Even though we all like to eat strawberries year round, the best time to eat them is when they can be purchased directly from a local grower shortly after harvest. In other words, when they are in season. Fruits and vegetables are at their cheapest when they're being harvested, thanks to farmers' ample supply. Unfortunately, many home cooks associate fresh produce only with summer, but colder months bring lower prices for seasonal produce too.

If you know me or follow this blog at all, you know about my great passion for cooking and food. Something you might not know about me though is, that I’m also extremely passionate about sharing my cooking knowledge with others; so they can cook nutritious and delicious foods for their loved ones. As a cooking instructor, there is nothing more rewarding than knowing and seeing the evidence that you’ve made an impact on someone’s life or multiple lives. Last week I taught a class that is the perfect set of recipes for you to make for your loved one for Valentine’s Day. 

For many people, food and family are closely connected. In fact, family recipes are a fantastic way of keeping our ancestry alive, as well as maintaining that part of ourselves -- the part for whom all it takes is one whiff, one taste, to bring you to reliving an important family feeling. 

When it comes to taking care of an oven, it is sometimes all too easy to overlook the one action that could be the most important–keeping it clean. Keeping an oven clean is vital for health and sanitary reasons. Not only is there a risk of contaminating food with old, baked on grime, but an oven with a lot of food debris and char can cause smoke; which will give the dishes cooked inside an unpleasant flavor.

Freezer cooking -- it sounds like an oxymoron, doesn’t it? It’s actually a fantastic way for parents to provide nutritious and tasty meals for their families, even on the busiest of days. You start by freezing meals or ingredients for a meal, in order to make mealtimes easier. This is most often done in bulk so you have a few meals at a time. Some start by simply doubling a recipe they are making, serving one immediately and freezing the second for later. Others cook in bulk on one day to prepare meals for the next weeks and months.