"Tomorrow" won't be here for a little bit :( See you as soon as possible.

When writing a recipe for shellfish, I often say that you can serve it with clarified butter. Having grown up all over the Gulf coast, that's a normal sounding thing to me but after talking to my friend yesterday I realized many people have no idea what that is and decided today I would tell you...

How to clarify butter...

Place butter in top of a double boiler over hot water. Let stand just until the butter melts. When the whey (the milky sediment) separates, pour off the clear fat, slowly, into a serving bowl. That's your clarified butter. Discard the whey. It's excellent with boiled shrimp and lobster.

Hey guys! I'm sorry to have been away so long. I've had the flu which has made me absolutely miserable for a few weeks now. During that time I was contacted by Miranda Lanzillotti who is a publicist for Time Inc. Lifestyle Group. She asked me if I'd be interested in reviewing their magazine, Cooking Light, and I told her that I'd love that! She sent me a copy of September's magazine which has a new design and I spent two days reading and rereading it. It's beautiful!

The recipes are easy to follow and have pictures with every single one! That's a huge plus to me. I like to see how the food is supposed to look when it's done. Plus they are healthy which is also very important. Here are some of the highlights from September's issue:

Restaurant Navigator (pg. 62) – Pasta is all about the fixings—the carbs themselves are fine, but how are they sauced or stuffed? Fettuccine Alfredo can weigh in at 1,220 calories per serving, but swap Marinara for the cream sauce and the calories and fat plummet. Cooking Light analyzes six popular pasta dishes from real U.S. restaurants to help you make more healthful choices. Plus: Cooking Light offers simple strategies for dining out at Italian restaurants: avoid cream sauces, ask your server about half portions, and get grated cheese on the side.

Feed 4 for Less Than $10 (pg. 182) – Looking for a healthy, easy-to-make meal to serve your family of 4 for under $10? Cooking Light has the answers and breaks down the cost per serving. Try pan-fried pork chops and homemade applesauce for just $2.43 per serving.


A Carb-Lover’s Guide to Nutrition (pg. 121) – Use your noodle when it comes to eating carbs. Although demonized during the ‘low carb’ craze, they are our body’s main source of energy: they create the glucose that fuels our muscles and brains. Cooking Light offers that truth about noodles, potatoes, breads and whole grains and why we shouldn’t fear them.


Wine Pairings with American Classics (pg. 52) – As summer winds down, we have just a few chances left (in most parts of the country) to enjoy a wonderful outdoor meal. What meal is complete without a great glass of wine? Cooking Light tells readers the best wines for classic dishes like mac n’ cheese (or other pastas), seafood gumbo (or other fresh fish), grilled burgers or steaks, and chicken. Plus: wines in everyone’s price range, starting at just $7 for a great bottle.

Money Saving Ideas for Back-to-School Lunches (pg. 64 ) – In a Cooking Light and CNNMoney.com poll, 73% of those surveyed felt that healthy food costs more. That is simply not the case. Cooking Light offers tips to save money when packing healthy, school lunches for your kids.

I was also impressed with the ads in the magazine. Usually I just skip ads but nearly every ad included a recipe or was food or health related. I thought that was awesome too.

All in all the newly redesigned Cooking Light is a great magazine that I will recommend to all my friends and family and of course to you! Get out there and get you a copy today...you'll be happy you did!

I thought I'd post a cheesecake recipe today since I posted tips on successful cheesecakes yesterday. I realized I have MOST my price list right here on my cookbook (duh Kathy...I know). Be sure to use the tips I gave yesterday to ensure this cheesecake is creamy.

What you'll need:

1 1/4 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 Tbl. butter
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese
1/2 c. milk
2 eggs, separated
1/2 c. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. lemon extract

Mix together graham cracker crumbs and butter and press into a 9" pan (you can use a springform pan or a pie plate); set aside. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Beat the egg yolks and set them aside; allow the egg whites to come to room temperature while mixing the remaining ingredients. Beat the cream cheese well. Add the milk, beaten egg yolks, sugar, salt and extracts; mixing well after each addition. Beat the egg white until stiff and gently fold into cheese mixture. Pour into pan and bake 45 minutes. Makes 1 cheesecake.

Cost:
graham crackers - $1.09
butter - $1.79/lb
sugar - $1.99/4 lb bag
milk - $3.99/gallon
cream cheese - $2.06
eggs - $1.09/dozen
vanilla extract - $2.25
lemon extract - $2.25
Total - $4.13

Life is too short to not eat cheesecake. Here's how to produce perfect results every time.

Preparation

Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature. This makes them mix easier and the finished cake has a smoother texture.

Combine cream cheese or ricotta cheese with the eggs thoroughly BEFORE adding any liquid extracts, heavy cream or sour cream. You cannot remove lumps after the liquids have thinned the batter.

A paddle attachment on a stand mixer is ideal. Regular beaters add too much air and that can lead to cracks in the finished cheesecake. It also makes your cheesecake less creamy. If you have to use beaters, mix on low speed so a minimum amount of air is added.

Fold in whipped cream or beaten egg whites with a whisk or rubber spatula gently and slowly to not deflate whipped ingredients.

Always use regular cream cheese for cheesecakes unless the recipe specifically calls for a different variety.

Almost any cookie (including cream filled sandwich cookies) make a good base. To crush, grind them in a food processor with a metal blade or place them in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin.

Always have cracks in your cheesecake?

Steam and extreme temperatures cause cracks in cheesecakes. To minimize them bake at low temperatures and don't open the oven while baking. Cool them away from cold or drafty places. If possible, cool in a turned off oven using a wooden spoon to keep the door slightly ajar.

Deep cracks mean that the egg white structure collapsed and your cheesecake will be more like pudding. This can be avoided by mixing your ingredients slowly and gently.

Shallow cracks occur often and should be accepted. You can frost the top of your cheesecake or cover it with fruit if the appearance bothers you.

Step by step guide for making perfect cheesecake

1. Grease the bottom and sides of a 10" springform pan. Press the crust evenly into the bottom and up the sides. In warm weather, refrigerate the prepared pan until you're ready to use it.

2. Using a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until it is smooth before adding any other ingredients.

3. From beginning to end, stop the mixer several times and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and the paddle to ensure there are no lumps.

4. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and set it on a baking sheet. Bake as directed in the recipe you are following. You can cover it loosely with foil partway through if the top is browning too quickly.

5. Your finished cheesecake should have a dull, not shiny, finish. The center should be soft but not wobble when you shake it.

6. When the cheesecake is COMPLETELY cooled, run a knife around the sides to loosen it.

7. Release the spring and remove the sides of the pan. Leave the cheesecake on the pan bottom to serve.

8. Top with fresh fruit, sour cream, chocolate or leave it plain.

A serving of creamy cheesecake is one of life's little pleasures ♥

Hey guys! I hope everyone is doing well. While I've been away I had a small disaster...my hard drive crashed on my computer which means my price list as well as tons of recipes were lost. Fortunately I have the recipes handwritten and will still be able to share them with you...after I rebuild my price list. Ugh. Sorry about that. So for the next few days I'm going to share some tips with you. Remember my motto in the meantime: have fun in the kitchen! In other words....Happy Cooking!

What you’ll need:

1 ½ c flour
2 Tbl granulated sugar
1 Tbl baking powder
½ tsp grated orange zest
3 Tbl unsalted butter or margarine, cut into pieces
¾ c skim milk

For filling:

2 pints fresh strawberries, sliced
1 Tbl orange juice
1 Tbl granulated sugar

For garnish:

Vanilla yogurt or whipped cream
Mint leaves

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar and baking powder. Stir in orange zest. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut butter into flour mixture until coarse crumbs form. Quickly stir in milk until a soft dough forms. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to ½” thickness. Using a 2 ½” biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits, gathering and re-rolling until all the dough is used. Place on prepared pan and bake until golden, usually 12 - 15 minutes. Place on a wire rack and cool slightly. Combine strawberries, orange juice and sugar and mix well. Split warm biscuits in half. Top each bottom with filling. Place top on and place a spoonful of filling over that. Garnish with a dollop of yogurt or whipped cream and a sprig of mint. Serves 8.

Cost:
flour - $2.12/5 pound bag
sugar - $1.99/4 lb bag
baking powder - $2.38
oranges - $2.25/bag
butter - $1.75/pound
milk - $3.99/gallon
strawberries - $3.50
whipped topping - $0.99
Total - $7.16

It is very important that you use fresh ingredients in your recipes. To test the freshness of baking powder, mix 1 tsp. baking powder with 1/3 cup of hot water. If it doesn't foam, it's stale and should not be used.

You can make these potato wedges with or without the skin. It’s all a matter of personal taste. I like them with the skin.

What you’ll need:

4 medium sweet potatoes, cut into large, thick wedges*
1 Tbl vegetable oil
¼ tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp paprika

Place wedges in a large bowl. Cover with cold water and let stand 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Drain potato wedges and spread on a double layer of paper towels. Press another double layer of paper towels on the top to dry them. Place them in a dry bowl and toss with oil, salt & pepper. Arrange in a single layer on prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes. Using a spatula, turn potato wedges over and sprinkle with garlic and paprika. Bake until golden, about 20 minutes, turning the pan once about halfway through baking. Serve immediately. Feeds 4.

*To make with russet potatoes, omit paprika.

Cost:
sweet potatoes - $1.99/lb
vegetable oil - $2.89
garlic cloves - $1.12
Total - $5.39

What you’ll need:

4 Tbl butter, divided into 3 Tbl & 1 Tbl
3 Tbl flour
3 c milk, scalded (brought to a boil then removed from heat)
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 pint oysters with liquid
¼ tsp celery salt
1 egg, separated
¾ c condensed tomato soup, undiluted and heated

Melt the 3 Tbl butter in a deep pot. Whisk in the flour and blend well. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly. Stir until smooth. Add the salt & pepper and set aside. In a separate pan, melt remaining butter with the oysters, oyster juice and celery salt. When the edges of the oysters start to curl, remove from heat and beat in the egg yolk with a wire whisk. Add the oyster mixture to the milk mixture stirring well. Reduce heat to low. Stir in tomato soup and heat through. In a mixing bowl, beat egg white until stiff. Place the beaten egg white in a soup tureen or large serving bowl. Pour the oyster mixture over the top of the beaten egg white and gently fold the two together. Serve with oyster crackers. Feeds 4 - 5.

Cost:
butter - $1.75/pound
flour - $2.12/5 pound bag
milk - $3.99/gallon
oysters - $3.00
eggs - $1.09/ dozen
condensed tomato soup - $0.89
Total - $5.36

Take one large field, half a dozen children, two or three small dogs, a pinch of brook and some pebbles. Mix the children and dogs together well. Sprinkle the field with flowers. Spread all over a deep blue sky and bake in the sun. When brown, set away to cool in the bathtub.

:-D Thought you might like a smile today. I know this gave me one. It was in the back of The New York Times Cookbook that was published in 1961. Have a great day ♥

If you don't have enough batter to fill your muffin tins then fill the empty cups half full of water to prevent your pan from warping.

This is so yummy you'll want to eat it all yourself!

What you’ll need:

¼ c orange juice
1 ½ Tbl cornstarch
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips
¾ c chicken broth
1 ½ Tbl soy sauce
2 ½ tsp vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbl minced fresh ginger OR 1 ½ tsp ground ginger
1 ½ c snow peas OR green beans
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into thin strips (about 1 c)
¾ c sliced green onion
1 c frozen broccoli, thawed
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
2 c cooked white rice

Combine the orange juice and cornstarch in a shallow glass bowl. Add the chicken strips and stir to coat them well with the marinade. Cover and chill for 2 hours. Drain and discard remaining juice. In a small bowl, mix together the broth and soy sauce. Set aside. In a wok or skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and cook and stir for 30 seconds. Add the chicken and cook and stir for 3 minutes. Add the vegetables and cook and stir an additional 5 minutes. Stir in broth/soy sauce and heat through. Remove from heat. Place about ¼ cup of rice on separate plates. Top with chicken mixture and serve hot. Feeds 4 - 5.

Cost:
orange juice - $2.99/gallon
cornstarch - $1.29
chicken breast - $5.00/4 pack
bouillon cubes - $1.89/jar of 20
soy sauce $1.89
garlic cloves - $1.12
green beans - $1.09
bell pepper - $0.90
small onions - $1.50/bunch
fresh carrots - $1.19
frozen broccoli - $1.89
rice - $2.12
Total - $14.28

This recipe is quick and easy if you need to feed a crowd.


What you’ll need:

2 Tbl bacon fat
3 c sliced okra
2 onions, chopped
6 green onions, chopped
2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined and cut in half
½ can tomato sauce
2 red peppers, chopped
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 bay leaf
8 c water
1 tsp salt

Cook, covered, the okra, onions and bell pepper in the bacon fat until okra is almost tender. Stir in the tomato sauce and cook 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients except shrimp. Heat to boiling then cook an additional 10 minutes. Add shrimp. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Serve with steamed rice. Feeds 8.

Cost:
okra - $3.99/lb
onion - $1.12
small onions - $1.50/bunch
bell pepper - $0.90
tomato sauce - $0.33/can
garlic cloves - $1.12
1/2 lb 30/40 shrimp - $2.50
Total - $14.68/$1.84 per serving

Hello all you wonderful chefs! I just thought I'd let you know that I have not shared all of my recipes with you yet. I plan on returning ASAP :) Until that time, please browse through my current recipes by ingredient or by recipe name; both can be found on my sidebar. Thank you and as always....

I know sometimes some of the recipes I post aren't weight friendly. I have always been blessed with the ability to eat and eat and not gain weight (please don't hate me) but I've had many family members and friends that did have to watch what they ate. Because of that I tried this recipe when I came across it (I think it was in a cookbook but I can't remember which one) and it is delicious! It's creamy and decadent and doesn't taste like a "diet" food at all!

What you'll need:

1 cup uncooked jumbo elbow macaroni (3 oz)
1/3 cup frozen sweet peas
2/3 cup fat-free (skim) milk
1 oz reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), cut into small pieces, softened
2 slices process American cheese
2 tablespoons crushed fat-free herb-seasoned croutons

Cook and drain macaroni as directed on package, omitting salt and adding peas for the last 5 minutes of cooking. Meanwhile, in nonstick skillet, heat milk, cream cheese and American cheese over medium-low heat, stirring carefully with wire whisk, until cheese is melted. Add cooked macaroni and peas to cheese sauce; stir to coat. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Serve topped with croutons. Serves 4.

Cost:
elbow macaroni - $1.75
frozen peas - $1.68
milk - $3.99/gallon
cream cheese - $2.06
sliced cheese - $3.12
Total - $5.33

I like this best with orange but the apricot is very good too.

What you'll need:

4 boneless pork chops, 3/4-inch thick each
3 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup apricot preserves OR orange marmalade
1 tbsp. Dijon-style mustard
2 cups uncooked INSTANT white rice

Cook the pork in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until it's well browned on both sides. Remove from pan. Stir the stock, preserves and mustard in the skillet and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the rice. Return the pork to the skillet. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the pork is cooked through and the rice is tender. Serves 4.

Cost:
pork chops/strips - $3.50
bouillon cubes - $1.89/jar of 20
marmalade - $2.12
rice - $2.12
Total - $6.01

I had a major chocolate craving Saturday night. And a major cherry craving...I decided to combine the two and you wouldn't believe how good it was! My made up recipe is super easy too (would I have it any other way?)

What you'll need:

1 pkg brownie mix + egg, oil and water to make them
1/2 can cherry pie filling (I used the other half the can to top pancakes. Just make sure you refrigerate the leftovers after opening the can)

Oh, here's the ingredients for my cherry brownies (I was a little lax in my picture taking because I was so consumed with the need to eat them!):

Mix brownies according to package directions. Spread in an 8 x 8 inch pan. Drop pie filling around the top of the brownies using a tablespoon. Take a butter knife and draw lines first across the pan one way and then across the other way to marble the cherries into the brownies. Bake @ 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes or until brownies are cooked through.

They're delicious!!!

Cost:
brownie mix - $1.09
pie filling - $1.99
eggs - $1.09/ dozen
Total - $2.18

Everything in Moderation: A Spring Fling GIVEAWAY!!!

Hey guys be sure to visit Everything in Moderation for a great cooks giveaway! Here's what you can win:

*A CD of 200 recipes "JUST DESSERTS"
* 2 Cookbooks!
"Sensational Salads" and "Quick Time Dishes"
*A Coupon Keeper
*A reusable "earth friendly" grocery bag

Just click the link above and go enter! And if you say you got there because I me, I get extra chances :) How cool is that?

Contest ends on Saturday, April 18 @ 10:00 pm Central time.