Welcome to Inspired2cook…I’m so glad you’re here! I’m a stay-at-home mom, I love cooking and entertaining, and I have a passion for blessing my family and friends with great homemade food! My goal with this blog is to motivate you to get in the kitchen and cook by providing you with tested recipes from my favorite • Read More »
Tags: UBP 2013, ultimate blog party
Here’s some great advice on how to safely store your holiday leftovers (or any meal for that matter): Leftovers Aren’t Forever -from Thanksgiving 101 by Rick Rodgers On Thanksgiving, store your leftovers safely. Get any leftover turkey and stuffing into the refrigerator within two hours of serving. Never leave leftovers out overnight. Slice all of the • Read More »
Tags: Christmas, holiday, holiday leftovers, leftover turkey, leftovers, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving leftovers, turkey carcass
Kitchen Share SE, a kitchen tool lending library for residents of SE Portland, will be celebrating their grand opening on August 21st from 5-8pm in SE Portland at St. David of Wales Episcopal Church (2800 SE Harrison Street). The festivities will include music, food, demos, and homemade ice cream. Kitchen Share SE will be a place where “community members can borrow • Read More »
Tags: borrowing kitchen tools, kitchen equipment library, Kitchen Share SE, kitchen tool lending library, kitchen tool library, kitchen tools, Oregon, Portland, SE Portland, SE Uplift neighborhoods, SE Uplift territory, St. David of Wales
This ultra simple recipe for Raspberry Sauce is the perfect finishing touch for a potpourri of desserts. Slightly sweet and slightly tart in flavor, its a perfect compliment to chocolate, vanilla, lemon, and almond. Drizzle the sauce over ice cream or serve with a slice of pound cake or flourless chocolate cake. I like to spoon it • Read More »
Tags: Dessert, dessert sauce, Portland's Palate cookbook, raspberries, raspberry sauce
During the Fall and winter months, I like to have cookies baking or a small pan of spiced cider simmering on the stove when I’m expecting company. The moment I open my front door, my guests are greeted with the wonderful fragrance of warm spices. I think it’s a great way of saying, “Welcome to my home”. What do you • Read More »
Tags: Christmas, cookies baking, entertaining, fragrant house, handy hint, holidays, spiced cider
While searching for recipes the other day, I came across a Holiday Helpers Hotline list (say that 3 times fast) from the fine folks at Saveur Magazine. So if you find yourself in a pickle while making the holiday meal, don’t panic…just call one of the hotlines or visit one of the websites. Also, for • Read More »
Tags: Butterball hotline, Crisco hotline, helpline, Holiday meal help, hotline, Kentucky Legend Ham hotline, Ocean Spray hotline, Saveur Magazine, Thanksgiving meal, Thanksgiving meal crisis, Thanksgiving meal help
If you’ve got lots of candy canes and you’re wondering what to do with them, here’s a few ideas I found at MarthaStewart.com. The Candy Cane Can -tips from Martha Stewart Everyday Food and MarthaStewart.com More than 1.8 billion of these holiday hooks are made each year. Luckily, candy canes are tasty additions to lots • Read More »
Tags: candy cane hot cocoa, candy cane ice cream, candy canes, Christmas, holidays, minty bark, peppermint sauce
Figuring out how much food to have at a party is tricky business. I’d much rather have too much food available than not enough. Here’s a few guidelines for getting a party started, whether it’s a cocktail party or a full dinner: Estimating Quantities of Hors d’Oeuvres -Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Collection Series, Hors d’Oeuvre, by • Read More »
Tags: appetizers, cocktail party, hor d'oeuvre party, hors d'oeuvres
Several years ago, I thought I lost my garlic press. Always looking for a reason to buy more kitchen stuff, I jumped at the opportunity to purchase a new garlic-smashing implement. The kitchen store I went to did not disappoint…they had numerous models to choose from. The one that caught my eye was a shiny stainless steel Rosle Garlic • Read More »
Tags: garlic press, Rosle, stainless steel
Since we’re smack dab in the middle of Grilling Season, I thought I’d post a tip I found on the Williams-Sonoma website for using certain types of wood chips and/or herbs to add a nice smokey flavor to grilled foods. Many grocery stores, cooking supply stores and hardware stores sell different types of wood chips • Read More »
Tags: alder, apple, cherry, grapevine cuttings, Grilling/BBQ, hardwood, hickory, mesquite, oak, pecan, rosemary sprigs, smoking, wood chips