Food

3 Hearty Breakfast Meals Worth Trying

Breakfast is just about my favorite meal. 

There's something special about starting the day with a good hearty meal.  To keep my waistline in check, Saturdays are reserved for my one big breakfast of the week.  

Homemade buttermilk biscuits served either with a peppery sausage gravy or just a bit of butter and a good covering of real maple syrup are one option.  Throw in a couple eggs done over easy, and I'm in hog heaven.

Then again, maybe a nice stack of made from scratch buttermilk pancakes with some more of that fine maple syrup would be a good change of pace.  Add a nice mound of soft fluffy scrambled eggs on the side and a couple slices of thick cut bacon to go with it.  Sounds good, doesn't it?

Another good hearty breakfast is homemade O'Brien style hash browns.  Add 2 smiling sunny side up eggs on top and a slice of fried ham... Mmm goodness for sure. 

Enough all ready, I'll get the skillet!  Let's get cooking, aren't you hungry now?

Food Costs: We Complain While Others Starve

We complain about the rising cost of food on almost a daily basis.  It seems we're always on the lookout for ways to get more for our money when we go grocery shopping. 

At the farmers market we want more bang for our buck, even though it's likely to be the best freshest produce around.

Organic foods are better for you, but do we want to pay the premium price?  No.  Even when it's better for us, we want to stretch the food budget.

Here's a switch for you... as much as we complain about foot costs did you know that the average American spends only 5.7% of their income on food?  All the while, the poorest nations have to fork over more than 50% just to survive on the barest of necessities. That kind of puts a different light on things doesn't it?

Top 4 Chef Blogs That Are Worth Checking Out

There are 37,500,000 chef blogs. Give or take a million. But, that's the number that Google says there are if you search for the term.

Most of them, of course, are worthless. They are not really interesting or informative. They are not well written or topical. They are not written by chefs who have much to say (presuming they are actually written by chefs at all).

But there are some good ones. Scores of them, in fact. And there are 4 in particular I find myself going back to read frequently.

Continue reading: Top 4 Chef Blogs

Reasons To Cook Pot Roast Tonight: It's Quick! It's Easy! It's Delicious!

For some reason, the thought of a pot roast in the oven brings back memories of my youth.  It seems pot roast was the dinner of choice on all the old time sitcoms like Ozzie and Harriet or Father Knows Best.

Few meals are as easy to make and as delicious to eat as a pot roast -- complete with assorted vegetables cooked up right in the same pot!  The key to making a great pot roast is simple, it just takes time.

A great variation to the standard beef pot roast would be to cook up both a beef roast and a pork roast in the same pot.The flavor will be amazing, and the gravy is simply to die for!

Using Whole Grains & Healthy Seeds Makes Homemade Bread Special

Whole grain foods are proven to be healthier than anything made from over-processed white flour. Everything good about it is long gone in the processing and bleaching that gives it that smooth white texture. 

Whole grains retain all the fiber and nutrition and even help diabetics keep their blood sugar lower.  I much prefer the heartier texture of whole and multi-grain breads.  The flavor is so much better too.

Add in some additional goodness with healthy seeds, and your bread quickly becomes a special treat!  Imagine some warm fresh bread right out of the oven topped with a generous amount of butter.  That's why I always make 2 or 3 loaves.  The first one's gone immediately!
 

Shopping From An Ingredients List Will Keep Your Meals On A Budget

With today's sluggish economy, many families have to watch their food budget pretty closely. 

Finding meals that stretch the dollar while still providing good nutrition is paramount for those feeling a financial pinch. 

There are plenty of cost-effective recipes available that will meet that task, some with considerable flair. 

We all know the best way to avoid overspending at the grocery store is to shop from a list.  Making a menu for the days ahead is the surest way to keep your food budget intact.  Having a good selection of recipe search sites bookmarked will make that chore even less of an issue for you.

Which Is Better For You, Sugar Or Artificial Sweetener?

Sugared soda is in the headlines almost daily.  They say that leading cause of obesity is the fact that we're drinking ourselves fat. 

So are sugar substitutes all that good for you?  There seems to be some debate on that issue as well. 

One person's opinion is Splenda has more in common with DDT than food stuff.

Another asks if artificial sweeteners are safe during pregnancy. 

A new natural artificial sweetener made from Stevia is being billed as the latest and greatest sweet additive.  I ask you, if it's natural, how can it be artificial?   Even my can of sliced peaches from Walmart contains Splenda as a sweetener.

Finding a true natural sweetener without sugar is about impossible. I think I'll just have a glass of water.

Try New Recipes For Tailgate Grilling At The Football Game

It's football season. No reason to give the old BBQ any time off just yet! 

With a batch of grilling tips to get you to the top of your game, you can score some points while tailgating with your friends this weekend at the football field. 

Are you the kind of cook that follows a recipe to the tee?  Or is your style more or less to wing it and see where it takes you?  Be inventive, try some foods you'd never think of grilling and mix it up a little.

Before you know it, your Superbowl party will be at hand, better try out some new recipe ideas now so you'll be cheered for your great food at the big game!

Halloween Party Ideas: Unique Food Costumes & Halloween Treats

It's that spooky time of year again, Halloween is just around the corner.  What special Halloween treats are you planning for your annual party?  Will it be for kids or maybe the party will be adults only?

Imagine how cute your little ones would be dressed up as food!  Homemade food theme costumes are the latest rage.  Consider a Halloween costume of a can of tomato soup or maybe a box of macaroni and cheese.

When it's all over, here are some fun things you can do with leftover Halloween candy.

The Use By Date Is Only A Guideline, Proper Storage Is Also Important

Did you know an opened package of lunchmeat is only good for 4 days?

Most people rely on the "Use By" date on the package to determine if food is still safe to eat.  You may be throwing out good food if this is the only criteria you use to judge what's in your refrigerator.  You may also be saving dangerously spoiled food -- such as that 2 week old opened lunchmeat package already mentioned!

Universal covers that snap over standard serving bowls will help keep leftovers safely sealed in your refrigerator.  Not only will this help in containing food odors, but it will also help extend the life of your leftovers.