Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: In a small saucepan combine sugar and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, and cover and refrigerate until chilled.

Step 2: Squeeze lemon juice from fresh lemons and remove the seeds from the juice (leaving the pulp). In a pitcher stir together syrup, lemon juice and remaining 7 cups of water. Add ice and lemon slices and serve cold.
(Makes 12 Servings)

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Spray grill grates with cooking spray and heat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat. In a small bowl combine sugar, paprika, salt, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, thyme, and allspice. In a large bowl combine shrimp and olive oil tossing well to coat. Sprinkle shrimp on both sides with the spice mixture and toss to coat. Thread shrimp onto skewers.
Step 2: Place skewers onto the grill and cook shrimp for 6 minutes or until fully cooked turning once.
(Makes 4 Servings)

Ingredients:

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: To make the dressing- in a blender add olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, oregano, basil, garlic, salt, black pepper, and sugar. Blend until smooth. Pour into a dressing bottle and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Step 2: In a large bowl, combine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, green pepper, feta cheese, and olives. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
(Makes 6 servings)

Ingredients:

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: To make basil pesto- Combine basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/3 cup of oil and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cheese and set aside.
Step 2: preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Spread pesto sauce over the pizza crust evenly. Arrange chicken pieces and artichoke hearts over the sauce. Top with mozzarella cheese.
Step 3: Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted and flatbread is browned and crispy.
(Makes 6 servings)

You will need plastic spoons, sugar-free cool aide and small (3 oz.) plastic cups. Make the cool aide according to the instructions on the package, pour into the cups and place in the freezer. When the mixture gets mushy, insert a plastic spoon in the center. Continue to freeze until frozen solid.

A lot of the drink packages now come in individual size so you can mix up several packs using different flavors instead of using the 2 qt. size and give the kids a choice of flavor.

1. Plan, plan, plan. “If a family or head of household can take an hour to plan a week’s worth of meals and make a grocery shopping list and another hour to grocery shop, then the family can be good for a week,” says Shelley A. Rael, RD, a registered dietitian and health education consultant at the University of New Mexico’s Employee Health Promotion Program in Albuquerque. This is a win-win situation as food prepared at home is generally healthy and less expensive.
2. Buy in bulk. Whether it’s choosing a “family size” pack of skinless chicken breasts and freezing what you don’t use right away or one large container of nonfat yogurt instead of individual servings, buying big can equal big savings.
3. Cut those coupons. “Clipping coupons and shopping sales will never go out of style, especially when there are many mouths to feed,” says Amy Berns, RD, a registered dietitian with Medical Network One’s Michigan Institute for Health Enhancement in Trenton. Coupons are everywhere these days, from local flyers to the Internet. Check individual food companies’ Web sites for discounts, rebates, and coupons you can print yourself.
4. Shop the perimeter of the store. Most stores are organized with packaged foods in the middle. As much as possible, stick to the outer areas where you can find the healthier fruits and vegetables, meat, and dairy. Also, while these foods may seem expensive, be sure to consider actual serving sizes and how many meals you can get from one purchase. “Produce may appear expensive at the outset,” says Rael, “but it can be part of a meal or a snack. Many people see ‘$3.99 per pound,’ but don’t think about how that pound could potentially be spread across several meals or people.”
5. Try some substitutions. Instead of expensive and less healthy beef, buy more chicken and pork. Beans are another good source of protein and are usually much cheaper than meat. Fish can be bought frozen or canned to cut down on cost as well.
6. Try the “IKEA” style of eating. That means “some assembly required,” says Ashley Koff, RD, a registered dietitian in private practice in Los Angeles. “Rather than buying the salad already made, buy the pieces and assemble it yourself. Instead of the ready-to-eat pasta dish, buy the sauce, the cheese, the meatballs, and some organic frozen vegetables.” Not only is it less expensive to purchase items individually, but you will also be avoiding the preservatives used to increase a packaged food’s shelf life.
7. Skip the snack foods. Products like chips, cookies, and soda are unhealthy and represent an unnecessary expense for shoppers looking to save money. Popcorn, dried fruits, and nuts are good, nutritious substitutions for chips.
8. Go local and buy in-season. “Look for fresh local and in-season produce as this is usually more affordable than choosing imported produce,” says Erin Palinski, RD, a registered dietitian in private practice in northern New Jersey. “If fresh produce seems too expensive, try choosing frozen or canned. It is more affordable and has a longer shelf life. To cut down on the sodium content of canned vegetables, try rinsing them before cooking and serving.”
9. Be creative. Whether it’s trying a new recipe with ingredients bought using coupons or putting a new twist on an old favorite, shopping and preparing different foods can be fun.

I did end up with extra egg roll wraps and didn’t know what to do with them. I really didn’t think they would freeze very well and as usual I don’t like to throw food away. This is what I ended up doing.

I cut each wrapper into 1/4s. In the center of each I added about 1/2 tsp of cream cheese and either a small slice of pineapple or a cherry, rolled them up to create mini egg rolls and fried in small batches for about 1 min on each side. Now these I do know turned out great! They make perfect appetizers or just nice snacks. For the fruit, add just about any kind. Just remember it has to be kept small so it will fit the mini-rolls. Use blueberries, strawberry slices, peach slices, use your imagination.

Fondues are ideal for any gathering that includes food. They are simple to make, easy to serve and come in all flavors. In their days, most pots were heated with either a candle or Sterno. A little later came the electric pots. But did you know that you don’t have to have a real “Fondue Pot?” A small crock pot and even small electric simmer pots work well too. The main thing to remember no matter what type of pot you use is to keep the fondue well stirred to prevent burning.

Most Fondue Pots will include 6 and sometimes 8 forks. What do you do if you need more? Most wooden skewers will work just as well in place of the forks. The skewers also make clean-up easier… you can just throw them away.

Now for one of my favorites. This is a cheese fondue that is so simple, easy and delicious that there is no way to mess it up.

1 loaf of French bread cut into cubes
1 can Ro-Tel
1 lb. Velveeta cheese cut into chunks

Place cheese and Ro-Tel in your pot, heat until melted and smooth. Serve with cheese cubes. This is a delicious fondue that you can adjust the taste heat by your choice of Ro-Tel.