(ARA) – Whether you’re a family of two or 10, there is no time like the present to create lasting family traditions. Like families, traditions come in many forms — from cooking to storytelling — and making new memories is easy and fun. Here are a variety of creative ways to get started.

Gather for a family baking day
Help ensure your tried and true family recipes continue on for generations with a family baking day. Have everyone meet in a central location and bring their favorite recipe and the ingredients to make it. Everyone will have the chance to learn about cherished recipes and leave with a goodie bag of treats.

Plan a family reunion
Annually, or every few years, gather relatives far and wide for an enjoyable time to reminisce, share photos, cook and eat together. Use the time to share favorite family stories and swap recipes. Make sure to take a group photo and share it with the participants and those who couldn’t be there.

Get tech-savvy
Get everyone involved in building and contributing to a family Web page or blog that highlights recent get-togethers, news, photos and favorite recipes. Online sites provide a great way to connect and keep long-distance relatives up-to-date and involved year round.

Host international family dinners
Pick one night a week to take the family on a culinary journey to another part of the world. From France to Italy to Greece to Thailand, there are countless meal options waiting to be explored. Experience more of the culture by learning some phrases associated with the meal, play authentic music and include some decorations. Bon appetit.

Make movie magic
Host monthly movie nights as a way for family to catch up and experience old classics and the latest blockbusters together. Include an ice cream sundae bar and movie snacks and schedule intermissions to talk about the movie and characters.

The J.M. Smucker Company believes in bringing families together to share memorable meals and moments, and wants to hear about your family recipes and traditions. Visit Smuckers.com to enter the “Spreading Smucker’s Traditions” contest and share your family-favorite recipes and memories. Until Oct. 12, you can enter a family recipe that has been handed down for at least two generations for a chance to win a five-day, four-night family trip for eight to the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando. The contest is open to legal residents of the 50 states and Washington D.C., 18 years of age and older and is void where prohibited. See Web site for official rules and complete details.

Last year’s winning recipe, Nana’s Apple Butter Cake has been passed down for three generations.

Nana’s Apple Butter Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup water
3 eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup Smucker’s Apple Butter
2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced into about 16 wedges
1 teaspoon cinnamon combined with 1/4 cup sugar

Streusel topping:
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup baking mix
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, softened
Powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine cake mix, water, eggs, oil and apple butter. Beat at low speed for one minute, to blend ingredients, and two minutes at high speed. Pour mix into greased/floured 9- by 13-inch pan.

Slice apples into a bowl and add cinnamon/sugar mixture, mixing until apples are well coated. Place apple slices (round side out/core side in) in the batter until just the top shows, in two rows of eight, the length of the pan.

Make streusel topping by combining brown sugar, baking mix, cinnamon and butter. Cut butter into mixture with pastry blender until crumbly.

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle streusel topping over cake and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cake cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

For more recipes and to enter the “Spreading Smucker’s Traditions” contest, visit www.Smuckers.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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By keeping summer menus simple and light, you can enjoy the natural flavors of food just as they are.

(ARA) – Hot dogs, hamburgers and pork ribs aren’t the healthiest eats in the bunch, especially if getting fit for the summertime is a priority. You won’t have to compromise these good ol’ grilling favorites at your next barbecue if lighter substitutions are made elsewhere.

“Incorporating healthy, flavorful side dishes is key when you’re serving copious amounts of barbecued meat,” says Chef Steven M. Simpson, Culinary Director at The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Michigan. “What I like to do is take an old favorite like coleslaw that’s typically drenched in a mayonnaise dressing and modify it to create a light, refreshing alternative.” For example, Simpson makes an Asian-inspired coleslaw with several kinds of Chinese cabbages, oranges, carrots and red onion with a light dressing of orange juice, ginger and a dash of canola oil.

He also advises keeping different types of oils and vinegars on tap to make vinaigrettes, which serve as a good substitute for the heavier cream and mayonnaise dressings typically found in pasta and potato salads.

Another tip is to experiment with salad greens. “You can liven up a humdrum salad by switching out your standard iceberg or romaine lettuce with chicory, dandelion greens, Belgian endive, Bibb lettuce, watercress or arugula,” Simpson says. “Not only are these darker greens more flavorful, but they also tend to be much higher in vitamins and minerals.”

An advocate for homegrown foods and spices, Simpson utilizes herbs and various vegetables like lettuce, zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers, beans and chili peppers from his own backyard. “When planting a garden, choose foods that you eat frequently and enjoy because if all goes well, you’ll have an abundance of them.”

If gardening isn’t your cup of tea, then Simpson suggests buying produce and meats from your local farmers market, as it’s the next best thing.

Grilling fresh meats and produce isn’t just for special occasions. According to the Propane Education & Research Council, 63 percent of parents say that barbecuing or grilling outdoors is the most fun way for a family to eat dinner together during the summer months. And facilitating family bonding isn’t the only benefit. Cooking on a grill can help food retain nutritional value if cooked properly.

Simpson cooks almost everything on the grill — potatoes, summer squash, zucchini, sweet potatoes, greens, salmon and eggplant, just to name a few. “Aside from oil, salt and pepper, I don’t do too much to the foods I grill. It’s a flavorful and simple way to preserve the integrity of the organic products, whether bought or homegrown,” he says.

“The beauty of eating in the summertime is that there is so much variety to choose from. My best advice is to keep it simple, refreshing and light, and enjoy the natural flavors of the food just as they are,” he adds.

To see what else is “cooking” at The Art Institutes system of schools check out www.artinstitutes.edu/nz.

Asian Coleslaw

Recipe courtesy of chef Steven M. Simpson, culinary director at the International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Michigan

Yields 6 cups
Serving Size 3/4 cup
8 Servings

Ingredients:

2 cups Napa cabbage,shredded
2 cups bok choy, baby bok choy, Savoy or other cabbage, shredded
1/2 cup red cabbage, shredded
1 carrot, julienned
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1/4 cup red onion, julienned
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
Rice vinegar (unseasoned) to taste
1/4 cup canola, sunflower or soybean oil
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
12-15 orange, grapefruit or tangerine segments (can substitute canned mandarin oranges)

Preparation:

1. Combine cabbages, carrot, red pepper and red onion into a large mixing bowl and toss together.
2. In a separate bowl whisk orange juice, canola and sesame oils together. This is a broken vinaigrette so it will need to be whisked immediately prior to dressing the coleslaw.
3. Add salt and pepper to dressing and taste. If you would like a more tart dressing you can add rice vinegar to adjust the acidity.
4. Combine 2/3 of the dressing with the slaw mixture. You just want to coat the cabbage; it will release some moisture as it sits. If needed, add the remaining dressing.
5. Check the seasoning again and transfer the coleslaw to the serving dish.
6. Garnish with the citrus segments and toasted sesame seeds.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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EDITOR’S NOTE:

The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu) is a system of over 40 education institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.

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(ARA) – With less money for the movies or a night on the town, families are nesting more at home. In fact, according to Pew Research Center, 85 percent of Americans have made personal spending cutbacks. Further, Nielsen Company reports television viewing is at an all time high, with the average American viewer spending more than 151 hours a month (almost five hours a day) in front of the tube. Don’t let the tough economy keep your family from talking and laughing together — get up, get creative and get baking cookies.

Baking cookies with the whole family is a fun and low-cost activity and you likely have most of the ingredients already on hand. From dads to toddlers, everyone loves cookies, and Americans definitely stand by their favorites. In fact, according to a recent national Land O’Lakes survey of 1,000 people, classic chocolate chip is without a doubt America’s favorite cookie, with oatmeal raisin and peanut butter cookies nearly tied for second place.

Want to enjoy some delicious family time? Consider the following cookie baking activities that will stir up some good-spirited competition, making everyone a winner. For more activities, tips and recipes go to www.landolakes.com.

* Test Your Cookie IQ: Challenge the family to some cookie trivia while baking your favorite cookies together. For instance, where does the word “cookie” originate? How many cookies does an average American eat every year? Find out who’s the “Smart Cookie” or “Rookie Cookie” of the family. The one with the best score wins bragging rights.

* Family Fortunes: You don’t have to visit your favorite Chinese restaurant to get a fortune cookie. Who says you can’t make your own cookies and write your own fortunes at home? While baking cookies with your family, each member writes a fortune for another. One by one, each person reads the fortunes out loud and the remaining family members guess which fortune was written for whom. The person with the most correct answers gets more cookies.

* Cookie Exchanges, Anytime: Start a new cookie-baking tradition by throwing monthly cookie exchange parties. Each month, select and bake a cookie recipe based on a theme. Then, each person decorates a cookie for another family member and exchanges with each other. While sampling the treats, consider sharing your favorite cookie stories. And don’t forget the milk.

* Clean Up and Then Eat Up: One of the top barriers that keep people from baking at home is the hassle of cleaning up afterwards. To make cleaning up more palatable, the winner of the cookie baking game gets the first chance to select a clean-up activity (most likely the easiest chore). Another idea is to challenge the family in a timed competition to see who can finish clean-up tasks the most quickly.

* Bake America’s Favorite Cookie: Bake up some memories with the whole family with this simple, low-cost recipe for America’s favorite cookie.

Chewy Jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups Land O Lakes Butter, softened
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 Land O Lakes All-Natural Farm-Fresh Eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 (12-ounce) package (2 cups) real semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chocolate chips

Instructions:
Heat oven to 375 F. Combine flour, baking powder and baking soda in medium bowl; set aside.

Combine butter, sugar and brown sugar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla. Continue beating, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Reduce speed to low. Beat, gradually adding flour mixture, until well mixed. Stir in chocolate chunks.

Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes or until light golden brown. (Do not over bake.) Let stand 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to cooling rack.

Recipe Tip
For 2 1/2-inch cookies, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Makes 4 dozen cookies.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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With a full serving of veggies in every 1/2 cup of pasta sauce, Ragú pasta sauce has some effortless ideas for game-time foods without the guilt and hassle.

* Cut the grease. French fries and frozen appetizers may seem like the easy way out when faced with a crowd of hungry guests but there are more nutritious solutions when feeding a group. As an alternative that is just as easy, try cutting up veggies and pairing them with a dressing-based dip, or serving cubed turkey and cheese to dunk in warmed Ragú pasta sauce.

* You are not a waitress. Don’t be afraid to ask your guests to serve themselves, and clean up after themselves. Spread all food and drinks out on a table, buffet-style, and let guests take what they want when they want it. Use disposable plates, napkins and cutlery and have everyone deposit their used items into a prominently placed trash can. At the end of the night all you’ll have to do is say goodbye!

* Don’t try to be a gourmet chef. Pick simple recipes with very few ingredients. You’ll please even the pickiest of eaters and still have time to enjoy the game yourself. Try the following recipes that easily feed a crowd:

Brown ground beef or turkey and add in a 26 oz. jar of Ragu pasta sauce for each pound of meat. Toss in some flavorful “add-ins,” heat through and serve. And feel free to mix and match ingredients to please your game-day guests. Try adding the following to make:

Ragú Chili
Add in sautéed onions, chili powder and red kidney beans. Serve over rice and top with cheddar cheese.

Quick Burrito
Add in sautéed veggies such as bell peppers, yellow squash, zucchini and onions, about 4 tsp. chili powder and some canned corn. Serve rolled in flour tortillas, which you can bake when anybody is ready to eat.

Sloppy Joe
Increase the ground beef to 2 lbs., then add in sautéed onions, about 1/2 cup of brown sugar and some sweet relish. Serve on whole-wheat hamburger buns.

Taco Salad
Add in sautéed veggies like bell peppers, corn or black beans. Serve over a bed of lettuce with tortilla chips.

For more game-day recipes, and even more recipes and tips, pick up a free copy of the Ragú Soccer Moms Shortcuts book, available at www.Ragu.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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