I've been wanting to share some ideas to help you add special touches to your July 4th celebration, so I decided I would just share this part of my latest newspaper column in the Leader Enterprise......
My mind has been spinning with numerous recipe ideas to help you celebrate the upcoming birthday of our nation on July 4th.
I decorated this cake with jelly beans to look like 'Old Glory". A pretzel rod was used for the pole, but you could also use a black licorice stick.
It’s easy enough to use a purchased pound cake - lay slices of it in the bottom of a rectangular dish, top with blueberries and strawberries, and then whipped topping, and decorate the top like a flag, with more blueberries and strawberries. Or you can bake a cake from a mix, in a 9" X 13" pan, and decorate it likewise.
You can layer berries with pudding or whipped topping in a bowl, and decorate the top with an outline of blueberries in a star shape, and fill the inside with strawberries, or raspberries, if you prefer. Or just make layers in parfait cups for individual servings.
I love the idea of using the store-bought cake rolls to make ‘dynamite’. Use a little string of licorice to make a wick -Stack a few together and tie with a piece of licorice - to add a ‘blast’ to your holiday.
Bake cupcakes (we love them in ice cream cones) and sprinkle the frosting with red, white & blue edible decorations. Or just celebrate with a McDonald’s healthy yogurt/fruit parfait. I enjoy them often!
If you want more ideas, go to this link for some cool patriotic menu ideas...
For Taste of Home's Top 10 Patriotic dessert recipes....
Whatever you decide to do, make it simple and fun and enjoy yourself as we have so much to be thankful for. We can always be grateful to live in the land of the free and home of the brave, and be proud of our country! Let’s not hesitate to throw a big birthday party for the good ole USA!
May God bless America!
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Tips to help with Recipe Organization
I LOVE RECIPES.
I love reading them - I love collecting them - I love sharing them - I love making them!
I have sooo many recipes and need to have an 'extra' day in my life to get things organized as I'd like. There are times when I get totally frustrated, because I have Too Many Recipes, and can't find the one I'm looking for.
But I do have some thoughts for organizing your recipes that I want to share.
If you have many cookbooks, have you considered the idea of making a 'recipe file' with the name of the cookbook, the recipe name and page number? I have often kept a list in front of the cookbooks with the recipes I want to try, along with the page number. It helps save me time looking, but what works for one, may not be good for another.
I have a recipe drawer - this is where I keep my most used/new recipes. If it's out of sight, it's so often out of mind, so it's something I go through often.
I use the small flimsy-cover photo albums, and have them labeled with different topics: 9 x 13 desserts, appetizers, 'real food', microwave - whatever you use most, to keep recipes handy. I stand them up on end in the front of the drawer, so they're easily accessible and to view.
I do love the 'make your own' cookbooks - with sections for holding magazine (rectangular) recipes. It helps me clear out the recipe magazines that pile up in my kitchen.
I also keep folders in the drawer - color coded - and store favorite recipes in them. I have one just for 'Favorites from Friends" and write on the manilla folder, which recipe from which gal, because they often get shared too.
I have a friend who tries a new recipe nearly every day of her life and I often get to be a part of taste testing. She sometimes, leaves a sample at my door - and I don't have to wonder who has dropped it off. She keeps a 3-ring binder with recipes/pictures and it's wonderful to go through. I have learned from her, to always write on a recipe what I thought of it, but if it isn't a 'keeper', it gets pitched. I do LOVE recipes - and it's easy to get frustrated if you don't have a system.
Hope some of these ideas make things easier for you in the kitchen.
Recipe Organization
I LOVE RECIPES.
I love reading them - I love collecting them - I love sharing them - I love making them!
I have sooo many recipes and need to have an 'extra' day in my life to get things organized as I'd like. There are times when I get totally frustrated, because I have Too Many Recipes, and can't find the one I'm looking for.
But I do have some thoughts for organizing your recipes that I want to share.
If you have many cookbooks, have you considered the idea of making a 'recipe file' with the name of the cookbook, the recipe name and page number? I have often kept a list in front of the cookbooks with the recipes I want to try, along with the page number. It helps save me time looking, but what works for one, may not be good for another.
I have a recipe drawer - this is where I keep my most used/new recipes. If it's out of sight, it's so often out of mind, so it's something I go through often.
I use the small flimsy-cover photo albums, and have them labeled with different topics: 9 x 13 desserts, appetizers, 'real food', microwave - whatever you use most, to keep recipes handy. I stand them up on end in the front of the drawer, so they're easily accessible and to view.
I do love the 'make your own' cookbooks - with sections for holding magazine (rectangular) recipes. It helps me clear out the recipe magazines that pile up in my kitchen.
I also keep folders in the drawer - color coded - and store favorite recipes in them. I have one just for 'Favorites from Friends" and write on the manilla folder, which recipe from which gal, because they often get shared too.
I have a friend who tries a new recipe nearly every day of her life and I often get to be a part of taste testing. She sometimes, leaves a sample at my door - and I don't have to wonder who has dropped it off. She keeps a 3-ring binder with recipes/pictures and it's wonderful to go through. I have learned from her, to always write on a recipe what I thought of it, but if it isn't a 'keeper', it gets pitched. I do LOVE recipes - and it's easy to get frustrated if you don't have a system.
Hope some of these ideas make things easier for you in the kitchen.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
The "Kick" of Coupon-ing
I have to say I love shopping! I can't tell you how many times I've offered to do shopping for friends - of course, with their $$ - but I do enjoy getting as much as possible for my money, so going to the grocery store is a pleasant event for me, at least most of the time.
I recently got some great deals because my regular grocery store was running coupon deals for a 2 week period. As you can see by the picture of my receipt, I was able to save 40%. That's quite a savings these days, when we have to spend so much more for products than what we were paying a year or two ago. Paying regular prices these days can be a real killer.
I save coupons that come in our weekly newspaper, but I only save for the items that I would purchase, IF they were on sale. I carry a coupon keeper in my purse at all times, and I'm ready to save all I can.
Occasionally, I am able to save more with manufacturer's coupons, along with store coupons, but it wasn't so this time. I only used store coupons, and was very pleased with my bargains.
My local store regularly doubles coupons up to $1.00, and I have purchased items on sale for 99 cents - used my manufacturer's coupon for 50 cents, and gotten the item for free.
I try to stay stocked ahead, so that when things that I normally use, are on sale, I buy them, even if I don't need them right now. I believe it saves in the long run.
We prefer frozen vegetables. The regular price for a 1# bag, is $1.59. It is rare that I ever pay that price, because they are on sale often, and that's when I choose to stock up. This week, because of a store coupon, I was able to get 5 bags for $4. Thus, a savings of $3.95 there alone.
I also saved $4.00 on the 3# bag of quick frozen chicken breasts, because that was part of the coupon deal. That's nearly half price!
We like to shop at our local bulk food store too. We recently saw a sign posted there for co-jack cheese...our favorite...for $2.40 a lb. That's nearly half as much as the regular price, and we had to buy a big chunk. We got almost 6#. so I chunked some up for a quick nibble, and shredded much of it, and put some in the freezer. Cheese tends to crumble more after its frozen, so having shredded it first, will make it easier to use.
There are so many online sources for coupons, but I really love the look of Coupon Mom! She's a woman after my own heart!
I recently got some great deals because my regular grocery store was running coupon deals for a 2 week period. As you can see by the picture of my receipt, I was able to save 40%. That's quite a savings these days, when we have to spend so much more for products than what we were paying a year or two ago. Paying regular prices these days can be a real killer.
I save coupons that come in our weekly newspaper, but I only save for the items that I would purchase, IF they were on sale. I carry a coupon keeper in my purse at all times, and I'm ready to save all I can.
Occasionally, I am able to save more with manufacturer's coupons, along with store coupons, but it wasn't so this time. I only used store coupons, and was very pleased with my bargains.
My local store regularly doubles coupons up to $1.00, and I have purchased items on sale for 99 cents - used my manufacturer's coupon for 50 cents, and gotten the item for free.
I try to stay stocked ahead, so that when things that I normally use, are on sale, I buy them, even if I don't need them right now. I believe it saves in the long run.
We prefer frozen vegetables. The regular price for a 1# bag, is $1.59. It is rare that I ever pay that price, because they are on sale often, and that's when I choose to stock up. This week, because of a store coupon, I was able to get 5 bags for $4. Thus, a savings of $3.95 there alone.
I also saved $4.00 on the 3# bag of quick frozen chicken breasts, because that was part of the coupon deal. That's nearly half price!
We like to shop at our local bulk food store too. We recently saw a sign posted there for co-jack cheese...our favorite...for $2.40 a lb. That's nearly half as much as the regular price, and we had to buy a big chunk. We got almost 6#. so I chunked some up for a quick nibble, and shredded much of it, and put some in the freezer. Cheese tends to crumble more after its frozen, so having shredded it first, will make it easier to use.
There are so many online sources for coupons, but I really love the look of Coupon Mom! She's a woman after my own heart!
The Kick of Couponing
I have to say I love shopping! I can't tell you how many times I've offered to do shopping for friends - of course, with their $$ - but I do enjoy getting as much as possible for my money, so going to the grocery store is a pleasant event for me, at least most of the time.
I recently got some great deals because my regular grocery store was running coupon deals for a 2 week period. As you can see by the picture of my receipt, I was able to save 40%. That's quite a savings these days, when we have to spend so much more for products than what we were paying a year or two ago. Paying regular prices these days can be a real killer.
I save coupons that come in our weekly newspaper, but I only save for the items that I would purchase, IF they were on sale. I carry a coupon keeper in my purse at all times, and I'm ready to save all I can.
Occasionally, I am able to save more with manufacturer's coupons, along with store coupons, but it wasn't so this time. I only used store coupons, and was very pleased with my bargains.
My local store regularly doubles coupons up to $1.00, and I have purchased items on sale for 99 cents - used my manufacturer's coupon for 50 cents, and gotten the item for free.
I try to stay stocked ahead, so that when things that I normally use, are on sale, I buy them, even if I don't need them right now. I believe it saves in the long run.
We prefer frozen vegetables. The regular price for a 1# bag, is $1.59. It is rare that I ever pay that price, because they are on sale often, and that's when I choose to stock up. This week, because of a store coupon, I was able to get 5 bags for $4. Thus, a savings of $3.95 there alone.
I also saved $4.00 on the 3# bag of quick frozen chicken breasts, because that was part of the coupon deal. That's nearly half price.
We like to shop at our local bulk food store too. We recently saw a sign posted there for co-jack cheese...our favorite...for $2.40 a lb. That's nearly half as much as the regular price, and we had to buy a big chunk. We got almost 6#. so I chunked some up for a quick nibble, and shredded much of it, and put some in the freezer. Cheese tends to crumble more after its frozen, so having shredded it first, will make it easier to use.
There are so many online sources for coupons, but I really love the look of Coupon Mom! She's a woman after my own heart!
I recently got some great deals because my regular grocery store was running coupon deals for a 2 week period. As you can see by the picture of my receipt, I was able to save 40%. That's quite a savings these days, when we have to spend so much more for products than what we were paying a year or two ago. Paying regular prices these days can be a real killer.
I save coupons that come in our weekly newspaper, but I only save for the items that I would purchase, IF they were on sale. I carry a coupon keeper in my purse at all times, and I'm ready to save all I can.
Occasionally, I am able to save more with manufacturer's coupons, along with store coupons, but it wasn't so this time. I only used store coupons, and was very pleased with my bargains.
My local store regularly doubles coupons up to $1.00, and I have purchased items on sale for 99 cents - used my manufacturer's coupon for 50 cents, and gotten the item for free.
I try to stay stocked ahead, so that when things that I normally use, are on sale, I buy them, even if I don't need them right now. I believe it saves in the long run.
We prefer frozen vegetables. The regular price for a 1# bag, is $1.59. It is rare that I ever pay that price, because they are on sale often, and that's when I choose to stock up. This week, because of a store coupon, I was able to get 5 bags for $4. Thus, a savings of $3.95 there alone.
I also saved $4.00 on the 3# bag of quick frozen chicken breasts, because that was part of the coupon deal. That's nearly half price.
We like to shop at our local bulk food store too. We recently saw a sign posted there for co-jack cheese...our favorite...for $2.40 a lb. That's nearly half as much as the regular price, and we had to buy a big chunk. We got almost 6#. so I chunked some up for a quick nibble, and shredded much of it, and put some in the freezer. Cheese tends to crumble more after its frozen, so having shredded it first, will make it easier to use.
There are so many online sources for coupons, but I really love the look of Coupon Mom! She's a woman after my own heart!
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