Hi Cooking Moms, Dads & Friends,

I’m waking up on beautiful Mackinac Island in Michigan this morning. There are 34 of us here for The Cooking Mom Vacation to Mackinac Island!. We’ve got a super group and it’s been an AMAZING few days! We've experienced private carriage rides around the island and lots of delicious food too! We had a big welcome party outside with wine and cheese and smoked salmon spread. For dinner we’ve had steak and fresh Lake Michigan Whitefish! Every morning we wake up to gourmet made-to-order breakfasts at our resort. We are getting spoiled rotten! LOVE IT!

We even got a VIP private behind the scenes tour at the island's BEST fudge shop. That made this trip even more sweet! From start to finish we got to see how they make their famous fudge. They’ve been doing it for 125 years using the same recipe. I got a lesson on how to stir the fudge so it doesn’t get too hot and burn. We even got to sample warm butter pecan fudge right off the marble fudge table. HEAVENLY! We head home Saturday. But not before one more visit to Murdick’s Fudge. I just gotta bring a pound or two home!

Today we’re going shopping and later we’re taking a boat trip under the beautiful Mackinac Bridge. Can’t wait! Click Culinary Vacations with The Cooking Mom to read what makes my trips so special! I’m planning my group vacations for 2023 and 2024 right now. Who wants to go with me to Mackinac Island for the Lilac Festival next summer? It’s so beautiful and much less crowded this time of year! I may do a fall colors trip to the island too. Email me at info@thecookingmom.com to let me know what vacations you are interested in!

I’m hoping when I get home I can go find fresh asparagus. We have a great farmers market in Sheboygan! I LOVE asparagus season. It’s my favorite veggie! The asparagus is gorgeous right now.

My Asparagus Parmesan Roll-ups look so fancy but they are super easy. They are the perfect appetizer for a special weekend dinner.

We love to start dinner every night with a big wonderful salad. My Asparagus Salad is delicious and just something a little different. The homemade vinaigrette is nice and light and easy to shake up. Not a fan of bleu cheese? You can use feta or even Parmesan instead.

If you’re grilling a steak or chicken, why not grill the side dish too? My Grilled Asparagus with Bacon and Feta Cheese is my absolute FAVE!

So how do you pick out the perfect bunch of asparagus? How do you keep it fresh in your fridge? And what’s the best way to cook it? Click Asparagus 101 to check out my blog post for lots of great secrets, tricks, tips and recipes too.

That with my Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Chicken Breasts and Fancy Baked Potatoes (you can always wrap the potatoes in foil and do on the grill), make the ULTIMATE summer dinner. Easy breezy too! Click Appetizers, Salads, Dinner, and Sides for more super good and easy recipes.

I love making a nice brunch on Sunday. This weekend I may have to make my Asparagus Potato Frittata. It’s is a great way to use that gorgeous asparagus and some of the other veggies in your veggie drawer that need to be eaten.

Maybe I’ll make Monkey Bread too. My kids and I used to always make it together. You’re never too old for monkey bread! Have your kids help.

Every good brunch needs a big beautiful fruit salad. My Fresh Berry Salad with Lime and Mint is so pretty! Click Breakfast & Brunch for more recipes to make your weekend extra special!

Besides asparagus, the rhubarb is coming up too! It’s everywhere right now. My Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp is so yummy. I love it warm out of the oven with vanilla ice cream!

No time to bake? No big deal. Pick up some strawberries and make my Strawberry Kiwi Salsa. I serve it with Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Chips for dipping. Click Desserts and Nice 'n Lite for more delicious desserts and calorie conscious recipes too!

Please Invite Me!

Now that life is getting back to normal, I’m excited to start doing live cooking demos again! I'd love to come to your town and meet you. Tell your library about me. I’ll come do a cooking demo for your company or event too. Click Hire Amy for more ideas for how we can spend time together!

Order Amy's Cookbooks!

If you like my recipes, I think you will love my cookbooks. Both of my cookbooks are full color, and each is filled with nearly 200 unique recipes. Lots of secrets, tips and fun stories, too! Click Amy's Books on Amazon to order. By the way, you all have been asking. Yes, I’m working on cookbook number 3. Thanks for your extreme patience! I’m launching a brand new website very soon too! I think you’ll love it. Lots of great things to come!

The Cooking Mom Vacations!

Join The Cooking Mom in Puerto Vallarta in January 2023!

I’m thrilled for my next BIG trip! I’ve planned the ULTIMATE winter getaway. Beat the winter blues and join me in beautiful Puerto Vallarta! It’s one of my favorite cities in Mexico. It’s got history, charm, beautiful beaches, and an incredible food scene. I took a group there last winter and it was over the top FANTASTIC! We had perfect weather with sunshine every day. Great news. We were even able to negotiate a better rate on this trip than last year. YIPPEE!

We’ll fly out January 15 and stay 7 nights at the most beautiful small boutique 4-diamond luxury resort right on the beach. This trip is also a really great value because ALL of your meals at the resort, fine wines, beer and even top shelf cocktails will be included. You’ll have the options to join me for an authentic Mexican cooking class, personalized food tours, tequila tastings and even whale watching! Or, you can just sit on the beach and relax. Either way it’s going to be fabulous! We can only take a limited number of people. This trip will book up quick! Click The Cooking Mom’s Culinary Trip to Puerto Vallarta to get the full itinerary and pricing information. You can also call Brittany at Bon Voyage Boutique Travel (920)725-2880 for more details or email her at brittany@bonvoyagebt.com for more details.

Join Amy on a River Cruise in France in April 2023!

Have you ever dreamed of going on a river cruise? It’s the ULTIMATE way to see Europe! Bring on lots of wine tasting, gourmet meals, fresh croissants and pastries and so much more! Join me on a river cruise through Southern France from Burgundy to Provence. In April of 2023, we’ll cruise the Rhone river on a gorgeous new boutique ship with only 150 passengers! It’s first class all the way and it’s a true ALL-INCLUSIVE river cruise, meaning all your food, drinks, and excursions are included. Gratuity too!

Plus, you’ll have the option to stay a couple days after the cruise to experience Paris. It will be spring and the blossoms will be in full bloom. It’s going to be stunning!

We found out that if you book my trip you’ll get another exclusive EXTRA $150 per person discount! Plus they extended the deadline to SAVE even more. If you book and pay in full by June 30th, you’ll save an extra 10 percent!

Click Join The Cooking Mom on a French River Cruise to get all the dates and intriguing details. This trip is going to be so wonderful! Join me! Call Brittany at Bon Voyage Boutique Travel at (920)725-2880 for the new pricing details!

Planning New Trips for 2023 and 2024!

Email me the trips you’d be interested in at info@thecookingmom.com! I recently got back from an amazing group trip to Ireland! Would you be interested in joining me on another trip to Ireland in the future? I’m definitely going back! Maybe to Scotland too! I’m planning my trips for 2023 and 2024 right now! Stay tuned!

Gotta run! So much more fun today on Mackinac Island! This morning we plan to bike around the island. I promise to post lots of trip pictures. You can always see what I'm up to on Facebook and Instagram. Check out my food videos on YouTube, too.

I hope you all have a great weekend! Cook up some memories!

Take care,
Amy, The Cooking Mom