How to Plan the Ultimate Christmas Wedding

There is nothing more romantic than a Christmas wedding. What a wonderful time of year; the snow (depending on where you live), the decorations, and the soothing soft glow of candles. The holiday season just seems magical and filled with love, hope, and peace.

Here are some ideas you may wish to consider incorporating when planning your wedding.

Christmas Cookies

- Consider having musicians play Christmas carols as your prelude music. Or maybe have a children's caroling choir either singing before the service in the aisles or between the tables at the reception. The children could also hand out the ceremony programs (wrapped in holiday ribbons) as the guests arrive.

- Use lots of red ribbon and Christmas greens with pine cones for a natural touch. Rather than the normal flower arrangements use Poinsettias which are the Christmas flower.

- Nothing says romance more than candles. Plan on adding some for a warm cozy ambiance your guests will enjoy

- For an unique presentation print Christmas song sheets on parchment paper and tie with red velvet ribbons for each guest..

- For a cute idea at your reception leave a small wreath tied with a Christmas ribbon at each place setting.

- Decorate with a Christmas tree in the corner. Have some ornaments printed with your names and wedding date for the tree. If your budget allows, consider having an ornament for each guest to take from the tree as they they leave the reception.

- Why not dress your bridesmaids in black velvet tops and plaid Christmas skirts.

- Add some sparkle to your flower bouquets with silver bells or ornaments.

- For a special touch add gold with red accents to bouquets and any center pieces.

- For a cute centerpiece why not use small pine trees individually decorated with tiny Christmas decorations. Or for the budget minded bride you could wrap different sized "presents" stacked and tied up with Christmas ribbons.

- For a dreamy feeling drape white lights and garland around posts or in front of the cake table, or maybe the head table to give off a warm glow.

- Instead of a bridal bouquet carry a white muff. If you want to add color, pin silk poinsettias on the muff.

- To warm your guests and to make them feel welcome at the reception serve mulled cider and maybe add Christmas cookies to the dessert table.

These are just a few ideas on how to plan a Christmas wedding; with a little imagination the possibilities are endless to make your wedding as unique as you are.

How to Plan the Ultimate Christmas Wedding

Jasmine MacDonald is the editor of Fun Weddings and Merry Brides which will provide you with daily ideas and tips to help you plan the perfect wedding while staying within your budget. Jasmine can also help you design your very own wedding website to keep your friends and family updated about your wedding plans. Check out a Free Trial offer at Merry Bridals.

Halloween Wedding Favors Ideas

 A Halloween reception promises to be out of the ordinary, so be sure to send your guests off with a unique treat.  Here are some ideas for some delicious wedding favors:

Halloween Bags and Candy

Betty Crocker Christmas Cookies

Give your guests a "Trick or Treat" experience, right at your reception.  Before the party begins, place containers full of wrapped candy strategically throughout the room(s).  Have an attendant give each guest an empty bag as they enter the hall or party location.  Encourage them to fill their bag from containers of candy throughout the facility.  This not only allows guests to take home some yummy candy, but encourages them to go to different parts of the room and mix with new friends.

Containers and Candy

The possibilities are endless when you think of pretty containers to use at your Halloween wedding reception tables.  There are personalized glass jars, glassware, custom tins, and boxes, just to name a few.    Many brides choose to fill clear glass containers with candy matching their wedding colors.  While others select silver tins or covered boxes, so that they have a choice of any candy filling.

Halloween Cupcakes

Turn ordinary cupcakes into Halloween wedding favors with a few simple decorations.  Here are some ideas:

Bugs - Starting with a frosted cupcake, add gummy bugs or worms.

Gravestone - Place an oval cookie half way through the cupcake.   The Pepperidge Farms Milano sandwich cookie is a great size.  Decorate both sides with the initials R.I.P. 

Ghosts  - If you use vanilla or a light colored frosting, you can use thin pieces of black licorice to outline the shape of ghosts.  Think of an upside down "U" which will give you the ghost's body.  Use small candies for the eyes.  

Pumpkin - Use orange gel frosting to draw triangular pumpkin eyes and mouth on the cupcakes.  Wrap each cupcake in a clear bag and tie it with a ribbon.

Spooky Brownies

This recipe by Betty Crocker is so easy to create and fun to display.  It consists of making brownies and placing a marshmallow on top of each one.  The marshmallow is the head of a ghost or monster.    Add frosting and some simple decorations.   For the final touch, wrap each brownie in a clear cellophane bag and tie a ribbon around the open end. 

Halloween Wedding Favors Ideas

Kathryn Hilton is a theme party planner. She offers many more Halloween Wedding Favors ideas including a custom jars, tins, candles, mints, glassware and others. She also provides advice on practical wedding favors

Christmas Gift Ideas for Mom From a Son - 2010 Christmas Presents on a allocation

As we get closer and closer to the Christmas shopping season it tends to be the case that millions of sons will look for and think about 2010 Christmas gift ideas for mom. Unfortunately, most guys are not very good at picking out gifts for any woman, no less their mother. With this being the case it might be a very good idea to generate a Christmas gift that is 100% personalized such as a t-shirt, sweater or mug. A customized piece of jewelry is always a good idea as well.

Most jewelry market will allow customers to come up with a unique piece of jewelry for the women in their life. Maybe just the initials of your mum would be just what is needed to come up with a great Christmas gift for 2010. Another great idea would be to get a customized t-shirt with one of mom's excellent sayings. All of our mothers have sayings that they used when we were children and putting this on a t-shirt with her smiling face right beside it could be the best Christmas gift idea ever.

Christmas

One of the most foremost parts of the Christmas holiday is to admittedly spend time with your mother. Even if you get her something very small it will be the case that being there is very foremost to mom. You may not think it is a big deal but if you have moved away and grown up then advent home for the holidays could prove to be very influential in your mother's life. With that being the case it might be smart to go ahead and book your flight to head back home for the Christmas holidays. When you get to see her face when she opens that personalized gift it will be even that much more important.

Many Americans are cutting back greatly in 2010 as the unabridged economy has greatly struggled. With the unemployment rate over 9% and millions of Americans no longer have unemployment benefits it might be a smart decision to save a itsybitsy bit of extra cash for a rainy day. Even though you are seeing to save straight through the Christmas holiday shopping season there are still many options to buy mom a Christmas gift on a budget. By naturally buying a white t-shirt and putting a personalized message on it you could make your mum very happy on December 25th, 2010. Sometimes its the small things that mean the most.

Christmas Gift Ideas for Mom From a Son - 2010 Christmas Presents on a allocation

Unique Corporate Christmas Gift Ideas

With Christmas fast approaching, many corporate businesses are beginning their crusade for Christmas gifts in the springtime month of September. Amid a range of Christmas gift ideas flooding the shop of late, its refreshing to know that some clubs providing corporate promotional gifts are lifting the bar in terms of being unique in what they offer. Corporate hampers, corporate gift baskets and personalised corporate gifts lead the way in contribution big business with an array of options.

Christmas is of course a time of giving, and what great gift items to offer clients than corporate gift baskets and Christmas hampers filled with delectable wine. The perfect 'thank you' corporate gift items to enjoy responsibly with family and friends. Informed decisions about what to purchase clients for Christmas are of notable importance. Gone are the days of 'average' corporate gifts of socks, a voucher or tie, the 21st century is seeing after business-to-business relationships now great than ever.

Christmas

Christmas is our biggest wine season so searching for promotional, business presents around September allows businesses adequate time to personalise corporate Christmas gifts. Wine gifts offer a nice point of disagreement for clients. Imagine receiving a lovely corporate basket or hampers as part of a personalised corporate wine gift idea? Sounds wonderful.

Silver, Gold, Platinum labelled wines are ideal Christmas offerings. Wines in corporate hampers and in customised corporate baskets supply ideal gifts for business associates and clients alike. Beautiful reds, whites, sparkling, champagne and even fortified and dessert wines say thank you like few personalised corporate gifts can. They are the greatest Christmas gift of the 21st century.

Businesses that stock promotional products can supply wine delivery Australia-wide, to Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, and regional locations. So it's all incredibly convenient. Corporate gift items can include personalised wine labels that allow you to personalise your own bottle of wine. Either as a personalised present, menagerial gifts or just for hidden use; a personalised wine label makes a delightful range of wine even more distinctive.

So, there are capability solutions for promotional and business presents around Australia. They are super-solutions, really. Corporate wine gift ideas that just keep on giving. Now, let's toast to that! Corporate gift items are one of the best ways to express your genuine,sincere gratitude to those around you. Either it is straight through the form of Christmas hampers, these types of corporate business gifts simply continue to express what words sometimes cannot. Cheers!

Unique Corporate Christmas Gift Ideas

Improve Your Cake Design - Use Air Brush Technique

Want to know the quickest and the easiest way to add elegance and alluring look to your cake creations? Yes? You're here for a treat. Airbrush is the one for you! Airbrush is a cake decorating kit. It is also one of the fastest approaches in improving the look of simple cakes. Airbrushing is a technique in which edible colors are used to spray using a special needle. What it does, is it helps compress the air. You may spend a few bucks to purchase this incredible airbrush machine, but I'm sure that it is worth it. The machine can serve as a future investment, if you want to pursue cake decorating.

Below are the steps on how you can practice airbrush design:

Betty Crocker

Things that you will need:
· Airbrush equipment that is specialized for designing cakes
· Edible paint
· Stencils
· White frosting or icing

Instructions:
The first thing that you have to do is to purchase colorful edible paints to use for airbrushing. It is so essential that you use edible paint.

Buy an airbrush machine that is specially designed for cake decorating. You can buy this machine from various cooking stores near you or just visit the web and find a reputable airbrush machine manufacturer.

Cover the cake with an even and thin layer of white icing. In this setting, the cake will serve as canvas. The popular picks for white icings are vanilla and cream cheese.

Load the first color to the airbrush machine. Remember to do it one at a time or you'll end up mixing the colors, making the cake look dirty.

Sketch the design that you want the cake to look like. Find the colors that you will need. You may also do some practicing first. You can do this by spraying on a piece of paper towel.

Point the airbrush to the cake surface and then pull the trigger. Maintain your position, preferably 45 degrees angle. Do not spray more than eight inches away from the surface of the cake. Move the airbrush across the cake, spraying the soft colors first.

After that, clean the airbrush with the use of hot water. Do this step before putting another color to the airbrush.

Use the stencils to maintain the lines of the cake.

Outline the airbrush designs with the use of cake decorating icings. This step will give a new view refreshing look to the cake.

Decorate the cake with the use of cake decorating flowers, edible cake decorations or even plastic decorations that will add spice to your masterpiece.

Helpful tips:
You may experience some problems in the airbrush machine like spitting of paints and clogging. The airbrush machine may need some cleaning. If you're still experiencing technical problems, check the airbrush needle if it is bended or damaged.

Improve Your Cake Design - Use Air Brush Technique

Discover expert ways on how you can properly use cake decorating kits. Learn how to make home-made cake decorating flowers by visiting our site today.

Menu Planning For Stay at Home Moms

One of the most challenging task for stay at home moms is menu planning. This task can consist of planning and budgeting for grocery lists, saving money through planning ahead for chores around the house or just making sure that healthy eating and living is being exercised inside and outside the house.

Not only is this a smart choice but it can reap enormous benefits when all is said and done. Stay at home moms are sometimes swamped with numerous tasks on their agenda; but none is bigger than cooking. This begins with planning ahead with your menus months in advance. So its important that cookbooks are made readily available or maybe you can visit an online website that provide plenty of dishes to experiment with. And while you're at it, you can search the web for coupons and deals on your grocery list.

Betty Crocker

When searching the web for coupons, be extremely careful with websites trying to sell coupons, technically they are not suppose to be sold. But you can pay for their services like collecting the coupons and clipping them for mailing purposes.

Websites like couponclippers.com can provide coupons without the unwanted purchases and/or scams. And then theirs eBay, they have thousands of coupons made readily accessible for surfers. There are also online sites like coupons.com that provide printed manufacturer coupons directly from your computer. Major big name companies like Betty Crocker, Campbell's and Kraft will offer printable coupons with no strings attached.

Planning things make life a lot more manageable for stay at home moms. There's nothing like going into a grocery store having forgotten your coupons at home which causes us to make unnecessary trips back and forth. Or even worse, have you ever visited the grocery store with your prepared list only to come out of the store with things that wasn't even on the list, we all do it. This can be easily prevented if we plan ahead of time and refrain from impulse spending; not to mention, saving money, time and gas expenses.

This is also an excellent way to save time when it comes down to actually preparing meals. If you plan your menus in a way that everything goes accordingly, you save considerable amount of time and effort in preparations. For instance, if you've made fried chicken and it all wasn't eaten; place it the refrigerator and use it for the next day in a chicken salad. All you'll need to do is simple put a salad mix together. A large amount of time and effort is eliminated because your chicken was already prepared.

This is a pretty simple procedure that serves a great purpose. It's like putting a puzzle together, once all the end pieces are in place all that's needed is the inside stuff. The end pieces serves as the main dish and the inside stuff are the vegetables or side dishes. This is the best way to save time and money as a stay at home mom.

Menu Planning For Stay at Home Moms

This article was brought to you by Jason Bobich, Stay At Home Moms and Internet Money. Thank you for reading!

Make Extra Money With Personalized Cookies

Just think about it; cookies are used for all kinds of celebrations and announcements. They are made for holidays and parties, and even just times when we need a little pick me up. So it should not be a surprise to anyone to find out that the cookie business is a big one. So in those times that you may be looking to make a little extra income now and then, you might want to get into this very lucrative business for yourself.

While you could start off offering a few different kinds of cookies and maybe even some brownies, you could focus on one specific type of cookie to find your niche. One great idea is to make and sell personalized sugar cookies. They are great for any kind of party or announcement. Just think how cute personalized cookies would be at a baby shower! The ingredients for personalized cookies aren't that expensive either. A basic recipe only calls for butter, sugar, eggs and flour, and the icing is just powdered sugar, milk and coloring. Even one simple batch of sugar cookie dough will make several dozen cookies that can be decorated and personalized all in a matter of hours. While most cookies can be sold for around five dollars for each dozen, personalized cookies can cost double that or even more!

Christmas Cookies

You could even start your own web site where you can sell your personalized cookies, and can be shipping them all over the world in no time at all. The more cookies you can sell, the more materials that you can buy for even more cookies!

Make Extra Money With Personalized Cookies

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The History of the Christmas Poinsettia Flower

In addition to being the most widely known holiday flower of all, the Christmas poinsettia is also the most favorite flowering potted plant, with thousands being sold throughout the Uk and the United States each and every year.

Also known as "the Christmas flower," "lobster flower," or "Mexican flame leaf," the poinsettia has a rather colorful history dating back to the antique Aztec population who viewed the plant as a sticker of purity. A few hundred years later, Christians in Mexico belief the star-shaped leaves symbolized the Star of Bethlehem that led Joseph and Mary to the carport where Jesus was born. This, coupled with the fact that the plant was in full bloom during Christmas time, caused population to associate them with the holiday, which is why they are still the most used plant during that extra time of year for decorating.

Christmas

Poinsettias also have a place in Mexican legend that tells why the usually red plants are said to be known as Christmas flowers. Long ago, a poor child was said to be wandering down a road on Christmas Eve on his way to church worried that he didn't have a gift to offer the Christ child on his birthday. He picked a few weeds growing along side the road and brought them into the church where the congregation said that any humble gift given out of love was good enough, and soon the weeds turned into colorful red and green leaves, causing the population to call it a Christmas miracle.

A native to Central America, those in North America can thank a man by the name of Joel Roberts Poinsett for bringing the plant back with him to the States after visiting Mexico while serving there as the very first U.S. Ambassador in the early 1800s. Poinsett, the son of a French doctor, was a botanist from Greenville, South Carolina who once attended medical school but had a great interest in plant life.

While in southern Mexico, Poinsett noticed the fiery red blooms thriving in plentifulness in an area known as Taxco del Alarcon. Because he already had his own greenhouses at home, he excitedly sent a few of the plants back where he would soon begin growing them and sharing with friends and colleagues.

Now, the poinsettia can be found in any separate colors in addition to the original Christmas red. The plant blooms plainly in shades of cream, pale, lemony yellow, pinks and peaches, both with splashes of gold and white throughout the leaves, which are erroneously called flowers but are unmistakably the plant's upper leaves known as the bracts.

Poisonous Poinsettias?

Contrary to favorite belief, the poinsettia, or any part of the whole plant, is not poisonous. Scientific research conducted by various entities such as Ohio State University and Carnegie Mellon University and Children's Hospital, both in Pittsburgh, have found no toxicity, whether to animals or humans.

Of course, the flower is still not meant to be ingested and may cause a cat or dog to get an upset stomach after eating quite a few of them, but there's no need for pet owners to avoid enjoying the charm of the poinsettia at Christmas time for fear of an accidental poisoning.

National Poinsettia Day

In great honor of the man who first introduced the now well-known plant to the country, December 12th has been named National Poinsettia Day in the United States, marking the date of the death of Joel R. Poinsett. In addition to having the Christmas plant named after him, interestingly enough, Poinsett is also credited with founding what we know as The Smithsonian Institute.

The History of the Christmas Poinsettia Flower

How to Make De Soto's Home Style Breaded Pork Chops

Pig is great. To me, every part of pig tastes different (unlike some meats I have come across). From rich ham to delicious bacon to mouth-watering pork chops, there's a whole world of tasting within a pig. Whatever part you like, you can't deny the versatility and deliciousness of that wonderfully cooked meat. How did it get to this point? Let's explore it.

As we know, pigs like to live in forests because pigs like acorns and that's the place they could find them. They could eat them all day if they could. At first, people hunted wild pigs in the forest. The problem with that is wild boars are dangerous to hunt. They are very smart and have those long sharp tusks and teeth that could mean a very painful death.

Betty Crocker

That's when the general population discovered that it was safer to domesticate them. You have to admit that it is definitely much tamer than chasing wild boars around. The first taming of wild pigs began about 6000 BC in West Asia. In china it was right around 4900 BC and by 1500 BC Europe was following right along beside them.

Pigs were eaten everywhere from West Asia to England, Scandinavia, to North Africa. Pigs are independent and, therefore; easy to take care of. They are basically fed on garbage and that helped the farmers that were trying to save a few bucks. Another plus is that pig meat is easy to preserve, so it definitely would be the perfect fit for people way back in the day.

Then at least around 1000 BC most Jews would not eat pig meat. Pig meat is forbidden to the Jews. It says in their bible that they are not allowed to eat it. For awhile there, Christians didn't eat pork, and then around 50 AD is when they decided that the rule did not apply to them. Although Mohammed told the Arabs that Muslims should not eat pork. So Mediterranean and West Asian consumption of pork was less common after 700 AD.

Although in Europe it was still very common to eat pork. Christopher Colombus did have eight pigs on board when he left Spain for the new world. Although it was really Hernanado de Soto whose 13 pigs became breeding stock for the American pork industry. By the 1600s farmers raised pigs. The shelf life of salt pork and bacon made pig become a family favorite all over North America.

From there people started loving pig. George A. Hormel made canned ham in 1926. Country ham was first mentioned in 1944. Nowadays we have breaded pork chops. It is definitely one of my favorite ways to cook a pig. In fact, today I think I will take a plate of pork chops and fruit salad and join my sister for a picnic.

Here's my delicious recipe if you want a try:

"De Soto Breaded Pork Chops"*

Ingredients: 1/4 cup Bisquick mix, 6 crushed saltine crackers, 1/2 tsp seasoned salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, 1 medium egg, 1/2 tbs water, 4 pork boneless loin chops, and 1 and 1/2 tbs vegetables oil.

1) In a shallow small bowl, mix the Bisquick, crackers, seasoned salt, and pepper. In another small shallow bowl mix the egg and water together.

2) Dip the pork into the egg mixture, then coat with Bisquck.

3) In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Cook the pork in it for 10 to 12 minutes turning once until the meat is not pink in the center.

4) Enjoy with a delicious fruit salad on a hot day.

* Base of recipe from "Betty Crocker" and I then molded it from there.

How to Make De Soto's Home Style Breaded Pork Chops

Sources:

http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/economy/pigs.htm

http://homecooking.about.com

Rachael Rizzo has been acting since she was nine years old. She uses her experience to write about what the things she loves mean to her (mostly movies and baking). She is twenty-three years old and resides in beautiful Oregon.

A Christmas Birthday Party For Little Ones Needs Christmas Tree Theme Ideas For A Fabulous "Par-Tay!

If you're looking for some Christmas tree theme ideas for a Christmas birthday party or your own home decor, no need to be a Scrooge about it--just do it! Here's a couple of options that would be perfect for little ones:

SWEET AS CAN BE, IS A CANDYLAND TREE

Christmas Cookies

Let the Candyland board game be your inspiration for creating a Christmas birthday party tree of sweet success.

Start out by hanging strands of mini, multi-colored lights on the tree.

Create cranberry and popcorn garland by stringing popped corn and fresh cranberries on heavy thread using a heavy needle and wind it around the tree branches.

String Fruit Loop cereal and red licorice pieces onto heavy thread to create another fun Candyland garland option.

Make peppermint candy ornaments by cutting out squares of red and white striped fabric and filling the center with batting. Roll the fabric and batting into pieces of clear cellophane and tie off the sides with red and white ribbons, and they are ready to hang on your tree limbs.

Make ice cream ornaments to hang on the tree. Start by spray-painting the outside of the sugar cones to coordinate with your selected ornaments. Be sure to give them each a bit of sparkle by using a light spray of metallic paint. Glue a piece of ribbon onto the cone to create a handle to hang the ornaments. Glue the colorful round ornaments onto the sugar cones and they're ready to go.

Fill various colored pieces of colored cellophane with gum drops, tie off with colorful ribbons and tie to the branches. Remember, not too many or it will be heavy!

Make your favorite sugar cookie recipe and cut the cookies into star and tree shapes. Decorate with colorful frostings and sprinkles. Wrap in clear cellophane, tie off with a ribbon and hang them on your tree.

Make gingerbread men using your favorite recipe. While they're still warm, cut a small hole at the top so you can run a ribbon through to tie them to the tree branches. A hard plastic straw works great to cut the holes. Give your little men a face and decorate their body with some piped out frosting. Let dry before hanging.

Tie red ribbons around the center of the candy canes and hang them on the tree branches.

Top with a fun Christmas-dressed stuffed Candyland character.

Make a Candyland tree skirt using lots of colorful fabrics.

BABY'S 1ST CHRISTMAS TREE THEME

If you have a little one who will be experiencing his or her first Christmas and a single "Baby's 1st Christmas" ornament won't do, then go for the gusto and create a baby themed Christmas tree. If your child was born on or near Christmas Day, then you might want to create a Christmas birthday party celebration. Either way, you can opt to emphasis pink, blue, yellow, and white, or any combination thereof or go for the primary colors of red, blue, yellow, and green.

Start by placing strands of white lights or pastel lights on the tree. If you've chosen primary colors, then let your lights follow suit.

Your baby ornaments will consist of things like pacifiers, rattles, baby spoons, baby blocks, small baby toys.

Fill little baby mittens and booties with silk flowers, pearls, ribbons, etc. and hang off the tree limbs.

Tie bows to the tree branches. This would be a good time to use plaid-printed bows.

Create little picture ornaments using small lightweight picture frames. If you can find star and Christmas-tree shaped frames, that would be perfect. Don your frames with Mom, Dad, and lots of pictures of Baby!

Your tree topper could be a stuffed teddy bear or a large picture of your new arrival in a special frame. Just be sure it is lightweight, so not to weigh down the top of the tree.

Wrap a baby blanket around the tree trunk. Place a choo choo train around the bottom of the tree.

Now that you have a couple of examples of how to create a one-of-a-kind Christmas tree, here's a few other options to consider for that upcoming office party, home Christmas celebration, or Christmas birthday party for a friend or loved one:

Gingerbread Tree
Black and White Tree
Teddy Bears
Musical Instruments
Fishing
Victorian
Kitchen Utensils
White and Gold
Nature Tree of Butterflies, Pinecones, Flowers, etc.
Fruit

A Christmas Birthday Party For Little Ones Needs Christmas Tree Theme Ideas For A Fabulous "Par-Tay!

Find additional Christmas decorating ideas for your Christmas party or Christmas Birthday Party by visiting www.birthday-party-ideas-101.com, a party planning website written and edited by Professional Organizer, Elizabeth Chastain.

Copyright: You may freely republish this article, provided the text, author credit, the active links, and this copyright notice remain intact.

How To Make Fondant Icing Roses For Cakes

*If you are not accustomed to working with fondant icing or have not made roses before then make sure you buy enough fondant for several attempts- practice makes perfect.*

Method 1

Betty Crocker Christmas Cookies

These instructions once perfected will give you perfect roses commonly used on wedding cakes; this method is tricky and it is recommended you practice making the roses before the day of preparation.

Break off a small piece of the fondant and roll it until you roughly have a 1" diameter ball. Shape the ball into a cone by pinching one side of it; ideally you want the cone to be 1.5" tall.

To make a petal roll a ball of fondant roughly a quarter of the size of the previous, do not worry too much about size, if in a later stage you are finding that the sizes of the petals are too small then start again.

Once you have your ball we want to flatten it to form a petal; use your thumb and press down on the ball. You want to create a circle that is 2" in diameter, it is important that the petal is about ¼" thick on the bottom and thin on the top.

*For a more realistic look ensure that the petal tips are paper thin.

Having created the first petal, apply to the base of the cone, carefully wrapping it around finishing with a furl at the top to create a bud.

It is best to start by applying the thick side of the petal to the base of the cone then carefully wrap the thin 'petal' around- slightly bending it over itself to create a bloom effect.

Do the same with the three remaining petals; applying them from the bottom bud and delicately shaping the thin top to replicate a rose's petal as it unfurls from the bud.

Make five more petals, this time slightly larger than the originals but ensure you still keep the tips as thin as possible. Apply these final petals lower down on the base than the previous petals, spread the petals evenly round the base layering them up and curling the edges back a slight bit more to create more bloom.

Continue layering the petals on until you are satisfied with the fullness of the rose.

Method 2

Here is an even simplified method for creating a less detailed rose, although in my opinion it is a more modern look. This method will give you a rose that if kept pure white with perhaps a small silver sugar ball placed on top of the bud will be suitable for wedding cakes; however, if used with bright coloring they will be perfect for birthday cakes. This method is easy to change and I recommend experimenting to create variations on the basic rose.

The method is as follows.

Roll out your colored fondant icing till it is 1.5cm in thickness, 15cm in width and 20cm in length. Arrange the rolled out icing in front of you so that the 20cm length is the side closest to you.

Take the top of the fondant rectangle, pull it towards you and fold it on top of itself to create a smaller layered piece of fondant that is 3cm thick and 7.5cm wide. Do not flatten or squeeze the two layers together at all, try to leave a small cavity of air/space in the fold to create volume in your petals.

Cut off 1cm of length from each end of the rectangle.

Take one of the short ends of your rectangle and begin to roll it up like a swiss roll; however you do not want the rose to look like a log so to create a bud pinch the base end as you continue to roll the fondant length around itself. This should create a basic rose shape.

After cutting off any excess icing carefully push back and separate the layers to give the flower more shape. To finish cut little leave shapes out of green icing and stick to the underside of the rose.

If you want to create the side of your iced cake make several of these flowers and link them by the green leaves creating a rose chain around your cake.

To completely change the finished look of the rose cut the folded over icing and pinch to create a two layers of thin petals; once rolled splay the thin layers out to create a carnation style flower.

Method 3

Here is a third method for creating flowers, this time small buds, that when made in quantity can be used to create a bouquet effect or simply used to decorate cupcakes by themselves.

Take a small ball of fondant around 2cm in size and roll it into a 0.5cm thick sausage shape using a small rolling pin roll out the icing until it is of a really thin consistency.

Using your fingers apply pressure and pull the icing at one side so that this side becomes thinner than the other, further thin it out by using a cocktail stick as a rolling pin.

Carefully roll up the length of the icing like a Swiss roll. Take the little icing roll which should be around 1-2cm diameter and smooth the edge in the outer layer with the aid of the cocktail stick.
Pinch the roll 3-4cm from the 'bloom' to get rid off the unused icing and to encourage the outer layers of the roll to splay out.

Very gently with your index finger separate and furl back the layers of the roll to create the effect of petals. It may be useful to use your cocktail stick or a tissue covered cocktail stick (to protect the shape of the icing) to slightly separate the layers of the roll and shape them backwards to create the effect of a bloom.

Take catering scissors (ordinary sharp scissor will also do) and cut the roll so that it is only 1.5-2cm of the bloom is left.

This leaves a small flower that when produced in bright colors look brilliant on top of iced cupcakes and birthday cakes; turning a celebration cake into something special!

How To Make Fondant Icing Roses For Cakes

For inspirational ideas for decorating your cakes check out Special Day Cakes, award winning designers of celebration cakes in Lanarkshire

Simple Peanut Butter Cookies

Have you ever heard the expression , "its like bobbing for water, you can't miss" ? Well, this is one of those recipes that is like bobbing for water .. its goof proof. As a nurse, I rarely have time to play in the kitchen. So time is always an issue for me.

But, if you like Peanut Butter Cookies and don't have a lot of time, his recipe is just for you.

Christmas Cookies

You will need a Cookie Sheet, Peanut butter, Splenda or Sugar and eggs.

Combine the 2 eggs and Sweetner (splenda or sugar) 2 cups and add 2 cups of peanut butter. Mix the contents thoroughly. Now make about 1 or 2 inch balls with the ingredients and then slightly flatten them with a fork making a cross hatch pattern.

Now your ready to bake. Turn the oven to 350 degrees and let it preheat. When the oven is ready, place the cookies to be baked in the oven and bake for 10 - 12 minures de-pending on your oven.

Allow the cookies to cool when they come out of the oven and voilla !

You have the worlds easiest Peanut Butter Cookies and they have less calories then the conventional Peanut Butter Cookie.

Enjoy and Happy Holidays !

Simple Peanut Butter Cookies

Denny Knutson, LPN,EMT, Maa
Emergency Room Nurse

Sugarless Almond Meringue Cookies

I developed the following recipe for mother's day when my mom was on a low-carb diet. Though I am not an advocate of the particular diet she chose, I wanted to appease her sweet tooth, which had been neglected for nearly a month. I found that I needed about double the Splenda sugar equivalent to get an thorough taste; the texture of these meringues is more delicate that the former version, due to the lack of sugar in the recipe.

The following recipe will need development an egg white foam and a hand mixer.

Cookies

Pre-heat oven to 275 F

Ingredients:

4 egg whites (fresh, room temperature)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

½ teaspoon cream of tartar

1½ cups Splenda

Directions:

1. Beat egg whites and extracts at a medium speed until thick and foamy.

2. Add the cream of tartar.

3. Gently add the Splenda about ¼ cup at a time until stiff peaks form (turn mixer on high about after all Splenda is added).

4. Place large spoonful of the composition on a large cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.

5. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden and completely dry*

6. Turn the oven off and allow cookies to cool in the oven for one hour.

Nutrition: variable based on the size of the cookies, but the only nutrition in the recipe is from the egg whites (about 12g protein total) and some starch mixed with the sucralose sweetener in Splenda.

* Meringues cookies do not fair well in humid environments; do not set out on a plate. Will keep for a week or two in an air tight container.

Sugarless Almond Meringue Cookies

favorite Christmas Cookies 1 - Peanut Butter Thumbprint Kiss Cookies

Some of the best Christmas cookies are those that we have from our memories. Our family always had an assortment of cookies and candies but a few stood out as my favorites. Now that I am an adult with my own family, I notice that both my brother's family and mine still enjoy the cookies that we had as children. One of everybody's favorites is the Peanut Butter Thumbprint Kiss Cookies. This formula can be made using jelly in the thumbprint but my family always enjoys the kiss.

Peanut Butter Thumbprint Kiss Cookies

Cookies

Heat oven to 375* and assemble ingredients. You will need: ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup packed brown sugar, ½ cup shortening (or margarine), ½ cup peanut butter, 1 egg, 1& ¼ cup all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, 1/ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt and a bag of Hershey kisses.

\First, mix sugars, shortening (butter or margarine), peanut butter and egg. Once it is creamy, start to slowly add the dry combination of flour baking soda, baking powder and salt, until it is mixed. Then shape dough into 1 inch balls and put them 3 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Make the thumbprint (press the middle of each cookie with your thumb) and put a Hershey's kiss on each cookie, in the thumbprint.

Bake, 10-12 minutes, until the cookies are slightly browned and set, but not too hard. You may need to adjust your baking time as ovens differ. Cool the cookies, on the cookie sheet, for a few minutes then remove them to a cooling rack. I have found that I have less wasted time if I have a double set of cookie sheets so I do not have to wait for the one from the last batch to cool. This will make about 3& ½ dozen cookies that your family will love.

This formula can be doubled if you are part of a Christmas cookie replacement group. To double it, you would need: 1cup granulated sugar; 1cup packed brown sugar, 1cup butter or margarine, 2 eggs, 2 & ½ cup flour, 1 & ½ t. Baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt. Doubling the formula will give you about 7 dozen cookies.

Because many population have favorites of their own, it is fun to see if person in your family or a close friend wants to share their beloved cookies with you by becoming part of a Christmas Cookie Exchange. It is easy to do when you double your recipes. You will be able to share ½ of your baked goods and receive ½ of theirs so you will have separate kinds of Christmas cookies. They get to enjoy a bigger variety that way. Many separate varieties of chocolate chip cookies can be seen the article, "Favorite Christmas Cookies 2. You can also see other recipes in the record entitled "Cookie replacement Will Save at Time at Christmas".

favorite Christmas Cookies 1 - Peanut Butter Thumbprint Kiss Cookies

Crock Pot Chili - Easy Recipes For The Best Chili

If you haven't used your crock pot recently, its time to pull it out of the cupboard. Crock pots are perfect for those busy weeknights. Here are 3 different chili recipes for a chilly evening.

Mom's Favorite Chili

Betty Crocker

1 pound ground beef ; browned, drained

1 can pork and beans

1 can chili beans

1 regular can tomato sauce

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

Red pepper ; to taste

Salt ; to taste

Mix all ingredients in crock pot. Cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours.

Navajo Beef And Chile Stew

3 pound lean beef stew meat ; cut 3/4 " cubes

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 can ready-cut tomatoes with juice - (14 1/2 oz)

1 can diced green chiles - (7 oz) drained

1 can whole-kernel corn - (8 1/2 oz) undrained

1 teaspoons dried oregano leaves, crushed

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground red pepper

2 tablespoon yellow cornmeal

Combine all ingredients, except cornmeal, in a slow cooker, mixing well. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or until meat is tender.

20 Minutes before serving:

Turn control to HIGH. Stir in cornmeal. Cover and cook on HIGH 20 to 25 minutes.

No-Bean Chili

2 pounds ground beef

(or cubed lean stew beef)

1 can tomato sauce - (8 oz)

1 can tomato paste - (6 oz)

1 can stewed tomatoes - (16 oz) ; (optional)

2 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce ; or more

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours. (Add a can of your favorite beans if you wish, but then it wouldn't be No-Bean Chilli.)

This recipe yields 4 to 6 servings.

Crock Pot Chili - Easy Recipes For The Best Chili

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Diane has just finished a free cookbook of her favorite southern recipes. Download Easy Southern Favorites today. These recipes are guaranteed to have them begging for more. Best of all, its free!

Diane Watkins is a traditional southern style cook. She enjoys cooking, teaching, and writing about good food and family. For more information on southern cooking and recipes visit her website at Easy Southern Cooking

How to Bake Sprinkle Cake With Your Kids

For starters, let's just say that anything with the word "sprinkle" in it practically has to - by definition - be fun. Sprinkle cake is no exception to that rule, and it is especially fun when you bake it with your kids. That's exactly what I did with my 3-year-old son, and we both had a ball.

The ingredients are fairly basic. Get a box of cake mix, either yellow or white. We used Betty Crocker, but you can use Pillsbury or any other brand of your choosing. You'll need water, eggs, and vegetable oil as called for on the cake mix box, plus one bottle of store-bought sprinkles. You can certainly go all chocolate or all of a single-colored sprinkle, but my son and I both thought that the multi-colored sprinkles would really make for the most fun. Oh, right - one other key ingredient here is your kids! Just make sure their hands are washed and aprons are on.

Betty Crocker Christmas Cookies

Following the instructions on the cake mix box, do everything up to where the recipe calls for you to pour the cake batter into a pan. This will typically mean cracking the eggs into a bowl. As long as you have more eggs than the actual cake mix recipe calls for (that's usually 2), go ahead and let your child have a "crack" at breaking them into the bowl. My little guy, even at 2 ½ was able to tap gently enough so as not to make a big mess or get shell in the bowl, so your kids will probably be fine too. Just do the eggs first so if you do end up with shell in the bowl, you can remove it before any other ingredients are in there.

The next steps on the cake mix box are usually to add the mix, egg, water, and oil to the same bowl and mixing. Feel free to do this with your stand mixer, if you have one. A hand mixer or spoon is also fine, but the stand mixer definitely makes quick work of the process. If your child has a little stool to stand on, you can let him turn the mixer on, but only with your supervision. If you're using a hand mixer, a tiny little hand under yours can help move it around the bowl, and my son thought the vibration tickled. That elicited some giggles and will likely do the same for you.

Now is the time for you to open up that bottle of sprinkles. I would not recommend letting your child do the opening, lest you have a sprinkle-filled kitchen and none for your cake. Once you have it open, though, let your child drop, pour, or gently place the sprinkles into the bowl with the cake batter. Have him help you give it a few good stirs with a wooden spoon to blend the sprinkles into the batter. If you use one of the mixers, you will break the sprinkles into smithereens.

Go ahead and pour the completed batter into your baking pan or cupcake molds, and bake as directed. When it's done, you will have a delicious cake that's decorated and you will have had fun baking with your kiddies!

A final note: This type of cake is great for kids' parties and such, as there is no frosting to be spread about their faces, your living room, etc.

How to Bake Sprinkle Cake With Your Kids

Nina Hoffman is Editorial Director for Prime Publishing LLC, owner of RecipeLion.com. We have thousands of free recipes, cooking tips, easy quick recipes and food information. If you want to make it, then let RecipeLion show you the recipe. Discover your inner chef at http://www.RecipeLion.com.

Have Food Trends Changed The Way You Cook - A Test

Do you know if you are you an "on the go" chef or a traditional "slow go" chef? You may be one of the growing number of "on the go-ers" who has been influenced by food industry trends - and not even know it. But you are likely not alone thanks to trends in the food industry.

The trend to an "on the go" cooking lifestyle has been driven by the needs and desires of consumers for many years. It is not a new trend at all. More than ever the food industry continues to innovate towards products that offer maximum convenience and ease of preparation, while maintaining made from scratch quality. And this trend is not going to change. It is just going to become more accelerated thanks to advances in food technology and packaging innovation that are focused on making products better and easier to use.

Betty Crocker

In an earlier article entitled Thanksgiving On The Go, I served up a recipe for a full Thanksgiving dinner that could be fully prepared in a total of 9 minutes. I did this as a service for this new generation of "on the go" chefs who have become accustomed to routinely delivering quick meal solutions. I received several responses from readers who were dismayed and taken back at the idea of a quick serve Thanksgiving meal. But what I found most interesting was that no one seemed to think that THEY were an "on the go" chef. Instead you all insisted you were traditional slow go chefs. In fact, many of you seemed angered at the thought of being lumped into this group - especially on Thanksgiving.

And guess what. These industry trends and product innovation may have already transformed you too into an "on the go" chef. Like I said earlier, it may have already happened and you just don't know it. Okay, maybe you are not ready to accept this classification on special holidays just yet, but you may already be closer than you think based on your everyday cooking approach.

So to determine if you are an "on the go" or "slow go" chef, I have created a short quiz. Try it. It's as easy as boiling water (assuming you remember how to do that!).

For these fist ten questions, please answer "Yes or No".

First, have you ever broken open an egg? (and dropping one on the floor doesn't count!).

Second, have you ever purchased "Standard" Quaker Oats Oatmeal?

Third, did you even know there was a "Standard" Quaker Oats Oatmeal?

Fourth, do you ever worry that you left the house and forgot to turn off the oven?

Fifth, have you ever opened the Joy of Cooking?

Sixth, when you feel like making mashed potatoes, do you check first to see if you have any potatoes?

Seventh, do you own a mixing bowl?

Eighth, have you ever made Macaroni and Cheese from scratch?

Ninth, did you know that preparing Kraft Macaroni and Cheese is not considered "making it from scratch"?

And tenth, have you ever "simmered" anything?

For the next five questions please choose A, B or C.

First, a rolling pin is: A) something that occurs after a nice shot at the bowling alley, B) used in the kitchen to roll dough, C) something I saw my mom chase my dad around the house with once when I was young.

Second, the last time I turned my oven on was to: A) heat up a left over slice of pizza, B) cook a meatloaf, C) take the chill out of the house.

Third, there is nothing worse than arriving home at dinner time only to realize your: A) flat screen TV is not working, B) dog has run away, C) microwave is not working.

Fourth, dice is: A) a gambling game played extensively in Las Vegas, B) cutting cube-shaped pieces especially of meat or vegetables, C) what you roll to play Monopoly.

And fifth, on average, the time I spend making dinner is best described as A) around 30 minutes but I wish it could be longer, B) a minimum of 60 minutes to ensure proper preparation and attention to detail, C) where can I get a copy of that 9 minute Turkey recipe mentioned earlier?

Now let's get to the scoring. For the first ten questions add 3 points for every "Yes" and add 10 points for every "No". For the last five multiple choice questions, add 5 points for every "A", 2 points for every "B", and 10 points for every C.

Finally here are the results.

If you scored between 40-75 you are the classic "slow go" chef, both Emeril and Betty Crocker would be proud of you, please invite me to your next holiday dinner.

If you scored between 76-114 you are like the middle dial setting on your stove top, somewhere between fast boil and slow simmer.

If you scored between 115-150, you think Minute Rice takes too long to cook, welcome officially to the "on the go" club - but don't worry, you are not alone!

Have Food Trends Changed The Way You Cook - A Test

I bring 20+ years of expertise creating brands & offers that are relevant, drive preference and stimulate business growth in Americas and global marketplaces.

For over a decade, I directed strategic branding and design solutions for the full line of Castrol and BP products worldwide to establish a consistent emotional brand essence uniquely differentiated from competition. Additionally, I oversaw initiatives focused on bringing innovative solutions to the marketplace. I have managed new product launches, marketing communications and brand equities as well as in-store presence and point of purchase advertising. I have provided customer-marketing services for major retailers such as Walmart, Sears and Kmart and have received two POPAI Outstanding Merchandising Achievement Awards.

More recently I served as VP of Global Marketing Services for a boutique NYC brand consultancy and as a freelance consultant.

I have served as a speaker at branding and packaging seminars, been a contributor to trade publications and authored columns on trends and innovation in consumer products.

Recipes to Make Cookies quickly and surely - Shortcut Cutouts and Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Gather your friends and/or house in the kitchen to make your own homemade cookies. Making cookies doesn't always have to be a time appealing chore. Have some fun in the kitchen and make cookies in a matter of minutes. These Shortcut Cutout Cookies use refrigerated dough that you can decorate for anyone occasion you want to celebrate. They are quick, easy, and make very little mess to be cleaned up. What could be better? Want to avoid decorating but have some tasty homemade cookies warm from the oven? Try this recipe for Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies. Is there anyone great than a warm chocolate cookie with chocolate chips?

Shortcut Cutout Cookies

Cookies

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 of an 18-oz roll of refrigerated sugar-cookie dough

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Knead the flour into cookie dough until fully blended together. Roll out dough with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out cookie shapes and put about 1-inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Re-roll the scraps and cut more cookies. Bake cookies at 350 degrees for 9 to 11 minutes or just beginning to brown around the edges. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes then replacement to wire racks to cool completely. Frost or decorate as desired.

Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 pkg (12-oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla together until creamy. Add eggs to the sugar compound and beat well. Stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the flour compound to the sugar mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool slightly on cookie sheets then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Yield: About 5 dozen cookies

Enjoy!

Recipes to Make Cookies quickly and surely - Shortcut Cutouts and Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

How to Make Cookies With Hershey's Kisses

Hershey's Kisses tend to gain in bunches nearby holidays like Christmas, Halloween, and Valentines Day. But rather than eat a few and then throw the box out, I'm going to let you know about production tasty cookies that you can take to an office party, or give your kids, or just enjoy all by yourself.

Basically, it's positively simple. All you need is a box of ready-made sugar cookie dough, a rolling pin (or a glass dipped in sugar) and your Kisses.

Cookies

Cut the dough in thick, small rounds, and press down until the top is flat with the end of your sugar-dipped glass or rolling pin. Then place on the cookie tray, and set an unwrapped Hershey's Kiss on top. Press down a small into the dough with the Kiss.

Then just bake agreeing to the instructions on the cookie dough package. In about 10 minutes, you will have tasty easy cookies with a warm chocolaty center!

For a variation, you can also make peanut butter cookie dough and press a Hershey's Kiss to the center of the cookie just before baking. Dream a cookie that tastes like a Reese's peanut butter cup? Amazing.

If you like your cookies super duper extra chocolaty, you can make up some dark chocolate chip cookie dough (how about using white chocolate chips in the dough?) and then again, just pressing a Hershey Kiss to the center of the dough just before you pop them in the oven.

Guaranteed to be melt in the mouth delicious, I promise!

How to Make Cookies With Hershey's Kisses

Top 20 Carpenters Hits

The nucleus of the Carpenters was sister and brother Karen and Richard Carpenter, both born in New Haven, Connecticut; Richard in 1946 and Karen in 1950.

Richard began playing piano at the age of nine. Karen wouldn't realize her music ability until the family moved to Downey, California in 1963 and she took up the drums, while in high school. By then, Richard had formed The Richard Carpenter Trio with Frank Pooler and Wes Jacobs. The trio was signed to RCA Records in 1966, but failed to produce any hits.

Betty Crocker

In 1966, Karen tagged along with her brother Richard, who was auditioning a trumpet player at a studio owned by bassist Joe Osborn. Osborn asked Karen to sing and he was so impressed, he signed her to his Magic Lamp Records label. The label folded before Karen had a hit.

A year later, Karen and Richard joined a band called Spectrum. They performed at the famed Whiskey A Go-Go, but they disbanded in 1968.

After sending out many demo tapes, A&M Records co-owner and family friend, Herb Alpert (of Tijuana Brass fame) signed the duo under the name "Carpenters" in 1969. Their first album, "Offering", produced a minor hit with a slow version of The Beatles "Ticket To Ride." It was their second album, "Close To You" that put Karen and Richard "on the map."

On the charts, the Carpenters had twenty Top 40 hits on the weekly Billboard charts, with three going to number one. Here's a look at the Carpenters twenty biggest hits, according to Billboard's Weekly Top 40 Charts.

1. (They Long To Be) Close To You - 1970 - Originally recorded by Richard Chamberlain in 1963, the Carpenters first hit went to number one for four weeks.

2. Top Of The World - 1973 - When Lynn Anderson went to #3 on the country charts, this version was released from the "A Song For You" album.

3. Please Mr. Postman - 1975 - A number one single for The Marvellettes in 1961, the Carpenters also went to number one.

4. We've Only Just Begun - 1970 - Richard heard this song on a TV commercial for Crocker Bank in California and decided it would be a good song for them to record. It turned out to be their signature song.

5. Superstar - 1971 - Written by Leon Russell and Bonnie Bramlett, Richard heard Bette Midler perform the song on "The Tonight Show" and he couldn't wait to arrange and record it.

6. Rainy Days And Mondays - 1971 - Composed by Roger Nichols and Paul Williams, this song appeared on their album "Carpenters."

7. Hurting Each Other - 1972 - Originally recorded by Jimmy Clanton, Chad Allen and The Expressions (Guess Who) and the Walker Brothers, before the Carpenters got a hold of it.

8. Yesterday Once More - 1973 - Written by Richard Carpenter and John Bettis for the "Now And Then" album.

9. For All We Know - 1971 - From the film "Lovers And Other Strangers.

10. Sing - 1973 - The Carpenters version of this song helped popularize a song written for "Sesame Street.

11. Only Yesterday - 1975 - Their last Top 10 hit came from the "Horizon" album.

12. Goodbye To Love - 1972 - Renowned electric guitarist Tony Peluso contributes the funky guitar work on this song.

13. I Won't Last A Day Without You - Co-written by Paul Williams, it was also recorded by Maureen McGovern.

14. It's Going To Take Some Time - 1972 - Written and recorded by Carole King in 1971.

15. There's A Kind Of Hush (All Over The World) - 1976 - A #4 hit for Herman's Hermits in 1967, the Carpenters took it to #12.

16. Touch Me When We're Dancing - 1981 - Officially, the Carpenters last Top 20 single, following a three year hiatus from the charts.

17. Solitaire - 1975 - Written and recorded by Neil Sedaka in 1972.

18. I Need To Be In Love - 1976 - Richard has reported that this was Karen's favorite song.

19. Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft (The Recognized Anthem of World Contact Day) - 1977 - Originally recorded by Klaatu in 1976, the Carpenters version boasts using a 160 member musical crew.

20. All You Get From Love Is A Love Song - 1977 - From the "Passage" album, Tom Scott, the saxophonist on the Carole King hit "Jazzman", can be heard here.

Although Karen and Richard projected a squeaky clean image, both had their share of personal problems. Richard had to take a break in 1979 to be treated for his addiction to Quaaludes. Karen, who had been battling her weight for years, suffered from anorexia nervosa, since 1975, and refused to seek treatment.

Karen's whirlwind romance and marriage to real estate developer, Thomas Burris, in 1980, only lasted a year, before the couple separated. Karen finally sought treatment for her anorexia, in 1981, where it was discovered that she had been taking ten times her daily dosage of thyroid medication.

In 1983, Karen returned home to her mother, in Downey, following an argument with Richard about her deteriorating condition. Two days later, Karen suffered cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead on February 4, 1983 at the age of 32.

During their reign, the Carpenters were the number one selling music artists of the 1970's. They won three Grammy Awards, including, Best New Artist in 1970. They also hosted several TV specials and they had their own variety series, "Make Your Own Kind Of Music" in 1971.

There have been a number of documentaries done about the Carpenters. "The Karen Carpenter Story", a 1988 TV movie, was based on her life.

Richard continues to make concert appearances and he raises funds for the Carpenter Performing Arts Center located at California State University.

Top 20 Carpenters Hits

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