Italian Days at Publix....$25 Publix Gift Card Giveaway

***Giveaway is now closed.  Congratulations to Laura E., comment #21 chosen by Random.org.  Thanks to everyone that entered.***


It's Italian Days at Publix (my favorite grocery store) and I'm happy to share some information about this event as well as offer a $25.00 Publix gift card to one of my readers.

Italian Days at Publix will be from February 16th - February 29th.  You can find great prices and coupon savings on some of your favorite brands including Progresso, Green Giant and Muir Glen.  

While visiting Italian Days at Publix from February 16th through February 29th, you can also enter the Taste the Tradition Italian Days Sweepstakes for a chance to be 1 of 500 shoppers that will win a $100 Publix® gift card, sponsored by General Mills.

To enter to win the Taste the Tradition Italian Days Sweepstakes and download great coupon savings and delicious recipes, look in-store or follow the instructions below:

1. Click – Stay up to date with the latest General Mills promotions happening at Publix, by visiting ClickCallMail.com. Once you’re registered and logged in, you can participate in any the current promotions.


2. Call – If you’d prefer to enter the sweepstakes and participate in other promotions via telephone, feel free to call the General Mills hotline, at 1.800.627.6059, and be sure to say that you want to enter the 2012 Italian Days Sweepstakes.  Please be sure to provide your complete contact information (Full name/address/zip code/phone #).


3. Mail – If you prefer to participate via mail-in entry, print and mail your complete contact information   (Full Name/address/zip code/phone #) to 2012 Italian Days Sweepstakes, P.O. Box 44257, Atlanta, Georgia 30336.

***To enter for your chance to win the $25.00 Publix Gift Card, leave me a comment and tell me what is your favorite Italian meal.


Entries will be accepted until Friday, February 24th, 2012 and the winner will be announced shortly after.  Please leave your email address in your comment so I can contact the winner.  Also, the winner will be selected by Random.org.

Note: Even if you don't live in a state that has a Publix but you have family or friends that do, you can still enter.  What a great gift to send someone that you care about.


***Giveaway open to U.S. residents only***

Disclosure:  The Publix Gift Card, information and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.  Thank you very much.  

All other thoughts and opinions are mine.  Publix is the grocery store I shop at every week.  I love the Italian Days event.  It's a great time to stock up on some of my favorite foods and ingredients.  

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson:  Make sure to visit the website: clickcallmail.com  to enter the sweepstakes, download coupons and get some delicious recipes.    

Publix Gift Card Giveaway.......My Favorite Grocery Store!

This Giveaway is now closed.

Congratulations to Sara!....Comment #5.

Thanks to everyone that entered!

I am so happy to be able to share this Publix Gift Card Giveaway with you today.  Publix is my grocery store.  It's where I shop every week.  I love my local Publix and I was ecstatic when they finally came to Pensacola, FL a few years ago.  

From 8/18/11 - 8/23/11, Publix has a promotion called Great Deals on Great Meals.  This event is exclusively at Publix where you can save on some of your favorite food products from General Mills, Unilever and Campbell's.  You can also  pick up some recipe ideas that your family can enjoy.

Go to GreatDealsOnGreatMeals.com for recipe ideas and to download up to $12.00 in coupons.  The coupons are good thru 9/4/2011.  Coupons are also available at your Publix store.  Some of the General Mills products I bought were:  Honey Nut Cheerios, Nature Valley Granola Bars, Swanson Broth/Stock and Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers.  

General Mills through MyBlogSpark was generous to provide me with a $25.00 Publix Gift Card so I could purchase some of my favorite products during the Great Deals on Great Meals event.  

They also offered me another $25.00 Publix Gift Card to giveaway to one of my readers.  Who couldn't use some free money to spend at the grocery store?  

To enter:  Please leave me a comment telling me what product you would buy from the Great Deals on Great Meals campaign.  Go to this link, http://bit.ly/PublixGDGMSummer to see what General Mills products are featured.  

Giveaway ends on Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011, at 11pm Central Time.

I will pick a winner using Random.org and will announce the winner next week.

Giveaway open to U.S. residents only.

If you do not have a blog, you can still enter.  Just leave an email address in your comment.

Disclosure: The Publix gift card, information and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.  But, all of my opinions are my own.  I do shop at Publix every week and it is my favorite grocery store.

   

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson:  Publix is located in 5 states - Florida, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee.  If you have a Publix in your town, please enter this gift card giveaway.  If you don't have a Publix in your state but you have a friend or relative that does, you can still enter and win it for them.  A $25.00 gift card would make a great gift.  Good luck!  

Giveaway - $10 Gift Card and Old El Paso Prize Pack

This giveaway is now closed.  Congratulations to comment #8, Karin, picked by Random.org.  Thanks for everyone that entered. 


I'm back with a fun giveaway!  It's been a month since my last blog post.  Where does the time go?  There have been some changes in my life the past several months that have limited my time and shifted my priorities.  After being laid off from my part-time job in October (company closed), starting a full-time job in November, keeping on top of my 2 daughter's sports and activities, as well as keeping up with house and home, has left me with little time to focus on my blog.  

One thing I haven't stop doing is cooking and sharing meals with my family.  My husband, myself and my 2 daughters sit down for dinner together every night.  One way to keep my weeknights easier is to make quick but delicious meals.  Such easy family meals are Taco Nights.  "Old El Paso offers a variety of seasonings, sides, sauces, and meal kits as simple solutions for a night of catching up with the family over a delicious taco dinner."

"To satisfy your Mexican style cravings, the Old El Paso^® line up of products includes chilies, dinner kits, dips and sides, enchilada sauce, refried beans, seasoning mixes, shells, taco sauce and salsa. The Old El Paso taco seasoning mix selection includes flavors like Burrito, Cheesy Taco, Chili, Fajita, Taco, Mild Taco and even a seasoning with 40% less sodium."

Visit Old El Paso website for news, tips recipes and more.  

Also, to keep your family laughing at the dinner table, have some fun with El TacodorTM, the world´s only Family Taco Night Game. With El Tacodor, your family can share a special night at home by challenging one another to quick fire trivia, wordplay and pantomime. Visit www.ElTacodor.com today to download instructions, a score card, and a challenge sheet for even more fun on Family Taco Night! 

For giveaway specifics, keep reading......

The Old El Paso "Family Taco Night" prize pack includes:

Packet of original Old El Paso Taco Seasoning, a Cactus Chip & Dip Serving dish, a set of 3 Fiesta Chili Pepper serving dishes and a $10 gift card to purchase your taco fixings.  What a fun way to share taco night with your family!

To enter, please leave a comment telling me your favorite taco fixings.  Simple as that.

  

Comments must be received by Friday, April 8th, 2011.  I will pick a winner through Random.org.  Winner will be announced by Sunday, April 10th, 2011.

Note of Disclosure:  Old El Paso through MyBlogSpark provided me with the information and a prize pack.  They are also generously offering a prize pack to one of my readers. 

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson:  No matter how busy life gets, try to keep your family dinner routine going.  It's a great time to connect, stay in touch, laugh, make lasting memories and enjoy some delicious food together.   

Chicken Piccata

Hello everyone!  I have a fantastic chicken recipe for you today.  But, I need to take care of some giveaway business first.

Congratulations to the winner of the Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko Breadcrumbs and Bottega Cookbook:

Cathy A. (comment #16 picked by Random.org)

**Please contact me Cathy with your address so I can pass on the information to MyBlogSpark who will send you your gift package.**

Don't you love when you make a meal and it tastes just as good (or better) than at a restaurant?  Well, for me, this was one of those meals.  This recipe came from the magazine, Cuisine at Home.  The chicken was tender and the lemon sauce gave this Chicken Piccata so much flavor.  I highly recommend you make this at home.  It has a few steps but it is not difficult to make.  Who needs to eat out when you can have a restaurant quality meal at home.  

Chicken Piccata

Recipe by Cuisine at Home, Complimentary issue

(Printable recipe)

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half and pounded into cutlets

salt and black pepper
all-purpose flour
nonstick spray
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. drained capers
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
fresh lemon slices
chopped fresh parsley


Directions

1.  Season cutlets with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour.  Coat a saute pan with nonstick spray, add oil, and heat over medium-high.

2.  Saute cutlets 2-3 minutes on one side.  Flip cutlets over and saute the other side, covered, 1-2 minutes. Transfer cutlets to a warmed platter; pour off fat from the pan.

3.  Deglaze pan with wine and add minced garlic.  Cook until garlic is slightly brown and liquid is nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes.

4.  Add broth, lemon juice, and capers.  Return cutlets to pan and cook on each side for 1 minute.  Transfer cutlets to warm plates.

5.  Finish sauce with butter and lemons.  Once butter melts, pour sauce over cutlets.

6.  Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately.

Makes: 2 servings (2 chicken cutlets per person) or 4 servings (1 chicken cutlet per person)

Note:  To increase this recipe, use 3 or 4 boneless chicken breasts, cut in half and pounded thin.  This will give you 6 - 8 chicken cutlets.  Double the remaining sauce ingredients so you have enough sauce for the extra chicken.    





Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson:  Tips per Cuisine at Home Magazine - Making chicken cutlets from boneless chicken breasts:  Cut chicken in half lengthwise before pounding.  Cover chicken pieces in plastic wrap or place in storage/freezer bag.  Using the flat side of a mallet, pound with gentle, glancing taps.  Use firm, quick movements until the chicken is about 1/4-inch thick.  The uniform chicken cutlets will brown evenly, be moist and tender, as well as cook up quickly. 

Progesso Lemon Pepper Panko and Bottega Cookbook Giveaway

This Giveaway is now closed.  Congratulations to the winner, Cathy A. (comment #16)

Please send me your address Cathy so your prize package can be sent to you.

 It's giveaway time!  The gift package includes a box of Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko Bread Crumbs and an autographed copy of Chef Michael Chiarello's newest cookbook, Bottega.

Progresso's description of their Panko Bread Crumbs.......

"Whether frying, baking or broiling, this culinary superstar adds a flavorful crunch to create simple, savory recipes. Made from the soft, tender centers of the bread, Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko combines the perfect crunch with effortless flavor to give any dish that extra punch. The large, flaky crumb has a coarser texture than traditional bread crumbs, delivering a lighter, crunchier coating or topping."

Chef Chiarello is helping cooks everywhere use Progresso´s panko to make flavorful, flawless recipes including Crispy Seafood Salad, Mama Chiarello's Stuffed Eggplant and Turkey Scallopini and Squash Ravioli with Cranberry Brown Butter.

I have personally used Progresso's Panko Bread Crumbs on fish and chicken and I love the results.  I'm looking forward to trying their newest Lemon Pepper flavor. 

Disclosure:  General Mills provided me with the Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko Bread Crumbs information and giveaway through MyBlogSpark.  They have graciously provided me and one of my readers the cookbook/panko bread crumbs gift pack for the giveaway.  See how to enter giveaway below.  

  

To enter giveaway, please leave a comment telling me how you would use or what dish you would create with Progresso's Lemon Pepper Panko Bread Crumbs.  Giveaway closes Saturday, January 22, 2011 at 11:00pm CST.  Giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.  Winner will be selected through Random.org and announced on Sunday, January 23rd, 2011.  Thanks for entering!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson:  Check out Chef Michael Chiarello's tips for cooking with panko bread crumbs here on the Progressofoods.com website. 

Yoplait Whips! Giveaway from MyBlogSpark

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.  CONGRATULATIONS TO RANDI FROM LITTLE FOOD, LOTS OF FLAVOR!  (Randi was comment #7, randomly picked by Random.org)

Do you like yogurt as much as I do?  Have you ever tried Yoplait Whips!?  It's a whipped yogurt that is so light and fluffy.  How would you like a cool treat that will satisfy your ice cream cravings?  Just place your Yoplait Whips! container in the freezer overnight.  I tried this and it was a delicious way to have an "ice cream" treat without all the calories from ice cream.  

Would you like to try Yoplait Whips! for yourself?  Yoplait through MyBlogSpark is offering one of my readers a fun prize pack giveaway.  See below for the prize pack details and how to enter.

Also, check out Yoplait on Facebook and Twitter.

Flavors List

Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate Raspberry

Key Lime Pie

Lemon Burst

Orange Crème

Peaches 'N Cream

Raspberry Mousse

Strawberry Mist

Vanilla Crème

Yoplait Whips! prize pack includes:  VIP coupon for a free container of Yoplait Whips! yogurt, a canvas cooler bag and a set of four ice cream cone shaped popsicle molds. 

Isn't that a neat prize pack?  I've been using the cooler bag for lunch at work and I love it.  And you can make so many different cold treats in the popsicle molds.  Your kids would have so much fun with these molds.

(Note:  The coupon offer for free Yoplait Whips! yogurt is not valid in some states, including California, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, North Dakota and Tennessee.)

Disclosure:  Yoplait through MyBlogSpark provided me this prize pack and will provide a prize pack to one of my readers in this giveaway.  But my thoughts and comments are my own.. 

How to enter:  Leave a comment on this blog post letting me know which Yoplait Whips! flavor would be your favorite.  Mine would probably be the Vanilla Creme because I love vanilla yogurt.  

The deadline to enter is this Sunday, September 19th, 2010 at 11pm Central Time.  I will announce the winner next week.  If you don't have a blog, please leave your email address in the comment section.  Open to U.S. residents only. 

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson:  If you are eating Yoplait Whips! from the freezer, it is a good idea to leaving it out for 5-10 minutes before enjoying.

cooking light cookbook giveaway......grilled romaine with blue cheese dressing......and the 1 year aniversary of the cooking light virtual supper club

THE COOKING LIGHT COOKBOOK GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED AS OF JULY 14TH, 2010.  CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNER, NICOLE R.

Welcome to July's Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club.  It's an exciting month for us 5 bloggers (Jamie, Shelby, Val, Patsy and Sandi) as we celebrate our 1st year anniversary of the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club.  This group started a year ago to share recipes from Cooking Light on a monthly basis with a specific menu theme.  Our group has changed some over the last few months with Aggie and Helene leaving and Patsy and Sandi joining.  We are still very excited to continue sharing this with our readers every month.  

We're also very excited that Cooking Light has generously provided their newest cookbook, Cooking Light, Cooking through the Seasons, for a giveaway to celebrate the 1st year of the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club.  Thank you Cooking Light.  Before I get to the details of the giveaway, I want to share our July Menu.....Barbecue/Picnics.

Summertime is here which means it's time for all your favorite barbecue and picnic foods.  So, get out the grill and the cooler/picnic basket to enjoy the flavors of summer.

For our July gathering, I made Grilled Romaine with Blue Cheese Dressing. (click here for recipe)  When I told my family I was going to grill lettuce, they all looked at me like I had 2 heads.  I've never grilled lettuce before.  This recipe was super easy.  You can make the blue cheese dressing ahead of time and the lettuce only takes a couple of minutes on the grill.  The lettuce gets slightly wilted and it has that smokey grilled flavor.  It is a really good change to your "normal" salad and will go perfectly with any of your grilled foods.  My girls don't like Blue Cheese dressing so they used Ranch dressing instead.  The blue cheese dressing is chunky and thick.  If you like it thinner, you could add more water. 

Now, come take a look at the rest of the menu.  Click on each recipe to go to the other members site.    

Jamie (me) brought Grilled Romaine with Blue Cheese Dressing

Sandi from Whistlestop Cafe Cooking brought Herbed Potato Salad

Shelby from The Life and Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch made Honey Chipotle Baked Beans

Patsy from Family, Friends and Food made Pesto Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Val from More Than Burnt Toast brought Rum Spiked Grilled Pineapple with Salted Caramel Ice Cream

Hope you all enjoyed the Barbecue/Picnic Menu.  See information below on how to enter the Cooking Light Cookbook giveaway.

To earn an entry in the Cooking Light cookbook giveaway, you must visit the Cookinglight.com website, find a recipe that fits our theme of Barbecue/Picnic and leave a comment with the link or name of recipe. 

To earn up to 4 more entries, visit each of the other Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club members blogs and leave a comment on their blog with the same or different Cooking Light recipe.

The giveaway will end on Wednesday, July 14th, 2010.  We will compile all the comments and randomly pick one winner.  We will notify the winner by email.  Giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only. 

Disclosure:  Cooking Light is providing the cookbook, Cooking Light, Cooking through the Seasons, but they are not a sponsor of the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club.  This is something that 5 bloggers enjoy doing together and sharing with our readers on a monthly basis.  It's simply about adding more healthier, lower-fat and tasty meals for our families and for all of you. 

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson:  When cutting the Romaine lettuce in half lengthwise, I kept the stem end on to help the lettuce stay together on the grill.  Before serving, I just cut the end pieces off.   

Blueberry Banana Bread

Before I talk about this amazingly delicious banana bread, I want to announce the winner of the What's New and Delicious from Kraft giveaway.  Congratulations to Cheryl from The Lucky Ladybug (comment # 14 picked by Random.org).  I will contact you through email.  Thanks for everyone that entered!

Now, on to the featured recipe.  I had some overripe bananas in a bowl and I had some blueberries in the fridge that I needed to use up before leaving for a family trip.  Put the two together and you have the most wonderful Blueberry Banana Bread.  I made my most used banana bread recipe from the Better Homes and Garden, New Cook Book (Pink Plaid Edition) and added blueberries to the batter.  A simple addition that turns this banana bread into my new favorite summer breakfast treat.

I took this loaf to my sister, Maxine's house, during a family visit this past week.  A great way to try something out is on family.  Everyone loved it and my mother, who was also visiting, couldn't stop eating it.  

Blueberry Banana Bread

Recipe slightly adapted from Better Homes and Gardens, New Cook Book 

(printable recipe)

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon ( I used slightly heaping 1/4 tsp.)
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg  ( I used slightly heaping 1/8 tsp.)
2 eggs, beaten
1-1/2 cups mashed banana (5 medium)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cooking oil or melted butter or margarine  ( I used canola oil)
1 cup blueberries  ( I used a heaping cup full)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 recipe Streusel-Nut Topping (optional)

Note: I did not use the walnuts or streusel-nut topping in this recipe

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides (or use cooking spray) of one 9x5x3-inch or two 7-1/2x3-1/2x2-inch loaf pans; set aside. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl combine eggs, banana, sugar, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy).  Fold in blueberries gently.  You can add nuts to the batter at this point if using.  Spoon batter into prepared pan(s). If desired, sprinkle Streusel Topping over batter.

3. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes for 9x5x3-inch pan or 40 to 45 minutes for 7-1/2x3-1/2x2-inch pans or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean (if necessary, cover loosely with foil the last 15 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning). Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing.  (Or if you can't wait like me, just slice yourself a nice big piece!)

4. Makes 1 loaf (16 slices)

5. Streusel-Nut Topping: In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup packed brown sugar and 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Using a pastry blender, cut in 2 tablespoons butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1/3 cup chopped walnuts.  

Enjoy!

Mom's  Cooking Club Lesson:  This is peak blueberry season.  Blueberries are more affordable at this time of year. (my grocery store has been selling them for $1.50 a pint)  Blueberries are so versatile, delicious and good for you.  Just think of all the things you can use them in.....blueberry pancakes/waffles, quick breads, muffins, cobblers, smoothies,  in your cereal, oatmeal and yogurt.  Have you tried blueberries in your salad?  You must try this.  And of course there is the simplest way to enjoy them.....eating them right out of the container!   

What's New and Delicious from Kraft - Gift Basket Giveaway

I have a giveaway for you today.  Six new products from Kraft.  The gift basket will include these new products and/or coupons.  The items include:

 • New KRAFT HOMESTYLE DELUXE Macaroni & Cheese Dinner: a delicious homemade taste complete with a crunchy breadcrumb topping.

• New KOOL-AID FUN FIZZ Drink Drops: a fun and delicious way to get kids to drink water with only 5 calories per serving.

• RITZ CRACKERFULS Filled Crackers: made with real cheese and 6 grams of whole grain per serving to help keep you satisfied.

• New DIGIORNO Pizza & Breadsticks: fresh-baked taste with big juicy toppings plus cheesy breadsticks along with marinara sauce — all in one box.

• OSCAR MAYER Deli Fresh Shaved Meats: sliced, packed and sealed at the peak of freshness.

• New KRAFT 100 CALORIE PACKS CHEESE BITES: big cheese flavor in every bite-sized piece in these satisfying 100 calorie packs.                                                       

 
 

 Kraft generously sent me these complimentary items to try and to offer one of my readers a chance to win this gift basket as well. 

My girls loved the Kool-Aid Fun Fizz Drink Drops.  They put the drops in water bottles and loved the fizz.  Those fizz drops went very quickly.  Great for traveling or taking to the beach.

The updated Mac and Cheese was also a hit.  It was very creamy and a great item to have in the pantry for lunch or dinner.

We also enjoyed the Digiorno Pizza with Breadsticks.  We've always bought the Digiorno frozen pizzas to have on hand for those quick and busy nights when you need something fast.  Adding the breadsticks is fun.  Serve with a salad for a complete meal.

Would you like to taste these new products from Kraft?  Well, I'll make it easy for you.  All you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling me which new item you really want to try.  Or if you just want to leave a general comment, that's fine too.

The giveaway will run through Friday, June 25th, 2010 until 11pm CST.  I will announce the winner on Saturday, June 26th, 2010.  Winner will be selected by Random.org and will be notified by email. 

Disclosure:  Kraft Foods provided me a complimentary gift basket as well as to one of my readers.  Kraft is not a sponsor of this giveaway nor are they responsible for conducting the promotion or selecting the winner.  Opinions of the products are my own thoughts and feelings.

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson:  Hope you enjoy this giveaway!  I'll be back soon with a new recipe.    

  

Winner of Old El Paso "Tackle the Taste" Giftpack!

Congratulations to Patsy from Family, Friends and Food!  Comment #7 was chosen from Random.org. 

Patsy said:

  "Great giveaway! I use the green chili's in a tortilla roll-up mixed in with cream cheese, ranch dip mix and pimientos & black olives... never any left by half time!"

Send me your contact information Patsy and MyBlogSpark will send you your "Tackle the Taste" Giftpack.

Thank you to everyone that left comments.  Check back later this week for another recipe that I'll be sharing. 

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson:  Don't forget you can get a .55 cent off coupon for a can of Old El Paso Green Chilies by clicking HERE.

A Fun Giveaway - Old El Paso "Tackle the Taste" Gift Pack

I'm having another giveaway!  Thanks to Old El Paso and MyBlogSpark for providing this football themed gift pack to one of my readers.  I was also lucky to receive one of these giftpacks and I can't wait to use it for the Superbowl on February 7th, 2010.

Included in your Old El Paso "Tackle the Taste" Gift Pack are:

 Two free cans of Old El Paso Green Chiles, a football-shaped ceramic serving platter, two sets of football-themed plates and cocktail napkins as well as a themed table runner.

See below to fnd out how to qualify for this gift pack.

I have used Old El Paso green chilies for many years.  I use it in chili, dips, nachos and many other dishes.  I used a can to make this Bean and Beef Enchilada Casserole.  This recipe came from a Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook called Every Meal Easy.  It was a very good, hearty casserole.  The green chiles add that wonderful Mexican flavor to the enchiladas.  In addition, the green chiles are also so convenient and easy to use.  This casserole has layers of corn tortillas, seasoned beef and beans, a sour cream mixture, enchilada sauce and cheese.  (Yummy!) 

Enjoy!

Click here for the Bean and Beef Enchilada Casserole recipe on the Better Homes and Gardens website.  

Old El Paso Green Chiles, which come in 4.5 and 7 oz cans, are a simple way to liven up your go-to favorites. Fat-free and with only 10 calories per serving, Green Chiles are not spicy, but will add a unique flavor to your dishes that the whole crowd will love!

Click here for a .55 cent off coupon on a can of Old El Paso Green Chiles

For a chance to win the Old El Paso "Tackle the Taste" Gift Pack, please leave a comment telling me what your favorite recipe is using a can of diced green chiles or tell me what you're planning on serving for Superbowl Sunday.

The deadline to leave a comment is this Saturday, January 23rd at 12 midnight Central Time.  I will announce a winner on Sunday, January 24th.  Winner will be chosen through Random.org.  Giveaway open to residents from U.S. and Canada only.  Please leave your email address in your comment if you don't have an email contact on your blog or if you don't have a blog.

Disclosure:  Thanks again to Old El Paso which through MyBlogSpark has provided the information, coupon, Green Chiles, prize pack to me and an additional prize pack to one of my readers.

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson:  If you want to keep the Bean and Beef Enchilada Casserole on the lighter side, then use lean or extra-lean ground beef, light sour cream and reduced fat cheese.

Kraft Foods Basket Winner!!!

I received many great comments from my Kraft Foods Basket Giveaway post.  People seemed to like the Kraft YouTube instructional videos and the fact that Kraft has a Facebook Fan page.  Also, there is a Kraft Twitter handle and some follow that as well.   

I used Random.org to pick the Kraft Foods Basket winner.  Out of eligible comments, #50 was picked.  Congratulations to Kathy from Three on Food who said:

"I don't do facebook or twitter, but I really loved the youtube video.  There's just something about watching and seeing food upclose - it really made me want to make the chocolate/orange cake!!!  Yumm...I've never tried that combination yet - now I think I just might!!!"

Please send me your contact information Kathy and Kraft Foods will send you the basket full of goodies directly to your home. 

Thank you Kraft Foods for providing this basket giveaway to myself and one of my readers.  I got mine and I love it.  I know Kathy will love it as well.

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson:  I'll be back soon with some 2010 goals and more recipes to share. 

Kraft Foods Gift Basket Giveaway!

Who would like a gift basket full of Kraft Foods products?  When a representative of Kraft Foods contacted me, I was excited to be given the opportunity to offer this giveaway to my readers.  Kraft Foods is generously providing a basket to me and a basket to one winner on this blog post.  Thank you Kraft Foods! 

The Kraft Foods Basket is filled with the following:  "4 delicious holiday recipes from the Kraft Foods Kitchens, a Zak Designs garlic peeler, an HA Mack olivewood mixing spoon, NEW Velveeta Rotini and Cheese Whole Grain, Planters cocktail peanuts, Planters pecans, Baker's semi-sweet chocolate, Stove Top, Honey Maid cinnamon crackers, Jet Puffed marshmallows, Oreos, Kraft salad dressing, NEW Maxwell House Blend coffee, NEW Ritz Brown Sugar Cinnamon crackers and NEW Wheat Thins Flatbread crackers".

Isn't that an awesome gift basket?

We have all grown up with Kraft products and we are very familiar with their brands.

Kraft Foods has recently re-launched their Facebook Fan Page (http://www.facebook.com/KraftFoods) and The Kraft Foods Channel on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/KraftFoods).  Both of these sites have recipes and seasonal tips.  It also provides a forum to exchange ideas and recipes, ask questions and give feedback.  In addition, the YouTube channel is from the Kraft Cooking School and has many how-to videos demonstrating Kraft Foods recipes.

Kraft Foods also has a Twitter Handle for tweets of popular recipes from the Kraft Kitchens.  The link for their Twitter site is:  http://twitter.com/KraftFoods

Kraft Foods would like your feedback on these 3 different channels.  They want to hear your opinions, thoughts and suggestions.   

So, to qualify for this Kraft Foods Basket Giveaway, check out these sites and please leave me a comment letting me know what you think about any of these Kraft channels: Facebook, YouTube or Twitter.  What do you like on any of these sites?  Is there something different you would like to see?  Let me know and you will get an entry to win this basket and I'll pass on your feedback to Kraft Foods.

For a 2nd entry to win this food basket, become a follower to my blog.  See followers list towards the bottom of my right sidebar.  Then leave me another comment letting me know you're a follower.  If you already follow my blog, then just leave me a comment telling me you are a follower.

The deadline to leave a comment will be Friday, January 1st at 11:00 pm Central Time.  I will announce the winner on Sunday, January 3rd.  The winner will be randomly selected using Random.org.   

Ammended Note added 12/31/09:  This gift basket is open to US Residents only.

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson:  I want to wish everyone a very Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!  I appreciate everyone that has visited my blog and left me comments this past year.  I look forward to 2010 where I'll be growing my blog and sharing more recipes.

Rich Peanut Butter Cookies from Tablespoon.com and a Prize Pack Giveaway

This blog post is to share a quick and wonderful peanut butter cookie, to intoduce a new website, Tablespoon.com and to offer a prize pack giveaway from MyBlogSpark & General Mills. Tablespoon.com is a new website by General Mills where you can find over 25,000 recipes, save and share recipes. When you join the website, you can add your own recipe creations, print coupons from a variety of brands as well as the ability to rate, comment & save recipes you try.

MyBlogSpark contacted me about this new website and sent me a "Pass the Inspiration" Prize Pack that included a set of measuring spoons, a measuring cup and 2 terry cloth pot holders. They are also offering a "Pass the Inspiration" Prize Pack to one of my readers.

In order to be eligible for this giveaway, go browse the website Tablespoon.com and then leave a comment here about a particular feature that you liked on Tablespoon.com. Maybe there was a recipe that caught your eye or the printable coupons. I will choose a winner by Random.org. The deadline to leave a comment will be Tuesday, October 27th at 11:00pm (CST). I will announce the winner on Wednesday, October 28th.

Now, I want to share briefly about this cookie recipe. This is a peanut butter cookie kicked up a notch with the addition of peanut butter chips. It was so quick to make a batch and my daughters and husband were very happy to come home to these baked treats.

Click here for the recipe: Rich Peanut Butter Cookies on the website Tablespoon.com

The ingredient list

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: Keep your pantry well stocked with items to bake with such as sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, confectioners sugar, brown sugar, different flavors of chocolate chips/morsels, cocoa powder and several variety of nuts. That way, when the mood strikes, you'll be ready to make something home baked your family will appreciate.

Cookbook Winner and Sour Cream Coffee Cake

First, I want to say thank you for all the comments I received on my previous post for The Vegetarian Family Cookbook giveaway. I enjoyed reading what others like for breakfast. Everything from cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, eggs, pancakes, waffles, french toast, hash browns and even BLT Sandwiches. Personally, I just eat toast w/peanut butter, an English muffin or cereal during the week but on the weekends I like to splurge. My favorites are eggs, french toast, pancakes or waffles. Sometimes, we'll have turkey bacon or turkey sausage (have to cut the fat and calories somewhere). Once in a while I will make real bacon. I love bacon but I try to keep it at a minimum.

Now, I consider this Sour Cream Coffee Cake a dessert but some people (like my husband) wanted to eat it for breakfast. Well, I guess it would go really good with our morning coffee. Anyway, regardless of when you eat it, this is a wonderful coffee cake to make and share with others. We loved the "river" of brown sugar and cinnamon in the middle and the cinnamon glaze on top was perfect. This coffee cake would be great to share with co-workers, a school function, baby shower, family gathering or just your own kitchen.

I found this recipe on the blog Two Peas and Their Pod. There are some wonderful recipes on this site so go check it out. The coffee cake recipe comes from the cookbook You Made That Dessert ? by Beth Lipton.

Click here for a printable version of the Sour Cream Coffee Cake recipe

Ok, drum roll please..........the winner of my first giveaway is........

(you have to scroll down....sorry, I'm trying to build up some suspense here)

#1 - Barbara from Barbara Bakes!!!

Congratulations Barbara! Please email me your contact information and the author, Nava Atlas, will send out your personalized copy of her cookbook.

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: I just want to take another moment to thank all of those readers that left a comment on my Cookbook giveaway post. I was happy to see so many new people as well as regulars. Congratulations to the winner and stay tuned for future giveaways!

My First Cookbook Giveaway!!!

Welcome to my first giveaway! I was fortunate to be contacted by cookbook author, Nava Atlas, who is doing a blog tour to celebrate the 5th anniversary of her cookbook, The Vegetarian Family Cookbook.

Now, one glance at my blog and you'll know I'm not a vegetarian. But I do try to make a variety of balanced meals for my family. I have a large cookbook collection but this is my first all Vegetarian one. It has ten chapters such as Easy Breakfast Treats, Soothing Soups and Savory Stews, Salads and Such & Vegetable, Grain and Bean Main Dishes, just to name a few. It is a wonderful resource book as well. The author, Nava, talks about organic food, reasons to eat vegetarian and gives great choices and tips throughout the book.

I believe making small changes and better choices in the food we eat can make a big difference to your health and overall well being. Thank you, Nava, for providing your cookbook to me and one of my readers.

Banana Pecan Yogurt Pancakes

Enjoy!

These yogurt pancakes are one of the many recipes found in The Vegetarian Family Cookbook. It is the first time I used whole wheat flour. I used half whole wheat and half regular flour. I didn't tell my family about the whole wheat flour. They ate up the pancakes and we all liked them. My husband and I really liked the banana pecan version. My daughters ate them plain. We had some fruit on the side and I felt really good about this Sunday breakfast.

Banana-Nut Yogurt Pancakes
Recipe by The Vegetarian Family Cookbook by Nava Atlas

4 to 6 servings

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds, optional
1 1/2 cups low-fat yogurt or soy yogurt
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups low-fat milk or rice milk
2 tablespoons nonhydrogenated margarine (such as Smart Balance)
1 medium banana, sliced thin
1/4 to 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
pinch of ground nutmeg
Pure maple syrup

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and flaxseeds (if using) in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the yogurt and milk. Stir with a whisk until the batter is just smooth; it should have an easy to pour consistency, but not too thin. Add more milk as needed. Don't overbeat.

Heat a nonstick griddle or a large nonstick skillet that has been lightly coated with some of the margarine. Ladle on the batter to form 3 to 4 inch pancakes. Cook on both sides over medium heat until golden brown. Serve hot with maple syrup.

Now, on to the giveaway details. In order to win The Vegetarian Family Cookbook, you must leave a comment answering this question:

What is your favorite breakfast food? (it doesn't have to be vegetarian) You must answer the question to be eligible. I want to see what other people like for breakfast. Also, to earn a second chance to win, go to the blog Aggie's Kitchen. Aggie is doing the same cookbook giveaway. So, bump up your odds and visit Aggie's Kitchen. You have until Tuesday night, Sept. 29th, at midnight to enter. I will announce the winner Wednesday morning by using Random.org.

Also, anyone can enter. You don't have to have a food blog to enter. So, family, friends, strangers and of course food bloggers can enter.

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: Was it wrong that I didn't tell my family about adding the whole wheat flour to these pancakes? I really don't think so. Sometimes you have to be the "deceptive" cook (my husband prefers to use the word "creative") to get them to try new things. The more I expose them to healthier food choices, the more they will like them. Well, that's my hope anyway.