Mushroom Steak Marsala Recipe

Sirloin steaks takes the place of veal in this classic dish. It is further beefed up with the addition of hearty mushrooms to the delicious sauce. If you want to splurge, substitute strip steaks for the sirloin. Aside from the requisite Marsala wine, the key is in using a thick cut of steak, and it should be seared to no more than medium-rare doneness to maintain a tender and succulent texture.
Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Resting Time:: 30 minutes

Total Time: 70 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients:

2 (8 to 10 ounces each) 1-1/2-inch thick sirloin steaks
Olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (about) all-purpose flour for dredging
2 Tablespoons butter
.
8 ounces crimini mushrooms, brushed clean and sliced thick
2 Tablespoons finely minced onion
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup dry Marsala wine
1/2 cup strong beef broth
2 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature


Preparation:

Rub steaks with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Dredge in flour, shaking off any excess. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the flour for later use.

Heat a large, deep heavy skillet over medium high heat. When hot, add butter and swirl to coat the pan. Sear steaks to medium-rare doneness, until nicely browned on both sides, turning only once. Remove to a platter and keep warm.

Add mushrooms and onions to the pan drippings. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Stir-fry until lightly golden and mushrooms release their liquid. Remove mushrooms with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Whisk reserved 1 tablespoon of flour into the drippings and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Whisk in Marsala wine and cook for 1 minute until thickened, then add beef broth to the pan and bring to a boil. Use a spatula to scrape up any browned bits (fond) into the sauce. Continue to cook, reducing the liquid by half until thickened and syrupy. Whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, if necessary.

Return the cooked mushrooms to the sauce and stir to combine, then return the steaks to the pan, turning to coat. Cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes to re-warm the meat.

Divide mushroom Marsala sauce evenly over the steaks.

Yield: 2 servings

Married Life in Islam

"And among His signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between your hearts. Verily in that are signs for those who reflect." (Qur'an 30:21)


In the Qur'an, the marriage relationship is described as one with "tranquility," "love" and "mercy." Elsewhere in the Qur'an, husband and wife are described as "garments" for each other (2:187). Garments offer protection, comfort, modesty, and warmth. Above all, the Qur'an describes that the best garment is the "garment of God-consciousness" (7:26).

Muslims view marriage as the foundation of society and family life. In a practical aspect, Islamic marriage is thus structured through legally-enforceable rights and duties of both parties. In an atmosphere of love and respect, these rights and duties provide a framework for the balance of family life and the fulfillment of both partners.

General Rights

To be treated with honor, kindness, and patience.
To enjoy intimate relations with each other.
To have children, by God's will.
To keep one's legal and personal identity after marriage, retaining one's own family name, inheritance rights, property, mahr, etc.


General Duties

To be faithful to the marriage bond.
To strive to be attractive to one's spouse.
To assist and support one another, and to resolve disputes amicably.
The husband has the duty to provide all physical maintenance of the family (housing, clothing, food, medical care, etc.).

Humility in Islam

Muslims constantly strive to remember and practice Islamic virtues, and put them into practice throughout their daily lives. Among these great Islamic virtues are submission to Allah, self-restraint, discipline, sacrifice, patience, brotherhood, generosity, and humility.
In English, the word "humility" comes from the Latin root word which means "ground." Humility, or being humble, means that one is modest, submissive and respectful, not proud and arrogant. You lower yourself to the ground, not elevate yourself above others. In prayer, Muslims prostrate themselves to the ground, acknowledging human beings' lowliness and humility before the Lord of the Worlds.

In the Qur'an, Allah uses several Arabic words which convey the meaning of "humility." Among these are tada'a and khasha'a. A few selected examples:

Tad'a

Before thee We sent messengers to many nations, and We afflicted the nations with suffering and adversity, that they call Allah in humility. When the suffering reached them from Us, why then did they not call Allah in humility? On the contrary, their hearts became hardened, and Satan made their sinful acts seem alluring to them. (Al-Anaam 6:42-43)
Call on your Lord with humility and in private, for Allah loves not those who transgress beyond bounds. Do not mischief on the earth, after it has been set in order, but call on Him with fear and longing in your hearts, for the Mercy of Allah is always near to those who do good. (Al-Araf 7:55-56)

Khasha'a

Successful indeed are the believers, those who humble themselves in their prayers... (Al-Muminoon 23:1-2)
Has not the time arrived for the believers that their hearts in all humility should engage in the remembrance of Allah and of the Truth which has been revealed to them... (Al-Hadid 57:16)

Discussion

Humility is equivalent to submission to Allah. We should abandon all selfishness and pride in our human power, and stand humbled, meek, and submissive as servants of Allah above all else.
Among the Jahliyya Arabs (before Islam), this was unheard of. They followed the rules of no one except themselves, and preserved their personal honor above all else. They would humble themselves to no one, neither a man nor a God. They were proud of their absolute independence, their human power; they had limitless self-confidence and refused to bow down to any authority. A man was lord of himself. Indeed, these qualities are what made someone a "real man." Humility and submissiveness were considered weak - not a quality of a noble man. The Jahliyya Arabs had a fierce, passionate nature and would scorn anything which might make them humbled or humiliated in any way, or feel like their personal dignity and status were being degraded.

Islam came and demanded of them, before anything else, to submit themselves wholly to the one and only Creator, and abandon all pride, arrogance, and feelings of self-sufficiency. Many among the pagan Arabs felt that this was an outrageous demand - to stand as equals with each other, in submission to Allah alone. For many, these feelings did not pass - indeed we still see them today in much of the world's people, and unfortunately, sometimes in ourselves. Human presumptuousness, insolence, arrogance, elevated self-worth, are around us everywhere. We have to fight it in our own hearts.

Indeed, the sin of Iblis (Satan) was his arrogant refusal to humble himself to the will of Allah. He believed himself of elevated status - better than any other creation - and he continues to whisper to us, encouraging our pride, arrogance, love of wealth and status. We must always remember that we are nothing - we have nothing - except what Allah blesses us with. We can do nothing of our own power.

If we are arrogant and proud in this life, Allah will put us in our place and teach us humility in the next life, by giving us a humiliating punishment. Better that we practice humility now, before Allah alone and among our fellow human beings.

Islamic Prayer Timings

Muslims observe five formal prayers each day. The timings of these prayers are spaced fairly evenly throughout the day, so that one is constantly reminded of God and given opportunities to seek His guidance and forgiveness.
Muslims observe the formal prayers at the following times:

Fajr (pre-dawn): This prayer starts off the day with the remembrance of God; it is performed before sunrise.

Dhuhr (noon): After the day's work has begun, one breaks shortly after noon to again remember God and seek His guidance.

'Asr (afternoon): In the late afternoon, people are usually busy wrapping up the day's work, getting kids home from school, etc. It is an important time to take a few minutes to remember God and the greater meaning of our lives.

Maghrib (sunset): Just after the sun goes down, Muslims remember God again as the day begins to come to a close.

'Isha (evening): Before retiring for the night, Muslims again take time to remember God's presence, guidance, mercy, and forgiveness.

Easy ways to cure acidity

We've all suffered from it at some point or the other. We share tips to cure acidity ...

Acidity occurs when there is excess secretion of acids in the gastric glands of the stomach. When the secretion is more than usual, we feel, what is commonly known as heartburn, which is normally triggered off by consumption of spicy foods.

Here are some home remedies to cure acidity...

- Skip the aerated drinks as well as the caffeine. Opt for herbal tea instead.
- Have a glass of lukewarm water everyday.
- Include banana, watermelon and cucumber in your daily diet. Watermelon juice is great for curing acidity.
- Nariyal paani is known to soothe the system if you suffer from acidity.
- Drink a glass of milk - everyday.
- Have your last meal at least two to three hours before you hit the sack.
- Keeping long intervals between meals is another cause for acidity. Have small but regular meals.
- Try to avoid pickles, spicy chutneys, vinegar, etc.
- Boil some mint leaves in water and have a glass of this after meals.
- Sucking on a piece of clove is another effective remedy.
- Jaggery, lemon, banana, almonds and yogurt are all known to give you instant relief from acidity.
- Excessive smoking and drinking will increase acidity, so cut down.
- Try chewing gum. The saliva generated helps move food through the esophagus, easing symptoms of heartburn.
- Ginger aids in digestion. Either buy powdered ginger in capsule forms or add the herb to your recipes.
- A simple preparation of lemon water with sugar can be sipped on an hour before lunch to reduce uneasiness.
- Have vegetables like drumsticks, beans, pumpkin, cabbage, carrot and spring onions.

Eat your way to a healthy life!

Today all of us are constantly running on the treadmill called life. Long working hours, late nights, stress, health problems, family and household responsibilities constantly weigh us down.

Some sleep through the weekend to compensate sleep deprivation during the week. Eating junk and fast foods has made your health go for a toss. However, don't lose hope. There are a number of natural 'power foods' that are packed with nutrients, vitamins, anti-oxidants (cancer fighting agents/properties) and minerals. A regular consumption of these foods have benefits like slowing down of the ageing process, controlling cholesterol levels, blood pressure and diabetes.

Apples
'An apple a day keeps the doctor away' isn't just a proverb, it is quite true! Apples contain fibre that is good for maintaining your digestive system. They are rich sources of vitamin A, C and E, phosphorous, magnesium and potassium and contain anti-oxidants that help prevent and fight cancer.

Almonds and walnuts
Almonds are good for improving memory. Almonds and walnuts contain monounsaturated fats and some polyunsaturated fats that are good for the heart and help in lowering Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) otherwise known as bad cholesterol. They're high in nutritional value, anti-ageing properties and great for your skin, too.

Avocados
Avocados, also known as 'Nature's Butter', are a major source of betasitosterol, that helps in lowering cholesterol. Avocados contain fibre, folic acid, vitamin E and potassium. With a great of source of monounsaturated fats, they're great for your heart.

Grape fruits
Grape fruits are great if you want to lose weight. They also help lower blood sugar levels, which is beneficial to diabetic patients. This is because grape fruits contain pectin, a substance that helps in lowering the rate at which carbohydrates (glucose) in the bloodstream.

Beans
Different types of beans like lima beans, kidney beans, black-eyed peas, moong etc as well as pulses are very healthy. That's because they are high in proteins and contain fibre, magnesium, iron, zinc and vitamin B. They help reduce blood pressure and diabetes.

Bananas
Bananas are a major source of potassium and iron, which is beneficial for restoring low haemoglobin levels in the body. They're also great for the digestive system because of their fibre content.

Green tea
Green tea is very beneficial for weight loss. It helps increase the body's metabolism, is a great source of anti-oxidants and has anti-ageing properties. It also helps improve the good cholesterol (HDL) and lower the bad cholesterol (LDL) in the body.

Chocolate
Chocolate is prepared using Cacao beans. Dark chocolate (containing less sugar) is rich in anti-oxidants. When you eat chocolate, the happy hormones — seritonins and endorphins are released in the brain, making you feel good.

Yogurt
Yogurt or dahi is a great source of calcium that is essential for maintainence and strengthening of the bones. A good source of proteins, they are especially good for vegetarians who are deprived of proteins from eggs and meat and people who are lactose-intolerant. Yogurt also helps in digestion and weight loss. Opt for low-fat yogurt for best results.

Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a major source of Lycopene, a powerful anti-oxidant that helps fight cancerous cells. Lycopene can be absorbed through tomatoes by the body in raw as well as cooked form. They also help in preventing hear disease and reducing high cholesterol.

Could smartphones go stupid?

PARIS: Smartphones are rapidly becoming ubiquitous, but they risk becoming a victim of their own success, so clogging networks they are unable to do many of the smart applications that fuelled their sales.

Analysts warn that the mobile industry soon faces growing pains, with congestion choking service at peak times and locations, and operators forced to hike prices and capping or slowing data use. In either case many popular services that have driven smartphone sales could suffer.

Mobile industry leaders recognise this threat and it will be one of the key questions they address this coming week at their annual gathering.

More than 50,000 people from over 1,300 companies are set to attend the four-day Mobile World Congress opening Monday in Barcelona, including executives from dozens of top firms.

Sales of smartphones have rocketed over the past few years -- nearly 470 million of them sold in the past two years according to Gartner market research firm -- and developing nifty applications for them has become a major industry in itself.

But with each smartphone generating as much as 24 times as much data traffic as a regular mobile phone the volume of network traffic has exploded, with the network firm Cisco forecasting it to grow 26-fold by 2015.

Mobile operators have been hard pressed to keep up.

"The explosion in data traffic and the strain on networks is beginning to show with service quality already suffering," Torbjoern Sandberg, chief executive of Birdstep mobile connectivity firm, said in a recent statement.

While spectacular overloading of networks such as with AT&T in the United States and 02 in Britain in December 2009 -- which the carrier linked to smartphone use -- is rare, users more often encounter dropped calls and slower service at rush hour or in crowded public transport.

"Bandwidth congestion will continue to be a serious problem for operators, especially in the most populated areas during peak usage times," said Merav Bahat of Flash Networks, a company which helps operators improve network performance.

"It will not render smartphones dumb, but it will frustrate users who expect a wireline-like experience on their mobile device," she added.

Congestion hits first the bandwith-hogging and most popular smartphone application -- video.

Video streaming already accounts for 37 per cent of mobile data traffic, according to the latest Mobile Trends Report by Allot Communication, and Cisco expects video to account for two-thirds of traffic by 2015.

But frequent interruptions would render video streaming nearly unusable at peak traffic times.

Video calls on mobiles, which may finally take off this year, would also suffer, as would voice calls on alternative services such as Skype.

E-mail and web browsing would continue to function, but at slower speeds.

Operators have already begun put smartphone users on a data diet, either limiting use or slowing data speeds after a certain volume has been reached.

"Unlimited data has already come to an end because most operators realise there isn't sufficient capacity available in the network," said Coleago Consulting CEO Stefan Zehle.

But expensive data diets stunt the development of the market, Magnus Rehle of Greenwich Consulting noted, leaving operators with the early adopters which are heavy data users rather than a mass subscriber base with different usage patterns.

Mobile operators are also scrambling to add more capacity, but according to recent calculations by network optimization firm Tellabs, they could run themselves into the red in three years trying to build to meet forecast data growth.

"Carriers can spend themselves bankrupt well before users run out of hunger for capacity," said Tellabs chief executive Rob Pullen.

A recent report by the AT Kearney consulting firm calculated that at current trends mobile operators will end up 21 billion euros ($28.5 billion) short of the amount needed over the next four years to expand their networks to keep up with forecast data growth.

A number of firms such as Flash Networks and Tellabs say that the problem is not smart phones but dumb networks, and offer technology that promises to create intelligent networks that optimize the flow of data, allowing operators to do more with less.

But as the AT Kearney report noted, improving networks and hiking fees for consumers is unlikely to be sufficient without addressing the video streaming sites who are paying almost nothing to pump huge amounts of data across networks to consumers and have few incentives to compress data.

The consultancy concluded there are "clear structural problems in the economic model" of the fixed and mobile Internet "making it increasingly inefficient and ultimately unsustainable as traffic growth continues..."

5 Ways to keep cholesterol in check

Lowering cholesterol is one of the most imperative things to do to promote overall heart health. And now Metamucil and Dr. Michael Roizen, Chairman of the Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic and host of the upcoming PBS series, "Younger You," have suggested five things you need to do to lower your cholesterol.

Take psyllium
The first, and one of the simplest tips, is to get more fiber in your diet - but not just any kind, because not all fibers work the same way. Viscous soluble fiber like psyllium fiber, the natural dietary fiber found in Metamucil, is proven to help lower total and "lousy" LDL cholesterol because it forms a thick gel that traps and helps remove some cholesterol, bile acids and waste in the gut. This is why I recommend my patients supplement low fat, low cholesterol diets with 7 grams of soluble fiber from psyllium daily, as in Metamucil.

Wear a pedometer and increase daily activity
You'd be amazed to see how many extra steps you can take in one day -- grab a pedometer and watch the numbers roll as you make simple changes for your health and take the stairs, walk to work, or stroll around the neighbourhood to increase your physical activity for better heart health. Tracking your progress throughout the day can be great inspiration to keep going, and walking is a simple and easy type of exercise to help lower cholesterol!

Get an exercise buddy
A healthy lifestyle requires motivation, encouragement and a friend to lean on. Grab an exercise buddy and support each other in the challenge to lower your cholesterol. Take long walks together and encourage each other to try new types of physical activity to get the heart pumping and to keep cholesterol levels down! Enjoy each other's company and laugh – reduced levels of stress will help your heart too!

Beware of hidden fats and sugars
Be an informed eater; get to know your ingredients and read the nutrition labels thoroughly. Hidden sugars and unhealthy ingredients can increase your weight, which can lead to high cholesterol. Stay away from foods that contain high levels of saturated fat, cholesterol and hidden sources of sugar such as high fructose corn syrup, some dextrins, or evaporated cane juice.

Add DHA
DHA is short for docosahexaenoic acid, a polyunsaturated fatty acid. Regular intake of DHA can aid in proper heart function and help lower levels of Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), or the "lousy" cholesterol3, and raise levels of High Density Lipoprotein (HDL), or the "healthy" cholesterol. Popular sources of DHA are salmon, sardines, tuna – but if you aren't a seafood fan, try fish oil supplements, or if you don't like fishy taste, get them from vegetarian supplements made from algal DHA.


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Chocolate-Dipped Crescent Hearts Recipe

Valentine special recipe








These pretty little crescent heart cookies are fast, easy, colorful and tasty. I am partial to dark chocolate with these cookies, but use your favorite. Perfect for Valentine's Day or any special occasion. Let the kids help.
Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 32 cookies

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons red decorator sugar
1 (8-ounce) can refrigerated crescent rolls
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
4 ounces melted semi-sweet chocolate (optional)
1 ounce paraffin wax
Preparation:

Sprinkle have of the red sugar on the cutting board. Unroll crescent roll dough, separate into 4 rectangles, and place on top of the sugared board. Press the perforations to seal, then gently press dough into the sugar. Brush rectangles with half of the melted butter. Sprinkle with all of the cinnamon and remaining red sugar.

From the long side, roll one rectangle jelly-roll fashion up to the center of the dough. Then roll the top side down to meet the bottom in the center. Repeat with remaining dough rectangles. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and refrigerate about 30 minutes to firm up.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats.

Remove dough, unwrap and place on cutting board. Slice each roll into 8 pieces and place cut-side down about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking tray. Press down to 1/2-inch thickness and pinch the bottom of each slice to a point to form a heart shape. Brush with remaining melted butter.

Bake 9 to 13 minutes until golden. Reshape cookies if necessary and let cool.

Melt chocolate and paraffin wax together, stirring until smooth. Dip crescent heart cookies halfway into melted chocolate. Place dipped cookies on waxed or freezer paper. Refrigerate to harden chocolate if necessary.

Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups Recipe

These taste similar to the commercial peanut butter cups, but better! Great for gifts.
Prep Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate bar
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter (4 Tbsp or 1/2 stick)
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate bar
1/8 cup butter (2 Tbsp or 1/4 stick)
1 ounce paraffin wax, chopped
Preparation:

Place 1-inch mini-muffin or candy papers in a mini-muffin tin.

In a double boiler, melt 4 ounces chocolate bar, peanut butter, and 1/4 cup butter, mixing until smooth. Gently mix in graham cracker crumbs.

Place about 1 teaspoon chocolate graham cracker mixture in bottom of paper cups. Chill 15 to 30 minutes to harden.

Place 3/4 cup peanut butter in a bowl over hot water to soften. Mix in powdered sugar and graham cracker crumbs. Place 1 teaspoon peanut butter mixture on top of hardened chocolate cracker layer. Chill 15 to 30 minutes.

Melt 6 ounces chocolate bar with butter and paraffin wax. Top the peanut butter layer with about 1 teaspoon chocolate mixture. Chill to harden. Refrigerate leftovers.

Yield: 3 dozen peanut butter cups

"Ameen" in Prayer

Why do Muslims end prayers with "Ameen" and Christians with "Amen?" Where did these words come from and what do they mean?
This is a great question! In Islam, believers are urged to know and understand the reasons for things, not just follow blindly what everyone else is doing. So why do we say Ameen?




Amen (also pronounced Ahmen, Aymen, Ameen or Amin) is a word which is used in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam to express agreement with God's truth. It is believed to have originated from an ancient Semitic word consisting of three consonants: A-M-N. In both Hebrew and Arabic, this root word means truthful, firm, and faithful. Common English translations include "verily," "truly," "it is so," or "I affirm God's truth."
This word is used in Judaism and Christianity as an ending word for prayers and hymns. When saying "amen," worshippers confirm their belief in God's word, or affirm agreement with what is being preached or recited.

In Islam, the pronuciation "ameen" is often recited during daily prayers at the end of Surah Al-Fatihah (the first chapter of the Qur'an). It is also said during and at the end of personal supplications (du'a).

Any use of ameen in Islamic prayer is considered optional (sunnah), not required (wajib). The practice is based on the example and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. He reportedly told his followers to say 'ameen' after the imam (prayer leader) finishes reciting the Fatiha because: "If a person's saying 'ameen' at that time coincides with the angels saying 'ameen', his previous sins will be forgiven."

There is some difference of opinion among Muslims about whether "ameen" should be said during prayer in a quiet voice or a loud voice. Very few debate about whether it should be said at all; its use is widespread among Muslims.

Lose weight the right way

Learning to make the most of your diet is the first step towards losing weight

You've finally decided that you're going to lose that extra flab. Just going on a diet will not help - the idea is to eat right and at the right time. And remember, just following a healthy diet won't do - you need to ensure that you get the most out of your platter. Here's how...

For starters, eat fresh food or consume it within three hours of cooking. Avoid deep freezing the cooked food. The smaller the number of people the food is prepared for, the better its nutrient level. That's why restaurant food can never be compared to home food. And that's why, instead of picking up salad from your favourite salad bar, you should take a tomato and cucumber with you and eat it as your own on-the-go salad.

Eat the veggies and fruits whole instead of cutting them into pieces, because you lose the vitamins on their surface. The larger the exposed area, the more the loss of nutrients. So eat a full apple, pear or plum, etc, and don't chop it into pieces. If it's a big fruit like a melon or papaya, which you simply have to cut, carve it into big pieces instead of ones that you eat with your fork. Hold the big piece in your hand and chew on it and literally let the juices flow. Messy, but quite satisfying. Also, do not store the cut veggies. Never ever buy cut-and-packed vegetables and fruits that are available in supermarkets. It's like buying food that's gone to rot.

Remain loyal to your genes and eat what you have been eating since childhood. If you are a Punjabi, eat your parantha without feeling guilty; if a Tamilian, eat your idli, dosa etc. For, right from the time you're in your mother's womb, your body is used to eating, digesting and assimilating certain foods - these we call gene food. Most of us now eat foods of all kinds, from across the world. But it's important to eat at least one meal that consists of our gene food.

Also, you must always try to eat local produce and seasonal food as much as possible. Remember, climate, altitude, humidity, wind, soil quality, etc influence our digestive system, hence ayurveda recommends we tweak our diet, habits and lifestyle according to the season. Take the example of Kareena Kapoor, who ate momos while shooting in Ladakh and these helped her lose weight because Ladakh is dry, windy, cold and at an altitude of 3,500 metres. If she eats too many momos in Mumbai, which is humid, hot and at sea level, she'd become fat. Likewise, mangoes are great in summer. Eat them just once a day as a mini meal and they'll give you a season's supply of antioxidants. Store them in your fridge for rains and you won't enjoy them as much; they won't taste half as good and would have lost most of their nutrients.

9 Things you should never assume at work

Do you feel that all your colleagues are friends? Or that your life is all about your job? You could be wrong.

We often make bad assumptions and then become disappointed when situations don't work out.

My job completes me – It's not your whole life, avoid the Work, Sleep, Repeat cycle or else your sense of self will erode any time your job disappoints you, reports the New York Daily News .

Your Money columnist Carolyn Kepcher, author of the best-selling book 'Carolyn 101,' tells you the top nine areas in which it's important to maintain a healthy sense of reality:

My boss reads my mind – Lobby for your promotion and take the initiative of talking to your boss about it. Many workers make the mistake of not engaging in any self-promotion at all - and then suffer the crushing disappointment of not receiving a pay raise, or a promotion.

Co-workers are friends – Although you may find friends at work, it's very important to draw boundaries. Unlike friendships or romances gone awry, you have no choice but to see your co-workers every single workday.

Salaries are set fairly – It's your responsibility to negotiate for a higher salary. Employers will pay what they feel they need to pay to hire and keep an employee, and nothing more.

H.R. is here to help me – They will help you, but their true job is to protect the organization. There are certain areas in which it may be best not to seek the H.R. department''s assistance, such as using them as a shoulder to cry on for your every workplace woe.

You aren't indispensable – Millions of workers learned that their jobs are not as secure as they once thought. Being valuable is realistic, feeling irreplaceable is not.

My personal life is my business – only as long as something that reflects poorly upon your employer. For example, you're probably not free to bad-mouth them on Facebook . Even if you do not face disciplinary action, your future career will take a hit.

I'll sue – Don't be naive. Filing a lawsuit alone takes a lot of money. Even if you are right, sometimes your only decision is whether to stay or to go. Righting wrongs can be a very costly mission.

My bosses are cool when I slack off – Do not take your job for granted. While you're accepting their pay, it's important to honour your end of the bargain, or expect them to reward your poor attitude by bestowing your job to someone who actually wants it.

Glazed Ham Balls Recipe

Sure to please your guests, this baked appetizer combines ham and fresh ground pork sausage with vegetables, mustard, spices, and a splash of whiskey. Ground ham is available in 1-pound rolls in most supermarket meat departments, but you can also grind your own in a grinder or food processor. These are so good, you will probably need to make a double batch for your party.
Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

Ham Balls:
1-1/2 cups soft bread crumbs (about 3 slices bread in food processor)
1 pound ground cooked ham, broken apart
1/2 pound fresh ground pork sausage (sage flavored is nice)
1/3 cup minced onion
1/4 cup minced celery
2 Tablespoons milk
1 egg
1 Tablespoon whiskey
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
.
Glaze:
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
4 teaspoons whiskey
1 Tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1 Tablespoon ketchup
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed jelly roll pan with non-stick foil.




Combine bread crumbs, ground ham, pork sausage, onion, and celery in a large bowl until evenly mixed.

In a small bowl, whisk together milk, egg, whiskey, dry mustard, pepper, and cloves. Scrape into ham mixture and thoroughly combine. Using about 1 tablespoon of the mixture for each, form into balls and place 1 inch apart on prepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes.

While the ham balls are baking, whisk together brown sugar, whiskey, brown mustard, ketchup, and balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over low heat. Simmer on low, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Set aside.

Place cooked ham balls in a large bowl and drizzle on the glaze. Gently toss to coat. Serve as an appetizer, warm in a chafing dish or low-heat crockpot.

Beer Brats (Bratwurst) Recipe

Popular at tailgate and Super Bowl parties, beer brats are good year-round. It is hard to believe you only need four simple ingredients to make this quick and tasty dish. Do not restrict yourself to bratwurst. Use this method with hot dogs, Italian sausage, knockwurst, or just about any link sausage. If you love onions, double the amount.
Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil or butter, divided use
6 bratwurst sausages (see Note)
1 large sweet onion, sliced into 1/4-inch rings
6 ounces (half a can or bottle) beer (see Note)
Preparation:

Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil or butter in a large Dutch oven. Brown bratwurst sausages until deep golden brown. (Do not puncture the sausages or they will become dry.) Remove to a platter.

To the drippings, add the remaining teaspoon of olive oil or butter and the sweet onion rings. Toss the onions to coat with the oil. Cook, stirring often, until onions are limp and golden but not brown.

Return the bratwurst to the onions and add the beer. Cook over medium heat, turning midway through, until beer has cooked down to a syrup, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Bratwurst may be served on buns with the onions or as an entree.

Yield: 6 servings

Note: Feel free to use this method with hot dogs, Italian sausage, knockwurst, or just about any link sausage. Dark beer gives a richer flavor, but a standard commercial lager will work just fine.

Kerala High Court clears way for India's first Islamic bank Read more: Kerala High Court clears way for India's first Islamic bank

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The secular republic of India is all set to have its first Islamic bank.

The Kerala High Court on Thursday dismissed petitions challenging the Kerala government's decision to establish India's first Islamic Bank which will work on the principles of Shariah.

The order came from a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice J Chalameswar and Justice P R Ramachandra Menon, which rejected petitions filed by Janata Party President Subramaniam Swamy and another. The petitioners contended that the state establishing a bank which will work on the principles of a religion will violate the principle of secularism enshrined in the Constitution. However, the court did not agree.

Reacting to the HC verdict, Swamy said he will consider appealing to the Supreme Court after going through the full text. ``I will challenge the same if it was dismissed on merits,'' he said.

The state had first floated the idea of establishing the bank under an entity registered as Al-Baraka Financial Services way back in December 2009. The bank was also to have a body of Islamic scholars to advise whether the principles of shariah were being complied with.

But in January 2010, the HC stayed the government's plans and issued notices to the RBI, Finance Ministry and Kerala State Industries Development Corporation (KSIDC) which was to hold 11 percent equity in Al-Baraka.

The RBI replied that the current laws did not permit such a bank.

With its plans running into rough weather, the state government too lost hope and even told the state assembly that its plan was not to establish an Islamic bank, but only a financial institution that would work on the interest-free principle.

Tips to boost your browsing skills

You probably spend a good amount of your computing time within the confines of a web browser. But are you making the most of that time?

You're not if you are relying on the same old browser habits that you developed years ago. The good news: There are plenty of ways in which you can supercharge your web browsing without resorting to a bunch of tricks that you'll likely forget.




One of the best-kept secrets of both Internet Explorer (IE) and Firefox is the caret browsing feature. Caret browsing essentially makes web pages more keyboard friendly - and web surfing a lot more productive, particularly if you spend much time at all selecting and copying text or graphics from a website.

With caret browsing activated, a text cursor appears within any web page, and moving the cursor around and highlighting text and graphics are very similar to performing the same actions in a word processing document.

In caret mode, the Tab key moves you from one major section of a web page to another, and the Enter key will activate any link on which the cursor is positioned.

You can activate (and de-activate) caret browsing by simply pressing the F7 key in both IE and Firefox. Google's Chrome has a version of caret browsing that involves first selecting some text and then using the Shift and arrow keys to select more.




Most elements of web browsers - menus, toolbars, status bars, and the like - are useless clutter once you've landed on a page that you want to read. To get rid of the clutter, simply tap the F11 key. All of the major browsers will launch into 'full screen' mode, showing you just your web page and none of the browser controls you don't need.

Press F11 again to return to the browser's previous state.

With Internet Explorer, you can still access your menus with in full screen mode. Just use the keyboard shortcuts (Alt-F, Alt-E, and so on), and the menus will hover over the web page.





One of the biggest time-zappers while surfing the internet today is waiting for ads to load - or waiting for them to leave you alone so that you can get to the content you need.

You can get rid of most ads altogether in a couple of ways. First, if you're a Firefox user, head straight for Adblock Plus (http://bit.ly/12oUg). Install this plugin, and in no time bothersome ads will be a distant memory.

This plugin can't zap all ads, but it takes care of most of them. Chrome users also now have a beta version of Adblock plus (http://bit.ly/7EABcN) that they can try.

If you're using IE, try Ad Muncher (http://bit.ly/3aCI27), which is also compatible with most other browsers.






Think about the operations you perform repeatedly in your browser using the mouse. There are probably keyboard shortcuts for most of them that can save you a lot of time.

Do you frequently return to your home page, for example? Hold down the Alt key and tap Home (Alt-Home) Need to find something on a web page? Ctrl-F activates the Find box. Need a new tab? Ctrl-T takes care of it. And how about switching among open tabs? Ctrl-Tab does the trick. These tricks work in all of the major browsers.





Web forms are everywhere these days, and most of them ask for the same information: your name, address, e-mail address, and perhaps your credit card if you're purchasing something.

Make short work of entering all of that information by enlisting the help of a form filler. The two best ones are LastPass (http://lastpass.com) and RoboForm (http://www.roboform.com).





You might love IE. You may swear by Firefox. You may be intrigued by Chrome. Regardless of which browser you prefer, one of the other browsers likely has a feature (or a add-on) that will let you get your work done faster.

There's no reason these days not to be acquainted with all of the major web browsers. That would be IE, Firefox, and Chrome. They're all free. They all get along with one another when installed on the same computer.

5 safety tips for Facebook

1) These days, Facebook may be the single best way online to keep in touch with friends, associates, far-flung family members, and people with similar interests. But if you're not careful, it's probably also the site most likely to get you into trouble.

Virtually every week, there's another news report about employers using Facebook to evaluate or screen employees or potential employees, making assumptions about character, trustworthiness, or conduct based upon Facebook postings or "friends."

Girlfriends and boyfriends, husbands and wives, friends and neighbours can check out each other's Facebook pages with ease, possibly jumping to erroneous conclusions about what shows up.


2) Whether you're active or not on Facebook, if you haven't visited the Privacy Settings area, you should put this on the top of your to-do list. In short, Facebook pages get indexed very well by the major search engines, and unless you know both what's on your page and what could be on your page as a result of friends' postings, you should take control pronto.

From Facebook, click Account in the upper right-hand corner, and from the drop-down menu, choose Privacy Settings. The Choose Your Privacy Settings page opens. Under Sharing on Facebook, go directly to the "Customise settings" link at the bottom of the Settings table, and make the most appropriate selections for what you wish to share with the world, your friends, and friends of your friends.

But don't stop there. Under the Connecting on Facebook section, click the "View Settings" link. The Connecting on Facebook page appears, and from there you make important decisions such as whether you can be found as a result of a standard search on Facebook and whether others can view your list of friends.

3) Consider Facebook a close relative of email. That means that anything you say, any picture you post, any member you befriend can be made public without too much trouble - regardless of your privacy settings. In the digital age, after all, everyone knows how to copy and paste, and screen captures can easily link you with a post on your wall. If you really want something to remain private, don't post it on Facebook.

4) A growing number of third-party social networking applications and websites -- such as TweetDeck for Twitter and Digsby for instant messaging -- are asking for access to your Facebook account so that updates can be sent two ways. Don't allow such access requests unless you know what you're getting into. Using third-party tools that are tied into Facebook might make you appear "online" on Facebook far more often than you actually are, for example - a potentially embarrassing situation.

Even when you do allow third-party access to your Facebook account, it's a good idea to visit the Apps and Websites section of your Facebook Privacy Settings page to see which programmes have been granted access. From Facebook, click Account, Privacy Settings,and then under Apps and Websites, click the "Edit your settings" link. Adjust the settings appropriately.


5) It may seem like a fine idea to accept all of your five most recent friend requests. But inevitably one or two of them will prove to be a nuisance, as they hog your wall with posts and come to resemble spammers with the number of updates they provide.

Pruning friends is nothing to be ashamed of, and you should do it on a regular basis. Don't worry about whether your friends will be notified if you remove them. Facebook does not send out a notice to people you have removed as friends.

6) If keeping an eye on your Facebook account is proving to be too much trouble, or if you started a Facebook account and never use it, take the time at least to deactivate your account. Doing so will rid you of the worry of what does and does not show up on your Facebook page. To deactivate, click Account in the upper-right hand corner of your page, and select Account Settings. At the very bottom of the choices on the resulting screen, find Deactivate Account, and click the "deactivate" link to the right.