I love pancakes! I love the idea of pancakes, the variety of pancakes, the dessert/breakfast quality of pancakes. I always order pancakes when I’m out for brunch or breakfast.

What I don’t like is making pancakes. How do you keep them warm when you have a large crowd over for brunch?

How do you get lots of variety without a lot of work?

What I do know for sure is that I love to have people over for breakfast and brunch and I would like to be able to visit with my guests when they are around, so, pancakes are out of the question.
They turn you into a slave to the stove.

This brunch casserole has solved many of my issues. Plus it is a hardy, yummy and filling dish that works great for a lazy Sunday.

I can make it in the morning and have it around all day for noshing.

I always include potatoes, onions, eggs and cheese but I vary the vegetables based on what I have on hand.

This time I added, red pepper and corn.

I start by sautéing the onion, red pepper and potatoes in a frying skillet then beating eggs and cheese together to pour over all of the ingredients in a casserole dish.

I’ll bake this at 350 for about 20-30 minutes in a buttered casserole dish.

It is easy and delicious and relatively healthy.

The best thing about it is that it is forgiving and will accommodate almost any combination of ingredients.

Experiment with your favorites and always have a hassle-free dish on hand that makes everyone happy and leaves you hands free!

Getting ready to embark on a family road trip can take a lot of planning, even when it comes to what you should eat while on the road. According to 21st.com, nourishment is a an essential part of a successful road trip. You probably have limited space because of luggage, and you can’t exactly chow down on a plate of fettuccine alfredo without it being a pretty high-maintenance meal.

So aside from the obvious — eating anything that will make a mess or needs plates, several utensils, etc. — what are the foods to avoid while on the road? When taking these things into consideration, what are the best foods to take along on your trip? Here are some ideas.

Best Car Food

Grapes and raisins

When the chef of the restaurant Motor was asked by Epicurious which foods were best for car snacks, raisins and grapes were two of his recommendations. Raisins are already packaged into individual boxes, so the portion control is easy. Worst-case scenario is that a few raisins fall to the floor, but that makes for an easy cleanup. Grapes, however, are his favorite car snack — you can rinse them off, cut them into smaller bunches, and group them in Ziploc bags. Can’t get much easier than that!

Worst Car Food

Pizza

Picking up a pizza is easy, and wolfing it down is delicious, but think about the last time you ate pizza; can you remember the cheese and toppings sliding off the crust and onto your chin and potentially the table and floor? It’s certainly possible to eat pizza with one hand, but the mess factor is too much of a risk, especially with how much grease will end up all over you and your children’s faces. This all goes double if you’re driving (and is very dangerous!)

Sugary, dyed food

People debate about whether sugary food makes kids hyper. However, some studies show that food dye in foods can increase hyperactivity in children. While sugar might not be the cause, don’t take the risk if that’s your hunch. Having hyper kids in the backseat of your car while driving will not only cause them to be restless, it could also distract you.

Conclusion

When you’re deciding what to bring in the car for a trip, think about factors like whether the food is healthy, will upset your stomach, or will cause a huge mess in your vehicle that you’ll have to clean up later. Don’t let the food you choose cause you any stress or distraction!

Halloween is upon us, and it’s time to put the finishing touches on your party plans. If you’re looking for tasty, spooky treats for your guests, use the following recipes to make your Halloween party one they’ll never forget! If you are looking for more ideas for your Halloween soiree, do a search of Halloween recipes on Recipe Finder for inspiration and how-to’s. Enjoy!

Embed code:
<br /> <a href=""http://www.pantrydiaries.com/2011/10/19/halloween-party-food/"><img title="Making Halloween Party Food Like a Boss" src="http://i.imgur.com/2yU4H.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="2433" /></a>Source:<a href="http://recipe-finder.com/">Halloween recipes on Recipe Finder</a><br />

When you find out you are having a baby, you know your entire life is going to change. From the amount of sleep you get to how long it takes you to get ready to leave the house, nothing will ever be the same. One way you can help yourself keep your sanity is to learn some tips, tricks and lists to plan family meals. Taking the stress out of this aspect of your daily life can save you time and help ensure your and your family get a hot meal every night.

You may want to consider integrating some of these four tips as soon as you find out your due date. Doing so will help you establish a routine that will be easier to manage once baby comes.

Plan your meals – Whether you shop once a week or every other week, take the time to plan out your meals for each day. Your meal plan should include a main entree and side dishes. It’s a good idea to come up with a few ‘extra’ meals in case you find a great sale on meat once you arrive at the store. Be sure to plan at least one ‘easy’ meal each week. Hamburgers or a crock-pot meal are great time savers for nights when you are in a bind.

Build a list – Use your meal plan to create a complete grocery list. Consider creating a separate list for each department, such as dairy, frozen, produce, and meats, in the grocery store. For each meal, fill in all of the needed ingredients, keeping in mind what you already have on hand. Not only will you actually buy everything you need, it will take you far less time to shop. Just make sure you don’t forget it at home.

Freeze meals – Whenever you are making soup, chili, or anything that can be frozen, double the batch and freeze it. Most foods will store for several months in the freezer. On busy days, a home cooked meal can simply be pulled out of the freezer. It’s the convenience of a prepared meal – just one you made yourself. Sloppy joes, meatloaf, meatballs, and more can be frozen.

Cut out the prep work – If you find yourself in a rush when you get home from work, consider cutting down some of the prep time by buying pre-cut veggies and other ingredients. Many grocery stores now offer diced onions, celery, mushrooms, carrots, peppers, and other ingredients. These may cost a bit more than the traditional kind, but can save you hours of work. 

Making a home cooked meal each night can be a big task, but by breaking it down, making lists, and using some tips and tricks, you can do it. There is nothing better for you than a home cooked meal. When was the last time that you created a meal plan?

Isn’t it time you try?

What would you pay for the most decadent desserts? Desserts around the world have been created to excite the taste buds and push the boundaries of sugary opulence. But is the price tag worth the result or are these desserts, and their price tags, merely created to create buzz for the restaurants where they’re served?

You be the judge as you read about the top 5 most expensive desserts.

1. Golden Opulence Sundae

The Golden Opulence Sundae begins with five scoops of a special Tahitian vanilla ice cream that is then combined with Venezuelan chocolate and Madagascar vanilla along with truffles, candied fruits and marzipan cherries. What really makes it expensive though is the glass it comes in and the spoon. Such a sundae couldn’t be housed in an ordinary cup; instead it’s in a Harcourt crystal goblet and eaten with an 18K gold spoon. The price tag: $1,000.

2. Sultan’s Golden Cake

If you’ve ever wanted the chance to eat some gold, now you can. All you need to do is visit the Ciragan Palace Kempinski Hotel in Istanbul, where you can have a cake made with apricots, pears, and figs. But these aren’t ordinary fruits; they’ve been soaking in Jamaican Rum for two years! The outside of the cake is topped with edible 24K gold leaf. Makes you wonder if the gold adds any flavor or if it’s just for the look. The price tag: $1,000.

3. Chocolate Truffle

If you consider yourself a chocolate connoisseur, you’ll want to check out the chocolate truffle sold at Chocopologie in Norwalk, Conn. This is the most expensive chocolate truffle in the world and are only made to order, so be sure to order in advance if you want to try this extravagant dessert. The price tag: $250 per truffle.

4. Fortress Stilt Fisherman Indulgence

For this unique dessert, you’ll have to head to the Wine3 Fisherman Stilt restaurant in Sri Lanka. This dessert pays homage to the tradition of stilt fishing that is common in that area. The dessert is made from Irish cream, a pomegranate and mango compote, and chocolate, but what really ramps up the price tag is the 80 carat aquamarine that sits on the stilt made of chocolate — not the typical dessert learned at culinary school. The price tag: $14,500.

5. Frrrozen Haute Chocolate

If you have tried a frozen hot chocolate drink, you know how delicious it is. But at the Serendipity3 restaurant in New York City, this frozen dessert takes the drink to the next level. This indulgence, only made if ordered in advance, contains cocoa from 14 different countries and 5 grams of edible 24K gold. It comes in a gold goblet decorated with diamonds and a golden spoon. At one point it was the most expensive dessert in the world. The price tag: $25,000.

These desserts definitely rank among the most expensive, but are they worth the price tag? You be the judge. Would you order these desserts if given the opportunity?