Commentary: What to do with leftover Halloween candy?

http://www.mercurynews.com/los-gatos/ci_16462558?nclick_check=1

Well, this is sure a sweet idea, in more ways than one.




Just as I was getting ready to head to Safeway last weekend to pick up the Halloween candy for the load of trick-of-treaters we expect in our neighborhood on Oct. 31, I checked my e-mail to find a short note from my son's girlfriend, Kelly, wanting all of our leftover candy.



No, Kelly didn't suddenly develop an insatiable sweet tooth. She has a higher purpose.



Kelly is collecting leftover Halloween candy to donate to Operation: Care and Comfort, a local organization dedicated to supporting our troops overseas.



What a great idea, I thought. So I figured that just to be sure we'd have some leftover candy, I'd buy a couple of extra bags.



"Oh, right!" said my wife. "Like you need an excuse to buy more candy."



"No, really," I said. "This sounds like a great cause. We'll give Kelly all of our leftover candy this year."



"Yeah," said Natalie. "Like we ever end up with any extra candy with you in the house."



"OK," I said, "so maybe in the past I've had a couple of pieces of candy when I was passing it out to the kids."



"A couple?" she screeched. "I think 'a couple' means two. You have more like two dozen! If you want to make sure we have some leftovers, you'd better change your 'one for you, one for me' method of handing out the treats."



"Very funny," I said, somewhat offended. "I don't do that "... at least, not anymore. Dr. Oba





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Advertisement





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

won't let me. He's watching my weight closer than a dog eyeballing a pork chop!"



"Well, if that's the case, you might want to get your weight checked before this weekend," she suggested. "Because with Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up, I think it will be more than just the goose getting fat through the holidays."



"OK, I get it," I said. "We'll just make sure we have candy left after this weekend to give to Kelly to donate to Operation: Care and Comfort. I'm going to get the kinds of candy that she says the soldiers like the best--Twizzlers, Tootsie Rolls, Skittles, Life Savers, Sweet Tarts, lollipops, Tootsie Pops "... "



"Why do I think that you added Tootsie Pops because that's what you like best?" said Natalie.



"No, seriously," I explained. "That's what she said. And they also like chewing and bubble gym, mints and breath strips."



Kelly knows something about this. Her brother served in Iraq and she said, "He loved the care packages he received from friends, family and Operation: Care Comfort."



So Kelly, sweet as the candy she's collecting, said, "I'd like to keep the positive feeling going for the troops serving overseas and I appreciate your help in doing so by donating your goodies."



In addition to the other items, she added, "Bring on the chocolate as it can only be sent October through February due to the extreme heat in the summer months."



Chocolate? Now, giving up our leftover chocolate may be a little more complicated.



"Oh, yeah," said Natalie. "What would Dr. Oba have to say about that?"



You know, she's right. I'll make an appointment to get my weight checked this Friday.



Anyone interested in donating items for our troops, check out the "shopping list" at www.operationcareandcomfort.org/occshoplist/index.html.

A Great Summer Meal! Italian Bread Salad and Stuffed Steak

My boss brought in a huge bag of home-grown tomatoes and cucumbers the other day; now although they looked beautifully yummy- Jason doesn't like either of these, so what's a girl supposed to do? Well, enjoy them anyways! ( :
So I racked my brain to remember a recipe to enjoy these fabulous veggies (well, are the technically both fruit?), and I created my own version of an Italian Bread Salad and since it was so hot (102! yikes) cooking inside was definatley out of the question- let's grill!

Here's your menu:

• Grilled Corn on the Cob
• Stuffed Flank Steak
• Italian Bread Salad
• Frozen Fruit Salad (cut up whatever fruit you have on hand and put in freezer during dinner- serve over frozen yogurt, drizzled with honey!)

So that everything is ready around the same time, you can mix your marinade and salad dressing while the corn (don't remove husks) is soaking in water. Once you begin marinating the steak, toss the corn on the top rack of the grill while it is heating up.

STUFFED FLANK STEAK

• package of very thin cuts of beef- flank steak is okay, flat iron is good- just make sure it's very thin
• 1 container of veggie flavored cream cheese
• parmesan cheese

MARINADE:

• 1/2 c. italian dressing
• dash of olive oil
• 1 tbls of dijon mustard
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 clove of garlic, pressed or finely chopped
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
• 1 tblsp italian season- crush in your hand to release flavor prior to adding

Mix all ingredients for marinade in a shallow dish. Add steak and marinate for 10 minutes before putting on grill over medium heat. While marinating steak, assemble your salad. When you put the steaks on, move the corn to bottom rack. Steaks should no more than 10 minutes to cook through. Immediately remove from heat and spread with a spoon of cream cheese and a sprinkle of cheese and roll, secure with a toothpick.

ITALIAN BREAD SALAD

• 1 medium cucumber; peeled, seeded and sliced
• 5-6 tomatoes (vine-ripened/ homegrown/ or heirloom are suggested), cut into bite size pieces
• 1 onion, if desired (I used onion powder!)
• Sea Salt
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, washed well, spun dry and chopped fine
• 1 loaf of French bread, cubed into bite-size pieces
  
  In a glass bowl, mix cucumber, tomatoes and onion. Sprinkle generously with Sea Salt and add sugar, mix gently. Add basil and dressing and toss to coat well- it will look like too much liquid, but that will be absorbed by the bread. Add bread about 5-10 minutes prior to serving so that it doesn’t get too soggy. If you know that you will have leftovers, reserve the salad without bread. If you want a more hearty meal, rather than a side dish, add some grilled steak just prior to serving.
  
  DRESSING
• ¼ cup of garlic infused canola or olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic- pressed or finely diced
• Pepper, to taste
• 1-1/2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
• 1/4 to ½ cup of balsamic vinegar
• Onion powder, if onion not used
  
  Whisk above ingredients until well blended. Pour over veggies.

Hope that you will try this easy, easy dinner idea. It was on the table in about 40 minutes, but just because I was experimenting with the recipes! It is definately on my new list of favorites! Until next time- cheers!