Problem: Article: This classic recipe is for a hearty version of minestrone soup. It will take you a total of 1 hour and 15 minutes to make. The prep time is 45 minutes and the cook time is 30 minutes. This recipe will make 4-6 servings. Brown two strips of bacon in a 6-quart saucepan over medium heat. Once they’re browned, remove the bacon strips from the saucepot using a slotted spoon. Place them on paper towels so the grease can drain.  Set the bacon strips aside to drain for now. Feel free to substitute with turkey bacon if you prefer. Leave the bacon drippings in the saucepot. Dice the carrots, onion and celery and put them into the saucepot. Cook them with the bacon drippings over medium heat until they are browned. It will take approximately 15 minutes.  Be sure to stir the vegetables around occasionally. After 15 minutes, add the chopped garlic to the saucepot. Continue cooking with the garlic added for an additional 30 seconds. Pour the chicken broth and water into the saucepot. Add the diced potatoes. Measure out the pepper, thyme and salt and add them to the soup. Turn the heat up to high and bring the soup to a boil.  When it starts boiling, reduce the heat to low so that it can simmer. Cover the soup and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the cover from the saucepot and add both kinds of beans and the dry pasta to the soup. Allow the soup to continue simmering for another 7 minutes. You do not need to replace the cover for this part. Slice the spinach and Swiss chard into thin strips and grate the lemon peel. Add all three to the pot and cook for 5 more minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the spinach and Swiss chard have wilted and become tender. Tear the bacon strips into 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces and stir those in.  Remove the soup from heat and allow it to cool slightly before serving it. Serve the minestrone with grated Parmesan cheese and pieces of crusty bread (optional). Since there is no standard recipe for minestrone, feel free to change it up to include your preferred vegetables, seasonal vegetables, and fresh herbs. For example, a summer minestrone could include fresh basil, tomatoes, summer squash, zucchini and eggplant. An autumn version could include butternut squash, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts and cabbage.  When altering the recipe with different vegetables, the approach is essentially the same. Sauté the vegetables in olive oil or bacon drippings at the very beginning, along with the onions. Brussels sprouts, cabbage and sweet potatoes are usually added when the broth is poured in. Season with fresh herbs while you're creating the soup and use them as garnish before serving.
Summary: Gather the ingredients. Cook the bacon in a 6-quart saucepot. Add carrots, onion and celery to the saucepot. Add the potatoes, chicken broth, water and seasoning. Add the kidney beans, green beans and pasta to the saucepot. Stir in the Swiss chard, spinach, lemon peel and cooked bacon. Try your own variations.

Problem: Article: Gently scrub the skin with a loofa, bath sponge, or natural scrub product in order to remove dead skin and achieve an even and dark tan. Don’t rub so hard as to make your skin raw or irritated. For a natural exfoliating scrub, try coarse sea salt, granulated sugar mixed with honey, or coffee grounds mixed with olive oil. Choose a rich lotion and apply it all over your skin, focusing on spots that tend to get dry easier. Also drink plenty of water to keep your skin and entire body hydrated. This will allow your skin to get darker over time because each layer of darkened skin will not get dry and flake off as easily. Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen that is 15 SPF or higher, and rub it into your skin evenly and all over your body. Have a friend apply it to your back or other areas that you can’t reach easily yourself. You should apply sunscreen 30 minutes before you go outside.  Water-resistant sunscreen is great for many outdoor activities for which you’ll be getting wet or sweaty. You still need to reapply it regularly. Don’t listen to the common myth that you will tan better or faster without wearing sunscreen! Getting a sunburn from lack of sunscreen actually kills the skin cells that you are trying to darken, prohibiting you from getting a dark tan and increasing your risk of skin cancer. Buy a tanning accelerator lotion or pill to increase your tan. Use sparingly before going out in the sun, and test it for a small amount of time to make sure there are no adverse side effects.
Summary: Exfoliate your skin the night before. Moisturize with lotion. Wear sunscreen. Try a tanning accelerator.

Problem: Article: Whisk the two ingredients together in a small bowl until the cornstarch dissolves, forming a thick slurry. Set the dish aside. Cornstarch and flour are both thickeners, but cornstarch also gives thickened liquids a mild gloss, while flour alone can leave gravies looking dull. Since cornstarch is sensitive to prolonged cooking, however, you'll need to use both cornstarch and flour as thickeners in this recipe. Toss the butter into a large saucepan and set it over medium to medium-high heat. Let the butter melt completely.  Cutting the butter into smaller pieces prior to adding it may help the butter melt faster. Spread the melted butter over the entire bottom of the pan by shifting the pan as it melts. Toss the chopped shallots into the melted butter. Cook, stirring frequently, for 30 to 60 seconds or until the shallots become notably fragrant. Shallots have a mild, sweet onion taste that is also somewhat reminiscent of garlic. If you don't have any, you can use 1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped sweet onion or 2 large, minced garlic cloves. You may also omit the ingredient completely, but doing so will result in less flavorful gravy. Sprinkle the flour over the contents of the pan. Cook, whisking continually, for about 5 minutes or until the roux looks golden brown. You need to cook the flour roux for at least 1 minute after the flour absorbs the remaining butter; otherwise, the gravy may retain some bitterness from the taste of raw flour. Pour the broth into the seasoned roux, whisking constantly to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil while you continue whisking. You can use nearly any broth for this recipe, including beef, chicken, or turkey. To create a generic brown gravy, consider using two parts beef gravy and one part chicken gravy. Once the gravy is at a boil, pour in the cornstarch slurry and whisk well. Continue simmering the gravy for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until it thickens. Note that the water and cornstarch may separate as the slurry sits, so you may need to quickly stir the slurry before mixing it into the gravy. Sprinkle the gravy with black pepper, as desired, and mix to combine. Most commercial broths are fairly salty, so you probably won't need to add any extra salt. If you choose to do so anyway, add the salt in small amounts and taste the gravy in between each addition. For the best flavor and texture, serve the gravy immediately, while it's still hot.  You can keep the gravy warm by setting it on the stove over very low heat, but try to use it within the next 15 to 20 minutes. Cornstarch can break down when exposed to prolonged heat, and if that happens, the gravy will become thinner. Refrigerate any leftovers and reheat them on the stove prior to use. Whisk the gravy well to work out any congealed lumps.
Summary:
Combine the water and cornstarch. Melt the butter. Add the shallot. Whisk in the flour. Gradually pour in the broth. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Season the gravy. Serve.