Popcorn Recipes

Mexican Crunch:
Add 1/4 cup roasted salted pepitas, 1tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp. cumin, a dash of cayenne pepper, and 1/4 tsp. Kosher Salt.


Cherry Chocolate:
Add 1/4 cup chopped dried tart cherries, 1tbsp cocoa, 1 tbsp brown sugar and 1/4 tsp cinnamon


Chili Cheese:
Add 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, 1tsp. chilli powder, and 1/8 tsp. garlic powder.

Chicken Lollipops

Ingredients: 

Chicken Wings - 6 pieces
Salt 
Chilli Powder 
Turmeric Powder
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Besana Flour - 1 tbsp
Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp 
Chopped Garlic  - 1 tbsp
Chopped Cilantro - 1 tbsp

Preparation Method: 

• Take Bowl, add chicken pieces, salt, chilli powder, turmeric powder, lemon juice, chopped garlic, chopped cilantro and besan flour 
• Now add oil to this mixture to bond all ingredients together and mix it 
• Add oil to the fry pan and make sure oil is hot enough to add chicken pieces and fry them until they turn into red.
• We can replace besan flour with corn and all purpose flour

Egg Biriyani

Ingredients: 

Boiled Eggs - 4 
Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Mint Leaves - 4 stems
Cilantro - 4 stems
Cashew nuts - 10 to 12 
Butter - 2 tbsp
Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1tsp
Cumin Powder - 1tsp
Cumin - 1tsp
Pepper Powder - 1/4 tsp 
Turmeric Powder - pinch
Salt
Bay leaves - 1
Curd - 1/4 cup
Cloves - 4
Cinnamon - 4 small pieces
Oil - 2 tbsp
Lemon Juice - 1tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp 
Ginger Garlic Paste -1tsp

Preparation:

• Add oil in fry pan, add chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt to the pan. Once raw smell is gone add sliced eggs to the fry pan.
• Take another pan and add oil, cumin, onions, green chillies, ginger garlic paste, cashew nuts, butter, garam masala powder, cumin powder, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves and curd. 
• Leave above mixture for 2 minutes until its fully cooked. 
• Add Fried eggs to this oil mixture. 
• Meanwhile Soak basmati rice 20 minutes in cold water and cook it until 80% done by adding salt and ghee. 
• Now add cooked rice to the fried mixture, garnish with cilantro and mint leaves with biriyani masala and pepper powder.
• Garnish with lemon juice and fried onions.

Pumpkin Pancakes with Maple Cream

Ingredients:

• Cooking Spray
• Buttermilk - 11/2 cup
• Corn Muffin Mix - 1 box (8.5oz)
• Canned Pure Pumpkin - 1/2 cup
• Pumpkin Pie Spice - 1tsp
• Egg - 1
• Heavy Cream - 3/4 cup
• Maple Syrup - 1/2 cup

How to do pumpkin pancakes:

• Coat Griddle or large skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-low. 
• In bowl, whisk buttermilk, corn muffin mix, canned pumpkin, pumpkin pie space, and egg.
• Spoon batter onto griddle
• Cook until golden around the edges (approx 3 minutes per side)
• In bowl, beat cream and 1/4 cup maple syrup until fluffy.
• Serve pancakes with cream and remaining syrup.
• Makes about 8 pancakes

Pre Workout Food

Eat to boost endurance before a workout: 

LENTILS: Their iron helps you produc hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in your blood. In one study, cyclists who ate lentils rode 20 minutes longer than those who ate a different snack. Sass suggests a lentil salad 30 to 240 minutes preworkout.

BEET JUICE: Studies show it can help you exercise 14 percent longer. The nitrates in beets reduce your muscles need for oxygen, so they can push you through that tough final stretch. 

HONEY: Drizzle a teaspoon on  a banana to benefit from the slow release of natural sugars, which your body converts to energy. 

BELL PEPPER: During distance exercise, your body taps into stored fat and carbs for fuel. To access fat and stave off fatigue, you need an adequate supply of vitamin C in your blood, Sass says. Peppers have more than twice the amount of an orange. 

PEANUTS: Peanuts are good for your heart, they are full of healthy fat, fiber, vitamins, and polyphenols, which keep inflammation at bay and your blood vessels flexible.

Organic and Nontoxic Cleaners for homes

Source: BHG

you want your home to be a healthy zone, but household cleaners labeled "nontoxic" or "organic" are not necessarily risk-free. So we found some fumeless de-germers:

All-purpose Cleaner:
1/2 cup white vinegar + 2 cups water + juice of 1 lemon (Do not use on marble or granite.)

Wood polish:
1/2 cup olive, almond, or fractionated coconut oil + juice and peel of 1 lemon (Combine ingredients a day in advance for the best results)

Bathroom disinfectant:
1/2 cup white vinegar + 1/2 cup vodka or rubbing alcohol + 20 drops tea tree oil

Glass cleaner:
2 cups water + 2 tablespoons white vinegar + 2 tablespoons rubbing alcohol

How to pick plants and flowers for beautiful gardens

List of Flowers:

1. Serenita Angelonia
2. Wave Pink Petunia 
3. Vista Salvia
4. Lania Deep Purple Verbena
5. Purple Flash Pepper
6. Deutzia: Teardrop-shape buds on chardonnay perals open to fragrant, star-shape blooms (Chartreuse foliage 20-36 inches; Zones 5-8)
7. Azalea: From the Minnesota-hardy Northern Lights lineage, Tri-Lights combines white, pink, and yellow in ruffled blooms. (4 feet; Zones 4-7)
8. Forsythia: Like rays of sunshine, show Off starlet warms the landscape when it bursts into bloom. (24-36 inches Zones 5-8)
9. Sun Parasol Giant Pink Mandevilla
10. Limelight Licorice Plant
11. Diamond Frost Euphorbia
12. Superbells Miss Lilac Calibrachoa

List of Plants: 

1. Cimicifuga 
2. Sansevieria
3. Japanese forestgrass

How to start early gardening

Source: BHG

Plant Trees and Shrubs:

April is the ideal time to add trees and shrubs to your landscape.Bigger is not always better. Smaller specimens often catch up to larger ones within a year or two.

Start Mowing:

By mide-month, lawns in many areas will be growing quickly. Each time you mow, your goal should be to remove no more than one-third of the lawn's height. Always keep your mower blades sharp, and adjust the mowing height to 2-3 inches for most grass types.

Add Spring Color: 

In the North, give your garden an early boost of color with annual flowers that tolerate colder temperatures. Good choices include pansy, primula, sweet alyssum, calendula, snapdragon, and osteospermum. In frost-free regions, it's time to switch to warm-weather annuals, including celosia, zinnia, marigold, verbena, cosmos and cleome. 

Prune Early Bloomers: 

Trim overgrown azaleas, rhododendrons, and camellias after their flowers have faded. Avoid shearing; instead, use light, selective trimming to keep them looking their best. 

Pour On the Mulch: 

Add fresh mulch to landscape beds and flower borders. It's much easier to mulch when plants are just breaking dormancy. 

Start Vegetables: 

In cooler regions, continue planting lettuce, spinach, potatoes, onions, broccoli, peas, and cauliflower. In frost-free locations, continue planting okra, cucumbers, melons, tomatoes, peppers, and other warm-weather crops. 

Plant Bulbs: 

In temperature regions, plant summer bulbs such as caladium, canna, blood lily and dahlia. In Northern regions, wait until mid-May to plant these tropical beauties.

Feed Plants: 

Now is a great time to fertilize roses, perennials, lawns, citrus and other fruit trees, and ornamental shrubs. Spread a layer of compost or other organic matter around the base of each plant. or use a slow-release granular fertilizer. 

http://www.bhg.com/gardening/pests/insects-diseases-weeds/when-to-apply-weed-control/?ordersrc=rdbhg1108406

Rainbow Crops

Source: Better Homes and Gardens

Grow your colors and eat them too! The most wholesome way to get "five a day" is to plant (or buy)
a full spectrum of fresh garden produce. 

1. Orange/Yellow: The deeper the orange hue, the more beta-carotene crops have. Yellow veggies contain lutein. These two antioxidants, said to boost immunity and eye health, are found in sweet potatoes, pumpkins and cantalopues. 
2. Purple/blue: Crops rich in anthocyanins (currently being studied for their anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits) include eggplant, purple potato, acai, blueberries, blackberries and aronia.
3. Red/pink: Peppers, tomatoes, strawberries, watermelons, raspberries, and like-hued crops are full of lycopene, an antioxidant link to heart health and cancer prevention. 
4. Green: Mom was right, you gotta eat your greens. Lettuce, spinach, peas, kale, beans, and broccoli contain essential vitamins and minerals, including calcium for your bones.

How to Preserve Red Chilli Peppers

Preserving Peppers:
In order to preserve red chilli peppers whole year and enjoy their flavors all year. 

Drying:  
Dry chiles in an oven, a dehyrdator, or the open air. The latter is recommended only for dry climates, such as the Southwest, where bunches of chiles strung up for drying are iconic decorations.
Slice chiles in half to speed drying in ovens and dehydrators. (Wear rubber gloves when working with hot peppers to avoid skin irritation.) Once dry store them in a sealed jar or plastic bag, or crush into powder. Reconstitute dried peppers in water for use in recipes. 

Crushing:
Dried peppers can be ground into coarse flakes or a fine powder for flavoring. Crush them by hand with a mortar and pestle, or use a food processor. Coffee bean grinders are also well-suited for this purpose. 

Freezing:
Many people slice peppers open and remove seeds before freezing, but whole peppers can be frozen as well, leaving seeds intact. Blanch peppers before freezing them; they'll keep up to 12 months in a deep freezer.

Pepper seeds:
Start seeds indoors 12-16 weeks before planting out in late spring. It's easy to save your own pepper seeds, but plants readily cross-pollinate so the offspring might not match the parent. Extensive offerings of pepper seeds can be found through the following suppliers:

Tomato Growers Supply: 
http://www.tomatogrowers.com/

Baker Creek: 
http://www.rareseeds.com/

Chile Pepper Institute: 
http://cpi.nmsu.edu/

Seed Savers Exchange: 
https://seedsavers.org