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How to Toast Coconut: Three Simple Methods

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Toasted coconut adds rich, nutty sweetness to any recipe and is essential to many desserts. If you’ve ever wondered how to toast coconut yourself, you can stop wondering now. There are actually three ways to do it. Each of these methods will give you wonderfully crunchy, sweet coconut that’s ready for all your recipes.

How to Toast Coconut

Here’s Why You Need to Know How to Toast Coconut

Toasted coconut goes on anything. Use it as a topping for meringue pies. Blend it into frosting and use it to frost donuts, brownies and cookies. It’s a classic ingredient in German chocolate cake and coconut layer cake. It makes a wonderful topping for oatmeal or yogurt. It adds natural richness without adding high amounts of sugar or fat.

Toasting your own at home is incredibly easy, and you’ll find a lot of uses for it once you learn how. Plain coconut is fine, but toasted coconut really elevates a dish. Get toasting now and get ready to explore a whole new taste sensation.

How to Toast Coconut
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How To Toast Coconut In the Oven

Baking in the oven will give you deep golden coconut that’s wonderfully fragrant. This is the best method for making large batches. It also makes the whole house smell great.

Author Good Living Guide

Ingredients

  • Flaked or shredded Coconut

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.

  2. Cover your baking sheet with parchment paper or baking paper.
  3. Spread the flaked or shredded coconut on the sheet.
  4. Bake for three minutes.
  5. Use spatula to stir the flakes.
  6. Continue baking, checking the coconut every three to four minutes, until coconut turns light golden brown. Keep checking to make sure the coconut doesn't burn. It usually takes under 15 minutes to toast the full batch.
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How To Toast Coconut On The Stovetop

This is best if you're only toasting a couple of cups. It's hard to manage if you're toasting large amounts of coconut. This is quick and easy.

Author Good Living Guide

Ingredients

  • Flaked or shredded coconut

Instructions

  1. Place coconut flakes on the skillet.
  2. Turn heat to medium-high.
  3. Heat coconut, stirring occasionally.
  4. After about five minutes, the coconut should be golden brown.
How To Toast Coconut
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How To Toast Coconut In The Microwave

This method works best if you're toasting a small amount of coconut. If you need to whip up a quick batch for a recipe and you're in a hurry, this is the ideal method. These directions are for a half-cup of flakes.

Author Good Living Guide

Ingredients

  • Flaked or shredded coconut

Instructions

  1. Place coconut in microwave-safe dish or bowl.
  2. Microwave at full power for 45 seconds. Stir the coconut.
  3. Continue doing this until the coconut turns light golden brown. It should not take more than three minutes total.

What Will You Make With Your Toasted Coconut?

There are many great recipes that use toasted coconut, but here are some especially good ones to get your taste buds in gear. Get indulgent with irresistible Toasted Coconut Cream Truffles or super moist Coconut Cream Cake.

Throw caution to the winds and go all out for full coconut indulgence. Make these Toasted Coconut-Pecan Cupcakes with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting.

Enjoy every nutty bite of these fabulous desserts.

How to Toast Coconut

How to Cut Your Own Hair at Home | Step-By-Step Guide

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During this unprecedented time, most of us are facing a new reality. Many are spending most of their days at home in self-isolation. All but essential businesses are closed. Perhaps you’ve found yourself in need of a hair trim. Maybe you’re tired of pushing your hair out of your eyes. Fortunately, it’s possible to take matters into your own hands. Keep reading to learn how to cut your own hair at home. Follow these steps, and you’ll be looking refreshed without regret in no time.

How to Cut Your Own Hair

GATHER YOUR TOOLS

You’ll want to get your supplies in order and have them at hand before you begin. Some towels to catch the fallen hair, a handheld mirror to see your head at all angles and the sharpest scissors you can find should do the trick. Avoid using regular household scissors if possible. They won’t give you a precise cut and will lead to frayed edges. If you can order professional hair shears, that’s best. Otherwise, use the sharpest scissors you own. You’ll get a cleaner cut and have more control with sharper shears.

CONSIDER STARTING WITH DRY HAIR

You may be used to having your hair cut when it’s wet. That’s because stylists are properly trained to cut the hair with the most precision. Because you’re new at this, you probably won’t want to try to be so exact. A better approach may be to start with clean, dry hair. This ensures your hair falls into its usual style so that you can use that shape as a guide. It also helps to prevent cutting too much. Remember, hair shrinks up once it’s dry.

TAKE SMALL STEPS

The most important thing to keep in mind when cutting your own hair is to start with small cuts. It’s good to cut less length that you want because you can always cut more if you’re not satisfied. However, there’s nothing you can do to fix it once you’ve chopped too much. You also want to section your hair off with clips and work in small sections at a time. Each section should be an inch or two in width. This allows you to see what you’re working with and to take your time.

Start at the front. Hold a small section of hair between your fingertips and use short, upward snips. You don’t want to cut straight across, as this can be too harsh. It also makes mistakes more glaringly obvious. Repeat this process with each section. Take your time and remember you can always go back to fix any uneven spots.

Keep these tips in mind when cutting your own hair at home. Even a small trim can make a big difference in your appearance and your mood.

TECHNIQUES FOR CUTTING LONG AND SHORT HAIR

For those of you with long hair, this is an easy method you might want to try.

If you have shorter hair, here is a great tutorial that’s easy to follow.

How to Cut Your Own Hair

How to Grow Your Own Potatoes in a Bag or Container

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They’re tasty boiled, baked, mashed, fried and roasted. If you’re a fan of spuds, you can now grow your own easily in a bag or a bucket. If you have a tiny garden or no garden at all, you can grow tasty, nutritious potatoes.

How to Grow Your Own Potatoes in a Bag or Container

Anyone Can Grow Your Own Potatoes at Home

Most of us think potatoes need a lot of land. In reality, you can grow them anywhere that’s sunny. It’s not complicated, and it’s an affordable way to grow your own organic potatoes.

You will need:

  • Bags or buckets for growing.
  • Garden soil.
  • Organic fertilizer.
  • Compost.
  • Seed potatoes.

Lots of People Are Ready to Help

Are you nervous about getting started? Don’t be. The online world is full of people who want to help you do this.

Van Meuwen Gardening makes grow bags that come with their own seed potatoes. The company has created a wonderfully helpful instructional video that walks you through the whole process.

Potatoes Even Grow In a Bucket

Hollis and Nancy of Urban Homestead show you how to grow potatoes and sweet potatoes in a 5-gallon bucket.

As Hollis says, “If you have room for a bucket or two in an area that gets good sunlight, you can grow potatoes.”

Goodness That Tastes Good

Potatoes aren’t just good to eat. They’re also good for you. They contain high levels of vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium, copper, antioxidants and dietary fiber.

Buy some grow bags now. You’ll be ready to harvest your own potatoes this summer.

How to Grow Your Own Potatoes in a Bag or Container

Homemade Buttermilk Pie Recipe

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You won’t believe how easy it is to make a dessert that tastes like rich custard but doesn’t require any fancy ingredients or techniques. Buttermilk Pie is incredibly easy to make, and it melts in your mouth with sweet, creamy goodness.

Buttermilk Pie

Enjoy the Tasty Tradition of Buttermilk Pie

Rich, creamy Buttermilk Pie is a staple of Southern cuisine, and this recipe pays respect to tradition. You might see variations of this pie, but if you want the authentic item, it’s right here.

Like Pecan Pie and Chess Pie, this a treat Southerners make and serve all year. You don’t have to wait for a specific holiday or a special occasion to indulge in this classic favorite.

Tips for Making Buttermilk Pie

  • You can make your own pie crust for this recipe. It’s also fine to use a frozen or refrigerated crust.
  • You can find buttermilk in the dairy section of most stores. Buttermilk adds rich flavor and tender flakiness to all kinds of recipes. If you can only find large containers, use it to make biscuits, pancakes, ranch dressing or fried chicken.
  • Real buttermilk gives the best flavor and texture. In a pinch, if you can’t find buttermilk or can’t get to a store, you can make a good substitute at home.
  • You won’t be messing with tradition if you make this a Bourbon Buttermilk Pie. Just add two or three tablespoons of bourbon to the batter.

What to Serve With Buttermilk Pie

This pie tastes amazing warm from the oven or cold from the fridge. Have it for brunch, lunch or dinner.

Keep it Southern with a refreshing Passion Fruit Iced Tea or a Cider-Bourbon Cocktail.

Buttermilk Pie
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Homemade Buttermilk Pie

Rich, creamy Buttermilk Pie is a staple of Southern cuisine, and this recipe pays respect to tradition.

Course Dessert
Author Good Living Guide

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Mix the flour and sugar together.

  2. Add all other ingredients and blend together.

  3. Poke unbaked pie shell with a fork to prevent the crust from rising.

  4. Pour blended ingredients into the unbaked pie shell.

  5. Bake at 350°F for about 40 minutes.

  6. Top with cinnamon sugar. (optional)

Buttermilk Pie

 

Neighbors Are Throwing A Social Distance Dance Party Every Morning

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If social distancing is making you feel stir-crazy, take a tip from a group of neighbors in Frodsham, a village in the UK. Every morning, neighbors fire up the music and start dancing.

Social Distance Dance Party

A Daily Dose of Fun

Every day, they enjoy a safe, socially distant dance party. The whole neighborhood looks forward to this daily dose of fun.

They Call It Distance Dancing

Local fitness instructor Janet Woodcock came up with the idea to help older people feel less isolated. She now leads the combination dance party and workout each morning. Elsa Williams, a neighbor who posted a video of the party on her Twitter account, said it’s become a popular event.

“Distance dancing only lasts 10 minutes a day so causes minimal disturbance,” she tweeted. “Mostly our road is kids and elderly residents who are self-isolating, so they look forward to it.”

It’s a Sensation

The dance was supposed to be a one-time thing, but it became too popular. The daily dance has attracted the attention of CNN, the BBC and other news outlets looking for some good news to share during the worldwide lockdown.

Williams said the dancing has lifted everyone’s spirits and made the community closer than it was before.

Bringing People Together In a Safe Way

“It was only meant to be a one time thing, but it lifted people round here up a bit and they wanted more,” she wrote. “It’s also worth noting that our road hardly spoke to each other before all this!”

What is your community doing to bring everyone together safely?

Neighbors Are Throwing A Social Distance Dance Party Every Morning

Banana Tea May Be The Solution For A Good Night’s Sleep

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Are you ready to enjoy deep, restful sleep? Are you ready to wake up refreshed rather than groggy without the use of dangerous, addictive sleeping pills? If you are, you should brew a batch of banana tea.

Banana Tea

Brew Your Bananas

Banana tea is all the rage right now as a natural solution for insomnia.

This simple tea uses ingredients you probably have in your home right now. If you’ve had a history of insomnia, why not give it a try? Our simple recipe makes it easy to enjoy a sweet, soothing cup of banana tea.

How Does Banana Tea Work?

Bananas are high in the minerals potassium and magnesium. When your body is low in its levels of these key minerals, you’re likely to be nervous, anxious and unable to sleep well.

What’s the magic ingredient? It’s the banana peel.

On his blog, nutrition expert David Wolfe writes that, “Bananas are rich in potassium and magnesium, but what most people do not know is that the banana peel has even more potassium and magnesium than the banana itself, and it is often thrown away as trash. Not anymore! With this simple recipe, you can get the benefits of the potassium and magnesium in the banana peel.”

People Are Going Bananas for This Natural Sleep Aid

Potassium and magnesium aren’t the only secret ingredient in banana tea. According to HerbalTeasOnline, banana peels are high in the amino acid tryptophan, which is “a mood-boosting neurotransmitter which regulates the stress level and sleep pattern. A cup of banana or peel tea would have a refreshing effect on your mind, facilitating a good sleep.”

Banana Tea

Can Banana Tea Work for You?

Would you be willing to brew banana tea? If you’ve already tried it, let us know how it worked for you.

Banana Tea
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Banana Tea

Are you ready to wake up refreshed without the use of dangerous, addictive sleeping pills? If so, you should try brewing a batch of banana tea.

Course Drinks
Author Good Living Guide

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Bring water to a boil.
  2. Rinse entire banana under running water.
  3. Slice off both ends, but leave the rest of the peel on the banana.
  4. Add banana to the boiling water.

  5. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 10 minutes.

  6. Pour the banana water through a strainer.
  7. Add a pinch of cinnamon (or your favorite sweetener).
  8. Enjoy!

Banana Tea

 

Disney Shared Its Famous Churro Bites Recipe So Fans Can Make Them At Home

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The coronavirus crisis means there’s no chance of visiting any Disney theme parks this year, but you can create some of that Disney magic right in your very own kitchen. The folks at Disney have released the secret recipe for their much-loved Churro Bites.

Previously available only at Disneyland, the crunchy, golden bites are now making a star appearance in homes everywhere.

Disney Shared Its Famous Churro Bites Recipe

What Are Churros?

Churros are a traditional Spanish dessert. To make them, you deep-fry ribbons of dough in oil and then coat them in sugar and cinnamon. Some people believe they were invented by Spanish shepherds who needed a snack they could cook easily over an open fire.

They are traditionally served with hot chocolate, and many people like to dip the churros into the chocolate. We strongly urge you to try this. It’s ridiculously delicious.

Disney Shared Its Famous Churro Bites Recipe

Churros Are Hot, Hot, Hot

Churros are one of the most popular of all dessert items. In Spain and Mexico, you can find entire restaurants dedicated to these golden, crispy, sweet ribbons.

Disney estimates that almost 6 million people chow down on their Churro Bites every year when visiting the Magic Kingdom.

Make Churro Bites Today

Are you ready to cook up some churros? You can do it with the recipe that made Disney’s churros famous.

The best part about this recipe is that you probably have all the ingredients you need right at home. It only takes eggs, flour, cinnamon, sugar, vegetable oil and butter.

Bring Home the Magic

Give your family a taste of authentic Spain blended with Disney magic. Let us know if you tried making these.

Where’s my stimulus check? Here’s when to expect your payment

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Already, the United States Congress has approved three different stimulus bills to keep the economy running during the COVID-19 crisis. Out of the three bills, the largest one was worth $2.2 trillion. This bill included one-time payments for millions of Americans who have been impacted by the crisis.

Stimulus Check

Who Can Get a Stimulus Payment?

You are eligible for the stimulus payment if you have an adjusted gross income that is less than $75,000. Married couples who file joint returns can earn up to $150,000 and receive the entire payment. After you hit this income level, the payment is reduced by $5 for every $100 you earn above $75,000 or $150,000.

If you made $99,000 as an individual or $198,000 as a couple, you are not eligible to get this payment. To be eligible for an automatic payment, you must have filed a tax return in 2018 or 2019. If you are an eligible taxpayer, you can also get up to $500 for each qualifying child in your household.

How Much Will It Be?

Unless you earn more than the threshold, you should get $1,200 as an individual. Married couples who file joint returns will receive $2,400. You will also receive an extra $500 for each child in your home.

Stimulus Check

When Will My Stimulus Check Arrive?

On March 30, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Treasury Department announced that the payments would be distributed within the following three weeks. These payments are going to occur automatically. If you did not file a tax return, you will need to submit a simple tax return if you want to receive a payment.

The House Ways and Means Committee has tentatively scheduled a timeline for distributing the checks. They plan on having 60 million checks sent out through direct deposit during the week of April 13, 2020. From May 4 until September, they expect the IRS to send paper checks at a rate of 5 million payments per week.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has said that checks will be distributed much faster than this timetable. According to the Treasury Department, 50 to 70 million Americans will get a stimulus check through direct deposit by April 15. In the following three weeks, the Treasury Department plans on sending the majority of the remaining checks.

Grandpa Has The Sweetest Dance-Off With Granddaughter From Across The Street

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He’s 81 years old. His name is “Papa.” Or at least that is what his darling six-year-old granddaughter Kira likes to call him. And for the sake of love, he is busting out the dance moves to make Kira smile.

Grandpa Has The Sweetest Dance-Off With Granddaughter From Across The Street

Kira and Papa’s Story

When Kira was just a baby, her grandparents moved into the house right across the street. Kira and her mom, Sherrie, feel grateful to have her parents so close.

But right now it isn’t safe to let Kira run across the street several times each day to go play with her elderly Papa and Grandmama.

And so….Kira and Papa started holding daily dance parties.

Staying Close While Staying Safe

Kira chooses the playlist songs. She shows up for the daily dance-offs decked out in her best finery.

Papa (real name Marvin Neely) wears denim and a windbreaker jacket. Kira throws down the initial challenge and then waits eagerly to see what her grandfather will do next.

As Marvin’s daughter, Sherrie, puts it, he “has some special moves.” She also says she has never seen him dance before – until now.

Grandpa Has The Sweetest Dance-Off With Granddaughter From Across The Street

The Best Kind of Virus to Catch

What is so neat about this video is – dare we say it – how it, too, has gone viral. But now we are not running for masks, gloves and toilet paper.

Instead, we are running to hit the “share” button so we can pass the laughter, joy, hope and love along.

Kira and Papa Are on the Today Show!

Within days of when Sherrie posted the friendly little home video clip on her personal Facebook page, the Today Show picked it up.

Now it, too, has made its way around the world from America to Canada, India, Europe and beyond.

This Man Shares His Bed With 9 Senior Rescue Dogs

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To more than one million Instagram fans, the name Steve Greig is synonymous with hope, smiles and love. Who is Steve Greig, you might be wondering?

 

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It All Started With Wolfgang the Pup

Steve Greig is an accountant. When Steve’s rescue pup, Wolfgang, was hit by a car and killed in 2013, he couldn’t get over his grief. The only thing that helped was when he rescued Eeyore, a senior chihuahua with four bad knees and a heart problem.

 

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Wolfgang’s Legacy Turned Into a New Family for Steve Greig

Eeyore led to Englebert, Edna, Enoch, Loretta, Phyllis, Josh, Melvin and Madeline – all senior rescue dogs many would consider “un-adoptable.” But Steve doesn’t see it that way. He is happy to get up before 5am each morning to give his ever-expanding family of senior pups medicine, serve their breakfast, make potty runs and – most importantly – lavish them with love.

 

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Dogs, Pigs, Turkeys, Chickens – Everyone Is Welcome

Dogs aren’t the only beloved rescues in Steve’s unique family, however. A not-so-miniature potbellied pig named Bikini sleeps in a pink princess bed near the dog door (which doubles as a pig door). A chicken named Betty hangs out with the dogs all day. And a turkey named Tofu is the official household greeter.

 

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Steve’s Instagram Is a Hub for Rescue Moms and Dads Everywhere

As Steve’s rescued family has grown over the years, he has used his super-popular Instagram, Wolfgang 2242, as a platform to encourage others to adopt senior dogs.

 

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“The One and Only Wolfgang” Is Now a Book!

Most recently, Steve has released a children’s book called “The One and Only Wolfgang.” The book also supports Steve’s message that adopting senior pets can be a wonderful, loving, life-saving choice.