Blogging about a blog?

Yep!  That’s what I am doing today.  Blogging about another person’s blog.  My friend Kelly sent me this great link to an alternative to the standard tempering chocolate methods that we all know and love (don’t at all).  I haven’t tried this yet, once the flu germs have left the building, I will try this and let you know.  In the meantime, I just couldn’t keep this to myself.

This blog is called The Yummy Life and here is the link to how to temper chocolate in a slow cooker!

The Yummy Life’s Slow Cooker Melted Chocolate Blog.

Happy melting!!

Product o’ the Week! 4.0

This week’s ‘Product o’ the Week’ is… (cue drum roll)

The Wilton Baking Mat!  My friend Kristen clued me in on this amazing baking tool when she came over for our annual Christmas cooking day.  Of course, I had heard of silicone baking mats but I hadn’t tried them.   I immediately headed out to buy baking mats to try.  I’m in love.  No more cookies that look amazing on the top but too brown (coughburntcough) on the bottom.  They don’t stick.  Easy clean up.   If you enjoy baking, I highly highly recommend these.  Such a great investment!  Click on ‘Wilton Baking Mat’ above to get more information.

Happy Baking!!

Happy National Pie Day!

Happy National Pie Day everyone!!!

Check out this pie recipe from Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman).   Click on ‘Best Pie Ever’ to get to the recipe.

Fun Fact:  You put the pecans on the bottom and they rise to the top while baking.

Best Pie Ever!

Clearly too late in the day to celebrate now BUT you could celebrate on Saturday!

Happy baking!

P.S. If you don’t follow The Pioneer Woman, you should. 🙂

Product o’ the Week! 3.0

This week’s ‘Product o’ the Week’ is… wait for it..

The Lemon Squeezer!

IMUSA Lemon Squeezer.

This was my most favorite discovery as a Kitchenware buyer and I still use this amazing little gadget every day.  I have one for my lemons and one for my limes (looks the same, only slightly smaller).  Click the link to my original blog below.  If you have never used one of these, you really need to check the blog out because I explain how to use this.  It’s not how you think.  Hmmm.

Pucker up, Butter Cup! (the citrus squeezer blog)

Happy squeezing!

Menu Plan 17.0

 Menu 17:

Sunday – Baked Chicken w/Parmesan Crust.

Monday – Quesadilla Night!

Tuesday – Crock Pot Black Bean Chili

Wednesday – Spaghetti w/Sun-dried Tomatoes and Spinach

Thursday – Buffalo Chicken Salad!

Friday- No cooking for you!

Saturday – Grilled Salmon

Sunday –  Baked Chicken w/Parmesan Crust.  This recipe by Ted Allen is featured in this month’s Food Network Magazine (my favorite magazine).  It looks so good that I must try it!  I am going to serve with Baked Kale Chips (thanks Kristen for the recipe).  You will see over the next few weeks that I am sort over doing it on the kale.  Whenever I discover a new food, I tend to obsess focus on it too much.  I apologize in advance.  This meal is an easy meal that can be done on the weekend or even during the week.  Lots of protein and vitamins! 

Monday–  Quesadilla Night! If you click on the ‘quesadilla night’ on your left it will take you to one of my favorite recipes for quesadillas, but really this night is about making your own quesadilla.  The boys love just plain cheese.  I love black beans and Eric pretty much requires meat in everything he eats.  Serve with black beans and rice.  Such a simple night but everyone has fun deciding what to put on their own quesadilla.  

Tuesday–  Slow Cooker Black Bean Chili. This recipe (by AllRecipes) is technically not a slow cooker recipe but you can make it one.  Just brown the meat with the olive oil and onion, throw it all into the crock-pot and cook on low for 4-6 hours.  Serve with cornbread.  Delicious!

Wednesday–Spaghetti with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Spinach.  This recipe is from a really cute website/blog called two peas & their pod.   It is ridiculously easy,  healthy and delicious.  What more could you want, really? Serve with a good salad and maybe garlic bread (if you have the calories to spare).

Thursday– Buffalo Chicken Salad- This is just a copy-cat recipe of a salad that I used to eat ALL the time at my last employer’s cafeteria.  I had worked there off and on for 12 years and it was always my go-to salad.  Chop romaine lettuce into bite sized pieces, add tomatoes, cucumbers and breaded chicken breasts soaked in buffalo sauce (to save time, we use heated chicken patties dipped in Frank’s Red Hot Sauce).  Top with a little shredded cheddar and a few fried onions (like the kind you put on green bean casserole).  Serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing.  Fantastic!!!  

Friday –  No Cook Friday!

Saturday–   Grilled Salmon.  This recipe from AllRecipes is one of my favorite go-to Salmon recipes.  It is easy and full of flavor!  I do use olive oil in place of the vegetable oil.  I just can’t do vegetable oil.  This recipe also points you in the direction of the grill.  No can do right now, so I just throw in a glass dish and bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees.  I like to serve with thin spaghetti (w/olive oil and garlic) and frozen green beans (they taste fresher to me than the can).   

Don’t forget to click on the link below to use the printable grocery list!  This will help keep you on track as you shop.  Hope this helps streamline your grocery store trips! The goal is for you to go to the store ONCE this week. Save time. Save $$.

Grocery List Template

and as always, here is your menu planning template to print out, write your menu and stick on your fridge.  It is super cute!!

Menu Planning Template

Happy cooking and have a great week!

Product o’ the Week! 2.0

This week’s ‘Product o’ the Week’ is… (cue the drum roll)…

The Prepara Oil Mister!

Prepara Oil Mister

There are several reasons to love this handy kitchen gadget.  The #1 reason is that it can be used in place of cooking spray.  See link to my blog explaining why you should steer clear of cooking spray.

Step Away from the Cooking Spray!

You just pour in the olive oil and the mister can be used for fry pans, griddles, cookie sheets, etc.  You can add your favorite herbs or spices to the base in the oil and infuse your oils with delicious flavors.  Plus, the herbs won’t get clogged in the spray mechanism.  You can use this to mist your salads, flavor meats… seriously you need one of these!

It retails for @$19.99 but is on sale right now on Amazon for $17.08.  It comes in four different colors (white, black, green or red). Click on the link below to view on Amazon:

Prepara Oil Mister on Amazon

Happy Cooking!

New weekly feature: Product o’ the Week!

Announcing a new weekly feature…my fave product of the week!

This morning as I was cooking my eggs (2 egg whites/1 yolk-New Year’s resolution and all) in my Berndes fry pan, it hit me.  This pan rocks!  Being a former kitchenware buyer, I think that sometimes I take my kitchen items for granted and assume that everyone must know they exist.  I started this blog to educate about kitchenware and have been swallowed up in the cooking portion of my blog (which I equally love) but I have lost sight of my original intent.  With that said, my first product of the week is:

The Berndes Traditions 8.5″ Skillet.  

It is a beautiful cast aluminum pan (yes, cookware can be beautiful) with incredible nonstick properties.  It has a 3 layer nonstick interior and 2 layer nonstick exterior and is guaranteed to never warp. What does that mean to you?  Your food won’t stick.  Ever.  I have been cooking eggs in this pan for a year (not everyday but quite often), I don’t use butter and I definitely don’t use cooking spray (blasphemy!), I just cook my little ol’ eggs and watch them slide right out.  **please note – do not use metal utensils (or on any nonstick pan for that matter).  Silicone or wood only!**

Click here for more info and to shop for Berndes Cookware!

Happy Cooking!

Menu Plan 16.0

Week 16:

Sunday – Mexican Casserole

Monday – Barbecue Roasted Salmon

Tuesday – Herbed Chicken Nuggets

Wednesday – Healthy Breakfast Night

Thursday – Fish Tacos with Chipotle Cream

Saturday- Rest and Relaxation Night

Saturday – Hearty Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Sunday – Mexican Casserole. For those of you familiar with weight watchers-this recipe from Food.com is only 6.5 points!   The only changes I make are omitting the cilantro (not a fan) and I use plain Greek yogurt in place of the nonfat sour cream (yuck.  No offense to those that dig it).  The portions are big so you are definitely feeling full after this dinner!

Monday–  Barbecue Roasted Salmon.  I am forever looking for new ways to prepare salmon.  We love salmon and love to have it once a week but I get tired of the same recipes over and over.  This recipe by Cooking Light was full of flavor!  I didn’t change one thing.  Serve with Easy Zucchini Parmesan.   Perfect.

Tuesday–  Herbed Chicken Nuggets – I am not sure why it took so long for me to try this recipe (from AllRecipes).  I ALWAYS buy frozen nuggets for the boys and they always seem questionable at best (if you know what I mean).  These are fantastic!  They are easy, you can control the level of seasoning, you control the type of chicken you use AND they are baked not fried.  I am going to make these again next week and test making extra, freezing and reheating.  I’ll keep you posted.  Serve with sweet potato fries.  

Wednesday– Healthy breakfast night.  Omelets with 3 egg whites/1 yolk, turkey bacon and whole wheat toast!  Delicious.  Click on the link below to see my blog on how to make the perfect omelet.

How to make a perfect omelet.

Thursday– Fish Tacos with Chipotle Cream – In keeping with my New Year/New Healthier Recipes theme, I sought out a fish taco recipe that would come close to replacing my unhealthier but delicious breaded fish/avocado tacos that we have come to love on a semi-weekly basis.  This recipe by Ellie Krieger tastes light, fresh and definitely a step in the right direction.  Serve with black beans and rice (if you really want to get crazy healthy, go for brown rice instead of white).

Friday – Rest and relaxation night.  Yeah right.  Just don’t cook!

Saturday–   Hearty Italian Chicken and Vegetable Soup – Aaah.  Who needs a warm, comforting soup night?? Me, that’s who! So excited to make this again next week!    This soup recipe from The Food Network is one of my faves.  If you make a big enough batch, you can freeze in smaller portions for lunch during the week.

Don’t forget to click on the link below to use the printable grocery list!  This will help keep you on track as you shop.  Hope this helps streamline your grocery store trips! The goal is for you to go to the store ONCE this week. Save time. Save $$.

Grocery List Template

and as always, here is your menu planning template to print out, write your menu and stick on your fridge.  It is super cute!!

Menu Planning Template

Happy cooking!

2012 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 4,400 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 7 years to get that many views.

Click here to see the complete report.