Can you feel it? Summer is in the air! Everywhere you look, bold neon colors and spicy flavors are making their way to kitchen tables across the country.  So fill up those margarita glasses and pull out the tortilla chips – it’s time for a little summer fiesta.

Here are some of our top picks for bringing a little Mexican flair to your tables this summer.

1. Cast Iron Tortilla Press – IMUSA $19.99
2. Get this recipe: Dulce de Leche Cheesecake
3. Marimekko Oona Dessert Plates – Crate & Barrel $4.50 
4. Color Wheel Serving Tray – Target $11.99
5. Warm Tone Glasses – Target $9.99 (set of 4)
6. Colorful Ribbons Pitcher – Pier 1 $31.96
7. Rick Bayless cookbook, “Fiesta a Rick’s” – $29.95

GIVEAWAY

We’ve been craving the warmth of summer and we want to share some of our favorite products with you! One lucky Love & Homemade Recipes winner will receive a fiesta package from IMUSA featuring cloth tortilla warmers, molcajete, comal, tortila press, tortilla warmer, and multicolor salsa bowls.

Giveaway Guidelines
Entries only accepted on this page. Facebook and Twitter entries do not count.
Giveaway will remain open until Wednesday, May 30th. 2012 at 12 p.m. CST. Winner will be chosen at random, notified by email and will have 48 hours to respond.

REQUIRED ENTRY:
Since we’re talking about summer fiestas, tell us what you like to serve with your fiesta party?

Straight from the June/July issue of Taste of Home – here’s the rest of Theresa’s birthday story and her favorite 4th of July menu.

My sister Theresa has the ultimate birthday. All over the country, people celebrate with parades, festivals, fireworks, and table after table laden with delicious American classics.  What could be more perfect for a girl who burst into the world with as much fanfare and excitement as the 4th of July!

It was July 4th, 1990, one of those hot, sticky St. Louis days, the humidity so thick, you could cut it with a knife.  My sister Annie and I were splashing in a wading pool, giggling with delight, two tots excited to be wearing brand new star-spangled red, white and blue swimsuits.  The noise and bustle of the family gathering kept us from hearing our Aunt as she stepped out of the house and called our names, beckoning us inside. Dripping wet, we reluctantly grabbed our towels and ran into the house. “Your dad wants to talk to you,” she smiled as she handed me the phone. “He’s got a surprise for you!”

Shivering, I took the receiver. “Dad, we were playing in the pool!” I said, Annie’s face, cold and wet, pressed close against my own so she, too, could listen in. “And Aunt Linda said we could have ice cream later. When are you and Mommy coming over?”

“That’s great!” he said with a laugh, “but I have some news for you girls. You have a new baby sister. Her name is Theresa.” Jumping with joy, Annie and I ran from the house, and in Paul Revere-like fashion declared the news, “We have a new sister! We have a new sister!”

Thrilled with the notion of a new sibling, Annie and I were anxious to meet her, but our excitement and anticipation were dampened by unexpected complications. Born two months early, Theresa spent weeks in the hospital connected to tubes and wires, swaddled in a blue and white blanket, fighting to survive. All I wanted to do was hold her close, whisper hello, and sing lullabies; I took my role as Big Sister seriously and wanted to do everything I could to help her get better and come home. But despite being so small and premature, Theresa’s spunk and energy made her a star and helped her recover in record time. “She’s our little firework,” my Mom would say, as a smile would light up Theresa’s face, illuminating the entire room like fireworks brightening the night sky.

My sister Theresa is a real show-stealer, with an infectious personality, bubbly laugh and bright smile, she draws attention from everyone around her, like a 4th of July parade. Her bold nature and sparkling charisma require a celebration to match.  Like Theresa, anyone who is born on the 4th of July deserves to have a cake with as much pizzazz, color, and pop, as this explosive holiday. A red, white and blue Jell-O Poke Cake with patriotic decorations is the perfect show-stopper for your own celebration. Layers of blueberry and strawberry-drenched white cake, moist and flavorful, capture the patriotic spirit of the holiday. Stunning red and blue candy stars shoot skyward like firecrackers bursting in a dazzling display. Make this the scintillating centerpiece of your own 4th of July birthday celebration!

What’s Theresa up to?
Theresa just recently graduated from Loyola University-Chicago with a degree in social work. She’s looking forward to celebrating her 22nd birthday at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. 

Theresa’s Party Perfect July 4th Menu
“I love this classic American menu. It’s one that I request just about every year for my birthday. Everyone loves a good juicy burger, crispy fries and an ice cold beverage. When it comes to cake, this poke cake is a childhood favorite. Plus, it’s a cold treat on a hot St. Louis day.” – Theresa James, St. Louis, MO 

Get this recipe: Greek Turkey Burgers

Get this recipe: Grilled Corn with Chive Butter

Get this recipe: Parmesan Potato Wedges

Get this recipe: Red, White & Blueberry Poke Cake

Send Us Your Birthday Stories!
Do you have a great birthday story and recipe? Send it to us! It could be featured in an upcoming issue of Taste of Home!  Submit Story>>

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Have you seen it – the bright and colorful new cover of the June/July issue of Simple & Delicious? It features some incredibly easy ice cream sandwiches and one killer ice cream soda. It’s the coolest tribute to summer.

For one glorious day, our Photo Studio was transformed into ice cream sandwich central. The counters were covered with sticky puddles of melted ice cream, broken pieces of M&Ms and bowls of decadent chocolate.  Shannon Roum, Food Stylist extraordinaire, led the charge in making these fun frozen treats.  Here are some fun stats of just how much ice cream was used on set, as well as a few helpful tips for making your own ice cream sandwiches.

Fun Facts from Set:

• Between the cover and the inside shots, Shannon used 94 pints of various ice cream/sorbets
• Between the cover and the inside shots, Shannon used 80lbs of dry ice to keep the sandwiches really frozen and to flash freeze them while assembling them
• Because the Candy Craze sandwich was so huge, we nick named it “The Big Mamma Jamma”
• We thought that the pretzels for the Caramel Pecan Sandwiches kind of looked like smiley faces
• The pizzelle cookies for the Sweet and Savory sandwiches looked like flowers or Ferris Wheels

Helpful Tips for Making Your Own Ice Cream Sandwiches:

• Freeze the M&M’s ahead of time and they are less likely to bleed into the ice cream (they won’t melt in your hand, but they will melt when they hit the ice cream)
• Cut slices of ice cream instead of spreading soft ice cream for more control, use cookie cutters to get the nice round shape
• Let the chocolate set a little bit for the All-Star sandwiches and the sprinkles/stars will actually stand up instead of just laying flat
• Make the sandwiches in steps – for example, layer the cookie dough ice cream between the Oreos for the All-Star sandwich and them freeze for a bit before drizzling the melted chocolate over the top. That way the ice cream won’t melt as quickly from the warmth of the chocolate

Ice Cream Sandwiche Recipes:

Get recipe: Sicilian Ice Cream Sandwiches

Get recipe: All-Star Ice Cream Sandwiches

Get recipe: Ice Cream Recipes

Get recipe: No-Bake Frozen Desserts

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Taste of Home Field Editor, Sue Stetzel, shares her favorite cocktail for the Kentucky Derby and Cinco de Mayo.

I love Fridays!  Everyone is always so happy when it rolls around. Make it a Cocktail Friday?  Whoa – even better!

This morning it dawned on me that this is a great weekend for celebrations.  I mean after all, how often do Cinco de Mayo and Derby Day land on the SAME day!

Derby day is so much fun. I get my giant floppy hat out and wander the house with a mint julep, calling my husband “Frederick” in my best high society voice.  “Yoo Hoo! Frederick! Would you be a dear and tend to the garbage?”  Needless to say he rolls his eyes and mumbles something to the effect that he’s certain I’ve lost it.  I remind him that he loves me because I’m just so funny. He replies, “Uh huh,” and takes out the trash.

Now Saturday is also Cinco de Mayo, so my whole weekend has to be rethought!  These celebrations have to be combined for sure.  I scanned the web looking for a minty Mexican wonder, and found Blackberry Mint Margaritas!  Hmmm, mint from the Derby day tradition, margarita in honor of Cinco de Mayo, and some blackberries thrown in so I can justify it all as healthy.  Hey, blackberries are good for you!  They’re a super-fruit after all – the fact that they’re soaked in alcohol, well, consider it a purification process.

So…here’s what you do.  Take your cocktail shaker and put 6 blackberries in the bottom, muddle those up a bit and add a small handful of fresh mint leaves.  Smoosh those around a bit more (smoosh is a very technical term in my kitchen).  Got ‘em smooshed? Good. Now, add some ice and a shot of simple syrup, a shot of lime juice and a shot or so of good quality tequila.  Shake it up and pour it in your favorite glass.  Skewer a couple blackberries to make it fancy, and viola!  You have yourself the perfect cocktail to celebrate the merging of these two great occasions!

Now…..what did I do with that sombrero?

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It’s all horse play. The Kentucky Derby is one of America’s oldest and most fashionable sporting events, complete with pretty hats, red roses and Mint Juleps. With thousands flocking to Louisville, Kentucky this Saturday, we’ve got the perfect plan to help you break out of the gate this spring with the ultimate equestrian party.

This winner-worthy mix of festive decor and finger foods is deceivingly easy to make. In your friends’ eyes, you’ll be a champion host!

Off to the Races!
Throw a trophy party with these simple ideas from our friends at Fresh Home.

Our cheerful color palate takes its cue from jockey racing silks. We used contrasting colors of felt, which resists fraying, to cover our table. For our self-serve bar, we stacked four hay bales and covered them with Reno New Zealand Wool Solid Saddle Blankets.

Make a trophy centerpieces by filling a faux silver punch bowl with water-soaked floral foam bricks. Starting at arrangement’s top center, stick flowers with the tallest stems into the foam. Working down, build three rings with consecutively shorter-stemmed flowers. Cut stems at a 45-degree angle with sharp scissors. Pack flowers to hide stems. Fill container two-thirds full with water.

Set the scene with inexpensive details like buttons from cafepress.com and ring snaffle bits and classic horsehoes from farmandfleet.com.

Get crafty: How to Make a Derby Drink Holder

Classic Traditions. Festive Flair.
Capture the unbridled energy of Louisville with these delicious nibbles.

Get recipe: Derby Day Mint Julep 

Get recipe: Belmont Breeze

Get recipe: Pecan Pie Bars

Get recipe: Crab Cakes with Red Chili Mayo

High-Stakes Hats
by: Jennifer Berno
Get the “ladies who lunch” look in honor of Derby day-or any day. Let these gorgeous chapeaus inspire you to find the perfect Derby look.
Pinkies up!

For the Prep: Play up your inner Miss Porter with this crisp, ribbon-trimmed straw hat from Kokin New York. The pink and green bow coordinates well with bright sundresses and sandals for a laid-back springtime look. Sag Harbor Brim $395
kokinnewyork.com

For the Sophisticate: Top off a little black (or white) dress with this graphic striped hat from Eric Javits with an 8-inch brim span. An elasticized inner band ensures a perfect fit. Stripe Dip Brim, $425
ericjavits.com

For the guys!: Made with Panama straw in Charleston, South Carolina, these cheerful Claude hats from Magar Hatworks will make an ultra-cool impression on Derby day. Colorful wide-stripe trim and vintage button detail finish off the dapper looks. $450-4495
magarhatworks.com

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Culinary Specialist, Dana Elliot, gives us an inside look at the life of a Cooking School Culinary Specialist and the happenings backstage.

Many people will ask me, what do you do for a living, and I always reply, I’m a chef.  But in reality, I’m also an entertainer, product spokesperson, a/v technician, cross country driver, and event planner.

My day begins early with help from local media who unload my van, which carries every piece of equipment that I will need to prepare all of the recipes that you see on stage.  I even carry the kitchen sink!  Volunteers arrive to help with the prep of all the dishes, and I set up the front of the stage with the audio/visual equipment that gives the audience a close up look at everything I’m doing during the show.

Once all of the prep is done, it’s show time!  The Taste of Home Cooking School has national sponsors, and it’s my job to teach everyone about their products and their companies, while I’m preparing their recipe.  I also have to keep people from falling asleep, so every now and again, I’ll throw a little food trivia or food history in, along with a few jokes.  Once I accidently caught my coat sleeve on fire, and the entire audience began to applaud as if I had done it on purpose!  I’m good, but not that good!

After the show is done, I load up the van with my kitchen and stage equipment, and then it’s off to my next destination.  Whether it’s a 3 or 12 hour drive, I always have my constant travel partner, my IPod!

It’s not for everyone, but for me, it’s a perfect fit!  I get to share with hundreds, sometimes even thousands of people, my passion; cooking!  I get to meet interesting people on a daily basis, and travel to different cities with rich histories and great food!  At the end of the day, it’s just me, my music, my pots and pans, and the open road!

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Alysse Gear, Taste of Home’s very own Green Team leader, helps the entire Taste of Home offices celebrate Earth Day.

Nearly a year ago now was my first day in the Milwaukee’s Reader’s Digest/Taste of Home office. I was welcomed by a big cube, new laptop, incredibly cheerful co-workers—and a few environmental blunders that later would disappear. This was a fantastic place to work in innumerable ways, but we could stand to improve in our eco-friendliness.

I waited three months and approached our endlessly cooperative HR staff. Was there some sort of environmental committee at our office? I’d been to a few Activities Committee events, so I figured we might have other groups I could join. But no—there was a void in the green arena. And I was ready to fill it.

Now, just over six months have passed since I planned our first Green Team meeting. I had waited until September to have our first session, because summertime is just crazy with Christmas cookie cookbooks, holiday recipe testing and other delicious projects. As the green leaves prepared to fall to the ground, a group of staffers gathered to pick up the slack and keep our office green year-round. And without them, this team would not exist, and our office would not be buzzing with pride over all we’ve accomplished so far.

Our first big project got rid of the piles of polystyrene cups we had around the workplace. We saved 33,000 cups a year from entering the landfill and sold adorable insulated cups instead. Win-win? I’d say! We’ve added drying racks to encourage people to use reusable dishes and silverware, begun a composting program with the food scraps from our beloved test kitchens, maintained a fun, friendly and sometimes funny bulletin board to inspire our co-workers and more.

But this Thursday took the cake. Over 150 of our staff gathered in the Courtyard for the Green Team’s first (hopefully annual!) Earth Day celebration. It was an incredible success, with each partygoer getting his or her own free water bottle, courtesy of Half Price Books. And because of Birds and Beans, they sipped free coffee, too. Other businesses, local and national, aligned with our mission to reduce, reuse, repurpose, recycle and beyond. They donated gift certificates, gardening supplies, gift packages, bottles of local liquor and piles of other goodies to our raffle and silent auction, and we raised over $500 to use for in-office programs and community outreach. And I have to add—those raffle tickets were only 50 cents each. What an impressive turnout for our first party!

As we go forward into these next months, I can’t wait to see what our passionate, innovative team has in store. Each of us scrape together the little extra bits of time we have, and all together, we have created a special group that makes a big impact around our office. This is a unique opportunity to help the planet in a corporate setting, and we are all so lucky to be part of it. I’m sure you can find a million quotes on Pinterest about one person making a difference. At our office, the Green Team and its individual members prove that every day.

Happy Earth Day to each of you. Here’s to making a difference in the lives of your families in your kitchen, in your hearts, and—on Earth Day and every day—outside!

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Jessie Oleson is a writer, illustrator, gallery owner, and cake anthropologist who runs Cakespy.com, an award-winning dessert website. Her first book, CakeSpy Presents Sweet Treats for a Sugar-Filled Life, which was featured on the Today Show, came out in October 2011; she is currently at work on her second book.

Recently, I was contacted by Taste of Home to do a guest blog post about what “Taste of Home” means to me. Not necessarily just the magazine / website (which I adore, btw), but, you know, the concept of my own personal taste of home.

Well, the timing couldn’t be better, because after 8 years in Seattle, I had just relocated to Philadelphia…

which is close to where I grew up on the Jersey Shore…

…and spent my formative years in New York City.

On the East coast, unlike the west, cities are very close together, so you get a lot of crossover with regional foods. So I feel as if I have been “re-discovering” some of the tastes of home…especially with bakery items!

So for me, here’s a little roundup of what foods have made me feel like I have friends, in my new home, in a place that is familiar to me. They’re mostly sweet, but I suppose I couldn’t resist putting a few of my favorite savories in as well!

Black and White Cookies: Possibly the world’s most perfect cookie–a cakey cookie topped with half chocolate, half vanilla icing. My method of eating: first, take the perfect bite right in the middle. Then eat each side, leaving a sliver of chocolate-vanilla which you eat last. Yum!

Rainbow or Italian Flag Cookies: Whenever I am faced with an Italian bakery’s cookie case, full of colorful cookies by the pound, these are my favorite variety. They’re clearly the prettiest, and I’ve always loved their rich, buttery taste paired with thin layers of jam and a chocolate topping.

Cannoli: A crispy shell filled to order with a rich ricotta filling–this is a true taste of Little Italy in NYC or the generations-old Italian bakeries in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia (and notably, in Boston too!). I especially love it when they cover the exposed parts of the cream filling on either end with mini chocolate chips.

Chinese Cookies: I have no idea why they have this name! Nothing about them, a butter cookie with chocolate marbling and a chocolate dollop on top, seems especially Chinese to me. But what’s no mystery is why they are popular: they’re absolutely delicious–vanilla and chocolate and sometimes a touch of almond extract…it’s all you could possibly need.

Crumb Cake: Is there a happier food than this sliver of buttery yellow cake topped with a hunk of fat, buttery brown sugar crumbs? Please, make mine roughly 3/4 crumb to 1/4 cake.

Whoopie Pies: This one you’ll see more in Philadelphia than in New York or New Jersey, but happily it’s been catching on nationwide. Composed of two huge, pillowy cookies which act as cakey bookends to a thick frosting filling, this is all the permission I needed to eat two cookies at once, plus frosting.

Pretzels: Both New York and Philadelphia have their own styles of pretzel-making, but both are extremely carb-o-licious. If I had to state a taste preference I’d go for Philadelphia, where the pretzels taste almost buttery, and the compressed style in which they are baked gives them an incomparable texture. But you know, I am not going to turn away either variety!

Pizza: Pizza, how do I love thee, let me count the ways! My favorite variety is one that you primarily tend to see on the Jersey shore, called “Ziti Pizza”. Imagine baked ziti plopped on top of a pizza slice and you’ve got the idea. You may be tempted to say “it’s just too much!”. But really, one bite and you’ll see it’s just enough to put you into pleasure overload.

Bagels: Is it the water, like some say, that makes New York bagels so special? Beats me, but I do know that if you go to a bagel bakery in the city first-thing and get a bagel that doesn’t require toasting because it’s still slightly warm from baking, it’s an experience that you’ll dream of later.

Wow, writing about all these favorite foods made me hungry! Hope you enjoyed–now I’m off to eat something sweet (and maybe savory too!).

Eat Like Jessie
Craving some of Jessie’s favorite eats? Try our version of some of these culinary classics.

Get this recipe: Whoopie Pie Recipe

Get this recipe: Hummingbird Cupcakes (Jessie’s very own recipe!)

Get this recipe: Rainbow Cookies

Get this how to: How to Make Bagels

Interview with Jessie Oleson

Giveaway

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

We love Jessie, and we want to share that love with you! One lucky Love & Homemade Recipes winner will receive a signed copy of Jessie’s book, CakeSpy Presents Sweet Treats for a Sugar-Filled Life.

Giveaway Guidelines
Entries only accepted on this page. Facebook and Twitter entries do not count.
Giveaway will remain open until Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012 at 12 p.m. CST. Winner will be chosen at random, notified by email and will have 48 hours to respond.

REQUIRED ENTRY:
Since we’re talking about Jessie and her favorite homey foods, leave me a comment telling me your favorite homegrown food item!

Here at Taste of Home, everything has to be picture perfect. From recipe submissions to the glossy pages of the magazine, each step has to be followed perfectly.  Once our recipes have been given our Test Kitchen stamp of approval, it’s off to the photo studio for a little pampering and their big shining moment, the “glamour shot”.

Like every great photo shoot, you have to set the stage. That’s where our talented set stylists come in. Armed with a room full of plates, cups, pots, pans, table clothes, candy, cookie cutters and more, they can recreate a homey family kitchen, an airy beach picnic, or an elaborate holiday spread.

Here is a sneak peek inside any cook’s dream: the Taste of Home prop room.

Candy anyone? Our stash of delicious sweets would rival even Willy Wonka’s magical world.

Cups and plates are stacked and categorized by color and season for easy access – when you have this many place settings, you need to be organized!

Our set stylists love to “dream big” and think in technicolor! With such a wide array of colors, textures and prints they’re able to recreate just about any space.

Careful! You could get lost in our long rows of plates, cups, pots and more!

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Spring Recipes

Submit a Recipe

Hey, Spring! Your colors are showing. Everywhere you look there are pastel blues, vibrant pinks, fresh greens and deep velvety purples. We’re loving these punches of color so much, we’re welcoming them into our kitchen with open arms. Here are some of our colorful picks for this joyous season.

1. Jelly Belly Spring Mix & Peter Rabbit Collection: Sweet and perfect for Easter, Jelly Belly presents their fun and whimsical collection of jelly beans, Bunny Corn® and chocolate eggs. These are perfect for your candy bowls.

2. NEW Fiesta Dinnerware Flammingo: Fiesta has come out with a positively gorgeous new line of dinnerware in a rich pink hue. It’s stunning on anyone’s table and embodies the spirit of Spring.

3. Peeps Sunflower Cake: Have you heard? Bird is the word? This moist yellow cake is wrapped in a thick layer of decadent chocolate icing and topped with playful yellow peeps. Enjoy a slice or two with your friends this April.

4. Taste of Home Cookies & Bars: Brush off your baking skills and put them to work with our NEW Cookies & Bars bookazine. With over 120 of our all-time favorite cookie and bar recipes, your Spring picnics, parties and weekends are sure to be extra sweet.

GIVEAWAY – THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

We’ve been itching for Spring and we want to share some of our favorite products with you! Three lucky Love & Homemade Recipes winners will receive either a Jelly Belly gift basket or a Fiestaware Flamingo platter and a copy of Taste of Home’s Cookies & Bars.

Giveaway Guidelines
Entries only accepted on this page. Facebook and Twitter entries do not count.
Giveaway will remain open until Wednesday, April 18th. 2012 at 12 p.m. CST. Winner will be chosen at random, notified by email and will have 48 hours to respond.

REQUIRED ENTRY:
Since we’re talking about the change in seasons, tell me your favorite thing about Spring!

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