Food and Cooking

Simple Party Food Ideas To Eliminate The Stress Of Cooking For A Crowd

Lynnette Walczak — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 20:29:53 +0000

Knowing how to feed a crowd is one of those little life skills that every good host or hostess should have up their sleeve.

Whether you’re having family members over for Thanksgiving dinner, hosting friends for a Super Bowl party or inviting your neighbors over for a summer barbeque, there are occasions for food-filled get-togethers all year round.

Learning how to cook for a large group without driving yourself crazy, therefore, is a skill that will come in handy over and over again, and is one that can save you boatloads of time and stress.

Whole Wheat Pasta: Another Diabetic Friendly Meal Idea

Curtis Carper — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 18:32:17 +0000

What’s easier than spaghetti?

Boil some pasta, add your favorite sauce, and serve, right?

Well, even I manage to gussy up my spaghetti a bit more than that. But all things considered, it’s a quick meal that’s both flavorful and satisfying.

Whole wheat pasta is something that takes just a few minutes to prepare, and everyone is happy to see it on their dinner plate.

Following are some tips for turning whole wheat pasta into a diabetic friendly meal…

The Chefs Knives I DIDN’T Get On OpenSky (A Unique Online Shopping Site With Celebrity Recommendations)

Lynnette Walczak — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 00:07:12 +0000

What started out as a tweet quickly became a Facebook or Google+ post in my mind, once I realized that I couldn’t say what I wanted to say in 140 characters.

Then, I thought twice and realized that others might benefit in some small way from what I’m about to post, so I abandoned that idea too and decided to write an entire blog post instead. (As a writer, you always see the bigger picture and think of those who could possibly benefit from something that you’ve experienced.)

This post might be helpful to others in 3 ways:

If you’re curious about OpenSky, a relatively new online shopping site.
If you’re in the market for some chef’s quality kitchen knives.
If you’re a small business owner and you’re interested in hearing about a decent customer service example that might be worth repeating.

Following is a summary of my first experience with online shopping on OpenSky and my first time deciding whether or not to buy professional chef’s knives…

Vegetable Container Gardening Ideas: How To Get Started …And Get Free Seeds!

Curtis Carper — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 19:25:47 +0000

There’s nothing better than fresh, out of your own garden, fruits and vegetables!

Growing produce from year to year can be even more satisfying, if you harvest your own seeds for the upcoming growing season. Otherwise, the expense of those little packets of seeds can quickly add up.

If you look at gardening the way that past generations have done it, then you’ll want to put aside enough seeds for next year’s crop. That’s how you perpetuate your food supply.

You don’t need 40 acres of plowed field to keep fresh vegetables on your dinner table. Urban gardening takes up very little space, and can even be done in containers on the small balcony off your downtown apartment.

Begin with something simple.

Fun & Easy Tips For Making Layer Cakes

Curtis Carper — Fri, 04 May 2012 16:17:28 +0000

We’ve all got an aluminum cake pan — or two — in the kitchen cupboard. (Who remembers this vintage cake pan? It’s one of my all-time favorites.)

Without a doubt, that’s a fast, easy way to whip up a quick birthday cake.

Just mix up a box of cake mix. Dump it into the pan. When it comes out of the oven, slather on some frosting out of a little plastic tub. Stick a handful of colored candles in it. And bingo, you’ve got a birthday cake. Right?

Personally, I like to kick it up a notch.

Good News: It really doesn’t take much more effort to make a layer cake.

The extra effort associated with layer cakes shows that you think the recipient is just a little bit more special and deserves more than just your average birthday cake.

Gluten Free Recipes Using Buckwheat Flour: A Safe Alternative For Those Allergic To Wheat

Curtis Carper — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 22:45:39 +0000

Wheat allergies leave you without the ability to make something as simple as a sandwich.

The cake that the whole family enjoys for desert is not on the menu when you have gluten intolerance.

Gluten is a protein found in not only wheat, but also in barley and rye. Some people are even affected by oats as well.

I’ll Never Buy Plastic Food Storage Containers Again! See Why + My Favorite Glass Storage Bowls

Lynnette Walczak — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 01:12:03 +0000

I’ve gone from freebie plastic leftover containers, to nice glass food storage containers with so-so lids, to nice plastic containers with air-tight lids, and — finally — to my all-time favorite glass food storage containers with air-tight lids.

You could say I’ve been around the block a time or two when it comes to glass and plastic food storage containers!

Who hasn’t, right?

See why I like Snapware Glasslock bowls for food storage best of all.

Plus the features to look for when buying food storage containers, and tips for keeping them organized in your cabinets, pantry, and refrigerator…

Potato Skins: A Simple Potato Recipe That Makes A Quick Snack Or An Easy Meal

Curtis Carper — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:36:30 +0000

Sunday afternoon, while watching the football game on TV, the munchies are going to strike.

So what can a guy whip up that isn’t too technical and won’t take up much time?

Instead of the usual chips and dips, there’s no reason why you can’t provide some healthy hot snacks for all your buddies!

Or maybe you’re looking for a simple meal that takes just a few minutes to prepare instead.

Either way, homemade Potato Skins is one way to fix potatoes and add some wonderful flavor to the mix that will satisfy your hunger — without all the preservatives and fat found in bags of potato chips!

The healthiest potato is a baked potato. Since Tater Skins are baked, not fried, you still retain all the healthy goodness.

Here’s a quick way to make them…

Extreme Cuisine: Food On A Stick, Deep Fried Food, And Other Weird Foods

Curtis Carper — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 23:07:10 +0000

The next time your kids turn their nose up at what you’ve placed on the dinner table, here’s a new comeback for you.

Instead of the familiar, “There are kids starving in other countries that would love to have this.” Just tell them, “We could all move to Indonesia so we can eat deep fried monkey toes instead! How does that sound?”

That’s no joke. In Indonesia they do, indeed, enjoy their monkey toes deep fried. And they eat it right off the bone.

They also happen to eat bats… smoked – claiming that it tastes just like beef jerky.

My Favorite Kitchen Gadget: The Egg Slicer

Curtis Carper — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 20:23:32 +0000

Recently I was asked, “What is the one kitchen gadget that you can’t live without?”

Now remember, this is coming from a guy’s perspective, and this guy in particular is a pretty basic chef. You won’t see any cute, little one-bite meals pretending to be the main course on the plates I serve! Garnish without substance is definitely not the way I cook.

To that end, I’ve put some real serious thought into which gadget would qualify as my all-time favorite.

The term gadget is what gave me problems.