Wednesday's Food Tip: One More Delicious Way to Serve Fresh Fruit for Breakfast

If you’ve been reading this blog regularly, by now you know that one of the things I love most about summer is going to the City Market to buy fresh fruit. I guess lugging home bags of juicy strawberries and blueberries and fragrant lemons and limes is one of the healthiest things a shopaholic can do! Plus it’s a fairly cheap indulgence, as far shopping goes. I mean…it’s not like I’m spending hundreds of dollars on designer shoes (well, at least not at the City Market).



In previous food tips, I’ve also given serving suggestions for fresh fruit. And now here’s one more delicious way to serve fresh fruit for breakfast. This recipe comes from the Barefoot Contessa Family Style cookbook by Ina Garten. You’ve probably seen Garten’s cooking show on the Food Network. Her recipes are surprisingly easy to follow and they ALWAYS taste fresh, fresh, fresh!



FRESH FRUIT WITH HONEY VANILLA YOGURT
From Barefoot Contessa Family Style by Ina Garten

2 c. plain yogurt
2 Tbsp. good honey
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean (optional)
1/2 pt. fresh blueberries
1/2 pt. fresh raspberries
1 pt. fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in half
1 papaya, peeled, seeded, and diced

Combine the yogurt, honey, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean seeds, if using. Gently mix the berries and papaya together. Spoon the fruit into serving bowls and top with the yogurt.

Tip: Be sure to use the seeds from the vanilla bean (even though the recipe says this is optional). The fresh vanilla flavor from the seeds is just incredible!

Variation: Mix this "jazzed up" vanilla yogurt (minus the fresh fruit) with homemade granola for another tasty breakfast treat.

Tuesday's Food Tip: Did You Try This Simple Strawberry Sorbet?

If you’ve been reading our daily food tips since April (when we started this blog), you know that this simple recipe for strawberry sorbet was actually an earlier tip. But did you try it?

Just in case you missed the recipe (or intended to make it but then forgot about it), I’m going to give it to you again. You really should try this at least once before the summer is over. It's the perfect dessert for an end-of-summer barbeque or picnic.



Most sorbets don't contain milk, so they aren't as creamy as this one. This sorbet is more like a rich strawberry ice cream. In fact, I made this delightful sorbet in my new ice cream maker the other day. But the only special equipment you really need to create this rich, fruity frozen treat is a food processor or blender. You won’t need many ingredients either, just the following:

1 quart sliced strawberries
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp. lemon juice

Puree all the ingredients together in your food processor or blender. Pour the pureed mixture into a shallow metal pan and freeze until ice crystals form. Use a fork to break up the crystals about every 30 minutes or so, and continue to let it freeze until it is solid enough to be scooped into balls. Top with fresh strawberries, if desired. Makes about 6 servings.

TO MAKE IN AN ICE CREAM MAKER: Puree all the ingredients together in your food processor or blender, as directed above. Then pour the pureed mixture into your ice cream maker and process on LOW power for about 20 to 25 minutes, until the mixture begins to freeze and thicken. Spoon the sorbet into a large plastic container with a lid, then put the container in the freezer until the sorbet gets fairly solid. Scoop into balls, then serve.

Monday's Food Tip: Superb Summer Salads With Tomatoes and Cucumbers

Tomatoes and cucumbers are two vegetables that really flourish this time of year in most sunny backyard gardens. In fact, if you’re a gardener, lately you’ve probably been sending friends home with paper bags full of nearly ripe tomatoes and oddly shaped cucumbers because you’ve run out of ideas for using them yourself.

Besides, most backyard gardeners love to share. A certain pride comes with a bountiful backyard harvest.



But before you give away TOO many of those luscious tomatoes and cool cukes, take a look at some of these recipes for superb summer salads made with tomatoes, cucumbers, and just a few other everyday ingredients. You just might decide you want to keep more of your backyard harvest for yourself.



Try this easy Cucumber and Tomato Salad or, if you want something that at least SOUNDS a little fancier, you'll want to test this recipe for Tomates et Concombre au Basilik, which is just the fancy French way of saying "Tomatoes, Cucumbers and Basil Salad."

Need even MORE ideas for turning those cucumbers and tomatoes into a tasty summer feast? Then check out this page. It's full of delicious Cucumber Salad recipes.

I'll bet at least one of these dishes will become a summertime favorite and you'll want to share it with your friends (if you're still willing to part with some of those cucumbers and tomatoes from you garden, that is).

Sunday's Food Tip: Invest in a Good Vegetable Peeler

This week’s "gotta have" gadget is an item you probably already have in a kitchen drawer someplace. It’s a vegetable peeler.

Do you have a really good vegetable peeler, or just one of those cheap metal kinds, like your mother had when you were a kid?

Go dig it out of the drawer, right now, and see what you’ve got.

Does it look like this?



If your vegetable peeler doesn’t have a comfortable handle and a sharp blade that glides over the surface of whatever it is you’re peeling (without a lot of elbow grease from you), then you need to invest in a good vegetable peeler.

Trust me. You’ll be glad you did.



Try one of the new, broader stainless-steel peelers, like this one from Hoffritz, and you’ll easily peel potatoes, carrots, peaches, pears, and mangoes. You can also use the peeler to zest lemons, limes, and oranges, or use it as a cheese plane when you need a little shredded Parmesan to top a special pasta dish, etc.

You’ll find a wide variety of good vegetable peelers at fine kitchenware stores everywhere.

Saturday's Food Tip: Make a Fancy Fruit Salad

It’s Saturday. Time to head out to the farmer’s market for peaches, watermelon, cantaloupe, and other fruit for a luscious fruit salad. It doesn’t take much to create a fruit salad – just pieces of fresh fruit mixed together. But go one easy-step further and create a fancy fruit salad with a dressing made from a few everyday ingredients.



I like to mix fruit juice (pineapple, orange, or mango) with a little vegetable oil, a teaspoon or so of sugar or honey, and a dash of freshly grated nutmeg, then drizzle this mixture over fruit salads. I also enjoy yogurt over fresh fruit.

Here are other simple recipes that will turn pieces of fresh fruit into a fancy fruit salad your whole family will love.



SALAD DRESSINGS FOR A FANCY FRUIT SALAD

If you love raspberries, you’ll adore this Raspberry Cream Dressing.

Use Marshmallow Dressing to make a fancy fruit salad, or serve it as a dip for cut up fruit.

Here’s a pretty pink Fruit Salad Dressing that is luscious and creamy.

Fruit becomes dessert when you follow the directions for this creamy Fruit Salad Dressing.

Have you ever thought of using peanut butter to make a salad dressing? If so, then this might be just the recipe you’ve been looking for.

You’ll find many ways to make a fancy fruit salad with yogurt here.


Mmm...doesn't a fancy fruit salad sound like just the thing for a hot summer day like today?

Enjoy.

Friday's Food Tip: Simply Wonderful Scented Sugars

Scented sugars are so easy to create and they're simply wonderful. They make perfect gifts too.

To make your own scented sugars you’ll need some clean, dry jars with good seals, cheesecloth, plenty of granulated sugar (and other sugars, if desired), and a nice variety of herbs, spices, and flowers (always choose fresh herbs and flowers that have NOT been sprayed with chemicals).

Try the following combinations, then experiment to come up with your own signature variety of scented sugar.

NOTE: The herbs and spices will begin to flavor the sugars in about 3 days, but let them sit in the jars, undisturbed, in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight, for about 2 weeks for the most flavor.



LAVENDER SUGAR

Put 2 tablespoons of dried lavender into a piece of cheesecloth and tie it closed. Place the cheesecloth in a jar and add 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Tightly close the lid to the jar.

VANILLA SUGAR

Split a whole vanilla bean and put it in a clean, dry jar. Bury the bean in granulated or confectioners’ sugar. Tightly close the lid to the jar.

GINGER SUGAR

Mix 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger with 1/2 cup of granulated sugar in a clean, dry jar. Tightly close the lid to the jar.



STAR ANISE SUGAR

To create this licorice tasting sugar, put 8 whole star anise and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar into a clean, dry jar and mix them together. Tightly close the lid to the jar.

CLOVES SUGAR

Combine 10 whole cloves with 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a clean, dry jar. Tightly close the lid to the jar.

CITRUS SUGAR

Use a vegetable peeler to remove long strips of zest (the outside peel) from a large orange, 2 medium lemons, or 4 medium limes. Put the zest in a clean, dry jar and bury it with granulated sugar. Tightly close the lid to the jar.



MINT SUGAR

Wash and thoroughly dry some fresh mint leaves (use your favorite variety of mint - spearmint, peppermint, chocolate mint, etc.) Put a little granulated sugar in the bottom of the jar, then add a layer of mint leaves, then another layer of sugar. Keep layering the mint leaves and sugar until the jar is full. Tightly close the lid to the jar.

SCENTED GERANIUM SUGAR

Wash and thoroughly dry some leaves from a scented geranium (rose, lemon, orange, pineapple, or chocolate-scented geraniums, etc. - not regular geraniums). Put a little granulated sugar in the bottom of the jar, then add a layer of scented geranium leaves, then another layer of sugar. Keep layering the scented geranium leaves and sugar until the jar is full. Tightly close the lid to the jar.


TO USE THE SCENTED SUGARS:

Sprinkle any variety of scented sugar over fruit, or hot or cold cereal.

Use scented sugar instead of plain sugar in a sugar cookie recipe – or in any cake, cookie, or custard recipe that calls for granulated sugar.

Add citrus sugar to hot or iced tea.

Try a little vanilla sugar in coffee, or mix it with powdered cinnamon and use for cinnamon toast or French toast.

Add mint sugar to tea or lemonade.

Use scented confectioners’ sugar when making icings for cakes and brownies.


Final Note: Once the herbs, spices, or flowers have flavored the sugar, remove them from the jars if you will use the jars of sugars as gifts.

Thursday's Food Tip: Don't Be Puzzled by Pasta!

What do – "little ribbons, thimbles, quills, little twists, and little tongues" – have in common?



They’re all the English names or meanings for some interesting varieties of pasta.

Pasta is popular the world over, so it’s no wonder there are hundreds of different shapes and sizes of pasta on the market today. But all these shapes, sizes, and colors of pasta can be puzzling.



Don’t know fettuccine from linguine? Then take a few minutes to play this pasta word-seek game and learn to identify various types of pasta. You’ll also learn the meanings behind the names of some of your favorite pasta shapes.



Find out more about fresh pasta and dried pasta, or the different flavors and colors of pasta here.

Quickly learn to identify various pasta shapes with this handy encyclopedia of pasta. You’ll probably want to bookmark this site since it’s such a great visual reference.

Finally, learn how to pair pasta with an appropriate sauce. After all, you'll want the sauce and the pasta you serve together to complement each other.



Don't be puzzled by pasta! Use these handy online resources to gain all the pieces to the pasta puzzle.

Wednesday's Food Tip: Make Friends With Broccoli

If you haven’t made friends with broccoli yet, now’s the time to do so. Invite broccoli to dinner at least once a week and you’ll be providing yourself and your family with important vitamins and antioxidants that can help ward off cancer and heart disease.

Broccoli is packed with nutrients. Just look at what 1/2 cup of cooked fresh broccoli has to offer:

Calories 23
Dietary fiber 2.4 grams
Protein 2.3 grams
Carbohydrates 4.3 mg
Beta carotene
Vitamin C 49 mg
Folic Acid 53.3 nanograms
Calcium 89 mg
Iron 0.9 mg

And broccoli is the perfect ingredient for everything from soups and salads to casseroles. Try this recipe for Broccoli Cauliflower Salad or this one for Broccoli with Garlic. If your family enjoys casseroles, then make this yummy Broccoli Bake for dinner tonight.

When you’re in a hurry and don’t have much time to get a satisfying and nourishing meal on the table, steam some fresh broccoli, then top it with prepared Mild Chilies and Cheese Dip from the Three Angels Gourmet Co. for a simple and nutritious dish your whole family will love.

So, go ahead. Make friends with broccoli. You'll enjoy a very healthy relationship.

Tuesday's Food Tip: Sugar Cookie-Tart

Three Angels Gourmet Co. Sugar Cookie Mix makes an elegant and scrumptious cookie-tart when prepared in a tart pan, iced with a cream cheese mixture and decorated with pieces of fresh fruit.



Here’s all you need to make this delicious and eye-appealing cookie-tart:


1 pkg. Three Angels Gourmet Co. Sugar Cookie Mix

1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk

1 stick butter

An assortment of fresh fruit, cut into small slices (as shown in photo, above)

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/4 c. sugar

A little vanilla flavoring (1/4 tsp. or less)


Heat oven to 350 degrees. Make cookie mix according to directions on package and chill for at least 30 minutes.

When the dough is cold, mold it into a tart pan that has been greased with cooking spray. Bake the dough at 350 degrees for about 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Cool completely after baking.

In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla; beat until fluffy. Spread a thin layer of this mixture over the cooled cookie crust. Arrange cut fruit over the cream cheese mixture as shown in the photo, above.

Drizzle warm apricot preserves over the fruit, if desired. Refrigerate at least one hour.

To serve, cut into wedges. Store in refrigerator. Makes about 12 servings.

Monday's Food Tip: Squash Blossoms

Okay. I admit it. A squash blossom sounds like something you used to call that pesky kid in elementary school who always wanted to trade lunches.

"Gimme my sandwich back, you crazy squash blossom!"

See what I mean?


(Zucchini Squash with blossoms)

Actually though, squash blossoms are yellow, trumpet-shaped flowers that are edible and can be used to garnish soups and stews, or stuffed with cheese and herbs and fried until crispy.

Here’s an interesting article about squash blossoms and some great photos, from Kate’s Global Kitchen or try her recipe for Squash Blossom Hush Puppies.

Don't be fooled by the name. A squash blossom isn't pesky at all. It's really quite tasty.

Sunday's Food Tip: A Short Guide to Salt

From rimming margarita glasses...



to seasoning pretzels...



...most of us use salt every single day, in a variety of ways.



But there are many different types of salt, including:

Table Salt - This is a fine-grained, refined salt, usually with added iodine. Table salt is what you put in your salt shaker.

Kosher Salt - A coarse-grained salt, usually without any additives. Many chefs prefer the texture and flavor of this salt.

Sea Salt - Comes from the sea; available fine or coarse grained. Most sea salts in the United States are imported. Sea salts are sometimes combined with spices and flavorings to create finishing salts.

Rock Salt - Has a grayish hue; big chunky crystals; this is the salt used in crank-style ice cream makers.

Pickling Salt - Fine-grained, no additives; this is the salt used to make brines for pickles.


Experiment with different gourmet sea salts or finishing salts, or try kosher salt in a simple recipe for a change and see (and taste) what happens.

If all you're using is plain old "table salt" in your cooking, then you're missing out on much of the fun of using salt to add interesting tastes and textures to your favorite foods.

Saturday's Food Tip: A Beginner's Guide to Bitter Melon

You’ve probably seen this strange looking vegetable at your local farmer’s market or Asian market. It looks like a cucumber that has had a very bad life, or maybe a rather unfriendly pickle. Actually though, this unattractive little vegetable is a member of the squash family. It’s called a Chinese bitter melon.

Bitter melon has many health benefits. And it can be used in a variety of dishes. Here’s an easy recipe for Eggs and Bitter Melon, which is a good way to try this exotic veggie for the first time, if you like eggs.



Find out more about bitter melon, and get additional recipes here.

Friday's Food Tip: Convenient Pepper Mills

Black Peppercorn Grinder

If you hate to refill your pepper mill, or maybe you don't even own one but love the way freshly ground pepper can perk up a simple dish, then try these two easy-to-use pepper grinders from McCormick. You can't vary the grind (from coarse to fine) with either of them but they sure are handy and easy to use. Just take off the lid, turn the bottle over, and grind.


Peppercorn Medley Grinder

Tuck one of these pepper grinders into your picnic basket. Your friends and family are sure to be impressed when, at the picnic site, you serve a salad or grilled veggies and ask, "Would you like some freshly ground pepper on that?"

You'll find other spice grinders at the McCormick website or check the spice aisle at your local grocery store.

Thursday's Food Tip: Steel-Cut Oats

If the thought of a bowl of soggy or lumpy oatmeal in the morning makes you want to stay under the covers, you might want to try some steel-cut oats instead.

Sometimes called Irish oatmeal or Scotch oatmeal, steel-cut oats are actually chopped oat groats – only the outer hull has been removed, which means they are more nutritious (and have more fiber) than the more familiar rolled oats. They are also more flavorful and have a chewier texture than traditional oats. But they take much longer to cook (about 45 minutes), so save this dish for a lazy Sunday morning when you can enjoy a leisurely breakfast.



A bowl of hot steel-cut oats is particularly appealing in winter, but it is the perfect breakfast any time. In the summer, enjoy the oatmeal with the freshest fruits from your farmer’s market or grocery store.



Steel-cut oats (either prepackaged or in bulk) can be found at most upscale grocery stores like Whole Foods or Wild Oats.

NOTE: Steel-cut oats are a good source of fiber, so start out with a small serving until your digestive tract is accustomed to them.

Wednesday's Food Tip: Another "Gotta Have" Kitchen Gadget

Okay. So this is really more of an appliance than a mere gadget. It’s an ice cream maker with a sleek and attractive stainless steel housing from VillaWare. Mine was a birthday present earlier this month. I’ve been experimenting with different ice creams ever since and I think this is another kitchen gadget most cooks just "gotta have."



One of the things I particularly like about this model is the insulated ingredient bowl that I pop into the freezer a few hours before I start the ice cream. It really cuts down on the time it takes to turn ingredients like heavy cream, sugar, and flavorings into luscious frozen treats. In only about 25 minutes I can have 1 quart of sherbet, sorbet, ice cream, or gelato prepared, frozen, and ready to serve. I just fill the ingredient bowl with the combined ingredients, slip on the clear plastic cover (with mixing paddle), and turn on the machine. No need for messy ice and salt, and hand cranking these days!

Here’s a recipe that came with the ice cream maker. I’ve made this a couple of times already and served it with various toppings. The first time I made hot fudge sauce. The other evening I topped it with an orange cream liqueur I got in Spain. Yum!

PHILADELPHIA STYLE VANILLA ICE CREAM

1 c. heavy cream
2 c. half-and-half
Seeds from a vanilla bean (or 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract)
2/3 c. sugar
dash salt

Combine ingredients in a blender or food processor until sugar dissolves. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to freeze. Pour into ice cream maker and follow the instructions for freezing.

You can find the VillaWare ice cream maker at Target stores or order one from Amazon.com.

Welcome - More New Store Customers!

Our August newsletter was just posted and sent to subscribers over the weekend. We like to welcome all our new store customers in each issue of the newsletter. But we didn't have room to list all our new store customers this time. Here's the rest of the list. WELCOME!

Salon Bi Jou Independence, MO 816-478-1602	Creations by Linda & Friends Harrison, AR 870-743-2339	Kingdom Creations Eureka Springs, AR 479-253-2777	Parkers Pharmacy Oskaloosa, KS 785-863-2200	Saturday Morning Council Grove, KS 620-767-3043
Angels Among Us Hutchinson, KS 620-662-6687	Fig Leaf Sedalia, MO 660-826-3131	Lady Bug Lane Council Bluffs, IA 712-329-9091	Quilts & Quilts Branson, MO 417-334-3243	The Strawberry Patch Cassville MO 417-846-0333
Benton Floral Benton, AR 501-778-3600	Flower Mill Wamego, KS 785-456-7447	Little Boy Blue Centerville, IA 641-856-2444	Riverside Canoe Rental Caulfield, MO 417-284-3043	Whispering Wood Tea Room Bentonville, AR 479-464-7531
Butler Co. Health Care Center Gift Shop David City, NE 402-367-3115	Gift Baskets Unique Columbia, MO 573-445-6308	Missouri Rustic Lexington, MO 660-259-7799	The Robin’s Nest Blanchard, OK 405-520-4103
Cabin Fever St. Joseph, MO 816-233-4156	Haven & Company Branson, MO 417-336-0566	Neon 57 Fowler, KS 620-646-5775	St. Andrews Shop Kansas City, <O 816-523-1602
County Seat Cottage Russellville, AR 479-857-4059	Heirloom Crafts Winfield, KS 620-221-7576	Norgaards Hallmark Harlan, IA 712-755-2178	St. John Medical Center Gift Shop Tulsa, OK 918-744-2198
The Country Hearth Bolivar, MO 417-326-3568	Hospital District #1 Girard, KS 620-724-8291	AAhhh Some Blossoms Valley Falls, KS 785-945-0181

Tuesday's Food Tip: English Cucumber Sandwiches

Have you tried English cucumbers yet? They're a little different from the regular garden cucumbers usually found in grocery stores and at farmer's markets, although they look almost the same. The main difference is English cucumbers have a thinner skin (so they're better for slicing and they don't have to be peeled) and fewer seeds than garden cucumbers. Another difference is that English Cucumbers are wrapped in plastic wrap (instead of a wax coating) to maintain freshness.

When you need a cool and refreshing midday snack on a hot summer's day, or you want something attractive yet easy to prepare for an afternoon tea party, serve cool and refreshing English Cucumber Sandwiches.



ENGLISH CUCUMBER SANDWICHES

Several small (party style) squares (per person) of various breads like rye and pumpernickel

12 oz. softened cream cheese

1 pkg. Divine Dill Dip Mix (reserve 1 tsp. for garnish)

1 large English Cucumber, sliced very thin

Combine all but about a teaspoon (reserve this for garnish) of the dill dip mix with the softened cream cheese. Put this mixture in the refrigerator for at least an hour, so the onions in the dip mix soften.

Spread a thin layer of the dill/cream cheese mixture onto each square of bread, then top with a couple of thin slices of cucumber (overlapped). Sprinkle a little of the reserved dry dill dip mix over the cucumber slices for garnish. Cut the slices into triangles, if desired, or serve as is.

NOTE: Refrigerate the sandwiches if not serving them right away.



EXTRA TIP: If you followed our earlier tip for making limeade, serve the sandwiches with a chilled glass of limeade, garnished with a thin slice of cucumber or lime.

Taste the Best of Missouri Gift Boxes

If you subscribe to our newsletter, or even read it online at our website, you know that our Heavenly Jam Bar Mix was recently chosen as one of the Missouri-made products for the TASTE THE BEST OF MISSOURI Gift Boxes that will be available later this month.



Read the complete press release about these boxes that was released today.

Monday's Food Tips: More Ways to Use Those Lovely Lemons and Limes

If you followed our food tip from Saturday (scroll down to see tip) and bought citrus fruit to create a striking centerpiece for your kitchen or dining room table, by the end of the week or so you’ll be looking for ways to use those lovely lemons and limes in your cooking.

Over the weekend I replenished my own citrus centerpiece (a big basket of fresh limes) which had been on the kitchen counter for over a week. I took the older limes out of the basket and replaced them with ones fresh from the farmer’s market. Then I washed and dried each of the older limes thoroughly. To get my money’s worth from all this fruit, I removed the zest and the juice from each of the older limes.

ZESTING THE FRUIT

The zest is the colored part of the citrus peel and makes a flavorful addition to all sorts of beverages and baked goods. The easiest way to zest a lemon or lime is with a citrus zester. But I just run a whole lemon or lime diagonally across the side of my grater, making sure I don’t apply so much pressure that the grater cuts down to the pith (the white and bitter part of the peel – you don’t want that).

Once I have all the zest from each piece of fruit, I put the zest into a plastic storage bag and seal it, then pop it into the freezer, where it will keep for up to 6 months. Whenever I need some citrus zest for a recipe I just dig out the bag of zest from the freezer.

JUICING THE FRUIT



If you have an electric juicer, follow the directions that came with it for juicing lemons and limes. If you don’t have one of these nifty machines, roll each piece of fruit along the kitchen counter with your hand for a couple of seconds to loosen the juice. Then cut each lemon on lime in half. Use one of those charming old glass juicers to juice the fruit, or simply squeeze the fruit to extract as much juice as you can into a bowl or glass jar.

Use the juice immediately to make lemonade or limeade, or refrigerate the juice in a clean jar (tightly sealed) for up to 5 days.



EASY LIMEADE

Juice of 3 limes

2/3 c. granulated sugar

2 qts. cold water

Put the lime juice into a 2 quart pitcher. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Fill pitcher with cold water. Stir thoroughly, then put the pitcher in the refrigerator until the limeade is cold. Serve with ice and garnish with fresh lime, lemon, or orange slices.

For extra pizzaz, add a splash of Grenadline syrup or maraschino cherry juice to the limeade and garnish each glass with a maraschino cherry.

Here are a couple of other ways to use those lovely lemons and limes:

Lemon/Lime Gelato

Lime Marmalade

Subscribe to Our Free Newsletter!

Subscribe to our free quarterly newsletter for up-to-date product news, recipes, baking tips and serving suggestions, as well as a list of stores that have recently started carrying Three Angels Gourmet Co. products.

If you subscribe, the next issue of the newsletter will automatically be sent to your email box. If you don't want to subscribe, you can still read the current issue of the newsletter here. The newest issue was just posted.

Sunday's Food Tip: Try This Simple Sunday Supper

For a simple Sunday supper, try this nutritious and delicious Spinach Cheese Pie. You can have the pie in the oven within a few minutes. Then go do something else while it bakes to perfection.

The secret to this pie is the freshly grated nutmeg. It really makes it zing - so don't substitute ground nutmeg from a spice tin, get a whole nutmeg and grate a little of it yourself for this dish!

SPINACH CHEESE PIE - Serves 6

1 (16 oz.) pkg. chopped frozen spinach, cooked and well drained
3 eggs
1 lb. low-fat cottage cheese
4 oz. shredded lowfat cheese or tofu
1/4 c. minced onion
Dash of freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray.

Combine all ingredients, mixing gently, then pour the mixture into the pie pan and bake for 1 hour or until browned on top and knife inserted in center comes out clean.



VARIATION: I like to top the pie with slices of fresh tomatoes once it's done, then return it to the oven for a few more minutes so the tomatoes set.

Add some warm crusty bread with butter, a glass of wine, and a tossed salad and your simple Sunday supper is complete and ready to eat!

Saturday's Food Tip: Striking Citrus Centerpieces

Instead of the usual flower arrangement, or a more elaborate centerpiece for your kitchen or dining room table, create a striking citrus centerpiece instead.

Fill an attractive bowl with lemons or limes ONLY, or a combination of the two fruits. The citrus will gently scent the room and will have greater visual impact than the standard bowl of apples and oranges.



EXTRA NOTE: Turn the lemons and limes each day, to keep them from getting moldy. If you see signs of mold on any of the fruit, discard that piece of fruit immediately. These centerpieces will last up to a week or so in a cool, air-conditioned kitchen or dining room.

Get Three Angels Gourmet Mixes at the Missouri State Fair!

Gee. It's already time for the Missouri State Fair. In fact, it started yesterday (August 11th) and runs through Sunday, August 21st.



This is the second year that the Three Angels Gourmet Co. has participated in the AgriMissouri Markets at both the Ozark Empire Fair that was held in Springfield, Missouri, from July 29th - August 7th, and the Missouri State Fair which is held in Sedalia, Missouri, every year.

This year, visitors to the Missouri State Fair will find these Three Angels Gourmet Co. products at the AgriMissouri Market there:

Divine Dill Dip Mix
Sun-Blessed Tomato Herb Dip Mix
Angel Ale Herb Bread Mix
Heavenly Jam Bar Mix
Raspberry Brownie Mix

Don't miss out on the Missouri State Fair this year. And, while you're there, stop by the AgriMissouri Market to support Missouri businesses by buying delicious Missouri-made products.

Get more information about the fair here.

Come Visit Three Angels Gourmet at the Eureka Springs Gift Show!

Hey, wholesale buyers - the Eureka Springs Gift Show (a wholesale-only show) starts this Saturday and runs until Monday afternoon in charming Eureka Springs, Arkansas. We hope buyers from gift shops, gourmet markets, and other specialty food stores will come to the show and stop by our booth to talk to our sales rep, Debra Steiner. She’ll have delicious samples for you to taste, and product literature you can take home. The dates and times for this event are:

Saturday, August 13, 2005
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Sunday, August 14, 2005
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Monday, August 15, 2005
9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.


Our sampling schedule for this show will be:

SATURDAY, AUGUST 13TH

Divine Dill Dip Mix with butterbraid pretzels
Apple-Cinnamon Scones
Strawberry Jam Bars
Raspberry Brownies

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14TH

Divine Dill Dip with butterbraid pretzels
Oatmeal-Raisin Cookie Bars
Raspberry Brownies
Apricot Jam Bars

MONDAY, AUGUST 15TH

Divine Dill Dip with butterbraid pretzels
Strawberry Jam Bars
Apricot Jam Bars
Raspberry Brownies