So today is the first day of our social experiment. I'm trying to prove that I can spend not a lot of money and feed everyone to satisfaction and beyond. For supper tonight we are having roast beef (on sale, I bought a nice big sirloin tip roast for under $6), roast potatoes, cabbage and gravy. I guesstimate the whole meal has cost me less than $10..which may sound a little extravagant, but let me explain: leftovers will feed us tomorrow. Cold meat and bubble and squeak, and there'll be...

My kitchen has been a hive of activity this morning. It started with candy. I made some mint chocolate hard candy - it's chilling in the fridge as we speak.  Once I've got the mince pies in the oven I'll take the candy out and break it into pieces, dust it with powdered sugar to stop it from sticking together and bag it. Next, I peeled and par-boiled some potatoes - I'm making roast potatoes for tomorrow's Thanksgiving lunch and I'm trying to do most (if not all) of the prep work...

I wish that the internet had a smell feature, because the smell wafting out of my kitchen right now is just divine.  I'm baking blackberry and peach crumbles (separate ones, not blackberry and peach mixed together) and they smell good enough to make my tummy rumble. We went to Brautigum's orchard this morning and picked our berries right off the bush.  Brautigum's is smaller and makes the other local 'country' orchard look like an industrial conglomerate.  Mr Brautigum let us w...

Yeah, I said caramel apple pizza.  Don't turn your noses up, it's not what you think - there's no tomato sauce involved, although there is some cheese. Ok, here's what you need: 8oz cream cheese (one whole block of Philly or Cooper will do) 1/3 cup caramel apple dip (can be found in the refrigerated section of the produce department) 1 14oz pizza crust (Boboli or some other brand; any kind of pre-baked crust will do) 2 large apples (I prefer a Gala, Jonagold, Jonathon or Gran...