A special thanks to friend and fellow poker league player, Alma, who has contributed one of her favorite and low calorie recipes - a dieter's dream, a four-ounce serving of spaghetti squash that has only 37 calories! Below are detailed directions so you can try it for your next poker party or social gathering.
Buying & Storing
When buying spaghetti squash, look for hard fruit that is heavy for its size, about eight to nine inches in length and four to five inches in diameter and with a pale even color. Avoid any squash with soft spots and green color is a sign of immaturity. The average four-pound spaghetti squash will yield about five cups.
Spaghetti Squash can be stored at room temperature for about a month. After cutting, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 2 days. Spaghetti squash also freezes well. Pack cooked squash into freezer bags, seal, label and freeze. Partially thaw before re-using, then steam until tender but still firm, about 5 minutes.
How To Cook Spaghetti Squash
Bake It -- Pierce the whole shell several times with a large fork or skewer and place in baking dish. Cook squash in preheated 375F oven approximately 1 hour or until flesh is tender.
Boil It -- Heat a pot of water large enough to hold the whole squash. When the water is boiling, drop in the squash and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on its size. When a fork goes easily into the flesh, the squash is done.
Microwave It -- Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove seeds. Place squash cut sides up in a microwave dish with 1/4 cup water. Cover with plastic wrap and cook on high for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on size of squash. Add more cooking time if necessary. Let stand covered, for 5 minutes. With fork "comb" out the strands.
Slow Cooker or Crock-Pot - Choose a smaller spaghetti squash (unless you have an extra large slow cooker) so that it will fit. Add 2 cups of water to slow cooker. Pierce the whole shell several times with a large fork or skewer, add to Crock Pot, cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours.
Once the squash is cooked, let it cool for 10 to 20 minutes so it will be easier to handle, before cutting in half (if it wasn't already) and removing the seeds. Pull a fork lengthwise through the flesh to separate it into long strands. You can do these steps ahead of time, then prepare spaghetti squash recipes whenever the mood strikes.
Enjoy! If you have recipes that you'd like to share with us, please post them or email them to me at jhjanel@gmail.com and I will post them for you. These should be recipes that are easy to make and easy to eat while you're playing poker.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Poker Jargon to Use At the Poker Table
In my ongoing learning of being a better poker player, I recently read the "Little Blue Book" by Poker Professional Phil Gordon. He discusses several different hands and pots that he's been part of and his thinking behind his actions for each hand. It's a very good book to help develop your Texas Hold'em strategies and it is available on our web site http://www.morethanpokertables.com/.
The part of the book that I want to share with you is the section at the end of the book called "A Short Guide to Poker Jargon". When you're at the poker table, whether it be playing in a league, home tournament or at a card room or casino, these are terms you may hear and wonder what they mean. I'm going to share a few with you so that you not only know what they mean, you can also use them yourselves.
For example, the term "board texture" means the general "feel" of the community cards, which allows an observant player to get a sense of what hands his or her opponents might be holding. You may know that a "calling station" is a player who is easily exploited for his or her exaggerated tendency to call too many hands.
The "cut off" is the seat just to the right of the button. "Fold equity" is the chance that a bet or raise will get an opponent to fold a better hand than yours. And when poker players say they're playing their position, this refers to where you sit in relation to the dealer, which determines how early or late you will act on each round of betting.
If you're at the poker table and you're "under the gun", this means you are the player who has to act first before the flop. A "value bet" is a bet with what you think is the best hand, sized to encourage your opponents to call. An "underbet" is the act of betting too little with a made hand, giving opponents the correct pot odds to draw for their outs.
This should give you a good beginning of poker jargon to make you sound like you know what you're talking about and help you improve your play. A special thanks to Phil for his eloquent description of these poker terms. Enjoy and try out the new terminology!
The part of the book that I want to share with you is the section at the end of the book called "A Short Guide to Poker Jargon". When you're at the poker table, whether it be playing in a league, home tournament or at a card room or casino, these are terms you may hear and wonder what they mean. I'm going to share a few with you so that you not only know what they mean, you can also use them yourselves.
For example, the term "board texture" means the general "feel" of the community cards, which allows an observant player to get a sense of what hands his or her opponents might be holding. You may know that a "calling station" is a player who is easily exploited for his or her exaggerated tendency to call too many hands.
The "cut off" is the seat just to the right of the button. "Fold equity" is the chance that a bet or raise will get an opponent to fold a better hand than yours. And when poker players say they're playing their position, this refers to where you sit in relation to the dealer, which determines how early or late you will act on each round of betting.
If you're at the poker table and you're "under the gun", this means you are the player who has to act first before the flop. A "value bet" is a bet with what you think is the best hand, sized to encourage your opponents to call. An "underbet" is the act of betting too little with a made hand, giving opponents the correct pot odds to draw for their outs.
This should give you a good beginning of poker jargon to make you sound like you know what you're talking about and help you improve your play. A special thanks to Phil for his eloquent description of these poker terms. Enjoy and try out the new terminology!
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Charity Poker Tournament Scheduled
January and February have been busy months for my other business, Hansen & Associates. As an independent meeting planner, I work with non-profit organizations to assist with their conventions, golf tournaments, special events and poker tournament fundraisers.
The first fundraiser is scheduled for Saturday, April 24th at the Elk Grove Masonic Lodge. Doors open at 5:00pm, Cards fly at 5:30pm. The event is a Texas Hold’em Tournament and the net proceeds benefit the Animal Rescue League, a 501 (c)3 charity that care for and find homes for homeless, abandoned, and neglected animals.
We are currently calling on potential sponsors to support the event and ARL. If you are interested in donating a prize, a silent auction item, or get more information on the sponsor opportunities, please email me at jhjanel@gmail.com and I’ll make sure you get the information that you need.
One of the reasons for creating our eCommerce website http://www.morethanpokertables.com is to be able to offer product discounts to the non-profit groups that we coordinate poker tournaments for. So we can offer our services and the products that they need at a reasonable price.
Most of you know that I belong to two poker leagues and enjoy playing and learning Texas Hold’em and other card games very much. Coordinating the details of poker tournaments as fundraisers for non-profit organizations has enabled me to combine my passion for event planning and playing poker to benefit and further the work of charities based in California.
If you are interested in getting more information on Texas Hold’em Tournaments as fundraisers or How to Start a Poker League, post a comment and your information below or email me. I’d be happy to help you as a consultant or as an Event Coordinator for your event.
The first fundraiser is scheduled for Saturday, April 24th at the Elk Grove Masonic Lodge. Doors open at 5:00pm, Cards fly at 5:30pm. The event is a Texas Hold’em Tournament and the net proceeds benefit the Animal Rescue League, a 501 (c)3 charity that care for and find homes for homeless, abandoned, and neglected animals.
We are currently calling on potential sponsors to support the event and ARL. If you are interested in donating a prize, a silent auction item, or get more information on the sponsor opportunities, please email me at jhjanel@gmail.com and I’ll make sure you get the information that you need.
One of the reasons for creating our eCommerce website http://www.morethanpokertables.com is to be able to offer product discounts to the non-profit groups that we coordinate poker tournaments for. So we can offer our services and the products that they need at a reasonable price.
Most of you know that I belong to two poker leagues and enjoy playing and learning Texas Hold’em and other card games very much. Coordinating the details of poker tournaments as fundraisers for non-profit organizations has enabled me to combine my passion for event planning and playing poker to benefit and further the work of charities based in California.
If you are interested in getting more information on Texas Hold’em Tournaments as fundraisers or How to Start a Poker League, post a comment and your information below or email me. I’d be happy to help you as a consultant or as an Event Coordinator for your event.
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