Baking with Kids

Brought to you by Sirous Jafari, Broker   C (240) 876-3419 The Name Friends recommend!! Sign UP Newsletter http://bit.ly/1dUI17P Your Home Search http://bit.ly/1blve6u Mobile Home Finder http://bit.ly/14lqZbo Real Estate News http://bit.ly/nF7IVQ Free Buyer's Guide http://bit.ly/19lT9Db www.realestatefreesearch.com/ Real Pros 10411 Motor City Drive Suite 750 Bethesda, MD 20817 Baking with the Kids The smell of freshly baked cookies and pies can evoke warm memories for many people. If you enjoy baking, why not encourage your children to help you in the kitchen - and especially in February, which is Bake for Family Fun Month. Children are naturally curious. Having your kids assist in baking and other kitchen tasks can foster that curiosity and build other skills as well. Math, for example, is a big part of baking because measurements have to be doubled or halved to customize a recipe. This can be a wonderful bonding experience as well as a great way for kids to learn. Make sure that your children know the basic guidelines for kitchen safety. Keep the following tips in mind when your little ones are helping in the kitchen: Set the rules before you let your children join you. Make sure they understand that baking can be fun, but the kitchen is not a place to play. Start off with tasks that don’t require use of the oven, sharp objects or electric appliances. Assign young helpers such tasks as measuring, stirring and cleaning. You may want to modify your equipment to meet the needs and abilities of your beginning bakers. For instance, avoid using cookware that would be expensive to replace. Opt for plastic or stainless steel bowls and measuring cups instead of glass, and consider using an enclosed manual chopper instead of sharp knives. Print This Article Also in this issue... Smile for Dental Health! Boost Self-Esteem Conversational Seating Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting A Feast for the Birds Smile for Dental Health! One of the best things in the world is the smile on the face of a child. Keep your child’s smile from fading by teaching valuable dental health habits. During February, which is National Children’s Dental Health Month (and throughout the rest of the year), keep these tips in mind: Good dental habits should begin before the first tooth appears. After feedings, gently brush your baby’s gums using water on a baby toothbrush that has soft bristles - or wipe gums with a clean washcloth. Limit juice. Make sure your child doesn’t drink more than one small cup of juice each day and only at mealtimes. Avoid sodas and other sugary drinks. Use fluoride toothpaste. Not only does fluoride help prevent cavities, but it also helps make tooth enamel more resistant to decay. Swallowing too much fluoride toothpaste, however, can cause white or brown spots on your child’s adult teeth, so use only a pea-sized amount or less and smear the paste into the bristles. February is also National Pet Dental Health Month, so don’t forget your furry friends. Contact your veterinarian for more information on how to best care for your pet’s teeth. Print This Article Boost Self-Esteem Confidence doesn't come naturally to everyone, but the good news is that you can develop confidence, just like any muscle or character trait, if you're willing to work hard. During International Boost Self-Esteem Month, keep these confidence-boosting tips in mind: Sit up straight. Research suggests that people with good posture have more confidence in their thoughts than slouchers. Focus on your breathing. Those who regularly practice Buddhist mindfulness meditation report increased self-acceptance. Actively interact with others. Social psychologist Laura Kray, Ph.D., has demonstrated that smiling, laughing and engaging in slight physical contact when negotiating can help you win the day. Print This Article Conversational Seating February is Pull Your Sofa Off the Wall Month, which means it’s time to take a serious look at your living room, family room or any room with a sofa. Many people, thinking this makes the most of the available space, simply push furniture against the wall. And yet, you can create a look that is more pleasing to the eye by arranging a sofa and other furniture in conversational groups. Here is some expert advice for where to position your sofa: First of all, the proportion of your room is very important. In a small space with a fireplace, for example, two perpendicular sofas will shorten the room. By contrast, if you have a large living room, you can bring the sofa out perpendicular to a wall and create a seating area, and then create another conversation area at the other end. To compensate for a bland room without architectural appointments or a focal point, position the sofa on the diagonal in a corner. A screen or plants behind it make an attractive backdrop. If the back of your sofa is visible, be sure to dress it up with a decorative blanket or arrange a sofa table or desk behind it. Print This Article Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting Cupcakes: 1 1/2 cups of sugar 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature 2 eggs, room temperature 2 1/3 cups cake flour 2 Tbsp. Dutch-processed cocoa powder 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1 cup buttermilk 1 1/2 Tbsp. red food coloring 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 tsp. distilled white vinegar Frosting: 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), room temperature 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature 2 - 3 cups powdered sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract Beat butter and sugar in an electric mixer for 3 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is fully incorporated. Be sure to scrape down sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing. In a large bowl, sift together cake flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla extract, and red food coloring. Add one-fourth of dry ingredients and mix, then add one-third of wet ingredients. Continue adding in a dry-wet-dry pattern, ending with dry ingredients. Fill lined cupcake tins about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Rotate the pan after the first 15 minutes to ensure even baking. Allow to cool for one minute in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. To make frosting, cream butter and cream cheese together, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla extract and mix. Add powdered sugar, continually taste to get desired sweetness. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes. Makes 2 1/2 dozen cupcakes. Print This Article A Feast for the Birds Your backyard birds may feast on sweet berries and juicy bugs when the weather is warm, but the pickings tend to get slim once the cooler weather hits. And because February is National Bird Feeding Month, you may want to consider picking up this entertaining and economical hobby. You can purchase premixed seed at most supermarkets or you can custom mix your own. To find out which seeds and nuts the local birds prefer, buy small quantities of different varieties, such as black oil sunflower seeds, millet, thistle seeds, and yellow corn from a garden center. Then, fill a muffin tin or an open tray feeder with the seeds. Be sure not to mix the seeds - keep them separate. Monitor the seeds each day to see which types get eaten the quickest, and then buy those seeds in bulk. Print This Article