Cookie Baking Tips

The holidays without cookies are like peanut butter without jelly.  I always use my mom's favorite cookie baking tip of separating the egg white from the yolk and beating the white until stiff when making chocolate chip cookies, but I found a link to even more cookie baking tips in my e-mail.  Just had to share because it's such a great idea to share secrets of baking better cookies.

Click here to see the top 10 cookie baking secrets from www.myrecipes.com. 

Playing with your food

I found some fascinating videos on youtube of gentlemen who made musical instruments out of produce.  Just had to share.  See the videos here, here and here.

Seeing the musical instrument videos was a great inspiration to me, encouraging me that food really can be fun in many ways.  You can use it as an instrument, as a decoration and much more.  The uses are only limited by your creativity or ability to copy the culinary creativity of others.

Transporting Holiday Party Foods

Check out this article from Home Made Simple about how to bring your food to your Christmas celebration. Although it is for Thanksgiving, this can easily apply to Christmas Holiday Parties as well.

Click here to view the article about transporting various types of food to your holiday get together.

Food Baskets - Creative and Inexpensive Last Minute Gifts

Have you made your list and checked it twice and still forgotten someone's gift? If so, don't panic. Create a holiday gift basket with your gift recipient's favorite foods inside instead. Even if it's Christmas Eve and the only thing open is your local grocery store, you are still in luck. Many of them will have everything you need for a thoughtful-looking gift that doesn't cost a lot of money to make.

First, you need an idea for inspiration. What type of food does your gift recipient like? Are they a coffee connoisseur or a chocolate junky? Are they a health nut or do they love Mexican Food, Italian Food, French Cuisine, or Maybe Chinese Meals? Are they expecting a baby soon? Having a bit of an idea of your gift recipient's tastes is definitely helpful.

Next, you'll need a basket. It doesn't have to be a wicker one. Maybe you have a pretty metal bucket or a nice flower pot at your house which can be easily decorated to look really nice. Be creative in your selection and make sure it will be a good size for the type of contents you want to use to fill your basket.

Now you need to fill your basket. It is a good idea to have some sort of filler to put between items to give your basket more appeal. You may already have construction or computer paper at your house which can be cut with scissors or put through your straight cut shredder and fan folded (back and forth like you did when you were a kid) to make pretty filler.

Now you are ready to fill your basket with the goodies you have selected. Maybe you will do a variety basket with your recipient's favorite items. Maybe you will do several different types of the same item. Contents are up to you, but try to be creative and choose a wide variety of colors and shapes in your items. If you need tips on arranging your items, the grocery store's florist may be able to assist you if one is available. If not, maybe you have a creative friend or neighbor who can help.

Now it's time to finish up. Maybe you will choose to present your gift unwrapped as is, or maybe you will wrap it in clear cellophane or gift wrap. Presentation is up to you.

Holiday Cookies Top 20 Recipes

The fast-approaching holidays have caused many of my thoughts to center around holiday entertaining. Since I am on a college student's budget this year, I am looking for new and creative ways to save money cooking for the holidays. Earlier this week I wrote about holiday appetizers made easier.  Today, however, I am having a sugar craving, so I went in search of inspiration online.

Betty Crocker's website is where I am going to start for ideas.  They have a great top 20 list of cookie recipes for the holidays on their website.  I hope you find it as helpful as I am.

Christmas Party Holiday Appetizer Recipes

You can find many creative appetizer recipes with instructional videos on www.youtube.com. If you have an idea of what you are searching for, you can simply use the search feature on the youtube home page to find it. If not, try this link. It has some inspirational ideas to get you started.

The southern food channel topic at about.com has some great written recipes for those who prefer a paper copy. Their holiday appetizer recipe ideas are located here.

If you are like me and prefer both video and written recipes, you are in luck.  Pepperidge Farm has several complimentary video and printable recipes at www.puffpastry.com.

Unique party appetizer ideas can be found at the myrecipes website.  Click here to view some classic cheese dips and spreads recipes with creative twists on the old favorites.

Fast Food Alternative - Home Cooked Meals To Go

My husband and I have been very busy this week between last minute preparations for our church's Christmas play this weekend and my college finals fast approaching not to mention our home based business.  In spite of all the craziness, however, we still have to eat.  It is also important for us to keep our blood sugar steady and not compromise healthy eating habits any more than absolutely necessary.  You can only eat so many Subway sandwiches, so I decided to go back to my old friend Google and do some searching for meals that can be eaten in the car when my husband and I are on the run.

Here are a few things I found...

Big Red Kitchen's website has a very interesting series that responds to a busy mom with kids in sports that has to eat on the run.  You can read it here.

Planning Fun Road Trips has great ideas for vacation road trip recipes you can use everyday here.

A blog at Low Carb Friends has several ideas for healthy portable meals to eat on the run here. 

Eating consciously lists easy, portable and fast healthy vegan meal options to go on their website located here.

You can even find delicious brown bag recipe ideas at the busy cooks section of about.com here.

Who says you can't make your own fast food?  Fast food can be more in your control, healthier, and less expensive with some good meal planning and simple preparation techniques.

Tilapia - The good and bad fish

I don't always consider fish to be my protein of choice, but since the American Heart Association states that fish contains vital nutrients for heart health I decided to start feeding my family fish once a week.

The American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least twice a week (click here for American Heart Association article), but I'm starting small, particularly because tilapia, the fish I can afford on my budget, may have as many health risks as it does benefits.  Click here for an article from US News and World report. 


Prior to cooking and consuming any type of fish, including tilapia, you should be aware that fish can contain mercury and some low fat fish might contain potentially unhealthy fatty acids.

Although some mercury is not considered to be dangerous, too much mercury can be harmful to your body.  (Read more and see mercury levels in various types of fish on the American Heart Association's website here). 

There is controversy over the types of fat in low fat fish such as tilapia may contain dangerous types of fats.  You can read both sides of the issue here and here.

As with many any food, following government and American Heart Association guidelines for portion sizes and serving frequency is key to maximizing the nutritional value of fish.

Kitchen Decor Stickers - A great gift for the holidays.

Expressive Signs offers holiday decor gifts for the hard to buy for people on your Christmas list. Many of these unique home accent gifts are even priced under $20. Custom vinyl wall words and graphics are also available in a variety of colors and sizes. Click here for additional information.

Easy recipes and Dinner Meal Plans

I am always looking for budget-friendly and easy recipes. Today I found a website that offers inexpensive mom-tested recipes and weekly meal plans as well. The moms who think website is definitely going into my internet bookmarks.

You can check out the recipes and free meal plans available on their website by clicking here.

The website also offers many other helpful resources for moms such as parenting advice and activities for children, health, nutrition and diet resources for women,baby names for boys and girls and more.

Chocolate - The Perfect Gift For a Woman

With the holidays approaching we all have that one woman on our list who seems to have everything. Why not give her the gift that speaks volumes to almost any woman - chocolate. I am not sure of the precise scientific reasoning behind why chocolate can alter a woman from a depressed state of mind back to what passes for sanity, but I do know that chocolate works wonders for my mood and that of many other women as well.

Gourmet chocolates can be an affordable luxury with many gift packages available at www.chocolate.com for under $25. This holiday season, why not give the gift of chocolate?

Food Stamps, Women Infants and Children, and Government Food and Nutrition Grants

With the rising cost of food, many families are turning to government assistance for help. If you have never used this financial assistance before,however, it may be difficult to know where to go for eligibility information.

The United States Department of Agriculture website offers information on food stamps (now called the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program or SNAP for short) and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) assistance. You can find  S.N.A.P. food stamp information here; and WIC assistance information here.

For charities in need of government assistance for feeding programs information on government grants for food and nutrition is located here.

Vary the Routine

Has cooking become just another part of your daily routine?  Why not try some variation to spruce it up a bit, either in the cooking itself or in your style of presentation for the food. 

As I write this post I am envisioning a fond memory of a family tradition my parents, sister and I had when I was younger.  We had indoor family picnics on our living room floor.  That may sound like a cheesy idea to you, but for me it was one of the highlights of my week.  Why?  Because I was spending time with my family and breaking free from the day-to-day routine once a week.

Today, why not try a creative method of presentation with your family?  Maybe you could try eating with chopsticks or having party food for supper.  Maybe you have a different creative idea such as having family members come up with meal suggestions, eating dessert first, or letting the kids do the cooking.  Whatever your idea, be sure it is something the whole family can enjoy and that family members participate together as much as possible.

Mood Food

Have you ever had one of those days where you just feel like being lazy all day and not doing anything or where the pressures of life seem so overwhelming that  you just need a break to eat?  Well, before you reach for your favorite comfort food, why not reach for a healthier alternative.

In her article listed here, About.com Guide Cathy Wong recommends "Five Foods for a Better Mood."

1) Oatmeal
2) Walnuts
3) Tea
4) Salmon
5) Lentils

Rest and other factors also play important roles in reducing stress, but food is fuel for our bodies.  Without the right kind of fuel, our bodies do not run as efficiently as they should.

Handle with Caution

During the busy holiday season it is extremely important to exercise caution when handling raw food products, especially meats. Proper sanitary cooking may help you avoid a holiday season filled with illness instead of festivities. 

Today I happened across a portion of Kroger's website which deals with this extremely important topic. It never hurts to have a reminder of the proper things to do when handling food products.  Click here to find out more about safe food preparation courtesy of Kroger supermarket.

Reading Labels

Have you ever examined a label and found that many convenience foods, even those you think are healthy, can contain large amounts of harmful ingredients such as sodium?  Too much sodium can be bad for your health as my husband rediscovered on a recent doctor's visit which inspired him to desire healthier eating and exercise habits.

Cooking from scratch whenever possible is a good way to ensure that your family is eating healthier foods.  Cooking your own meals allows you to have more control over the amounts of sodium and other ingredients your family consumes.  It also allows you to use your creativity to create meals tailored to your family's tastes.

Websites such as www.allrecipies.com and www.recipezaar.com offer a wide variety user-tested recipes for all types of foods.

Fortunately, many retailers are also considering consumer's health concerns.  One retailer I just discovered today even specializes in low sodium foods.  Heart Healthy Market offers a wide selection of low sodium products on their website.  Click here for more information. I found this website through a blog specializing in low sodium cooking which you can see here.

Comfort Food

I've always thought of comfort food as meat and potatoes or chicken and dumplings.  (Can you tell I'm a Southern girl)?  Today, however, as I was contemplating the intricacies of what comfort food means to me I decided that it is more than simply what tastes good.  There is an emotional connection that makes comfort food a psychological stimulant that makes us feel better about ourselves and things around us.

Comfort food can be both our best friend and our worst enemy.  If we rely upon it constantly to make our problems at least temporarily go away, that can come back to haunt us in our waistlines.  It should be more like a casual acquaintance to us rather than our best friend.

My challenge for you today is to examine the amount of comfort food in your diet and find ways to replace comfort foods with more healthy food choices if too many of them make up your daily household menu.

What's for dinner?

What's for dinner?  If I only had a nickel for every time I heard that question.  Fortunately a brand new website is designed to help you answer that question www.halfhourmeals.com.  The website sports a "meal of the day" feature, a host of recipes and even a community and blog links all designed to make cooking faster and more enjoyable for you. 

The potato problem

Have you ever noticed that bags of potatoes seem to be less expensive when you buy the larger bags?  In my area there is hardly a difference between the price of a small bag and a large one.  Sometimes the larger one is even less expensive.  I really don't need the larger bag.  Truth be told, I barely use the small one.  It feels so wasteful to throw away things I don't use.  Still, I just can't pass up a good bargain.  So, what is a girl to do?  Share.  My church has various ministries that can use the excess potatoes and other foods that I cannot eat before they spoil.  I also have neighbors that need to feed their families.

I have to admit that sharing is often hard for me.  The reason why it is hard is not because I dislike it but rather that I like it too much.  It's almost like an addition for me.  It's very hard to stop once I get started.  The warm fuzzy feeling I get when someone knows I cared enough to share with them makes me feel so great that I want to share more and more.  At the same time, however, I know that I have limits to what I can share.  I hate that feeling of limitation.  Whenever I feel that way, however, I try to remember that each little thing that a person does can combine with other little things that other people do to make a big difference.

My challenge for those of you reading this is to do one little thing today and encourage others around you to do the same.  Share your excess potatoes or take some of those canned goods your local grocery store has on sale to a local food pantry.  Together our little acts of kindness can make a big difference.

Necessity is the Mother of Invention

Plato's inspirational words "necessity is the mother of invention"* have made me reflect upon the upside of our down economy.  Having to do more with less sparks creativity in meal planning.

As I write this post I am fondly remembering my days of learning how to cook.  I recall all too clearly putting green food coloring into sugar cookies and dreaming about how wonderful they would look and taste.  They ended up looking like they were overgrown with algae and not tasting much better.

Although my cooking skills are not up there with famous chefs like Emeril Lagasse, I have come a very long way since the green algae cookies.  I have learned both though my own experimentation and lessons learned from other cooks who have paved the way before me that a few simple ingredients can be put together in the right combinations to make delicious and inexpensive meal solutions.  I have also become more brave about trying out new recipes as I broaden my horizons.

My challenge to you today is to try cooking a new recipe.  It might give you some money-saving inspiration for your own meal planning. Eat out less and cook more.  Let your cooking be a form of entertainment and an outlet for the creative potential that is hidden within you.
  
*Quotation Reference Source:  http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/33942.html

Party Food for Supper

I am always looking for easy, inexpensive and creative ways to cook meals for supper.  Then, I frequently use supper leftovers as lunch the next day. 

One of my favorite ideas is chicken salad.  It's a food that I typically associate with bridal showers or baby showers, but it works for a delicious and light meal at home as well.  All you need to create chicken salad is some leftover pre-cooked plain chicken, mayonnaise, some grapes and possibly other ingredients such as nuts.  Mix those together, slap them on some sandwich bread, and voila - your main course is done.  In a matter of minutes you can have a delicious family treat that won't break the bank but will fill your stomachs.

Why not try a party food supper for your next evening meal?

Homemade Food with a Bread Machine - Yum

My husband and I love our complex carbohydrates, maybe even a bit too much at times. I think they spoil us by making us feel full quickly. An evaluation of my bread budget made me think, however. Is there a more economical way to do this?

I am somewhat of a visual learner, so I went to my favorite video site, Youtube, and did some searching. The results really surprised me.  Did you know that you can make things like pizza dough and cinnamon buns with a few basic ingredients, a stove and a bread machine? I thought my bread machine could only be used for making loaves of bread from those expensive store-bought mixes. Boy, was I ever wrong!

Check out this link for a great pizza dough recipe and this one for a cinnamon bun recipe.

Couponing Forums and Groups

I know that I don't have all the ideas or answers when it comes to saving money on food.  That is why I am thankful that advice, tips and tricks from other people are all just a few clicks away.

Couponing forums and groups allow you to post questions and answers about saving money with sales and coupons.

Where do you find couponing groups?  One of my favorite sources is Yahoo.  Their Groups directory has (as of this writing) 937 couponing groups from which you can choose.  Their "groups about coupons page lists the name and a brief description of each group.  Click here for more information.  A good group will allow you to set your e-mail preferences so that you will either receive or not receive a new e-mail each time someone posts to the group.  Be warned, however, if you chose to receive e-mails rather than read all posts on the site you can be in for a bit of a shock when you see the number of e-mails you are receiving.  My advice is to read the posts on the group's site.

For forums, coupon mom is the best I've found (click here to visit).  Although you need to register before you post, you can read forum posts without registering. There is even a posting section dedicated to "newbies" who are not experienced in couponing.

There are many other couponing groups and forums out there, but I do want to caution you that there are scams out there as well.  Use common sense and discretion when evaluating forum posts.

Some websites are also unsafe or contain excessive pop-ups.  As an extra precaution I always Google the name of the company making the offer rather than clicking on a link in the forum in case someone has placed a link to a computer virus.  Another tool that helps me surf more safely on the web is the McAfee Site Advisor.  You can download it for free here.

Scam - free sources of coupons and samples

There are so many coupon and freebie scams out there, how do you know where to find legitimate sources of coupons and samples?

You can try going to coupon and internet forums and groups for ideas (more coming about this in November) to find user-reviewed websites although you should still use some caution there.  You can also go to trusted websites such as walmart.com's in store's now page, sample and information super-site vocalpoint.com and free sample giant startsampling.com  or check out your favorite product's website for savings ideas and free samples.  (Some product websites will require you to join a mailing list).

For online printable coupons, my favorite sites are www.coupons.com, www.smartsource.com, http://www.cellfire.com/ and http://www.redplum.com/.  You can also request coupons from the manufacturer, find them in store coupon displays or locate coupons in store advertisements, local newspaper inserts or mailbox coupon inserts.

Who is the coupon mom?

Coupon mom Stephanie Nelson has caused quite a stir among media outlets in recent times.  She is a brilliant money-savvy mother who basically started (at least in my opinion) the current couponing craze. 

If you haven't yet heard of the. coupon mom, you can find her website at http://www.couponmom.com/.  The website is definitely worth exploring as it contains a unique coupon database which matches up sales nation-wide with coupons.  Nelson even gives away three free e-books which detail her secrets about how to combine coupons and sales to save money and hosts a free blog that allows members to share savings secrets.  Nelson even claims that you can cut your grocery bill in half as is evidenced by these and other features on her website.

To learn more about the coupon mom, you can simply visit her official media site at media.couponmom.com/.

What is couponing?

Couponing is a relatively new phenomenon for many people.  A simple definition that I personally use is the effective use of coupons to save money, particularly on items you buy often such as groceries. 

So how would coupon use not be effective in saving hard earned money?  Well, it's simple really if you think carefully about it.  Here is an example.  Let's say you plan to buy milk for your household.  Your local food market offers name-brand milk for $3.99 and store brand milk (which you don't know is made by the same manufacturer) for $3.29.  If you have a 50 cent coupon that says "do not double or triple" at the top for the name brand milk, that would bring its price down to $3.49, still 20 cents higher than the store brand milk.  Now twenty cents may not seem like a lot of money when you consider just one item, but over the course of time 20 cents here and 20 cents there can add up.

Let's say you saved just 20 cents per day through smart grocery shopping.  If you multiply that by 365 days in one year, that totals $73.  With the cost of gas constantly going up I can definitely use that much extra cash.  With some creative couponing, strategic sale shopping, and buying generic store brands when you can't save more on name brands with coupons and sales you can even save much, much more than 20 cents per day.

Just Ask

Does your grocery store's competitor offer a better price on a product you want to buy?  If so, will your store match or beat the competition's price? 

Do you live in an area with a competitive grocery market?  If so, how can you use that to your advantage?

Does one of your bank debit or credit cards offer cash back on groceries during certain months of the year?  If so, that may be a good time to stock up on non-perishable food if the sales prices and coupons also make it worth your while.

Does your local food market have a particular day that they honor double or triple coupons?

Does your store offer an item for free if it is incorrect on your receipt?

Do they honor competitors' coupons or have a store loyalty program?

Do they offer special promotions through their website or a mailing list?

Are there any other ways to save money on products you buy regularly?

All of these are good and valid questions.  If you don't know the answers, ask a manager or store employee.  It may save you alot of mone, especially over the long run

Just ask.

Creative recipes for Leftovers

Cheepcooking.com is an amazing idea source for leftover food inspiration.  The website has several creative ideas for leftover food on their website http://www.cheapcooking.com/articles/more-ways-with-leftovers.htm. 

Although that is a great place to get started and has taught me a great deal, I would like to add a few ideas of my own:

Leftover spaghetti noodles and Sauce:   You can cook these together for a great freeze ahead meal of baked spaghetti or use them separately.  If you don't want to freeze your leftovers the noodles can make a lovely pasta salad or be used as stir fry noodles which are both great ideas for lunch or supper.  The sauce can also be used as a pizza sauce or re-flavored to serve as sloppy joe or taco sauce. 

Leftover sandwich bread: I love to use leftover bread as a pizza crust, in grilled cheese sandwiches, in freeze ahead or ready to eat french toast or in homemade croutons.  You can find these and other recipes on the web by doing a quick google search.

Home Cooking Economics 101 - Be Prepared

Good meal planning can save you time and money.

Here are some tips to help you get started.

1) A well-stocked pantry can minimize unnecessary trips to the grocery store. Pantry stock should center around the types of cuisine your family enjoys and eats regularly as well as your family's nutritional needs.

2) Basic ingredients such as eggs, sugar, flour, sandwich bread, bacon, potatoes, cheese and tortillas are both economical and versatile. They can be used in many combinations alone and/or with other ingredients for breakfast, snacks, lunch and supper. Try to think in a multi-purpose mindset when purchasing ingredients such as these, particularly if the ingredients are perishable.

3) A well thought out meal plan is centered around your family's nutritional needs and what they like. Having a plan can reduce meal cooking stress in addition to saving you money. Favorite meals can be rotated weekly, biweekly or monthly.

4) Plan your meals around sales at the grocery store. Use coupons or buy store brand products during sales to save even more money. Pay attention to prices of items you buy regularly so you will know when your local store is offering the best price on that product. Be aware of price differences between brands. A sale and/or coupon for a name brand product may or may not give you the best value when compared with the store's generic brand and other available options.

5) Bigger isn't always better. Stores know that economy and family size containers give shoppers the perception of value. They usually are a better value, but not always. Larger containers may cost more per unit. They might also contain excess food that will not be consumed prior to spoilage.

6) Leftovers from one night can be re-incorporated into the following day's lunch or supper the following night if they are fresh enough. For example, extra spaghetti noodles and mixed vegetables can be converted into stir fry by adding stir fry sauce and your favorite stir fry friendly meat such as leftover chicken breast or steak. Leftover meats also make great pizza toppings if your family is not fond of oriental food.

7) Pre-cooked, packaged or frozen meal starters from companies such as Bird's Eye, Shake and Bake, McCormick and more can give you the extra push you need to get going during busy days when your cooking time is limited. You can make freeze-ahead meal starters yourself when you have time or find them on sale at your local stores. This hybrid form of cooking allows you to save time and money by doing some but not all of the work yourself.

8) Healthy foods are available in many different forms. Most diets are lacking in fresh fruits and vegetables. These foods are hard to stock in many kitchens for two main reasons: lack of convenience and spoilage. Fruits and vegetables do, however, come in other forms as well. Both healthy foods also come in dried, canned, frozen and juice forms that may help you supplement your family's fresh fruit and vegetable diet with fruits and vegetables containing a longer shelf life.