With the beginning of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, I thought it would be nice to put together a recipe all of us can enjoy.

Many families enjoy a meal of grilled or roasted meat on this holiday and who doesn’t so why not go with that!

Also considering winter is slowly closing in us, we might as well put those grills to use one last time before it’s a no go.

Rosh Hashanah Honey Chicken Kabobs

Serving Size: 7-8

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons of Vegetable Oil
• 3 Tablespoons of Honey
• 3 Tablespoons of Soy Sauce
• 1-2 Cloves of Garlic
• 1 Teaspoon of Lemon Juice
• 3 Small White Onions Chopped Into Squares
• 2 Bell Peppers Chopped Into Squares
• 1/8 Teaspoon or More of Black Pepper
• 1/8 Teaspoon of Onion Powder
• 6 Chicken Breasts Cubed

Preparation

1. Grab yourself a big bowl of some sort and toss in the vegetable oil, soy sauce, honey, black pepper and all your other ingredients except for the chicken, onions and bell peppers. Go ahead and whisk all of it together till your satisfied.
2. Pour yourself out some of the sweet mixture so you can brush it on the kabobs while cooking.
3. Mix in your chicken, peppers and onions, coating them with the marinade. Once mixed you can place that away in the fridge for 2-3 hours.
4. When you’re ready to cook them just drain away the marinade and skewer them in an alternating fashion while you’re heating up the grill.
5. Head out to the grill with your kabobs and marinade you sat aside in step 2 for basting. Now just grill them up for 15 minutes or so while consistently turning and basting them with the marinade.
6. You’re all done! Go and enjoy!

Curious About Rosh Hashanah?

Rosh Hashanah is a Jewish holiday known as literally the Jewish New Year. The name translated means, “First of the Year” or “Head of the Year”. It is a two day celebration taking place on the first and second days of Tishri — the seventh month of the Jewish year.

The first day is celebrated as an anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve and their roles with God. Similarly to the New Years resolutions that take place in the United States, Rosh Hashanah is also a time of reflection for the Jewish people.

Did you know that October 24th was United Nations Day? We didn’t really care either but why not get in on the festivities with a recipe suitable for the holiday.

We thought a great way to celebrate United Nations Day would be to cook up something from a culture other than our own. That’s why we are bringing you this easy Russian recipe for Russian Green Bean and Potato Soup!

There’s no better time of year for hearty soups and stews than fall so this should be a perfect fit.

United Nations Day Recipe: Russian Style

Throw on your furry hat, slam a shot of vodka and whip this Russian recipe to celebrate United Nations Day!

Ingredients:

1. 1 Tablespoon of Vegetable or Canola Oil
2. 2 Tablespoons of Wheat Flour
3. 1 White Onion – Halved and Sliced Thinly
4. 1/2 Cup Sour Cream
5. 1 Cup of Sauerkraut
6. 4 Red or 2 White Potatoes Cubed
7. 2 Cups of Green Beans
8. 1 Tablespoon of Dill
9. 5 Cups of Vegetable or Chicken Stock
10. Salt and Pepper to Taste

Preparation:

1. Grab a large saucepan and heat your vegetable oil up over medium heat.
2. Toss in your thinly sliced onions and cook until they begin to caramelize in the pan. This takes 5 to 6 minutes.
3. Add in your green beans and potatoes and cook for an additional 5 to 6 minutes until they begin to soften slightly.
4. Pour in your 5 cups of stock and bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and simmer over medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until your potatoes become soft and cooked.
5. Mix together your sour cream and flour and begin to mix it into your saucepan a little at a time.
6. Grab your last two ingredients and mix in your sauerkraut and dill. Once mixed, let the mixture simmer for 5 more minutes.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve!

Grab your ingredients and get ready to rock it out Russian style with this United Nations Day recipe. If you have some unique recipes you think would be perfect for United Nations Day then please leave them in the comments section below.

Fall is in the air and that means it’s time to break out that heavier wardrobe. To make things simple check out these 3 fall fashion classics you need now!

Each fall, there are always those several items that most fashion gurus would refer to as classic pieces.

These fall classics seem to not only mix and match with most current collections, but offer many more options for future purchases.

With the cool autumn breeze sweeping in, here are the top three classics for fall fashion this season.

Top 3 Fall Fashion Classics

Trench Coats: Coats are always in style for fall, as they provide much needed warmth for those more chilly days, but styles and trends for coats come and go, and nothing really sticks. Except for the very famous trench, which has been in style for many years, and they are that classic piece that matches everything!

Tall Boots: Tall boots always dress up a denim look, and even wear into the winter months. While keeping your feet warm, they keep your look fresh. Boots can appear to be another layer, if applying a layered look for the day.

They also look phenomenal with tights, skirts or dresses, while keeping the cold air off of your skin. Whether your boots have buckles and straps, or are smooth and simple, this footwear is a must-have for fall.

Leather Bag: It always seems that the bigger the bag, the better!  There is always something new to carry, whether an umbrella or a large wallet. Some women are even using their large leather bags as a modern diaper bag for children’s needs. Leather bags are now available in a number of colors, designs and sizes. A fun and trendy accessory for any fall combination, a leather bag is a must for this upcoming season.

Fall is a fun and exciting portion of the year-round season change. The crisp air allows for a variety of looks and accessorizing options. With simple classic pieces, this fall can be a fantastic reason to check out your online boutiques.

Do you love leggings as much as I do? If so check out these 7 tips on how to rock leggings like you have a stylist. Leggings have become a fashion staple that has caused trends on both the runway and the streets. And it’s no wonder!

The wonderful things we call leggings are the ultimate combination between comfort and style, and are constantly evolving as designers continue to look for ways to reinterpret them. From metallic to lace to denim looks, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the options available. Here are the 7 basic tips on how to wear leggings.

How to Rock Leggings

• Lengthy tops are best with leggings. For shorter tops, consider a skirt or shorts over the leggings. Either way, your behind should not be showing!

• Avoid tight clothing because it may look too severe and, in some cases, you could be mistaken as being in the middle of a workout when you’re actually not.

• Be sure to buy the correct size or you may risk unwanted bulges! Ideally, they should fit comfortably at the waist.

• Look for opaque tights rather than sheer ones, as the latter can look like pantyhose instead.

• When choosing colors or styles, match them accordingly to the rest of your outfit. For example, if your top is colorful or beautifully embellished, compliment them with simple black leggings. For subtler tops, experiment with bold colors or exciting designs.

• Pumps, flats, and boots (whether of the thigh-high or the ankle kind) are the perfect footwear to complete your look. Pair calf-length leggings with flats and for longer leggings, wear them with pumps or tuck them into boots.

• Matching the color of your leggings with your shoes can also make your legs look longer. Likewise, too many colors will divide your leg and make you seem shorter.

Use these 7 tips on how to rock leggings and I guarantee you’ll never have problems pairing them up perfectly before you head out the door.

How many times have you wanted to make pasta at home but got scared off?

You can stop hiding now because from today forward you’ll know exactly how to make your own homemade pasta by hand.

To use this pasta making technique you won’t need any fancy rollers or pasta making machines at all, you’ll just need a few key ingredients, a little bit of time and your trusty hands.

Best of all it’ll only take you 10 minutes using this method and you’ll be dropping those noodles into the water before you know it.

Another great perk of making your own homemade pasta is that you can change the recipe, like for example you can use wheat flour as opposed to white and make it healthier from the start.

Make Your Own Homemade Pasta the Old School Way

Ingredients

1. 2 Cups White or Wheat Flour or Both
2. 1 Egg
3. Olive Oil (Optional)
4. Fork
5. Hands

Pasta Making Time

The first thing you’ll want to do is take your two cups of flour and dump them into a mound on the work space in front of you. Make them into a nice little volcano like mound and then use your fingers to open up a hole in the top of it.

Now go ahead and crack your egg into a mixing bowl or cup along with a drizzle of olive oil if you’d like. Mix those two together till they are combined.

This is the part where you’re going to dump about half of your egg and olive oil mix into the hole you created in your flour mound. Next take your fork and begin to mix around your egg mixture while it’s in the flour. Keep mixing until you get a fairly gooey ball of dough.

Now grab up of your dough ball and push the remaining flour to the side. Are you ready for the fun part?

Take take gooey dough and place it back on your work surface and push it down with the palm of your hand a little bit. You’ll notice that it is awfully wet so sprinkle a little flour over it and push it down once again.

What you’ll want to do now is push it down a bit so it spread out some and then begin folding the sides in on itself, turning the dough as you do it. So you’ll push down, fold the two sides in, push down again and continue turning and repeating the process until it firms up to that familiar dough consistency.

Along the way you may find you’ll need to add more flour as you work the dough so go right ahead and add some in the midst of your folding fun.

Get Ready to Cook the Pasta

Sit the dough aside while you get your water boiling, which will take just enough time for you to finish your homemade pasta.

Grab up your rolling pin and with your hands on the pin itself, roll out your dough until you reach the point that you can actually see your hand through the pasta. Don’t roll it out like a pizza dough but rather in more of a long rectangular shape simply by working the pin back and forth.

Once you’ve done this, fold the dough in half on itself and use a sharp knife to cute the noodles to the width that you desire.

At this stage your water should be just about boiling and ready for you to drop that homemade pasta into the water. So there you have it! You just made your own homemade pasta by hand.

TIPS

Add an extra egg yolk for more “pasta” coloring.

You can keep fresh pasta in your refrigerator for about 3 days.

If you dry out your homemade pasta it’ll last for up to 3 months!

Watch the Step by Step

A franchise business? How could that be a bad choice? Unfortunately behind the brand recognition hides some ugly truths that show the downsides of owning a franchise business.

Anyone who has considered opening there own business has most likely at some point considered jumping into a franchise business model. With all the hype and supposed ease of a turnkey opportunity, it can become very attractive to those who aren’t well versed in the arena.

You see the thing is the hype and sales pitches are exactly that: there to lure you into how easy it can really be to own your own business! Just pay this small franchise key and start rolling in the money! Well it’s certainly true that some franchise fees can be as little as $10,000 but most of them aren’t even well known enough to gain the benefit of brand recognition.

So to get the perks of the big brand name you’re more likely to have to shell out 50, 75 or even more than $100,000 and that’s just the franchise fee.

What Do You Get for Paying a Franchise Fee

Now this may come as a shocker to many but all you get for that franchise fee, get ready for it, is the right to use their brand new in a given market!

That’s right, you don’t get a custom built building, a warehouse full of supplies or even a name tag sporting their logo on it. Please do not get it misconstrued, not all franchise opportunities are bad and there are definitely so times where owning one is the best option you can get but tread very lightly because if you’re not in that situation you may want to reconsider.

So Now Do I Get to Start My Franchise Business?

Sorry in advance for the let down but no you don’t. Next you’ll need to locate an existing property or have one custom built from scratch to the specifications of the parent company.

So if you were thinking of a great old building to pop that burger joint into, you’ll have to guess again. The corporate structure is one of replication and structure, in other words it has to be their way or not at all. This is an area many would-be franchisees over look in their planning. They dive in, pay that franchise fee and don’t realize they will most likely need far more capital than they had prior to paying the fee. Mostly like the costs after the franchise fee will far exceed that cost.

Pulling from personal experience, some years back a friend of mine decide to open a franchise of a popular sub sandwich shop. Needless to say he got in cheap and paid under $35,000 for the franchise fee, unfortunately it ended costing him the remortgaging of his house to renovate the space for the business which came in at a total of over $150,000.

He indeed went through the process and swallowed the huge amount of debt, but what did he get out of it? Currently he is making about $30-$40,000 a year in net profits. You’d expect a lot more, don’t you think?

I Paid the Franchise Fees and the Building Costs!

At this point you figure you’re in the clear and it’s time for money making! Time to cut costs where they may need it and get increasing that profit, right? Wrong! Part of the franchise agreement also requires you to only buy supplies and promotional materials from the company themselves (another cash cow for them).

You can’t serve with a different tray, different cups or even a different advertising campaign. You’re now part of their system and the only option is to abide by it. That’s another downside of a franchise business, aside from the astronomical costs, you do not gain the personal freedoms that come with being a business owner.

In essence you paid all of that money for the brand recognition and to become a general manager of a location of theirs. Of course you do get that net profit though after all expenses are paid, just don’t forget the company has to be paid a yearly percentage as well. Did you think the franchise fee was all they would want? Not at all!

They expect you to pay them every single year you’re in business and it never ends. 40 years into owning it and you’ll still be paying the price. As you can see, there are certainly a plethora of downsides to owning a franchise business but it can still be a great opportunity for some.

Who the Hell Would Want a Franchise?

The ideal franchise business owner is the type of person who simply wants to own a business but doesn’t necessarily have the personal passion of owning a business. Lets say for example that you just retired from your job and have a pile of retirement money waiting to be burnt through to try to extend it and hopefully add more to it.

You don’t necessarily have a vision for a business or any certain idea or trade that is your dream you wish to make come true. Put simply you just want to manage a business and get a chunk of the profits. You’d be a prime candidate for a franchise business. If structure, similar to that of a corporate job or that of a general manager is the working situation you excel at then you’d also be a great potential owner.

Another great personality type for a franchisee is the type of person who loves to work hard regardless of what it’s on and through their dedication solely, reap the rewards. On the other hand if you are a true blue entrepreneur with a vision and a passion for a certain product, service or idea, than you’ll probably drive yourself to the brink of insanity working in the franchise business world.

So before any of you dive on into investing that savings or pulling that monster loan to get yourself a franchise, analyze exactly what it is you want out of owning your own business and what is important to you. Doing so will save you a lot of money, frustration and time all wrapped up into one sweet little package.

All of us ladies know that having that one perfect yet simple dress is our wardrobe is a must have so long as you know how to choose a dress. That last thing any of us want is to walk outside thinking we look fabulous and in reality look like a hot mess.

There is nothing worse than not feeling confident in something you wear, so knowing how to shop according to your body type is a much needed skill in the arsenal of awesomeness.

For those of you who don’t know how to do this, no worries because I’m going to explain how to choose a dress that’s perfectly complimentary to your shape and will leave you feeling like the beautiful swans that you all are. No more ugly ducklings round here!

Step 1: Identify Your Body Type Before Buying a Dress

Most women fit into one of the following different body types:

• The Hourglass (We all know what this looks like)
• The Pear Shape (Think of a pear; small at the top and juicier at the bottom)
• The Apple Shape (Bustier Gals, Broader Shoulders and Torso)
• The Smartphone (Okay I made this one up but it’s for rectangular shapes)
• The Circle: (For those of us with a midriff that attracts weight like a magnet)

Now go ahead and check yourself out, decide which category your body falls into and get ready to turn up those dress shopping skills!

Final Step: Choose Dresses That Work for Your Shape

I know you’re probably wondering where the heck the information on that is but don’t worry here it comes. The key to this is choosing styles that work for you and avoiding those that don’t at all costs! Now on we go to learning how to choose a dress like a pro.

The Hourglass

You have by far the easiest and most sought after shape due to how simple it is to pick flattering outfits that will work with your body type.

Due to your naturally wonderful genetics you’ll be able to indulge in all sorts of styles from form fitting and corseted looks to strapless dresses and flare out comfortable styles that are perfect for spring and summer especially.

The only thing you might want to steer clear of are those overly beaded, rhinestone covered, heavily decorated dresses due to the fact they may make you seem much heavier than you may want.

The Pear Shape

As a woman with a smaller top that leads to fuller hips you have a shape that is quite common and very easy to dress. Your focus will be on dresses that enhance your top while drawing the eye away from your hips.

To accomplish this go for dresses that a flare from the waist down and unlike those with the hourglass shape, you can rock those choices with embellished tops which will in turn fill out the top to bring you more into perfect proportion with your lower half.

Another great tip is to try on some two tone options that have a darker bottom and a lighter top. Not only as these cute as can be but they also keep those eyes up top instead of the area you are working to even out.

The Apple Shape

Although this body type is the hardest to dress, it’s about to get a lot easier! Whether you are trying to counteract that big bust, draw attention from your shoulders or even hide away that post-pregnancy belly, these tips will work for all those situations.

For starters stay away from those tiny cap sleeve options, ultra clingy fabrics and dresses with halter style tops. Instead go for a dress option that cinches in a bit at the waist and flares out at the bottom. Basically what you want to do is help create the shape you’re looking for.

A halter dress or clingy option will accentuate broader shoulders, a larger bust and a form fitting choice will draw attention to all the wrong places. So go with something with a V-Neck or a plunging neckline with a fuller skirt to even out your top and bottom. This is create the perfect shape while at the same time eliminated that top heavy look.

The Smart Phone

Now when it comes to you more rectangular ladies you’ll have a slew of options as well because our basic goal here is to increase your curvaceousness while drawing those eyes towards your bust and waist.

To add more fullness to the bust shoot for a dress with ruching, embellishments and beaded tops. This will create the look of a larger bust and add those are curves in the right places. Also dresses that cinch in at the waist such as an empire waist line or even a flared puffy skirt with a form fitting bodice will put those curves right where you want them.

Another easy tip to remember is to nab up dresses with patterns and prints galore because your body type can pull them off as easy as can be.

The Circle

If it seems like no matter what you do those annoying extra pounds head straight for your tummy, don’t fret because I have you covered.

This is a super common problems for tons of women and with a few tricks you can get looking and feeling like a million with ease. What we are gunning for here is elongating the look of your body, drawing those eyes right where we want them and that shape back into your swag.

So you’ll want to focus on slimming styles and for those of you with a larger bust you’ll definitely want to snatch up those plunging necklines which are sure to draw those eyes right up towards your face (close enough anyway!).

An A-Line dress with a deep V-Neck is a sure winner when it comes to this shape. Stay away from tons of patterns, prints and choices that cover all of your skin. Empire style choices also help to put that waist line where you want it while knowing the gradual flare will conceal your tummy, waist and hips.

Well there you have it girls! Follow those simple tips and you’ll be on your way to looking fabulous because now you’ll know how to choose a dress and pull it off like a professional. Now go get ’em!

If you love Indian dishes or want to start making some of your own you’ll need this recipe for an authentic Garam Masala. It’s not until you get into cooking some Indian recipes, do you realize the importance of knowing how to make authentic Indian Garam Masala.

I can personally remember it clear as can be, there I am with all my ingredients ready to rock in the kitchen, freshly printed off recipe from the internet and pumped to get whipping some Indian food. Trying to be all TV chef like I start measuring ingredients out into some little ramekins and as my eyes shoot down the list of stuff I need, there it is; Garam Masala. What the heck?!

Needless to say, the Indian chef fun for the night was then delayed for another day. That’s exactly what you don’t want to deal with when you’re ready to whip your next curry.

So we’ve put together this authentic recipe for you to use so you’ll never be stuck in a situation like that because it sucks!

Authentic Garam Masala Recipe Ingredients

1. 4 Tablespoons of Coriander Seeds
2. 1 Tablespoon of Cumin Seeds
3. 1 Tablespoon of Black Pepper
4. 1/4 Tablespoon of Cloves
5. 1/4 Tablespoon of Cinnamon
6. 1/4 Tablespoon of Nutmeg
7. 1/4 Tablespoon of Bay Leaves
8. 1/4 Tablespoon of Dry Ginger
9. 1/4 Tablespoon of Cardamoms
10. 1 Star Anise

Preparation

Now to make the Garam Masala it’s a two part process. First you’ll want to dump all these ingredients into a warm pan with nothing in it at all. There’s no need for oil or anything else, you’ll want to dry roast these spices slowly. Once they start kicking up that sweet scent of Indian goodness, it’s time to take them off the heat.

This stuff can burn fast so just warm and stir them around till it’s kicking up that funk. Now you can move on to step two which is grinding all this stuff up.

You can rock a mortar and pestle or toss it all into a coffee grinder. Whichever method you choose just make sure to grind it all up into a powder and there you have it! Your very own homemade and authentic Indian Garam Masala.

Take this recipe and multiply out the ingredients if you want to whip a huge batch of it up because it can store fine in a sealed container for months on end.

If you’re short on time you can always order up some Garam Masala and have it shipped right to your door.