Neighborhood Potluck: This year I’m not bringing the bag of chips

Wow! One more month of summer…but what a great month August is: weather is great, bugs aren’t as bad and there are lots of parties! The month of summer gatherings kicks off with National Night Out on Aug. 4. Our neighborhood is calling it “Night to Unite.” But regardless of the name, it’s a great night to meet or reconnect with your neighbors (many of whom we don’t see for five or six months when we’re all staying warm inside).
Of course, these events mean potluck – which I enjoy because when else do you get the chance to sample such a variety of dishes? However, the potluck often causes me stress because I’m usually the one who shows up with the bag of chips because I forgot to make something ahead of time (and the bag of chips was the one unopened item in my pantry).

CobornsDelivers.com has some great recipes for these potluck occasions in its Easy Eats section. I think I’m going to give the Chicken Cucumber Melon Salad a try for our Aug. 4 event. (The bonus is that all the ingredients are on sale this week!)

But, if it’s not looking like I’ll actually be able to whip something together, I’ve got the safer option of going for one of the great salads from the CobornsDelivers.com deli. What are some of your “can’t miss” potluck dishes?

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This is one amazing dairy farmer!

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A New Local Favorite

One of the things that I’m loving about my new online shopping experience is CobornsDelivers.com’s support of other local companies. With selections from places like French Meadow Bakery, Surly Brewing Company and Key’s Café, CobornsDelivers.com carries products that you can’t find just anywhere…and they’re delivered right to your door!

Now one of my favorite locals is a new addition to the CobornsDelivers.com family: D’Amico & Sons! The D’Amico salads are some of the best in town. (Turkey and Dried Cherries and Chicken Gorgonzola are two of my personal faves.) These are perfect for entertaining or last-minute dinners.

Be sure to check out the “Local Favorites” next time you’re shopping.

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Solving the Produce Storage Puzzle

You would think that after all these years of being a “mom,” aka designated grocery shopper, meal planner, chief cook and bottle washer that I would be more informed when it comes to storing my fruits and vegetables. It wasn’t too long ago I was putting my tomatoes and onions in the refrigerator! Even this past weekend, I bought some avocados and couldn’t remember if they were a cold storage fruit or a dark storage or a just leave it out in the fruit bowl item. Why do I find storage so complicated? I think primarily because I never really have spent too much time thinking about it.

What got me thinking about all of this was the CobornsDelivers’ Fruit Storage Guide that was tucked so nicely into my tote earlier this summer. What a great guide this has been for me. It opened my eyes to getting the most from my produce purchase. Like for instance, did you know that pears should be placed in a paper bag to ripen and then placed in the refrigerator unwashed for up to three days? Or that your asparagus will last a lot longer if you soak the stems in water?

Needless to say, I am still learning how to navigate the produce management at my house but between the Fruit Storage Guide andVegetable Storage Guide located on CobornsDelivers.com and the Produce Pick of the Day… not only am I now more informed on what to buy, but also on what to do with it when I get it!

Mmmm, from the melons to the mangos, one more reason to love summer!

P.S. Did you know that apples soften 10 times faster at room temperature? One of my favorite new produce tips!

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Impress Without the Stress With This Ice Cream Dessert

If you ask my family (and extended family) what my signature dessert is, hands down they will all say my ice cream pie! Now, don’t get me wrong, I have many different desserts that I pride myself on but this is the number one crowd pleaser that has been a family recipe for years. It’s rather embarrassing, however, when friends and guests ask for the recipe and it is so easy my 6 year old can make it! It has a total of 5 ingredients: a Hershey bar, butter, Rice Krispies, your favorite ice cream and hot fudge sauce. I have been known to get a little “fancy” and sprinkle my delicious concoction with Oreo crumbs or crushed Heath Bar, but trust me when I tell you it doesn’t really need anything else.

There’s no better time to put your own creativity to work and create your own signature ice cream pie and CobornsDelivers.com will help you do it for free! Schedule your order to be delivered by July 26th and Izzy’s ice cream is on the house (I personally recommend the Guatemalan Peace Coffee)!

Remember, every time you make this you will be asked to share the recipe. You can always tell them “it’s an old family secret” and make them think it took you all day to prepare it!

Kathy’s Super Simple Ice Cream Pie

1 Hershey Bar (4.4 oz)

6 cups Rice Krispies

½ stick butter or margarine

½ gallon of your favorite ice cream

Hot Fudge Sauce (For a real treat, try River Chocolate Dessert Sauce, it’s delicious!)

Directions:
• Break candy bar into pieces and place in a large microwave safe bowl.
• Heat on LOW heat about 3 minutes in microwave until chocolate is softened.
• Add butter and melt an additional minute on LOW heat until melted.
• Mix the chocolate and butter together thoroughly.
• Gradually add the Rice Krispies until completely coated.
• Place mixture into a pie or tart dish and press firmly to create crust.
• Place dish into the freezer for 15 minutes.
• While crust is setting, take ice cream out of freezer and let thaw. (this will allow you to spread more evenly).
• Once the crust is set, spread the ice cream in the pie shell and freeze for 2 hours or more.
• Heat the Hot Fudge before service and pour over each slice. Serves 8-10.

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Hi Ho! Cherry-O

There’s something about a summer evening sitting on a porch, dock, backyard (you see where I’m going with this…) relaxing with a book and a big bowl full of cherries. Deeelicious. I love cherries in salads, as a topping on chicken, and especially in desserts – but there’s just something so good about fresh cherries grown right here in the United States.

But wait, there’s more! As delicious as they are, cherries are actually really good for you too. There’s nothing better than finding out that something that you already love to eat is actually healthy as well.

Imagine how pleased I was to read that cherries have among the highest levels of disease-fighting antioxidants, when compared to other fruits. They also contain other important nutrients such as beta carotene (19 times more than blueberries or strawberries) vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, iron, fiber and folate.

According to the Cherry Research Committee (yep, there really is an organization that researches cherries) emerging evidence links cherries to many important health benefits – from helping to ease the pain of arthritis and gout, to reducing risk factors for heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers. Cherries also contain melatonin, which has been found to help regulate the body’s natural sleep patterns, aid with jet lag, prevent memory loss and delay the aging process.

Enjoy some cherries today!

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You Can Have Your Cookie and Eat It Too!

I know in my house it’s more about the cookie dough than it is about the cookies! I will admit that my favorite part is neither the cookies or the cookie dough (and with a sweet tooth the size of Montana that is a big statement!), rather it’s about the joy that I experience teaching my kids how to bake. I am now what I consider a “seasoned veteran” and have mastered only a few of the “Mommy tricks of the trade”, but baking is one of them. I used to say “Who wants to bake cookies?” and all three children would make a beeline for the kitchen. After settling too many squabbles to count of “I get to break the eggs” and “I get to lick the bowl” and “You did it last time”, I wised up and declared baking a one-on-one event.

Now, we simply take turns and everyone is happy.

The challenge for me becomes a factor of will power, which has nothing to do with my children. If I make them, I eat them. With that said, I was determined to find a heart smart, waistline friendly option that would accomplish the objectives of teaching and spending quality time with my kids and being cognizant of my waistline as well as tasting great! You say that’s not possible? Next time you’re online shopping make sure you have the ingredients below. You’ll make amazing cookies that, believe it or not, are made with very little butter!

On the other hand, if you just have to have the real thing, check out theEasy Eats section at http://www.CobornsDelivers.com.

And remember, taking turns goes a long way to a peaceful baking experience!

Chocolate Chip Cookies
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup low-fat cream cheese
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 egg yolks
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips, about 6 ounces

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a baking sheet with canola oil.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, cream cheese and brown sugar on low speed with an electric mixer. Add egg yolk and vanilla and mix on low until just combined.
3. In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add to butter mixture and mix by hand until combined.
4. Portion heaping teaspoonfuls (or use a 3/4 ounce scoop) onto baking sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake for 7 minutes. Lightly flatten cookies with finger. Rotate baking sheet and bake an additional 3 minutes.

Serving Information:
Makes 38 cookies, each with approximately:
-85 calories
-13 grams carbohydrates
-3 grams fat
-16 mg cholesterol
-1 gram protein
-58 mg sodium
-1 gram protein

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Have a sundae on Sunday (It’s the law)*

In a previous blog, I established my lifelong love of ice cream. I also established that during the month of July we are required by law to eat ice cream every day because it is National Ice Cream month. *Well, it turns out that it’s not actually a “law.” (This was explained to me by my sister Briar, a lawyer who insists on ruining my fun with silly details.)

So maybe you don’t have to eat ice cream every day during July, but I’m quite certain that on Sunday, July 19 (National Ice Cream Day) you must partake in ice cream of some form (shake, malt, cone, sundae, banana split…) or face some severe penalty. (Again, I’m not quite sure what those would be, but I’m sure that Briar will rain on my parade with “facts.”)

If you’re looking to try something new, here are a few of my personal recommendations. (Feel free to share your own too!)

Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia Ice Cream: I especially love this combined with Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream.

Izzy’s Cinnamon Ice Cream: If you’ve never tried cinnamon ice cream, give this one a taste. Delicious!

Breyer’s Vanilla Ice Cream: Typically I’m not a vanilla kind of gal, but sometimes you’re just in the mood for a classic. This is my favorite vanilla ice cream, and in my opinion, best served with a generous topping of Classic Hot Fudge Sauce from the River Chocolate Company.

Haagen-Daz Ice Cream Bars: You really can’t go wrong with Haagen-Daz. I’m a fan of their bars, especially their Vanilla and Almond Ice Cream Bars.

Remember, it’s the law: eat ice cream on Sunday!

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The Mojito Project

Many of my friends set goals for themselves: exercise more, read more books…you get the idea. Well, this summer, I set a lofty goal for myself: create the perfect Mojito. Impressive, I know.

My thought behind this aspiration (aside from the relative ease of the task and the fact that I would get a delicious drink out of the deal) was my desire to have a “signature” drink. My friend, Ann, makes a fantastic Bootleg. (Always a hit at their Kentucky Derby parties.) Other friends mix up a great margarita or martini. I like drinking mojitos, so I thought I’d try my hand at making them.

After extensive research, I finally found a Bacardi recipe that seems to have done the trick.  Here it is:

1. Muddle 12 fresh mint leaves and ½ lime.

2. Cover with 4 tsp. sugar; top with ice

3. Add1 ½ oz. Bacardi rum; top with club soda

4. Stir well and garnish with lime wedge and sprig of mint

We’ll pretend that this recipe is much more complicated than it really is so I can feel some pride in achieving my goal. And, making it easier still is that you can get all the ingredients – including the Bacardi – at CobornsDelivers.com. Enjoy!

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Online Grocery Shopping – A Busy Mom’s Lifesaver

The good news is, in this economy I am busier than a one-armed paper hanger. The bad news is that I am busier than a one-armed paper hanger and it’s during the sweet lazy days of summer. As we all know, living in Minnesota gives you an appreciation for these months like nothing else.

I have the daily routine that varies week to week slightly but it goes something like this: 6 a.m. wake up and join my husband for the one hour of connection time a day while we fit in a 4 mile run, hurry back to grab a quick cup of coffee and check in on what is going on in the world in news and print. Then I grab a quick shower and read the early morning/late night pertinent emails while evaluating who needs to get up and get out the door for camp, piano lessons, golf etc. all while dodging the frequent early morning conference call. You get the idea. We all make choices and I am not complaining but rather setting the stage as to why I have come to appreciate CobornsDelivers so much.

Last week was no different. While trying to tie up loose ends at work before the 4th of July weekend, getting kids packed, finding a dog sitter and trying to get the lock on a door fixed, I was also charged with preparing dinner one night at our friend’s cabin. Typically, not a big deal, but this is a dinner for 3 families, totaling 15 bodies – both big and little. In the old days, this would’ve meant making a run to the grocery store, which in this case, wasn’t happening. That said, I conveniently sat at my computer, ordered my groceries and made one stop before heading to the lake. In that instant, I was a poster child for CobornsDelivers.

On another occasion recently, I am not too proud to admit this, but I was sitting in a boring three-hour meeting and conveniently sat in the back row and placed my weekly order. Now, I don’t suggest that this become routine for you (as I should have been paying closer attention to the presenters) but I was heading out of town on a business trip and wanted to make sure there was an ample supply of goods in my absence.

It doesn’t appear that my life is going to be settling down any time soon, and most days I find comfort in that. I am, however, grateful that I have found a way to save a little time that will allow me perhaps to stop and smell the summer roses more frequently.

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