(Family Features) Bright sunshine, warm patios and fresh foods go hand in hand. As warm weather and sunny days call you outdoors, bring the whole family along with favorite meals that blend perfectly with a soft breeze and the subtle sounds of nature.

Al fresco dining doesn’t have to be difficult. Just gather a few supplies, whip up a favorite recipe or two and ask for a hand in heading outside. Take these tips into account to help ensure your backyard dining goes off without a hitch.

Create a Cozy Spot
Dinner in the backyard means convenience and the comfort of your own patio furniture, but you can always enhance the experience with an umbrella to add a touch of shade or a small fan on those still, steamy evenings. If a busy day means a later dinner, hanging strings of soft lighting can help illuminate the table.

Make It Fresh
Salad season means fresh ingredients from lettuce and veggies to favorite toppings and beyond. Add a crisp bite to your next al fresco occasion with this Southwest Ranch Taco Salad featuring Newman’s Own’s Southwest Ranch Dressing. The dressing is creamy and smoky with a kick of spice and features no artificial flavors, no colors from artificial sources and no MSG, making it a perfect companion for salads and dips. In fact, you can enjoy this seasonal salad even more knowing that 100% of profits from the sale of the dressing goes toward helping nourish and transform the lives of children facing adversity.

Don’t Forget the Essentials
No outdoor meal is complete without a few must-have utensils. Avoid trips back and forth from the house by writing a list of everything you need so you don’t head to the deck without forks to share a salad or napkins to help clean up the mess. Bring the basics like plates, cups, utensils, napkins and a cloth to rest food on. Don’t leave behind serving spoons, trash bags and other convenience items that make al fresco dining a breeze.

Serve a Perfect Salad Partner
While a hearty salad alone is enough for a filling al fresco meal, you can take your backyard dining to the next level with the perfect partner for satisfying salads: crudites. Arranged neatly on a platter or board, a seasonal variety of sliced or whole raw vegetables such as snap peas, celery, carrots, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, mini bell peppers, broccoli and more can make for a perfect accompaniment to nearly any outdoor meal. Serve with a dip or two, such as Newman’s Own’s Southwest Ranch Dressing, to complete your al fresco appetizer.

To find more al fresco food options that give back, visit NewmansOwn.com.

Southwest Ranch Taco Salad

Total time: 25 minutes

• 1/2 head romaine lettuce
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 2 small avocados
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound ground beef (80/20 ground chuck)
• 2 teaspoons Newman’s Own Mild Taco Seasoning
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 can (15 1/2 ounces) black beans
• 1 1/2 cups canned corn
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus additional for serving (optional), divided
• 1 cup Newman’s Own Southwest Ranch Dressing
• 6 ounces tortilla chips

1. Coarsely chop lettuce, halve cherry tomatoes and pit, peel and slice avocados. Set aside.
2. In large frying pan over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Brown ground beef, stirring occasionally, 4-5 minutes. Add taco seasoning and water; cook according to package directions, 5-8 minutes, or until meat is thoroughly cooked.
3. Drain and rinse black beans. Set aside.
4. Divide lettuce among serving bowls or plates. Top with ground beef, tomatoes, avocados, black beans, corn, cheese and 2 tablespoons cilantro. Tuck in tortilla chips.
5. Drizzle with southwest ranch dressing and sprinkle with additional cilantro, if desired.

SOURCE:
Newman’s Own

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LONDON /PRNewswire/ — The World’s 50 Best Restaurants today announces its Champions of Change 2024, the heroes of hospitality at the forefront of positive action and long-term progress within the industry and their communities. 

Part of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024 programme, sponsored by S. Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, it’s awarded to a duo in Italy whose ground-breaking initiative supports migrant women, and a Brazilian chef determined to help forge a better future for the youth of Rio’s favelas. 

Modena’s Roots is a migrant women-led social enterprise model, founded by Caroline Caporossi and chef Jessica Rosval. In 2020, the duo founded the Association for the Integration of Women, whose mission is to provide resources for women to establish roots and flourish. In 2022, alongside co-founder Maria Assunta Ioele, they opened Roots, a self-sustaining social impact model where migrant women in Modena can learn, work and build self-confidence as they take their first steps towards careers. 

Brazilian João Diamante is also named a Champion of Change and is the founder of social project Diamantes Na Cozinha (Diamonds in the Kitchen), which runs cooking, nutrition and hospitality courses for young people in vulnerable situations.

Diamantes Na Cozinha is creating a new generation of talent, now serving up to 100 students in semester-long courses. Earlier this year, Diamante opened his own restaurant in Rio, Diamante Gastrobar, with the majority of the staff graduates from his school.

William Drew, Director of Content for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants said; “The work these individuals are doing to contribute to a better future for their communities is admirable; we’re excited to support the development of such valuable projects.”

Caroline Caporossi and Jessica Rosval say: “What an honour to receive this recognition. We are so proud of our graduates; the success of Roots is made possible by the value they bring to our kitchen everyday and this award is further testament to the human and economic capital of women everywhere.”

João Diamante says: “Being named a Champion of Change is a huge compliment and I am grateful for the appreciation of our work. This project was started to help people in situations of social vulnerability in Rio on a path to a better future and I’m proud of being able to share this with a global audience.”

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SOURCE 50 Best

(Family Features) Whether Cinco de Mayo means an opportunity to celebrate your family’s heritage or it’s simply an excuse to gather with the ones you love, every holiday truly is about the same thing: special moments together. While those treasured times at the table revolve around camaraderie and conversation, it can start with a filling meal and end with a sweet treat.

Take this year’s festivities the traditional route with recipes that combine familiar favorites with ingredients you normally may not use otherwise, such as cactus. This Mexican Cactus Pork Stew makes Cinco de Mayo a cinch with the use of a Dutch oven. Just brown fresh pork shoulder (or reheat leftover pork) in the Dutch oven and combine with onion and jalapeno for the right mixture of flavor and spice. Once pork is cooked or warmed through, add broth, beans, spices, seasonings and a cup of chopped cactus for a southwestern spin.

After some lively chatter or friendly competition, you’re bound to work up the appetite for dessert. Call the kids to the kitchen to lend a hand with these Kid-Friendly Mexican Cinnamon Cookies – they’ll love working with the dough and rolling warm cookies in the cinnamon-sugar mixture after baking. Remember, they don’t have to be perfect; you can ensure a bit of fun and flavor by letting their creativity shine.

Visit Culinary.net to find more family-friendly recipes perfect for celebrating holidays throughout the year.

Mexican Cactus Pork Stew

Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”

• 1 pound pork shoulder (leftover or fresh)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
• 3 cups beef broth
• 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) mild chili beans
• 1 cup chopped cactus (nopales)
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• 4 green onions, chopped, for garnish
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, for garnish

1. If using fresh pork, in Dutch oven, cube and brown it with onion and jalapeno pepper. If using leftover pork, reheat in Dutch oven with onion and jalapeno pepper.
2. Add beef broth, diced tomatoes, chili beans, cactus, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper and salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Simmer 25 minutes then garnish with green onions and cilantro.

Kid-Friendly Mexican Cinnamon Cookies

Recipe courtesy of “Cookin’ Savvy”

• 4 sticks butter, at room temperature
• 4 cups self-rising flour, plus additional for coating workspace
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup sugar

Topping:

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 4 teaspoons cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. In bowl, combine butter, 4 cups flour and cinnamon. Add egg and sugar then knead into ball.
3. Spread additional flour on counter and cut ball into six sections. Roll each section into 24-inch ropes then cut into 1-inch pieces and place on cookie sheet.
4. Bake 10 minutes.
5. To make topping: In bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon.
6. Roll warm cookies in mixture and let cool on rack.

SOURCE:
Culinary.net