~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Special Money Saving Series:  Ways to help you hold on to your cash in this tough economy.

Buy whole produce-- I know pre-sliced produce like apples, oranges, melons and carrots are convenient, and salad bags with pre-cut and washed lettuce saves time too, but that convenience costs you a lot more. Take a few extra minutes to wash and prep your produce. Your wallet will thank you.

In honor of this weekend's Kentucky Derby, let's talk bourbon -- Named for Bourbon County Kentucky, this whiskey is usually the drink of choice during the big horse race, traditionally consumed in a Mint Julep or pecan pie.  I challenge you to mix it up and try bourbon in different sweet and savory dishes.  For example, add a little to your favorite barbecue sauce to spruce up ribs or chicken.  Brush some bourbon on ham before baking.  Add a teaspoon to whipped topping.  Try some in my bourbon bread pudding.  Click here to get the recipe. 
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chef Lauren Von Der Pool, Vegan/Raw Food Cuisine Expert
Raw Pie Crust-- This is a great alternative to the standard cooked crust that's typically filled with butter and/or shortening. Here's a simple recipe. In a food processor, add a cup of pecans or cashews, two cups of dried banana chips, a pinch of cinnamon and a few tablespoons of agave nectar. Pulse until the ingredients form a ball. Use your hands to shape the dough into mini crusts or one large crust, then top with your favorite dairy-free custard filling and/or fresh fruit and serve.

Learn more about Von Der Pool's exotic vegan and raw food cuisine at vonderpoolgourmet.com.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Do you have a culinary question or tip to share? 

Email your questions and tips, along with your city and state, to  drakeel@drakeelenterprises.com.  We will do our best to publish as many as we can.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~