Rating-A Must Have Book Have you ever been looking for one cookbook and found another one purely by chance? And has that purely by chance cookbook become a favorite? Your go to cookbook when you need something easy to make but yet delicious? That’s what happened and how Essential Pantry Cookbook by Jen Chapin came…
The Potato Ricer
Mashed potatoes…one of the most loved side dishes. Those creamy spuds that sit on the plate besides everything from steaks, chicken and sausages. I’ve tried using a potato masher, mixer, adding cream cheese, butter, cream, half and half but I never got the results I wanted for those light fluffy potatoes. Then one day I…
Make Lettuce Last Longer
If you love salads, you probably have lettuce sitting in the refrigerator. It’s a water dense food so it can spoil quickly but I’ve found a useful tip that keeps lettuce fresh longer. When you’re washing and preparing it, remove any of the white membranes that run down the middle of the leaf. That’s the…
Budget Bytes by Beth Moncel-A Cookbook Review
If there ever was a time to learn to cook budget meals, this is it. Some of you might know I’ve run a site called Budget Smart Girl www.budgetsmartgirl.com since 2005. Food has always been a popular topic, especially buying and eating healthy food on a budget. A few years ago, a book called Budget…
The Easy Way to Peel Hard-Boiled Eggs
I’d heard about this simple trick to make peeling hard-boiled eggs easy but never tried it until a few months ago and now I’ll never use any other method. Simple steam the eggs instead of boiling them. Not sure why it works but it makes the whole process simple. When it comes to cooking short…
Cooking Tip-Pastry and Biscuit Shortcut
Have you ever thought about using a cheese grater when you make pastry or biscuits? I’m one for shortcuts and saving time in the kitchen so one day I reached for the cheese grater when I needed to mix in butter into the flour when I use making biscuits. The butter has to be cold…
Sweet Apple Carrot Coleslaw
Ingredients 2 (12 oz) packages shredded coleslaw mix 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar 2 large apples 2 large carrots 3/4 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup sour cream 1/4 cup sugar Salt & pepper to taste Directions Rinse coleslaw mix and drain thoroughly. Using paper towels, pat out any excess water before using. In a large bowl…
Super Stuffed Potato Skins
Ingredients: 6 baking potatoes 1 c. shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese 1 c. sour cream 1 tsp. salt ½ tsp. pepper ¼ c. bacon bits 3 scallions, finely chopped ¼ c. sweet red pepper, finely chopped Paprika for garnish Directions: Scrub and pierce potatoes with a fork. Arrange on a baking sheet and bake at 400…
Spicy Walnuts
Ingredients: 1 cup of walnut halves 1/2 cup of sugar 1/4 cup of water 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt A dash of ground red pepper Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the walnuts on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly…
Spicy Hummus Dip
Ingredients 1 (16 oz) can garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed & drained 1 tbsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. minced garlic 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper 1 tsp. ground Cumin 1 tsp. Paprika 1/2 tsp. Curry powder 4 tbsp. chopped fresh Cilantro 1/3 c. sesame tahini 2 tbsp. Olive Oil For more spice, add 2 tsp. hot…