Menu for a Month

If you would like a 28 Day calendar of meals, then just let me know and I'd be happy to send you one.

Homemade Gourmet has created a monthly menu that changes every month. It has a main entree, side dishes, and sometimes desserts. So, if you don't have time to sit and plan out a menu or just tired of eating the same meal over and over, then this is for you!

State Champions

The 6U Pearland Power All-Stars won the State Championship last weekend!!
Pearland has now won 4 back to back years!



Way to go Kathryn (#32), I'm so proud of you!!

Recipe of the day

Citrus Turkey Burger

Ingredients
1-1/2 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup chopped green onions
6 tablespoons Homemade Gourmet® Cilantro Citrus Seasoning Mix
6 flour or wheat pita
6 lettuce leaves
1 avocado, peeled, seeded and diced
1 tomato, diced

Directions
1. In bowl, combine turkey, onions, and seasoning; shape into 6 patties.

2. Preheat grill to medium-high heat; lightly brush grate with oil. Grill burgers for 5 minutes on each side or until no longer pink in center.

3. Wrap pita in foil; grill until heated through.

4. Fill each pita with lettuce, avocado, tomato, and burger. Serve with salsa, if desired.

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1 burger
Servings per container: 6
Amount/Serving
Calories 420 Calories From Fat 140
% Daily value*
Total Fat 16g
25 %
Saturated Fat 3.5g
18 %
Cholesterol 90mg
30 %
Total Carbohydrate 45g
15 %
Dietary Fiber 8g
32 %
Sugars 2g

Protein 27g


* Percent Daily Value (DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet Important: This information is accuate only if nothing has been added (e.g. egg wash, icing, etc.)

20% off your Groceries!!

Need to save money? How would you like to save 20% on your grocery bill?






When you join Homemade Gourmet's HGPreferred club you get 20% off all your online orders!





With everything going up in price this is a great way to save time and money!








Also, ask me how to prepare 4 meals in 4 minutes!








Join today!
Go to http://www.homemadegourmet.com/marylou to sign up!









There is no fee to join Homemade Gourmet® Preferred, ever!





> Membership includes a monthly auto-shipment of pre-selected products along with corresponding meal plan and grocery list!


Each product bundle will be approximately $50 (before 20% discount) plus shipping and taxes.





> The auto-shipment will be processed on the 15th of each month, or the next business day following if it falls on a weekend or holiday.





~ OR ~





> You may choose to place a customized product order of $50 or more to stop that month’s auto-shipment.





> Place your custom order by the 14th of each month, or the next business day following if it falls on a weekend or holiday.> After your first order, you may choose to change the frequency of your automatic product shipments to be Bi-monthly or Quarterly. Do nothing and you will remain on the monthly shipment plan with the additional benefits that awards!





Mary Lou Garcia,Homemade Gourmet, Independent Distributor #12493


http://www.homemadegourmet.com/marylou

http://mealsmadeeasywithhomemadegourmet.blogspot.com/

Proud Mommy

I'm so proud of my precious daughter!! She made our city's 6U All-star softball team, Pearland Power!! She has come a long way from playing with the dirt in the outfield three years ago to an awesome hitter and a did a great job this Spring at 1st base.

I've been so busy with practices, meetings, games, and tournaments that I've haven't had much time to post much on my blog. But I must say....thank goodness for Homemade Gourmet!! Even though we haven't been able to eat many meals at home, HG has helped us have some home cooked meals. If I didn't have these easy meals to put together we definitely would have been eating out all the time!

Some of the fastest meals that I've been able to put together have been spaghetti and meat sauce with a side salad. I keep my freezer stocked with precooked/seasoned ground beef (Garlic Basil) and have spaghetti sauce already made. You can't go wrong with spaghetti....the kids love it and it only takes a few minutes to cook the noodles and heat the meat and sauce...then it's out the door for softball!!

Something else that has helped with this busy time is to keep shredded chicken in the freezer. I've been buying the rotisserie chicken from my local Wal-Mart, and I bag the remaining chicken in quart-sized freezer bags for quick salads.....the Apple Pecan Vinaigrette is a new favorite of mine and I keep this in my refrigerator!!. I've also been keep plenty of fresh fruits around.

So, even in the busiest of times, you can serve your family a very healthy and delicious home cooked meal!

I'm also thankful for having HG as a business. I've been able to stay home with my little one and I'm home when my daughter gets out from school. There is no way I would have been able to get her fed and have her homework completed if I still had a 9-5 job. We are usually out the door by 5:00ish on most nights and get home late....just enough time to get the kids a bath and read them a book or two.

Back to being a proud Mommy....The 6u Pearland Power took home a first place trophy last week at a local tournament!! The Power has been district and state champions for the last 3 years, and we are making our way to the 4th straight win.....I'll keep you posted. District is this weekend and state is at the end of the month.

The 6u Pearland Power is still looking for sponsors...please contact me if your company would like to make a tax deductible contribution.

World Vision Caregiver Kits

Homemade Gourmet is partnering with World Vision to equip and encourage a network of 59,000 volunteer caregivers in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. These caregivers are making a world of difference for those impacted by AIDS. But too often, poverty denies them access to the supplies they need to safely and effectively prolong lives and comfort the sick. We can help equip them with the supplies they desperately need!

Why are we doing this?

Assembling Caregiver Kits is an effective, hands-on way we can:
• Show compassion for those suffering from AIDS
• Equip caregivers with the practical materials they need
• Encourage caregivers to continue caring selflessly for their neighbors


What's in a Caregiver Kit?

Caregiver Kits contain basic items such as antibacterial soap, latex gloves, cotton balls, and medications that improve and prolong the lives of those living with AIDS while protecting caregivers and preventing the spread of infection.

Our Caregiver Kit Event

On July 17-18, 2008 at Family Reunion, we will have the opportunity to build a Caregiver Kit(s) and support the Caregiver Kit program. Each kit costs $32 including all shipping and handling. We would like to raise enough funds to build 100 kits! You can give by donating online at www.firstgiving.com/hgcarekits. You will receive a tax-deductible receipt from World Vision by email for your gift.

To see a four-minute video from World Vision about the Caregiver Kits, go to
http://media.worldvision.org/docs/caregivers_docs/corp/cg_corp_video.swf.
For more information about Caregiver Kits, visit www.worldvision.org/wvcarekits.

Business Opportunity Call-May 27

Business Opportunity Call (30 minutes): This is an opportunity for potential
Distributors to hear about our exciting career opportunity from the Homemade Gourmet® Founder, Tami Van Hoy and CEO, Ken Johnsen. The first 20 minutes informational. Last 10 minutes Q & A.


Call number is 1-800-608-4241
Pin is 42231318#

Warning for Chocolate lovers...

Chocolate to G0-GO! Stock up NOW!

Due to potential for melting, Homemade Gourmet® products containing chocolate will not be available from June 1 - September 30, 2008. Stock up on Chocolate Pecan Cheesecake Mix and Double Chocolate Brownie Mix by May 31st so that you can offer these favorites through the hot summer months.

Get ready for your family Pizza night!

It-za Pizza Kit! Coming in May

It-za Pizza Kit!, $54.50, includes FREE recipe Meal Planner and ergonomic stainless steel Pizza Cutter!

Preferred Customer Price: Only $43.60 for HG Preferred customer with their 20% discount!

The Month of May is merry in many ways including graduation events, bridal showers, outdoor brunches and lunches, all kinds of family celebrations -- and Homemade Gourmet® PIZZA for every occasion! The It-za Pizza Kit includes everything you need to make EIGHT different pizzas! Whether served as a meal, snack, appetizer or even breakfast, pizza is sure to please. We have even included the World's Best Pizza Cutter for FREE!

The It-za Pizza Kit! includes the mixes needed to make:
Tomato Basil Pizza Crust Breakfast Pizzas
Garden Herb Pizza Santa Fe Nacho Pizza
Apple Pizza
(w/ Spiced Dipping Sauce) Easy Pizza Sauce
Mini Pizzas Barbeque Chicken Pizza
BLT Pizza

The It-za Pizza Kit! includes:
Homemade Gourmet® Tomato Basil Bread Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Grandmother's Sunday Roast Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Spiced Dip Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Kansas City Rub
Homemade Gourmet® World Vision Basic Bread Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Homestyle Spaghetti Sauce
Homemade Gourmet® Taco Soup Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Tropical Dip Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Black Bean Salsa Mix
Homemade Gourmet® BLT Dip Mix
Homemade Gourmet® stainless steel pizza cutter, a $9 value - FREE

Natural food vs Organic foods

I attended a healthy eating seminar this week and it really opened my eyes to the type of foods we expose our children to every day. So, naturally every thing that sparks interest to me I have to 'investigate' (which means I do lots of reading/research).

I've been interested in the Organic craze, but never took the time to really learn about it until recently. Also, I've seen the word 'Natural' on some of the foods that I've been purchasing lately. Natural sounded great so I just started picking it up...mainly lunch meat. In my search for answers I came across this article (written by: the Food Marketing Institute)
that states the differences between Organic and Natural foods. For the full article to go: http://www.fmi.org/media/bg/natural_organic_foods.pdf

The great thing about cooking with my Homemade Gourmet seasonings is that I'm able to choose the type of ingredients I use. I can use organic , or low sodium soup, fresh or frozen tomatoes, low fat or fat free varieties, and/or Natural food items. I'm so excitied that HG brought in a Registered Dietitian to our staff! Keep your eye on our Kitchen Connect magazines for Susie's healthier versions of our Homemade Gourmet recipes!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Are natural and organic foods the same?

No. The term “natural” is not regulated except for meat and poultry. It applies
broadly to foods that are minimally processed and free of synthetic
preservatives; artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors and other artificial additives;
hydrogenated oils; stabilizers; and emulsifiers. Most foods labeled
natural are not subject to government controls beyond the regulations and
heath codes that apply to all foods.

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) requires natural
meat and poultry to be free of artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, preservatives
and ingredients. These products must be minimally processed in
a method that does not fundamentally change them. The label must also
explain the use of the term natural such as no artificial ingredients. Labeling
meat and poultry products natural does not refer to how the sources of
those foods were raised.

“Organic” refers not only to the food itself, but also to how it was
produced. Foods labeled organic must meet or exceed the regulations of
the National Organic Program (NOP), which took effect October 21, 2002.
They must be grown and processed using organic farming methods that recycle
resources and promote biodiversity. Crops must be grown without
using synthetic pesticides, bioengineered genes, petroleum-based fertilizers
and sewage sludge-based fertilizers. Organic livestock must have access
to the outdoors and be given no antibiotics or growth hormones.
Organic foods may not be irradiated.

What's a Mom to Do?

This article can be found at The American Dietic Association at www.eatright.org. You can read the entire Nutrition Fact Sheets,or even print it out, along with many other helpful nutrition facts and healthy eating tips


Most moms agree that feeding their family well is very important. According to a
new survey commissioned by Wendy’s®, 80% of moms would like to get their kids
to eat healthier—but many obstacles get in their way. Families juggle busy
schedules that make it difficult to eat together and don’t leave enough time to
shop or cook. Nearly 40% of moms surveyed feel that healthy foods don’t always
taste good. For others, the challenge is a family that doesn’t want to eat healthy
foods or is on a limited food budget.


Busy moms—especially young moms—are also
frustrated by the flood of changing nutrition
advice, especially as they try to make sensible
dietary decisions for their families. Moms have a
wealth of concerns when it comes to their
children’s eating habits. The top concern, shared
by more than four-in-10 moms, is that kids are not
eating enough fruits and vegetables. Picky eaters
and eating too much junk food round out the top
three overall concerns of moms.

What’s a mom to do? Start with these easy,
practical tips:

• Make mealtime family time. Try to have at
least one meal a day together. Eating meals as
a family can actually improve your children’s
food habits since kids tend to eat more fruits,
vegetables and dairy foods at meals shared
with their parents.


• Get the family involved in meal planning
and preparation. Your kitchen can be a
learning laboratory. Give kids simple tasks to
help with family food shopping, preparation
and cleanup. Children are more likely to eat
foods that they have helped to prepare.


• Be a good role model. Moms and dads often
tell their kids to eat healthy but don’t follow
the advice for themselves. Make sure you set
a good example for your family. Healthy
eating is a lifestyle—not a fad. It needs to be
a family affair that begins at an early age.


• Try something new. Set a goal to include
one new food or recipe each week. You’ll
soon discover new favorites to incorporate
into family menus. When you want your
children to eat more fruits and vegetables, try
a new or exotic variety like mangoes or
tangelos. To make fruit easier to eat, serve it
in bite-sized pieces with some yogurt for
delicious dipping!

Host a 4 meals in 4 minutes® demonstration…

It IS what you, your friends and family need to get back to the dinner table and out of the drive thru!

It IS a hands-on, fun, and interactive experience!

It IS sampling great tasting, easy-to-prepare food!

It IS 4 meals in YOUR freezer when it’s over!
It IS an abundance of fabulous Hosting Rewards!


Including:
HOST EXCLUSIVE
Recipe Organizer & Meal Planner System
a $70 value for ONLY $35.00! That's 50% OFF

APRIL BONUS!
Receive a set of Pre-Printed Dividers and 100+ recipe cards, a $27+ value, FREE with each Recipe Organizer & Meal Planner System purchase!

PLUS!

FREE Products equal to 10% of total Homeshow sales!

40% OFF one of the Pantry Staples of your choice!

FREE Hosting meal kit when sales reach $400 or more!

FREE mixes to prepare and sample at the Homeshow.

Four meals in your freezer if Hosting a 4 meals in 4 minutes™ demonstration!

Mini Spring 4 meals in 4 minutes

This month we wanted to give you a sample of the BEST that Homemade Gourmet® has to offer...
4 meals in 4 minutes™

If you have never tried one of our 4 meals in 4 minutes™ collections, you will find this month’s featured
meal plan a real treat. If you have our Original 4 meals in 4 minutes™ Collection, this is your opportunity to sample the Spring/Summer Collection! We have taken a sampling of the meals from the Spring/Summer 4 meals in 4 minutes™ Collection and created a ‘mini’ collection as this month’s featured products!

And don’t let the name fool you! This ‘mini’ collection actually makes EIGHT MEALS!
All you have to do is follow the simple instructions in this planner and from your first 4 meals will be able to create 4 additional meals without a lot of extra cooking!

After you have tried this months suggested meal plan, we think you are going to want to do it over and over — so be sure to see the FREE Cool Lemonade Cheesecake Mix Offer!

Here are a few things you need to know about following this month’s 4 meals in 4 minutes™ meal planner:

HOW DO I READ THE MEAL PLAN?
􀂄 The left column tells you a suggested menu to go with the featured entrée.
􀂄 The center column tells you the recipe for creating the featured entrée in advance.
􀂄 The right column tells you how to turn leftovers from your entrée into a completely new

BONUS meal that requires little to no cooking time!

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO USE THIS MEAL PLAN?
􀂄 The 4 meals in 4 minutes™ concept refers to making the 4 recipes in the center column at the same time in just 4 minutes! They are made in zip top freezer bags that can be labeled and placed in the freezer for easy use when you are ready.
􀂄 We suggest you take a few minutes after receiving your products and prepare the 4 recipes in advance as suggested. Place them in your freezer and use them over the next month. The planner explains that you can choose one of 3 cooking options when you are ready to prepare them:
􀂊 Slow cooker
􀂊 Baked in the oven
􀂊 Grilled

HAVE LEFTOVERS? GREAT!
􀂄 The 4 meals in 4 minutes™ concept is best when the third column bonus meal idea is taken
advantage of! It uses leftover meat from your entrée recipe. Each of the center column recipes calls for enough beef, chicken or pork to feed a family of 4 with leftovers. If you are feeding a larger family, you can add up to 2 more chicken breasts or pork chops or an extra pound of meat and not have to increase the other ingredients. This will stretch the main entrée to feed up to 6 with leftovers.

Order your Mini Collection today, or earn it free by hosting your own 4 meals in 4 minutes class-plus you'll have these 4 meals in your freezer after the show!!!

CHAT with Us...

You are invited to join
Executive Director, Courtney Wright
for a
Homemade Gourmet
C.H.A.T.
(Come Have a Taste of Homemade Gourmet)
on
Saturday, April 12th
3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Freeman Library Children's Room
16616 Diana Ln.
Houston, TX 77062
281-488-1906

If you would like to learn more about the Homemade Gourmet business opportunity, this is a great time to hear from one of HG's top leaders. Starter Kits are FREE in April! And you also get $104.00 of FREE product when you enroll as a new distributor. New Homemade Gourmet Spring products will be served.

Please RSVP to me at:

832-444-9605 or

mlgkng24@sbcglobal.net

Free Starter Kit in April!

I love the flexibility and rewards of my career with Homemade Gourmet, and I'd love it even more if you join me. Busy families all over need to hear how we can help make their lives better by eating dinner together regularly! The $39 Starter Kit contains the business supplies you need to get the right start, including a personal web page, customer newsletter service and ongoing support from the Home Office in the form of training, inspiration and recipes. Plus, when you place an initial order of $400 retail, you'll get the Pantry Basics Collection worth $104 for FREE! It includes our four most popular Pantry Staples. I'll help you get enrolled and get started! Call me today and I'll be happy to share all the details.

Warmly,

Mary Lou Garcia #12493
832-444-9605
MLGKNG24@sbcglobal.net
www.homemadegourmet.com/marylou

$39 Starter Kit
Yes, the kit is now half the price! And it has more of the Sales Aides a new Distributor needs to build a customer base through Homeshows. In fact, we've included all the Sales Aides necessary to hold a successful cook-off and the first three Homeshows:
* Open me first envelopes of all the current promotions for customers and all the current incentives, recognition and publications for Distributors.
* Booking Made Simple DVD
* Homeshow Live DVD
* New Distributor Workbook
* A pack of Sponsoring Brochures
* 3 packs of Product Catalogs (yes, 30 catalogs!)
* 6 Original 4m4m Planners
* 2 packs of Homeshows Invitations
* A pack of Product Lists
* A pack of Customer Order Forms
* A pack of Kitchen Connection magazines
* A pack of T-shirt Bags (customer bags)
* A pack of Customer Care Cards
* NEW! A set of Presentation Script Cards on a ring
* NEW! A Silver Circle program bracelet
* And, as always, a year's worth of the personal webpage and customer e-newsletter service

Together, all these Sales Aides are worth $110 to a new Distributor.
But wait, there's more!

We're so excited about this new kit and getting new Distributors started right that we have designed a fabulous incentive for new Distributors in April:
· The $39 kit is FREE when the new Distributor places her $400.00 retail order. You read that right: Free!
· We're including a coupon in the new April-August Kitchen Connection magazine that gives new Distributors the opportunity to get a FREE (yes, free!) Pantry Basics Collection when she enters the coupon code during the online enrollment process. This coupon is good through May 31, 2008.
· This means a new Distributor in April can get started for $240 plus tax and shipping, and they'll get more than $600 worth of Sales Aides and product. Amazing!

Mini 4 Meals in 4 MInutes

April Product Specials

HG Preferred Member - Choose to customize your order your way OR receive this featured product bundle of the month via auto-ship:

If you have never tried one of our 4 meals in 4 minutes™ collections, you will find this month's featured meal plan a real treat. We have taken a sampling of the meals from the Limited Edition Spring 4 meals in 4 minutes™ Collection and created a 'mini' collection as this month's featured products! And don't let the name fool you, this 'mini' collection makes EIGHT MEALS!

The Mini 4 meals in 4 minutes™ Collection includes:
Homemade Gourmet® Cilantro Citrus Marinade Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Chipotle Steakhouse Rub
Homemade Gourmet® Apple Pecan Vinaigrette Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Creamy Caribbean Cheeseball Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Spiced Dip Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Coleslaw Dressing Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Orange Vinaigrette Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Mom's Smashed Potatoes Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Texas Cornbread Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Spanish Rice Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Key Lime Cheesecake Ball Mix

This featured product bundle is available for only $40.20 to HG Preferred customers with the 20% HG Preferred discount. All other customers can purchase this bundle for $50.25.

Apple Pecan Pork Chops - Cilantro Citrus Chicken - Does this sound YUMMY to you?

April Hosting Specials

Hosting Bonus for April
Host a 4 meals in 4 minutes® demonstration…
It isn't your mama's home party!

It IS what you, your friends and family need to get back to the dinner table and out of the drive thru!

It IS a hands-on, fun, and interactive experience!

It IS sampling great tasting, easy-to-prepare food!

It IS 4 meals in YOUR freezer when it's over!
It IS an abundance of fabulous Hosting Rewards!

Hosting Bonus for April
April Only!!
The Mini 4 meals in 4 minutes™ Collection, $50.25 retail value for ONLY $30.15! That's 40% OFF!

If you have never tried one of our 4 meals in 4 minutes™ collections, you will find this month’s featured meal plan a real treat. We have taken a sampling of the meals from the Limited Edition Spring 4 meals in 4 minutes™ Collection and created a ‘mini’ collection as this month’s featured products! And don’t let the name fool you, this ‘mini’ collection actually makes EIGHT MEALS!

The Mini 4 meals in 4 minutes™ Collection includes:
Homemade Gourmet® Cilantro Citrus Marinade Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Chipotle Steakhouse Rub
Homemade Gourmet® Apple Pecan Vinaigrette Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Creamy Caribbean Cheeseball Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Spiced Dip Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Coleslaw Dressing Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Orange Vinaigrette Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Mom’s Smashed Potatoes Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Texas Cornbread Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Spanish Rice Mix
Homemade Gourmet® Key Lime Cheesecake Ball Mix

See the Meal Planner in the Product Specials section for all of the delicious recipes you can create… FAST with this collection!


HOST EXCLUSIVE
Recipe Organizer & Meal Planner System
a $70 value for ONLY $35.00! That's 50% OFF
***APRIL BONUS!***
Receive a set of Pre-Printed Dividers and 100+ recipe cards, a $27+ value, FREE with each Recipe Organizer & Meal Planner System purchase!

Keep all of your Homemade Gourmet® recipe cards, recipe flyers, In The Mix e-Newsletters, and Kitchen Connection magazines all in one convenient planner!

Includes:
beautiful red, zip-up binder with logo
20 recipe card sleeves with 4 pockets each
10 blank section tabs
instructional CD with meal planning tips, calendars, grocery list and more!
This fantastic organization and meal planning system
is ONLY available to Homemade Gourmet® Homeshow Hosts.
When your Homeshow reaches $400 in sales, you can get it
for the extraordinary 50% OFF price of $35.00, along with
your choice from the other generous rewards!

To get yours... Book a 4 meals in 4 minutes™ demonstration TODAY!

Homemade Gourmet Business Oppurtunity Call!

March 30th at 8:00 p.m. CST :

Business Opportunity Call (30 minutes)

Call (800) 608-4241 then enter PIN 42231318#
Press *6 to mute & again to un-mute


This is an opportunity for you to invite potential Distributors to hear about our exciting career opportunity from the Homemade Gourmet® Founder, Tami Van Hoy and CEO, Ken Johnsen.

The first 20 minutes is informational. The last 10 minutes is Q & A.

April will be an awesome month to join my team with Homemade Gourmet. New distributors will get a FREE Starter Kit and free products*

Fell free to contact me after you listen in to the call if you would like more information! I'm happy to help.

*details to be out soon!

The New Spring Mixes are Fabulous!

I just got to try some of the new products, and wow was I happy!

The Jalapeno dip was great! Some thought it was too spicy, but I thought it had just the right kick. ( I'm not much of a spicy fan either!)

I absolutely loved the Apple Pecan Vinaigrette!!! I sampled it over a bed of spinach. The great thing is that you can also make this into a fruit dip or make a yummy apple chicken wrap!

I made the Creamy Caribbean cheeseball, and everyone loved it! It was good, but I like the Jalapeno better. This was actually everyone's favorite dip. The recipe calls for 1 8 oz block of cream cheese, but next time I'm also going to add 8 oz of sour cream....just to soften it up some.

The last thing I sampled was the Key Lime cheesecake. I don't like key lime, so I really don't know what to say about it. Everyone else enjoyed it though. I also made this for Easter, and my family ate it up!

I haven't had the chance to make any of the wraps from the That's A Wrap Sampler, but I love how it has a special flyer that tells you step by step on how to create the perfect wrap of your choice. I'm looking forward to trying the Apple Pecan Chicken Wrap! This Sampler is great for those that make 4 meals in 4 minutes type meals. With the leftover meat from your dinner you can have a very fast, healthy, and delicious wrap for lunch. I know what Joseph and I will be having for lunch next week!

Speaking of 4m4m, you will love the Market Fresh Sampler! This includes Glad microwave steamer bags so you can make fresh vegetables of your choice. The recipe flyer pairs up different vegetables to certain Homemade Gourmet seasonings. I used one bag to make baked potatoes. The potatoes came out perfect! The cooking time is on the bag which is nice. This is a must for easy side dish options that are healthy!

Make sure to sign up as a HG Preferred Customer to get your Spring products at a 20% discount! It's free to join! Go to http://www.homemadegourmet.com/marylou to join.

NEW! MARKET FRESH SAMPLER, $36.00 FREE re-useable Homemade Gourmet® Market Bag, 7 Glad® microwave steamer bags, and an exclusive Recipe flyer! The Market Fresh Sampler contains everything you need to make your trip to the market easy, with naturally fresh and delicious results! We’ve doubled the mixes to allow you to sample from 20+ recipe choices that are prepared using the healthful cooking method of steaming featured in the recipe flyer. Packed in a handy giftbox that makes sharing these fresh and delicious recipes easy! #40.0038 — Sampler includes: 2 Homemade Gourmet® Garlic Lemon Marinade Mixes, 2 Homemade Gourmet® MockSpinach Dip Mixes, 2 Homemade Gourmet® GarlicBasilSeasoning Mixes, 2 Homemade Gourmet® Spiced Dip Mixes, FREE Box of Glad® microwave steamer bags (7 count), FREE Recipe Flyer and a FREE Homemade Gourmet® reuseable MarketBag.

NEW! THAT’S A WRAP!SAMPLER, $21.75 Fresh fruits & vegetables wrapped up with Homemade Gourmet® seasonings make delicious light and easymeals in minutes! Our That’sA Wrap! Sampler includes5 mixes and an exclusive recipe flyer to help you create simply deliciouswraps that allow you to enjoyhealthful choices, fast and easy. Choose from 10+ recipes for a quick and light meal anytime! Packed in a drawstring giftbag that is great for gift giving! #40.0039 — Sampler includes: 1 Homemade Gourmet® Orange Vinaigrette Mix, 1 Homemade Gourmet® Apple Pecan Vinaigrette Mix, 1 Homemade Gourmet® Italian CheeseballMix, 1 Homemade Gourmet® Teriyaki Marinade Mix, 1 Homemade Gourmet® Maria’sSalsa Mix and a FREE Recipe Flyer.

NEW! JALAPEÑO BACON CHEDDAR DIP MIX, $4.50 The smoky flavors of roasted jalapeño and bacon combine with creamy, mild cheddar for a taste that leaves you wanting more, more, more! Prep Time: 5 minutes, Chill Time: 1 hour. Add: sour cream, mayonnaise, shredded cheddar cheese. Yields: 2 cups. #05.0001

NEW! CREAMY CARIBBEAN CHEESEBALL MIX, $4.75 Smooth and creamywith just a splash of mild Caribbean spice for your fresh veggies or favorite snack crackers. Your tastebudswill be doing the conga! Prep Time: 5 minutes, Chill Time: 1 hour. Add: cream cheese. Yields: 1 cup. #05.0002

NEW! APPLEPECAN VINAIGRETTE MIX, $4.00 The sweet and tart flavor of fresh appleswith crunchy pecans is a delightful and delicious combination to complementyour choice of fresh greens, vegetables, and fruit. Thismix is also included in the That’sA Wrap! Sampler on page 23 to create a light and easy wrap menu! Prep Time: 5 minutes, Chill Time: 1 hour. Add: oil, apple cider vinegar. Yields: 1 cup. #04.0002

It's About Time for a Family Meal

Someone shared this with me, and I'm happy to share it with my readers...

It’s About Time for a Family Meal

by Jolene Philo

Family mealtime is important. In fact, its importance is becoming clearer as modern families abandon the practice of eating together. Therefore, even though mealtime and menus were addressed in the December column, I am revisiting the topic. This month the focus is on why eating together is crucial for you and your children.

Mealtime Truth Observed

Family meals added structure to my own life. They were the center of my childhood. Three times a day we gathered at the table even though my mother taught full time. We ate together for two reasons. First, it was economical and money was tight on a teacher’s salary. Second, mealtime provided company for my disabled, homebound father.

So we ate cornflakes together at breakfast. Dad fixed cold sandwiches for lunch. Mom fixed a hot supper though by age ten, my siblings and I could do the same. We talked and joked around the table. The look on Dad’s face during meals told us they were the highlight of his day. He loved to eat, but this was about more than food. Just as family meals provided structure in my childhood, our presence at the table gave structure and meaning to his very long days.

My childhood experiences were so strong that as a mom, I insisted on a family meal every day. Some nights, when my husband worked the evening shift, the kids and I ate without him. Some nights, when I had late meetings at school or attended a conference, they ate without me. Sometimes, breakfast or lunch was the only time we could eat together, so that’s what we did. But every day, there was a family meal.

It wasn’t always easy and it wasn’t always perfect, but the impact of that practice was clear when our college daughter came home from her freshman semester in December. Though she hung out with friends, she scheduled her holiday activities around supper. “I want to eat with you,” she said. “That’s what I missed most at college.”

Mealtime Truth Proven

Recently I read Miriam Weinstein’s book, The Surprising Power of Family Meals (Steerforth Press, 2005). The author presents reasons for the decline of family mealtime. Most of them you can probably guess: parents’ work schedules, kids’ activity schedules, television and divorce. She lists the benefits of mealtime cited in a number of research studies. The benefits include:

o Lower incidences of smoking, drug use and teen pregnancy

o Positions children to do better in school

o Passes down of ethical, familial and religious heritage

o Lowers rates of eating disorders and obesity

o Builds children’s literacy, vocabulary and conversational skills

o Teaches mannerso Promotes resilience in children

o Promotes enjoyment of other family members

That’s quite a list. Weinstein never states that family mealtime guarantees these benefits. But she suggests that making adjustments so a family can eat together is an investment with the potential for high yields.

The book includes study results and anecdotal incidents that strengthen her position. She examines two parent and single parent families, as well as different socio-economic levels and cultures. Though her roots are in Judaism, she explores the importance of family mealtime in several faiths, including Christianity. Her insights make the book worthwhile reading.

Mealtime Truth Applied

But my subjective observations and Weinstein’s objective study results can’t do anything without action from parents like you. As a mom, especially as a work-at-home mom, you can give your children the gift of a family mealtime that will reap benefits for the rest of their lives.

As my family history shows, doing so isn’t always easy and it isn’t perfect, but it can be done. Here are the strategies that helped our family eat together at least once a day:

o Plan your meals ahead of time.

Be flexible. If your husband works evenings, eat breakfast or lunch together. If he gets home in late evening before the kids go to bed, have a family snack time.

o Take the television set out of the room where you eat.

o Limit the number of activities your children participates in at any one time to free up time for family meals.o Complain to those in charge when your kids’ activities are scheduled during mealtime.

o Have a family scheduling meeting once a week. Write all activities on one calendar. Then schedule mealtime for when the most family members can be home.

o Have the kids help plan menus, prepare meals and set the table. The more they’re involved, the more they’ll be invested in mealtime.When your family sits down to eat, begin take a moment to share spiritual food with your family before digging in. Bow your heads and offer a blessing. When you thank the Father who gives you food to eat, children to nurture, a family to love and a Savior who guides, mealtime blessings multiply.

Always remember that you are the mom. You have the power to make each family mealtime a blessing. By eating together each day, you will send those blessings forward into the lives of your children, their children, and their children’s children.

Kind of gives you an appetite for a family meal, doesn’t it?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jolene Philo is a freelance writer and speaker who lives in Boone, Iowa. She shares her house and her home office with her husband Hiram, daughter Anne, and dachshund Abby. You can learn more about her at her website, www.jolenephilo. com.