cookbook posts

With Mother's Day approaching, I find myself shamelessly
hinting to my husband and kids about what they can treat me to that will show their appreciation for me simply being the Mom of the family. I have to admit, Mother's Day is one of those occasions when I actually do feel like I deserve a bit of pampering or a thoughtful gift for the many sleep deprived nights I've experienced -- not to mention the many diapers I've changed and seemingly endless clean-up tasks I've endured. For anyone looking for gift ideas to appreciate all that Mom has done for you, here is some guidance on what Moms really want. In the under $50 range, you can actually go quite far with your money.

Creativity in the kitchen is not one of my strengths. Unlike some, I don't get a kick out of dicing, chopping and mixing. I like recipes that are quick and easy to make and, if they save me money as well, better still.

Fortunately, there are people out there with an obvious passion for cooking. Elizabeth Fisher is one such person. Ms. Fisher's cookbook is called Dining With The Dollar Diva: Divalicious Menus With Ingredients Costing $1 or Less.

Recipes like Panini Waffle Sandwiches, $1 Store Ravioli Carbonara and Milky Way Brownies sure sound good to me.

Why fool around with recipe uploads of questionable origin when you can consult the Queen?

Whenever I look for a recipe online, I immediately gravitate to www.marthastewart.com. Her dishes are easy, beautifully presented and consistently produce excellent results. But if you're more of an old fashioned cookbook person, here's a freebie for you: just fire up your photo-quality printer and download this Martha Stewart Thanksgiving Cookbook. (Um, yes, this is clearly in line with the American calendar, but I think you'll find many of these foods are evergreen).

Amongst the 30 recipes - contributed by not just Martha but also Emeril Lagasse, Wolfgang Puck and Charlie Palmer - you'll discover blueprints for Pumpkin Soup with Lobster and Concord Grape, Salt-and-Pepper Grilled Turkey and White Chocolate Sweet Potato Cake. Yum!