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Welcome to my cooking page!

I started cooking with my step-mother one summer when I was home from college. We traded off days on who would cook. I would find delicious recipes and prepare them for my family with great anticipation. Now out of college and in a home of my own I cook for my husband. My husband is not originally from America. He is from Morocco and it has allowed me to expand my cooking interests to international dishes. I hope that you enjoy the recipes and experiences that I will share with you!
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Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Orzo with Parmesan & Basil

Orzo is a mix between pasta and rice. Orzo looks like rice in shape but is really pasta. You cook it the same way you would cook pasta. It is mainly used in conjunction with vegetables or salad as a side dish to a meat entre. For people who dislike rice but hate the bulkiness of pasta, orzo is perfect.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

Melt butter in heavy skillet over medium heat. Stir in orzo and saute until lightly browned. Stir in chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until orzo is tender and liquid is absorbed, 15-20 minutes. Mix in Parmesan cheese and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with basil sprigs.

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Save Money by Cooking with a Crock-pot

First introduced in 1971, the Crock-Pot revolutionized the way we cook meals. The word Crock-Pot is actually trademarked by Rival Industries, but is used in every day conversations instead of the term slow cooker. Many recipes for the crock-pot require little preparation. The slow cooker can then safely be left to run unattended, making it a convenient cooking method.
Crock-pot meals can not only save you time in the kitchen, but they can also save you money as well. The reasons are as follows:
1. It keeps you out of the fast food line. If you had not loading up the crock-pot with the ingredients this morning you’d likely be in the drive through line at the local fast food restaurant this afternoon after work, grabbing a meal for your family. The average fast food meal for a family of four rings up over $20.
2. Stretches your dollar. Most crock-pot recipes and meals can truly stretch your food dollar. Because you can put a whole chicken in the crock-pot to cook then cut it up for several meals, you can stretch your budget with the use your leftovers.
3. Cuts your grocery budget. You can save money at the butcher since the slow cooking process is especially useful to tenderize cheaper cuts of meat.
4. Saves on your energy bill. Instead of running a larger appliance like the stove you are running one small energy conservative appliance, the crock-pot, saving on your energy costs.
The convenience of the slow cooker not only saves you time, but will also save you money. Don't you think it's time to take it out of your closet (or wherever you have it packed away collecting dust) and make a Crock-Pot meal today?
About the Author:Cara Mirabella is a WAHM with one toddler from New Jersey. She owns and manages TheHouseholdHelper.com - a site dedicated to saving your time, money and sanity when managing your household. She has written several articles, reports and e-books including http://wahmcart.com/x.php?adminid=1826&id=6133&pid=1993"Recipes For Every Occassion: 470 Crock Pot Recipes".
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