One of my summer favorites: Fresh corn grilled in the husk. Grilling corn is easy to do, and can make for a rich and sweet flavored corn on the cob, in comparison to boiling. Boiling corn zaps some of its natural flavor away. How do you normally eat corn? I’m guessing you use butter and salt to flavor your corn after it’s finished boiling in water. Well forget that method, let the natural sugars in the husk steam cook your corn for a tastier, healthier alternative. Here’s how:

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The warmer weather and clearer skies have lawns in need of mowing, and gardens in need of tending. Spring also welcomes another great season of farmers’ markets and fresh local produce. Food produced closer to home, and in small batches, simply tastes better. The steamed asparagus I ate last night is proof.

We complied a quick list of fresh, local vegetables you can look for while shopping this spring. Depending on your location, the selection of produce varies, but this list covers the staples of spring.
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Tired of your brown sugar turning hard before you’ve had a chance to use it up? Just toss a couple of marshmallows into the bag. It will help keep the brown sugar soft.

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Add a side of Spanish rice and you're ready to eat

One of our staff members is lucky enough to be married to a retired fireman. During his time at the fire station, all of the firefighters would take turns making dinner for each other. His favorite recipe, dubbed “Station 22 Chicken Enchiladas” is now a favorite in their home.

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 15oz. can mild enchilada sauce
2 8oz. cans mild diced green chilies
2 8oz. cans sliced black olives
2  roma tomatoes diced
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
5 large flour Tortillas
1 bunch of green onions chopped
sour cream and salsa as a garnish

Ready to go into the oven!

Instructions:
• Put chicken in a large pot, cover with water, cook at a soft boil for 1 hr.
• Drain hot water and cool chicken with cold water.
• Shred chicken meat by hand into bite size pieces in a large mixing bowl.
• Add 1 can of green chilies, 1 ½ cans of black olives, ½ of the diced tomatoes, 1 ½  cups of shredded cheddar cheese, ½  of the green onions chopped. Mix well.
• Fill tortillas with the chicken mixture so they can easily be rolled up and placed close together in 9”x 13” baking pan.
• Pour 1 can of enchilada sauce over all of the enchiladas in the pan, sprinkle remaining:  shredded cheddar cheese, green chilies, sliced olives, diced tomatoes and chopped green onions.

• Cover pan with foil, bake at 350° for 1-1 ½ hrs.

Serves 5

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Nothing beats the taste of popcorn on a movie night! But recently my sister told me that microwave popcorn was bad for you, so I had to look into it. Turns out the hot steam contains toxic chemicals, mainly from the buttery flavorings, glue and ink on the bag.
The good news is that you can make your own delicious, low-fat microwave popcorn using a brown paper lunch bag! It’s an inexpensive way to make healthy popcorn, without using unwanted oils or other ingredients.

Here’s how:

• Grab a paper lunch bag and add a 1/3 cup of popcorn kernels.
• Fold over the top of the bag to a couple of times to close.
• Cook in the microwave for 2 1/2 minutes. Make sure to watch the popcorn carefully so it doesn’t burn—stop the microwave when the popping slows to one to two pops per second.
• Get creative and try some different flavors! Some people put the kernels in a bowl with 2 teaspoons of olive oil and seasonings and mix it up before putting it in a paper bag to cook.

*If you don’t want to create waste with disposable bags, we have a glass popper that cooks corn in the microwave. It’s available in two different sizes.

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My reputation as a baker would be on the line if this news ever got out: I have fear of pie crusts. Not eating it, mind you, but making it. And it’s really put a crimp (uh, sorry) in my repertoire because it limits me to cookies, cakes, quick breads and bars. I’ll still clip pie recipes from magazines and newspapers, and peel off labels from cans in the hope that one day my fear can be conquered. I confess to making the occasional pie, but only thanks to those perfectly shaped, pre-rolled discs available in the dairy case. For a long time, I avoided buying even those, thinking, How hard can it be, really, to make pie crust from scratch? It’s a little flour, a little butter, a little water…or is it lard? Vegetable shortening? A combination? Pastry flour or all-purpose? And what about additives, like sugar, orange zest, ground almonds, baking powder, cream cheese, and yes, even vinegar and vodka? Then there’s the hand mixing (and I mean with your hands) vs. food processor vs. pastry blender method.

Best-ever. Easiest. No-fail. Flakiest. Easy as pie. Grandma’s Favorite.

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When it comes to preparing that perfect Thanksgiving meal, timing can be everything! Here are 6 simple tips to help you plan ahead.

Printable Grocery List

1. List List List. Plan your menu ahead of time and write a list of everything that needs to be bought at the store. Look through and organize your recipes and see what items can be prepared simultaneously.
2. Chop and dice ahead. Vegetables can be chopped and cheese can be grated in advance. Store them in the fridge and make sure to label them according to each recipe.
3. Think “potluck.” Hold a potluck-style Thanksgiving dinner and assign a dish to each one of your guests.
4. Prepare sauces ahead. Pies and cranberry sauces can be prepared a couple of days in advance. Just make sure not to forget about them!
5. Dress your turkey early. Rinse, pat, salt and prepare the turkey as much as possible before it’s ready to cook in the oven.
6. Skip the basting. Some say that basting a turkey is not worth the hassle, because it just runs off the skin. If you’re short on time, lightly coat the skin with olive or vegetable oil before putting the turkey in the oven. It will help seal in the natural juices—and give it that fresh out-of-the-oven look.

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Decorated Paper Bakeware

With October being kitchen month at Solutions (and the holidays around the corner), we thought we’d share a new product that is fitting for any occasion. This oven-safe paper bakeware makes it easy to create a wonderful home-baked gift for your neighbors, family and friends. Best of all, there’s no need to grease it—and there’s no messy clean up.

Our creative director tested this festive and disposable bakeware firsthand, and she loved it because it was so easy to use! See how beautiful her piece turned out in the picture below.

Once your creation comes out of the oven and has cooled down, it’s ready to present. There’s no need to giftwrap, thanks to the decorative paper. If you want to add a more festive touch, you can wrap it up in a cellophane bag tied with a pretty ribbon.
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