Nothing quite draws a person in like the smell of fresh bread baking in the oven. There’s almost no resisting that delicious flavor and texture unique to home-baked bread. But making your own bread is a lot of work, right? It doesn’t have to be.

As a rule we publish grocery shopping tips here. But today we’d like to suggest not to go shopping at all, or maybe shop for some ingredients only. That’ll be real shopping on a budget!

Here are three simple recipes to follow to make three different kinds of healthy bread that your friends and family are sure to enjoy.

Whole Wheat

A simple and delicious basic bread recipe is like gold in terms of food nutrition. You can make it for far less than buying loaves at the store and it is way better tasting and you know what’s in it. The following recipe is made with 100% whole wheat but is soft and moist with a gentle hearty flavor.

This recipe is adapted for hand-making (rather than bread machine) from 100 Days Of Real Food. I make several loaves of this every week and it’s great for sandwiches.

Honey Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread

• 4 1/4 cups whole wheat flour (I like to use a mix of unbleached white whole wheat and regular whole wheat)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
• 1 packet or 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast

Mix flour and salt in a large bowl and set aside. Add the honey to the warm water and mix to dissolve. Add yeast to water and let sit for 3-5 minutes until bubbly/foamy. Pour the water/yeast/honey mixture and the oil into the flour and use a sturdy wooden spoon to mix (you can also do this in a stand mixer). When it becomes difficult to mix, use your hands. When all ingredients are combined knead the dough for approximately 8 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Cover with a damp towel and let rise until double in size.
Punch down the dough and remove from bowl. Knead on a floured surface for about 2-3 minutes. Shape into a loaf (rolling and pinching edges under) and place in a greased loaf pan. Cover with damp towel again and allow to rise for 30 minutes. Remove towel and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, or until loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

Focaccia

Focaccia is an Italian bread that is crispy and golden on the outside and soft and airy on the inside. It’s a great accompaniment to a variety of health family meals from soups to pastas and even tastes amazing simply dipped in seasoned olive oil. It’s thick, cushiony texture lends it to sopping up sauces. Focaccia is often made with a sponge (or starter) that needs to soak overnight. But this recipe simplifies focaccia without losing the flavor or texture.

Focaccia

• 3 1/4 cups flour (you can use unbleached all-purpose or a combination of all-purpose and whole wheat. For 100% whole wheat use unbleached white whole wheat flour to keep the light texture)
• 1 envelope or 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
• 1 2/3 cup very warm water
• Coarse salt (other seasons as desired)

Mix flour, undissolved yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the water. Stir until well mixed. Spread dough into a greased 13×9 inch pan. Grease hands to make spreading evenly easier.
Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
Remove cover and poke holes across the top of dough with the handle of a wooden spoon or with your fingers. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and sprinkle with coarse salt (add any other seasonings you like now, dried rosemary is wonderful).
Cover and allow to rise an additional 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes until lightly browned. Cool slightly before cutting.

French Bread

Long, crusty loaves, soft in the middle – French bread is delicious with so many meals and can even be cut lengthwise to make subs. You can slice it to make garlic bread and even bruscetta.

This recipe comes from The Prairie Homestead. She has really simplified french bread (a notoriously challenging bread).

French Bread

• 1 1/4 cup warm water
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 to 3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Place the yeast and sugar in a large bowl and stir in the warm water until everything is dissolved. Add in the salt, then stir in as much flour as you can. You might not need the full amount, or you may need more– it just depends. You are looking to create a soft, pliable dough that isn’t too sticky. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 6-8 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Place the dough back in the bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Allow it to rise for about an hour, or until doubled in size. Plop the risen dough back out on your counter top and divide in half. Roll each half into a rectangular shape that is approximately 8″x10″, but it does NOT need to be perfect. Roll up the rectangle starting with a long side. Pinch the ends of the loaf to seal and shape in a “log.” If your seam doesn’t want to stick down, you might need to dip your finger in a bit of water and moisten the dough to encourage it to adhere. Otherwise, it’ll try to unroll during the baking process.
Place the loaves on a greased baking sheet to rise for another 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and prepare an egg wash by beating one egg with one tablespoon of water. Right before you pop the loaves into the oven, brush the tops with the egg wash and make 4 diagonal slashes across the top using a sharp, serrated knife. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool on wire racks before serving.

With these three simple bread recipes you can bake just the right loaf of bread for any situation. Homemade bread is a good answer to the eternal question how to spend less on groceries and provide your family with healthy food. Enjoy!

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I spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I really enjoy cooking, baking and trying new recipes. When I look at houses for sale (because sometimes I just like to do that, don’t judge) the kitchen is always a focal point for me. The most amazing house can take a quick downturn if the kitchen is outdated, too small, or poorly laid out.

You can easily paint cabinets, replace counters and add a nice tile backsplash. But if your kitchen isn’t laid out well it isn’t going to feel right. The usability is greatly diminished and it makes working in there very difficult. You can even grow to dislike being in the kitchen at all if it is hard to work in.

The Triangle

So what makes a well laid out kitchen? Much of it has to do with the relationship of key parts to each other. The three main components you will use in the kitchen are the stove/oven, sink, and refrigerator. These three parts are often used in conjunction. You will make many transitions between these places and you want those transitions to be smooth.

Because there are three main parts of your kitchen used so frequently, and traveled between, this layout is referred to as the triangle or golden triangle (emphasizing the importance). Ideally you don’t want these very far from each other or at awkward angles from each other, to best facilitate flow in your food prep and cooking. For kitchens with separate cooktops (stoves) and ovens, it is more that the cooktop sits well within the triangle than the oven.

Storage

After the flow of the workspace, another important factor in a well laid out kitchen is storage space. You will need to house dishes, utensils, cookware, small and medium kitchen appliances, and non-refrigerated food items. Well designed and easily accessible storage makes a huge difference in your kitchen’s usability. Deep cabinets under the corner of a counter may seem like great, ample storage. But if you need frequent access to the items in that space it can be difficult to dig back to it and haul it out. These types of spaces can be better utilized by adding a Lazy Susan or pull out shelves. There are amazing spinning, sliding, lifting and organizing aspects that can now be added to kitchen cabinetry.

In my current kitchen the cabinets above the counter don’t go to the ceiling. They are at least 12 inches from the ceiling. This is, of course, a fabulous place to keep…dust. It is definitely one of my least favorite things about my kitchen. It feels like wasted space. I have some random decorative objects up there that sit and collect dust (that I don’t care to climb up to clean off). I also keep my electric griddle there because it’s big and I don’t use it often. Cabinets that reach the ceiling can still have areas that are harder to reach (particularly for those of us who aren’t overly tall) but you can place less-used items up there (hello, electric griddle) and you don’t have the dust issue.

Counter Space

Beyond what the counter is made of (I’m told granite sucks the cold out of chilled and rolled cookie dough like you wouldn’t believe), the amount and layout of counter space is important. When I am working in the kitchen I often have a bunch of pots, pans, utensils, food items, cutting boards…a LOT of stuff spread around. The kitchen in my first house had wonderfully designed cabinetry (save the corner void I mentioned earlier) but very little counter space. I now have an island in my kitchen that I usually have access to half of (thanks to it being a popular drop point for everything in my home). The island is across from my sink. For me it isn’t the best location but it’s workable. Having a good span of counter space next to your sink can make work flow more easily. You would be surprised how much you use the sink when cooking and prepping food.

A well laid out kitchen can make all the difference in how well it works for you and how much you enjoy being in there. It can also prevent accidents and injuries. When you take into account these basic aspects and consider your personal cooking style you can have an amazing kitchen that is a joy to work in.

Sometimes, after a long day doing.… well, all the many things I do in a day, I look at the clock and think, “I really should hurry off to bed so I can get up early and do all of this again tomorrow.” I really try to get a decent amount of sleep each night so that I can function at full capacity (or at least pretty close). But quite often I find that I face a little problem. Just as I am ready to head off to bed I get that all too familiar feeling…

I’m hungry!

So now what do I do? I know that I need to head to bed now if I want to get enough sleep, so I don’t want to spend time making (and eating) a snack. But I also know my stomach is not going to be quiet and just let me go to bed either. And of course I won’t sleep well if my stomach is this empty and my blood sugar isn’t balanced. I also need to be careful because a sugary bedtime snack can lead to a blood sugar spike, and then crash, that can lead to a groggy and grumpy morning.

If you find yourself in this situation you need simple, quick snacks that you can grab and eat in a few minutes, and that have a good balance of carbs, fat, and protein.

Grab and Eat

Here are some quick, satisfying, and delicious snacks to send you off to dreamland:

• Greek yogurt (choose plain and add a bit of fresh fruit or granola, to keep sugar to a minimum)
• Hard boiled eggs
• Crackers or a slice of toast with nut butter
• Cheese
• Nuts
• Veggies and hummus (if you keep pre-cut veggies in your fridge it’s easy to grab a handful and gobble them up with some hummus)
• A bowl of cereal or granola with milk (choose cereals with less than 6 grams of sugar per serving to keep blood sugar from spiking then crashing while you sleep)
• Fruit – great paired with one of the above protein-rich options, like egg or cheese

Plan Ahead

You can also take some time to prepare some foods ahead of time so that when that last-minute hunger hits, you can easily find something to eat. A few things you can make ahead are:

• Muffins – use whole wheat flour (or almond flour for a gluten free option) and less sugar, and eat it spread with your favorite nut butter for a protein boost.
• Granola – This can be high in sugar if you aren’t careful. It’s best to make it yourself so you can control the sugar and peanut butter granola is a great way to up the protein. You can also mix in chopped nuts with your granola and serve over plain greek yogurt or with milk to balance the sugar and protein.
• Oatmeal bars – oatmeal is very filling and satisfying. But when you’re ready to go to bed you probably don’t want to spend time making oatmeal. Instead, you can mix up a pot of oatmeal, spread it in a greased baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes. Let it cool and cut into bars. Then you can wrap and store these bars so they are ready to go when hunger strikes.

If you want a no sugar added option for oatmeal bars check out this recipe from Lean Green Mommy (who calls them Breakfast Cookies. Fun, right?):

Breakfast Cookies

• 5 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 3 TBS peanut butter
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 4 cups oats
• 2 cups dried fruits, nuts, chocolate chips (these will, of course, add a bit of sugar)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish. In a large bowl mix everything but oats and add-ins (fruit, nuts, etc). Once well mixed fold in oats until mixed through. Then fold in add-ins. Spread in baking dish and smooth out the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown on top and middle is set. Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.

With all of these great options you’ll be sleeping satisfied and well fed which will have you ready to conquer the next day!

As summer ends and fall draws near there is a bountiful amount of ripe, delicious fruit at hand. It’s a beautiful time to enjoy jams, jellies, smoothies and of course…PIE!

Wether you have never baked a pie in your life (and truth be told, you’re pretty intimidated) or you are a pie professional, we have some indulgent and sweet pie recipes that will have you excited to fire up that oven.

Crust

We must start at the foundation of your pie – the crust. People are often leery of making their own crust, but it needn’t be something to fear. The recipe below is simple and full of buttery, flakey flavor. And if you are short on time, or just not ready to take the leap, go ahead and by a prepared pie crust (we won’t tell).

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface and cutters
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 tablespoons ice water, plus more as needed

In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, salt and cold butter.

Pulse the processor until the mixture resembles fine sand. Remove the lid and add the ice water to the mixture. Run the processor just until the mixture rolls itself into a little ball. If the mixture is a bit dry, add more ice water by the tablespoonful until it comes together. Gather the dough into a ball. With a bench scraper or knife, divide the mixture evenly in half. Shape each half into a disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill at least 30 minutes. At this point you can keep the wrapped dough in the refrigerator for a few days or freeze for later use (if making a pie that uses only a bottom crust, freezing the second part of the dough now is a great time saver for later).

Flour your rolling pin and work surface and roll out 1 pie crust to about a 12-inch round. For a lattice top, roll out the other pie crust to about a 10-inch round, and cut this into 1-inch strips with a regular or fluted pizza cutter. For a standard top crust roll into a second 12 inch circle.

Blueberry Pie

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place one 12 inch circle of pie dough in a 9 inch pie pan.

6 cups fresh blueberries, washed and stemmed, or frozen, thawed
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
2 Tbsp butter cut into small pieces
1 egg
1 Tbsp milk

In a bowl gently mix the blueberries, lemon juice, flour and sugar. Pour the blueberry mix into the prepared pie crust. Place the small pieces of butter on the pie filling, spaced out to cover evenly. Top with second pie crust and fold the edge of top crust under the edge of bottom crust. Crimp with fingers or fork to seal. Place pie in refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
Whisk together egg and milk and brush the crust with the mixture. Cut 4 small slits in the top crust so steam can escape. Place pie on baking sheet (to catch drips) and bake at 425 for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 30 to 40 more minutes. Place foil around edges of crust to prevent over-browning. Cool completely before serving.

Peach Pie

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place one 12 inch circle of pie dough in a 9 inch pie pan.

6 cups thinly sliced peaches or frozen, unsweetened peaches, thawed
1/2 to 2/3 cup white granulated sugar (depending on the sweetness of your peaches)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all of the above ingredients in a bowl. Allow to sit for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir before pouring into pastry-lined pie pan. Top with second crust and fold the edge of top crust under the edge of bottom crust. Crimp with fingers or fork to seal. Cut 4 small slits in the top crust so steam can escape. Place pie on baking sheet (to catch drips) and bake at 375 for 50 -60 minutes. Place foil around edges of crust to prevent over-browning. Cool completely before serving.

Apple Pie

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place one 12 inch circle of pie dough in a 9 inch pie pan.

6 cups thinly sliced, peeled cooking apples
1 Tbsp lemon juice (optional, add if using a sweeter apple)
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

If using lemon juice, toss with apple slices. In a separate large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add apples and toss to coat. Pour apple mixture into pastry-lined pie pan. Top with second crust and fold the edge of top crust under the edge of bottom crust. Crimp with fingers or fork to seal. Cut 4 small slits in the top crust so steam can escape. Place pie on baking sheet (to catch drips) and bake at 375 for 50 -60 minutes. Place foil around edges of crust to prevent over-browning. Cool completely before serving.

Tip: With all of these pies you can either watch the crust for browning and cover the edges with foil when it has reached the desired level of browning. Or you can start the pie in the oven with foil around the crust’s edge and uncover halfway through baking.

Whether you need a quick breakfast or a healthy dessert, smoothies can be just the right thing. And with the ability to pack in a large amount of healthy ingredients (many you may not enjoy eating on their own) into one glass, smoothies are becoming increasingly popular.

The combinations are nearly endless. Once you’ve made a few you might want to experiment and see what flavor combinations you enjoy (or what you can sneak in). Here are a few delicious smoothie recipes to get you started.

Tip: Always put your liquid in first and start the blender slowly.

Peach Smoothie

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 cup peaches (fresh or frozen, unsweetened)
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
(4 ice cubes if using fresh peaches)

Place all ingredients into blender and process until smooth. Serves 1-2.

Peach Orange Smoothie

1 cup milk
1 cup peaches (fresh or frozen, unsweetened)
1/8 cup orange juice concentrate
1 tablespoon honey
2-4 ice cubes (use the lesser amount if peaches are frozen)

Place all ingredients into blender and process until smooth. Serves 2.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

1/4 cup milk
2/3 cup plan yogurt
2 teaspoons honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 banana, cut into chunks
1 cup strawberries, hulled and halved (if using frozen, omit ice cubes)
5 ice cubes

Place all ingredients into blender and process until smooth. Serves 2.

Green Smoothie

1/2 cup coconut milk
2 cups stemmed and torn kale or spinach
1 1/2 cups chopped pineapple
1 banana, cut into chunks
4 ice cubes

Place all ingredients into blender and process until smooth. Serves 2.

Simple Blueberry Smoothie

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen, unsweetened)
1 teaspoon honey
(4 ice cubes if using fresh blueberries)

Place all ingredients into blender and process until smooth. Serves 1-2.

Apple Carrot and Peach Smoothie

1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup peach slices (fresh or frozen, unsweetened)
1 cup of seeded, chopped apples (you can peel or leave the peel on)
1 small to medium carrot, cut into chunks
(5 ice cubes if using fresh peaches)

Place all ingredients into blender and process until smooth. Serves 2.

Grape Banana Smoothie

1/2 cup milk
2 large bananas
4 handfuls red seedless grapes
1 cup ice

Place all ingredients into blender and process until smooth. Serves 2.

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The number of recipes you can find online is limitless, it seems. You can search for ingredients you have, ones you want left out, appliances you want to use and season (to name a few ways). But once you find all of these recipes that you want to make (or keep to think about maybe someday possibly making), how do you keep track of them?

Well, if you’re like me you either bookmark the page on your computer or pin it to a food board on Pinterest. Perhaps you even print out the recipe so you have it on hand and easily accesible (unless your recipe collection is as large and messy as mine!). Well, there are a few recipe sites now that are very visual like Pinterest, but are all food.

Foodfolio

Foodfolio combines recipe retention with social media. The layout is reminiscent of Pinterest as is the usability. You can browse for recipes saved by other users and you can click to like them (or “Crave” as they call it) or add them to your own Foodfolio account.

 The design is very clean and orderly and it is easy to use. Currently you need to request an invitation to join in but don’t let that scare you away. I remeber when I requested an invite to Pinterest (I was SO happy the day that invite came!) and now I am pinning like a mad woman.

Foodgawker

Foodgawker looks similar to Foodfolio (and Pinterest) at first glance, But rather than being a collection of users saving favorite recipes which you can then also save, it is a collection of recipes that can be grouped by the page they came from. It also takes you straight to that page when you click the picture and the page is listed below the photo and is easily seen. You can click the page listed and it will show you all recipes from that site. You can search by various designations (such as ingredients or type of meal) and can create an account to be able to save favorites. When you hover over a photo it shows options to Pin the recipe (onto Pinterest) or share via Facebook, Twitter or Google Plus.

Foodily

Foodily has similarities to the other sites but also stands out a bit. It seems to combine features from both Foofolio and Foodgawker. You can have a profile within Foodily and can save, like and share recipes with friends. You can even add in your own recipes. But where Foodily stands out is the detail. They manage to still look clean and organized while giving more detail and options. Under the photo you see the name of the recipe, the site it came from, designations such as Gluten Free, who has also saved the recipe, and then…here is where the foodie in me gets excited…It tells you right on there how many ingredients, how long it takes to make it AND shows you the ingredient list! I love this feature as time and number of ingredients (or how likely I am to own or use said ingredients) is a huge factor in my recipe choosing.

You also have the ability in Foodily to narrow your search. You can choose Summer Grilling recipes and then check off boxes like “Quick” and “Top-Rated”. If you’re very into details, like me, you’ll appreciate this site. 

Yummly

Like the other sites, Yummly shows a picture of the recipe and lists the site it originated from. According to their main page you can “search every recipe in the world”. Maybe it was this vast access that made it slow and glitchy for me to use. Every time I tried to scroll it would wait and then jump to where I was. I only seemed to have this problem on the main page though so perhaps it was the very large header ad bogging things down.

When you click on a recipe it keeps you within Yummly but shows you part of the recipe. After a list of ingredients there is a button to take you to the original site to view the full recipe. I’m not really a fan of all of that clicking through to finally reach the recipe. If I’m clicking it I’m interested enough to want to see the full recipe, not just half. From the first screen you click to you have the ability to share it on social media sites, print the recipe or save to your own favorites (by clicking the “Yum” button). If you click the name of the site the recipe originated from it takes you to a page listing all recipes from that site (still within Yummly).

Pinterest

And of course, I’ve mentioned it several times in comparison, there is Pinterest. While Pinterest isn’t all food it is still a great site. On Pinterest you set up a profile page and boards where you virtually “pin” things you want to keep track of. From books you want to read to preschool crafts to how to cook a turkey. You can pin anything and everything to Pinterest. The benefit to using this site is you can create boards of your choosing, so you can separate dessert recipe from drinks and side dishes and even have an entire board devoted to your favorite ingredient if you so choose. I only wish I had done this when I started Pinterest.

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We talk about shopping a lot here at “Buy Me A Pie!”. That makes sense since “Buy Me A Pie!” is a grocery list app. But there is a side of shopping and stores that isn’t frequently talked about.

Shoplifting.

Often, when you think about shoplifting you think of criminals who steal to sell the items for profit out on the streets, including to fund a drug habit. But this group accounts for only about 3 percent of shoplifters. There are several reasons beyond that why people shoplift.

Finances

The most obvious of these reasons is that the person needs or wants something that they simply do not have the money for. This is often the case with teens who are trying to keep up with demands of trend and their peers. Sometimes people steal to meet their basic needs of food and clothing or to provide gifts for their children on birthdays and holidays.

Pressure

Younger kids and teens can be pressured by friends and peers to steal items in order to gain acceptance by certain groups or people. They are led to believe that in order to fit in and be liked by a person or group of people they look up to or want to spend time with, they must steal things, either specified by the person or group or in general. Of juveniles who have shoplifted, 33 percent say that it is hard to stop.
Approximately 25 percent of shoplifters are kids. Of adult shoplifters, 55 percent say the began as teens.

Emotional Issues

People battling with depression or anger issues may find a soothing or therapeutic affect from the initial experience of shoplifting however that feeling does not last. This can lead to repeated events particularly when they are facing a difficult time.

Some shoplifters do so simply for the “high” that they feel. As they are stealing items and trying to get away with it, they may enjoy the adrenaline rush. Often people who experience this feeling, and a need to have it, can not resist the urge to steal in order to achieve the high. This can also lead to increased volume of shoplifting as well as higher risk items and situations. The person who experiences a high from shoplifting often does so only for the high and has no interest in the merchandise.

Kleptomania

Kleptomania is a disorder in which the person can not resist the urge to steal, no matter the item. They do not steal to profit from the sale of the item or because they want or need the item. Kleptomaniacs have a compulsion to steal that they can’t suppress and often feel an anxiety or pressure build up within them until they take the item. This disorder often goes along with other physiatrics disorders. Therapy and medication can be used to assist in controlling this disorder.

It’s wise to talk openly and honestly about these issues with family and friends, especially your children. Helping to understand the various reasons behind shoplifting, and the implications and consequences to all parties, can help children and teens make wise choices. And perhaps it might encourage someone with a problem to seek help.

Statistics provided by the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention (NASP), a non-profit organization; www.shopliftingprevention.org.

Whether you’re having a dinner party or just a casual meal, it’s great to have an arsenal of simple yet delicious appetizers at the ready. They also make a fun meal all themselves when served together as a group.

The simple answer to the appetizer question is fresh fruits, veggies and of course, cheese and crackers. But why not try a few additional things that will have your guests thinking you went all out when really, it was a breeze. Everything you need to make three amazing appetizers can be added right to your grocery list app and picked up in no time.

Pesto Roll-Ups

These are delicious to set out for guests and will have them reaching for more. But they utilize store-bought ingredients and minimal hands-on time which makes them perfect for the busy host or hostess.

Separate a package of refrigerated crescent rolls into triangles following the markings. Spread each triangle with pre-made pesto then cut each in half lengthwise to make 16 triangles. Roll each triangle up from large end to small end and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until golden.

Roasted Garlic Spread

Peel off the papery outer layers of a head of garlic but leave the cloves and bulb intact. Cut off the pointy end of the bulb approximately 1/4 inch and place cut side up in a muffin tin or oven safe custard cup. Drizzle with olive oil and bake at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until the cloves feel soft when pressed.

Allow the garlic to cool just enough to handle then squeeze the paste-like garlic from the bulb into a serving dish. The resulting garlic spread is mellow, rich and garlicky without being over-powering. Serve with slices of baguette, crusty bread or crackers for spreading.

Brie en Croute

Serving up Brie en croute makes a huge impact at a gathering. It really brings your status of host or hostess to the next level and it isn’t difficult to make. It may take just a bit more time to prepare than some of the other appetizers featured here but it’s always a huge hit.

• 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1 8-ounce wheel of brie
• 1/2 cup high-quality jam (flavor of your choosing)
• 2 eggs, beaten

Allow puff pastry to thaw for about 20 minutes. While the pastry is thawing, melt butter in a small skillet or pot and sauté the nuts in the butter for approximately 5 minutes.

Gently roll the puff pastry out a bit to increase the size by 1-2 inches in each direction. Brush both sides of the pastry sheet with beaten egg. Place the brie in the center of the pastry. Top with sautéed nuts and then jam. Bring the corners of the sheet up and together above the brie, twisting slightly to form a bundle. Tie the gathered pastry with kitchen string and form string into a bow. You can arrange the pastry until the bundle is how you like it. Place bundled brie on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with crackers.

These three appetizers are simple to prepare yet they are sure to wow guests when served up at your next gathering. As far as whether or not you share your oh so easy recipes with guests or let them think you spent hours in the kitchen, well…your secret is safe with us.

For some people grocery shopping is a simple or even enjoyable process. For others it feels almost like torture. If you’re not making a proper grocery list, chances are you’re in the second category.

Having a list is an important way to save time and money. But if that list is not well done, it may not be as much help as you would like. You can make a well thought out list that will serve you and make grocery shopping a breeze.

Inventory

The first thing you should always do when making a grocery list is to inventory your kitchen. Write down any staples you are out of or will run out of before your next planned shopping trip. Taking a thorough inventory of your kitchen can save you the time of running back to the store for things you are out of (or run out of two days after you shop). A great way to keep up on what needs restocked is to have a running list posted somewhere in the kitchen where you can simply jot down the needed item. Or, if you are like so many today, with the smart phone always at your side, you can simply plug the item into your grocery list app.

Plan

Making a meal plan is key to saving you time and money and, in my experience, sanity. Plan out the meals for the amount of time between grocery shopping trips. List all ingredients needed for each meal and then survey your kitchen to determine what you already have and what you will need. You can then list the needed items on your grocery shopping app and have no worry of forgetting anything.

Coupons

If you’re a coupon user take time to look through your coupons and see what on your list you have a coupon for. Make some sort of indication on your shopping list to show you have a coupon. This can be circling or highlighting on a paper list or adding a small symbol (such as an asterisk) on an app. When I forget to do this I often forget to use my coupon. It’s extremely frustrating to get home and realize you have a stack of coupons (or even one or two) that you could have used.

Quantity

When adding items to your shopping list it’s important to list the quantity you need to purchase. You may think you’ll remember but once you’re in the middle of the store it’s amazing the amount of information you can forget. Trust me.

If you need ground beef for two different meals, don’t just write ground beef. Write how many pounds you’ll need. Be specific to save yourself from buying too little or too much.

Order

The most important part of a well done grocery list is organization. To avoid going back after another forgotten item you should always group like items together on your list (your grocery shopping app should do this for you, if not check out “Buy Me A Pie!”). Milk, cheese and sour cream are listed together as are sugar, flour and olive oil.
It’s even more helpful to know your store. If you are able to organize your list to go with the flow of the store that’s can make it even simpler. However, the color coding on the “Buy Me A Pie!” app makes it easy to see the different departments of the store (dairy, produce, etc) no matter the layout. This is helpful if you shop at various stores.

Once you get the hang of these steps they’ll become second nature and your grocery shopping trips will become a lot simpler. Then you’ll have more time to spend on things you truly enjoy.

Mold, bacteria, funny smells and rotting food. Sounds like your refrigerator? I hope not! But if you aren’t storing food properly you may be seeing at least some of these problems. Here are some tips on how best to store different foods to make the most of your time, food and money – not to mention avoid becoming ill.

Meat

To avoid the risk of meat being exposed to dangerous bacteria, you should keep all meat, poultry and fish in the original store wrapping. Many fresh meat items come with a little foam tray under the meat. If yours does not, put the item on a plate to catch any potential drips and avoid contaminating other foods within the fridge. Luncheon meats and hot dogs are pre-cooked so there isn’t a need to place on a plate.

If you aren’t planning on using the meat within a few days it is best to properly store it in the freezer until you’re ready to use it.

Dairy

Milk – Glass and plastic jugs are best for milk as the paper spout can become contaminated with bacteria. Be mindful of the date and a good sniff will usually tell you if it’s past its prime. Many refrigerators have shelves in the door where people like to keep milk. Some experts advise against this as the door tends to be the warmest place. Some newer models have a covered area within the door that has special ventilation to keep it cooler.

Yogurt, cottage cheese, sour cream – Store in their original containers. If you remove some to another dish for serving, do not return the leftover portioned food to the original container. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or the container’s own lid and store in the fridge.

Cheese – Hard cheeses should be kept in their original store packaging until opened and then you can wrap cheese in plastic, foil or wax paper. Shredded cheeses usually come in a resealable package and can be kept in it.
Soft cheeses should be kept in original packaging until opened and if the packaging is resealable can be kept in it until gone.

Fruits and Vegetables

Store vegetables with vegetables and fruits with fruits. Fruits and vegetables give off different gasses that can speed the ripening and decay of unlike produce. There are two different schools of thought on washing before storage. It has been said for some time now that you shouldn’t wash any produce until you’re ready to use it because washing it will speed up the breaking down of the food. More recently there have been reports that washing produce in a bath of water and vinegar prolongs the life of the food. It most likely comes down to the individual items. I feel the vinegar wash works wonders for berries of all kinds but washing potatoes ahead of time never ends well. You can do some further research and even experiment to see what works for you.

Leftovers

Leftover canned goods should not be stored in their original cans. Store in airtight containers, instead.
Place leftover foods from meals into airtight containers and into the fridge within two hours to prevent bacteria growth. Large portions of food can be separated into smaller containers to allow for quicker cooling.
Leftover foods should be used within one week. Many foods can be frozen so it can be wise to freeze leftovers in individual sized portions to prevent the food from going to waste. Do a little research to discover if the foods you are storing are freezer safe and how best to reheat them.

Proper storage is key to extending the life of your foods and preventing bacteria growth and contamination. And prolonging the life of your foods not only keeps you safe it saves you money.