At Considerable Cost

One of my favorite cooking reference sites is America's Test Kitchen .   You may be familiar with their wonderful magazine, Cooks Illustrated .   They test classic recipes and fine-tune them so they turn out great each time you make them.   The magazine offers step-by-step instructions and illustrations for dishes each issue, along with product reviews.   When I am ready to make a new kitchen equipment purchase, no matter how small, I check their site for recommendations. A few months ago I had to replace my cookware.  I was prepared to save up for a year to buy All-Clad until I read ATK's reviews of a Tramontina set (this link is for the original set rated "Best Buy" in ATK)  sold exclusively at...WAL-MART.com!   It was a mere fraction of the cost and their only complaint was the sizes of pots offered.   Well, both companies read the reviews and quickly produced a line with bigger pots and pans.   It is...

Today our four-year old overheard us talking about an image of St. George slaying the dragon.   "Oh, yeah," we heard her say, "that must be Curious George 's patron saint."

Ok, so that's not the real title of this recipe, but that's what it is in our house this morning, to celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation .   If Daddy wasn't at work, it would have been his blueberry buttermilk pancakes for breakfast, but I can't duplicate those.   This is not the recipe that I learned to use when I was little, but it's one I found in one of Mama's Pillsbury cookbooks.   It's perfectly moist and not too sweet and it's one of my favorite recipes.   There are also lots of variations that can be made.   These freeze beautifully and re-heat easily in the microwave (about 1 minute, wrapped in a paper towel). MUFFINS   2 c. all-purpose flour 1/2 cup sugar 3 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 3/4 cup milk 1/3 cup oil 1 egg, beaten Heat oven to 400 degrees.   Grease bottoms only of 12 muffin cups or line with paper cups. In medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baki...

I'm on a painting kick.   If you stand still for too long, you will end up being painted black--either brushed on or more likely, spray painted.   I do this every couple of years.   Mama had lots of metal yard pieces--plant stands, flower carts, etc. and they need to be repainted every so often.   I love metal pieces because you can so easily freshen them up with a fresh coat of paint.   I think nothing looks sharper than a crisp black finish.  The last time I was on spray-painting-spree, I called a friend and told her our fence would look really great painted black.  "I think you need to stop spray-painting for a while, Terri," was her reply.   Here are a few of my little projects. BEFORE: Outdoor love seat and coffee table purchased a  garage sale.   I found a great deal on a cushion at Overstock.com! AFTER: Metal outdoor furniture will rust over time, so I waited until I could find som...

It's finally time to retire my cute cherry-design slow cooker.   We broke in this new one today with the following delicious and economical recipe from Southern Living's Homestyle Cooking cookbook.  It's a favorite recipe and we always pair it with the Creamy Coleslaw that follows.   I never liked coleslaw until I tried this recipe.   We like the sandwiches with hamburger pickle slices.   Sometimes, instead of the meats in the recipe, I use a pork roast or cut chops or steaks into chunks.   It freezes well, also! Barbecue for Sandwiches 1 ½ lbs.  beef stew meat 1 ½ lbs. lean cubed pork 1 green bell pepper, chopped 1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup) 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar ¼ cup white vinegar 1 Tbsp. chili powder 2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. dry mustard 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce Combine all ingredients in a 5 quart electric slow coo...

It's been a beautiful day, the perfecting beginning to this beautiful season.   This morning, I was greeted with the lovely lavender blossoms from my potted azalea.   One of the signs of spring that most registers in my mind from my childhood was the sight of massive old azaleas in bloom off our breezeway.   There was an old wrought iron gate that you could walk through and walk between the two blooming bushes.   You had to be fast, though, because the bees were busy swarming, also enjoying the fragrant pink blossoms.   The bushes grew so large that they touched you as you walked along the path.   I wonder how many hours I spent swinging on that gate and enjoying the sights and sounds around me or just daydreaming. Here, we are unable to grow azaleas in the ground due to our soil.  So, I have a lovely Encore dwarf azalea in a pot.   It was a gift from our friend Nancy, so it is special to me for several reasons...

photo from Andrea at Simple Organized Living I first tried this chowder at the home of my friend, Lauren .   It was delicious and I couldn't wait to make it for my husband.   It's a family favorite now and I've passed it along to several friends.   They've added it to their permanent collections, also. Here's the link from Simple Organized Living, complete with the recipe and her lovely photos.  You can substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth.    She's on facebook with great recipes and ideas. http://www.simpleorganizedliving.com/2011/02/07/vegetable-chowder/