Delightful Gourmet

Pumpkin Dip with Ginger Crisps

2011-12-20T07:17:00.000-08:00

A new family favorite has emerged this year. Pumpkin dip with ginger crisps. Yum!

It's really a simple recipe and it makes a lot so you can share. You can make your own homemade crisps or purchase them at the supermarket. They are thin cracker like cookies, perfect for this recipe.

4 cups powered sugar
2 8oz pkgs. cream cheese
1 can (29 oz) of pumpkin
2 t cinnamon
1 t ginger
pumpkin pie spice to taste

Cream together powder sugar, and cream cheese until smooth. Add the pumpkin and seasonings and place in the fridge for 30 minutes. Serve with those yummy ginger crisps and you will fall in love.

Gluten Free Apple Pie Alternative

2011-11-22T14:30:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving begins the holidays of food. For many of us the thought of enjoying all of Grandma's famous recipes makes our mouths water. However, many families have those who can not partake in the feast due to gluten allergies.
Thankfully these allergies are becoming understood more and more and fabulous recipes are developed all the time to replace gluten containing foods with delicious safe foods.

Over at Planet Gift Baskets, we understand gluten intolerance first hand. That is why many of our gifts and recipes have been taste tested and approved by all ages. Gluten intolerant and not try out these alternatives and we share with you the best of the best.

Sometimes we even fool a lot of people with our gluten free foods.

Check out our Apple Pie Alternative Dessert. It's quite simply amazing.

Explore our gluten free recipe site for more inspiration.

Using up Thanksgiving Leftovers

2011-11-21T08:47:00.000-08:00

Just because it's a leftover doesn't mean it can't become something just as gourmet as the Thanksgiving meal itself.

Our family favorite for using up leftover turkey and veggies is Turkey Corn Chowder. Yum, just the thought of it on this chilly day makes my mouth water. Start it in the morning and go do your Black Friday shopping. Come home to the smell of a hot warm and heart chowder that didn't take long to make.

Turkey Corn Chowder

1/4 cup butter
1 large onion
2 cups water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
*(replace 2 cups water and bouillon for 2 cups of leftover turkey broth)
4-5 potatoes
*(can use a cup of mash potatoes in place of 2 of the chunkier potatoes)
1 cup celery
*(if you made stuffing, I'm sure you have some leftovers in the fridge)
3 cups of turkey meat
*(self explanatory)
Salt and Pepper
2 cups of corn or cream corn
*(if you don't have these left over, you can open up fresh cans)
4 cups of milk
some parsley, paprika and sage

Saute onions and butter in the bottom of a large pot. Add broth or water and bouillon. Add chopped potatoes, celery and turkey. Cook about 10-15 minutes then add corn and milk and season with salt and pepper. Keep on minimum heat, or better yet, throw this mixture into the crock pot on high for 4 hours. It will be ready when you are.

A perfect soothing meal after the feasts of Thanksgiving Day.

Don't forget to enjoy some leftover pumpkin pie for dessert!

Neighbors Matter-Christmas Gifts That Will Mend Fences

2011-11-17T14:51:00.000-08:00

Every year I want to do something for my neighbors. We say hello and smile as we pass in the car, but not more then that. When I hear my parents talk about the relationships that they had with their neighbors years ago, I wish we could bring some of that back.

Most of us jump in the car and run to the store and to the soccer game and then to the pick up the kids from swimming lessons. And the list goes on and on.

This year I am going to get some type of gift for my neighbors and let them know that even though we are all running in different directions, we do have a certain bond and though times have changed, neighbors are still important and we all need each other.

The biggest problem is what to get them. I need a cheap Christmas gift. I tried looking on the computer for cheap Christmas gifts and nothing really jumped out at me. Most Cheap Christmas gifts ideas seemed to be just that . I wanted something that was special and said that they were important people to us.

Now I am really not that crafty. I mean I can’t just knit up gloves for everyone, or sew dish towels with their names on them, but I can cook so I came up with the idea of making my favorite bread and then wrap in up with a cute bow and add a recipe card and a note. Hear is the recipe I used,. It is easy and you can make it ahead and freeze it so you won’t get in to a last minute crunch.

SOUR CREAM BANANA BREAD

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup butter

3 cups sugar

3 eggs

6 bananas, mashed

1 (16 ounce) container sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons baking soda

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease four 7x3 inch loaf pans. In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Dust pans lightly with cinnamon and sugar mixture.

In a large bowl, cream butter and 3 cups sugar. Mix in eggs, mashed bananas, sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix in salt, baking soda and flour. Stir in nuts. Divide into prepared pans.

Bake for 1 hour

It's International Chocolate Day!

2011-09-13T16:45:00.000-07:00

How are you going to celebrate chocolate? Milk, Dark or White? With nuts or without?

Did you know Chocolate is a vegetable? It comes from the Cacao tree found in rainforests. Who knew? Now what's stopping you go EAT YOUR VEGETABLES!

Celebrate by sending your best friends a gift basket filled with chocolate goodies at Planet Gift Baskets.

Sweet and Savory Leg of Lamb

2011-08-04T07:46:00.000-07:00

This was our first time making a leg of lamb. Thankfully a wonderful friend came over and walked my daughter and I through the whole process. It was delicious and not nearly as intimidating as I thought it would be.

The ingredients included a 3 pound boneless leg of lamb, grape jelly, red wine, grape juice, oregano, thyme, rosemary, onion, garlic and salt. Not to bad now is it?

First we diced up all the onions and garlic. Some of the onion was left in chunks. Finely chopping the dried herbs brought out the fragrance.

Heat about 1/2 cups of the grape jelly up until it's smooth and runny. After chopping the herbs, add to the grape jelly.

We added about a cup of grape juice to the grape jelly, threw in the onions and garlic and added the red wine. A good dose of salt and pepper and it was ready to marinate.

A beautiful boneless leg of lamb. Notice I took the netting off the lamb put left it in the pan with it. This allows the marinade to touch all of the meat, while keeping my netting fresh so that I can put it back on before cooking.

Place the lamb into a cooking bag and pour the marinade over it.

Make sure you remove as much air as possible and give it a good knot. I kept mine in a pan in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Boy did it smell good.

Once you've marinated the lamb for 24 hours, remove it from the plastic bag with the marinade. Put the netting back onto the lamb, and place in a covered roaster at 350 degrees for about 3 hours.

A beautiful and easy dish to make and serve. Your guests will be greeted at the door with an amazing aroma that will have them excited to sit down and eat.

Gluten Free Molten Chocolate Cupcakes

2011-06-21T09:57:00.000-07:00

In your life you eat a lot of different types of foods, you make, bake, and cook a lot of food too, and every so often, you run across a recipe that is worth holding onto. This is that recipe. The cakes are easy to make,are mindbogglingly good. Sweet, rich, and great with a glass of milk, gluten free molten chocolate cupcakes make a great party dish, a kid-friendly afternoon snack, or a tasteful late night dessert. These cakes are gluten free, so those of us with celiac can celebrate!

Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Total Time: 2 Hr
Makes: 18 Cupcakes

Recipe Details

Ingredients:

1/2 cup whipping cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 box Betty Crocker® Gluten Free devil's food cake mix
Water, butter and eggs called for on cake mix box
Powdered sugar, if desired
Raspberries or sliced strawberries, if desired

Preparation Instructions:

In small microwavable bowl, microwave whipping cream and chocolate chips uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds; stir until smooth. Refrigerate about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until thick.
Heat oven to 350°F (or 325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 18 large (2 3/4x1 1/4-inch) muffin cups. Make cake mix as directed on box, using water, butter and eggs. Place 1/4 cup batter in each muffin cup. Spoon 1 tablespoon cold chocolate mixture on top of batter in center of each cup.
Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched. Cool 1 minute; carefully remove from muffin cups to cooling racks. Cool 5 minutes before serving.
To serve, remove paper baking cup from each warm cupcake; place on individual dessert plate. Sprinkle each with powdered sugar; garnish with raspberries. To serve leftover cupcakes, rewarm by removing paper baking cups and microwaving on plate uncovered on High 10 to 15 seconds.

To make this dish really something else, add a fruit to it, I used strawberry. This breaks up the richness, and enhances the taste of the chocolate. The powdered sugar allows for the sweetening of the cake, it is semi-sweet so it tastes more like dark chocolate. Which is all fine and dandy, but the sugar on top adds a certain 'umph'.Anyways, enjoy eating you molten chocolate cakes, and have a fantastic summer!

Check out where we got this recipe at, http://www.glutenfreely.com/recipes/desserts/
There are plenty of other great recipes (that are super easy).
Give them our love!

Macaroni and Cheese

2011-05-25T15:55:00.000-07:00

I love making this recipe for my family. Perfect for rainy days, this meal says comfort. My dad will not eat any other mac and cheese now that I cook this.

Better than boxed macaroni and cheese

12 to 16 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni

¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter

¼ cup all-purpose flour

3 cups milk

1 teaspoon dry mustard, like Colman’s

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

(Monterey jack or Colby is fine, too)

4 ounces cream cheese (optional)

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus for serving

Sweet paprika (optional)

1. Cook macaroni in boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain

and keep warm.

2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and

Mix with a wire whisk until smooth. Add milk, whisking as you pour it in to

Smoothly incorporate it into flour mixture. Heat until mixture thickens,

Stirring frequently.

3. Add mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to white sauce. Let simmer

Over medium heat, stirring frequently. Gradually add cheddar, cream cheese, if

Using, and 1/2 cup Parmesan. The sauce is done when cheeses are well combined,

Smooth and melted.

4. add macaroni to sauce and stir until well mixed with sauce. Sprinkle with a

Little more Parmesan and a bit of paprika for color, if you are using it.

Written by Alleigh who is 13 years old and is a great cook!

Mother's Day Gift Idea....Yummy Lemon Cake

2011-04-29T12:55:00.000-07:00

There is something about Moms and something about lemons. Both of them most people like. I can’t imagine what we would do without our moms. They make life better. They refine us, tell us what we don’t always want to hear but know is true, and they love us unconditionally. Like a lemon they add so much by doing even a little.

This Mother’s Day I have a great Mother’s Day gift idea. Why not make your mom a special cake. Even if you aren’t a baker I promise you can make this recipe. It is a great Mother’s Day gift idea and is will mean a lot to your mom because it came from you. The ingredients are simple and you may have them already in your cupboard. It is an inexpensive recipe that is easy to follow, very pretty, and extremely delicious.

I found this recipe on the internet one day. A gal named V. Monte received this wonderful and easy recipe years ago from her mother n law. Speaking of Mother n laws. Don’t forget her either. This is another great way to bless her and a creative yet simple Mother’s Day gift idea.

Yummy Lemon Cake (that’s what I call it)

Ingredients

· 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix

· 1 (3 ounce) package lemon flavored gelatin

· 3/4 cup vegetable oil

· 4 eggs

· 3/4 cup water

· 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract

· 1 cup confectioners' sugar

· 4 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

1. Combine gelatin mix and cake mix. Mix well.

2. Add next 4 ingredients - oil, eggs, water and lemon extract. Mix lightly.

3. Bake according to instructions on back of cake box.

4. To Make Frosting: Combine confectioners' sugar and lemon juice.

5. When cake is done, and while still hot, ice with frosting.

Along with the cake another Mother’s Day gift idea to make it perfect is to add a thank you letter from you. Let your “Mom” in your life know you appreciate her and point out special memories you have of her. Don’t focus on the bad but instead think of all of the good she has. Thank her for who she has been in your life. She will love the cake but will cherish your words!

So there you go. A simple and fun Mother’s Day gift idea……..

Gluten Free In San Diego

2011-04-28T10:59:00.000-07:00

As the weather warms in Southern California, we at the Delightful Gourmet are thinking about vacations with our family and friends. San Diego is one of the hottest vacation spots for locals. We packed our bags and headed to sunny San Diego looking for the best Gluten Free friendly restaurant for hungry travelers. After many stops along Mission Bay and The Gas Lamp District, our top pick was the Melting Pot located at 8980 University Center Lane, San Diego California, 92122 in the La Jolla area. They are a part of the Gluten Free Restaurant Awareness Program (GFRAP). This program is run by the the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America.

The food was absolutely delicious and consisted of a four course meal complete with A Queso Fundido fondue made with Fontina, Gruyere and Gran Queso cheeses, crumbled Chorizo and a hint of fresh lime. The gluten free version was made with cornstarch and Redbridge beer. The second course was a salad with a refreshing blend of citrus shrimp, avocado and lime vinaigrette. The main course included a gluten free fresh herb fondue accompanied by lobster tail, chicken breast, fire roasted pork tenderloin and garlic shrimp. The last, and most delicious course was the Dulce chocolate Fondue with bananas and fresh strawberries.

To finish the evening, The Melting Pot gave us a gluten free specialty drink menu. We had the Yin & Yang which consisted of Godiva White chocolate liquer, Stoli Vodka and ice cream topped with chocolate shavings in the shape of the Yin & Yang symbol. What a meal to remember! If you are ever in the San Diego area and are gluten intolerant, this dining experience is a must for those wishing to unwind and relax in a beautiful setting.

Our final suggestion if you wish to visit is to Valet your car. Parking is located at the bottom of a steep hill in the Hyatt parking structure.

Stacked Tortilla Enchilada Made Gluten Free

2011-03-28T12:59:00.000-07:00

Five Layer Enchilada with Salad and Orange Slices

I went looking for a recipe to make for Meatless Monday and stumbled upon a layered enchilada recipe I adapted for our Gluten Free Family. It turned out beautifully and the kids loved it.

Ingredients:

5 Brown Rice Tortillas from Food For Life
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 T. cumin
1 can bean dip from Frito Lay (or you could use pinto beans and smash them and add garlic powder and onions)
1 large onion (our family loves onions)
2 cups shredded cheese
1/2 c. salsa plus 1/4 c. for the top after cooking
1 can green mild chilies

Chop the onion and saute in olive oil. Add the two cans beans, drained and rinsed. Add the cumin. cook until beans are well coated with onion and cumin.
You can now start to layer your dinner. I used a pizza pan as my goal was to make this dish look different then an ordinary enchilada.
Lay down a tortilla, spread with bean dip, a scattering of cheese and bean and onion mixture. You can add a couple of T. of salsa, also. Repeat until your fifth layer. Add the mild green chilies to the top and bake at 325 for 20-30 minutes until cheese is melted. Take out and top with salsa.

We then made a quick green salad of lettuce, radishes, green onions, cucumbers and carrots. Sliced a couple of oranges and viola...Meatless Monday dinner, made gluten free.

Tillamook Yogurt expands its Flavors and Distribution

2011-03-07T09:47:00.000-08:00

Pictures from Tillamook.com

Growing up near Tillamook I have been able to tour the Tillamook Cheese Factory several times. Their cheese and other products are still amongst our family's favorites.
Tillamook Yogurt has three new flavors to brag about. Tillamook’s popular line of 6-oz.yogurts is expanding with three new flavors, all made with no artificial flavors, no artificial colors, no artificial sweeteners and no
high fructose corn syrup, and like all of its products, Tillamook Lowfat Yogurt is made with the highest
quality milk from cows not treated with artificial growth hormones. Additionally, the company is launching Vanilla Bean and Naturally Plain yogurts in new 32-oz. cartons and expanding distribution of
six of its popular 6-oz. flavors in the West.

The latest additions to the lowfat yogurt line include creamy
Banana Vanilla, tart Pomegranate Blackberry and antioxidant-rich
Blueberry Acai. These flavors join other inventive Tillamook
flavors in the 6-oz. size, including Baked Apple Pie, Watermelon
and Strawberry Lemonade, which have a suggested retail price of $0.89.
For More Check Out Their Press Release

Boutique Bakery Love At First Bite Offers A Twist On The Wedding Cake - Wedding Cupcake Towers

2011-02-08T07:45:00.000-08:00

PRLog (Press Release) – Feb 08, 2011 – Cutting the wedding cake together by the bride and groom is a predominant ritual at western weddings. The wedding cake not only symbolises good fortune and fertility, it is also an icon of the couple’s unity, their life together and their shared future. Because wedding cakes are an important element of a wedding, it has taken many different shapes, sizes and presentation and continues to do so even today.

Love at First Bite offers something more than the traditional cake. This boutique cupcakes bakery in Melbourne specialists in handmade cupcakes. The bakery also designs fancy cupcake towers so that your wedding cake stands out at the wedding.

Love at First Bite is known for baking fresh cupcakes using the finest and natural ingredients. Their wedding cakes are guaranteed to be fresh and the best quality. In fact, the bakery prides itself on making the best cupcakes in Melbourne. Their quest for perfection ensures that you enjoy the best and the most delicious cupcakes that you would you will ever taste.

Every cupcake by Love at First Bite is handmade and beautifully finished with decorations so that your celebration is as dazzling as the cupcakes themselves.

According to Love at First Bite, “wedding cakes deliver a statement about your sense of style and personality. A wedding cake should be a reflection of what you are and it should definitely cater a good taste.” Love at First Bite is based in Melbourne and it specialists in stylish wedding designs. Their cupcake tower is one of their newest inventions and it can add uniqueness to any wedding.

What makes their cupcakes so special and inviting is the taste, alluring look, freshness and finest quality ingredients. Cupcakes created by Love at First Bite are perfectly piped frosted and are adorned with handmade decorations. It is made sure that the cupcakes are baked using only natural and best quality ingredients so that it offers a tempting treat. Love at First Bite has made every attempt to perfect their recipes so that the cupcakes remain packed with flavour and moisture. Moreover, a unique butter cream frosting method is used to make the cake even more luscious.

Love at First Bite offers free consultations, anywhere in Melbourne. To create an ideal design, they will work with you and make sure that the wedding cakes tower makes your wedding beautiful and memorable. The bakery will also deliver cake at the venue and set it up on the day of the wedding in order to make sure that the wedding cupcakes tower is perfectly presented.

Marshmallow Chocolate Cake

2011-02-04T09:48:00.000-08:00

Making Marshmallow Cakes have become our traditions for birthdays this year. We adjusted this recipe to be Gluten Free. ADAPTED from Baking and Desserts The Essential Recipe Collection

Enjoy!

Recipe:

Ingredients:
6 T. Unsalted Butter
1 C. Superfine Sugar
1/2 t. Vanilla
2 eggs, beaten slightly
3 oz semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces
2/3 C. Buttermilk
1 1/4 C Flour (we use Gluten Free flour)
1/2 t. baking soda
pinch of salt

FROSTING:
6 oz white marshmallows (we use gluten free ones)
1 T. Milk
2 egg whites
2 T. Superfine sugar
Grated Milk Chocolate to decorate the cake. We like to use a Symphony Bar

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325. Grease a bundt pan with butter.
CREAM the butter, sugar and vanilla together in a dish until Pale and Fluffy, then gradually beat in the sugar.

MELT the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water or double boiler. When the Chocolate has melted, stir in buttermilk and remove the pan from the heat and let cool slightly.

SIFT the flour, baking soda and salt into a separate bowl. Add the chocolate mixture and the flour mixture alternately to the creamed mixture, a little at a time. Spoon the mixture into the bundt pan. Bake for 50 Minutes.

FROSTING
Put marshmallows and milk in a small saucepan and heat very gently until marshmallows have melted.
Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form, add sugar and continue whisking until stiff peaks form. Fold in the egg white and set aside for 10 minutes. Cover the top and sides of the cake with frosting and top with grated chocolate.

Sweet Potato Delight Casserole

2010-10-25T10:35:00.000-07:00

Sweet Potato Delight from The Taste Of Oregon Cookbook, a staple in our home.

Our favorite fall side dish is actually used as a dessert in our house. This casserole has delighted many people who believed they did not like Sweet Potatoes.

3 C. Cooked mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup granulated sugar (this year I will substitute Agave Nectar)
2 eggs, well beaten
1 t. vanilla
1/4 c. milk
1/2 c. butter

Topping:

1 C. brown sugar
1/3 c. flour
1 C. chopped pecans
1/3 c. butter

Mix all ingredients together except the topping and pour into a buttered casserole dish or stoneware.

Mix topping ingredients together and sprinkle over the casserole.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

A Gift From My Niece

2010-10-13T13:11:00.000-07:00

I love Subway sandwiches. I mean I really love Subway sandwiches. Most days for the past seven years you will find me eating at the local sub shop. And not just any sandwich will do. It needs to be a Veggie on wheat with everything on it except the jalapenos. Hold the dressing please. That’s my sandwich.

This year for Christmas, my niece wanted to do something special for me. She makes holiday gift baskets. She usually chooses a theme and of course my theme had to be sub sandwiches.

She got a beautiful red basket and put several different types of bread in it. Rye, whole grain, French, and of course wheat because she knew it was favorite. Then she added cheese; Swiss, American, provolone, and you can’t forget spicy jack. The meat combos were next and she out did herself? Ham and roast beef and at least three others swarmed my bread. Next came the condiments and she spared no expense. She wrapped it all in a large piece of cellophane with a beautiful bow on top. In it she added a note about how she hoped I would enjoy this holiday gift basket and how she made it just for me with all her love.

Christmas morning my son and daughter in law and three children came over for Christmas brunch. My niece has never married and joined us too. We would enjoy some of our family favorite recipes and traditional foods and then it would be time to open presents.

When I looked over at the tree, my eyes went right to the beautiful big red basket. It doesn’t matter how old we get, we still love to receive beautifully wrapped packages. Maybe that is more fun than the gift, but let’s talk about that some other time.

My niece had a big smile on her face as I opened it. She was picturing all those sandwiches my husband and I were going to enjoy over the next few weeks.

Well, make sandwiches we did. And they were good too. Ham on rye was my favorite. We even tried grilling it. My husband was enjoying my gift as much as I was.

Now I wish I could tell you that I was a convert and never went back to Subway. I tried. I really tried, but after a few weeks there I was at the local Subway shop asking for my 6 inch veggie on wheat. I sat down with my diet cola and took a bit. I was hooked and happy to be. I love my niece and loved the gift basket but I guess I am just a subway girl

What is an easy candy recipe to give out during the holidays?

2010-10-06T13:21:00.001-07:00

I knew it was our last thanksgiving together. It was our first and our last all in one. Now that seems strange, but for this year we were celebrating with our exchange student from England. We wanted to share all our traditions with her. We played mud football Thanksgiving morning with some of our cousins. I sprained my ankle, but nothing was going to stop us from enjoying this holiday. My Grandparents came from California and brought up two pecan pies. Auntie Sue made her famous Southern sweet potato pie and I even tried my hand in making the cranberry sauce.

Our exchange student seemed over whelmed, but we didn’t care, we were determined to share our Holiday with her. And share we did. By the end of the year, she was a true family member. I loved her like a real sister.

But sometimes things have to end. Jana had to go home in June and back to her family and to her own wonderful traditions. We cried and hugged at the airport and I felt like I lost my best friend. We vowed to stay in touch and over the years we have. Of course it is not the same, but it is still very sweet.

At Thanksgiving I start thinking about what holiday gifts I want to send to Jana and her family. Sending holiday gifts over the ocean can be very expensive, but it is something I love to do.

I usually try to make some kind of candy, because it is easy to send and can stay fresh for a longer time. I add a note and talk about some of the wonderful things we shared that year. Jana even tried to fix Thanksgiving dinner for her family. She had lots of funny stories about trying to cook a duck, because she could not find a turkey. I know it is not the same, but somehow I know when she gets my package of homemade goodies, she is smiling and remembering. I will always miss her, but a part of her is in my heart.

My favorite candy to send is Tiger butter. Not sure where it got its name, but it is easy and oh so good. It is the perfect holiday gift to send and it mails easily too. So if you need an inexpensive holiday gift to send to someone who is special to you. Try this. It is good for the heart and don’t forget to add a note.

TIGER BUTTER

16 ounces white chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter

1 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions

Butter a 10x15 pan. Set aside.

Place white chocolate in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high until melted, stirring frequently. Stir in peanut butter.

Spread into prepared pan. Drizzle with melted milk chocolate chips, stirring through mixture to create a marbled effect. Let stand until set. Break into bite-sized pieces. Enjoy!

Food Networks Alton Brown's Fried Chicken Recipe

2010-07-24T10:53:00.000-07:00

My husband and I watched with mouths watering, Alton Brown's Good Eats show on Fried Chicken. It was so good, we went out immediately and bought all the ingredients to make our own. Simple and profound this recipe has to be one of the best!

Fried Chicken

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

Prep Time:: 20 min
Cook Time:: 20 min

Serves:: 3 to 4 servings

Ingredients

1 broiler/fryer chicken, cut into 8 pieces
2 cups low fat buttermilk
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons Hungarian paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Flour, for dredging
Vegetable shortening, for frying

Directions

Place chicken pieces into a plastic container and cover with buttermilk. Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.

Melt enough shortening (over low heat) to come just 1/8-inch up the side of a 12-inch cast iron skillet or heavy fry pan. Once shortening liquefies raise heat to 325 degrees F. Do not allow oil to go over 325 degrees F.

Drain chicken in a colander. Combine salt, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Liberally season chicken with this mixture. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

Place chicken skin side down into the pan. Put thighs in the center, and breast and legs around the edge of the pan. The oil should come half way up the pan. Cook chicken until golden brown on each side, approximately 10 to 12 minutes per side. More importantly, the internal temperature should be right around 180 degrees. (Be careful to monitor shortening temperature every few minutes.)

Drain chicken on a rack over a sheet pan. Don't drain by setting chicken directly on paper towels or brown paper bags. If you need to hold the chicken before serving, cover loosely with foil but avoid holding in a warm oven, especially if it's a gas oven.

Kitchen Gardens

2010-07-20T16:19:00.000-07:00

Even if you live in the middle of a sprawling city you can have a small kitchen garden that can save you a bundle. One of the most expensive items for flavoring our foods is herbs. Growing your own is cheap, simple and provides most taste then even the freshest store package.

A simple 4x4 or even two 2x2 plots on a balcony can hold up to 8 herbs, two Roma tomato plants, and a pepper plant.

Here are the most useful and easiest herbs to grow in your little garden spot.

Sweet basil
Common Sage
Chives
Sweet bay
Dill
Oregano
Woolly thyme
rosemary

Enjoy!

I Am Gluten Free: Southwestern-Style Bean & Avocado Salad (gluten free, dairy free)

2010-07-19T14:04:00.000-07:00

I Am Gluten Free: Southwestern-Style Bean & Avocado Salad (gluten free, dairy free)

I have been spending a lot of time reading I am GlutenFree blogs for awhile now and have tried several of her recipes. One of the things I have enjoyed the most is that even though her recipes are gluten free they are also many times down home and work for the entire family.

Take a little detour and check out her delicious blog.

Home Made Vanilla Custard Ice Cream

2010-07-16T09:04:00.000-07:00

Summer memories are made of stuff like this. Whether you have a hand crank ice cream maker or an electric one this recipe is easy, fantastic and will melt in your mouth like the summer heat. With simple ingredients like milk, heavy cream, egg yolks and sugar all you need to find is a beautiful vanilla bean. It will still be wonderful with vanilla extract, but the bean adds flavor you can get nowhere else.

Pull up a chair, sit in the shade and listen to the sound of the ice cream maker as your mouth waters.

Get the recipe at Planet Gift Baskets

How to BBQ Fish

2010-07-14T15:32:00.000-07:00

I have a love hate relationship with cooking fish. It tastes so good when done right, and well, it's burnt and falls apart into pieces if you do not do it right. Here is a step by step cooking method that will give you a great flavored well cooked fish every time.

1. Have your grill hot. Don't turn on the gas, wait two minutes and start cooking. The grill must be hot and ready to sear your fish.
2. Have a clean grill, freshly oiled. Now here is a little trick to a clean grill. After the fire has been going for 5 minutes, use a scraper and scrape off all the bits of leftovers stuck to the grill. The heat will soften them and they should come off like a charm. Secondly, before placing your fish on the grill give the metal and the fish a quick one two with olive oil.
3. Bring the fish to room temperature, pat dry and make sure the fillet is equal thickness. Any variation and you will have either undone meat on one end, or crispy fries on the other.
4. Season lightly with butter and lemon juice while it is cooking.
5. Once the fish is on the grill, walk away. Do not try to look under it, just let it sit and cook. Usually we start with the skin side down. After 3-5 minutes, flip your fish. You should hear another wonderful blast of sizzle. This means your grill is nice and hot.
6. Once the fish is done, give it another coat of butter and lemon juice and enjoy.

It's easy as pie. Fish was meant to be grilled and it tastes wonderful cooked that way.

Enjoy!

The Wonders of Fresh Basil

2010-07-05T14:56:00.000-07:00

To me, nothing says summer time like fresh basil. Recently I added some recipes to our Planet Gift Baskets Website that are all about the wonderful and complementary flavor of Basil. Check out these two links to find an amazing Mango and Basil Salsa that is beyond a perfect compliment to tacos, nachos, chicken or just eating on a crisp tortilla chip. The sweet ripe mango and the basil make this salsa a party favorite and a repeated request by all my guests.
The second recipe is a new family favorite using fresh basil and olive oil as a base dressing for this wonderful and easy summer pasta salad. Filled with yummy crisp veggies and tender whole grain pasta, you will love that you didn't need to heat your house up to get dinner on the table. The trick here is to cook the pasta in the morning, toss with olive oil and basil, and let sit in the fridge until dinner. Add the rest of the ingredients or choose your own family favorites.

The Perfect Sandwich for Your Tea Time

2010-06-24T07:18:00.000-07:00

Summer is all about finding ways to not heat of the house with your oven. Finding simple recipes that are enjoyable without the expense of having to eat out is a goal most are looking to meet.

We found a perfect foccacia sandwich we would like to share. The Summer Tea Time Sandwich is made on foccacia because it holds up well, gives a great base for almost anything you want to put on it and doesn't take much to fill you up. It's a perfect summer food. Add home made lemonade, a summer spritzer, and this amazing Mango Avocado Salsa and you will have people begging for you to host lunch again. Instead of cilantro, add fresh basil to the salsa. You will tie in your meal perfectly.

Experiment with the ingredients and let us know how you liked it!.

Peeling the Amazing Avocado

2010-06-14T13:47:00.000-07:00

Yes, there is a secret to peeling an avocado. Chef Ron shows us the easiest way to get a perfect cut every time.

The Amazing Avocado

2010-06-11T09:32:00.000-07:00

Avocados are considered a berry. Did you know that? It tops a banana in potassium, is heart rich in healthy monounsaturated fats and gives almost 50% of your child's daily fiber intake in one serving.

Avocados are perfect, smashed on a whole wheat bagel with vine ripen tomatoes. You can also make an amazing guacamole with just a few simple ingredients. Eat with whole wheat crackers or chips. Dice the avocado and add it to your scrambled eggs, wrap in a flour tortilla and you have a quick healthy breakfast, or any time of day snack.

Avocados are available anytime of year but they are the best in early spring and summer when the Hass variety is available. Hass avocados are noted for the best flavor and perfect in stand alone dishes.

Next time your out, pick up a few and enjoy :)

How to Choose a Good Cut of Beef

2010-06-09T09:09:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder why your grocery store is stocked with so many cuts of beef? Do you ever wonder what cut is the best to choose for the BBQ or for pan searing, or for broiling?
Join LX.com's Jonathan Redford as he gets the 101 on picking a prime piece of meat at Boa Steakhouse in LA.

Here is a link to the charts they refer to in this short video.

Cooking a Steak With Neil Perry

2010-06-07T08:47:00.000-07:00

Summer time is a great time to practice your steak grilling skills. Neil Perry gives a great demonstration on how to cook a perfect steak. The number one thing to consider is your meat. We will cover that in our next post.
Until then, enjoy learning from Neil Perry.

Father's Day Gift Basket

2010-05-28T07:40:00.000-07:00

Features :

Foccacia Crisps
Angelina's Butter Cookies
Almond Roca
Cinnamon Roasted Cashews
Beef Summer Sausage
Coffee Mug
Mini Fruit Bon Bons
Ghirardelli Chocolate
Bellagio French Vanilla Mocha
Caramel Popcorn
Ghirardelli Coffee
English Breakfast Tea
Dolcetto Wafer Rolls
Dutch Shortbread Cookies
Wheat Crackers
Keepsake Trunk

This year get dad something he will really treasure. A gift basket filled with delicious gourmet foods meant to impress. Personalize the ribbon with something special to remind dad how much you love him.

Gluten Free Mixes from Betty Crocker

2010-05-14T08:11:00.000-07:00

Have you tried Betty Crockers line of gluten free mixes? You should! We tried the brownie mix and I have to say no one in my family even noticed they were gluten free. My husband who does not need to be gluten free and tends to notice the difference in textures did not notice until I told him. I say that is a good rating for these brownies. Betty Crocker has cake mixes and cookies in their line of gluten free products.

Give it a try and let me know what you think. If you need ideas the Betty Crocker website has a huge area dedicated to just gluten free products and recipes.

Hot Nutella Drink - Gluten Free

2010-03-17T14:47:00.000-07:00

Today I ran across a wonderful blog that has some amazing food ideas. One of the posts had a drink made out of Nutella. What could get better?
Ya Salam Cooking: Hot Nutella is made with milk, vanilla and nutella. If you are unfamiliar with nutella it is a chocolate hazelnut spread that tastes so good. One of the best things about this drink is that it is gluten free. Nutella is awaiting their FDA approval, but from many people that have gluten allergies they have tolerated it just fine.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

2010-03-17T14:10:00.000-07:00

It's Saint Patrick's Day and what is more popular then wearing green? Corned Beef and Cabbage for sure!
Ingredients:
2 pounds corned beef brisket
5 red potatoes
5 carrots, peeled and cut
1 large head cabbage, cut into wedges
Directions on how to cook:
1. Place corned beef in crock pot and cover with water. Cook on low all day
2. Add whole potatoes and carrots, and cook until the vegetables are almost tender. Add cabbage and cook for 1 hour. Remove meat and let rest 15 minutes.
3. Place vegetables in a bowl and cover. Slice meat across the grain and serve.

Salmon Flat-bread Sandwich

2010-03-10T14:19:00.000-08:00

We love almost any sandwich topping stuffed into a pita. However, I have never tried canned salmon and was eager to see if it could be as good out of a can, as it was fresh from the sea.
We took the salmon and mixed it with cauliflower, red onion, celery and tomato. We used about 1/2 cup of mayo to bind it all together and topped with some fresh baby lettuce.

Even the kids loved this simple dinner and I was able to feel good that they got in an extra serving of vegetables and fish.

Spinach Gnocchi

2010-02-22T09:15:00.000-08:00

Wilted Spinach Gnocchi

This recipe is vegetarian in concept, but fills even the meat-eaters stomachs in my family. Made in about 1/2 hour from start to finish it is a healthy, easy on your budget meal to put on the table even on a busy night.

1 pkg Gnocchi
Water
1 onion
Olive Oil (3 tablespoons)
1/2 cup chopped pecans or other nut
1 clove garlic
1/4 milk
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
Spinach 1 pkg

Cook Gnocchi according to directions on package. While this is cooking dice onion and saute in 1/2 of the olive oil. When onions are almost done, add garlic, salt and pepper. Sprinkle nutmeg and nuts on and continue cooking for about 1 minute. When the onions begin to caramelize add cooked Gnocchi that has been drained. Add milk and cook for about 2 minutes stirring to coat. Add about 6 oz of spinach or 1 pkg of fresh bagged spinach. Cover with a lid and let wilt. Stir every minute or so until the spinach is wilted but not soggy. Serve immediately.
This recipe feed about 5 hungry meat eating family members, without meat!

This recipe was cooked by me, using the Trader Joes Cookbook written by Deana Gunn and Wona Miniati.
This recipe has not been copied from their cookbook and includes my slight changes to what I had on hand.

Shari's Chocolate Peanut Butter Silk Pie

2010-02-04T12:18:00.000-08:00

I would have taken a picture if I had stopped to think after the first bite. If you love peanut butter, and enjoy the texture of a cream pie, this one is for you. I was amazed that a cool creamy pudding texture could taste so much like peanut butter. There was even a perfect nutty after taste. Shari's pie comes with a thick graham cracker crust, drizzled with chocolate and layered with a fluffy whipped cream. The portions are very large and since this pie is incredibly rich, it is the perfect dessert to share. For those of you who get a peanut butter craving once in awhile, this pie will fill that desire perfectly.

Kings Cupboard Cocoa Mix

2010-01-12T17:18:00.000-08:00

Give your taste buds a wake up call with this amazingly rich cocoa mix. Kings Cupboard has created this cocoa not for the faint hearted. Mixed with real dark chocolate chunks, your guests will never know you didn't make it from scratch. Mix with milk and you will be living in a creamy chocolate wonder land. These cocoa tins make great gifts for children and adults alike. Pair it with a tin of cookies and watch their faces glow with delight.

New Year Beans

2010-01-06T07:07:00.001-08:00

It's been a family tradition to make a huge pot of Red Beans on New Years Eve. This year it was my goal to find out why we eat beans on New Years Eve. In many cultures, eating beans, rather they be black eye peas, navy beans, or red beans, is suppose to bring luck and fortune for the new year. Although when I asked my family why we eat the beans on New Years Eve their answer was, that is what Grandma did every year. This year I got into the spirit and made Grandmas beans for everyone too. I could not find a recipe that matched hers anywhere on the Internet, but its so simple and may be in your family cookbook too.

Peppercorn Red Beans

1 pkg Dry Red Beans (soak overnight in water with baking soda approx 4 tablespoons)

After the beans have soaked overnight
Put them in a crock pot with
6 cups of water
2 ham hocks
2 spice bags filled with peppercorns (about 50 in each) remove before serving
2 teaspoons of cumin
2 teaspoons of chili powder
1 clove of garlic

Towards the end of day two, take 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of the liquid soup and mix together into a thick paste. Add it back into the soup to make your soup thicken.

Let cook for two days on high.

Serve on New Years Eve with plenty of Sausage Bread.

Bread Pudding with Sauce

2009-12-30T10:34:00.000-08:00

This is a simple bread pudding recipe but what gives it that extra flair is the Carmel pudding sauce that you serve it with.

Bread Pudding
2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cups white sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
3 cups of torn bread (I used bagels)

Directions :
In a saucepan, over medium heat, heat milk up until a film begins to form over the top. This is right before a boil. Combine butter with milk and stir until melted. Cool to lukewarm.

When milk is cooled, add sugar, eggs, cinnamon, and vanilla. Mix

Place bread in a lightly greased 10X13 inch pan. I have used many kinds of bread, and while they all taste good, I loved using blueberry or other slightly flavored bagel. The bread holds up better and gives you a more solid dessert.

Pour mixture over the bread and give a gentle stir to coat all the bread. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until set.

About 5 minutes before the bread pudding is done we make the caramel sauce. Depending on your taste you can use brown sugar, the caramel taste, or white sugar to give it a more vanilla taste.

Pudding Sauce

1 cup whole milk
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sugar (brown or white)
1 tsp vanilla (2 if you use white sugar)
1 Tablespoon flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix all together and bring to a boil for 3-4 minutes. Set aside and spoon over each slice of bread pudding. Serve hot

Edible Gifts

2009-12-23T09:33:00.000-08:00

One of the newest, hottest gifts this year are personalized edible creations. Featured in many top magazines Edible Gifts Plus has the personalized edibles down to a science. Not to mention they have many other unique food gifts that will leave a big impression at any party. Find an exciting array of gifts sure to compliment any budget and give them a gift this year that won't be duplicated.

Impress the people left on your gift giving list with these edible photo cards. Personalize them with any photo and message and have them sent to all your out of town friends and family. Not only will your gift be adorable it will taste great too! Your Christmas card is sure to be talked about for weeks to come.

Bubble Ring

2009-12-22T14:51:00.000-08:00

In our house it's tradition to make this bubble ring on Christmas eve for everyone to enjoy while we open presents. While it used to take my mother in law 15 minutes of kneading, I can whip this up with my kitchen aid in less then 10 minutes. After scalding the milk, shortening and sugar, let cool to room temperature. To speed this up I fill my sink with cold water and set the pan in it while stirring the milk. It cools quickly this way. Add the cooled milk, yeast and water mixture plus 1 cup of flour, eggs and salt to your kitchen aid. Mix with whisk attachment. Add 2 more cups of four and switch blade to dough hook. Add the remaining 1 to 2 cups of flour until you have a soft dough. Let your kitchen aid knead it with the dough hook for about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the kitchen aid and let rise in a warm place for one hour or until double. After one hour, punch down and roll in to 2 inch balls. Dip in warm melted butter and roll in cinnamon and sugar. Place in a bunt pan and let rise a second time for about 30 minutes. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Bubble Ring

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup warm water
2 pkgs active dry yeast
4-5 cups all purpose flour
2 eggs beaten
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons cinnamon

Hot Wassail

2009-12-10T09:25:00.000-08:00

One of our favorite traditions each year is to spend a day or two in a small town here in Oregon walking through the quaint little shops in their down town. It's as close to an old fashion Christmas as we have found. Carolers sing in the square, the shops have boughs around all their store fronts and charming Christmas lights and music playing in the shops. One particular shop always has Wassail hot and ready for anyone walking by. It was here that I first had Wassail and fell in love with this hot holiday drink. Spending a snowy cold day window shopping with my family and enjoying the sights and sounds and wonderful smells of Christmas is a tradition we love.

Wassail

Ingredients

2 quarts apple cider
1 1/2 cups orange juice
3/4 cup pineapple juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 cinnamon sticks (3 inches)
1 dash ground cinnamon
1 dash ground cloves

In a large crock pot, mix all ingredients and warm for 3-4 hours. You can also warm this in a large 60 cup coffee maker. Discard cinnamon sticks. Serve hot in mugs.

Pumpkin Pecan Square

2009-12-01T16:44:00.000-08:00

This year I bought a lot of extras for the holiday season. Instead of just getting the exact amounts on my list I threw in a few extra items here and there. This led me to a pantry full of goodies that I didn't know what to do with. With my can of pumpkin in hand and a cup full of pecans needing to be used, I searched high and low for an amazing pumpkin type dessert I could whip up quickly for my family. This dessert is so easy, and tastes like it took all day to make.

Pumpkin Pecan Squares

1 cup flour
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar
1 can pure pumpkin
1 can evaporated milk
2 Lg eggs
2 1/4 pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup pecans
1/4 cup brown sugar
Whipped Cream

Mix crust and place in bottom of a 13x9 inch pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Mix up pumpkin, sugar, milk, eggs and spices. After the crust has pre-baked add mixture to the crust and continue to bake for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes add chopped pecans and brown sugar to the top. Continue baking for 15 minutes.

Let cool and serve with whipped cream.

Pork Carnitas / Sweet and Sour Pork

2009-11-24T14:13:00.000-08:00

I love having meals that can stretch to become two. It really helps the budget and planning. It also saves the left overs from becoming science projects.

Here is another of our favorite two for one meals. The first is Pork Carnitas. This is an easy meal that takes just a few minutes prep before dinner.

Pork Carnitas

Pork Roast 2-3 pounds
1 pkg Onion Soup Mix/ or 1 tsp Cumin and 1 can Chicken Broth
1 cup water
Garnish with
limes (squeeze on each tortilla)
Shredded Cheese
Sea Salt
Red onion (optional)
Salsa (optional)
Yellow or White Corn Tortillas
1/2 oil for frying (optional)

Take your Pork Roast, I buy a pretty big one to feed my family of 5 twice, and put in the crock pot on high. Add one package of dry onion soup mix and 1 cup of water. Cook for 7-8 hours. If you do not want to use the onion soup mix you can add a little cumin and one can of chicken broth to bring out some of it's natural flavor.

When the roast is done, shred it with a fork. While you are waiting for the pork to cool, heat a 1/2 cup of oil in a small fry pan. (This is optional for those watching their fat intake) Take your corn tortillas and cook them on each side about 20 seconds. Drain.

Add the pork to your tortillas, garnish with shredded cheese, lime and sea salt.

With the left over pork you can freeze it at this point for another day, or put it back in the crock pot and store in the refrigerator until tomorrow.

Sweet and Sour Pork

Left over pork roast
1 can crushed pineapple with juice
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 -3 tbs soy sauce
1 green pepper diced
Brown Rice served on the side

When you are ready to make your second meal, put the shredded pork in the crock pot, add crushed pineapple, green pepper, brown sugar, ketchup, and soy sauce. Cook on low 7-8 hours. Serve over brown rice.

You now have two wonderful meals for your family.

Quick and Easy Chicken Soup

2009-11-18T09:25:00.000-08:00

Are you looking for an easy healthy alternative to chicken noodle soup? With illnesses on the rise, making a hot healthy soup for your family does not need to be difficult. It takes a few minutes of preparation, but it will pay off when evening time comes and you have a delicious healthy meal for your family.

What you need:

2 lbs chicken tenders (cooked until slightly pink)
3 carrots (peeled and sliced)
3 stalks celery (sliced)
3 potatoes (sliced and quartered)
1 sweet onion (diced)
1/2 head of cabbage (sliced)
2 cans of low sodium fat free chicken broth
3 cups water
2 low sodium chicken bouillon cubes
1 tablespoon dried thyme

After cooking chicken until just slightly pink, dice and add to other ingredients in a crock pot. Put on high for 5 hours or low for 8. This soup is easy to make and you will never miss the noodles.

If you have left overs, the next day throw the crock pot back on low all day. Add one to two cans of cream of chicken soup. When you get home mix up some dumplings (recipe below) with Italian seasoning and put on top for 1/2 hour. Now you have two meals for the price of one.

Dumpling Recipe

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
salt
pepper
Italian Seasoning (or favorite fresh herbs)
1 egg
1/3 cup milk

Mix together and place on top of leftover chicken soup for 1/2 hour in crock pot.

Eating Healthy On A Budget

2009-11-16T10:07:00.000-08:00

Eating healthier is something we all need to do to ensure the well being of our families. I have found that eating healthy can be very expensive. How do you find the balance between budget and health? Woman's World Magazine has a few tips to help make your meals more nutritious without breaking the bank.

The first tip involves America's love affair with fast food. Most of us crave it and some of us rely on it for the convenience. Surprisingly, there are healthier alternatives for fast food.

Wendy's Junior Hamburger boasts 230 calories, 8 grams of fat and 13 grams of protein for 97 cents. Ditch the fries and onion rings for a fresh green salad and you have a fast food meal that is inexpensive and won't ruin your diet.

Subway's six inch Turkey and Black Forest Ham Sandwich with lite mayo and vinegar has 360 calories, 6 grams of fat and 30 grams of protein for only 5 dollars. Add a side salad instead of chips for a healthier alternative.

When visiting the grocery store, you don't have to spend an arm and a leg for healthier foods. Go online and grab coupons from MamboSprouts.com for organic varieties of your favorite foods. Also, visit your local farmers market. The fresh fruits and vegetables and 50% less cash will have you going back for more. Farmer's Markets are also a great place to take the kids for some wholesome family fun. Log on to LocalHarvest.org to find a farmer's market near you.

Another great tip is to switch out diet sodas for sugar free powdered drinks such as Crystal Light. You will save approximately 50 cents per drink! Follow these quick tips to help your family eat healthy meals at a lower cost. You will be glad you did.

The Incredible Bullet Express

2009-10-30T13:49:00.000-07:00

So it's official. I am an infomercial junkie. Something about a thirty minute commercial makes you believe everything they tell you! My recent purchase was the ever incredible Bullet Express (watch the infomercial here). For those of you who haven't heard of it, its the all purpose slice and dicer. They claim that you can prep meals in 8 meals or less. I had to have it! I found mine at Kohl's and figured I would give it a try. The machine comes with so many gadgets it took me a while before I got used to all of its features. It comes with a juicer attachment, grater, slicer and mixer. Last night I made the ultimate nachos listed in the cookbook. I loved that it grated an entire block of cheese in about two seconds. Awesome! What I didn't like was cleaning up cheese that flew all over my kitchen during the grating process. Same thing with lettuce, tomatoes and onions. The process is super quick but I think the system needs a better catch all system. The nachos were great and fast but clean up was not. I have yet to try the juicer or the mixer. I will keep you posted on my opinion when I attempt my first dessert. This is just my take on the incredible Bullet Express Machine.

Melt In Your Mouth Flavors From The Melting Pot

2009-10-24T06:03:00.000-07:00

So this month was my 12th year wedding anniversary. We usually try to keep things simple because of our hectic schedules. This year we decided to try something new. There is a new restaurant in town called The Melting Pot. I heard about it from a friend but had my doubts. It is a fondue restaurant which I figured I could never get full on. Boy, was I wrong. If you have a location near you, it is worth a visit! The first Melting Pot sprung up in Florida with only three items on the menu. Since then, with the popularity of the fondue experience growing, they boast a four course dining experience with many varieties of flavors. The first course was a wonderful cheese fondue paired with green apples, bread, chips and a mix of fresh vegetables. This cheese fondue was heavenly. I particularly loved the sweetness of apples mixed with the tang of cheese. Delicious! Then came the wonderful salad greens with sliced almonds, fresh lettuce mix and a special blend of cheeses. The main course consisted of fillet Mignon, shrimp, chicken, flank steak, sausage and vegetables that we cooked right at our table with our choice of fondue broth. Lastly, was a delectable dessert consisting of chocolate, pecan and caramel fondue which we dipped pound cake, cheese cake, strawberries, marshmallows, rice krispie treats and brownies. What a treat! The entire dining experience took over 2 1/2 hours. If you are looking for a wonderful anniversary gift for your spouse, be sure to try The Melting Pot!

Get Well Gifts To Warm The Heart

2009-10-17T08:34:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again. With the change of seasons, more and more people begin to feel under the weather. When those that are closest to you need a pick-me-up, it's always wise to send a get well gift. As we all know, times are tough so these get well gifts do not have to be pricey. They just need to let them know you care. Even a card or a phone call will do the trick. Last year, I sent a get well gift basket to a friend of mine that had a minor heart attack. To this day, every time I speak with him he tells me how much he loved these certain butter toffee pretzels. I am almost tired of hearing about those pretzels! The point is, people do not forget an unexpected kind gesture. It really brings them joy to open a box and find something special just for them. If you are looking for a special get well gift, here are a few options to consider:

The World's Largest Chocolate Fountain

2009-09-21T09:55:00.000-07:00

Am I dreaming? Nope, it's real! Last week, I attended a tradeshow in Las Vegas and as a tradition, we always visit the Bellagio hotel to view their amazing atrium displays. Although the atrium was closed to put up the fall display, I found another amazing attraction. The Jean Phillipe Patisserie. They boast the world's largest chocolate fountain. The fountain is enclosed in glass and runs the length of the floor to the ceiling. It's almost cruel to watch the liquid heaven flow into the etched glass bowls at the base of the fountain and not be able to cup your hands and sip straight from the chocolate waterfalls. Jean Phillipe is a world renown pastry chef with many talents. Mouth watering chocolates, stunning wedding cakes and fruit and chocolate desserts are all on display for purchase. Visit the website to see some of his fantastic creations. If you are ever in the Las Vegas area, be sure to visit this patisserie. It is an attraction in itself. To read more about this wonderful attraction click here.

Teaching Kids Community Responsibility

2009-08-31T10:46:00.000-07:00

I thought I would take a break from my usual postings and talk a little about how to teach children that the world continues beyond their front doorstep. I have a fifteen year old son that has no clue about the needs of others in our community. I ask myself if I have failed him by not stressing this as he grew up. We tend to get so caught up in our day to day business, the strife of others gets placed on the back burner. So I decided to get active and realized it is never too late to teach kids about giving back to the community. I figured it was time for all of us to start volunteering. Not only is it good for others, it looks great on college or job applications. Not knowing where to start, I just searched online for community service in my town. I found a great site called Hands On Inland Empire. It has an entire program for teens to choose from. He can volunteer at a nursing home, community yard work, read to elementary school children and more. I am letting him choose which program he would like to try. Hopefully, this experience will not only help him see the value in helping others, but also gratitude for what he has. Check your local area for volunteer groups. Let's start teaching kids, there is life outside of their high schools!

Tips For Amusement Park Deals

2009-08-03T10:16:00.000-07:00

So my family and I decided to do a get-away to Six Flags Magic Mountain on Sunday. Not only were the kids screaming as they went down all of the action packed roller coasters, but so was my wallet. Money was flying out faster than the G Forces that thrilled my kids. Next time, I am going prepared! How do you save money when the kids are dying of thirst, begging for ice cream and ogling every churro cart that comes into sight? Here are a few handy tips you may want to use before hitting the theme parks this summer.

Go online before you go. Most theme parks have a website that may have special deals, promotions or pricing that you would not be aware of unless you visited their site first. At Six Flags there is a special promotion that lets you bring in your Flip Video Camera to receive a free Flash Pass which helps avoid long lines. A very worthwhile tip if you are visiting during summer!

Before purchasing tickets, visit sites like www.couponmountain or any other coupon site. Type in your destination and you may find a valuable coupon code that is not listed on their site. This could save you up to half on ticket purchases. For Magic Mountain, the coupon code COLDSTONE lets adults get in for the child's price.

Look for special deals on dining. Some parks may have dining packages that lets you save when you purchase ahead of time. At Six Flags, you can purchase a souvenir cup for $12.99 and get refills of fountain soda all day for free. At first, I found this to be expensive but it ended up saving us quite a bit of money. With four thirsty kids and twelve hours of fun, this would have added up fast!

Don't avoid amusement parks because of cost. Do your homework and you could have a wonderful trip filled with summer fun and memories if you learn how to take advantage of all the money saving tips available.

How To Use Fresh Herbs

2009-07-27T11:45:00.001-07:00

According to Cooking Light Magazine, there are 10 herbs every cook should have in their kitchen. I have always been afraid of using anything that didn't come with a Lawry's label. After reading their suggestions, I may give these fresh herbs a try. If you plan to grow your own, place them in decorative pots and add them to your patio decor. Get the kids involved with planting and picking your fresh herbs for your favorite summer dishes.

Basil
Chives
Cilantro
Dill
Oregano
Parsley
Rosemary
Sage
Tarragon
Thyme

I love cilantro in eggs and Mexican dishes. Last summer, I grew it on my patio and loved the fresh taste this herb added to my cooking. It was also fun to let the kids go cut off the stems for their meal. Sage is pleasantly bitter and works well on pork, chicken, stews and stuffing. Go to Cooking Light.com and view some great recipes that use these wonderful herbs. There are even tips on how to grow your own.

Photo (Cookinglight.com)

Barbecued Summer Vegetables

2009-07-14T14:31:00.000-07:00

My father has a beautiful home garden filled with raspberries, squash, zucchini, tomatoes, plums, peaches and cucumbers. There is so much garden bounty that we cannot eat all of it. He calls us up begging for us to come get some of his produce. Every year we get the call to come get some before it rots. This year, I am testing out some new recipes to help my family benefit more fully from my father's harvest. This recipe is for zucchini steaks. At first, I was pretty skeptical about their taste because I have never been a fan of squash and any type of zucchini that wasn't fried. These turned out absolutely delicious! What a healthy side dish for your family. Here is the recipe:

One or two large zucchini cut lengthwise. You want to cut them lengthwise to make it easier to handle on the grill.

Lay the zucchini out on foil and spray them with non fat cooking spray (you can use olive oil if you wish).
Sprinkle the steaks with sea salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano to taste.

You may choose to sprinkle on some Parmesan cheese.

Place on barbecue grill for 7 minutes or until soft flipping once. Close to the end of cooking, squeeze with lemon juice for an extra flavor boost.

Be sure to try this easy recipe for summer vegetables that even your kids will eat.

On the Way to the Beach- A Great Place to Stop

2009-07-07T10:46:00.000-07:00

Our favorite place to stop on the way to the Pacific Ocean is a small unassuming place called Taylor's Sausage. We have visited Taylor's Sausage long before it became a restaurant and was only known to locals. Someone gave us the tip to go down a side road and visit the small factory. We were hooked.
Taylor's Sausage has been in business since 1924 and they truly know their craft of making delicious sausage, hot dogs, ham and cheese sticks (our favorite), pepperoni and jerky.

Now that they have a restaurant, we stop by for lunch or dinner also. You see here I had a Taylor dog, fresh salad and water. They have a great collection of wines also, but we did not order that. My husband enjoyed the fresh Fish sandwich. Their food is delicious and if you ever get a chance to order something from them or stop by Cave Junction, please visit, you'll be glad you did.

If you go on a Friday night, you will be pleasantly surprised with live music from local artists. Last September we went and were thrilled to listen to a wonderful guitarist and the lights were dimmed and the food that was served for dinner included fresh local corn on the cob....what a wonderful treat!

Get Out And Picnic!

2009-06-22T09:37:00.001-07:00

Have you ever noticed that the same exact experiences feel totally different as an adult than when you were a child. A picnic was like a really super fun day with climbing monkey bars, chasing birds, watching watermelon juice drip down your arm, etc. As an adult, the experience seem much different. Making and bagging sandwiches, cutting up watermelon, remembering napkins, loading the car, keeping ants off the food, packing everything up, lugging everything home and cleaning everything up. Again, same experience; different perspective.

So the question is, how do we make picnics enjoyable for adults so that we plan them more often for our kids. First of all, keep it simple. If you hate cutting up fruit but want to include it, buy a fruit tray at the deli of your local grocery store. That way any leftovers are neatly stored and ready for bringing home. Second, be sure to include the kids in preparation. Letting the kids help you make sandwiches and salad creates anticipation for the picnic itself. Let them do a job they have never done before such as spread mayonnaise with a butter knife. They will feel accomplished and you will ease the work load. Of course, you can use paper plates, plastic silverware and cups to make clean up a cinch.

The point is, get out and go! Make sure your kids have the same summer picnic memories as you do. Don't let the adult perspective keep you from enjoying outdoor fun with your family. Now to tackle those monkey bars!

A Quick Taco Soup Recipe

2009-06-16T13:50:00.000-07:00

My good friend, Miss G. gave me this wonderful Taco Soup Recipe that is easy, healthy and family friendly.

My kids love this recipe so much that next time I make it I will double it up and have more leftovers.

We like to eat the soup the first night with Organic Corn Chips from Costco. On the second time around, we have drained the liquid and put it right on top of salad for a quick and nutritious Taco Salad. Miss G. says she like to use it the second night for tacos.

Don't be fooled by this simple recipe, it really tastes delicious.

Quick and Easy Taco Soup

1 lb of Ground Lean Turkey (you can use hamburger or shredded chicken, also)
1 Medium Onion
1 pkg Taco Mix
1 can Kidney beans (do not drain)
1 can Black Beans (do not drain)
1 can Corn (do not drain)
1 can Diced Tomatoes

Brown your meat and onions. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Then simmer until you are ready to eat.

For Garnishes:
Sliced Olives
Sour Cream
Corn Chips
Cilantro

I hope your family enjoys this as much as we do.

Cooking With Kids

2009-06-09T12:19:00.000-07:00

During my daily web hunt for great recipes, new food products and gifts, I found this great website that outlines the benefits of cooking with your kids. Although, I do love to cook with my kids, I am almost always left with a big mess or finishing the batches of cookies as the children get bored and run off to do the next best thing. It could make any delightful gourmet not so delightful! This article helped me to remember how important cooking with your kids really is. Here are a few of the concepts cooking with kids teaches young ones:

Self confidence, healthy eating, preparedness, apppreciation for the cook, sanitation, time management, team work, creativity, cause and effect, measuring and fractions.

These are just a few of the great things you can teach your kids. What better way to teach a teen age boy how to respect his future wife than by making him know how much energy goes into cooking a meal himself? One of the hardest things I had to learn after I was married was how to cook a meal from start to finish. That meant starting certain dishes at different times to ensure the meal was completed at just the right time. Starting early helps kids learn how to do this so they won't have to stress about it in their young adulthood.

So I have decided to continue cooking with my kids even though there may be a disastrous mess afterward. Now, I just need an article to help me figure out how to get them to help me clean up!

The Delightful Gourmet Is Making A Change

2009-06-05T11:52:00.000-07:00

It's official! I am tired of being unhealthy. I am a self proclaimed fast food junkie. Don't get me wrong, I love to try new recipes, explore the globe for the latest gourmet trends and bake up fabulous desserts but when it comes to day to day eating, I grab fast food before I start my next task. Being a mom, business owner, blogger, wife and running maintanence on many websites has made me put my health on the back burner.

To illustrate, I will give you my Mon-Fri. eating schedule:

Breakfast-Coffee. Not sipped with enjoyment but swilled down like a tequila shot before I begin running my business and getting kids ready for school.
Lunch-A piece of bread with peanut butter that I shove down my throat as I supervise the gift basket designers, blog, answer emails, phone calls and errands.

Dinner-By 5:00 I fall into my chair and beg my husband to go pick up something so we can start our administrative work for the business and deal with kid's homework and bedtime.

There is my eating schedule for the week. Of course, on the weekends I am looking for fabulous recipes to prepare for my blog. SO I AM MAKING A CHANGE. I am going to make myself a priority and begin cooking dinner more often. I will admit, I will start with extremely easy recipes and even boxed sides. This still has to be better than fast food. So here goes. These are some pictures of my first meal under my new WAY OF LIFE. It was delicious and easy.

I printed this recipe from Better Recipes.com and adapted it for ease.

Pepper Jack Chicken:

4 bonelesss skinless chicken breast. (Have your butcher cut the breast in half making them thinner and faster to cook.)

Worchestershire Sauce

Soy Sauce

Half Onion Sliced

8 oz. Pepper Jack Cheese

1 tbsp Butter

Marinate chicken breasts in worchestershire sauce and soy sauce. I just dumped some into a plastic freezer bag. No measuring needed.

Coat pan with Extra Virgn Olive Oil and heat for a few minutes. Grill chicken and add your favorite spices. I just throw in a little Lawry's season salt and a pinch of garlic salt.

While chicken is cooking, add butter to another pan and let heat. Throw in sliced onions and sautee. Remove from heat when finished.

When chicken is finished (no longer pink) remove from pan and place in microwavable dish.
Place pepper jack cheese slices over chicken and top with sauteed onions.

Put in microwave long enough to melt cheese.

I paired the chicken with bagged salad and boxed rice from the grocery store and we had a fabulous chicken dinner that took me less than 30 minutes. I will try to post my fast dinners often and let you know my progress.

If anyone else suffers from FAST FOOD ADDICTION, please join me in the fight to make our family's healthier, stronger and happier. Please comment on any struggles, successes and set backs you have encountered. Join me today. We can do this together.

Triple Layer Chocolate Bars

2009-06-01T10:03:00.001-07:00

Here is my latest weekend baking project. Triple Layer Chocolate Bars! Yummy! I am usually not a big fan of coconut but these bars turned out delicious. Two weekends out of the month, I try to do a cooking project with my kids (my fifteen-year-old has outgrown the tradition). I let them pick out the recipe and we go shopping for the ingredients and we come home and bake or cook it. My seven-year-old loves to carry the list at the grocery store and find all the ingredients. This recipe was pretty simple. It was practically dumping one layer ontop of the previous. If you are looking for a quick baking recipe for kids, this is a good one.
You will need:

1/2 cup margarine or butter

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

7 ounces packaged flaked coconut

1 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk

1 12 ounce package of semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and melt butter in a 13x9 baking pan. Sprinkle evenly graham cracker crumbs over butter. Top with coconut then evaporated milk. Bake for 25 minutes. In a small sauce pan melt peanut butter and chocolate and spread over coconut layer. Cool 30 minutes. Chill and cut into bars. Here is a helpful hint. Don't crush the graham crackers by hand. It was a big mess and I actually had to give my dog a bath from all of the flying crumbs!

The Cookie Market

2009-05-28T12:33:00.000-07:00

I picked up my latest edition of Specialty Food Magazine and found this article on the specialty cookie market. The cookie and cookie bar industry is a 5.2 billion dollar market. Of course, the most popular types of cookies are sandwich such as Oreos and soft chocolate chip. Most surprising is the love for vanilla wafers. They make up 47% of cookies eaten in any given household. More and more exotic, organic and ethnic cookies are becoming more popular as people are finding less expensive indulgences. We love cookies! We feature many brands and flavors in our gift baskets. Our top selling cookies include Golden Walnut, Brent & Sams & Euro Kitchens. My favorite has to be the Euro Kitchens Gourmet Selections. Let us know if you have a favorite cookie not mentioned here. We may feature them in our baskets. I found this recipe under the Easiest Cookie recipe:

1/2 cup butter
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/8 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350* Cream the butter and both sugars. Add the beaten egg and vanilla. Sift flour, baking soda and salt and add tothe creamed mixture. Mix thoroughly and add chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets and bake for 7-10 minutes or until lightly golden brown on the edges.

A Vacation Of Culinary Proportions

2009-05-26T14:26:00.000-07:00

Of course, most of us took some time off this Memorial Day Holiday. Many people stayed close to home and rediscovered the beauty and unfamiliar in their own home towns. We took a short vacation to La Jolla, CA. It is a beautiful beach city known as the "Beverly Hills" on the beach. The houses were gorgeous, the restaraunts divine and way out of our price range.

We found a way around our economically challenged situation by using Restaraunt.com. I typed in the zip code of our vacation destination and the site presented me with restaurants in that area that would accept their coupon certificates. We chose a few that gave us 80% off of the regular bill!! We drove around and found these quaint little restaraunts. Some were fancy, some inside hotels and some were mom and pop establishments. We really had a good time eating foods we wouldn't normally eat and trying restaurants we would normally pass by.

These great dishes were from Elijah's In San Diego. Our bill before our coupon was aprox. $55.20. Our cost after using a coupon from restaurant.com was $30.20 including tip! Minus the $2.00 I spent on the coupon, this leaves a total savings of aprox. $22.00! Why not take the family on a restaurant vacation for half the cost? It's a great way to rediscover a town near you!

Comment On Barbie Post

2009-05-25T20:30:00.001-07:00

Cindy Shea left this comment on Barbie's Bash. I thought it was hilarious so I will share it with you.

"Your post on Barbie's turning 50 was not really indicative of the aging process that we all experience in life. Now granted, I know she has had some work done but I just so happen to have gotten my hands on some current photos of her before she goes into hair and makeup for her public appearances. Please keep this under wraps as I bought these illegally from her agent and I plan to sell them to TMZ when the time is right."

Best Summer Baby Gifts

2009-05-22T10:22:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for a perfect baby gift for summer babies? Brown Eyed Baby Boutique offers these adorable personalized baby dresses for new little beach babies. What a great gift for a new mom to receive for her baby shower or to order for your new little beach baby. They come in different styles such as lady bugs, floral garden and ice cream cones.

Barbie's 50th Birthday Bash

2009-05-22T09:11:00.001-07:00

I'm a little late reading about this event but I had to share it with you anyways. I also know it is a bit off topic but you just have to know Barbie celebrated her 50th birthday this year and threw a huge Malibu bash at her REAL Barbie 3,500 square foot dream house. Yes, the doll has her very own Malibu mansion. Did anyone tell the Mattel people that we are in an economic crisis. People are losing their jobs, homes, retirement savings, etc. and Barbie is living very posh! She even has a real Volkswagen New Beetle parked in her garage. Now I will get off my soap box and show you some photos of this amazing mansion. The creative team behind this house is amazing. Remember, this living room and mansion are life size. It boasts a chandellier made of Barbie hair along with a closet full of thousands of pink shoes. Barbie's 50th Malibu bash was even more extravagent. It hosted celebrities and fashion icons who sipped "Doll-icious" and Strawberry Blonde cocktails on tables decorated with stilletto shaped flower arrangements. Check out more on this Barbie Bash. Barbie, you sure know how to beat the recession. Give us some of your secrets!

Cool Summer Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

2009-05-19T10:58:00.003-07:00

We had our first pool party/family gathering last weekend and I served this strawberry shortcake dessert. It is a good choice for summer outings because it is not drenched in frosting which can be too rich. This recipe is light, airy and extremely refreshing. Best of all it takes no time at all. You will need:

Duncan Hints Moist Deluxe French Vanilla Cake Mix (You can substitute with a ready made pound cake in your fruit section of your local grocery store.)
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups water
1/2 cup butter softened
2 cups whipped cream chilled
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 quart fresh strawberries (more if you wish to drench the top)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease two 9 inch roundcake pans with butter. Sprinke bottom and sides with granulated sugar.

For Cake, combine mix eggs, water and butter in large bowl. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Pour into pans and bake at 350 F for 30-35 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Invert on cooling racks.

After completely cooled, place one cake layer on pan and spread with whipped cream and strawberries. Repeat with second layer.

Be sure to add whipping cream and strawberries just before serving.

Tip: For this recipe, if I am in a rush, I buy the store bought cake that is already baked. Then place it in the bottom of a margarita glass, switch out the whipped cream for vanilla ice cream. Add some chocolate or caramel syrup and you have instant Strawberry shortcake sundaes!!

A Chocolate Fling

2009-05-19T10:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my lovely husband brought me a treat home from the grocery store. Ladies, I know you probably hate this as much as I do, when you ask your husband to bring you home a treat from the store and he brings you something "low calorie," "fat free," or "diet." I want to ask him, "What are you trying to say?" I'm thinking, "What if I brought you home light beer?" Anyhow, I asked for a treat last night and he brought me home yet another health conscious candy bar. To my surprise, it was fantastic!! The "Fling" candy bar from the Mars Company was great. Their slogan is "Naughty, but not that naughty." It contains 170 calories and 9 grams of fat. I thought these were better than Twix bars. So if your husband tries to bring you home a healthy snack, tell him you want a Fling Bar. Click here for a coupon for one free bar.

A Recipe For Summer Fun

2009-05-17T11:21:00.000-07:00

I can't believe summer is almost here. In Southern California it seems it has already arrived. That can only mean one thing. Time for my daughter to begin planning her annual lemonade stand. Every year we make flyers, plan out the date but never get any farther than that. The idea of corraling the neighbors, buying supplies and actually remembering the date seems so hectic. This year is going to be different! We are actually going to follow through and have the best lemonade stand this block has ever seen. I plan on using this simple recipe to create my lemonade. It's so easy, all of us moms have no excuse for pushing aside the annual lemonade stand.

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup Lemon Juice From Concentrate
3 1/4 cup cold water
Ice

In pitcher, dissolve sugar in lemon juice. Add water. Cover and chill. Serve over ice. I will post pictures of the big day. I hope I have inspired all you moms to get out there and serve up some fun and lemonade. For a great "over 21" lemonade recipe click here.

Fun & Easy Project For Kids

2009-05-11T09:04:00.001-07:00

I found this fun and easy activity in one of my daughter's school papers and she begged me to do it with her. I didn't think it was going to be that much fun but she was thrilled and content for about an hour (that is a very long time for a kids). So be sure to try it with your kids. This little activity is also great for parties. Making the bubbles are as much fun as blowing them!

Homemade Bubbles:

Large Bowl

Spoon
4 Cups Of Water

5 Tablespoons of dishwashing soap (a great homemade diswashing soap recipe).

A Pair Of Scissors

A Paper Cup

Fill the bowl with water and add the dishwashing soap slowly so as to not creat bubbles inside the bowl.

Cut a small whole in a paper cup (we just used a leftover cup from last night's take-out).

Dip the rim into the soapy water and lift out making sure there is a film of bubble soap around the rim.

Slowly blow a bubble. It's that simple!

Where Have All The Good "Bobs" Gone?

2009-05-02T10:28:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but I truly miss Bob's Big Boy restaurants? Growing up in Southern California, there was always a Bob's Big Boy we could visit for our traditional Friday dinner out. Being greeted by the pudgy boy in checkered red pants was half the fun. Most of these adorable diners are gone in Southern California. I happened to spot one while doing errands last week and was so excited. We stopped in to see if the restaurant still had the same charm. The food was delicious but it seemed to lack that special "something" it used to have. Maybe it was just that I was 20 years older and I realized that Bob's Boy was so big because of the food! Thinking like a true parent, I vowed to visit less frequently. Actually, after doing my homework, I found out Bob Wian, of Glendale California, named his famous restaurant after a chubby kid that happened to walk into his already thriving restaurant. He called him "Big Boy" and the name stuck. If you still wonder where all the Bob's Big Boy restaurants have gone, here are a few locations left in sunny Southern California: Burbank, Baker, Colton, Temecula, Torrance and West Covina. Visit their website at http://www.bigboy.com/ to find more locations in other states.

Flowers For Mother's Day

2009-04-29T10:30:00.001-07:00

Every year mom gets flowers for Mother's Day. She displays them proudly for a few days and then they die and she throws them away. Why not send her flowers she can keep forever? This adorable gift basket comes with a plush teddy bear holding a bouquet of flowers. We have included some healthy treats as well to brighten her day. This is a great gift basket for elderly mothers that cannot eat too much chocolate, candy and fat. Tell us what you are getting your mother this year. We would love to hear from you.

New Kitchen Essentials Gift Basket

2009-04-27T10:23:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for a great gourmet gift basket for someone that loves to cook? Finding a gift basket with more than food items can be difficult. We have paired together wonderful gourmet food products with a few kitchen items your recipient will love. We stuffed this salad/bread bowl with gourmet items such as Roasted Garlic Spinach Dip, Potato and Leek Soup, Spanish Olives and more. We have also included these adorable metal measuring spoons that have been the must have kitchen gift item of the year. What a great Mother's Day Gift!

The Best Cookbook On The Planet

2009-04-27T10:06:00.001-07:00

Years ago when I was working in the corporate world, I was visited by those traveling salesman that bring great toys, books and other household items directly to your workplace. I reluctantly purchased this cookbook and it was a great decision. There are so many delicious recipes with full color photos. My version has been used and abused but I always turn to this book when I want to impress my guests. So it is my pleasure to bring you the recipe that ALWAYS gives me rave reviews.

Kahlua Candied Yams may not sound like a rave review recipe but try them. You'll see. This recipe takes almost no time at all but the outcome makes you look like a prized gourmet chef. Every family gathering, people are asking me if I brought these yams. Mother's Day is just around the corner. If you are looking for a fast, time saving recipe. Try these and if you do, please share with us the outcome.

Kahlua Candied Yams:

1 Can (1lb. 3 oz.) yams

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup Kahlua

Cut yams in serving size pieces. In heavy skillet, melt butter with sugar. Add Kahlua, cook 1 minute. Add yams, turn until brown on all sides. Cover. Reduce heat, cook for 15 minutes. Turn yams once more before serving. Makes 4-6 servings.

Cutest Baby Shower Cupcakes

2009-04-24T11:27:00.001-07:00

I hosted a baby shower this spring and a friend of mine made these adorable cupcakes. These sleeping babies could be incorporated into any baby shower theme. They are so quick and easy and will become the talk of the baby shower! Guests at the shower loved these so much most of them didn't eat them but took them home to keep on their kitchen counters! All you need to do is:

1.Buy any cake or cupcake mix and frosting. Follow the directions as listed on the box. Be sure to frost cupcakes before adding babies.

2. Take fondant and color it with food coloring mix to match your theme.

3. Color another batch with two drops of brown food coloring to make the baby faces.

4. Make little balls for baby heads out of fondant and a tiny dot for noses.

5. Roll out colored fondant and cut out blankies.

6. Place the babies and blankies on top of cupcakes.

7. Draw faces on baby heads. Make sure to make some sleeping, some awake and some crying!

8. Place them in a cupcake holder.

9. If desired, Make little squares of white fondant for baby pillows.

The Best Things In Life Are Chocolatey

2009-04-23T09:38:00.000-07:00

Childhood has its ups and downs but it definately has its perks when it comes to baking! One of my favorite memories as a kid was surrounding my mother, along with my brother and sister, waiting for the oppurtunity to lick the "beaters" while she was baking. The excitement was almost too much for a seven-year-old to handle. Of course, there is an entire unspoken heirarchy. My brother was older so he got to lick the batter filled spoon, my sister and I are twins so we got a beater each and the kid who helped out the most was the lucky winner of the batter bowl. No one dared mess with this arrangement for fear of not getting their share of baking perks. I am happy to pass this tradition to my daughter. She is fortunate to get the beaters and the bowl but mom still gets the spoon!

Best Organic Brownies On Earth!

2009-04-21T13:32:00.000-07:00

Last week I received a sample of this Kings Cupboard Organic Brownie Mix. I figured I have tasted many brownie mixes from different companies, I might as well try these. Although I must admit, I have never tried an organic variety. When I started making them, I thought this is more like cake, they are so thick! I figured I had messed up the recipe but I stuck to the directions. Boy, was I shocked! These brownies had to be the best I have ever tasted! Thick, rich and delicious. My family was of course, fighting over the last one. I decided these brownies needed their own post because they would make the perfect hostess gift. It gave me the idea to create our Brownie Bucket gift. By the way, did I mention I love gourmet food samples!

Quick & Easy Angel Food Cake With Pomegranate Strawberries

2009-04-20T11:14:00.000-07:00

Expecting company? I have a quick and easy recipe that will have your guests believing you are an upscale gourmet dessert chef! Cuisine Perel in Richmond, CA makes an amazing line of Balsamic Vinegars that can be used on salads, meats and desserts. Keep a few bottles in your pantry and you are sure to impress your guests at a moments notice. This recipe is for Angel Food Cake with Pomegranate Strawberries. What you will need:

1/4 cup Cuisine Perel Pomegranate Balsamic Vinegar
1 basket of strawberries, halved and quartered
1 tsp brown sugar
1 angel food cake (just pick up one up in the fruit section of your grocery store)
1 cup whipped cream

Mix strawberries, sugar and vinegar and allow to macerate in refrigerator at least one hour. Plate angel food cake, top with berries and whipped cream. Spoon remaining vinegar syrup over top and serve for a quick and easy dessert. The best news is this recipe is right on the back of the beautiful Cuisine Perel bottle! We loved this vinegar so much, we included it in our popular hostess gift basket!

Looking For A Unique California Family Dining Experience?

2009-04-18T20:33:00.000-07:00

I love to try off the beaten path places to eat. These small, family owned diners and restaurants usually have the best food and reasonable prices. I have to tell you about this great little restaurant I found while in Southern California. Oak Tree Village in Oak Glen, CA is an awesome place to take the kids for an inexpensive family outing. They have a wildlife museum, apple picking, world famous apple pies, petting zoo and breathtaking scenery of apple orchards and nearby mountains. I was most impressed with Apple Annie's restaurant. Straight from an old western movie, this country diner offered the best breakfast in the West! Their Goldminer breakfast served up eggs, sausage, hashbrowns, bacon and a plate sized pancake. The best part of dining at Apple Annie's-if you are still hungry, SECONDS ARE ON THEM! We had to ask twice to make sure this was true. Not far from Southern California's Inland Empire, Oak Tree Village and Apple Annie's is well worth the drive.