| How to Wear Oversized Sweaters Posted: 07 Oct 2019 05:00 PM PDT When the weather gets chilly, there is nothing cozier – or more convenient – than popping on an oversized sweater. With proper styling, you can look just as fashionable as you do cozy. Paired with the wrong things, however, oversized sweaters look less trendy, and more like you rolled out of bed and raided someone else's closet. To pull off this look effortlessly, it's all about choosing the right sweater, creating the perfect outfit, and accessorizing. [Edit]Choosing Your Oversized Sweater - Decide what length you need. If you're going to be wearing your oversized sweater with jeans, you can wear basically any length sweater you want. However, if you want to pair your sweater with a dress, skirt, shorts, and any other shorter garments worn on your bottom half, you probably want a slouchy sweater that still ends around the waist. If you're going to be wearing an oversized sweater as a dress, you definitely want something long that covers you!
- Oversized sweaters go in and out of fashion, but when they are very stylish, in both men's and women's departments -don't be afraid to explore both sections – oversized sweaters are a fantastic, gender neutral wardrobe pieces.
- Consider colors and patterns. Monochrome sweaters, especially those in neutral colors, are great additions to your wardrobe because they can be paired with all sorts of other clothes and accessories. Patterned sweaters can be fun statement pieces, and you can effortlessly create an outfit just by pairing them with neutral trousers, leggings, shorts etc.
- There is a time and a place for both bold patterns and solid neutrals. Consider your collection of pants, jeans, skirts, leggings, dresses, and so on when deciding which kind of sweater to add to your collection.
- Think about layering possibilities. This will help you decide if you want a thick, chunky sweater, or a more lightweight sweater. If you're looking for a sweater to wear over layers, you may want to get something a bit less chunky – otherwise, you'll feel like you're wearing a sumo suit. On the other side, you don't want something so sheer that you'll see the bottom layers right through it.
- Lightweight, oversized cardigans are great to throw on over warm weather outfits, and big chunky sweaters look great with winter outfits. It's all about visualizing the outfits you want to create!
[Edit]Creating an Outfit - Pair slouchy sweaters with dresses and skirts. Weather permitting, this is a great combination. Wearing a big, chunky sweater over a flowy dress can create a really interesting, trendy contrast. Transform summer dresses into fall and winter dresses just by topping them with a warm sweater. For this look, it's best to wear oversized sweaters that are cropped at the waist, so it doesn't completely cover your dress or skirt.[1]
- Wearing oversized sweaters with maxi skirts can create the ultimate bohemian silhouette. It can be hard to pull this look off without looking like you're drowning in clothing, though. This look works best on tall people, but that doesn't mean you can't rock it if you're short.
- Wear big sweaters with form-fitting bottoms. When it comes to wearing oversized clothing, the general rule is one thing at a time. If you're going to wear a big, baggy sweater, avoid wearing big, baggy pants too. Instead, pair your sweater with tighter jeans, pants, or leggings. The largeness (and coziness) of the sweater is balanced out by the form-fitting bottoms.[2]
- Rock oversized sweaters like a dress. There is no rule that you have to wear bottoms at all! If your sweater is long enough, pair it with tights and call it a dress. This is perfect for those cold days when you want to look chic but also want to be snug and warm. Pair it with tall boots and you have an effortlessly chic outfit.
- Add a bit of structure to your sweater dress by wearing a tailored blazer over it.
[Edit]Accessorizing Your Oversized Sweater - Wear a belt. The one downside of oversized sweaters is that they certainly don't show off your figure. If you want to accentuate your waist, there's an easy solution. Pop a belt around your sweater and cinch it tight. Now, you have all the coziness of the big sweater, but you also have created a flattering silhouette.[3]
- Embrace the wrist accessories. Big sweaters pair perfectly with big jewelry. Big, bold watches, bangles, and other bracelets look great against big, chunky sweaters. This is an easy way to add a bit of color or sparkle to a neutral sweater, or add a bit of fancy flair to a slouchy, more casual sweater. Cuff the sleeves of your sweater to show off your bracelets or watch.
- Add a necklace. You can easily transform a big, comfy sweater into dressy work attire simply by adding a beautiful statement necklace. You can soften up a cable knit sweater by pairing it with a dainty necklace. Playing around with your jewelry can really change an entire outfit, so don't be afraid to experiment. The lounging, weekend sweater can transition to business professional with some strategic styling.
- Dress up your sweaters with your footwear. Pairing big, oversized sweaters with casual footwear is a no-brainer – they go perfectly with sneakers, snow boots, and moccasins. However, you can style them in a completely new way with different footwear. Try pairing an oversized sweater dress with over-the-knee boots for a fierce, eye-catching look. Take that slouchy, neutral sweater from movie night to party night by wearing it with sky-high wedges or heels.[4] Men can pop on some dress shoes to instantly take the look from cozy to professional.
- The key to styling your oversized sweater is to get creative, and get bold. Get inspiration from fashion magazines, Pinterest, and television, and try combinations you've never considered before. Oversized sweaters are more versatile than you may think!
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Make Pumpkin Spice Cake Pops Posted: 07 Oct 2019 09:00 AM PDT Cake pops or balls are a great and unique way to indulge cakes without having to modify a recipe. Petite in size, they can be enjoyed by kids and adults for any occasion. Enjoy these for Halloween or Thanksgiving. Makes 48 cake balls. [Edit]Ingredients [Edit]Cake Pops - Your favorite yellow cake recipe
- 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup cream cheese icing
[Edit]Coating and Decoration - 24 ounces white chocolate melts
- Cinnamon sugar mixture
[Edit]Creating the Cake Mixture - Bake the cake. Follow the specific recipe you are using, in addition to adding the cinnamon, pumpkin puree and spice, and brown sugar. Be sure to follow the regular ingredient amounts, utensils and baking dishes, steps or instructions, oven temperatures, and baking times as well.
- Slice the cake. Using a damp knife, cut the cake in sections or quarters. This allows the insides of the cake to cool down faster, rather than having the cake cool down from the outside in.
- Crumble the cake. When the cake pieces has reached room temperature or warm to handle, use your hands to crumble the cake in a large mixing bowl. You will want to break down any chunks, especially any hard corners.
- Add the icing. Start off with 1/4 cup of icing in the bowl. Use a wooden spoon to thoroughly incorporate the cake crumbs and icing together until you achieve a consistency of dough, as if you're making cookie dough. Add additional icing, if needed.
- Refrigerate the mixture. Having the mixture chilled makes it easier for you to roll it into balls.
[Edit]Making the Cake Balls - Scoop the mixture. Use a cookie dough scooper to help you make even ball amounts, about 1 tablespoon (15 grams). To avoid multitasking, scoop the entire mixture and place the balls onto a flat surface (such as a baking sheet or counter top), lined with parchment paper.
- Roll the cake balls. Use both palms of your hands and circle each ball in a circular motion, to allow any flat surfaces become evenly round.
- Chill the cake balls. For the best results, it's recommended to refrigerate the cake balls for at least two hours. By doing this, any coating won't affect the prepared cake when dipping.
[Edit]Dipping the Cake Balls - Melt the chocolate. You can either use a microwave-safe bowl or create a double boiler. Stir the chocolate to make sure everything is melted evenly.
- Insert sticks into the cake balls. Prick them in the center, just enough to pick them up from the parchment paper and hold.
- If you're wanting to present the cake balls on a stick, it's recommended to use lollipop sticks, which can be found in specialty baking aisles. Dip about 1/2 inch (1.27 cm) of the stick into the melted chocolate prior to inserting them into the cake balls.
- If you're wanting to present the cake balls in decorative individual wrappers, poke them with toothpicks.
- Dip the cake balls. While holding the lollipop stick or toothpick, submerge the cake ball into the melted chocolate. When lifting it back up, gently lift them in a swirling motion or give them a gentle shake.
- If you are using toothpicks, remove them from the balls. Add a very small amount of extra melted chocolate to cover the holes. You can use the back of a spoon to evenly spread out any extra coating as well.
- Repeat with the rest. Place the chocolate covered cake ball in the same place on the waxed paper. Pick up the next one and repeat the dipping until everything is covered.
[Edit]Decorating the Cake Balls - Drizzle additional melted chocolate on top. You can create even zig-zag lines by moving your arm back and forth in a uniform way across the entire sheet of cake balls.
- Use the cinnamon sugar mixture on the cake balls. You can either sprinkle by hand or dip it in the mixture while the chocolate is still in a liquid state, if you're not drizzling chocolate on top.
- Chill the cake balls again. To ensure a hard coating and for any topping to appear more uniform, place the cake balls in the freezer or refrigerator for about an hour or two.
- Finished.
- These can also be created into small bars. Instead of rolling them into round balls, mold them into squares before any dipping.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Cookie scoop
- Mini cupcake liners
- Large bowl
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Wooden spoon
- Lollipop sticks or toothpicks
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References - Ankeny, Robin. Cake Balls: Amazingly Delicious Bite-Sized Treats. Philadelphia: Running Press, 2012. Print.
|
| How to Cook in an Indoor Fireplace Posted: 07 Oct 2019 01:00 AM PDT Just because summer is over doesn't mean you have to stop enjoying food cooked over an open fire! If you have a wood-burning fireplace in your home, you can grill, skewer, simmer, and cook a variety of different foods all year long. Make sure to always open the flue, and use good safety practices so you don't get injured while you're cooking. [Edit]Setting Up Your Indoor Fireplace - Have your chimney inspected once a year to make sure it's safe to use. Hire a professional fireplace inspector (also sometimes called a chimney sweep) to do an inspection every year before you make your first fire—fireplaces that aren't maintained properly can pose a huge safety risk. The inspector will do a basic sweep, check the flue, and make sure the fireplace is up to safety standards.[1]
- A general inspection costs about $125 to $250.
- Pick a hard, seasoned wood to cook your meals with. Cedar, alder, maple, hickory, pecan, oak, cherry, and apple wood are all great choices for your indoor fireplace. The smoke from these woods will infuse your food with a great flavor, and they will easily get hot enough and make big enough flames for you to cook your meal.[2]
- Learn how to safely build a fire in your fireplace. Check that the chimney is clean and unblocked, and make sure to open the damper. Stack a few larger logs on the bottom, add a few smaller logs on top of those, and then top off the stack with some kindling. This way, the smoke from the kindling will have easy access to the chimney and your house won't get as smokey.[3]
- Putting the bigger logs on the bottom will also give you a longer burn time, from 3 to 5 hours, which can be really helpful if you're cooking stews or other dishes that need more time.
- There are lots of different methods to start a fire. Some people recommend putting kindling on the bottom and some say you should start with a bed of ash. Kindling on the bottom will make a fire with a shorter burn time, and using a thicker bed of ash will produce a longer-lasting heat for roasting. high.}}
- Use the right kind of cookware and utensils to keep you safe. Long tongs, fire-resistant gloves, skewers, a cast-iron skillet, a meat thermometer, and a dutch oven are some of the basic tools you'll need to cook safely in your fireplace. Additionally, set a cooling rack inside of a rimmed baking sheet and keep this next to the fireplace. You can use this to set your hot dishes on so that they don't accidentally burn the floor.[4]
- You can also use a few bricks to prop a grill pan or cast-iron skillet above the flames. This can give your food a more even cook and reduce the risk that it'll burn. Try to arrange the bricks and grill pan so that they are about above the wood or kindling.
- Avoid using anything made of plastic, silicone, or glass. You can use aluminum or stainless steel, just be aware that the bottoms will probably permanently turn black.
- Clean up the fireplace after each meal so it stays in prime condition. Once the fire has gone out, shovel up the ashes and dispose of them in a garbage bag. You can then sweep out the ashes that remain, or use a vacuum to clean up. Don't forget to wipe off the hearth, as the ash from the fire probably got on the hearth, too.[5]
- In addition to cleaning the fireplace after each meal, you should also deep clean your fireplace every 2 to 3 months while it's in use.
[Edit]Using Different Cooking Methods - Grill meats and vegetables in the fireplace for a nice, smoky flavor. You can buy a grill insert made specifically for fireplace grilling, or you can build a makeshift one yourself out of bricks and a grill pan. Set the food directly on the grill pan, or use a cast-iron skillet on top of the pan to help contain the drippings. Hotdogs, hamburgers, chicken, asparagus, shrimp, corn on the cob, and tons of other foods are great options to throw on your indoor fireplace grill.[6]
- Check the temperature of meats often to ensure they're cooked through. A hotdog will cook through more quickly, in just 3 to 4 minutes, whereas chicken will take closer to 10 to 12 minutes. Use an instant-read digital thermometer to make sure things are cooked through. Chicken should be cooked to , hamburger should be cooked to , pork should be cooked to , and steak should be cooked to , depending on how well-done you want it.
- Veggies will be done once they are easily pierced with a fork or knife, which most often takes about 5 to 10 minutes. They should have a light char on the outside.
- Make foil-packet meals for easy prep and clean-up. Use heavy-duty foil so there is less of a chance of the packet ripping. Put any meat in the center of the piece of foil and then add the veggies on top of the meat. Fold over the sides and roll the edges together to seal in the food. Set the filled and sealed foil packet on a grill pan that is elevated above the fire. Let them cook for 35 to 45 minutes, occasionally flipping the packets over.[7]
- Chicken, sausages, or shrimp and a mix of vegetables, like carrots, potatoes, onions, and peppers, make awesome meals! Drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the veggies and add some salt and pepper for a really simple preparation, or be a little more adventurous and look up some cool recipes to try out.
- Skewer hotdogs, marshmallows, and other camping favorites. This is perhaps one of the easiest ways to cook over a fireplace, indoors or outside. Use long, metal skewers so that you won't have to get too close to the fire. Put your favorite food onto the skewer, and then roast it over the open flames. When the food is done, use tongs to remove the hot item so you don't burn yourself.[8]
- In addition to the classic hotdogs and marshmallows, you can also cook heartier veggies, like bell peppers, shrimp, bacon, and fruits, like plums or apples!
- When cooking food on a skewer, check the item every 2 to 3 minutes, or whenever you notice that it's starting to char on the outside.
- If you don't fancy the idea of holding your skewer over the flame, prepare a few kebobs on skewers and set them on a grill pan in the fireplace.
- Use a dutch oven to make stews in the wintertime. Prepare the dish and put it into the dutch oven while the fire is heating up. Use a fireplace crane or set the dutch oven on top of a grill pan that is suspended above the flames by some bricks. Check the food every 20 to 30 minutes to see how it's coming along—it should cook faster in the fireplace than it would on the stovetop or in an oven.[9]
- Always use fire-resistant gloves and long-handled tongs when you're checking the dish. Never touch the dutch oven with bare hands.
- If you plan on cooking in your fireplace often, it may be worthwhile to invest in a dutch oven with legs. This way, you can just set the dutch oven into the fireplace without worrying about setting up the grill pan and bricks.
- Put vegetables directly onto the logs to give them a good char. Onions, eggplant, bell peppers, potatoes, beets, and yams are great vegetables to cook this way. Don't set them directly on a flame, but rather put them on top of a log that hasn't fully started to burn yet. The fire from the logs below will help provide the heat to cook the veggies through. Keep an eye on the vegetables and remove them from the fireplace when they start to look soft.[10]
- Potatoes, yams, and carrots will take the longest to cook, about 30 to 40 minutes. Onions and squashes take about 15 to 20 minutes, and softer vegetables, like peppers, eggplant, and mushrooms, will take about 10 minutes to cook.
- Using your indoor fireplace is a great way to save on electricity and gas, as you won't need to use your oven at all.
- Almost anything you can cook on a grill or over an outdoor fireplace you can replicate indoors.
- Avoid cooking really fatty meats, like steak and bacon, in your fireplace if you don't want your house to get too smokey. Their excess fat and grease can create a lot of smoke.
[Edit]Warnings - Always check that the flue is open before you make a fire and start cooking.
- Never cook in a gas fireplace. The chemicals from the gas can get into the food, which isn't good for you to ingest. Also, the logs in a gas fireplace need to stay clean—food bits and grease drippings could pose a fire hazard.
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Setting up Your Indoor Fireplace - Firewood
- Kindling
- Long-handled tongs
- Fire-resistant gloves
- Metal skewers
- Cast-iron skillet
- Grill pan
- Bricks
- Meat thermometer
- Dutch oven
- Grease pan
[Edit]Using Different Cooking Methods - Heavy-duty foil
- Long-handled tongs
- Fire-resistant gloves
- Metal skewers
- Cast-iron skillet
- Grill pan
- Bricks
- Meat thermometer
- Dutch oven
- Grease pan
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References |
No comments:
Post a Comment