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All posts by Diane

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Red Beans and Rice

The other day I came across a recipe for red beans and rice on Miz Helen’s Country Cottage blog. I love beans of any kind, and they are so good for you. I have never seriously attempted making red beans and rice from scratch. I have

Stuffed Green Peppers

Green peppers stuffed with a delicious mixture of ground beef, brown rice, topped with melted cheese. These stuffed green peppers are a family favorite! Every summer I usually have a surplus of peppers from my garden so I make stuffed peppers. They are a meal

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Pork Loin in the Slow Cooker

This time of year you can usually get some pretty good deal on boneless pork loin. I buy a large piece and cut it up into meal size portions and freeze. The piece I have today will be enough for two meals. I cut the

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Chocolate Cake “My First”

I have always enjoyed cooking, but baking, not so much. My idea of homemade was opening a box adding eggs oil and water and bake. I always thought they tasted pretty good. I guess you don’t know what your missing until you have the real thing.

Storing Tomatoes – Kitchen Tips

Storing Tomatoes – Kitchen Tips Something that drives me crazy is when I see people storing tomatoes in the refrigerator. Have you ever eaten a tomato that has been stored this way? Yuck! Tomatoes get mushy and mealy when kept at a cooler temperature like

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Homemade Foaming Dish Soap

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a big coupon user. I can’t imagine paying full price for any personal care items or household cleaners. I have always been able to get really great deals on those items. I have found that Dawn dish

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London Broil

The price of steak this time of the year is usually high. In the summer you can get some great deals. We love to cook them outside on our good old Weber kettle grill. But since it’s February and I won’t be cooking anything outside

Fresh Guacamole Dip

Making Fresh Guacamole Dip at home tastes so much better than store-bought, and it’s simpler to make than you think. Avocados have been a great buy lately so I decided to make Guacamole Dip with my avocados. It turned out great. PrintFresh Guacamole Dip Ingredients2

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Applesauce Bread

I love going to other people’s blogs and see what kinds of things they are cooking and crafting. The ideas are endless. It’s an amazing how many talented women there are out there. It’s so much fun being able to hook up with like-minded people

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Recipe for “Stuff”

Many years ago when my kids were younger ( 25 years ago??? Yikes!) I used to make this ground beef dish. It never seemed to have a name. I think my sister found it in an old microwave cookbook. My kids called it “Stuff”. They loved it.

Slow Cooker Cooking Tips

Slow Cooker Cooking Tips I have been using a slow cooker/crock pot for as long as I can remember. The convenience is wonderful. I normally cook in my slow cooker 2 to 3 times a week. Especially on nights I am working late. I recently purchased a brand

Oven Roasted Cauliflower

There are so many ways to cook cauliflower. Oven roasting gives the cauliflower a crunchy roasted flavor. Try it, I think you’ll like it as much as we do. I hardly ever steam cauliflower anymore. Did you know that cauliflower is high in vitamin C and

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Where Did the Toad Go?

I live in the suburbs and have a small backyard with a nice size vegetable garden. A few years ago when I was doing some weeding around the cucumbers, I came across two little eyes peeking at me from under a cucumber leaf. If I hadn’t seen his eyes

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Chicken Salad

When I have l left-over chicken I usually make chicken salad for my husband to take for lunch the next day or two. It’s really good and easy to make. Chicken Salad Leftover chicken (I used 2 left-over baked chicken breasts. I cleaned most of the

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Carrot Chips Baking vs Frying

I was shopping at our local Earth Fare and came across a container of Carrot Chips. They were kind of pricey for me so I thought I would give it a try to make them at home. I peeled and thinly sliced 2 carrots I made two

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Cooking with Coconut Oil

Tropical Traditions has Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil on sale until January 19. I started using this product a year or so ago. At first, I was very skeptical about the product. Coconut oil? I don’t like the flavor of coconut! Even if it is better for

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Homemade Heating Pad

I work at a computer and I get occasional neck strain. I don’t have a heating pad. I found this instructional post that helped me whip up a heating pad for my neck in minutes. All you need is a pair of socks and 1

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Using Herbs and Spices in Cooking

Since I have been cooking with more whole foods. I needed to learn more about using herbs and spices. I am trying to eliminate as much sodium as I can  so using herbs makes sense. It is a healthier way to flavor our food. I grow

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Feels like Spring in January!

  The last few day here in Ohio we have been blessed with temperatures in the mid 50’s. Feels wonderful! Makes me want to work outside in the garden. It surely won’t last long, but I’m enjoying it while it does last. After Christmas I

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Oven-Baked Meatballs

Today I am sharing my easy to prepare homemade oven-baked meatball recipe with you. I used to buy pre-made meatballs in the frozen section of the grocery store. They were easy to prepare. Add the meatballs to your favorite sauce, heat them and they’re ready

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Kale Chips

Kale Chips 1 bunch kale olive oil sea salt Preheat oven 350 F Wash and trim the kale. Removing the stems. I used kitchen shears, made it pretty easy. Tear into small bite size pieces. Make sure the kale is dry. You can use a