7.15.18 SB_Q by stltoday.com

Grow an Easy Cutting Garden

Grill in Foil Packs

Craft with Metal Sheets ®

Try a Family Fun Run

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SUMMER 2018

Fresh ideas to make the most of the season

HOME & GARDEN

3 A Beginner’s Guide to Cutting Loose Make your own fresh ﬂower arrangements.

5 Get Into Birding Plant a yard that will invite beautiful birds.

8 Breaking Ground This new farmhouse has old country soul.

10 What to Do with Sheet Metal

SUMMERTIME NOVELTIES

Try crafting with industrial sheet metal.

13 Red, White, and Renewed Tour a home with a patriotic color palette.

16 Caladiums This plant is the star of any shade garden.

Make your own frozen bars, layered squares, and pops that will have you nostalgic for summers spent chasing the ice cream truck.

17 Pattern Play Use patterned tile to make a statement.

21 The Organized Garage Bring order to this hardworking space.

13 FOOD

4 Break an Egg! Try these dinner recipes that feature eggs.

6 Tomato Mania Find new ways to enjoy summer’s bounty.

9 Foil Packs 101 Cook your food in foil for great ﬂavor.

12 Field to Bowl Build a hearty summer salad.

14 No Chop These quick dinners cut out the chopping.

18 Breakfast Greats Cook a quick breakfast in your Instant Pot.

20 Healthy Dinners for Crazy-Busy Nights Ease busy evenings with these grilled meals.

Fruity Tricolor Pops

12 BETTER LIVING

19 Build a Stronger, Balanced Body Firm up with these top exercises.

22 The Food Allergy Boom Learn why food allergies are on the rise.

23 Ready. Set. Race! Start training for a family 5K.

These colorful pops were inspired by classic Bomb Pops. Our version uses real fruit and low-fat yogurt. prep 30 minutes freeze 3 hours + overnight

3 3 1 ¹9₃ 1

Tbsp. lemon-ﬂavor gelatin tsp. sugar cup fresh raspberries cup vanilla low-fat yogurt cup fresh blueberries

1. In a medium bowl combine ¹O₃ cup boiling water, 1 Tbsp. of the gelatin, and 1 tsp. of

the sugar, stirring until sugar is dissolved. In a blender combine gelatin mixture and raspberries; cover and blend until smooth. Strain raspberry mixture through a finemesh sieve; discard seeds. Divide raspberry puree among eight to ten 3-oz. ice-pop molds. Freeze 2 hours or until firm. 2. In another medium bowl combine another ¹O₃ cup boiling water, 1 Tbsp. of the gelatin, and 1 tsp. of the sugar. Whisk in yogurt until combined; cool slightly. Spoon yogurt mixture over raspberry layer in molds. Freeze 1 to 2 hours or until firm.

3. In a small saucepan combine blueberries and ¹O₃ cup water. Bring to simmering over medium-high heat, stirring and slightly mashing berries to release their juices. Simmer, uncovered, 2 minutes. In a blender combine blueberry mixture, remaining 1 Tbsp. gelatin, and remaining 1 tsp. sugar. Cover and blend until smooth. Strain and cool slightly. Spoon blueberry puree over yogurt layer in molds; insert sticks into pops. Freeze pops overnight. Makes 8 pops. PER POP 53 cal., 0 g fat, 1 mg chol., 33 mg sodium,

12 g carb., 1 g ﬁber, 10 g sugars, 1 g pro.

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MIX IT UP

Mocha Ice Cream Bars Prepare as directed, except use coffee ice cream, chopped bittersweet chocolate, and finely chopped chocolate-covered coffee beans.

Chocolate-Toﬀee Ice Cream Bars These treats are easy to customize. See a few of our favorite combos, right, or use your favorite ice cream ﬂavor, chocolate type, and topper (nuts, crushed candies, sprinkles, etc.).

Layered Fruit Pops prep 20 minutes freeze 4 hours

2 cups chopped fresh mangoes, pineapple, peaches, and/or nectarines ¹B₂ cup honey ¹B₄ cup lemon juice 2 cups chopped fresh strawberries, cherries, blueberries, and/or raspberries 1. In a food processor combine mangoes, pineapple, peaches, and/or nectarines; ¹S₄ cup of the honey; and 2 Tbsp. of the lemon juice. Cover and process until smooth. Transfer to another container; cover and chill until needed. 2. Meanwhile, rinse food processor. In the processor combine strawberries, cherries, blueberries, and/or raspberries; remaining ¹S₄ cup honey; and remaining 2 Tbsp. lemon juice. Cover and process until smooth. 3. Alternately layer fruit mixtures into twelve 3-oz. ice-pop molds; insert sticks. Freeze at least 4 hours or until ﬁrm. Makes 12 pops. Tip No ice-pop mold? Pour into twelve 3-oz. wax-lined paper cups; cover each cup with foil. Cut a small slit in foil; insert wooden sticks and freeze as directed. PER POP 68 cal., 0 g fat, 0 mg chol., 1 mg sodium,

18 g carb., 1 g ﬁber, 16 g sugars, 0 g pro.

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IC E C REA POP M S p. 3

RET ROCHI C ICE BOX CAK ES p. 70

FROSÉ? YES, PLEASE! p. 99

FRE EZE RTO -OV EN CO OK IES p.28

MA N O -CG IC A L IC E H U RN CR EA M p. 46

2018 BHG.com

Frozen18CVR_D

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STAY COOL Get your copy of Frozen™ magazine today at TheMeredithStore.com.

prep 30 minutes freeze 2 hours

1¹B₂ qt. vanilla ice cream, softened slightly 20 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped 4 tsp. vegetable oil or shortening ¹B₂ cup almond toﬀee bits 1. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil or parchment paper, extending foil or paper over edges. In a chilled large bowl stir ice cream until smooth. Spread into prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap; freeze overnight. 2. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper; freeze at least 20 minutes. Using foil or paper, lift frozen

ice cream from baking pan and place on a cutting board. Cut into nine squares; insert a wooden stick into each square. Transfer to prepared baking sheet; freeze 1 hour. 3. Meanwhile, in a medium heatproof bowl combine chocolate and oil. Place bowl over a saucepan filled with gently boiling water (bowl should not touch the water). Cook until chocolate is melted, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; remove bowl from saucepan. Cool 10 minutes or until a thermometer registers about 100°F. 4. Remove bars from freezer. Working quickly, hold sticks and dip bars, one at a time, into melted chocolate until coated. Sprinkle with toffee bits. Return to baking sheet; freeze 1 hour. If desired, wrap individually and store in freezer up to 1 month. Makes 9 bars. PER BAR 585 cal., 36 g fat (20 g sat. fat), 51 mg chol., 130 mg sodium, 59 g carb., 4 g fiber, 50 g sugars, 5 g pro.

Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars Prepare as directed, except use strawberry ice cream, white baking chips, and ¹S₃ cup crushed shortbread cookies mixed with 2 Tbsp. multicolor sprinkles.

Cookies and Cream Ice Cream Bars Prepare as directed, except use chocolate ice cream, white baking chips, and ﬁnely chopped chocolate sandwich cookies with white ﬁlling.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwiches Instead of using a packaged cookie mix, make your favorite cookie recipe or use 18 purchased peanut butter cookies. prep 40 minutes freeze 1 hour 15 minutes stand 5 minutes

1 17.5-oz. pkg. peanut butter cookie mix ¹B₂ cup semisweet chocolate chips ¹B₂ cup creamy peanut butter 2 tsp. canola oil ¹B₄ cup powdered sugar 2 tsp. vanilla 1 pint desired-flavor ice cream, slightly softened 1. Prepare cookie mix according to package directions, making 18 cookies. Remove; cool on a wire rack. 2. In a medium bowl microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter, and oil on 50% power (medium) in 30-second intervals until chocolate is melted, stirring after each interval. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla. Spread onto bottoms of cookies, using 2 tsp. for each cookie. Place on a tray. Freeze 15 minutes or until firm. 3. Scoop ice cream onto half of cookies, using 3 Tbsp. for each cookie. Top with remaining cookies; press lightly. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze 1 hour or until ice cream is firm. 4. If desired, wrap individually and store in freezer up to 1 month. Let ice cream sandwiches stand at room temperature 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Makes 9 sandwiches. PER SANDWICH 506 cal., 27 g fat (8 g sat. fat), 35 mg chol., 391 mg sodium, 60 g carb., 2 g fiber, 41 g sugars, 9 g pro.

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EDITORIAL Contributing Editor KATHY BARNES Contributing Designer WATERBURY PUBLICATIONS INC. Contributing Copy Editor CARRIE TRUESDELL Proofreader ERIKA BJORKLUND Contributors SCOTT JOHNSON, JASON DONNELLY, ADAM ALBRIGHT, DAVEY TREE EXPERT CO., BRENDA WEGNER, NICOLAS GOURGUECHON, JODI HARRIS, MARTY BALDWIN, MIKE WARD, JOHNNY MILLER, VIRGINIA WILLIS, SUSAN PUCKETT, FRANCES BOSWELL, AYESHA PATEL, ARTHUR BELEBEAU, KELLY ROBERSON, ANDY LYONS

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summer 2018 3

a beginner’s guide to

Cutting Loose Imagine a garden that yields armfuls of color all summer long—enough for bud vases, centerpieces and just-because gifts for friends. Try these tips to grow a no-fuss cutting bed plus ideas to make three arrangements. by mary beaumont

photos by marty baldwin

produced by kylee krizmanic

Prairie Palette

IT’S GROW TIME

PRAIRIE PALETTE

We included a few surprises in this display of ﬁeld ﬂowers. Bursts of complementary orange and salmon break up the golden monochrome, and formal, old-school gladiolas add a disparate structural element. Guests at a dining table would view this arrangement from the sides rather than from above, so be sure to check all the angles as you design a display.

LOCATION, LOCATION An ideal growing plot sits in full sun (six-plus hours each day), has well-drained soil (the ground isn’t wet all the time) and is isolated from large trees, whose vast root systems can interfere with flowers. Short on space? A collection of oversize planters can work, too. ALL IN A ROW No need to design this garden. Simply lay it out in rows as in a vegetable plot, leaving just enough space to fertilize (if desired), weed, deadhead and collect the blooms. PETAL METTLE Choose a mix of annuals and perennials that fits your budget and schedule, from easy zinnia seeds and plant-and-forget lilies to dahlias, which grow from tubers and require support and grooming. GO GREEN Grow flowering plants alongside greenery. Plants such as simple ferns provide an interesting texture in arrangements.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Learn more about cutting gardens (including public ones you can visit) at MidwestLiving.com/Cuttings.

Gladiola, yellow Dahlia, blush Black-eyed Susan Coreopsis ‘Pumpkin Pie’ Dahlia, yellow Dwarf marigold, yellow Zinnia ‘Profusion Double Fire’ Sunﬂower Hosta, green variegated

4 3

Artfully Ombré

MAKING THE CUT GREAT CLIPS Snip stems late in the day, when blooms will recover best. Soak the cuttings in lukewarm water to let them rehydrate. As you build your display, trim stems at a sharp angle for optimal water intake. TIME TO LEAVE To reduce decay and keep container water fresh, strip away every leaf that will fall below the waterline in your arrangement. FLOWER POWER Blooms need food, so add nourishment for longevity. Make this home mix: 1 quart lukewarm water, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon sugar, and ½ teaspoon bleach (to slow bacteria growth).

A horizontal display is an inventive variation on the traditional bouquet and plays beautifully on a dining table. In our display, we grouped blooms by hue and framed them with feathery ferns. To use a wooden vessel, wrap ﬂoral foam tightly in several layers of plastic wrap, leaving the top exposed. Then place a sheet of foil beneath the plastic. 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

Delphinium Fern Dahlia, burgundy Sweet pea, blue Cosmos ‘Sonata’, dark pink Zinnia, magenta Celosia spicata Zinnia, red Dahlia, light pink Dahlia, white Sweet pea, pink Dahlia, white Cosmos ‘Snow Sonata’

Garden Variety

FLORAL TOOL KIT

An unexpected strand of tomato vine adds shape and character to a casual display that will evolve as the fruit ripens.

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Queen Anne’s lace German garlic Coneﬂower ‘Cheyenne Spirit’ Cherry tomato

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WITH THESE TOOLS, you can arrange ﬂowers in vessels of any size, shape or material. • A sharp, comfortable pair of clippers • Good-quality ﬂoral foam, such as Aquafoam • Plastic wrap • Aluminum foil • Chicken wire

MAY • JUN E 2018

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LIVE IN THE SEASON Subscribe to Midwest Living® magazine today at magazine.store and get 1 year for $9.99.

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ARTFULLY OMBRÉ

GARDEN VARIETY

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Break an Egg! The humble egg is arguably the perfect protein, containing the highest biological value of protein thanks to all nine essential amino acids and four nonessential aminos. Try one of these delicious recipes.

Pan Burgers with Fried Eggs and Special Sauce makes 4 servings

¼ 2 1 ¼ ¼ ¼ 1

When you think of eggs, do you think of breakfast? If so, it’s time to broaden your menu horizons. Eggs are healthy and tasty, of course. But consider this: They also are a versatile ingredient that can transform almost any meal.

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Sunny-Side-Up Egg Pizza makes 6 servings

1 Tbsp cornmeal 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing pan 1 clove garlic, minced Flour 1 1-lb package refrigerated pizza dough ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 1 small leek, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)* 2 slices prosciutto, coarsely chopped 4 large eggs ½ tsp kosher salt ½ tsp cracked black pepper 1. Preheat oven to 500°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet or 12-inch round pizza pan. Sprinkle with cornmeal.** 2. Combine the 2 tablespoons olive oil and the garlic in a small bowl. On a lightly floured surface roll and press dough into a 12-inch circle, building up a rim around the edges. Carefully transfer to prepared pan. Brush dough with garlic-olive oil mixture. 3. Top with Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, leek, and prosciutto. 4. Crack one egg into a small dish. Gently transfer to one-quarter of the pizza. Repeat with additional eggs. Sprinkle eggs with salt. Sprinkle entire pizza with pepper. 5. Bake, rotating pizza halfway through baking time, until bottom of crust is crisp and top is blistered and egg whites are set (yolks should still be runny), 8 minutes. 6. Cut into quarters and serve immediately. *Note: The layers of leeks can contain grit and sand. To clean, hold the halves under cool running water and fan the layers. Shake off excess water and pat dry with paper towels before slicing. **Note: If you have a baking stone, preheat it in the oven. Dust a pizza peel or the back of a baking sheet with flour and cornmeal; build the pizza on the peel or baking sheet. When the pizza is ready to go in the oven, carefully transfer it to the baking stone using small, quick back-and-forth movements.

1¹K₄ ³K₄ 1 4 4 4 ³K₄

cup light mayonnaise tsp dill pickle relish tsp yellow mustard tsp paprika tsp garlic powder tsp onion powder lb extra-lean ground beef (96% lean) tsp salt, divided tsp pepper, divided Tbsp butter ultra-thin slices mild cheddar cheese eggs sourdough English muﬃns, toasted cup baby arugula

1. Combine mayonnaise, relish, mustard, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl.

Open-Face Hot Ham and Cheese with Chipotle Mayo makes 4 servings

Mayo ½ cup light mayonnaise 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce 1 Tbsp adobo sauce from chipotle peppers 4 1 8 4

Sandwiches ³K₄-inch-thick slices sourdough bread Tbsp butter, softened oz thinly sliced low-sodium deli ham ultra-thin slices pepper Jack cheese

Poached eggs 1 tsp vinegar 4 large cold eggs Kosher salt Ground chipotle powder Microgreens or chopped fresh chives 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. For the mayo, combine mayonnaise, chipotle chiles, and adobo sauce in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. 2. For sandwiches, lightly butter both sides of the bread with softened butter. Toast one side of bread in an extra-large ovenproof skillet over medium heat until golden brown. Flip bread slices. While second side is toasting, spread top side of bread with 1 tablespoon of the mayonnaise. Top with ham and cheese. Transfer pan to oven. 3. While sandwiches are heating, lightly oil the sides of a medium skillet or large saucepan. Fill pan half-full with water. Add vinegar to water and bring to a boil.

2. Form ground beef into four equal-size patties, about ¼ inch thick. Press down slightly in the center to form an indentation. Season both sides with 1 teaspoon of the salt and ½ teaspoon of the pepper. 3. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Cook patties about 2 minutes per side, or until done (160°F), placing a slice of cheese on top of each burger in the last minute of cooking. 4. Remove burgers from skillet. Cover lightly with foil to keep warm. Crack eggs into skillet and cook until edges of whites are lightly browned but yolk is still runny. Season the eggs with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. 5. Spread each of the muﬃn bottoms with one-quarter of the mayonnaise mixture. Top each with one-quarter of the arugula, a cooked patty, and a fried egg. Top with muﬃn tops.

4. Break one egg into a small dish. Carefully slide the egg into the simmering water, holding the lip of the dish as close to the water as possible. Repeat with three remaining eggs, adding them one at a time and spacing them so each egg has an equal amount of space surrounding it. Simmer 3 to 5 minutes, or until whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken but are not hard. 5. Remove sandwiches from oven. Use a slotted spoon to remove eggs from water. Top each sandwich with an egg. Season lightly with salt and chipotle powder. Sprinkle with microgreens and serve immediately. Note: Refrigerate leftover mayo, and use on sandwiches or add as a topping for steamed or roasted vegetables.

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Get Into Birding Novice and experienced birders can learn a lot from ornithologist Kenn Kaufman. A walk through the Chicago Botanic Garden with him is an eye-opener. photos by greg scheidemann

BEST PLANTS FOR BIRDS A young American Robin rests in a tree.

A bird-friendly yard includes a mix of plantings to provide food, shelter, nesting sites, and nesting material. Plant food sources that offer berries and seeds to attract a variety of birds. 1. Downy Serviceberry Amelanchier arborea One of the top plants for birds, this native tree offers nectar-rich spring flowers and sweet summer fruit. The bird is a Brown Thrasher.

7. Joe Pye Weed Eutrochium purpureum This native perennial draws birds, bees, and butterﬂies to its long-lasting ﬂower clusters on 7-foot-tall plants.

2. American cranberry bush Viburnum trilobum Among a diverse group of shrubs that produce bird-friendly berries and oﬀer shelter, this 8- to 15-foot variety grows easily and durably.

8. Sunﬂower Helianthus annuus This annual grows easily, blooms in summer, thrives in hot weather, and develops seeds favored by birds.

3. Crabapple Malus spp. The ornamental spring blooms are highly valued among gardeners, but the fruits are the luscious apples of birds’ eyes. 4. Staghorn Sumac Rhus typhina The fast-growing shrub withstands poor, dry soil. Pollinators feast on its nectar and pollen; birds feed on the fuzzy berries. 5. American Elderberry Sambucus canadensis This native shrub reaches 4–12 feet tall and produces pollen-rich ﬂowers; many birds favor its black berries. 6. Burning bush Euonymus alatus This vigorous shrub grows up to 8 feet tall and provides shelter and nesting sites as well as fruit and seeds.

9. Purple coneflower Echinacea purpurea The showy flowers of this hardy perennial appear on stems up to 5 feet tall from summer into fall. Seeds attract American Goldfinches and Pine Siskins. 10. Pine Pinus spp. Varieties of the evergreen tree provide shelter and nesting places for birds. Pinecones offer seeds.

A variety of flowering annuals and perennials produce seeds favored by birds. To keep plants blooming throughout summer, snip off spent flowers. Later in the season, let seed heads develop—and birds will clean up for you.

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differences in plumage between adults and juveniles. A young American Robin is just beginning to show orange on its belly. Its first feathers are spotted, which provides good camouflage in trees. Know the range and habitat. Birds have ranges, or territories, which can vary depending on the time of year. Most field guides include color-coded range maps to show where and when you should be able to see each bird species. Within these ranges, some birds prefer forested areas, while others are more at home in fields or wetlands. Still others are found only in deserts or on seashores. Find the bird with your eyes and ears. When you hear a bird, resist the temptation to immediately use the binoculars to scan the horizon. Instead, Kaufman suggests making sure you can first see the bird in relationship to where it is in a tree or shrub or on a fence post. After you see the bird with your unaided eye, direct your binoculars to the same place. Identify birds by their silhouette. Decide whether the bird is large, medium, or small; chunky or slim; thin- or thickbilled; and short- or long-tailed. Learn the shapes of different bird groups. Use common birds, such as robins, finches, and sparrows, as guidelines for comparison. With practice, you will notice the subtle differences between species within each group. Keep a journal. Many birders keep a running tally, or “life list,” of bird species they have seen. If you’re not sure about the identification of an unfamiliar bird, take notes on its field marks and sketch it out the best you can. Always include the date and place.

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PUT ON YOUR TEA KETTLE, KETTLE, A SONG SPARROW TWITTERS AT THE DIXON PRAIRIE in the Chicago Botanic Garden. Watching and listening is Kenn Kaufman, respected birder and author of several nationally acclaimed books, including the Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America. Kaufman is leading a group of beginning birders on this June morning. Ask him what his favorite bird is, and Kaufman likely will say it’s whatever is singing at the moment. As if on cue, a Red-Winged Blackbird throws back his head, singing onk-a-ree! As Kaufman promotes birds and habitat conservation, his simple birding advice is universally used, yet it reflects his close-to-home philosophy: Every time you see a bird, no matter how common, you get a glimpse at something lovely and extraordinary. Here are Kaufman’s best tips to get started bird-watching. Look for field marks. Kaufman calls these the “trademarks of nature.” Illustrations in his field guide point out particular markings (eye ring, wing bars, crown stripe, belly streak, whisker marks, etc.) that distinguish one species from another. The more details you notice, the more likely you’ll correctly identify the bird. Adjust your binoculars correctly. Most binoculars can be adjusted to different strengths of vision in each eye. To properly focus your binoculars, first cover your right eye and look only with your left eye; focus on an object using the central focusing wheel. Next, focus on the same object with only your right eye using the adjustable right eyepiece. If you wear glasses, roll back the rubber eyecups to achieve the widest view. Get to know birds by their behavior. Ask yourself these questions: Is the bird social or solitary? Does it perch upright or upside down? Does it walk, run, hop, or swim? Does it eat seeds and bugs (as the Tufted Titmouse does) or snag fresh berries from shrubs and trees? Knowing these characteristics will help you. Learn the common birds first. It’s fun to search for new species and build your bird list, but Kaufman suggests you focus first on the birds that visit your yard. “The better you can get to know the common birds, the better you get to know when you’re seeing something different,” he says. Once you practice at home, observe birds at a local park or take a drive in the country. You’ll soon associate different habitats with specific species. Consider the season. During nesting season (spring and summer), birds pair up to raise their young. This is the time to be on the lookout for mating displays, nest-building activities, territorial behavior, and fledglings. Note the

Specials

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GARDEN FOR LIFE Get a copy of Gardening for Birds & Butterflies + Backyard Wildlife™ magazine today at TheMeredithStore.com.

6 summer 2018

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Best-ever BLTs. Crazy capreses. Sauces, drinks, jams, and desserts. It’s prime tomato time, and we’ve got 11 delicious ways to use them while summer’s still here!

Raise a Toast! Everyone loves the trifecta of bread + creamy spread + ripe tomatoes. Start there, then sprinkle on whatever you have around (feta, capers, lemon zest). The toasts here are all delicious, but when we say the possibilities are endless, we mean it.

Cherry Pepper Mayo In a bowl, mix 1 cup mayonnaise; 2 Tbsp. finely chopped, drained, stemmed hot cherry peppers; 2 Tbsp. finely chopped shallot; and 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary. Makes about 1¼ cups.

Green Olive Aïoli In a food processor, puree 1 cup mayonnaise; ¼ cup chopped, pitted green olives; 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves; 2 tsp. drained capers; 1 clove garlic, chopped; and ¾ tsp. lemon zest. Makes about 1¼ cups.

Avocado Cream In a food processor, puree 1 pitted, peeled large avocado; 3 Tbsp. sour cream; and 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice. Season. Makes about 1¼ cups.

Make a BLFGT Bacon, Lettuce & Fried Green Tomato Sandwiches makes 4 prep 20 min cook 5 min

12 slices thick-cut bacon Vegetable oil, if needed, for frying ½ cup ﬁne cornmeal ¹>₃ cup ﬂour ½ cup low-fat buttermilk 2 large unripe green tomatoes, cut into ¹>₃-inch-thick slices 8 slices white bread, toasted Mayonnaise 4 green leaf or iceberg lettuce leaves

1. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high until crispy, about 8 minutes; drain on paper towels. If needed, add enough vegetable oil to the drippings in the skillet to measure ¹P₄ inch. 2. In a medium bowl, whisk the cornmeal, ﬂour and ¹P₂ tsp. salt. Pour the buttermilk into another bowl. Dredge the tomatoes in the cornmeal mixture, pressing to adhere, then buttermilk to coat, then again in the cornmeal mixture. Fry in the bacon drippings over medium-high until golden, about 2 minutes per side. Spread 4 slices of toast with mayonnaise. Top with the bacon, fried green tomatoes, lettuce and the remaining toast.

Blend. Chill. Repeat. Tomato, Watermelon & Strawberry Agua Fresca 1. In a blender, puree about 6 cups peeled, chopped watermelon (from about half a 5-lb. watermelon); 1 lb. ripe juicy tomatoes, halved and cored; 1 lb. strawberries, hulled; ¹P₄ cup chopped fresh mint; 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice; and a pinch of salt until very smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. 2. Strain into a pitcher, pressing on solids with a spatula to release liquid. Stir in 4 cups cold water. 3. Refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours. Serve over ice, garnished with tomato rounds, mint sprigs, watermelon wedges and/or lime wheels. Serves 8.

Slice and Stuﬀ! Hasselback Tomato Caprese 1. In a small skillet, cook 1 thinly sliced clove garlic in 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium until golden, about a minute; drain. 2. Using a sharp knife, cut 1 plum tomato crosswise almost all the way through in intervals. Season ¹P₃-inch intervals eason generously with salt and nd pepper, opening the slices to season inside.

3. Stuﬀ the garlic, fresh mozzarella slices and large fresh basil leaves between the slices. Drizzle with pesto thinned with EVOO. Makes 1.

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PAIR WITH PROTEIN Chopped red tomatoes + cannellini beans + Kalamata olives + feta + oregano

ADD SOME VEGETABLES Sliced yellow and orange tomatoes + roasted golden beets + red onions + thyme

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GET FRUITY WITH IT Green tomato wedges + watermelon + berries + peaches + mint

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TURN THEM INTO DRESSING Tomato pureed with EVOO and red wine vinegar + little gem lettuce + shaved Parm

STACK ’EM! Sliced multicolored tomatoes + croutons + basil + EVOO + white balsamic vinegar

Pretty Up Your Pizza Tomato Salad Pizza serves 8 prep 15 min cook 20 min

Flour for dusting 1 package (14 to 17.3 oz.) frozen puff pastry, thawed Olive oil, for brushing and drizzling 2 packages (7 oz. each) feta, drained 7 Tbsp. heavy cream 1½ lb. heirloom tomatoes, assorted colors and sizes, cut into slices and wedges ½ cup thinly sliced fresh mint leaves Flaky sea salt 1. Preheat the oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to an 11-by-17-inch rectangle; transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. (If the pastry comes in 2 sheets, place 1 on top of the other and roll out to an 11-by-17-inch rectangle.) Pierce the dough all over with a fork. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until puffed, deep golden and cooked through, piercing again with a fork if the dough puffs up while baking, about 20 minutes. Let cool on the sheet on a wire rack. 2. In a food processor, pulse feta and cream until smooth. Season with pepper. Spread over the puff pastry, leaving a ½-inch border. Top with the tomatoes, drizzle with more olive oil and sprinkle with the mint. Season generously with flaky sea salt and pepper.

EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS Today’s tomatoes have tons of ﬂavor—and personality. Farmers’ markets (and even some local supermarkets) are full of lumpy, bumpy, colorful, stripey varieties. Grab a few and get cooking. Your tomato salad will thank you!

Giant Oxheart

Blue Beauty

Hillbilly

Marizol Gold

Fox Cherry

Goldman’s Italian American

There are a million tomato recipes out there, yet the only thing a ripe, juicy tomato really needs is a little salt. The seasoning sets off osmosis, releasing the tomato’s juices, concentrating the flavor and making the flesh taste even sweeter.

Aunt Ruby’s German Green

BLT Lobster Roll JULY/AUGUST 2018

TH IS IS HOW WE

TAKE A BITE

Brandywine

Pineapple

What’s an heirloom, anyhow? Some say it applies to varieties that were around before 1950, while others believe the name should be reserved for seeds that have been saved and passed down through generations without commercial hybridization. Potato Top

Black Krim

Green Doctors

Yellow Mortgage Lifter

5 WAYS TO HAVE FUN ON A HOT DOG BUN!

GRI LL YOU R GRE ENS ( REA LLY ! ) A G A Z IL L ION ICE HOW TO # WIN AT THE FARM ERS’ MAR CR E A M IDE A S KET HAP PY BIR THD AY, RAC H!

Martino’s Roma

Black Cherry

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OUTTA LIFE!

Grandma Oliver’s Green

Malakhitovaya Shkatulka

TRY SOMETHING NEW Subscribe to Rachael Ray Every Day™ magazine at magazine.store and get 1 year for $9.98.

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8 summer 2018

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Breaking Ground Broadway producer Allen Becker was a city dweller through and through, until a no-fuss farmhouse got him singing a different tune. by caroline mckenzie

AN ACCLAIMED ENTERTAINMENT MANAGER AND BROADWAY PRODUCER, ALLEN BECKER never planned to buy a farm. But after a Sunday drive in central Texas farmland, Allen decided to go in with his niece, Susan McCauley, on a scenic 79-acre property near Round Top. “With its beautiful pastures and towering oaks, it felt like a place the entire extended family could go to escape—myself included,” Allen says. Interior designer Stacy Graubart teamed up with Allen to build a home in keeping with its surroundings and its owner’s aesthetic. “Rustic minimalism. That was our design credo,” Graubart says. She turned to farmhouse hallmarks such as shiplap walls and wide-plank floors, as well as industrial finishes like metal, concrete, and aluminum. She kept the palette neutral—mostly white with bits of black, gray, and blue—and avoided frilly details. Graubart added rough-hewn, timeworn touches, nearly all of them purchased at Round Top’s famed antiques fair. “Every time Allen saw me dragging in some shutters with flaking paint or Longhorn artwork, he’d gripe, ‘I thought it was going to be contemporary!’” Graubart recalls. “But when things were in place, he saw they felt right at home.” It’s a sentiment that applies to Allen himself, who spends weekends at his country retreat. “I love the simplicity of both the home and time spent at the farm,” he says.

photos by julie soefer

produced by donna talley

The living room features plenty of weathered treasures, including an antique recliner, distressed shutters turned closet doors, and one pair of impressively large deer antlers.

You won’t ﬁnd draperies or rugs in the master bedroom, but it’s still cozy thanks to a tall upholstered headboard and plush bed linens. A one-of-a-kind nightstand crafted from driftwood adds organic texture to the space.

NO-FUSS FARMHOUSE STYLE Create a look that’s clean, not kitsch, using these easy steps. PUT IT IN NEUTRAL. A muted color palette instantly reads as more sophisticated than bright tones. DON’T OVERCROWD. Giving items—artwork, shelving, furniture—room to breathe will keep a room from looking too precious. ACCENTUATE UTILITARIAN MATERIALS. Showing oﬀ hardworking elements such as metal, concrete, and steel lends modern grit to a space. GO WIDE AND LIGHT. These white oak planks measure 11 inches wide and feature a light stain—a forgiving color choice for dust and grime tracked in from the ﬁelds.

farmhouse MODERN

When Graubart spotted the rustic benches and metal table at The Compound, a 57-acre special events venue in Round Top, she knew right away they’d be perfect for Allen’s home. She purchased the set when the house was still a “napkin sketch” and eventually designed the patio to accommodate the pieces.

FAR MHOU SE KITCHENS WE LOV E

Dress Up

Neutral Caolor Palette

TIP S FOR SALVAG EDUSI NG WO OD page 41

Summer 2018

GE T TH CU RB AP PEE YO U ALWA AL WA NT EDYS

GIV E YOUR HO ME TH E

B EST OF OLD AND N EW

PERSONAL STYLE Pick up a copy of Modern Farmhouse Style™ magazine at TheMeredithStore.com.

Simplicity reigns in the kitchen, where unhoned stone countertops accentuate the space’s clean lines. Fabricated from cedar, the open shelving lends visual texture to the room.

REFLECT LOCAL LIFE WITH ART. A black-and-white steer portrait, painted on a piece of sheet metal, pays tribute to the livestock raised on the property.

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summer 2018 9

Foil Packs 101 Don’t be intimidated by your grill! Seal your food in a foil pack, and it’ll cook up perfectly. GRILLED FOIL PACKS Cooking food in a packet of foil reduces cleanup and seals in ﬂavor. Assembling your foil pack is easy as 1, 2, 3!

1. Lay a large piece of heavy-duty foil on a ﬂat surface. (The heavyduty kind is a must!) Evenly distribute food in the center.

Shrimp Boil on the Grill prep 10 minutes cook 15 minutes

Bursting with Blueberry Cobbler prep 5 minutes cook 10 minutes

2¹J₂ cups blueberries (fresh or thawed from frozen) 1 Tbsp. cornstarch ¹J₄ tsp. cinnamon 1 packet natural no-calorie sweetener ¹J₄ cup old-fashioned oats 1 Tbsp. whole wheat ﬂour 1 Tbsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread Dash salt 1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. 2. Spray a large piece of heavy-duty foil with nonstick spray.

6 oz. (about 12) raw large shrimp, peeled, tails removed, deveined 2 tsp. lemon juice 1¹J₂ tsp. chopped garlic ¹J₈ tsp. black pepper 6 oz. (about 2 links) fully cooked chicken sausage with 8g fat or less per 3-oz. serving 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 1 cup zucchini cut into half-moon slices ³J₄ cup frozen sweet corn kernels 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro ¹J₂ tsp. Cajun seasoning Optional seasoning: additional Cajun seasoning

3. In a medium-large bowl, sprinkle blueberries with cornstarch, ¹/₈ tsp. cinnamon, and half a packet of sweetener. Stir until coated. 4. In a medium bowl, combine oats, ﬂour, butter, and salt. Add remaining ¹/₈ tsp. cinnamon and remaining half packet of sweetener. Stir until well mixed and crumbly. 5. Distribute blueberry mixture onto the center of the foil. Evenly top with oat mixture. Cover with another large piece of foil. Fold together and seal all four edges, forming a well-sealed packet. 6. With the grill cover down, grill packet for 10 minutes, or until topping has lightly browned. Makes 2 servings.

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. 2. In a large bowl, combine shrimp, lemon juice, garlic, and pepper. Toss to coat. 3. Slice sausage into coins, and add to the bowl. Add all remaining ingredients, and mix well. 4. Place mixture on the center of a large piece of foil. Cover with another large piece of foil. Fold together and seal all four edges, forming a well-sealed packet. 5. With the grill cover down, grill packet for 14 minutes, or until the shrimp are cooked through and the veggies are tender. Makes 2 servings.

½ OF RECIPE: 199 calories, 4g total fat (1g sat. fat),

½ OF RECIPE (ABOUT 1¾ CUPS): 289 calories,

124mg sodium, 40.5g carbs, 6g ﬁber, 18.5g sugars, 3g protein

8.5g total fat (2.5g sat. fat), 814mg sodium, 20g carbs, 2.5g ﬁber, 7.5g sugars, 32.5g protein

Spicy BBQ Salmon & Veggies prep 10 minutes cook 15 minutes

2. Place another large foil piece on top of your food, aligning the edges with the bottom piece of foil.

3. Fold to tightly seal together all four sides of the two foil pieces. Leave a little room above the food for steaming to take place. Now get cookin’!

A sealed foil packet is a handy way to add ﬂavor while keeping low-fat proteins, vegetables, and even dessert from drying out on the grill.

2 Tbsp. BBQ sauce with 45 calories or less per 2-Tbsp. serving 1 tsp. sriracha sauce 1 cup broccoli florets ¹J₂ cup chopped yellow squash ¹J₂ cup chopped zucchini 1 4-oz. raw skinless salmon fillet Optional seasonings: salt and black pepper 1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. 2. In a small bowl, mix BBQ sauce with sriracha sauce until uniform. 3. Lay veggies on the center of a large piece of foil. Top with salmon, and drizzle with sauce mixture. Cover with another large piece of foil. Fold together and seal all four edges, forming a well-sealed packet. 4. With the grill cover down, grill packet for 14 minutes, or until salmon is cooked through and veggies are tender. Makes 1 serving. ENTIRE RECIPE: 303 calories, 12g total fat (2.5g sat. fat), 616mg sodium, 22.5g carbs, 4g fiber, 13g sugars, 26.5g protein

EVERYDAY

INGREDIENT S. CALORIE

BARGAINS

SO EASY! SO SMART! fresh ideas for summer cooking

Hungry-Girl .com

DELICIOUS RECIPES UNDER 35 CALORIES0 !

FAST & FOOLPROO MEALS F

IT’S HE ALTHY

MONEYSAVING GROCERY TIPS p. 86

HONEY BBQ CHICKEN IN 35 MINUTES! p. 41

plus! 25 EASY WAYS

TO BU RN

100 CA LO

RIE S p. 90

GOOD FOR YOU! Pick up a copy of Hungry Girl® magazine today at TheMeredithStore.com and enjoy healthy eating.

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10 summer 2018

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what to do with

SHEET METAL Manufacture distinctive decor using industrial metal sheets in interesting ways. by becky mollenkamp

photos by nicolas gourguechon

produced by jodi harris

FADED GLORY Turn a favorite photo into an heirloom-worthy piece, left, with this surprisingly simple technique. Print a picture onto regular paper using a laser printer or copy machine. Wearing gloves, sand an aluminum sheet to remove the shine, place it on a protected surface, then cover the aluminum with liquid toilet bowl cleaner, and let sit for two hours. Rinse thoroughly in a utility sink or outside using a hose. Let dry. Use a metal corner punch to round each corner, then spray the metal with several coats of polycrylic sealer. While still wet, place your print upside down on the sheet (A). Gently rub from the center outward to remove any air bubbles. When polycrylic is dry, soak the paper with water. Gently rub the paper so it rolls off (B). The image will remain on the metal. When the paper is gone, spray on a few more light coats of polycrylic sealer. Punch a hole in each corner of the metal sheet, then hang with screws.

The final image will be mirrored, so flip the original before printing if it includes words or if you have an orientation you prefer.

KEY DETAILS Add visual interest and functionality to the side of your nightstand with patinaed sheet metal, right. First measure and cut sheet metal to fit. Sand the piece and coat it in vinegar; let sit for two hours. Mix 16 ounces hydrogen peroxide, 2 ounces white vinegar, and ½ tablespoon salt, and brush the liquid onto the dry metal (A). Wait for a reaction. When you like the look, rinse the metal with water. Let dry. Finish with a coat of spray sealer. Screw the rusted metal piece to the side of the nightstand (use short screws so they don’t interfere inside with operation of drawers or doors). Use magnetic hooks to store jewelry or keys, or pretty magnets to display photos. Tip: Wear safety goggles and chemicalresistant gloves when distressing metal.

METAL HEAD Find an assortment of metal sheets at home centers or online. Our projects use two of the most common options. Decorative aluminum: Often used as radiator covers, these sheets come in many patterns and finishes (golden, copper, silver). They’re lightweight and can be cut by hand with snips or metal shears. Aluminum isn’t magnetic and doesn’t rust, but it can be distressed to remove the shine. Steel: These sheets are heavier than aluminum, are magnetic, and will rust or achieve an aged patina. For most decorative projects, you’ll want to choose the lightest gauge possible to make it easier to cut with snips or shears (heavygauge steel requires power tools for cutting).

Utilitarian sheet metal can solve a lot of storage and decorative dilemmas. When working with it, always wear protective gloves and eyewear and use the right snips. Magnetic hooks provide bonus storage when positioned on a nightstand clad in sheet metal.

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FOR THE RECORD Basic wooden crates are perfect for storing heavy things. To pump up the style quotient, above, take oﬀ the side boards by carefully removing the tiny nails or staples holding them in place (A). Measure the sides, cut metal sheets to ﬁt, and sand the edges so they’re not sharp. Spray-paint the metal (we used Sea Glass from Krylon) and let dry. Attach the metal sides inside the crate using epoxy.

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summer 2018 11

DESK JOB Create a custom memo board, above, to perfectly match your space. Start with four 12×12-inch corkboards (A), attached to the wall with sticky tabs. Cover the top half with a piece of sheet metal that’s cut to ﬁt and covered with fabric adhered to the back using heavy-duty tape. On the bottom half, secure a sheet of perforated aluminum using decorative tacks or by screwing through the corkboards and into the wall. Note: Decorative aluminum sheets are not magnetic. When placed over corkboards, the patterned metal works well with thumbtacks or lightweight hangers. If you want to use magnets, you’ll need sheet metal atop the corkboard.

LIGHT A FLAME A metallic hurricane outshines ordinary glass, right. Cut a sheet of decorative aluminum to size, roll it into a cylinder, and wire it closed. Slide it over a pillar candle and atop a chunky candleholder.

BED OF ROSES A shimmery rose, above, proves metal doesn’t have to be cold or masculine. Cut rolled metal flashing into five concentric circles using metal shears. Snip and shape each disc into five petals (A). Rub the centers and edges with sandpaper or a wire brush. Attach the layers with hot glue. When dry, bend the petals until you’re happy with the look. Tip: Wear gloves for this project to avoid cutting your hands on the sharp metal edges.

LL 2018

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

2. Hole punch To add fun accents to your projects, choose a hole punch designed for lightweight metal.

7. Right-handed snips Green-handled snips are designed to help right-handed folks make straight cuts or clockwise cuts.

3. Safety glasses Always wear safety glasses when cutting metal and aluminum to prevent wayward shards from injuring your eyes. 4. Flattening tool Don’t lose your grip while working with sheet metal; use this seamer to bend and ﬂatten pieces. 5. Metal-cutting shears These shears are made for cutting thin sheet metal and are great for detail work.

8. Left-handed snips Red-handled snips are meant for left-handed users wanting to make straight cuts or counterclockwise cuts. 9. Straight snips Yellowhandled snips are ideal for cutting straight lines or for making wide curves in ﬂat pieces of metal. 10. Metal file Use a metal ﬁle to dull the shine of glossy aluminum sheets.

PR OJ EC TS UN DER $20

3 TM

RO P E + P LY WO O D = THRIFT Y H E A D B OA RD

DON E IN A DAY ! 68 QUICK WAYS TO UPDATE ANY ROOM

DO IT YOUR SELF

6. Gloves Protect your hands from cuts by wearing safety gloves when handling sheet metal.

Homes & Garden s Special Interes t Publications

1. Corner punch Soften the sharp edges of your metal projects using a corner punch made for thin metal.

PLUS!

CONTAIN ER GARDENS FOR FAS T FALL COLOR

6 GO OUT DOO

BUILD A FIRE PIT OR BENCH

ON A BUD

6 EA SY FINGET THAT ENHAISHES WOOD GR NCE AIN Fall 2018 VOL. 26/ISSU E4 BHG.COM/DIY

BE INSPIRED! Subscribe to Do It Yourself™ magazine today at magazine.store and get 4 issues for $9.99.

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12 summer 2018

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Field toBowl Why settle for a plain green salad? Get creative with how you prepare summer produce, and your salads will delight and satisfy all season. Grilled Corn and Tomato Salad with Bulgur Summer corn and tomatoes combine for sweet, satisfying bites. makes 14¹J₂ cups ready in 30 min.

4 ¹C₂ ¹C₃ 2 4 4

ears of corn, husked cup lime juice cup thinly sliced fresh basil tsp. spicy brown mustard cups cooked and cooled bulgur ﬁrm heirloom tomatoes, any color, cut into ¹C₂-inch wedges 1 medium cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced ¹C₃ cup chopped red onion Salt and cracked black pepper, to taste 1. Grill corn, covered, over medium-high 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly charred on all sides, rotating corn every 2 minutes. Cool slightly. Cut corn kernels from cobs. 2. In an extra-large bowl whisk together lime juice, basil, and mustard. Add corn kernels, bulgur, tomatoes, cucumber, and onion; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

For a meatless salad that satisﬁes, include beans and hearty grains. These recipes feature bulgur, whole grain pasta, and kidney beans. WHOLE-FOOD , PLANT-BA SED LIFESTY LE!

FORKS K

EA M SY &TAAKKEE LUNCHE

N VES ®

HEALTHY & SATISF YING recipe s

Grilled Peach and Blueberry Pasta Salad To prevent peaches from sticking to the rack, preheat the grill at least 20 minutes. makes 3¹J₂ cups ready in 40 min.

4 cups dried multigrain penne pasta 4 ﬁrm, ripe peaches, halved and pitted 3 lemons 4 tsp. Dijon-style mustard 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 5-oz. pkg. fresh baby arugula 2 cups fresh blueberries Salt and black pepper, to taste 4 tsp. maple syrup

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again. Chill until needed. 2. Place four peach halves, cut sides down, on grill rack. Grill, covered, over mediumhigh 8 minutes or until grill marks appear; cool. Cut remaining four peach halves into ¹J₂-inch pieces. 3. For dressing, remove 1 tsp. zest and squeeze ¹J₂ cup juice from lemons. In a large bowl whisk together lemon zest and juice, mustard, and garlic. Remove half of the dressing; set aside. Add pasta, chopped peaches, arugula, and blueberries to bowl; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. 4. Top servings with grilled peach halves and drizzle with maple syrup. Pass the reserved dressing.

Grilled Romaine Salad The dressing on this salad tastes a lot like traditional Caesar dressing. makes 12 cups ready in 35 min.

¹C₂ 6 6 4 6

4 3 1 1

7 INCREDIBLE

farmers market salads cooking with WHOLE GRAINS THE COMPLET E GUIDE

SUMMER

FORKSOVER2018 KNIVES.COM

taco pa the ul rty!

summer timate menu, p. 18

FRESH FAVORITES You’ll find delicious, plant-based recipes for every palate in Forks Over Knives® magazine, on sale now, or shop TheMeredithStore.com.

1¹C₂

cup unsalted raw cashews Tbsp. white wine vinegar Tbsp. unsweetened almond milk tsp. Dijon-style mustard cloves garlic Salt and black pepper, to taste slices sprouted-grain bread hearts of romaine lettuce, halved lengthwise head radicchio, halved 15-oz. can no-salt-added cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed and drained cups yellow cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. For dressing, in a blender or food processor combine cashews, vinegar, almond milk, mustard, and 4 of the garlic cloves. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. 2. For croutons, halve the remaining 2 garlic cloves. Rub cut sides of garlic on bread slices. Cut bread into ¹J₂-inch cubes and spread on a baking sheet. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until crispy. 3. Place romaine and radicchio, cut sides down, on grill rack. Grill, covered, over medium-high 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly charred. Coarsely chop grilled greens, discarding cores. 4. In a large bowl combine greens, beans, and tomatoes. Toss with dressing; top with croutons.

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summer 2018 13

renewed This 300-year-old house’s glory days are yet to come after a thoughtful—and thorough—restoration. by kathy barnes

photos by michael partenio

produced by stacy kunstel

IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK, THEY WOULD TELL YOU ABOUT THE MEN WHO SAVED THEM FROM RUIN. Rob Graham and Bob Deyber bought this New England farmhouse from an eccentric, Tony-winning Broadway star in her 90s, who had shared it with her boyfriend as a weekend getaway for decades. The diva sold the home furnished, leaving her sweater on the back of a chair and toothbrushes in the bathroom. “We bought it in derelict ‘as is’ condition, which included a significant stream that ran through the stone foundation,” Rob says. “The former owner said the stream kept the home cool in the summer.” The men bought the home despite knowing that having water in the house meant they’d have to deal with rot and mold, as well as swollen plaster walls hiding unknown structural problems. That was just the start of the corrections they would need to attend to. Rob and Bob filled eight large trash bins, stripping the entire home down to the clapboard siding, roof, chimney, and original flooring. They started over, leveling every surface, pouring concrete footings and piers in the basement, and shoring up beams to make sure it was structurally sound. “We changed everything about it inside and out, but we didn’t make it bigger or smaller,” Rob says. “We wanted to return it to the best version of what it might have been.”

The town records show that the home was built in 1750, but local historians think it was actually built in 1705 based on hardware in the house and the way the timbers were cut. The age of the house and the construction style of that period meant that special care would need to be taken to ensure updates fit with the original structure. “In an old house, every wall, every window, everything is custom because of the irregular spacing and thicknesses,” Rob says. The thing they loved most about the house when they first saw it was the classic front elevation, a five-over-four Colonial with a center staircase. The layout was ideal and wouldn’t change. To

simplify the backdrop, each room was painted warm white to put the focus on art and architecture. Rob, who runs an antiques store, is always on the hunt for special items to bring home. Bob, a ﬁne artist, has a fondness for iconic Americana style, so the white palette is punctuated with pops of red and blue. The national bird, the bald eagle, can be spotted on objects throughout the house—used as lamp bases, perched on pedestals, and carved into mirrors. Paintings and prints of presidents and war heroes hang on the walls, a patriotic homage to Bob’s father, who was a POW. “Our look is eclectic and patriotic, but in a casual kind of way,” Rob says.

A. The original wide-plank floors, the fireplace, and the mantel in the family room keep the historic vibe with a new upholstered sofa, plump pillows, and collections adding comfort and surprise. The brass chandelier originally hung on an outdoor porch; the couple painted it black and relocated it to this room. B. A pair of antique twin-size Edwardian beds dress down with red-and-black buffalo-check wool blankets, making guests feel comfortable. C. Rob and Bob opted to forgo upper cabinets; instead they added a generous island full of well-organized drawers. Moravian star hanging lights shine a dose of graphic fun over the island.

“When you’re choosing materials, imagine what they will look like in 10 years. It will steer you toward simple, timeless, classic materials that won’t expire.” —homeowner Rob Graham

Summer 2018

Vol. 39, No.

HO M ES TH BL EN DAT OL D AN D NE W CO LLECT WE ’RE LOIBL ES VIN RIG HT NO G W FRE SH TAK E S ON COLOR AN D PAT TERN

TOU R AN ENC HA NTI NG GA RDE N pag e 84

NEW HISTORY Get a 1-year subscription to Country Home® magazine for $20 at magazine.store.

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14 summer 2018

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NO CHOP Who wants to labor over dinner after a long day? Pantry staples combined with fresh “no-need-to-chop” ingredients like grape tomatoes, mozzarella balls, petite peppers, whole green onions, and herbs allow you to cut your kitchen time in half.

Warm Shrimp and Baby Dutch Potato Salad start to finish 30 minutes

1 lb. baby Dutch yellow potatoes 6 oz. packaged trimmed whole green beans 1/4 cup cider vinegar 1 Tbsp. Dijon-style mustard 2 tsp. refrigerated garlic paste 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. black pepper 1/4 cup olive oil 1 lb. frozen peeled and deveined cooked large shrimp, thawed 4 cups mixed spring greens 1/2 cup fresh dill leaves 1. In a 4- to 5-qt. Dutch oven cook potatoes in a large amount of boiling water 10 minutes. Add beans; return to boiling. Cook 4 minutes more or until potatoes are tender; drain. 2. In an extra-large bowl whisk together next five ingredients (through pepper). Gradually whisk in oil until combined. Add potato mixture and shrimp; toss to coat. In a medium bowl toss greens with half of the dill. 3. Serve warm potato mixture over greens mixture; sprinkle with remaining dill. Makes 4 servings. EACH SERVING 326 cal., 14 g fat (2 g sat. fat),

183 mg chol., 621 mg sodium, 23 g carb., 5 g fiber, 3 g sugars, 26 g pro.

Poppin’ Tomato and Sausage Pasta start to finish 25 minutes

12 4 2 1 2 1/3 2 1 1/4 1/4 6

oz. bulk spicy turkey sausage cloves garlic, smashed 10-oz. pkg. grape tomatoes cup water Tbsp. tomato paste cup torn fresh basil leaves Tbsp. olive oil Tbsp. honey tsp. salt tsp. freshly ground black pepper cups hot cooked pasta Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. In a 12-inch skillet cook sausage and garlic over medium-high heat 6 to 7 minutes or until sausage is browned. Stir in tomatoes. Cook 10 to 12 minutes more or until tomatoes begin to break down, stirring frequently. Stir in the water and tomato paste. 2. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in basil, oil, honey, salt, and pepper; heat through. Serve sauce over pasta; sprinkle with additional basil and, if desired, cheese. Makes 6 servings. EACH SERVING 380 cal., 11 g fat (2 g sat. fat), 31 mg chol., 497 mg sodium, 52 g carb., 4 g fiber, 7 g sugars, 18 g pro.

NO-CHOP PREP TIPS Get into no-chop mode by filling your pantry, fridge, and freezer with ingredients you can use without chopping. Get creative and add to this list as you shop and make your own meals.

PACK YOUR FREEZER • Mixed berries

• Prechopped onions

• Mango

• Prechopped peppers

• Dark sweet cherries

• Broccoli, carrots, cauliflower

• Pineapple

• Pepper stir-fry

• Diced cooked chicken breast

• Mixed vegetables of corn, peas,

• Whole pearl onions

carrots, lima beans, and green beans

PACK YOUR FRIDGE • Riced vegetables, such as cauliflower, sweet potato, and broccoli

• Prewashed spinach, kale, mustard greens, and traditional lettuces

• Prechopped peppers

• Extra-lean ground beef, turkey, and chicken

• Presliced zucchini and yellow squash

• Extra-lean stew meat

• Garlic paste

• Chicken and turkey bulk sausage and sausage links

• Prechopped onions

• Minced ginger • Broccoli and cauliflower florets • Diced butternut squash • Grape tomatoes • Sliced mushrooms • Apple slices • Matchstick carrots, baby carrots, presliced carrots, carrot sticks

• Chicken tenderloins, breasts, and thighs • Center-cut bacon • Diced extra-lean ham • Pork chops • Assorted cheeses: sliced, grated, shredded, and crumbled (including fresh mozzarella pearls)

• Grapes

• Prepared guacamole

• Cubed or sliced melon

• Fresh salsa

• Preshredded cabbage

• Hummus

PACK YOUR PANTRY • Canned chopped green chiles

• Bottled pasta sauce

• No-salt-added canned vegetables, including pumpkin

• Whole grains

• Bottled salsa

• Petite potatoes, including fingerling

• Sliced ripe and/or green olives

• Canned beans, peas, and lentils and honey gold

• Canned artichoke hearts

• Cipollini onions

• Bottled roasted red peppers

• Breads (wide variety), including

• Slivered and chopped nuts

presliced for croutons

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summer 2018 15

Chicken Tender Kabobs prep 20 minutes grill 10 minutes

¹E₃ ¹E₄ 2 1 ¹E₂ 1 2 2 1 1 ¹E₄ 8 8

cup plain Greek yogurt cup light mayonnaise Tbsp. water tsp. sriracha sauce tsp. salt 8-oz. pkg. whole fresh cremini or button mushrooms, stemmed Tbsp. olive oil Tbsp. red wine vinegar tsp. dried oregano, crushed tsp. ground cumin tsp. black pepper chicken breast tenderloins (12 to 14 oz.) miniature sweet peppers

1. For yogurt sauce, in a small bowl combine yogurt, mayonnaise, the water, sriracha sauce, and ¹N₄ tsp. of the salt. Cover and chill until ready to serve. 2. In a large saucepan cook mushrooms in boiling water 1 minute; drain and pat dry. In a large bowl whisk together oil, vinegar, oregano, cumin, black pepper, and remaining ¹N₄ tsp. salt. Add mushrooms, chicken, and sweet peppers; toss to coat. 3. On four 12-inch skewers alternately thread chicken (accordion-style), mushrooms, and sweet peppers. Grease grill rack. Grill chicken skewers, covered, over medium heat 10 to 12 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (165°F), turning to brown evenly. 4. Serve kabobs with yogurt sauce. Makes 4 servings. EACH SERVING 262 cal., 15 g fat (3 g sat. fat), 69 mg chol., 472 mg sodium, 9 g carb., 2 g ﬁber, 5 g sugars, 24 g pro.

Asparagus, Chicken, and Green Pea Salad with Mint start to finish 20 minutes

1 1 2 1 3 3 ¹E₂ ¹E₂ ¹E₈ 1

cup water lb. asparagus spears, trimmed cups shredded rotisserie chicken cup frozen peas, thawed Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar Tbsp. olive oil tsp. salt tsp. black pepper tsp. crushed red pepper (optional) cup crumbled goat cheese (chèvre) (4 oz.) ¹E₄ cup torn fresh mint leaves

1. In a 10-inch skillet bring the water to boiling. Add asparagus. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 2 to 3 minutes or just until asparagus is crisp-tender. Drain in a colander. Rinse with cold water; drain again. 2. Arrange asparagus on a platter. Top with chicken and peas. For dressing, in a small bowl whisk together next ﬁve ingredients (through crushed red pepper). Drizzle salad with dressing; sprinkle with cheese and mint. Makes 4 servings. EACH SERVING 373 cal., 23 g fat (8 g sat. fat), 102 mg chol., 742 mg sodium, 12 g carb., 3 g ﬁber, 8 g sugars, 29 g pro.

Pan-Grilled Mahi Mahi with Avocado Sauce start to finish 20 minutes

4 6-oz. fresh or frozen mahi mahi or halibut fillets ¹E₂ of an 8-oz. pkg. refrigerated guacamole ¹E₃ cup buttermilk 1 Tbsp. prepared horseradish ¹E₂ tsp. Dijon-style mustard ¹E₄ tsp. chili powder (optional) 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1 tsp. chili powder Salt and black pepper Nonstick cooking spray 2 Tbsp. lemon or lime juice 1 5-oz. pkg. fresh baby spinach, wilted (optional) 1. Thaw fish, if frozen. For sauce, in a small bowl combine guacamole, buttermilk, horseradish, and mustard. If desired, sprinkle with the ¹N₄ tsp. chili powder. 2. Rinse fish; pat dry. Brush fish with oil; sprinkle with the 1 tsp. chili powder and salt and pepper to taste. Coat a grill pan with cooking spray; heat over medium. Add fish; cook 4 to 6 minutes per ¹N₂-inch thickness or until fish flakes easily, turning once. Drizzle with lemon juice. 3. Serve fish with sauce and, if desired, wilted spinach. Makes 4 servings. EACH SERVING 248 cal., 10 g fat (2 g sat. fat), 125 mg chol., 450 mg sodium, 5 g carb., 2 g fiber, 2 g sugars, 33 g pro.

FAST FRE SH IN-SEASO

GRAIN BOWLS N

FO R DIN NE R TO NIG HT! p. 74

Q U IC K SI M PL E H EA LT H Y M EA LS

GOOD -FOR -YOU CUCU MBER & TOMATO SALA D P. 62

QU ICK , SM ART SAUC ES p. 52

NO -CH OP NO -FU SS , p. 42

EA SY STOVE TO PA STA S P p. 82

2018 BHG.com

EAT WELL Pick up your copy of Fast & Fresh™ magazine on newsstands or at TheMeredithStore.com.

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16 summer 2018

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Caladiums Brighten shady spots with the addition of caladiums—now available in all-new colors, patterns, and habits thanks to breakthroughs in breeding. by marty ross

CALADIUMS ARE SPLASHY TROPICAL AND SEMITROPICAL PLANTS NATIVE TO CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA. Their spectacular leaves grow from knobby tubers—a little like shriveled potatoes. Whether you buy tubers or plants growing in pots, wait until the air and soil temperatures have warmed up before planting: When you’re comfortable outside in short sleeves, it’s time.

photos by jacob fox

Growing conditions Caladiums are easy to grow in well-drained garden soil or potting soil in a spot that gets dappled light. They need moisture to produce an extravagant show, so choose a place where it will be easy for you to water and add a layer of mulch to preserve soil moisture. Caladiums are hardy in Zones 9–10. Happy together Plant in groups of three, ﬁve, or seven tubers spaced 6–8 inches apart. Once they’re up and growing, they quickly form a mass of colorful foliage.

Which end is up? Look for the growth eyes, which resemble the eyes on potatoes. Plant the tubers with the eyes facing up, about 2 inches below the surface of the soil.

Give them a nudge A light application of slow-release fertilizer encourages plants to produce lots of leaves. Don’t overdo it though; too much will weaken the stems.

Problems Tubers rot if planted before the weather warms up. Too much sun may burn the leaves; too little moisture eventually causes leaves to wither. Coming back To save caladiums for next year: In fall, dig up tubers, cut oﬀ the leaves, wash oﬀ the soil, and let the tubers dry thoroughly. Store them in a paper bag or a box in a warm place (60˚F–70˚F) through the winter. Or treat them as annuals, and buy more next year.

What’s new Hybridizers have been introducing vigorous caladiums featuring rich colors and sturdier stems. Look for ‘Puppy Love’, ‘White Cap’, and ‘Day Dreamer’.

Caladiums have shy ﬂowers. It’s their magniﬁcent leaves that star in the shade garden.

A. ‘Florida Sweetheart’ A coquettish ribbon of green edges ruﬄed pink leaves. 12–18" tall B. ‘Radiance’ Glowing red veins pump up these extra-large leaves. 18–24" tall

C. ‘White Christmas’ Bold graphic contrasts make this one of the most popular caladiums. 18–24" tall D. ‘Gingerland’ A charmer with winsome pink freckles on a ﬁeld of green and white. 12–18" tall

E. ‘Chinook’ Elegant, wavy-edge leaves have salmon pink centers. 18–24" tall F. ‘Posey Pink’ Morning sun brings out a rich pink blush. 12–18" tall G. ‘Freckles’ A sun-tolerant caladium with a pink heart and snazzy white spots. 12–18" tall

Perfect Partners JULY 2 20 018

Caladiums look great with these other shade-loving plants. BHG. COM

Coo

l SUMME R

FUN

Party ideas for 4th of July the GRILL THE JUICIEST BURGER EVER p. 96

SWEET & SALTY WATERMELO N BAR p. 80

TIPS & TOO LS FOR DIY PROJECTS

FIND A NEW FAVORITE Subscribe to Better Homes & Gardens® magazine today at magazine.store and get 12 issues for $9.98.

Coleus White-splashed caladiums combine with any showy coleus for an annual display.

Wax begonia Pair pink wax begonias and pink-leaf caladiums for a no-fail combination.

Hosta Other large-leaf plants like hostas do especially well alongside caladiums.

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summer 2018 17

Pattern Play A designer banishes boring builder materials and creates an extraordinary bath retreat at her family’s weekend home. by ann m. wilson

photos by julie soefer

field editor donna talley

Bold concrete tiles set the bath’s playful, contemporary style. The cabinets’ high-gloss lacquer ﬁnish turns simple vanities into fetching furniture forms.

IT’S NOT OFTEN YOU HEAR SOMEONE DISCUSS THEIR LOVE AFFAIR WITH COLORFUL CONCRETE TILES. But when that someone is designer Courtnay Tartt Elias, principal at Houston-based Creative Tonic, it’s not entirely surprising. Known for her creative and colorful interiors, Courtnay played to her strengths with the remodel of the family vacation home near Galveston Bay, Texas, that she shares with her husband, Mark, their three teenage sons, and her brother, Blake Tartt. After gutting Blake’s master bath, Courtnay worked within the original footprint to build a tranquil retreat that

references coastal style, lavish spaces, and vintage Palm Beach motifs. “I did a fresh twist on beach, using water-inspired mint as part of the black-and-white scheme,” she says. Courtnay’s favorite concrete tiles bring graphic pattern to the ﬂoor and lower walls and pair perfectly with modern minty-green lacquered vanities. In a nod to the classics—and as a counterpoint to the room’s bold colors—Courtnay incorporated white shiplap paneling, marble countertops, and unlacquered brass ﬁxtures. Pampering amenities include a deep soaking tub beneath the

window and a roomy steam shower equipped with stereo speakers and chromo- and aromatherapy systems. Even though the bath is in a getaway home, its mix of old and new ideas, noteworthy textures, and thoughtfully edited graphics makes it a winner year-round. “We spent a lot of time thinking about each element so we could create a pleasing harmony of all the parts,” Courtnay says. “Though there is a lot of color and pattern, it’s still a wonderfully soothing place.”

Unlacquered brass ﬁxtures sparkle on the shower door and inside the subwaytile-lined space.

DESIGNER INSIGHTS: Layered Approach Courtnay Tartt Elias’ secrets for bath design include blending rough and refined finishes, combining vintage and modern accents, and showcasing high-impact materials. Her tips: THINK MEMORABLE. Whether it’s a classic chandelier, cherished artwork, antique metal hooks, or a garden urn, vintage accents add personality and warmth—and can be easily switched out when tastes change. MASTER THE MIX. Keep interest high by blending polished, honed, and rustic surfaces. In this bath, matte concrete tiles and unlacquered brass fixtures contrast with high-gloss lacquer vanities and polished countertops. ADD TREATMENTS THAT READ AS PATTERNS. Striped marble countertops, woven-grass window shades, horizontal shiplap boards, white subway tile accentuated with dark grout, and shapely towel rings and cabinet hardware work in concert with the graphic concrete tiles in this bath to create a well-balanced composition.

SPRING 2018

Above Mink marble countertops pair with unlacquered brass ﬁxtures and hardware at the vanities. The living ﬁnish will develop a pleasing patina as it ages. Below Nautical-inspired rope-and-brass towel rings nod to the home’s coastal setting.

Beautiful

KITCHENS & BATH FIND YOUR STYL

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30 MOST INN OVATIVE PRODUCTS OF THE YEAR

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SPRING 2018

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18 summer 2018

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BREAKFASTGREATS When skipping breakfast sounds better than another bowl of cold ﬂakes, rethink your options. The pressure cooker speeds up cook times and keeps cleanup minimal, so go for a hot meal on busy mornings and lazy weekends.

Multigrain HoneyAlmond Breakfast Cereal prep 10 minutes under pressure 14 minutes

6 ¹J₂ ¹J₂ ¹J₂ ¹J₂ ¹J₄ ¹J₄ 1 1 ¹J₂ ¹J₄

cups water cup steel-cut oats cup long grain brown rice cup regular barley cup corn grits cup millet cup honey tsp. ground cinnamon tsp. vanilla tsp. salt cup sliced almonds, toasted Milk Blueberries, raspberries, sliced strawberries, and/or sliced peaches

Scrambled Breakfast Hash prep 20 minutes cook 12 minutes + 3 minutes under pressure 5 minutes

6 slices bacon, chopped 1 8-oz. pkg. fresh mushrooms, sliced ¹J₂ cup chopped onion Nonstick cooking spray 1¹J₂ lb. Yukon gold potatoes, cut into ¹J₂-inch chunks ¹J₂ cup chopped red sweet pepper ¹J₂ tsp. salt ¹J₂ tsp. dried thyme, crushed

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1. In a 6-qt. multifunction electric or stove-top pressure cooker combine ﬁrst 10 ingredients (through salt). Lock lid in place. Set electric cooker on high to cook 14 minutes. For stove-top cooker, bring up to pressure over medium-high heat; reduce heat enough to maintain steady (but not excessive) pressure. Cook 14 minutes. Remove from heat. 2. For both models, release pressure quickly. Open lid carefully. Top with almonds. Serve with milk and fruit. Makes 8 servings (³X₄ cup each). PER SERVING 254 cal., 4 g fat (1 g sat. fat), 1 mg chol., 163 mg sodium, 50 g carb., 6 g ﬁber, 12 g sugars, 7 g pro.

¹J₄ 6 3 ³J₄

tsp. crushed red pepper eggs Tbsp. milk cup shredded aged Gouda, Gruyère, or cheddar cheese (3 oz.) 1 Tbsp. snipped fresh chives

1. In a 6-qt. multifunction electric or stove-top pressure cooker cook bacon over medium heat 7 to 8 minutes or until crisp. (For electric cooker, use sauté setting.) Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain; cover and refrigerate until needed. Drain all but 1 Tbsp. drippings from cooker. Add mushrooms and onion to cooker. Cook 5 to 7 minutes or until onion is tender and liquid has almost evaporated. Add potatoes, sweet pepper, salt, thyme, and crushed red pepper. Lock lid in place. 2. Set electric cooker on high to cook 5 minutes. For stove-top cooker, bring up to pressure over medium-high heat; reduce heat enough to maintain steady (but not excessive) pressure. Cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat. For both models, let stand 15 minutes to release pressure naturally. Release any remaining pressure. Open lid carefully. Drain potato mixture; discard liquid. Return mixture to pot. 3. In a medium bowl whisk together eggs and milk; pour over potato mixture. Cook 3 to 5 minutes over medium heat or until eggs are nearly set, stirring once or twice. (For electric cooker, use sauté setting.) Remove from heat. Top with cheese. Cover; let stand 5 minutes. Sprinkle with bacon and chives. Makes 6 servings (1 cup each). PER SERVING 279 cal., 14 g fat (6 g sat. fat),

213 mg chol., 542 mg sodium, 22 g carb., 4 g ﬁber, 4 g sugars, 16 g pro.

Blueberry French Toast Casserole with Lemon Mascarpone Cream prep 20 minutes under pressure 25 minutes

1 12-oz. oblong loaf crusty Italian bread, cut into 1-inch-thick slices and dried* 2 cups frozen blueberries 1¹J₂ cups whole milk or reduced-fat milk 4 eggs ¹J₄ cup heavy cream ¹J₄ cup honey 2 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 recipe Lemon Mascarpone Cream 1. Grease a 1¹X₂-qt. round ceramic or glass baking dish.** Arrange one-third of the bread slices in an even layer in prepared dish, cutting to ﬁt as needed. Top with half the blueberries. Repeat layers once using half the remaining bread slices and all remaining blueberries. Top with remaining bread slices. In a large bowl whisk together next six ingredients (through cinnamon). Slowly pour over bread in dish. (Dish will be very full.) Use the back of a large spoon to press bread down to moisten top completely. Cover dish with foil; refrigerate 30 minutes. 2. Place a steam rack in a 6-qt. multifunction electric or stove-top pressure cooker. Pour 1¹X₂ cups water into cooker. Cut three double-thick 18×3-inch heavy foil strips.

Crisscross strips; place dish on top. Use strips to transfer dish to steam rack. Lock lid in place. Set electric cooker on high to cook 25 minutes. For stove-top cooker, bring up to pressure over medium-high heat; reduce heat enough to maintain steady (but not excessive) pressure. Cook 25 minutes. Remove from heat. For both models, release pressure quickly. Open lid carefully. Use foil strips to lift dish from pot. Let stand, loosely covered, 30 minutes before serving. Serve with Lemon Mascarpone Cream. Makes 8 servings (³X₄ cup French toast + about ¹X₃ cup cream each). Lemon Mascarpone Cream Remove 2 tsp. zest and 1 Tbsp. juice from 1 lemon. In a chilled medium bowl beat ²X₃ cup heavy cream on medium until soft peaks form. In another medium bowl beat lemon zest and juice, ³X₄ cup mascarpone cheese or cream cheese, ¹X₄ cup honey, and ¹X₈ tsp. ground nutmeg on medium until well combined. Fold a third of the whipped cream into mascarpone mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining whipped cream. *Tip To dry bread slices, place slices on a large baking sheet. Bake, uncovered, in a 300°F oven 5 to 10 minutes or until dry. **Tip Make sure the dish will ﬁt into the pressure cooker. PER SERVING 451 cal., 25 g fat (13 g sat. fat),

159 mg chol., 305 mg sodium, 47 g carb., 3 g ﬁber, 25 g sugars, 10 g pro.

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summer 2018 19

build a stronger, balanced body This serious muscle-sculpting routine strengthens any hard-to-ﬁrm spot you’ve got. by sara angle

EVER NOTICE HOW ONE ARM CAN CRANK OUT MORE CURLS THAN THE OTHER? Or that it’s easier to do single-leg squats on, say, your right leg? “That’s because many of us have structural imbalances where one side of the body is stronger than the other,” says Adam Rosante, a strength and nutrition coach and the founder of the online training program and app Strong(h)er. Rather than shrug it oﬀ and move on, muscle up. “Your goal is to create an even balance of strength—and therefore a balancedlooking physique,” Rosante says. When one side of the body is stronger than the other, it creates a pull on your alignment that you’ll start to feel in the joints, he says. In fact, things like back, shoulder, and knee pain can all be signs of a muscular imbalance. Create symmetry, and you’ll not only reduce the aches—and prevent injury—but move so much better, too. Rosante designed the following routine to uncover—and even out—any strength disparities. Here’s how: You never put down the dumbbells or pause during the entire workout. This method, called complex training, is meant to tax a muscle’s staying power so the weak links are obvious. Choose dumbbells that are doable by your weaker half, and do this routine three times a week on nonconsecutive days, he says. When you sense that a weaker muscle has come up to the strength level of its counterpart, pick a heavier pair of dumbbells. Weak side? Not anymore.

photos by chris fanning

1. Sumo dead lift Works upper back, butt, hamstrings, inner thighs Stand with feet wider than shoulderwidth apart, toes turned out, holding a weight in each hand with palms facing thighs. A Squat down, sending knees out over toes. B Drive up through heels to return to start. Squeeze glutes at the top. That’s 1 rep. Do 12 reps.

2. Bent-over row Works back, arms Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a weight in each hand, arms by sides. A Press hips back and lower torso until chest is almost parallel to the ﬂoor. Let arms hang toward ﬂoor, palms facing each other, to start. B Bending elbows and driving them behind you, row dumbbells to hips. Return arms to start. That’s 1 rep. Do 12 reps. SCALE UP Do a triceps extension between rows, extending arms behind you at the top of the row and then bending elbows again before lowering dumbbells.

YOUR WORKOUT Perform a dynamic warm-up: March in place for 30 seconds, windmilling arms forward for 15 seconds, then backward. Then do 10 push-ups followed by 30 seconds each of jumping jacks, skaters, butt kicks, and high knees. Then do the exercises as indicated, back to back. That’s 1 round. Complete 3 to 5 rounds as fast as possible.

YOU’LL NEED A set of 5- to 20-pound hand weights.

B A

3. Floor press

Works shoulders, chest, arms Lie faceup on floor, holding a weight in each hand by sides. A Keeping backs of arms on floor, bend elbows 90 degrees so knuckles point to ceiling, palms facing each other to start. B Press dumbbells straight up toward ceiling, fully extending arms and keeping wrists above shoulders. Lower to return backs of arms to floor. That’s 1 rep. Do 12 reps. SCALE UP Add a skull crusher between presses, bending elbows at top of press to lower dumbbells outside of ears, then extending arms up again before returning to start. THE FRESH SEASON IS HERE! Hea

4. Overhead get-up Works upper back, shoulders, forearms, abs, butt, quads Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a weight in each hand. Press weights overhead with biceps next to ears. A Maintaining upright torso, lower to knees, one leg at a time. B Stand back up, one leg at a time. That’s 1 rep. Do 12 reps. SCALE DOWN Keep arms by sides.

SUMMER BEAUTY & STYLE We’ve Got So

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Key Mov For Powe esl Core Strenrfu gth

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June 2018 shape.com

FIND YOUR HAPPY PLACE Subscribe to Shape® magazine today at magazine.store and get 1 year for $9.98.

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20 summer 2018

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Healthy Dinners for Crazy-Busy Nights These recipes help you put a wonderful family meal on the table in less than 35 minutes.

Indian-Style Chicken with Cucumber Salad prep 5 minutes marinate 10 minutes grill 14 minutes let stand 5 minutes

¹D₂ cup low-fat Greek yogurt 4 tbsp fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving 1¹D₂ tsp olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tsp ground coriander ¹D₂ tsp ground turmeric ¹D₂ tsp paprika 1¹D₄ tsp salt ¹D₄ tsp black pepper 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs 2 tsp sugar 1 tbsp cider vinegar ¹D₂ small red onion, thinly sliced 1 large English cucumber, thinly sliced 2 tbsp roughly chopped cilantro, plus 4 sprigs for serving Naan bread wedges

TRY THIS!

Throw your naan on the grill, too—all you need is a minute per side for warm, toasty bread.

Make your own herbed spread by mixing 4 ounces of goat cheese with a few tablespoons of milk, then fold in fresh herbs.

the oil, garlic, coriander, turmeric, paprika, ¾ tsp salt and the pepper. 2. Marinate chicken in yogurt sauce for at least 10 minutes or up to 4 hours. Lightly coat each thigh with nonstick cooking spray and grill on both sides until temperature reaches 165° in center, 12 to 14 minutes. 3. In a medium bowl, combine sugar, ¹L₂ tsp salt, 2 tbsp lime juice and the vinegar. Add onion, toss several times and let stand 5 minutes. Add cucumber and cilantro. Stir well. 4. Serve chicken on a large plate with cilantro sprigs, lime wedges, cucumber salad and naan. Makes 4 servings. PER SERVING 502 Cal, 15 g Fat (4 g Sat), 51 g Pro, 37 g Carb, 6 g Sugars, 2 g Fiber, 796 mg Sodium

Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches with Creamy Herb Spread prep 15 minutes grill 11 minutes

2 1 1 2 2 ¹D₈

large zucchini (about 1 lb total) large sweet red pepper large red onion tbsp balsamic vinegar tbsp plus 1 tsp olive oil tsp plus a pinch kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 8 slices sourdough bread 1 container (5.2 oz) Boursin cheese 1 cup packed arugula

1. Heat grill to medium-high. Cut zucchini lengthwise into ¹L₃-inch-thick slabs. Core and cut red pepper into 8 slices. Cut onion into ¹L₃-inch-thick slices. Toss zucchini and pepper with 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 tsp oil, ¹L₈ tsp salt and the black pepper. Brush onion with 2 tsp oil. 2. Grill veggies on both sides until tender, 7 to 11 minutes. Brush bread with 1 tbsp oil. Grill until lightly toasted. Spread Boursin over 4 slices of bread. Layer veggies on top. Toss arugula with 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 tsp oil and a pinch of salt, and place over veggies. Cover sandwiches and cut each in half. Makes 4 servings. PER SERVING 387 Cal, 21 g Fat (6 g Sat), 7 g Pro,

42 g Carb, 6 g Sugars, 4 g Fiber, 471 mg Sodium

1. Heat grill to medium-high. In a large bowl, combine yogurt, 2 tbsp lime juice,

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TRY THIS! For a little more spice, swap teriyaki with gochujang, a Korean hot chile paste found in the Asian section of markets.

TRY SOMETHING NEW Subscribe to Family Circle® magazine at magazine.store and get 12 issues for $9.98.

Teriyaki Flank Steak and Vegetables prep 10 minutes grill 13 minutes rest 10 minutes

1³D₄ ¹D₂ ¹D₄ 1 1

lbs ﬂank steak tsp salt tsp freshly ground black pepper bunch asparagus, trimmed lb large cremini mushrooms, halved

5 tbsp teriyaki sauce, plus more for serving 4¹D₂ cups cooked white rice 1. Heat grill to medium-high. Season steak with salt and pepper. 2. Toss asparagus and mushrooms with 1 tbsp teriyaki sauce. Place steak and veggies on grill. Grill veggies until just tender, 6 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate and toss with 2 tbsp teriyaki sauce.

3. Grill steak about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, 6 minutes per side for medium. Brush on 2 tbsp teriyaki sauce and grill 30 additional seconds per side. Transfer to a carving board and rest 10 minutes. Carve steak against the grain into 1-inch-wide slices. Serve with veggies, rice and extra teriyaki sauce on the side. Makes 6 servings. PER SERVING 398 Cal, 7 g Fat (3 g Sat), 36 g Pro, 14 g Carb, 9 g Sugars, 2 g Fiber, 749 mg Sodium

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summer 2018 21

THE ORGANIZED

GARAGE Vertical storage and thrifty ideas maximize even the smallest work space. by pamela porter

JUST A FEW FEET. THAT’S ALL THE DEPTH NEEDED BESIDE OR IN FRONT OF A CAR to carve out a streamlined work space with plenty of solutions for stowing everything off the garage floor. To start the improvements in this garage, all walls were painted to create a crisp canvas. Then the underutilized area between studs was used to house slim items such as spray paint, brushes, and garden tools. This prime real estate runs floor to ceiling, and the recessed niches don’t eat up space or crowd cars like typical garage shelving. Pegboard is another wall-hugging solution that keeps tools conveniently accessible. The budget-minded panels were cut to size at the hardware store, then given a quick upgrade with a few shades of leftover paint. The many hangers and accessories available for pegboard make the panels a no-brainer in any utility space. Open storage was a conscious decision in this garage, making it easy to find and grab items. Even the shelving below the workbench was opened by removing original doors on a secondhand dining room buffet. Once painted and topped with a solid-core door, the buffet became a perfect spot to tackle painting, gardening, and repair projects. A yardstick secured to the front edge of the work top is a clever aha idea you’ll want to steal. Lighting, nonslip floor tiles, trollies, and a station for recharging tool batteries round out the modest but hardworking space.

photos by marty baldwin

produced by brian kramer

Various hooks and bins make the most of garage wall space between the studs. Bungee cords secure tall lawn tools, and scrap boards create shallow shelves for paint cans. Classy copper-ﬁnish baskets with paper labels keep contents right where you want them.

A. A flea market buffet, minus its doors, becomes a fresh and functional workbench base. The thrifty piece ﬂaunts a coat of orange paint and a generous top fashioned from a solid-core pine door cut to 20 inches wide, sealed with several coats of polyurethane, and supported at the overhung ends with wood braces. B. Spools of string and twine huddle in a copper wire basket and stay untangled when their ends are threaded through bottom openings. Simply pull a string to desired length and cut.

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E. A magnetic cutlery strip is cleverly repurposed as a convenient organizer for small, easy-to-misplace drill bits.

PRODUCTS TO TAME PAPER PILE S

KITCHEN GARAGE BATH

D. Nonslip shelf liner is an inexpensive way to keep drawer contents in place. The sheeting cuts easily with scissors and wipes clean or can be machine-washed. Combine with plastic drawer organizers for optimum tidiness.

Maximize a SM ALL

plus SECRETS TO

CUT LAUND RY ROOM CLUTTER

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Better Home s & Garde ns Special Interest Public ations

TIDY, HAPPY SPACES!

C. A wall organizer is devoted to stowing magazines and other project ideas and inspiration. Its hooks oﬀer additional spots for work gloves or safety glasses. Binder clips from an oﬃce supply store keep work gloves from losing their mates.

ORDER IN THE HOUSE Pick up a copy of Storage™ magazine on newsstands or at TheMeredithStore.com.

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22 summer 2018

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The Food Allergy Boom More people than ever before suﬀer from life-threatening reactions to one of life’s most basic needs: food. A slew of new research might help reverse this trend. by rachael moeller gorman

from developing allergies, and perhaps stall, if not reverse, the trend. But what about all the kids who already have food allergies or those who develop them anyway?

FOOD ALLERGIES AFFECT MORE THAN 4 MILLION AMERICAN CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES—and those numbers have been steadily increasing for decades, according to research published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. In 1999, 3.4 percent of kids had a food allergy; in 2011, the number jumped to 5.1 percent; and by 2015, it was 5.7 percent. The prevalence of peanut allergy alone more than tripled between 1997 and 2008. Even scarier: A recent insurance company assessment found that the number of claims related to anaphylactic food reactions—which cause the airway to constrict and can kill if not treated quickly—increased 377 percent nationwide between 2007 and 2016. The million-dollar question is: Why is this happening? What has changed so drastically to trigger this widespread problem? Researchers have several ideas, but one of the most controversial theories involves the fact that the old infantfeeding guidelines turned out to be 100 percent wrong.

New Treatments, New Hope

Guidelines Gone Wrong Food allergies used to be rare. Even as recently as the early 1980s, few children had them. But in the 1990s, more and more kids’ immune systems began overreacting to everyday foods—a chain reaction that begins when food proteins bind to immune molecules in the body called IgE. Those IgE molecules then attach to other immune cells that spurt out histamine and other inflammatory chemicals, and can very quickly cause a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction that must be promptly treated with the epinephrine from an EpiPen. In response to this upswing, the American Academy of Pediatrics released recommendations in 2000 advising moms to breastfeed exclusively until their babies were at least 6 months old, and if their infants were “high risk” for food allergy to avoid common food allergens such as peanuts and tree nuts, and consider eliminating cow’s milk, eggs, nuts and fish (the proteins are passed on through breast milk). Parents were also told to delay giving high-risk kids dairy products until age 1, eggs until age 2, and peanuts, nuts and fish until age 3. But by 2010, the science of immunology had evolved dramatically—a lot more research had been conducted and a clearer picture of how allergies work had emerged—and experts began to think that waiting to introduce allergenic foods might not be so helpful after all. A panel convened by the National Institutes of Health revised the recommendations to say that, in general, there was probably no need for infants beyond 4 to 6 months to steer clear of common allergens.

Then, in 2015, everything changed. British researchers had noticed that Jewish children living in the United Kingdom were 10 times more likely to develop peanut allergy than Israeli children of similar ancestry. One reason they thought this might be is that in Israel, parents freely give babies peanut products, usually by 7 months of age. To determine whether this early introduction of peanuts could be protective against allergies— rather than promote them—they conducted a trial called Learning Early About Peanut Allergy (LEAP), recruiting 640 infants between 4 and 11 months who were considered high-risk for developing the allergy. The babies were split into two groups: one that regularly ate a peanut snack called Bamba, and another that wasn’t exposed at all. Five years later, the peanut-eating group had 86 percent fewer cases of peanut allergy than those who avoided peanuts.

This landmark study stunned the world. “LEAP was a game-changer because it proved through a randomized, controlled trial that it was better to eat peanuts early and often to decrease the likelihood of developing an allergy,” says Kari Nadeau, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research at Stanford University. “It flew in the face of the mantra that we should avoid them until 2 or 3 years of age.” In 2017, based primarily on the LEAP findings, the NIH panel published new guidelines for peanuts that completely flipped the script—recommending that kids with an elevated risk (including those with severe eczema or an egg allergy) start eating foods containing them around 4 to 6 months of age, as long as they were given the go-ahead from an allergist first. Recent research estimates that early exposure to peanuts and other foods could prevent tens of thousands of kids

The only currently accepted “treatment” for food allergies in the U.S. is the Avoidance Maintenance Strategy (AMS), which is really just medical speak for: Don’t eat the food you’re allergic to; and if you do accidentally ingest it, inject yourself with an EpiPen (or take Benadryl for less severe reactions) and seek medical attention. In a country full of allergenic foods, this scenario happens to between 15 and 75 percent of food-allergic kids every year and racks up $25 billion in health care and related costs. Researchers want to give patients more options. “We’d like to offer a therapy that could mitigate and perhaps eradicate their food allergy,” notes Nadeau. A treatment called oral immunotherapy (OIT) that’s currently in clinical trials may be the best way to do this. Doctors use immunotherapy to treat pollen and animal allergies—giving patients a minuscule dose of the thing they’re allergic to, and increasing it little by little over time, until they’re desensitized. Over the past 10 years, some allergists have started treating food allergy patients with OIT. The big difference: You can’t die from pollen, but the wrong dose of a food allergen could trigger a reaction. But OIT can have impressive results. A breakthrough study in 2014 found that over the course of several months, 84 percent of kids were able to work up to eating about 20 peanuts without having a reaction. And there’s evidence that when an asthma drug called omalizumab (which blocks IgE) is coupled with OIT, patients become desensitized to the food more quickly, often to a higher dose, and with fewer side effects. Some companies are also trying to standardize OIT by creating a “drug”—essentially putting precise amounts of peanut flour into capsules and giving them in slowly increasing doses as part of a specific OIT protocol. One called AR101 is now in FDA trials. “The goal of the therapy is to normalize life.” And in the majority of kids, it does. Aisha Kalim’s 10-year-old son did OIT with Dallas pediatric allergist Richard L. Wasserman for milk, wheat, egg, peanuts, tree nuts and shellfish, starting with one food at a time when he was 5. He can now eat them all. “It has changed our lives,” says Kalim. Still, the food allergy community does not consider OIT a mainstream treatment, and with its potential for side effects, it’s not to be taken lightly.

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Some additional reasons why experts say rates have kept climbing. The Hygiene Hypothesis This prominent theory says an infant’s immune system needs to be exposed to an assortment of germs to train itself not to overreact to harmless things like food. That doesn’t happen as often in today’s sanitized world. As a result, immune systems have become uneducated and make mistakes. Studies in humans are few, but associations have been drawn between infants living with pets and a reduced likelihood of allergy and asthma; the same is true of kids raised on farms.

Early Skin Contact Many scientists believe infants can be “sensitized” to foods through the skin. What that means: When a child’s ﬁrst exposure to a food— like peanut residue from someone’s hands—is through an opening in the skin (a cut or eczema rash), they become sensitive to the proteins in that food. When they later eat it, their immune system attacks those proteins full force. However, when initial exposure to a food comes by eating it, the opposite happens and they become tolerant. Hence the new recommendations to feed infants a variety of foods at a young age. Plus: Moisturize babies’ skin from day one to keep eczema—and possibly food allergies—from developing.

Vitamin D Deficiency In one study, the incidence of peanut or egg allergy was three times higher in vitamin D-deficient infants than in those with healthy levels of it. (And 70 percent of American kids get insufficient amounts of the vitamin, which is linked to healthy immune system development.) But this research is preliminary. Talk to your pediatrician before giving supplements. Genetics A recent study examining patterns of small genetic mutations pinpointed five regions of DNA more highly mutated in kids with food allergies than those without them. These anomalies—which are tied in part to immune regulation—account for about 24 percent of food allergy cases.

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summer 2018 23

READY. SET. RACE! Running is the new “it” family activity—and whether you want to try a 5K or an obstacle-course event, we’ve got everything you need to know and do to happily cross the ﬁnish line together. by shaun dreisbach

A FEW WEEKENDS AGO, MY FAMILY WAS OUT DOING ERRANDS WHEN A COLOR RUN DASHED BY US— hundreds of kids and grown-ups racing through the streets, covered head-to-toe in different shades of colored powder (you get doused every kilometer of the 5K). “OMG, Mom, that looks so fun!” my 10-year-old daughter squealed. “We have to do one of those.” I should start by saying that I am not a runner—and, to be honest, I’ve never aspired to be one. I exercise all the time but don’t find the plod-plod-plod of jogging to be the spiritual, endorphin-pumping experience that my running friends do. And while my kids have their sports, they’re not runners either. But seeing those families race by—laughing, cheering each other on, and just having a total blast—even I had to admit it looked pretty awesome. Before I knew it, we were researching races and lacing up our new sneakers. I discovered something, too: You don’t need to be an experienced runner to try out a 5K—or any kind of family-friendly race, for that matter. And there are more of them than ever these days. In just a five-year span, races like the one that inspired us have seen participation rates shoot up by 4 million people. Why? Because it’s an incredibly rewarding experience that all fitness levels—and even all ages—can get into. If your kiddos can walk, experts say, they can race. “Parents ask me how old their child should be before doing something like this, and the fact is, there’s no data available to guide the decision. The more important criteria is to make sure the child has fun doing it and enjoys the training,” says Cynthia LaBella, M.D., who chairs the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness. “For most kids, the health and wellness benefits far outweigh the risks for injury.” And, she says, since these races tend to be more about fun than competition, even little ones who may not have the stamina to jog the entire time can get in on the action. “I did a 5K fundraiser race with my daughter when she was 5. It was totally hilarious!” says Anita Lavine, a

mom of two from Seattle. “She barely ran at all. There was a lot of skipping and walking—and I ran some of it with her riding piggyback. But it was an amazing experience, and afterward she had such a sense of pride that she’d done it and been involved in this special event.” Inspired to get your own family on the road? We’ve worked out all the details: You’ll ﬁnd all the pro tips to help you prepare for race day, intel on feeding and watering your kids, and everything else you need to get your race on. I’ve gotta dash, too! My family is outside warming up right now!

TIPS FOR SUCCESS These pro pointers will help you make it to race day without any hiccups. Go easy at first. “If you or your kids aren’t already runners, it’s important to start slowly in order to help prevent injuries,” says Dr. LaBella. She recommends beginning with a walk/jog program and adding no more than about 10 percent to your time or intensity each week. “Some kids may get very enthusiastic about training,” Dr. LaBella says. “So you might have to hold them back a bit to make sure they don’t overdo it.” Listen to your body. It’s important not to get too hung up on your training plan. If you need to slow down your pace or recover for an extra minute, or even jog for a little less time, that’s OK. Invest in good shoes. Don’t just order any old thing online—go to a store that specializes in running. The staffers are trained to fit everyone’s unique feet and stride, and they recommend the shoe that will work best. So worth it to keep everyone’s feet happy and pain-free! Check the fit every few months, too, says Dr. LaBella. “Kids’ feet are constantly growing, and their shoes need to be replaced more frequently than parents realize,” she says. Schedule it. Plan to run together two days a week, and mark those dates on the calendar—it will help you stick with your training. Ewunike Akpan, a certified personal trainer with the

American Council on Exercise, also recommends cross-training one day a week. It can be any activity other than running—swimming, playing soccer, whatever your family likes to do. “Mixing up activities will help you prepare for the race by building endurance, challenging your bodies in a diﬀerent way, and keeping you injuryfree,” she says. Keep hydrated. Most kids don’t need a special diet when training for a race—your regular, healthy fare will do just ﬁne. But do keep an eye on hydration. “Kids often forget to drink water during the day—even if they’re exercising. And that can lead to poor performance, migraines, and a bad mood,” says Stephen R. Daniels, M.D., chair of the AAP Committee on Nutrition. So make sure to water them well not just before, during, and after your runs—but also remind them to sip regularly throughout the day, too. Pump up the fun. While training, there are bound to be times when everyone feels a little less motivated. When it just feels hard, Akpan recommends making a family playlist that you can all listen to while you run, and treating your kids to a small reward after each workout, like a fruit pop, movie, or toy.

FIND YOUR PERFECT RACE Surf on over to these sites to locate runs in your area—5Ks, obstacle courses, and everything in between. It’s worth doing a little Googling, too; many states have their own running clubs that can help.

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