Karen's Country Kitchen

Simple Recipes

A Note From Karen

Welcome to the home of simple recipes for Mom's and Dad's on the go. Because of our busy lifestyles, its so easy to buy fast food, frozen dinners, concession stand food, etc. just to to get through the day and satisfy our picky eaters. The intent of this web site is to allow us to get through the day, satisfy everyone and prepare easy, nutritious and time saving meals. What a concept!

The free online recipes we've included are made with ingredients that we usually have on hand and ingredients that are easy on the budget and taste buds. One thing to remember, is you know your families taste buds better than I do. If you don't think a particular spice will work with your family, use one that will. Or, open up your cabinet and experiment with a new one! I learned how to cook from my parents. Mom was usually by the book; Dad would open the spice cabinet and pick one, two, three... He wanted to try new things and it was always delicious. So go ahead...experiment!

New simple recipes are being added to our website on a daily basis. We have added some low-carb recipes and will now be adding sugar-free recipes. Diabetes has hit close to home, which has opened a new world of cooking. Some of the new sugar-free products are good, some are horrible! But there are alot of ways you can prepare meals and desserts that are sugar-free or low-sugar. For example: substitute sugar with Splenda; it measures like sugar and tastes great; using quality fruit makes a difference in taste, therefore using less sweetener. And its not just about sugar! Lower the carbs and fat content to help lower blood sugar! It all works together. And thats where your favorite spices and fresh herbs come in. Use the ones your family likes; not the ones that you find in pre-prepared foods. You know, the ones that give you an after-taste that lasts all day!! God only knows what we're really eating! Use whole foods and whole grains as much as possible. I know, your thinking "I don't have time for that!" And yes, like me, you may not everyday, but whenever possible, do it. Get the kids involved to help cut veggies, add spices, mix the cake batter; whatever! Get everyone in the kitchen! Simple changes in preparing meals can be fun, nutritious and make the difference between medication or NO medication. Again, we will be adding more recipes geared towards low-sugar eating, not just for diabetics, but for all.

We've also added recipes for the hunters around the world. Know what to do with deer meat when it comes home! And soon to come; menu plans for everyday, or for special occasions. Whether you have a dinner party with a few friends, a child's party, holiday dinner or a party for 60 people, we'll have a menu for you. Plus tips to pull it all together, on time!

Finally, before you look through our recipes, keep in mind, that you can adjust the amount of spices, portions, measurements according to your own families taste, size and appetite. Although, be careful with cakes, muffins and breads! My mother in-law believed cooking was an art; baking was a science! She was a scientist! If you want to change the sugar content in a cake, substitute with Splenda because it measures like sugar. Cakes and breads need to be the right consistency to bake well. If you use Equal as a sugar substitute, you would use less for sweetness, but you wouldn't have volume or consistency as you should. Equal or Sugar Twin work well with apple pie for example, because you don't rely on them for texture, but for that sweet flavor. Using quality apples and a blend of different types of apples (sweet and tart) in your pie would lessen the need for sweeteners of any kind. Again, be careful baking, but at the same time, experiment with ways to make your favorite dishes and desserts tasty and healthy for your family.