"Processed Food Is Out"

I found a wonderful article on the link enclosed about 2011 food trends. With food and gas prices increasing, it seems home cooking is on the rise. Processed foods are in the 'doldrums'. How cool is that? This article is for the US and Europe which is, also, fantastic. People are finding that home cooked food is a much better quality and better for the money they spend. Awesome!!!  http://www.foodnavigator.com/

For the Love of Cookbooks

I am a self professed cookbook hound. I love them; I love to look at the recipes and get ideas; I love the pictures; I love to read them.


Will Rogers said “I never met a man I didn’t like”. My own version of that is: “I never met a cook that I couldn’t learn something from”. I love people that cook, hands down no doubt about it. From a very young age I collected recipes and plowed through recipe books just looking. In this day and age we are bombarded with ideas and techniques for making recipes. Whoever would have imagined that we would have channels just for cooking shows? It’s amazing and wonderful the resources we have. And for all the resources I have I never completely follow a recipe, but it always tastes good. I will, however, follow a technique and watch for the certain way that something should look. It is important to know that cooking is a craft and is something that we will continue to learn.

Get the basic cookbooks you need and then follow your heart from there. Build a cook’s library that only you can love.

Work With What You Have

Does it take a gourmet kitchen to produce a gratifying, sustainable meal? No, of course not. I lived on a boat for seven years and didn’t even have an actual kitchen. I had a small refrigerator that meant I needed more frequent trips to the market; A small convection oven and a hot plate; it was really not that difficult. The fact that I loved where I lived so much made it all the easier to deal with a small kitchen.

My son learned to cook on that boat. When he came home from school, he would call me at work and I would have him season a piece of meat, wrap it in a piece of heavy duty foil, and turn on the convection oven that was on a timer. By the time I got home dinner was mostly ready and he felt like he got to help in a big way. Figure out what you have to work with and use it.

Eating Patterns Create a Recipe Repertoire

In my daily cooking and eating habits I can eat the same things over and over. Then some weeks I will have Mexican or Italian or variations of stir-fry's. But I am exceptionally boring and for some reason once I make something I savor, I will make it over and over again so I can enjoy it from first bite to last bite again and again, with different variations to the theme.

Breakfast is always one of about five things: oatmeal, being number one on my list. Homemade bread (sometimes a baguette)with jam or nutella. Zucchini, banana or carrot loaf with cream cheese or butter. Eggs usually mixed with something like zucchini, spinach or leftover potatoes with cheese on top. Leftovers from the night before...if they rocked and there are plenty left, I think its pretty safe to say that I will be digging into them the next morning!

Lunch most often is leftovers. I have no problem the night before remembering that I will have to eat the next day in the office at some point. After dinner I put my lunch into the container I carry with me to work and am always glad to have it.

I have discovered over the last few months a cooking style that I did not notice before. It goes along hand in hand with my eating style but I have narrowed it down to a half-assed science of variations:

My own recipe variations...What's in season variations....What the temperature is, variations. Who's coming to dinner variations, in other words, who do I have to share it with...lol. Mexican variations. Italian variations. French variations. English variations. Caribbean variations. My own hometown, SoCal, variations. American Cafe/comfort food variations. My favorite take-out/junk food variations. Obviously, the variations I have, have to do with the climate of where I am living, the foods I was brought up with and the foods I absolutely adore.

Say No to Fast Food

First of all the calories are twice as much as the same item prepared at home.


The fat content is always so much more. A super-sized meal that says the fried items contain no cholesterol are loaded with fat that can be converted to cholesterol in the blood.

Sugar, even in entrée items, especially Chinese food, blended beverages and smoothies.

Sodium is out of control; many entrée items have more salt than you should consume in one day. Excess sodium leads to high blood pressure which can also lead to high cholesterol.

Carbs, also, a healthy muffin is more often like eating a big slice of cake or a few doughnuts.

Ordering a salad at a fast food restaurant is never a healthy bet unless by chance they offer a salad bar where you are able to make healthy choices, or order the dressing on the side.

There will be little to no fiber in any item from a fast food restaurant.

I am adamantly against fast food now and I have eaten my fair share. What I have done is take a real look at what fast food places are offering us as food. The meals they offer are questionable. We shouldn’t have to think about the nutritional value of what we eat when we are eating. What we eat should taste good and make us feel good. To put it bluntly; a high fat, high sodium meal is not going to do that and soon after eating a meal like this we feel sluggish. Just take the time to think about it. If we take the time to prepare our own food and put thought into the nutritional value and taste as we make it, then we can simply enjoy it when we eat it.

Stop! and Eat

Stop everything and eat! Stop the car. Stop working. Stop the t.v.  Turn off the computer. Stop texting. Never, ever, eat standing up. Don’t answer your phone. Honor this ritual. Savor your food; really taste it. Do not attempt to just get it over with, enjoy your food, honor your meal time.

This is a hard one, I know, I've been working on it. My thoughts usually go around, what do I do with myself? What will we talk about? How long does mealtime have to last? I have found that I can hear myself think now and look forward to that time. There is always something interesting going on in another person's life and yours to fit conversation in between bites. Mealtime usually lasts about twenty minutes, not too long. Flag that time to do nothing but eat. Mealtime should be a ritual, uninterrupted time during your day to savor your food. As much as the food is needed to replenish and nourish our bodies, our souls need revitalizing and by sitting down to a meal we accomplish that need. Stop and enjoy your food; savor every last bite!

Old Kitchens...Cool Kitchens

Do you have pictures of any cool looking old kitchens? Farm kitchens, small kitchens, big family kitchens? Bachelor pad kitchens? Boat kitchens? Anything that would constitute a "Home Kitchen". Please scan them and post them or e-mail them to me. It would be really lovely to see kitchens messy and at work!!

A New Day

There's a process of elimination going on...And I want to point out it's an experiment, also. Within the last 5 months this way of cooking and eating home cooked meals has made me aware and sensible, thrifty and resourceful. I love to have the outlook about home cooking that I have now.

So with the knowledge and sensibility I have gained in the process, I changed the name to something much more suitable: Inspired Home Kitchen. I think this name suits it more appropriately. An inspired home kitchen...yes, that's what this is all about.

Home cooked meals made from scratch as much as possible and limiting eating out at restaurants to once or twice a month. When I say restaurant, that's exactly what I mean, a good local choice with fresh ingredients where you can eat something that you would not eat at home: A "treat". Absolutely no fast food or pre-made foods, I am sticking with my guns on this one.  Create some delayed gratification, mealtime is always coming around again. Eat sensibly from home and enjoy!

Cleaning Out The Refrigerator

Some days 'ya cook and some days 'ya don't. After cooking for a few days it's time for a rest and that means throwing everything and anything that is worth eating (edible) on a plate. That's when this happens: a pork chop, a large portion of pasta carbonara, garbanzo beans, sliced tomatoes, the end of a loaf of homemade bread...sounds like a lot, huh. I was starving and ate the whole thing. Usually, the miscellaneous ends of a meal go to work with me and I love, love, love that. But lately for work I have been taking a decadent cream cheese and nutella filled English muffin and a banana - that I cannot seem to get enough of. Oh, well dinner tonight meant cleaning out the frig and making room for the next cooking sessions. Ahh, well, it all goes to the same place as my grandmother used to say. Dig In!

In Praise of Jamie Oliver

I have a copy of Jamie's Food Revolution and I have to say that he's got it down. He has taken people and food and made it real by connecting the dots. People who have cooked only prepared food or never cooked and taken their hand through each of his recipes to teach them that cooking good homemade food from scratch is not difficult, in fact made these people see that cooking is one of the most rewarding simple things in life.


This cookbook is so matter-of-fact you can practically hear him speak. Just like one of the 'real' people he's taught to cook in his book said of him, he's the "cook whisperer".

Jamie's teaching people to fall back in love with cooking home cooked meals. Not the foodies but normal working people that he feels should learn to cook from scratch. It's an amazing book and an even more amazing 'ideal' way of life: Cooking good homemade food on any budget. The way it makes you feel to cook for yourself and family and friends is not just about how the food tastes but the responsibility and awareness it creates within yourself - like a new sense of pride. He changes up classics because as we all know - no recipe is written in stone, the meats can be changed and when you know flavors you can learn to do these things yourself.

Everyone must eat and everyone must cook. Simple. It's not a pipe dream people, it's reality. A kitchen is not a museum it's a working room in our home...use it.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Last night I made Stuffed Chicken Breasts. They were very easy and looked amazing! It actually looked like a restaurant plate when it was done...I was impressed with myself, to say the least and I think they were very much appreciated.

Saute spinach in a little olive oil and garlic until it is just tender.
Saute thinly sliced red onion and mushrooms until they are just tender then add just a few dashes of balsamic vinegar and some freshly cracked pepper.
I took 2 large chicken breasts and sliced them lengthwise, these were so large that I cut them down the middle, also.
Have on hand about 1 teaspoon minced garlic.
Also, have on hand some ricotta cheese - about half a cup- mixed with garlic and freshly chopped parsley.
Open the chicken breasts and fill with about a tablespoon of the ricotta and then the spinach mixture. Fill them so that they will close just enough to see the filling inside.

Prepare a hot skillet that can be placed in an oven. Brown the chicken breasts and then put into the oven for about 15 minutes.

I had cooked some penne pasta - half a pound and tossed it with a bit of butter and marinara sauce. Pour this into a pyrex dish. Place the chicken on top. Spoon a big heap of the onion and mushroom mixture over the top. Sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan and a few dabs of butter. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. Serve with garlic bread. This is an amazing dish...I am sorry I did not get a picture, just happened too fast this time. Enjoy!!

Tea

I was raised by my English grandmother, although, she was Trinidadian and of French and Spanish decent she was decidedly English in many many ways because Trinidad during her time there was a British colony. One of those English ways being the love of the tradition of tea. There was always something for tea, whether it was cookies or cake or a big slice of sourdough toast with butter oozing off of it (one of my all time favorites) - there was always something put out for tea. I have been steeped in this ritual since I was a child and although I replace it with iced tea occasionally in the summer, I usually always have tea when I come home from work.

I have become quite obsessed with the proper tea, although it has only happened a handful of times during my adult life. I love the set-up of the the table. I love the brown Betty teapot and loose tea and sugar cubes. It's so faithfully English and terribly proper. Mixed china and odd silver pieces and dark wood and lace. Oh, so lovely and ladylike. But come on get real....I have a huge 16 ounce mug for my tea, using two tea bags, and milk and sugar...and eat whatever is around, usually toast - full of butter and jam. During the colder months I make quite a lot of gingerbread and pound cake, my sons favorites.

Having tea after work gives me a refresher and a lift to get things done at home. I put my feet on the coffee table and pick up a magazine for a bit and enjoy it...then I can move on. So make a cup; steep it strong and enjoy it!!

Striking A Guiltless Balance

This last month has been sort of a moment of truth for me. I have not ever been a person who wants my needs to be bothersome to other people, or to be questioned about myself too much. I hate to be the center of attention. Having this idea and this blog has brought many a question from all sorts of people, which I can handle - I love to tell people about the importance of homecooked foods and meals.

In doing this, I have been coming to terms with this whole thing. Being too strict in life is not my intention. Rather my idea is to bring to the forefront the importance of cooking and eating most meals from our home kitchen. There are times when it is necessary but not a real necessity to eat out, and socializing is important to all of us. I hate to be preachy and that is what's happening... But I want to get people to think about what constitutes a meal outside their home, other than at another persons home - but in a restaurant. I will absolutely not talk about fast food or drive-thru's. I think if a person/family is going to eat out then please make a good choice and eat at a local restaurant and sit down at a table. Do remember that the calories in restaurant foods are twice as much as the same meal cooked at home. I guess right now I'm doing what I think others should do...think about what, how, and where they eat. Like I've said before it is a challenge. Make it a point that eating out is a treat if you do it, and not the way to eat everyday.

Canning Time!

Over the last few years I taught myself how to can using a hot water bath. It was one of those things where I read everything I could get my hands on and kept a book close by while I attempted my first "processing".  To hear my first pops from the seals was one of those simple little things in life that brought a smile and a whoo hoo! 

I love older houses that have canning kitchens in the basements. When I was young I had no idea they were for canning, but I remember seeing a few houses with that extra kitchen in the basement. I just thought they did a lot of cooking...As an adult I came to find out how they were used and in the heat of the summer so it was cooler for canning. Resourceful and logical...gotta love it.

I will say that I have not ventured far from the tree yet; in other words, I have not canned anything but jam, marmalade's and preserves yet. I have gone with as much homegrown as possible and if not got fruit from a local farmer's market. My favorites have been marmalade from a friends orange tree; kumquat marmalade from fruit from a farmer's market and blueberry jam.

I am lucky this year to be living in a house with an enormous local Idaho plum tree. I have been told by my landlady to use them up and give away whatever I can. And if I make jam to use a lot of sugar - the fruit is tart. The fruit is almost ready. The tree was gorgeous in the spring when it blossomed with with white flowers - truly a spectacle. It is my intention to use as much fruit as possible for jam and jelly....and I can't wait. I know in the middle of it all it's going to seem like a chore that never ends but in the end it will be lovely. Oh and I love to have jars to give away - during the holidays and whenever someone comes to visit. There is truly nothing like homemade jam.

Making Good Choices?

Michelle Obama spoke to the National Restaurant Association (NRA) today about making healthier choices for kids on their menus. For kids selections there is mostly fries, burgers, mac and cheese and chicken nuggets. I agree that kids do tend to stick with what they know and will wail at the thought of putting something different in their mouth - I have seen it happen many a time. I do think that chefs could be more creative with their presentation for the kids.

I have to mention my grandmother here because she could make anything healthy and more appealing to a small child by making it into something - a happy face or a goofy face made with vegetables and cheese. Pancakes became bears with honey. As a child I was a terribly picky eater and ate the same foods day in and day out. It would take me an hour just to eat scrambled eggs if they were not cooked the way I liked them. The feel of the food in my mouth was a big deal; if it was slimy or mushy it would just sit in my mouth and I couldn't get it down - hell no - no way. I literally gagged on certain foods. Thank god I grew up and out of that!

As a mother of one son with a hearty appetite that ate well and ate his mother's cooking, I was blessed. There were not many things that I would make that he rejected. Going out he tended to like the 'adult' side of the menu and had a much more sophisticated palate than I had as a child. He loved tuna salad from the age of two. Ate hot sauce and spicy foods that I never would have touched. Being my only child I gave him everything I ate and most of the time he liked it. He like sushi the first time he ate it when he was around seven, even with a little wasabi.

Kids are a challenge, good eating habits are suppose to come from home, just like values. Yes, restaurants need to offer adults and children healthier choices but, going out should be a 'treat'. A real treat--not something that after you pick the kids up from after-school care you drive thru and eat in the car. If you are going to go out it should be to a place to also teach your kids how to behave in public and by that I mean without running around with fries in their hand. I am a big believer in sharing, hey they are big portions anyway, and it gives kids the chance to taste something new and it's our job as parents to encourage them to broaden their little taste buds. Just ask for an extra plate...remember that one?

The kinds of food that I will choose to eat out will most likely be ethnic foods; I love good Mexican, real homemade Indian food and Thai food. I will seek out the places that take pains to make their food from scratch and 'treat' myself on occasion. The kinds of food I love, yet cannot make properly at home. Yes, portions are enormous and a plate in a restaurant has twice as many calories as the same plate of food at home. Slice it down the middle; Eat half of what is served.

Remember those days when if a plate was put in front of you at someones house, it was bad manners not to eat it? What happened to that kind of respect?

Again, here, I will mention that the package of something will not make a person happier or better or feel something they've never felt before. That's ludicrous...

Eventually, kids will learn to eat well if we set a good example. A plate of good food should be set in front of them at meal time and they should be thankful and eat it and feel comforted and satisfied. Ultimately, learning to eat healthy meals should come from home. It's no one else's responsibility but the parents with or without healthier choices on the menu.

A Few Good...Marinades

Grilling season may be over soon, although, I know people that use their outdoor grill even when there is snow on the ground - it is truly hard to give up! But if you're like me...there is always the broiler, one of my favorite ways to cook.
I have in my repertoire a few good marinades - simple ingredients with lots of flavor. Remember it is best to use a non-reactive dish like plastic or glass.

Mix ingredients to taste - and inspire your own flavors by altering the ingredients to suit yourself.

#1
Soy Sauce
Toasted Sesame Oil
Minced Ginger
Minced Garlic, or Garlic Powder
Sesame Seeds
Sometimes I add a few splashes of hot sauce for an added kick
This marinade gives fantastic flavor for chicken, steaks and fish. Marinade for about 1 hour in plastic ziploc bag or glass dish in the refrigerator.

#2
Lemon Juice
Lemon Zest
Garlic, crushed
Olive Oil
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Cilantro, Oregano
Salt
Pepper
Allow the marinade to sit for an hour for the flavors to meld together. Marinade meat or chicken for an hour or two.

#3
Lemon Juice
Lime Juice
Orange Juice
Minced Garlic
Dried Oregano
Cumin or Chili Powder
Bay Leaf
Olive Oil
Salt
Sometimes I add a sprig of rosemary and omit the cumin and chili powder. The citrus and rosemary combination is wonderful!
Follow the same as above for marinading meat.

Notes on marinading: If you take an acid like citrus and add vegetable oil or olive oil and add flavors from there, you will have a fantastic marinade. I usually use about 1/3 cup of oil and the juicesof the whole lemon, etc. The more citrus/acid you add the more your meat will be tenderized. Taste the marinade before adding meat. I have left meat in marinades for 2 hours to 12 hours, and 12 hours was a bit too much, but a good soaking of 3 hours is probably the best if you have the time. Marinading meats is the way to go for grilling and broiling!

Lost But Not Forgotten

Summer has been way too short for me here in the mountains. Fall is in the air already. Fresh produce - I still have an abundance of green tomatoes on the vine. Small county fairs - barbecuing meats and roasted corn. I was a judge at the 4H for cooking and sewing and with my meal ticket had bbq chicken and corn. Good wholesome food. The 4H kids baked cookies and brownies, great job for 8 and 9 year olds, I was very proud of them.

I have kept up my home cooked meals except for the one exception I had to make: A date, just recently. The item I chose was chicken Caesar salad, not too complicated or floating in goop. My to date, I will keep to myself.

I am lucky have a landlady that has a huge vegetable garden just south of here. She has dropped off way too many zucchini, summer squash, cucumbers and lettuce. I am zucchini-ed OUT! I have made zucchini everything. Shredded and cooked down it makes a wonderful filling for tacos, with sour cream, avocados, beans and salsa - you would be amazed at just how tasty these are. Shred zucchini, which I found the easiest way to cook them, and you can add them to just about anything from eggs to pasta and ground beef. Add some onions and spices and you're ready to add them to anything or have them as a side vegetable.

Several zucchini breads have been made with slices added to lunches and hiking trips and wood cutting trips - no one can seem to get enough of it. Why is it there is always sooo much zucchini?

With fall coming it's like the changing of the guard; different cooking methods come into place. The oven stays on longer, soups and stews become more predominant meals. Baking cookies seems like a new treat once again.

I have my hopes up that summer will make a little rebound and come back and be with us for another couple of weeks - but we will have to see...

3 Month Mark

During the last 90 days I have been eating my own home cooked meals or other people's home cooked food. I know what I veer towards in restaurants and fast food and have tried when needed to duplicate that with my own versions. I get on my kicks of Mexican or Italian. Love my salads and French bistro cooking. Have my homemade bread and jam. I know what home cooked meals of my own I love and keep on hand at all times, carbonara, vegetables for roasting, potatoes of every kind and freshness as often as possible. I eat eggs - omelette's - and salad a lot, as it's summer now, eating patterns will change with the seasons. I've been keeping garbanzo beans and black or pinto beans in the refrigerator for my tacos and salads, also.

When I shop I always make sure when I come home I prep and cook what I know will be a few good meals. Meats or casseroles last me 3 maybe 4 days. Cooked rice is another good item to have on hand, it mixes well with ground beef, eggs and cheese and will make a dish a little bit heartier than expected.

I know that by myself I can eat a whole loaf of bread and whole pound cake within about 7 days. Sounds like a lot? I thought so, too. But I do and I feel much better for it. No pounds gained, none lost.

I'm enjoying this. The trick is to Think Ahead...Meals Ahead. Hungry? The next meal is at 8AM, 12PM and 5PM. Meal time always comes around so snacking is not really that necessary.
Let your hunger grow and sit down and eat what you cook.
~All my best.

Fiesta Fries

I'm sure you know I love my fries or pommes frites. In the early 90's I owned a snack bar and at the time it was sort of the craze to have fries any way you could imagine. Of course, there was the usual, chili cheese fries and nacho cheese fries, I, also made something similar to the In-N-Out Animal fries with cheese and fried onions. My personal favorite, though, are the fiesta fries: fries topped with cheddar cheese, salsa and sour cream.
Homemade fries, however, are the best. I know that I can eat 2 medium potatoes cut into strips by myself with toppings. If there is any taco meat or chicken that can be chopped up for the topping, hey the more the merrier. I love my fries, and I hope you do, too!

Things That Drive Me Wild

Face it we all have a taste for something that not many others would understand. Certain things that are just mmmmm...Homemade bread; anything with pistachios or macadamias, nearly all things chocolate, junky cereals...and some definite junk food fetishes. I love Yoo Hoo's and Moon Pies and I'm from southern California - and I love Nutella. Right now I am on a Nutella kick - on homemade bread, baguettes, bananas, ice cream, strawberries, straight from the jar. This was not something I grew up on, I never had it until I was at least in my 30's and it was sort of an acquired taste, not too sure what to think at first. Once I tried a knock off brand and knew right away it wasn't the same - went back to the original and never once looked back. There is always an emotional tie to the foods we love - a certain loyalty. It's funny if I hear the song to an old t.v. sitcom the music will often remind me of a taste or a smell from home growing up; Sunday dinner, a roast in the oven, a cake baking, chutney slow cooking on the stove. Sometimes you just have to eat and linger...

Roasted Green Beans

My new favorite thing - that thing that I can't get enough of is Roasted Green Beans.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Wash the beans and dry them. Lay them out on a baking sheet toss them in olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake for about 15 minutes, then toss them around. bake for another 10 minutes or so. The beans will be shriveled and brown in spots, and that's just how they should be. I like mine on the overdone side. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. These are just to die for! I love all vegetables roasted but I had never tried these, you will be amazed at how good that stale old green bean can taste!

You Don't Have to Buy to Be Happy

I used to clip tons of coupons and pride myself in how much I saved every week, and I did save a whole heckuva lot. What I didn't realize back then was that I was getting a healthy dose of "Consumerism" by buying products with little or no nutritional value and lots of cool packaging.

Being frugal and buying whole foods is healthy in the long run. Eating real meals that have not been processed or packaged and served on plates is real living. Buying into something because of the advertising campaign for the product is so ridiculous when you think about it. It's junior high school playground at it's worst. Buying a certain product is not meant to make you a better person or a more popular person or make you happy or act a certain way...commercialism and marketing are meant to make us 'feel' they get under our skin and our kids' skin to emotionally connect us to their product. It's not right and if you have kids it's especially hard to raise them without the influence of commercials and eye catching products. When you can't give them and hopefully don't want to give in to their every whim it makes you feel bad and standing your ground is hard especially when you feel like you've hurt them because you aren't buying for them. We all have to learn - You don't have to buy to be happy.

Tacos Galore

I love Mexican food, being from L.A. I have my favorites. I love traditional food made with lard - I also, like healthy Mexican, like Chipotle's bare burrito - Awesome. When I make it at home I steer towards the more healthy fare. Yesterday, I cooked some chicken breasts and sliced it and chopped it, fried some corn tortillas and made taco shells. I had some black beans that I had made earlier in the week along with some brown rice. Years ago I found this hot sauce called Bufalo, it's a smoked chipotle chili sauce and it's worth it's weight in gold for flavor - and it's about a dollar at the market. I make chipotle mayo with it for fries or burgers. Anyway so this addition to my tacos was unbelievable...I was in heaven.

Today I had a salad version of my tacos from last night: lettuce, chicken, beans, tomatoes, cheese. I mixed the chipotle sauce with a little oil and balsamic vinegar. Heaven!

When I get into a Mexican food kick, I like to make meat to have on hand along with tortillas, sour cream, salsa, beans and avocado...To tell you the truth I have eaten like this all of last week and been quite happy.

Stuffed Spuds

Really good baked potatoes are the best. Since we have been having thunderstorms lately I decided to bake a bunch. When I bake potatoes for stuffing I bake them a bit differently. I toss them in olive oil and salt and pepper them really well, place them in a pie dish and bake them. The skins are sooo delicious. Tonight I have some sauteed broccoli and fried onions and cheese. Tomorrow I will fry up one and put a little chili over the top with cheese and sour cream. These are great for the office as they heat up fast and make everyone wonder what smells so good. Also, very economical and I love that! Anything to save money these days helps. Cheese, salsa and sour cream is another favorite. When I was in London a few years ago many of the pubs offered stuffed spuds on the menu - Classic!

Buy Only the Best Vanilla

I have been through culinary school and know all about good vanilla and using vanilla beans and all the celebrity chefs say to use only the best vanilla extract and let me tell you something, it's worth its weight in gold. I have been on a budget lately and tried the store brand vanilla extract and couldn't figure out why my cakes were tasting a 'little off', to say the least. Well, I looked at the bottle and corn syrup is an ingredient, the smell is very good, but it does not bake well. It just doesn't taste like it should. So I will scrimp and save and buy only the very best vanilla I can get my greedy little hands on. Sometimes you have to learn the hard way...