(Family Features) Family reunions, birthday celebrations and holiday gatherings all bring loved ones together for special occasions that call for delicious meals and snacks. To help elevate entertaining in your household, make hosting a cinch with quick, shareable recipes.

Pizza, for example, is a nearly universally beloved dish ideal for sharing. This version is simple, fresh and perfect for entertaining guests or just for a night in with fresh mozzarella, Prosciutto di Parma and fresh basil.

For savory seasonal flavor, look no further than Sweet Potato Rounds topped with fried sage leaves, goat cheese and prosciutto. When guests arrive, greet them with easy hors d’oeuvres that balance wellness with indulgence like this Crudites Platter or Fresh Snack Board.

To help ensure the freshest of ingredients in these tasty appetizers, look for the “Parma Crown” on packages of Prosciutto di Parma, which you can find pre-packaged or available for slicing at many gourmet deli counters and specialty food stores. Containing no additives, preservatives or hormones, Parma ham contains no additives, preservatives or hormones and is 100% natural. Aged twice as long as many other options, it creates a depth of flavor that’s delicate and sweet-savory with a buttery texture.

Find more easy appetizers perfect for entertaining at parmacrown.com.

Fresh Snack Board

• 1/3 pound Prosciutto di Parma
• 1 apple, sliced
• 1 handful pecans, walnuts or almonds
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1/2 cup fig jam
• 1/2 pound sharp cheddar cheese, sliced
  crackers

1. On charcuterie board or platter, arrange prosciutto, apple slices, nuts, pomegranate seeds, fig jam and cheddar cheese slices. Serve with crackers.

Prosciutto Pizza

Yield: 8 slices

• Olive oil
• flour
• 1 container (16 ounces) store-bought pizza dough
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 4 ounces fresh mozzarella, cubed
• 5 slices Prosciutto di Parma
• 6 fresh basil leaves

1. Remove dough from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 500 F. Grease baking sheet with olive oil.
2. Roll out pizza dough onto floured work surface to form oblong shape about 16 inches long and 12 inches wide. Remove to oiled baking sheet and stretch out edges to fill length of baking sheet.
3. Bake 4 minutes. Remove from oven and evenly spread tomato sauce over surface, leaving 1/2 inch from edges bare. Dot with mozzarella. Bake until edges are golden and mozzarella is bubbling, about 12 minutes.
4. Drape prosciutto over mozzarella. Garnish with fresh basil.

Sweet Potato Rounds

Yield: 16-20 rounds

• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• salt, to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 bunch fresh sage, stems removed
• 4 ounces goat cheese
• 8 slices Prosciutto di Parma, halved

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Line baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Peel and slice sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch rounds. In medium bowl, toss sweet potatoes with oil and lightly season with salt, to taste. Arrange rounds in single layer on prepared pan; bake until sweet potatoes are lightly browned and tender, about 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
2. In small skillet over medium heat, bring butter to simmer. Add half the sage leaves. Cook until crispy, 2-3 minutes. Remove to paper towel and season lightly with salt, to taste. Repeat with remaining sage leaves. Reserve 2 teaspoons butter. In small food processor, combine goat cheese and reserved butter; whirl until smooth.
3. To make rounds, remove goat cheese to plastic zip-top bag. Cut off one corner and pipe small dollops of cheese onto each round. Top with half slice prosciutto and one crispy sage leaf.

Crudites Platter

Platter:

• 8 asparagus
• water
• 2 soft-boiled eggs
• 5 baby carrots, halved lengthwise
• 4 radishes with tops, halved lengthwise
• 1 head little gem lettuce, quartered
• 6-8 slices Prosciutto di Parma

Dip:

• 2 teaspoons white miso
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1/2 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons chopped herbs (dill, tarragon or parsley)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• fresh black pepper, to taste

1. To make platter: Trim asparagus. To blanch, bring pot of water to boil and place asparagus in pot 2-3 minutes. While asparagus is cooking, fill large bowl with ice water. After 3 minutes, plunge asparagus in ice bath and let cool.
2. To soft-boil eggs, bring pot of water to boil. Gently place room temperature eggs in water and simmer 3-4 minutes. Remove eggs with slotted spoon and cool under running water.
3. Serve asparagus and eggs alongside baby carrots, radishes and little gem lettuce. Drape prosciutto slices over some vegetables and between others.
4. To make dip: In small bowl, whisk miso, lemon juice and water until smooth. Add yogurt, herbs and salt. Season generously with cracked pepper, to taste; mix and serve with platter.

Source: Prosciutto di Parma

(Family Features) Cooking delicious family meals is surely the focus of many home chefs, from quick dishes on busy weeknights to homestyle favorites on the weekend. Equally important, however, is dishing up foods and ingredients you can feel good about serving to your loved ones.

The next time seafood is on the menu, consider the source of your main course. Available fresh, frozen, smoked and canned year-round and nationwide, seafood from Alaska is sustainably harvested, and you can trust it comes from a responsibly managed fishery. Utilizing a science-based approach, the state sustains the long-term vitality of species and their natural habitats, as well as the fishing communities that rely on them.

Fishermen and scientists work together to ensure they only harvest what science tells them the ecosystem can support, so that fish stocks, communities and the marine environment can thrive for generations to come.

Wild, sustainable and harvested in the USA, Alaska seafood is full of flavor and high-quality protein, vitamins, minerals and oils essential to good health, including omega-3s and vitamin D. You can feel good serving your loved ones these Blackened Alaska Cod Tacos as a classic way to spice up your dinner table, or give a sweet heat kick to Spicy Alaska Sablefish in Lettuce Cups with Korean chili paste, miso and honey.

Visit alaskaseafood.org to find more information and family-friendly recipes.

Spicy Alaska Sablefish in Lettuce Cups

Recipe courtesy of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4 (2 lettuce cups each)

• 1/4 cup yellow or white miso
• 1 tablespoon Korean chili paste
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 pound Alaska sablefish (black cod), cut into 2-ounce portions
• nonstick cooking spray
• 1 small avocado, pitted, peeled and chopped
• 1-1 1/4 cups cooked sushi rice or quinoa
• 1/2 cup chopped English cucumber
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced halved radish
• 1/2 cup pickled ginger, chopped
• 1/2 cup bottled Asian-style salad dressing with wasabi and ginger
• 8 medium-large butter lettuce leaves
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves

1. Blend miso, chili paste and honey; spread onto Alaska sablefish portions. Place portions on nonstick cooking spray-coated, foil-lined baking sheet. Roast 5-7 minutes, or until fish is opaque throughout and deep golden brown; cool slightly.
2. In mixing bowl, combine avocado, rice or quinoa, cucumber, radishes and ginger; pour in dressing. Toss to coat.
3. To serve, place about 1/3 cup vegetable-rice mixture in each lettuce leaf. Top with one sablefish portion. Sprinkle each lettuce cup with 1 tablespoon cilantro leaves.

Blackened Alaska Cod Tacos

Recipe courtesy of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute and Sari Diskin
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Servings: 2-3

• 2 cups slaw mix
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce, plus additional for serving
• 1 lime, divided
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• nonstick cooking spray
• 1/2 pound Alaska cod
• olive oil
• blackening seasoning, to taste, plus additional, divided
• sea salt, to taste
• 4 small flour tortillas
• 1 avocado, sliced

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. In bowl, mix slaw with mayonnaise, hot sauce, juice from 1/2 lime and salt and pepper, to taste; set aside.
3. Line baking dish with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Place Alaska cod on top and coat lightly with olive oil. Generously season with blackening seasoning and sea salt, to taste.
4. Bake 5 minutes, set oven to broil and broil 3-5 minutes. When fish is done (when it flakes easily with fork and is opaque throughout), remove from oven and break into small chunks with fork.
5. In flour tortillas, add avocado and slaw. Top with chunks of cod and drizzle with additional hot sauce, squeeze of lime juice from remaining 1/2 lime and additional blackening seasoning.

Photo courtesy of Sari Diskin (Blackened Alaska Cod Tacos)

Source: Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute

(Family Features) Fun in the summer sun can mean anything from poolside play and outdoor exercise to simply relaxing in the shade. While these activities make the season special for people of all ages, the heat also leads to the inevitable: sweat.

Electrolytes, critical for the human body to function, are lost via sweat throughout the day. Drinking plenty of fluids, such as water, helps keep you hydrated. However, adding 100% orange juice to your diet can help replace those lost electrolytes in addition to aiding hydration. According to a study published in the “Journal of Nutrition and Health Sciences,” drinking 100% orange juice following exercise contributes to hydration equally as well as water and sports drinks, making the beverage a viable alternative for recovery.

“Electrolytes include nutrients such as potassium, sodium, magnesium and calcium,” said Dr. Rosa Walsh, scientific research director at the Florida Department of Citrus. “In fluids, these nutrients carry an electric charge, which allows muscles to contract and nerves to transmit signals, and are critical for the human body to function. Plain water contains few if any electrolytes, so you must replace lost electrolytes by consuming foods or beverages that contain these nutrients. Drinking fluids that contain both water and electrolytes, such as 100% orange juice, may help support hydration.”

In fact, 100% orange juice contains about 90% water and can contribute to overall water intake. With no added sugar, it’s an ideal way to support hydration by drinking it on its own or by adding it to recipes like this Healthy Broccoli Salad with Miso Orange Dressing or Pineapple Orange Smoothie.

Consider these major electrolytes found in orange juice:

• Potassium: The major electrolyte within all cells, it helps balance fluid in the body with a strong relationship to sodium, the major electrolyte in the blood and outside the cells. Potassium is especially important for regulating heart rhythm and function. An 8-ounce glass of 100% orange juice provides 10% of the recommended daily value for potassium.
• Magnesium: The fourth-most abundant mineral in the body and essential in the regulation of muscle contraction, cardiac excitability, blood pressure and other vital processes. An 8-ounce glass of 100% orange juice contains 6% of the recommended daily value for magnesium.
• Calcium: Found in fortified varieties of orange juice, calcium plays an important role in muscle contraction, nerve transmission and the contraction and relaxation of the cardiovascular system. As an excellent source of calcium, an 8-ounce serving of fortified orange juice provides 30% of the recommended daily value.

Visit floridajuice.com to find more recipes that aid in summer hydration.

Healthy Broccoli Salad with Miso Orange Dressing

Servings: 1

Salad:

• 2          heads broccoli, cut into small florets
• 2          cups purple cabbage, chopped
• 1/2       cup golden raisins
• 1/2       cup slivered almonds
• 1/2       cup chopped green onions

Miso Orange Dressing:

• 1          cup Florida Orange Juice
• 2          tablespoons canola oil
• 2          tablespoons miso
• 2          tablespoons almond butter
• 1          shallot

1. To make salad: In bowl, toss broccoli, cabbage, raisins, almonds and green onions.
2. To make miso orange dressing: In food processor or blender, pulse orange juice, canola oil, miso, almond butter and shallot until smooth.
3. Pour dressing over salad, tossing to coat. Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator.

Pineapple Orange Smoothie

Servings: 2

• 1          cup Florida Orange Juice
• 1/2       cup plain almond milk
• 1          frozen banana
• 1          cup frozen pineapple
• 1          teaspoon turmeric
• 1          scoop walnuts
• 1/8       teaspoon cayenne
• 2-3       ice cubes
• 1          scoop plain protein powder (optional)

1. In large blender, blend orange juice, almond milk, frozen banana, frozen pineapple, turmeric, walnuts, cayenne, ice cubes and protein powder, if desired, until smooth.
2. Portion into two small glasses.

Source: Florida Department of Citrus