I generally consider winter to be “soup season.” Subsequently, I’ve been looking over a lot of soup recipes as I plan my winter menu. In addition to soups, I’ve seen recipes for stews, chowders, bisques, and chilies. Many of these recipes look similar, so how can we tell these different varieties of “soup” apart? What makes them … [Read more...] about Soup, Stew, Chowder, Bisque, or Chili?
cooking tips
Where to Find Meal Ideas and Recipes When Menu Planning
Sometimes I draw a blank when I sit down to plan a new menu for my family. I’ll want to try something new, but nothing comes to mind. It seems I’m not the only one who experiences this. Becca emailed me with the following question: “I know you plan your menus with an entire month’s meals. Where do you come up with the meal ideas? I … [Read more...] about Where to Find Meal Ideas and Recipes When Menu Planning
Healthier Versions of Your Favorite Thanksgiving Dishes
On Thanksgiving Day around here, no one wonders how many calories are in the sweet potato soufflé or if the rolls were prepared with whole wheat flour. What my family members want to know is what time dinner will be served and what flavors of pie were prepared for dessert. However, just because Thanksgiving is a day for feasting doesn’t … [Read more...] about Healthier Versions of Your Favorite Thanksgiving Dishes
22 Uses for Citrus Peels
Many of us toss the peels in the trash after eating an orange or squeezing juice from a lemon. This is a terrible habit because there are actually dozens of uses for these peels! Not only have these uses reduced the amount of trash I throw out, but I’m discovering that they can help me save money and make my home more pleasant. Ways to … [Read more...] about 22 Uses for Citrus Peels
Starter Kitchen Essentials
Have you ever come across a gadget or dish in your kitchen that you’re pretty certain you’ve never used? I recently heard from a reader who would like to avoid this. Elizabeth asked the following: “My fiancé and I both grew up in homes with single parents who cooked using mostly frozen and canned foods. We’re both now learning how to … [Read more...] about Starter Kitchen Essentials
Cobbler, Crisp, Crumble, Buckle, Grunt, Slump, or Brown Betty?
If you’re anything like me, then you are salivating after reading the title of this post. There are few things more delicious than desserts comprised of warm fruit and some sort of pastry or streusel! There are a lot of different ways to combine these. There’s pie, of course, which is pretty easy to identify, but then there are a whole … [Read more...] about Cobbler, Crisp, Crumble, Buckle, Grunt, Slump, or Brown Betty?
The Best Freezer Meals
Today we are going to answer another question from a reader. It’s timely for me that we examine her question because I’m trying to prepare freezer meals to use after I give birth later this summer. Sharon asked the following: “Hi, I have some friends that are having some health issues and would like to do some cooking for them. I am … [Read more...] about The Best Freezer Meals
Tips for Preparing Great Burgers
Hamburgers are one of my absolute favorite foods. For the most part, I’ve been content eating a wide variety of burgers prepared at restaurants, barbecues, and here at home. I’ve been paying more attention recently and I’ve noticed that there is great variation in the quality of burgers I eat. Some are moist and flavorful, while others … [Read more...] about Tips for Preparing Great Burgers
