Most Recent Articles...
6/04/06 - Five Ingredient Chicken Salad Recipes
It's time for more five ingredient recipes! Main dish chicken salads are a staple of summer dining and entertaining; let's make them super easy by using just five ingredients. You can, of course, add more ingredients as your taste, time, and budget allows. Try Chicken Caesar Salad, Oriental Sesame Chicken Salad, or (and?) Berry Chicken Salad for dinner this week.
5/29/06 - How to Grill
Happy Memorial Day! Most Americans are dusting off their outdoor grills today to embark on a summer's worth of cooking over charcoal. Are you a grillmaster? If not, read on to learn tips and tricks for getting the most out of your grill, whether charcoal or gas, and find my favorite grilled recipes, including Pesto Stuffed Burgers (pictured), and Mexican Fish Packets. Learn the best way to start a charcoal grill, how to fine tune cooking temps on any grill, and find safety information, both food and general. Grill on!
5/22/06 - In Love With Strawberries
Strawberries are one of the most perfect foods on earth. They are sweet, tart, succulent, tender, and juicy. You can use them to make drinks, sweet or spicy sauces, desserts, cakes, pies, salads, and main dishes. Learn more about this curious fruit and find recipes like Strawberry Shortcake, Strawberry Salsa, and Strawberry Melon Salad.
5/15/06 - Quick Tips
I'm starting a new series at Busy Cooks: Quick Tips! (Fits right in, doesn't it?) The collection begins with these twelve tips. Learn how to get the most flavor from dried herbs, the best way to hard cook eggs, how to melt chocolate to perfection, make the best pancakes, and get lots of juice from your lemons, plus more!
5/08/06 - More Mother's Day Menus
One of the great traditions of Mother's Day is letting Mom have the day off from cooking! If Dad and the kids are taking over for the day, don't panic! These easy recipes and menus will see you through the day with ease.
5/01/06 - Buffet Entertaining
Buffets are a fabulous way to entertain with ease. With these four menus, you'll be covered for the spring and summer entertaining season! You can make all of the recipes ahead of time, then just reheat a few or do some last minute grilling, put out all the food, and stand back!
4/23/06 - Start With ... Fresh Salmon
The Start With ... series continues this week with fresh salmon as the focus. Did you know that you should be eating at least two servings of fatty fish a week? These easy, elegant, and delicious recipes can be used with salmon filets or salmon steaks.
4/17/06 - Leftover Easter and Passover Recipes
Now that Easter and Passover have come and gone, it's time to use all of those wonderful leftovers in your fridge and pantry.
4/10/06 - Easter Menus
If you're entertaining on Easter Sunday, whether it's for a crowd or just a few, turn to my easy recipes and menus for a fabulous time.
4/10/06 - More Passover Recipes
Celebrating Passover means teaching your children about your history as well as preparing traditional foods and recipes. Perhaps one of the most important lessons this year would be to remind us that we all have common roots, and that hatred has no place in any religion. These easy recipes all celebrate spring and the new season.
4/02/06 - Quick and Easy Tex Mex Recipes
Tex Mex is the oldest regional cuisine in America; did you know that? It's spicy, well seasoned, good for you, and absolutely delicious. So add a little kick to your menus this week and try Creamy Mexican Crockpot Chicken, which is a variation on the classic King Ranch Casserole, and others.
3/29/06 - Step by Step: How to Make Pasta Frittata
Frittatas are open faced omelets, perfect for a hearty breakfast or quick dinner. Once you master the basic skill, you can expand your repertoire by using leftover cooked vegetables, substituting toasted bread crumbs for the pasta, and using any cheese you like.
3/26/06 - How to Cook Pork
Pork is such a mild flavored, simple meat that it combines well with just about any seasoning and any cuisine. Learn how to cook it so it's always tender and juicy, with marvelous recipes.
3/25/06 - And the Winner Is ...
Every year since 1987, I've watched the Pillsbury Bake-Off contest broadcast with special interest. Check back to this page for each winner as the contest continues! And find my favorite Bake-Off recipes.
3/20/06 - More New Crockpot Recipes: Beverages, Side Dishes, and Desserts
More new crockpot recipes are on tap for this week, including beverages, side dishes, and desserts.
3/16/06 - The Weekend Cook: It's a Blizzard!
It's snowing like the dickens outside! I'm lucky because I work at home, but I'm not venturing outside for anything today. So I'm taking some time to bake and cook and fill the house with fabulous aromas.
3/15/06 - Top Five Convenience Foods
And the recipes that use them! This is a list of my favorite convenience foods, with fifty recipes that use them
3/13/06 - Classic St. Patrick's Day Recipes
St. Patrick's Day is almost here! These classic and easy recipes take all of the work out of the holiday, letting you enjoy the day and the season
3/05/06 - New Crockpot Recipes: Appetizers, Soups and Entrees
It's been awhile since I added crockpot recipes to the site, so this is a brand new collection of some really delicious food. Crockpots are one of the best time savers in the kitchen and they really do cook food to perfection.
3/03/06 - The Weekend Cook: Last Minute Oscars Party
Sunday is the Academy Awards presentation! If you don't have plans, throw a last minute party. Make some calls today and this evening to invite people. Clean up your house and do a bit of cooking and you'll be ready in a flash.
3/02/06 - Kids and Nutrition
A few weeks ago, Jill wrote to me and said she couldn't get her children to eat healthy foods unless she tricked them by sneaking finely chopped or pureed fruits and veggies into tried and true recipes. Well, this is a difficult, and pretty typical, problem. But don't despair; there are things you can do.
2/27/06 - All About Quiches
Despite their reputation as a French delicacy, quiches are actually very easy to make. When you have a fridge full of leftovers, making a quiche or two will transform them into an elegant and delicious entree. Using my Hot Water Pastry recipe and these hints and tips, quiches will become a regular part of your repertoire. Try Wild Rice Quiche, Sausage Quiche, or Chicken Enchilada Pie this week.
2/20/06 - Overnight Casseroles
Overnight casseroles are fabulous time savers for the busy family. You can assemble the casserole in the morning or the night before, refrigerate it, then bake it when everyone gets home. These recipes are comforting, hearty, nutritious, and delicious. Try Pizza Spaghetti Style, Cheesy Mexican Strata, or Creamy Potato and Ham Casserole for dinner this week.
2/13/06 - Valentine's Day Menu: Fondue
Fondue is the perfect romantic meal for Valentine's Day. Whether you choose a purchased premade fondue that you simply melt on the stovetop, or make your own from scratch, this elegant dish is perfect, especially when served by the fireplace Serve it with some creative dippers, including smoked oysters and avocados for even more romantic punch. And for dessert? Chocolate Dipped Strawberries, of course!
2/07/06 - Good News About Chocolate
More studies are confirming what many people already knew - that chocolate can be good for you! Read on to learn more.
2/06/06 - Countdown to Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day is next week! For some wonderful ideas for treats (both chocolate and non), romantic dinners, and the good news about chocolate, sign up for my new free eight lesson email course! Get inspiration in your inbox for the next week, including recipes for Chocolate Layer Cake, Prime Rib for Two, and Strawberry Mint Dessert.
2/05/06 - Chicken Casseroles
Chicken casseroles are some of the best recipes to make during the harsh days of winter. These easy recipes use all types of chicken in combinations that are good for you and delicious too. Enjoy Creamy Mexican Casserole, Baked Chicken and Ravioli, or Chicken Manicotti for dinner this week.
1/30/06 - Dips and Spreads
No matter how many fancy appetizers, little sandwiches, or quiches you prepare, in the end football fans want chips and dip. So oblige them! But there are a lot more dip and spread recipes you can serve than the typical onion soup mix dip. From Sour Cream Pesto Dip (pictured, served with baked french fries, baby carrots, and cherry tomatoes) to Pizza Fondue to Layered Taco Dip, these great and super easy recipes will be warmly received. (Ouch...)
1/23/06 - 30 Minute Soup Recipes
Soup is the quintessential winter meal. Whether you serve it for a dinner party or a quick lunch, a hot soup warms and soothes like nothing else. These super fast recipe will be on the table, start to finish, in 30 minutes or less. And remember, soup is made for tweaking. Add your own favorite ingredients, subtract others, and you'll create your own amazing soup. This week, try Bacon Cheese Soup, Quick Ravioli Soup, or Meatball Soup. Yum.
1/18/06 - Five Ingredient Crockpot Recipes
The crockpot is such a great appliance and the only thing that could make it better is recipes using five ingredients or less. Enjoy Crockpot Salsa Swiss Steak (pictured, cooking in my crockpot today), Cajun Pot Roast, or Garlic Smashed Potatoes this week.
1/15/06 - One Pot Pasta
I love pasta. But I don't love waiting for a huge pot of water to boil to cook it! So this collection of one pot pasta dishes comes to the rescue. Whether you choose Skillet Spaghetti, Crockpot Macaroni and Cheese, or Overnight Meatball Casserole, you'll love the combination of textures and flavors. And pasta that cooks in sauce absorbs some of the flavor of the sauce, so it's richer and perfectly cooked. Yum.
1/10/06 - How to Cook Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are probably the most popular cut of meat sold in America today. They are quick, easy, low fat, and universally popular. But when not cooked properly, they can be dry, tough, and stringy. What are the best ways of cooking them so you end up with moist, tender, flavorful meat?
1/09/06 - Chicken and the Bird Flu?
An important point was raised on one of the listserves I subscribe to. What, if anything, will happen to the poultry market when the bird flu makes an appearance in a country, particularly the United States? Will that market be affected as much as the beef industry was with the mad cow news last year? Should you be worried? Read on to learn more.
1/05/06 - Five Ingredient Comfort Foods
It's time for more comfort foods! Now that the holidays are past and January is staring us in the face along with bills, taxes, and cold weather, one of the best ways to comfort yourself is to immerse yourself in the kitchen. But comfort food recipes can be quick and easy too! Try Creamy Italian Chicken (pictured), Fettuccine Alfredo, or Minute Apple Tarts for dinner this week.
1/01/06 - January Recipe of the Day
It's 2006! Celebrate by signing up for January's Recipe of the Day email course to get inspiration every day in your inbox. It's free!
