Monica asks Food Network's Paula Deen the Unthinkable!!

Folks, this is the shortest interview ever(smile)! A few months ago at Harrah's Entertainment's Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival, I asked Food Network's Paula Deen about life WITHOUT her favorite ingredient--butter. Here's what she had to say! (by the way that's Kristina Vanni from Better Recipes in the background!)

Food Save: Food Processor is Your Friend!

By Monica Peters

We're all trying to save a buck. When it comes to food, you will definitely save by investing in a food processor which you can purchase for as little as $24 or maybe cheaper. Many of our favorite foods we buy in supermarket are marked up simply because of the labor costs. Here are the cool things you can make at home with a food processor while saving a dollar or two:

Guacamole: Why buy a tiny bowl of guacamole at a price of $3.99 to $6 when you can buy avocados for about $1 each or sometimes 2 for a $1 and make it yourself. Simply peel the avocados (and of course remove the core) and put them in your food processor with your favorite fixings such as garlic, cilantro or whatever you like. Let process for about 15 seconds or less (process time will vary depending upon your processor and desired texture). Ladies and gentleman you have now made guacamole!

Chicken Burgers: Why buy prepackaged chicken burgers in the supermarket or for takeout? Take the skinless boneless chicken breast you may already have in your fridge and put it in the food processor with your favorite seasonings. The processor only takes a few seconds to turn the chicken breast into ground chicken. After taking out the processor, shape your ground chicken into patties and put em’ in the pan for cooking. Total prep and cooking time: 10 minutes.

Smoothies: Spending $3-4 daily on smoothies at our favorite coffee shop or at the market seriously adds up over time. While some folks make smoothies in a blender, I prefer making it with my food processor. Simply buy your favorite fruits and put it in the processor with yogurt and a little water for about 15 seconds. Your homemade smoothly now tastes as good as the store. More importantly you can have your favorite treat every day of the week without breaking the bank.

Got any ways to save a buck with your food processor? Email thegncdish2@aol.com

Foodie Love: Pat & Gina Neeley

Your hit of foodie love this week--Food Network's Pat and Gina Neeley get sassy on stage at Harrah's!

TRAVEL: Dont Let the Bed Bugs Bite!

There's no way in the world I could write a post on how to prevent getting bed bugs and not get the creeps. Thankfully, AOL recently did. These tips may seem extreme but a traveler has got to do what a traveler has got to do.

Tip #1: When settling into your hotel room, place your luggage on a tabletop, luggage stand or other hard surface. Putting luggage on the floor is a no-no. Read more on AOL small business.