Guest Blog by: Midge

In my recent check-ins on Pinterest and throughout the Internet, I keep running into the term “Bento”. And the term has confounded me. What in the world is a bento and would using a bento really benefit my family?

I found this great link ~ CLICK HERE which helped explain the term bento.  According to this article, ["Bento" originates from the Southern Song Dynasty slang term 便當 (pinyin: biàndāng), meaning "convenient" or "convenience."] It can be traced back through history possibly as early as 1185 AD. So, a Bento would basically be a convenient lunch box.

Personally, bento boxes remind me of a “Lunchable” with a bit more pizzazz! They certainly are a clever way to dress up your child’s or husband’s lunch and hopefully bring a smile to their face. I have seen a baby harp seal themed bento with the seals shaped out of sticky rice, a Perry the Platypus sandwich bento, a pretend kid’s sushi bento, and many more. The point of the bento is to create a clever design with your food or shape the food into animals, characters, or something fun. The sky is the limit when it comes to creating these “convenient” lunch bentos!

Midge’s Definition of “bento”:  A small plastic container with a lid containing a cute assortment of cleverly designed food products with the main purpose of sharing a bit of love and happiness with the recipient while they eat lunch or a snack.

So, I started to think about this concept. Would this help my “picky eater”? How creative could I get with a Bento yet still stick to a frugal budget?

First, I had to chose a bento box but I did not buy a box specifically called bento, or just for use as a bento. I ended up picking a plastic container with a lid for about $6 at the local “mart of many discounts”. I also discovered I already had a great separated tray Tupperware container in my cupboard with a lid so it is now also labeled “For Bento Use”.  Click here for some more TIPS ON CHOOSING THE RIGHT CONTAINER FOR YOUR BENTO BOX

I made three different boxes in order to test my bento box theory.

#1 Brontosaurus Bento:

One Word ~ Awesome! This was the first bento design I tried and it worked! It solved the picky eating issue! I merely used a Brontosaurus sandwich design cutter and cut the PB & J sandwich into two pieces. I did not get too creative with the decorations but I merely tried to do something cute then added loads of grapes and carrots. The end result  was that my picky eater ate everything except the four pieces of cucumber I tried to put in for the look of grass ~ lol. (This sweet child also liked the fact that Momma made the dinosaurs talk!)

#2 Bento with a Heart (see 1st picture)

Well, this bento was definitely more of a miss than a hit. I ended up eating it for a snack myself because the wee one just wasn’t too hungry during our recent road trip. But, on the upside, I am now thinking I need to pack my own bento for road trips! It was healthy, delicious, and frugal. It deterred my need to stop off for a quick snack at the gas station. Bonus!

#3 Chocolate Covered Bento

Oh yes, of course, I had to try making one for my husband. I made him a snack bento which actually ended up being a before dinner chocolate appetizer by the time it was completed. I dipped strawberries in melted chocolate and then also did the same with crisp bacon. Mmm . . . yup, say it again . . . chocolate covered bacon. This is a “must try” kind of food item for those of you who may be questioning my taste buds’ logic. Super Yum!

I suppose in retrospect, any time you can pack your own snacks and lunch you will end up saving yourself money. And my wee one definitely loved even the small things I did to make the bento more personable. You don’t need to invest a lot of money but a little bit of time and creativity is required in order to dream up your next bento box theme. And for me, just seeing my little one smile at the small Brontosaurus heads peeking out of the bento was enough motivation to try again!!!

And next time, I may just add a Mento to my bento . . . seriously, couldn’t resist adding this sentence in.  lol

Oh and look… my picky eater’s lunch is almost ALL GONE! Score one for the Bento!

 What is your favorite way to serve lunch to your kids or husband at home or in a lunch box? Have you tried a themed lunch bento? Weigh in with your opinion ~ Is a bento a great frugal choice?

Year of the Carnivore Blog Series

Guest Post by: Midge

I am very intrigued with the RMS Titanic and the stories about the passengers on the boat on that fateful day of April 15, 1912 when the Titanic sunk after colliding with an iceberg. Recently, DRIVE THRU HISTORY posted a copy of the original first class menu of the Titanic and my curiosity was piqued once again. I started to also research the other meals provided on the Titanic for the lower decks and decipher what some of these recipes were all about? You can view the first class menu on this link:  TITANIC FIRST CLASS MENU FOR APRIL 14, 1912

For my “Year of the Carnivore” blog series, I chose to recreate the mutton chops, served to 1^st class passengers, in honor of the 101^st commemoration of the tragic sinking of the Titanic. Mutton is described as an older sheep which many may find odd tasting. I selected some locally-raised lamb chops instead. Never having cooked or eaten lamb before, I really had no idea how to even start planning this meal and serving these chops to my husband. I was grateful the grocery store actually carried this meat and the price was about $4 for each lamb chop, which I was told was a very large bargain.

I have enjoyed each and every meat I have tried to cook this year, yet none of them captured my taste buds like lamb. The aroma of the lamb while it was cooking was simply wonderful and yet at first, I was still a bit shy about tasting my finished product.  After my “just so-so” recipe with the tilapia last month, I was worried that my first trial with lamb would also be my second true recipe “bomb”.

A wonderfully helpful woman at our local grocery store shared her family recipe with me. She allowed me to share her recipe with all of you today. Without her assistance into my wide-eyed lamb ingredient spending spree, I would still be searching the aisles for mint jelly and some odd spices I have never heard of before!

Lamb Chops grilled the old fashioned way:

Butter, basil, garlic, rosemary, and black pepper

I know, I know, I give you absolutely no amounts!!! It was actually the best part of this recipe! I threw a stick of butter into my pan and put about 2-3 cloves of minced garlic (I love garlic) into the pan to marry together with the butter. Then, I placed the lamb chops into the melted butter and spread a bit of basil, rosemary, and black pepper on top of the chops. I let them cook until browned on medium to medium low heat. Then, I turned them over and again sprinkled a bit more of the spices on the back side. But, don’t overdo it! You can always add more spices and you can always add a bit more butter to your pan if you need it too.

Here is a link which will help you to know when your lamb is done cooking:  LAMB 101

It was super delicious! I served it with a side of baby potatoes which had been steamed in butter & garlic, and covered in cheese sauce.  I bought  pre-made bag. I know, I cheated. But, the night I was cooking, I could only handle one made-from-scratch dish at a time. The potatoes were just the right side dish to set off the flavors of the lamb.

Mint Jelly-

About a week later, my husband surprised me by taking me out for dinner. Guess what? I actually ordered lamb off their menu (see first picture above for my view at the table)!! It was delicious and came with a side of mint jelly. Um, I was not sure what to do with the mint jelly but it definitely did not seem to go well with my lamb. I made one big discovery during the meal, I must have done something right because the tastes were very similar.

The potatoes added just the right touch!

For an added extra I was going to make “COCKIE LEEKIE”, which was one of the soups they had listed on the First Class menu that evening, as well. This is a chicken soup which has leeks added in with a julienne of prunes too. But, after a randomly terrible experience with a five onion soup involving way too many leeks and a house that smelled like onions for a week, I decided I would just stick with the lamb.

Because, if you really think about it, why were they serving “leek” soup on a boat anyway? 

If you are interested in trying to cook through the Titanic’s Menu in memory of the 101^st anniversary of this tragic event, click on this link for more detailed recipes and descriptions: MAKING THE 11 COURSE TITANIC FIRST CLASS DINNER MENU. They also make a great recommendation for a book that provides a bit more background into the meals aboard the Titanic: LAST DINNER ON THE TITANIC

Have you ever seen a Titanic Historical exhibit? What captures your attention about this piece of history?

May’s Year of the Carnivore installment ~ What should I make next? I am open to suggestions! 

Bread has been a staple food of every civilization for hundreds and thousands of years. Every continent is filled with varied cultures, each with a unique bread to call its own. While bread has been, and continues to be, an essential component of each culture’s diet, not all breads are the neatly baked white loaves that we have come to know and recognize. Some regions may not use yeast; they may combine flour with rice or other ingredients, bake bread in outdoor ovens, or over open fires. But what cannot be argued is bread’s elemental comfort for families,
no matter where home may be pinpointed on the globe.

As the Israelites wandered in the wilderness, God sustained them every day with “bread from heaven.” (Nehemiah 9:15)

Jesus taught His disciples to pray “Give us this day our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11)
That basic, reassuring, sustenance of bread spans cultures and centuries. During the Passover meal (the Last Supper), Christ broke bread with His disciples. (Matthew 26:26) Today, Christians receive bread when partaking in communion. God provides us with all we need–during the most trying of times–if we allow Him.

Bread, the simplest of foods, can be so rewarding to prepare for our families. One of the most comforting gifts we can give our loved ones is to bake fresh bread. Think back to when you were a child, coming in from playing outside to wash up for supper or walking into the home(s) of family for a Sunday dinner or special occasion. You were immediately hit with the aromas of a meal waiting to be shared. When you smell some of those same foods today, are you taken back to those childhood days? Give your family the gift of good bread baking in the oven and create special memories that resonate in the comfort of homemade goodness.
Are you ready to try? Here’s a basic recipe and instructions. Roll up your sleeves, tie on an apron, and let’s see what we can do.

Basic Bread:
4 cups of bread flour (white bread flour is recommended for first-timers)
1 package or 1 tablespoon of brewer’s yeast (often sold in a strip of 3 packages)
1 cup of warm water plus extra water
salt to taste
1 loaf pan, well greased (typical size is 9x5x3 inches)
large mixing bowl
clean dish towel

Before beginning, warm your oven to about 150 degrees Fahrenheit and turn on the oven light. Once you’ve acquired this temperature, turn off the oven and leave the oven light on.
Depending upon your particular make or model of oven, you may need to remove one of the oven racks to give the dough enough room to rise. Know where you plan to knead your dough (counter top, table top, etc.). Clean and lightly flour this surface. You’ll need to have extra flour available to flour your hands, coat your kneading surface and to add to the dough as you work the ingredients together. Measure one cup of warm water (not hot, but fairly warm) into a narrow bowl. Add the yeast to the water and stir in. Let this rest at least 10 to 15 minutes.
Measure four generous cups of bread flour into a large mixing bowl. Sifting is optional. Add at least two teaspoons but not more than one tablespoon of salt to the flour.

Make a small crater in the center of the flour and slowly add the warm water and yeast mixture. With floured hands, work the flour and water mixture together. Add more water to the flour mixture, a little at a time (about 1 cup), pulling and working the flour with your hands. If the flour remains dry and crumbly, you’ll want to add water, if the flour mixture becomes sticky, you can add more flour back to it a handful at a time. As the dough comes together and forms a ball, it will become smooth to the touch. Transfer the dough from the mixing bowl onto your kneading surface. (You’ll want to take a moment to wash your mixing bowl, then dry and grease it. You’ll be returning the dough to this bowl for rising.)

Continue to dust with flour as needed while you work the dough. Plan on kneading the dough for a good 10 minutes. To knead, you will start with your dough in a rounded disc shape and you can use one or both hands. You will use the heel(s) of your hand(s) to push into the bread dough with a pushing away motion, then pull the top portion of the dough back toward you, folding the dough over and press your heel(s) into it again. Turn the dough and repeat this process over and over until the dough is worked thoroughly and becomes smooth. You can dust the dough with flour to work into the dough if needed. The dough should be elastic but not sticky. If you need a visual example of how to properly knead dough, YouTube has a number of videos available with demonstrations on kneading bread dough. WikiHow has some photos and additional kneading directions as well.

After kneading is complete, neatly round your dough into a large ball and return it to your greased mixing bowl. Cover with a dampened dish towel and place inside your warm oven to rise for 30 to 40 minutes. It should double in size. Grease your loaf pan. Take your bread dough from the oven and return it to your kneading surface. Knead the dough for another 10 to 15 minutes. Shape into a loaf and place in your greased loaf pan. Place the loaf pan inside the warm oven, cover with dampened dish towel and let rise for 30 to 40 minutes, allowing the dough to rise between an inch to two inches above the edges of the loaf pan. Remove dish towel and turn oven on to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake bread on the middle rack for 30 minutes or until golden brown on top and hollow sounding when you tap the crown of the loaf. Remove from oven and allow loaf to cool completely. Tip: To keep the bread crust soft, place a piece of aluminum foil loosely across the top of the loaf (like a piece of paper) while it cools. Enjoy!

This basic recipe can easily be built upon. Consider adding a tablespoon or two of sugar or honey for a bread that is a little sweeter. Drizzle up to ½ cup of olive oil or other type of cooking oil into the dough at the beginning. You can add herbs and garlic as well, and/or brush the top with butter or an egg yolk wash. Experiment on your own, or go to the library and check out some great bread books. Bread baking should never be intimidating. Bread is something you can enjoy preparing for your family and friends.

“I would say to housewives, be not daunted by one failure, nor by twenty. Resolve that you will have good bread, and never cease striving after this result until you have effected it. If persons without brains can accomplish this, why cannot you?” taken from Housekeeping in Old Virginia, edited by Marion Cabell Tyree (originally published in 1878) (Creative Cookbooks 2004).

This excerpt was taken from my back issue Let’s Get Organized For Fiscal Fitness. For additional breadmaking tips (and more!), purchase this single issue HERE. Molly members have this magazine available in your member page (search out January 2009). If you’d like to become a Molly member and save even more, sign up HERE.

Guest Blog by: Midge

Yeast has always seemed like a strange ingredient to me. It seems as if there are so many rules regarding the use of yeast . . .  my brain rises just thinking about it. When I have added it to my bread machine, the requirement stated that the yeast must not touch the water when adding all of the ingredients. So, I put the water into the bread bowl then added the dry ingredients. Lastly, I introduced the yeast by making a small indentation in the flour then pouring the yeast into it like a cup. I do this every time without truly understanding why.

Recently, my husband and I were finally able to purchase a KitchenAid stand mixer. I have wanted to buy one for quite some time.  But, the cost has always been prohibitive. We saved our money, found a great deal, and made the investment. The biggest benefit of this mixer so far has been the variety of food items which I can now create.

The dough hook became quite handy when I tried my hand at making made-from-scratch pizza dough this past weekend. It was amazingly easy and came out better than any other dough I have tried in the past. Here is the simple, yummy recipe I used: BASIC KITCHENAID PIZZA DOUGH.

The one thing which, once again, seemed to catch my attention was the yeast. This recipe called for adding the yeast to the warm water directly and waiting until the yeast was “creamy”. Okay, this is a brand new idea for me. “Creamy yeast”? Yeast already seemed a bit odd to me especially when it “static clings” its little particles together. Yeast is a live fungus – um, ew. But, the yeast did indeed get creamy and I continued on with the project.

While I was letting it rise – for TWO hours- I began to think about yeast in the Bible. I am always brought back to the story of Passover.  The Israelites were going to be delivered out of the Egyptian hands of slavery. They were told to bake bread but not to use yeast because they needed to be able to leave at a moment’s notice. And now, I know why- yeast needs lots of time to make the bread rise.

This week is the time of Passover and today we mark the celebration in the Christian church of the Last Supper. Jesus celebrated the Passover meal with His disciples and washed their feet in a true example of servanthood.  He celebrated God’s deliverance of Israel from the Egyptians just before He would lead God’s deliverance of Jews and Gentiles in His ultimate sacrifice on the cross and resurrection three days later.

So, next time you make your dough, ponder the yeast. You never know where those thoughts may take you…

Happy Easter!  He is risen!

More on: YEAST, YEAST SCIENCE , and PASSOVER HISTORY AND DETAILS

If you get my Friday newsletter, you most likely read Midge’s question about a chic, Easter brunch on a dime (if you don’t get my FREE newsletter be sure and subscribe via the sticky note in the upper right corner). Read below to read my fun (and frugal!) ideas. Molly

Dear Midge,

You had my attention at the word “chic.” Immediately my mind went to the “shabby chic” method of decorating, I’ve loved that look for years! So for once, I’m going to chat about decorating FIRST. . . before food. I know, it surprised me too.

Decorating your home doesn’t have to be expensive, creativity can go a long way! Shabby chic (in my opinion) is all about taking what you have and reusing it to make your space beautiful. When it comes to Easter and decorating your home, why not start with an Easter wreath on your front door? THIS SITE has 9 easy, DIY Easter wreath & garland ideas. There are kid friendly wreath ideas here as well as some sophisticated (chic) ideas. What are your thoughts on this shabby chic, EASTER WREATH?

Looking for some Easter themed decor to use as a center piece for the table or for around the house? Check out THIS SITE, you’ll find many Easter-inspired crafts there using eggs as the main attraction. THIS EGG SHELL ART is one of my favorites. While I think it would take some time and patience to complete this project, how beautiful would these be in a small bowl as an Easter decoration?

Now. . . on to chic, brunch ideas. One of my favorite things to say is “be fabulously frugal!” That statement is the exact thing that came to mind when I saw THIS SITE and all of the yummy, (and cute!) Easter brunch ideas.  If you scroll down the page a bit (#18 and #19), you’ll come across certain foods that may be on your mind.

Sometimes the kiddos in your group may enjoy tried-and-true recipes such as: pancakes, french toast, breakfast sausage (did you know you can make your own?), fruit cups and/or donuts, muffins and yummy, quick breads. THIS SITE has some simple yet scrumptious recipes for a beautiful brunch.

Happy planning!

Love, Molly

Guest Blog by: Midge

I love to plan parties and events. Although I may not always be the best at covering all of the little details, I am learning!! One of the best events I have ever put on was a mystery dinner party for some of our friends.  This event, without a whole lot of planning or forethought, ended up being one of the most frugal events I have ever held.

We started by accidentally stumbling upon a mystery dinner game at the thrift store. I was surprised to find this game and began to wonder if it really did have all of its pieces. I purchased it for around a dollar and immediately went home and meticulously counted the pieces and read the directions to make sure all of the papers were there. And yes, they all were! I could not imagine getting to the end of the game just to find out the last piece of the mystery puzzle was missing, that would have been so disappointing!

This was one of those events where everyone must dress up in costume and they have parts to “act out” already selected for you. My husband dressed up as a man named Pierre and even drew a little mustache on his face. Others came in various outfits both grand and simple alike, with most of our “actors” dressed for fun and ready to play their parts.

The instructions to the game were easy to follow. There were even with a few bumpy moments when we fell out of character out of pure confusion, but most of the evening went off with out a hitch. The only problem was The Food!!! I was newly married and knew almost nothing about how to host a dinner party or prepare a fancy meal. I was half-way through preparing the meal wishing I had just ordered pizza and bought a couple of cartons of ice cream instead! It would have been so much easier for this kitchen “newbie”.

The event was frugal with the inexpensive game and my limited meal plan. But, the meal was definitely lacking in imagination! So, as I was thinking of this fun event the other day, I started to devise a plan. If I ever had another mystery dinner party at my home, what would I cook? How would I remake this meal now that I have more experience in cooking and entertaining?

Here are a few ideas I found from around the web (and from my own personal “chef-ing it” journals):

Appetizers

ASPARAGUS PHYLLO APPETIZERS

Super delicious- I have now tried this recipe three different times! I would highly recommend it!  BLOOMIN’ ONION BREAD

Side Dishes

I have made this sauce a total of two times which stretched it into four separate meals. Nothing on the shelf beats this sauce, just don’t add it to spaghetti squash.  MADE FROM SCRATCH ALFREDO SAUCE

This looks SO wonderful- PESTO/ZUCCHINI

Last year, I cooked my way through random veggies. And yet, it seems as if I always end back at BOK CHOY

MAIN DISH

Crumb-y chicken

For the main dish, I would love to serve this meal. If you remember from my TRICKY TILAPIA dish, I was dying to ask my mom for her crumb-y chicken recipe. It turns out that this recipe is one of the easiest ones I have ever made. I can’t wait to try it on my tilapia next!

Cornflake crumbs, melted butter, chicken breasts

Dip the chicken breast into the butter, then coat with the crumbs. Spray your pan with non-stick spray, then place the coated chicken breasts into the pan. Cook the chicken at 350* for about an hour or until your chicken is cooked thoroughly. And that my folks, is it!  Super easy to make and DELICIOUS!

Desserts

RASPBERRY TIRAMISU

Chocolate pomegranate brownies, yes, I am still in love with adding pomegranate seeds to everything I can find! My favorite two flavors of the moment are chocolate and pomegranates. I have added a picture of a treat I made just a couple of weeks ago.  Pomegranate seeds are one simple and frugal way to add class to any chocolate dessert. CHOCOLATE POMEGRANATE TREATS

What would you cook if you were planning a fancier dinner party for ten or more people? How would you keep your meal frugal AND fancy? I can’t wait to hear your ideas too!!!

Take a sneak peek into my What Can We Learn From The Great Depression? (October 2009) magazine today!

“Ever since I became a stay-at-home mom, I’ve been teaching myself the art of homemade cooking and learning how to budget and plan for meals instead of flying by the seat of my pants. Before this, I used to be the kind of lady that would run to the nearest drive-through when anyone talked about getting “frugal” with meal planning and cooking. My idea of the perfect frugal meal was the dollar menu at our local fast-food restaurant.

I have since learned how to cook from scratch, how to make a meal plan, how to shop using coupons, and how to prepare a beautiful, elegant meal for my family. I wish I had known then what I know now! I could have saved quite a bit of money on our grocery bill if I had just put a little extra effort into learning how to feed my family on a budget.”

This article, Pull Up a Chair, provides you with a week’s worth of menu plans! Below is what you will find just for Monday. . .

Chicken Fajitas

Rice

Chocolate Chip cookies

To get the rest of this menu plan, CLICK HERE to purchase What Can We Learn From the Great Depression as a single issue. Once you get to the checkout, you will ONLY be charged $1 (good only for the month of March)!

Molly members already have What Can We Learn From the Great Depression in your member page! Simply click the “Molly Members” tab above and log in (search out October 2009).

If you’re not a Molly member and you would like to take advantage of BIG savings, please visit our SUBSCRIPTION PAGE to sign up now!

Guest Blog by: Midge

In the past few weeks, I have been busy practicing decorating cakes. There are a few special birthdays coming up in our family and I am bound and determined to make a two-tiered cake complete with fondant. I know, I know . . . why do I always set the bar so high for myself?

And a big part of the answer to this question is: If I don’t challenge myself to learn and grow, who will make me do it? I could just buy a cake and put this on my wish list of “skills someday I would like to learn” but, nope! What is the famous movie line again? Oh yes, “Seize the Day”!! Why not make that cake day today? For the past year, I have used this blog as a way to conquer my kitchen concerns and try something new (okay, I try A LOT of new things!).

So, now we conquer cake decorating . . . ready?

I have now made 2 two tiered cakes in the past couple of weeks. The first I tried to make with white fondant and with a polka dot cake on the inside. You can find a tutorial to bake this kind of cake HERE.

While the polka dot cake did not turn out exactly as I expected, the fondant turned out to be SUPER fun. In fact, in the past I have had nothing but issues when trying to decorate birthday cakes with plain icing. But, fondant ends up covering a multitude of issues when it comes to cake shape and icing mishaps. According to every tutorial I read, the fondant is actually supposed to show all the dents and bumps under its “skin”. So, I may not be rolling it thin enough . . . and I think, I will just keep “not rolling” it thin enough ~ ha ha.

According to one of my friends, fondant is a “beast” to work with. And yes, it is. I started rolling a thick brick of fondant and ended up with two very tired arms and a mostly flat 1/8 – 1/4 inch thick piece. The white fondant was harder to roll than the brown color (maybe I used an older package?) but the brown shows inconsistencies in its smoothness easier. My favorite part of icing the fondant was when I made a mistake, I could easily wipe it off! Although you may be able to see that my mistake on the brown fondant still shows. Boo to the brown!

Oh and then I tried to make the cake GREEN on the inside! It didn’t work. You must need a boat load of green food dye to make a white cake show up purely green. I also cut up little mints and put them in the cake. My idea was that when you cut through the cake it would be green with brown dots (like mint ice cream!). It tasted like mint but all of the mints sunk down to the bottom of the baking pans before they were set. Bummer! My friend suggested melting the Andes Mints and adding it to your cake for the mint flavor. This sounds like a much better idea!

Can you see my bubble in the fondant? I cleverly covered it with icing…

I had a hard time putting the fondant over the cake without getting a crease in the back of the cake each time. I covered it up with some icing but would like to be able to figure this quandary out a bit more for the next cake making experience. Do you have any hints and tips for using fondant? What is your favorite “decorated dessert” to serve? I would love to see your pictures! Come join us for Photo Friday on MOLLY GREEN FACEBOOK and share a few of your favorite cake moments!

If you get my Friday newsletter, you most likely read Midge’s question about my favorite childhood memories (if you don’t get my FREE newsletter be sure and subscribe via the sticky note in the upper right corner). Read below to find out what fun things I’ve recreated with my kids! Molly

Dear Midge,

The first childhood memory that comes to mind is playing endless games of checkers! My sister and I used to play and play and play that game; over the years we literally wore out the board. We played a lot of board games in “those days” to help pass the time (especially in the winter)! When I sat down to teach my older children how to play checkers, I thought I’d have the upper hand for quite some time. Boy was I wrong! They are fast learners and they caught on  faster than I imagined! It wasn’t long before I was doing everything I could for them to NOT beat me!

I bet you could guess this next childhood memory. . . remember when we used to get in the kitchen with Grandma and bake? One of my favorite recipes we used to make was Monster Cookies! Yum! What a dream- everything you could possibly want all mixed into one, giant cookie. I think I’ll make some today, they sound so yummy! I’m going to be sure I eat the first one while it’s still warm, just like Grandma had us do! That is. . . if I can get to them before the kids do!

Thanks for bringing this to mind! I think today is the perfect day for cookies and a few rounds of checkers. Wish me luck!

Love ya, Molly

Guest post by: Midge

If I conquered a lobster and nearly locked down the Duck a l’Orange recipe, how hard can cooking tilapia really be? OIY! First of all, there is the name ~ Tilapia. I had to ask about three different people how to say the name of this fish before I thought I really had mastered pronouncing it. I almost named the blog, “that one fish whose name I couldn’t pronounce”.

Once I got the hang of saying the name, I started saying it over and over again to my husband. I am making “till-la-pea-ah”.  Do you want some “Tilapia”? Hey, Honey, we are having tilapia for dinner. After awhile, I think he started wishing I still couldn’t pronounce it (hee hee).

I scoured the Internet for recipe ideas. At the start of this tilapia (see I said it again) adventure, I was bound and determined to find a tortilla-encrusted tilapia recipe. But, alas, it was not to be. All of the recipes I found called for way too many ingredients I would have to purchase. Remember, one of my rules of thumb when cooking specialty cuisine is to limit the amount of my outside purchases. I can purchase the meat but need to find most of the other spices and ingredients in my cupboards.

The recipe I selected to try was Parmesan Encrusted Tilapia. I found it here: PARMESAN ENCRUSTED TILAPIA. It also called for homemade or store bought Alfredo sauce. I used this recipe: OLIVE GARDEN COPY CAT ALFREDO SAUCE. I have prepared this Alfredo sauce before and it is super yummy!

Disclaimer: Tilapia is not hard to bake. It is really delicious and I am not a big fan of fish . . . really, not a fan. One of the reasons I picked this meat to attempt for my carnivore blog is because when I walked by it in the store I said, “I could never made that.” Rats, I knew I was “in for it” the moment that phrase left my mouth.

Now, you have read my disclaimer, here is the short story of a meal gone wrong:

1. Whoever said pride goes before a fall was spot on! I got prideful in my cooking skills and did not check the recipe before buying my ingredients. I bought whipping cream instead of heavy cream for the Alfredo sauce. It was still edible but I think it changed the flavor a tad bit in a negative way. Bummer.
2. Last time I made the Alfredo sauce, I melted the cream cheese in the microwave and then added the creamy melted goodness into the sauce. This time I didn’t. You can see the pictures. Chunky cheese was still floating in it even after it had cooked thoroughly. Sigh…
3. The tilapia (I just love saying that word) recipe, which I selected, left me hanging when it came to sharing precise details about the “encrusted Parmesan” part. I also forgot to add the olive oil to the Parmesan/bread crumb mix. But, that part sort of confused me anyway.
4. Instead of the veggies which the recipe suggested, I made spaghetti squash to serve with the tilapia. I have made this veggie before (See SPAGHETTI SQUASH) but had never added Alfredo sauce to it before. Um, and now I never will again. Ever.
5. The actual tilapia fish was WONDERFUL. The “crusting” part was not so wonderful and the side dish was the  worst of all.

In retrospect, I still have tilapia left. I only spent $15 dollars on a bag of individually frozen fish. We used four fillets and that was about 1/3 of what the bag held. This meal is WAY more economical than my previously mentioned duck. In comparison to the lobster, you get more meat on your plate for the money you spent.

My mom used to make the most delicious crumby chicken. I think that crumb mixture added to the tilapia would make a much more scrumptious offering. It’s time to call my mom to get her part of this recipe idea!

Have you ever made tilapia? Do you like saying the name as well? Ha ha ha :) I am excited about the next meat in my carnivore blog series ~ lamb chops! Do you want to join me in this new cooking adventure! The next carnivore blog will be featured on the first Thursday of next month. So, leave me a comment and grill some lamp chops with me!! I would love to hear all about your cooking adventures!