Grilled Chicken and Steak Fajitas......Featuring TortillaLand Tortillas

Have you ever heard or tried TortillaLand Flour Tortillas?  If not, I highly recommend that you see if your area sells them.  These are very different tortillas.  They are refrigerated and you make them fresh.  One of the TortillaLand's slogans is, "So Fresh They Haven't Even Been Made Yet".  


I was contacted to sample TortillaLand Flour Tortillas.  They asked if I would focus on a Back to School recipe.  My daughters started High School about a month ago.  We are extremely busy between work and school schedules.  I'm always looking for family friendly recipes that everyone will like.  


My daughters love tacos but I wanted to do something a little more interesting so I made Chicken and Steak Fajitas.  The great thing about Fajitas is that everyone can pick their favorite meat and toppings.  These were a huge hit.  The rub I used on the chicken and steak had wonderful flavor.  My daughters made their own Tortillas in a skillet since it only takes about 60 seconds.  The Tortillas taste so fresh.  We loved them!


Check out TortillaLand's website for their store locator.
http://www.tortillaland.com/where-to-buy/  


Stay up to date on Facebook (facebook.com/TortillaLand) and Twitter (@TortillaLand)


Go to http://www.tortillaland.com/ for recipe ideas, store locator and to enter their current giveaway where you could win 3 iPads!!!


Disclosure:  Representatives for TortillaLand Tortillas provided me samples and information but all thoughts and opinions are my own.  My entire family really like these tortillas.  Thank you TortillaLand!

Grilled Chicken and Steak Fajitas

Recipe by Jamie at Mom's Cooking Club

Recipe for Rub by How to Grill, Steven Raichlen

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs beef sirloin steak

1 - 1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken breasts

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 limes

1 red bell pepper

1 green bell pepper

1/2 yellow onion

Topping ideas:  salsa, sour cream, diced avocado, shredded cheddar cheese. (Colby and Monterey Jack cheese are also good choices)

Directions

1.  Place the sirloin steak in a glass or nonreactive baking dish.  Place the chicken in a separate glass dish.  Combine the chili powder, coriander, salt, cumin, garlic and onion powders, and black pepper in a small bowl.  Mix well.  Rub this spice blend over the steak and chicken breasts.  Let stand for 10 minutes.  Squeeze the limes over the beef and chicken.  Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour, covered.

2.  Cut bell peppers into strips.  Cut onion in slices.  Saute in skillet with a little olive oil until onions get tender and peppers get a little charred in spots.  Place in a serving dish.

3.  Grill steak until desired doneness and chicken until cooked through.  Let rest a few minutes.  Cut steak and chicken in strips and place on serving platter(s).

4.  Cook TortillaLand Flour Tortillas or warm other packaged tortillas.

5.  Place steak, chicken or both in center of tortillas.  Top with pepper and onion mixture.  Add favorite extra toppings as desired.  Fold up, eat and enjoy!

TortillaLand Flour Tortillas have just 5 simple ingredients: Wheat Flour, Water, Canola Oil, Salt and Sugar.

TortillaLand Flour Tortillas take about 60 seconds to cook. They will puff up as they cook and get lightly golden.

Sauteed Green Peppers, Red Peppers and Onions

The Fajita Spread.....Grilled Chicken and Steak, Peppers and Onions, Salsa, Shredded Cheese, Sour Cream, Avocado.  Serve with freshly made TortillaLand Flour Tortillas for a family friendly meal.

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: Does your grocery store carry TortillaLand Flour Tortillas?  If not, then take this Store Manager Product Request Form to your local store. 

See attached link: http://www.tortillaland.com/deliver?id=17 

My grocery store, Publix, does not carry TortillaLand Tortillas so I'm planning on taking this request form to my store manager.

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.   

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. 

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.    

  

Blueberry-Almond Granola featuring Beveri Flaxseed

One of my goals for 2010 was to try new ingredients that I have never had or cooked with before.  Flaxseed is one of those ingredients.  So, when I was contacted by Deirdre from beveri to sample their flaxseed products, I was excited for the opportunity.  The company is also offering my readers a sample of their beveri Organic Golden Flaxseed Fine Milled variety.  See the widget on my left sidebar to request your sample.

Here is a very good article on the WebMD website about the benefits of flaxseed. 

For my first recipe using flaxseed, I chose to make a Blueberry-Almond granola.  I added 1 tablespoon of the Golden Flaxseed Fine Milled with Blueberries to the oats and almond mixture before baking in the oven.  I am hooked on granola baked from scratch.  It was so easy and it tasted so good.  I put the granola in my vanilla yogurt, my husband added it to his cereal and one of my daughters liked taking it to school for lunch and a snack.  It made it even more special knowing that we were getting the added benefit of flaxseed.

I found the granola recipe in the Eveyday Food magazine.  Click here for a printable version of the recipe.  Remember to add 1-2 tablespoons of flaxseed to the granola before baking.  You can also change it up by adding different dried fruits like dried cranberries, cherries or raisins.      

beveri Flaxseed comes in a variety of combinations such as: 

Organic Golden Flaxseed Whole

 Organic Golden Flaxseed Fine Milled

 Golden Flaxseed Fine Milled with Cranberries  

Golden Flaxseed Fine Milled with Blueberries

Golden Flaxseed Fine Milled with Mixed Berries 

Photo courtesy of beveri Flaxseed website:
http://www.beverinutrition.com/

Here are some great tips on the beveri website for easy ways to add Flaxseed to your food and daily life.

Store your beveri Organic Golden Flaxseed next to the granola, cereal, or oatmeal in your cupboard to remind you to sprinkle a tablespoon (or 2 tbsp if you prefer to get an efficacious dose in one serving) on it in the mornings.

You can use beveri Organic Golden Flaxseed to replace eggs in recipes. Combine 1 tbsp of beveri Organic Golden Fine Milled Flaxseed with 3 tbsp of water to replace 1 egg in a recipe. 

Stir 1 tbsp of beveri Organic Golden Fine Milled Flaxseed into a yogurt for a tasty, filling mid-afternoon snack.

Mix 2 tbsp of beveri Organic Golden Flaxseed into low fat cottage cheese and spread on crackers for quick filling lunchtime snack.

Make salads more interesting (and filling) by sprinkling a mixture of 1 tbsp of beveri Organic Golden Fine Milled Flaxseed and 1 tbsp of beveri Organic Whole Golden Flaxseed on top, to give a geat “nutty” flavor.

Kids love cookies! Add 2 tbsp of beveri Organic Golden Fine Milled Flaxseed to the cookie dough and sprinkle some beveri Organic Golden Whole Flaxseed on top of cookies before baking to add some extra crunch!

Disclosure:  I was sent a bag of each flaxseed listed above courtesy of beveri Flaxseed.  They are also offering a free sample of their Organic Golden Flaxseed Fine Milled to my readers. (see widget on left hand sidebar) 

Homemade granola - Crunchy & Toasted

Once slightly cooled, mix in dried blueberries

Store in plastic container.  Ready to munch on any time of day.

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson:  I will be sharing other recipes in the near future using beveri Flaxseed as I continue to add flaxseed to our diets.  Thank you very much beveri!     

Food For Kids.....A Healthy Meal Plan for Children

Food For Kids is a 7 day healthy meal plan for children developed by Chef Joseph Ciminera.  Chef Ciminera is the host of a PBS cooking show called Taste This TV!  For the past several years, Chef Ciminera, has researched and perfected his healthy meal plan to help fight childhood obesity.  He has brought his recipes and tips to a Food For Kids DVD. (Click here for info)  I was contacted by Taste This TV! to share this information with my readers.  

Here are some facts about childhood obesity from the TasteThisTV.com website.   

Almost 7 million American children and teenagers are believed to have high cholesterol levels.

Overweight kids are on a fast track to cardiovascular disease and diabetes, diseases that we usually associate with middle-aged adults.

Recent reports reveal that up to 40 percent of children with newly diagnosed diabetes have type 2 diabetes, the type closely associated with obesity.

Leisure time is so often spent watching television and DVD movies, playing computer games, surfing the web, or chatting on the internet, rather than outdoor play and activities.

Furthermore, portion sizes have increased quite dramatically leading children to consume more food.

Over the past two decades, the average portion sizes of food have increased by 50 to 135 calories, while the average beverage serving increased from 8 to 20 ounces.

Another factor that impinges upon the nutritional quality of a child's diet is the fact that many American families don't eat meals together very often.

Chef Joseph Ciminera presents a variety of healthy breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack recipes in his Food For Kids DVD.  Recipes such as:

Berry Banana Smoothies

Fruit Kebobs

Whole Wheat Pizza Muffin

Chicken Meatball Subs

Baby Pasta Primavera

The chef also gives eating and food tips that will help parents make better choices for their kids.  Tips such as:

Buy Multi-grain breads and Whole grain pastas

Buy cold cuts that do not contain nitrates

Use more olive oil instead of butter when cooking

Nuts, raisins and granola make great snacks

Cut sandwiches and vegetables in fun shapes (using cookie cutters) to keep food fun

Disclosure:  Taste This TV sent me the Food For Kids DVD for my review.

Chef Joseph Ciminera

As a mom of two teenage daughters, I am always challenged with providing them with balanced nutrition and better food choices.  I try to offer fruit and vegetables frequently.  I give them a variety of breads to make their school lunches with such as multi-grain, wraps or the new sandwich thins.  It isn't easy.  My daughters love chips, ice cream and desserts. (what kid doesn't, right?)  But, I know the more I offer them healthier choices, the more they will eat better which will follow with them into their adult life.  It really is all about balance.  I love to bake and I don't want to deprive my girls of special treats but I do want to teach them good eating habits as well.  Increasing fruits, vegetables and whole grains is not only good for my daughters, it's good for me and my husband too.

Do you have any tips and healthy meal choices that you provide for your family?  I would love to hear about them.  Feel free to leave a comment and tell me about them.  

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson:  There are hundreds and hundreds of choices when purchasing food in the grocery store and just as many choices when preparing meals in the kitchen.  I appreciate resources such as Food For Kids and the program that Chef Ciminera has developed.  Other great resources are:  Let's Move (Michelle Obama's initiative on fighting childhood obesity), USDA, plus so many great blogs like Meal Makeover Moms.  These are just a few examples of resources that will help you feed your family healthier and teach you about nutrition. 

For your information....

Hello all!  How many of you are cereal eaters?  We're big fans of cereal in my household.  Well, General Mills through MyBlogSpark passed on some exciting news to me that I want to share with my readers.  There will also be a $1.00 off coupon for one of four General Mills cereals at the end of this post.   

"Recently, General Mills announced a commitment to further reduce sugar in cereals advertised to kids under 12 to single digit grams of sugar per serving. The company has already been reducing sugar in cereals while increasing key nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, and providing whole grain."

I think that is great news.  Even though I limit the sugar cereals I buy for my family, anytime a product is made "healthier", such as reducing sugar, it helps me make better food choices for my family. 

"Did you know that ready-to-eat cereal eaters consume less fat, less cholesterol and more fiber than non-cereal eaters? Cereals also deliver important vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients, making cereal a top source of key nutrients in children’s diets."

Other cereal benefits: (statement by General Mills through MyBlogSpark) 

Ready-to-eat cereals, including presweetened cereals, account for only 5% of sugar in children’s diets.


Ready-to-eat cereal is the No. 1 source of whole grains in a child’s diet today.


More frequent cereal eaters tend to have healthier body weights and lower Body Mass Index measures.


Studies also demonstrate the benefits of eating breakfast. A 1998 study showed that children who eat breakfast tend to perform better at school. Compared to children who skip breakfast, children who eat breakfast score higher on tests, are less likely to miss class or be tardy, have fewer reported discipline problems, and make fewer trips to the office.

Click here to print a $1.00 off coupon for one of four General Mills Cereals.

Disclosure:  MyBlogSpark and General Mills provided me with the information stated above, the online coupon link as well as VIP coupons for 4 free boxes of General Mills cereal.

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson:  Click HERE to read about General Mills efforts in reducing sugar in many of their cereal brands especially those marketed for children.  See charts below for a detailed look at the lowered and current sugar levels in General Mills cereals.  I hope you found this information interesting and helpful. 

  

  

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.

Grilled Cheeseburgers with Sauteed Onions Featuring Uncle Bob's All Purpose Sauce

It's Labor Day Weekend and it's grilling time! We are grilling everyday this holiday weekend and this has nothing to do with the fact that I'm still waiting for my oven to arrive. (our old oven broke a couple of weeks ago) We just love to grill. And since we live in a milder climate (even though it can get very cold in Pensacola FL), we pretty much grill all year round.

I was lucky to receive a food product to review for a group I belong to called BloggerAid. BloggerAid, Changing the Face of Famine is a growing group of international food bloggers who want to make a difference by raising money and awareness for the hungry in communities both at home and abroad. Please check out their website for more information.

I received 2 bottles of Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce. Country Bob Edson created this sauce in 1968 and has been selling it since 1977. Now, that's a successful condiment. I decided to use this sauce for my grilled hamburgers as well as in the onion topping for our burgers. Delicious!!! It gave the onions a slightly sweet flavor and it brought out the flavor of the meat. I will use this sauce every time I make my burgers.

Grilled Cheeseburgers with Sauteed Onions

Recipe by Jamie from Mom's Cooking Club

Cheeseburgers

1 lb to 1-1/3 lb ground chuck

2 tsp Weber Grill Creations Gourmet Burger Seasoning (I love this seasoning and use it every time for my burgers) or use seasoning of your choice

2 tablespoons Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce

cheddar cheese (use your favorite cheese)

hamburger buns

Sauteed Onions

half an onion, sliced

1 tsp butter

1 tablespoon Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce

Optional condiments: lettuce, tomatoes, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, dill pickles

For burgers: Mix hamburger meat, seasoning and Country Bob's sauce. Make equal size hamburger patties. Grill to desired doneness and melt cheese during last few minutes. Heat up buns on grill or toaster oven if desired.

I use this handy gadget my mother bought me years ago. It was only a few dollars and it's a great way to get uniform and nicely shaped hamburger patties.

Just press and ta-da.....a nice looking hamburger

To make these sauteed onions, slice up half an onion. Saute in skillet on medium heat with 1 teaspoon butter and 1 tablespoon Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce. Saute for about 10 minutes until the onions are soft and turn a nice brown color.

Place onions on top of burger and use condiments of your choice.

Happy Labor Day!

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: Every time I make hamburgers, I do 2 things: I press an indentation in the middle of my hamburger meat. This keeps the burgers from puffing up in the middle when they cook. I also rub a small amount of canola oil on the top of my burgers before cooking. I'm not exactly sure what that does but I read it in a cookbook once and my burgers always turn out good.

A Summer Time Drink, A Snack & An Award

First, this refreshing summertime drink - Raspberry Lemonade. It's only 3 ingredients and I love that it has fresh raspberries in it. Click here for recipe on MyRecipes.com. Even my daughters loved this lemonade.

I doubled the recipe and it filled up this 2 quart pitcher. Perfect for a 4th of July barbecue or anytime this summer!

Enjoy!

Mom's Cooking Club Lesson: Raspberries are low in fat and calories. They are a great source of Vitamin C as well as folate and iron. This refreshing beverage will add healthy benefits to your diet.

Next, comes a wonderful snack. When MyBlogSpark asked if I would like to try the new Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters, I had to accept. We love nuts, granola & granola bars in our household. We've been eating Nature Valley Granola Bars for years. I always take some type of nuts to work as a snack. I couldn't wait to try them when we received our samples. The sample flavors are: Nut Lovers, Honey Roasted Peanut, Roasted Cashew & Roasted Almond. The granola and nuts in these round clusters are crunchy and very flavorful. They are fun to eat and perfect for a snack or your child's lunchbox. I found my husband sneaking handfuls from the pantry. My 2 daughters really liked the crunchiness and taste of these nut clusters. I've been enjoying them at work as a midday snack. I think they would be great in yogurt or even in ice cream.

How cool are these.

This is one of the Nut Lovers clusters.

Thank you MyBlogSpark for letting us enjoy these new snacks!


Last, but not least, I want to thank Kathy from Three on Food
for giving me the Kreativ Blogger Award. That was so sweet of her to think of me. Thank you Kathy!



Now, I just can't accept my award and be done with it. There are rules to this award that I will follow strictly.

The Rules:

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award.

2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.

3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award.

4. Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.

5. Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.

6. Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.

7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they have been nominated.

Here are 7 things about myself that others might find interesting (or not)

1. I will be married 18 years later this year and it all started with a blind date. My sister, Paula, arranged this blind date. Way to go Paula!

2. I collect cookbooks. At last count I had over 40 cookbooks. This doesn't include all my food magazines and hundreds of printed copies of recipes.

3. I have twin daughters who will "officially" become teenagers towards the end of this year. (should I be scared?)

4. All 3 of our pets are black and white. Two black and white Boston Terriers and a black and white cat.

5. Something I don't like to do......exercise. I know it's something I should do regularly but I just can't get in an exercise routine. I have been trying to walk more so maybe it's a start.

6. I come from a very large family. I have 6 other sisters and brothers. What's funny is that my husband also comes from a large family and he has 6 other siblings as well.

7. I love to read. I read anything: books, magazines, newspapers, on-line articles, cookbooks :) I'm currently reading "Barefoot" by Elin Hilderbrand. It's a great summer read.

I am nominating this Kreativ Blogger Award to the following 7 bloggers:

Ginger from Once Upon a Gourmet Gin

Jamie from Life's a Feast

Bridgett from La Bella Cook

Sydney from The Crepes of Wrath

Amy from Dinners for a Year and Beyond

Julia from Sometimes Lucid

Amy from Eggs on Sunday

Thank you for all the wonderful blogs out there.