IPESM

One look at a Mediterranean diet review and you realize this is not your mama’s diet! In fact, diet truly is a four letter word when it comes to the Mediterranean diet. It is really more a celebration of life, food, family, and good health. The plan, which was inspired by the people who live in the countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, centers around fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, dairy, nuts, legumes, beans, healthy fat sources like olive oil and avocados, and even a glass of red wine. The lifestyle encourages hard physical work, family meals, and celebration. This eating plan is not about restriction, it’s about living your best life and experiencing the good health that goes along with it. Read the rest of this entry »

I am always looking for ways to organize my home and especially my kitchen.  It seems I never have enough cabinet space and I’m certainly not thrilled when I see clutter building up on my counter tops. There are some things I like to keep handy of course, like my teapot on the stove, my corner canisters with our most-used treats and teas, my blender which I use constantly, and my vegetable juicer. I’ve managed to add a few slide out shelves to place my other small appliances in, plus I found a slanted shelf that is perfect for my spice bottles.  Since I have a center island, I’ve decided to add a wrought iron oval pot rack above it to place my favorite cookware pieces on. Read the rest of this entry »

I have a lot of cookware in my kitchen cabinets. Some of my favorites include my large hard-anodized stockpot that I uses for everything from soups to sauces and my slow cooker that I use for stews, chili and homemade beans.  Another kitchen essential that I especially love is my new Rachael Ray Porcelain Enamel 12 Inch Skillet . It’s not just that it’s so durable and useful, but it looks fantastic too, and cleans up good as new every time I use it. Read the rest of this entry »

A lot of us get by with all sorts of dishes to take our homemade meals on the go. Many of us wrap aluminum foil over our glass bakeware, place it in a bag and simply hope the dish doesn’t slide around the car too much on the way to a gathering. My friend does have a set of covered bakeware that she uses to take her meals and dips to different events, and that is a much better option than using foil. However the best bakeware that I came across for taking my meals on the go is this great Corningware Portable Bakeware set. Read the rest of this entry »

Avid outdoorsmen love to cook outdoors; that is a fact. Whether or not they are just outside on their patio or out in the woods, nothing beats a grilled meal. However sometimes when you are on the go it is difficult to find a grill or turn your campfire into an adequate grilling area. Carrying around odd shaped pans and trays is only a pain when there are more important things to have in your pack, yet carrying your grill with you is more burdensome and ruins all the fun. So the last resort is a portable grill, the best on the market – the Century Matchless Grill Stove. Read the rest of this entry »

With all the hum drum gifts that come and go these days it is really hard to find that perfect out of the ordinary gift that will make her heart sing with joy. All you have to do to find the most romantic and delectable gift of all is do a small Internet search. That search will bring you one of the most classically romantic gifts that has stood the test of time. This gift of course is the gift of chocolate, there is not a woman in the world who can resist this gift. The perfect gift basket for the chocolate lover is the I Love You Celebrations Gift box that contains twelve of the most delectable strawberries that have chocolate swirls on them. Read the rest of this entry »

When I was a little girl, I’d spent Wednesday afternoons with my grandma. Looking back, I think it was just her way of giving my mom a little time to herself to run some errands without having to drag me along. Around 10 or so in the morning, Grandma would start cooking. One of my favorites was this lentil and vegetable soup with dumplings. I just loved that soup better than just about any other meal on this planet – and to be honest, I still feel about it this way. Read the rest of this entry »

My kitchen has a lot of the basic amenities, but I find I am desperately jealous of people who have stove tops with built-in griddles. Weekend or holiday breakfasts and brunches are such a low key, fun time to reconnect with family and friends but when you can only make a couple of pancakes at a time in a conventional pan it does get tiresome when cooking for more than two. I decided to treat myself to a new double burner griddle so now I can quickly dish up large amounts of pancakes, eggs and sausage without dirtying every pan in the kitchen. Read the rest of this entry »