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Category: Food – General

Apple Cider: A Great Drink for the Fall Season

Apple Cider: A Great Drink for the Fall Season

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I have spoken quite a bit recently about seasonal food and drink for this time of the year.  In continuing with that theme, today I want to discuss another seasonal flavor that just screams autumn. Apple Cider. You can buy all kinds of apple ciders – from alcoholic ones in the craft beer section of your favorite liquor store to non-alcoholic ones at your local grocery store or farmer’s market.  No matter what way you like it (i.e. sparkly, unfiltered,…

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Pumpkins: Not Just for Jack-o-Lanterns

Pumpkins: Not Just for Jack-o-Lanterns

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They are starting to pop up on porches and windows all over the tri-state area.  Large tubs of them are also making their annual appearance at your local grocery store or farmer’s market. Pumpkins! Aside from buying one to make a traditional jack-o-lantern for the Halloween season, is there anything else you can do with them? Of course there is. Now, I know it’s very easy to just buy a can of pumpkin puree for your pies or baking at…

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Fall Vegetables You Should Be Eating Now

Fall Vegetables You Should Be Eating Now

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I spoke a little bit last week about seasonal eating.  In keeping with that theme, here is a list of seasonal vegetables for autumn that you should be including in your menu planning.  They are at their best flavor (and best value) now at your grocery store of farmer’s market. Beets – Yes, beets (no, not those God-awful ones your Grandma made you eat during the holidays).  Slice these, roast them, and add them to salad greens, topping them with…

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Seasonal Eating: Both Smart and Budget-Friendly

Seasonal Eating: Both Smart and Budget-Friendly

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Today I want to introduce a concept to you that you’ve probably read about, but don’t consciously think too much about – and you really should. Seasonal eating. What is seasonal eating?  Well, it’s creating and eating meals based around the fruits and vegetables that are “in season” where you live.  To put it even more simply, you eat things that you would grow or find in your garden or at your local farmer’s market at specific times of the…

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October has Finally Arrived! Give Me Some Apple Butter!

October has Finally Arrived! Give Me Some Apple Butter!

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Finally, my favorite month of the year is upon us!  Ahhh, October, I do love thee.  Cooler weather, changing leaves, and fall foods abound.  One of my favorite seasonal condiments/spreads at this time of year is apple butter. So what is apple butter?  Well, it’s kind of like a jam or jelly, made by stewing down apples, apple cider, sugar, and spices until it becomes a golden brown, smooth, and buttery consistency.  Slap a swath of it on your morning…

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The Kitchen Shoppe: A Wonderland of Gadgets and Gizmos

The Kitchen Shoppe: A Wonderland of Gadgets and Gizmos

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As someone who loves to cook, I love to putz around in a well-stocked kitchen shop.  I never know what new tool or utensil will catch my eye and have me longing for yet another addition to my kitchen arsenal.  Now, I’ve found a new spot to get lost in for hours and dream of culinary possibilities. The Kitchen Shoppe in Carlisle, PA. Located just off of Exit 52 from I-81 (about 20 minutes from Harrisburg), this unique store has…

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The Slow Cooker: The Solution for a Busy Family’s Dinner Dilemma

The Slow Cooker: The Solution for a Busy Family’s Dinner Dilemma

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It happens every fall all over the four-state area.  The kids are back in school and sports and your calendar now looks like a jumbled mass of dates and times.  One goes here, one goes there – oh, and don’t forget your church meeting or club gathering.  When will you ever find the time to make dinner when everyone is going in ten different directions? Ahhh, but there is hope.  A kitchen gadget you no doubt already have in your…

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The Honeycrisp Apple: Back For Another Delicious Season

The Honeycrisp Apple: Back For Another Delicious Season

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Ahhh, September.  You mean so many things.  The kids are back in school, the summer is ending, and my favorite month – October – is just around the corner.  September also signals the return of my favorite fruit – the Honeycrisp apple. You can have your Red Delicious, your Granny Smith, and your Fuji.  For my money, there is no better apple out there than the Honeycrisp.  It’s sweet, firm, crispy, juicy, and wonderful to eat all by itself. The…

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Local Restaurants: It’s a Tough Business

Local Restaurants: It’s a Tough Business

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You probably saw the headlines this week.  “Family Meal” (the restaurant owned by celebrity chef Bryan Voltaggio of “Top Chef” TV fame) is closing its Hagerstown location – after only six months in business (good grief, I think they only had their permanent sign up for the last two months). This follows in the wake of the location’s former tenant, the “Stone Wall Tavern”.  I think that restaurant lasted – what – three months? Why do new restaurants seem to…

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Grocery Shopping 101: Tricks of the Trade to Get You to Buy More

Grocery Shopping 101: Tricks of the Trade to Get You to Buy More

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Have you been to a Wal-Mart lately and seen the price of a gallon of milk?  It’s less than $2 – every day. That’s right – less than $2 for a gallon of milk. Yes, genuine “moo-juice”. The real thing. How does a store like Wal-Mart (or any grocery store for that matter) make any money offering deals like that?  Well, the truth is, they don’t.  It is just another one of the tricks that supermarkets play on unsuspecting shoppers…

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