Hello my friends, Ann Kelly thinking about what to do with my weekend in Kelly’s Kitchen. What’s on your mind? Despite the heat, we still have many fresh markets to check out, with one of the newest being in Hyde Park each Sunday starting at 11 am. Here's my thought for a lovely Sunday in Hyde Park; think about stopping in at Sophie’s French Bakery and Café (open 8am-3pm Sundays) to start your day, perhaps with something from the bakery case, or one of the healthy entrees from their all natural menu that owners Carole and Todd Binkowski and Chef Miguel Posado create daily, then take that satisfied appetite over to the market. You can also find markets Saturdays in Dunedin in Pioneer Park on Main Street, Williams Park in St Petersburg at 4^th and First Ave North, and in Ybor City in Centennial Park in Tampa. Oh, and if you need to work off some of those calories we all might have acquired during National Ice Cream Month, which officially ends this weekend, Sunday is National Dance Day. Shake your booty and shed those calories!

For our final smiling face in Kelly’s Kitchen in celebration of all things ice cream, thanks to Ashley Crisman for this silly shot of her son Mitchell displaying an early love for his sweet tooth! Mitchell has a full half gallon of the latest flavor from Blue Bell waiting for him – Dessert Trio – but it’s only available for a limited time. Think vanilla ice cream loaded down with chocolate chip cookie pieces, chucks of pecan brownies, chocolate covered cake pieces, and to hold that all together, a lovely, rich chocolate sauce.

What else is up this weekend to stimulate those culinary cravings? Check out the Top Local Chef competition at The Canvas Zoo, 1750 Hercules in Clearwater Saturday at 6 pm; if you are coming over, please bring along two canned food items to donate to the Warren Backpack Program’s Pinellas Chapter to help homeless and hungry children. Complete details at www.LocalShops1.com. 

And for a wonderful freebie this upcoming week, please make sure you tune in for our Midday Magic at Work Prize Pack. You can win the 2011 Edition of "Eat This, Not That" which is one of my favorite books to keep with me in the car. This is a lifesaver when you're counting those calories, and want to make the healthiest choice when eating out, shopping or just making a quick run at the drive through. It's an eye-opener for foods you thought were just fine...until you open the book! I have a few of their other books as well, like "Cook This, Not That," and "Drink This, Not That." You can see what might make a major difference in the way you eat out, cook at home and entertain with a look at the site at http://eatthis.menshealth.com/home.

Words of Wisdom from Kelly’s Kitchen:

Weekends don't pay as well as weekdays but at least there's football.

~S.A. Sachs