When making a pot roast or ham, try this little trick:  Add a can of cola for an extra punch of flavor.  Just fill the baking pan with soda, then cover the meat with aluminum foil and cook as usual.

Soda’s citric acid breaks down protein chains in the meat’s connective tissue (the tough, chewy parts), leaving your roast perfectly tender and juicy.  Plus, the sugary liquid at the bottom of the pot bubbles to a thick syrup that blends with the meat juices to create a sumptuous gravy.

Tom Yum is a Thai hot and sour soup very similar to our Sinigang.

Ingredients:

• 2 lemongrass stalks, cut into 1″ pieces and smashed a bit (about 1/3 cup)
• 6 lime leaves (about 1 tablespoon), torn with center vein removed
• 2 tablespoons fresh turmeric (luyang dilaw), sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon coriander roots, about 2 roots
• 1 tablespoon shallots, whole with skin removed (1 to 2 shallots)
• 1 cup tomato (medium tomato), sliced into 6-8 pieces lengthwise
• 2 cups broth (pork, chicken)
• 1/2 cup straw mushrooms, ends removed and halved
• 2 tablespoons red medium-sized chilies, smashed
• 4 or 5 medium-sized saltwater shrimp, whole and uncleaned, make sure they’re fresh
• a pinch of salt
• 1 1/4 teaspoon fish sauce (patis)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons roasted chili paste
• 1 tablespoon lime juice (add more if you like)
• 3 tablespoons fresh cow’s milk (optional)
• 3 small dried chilies, roasted (optional – use only if adding milk)
• 1 tablespoon coriander, chopped.

Procedure:

1)  Prepare all the ingredients. Remove the outer layer of the lemongrass stalks and cut off the end. Cut into 1-2? pieces and smash with the side of a heavy knife to release flavor. Tear the center vein off the lime leaves. Slice your fresh turmeric into thin slices. Cut the tomato into 6 pieces lengthwise. Peel the skin off the shallots and smash lightly. Clean your coriander roots well. Smash the fresh chilies with the back of a heavy knife, or in a mortar and pestle. If using fresh Thai straw mushrooms, slice the bottoms off and cut in 1/2 lengthwise. If making the version with milk: roast the dried chilies until fragrant and browned in a dry wok on medium heat.

2)  Wash the shrimp then set aside. Boil the broth on high until it comes to a rapid boil.  Add the lime leaves, lemongrass, coriander root, turmeric, shallots and tomato. Boil for 4-5 minutes. if you’re using fresh ingredients, 4-5 minutes should be enough. In a separate pan, boil the mushrooms in plain water.

3)  After you’ve boiled 4-5 minutes, add a pinch of salt and the shrimp. Strain the cooked mushrooms and add them to the soup as well. Cook until shrimp turn pink, about a minute.

4)  Add the fish sauce and remove from heat. You will now season the soup.

5)  Add lime juice, chili paste, smashed fresh chilies.

6)  If making the version with milk: Add the milk and dried chilies. If doing this step you’ll need to add a bit more lime juice and fish sauce as the milk tames it down a bit. Add about a teaspoon more of each.

7)  Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and serve.

Would you believe stress causes belly fat? Our bodies are designed to store some fat around the belly, where it can be easily accessed for energy when we feel stressed. Once the stress passes, the hormone cortisol commands our body to eat again and refuel. That’s alright if you are very active, but for those who do not exercise, you better think about getting rid of belly fat now.

Having extra belly fat means higher risk for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. And a  new study shows that those who carry excess weight around the stomach in their 40′s are more likely to have dementia in their 70′s.

Need an at-home skin makeover?  The wrinkle removers I found work gently to brighten skin and fill fine lines in as little as two weeks.  They contain antioxidants, including barley, acai, wheatgrass and flaxseed, ingredients that work great at removing wrinkles and improving overall health.  I’ve tried different brands in the past but nothing works as fast as this one.  I’ve only used it for three days and already, I can feel my skin tightening.

After failing yet another diet, I’m starting to believe that having a petite figure just wasn’t in the cards for me.  Then a cousin told me about this wonder pill that combines 8 powerful patented ingredients that provide safe, yet effective weight loss. Not believing her right away, I typed the words apidexin scam to find out the effectiveness of this diet pill.  Turns out it’s highly recommended and 99 percent of apedexin users say they lost pounds after taking it.  And what’s great about it is it didn’t make them feel nervous and jittery.  I think I should give it a try.

With retailers closing down, sales and surplus are everywhere. Small businesses are taking advantage of this and they have a captured market. They buy these items from wholesale distributors at great discounts and are able to still sell them at low prices. Even if a big store closes, several smaller stores takes its place. This helps not only the jobless but also stirs the economy. Despite the economic slowdown, the retail business is alive and kicking.