home again, home again

My trip was very productive and relatively uneventful. I had to share this ethereal shot I captured from my window seat on the flight in! But alas, now it's back to the grindstone. Travelling threw off my groove, so there are no (scheduled) cookbook reviews or new recipes this week. On my grocery shopping trip Sunday I just bought a few basic necessities, and I plan to make old favorites this week (like Sausage and Sauerkraut, Spaghetti and good old Mac & Cheese).

In the meantime, I am still poring over the multitudes of cookbooks that I checked out from the library last month! I have one awesome one that I can't wait to share, as well as a handful of pretty good books (and a BUNCH of not-so-hot ones... those shall remain nameless).

Thanks for hanging in there with me, and I can't wait to get back on track with fun new recipes to share!

leavin' on a jet plane...

Photo Courtesy of Kossy

I am traveling on business later this week, so I haven't planned any meals or any cookbook reviews. I am still plowing through the piles of cookbooks that I checked out from the library - most are flops, though there are a handful of winners that I can't wait to share!

Life got in the way of my menu plans last week and I never cooked the potato soup recipe that I planned for, so I hope to make it before I leave town. Other than that, it's packaged and convenience foods for us! I still plan to post a Price Chopper Budget Meals listing for the week though.

Wish me luck! I'll post as possible this week and look forward to another cookbook review (and new cooking experiences) next week!

beech-nut baby food coupons

I just had an awesome experience with Beech-Nut and wanted to share it with you!

I found a post about their Parent's Pack (coupons!) over at Stretching a Buck. I used Beech-Nut carrots for the wonderful Carrot-Coconut Muffins that I made this weekend, so I had to check this program out!



I called 1-800-523-6633 and spoke to a very nice lady. I told her that my daughter was too old for baby food, but that I use it in cooking. She even offered to come check my blog out! I can't wait to receive the package; I guess it should include a variety of coupons, information about their label program (to earn more coupons!) and a feeding guide (which I'll pass along to my sister who has a baby just starting to eat baby food). When I mentioned my blog she asked if I had any Gluten Free recipes; since I don't I directed her to 5 Dollar Dinners (apparently a lot of parents call in looking for Gluten Free suggestions).

I also explored Beech-Nut's website a bit and found information on the Sneaky Chef. She sneaks extra nutrition into her family's meals in a variety of ways, including adding baby food! Check out her Beech-Nut Sneaky Pizza and Pasta Sauce. Since I am more of a bottled pasta sauce gal, I think I'll take her suggestion and add a bottle of baby food veggies next time (shh... don't tell my family)!

giveaway: my husband rocks

OK, so this has nothing to do with food. But it involves something else that is very near and dear to my heart: Marriage!

Too often we spend our days nagging our spouse or complaining about what they haven't done right. Instead we need to stand up and announce to the world that - faults and all - we love them unconditionally!

From*me Tees aims to do just that. They have AWESOME t-shirts that proclaim how much you love and respect your significant other. I just bought two (shh... don't tell my husband... they are for Valentine's Day)!

After you've checked out the awesome site, hop on over to Bloggy Giveaways and post a comment about what you love the most... that will register you to win a pair of "All Yours" undies!

And by the way, MY HUSBAND ROCKS!

i'm so proud of me!

I did it! I resisted temptation! I fought the urge! I headed to Barnes and Noble today with every intention of buying a new cookbook. Weight Watchers has a new Five Ingredients, 15 Minutes book on the newsstands and I just had to have it.

I made the trek with my grandmother and my daughter (henceforth referred to as the little princess). We first had to promise the little princess a new book in order to convince her to leave the playground without a World War III-worthy meltdown. I grabbed two bargain books to keep her entertained and then ordered an Iced Mocha Frappuccino and an asiago pretzel on my way to the magazine racks. I quickly located the book I was looking for, then managed to find about six more that piqued my interest.

I broke into the warm, crusty pretzel and slurped up the icy chocolate coffee as I flipped through the Weight Watchers cookbook. At first glance, nothing grabbed my attention enough to compel me to buy it! I am sure that on a second (or third) flip through I would have found something that I liked, but since I had so many other options at the table I set this one aside and moved on.

I flipped through the next magazine, and the next, and the next. Nothing held my attention! I don't know if I've turned over a new leaf and I am truly scouring each new cookbook before buying - or if I was just too distracted to take in what I was looking at as I flipped the pages. I imagine it's the latter; I was more interested in my delectable snack on my table than the snacks printed in the magazines, and the little princess commanded my attention: "Mommy, I dropped my book." "Mommy, I want a bite of your pretzel." "Mommy, it's hot!" "Mommy, I want a sip" - (I gave in; I am sure I'll pay for that little caffeine rush tonight!)

Somehow I felt accomplished as we headed to the register with nothing but a book for the little princess. Moral of the story?

Asiago Pretzel: $3.50
Grande Iced Mocha Frappuccino: $3.99
Finding Nemo Level 1 Reader: $3.99
Leaving the bookstore WITHOUT a new cookbook: PRICELESS!

...admitting you have a problem

I confess. I obsess over cookbooks. I have stacks and stacks - they pour out of my pantry, collect dust on my night stand and supercede bath towels in my linen closet. But I just can't stop! Those little newsstand booklets are the worst - they suck me in every time! The best part is that I own enough cookbooks to feed a third world country, but I currently only cook about once or twice a month (if you exclude boxed macaroni and cheese or frozen stir fry)! So I stand here today and resolve that I WILL STOP THE INSANITY! I can't guarantee that I will quit purchasing cookbooks, but I do resolve to start cooking. Follow me on my cullinary journeys as I attempt to tackle my mountain of cookbooks.