Author Archives: Lynn Welch

Winning 4th of July Grill-outs!

Posted on June 29, 2011 | 1 Comment

While summer is often thought to be the season of lighter fare, one look at a typical cook-out proves this conventional wisdom false. Calorie laden burgers, sausages and the cold treats and beverages that accompany them are typical menu items at many back-yard barbecues and neighborhood grill-outs.

For a winning July 4th grill-out, add tasty options that are not so heavy. turkey burgers and marinated turkey tenders have proven to be real crowd pleasers. There are many ways to customize either dish. Turkey Tenderloin can be grilled alone, or in a festive kabob-style with vegetables of your choice while many flavor enhancers liven up turkey burgers once thought as bland.

For best flavor, use lump charcoal if you’re grilling on a Weber or other charcoal grill. It produces higher heat and gives food a great smoky character. Soaked mesquite wood chips will produce a similar smoky flavor if you prefer to use a gas grill. Both of these are now widely available at many grocers.

Get inspiration with these ideas to create your Best July 4th Cook out with tasty turkey burgers and tenders:

Share with us your winning 4th of July grill tips. And Happy July 4th from all of us at gThankYou!

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Posted in Turkey Gift Certificates, Turkey Recipes

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What’s Your Best Grilling Adventure?

Posted on June 29, 2011 | 1 Comment

National Dairy Month is winding down here in America’s Dairyland, a month in which we celebrate all things milk related. There were gigantic breakfasts served on farms across the state during June weekends, each showcasing the best dairy products produced right here behind the Cheddar Curtain. (Ice cream sundae for breakfast anyone?)

To create a real grilling adventure, and in honor of dairy month this year, I decided last weekend to try my hand at actually grilling our Grilled Cheese sandwich. Why not? The best Grilled Cheese from our kitchen is done on a cast iron grill pan made to mimic a grill grate. Besides, most things just taste better when done on a grill. I think Martha Stewart says it best:

“The tastiest grilled-cheese sandwiches aren’t prepared in the kitchen in a frying pan. They’re made on a grill.”

Equipped with the finest cheese, bread and butter we could find on our local grocer’s shelves, I set to the task. I spread the coals to one side of our Webber grill, thinking the indirect heat method would grill our sandwich to perfection. Buttering the external side of each bread slice, I placed Marieke Gouda cheese, thin-sliced tomatoes and a thick slice of ham between them and placed it on our grill.

It only took about two minutes per side, and was, indeed, the best grilled twist on a classic that I think we’ve discovered so far. Include any of your favorite ingredients: smoked turkey and grilled veggies are on my list of next items to include.

If you need a little more instruction, there are some sites that take you through the steps:

Happy Dairy Month! Enjoy and please send us your best grilling adventure.

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Posted in All Recipes, Grocery Gift Certificates

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Go Big with Grilled Turkey

Posted on May 25, 2011 | Leave a comment

Summer arrives – regardless of the weather outlook – this weekend with Memorial Day. That means cookouts, barbecues and outdoor get-together season will also be in full swing. For my money, there’s no better way to feed a crowd and put on a memorable Memorial Day cook-out than by grilling a turkey.

Grilled turkey makes a big splash for several reasons.

  1. It’s delish, regardless of the recipe you choose. This is the top way to make the tastiest turkey ever.
  2. It’s special. A real departure from the burgers and dogs on most grills.
  3. It’s dead simple. Again, regardless of the recipe, grilling your big bird is easy on the cook, so you can enjoy your holiday.

Grilled turkey has proven to be a real pleaser at our summertime gatherings. Fire up the grill and get ready for the cook-out season ahead with these ideas:

Send in your best tips on turkey grilling. And if you have a favorite rub or other way to prep your turkey for grilling, share that, too. Happy Memorial Day weekend!

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Posted in All Recipes, Preparing Whole Turkey, Turkey Recipes

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Administrative Professionals All – Celebrate!

Posted on April 27, 2011 | Leave a comment

Fans of the cable hit show Mad Men recognize just how much office life has changed in the past few decades. Perhaps most notably gone are the multiple secretaries who toiled over many (many) tasks for the ad men, managers, editors, purchasing agents and many (many) more beneficiaries.

Today — if you’re very lucky —  your office has a bona fide administrative pro or two, along with a whole cast of others who take care of duties big and small, each necessary for keeping business moving efficiently.

No surprise that the International Association of Administrative Professionals changed the focus of this year’s Adminstrative Professionals Week (this week, April 24-30) to Celebrate All Office Professionals.

A bit on their reasoning:

“The recession has hit everyone in the office. Downsizing has forced all of us to pull together and work harder, not just the administrative professionals in the workplace. IAAP recognizes the hard work and sacrifice from everyone. This year, celebrate all office professionals.”

According to labor statistics, there are 4.1 million secretaries and administrative assistants in the U.S. today along with 8.9 million people serving in other administrative support roles. But few “traditional” secretaries still exist. In fact, only 5 percent of the administrative trade group’s membership still has the title. In their place are a slew of administrative pros that perform complex tasks managing projects, putting together budgets, serving as the staff expert on computer software and more.

Blogging on the Small Business Trends website, Susan Payton of Egg Marketing & Public Relations makes some great points just how much we rely on administrative professionals. In 5 Things an Administrative Assistant is Better at than You, she lists (among other things)

  1. Organizing your calendar
  2. Managing travel plans
  3. Removing the paper pile from your desk

I could name many (many) more. Where would we be, for example, without the office Excell expert, or the one guy who knows how to replace the toner? 

We are all, indeed, administrative professionals. Celebrate your success by recognizing the great effort everyone makes pulling together, and take pride in the work you do.

Please share your own examples of can’t-live-without admin duties performed by someone at your office. Happy Administrative Professsionals Week to us all!

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Posted in Gratitude, Management & Leadership, Thank You, Trends

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Where do you insert a meat thermometer in ham?

Posted on April 20, 2011 | 1 Comment

For food safety, a good meat thermometer is an essential kitchen tool. It’s just as important to know how to use it properly. This is the topic of much confusion and consternation. Fret not! We’ll clear it up with a common sense tips on where to insert the meat thermometer in your Holiday Ham.

Tip # 1: Always use a meat thermometer when baking ham. This applies regardless whether you’re baking a partially cooked or fully cooked ham. It will tell precisely when your ham is done avoiding over-cooked, dry hams or undercooked meat – which can cause foodborne illness.

You can’t guess at ham doneness by eyeballing or using general per-pound oven cooking times. Ovens vary too greatly, as to peoples’ eyeball perception of doneness.

Tip #2: Use the thermometer of your choice. There are many types of meat and food thermometers on the market. Choose the one you feel the most comfortable using. They’ll all do the job.

Tip #3: Insert the thermometer probe into the thickest part of the meat, avoiding the bone. For any bone-in ham, the thickest part is going to be the cut portion of the ham. But when baking a ham, it’s by far best to bake it cut side down to preserve juices. This is necessary if you’re cooking a spiral sliced ham. Solve this dilemma by inserting the thermometer at an angle from above into the thick portion below, while being careful to not insert too far to hit the bone.

Read more about meat thermometers and food safety from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Enjoy your Holiday Ham, and please share with us your best tips on using a meat thermometer with Ham.

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Posted in All Recipes, Ham Recipes

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Ham Glazes that Pop

Posted on April 18, 2011 | Leave a comment

If you’re looking for a different ham glazes to jazz up your Holiday Ham this year, try a glaze with real pop.

Peculiar as it may sound, soda pop is a tried and true ingredient in many ham glaze variations, used in recipes by such celebrity cooks as Emeril Lagasse and Nigella Lawson. These concoctions use nearly any pop, any brand found on your grocer’s shelves – colas, ginger ales and lemon-lime sodas, orange, cherry, even diet soda to cut the calories (you get the picture).

What’s the benefit of adding pop? That carbonation in the soda acts to cut the sharpness of the salty flavor of some hams. This is a big plus particularly if your taste buds react more strongly to sodium.

The most basic ham glaze contains a type of sugar (brown or maple sugar are common), an acidic liquid (such as vinegar) and flavoring agents for subtle or bold tang and spice – depending on your preference. In these, the soda replaces the vinegar and adds flavor as well.

Here are some to get you thinking:

Use these to add pop to your glaze or experiment with your own soda pop ham glazes, then share with us the results.

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Posted in All Recipes, Ham Gift Certificates, Ham Recipes

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The #1 Best Tasting Way to Prepare Ham

Posted on April 6, 2011 | 1 Comment

A nicely cooked ham is beautiful to behold. But how do you prepare the absolute, #1 Best Tasting Ham? Borrowing advice from the ham-savvy Serious Eats Food Lab, it’s easy: 1) Buy the right ham, and 2) Don’t screw it up. Fair enough.

But, seriously, ham needn’t be a complex dish. With these simple tips, you’re guaranteed to have success.

Know your ham. Many are probably unaware of the different types of ham available. Most of the hams sold in grocery stores are of the city ham variety (there are also country hams and fresh hams). You’ll recognize them filling chilled meat cases everywhere you look this month as people shop for their Holiday Ham. City hams are brined then either smoked or boiled to be moist and tender. Most are partially or fully cooked and come in a variety of choices – bone in, spiral cut, etc.

What to buy. Since most people in the U.S. choose city hams, we’ll focus on them here. There are many fine city hams to choose. One absolute: bone-in hams are more flavorful. Period. Plus, the bone makes a great soup stock.

What’s the word on water content? The more water added to the product, the less your ham will taste like a ham and it will have less of a meat-like texture. Aim for the highest protein to water ratio that you can afford, and remember this is the season for great ham deals at many markets.

Cook it right. You might think there’s little to cooking a ham. You’re mostly right, but a couple simple tips will help you nail it perfectly the first time. Note that regardless whether you choose a fully or partially cooked ham, cooking it is essential. For the former, it will enhance its flavor and juiciness. For the latter, it’s necessary.

Baking your ham is the hands-down best way to prepare it. Wrap your ham in aluminum foil, and place it in an oven bag cut side down inside a roasting pan. This method helps prevent you from inadvertently drying out your ham and is worth the effort.

If it’s a spiral-cut ham, it’s particularly important to place the ham in your roasting pan facing cut side down so the cut slices do not flop apart, dry and ruin your dish.

A partially cooked ham will need to cook 20 minutes per pound at about 350 degrees (175 celsius).A fully cooked ham will take less time, about 10 minutes per pound, to heat through.

Since ovens and hams vary, use a meat thermometer to gauge exactly when the ham is done. For accuracy, it’s important to know exactly where to insert the thermometer probe in your ham. Choose the center of the thickest part of your ham avoiding the bone. I usually go in at an angle from above,

You’ll know your ham is ready to come out of the oven when your thermometer reads about 140-degrees. It will continue to cook while it rests and stopping at this point will keep your ham juicy. The recommended rest period is 30 minutes, tented under foil, prior to slicing and serving.

That’s it! With these few simple steps you can choose, cook and serve the perfect Holiday Ham or Ham dinner any time. Share your tips with us here.

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Posted in Ham Recipes

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Eat Healthier with Ham Soup

Posted on March 29, 2011 | Leave a comment

Springtime means renewal, and for many that means taking a fresh approach to eating healthier. Count hearty ham and bean soup with a good dose of veggies among the healthy spring offerings.

High school kids in Charleston, South Carolina, helped create a recipe for a ham soup that was recently named among the semi-finalists in a nation-wide contest to create a healthy school lunch dish. The Recipes for Kids Challenge competition is part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign to end childhood obesity.

Brainstorming about what to add to their submission in the legume category to make it attractive to students, kids on the team suggested adding ham, according to the write-up in the Charleston Post & Courier.

The team, made up of students, a chef, and a representative from Slow Food Charleston and from the Medical University of South Carolina came up with Confetti Soup. Among other things, it incorporates loads of vegetables – including the health-food star, kale – with black eyed peas and turkey ham. And there are many lean ham choices that add great flavor and nutrition to soups and other dishes.

This soup is among five of the semi-finalists in the legumes category. View all 15 semi-final recipes. Try them, then vote for your favorite.

It’s just another great example of why we love ham soup. It’s good and good for you.

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Posted in Ham Recipes, Ham Soups

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NEWS RELEASE: New Spring gThankYou Cards Accent your Employee Appreciation

Posted on March 24, 2011 | Leave a comment

The path to increased loyalty and productivity is paved with employee gifts that convey appreciation and thanks. gThankYou, Corporate America’s favorite employee gift seller, helps you put a memorable touch on gifts to employees, clients and friends with fresh spring Enclosure Cards.

When you choose a gift from gThankYou, you receive your choice of new spring card designs, each conveying thanks for a job well done. Each new design is now available for easy distribution with your Ham, Grocery, Dessert or Turkey Gift Certificates from gThankYou.

“You don’t have to look at a lot of research to know that a pat on the back nets better results than criticism,” according to Rick Kiley, President of gThankYou. “Fact is, research shows workplace gifts build loyalty, boost success and increases ROI.”

These cards add a personal touch to Employee Gift Certificates. Choose cards that feature a Blooming Walkway, Colorful Easter Egg and Blooming Tree and more.  Each design was created by artist Amy Pierquet of Waterfront Graphic Design, and each makes these employee gifts memorable and creates a reward program that gets results.

Personalize cards at no additional charge, one of the convenient reasons employers choose gThankYou Gift Certificates.  This service includes a card design of your choice plus your company name and the recipient’s name printed on the Gift Card.

Order Ham Gift Certificates, Grocery or Turkey Gift Certificates easily online at www.gthankyou.com. Certificates are simple to give, often distributed with payroll. Redeeming Certificates is easy, too. Employees can redeem Certificates at any grocery store for the Ham, Groceries or Turkey of their choice.

gThankYou Gift Certificates are the ideal workplace gift. They’re meaningful, affordable and appreciated by all. They offer the perfect opportunity for leaders to recognize workplace success. Learn more at www.gThankYou.com or by calling 888-484-1658.

About gThankYou.com

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin. Find out more about gThankYou on the company’s website. And read more about how Thanks can boost your company at the gThankYou.com blog (http://blog.gthankyou.com/). Contact: Rick Kiley, President, gThankYou, LLC, info@gthankyou.com, 888-484-1658. gThankYou is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

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Posted in * News Releases - gThankYou!

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Engaging Employees as a Strategic Tool

Posted on March 17, 2011 | 1 Comment

It’s no secret that praise produces better results than criticism. But the way top companies use this tool as a strategy to drive business success is a story not widely told.

According to research from Gallup Inc., engaged employees are more productive, profitable, more customer-focused and safer. Plus, they’re more likely to stick with a job. Says Gallup:

“The best-performing companies know that an employee engagement improvement strategy linked to the achievement of corporate goals will help them win in the marketplace.”

How does it work? Take the example given by Doug Conant, Campbell’s Soup CEO. Blogging in the Harvard Business Review’s The Conversation, Conant explains how he developed engagement as a business practice and why. As is often the case with the best ideas, it grew out of personal experience.

Conant was able early in his career to develop the analytical skills he needed to succeed in business only after initial failure. He succeeded after moving to a division that fostered employee growth through encouragement. It led him to a firm belief that offering a pat on the back is the best way to engage employees:

“Over the years, I’ve worked on acknowledging others for their efforts. I’ve managed to marry tough-minded performance standards with tender-heartedness.”

How does engagement affect the bottom line? According to Gallup research, companies with “world-class engagement” have 3.9 times the earnings per share growth rate compared with those in the same industry with lower engagement.

Creating an engagement program can mean a mindset change, described by Gallup as requiring, “a year-round focus on changing behaviors, processes, and systems to anticipate and respond to your organization’s needs. From the leadership team to the frontline employees, all levels within an organization must commit to making these changes.”

In his journey at Campbell’s, Conant notes three elements that have worked well for him:

  1. Make it personal: Conant describes how he takes a “direct, sincere and authentic” approach to establish trust and build a solid foundation for the relationship from the start.
  2. Seek celebration opportunities: How? “My executive assistants and I spend a good 30 to 60 minutes a day scanning my mail and our internal website looking for news of people who have made a difference at Campbell’s,” he explains
  3. Go old school with Thanks: Your mom and grandma were right — again. Writing Thank You notes make a big difference. Says Conant, “Believe it or not, I have sent roughly 30,000 handwritten notes to employees … over the last decade.”

Conant’s engagement strategy has been credited for turning the company around over the past decade. No real surprise. After all, it doesn’t take a lot of research to know that a pat on the back means more than a slap on the wrist.

Share with us your employee engagement success story.

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Posted in Management & Leadership, The Art of Thank You, Trends, Gratitude, Thank You

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