6 Delicious Build-Your-Own Party Meals

Are you planning a gathering for friends and family? Do you dread cooking for a house full of people? Well, instead of spending all your time in the kitchen, let guests get in on the fun, with one of these delicious, build-your-own party meals. Prep everything, and then let the guests customize their food as they like! Click on the party idea below for all the details of how to pull it off successfully.

Taco Bar

Homemade Pizza Party

Baked Potato Bar 

Avocado Bar

Crepe Party

Ice Cream Social

Low Sodium Cooking: 4 Great Tips To Add Flavor, Not Salt

If you suffer from high blood pressure, or are just trying to get healthier by cutting back on your salt intake, check out these 4 great tips for low sodium cooking. Try incorporating them into your diet, and you'll feel better in no time!

Use lots of spices
Instead of thinking of a low-sodium diet as a set-back, think about it as a chance to try all the amazing spices you've been longing to try. Salt is a flavor enhancer, so if you bring more flavor and spice to your meal, you won't miss it!

Have fun with vinegars, oils, molasses, jams, and marmalades
Store-bought condiments often contain a lot salt. Instead of reaching for the BBQ or Ketchup, add a dash of a flavored vinegar or oil, molasses, and even a homemade fruity jam or marmalade.

Add extra citrus!
Instead of relying on salt, add fresh lemon or lime juice to your meal brighten up the flavors. This trick works great for steamed vegetables, grilled chicken, hearty pastas, and more.

Make it appealing to the eye
Always remember, we eat with our eyes first. So, be sure to present your low-sodium meal in an attractive way. Use your favorite plates, nice glassware, and add a few garnishes to the final preparation. 

Baking Tip: How To Successfully Double A Recipe

Have you doubled a recipe, only to have the end result look nothing like it did when you made just a single batch? Well, you're not alone. Baking is a science, and calls for very exact measurements. The next time you're baking up a storm, keep these calculations in mind to achieve the best results.

Cakes, Muffins, and Quick Breads
These baked items are the main offenders when it comes to disappointing doubling. The culprit? — typically the baking soda and baking powder. The next time you're baking a big batch, you can simply double all the other ingredients, but re-calculate the baking soda and baking powder based on the following ratio: 1 to 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder per cup of all-purpose flour OR 1/4 teaspoon baking soda per cup of all-purpose flour. Also, if your recipe contains an acidic ingredient, such as yogurt or buttermilk, include an extra 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda per cup of an acidic ingredient.

Cookies and Bars
Luckily, recipes such as these can usually be doubled without too much of an issue. If you're looking for puffy, cake-like cookies, remember the baking soda and baking powder ratios as outlined above. Also, you can try refrigerating the cookie dough between batches so the dough doesn't become too soft in the hot kitchen, as this will cause the cookies to spread more than usual while baking.

Breads and Rolls
Yeast is a much less temperamental agent than baking soda and baking powder. For that reason, yeast-risen breads and rolls can be doubled without needing to adjust any of the quantities in the recipe. If you're tripling or quadrupling, however, it's best to weigh your ingredients rather than measuring them by volume to make sure the ratios stay consistent.

4 Tips To Care For Houseplants

Plants not only bring life into your space, but they can make your house feel even more like a home. Even if your interior is tiny, bringing in a small plant or two is a great idea. Here are 4 tips to help you care for indoor plants even if you don't have a green thumb. 

  1. Humidity. Plants need additional humidity to thrive. Mist your plants occasionally, or bring them into the bathroom when you take a shower.
  2. Light Control. Check to see how much light your plant requires, and place it accordingly in your space. Too much or too little light can negatively affect its growth. 
  3. Watering. Again, check and see how much water your plant requires, and follow the guidelines. Especially in a small space, it's easy to remember to water your plant if its in a highly visible area. 
  4. Design. Plants enhance the style and design of your home. Pick out pretty pots, and make sure that they're big enough to provide adequate room for the plant's roots! 

Five Camera Apps for Smartphones

Thanks to the latest cutting-edge technology, our phones are becoming so influential in our lives, they can now do almost anything. Today, your phone can take the place of your laptop, calculator, MP3 player, and even camera. In fact, phones can take such great pictures nowadays, there's really no need to carry around an extra digital camera. Take your pictures to the next level with these camera apps for your phone. 

Snapseed
With just a few taps on your phone you can improve the quality of your picture with Snapseed. Instead of running your picture through multiple editing programs, this one app will create high quality photos. 

Instagram
Instagram lets you share pictures with your friends and followers. Every picture can be edited to have a fun filter to change the look of the picture. Tag each picture with a caption and keywords so people can search for your pictures, not just your friends. 

Camera Art FX
Create works of art instead of just normal pictures with all the special effects available with Camera Art FX. Watch in real time as a personal sketch artist in your phone creates pictures that resemble cartoons, neon lights, vintage photos, silent films, and more. 

Photosynth
There's no need to take group pictures in small segments anymore. Photosynth allows you to take panoramic pictures so you can get your entire party in one picture seamlessly. 

Camera+
Basically a more high tech version of the original camera on your phone. Camera+ lets you tap to adjust focus and exposure. There's even a stability feature to make pictures less shaky. After you take the picture you can adjust with filters and more. 

Improve Your Work-Day Lunchtime

When it's time for lunch at work, what does that translate to? Scarfing down a sandwich while scrolling through your Twitter feed in as little time as possible? Though a work-day lunch at your desk may never be as pleasant and enjoyable as Sunday brunch, it doesn't have to be painful, either!  Below are a few ways to make it a little nicer.

Take a break from the computer
If you're generally on your computer all day, try bringing a magazine instead of surfing the web while you eat. Sometimes, just doing a different activity during lunch makes it feel like more of a break from the daily grind. Or, try bringing headphones and listening to music, news, or a podcast while you enjoy your meal.

Pack tasty food
If you are not looking forward to what you have in your lunch bag, it's easier to just keep working, or ditch your homemade meal for takeout. When you bring healthy, delicious food that you enjoy, that translates into a happier, more satisfying lunch.

Dine with a real plate and utensils, if possible
Instead of shoving down your meal in as little time as possible, slow down and treat it like a real meal. Also, it's generally harder for coworkers to interrupt your break when they realize that you need to wash your plate when you're done eating, not just stuff it in the trash can.

End with some fresh air
This is important — give yourself at least five minutes after you finish your meal to stand up from your desk, step out of the office, and clear your head before returning to work. Budgeting enough time for even a short walk around the block during your lunch break can make a huge difference in your day, and leave you feeling much more prepared to take on the remainder of the day.

Five Flexible Career Choices for Recent Graduates

Getting your college degree is only the start of your life in the workplace. It can be extremely difficult for a new graduate to find a position in the industry of their choosing, so many new graduates are looking for more flexible positions to pay the bills while they search. Here are five good choices.

Medical and health care jobs are the leading providers of flexible hours in the work marketplace today. If you studied anything medicine-related, a position as a nurse’s assistant or medical transcriptionist is a good use of your degree while you look for a better job.

Online teaching and tutoring is a popular career field for a number of different groups of people. Your recent exposure to pedagogical methods will help you here, and the best part is you never have to leave your computer, freeing your day up for job hunting.

Sales is also an excellent interim job for recent college graduates. Because your salary is usually at least partially dependent on commissions, you can work as much or as little as you need to in between applying for other jobs.

Customer service is also a popular choice for recent college graduates. These jobs typically have heavy turnover, so positions are usually available. Schedules are typically fairly flexible as well.

If all else fails, try microworking – this new trend of completing small, low-paying jobs on the Internet can be done in your spare time, making you able to work from any location. It’s ideal for salting away small amounts of money while you use your degree to find your dream job.

Stuck In An Exercise Rut? Try These 5 Ways To Get Motivated!

Even the most dedicated fitness buffs experience a lack of motivation once in a while. If you're no longer enjoying your current exercise routine, below are some ways to get out of your rut and reinvigorate your motivation!

Get into the groove.  If you enjoy listening to music when you work out, why not switch up your tunes! You'll be surprised how a new playlist can totally pump up your routine! Need some suggestions? Check out all the new releases and exercise recommendations in the iTunes store for anything that strikes your fancy: the less familiar to you, the better!

Dress to impress. Feeling frumpy? Head to your local sports store and indulge in some new workout gear. You'll be delighted to see how eager you are to get to the gym to show off your new pair of workout pants, dri fit shirt, or new sneaks.

Kick it up a notch. If boredom has crept in, we can tend to slack off a bit. Instead, try a more challenging class, indulge in a session with a personal trainer to get some tips, or purchase a new work out DVD.

Give it away. If your workout regimen has slowed to a halt because you're all caught up in calories burned, why not work out for charity instead?! Sign up for a 5K race or a relay event that will help you raise money for a cause you care about, and do the work for someone else!

Foodgawker: Beautiful Food, Delicious Recipes

Foodgawker is an awesome, food-based photo gallery that allows you to visually search and discover new recipes, techniques, and ingredients. Both the website and app, feature gorgeous food photography that has been submitted by food bloggers from around the world.

Foodgawker is great for foodies and aspiring chefs, and the site and app publish new images multiple times a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year! Plus, there is also an extensive archive of recipes that you can visually browse and search by category, tags, and popularity.

Like something you see? Just click on the image, and you'll be taken to the submitter's blog post where you'll find a recipe. Even better, both the website and the app are free, and will provide you with an endless stream of ideas, recipes, and food-related inspiration!

Ready to gawk at some gorgeous food? Check out Foodgawker today!

Great Cars for Moms-On-The-Go

If you’re a busy mom on-the-go, you know how important a safe, spacious, and reliable can be to your sanity. If you’re wondering what car might be the best for you, check out the list below to find your new set of wheels!

Dodge Grand Caravan
If you roll your eyes at the idea of a minivan, you may want to reconsider, and look at the Dodge Grand Caravan. This minivan has been completely remade, and is still as reliable as ever. Plus, it offers great storage space and plenty of room for all your kids, plus the dog, and the groceries! And, it rings in at just over 20K – that’s a lot of car for that price!

Hyundai Elantra GLS
More of a sedan-person? Check out the new Hyundai Elantra GLS. The sleek exterior certainly does not scream “soccer mom”, and it’s very fuel efficient, getting 29 miles per gallon in the city, and 40 mpg on the highway.

Kia Forte 5-Door SX
This cute hatchback is sporty and fun! Plus, it offers you more cargo space than a traditional sedan-style vehicle. It gets 36 mpg on the highway, and starts at just under $20,000, which makes it affordable for families.

Jeep Grand Cherokee
If you’re looking for a reliable, stylish SUV, look no further. The Jeep Grand Cherokee has been around for years, and has gained a reliable reputation as a sturdy, well-made, dependable vehicle. Plus, this car affords you tons of cargo space!