Party Tips And Tricks

 We're in the height of party season.There's graduation parties, showers and of course the upcoming Father's Day. Here's the question of the week - what 's the best party tip or trick you have to make a more memorable, more delicious gathering? Is it marinating meats and veggies over night? Individual ice buckets so everyone has a cool, drink to sip on? A must have charcuterie board?

Let us know what makes your get together's tasty. My tip would be to listen to guest requests.I make whatever they want and take it from thereThe result is a happy eater who isn't fussy and pushing food around their plate.

Happy Homesgiving

                                             This says it all.

Hope your Thanksgiving was as productive, messy and tasty as mine in this very messy year.

Aunt Nellie's Beets The Best Beets

Even though it's fall there's still nothing like a beet salad, It;s the perfect accompaniment for tail gate ribs or burgers still cooked out on the grill.It's also a good side to Thanksgiving turkeys and Christmas hams. Luckily there is a company like Aunt Nellie's that fits the bill.

Aunt Nellies,a division of Seneca Foodsof California and New York State and a cousin of Libby's canned fruit and vegetables has excellent jar or what's known as glass beets. These are perfect for beet fans who love the root veggie but hate to go through the canning and preserving process. They are not your typical canned beets, mushy and pudding soft. These have the firm, plump texture and shape of just picked ones. The flavor is phenomenal, sweet with an earthy ripe flavor.I made a tasty salad with them , with the addition of onions and olive oil.Aunt Nellie's adds the right amount of pickling so vinegar or lemon isn't needed.

Aunt Nellie's also makes some other great pickled veggies too. I would love to try my fave - three bean salad, which again is a wonderful holiday meal side, especially with ham. They also have Harvard beets, beets with a creamy sauce. another great addition to any lunch or dinner. Aunt Nellie's' also has red cabbage a must for October fest meals,What is great about the company and their philosophy is that it's harvest to table,All theveggies and beans picked at the peak of freshness and pickled almost immediately to give us that straight from the garden taste.That's what I also love about them too. My salad brought back flavors that normally would be tasted in July or August instead of now in mid October.They can be bought direct from their website as well as on Amazon.com

If you want the just picked taste of fresh beets, then buy Aunt Nellie's; brand.There's nothing like a fresh, summery tasting salad in fall. Buy a few jars today for your tailgating parties or fall dinners.

Using Your Beans

One of nature's best foods is the bean.It's tasty , nutritious and versatile.You can have it in soups or salads,hot or cold .It can be made into a main dish or a side.Best of all there are so many varieties.You could make a different bean dish every day and each one would be unique. Beans are one of the greatest sources of fiber and soluble fiber.They're also high in protein,which also makes them a good sub for meat.They're also high in iron and floats as well as complex carbs.They may give you gas and if that's the case, you could take Bean-o or Gas-X or a more natural solution would be to soak them overnight in vinegar or baking soda to neutralize them.Most beans do require an overnight soak or even a precook rinse.Beans can either come in cans or in packages.It pays to have a big variety of both around. What are some bean recipes that are both tasty and good for you.A meatless chili is always a good bet.You can use a few different types in it such as kidney ,garbanzo and black beans. of course kidney beans are good on their own, usually cooled off in a salad. Serve them in a tasty three bean with the bright yellow wax beans and green beans for color and nutrition.Some three bean salads do have a dose of sugar. Sub it with a bit of honey or a tiny bit of stevia. Add iodine rich sliced red onions cut thin and herbs too.Lentils are another great and versatile bean.Try in in a veggie laden with soup or on it's own with antioxidant rich turmeric .This is not only a delicious meal but also a great dip for whole wheat tortilla chips. Any kind of bean is good in any kind of dish.Try them hot or cold for a tasty treat. They are a worthy addition to any diet.