Staying Sane on the Road

My two-year-old is a poor traveler.  She gets bored and wants to get out of her car seat, she demands that we repeatedly listen to her favorite song until we’re going nuts, and the toys we have carefully packed for her keep her occupied for approximately 2.7 seconds before she decides she’s done and wants a different one.  It’s going to be a long summer of traveling—unless I come up with some better travel strategies, and fast.

Toys and Activities

• Magnets or Velcro.  Toys with magnets or Velcro are great for the car because they stay connected to the toy yet can be moved around during playtime.  There are lots of compact magnetic toys out there—ours include themes of Sesame Street, dress-up dolls, and Disney.  We save them specifically for road trips.

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S’mores are great, but we want s’more ideas!

Every good campfire warrants a good old fashioned s’more.  But it is possible to go beyond the standard graham cracker, Hershey bar, marshmallow combo and still keep everyone asking for “some more!”

For starters, try a new take the classic s’more by substituting a Reese’s peanut butter cup or an Andes Candy instead of the plain chocolate.  Or change up the graham cracker and use Oreos to sandwich in your perfectly toasted marshmallow.

Campfires are also good for more than just dessert.  You can use a metal sandwich maker with the long handles that opens and closes (think waffle iron for camping) to cook up all sorts of great eats.  Begin with buttered bread and fill with any of the following toppings:

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Sizzlin’ Summer Sides!

Grilled Pineapple

‘Tis the season for grilling and eating outdoors in Minnesota! With Memorial Day fast approaching, and the burgers and brats at the ready, are you looking for some great sides?  Check out the Easy Eats section of CobornsDelivers and say goodbye to standard chips or fruit, and say hello to this year’s unique, flavorful and easy barbecue accompaniments.

For starters, you can try out the Grilled Pineapple coated with a delicious marinade – served beautifully alongside any grilled meats.

Salsa Lisa's Mexican Slaw

Or for an original take on a classic summer staple, branch out with Salsa Lisa’s Mexican Slaw, made even easier with pre-shredded slaw and pre-made salsa.

And finally if you’re looking to stay in the good graces of the purists in your life, who can’t imagine a burger without baked beans nearby, take the time to really knock everyone’s socks off with this special Classic Boston Baked Beans.  Even the lengthy cooking time will be worth it in the end.

(All recipes can be found in the Easy Eats section by clicking on Meal Occasion, then clicking on Sides.  Then scroll down to these great recipes.)

Boston Baked Beans

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Staying hydrated in the sun

Last night, my neighborhood was a flurry of activity.  People were out mowing their lawns, gardening, walking and jogging, playing at the park—it was great fun to see everyone out and about.  As the weather improves, we’re outside more, working and playing.  That means that we all need to be especially mindful of drinking enough water to stay hydrated and healthy.

We should all be drinking fluids, preferably water, throughout the day.  A standard rule is to drink eight, eight-ounce glasses of water daily.  You can also take your weight in pounds and divide it by two.  If you weigh 140 pounds, for example, you should drink 70 ounces of water per day.

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Best Food for Grilling

Now that summer is upon us, I have my grilling supplies on full alert. Every dinner, in my opinion, should be eaten outside with food from the grill. And with a brand new grill on my porch, I’m ready to get started.

Vegetables are great on the grill, but there are a few stand-out veggies that have become staples at our house including asparagus, corn, eggplant, mushrooms, peppers, zucchini and onions. My best investment is a cheap little grill basket that I use on most days during the summer. Simply cut up your favorite vegetables (chunky cuts work better), coat with olive oil and spices, and place the basket directly on to your grill – stir often. Serve with chicken breasts or salmon (also from the grill).

Here is a festive and delicious recipe for your next dinner gathering on your patio:

Grilled Pork Chops with Grilled Red Potatoes and Vegetable Kebabs (serves 4):

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Please Share With Us Your Thoughts

On behalf of CobornsDelivers.com and its bloggers we have enjoyed sharing our ideas and thoughts with customers and fans via a number of social networking sites – including the blog you’re reading right now.  First, we want to thank all of you who have joined the conversation. We hope you’ve found the items on this blog, the CobornsDelivers Facebook page, Twitter account and YouTube channel to be helpful, inspiring and at times entertaining.  As we continue to move forward with our social media efforts, we would love to hear from you. In the comments section below, please take a moment and share with us the types of discussion you would like to see in this, and our other social media communities.

Are recipes your favorite thing? How about videos? Would you like to see more videos similar to the Earth Day piece below or more food-related posts?

Our goal is to make this blog as useful and welcoming as possible.  So, whether you’re interested in shopping tips or fun online polls and contests, we would love to hear your thoughts. You can also let us know if we shouldn’t change a thing.

Thanks in advance for your feedback. We value your business and your honest communication!

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Preparing for Grad Parties is not for the Faint of Heart

Looking at my daughter, it still hasn’t dawned on me that she is leaving for college in a few short months. But before I get all emotional and sentimental, I need to pass a big hurdle:  the graduation party. And if you haven’t already been through one, that is no small task.

I have a perpetual to-do list in my purse, and every time I check something off, it seems that I have to add something in its place. Planning started months ago when I, along with a significant amount of local moms, clamored for ice tables, tents, tables and chairs at the local rental center. In the heat of the moment, I threw in a popcorn machine as well (they were running low on those as well so I panicked…).

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Treats for out on the lake

With the fishing opener coming this weekend you might be asking yourself, what do fish like to eat?  Hopefully the bait you cast out on your line, and maybe even a few tidbits you’ve dropped over the side…But more importantly, what do you like to snack on? After all, everyone knows fishing requires not only a lot of patience, but also a boat stocked with enough distractions of food and beverage to sustain a weary fisherman for the long haul.

This weekend even if the fish aren’t biting, be sure you are – by filling your cooler with some of our tasty suggestions.

Easy basics for the Little Fry: (all individually pre-wrapped and easy to stow)

M & Ms, Snickers, string cheese, Go-gurt (try freezing in advance), Uncrustables Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, lollipops, juice pouches and/or mini sodas.

Can’t-live-without-its for the Big One:  Peanuts, Almonds, Beef Jerky, Sunflower seeds, your favorite Beer and chips.

“The Big Catch”: If you want to upscale your snacks this year in honor of a long winter’s wait, make this recipe in advance. This one’s easy to toss back all in one bite – (and would probably make great bait if you’re in need!)

Bacon wrapped li’l smokies
1 16 oz. package little smokie sausages
1 lb. bacon
1 cup brown sugar, or to taste

Preheat oven to 350.  Cut bacon into thirds and wrap each strip around a sausage.  Place a toothpick thru each one, arrange on baking tray and sprinkle liberally with brown sugar.  Bake until bacon is crisp and sugar is melted.  May be served hot, cold or room temperature.  Can be made ahead and refrigerated until use.

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Fishing for Great Recipes

Having grown up on the ocean with cod, wild salmon and pollack as the main fish staples, it took some time to get used to the content of Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes. But after more than 20 years, I’ve come to have a keen appreciation for the walleye fished from our many lakes.

Last year some relatives gave us 4 pounds of walleye fillets after a weekend’s fishing expedition, and I found the following delicious recipe on fishingworks.com. My family, including the picky eaters in the lot, loves this recipe:

Baked Walleye Fillets

Ingredients
2 lb. walleye fillets
1/3 c. chopped green onion
1/4 lb. mushrooms, sliced (1 cup)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground white pepper
1 tsp. leaf marjoram, crumbled
2 Tbsp. dry white wine
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese or mild Cheddar
1/4 c. fresh bread crumbs
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

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Cruciferous Vegetables, You should eat them!

Cruciferous: A plant with long narrow seedpods, e.g. the cabbage, turnip, radish, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, or broccoli. Flowers: with four petals in the shape of a cross.

So now that you know what they are let me tell you why to eat them.  High in both vitamin C, fiber and loaded with nutrients that are purported to  have anti-cancer properties. They can be eaten raw, steamed, stir-fried, roasted, grilled and easily purchased year round.

The best way to store them to ensure freshness and maintain all those vitamins:

• Broccoli and Cauliflower, rinse well dry completely and store it in an airtight plastic bag in the refrigerator.
• Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, store in an airtight plastic bag in the refrigerator and wash them just before they are ready to be used.
• Radish, remove leaves and refrigerated in plastic bag for up to 5 days wash and snip off root ends just before eating.
• Turnip, best stored in a cool well ventilated area or store it in an airtight plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.  Trim and peel just before use.

Often seen on “Top 10 Best Foods To Eat” lists, include them in your next CobornsDelivers order and feel good about what you are eating!

Stacy Klone
KitchenWerks
KitchenWerks.org

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