So I was chatting with a friend the other day about sweet potatoes...how much Tyler loves them, different ways to cook them, how they grow. I said, "You know, I've never grilled them." She replied, "Me neither...but I'll let you figure it out and I'll wait for the post on the website." Naturally, I turned to grillmaster Bobby Flay for his help. Well, I didn't ask him … [Read more...]
Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free Pancakes
Making gluten free anything can be tricky...especially when baking or making pancakes or waffles. I have found that baking mini-muffins or mini-loaves when using gluten free flours works best. I have also found that many gluten free pancakes are quite flat. This batch was "medium flat." Not quite as fluffy as regular wheat flour pancakes, but not flat and rubbery like other … [Read more...]
Kristy’s Kickin’ Sloppy Joes
I had grandiose plans...come home from spending the weekend in Altanta with good friends, having good times...and jumping right back into the daily routine for 2 days...before heading to New York. Those plans have been thwarted...along with my plans to make some pulled pork lettuce wraps using lettuce from the garden. Reason they have been thwarted...I've lost my voice … [Read more...]
How to Speed Up Grilling Time – Outdoor Kitchen Shortcut
Now that the grilling season is upon us, it's time to get outdoors and get our grill on. Usually, I think of summertime cooking as relaxed and leisurely. I rarely look at the time and having dinner on the table for the hungry little people at 5:45 on the dot isn't such an issue. (Because they are swinging, in the sandbox, or kicking a ball around the yard, and have … [Read more...]
Grilled Orange Sesame Chicken Wraps with Asian Cole Slaw
Simply. Tasty. Easy. Oh so flavorful. Juicy, smoky grilled chicken breasts with a hint of sweet from the orange juice and savory from the sesame. Along with cole slaw bursting with different asian flavors...yum-ilicious! And while I may have gone a smidge over my $5 mark...we have plenty of slices of grilled orange sesame chicken for the kids to have for … [Read more...]
Egg Salad BLT Sandwich
Back in January, I spent a lot of time traveling promoting my 2nd cookbook. I often stopped for meals at Subway...and during one of those stops, I was looking over the menu in hopes of finding a new sandwich to try. The BLT caught my eye and then it got me thinking about what else would work with a BLT. Tuna salad would work...especially with some melted Swiss on top. … [Read more...]
Maple Almond Scone Bites with Vanilla Bean Glaze
Ever since treating myself to one of the petite little scones at Starbucks on a recent publicity trip, I've been dying to make them. Because I know without a shadow of a doubt that I could make them for 90% less than what I paid for at the 'bucks. Before we get to the recipe, I'd like to have a pronunciation lesson. I have a friend who has lived in England and she told me … [Read more...]
5 Reasons Why I Use Cash Envelopes
I've been using my cash envelopes faithfully, each month of this year. I have 4 envelopes for groceries, 1 for each week of the month. 1 envelope for "lunches out." And another envelope for "blow money." We recently added the "blow money" envelope because we found that our miscellaneous monthly expenses were going beyond what we had intended. By putting these kinds of expenses … [Read more...]
How to Clean Your Stained Cutting Boards
Several weeks ago, I mentioned stained cutting boards. And a number of you threw out some ways to clean them. After doing some research and experimenting in the kitchen, I figured out what works best for my strawberry stained wood cutting boards! Step 1- Sprinkle a little kosher salt on the cutting board and then gently squeeze some lemon juice over the … [Read more...]
Ham and Broccoli Breakfast Casserole with Extra-Sharp Cheddar
I was at a church brunch recently and the ladies at my table started talking about egg casseroles. It was fun to hear everyone's take on them for both sides - the cooking them and the eating them. After listening contentedly for a few minutes, I chimed in with a few thoughts myself. I love to add some flare to my egg casseroles whether it be a particular spice, or a bold and … [Read more...]