'In the Kitchen' Archive Fridays - Featured Food Blog 'Chubba Gurl'

Welcome to this week's edition of 'In the Kitchen' Archive Fridays!  Today I'll be featuring another food blog feature that I did on Everything 'In the Kitchen' Up Close back in 2009!  Make sure to scroll to the bottom of this post for an update on 'Chubba Gurl'!  The information contained in the original post may not be completely up to date, although, all the links should still work.  

Enjoy!

"This week’s featured food blog is called ‘Chubba Gurl – Basic Everyday Home Cookin’. The author of Chubba Gurl is Carmen from Utah. Carmen has been married for 14 years and she enjoys cooking for her husband and her three daughters.


The main reason I chose to feature this blog is that it is chock full of family friendly meals that I think would appeal to many people. I think Chubba Gurl does a fantastic job of summarizing top-notch recipes that she finds from various sources, such as other websites and blogs, Recipezaar, cookbooks, as well as some of her own favorites. I really enjoy the pictures that the author of Chubba Gurl includes with a majority of the recipes on her blog. Many of the recipes also include systematic instructions, which is a bonus!

Another aspect I really like about Chubba Gurl is the ‘My Fav Food Blogs’ Feature included on her left sidebar. This is a great way to find out about new and interesting blogs, that you may or may not know of, that are dedicated to food and cooking. I think this is a great resource for anyone interesting in finding recipes or new food blogs to read. I was happy to see such a wide variety of blogs listed (many that I haven’t heard of before).

Here is a list of my top 10 favorite recipes listed at Chubba Gurl (no ranking order):
1.) Crock Pot Salisbury Steak (recipe from Southern Plate)
2.) Peanut Butter Choc Chip Brownies (recipe from My Tasty Treasures)
3.) Sour Cream Banana Bread (recipe from Recipezaar)
4.) Cheeseburger Paradise Soup (recipe from Taste of Home)
5.) 7 Layer Taco Dip (recipe from AllRecipes.com)
6.) Crazy Crust Taco Pie
7.) Carm’s Goulash
8.) Kitchen Sink Cookies
9.) Turkey Pot Pie (recipe from AllRecipes.com)
10.) Grandma Ople’s Apple Piece (recipe from AllRecipes.com)


The recipes I’ve listed above are only from the last 6 months on the Chubba Gurl Blog. I can assure you that there are several others worth checking out. I could have made this list a lot longer but I figured that limiting it to 10 recipes would give you a good idea of what she has to offer. As you can see from the above list, Chubba Gurl offers a variety of recipes that are good for each and every meal of the day.

Overall, I think Chubba Gurl is a fantastic blog for anyone who loves to cook (or eat). Because of the vast variety of recipes offered at Chubba Gurl, there are sure to be at least a few that catch your eye. Are you looking for something to make for supper tonight? Check out Chubba Gurl today!"

Update:

A few weeks ago I shared a guest blog that was originally featured on Everything 'In the Kitchen' Up Close.  Unfortunately, the blog of the blogger who wrote that post had ended up in the blogosphere graveyard.  This week, it is the same story.  Chubba Gurl posted for the last time on her website in May of this year.  There has been no explanation of if the blog is gone forever or if she is planning on posting again in the future.  She had a period from June 2010 to May 2011 when there were no posts, so this may be the same kind of break.  We'll have to wait and see!

Since I originally featured Chubba Gurl, she has featured many more great recipes! I love that she shares pictures of her experience cooking many of the recipes included on her site.  Chubba Gurl has also changed her blog design so the pictures included in this post are no longer current.  I personally like the new design!

Since recipes don't expire, I still think that Chubba Gurl is a blog worth checking out if you are looking for a new recipe for your family.  Or, if you like food blogs in general, check out the right column of Chubba Gurl's blog to find a list of many other food blogs (her favourites).

'In the Archive' Fridays - Dine Without Whine - Meal Planning for Busy Families

Welcome to 'In the Kitchen' Archive Fridays! Today I'm going back to the archives of Everything 'In the Kitchen' Up Close to feature a post I originally wrote as a sponsored post but failed to receive any money after writing it (through MyLikes). I haven't tried the Dine Without Whine program.  This post contains objective information that I received from their website only.  Make sure to read all the way to the bottom of this post for an update and more information. 

Enjoy! 

Dine Without Whine - Meal Planning for Busy Families - www.dinewithoutwhine.com

Dine Without Whine was created by Christine Steendahl a.k.a “The Menu Mom”.  The purpose of Dine Without Whine is to make dinner time for families as easy and enjoyable as possible.  Dine Without Whine is made purposly for busy families but I personally believe that it can be used by any family, big or small.

Dine Without Whine provides you with new menus and grocery lists each Thursday.  The menus include easy to find ingredients and meals that your whole family will love.  Dine Without Whine ensures your satisfaction with the program by offering two other Menu Planning sites take your family's eating habits into consideration: Kid Approved Meals and Menu Planning Central. 

Additionally, Dine Without Whine offers a number of subscription options to ensure their plan fits into nearly every budget.  The following is a list of five (5) membership options available on the website (all of which are payable via credit card or PayPal):

1.) Dine Without Whine - Monthly Subscription with $.01 One Week Trial Offer ($0.01 for the first 7 days. Then $6.95 for each month)

2.) Dine Without Whine - 3 Month Membership ($19.95 for 3 months)

3.) Dine Without Whine - 6 Month Membership ($39.95 for 6 months)

4.) Dine Without Whine - 12 Month Membership  ($74.95 for one year)

5.) Dine Without Whine - Lifetime Membership (a one-time fee of $139.95 for lifetime subscription)

One thing I like about the Dine Without Whine program is that you can purchase gift subscriptions for other people.  I think this would make a great house warming, wedding, or baby shower gift!

You can learn more about the program and sign up for your trial subscription here: Dine Without Whine - Meal Planning for Busy Families

Update:
I haven't tried out this system yet.  I was originally planning to try out the free trial and completely forgot about it.  Now that it is on my radar again, it is definitely something I'm interested in trying.  There are a lot of different meal planning programs out there and I'm yet to find out that works just right for our family.  From meal planning failures in the past, I've learned that I like to try new recipes, as well as incorporate old favourites into each week's plan.

Dine Without Whine now has a blog that you can check out.  A number of the most recent articles are all about condiments - there is even a recipe on how to make your own ketchup (neat!).   You can also subscribe to the Dine Without Whine newsletter on their main page to receive a free copy of 'Menu Planning for Today's Busy Family'; I've yet to check this out.

Finally, now, when you sign up for the free trial offer, you receive one bonus: either a grocery savings guide, or an entertaining guide.  Full details are available on their main page.

'In the Kitchen' Archive Fridays: Meal Planning 101

Welcome to the second  installment of 'In the Kitchen' Archive Fridays!  Today I'm featuring an article on Meal Planning written by Jessie from Vanderbilt Wife!  Make sure to scroll to the bottom of this post for an update on Jessie's blog! 

Enjoy!

"Welcome to Everything 'In the Kitchen' Up Close's very first guest article! Today, Jessie from Vanderbilt Wife will talk to you about her experience with meal planning. Jessie has created a six step guide to help get you started!  Read her words below to find out the tips and tricks she uses to plan meals for her family:

My mom rarely planned meals. When I was in middle school and high school, she would often call me and ask me to defrost meat, get out stuff for meatloaf, or throw together her pineapple chicken recipe. Sometimes it was a stop at Ukrop’s, our local grocery store, on the way home from her full-time job. They had a great selection of prepared foods. Or maybe Dad brought home Chinese food or Taco Bell.

If you have the funds, it’s not such a bad way to eat. But I got married at 22 and became the wife of a graduate student. We didn’t have the money to eat impulsively. So, out of necessity, I started meal planning.

Over the years, I’ve discovered there are two real methods of meal planning: the cheapskate and the non-cheapskate [way]. It’s just been in the past few months (since I had my first baby and then went back to work) that we’ve moved to the true cheapskate plan. It’s not quite as fun or easy, but it works. If you don’t care about saving money, just skip the first two steps here (although in this economy, it certainly can’t hurt to pinch some pennies).

So when I sit down to meal plan, here’s the process I go through:

1.) Cut coupons from Sunday’s circulars. I only cut out the coupons for items I think I would use—IF the coupon made the item cheaper than a generic (or if I am partial to that specific brand … our dishwasher rebels if we use anything but Cascade Complete, for example).

2.) Scour the grocery store ads. I make a list of the great deals as I go through the ads for the two grocery stores I frequent (and occasionally Aldi, if I need a lot of staples). Usually the ads will remind me of a coupon I just cut, and I make sure to make a note of the coupon by the sale price.

3.) Create your menu. If you’re going the cheapskate route, use the best deals from the ads to make your meals. Ingredients might remind you of a favorite dinner, or you can use the ingredient search on AllRecipes.com to find a new creation! If you’re not as worried about saving money, you can start here by making our your menu list for meals you’d enjoy that week. I plan 5 meals a week, because it is just my husband and me eating real food and I know we’ll eat leftovers some nights. I try to limit waste of food and time. Can you make rice for a side dish on Monday, and then have fried rice on Wednesday? If so, make it all Monday and set aside the extra to refrigerate before you serve it. Extra baked chicken can be cubed or shredded for a casserole. Leftover vegetables can all be thrown into a bag in the freezer and brought out later for soup or to make vegetable stock.

Some people use the same tried-and-true recipes all the time; I am crazy about trying out new recipes, so I am constantly looking through cookbooks, magazines, and food blogs for new ideas.

I sketch out which day of the week we will eat each meal, but if I don’t feel like eating the meal assigned to that day, I just make something else I have the ingredients for instead of getting take-out or having to run to the grocery store again.

4.) Make your grocery list. Look at all your recipes and make a list of the items you don’t have already in your pantry or fridge. I sort these out by section of the grocery store, so I don’t find myself wandering all over the place once I’m there. Note to yourself if you have a coupon for an item. If you’re cheapskating, you need to sort your list according to stores as well. I usually end up going to two stores to get the best deals. Add anything you need for lunches, breakfast, snacks, and toiletries to your list.

5.) Shop! For me, shopping once a week works. I would advise you to try to narrow it down to once or twice a week, because you will save money.

6.) Prepare. If there are items that will take a long amount of time to prepare, and all the adults in your household work, go ahead and make those items on the weekend or when you have time.

Menu planning is such a habit for me I can’t imagine ever going without it! It saves us time, money, and sanity, and gives me more time to spend with my daughter because I’m not running out to the store or a restaurant every night. If I’m not going to get home from work on time, I can direct my husband to the recipe and ingredients so he can start preparation or get dinner in the oven. If you aren’t menu planning now, give it a test run one week and see how it works for you! "

Update:When Jessie wrote this article, she was mother to 4-month old Libbie.  Now, two years later, there is a new addition: a darling little boy named David born in December of 2010 (Congratulations Jessie!).  Jessie is still keeps busy writing her tales of being a stay-at-home-mom and housewife on her blog: Vanderbilt Wife.  On Mondays, make sure to head over to Vanderbilt Wife for 'Meal Planning Mondays' to see what Jessie has planned for her family for the week.  She also shares yummy recipes with her readers on a regular basis!  One recent recipe that looks amazing is the Blueberry-Lemon Ricotta Muffins.  You can find Jessie's complete compilation of recipes in her Recipe Index.  I also suggest checking out her Chocolate Avocado Cake post, which contains a whole bunch of great recipes from the bloggers of the Secret Recipe Club.

Vanderbilt Wife is a great blog that I definitely recommend checking out!  Jessie offers many great articles on both cooking and motherhood.  This blog is a must read for anyone who likes to cook or bake, or has small children!  Being interested in both topics myself, I found myself reading article after article at Vanderbilt Wife (and I have a ton bookmarked for later!).  Hopefully you'll find yourself doing the same during your visit!

'In the Kitchen' Archive Fridays: Featured Food Blog 'Cooking during Stolen Moments'

Welcome to the first installment of 'In the Kitchen' Archive Fridays!  I figured that the best way to start the event is by posting the very first food blog feature that I did on Everything 'In the Kitchen' Up Close back in March of 2009!  Make sure to scroll to the bottom of this post for an update on 'Cooking during Stolen Moments'!  The information contained in the original post may not be completely up to date, although, all the links should still work.  

Enjoy!

"Welcome to my very first featured food blog posting! The name of this weeks featured food blog is "Cooking during Stolen Moments....an Affair with my Kitchen." When I saw this blog for the first time, I almost had to leave the room to stop myself from drooling all over my keyboard. “Cooking during Stolen Moments” is run by a woman named Kate. Before Kate started her blog, ‘dinner rush hour’ was not the easiest hour in the day to make it through. She recalls a baby, toddlers, and an older child, all of whom seemed to want her attention at the same time…supper time. Kate set out to discover how to make supper time a bit easier. Kate has found a solution that has eliminated the dreaded “dinner rush hour” and now shares her plan with others, through her blog. Kate’s plan involves what she calls “Stolen Moments”. Stolen moments are chunks of free time in between activities that she uses to prepare supper. 

As you look through Kate’s blog you will find amazing recipes that feature fabulous pictures of the entire preparation and cooking process. She also leads you through the entire recipe from beginning to end with step-by-step instructions. In addition, Kate enjoys sharing all her tips and tricks in the kitchen. Besides making meals in stolen moments, Kate seems to enjoy developing a monthly grocery budget for her family. I was shocked to see that Kate’s family has a monthly budget of only $350. This budget satisfies six hungry members and includes breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, and desserts for her whole family. After reading that, I think I could learn a thing or two from her. I sadly admit that for two people in my household, we spend even more than that. Finally, Kate makes it extremely easy to locate different recipes. Labels down the side of her blog clearly define all the recipes on her blog. I love this! It makes it so much easier to find what I am looking for.

Now…on to her fabulous recipes. The first time I visited Kate’s blog she had posted a recipe she entitled ‘Buffalo Chicken Spaghetti’ (sounds amazing, doesn’t it?) Well, hopefully Kate doesn’t mind but I took a screen shot of her blog to entice you all over there. However, I do warn you…once over there, you may not be able to put the mouse down….or you might get the urge to immediately cook one of her fabulous meals! Please keep in mind, this screenshot is just the beginning of it. You’ll have to head over to “Cooking during Stolen Moments” to get all the step-by-step instructions for this recipe, as well as others.

Here are a few other recipes on “Cooking during Stolen Moments” that caught my eye:

• Pizza-Stuffed Meatloaf
• Stromboli
• Cinnamon-Apple Stuffed French Toast
• Bacon, Cheese & Egg Biscuit Cups

Somehow, after looking after her four children, cooking up a storm in those stolen moments, budgeting, and writing her cooking adventures on “Cooking during Stolen Moments”, Kate manages to contribute to her two other blogs: Happy to be at Home and A Simple Walk. "

Update:

Since completing this Food Blog feature back in March of 2009, Kate has moved 'Cooking during Stolen Moments' to a new web location!  You can continue to read about her latest moments in the kitchen at http://stolenmomentscooking.com/.  The website has a beautiful new look and still continues to offer you all the joys of her original website.  Unsurprisingly, Kate's blog has grown substantially over the past couple of years.

One thing I love about her new website (other than the brilliant look of it) is the Recipe Index.  The recipe index is fantastic because it sorts all the recipes that she has shared on her blog in an easy to navigate system, sorted by type of dish (e.g. chicken, baked goods, beans, pasta, and more!).

When reading through Kate's About page, I noticed that she had an exciting announcement in September of 2010...a new addition to her family - a new baby.  Kate is now a mother to five.  I'm impressed that an even busier Mom manages to find the time to put her heart into 'Cooking during Stolen Moments'.  Since I'll soon be a new Mom, this is encouraging and wonderful to see!

Another exciting announcement is that in 2010, Kate's 'Cooking during Stolen Moments' was awarded the Top 50 Mommy Food Bloggers award from Babble.com. 

Kate from 'Cooking during Stolen Moments' can now be found on Facebook and Twitter. 

A note about Kate's old blog...If you are checking out the links to posts on her old website, you will notice that the background is no longer there and shows up white.  This makes it difficult to read her posts.  For ease of reading, I suggest highlighting the text so it appears against a darker background instead of white (the text on the page is a beige colour). 

Announcing 'In the Kitchen' Archive Fridays!

Some of my long time readers may remember a couple of years back when I had a sub-blog called Everything 'In the Kitchen' Up Close.  It was a space for me to dedicate posts (review, giveaway, and otherwise) to anything and everything kitchen related.  After a few months of posting on the site, the reality of life caught up to me and I realized that as a blogger, university student, part time worker, girlfriend at the time (now wife), daughter, and friend...I had to make some choices.  One of those choices was to stick with my main blog, Everything Up Close, and suspend posts on Everything 'In the Kitchen' Up Close.  Although I was slightly disappointed, I realized that spreading myself too thin wouldn't result in any benefits.  I figured that if in the future I decided to talk about kitchen or food related topics, I could do that right here or reopen Everything 'In the Kitchen' Up Close if time allowed. 

Since then, life has not slowed down much, if at all.  It may have even got a bit busier.  And, with our first baby on the way, I doubt I'll be gaining any extra time in the near future.  Thus, I have decided to permanently delete the Everything 'In the Kitchen' Up Close blog and transport the posts that I did on that site over here. 

Every Friday ('In the Kitchen' Archive Fridays), I will be re-posting one of my original Everything 'In the Kitchen' Up Close posts here.  For the review posts, I will be adding an extra review update component that discusses any changes in thoughts I've had about the particular product since testing it a couple of years ago.  I will discuss whether or not I still use the item and any further suggestions and comments.

I hope you will enjoy this special feature and learn a bit about the food related topics I featured and a few new products in the process!  I'd love to hear feedback from you on what you think about the posts.  I'd also love to know if this type of topic is something you'd be interested in continuing to read about on Everything Up Close.

This event will happen every Friday over the next several months.  Enjoy!