Food & Dining

We all know that these are controversial times in America. There are so many things to disagree over that sometimes it seems there is nothing to agree on. We see it everywhere we turn. On social media there is constant expression of people’s opinions. Around the water cooler co-workers are going at it over the election result. It can be depressing and quite overwhelming. Oh how I long for the days where our heated discussions were the Kardashians' latest scandal or our disbelief at the Jolie-Pitt split. I believe that we are all long overdue for some fun lighthearted discussions. So, to keep your family gathering merry and bright, here are a few topics you may want to stay...

This time of year can be very emotional, and we all often fall victim to a little Stress Eating. Well, to help us out, I thought I'd go over a few Holiday Snacking Guidelines. That's right -- these are the regulations that apply during this magical time of year, which help us navigate from October clear until Mardi Gras. Here is a list to help clarify what factors determine whether your food is a meal or not. If you meet the following criteria, your food is NOT a meal. I repeat, your food is NOT. A. MEAL. 1. If you're standing We will inevitably be attending several parties and other social events sure to bring on stress. It's imperative that you remember, then,...

I'm sitting down to type this - and the fact that as I do so my keyboard is getting shinier from my Sour Cream and Onion Lays chip-coated fingers doesn't faze me. Nope, those chips are not baked. They're greasy and they taste just like Procrastination. I'm feeling procrastinate-ey. I'm going to open up another bag right now (they're individually sized). AND IF THEY WEREN'T? You'd nod your head in solidarity, Sister. Over the last several weeks, I've been joking about how I'm handling the most public of my issues, our post-flood life. That's sort-of how I tend to handle things - jokes. Inappropriate jokes, mostly. Uncomfortable and inappropriate. Sometimes it doesn't require much imagination because the maybe-I-shouldn't-say-that stuff is really...

Summer time is here ... HOORAY! Bring on the beach vacations, picnics, trips to the pool and of course camp lunches. If you're like me and tired of serving up the ole carrots and ranch dip, look no further for a few new, exciting and tasty fruits and veggies to add to your lunch box or cooler to keep things on the healthier side this summer. Each variety of produce listed is easy to find at most larger, local grocery stores. Enjoy these colorful and interesting fruits and veggies at the dinner table, poolside or added to your snack repertoire. Sugar Snap Peas - Delicious raw or cooked, the sugar snap pea has a sweet crunchy exterior with peas inside its...

Before I was a mother, I envisioned my family's meal times, especially dinner, as nothing short of perfection. I'd serve up deliciously prepared meals a' la June Cleaver, and my family would eagerly gobble them up while praising my culinary efforts. Boy was I WRONG!!! Despite the fact that both of my children eat a pretty wide variety of foods, my 4-year-old daughter enjoys dragging meals out for what sometimes feels like an eternity. Her reason behind the desire to make dinner time about as long as a professional sporting event remains a mystery. The agony of getting her to eat a decent amount of food within a reasonable amount of time has become one of the most dreaded...