We Have to Meet and We Have to Eat
By Holly Clegg

The slower pace of summer seems to diminish as the month of September ushers in the beginning of fall. The Labor Day holiday gives us one last opportunity to enjoy a barbecue gathering and have that final big day of fun in the sun. The children return to school, we resume our fall commitments that were on hold all summer, and then meetings begin to schedule.

Whether a club resumes its monthly meetings, the school holds meetings to be informative or the fall events must be planned, the days of September seem to be filled with all types of meetings. We all need to meet and we all need to eat. Therefore, this is the time of year that you frequently hear that very familiar line, "Can you bring something."

There are those that are first to volunteer so they have the job of supplying the drinks and paper goods. Yes, it definitely is the easy job but I just hate hauling all those heavy drinks. For a simple inexpensive refreshing drink, buy containers of flavored tea or lemonade and slice some oranges to float on the top. If paper goods are your responsibility, maybe add a little flair by going to a party supply store. There are a variety of colored plates and napkins that can be purchased in quantity for a reasonable price. Choose theme colors for that added touch and it makes eating just a little more fun.

Ok, you are asked to bring a main dish, salad, or dessert. Most importantly, be sure to bring food in a disposable dish so you don't have to worry about finding the container to take home after the meeting is over. There are all kinds of inexpensive containers from foil to plastic for whatever recipes you have brought.

Parsley is probably the easiest garnish to use to spice up the appearance of your finished dish. Purchase one bunch of curly parsley, group parsley sprigs in the corners of your dish, and with little effort, you have made a visual difference.

When asked to bring a salad, I recommend a marinated salad, pasta salad, or one that does not require dressing to be tossed at the last minute. No one ever knows the length of time before eating so this is a great way to avoid the soggy salad issue. If you are ever in a pinch, there are always nicely prepared fruit trays available at the grocery store.

For dessert, a homemade treat will always steal the show and a favorite is always brownies. I prefer to bake bar cookies because they are made in pan which is a time saver and bar cookies seem to fill a plate better than cookies. Of course, there is always the local bakery or a cookie cake which the kids adore. Here are a few ideas for you to prepare the next time you are asked to bring a dish.

• Spicy Tea Punch
• Buttermilk Brownies
• Super Salsa
• Holly's Chicken Salad

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  HollyClegg is author of the best selling Trim & Terrific cookbook series including her latest The New Holly Clegg Trim & Terrific Cookbook. She appears on Fox & Friends, the NBC Weekend Today Show and her recipes have been featured in Cooking Light, USA Today and People Magazine. For more recipes visit, www.hollyclegg.com.