I have a giant cookbook collection.  So big, in fact, that I'm being forced to weed it out as it's now bursting off the bookshelf.  I couldn't decide what to get rid of so I consulted an expert (Google) and found out that if a cookbook has just one good recipe, it's worth keeping.  If that's the case, I'm never getting rid of Trish Magwood's new book, In My Mother's Kitchen.  I was excited to have the opportunity to review In My Mother's Kitchen as I am a big fan of both Trish's first book, the award-winning Dish Entertains, and... More »

Tip of the YEAR: Don't fry bacon in a pan and have the grease splatter all over your stove-top and apron...bake it in the oven. Line a deep pan with foil or parchment paper, then bake the strips at 375 degrees for  15-20 minutes. It comes out perfectly crispy, and with none of the mess.You're welcome. ... More »

Greetings from sunny and now warm Florida!  Wanted to check in before Will and I hit the bike to get a coffee, check out the playground and hopefully find some kids to play with and then spend the day on the beach.I've learned a few things though by going to Publix...(or Pooblix as my mom used to call it).Did you know .......that you can buy bread in a can???Heinz makes more than canned spaghetti and ketchup???  (I wish it wasn't spotted but ...hey beggars can't be choosers).And that milk doesn't really need to have milk in it!!  Who knew!  All... More »

Tonight I made a great dinner.  A dinner my family loved.  Unfortunately, they didn't get to eat until way past our regular Sunday night dinner hour.  Why? Because after driving back and forth to two birthday parties, paintball, grocery shopping, dog walking, and multiple loads of laundry, I got a late start to making dinner.  And no matter how streamlined and organized I am in the kitchen, I just couldn't turn up the heat  to speed up the cooking process...unless I wanted my soup to scald or bruschetta to burn.But what if I used the microwave?According to Panasonic, virtually any... More »

This year my husband and I will be celebrating our 20th Valentine's Day together. TWENTY. One has to get pretty creative to make Valentine's Day romantic and exciting after this many times around. We used to do surprise weekend getaways, romantic dinners out and give cards declaring our love for each other. But recently we haven't done much more than acknowledge the day with our kids. It just seems silly after all these years. For one thing, I hate flowers; just another thing I have to take care of. And with these stubborn 10lbs I want to lose, chocolates are... More »