The Cheap Gourmet

The Art of Growing Edible Weeds

Today, I'd like to share "The Art of Growing Edible Weeds"; an article recently published at Yahoo! Contributor Network. As a Featured Food and Wine Contributor for YCN, I've published well over 100 food articles , but haven't shared many of them via The Cheap Gourmet blog.

The other day, I was talking to a friend about cooking with edible weeds and directed her to the article. She called back a few hours later and said she had no idea I had published so many cooking articles and wanted to know why I wasn't sharing them via the blog. Good question!

I'd love to hear your feedback and find out if you would like for me to share more of my cooking articles here. I think I have a lot of good food stories and many of my articles are connected to true life events.

Due to licensing agreement, I can only share part of the article here. However, just click on the link at the end to read the rest of the story. This browser will remain open in case you want to return and continue perusing The Cheap Gourmet blog.

Excerpt from "The Art of Growing Edible Weeds"

Back in the late '90s, I worked as a vegetarian chef at a health food store. The Executive Chef, Leslie, was the poster child of natural living. She took great care in securing  organic food purveyors and carefully inspected every piece of produce that entered the store.

Leslie ordered fresh edible flowers every day to ensure all entrées were accompanied with what she referred to as "gifts from Heaven." She enlisted help from a local farmer and commissioned him to grow edible weeds and medicinal herbs. Every day, he would arrive with an armful of green goodies which had been fertilized using remnants of fruit and vegetable pulp derived from juiced drinks prepared at the store's juicing bar.

Prior to working with Leslie, I considered weeds as a nuisance. As a child, I spent countless hours helping my mom pick weeds out of the garden. Past experience made it difficult for me to understand Leslie's passion for them. That is, until I tried her burdock root stir fry. From that moment on I was hooked.

Click here to read the rest of "The Art of Growing Edible Weeds."

Find more cooking articles at www.KathyBrowning.com.

 

The Cheap Gourmet is Cooking with Emeril Lagasse Cookware

Happy Fat Tuesday Everyone! I am super excited about the arrival of my new set of Emeril Lagasse cookware. It arrived last night; just in time for our Fat Tuesday celebration this evening. The UPS driver pulled up just minutes before I began cooking dinner. I couldn't open the box fast enough!

I engaged in considerable research before purchasing the Emeril Lagasse hard anodized cookware. There has been considerable controversy regarding Teflon coated cookware, aluminum, porcelain and cast iron. It seems that all cookware has something that could leech into our food. Plus, being The Cheap Gourmet, I was looking for budget-friendly cookware that would provide the results I wanted without breaking the bank.

I chose Emeril's anodized cookware because the research indicated this was one of the safest types. My husband explained the process for anodizing aluminum. In a nutshell, aluminum is dipped in a sulfuric acid bath, than exposed to electrical charges which causes the aluminum to oxidize. Afterwards, the sulfuric acid is cooled to 32 degrees Fahrenheit and the electrical charge is increased which in turn hardens the aluminum. It's actually quite a fascinating process.

Anodized cookware appears to be nearly indestructible. It is non-toxic; scratch resistant; can be used in the oven; provides fast, uniform cooking; and is easy to clean. What more could a girl (or guy) ask for?

Last night we had spicy garlic grilled chicken wings, except we deep fried them instead of grilling. The only thing I needed a pan for was to make the hot sauce.

After washing the 2-quart saucepan with warm, soapy water, I added my ingredients and turned the heat to low. Within minutes the butter had melted. I couldn't believe how much faster the cooking time was with my new Emeril cookware!

When I poured the sauce onto the wings, every last drop of sauce poured out of the pan. If you've ever made chicken wing hot sauce, you know it can be rather messy. But, with the Emeril cookware, clean-up was a breeze!

Another nice feature of Emeril's hard anodized cookware is the saucepans have pouring spouts and the lids have built-in strainers. Colanders have always been a pet peeve of mine. While they are great for draining liquids, they can be difficult to clean; particularly the mesh colanders. With the strainer built into the lid, I can eliminate the colander along with the frustration of cleaning it.

Emeril's cookware lids are made of tempered glass, which is a feature I like because it allows me to see the food while it's cooking. My old set of cookware had aluminum lids that required lifting to see the progress. The only downside I can see at this moment is the lids have aluminum handles which can get quite hot, so I need to remember to use a pot holder when lifting them off.

I purchased my set of Emeril cookware through Seventh Avenue. They offer a low-cost payment plan which allows me to extend payments if I desire. I didn't have to pay a dime to receive the cookware and can pay as little as $25 per month. I find this option to be very helpful for cheap people like myself who don't want to shell out big bucks for high quality cookware.

A great place to comparison shop for cookware, kitchen appliances, household goods and just about anything you could ever want to buy is ShopWiki. Simply type in the product name and ShopWiki provides a list of vendors and price ranges; allowing you to find the best deal.

Rest assured there will be plenty of new recipes featuring photos of my new Emeril Lagasse cookware. I have spent half of my morning drooling over recipes presented at Emerils.com. It's hard to decide which recipe to start with.

Perhaps I should embark on The Cheap Gourmet and Emeril cook-athon and cook nothing but Emeril recipes for a month or two. From the looks of the recipes on his website, I'm pretty certain my husband and I would be perfectly content eating Emeril recipes prepared in our Emeril cookware! And, Emeril, if you're reading this, thank you for the outstanding cookware. I LOVE it!

Thanksgiving Menu Ideas, Recipes, Cooking Tips and How-To Video Resources

Tired of the same ole' Thanksgiving menu? Ready to venture out and try new and exciting recipes? In need of cooking tips or searching for how-to videos that provide step-by-step cooking instructions? If so, you'll love the following Thanksgiving menu ideas and cooking resources!

For years, our family Thanksgiving menu consisted of roasted turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, noodles, the infamous green bean casserole, freshly baked rolls along with at least one pumpkin pie and one pecan pie.

This year we are joining friends for a Thanksgiving feast and I have been searching for unique dessert and side dish recipes. The following holiday cooking resources have helped me locate a variety of delicious, nutritious and healthy recipes. My biggest problem now is deciding which ones to prepare! I hope these resources help you locate recipes to complement and enhance your Thanksgiving meal!

Thanksgiving Menu Ideas, Recipes, Cooking Tips and How-To Video Resources

Every Day with Rachel Ray – Rachel Ray is infamous for creating recipes suited for home cooks who don't have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen. Her website is packed with recipes for all occasions and includes a special section devoted to Thanksgiving.

At Every Day with Rachel Ray you'll find recipes for starters, sides, turkey, stuffing, soups, desserts and drinks. How-to videos are available and include: How to prep a turkey for roasting; how to carve a turkey; how to make stuffing; how to make gravy; how to make easy mashed potatoes; how to make an easy lattice pie; and much more!

Cooking.com – Here you will discover a vast database of recipes for every occasion. From breakfast, lunch and dinner to party planning and holiday fare, Cooking.com is a one-stop resource for recipes, cooking tips, kitchen gadgets and more!

Click on the Holidays and Parties link to locate complete menu planners or individual recipes. Wow your guests with unique pumpkin recipes such as Pumpkin Maple Crème Brulée, Pumpkin Walnut Cake or Pumpkin Gingersnap Cheesecake. Go beyond traditional Thanksgiving casserole dishes by whipping up Pear and Red Onion Gratin, Whipped Sweet Potato Bake, or Canadian Bacon, Potato and Swiss Chard Gratin.

Campbell's Kitchen – Manufacturer of America's favorite soups, Campbell's Kitchen provides 115 holiday recipes certain to please even the pickiest eaters. From Skinny Mashed Potatoes to Sausage Walnut Stuffing and Herb Roasted Turkey to Brie en Croute, Cambell's Kitchen offers affordable and easy-to-prepare recipes practically guaranteed to make your Thanksgiving feast memorable.

Be certain to download Campbell's Kitchen Free Holiday Planner which includes all the recipes you'll need for the holidays and the leftovers to follow!

Eat Better America – Locating healthy holiday recipes can be challenging, but Eat Better America provides a vast assortment of great tasting, nutritious recipes that are low in calories while bursting with flavor.

Indulge in French classics such as Turkey Ratatouille or Italian favorites such as Turkey and Spinach Manicotti. Savor the intoxicating flavors of Thyme-Roasted Turkey Breast or save time by preparing the Slow Cooker Turkey Breast Stuffed with Rice.

Eat Better America recipe selections include: breakfast and brunch, appetizers and snacks, dinner, sides, breads, desserts and drinks. Take a moment to subscribe to their newsletter and receive diet, nutrition and fitness tips; discover simple ways to eat healthy; and obtain a variety of money saving coupons.

Cooking Club of America – Discover dozens of Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner recipes perfect for sharing with family and friends. Recipe categories include: Appetizers, Breads and Rolls, Cranberry Sauces and Relish, Salads, Stuffing and Dressing, Sweet Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes and Vegetarian Side Dishes.

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Best Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe Resources

Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching and many of us are in need of outstanding recipes that will impress our guests and provide a moist, tender turkey. Today, I'd like to share my favorite Thanksgiving turkey recipe resources and hope they help you find the perfect recipe for your holiday feast.

Top Five Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe Resources:

Food Network – The Food Network provides dozens of turkey recipes, along with appetizers, side dishes, stuffing and dressing, side dishes, salads and desserts. Thanksgiving turkey recipes include: Roasted Turkey with Citrus Rosemary Salt; Oven Roasted Turkey Breast with Leeks; Paula Deen's Turkey with Maple Cranberry Glaze; Bobby Flay's Apple-Sage Glazed Grilled Whole Turkey; and Alton Brown's Turkey with Stuffing.

AllRecipes.com– Here you will discover how to make the infamous deep-fried turkey, along with recipes for BBQ turkey, smoked turkey, classic stuffed turkey, the best "Ugly Turkey", easy herb turkey and the "World's Best" turkey!

Butterball provides the Turkey Talk Line each weekday between the hours of 8am to 8pm. The Butterball website provides tips and how-to ideas for roasting, broasting, grilling and baking whole turkeys, turkey legs, wings and breasts. Butterball is currently offering a $2.00 discount coupon for any fresh or frozen whole Butterball turkey. Offer expires 12/31/09.

EatTurkey.com offers a wealth of turkey recipes and resources to create a successful holiday meal. Here you'll find prep tips and cooking times, holiday menu planners, roasting procedures, how to choose the proper roasting pan, how to carve a turkey, and storage and preparation safety guides.

Real Simple is one of my favorite resources for obtaining all types of recipes. In the spirit of the holidays, Real Simple offers a vast array of turkey recipes including tips for how to host a Thanksgiving Potluck dinner.

Real Simple offers more than 50 Thanksgiving recipes including: Basic Roast Turkey, Maple Glazed Turkey, Roast Turkey with Sage Stuffing and Gravy, and Turkey with Molasses Butter. You'll also have access to recipes for homemade gravies, stuffing, dressings, breads and biscuits, cranberries, beans, spinach and greens, salads, squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes, vegetables and desserts.

Take a moment to subscribe to The Cheap Gourmet mailing list to receive more holiday tips and recipes, along with future giveaways. We have lined up some amazing sponsors who will be offering exclusive giveaways to The Cheap Gourmet readers.

Simply enter your email address in the subscription box on the right sidebar. We never sell, rent, trade or giveaway your contact information and only contact you when new articles and announcements are published.

Thank you for being part of The Cheap Gourmet family. We wish you a happy holiday season and a wonderful Thanksgiving!

P.S. Don't forget to download your complimentary "Healthy Holiday Thanksgiving Menu Planner" below:

Download Healthy Holiday Cooking Thanksgiving Recipe Collection 2009

How to Make a Cupcake Cake for any Occasion

How to Make a Cupcake Cake for any Occasion

Last weekend my husband and I attended a birthday celebration for friends who were both turning 60. Being such a milestone birthday, friends and family organized a semi-surprise party and planned a feast for royalty.

In July, I ordered mini cupcake pans from Easy Bakeware, which I had not had a chance to try out. Several years ago, another friend of mine taught me how to make cupcake cakes. The guest list included several children and I thought mini cupcakes would be a great way to keep them away from the "grown-up" cake until it was ready to be served.

I was preparing several dishes for the party and needed to save a little time, so I purchased boxed cake mixes and canned icing. Overall, I baked about 225 mini cupcakes. Although I only had two 12-cupcake mini muffin pans, the Easy Bakeware made the process a breeze!

I used mini muffin paper baking tins and filled each about 2/3rd's full of batter. Baking time per batch was 13 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. I used three types of cake batter - French Vanilla, Dark Chocolate and Butter Chocolate. The Butter Chocolate was by far my favorite; although all of them were quite tasty and addicting!

Next, I cut a cardboard moving box into a 24"x18" rectangle and covered it with foil. I had purchased decorative letters and colored sprinkles at the store. For the cupcakes used for the mini cupcake cake, I spread the icing evenly using a small icing knife, then placed one letter on each mini cupcake.

 

As  you can see, I used white frosting for the cupcakes with letters. It reads: "Happy 60th Birthday Maeme and Carl". I alternated flavors on each row. The first, third and fifth row are French Vanilla cupcakes, while the second and fourth rows are chocolate cupcakes.

Using some of the extra mini cupcakes, I created little islands on the sides to fill in the extra space. I purchased paper palm trees attached to a toothpick. These palm trees gave me fits because they had this teeny-tiny square adhesive covered in paper. The paper had to be removed and the palm trees stretched out and attached to the other side. Considering it was 4am when I was finishing up this cake, not all the palm trees came out uniformly. As they say, it's the thought that counts!

 

I used the butter chocolate mini cupcakes to create the islands and used a piping bag to swirl the icing. I placed 3 to 4 "island" cupcakes together and then placed one on top of the stack to create the illusion of an island. I then used white icing to pipe around the edges of the cardboard and topped with colored sprinkles. 

This was my first attempt at making a cupcake cake and while it isn't perfect, it was certainly a huge hit at the party. I placed the remaining cupcakes on dessert trays and when we departed the party, I noticed only 3 were left. The cupcake cake was completely devoured.

Not only was the cupcake cake a lot of fun to make, it didn't take much time and the guests absolutely loved it. Homemade gifts are always a great way to make people feel special. Even though I used boxed cake mixes, I could not have been more pleased with the final product.

If you are wondering how I transported the cake, I simply covered it loosely with foil. The palm trees helped keep the foil off the icing. I drive a Toyota Rav4, so the cardboard platform fit perfectly in the tailgate area. We drove extra careful to make certain we didn't need to make any sudden stops or take corners on two wheels ;-)

The possibilities of cupcake cakes are endless. Grocery stores, dollar stores, and party stores carry a wide range of novelty items that can be used to create all kinds of theme cakes. If you don't own a pasty bag and piping tips, you can place icing inside a sandwich bag and snip one corner off. Piping the icing on the cupcakes is considerably more efficient than using an icing spreader.

After using the EasyBakeware muffin pan, I can honestly say that I will be converting ALL my bakeware to this brand. The pans are made from silicone (I think!) and are super easy to clean. The muffins popped out easily and there was little mess to clean up.

EasyBakeware is currently offering FREE bakeware. You can receive any piece of bakeware for free, but will have to pay the shipping cost of $7.95. I've seen this type of bakeware in stores and the average retail price is $19.95 to $24.95 per piece!

If you're like me and love to bake, I highly recommend giving EasyBakeware a try. Click on the banner below and take advantage of the free offer before it's too late.

BravoForFoodies.com

I missed the last two episodes of Top Chef and went to BravoTV.com to find out who won. If you're like me and didn't see the winner, it was Hung. Personally, I wasn't all that fond of Hung's personality, but he was definitely very focused and has an incredible passion for cooking. I was rooting for Casey, but Hung was deserving too. Oh well, life goes on...

While at Bravo's website, I discovered the BravoforFoodies.com website, which is packed with all kinds of cooking info. You can find all kinds of Foodie blogs including The Chocolate Blog, Rocco DiSpirito's blog and Tom Colicchio's blog. There's a recipe finder which includes many of the Top Chef recipes. If you salivated over Hung's food, there are several of his recipes posted.

If you like Match Games, check out the Memory Match and Foodie Match. I found the Foodie Match to be easier than the Memory Match. Once you play a round of either game, you'll have access to additional match games. I'll warn you that it's a little addicting, so don't start if you don't have a little time to play.

The recipes are the highlight of the website. There's a recipe for Berry Cheesecake in the Desserts section that is calling my name. Go check it out and grab your favorite Top Chef recipes at www.BravoForFoodies.com.

Pairing Wine with Food - Part I

The purpose of pairing wine with food is to compliment and enhance the aroma and flavor of both the food and wine. In the past, the general rule of thumb was to pair red wine with red meat and white wine with white meat. Today, wine pairing is based on the components and flavors of the food being served.

There are a few basic guidelines to follow when pairing wine with food. First, pair the flavor of the wine with the flavor of the food being served. Pair delicate wines with delicate flavors, medium-bodied wines with medium to slightly intense flavors, and heavy-bodied wines with strongly flavored foods.

To make wine more compatible with foods, pair wines that imitate the flavor of the sauce. For instance, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel pair well with tomato-based sauces. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon pair well with herb and mint sauces. Pinot Noir pairs well with mushroom sauces and Chardonnay pairs well with butter and cream sauces.

When serving wine with food, look for wines which are low in acidity as this will prevent the wine from overpowering the taste of the food. One way to mask the acidity is to serve red wine at a slightly cooler temperature and white wine at a slightly warmer temperature.

Sparkling wines are not typically served with food and reserved for consumption prior to or after the meal. Sweet wines are generally served with desserts.

The most common white and rose wine varietals include: White Zinfandel, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Fumé Blanc, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay.

The most common red wine varietals include: Gamay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel.

Perhaps the best method for pairing wine and food is to use your own palate. Experiment with different combinations to discover what makes a perfect pairing for you.

How to Store Fresh Herbs

How to Store Fresh Herbs

There's no doubt about it -- fresh herbs offer a more bountiful flavor than dried herbs. However, with fresh herbs you don't have the luxury of keeping them on the shelf in the pantry. Whether you've grown your own fresh herbs or purchased them from the store, it's important to properly store them in order to retain their freshness.

Fresh herbs should be stored in the refrigerator. If you're able to use them within 1-2 days, simply rinse the herbs, wrap loosely in a paper towel, and place in a perforated plastic bag. Store in the crisper drawer.

To keep herbs fresh for up to one week, you'll want to snip the ends at a diagonal, then place the stems in in a jar of water and cover with a plastic bag. Store on refrigerator shelf. Just use caution, as the glass jar might tip over and cause a mess!

To keep herbs fresh for more than one week, place the herbs in a plastic zip-top storage bag. Gently press out excess air, then store in the freezer.

One of my favorite herb-saving tricks is to lightly chop the herbs and put them in an ice-cube tray. Fill the tray with water and freeze. Store the cubes in a freezer bag and pop one or two into the food dish you are making.

I like to make a variety of herb trays. For instance, I'll make one or two trays each of Italian, Mexican, and American herbs. If I'm making lasagna, I can grab a cube or two from the Italian freezer bag. If I'm making Mexican lasagna, I can grab a cube or two from the Mexican freezer bag. If I'm making American Chili, I will grab some cubes from the American freezer bag. You'll be amazed how much time this will save you in the kitchen!

How to Read a Recipe

Last week, I asked my teenage daughter to look up a recipe for me. She was attempting to read the ingredients, but unfamiliar with the measuring abbreviations used. Shocking, I know! However, it dawned on me that if my own kid didn't know how to read a recipe, there were probably lots of other folks who don't know how to read one either.

That prompted me to write a step-by-step guide to preparing any recipe, which I have published at my Associated Content Portfolio. If you struggle with reading recipes, "How to Read a Recipe" will take you by the hand and help you understand the jargon. You'll learn about different cooking techniques, cooking equipment, cooking measurements, food preparation terminology, cooking and baking temperatures, and more.

Click here to read the full 6-page "How to Read a Recipe".

I invite you to peruse my entire Associated Content writing portfolio at www.KathyBrowning.com. You'll find additional recipes and cooking articles that are not available on The Cheap Gourmet blog. Thanks for reading! I hope you benefit from the articles.

Guide to Organic Cooking

Guide to Organic Cooking Cookbook

This ebook is phenomenal! It contains dozens of scrumptious recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with recipes for delectable drinks and decadent desserts.

In addition to all these yummy tastebud exploding foods, the Guide to Organic Cooking Cookbook includes tips for growing your own herb garden, suggestions for growing an organic vegetable garden and secret composting tips!

As if that weren't enough, when your order today you'll also receive THREE bonus gifts AND the audio version of the cookbook. What's great about having the audio book is that you can listen to it while you are cooking. It's like having a chef on your shoulder!

Click here to take advantage of this special offer and order your copy of the Guide to Organic Cooking Cookbook today!

NOTE: Guide to Organic Cooking Cookbook is sold through Clickbank; an internationally-acclaimed digital products provider. Clickbank products are backed by a 100-percent, 30-day money back guarantee. If you are ever dissatisfied with your purchase, Clickbank will refund your money in full with no questions asked.

Food Wishes Video Recipes

I recently found an amazing cooking blog. It's called Food Wishes Video Recipes and it's owned by Chef John. This blog features step-by-step cooking videos for American Classics, Asian and French Cuisine, Desserts, Dressings, Pasta, Poultry and much more. It truly is a feast for the eyes!

At Food Wishes Video Recipes you will find an ever-growing collection of mouth-watering gourmet recipes including. A few of the delectable creations include:

Chicken Breasts with Herbs de Provence and Mushrooms
Braised Chicken and Artichoke Hearts with Lemon, Cherry Peppers and Thyme
Mascarpone Brulee with Fresh Berries

If you love to cook, you're going to love this Food Wishes Video Recipes. Be sure to thank Chef John for sharing his cooking secrets!

Click here to visit Food Wishes Video Recipes blog.

Rules for Healthy Eating

If you are confused about what to eat, you are not alone! Every day we are bombarded with ads about the latest fad diet and conflicting information about what is healthy and what is not. In today’s fast-paced society, it’s easy to get sucked in to the fast-food lifestyle because we simply do not have the time or energy to prepare our meals.

On the flip side, by living this lifestyle we are robbing our bodies of precious nutrients, which will give us the vibrant health and energy we desire. Eating well is not difficult and the benefits of taking the time to properly fuel your body is worth the investment. By following a few simple rules, you can experience a wide range of benefits including more energy, better sleep, and less stress.

I invite you to read "Rules for Healthy Eating"; an exclusive article I wrote for Associated Content. Feel free to browse my entire Associated Content writing portfolio at www.KathyBrowning.com. You'll find a variety of recipes, cooking tips, nutrition and health articles and restaurant reviews.

Red, White and Blue Recipes for the 4th of July!

It's not too late to plan a bodacious red, white and blue menu for your 4th of July celebration. The Recipe Zaar offers an abundance of deliciously delightful concoctions that are certain to please your family and guests. You'll find everything from 4th of July Margaritas to Red, White and Blue Burgers and plenty of taste bud exploding desserts

If you've never been to Recipe Zaar, you are missing out! Not only will you find thousands of mouth-watering recipes, you'll also be able to interact with other home cooks and chefs in the Recipe Zaar community, share your own recipes, and save recipes in a personal cookbook. Go check them out at www.RecipeZaar.com and sign-up for your free account today!

Photo by RecipeLink.com

Cooking Terms and What They Mean

The following "Cooking Terms and What They Mean" is a video produced in the 1950s. Although it is rather comical, it also provides much-needed cooking knowledge. As a child of the 50s, watching this brought back many memories. Ladies, we truly have come a long way!

All-Foods-Natural.com Review

All-Foods-Natural.com Review

One of the best things about writing this blog is conducting research and locating gourmet food resources. I don't know which I love more -- cooking or researching about cooking ;-) Today, I stumbled across All Foods Natural at www.all-foods-natural.com.

Their slogan is, "Gourmet meals using natural herbs, spices, condiments and flavorings". Caught my interest, so I spent time digging around. It's a fabulous website. You should check it out.

They offer a free newsletter and when you subscribe you receive a free copy of "Tea Tips and Advice". If you're a writer, you can submit food articles which might be selected for publication in their newsletter or on their website. They invite readers to submit their favorite recipe. If your recipe is selected for publication, you win a prize.

In addition to all the free goodies, you'll find sensational recipes, practical cooking tips, and sound nutrition advice. They have an article library and newsletter archive where you can find valuable information. For instance, here is one article I found of particular interest...

Six Essential Points to Improve Your Brain Power Through Diet.

If you don't have much time right now, visit their site and subscribe to their newsletter.

Saveur Magazine

Saveur Magazine is one of my all-time favorites. Not only will you find magnificent recipes, you'll also learn about the history of foods, discover secret cooking tips, and read food articles that will spark your imagination and inspire you to create new dishes in your own kitchen.

Order a one-year subscription to Saveur Magazine by clicking on the link below. Doing so will net you an annual savings of 56-percent. You will receive 9 issues of Saveur Magazine, with a fresh issue delivered straight to your mailbox every six weeks. To learn more about Saveur Magazine or to start your subscription, click on the link below.

Eating Well Magazine

Introducing Eating Well Magazine

Oftentimes people associate gourmet cooking to rich, calorie-laden foods. While this can be true, gourmet cooking can also include delicious, healthy foods. Eating Well Magazine is an excellent resource for learning how to incorporate healthy foods that actually taste good into your diet.

A one-year subscription of Eating Well Magazine is a mere $14.97. This consists of 6 issues for about $2.50 each. Quite a bargain, wouldn't you agree?

Each issue is packed with healthy recipes, cooking tips, product suggestions and more. Give it a try. If you don't like it, you can cancel your subscription, so you really have nothing to lose.

To start your subscription and begin eating well click on the banner below.

Ten Things I Love About the Food Network

If you love cooking as much as I do, chances are good you are familiar with the Food Network. If not, be sure to visit their website at FoodNetwork.com. Not only do I spend way too many hours watching their incredible line-up of cooking shows, I also spend too much time at their website.

The problem is the Food Network is addictive. There is an abundance of good stuff and from the look of things, they update their website on a regular basis. There's always new stuff to learn and new recipes to try. I'm certain you'll find an abundance of things to love about the Food Network too. To help you get started, I've compiled a list of my ten favorite things...

1. Bobby Flay - The star of "Boy Meets Grill" and "Throwdown with Bobby Flay". I love both these shows, but think Boy Meets Grill must be on hiatus because it hasn't been on for awhile. Bobby is just downright cute and fun to watch. Who knows, maybe someday I'll meet him in person??
2. Everyday Italian - Giada De Laurentiis is the hostess and she is adorable. She offers easy and delicious Italian recipes. You simply must check out her recipe selection on the Food Network website. Marvelous-O!
3. Ace of Cakes - Duff Goldman is the host, but his entire team of bakers are frequently spotlighted in the show. They create the most incredible cakes on the planet. Oh, to have that kind of talent!
4. Unwrapped - Marc Summers hosts this educational and entertaining show that takes you behind-the-scenes to see how stuff is made. They recently toured "Hungry Howie's" which is a pizza delivery company that we order from all the time. Unwrapped features all kinds of crazy stuff, so be sure to watch an episode or two.
5. Challenges - These shows are competitions between chefs who are competing for a large check -- usually around $10,000. The challenges have included gingerbread houses, theme cakes, cakes made from rice cereal, and sugar sculpture competitions, to name a few. It's amazing to see what these chefs and bakers are able to create out of food.
6. Tasty Travel - This section of the Food Network website is really cool. It contains listing of restaurants in major cities around the globe. On each city page you'll find information about various restaurants, travel tips, links to hotels, recipes and more. It's quite informative!
7. Kitchen Design - Currently, we're planning a kitchen remodel and I have spent hours exploring this section of the Food Network website. You can learn everything you need to know - from choosing the best paint color to installing a sink. You can watch how-to videos, read articles, and even purchase products online. It's a beautiful thing!
8. Cooking - Everything you could possibly ever want to know about cooking can be found in this section of the Food Network website. And I do mean EVERYTHING! From cooking with your kids to holiday baking, you'll find recipes, cooking videos, cooking encyclopedia and tons more. Even if you have never boiled water, the Cooking section can quickly turn you into a gourmet cook!
9. Contests and Offers - The Food Network is always offering some kind of cool contest or sweepstakes. The grand prize always involves something related to cooking. It might be a cooking vacation, an opportunity to meet one of the network's chefs, or winning a kitchen remodel or set of professional cookware. The prizes are always great and I hope to win big one of these days!
10. The Food Network Store - Here's an easy place to melt your plastic. Everything you could possibly want can be found in the online store. You can order products offered by your favorite cooking celeb. Love Emeril's spices? You can order them online. How about Paula Deen's recipes? You can order her cookbooks directly from the website. If you're ever stuck for a gift idea, hop on over to the Food Network Store and your shopping problem will be solved.

These are my top ten. Feel free to let me know what your favorite aspect of the Food Network is. I know there are a lot of you who love the network as much as I do. I'd love to hear from you!

Gourmet Cooking Salts

Gourmet Cooking Salts

Do your friends refer to you as a "salt-aholic"? If so, you're not alone. Millions of people love the taste of salt on their food -- me included! I subscribe to the Whole Foods Market newsletter. Their recent issue featured salts of the earth. It's an interesting and informative article that helped me learn more about the various types of salt available. Click here to read "Salts of the Earth."

If you're looking for a place to purchase gourmet cooking salts, check out Faerie's Finest. You'll also find a nice selection of gourmet peppercorns, seasonings, flavored sugars and teas, cocoas, gourmet gifts and more!