Martha Stewarts Foot Soak Food

MARTHA STEWART'S FOOT SOAK

Steps:

• Combine Epsom salts and kosher salt in a jar.
• Add baking soda and cornstarch, up to 1/2 teaspoon of Lemon essential oil, and up to 1/4 teaspoon of Spearmint essential oil.
• Attach the lid, and shake the jar to combine.
• Pour the mixture into a bag, and use within a few weeks.
• Use 2 to 3 Tablespoons per soak.
• NOTE: I tried this myself and used cucumber-melon essential oils. Heavenly!

THE ULTIMATE FOOT CARE (SOAK, MASSAGE)

Steps:

• Before soaking your feet, give each one a preliminary massage. Combine the almond, avocado and rosemary oils, thoroughly mixing. Store any remaining mixture in an airtight, amber-colored glass bottle, in a cool, dark cupboard, for up to 2 months.
• Pour a little oil into you hands and hold the left foot firmly. Press along the underneath area and upper surface for about 20 seconds. This will induce a marvelous feeling of relaxation.
• Next, place your left foot over your knee. Press, rub and pull each toe, and knead the sole with your knuckles. Then place the fingers of both hands on the sole and the thumbs, pointing toward the toes, on top of the foot. Stroke downward from the ankles to the toes. Repeat the procedure with your other foot.
• To soak your feet, you will need a basin large enough to hold them when they are fully stretched out. Pour in sufficient water to cover your ankles and add Soak ingredients, swishing the water around to dissolve the salt and blend the oil.
• Leave the water to cool slightly before soaking your feet. After soaking for 10 minutes, revive your feet with a quick dip in a basin of cold water, and then back again. Continue doing this as long as the hot water stays hot.
• If it has been raining and you have cold, wet feet, a pinch or two of mustard powder added to the water is especially invigorating.
• Finish off by massaging your feet with the massage oil mixture.

CLASSIC MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Place bread in food processor; pulse until fine crumbs form. Transfer to a small bowl; stir in milk. Set aside, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine beef, pork, onion, garlic, egg, 1/4 cup ketchup, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add bread-milk mixture, and mix very gently with a fork (do not overmix).
• Place meat mixture on prepared baking sheet, and form into a loaf about 9 inches long and 4 to 5 inches wide.
• Bake, brushing twice with remaining 1/4 cup ketchup during baking, until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees, 45 to 55 minutes. Let meatloaf rest 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

MOIST AND BOOZY FRUITCAKE WITH RUM AND PORT (A.K.A. DARK BROWN CAKE)

Steps:

• At least 2 weeks before you plan to bake the cakes, place prunes, raisins, currants, cherries, citrus peel, candied ginger, rum, and port in a large container with a lid. Stir fruit once a day.
• When ready to bake the cakes, preheat oven to 250 degrees. Butter and flour two 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pans and two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans and line with parchment; butter parchment and set aside.
• In the bowl of a food processor or the jar of a heavy-duty blender, grind almonds to a coarse meal. Stir ground almonds into the fruit mixture until well combined. Working in batches, transfer almond-fruit mixture to the bowl of a food processor or jar of a blender and pulse until a chunky paste forms. Transfer paste to a large bowl or a rimmed baking sheet.
• In a small bowl, whisk together boiling water and cocoa powder until smooth; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter and brown sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add vanilla, and beat in eggs, one at a time. Transfer to a very large bowl or stock pot.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda. Using a spatula, fold flour mixture into butter mixture. Add cocoa powder mixture and molasses and fold to combine; stir in fruit.
• Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake until cakes are firm on top and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 3 hours. Remove from oven and immediately brush tops of cakes with rum. Let cakes cool completely.
• Invert cooled cakes to unmold and brush with additional rum. Wrap cakes in cheesecloth, a clean dish towel, or sturdy paper towels, and then in aluminum foil. Let stand at room temperature at least 3 days before serving, and up to 1 month. Serve cakes dusted with confectioners' sugar or frosted with royal icing.

STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING WITH TOFFEE SAUCE

Steps:

• Cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour a 2 1/2-quart baking dish. Place dates in a bowl, pour coffee over dates, and let soak 15 minutes. Stir in baking soda.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat together butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and beat in eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly incorporated.
• Reduce speed to low, and add half the flour mixture, beating until combined. Add date mixture and remaining flour mixture, and beat until just combined. (Do not overmix.) Transfer batter to dish, and bake until cake is puffed and springs back in center when gently pressed with a finger, about 25 minutes.
• Sauce: Meanwhile, combine butter, sugar, and cream in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium (so sauce does not boil over) and boil, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and darkens slightly, about 4 minutes.
• Remove cake from oven and pierce holes at 1-inch intervals to bottom of cake with a wooden skewer. Pour half of hot sauce over cake and let soak 20 minutes. Serve warm with remaining sauce. Cake soaked in sauce and remaining toffee sauce can be stored at room temperature up to 1 day. Before serving, warm cake in a 300 degrees oven 10 minutes, and sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat.