Search Results for: blog the families cookbook winter 06 p to re

Ask a Food Blogger: Corn Pudding

Question: Do you have any good recipes for corn pudding? I love it but can’t find a recipe I like. When you’re looking into local cuisine on a trip (or in our case in a different neighborhood) it’s good ‘street sense’ to watch where the natives go. For example, when we go into Chinatown we don’t look for a place popular with the tourists, but instead opt to follow the locals down into what seems like a little dive in a hole in the ground for some of the best egg rolls, lo mein around. If it’s good enough for … Continue reading →

Ask a Food Blogger: What Are Free Range Meats?

Question: I keep seeing in my grocery store certain meats being advertised as ‘free range.’ They are much more expensive than ‘regular’ meat. Can you tell me why this meat is called ‘free range’, why it’s so much more expensive, and if it’s better for my health? This is an excellent question! Since you’ve really asked three questions. . .I’ll have to give you three answers. What Is Free Range Meat? Free range meat is a cut of meat from an animal that is allowed to roam in unrestricted pastures. Sort of. The USDA defines the term ‘free range’ such … Continue reading →

Is Cooking Your Chore?

I was recently talking with a sister in law who mentioned that she used to bake all the time before kids. She said she even used to bake with one kid. But with three, baking and cooking was a thing of the past. She has three little kids (in fact, we were pregnant at the same time) and although she doesn’t mind a foray into the kitchen–it doesn’t happen that often. I on the other hand, have just started getting back into the kitchen again after the birth of the twins. Yes, if you read my blogs, you know that … Continue reading →

The Sneaky Mama’s Chunky Apple Pumpkin Bread

My daughter has recently discovered the joys of pumpkin. This makes us very happy because it adds yet one more color of food to her repertoire. Now she’ll eat orange (pumpkin) and brown foods (fries and chicken nuggets). Actually, as many of you already know, I’m pretty good at sneaking stuff into my kids’ food without their knowledge so she does actually have a diet more broad than brown and orange–she just doesn’t know it. In any case, if you’re looking for back to school snacks this bread wins my vote. It’s bursting with good for you pumpkin and apples … Continue reading →

Three Easy Low Fat Chicken Recipes

Coconut Chicken I am a big coconut fan. I copy and save just about anything with coconut in it. So when I found this recipe in my e-mail box this week I had to save it. The best part about this recipe is that it is low fat: coconut milk has about half the calories of the regular stuff. The sauce is very mild but if it suits you, you can throw in some green chilies or something. Enjoy this Asian inspired dish alongside some sticky rice. You will need: 3/4 cup lite coconut milk 1/4 cup reduced fat peanut … Continue reading →

Boldly Cook Where No Man Has Cooked Before

I wrote an article last week about how I felt like the kitchen was my domain and I was someone entitled to my space there. I suppose if that is rightfully my domain, then extreme cooking would rightfully be my husband’s domain. My husband does not particularly like cooking. He can make a few things rather well but for the most part–his specialty is cheesy hot dogs. However, I wonder if we could ditch the stove and oven in favor for some slow moving lava, or if I’d let him poach salmon in the dishwasher–if I could see a meal … Continue reading →

A Dip, A Pasta Sauce and Chicken: Recipes that Use Fresh Garlic

If you’re not sure what to do with a bulb of fresh garlic, make sure that you check out my first blog on garlic written earlier today. One thing that bears repeating is that the round littly knobby thingy of fresh garlic that you are picking up at the grocery store IS NOT A CLOVE. It is called a bulb or a knob. The smaller parts that make up the bulb are cloves. Bleu Cheese Dip with Garlic and Bacon You will need: 7 slices bacon 2 cloves garlic peeled and minced 1 package cream cheese (soften cream cheese before … Continue reading →

Using Fresh Garlic in Recipes

If you’ve been following the food blog, you’ll remember that a few weeks ago my daughter brought home chard. She gets so excited about bringing home her bounty that I simply have to use it. Well this week it was garlic, complete with the muddy dirt clumps still hanging from the roots. It can’t get much more fresh than that! I use garlic all the time in my cooking. The thing is that I get it from the store. I actually tend to buy fresh garlic in a jar. I know to some the idea of jarred garlic being fresh … Continue reading →

The Families Cookbook Winter ’06 Oats to Oregano

I’m introducing a new feature here at families.com. Have you ever wanted to find a recipe based on an ingredient you have on hand? If so, you’ve likely encountered the same problem I have when looking at the categories to the right–there are simply too many recipes to find what you’re looking for. So I created these cookbooks so that you could easily search for your ingredient and easily find all the wonderful recipes here at families.com! (Check back periodically; this is a work in progress!) Note: Kitchen staples are not categorized. You will not find flour, sugar, salt, pepper, … Continue reading →

The Families Cookbook Winter ’06 Paprika to Red Wine Vinegar

I’m introducing a new feature here at families.com. Have you ever wanted to find a recipe based on an ingredient you have on hand? If so, you’ve likely encountered the same problem I have when looking at the categories to the right–there are simply too many recipes to find what you’re looking for. So I created these cookbooks so that you could easily search for your ingredient and easily find all the wonderful recipes here at families.com! (Check back periodically; this is a work in progress!) Note: Kitchen staples are not categorized. You will not find flour, sugar, salt, pepper, … Continue reading →