Connect with us

EDIBLES

Enjoy a fruit-infused Fourth of July

Published

on

(Family Features) As patriotic parties roll on throughout the day and fireworks light up the night, Fourth of July fun calls for favorite snacks that complement the excitement. Whether you’re a pyro or prefer to leave the fiery entertainment to the experts, one thing you can take charge of is the dessert table.

Summer is a perfect time to make fruit the star of the show, and Fourth of July is no exception. These special occasions can be uplifted with the aroma and flavor of Envy Apples, a leading apple variety that offers an invitation to guests to savor memorable moments together.

Their versatility makes them ideal for sweet treats like these Apple and Berry Cream Cheese Tarts for a patriotic touch with red, white and blue pops of color. These tasty bites are shareable, handheld and festive, making them a savvy solution that keeps entertaining simple.

Just combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and milk, pipe onto baked tart shells and top with raspberries, blueberries and star-shaped apple cutouts. Better yet, you can even swap out raspberries for preferred red fruits like strawberries or cherries, if desired.

If all the planning and entertaining leaves you short on time, turn to these Patriotic Apple “Donuts” that swap out traditional dough for thick, round apple slices topped with cream cheese and sprinkles. With just a few ingredients, you can slice the apples then let little ones in on the fun by spreading the cream cheese and decorating with sprinkles.

The craveable texture and crunch of Envy Apples provides balanced sweetness for these favorite desserts and beyond, giving guests the ultimate apple experience for all your Fourth of July festivities. They’re an appealing backdrop for pops of red and white in patriotic recipes as their flesh remains whiter longer, even after cutting or slicing, so they look fresh and delicious throughout the holiday.

To find more Fourth of July salads, main courses, sides and desserts, visit EnvyApple.com.

Apple and Berry Cream Cheese Tarts

  • 1 cup diced raspberries
  • 4 tablespoons sugar, divided
  • 1 cup halved blueberries
  • 1 package cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 12 frozen mini tart shells, approximately 2 inches in diameter
  • 3 Envy Apples, cut into 12 large slices (around cores)
  1. In bowl, stir raspberries and 2 tablespoons sugar. In separate bowl, stir blueberries and remaining sugar. Let sit 30-60 minutes.
  2. Beat together cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and milk. Spoon into piping bag and cut off small part of tip.
  3. Bake tart shells according to package directions. Once baked and cooled, fill halfway with cream cheese mixture.
  4. Using small star cookie cutter, cut shapes from apple slices.
  5. Top half of each tart with spoonful of raspberries and other half with blueberries. Top each with apple star and repeat with remaining ingredients.

Patriotic Apple “Donuts”

Servings: 6

  • 2 Envy Apples
  • 2/3 cup whipped cream cheese
  • 6-10 tablespoons red, white and blue sprinkles
  1. Cut apples horizontally to create thick, round slices. Use round cookie cutter to remove apple cores.
  2. Spread cream cheese on “donuts.” Top with sprinkles.


SOURCE:
Envy Apple

Continue Reading

EDIBLES

Simplify family dinners with easy, one-pan meals

Published

on

(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
  1. Prepare rice according to package directions. Allow to cool completely.
  2. 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.
  3. 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
  1. Prepare rice according to package directions. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Coat 2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. In medium bowl, combine soup, broccoli, 1 cup cheddar cheese and pepper. Fold in rice.
  3. Pour mixture into prepared dish and top with remaining cheddar cheese.
  4. Top with crispy fried onions. Bake 20 minutes, until bubbling.

SOURCE:

Success Rice

Continue Reading

EDIBLES

4 ways to enjoy fresher foods at home

Published

on

(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
  1. In small bowl, mix mayo, sour cream and lime juice.
  2. Place tortilla on flat service and spread with lime crema followed by smashed avocado.
  3. Layer with tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, chicken and bacon. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  4. Roll tortilla into tube shape and cut into pieces. Repeat with remaining tortillas and fillings.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock (avocado on cutting board)

SOURCE:

Colombia Avocado Board

Continue Reading

EDIBLES

Enjoy a tangy, spicy Buffalo Chicken with Superfood Swap

Published

on

(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
  1. 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.
  2. Let sweetpotatoes cool slightly then use knife to gently cut each open lengthwise and crosswise. Use fork to lightly mash inside sweetpotatoes.
  3. In large bowl, combine shredded rotisserie chicken with buffalo sauce until evenly coated.
  4. Spoon buffalo chicken mixture into each sweetpotato. Top with diced avocado and chives.

SOURCE:

North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission

Continue Reading
Ad
Ad
Ad
Ad
Ad
Ad
Ad

Trending