Time 2 Eat Yall

Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:35:00 +0000

I'm sure most of us have had tuna noodle casserole at one time or another growing up. It's a Campbell's classic that's been around for generations. Although I can do without the pimentos and I most certainly (being a cheese lover) have to add in my cheese.

Would you believe though that I've never ever been a fan of pimento cheese....yuk. I've just never liked the taste and cringed when my mom would make pimento cheese sandwiches and I of course had to eat it, detesting every bite. I grew up in the South and until now really had no idea that it was what some call a "Southern Thang". I should have known..lol I've never heard the phrase "pimento cheese" even uttered since I've lived up North.

Am I alone on this one or are you a huge fan of them? I'll admit I've never ate it as an adult and I do like each ingredient so I think I may have to enlighten myself as tastes do change. This one I found on food network - Bobby's Pimento Cheese sounds like a great place to start.

Ingredients
2 cups dry egg noodles cooked and drained
2 cans Tuna drained
1 can cream of mushroom or cream of celery
1/2 cup milk or half n half
1 can peas drained - I prefer Le Sueur Sweet Peas
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs mixed with 1-2 tbsp melted butter
salt/pepper to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Spray casserole dish with Pam. Mix all of your ingredients together in a bowl except for the bread crumbs. Spread your mix into your casserole dish and top with your bread crumbs and bake uncovered for about 30 minutes.

Enjoy! Simple weeknight dinner are grand aren't they?

Root Beer Frosting

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:02:00 +0000

Happy Fat Tuesday everyone! Today I'm sharing a great Mardi Gras recipe for Root Beer Frosting perfect for those King Cakes! Zatarains sent me this recipe as well as a few others for our Mardi Gras "House Party"!

This is terribly easy and actually yummy especially if you like Root Beer.

Ingredients
1 pound of powdered sugar
1/4 of flour - all purpose
1/4 lb of butter
1/4 cup of water
1/2 of shortening/oil
pinch of salt
1 tsp of Root Beer Extract (Zatarains)

Directions
Combine all of your ingredients in a medium to large bowl and beat with a mixer until light and fluffy. I scooped my frosting into a ziploc bag and cut the corner so I could just pipe it onto my cupcakes.

Traditionally, if you make king cupcakes, you scoop out about a 1/4 tsp of the center and insert a fava bean (which you should not eat).

I further added some festive sprinkles....

What's your favorite Mardi Gras recipe to make?

"Get a good night's sleep" Love Dove

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:09:00 +0000

Who needs Valentine's "gamble chocolates" when you have Dove? I love these little messages on Dove chocolates. They are my sweet little indulgence for anyday, anytime. I bought a bag just for myself for V-Day just because. It's good to treat yourself.

"Get a good night's sleep"....I think I'll take it!

I love you too Dove.

What sweet treats did you get for Valentine's Day?

A Toast To Champagne

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:34:00 +0000

Here's an interesting infographic on champagne and wines. In fact, I had no idea that "bubbles" were an accident! To better see the full infographic simply click on it and then again to make it full screen.

Brought To By Wine.com, Purveyors of Fine Wine and Champagne

Warm Chocolate Chip Crescents

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:46:00 +0000

This is a recipe that I found on the Pillsbury website. It's extremely easy to whip these up but be forewarned, they do not last long, at least in my house!

Ingredients
1 can (8 count) Pillsbury Big and Flaky crescent dinner rolls
½ cup chocolate chips
Powdered sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Unroll your dough to expose 8 flat triangles and sprinkle the chocolate chips over them.

Roll them up and placed on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Yea, I went a little heavy on the powdered sugar!

Walgreens Prescription Savings Club - Includes Pets!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:01:00 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Walgreens is offering a special discount for those wanting to take advantage of their annual membership Prescription Savings club! For $35 a year, the family membership would cover everyone in your immediate family as well as your beloved pets! This plan also includes up to 20 dependents! That's a lot of dependents! When you join, you’ll receive discount prices on your prescriptions. If you just want to add yourself to their savings plan then it is $20 a year for individuals.

A snapshot of the many other benefits the Walgreens Prescription Savings Club offers is listed below:

- Savings on more than 8,000 brand-name and all generic medication

- Discounts on flu shots, your pets prescriptions, nebulizers and diabetic supplies

- Extra bonuses when you purchase Walgreens brand products and take advantage of their photo finishing services.

For more details, I would suggest visiting your local Walgreens and speaking with a pharmacist. I think it’s great that they include pets in on this. You never know when they too will need a prescription. We have cats and (knock on wood) they've never had urinary tract problems but even something as simple as an antibiotic for that would be a good example of how the plans discounts could come in handy when it comes to our furry relatives.

I also like that whether you rely heavily on prescriptions throughout the year or not , you can still gain rewards in the form of lower prices on Walgreens brand products which I assume also includes any over the counter medications. I've tried a few Walgreens brand foodie items and even things like Walgreens brand mouthwash, and I'll be honest, it's very comparable to name brand. If you are already enrolled in the Walgreens Prescription Savings Club, I’d love to hear your thoughts on how it may be working out for you and your family?

To stay up to date on all things Walgreens be sure to visit their official pages -Walgreens on Twitter and Walgreens on Facebook .

Top Recipe of 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:17:00 +0000

I thought it would be fun to share what the top recipe of 2011 (late I might add) here on Time 2 Eat Yall, just in case you missed it!

The recipe is Sausage and Cheese Stuffed Biscuits with Gravy which is probably one of my personal favs too.

It's fast, kid friendly, easy to make and was inspired by celebrity chef Sandra Lee!

Sprint 2/5-2/8 4-Day Sale

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:01:00 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sprint. All opinions are 100% mine.

Sprint is having a limited time sale! Only online and lasting now through February 8^th, 2012! If you are in the need of a new phone then you may want to check out these deals as well as the capabilities them too!

Right now you can get the Nexus S™ 4G for FREE when you open a new line of service or add to your account. This phone has the latest google aps and you can snap pics of your favorite foods and send them to anyone quickly with 4-G speed and even has it's own hot spot capability!
• Nexus S™ 4G @ FREE online only savings ($50 MIR converts to instant + $99.99 web only savings).
-OR-

You can get the HTC EVO™ 3D for only $49.99 when you open a new line of service or add to your account.

• HTC EVO™ 3D @ $49.99 online only savings ($50 MIR converts to instant + $50 web only savings) This phone has 3-D capabilities (for video and picture), great for food photos! in addition you could find a new hot restaurant with the GPS Navigation and even locate your family members anytime!

** Get waived activation fee for new lines of service and free shipping on sprint.com.

Creamy Homemade Onion Dip

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 09:55:00 +0000

We are big fans of football and there's nothing like munching on good snack food during the games. I am partial to dips being that they are so easy, fairly fast and for the most part have little ingredients. Here's a homemade onion dip that is addicting.

Ingredients - Can easily be doubled or tripled or quadrupled for guests!
1 medium onion chopped small sauteed in about 1 tbsp of butter
1 tsp hot sauce
salt and pepper to taste
2 oz of cream cheese softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 of mayo
dollop of Worcestershire sauce

Directions
Saute onion in butter along with the hot sauce, salt and pepper until onions are nice and caramelized adding more butter if necessary. Meanwhile in a bowl add your cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo and mix well until smooth then add your onions after they've cooled and mix well.
Add a dollop of Worcestershire sauce and season to taste.

Food and Wine Recipe Download

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:08:00 +0000

Food & Wine is offering a free download of Healthy Italian recipes! The download is a PDF and has some great sounding recipes with photos! It also comes with a newsletter which has a recipe in each issue.

Blueberry Pizza

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:47:00 +0000

Blueberry fan? Whether it's cream cheese blueberry fudge or down home blueberry pie, I'm on it. This "pizza" is something that I can (almost) eat all by myself.

Ingredients
1 Golden Butter Cake mix
1 1/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup butter + 3 tbsp
1 egg
1/4 cup brown sugar
21 oz can of blueberry pie filling

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 12 inch pizza pan. In a large bowl combine cake mix, oatmeal, and brown sugar. Set aside 1 1/2 cup for topping. Add the 1/2 cup butter to your bowl and egg mixing well.

Press your crumb mixture in your pizza pan. This worked best for me by using my hands. Bake for 12 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the remainder of your crumb mixture with 3 tbsp butter until crumbly.

After the 12 minutes, remove pan from oven and spread pie filling and then top with remainder of crumb mixture.

Bake for an additional 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired and try it with your favorite canned fruit too. Best served warm!

I got about 12 or 13 slices out of mine but depends on how big or small you serve your slices. I also used a pie spatula to keep each slice together when serving on a plate.

Sausage Breakfast Bake

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:17:00 +0000

Weekends are great for family breakfasts however sometimes it's nice to whip up something that doesn't completely mess up the kitchen first thing in the morning. This is a simple recipe that can be prepped fairly quickly and put in the oven while a load of laundry gets thrown in the washer or coffee sipped while reading the paper, all on a lazy Saturday morning.

Inspired from local church recipe book

Ingredients
6 slices of bread buttered on one side
8 oz of shredded cheese of choice (I used a Colby/Monterey Jack Blend)
6 eggs
2 cups milk or half n half
salt/pepper
1 lb ground sausage browned, crumbled and drained

Directions
Preheat over to 350.

In a casserole dish place bread buttered side down and sprinkle with cheese.

In a bowl, mix eggs, milk, salt and pepper and pour fairly evenly over bread.

Top with sausage and bake uncovered for about 40 minutes.

Makes about 8-10 servings. Leftovers are good too and you can add in onions and other goodies to your liking!

Incorporating Halloween candy into my party refreshments

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:27:00 +0000

Guest post written by Steve Roper

There's nothing more that I love than a good party. It's funny how the definition of a good party has changed since I was in college. I used to consider just pulling a keg into my apartment and invited all of my friends over. Now years down the road, I have to put a whole lot more effort into it. I thought that I would have a fun, old-fashioned Halloween party where everyone dresses up, except with some good refreshments too.

I really love candy and I knew that no matter what kind of food I served, I needed to make sure that I used a lot of Halloween candy in it. I looked online with my clear wireless internet to find some ideas about what I should fix. Lucky for me, lots of people love to share their recipes online so I was able to find more than enough of them.

I thought that one of the things that I definitely needed to make were cupcakes, so I decided to ice them and then dip the iced cupcakes into Reese's pieces. I think that will be a great use of candy. I think that my refreshments are going to be a hit.

See Disclosure

Walgreens Prescription Savings Club and Changes

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 23:01:00 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens. All opinions are 100% mine.

While I normally don’t post about medicines per say, I sometime dabble in health on Time 2 Eat Yall. Many of you may already follow Walgreens on Twitter or Walgreens on Facebook and already be up to date. But there are some changes at Walgreens regarding prescriptions that any of you currently relying on Express Plan should know.

Basically Express Scripts (see Walgreens and Express Script press release) and Walgreens no longer work together after unsuccessful negotiations and so the contract expired at the end of 2011. Walgreens wants to continue smoothly without an increase in costs to its customers even if that means they would receive lower reimbursement rates at below the industry average. This goes for all Walgreens pharmacies nationwide including Duane Reade pharmacies in the New York City area.
So if you were on the Express Scripts plan with Walgreens you may want to know the changes that will take place at Walgreens. To minimize disruption and inconvenience, Walgreens has put forth a comprehensive national effort to make the transition as smooth as they can even if that means taking care of you should you be forced to leave Walgreens in order to use Express Scripts in-network coverage.

While this only affects patients with certain prescription plans managed by Express Scripts, I would still suggest either contacting your local Walgreens or checking the back of your prescription card to see if your plans deals with Express Scripts.

Currently, Walgreens is promoting through January personal/family memberships (includes pets) with savings on more than $8,000 brand name and generic medications for $5.00 for an individual and $10.00 for a family as well as annual membership for its Walgreens Prescription Savings Club. This includes discounts on flu shots, diabetic supplies, bonus’s from buying Walgreens brand products for photo services and more.

Buttery Corn Casserole

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 03:54:00 +0000

I hope your New Year is off to a fantastic start! We took advantage of a lot of down time this past week or so and spent a great deal of family time together. Now that things are starting to get back into a routine I thought I'd share with you a casserole I made to go with the crock pot Pork roast I made on New Years. It's a corn casserole that I found at Taste of Home. It was a hit and everyone was happy to eat up the leftovers (which I think were even better) too. It was fast, easy and right up my alley so that I could relax most of the day!

Ingredients
2 eggs beaten
5 oz can of evaporated milk or regular milk
3 tbsp butter, melted
2 cans of corn, drained
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup of crushed butter flavored cracker crumbs like Ritz or Keebler Club which is what I used
salt/pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Mix everything together with only 2 tbsp of butter and 1/2 cracker crumbs and place in a greased 11x7 dish. Top with remaining bread crumbs and butter. Cook for about 25-30 or until golden brown and bubbly.

Serves 6

Yum.

Open Face Tuna Melt W/Sweet Peppers and Wasabi Mayo

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:57:00 +0000

I made this for hubs and I for lunch the other day. He's not much of a fan of wasabi mayo but I like it. You can use regular mayo as well if you don't dig the zing of the wasabi. We visited amish country recently and came home with a few goodies one of them being the honey wheat loaf which is what I used in this recipe. I sliced mine thick to make it more hearty and filling but you can use whatever bread you like.

What are some of your favorite ways to do a tuna melt?

Ingredients
1 can tuna (per sandwich) mixed with 2 tsp wasabi mayo
1 slice honey wheat bread or bread of choice sliced thick
1 slice swiss cheese
about a small hadfull of red pepper and onion strips sauteed in 2 tsp butter until soft

Directions
Top your bread with tuna then slice cheese. I used one can of tuna for each sandwich. Melt in broiler or oven until cheese melts and bread is slightly crunchy. Top with your onions and peppers and enjoy.

My New Bakery

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 14:32:00 +0000

This guest post from Doris Dillon

When I started a new small baking business in Clearview, I knew I had to step up my technology game. I was finally out on my own, and doing what I love for a living. I felt a lot of pressure to bring in customers, and keep the business afloat. The last thing I wanted was to fail and have to fire my employees. Before I started my own business I had no idea how much work it takes just to get people in the door! I knew that I had to be accessible to both my customers and employees, and I also needed to put out a great web marketing campaign. The first step in doing this was searching wireless internet Clearview to find the best, most reliable internet service in town. I also needed to have a mobile hotspot so I could work on the go. My next step was to hire a talented web designer and come up with a great marketing campaign. Luckily, things have been going great, and it doesn’t look like the bakery will be closing any time soon. I’m so happy that I used technology to help get me here.

See Disclosure

Homemade Lima Beans

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 10:02:00 +0000

Beans, Beans good for the Heart, Beans, Beans Make me Fart! Ha, Ha. I remember kids used to say that in school. Anyways, I'm sharing how I do my lima beans today. I love, love lima beans and contrary to many folks I don't soak mine and they still come out great.

My mom used to make these all the time. She'd start them while we were in school or just getting out and by dinner time they'd be awesome!

Here's basically what I do. First every time I make a ham, I save the bone and freeze it. If I don't have a bone on hand I will simply get some ham hocks and throw it in my pot for flavor. I stick that bad boy in a big pot of water than add my lima's (the whole bag of dry beans and I prefer the big ones). I do rinse these just to get out the unwanted sediments etc.

Then a chopped onion goes in.

Then I put it on the stove and start it off at a boil. I then reduce the heat to a low boil and continue to cook until they are nice and soft. You can cover if you wish sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. You also want to stir it here and there but you don't have to baby it. Towards the middle to end of the cooking cycle once my broth starts thickening and getting color I give it a taste.

I add salt first and foremost. Sometimes garlic powder, black pepper or whatever I think it's missing. Ultimately I also add my friends....

Tabasco and Lea and Perrrins! I sometimes even invite Texas Pete into the pot.

I continue to cook until they are nice and soft (a couple hours) but not falling apart too much. I also like my broth nice and fairly thick so it goes great over rice. I personally just eat mine like a soup. Before then I taste it again and add some more of the above or spice to suit my taste.

And then it's happy hour!

Yum to the Yum!

Slim-Fast's Launches Best Tasting Shakes Ever!

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 03:00:00 +0000

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Slim-Fast. All opinions are 100% mine.

Have a New Year’s goal to go from now to Wow? You are not alone in that endeavor, trust me.   I’m not setting particular goals per say but I will be taking on the role of a more active lifestyle which means a little more exercise and eating healthier. I’m a big “snacker” so trying to find alternatives for that will be my biggest factor. Many people consider a diet focused on looking great at a specific vent or occasion like a wedding, reunion or vacation. I can certainly relate having been to a wedding in the last year or so however my goal is solely for the health benefits.

I do not ever want to have to sacrifice taste on account of eating healthier or dieting. I like what I like and I guess I’m stubborn in that way. Slim-Fast wants you to know that they have just introduced its richest, creamiest, and best-tasting shakes ever launched in years that comes conveniently in a bottle designed to go everywhere which I think is very appropriate for the brand.

Here’s the run down on this new shake:
*The new Slim-Fast shakes will wow your taste buds, provide up to four hours of hunger control    and offer 10 grams of protein, five grams of fiber and 24 essential vitamins and minerals, making it easier for you to stick to your plan and achieve your weight loss goals.

Flavors available in the new Slim-Fast bottle include:
*Creamy Milk Chocolate
*French Vanilla
* Rich Chocolate Royale
*Cappuccino Delight
*Strawberries N’ Cream

These new Slim-Fast shakes are part of the Slim-Fast 3•2•1 Plan. This plan is pretty flexible so you can probably get the structure you want and the variety you crave all at the same time.

Here’s the plan:
• 3 Snacks: Three nourishing snacks a day such as Slim-Fast 100-calorie snack bars, fruit, nuts or veggies
• Slim-Fast 100-calorie snack bars provide a delicious calorie-controlled snack to help curb sweet cravings between meals
• 2 Slim-Fast Shakes or Meal Bars per day: Slim-Fast shakes and meal bars are delicious and satisfying, providing the balanced nutrition of a meal and up to four hours of hunger control
• 1 Balanced Meal: Enjoy one balanced 500-calorie meal per day. As a rule, try to fill half your plate with veggies, a quarter with protein, and a quarter with whole grains
Availability
• The new Slim-Fast shakes are available in the pharmacy sections of grocers and retailers nationwide, including Wal-Mart, Target, Safeway and Kroger and online at Amazon.com and the Slim-Fast 3-2-1 Store on Facebook.

What product from the plan are you most excited to try? I’m a sucker for strawberries, so for me I’d have to go with the Strawberries N’ Cream!   I really like the rule of thumb on filling your plate too which for some, portion control is half of the battle.

Marzetti Simply Dressed #CleverSalads #CleverMarzetti

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 21:40:00 +0000

When I was younger I was never much of a salad person like I am today. Today, I can eat salad anytime, anywhere and it most certainly has to have dressing! My husband first turned me onto blue cheese dressing and I’ve been hooked ever since. Before I'd always go the Ranch route and never veered much. While I still like Ranch, I now like to try all sorts of dressings. You never know what you might be missing! In fact I like blue cheese dressing so much that I “finger lick” it! Can you admit that you "finger lick" your dressing too or am I just the odd one?

Now one thing I’ve learned is that not all dressing is created equally. I’ve had my fair share of never buy again versions, homemade versions, and then a few hits in between too.

Most recently I got to try a new line of dressing by Marzetti called Simply Dressed and the one I ended up picking out was Blue Cheese. I had a few apprehensions of which one to choose since all of the varieties sounded very good but thought I’d give the old stand by a whirl.

One of my favorite salads to have with blue cheese is quite basic and consists of iceberg lettuce, red onions and crisp bacon bits (when I'm not eating hot wings). I was very surprised at how good this dressing was and is on my list to buy again. It has a great consistency that’s not too runny or too thick. It also has some great blue cheese chunks (the more the merrier) that give it a great texture and it’s refrigerated at the store which I prefer for blue cheese versus sitting on the aisle unrefrigerated. It also has a buttermilk taste with touches of garlic that make this a great tasting dressing.

Any of the Marzetti Simply Dressed flavors could add some pizzazz to your holiday meals. There's ten great new flavors to choose from for those holiday recipes/salads that consist of Ranch, Caesar, Pomegranate, Cole Slaw, Balsalmic, Champagne (I really want to try this one too!), Strawberry Poppyseed, Greek Feta, Ginger Sesame, and of course Blue Cheese. You can find these at your local grocery fresh produce section for convenience and added freshness!

These retail for about $3.59-$4.59 per 12-ounce bottle. To find a store near you that carries it, simply visit www.marzetti.com/where-to-buy/. In addtion to fresh-tasting this line is without any preservatives, trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, MSG or artificial flavors or colors. It's also made with a minimal number of all-natural and simple ingredients such as extra virgin olive oil, canola oil (source of Omega-3 ALA) and sea salt!

What's your favorite flavor of salad dressing? Have you tried the Marzetti's Simply Dressed yet? I also have a great recipe from a fellow blogger for Buffalo Blue Cheese dip that will knock your socks off! I can't wait to try it with Marzetti's Blue Cheese!

Do you make any great dishes using salad dressing? If so I'd love to hear your ideas!

I was one of the bloggers selected by T. Marzetti Company and Clever Girls Collective to host a Marzetti Simply Dressed review. They provided me with product to test myself and compensation for my time. However, my opinions are entirely my own.

Cream Cheese and Chive Mashed Potatoes

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 02:30:00 +0000

We love potatoes around here and it also ranks up there among my comfort foods too - only homemade. Whether you whip or mash your potatoes it's quite a filling side dish that's sure to satisfy and goes with so many foods. I made this the other night with a beef roast that I did in the crock pot. Here's what I did:

Ingredients
About 2 lbs potatoes peeled, and quartered (I eyeball it)
1/2 cup milk
1 block of 8 ounce cream cheese room temp
fresh diced green onions (to taste - about 1/4 to 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup ranch dressing
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Cook potatoes in just enough water to cover for about 20 minutes or until just soft. You'll want to start them off with a boil then reduce heat to medium. Drain when done.

Meanwhile in a medium sized bowl fold in your green onions into your cream cheese. I then add the potatoes in the with the cream cheese and onion (or use same pot) and smash with a potato masher.

I like mine just a tad on the chunky side. While doing so add your remaining ingredients folding them in well.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Yum to the Yum.

Serves 10

Karo Syrup - New Year's Eve Recipe Contest

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:42:00 +0000

Holiday presents don't need to be store bought or expensive to be meaningful. Homemade gifts are perfect for gift-giving and spreading holiday cheer. This year, Karo has partnered with Chicago pastry chef and cookbook author Sarah Levy to create delicious treats that are the perfect gift to give this holiday season.

Karo Syrup wants to celebrate all holiday baking recipes including yours! Folks who share their favorite recipe to bake in Karo's Recipe Sweepstakes are entered to win a special New Year's Eve package in Chicago, including a two-night stay at the Wit Hotel, dinner at Mastro's Steakhouse and a chocolate tour! That sounds divine doesn't it? I would love to win a vacation!

To grab all the details, visit the "Tis the Season" tab at www.Facebook.com/KaroSyrup to share your recipe and enter to win this fabulous trip and see some of Sarah Levy's favorite holiday recipes.

"Disclosure: I was entered for a chance to win a Karo Syrup prize package in exchange for this post. No monetary exchange took place. All opinions are my own."

Betty Crocker's Holiday Trends

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 14:30:00 +0000

Happy Holidays Time-2-Eaters! Right about now, you´re probably gearing up for a wonderful holiday season filled with great family, great friends, and of course, great food!
Wants some inspiration in the kitchen? Check out Betty Crocker´s Red Hot Holiday Trends 2011! The food experts at Betty Crocker have selected trends that will be red hot this holiday season, and have created delicious recipes to bring each one to life. These fun and delicious recipes are sure to fire up any holiday event, and keep you toasty and warm for the New Year ahead.

	Trend: Double Desserts Taking two desserts and mixing and mashing them together is one of our favorite trends. Things like pie shakes, cookie stuffed cookies, and pie-filled cupcakes deliver a whole new kind of delicious. It´s a 1+1=3 kind of thing. Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Cookies Pie, meet cookie. Cookie, say hello to pie. When two all-time favorites come together, you get Pumpkin Pie Cookies, the star at your next holiday cookie exchange.

	Trend: Boozy Baking From booze cakes to cocktail pies, bakers everywhere are bringing the bar into the kitchen. A titch of tequila or a skosh of scotch whiskey adds a serious shot of fun and flavor for the over 21 crowd. We´re loving these boozy baked goods! Recipe: Boozy Bourbon Chocolate Cupcakes Taste for yourself what the buzz is all about! A bit of bourbon, a hit of coffee liqueur and some vanilla vodka-spiked frosting make these sophisticated chocolate cupcakes the ultimate "holiday helpers."

	Trend: Color. Flavor. Fun. Traditional baked goods are being transformed with bright colors and playful flavors. With a little creativity and imagination, no one can resist this happy, fun food! Recipe: Cake Batter Cookie Stackers Take sugar cookies to a whole new level of delicious! Kids and adults will love these cake batter flavored cookies with colorful frosting, and lots of sprinkles! Stack `em up and watch `em go.

	Trend: From Cave to Kitchen Forget the man cave. Today guys are in the kitchen making (or at least appreciating) really good food. Big food. Really good, big food that´s stacked and stuffed with the flavors they can´t resist. Recipe: Mantastic Fried Chicken `n´ Waffle Sandwich Here´s a new take on chicken `n´ waffles - made better with beer, bacon, and bourbon. It´s the ultimate manly man meal.

	Trend: Skinny Cocktails Here´s the skinny! Drinking high-calorie cocktails is so last year. The modern mixologist is shaking things up with light & flavorful cocktails. Recipe: Skinny Clementine Martini Add some clever sparkle to your next party. Enjoy these natural, light martinis made with fresh juice, high-quality liquor, and a splash of club soda. Lower calorie cocktails never tasted, or looked, so sweet. Cheers!

	Trend: Better Than Bought From canning to candy making, there´s a renewed interest in handcrafted foods. This season, homemade food gifts are just the right thing to show your care and creativity. Recipe: Cajeta Caramel Fudge Create the perfect combination of flavor and crunch with this homemade candy. Rich chocolate fudge layered with cajeta caramel, cashews and a sprinkle of sea salt-a recipe to impress.

	Trend: Veggie Love Once just tolerated, vegetables are now celebrated. Omnivores and herbivores alike have discovered that veggies offer variety and great taste, and are feeling the love. Recipe: Sweet Potato Hummus Hummus with fresh sweet potato packs even more plant power. Add a delicious blend of smoked paprika, coriander, and cumin to make this flavorful dip.

	Trend: Shareworthy & Allergen-Friendly Allergen-friendly foods may be free from things like nuts, dairy and eggs, but shouldn´t be free from flavor. Thankfully, we´re seeing new foods and recipes that can be enjoyed by everyone - whether you´re allergy-sensitive or not. Recipe: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread Gather everyone around the table to enjoy this moist and delicious pumpkin bread. Made with no nuts, no dairy, no eggs, and no gluten - no kidding!

	Trend: D-I-Y for D-O-G Man´s best friend deserves man´s best effort. That´s why making your own dog food is one of the latest canine crazes! This year, homemade dog treats are at the top of fido´s list. Recipe: Dog Bark This treat will make your dog sit up and beg for more. Make the bark by melting carob chips and peanut butter then top with your dog´s favorite ingredients - bacon and cheese. Bow WOW!

	Trend: Food Craft The kitchen is the new craft room. With food as their medium, clever cooks are making amazing edible food crafts that are as good to look at as they are to eat. Recipe: Chocolate Coal Lumps Naughty or nice, everyone will love these easy cho-coal-late treats. Cocoa Puffs® cereal dipped in melted chocolate and marshmallows create these tasty stocking stuffers.

If you have the chance to try some of these hot holiday trends with your family or friends, I'd love to know which ones you tried!

Discloseure - I received details for the above post from Betty Crocker through MyBlogSpark!

Mrs. Renfro's Review/Giveaway CLOSED

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:14:00 +0000

Most of you who have read the blog for awhile know how much of a snack/appetizer junkie I am. We are equally football fans as well and love to try new things for game day some of which are indeed salsas. I recently tried Mrs. Renfro’s salsa which I let the family test drive on football Sunday. They proved to be a hit! I tried four equally unique flavors: Tequila Salsa, Chipotle Corn, Garlic Salsa and Ghost Pepper Salsa.

The Ghost Pepper Salsa (made from the hottest pepper in the world) is one of their newest and hottest salsas. I like heat so I was game for trying this and indeed it’s that hot! So hot in fact that the little one didn't try it at all. I eventually added this salsa to a cheese dip to help tame the heat and even then it was still that hot! I can certainly see why they won awards with this one. This is a salsa for those who thrive for the heat and like to live on the edge!

The favorite of my little one (who doesn’t care for heat) was the Tequila Salsa (Tequila, lime juice, salt) which is indeed made with Tequila. I actually thought this one had a sweet taste without any hint of heat at all. I think it’s a great tasting salsa for those who can’t do medium or mild.

My personal favorite was the Garlic Salsa (fresh garlic and fire-roasted garlic puree). This is just the perfect concoction of all things I like in salsa. The garlic is tasty but not overpowering. It’s not too sweet and not too hot. It was also the flavor that disappeared first!

The Chipotle Corn Salsa (Fresh onion, corn, chipotle and ancho peppers) has a nice smoky flavor to it. I think this is a good one for those who want to switch things up a bit and stray from the average salsa flavor. I think this would be a good candidate for many of Mrs. Renfro's recipes.

All of these have the right amount of juice, chunk and flavor to them and are equally great to add into your favorite dishes. You can also take a peak at the many different recipes in which you can experiment with in the kitchen using the different salsas.

Giveaway - One lucky reader will win Mrs Renfro's salsas (4 flavors) of their very own of any flavor they wish! Giveaway ends 12/15/2011 at midnight EST and winner will be chosen via random.org.

Winner choateorama@......
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Disclosure - I received the above mentioned item. The opinions expressed are my own.

Creamy Broccoli Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Katie) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 18:14:00 +0000

I'm in love with broccoli soup. More so when it has cheese in it like this recipe. Although I'm not a fan of carrots, I can totally dig them when they are used to enhance or sweeten a dish as long as I don't have to taste them too much. I think that just stems from my childhood! A fast, good comfort soup that's easy to make and requires little ingredients was just what the doctor ordered. I needed a break from all the Thanksgiving leftovers so I made this soup. Perfect for a cool rainy day! I found this recipe at cdkitchen which has a bunch of recipes submitted by regular folks like you and me. It's supposedly supposed to be like Panera breads soup however, I have never ate there (if you can believe it) so I can't vouch for that. But they just built one in my area so I may have to give it a whirl! I also took advice from some of the comments and added a nab of Dijon mustard to mine as well.

Ingredients
1 tbsp butter
1 small onion choppped
1/4 cup butter
1/4 flour
2 cups milk or half n half
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 lb broccoli chopped (I used frozen)
1 cup carrots julienne (cut like matchsticks)
8 ounces shredded cheese (I used Mexican blend but any cheddar would do)

Extras - 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp dijon mustard, s/p, garlic powder

Directions
Saute onion in 1 tbsp of butter and set aside. In a soup pot, melt 1/4 cup butter and whisk 1/4 flour over med heat creating a rue. This should get a golden browned color and should take about 3-5 minutes.

Add 2 cups milk and the 2 cups chicken stock to the rue and whisk frequently simmering 20 minutes. Then add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook on low until the vegetables are tender about 20 minutes. At this point the soup should have started thickening some. You may want to season it with salt/pepper or wait until you've added the cheese. I also added in a dash of garlic powder (not too much).

Pour in blender and puree. I was able to get my whole batch in and blend it nicely. Return this mixture to the pot and over low heat gradually add in your cheese in batches. Stirring it in as it melts.

At this point you may want to season it with nutmeg and Dijon.

I liked how it turned out but if it's too thick, you can add a little extra milk to it as the cheese does thicken it quite a bit.