New Recipe Collection!

Today our newest recipe collection becomes available! Check out "Cupcakes in a Jar" and make your own bite-size treats. Bakeries and specialty shops are selling these for as much as 7.50 each, and now you can make them for just pennies! Visit our website at www.realfood4realpeople.com to see what all the fuss is about!

Stocking Your Pantry

Stocking your pantry, refrigerator and freezer with the ingredients and foods you use most often can simplify menu planning and meal preparation. Having a variety of foods on hand in the freezer makes it easy to select a main dish, and keeping your refrigerator and pantry stocked with the fresh or packaged foods you frequently need in your family's favorite meals means there are less last-minute trips to the grocery store. This can also trim your grocery bill in the long run, because you can take advantage of weekly sales and even more economical bulk pricing (such as Costco). Remember, you won't save money if the items you buy spoil before you use them up, so carefully choose the things you purchase in bulk. For the best quality frozen foods, your freezer should be at least two-thirds full and remain at 0 degrees.

Making Perfect Meatballs

First, pat meat mixture into a 1-inch thick rectangle on counter top. Cut the rectangle into the same number of squares as meatballs in your recipe. Gently roll each square into a ball.
Place shaped meatballs on a rack in a shallow baking pan. Bake at 400 degrees F. until no longer pink (about 20 minutes for 1 1/2 inch meatballs). After baking, drain any fat and let sit for 5-10 minutes before adding to your recipe.

Saving Money on Shopping Trips

There are several tips that can help you spend less when you go shopping for your family's needs.
1. Shop on a full stomach. If you're hungry at the grocery store, you will buy more.
2. Shop only once weekly and go alone. The temptation to purchase impulse items is far less when you make fewer trips and you're alone.
3. Make a grocery list and a budget for every trip to the store and don't waver from it.
4. Purchase non-grocery items at discount stores, not the grocery store. They're always cheaper at discount stores.
5. Shop farmer's markets for inexpensive and good-quality seasonal produce.
6. Plan your weekly menus around what's on sale at your favorite store that week.
7. Shop when stores are quiet so you can compare prices without feeling rushed. Weekends and known paydays mean lots of other people and poorly stocked shelves in many cases also, meaning you will be making another trip for necessities.

Why Does Chopping Onions Make You Cry?

Onions contain an enzyme that creates their tear-inducing properties along with their distinctive flavor and smell. There are dozens of home-grown methods to reduce tears. You might try refrigerating the onion about 30 minutes before chopping, then cutting with a sharp, straight-edged knife. It also helps to cut the root end of the onion last because it has the highest concentration of tear-producing compounds. If you wear contact lenses, rather than eye glasses, this can help also. I also find keeping my mouth open helps prevent a buildup of the sulfuric acid fumes, reducing tears. Maybe Alice Cooper knows a secret we don't....... he sang "I Never Cry"...