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Slow Cooker Basics Part 2

If you want yummy, perfectly cooked slow cooker or crockpot recipes that cost pennies per serving, then keep reading. With a little knowledge, your slow cooker meals will help you reduce your food bill while keeping your family happy. This post is part two of Slow Cooker Basics. If you missed the first post, you can find it here: Slow Cooker Basics. Now, let us add to your knowledge about how to make delicious slow cooker or crockpot meals. Some Food Cooks Faster than Others Vegetables usually take longer to cook than meat does. Don’t worry, you can still cook … Continue reading →

Mashed Potatoes – The basics

A holiday just isn’t the same without creamy mashed potatoes. But not everyone knows how to make this delicious side dish correctly. Have you ever gone to someone’s house and eagerly awaited mashed potatoes, only to be greeted with lumpy, bland tasting potatoes, or runny potatoes you need a spoon to eat? If you’re admittedly the one who served those potatoes, fret not. Help is here! Once you get the hang of mashed potatoes, they’re a cinch to make. **This recipe calls for a food mill. If you don’t have one, you can find one at your local cookery or … Continue reading →

The Easy Way to Cook from Scratch

Cooking from scratch is a great way to reduce your overall food bill. Eating out can cost three or four times as much as cooking at home, on average. Faced with the reality of the savings, why don’t we all cook more and eat out less? Well, one of the main reasons is that the idea of cooking every meal at home when our lives are so busy can seem daunting. Guess what, though? Eating at home can actually be less time consuming than going out in many cases. Plus, if you follow the following advice, you will see that … Continue reading →

Why Are Comfort Foods So Comforting?

I’ve finally recovered from my virus (I think!), four days of fever haze and comfort foods. And now that I’m thinking clearly again, I’m wondering why comfort foods are so dang comforting? The general consensus seems to be that comfort foods bring up good, safe, happy childhood memories. They’re generally not fancy, not gourmet… they’re familiar, comfortable, and filling. My own comfort foods? Well, as soon as I started feeling sick, I asked my roommate to go to the store for ginger ale and orange juice. They’re my go-to sick drinks… almost definitely because that’s what Mom always gave me … Continue reading →

Super Simple Sunday Night Dinner

If you are looking for a quick and easy dinner idea, consider one of my family’s favorites. It includes an entree and dessert, but the recipes won’t drain your budget or take up a ton of valuable family weekend time. The first recipe is lovingly nicknamed Everything But the Kitchen Sink Casserole. It was created from leftover items that I refused to waste. I combined the refrigerated leftovers with a few pantry items and presto—-instant dinner. Dessert is an easy Pistachio Torte that sounds fancier than it really is. You can put it together in less than 20 minutes, though … Continue reading →

Au Gratin Sweet Peas

In a holiday rut? Are you tired of the same old menu every single year—sometimes twice in two months? Are you sick of green bean casserole? If you’re looking for a delightfully different side-dish to serve at this year’s holiday gathering, consider au gratin sweet peas. They’re sweet, creamy, and delicious! They’ll leave your guests pleasantly surprised and give you, the chef, a new side dish to prepare any time you want to change things up a little. Best of all, you’ll be eating your peas—your mother would be proud. For this recipe you’ll need: 2 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon … Continue reading →