Dog Days of Summer

Well looks like we'll be looking at the mid 90s this week. Which is right for this first week of August. So what does the second week of August bring? Nod. yep. my birthday. Tom got me a camera already for my birthday, now all I have to do is pay the CC bill when it comes. LOL I really really like my almost paid for camera. It is a Casio Exilim, I think this is the one I have...

And it takes nice pics here is another one from our Tastefully Simple National Conference

Are you wondering why we are wearing cowboy hats? That's because the theme of conference this year was Kick it Up!

We have some fabulous new products coming out including one called Mild Red Pepper Dip, this one is just like our retired Sweet Pepper and Jalepeno Jam only a bit more pourable. I think it will be a must have product this fall.

Grilled Asian Aura Steak Salad

1 peeled cucumber

1 red bell pepper

1 zucchini

1 1/2 lbs. trimmed boneless 1 inch thick sirloin steak

Asian Aura Dressing

Chopped fresh cilantro

Slice vegetables into matchsticks, about 2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide, set aside. Brush steak w/1-2 tablespoons Asian Aura Dressing; grill over med. heat for 3-4 minutes on each side for med. rare. Toss vegetables w/5-6 tablespoons Asian Aura Dressing; arrange evenly on 4 plates. Thinly slice hot steak; arrange over vegetables. Drizzle with additional Asian Aura Dressing to taste; sprinkle w/cilantro for garnish. Makes 4 servings.

Me and my Birthday Buddy Kim J.

Back from Conference!

Wow I had such a great time! It's wonderful to be part of a forward focused company! This year our key note speaker was Connie Podesta, very very funny and inciteful. Her website is http://www.conniepodesta.com/. We have such a wonderful fall line this year. I can't wait to share it with everyone, especially our exquisite gift collection, the gift department truly outdid themselves this year.


The picture I posted is a picture of me w/my birthday Buddy Kim J.


So many great things coming along to help us to grow our businesses and reach our goals, I cannot wait to share all w/my clients and hosts. Now is the time to start a Tastefully Simple business!

I will share more and recipes tomorrow.

Go Go White Sox, Boo Tigers!

Last night Bryce and I had the first annual Brycie's Special White Sox Day. I have a couple of pics of the evening, but photobucket is down so I can't upload them tonight from my phone to the site and then download the pics to my PC so I can upload them here...LOL I love technology.

So there we were at the game and who sits right in front of us?

Ya a loud lady who looooooooooooooves the Tigers and her 2 kids who love the Tigers and her husband. Sigh, I just really don't like sitting by someone loudly taunting the home team. I want to be surrounded by the sox fans. This lady was extra annoying because when she wasn't on her feet yelling cause her team scored...and that happend 9 times..the times the sox were doing well, she was texting. Grrr. or getting up so I can't see to go to the bathroom Grr.

But then Bryce keep making me laugh. The kid was Superfan! He was singing Go White Sox Go. Chanting Let's Go White Sox Let's Go, and each time a Sox was up to bat and they announced the player's name Bryce would go wild as if Babe Ruth was coming to the plate! The kids in front of us were supremely annoyed to have a screaming 5 year old White Sox fan behind them. I had to laugh.

Bryce made some friends w/the Sox fans behind us and exchanged hi 5's and the fans were telling me I had the best kid ever. LOL Bryce can be pretty loud and wild most of the time, so I guess Cellular Field is his nitche.

Ah such fun, too bad our guys lost!

And now for a few more summer recipes....

Veggie Pizza
Submitted by Kris Sayers (IL)
Ingredients Mediterranean Herb Quick Focaccia Bread Mix
12 oz. beer
Farmer's Medley Dip Mix
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Sliced cucumber
Chopped broccoli
Diced carrots
Thin sliced yellow peppers
Directions Prepare Mediterranean Herb Quick Focaccia Bread Mix as directed on package with beer; spread onto a pizza pan. Bake for 30 minutes at 350°; set aside to cool. Prepare Farmer's Medley Dip Mix as directed with sour cream and mayonnaise. Spread Farmer's Medley Dip over cooled bread; top with vegetables. Slice into appetizer size pieces.

Merlot Burgers
Submitted by Deb Goodman (ND)
Ingredients
2 Tbsp. Merlot Sauce
1 tsp. Onion Onion™
1/2 tsp. Seasoned Salt
1 lb. ground beef
1 beaten egg
1 tsp. prepared horseradish
1 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
Directions Combine all ingredients; mix well. Shape into 4 patties; grill. Serves 4.

Dreamsicle Chiller
Submitted by Stephanie Adkisson (CA)
Ingredients
2 scoops Vanilla Bean Chiller™
5 oz. cold orange juice
1 1/2 cups ice
Directions Combine ingredients in blender; blend on high until smooth. Makes 2 servings.

Dinner Impossible

For those of you who have cable, and are familiar w/the Food Network, maybe you've heard of this show? Each week Chief Robert Irvine is thrown into a situtation and giving the challenge of serving a bunch of people and a strict deadline. For example he did a challenge where he had to cook a dinner party for a group that runs a pilgrim visitor center (where you can visit and see people pretending it's the 1600s. So he had to do a dinner party using the tools and foods of the time.

Well this week the challenge was serving a gourmet dinner to a group of 200 of Chicago's finest and their friends on the US Cellular Fan Deck at our very own US Cellular Field.

Why am I mentioning this? Well because I was at the game and went to the consession stand where the Chief was working and saw a bit of the filming!

So I just had to share my 'celebrity' sighting now that the show is on the air!

Here are a few recipes to make dinner less impossible!

Texas Grilled Potatoes

Submitted by Lynn Carnes (TX)
Ingredients

4 large cubed potatoes

4 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. Garlic Garlic™

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Bacon Bacon™ to taste (optional)

Directions Place potatoes on aluminum foil; dab butter on potatoes. Sprinkle with Garlic Garlic™ and cheese. Seal foil, leave space on top so cheese does not stick. Place on grill for about 20 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with Bacon Bacon™ prior to serving.

Makes 3-4 servings.

Crispy Salsa Chicken

Submitted by Holli Henning (VA)
Ingredients

2 Tbsp. Fiesta Party Dip Mix™

1 cup plain breadcrumbs

1/2 cup water

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup Corn, Black Bean Salsa

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions Combine first 2 ingredients in a shallow bowl. Place water in a separate shallow bowl. Dip chicken in water, then coat with breadcrumb mixture. Put chicken on greased baking sheet. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Top each chicken breast with 2 tablespoons Corn, Black Bean Salsa; sprinkle with cheese. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Makes 3-4 servings.

Fabulous Day

Wow is the weather fantastic today!!! I bet there are many people smiling from ear to ear as they enjoy their block party, birthday party, camping trip or Wedding Day.

The picture you see was taken in front of a fountain in Lagrange, IL. We went there to see a movie at the Lagrange Theater ($2.00 show). The movie was Meet the Robinsons and all five kids sat there for viturally the whole movie, mouth agape and eyes glued to the screen.

After the movie, I took the kiddos to the library to return books and get prizes for the summer reading program. They all got a bonus prize for playing a little Harry Potter scavenger hunt.

And guess what was waiting for me in the mailbox today???

My preordered copy of the final Harry Potter book...just in time for me to take with on the plane next Wednesday when I leave for Minneapolis!

The magic trick for me will be to NOT start reading it until Wedneday, or I'll wind up sitting on the couch the rest of the weekend reading it...and it's too gorgeous to do that this weekend.

Cold Asian Pasta Salad by Heather Dood

Ingredients:
8oz Fettuccine Noodles (to add fiber use whole wheat or multigrain noodles
1/2 cup Vegetable Broth
2 tbsp Natural Peanut Butter
3 Tbsp Asian Aura Dressing
2Tbsp Garlic Garlic
1-2 Tbsp Si Si Cilantro (depending on how spicy you would like it)
1 Red Pepper Chopped
2 Green Onions Chopped


Directions:
Cook noodles as directed on box ,cool and drain. Meanwhile Mix in a med mixing bowl Broth, peanut butter, Asian Aura dressing, Garlic Garlic and Si Si Cilantro. Add dressing to noodles along with Red peepers and Green onions.

Number Of Servings:4-6

Preparation Time:15-20mins

The Gang in LaGrange!

Savory Sweet Potato Salad

Since I tried the Sweet Potato Salad from Deleece at the Taste of Chicago, I have been jonesing for more. Sweet Potatoes were on sale at Jewel so I got a few pounds of it, found a recipe on http://www.allrecipes.com/ and am going to give it a go 2day. I don't have any of the hot pepper sauce that the recipe calls for, so I planning to substitute Rockin' Chipotle Dip Mix as a spice in place of the hot pepper sauce.

If I had a Food Network show my culinary POV would be Substituting what you don't have on hand but the recipe calls for for what is in the pantry at present. LOL

Savory Sweet Potato Salad
Submitted by: Marlen SchottRated: 4 out of 5 by 1 members
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Ready In: 20 MinutesYields: 6 servings
"Give any meal a special twist with this creamy, distinctive make-ahead salad. It's especially good along-side ham.--Marlen Schott, Devine, Texas"
INGREDIENTS:
3 pounds sweet potato,
cooked, peeled and cubed
1 cup chopped sweet red
pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/4 cups mayonnaise
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
DIRECTIONS:
1.
In a large bowl, combine potatoes, red pepper and onion. In a small bowl, blend mayonnaise, salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce. Pour over potato mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2007 Allrecipes.com
Printed from Allrecipes.com 7/20/2007

I do not...do not...like Bananas

Bleh. Can't stand them, but I do remember liking them in grade school. I must have had some bad banana experiences buried deep in my subconcious that has cause me to avoid them like the plague. But many other people like them...and since I got this recipe from the Hungry Girl newsletter a service of the website http://www.hungry-girl.com/ , I thought I'd share for everyone who likes nanas...

Hunka Hunka Breakfast Love

(entire recipe: 225 calories, 4g fat,

615mg sodium, 40g carbs, 3g fiber,

13g sugars, 12g protein = 4 Points)

"The King" used to enjoy sandwiches loaded with peanut butter, banana and bacon.

We think Elvis would have loved this HG concoction!

Ingredients: 3/4 cup Barbara’s Bakery Puffins, Peanut Butter

1/2 cup light vanilla soymilk

1/4 cup banana slices

1 ounce extra lean turkey bacon

1 tbsp. sugar-free maple syrup

Directions: Place cereal in a bowl, and top with banana slices; set aside. Prepare bacon according to pac kage directions (either in the microwave, or in a pan with nonstick spray). Top cereal with soymilk. Plate bacon and drizzle with syrup. Enjoy!

Countdown to Nationals!: 6 days and I'll be in Minneapolis.

This picture was taken by Bordner Aerials

When I signed on to be a parent, no one told me...

You know one of the many many things that no one mentions in those parenting books, magazines or on daytime television...when your kiddos make friends, you are also emotionally involved. Bryce, age sometimes 5 1/2 sometimes 21, has new friend down the block from us. It's his friend's grandpa's house so sometime he is there for a few days and other times not.
When he isn't there Bryce is looking outside for him about ever hour on the hour....it's cute

But this week he is staying w/his grandpa and his 2 older sisters are their too. They are ahhh about 3rd grade and 5th grade. Yesterday Bryce went down to play. All is good. I am taking deep breaths and saying it is OK for him to play down the block w/his friend. I don't have to be in the same room as him when he is playing.

Yesterday, the girls and his friend brought Bryce back home and said that he was mad and was fighting w/his friend and wouldn't talk to they and say what was wrong. So they dropped him off. Bryce slumped into the house and refused to communication. Sigh, having friends isn't all pinky swears and playing army guys. My heart sunk. I tried w/o much luck all day to figure out what is the problem. But he won't say, is that typical? Does man communications begin by Kindergarten?

Today is a new day and his friend and his sister came down to see if Bryce could play. I have my fingers crossed that today he has fun, and it's stress free, for him and me.
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Classic Kid Fare:
The only way my kids will eat PB&J is if the jelly is Rhubarb Strawberry Fruit Spread. I hear tales that kids love wraps. Not at my house...but if they did I would make a wrap using..

whole wheat tortillas
farmer's medley dip mix w/a brick of lowfat cream cheese
then mix that w/finely chopped broccoli, zucchini, carrots
I'd spread that on the tortillas, layer on a slice of low fat turkey or ham and roll those up and serve it w/a glass of milk and some Baked Lays and some grapes

Doesn't that sound like a great lunch? Any thoughts on how to get the little dudes to eat wraps? I think I'll try a spongebob angle, like this is a recipe from The Crusty Crab? Or this is the favorite food of Bumblebee the Transformer?