Four Tips and Tricks for Cooking for Father’s Day

Father’s day is right around the corner, and planning for dad has begun! We know that most dads love to cook and grill, but how about giving dad a break this Sunday and treating him instead? Instead of going out and trying to fight with the crowds, high menu prices, and waiting to get seated, why not stay in and enjoy a nice time at home? Never cooked before or not as skilled in the kitchen?  No worries, we’ve got some cooking  tricks and tips to make it as easy and delicious as can be! Go ahead, and treat dad this Sunday with a home cooked meal.

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  1. Think about buying large beef roasts or pork shoulders to make during one of your weekend nights. After you have this for dinner, store it in your fridge so that you will be able to create many different types of sandwiches, as the week progresses. Maximize your value and limit your expenses by conserving food.
  2. Saute tired salad greens. If your salad greens have seen better days, don’t discard them – saute them! Salad greens such as radicchio, arugula and endive make a tasty side dish when sauteed. Cook them quickly in olive oil, chopped garlic and sea salt. Sprinkle with a little bacon and goat cheese, and you will be happy that you didn’t throw away those unused salad greens!
  3. To reduce the fat and calories in a recipe that calls for a lot of mayonnaise, simply replace half the mayonnaise with sour cream. Since mayonnaise serves primarily a textural purpose in many of these recipes, replacing it with similarly textured sour cream gives you the same texture with a lighter, healthier taste.
  4. Vegetables are just better all-around the faster they are cooked. Using a slow cooking method is sometimes suggested, but the results are less nutritious and don’t taste as good. The quick cook methods generally make the vegetables tastier and more nutritional. You should only cook them just as long as it takes for them to be done.

Impress your dad with your new-found cooking skills. With a bit of effort, some love poured into the cooking, you can take your cooking up a notch. Time in the kitchen should be enjoyed. Use what you have learned, and go cook up a storm for dad!

Five Ways To Incorporate Dad Into Your Wedding Day

A mother’s dream is to plan her daughter’s wedding, a father’s dream is to see his little girl happy, even if that means giving her away at her wedding. However, it is not easy for dad to release his little girl’s hand into the hand of the man who is vowing to protect her forever. Mom’s get to plan the wedding with their daughters, and fathers get to give their daughters away. So in honor of father’s day, here are five ways to make dad feel like he’s a part of your big day:

Breakfast With Dad: On the day of your wedding, have breakfast with your father. Some mothers and daughters do this. It’s a time where the two get together and talk about marriage, babies, or reflect on the bride as a child. Have one last meal with dad as a single woman before he walks you down the aisle to your future.

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something for YOU: Gifts are given to the bridesmaids, the maid of honor, and the mothers, but rarely do you hear about a gift given to the fathers. Give dad a gift of appreciation. Special cuff links he can wear during the wedding, a beautifully crafted double picture frame, one side with a photo of you and dad when you were younger, and the other one can be reserved for the photo of your father daughter dance.

A Dance With Your Father: The father daughter dance is a big tradition, one that you won’t want to break. However, make it special by taking dance classes with your dad, you can even have a choreographer put a routine together for you two, so that you and your father can WOW the crowd at the reception. Not only do you get to spend quality time with dad, you also get to put on a great show that you two will always remember, and your friends and family will not soon forget.

Words From The Heart: Some brides and grooms give speeches at the reception, thanking everyone for sharing in their special day. The best man and maid of honor are sure to give a speech also. Take a moment to give thanks to dad who may or may not have paid for the wedding, let him know that you appreciate everything that he’s done.

Honor Thy Father: For those of you whose father will not be able to attend your wedding due to them no longer being alive, light a candle in honor of your father, leave an empty seat where your dad would have sat, or place a photo in the chair to represent your father. Just because your father has passed, doesn’t mean he can’t be present.