Dinner Ideas

Easy Appetizers to Get the Party Started!

Our Mango Peach Salsa is tasty right out of the jar….try these appetizer recipes for your next get-together. Easy and delicious.

• Simple Stovetop Quesadillas or Chicken and Mango Peach Quesadillas
• Warm Mango Peach Party Dip

Dining In instead of Out!

Entertaining at home is made even easier (and more affordable than eating out) with TSG.

• Tortellini Salad – This tortellini salad is a great base recipe. Feel free to add other veggies to suit your tastes. I added red onions and bell peppers to kick it up a notch!
• Grilled Beef Skewers – Weather not cooperating? These skewers can be broiled or put on the grill.

• Tropical Pineapple Cream Pie – Your guests will want a second slice!

Recipes for the Family

Gather up the family for hot dogs, coleslaw and brownies made special with TSG. Meal time doesn’t get any easier or tastier than this!

• Rosy Basil-Mint Coleslaw – new twist on an old favorite made easy with our Rosy Raspberry Basil Vinaigrette
• Indulgence Dogs – our Serious Steak and Grilling Sauce gives these dogs new flavor
• Fudgy Raspberry Pecan Brownies – try and have just one!

Post a comment and let us know what is your favorite TSG recipe!

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Football has been a part of my life since I was a small girl. My first football memories are watching the Pittsburgh Steelers games with my dad and nibbling throughout the day on the “football food” that my mom would prepare (a “make your own taco bar” was a personal favorite!). Over the years dad started to dabble in the kitchen and would prepare our game day fare — elaborate veggie platters with dip (each vegetable was cut into perfectly sized pieces), shrimp cocktails, mini bagel dogs, chicken wings, pickled herring, and guacamole with pretzels. This unusual assortment of goodies was just to whet our appetite for the main game day attraction – Dad’s Ribs. These legendary ribs are eagerly anticipated throughout our family and friends. The process starts the night before by soaking hickory chips in water — this will ensure that the chips will not burn when they are placed around the charcoal. To prep the meat before smoking, my Dad removes the rib membrane (skin covering the back) – his secret to ensure that the hickory penetrates the meat and rib bone. The ribs are then smoked for 2 hours in a kettle grill over indirect heat. After coming off the grill, they are basted with a tangy barbecue sauce that makes these ribs irresistible.

And now that I’ve hosted a few of these game days myself, I would like to pass along to you my winning game day picks.

PreGame – Guests Arriving

• Chips and salsa (I usually serve two types of salsa TSG Black Bean and Corn and a homemade version)
• Hummus and pita chips
• Crudité platter with assorted olives, cheeses, and flatbreads

End of 1^st Quarter

• Buffalo Chicken Dip (made easy with TSG Brazen Buffalo Blue Cheese Blend)
• Quesadillas – try the TSG Mango and Chicken Quesadillas or Tangy Quesadillas

Half Time

• Assorted Mini Sandwiches
• Thin Crust Pizzas

End of 3^rd Quarter

• Ice Cream Brownie Sundaes (made even easier using TSG Breathtaking Deep Chocolate Brownie Mix)

And don’t forget to offer assorted frosty beverages – Go Team!!

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But if you aren’t that fortunate, we have found some help.  At My Fridge Food, you can actually click on your favorite ingredients and it will pull up recipes for you to choose from.  I put in cheese, salt and pepper, eggs, milk, pasta and chicken and it pulled up nearly 100 recipes ranked by the percentage of required ingredients I had on hand.  It also gives the number of ingredients, time and number of calories in the dish.  Truth be told, I probably had the missing ingredients in most cases…..but it’s fun to see what creative things you can make with so little!

 Tell me, what’s in your ‘fridge and what do you do with it?

At the end of the holidays, I don’t know about you, but my fridge needs a good cleaning – so I can see the shelves again.  If you feel the same after weeks of  treats and leftovers, you might enjoy this. On the lighter side, here is a photo essay on what your fridge says about you!  For a good laugh and some self awareness!

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Sparkling Wine or Champagne for New Year’s?

When the holidays roll around, we make our list – full of new types of sparkling wines and champagnes!  Just to be clear- a real champagne only comes from a particular region in France.  But almost all countries make sparkling wines of some kind.  In Italy, it’s Prosecco, in Spain, it’s Cava and in the U.S.,  it’s just sparkling wine.

How to Choose a Sparkling Wine

If you don’t know what to choose – like us most of the time, it’s best to get a wine that’s rated, if you can.  Wines are rated from 0-100 for the type of wine and the price bracket in which they fall.  Or ask your seller to make a recommendation.

Some Sparkling Favorites

Recently, the younger crowd in our family has found a Cava favorite called Cristalino (about $10).  In Prosecco, you could look for Riva di Rocca (under $20), or Jeio (also under $20). As a native Californian, I like most of what’s grown there. Mumm Napa Brut Prestige is the California offshoot of a French house (about $20).  Many of the French houses have set up  California vineyards.  Costco actually has a surprisingly good Kirkland Sparkling wine that’s rated.  Then, of course you can climb the price ladder to the truly atmospheric. The most expensive champagne ever was a bottle of 1928 Krug sold at auction for $21,000!

Our Favorite Champagne Flutes

We love serving champagne in various, sparkling flutes. My personal favorite is a tall blue cut crystal flute.  We also have some modern tapered flutes, hollow stemmed in assorted colors, flat champagne’s (sorbet style) and our very favorite from the year 2000 – Micky Mouse flutes.

So pop the cork and cheers to good food, friends and another great year!  What’s your favorite type of Champagne?

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Thanksgiving dinner is the one time no one in the family will ask me “What’s for dinner?”  Like families all over the country, we have a ritual dinner.  Every year I am tantalized by all the great and interesting recipes in the food magazines that find their way into my mailbox, but I am NEVER allowed to indulge in them. The only time I get to vary the menu is when we open our doors and include traveling waifs who can’t go “home” for Thanksgiving.  We want everyone at our table to have something that reminds them of home, so I get to expand.

Thanksgiving may be officially the fourth Thursday of November, but in our house, and I believe many houses, it’s really at least a four day affair.  This year, we will be having Thanksgiving at the beach, which sometimes means that all the Edwards gather and we have a large and noisy bunch. That’s when I get to try different things, we have multiples of everything, turkeys, stuffing , potatoes, pies – you name it.

Origins of Thanksgiving Dishes and Wishes

This year will be a smaller, quieter retreat.  The older the family gets, the more connections we have to other families, and the more we share the people, the customs and the time.  Traditionally, most Thanksgiving foods are those native to American soil.  Turkey is ubiquitous – over 91% eat turkey on Thanksgiving. They say if you look at your Thanksgiving table you can tell where your family originates within the U.S.

Click on the foods for some great ideas:

Sweet Potatoes – from the South

Corn Bread Stuffing – The South and New England

Creamed Corn – Pennsylvania

Dungeness Crab or Shrimp – The West Coast

Mole and Roasted Corn,  - Hispanic Americans of  Mexican heritage

Lefse and Green Beans – Midwesterners of Scandinavian  heritage (lefse is Norwegian  potato flatbread)

On our Table for Thanksgiving – In addition to the Cornucopia!

1. Shrimp Cocktail and Fresh Hot Rolls
2. Black Olives – lots!
3. Fresh whole Cranberry Sauce (is your family whole berry or strained?)
4. Turkey (don’t forget the Butterball Hotline!) link to other post.
5. Aunt Ida’s Sage and Sausage Stuffing (not sure who Aunt Ida was)
6. Giblet Gravy ( we had to wait till they were a little older for the giblets)
7. Mashed Potatoes
8. Pumpkin and Minced Pie

My Thanksgiving Wishes

What I love about Thanksgiving is that it is the most American of all holidays – everyone within our shores is invited to the table to celebrate.  It’s a day of peace and promise as we gather to be thankful for the blessings we have. It’s a little island of calm before the holiday rush. Food is one of the most fundamental ways of connecting.  I know at our table we will be thankful for family and friends (including those we don’t know yet).  We wish the same for you at this time and hope you will share the season…

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So I want to spend a little time talking about my lifetime obsession – that twisted relation of health/weight/food. The national obsession and information overload on health and weight management is confusing. I’m actually going to break it into two parts, and I bet you know what they are – DIET and EXERCISE.

Part I -Diet

Help Tracking your Diet

We all have good intentions – and most of us mom’s try to put balance of good food on the table (although many are tied to the old food pyramid). The government has put together a really good site to explain this, and plan and track your progress to eating well.   Give it a look see and gets your kids involved in planning.

Reality is we will all eat a little of everything – and that ‘s the key – A Little!

When you look at the portions in quick serve restaurants, they are full of fat, salt and calories – even a salad can contain a whole day’s worth (we all watch morning TV and have seen the expos).  And heaven knows on a cold day I’m the first to line up for Mac and Cheese, or a cup of steaming hot cocoa with whipped cream, and that’s ok as an indulgence. But you can’t really live that way.

Our nation has an epidemic of obesity, starting with our children.  We owe it to them to improve. If you really knew what a portion was, you could probably cut your food budget down – the man at the fish counter is always trying to sell me a ½ pound per person, when a portion is 4-5 ounces – half the amount.  And the right portion for a toddler is ¼ that of an adult.

I spend a lot of time on the road where I do my best to piece together something clean and simple to eat – and I succeed about 60% of the time. All you have to do is look at my wardrobe to see the yo-yo battle.  I used to make excuses, but the only person I’m fooling is me. 

Manage Your Family’s Diet and Budget

The good news for managing your family’s diet and budget in these time is:

1. Cooking and eating at home is 1/3 less expensive than eating out.
2. Fresher/less processed food is generally less expensive.
3. Coupons are great, but are they helping you purchase the healthiest food for your family?  Many processed foods are convenient, but may not have the best nutritional value – sodium and fat are two things to watch. (If you don’t know it – check this out  for retailer coupons).
4. Cooking and coming together for a meal is a great way to connect. –whether within your immediate family, or everyone bringing potluck for Thanksgiving.

Eat as many fruit and vegetables as possible, serve food that is as close to fresh as possible, exercise and you’ll be fine.

If you eat in balance and control your portions– you can eat almost anything! What’s your favorite way to stay in control?  Pass the dark chocolate please, it’s good for my heart!

For more National Food Holidays click here!

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But there’s an easy solution! Make it a “scoop and nuke night.” What’s that?…. Here’s the easy recipe:

• An easy, no fuss, semi–nutritious meal. It’s so quick that I had time to prepare it before the after school frenzy.
• One pan cooking. After all, no matter what time I get home that pan will be waiting for me in the sink.
• Make a lot. I always planned on leftovers, but never got any.
• A meal that everyone will eat!

My family isn’t picky too about food, but like everyone their appetite depends on the day.  My daughter couldn’t eat a heavy meal before dance, but my son was famished.  My husband still thinks he plays college varsity soccer and I require just one dish–fast.

Ideas for What to Put on the Dining Room Table:

• Soup with fresh bread – Make a pot of whatever is left in the refrigerator from the weekend – add  broth.
• Chicken stroganoff. A little heavy for the dancer, but one of her favorites and she could have some before and after class.
• Spaghetti. If I boil the noodles and mix with sauce before leaving for my meeting (one pan remember?)
• Tacos. Smorgasbord of cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes, except for the meat with sauce which can be “nuked” as needed.

Or ask friends! Our all time family favorite is an Indonesian spicy rice dish called Nasi Goreng (fried rice).  You might think we picked this up when we lived in Asia, but no, we never do anything the easy way.

We first heard about this lifesaver on a ski trip with our best friends, who are Dutch. Apparently, Dutch cooking is replete with Indonesian and Malaysian influences, as they were a global trading power in the 1600’s. In fact, the rijstafel (rice table) is a frequent Malaysian occurrence – an assortment of Asian dishes, largely including or served over rice and named by the Dutch.

Anyways, we stayed in a rental apartment and everyone was tired from skiing all day.  Yvette, my friend, was graciously in charge of feeding the troops that night. The pot filled with Nasi Goreng must have been as big as one of the best lobster pots, but 30 minutes later it was empty.

Nasi Goreng Recipe: Try it with your family!

• Spice mix. I found the Dutch store and bought the Nasi Goreng by Conimex packets. For added interest you can also purchase Ketcap Manis (something like sweet soy sauce), to be truly authentic.
• Cook rice. Mix with spice, add onion and chicken (optional). Then it’s ready to go!
• Or you can make it from scratch (but not on a scoop and nuke night!)

Low and behold, a few years later my family was transferred to Asia. The first day there, my son saw Nasi Goreng on the menu and was thrilled to see something he both recognized and loved!

Well, let me tell you – the original native is not what comes out of the bag. After the first bite, and many tears of disappointment, I had to find the closest Dutch store and revert to our mix.  We still horde it in our cupboards!

Share your scoop and nuke meals–and how they save your family!

Want some history on the Dutch East India Company? Makes for interesting dinner table conversation!

Nasi Goreng Ready to Go!

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Who doesn’t love Halloween and pumpkins? It gives us adults an excuse to pretend and have fun!

Scary Carved Pumpkins

What my Family Did for Halloween:

When my children were little, this season was all about the family trip to the pumpkin patch and finding that perfect Halloween costume. 

As the kids became “too cool” for Trick or Treating, they turned their attention to scaring the neighborhood kids with our haunted hallway. The whole family got in on the fun. When the doorbell rang, the  spooky music started, the hallway was foggy from a cauldron of dry ice and strobe lights flashed to complete the eerie feel. The children still got to dress up to hand out the goodies!

Then as the children grew even older and time more scarce, we planned one night together to carve an elaborate jack-o-lantern. Soon our pumpkins became the talk of the neighborhood.

Ideas to Celebrate Halloween and National Pumpkin Day:

1.  Printable pumpkin carving stencils:Stencils help those of us who cannot really draw a scary face. We love black cats.For scary printable pumpkin carving stencils click here .
2.   Child Friendly Pumpkin Decorating:For little ones, who you don’t want to arm with a knife or other carving implement –there’s an equally fun alternative. One of my favorite home movie moments is of my daughter, Laura, age 4, decorating the pumpkins, armed with toothpicks and a farmer’s market full of vegetables. With spinach hair, radish eyes, cucumber ears, a carrot nose and black olive teeth she learned about vegetables, ate and laughed for about an hour.  Then that pumpkin was ready to turn heads! Show off their proud creation right on your front doorstep. These were done at a local fall fair.
   

   Kid Friendly Pumpkin Decorations

3. Pumpkin Muffin Recipe:For a pre or post Trick or Treat pick–me–up, you can make some  delicious pumpkin muffins.  Check out how to make our great pumpkin muffin recipe from TSG Apple cake.

4. Pumpkin Roll Recipe:For those feeling more creative, prepare a delicious pumpkin roll

5.Heat up some cider laced with cinnamon and have a warm October evening full of memories that will be sure to give you goose bumps!

One of my favorite sources for quirky facts and the history of food is the Nibble, an online magazine, where I found today’s cause for celebration–National Pumpkin Day!

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Now what?  You cast and eye a basket content, checker speed, presence of children and then shoulders slump, and you grudgingly place your bet.

 My experience has been that 8 times out of 10 I pick the wrong line. Just like in a traffic jam, I watch the baskets in the other lanes whiz past me!.  I’ve even tried the self-check out lane – I’m a whiz at bagging, but there’s always some item that doesn’t scan!  In some stores in the Northeast they even have a scanner you take with you while you shop – if you scan as you go, you get special offers and are ready to plug in at check out! (although my first couple of times were slow, because I didn’t read the rest of the directions….) But that doesn’t help with the others in the line.

finding the fast grocery lane

So of course, someone, somewhere, paid good money to study this problem and found it’s the number of people in the line, not the contents of the basket that makes the difference –  so go for the shortest line!  See for yourself! Even so, I’m still not convinced!  

Of course you can solve the problem by always keeping some TSG in the cupboard for last minute inspiration!

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Laura and Deb on Campus - before cooking

 Just before Parent’s weekend, she sent me a text saying, “the H1N1 virus has hit my school!”  After last spring’s media frenzy, she is worried about getting this virus. For my advice, I retreated to a standard “Mom formula” – eat healthy and get plenty of sleep. But who am I kidding? In college, no way!

 If I’m lucky, she gets one nutritious meal per day in the dining hall usually consisting of salad or pasta. There’s a hefty amount of branded coffee in her diet too, which by the way means the same calorie content as milkshakes. Many schools are trying to prepare healthier dining hall meals, but that doesn’t affect the students eating habits!

How to Cook with Just a Microwave and a Refrigerator:

This got me thinking, how can you eat healthy with an electric kettle, a microwave and a refrigerator (without the freezer mind you)?  Gratefully, food choices have improved since I was faced with the same problem years ago in my college days. I’m sure guys will resort to ramen noodles, but that gets old after a while. And I would say girls are more particular so I asked my daughter to brainstorm some ideas.

Dorm Room Cooking Essentials:

Here are my daughter’s staples:

1. Tuna packets (with salt, pepper, and olive oil)
2. Microwavable steamed vegetables (both frozen and non frozen brands)
3. Cereal
4. Oranges and bananas (no mess or dishes to clean up)
5. Smart-ones frozen dinners
6. Yogurts (The yogurts in the bottles are really good on the way to class because no spoon)
7. In the university dining hall, I’ll get a wrap and put a salad in it from the salad bar along with some deli meat, just as healthy but way more interesting than plain salad

8. Tea!

Easy Recipes:No Cooking

They can track down the pre-packaged and pre-cooked aisles in the grocery store. Get a bag of pre–packaged salad, followed by pre-cooked chicken. Sprinkle grated cheese on the chicken and top it all off with your favorite dressing. Voilá you have a great meal! (Add a dash of TSG Outrageously Garlic or Tearless Onion and Chives on everything!)

As for the rest of staying healthy, I suggest:

• Bottle of hand sanitizer
• Tea mixed with honey and lemon
•  Chicken noodle soup
• Vitamin C

And if all else fails – call home to mom.

If you want a teen’s perspective on what’s healthy and what they like, check out this post from Radical Parenting   

For dorm room cooking 101, click here

College Student Holiday gift ideas:

• Everything College Cookbook by Rhonda Parkinson
• Healthy College Cookbook by Alexandra Nimetz
• Complete Idiots Guide to the College Diet by Shelly Vaughan James
• Cooking Outside the Pizza Box by Jean Patterson

Get involved! Click here and read how colleges can participate in local sustainable food projects.

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