This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #JustAddRotel #CollectiveBias
With the big tournament upon us, having yummy snacks to share with a crowd is a must! I love party appetizers that can be set on the coffee table in front of the TV and enjoyed as a group.
This recipe for Seven Layer Dip Nachos adds the ingredients of a seven-layer dip right on top of tortilla chips to make a convenient and super yummy loaded nachos recipe.
I was planning on using Original or Mild RO*TEL Diced Tomatoes to make a quick and easy guacamole and pico de gallo (no dicing of tomatoes, woo hoo!), so having the flavors of lime and cilantro already combined in the diced tomatoes was an awesome find!
The Mexican Lime and Cilantro Diced Tomatoes mix vine-ripened tomatoes, with jalapeno peppers, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice, making it the perfect ingredient for this recipe!
These nachos are topped with seven layers of deliciousness: cheese, refried beans, guacamole, pico de gallo, lettuce, sour cream, and sliced olives. You may need to double the recipe though, they are super tasty!
Ingredients:
1 (10 oz) bag corn tortilla chips
6 oz shredded Mexican blend cheese (or a mixture of Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses)
1 (10 oz) can RO*TEL Mexican Lime and Cilantro Diced Tomatoes, drained, divided
1/2 medium sized red onion, diced, divided (about 4 tablespoons)
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SnackPackMixins #CollectiveBias
Holidays are a great time to come up with some creative recipes! This recipe is a cute and easy to make Easter dessert using Snack Pack Pudding Cups, Honey Maid Graham Crackers, Oreos, Coconut Flakes, and other Easter Candy to make mini Easter Baskets!
I picked up all of the ingredients for this recipe at Walmart. The SUPER Snack Packs, Honey Maid Graham Crackers, and Oreos can all be found in the same aisle (at least at my Walmart in Philly)!
Some stores even have a special display featuring the SUPER Snack Packs and ideas for mixins for Easter. The display has a recipe tear pad with more recipes if you’re looking for more inspiration. (Walmart also has a coupon for $0.50 off SUPER Snack Pack Pudding Cups at the moment.)
Ingredients:
1 (6-pack) Creamy Chocolate SUPER Snack Packs
2 Honey Maid Honey-flavored Graham Crackers
6 Oreos
2 tablespoons coconut flakes
1 tablespoon green sprinkles, plus more for decoration
“Easter basket candy” of your choice (small chocolate bunnies, chocolate eggs, marshmallow chicks, etc.)
I have made a couple of breads in the past, but never one that yielded a typical bread you’d use for sandwiches. For whatever reason, I’ve always been very intimidated by the whole bread making process. I recently visited a friend that loves to bake bread and she assured me it wasn’t nearly as difficult as I was imagining. So, after putting it off for a couple of months, I finally decided to try!
I decided to make a sourdough bread, because it is a relatively simple recipe. The hardest part is the whole waiting aspect of it. I found this recipe on King Arthur Flour’s website and used their sourdough starter to make the bread (rather than making my own starter which can take a week). My interest in baking bread was well timed, ZWILLING‘s Knife of the Month for March is the ZWILLING Pro 8″ Bread Knife, and they were kind enough to offer to not only let me try one of the knives out, but are also offering one to give away! Details after the recipe.
ZWILLING J.A. HENCKELS knives are no joke, they are great quality knives made in Germany for over 280 years. When I moved out on my own, my mom actually bought me a set of ZWILLING J.A. HENCKELS knives to get my kitchen started, and I still use them daily!
The ZWILLING Pro 8″ Bread Knife has a serrated edge that effortlessly cuts through hard bread crusts, and cuts neat slices due to its aggressive long prongs. The knife is forges from one single piece of steel, is ice-hardened, and is hand sharpened and polished. The knife is dishwasher safe, but it’s suggested you hand wash it to keep it in great shape longer (dishwashers are really tough on knives).
I have a serious sweet tooth. I feel like no meal is complete without dessert! So when a friend told me about a healthier cookie company that was raising funds on Kickstarter, I knew I had to check them out.
source: www.greenpeacookie.com
According to their website, Green Pea Cookies are based off a recipe from Singapore and are made with roasted green peas, powdered sugar, non-GMO sunflower oil, unbleached white flour (or brown rice flour for their gluten-free version), salt, and “happeaness.”
source: www.greenpeacookie.com
The cookies currently come in three flavors: original, chocolate dipped, and cranberry, and can be purchased in three sizes: Small: 18 cookies (110g), Medium: 24 cookies (145g), Large: 34 cookies (200g).
source: www.greenpeacookie.com
Green Pea Cookie is in their final days of their Kickstarter and have been doing an awesome job. They have already reached their initial goal, but now have a new goal of distributing 1 million cookies (as of writing this, they were up to over 40,500 distributed).
Their marketing is absolutely adorable by the way. Each of the cookies has a name (Peater is the original, Penelopea is cranberry, and Dimpea is chocolate dipped).
source: www.greenpeacookie.com
Depending on your donation amount on their Kickstarter page, you can receive some of the cookies, a t-shirt (they are so cute!), stickers, or a monthly box of happeaness. With my donation, I will receive a t-shirt and cannot wait to rock it with pride. Seriously, how great are these shirts?
The founders of Green Pea Cookies were kind enough to send me a sample of their original flavor. I am happy to say they are absolutely delicious!
The texture is kind of like shortbread, crumbly but rich. I honestly didn’t taste much “pea” flavor in mine, but my fiance said he did get a hint of it and really enjoyed it. They are both salty and sweet, which makes for a pretty fantastic combo.
The little bite sized cookies are perfectly pop-able, but at just 100 calories a serving (which is 6 cookies), you can keep on popping them!
They would make the perfect “afternoon work” snack, don’t you think?
I can only imagine how tasty the chocolate dipped cookies are, but I personally think the cranberry ones must be amazing — sounds like such a great combo!
It’s awesome to see how great this company is doing so far on Kickstarter, but I’d love to see them get to their goal of 1 million cookies. Be sure to check out their Kickstarter page ASAP (it ends March 15, 2015) and consider donating!
Bob’s Red Mill has been providing gluten-free flours, cereals, baking mixes, and grains for over 30 years. The company is so committed to it’s gluten-free promise that they even have a separate gluten-free packaging division to ensure their products are purely gluten-free.
Camilla V. Saulsbury’s new cookbook showcases the breadth, depth and versatility of Bob’s Red Mill’s gluten-free grains. As more and more people move towards a gluten-free lifestyle (either due to allergies or other health reasons), one of the easiest ways to transition to a gluten-free diet is to embrace the many grains available that are naturally gluten-free.
The cookbook, Bob’s Red Mill Everyday Gluten-Free Cookbook, includes 281 whole-grain recipes for entrees, side dishes, baked goods, desserts, etc. that include grains such as amaranth, quinoa, millet, and teff. The book also includes a section describing the grains, their uses, and how to store them.
There are a bunch of really delicious sounding recipes in the cookbook, but I wanted to try a baked recipe because that seems to be the toughest type of recipe to make gluten-free and still maintain the same texture and taste.
This recipe for Gluten Free Coconut Cardamom Carrot Bread uses a mixture of sorghum flour, millet flour, and potato starch to make a gluten-free bread. The bread is flavored with grated carrots, coconut flakes, and cardamom.
Before sharing the recipe, I thought it might be helpful to give some information about the different ingredients used in this recipe that may be a bit unfamiliar.
Sorghum Flour is a good source of protein, iron, dietary fiber and antioxidants. Sorghum promotes a healthy metabolism due to its high magnesium and copper levels. The starch and protein in sorghum flour take longer than other similar products to digest, making it particularly helpful for those with diabetes. Sorghum flour adds slight sweetness to baked goods and can be added or substituted in any recipe that calls for flour. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Millet Flour is a good source of protein, essential amino acids, and dietary fiber, as well as manganese, phosphorus, and magnesium. Millet flour helps keep the digestive tract operating smoothly and lowers the risk of diabetes and heart disease. It has a light, mild flavor and works well in sweet or savory baking. Millet flour delivers a cake-like crumb to baked goods. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months or in the freezer for up to 12 months.
Potato Starch is used as a thickener for sauces, soups, and stews, or is used in baking with a combination of other flours (rarely by itself) and is a natural way to add moistness to many baked goods. Store potato starch in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months or in the freezer for up to 1 year.
Virgin Coconut Oil can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator. When kept at room temperature, coconut oil will go in between being a liquid and a solid, which doesn’t affect the oil’s quality. It’s easier to measure out larger amounts of coconut oil when it is a liquid, so run the jar under warm running water before opening to liquify when measuring for this recipe.
This cold weather just won’t let up, so my cravings for comfort foods keep on coming! This recipe for Braised Chicken Thighs with Wild Rice Pilaf comes from the March 2015 issue of Cooking Light. It takes a little longer to make (~1 hour) so it’s probably better for a weekend meal.
You brown the chicken thighs in the same pot that you make the rice in, so it adds a subtle roasted flavor to the rice as well. This Braised Chicken Thighs with Wild Rice Pilaf recipe is also a one pot meal, so less dishes! The pilaf is loaded with carrots, Brussels sprouts, and golden raisins and work surprisingly well together!
Did you know that February is Hot Breakfast Month? If your schedule is anything like mine, the closest you get to a hot breakfast on a week day is instant oatmeal. So why not switch up a weeknight dinner and serve breakfast instead?
Coinciding with National Hot Breakfast Month in February and to make sure everyone can regularly enjoy both the simplicity and fun of breakfast for dinner, Krusteaz has officially named every Wednesday Night in February “Breakfast Night.”
To make Breakfast Night super simple, Krusteaz sent me some of their Baking Mixes so I could have breakfast for dinner!
My fiance absolutely loves breakfast, so he was so excited for us to switch it up and have a sweet and savory dinner. I used Krusteaz’ Blueberry Belgian Waffle Mix to make pancakes (I don’t have a Belgian waffle maker), and cut out the center of each pancake to make a spin on Frog in a Hole with Blueberry Pancakes. (Frog in a Hole is usually made with a piece of toast that has the center cut out to make room for an egg.) I added some crumbled bacon for good measure on top as well.
You only need to add water, oil, and eggs to the Krusteaz Blueberry Belgian Waffle Mix to have your batter ready to go, the blueberries are already in there! Krusteaz was also kind enough to allow me to host a giveaway. You can receive a bunch of their yummy mixes, including:
So I’ve been feeling pretty crummy for the past few days. And I’ve been craving soups like crazy. One of my favorite options when I want a comforting meal is ramen, specifically Shio-style from Nom Nom Ramen in center city Philadelphia.
Ramen is typically made with pork belly, but I couldn’t find any in my supermarket so I went with beef. So this Slow Cooker Beef Ramen is definitely not a traditional style ramen.
Today (February 19) is National Chocolate Mint Day! With the cold temperatures across most of the U.S., I think we can all use a nice warm beverage to keep us toasty, and this is the perfect food holiday for such a beverage! So, I present: Spiked Mint Coconut Milk Hot Chocolate!
Blue Chair Bay must feel the same way, so I developed this non-dairy hot chocolate beverage to pair with their Coconut Spiced Rum. The coconut rum, spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove is the perfect accompaniment to hot chocolate, don’t you think? To enhance the coconut flavor in the rum, I decided to use coconut milk which makes a rich and creamy hot chocolate base.
Rum always reminds me of warmer weather, and the Coconut Spiced Rum is no exception. Blue Chair Bay offers a collection of premium-blended rums inspired by multi-platinum singer-songwriter Kenny Chesney’s love of the island lifestyle. So even though most of us probably are not soaking up the sun at the moment, we can have our own little escape with this winter-weather treat!
For readers over 21 years of age, I also have an exciting giveaway! Blue Chair Bay has offered to give one bottle of Blue Chair Bay Rum to a lucky winner! Details after the recipe.
Happy Carnevale! Carnevale is celebrated in Italy 40 days before Easter. It is the last hurrah before Lent begins. (It’s similar to Mardi Gras). The word “carnevale” actually means “no meat” in Latin, so the best way to celebrate this holiday is with some protein before fasting begins for Lent.
Redpack Tomatoes sent me a package of assorted canned tomatoes to get me in the spirit of Carnevale, and included some tasty recipes to go along with it. I decided to make Chicken Parmesan, one of my favorite comfort foods. I adapted the recipe from Redpack, but decided to bake the chicken rather than pan fry it, so here is my recipe for Baked Chicken Parmesan.
Redpack is also offering one reader the chance to win the same kit I was sent! It includes:
1 20-oz can of Redpack crushed tomatoes
1 28-oz can of Redpack whole peeled tomatoes
1 28-oz can of Redpack diced tomatoes
1 6-oz can of Redpack tomato paste
Details on how to enter after the recipe below.
Redpack is also hosting a Facebook promotion running until March 4 where 1,000 Redpack followers will win a Redpack branded apron each week. One grand prize winner will receive a pasta stock pot, pasta-related serveware, and a selection of Redpack products.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
cooking spray
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 shallots, peeled and chopped
1 (28 oz) can Redpack Crushed Tomatoes in Thick Puree
I have never been one to shy away from sharing all of the awesomeness that the Philadelphia area has to offer. I am pretty darn proud of my city, especially when it comes to our rocking food and beverage scene. So it should come as no surprise that my gin of choice is always Bluecoat Gin.
Why yes, Bluecoat IS made in Philadelphia! What sets Bluecoat’s flavor apart from others is their use of organic juniper berries, which give off a more spicy, earthy tone versus pine-tree flavors found in regular juniper berries. Bluecoat is finished off with a premium blend of organic American citrus peels and spices which adds a nice citrusy finish to the spirit.
Bluecoat must have known my affinity for them, because I was asked to develop a Valentine’s Day themed cocktail using this yummy gin. Because Valentine’s Day is all about the love, I threw in a bunch of my favorite cocktail ingredients to make the “perfect” cocktail for me! (Here’s hoping you agree)
This recipe for a Blue Rose Cocktail starts with a strawberry mint simple syrup, adds in some sparking wine, and finishes off with some pomegranate juice.
My fiance (and considerably more creative half) dubbed this a “Blue Rose Cocktail” — Bluecoat Gin + rose coloring from the simple syrup and pomegranate juice.
Last weekend, I made a ridiculous number of recipes.
On Sunday, a friend and I got together to make a bunch of recipes that freeze well to stock our freezers for busy week days.
On Saturday, I borrowed my mom’s slow cooker for the weekend so that we would have two on hand. But I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to make two slow cooker recipes at the same time on Saturday as well! I made this yummy Cooking Light recipe for Slow Cooker Beef Stew as well as a favorite recipe of mine — Chicken Cacciatore.
Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless chuck roast, cubed
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 medium yellow onions, roughly chopped
6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 (12-ounce) nut brown ale (I used Samuel Smith’s)
1 1/4 cups unsalted beef stock, divided
1 1/2 pounds baby Dutch potatoes, halved
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces
I am so excited to share this dish for Steamed Mussels in Saffron Broth with you for a few reasons:
I love mussels and am always looking for a new recipe to add to my rotation
This recipe looks fancy pants because it has saffron in it
BUT it’s really simple to make!
This is actually yet another recipe sent my way through the Cooking Light Diet plan. (That plan is on a roll. The menus are amazing!) They suggest serving it with an easy rice noodle mixture but if you’re feeling a little more carb-y, you could serve this with day old bread, over rice, or with pasta.
This sauce is amazing. I actually packaged up the leftover broth to use to make rice the next day. Why yes, I did love it THAT much.
This is another recipe from the Cooking Light Diet Plan. These tacos are great for a weeknight meal because it’s an under 30 minute recipe– it’s honestly mostly assembly.
As a reminder, if you’d like to try the Cooking Light Diet Plan along with me, use the code DIETSAVE20 to receive a special discount!
Ingredients:
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch strips
