Search Results for: blog choosing the best tomatoes

The Best Nachos Ever

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Someone recently asked me if I could share a nacho recipe since I love Mexican food. I can share a Nacho recipe, but it has nothing to with loving Mexican food. Nachos are a distinctively Tex-Mex dish; a blending of southwestern style American food and Mexican food. While in Mexico, you might find fried tortillas to use as chips for dip. . .you’d find them paired with pico de gallo, mashed avocado, or salsa fresco–not layered under tons of gunk. With that said, it doesn’t mean that piling up tons of gunk on your Nachos doesn’t make them delicious! This … Continue reading →

Choosing Strawberries

Yummy, yummy strawberries. Who can resist the plump sweetness of a great strawberry. There is nothing like this great fruit when it is ripe and perfect. Enjoy them with chocolate, with cream, or in one of the many great recipes here in the Food Blog. But, one of the things about strawberries is that when they go wrong, they go very wrong. From tough bitter berries to rotten moldy berries, you could be in for a nasty surprise if you aren’t careful. And strawberries have some special concerns when it comes to choosing where and how the strawberries are grown. … Continue reading →

Your Summer Bounty: Rice Stuffed Tomatoes

Do you have an excess of tomatoes and aren’t sure what to do with them? Sure you can make countless cans of marinara sauce to store for later. Or you can have salad, every night for the next several months. Or you can make this fantastic side dish. Since the ingredients are fresh, this is oozing with great flavor! A big thanks to the garden where my kids take classes, for this recipe! You will need: 1 cup Arborio rice (or other short-grain white rice) 6 ripe but firm large tomatoes 4 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 1 … Continue reading →

Choosing The Best Tomatoes

Do you choose your tomatoes by the way they look? For example, a bright red tomato is always the best chose, right? Um not necessarily. It can turn out to be less than desirable: sour, mealy, hard or even rotten! There is a lot that can be done to a tomato to make it look like it is ripe and juicy when the reality is quite the opposite. Many of today’s tomatoes are engineered to hold up under rough handling by machines, as well as look the best in appearance. This can result in tough tomatoes that appear to be … Continue reading →

Saving Money on New Year’s Parties

Even if you are planning a potluck for your New Year’s Eve bash, hosting a get-together of family and friends is going to cost you. Fortunately, there are ways you can serve up a memorable shindig without breaking the bank. The key is to employ some basic tips on cooking for a crowd that won’t sacrifice flavor for frugality. For starters, you’ll want to invest in affordable appetizers. If you can get guests to fill up on snack food, they will be less likely to devour five helpings of the main course. Some affordable snacks include: chips and salsa, cheese … Continue reading →

7 Ideas for Frugal Date Night

Whether you are looking for a date night with your spouse or wondering what to do on a first date, you can spend less and still impress. Here are 7 different ideas for frugal dates that fun and sometimes even free. 1. Instead of the fancy dinner at a fine restaurant, opt for happy hour at your local fun and inexpensive restaurant. There is bound to be a festive atmosphere, and you can enjoy drinks and appetizers for less than half the cost of that fancy dinner. 2. Check out evening museum programs. Many local museums offer free or reduced … Continue reading →

Snack Habits in My Pack

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It seems that there are two types of dog: the dog who will eat anything in front of him, whenever it is available (like my dog Moose) and the dog who only eats when she’s hungry (like my dog Lally). When it comes to snacks, Moose and Lally are also very different. Moose will try anything once. Twice. Seventeen times. Lally is a much pickier eater. She only likes certain things and will disdain anything that isn’t on her list. Her likes include chicken jerky, chicken or beef flavored chewy treats, and the occasional rawhide (but only when she’s in … Continue reading →

Shopping List and Tidbits: August 14 to August 17

Welcome to the shopping list and tidbits which is the food blog’s form of the week in review. If you regularly read the food blog, you know that I hadn’t done the shopping list and tidbits for quite some time. I had decided to focus on the cookbooks which are coming slowly but surely. However, some of you have requested that I bring this feature back so I promise to do my best! If you’re new to this format you’ll find pantry items at the top of the list. These are things that are called for in the recipes this … Continue reading →

How to Select Onions

How many people does it take to select an onion? I thought about this take on an old joke when I overheard a mother and daughter having an onion debate at a local produce store. The each had their own take on how to select the best onions. I use onions all of the time in my cooking. They are versatile and an easy way to add a flavor to cooking that is a common part of most everyone’s pallet. Onions can be used in many different cooking devices and techniques, from the grill to the crockpot. Chopped or diced … Continue reading →

How to Select Grapes

Mmmm grapes. Nature’s candy. Grapes are one thing that I don’t have to beg my children to eat them out of hand. And, they are also wonderful in fruit salads, chicken salads, and of course, traditional leafy salads. But some grapes can be, well, less than desirable. Do you know how to select the best grapes? Do you want a quick, easy refresher? Read on to find out some great tips about selecting wonderful grapes at the store. First, you should decide what type of grapes you would like. Yes, some are seeded and other seedless, but there are three … Continue reading →