The holidays are on the horizon and that means family gatherings and time for food, fun and festivities. But we all know that entertaining sometimes comes with stress and anxiety. Are my guests going to like what I made? What if I burn the meal? How am I going to talk to everyone and catch up when I have so much to prepare? Sound familiar? Having your holiday party or get-together catered is an option that will keep you mingling with your guests without the cooking and cleaning. Below are some of the best catering businesses in our area that will take the stress out of entertaining while leaving you more time to relax and enjoy your guests. Bon appetite!

A recently rediscovered ancient "grain" native to South America, quinoa was once called "the gold of the Incas," who recognized its value in increasing the stamina of their warriors. Among its other nutritional benefits, if you are prone to migraines, try adding quinoa to your diet. Quinoa is a good source of magnesium, a mineral that helps prevent the constriction and rebound dilation characteristic of migraines. Magnesium has been shown to be related to a reduced frequency of headache episodes reported by migraine sufferers. Quinoa is also a good source of riboflavin which is necessary for proper energy production within cells. Riboflavin (B2) has been shown to help reduce the frequency of attacks in migraine sufferers by improving the energy metabolism within their brain and muscle cells.

It's summer! Nothing says summer like grillin' out, drinkin' beer, and having a summer fling. So, if you're single and want to mingle, taken but don't want to do the bakin', or just a chick that's not afraid to admit she watches Nascar and enjoys a ball game, make sure you check out these local eats while getting in touch with your manly side. You can thank us if you meet a keeper or when your other half is impressed. Just don't blame us when you see how many calories you've consumed or if you catch yourself yelling at a TV screen like a sailor. Enjoy!

shenandoah american grill
44630 Waxpool Road | Ashburn, VA 703-858-7777
www.shenandoahamericangrill.com
A new venture opened by two southern natives, is sure to please anyone in need of wholesome comfort-food with its creative take on come-to-mama cuisine. Though the flavors are familiar, originality is key and definitely not lacking here. Try pimento cheese fritters or a deep-fried deviled egg as a starter, fill up on baby back ribs or taco pie, and make sure you save room for dessert. Who can resist Coca-Cola cake or Krispy Kreme bread pudding? If you really want to indulge, try the fully enclosed cigar lounge for a nightcap.

We have asked favorite ice cream flavors to our readers.

Here they are:

• Graeters Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
• Friendly’s Toasted Almond Fudge
• Maggie Moo's Peanut Butter Galaxy
• Haagen Daz Cookie Dough
• Dairy Queen’s Chocolate Soft Serve
• Milwaukee Frozen Custard's Raspberry Chocolate Chip
• Cold Stone Chocolate in a Waffle cone

Blue Crab Fritters with roasted corn salsa and lobster ginger sauce
Sweetwater Tavern (Sterling)
45980 Waterview Plaza Sterling, VA 20166
571.434.6500
greatamericanrestaurants.com

Crispy Calamari with lemongrass aioli, (Café Menu)
Tuscarora Mill
203 Harrison Street Leesburg, VA 20175
703.771.9300

Fresh Lump Crab & Spinach Dip served with warm pita wedges
The Old Brogue
760C Walker Road Great Falls, VA 22066
703.759.3309
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Bang Bang Shrimp tossed in a creamy, spicy sauce
Bonefish Grill
43135 Broadlands Center Plaza Ashburn, VA 20148
703.723.8246

Maryland Cream of Crab Soup, cup or bowl
Willow Creek Farm
42920 Broadlands Boulevard Broadlands, VA 20148
571.209.1200

Bite Me is a cookbook written by Julie Albert and Lisa Gnat, two sisters who have been described as ‘passionate eaters and skilled feeders.’ The most noticeable difference with this oversized and colorful book is that from the moment you open the pages, you’ll start chuckling.  These dedicated mothers and business women are full of beans, basil, balsamic vinegar, butter, raspberries…. well you get the picture—they’re really funny.  Bite Me is clever, stylish and extremely satisfying, while being easy and fun to read. Like most cookbooks, the sections are divided, but here instead of ‘Soups’ you’ll find ‘Spoon Me.’  Looking for salads?  They’re there under ‘unDress Me.’ There is even a ‘Whoopsie’ section that gives you suggestions on what to do when things go wrong (we really liked this section.) Each page is filled with easy to follow and foolproof recipes, anecdotes, tips and beautiful photographs.

This Mother’s Day create a delicious wake up call for mom with breakfast in bed. Chef Jacques Haeringer, author of TWO FOR TONIGHT, a collection of romantic meals for two, believes love begins in the kitchen.  “Life’s memorable moments are not complete without a festive meal.  At home, preparing a meal for someone special is an act of love, much more significant than buying flowers or candy.  We are most susceptible to love after we have enjoyed a good meal,” Chef Jacques explains.

Romance is a tradition for Chef Jacques and his restaurant, the legendary L’Auberge Chez Francois, in Great Falls, Virginia.  Long known for not only great food, but their unique setting, Jacques and his family have been serving up romance to their customers for almost 60 years.  “Our customers love to come to the restaurant for the special occasions in their lives, whether it’s an engagement party, wedding, birthday or for Mother’s Day.  We supply the food, ambience, and service; they bring their own romantic magic.”

As a cook, I get bored making the same thing day after day. I need to constantly change it up or being in the kitchen just isn’t fun for me. Recently, Kenya has been asking for omelets EVERY morning for breakfast. So after the first few days of “crack eggs, whisk eggs, cook eggs”, I decided to see how he’d respond to a bit of a change.

“Egg in the Hole” was one of my favorite breakfasts from childhood. This dish is especially great because there’s lots of fun stuff the little ones can do to help you prepare it — getting to make the holes in the bread is probably the most fun. When I was a kid, a simple drinking glass did the trick. But here at weelicious, we believe things can always be MORE fun. Well, cookie cutters aren’t JUST for making cookies, you know. While you’re getting everything ready to prepare the “Egg in the Hole”, your little ones can rummage through your cookie cutters and pick the shape they want their egg to be. Say hello to “Egg in the Witch”, “Egg in the Gingerbread Man”, “Egg in the Star”, and more! In no time flat you’ll have a delicious high protein and carbohydrate meal that’s the perfect start to a day….and never boring!

I am addicted to Grape-Nuts and have been for years. There is something about the nutty, crunchy taste that I just can’t get enough of. Kenya is getting to the age where he wants to try everything he sees me eat. So when I pour my bowl each morning, he always wants to munch on a few. It became clear to me very quickly that he inherited my love for them. Still, I want him to have variety in every meal, so I decided to make him a Grape-Nut breakfast parfait. Sure I could just make him his own little bowl with milk and berries, but that could be a real mess. So I came up with this recipe that also gives him fruit and dairy in addition to the carbohydrate of the Grape-Nuts. This being the week of 4th of July, I incorporated a red, white and blue theme for the fun of it, but it’s great any day of the week.

NO PLACE LIKE HOMEMADE

I was a military brat, but today I look back at all the moving and upheaval in our routines as great lessons in flexibility, acclimation, patience and an appreciation of the unknown.  We experienced cultural diversity, and in every locale, my mother delved into the culinary delights of the areas – whether it was making tabouleh in Lebanon, rice cakes in Japan or tacos in Texas, we were tasked to “at least try it” as kids.  Not only did I try it, but I was attached to her hip in the kitchen when she cooked, much to her chagrin.