Search Results for: blog the secret ingredient you need to have on hand

Soul Mates?

Is your spouse someone with whom you can share the innermost secrets of your heart and know you will not be judged, ridiculed or condemned? Is this what you are for your spouse – someone that he or she can always turn to – that they don’t have to think before they speak how will they react if I tell them this? This is the freedom and acceptance we should have with each other if we are really soul mates. ‘A friend is one to whom we may pour out all the contents of our heart, chaff and grain together, … Continue reading →

Marriage Is…

Earlier this year, I wrote about the “Love Is…” cartoons created by Kim Casali and their significance to my relationship with Wayne throughout our years together. In the vein of those cartoons, sans the drawings, I’ve whittled down some of the lessons I’ve learned from Families.com members, other bloggers, and my own personal experiences to compile a list of a few things I think marriage is. Marriage Is…: Filling in the Rest of the Sentence 1. Not always easy. 2. Sometimes aggravating. 3. About needing to trade places (i.e. putting yourself in your spouse’s shoes) from time to time. (Especially … Continue reading →

Frugal Living Month in Review: July 2008

July went by so quickly for us! There were so many fun and frugal activities and events for us to explore, from a science camp to free movies and sand sculpting. I hope your July was equally fun and frugal. Summer is a busy time, I know. Did you miss any frugal articles last month? If so, here is an opportunity to catch up on what you missed. There are new ways to save money on food, clothing, kids, gas and more. Feel free to leave a comment on any frugal post. I read all of the comments myself, no … Continue reading →

April’s Cooking Tips

Quite awhile ago now, I said that I would offer monthly cooking tips. A reader recently pointed out that I’m several months behind! I certainly won’t catch up but I figure there’s no time like the present to start. Here is a collection of cooking tips based on questions readers send me (and a few questions that some of my friends ask me), for your beginning-of-spring cooking. What does it mean when a recipe calls for a hulled strawberry? Hulling a strawberry means taking the little green stems off. You can actually buy a strawberry huller, but I just use … Continue reading →

The Secret Ingredient You Need to Have on Hand

Have you discovered the wonders of sour cream? Sour cream is great because you can add it to just about anything to get a creamier, richer, or more moist result. I consider it a “pantry essential” as it’s the best way I know of to make a quick dip or add flavor and texture to a flat sauce. Here are a few of my favorite sour cream hints and tips: A Quick Dip Combine equal parts sour cream and mayonnaise. Then add chives, bacon and tomatoes for a quick and tasty dip for last minute company. Creamier Pasta Sauce Want … Continue reading →

Lemony Scones

This is a great breakfast dish to welcome in Spring. These scones have a lightly lemony taste. What’s better, is that this is a great recipe for kids to help you prepare. I always make my scones by hand–as that will typically prevent over mixing, and besides, what kid doesn’t love to mix dough by hand? The secret to great scones is all in the mixing, and the ingredients, but more in the mixing. How you mix the dough, and in what order you mix the dough, will have a great effect on the results. If you mix too much, … Continue reading →

My Bakery Stockpile

This past weekend, I made a visit to our friendly neighborhood bakery thrift store. You may have read some of my earlier blogs all about this wonderful store. It is a place where I can get breads and other Pepperidge Farm goods for deep discounts. I like to keep baked goods and the ingredients to make baked goods well on hand. This means that I am always seeking ways to add to my stockpile. I do this through that bakery thrift store, but also through buying baking ingredients in bulk and with sales and coupons. Sometimes, I can even stock … 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 →

More Budget Baking (and Cooking) Substitutions

If you need to prepare a frugal meal, but you are missing a key ingredient, there is no need to panic or run to the store. Save time and money with some budget baking and cooking budget substitutions. Yesterday, in Budget Baking Substitutions, we talked about how it pays to use what you have on hand. We covered what to do when you run out of baking powder, brown sugar and chocolate chips. Today, we’ll concentrate on making some diary substitutions. I don’t know about you, but I do use a lot of dairy in my baking an cooking, especially … Continue reading →

Crock Pot Oriental Chicken Wraps

I’ve made it no secret in the past that my crock pot is my best friend. In fact, this past spring, I recently acquired a second crockpot so that I could do two meals in the crock pot on a busy day. You’d think the common person would just go ahead and make sandwiches or something. . .but I’m telling you, I’m really dedicated to my crock pot. In fact, someone recently asked me as a homeschooling mother what tools I considered essential and I answered, (can you guess?) my crock pot! But enough about the crock pot. This recipe … Continue reading →