Category: Creative Cookery

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Creative Cookery Product Reviews Taste Tests Video Podcast

August 2017 Foodstirs Kit – Campfire S’mores Brownie Cupcakes

Foodstirs Aug 2017 Kit Campfire S'mores Brownie Kit

Carma’s Cookery Foodstirs Series, Part 1

August 2017 Kit – Campfire S’mores Brownie Cupcakes

I’ve had my eyes on Foodstirs for awhile for three reasons:

  1. One of the founders is Sarah Michelle Gellar, Buffy from the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer
  2. The kits are very creative, which I believe helps home cooks unleash their kitchen creativity easily and safely
  3. The kits use organic ingredients

I purchased a three-month subscription. Today’s post is for the first kit I received, which were Campfire S’mores Brownie Cupcakes. I made them for a house-warming party I hosted and they were a hit.

Foodstirs August 2017 Kit - Campfire S'mores Brownie Cupcakes

Extra Ingredients You’ll Need

The kit comes with all the non-perishable ingredients you’ll need to make the brownies. What you’ll need to add to the list are these perishable ingredients:

  • Butter
  • Eggs
  • Oil
  • Yogurt

Unboxing Video + Baking and Display Images

What I Liked About Foodstirs Campfire S’mores Brownie Cupcakes Kit

The kit comes with pretty much everything you’ll need, including a frosting dispenser and cupcake liners. The frosting mix is da bomb. I pretty much could just eat that (and I did with the leftovers!). The brownies were tasty, as well.

What I Didn’t Like About Foodstirs Campfire S’mores Brownie Cupcakes Kit

The kit made eight cupcakes, which turned out to be just the right number for my party. However, under normal circumstances, I probably would have wanted to make more.

I’m not sure if it because the mix is organic, but I found the brownies to be a bit heavier than I like them. I like my brownies to be a little more cake-like in density.

Overall Thoughts on Foodstirs Campfire S’mores Brownie Cupcakes Kit

This was a fun kit to make and resulted in a tasty treat that my company loved. Although the assembly was a bit trickier than it looked, so I probably wouldn’t buy another kit. That said, it certainly was fun the first time!

Who Is This Kit Suitable for?

I think that this kit would be good for parents to make with their kids, as well as adults who want to present a different kind of treat at a potluck, but don’t have a lot of time to get creative on their own.

Score: 4 out of 5

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Categories
Creative Cookery Flavor Blending Healthy Living Special Occasions

5 Ways to Bake Healthy Christmas Cookies

Do you ever wish there were healthy Christmas cookies? I don’t know about you, but Christmas time is pretty much cookie time! I’m a total cookie monster and all those delicious varieties of cookies can add up to a lot of sugar and calories. So how do you enjoy your cookies and eat healthier, too?

The obvious idea is to eat fewer cookies. But that isn’t always practical, am I right? Another idea is to make healthy Christmas cookies. So, here are some ideas to make the cookies that you bake healthier, whether they become gluten-free, low-carb, or lower in fat and calories.

Healthy Christmas Cookies

Healthy Christmas Cookies Idea #1: Switch to Dark Chocolate

dark chocolateQuite a few Christmas cookies contain chocolate, but that doesn’t mean you need to do without these yummy cookies when you are trying to be healthier. A better way to make healthy Christmas cookies with chocolate is to make the switch to dark chocolate.

Dark chocolate has slightly less fat and calories than milk chocolate. But more important, dark chocolate is good for you. It is filled with antioxidants, and sometimes even doctor-recommended. Add dark chocolate chips to your favorite Christmas cookies to make them a little healthier.

Healthy Christmas Cookies Idea #2: Roll Flatter Sugar Cookie Dough

A super easy way to cut the overall fat and calories per cookie with traditional sugar cut-out cookies is to roll the dough flatter. You are going to reduce the portion sizes but still, have some amazing sugar cookies. It is a simple way to get some cookies that will cut the nutritional facts in half, but by using the exact same sugar recipe your family is used to. It also lets you have more dough to make even more cookies than you are used to making. Of course, this doesn’t give you license to eat more of them. That will defeat your point!

Healthy Christmas Cookies Idea #3: Use Healthy Oils

coconut oilAnother thing that Christmas cookies often have in common is using a lot of fats, such as butter. However, you can easily make them heart healthy by cutting out those fats and instead switching to healthier oils.

Get rid of all the butter, shortening, and vegetable oil in the recipe, and opt for coconut oil or olive oil instead. There are even some substitutions that allow you to use pureed fruit to replace the fats and make them even healthier.

Tips for replacing butter for healthier oils:

  • Coconut oil — This is pretty much an even exchange, just be sure the coconut oil is the same consistency as the recipe needed for the butter. Cookies made with coconut oil tend to be crunchier.
  • Olive oil — For every Tablespoon of melted butter, use 2-1/2 teaspoons of olive oil. Remember to use a milder flavored oil and don’t try substituting in recipes that require you to cream the butter and sugar. Coconut oil would be a better option in that case.

Healthy Christmas Cookies Idea #4: Try Adding Some Dates

If you feel that your holiday cookies need to be sweeter, but you want to reduce the amount of sugar being used, you can replace the sweetness with dates. Dates are a type of fruit that tastes a bit nutty, but in general, has a mild flavor. They contain a lot of sweetness, so when you puree them and add them to your cookie recipes, it makes a big difference without adding to the fat or calories of the cookies recipes.

Healthy Christmas Cookies Idea #5: Increase the fiber

oatsIf your recipe calls for all-purpose flour, you can replace up to half of it with whole wheat flour. The resulting cookie may have a courser texture and then there may be less volume of dough, but you’ll increase the fiber of the cookie. Other ways to increase the fiber in your cookies include:

  • Add flaxseed meal to the dry ingredients. A single tablespoon can add 3 grams of fiber to your recipe.
  • Add ground high-fiber cereals to your recipes, such as oats, wheat germ, and wheat bran.
  • For moister cookies, replace some of the fat with applesauce.
  • Add grated apples or zucchini
  • Add nuts or seeds. In addition to increasing the fiber, they add texture and crunch.
  • Replace some of the fat with pureed beans, such as garbanzos or white beans


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This Healthy Eating Worksheet will walk you through the process of creating a healthy eating plan. All you need to do is print it out, set aside some time to complete it, and then fill it out. Then you can create your plan, knowing that you have addressed potential obstacles and came up with some creative ways to handle them.

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Categories
All Things Pumpkin Creative Cookery Recipes

What To Do with Leftover Decorative Mini-Squash (Squash Soup Recipe Included)

roasted winter squash
Let your roasted squash cool before prepping for puree.

This Thanksgiving, since I was hosting my parents and my husband’s parents, I got fancy with the decor and used some mini-pumpkins and mini-squash. Many people use these small winter squash as decorations and then throw them away. But did you know you can eat them? This year I made mini squash soup!

What to do with leftover decorative mini-squash

I purchased four mini pumpkins (one of them went bad before I tried to cook them) and two delicata squash to decorate the buffet and dinner tables. I arranged some in a basket and others elsewhere on the table, with a few extra Granny Smith apples I had. With the addition of some fake fall leaves I picked up at the Dollar Tree, I thought it looked pretty nice.

Thanksgiving dinner table set and ready to go

Now, you could just throw them away when you’re done. But you don’t have to waste your money that way. You can cook and eat them just like any winter squash. I decided to use them to make a squash soup. Here’s how I did it.

Step 1: Roast the Squash

In order to make a squash puree, I needed to cook them. I decided to roast them.

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Prepare a large baking dish by lining with aluminum foil and spaying the foil with non-stick spray.
  3. Cut open the squash and deseed.
  4. Cut into 1/4 slices and place in a large bowl.
  5. Toss with enough olive oil to coat all peices evenly.
  6. Arrange squash on the baking sheet.
  7. Bake for 10 minutes. Toss and then bake another 10 minutes. They are done when a fork can be easily stuck into them.
sliced winter squash ready to bake
Arrange the olive-oil coated squash pieces on prepared baking sheet.
roasted winter squash
Let your roasted squash cool before prepping for puree.

Step 2: Puree the Squash

  1. Remove skins/rinds from the squash.
  2. Place squash in a food processor or blender (I used my NutriBullet). Add enough broth or stock (I used homemade turkey broth created from leftover Thanksgiving turkey bones).
  3. Blend until smooth.

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squash and broth being pureed in a blender.
Place squash and broth in a blender to puree.
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pureed squash with broth
The pureed squash with broth will be thick and creamy.
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savory soup base
This puree method is for a savory soup base, not to be used for desserts.
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Step 3: Make Squash Soup!

Mini Winter Squash Soup Ingredients

  • 4 Tbsp butter
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 tsp fresh sage, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh parsley, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh basil, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, crushed
  • 1/2 tsp dried marjarom
  • 1/4 tsp ground white or black pepper
  • Up to 3 cups your favorite broth
  • 1 3/4 cup pumpkin puree (as prepared above)
  • 1 cup greek yogurt
  • Sour cream or greek yogurt for garnish

Mini Winter Squash Soup Directions

  1. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onion and garlic. Saute until softened and the onions are beginning to become transluscent.
  2. Stir in sage, thyme, rosemary, parsley, basic, ginger, marjarom and pepper until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
  3. Stir in broth. Continue to cook over medium-high heat, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
  4. Stir in the pumpkin and yogurt.
  5. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until heated through.
  6. Optional: Transfer to a blender and blend until creamy. Return to saucepan and heat through.
  7. Serve in shallow soup bowls and garnish with sour cream or greek yogurt.

The Recipe in Action — with Commentary

You might call this Thanksgiving Leftover Soup — many of the ingredients were leftover from the holiday. Waste not, want not, right?

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chopped herbs
I used fresh thyme and sage left over from Thanksgiving. I had some fresh frozen basil, ginger, parsley and rosemary, as well.
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saute onions and garlic
I used one medium and one small onion, left over from Thanksgiving along with some fresh frozen crushed garlic.
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add herbs
Once the onions began to become translucent, I tossed in the herbs.
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add broth
Once fragrant, I added in turkey broth I made from the leftover Thanksgiving turkey bones.
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add squash puree
Add the squash puree to the simmering soup base.
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add yogurt
You can use sour cream, sour cream alternative, or regular yogurt. I used plain Greek yogurt I had left over from Thanksgiving.
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heat through
Mix in the puree and yogurt while the soup heats up. You can serve this as is, or blend it like I did.
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blend
If you like a creamier squash soup, transfer the warm soup to a blender and blend until desired consistency.
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heat through
Return the blended squash soup to the pot and heat until desired temperature.
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serve squash soup
Serve in large, shallow bowls. I didn’t garnish, but you can garnish it with sour cream, yogurt, or a small sprig of parsley.

Carma’s Commentary

I wasn’t sure what to expect because I’ve never eaten mini-pumpkins nor delicata squash before. The resulting squash soup was delicious! The dominant flavors were rosemary and thyme, and I could tell that the roasted squash helped balance those flavors. You can serve the soup without blending it. I chose to blend it because I like a creamy soup better.

You don’t have to roast the squash the way I did, but you do need to cook it until it is tender. You can bake it or even boil it. Each method comes with its own flavor profile. I chose to roast with olive oil for the extra flavor that both the extra virgin olive oil and the roasting process adds to the squash.

When you are pureeing squash, such as pumpkin, to add to a pie, bread, or other such recipes, do not add broth! Purees used in most of those types of recipes require a dryer puree. And you don’t want the savoriness of the broth to change the quality of your dessert. When not adding extra liquid, a food processor is a better choice. Or you can push the squash through a metal sieve. I did it this way because I knew I’d be adding broth to the soup anyway, so it didn’t matter if I added some a bit earlier in the preparation of the recipe.

The beauty of this recipe is that it is highly adaptable. If you are Vegan or Vegetarian, use a vegetable-based broth. If you don’t want dairy, use a nut milk for the soup and garnish with a sour cream substitute, such as plain Greek yogurt (I like The Greek Gods Greek Yogurt) or a homemade substitute such as Cashew Sour Cream or Coconut Milk Sour Cream. If you do eat meat, you can try adding some savory sausage or diced ham to the soup.

Categories
Creative Cookery

4 Hassle-Free Cooking Ideas

4 Hassle-Free Cooking Ideas
Photo by Herson Rodriguez on Unsplash

Some people find the ideas of working 9-5, then coming home to cook everyone dinner a tad stressful. And, I’ll admit, on particularly long days, I’m one of those people! And even if you aren’t rushed around dinner time, making dinner after work can still be a bit chaotic. (Why do you think TV dinners exist?) However, it doesn’t have to be this way. Cooking should be enjoyable for everyone, regardless of time constraints. There are so many different recipes to try and flavors to experience that you should often be expressing your kitchen creativity and experimenting with your food. Yet so many people will prefer to stick a ready meal in the microwave and be done with it. Or, they have a small set of recipes they fall back on all the time. If you’re one of those people, then let this post open your mind to the possibility of hassle-free cooking and better eating.

4 Hassle-Free Cooking Ideas
Photo by Herson Rodriguez on Unsplash, Design by Carma Spence

Hassle-Free Cooking Idea #1: Get Everyone Involved

Obviously, if you’ve got really young children you might want them to stay out the way, but if you’ve got tweens or teens there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be helping you in the kitchen. Getting them excited about cooking can also help to keep you motivated in making good food rather than taking the easy option. Even if you just get help with the manual labor side of things such as chopping or peeling vegetables, it all takes a bit of the burden from you. Plus it is a great way of bringing all of the family together. If you do have younger children and want to try and get them involved then you could get them to help with the safer tasks such as sprinkling the cheese if you’re making a homemade pizza. They’re more inclined to try foods if they’ve helped to prepare it.


Hassle-Free Cooking Idea #2: Kit Your Kitchen Out

If you want to make cooking hassle-free, you need to have a decent modern kitchen. Of course, you could renovate and give yourself a brand new one — if you can afford it. Or you can make do with what you have, and fill it with the latest appliances. Something from Kitchenaid will literally aid you when it comes to fun tasks such as baking. (I LOVE their standing mixer!) It has so many capabilities, and they actually look really pretty, as well. They’re a tad on the expensive side, but worth it in the long run, since they are long-lived.

Another cool addition you could put in the kitchen is a food smoker. They give off that gorgeous smokey BBQ taste that you’d get from an outdoor BBQ, but without the hassle. If you’re stuck with deciding which one to chose, get help deciding here.

The one thing every kitchen needs though is a good oven. But what’s the one thing people don’t seem to have? A good oven. If you’re looking for something that’s going to make cooking hassle-free, then you should look into the price of a double oven. People’s biggest complaints are not having enough space when it comes to cooking, a double oven will solve all your problems. Frankly, I wish I had one for this Thursday! Luckily, I have two slow cookers and will be making three of my usually oven-made dishes in those!

Hassle-Free Cooking Idea #3: Safety First

Hassle-free cooking is safe cooking. Nothing creates more hassle than a sliced bloody finger leaking into you bolognese mix. So, you need to find ways to make your kitchen as safe as possible. Let’s start with the major issue that a lot of homes face, fire due to lack of fire safety equipment. We aren’t talking about a fire extinguisher in your kitchen, but a simple smoke detector could save the lives of everyone in the house, as well as your lovely dinner from burning too much. They don’t necessarily go off because your house is burning down, you could have just left the pie in the oven for too long. (Or you’re cooking bacon with all the windows open like I was yesterday and it goes off because there’s a little smoke in the air. Erg.) Keep in mind, that if you rent where you live, in many states it is against the law not to have a working smoke detector.

In addition to fire safety, you may need to think about making the kitchen safe for little ones. Make sure knives are well out of reach and cupboards are childproofed. The last thing you need is a child rummaging through your cupboards and ruining the contents.

Hassle-Free Cooking Idea #4:Cook What You Like

Hassle-free cooking is fun! You need to actually enjoy what you’re cooking. If you look forward to the meal you’re making, you’re less likely to consider the making part of it a hassle. But at the same time, it can be so repetitive making the same foods over and over again. Try and experiment a little and challenge yourself in terms of cooking. Don’t just go for the simple chili, switch it up and create a chili nacho cheese feast. Sounds good right? All you need is your normal chili con carne mix. Get an ovenproof fairly large dish and layer with nachos, top with the chili, add a layer of cheese, repeat until done. Microwave for 3 minutes to melt the cheese and you’re in for a treat.

Categories
Creative Cookery Recipes

3 Favorite Fall Vegetables

Fall vegetables

Buying seasonal produce is a good choice for staying healthy and fall is the time to start enjoying more vegetables. Autumn is the time of year for hearty meals that warm up your body, such as soups, stews, and casseroles, all of which taste their best with more vegetables. Not sure which fall vegetables you’ll enjoy? You might be surprised. Here are some fall produce favorites you can enjoy.

Fall vegetables

Carrots

carrotsCarrots are sometimes referred to as a spring vegetable, though they are often available in the fall as well. They also go great with many of your favorite fall recipes such as soup, stew, and casseroles.

You can even eat them raw, adding carrots to your salads or just enjoying them as a snack with ranch or hummus dip.

Roasting carrots is another great option, which just requires a little olive oil, your favorite seasonings, and an oven.

Roasted Carrots

Ingredients

  • 12 Carrots
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp (total) dried herbs of your choice, such as oregano, thyme, sage, margoram. (An herb blend such as Italian Herbs works well, too.)
  • Pinch salt
  • Pinch black pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Skin carrots and slice into 1-2 inch peices.
  3. In a bowl, toss carrots with oil, herbs, salt and pepper.
  4. Spread out on a sheet pan and roast at for 20 minutes, until browned and tender.

Butternut Squash

butternut squashThere are a lot of different types of squashes that are popular in the fall, though you can’t go wrong with a nice butternut squash. It is low in fat and calories, has a lot of nutrients, and has a creamy texture that is perfect for soup.

In fact, it is commonly turned into butternut squash soup that you can serve on its own or with your choice of bread or crackers. A dollop of sour cream is nice, too.

You can also steam or roast the butternut squash and enjoy with butter, cheese, or pasta.
If you’re not sure what else butternut squash can be added to — try soups you’re making. Even if it doesn’t include them, but includes other vegetables. Cut up some squash and add it. You’ll be surprised what a treat this can be in the soup.

Because butternut squash and pumpkin are very similar in flavor and color, they an be interchanged without modification of the recipes.

Sweet Potatoes and Yams

sweet potatoe or yamDon’t forget about your sweet potatoes and yams! These are a sweeter and lower fat versions of white potatoes, as well as being lower in carbohydrates.

Sweet potatoes have so many different uses, from making a healthier French fries or mashed potatoes for frying them, roasting them and boiling them.

More Fall Vegetables

These fall vegetables are great to have but are by no means all the ones you should consider. Some other excellent fall vegetables to enjoy include broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, acorn squash and pumpkin.

In fact, pumpkin can also replace certain ingredients in your baked dishes to make them lower fat, including cakes and cupcakes.

The great thing about these vegetables is the fact that all of them can be used as a vegetable for any of your dinners. So if you want to introduce them to your family that is one way to do it. Or you can find a recipe that highlights one of these fall vegetables and you’ll be hooked on using them. These fall vegetables work amazingly for either option.

Categories
Creative Cookery

Bored With What’s for Dinner?

Bored?

Inspiration To Spice Up Supper

One of the reasons I’m a recipe and cookbook collector — or should I say, junkie? — is that I get easily bored eating the same things over and over. I, and perhaps you, as well, try to prepare meals at home, at least in part, so that I can be eating well and more healthfully. And, making meals at home — especially if you’re busy — takes some planning. Without the planning, you’ll be more likely to pick up something that’s quick and tasty, but probably not all that good for you. But what happens when you get bored with the meals you’re making? It’s easy to do when you’re in a cooking rut. But, you don’t need to head out to the nearest takeout joint. Instead, spice up your dinner with some of these tips below.

Bored With What's for Dinner? Inspiration To Spice Up Supper

Bored Buster #1: Go with a Theme

Mexican Mondays, anyone? There’s a whole world of food out there, so why not travel across the globe from the comfort of your own home during dinner time? Pick a food type and make that your mission for the evening. We’re all guilty of relying too heavily on those go-to dishes that we can make with our eyes closed; indeed, it’s this autopilot nature that makes preparing the meals boring. We’re just not challenged enough! Selecting to make a meal from say, India, will test you in the kitchen and keep you engaged on the task at hand.

Here are some additional theme night ideas:

  • Alliteration Themes: Thai Tuesday, Hawaiian Hump Day, Throw Back Thursday (vintage recipes), Finger Food Friday, Salad Saturday and Slowcooker Sunday
  • Fun Themes: Movie Monday – recipes inspired by your favorite films; TV Tuesay – recipes inspired by your favorite TV shows; Disney Princess High Tea
  • Cuisines of the World: Try your hand at Indian, Swedish, Hungarian, wherever your tastbuds (and cooking skills) want to go


Bored Buster #2: Add New Equipment

kitchen gadgetsNever underestimate just how big a difference a new gadget can make. I’m still working my through all the cool kitchen gadgets I got when I got married last year! These gadgets are fun to shop for, and you’ll start planning the meals you’ll make with them even before it arrives. Then you’ll be excited to get into the kitchen once it’s in your hands. We’ve come a long way over the past couple of decades, and now there are dozens of cool kitchen gadgets that can put the fun back into cooking. Even the basics can be fun! There are some seriously awesome chopping boards available, ones with art, slogans, fun facts and more. Who knew taking care of the legwork of cooking could be so enjoyable?

Bored Buster #3: Mix up the Drinks

We tend to make dinner time all about the food, but that part only accounts for a percentage of the whole experience. The rest is in the atmosphere, who’s there, the music, and of course the drinks. If your dining routine has become second-nature, mix it up by adding some new and interesting drinks to the menu. Choose wines that complement the meal you’ve prepared. Look for after dinner drinks that will cap off the experience; this Kikori whiskey review, for instance, makes a note of its smooth taste, which will be perfect after a meal. You normally build the dining experience around the food; for once, build it around the drinks you’re serving.

Related Posts

Bored Buster #4: Make it an Event

If you’re one of those people that thinks happiness is only real when it’s shared, then it could be that you’re not so much bored with your food as you are bored with being in the kitchen all by yourself! On select nights, get the family to pitch in and help. You’ll enjoy the cooking process much more if you’re having fun with the ones you love!


Plan B

Finally, if you’re really tired of your food, give yourself the night off and check out a local restaurant. But there are rules:

  1. No Fast Food! Make sure it’s high quality so you can savor the flavor.
  2. Either try out a new restaurant or a dish from your favorite restaurant that you haven’t tried yet.
Categories
Creative Cookery

Hand-Held Food: The Perfect Choices for Your Summer Garden Mealtime

Hand-held food is great for summer parties. But there are some tricks of the “trade,” so to speak, you’ll want to keep in imind when crafting the perfect food for your beautiful summer. You might want to provide your family with a beautiful outdoor dining experience a few times a week. Or you might want to invite guests to come and experience your cooking skill on your newly installed outdoor veranda. However, food eaten outside is sometimes a little different than the food you can eat outside on a typical dinner table.

While the food needs to be more convenient, it needn’t be overbearingly difficult to make or be any less flavorful.

In order to experience the best that your kitchen has to offer while dining outside, consider providing family and friends with the following hand-held food items:

hand-held food - pizza

Pizza – The Ultimate Hand-Held Food

Pizza, famously easy to eat anywhere, is amazing to make from scratch but can be challenging to get exactly right. Once you’ve spread your dough, separated the cheese and come up with your own beautiful tomato sauce with a hint of spice, throwing your beautiful creation onto a pizza stone in the oven can lend your pizza the air of Italian authenticity. Stone grilling a pizza is much more preferable to your standard oven because it helps the bread stay more evenly crispy and lends that beautiful char-grilled flavor to the base itself. To help prevent sticking, scatter some corn meal on the stone before placing your pie on it.


Pizza is a great food item to make with your family. In dividing a lot of different ingredients, you can allow your children to place their own toppings. This, in turn, can serve as a fun activity for them. Hopefully, it will spawn the desire for your little ones to be competent cooks as they grow up.

hand-held food - tacos
Flickr

Tacos – Hand-Held Food from South of the Border

Much like pizza, the intrinsically grabbable nature of a taco serves to make it the ultimate convenience food. When you makie the ingredients yourself, you can pull together some very flavorful options. For the perfect salsa, I’d recommend:

  • a small crushed garlic clove,
  • a squeeze of lime juice,
  • chopped coriander,
  • eight tomatoes peeled and chopped,
  • around a full onion also chopped very finely,
  • vinegar and
  • seasoning.

For a little taste of something different that really works, consider chopping two tablespoons of pineapple to bring out that citrus bite.

The only problem you’ll have with tacos is that they are so ‘more-ish,’ you’re likely to be all out while the guests satiate their hunger and beyond.

hand-held food - skewers and kabobs

Skewers – Hand-Held Food on a Stick

Never fear, if worried about children, you can find wooden skewers with ease that can be snipped at the end to prevent any sharp end injuries from occurring. Aside from that, using skewers to help cook various meats and cheeses, such as chorizo and halloumi, lightly seasoned with pepper and a very, very tiny sprinkle of rosemary can make for the perfect and most convenient appetizer. These can serve as a perfect side accessory to your main dish, and can also be happily used to mop up any of the salsa left over from your taco’s.

These foods, well made, should bring your family a beautiful mealtime worth remembering.

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