Shopping At Aldi

I spend $250-$300 a month on groceries for my family of five. One of the best things I do to keep my budget is to do most of my food shopping at Aldi. You can get a good price, get in and get out fast and you don’t have to mess with using coupons.

Starting a Kitchen Herb Garden

The herb garden is home to five major families of plants. While these families comprise literally thousands of species, a relatively small number are familiar as herbs. The five families are listed here with small sub lists of some of their more commonly known members.

Bunnies and Ham and Eggs, Oh My!

It’s almost that time of year again. You’re standing, dumbfounded, in front of a mound of hard boiled eggs, sliced ham and chocolate Easter bunnies. You wonder “what am I going to do with 6 dozen eggs, 6 lbs. of ham and 25 chocolate bunnies”. The stress of it is almost enough to send you to bed for a week--or at least tear most of your hair out. Here are a few ideas and recipes...

Feeding a Family of Four on $300 a Month

If you only had $300 a month to spend on groceries for a family of four, could you do it? What sort of food would make the list and what would have to stay on the store's shelves?

Cilantro - A Delicate and Versatile Herb

Have you ever wondered why one cookbook calls for cilantro in there salsa recipe while another one calls for coriander. Then when you go to the store you see the sign reads cilantro/coriander. So what is the difference between the two? Nothing, cilantro and coriander stem from the same plant.

Safe Food Handling for the Holidays

Did you know that the turkey you thawed on the kitchen counter, instead of in the fridge, could now contain bacteria levels high enough to harm human life, even though you can’t see, smell, or taste it?

How to Teach Your Children to Cook

If you're ready to teach your children how to cook, here are some simple tips for teaching them the basics, and giving them skills that will last them a lifetime!

How-To Warm up Your Thanksgiving Decor, with Creativity, Not Cash!

Thanksgiving is a special time in our homes, when we all take a little time to appreciate the gifts and blessings in our lives. My number one blessing, as yours, is my family and friends! So lets find some great ways to make your home a warm, inviting place this Thanksgiving Day for all your loved ones, including you!

Monthly Menu Planning

No one has to remind you that with the school year in full swing and the holidays around the corner, there’s more to do and less time to do it. You want to balance work and home life, but your schedule is full: after school activities, homework, community activities, family time and, egad!...getting the kids (and yourself) to bed on time so you can get up and do it again tomorrow! How can you manage to get it all done? Planning!

Spice Up Your Kitchen With a New Backsplash

Tired of that drab, unimaginative kitchen? Need a remodel but can't afford to do the whole room? How about a colorful tile backsplash? Not only can it spice up a dull kitchen, it is practical for a messy cook. No wallpaper to ruin with the splatter of tomato sauce or grape juice! And you can install
it yourself!

How To Organize Your Christmas Baking Without Going Crazy

There is nothing more comforting than the smell of Christmas cookies fresh out of the oven. As a little girl, I remember eagerly watching my mom, as she would carefully remove the hot cookie sheets from the oven. I couldn't wait to help decorate with the homemade frosting, the cinnamon candies and the multi-colored sprinkles that would make each cookie design come to life.

How to Decorate Your Kitchen on a Dime!

As the holidays approach, I tend to spend more and more time in my kitchen. In fact, my friends and family spend more time there too, so I would really like it to be an expression of myself, my family, and the rest of my home. However, pick up any home remodeling magazine, and you will find a minimum remodel of a kitchen to come in at over $10,000.00! Here are some quick and easy ways to bring warmth and charm into your kitchen, for just dimes!

Kitchen Organizing 101: A Recipe for Organizational Success

There is no doubt that these days the hub of the home is the kitchen. It is the place we gather to spend time with family and friends. Many of us do our main entertaining in an open floor plan that has a kitchen/family-room combination. As a result, the kitchen has become the most difficult room in the house to keep clean. Our usual organizational challenges of overflowing cabinets and exploding junk drawers are compounded by mail, toys, clothes and all sorts of clutter. If your kitchen could use some help getting organized, try this recipe for organizational success.

Decorate Your Kitchen

You know, until I became addicted to all those home-decorating shows on television, it never really occurred to me that people actually "decorate" their kitchens. I mean, I've seen other people's kitchens, like my mother in laws. It's beautiful; looks just like it came out of a magazine. But so does the rest of her house. Me? I have blue and white towels and potholders. That's it. No, really! I thought that was all there was to it. Good thing I like a challenge!