Monday, October 29, 2007

Mango Tea & Tropical Dip

Did you know that our Mango Tea Mix is wonderful as a HOT tea as well as iced? Tropical Dip Mix is not just for dip. It is great on chicken, pork and fish! Here is another great recipe using this tasty seasoning!


Herbed Pork Loin

Ingredients:

2 pounds pork loin roast
2 tablespoons Homemade Gourmet® Tropical Dip Seasoning

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut slits about
1-inch deep and about 1-inch apart across
the top of pork loin, rub seasoning into slits.
2. Place meat in a 13x9x2 ungreased baking
dish with 2-inches of water and insert ovenready
meat thermometer in the center of
roast.
3. Cover and bake for 1½ hours or until meat
thermometer reads 160 degrees.

Serves: 6

Easy Gift Giving....




Holiday Gifting is NOW AVAILABLE
exclusively to HG Preferred Members!!


Skip the crowds at the mall and the lines at the post office this year!
Direct ship your holiday gifts from the comfort of your home. Give your family the gift of Homemade Gourmet this year!

Click here for gift program details.
Click here for a list of Holiday shipping deadlines.

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Softball


What does softball have to do with meal solutions? Well, nothing....I just wanted to brag about my daughter's 6U softball tournament team.....Just being a proud mommy! The girl's got 1st place...almost had a scare....the girls had a horrible 1st inning, but they regrouped and stopped the team from scoring!! All the girls stepped up and did their part. It's amazing to see what these 5 and 6 year-old girls can do!! Kathryn is on the bottom right.


Friday, October 26, 2007

Gifts From Your Heart...and Your Kitchen

*Any Homemade Gourmet cookie mix. Prepare the mix and roll into 1" balls. Place the dough balls into the freezer up to 3 months. Just pull them out of the freezer and bake on the day you need them for a delicious home-baked treat!

*Any Homemade Gourmet bread mix is EASY to prepare and freeze ahead. Wrap in colored saran wrap and stick a festive sticker with the type of bread as a label. Then all you need to do is defrost and add a bow to give a gift from your heart and your kitchen! Defrost, slice, and serve for a home-baked treat anytime. (Hint: A loaf of homemade bread or muffins makes a GREAT Hostess gift for all of those holiday parties on your schedule!)

*Also, you can make a different varieties of Fudge with our super easy Homemade Gourmet Five Minute Fudge mix. Like Toffee Fudge, peanut butter, butterscotch, chocolate mint chip, cashew, walnut, pecan, toasted coconut.

Perfect Packages for the above:

Chinese Food Containers
Decorative Tins
Cloth Lined Wicker or Metal Baskets
Beautiful Cookie Jar
Santa Clause Cookie Plate
Christmas Stocking

Halloween Treats

SPIDER WEB CHEESECAKE

INGREDIENTS:

1 Homemade Gourmet Basic Cheesecake Mix
16 oz cream cheese, softened 4 oz Cool Whip
2 TBS semisweet chocolate chips
1 Chocolate Cookie Pie Crust
1 TBS butter or margarine 1 plastic storage bag
1 toothpick or knife

DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine Basic Cheesecake Mix and softened cream cheese and beat well.

2. Fold in the whipped topping and pour into pie shell.

3. Melt semisweet chocolate chips and butter/margarine. Stir until smooth.

4. Place mixture in plastic bag and cut a tiny hole in the corner (a fast and easy cake decorator!)

5. Draw circle of chocolate in the center of the cheesecake and continue making circles about ½ inch apart until you reach the edge.

6. With a toothpick or knife, start at the center circle and pull to the outer edge; wipe and repeat to complete a web pattern.

Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Ball

INGREDIENTS:

1 Homemade Gourmet Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Mix
1 stick butter
1 8 oz cream cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix together Homemade Gourmet Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Mix, cream cheese and butter. Beat until creamy.

2. Cover & chill in refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight.

3. When mix is semi firm, roll into ball and serve in hollowed out pumpkin lined with plastic.

Serve with graham cracker sticks, ginger snaps or chocolate wafers.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Eating Together as a Family...

Highlights from the September 2007 Journal of the American Dietetic Association


Eating Together as a Family Creates Better Eating Habits Later in LifeEating together as a family during adolescence is associated with lasting positive effects on dietary quality in young adulthood, according to researchers at the University of Minnesota.
More than 1,500 students were surveyed once during high school and again when they were 20 years old to determine the long-term effects of family meals on diet quality, social eating, meal structure and meal frequency. Participants were asked questions such as how often they ate family meals, how much they enjoyed sitting down to a meal with family or friends, if they had a tendency to eat on the run and how often they ate breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The researchers found eating family meals together during adolescence resulted in adults who ate more fruit, dark-green and orange vegetables and key nutrients, and drank less soft drinks. Frequency of family meals predicted females would eat breakfast as adults. For both sexes, frequency of family meals as adolescents predicted eating dinner more frequently as adults, placing a higher priority on structured meals and a higher priority on social eating. For women, eating together as a family more often during adolescence meant significantly higher daily intakes as adults of calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin B6 and fiber. Among males, eating as a family more during adolescence predicted higher intakes of calcium, magnesium, potassium and fiber as adults.

“Results of this study suggest that having more family meals during adolescence is associated with improved diet quality during young adulthood,” the researchers say. “Food and nutrition professionals should encourage families to share meals as often as practically possible.”

Monday, October 15, 2007

What a deal!

Wow! Homemade Gourmet's regular $79 Starter Kit is a very affordable way to start a new business - and this month, it's twice the value!

We recently reviewed the Starter Kit values of 24 direct selling companies. All the companies did business through home parties, and they sold everything from food, kitchenware or home décor to personal care, jewelry or scrapbooks. Here's what we found:
Only four of those companies had kits more affordable than Homemade Gourmet's $79 Starter Kit. Only one of those four sells products similar to Homemade Gourmet (and that kit was only $4 less).
Three of the companies offered "free" kits with certain size orders in the first month ($350, $500 or $1,000 retail). Homemade Gourmet's total investment is $79 plus a $200 activating retail order.
The average Starter Kit price for the 24 companies was $138.49.
The Starter Kit for many companies included few or no retail products (Homemade Gourmet's Starter Kit includes the Pantry Basics Collection valued at $84 retail).

Homemade Gourmet's Starter Kit is a great deal any month of the year, but this month, the Souped Up Starter Kit is even better. It has double the value (over $300 worth of products) and all the extra supplies a new Distributor needs to do her cook-off and a couple of Homeshows. It's a great way to get started, especially this month when people are get cozy inside their homes again and entertain.This is a ground floor oppotunity...with less then 1800 distributos there is lots of room to grow!!

Saturday, October 13, 2007

Hosting Specials for October


Hosting Meal Kit for October through December – Free with a $400 Home Show
Homemade Gourmet® Grandmother’s Great Gingerbread Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Basic Cheesecake Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Spiced Cider Mix


Brunch Bunch BundleA $31.50 retail value for ONLY $18.50!* That's 40% off!
*The Homeshow must reach $400 or more in retail sales to be eligible for the 40% OFF Bundle

Fall and Holiday dates are booking fast! Call TODAY to ensure YOU have an opportunity to receive these terrific hosting rewards!

Food For Thought

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gve up." ~Thomas Edison

Meat last longer in the freezer if it already cooked. Take 15 minutes after shopping to cook and season your meat before you freeze it.

One pound of raw chicken equals 2 cups cooked chicken (sliced, diced, chopped, or shredded.)

"A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes. " ~ Hugh Downs

"Life's most urgent question is: What are you doing for others?" ~Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Friday, October 12, 2007

BUNDLE OF THE MONTH-October





Brunch Bunch Bundle


A $31.50 retail value for ONLY $26.50! HG Preferred Price only $25.20!


Whether you prefer breakfast or brunch, you will love these easy Homemade Gourmet® mixes and the delicious recipes you can prepare with them. Perfect for holiday entertaining!
Available October 1 through October 31, 2007.


The Brunch Bunch Bundle includes:

FREE Homemade Gourmet® Taco Soup Mix!
Homemade Gourmet® Cornbread Casserole Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Strawberry Bread Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Spiced Dip Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Basic Cheesecake Mix

Homemade Gourmet® Tomato Basil Bread Mix
Prepare the Brunch Bunch Bundle mixes according to label instructions.ORMake Brunch time with your family and friends extra special when you use them to make these delicious recipes found in the October 2007 issue of the Kitchen Connection Magazine! Get your copy today for just $4.00! Limited quantities available.


Recipes include:

Breakfast Cornbread Casserole
Creamy Mexican Brunch Pie
Tomato and Mozzarella Sausage Biscuits
Easy Cinnamon Rolls



Homemade Gourmet® Preferred Members Only Offer...
3 Delicious Dinners ... FREE!


Every time you place a $100 or more custom order from October 1 through December 31, 2007, you will receive a FREE Supper Sampler. A $19.50 value! The Supper Sampler contains these popular mixes:

Homemade Gourmet® Skillet Lasagna Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Cornbread Casserole Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Creamy Italian Casserole Mix

Simply order your favorite mixes for the holidays or gifts and Reward Yourself with a FREE Supper Sampler.
Join Homemade Gourmet® Preferred TODAY!

Friday, October 5, 2007

Sugar Roll-Out Cookies

We started a Christmas Eve tradition a few years ago. Sugar cookie decorating party. My daughter loves to decorate cookies...what kid doesn't? We invite her cousins for a fun evening baking/decorating. I get all types of icing, sprinkles, candies, and colors and I let the kids go crazy. I even let the kids roll and pick their favorite cookie cutter shapes. I enjoy this time with my kids, nieces, and nephews every year--Can't wait to do it again!! Plus, Santa really loves his cookies!!!!

1 Homemade Gourmet® Super Sugar Cookie Mix
2 sticks butter
1 egg
powdered sugar


1. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and
stir until well blended. Place cookie dough in an
airtight container or ziptop bag and freeze for
30 minutes or refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Prepare counter by sprinkling with 1/8 cup
powdered sugar. Cut dough in half with large
spatula, returning other half of covered dough
to the refrigerator, place first half of dough on
top of prepared surface.

3. Lightly dust rolling pin and top of dough with
powdered sugar and roll dough to 1/4 inch
thickness. Cut with cookie cutters using all or as
much dough as possible. Bake cookies for 8 to
10 minutes (shorter time with dark pans) until
bottoms are lightly browned.

4. Cool completely, *frost and decorate if desired.
If rolling out a second time, knead dough only
long enough for it to hold together, cut and
bake as before. Do not roll dough a third time, it
will get dry and tough.

Yields: 3 dozen

Cookies can be sprinkled with granulated
or decorator’s colored sugar before baking
if you do not want to frost them.


SUPER SUGAR COOKIE MIX $5.50
Total time: 15 minutes. Moist and chewy, this cookie makes a simply delicious sweet snack or
dessert. Add: butter or margarine, oil and egg. Yields: 3 dozen. #08.2000
Decorate with your favorite frosting!

September's Meal Plan

If you are a HGP club memeber and you got the bundle for the month(for September), then you want to start here....follow these tips to save more time in the kitchen! Not a member? You can still order the needed mixes and go to your 'In The Mix' e-newsletter for the full menus, grocery list, and directions. Want to have the e-newsletter sent to you the 1st of every month? Let me know and I'll add you to the list!


TIP: go ahead and prepare all the meat needed on day one. It doesn't take much longer to season all the meat then just 1 lb for only 1 meal. This is for meals: 1, 3, 4, and 6. You will cut down on dinner preparation time for the next meals

*you would need triple the ingredients needed to make meal 1--this includes, meat, ketchup, egg. So, go ahead and buy a pack of 5 1/2 lbs of ground meat.

Start off of by taking 1 lb of meat and brown it on a frying pan-do not add any seasonings to this. While thats cooking....get a large bowl and place the remainder of the meat. Place the other ingredients in the bowl plus triple the amount of the Old Fashioned Meatloaf-if using single packets, you would need 3. If using the pantry staple size, you would add 24 Tablespoons. Mix this all up. Then divide the meat mixture into 3 parts.Use one part for meal one-put in meatloaf pan and place in oven.

While that is baking, use another part and shape meatballs. Put these in the oven for the last 15-20 minutes that the meatloaf has left.

Then use the last part of the meat to shape into patties. You can then line the patties with wax paper and put into a gallon sized freezer bag. Make sure to lable as Old Fashioned hamburgers and today's date.

You now have meatloaf ready for dinner-or you can wrap it in foil paper and put in a freezer bag for later. While eating your dinner, let the meatballs cool. Then you place them in the freezer as well.

You will love having these meals almost done for you when you are short on time for dinner!! They will be your lifesavers! Have fun with this and let me know how it all goes!!

These are the Homemade Gourmet mixes you will need for the above meals:
Old Fashioned Meatloaf Pantry Staple
Mom’s Smashed Potatoes
MixMinestrone Soup MixMom’s
Chicken and Rice Mix
Skillet Burritos Mix
Corn Chowder Mix
This is a product bundle with a retail price of $50.50* ($40.40 * after Preferred Customer discount privileges). THAT’S RIGHT! If you are an HG Preferred Club Member…you will receive 20% off of your selections. And as a Preferred Customer…we will automatically take care of your Homemade Gourmet® shipment on the 25th of this month by sending you this featured product bundle unless you place a customized order before that date. *sales tax will be added according to your ship to address*Shipping for this bundle is $7.50 (Alaska and Hawaii $15.00)
When you choose this bundle of products to be shipped straight to your door, you will have all the Homemade Gourmet® products you need to make the 6 featured meals

Souped Up Starter Kit in October!!




BONUS Souped Up Starter Kit
A $149.50 retail value...FREE!(With a minimum $400 activating order.)

Includes 2 each of the following mixes:
Homemade Gourmet® Garlic Basil Seasoning MixHomemade Gourmet® Grandmothers Sunday Roast MixHomemade Gourmet® Garlic Lemon Seasoning MixHomemade Gourmet® Southwest Seasoning MixHomemade Gourmet® Basic Cheesecake MixHomemade Gourmet® Old Fashioned Apple Crisp Mix Homemade Gourmet® Texas Cobbler MixHomemade Gourmet® World Vision Basic Bread MixHomemade Gourmet® Texas Cornbread MixHomemade Gourmet® BLT Dip Mix Homemade Gourmet® Mock Spinach Dip Mix

1 Hosting Meal Kit - Includes one each of:
Homemade Gourmet® Grandmother’s Great Gingerbread MixHomemade Gourmet® Basic Cheesecake MixHomemade Gourmetv Spiced Cider Cider Mix.

Business Supplies:
(2) Catalogs, packs of 1010 extra Original 4 meals in 4 minutes™ Meal Planners(2) 8x10 Kraft logo bags, packs of 10

All New Distributors receive:
40% off your first order of $200+ retail!
~ OR ~
50% off your first order of $800+ retail!

Taco Soup Mix Bonus Recipes!

Chicken Medley Soup
Contributed by: Kris N., Independent Distributor
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped
5 tablespoons Homemade Gourmet® Taco Soup Mix, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large carrot, chopped, or 1 cup shredded
1 cup chopped celery
½ small onion, minced
1 zucchini, chopped
1 yellow squash, chopped
1 14.5-ounce can low sodium chicken broth
1 14.5-ounce can salt free diced tomatoes
1 4-ounce can chopped green chilies
1 10-ounce bag frozen corn


1. In a saucepan, over medium high heat, sauté chicken with 2 tablespoons seasoning and 1 tablespoon
oil; transfer chicken to a plate and keep warm.
2. In same saucepan, sauté carrot, celery, onion, zucchini and squash in remaining tablespoon oil for
5 minutes, add chicken, broth, tomatoes, green chilies, corn, and remaining seasoning; reduce
heat to medium low.
3. Simmer uncovered 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender and soup is thoroughly heated.
4. Serve hot with bread or crackers.
Serves 12

Nutritional Information ¾ cup serving: calories 120 (calories from fat 30) * total fat 3.5 g * carbohydrates 12 g * fiber 2 g * sugars 4 g*
protein 11 g * sodium 310 mg * cholesterol 20 mg

Fiesta Spread
2 8-ounce packages low fat cream cheese, softened
1 cup reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
3 green onions, minced
2 tablespoons Homemade Gourmet® Taco Soup Mix
1 2-ounce jar diced pimentos, drained
1 2.25-ounce can sliced black olives, drained
assorted crackers or vegetables of choice

1. In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese, onions, and seasoning. Beat until
creamy; stir in pimentos and olives.
2. Cover and chill 30 minutes, serve with crackers or vegetables.
Yields: 3 cups

Nutritional Information per 1 tablespoon serving: calories 30 (calories from fat 20) * total fat 2.5 g * carbohydrates 1 g * fiber 0 g *
sugars 0 g* protein 2 g * sodium 65 mg * cholesterol 5 mg

Taco Chili Bites
1 8-ounce package low fat cream cheese, softened
1 4-ounce can diced green chilies
3 tablespoons Homemade Gourmet® Taco Soup Mix
1 8-ounce can reduced fat refrigerated crescent roll dough
1 large egg
1/4 cup 1% milk
1 cup dry breadcrumbs
salsa, optional

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray 15x10x1 baking sheet with non-stick cooking
spray. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, chilies, and seasoning until well blended,
set aside.
2. Separate dough into four 3x6 inch rectangles on cutting board; press diagonal perforations together
to seal. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly on each rectangle. Fold rectangles in half
length-wise, cut each into eight pieces for 32 bites.
3. In a small bowl, whisk egg with milk. Place breadcrumbs in a separate shallow dish. Dip each bite
into milk mixture, and roll in breadcrumbs. Place bites on baking sheet.
4. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with Fiesta Spread or salsa, if desired.
Yields: 32 bites

Nutritional Information per serving: calories 60 (calories from fat 25) * total fat 3 g * carbohydrates 7 g * fiber 0 g * sugars 1 g* protein
2 g * sodium 160 mg * cholesterol 10 mg


Huevo Burritos
Contributed by: Karen D., Independent Distributor
½ pound extra lean ground beef
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons Homemade Gourmet® Taco Soup Mix, divided
2 cups eggbeaters (equal to 8 whole eggs)
½ cup light sour cream
½ cup salsa
½ cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
12 whole wheat tortillas

1. In a skillet, brown ground beef, water, and 1 tablespoon seasoning over medium heat, stirring until
beef crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain and set aside.
2. Lightly spray skillet with non-stick cooking spray and scramble eggs with remaining seasoning
until thoroughly cooked.
3. Add sour cream, salsa, cheese, and seasoned beef. Heat on medium low until cheese is melted
and mixture is warmed through.
4. Warm tortillas slightly if desired. Spoon scrambled egg mixture into tortilla and roll up burrito style;
serve warm with Fiesta Spread or desired toppings.
Serves 12

Nutritional Information per serving: calories 240 (calories from fat 70) * total fat 8 g * carbohydrates 25 g * fiber 2 g * sugars 3 g* protein
13 g * sodium 450 mg * cholesterol 20 mg

Monday, October 1, 2007

HGP Club Member Specials...


HG Preferred Announcements:
NEW HG Preferred Bonus Offer: FREE Supper Sampler!

HG Preferred Members Who:
Place a $100 or more custom order and receive a FREE Supper Sampler, a $19.50 value! The Supper Sampler contains: Skillet Lasagna Mix, Cornbread Casserole Mix, and Creamy Italian Casserole Mix.
Offer good October 1 through December 31, 2007.

HGP Monthly Member Gift:
The first quarterly gift to HG Preferred Monthly Members* will be mailed out around 10/15/07.
The gift will contain Pancake Rings, Country-Style Pancake Mix, Spiced Cider Mix and a Recipe Flyer.
*Must have been a consistent Monthly Member as of August 31, 2007 to receive this Free gift.

Souped Up Starter Kits!!


It's a great time to JOIN!!


New Distributors who Purchase the Homemade Gourmet $79**Starter Kit
($158.75 retail value)

AND

place an activating order of $400* or more.
*Qualifies for 40% discount!

will receive a BONUS SOUPED UP Starter Kit
with additional products and business supplies worth
$149.50!!
That's OVER $300 in products and business supplies!
It's like getting over $900.00 worth of products and supplies for just over $300.00!!

Offer available October 1 through October 31, 2007.
BONUS Souped Up Starter Kit
Includes:
2 each of the following mixes:
Garlic Basil Seasoning Mix
Grandmothers Sunday Roast Mix
Garlic Lemon Seasoning Mix
Southwest Seasoning Mix
Basic Cheesecake Mix
Old Fashioned Apple Crisp Mix
Texas Cobbler Mix
World Vision Basic Bread Mix
Texas Cornbread Mix
BLT Dip Mix
Mock Spinach Dip Mix

1 Hosting Meal Kit- Includes one each of Grandmother's Great Gingerbread Mix, Basic Cheesecake Mix, Spiced Cider Cider Mix.

Business Supplies:
(2) Catalogs, packs of 10
10 extra Original 4 meals in 4 minutes Meal Planners
(2) 8x10 Kraft logo bags, packs of 10