It's possible to trade profitably on the Forex, the nearly $2 trillion worldwide currency exchange market. But the odds are against you, even more so if you don't prepare and plan your trades. According to a 2014 Bloomberg report, several analyses of retail Forex trading, including one by the National Futures Association (NFA), the industry's regulatory body, concluded that more than two out of three Forex traders lose money. This suggests that self-education and caution are recommended. Here are some approaches that may improve your odds of taking a profit. Prepare Before You Begin Trading Because the Forex market is highly leveraged -- as much as 50 to 1 -- it can have the same appeal as buying a lottery ticket: some small chance of making a killing. This, however, isn't trading; it's gambling, with the odds long against you. A better way of entering the Forex market is to carefully prepare. Beginning with a practice account is helpful and risk-free. While you're trading in your practice account, read the most frequently recommended Forex trading books, among them Currency Forecasting: A Guide to Fundamental and Technical Models of Exchange Rate Determination, by Michael R. Rosenberg is short, not too sweet and highly admired introduction to the Forex market. Forex Strategies: Best Forex Strategies for High Profits and Reduced Risk, by Matthew Maybury is an excellent introduction to Forex trading. The Little Book of Currency Trading: How to Make Big Profits in the World of Forex, by Kathy Lien is another concise introduction that has stood the test of time. All three are available on Amazon. Rosenberg's book, unfortunately, is pricey, but it's widely available in public libraries. "Trading in the Zone: Master the Market with Confidence, Discipline and a Winning Attitude," by Mark Douglas is another good book that's available on Amazon, and, again, somewhat pricey, although the Kindle edition is not. Use the information gained from your reading to plan your trades before plunging in. The more you change your plan, the more you end up in trouble and the less likely that elusive forex profit will end up in your pocket. Diversify and Limit Your Risks Two strategies that belong in every trader's arsenal are: Diversification: Traders who execute many small traders, particularly in different markets where the correlation between markets is low, have a better chance of making a profit. Putting all your money in one big trade is always a bad idea. Familiarize yourself with ways guaranteeing a profit on an already profitable order, such as a trailing stop, and of limiting losses using stop and limit orders. These strategies and more are covered in the recommended books. Novice traders often make the mistake of concentrating on how to win; it's even more important to understand how to limit your losses. Be Patient Forex traders, particularly beginners, are prone to getting nervous if a trade does not go their way immediately, or if the trade goes into a little profit they get itchy to pull the plug and walk away with a small profit that could have been a significant profit with little downside risk using appropriate risk reduction strategies. In "On Any Given Sunday," Al Pacino reminds us that "football is a game of inches." That's a winning attitude in the Forex market as well. Remember that you are going to win some trades and lose others. Take satisfaction in the accumulation of a few more wins than losses. Over time, that could make you rich!

Spiced Sweet Potato and Bacon Skewers Recipe



Sugar and spice and everything nice…that’s what this Spiced Sweet Potato and Bacon Skewers recipe is made of! An easy side dish, perfect for fall.

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When I was a new mom and wife, sweet potatoes were cooked in my kitchen only one time per year: Thanksgiving. And, it was almost always canned sweet potatoes (or yams). Let’s just say that I was oddly intimated by fresh sweet potatoes.

When I made sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving, it was always a “classic” sweet potato casserole, topped with marshmallows. My husband and I would enjoy it. But the kids? It wasn’t their thing. There was always a ton of leftovers, and I figured that my kids just didn’t like sweet potatoes. But, did that stop me? Nope. I continued to make them most years, citing that it was a tradition.



But, over the last several years, I learned that my kids actually DO like sweet potatoes. They just didn’t like MY sweet potato casserole. I figured this out by occasionally working them into other meals over the years. They love sweet potato fries (even opting for them over regular fries at restaurants) and one of their favorite fall dinners has been our DIY Baked Sweet Potato Bar.

They also enjoy my Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes with Quinoa and Kale (although one of the kids prefers it without the blue cheese). And I’ve even started serving a much better sweet potato casserole at Thanksgiving that they LOVE and insist that I have to make more of it this year. And, yeah, it has no marshmallows on top.

But, when it comes to all the ways I’ve cooked with sweet potatoes, this Spiced Sweet Potato Skewers recipe is their winner.



Of course, what’s not to like? It includes bacon and sugar. The kids love it, I love it, and David goes CRAZY for them. They’re almost too good, so enjoy in moderation.

To get started on your Spiced Sweet Potato and Bacon Skewers recipe, you’ll first peel and cut sweet potatoes into about 1 1/2″ chunks. Place them in a bowl and toss with olive oil.


In a small bowl, you’ll combine brown and white sugar, as well as several spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cayenne pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.


With metal skewers, alternate a chunk of sweet potato and 1/4th of a slice of bacon that has been folded in half (or smaller if necessary). Don’t pack your sweet potato and bacon together tightly. Make sure to leave a tiny bit of room between each bacon slice and potato chuck to allow even cooking. Repeat pattern until you have about 7 pieces of sweet potato and 6 pieces of bacon on each skewer.

Due to how firm sweet potatoes are, I do not recommend using bamboo skewers. I recommend using good, but basic, metal skewers.

Note: if you are wanting a vegetarian version, you can leave the bacon off. You can also use less bacon – just place 2-3 sweet potato chunks between 1 piece of bacon.


Roll each skewer in the spiced sugar mixture. You may want to press some of the spiced sugar onto the potatoes and bacon. Tap your skewer gently to remove any excess.


Place each skewer on top of oven-safe cooling racks that are placed on top of a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and bacon is fully cooked. Serve and enjoy!


Spiced Sweet Potato and Bacon Skewers Recipe
Author: Brandie Valenzuela

Ingredients
2 pounds sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into 1 1/2″ chunks)
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound sliced bacon
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions
Place oven-safe cooking racks on top of a large rimmed baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Place cut sweet potatoes in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to combine. Set aside.
Without separating bacon slices into individual pieces, cut entire slab of bacon slices into fourths (when laying horizontally in front of you). This is easiest by cutting slab in half and then cutting each of those portions in half again.
In a small bowl, combine sugars and spices. Pour spiced sugar mixture onto a large, rimmed baking sheet.
With metal skewer, slide on a chunk of sweet potato, then 1 small piece of bacon (which is 1/4th of a bacon slice) that has been folded in half (or smaller if necessary). Make sure to leave a tiny bit of room between each bacon slice and potato chuck to allow even cooking (don’t push them tightly together). Repeat pattern until you have about 7 pieces of sweet potato and 6 pieces of bacon on each skewer.
Roll each skewer in the spiced sugar mixture. You may want to use your hand to hold some of the spiced sugar to press more of it onto the potatoes and bacon. Tap your skewer gently to remove any excess spiced sugar. Place skewer on top of the the cooling racks on your prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining skewers. Discard any remaining spiced sugar.
Bake skewers for about 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and bacon is fully cooked.

Notes

Note: if you are wanting a vegetarian version, you can leave the bacon off. You can also use less bacon – just place 2-3 sweet potato chunks between 1 piece of bacon.


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