In a pickle What to do if it rains at your BBQ

Rain is no match for your BBQ

You've been planning a cookout with friends and family for weeks now — only to see that rain is in the forecast. Instead of canceling, make the most of it!

Finding out that it's going to rain on the day of your barbecue is almost as bad as finding out it's going to rain on the day of your wedding (OK, maybe not quite as bad).

Still, a little rain doesn't have to ruin the entire day. Keep a positive attitude and make the most of the situation. Friends and family know you have absolutely zero control over the weather, and they certainly will be happy to come over anyway. Here, we'll look at a few things you can do to salvage the day if it just so happens to rain on your barbecue.

Move the barbecue inside

Who says barbecues have to be outdoors? Not us! We think there's nothing wrong with cooking burgers on the stove or moving the grill to the garage. If you know it's going to rain in advance, you could pick up an indoor grill and clear out some space in your living room or even purchase a large, outdoor shade to cover up the grill and your chairs.

Have a few games to play

Since outdoor games like beer pong and corn toss will be off-limits, have a few games prepared that you can play inside. As long as the drinks are flowing, no one will mind sitting around the dining room table instead of outside on the deck. Again, it's all about keeping a positive attitude and enjoying the company of friends and family.

Check out our list of the best dinner party games >>Turn it into a potluck party

If you were planning on grilling burgers and providing a bunch of outdoor sides, like watermelon, potato salads and chips, make sloppy Joes instead and have everyone bring a side of their choice. This gives the party a bit more variety and takes some pressure off of you to have to cook everything in the kitchen.

The slow cooker is your friend

If you were planning on having ribs, beef brisket or pork tenderloin, throw it in the slow cooker midmorning if rain is expected to come your way. You'd be surprised at how juicy and tender the slow cooker cooks the meat, and we love that it requires little to no effort on your part!

Try this slow cooker barbecue chicken recipe >>Change the time, not the day

Hopefully, the rain won't last all day. In fact, it's pretty rare to have a consistent downpour all day long. Call up your guests in advance and ask if they wouldn't mind changing the time by a few hours. If it's not expected to rain until the evening, invite everyone over for an afternoon barbecue. If rain is in the forecast midmorning to early afternoon, have guests arrive closer to dinnertime. Given the circumstances, most everyone will be able to accommodate. And if not? Keep the barbecue at its pre scheduled time, pour yourself a drink (or five) and enjoy!

More on barbecues

Throw a summer barbecue on a budget
7 Summer barbecue party must-haves
How to set your table for a summer BBQ

Japanese encephalitis vaccine

Protect Yourself Against This Mosquito-Borne IllnessJapanese encephalitis is a disease that affects the brain and can cause brain damage or death -- but it can be prevented by the Japanese encephalitis vaccine.

Who gets japanese encephalitis?

Spread by infected mosquitos, the disease is commonly contracted by people who are traveling or working in eastern and southern Asia and the western Pacific. The risk depends on where you travel, how long you stay in each area and your activities while there. The risks are generally higher in farming or agricultural areas. If you plan to be in these areas for an extended period, speak to a physician about getting the vaccine. Those who are working directly with the virus (such as researchers and lab workers) also should get the vaccine.

Those who should not get the vaccine include pregnant women, people who have had a reaction to the Japanese encephalitis vaccine in the past, people who have had severe allergic reactions to other vaccines, and children under 12.

What are the symptoms?

Japanese encephalitis is a life-threatening infection of the brain; one in four of those infected die, and many who survive have extensive brain damage. The virus can seem flu like in the early stages, with fever, aches, nausea, headache, diarrhea and a loss of awareness. It can only be contracted through a bite from an infected mosquito --  it's not transmissible from person to person.

Vaccine recommendation

The Japanese encephalitis vaccine is given a series of three doses, normally over the course of 30 days. If needed, the vaccine can be administered within 14 days, but this can reduce its effectiveness. If you are continually exposed to the virus, you should get a booster shot every 3 years.

What you need to know

Side effects of the Japanese encephalitis immunization include soreness and swelling of area where the vaccine was injected, nausea, headache and rashes. More severe reactions can be due to an allergy and can include hives and swelling of the throat, tongue or lips.

Get fit kids 5 ways to get your kids to be more active

Inevitably, spring brings with it thoughts of fitness, fresh starts, health and the looming bathing suit season. But it’s not just adults who benefit from moving more and eating better.

Get your brood moving

This month, we urge you to get your kids involved in spring fitness. Active kids are not only happier kids, they’re healthier, too. Not to mention the benefit of starting them on the path to better living – for life. To help make this the season of a fitter family, we’ve put together five simple ways to get your kids moving.

Set a good example

The best way to inject more activity in your kids’ lives is to set a good example. If your children never see you exercising or only see you in front of a laptop or BlackBerry, getting them off the couch becomes that much more difficult. So first things first: Practice what you preach. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk to the corner store to get milk rather than drive, take your bike to meet a friend for coffee and spend time outdoors – in the garden, walking in the neighborhood or heading to the park. The more they see you moving (rather than sitting in front of a screen), the more likely they will be to follow suit.

Make it fun

We're conditioned to think that getting fit is a constant (boring) struggle, but the key to getting your kids to move more is to associate activity with enjoyment. Start a weekly neighborhood baseball game, take a walk to the park after dinner and play tag as a family, enroll your kids in an activity they’re interested in -- dance, karate, ice hockey or swimming, to name a few -- and encourage active versus passive play (e.g., a game of hide and seek versus video games). The more fun it is to get their blood pumping, the more kids will choose to move rather than sit.

Limit screen time

One of the most significant roadblocks to many kids moving more is the amount of time they spend in front of a screen. From texting and checking Facebook to computers, PlayStations and Xboxes, there’s barely time to do homework and eat, let alone exercise. In order to help make fitness a part of your kids’ lives, limit their screen time. Implement times where they absolutely cannot be watching TV, playing video games or staring at their phones. With no buttons to press or controllers to use, they’ll be hard-pressed not to want to head outside or do something to get off the couch.

Build it in to their routine

Kids thrive on routine – get up, go to school, have lunch, come home, do homework, have dinner, etc. If your children are younger (teens like to create their own routines), simply build activity into their daily schedule, whether it’s through a class you enroll them in or something you do as a family. Perhaps a post-homework walk, playing basketball in the driveway before dinner or taking the dog for an extra-long walk after school. Once movement is ingrained in their daily routine, it becomes a lot easier to ensure kids embrace fitness as they grow up.

Embrace the outdoors

Spring is the perfect time to move more because the weather is warming up, the sun is shining and being outside is much more fun than sitting in a stuffy apartment. Use the new season as an excuse to get outside as much as possible and encourage your kids to do the same. Get their bikes tuned up, take all the outdoor toys and sports equipment out of storage (and put it to good use) and take advantage of any green space you have in your area, from parks to conservation areas.

The more you can make fitness a part of your children’s lives now, the more likely they are to embrace an active lifestyle into adulthood.

More about fitness

5 Fast and fun workouts for busy moms
6 Tips for moving past a weight loss plateau
6 Must-try fitness trends for a new season

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Cool summer sips recipe

Icy drinks
to beat the heat

With summer upon us, we need to say cool and calm anyway we can. Here, we serve up three tasty fruity drinks to keep the sun's rays at bay.

When it's hot out, it's very important to keep ourselves hydrated, however plain water gets boring and fast.

These fruit-inspired drinks are the perfect icy cold remedy for beating the sweltering heat. Great for kids young or old, they are a refreshing way to stay cool.

Old-fashioned lemonade with fresh raspberries recipe

Inspired by tasteofhome

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:1 cup rinsed fresh organic raspberries2/3 cup sugar (more or less depending on your desired sweetness)1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice2 to 2-1/2 cups water (the less water the stronger the lemonade will be)Directions:

In a bowl add the raspberries and sugar and mash with a fork. Let the berries stand for about 15 minutes.With a fine mesh strainer mash the raspberry mixture over the pitcher to remove the seeds. Add in the lemon juice and the water mixing very well. Taste to see if you need to add more sugar.Pour into glasses and serve ice cold.

Pineapple ice cream float recipe

Serves 6

Ingredients:1 pint good quality vanilla ice cream1 2-liter bottle pineapple sodaWhipped creamFresh pineapple for garnish Directions:

In each of six glasses add two large scoops of vanilla ice cream.Gently pour the pineapple soda over top of the ice cream.Add whipped cream and garnish with fresh pineapple or any other fruit.

Summer cherry limeade recipe

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:2-liter bottle Sprite or 7UP1 cup fresh squeezed lime juice1 cup organic granulated sugarOne (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, with juiceFresh cherries and lime wedges for garnish Directions:

In a large pitcher, add in the lime juice and sugar, mixing very well until the sugar has dissolved.Once sugar is dissolved add in the jar of cherries along with their juices continuing to mix. Refrigerate for at least one hour.Before serving, add Sprite or 7UP and garnish the drinks with fresh limes and cherries.

More fruity drink recipes

Lavender lemonade
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Fun, fruity margaritas

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Pumpkin pie on a stick

It's hard to resist pumpkin pie, and even more difficult to say no to its newest form: sitting atop a stick! Pie pops have been all the rage on the blogosphere, so why not try them out for your next party?

Adorable and delicious

Not only are they beyond adorable, they're much easier to eat while mingling!

Pumpkin pie on a stick

No one can resist pumpkin pie, spiced to perfection with all the goodness of cinnamon and nutmeg. Add a dollop of whip cream and it's hard to imagine how this dessert could get any better! Then along came the pie pop! All the greatness of pumpkin pie is wrapped up in these adorable two-bite treats that are sure to impress even the toughest crowds!

Ingredients:4 unbaked 9-inch pie shells1 egg white (for egg wash) decorative sugar (optional)

Pumpkin pie filling: 

3/4 cup brown sugar1/2 teaspoon kosher salt1 teaspoon vanilla extract2-1/2 teaspoons five-spice powder2 large eggs1 (15 ounce) can plain pumpkin (not spiced)1 (12 ounce) can sweetened condensed milkDirections:1Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2Step 2

Mix sugar, salt and five-spice powder in a small bowl. Set aside. Beat eggs and vanilla in a separate small bowl. In a large bowl, mix the pumpkin and sweetened condensed milk. Add in the sugar mixture and the egg mixture. Set aside.

3Step 3

Roll out the unbaked pie crusts on a well-floured surface.

Use a round cutter or overturned drinking glass to cut out as many circles as you can. Gather the scraps and repeat. Repeat with additional pie crusts.

4Step 4

Place pie dough rounds onto lined cookies sheets. Press lollipop sticks into each round. Adjust spacing to accommodate the lollipop sticks.

1Step 5

Place a small spoonful of pie filling onto each round. Leave at least 1/4 inch around the sides.

6Step 6

Add the top crust. Using an additional lollipop stick, gently press the end of the stick around the pie crusts, creating small dots, and ensuring that the pie pops are sealed. If any pie filling leaks out, gently remove it with a paper towel.

7Step 7

Brush the tops of each pop with an egg wash.

8Step 8

Sprinkle with decorative sugar if desired.

9Step 9

Place your pie pops in the oven and bake for roughly 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden around the edges. Repeat with remaining dough rounds and pie filling.

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Mini coconut cream tarts

Delicious Coconut
Cream TartsEverything is better when made in miniature and these coconut cream tarts are no exception. A creamy coconut custard blends harmoniously with buttery pie dough to create perfectly portioned miniature desserts that are full of coconut flavor.Mini coconut cream tarts

Yields 6, 4-inch, tarts

Ingredients1 1/4  cups half and half1/4 cup coconut milk1/2 vanilla bean; scraped1 egg1/3 cup white sugar1/4 cup all-purpose flourPinch salt3/4 cup flaked coconut, toasted, divided use1/4 teaspoon coconut extract (optional)6, 4-inch, tart shells, baked1 1/2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawedDirections

In a medium saucepan, combine half and half, coconut milk, vanilla bean and scraped insides of the bean, egg, sugar, flour, and salt; bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly.Remove from heat, and stir in 1/2 cup of the coconut and the coconut extract; pour into pie shell and chill 2 to 4 hours, or until firm.Top tarts with whipped topping and remaining 1/4 cup of coconut.Note: To toast coconut, spread it in an ungreased pan and bake in a 350 degree F oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring often.

More holiday dessert recipesThanksgiving dessert cocktailsGluten-free holiday dessertsChristmas bread pudding recipes

Thai chicken curry recipe

One Pot WonderLove Thai food? So do we! Wow them with flavor and get your Thai chicken curry fix in the comfort of your own home with this deliciously balanced, one pot recipe!

Thai curry pastes are a wonderful staple to have on hand in the fridge. Different brands vary in their spiciness level, so be sure when adding to recipes, do so a tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired taste and heat level!

Thai chicken curry recipe

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:1-1/4 pounds uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips1 medium green pepper, sliced into strips1 medium red pepper, sliced into strips1 small onion, sliced into strips1 cup diced eggplant2 tablespoons sesame oil (divided)2 tablespoons olive oil2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely chopped1 tablespoon fresh garlic, finely chopped1 (13.5 ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock2 teaspoons fish sauce2 teaspoons sugar2-3 heaping tablespoons red Thai curry paste (more or less according to desired spiciness)Fresh basil, cut into strips (cilantro can be substituted)Lime slices for garnishKosher salt and pepperDirections:

Salt and pepper chicken on both sides. In a large pot, heat one tablespoon of sesame oil and the olive oil over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic and saute, stirring often about 2-3 minutes. Add chicken to the pot and continue sauteing, stirring often until chicken is just cooked through and no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.To the same pot, add the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil. Add the green pepper, red pepper, onion, eggplant and nice pinch of salt. Saute vegetables, stirring often, until soft and fragrant, about 6-8 minutes.Return chicken to the pot. Add coconut milk, chicken stock, fish sauce, sugar and Thai curry paste. Whisk all ingredients around in the pot well. Allow pot to simmer about 5 minutes.Right before serving, add lots of fresh basil and stir. Taste and add additional curry paste, sugar and/or salt only if needed. Serve hot with additional basil on top, lime slices and prepared jasmine rice if desired.

TIP:

Don't leave out the fish sauce. It's a crucial ingredient to ensure an authentic Thai flavor.

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