May 1, 2015 There has been a lot of talk in the media lately about Gwyneth Paltrow and her attempt to live on the “Food Stamp Diet” for a week. Food Stamps, otherwise known as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (or SNAP) help to supplement low income families grocery budget by providing about $4 extra per…
July 29, 2015 Taking regular vacations can be beneficial to our sense of well-being but it’s not always realistic. Whether there are money constraints, work/family obligations or personal reasons for not wanting to travel, many of us simply go without the time away that can be so restorative. More and more people, however, are choosing…
May 15, 2015 One of the reasons that I just love spring and summer is that I can get back out into the garden again. We have a small vegetable garden and a few herb gardens that I love spending time working in. If you love cooking, these are my must have herbs for your…
May 12, 2015 From picnics to barbecues to camp outs, summer is full of opportunities to get together and snack. Stay fit and lean in these warmer months with tidbits that offer more than slices of melon and fresh fruit. Whether you are grabbing a quick bite before the beach, heading off to a day at…
May 13, 2015 Do you ever need to make a dessert but don’t have a lot of time? I found this recipe for pineapple-coconut cake that is the most simple cake I have ever made, and it is absolutely delicious. It is topped with a simple glaze, you won’t even need to pull out your…
May 22, 2015 Bacon, bacon, bacon. The latest rave! Eat it on its own, combine with other meats, or even add it to a cupcake recipe. Let’s face it, who doesn’t like bacon? Add to bacon, spicy and you have some this great tasting stuffed jalapeno recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction. Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Jalapenos Ingredients 12…
May 29, 2015 The avocado is a large, pear shaped fruit with a green to blackish rough leathery skin, a single large seed and soft, green flesh. While most fruits consist primarily of carbohydrates, the avocado is high in healthy fats. It is very high in nutrient value, even containing more potassium than bananas. The…
May 27, 2015 It’s almost everyone’s favorite time of year, summer! Summer means picnics, barbecues and yummy desserts. But nobody wants to stand over a hot oven. Instead you can prepare one of these no-bake pie recipes for a quick, light and fluffy treat. Strawberry Chocolate Pie Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust (or you can purchase)…
May 28, 2015 Summer is almost here, and while the warm weather teases us with the thought of upcoming grills outs, play and outdoor fun – there are still rainy chilly days. Until the weather cooperates with our grilling plans – just grill out … IN! What do you need? Well a spectacular grilling pan is…
May 29, 2015 I’ve been following the Paleo diet for about a year and a half now. It’s helped me lose weight, gain energy and just all around feel better. You may know the Paleo diet by its other name – the Caveman Diet. It’s actually been around for years but recently saw a huge…
June 8, 2015 They are loud, bright and potentially dangerous but let’s face it – many people love fireworks! Whether it’s a professional display put on by your city or some smaller sparklers set off in someone’s backyard, fireworks are a huge part of the celebration of summer. For this reason, it’s great that June…
June 5, 2015 Is it a cheesecake? Is it a custard? Is it a cookie? This delicious lemon bar recipe, courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine, is all three. Seems labor intensive, but it really isn’t. In fact, it’s best made the day before you serve so it sets well in the refrigerator. I bet you could…
June 25, 2015 It’s that time of year again! If you haven’t already, it’s time to dust off your grill and get it ready for the summer months. Having a backyard barbecue is one of the most quintessential ways that Americans enjoy good food, good weather and good company. We happen to live in a…
June 12, 2015 It is common nature to want to munch – and for some of us, this occurs all day long. But grabbing a handful of chips or pretzels isn’t very healthy. Why not swap those out with these veggies with a crunch (and some protein thrown in). Here are two recipes that make for healthier…
June 23, 2021 Thank goodness the warmer weather is here to stay. We’re having a bit more rain than normal here in Vermont but on those beautiful, sunny days, I really love to go out for a summer hike. I don’t set foot on the trail without bringing a bottle of water and a few…
June 19, 2015 Sweet, succulent, tender, milky corn on the cob. A summer must. In fact, at our house, we eat it a couple of times a week when we can get it on sale. It is in season and on sale in just about every grocery store. Or better yet, take a drive, find…
July 17, 2015 Farro is described as a food composed of the grains of certain wheat species. The exact definition is debated. It is sold dried and is prepared by cooking in water until soft, but still crunchy (many recommend first soaking overnight). It may be eaten plain, though it is often used as an…
June 21, 2021 Break out the grills and be sure and check your propane level as the 4th of July is right around the corner. Grilling steaks, burger, chicken, brats and hot dogs seems to be the fourth of July thing to do. This year, try grilled fruits and vegetables to go along with your…
July 9, 2015 Summer time in Michigan means gallons of fresh cherries. I wanted to make something other than a cherry pie so I did a little experimenting and came up with this cherry cake recipe topped with a sweet cherry buttercream frosting. It’s definitely a new customer favorite! Cherry Cake Ingredients 2 1/2 cups sugar…
July 22, 2015 I was browsing through looking for some fun summertime snacks and came across these cute little hand size snacks! Try it with red velvet or chocolate cake, add marshmallow creme and berries and you have a delicious dessert. Red Velvet Blueberry Whoopie Pie Cookies Ingredients 1 red velvet cake mix (18.25 ounces) 1/4…
July 24, 2015 For a lot of people, there is nothing better on a hot summer day than their favorite flavor of ice cream in a cone or a dish. Slice a banana and strawberries and add freshly whipped cream for a treat nearly anyone would enjoy. But, what do you do when you can’t have…
July 30, 2015 Mason jar salads are the freshest trend in produce this summer. Recipes are popping up everywhere, whether it’s your favorite magazine or Pinterest or even vending machines. Summer is an excellent time to be on the go and eat healthy with the best that the season has to offer. Let’s perfect our Mason…
August 7, 2015 Recently my niece had us over for a backyard luncheon. The temperature was just right and the company was even better! The kids ran around and played on the swing set. I gravitated towards her garden. I saw something growing that I had never seen before and asked her what it was. She told…
August 14, 2015 Muffins come in all sizes and flavors! There are so many recipes for muffins that you could probably make a different recipe every day for years and still not make all of them. Some people incorporate wheat flour, some use white flour, and some add a mixture. The different ingredients you can incorporate…
August 19, 2015 This time of year fresh vegetables can be found nearly everywhere – whether its your garden or the local farmer’s market. I love grilling my veggies but I can never get my kids to even try them, so I started finding sneaky ways to get them to eat them without even knowing it!…
August 21, 2015 It seems like every week I go to the grocery store, I end up paying more than I really wanted to. Food prices are going up and the package sizes are going down. Some of this is caused by inflation and our changing economy. Some of it is caused by the weather…
August 28, 2015 Labor Day is almost here and that means the grills are going to soon be put back in storage. Families will get together for a backyard party one last time and we’ve got last minute marinades to make your meal especially memorable. Dry Rub or Wet Rub First let’s talk about the…
September 3, 2015 Desserts are one of life’s simple and small pleasures that can mark an occasion or give you a taste of something sweet just because it is after dinner. There really isn’t a bad time for dessert. Finding a decadent dessert that is also dairy-free is a small challenge but we are here…
September 11, 2015 It’s almost time to start thinking about pumpkins and Halloween. I love carving Jack-O-Lanterns with the kids. It’s a fun, fall activity that we look forward to each year. If you enjoy it too, make sure you’re not tossing the seeds you scoop out of the pumpkin when you prep for carving. What to Do…
September 9, 2015 As fall is approaching, my husband loves it when I bake seasonal desserts like peach cobbler and apple crisp. I found this recipe for apple fritter cake so I thought I would try something different. Let me say, this might be a new favorite in our house! Eat it fresh out of the…
September 20, 2015 I adore watermelon. Not only is it delicious on a warm day, each bite has significant levels of vitamins A, B6 and C, lycopene, antioxidants and amino acids! Instead of just slicing and salting it, why not try a couple of fun recipes with your favorite melon? A Pizza from Cooking Light and…
September 23, 2015 Now that school has started again, I’m sure many of you are hustling around every morning trying to get your children fed, lunches packed and get out the door. For those mornings when you need something quick for breakfast, try making these delicious homemade cinnamon rolls the night before so all you have to…
September 25, 2015 We love snack mixes at my home. They are the perfect treat for so many different occasions. I can bring a bag of snack mix in the car while I’m running errands. I can send it to school with my daughter for a quick, healthy pick me up. I can bring it camping,…
October 9, 2015 Fall always reminds me of picking apples off my grandma’s apple tree. We would eat them fresh until we got sick! Afterwards we would help her bake desserts with them. Cakes. Applesauce. Pies. Muffins. Baked. I saw an apple cake on Facebook which brought back memories of her making this moist apple cake with…
October 21, 2015 Pumpkin pie is one of my all time favorite fall desserts and knowing how to choose the best pumpkin for pumpkin pie has a lot to do with the taste. Sure, you can drive to the grocery store and grab a can or two of pumpkin pie filling but that’s no fun…
October 22, 2015 With Thanksgiving right around the corner everyone seems to be craving everything pumpkin. Pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin coffee or anything else you can think of to get that yummy pumpkin taste! I am going to share with you a few of my favorite pumpkin recipes for pie, cake and bread. Get…
November 6, 2015 Every year, as the holidays approach, I hear people asking for a good place to let their kids volunteer. Perhaps a local soup kitchen or church. Not everyone wants to publicly help though and it can be difficult to find a good location and time that works with your schedule. It’s also good…
November 4, 2015 One of the last things that we get out of our vegetable garden are the winter squashes and pumpkins. We leave them on the vine in the garden until that final killing frost in October. Since that just happened a few nights ago here in Vermont, I now have some winter squashes…
December 24, 2015 If there’s one thing that people want most during the holidays, it’s time off from work. Unfortunately, things don’t always work out and some are forced to put in some hours while the rest of the world enjoys quality time at home. Rather than sink into despair, here are some tips for…
November 3, 2015 Every year as I walk around the neighborhood on Halloween night, I think to myself, and now it begins. From this point on, time and events seem to launch themselves at me from now until the end of the year. Not only do we feel the weight of all our plans, stores…
November 20, 2015 First termed in 1992, the word Frankenfood is now in the Miriam Webster Dictionary. Frankenfood noun Fran·ken·food ˈfraŋ-kən-ˌfüd Definition of FRANKENFOOD: genetically engineered food This word was first termed by a Professor of English at Boston College when he was referring to genetically modified food, whether it be derived from genetically engineered…
November 13, 2015 There are a variety of foods that I automatically associate with Christmas. Either I receive them each year as a gift or someone in my family makes a familiar dish. When my husband and I got married, I was surprised to learn that the foods I associate with Christmas aren’t the same ones he…
November 24, 2015 This week, it would be hard to miss SNL’s Thanksgiving spoof that includes good ol’ Aunt Kathy who pulls out every politically incorrect or rude comment you could imagine from a relative. In case you haven’t seen it, the youngest family member makes convenient and increasingly hilarious use of Adele’s newest hit….
December 4, 2015 The holiday season has begun and it’s time for visiting friends and family. It’s time for entertaining and parties. It’s time for baking and hosting. The common factor of these things is that you are bound to find the cheese ball rolled in nuts and served with crackers. Sometimes fruit is served beside…
December 15, 2015 Libations are unlimited this time of year. It starts with the champagne and wine at Thanksgiving (who am I kidding it starts with the “witches brew” at Halloween.) and keeps flowing on through the holidays with everything from wassail, egg nog and more spirits. It ends with more champagne on New Year’s…