This month was full of Pasta by Barilla. Some are so easy to do and others a bit more complicated but all were worth it. I also took advantage some of the healthier pasta. Which was nice to have that healthy option.
First off I made 2 trays of Lasagna. I gave my daughter and her family one tray and kept the other. Both were delicious. I really liked working with Barilla and tasting these dishes.
This was an easy and flavorful side dish. We like things with a bit of heat so I jazzed this up by adding some red pepper flakes and extra garlic. Excellent.
#allstarsbarilla all the way!
Disclaimer: I am an Allstar brand Ambassador (a voluntary position)and I'm not compensated for my work with Allrecipes.com. Products received from advertiser are only for experiences-base reviews on my blog. The review, content and opinions expressed in this blog are purely the sole opinions of mine. To learn more about the Allrecipes Allstar program please visit Allrecipes Allstars
Summer is here and we are all looking for dishes that taste good and that are quick and easy. Also, that won't heat up our houses or pack on the pounds. If you are like me and love pasta but need to make it healthier then you will enjoy these recipes. This month I tried the Barilla Plus pastas which are multigrain pasta that actually have protein , fiber and ALA Omega-3. A healthier type of pasta. The pasta cooked up nicely and I couldn't tell the difference from regular pasta. The dishes seemed lighter and didn't give us that heavy feeling in the tummy. Here are a few flavorful pasta dishes that are quick and easy to make.
The first dish is a quick side dish that you could easily add some veggies, shrimp or chicken to it and make it a whole meal. Lots of possibilities. I used the Barilla PLUS® Thin Spaghetti and it was excellent. I made it for lunch with a small green salad. It was garlicky and delicious.
My next dish was very healthy with lots of flavor. For this dish I used the Barilla Plus Rotini which was perfect for this all in one dish which can be served hot or cold. I served it hot the night I fixed it and the next day I served it cold for lunch and I thought it was even better after sitting all night and serving cold. I loved the combination of the cherry tomatoes, tarragon, Salmon with the lemon and pasta.
I made this today for my neighbor who cut my lawn for me when my husband was out of town. I usually make my own sauce but this is a good sauce to keep on hand for those times when time is a factor. The flavor was good but next time I will add some onion, mushrooms and some red bell pepper strips. All 3 grocery stores in my little town didn't have the Mezzi Rigatoni so I had to use Barilla Mostaccioli. I am looking forward to trying it with the Mezzi Rigatoni once I can find it.
I enjoyed these pasta dishes and I hope you will try some Barilla Plus Pasta in your next pasta dish.
#allstarsBarilla
Disclaimer: I am an Allstar brand Ambassador (a voluntary position)and I'm not compensated for my work with Allrecipes.com. Products received from advertiser are only for experiences-base reviews on my blog. The review, content and opinions expressed in this blog are purely the sole opinions of mine. To learn more about the Allrecipes Allstar program please visit Allrecipes Allstars
Spring is in the air and it's time for brunches. Perfect time to try some of these recipes. This month for Allrecipes Ambassador Program I took part in a Challenge for Johnsonville Sausages. First, I made Amazing Muffin Cups for a brunch. They were a big hit with my family and friends. Lots of requests for the recipe, too. The muffin cups are perfect for a brunch or breakfast on the go. I also made a batch for my daughter to take home so she could have them during the week for breakfast with her smoothie.
Click here for the recipe: Amazing Muffin Cups.
Next I made a recipe as part of a "#6 Ingredientorless" Challenge where I swapped out an ingredient in a recipe and used Johnsonville Sausage instead. I chose to do a Coney Knish. I thought this would be good with a Hot Italian Sausage by Johnsonville and I was right. It was delicious and the spices in the sausage really added a lot of flavor to the dish. We had family over when I made them and I had to fight them off to get a picture.
Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl. Mash the potatoes.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; saute onions until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Mix potatoes, salt, and pepper into onions. Remove skillet from heat and cool.
Roll each puff pastry sheet onto a work surface. Cut each sheet into 4 squares. Spread about 1/4 cup potato mixture onto each square in a strip down the middle; top with the sausage. Cover each hot dog with about 1/4 cup more potato mixture. Roll puff pastry around hot dog and filling; place, seam side-down, on the prepared baking sheet. Brush puff pastry with egg.
Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
I also had fun creating a PEEP Nome village in the spirit of Spring. Our neighbors got the biggest kick out of it.
I received a sample of Johnsonville Sausages to test some of their recipes Check out their collection of recipes located at Allrecipes Johnsonville collection.
Disclaimer: I am an Allstar brand Ambassador (a voluntary position)and I'm not compensated for my work with Allrecipes.com. Products received from advertiser are only for experiences-base reviews on my blog. The review, content and opinions expressed in this blog are purely the sole opinions of mine. To learn more about the Allrecipes Allstar program please visit Allrecipes Allstars
This month with the Allrecipes Allstar Ambassador Program we are working with Mazola ® Corn Oil to create some heart healthy dishes that taste good. When I heard this I was excited about the assignment as my husband recently had a massive heart attack. Last fall we took a trip to Los Angeles for a family funeral and my husband had a massive heart attack a few hours after we landed. He had to have a quadruple bypass there, in California. So we couldn't travel back home for at least a month after his surgery. It was like a bad nightmare, though I thank God for all our family and our good friends for all of their help. I couldn't have done it without any of them. We finally made it back to Florida and my husband is on the road to recovery and doing better every day. Now we are trying to eat healthier, so this assignment was right up our alley. I hope you will try some of these dishes and not wait till there is a heart attack in your family, like I did. Just a few simple changes can do a lot in protecting your loved ones and yourself from heart disease. Did you know that Corn oil can lower your cholesterol by 10.9 percent compared to Extra Virgin Olive Oil? See more information on the benefits of Corn oil at Mazola.com.
I made a Sweet and Spicy Salmon with Grapefruit Salsa. This was very good and an excellent way to jazz up some Salmon. It's great for a heart Healthy Lifestyle, The only thing I changed on the recipe was that I grilled the Salmon instead of baking it.. Wow it was good.
Cut pork into 1 inch cubes; season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large skillet or Dutch oven. Add pork, onions, garlic powder, chili powder and chipotle chile powder; saute 3 to 5 minutes to brown the meat.
Add enough chicken broth to barely cover pork. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Remove lid and continue to simmer an additional 45 minutes or until liquid has evaporated.
Combine chopped tomatillos, tomatoes and cilantro in a small bowl.
Heat up your corn tortilla, either on the grill or stove.
Place an equal amount of pork on each tortilla. Top with tomatillo salsa and enjoy.
I received a sample of Mazola® Corn Oil to test some of their recipes for a Heart Healthy Lifestyle. Check out their collection of recipes located at Allrecipes Mazola Collection. I also made some Blueberry muffins using the corn oil and they were so light and good that they were disappeared before I could take a picture. Now that's good! #AllstarsMazola
Disclaimer: I am an Allstar brand Ambassador (a voluntary position)and I'm not compensated for my work with Allrecipes.com. Products received from advertiser are only for experiences-base reviews on my blog. The review, content and opinions expressed in this blog are purely the sole opinions of mine. To learn more about the Allrecipes Allstar program please visit Allrecipes Allstars
I am writing this in shock from a phone call from back home that there was a death in my family. So please forgive me if this isn't the best blog. This month Allrecipes.com and Butterball teamed up for a promotion making Tuesday a Turkey Day. So another words every Tuesday in the month of September we ate Turkey. Below are the different meals I prepared during September. We really like turkey and these recipes were easy for a weeknight and they tasted good, too.
Hawaiian Turkey Burgers
These were very good with Grilled pineapple, onion, and cheese. The grilled pineapple complimented the Turkey Burger perfectly. Quick, easy and tasty!
This was our favorite! I roasted a Butterball Turkey breast then made a Cuban with it. Then put the sandwich on the grill and put a brick wrapped in foil on top of it to press it. Perfect for lunch or dinner. Yum!
We enjoyed this for several days and I even halved the recipe but we love a Greek salad and this one was even better because it had a Butterball Turkey Breast in it. Yum!
I never realized that Butterball had so many different products available. It made doing Turkey Tuesday easy and fun. I know we will be eating more turkey now that I know how easy it is to incorporate turkey into our menus. I hope you will try to do at least one Turkey Tuesday this next month. This is short and sweet this time.
Products received from advertiser are only used for experienced-based reviews on My Sweet-n-Spicy Journey. The reviews, content and opinions expressed in this blog are purely the sole opinions of Janet Henderson-My Sweet-n-Spicy Journey
I love
September and the cooler temperatures and everyone is getting their fall
decorations ready to celebrate the Harvest Season. I love to decorate my house
in the warm colors of fall. I also like to prepare a special meal for my family
to welcome the season.
I had a great opportunity with The Bison Council by being part of the Allrecipes Allstar Ambassador Program, because The Bison Council is our sponsor for this month. So I started to research about Bison and
checking out methods and recipes to prepare it.I went to The Bison Council where I learned a lot about cooking Bison. I thought you might like to know that Bison has half the calories than Beef.Plus, it has more flavor than red meat. It also cooks quicker than beef and usually cooks at a lower temperature. Here is a chart from their website that shows some of the nutritional benefits of Bison.
So I thought a Bison Tenderloin with Cherry-Onion Chutney would make a perfect fall meal. Now, I did alter the recipe a little bit as the cooking times seemed a bit wrong. I also added a touch of Chili powder and cumin to the rub. ( I like to spice things up a little, as you know) This is my grilled version of the recipe on Allrecipes.com.
Preheat grill on high till hot enough to sear. Leaving an area for indirect heat. . Brush the 1 tablespoon oil over bison tenderloin roast. For the rub, stir together salt, thyme, cumin, chili powder and coarsely ground black pepper in a small bowl. Spread this mixture evenly over the tenderloin and rub it in.
Place bison tenderloin on the hot part of the grill to sear it on all sides. Once seared move the tenderloin to the indirect heat and reduce heat to about 300 F. for about 40 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 135 degrees F for medium rare. (For medium, roast for 45 to 50 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 150 degrees F.)
Transfer bison tenderloin to a cutting board. Cover bison tenderloin with foil; let rest for 15 minutes. Temperature should be 145 degrees F to 160 degrees F after resting.
Slice bison tenderloin across the grain and serve with Cherry-Onion Chutney.
Cherry-Onion Chutney
Heat the 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Cook onions in hot oil for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove onions from skillet; set aside. Add brown sugar, vinegar, cinnamon, cloves and cayenne pepper to skillet. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Add cherries. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Add pears and cook for 5 more minutes or until pears are softened. Stir in cooked onion. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
I will definitely do this again. It's great for company or a special occasion. This was amazing, tender and flavorful. I served it with some roasted asparagus and the Ultimate Twice Baked Potato.
Products received from advertiser are only used for experienced-based reviews on My Sweet-n-Spicy Journey. The reviews, content and opinions expressed in this blog are purely the sole opinions of Janet Henderson-My Sweet-n-Spicy Journey
August with
the Allrecipes Allstar Ambassador program brought a lot of good food and flavor to my
kitchen and dinner table. Our
sponsors for this month were Goya and Beef. “It’s what For Dinner”. I
want to thank them as they were amazing sponsors and I really enjoyed making
some of their delicious dishes. I hope you will give a few of them a try, too.
Let’s start with Goya…I really liked using the Goya seasonings and
products. They brought a lot flavor and they added a tropical flair to my menu.
My first dish (my husband’s favorite)
for Goya was Empanadas (Beef Turnovers).
I have to admit I was a bit intimidated by
this at first but using the Goya Pastry Discs (found in freezer section) made
it very easy to create these delectable meat pies. The filing was made with
beef, onion, tomato and garlic. My husband likes a little bit of heat so I
added a jalapeno to the meat mixture as I browned the meat. The discs already
to use, just put some filling Then just fry them. These were AMAZING! My
husband was working from home that afternoon as I was making them and he came out
of his office to investigate what smelled so good. Of course, he snatched up the
first one. He has requested these to be made again soon. Plus, there is so much
you can do with the discs. You can do sweet or savory… I will be experimenting
with them very soon. Stay tuned…
My next Goya dish was Tropical Chicken
Skewers. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/tropical-chicken-skewers/detail.aspxThis created a flavor explosion of
sweet and savory in our mouths. We loved
these and they were so easy to make. Plus the cleanup was very easy too. Which
in my house is a Big Plus! I used GOYA® Mojo Criollo and a sweet GOYA®
Pineapple Nectar to create a flavorful marinade. The flavors are incredible! Your
taste buds and your family will really enjoy this dish.
My 3rd
dish for Goya was the Ropa Vieja (Cuban Meat Stew).http://allrecipes.com/recipe/ropa-vieja-cuban-meat-stew/detail.aspxThis is a braised beef (Flank Steak)
that is cooked with onions, peppers and olives and then shredded. I served it with Tostones. This was very good
and filling. We liked this dish a lot.
Now it’s time for some Beef … It’s
what’s for dinner!
These little meatballs were
excellent and very easy to make. These meatballs are put on skewers and
baked/broiled in the oven. I made them up that morning and put them in the
refrigerator and when I got home that night I popped them in the oven and about
20 minutes later these scrumptious meatballs were ready! I grilled the pita and
added some tomato, onion and a homemade Tzatziki
sauce. This Rocked! I added a bit of
Greek seasoning to my meat mixture as we like our meatballs with a bit more
seasoning. These were awesome and great for any day of the week.
Chimichurri Flank Steak http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chimichurri-Sauce-for-Steaks/Detail.aspx?prop24=RD_RelatedRecipes I
had to include this as it was a great
way to add flavor to a steak. I used a Flank Steak but you can add this sauce
to just about any cut of steak. I used some of this sauce in my marinade and it
really kicked up the steak. I marinated
the steak then slapped it on a hot grill… This was perfect to serve on a hot
August evening.
I just have to share that August also brought a new addition to our
family. (A four legged addition that is.) We found a baby kitten in our garage.He was literally skin and bones. I had to
nurse the poor little guy back to health, with the help of our vet and the
fluids they gave him. He could barely hold his head up the first day. Now he is
running around and playing like a normal little kitten. We are still trying to
get him to put on more weight as he’s still a bit skinny, frail and clumsy but it won’t be long before he gets back up to
a normal weight.Let me introduce you to our new addition
"Lil’ Max". He has already brought so much joy and laughter into our lives. I am so
grateful that he slipped into our garage and that we found him before it was too late.
Products received from advertiser are only used for experienced-based reviews on My Sweet-n-Spicy Journey. The reviews, content and opinions expressed in this blog are purely the sole opinions of Janet Henderson-My Sweet-n-Spicy Journey
