A friend of mine, a young man who does maintenance where I work, is actually one of the best cooks I know. He’s single and over time has learned to cook some really delicious meals for himself. Just the other day, I told him he should open his own little restaurant, using his own recipes and methods for the meals. I think it would be a hit.

Of course, he’d have to have some money to invest in commercial kitchen equipment, used cisco equipment, and restaurant furnishings, but if he could get a small business loan, I think it’s completely possible for him. I think it would be highly satisfying for him to run his own business instead of just being the maintenance man for our store. I’m going to keep on encouraging him toward this.

Technorati Tags: cooks, meals, restaurant, recipes, commercial kitchen equipment

My really good friend Cass has posted a contest for a Cookbook Give-away. Not just any cookbook. A Martha Stewart Cookies cookbook! The fascinating thing about this cookbook is that the table of contents shows the pictures of all the cookies in the cookbook. Full-color, beautiful cookies there and on the inside pages. Recipes that make you gain weight just looking at the titles and photographs that make you want to nibble the pages - what more can you ask?

If you don’t visit her site for any other reason than to see her eyes crossed as she tastes one of the delectable cookies she made, then go for that reason! If you want to enter the contest yourself, just leave her a comment. For more entries, write a post that links back to Sis Cass and Stumble her post, too! Can’t be much easier than that!

Oh, the contest ends at midnight, March 23. Happy Easter!

Technorati Tags: cookbook, Martha Stewart, Recipes, contest, Easter

Since I was surfing around the internet, looking for some low-salt recipes for my Sister, I thought I’d share one that I found to be particularly good. The Low Sodium Cooking site gives you lots of great tips, lots of recipes, and even resources about where you can find some no-salt ingredients for your cooking.

The site is not written by a doctor and isn’t intended to replace sound medical advice. But I think it’s going to be very helpful as we try to reduce all of our sodium intake and help Sis stay on her heart healthy diet.

Technorati Tags: low-salt recipes, recipes

My Mom is one smart cookie when it comes to cookies. She uses only the best ingredients and follows the recipe meticulously. The reward is melt-in-your-mouth goodness that is hard to resist.

She also uses a few tricks in order to have cookies on hand just about all the time without having them in easy reach to spoil her weight loss diet. Cookies she has baked are put into the freezer. That way, she can just get out two or three and allow them to warm to room temperature before she eats them. This is a little more trouble to get your hands on a treat, but it also helps keep the amount under control and gives her time to really think about if she wants a cookie or instead wants some fruit.

She uses the standard Nestle’s Tollhouse Cookie recipe for chocolate chip cookies. Instead of baking them all right away, she divides the dough into two even portions. She then chills it in the refrigerator for about two hours. When it’s well chilled, she lays it on waxed paper and forms it into a log about 15 inches long, rolling it up with the waxed paper. She wraps it in heavy duty aluminum foil, then freezes the dough. When she’s ready to bake, she can just slice it into 1/2 inch slices, however many cookies she wants to bake. Then, she has fresh, warm, chewy chocolate chip cookies without having a lot left over to tempt her.

Technorati Tags: cookie, recipe, cookies, freezer, Nestle’s Tollhouse Cookie

My sweet Mother developed this recipe after tasting some at a restaurant. After a few experiments, she came up with this Italian Cream Cheese Ball that’s super good on crackers. If you want, you can also roll the ball in toasted pecans.

ITALIAN CREAM CHEESE BALL

Ingredients

• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1 chopped fresh green onion
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 1/2 tsp. dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Method

Allow cream cheese to soften to room temperature, then mix all ingredients together thoroughly. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use. The cheese ball improves with age.

This is a big hit at all kinds of get-togethers, and certainly isn’t limited to holiday gatherings. It would be delicious at a tailgate party as well!

As long as you’re in the mood for new recipes, why not head over to My Wooden Spoon and check out some of the great recipes there. You might even want to submit one of your own there!

Technorati Tags: recipe, Italian Cream Cheese Ball, holiday, tailgate party

I want to reach out to all of you who voted for my Christmas Cookie recipe - Snowball Cookies. With your help, I won the contest! You can read The winner is at Charlotte’s cooking blog - Charlotte’s Household Tips. Don’t forget to look for recipes there, too. I’ve got my eye on the chili recipe now!

I made a pot of chili just a few days ago and it turned out very good. At least, that’s what my son told me! We like to add sour cream to homemade chili, or shredded cheese. Either one makes a great topping to mix in.

Technorati Tags: Christmas Cookie recipe, contest, Charlotte’s Household Tips

I’ve just come from visiting so you wanna be a Domestik Goddess and find myself delighted in what’s offered there. Not just cooking, but a slew of other things we domestic engineers can make good use of.

I particularly liked the Meringue Cookies recipe. It’s only three ingredients, and I do love three ingredient recipes! I’m going to be trying this very soon, although mine might not be as beautiful as hers are. Those are like little jewels.

I hope you’ll visit her site and give her a high five in comments!

I want to introduce you to a new cooking blog called Tinfoil Chef. Though it just began at the end of October, there are already several interesting and yummy sounding recipes along with some nice kitchen tips you might enjoy. Click over and check it out for yourself. I figure Tinfoil Chef will grow almost daily and I look forward to reading the entries!

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I just wanted to point you to Halloween Costume, Chili Recipe, and Crustless Pumpkin Pie. This is my sister’s blog and she’s posted a really funny picture along with the recipes mentioned in the post title.

Halloween was traditionally our family day to get together for chili, caramel apples, and popcorn balls. Sadly, as the years have gone by and children grown and moved out, that tradition has pretty much gone by the wayside for most of the family as they begin their own new traditions. Still, my Sis continues this in her home as she always has since she’s really the one who started it all off for us!

Technorati Tags: Halloween, caramel apples, popcorn balls

Just quickly wanted to tell you about a great cooking blog I just found called The Cheap Gourmet. The first thing you’ll probably notice there is a free download for some delicious pumpkin recipes! I downloaded it and am ready now to make a grocery list for ingredients. Especially for the Pumpkin Dip!

Of course, that’s not all that’s on the blog, but it’s certainly appropriate for the fall of the year.

We love pumpkin. I used to buy two or three every year at this time, clean out the cavity, and bake them until they collapsed. Then it was easy to scoop out the pulp and put it in the freezer in 1 cup portions for use in breads, pies, cookies, and other great treats.

Technorati Tags: pumpkin recipes, pumpkin