We’re talking about the ins and outs of freezer smoothies that are practically packable for school lunches for this month’s back-to-school Eat Well, Spend Less. Everything is back-to-school this month. While my kids don’t go back until after Labor Day, I know that in some parts of the country school is already back in session. Even with weeks to go before our launch date, the store aisles proudly proclaim the dawn of a new year of education. Brightly colored folders and boxes of... more

This month for Eat Well, Spend Less we’re looking at saving time in the kitchen. See how I tackle the family dinner debacle and win a copy of Jessica’s new book: Not Your Mother’s Make-Ahead and Freeze Cookbook. The time is four o’clock. Children have arrived from school. Lunches need to be unpacked, backpacks checked for homework. There are things on the calendar for the evening, and sometime tonight you’d actually like to place your head on the pillow that resides... more

How to make crisp and evenly cooked bacon in the oven without all the grease splatters and mess of frying it on the stove. Pin It Bacon. Have you ever noticed that bacon has the ability to instantly trigger a response in your brain? Its salty goodness reaches to the recesses of your mind, and you are transported to a time other than the one you’re in. My personal bacon memory sends me back to six years old. I’m sitting in my grandma’s kitchen at the breakfast bar, knees tucked... more

Getting ready to grill for a group? We have you covered, with tips for preparing, a free barbecue e-cookbook and downloadable printables to keep you organized. Oh, and we may also throw in a pretty snazzy giveaway as well. We’re getting ready to host a backyard barbecue this weekend, and we have been busy prepping, planning and playing with recipes. Hosting a barbecue can be overwhelming. In fact, any kind of get-together at your house can be a cause of stress with the cleaning, cooking... more

I tend to get a bit greedy with peaches, as in I buy them by the crate. Last week I realized I was either going to need to eat the remaining 5 pounds I had still to get through that hadn’t been processed to freeze or eaten fresh or baked into muffins. I knew I needed to get them taken care of before I left later this week, so a smoothie-ing they must go. My kids love smoothies, and they love taking them for lunches as well. We round it out with vegetables and hummus and a few cheese squares,... more

If you’ve ever started dinner only to realize that you’re out of one thing or another, then you’ll know how easy it is to give up on dinner and just head for the nearest eating establishment. I mean, you’re going out anyway, right? A well-stocked pantry is one of the first keys to successful home cooking. Why Stock Your Pantry? ::As I stated before, having ingredients on hand means you’re less likely to run to the nearest fast food chain, order takeout, pizza or... more

With our weekly menu on display for everyone to see, it may be hard to believe that we ever eat out, but we do. In fact, there are days when the fast food flows as I sit behind my computer and toil away, leaving no time for the things I enjoy, one of them being spending some quality time in the kitchen, seeing what I create. It’s an easy pattern to fall into, eating out. You worked late and it’s already 6:00. If you just grab something to go, there’s no mess, no time investment... more