[2] It stands by in the backyard without blowing over.

[3] Its handy at the picnic table.

[4] It stands ready when camping or backyard grilling.

For picnics, cookouts, tailgates, and other parties, Roll Gear has come up with a winner.

The Take A Roll holder is a heavy-duty portable paper towel roll protector. In five colors, it keeps paper towels clean and ready to use.
 
 
WHY YOU NEED TAKE A ROLL

If you keep a roll of paper towels close by for the inevitable spills, you may recognize one of these problems:

 
 
THE REAL MOTHER OF INVENTION

There actually was a particular mother of invention. As the story goes, her children were drinking milkshakes in the back of the car when one lost his grip and his shake went airborne all over the seat, floor, ceiling, and kid.

The mother reached back for the paper towels she kept for such occasions, only to find the roll had suffered a direct hit from the milkshake as well.

Thus came the idea that even paper towels need to be shielded from becoming dirty, wet, and useless.

After years of painstaking research, prototyping and testing, this woman-owned company now manufactures a protective case for paper towels, proudly made in the U.S.A.
 
 
WHERE WILL YOU USE TAKE A ROLL?

Take-A-Roll is great for:

 
Plus:

 
 
GET YOUR TAKE A ROLL
 
Take A Roll will fit most standard size paper towel rolls. Our jumbo roll fit just fine. Depending on the brand, you may have to peel off a few sheets before inserting the roll.

Get yours for $24.95 (save 20% on four for $80) at TheRollGear.com.

[5] Pick your color(s).
 
 
________________
 
*In Plato’s Republic (ca. 375 B.C.E., the sage wrote: “our need will be the real creator.” Jowett’s 1894 translation rendered this loosely as “The true creator is necessity, who is the mother of our invention.” Over time, this became the English proverb, “Necessity is the mother of invention.”
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

August 19th is National Hot & Spicy Day (January 16th is International Hot & Spicy Foods Day). You can:

 
Or, make the Thai chicken and mango sauté that follows.

> The history of chicken.

> The history of mangoes.
 
 
RECIPE: SAUTÉED MANGO, BRUSSELS SPROUTS & CHICKEN WITH SPICY MANGO SAUCE

If you don’t like Brussels sprouts, substitute a large dice of zucchini and cook for just 2-3 minutes until zucchini is al dente.

Thanks to the Foundation For Fresh Produce for the recipe.

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. COOK the rice according to package directions.

2. MAKE the spicy mango sauce. Place half the diced mangoes, half the minced garlic, rice vinegar, lime juice, Thai chili garlic sauce and soy sauce in a food processor or blender. Mix until just smooth.

3. CUT the Brussels sprouts in half vertically.

4. HEAT the olive oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and sauté until golden.

5. ADD the chicken. Cook 3-4 minutes, tossing occasionally. Add the Brussels sprouts and sauté another additional 5 minutes.

6. ADD the remaining mango and cook an additional 3 minutes. Stir in the spicy mango sauce, cover with a lid and cook for 2 more minutes.

7. REMOVE from the heat, serve over rice, and garnish with cilantro.
 
 
THAI GARLIC CHILI PASTE & THAI GARLIC CHILI SAUCE: THE DIFFERENCE

Thai garlic chili paste, nam prik pao, has a more dense texture and a more intense flavor profile. The main ingredient is chili pepper, and the paste is often homemade. Here’s a recipe.

The paste can be used as a cooking ingredient or as a seasoning/condiment after a dish is prepared.

Thai garlic chili sauce has a modified flavor profile and has a much looser consistency. It is not the same as Thai sweet chili dipping sauce, but both the sauce and paste can be sweetened with brown sugar.

Some sauces are prepared with tomatoes.

You can substitute chili garlic sauce for chili garlic paste by loosening the consistency with a little water and a dash of vinegar and some seasoning (and optional salt and sugar).

[1] Spicy mango chicken with Brussels sprouts. You can substitute zucchini (photo © Foundation For Fresh Produce.

[2] Here’s how to dice a mango (photo © I Love Mangoes).

[3] Smaller Brussels sprouts are more tender than larger ones (photo © Sweetgreen).

[4] Thai chili garlic sauce. Find it online (photo © Foodie Market Panama).

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

[1] Avocado pizza with homemade avocado pesto. The recipe is below (photos #1 and #5 © California Avocado Commission).

[2] Hass avocados (photo © Hass Avocado Board).

[3] Avocado pizza with Serrano ham. The difference between Serrano and Prosciutto hams (photo © Avocados From Chile).

[5] Grilled pizza with avocado, fig, and Prosciutto. Here’s the recipe.

[6] Check out these avocado toast recipes (photo of avocado toast with mashed black beans © Better Bean).
 

[5] Too many avocados? Put then on the grill or invite people for a DIY stuffed avocado bar (photo © California Avocado Commission).

And we can’t wait to make it again!

The recipe was created by Fresno-based Ashley Hankins, the author, photographer, and recipe developer for her vegan food blog, Eat Figs Not Pigs.

The recipe follows. But first:
 
CELEBRATE THESE AVOCADO HOLIDAYS

 
Plus:

 
 
MORE AVOCADO RECIPES

> 60 more avocado recipes.

> 50 more pizza recipes.

> How to ripen avocados quickly.

> How to freeze avocados.

> Avocado history

> Avocado Toast history

> Guacamole history
 
 
RECIPE: AVOCADO PESTO PIZZA

This vegan take on the classic pesto pizza is topped high with seasonal green veggies and California avocados. Great for Meatless Mondays!

Thanks to the California Avocado Commission for the recipe.
 
Ingredients For The Avocado Pesto

You can make this up to three days ahead of making the pizza.

 
Variations

 
Beverage Pairings

 
 
Preparation

1. MAKE the avocado pesto, up to 3 days before use. Add half of the olive oil and all remaining ingredients into a food processor. Pulse until smooth, adding the remaining olive oil in small increments until you reach your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt if necessary. Store in the fridge.

2. PREHEAT the oven to 400°F. Roll out dough on a clean, lightly floured surface to about 14 inches around. Transfer the rolled dough to a prepared baking sheet or pizza stone.

3. SPREAD 3/4 of the avocado pesto evenly onto the dough. Top evenly with the vegan and 2/3 of the Parmesan, half the zucchini, and all the asparagus.

4. PLACE the pizza in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the crust is a light golden-brown and the cheese is melty. Remove from the oven.

5. TOP the pizza with the remaining Parmesan and zucchini ribbons and the broccoli microgreens, and thinly sliced avocado.

6. SQUEEZE some fresh lemon juice onto the avocado, slice the pizza into even pieces and serve with the rest of the avocado pesto on the side.

The avocado is classified as a single-seeded berry, as are the date, mango, avocado, and olive. Here’s why.
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.