Kitchen Scoop Blog

If you hear a slightly off-tune version of "I can see clearly now...," that's me, singing until my heart's content. Only I'm changing the second line to " the grime is gone...." instead of rain.

I, for the first time ever, am paying someone to wash my windows. And it is glorious.

My only disappointment is that I haven't been hiring folks for the last 30 years to do it.

I would have done it myself, this time too, if I'd had a ladder. The big extension ladder went with all the other stuff at the yard sale before I moved. And my little 3-step stool isn't tall enough to get me to the tops of my big beautiful windows.

Of course I looked into buying another ladder, being the do-it-yourself girl that I am. But quickly found out I could hire someoone to wash them for me for less than I could buy a big ole ladder I wouldn't have anywhere to store when I was done using it.

Cooking ahead may seem like a daunting task. Cooking one meal is sometimes overwhelming, how do you cook for several at the same time? But what if I told you with only a 15-minute time investment, you could have dinner simmering for tonight and possibly several more meals down the road?
Batch cooking the protein speeds dinner to the table faster than you can call for takeout, and it so much healthier to boot. Today’s Italian Stewed Beef is a Crock Pot wonder that can simmer on your counter top all day. The tender, flavorful beef can then be served atop your favorite cheese ravioli tonight for dinner. Leftovers refrigerate for up to four days, or will freeze for up to three months. That means dinner is just minutes away another night, too.

There's a chill to the air today and I'm excited. Chilly air means chili simmering on the stove to my mind. I simply adore chili and thick, stick-to-your-bones stews, but when it's 70 degrees outside, I have a hard time mustering up an appetite for them. So when the weatherman predicted cooler temperatures today, I knew what I was cooking!

The terrific thing about this recipe is that it only takes 20 minutes, even when the chicken is frozen. Yep! Classic Desperation Dinner in 20 minutes flat.

It's 4:30 pm. I haven't had lunch, it's too early for dinner and I've had to leave the house for the bug man to spray and can't go back for four hours. I'm in a new city, knowing exactly zero people and I'm craving pizza. What's a girl to do, but go get her some pizza? So I find myself sitting in a pizza/pub restaurant (Slice of Life in Wilmington, NC) with seven men, a very young and cute female waitperson, Heather, and a cook.

Not having anyone to talk to, I am trying not to be obvious as I eavesdrop on the conversations that surround me.

What else brings these people into the restaurant at this hour? One man, flirts with Heather, one minute telling her how cute she is and the next telling her he is married like that makes his obnoxiousness OK. Another two men are deep in a low-toned conversation, oblivious to the happenings around them. The other four joke and talk loudly about life's minutia while sipping on their beers. The music plays loudly over the restaurant speakers making all the conversation seem to blend in some kind cosmic chorus.

I'm sitting separated from them all, watching, listening, sipping my wine, water (no ice) and nibbling my delicious pizza. And typing the scene into my computer.

Now that we are solidly into the biggest gift-giving season of the year, I wanted to post a treat that is as wonderful to share as it is to keep and enjoy at home. My Maple-Pecan Granola is an inexpensive treat to bake, package and give to anyone on your list. And you’ll want to make a couple extra batches for house guests, for sure.
I love granola sprinkled on cooked oatmeal or cereal, by itself with fresh berries and milk or stirred into my favorite yogurt. It’s one of those items you can add to a breakfast buffet for guests that adds a special touch to a usual spread. And later in the day, it makes an awesome ice cream topper. When I want to get really fancy, I layer it with plain Greek yogurt, drizzle with honey and top with fresh raspberries as in today’s serving suggestion.

Christmas cookies. Those two words evoke all kinds of memories for everyone. Even if you don't celebrate Christmas. You can't watch TV, go to the grocery store or open a magazine without being bombarded by Christmas cookie images.

Today, I'm including my favorite recipes all in one spot for your cookie baking pleasure.The picture above is homemade sugar cookies, cut into stars and dusted with powdered sugar for a magical Christmas effect. The only secret to any cookie recipe is measuring correctly. Your dry ingredients should be lightly spooned into a dry cup measure. Liquid ingredients measured in a wet measure while it is sitting flat on the counter or table. Yes, a tablespoon too much flour or liquid can ruin a cookie.

I've been making this easy fudge recipe for years and giving it away as a food gift to my friends. So far no one has complained about monotony. So today marks the beginning of the fudge making. No marble slab needed for this ultra simple recipe that comes from Kraft Creative Kitchens.

This year I'm swirling in toasted walnuts (I snagged a two pound bag at my local warehouse store for under $10!). Sliced and boxed in small pastry boxes with waxed paper, it looks like it comes from the gourmet fudge shop. A shiny ribbon, and it's done. Instant food gift beauty. Only you know it was at a fraction of the cost!

Sometimes when I see a "convenience item" in the grocery that I have been making myself for years, I say a little - "uh huh" and smile great big. It's like I had some revoltionalry culinary secret that the manufacturers finally caught wind of and are now making thousands on. So the thousands are not mine, but the convenience and cost savings still is.

I've been cooking extra rice for years and freezing the extras for meals down the road. Cooking or steaming if you'd prefer the term, rice is easy. (I'm not a big rice cooker fan, frankly never saw the benefit of it, I simply haven't ever had difficulty cooking rice. But if you have and fret over perfect timing or burnt or mushy rice, rice cookers can be a solution.) But either way, it's just not that hard or time consuming to cook an extra cup or two or rice and freeze.

For the second time in less than two years, I've moved again. Seems like I should be getting pretty good at it.

If you've moved recently you know the headache and expense moving, especially to another city, can be. But I'm seriously trying to focus on the positive. Setting up my new space is an opportunity to clean out, simplify and tighten up.

Do you have leftover turkey from Thanksgiving? What's your favorite way to serve the leftovers? Turkey sandwiches? Tetrazini? Soup or salad?