Comfort Stew: Beef Daube Provencal

A classic, no-fail stew. Make it in the slow cooker or on the stovetop, and learn several tricks for a more tender and tasty stew. Cooking School notes included as well as modifications.

Looking for a Bright Spot

“Don’t dwell on all the bad news around you.” That’s the current advice from the positive thinking industry: You may have lost your job and your house, you’ve no doubt lost a lot of paper value and retirement security, there’s no vacation this year and probably not many additions to the wardrobe, plus you’re struggling … Read more

Look What a Pantry Can Do for You!

They Save Time, Reduce Stress, Save Money, Produce Intriguing Meals and Maybe Even Lead to Enlightenment Previous articles alluded to the many benefits of a pantry, but just to make sure I put them directly in your face, let me list them all together here: Money Savings The way money disappears at the grocery store … Read more

How to Stock the Pantry . . . or Do a Better Job Working the One You Have

“Stocking the pantry.” Sounds like it should be a nice, predictable process akin to stocking inventory at the local shoe store. Actually, “raucous,” “adventuresome” and “messy” are more descriptive, likely because stocking the pantry is such a unique, personalized process. Discover 5 helpful steps for creating a pantry just right for you.

Investment Thinking at the Grocery Store

Hate grocery shopping? “Investment thinking” will keep you out of the aisles and free up more time to make the healthy, economical meals you want to be eating.

The Post-Vacation Refrigerator Blues

Coming home from vacation is usually disappointing in and of itself, what with all the mail to read, newspapers to deal with, email to catch up with and, worst of all, the frig to re-stock. While there’s no avoiding the inevitable, learn the KitchenSmart trick that can at least delay a trip to the grocery store for a few days, until you’re a little more caught up.