. Bring the pan to a med-high heat and begin the fry the diced bacon. As the bacon browns mix in a little cornflour - not too much as this is the thickening agent for the sauce. Stir in the Soy Milk and Tahini. It is important this is done over a low heat as soy milk curdles easily. After a few minutes if the sauce is not yet thick enough, add more cornflour and allow the sauce to thicken. Strip through cooked pasta.
Ingredients:
Bacon rashes
1 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon Tahini
2-3 cloves of Garlic
Cornflour
Cooked Pasta
Preparation: Peel and crush the garlic. Dice the Bacon rashes. Heat the Garlic at a low temperature. Bring the pan to a med-high heat and begin the fry the diced bacon. As the bacon browns mix in a little cornflour - not too much as this is the thickening agent for the sauce. Stir in the Soy Milk and Tahini. It is important this is done over a low heat as soy milk curdles easily. After a few minutes if the sauce is not yet thick enough, add more cornflour and allow the sauce to thicken. Strip through cooked pasta.
Spiced Honey Chicken: Cheap, easy and Gluten-free
This recipe for Spiced Honey chicken is not only absolutely yummy, it is also easy to make and completely gluten-free. Funnily enough, it is also very cheap for those of us on a budget. It makes an excellent addition to salads or as part of a roast dinner.
Ingredients:
Chicken Pieces (legs, wings; whatever you have).
Honey.
Thyme.
Mixed Spice (or any spices you have handy)
Corn Flour.
Salt.
Preparation:
Preheat the over to 180 degrees Celsius. Slice or cut the chicken into the desired size and shape. Gently heat the honey so that it runs smoothly and place in a plastic container. In a second plastic container mix the cornflour with the spices, thyme and salt. Dip the chicken in the honey, ensuring the chicken surface is completely smothered. When the chicken is covered, roll the piece in the flour-spice mix. The flour-spice mix will soak into the honey - this perfectly fine. After this place the chicken onto a baking tray. When all the chicken has been prepared, place the tray in the oven until the chicken is cooked through.
Ingredients:
Chicken Pieces (legs, wings; whatever you have).
Honey.
Thyme.
Mixed Spice (or any spices you have handy)
Corn Flour.
Salt.
Preparation:
Preheat the over to 180 degrees Celsius. Slice or cut the chicken into the desired size and shape. Gently heat the honey so that it runs smoothly and place in a plastic container. In a second plastic container mix the cornflour with the spices, thyme and salt. Dip the chicken in the honey, ensuring the chicken surface is completely smothered. When the chicken is covered, roll the piece in the flour-spice mix. The flour-spice mix will soak into the honey - this perfectly fine. After this place the chicken onto a baking tray. When all the chicken has been prepared, place the tray in the oven until the chicken is cooked through.
Sunday 8 April 2012
The beauty of chocolate
I admit to having a minor chocolate addiction. I like it in bikkies, in cakes, in drinkable form. It's sweet, rich and melts in the mouth. This is why I dislike it when people say how bad it is. It's simple not true.
Cocoa powder and Cocoa butter contain traces of vitamins C, A, and D. The fat contents contains a high amount of Vitamin E. It also contains good amounts of iron, phosphorus and copper. Even better, if it's made with milk, it contains protein, potassium, magnesium and calcium.
In addition to these nutritional values, chocolate is also high in antioxidants. This, in my books, makes it a super-food.
All the information here is borrowed from Tamara Moffett at http://www.livestrong.com/article/279045-chocolate-and-vitamins/
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