Recipee - Fruit Trifle

Ingredients:

200g plain sponge cake

100ml Fruit Preserve

(I used Strawberry Crush)

500ml thick custard

300ml sweetened, whipped cream

Fresh or Canned Mixed Fruits

Method:

1. Arrange half of the cake slices at the bottom of your serving dish. Pour the syrup of the canned fruits and allow to soak for 10 minutes.

2. Beat the custard, then pour half of it over the sponge cake.

3. Spread 1/3 of the fruits, pour 1/3rd of the strawberry crush and spread 1/3rd of the whipped cream. Repeat the process to get two layers each of cake, custard, fruits and cream using the remaining half of the custard and 1/3rd of the fruits, crush and cream again.

4. Spread remaining fruit on top and pour the remaining crush over it. Arrange fruit slices attractively. Alternatively, use sweetened whipped cream to decorate.

5. When serving, take care to insert the spoon till the bottom to scoop out all layers of cake, custard, fruits and cream.

Article © Dot Com Women. Visit Dot Com Women for articles and tips on every aspect of a woman's life. Beauty, Fashion, Crafts, Decorating, Business, Finance, Parenting, Weddings, Travel, Organizing, Cooking, Entertaining, Message Forums and much more. http://www.dotcomwomen.com

This article along with the photo may be freely reprinted in other publications, print or online, only if it is published in its entirety and includes the copyright info and byline.

Recipee - Strawberry Muffins

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup melted butter

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped

1/2 cup strawberry preserve or softened

jam strawberry halves for decorating

Method:

Pre heat oven to 400°F. Spray muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray or line muffin cups with paper cupcake liners.

On a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt, stir well until all ingredient are well blended.

In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, butter, eggs and vanilla. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour liquid mixture in and the strawberries. Reserve some strawberries for topping.

Using a large spoon, gently fold ingredients just until moist. Do not over mix.

Spoon the batter evenly into 12 muffin cups.

Pour 1 tsp. strawberry preserve or jam onto each muffin and sprinkle some strawberry pieces.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or till done.

Decorate each muffin with strawberry halves.

Article © Dot Com Women. Visit Dot Com Women for articles and tips on every aspect of a woman's life. Beauty, Fashion, Crafts, Decorating, Business, Finance, Parenting, Weddings, Travel, Organizing, Cooking, Entertaining, Message Forums and much more. http://www.dotcomwomen.com/

This article along with the photo may be freely reprinted in other publications, print or online, only if it is published in its entirety and includes the copyright info and byline.

Shape your body by Walking

The greatest myth about walking as an exercise is that walking helps only in reducing your weight and not toning your body the way you want it, by removing fat from specific parts of your body. Gym exercises and Swimming are looked upon as better options when body toning is in question.

This is not true, however. There is more to walking than just pleasure-walking and fast walking. There are many ways of walking and each of your body parts benefit from some way or the other.

Here's how you can shape your body the way you want, by walking.

1. Flat Stomach - Walk downhill with small, fast steps, stomach in, shoulders straight.Make your steps as small as possible and very fast.

2. Shapely Thighs - Walk uphill with long steps, without bending your knees, stomach in, shoulders straight. This will shape your hips as well.

3. Slimmer Arms - Swing your arms freely as you walk. Feel the pressure in your upper arms as you stretch your arms back and forth.

4. Slim Waistline - Walk at a medium pace with your hands held high in the air above your head. Keep your hands straight and maintain a perfect posture as you walk.

Continued exercising in the correct way will bring you desired results. I suggest continuing any kind of exercise regularly for at least 40 days before expecting results.


About the Author

Lata Tokhi is the Founder and Editor of Dot Com Women, a premier women's website and fast-growing online community, and Celebrating Christmas, a resource for celebrating Christmas in style.

Visit her websites for lots of homemaking and business ideas, free downloads, free Ezines and message boards for women to network and share.

What Women in Business Want

By Lata Tokhi (Founder, DCW)

The number of women doing business is going to amaze you. It is predicted that by the year 2005, 40% of all firms will be woman-owned.

What is it that drives women into business? A lot of things, probably. But a few commonly known are financial security, additional income, sense of achievement, productive accomplishments etc.

Once into business, Women part ways with their male counterparts. Their ways, their means and even their goals take a different path. They arehardly interested in the usual clichés of 'Hardcore Business Tactics' like Professional Ethics, Business Etiquettes, Corporate-Wars and the stuff, ifstretched beyond a line.

A Woman in business cannot derive any satisfaction from stealing away business from a fellow business owner. Much less will be her satisfaction in drawing attention to her business by cold advertising or bad-mouthing a competitor.

Why so? Because this is NOT what a women wants from her business! This is not what she believes will help her business! If you are of the opinion that steady sales will put a business woman's mind to rest, you've got it wrong. Nor can a big, one-time deal do that. Some green bucks may bring temporary happiness and comfort, but definitely not what a woman seeks in order to keep her business going great guns.

Then, what is it that a woman wants? If not money, steady sales, exposure to public - WHAT ELSE? Here's the answer to this age-old stumper - Relationships!

It's Relationships, long-lasting business and semi-personal relationships that spell the success of a woman-owned business. It is only when she develops strong business relationships and a satisfactory level of networking, that she is assured of a good footing for her business. She is assured that these relationships will help her when nothing else is working for her business.

If you are a business woman, it is possible that you have still not realized what you exactly want. But, some more time, experience and meditation upon this subject will bring you to the same conclusion - that you are looking for Relationships! Relationships with your clients, fellow business owners and even competitors will be the strength your business will be based upon.

Start building relationships this very moment. Do an 'extra little thing' for your clients, know your competitors, mix-up with fellow business women. Some places to start are
http://www.dotcomwomen.com/forums
http://www.internetbasedmoms.com/bb
http://www.mothersworkathome.com/phpbb2

Keep in mind that WOMEN WANT RELATIONSHIPS! Network with other women, make your clients feel special, love your competitors and before you know, your business starts thriving on relationships.


About the Author

Lata Tokhi is the Founder and Editor of Dot Com Women, a premier women's website and fast-growing online community, Celebrating Christmas, a resource for celebrating Christmas in style and i love to CRAFT, a craft site full of free craft projects.

Visit her websites for lots of homemaking and business ideas, free downloads, free Ezines and message boards for women to network and share.

Balancing Work and Home

Work is addicting...and more so when your computer is your office or shop! And while you spend hour upon hour to network with other netpreneurs and provide online customer services to your clients, you tend to neglect a dozen odd household jobs.

Hours seem to fly by when work online. As for your household duties, with great effort, you just take care of the most basic ones like fixing dinner, driving your kids to school etc.

Cleaning, Organizing, Buying Groceries, paying your bills, going to the post office etc. are postponed till the last hour. So how do your balance your work along with your home?

There are two important steps to do this.

First, make yourself realize the fact that you HAVE TO take some time out for your home and there is no excuse in the world to avoid that.

Secondly, start organizing your available time. Here are some quick steps to help you balance your work as well as your home.

1. Divide available hours between your home and your work diligently.

2. Set timers when you are working online.

3. Maintain a 'To Do' list or a diary.

4. Picture yourself going through the troubles of paying your bills later than allowed.

5. Set aside some time for all those jobs which require you to go outside. For e.g. going to the market, post office, bank etc. Try to coincide these with each other. Say, for example, you could take care of these after driving your kids to school.

6. Make up your mind and start some kind of organizing/ decorating/ renovating activity around your house. These are so addicting that once you start, you will enjoy yourself a lot.

7. Similarly, take up your favorite hobby in the afternoon. You will love the change and enjoy getting creative.

8. Plan weekly activities. Take up cleaning once a week. Go for outings once a week. Call upon a friend once a week. This will help you maintain your social life as well.

9. Surf the net for information related to a hobby. This will get you started with that hobby and also give you the much needed break from work.

10. Surf the web with your hubby or children. Show them websites of their interest. That way, you will also get to spend more time with them.

Just like the old saying - 'You Eat to Live, You do not Live to Eat', I'll say 'You Work to Live, You do not Live to Work'. It's no use being successful on the cost of your home and your family.

The 'Dot Com Women' of today are not women who stay online for hours with a guilt feeling on the back of their minds. They are women with a strong desire to succeed in their personal and professional lives. And you are one of them! That's why you chose to read this, isn't it?

Good Luck with your efforts to striking a balance between your work and your home!


About the Author

Lata Tokhi is the Founder and Editor of Dot Com Women, a premier women's website and fast-growing online community, and Celebrating Christmas, a resource for celebrating Christmas in style.

Visit her websites for lots of homemaking and business ideas, free downloads, free Ezines and message boards for women to network and share.