Hi Cooking Moms, Dads & Friends,

Happy Friday! I hope you had a great week. It’s been beautiful here in Wisconsin with perfect weather. Today is a very big day. My son, Riley is a teacher! He’s always dreamed of teaching in Japan. He’s worked hard to make his dreams come true. Today we take him to Chicago and he’ll fly out this weekend. He’ll be living in Japan for at least a year and maybe much longer. He’s spent two summers there teaching English and he just loves it there. I’m so excited for him, but it’s always hard to say goodbye! I’ve got the tissues ready. This is gonna be tough. But, gotta let those kiddos leave the nest and fly!

When we get home from Chicago I’m hoping for a nice relaxing weekend. For us that means chilling out and having dinner outside! My grandmother Mimi’s Crab Dip always gets the party started. It’s a recipe I’ve been making for decades. Everybody loves it! You can make it ahead and keep it nice and chilled in the fridge. Serve it with crackers and just watch it disappear. They will be asking for the recipe. LOVE THAT!

We’ve been doing lots of grilling this summer. I’m loving it! For dinner I’m trying to keep things nice and light these days. So, why not fire up the grill and make my Smoked Sausage and Veggie Foil Packets? You can even eat them right out of the foil. No dishes to wash. How's that for easy breezy?

Groceries are so expensive right now. YIKES! When meat is on sale, I buy it. I’ve got some pork tenderloins I’m going to grill this weekend. My Just Peachy Pork Tenderloin is a family favorite. It’s so yummy and super easy too!

We love it with my Easy Twice Baked Potatoes. They are so TASTY! Great with steaks too. Click Dinner and Sides for more of my favorite summer recipes.

Summer is all about salads! Sometimes a great big salad for dinner really hits the spot. On Taco Tuesday, instead of tacos, why not make my Layered Taco Salad? It’s delicious. Perfect for potlucks too!

Need a new pasta salad recipe? If you like a good bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich, I think you’ll LOVE my BLT Pasta Salad. It’s ALWAYS a WINNER! It goes with whatever you are grilling.

My Strawberry Spinach Salad is my summer go-to recipe. So pretty and the homemade poppy seed dressing makes it! Super easy to shake up. I bet you have everything to make it in your kitchen right now. Click Salads to see a bunch of great salads I’ve put together for summer.

Speaking of strawberries, they are just beautiful right now! Have you made my Strawberry Bread with Fresh Strawberry Glaze? If not, you need to! It’s a nice change from banana bread. Super simple too! Click Breakfast and Brunch for more great recipes.

For dessert, have you ever tried roasting strawberries? Talk about taking strawberries to the next level! They get even more sweet and wonderful. My Roasted Strawberry Trifles are AMAZING. You gotta make these!

Please Invite Me!

I'm 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.

The Cooking Mom Vacations!

Join The Cooking Mom in Puerto Vallarta in January 2023!

With summer in full swing, I’m sure you don’t even want to think about winter. But, now is the time to plan your escape from the cold and snow! 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. Time is running out to book this trip! 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! SALE EXTENDED!

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!

Great news! You can still save BIG on this one in a lifetime trip. The pay-in-full sale has just been extended through September! Click Join The Cooking Mom on a French River Cruise to get all the dates and details. This trip is going to be so wonderful. Join me! Call Brittany at Bon Voyage Boutique Travel at (920)725-2880 for more!

Planning New Trips for 2023 and 2024!

I’m so excited to be hosting AMAZING group culinary vacations! In June, I hosted a wonderful trip to gorgeous Mackinac Island for the Lilac Festival. Have you ever been? If not you need to go! Let me know if you are interested in going with me back to the island next summer. Email me at info@thecookingmom.com. In April, I hosted an incredible 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!

I LOVE Nashville! I know all the secret spots. Let me know if you’d be interested in a trip to Nashville next spring. Email me the trips you’d be interested in at info@thecookingmom.com!

To find out more about my trips and what makes them so unique click Culinary Vacations with The Cooking Mom.

Gotta run. Time to pack up and take Riley to Chicago. Wish us luck! 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