10 Table Manners You Need to Know

by Reader's Digest Magazine, on Wed Oct 19, 2011 6:36am PDT

If you think people don’t care about etiquette at the table as much as they used to, think again. One soup slurp or tooth pick is all it takes to turn some people off. So to stay on your toes, here is a quick—and necessary—table manners refresher course from Louise Fox of the Etiquette Ladies, Canada’s Etiquette Experts:

• If you are the recipient of a toast, keep your glass at arm’s length—never drink from it. Instead, simply nod your head and graciously say, “Thank you.”
• Never take your cocktail to the dinner table.
• Allow your food to cool on its own—never blow on anything.
• If you wear lipstick, keep it off your plate and napkin by blotting it as soon as you apply it.
• Your napkin is there for you to dab your mouth only. Do not use it to wipe off lipstick or (God forbid) blow your nose.
• Keep your elbows off the table at all times.
• Don’t put your purse, keys, sunglasses, or eyeglasses on the table.
• Take food out of your mouth the way it went in. If a piece of steak fat went into your mouth with a fork, spit it out onto the fork.
• Remove an olive pit with your thumb and index finger.
• Taste everything on your plate before you add salt or pepper.
• Leave your plate where it is when you are finished with your meal—don’t push it away from you.

You’ll find even more good-behavior tips at http://www.etiquetteladies.com/etiquette_ladies_home.php.

Pumpkins and Pumpkins Seed

How to prepare:
Spread 'em on a baking sheet and give 'em a good roast, says Caplan. She recommends people either grab a handful as a stand-alone snack, or work them into a healthy homemade trail mix with dried cranberries and whole wheat pretzels. Big salad fan? Try sprinkling a handful on top of your next creation.

How to prepare:
Judy Caplan, a registered dietitian and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, suggests roasting or sautéing pumpkin "meat" with a little bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. For a slightly sweeter treat, she suggests cooking the pumpkin with a bit of pure maple syrup.

Brussels Sprouts and Apples

How to prepare them:
There are hundreds of variations you can try on roasted brussels sprouts, or you can work them into brussels sprouts gratin.

How to prepare:
Throw a few apples in your bag and eat them, as is, throughout the day. Or for a slightly more substantial snack, slice them and enjoy them with a few slivers of cheese. Another tasty fall treat? How about some homemade apple sauce, sprinkled with cinnamon?

Pomegranates and Beets

How to prepare them:
Try sprinkling the seeds on top of hearty fall salads and desserts or sip some pomegranate juice, straight-up. You can also work the juice into a variety of dishes, from dinner entrees or in syrups and jellies.

How to prepare:
For a cozy fall dish, Caplan suggests roasting beets with some fresh garlic and rosemary (also in season) and maybe topping that off with some fresh goat cheese. Beets are also great in salads or soups.

7 Fall Foods

1. Persimmons - a good source of Vitamin C as well as manganese, potassium and (depending on their origin) calcium.
2. Pomegranates - the pulp surrounding the seeds, are high in antioxidants and a good source of fiber, potassium and vitamin C.
3. Beets are jam-packed with folate, vitamin C and magnesium.
4. Brussels Sprouts - good source of dietary fiber and folate and high in vitamin C
5. Apple are high in fiber and are a good source of several vitamins, including A and C.
6. Pumpkin Seeds are rich in healthy fats and oils.
7. Pumpkin - are a great source of fiber and vitamin A

Persimmons

How to prepare:
Once you've found persimmons that are truly ripe, try eating them as is or working them into deserts, like pudding or accompanying a fresh, coconut ice-cream. You can also eat them in dried form.

Fall Dish

Papa's Chili

Ingredients

• 2-4 lb. ground chuck
• 4 cans tomato sauce
• 1 medium can tomato paste
• 1 large can tomatoes
• 3-4 Tbs. chili powder
• 1 large onion
• 4 cans chili beans
• 1-2 tsp. hot sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In pan cook meat and onion. Drain grease. Add 1 can tomato sauce and 1 Tbs. chili powder. In large pot add 3 cans tomato sauce, can of tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 Tbs. chili powder and salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat. Add 4 cans chili beans and the meat and onion mixture you cooked in the beginning. You can add more chili powder and hot sauce to your taste. Let simmer on low heat 2-5 hours. The longer it cooks the better it is I think.

Routine Checkup

You don’t miss something until it’s not there any more!