Archive for January, 2010



Author : Rick Quatraro

Today is Saturday- shopping day for my family And now it’s time to stop in on our favorite aisle- the ice cream aisle We just love ice cream, my brother, my mom, dad and even Spot, our dog We all have our favorite flavors- and this is where the problem comes We never seem to be able to settle on one, we end up getting all kinds of flavors and then try to make up our own by tossing in toppings, mixing flavors and adding other ingredients Yeah, we have fun, but it gets real messy, we usually have to throw some of the cartons out because there’s not enough space in the freezer for them all and my dad complains that all that ice cream gets real expensive Today is no different We’re standing in front of the ice cream cooler now

“Dad, can’t we get Cookie Dough Ice Cream today,” I say

“No, we got that last week How come we never get the kind I like? I want Oreo, can’t we have Oreo today Dad,” yells my brother

“Now you know they only have Oreo ice cream in the expensive brands and since we all want something different we can only afford to get two flavors from the generic ice cream We’ve already gone over this,” explains my father

“Why don’t we just get Chocolate Chip ice cream or Mint Chocolate Chip since most of us like chocolate,” my mom offers, but my dad is not a big chocolate fan Who doesn’t like chocolate anyway? Whatever

As you can see it’s real hard to please my family

We usually end up having to alternate each family member’s favorite flavor, which means most of us aren’t happy That’s why for a long time I have been telling my mom and dad that we need a homemade ice cream maker, but my dad always has his reasons for not buying one and the problems keep happening

So now what?

“Kids why don’t we just go to Strickland’s to get some custard? We all like custard Then we can each have our own flavor,” suggests my mom

“But Mom, then what are we gonna eat when we watch our movie at home tonight,” I retort

“Yeah, honey that’s true and besides that’s real far from the house and I’m kind of tired,” Dad adds

One of the other shoppers leans over and says, “As a mother of 3, I know how you feel We have the same problem Or should I say we had the same problem That is until we bought an ice cream maker Now everyone is happy because we can make any flavor we want, whenever we want You can make a small amount of each flavor on a different day and it won’t take up a lot of space And you know what? It saves you a lot of money A great combination- great tasting ice cream for less money “

“But is homemade ice cream really that good,” asks my mom “And where do you get the recipes?”

“Oh, it’s the best That was one of our concerns It’s the best you’ll ever have, richer and creamier than anything you’ll find in this aisle or any ice cream shop There are a few really good books out there with some spectacular ice cream maker recipes that are easy to make “

“We had considered buying an ice cream maker a while ago, but it sounds like a lot of work,” said my dad He’s always worried about something

“Actually it’s very easy It only takes a few ingredients and once the ingredients are frozen and ready to be stirred it only takes around 20 minutes, give or take, to actually make the ice cream “

“What do you mean ‘once the ingredients are frozen’,” my mom asked confused “It depends which model you get Some models require you to pre-freeze the ingredients before you start actually making it, while other machines will freeze and make it all at one time, cutting down on the entire process “

“Wow, I bet there are a lot of different models, aren’t there?” Which one should we get? Aren’t they all good?”

“No, they are not If you don’t get the right kind you will waste your money and regret it We have a Cuisinart ice cream maker and love it, we do have to pre-freeze the ice cream, but it is one of the best economic models you can buy Some of our relatives own gourmet models like a Rival ice cream maker that has its own compressor; therefore, you don’t need to pre-freeze Some friends of ours have a bigger White Mountain machine that is great for parties I’ll tell you what I have to get going Here’s a website that will help give you more information about the models I just mentioned, as well as some other information you will want to know ” The really nice and informative shopper gives my dad the web URL and then walks away

“I really like this idea I think it will solve a lot of our problems You see someone else had the same idea I had,” my dad says with a big confident grin on his face

“Dad! I’ve been telling you we need one for a long time now Ah, nevermind “

“Kids let’s get home We’ve got some reading to do “

It’s fun to find gifts for loved ones, but often stressful. You are afraid to invest time and money just to find out they do not like the gift. There is a site where you can find something for everyone, teachers, for your whole family , romantic gifts, clients and more. You’ll find anything from fun old fashioned popcorn machines for parties or family night together, picture cookie cakes, chocolate covered sweets to homemade ice cream makers.

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Guide To Tasting Wine



Author : Chris Jensen

One helpful strategy an aspiring wine taster can pursue is tasting with a friend that has superior knowledge Questions can be addressed, and you will quickly become comfortable with this unnecessarily intimidating subject

Another important strategy for a beginning wine taster is to taste several wines side-by-side that share at least one common variable This could be the varietal, style, AVA of origin, or any combination of the three

Tasting blind will minimize any prior opinions or stereotypes You may be surprised to discover that less-expensive wines are more pleasing to you

The Essentials of Tasting Wine

It is imperative that you taste in spotlessly clean glasses The most common contaminants in unclean glasses are invisible molecules left behind by cleaning products Even high-end restaurants can be guilty of this faux pas It is best to thoroughly hand wash glasses with unabrasive soaps and hot water

It is beneficial, but not necessary to use varietal-specific glasses when tasting wine Research has shown that the shape of glasses really does make a difference in the sensory experience

Overview of the Tasting Process

Wine tasting employs much more than just the taste buds, although they are very important Your palate is a term for how taste buds on your tongue translate particular flavors to your brain The palate can perceive only four basic flavors: sweetness, sourness, saltiness, and bitterness Most of the subtle flavor components of wine are actually picked up by one’s sense of smell

Although many of our daily perceptions are unconscious, making a concerted effort to pay attention to several things makes the tasting process more educational and rewarding Despite the mystique that surrounds many wine “experts”, tasting wine can be broken into simple steps Wine knowledge usually stems from practice and confidence, not any inherent superiority

Of course, some people have more developed senses than others An extreme example is Robert Parker, widely regarded as the most influential wine critic in the world Mr Parker’s tasting ability is derived from his natural ability to be keenly aware of his senses

It is within the grasp of the vast majority of people to confidently differentiate varietals, styles, flavor profiles, and flaws when tasting wine Tasting wine requires not only a grasp of your senses, but also the ability to articulate (with the proper vernacular) your thoughts about a particular wine

Relevance of Sight in Tasting Wine

Your sense of sight will reveal a lot about a particular wine before smelling and tasting it Immediately after pouring, check to see how clear the wine is While haziness may simply indicate a full-bodied, unfiltered red wine, in any other style it is usually cause for concern Wines will often taste the way that they look (an unrefined look may indicate a clumsy, unfocused wine)

Viewing the color of the edge of a wine in a glass will give you an indication of its maturity (or lack thereof) Mature, aged-worthy reds will have a deep crimson, or even brownish look Too much brown usually means that the wine is past its prime the rim of a white wine will generally be light yellow in youth, and and progress to an amber color with age

After your initial visual impressions, swirl the wine in your glass While this may be tricky at first, you will pick it up quickly This reveals the “legs” The more wine sticks to the side of a glass, the higher the alcohol content

The Role of the Sense of Smell During Wine Tasting

As mentioned earlier, many of the subtle “tastes” of wine are actually perceived by your sense of smell While there are only four perceptible tastes, there are thousands of different scents Revealingly, sinus congestion will stop even the most experienced and accomplished wine taster in his/her tracks Smell is perceived through the upper nose as well as through the back of the throat Molecules of different scents are registed by the olfactory bulb in the sinuses

Before smelling a wine, swirl the glass again to reveal the aroma When smelling a wine, attempt to put any familiar aromas into the context of previous tastings This is the fundamental basis for increasing your knowledge of tasting wine

After smelling the wine, the majority of registered perceptions occur very quickly Sense of smell is very delicate and easily overwhelmed Smelling the same thing repeatedly becomes less and less revelatory in rapid succession If you do not immediately pick out the array of aromas in a wine, relax for a minute or two, then try again

The Actual Tasting Begins

After experiencing the aroma of a wine, it is logically time to taste Swirl the wine once more, and then swallow a small sip After your initial impression, take a slightly larger sip and make an effort to coat your entire mouth This is called, “chewing” the wine Before swallowing, aerate the wine in your mouth While this makes a slightly strange sound, the enhanced flavors and aromas that are released are more than worth it

Another important component in the tasting process is touch, or how the wine feels in your mouth Major variables to be aware of are the body of the wine, serving temperature, and astringency The body of a wine includes the depth of flavor and alcohol content If these components are underrepresented, a wine will taste dilluted

Serving temperature is an important variable that mainly hinges on the varietal(s) that compose a particular wine A crisp Sauvignon Blanc will taste flat at room temperature, and should be chilled On the contrary, a well-aged Cabernet Sauvignon will not reveal its true complexity when served too cold The incorrect serving temperature for a wine will adversely affect both the aroma and flavor

Astringency is basically a synonym for bitterness, and is caused by excessive or unmellowed tannins Great red wines often taste astringent in their youth, but develop into opulent masterpieces when mature

I hope that you believe that proper wine tasting skills are within your reach; because they certainly are Mankind’s ancient enjoyment of wine is largely derived from the fact that our senses, feelings, and preferences are the basic components of what makes us human

I have had the best experience at 4 Seasons Wine. They love wine and their goal is to share their passion for extraordinary selections by providing remarkably affordable prices. I prefer 4seasonswine over many other online services which I have personally spent my own money with.

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Author : Victor Epand

A Vacuum food saver is a must for the large family The cost of groceries has steadily been on the increase throughout the United States, yet salaries have not necessarily been increasing As families begin to feel the financial strain from higher food costs, there is one, money saving tool on the market available to them With a vacuum food saver, families can store food items they purchase at a reduced rate from discount stores and membership-only wholesale grocers, like Cosco, and save hundreds of dollars on their grocery bill

By shopping for food in bulk, a family can save a lot of money The list of food items one can purchase to store for later use is not limited only to dry foods One can also store meats, cheese, fruit and vegetables For instance, cheese may be purchased in blocks It is best to slice the cheese, if it is to be used on sandwiches or similar meals By using the vacuum feature on the vacuum food sealer, all the air is removed from the container or plastic bag The seal feature locks the bag and it is ready for storage

Cheese will keep fresh for weeks stored in the fridge It can also be frozen for several months This is especially recommended for shredded cheese like mozzarella Purchasing a large block of mozzarella cheese is much cheaper than purchasing the shredded version By shredding the cheese at home, one can expect to save several dollars What is also very nice is that many healthy and tasty meals can be prepared using shredded cheese A few examples include, pizzas, lasagna, and tacos Cheddar cheese also freezes very well

Meats also can be stored using a vacuum food sealer Meats should be cut into smaller sizes Once the smaller sizes have been placed into the freezer bags, one can use the vacuum feature to remove excess air from the bags Then the bags are placed in the freezer to store for months By sealing and freezing in smaller size, there is no need to defrost the entire cut frozen months earlier

This procedure also works well with meats that have been prepared and cooked One can prepare stews, chili, even roasts After allowing the prepared meat to cool down, it is simply a matter of placing dinner size portions in the heavy use plastic bags that come with most vacuum food sealer models Once sealed, one only need to vacuum and toss in the freezer for later use, or in the fridge to use within a few days Frozen meals may be defrosted by placing the sealed bag into a sink filled with tepid water, or for faster results, may be dropped into boiling water to serve right away, or may be heated in a microwave

As the cost of groceries increases, resourceful families can find some solace in knowing that with the help of a sturdy vacuum food sealer they can buy food items in bulk and they will save a bundle of money by dividing the groceries into smaller portions to seal, vacuum shut and freeze for later use

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for used clothing, used watches, and vacuum food sealers. When shopping for used clothing, used watches, and vacuum food sealers, shop only at the best online stores for used clothing, used watches, and Food storage.

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Make Eating Veggies Fun For Your Kids



Author : Mary Anne Durkee

You are what you eat Whether it be from the health aspect or the outer looks all depends on your diet or food intake The food intake definitely shows on your skin, hair, nails and overall looks and energy levels

Every category of food is important when it comes to health You definitely cannot survive on only carbs or just proteins Rice or bread alone is not sufficient for meeting your nutritional needs A balanced diet is really important This is more so in the case of children The growing years mean extra nutrition for catering to the growing needs

Most categories of food I have seen is easy to get your family to eat, it is only the greens or the vegetables that tend to bring in a lot of fuss This is true with my family, if you do not have the problem consider yourself blessed

Getting your family to eat vegetables has come to be a universal problem, especially with kids This is evident considering the number of articles online that suggest methods and ways of sneaking in those vegetables Yes, I too am trying to suggest a few ways here that paediatricians and experts recommend

Children are the fussiest of eaters You definitely cannot put a plate of vegetables in front of them and expect them to finish it It requires a lot of patience and creativity on your side to make it attractive to them You have to try real hard as you are competing with established fast food biggies like a burger or fries

Cooking at home is the best way to ensure that your family eats well and stays healthy You need to set an example for your kids If you detest eating vegetables, don’t expect your child to love them Make eating vegetables fun, and your family is sure to enjoy it rather than finding it a chore or boring affair The other day I had a friend asking me about how I got my children to eat vegetables Here are some tips:

-Work hard at it, try to make it a habit It sure is a real slow process but in the end you are sure to be a winner

-Introduce new veggies one by one in their diet at a very young age

-Try to camouflage the veggies to make them more interesting and cut out the fuss Try wraps with a whole lot of vegetables and meat too Fried rice with several vegetables chopped fine or noodles/pasta with a variety of vegetables is also an attractive fare that most children like

-Sandwiches and pizzas with vegetables and meat toppings Try sandwiches that are irresistible Make them in the shape of funny faces, smilies or of different patterns

-Make dinner or possibly every meal a family affair Kids tend to eat better while it is fun and with everyone else around

-Try outdoor locations for a change For slightly older children, inviting friends over can be a good idea to get them to eat

Food made fun is sure to work with kids Take out the boredom from food, pay more attention to presentation and you are more than half way on the path to success

Mary-Anne is a featured member and regular contributor at ifood.tv, a global food network, featuring recipes from all over the world. Other popular healthy recipes videos on ifood.tv include Mixed Grilled Garden Vegetables recipe, Ramen Noodle Salad and Beef Goulash recipe.

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Recipes for American Comfort Foods



Author : Patrick Carpen

Whether you need a pick-me-up after a rough day or you want to celebrate a good one, you might find yourself rummaging around the kitchen for some good ole’ fashioned comfort food For many of us, comfort foods are simple in nature and often times remind us of pleasant childhood times Some people might associate good childhood memories with apple pie and ice cream, eggs and bacon arranged in the shape of a smiley face, or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches If you aren’t sure which comfort food YOU are in the mood for, I encourage you to read through the following recipes of popular comfort food favorites

Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:
4 cups of cooked, cut green beans
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 1/3 cup of French fried onions
1/2 cup of milk
1 tsp of soy sauce
a bit of black pepper

Directions:
In a large casserole dish, mix together the green beans, milk, cream of mushroom soup, soy sauce, pepper, and 2/3 cup of the French fried onions Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees F (or until it starts to bubble) Remove from the oven and stir the beans well Sprinkle the remaining French fried onions on top and put back in the oven for an additional 5 minutes or until the onions start to brown

Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:
1/2 lb of Velveeta cheese
2 1/2 cups of uncooked macaroni noodles
3 tbsp of butter
1 qt of milk

Directions:
Melt the butter and pour into a baking dish with the macaroni noodles Stir well until the butter coats all of the noodles Cut the Velveeta cheese into chunks and add to the milk and macaroni mixture Bake for about a half an hour at 325 degrees F

Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients:
4 cups of boneless, skinless chicken chunks
2 1/2 cups of chicken broth (add more if you like yours very soupy)
1 cup of sliced carrots
1 1/2 cups of chopped potatoes
salt and pepper to taste
1 bay leaf (optional, but nice!)

Directions:
In a large stew pot, simmer the chicken in the broth with salt and pepper on a low heat for about thirty minutes Add the bay leaf, chopped carrots, and potatoes and increase to medium heat Cook for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes have softened Make sure not to overcook as the potatoes will turn mushy

Dumplings:
1 cups of flour
2 tsp of butter
4 tsp of baking powder
1/2 tsp of salt
3/4 cup of milk

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt together Slowly add in the milk and butter, then mix thoroughly If you prefer, you can add a teaspoon or two of parsley flakes Drop by the spoonful on top of the chicken and broth during the last 15 minutes of cooking and cover

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Ingredients:
3 cups of uncooked oats
1 1/2 cups of raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 1/2 cups of flour
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1 cup firmly-packed brown sugar
1 cup of softened butter
2 eggs
1 tsp of baking soda
1/2 tsp of salt
1 tsp of cinnamon
1 tsp of vanilla

Directions:
In a large bowl, beat together the granulated and brown sugars with the butter until it turns creamy Mix in the eggs and vanilla Stir in the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon When this is well mixed, add the oats, raisins, and walnuts Stir well, then drop by the spoonful onto un-greased cookie sheets Bake for about 12 minutes at 350 degrees F Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet a few minutes before removing them to wire racks to cool completely

If you’re looking for recipes, take a look at the Platinum Recipes Collection.
The Platinum Recipes Collection is the Internet’s Most Comprehensive Recipes Collection.

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Barbeque Secret Don t Use Gas To Start The Fire



Author : Bob Alexander

I’ve rarely been accused of over thinking a situation My “code of the west” mentality has been good to me through the years, rescuing me many times from the temptation of unnecessary thinking! Unnecessary thinking can ruin a perfectly good plan, but no thinking at all can be hazardous to your health! A good case in point is a situation I witnessed last year

One brilliantly blue afternoon in late spring my neighbor Joe was preparing for one of his famous cookouts He was about to put his brand new brick and mortar barbeque grill through its paces for the first time A beautiful charcoal grill, he had personally, to the chagrin of the brick masons, supervised every detail of the project It was a gorgeous fireplace style grill with the chimney almost head high, built of the same brick that adorned his house

The barbeque pit featured a curved flat black steel hood for enclosed cooking, with a warming tray built into the side of the pit to keep foods from getting cold while others cooked longer There was even a compartment built on the opposite side to house charcoal and lighter He was understandably proud of the best barbeque grill in the neighborhood!

Festivities began early with the neighbors arriving around 2:00 pm By late afternoon many in the crowd were already feeling the effects of the adult beverages supplied by the host, whom was especially enjoying himself Everyone by now had grown tired of listening to an endless monolog by the host about the virtues of his new grill

The time had come to fire up the grill! There was only one small problem With all the preparations he had made for the cookout, Joe had forgotten charcoal lighter! Not to be detoured by such a small detail, he went into the tool shed at the back of his yard and brought back a large can of gasoline After dumping a huge amount of charcoal into the bottom of the grill, he arranged it into a perfect pyramid The fire was supposed to burn more consistently this way Joe informed the crowd

By now the neighbors had begun realized what Joe was about to do and started yelling at him not to use the gasoline to start the fire Offers were made to run next door to get charcoal lighter to no avail Joe was determined to inaugurate his grill the proper way; with a large fire! He also assured everyone that he knew what he was doing!

Joy was enjoying himself, being the star of the show as it were He upended the can of fuel over the charcoal and kept pouring even after the briquettes had been thoroughly soaked Now came the moment of truth! He lit a match and with a dramatic flare, tossed it onto the charcoal! Whoooomp!

Mortar is very porous and does not always adhere perfectly to a surface without leaving a small crack in the mortar joint between bricks When a liquid such as water or in this case gasoline fills that crack, it will flow into the base of the structure; in this case the barbeque grill The vapors from the gasoline that had flowed into the grill did what gasoline vapors do when they come in contact with a flame The grill exploded!

Bricks and mortar blown into pieces, rained from the sky onto all of us who had witnessed the explosion! No one was hurt because most of the crowd and moved safely away from Joe when they saw what he was about to do Joe was slightly injured by a fragment of the grill grazing his forehead Nothing serious!

His beautiful barbeque pit was destroyed! A few seconds before, it was a beautiful example of workmanship; something to be proud of and enjoy for years to come Now it was just a pile of rocks! Joe had apparently never heard that in some cases, alcohol and gasoline don’t mix! Warning! Drinking and starting fires with gasoline can kill you! Whether you’re drinking adult beverages or not, do not use gasoline for a charcoal starter!

My neighbor Joe has recovered from the disaster of last year He is now making plans to build and even bigger charcoal cooker than the last one From the size of the storage area in the barbeque pit, I doubt that he will ever run out of charcoal lighter again!

Remember, friends don’t let friends barbeque drunk!

Bob Alexander is well experienced in outdoor cooking, holiday eating and leisure living.
Bob is also the author and owner of this article. Visit his sites at:
http://www.bluemarlinbob.com
http://www.pompanobob.com

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A Wine Lover s Guide to California s Bargetto Winery



Author : Kent Campbell

For some reason, wine tastes almost sweeter when we know the history and culture of the vineyards from which the wine originated When entertaining, it is wonderful to have a story about the evening’s finery to share with your guests as you pour the wines into their glasses around the table

The Bargetto Winery began in 1918 when Italian immigrant brothers Filippo and Giovanni Bargetto purchased the Santa Cruz ranch that is still known today as the Bargetto Winery Through choice and circumstance, certain members of each generation devote their working lives to advancing the business Each of them built on to what the parent generation achieved

Today, Bargetto produces 40,000 cases a year, is the third largest vineyard in Santa Cruz and produces more different varietals than other wine makers in the area The winery produces Chardonnay, two Merlots, two Pinot Noirs, Pinot Grigio, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo, and Refosco Santa Cruz is known for producing smaller amounts of exquisitely good wine — the climate is cool because of its proximity to the ocean, and the mountains nearby, offering the distinctiveness of mountain grapes to the vineyard’s produce

While Cabernet and Merlot are both planted in Santa Cruz, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir do especially well Pinot is a variety that does not do well everywhere, but it does grows exceptionally well in the Santa Cruz region

The Bargetto Winery began to produce Pinot Grigio about three years ago, and quickly became one of the vineyard’s number one sellers Bargetto isn’t focused on producing an Italian Pinot Grigio or a French Pinot Gris, but instead making a California wine of its own style — a California Pinot Grigio The unique taste is a result of picking the grapes ripe — producing an alcohol content approaching 13 5% Though their goal isn’t specifically to produce a high alcohol content wine, the flavor and fruitier style of wine is a style that appeals to American wine drinkers

Among wine connoisseur’s favorites is the vineyard’s high-end blend, our proprietary blend, called La Vita, recently won a Best Of Class award The wine is a blend of three northern Italian varieties, reds that Bargetto grows in its vineyard Dolcetto is the most important, then ‘Nebbiolo, and Refosco ‘

20 years ago, Bargetto was a California distributed winery that today has grown to become a nationally distributed winery The winery now does more exporting than ever in its history, mainly to Mexico and Canada

Kent Campbell is a co-author for Celebrations Wine Club in collaboration with Anna Maria Knapp. Celebrations Wine Club is a reputed wine of the month club, and one of the few wine clubs offering the best wines of Sicilia for over 18 years.

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Author : Jamie Jefferson

If you think you don’t have time to make dinner, think again With these ideas, you’ll be a professional at-home chef in no time

Plan ahead

Nothing has people reaching for the take out menu faster than a lack of planning If you’ve been trying to plan dinner after 5 pm, odds are that you give up on cooking most days Make sure to plan at least five meals each week and have the ingredients on hand If you have enough food to make several different types of meals, you’ll be less likely to eat out

Each morning, decide what you’ll make for dinner that night At this time, you may decide to put any meat that needs to defrost in the refrigerator, and double check that you have all of the ingredients Review the recipe and figure out when you’ll need to start making dinner in order to have it done on time

Come up with a system for dinner recipes

Quick dinners are easy when you have a system to follow Keep your dinners to an easy formula of protein plus carbohydrate plus vegetable and you’ll be able to make dinner quickly This formula can cover a wide range of possibilities: baked chicken, cheesy noodles and broccoli, grilled steak with peppers and onions served with tortillas, sauteed ground beef with Asian vegetables served over rice The possibilities are endless!

Save time with frozen vegetables

Everyone needs more vegetables and serving frozen vegetables are an easy way to get more into your family’s diet Keep a wide variety of frozen vegetables on hand You can change the flavor with spices, margarine mixed with lemon juice or even Italian dressing A few minutes in the microwave or on the stovetop with a vegetable steamer and you’ll have vegetables for your meal

Cook some ingredients ahead of time

Ground beef can be used in many different recipes, from spaghetti to tacos It takes just as much time to brown two pounds of beef as it does to brown a half a pound On a weekend, brown and freeze several pounds of ground beef or ground turkey This way, the next time you cook a recipe that calls for ground beef you’ll just have to reheat it You can do the same thing with chicken pieces

Keep backups on hand

Even the most well planned menu can come undone from time to time When meetings run late or the family cook isn’t feeling well, keep a few frozen meals on hand Frozen lasagna, skillet meals and other pre-packaged foods are okay every once in a while You can improve the nutrition of these processed meals by adding more vegetables and serving health side dishes

Find money-saving promotions from companies that offer prepared meal delivery and gourmet entrees at Susies-Coupons.com, including Home Bistro Coupons as well as Omaha Steak Coupons.

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