Apple Season

After a successful day of apple picking, I now have a large basket of apples. I’ve been searching the internet looking for new and interesting recipes. I’ve found recipes for everything from cider to apple pie. Here’s the one I’m trying out tonight.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 large boneless pork chops
3 tablespoons butter
2 sweet apples of your choice, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 cups crumbled gorgonzola cheese
Directions
Butterfly each pork chop by slicing horizontally through the center with a sharp knife. Leave them attached on one side so they can be flipped open to create a butterfly shape.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add pork chops, reduce heat to medium and cook slowly for 5 to 7 minutes each side, or until they are done to your liking. Set aside.
Melt butter or margarine in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add apples and saute until tender, then turn off heat and add cheese to skillet. Mix together slowly to form a creamy thick sauce.
Place reserved chops on serving plate and stuff each one with 1/4 of the apple/cheese mixture. Serve hot.

Dust off the Crock Pot

Back to school time is always busy. I have two active kids at home with very hectic schedules. I’m running to games, getting them to practices and helping out with homework so it’s tough to find time to make healthy meals. I’ve come to rely on my crock pot to keep everyone eating well. It’s so easy and there’s nothing like coming home to the smells of a hot meal cooking.
Here’s my favorite Beef Stew recipe…
Ingredients
2 lbs boneless beef cut for stew
Pan Searing Flour
2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
2 slices Applewood Smoked Uncured Bacon, cut in 1/4-inch strips
1 pkg (40 oz) Stew Vegetables (set aside potatoes)
6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups red wine
4 cups Beef Culinary Stock
2 bay leaves
4 Tbsp Tomato Paste
2 Tbsp Herbes de Provence
Instructions
Dust beef with pan-searing flour.
Heat oil on MEDIUM in large braising pan. Add beef; brown, turning to brown all sides, 8-10 min. Remove beef; place in slow cooker. Add bacon to pan and cook until crisp; set aside. Discard all but 1 Tbsp drippings from pan.Add stew vegetables (minus potatoes) to pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4-5 min.
Stir in all-purpose flour. Add wine, stirring to loosen browned bits on bottom of pan. Cook 3-5 min, until liquid is reduced by one-third, to a syrupy consistency. Add broth; bring to simmer.
Pour broth mixture over beef in cooker. Add potatoes, bacon, bay leaves, tomato paste, and herbes; stir slightly.Cover; cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours or LOW 7-9 hours. Transfer beef and vegetable to serving platter. Discard bay leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over beef; serve.
It's also great idea to have cut fruits and vegetables in the fridge for snacking or cooking. I bring a fruit and a veggie arrangement home with me every week. http://www.fruitfreshup.com/catalog.asp?prodid=593019
http://www.fruitfreshup.com/catalog.asp?prodid=593025&showprevnext=1
Nobody’s going hungry this year!

An Apple A Day

Every year I take my daughters apple picking. It’s a fun family tradition we’ve enjoyed since they were little ones. Apples are one of the easiest fruits to pick so it’s fun for all ages. They can be eaten fresh, cooked, canned or even frozen. Apples are fat, sodium, and cholesterol free and one medium apple has about 80 calories.
Picking tips:
Select firm, bruise-free apples.
Picking apples from a tree is easy. Roll the apple upwards off the branch and give a little twist. Don't pull straight away or shake the trees or branches.
Leave the stem on the apples, it helps them store longer.
Once picked:
Place the apples gently in a basket - dropping them may bruise the apple causing it to go bad more quickly.
Don't wash apples until just before using to prevent spoilage.
Keep apples cool after picking to increase shelf life. A cool basement or the fruit drawer of a refrigerator is ideal.
Kept cool, fresh-picked apples will generally keep weeks.

Start planning your apple picking adventure today!

A Creative Lunchbox

Say good bye to the white bread, bologna sandwich and get creative. A whole wheat bagel topped with peanut butter and banana packed with yogurt and baby carrots make a great mid day meal. Roll up some hummus, cheddar cheese and spinach in a whole wheat tortilla, with a side of grapes and a fruit dip, ole! Make cookie cutter turkey cheese sandwiches from whole wheat bread and pack a fruit, yogurt, granola parfait. Fill a pita with fat-free refried beans, shredded cheese and lettuce, and pack with sliced cucumbers and a yogurt dill dip. .
Veggie kabobs are colorful, fun lunchbox fillers!
What you’ll need:
2 popsicle sticks or decorative tooth picks
grape tomatoes
peas
broccoli florets
cucumbers
cubed cheddar cheese
*Any of the above items may be substituted for your child’s favorites.
Alternating veggies and cheese, fill the tooth pick. Don't forget the salad dressing, it makes a great dipper and pack some whole wheat crackers. Kabobs are sure to be lunchbox hit.
Variety, color, taste and a little creativity make lunchtime meals fun!

Locally Grown Produce

With the summer harvest in high gear, I try to buy and cook locally grown produce.
In my area strawberries, greens, summer squash, zucchini, cucumbers, corn, cauliflower, green beans, tomatoes, peppers, blueberries, winter squash, and peaches are available.
Here are a couple of great recipes that are perfect for a picnic or a dinner party and use all the freshest produce.
Strawberry Salad
1 Tbsp sugar
1-1/2 Tbsp white vinegar
1/4 cup minced Vidalia or red onion
1 tsp poppyseeds
1/4 cup light mayo
1/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 head of Romaine lettuce
16oz strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and sliced
Whisk sugar and vinegar in large bowl, until sugar is dissolved. Stir in onion, poppyseeds, mayo and yogurt until well combined.Add romaine to dressing; toss until leaves are lightly and evenly coated. Divide salad among four individual salad plates; garnish with strawberry slices.
Grilled Zucchini & Peppers
3/4 lb zucchini, sliced diagonally in 1/2-inch rounds
1/2 lb sweet red pepper, halved, seeded, cut in 1/2-inch strips
2 Tbsp Oil
Preheat grill on MEDIUM 10 min.
Clean grill with wire brush. Using soft cloth, coat grill grate lightly with vegetable oil.Drizzle zucchini and pepper with oil. Sear on both sides. Grill, turning every 1-2 min, until both sides are grill-marked and vegetables are knife-tender, 10-12 min.
Enjoy the harvest.

Fruit Kabobs

I’ve been invited to a tennis party and I’m bringing the appetizer. With all the fresh fruits of summer in season, I decided to bring a plate of fruit kabobs. They’re so colorful and tasty and what could be more refreshing after a few sets of tennis?! If you’re short on time, most grocery store have pre- chunked fruit or a fruit salad bar, which is a bit more expensive but it’s a timesaver.
Or if you’re really cramped for time you can order a pre made platter
http://www.fruitfreshup.com/catalog.asp?prodid=593023
I found a recipe for a creamy orange dip that sounds delicious.
Here’s all you need
Creamy Orange Dip
1 jar marshmallow creme, 7 oz.
1 cream cheese, 1 - 8 oz. pkg.
2 T. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

Summer Festivals

Food fests, art fests, music fests…whatever the fest they’re on my families to do list. Our city hosts the second largest food festival in the country. Over 60 restaurants serve up their specialty dishes to thousands of hungry patrons. Our arts festival began in 1958 and has grown and thrived over the past 50 years. It’s set in a lovely part of town where over 400 exhibitors show their art. At this festival, it’s as much fun to watch the people, as it is to look at the art. The ethnic fests are a great place to get a taste of the culture. My favorite is the Italian festival. The streets are lined with vendors selling everything from cannoli to sausage with peppers and onions, yum. My daughters love to go down to the art museum on Sundays to enjoy the outdoor jazz festival. We find a shady spot, set up the chairs, pop open the picnic basket and kick back, relax and enjoy the music.
If you'd like to find a festival in your neighborhood check out this informative site.
http://www.festivals.com/