Category: Food

Cooking · Dining

When You Want A Bit of A Change

JanetLeave a comment

Green peas can be quite a different experience when it comes to salads. Usually these little gems are used in Spring and Summery cookery but thanks to frozen or canned versions they can be enjoyed all year round. Also note, black eyed peas are a wonderful item that doesn’t seem to be used a lot. Theirs is a rather different taste – I rather enjoy them – mostly seen in Autumn meals.

Here is a collection of recipes I found over on AllRecipe.com. Many look familiar and most look quite appetizing. Click HERE to check out the list.

I especially like that there are all kinds of options for those of us who really need a change from the same old, same old.

Which one(s) are tempting you?

Cooking

Another take on Southern Tomato Pie

JanetLeave a comment

Chef John has done it again! I do enjoy a good tomato pie. I’ve even found ways to make them in the dead of winter when fresh tomatoes just aren’t available. Well, fresh flavorful tomatoes aren’t available.

Granted I did think twice about the Frito crust on this one but…it makes sense. It is also easier than making a regular pie crust.

I’m adding this one to my collection. How about you?

Books · Cooking

From The Reading Table: Mary 90 My Very Best Recipes

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Mary 90: My Very Best RecipesMary 90: My Very Best Recipes by Mary Berry

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Having been a fan of Mary Berry’s for quite a while, I’ve gleefully settled in to watch many of her shows. When this book was published I found myself wishing for a copy.

My Kindle copy is a wonderful way to settle in with a cuppa to read not only recipes and tips and tricks but some history, too. The photos are wonderful – not just food but friends and family.

This collection is perhaps the cream of the crop. Mary’s favorites. And for those who wonder, there is are conversion charts in the back and she does provide measurements that non British cooks can use.

No excuses! 😀

Mary does what she has always done; provide solid information and instruction along with a sure guiding hand for those who might be a little overwhelmed. She makes cooking and baking easy.

This is my only Mary Berry cookbook. Am I tempted to see what else she has in store? You bet!



View all my reviews

Instant Pot 3QT Mini · Meal Building Blocks

Freezer Biscuits Make Great Meals

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Yes, I know we are in the middle of yet another heat wave. And, yes, I know no one wants to heat up their kitchen when it is so warm. But, when you have your pantry and freezer well stocked, you can make great meals any time of the year.

Good frozen biscuits can be just the right extra for those mornings you want a little treat but aren’t interested in making them from scratch. And, if you are like me, a rolled biscuit often comes out … let’s just say I don’t need more roof tiles. 😉

When Stacey posted the following recently it made me sit up and take notice. I am always on the lookout for cozy comfort foods to make in my Instant Pot and this one … Yum!

The great thing with her recipes is that she offers options if you don’t have an Instant Pot or other small appliance.

The odd thing about hot summer days and cool meals is that sometimes you want something just a bit more … cozy … which usually means warm. This one checks that box.

Meal Building Blocks

Summer Recipes

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If you have been around here very long, you will know I am a fan of Bisquick. I find it a useful tool to make a wide variety of recipes without having to keep a lot of ingredients on hand. AllRecipes posted their 30 Best Bisquick Recipes list and I was excited to see what was on the list. Click HERE to check it out.

Some are old favorites while others are new to me. I love the variety of cobblers but am blown away by the main dish ideas. Which ones are you going to try?

Recipe of the Month

Summer Menu Ideas – Here’s What I’m Thinking

JanetLeave a comment

Summer heat is approaching faster and faster after a few (?) too many rainy days. I’ve been thinking about my next grocery order / meal plan and the heat.

Gelatin Salads and/or Desserts

Honestly, I’ve been craving a cool, luscious, creamy, dreamy Orange Bavarian for a while. It is easy to make, and relatively easy on the budget. I can change up the flavors, too, depending upon the gelatin flavor I get. And, surprisingly, there are a lot of interesting ideas out there – not just the traditional Jello brand… Anna over at Cooking The Books on YouTube has posted her Lemon Ice Box Cake. It sounds amazing!

Sandwiches

I’m thinking maybe sub sandwiches, chicken or tuna salad, maybe some ham and cheese. I can take advantage of wraps in addition to a variety of buns.

I could grill some chicken, too.

Pasta Salads

When the days are hot and muggy, sometimes all I want is something cold and filling – and, of course, flavorful. There are loads of recipes out there to try. I can take advantage of what is available from the Farmer’s Market, too.

Speaking of Salad

I love a good salad but, really, lettuce goes only so far with me. That being said, a good refreshing Taco Salad won’t require a lot of time over the stove. I could grab a bag of chicken tenders or nuggets or bites, bake them up and use them for a Fried Chicken Salad. Add in some ripe tomatoes, onions, celery, peppers, beans, it could be quite a nice change of pace.

And Don’t Forget

I often have to remind myself not to overlook those 3 bean salads, cheese balls (with good crackers), Hummus, fresh veg plates.

So, here’s what I’ve been thinking for July menus….What have you been thinking about yours?

Food

Rethinking the Meal Plan and the Budget

JanetLeave a comment

See Mindy Mom recently posted that she has had to rethink her food plans not only because of budget but the ages of her kids – all now in their teen years. That got me to thinking. Have you found yourself dealing with shrinking budget and a list of meals that just aren’t hitting the mark anymore?

For those with kids, it can be deceptively easy to forget that what was once sufficient because they didn’t eat as much or their tastes were a bit limited but now that they have grown a bit things have changed. Growing kids need a lot more good healthy foods to help them keep growing and keep them healthy. Adults, too, need good healthy foods but their tastes have changed a bit, too.

Recently I was meandering through the weekly ad from one of my local markets and found myself seeing things I hadn’t bought in a Very Long Time. Why? Because I was tired of eating them. We have also had shortage issues with a few things and by the time the shortages were resolved, I’d forgotten all about what used to be a regular item in my pantry.

As we head into the Summer season when school is out and kids are home more, many will be challenged to find items that the kids can snack on and meal items that won’t break the bank. Farmer’s Markets will, I hope, become a fast favorite to find those locally grown foods that will check many of your meal plan boxes.

If possible, plan to put some of that produce aside in the freezer for later. My mom used to take peaches, peel and slice them and then put them into freezer containers and tuck them away. The sweet summer flavor would be a welcome surprise when they made their way out of the freezer in Autumn.

Waste not, want not!

Now might also be a good time to sit down and make a list of what you, and your family, actually wants to eat. Once you’ve found uses for the left overs in the fridge, freezer and pantry (the stuff that kept being pushed aside…) it is a good time to refresh with items that you will actually look forward to using.

I don’t know about you but in my house the meal plans change with the season. Winter’s stews, roasts and such give way to lighter fare once the weather warms up a bit. And, really, who wants to have the oven on when it is hot outside?

That being said, habit tends to get in the way when putting a shopping list together. Sometimes I have to literally sit myself down and remind myself that it might not be the right time for that particular dish…

So, the Summer Menu Reset is on! Let’s see what we can find to make us look forward to meals rather than just eat.

Enjoy!

Cooking

Struggling For New Meal Ideas?

JanetLeave a comment

I’ve been enjoying Stacey’s Simple Meals this month. Stacey has embarked on a Recipe A Day In The Month Of May and it has been such fun seeing what she comes up with!

Click HERE to visit her YouTube Channel.

Click HERE to visit her website.

Stacey normally presents recipes for one or two people but on her website she has included the latest updates, what you will need for larger quantities and alternate cooking methods.

Check it out and let us both know what you will be making!

Cooking

It Does Not Have To Be Difficult

JanetLeave a comment

Cooking and baking can be extremely simple or excruciatingly complicated and everything in between. For most of us the day to day meals the occasional (or not so) extra special deserts are relatively simple affairs that can be accomplished by reading the recipe and understanding the instructions.

Recently Glen & Friends over on YouTube posted a great example of what happens when recipe writers, and those who use those recipes to make sales, create recipes that are almost certainly guaranteed to frustrate, annoy, and fail. Check it out:

Be sure to check out both recipes in the description box below the video. Eye opening stuff!

I have to wonder if the original recipes might have gone through some tool to adjust it for folks in different parts of the world or who use different measuring tools. That might explain some of the ridiculous measurements.

What Glen does is take the absurdity out of the equation and provide a usable recipe that anyone should be able to make. Even someone who is new to the cookery craft.

As I said, things like this do not have to be complicated but there is also a touch of confusion when you are working with a recipe intended for folks who use scales and those who do not. Either method works you just have to be mindful to be sure you are keeping with the method you chose.

Those cookies do look good!