Winter Dessert: Pressed Crust Pear Tart

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Total time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Yields: 8 servings

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter and a little more for the pan at room temperature

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup sugar

1 large egg

2 to 3 pears peeled, halved, and cored

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¼ cup apricot jam

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Whipped cream to taste

Procedure

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1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Properly butter a 14 inch rectangular tart pan and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl combine the all-purpose flour and baking powder and set aside.
4. Use an electric mixer to cream the butter and ½ cup sugar at high speed in a large bowl. Lower the speed to medium, add the egg, and beat until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture until fully blended. The dough should be very soft.
5. Push the dough into the pan with floured fingers to form an even crust. Arrange the pear halves, top to bottom, cut side down. Sprinkle the cinnamon and the leftover sugar. Bake the crust until golden brown, about 45 minutes, and then let it cool.
6. In a small saucepan, heat the apricot jam over medium to low heat, mixing until combined. Remove from the heat and brush gently over the entire tart. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Don’t have a rectangular tart pan? No worries, the regular 9 inch pie pan does the job just fine. And you can always use the jam flavor of your choice. So, would you be trying this winter dessert tonight?

Spring Dessert: Apricot and Pear Cake

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Total time: 30 minutes preparation +1 hour cooking

Yields: 10 servings

Ingredients

2 juiced oranges

1 cup whole dried apricots, roughly chopped

1 cup caster sugar

1 cup olive oil

2 eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

2 cups plain flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 peeled pears, cored removed and diced

2 tablespoons pure icing sugar

Procedure

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1. Over medium heat in a saucepan, heat ½ cup orange juice and apricots until warm. Remove and let it stand for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 160 degree Celsius. Grease a 22 cm springform cake pan and line base and sides with baking paper.
3. In a large bowl, beat sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla essence until thick using an electric mixer.
4. Sift flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, and bicarbonate of soda over the above mixture. Add apricot mixture and pear. Stir well until combined. Spoon mixture onto the pan. Smooth the top.
5. Bake cake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow it to cool for 5 minutes in the pan before releasing the sides to cool completely.
6. Dust cake with icing sugar and serve.

Tip: Cook the pears gently so that they don’t break up and adjust the cooking time according to their ripeness.

This aromatic spring dessert recipe gives tea time a lift with its fruity flavor and lighter sponge. Very easy to bake, it makes for a visually appealing centerpiece when entertaining.

For more cake recipes on Stagetecture, click here.

Spring Dessert: Easy Fruit Pizza

Image via: At the Pink of Perfection

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Total Time: 30 minutes

Yields: 1 pizza pie

Ingredients

18 ounce refrigerated sugar cookie dough

8 ounce cream cheese, softened

8 ounce frozen whipped topping, thawed

2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

½ cup white sugar

Pinch of salt

1 tablespoon cornstarch

½ cup tablespoons lemon juice

¼ cup water

½ teaspoon orange zest

Procedure

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1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees C (350 degrees F). Slice cookie dough and arrange on properly greased pizza pan, overlapping edges. Press the dough flat into the pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow it to cool.
2. Soften cream cheese in a large bowl then fold in the whipped topping. Spread over cooled crust. Let it chill for a while then continue by arranging fruit.
3. Begin with half sliced strawberries. Arrange in a circle around the edge. Continue working towards the middle with the fruit of your choice. If using bananas, dip them in lemon juice to avoid darkening. Then make a sauce to spoon over the fruits.
4. In a saucepan, mix sugar, corn starch, salt, orange juice, lemon juice and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring. Cook for 1-2 minutes, bring to boil, until thickened. Remove from the heat and add grated orange rind. Allow it to cool then spoon over fruits. Chill for 2 hours, then cut into wedges and serve.

Celebrate the flavors of the season with this spring dessert recipe that is full of fresh fruits. Use the ones of your choice and get creative with the arrangement. In fact, there are a lot of fun ways to arrange the fruits to give it a different vibe. Which fruits are your favorite?

For more dessert ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Have you been getting enough sleep lately? A study from the University of Pennsylvania links sleep patterns to your diet. The study concludes that there are foods that have key nutrients which play an essential role in regulating sleep. Sounds interesting, right? These should be very beneficial to those who experience difficulty in sleeping and assess their diet.

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This is a welcome development to people who want to have a relaxing way to rest after a stressful day. The study concludes that there are key nutrients that you can find in several foods that will influence your sleep patterns. Check out these foods that will help you have a sound sleep.

Grapefruit

This fruit is packed with a key nutrient for a great bedtime rest – lycopene. The study shows that lycopene helps you have a great bedtime rest. Not only that, this key nutrient is known to lower the risk of cancer. You can also find lycopene in tomato, papaya, guava and watermelon. Always remember that you can obtain more of this nutrient when you eat them fresh.

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Nuts

Aside from being a food for the brain, nuts contain selenium which will give you a sound sleep. Of course, this key nutrient is known to be very essential in immune system function. So, you get a lot of nutrients by eating nuts while watching your favorite nightly show before you sleep. You can also get selenium from fish, barley, turkey and grains.

Strawberry

The sweet taste of strawberry isn’t the only reason why you have to love it. Strawberry is packed with vitamin C that will influence your sleep patterns. This key nutrient is vital in giving you the needed sleep on the daily basis. Other good sources of vitamin C are pineapple, broccoli, citrus fruit and orange.

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Bear in mind that you need to have a sound sleep on a daily basis in order for your body to function well. It will not only affect your mood but also your ability to think and act accordingly. So, stay healthy and sleep thoroughly.

For more wellness & beauty tips on Stagetecture, click here.

Our skin is the first line of defense of our body and is important in whole body wellness. It is the one that is exposed from the harmful elements in the surrounding. The dust, dirt and ultraviolet rays from the sun can easily damage the layers of your skin, making it dull and rough. These unpleasant effects will not be favorable to anyone.

There are several things that you can do to protect and repair your damaged skin. However, you cannot just depend on the commercially-made skin care products. You can use natural products that are proven safe and effective. Fruits are one of these natural solutions that are capable of nourishing your skin.

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Avocado

This fruit is rich in Vitamin E that neutralizes free radicals. This harmful particles can damage and cause injury to cells. By eating an avocado a day, you can maintain your young looking skin. The avocado is also a good source of the antioxidant glutathione which is good for your skin.

Blueberries

Blueberries are packed with antioxidants. It is also a great source of Vitamin C that your skin needs to synthesis of collagen. This collagen is known as one of the major structural proteins of your skin. Blueberries help your skin glow and repair damaged skin cells. The antioxidants are substances that can effectively protect your skin’s cells to oppose the effects of free radicals.

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Tomatoes

This fruit is not just your regular ingredient for meal recipe. Tomatoes are rich in Vitamin C, chemical lycopene, and active antioxidants. These are very useful to repair or reduce skin cell damage cause by external factors like lengthy exposure from the sun’s rays.

You do not have to go out from your home to pamper your skin. Simply open your fridge or look at your table countertop for fruits that is proven effective and natural solution for your skin.

For more wellness ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Have you ever thought of what fruits are forgotten when it comes to helping you stay fit? Fruits have calories but then it is far beyond the usual calories you get from meat, dairy products and other food. Fruits have more vitamins, minerals and fiber to keep your body strong and healthy for trainings and workouts. Studies show that for people who wanted to reduce their weight, fruits should make up at least two-thirds of your daily food allowance.

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Here are some of the best fruits that can help you stay fit and fab:

Pineapple

This fruit is excellent in breaking down proteins. Pineapples have enzymes that are effective substance to digest proteins from meats. Aside from its natural enzymes, pineapples also have a lot of nutrients, fiber, calcium, vitamins, minerals, cysteine proteinases, potassium, manganese and antioxidants. The best part of pineapple is that it is cholesterol-free and fat-free. This makes it ideal for people who want to reduce weight. This fruit can also be an ingredient in making delicious recipes.

Strawberry

Strawberries are not just great outside but also inside. This fruit is packed with essential nutrients your body needs. Chef loves to include strawberries to enhance garnishing. It adds more beauty and appetite to consumers. Strawberries have vitamins and minerals such as antioxidants, potassium, fiber, flavanoids, vitamins A, B6 and C. These nutrients boost body immunity. It is also has low calories with no fat.

Avocado

Avocado is rich in monounsaturated fat which is great in increasing metabolism. The increase in metabolism will eventually lead to weight loss.  This is what people who wanted to reduce their weight are looking for. Avocado also leaves you full for a longer period of time as compared with other fruits. This will allow you to last until the next scheduled meal. This fruit also provides potassium, amino acid and L-Carnitine that has fat burning function of your body. Vitamins A, B complex, C and K are also found in avocado.

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Apple

This fruit comes in cheap but has numerous nutrients to offer. These nutrients provide better body functions and weight loss. Apple is abundant in antioxidants that fight against diseases. It promotes cell renewal and repair damaged cells. Apple is rich in fiber too. It regulates the digestive tract in your body. The fruit ward off sugary craving. This function helps people who are following a healthy dietary plan.

Feel free to indulge the flavors and nutrients that these best fruits for weight loss can offer.

For more wellness ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

If your are trying to find green cleaning practices for your home, today’s post will give you ideas. One of the primary concerns at home is to keeping it clean and tidy. This is to provide a healthy home for family members. As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure.

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Here are effective cleaning tools and tricks for your home:

Create Your Own Green Cleaning Solutions

You can have an effective cleaning solution by mixing up ingredients found in your pantry already. Make sure these basic materials will never run out of stock.

• White vinegar: Due to its level of acidity, this cleanser is effective for killing germs, bacteria and molds. To have your own window cleaning solution, combine equal parts of water and vinegar in a spray bottle and add a splash of lemon juice. Wooden cutting boards can be sanitized by undiluted vinegar. To clean the toilet bowl, pour 1 cup of white vinegar and a dash of baking soda and let it sit overnight. Scrub well and flush.
• Baking Soda: To clean surfaces like sinks, tile, and tubs, sprinkle baking soda on a damp cloth, scrub then rinse with clean water. To keep away the odor, sprinkle the bottom of the garbage can, disposal or sink drain. A small bowl of baking soda in the refrigerator eliminates foul odor.
• Salt: In removing rust stains, moistened it with a mixture of salt and lemon juice. A paste of salt and vinegar could clean tarnished brass or copper.
• Lemon: Toss some lemon peel in your garbage disposal to avoid unwanted smells. Lemons also make a great degreaser by adding a bit to your dish soap.

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Choose the right broom

Finding a broom that sweeps up effectively and without redoing the same areas over and over is important. Here are tips to find a broom that suits your floor type.

• Porch or deck. Corn brooms are best for sweeping your porch or deck and other hard surfaces having rough bristles. These bristles are hard enough to sweep away dirt, pebbles and grass.
• Sidewalk, driveway, or patio. Push brooms are commonly used for outdoor. This wide broom is designed to push dirt and dust away from you, thus makes it easy to sweep leaves, pine straw and dirt.
• When you’re inside. Angled broom is efficient for sweeping dirt in tight and hard to reach spaces inside the house. The angled bristles get into corners easily.
• When sweeping hurts your back. An ergonomic broom keeps you from bending over while sweeping. This long broom handle reduces reaching and bending and prevents wrist and hand strains.

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When cleaning hard-to-reach areas like under the cabinets or sleek edges, use innovative cleaning tools like bendable-neck vacuum cleaner and blowers. Whether you invest in a new cleaning tool or you use your old ones, use these tips to ensure you are using a tool that is effective. There is nothing worse than cleaning the same room over and over again, right? Use these helpful tips to clean your home with green solutions and great tools!

For more green living ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Your kitchen is the place in the house where you can practice recycling everyday. Going green in your kitchen materials can give you great saving and contribute something for our environment. Most of our chores are done in the kitchen, hence, several things are used and put into waste.

There are several things you considered waste but can still be recycled or reused. For instance, you may think that fruits and veggie scraps should go directly to compost pit.  But here are creative ways to recycle these:

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Natural home fragrance through potpourri

Make a homemade potpourri from drying all kinds of citrus rinds, apple peels, and other fruit trimmings. Put a little of the potpourri liquid to add more flavors.

Nut shells as pesticides

With nut shells, you can keep slugs and pests away. Sprinkle it around your garden plants since they cannot crawl across the rough texture.

Peach-fuzz for facial

Potassium and vitamin A can revitalize skin and keep it hydrated. On the pulpy side, put a little sugar and then use as a gentle face scrub.

Candied citrus rinds

Boil strips of rinds of lemons, grapefruits, lime and oranges with sugar until liquid is absorbed. Let it cool. Coat it with granulated sugar and let it dry.

Vodka infusions

To create a more flavorful vodka infusion, you can use all kinds of fruit skins. You may add the peels in vodka and let it sit for a week or so.

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Papaya for the Skin

It is rich in vitamin A and Papain which removes dead skin cells. Gently rub papaya skins or pulps on the bottom of your feet to help soften skin and soothe cracked heels.

Avocado seedling pots

Avocado shells can be a substitute for pots in order for your seedlings to grow before you finally plant it in your garden.

Lemony-fresh fragrance

To shy away bad smell, boil lemon rinds in water, or microwave for one minute or even by just throwing it in the garbage disposal to freshen the air.

These are just a few of the things you can do to minimize waste and maximize fruits and vegetables you have in your kitchen. It will certainly enhance your home and our environment as well.

For more green living ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

For more kitchen & bath ideas on Stagetecture, click here.