This is a picture of one of my cats after they discovered a bird’s nest outside the window. A couple of phrases come to mind when I see this:
Just out of reach.
Look but don’t touch.
“I wish I could walk through glass.” (You know that’s what the cat is thinking.)
So close and yet so far.
Anyone have some other ones?
No, you haven’t come to the wrong page. What’s Cooking at DD got a serious makeover this weekend. The new layout is more modern, more open, and is reflective of the growth and new directions that this little blog is heading in. We’ll be kicking off this new focus on October 1st with a special surprise, so make sure you check back to find out what it could possibly be. (Trust me, you don’t want to miss it.)
Don’t worry! We’ll still be your go-to spot for all things Dream Dinners. We’re just adding in a few more things that we hope you’ll enjoy – more giveaways, more tips, more recipes, more fun!
We hope you like the new look and will share your thoughts with us. We’re always looking to improve so all feedback is very welcome. Thanks for your readership and welcome to the new WCatDD!
This recipe for herb butter is super easy, looks delicious, and is courtesy of Chef Danielle. You can view more yummy recipes on her website – www.whatscookingorem.com. If you don’t know what herbs to use, Chef Danielle shares that for her butter, she used basil and oregano, but any on-hand herbs will work.
Risotto
Ingredients
1/2 cup softened butter
2-4 Tbsp of fresh herbs chopped
1 clove garlic finely chopped (optional)
Directions:
1. Mix all the ingredients to combine.
2. Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container for later use.
Recipe copied with permission from www.whatscookingorem.com.
A funny thing happened on the way home last night. I stopped by Kentucky Fried Chicken to pick up some dinner. After perusing the drive-thru menu, I decided to order the Grilled Chicken combo with mashed potatoes. Everything was going smoothly until the voice from the speaker box said, “And to drink?”
Me: “Do you have any lemonade?”
Voice from the box: “We have Sierra Mist and Mountain Dew.”
Me: “Do you have anything that isn’t carbonated?”
Voice from the box: “No.”
Me: “OK. Then I’ll skip the drink.”
Voice from the box: “It comes with a drink, Ma’am.”
Me: “That’s OK. I don’t need the drink.”
Voice from the box: “That’ll be $5.71 at the window please.”
Happy that I placed my order, I diligently drove to the drive-thru window. In that short 20 foot drive, I realized…71 cent tax on my $5 meal? That doesn’t sound right. This state doesn’t have 14% tax on food. So I asked the cashier, “Was the meal more expensive than what’s on the combo menu?”
It turns out, that instead of charging me for the combo and not giving me the drink that is included in the combo, the cashier charged me for two pieces of chicken and a side dish only, which comes out MORE than the combo. They would not give me a combo without the drink. It was as if I was asking for birthday cake without frosting. It just did not compute.
After the cashier reminded me, “I told you, it’s more expensive without the drink” (which incidentally, she did NOT tell me) I paused for a moment. Finally, I tentatively suggested, “how about a cup of ice with some tap water in it?” “Yes, we can give you water.” Aha! A solution! The new total? $5.30. And that’s how a cup of water saved me 41 cents – almost enough to buy a First Class stamp.
The above picture is the magical cost-saving cup of H2O.
Salt Lake Tribute reporter Katie Drake, recently published her seven day attempt to go without convenience food. While it’s true that sometimes you can make dinners for your family from scratch at a cheaper price than if you’d made your meals in advance at a meal assembly store like Dream Dinners, and it’s certainly true that it’s cheaper than eating out, the question is actually- is the money saved worth it? Ms. Drake found that she was saving about $5 a day (or $1800/year) but that having to a plan and cook meals from scratch actually had an impact on her family time.
Alex goes to a co-worker’s farewell lunch, and ends up working late, delaying dinner. Some of my favorite Dream Dinners are chicken breasts with various pan sauces, which usually cost about $15 for three servings. I decide to make something similar for about $11. Though it takes only about 40 minutes to make dinner, we don’t eat until around 8:30, just in time to put Caroline to bed at 9….
So now, the big question — did we save any money? Yes, about $5 a day, which translates to more than $1,800 a year — but I don’t know if it’s worth it. Much of my “together time” with Caroline during the week was spent with her watching me cook. I missed out on a lot of snuggling and reading stories. Our family also ate a lot later than normal, because cooking from scratch took more time. And don’t even get me started on the pineapple.
So, although I felt a great sense of accomplishment by cooking more and spending less, I wonder whether it’s worth paying extra for convenience, especially if it means spending more time with family?
To read the full chronicle of Katie Drake’s sans-convenience food week, visit sltrib.com.