I am a part-time pediatric pharmacist, full time wife and mother of three teens. I’m also a home chef, gamer, and love to entertain in my home. I know how to relax and enjoy my home life and would love to share my ideas with you.
All squash seeds are edible and delicious. Don’t waste those tasty seeds when you roast your squash. This easy roasted turban squash seed recipe can be used for any squash seed.
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First clean the seeds thoroughly. Simmer the seeds in salty water for 10 minutes. Drain the water and dry the seeds.<br>Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Toss the seeds in olive oil and salt to coat. Place the seeds on a parchment lined sheet pan. Bake for 45 minutes.
NOTES
Some of the seeds will pop, it will sound like popcorn.
This recipe can be used for any squash seed.
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It’s so easy to make homemade vegetable stock with this recipe. It’s also a great way to use up some vegetable scraps that would normally be discarded. Surely homemade vegetable stock will save money. You can also choose to add flavors depending on what you plan to use it for.
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Souper Cube trays – Great for freezing extra stock in 1 cup servings.
Vegetable stock ingredients:
3 quarts of water
Leafy tops from one bunch of celery
1-2 large carrots, quartered
2 medium onions, peeled and halved
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
5-6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
2 teaspoons sea salt
Fresh herbs of your choice (cilantro stems, a small bunch of thyme, parsley, green onion tops, a bay leaf etc…) Optional
How to make homemade vegetable stock:
Place all of the above ingredients in a large stock pot.
Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1-2 hours.
Strain out and discard the vegetables. A mesh strainer works best to make a nice clear stock. Season as desired and use in your favorite recipes.
How to store vegetable stock
Store stock in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days. If not used in that time it can be frozen. If you use mostly 1 cup servings for your recipes you can freeze the stock in Souper Cube trays then transfer the 1 cup cubes into freezer bags for later use.
Recipes to use your vegetable stock:
Use this homemade vegetable stock in place of vegetable broth or vegetable stock in any recipe. Here are a few great ones to get you started.
Place all of the above ingredients in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1-2 hours. Strain out and discard the vegetables. A mesh strainer works best to make a nice clear stock. Season as desired and use in your favorite recipes.
NOTES
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This thumbprint cookie recipe is a perfect cookie for any occasion. Buttery, nutty, crumbly perfection with sweet jam. You can choose any jam to fill the center, and any nut to coat the cookies. For this recipe I chose seeded raspberry jam and crushed pecans.
1 cup finely chopped pecans, or nut of your choice
1/2 cup seeded raspberry jam, or jam of your choice
Instructions:
Start by beating the softened butter with an electric mixer in a large mixing bowl.
Add 3/4 cup of the flour to the butter.
Mix well, then add the sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla. Beat until thoroughly combined. add the remaining flour and mix. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Shape into 1 inch balls.
Roll each ball in the egg whites, then roll in the pecans to coat.
Place the balls on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Make an indentation into the center of each cookie with your thumb.
Bake at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Place the cookies on a wire rack to cool.
Right before serving, fill the indentation with jam of your choice.
1 cup finely chopped pecans, or nut of your choice
1/2 cup seeded raspberry jam, or jam of your choice
DIRECTION
Start by beating the softened butter with an electric mixer in a large mixing bowl. Add 3/4 cup of the flour to the butter. Mix well, then add the sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla. Beat until thoroughly combined. add the remaining flour and mix. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour.<br>Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Shape into 1 inch balls. Roll each ball in the egg whites, then roll in the pecans to coat. Place the balls on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Make an indentation into the center of each cookie with your thumb.<br>Bake at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Place the cookies on a wire rack to cool.<br>Right before serving, fill the indentation with jam of your choice.
NOTES
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If you love fried rice with your Chinese take-out you will love this homemade fried rice recipe. It is certainly better than take out. It’s so quick and easy to make at home and makes a perfect side for chicken, pork, shrimp or roasted vegetables.
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Use a mesh strainer to rinse the rice, then cook the rice according to package directions. 1 cup of uncooked rice makes approximately 2 cups of cooked rice. Set the rice aside.
Meanwhile, sauté the onions in 1 tablespoon of butter. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside.
Use the same pan to scramble the eggs in 1 tablespoon of the butter.
Once the egg is cooked, add the rice and remaining butter. Toss to coat the rice with the butter and break up any clumps.
Add the soy sauce and sesame oil, continue to toss the rice until evenly coated with sauce. Add the mixed vegetables and toss until the vegetables are heated through. Return the onions to the pan and mix.
Finally add the sesame seeds and mix until well combined.
Serve with baked chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, or roasted vegetables.
Start by cooking the rice according to package directions. 1 cup of uncooked rice makes approximately 2 cups of cooked rice. Set the rice aside. <br>Meanwhile, sauté the onions in 1 tablespoon of butter. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside. <br>Use the same pan to scramble the eggs in 1 tablespoon of the butter. Once the egg is cooked, add the rice and remaining butter. Toss to coat the rice with the butter and break up any clumps. Add the soy sauce and sesame oil, continue to toss the rice until evenly coated with sauce. Add the mixed vegetables and toss until the vegetables are heated through. Return the onions to the pan and mix. Finally add the sesame seeds and mix until well combined.<br>
NOTES
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Beans are the most underutilized, economical superfood. This 4 bean salad recipe is not only simple and delicious, it is also low cost and very healthy. It is a perfect side for any meal, makes a tasty and healthy addition to packed lunches, and it is easy to take to a party.
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Four Bean Salad Ingredients:
1 – 14.5 ounce can cut green beans, drained
1 -14.5 ounce can cut wax beans, drained
1 – 15.5 ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 – 15.5 ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
1/2 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Fresh ground pepper to taste
How to Make Four Bean Salad
Open the green bean and wax bean cans, drain and place in a salad bowl.
Next, open the kidney bean and garbanzo bean cans, drain and rinse the beans. Add the kidney and garbanzo beans to the salad bowl.
Dice the yellow pepper and onions. Add to the salad bowl.
Add the dressing (recipe below), mix and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. Mix well immediately before serving.
How to make 4 bean salad dressing:
Combine the seasoned rice wine vinegar with the olive oil. Add fresh ground pepper to taste. Mix and pour over the salad.
1 – 15.5 ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 – 15.5 ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
1/2 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Fresh ground pepper to taste
DIRECTION
Open the green bean and wax bean cans, drain and place in a salad bowl. Next, open the kidney bean and garbanzo bean cans, drain and rinse the beans. Add the kidney and garbanzo beans to the salad bowl.<br>Dice the yellow pepper and onions. Add to the salad bowl.<br>Add the dressing (recipe below), mix and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. Mix well immediately before serving.
To make the dressing: Combine the seasoned rice wine vinegar with the olive oil. Add fresh ground pepper to taste. Mix and pour over the salad.
NOTES
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This pear cranberry crisp recipe really is easier than pie. A crisp, also known as a crumble or cobbler, is basically a crustless pie. The combination of sweet pears along with the tart cranberries is just right! Serve it at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream.
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4 Bartlett Pears, peeled and sliced thin (1/4 inch slices)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted
How to Make Pear Cranberry Crisp
First preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Combine the fresh and dried cranberries in a large mixing bowl with 1 cup of the sugar, 2 tablespoons of water and the vanilla. Use a potato mashed to lightly crush some of the cranberries.
Add the pears, cinnamon, nutmeg and 2 tablespoons of the flour and toss.
Transfer this mixture to a greased 9×13 inch Pyrex baking dish.
Next make the crumble topping. Mix the remaining 1 cup of flour and 1/2 cup of sugar with the pecans, oats and salt.
Then pour the melted butter over the mixture and mix.
Use your fingers to pull small clumps of the topping placing them evenly on top of the fruit mixture.
Bake until the fruit is warm and bubbly and the topping is golden brown, approximately 40 minutes.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Add a side of vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream if desired.
Peanut Butter Blossoms, otherwise known as Hershey Kiss Peanut Butter Cookies are a perfect everyday cookie but can also be made festive for any holiday by adding colored sugar instead of plain sugar. That extra touch is what makes this the best Hershey kiss peanut butter cookie recipe.
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What tools do you need to make Hershey kiss peanut butter cookies?
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Use a stand mixer with paddle attachment to mix the peanut butter, butter, sugars and salt, until well blended.
Add the egg and vanilla and mix until well combined. Sift the flour and baking soda into the bowl. Scrape down the sides as needed to incorporate all of the ingredients.
Form the dough into 1 inch balls. Roll each ball into colored sugar. Place the balls 2 inches apart on a lined cookie sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the tops look slightly cracked and the bottoms are lightly browned.
Immediately press a Hershey kiss in the center of each peanut butter blossom cookie.
Allow the cookies to cool completely on a cooling rack before attempting to stack them. At room temperature this will take several hours.
Easter Peanut Butter Blossoms
Just swap out the Hershey Kisses for Hershey Chocolate Eggs. Add some pastel sprinkles and you have some tasty Easter treats.
Valentine’s Peanut Butter Blossoms
Use the same recipe but coat with pink and red sprinkles.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.<br>Use a stand mixer with paddle attachment to mix the peanut butter, butter, sugars and salt, until well blended.<br>Add the egg and vanilla and mix until well combined. Sift the flour and baking soda into the bowl. Scrape down the sides as needed to incorporate all of the ingredients.<br>Form the dough into 1 inch balls. Roll each ball into colored sugar. Place the balls 2 inches apart on a lined cookie sheet.<br>Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the tops look slightly cracked and the bottoms are lightly browned. <br>Immediately press a Hershey kiss in the center of each peanut butter blossom cookie. <br>Allow the cookies to cool completely on a cooling rack before attempting to stack them. At room temperature this will take several hours.
NOTES
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Make the most of your leftover chicken or turkey. Don’t just throw away that rotisserie chicken or Thanksgiving turkey! This homemade chicken stock recipe is easy to make. Here’s how to make chicken or turkey stock.
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Homemade stock ingredients:
Chicken or Turkey carcass
2-3 celery stalks with leaves
1 onion, quartered
2-3 garlic cloves
1-2 carrots
2-3 Quarts of water
1.2 teaspoon peppercorns, optional
Herbs of your choice, optional (For example: bay leaf, rosemary, or cilantro stems)
How to make stock
Place your leftover chicken or turkey carcass into a large pot. Add the celery, onion, garlic, carrots and optional seasoning of your choice. Cover the carcass with water.
Bring the pot to a boil. Turn it down to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 4 hours, adding additional water as needed to keep the carcass covered.
Strain the stock to remove all solids. I use a large colander over a second large pot. Pour the warm stock through the colander and catch it into the second pot.
TurkeyStock
Allow the solids and liquid to cool separately. Once the stock is cool, all of the fat will be easy to scrape off the top if desired.
Cooled stockScraping fat off the stock.
Strip the remaining meat off the bones once the chicken or turkey is cool enough to handle. You may be surprised how much meat will remain on the chicken or turkey you were ready to toss. Use this extra meat in soups or to make chicken salad.
Extra meat for soups or salads.
How to use Homemade Stock
Homemade chicken or turkey stock can be used in any recipe that calls for chicken or turkey broth or stock. Chicken stock is found in many homemade soups, casseroles and pasta dishes. Try some of these great recipes:
This list of the best games of 2024 was compiled from a poll of board game enthusiasts. There are new cooperative, worker placement, adventure, strategy, luck, wargames and more. Themes include sci-fi, prehistoric, under water, LEGO, and Lord of the Rings to name a few.
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First Quarter New Games of 2024 January-March
Wyrmspan – Wingspan fans interested in dragons will love this new take on the original game. This time in order to win you will need to excavate caves to house your dragons.
Pixies – A quick and easy card game for 2-5 players. Easy to learn, but it takes several round to master.
Second Quarter New Games of 2024 April-June
Harmonies – Settle as many animals as possible by creating a habitat for them in this fun and engaging game.
Lets go to Japan – Win by getting the most points at the end of your trip. An amazing Kickstarter game of 2024.
Star Tycoon – Build your galactic corporation by buying and selling on the galactic exchange. Timing is everything.
Ezra & Nehemiah – An ancient Jerusalem strategy game. The goal is to gain the most victory pints by rebuilding the city, teaching the Torah, and building the Temple.
Third Quarter New Games of 2024 July-September
Slay the Spire – The goal of the cooperative deck building game is to slay the spire. Another Kickstarter game of 2024
Inventions: Evolution of Ideas – Cards in this game stimulate the creation of humanity’s most noteworthy inventions. Use strategy to gain the most points spreading inventions.
Flip 7 – An easy to learn new card game that involves both strategy and luck. Flip cards without flipping the same number twice.
River of Gold – A beautifully illustrated, easy to learn game with playtime of less than one hour. Build your trade empire in legendary Rokugan.
Doggerland – Help your prehistoric clan gain the most points in this exciting new game.
Castle Combo – Recruit the best characters to create the best tableau in the 2024 card game.
Rock Hard 1977 – A worker placement game of 2024 set in 1977. The goal is to become the most famous rock star!
River Valley Glassworks – Another Kickstarter game! Collect river glass to gain the most points on your board.
Bomb Busters – A new cooperative deduction game. Players must work together to diffuse a bomb.
Foundations of Metropolis – If you enjoyed Foundations of Rome, you will enjoy this new game with the same rules in a new theme. Build the best building in order to become the Grand Architect.
Undaunted 2200 – A new science fiction game in the Undaunted series.
Men-Nefer – A new worker placement strategy game based in ancient Egypt.
Endeavor Deep Sea – Dive into this new deep sea exploration strategy game.
ARCS – A trick taking game featured on Kickstarter where players compete to gain galactic supremacy.
Andromeda’s Edge – A very in demand game of 2024. You might want to hold off for a lower price before you embark on this game of gathering resources to expanding your space station.
Fromage – A new Kickstarter worker placement game of 2024. The goal is to become the best cheese maker.
Civolution – A heavy game with long playtime of 2-3 hours. Develop your civilization using evolution.
Kelp – Another Kickstarter game for 2024. A 2 player game shark vs. octopus. A deck building and dice bag building game.
Monkey Palace – A new LEGO game. Gain banana points while rebuilding the monkey palace.
Rivages – A new adventure game where players explore islands to uncover relics. The player with the most parchments at the end of the game wins.
Fashion Police – Better dress for the correct occasion in this hilarious new party game. Play competitive or cooperative.
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Add a little apple to this seasonal favorite pie. This easy pumpkin apple pie recipe is sweet and delicious! Perfect paired with homemade whipped cream! This recipe makes two pies.
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Prepare 2 bottom pie crusts. This easy pie crust recipe makes 2 bottom crusts. Line 2 – 9.5 inch Pyrex pie dishes with the bottom crusts.
Start by mixing all of the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, salt and pumpkin spice in a large mixing bowl.
In a second mixing bowl: crack the eggs and beat slightly. Add pumpkin puree, applesauce, and evaporated milk. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
Pour the batter into the two pie crusts. Cover the crust with foil and bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes. Do not open the oven, but reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and continue to bake for 35-45 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 5-10 minutes of baking time.
Place the pies on a cooling rack for at least 2 hours before serving. Refrigerate the pies until ready to serve.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.<br>Prepare 2 bottom pie crusts. This easy pie crust recipe makes 2 bottom crusts. Line 2 – 9.5 inch Pyrex pie dishes with the bottom crusts.<br>Start by mixing all of the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, salt and pumpkin spice in a large mixing bowl.<br>In a second mixing bowl: crack the eggs and beat slightly. Add pumpkin puree, applesauce, and evaporated milk. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.<br>Pour the batter into the two pie crusts. Cover the crust with foil and bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes. Do not open the oven, but reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and continue to bake for 35-45 minutes. Remove the foil for the last 5-10 minutes of baking time.<br>Place the pies on a cooling rack for at least 2 hours before serving. Refrigerate the pies until ready to serve.<br>Slice and serve with whipped cream!
NOTES
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