Welcome back to Family Cents –
a newsletter for families who want to live well on less.
Something to Celebrate!
From fireworks and parades to getaway trips with family and friends,
July offers plenty to celebrate. Make the meal as festive as the mood by serving some of this month's
colorful recipes. Several can be made ahead, leaving you more time for fun!
Layered Summer Pasta Salad
This bright summer salad is so colorful! Make it ahead of time and use prepared veggies to save even more time.
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Three-Bean Pasta Salad
Here's another make-ahead salad that travels well. Try it with grilled chicken, brats or burgers for your next barbecue or potluck.
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Oven-Fried Picnic Chicken
Your family will love the extra zip of ranch dressing mix in the crispy coating. Bake this chicken the night before and pack it up for your picnic.
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Star-Spangled Brownies
Start with an all-time favorite treat and jazz it up for the 4th. Oh-so-easy with drizzles and sprinkles in red, white and blue.
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What's your favorite tip for saving time or money when preparing an All-American meal or dessert?
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Tip #1 from Judie in Iowa Park We love to cook vegetables and potatoes with butter sealed in foil on the grill.
Tip #2 from Jan in Minneapolis, MN My kids loved Jello gelatin when they were little. The 4th of July always included a super-easy treat of blue and red cubes layered with whipped cream. It's also very inexpensive.
Tip #3 from Candra in Chicago Instead of serving my kids expensive canned soda pop (which is not very healthful anyway), I add festive ice cubes to lemonade or fruit juice. For the 4th of July, freeze two berries (red and blue), in the middle of each clear cube. Or make ice cubes from fruit juice in a contrasting color to your beverage. The adults enjoy this low-cost surprise almost as much as the kids do!
Tip #4 from Wendi in Oklahoma If your budget is tight but you still want to bring something special to a summer potluck picnic, homemade potato salad or pasta salad is so economical. Jazz up your favorite recipe with chopped onions, celery, bacon, or almost any vegetable you have on hand. Another inexpensive picnic favorite that my family raves over is deviled eggs. I like to add a little something extra to the standard recipe, like horseradish or dillweed, or even a little salsa!
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Editor's Picks:
Star Spangled Finale
Make any meal special with this patriotic dessert.
You'll hear "Ooo" and "Ahh" before the fireworks start!
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