This month the Eat Well and Spend Less series was all about entertaining in the summer months. Planning a get-together? Here are a few tips to help make your entertaining easier, as well as a chance to win a SodaStream Crystal Machine to make entertaining at home a breeze. Funny as I write this that I have just returned home from a weekend in Pennsylvania for Big Summer Potluck where I was treated by Pam Anderson of Three Many Cooks and her gorgeous daughters, Maggy and Sharon, opening their doors... more

A few weeks ago I headed out to New York. I was there with Hellmann’s Club Sandwich to participate in a media event with Bobby Flay for the Build the Perfect Sandwich campaign. I had the chance to sit down with Bobby and ask a few questions, and he also signed his Burgers, Fries and Shakes cookbook for me to give away here on Food for My Family along with a 4-person picnic set! Upon arriving in New York, of course the first thing I did was hook up with Amber from Bluebonnets and Brownies... more

This past February at Blissdom I met Stephanie from Keeper of the Home, and I instantly realized that we had a few things in common, the least of which being we both strive to raise our families on a diet that consists of real food. In Stephanie’s book Real Food on a Real Budget: How to Eat Healthy for Less she starts by taking a look at your family’s budget. She shares tips on meal planning and gardening, and she even takes a long look at how to make couponing work on a “real... more

Yesterday I planted my garden. Finally. I planted tomatoes, herbs, squash and cucumbers. I got dirt on my clothes and my hands. There was SUN. Today, I’m giving away an apron in preparation for all the splatters and spills that will come as my garden grows. Flirty Aprons sent me this adorable cherry blossom apron, and I was instantly in love. In truth, I’ve never owned an apron, and it wasn’t because I didn’t need one. Evidence can be seen in full effect during the... more

My blog had its first birthday, and to celebrate, I’m giving away cookbooks to you, the readers, the ones that keep me coming back. It all started with a post on carrot cake, and 219 posts later, here I am, one year into this not-as-new venture and a crash behind me even! As I was writing this post (the first time) my host updated a few things (read: deleted) and magically all 219 posts disappeared. I was less than impressed with the magic trick. But all was well by the afternoon when my... more

The winner is #19, jessica c!! Congratulations, Jessica. I’ll be emailing you. Thanks to everyone who participated! If you didn’t know, I’m pretty excited about menu planning. I’ve talked about how we plan our menu and why we plan a menu, and I share the weekly menu each Sunday. It is definitely something that makes it easier to juggle sports schedules, homework and our own social commitments. Once-a-Month Cooking Family Favorites is the follow up to the original Once-a-Month... more