Complimentary samples of the spices were provided so that I could try them and share my expierence.
I love to bake and cook, to experiment with flavors. I have a spice rack that I registered for when I got married, it has been refreshed many times over because I love being able to have the variety of spice close by when cooking. Of course, I also have a pantry that holds the other spices that we use (and refills for some that we use a lot of). When I consider how many spices I have in my pantry, I am always surprised when a recipe calls for a new spice. Of course, when I buy it, then I try to think of or find other uses for the spice.
I recently had the opportunity to try some samples from Selefina spices. (You can order samples from Selefina for only $.75 each and shipping is free with 5 samples.) I recieved several to try in order to share about my experience.
I first tried the cinnnamon and nutmeg from the samples. I was making homemade macaroni and cheese for my daughter and I like to add a little bit of the earthen flavors when I make it. So, in addition to ground mustard, I use a touch of nutmeg and cinnamon. The flavors were good and the grind was even. The pouch format made them easy to measure - unlike a jar, I could stick the measuring spoon down in to grab the spice I needed.
The weather was chilly the other week, so the next thing I tried was the recipe for the Hot Chocolate Infused with Cardamom and Rose. The recipe was easy and the aroma was awesome. The presentation with the rose petals was also pretty and felt a little fancy. I have only had cardamom as a component in the filing for Skool Bread (Norwegian dessert), so it was nice to have another option for use. The rose petals gave off a nice floral aroma, as I drank the hot chocolate. Next time though, I would likely filter out the rose petals before drinking, as the texture of them in my mouth was a little strange. You can find the recipe on their website - Hot Chocolate Infused with Cardamom and Rose. You can even add the samples for the spices you need right to your cart with a single click on the recipe page.
Next, on another coolish day, I thought I would give the Golden Turmeric Milk recipe a try. I'm not sure what I expected, I had heard great things about turmeric's benefits but had never tried it. The recipe called for black pepper, which seemed odd but worked out well in the overall flavor. I will say that although I liked the flavor overall, after I added additional hot milk to rewarm the drink after I got distracted and it cooled, I actually liked the drink a lot better. You can find their recipe for Golden Turmeric Milk on the website as well. Interestingly enough, on this page, scroll to the bottom to add the spice samples needed for the recipe to your cart.
The samples all came in the reasealable pouches. I like the convenience of this and assume that from a shelf life perspective that this helps extend shelf life and ensure that the spices aren't exposed to too much light. I assume as well that the pouches are a lower cost / less waste option. The challenge is, I have no good way to store and organize the pouches. I could probably get a bin that would be the right width and simply place them alphabetical in there (that's how my spice rack is organized). Alternatively, since they also have glass jar sizes, I could go with those and use the pouches as refills. A win-win situation and I only have to thumb through when I need to refill a jar.
Overall, I have been very satisfied with the freshness and consistency of the spices that I have tried. They have good aroma and deliver the flavors I expect from the spices. I look forward to trying more of their options as I look to restock spices as I run out. I have found their website to be very informative. They offer several recipes featuring the spices. On the page for each spice, they offer a good amount of information about the spice, tips, usage and more. In addition, they have some primers which help you learn more about the spice - it's history, forms, use, and more. They seem to be working on expanding their spice offerings and their primers.
No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. Complimentary samples of the spices were provided for my family and I to try, so that I could share my experience.
8 Weeks! For (over) 8 weeks, I have made an effort and taken a walk. It didn't matter the weather, I found a window with less rain or snow or put on an extra layer, and I found time to fit in a walk of at least 30 minutes every day. On nice days, it typically stretches to 45 or 50 minutes, but my official 'target' was to make time for at least 30 minutes. As a result, I have also managed to hit my daily step goal every day (but one where there was a tornado that touched down in town and we had to spend the last hour of the night in the basement and I missed my goal by 100 steps) for those same 8 weeks. One auto goal management, it adds around 10 to 20 steps most days but does add more if I have really exceeded my goal. Now that I have made it 8 weeks, I would like to continue to fit in a walk everyday. I would like the streak to be much longer. Some days when I walk, I find myself wishing I was done before I have even 10 minutes in; some days, I walk very leisurely; some days, I walk as if on a mission to beat my pace. My VivoFit tried to prevent from success with the screen display failing (checked by replacing the batteries a couple of times in case one of the sets was old) and then Amazon's lead time for a new Garmin was 2 weeks because they were focused on essential shipments. I learned to 'count' the pressing of the button to start and stop my workout and to get the VivoFit to sync. Fortunately, my replacement shipped sooner than expected. I actually upgraded my device and really enjoy some of the added features, like getting my messages on my watch.
8 Weeks! It has been 8 weeks since the kids last went to school in the classroom. It has been 8 weeks since the last sports practice or event. They seem to be adapting to at home learning but certainly miss the social aspects of school. They have found time most days to fit in a workout. My son has tried to mix up long toss, pitching, and hitting (off the tee, bp or live pitching). Yesterday was the senior's last day of school for the year. To celebrate, they organized a parade and drove their cars through most neighborhoods in town. It was awesome to watch and cheer them on. It made me tear up a bit to think about the things they were missing out on. Our school is hoping that by postponing prom, graduation and baccalaureate, that they will be able to do them in person...but still have a back up plan in place. At the same time, it was impressive to see them driving through with signs and tin cans, mortar boards and decorations on their cars. And, the support in the community - there were families at the end of their drives and roads, with noisemakers, signs or simply a wave to acknowledge the completion of the kids' senior year. I hope that they add this as a new tradition, and based on posts I have read, others feel the same way. The birthday parades too! We have one lining up outside our house right now. They are such fun. Love the gatherings but what another great way to acknowledge and help the birthday boy or girl celebrate.
8 Weeks! For 8 weeks, I have been trying new recipes and dishes. I hit the jackpot earlier this week when we were enjoying chicken and rice bowls for dinner...my son said that he thought that the bowls that night were even better than Chipotle! Boom! Mission accomplished. My goal is that home made versions of our favorite dishes are just a touch better than we eat out. Don't get me wrong, I love to eat out but for years have been doing my best to recreate family eating out favorites at home. I started using the 'Copycat' cookbooks but for many of the dishes I have been able to find my own way. I have had to reinvent a few when favorite ingredients become unavailable. We have enjoyed very good bread - it's not the same as some of the bread loaves we pick up at the store but it is very good. We have enjoyed several iterations of donuts. I found a good 30 minute donut recipe but an even better glazed yeast donut recipe. We have enjoyed homemade pizza and burgers on the grill. We have also done our part by ordering in from the local places that are just trying to get through this crazy time. We have bought beer from a couple of different local craft brewers that we love. We found out that outdoor dining can open next Friday and indoor the week after. We have already talked about where to go when outdoor dining is open.
8 Weeks! For 8 weeks, we have had some unusual weather and fortunately, some beautiful sunny days. We have had crazy rain. A tornado touched down in town and a couple very close to here. We had snow in March, snow in April and yesterday and today - even snow in May! We have really appreciated the sunny days and the warmer days, where we could get outside and get some fresh air. The flowers and the trees have been in full bloom welcoming spring. We have had some beautiful sunrises and sunsets.
8 Weeks! For 8 weeks, we have used technology in new ways. We have used Skype and Zoom and MSTeams for game nights and girls night; we have used them for classes and for homework help; we have used them to interview for jobs and for coaching sessions. I had a dream last night that I had started a new job. The details were vague - I parked near the building on the street, the dress was business casual with jeans appropriate, and there was snow on my car when I left at the end of the day (coincidental with yesterday's weather I hope and not a sign that it is still months away). I had only gotten the offer the Friday before I started, hadn't told my family and when I came home, I realized I didn't even know what the offer had been and was trying to find the details. I was excited and elated. I was glad to know that I would be on an employer sponsored medical insurance and saving for retirement again. I hope it was a sign that good news would be coming soon. I found out last week that I didn't get one role that I thought I had a pretty good shot at (it was down to 2, so I knew it was at least 50-50). When it comes to reading, I have stuck with the old-fashioned paper book format. I have been reading through a stack of books that I have bedside that I picked up at book sales and just never got around to reading. This weekend though, I started a brand new book by James Russell Lingerfelt, Young Vines. I will share more about the book when I am done reading. I previously read his other two books, you can find those reviews here (Alabama Irish) and here (The Mason Jar).
Over the last 8 weeks, I have become better at ordering my groceries for pick up and last week managed to pick up from three stores in the same day that I placed the order (long story - was trying to catch some deals and so I ordered from more than one store last week - haven't done that in a while). I have tried new brands and learned that there are some brands that I would skip in the future and others that might be worth trying again. Online ordering isn't as bad when you are getting it the same day but I will have to determine if the fees are worth the effort saved (and the extra effort to order). The out of stocks are fewer but have shifted categories.
Last weekend, as the StayAtHome order shifted to StaySafeOhio, we decided to have a socially distant bonfire with friends. It was a nice relaxing evening and a great chance to catch up in person. It was just one other family and we were outside the whole time. They brought their own chairs and own drinks. It was a dose of what we needed. My son finally got his braces off this week too. He was scheduled to get them off a month ago but when the StayAtHome order went into effect, his orthodontist was among the places that had to close.
As I wrap up this post, I think the cats have had enough of us being home - they look chill here but they just want us to get back to it. My one cat comes and sits on my night stand next to my alarm clock in the morning meowing at me to wake up and feed her but I think she may also secretly be hoping that it will go off and it will mean we are all back to normal schedules and she can have peace to sleep all day.
It's no secret, I love to spend time in the kitchen. Whether baking or cooking, it is a time that I really enjoy. Spending the time in the kitchen with my kids makes it even better. When I was given the opportunity to check out and do a review of Gather Around the Amish Table, I was happy to try out some new recipes. Especially because I have dined at local restaurants that feature Amish food and I know that I enjoy the home-style goodness of the dishes I have tried, from main courses to sides to desserts. The cookbook was authored by Lucy Leid, who is Amish.
When we received the cookbook, my son started perusing it right away and marked several recipes for us to try. I love the little stories that were shared with several of the recipes - some talked about specific memories around the recipe or a story around the source of the recipe. Stories and anecdotes about the food help create a connection and pique interest in trying the recipe.
One recipe that we tried was the Onion Rings. I have made a lot of breaded sides, but I'm not sure that I have ever made a battered side. I was surprised at how easy it was and how delicious it turned out. They were great fresh from the frying pan and the leftovers were equally tasty warmed in the oven the next night for dinner. This recipe is definitely a keeper and one that makes us want to fry other veggies.
Another recipe that we tried was the Chewy Molasses Cookies. Warning - the recipe says it makes 6 dozen cookies, which didn't sound that big to me, but they must be huge cookies! I cut the recipe in half and it barely fit in the bowl of my stand mixer.
I don't do raisins, so I left those out. I quickly learned that because of the directions to plump them in water that they were more than just a mix in. I wound up adding some oatmeal to give the cookies more body. Next time, I will still use oatmeal as my alternate to raisins, but will 'plump' it versus just mixing in. The cookies weren't pretty because of my modifications, but they were very delicious and were soft as promised. Can't wait to try them again.
We have not been disappointed in any of the recipes that we have made. Based on our experience, we will definitely be spending the next few months working our way through a number of the other recipes that we have marked in the cook book. There are several recipes that based on our flavor preferences we aren't likely to try, but I've never found a single cook book where every recipe appealed.
If you are a fan of homemade style food, I recommend that you check out Gather Around the Amish Table.
About the book:
Gather Around the Amish Table (MennoMedia, September 2015)
Straight from Amish kitchens to yours, this cookbook offers favorite family recipes and charming stories from Amish and Mennonite cooks.
Bake the pecan rolls that taste best after an ice-skating party, or try the hoagies that a community sold to help an Amish family with hospital bills. Discover the cocoa cupcakes with instructions to "stir by hand" that one young cook took literally, or whip up the whoopie pies that one Amish woman took to market in her horse and buggy.
These cherished recipes speak of comforting traditions, lively communities, and strong Christian faith. Gather your family around the table to sample the nourishing fare and trademark charm of the plain people. In the words of one cookbook contributor: "Bake someone happy!"
I received a complimentary copy as a participant in the Tryazon Cook'n Recipe Exchange Party back in October. I had previously had an older version. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.
I love to cook and to bake. I love to find and try new recipes. One of my biggest challenges was always organization. I have a recipe box that is partially populated with cards. I have a recipe accordion file that is full of some recipes that I got from my family at one of my wedding showers, plus some others that I have added. I have two write your own cookbooks - one that maxed out on space (you could add refills and I did until the rings could hold no more) and a second one that is not quite full but is set up to hold a combination of papers you write directly on and some pockets to hold recipe cards. I also have a folder that contains hundreds of recipes that I have clipped from newspapers, magazines and even printed from the internet over the years that I had wanted to try. Once I tried them, I would either transfer them to a recipe card or a cookbook or throw them out if we didn't like them. (This was all before Pinterest of course, now I just Pin them and try them later. My organization there is a whole other issue.)
Having my recipes was great, but with so many places, it could be hard to locate the recipe that I was looking for, although I became an expert on location of some of the most used recipes. In addition, sharing with friends and family required either typing it up to share or writing it out on a note card. Then, a few years ago, I discovered the wonder that is Cook'n Recipe Organizer.
There are a number of features that I love about Cook'n. The first is that I can easily enter my own recipes. Not only can I type them up, if I am able to find a recipe online, I can use the features in Cook'n to capture recipes from the internet. In my experience, most of them over clean but sometimes you have to do a little bit of cleanup to align the ingredient name. One of the improvements that was made in the most recent version is that you can capture from almost any site now...it used to be limited to a handful of sites. I often will do a quick search to see if I can find a similar recipe, as a means of expediting the load of the recipe. There is also functionality that let's you scan or capture a photo of a recipe and import it to your cookbook. You can customize your chapters, to organize in a way that makes sense to you and change them as you go. I started with just a dessert category, but have since split it out to put cookies into their own chapter. I love the flexibility.
The program is able to calculate the nutrition per serving and uses values from the preferred or designated brand for the ingredients. Can't find your favorite? You can add you own ingredients and brands, allowing you to base your calculations on the ingredients and brands that you use. This is a nice feature in my opinion. For my favorites, I have entered the details from the nutrition label on the package and made that brand my preferred brand for the ingredient.
Once you have a recipe saved, it is also easy to scale your recipe. There is functionality to help you with menu planning and will even generate a grocery list. Plan your menu by dragging and dropping the recipes onto the weekly plan. Then, click on the grocery list and it will generate based on the recipes. Clean up the list to remove on hand ingredients and you are ready to go.
With the newest version, you can now Sync your recipes to your mobile devices. I really like this functionality, because now, I can take the iPad to the kitchen and easily access my recipes where I am, without having to print or walk back and forth to my computer while I am baking and cooking. It is also nice because with it on my phone, I can quickly reference a recipe...whether I am at the store and found a great deal and want to update my meal plan or I am talking to a friend and want to share it with them. Speaking of sharing, quick share buttons that allow you to e-mail, post to Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Google+ are available on your recipes. You can also use the embed in website button to get an HTML version complete with formatting for the theme. You can share links to your recipe as well.
There are several available cookbooks that you can buy and download into the software. This is a great way to find new recipes and increase your database. Just the other week, there was an offer from Rhodes bread in the Sunday coupon flyer to download their cookbook to Cook'n. Most of the other cookbooks are available for a nominal cost.
The newest version also features a Live Recipe feed, that provides a picture and link to several recently used recipes. It includes the most captured recipe from the last 24 hours and last 7 days, giving you the perfect opportunity to find some popular recipes. You can even customize the feed to easily follow your favorite sites and see the recently added recipes.
The search functionality in the software allows you to search a particular cookbook or chapter, all of Cook'n or even the internet. Search by key words to find ingredients you have on hand, focus on recipe names only and even search based on ratings. It really has worked well for me when looking for recipes.
I really can't say enough good things about the software. I simply love it.
I think it makes a great gift for family or friends that love to cook. This weekend, Cook'n is offering a great special on the software. You can get it for only $20, the regular retail price is $80...that is 75% off! Here is the link to this amazing offer. After this weekend, you can still save on your purchase, go to http://www.dvo.com/ to place your order and simply use the following code at checkout to save 50%: mb-busymom.
You can learn more about Tryazon by visiting them on Facebook or following them on Twitter or Pinterest.
Giveaway!
In addition, I have the opportunity through my participation the Tryazon party to giveaway one complimentary copy to one A Busy Mom of Two reader.
Giveaway will remain open through December 10th. Winners will be selected through Rafflecopter. The winner will have 24 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.
I received a complimentary copy as a participant in the Tryazon Cook'n Recipe Exchange Party back in October. I had previously had an older version. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. The discount code and the giveaway copy are compliments of Cook'n.
Hope everyone had a nice holiday weekend. For us, it was quieter than normal. We didn't do any cookouts and we didn't have our typical soccer tournament. But, in many ways, this made for a really nice and relaxing weekend. We joined friends for a homemade pizza dinner on Friday night, so that the boys could do their online fantasy football draft together. It was a nice relaxed evening with pizza, wine and cheesecake - what a great combo! Saturday was filled with some walking, baseball practice, swimming and a family movie night of Muppets Most Wanted. Sunday was filled with some errands and a family game night/movie night rolled into one - we played Ticket to Ride and watched Ratatouille. Monday was a relaxed day with a quick lunch out, fort building and game play - both inside and out. It was refreshing to get the kids to bed before 9 for a change.
This week we are back into the busy life. It is a short week, but we still will have three soccer practices, one soccer game, a meet the teacher night, another fantasy football draft (the husband this time), a concert and likely a baseball game or practice to round out the week.
We are trying out a few new recipes this week and revisiting a few that we have had before.
Now that the kids are back to school, breakfast will be cereal, oatmeal or toast most mornings and lunch will be a mix of the hot plate lunch at school or a packed lunch from home. My husband and I will stick with our standard routines. I do hope to get back to packing more. I seem to eat better when I pack, plus I am hopeful that it leaves me some time to walk at lunch.
No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. As a Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger, I received suggestions and information from Hormel for this post
The first couple of weeks of the new year have not been very typical. I started the year with a cold, that turned into an infection and left me with a pain in my side. Needless to say, it hasn't helped me in support of any of my goals for the year.
One nice thing is that my goals for this year are primarily a continuation of the activities started last year. I want to continue to prepare nutritious and flavorful meals for the family, maintain a regular workout routine, and hopefully, as a result be healthier and with any luck, lose some weight along the way.
Hormel has provided some suggestions on you can set a resolution to challenge yourself in the kitchen this year:
New Year’s Resolution: Challenge Yourself in the Kitchen
Did you know that 45% of Americans make resolutions each year – but only 8% actually achieve them? This year, instead of making resolutions, try setting realistic goals. Joan Hanson, Hormel Foods Test Kitchen Director has provided the top five tips to help you get started with reaching your mealtime goals this year:
1. Try at least one new, quick and easy, family-friendly recipe each week (check out Hormel Foods’ recipe ideas on Pinterest and Facebook for ideas!)
2. Put ‘family dinner’ on the schedule at least three times a week and commit to those days as a way to connect with your spouse and children.
3. Incorporate at least three food groups into each meal, such as meat, dairy, and a vegetable
4. Get the whole family involved – whether it’s cooking or cleaning, making it a team effort will ease stress and make it fun!
5. Try to meal plan at least one week each month – it means fewer trips to the grocery store (and less impulse spending) and no uncertainty about what’s for dinner.
As I check out these challenges, I am happy to report that they are all part of my routine.
This week, my menu plan included five new recipes actually. That is a little heavy on new, but sometimes you just need something new. (so far they have all been keepers). So, I guess I am over-achieving on #1.
We eat dinner as a family close to 7 nights a week. It has alwasy been a priority and a goal of mine. As we get busier with sports, it gets more challenging and sometimes it is only 3 out of 4 of us sitting down together...but we still sit down. Having dinner together most days can be a challenge, but with creative menu planning and some prep work, it can be done. Sure, it means that sometimes we at 5 pm and sometimes we eat at 7 pm, but we are flexible that way.
I suppose that three food groups might be the one that I sometimes miss. I'm usually good at dinnertime and for packed/purchased lunches. but it is more of a challenge at breakfast or a weekend lunch.
Generally, I handle meal preparation. Even on the nights that my husband starts dinner, I generally do the prep work and he just has to start it. The kids are in charge of helping to get things set up for dinner. Then after dinner, they take their plates to the sink and clean up the crumbs on the floor at their seat.
Meal planning is part of my routine for several reasons, which I discussed here.
Did you make New Year’s resolutions this year? If so, did any of them involve your cooking goals? What is your number one cooking goal for this year?
No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. As a Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger, I received suggestions and information from Hormel for this post.
No compensation was received for this post. I received a Party Kit to allow me to host a Werther's Original Baking Caramels MommyParty, as well as recipes, party ideas, invitations and coupons to share with my guests. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.
I am not really sure why it is, but sometimes, I have the worst timing when it comes to hosting parties. Whether it is a gathering for a catalog item party or a social gathering just to visit, I either have a couple guests or a houseful. I love to host parties, so my preference is generally to have a houseful, but even though it can be disappointing to only have a few guests, it is still a great time and really gives you a chance to visit with friends.
Today, I hosted a Werther's Original Baking Caramels party. It was a chance to try out the new Baking Caramels and share the experience with friends. I already knew that there were several conflicts and that there would be a smaller group of friends (and their families) joining in on the fun. Unfortunately, with several days recently that were rainy, there were several conflicts that arose late due to rescheduling of things and decreased an already small party to an even smaller one.
On a positive note, that just meant more treats for the rest of us. In order to share the desserts with more friends, I think I might have to do a bit of an encore party and create and share the treats yet again (if for no other reason that it allows me to enjoy the treats again.
Here is a pic of the party pack that I received:
The first treat that I prepared for the party was a delectable Caramel Brownie. I started by baking up a standard brownie mix and baking it as directed. Then, I unwrapped a package of Werther's Original Baking Caramels and melted them in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until smooth. I poured them over the partially cooled brownies and allowed them to set up. I cut them into squares to share:
Just look at the ooey gooey goodness:
I must say, with the way the caramels are wrapped, it was really easy to open them and be ready to make a recipe. Especially, when I compare it to other baking caramels that I have used in the past.
The next dessert that I tackled was a Caramel Apple Tart. This recipe uses a frozen puff pastry and some apples to make a great dessert, especially when served ala mode. You can find the Caramel Apple Tart recipe here.
I also made up a batch of Caramel Mocha Hot Chocolate, with some slight adjustments. I used 2 cups of water, 2 cups of milk, 1 cup of brewed coffee and added powdered cocoa mix to the right ratio. Then, I heated the cocoa on the stove top to a low simmer. I added half a bag of caramels and allowed them to melt over low heat. It was a sweet treat:
I set out the treats on the counter, along with the Halloween pumpkins that are awaiting decorating and left the cocoa on the stove on low.
Each guest prepared a plate with each of the desserts and a cup of the cocoa:
I had planned to make a few other recipes, but as the attendee list shrunk, I decided that too much of a good thing meant that there would be more left for me to eat. I think that I would like to use them to make some caramel chocolate chip cookies and I saw some really delicious recipes on the Werther's website. I also think I will use them in some of my favorite recipes this holiday season - treats like Sea Salt Caramel Chocolate Shortbread Bars or Caramel Tassies.
What is your favorite recipe using caramels? Have you tried Werther's Original Baking Caramels?
No compensation was received for this post. I received a Party Kit to allow me to host a Werther's Original Baking Caramels MommyParty, as well as recipes, party ideas, invitations and coupons to share with my guests. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.
Tonight for dinner, we tried out some new recipes. Not only did we try new recipes, I tried this really cool website/app called Cooking Planit. You may recall that a few months ago that I shared about Cooking Planit and you may recall that soon I will be hosting a T-Fal Cookware giveaway courtesy of Cooking Planit (the full list of participating blogs is located below, so you can check it out and enter to win on several blogs). Tonight though, I want to share with you about my experience with Cooking Planit.
What is Cooking Planit?
Cooking Planit has a website featuring many recipes and meals (the photography is great and makes me want to try a lot of the recipes). Cooking Planit is also available as a free app for your iPad or iPhone, so you can plan on the run - who hasn't been at the store trying to make an adjustment to the meal plan because there is a great deal on something. Think of Cooking Planit as your very own Personal Kitchen Assistant! Cooking Planit is an app perfect for a home cook at any skill level. Cooking Planit walks you through the whole cooking process and keeps you on track so dinner get’s on the table on time!
• Simplified Meal Planning - choose 'pre-set' meals or choose a few recipes that you want to try.
• Build your menu and it will put together your shopping list.
• Guided Cooking Steps, it even helps align all of your dishes so that they finish at the same time (I know I could use that when I host a Thanksgiving or other group meal)
• Cloud Sync – Sync your account across the web, your iPhone and iPad
I started by setting up an account on Cooking Planit's website and then downloaded the app for the iPhone and the iPad.
As I sat on my sofa watching TV one evening, I was browsing through the pre-set meals on the iPad. I bookmarked a couple of the meals as I scanned and then switched over to scanning and marking some of the recipes. I decided that to really check it out Cooking Planit and all it has to offer, I wanted to go with my own custom meal.
So, yesterday, as I was planning my menu for the week, I sat down at my computer and did some additional searches, bookmarking more recipes. Then, I looked over the recipes that I had bookmarked to decide what would go best together and what was different than what we normally ate. I decided on Parmesan-Crusted Tilapia, Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan and Twice-Baked Potatoes.
After building the meal and saving it, I decided to check out one of the features of Cooking Planit - I created my shopping list for my meal.
I love that I was able to create and save my meal on my computer and then access my account from my phone to create a portable shopping list. After the grocery list is generated, you can add additional items to your list, indicating section of the store and get a complete grocery list. In addition, you can mark off the items that you have and update the list to only show those that you don't have. I did that and then also used the check boxes to mark the groceries as I moved through the store.
Fast forward to tonight, it was time to prepare my dinner. I pulled the app up on my iPad and set it upon the easel in the kitchen. I then selected my meal on the app and it pulled up on the screen, ready to go.
Once on my screen, it gave me a list of ingredients and tools that were needed, some information about prepping and cook time (mine was actually shorter...I cheated and microwaved the potatoes to prep them and used ready bacon!). I really like how it lists out the ingredient and tools. The ingredients are the total amount needed for all of the recipes and the tools let you know what type of equipment (measuring spoons, slotted spoon, baking sheet), appliances (oven and stove top), and supplies will be used (paper towels). When you select start, the app asks how many servings you would like to prepare - 2, 4 or 6. Of course, if you choose an alternate number of servings the ingredients you had seen on the first page are no longer what you need. Never fear though, because the next page will tell you the ingredients you need to gather for prepping and the quantities for each recipe. Then, it steps you through the preparation of your recipes, so that they all finish at the same time.
On each step, it lets you know what ingredients you will need and what to do. You can either swipe you finger to advance pages or put it on audio controls, allowing you to use your voice to flip the pages. As you step through, you have the option to see the next few steps - I found that looking ahead gave me perspective of what was coming and allowed me to adjust where I needed (you know for the microwave or the ready bacon). When you get to a step where there is time until you start the next step, it suggests things such as clean up a little or (my favorite) enjoy a glass of wine or your favorite beverage. When there are cooking or sauteing steps, when you advance the page, it automatically starts a little timer that will pop up on the screen when it is complete and have you check that the item is done - if it is, you dismiss the timer, if not, you can select adjust and it will run a timer for a few additional minutes.
Everything made its way into the oven and soon it was dinner time:
My family very much so enjoyed the meal that I had prepared. It was full of flavor and yet, part of the beauty, to me, was the simplicity of the meal. There were few ingredients, but they paired well.
I'm ready to build another meal and try out even more of the recipes that Cooking Planit has to offer.
You can sign up for Cooking Planit on their website or you can down load their app at iTunes. There are both free and paid versions of the app, so you can try it risk free and then upgrade for even more features.
Don't forget to check out the matrix of bloggers participating in the giveaway and be sure to come back tomorrow, when my giveaway goes live!
Here is the matrix of participating blogs and information on when they go live:
No compensation was received for this post. As a participant in the Cooking Planit T-fal Giveaway, I was provided with a set of pans to use and share my experience with my readers. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.
I love to host parties and gatherings. I think that it all started as a child, where I would watch my parents host an annual Christmas party and regularly host friends for cards. Of course, the biggest part of any party or gathering is the food. I love making and serving a variety of foods. Frequently, parties are my only chance to make many of the foods that I love and can only prep when I have a large gathering to help me eat them (otherwise, I would seriously over-indulge on many of my favorites).
One of the challenges of hosting a party is having the right amount of food. I frequently find myself with leftovers. I don't want to waste food, so I find myself looking for creative solutions for eating the leftovers without feeling like you are eating the same thing over and over again.
My son's birthday party was last week (I'll have to share the cake) and we did a cook-out. We bought extra buns and had extra meat to go with them until a grill fire resulted in a loss of some heavily sooted/smoked meat. The net outcome was a large amount of buns remaining.
So, my weekly menu moved into creativity mode. How could I use up a number of buns and not feel like the meals were the same every night?
Generally, when I am doing the weekly meal plan and trying to come up with ideas for dinner, sandwiches are not something that comes to mind. I enjoy sandwiches - sloppy joes, cheesesteak, hamburgers, and such. Typically, if I'm having a sandwich for dinner, I definitely want for it to be a warm sandwich - cold cuts are for lunch. But, if you take that same cold cut sandwich and turn it into a Panini - that is dinner! Did you know that August is National Panini Month? I'm thinking it is something about having a warm meal without heating up the kitchen - but that is just my theory.
If you don't have a Panini maker or press, you can actually just double up with a skillet or frying pan to make your panini. Simply prepare your cooking skillet with a bit of oil or spray and put it over medium heat. Add your sandwich and top with the other skillet. Add some weight to your skillet - a can would work. Cook for a couple of minutes, turn and repeat.
I actually have had a grill pan for a while and recently bought a panini press from Pampered Chef. I like that I get the fun grill lines that way. Plus, it is a great way to cook chicken faster.
The great thing about having paninis for dinner is that everyone can customize their sandwich to their likes. I like making mine a bit more fancy, but the kids like theirs more simple - and I can accomplish that without feeling like I am making several meals.
Tonight was panini night. We had the following options to choose from: chicken, pepperoni - regular sliced and turkey minis, provolone cheese, hot pepper cheese, spaghetti sauce, banana peppers, jalapeno peppers, roasted red peppers, and mayonnaise. We served the paninis with red pepper strips, potato chips and homemade onion dip.
My son decided to have a bit of chicken and pepperoni with hot pepper cheese for his sandwich, with banana peppers on the side. My daughter chose simply pepperoni and provolone for her panini. My husband chose pepperoni, hot pepper cheese, jalapeno peppers, and tomato sauce. I went with chicken, provolone, roasted red peppers and mayonnaise.
With my grill pan, I could do two sandwiches at a time, making a total of six sandwiches (the hamburger buns make reasonably small sandwiches). I like how the cheese is just barely melted and the sandwich is warm throughout.
I think that next time, I'd like to use some chicken, cucumber, red pepper strips, tomatoes and a bit of hummus on my panini. Just thinking about the combination of the crunch and the warm, juiciness of the tomato (I love warm tomatoes on a sandwich) is making my mouth water.
(In case you were wondering, we used buns four nights this week - the first night we turned them into garlic bread as a side for our pasta, the second night I made them into personal pizzas, the third night we had egg, cheese and bacon sandwiches, and of course, paninis tonight. We even toasted up a couple one night for a snack with butter and jelly. It was fun finding creative ways to use them.)
No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are mine or those of my family. I am completing this post as a participant in the Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger program. Hormel Foods provided a thought starter and some of the information for this post.
When I was a child, pasta was a meal that we had about once a week and simply called Spaghetti. Sure, we would have macaroni and cheese and lasagne from time to time, but mostly it was Spaghetti with ground meat and sauce.
Having married a man with an Italian heritage, my consumption of pasta has changed significantly. Fortunately, so has the variety of pasta dishes that I eat.
I think I've changed things a little for him too. I have taken pasta and turned it into non-Italian meals, like Taco Stuffed Shells. I have even taken pasta and moved it to a side dish on occasion.
A number of our favorite pasta dishes are knock off dishes that I recreate at home after we eat out. It is a great way to enjoy a variety of flavors without having to go out.
One of our favorites is a Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce. This recipe makes a lot! Which is great, because you can either feed an army or for me, it gives me an easy freezer meal in the next few weeks.
Penne with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce
1 jar Traditional Pasta Sauce
1 jar Light Alfredo Sauce
1/2 c diced, roasted red peppers
1 small onion, diced
1 pound Chicken Breast, pound thin and cut into bite size pieces
olive oil
Prepared Pasta - I use Penne, but you can choose your favorite shape
Saute the onions in your skillet, using a little olive oil. Add the chicken breast and cook through. Add the roasted red peppers and both jars of sauce. Cook over medium heat until warmed through. Split the sauce, setting half aside. Add the cooked pasta and stir to coat. Serve with fresh Parmesan cheese.
I had to run to the grocery store this evening because I needed some ingredients for dinner and while I was there, I picked up the ingredients so that we could enjoy this recipe for dinner next week. While at Giant Eagle, I took advantage of a great offer that they currently have on their pasta and sauces. From now through April 25th, mix and match 10 Giant Eagle Pasta and Pasta Sauce products for just $10 - a savings of up to $7.90 with your Advantage Card. As a bonus, for every 10 you purchase, you can earn 10c in fuelperks!
I love deals like this, I get to earn 10c for this deal and the $10 purchase counts towards the spend $50 get 10c fuelperks! standard offer. Since you fuelperks! can save you on up to 30 gallons, this bonus offer is worth up to $3 in additional savings.
I got 6 jars of sauce and 4 boxes of pasta. Unfortunately, no Giant Eagle Alfredo sauce - but they do have a savory cheese sauce that combines Parmesan and Romano in Tomato Sauce that sounds interesting. For the pasta, I picked up some fun shapes like Choo Choo Wheels, Cavatappi, and Farfalle (bowties) plus a box of Penne.
While there, be sure to pick up their Infinite Pasta-bilities, Amazing Value booklet that has some pasta recipes like Creamy Shrimp pasta, Spaghetti Pie, Garden Medley Pasta and Beefy Mac & Cheese. I found them on a tear pad on a display in the pasta aisle, or you can also check out www.gianteagle.com/pasta-dinners for more recipe ideas.
No compensation was received for this post. A sample pack including two jars of Giant Eagle Pasta Sauce, two boxes of Giant Eagle Pasta and information about this promotion were provided by Giant Eagle. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.
When it comes to snacking, I love dips. There is just something so satisfying about combining the crunch and (usually) saltiness of the chip, with the fresh, coolness of the dip. Whether it is tortilla chips in salsa or a creamy taco dip; or pita chips in hummus, or potato chips in French Onion dip, I am all in! I will even go beyond chips and use crunchy vegetables. Carrots in a dill weed dip, celery in a buffalo sauce. I just love to dip!
When we entertain, I generally like to have some dips. Some dips I make, some dips I buy. Some dips are warm, some dips are cold. I like to make versatile dips that can be used with many dippers. I like to make a dill weed dip that works well for carrots, pumpernickel bread, and potato chips alike. I like to have many dips that will work with one chip. I like to serve a salsa, a spicy taco dip, a guacamole and a chili cheese dip for tortilla chips. I love to have a little bit of everything, so that everyone can find their favorite. (I love to host too! - for one thing it is an inspiration to me to organize and clean (I am a bit of a pile builder and sometimes need motivation to get through them), but mostly I love to cook and share my favorites and love that others enjoy the things I make.)
Tonight we are having some friends over for game night (and likely will watch The Ohio State University men's basketball team try to advance to the finals in the tournament). Since we aren't gathering until later in the evening, there won't be a meal component to our gathering (sometimes we meet earlier and share dinner), so the focus will be on snacks. I have some tortilla chips and will put out a few dips with them. Some Wholly Salsa (and Wholly Queso if I can find it locally). I think I might mix up some taco dip and some Asparagus Guacamole. It is a dip that I first sampled at the grocery store. I am not normally a guacamole eater, but this one is delish! I serve it as a layered dip with salsa and sour cream.
Asparagus Guacamole
4 cups trimmed fresh asparagus
1 clove garlic minced
2 tablespoons onions chopped
2 teaspoons lime juice
1/4 cup green chili chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 tub Wholly Salsa, divided
8 oz container sour cream
Cook asparagus until tender. Drain well and cool. Using a food processor, blend asparagus with garlic, onion, lime juice, chilis and seasonings, until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in 1/2 c salsa. Cover and chill.
To build the dip: layer sour cream, guacamole and salsa. Serve with tortilla chips.
You can also use frozen asparagus tenders, if it is not in season. The guacamole is so flavorful and works well served as a dip with grilled chicken, as well.
No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are mine or those of my family. I am completing this post as a participant in the Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger program. Hormel Foods provided some of the information for this post.
One of the things that helps me eat healthier meals is ensuring that I am packing a lot of flavor punch in each bite. For whatever reason, I feel like frequently, eating healthy is perceived as bland. But, I think that if you use the right additions to your recipes, you can really bring out a good flavor and pack a flavor punch in each bite. Having tasty bites makes it a meal that the family wants to have.
One product that I have found that can add a lot of flavor to a meal, without adding many calories, is salsa. I use salsa in many family favorites, including Taco Stuffed Shells and Beef Taco Skillet.
Sometimes though, I use it in more simple ways.
To 'spice' up ordinary baked chicken, I simply scoop a little salsa over top of the chicken before baking it. It creates a wonderful flavor for the chicken and paired with some Mexicorn (add some diced red and green bell peppers to corn before preparing), it makes for a tasty meal.
I also like to use salsa in place of salad dressing on my salad. It provides the 'moisture' that I am looking for in a dressing and provides a good flavor as well. Since it is only about 10 calories and 0 g of fat per 30 g (~2 Tbsp) according to my jar, it feels like a healthier alternative to traditional salad dressings.
I love the ChiChi's Salsa Snackers pack. Each cup is just under 1/2 c salsa and is perfect to keep on hand for so many recipes. Plus, since there isn't an open jar of salsa in my refrigerator, I am less tempted to snack on tortilla chips!
How do you spice up your meals?
No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are mine or those of my family. I am completing this post as a participant in the Hormel Foods Extended Family Blogger program. Hormel Foods provided some of the information for this post.
I love to cook and bake. As a result, I like to clip recipes from just about anywhere I can find them. I have a manilla folder in my desk caddy that is full of assorted recipes that I have gathered over the years that I plan to try. After I try a recipe, if it is worth keeping, I usually have good intentions of writing it down and sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. In the instances where I fail to write it down, I have been known to have trouble finding it or encountering it again and wondering if I have tried it.
Recently, I had the chance to try a new software called Cook'n Recipe Organizer. Cook'n is called a recipe organizer, but as I have started to explore it, I have found it to be so much more than just a recipe organizer.
Cook'n comes preloaded with a cookbook called the DVO.com cookbook. This complimentary cookbook features 'a few of the best recipes from each of the Cook'n titles offered at DVO.com' including several recipes in each of the following categories:
Appetizers
Beverages
Breads
Soups and Stews
Salads
Main Dishes
Side Dishes
Sweets and Desserts
Breakfast
It even contains a glossary of cooking terms.
As you explore each recipe, there is a link to the cookbook from which the recipe comes and through this link, you can purchase the electronic cookbook to be added to your Cook'n Recipe Organizer software. In addition, if you try a recipe and find that it's not quite 'right' for you and you want to tweak the ingredients, the software allows you to change up ingredients and save your version of the recipe. I love this feature. I have notes in cookbooks about changes I have made to recipes - whether there is an ingredient I don't like or I am making an ingredient swap, I can make the change and always have 'my version' of the recipe available to use. In addition, you can view the nutritional facts for the recipe.
But to me, the real value is not in their cookbook, it is in having a way to store my recipes. I have a couple of cookbooks that are the write it yourself style and they work great for me, but having it online is even better. Entering a recipe is very easy. First you choose the cookbook and chapter that you want the recipe to be part of. Then, you enter the name of the recipe, a description (I'm thinking this is where I will note - from Grandma, etc), Servings/Yield, Prep time and cook time information. The next section is for entering all of your ingredients. There are separate columns for quantity, units, info and ingredient. In addition, there is a column for the brand (but more about that later). Because there are a number of common ingredients, measures, etc. the software features an auto-complete feature, allowing you to start a word and then choose it from the list that is created. It makes keying a recipe in go a lot quicker than if you had to type out everything. If you are adding ingredients that are not on the ingredient list, you can do a quick add and then go back and build the details for the ingredient later or you can set it up right away. Then, there is a text box for entering the directions for making the recipes. Once you have entered and saved your recipe, you can add a picture. I am still playing with this one, the pictures from my camera are too large to post, so I need to figure out how to scale them down to a size that works.
In addition to entering your own recipes, you can use the software to help you find a recipe on the web and when you do, you can use it to capture the recipe in the software (includes a link back to the source). It does a pretty good job of capturing the description, ingredients and directions, although I will admit that I feel the need to clean them up when I have done this. Once captured, you can save it to the cookbook of your choice. I can totally see myself searching for recipes and building a 'to try' cookbook. Then, when we have tried them, if we like them, they will get added to my main cookbook or deleted, depending on feedback from the family.
There are limitations to the search and capture feature. It only searches a set of sites. I was hoping that it would be such that I could find the recipes that I have already added on my blog and capture them. They are working towards this type of capability, but it is not there. That being said, there is a still a good amount of sites that it does search. So, for my blog, I tend to do a copy and paste of the directions and descriptions portion and then have to 'manually' enter ingredients. At least the auto complete features assist in this process.
You can also very easily scale your recipes. Cooking a recipe for 12 instead of 8, simply go into Settings, check the automatically adjust recipe and then change the number of servings. All of your ingredients will be scaled to the new number of servings.
Setting up ingredients. There is a lot of power in the ingredients. When you set up an ingredient, you give it a name and enter the plural spelling as well. I have found that the, I need to go to View|Brands and open up the Brand tab to create the brand information for my ingredient. You can simply give it a "no name" type brand as you set it up. When you enter the brand, this is where you get to enter the nutritional information for the ingredient. This is important to do, if you want to use the Nutrition Calculator. In addition, you can enter the location/category for the item and the average cost. After the brand is set up, you can go back to your ingredient and enter the brand and if you wish, mark it preferred.
Nutrition Calculator. Once a recipe is saved and brands assigned, you can click on the Nutrition button at the top of the screen and it will open up the nutrition screen for that recipe. It will take the individual ingredient nutrition information (from the database and/or those that you have entered). It will give you a total nutrition for the recipe. You can also select settings and have it divide by the number of servings to see a per serving nutrition data for the recipe. I love this feature! I have been going in and adjusting the ingredient list to make sure it includes the ingredients (brands) that I normally am using, so that I can get the most accurate information. This makes it so much easier for me as I diet.
Menu plan. Once you have a collection of recipes, this software can also become a menu planning and shopping planning tool. Click on Menu at the top of the screen and you get a form for setting up your menu. You can set it up to plan each meal in a day, you can set it up to plan each day of the week, and can even plan out weeks in a month. You can even plan a meal with appetizer, main dish, side dish and dessert - sure to be a help when you are planning a holiday meal and don't want to forget anything. It is very flexible. You add the labels to your menu by dragging or create your own. Once you have the labels in place, you can add the meals. I love to planning a menu with the recipes there. I don't usually pull out the cookbooks and so there are dishes that we go months without eating.
Shopping List. Once you have built your menu plan for the desired period, you can create your shopping list by clicking on List. This will generate a full shopping list for every ingredient in the recipes that are part of your menu plan, organized by category. Based on the pricing information that you entered (or was pre-populated in the software) for the brands, it will even tell you what the cost for your trip will be. Then, you can customize. Already have an ingredient in the pantry/freezer. Mark it as have it and add extra items to your list. When you mark it as have it, the total cost for the list will be updated. This can be a great tool for budgeting and adjusting menu plans if you need to to better meet your budget. I'm thinking this could be especially true if you are entertaining and going outside a normal weekly budget.
You can print your list, your nutrition, your recipe...whatever is up in your active window. Within print, you have options on how to print the page. You can choose different sizes (4x6 for recipe card, as example), different formats (to printer, as pdf, etc), and adjust preferences like printing nutritional data. I would love to have the ability to be able to 'submit' my cookbook to a site that prints photobooks to print my own cookbook (thinking shower gifts, etc.) I think that I could likely work with the pdf print feature and get it onto a nice color print at a office store and have them do a spiral bound. Again, this is a nice to have feature that hopefully will come along some day, but in the meantime, I am sure that I can find other ways to print it.
Know someone else that has the software, there are even tools to allow you to export/import files - so you can share recipes with your friends. I like the idea behind this feature. What a great way to share your favorite recipes with others.
It will take some time to fully customize and to fully populate recipes, but it really seems to be a great tool for managing recipes, the weekly menu plan and dieting.
Personally, I am excited to see that they are working on an iPhone App that would sync with the software. What a great way to do my shopping and plan my menu on the go.
Giveaway!
One lucky A Busy Mom of Two Reader will win a free copy of Cook'n Recipe Organizer. (note: you can sign into Rafflecopter with an e-mail, you do not need to use Facebook)
No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. A complimentary review copy of the Cook'n Recipe Organizer was provided by the manufacturer through a Mom Blog Society opportunity.
