Microplane, the woodworking tool became a kitchen prep must have

For twenty years, Microplane has been a versatile kitchen tool that chefs and home cooks rely upon. This essential kitchen tool can be used in numerous kitchen preparations. From zesting an orange to shaving chocolate, this single tool can do the job of many.

Microplane has humble beginnings. In 1994, a Canadian homemaker picked up her husband's favorite woodworking tool to assist with healing her favorite Armenian Orange Cake recipe. Sliding the orange across the Microplane tool, the ease, efficiency, and speed completely won her over.

In today's kitchen, the Microplane has grown from that simple woodworking tool to a variety of kitchen prep items. The Microplane Premium Classic Zester/Grater showcases the iconic long and narrow design. From zesting fruit to grating spices, this kitchen tool is a must for the expert and the novice. Growing from the classic kitchen prep, Mircoplane has expanded into a full line of kitchen prep tools.
The tools in the Microplane product line feature:

• 18/8 Stainless Steel blades made in the USA
• Original signature technology
• Cuts food without ripping, tearing or shredding
• Effortlessly grates hard and soft cheeses, vegetables, nuts and spices
• Purees ginger and garlic
• Slices truffles, hard cheese and chocolates
• Ergonomic handles
• Reusable covers for easy storage
• Dishwasher safe / Hand

Microplane products are available at Microplane website and many kitchen tool retailers across the nation.
With your Microplane tools at the ready, try the original Armenia Orange Cake that inspired 20 years of the essential kitchen tool.

The Original Armenian Orange Cake

• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 cups sifted all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp freshly grated orange peel
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 egg slightly beaten
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, cashews, almonds)

Directions
Combine sugar, flour, butter, salt, orange peel, and allspice in a medium size bowl. Blend with pastry blender or a fork until mixture is crumbly and completely incorporated. Spoon half the mixture into a buttered 9 inch square cake pan. Stir baking soda into sour cream and mix into the remaining crumb mixture. Add eggs and combine thoroughly. Pour batter into the pan and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Bake in 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes. Serve warm topped with orange whipped cream.
Orange Whipped Cream Topping

• 1/2 pint whipping cream
• 2 tbsp confectioner's sugar
• 1 tsp freshly grated orange peel
• 2 tbsp Cointreau or Grand Marnier

Whip cream until stiff using electric mixer. Stir in sugar, orange peel and liqueur. Let stand in refrigerator for about one hour to combine flavors.

Busch Gardens Tampa, adrenaline, animals and adventure for the family

A family favorite destination, Busch Gardens Tampa, offers a variety of activities for the whole family. From young to old and thrill seeker to animal enthusiast, the amusement park has activities at every corner. A day at the park is filled with memorable events.

Busch Gardens offers some of the most unique animal encounters. The Sergennti Safari giraffe experience is an opportunity to get up and personal with a giraffe. From an open air jeep, guests are able to feed and pet a giraffe. The long neck, graceful animal is even more beautiful up close. From the long eye lashes to the complexity of the spotted fur, these animals are a wonder to enjoy. Don't miss the opportunity to see giraffe stick out her very long tongue. This special event is an additional cost above the daily ticket fee.

Even if your family doesn't add animal encounters, the entire park is filled with opportunities to see and learn about animals. The animal hospital on site is a great opportunity to see how the staff helps animals living in the park. From surgeries to check-ups, the medical procedures can be viewed from the observation window. The staff is extremely helpful and will to answer all the kids questions too. 

Another fun animal encounter is the kangaroo exhibit. This enclosed are allows guests to pet, and at certain times feed, the kangaroos. During feeding time, the kangaroos will seek out guests with the special cups. A strong grip on the cup is a good idea.The kangaroo exhibit doesn't require an additional fee, but a feed cup is a nominal cost.

For the thrill seeker, the roller coasters offer the drops and turns that will produce screams and cheers. The Cheetah Hunt soars high to the clouds then drops to a journey across the savannah. Even the less adventurous can get low intensity thrills with the Scorpion. On a hot day, a trip down the Congo River Rapids will cool off all the riders.

While visiting the Tampa area, a trip to Busch Gardens is a day well spent. From adventure to animals, the whole family will have many memories to talk about for years to come.

Future Food 2050, knowledge and awareness for food solutions

In the ever expanding world population, a growing concern is raised about feeding the 9+ billion world citizens. For the typical American family, the struggle to keep food on the table isn't availability, it can be monetary. With abundant grocery store shelves, the public doesn't consider the food science necessary to keep those products stocked. FutureFood 2050 is a program by the Institute of Food Technologies to inform and educate the general public on food issues. 

FutureFood 2050 seeks to showcase how food science will provide solutions to feed the world population sustainably by 2050. Through the publication of 75 articles and a corresponding documentary on food science, the public can be better informed on the beneficial impact food science can have on the world.

Food science delivers solutions to make people better nourished, healthier, safer and creating a more abundant food supply. Balancing optimism and anxiety, this program shows that the world's food supply can be improved through ingenuity of food science and technology. The individuals featured provide solutions based on science, innovation, collaboration, and creativity. 

In 2015, a documentary will be released highlighting individuals making a difference in the community of food science. Created by Academy Award nominee, Scott Hamilton Kennedy, and contributor Josh Schonwald, author of Taste of Tomorrow, Dispatches from the Future Food, this movie will feature a total of 75 stories. The first three stories are:

• Former Executive Director of the UN's World Food Program, Catherine Bertini, who is working to empower the world's women as the missing link in global food aid programs.
• Legendary geneticist, M.S. Swaminathan, heralded as the father of India's Green Revolution, saying it's time for the next step: greater agricultural productivity without ecological damage.
• Cutting edge engineer, Anjan Contractor, who is bringing food science to space travel by helping NASA feed astronauts on Mars and beyond with 3-D food printing.

Time is now to think about how food science can benefit society's today and tomorrow. Be a knowledgeable world citizen on the path to food solutions with Future Food 2050.

Create yard envy with tips from Alan Luxmore of A&E's Fix This Yard

When driving through a neighborhood, do the yard of the month signs make you green with envy. Not every homeowner has a green thumb. Gardening is not as simple as it seems. With a little help from the expert, Alan Luxmore of A&E's Fix This Yard can make your landscaping the best on the block.

Alan is the Co-Host of the A&E hit series Fix This Yard. On the show, Alan's team adds curb appeal to unsightly properties. Transforming this lackluster properties into beautiful landscapes, Alan makes those disgruntled neighbors happy one.

Below is a transcript from an interview with Alan Luxmore.
Now that we’ve finally thawed out from winter, what effects did the brutal freeze have on our lawns and gardens?
It destroyed a lot of lawns and gardens. It was very brutal. We had a lot of unhappy gardeners out there, but we do now, we go outside. We assess the damage and we start taking control of our yards. We’re going to get all the dead stuff out of the yard. We’re going to prune everything back. We’re going to start from scratch.

What is the secret to having a lush, green lawn and vibrant plants and flowers?
There are a couple different components. It starts with the soil. You need nutrient rich soil for the plants to have good food. Secondly, you need to water. You water first thing in the morning. You don’t want to over water and you don’t want to waste water. That’s why when I water my garden. I use the leak free system by Gilmour, which is my new favorite toy. You probably think of this as a garden hose, it’s not. It’s a leak free system. The water is on full blast. I can take any accessory in the yard, add this leak-free hose. It has three washers all within the casing so they never go bad. I can play around the yard all day long – never get wet, never waste water, never waste our resources.

So when is the best to water our gardens, and how do we know if we’re using too much water?
Without a doubt, the morning is the best time to water. If you can get the grass when there is still dew on it you’re getting a little more bang for your buck. The water is going to go a lot longer. It’s cool in the morning, so the water is going to go leach into the soil and into the plant slowly, therefore helping your plants stay healthy longer. If you do it in the middle of the day, you’re going to kill your grass because the water becomes a magnifying glass. If you do it at night, you’ll get diseases. One good way to check and see if you have too much water is to put your finger in the soil before you’re about to water. If your finger is wet and the soil is damp, you don’t need to water. You should only water about an inch per week.

What is the most common mistake gardeners make?
One mistake I’ll see novice gardeners make is they’ll go into the gardening store and they’ll grab a plant that they like, they’ll run home and plant it and then the next you know their garden is infested with bugs. So anyone listening out there, before you bring a plant home, grab it, shake it and look at the leaves. Get rid of the bugs, then bring the plant home.

What do you do with a dead spot in the yard? For example, we have re-planted shrubs in the same spot with the same result, after 1 year the shrub dies. If I don't want an empty spot, what do I do?
You should assess the yard where the dead spot is and really figure out how you want to use that area. If you want it to be a shrub, we go back to the drawing board. We expose the soil, we amend it with nutrients, plant it again, keep it watered, give it some TLC and you’ll have a new shrub.

We have a rabbit problem (rabbits eat all the backyard pretty flowers), how can I have color that a rabbit won't eat?
Rabbits like to eat anything on the ground. They’re vegetarians. Artificial flowers? That’s a tough one. You stumped me! I just don’t know how to get the rabbits to stop eating the plants. For more information, you can go to http://www.gilmourleakfree.com/

Celebrate National Donut Day with Entenmann's

National Donut Day is a perfect excuse to indulge in a favorite treat, the donut. Entenmann's has been an ardent support of the Salvation Army, who established this holiday.

The holiday, held annually on the first Friday of June, was established by The Salvation Army in 1938 in Chicago to honor the “Donut Lassies” who served these treats to soldiers during World War I and to help raise needed funds during the Great Depression. The donuts became synonymous with The Salvation Army, as well as the American soldiers who were returning home with the nickname, “doughboys.” This significant occasion established the donut as a long-standing symbol of the services The Salvation Army continues to provide. Today, The Salvation Army continues to provide meals, including donuts, and numerous other services to clients who visit Salvation Army programs daily.

Entenmann's has teamed with Salvation Army to raise funds leading up the the National Donut Day celebration on June 6, 2014. “We’re very excited to partner with The Salvation Army for the fourth year in a row and hit the $100K charitable donation mark with the debut of our newest flavored Red Velvet donut,” said Maureen Sticco, Director of Entenmann’s Marketing Services.

“Entenmann’s has been a terrific partner and supporter of our mission of goodwill and we look forward to making the 2014 National Donut Day the best one yet,” said Major Ron Busroe, National Community Relations and Development Secretary for The Salvation Army.

Now through June 30 Entenmann’s Bakery will donate to the organization $1 for every person who “likes” the Entenmann’s Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/entenmanns), up to $30,000. Entenmann’s Bakery has donated a total of $70,000 to The Salvation Army through the first three years of the partnership and plans to hit the $100,000 mark through this year’s donation campaign.

To add to the celebratory fun, select boxes of Entenmann's donuts, including new Red Velvet, Rich Frosted donuts and, Powdered Bag Donuts, will feature the National Donut Day Sweepstakes. Entenmann’s will be rewarding lucky “fans” with ‘Free Donuts for a Year’ and additional prizes through the sweepstakes link on the Entenmann’s Facebook page starting on April 21st. All entries must be received by 11:59: p.m. ET on June 30, 2014. Winners will be randomly selected from all submissions. Official Rules can be found at www.entenmanns.com.

Saffron Road crunchy chickpeas, a journey to a flavorful snack

Snacking is a guilty pleasure. Usually, the crunchy, flavorful snacks served in a favorite bowl may not be the best nutritional choice. From too much salt to fat content, the moment of snacking goodness can leave hours of guilt. Luckily, a company has created a delicious snacking option without the guilt. The answer is Saffron Road.

Saffron Road, maker of world cuisine products, offers crunchy chickpeas in convenient snacking packages. The chickpea is a major source of protein and nutrition. A gluten free, verified non-GMO product, this crunchy savory snack is a better snacking choice. Saffron Road offers a variety of flavors of crunchy chickpeas including Korean BBQ, Chiptole Chickpeas, Bombay Spice and Wasabi.

While these crunchy chickpeas are delicious on their own, these nibbles make perfect add-ons. Toss a few on a garden salad or add a handful into a wrap sandwich for extra texture. Just a couple can add flavor and depth to a traditional dish.

Two favorite flavors in the crunchy chickpea line are Chipotle and Korean BBQ. The Chiptole flavor has a smokey, spicy quality. The Mexican inspired flavor works perfectly as a crunchy topping for a taco salad, an add-in to a burrito, or as an alternative to corn chips. The Korean BBQ brings the flavors of a Korean dish, bulgogi, to a snack. The flavor blends soy sauce, pear juice, sesame oil, garlic and red pepper. It is a sweet and savory combination that brings you wanting more.

Saffron Road products, including the crunchy chickpeas, are available at a variety of retailers and online. For more information, please visit the company's website.

Beautiful travel photos on an iPhone with iZZi slim

When traveling, the perfect vacation photo preserves a memory for a lifetime. As baggage restrictions become more vigilant, multiple cameras and lenses to capture a beautiful photo is difficult. Luckily, many smartphones offer quality pictures. The biggest difficulty was the inability to have varied lenses. With the iZZi slim, all the lenses are easily assessable to create many picturesque images.

The iZZi Slim is for the iPhone 5/5s. This case offers quality protection for the iPhone with enhanced photo lenses. This case is for the avid photographer that wants portability. It has four interchangeable lenses that easily switch photo angles. In addition the photo lenses, the case offers easy access to charging ports and headphones. With a lightweight design, the iZZi slim fits in a small purse or back pocket for picture taking at a moments notice. 

The biggest selling point to the iZZi slim is the lenses. The 4 in 1 lens solution offers a 180 degree fisheye lens, 0.67x wide-angle lens, 2x telephoto lens, and a macro lens. The varied lenses work for a wide range of photo opportunities. For the traveler, this device works for any type of vacation photo. From wide angle scenic landscapes to delicate close-up nature shots, there is no need to carry a big camera bag. Whether sitting on the beach capturing a sunset or gazing on a panoramic city scape, a photo memory is a click away.

As a parent and a blogger, the iZZi slim is the perfect way to capture all the special kid moments. From zooming in to then key moment on the school performance to capturing the finishing line moment, each and every event will be captured on my iPhone. Plus, in an instant, these memories can be shared with family, Facebook and Instagram. The ease of use if perfect for the novice yet offers the performance for the more seasoned photographer.

The iZZi Slim retails for $99.99 and can be purchased at http://www.izzigadgets.com/store/izzi-slim.