If you've never tried a kiwi, you are missing out! They have this delicious sweet tangy zing to them, and I love tossing them into fruit salads for the extra flavor! And they do well in smoothies too...love this uber healthy Green Smoothie! If you haven't tried one because you don't know how to cut it, or what to do with it, don't worry...know one will ever know! I'll … [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...]
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...]
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...]
5 Ways to Make Quesadillas
I love the versatility of quesadillas. I love the different filling options and the different cooking options. If you're in the mood for a smokey quesadilla, you can make one on the grill. If you prefer to use a skillet or griddle to get that perfectly browned and crispy tortilla, then go with that option. Or you could always just put one into a sandwich/panini/quesadilla … [Read more...]
Using Your Kitchen Shears
My kitchen shears might just be the most underutilized tool that I have in my kitchen. I'm hoping to use them more this summer! A few of their uses... 1. Chicken - Cutting up whole chicken into parts before cooking. Cutting chicken breasts or chicken thighs into bite size pieces before cooking. 2. Fresh herbs - Quickly snip cilantro stems from the leaves. Roll up some … [Read more...]
5 Inexpensive Ways to Boost Nutrition in Your Daily Diet
1. Ground flaxseed - We started adding ground flaxseed to our diets back when Ryan was struggling with speech delays. After much research, I learned that ground flaxseed is full of Omega 3s, which are great for brain (and speech) development. Whole flaxseed is less expensive than pre-ground flaxseed and can be ground in a coffee grinder. It does go rancid quickly, so I don't … [Read more...]
Do You Know How Much Salt and Pepper to Add?!
I wonder if you know how much salt and pepper to add when a recipe reads "season with salt and pepper to taste." Do you know how much to add?! Obviously you add enough so that your taste buds are happy and enjoy the flavor and bite from the salt and the pepper. But what if you are making a really large bowl of potato salad. Or a triple batch of soup in a big pot?! I'm … [Read more...]
Fruit Smoothie Popsicles
Whenever we have fruit that doesn't get eaten before it starts to droop we store it in the freezer until we can use it at a later date. Bananas are super easy to freeze right in their own peel and we store strawberries, blueberries, cantaloupe and other leftover fruit in plastic freezer bags for use in breads, pancakes, smoothies and these fabulous popsicles. They taste like … [Read more...]
Easy Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix Recipe
Whisk up these homemade spice blends to save money, starting with this easy Homemade Ranch Dressing mix recipe! I love, love, love my homemade taco seasoning mix. It's convenient, cheap and oh-so-tasty. And I'm mixing up a new homemade seasoning mix today...this time for ranch dressing! This past weekend I planted some lettuce and other cold weather veggies. I … [Read more...]