Durian ice cream

INGREDIENTS

4 -5 pieces fresh durian or 4 -5 pieces frozen durian
250 ml milk
250 ml cream
2 egg yolks
125 g sugar

DIRECTIONS

If using frozen durian, thaw completely.
Remove seeds and press flesh through a nylon sieve to eliminate the fine fibres.
Heat milk and cream in a heavy enamel or other non-aluminium pan, stirring until almost boiling.
Whisk egg yolks with sugar until light, stir in a ladleful of the hot milk mixture and return to saucepan.
Stir over very low heat until custard thickens, taking care not to let it boil or it will curdle.
Cool the custard and chill it well, then add a little at a time to the durian pulp, combining it thoroughly before adding more custard.
This keeps the texture even.
Freeze in a churn or in a shallow glass dish.
If using still-freezing method, stir 2 or 3 times during freezing to enhance smoothness.
Or, after it has frozen, break into pieces and purée in food processor until smooth but not melted.
Return to freezer until firm.
Press freezer wrap directly on surface of ice cream to prevent ice crystals forming.
It is advisable to store durian ice cream in a freezer container with a well-fitting lid.

Another kids' toys safety question

I think the recalls announced by Fisher-Price have gotten more press. There have been numerous other recalls that have affected products made by various manufacturers that have received scant media attention. I think this is partly due to the fact that Fisher-Price (Mattel) is the largest toy company in the United States. If you spend some time on the United States Consumer Products Safety Commission's website you'll quickly realize that the number of toy recalls announced within the last six months by the agency is staggering. Finally, I don't believe for a minute that toys made in China but branded by other companies are inherently safer. I even worry about LEGO toys. I bought several Thomas & Friends LEGO sets for my nephew and discovered later that some of the components were made in China. This sent shivers down my spine. Frankly, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the U.S. CPSC won't announce someday that these toys also must be recalled. Please check out the CPSC's home page and Recalls.gov and bookmark both sites.

How we can prevent kids from toy dander

Well, here I go again, guessing at what you mean. I know plenty of people on this site do not speak English like a native, so I give it the old college try.

Dander is the stuff that comes off your head when you have dandruff. Since toys normally are not alive and cannot shed dander, I think you meant danger. In that context, the term "prevent" is not used correctly, but I get the idea.

The best way to prevent toys from being a danger to your child is to always choose age-appropriate toys. Now, the American toy industry makes a great big deal out of marking packages with the appropriate age for children, but when I was a kid, my parents and I agreed that these age markings were hopelessly childish. If they said "ages 5 to 8," for example, we knew it was already too limited for me by the time I got to five. I mean, Candyland was labeled as if kids didn't learn to read until they were like 6 or 7!

So a rule of thumb is this: Before two, don't buy anything they can't put in their mouths, nor anything that can come apart, where a piece small enough to swallow would be the result. No very sharp edges until they have demonstrated an ability to handle things properly and not cut themselves.

As to breaking toys, and the jagged edges of a broken piece, I would not give anything brittle enough to break like that to a child below four or five, until they learn not to smash and break things, even in a temper.

Basically, if you can imagine the child taking the toy to bed with him or her and not being injured by rolling over on it, then it's OK for a kid under 5.

After that, the only things that need to be monitored more carefully are chemicals like paints or chemistry sets, and things which have sharp edges. Children must be taught how to use knives and things, as appropriate, but you don't leave them alone with them until they are past the "clowning around" stage of development. For some kids, that's a loooonnnng time coming: maybe 20 or 30 years!

What are the factors to consider before buying kids toys

1) Why do they want it? Because of a TV show? Friends? Pressure from peers? Pressure from commercials?

2) How much play will we get from it? I've got 3 kids, just because the first may grow out of it in 6 months doesn't mean the second won't use it for the next 2 years and the one after it will use it for 3 years or more. How much bang for my buck.

3) Can it be used in more than one way. For instance, a doll. She can pretend to be a mother. She can pretend the doll is acting out a scene with friends. She can go through a stressful day. She can sleep with it. She can use it with the bike. She can make it into a giant robotic monster who smashes all her brother's buildings. Etc. Vs... those slippers that have ears that flip up and down. What can you use them for? Slippers... that have ears that encourage stomping. One use. Easily bored.

4) Reviews from others. If I see that the tupperware shapesorter ball has been around for 20 years, and there's an ancient one in our church's nursery that still works and every kid from 1 to 90 in the room finds themselves playing with it at some point..., then I'm going to pay the extra money for that one and not the cheaper ones that I see broken all the time.

5) Does it encourage kids to make mistake, get messy, and have fun? Does it encourage exploration, noisiness, and general risk taking? Give me a sandbox and a bunch of water and toys to make a mud puddle and the cars that need to drive through it and the dolls that have to bathe in it over an electronic toy that has to be coddled but is 'educational' and I'll show you kids that will have fun and develop well. And yeah, I have bought my kids harmonicas, drums, the most annoying recording device, and glockenspiels and more. I'd rather have a noisy household messy with sand than kids on a tablet.

I'm not someone who goes looking for educational toys. Too many toys say "educational" to get the parents to buy it. The fact is, a toy will be educational no matter what it is, if you use it that way. I mean... did you know that getting your kids to use monkeybars will help their handwriting? Or that balancing on a balance beam is an important step for a child in language development? Things you may not think are educational often are very important.

Dog wont stop chewing Kids' toys

Make sure that your puppies toys are not similar to the kids (like stuffed animals) and never toys shaped like shoes and slippers. Not sure why its difficult for the kids to keep their toys picked up at age 3, they should be doing it...not you, but thats getting off topic. Every time the puppy grabs a child's toy, firmly say "drop it" and take it away. If you see her going toward your child's toy say "leave it". Giving an appropriate toy at this time will help reinforce what she is allowed to have.

One thing I did when my dog was a puppy was teach her boundaries. She learned she was not allowed in the bathrooms or my daughters room. That is great especially when the kids have friends over that are nervous with dogs. Our dog has a basket for her toys (though she never learned to pick up, but not for lack of tying on my part) that she goes to for a toy or bone. She will nose through till she finds the one she wants.

What are kids favorite toys

Well, it depends on the age and gender.

2-3 Years-Girls: Who Lives Where? Game, The Ladybug Game, LeapFrog My 1st LeapPad Alphabet Bus

2-3 Years-Boys: Fisher-Price Drop and Roar Dinosaur, Who Lives Where? Game, Spin Master Toys Aquadoodle Go N' Doodle

4-5 Years-Girls: Illustory Create-your-own-Book, What's in Ned's Head Game, My Calendar by Creations by You

4-5 Years-Boys: Plate Works Design Your Own Plate Kit, I Spy Puzzles - Set of 4, Blue Orange Toys Zimbbo’s Game

6-7 Years-Girls: Stare! Junior Game, Disney TV Games Video Game System, Bella Pop Star Studio DVD

6-7 Years-Boys: Disney's Cars Lightning Storm McQueen, Fantastic Four Car with Mr. Fantastic, LEGO The Krusty Krab

8-9 Years-Girls: Bratz Kidz Summer Vacation - Jade, Plate Works Design Your Own Plate Kit, Craft Your Own Chair Kit

8-9 Years-Boys: University Games Totally Gross Game, Spider-Man 3 Radio-Controlled Monster Truck - Red, Transformers Optimus Prime Voice Changer

10-12 Years-Girls: Apples to Apples Game Party Box, Twister Dance™ DVD Game, Youniverse Keep Safe Diary

10-12 Years-Boys: Namco 80s Arcade TV Games Video Game System, LEGO EXO-Force Mobile Defense Tank, Sonic Sleuth