You are invited to submit original recipes for Governor Martin O’Malley’s 5^th annual “Buy Local Cookout,” to be held at the Government House in Annapolis from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Thursday, July 19 as part of the Buy Local Challenge Week (July 21-29) activities.

Entries are due Monday, May 21^st

Submissions must be made by teams that include one chef and at least one Maryland food producer and/or farmer. Previously submitted recipes should not be entered. If selected, your team will then have the opportunity to provide, prepare, and share the dish at the Governor’s Cookout. The recipe and biographies of your team members may be published by the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Maryland’s Best Cookbook as well as other department publications and releases.

Original recipes that represent Maryland’s best bounty will be chosen in each of the following categories:

Appetizers

Main Dish

Side Dish or Salads

Dessert

Beverage

Original recipes will be selected based on creativity, availability of ingredients, geographic representation, and maximum use of local ingredients.

Please submit original recipes via

https://mdamarketing.wufoo.com/forms/2012-governor-omalleys-buy-local-cookout/

Or, contact Karen Fedor at Karen@maryland.gov to receive a paper copy.

(Please note that this process will take longer.)

To view the Official Rules go to:

http://www.mda.state.md.us/pdf/recipeinvitationfinal.pdf

Finger Food is always a great meal to cook with the kids.

It is always fun to cook with the family, especially when you find ways to get the kids involved. When you make family dinners it is important to foster healthy eating habits while teaching your kids valuable cooking skills. Hearn Kirkwood is here to help your family stay healthy while creating happy and tasty memories together. We have for you some kid-friendly dinners you can cook with your little chefs and get them involved in the kitchen. Get started now!

When cooking with the kids in the kitchen, make sure you cook meals that are pleasing to their taste buds and always have a supervisor for them as they have fun in the kitchen. Cutting, slicing and using the stove can be dangerous if your little chefs are not properly monitored.

Save the following kid-friendly recipes to your recipe book:

Crispy Oven Chicken Fingers

One great meal you can cook with the kids is crispy chicken fingers. Finger food is always popular with children and adults alike, especially when it is irresistibly crunchy.

You can help your children cook these delicious chicken fingers by letting them measure the batter ingredients and coat the chicken strips. Before allowing them to perform these tasks let them learn about proper food safety, such as washing all hands prior to handling raw food.

To make this dish you will need buttermilk, garlic, hot pepper sauce, kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, sesame crisp bread, unsalted butter and hot pepper sauce. Click here for the exact measurements of ingredients and cooking directions. The recipe can yield up to 32 pieces of chicken fingers. It will take about 2hrs and 40 minutes to prepare and cook.

Quattro Pizza

Another great meal to try with the kids is homemade pizza. You can make this meal under an hour. Use homemade dough or ready-made dough for this fun filled meal. Don’t forget to ask the family for their favorite toppings prior to making the meal with your kid chefs.

Allow the kids to shape the dough and ladle the sauce onto the pie. For older children, allow them to prepare and chop vegetable toppings such as onions and peppers. The standard recipe here only takes 55 minutes to prepare and a cooking time of only 18 minutes. Have the cameras ready to capture the masterpiece of a meal made by your children.

Oven Roasted Meatballs With Spaghetti

Lastly, try making with the kids oven roasted meatballs. This recipe can be made in only 40 minutes. This is a great weeknight meal to make using ground turkey to create a classic yet lean Italian dish.

The kids can help knead the turkey mixture to form the meat into balls. As the meatballs cook, teach your child how to tell when the pasta is done cooking.

Click here for the ingredients, cooking directions and nutritional information.

For the freshest meats and vegetables for your kid-friendly dinner meals, contact Hearn Kirkwood by calling 410.712.6000 (Baltimore), 301.621.2992 (Washington DC), or visit our website!

Hearn Kirkwood is a privately held Food Service Distributor specializing in produce, meat, poultry, dairy, and seafood. Since our founding in 1946, we have grown from a store front on the downtown Baltimore Produce Market to a 60,000 sq. ft. facility. Hearn Kirkwood purchases 90% of our fresh produce direct from California, Florida, Texas, etc. with the balance supplied by local markets. We are located within one mile of Route 295 and I95 providing us with easy access to Baltimore, Washington and Virginia.

Hearn Kirkwood currently operates a fleet of 33 refrigerated trucks. Our service area includes all of Maryland, Washington D.C., Delaware and Northern Virginia – with limited service to Fredericksburg, Philadelphia, and New Jersey.

You can follow us on Facebook and Twitter as well!

Source:  Kid-Friendly Dinners To Cook Together

Eat The Right Fats

Did you know that cocktails could help you look younger? It is true! One cocktail a day can keep the doctor away. Based on a Harvard University study, one cocktail a day helps middle age women and men to grow old without developing any physical or mental limitations.

Drinking cocktails regularly will reduce inflammation, raise HDL (good) cholesterol and improve insulin function. But what should you have with your cocktails? Hearn Kirkwood is here to help you answer that question with a list of appetizers and hors d’oeuvres you should serve with cocktails! Read to learn about them!

There are numerous types of hors d’oeuvres – canapés, crudités (with or without dips) and pastries. When it comes to serving hors d’oeuvres with cocktails, have plenty of finger food that will not drip or splash. The less napkins you will need…the better.

Next, make sure the hors d’oeuvres are savory. When drinking cocktails, you should avoid sweets. Salty appetizers work best, especially with martinis.

Some great flavors to use in your hors d’oeuvres are cheese, olives, tomato, bacon, ham and fish. Do not make these flavors too strong. You want your food to complement your drinks, not overpower your cocktails.

Your hors d’oeuvres can be hot and cold. Peanuts, mini pretzels, nachos are prefect starters for a cocktail party because they are bit-size, salty and make for little clean up.

Another  hors d’oeuvre you should consider is quiche.  Quiche Lorraine (cheese and bacon/ham) or tuna is great to give out at your cocktail party. You can bake this pastry, let it cool and fill it with cucumber, crème fraiche and salmon tartare.

Vegetable chips are also a delicious, healthy choice to serve with cocktails. Or try an adventurous appetizer of asparagus wrapped in Prosciutto and sun dried tomato pastries.

No matter your choice of hors d’oeuvres enjoy your bit-size snacks and wonderful cocktails. You will be enjoying great food and beverages well staying healthy!

For a great selection of nutritious and fresh foods, shop at Hearn Kirkwood, contact Hearn Kirkwood by calling 410.712.6000 (Baltimore), 301.621.2992 (Washington DC), or visit our website!

Hearn Kirkwood is a privately held Food Service Distributor specializing in produce, meat, poultry, dairy, and seafood. Since our founding in 1946, we have grown from a store front on the downtown Baltimore Produce Market to a 60,000 sq. ft. facility. Hearn Kirkwood purchases 90% of our fresh produce direct from California, Florida, Texas, etc. with the balance supplied by local markets. We are located within one mile of Route 295 and I95 providing us with easy access to Baltimore, Washington and Virginia.

Hearn Kirkwood currently operates a fleet of 33 refrigerated trucks. Our service area includes all of Maryland, Washington D.C., Delaware and Northern Virginia – with limited service to Fredericksburg, Philadelphia, and New Jersey.

You can follow us on Facebook and Twitter as well!

Sources:

The Latest Science on Aging: Dos Cocktail A Day Keeps The Doctor Away?

Types of Appetizers and Hors D’Oeuvres to Serve with Cocktails

Available on our Specialty Produce Flyer

Nectarines resemble peaches, but they’re sweeter and more nutritious. Nectarines are great eaten out of hand, but there are other good things to do with them. Try a nectarine antipasto. Chill sliced fresh nectarines with sliced green onions, sliced fresh mushrooms, snipped fresh dill, salt, pepper, and an oil and vinegar dressing. Serve in lettuce cups. For breakfast, stir together crisp rice cereal or cornflakes, honey, and flaked coconut. Spoon into ripe nectarine halves placed in a shallow pan; heat in a slow oven until the nectarines are warm and the coconut is lightly toasted. For a quick nectarine relish, chop equal quantities of fresh nectarines and firm tomatoes, add a generous measure of chopped scallions, and stir in chopped fresh mint or basil. Add salt and use as a relish for hamburgers or fish. Try nectarines in a chicken sandwich. Shred the chicken and add alfalfa sprouts and thinly sliced fresh nectarines moistened with well-seasoned mayonnaise or tart French dressing. Stuff into pita pockets.

Plums are juicier than other stone fruits. There are few fruits that come in such a panorama of colors as the juicy sweet tasting plum. Plums are delicious eaten as is. If the plums have been in the refrigerator, allow them to approach room temperature before eating them as this will help them attain the maximum juiciness and sweetness. If you want to first remove the pit before eating or cooking, cut the plum in half lengthwise, gently twist the halves in opposite directions and then carefully take out the pit. Make pizza with a twist by broiling sliced plums, goat cheese, walnuts and sage on top of a whole wheat pita bread or pizza crust. For a delightful dessert, poach plums in a red wine and serve with lemon zest. Bake pitted plum halves in a 200°F (93°C) oven until they are wrinkled. Then mix them into a rye bread recipe for a scrumptiously sweet and hardy bread. Blend stewed plums and combine with yogurt and honey for wonderful cold soup.

 
Peaches have a deliciously juicy, sweet flavor. If a recipe calls for peeled peaches, dip peaches into boiling water for about 30 seconds, then plunge them immediately into iced water. The skins will slip right off. Fresh peaches darken quickly when exposed to air. Powdered ascorbic acid (vitamin C) sprinkled on peaches or mixed with syrup keeps them bright and fresh looking for recipes or preserving. Use pureed fresh peaches in fruit punch, milkshakes, and as a basting sauce to brush over grilled meat or poultry. Peach halves are delicious barbequed. Sprinkle peaches with ginger and brown sugar, thread on skewers and grill until the sugar carmelizes. Serve with meat, fish or poultry.

Each year on this day thousands of people celebrate the Earth and what it means not only to them, but to the human race as a whole. Others use this day to bring the public’s attention to Earth and the effects our lifestyle is having on the planet.

Hearn Kirkwood is committed to being a part of the answer to help our planet. Check out our Earth Day Specials on our Facebook page.

Go to http://earthday2012.net/ for Green Ideas and Tips.

Creole Tomato Salad. One of Many Fresh Summer Salads.

Summer is a great time to make cold foods. Great cold foods to have during the hot days are quick and easy summer salads. Hearn Kirkwood is here to help you make the perfect salads by providing you three great salads you can make with produce in season now. Read to learn how to make great summer salads.

Arugula Grape & Sunflower Seed Salad

This type of salad is packed with nutritional value. It is plentiful with antioxidants from grapes and healthy fats. This salad has vitamin E from sunflower seeds and grapeseed oil. It has vitamin A from arugula. When you combine the peppery greens with the grape juices and top the salad off with salmon or tuna, you are in for a treat! Read the recipe here.

Creole Tomato Salad

If you are a tomato lover, you will love this creole tomato salad. It uses heirloom tomatoes, raw onion and light Dijon vinaigrette. Top it off with sliced mozzarella cheese for a creole caprese salad. Read the recipe here.

Spinach Salad With Grilled Shrimp

If you love seafood and salad the spinach salad with grilled shrimp is a great salad to try. It is a very simple salad that comes with a kick- Asian flavored vinaigrette with orange juice brings this salad to life. Ginger and cumin are also used to give the shrimp a nice spice. Read recipe here.

For a great selection of nutritious and fresh foods, shop at Hearn Kirkwood, contact Hearn Kirkwood by calling 410.712.6000 (Baltimore), 301.621.2992 (Washington DC), or visit our website!

Hearn Kirkwood is a privately held Food Service Distributor specializing in produce, meat, poultry, dairy, and seafood. Since our founding in 1946, we have grown from a store front on the downtown Baltimore Produce Market to a 60,000 sq. ft. facility. Hearn Kirkwood purchases 90% of our fresh produce direct from California, Florida, Texas, etc. with the balance supplied by local markets. We are located within one mile of Route 295 and I95 providing us with easy access to Baltimore, Washington and Virginia.

Hearn Kirkwood currently operates a fleet of 33 refrigerated trucks. Our service area includes all of Maryland, Washington D.C., Delaware and Northern Virginia – with limited service to Fredericksburg, Philadelphia, and New Jersey.

You can follow us on Facebook and Twitter as well!

Source: Great Summer Salads

Chris Coffman has been named President of Harvest Sensations. Harvest Sensations, one of America’s top Specialty Produce distributors.

Chris Coffman is a 20-year veteran of the produce industry. Mr. Coffman is in charge of long-term strategic planning and business development.

Steve Grinstead, CEO of Harvest Sensations, says, “Having Chris on board is a great opportunity for us to take Harvest Sensations to the next level of customer support and culinary excellence. His two decades of experience, his knowledge and his passion for the specialty side of the industry will be invaluable to our organization.

Hearn Kirkwood sends its congratulations to Chris Coffman and to Harvest Sensations.

For more information, please visit http://www.harvestsensations.com/

One important part of your summer seafood dinner party is the table setting. You want to set a welcoming atmosphere for your guests. You can do this with the right table setting. Start by getting a blue tablecloth to cover your dinner table. Blue is a summer color that helps guests be reminded of beach vacations and swimming.

Next, you need to create your table centerpiece. A great centerpiece idea is to use tall pillar candles and place them on a metal tray surrounded by driftwood, pebbles, seashells and sea glass to give a beach feel.

After your table is set, you can plan out a creative way to serve your seafood. One serving idea is to place all the seafood on a large seashore themed platter. Have place cards at each seat. Make a list of your favorite summer songs to play for the party.

Finally, plan your seafood menu. Some great and traditional seafood dishes are sauté oysters, deviled clams, Cuban shrimp soup, grilled citrus tuna, grilled corn on the cob, and tomato cucumber salad.

If you are looking for beverages to go wonderfully with your seafood dinner meal, vodka or gin and tonic are perfect to use for summer cocktails.

Get what you need for your summer dinner party at Hearn Kirkwood.

For a great selection of nutritious and fresh foods, shop at Hearn Kirkwood, contact Hearn Kirkwood by calling 410.712.6000 (Baltimore), 301.621.2992 (Washington DC), or visit our website!

Hearn Kirkwood is a privately held Food Service Distributor specializing in produce, meat, poultry, dairy, and seafood. Since our founding in 1946, we have grown from a store front on the downtown Baltimore Produce Market to a 60,000 sq. ft. facility. Hearn Kirkwood purchases 90% of our fresh produce direct from California, Florida, Texas, etc. with the balance supplied by local markets. We are located within one mile of Route 295 and I95 providing us with easy access to Baltimore, Washington and Virginia.

Hearn Kirkwood currently operates a fleet of 33 refrigerated trucks. Our service area includes all of Maryland, Washington D.C., Delaware and Northern Virginia – with limited service to Fredericksburg, Philadelphia, and New Jersey.

You can follow us on Facebook and Twitter as well!

Source: A Summer Seafood Dinner Party