Family Day

The National Center on Alcohol and Substance Abuse (CASA) has initiated Family Day - A Day to Eat Dinner With Your Children. Family Day is a movement reminding parents and families that dinner makes a difference in the lives of children.

The Web site contains examples of public service announcements that have aired on stations such as CBS, as well as what's in the news about family dinners, parenting tips, and how to be a STAR Parent.

Family Day, 2010 is on September 27th.

Here is one of the featured public service announcements:

http://casafamilyday.org/familyday/files/media/video/CASA-Family-Day-2008-Public-Service-Announcement.mpg


Featured Recipe:

Taco Salad (From eatingwell.com)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup prepared salsa
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound 93%-lean ground turkey
• 2 large plum tomatoes, diced
• 1 14-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 8 cups shredded romaine lettuce
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Preparation: 

1. Combine salsa and sour cream in a large bowl.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add turkey and cook, stirring often and crumbling with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, beans, cumin and chili powder; cook, stirring, until the tomatoes begin to break down, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in cilantro and 1/4 cup of the salsa mixture.
3. Add lettuce to the remaining salsa mixture in the bowl; toss to coat. To serve, divide the lettuce among 4 plates, top with the turkey mixture and sprinkle with cheese.

My husband and I have created our own variations of this recipe. We have omitted the meat, exchanged the kidney beans for black beans, and have pressed a tortilla into a bowl, filled with lettuce, and topped with the taco mixture. The tomatoes can be exchanged for canned or omitted. Take what you like from the recipe and go with it!