Monday Menu- Why I Love This Site

http://www.tasteofhome.com/

AJ used to have the little Taste of Home cookbooks all over her house. She mainly had the holiday ones because at Thanksgiving each guest was allowed to pick out a dessert. It was standard to have pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie, lemon pie, pecan pie, chocolate cake, marble squares, and pound cake along with all the other foods- turkey, ham, roasted chicken, corn bread, rolls, casserole, deviled eggs, potato salad, steamed veggies, and I don't remember what all else. I do remember there was so much food we barely had room to eat. Everyone would take food home with them and it was still a challenge getting the leftovers in the fridge. AJ spent months planning her Thanksgiving menu. She probably spent thousands of dollars because she would clean out the cabinets in the summer time then start restocking. She spent nearly a whole week cooking and I had to help- I washed dishes, peeled potatoes, and cut bread into cubes. I emptied the trash and ran to the store for forgotten items. I did laundry and vacuumed while AJ stirred and simmered. She was a far better kitchen witch than I can ever hope to be.

I have a few of the cookbooks. They seem to run the same ones over and over, so I would think after a while you'd easily have the whole set, but I remember AJ grabbing whatever current issue was at the checkout and tossing it into the buggy with a barely a glance. I guess there were a few she didn't have, and she must have thought they were a necessity because she bought those books like I buy coffee- got to have it, don't dicker about price.

Seeing those little books bring back waves of nostalgia. I think I am actually a great cook when I read the recipes and I feel confident I can make anything Taste of Home publishes. I could easily con Kevin into buying a book for me, because he knew he would reap the benefits. He would sit beside me, point to a picture, and ask me to cook it. He didn't have much interest in any of my other cookbooks. There's something special about Taste of Home.

AJ kept her books in pristine condition. I tear pages out of mine. I staple the recipe cards into my journal so I can make notes. I've discovered sometimes the recipes are just a bit off. I think maybe the staff doesn't test every single recipe, or maybe they have some printing errors. Overall, I've had great success. Most of the recipes I like enough to start cooking on a regular basis.

I like the website because they have like a gazillion recipes. If I don't know what to cook, I visit the website and soon it's food overload- more than I can possibly cook in two years. They also have a How To Cook section which not only has videos, pictures, and instructions for recipes, but also has instructions for making decorations, measuring, and how to read labels. Currently, since it is nearly Halloween, they have 'how to carve a pumpkin.' You could plan, decorate, and prepare food for a lavish party and have it go off with out a hitch even if you're uneasy about stepping in the kitchen.

Under the 'Special Diets' section, I discovered a recipe for sugar-free cocoa mix. I have been dying for a cup of hot chocolate. It's been damp and chilly here. I've been trying to make do with coffee and tea, but it's just not the same. This is 17 grams of carbs per serving which isn't bad for hot chocolate. 'Diabetic' is the first section under 'Special Diets.' I intend to explore this more later. There is nothing more frustrating than finding a great recipe only to realize I can't eat it.

I have to go plan some menus. I hear the call of my magick spoons. Next week I'll show you my cookbook.