Peanuts Christmas Coffee Mug

Charlie Brown and Snoopy enjoy continued popularity and actually rank fourth on T.V. Guide's list of the 60 greatest cartoons of all time.  This popularity ensures them a placement on many popular household items as well as collectibles like these handsome Christmas coffee mugs.

I love the image of Snoopy and his Christmas tree both before and after the winter snow has arrived.

The first mug reads, "There's no sense in barking if you don't really have anything to say."

The second mug reads, "It's nice to wake up in the morning with a feeling of well being."

This mug would be especially fun to use in December but of course true Peanuts would use it all year long. 

It is a great gift idea for a Snoopy fan, even if that fan is you!

To order your Snoopy coffee mug, visit Amazon by clicking right here.   We love giving and receiving coffee mugs because they are not only affordable but practical, too. Unfortunately, this mug is out of production. However, you can try checking on eBay for this mug by clicking right here. 

Merry Christmas!

Brenda

This Week in Brenda's Kitchen: A Vintage Toaster

Do you remember the toasters with the sides that folded down? You placed your bread upon those metal sides or flaps and folded it back up to toast your bread? I have to admit that I do.

One of my grandmothers owned such a toaster. As a matter of fact, I am almost positive that she owned one like that shown in this picture and, with a large family of 12 children and of course their children by the time I came along, this toaster worked hard at least during the years that I knew it.

I recently purchased this toaster and had fun testing it out for my eBay store. Turns out that it is a Toastess Sturdy Model Number 202 flopper toaster like these ones on eBay. Flopper, of course, referencing the fact that the sides folded down.

This toaster is in excellent used condition. As a matter of fact, it seemed almost unused before I tested it not that testing it hurt it in anyway. However, since it is an electric appliance I felt that it was necessary to test it before I listed it in my eBay store as I guarantee all of my items to be in working condition, unless mentioned otherwise.

Anyway, not only is this toaster in great condition but it worked very well too, almost putting my modern toaster to shame.  I have a long story of disappointment with modern toasters but that is a tale for another day.  This Toastess toaster did a beautiful job of toasting my bread. The only caveat with a flopper toaster is that you have to remember the toast because it does not tell you when the job is done!

See you
in the kitchen!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Find a Toastess Flopper toaster on eBay.

Find more interesting vintage items in my eBay store.

Food Truck Fight Starring The Swedish Chef and Gordon Ramsay

In my tradition of sharing Swedish Chef cooking videos, I bring you this new Muppet video that pits the Swedish Chef against Gordon Ramsay in a Muppisode called, "Food Truck Fight."

It's made even funnier given my recent obsession with the proliferation of new and interesting food trucks in the city of Ottawa where I live in Canada.

My family teases me that I'm all talk and no action though when it comes to food trucks but I did make it to Ottawa's Red Roaster this fall and thoroughly loved the treat, sitting on a park bench in the Glebe with a couple of delicious pulled pork tacos dripping between my fingers...

Anyway, I digress. Whether or not you embrace the culture of street food I know you will enjoy the Swedish Chef and Gordon Ramsay in this video so, without futher ado, I bring you the Food Truck Fight, starring the Swedish Chef and Gordon Ramsay:

Were you surprised by the outcome? And what did you think of Miss Piggy's cupcake?!?

See you
at the food truck!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Love the Muppets? You'll love this collection of Muppet calendars!

Martha Stewart's Baking Basics

Martha Stewart's Countdown to Christmas is a series of short cooking and crafting videos that I just discovered.

On this page, I am sharing a basic video called, Christmas Baking Basics in which Martha shares some basic information about baking ingredients. What to choose, how to store it, and so on.

One secret that Martha Stewart shares that I use is to buy unsalted butter and to freeze it because it lasts longer that way. I particularly like doing this because I can stock up when butter is on sale.

Another thing to think about that she mentions is that spices do not last forever and she's right. I recently pulled out some pumpkin pie spice that I made a year or two ago and decided that it just wasn't as strong as it should be.  Spices do lose their strength.

Here is the video for you to enjoy. I think that it is a good refresher for experienced bakers and also an introduction for those new to baking:

Martha's videos are so beautiful, don't you think?

Happy Baking!
Brenda

Personalized Kitchen Labels For Christmas Baking

Those of you who do lots of Christmas baking and share it with friends and family need to own some of these wonderful, personalized From The Kitchen Of stickers or labels.

We found them here on Zazzle and we love how easy they are to customize. You can see on this label that we inserted the name of this blog, 'Culinary Favorites' though it is just as easy to put in your own name like Mrs. Claus, Mrs. Miracle or Martha Stewart or whatever your name just happens to be.  They would also be a great way to coordinate the baked goods at a community bake sale table.

We love the cheerful colors, the baking tools image and the slight retro feel of the tools and colors chosen in this design. How about you?

See you
in the kitchen!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Buy your own personalized kitchen labels.

10 Habits of Starbucks Coffee Drinkers

A friend discovered this fun Youtube video called 10 Habits of Starbucks Drinkers, which showcases some things you may or may not recognize from amongst your coffee drinking friends or, quite possibly, yourself.  Someone obviously had a lot of fun putting it together! Personally, I am not a coffee drinker but my family and friends would tell you that I am rather particular about my tea!

Enjoy!

See you
in the kitchen
(or at the coffee shop!)
Brenda

Wizard of Oz Apron

Putting on an apron for Halloween is my idea of the ultimate easy Halloween costume, especially for a busy mom or dad. An apron is not only easy but also an affordable and practical choice, since you will be able to use it all year long.

Isn't this Wizard of Oz and Toto themed apron absolutely precious? What fan could resist!?! Just take it out and pop it on! Of course, you could always add to it with a pair of ruby red shoes...

And of course, if Dorothy Gale isn't your choice of movie character you might like the Wonder Woman, Darth Vader, KISS and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle apron choices.

See you
in the kitchen!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Order this Wizard of Oz apron from Amazon.
Check out Amazon's complete line of character aprons.

Mr. Coffee Cafe Latte Machine

The Mr. Coffee BVMC-EL1 Cafe Latte machine is an interesting little machine. One that boasts, "Delicious lattes in one simple touch." It's a small appliance for the home that makes lattes. Who knew? Not me! I discovered it by accident recently when it was on sale on Amazon.  It is still on sale though not at quite the discount it was at on October 23, 2013.

I cannot personally vouch for this machine but the Amazon customer reviews can and do.  Amazon customers like that it makes it easy to make a latte at home, that they can save money and that they can also make hot chocolate and tea lattes.  The biggest complaint is that it does not make a 'true' cup of latte.

If you'd like to check Mr. Coffee's latte machine out on Amazon for yourself, just click here. It would make a great gift idea for someone who loves a latte.


See you
in the kitchen!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Read more about the Mr. Coffee Cafe Latte Machine on Amazon.
Learn how to make coffee with a French Press.

This Week in Brenda's Kitchen: B. Kliban Cat Cookie Jar

This week in Brenda's kitchen we find another cookie jar, this time featuring B. Kliban’s cat or, to be exact a trio of B. Kliban’s cats on a cookie jar.

These posts about some of the more unique kitchen items I discover are not only about cookie jars though it might appear that way at the moment and I do love them.  It just happened that this great cookie jar was the next interesting item to find its way onto my counter after my last “this week in Brenda’s kitchen” post.

The artist B. Kliban created the cartoon cat known as Kliban in the 1970s and this black and white cat achieved huge celebrity. Continued popularity and a certain amount of nostalgia mean that people are still looking to find Kliban items including vintage calendars, t-shirts, coffee mugs and cookie jars to add to their collections.

In our humble opinion this item is a bit small for a cookie jar. We like (okay, we love) cookies and this jar, because of the unusal pants shape, would not hold many but I think we could make it work. It would also work for storing candy or even for holding cotton balls or something of that nature in the bathroom. Of course, it doesn't have to have a practical use at all and could simply be a decorative accessory for a Kliban fan.

This cookie jar measures 8-inches tall with the lid on or 5.25 inches without the lid and about 6 inches from the front to back on the bottom or 4 inches from the front to the back at the opening.

Whether you have a whole Kliban collection or you are looking for a single cat-themed decorative accessory, this B. Kliban cookie jar will serve you well.  We think he would look fine in just about any kitchen.

You will find a few more interesting vintage 1970s Kliban items by Trendsetters and Sigma in this scrolling gallery from eBay.  I tried to pick a favorite but I love them all!

Kliban loved to “eat them mousies." We love to eat cookies! How about you?

See you

in the kitchen!

Brenda

Quick Links:

Check Treasures By Brenda on eBay for Kliban items.

Learn more about B. Kliban the cat.

Easy Cranberry Sauce Recipe

I'm in the midst of advance preparations for Thanksgiving. Part of our meal includes homemade cranberry sauce, which I make a day or two in advance and refrigerate or I make well in advance and freeze. 

The recipe I use is easy and very basic. Some cranberry sauce recipes add items like cinnamon and grated orange rind but we like ours simple because that is the way we have always had it and that is the way it is "supposed" to taste for us. Personally, I like it because it tastes good and because it is so easy to put together.

It is, of course, a perfectly acceptable choice to buy a can of cranberry sauce but making it yourself really is very simple and afterwards you can feel good about having done so rather than having opened a can.


The ingredients are simple. All you need is:

1 cup of sugar
1 cup of water
1.5 cups or 12 ounces of fresh or frozen cranberries

Put these three ingredients in a pot and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. If at this point your sauce seems very runny, you can choose to boil it for a couple of minutes longer. Doing so won't hurt the end product and will just make your sauce a bit thicker.

The cranberries release pectin, which helps the sauce to gel so you do not have to add anything else as a thickener.

This morning I used 2 cups of frozen cranberries and boiled them for five minutes longer.

I choose to serve mine in a pretty little glass bowl.  It is nice that the bowl is clear, which allows the beautiful red color of the cranberry sauce to be a decorative element on our table.

If you are feeding only one or two people, it is an easy enough matter to freeze half of the cranberry sauce for next time.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Brenda

Quick Links:

A special fall menu plan.

Martha Stewart's Halloween Magazine (2013)

Fans of Martha Stewart look forward to every episode of Martha Stewart Living but many of us who are big Halloween fans particularly enjoy her Halloween special editions.

Martha's Halloween Special for 2013 features Martha dressed as a fairy godmother and, appropriately it seems to me, named Fairy GrandMartha.

The 2013 issue was on my local newsstand at the end of August or maybe the beginning of September. I’m not sure exactly when I picked it up or if it is still available. However, if you missed it and cannot find it on your local newstand, it is still available through sellers on Amazon.com.

This year's magazine promises Good Things that are illuminated, inspired, indispensable, infested, insatiable, incroyable and intense. What more could you ask for in a Halloween magazine?

If you are missing an issue or two or want to start building your collection of Martha’s Halloween magazines, my Martha Stewart Halloween Magazine Index can help you track down issues all the way back to 1997.

Happy Hauntings!
Boo-Brenda

Quick Links:

Buy Martha Stewart's Halloween Special Issue 2013 from Amazon.

Explore my Martha Stewart Halloween Magazine Index.

A Comical Chicken Cookie Jar

This week's in Brenda's kitchen we find a unique chicken cookie jar. She (the chicken, not Brenda) has been making us smile and the only issue we have had with this chicken hanging around is her insistent demand for homemade cookies and the resultant cravings for the same by the members of our family. The chicken has a point though, every great cookie jar should have cookies in it, don't you think? 

This cookie jar is labelled Giggles and she surely makes you smile. She was manufactured by an Australian company called Stoneage Ceramics in 2002. I have been unable to find another like her on eBay or online at all so, if a chicken-themed cookie jar with a sense of humour is on your wish list, why not lose your head as she did in the following picture and snap her up right away before some other chicken collecting fan does?

Although we like this cookie jar, we realize that she might not be exactly what you are looking for in a cookie container so we peered through the kitchen door to see what other interesting chicken-themed cookie jars we could find on eBay. You can scroll through ten of the jars we found right here. If it is a chicken cookie jar you are after, there is bound to be one here for you.

PLEASE NOTE: 

This Giggles cookie jar has been sold on eBay and I have been unable to find another one like it. However, you can visit eBay to check out all of the chicken-themed cookie jars by clicking right here. There is sure to be another one you will love.

Do you have a cookie jar and, more importantly, are there cookies in it right now? If so, we will be right over...

See you
in the kitchen!
Brenda

Pumpkin Spice M&M's

Pumpkin Spice M&M's. Hmmm. I've just discovered them online and I'm going to have to keep my eyes peeled for them or maybe even order some from Amazon...

Mars Inc. has decided to cash in on the pumpkin spice craze by creating spiced M&M candies in shades of orange, brown and green. The flavour and the color makes them perfect as a fall treat. 

Reportedly, they are slightly larger than regular M&Ms and shaped like the peanut version so it would seem you get a bit more chocolate for your money if you choose this version of the candy.

Huffpost Taste says that some preferred this flavour to the original flavour.

The Junk Food Guy says the flavour is there but that it is subtle, too subtle.  

I'm wondering if I'll like them. I know I like the idea. If you have had the chance to sample Pumpkin Spice M&M's, be sure to share with the rest of us!  Share your opinion, that is, since I am pretty sure you won't want to share your M&Ms. Would you say yes or no if I passed a bag of these M and Ms to you?

And here's another thought. I wonder how they would be in the best-ever M&M cookie recipe...

See you

in the kitchen!

Brenda

Quick Links:

Order some Pumpkin Spice M&Ms from Amazon.
Learn how to make a Pumpkin Spice Latte, like Starbucks' drink of the same name.

This Week In Brenda's Kitchen...A Glossy Cobalt Blue & Amber Vase

As an eBay seller, I have taken to picking up some really interesting kitchen items and just thought that I could be sharing them here with you on Culinary Favorites From A to Z.

I've proven somewhat accidentally that my recent and fairly neutrally renovated kitchen suits many color schemes.  When we were planning our kitchen we knew this would be possible but did not realize that I would be proving it with my eBay merchandise.

Many of the kitchen accessories I bring home wind up 'liking' my kitchen or I should say I wind up liking them and wanting to keep them.  However, I do not have the space to keep all of my finds so I display them on my counter for awhile, until the item sells or until I find another one and change it up.

This week's kitchen accessory is this gorgeous glossy cobalt blue vase. I used to like a more country blue like a Wedgwood blue but of late I find myself drawn to cobalt blue. This vase is rustic and not perfect but it is very nice, at least to me. I love the colors and the high gloss finish. I think it would be gorgeous holding a large bouquet of flowers, being a receptacle for a host of kitchen tools or simply dressing up my family room mantle.

Do you like blue in the kitchen? Are you liking this unique vase as much as I am?

See you
in the kitchen!
Brenda

Quick Link:

Check out the vases in my eBay store.

Giles' Coffee Mug From Buffy and the Vampire Slayer

Do you sit up and take notice when a coffee mug or a coffee shop shows up in the movies or on your favorite television program? Many people do and sometimes those movie props go on to become quite well known and even sought after.

Recently an online friend told me that she gained a new appreciation for coffee mugs after she saw Giles of the television program Buffy and the Vampire Slayer drinking from a green Jadite mug like the one shown here.

As it turns out, the mug Giles used is a heavy vintage Fire-King Jadeite / Jadite cup that is sometimes known as restaurant ware.

As a mug fan who tries hard not to increase her collection regularly and as a seller of mugs on eBay, I thought it was pretty cool to see the Fire-King mug shown here that was listed on eBay by eBay seller deztiques who does not appear to be selling on eBay anymore.  Not only is it the mug Giles used but it is a vintage piece that has NEVER been used and that actually still wears the original Fire-King sticker. That is pretty unusual and makes this particular mug particularly valuable. However, if you want to own the mug that Giles used, there are plenty of used mugs available here on eBay that are quite a bit more affordable.

Have you spotted any mugs in your favorite movies and television programs?  Do tell!

See you
in the kitchen!
Brenda

Quick Links:

More coffee mug reading.

New, used and vintage coffee mugs in my eBay store.

Mr. Potato Head Discovers French Fries!

Horrors! Mr. Potato Head came head-to-head (sorry, could not resist) with an order of French fries.  I know that it is not the first time nor will it be the last time that the poor guy encounters such an awful scene!

The t-shirt, however, I think is priceless. It certainly makes you smile...and then stop and think about poor old Mr. Potato Head being turned into a french fry, especially if you are one of those whose past includes such retro toys as Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head.

Mr. Potato Head was born in 1949 and first manufactured by Hasbro in 1952. Today, he is a huge celebrity, appearing in films; seen wearing the fashions of many pop culture icons like Darth Vader (Darth Tater), The Wizard of Oz and Superman; and even showing up on his very own t-shirt!

See you
in the kitchen!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Read more about this Mr. Potato Head French Fry t-shirt on Amazon.

Looking For French Fry Recipes? Add A French Fry Cookbook To Your Collection!

Of course it really came as no surprise that there are a number of cookbooks dedicated entirely to French fry recipes. 

The book shown here is French Fries by Zac Williams. It promises recipes for ordinary French fries like "Drive-in French Fries" as well as for more unusual French fries like Parmesan,  Pataje Oorlog, pesto and sweet potato fries though of course, sweet potato fries are actually quite trendy right now and fairly widely available. It even promises dessert fries called Chocolate Fries though I will admit that those don't appeal to me at all.

It sounds like this book lives up to Amazon's tagline, "new twists for a tasty favorite" but since I haven't seen this book yet myself, I've turned to the Amazon customer reviews to see if it might be a good one to add to our cookbook collections. I found largely positive reviews, with the one detractor complaining that the book did not cover enough gourmet styles of fries.  I encourage you to read the reviews for yourself if you are looking for a good French fry cookbook.

If you are looking for new ideas to try when you make home cooked fries, it sounds like this cookbook will have a number of interesting recipes for you to taste test.  Just don't make French fries a daily habit as tempting as that might be!

Happy 

French Fry Day!

Brenda

Quick Links:

Read more about this French Fries cookbook on Amazon.

See Amazon's complete collection of French fry cookbooks.

Love French Fries? Celebrate Today Because It Is French Fry Day!

It’s French Fry Day!  However you eat them - be it plain or dressed - you’ll want to order up a serving of French fries in celebration today.

It is thought that the humble French fry originated in 17th century Belgium where the people fried fish but, when fishing was impossible, they replaced the fish with pieces of potatoes. Whether that is true or not, it is an interesting way to think of the beginning of one of the most tempting treats I can think of.

Because of health reasons, French fries are something that I regularly deny myself, which, of course, makes them a really special treat when I do have them!

In honour of French Fry Day then we bring you this shirt directly from the artist who created it at Zazzle. If you love French fries as much as we do, you might want to check it out. Zazzle offers this fun design on a wide variety of items not limited to shirts for men, women and children. See them all by clicking right here.

Hands up if you LOVE French fries!

See you
in the kitchen!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Order your French fries t-shirt from Zazzle.

Easy Mashed Potato Recipe For One

One of the first recipes that my younger son asked about when he moved out was mashed potatoes and, while mashed potatoes are a pretty easy item to make, when you are getting started in the kitchen, you need some sort of guideline so here it is, the simplest mashed potato recipe you will ever find.

If you are worried about the size of the potatoes, don't be.  Mashed potatoes are pretty forgiving so the following amounts do not have to be exact. If your potatoes are a bit bigger, you might need a little bit more milk and conversely, if they are a bit smaller, you might add a little bit less milk.

EASY MASHED POTATO RECIPE

3/4 tsp salt (though in our home we cook them without salt)

3 medium-sized potatoes

1-1/2 tbsp butter

1/3 cup milk

In a small pot, boil 3 cups of water and 1/4 tsp salt.  Add the potatoes, cover them and cook at a gentle boil. Potatoes do not need to be in hard-boiling water.   They'll need to cook for 20 to 30 minutes and you will know they are done by inserting a fork into a potato to see if it is soft.  Drain well and then add the butter, the rest of the salt and the milk, which I like to warm up a little bit in the microwave first.  If you are unsure about the size of your potatoes, add some of the liquid instead of all of it.  Using a potato masher, mash until creamy, adjust the amount of milk as required & ENJOY.

See you
in the kitchen!
Brenda

Hunger Games Coffee Mugs

Fans of The Hunger Games will enjoy using this Hunger Games coffee mug every day, regardless of what hot beverage they decide to fill it with.  If you are a coffee or tea drinker or even a hot chocolate lover, why not start your day with Katniss and Peeta?

If you are wondering whether or not the thermal aspect actually works, it does. When you fill this mug with hot tea or coffee, the black areas around the characters gradually changes to flames. Granted, I don't think it is a fast enough change to be super exciting but it is still interesting and a fun gift idea for a Hunger Games fan.

I took a look around and couldn't find much in the way of coffee mugs for The Hunger Games. Right now, if you want a Hunger Games themed coffee mug, it seems like it is the thermal mug or no mug at all. I am sure that will change with the release of the next Hunger Games movie, Catching Fire, in November, 2013.

May the odds be ever
in your favour!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Buy your Hunger Games thermal coffee mug on Amazon.
Uncover the best Hunger Games gift ideas.

Hostess Twinkie Bake Set

Missing your Hostess Twinkies? We know you'll never forget them so why not try baking them at home?

Amazon stocks an interesting Hostess Twinkies Bake Set, which includes a Hostess Twinkie shaped pan, pastry bag and instruction booklet.

The product meets with mixed reviews. One Amazon customer says the results weren't too bad and another said she burnt them though that would seem to be a easy enough problem to overcome. As a final baker said, don't expect perfect Twinkies and you'll get what you paid for.

It seems to me that this Hostess set would be a fun gift, even if it doesn't exactly replicate the Hostess Twinkie.

I see that there is also a Hostess Twinkies cookbook available. That might be a fun option, too, for anyone who really, really loves Twinkies.

If you do decide to try making your own Twinkies or you already have, please come back and tell us how they turned out!

See you

in the kitchen!

Brenda

 

Quick Links:

 

Order your Hostess Twinkie Baking Set.

Order your Never Forget the Twinkie poster from Amazon.

Uncover the secrets behind another culinary masterpiece, Paula Deen's Krispy Kreme Donut Hamburger.

 

Free Je T'Aime Coffee Cup Wrapper Printable For Valentine's Day

How cool is this free Je T'Aime coffee cup wrapper printable? Too cool, though cool might be the wrong word to use in association with a coffee cup, LOL.

We love that it's a FREE printable that you can use to show the one you love that you care.

We love that there is both a female and a male version available so that you can use the one that fits your personal situation.

We love, of course, the fact that it celebrates the humble little coffee cup.

Dress up your loved one's coffee on Valentine's Day or any day for that matter, with this coffee cup wrapper from blogger Eat, Drink, Chic.


Happy Valentine's Day!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Download your free Je T'Aime coffee wrappers by clicking right here.
Join all the fun on our Facebook coffee page, I LOVE COFFEE MUGS.

 

Valentine's Day Gift Idea For Young Men

We were invited to my son's apartment for supper tonight so while we were there, I took a wee survey, inspired as I was by something I saw in the newspaper about the way to a man's heart at Valentine's Day.

The poll was a simple question and was posed to three under 22 year olds.

"Which would you choose if you were offered the choice between a heart-shaped box of chocolates and a heart-shaped pizza?"

Can you guess what they chose? It came as no surprise to me!

So if you looking for a great gift idea for a young man this Valentine's Day, you might want to consider the results of my survey as indicated in the image on this page.  It's pizza every time!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Brenda

Quick Link:

Image of a heart-shaped pizza is a canvas print by Garry Day.

The Swedish Chef On How To Open Champagne

If you're thinking of a romantic Valentine's Day dinner for your loved one this year, you won't want to ask the Swedish Chef to open the champagne unless, of course, it is a laugh you are after. His technique is well, not great and the result entertaining but perhaps painful for the Swedish Chef.

If you are really looking for guidance on how to open a bottle of champagne and to do so safely, you can read this article from U.S.A. Today.

Happy Valentine's Day!
Brenda

 

Quick Links:

 

How To Open A Bottle of Champagne Safely.

Canadian Nutrition Fact Labels

According to an article in this morning's Ottawa Citizen, only one-third of Canadians understand Canadian nutrition labels.  

One problem Canadians report is when comparing labels. For instance, the nutrition label from a popular cereal box shown here bases its nutrient numbers on a 30 gram serving. If another cereal uses a 50 gram serving, a simple comparison is not so easily made.

Another problem is the number of people who don't know if the '% Daily Value' is or is not a lot of a particular nutrient.  For instance, this cereal shows that a single serving represents 12 percent of a day's fibre.  The question then is whether 12 percent is a little bit or a lot of fibre. 

It is obvious to me then that if we want a healthier public that Health Canada should continue educating the public.

Sharing the  '5-15' rule that helps a consumer to decipher the '% Daily Value' issue, seems simple enough. I usually try to make healthy choices but interestingly, I had never heard about the '5-15' rule until I read the paper this morning.  The rule states that  less than 5 percent is a little bit of a nutrient; more than 15 percent is a lot.

Sharing that rule and requiring food manufacturers to use standardized serving sizes seems simple enough to me, too.  That would be two simple steps forward to helping consumers understand the nutrient labels on the products at the grocery store.

 

See you

in the kitchen.

Brenda

 

Ottawa Citzen story, Canadians Still Baffled By Nutrition Labels.

Easy Recipes For One or Two

This year both of my sons are living in their own homes and, despite the fact that they are both very comfortable in and fairly knowledgeable about the kitchen and cooking, there are still many basic recipes that they are unsure how to put together.

So while both of my sons are accomplished The Best-Ever Buttermilk Pancake Recipe makers and can make a homemade pizza, they stumble when it comes to staples like mashed potatoes and homemade macaroni and cheese. 

It is my hope that by sharing a few easy recipes here on my blog that make a few servings rather than enough for an entire family, that they will have these posts to turn to when they want to make one of these basic items.

And interestingly enough, as a relatively new empty nester, I'm also struggling in the kitchen these days so I could stand to have a new collection of recipes for one or two people, too.

See you
in the kitchen!

Brenda