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| A Bride's Cookbook |
The Cookbook
Learn More about the cookbook that started it all, now updated, revised and better than ever! Give one as a unique wedding or shower gift this season!
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| Cool Attire ... |
"Celebrate Everything!!!"
Remember our mantra, "make a habit of celebrating life!" with our fun "Celebrate Everything" and "Don't Wait to Celebrate" apparel and gifts. Visit
www.givitup.com or click on the Apron above or bib below. 
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| Quick Links |
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Not just about recipes, we're about a healthier lifestyle, fun and entertainment while making life easier and more enjoyable too! Here are some of our favorite online hangouts for tableware, kitchen accessories, & gourmet food items. If you have a favorite resource we'd love to hear about it!
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Greetings!
July brings the heat of summer, in fact sparks have
been known to fly as early as the 4th here in the USA!
But with a
little imagination and the right tips we can stay cool and still eat
well!
Now there's nothing wrong with grilling, in fact we have covered cooking outside in depth over the past two issues, but it's time to investigate some cooler fare, even if to compliment that perfect burger, T-bone or chicken breast. Cool, calm and collected, here we go...
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Cool Salads for a Hot Day...
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It's July and it's hot!
The last thing you want to
do is stand over a hot stove or heat up your kitchen by running the oven. Here are
some great main dish cold salads that not only will keep you cool, but they
taste good too!
Tex-Mex Turkey Salad
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups ziti pasta
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup salsa
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. milk
2 cups cubed smoked turkey
1/2 cup sliced olives
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup grape tomatoes
1 cup cubed Pepper Jack cheese PREPARATION:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in large bowl mix
sour cream, salsa, mayonnaise and milk. When pasta is cooked, drain well and add
to sour cream mixture. Stir in remaining ingredients and mix gently. Cover and
chill 1 hour. Serves 4
Leaning towards something from the sea, or maybe a little on the exotic side? Try these alternatives: Shrimp and Rice SaladWheat Berry TabboulehFor more tasty and cool salad standbys visit our www.abridescookbook.com or our blog. |
Cool & Easy Picnics...
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Another way to get away from the stove is a picnic.
Whether you pack it in a backpack for a hike or a fancy picnic basket for a park
or evening concert, this is a great way to relax with family and friends in the
summer.
A picnic spread doesn't have to be a complicated affair. Serving up cold food
items makes the menu easier to control. There will be less things to carry and
fewer cleanups afterwards.
Sandwiches are a preferred picnic item. It
used to be that a sandwich consisted of two slices of bread and lunch meat.
Sandwiches have been given a facelift in recent years.
To add variety to
ordinary sandwiches, choose from numerous breads. Sandwiches are being made from
pitas, flatbreads, and tortilla wraps. Cut the bread the night before and store
in an airtight container.
Purchase meats from the deli counter at the
grocery store. Fresh turkey breast, ham, chicken breast, and salamis are
available. Store the sliced deli meats in the freezer. The morning of the
picnic, take them out so they can slowly thaw but stay cool until they are ready
to be devoured. For variety take along some salsa, cheese or vegetable dip to spread with the meat.
You can run into trouble with condiments at a picnic,
especially anything that is made from dairy products. Refrigerate mayonnaise
derived foods and sauces until ready to head out for the picnic. To avoid having
condiments containers sitting out without refrigeration, use condiment packets
like the ones they give out at fast food establishments. They can be mixed in with the ice without getting water-logged.
Salads of all
types are great cold picnic food. Macaroni or potato salad is best when served
cold. If your gathering is large, investing in single serving plastic cups with
lids will avoid bringing too much to the picnic. Note of caution: when mayonnaise based salads
approach room temperature or warmer, they begin to get soupy and could spoil so keep in a cooler with ice.
Rather
than a fruit salad, bring along whole fruits. Fruit doesn't have to be
refrigerated. It can be cleaned off before you leave the house and kept from the
light in a paper bag. Choose a selection: apples, peaches, oranges, plums, and
etc. Fruit makes a health-conscious dessert alternative to ice cream or
candy, plus it's naturally sweet.
Individual pouches of chips and other
snacks prevent everyone's hands from dipping in the same bag, dirty or clean.
There will be no opened bags of chips to transport home. Picnickers get more
variety this way without spending a fortune on snacks. It also allows everyone
to choose the snacks or chips they prefer so everyone gets what they prefer
most.
Nuts are an easy treat for a picnic. They do not need
refrigeration and can be transported easily. For easy handling by others,
separate nuts into individual snack bags. Any bags that are not eaten can be
poured back into the can to be eaten later.
Cold food options equate to
a quick and simple picnic menu. There is no need to use a cumbersome grill, and packaging
foods individually allows for less mess and easier serving.
For more
excellent hints for the kitchen and recipes from Christine Steendahl, "The Menu
Mom", log on here
Picnics can be simple, nutritious and fun with a bit of planning and smart shopping!
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| Shopping Resources of the Month... |
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Back by popular demand our favorite source for everything grilling...
| It's not too late to start off the summer with some of the hottest smokers and grills on the planet!
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I hope you will take the chance to share your love of food and your own personal style with family and friends this coming month as the heat of summer takes it's grip. And remember - - Make a habit of celebrating life!
For more tips, recipes, and ideas visit our website at www.abridescookbook.com and Happy Celebrating!
Sincerely,
Nancy Geiger
A Bride's Cookbook |
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