The Adventures of Kitchen Girl

Box Tops Giveaway Winner!

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:33:00 +0000

I know how behind I am with this... and I apologize for that. I was without a computer until today! And let me tell you, I love my iPhone but it can only do so much! On to the winner....

Raven in a blue room said...

I do save boxtops - mostly from cereal and hamburger helper.

Thank you for entering Raven!

Betty Crocker Box Tops for Education Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 14:55:00 +0000

Hey all! I know I've been neglecting my poor little blog for some time, but it was for a worthy cause. Our family recently moved to a new home! The summer months were crazy between finding our new place and packing and unpacking and then getting the kids settled into their new school. Until now I just plain haven't had the time to blog... hopefully that will change now that we're back into the grove :)

Today I have a neat little giveaway to share with you. It's perfect for the start of the new school year and my way of saying thank you for sticking around and being loyal readers even when I've been absent.

Did you know that "Box Tops for Education" is a vital program for many of America's schools? Last year, contributions earned more than $59 million for our schools! Whether you're collecting for new computers, library books, or a playground... the Box Tops for Education program can help make a difference. Often times our schools wouldn't be able to purchase the equipment they do with out the help of this important program. I hope you'll take the time to save these precious little squares for someone you know and will benefit from it :)

OK, on to the details. This giveaway includes this nifty prize pack...

* Cupcake iclips
* Cupcake bag
* Cupcake notepads
* Box Tops for Education pencils
* Neoprene Lunch Sack

To enter the giveaway all you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling me if you collect Box Top for Education and if you do, what product you save them most often from. Don't forget to leave a way for me to contact you, in case you're the lucky winner!

US residents only, please!

The giveaway ends on Friday 9/16/2011 at 12:00 Noon EST. At that time I will randomly pick a winner and will announce it here!

**DISCLAIMER** General Mills and MyBlogSpark provided me with a gift pack of the products described, both for me to try and to give away to one reader. As always, any thoughts and opinions given on "The Adventures of Kitchen Girl" are my own.

Fiber One Giveaway... Winner!

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 15:23:00 +0000

Hi all, sorry I didn't make this announcement yesterday... things got a little busy around here in my kitchen :) However, I'm here now to announce the winner of the great Fiber One giveaway! And that winner is......

Pat R who said...

My favorite source of fiber is oatmeal...prepared anyway.

Congratulations to Pat R! I will be contacting you today by email to get your information and get your prize sent out to you!!!

Thank you all so much for playing and stay tuned... I have another great giveaway coming your way soon!

:)

Come join me...

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 15:36:00 +0000

I'm excited to announce that I'm Gevalia Coffee's Featured Blogger for this weeks BeanChat!

"Like" Gevalia on facebook and then at 10am EST this Thursday, click on the "BeanChat" tab on the left hand side of the Gevalia facebook page. From there you can log into the chat through Twitter or Facebook.

Come join me for a great chat about food, family, coffee and fun! I'm looking forward to talking with YOU!

Fiber One Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 12:23:00 +0000

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans say people should consume 25-38 grams of fiber daily, and that the average American consumes only 15 grams! Do you get enough fiber each day? I know I don't... at least not on a consistent basis. Fiber is so important to our bodies... did you know that a recent nutrition review* concludes that eating fiber is associated with reduced risks of cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes. In addition, fiber helps you feel satisfied, which makes it easier to stick to your diet and lose weight without feeling as hungry.

One way I have found to get more fiber into my diet is through eating a fiber rich cereal for breakfast or as a snack each day. Recently, I was sent a sample of Fiber One cereals to try and I have to say my family enjoyed them very much. The favors and variety were wonderful and everyone in my family, even the littlest members, could find a taste that suited them.

The exciting part of this post is that I get to send a gift pack to one of my readers! The lucky winner will receive 5 full-size boxes of Fiber One cereal (Original®, Honey Clusters®, Raisin Bran Clusters®, Caramel Delight®, and Shredded Wheat ®) How great is that?

To enter the giveaway all you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling me what your favorite high fiber food is. Don't forget to leave a way for me to contact you, in case you're the lucky winner!

US residents only, please!

The giveaway ends on Friday 6/10/2011 at 12:00 Noon EST. At that time I will randomly pick a winner and will announce it here!

In addition, by clicking here you can download a printable coupon for $0.75 off the purchase of any (1) Fiber One cereal today!!!!

* Caren E. Smith and Katherine L. Tucker (2011). Health benefits of cereal fiber: a review of clinical trials. Nutrition Research Reviews, 24, pp 118-131

**DISCLAIMER** General Mills and MyBlogSpark provided me with a gift pack of the products described, both for me to try and to give away to one reader. As always, any thoughts and opinions given on "The Adventures of Kitchen Girl" are my own.

Pizza Caprese with Prosciutto

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Mon, 09 May 2011 15:42:00 +0000

A little pizza dough, some fresh tomato, some fresh mozzarella, a few leaves of fresh basil and some prosciutto... a drizzle of olive oil and a rubbing of garlic and you've got one of the best pizzas known to man. Simple, honest and delicious food. I love to serve this pizza with salads to make a rounded out meal. Yum! Perfect summer food!

Pizza Caprese with Prosciutto

Ingredients:
1 ready or homemade pie crust, par baked.
1 good drizzle of olive oil
Split clove of garlic for rubbing
2-3 thinly sliced plum tomatoes
8 oz fresh mozzarella sliced
4 oz prosciutto
large handful fresh basil leaves

Method:
Par bake your crust until it's nearly finished according to your recipe or package directions. Remove from the oven and drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil. Rub the surface of the crust with the cut garlic to impart a mild garlic flavor. Begin to layer toppings starting with basil. Move on to prosciutto, tomato and mozzarella... layering as you go. Finish with a layer of mozzarella.

Return pizza to the oven to finish off baking until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the tomatoes are starting to shrivel. Slice and eat! Enjoy!

Lemon Honey Butter Brussels Sprouts

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 16:46:00 +0000

We LOVE Brussels sprouts in this house so I've got at least a dozen different ways I like to make them. The way I am bringing to you today is simple and delicious... suitable for a fast weeknight dinner side dish that even those who don't like Brussels sprout too much are bound to enjoy. This recipe is great for masking some of the strong flavor of the sprouts in case some of your guests aren't so keen on them.

How do you like to prepare Brussels sprouts?

Lemon Honey Butter Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:
2 Pounds Brussels sprouts prepared by steaming or roasting (see directions below)

For the sauce:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

To steam the sprouts:

Bring 1/2 inch salted water to boil in a large frying pan. Add Brussels sprouts, cover, and cook until sprouts are *JUST* tender and water has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Please don't overcook them or they tend to get bitter.

To roast the sprouts use the directions here:

http://kitchengirljo.blogspot.com/2008/09/oven-roasted-brussles-sprouts.html

While the sprouts are cooking, prepare the sauce by whisking together the melted butter, honey, lemon zest, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside. Once the sprouts are cooked, toss them in the sauce and serve immediately.

Makes about 6 servings.

Chicken Orzo Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 13:47:00 +0000

It's kind of hard for me to call this one a recipe... it's more of an idea or suggestion because you could add so many different ingredients to adjust it to your families tastes and preferences. Still, this is one of my FAVORITE summer dinners because it's fast, easy, cool and can use up a myriad of leftovers!

The salad you see pictured above was just that... a concoction that was born of my wanting to clean out the refrigerator. A little of this and a little of that and I ended up with a really delicious salad to feed the family.

For this version I used:

16 oz Box orzo pasta- prepared according to package directions.
3 Cups leftover roasted chicken, chopped
4 Hard boiled eggs, chopped
2 Medium red bell peppers, chopped
1 Cup blanched fresh peas (just barely cooked frozen would work in a pinch)
1 Bunch green onions, chopped
1 Small red onion, chopped
3 Ribs celery, chopped
1 Container whole grape tomatoes

For the dressing:

2-3 Cups mayonnaise
2-3 Tablespoons lemon juice
Bunch cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

We like our salads very creamy, so I used a good bit of mayo... you can tailor the amount to your liking.

I hope you'll try this "fridge cleaner" yourself and see what you come up with! Change up the shape of pasta or the type of meat and vegetables. A prepared dressing could substitute for the mayo or even leftover plain white rice for the pasta. Add some diced cheese for something different. So many possibilities!

Oldie but Goodie: Zuppa Toscana

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 19:48:00 +0000

While I've never had it, apparently this soup is supposed to be very similar to a soup that a well known Italian chain restaurant serves. Having 3 children and a limited budget, we don't go out to dinner much, so I can't vouch for how close this soup is or isn't to that one. Nevertheless... I adored this soup! So much so that I made it once for the whole family and then made it again so that I could eat it for lunch for several days. It's been almost a week since I finished up that last batch and believe it or not... I'm craving it *again*!

I hope you'll try this one and let me know if you go as crazy for it as I did! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 pound bulk Italian sausage
1 and 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
12 oz package thick sliced bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large onion, diced
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 to 3- 26 oz cartons chicken cooking stock
6 large potatoes, cubed
1 cup heavy cream
6 oz bag baby fresh spinach

Method:
1. Cook the Italian sausage and red pepper flakes in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crumbly, browned, and no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Cook the bacon in the same Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain, leaving a few tablespoons of drippings with the bacon in the bottom of the Dutch oven. Stir in the onions and garlic; cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

3. Pour the chicken stock into the Dutch oven with the bacon and onion mixture; bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes, and boil until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the heavy cream and the cooked sausage; heat through. Mix the spinach into the soup just before serving.

Makes 6-8 servings

Kitchen Notes:
~ The second time I made the soup I added an additional 6 oz bag of baby spinach... because I love spinach and I thought it was excellent. When I added the extra spinach I wanted it a bit more "soupy", which is why I added more stock. If you make the recipe according to the recipe above, 2 cartons of chicken stock will be fine.

~The original recipe calls for only 4 slices of bacon... but we love bacon in this house so I used the whole package. Don't feel you need to be as gluttonous if you'd rather not. Even 4 slices of bacon would have been enough to flavor the soup, I simply wanted MORE!

~ The original recipe calls for heavy cream and the first time I made it that way and it was delicious... however, the second time I used fat free half and half and it was just as good! (Saved a few calories so I could have all that bacon and feel a little less guilt!)

~I like this soup with a spicy kick... so I used both hot Italian sausage AND the red pepper flakes. If you prefer, you could use hot sausage and omit the red pepper flakes.

~This soup freezes well!

Note: I disclose that my re-post was created as part of the Denny's and Foodbuzz BACONALIA challenge and is an entry for a chance to win.

Cowboy Beans and a Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 16:50:00 +0000

Cowboy beans are one of my family's favorite cold weather dishes. It's a delicious, stick to your ribs kind of meal that warms you from the inside out. Another thing I love about it is that it's so easy to make... just place everything into a crockpot and forget about it! You can go on about your day and when you're ready for dinner...it's ready for you! I like to add a nice green salad and a skillet of cornbread to round out this meal.

Don't forget to take a look at the end of this post for a great new giveaway!

Ingredients:

1 pound bacon (I love to use thick cut bacon for this recipe)
1.5 pounds ground chuck
1 large onion
1 diced green pepper
1 16 oz. can pork and beans
1 16 oz. can red kidney beans
1 16 oz. can pinto beans
1 8 oz. can lima beans
1 16 oz. can cannellini beans
1 16 oz. can great northern beans
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 cup molasses or maple syrup
1 jar barbecue sauce
1 teaspoon pepper

Method:

Cut bacon into 1/4" bits; brown in a large skillet. Remove bacon from rendered fat and set aside. In the bacon drippings, saute the onion & pepper until tender. Add the ground meat and brown lightly. Put the meats into the bottom of a crockpot. Add the Pork 'n Beans with the liquid on them. Drain most of the juice off of the remaining cans of beans and add them with the remaining ingredients to the crockpot. Mix all well. Cook on HIGH setting for 1 hour to get well heated through, then lower heat setting to LOW and allow to cook for 5 - 6 hours. Stir occasionally.
Recipe based on this recipe from about.com

2010 Limited-Edition Muir Glen Reserve Tomatoes Giveaway!

The fine folks at Muir Glen Organic Tomatoes have given me an extra gift box to give away to one of my readers! I love Muir Glen tomatoes... I used the contents of my gift box to cook up a huge pot of delicious chili and it was amazing!

The 2010 Muir Glen Organic Reserve Kit Includes:

One 14.5 oz can Reserve Meridian Ruby Fire Roasted Tomatoes
One 14.5 oz can Reserve Meridian Ruby Diced Tomatoes
One 14.5 oz can Muir Glen Organic Chipotle Seasoned Petite Diced Tomatoes
One 15 oz can Muir Glen Organic Tomato Sauce
The Muir Glen Tomato Vine Dining Tour Menu featuring a variety of cuisines created by award-winning chefs from around the country made with the 2010 Reserve Tomatoes.

To enter the giveaway all you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling me what you would do with these amazing tomatoes if you are selected as the winner. Please make sure to leave me a way to contact you, in case you are the winner. Comments without contact information will be disqualified. The entry period will end on Friday 12-3-2010 at 11:59 PM EST

I will use random.org to pick the winner on Saturday 12-4-2010 and will announce it here. Open to US and Canadian residents only, sorry!

**Disclosure** Muir Glen provided me with a free reserve kit of the products described above, both for me to try and to give away to one reader. As always, any thoughts and opinions given on "The Adventures of Kitchen Girl" are my own.

Mac & Cheese with Ham Casserole

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 16:05:00 +0000

Last week I saw a bunch of my favorite food bloggers mentioning this new cookbook: Perfect One Dish Dinners and I decided to try the "Shells & Cheese for Everyone" from it. Only I can't leave a recipe as is, ever. I added ham, onion, garlic and mustard powder. It turned out *really* good and while I was a bit hesitant about the addition of cottage cheese, I was pleasantly surprised to find that you couldn't tell there was cottage cheese in it at all! This dish was delicious and satisfying and very much a full meal in one dish. We had a nice green salad along side it and everyone loved it! I hope you'll try it out and let me know what you think of it :)

While I'm here, I also wanted to mention a new food related website I've had recommended to me. Foodspring: Gateway to Food Adventure.(http://foodspring.com/) It's a site with a ton of information on anything and everything food related. From specialty foods to new food trends and even recipes!

Mac & Cheese with Ham Casserole

Ingredients:
1 Pound Ham, diced small
1 Medium Sweet Onion chopped
2 Cloves Garlic minced
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
1 pound medium sized Pasta Shells
1 pound grated sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 container (16 oz) Small Curd Cottage Cheese
1 Cup finely grated Parmesan
1 container (16 oz) Sour Cream
Freshly ground Black Pepper
1 Cup plain Panko Breadcrumbs
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh Parsley
3 Tablespoons Butter, melted
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Teaspoon dry mustard

Method:
Make sure oven rack is in the lower middle position and heat oven to 350F degrees. Coat 13×9 baking dish or dutch oven with cooking spray.

Following package directions, cook entire box of pasta until just tender.

While pasta cooks, sauté ham, onion and garlic in olive oil until the ham is browned and the onions are translucent.

Mix cheeses and sour cream in a large bowl. Add the ham and onion mixture to the cheese mixture. Add the hot pasta and toss to coat thoroughly. Add salt, pepper and ground mustard, stir well and transfer to casserole dish.

Mix bread crumbs, parsley, and butter together in a small bowl, and sprinkle evenly over the shells and cheese. Bake 30-35 minutes until the casserole is bubbly and crumbs are golden brown.

Recipe adapted from: Pam Anderson’s Shells and Cheese for Everyone
from Perfect One Dish Dinners

CSN Stores and Online Shopping

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 15:29:00 +0000

As a busy Mom of 3 active children, I love being able to shop from home when possible. Especially when you live in a rural area like we do. Gas isn't cheap, so why drive 30 or 40 minutes if you don't have to? That's why I love to shop online with CSN Stores. Did you know that CSN Stores has just about everything you could need for your home? For example, take a look at their extensive collection of kitchen bar stools! I happen to really like these, because of the modern and unique look.

CSN Stores have 200+ stores where you can purchase all your needs from cookware to clothing to office and school supplies. How convenient is that? One stop shopping! Especially with the holidays right around the corner!

I've used CSN several times now and have been very pleased with both their products and customer service. Name brands, great prices, and a huge selection... what more could you ask for?

Look for my review post coming up soon. I'm excited about the products I'll be receiving to work with and I hope you'll find a great new place to shop along with me!

Strawberry Poke Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 21:28:00 +0000

The House-Autry Mills Giveaway(and Coupon)is still going on! Click for details and to enter!!!

This cake makes me happy. It reminds me of my childhood and of time spent with my Mother. My Mom was a single parent and would sometimes work as many as 3 jobs to keep our family afloat. She wasn't much of a cook... but, it wasn't that she didn't have the ability to be a good cook because she certainly did. It was just that she just had so little time and energy left that spending it in the kitchen was the last thing she wanted to do.

My Mom had a handful of dishes that she made often and that were really delicious. This cake is one of them. It's super simple. Something she likely came across in a "Woman's Day" or "Family Circle" magazine.... or maybe on the back of a Jell-O box. Kids and adults both love it and it's great for entertaining during the hot, lazy and casual get togethers of summer. I grew up having this cake several times each summer... anytime Mom was asked to bring dessert to a party with friends and family this was it.

I made the cake this week for the first time since my youngest child was born. He's 7 now... so it had been a very long time. Long enough that my two older children don't recall having it before. They loved it as did the friends we had over for dinner that night. I smiled all the while I made it and served it and ate it with our guests. For that little while I felt connected again with my Mom. She's been gone for several years now and it's these little pearls she's left with me that reconnect us all the time. Very happy memories... that I spent time relating to my children while they enjoyed their cake the other night.

I hope you'll give this deliciously easy cake a try with your family... maybe you can create some new memories like we did :)

Strawberry Poke Cake
by: KraftFoods

Ingredients:
1 pkg. (2-layer size) white cake mix
1 cup boiling water
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Strawberry Flavor Gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

Method:

PREPARE cake batter and bake as directed on package for 13x9-inch baking pan. Cool cake in pan 15 min. Pierce cake with large fork at 1/2-inch intervals.

STIR boiling water into dry gelatin mix in small bowl 2 min. until completely dissolved. Stir in cold water; carefully pour over cake. Refrigerate 3 hours.

FROST cake with whipped topping. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Kitchen Notes: I like to use double the amount of whipped topping because we like a thick layer.

Makes 16 servings

House-Autry Mills Giveaway!!! (and a Coupon)

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 14:44:00 +0000

Good morning everyone! I hope you had a terrific weekend and that you're ready for a great week! If you're not quite ready, I think I may have just the thing to take a bit of the sting out of this Monday morning! How about a giveaway !? Maybe a basket of wonderful mixes and kitchen items like this...

Not too long ago the lovely Christy from Southern Plate asked if I would like to be a part of this amazing giveaway and I am so glad I said yes! I'd never used House-Autry Mills products before now, but I tell you I am hardily impressed with everything I've tried so far.

The first product I tried was the "Pork Breader." I used it to deep fry some very lean boneless pork chops and it was delicious. The breading is light and flavorful. It was delightfully seasoned, not heavy... you could still tell it was pork that you were eating and the coating helped to keep those lean chops nice and moist. Some of the breading products available in the market are so heavily seasoned that it over takes the flavor of the meat. The House-Autry breader enhanced the flavor of the pork just beautifully.

I know that some folks won't want to deep fry their food, so I'm happy to let you know that House-Autry also makes a line of breaders that are made for oven use! Personally, I think a little deep fried food is good for the soul on occasion! Just in moderation :)

The other House-Autry product I tried was their hushpuppy with onion mix. Oh my word! So good! I served them with the fried pork chops, some mashed potatoes and fresh sautéed green beans and we were in heaven. I love hushpuppies but I just never think to make them. Now that I know there is such a simple and quick way to make them, I'm sure I'll be making them more often. I'm dreaming up some new recipes for those "puppies" already :)

I know you want to enter to win this delicious basket... so here's everything you need to know to enter:

Contest ends July 5th, 2010 @ 5:00 pm EST. Winner will be randomly drawn and announced here on July 6th, 2010!

Leave a comment on this post with what House-Autry Mills product you would like to try.

For 2 Extra Entries:

* Post a link to this contest on your Facebook or website/blog and and let me know by leaving a comment here where I can find your post.

* Post the following on Twitter: Win a HUGE gift basket from @HouseAutryMills and @kitchengirljo http://foodurl.info/xo46 #giveaway

This giveaway is a special one. I'm not the only blogger giving away one of these awesome gift baskets! You can enter at each of the blogs listed below and follow their directions for even more chances to win! How great is that?

Southern Plate

The Post-It Place

Deep South Dish

Mommy’s Kitchen

Southern Beauty

I hope you'll take a look at the blogs I've listed above, not only to increase your chances to win a basket... but because I think you'll love the recipes and articles you'll find at each and everyone of them! :)

Finally, House-Autry Mills has made sure we all walk away winners from this giveaway! Here's the link for a great coupon to try out House-Autry Mills products for yourself. I'll bet your family enjoys them as much as my family has.

Click for Coupon

Disclosure: House-Autry Mills provided me with a gift basket of the products described, both for me to try and to give away to one reader. As always, any thoughts and opinions given on "The Adventures of Kitchen Girl" are my own.

Ice Cream Grasshoppers

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 15:57:00 +0000

Not long ago I tried making grasshopper cocktails in my new ice cream maker and they worked out really well. Of course, you could make them in the blender with already made ice cream but this was kind of fun and worked well since we had the ingredients to make vanilla ice cream on hand, but none ready made.

I used my standard, non-custard vanilla ice cream recipe and simply added my liquors to the machine in the last 5 minutes of churning.

Verrry Vanilla Ice Cream w/ grasshopper variation

Yield: Approximately 2 Quarts (or 6 large dessert sized cocktails)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cups whole milk
3/4 Cup granulated sugar
3 Cups heavy cream
2 Tablespoons good quality pure vanilla extract

Method:
In a mixing bowl, combine the milk and granulated sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla extract. Pour this mixture into the ice cream machine and churn according to manufacturer's directions. Serve immediately or freeze.

To make Grasshoppers:
Start out making your vanilla ice cream using the recipe above. During the last 5 minutes of churn time add the following ingredients:

1/2 cup Crème de menthe
1/2 cup white Crème de cacao

Give the mixture a final stir by hand and serve immediately in frosty highball glass with a straw. If you'd like a thicker consistency you can place the mixture into the freezer for a couple hours. Stir well before serving.

Very Vanilla Cookie Crumble Ice Cream

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 19:20:00 +0000

Recently, I was gifted with an electric ice cream maker... an appliance I've never worked with before. The last time I made fresh ice cream it was with one of those old fashioned hand crank machines that used rock salt and ice. Sure, it worked... but it took a good bit of elbow grease and preparation, so it wasn't something I did very often. It was just too much hassle. This little electric beauty is a whole different animal though and I've made several different batches of ice cream already. I love it! I expect I'll be posting quite a few frozen sweet treats over the summer! And I'll be doing a review of my particular maker soon, too.

This is a very basic ice cream recipe. It uses no eggs and there is no precooking required so it can be made when ever the mood strikes. I expected it to be less creamy because its not custard based but I was pleasantly surprised at the lovely creamy texture. I hope you'll try it and that you enjoy it as much as we did!

This recipe can be made in an electric or manual ice cream maker... just follow your manufacturer's directions.

Also, this basic vanilla recipe could be used with many different add-ins... candy, other cookies, fruit puree. Just keep the add-ins to no more than 1 cup total and you'll be golden!

Very Vanilla Cookie Crumble Ice Cream
Yield: Approximately 2 Quarts

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Cups whole milk
3/4 Cup granulated sugar
3 Cups heavy cream
2 Tablespoons good quality pure vanilla extract
1 Cup Crushed chocolate (Oreo) sandwich cookies (approx. 10 whole cookies)

Method:
In a mixing bowl, combine the milk and granulated sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla extract. Pour this mixture into the ice cream machine and churn according to manufacturer's directions. Add the crushed cookies during the last 5 minutes of churning. Serve immediately or freeze.

And the winner...

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 15:08:00 +0000

...of the "Shrek-tacular Savings Giveaway!" is....

Comment #11 kjmills!

Congratulations! I will be contacting you shortly!

Thank you for entering!

Shrek-tacular Savings Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 16:51:00 +0000

This giveaway has now ended!!! Thank you for entering!

I've got a wonderful giveaway for you today!

General Mills is celebrating the May 21st release of Shrek Forever After, the final chapter of the Shrek films. Look for Shrek-tacular savings in the grocery store on your favorite General Mills brands like Go-GURT, Pillsbury, Fruit Roll-Ups, Bisquick, Green Giant and more. Also, be sure to keep an eye out for specially-marked packages of Big G cereals, in which you can find collectible water squirters and markers, which are shaped like your favorite Shrek characters.

To save even more green, visit www.everydaysaver.com/events/shrek to download coupons today. While you’re there you and your little prince or princess can get in the mood to see Shrek Forever After by taking a peek at the movie trailer.

This giveaway prize pack includes: A Shrek-tacular tote bag filled with participating products including Big G cereals, Fruit Roll-Ups Minis snacks and Betty Crocker Brownie Mix or Muffin Mix. The prize pack will also include a $10 Shrek-tacular Savings coupon book with fun Shrek trivia, a Shrek water squirter, a Shrek highlighter and a $25 gift card that you can use to purchase tickets to see the new Shrek Forever After film.

You have from now until Tuesday June 2nd, 2010 to enter this giveaway! To enter, leave a comment on this post with your name and an email address where I can reach you, should you be the lucky winner!

You can receive up to 3 additional entries to win this prize pack by posting a link to this post on your Twitter/Facebook/Blog. If you chose to enter the giveaway with these extra options, please leave a comment on this post with links to the places you've posted to. On twitter you can send your link to me directly @kitchengirljo

The giveaway ends Tuesday June 2nd, 2010 @ 11:59pm EST. I will announce the winner here on my blog on Wednesday morning!

Thank you for entering and GOOD LUCK!!!

******
Disclaimer: General Mills provided me with the product, information, and prize packs through MyBlogSpark.

CSN Product Review Coming Soon!

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Fri, 28 May 2010 16:49:00 +0000

In 2009 I did a product review with the great folks at CSN Stores. Recently I was asked if I would like to work with them again on another product review. Of course, I said yes! My experience working with them last Fall was wonderful and I am looking forward to doing it all over again!

Did you know that CSN has just about everything you could need for your home? For example, take a look at their extensive collection of bathroom vanities! I happen to really like this one, with it's sleek lines and extra storage.

CSN Stores have 200+ stores where you can purchase all your needs from cookware to clothing to office and school supplies. How convenient is that? One stop shopping!

Look for my review post coming up soon. I'm excited about the product I'll be receiving to work with and I know you'll enjoy the recipes I'll be sharing alongside the review!

Zuppa Toscana

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 14:27:00 +0000

Here's another recipe I received from my friend Sarah Jo of Double Wide Skillet, Single Wide Budget. This time a delicious soup recipe! I made this to serve along side the "Roasted Vegetable Pasta" I recently posted and thought the two went together beautifully.

While I've never had it, apparently this soup is supposed to be very similar to a soup that a well known Italian chain restaurant serves. Having 3 children and a limited budget, we don't go out to dinner much, so I can't vouch for how close this soup is or isn't to that one. Nevertheless... I adored this soup! So much so that I made it once for the whole family and then made it again so that I could eat it for lunch for several days. It's been almost a week since I finished up that last batch and believe it or not... I'm craving it *again*!

I hope you'll try this one and let me know if you go as crazy for it as I did! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 pound bulk Italian sausage
1 and 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
12 oz package thick sliced bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 large onion, diced
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
2 to 3- 26 oz cartons chicken cooking stock
6 large potatoes, cubed
1 cup heavy cream
6 oz bag baby fresh spinach

Method:
1. Cook the Italian sausage and red pepper flakes in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crumbly, browned, and no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Cook the bacon in the same Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain, leaving a few tablespoons of drippings with the bacon in the bottom of the Dutch oven. Stir in the onions and garlic; cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

3. Pour the chicken stock into the Dutch oven with the bacon and onion mixture; bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes, and boil until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the heavy cream and the cooked sausage; heat through. Mix the spinach into the soup just before serving.

Makes 6-8 servings

*The recipe this soup was based on can be found here at allrecipes.com*

Kitchen Notes:
~ The second time I made the soup I added an additional 6 oz bag of baby spinach... because I love spinach and I thought it was excellent. When I added the extra spinach I wanted it a bit more "soupy", which is why I added more stock. If you make the recipe according to the recipe above, 2 cartons of chicken stock will be fine.

~The original recipe calls for only 4 slices of bacon... but we love bacon in this house so I used the whole package. Don't feel you need to be as gluttonous if you'd rather not. Even 4 slices of bacon would have been enough to flavor the soup, I simply wanted MORE!

~ The original recipe calls for heavy cream and the first time I made it that way and it was delicious... however, the second time I used fat free half and half and it was just as good! (Saved a few calories so I could have all that bacon and feel a little less guilt!)

~I like this soup with a spicy kick... so I used both hot Italian sausage AND the red pepper flakes. If you prefer, you could use hot sausage and omit the red pepper flakes.

~This soup freezes well!

Roasted Vegetable Pasta

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:43:00 +0000

My friend Sarah Jo is an amazing cook! The other day we were chatting back and forth and I mentioned to her than I was feeling totally uninspired about what to make for dinner. So, she suggested a couple recipes for me to try. And they were wonderful! Of course, me being me, I couldn't just make the recipe as it was written... I had to change it up because that's just what I do.

You should also check out Sarah Jo's blog. She writes great posts and has reviewed hundreds of recipes on AllRecipes.com. She's a stay at mom of 2 adorable boys (3 if you count the big boy also known as her husband) who does a great job of keeping meals delicious, healthy AND affordable. That's something we could all use in these lean economic times. Because is she is such an excellent cook who knows her stuff, you know you can trust her reviews and feel confident that if she says something is good (or not so good) that it will be. I hope you'll go take a look at her blog and maybe leave a comment telling her I sent you.

You can find her blog here: "Double Wide Skillet, Single Wide Budget"

On to the recipe! I love this dish because it's simple and healthy and chock full of vegetables. I served it with a delicious soup (I'll be posting it soon) but it was substantial enough to stand on it's own for a light vegetarian meal. Or, you could even do what I did with the leftovers and add some chopped grilled chicken breast in to make it more filling. Shrimp would be tasty too. It's great served hot, but I found I really liked it room temperature as well. I can totally see this dish made with a variety of different vegetables... I think it would be great for using whatever Spring or Summer produce is plentiful at the time. Like I always say, use your imagination and your family's tastes as your guide and don't be afraid to try something new!

Ingredients:
1 (16 ounce) package farfalle (bowtie) pasta
Olive oil
4 cloves chopped garlic
1 large red onion
1 pound portobello mushrooms
2 red bell peppers
1 large zucchini
1 pound asparagus
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
Fresh shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt and black pepper to taste

Method:
1: Preheat oven to 450* F

2: Wash and chop all vegetables so that they are all about the same size. I like the size to be about 3/4 of an inch. Having the vegetables the same size is VERY important because everything will roast together.

3: Place all your vegetables together in a large bowl and coat with olive oil and chopped garlic. You want the pieces covered well with oil, but not dripping!

4: Spread your vegetable mixture out on baking sheets so that everything is in a single layer. The veg can be touching, just not piled on top of each other. Two standard baking sheets were sufficient for mine.

5: Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes. Check frequently. You're looking for your vegetables to be tender but not mushed and slightly browned. It might take as little as 15 minutes or as much as 25... checking is key.

6: While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the pasta according to package directions.

7: Toss the roasted vegetables with the pasta, including some of the olive oil from your baking sheets that is leftover from roasting... this makes up part of the dressing for the dish.

8: Add the balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste and toss gently again.

9: Serve immediately with a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Serves 6

Kitchen Notes:
* I highly recommend covering your baking sheets with aluminum foil for ease in clean up.

* The recipe that my "Roasted Vegetable Pasta" is based on can be found here at AllRecipes.com

Orange Honey Mustard Glazed Corned Beef

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:16:00 +0000

Can you believe it's almost time for St.Patrick's day?! I am so glad it is though, because for me it's one of the first signs of Spring! And believe me, after all the snow we've had this Winter I am MORE than ready! :)

This is a little different way to prepare your corned beef and I think the glaze really makes it something special. I love to serve this with my "Smashed Potatoes with Spinach". Follow the link to see the recipe. You don't have to use spinach with these mashed 'taters either... as you'll see, you can use a variety of vegetables to dress them up. For St.Patrick's day cabbage (colcannon style) or peas (champ style) would be great!

How does your family celebrate St. Paddy's day?

Ingredients:
2 1/2 to 3 1/2 pound corned beef brisket
1 Tablespoon orange juice concentrate (thawed)
2 Tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Method:
1: Preheat over to 350* F.

2: In a small bowl, combine the thawed orange juice concentrate, honey and Dijon mustard to make a glaze. Set aside.

3: In a Dutch oven, place corned beef and add the enclosed spice packet. Cover the meat completely with water. Cover tightly with a lid and simmer in the oven at 350* F for 2 1/2 hours.

4: Remove the brisket and transfer to a shallow baking or broiling pan.
Cover the brisket with the glaze and broil 2-3 minutes until it starts to caramelize. Remove from oven and let stand 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Serves 6-8

Kitchen Notes: Always slice corned beef thinly and across the grain. This makes for a much more tender piece for your guests. Leftovers are great made into hash for breakfast or used for reuben sandwiches! Yum!

Mint Chocolate Candy Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 16:31:00 +0000

These cookies come from one of my BFFs and I've been making them for a number of years at Christmas time. They are good anytime of year, of course... but I would think they'd be perfect for St.Patrick's day! They are a *very* minty cookie, yet not terribly sweet. My kids love them, but I find these tend to satisfy more "adult" tastes. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
For Cookie Dough:
1 Cup softened butter
1 Cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
2 egg yolks
10-15 drops green food coloring
2 1/4 Cups AP flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

For Cookie Topping:
1 cup dark chocolate chips
3 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
3 Tablespoons butter
25 Andes Crème de Menthe candies, chopped coarsely

Method:
1: Preheat oven to 350* F.

2: Beat 1 cup butter ans powdered sugar in a stand mixer on medium until light and fluffy. Add in peppermint extract, egg yolks and food coloring until well blended.

3: On low speed slowly add in flour, baking powder and salt until well combined.

4: Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Press a deep well into the center each cookie with your thumb.

5: Bake 10-12 minutes until set. Reshape wells if needed. Cool 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks. Allow cookies to cool completely before moving to steps 6 and 7.

6: In a small bowl, microwave chocolate chips, cream and and 3 T butter on HIGH for 1 minute, stirring often, until mixture is smooth.

7: Fill each cookie with chocolate mixture and top with chopped candy pieces. Allow to stand until set. About 1 hour.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Orange Creamsicle Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:17:00 +0000

When was the last time you had an orange creamsicle? Do you remember how delicious they were with that amazing combination of orange and vanilla? These cookies will have you recalling childhood memories of long, warm summers when the ice cream truck would come through the neighborhood. Remember hearing that familiar tune and running as fast as you could to the street with your quarters in hand, just waiting until the truck came close enough to go up and choose a cool sweet summer treat? Those were the days! And these cookies will bring a little of that feeling back... I promise!

These cookies are so easy to make since they use a pre-packaged sugar cookie mix. You can also make these using your favorite SOFT sugar cookie recipe. I've done that and they turn out even better! Just use a recipe that would normally yield 2.5 to 3 dozen regular sugar cookies and add in the additional items. The baking time should be about the same as this recipe calls for but you will want to keep a close eye on them to ensure you don't either under or over bake them.

I know it's still winter... cold and snowy in lots of places... but think of these cookies as a little taste of summer. Goodness knows we could ALL use that about now!

Enjoy!

Note: I love the second recipe on Elise's "Simply Recipes" blog here: http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/sugar_cookies/ It's a great recipe to use for these cookies, if you don't want to use a pre-packaged mix.

Ingredients:

1 Package (that will yield 3 dozen) sugar cookie mix
3 Tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
5 drops yellow food coloring
2 drops red food coloring
12 ounces vanilla baking chips (about 2 cups)

Method:

1: Preheat over to 350*F.

2: In a large bowl, stir in all ingredients except baking chips until a soft dough forms.

3: Drop dough onto an ungreased baking sheet by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart.

4: Bake for 9-10 minutes until dough is set. Do not over-bake.

5: Cool on baking sheet for 1 minute and then transfer to cooling racks.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Blog Away Hunger - Help Haiti

noreply@blogger.com (Jo) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 16:34:00 +0000

I will be donating 5 times the ad revenue I earn for the month of Janruary to the World Food Program’s Haiti relief efforts. Since the ad revenue earned by "The Adventures of Kitchen Girl is based on the number of pages viewed. You can help increase the amount of my donation by going through the archives here and reading older posts and by asking your food loving friends to do the same.

If you’re a blogger and want to donate your ad revenue too, check out the Help Haiti campaign over at Blog Away Hunger.