It’s the end of another month and so once again I have put together a list of this month’s articles for easy access.  I tried putting them into categories, but some of the categories overlapped a little.  I hope this helps to find what you need or missed this month.

Food, Cooking, and Holidays:
Cooking with a Little This and That
10 Ways to Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
Your Last Minute Stop for Halloween Ideas
17 Halloween Cupcake Ideas
20 Pumpkin Inspired Recipes
Tips for Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner
30 Fall Inspired Desserts and Treats
Organization and Declutering:
Do You Have an All or Nothing Attitude
Tips to Get Your Organization …read more

I’ve been pondering this whole Halloween thing for weeks now.  I’ve done a tad bit of preparation, but nothing like I needed to.  I know the kids will be off from school the rest of the week and that will give me some time to finalize everything.  If you’ve procrastinated like me, you’ll appreciate these last minute Halloween ideas.  If not, then bookmark it for next year.  

Bridget at Bake at 350 gives step-by-step instructions for making these cute spiderweb cookies.  You’ll also want to know how to make her perfectly black icing for the spiderweb cookies and other …read more

As the Keeper of our Castles, one of our responsibilities is to provide healthy meals for our families.  Soccer, football practice, dance, piano, science club, and all the other extracurricular activities can make us feel scattered and it may seem too much of a challenge to prepare something healthy.

Here is a list of ideas to include more fruits and vegetables into our diets.  I hope this helps inspire you.
1)  Try cooked pumpkin or winter squash for dinner.
2)  Make a quiche and include chopped bell peppers, onions, and spinach.
3)  Try applesauce on pancakes instead of syrup.
4)  Add lettuce and tomato to …read more

I don’t know about you, but I like it when a friend passes along a recipe.  It means they liked it so much that they would make the dish again.  Here’s a recipe passed along to me from a fellow blogger, Katie Campbell. 
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If you put this out as an appetizer before dinner, during a game or  party, I can guarantee it will be GONE. You won’t have to worry about leftovers with this dip. 

2 eight oz bricks of cream cheese (room temperature makes it easier to mix)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 eight oz jar salsa
3/4 to 1 lb browned ground beef, …read more

You may be looking at the title of this post and be wondering what in the world is sharing prepared foods.  I’ll share a little story of how this worked for me.

Several years ago before I had children, I had a very close friend.  We did almost everything together.  We were both married without children and we shared similar interest and faith.  We went to church together, shopped for clothes and groceries, clipped coupons for one another, watched movies, went out to eat, and hung out together.  
My friend and I also did a lot of cooking.  Sometimes my husband and …read more

Earlier this month I interviewed Chef Michael Smith,  host of Food Network’s Chef at Home and Chef Abroad.  As promised, I have been sharing some of Chef Michael’s recipes with you.  In case you missed out, we have recipes for Prince Edward Island Smoked Salmon with Pasta and Simple Lemon Dill Cream Cheese Sauce and Simply Steamed Island Blue Mussels with Three Different Flavors.  Today’s recipe is Organic Prince Edward Island Field Greens with Apple Vinaigrette and Pumpkin Seeds.
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Organic Prince Edward Island Field Greens with Apple Vinaigrette and Pumpkin Seeds
by Chef Michael Smith
A simple greens salad is both healthy and tasty.  When you …read more

This dish would be great for breakfast, brunch, or dinner. 
 

1/2 lb Sage flavored ground sausage
1/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup dried cranberries (4 oz) craisins
1 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese shredded
9-inch deep dish pie crust
3 eggs beaten
1 1/2 cup half and half

*The frozen deep dish shell is not big enough.  It overflows.  It works better if you use a refrigerated crust and your own pie plate.  You can also put the extra egg mixture in a custard dish with a little bit of the other ingredients to have a small quiche without the crust.
Crumble and cook the sausage and onion.  Remove from heat and …read more

Earlier this month, I had the privilege of interviewing Chef Michael Smith, host of Food Network’s Chef at Home and Chef Abroad.  As promised, I am sharing some of Chef Michael’s recipes with you.  Last week, I shared his recipe for Prince Edward Island Smoked Salmon with Pasta and Simple Lemon Dill Cream Cheese Sauce.  Today’s recipe is Simply Steamed Island Blue Mussels with Three Different Flavors. 
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Simply Steamed Island Blue Mussels with Three Different Flavours
Chef Michael Smith
Mussels are super simple to cook and travel with their own built-in sauce base.  They’re easy to steam and when you do, they release …read more

It seems that anything that tastes good is loaded with fat, sugar, and calories.  It takes a lot of self-discipline to make it through all of the temptations.  This is why I like it when someone takes a recipe that is normally loaded with fat and tweaks it to make a healthier version. 

I found a recipe at the Weight Watchers website for Layered Mexican Bean Dip.  Mmmmm.  That sounds like a cool, refreshing treat to eat this summer!  Wouldn’t you like to take this dish to a summer party?  Take along some veggies or baked tortilla chips and you could sit around eating …read more

Recently, I had the privilege of interviewing Chef Michael Smith, host of Food Network’s Chef at Home and Chef Abroad.  Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing a few of Chef Michael’s recipes with you.  These are inspired by Prince Edward Island.  Today I’ll be sharing his recipe for Prince Edward Island Smoked Salmon with Pasta and Simple Dill Cream Cheese Sauce.
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Prince Edward Island Smoked Salmon with Pasta and Simple Dill Cream Cheese Sauce
Chef Michael Smith
This is one of the most popular dishes on my table.  Our friends love its bright, familiar flavours and we love how easy it is to …read more