A Cook's Quest

Do you ever have those weeks when there are TONS of things going on?  Weeks that are so busy you wonder when you might get to sleep?  This is that week for me and luckily I have a guest blogger to share a wonderful recipe with all of you that is not only tasty, but thrifty as well! Alea, at Premeditated Leftovers , shares many of the same ideas about food as I do.  She shares her tips for saving money and time while reducing waste in her home at Premeditated Leftovers . She is committed to providing her family with homegrown, organic produce despite living in an inhospitable climate. Alea chronicles her gardening efforts at One Determined Gardener .  I hope you enjoy this recipe and also find many more on her sites!  Spinach and Potato Frittata By: Alea at Premeditated Leftovers When I was a child, my dad often shared the story of the time he had to live on potatoes. He had started a new job and had to wait two weeks before he would receive his first...

At the first of the year, when my New Year's resolution to lose weight was still at the forfront of my mind, I went on a quest to find lowfat recipes that I would love and that my family would enjoy as well.  This pork chop recipe was one of the first finds and has become a regular on our table regardless of whether or not I am keep my resolution and eating fewer calories. I love four things about this dish: It is easy to make, I mean simple people! I always have everything on hand to make it, and if I don't it is easy to make substitutions. It is inexpensive to make. It is delicious! So, when you have a busy night and want something delicious to make for dinner try this one.  It can be done with chicken, pork or beef with tasty results.  Enjoy! I am linking up this recipe.  Go check out the other recipes bloggers are posting! Permanent Posies Tasty Tuesdays

Last week a co-worker's husband called work and when I answered the phone he started raving about the muffins his wife had made the night before.  He told me they were the best muffins she had ever made, which is saying a lot because she is a fabulous cook.  Later in the day I asked her for the recipe and she quickly printed it for me. Let's me just say, that these are definitely the best muffins I have ever made.  They have a light, cake like texture that isn't too sweet.  The best part about them is the wonderful blueberry swirl that combines with the whole berries.  And let's not forget the lemon sugar topping or the streusel topping, I made both because I couldn't decide which would be better--both are equally wonderful on top of these muffins.  Inadvertently, bought the wrong size container of blueberries at my store, so I didn't have as many as the recipe calls for, but it didn't matter they were still FABULOUS!  I plan on making more of...

I don't know about where you live, but in my area of the country Spring hasn't decided to fully arrive. Sure we get teased with beautiful sunshiny days hours, but it doesn't take long for gloomy rain clouds and cold wind to come back. So what should a mom do when the end of Spring Break has to be enjoyed inside? Well, make play dough of course! I have always made regular old salt dough for my kiddos to play with, but I wanted something that was less sticky to work with and feels more like the stuff that comes out of the little tubs you buy at the store. The recipe I made is smooth, not sticky and the color is vibrant thanks to my gel food colors that we used. It was a lifesaver at my house yesterday. I was in awe that such simple ingredients could bring all three of the kids together for quiet play time and even better....they got along! Had I known the magic powers of home made play dough I would have made it a long long LONG time ago! There are recipes all over the i...

How do you make brownies better?  Is it really even possible?  Well it is when you start layering a minty creamy filling and fudgy ganache, oh yes, brownies are soooo much better when the layering starts!  It is like the flavors of chocolate mint chip ice cream collided with the perfect brownie and then had ganache poured over the top...only it's different...but similar too.  The whole thing starts with  a brownie, simple unassuming and, of course, delicious because good brownies are simple and delicious.  Then you proceed to a light and fluffy mint filling and finally the topping...chocolate ganache...we all know there is nothing, I repeat nothing wrong with chocolate and cream!  It's like an amped up version of the Andes Mint Brownies  from a while back, but better.  Yumm!  That is really all I think of to describe them. I'm going to try them in mini muffin tins next time for the perfect two bite treat, again, YUM...

Saturday night was another book club evening, and this one was special. It was the one year birthday of the book club. Why all the excitement you ask? For this group of women, the one year mark is a big deal. You see, we are busy are women who have families, jobs, spouses, and significant others; women who take on more than they should, do more for everyone than they do for themselves and forget the importance of “me” time.  But, one day a month, we put all of that aside and gather together with great food, great cocktails and great stories. At the beginning of our club Michelle, the founder, explained she had experienced many failed book clubs because life just got in the way. We all vowed it wouldn’t happen to this club, no it would be a success! And it has been. For twelve months we have gathered together to talk about the book choice, share life’s journey and support one another. And it was for this happy occasion that I had to make something tasty to ea...

No I have not forgotten about my little blog.  Though I haven't been cooking much, I HAVE been thinking about cooking and all the delicious recipes I want to make.  My husband has been doing a HUGE amount of cooking lately which allows me to study in the evenings.  I have a pile of recipes ready to try and many hopes that they will be on the computer soon.  There will be a few changes coming though. First, I will not be doing price break downs anymore.  Most of you know that I buy flour, sugar, yeast and spices in bulk, and most of my butter, chocolate chips, and other baking items on sale or free if the timing is right.  I have a freezer stocked with chicken and beef thanks to great sales and the generous Christmas present from my parents.  I only buy fresh fruit and veggies that are on sale and make our snacks at home.  With all that said  you know that what I prepare is at the best price I can get.  The breakdowns are the most ...