Taste of Home Newsletter - June 2001 Dear $$firstname$$, Greetings from the Taste of Home Test Kitchen! We hope you enjoy this month's newsletter, which combines delicious recipes, handy hints and a some humor from the younger generation. Read on and you'll discover... > Love Those Late-Night Snacks > Give Leftovers a Lift > Low-Sodium Summer Cook-Out > Great Gift Ideas for Dad > Kids Have a Way with Words > 300 Healthy Ways to Please Everyone Love Those Late-Night Snacks WHEN warm summer evenings find you out on the porch chatting with neighbors, playing games with the kids or relaxing in front of the TV, try these satisfying snacks. They're sure to bring a contented close to your day. To view a photo, visit: http://www.tasteofhome.com/rd.asp?id=2 SPINACH DIP IN A BREAD BOWL "We often get together with friends," says Janelle L., field editor from Sulphur, Louisiana. "I like to prepare this creamy dip. It's a crowd-pleaser." 2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream 1 envelope (1 ounce) ranch salad dressing mix 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained 1/4 cup chopped onion 3/4 teaspoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1 round loaf of bread (1 pound) Raw vegetables In a bowl, combine first six ingredients. Chill for at least 1 hour. Cut a 1-1/2-in. slice off the top of the loaf; set aside. Hollow out the bottom part, leaving a thick shell. Cut or tear the slice from the top of the loaf and the bread from inside into bite-size pieces. Fill the shell with dip; set on a large platter. Arrange the bread pieces and vegetables around it and serve immediately. Yield: 10-15 servings. FAVORITE SNACK MIX For a great change of pace from the usual mix, try this recipe from Carol A., field editor in McLeansboro, Illinois. It's almost impossible to stop eating this sweet and salty snack. 6 cups Crispix cereal 1 can (10 ounces) mixed nuts 1 package (10 ounces) pretzel sticks 3/4 cup butter or margarine 3/4 cup packed brown sugar In a large bowl, combine the cereal, nuts and pretzels. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Add brown sugar; cook and stir until dissolved. Pour over cereal mixture; stir to coat. Place a third of the mixture on a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes; stir and bake for 6 minutes more. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Repeat with remaining mixture. Store in an airtight container. Yield: about 14 cups. To view a photo of the snacks above, visit: http://www.tasteofhome.com/rd.asp?id=2 ********** Give Leftovers a Lift LEFTOVERS...again? You won't hear that complaint once you use these tried-and-true tricks from seasoned cooks for dressing up leftovers. Your family will want seconds from your second-time-around servings! Roast Reruns. From Florence E. of Spruce Lake, Saskatchewan: "Cut leftover beef roast or other leftover meat into cubes. Add a can of condensed vegetable soup and just a bit of water. Heat and serve over instant mashed potatoes for a tasty meal. Our kids called this 'Cowboy Stew' and really dug in." Sandra D. of Columbus, Ohio makes sandwich spread from leftover roast beef. "Grind up the beef, add some mayonnaise, chopped celery and onion, garlic salt and pepper. My kids begged to take this in their lunches." Easy Chili. "When I have leftover spaghetti sauce, I make Easy Chili," says Peggy S. of Chicago, Illinois. "Just add to the sauce a can of rinsed and drained chili beans and chili powder to taste. I serve it over rice--it tastes like a completely new meal." Super Salad. Says Linda I., who lives on Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma, "I chop leftover chicken and put it into a tossed salad. If the original chicken recipe had oriental flavor, I sprinkle my salad with sesame seeds or add bean sprouts or water chestnuts. If the original dish was seasoned with onions, I add some french-fried onions to the salad. This is so nice in summer." Great Gravy. "I use leftover gravy to make a tasty second meal," says Alice B. of Brunswick, Maine. "I pour the gravy in a glass baking dish, add leftover mixed vegetables and a can of tuna. I bake this mixture until bubbly, then add a top crust of biscuit dough. Bake until the biscuits are cooked. This hearty dish tastes really good." ********** Low-Sodium Summer Cook-Out FOR a Father's Day feast or a family get-together, try this easy summer menu that's high on flavor and low on sodium. Grilled Lime Chicken comes from Lisa D. of Vacaville, California. "A wonderful marinade makes the chicken tangy and tasty," Lisa says. Sharon T. of Lavina, Montana shares her recipe for Light Potato Salad. "My husband and I are both from big families, so we're always getting together," Sharon says. "I served this salad and everyone loved it." To view a photo, visit: http://www.tasteofhome.com/rd.asp?id=3 GRILLED LIME CHICKEN 8 boneless skinless chicken breast halves 1/2 cup lime juice 1/3 cup olive oil 4 green onions, chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, divided 1/4 teaspoon pepper Pound chicken breasts to flatten. Combine lime juice, oil, onions, garlic, 2 tablespoons dill and pepper in a resealable plastic bag. Add chicken; seal and refrigerate 2-4 hours. Drain, discard marinade. Grill chicken, uncovered, over medium-hot coals for 12-15 minutes or until tender and juices run clear. Turn after 6 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining dill before serving. Yield: 8 servings. Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals 235 calories, 66 mg sodium, 73 mg cholesterol, 3 gm carbohydrate, 27gm protein, 12gm fat. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1 vegetable, 1 fat. LIGHT POTATO SALAD 2 pounds unpeeled red potatoes, cooked and cubed (5 cups) 1/2 cup chopped celery 1/4 cup chopped dill pickle 2 tablespoons chopped sweet red pepper 2 tablespoons chopped onion 2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley 1-1/2 teaspoons snipped fresh mint or 1/2 teaspoon dried mint 2 tablespoons plain low-fat yogurt 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon honey 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard 3/4 teaspoon snipped fresh basil or 1/4 teaspoon dried basil 1/4 teaspoon pepper In bowl, combine potatoes, celery, pickle, red pepper, onion, parsley and mint. Combine all remaining ingredients; pour over salad and mix gently. Cover and chill for several hours. Yield: 10 servings. Nutritional Analysis: One 1/2-cup serving equals 63 calories, 74mg sodium, 0 cholesterol, 14gm carbohydrate, 2 gm protein, trace fat. Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch. To view a photo of the menu above, visit: http://www.tasteofhome.com/rd.asp?id=3 ********** Great Gift Ideas for Dad This Fathers Day, treat Dad to a truly unique gift! For backyard project plans (and the tools to build 'em), bird feeders, colorful books, nostalgic videos and more, visit Country Store On-line at http://www.countrystorecatalog.com/rd.asp?id=1 ********** Kids Have a Way with Words WHEN IT COMES to saying and understanding the names of common foods, kids sometimes miss the mark with pretty funny results. For example, Elly C. of North Tonawanda, New York says her 3-year-old son, Noah, loves to stop and pick "ballmatoes" from the garden to munch on while playing outside. "They're better known as cherry tomatoes," adds Elly. Jill P. explained to son Drew, 3, that she was making peach cobbler. "That evening after supper, Drew announced he was ready for some 'peesh clobber'," recalls this West Unity, Ohio reader. When young Jenny K. had to choose a birthday treat, she asked for her favorite--"papa seed cake" (poppy seed cake), says Mom Kim of Blue Springs, Missouri. Barbara D. of Marble, North Carolina says, "When daughter Janette was 3, she often substituted words she knew for foods she wanted; like 'tractors' (crackers) and 'drapes' (grapes)." When 4-year-old Bryan is at Grandma Charlene's home in Omaha, Nebraska, he always asks for a big slice of "water-lemon" (watermelon). ********** HAVE A FRIEND who enjoys good home cooking? Feel free to forward this newsletter! If this newsletter was forwarded to you, you can sign up for yourself at http://www.tasteofhome.com ********** 300 Healthy Ways to Please Everyone ENJOY a second helping of healthy and hearty family-favorite recipes with the all-new Down-Home Diabetic Cookbook, Second Edition. It's brimming with tasty, home-style main dishes, side dishes, salads, soups and desserts perfect for anyone who's on a special diet or simply searching for flavorful foods without extra calories. Each of these brand-new recipes (300 in all!) includes helpful nutritional information on calories, sodium, cholesterol, carbohydrates, protein, fat and fiber, as well as complete diabetic exchanges. Plus, every recipe has been approved by a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator. Your whole family is sure to enjoy "Smoked Tenderloin Salad", "Canadian Cheese Soup", "Sesame Pork Kabobs", "Chocolate Mousse with Strawberries" and more! First Edition Completely Revised Now all 300 recipes in the first volume of Down-Home Diabetic Cookbook have been updated to include fiber information, too. Both of these hardcover books feature full-color photos, are 324 pages and measure 6-1/8" x 8-3/8". To order either book for just $17.99, visit Country Store On-line using the links below: Down-Home Diabetic Cookbook, Second Edition http://www.countrystorecatalog.com/rd.asp?id=2 Down-Home Diabetic Cookbook http://www.countrystorecatalog.com/rd.asp?id=3 ********** TO CANCEL your newsletter at any time, visit http://www.reimanpub.com/rd.asp?id=1 TO UPDATE your e-mail address and other information, please visit http://www.tasteofhome.com and click on the "Maintain Your Personal Preferences" link next to the "Free Newsletters" link. You'll need your current e-mail address and password to log-in. If you've forgotten your password or never selected one, there is a link to have it e-mailed to you. HAVING PROBLEMS linking to our Web site? If clicking a link doesn't work, you can simply highlight and copy the link, then paste it into your browser's address field. ********** THIS NEWSLETTER is from the editors of America's most popular food magazines... Taste of Home magazine takes a commonsense approach to family-pleasing meals with over 85 practical recipes in every issue. It's America's No. 1 cooking magazine! To subscribe or give a gift on-line, visit http://www.tasteofhome.com/rd.asp?id=1 Quick Cooking features speedy recipes (over 100 in each issue!) that help you put nutritious and tasty meals on the table FAST! Plus you'll get proven cooking hints, kitchen shortcuts and more! To subscribe or give a gift on-line, visit http://www.quickcooking.com/rd.asp?id=1 Light & Tasty is a completely different kind of magazine that lets you enjoy all the foods you love--lighter! Every luscious recipe (75 or more!) is lower in fat, salt, calories or cholesterol. Plus, each scrumptious, slimmed-down dish has been approved by a Registered Dietitian. You'll be amazed that low-fat food can taste so good! To subscribe or give a gift on-line, visit http://www.lightandtasty.com/rd.asp?id=1 ********** BYE for now from the Taste of Home staff...see you next month! ********** Copyright 2001 Reiman Publications. All rights reserved.