Category: Recipes

Oh how I long for the lazy days of summer again.  Even though we aren’t in the stage of a ‘traditional’ school year any more, it seems that our schedule and activities still follows one.  I really thought that with sending our daughter to college and being empty nesters that we’d have more down time and relaxed meals.  But between blog events, church activities and social gatherings, it seems that two or three nights a week minimum, I need to get a quick meal on the table before we head out the door.

If you’re looking for a fun activity in the kitchen for your kids this October, why not make some easy Jack-o-Lantern cupcakes with them?

It only takes a few ingredients, but will result in a morning or afternoon of fun and memories for parents and kids alike.

The average cost of lattes for a week could buy you a month of breakfast choices at home. Starting today until the end of September, Market Street is featuring a special selection of breakfast items in their weekly ads, all designed to help you create a quick, easy, nutritious breakfast at home and save.  Savings on cereal, biscuits and yogurt will be a part of the event, and I’ve got a couple of recipes below that you can make with the items you purchase and saved on!

Cavemen *probably* didn’t eat ice cream. So for those living paleo today, the frozen treat would be something they’d have to give up–until now!

Introducing “Paleo Ice Cream (Ben Hirshberg),” a new cookbook packed with 75 recipes for rich and creamy frozen treats that leave out unwanted dairy, refined sugars and chemical additives.

With football season around the corner, you may be interested in Riunite’s Ultimate Chili Challenge, a nationwide chili cook-off culminating in a Grand Prize trip to the Super Bowl next year. Home cooks around the country are spicing up their recipes and popping open bottles to compete for the best chili creation and Lambrusco pairing.

To help me become a part of the Riunite Ultimate Chili Challenge, I was sent a few things to get my chili cooking started:

Greenwich-based chef, author, and hostess extraordinaire Victoria Amory presented her all natural condiment collection at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York earlier this summer.  The Victoria Amory condiment collection features three creative ketchups, including the Smokey BBQ Ketchup, chosen from over 180,000 products as one of the Smokin’ Innovations at the acclaimed food show.  Inspired by the flavors and aromas of Spain’s ancient and rugged La Mancha region the Smokey BBQ Ketchup includes ingredients such as Smoke Paprika, Brown Sugar, Red and White Wine Vinegar and Olive Oil.

Since we moved to Texas, I’ve been feeling as if I need to up my ante when it comes to sauce recipes.  We’ve been busy familiarizing ourselves with our community and the local businesses, many of which happen to be taco restaurants.  I think in a 5-mile radius of our home there is one on every other corner (okay, I may be exaggerating a bit..but not much!).  The pickiest taste-buds this side of Jupiter live in my home though so I need to do a bit of improvising.  I’d love to make dishes that incorporate a sauce that has a ‘Tex-Mex’ flavor, but my family hears ‘Tex-Mex’ and runs for cover.

Beef is a source of protein that we eat a lot of in our home.  While costs of beef have risen over the years, I stock up on sales or skimp on other things so that it fits into our budget.  I get a lot of ideas for dinner from  BeefitsWhatsForDinner.com, which is a Beef Checkoff program that their contractor The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association manages. 

The temperatures have once again skyrocketed here in North Texas.  And we’re doing everything we can to cool down.  With a few trips on the horizon next month, I’m trying to not eat too many calories these days as I know I’m going to blow the calorie counts when I’m traveling. 

Did you know what the average 8 oz milkshake has in terms of calories?  256.  Yikes!  But I love them.