EDIBLES
Party-worthy wine pairings perfect for easy entertaining
(Family Features) Red or white, sweet or dry, wine lovers are often entertainers at heart. When inviting guests to share your personal favorites, nothing enhances a tasting get-together quite like complementary snack and wine pairings.
The next time you find a wine party on your schedule, consider these simple yet delicious recommendations from sommelier and founder of “The Lush Life,” Sarah Tracey, who partnered with Fresh Cravings to create “Dips and Sips.” Aimed at reinventing wine and cheese parties, the movement focuses on simplistic recipes, easy dip pairings and suggested wines.
“When I entertain at home, I’m always looking for ways to impress my friends with fresh, creative bites I can pair with wine,” Tracey said. “My favorite hack is finding great products with high-quality ingredients then creating simple, elevated ways to serve them. The less time I spend in the kitchen, the more time I get to spend with my guests.”
Tracey relies on the versatility of Fresh Cravings’ array of dip options and crowd-pleasing, bold flavors worth celebrating. With authentic-tasting chilled salsas offering a vibrant alternative to soft, dull blends of jarred salsa and flavor-filled hummus made with premium ingredients like Chilean Virgin Olive Oil, these dips elevate both traditional and reinvented recipes.
For example, Tracey’s recipes for Polenta Rounds with Pico de Gallo Salsa and Crab, Spiced Butternut Squash Naan Flatbreads, Cheesy Tortilla Cutouts with Salsa and Hummus-Stuffed Mushrooms offer flavorful, easy-to-make appetizers that can make entertaining easy and effortless. Plus, these crave-worthy morsels are just as tasty and approachable for guests choosing to skip the wine.
Find more recipe and pairing ideas perfect for enhancing your next party at FreshCravings.com.

Hummus-Stuffed Mushrooms
Recipe courtesy of Sarah Tracey
Total time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6
- Nonstick olive oil spray
- 16 ounces cremini mushrooms, stems removed and gills scooped out
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 1 container Fresh Cravings Classic Hummus
- 1 jar manzanilla olives stuffed with pimientos, cut in half
- 1 jar roasted red pepper strips
- Oregon Pinot Noir
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Prepare sheet pan with nonstick olive oil spray.
- Place mushroom caps on sheet pan, spray with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Roast 7-8 minutes then let mushrooms cool to room temperature.
- Fill each mushroom cap with hummus and top each with one olive slice.
- Thinly slice roasted red pepper strips and arrange around olive slices.
- Pair with lighter bodied pinot noir with cherry tones from Oregon.

Cheesy Tortilla Cutouts with Salsa
Recipe courtesy of Sarah Tracey
Total time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 6 large flour tortillas
- 16 ounces pepper jack cheese, grated
- 1 can (4 ounces) green chiles, drained
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 container Fresh Cravings Restaurant Style Salsa, Medium
- New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place large flour tortilla on sheet pan. Top with handful of grated cheese.
- Sprinkle chiles on top of cheese layer. Add chopped cilantro. Sprinkle with additional cheese.
- Top with another tortilla. Bake until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Work in batches to make three sets of cheese-filled tortillas.
- Cut out desired shapes with cookie cutters.
- Serve with salsa and pair with sauvignon blanc from New Zealand with zest and zing.

Spiced Butternut Squash Naan Flatbreads
Recipe courtesy of Sarah Tracey
Total time: 25 minutes
Servings: 6
- 1 1/2 pounds butternut squash
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 1 container Fresh Cravings Roasted Garlic Hummus
- 1 package mini naan dippers
- 1 bunch fresh rosemary, minced
- La Veielle Ferme Rosé
- Preheat oven to 425 F.
- Chop butternut squash into 1/2-inch chunks.
- Toss squash with olive oil, maple syrup, cumin and chili powder.
- Spread on sheet pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste, and roast until tender, about 20 minutes.
- Spread hummus on naan dippers and top each with squash and fresh rosemary.
- Pair with deeper, savory and earthy rosé.

Polenta Rounds with Pico de Gallo Salsa and Crab
Recipe courtesy of Sarah Tracey
Total time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
- 1 tube (16 ounces) prepared polenta
- nonstick cooking spray
- salt, to taste
- 8 ounces jumbo lump crabmeat
- 1 container Fresh Cravings Pico de Gallo Salsa, Mild
- 1 bunch fresh mint, finely chopped
- Mateus Rosé
- Heat oven to 400 F.
- Slice polenta into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Arrange on baking sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Sprinkle with salt, to taste, and let cool.
- Combine jumbo lump crabmeat with salsa.
- Top each polenta round with crab salsa mixture.
- Garnish with finely chopped fresh mint and pair with vibrant, fruity rosé.
SOURCE:
Fresh Cravings
EDIBLES
Simplify family dinners with easy, one-pan meals
(Feature Impact) When busy weeknights leave little time for prepping dinner – or cleaning it up afterward – simple recipes can make a difference. With a few flavorful ingredients and a single pan or casserole dish, you can get a satisfying meal on the family table without spending hours in the kitchen or leaving behind a sink full of dirty dishes.
Convenient ingredients like rice lend themselves well to a variety of easy recipes. For example, this zesty, Asian-inspired Lime-Ginger Shrimp Fried Rice combines sauteed shrimp with sweet mango, citrusy lime, savory bok choy and fragrant Success Boil-in-Bag Jasmine Rice in a weekly favorite that’s ready in about 25 minutes using just a wok or large skillet.
With no additives or preservatives, and now available in a shareable 32-ounce family size, the certified kosher, gluten-free, non-GMO long grain rice’s sweet buttery flavor makes it an easy base for the customizable dish. While the recipe calls for bok choy, you can mix and match vegetables based on what vegetables you already have on hand, including leftovers from another meal, such as carrots, onions, peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, snap peas or corn.
For another easy option, this Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole comes together in just four simple steps and requires a single casserole dish for baking. Using no measure, no mess Success Boil-in-Bag White Rice ensures perfect, fluffy rice that folds into a creamy combination of cream of mushroom soup, broccoli and cheddar cheese for a bubbling, hearty dinner straight from the oven in about half an hour.
For more recipes that make it easy to get a homemade meal on the table with less cleanup, visit SuccessRice.com.

Lime-Ginger Shrimp Fried Rice
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4
- 2 bags Success Boil-in Bag Jasmine Rice
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 pound peeled, deveined medium shrimp, tails removed
- 8 baby bok choy, trimmed and quartered
- 1/2 cup diced fresh mango
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- Prepare rice according to package directions. Allow to cool completely.
- In wok or large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add shrimp, bok choy, mango, ginger and salt; saute 3-5 minutes, or until shrimp start to curl and bok choy starts to wilt.
- Stir in rice. Cook 2-3 minutes, or until well coated. Stir in soy sauce and lime juice; cook 2-3 minutes, until rice is heated through.
Tip: If you don’t have bok choy on hand, use small broccoli florets, trimmed green beans or leftover vegetables of choice.

Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4-6
- 1 bag Success Boil-in-Bag White Rice
- nonstick cooking spray
- 1 can (10.75 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 2 cups frozen broccoli florets, thawed and drained
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup crispy fried onions
- Prepare rice according to package directions. Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Coat 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. In medium bowl, combine soup, broccoli, 1 cup cheddar cheese and pepper. Fold in rice.
- Pour mixture into prepared dish and top with remaining cheddar cheese.
- Top with crispy fried onions. Bake 20 minutes, until bubbling.

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EDIBLES
4 ways to enjoy fresher foods at home
(Feature Impact) Fresh fruits and vegetables add color, nourishment and satisfaction to life. Knowing your food was grown from the earth and nurtured by the sun and rain can add a whole new dimension of enjoyment to your meals, which processed foods often can’t replicate.
However, if you’ve ever bought a cart full of produce with the best intentions – only to watch as half of it goes bad before you’ve managed to use it – you aren’t alone. Eating fresh foods is often easier in your healthy-eating dreams than in reality. With small habit changes, though, you can transform your household into a place where fresh, whole-food ingredients are at the center of your daily routines.
Consider these suggestions from the fresh produce experts at Avocados from Colombia.
Shop with a Plan
Meal-planning before you shop can help ensure every ingredient you buy has a purpose within its shelf life. Instead of picking out fruits and vegetables with vague aspirations of figuring out something to do with them later, you can simply consult your list and remember you need peppers, onions and avocados for that breakfast burrito recipe you want to try.
Pay Attention to Where Food Comes From
The source of your food can make a big difference in its freshness. When produce is grown and harvested with care then shipped quickly to its destination, it preserves quality and simplifies the journey from the farm to your table.
Consider fresh fruits like Avocados from Colombia, which aren’t just grown but raised at high altitude in rich volcanic soil, nourished by mountain rain and harvested by the hands of growers who care about their land and their craft. The fruit reaches U.S. shipping ports in as little as 3-5 days, so you can confidently choose flavorful produce that arrives as fresh as possible from beautiful Colombian orchards.
With two harvest seasons across nine growing regions, fresh Colombian avocados can be enjoyed throughout the entire year, whether you want to serve bright guacamole or dice an avocado as a cool, creamy topping for a warm winter chili.
Use Fresh Ingredients in a Variety of Ways
It’s always easier to use fresh ingredients when you’re brimming with ideas of things to do with them. For instance, avocados can be transformed into guacamole, creamy salad dressing or flavorful sauces; sliced for use in grain bowls, salads or avocado toast; or frozen to blend into smoothies. This also makes it easier to buy produce in bulk or take advantage of sales.
Find Inspiration Online
Recipes like these Chicken and Avocado Rollups can be an easy solution for putting fresh avocados on the menu, offering the type of everyday joy the growers behind Avocados from Colombia hope you taste. Their new “Raised by Colombia” short film puts faces to that idea, following Don Hernando, a grower of 40 harvests, and his granddaughter Camila, who brought the science of growing home. It ends where your avocado does: at a family table, where the grandmother of the house serves it in a kitchen like yours.
To watch the film and discover more recipe ideas, visit AvocadosColombia.com/RaisedByColombia.

Chicken and Avocado Rollups
Recipe courtesy of Avocados from Colombia
Total time: 20 minutes
Servings: 5-6
- 2 tablespoons mayo
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 3 large flour tortillas, warmed
- 1 large avocado, smashed
- 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- 3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- 1 cup cooked chicken breast
- 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- In small bowl, mix mayo, sour cream and lime juice.
- Place tortilla on flat service and spread with lime crema followed by smashed avocado.
- Layer with tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, chicken and bacon. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Roll tortilla into tube shape and cut into pieces. Repeat with remaining tortillas and fillings.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock (avocado on cutting board)

SOURCE:
EDIBLES
Enjoy a tangy, spicy Buffalo Chicken with Superfood Swap
(Feature Impact) When you’re craving a specific comfort food, other flavors just aren’t going to hit the spot the same way. The good news: It only takes one or two simple ingredient changes to satisfy your taste buds while leveling up the nutrition of a meal.
Watch video to see how to make this recipe!
https://youtube.com/watch?v=MtmGlJZJqgk%3Fsi%3D3povqSwlt4EsTVDq%26controls%3D0
For instance, if you’re jonesing for the zesty kick of buffalo sauce, your mind might initially go to pizza and wings. This Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Sweetpotatoes recipe featuring North Carolina Sweetpotatoes invites you to rethink that takeout order and enjoy the same bold, satisfying flavors in a more nutritious way. They’re a little sweet and a little spicy with savory chicken and creamy avocado stuffed jacket-style inside a nutrient-dense baked sweetpotato.
Sweetpotatoes – deliberately spelled as one word to better differentiate this unique root vegetable from traditional potatoes – are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. The American Diabetes Association even calls them a “diabetes superfood,” as they raise blood sugar more slowly than other starchy foods while allowing you to savor some natural sweetness. They’re also a great choice for athletes, thanks to complex carbohydrates that boost energy and nutrients that support endurance and recovery.
Find more ways to level up your favorite flavors at ncsweetpotatoes.com.
Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Sweetpotatoes
Recipe courtesy of the North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
- 4 sweetpotatoes
- 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 1 1/2 cups buffalo sauce
- 1 avocado, diced
- 2 tablespoons diced chives
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Place sweetpotatoes on lined baking sheet and use fork to pierce each one for venting. Bake 45 minutes, or until tender.
- Let sweetpotatoes cool slightly then use knife to gently cut each open lengthwise and crosswise. Use fork to lightly mash inside sweetpotatoes.
- In large bowl, combine shredded rotisserie chicken with buffalo sauce until evenly coated.
- Spoon buffalo chicken mixture into each sweetpotato. Top with diced avocado and chives.

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