Mother's Day Gift Giving 101

• Never give mom something she will have to plug in.
• Never give mom something she will have to dust.
• Clothes are fun, but remember the last time you guessed the wrong size.
• Do get her something that will show that you are sensitive to her needs.
• Do get her something that will make her life a little easier.

How about the perfect gift of time and sanity? What mom couldn't use more of that. A subscription to www.menufortheweek.com is every busy mom's dream. It doesn't need to be plugged in or dusted. And it's the perfect way to say "Thanks for all you do, I hope this makes taking care of us a little easier."

As a subscriber, she will get a complete menu and grocery list delivered straight to her email every week. All of the recipes are quick, simple and kid friendly. What could be better than that!

www.menufortheweek.com

The Secret to an Amazing Salad

There is nothing better than a delicious salad, especially on a warm day. There was a time not long ago when I could name every great salad place in town, but never bothered to make them for myself. For some reason, I thought salads tasted better when someone else made them.
One day I stopped to think how many salads I could make at home for the 10.00 it cost to eat one out. That is when I decided to start making my own and have since made an art of it.

I have found a secret that is so easy, you will not believe it. The key to an amazing salad is a fruit, a nut and a cheese. With those 3 things, you can not go wrong. Favorite vegetables such as carrots, purple onions, and cucumbers also make great enhancements.

Some of my favorite combinations are:

Pears, pecans and Gorgonzola
Apples, walnuts, and Cheddar
Tomatoes, pine nuts, and Mozzarella
Dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, and White Cheddar
Mandarin oranges, sliced almonds and Feta

The varieties are unlimited and any combination will work. There is no guesswork.

For an easy homemade dressing from pantry ingredients, combine 1/8 cup of sugar, ½ cup of vegetable or olive oil, ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons of parsley, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 pinch of pepper.

For the perfect accompaniment, butter a piece of whole wheat toast and lightly sprinkle lightly with garlic powder and grated parmesan cheese.

Get creative and have a great summer making your own incredible salads. This is a delicious way to cut back on spending and calories.

Boosting your Meals from Good to GREAT!

Louisiana is known for their delicious food above anything else. People travel from all over the world just to eat there. Food is at the very heart of their culture. Having grown up there and learning from generations of Cajun cooks, I learned many of the secrets that set the dishes there miles apart from anywhere else. Only I didn’t know they were secrets until I moved away and realized that not all food is created equal.

I’m going to share a few simple tricks that will bring all of your meals from good to great.

I’ll start with seasonings. Always add onion powder and garlic powder. Use the same amount of each as you use of salt. They are like a spice trio. Use white pepper as well as black pepper – about ½ and ½. Color is key, add a green dried herb. I recommend parsley or chives.

Let’s talk about substitutions. Use shallots instead of onions. They are stronger and sweeter. Use ½ the amount you would for onion. Use real, unsalted butter instead of margarine. Use evaporated milk instead of regular milk. This one I learned from my Maw-maw Betty. They used to call it canned milk. If you’ve ever tasted her food, you’d try anything to replicate it.

I used to steer clear of recipes calling for cream of yuck soups, but I created a little concoction that can be used in place of the soup. While this has no flavor, the other tips I’ve suggested make up for the artificial flavor in those soup cans. Per can of soup, add 1/4 cup of each of the following butter, flour, and heavy cream. This hint alone will make a world of difference in your cooking.

Do you by-pass recipes that have one or two ingredients that your family doesn’t eat? Make it anyway without those ingredients. If you can, think of a replacement – like bacon for ham, or tomatoes for mushrooms. If you can’t think of a substitution, just leave it out or puree it – i.e. onions, bell peppers and celery. You will be amazed at how good the recipe still is, especially if you use the other tips I’ve offered.

I have a couple of more sure-fire tips for spicing up your dishes (no pun intended.) Dissolve a bouillon cube in any water that you are adding to a recipe. This really brings out the flavor in any dish. And last is to add garlic towards the end of cooking. The flavor fades the longer it is cooked, so you’ll want to add it towards the end.

My favorite example of just what a difference these tips can make is my mashed potatoes. Every one who has ever tried my mashed potatoes thinks they are the best they’ve ever had. My secret – garlic powder and onion powder in addition to salt, dried parsley for color, evaporated milk and real unsalted butter. I also use red potatoes with the skin on for a little extra nutrition and color. These potatoes are proof that any meal can go from good to great in a few simple steps.

Getting kids to eat WITHOUT starting a war!

Do you, like so many parents, cringe when you put dinner in front of your child? Do you brace yourself for the war ahead? Are you convinced your child would starve if you didn’t cave and pop open the can of Chef Boyardee?

My kids, 5 and 6 years old, eat better than most adults. I can’t take all of the credit, but I will share some of the things that have helped me a long the way.

My first suggestion may seem a little too obvious, but what are you serving their food on? At our house, my kids have always had a special plate and bowl set that was only theirs. It usually centers around what they are into at the time. My youngest has been using her princess plate for years and I mean every single day. We also have a very “fancy” vegetable plate. Since it is a “veggie” tray, we can only use it when we want to eat vegetables. They also love to use a toothpick or chop sticks. It’s not always appropriate, but I can almost promise you that if you give a child toothpick to eat with, he will not question what it is he’s eating. Kids love novelty.

Do you have an anti-green eater? There are two ways to combat this. The first is to cook with lots of color. Use red bell peppers or put mandarin oranges in a spinach salad. I have found that the more color there is, the less likely they are to notice the green. Colorful food always tastes better too, for kids and adults. Another trick is to make green desserts – key lime pie, pistachio pudding, or colored rice crispy treats. This is a good way to point out that not all green things are yucky.

I also suggest a last snack call at least 3 hours prior to dinner. Having them good and hungry certainly helps.

I hope these tips help you with your meal time battles. For more tips and lots of kid friendly recipes, visit me at www.menufortheweek.com.