Friday, December 18, 2009

Christmas is one week away! Shopping, wrapping, baking, cooking, planning…. Stay calm.

This is the week when things start to get super hectic around here. Between finishing decorations, shopping, baking cookies and finishing up last things at work, it is almost like a tornado! I just have to stop myself every other moment and tell myself to breath… oh and of course to remind myself to eat! Yes, between store hopping and munching on those cookies I just baked, I tend to let actual dinners go out the window.

Tonight I have dinner planned. I’m not going to let this one slip! I will be having one of my absolute favorite recipes from Campbell’s Kitchen: Chicken Pot Pie! This is the ultimate comfort food and is just perfect after a busy day. I hope everyone enjoys it, I know I will.

Chicken Pot Pie
From Campbell’s Kitchen
Prep: 20 minutes
Bake: 45 minutes
Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 package (15 ounces) refrigerated pie crust (2 crusts)
1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Campbell's® Chicken Gravy
3 cups cooked cut-up vegetables *
2 cans (4.5 ounces each) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained

Directions:

Let the pie crusts stand at room temperature for 15 minutes or until they're easy to handle. Place 1 pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate.

Stir the gravy, vegetables and chicken in a medium bowl. Spoon the chicken mixture into the pie plate. Place the remaining pie crust over the filling. Press the edges to seal. Cut several slits in the top crust.

Bake at 400°F. for 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

*Use a combination of sliced carrots, peas and cubed potatoes.

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

I also wanted to let all of those Buffalo Chicken Dip lovers know that I found this really cool Evite for New Year’s. If you haven’t sent out all your invitations, what are you waiting for… next year?!

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Shopping is Stressful!

We are only in week two of December and I am already stressed about Christmas gifts. Throughout the year, I generally like to take mental notes whenever close friends and family members mention products or ideas for gifts. Unfortunately, all those mental notes get lost somewhere between Thanksgiving and Christmas!

On top of all the stress of finding the perfect gift, my annual Christmas party is this weekend! Every year, I invite about ten of my closest friends for a night of good food, stories and a little game we like to call Secret Santa also called White elephant gift exchange. It’s similar to a Pollyanna but you can steal a present from someone! Here is a link to how we play: {http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_elephant_gift_exchange#Gameplay} If you never played this before, it’s great way to celebrate the holiday without breaking the bank. On top of the Secret Santa, we will of course be enjoying some great food! I will, of course, be serving the infamous Buffalo Chicken Dip (it just wouldn’t be a party without BCD!}. I will also be serving a great holiday recipe: Puff Pastry Wrapped Brie. This appetizer is always a big hit during the holidays. And did I mention it’s only three steps!

Puff Pastry Wrapped Brie
From Campbell’s Kitchen
Prep: 10 minutes
Bake: 25 minutes
Stand: 20 minutes
Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 of a 17.3-ounce package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed
1 (8 ounces) Brie cheese round
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Place the cheese in the center. Fold the pastry up over the cheese to cover. Trim the excess pastry and press to seal. Reserve the pastry scraps for decoration.

2. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork or whisk. Brush the seam of the pastry with the egg mixture. Place seam-side down onto a baking sheet. Decorate with the pastry scraps, if desired. Brush with the egg mixture.

3. Bake for 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Let stand for 20 minutes.

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

Friday, December 4, 2009

Turkey Leftover Overload and Holiday Entertaining

Wow! Thanksgiving left as quickly as it came. Needless to say, I am completely over my leftovers. Every night this week included at least something that was made last Thursday. As much as I love the Ultimate Mashed Potatoes and the Green Bean Casserole, I am actually happy to say that I will be making dinner tonight that doesn’t include Thanksgiving leftovers.

December is a very busy month for everyone. Holiday parties are quickly filling my calendar and of course, Swanson is very popular this time of year! Over the next few weeks, I will be focusing on superb entertaining that will not only be easy on your wallet but will ease the stress of the season. My first recipe that I want to share is dinner tonight: Chicken and Vegetable Bake. It’s easy, delicious and really affordable (it’s less than $10 for 4 people)!

Chicken and Vegetable Bake
From Campbell’s Kitchen
Prep: 10 minutes
Bake: 30 minutes
Serves: 4





Ingredients:

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Celery Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
1/2 cup milk
1 cup cooked broccoli flowerets OR cauliflowerets
1 cup cooked sliced carrots
1 cup cooked cut green beans
2 cans (4.5 ounces each) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
dash Ground black pepper
1 can (2.8 ounces) French's® French Fried Onions (1 1/3 cups)
1/4 cup cooked red pepper strips (optional)

Directions:

Stir the soup, milk, broccoli, carrots, beans, chicken, black pepper, 1/2 can onions and red pepper, if desired, in a 1 1/2-quart casserole.

Bake at 350°F. for 25 minutes or until the chicken mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir the chicken mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining onions.

Bake for 5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.

Serving Suggestion: Serve with a tossed salad with ranch dressing with crusty Italian bread. For dessert serve pineapple chunks.

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

P.S. In case you are new to Entertaining Escapades, I want to remind everyone in the interest of full disclosure that I work with Swanson Chicken.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving! And don’t get hurt on Black Friday.


First and foremost, I would like to wish everyone who reads my blog a very Happy and yummy Thanksgiving! As I mentioned before on this blog, it is truly one of my favorite days of the year and I am looking forward to a long day of cooking at my parent’s house, a delicious dinner and a lot of good family time.

And then…. It’s Black Friday!

Alright, we really take Black Friday seriously. And when I say seriously, I don’t mean we go to the stores at 7AM looking for deals. I mean, walkie-talkies, maps, price comparison charts and of course, I pack lunches and snacks for all! Every year, my mother and I venture into the sea of crazy deal-seeking shoppers. Sometimes, it’s just the thrill of hunting down the best price not necessarily purchasing those gifts.

Of course, Black Friday took on a new meaning last year and will henceforth be known in my house as “Black and Blue Friday.” A displaced hip check from an eager shopping waiting in line behind me resulted in quite the bruised ankle (and ego) at our second destination. Black Friday can be dangerous!

Needless to say, I am going again this year. I will also be packing our usual snacking and lunch in order to keep us fueled throughout the long shopping day. It’s always best to pack something easy to eat on the go. See you in December!

Thursday, November 19, 2009

My weeknight dinner menus are becoming a drag…

I could probably speak for most households when I say that weeknight dinner can certainly become a drag. It’s the routine of taco Tuesday and pizza Friday that really starts to get to me after a while. I’ve been in a slump the past two weeks and I decided to pull myself out of it before I sink deeper.

Starting next week, I will be planning my entire weeknight dinner schedule on Sunday and I will stick to it! Of course, Campbell’s Kitchen is one of the best resources for quick, easy and delicious dinner. (Quick disclosure note – I work with Campbell Soup Company and am constantly exposed to these great recipes. It makes meal planning so simple)

As I searched the database for something new and interesting, I found one particular recipe that really stuck out and I wanted to share it with all of you! This is Chicken Tetrazzini, otherwise known as Tuesday night dinner this week.


Chicken Tetrazzini
From: Campbell's Kitchen
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Serves: 4


Ingredients:

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons dried parsley
1/4 cup chopped red pepper OR pimiento
1/2 packages (8 ounces) spaghetti, cooked and drained
2 can (4.5 ounces each) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained

Directions:

Heat the soup, water, cheese, parsley, pepper, if desired, spaghetti and chicken in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat until the mixture is hot and bubbling.

Serving Suggestion: Serve with spinach sautéed with garlic and Parmesan cheese garlic bread. For dessert serve oatmeal raisin cookies.

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Thanksgiving is Two Weeks Away!

Turkeys, sweet potatoes and stuffing… Oh, my! Thanksgiving is only two weeks away and I am beginning to panic. I’m having a small gathering at my home for friends this year on the Saturday following Thanksgiving. I want to replicate the special Thanksgiving feeling for all my close friends -- that cozy feeling of cooking all day with friends and family in the next room watching football. What a great time of year.

I like to keep my main menu very traditional when it comes to holidays. I do, however, like to experiment and try new sides to go along with the great big turkey I roast. This year, I will be preparing Campbell's Ultimate Mashed Potatoes. The name itself just lends how good this side dish turns out!


Ultimate Mashed Potatoes
From: Campbell's Kitchen
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Serves: 6


Ingredients:

3 1/2 cup Swanson® Chicken Broth (Regular, Natural Goodness™ or Certified Organic)
5 large potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 7 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup light cream
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoon butter
3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (reserve some for garnish)
Generous dash ground black pepper

Directions:

Heat the broth and potatoes in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Drain, reserving the broth.

Mash the potatoes with 1/4 cup broth, light cream, sour cream, chives, butter, bacon and black pepper. Add the additional broth, if needed, until desired consistency. Garnish with the remaining bacon.

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

Friday, November 6, 2009

Happy November! It’s Time for Sunday Soup Days

As November starts with a chill in the air and the crisper weather begins to creep into the east coast, I’ve been craving hot soup. Once winter is in full swing, I am making soup almost every Sunday. It’s become a bit of a tradition to take it slow on Sundays and have a full day to experiment with new soups and stews (or,even “Stoups” as Rachael Ray calls them). This year will be no exception and I thought it was about time to start simmering!

This Sunday I am making a traditional Country Chicken Vegetable Soup. This is the type of soup your grandmother would make. The long grain rice adds a great heartiness and you can throw in any hearty vegetables you like. I’m a fan of carrots, celery, peas and corn in this recipe. Enjoy!

Country Chicken Vegetable Soup
From: Campbell's Kitchen
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:

3 cans (14 ounces each) Swanson® Natural Goodness® Chicken Broth
1/2 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley OR 1 teaspoon dried dried parsley flakes
1 can (16 ounces) mixed vegetables, drained
2 cans (5 ounces each) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, undrained

Directions:

In large saucepan mix broth and rice. Over medium-high heat, heat to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 20 min. or until rice is done.

Stir in parsley, vegetables and chicken. Heat through.

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

Friday, October 30, 2009

The Eagle vs. The Giant

Wow! I cannot believe it’s the end of October already. Where did this month go? I live in Eagles’ country and in this part of the U.S., there are two things an Eagle fan really dislikes: one is a Cowboy (we all know the Dallas Cowboys are not welcome around here) and the other is a Giant. That’s right the New York Giants. This Sunday, the New York Giants will travel the measly two hours into our great city of Philadelphia and walk onto our field to get a good taste of good old Eagles football!

In honor of us beating the Giants this Sunday, I am throwing a small party at my house. There will be cheering, singing and of course the usual grunts. Besides all this noise, I am serving my infamous Buffalo Chicken Dip. A football party cannot function without this dip! But I am also serving another favorite around here, Barbeque Chicken Sandwiches. We have a great recipe, which I will share in a moment but I do want to say, if you are feeling adventurous, try making your very own BBQ sauce the day before. It will make it that much more special!
E-A-G-L-E-S! Go Birds!



Barbecued Chicken Sandwiches
From: Campbell's Kitchen
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter
1 small green pepper, chopped (about 1/2 cup) (optional)
1 small onion, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
2 cans (4.5 ounces each) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
4 Pepperidge Farm® Farmhouse Premium White Rolls with Sesame Seeds, split and toasted

Directions:

Heat the butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir the pepper, onion and celery in the saucepan and cook until they're tender.

Stir the barbecue sauce and chicken in the saucepan. Heat until the mixture is hot and bubbling. Divide the chicken mixture among the rolls.

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

Friday, October 23, 2009

It’s Pumpkin Carving Time!

Halloween is only eight days away! I’m not sure about you but it’s a big holiday in my family and one of our favorite past times has been pumpkin carving. Every year, we all get together, travel to a pumpkin patch and pick out our best, perfectly round and oversized pumpkins! We then carve our pumpkins, have great treats and watch a scary movie. This year, I’ve been tasked to make the yummy food for our yearly gathering. I will be serving Fiesta Chicken Casserole. It’s quite easy to make and it’s great for a larger group of people. It’s just a great way to get into the Halloween mood!

Sunday is our annual trip and this year, I am preparing to make the best carved pumpkin of all my family! I began to do some research and found a lot of great resources online for carving pumpkins. One of the best I’ve found was on the History Channel’s website (http://www.history.com/content/halloween). They had a wealth of fun information about myths, legends, the history of Halloween and a whole section on carving pumpkins. You can actually download stencils and print them out! Here is the one I chose . Ok, It’s a little challenging but I love a good challenge when it comes to pumpkin carving. Wish me luck and I will be sure to share with everyone the outcome!

Fiesta Chicken Casserole

From: Campbell's Kitchen
Prep: 15 minutes
Bake: 40 minutes
Serves: 8


Ingredients:
1 package (15 ounces) refrigerated pie crust (2 crusts)
1 jar (16 ounces) Pace® Chunky Salsa
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
1 cup sour cream
8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese (about 2 cups)
1 package (24 ounces) frozen whole kernel corn
2 cans (9.75 ounces each) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
1 can (about 15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

Directions:

Let the pie crusts stand at room temperature for 15 minutes or until they're easy to handle.

Stir the salsa, soup, sour cream, cheese, corn, chicken and beans in a large bowl. Spoon the chicken mixture into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish.

Unfold the pie crusts on a lightly floured surface. Lay the crusts side-by-side so that they overlap by about 3 inches in the center. Press the seam to seal. Roll the pie crust into a 14 x 10-inch rectangle. Place the pie crust over the chicken mixture. Trim the excess crust from the edge. Cut several slits in the crust.

Bake at 400°F. for 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

It’s Lunchtime in the Campbell’s Kitchen!

Lunchtime at Campbell Soup Company is a big deal. Come on, you can’t work with one of the best food brands and not have a really good lunch everyday. Believe it or not, everyone really enjoys lunches together in the Campbell Cafeteria. It’s a great time of the day where we all enjoy speaking with each other about life outside of work. This is the time you spend with your colleagues where you get to know a little bit more about them. The next time you’re at work, you should really take a moment to learn a little bit about your workmates!

Last week, I tried a new recipe for lunch, a Chicken Salad Melt. It was so good, I had to write a blog about it and share with all of you. Enjoy!

Chicken Salad Melt

From: Campbell's Kitchen
Prep: 5 minutes
Bake: 20 minutes
Serves: 4





Ingredients:

4 English muffins, split
2 cans (4.5 ounces each) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
1 stalk celery, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
3 tablespoons reduced fat or fat free mayonnaise
8 tomato slices
2 ounces reduced fat shredded Cheddar cheese (about 1/2 cup)


Directions:

Heat the oven to 400°F. Bake the muffin halves on a baking sheet for 10 minutes or until they're lightly toasted.

Stir the chicken, celery and mayonnaise in a small bowl.

Divide the chicken mixture among the muffin halves. Top with the tomato slices and cheese.

Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Just a reminder, in case anyone forgot, I’m fortunate enough to work with Swanson Chicken, which is why I have access to all these terrific recipes.

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

Friday, October 9, 2009

Fall Foliage & Dinner for Two

Fall has officially hit the northeast. I live right outside Philadelphia and the leaves have really been turning the past few weeks. I’ve said it before and I will say it again, I love this time of year!

Since being thrown into adulthood, I’ve been fairing quite well with entertaining my friends post-college but what about the rest of my life?! I’m been planning a dinner for two, which is more nerve-racking than dinner for ten. I am always one to really try to impress those around me with great food and entertainment and this dinner is no exception! As my thoughts raced for the past week about what I will serve at my special dinner this Saturday, I began to test out some recipes in order to avoid an utter disaster. My first attempt of a great dinner for two is Spinach, Feta and Chicken Shells. And let me tell you, it came out really well. So, here is my top contender of what I will serve at my dinner for two:

Spinach, Feta and Chicken Shells

From: Campbell's Kitchen
Prep: 15 minutes
Bake: 20 minutes
Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 package (10 ounces) Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Shells
1 can (4.5 ounces) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in
Water, drained
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 package (about 9 ounces) frozen spinach in cream sauce, prepared
according to package directions

Directions:

1. Prepare the pastry shells according to the package directions.

2. Use a fork to remove the pastry "tops" and the soft pastry underneath.

3. Stir the chicken, cheese and spinach in a medium bowl. Divide the chicken
mixture among the pastry shells. Top with the pastry "tops".


Best, and until next time, Kaitlin.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Pumpkins, Squash, Apples and Pears!

Last week, I visited my local farmer’s market and was delightfully surprised to see that almost all my favorite fall vegetables have harvested quite well this year! On the east coast, we received a lot of rain in June, which stalled a lot of growth for fall harvest. Oh, what will I make first?! Pumpkin fritters or my classic Squash Soup? Since my Fall Harvest Party is next week, I decided to make a large batch of Butternut Squash Soup. It can easily be kept fresh in my freezer and I can heat it over the stove just in time for my guests! What’s your favorite fall vegetable?


Butternut Squash Soup with Sage
From: Campbell's Kitchen
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Serves: 4


Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and seeded and cut into 1" cubes
2 medium Granny Smith apples, cored and sliced
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups Swanson® Chicken Broth (Regular, Natural Goodness™ or Certified Organic)
1 tablespoon butter OR margarine
12 fresh sage leaves

Directions:

HEAT oil in saucepot over medium heat. Add squash, apples and onion and cook until almost tender. Stir in sugar, coriander and red pepper. Cook and stir 2 min.

ADD broth. Heat to a boil. Cook over low heat 10 min. or until squash is tender.

PLACE cooked squash mixture in food processor, using a slotted spoon. Cover and blend until smooth, adding enough cooking liquid to make soup of desired consistency.

HEAT butter in small skillet. Add sage and cook until crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Reserve butter in skillet. Divide soup among 4 bowls. Drizzle each with sage butter and garnish with fried sage leaves.

By the way, I’m sure my savvy readers have noticed that my recipes are coming from the Campbell’s Kitchen. When you work with Swanson Chunk Chicken, like I do, I’m constantly visiting the test kitchen at Campbell Soup Company. I get so many great ideas that allow me to test new recipes with familiar and comfortable ingredients. If you’re ever in need of a new recipe, check out www.campbellskitchen.com!

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Fall Harvest Party – Part 2

And now on to the star of the party, the food!

As I mentioned in part 1 of Fall Harvest Party, I would share my menu ideas for my first Fall Harvest Party!

I have a few starters in mind including our Chicken Nachos. I chose this recipe because it is very easy, convenient and it’s super delicious. I would love to hear everyone’s thoughts about the nachos and as always, would love to hear other tips on what I should serve at my party!

Chicken Nachos

From: Campbell's Kitchen
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes
Serves: 6


Ingredients:

1/2 cup Pace® Chunky Salsa
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup
2 cans (4.5 ounces each) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
1 bag (about 10 ounces) tortilla chips
Chopped tomato
Sliced green onion
Sliced pitted ripe olives

Directions:

HEAT the salsa, soup and chicken in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat until the mixture is hot and bubbling, stirring often.

PLACE the chips on a platter. Spoon the chicken mixture over the chips. Top with the tomato, onion and olives.


Best, and until next time, Kaitlin.


Thursday, September 17, 2009

Fall Harvest Party – Part 1



This is the start of something good.

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year. The weather cools down, the leaves change and my favorite vegetables are in season. Since there are a lot of activities in the fall based around the change of season, I was thinking of throwing a Fall Harvest Party. What fun! I’ve never been to one nor have I even heard of one before so, I decided to have a little fun with my friends this fall season.

Let’s start with the invitations. My initial idea was to somehow use the beautiful fall leaves from my local park. I simply used craft glue and good quality construction paper. Depending on how crafty you are, you can hand write the fall message or you can print it on your home computer. I always feel like a handwritten invitation is personal and will essentially set the mood for your fall party.

When it comes to decorating, I have a secret, but, don’t worry, I’ll let you all in. Here it comes… decorating is not my forte. I am still learning and it is all an experiment as I plan my parties. I love pumpkins and what better way to decorate during the fall than with assorted pumpkins. A visit to your local farmer’s market during the fall season can help with a selection of different sizes, shapes and colors of pumpkins. I’m planning on piling several odd shaped pumpkins and gourds into a tall vase.

Moving onto entertainment. There are a ton of fall party ideas on the Internet. I decided to have the guests create a memento of my first Fall Harvest Party. I plan to set up my digital camera, take a lot of shots and print photos right there at the party. I will have my guests create a fall picture frame. I found a really cool project on Kaboose.com, which will guide you through this fun activity. Your guests will leave with a fond memory and it will add a layer of unique entertainment to your get-together.

I am so excited about planning my first Fall Harvest Party! In my next blog post, I will talk about my favorite aspect of entertaining, the food!

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Happy Football Entertaining!

Happy Fall Everyone! I’ve been on a bit of a hiatus over the summer. Traveling, visiting family and of course, entertaining friends. I have a ton of new ideas, fun and easy recipes and party tips that I will be sharing over the next few weeks.

As some of you may know, I work with Swanson and we spent most of our summer months testing new recipes. I will be sharing those as we move away from the slow pace of the summer into the fall and then onto my favorite time of the year, the Holidays.

With the football season under way, I thought it would be great to kick it off with my favorite football tailgating recipe, the infamous Buffalo Chicken Dip! This dip has become so popular that the Facebook Fan Page has grown to over 10,000 Fans! Check it out here www.facebook.com/buffalochickendip. I would love to hear everyone’s thoughts on their summer and the upcoming fall season. Most of all, I’d love your tips on how you like to spice up tailgating with new recipes and tips.

Until next time, I will be signing off… Enjoy the Buffalo Chicken Dip!

Frank’s® RedHot® Buffalo Chicken Dip:

Ingredients:
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 cans (9.75 oz each) Swanson® Premium Chunk Chicken Breast, drained
½ cup Frank’s ® RedHot ® Sauce
½ cup blue cheese salad dressing
½ cup crumbled blue cheese
Assorted fresh vegetables and/or crackers


Directions:
1. Stir cream cheese in 9” deep pie dish until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients.
2. Bake at 350°F. for 20 min. until hot and bubbling. Stir. Serve with vegetables and crackers.

Tips:

* Substitute ranch dressing for blue cheese dressing and shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese for blue cheese crumbles.
* Make this in the microwave by heating it on high for 5 minutes instead of baking
* Keep it warm in a crockpot or slow cooker

Here is a great tip if you are grilling: Prepare the dip ahead of time in a heavy-duty disposable foil pan. Before serving, just heat over a medium to medium-high grill, stirring occasionally until dip is hot.

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Final Four Recipe Showdown!

Hi March Madness fans! Can you believe the tournament has almost come to an end already? To celebrate the NCAA Final Four games this weekend, I’m hosting a party where I will feature each of the final four recipes from the bracket I posted when all of this March Madness began! As a native of the Philadelphia area, our group will be dressed in blue and white to cheer on Villanova and celebrate their victory in the final seconds against Pittsburgh. If you haven’t seen the amazing footage of their win (shameless plug for my favorite team), you can check it out here. If you’re looking for a great recipes for entertaining this weekend (whether it’s a Final Four party, or just a casual get together) you should check out one of my division championship-themed recipes below! Click on the link above the image for the recipe.

The Entertaining Escapades Final Four:



East: Buffalo Chicken Dip























Friday, March 20, 2009

March Madness Bracket!


So for this year's tournament we came up with a super fun food bracket where we took regional foods and picked who would win based on their popularity in 2008-2009! Since I LOVE Buffalo Chicken Dip, I don't think you'll be surprised to see how I did my picks! You can share this bracket with your friends, family, or readers (if you're a blogger like me). You can also start at the beginning and fill it in yourself. If you'd like a copy of the bracket to fill out e-mail me or leave me a comment!

Thursday, February 19, 2009

President's Day Dinner: Delicious, Quick One Dish Ideas

Unlike many of my friends, I still had to work on President’s Day! However, since this blog is all about holiday entertaining, I felt that I would share with you how I celebrated President’s Day. Is it just me or are you feeling that between the election night, inauguration, and presidential debate parties that this year has been rife with red, white, and blue themed celebrations?

So, I didn’t decorate or go all out for this one, but I did cook a nice meal with my family and thought I would pass along some of our favorite home cooked recipes. After all, when it comes down to it, isn’t that one of the greatest things to celebrate?

Here are some great one-dish meals you can make with your family, which are great for when you’re on a tight schedule. All of these recipes take less than 10 minutes to prepare and less than 30 to bake!

Chicken and Vegetable Bake
Prep: 10 minutes
Bake: 30 minutes


Ingredients:
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Celery Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
1/2 cup milk
1 cup cooked broccoli flowerets OR cauliflowerets
1 cup cooked sliced carrot
1 cup cooked cut green beans
2 cans (4.5 ounces each) Swanson® Premium Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
Dash Ground black pepper
1 can (2.8 ounces) French's® French Fried Onions
1/4 cup cooked red pepper strips (optional)

Directions:
Stir the soup, milk, broccoli, carrots, beans, chicken, black pepper, 1/2 can onions and red pepper, if desired, in a 1 1/2-quart casserole.
Bake at 350°F. for 25 minutes or until the chicken mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir the chicken mixture.
Sprinkle the remaining onions over the chicken mixture. Bake for 5 minutes or until the onions are golden brown.

Beef Taco Skillet
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes


Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Tomato Soup (Regular, Healthy Request® or 25% Less Sodium)
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup water
6 flour tortilla (6-inch), cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Cook the beef in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it's well browned, stirring often to separate meat. Pour off any fat.
Stir the soup, salsa, water, and tortillas in the skillet and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir the beef mixture. Top with the cheese.

Zesty Turkey and Rice
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes


Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups Swanson® Chicken Stock
1 tsp. dried basil leaves, crushed
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce
1 can (about 14 1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes
3/4 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice
1 cup frozen peas
2 cups cubed cooked turkey or 2 cans (4.5 ounces each) Swanson Premium Chunk Chicken Breast in water, drained

Directions:
Heat the stock, basil, garlic powder, hot pepper sauce and tomatoes in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat to a boil. Stir in the rice. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
Stir in the peas and turkey. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the rice is tender.


Thursday, February 12, 2009

Getting Ready for Valentine's Day!




It’s officially February, and that means that Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. I know a lot of single women who absolutely hate Valentine’s Day – considering it cruel and unusual punishment – but I happen to love it, single or not. I look at it as a fun day to celebrate with my loved ones, whether it’s with family, friends, or a significant other. This year, I’m inviting all my single girlfriends over for our own Valentine’s celebration. Here’s my (budget-friendly) party plan, which would also work if you are cooking dinner for your spouse or family:

• Instead of using a traditional red, white and/or pink color scheme, I’m using a deep burgundy with silver accents to give my party a classier feel. I’m also abolishing all things “tacky,” including: expensive store-bought greetings cards, (Check out this site for a great alternative) heart-shaped balloons, and the viewing of any click-flick movies.

• I’m forgoing lots of expensive flower arrangements in favor of more creative and less expensive decorations. For example, I’m going to fill vases and glass mason jars with Valentine’s candy to use as my centerpiece.

• I’ll also use lots of inexpensive decorating items, like red ribbon, wrapping paper, candles, and table cloths to transform my house for the party.



• My menu will include lots of red-colored and spicy foods to keep with the theme. For my appetizers, I’m serving an array of dips, including the famed Buffalo Chicken Dip and my personal favorite, Sunset Dip. My main course will be Prego Easy Skillet Chicken Parm accompanied by spaghetti with Italian sauce (à la Lady and the Tramp). It’s an easy, inexpensive meal that still gives that Valentine’s Day vibe. I’ll serve it with a simple tossed salad and warm bread.

• For dessert, I’m making Amazing Red Devil's Food Cake in a heart-shaped pan, of course. Hint: I’ll add a few drops of red food coloring to the icing, to keep with my theme.

Also, check out these links for some other great Valentine’s ideas:
Inexpensive Gift Ideas
Gift Ideas for Men
Another Awesome Dessert
Yummy Treats

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Beating the Winter Blues with a Weekend Getaway!



Okay. Is it just me or is anyone else suffering from a severe case of cabin fever? I decided the other day that I needed to get away for a few days, just to get a change of scenery. So, I’m planning a long-weekend getaway for President’s Day Weekend. A few friends and I are going up to the mountains for a weekend of skiing, sledding, movie watching and card playing.

Needless to say, I’ve been busy planning! We’re doing a Potluck, so no one is stuck bringing all of the food. I think I’m going to make a chicken pot pie. It’ll be easy to make ahead of time and freeze until the weekend, and it’s the perfect food for cold weather. Yum!

Here’s the recipe I’ll use:

Chicken Potpie

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (15 ounces) refrigerated pie crust (2 crusts)
1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Campbell's® Chicken Gravy
3 cups cooked cut-up vegetables*
2 cans (4.5 ounces each) Swanson® Premium Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained

Directions:

Let the pie crusts stand at room temperature for 15 minutes or until they're easy to handle. Place 1 pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate.

Stir the gravy, vegetables and chicken in a medium bowl. Spoon the chicken mixture into the pie plate. Place the remaining pie crust over the filling. Press the edges to seal. Cut several slits in the top crust.
Bake at 400°F. for 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
*Use a combination of sliced carrots, peas and cubed potatoes.


Also, I’ve been racking my brain trying to think of a fun game or two to play during the weekend, and I remembered one I used to play when I was younger. It’s called Mafia, and the only thing you need to play is a group of people (at least 5 or 6) and a deck of standard playing cards. There are directions for the game here.

Are there any other games you recommend?

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Time to make those Super Bowl party plans

Yes, so, it's only Tuesday but I couldn't wait to post this one any longer! It’s a good thing everyone enjoyed the delicious food during the Eagles’ last playoff game, since no one was having a good time watching our team lose to the Cardinals (who they defeated 48-24 in the regular season)! Despite the Eagles loss, my friends and I are still planning to throw a Super Bowl party. Even if our team isn’t playing, we can’t pass up an excuse for a fun get-together!

I don’t have a TV large enough, or fancy enough, to host the ever-important (commercial) viewing party. So, one of my good friends is hosting all of us at her house, and I offered to bring some food to help her out.
I had to think about recipes that would travel well, since I’ll be making them at home and bringing them to the party. I decided I’d bring my Buffalo Chicken Dip and make pulled pork sandwiches. Then all I have to do is bring some rolls for the sandwiches and some crackers for the dip and we’re all set! I’m going to make both dishes before the party, and then we will use slow cookers to keep them warm. Once I arrive, I can just plug it in, heat it up, and enjoy!

Here's the recipe for my Pulled Pork Sandwiches:



Ingredients:
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 1/2- to 4-pound boneless pork shoulder roast, netted or tied
1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Campbell's Condensed French Onion Soup
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup cider vinegar
3 tbsp. packed brown sugar
12 round sandwich rolls or hamburger rolls, split

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook until it’s well browned on all sides.
2. Stir the soup, ketchup, vinegar and brown sugar in a 5-quart slow cooker. Add the pork and turn to coat.
3. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours* or until the pork is fork-tender.
4. Remove the pork from the cooker to a cutting board and let stand for 10 minutes. Using 2 forks, shred the pork. Return the pork to the cooker.
5. Divide the pork and sauce mixture among the rolls.
*Or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.

I just recently found a blog that I love to help me plan all of my themed parties and seasonal events: theme-party-queen.com! Check it out!

For more great party ideas, notmadeofmoney.com and celebrations.com have some great tips on throwing a budget-friendly Super Bowl party.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Tailgating Tips from Good Morning San Diego!

The Super Bowl is right around the corner, so check out these cool tailgating tips from Good Morning San Diego!

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Inauguration Party: Tonight!

So I shared with you my plans for the party set up and theme, but here are my “dining and entertainment” selections for the evening. I plan to portion the food dishes into “finger foods” and share on small plates in order to add a formal touch to the party.

Food

The most important part of any party! I’m creating an All-American menu, with a special emphasis on Chicago, in honor of Mr. Obama’s hometown. Here are two recipes I’ll be making:

Deep Dish Barbecued Chicken Pizza



Ingredients:
3 tbsp. Vegetable Oil
1 medium red onion peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup thinly sliced mushroom
1/2 tsp. salt divided
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups cooked skinless, boneless chicken breasts thinly sliced or shredded
1/2 cup hickory-flavored barbecue sauce
1 12-inch pre-baked pizza crust
2 cups grated smoked gouda cheese or shredded mozzarella

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 450ºF. Cover baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil.
2. Rinse chicken. Pat dry. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.
3. Heat vegetable oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken. Sauté 2 minutes, or until exterior is no longer pink. Remove chicken from pan with slotted spoon.
4. Add onion and mushrooms to pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sauté 3 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Remove pan from heat.
5. Return chicken to pan. Stir barbecue sauce into chicken and vegetables. Place pizza crust on baking sheet. Arrange half of cheese on pizza crust. Top with chicken mixture. Top chicken with remaining cheese.
6. Bake at 450ºF for 10 to 12 minutes, or until crust is crisp and cheese melts. Let stand 3 minutes before cutting. Serve immediately.

Tips:
• For true “Chicago” flair, I’m making my pizza with a “deep dish” crust.
• To save time, I’m using Swanson® Premium Chunk Chicken. I’ll be able to skip right over steps 2 and 3, plus I won’t have to worry about defrosting and shredding boneless chicken breasts.


Franks Under Wraps (a spin on the Chicago-style hot dog)


Prep : 15 minutes
Bake : 15 minutes

Ingredients:
½ package (17.3 oz.) Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet)
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
10 frankfurters (about 1 lb.) , cut crosswise into halves
Prepared mustard

Directions:
1. Thaw pastry sheet at room temperature 40 min. Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix egg and
water.
2. Unfold pastry on lightly floured surface. Cut into 20 (1/2") strips. Wrap pastry strips
around frankfurters, pressing gently to seal. Place on baking sheet. Brush with egg
mixture.
3. Bake 15 min. or until golden. Serve with mustard for dipping. Makes 20 appetizers.

*Tip:
• If you’re going with the Chicago-theme, serve with yellow mustard, relish, onion, tomato, pickles, peppers, and celery salt, but NEVER ketchup!

Games & Entertainment
Of course we’ll be watching live coverage of the Inauguration on television, but we’ll also have plenty of games to entertain us:

1. Predictions
Give each of your guests a form where they can each make predictions about the night’s events. For example
• What color dress will Mrs. Obama/Mrs. Biden/the Obama girls wear?_____________________
• How many times will Obama say “change” during his speech? _________
• Who, if anyone, will cry? (Can be someone at your party or shown on TV)____________________________
At the end of the party, tally up the results. The guest with the most correct predictions, wins!

2. Name Game
• Before the party, create a list of words that are “off-limits” for the party. (For example, “Obama,” “America,” “Democrat,” “Republican,” “Bush,” “President,” etc.)
• As each guest arrives, give them a necklace with quarter tied to it. (I use ribbon and tape the quarters to the ribbon, but you can really be creative about what you use here. You could, for example, hand out mini-American flags instead of necklaces).
• Each time a guest is caught saying one of the “off-limits” words, they must forfeit all of the necklaces they have accumulated to the guest who catches their slip-up.
• The person who has the most necklaces at the end of the night wins!

3. Quiz
• Distribute a trivia quiz to all of your guests, which they can take in teams, or individually.
• After everyone is finished, go over the correct answers out loud and have each person or team grade themselves. Have a prize ready for the winner!
• If you search online for “Inauguration Quiz” you’ll find several you can use. Here’s my favorite.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Inauguration Party Preparations


Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months, you’re well aware of the fact that Tuesday is Inauguration Day for President-Elect Barack Obama. And no matter what your political affiliation may be, you’ve gotta admit, it’s going to be a historic day.

Since the majority of us can’t make it D.C. for big day, why not host your own Inauguration Party?

Here’s how I’m planning to invite my guests and set the theme for my own “Inaugural Ball”:

1. Invitations
To save money, I’m using a website that lets you design and print free invitations. Since it’s hard to find invitations made specifically for Presidential Inaugurations, I’m just altering one that was meant for a 4th of July party. Americangreetings.com and Invitationland.com both have some great options, or you can always use evite.com to send your invitations via email. (A great option if you don’t have time for snail mail!) Plus, evite.com does have invitation templates made up just for the Inauguration…how easy is that??

2. Theme
Well this one seems pretty obvious. I’m sticking with the red, white and blue color scheme and America-themed décor. And an added bonus of this theme is that you can find plenty of “Stars and Stripes” party supplies meant for 4th of July on sale this time of the year. You can try partyamerica.com.

3. Dress Code
My party is going to be a true Inaugural Ball…complete with a dress code!

I know most of my girlfriends still have old prom dresses sitting in the back of their closets, and if not, they surely have a bridesmaid’s dress handy. Or, if worse comes to worse, I’m recommending they check out local thrift stores. The point of my “ball” isn’t necessarily style – humor will get you in my door as well! The only rule is my guests can’t spend more than $20 on their whole outfit (this includes the guys as well). I can’t wait to see what kind of suits the guys can find for that price!

Of course, if you want your guests in less formal attire, you can always ask them to wear red, white and/or blue. Everyone has something that fits those criteria in their closet!

Friday, January 16, 2009

NFC Championship Party!


If you’re a fan of any of the football teams still vying for a spot at the Super Bowl, you must be pumped for the playoff games this Sunday. So why not invite your friends over for a Playoff Party (or crash the home of whoever has the biggest TV)?

With two brothers and a dad who are all lifelong Eagles fans – and who have lots of friends who are lifelong Eagles fans – I know the living room will be a sea of green and white bodies on Sunday. And those bodies are sure to be hungry.

Well, if you can’t beat em’, join em’, right? So on Sunday I’ll be donning my Eagles jersey and making a huge pot of chili. It’s easy, inexpensive, and always a crowd-pleaser, especially on cold winter days. I’ll keep it in a slow cooker so everyone can help themselves when they’re ready and I don’t have to worry about keeping it hot. Here’s the recipe I’ll be using:


Hearty Chili
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 8 hours
Serves: 6 (you can double or triple the recipe if you need to!)


1 ½ pounds ground beef
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Tomato Soup
1can (about 14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
½ cup water
2 cans (about 15 ounces each) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
¼ cup chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin

1. Cook the beef in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it's well browned,
stirring often. Pour off any fat.
2. Stir the beef, onion, garlic, soup, tomatoes, water, beans, chili powder and cumin in a
3 ½ quart slow cooker.
3. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours.

I'm serving it with slices of cornbread and a Romaine salad tossed with fresh chopped basil, chives, and Italian salad dressing.
Couldn’t be easier!

Also, I had several more requests to make buffalo chicken dip for the game. It’s becoming a football-viewing necessity among my family and friends! It even has it’s own website: www.buffalochickendip.com. The website has a printable recipe, easy step-by-step directions, and great tips and ideas. So, no matter who you’re rooting for on Sunday, at least everyone can enjoy the food!

Friday, January 9, 2009

Fiesta Bowl Party




Since I’ve just graduated from college, many of my friends hosted bowl game parties this year. I think the best one was our Fiesta Bowl party because Mexican food is my favorite! This was our opportunity to revel in the college football traditions that we miss so much from home. Of course I contributed my now almost famous buffalo chicken dip recipe, but the rest of the party potluck was focused on Southwestern foods.

We “kicked things off” yes, pun intended, with my easy chicken quesadillas. My friends also thought that a funky Mexican dish would complement these well so we made a chunky salsa cheesecake as well.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:
1 cup crushed tortilla chips 

1/2-cup butter or margarine, melted

2 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened

1 pt. sour cream
2 eggs 

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper 

1 jar (16 oz.) Pace® Chunky Salsa

Directions:
Mix tortilla chips and butter. Press into bottom of 9" springform pan. Place in shallow baking pan.
Combine cream cheese, sour cream and eggs in bowl. Beat until smooth, using electric mixer at medium speed. Stir in cheese, onions, garlic and black pepper. Pour cheese mixture into prepared pan.
Bake at 350°F. for 30 min. or until set. Cool cheesecake on wire rack. Refrigerate until serving time. Remove from pan.
Top cheesecake with salsa and cut into wedges.

For dinner we made a big batch of fajitas and let everybody roll their own. This was a hit and it served a lot of people. We sautéed peppers, onions, mushrooms, chicken and spices together and left a bowl out on the table. We told everyone to bring an item to contribute to our “fajita bar” and we had everything: warmed tortillas, some chopped lettuce, tomato, shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream, and guacamole. Then everyone could make his or her own creative combination and there was certainly plenty to go around. This is a fun (and cheap) party idea that we will use again!

And maybe it was our Southwestern-themed karma coming into play, but to top things off the Texas Longhorms won the game!