A people-pleasing dessert that takes no trouble is an ice cream mix-in “bar.” Buy basic ice cream flavors and set out bowls of mix-ins: M&Ms, chopped peppermint patties and peanut butter cups, chocolate and butterscotch chips, mini malt balls, cookie dough, walnuts, almonds, peanuts, pecans, bananas, coconut. Chocolate and caramel sauces can be overkill with mix-ins, but a little whipped cream is a perfect topper. Set the ice cream containers in a punch bowl or other large container full of ice, with a scooper for each flavor, and let your guests help themselves to ice cream, mix-ins and fun. They can layer ice cream and mix-ins, or simply use the mix-ins as toppings.
Flexible FireWire grilling skewers are practical, efficient and fun.
What’s new in grilling? FireWire Flexible Grilling Skewers, professional-grade grilling skewers that are as practical as they are fun. The skewer is a stainless steel cable, twice as long as most skewers, that enables you to take your skewered food from marinating bag to grill to plate, all on the same flexible wire. Efficiently, FireWire can circle the perimeter of the grill like a necklace, enabling you to cook burgers, chicken, steak or corn in the center: You have new-found space on your grill surface. And the stainless steel stays cool, allowing you to turn or reposition the wire or remove the food from the grill without using tools. Probes on each end of the wire make it easy to both pierce food and to grab the wire.
Conventional steel skewers eventually rust and wooden skewers are one-time use; stainless steel Firewires last a lifetime. While you can’t hold the FireWire and nibble your food upright as you can with a conventional ten-inch skewer, the fun of flexibility more than compensates.
Check out the FireWire video at www.firewiregrilling.com. You can buy them at Amazon.com. $9.99 for two wires. That’s a very cost-effective gift to bring to every cookout you’re invited to.
If you’re a vegan or kosher, you can’t have gummy candies—they’re made with gelatin, an animal-derived product. Alas, Annie’s Homegrown products aren’t certified kosher, but vegans can certainly experience the joy of gummies. The company makes “gummy” Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks using tapioca instead of gelatin.
Two new flavors have debuted this summer: Sunny Citrus, a blend of lemon, lime and orange flavors; and Summer Strawberry. They join Tropical Treat and Berry Patch flavors. All are MSRP $4.99 for five .8 ounce pouches.
You can see the entire Annies Homegrown line at www.Annies.com.
When you grill, chances are you serve regular ketchup with burgers. That’s O.K., but why not offer guests a choice of ketchups? You can make curry ketchup by adding curry powder or pungent ketchup by mixing in prepared horseradish. Yes, that’s also known as “cocktail sauce,” but it’s not just for seafood. Look in the spice cabinet, and use your favorite spices to spice up your ketchup.
July 4, 2009 at 7:42 am
· Filed under Low Fat, Snacks
Sour Cream & Onion Popchips, along with
Cheddar, are now available in the 3-ounce
and .8 ounce single serving sizes.
Pop pop, hurray! We’re serving the two newest Popchips flavors at our cookout today. Sour Cream & Onion is a terrific interpretation of the potato chip-and-dip combination; Cheddar is perfect with a beer.
Popchips, a Nibble Top Pick Of The Week, are the newest and best way to enjoy potato chips. They’re not fried or baked—they’re popped, applying heat and pressure to create a crunchy chip with intense potato flavor, that’s truly healthier. There are no preservatives, no cholesterol, no saturated fat or trans fat; Popchips have 3.5g fat per serving and 100 calories per individual-portion bag. That’s great snacking! Read our full review of Popchips.
