Steaming hot soup full of tummy satisfying ingredients is particularly well suited to cold weather and to begin your holiday dinner.
Soup has many advantages over other foods. Vegetables can be hidden inside and the picky eater will never know the difference – pulverize them in a blender. Just stifle the urge to ask, “Do you know what you just ate?” or giggle uncontrollably when they eat it and ask for more. [Read more...]
Who is more wide-eyed and excited than a kid in a candy store? I know who you are, and I know where you shop: Moms, all of us, at the kitchen stores.
There is just something really special about searching the merchandise in a large kitchen store. Specialty items pique your interest at every aisle and end cap. Big and little gizmos never before seen, or seen only on TV are everywhere.
There is just one rule, though, if you cannot figure out what it is without reading the package, you probably do not need it and should not buy it.
Take a deep breath and start looking for the items you really need. Moms are practical, right? Not too many of us have the time to just visit a store and while away the free time. We are on a mission. If you really want to shop fast, take your husband along. Guys like to grab the items on a list, hit the checkout line and leave. Maddening, but sure saves a lot of time to take him.
One of the items on my wish list was a large oblong roasting pan with a rack. We found a really nice one for $19.99 with a store rebate of $9.99 made by Oneida. It is huge, large enough to hold a 30 pound turkey, non-stick and so affordable. Heaven.
This roaster will never see a 30 pound turkey here, but it will let me indulge my passion for batch cooking. Just imagine two large roasting chickens cooking at the same time and held above the grease and drippings. Lasagna, stuffed peppers and giant casseroles all come to mind. This terrific roasting pan will provide loads of quick and delicious meals when portioned and packaged for the freezer.
Now, where’s my candy?
How are all the foods going to fit?
Entertain your holiday guests with ease and a little advance preparation to make it memorable and enjoyable. Holiday and occasional entertaining should not be exhausting to pull it all together. Utilizing a buffet style where guests can serve themselves at their leisure are much easier on the host or hostess, giving everyone much more time for socializing and fun.
Pump up the variety with little crock pots.
A nice variety of hot dips, sauces or fondues can be offered without constant interruption to reheat when using small, personal size crock pots. Rival makes a 16 oz. size that is perfect for sauces, dips or even fondues. These little pots can be purchased at brick and mortar stores featuring kitchen specialty items such as Bed Bath and Beyond or ordered online at crockpot.com and other stores. Prices range from about $15 to $20.
Multiple 16 oz. size Little Dipper Slow Cookers can be grouped with the chips, breads, crackers and other accompaniments to delight your guests with variety of choices. The Little Dippers do not take up much room and are great space savers on your buffet table. The stainless steel finish is ideal and will not clash with your other décor. Better yet, Rival claims they are rinse-clean for less work after the party.
Little gadgets can make such a difference. My husband gets involved too. He reads the directions and shows me the best way to use them.
Want to learn more about fondue? Read all about it: The Fondue Bible: The 200 Best Recipes
When good food made right really matters, there really is a big difference. We started out with a gas range, got a deluxe double oven electric, and then replaced it with gas again. I learned never to solely rely on recipes for time and temperature on either kind.
The oven in the current gas range is enormous, meant for cooking large amounts of food at the same time. One of the best ways to learn more about cooking in your own oven is to test the heat with an oven thermometer. These are sold in kitchen specialty stores and well worth an investment of usually less than $10. Read any instructions given, note the temperature range, and clip it on the rack when you cook. Check it against your temperature setting and note any differences. [Read more...]
Mama’s little kitchen helpers, better known as my secret weapons, make a tremendous difference in my ability to quickly prepare scrumptious meals much more easily.
My personal cache of little kitchen helpers, a/k/a my secret weapons, is kept in the basement closet in a giant plastic tub with lid purchased at Target. Perfect. There is just not enough room in a small kitchen for the whole arsenal. This arrangement works well, I know where all the ammo is kept and never have to rifle through all the drawers or guess where to find the things I need. Bulls-eye!
You just cannot properly prepare foods without your tools of the trade. Sharp knives are an absolute must for cutting and chopping. Why smash your vegetables or rip the meat on a roast when you can cut like a pro? [Read more...]
