Search Results for: blog throw a barbecue for less

Throw Together Dinners: Black Bean Quesadillas

To fully appreciate this new feature of the food blog that I’m introducing you have to envision where I’m coming from. When the twins were born, my husband and I agreed to stretch our budget and give up some other things so that we could order take out once a week. I hated to do it. I like to cook, I even like to cook with my kids. But the reality is that with twins–cooking quickly became a thing of the past. Until recently, there needed to be another adult in the house so that I could cook. Even the … Continue reading →

Sweet Barbecue Pork Chops in the Crock Pot

Barbecue sauce seems to me to be a personal issue. There’s a dozen different ways to make it and each barbecue chef is convinced that his way is the right way. For our family, I make our barbecue sauce a little sweet with extra brown sugar to appeal to the taste buds of my kids. If you prefer a more savory sauce cut down on the brown sugar a little. And of course if you want more ‘kick’ to your sauce, add more chili powder, and a whole onion, finely chopped. It’s important to note that the “sauce” really is … Continue reading →

Aussie Slanguage. An English Language Lesson from Down Under.

English is a hard language to learn. There are many words that sound the same, but are spelt differently and have different meanings, like “here” and “hear” or “bye” and “buy”. Depending on where you live in the world, the English words you use to describe something can be different too; like sweet and lollie. Thank goodness I grew up speaking English and have not had to learn it as a second language. I think I would have failed because it is too hard for me to work it all out sometimes! Australian English is a great example of speakers … Continue reading →

Husbands & Barbecues

There are a lot of traditional roles we assign to husbands and wives in a marriage. Whether they are assigned by our pop culture or by our family traditions, we assign them. One of the more popular husbandly roles is that of barbecue king. Is it the fire that attracts our husbands or the smell of grilled meat? Who knows? But my husband who loves to do his cooking whether he’s in the kitchen or out at the barbecue. Sunday Afternoon Grills When we think of the barbecue, we think of it as a time to bring our family closer … Continue reading →

Summer Party Fun

Perhaps you want to gather the clan for an Independence Day blowout or you just moved into a new home and want your loved ones to enjoy your outdoor living space. Whatever the reason, summer is the best season to entertain outside. The downside to throwing a party outside is that some amount of planning is involved. Fortunately, you don’t have to spend countless hours pouring over party plans. By following these simple tips you can impress friends and family… and actually have fun in the process: Pick a Theme This should be your first step. Fortunately, summer lends itself … Continue reading →

Nothing to Eat? Before You Head to the Store Look Again

I got an email on one of my homeschooling groups this week from a mom trying to stretch the foods in her pantry. She was in a pinch this month, and wanted to survive the month without going shipping. She detailed the items in her pantry down to the number of eggs and how many pounds of meat. I didn’t sound like much. Still the group was able to come up with many meals that she could make without going to the grocery store. Here are some ideas for meals that anyone can make with nothing in the house but … Continue reading →

Tips For Stress Free Entertaining for You and Your Spouse

Do you consider your spouse when entertaining, when deciding what to do or who you will invite over for a meal? Do you consider their likes and dilikes. Here are some helpful tips to make entertaining an enjoyable experience for you and your spouse. 1. Don’t overextend yourself or your spouse. Is your spouse one who likes big dinner parties with lots of guests and an elaborate meal? If he is not, I’d suggest you consider something simpler, like a barbecue or a casual meal or a sit down dinner with only a few guests. Mick knows for example that … Continue reading →

Layered Pork Chops with Potatoes and Onions

This is a great week night meal because it’s easy to prepare and simmers on the stove for quite awhile. Not quite as good as throwing it in the oven, but the simmering will yield meat that’s super tender. The layered parmesan adds complexity and just plain good taste to the dish. Yukon gold potatoes are especially known for their buttery flavor. Add a salad or some green vegetables and you essentially have dinner made! I’ve also discovered that once fully cooked, this dish makes a great freezer meal to pull out later for homemade t.v. dinners. You will need: … Continue reading →

Manly Food for Father’s Day

This is not a post on recipes that you can cook for Father’s Day. Rather, this is a ‘discussion’ of my attempt to find the perfect meal for my husband for Father’s Day. In general my kids do the planning of Father’s and Mother’s Day meals. This often involves various forms of chicken nuggets, fries, pancakes or fish sticks. But this year I decided that I was going to step it up a notch. I was going to make a full course meal, (with the help of the kids of course) for my husband for Father’s Day. Of course if … Continue reading →

Father’s Day Travel Deals

If I gave my dad a tie for Father’s Day I’m not sure he would know what to do with it. (He lives in Hawaii where wearing a tie is as natural as having 12 toes.) If ties, grills, or ceramic ashtrays are officially off limits as gift options this Father’s Day consider a gift dear ol’ dad wouldn’t think of returning or exchanging—a trip to an exotic locale… or a trip to see the grandkids (whatever floats his boat). A couple of air carriers are offering some excellent travel deals just in time for Dad’s big day. United Airlines … Continue reading →