Entertaining Escapades

The Start of the Summer Season

2011-06-15T12:14:00.000-07:00

Last year around this time, I shared the Cool Chicken Pasta Salad, which is perfect for a warm day at the beach. This year, I wanted to share with you a sandwich perfect to help get you ready for the beach and that means eating a bit healthier.

The Lowfat Chicken Salad Sandwiches from Campbell’s Kitchen® are super easy to whip together before work and they travel nicely when on the go. As we get ready for the 2011 summer season, keep in mind that eating a healthy meal doesn’t mean you have to skimp on flavor. Experiment with the below recipe. Try substituting a little curry powder instead of onion powder or maybe kick up the spice with a dash of cayenne pepper.

Enjoy and remember to have fun with your food!

Lowfat Chicken Salad Sandwiches

From Campbell’s Kitchen®
Prep: 10 minutes
Makes: 2 sandwiches

1 can (4.5 ounces) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
2 tablespoons chopped celery
3 tablespoons low fat or fat free mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
4 slices Pepperidge Farm® Farmhouse™ Soft Oatmeal Bread
4 tomato slices
2 lettuce leaves

1. Stir the chicken, celery, mayonnaise and onion powder in a small bowl. Divide the chicken mixture between 2 bread slices. Top with the tomato, lettuce and remaining bread slices.

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

Just a reminder, in case anyone forgot, I’m fortunate enough to work with Swanson Chicken, which is why I love to share all these delicious recipes, great tips and money saving offers on Entertaining Escapades!

Easter Sunday Dinner: Buffet or Family Style?

2011-04-21T07:20:00.001-07:00

Easter Sunday is this weekend, and if your family is anything like my family, it’s usually celebrated with a large feast on a bright Sunday afternoon.

This year, I am faced with a daunting decision: buffet or family style dinner? I really enjoy family style because of the natural interaction with guests as they pass around the various dishes. However, there are a few benefits to serving a buffet. First, if you have limited space on your table, serving a buffet on the counter or separate table frees up a lot of room. Second, as your guests move down the buffet, they won’t have to feel like they are insulting the host if they skip certain dishes they may not like. I also think the set-up of a buffet is a bit easier than serving family style.

Since this year I’m feeling that easy = better, I’ll serve dinner buffet-style.

Today, I want to share a few great tips I found online to help serve Easter dinner buffet-style:

1. Set the table. Even if you are serving your dinner as a buffet, you still need to create an aesthetically pleasing tablescape for your guests to enjoy. They can simply grab their plates from the table and help themselves when dinner is served.

2. Table Placement. In order to avoid congestion on your buffet, separate your stations by salad, main dishes, drinks and dessert. This will help with flow and avoid any back up of your guests.

3. Serving Food. Keep hot foods hot, cold foods cold, and don't leave any food in the danger zone (between 41ºF and 140° F) for more than 2 hours.

What is your favorite style of serving dinner: buffet or family style?

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

For more great entertaining tips and recipes, visit Campbell’s Kitchen.

Spring Fever

2011-03-28T12:49:00.000-07:00

"Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush." - Doug Larson

How can you not love that quote? Now that we have set the mood for our “Spring Fever” post, I want to share with my Entertaining Escapaders the top five reasons why I love spring!

This is quite obvious -- but the warmer weather kicks off my list of favorite things about spring. The warm weather also comes with green grass, spring flowers and a little bit more daylight every day.
A fresh new start. Spring offers a feeling of new beginnings. Whether it’s planting a new garden, getting back on track with your exercise routine or a recommitment to a personal goal, spring is the perfect time to start over and have a fresh new outlook on life.
Nothing says spring more than Spring Training! How I enjoy the Philadelphia Phillies coming back from Clearwater to start a new season. Go Phils!
I love having the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors more often. Whether I take my little doggie for a long walk or simply enjoy sitting outside on our deck, the fresh air is purely rejuvenating.
Delicious fresh food such as asparagus, apricots, spinach and fennel are all in season during the springtime. We just love visiting the local farmer’s market to pick the freshest fruit and veggies!

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

It’s Time for March Madness

2011-03-17T07:16:00.000-07:00

I have never really bought into the hype of March Madness (probably because I’m not much of a basketball fan!). As you know from my previous posts, I really enjoy entertaining during the football season. My sports enthusiasm pretty much ends at the Big Game and starts back up during baseball season. Despite this, so many people around me get excited about March Madness, today I wanted to share with you the perfect recipe to serve during any sports party!

This recipe comes from our Ultimate Football Challenge winner, Laura Powell from Real Mom Kitchen. We had the pleasure of meeting Laura in January when she visited the Campbell’s Kitchen to compete in our cook-off. The result of the exciting competition was her amazing and popular recipe for Quick Chicken Enchilada Nachos. You can see her winning recipe on Campbell’s Kitchen, or you can visit her blog for more yummy and delicious creations.

Quick Chicken Enchilada Nachos

Campbell’s Kitchen and Real Mom Kitchen

Source: Campbell's Community
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Makes: 14 servings

Ingredients:

1 can (12.5 ounces) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (about 15 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained

1 jar (16 ounces) Pace® Picante Sauce

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)

1 can (4.5 ounces) chopped green chiles

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 bag (12- to 14-ounces) tortilla chips

Assorted Toppings (shredded Cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese blend, sliced ripe olives, chopped green onion, diced avocado, sliced jalapeño peppers and/or chopped fresh cilantro leaves)

Directions:

1. Heat the chicken, beans, corn, picante sauce, soup, chiles and chili powder in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat until the mixture is hot and bubbling, stirring occasionally.

2. Arrange the tortilla chips on a large serving platter. Top with the chicken mixture and Assorted Toppings, if desired.

Best and until next time, Kaitlin.

A Case of the End-of-Winter Blues

2011-03-10T13:53:00.000-08:00

Nothing seems to get me down more than the very end of these winter months. At this point of the season, I drag my feet and get a little case of the end-of-winter blues.

And there is nothing better to heal my sluggish behavior than delicious comfort food!

Today, I would like to share my winter blues dinner cure: Homestyle Chicken & Biscuits. This yummy dish will taste just like what your grandmother made -- in half the time and less the cost of most of today’s Chicken & Biscuit recipes!

Homestyle Chicken & Biscuits
From Campbell’s Kitchen
Prep: 15 minutes
Bake: 30 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (Regular or 98% Fat Free)
¼ cup milk
¾ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 bag (16 ounces) frozen vegetable combination (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots), thawed
2 cans (4.5 ounces each) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
1 package (7.5 ounces) refrigerated biscuits (10 biscuits)

Directions:
1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Stir the soup, milk, cheese and black pepper in a 3-quart shallow baking dish. Stir in the vegetables and chicken.
2. Bake for 15 minutes or until the chicken mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir the chicken mixture. Top the chicken mixture with the biscuits.
3. Bake for 15 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown.

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

Celebrate American Heart Month With Delicious Recipes

2011-02-18T11:19:00.000-08:00

February is American Heart Month sponsored by the American Heart Association^®. Every year, the AHA educates Americans about building healthier lives and preventing heart disease.

For more than 25 years, Campbell Soup Company has also focused on promoting heart healthy products and recipes. As you may know from reading this blog, Swanson^® Premium Chunk Chicken meets the criteria for AHA heart healthy foods that fit into a heart healthy lifestyle. Some of the other great Campbell products that offer a heart healthy option include Campbell’s^® Healthy Request^® soups, Low-Sodium V8^®, V8 V-Fusion^® juices, Prego^® Heart Smart Italian sauces and Pepperidge Farm^® whole grain breads. For more information about Campbell’s dedication to heart health, their long history with the American Heart Association and how you can get involved in this year’s campaign, please visit Campbell’s AdDress Your Heart initiative.

Now, back to the delicious recipes! Today, I would like to share one of my favorite “Heart Healthy” recipes found on Campbell’s Kitchen. I hope you enjoy these Heart Healthy Stuffed Tomatoes!

Heart Healthy Chicken Salad Stuffed Tomatoes

From Campbell’s Kitchen^®

Prep: 15 minutes

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt

2 tablespoons light mayonnaise

1/3 cup chopped celery

1/2 small onion, finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)

1 can (12.5 ounces)* Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained

4 medium tomatoes

6 cups shredded lettuce

Directions:

1. Stir the yogurt, mayonnaise, celery, onion and chicken in a medium bowl.

2. Cut each tomato into wedges, cutting down to about 1/2 inch of the bottom, without cutting all the way through the tomato.

3. Place 1 1/2 cups lettuce on each of 4 serving plates. Top with a tomato and spoon 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture into each tomato.

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

Just a reminder, in case anyone forgot, I’m fortunate enough to work with Swanson Chicken, which is why I love to share all these delicious recipes, great tips and money saving offers on Entertaining Escapades!

It’s a Football Challenge!

2011-01-20T08:32:00.000-08:00

Do you have a killer recipe for football fans? Does everyone rave about your food after the Big Game? This year, Swanson® Chicken asked bloggers across the social media space to create the winning football/tailgating recipe using Swanson Premium Chunk Chicken.

As you all know, our famous Buffalo Chicken Dip has more than 35,000 fans on Facebook and is one of the most requested recipes of the past two years. With the overwhelming success of Buffalo Chicken Dip, we set out on a quest to find the next BIG recipe for football entertaining and we found it!

This past Wednesday, the three finalists of our Swanson Chicken Ultimate Football Challenge ventured on an all-inclusive trip to visit the Campbell’s Kitchen®. The three finalists were chosen based on recipe creativity, use of the ingredients and reader engagement. Once at the Campbell’s Test Kitchen, the chosen bloggers met with Campbell’s® Chefs, viewed the facilities and prepared their winning recipes for a select panel of Campbell’s® judges. The three finalists in our Ultimate Football Challenge were:

Real Mom Kitchen's Quick Chicken Enchiladas
Hazzard in the Kitchen's End Zone Empanadas
Taste and Tell's Chicken, Bacon & Cream Cheese Mini Taquitos

And the Ultimate Football Challenge winner is… Laura Powell from Real Mom Kitchen. Laura's Quick Chicken Enchilada Nachos was chosen as our winner and will have the opportunity to be featured on Campbell’s Kitchen.com. Stay tuned and visit us online to see the winning recipes!

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

Lunch Time! Chicken Salad with a Twist

2011-01-13T12:08:00.000-08:00

As many household budgets have gotten a bit tight over the past few years, it’s very common and financially-savvy for people to bring lunch to work. Spending money at take-out counters and restaurants can not only hurt your wallet, but also your waistline as well. Taking your lunch to work can be simple, delicious and good for you.

Campbell’s Kitchen® has several great tips and ideas on how to make “Desktop Dining” easy and economical. I am always looking for new and delicious recipes to prepare for lunch and I recently came across this delicious Chicken Salad Sandwich with a yummy twist. The crunchy almonds, fresh jicama and tarragon all add a lovely layer of flavor to a classic chicken salad sandwich. What is your favorite twist on a traditional chicken salad?

Miami Chicken Salad Sandwiches

From Campbell’s Kitchen

Prep: 15 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons light mayonnaise

2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream

1 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves, crushed

1 can (4.5 ounces) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained

1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

1/4 cup chopped jicama or celery

4 slices Pepperidge Farm® Whole Grain Soft Honey Oat Bread, toasted

1 mango, pitted, peeled and sliced

2 green leaf lettuce leaves

Directions:

1. Stir the mayonnaise, sour cream and tarragon in a medium bowl. Stir in the chicken, almonds and jicama.

2. Divide the chicken mixture evenly between 2 bread slices. Top with the mango, lettuce and remaining bread slices.

Best and until next time, Kaitlin.

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-22T11:57:00.000-08:00

The holidays are here! My favorite part of the season is getting the opportunity to spend time with my family and friends. Throughout the month, there are a lot of get-togethers, holiday parties and work functions. I really like to take the few days between Christmas and New Year’s to spend quality time with my close family.

Traditionally, my entire family will host a holiday party the weekend before Christmas. We have such a large family with a lot of small children, so it tends to be difficult to get everyone together on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. I actually like it this way. It gives everyone the chance to have a small, intimate holiday celebration at their homes without the hustle and bustle of visiting with ten or so aunts and uncles, dozens of cousins, grandparents, grandchildren… and it can go on!

My absolute favorite part of this family time is sitting around the tree on Christmas Eve, listening to festive music, drinking hot chocolate and enjoying my favorite holiday treat, Brie en Croute. My absolute favorite recipe comes from Campbell’s Kitchen®. As you all may know, I do work for Swanson® and as a part of the Campbell’s family, I am always trying delicious recipes! I particularly love this recipe because it’s a perfect combination of the sweet and tangy apricots and dried cranberries along with the crunch of the almonds and the creamy smooth brie. It really adds a special touch to a classic holiday treat!

Holiday Brie en Croute

From Campbell’s Kitchen®
Thaw: 40 minutes
Prep: 15 minutes
Bake: 20 minutes
Stand: 45 minutes
Makes: 12 servings

Ingredients:

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

1/2 of a 17.3-ounce package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed

1/2 cup apricot preserves or seedless raspberry jam

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

1 (13- to 16-ounce) Brie cheese round

1 package (13 ounces) Pepperidge Farm Entertaining Quartet Distinctive Crackers

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork.

2. Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 14-inch square. Spread the preserves on the pastry to within 2 inches of the edge. Sprinkle with the cranberries and almonds. Place the cheese in the center of the pastry. Fold the pastry up over the cheese to cover. Trim the excess pastry and press to seal. Brush the seam 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 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Let stand for 45 minutes. Serve with the crackers.

What is your favorite holiday tradition?

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

A Holiday Gift-Wrapping Party!

2010-12-16T08:50:00.000-08:00

Every year, I purchase about two to three rolls of wrapping paper with some to spare. My only gripe about the rolls is that I would like a little variety with my gift giving. Once all my gifts are wrapped, they all look the same! I recently came across the idea of throwing a holiday gift-wrapping party and I just had to share this wonderful idea with my Entertaining Escapaders. Perhaps this can even become a holiday tradition with your friends?

The idea is to have a festive holiday party, asking each of your guests to bring along one or two different styles of wrapping paper and a corresponding spool of ribbon for decorating. The hostess will provide tape, scissors, name tags and of course, delicious food, drinks and holiday goodies. It’s a really unique party idea, which will allow your guests to wrap their holiday gifts in a variety of different papers and ribbons.

Here are a few tips, courtesy of Campbell’s Kitchen®, to think about when you organize your holiday gift-wrapping party. Setting your party up into three worktables will help create a nice flow and keep everyone organized throughout the evening.

• The first table should supply boxes, envelopes, bags and other “outer” containers along with a few creative ideas for oddly shaped items (like mailing tubes). As a host, go through your own collection of boxes and packing supplies—it’s very likely that you’ll have plenty of material on hand to easily outfit the station without having to buy anything.
• The second station is for all the guest-supplied rolls or sheets of wrapping paper, tissue paper and decorative gift bags.
• The last table is for guest-supplied spools of ribbon, string, stick-on bows, tags and any decorative novelties or ornaments. Outfit this area with additional tape, glue/glue sticks, scissors, pens, a paper punch and stickers.

For more entertaining tips, recipe ideas and fun holiday tricks, visit Campbell’s Kitchen!

Best and until next time, Kaitlin.

The Winter Welcomes Warm Soup

2010-12-08T09:56:00.000-08:00

There is a chill in the air! The only really nice thing about the colder weather on the east coast is a warm, cozy homemade soup. I usually like to make soup on a Sunday afternoon and freeze all the leftovers for a quick, easy dinner during the week.

Of course Swanson Chicken® has a ton of ideas, tips and recipes for soup and I am on a mission to taste them all! Well, maybe I won’t be able to test them all this winter, but I would love to try. The best part about the recipes feature below is that they are quick, easy and really fit my budget, especially when there are Holiday gifts to be bought! Here are a few of my favorites:

Easy Chicken Chili with White Beans

In the mood for chili? No problem...because you can have this flavorful chicken chili on the table in less than 1/2 hour. It only tastes like it's been simmering all day.

Santa Fe Chicken Tortilla Soup

Santa Fe Chicken Tortilla Soup Using the Swanson canned chicken, prepared salsa and flavorful chicken broth allows you to make this satisfying soup in just 20 minutes. Try it...it's zesty and delicious.

Country Chicken Stew This hearty stew, chock full of carrots, green beans, onion, potatoes, and chicken, simmers in a creamy base to tenderness in just minutes. Garnished with crispy bacon and parsley, this colorful dish is a feast for the eyes as well as the palate.

What’s your favorite winter soup?

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

Family, Thanksgiving and the Best Leftovers

2010-11-24T08:17:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned last week, I will be hosting my first Thanksgiving dinner this year. Through all the planning, preparation and excitement about the upcoming holiday, including the glorious Black Friday deals, I almost completely forgot about my favorite part of Turkey Day, the leftovers! I typically don’t eat many leftovers. Yes, I am that person who will let the leftover chicken casserole go to waste as I forage on to new recipes. However, for some reason there is something really special about eating Thanksgiving leftovers.

As the host, I am sure to have a refrigerator filled with turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing and gravy. Today, I wanted to share a few great recipes I found around the web from last year. The best part about most of the below recipes is that if you really enjoy one of them, you can always try substituting the turkey for Swanson’s Chicken so you can enjoy it all year round!

Now, on to the recipes…

· Rosemary Turkey Squares from Taste and Tell. I love this recipe because the rosemary adds a lovely earthy undertone along with an elegant touch. It’s perfect as an appetizer or perhaps lunch.

· Hot Turkey Sandwiches from Campbell’s Kitchen. This recipe is a classic Thanksgiving leftover meal. It’s comforting and just brings me back a great time in my childhood.

· Thanksgiving Leftover Panini from Annie’s Eats. This recipe is unique and simply delicious! All you have to do is sandwich your leftover turkey and cranberry sauce together and add some cheese. I even like to add a little gravy to the side for dipping. It is winning recipe!

· Thanksgiving Casserole from Lauren’s Kitchen. All I can say about this recipe is that it’s DELICIOUS! The casserole is the perfect chance to test out substituting the turkey for Swanson Chicken.

· Turkey Cranberry Quesadillas from Real Mom’s Kitchen. This recipe is creative and is great for lunch after a long morning of shopping all of the Black Friday deals!

I hope you enjoy the leftovers just as much as the big meal! Happy Thanksgiving!

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

Thanksgiving Entertaining

2010-11-17T13:37:00.000-08:00

WOW! It’s mid-November already and I am getting a little nervous about Thanksgiving this year. As you know, I am still quite new to cooking for myself which means I don’t have much experience entertaining at home. This year, I am hosting Thanksgiving dinner for the very first time and it is quite nerve-wracking!

The menu will be pretty traditional. I will have a roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and of course, green bean casserole. In fact, I’m not that worried about the menu. I think I have that all set from all the great tips at Campbell’s Kitchen.

My concern this year is my décor. I would really like enhance the overall experience of Thanksgiving with some great, yet easy decorations. So, I have been doing some research and I found quite a few wonderful resources that offer some great tips for decorating for Thanksgiving. I thought all my Entertaining Escapaders would love to hear all about it!

A Warm Welcome

It is often said that first impressions of a home starts before you even open the front door. I think it’s very important to greet your guests for Thanksgiving with a warm, autumnal welcome. You can create some great, affordable fall décor with a little imagination. I found a wicker basket at the craft store and filled it with a variety of small pumpkins and gourds and placed it on my front porch. I added a nice autumn wreath to the door and it turned out just wonderful for an affordable price!

The Centerpiece

The entire dinner will be centered around what you have on the table so, I thought it would be important to create something special. I will be attempting to create my own centerpiece using a how-to guide I found on HGTV’s website.

The Table Setting Tips

I found a few wonderful tips for table settings on Martha Stewart’s website. One of my favor tips is the name cards made from sweet-gum-tree spurs.

The great thing about these tips is that she includes a how-to tutorial for each tip and a lot of them are fun projects for the entire family. You are sure to find some great ideas!

I hope you find my autumn decorating tips helpful and you try something new this year when you welcome your family and friends into your home for Thanksgiving!

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

5 Recipes Under $10

2010-11-11T06:45:00.000-08:00

If you are anything like me, you are always looking for delicious and easy recipes that fit a budget. Since working for Swanson, I have had great opportunities to not only test a lot of yummy recipes that fit my budget but to also share them with great people like my blog followers!

Today, I have chosen five recipes from Campbell’s Kitchen all under $10. Now, that is what I call eating deliciously for less!

BBQ Chicken Sandwiches - This flavorful recipe is great for the family or for casual get-togethers. It uses Swanson Premium Chunk Chicken and prepared barbecue sauce to make mouthwateringly delicious sandwiches.

Tortellini-Vegetable Toss - Cheesy ravioli and colorful vegetables are laced with Garden Combination Pasta Sauce for an easy, satisfying two-step supper.

Chicken and Bean Burritos - These quick and tasty burritos feature a zesty combination of Swanson Premium Chunk Chicken, bean soup and salsa inside a warmed flour tortilla and are ready to serve in about 20 minutes.

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps - Crisp lettuce takes the place of tortillas in these delicious wraps made quick and easy with Swanson Premium Chunk Chicken and crunchy vegetables tossed in an Asian-sesame dressing.

Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry - This delightful dish featuring Swanson Premium Chunk Chicken and a colorful combination of vegetables in a tasty sauce is on the table in minutes and so much better than take-out.

Do you have any delicious and affordable recipes to share? Please feel free to post them in the comments section below!

Best and until next time, Kaitlin.

Would you like Buffalo Chicken Dip with your penne pasta?

2010-11-03T10:35:00.001-07:00

If you follow my blog, you know that Swanson has a Facebook page for our famous recipe, Buffalo Chicken Dip, aka BCD. The page is a fun place to share the recipe, host giveaways, conduct trivia contests and have fun conversations about sports, entertaining and just about anything related to BCD. A few weeks ago, I posted this question to our fans, which resulted in a lot of great, unique responses: Do you ever have Buffalo Chicken Dip leftover from your tailgate party? If so, what's your favorite tip for using leftover BCD?

Today, I wanted to share with you some of the best ways to use leftover Buffalo Chicken Dip – as supplied by the folks on Facebook. Not that we ever have any leftover after our parties, but should you ever have any, here are a few great tips:

- “Take Tortilla wraps, place a piece of iceberg lettuce in there and put the BCD on top of it and wrap it up like a burrito!” –From Patricia
- “Take two crescent rolls...unfold them onto a flat shallow baking pan...bake till brown, then spread BCD over the crust, add chopped onion, broccoli, cauliflower, or any veggie you want...” –From Gene
- “Won-ton wraps. Put a spoonful in the middle of a wan-ton shell fold it in half (to make a triangle, seal the edges) and the deep-fry. Delish!” –From Karle
- “Use tortilla scoops, add a spoon drop of Buffalo Chicken dip, and sprinkle with shredded cheese of your choice for an appetizer before dinner or an after school snack for kids.” –From Marianne
- “I like to put it over a nice bowl of penne pasta, it sounds strange but it is ohhhhh so good!” –From Brandon
- “I spread it on thick Italian bread, broil with cheese, and DEVOUR!!!” –From Kelly

What’s your favorite tip for using leftover Buffalo Chicken Dip?

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

Do you have a “Picky Palate?”

2010-10-21T06:48:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite food bloggers in the online foodie blogosphere is “The Picky Palate”. Jenny is a stay at home mom with two little boys living in San Diego. Her food blog, “Dresses Up Original Family Style Recipes For Even Your Pickiest Eaters.” She has wonderful photography, delicious recipes and just great ideas when it comes to dinner. Her blog is super popular even among those who aren’t moms but simply love cooking quick and delicious dishes.

We had the huge honor of working with Jenny this past summer for the Swanson Mommy Blogger Dinner Challenge and she was just wonderful. She is a creative cook with a talented eye for food photography; you should definetly check out her blog. Since Jenny was the winner of our Dinner Challenge, today I wanted to share with you her winning recipe: BBQ Chicken Soup. Jenny created this recipe with just $10.00 and a 12.5 oz. can of Swanson Premium Chunk Chicken!

BBQ Chicken Soup

From: Picky Palate

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons fresh minced garlic

11 oz can corn with peppers, drained

2 12 oz cans Swanson’s Chicken, drained

1 1/2 Cups Chicken Broth

1/2 Cup BBQ Sauce

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

1/4 teaspoon Lawry’s Garlic Salt

1/2 Cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Directions:

1. Heat oil into a medium pot over medium heat. When hot, sauté onions for 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in garlic, corn and chicken breast; mix to combine. Pour in chicken broth, BBQ sauce, salt, pepper, garlic salt and cilantro leaves. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes or until ready to serve. Garnish each bowl with a fresh sprig of cilantro.

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

A Good For You Lunch

2010-10-13T07:12:00.000-07:00

I often get off track when trying to eat healthy while balancing an intense work/social life. If there is one thing I have learned on my journey, it’s that it can be difficult to create delicious, good for you meals on the go.

Today, I have a delicious and easy recipe for lunch on the go. You can easily make this the night before and simply put it together at lunchtime. Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps substitutes crisp lettuce in place of tortillas -- ultimately creating a good for you wrap featuring Swanson Premium Chunk Chicken and crunchy vegetables tossed in an Asian-sesame dressing. I hope you enjoy the recipe!

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

From Campbell’s Kitchen®

Prep: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 can (12.5 ounces)* Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained

2 medium carrots, shredded (about 1 cup)

3/4 cup diced red pepper

4 green onions, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)

1/4 cup reduced fat Asian-style sesame salad dressing

6 large Bibb or iceberg lettuce leaves

Directions:

1. Stir the chicken, carrots, pepper, onions and dressing in a medium bowl.

2. Divide the chicken mixture among the lettuce leaves. Fold the lettuce leaves around the filling and serve immediately.

P.S. To make this even easier to eat while on the go – consider chopping up the lettuce and eating this as a chopped salad! You get the same taste in a less messy and more travel friendly format!

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

Tailgating!

2010-10-06T07:40:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been to a tailgate party? It usually entails a lot of food, some friendly taunting and trash talking from fans and, of course, the game! Every year, I will typically throw two or three football tailgate parties for my friends. I usually serve the typical football food items: chips and salsa, BCD, pizza, quesadillas…

Since we know throwing a party is a bit overwhelming, here at Swanson® (where I work), we created an easy and delicious tailgate menu that anyone can throw together on Sunday morning. Our tailgate menu can be downloaded right from Campbell’s Kitchen®. Whether you’re cooking for the whole team or just the offensive line, these dishes are guaranteed to satisfy even the heartiest of appetites!

Here is a quick list of recipes you will find in the Swanson Quick and Easy Tailgate Menu:

· Frank’s® RedHot® Buffalo Chicken Dip

· Chicken Nachos

· Sweet & Spicy Chicken Wings

· Lighter Chicken Quesadillas

· Easy Meatball Parm Hero

· Chocolate Goldfish Pretzel Clusters

What are you waiting for?! Download the Swanson Tailgate Menu today!

Save Money and Shop Smart

2010-09-30T08:25:00.000-07:00

If there is one thing I have gotten really good at after college, it is how to shop smart. Not only am I able to find the best deals when shopping, I would also call myself a master of eating healthy on a budget.

Today, I would like to share with you one of my favorite, good for you, weeknight dinners, Quick Chicken Stir-Fry. This recipe will be featured in local Sunday papers across the country this coming weekend, so make sure you look for it in the coupon section. It will also have a great offer on Swanson Premium Chunk Chicken!

Once you are able to get your coupon, then it’s off to the grocery store to shop. Here are a few great tips from Campbell’s Kitchen® (www.campbellskitchen.com) on Smart Shopping:

Make a shopping list and stick with it! Type up a master grocery list of foods in the supermarket you typically purchase. Then each week print out the list and circle what you need.
Organize your food list based on the MyPyramid food categories. This helps ensure that your grocery cart has a healthy balance of food.
Read labels! Compare nutrition labels between brands and varieties of your favorite foods to make choices that best meet your family’s needs.
Don’t shop when you are hungry! Eat a small meal or healthy snack before you shop. This will help you stick to your list and reduce impulse purchases.

If you would like more great tips about smart shopping, visit the Campbell’s Kitchen’s Smart Shopping section. It’s a great place to learn about eating and shopping healthy.

Quick Chicken & Vegetable Stir-Fry

From Campbell’s Kitchen

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Cost per recipe: $8.01
Makes: 4 servings (about 1 cup and 1 cup rice each)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 3/4 cups Swanson® Chicken Stock

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

4 cups cut-up vegetables *

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (12.5 ounces)** Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained

4 cups hot cooked rice

Directions:

1. Stir the cornstarch, stock, and soy in a small bowl until the mixture is smooth.

2. Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables and cook until they're tender-crisp. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

3. Stir the cornstarch mixture in the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook and stir until the mixture boils and thickens. Stir in the chicken and cook until the mixture is heated through. Serve the chicken mixture over the rice.

RECIPE TIPS

*Use a combination of broccoli flowerets, sliced carrots and green or red pepper strips.

**Or 3 cans (4.5 ounces each)

Just a reminder, in case anyone forgot, I’m fortunate enough to work with Swanson Chicken, which is why I have love to share all these delicious recipes, great tips and money saving offers!

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

Can you share that recipe with me?

2010-09-24T07:05:00.000-07:00

Did you ever get asked that question? Up until a few months ago, no one really asked me for advice on cooking or entertaining. Since I started working in the “real world,” it has been a great learning process. Yes, I get a lot of advice from co-workers (I do work for Swanson) and my family, especially my mother, who is one of the best cooks I know, but most of my successful dishes comes from trial and error in the kitchen. If someone asks me for a recipe, I think it is one of the highest forms of flattery!

Whether you are career focused single woman, like myself, or a busy mom raising a family, recipe sharing is the way to go when looking for easy, quick meals. My favorite source for recipes is, of course, Campbell’s Kitchen®. Here are a few of my other favorite recipe-sharing websites:

· FoodBuzz is similar to Facebook but it’s all about entertaining, food bloggers and sharing great recipes. You can create a profile, share updates, tag your favorite recipes and follow some of the best food bloggers. Check out my profile:

· Tastespotting is all about making food look really good! It’s an online space for food bloggers to share beautiful photographs of their kitchen creations. At Tastespotting, first impressions come first!

· GroupRecipes is another food website with social networking capabilities. You can create a personal profile, upload recipes, share recipes, create menus and more. It’s a great resource for new recipe ideas!

Now, I would like to hear from you! What’s your favorite place to find delicious, easy and quick recipes for your family?

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

Football! Football! Football!

2010-09-21T06:28:00.000-07:00

It’s that time of the year, again! It’s September, time for football, tailgating and a lot of Buffalo Chicken Dip consumption. Once the weather and the leaves start changing, you know it’s fall and you cannot say fall without thinking about football and of course what’s football without the most popular tailgating dips! Nothing says fall like football and Buffalo Chicken Dip! Buffalo Chicken Dip has become so popular, it not only has it’s very own website, www.buffalochickendip.com, it also has more than 28,000 fans on Facebook www.facebook.com/buffalochickendip.

There are a lot of recipes for Buffalo Chicken Dip, aka BCD, but my favorite is made with Swanson Premium Chunk Chicken and Frank’s RedHot Sauce. Using the canned chicken makes my life a lot easier and because it is so convenient, I won’t have to miss a moment of the game! Today, I would like to share my favorite recipe with you and also share my favorite way of serving BCD to all my football-loving friends. Try serving your Buffalo Chicken Dip in a bread bowl. All of your guests can tear off pieces of the bowl until the entire dish is gone. Clean up has never been easier!

Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Chicken Dip

Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Chicken Dip

From Campbell’s Kitchen®

Prep: 5 minutes
Bake: 20 minutes
Makes: 32 servings (2 tablespoons each)

Ingredients:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup blue cheese salad dressing

1/2 cup any flavor Frank's® RedHot® Sauce

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese

2 cans (12.5 ounces) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained

Assorted fresh vegetables and Pepperidge Farm® crackers

Directions:

1. Stir the cream cheese in a 9-inch deep dish pie plate with a fork or whisk until it's smooth. Stir in the dressing, hot sauce and blue cheese. Stir in the chicken.

2. Bake at 350°F. for 20 minutes or until the chicken mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir the chicken mixture before serving. Serve with the vegetables and crackers for dipping.

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

Is it the End of the Summer?

2010-08-20T07:12:00.000-07:00

As we are nearing the end of August, I can’t help saying, “where did the summer go?!” It seems as if the months just fly by us! August is filled with last minute vacations and day trips to the beach and the last few weekends of the summer are jam packed with things to do. It’s like we just ‘turn off’ the summer after Labor Day. Today, I want to share one of my favorite summertime recipes from Swanson Chicken. Not only is it one of my favorite recipes, it is also so popular, Wal-Mart TV will be featuring it as their end of the summer recipe. What a great way to end the summer with a bang!

As you all know, I work with Swanson and I just love to share any great news, recipes and more from Campbell’s Kitchen. Since we are jamming the rest of the summer into the next two weeks, I wanted to share with you our Heart Healthy Chicken Salad Stuffed Tomatoes, which is great for a quick lunch on the beach or a picnic. Like I said earlier, this delicious recipe will be featured on Wal-Mart TV across the country until the end of August. You should check us out at your local Wal-Mart store!

Enjoy the recipe!

Heart Healthy Chicken Salad Stuffed Tomatoes

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/2 small onion, finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
1 can (12.5 ounces)* Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
4 medium tomatoes
6 cups shredded lettuce

Directions:
Stir the yogurt, mayonnaise, celery, onion and chicken in a medium bowl.

Cut each tomato into wedges, cutting down to about 1/2 inch of the bottom, without cutting all the way through the tomato.

Place 1 1/2 cups lettuce on each of 4 serving plates. Top with a tomato and spoon 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture into each tomato.

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

The First Annual Mommy Blogger Dinner Challenge with Swanson!

2010-07-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

In 2010, SwansonChicken launched a larger sized can of chicken at about the same price of its predecessor. In order to ‘get the word’ out about the value, convenience and the ease of use a can of chicken can offer busy moms, Swanson created the first Mommy Blogger Dinner Challenge!

Earlier this summer, we selected five popular mommy bloggers to compete in a recipe challenge. The challenge was to take $10.00 and a can of 12.5 oz. Swanson Chicken and create a healthy and delicious meal for their family. Today, I would like to introduce you to the competitors and share their yummy creations!

· Mommy? I’m Hungry! Rachelle is a mom from San Diego who loves to share family favorite recipes, both old and new along with product reviews & giveaways. Her recipe entry is Tex Mex Swanson Chicken Wraps!

· JDaniels4 Mom Deirdre was a teacher and educational technology trainer for twenty years. Her blog shares her reflections and resources for moms, product reviews and great giveaways. Her recipe entry is a Fruitful Chicken Salad.

· Doughmesstic Susan is a wife and stay at home new mom who blogs about the trials and tribulations of learning how to become a cook, a wonderful wife and a great mother. Her entry is a Tart Apple Salsa and Chicken Po’Boy

· Picky Palate Jenny is the “on the go” stay at home mom with two little boys with picky little palates. She is a wife to her high school sweetie of 12 years, and a retired (for now) dental hygienist. Her entry is BBQ Chicken Pizza Soup.

· Little Nummies Kellie is a wife and mother of three little girls. She is a stay at home mom with a jewelry business. Her entry is BBQ Chicken Quesadillas.

I hope everyone enjoys all the wonderful and yummy recipes created by our mommy bloggers. Best of luck to all mommies!

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

It’s a Picnic!

2010-06-17T12:35:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite summer activities is going to the park and having a picnic. Now that the weather is perfect for outdoor activities, I like to visit the park with a packed lunch and a good book to read. It’s a relaxing and affordable way to spend the summer days!

These days, you can find a variety of stylish and fun picnic baskets at any local store. I get a lot of use out of mine but they also make for a wonderful and unique gift for a close friend or family member. Today, I am going to share with you a delicious recipe to pack into your picnic basket but I am also going to share with you a few great tips for packing a picnic basket. I found some of these tips on one of my favorite websites, Delish {www.delish.com}. I also added a few of my own ideas!

Summer Picnic Tips

Be prepared. Choose an easy recipe, which you can prepare beforehand. I chose a Heart Healthy Chicken Salad Sandwich from Campbell’s Kitchen! It’s perfect for a summer afternoon and good for you too!

Don’t forget the drinks. Freeze a few water bottles, which will not only keep your food chilled but they will melt throughout the day for a refreshing and cool drink!

Stay cool. If you're not planning to eat right away, pack mayonnaise-based dishes in a cooler to maintain proper temperatures. Since my recipe below contains mayonnaise, I will pack my cooler with a frozen ice pack and a few frozen water bottles. It will keep my sandwiches fresh until I am ready to eat!

Be comfy. Don’t forget to pack a large blanket for you to sit on and enjoy your lunch!

Heart Healthy Chicken Sandwiches
From Campbell's Kitchen
Prep: 15 minutes
Makes: 4 sandwiches

2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/2 small onion, finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
1 can (12.5 ounces) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
8 slices Pepperidge Farm® Very Thin 100% Whole Wheat Bread
8 slices tomatoes
4 lettuce leaves

Stir the yogurt, mayonnaise, celery, onion and chicken in a medium bowl.
Divide the chicken mixture among 4 bread slices.
Top with the tomato, lettuce and remaining bread slices.

Serving Suggestion: Serve with carrot and celery sticks and dill pickle spears.

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 delicious recipes.

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

The “Unofficial” Start of Summer

2010-05-24T07:32:00.000-07:00

The past month was super busy for me. We had Easter, Mother’s Day, a few birthday parties in between and of course the usual busy work, which naturally comes with springtime. Then again, that kind of sounds like every other month of the year! I am looking forward to next weekend because it’s our “unofficial” start of the summer, Memorial Day. And it’s also a long three-day weekend!

Every year, my family and I travel approximately an hour and half to the Jersey shore to kick off the summer. It’s a tradition for our family to gather at the beach for Memorial Day. We relax, often attend the Memorial Day celebration and of course have a big BBQ. We all play a role when it comes to planning a family gathering. My father is always in charge of the meat for the grill (he wouldn’t have it any other way), my mother is the overall shopper and planner of the weekend and my Aunt is in charge of making desserts, usually it’s a delicious cheesecake. For me, I usually just fill in the gaps. I end up making some kind of salad or side dish for everyone to enjoy. This year, I am making the Cool Chicken Pasta Salad from Campbell’s Kitchen. I am sure it will please everyone! Happy Memorial Day and welcome summer 2010, unofficially!

Cool Chicken and Pasta Salad

From Campbell's Kitchen

Prep: 20 minutes

Chill: 30 minutes

Makes: 4 servings (about 1 3/4 cups each)

1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni or 2 1/4 cups corkscrew-shaped pasta (rotini), cooked without salt and drained

1 can (12.5 ounces) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained

1 small cucumber, cut in half lengthwise and sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes cut in half

1 small onion, chopped (about 1/4 cup)

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

3/4 cup prepared fat free Italian salad dressing

Place the macaroni, chicken, cucumber, tomatoes, onion and parsley into a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

Spring is in the Air!

2010-04-14T06:28:00.000-07:00

I love living in an area of the country where we feel the change of seasons. Spring is always a refreshing time on the east coast because the winter months tend to drag on and on. As we begin to see fresh flowers and green grass pop up almost over night, it gives me a great sense of renewal. Unfortunately, with spring in the air, it seems as if my to-do list just got a bit longer… spring cleaning, setting up the patio furniture, planning our summer vacation, BBQ’s and more. Even though I have that extra spring in my step, I feel as if my life has sped up about 30 mph!

Besides my football entertaining recipes, some of the most popular recipes on my blog are easy, quick and convenient dinners. Who doesn’t experience that dreaded moment in their day -- you are driving home from work and ask, “What is for dinner?” Since, I find these recipes to be extremely helpful, especially when my to do list doubles, I wanted to share them with you. Today I want to debut the Chicken Pasta Alfredo recipe. This particular recipe is perfect if you have a family or if it’s just two of you (lunch will be set for the following day)! I hope you enjoy this month’s dinner dilemma recipe, Chicken Pasta Alfredo!

Chicken Pasta Alfredo
From Campbell’s Kitchen
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

4 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 can (12.5 ounces)* Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 of a 1-pound package fettuccine, cooked and drained (about 4 1/2 cups)

Heat the cream cheese and milk in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat to a boil, stirring constantly. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Reduce the heat to low. Cook for 5 minutes.

Add the chicken, peas and fettuccine to the skillet and toss to coat. Heat through. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve immediately.

For a more traditional Alfredo sauce, substitute 2 tablespoons butter and 1 1/2 cups heavy cream for the cream cheese and milk. Proceed with the recipe as directed above.

*Or 3 cans (4.5 ounces each)

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 delicious recipes.

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

It’s March Madness! And I’m not talking basketball…

2010-03-11T07:38:00.000-08:00

It’s mid-March in the Northeast and this is the time of year when I begin to get cabin fever. The winter months just seem to drag and the past few weeks have been driving me mad! Considering the 70 plus inches of snow we received in the past three months, I am welcoming the slightest of warm days. Can someone say 40 degrees?

In order to break up, what is hopefully, the last month of winter, I want to have a few friends over to watch the NCAA Basketball Championship. I’m not a big fan of college basketball nor do I pretend to know much about what really happens during March Madness. All I know is that I am experiencing a little March Madness myself which can only be cured by great food and a fun friendly gathering!

For my March Madness party, I will be serving the usual chips, salsa and something new, Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas. Everyone I know is a big fan of Buffalo Chicken Dip and this recipe is a slight variation of the party favorite. With Swanson Chicken now offering the larger sized canned chicken at a better value, this appetizer is affordable and easy to make. I’m sure it will be a big hit!

Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas

From Campbell’s Kitchen

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 10 minutes

Makes: 4 servings

1 can (12.5 ounces)* Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained

3 tablespoons Frank's® RedHot® Sauce

8 (8-inch) flour tortillas

1 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces)

2 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 cup blue cheese salad dressing

Toss the chicken with the hot sauce to completely coat.

Sprinkle about 3 tablespoons of the cheese on half of each tortilla. Top each with about 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture. Brush the edges of the tortillas with water. Fold the tortillas over the filling and press the edges together to seal.

Brush the tortillas with the oil. Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the quesadillas, two at a time, and cook until they're golden brown on both sides.

Cut the quesadillas in quarters and serve with dressing for dipping.

*Or 3 cans (4.5 ounces each)

Tip: You can also cook these quesadillas in a grill pan instead of the skillet.

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

A ‘Better For You’ Commitment: AdDRESS Your Heart!

2010-02-22T07:32:00.000-08:00

February is Heart Health Month and after the big game a few Sundays ago, I need a re-commitment to eating healthy. As you all may know, I work for Swanson Chicken, which carries the heart check mark from the American Heart Association (AHA). Whenever you see this mark on products in the grocery store, grab it! Those products will have met the American Heart Association’s criteria for heart health. In addition, they have been controlled for sodium and contain a good source of a positive nutrient, such as Vitamin A. That is all good in my eyes!

As a part of the Campbell’s family, Swanson is committed to the fight against heart disease in women with the AdDress Your Heart initiative. Since 2006, Campbell Soup Company has teamed up with the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement to help fight this disease. For more information and to learn about all the great products marked with the heart check mark, please visit http://www.goredwithcampbells.com.

Now, on to my re-commitment to eating healthy. As I mentioned above, Swanson Premium Canned Chicken is marked by the AHA as a heart healthy product. It’s 98% fat free with no preservatives and it’s fully cooked, all white chicken making any meal super easy! With that being said, my recipe pick of the week is the Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps. A popular version of this recipe was rank #2 on RecipeZaar’s Top 100 recipes of 2009. The below recipe is a bit different since we use Swanson canned chicken for a quick, easy and good for you lunch. Enjoy!

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
From Campbell’s Kitchen
Prep: 10 minutes
Makes: 6

1 can (12.5 ounces)* Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
2 medium carrots, shredded (about 1 cup)
3/4 cup diced red pepper
4 green onions, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup reduced fat Asian-style sesame salad dressing
6 large Bibb or iceberg lettuce leaves

Stir the chicken, carrots, pepper, onions and dressing in a medium bowl.

Divide the chicken mixture among the lettuce leaves. Fold the lettuce leaves around the filling and serve immediately.

*Or 3 cans (4.5 ounces each)

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

Baby, It’s Cold Outside!

2010-01-28T07:21:00.000-08:00

I know I cannot speak for everyone when I say “it’s cold outside,” but I live outside Philadelphia where the winter months bring snow with chilly winds. This past week has been really cold and it reminded me that we are in the midst of winter in the Northeast. Only three more months until spring!

When it’s this cold, I really crave hot, comforting foods like soup and chili. I want to stick to my New Year’s resolution of eating healthy but when it’s cold outside, I want something that will stick to my ribs! Since next week is the Big Game and I will be surrounded by chips, dips and other yummy eats (see my last post about Buffalo Chicken Dip), I wanted to find a great, healthy recipe for a winter day. I found this in the Campbell’s Kitchen, and it’s one of the yummiest chili’s I have ever made. It was great because Swanson now offers larger cans of Premium White Chicken for the same price so the value and yummy factor made this recipe all the better! In fact, not only was it Sunday dinner, I also had it for lunch on Monday and Tuesday. Here is the recipe so all of you can enjoy a great chili without the guilt. Enjoy!

White Chicken Chili
From Campbell’s Kitchen
Prep: 10 minutes
Bake: 15 minutes
Serves: 5

Vegetable cooking spray
1 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 can (12.5 ounces)* Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
1 can (about 15 ounces) small white beans
1 medium red pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
1 cup Swanson® Chicken Broth (Regular, Natural Goodness™ or Certified Organic)
1 can (about 4 ounces) chopped green chiles
Shredded Cheddar cheese

Spray a 2-quart saucepan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat for 1
minute. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes or until it's tender. Stir the cumin and chili powder in the saucepan.

Stir the chicken, beans, pepper, broth and chiles in the saucepan. Heat to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle with the cheese and serve immediately.

*Or 3 cans (4.5 ounces each)

Nutritional Values per Serving: Calories 187, Total Fat 2g, Saturated Fat 1g, Cholesterol 31mg, Sodium 620mg, Total Carbohydrate 25g, Dietary Fiber 6g, Protein 18g, Vitamin A 24%DV, Vitamin C 34%DV, Calcium 8%DV, Iron 19%DV

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

Party for the Big Game!

2010-01-22T08:12:00.000-08:00

Whether our favorite team makes it to the big game or it’s our rival who guns for the prized ring, there is one thing for certain, and that is we will be celebrating! The real main event of the Sunday Big Game is the food. Every year we have the delectable spread of dips, chips and finger foods. Today, I have two recipes to share. The first being our infamous Buffalo Chicken Dip and another football favorite, Chicken Nachos.

Since one of the best recipes for any party is Buffalo Chicken Dip, I usually have to make at least three batches of this stuff to satisfy all my guests. This dip is so popular that its fan page on Facebook has over 17,700 fans, and it has a new and improved website, www.buffalochickendip.com!If you haven’t served Buffalo Chicken Dip, aka BCD, at one of your parties, you and your guests are really missing out. It’s perfect to dip veggies, chips and even pretzels. Since it is certainly one of our most popular recipes, and I often receive visitors looking for this particular recipe, I wanted to share this super easy and quick video from Campbell’s Kitchen.

In addition to serving BCD, I will serve my guests another great recipe from Swanson, Chicken Nachos.

Chicken Nachos

From Campbell’s Kitchen
Prep: 10 minutes
Bake: 5 minutes
Serves: 6

1/2 cup Pace® Picante Sauce
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

Heat the picante sauce, 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!

I also wanted to let all of those Buffalo Chicken Dip lovers know that we also have this really cool Evite for Football Parties. This will make your party planning that much more easy!

Uh, Oh. It’s the 5 O’clock Dinner Dilemma

2010-01-14T12:53:00.000-08:00

You have probably heard me complain about having boring weeknight dinners and how it always seems like a 5 o’clock rush to figure out what will be on the table. I am pretty sure I speak for a lot of families when I say I have the “Dinner Dilemma” just about every day on my way home from work.

This added stress can be easily avoided with a little planning but who has time for that?! I thought I would make at least one day of your week a bit easier by sharing a great recipe, which can easily be made during the 5 o’clock rush to the dinner table. It comes from a great food blog named Picky Palate. It’s an extremely popular mom blog written by a lovely stay at home mom, Jenny. She shares all her highs and lows as a mother all while serving up some really good food! I made this last night and it was quick and delicious. Thanks, Jenny!

Penne With Fancy Chicken Sausage and Basil Ribbons
From Picky Palate

Ingredients:

½ lb whole wheat penne pasta, dry
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ white onion, finely diced
1 red bell pepper finely diced
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
4 chicken sausage links, variety of choice, sliced into ¼ inch slices
10 fresh basil leaves, stacked, rolled and thinly sliced (chiffonade)
2-4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside.

In a large skillet or medium dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onion and bell pepper until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and sausage. Cook and stir for 5 more minutes. Stir in cooked pasta, basil leaves and 2-4 Tablespoons of olive oil.

Season with salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste.

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

A New Year, a New You.

2010-01-06T07:36:00.000-08:00

The holidays are officially over! I really enjoyed spending time with family, shopping, giving gifts, and entertaining. However, I must admit that I am quite happy for a break from the constant go, go, go of the holiday season. It’s really exhausting! Now it is time to start thinking about the New Year’s resolutions you make every year. For the most part, they tend to last throughout January and slip away the rest of the year, right? 2010 will be different!

As you all may know, I work for Swanson and we are not lacking on ‘better for you’ recipes for the new year. One of my favorite tips when creating a light and delicious meal is using Swanson White Chunk Chicken. It makes it super easy to prepare a whole range of dishes, from a Heart Healthy Chicken Salad Sandwich, to one of my favorites, Quick Chicken & Vegetable Stir-Fry, which I will share in a moment. Swanson chicken is 98% fat free, has no preservatives, and is, certified by the American Heart Association! Now that I’ve fully explained why it’s good for you, let’s get to the tasty recipe.

As I mentioned before, this is one of my favorite recipes as a quick and ‘better for you’ lunch, Quick Chicken & Vegetable Stir-Fry is just perfect to kick off the new year!

Quick Chicken & Vegetable Stir-Fry
From Campbell's Kitchen
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 3/4 cups Swanson® Chicken Stock
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
Vegetable cooking spray
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 pound), cut into strips
5 cups cut-up vegetables *
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
OR 1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups hot cooked rice, cooked without salt

Stir the cornstarch, stock and soy sauce in a small bowl until the mixture is smooth.

Spray a 12-inch nonstick skillet with the cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the chicken and stir-fry until it's well browned. Remove the chicken from the skillet.

Add the vegetables, ginger and garlic powder to the skillet. Stir-fry until the vegetables are tender-crisp.

Stir the cornstarch mixture in the skillet. Cook and stir until the mixture boils and thickens. Return the chicken to the skillet and cook until the chicken is cooked through. Serve the chicken mixture over the rice.

*Use a combination of broccoli flowerets, sliced mushrooms, sliced carrots, sliced celery, red or green pepper strips and sliced green onions.

Serving Suggestion: Serve with a green salad with shredded carrot and a light sesame-ginger dressing. For dessert, serve sugar-free vanilla pudding topped with mandarin orange segments and sliced almonds.

Best, and until next time, Kaitlin!

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

2009-12-18T07:25:00.000-08:00

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?!

Shopping is Stressful!

2009-12-10T13:25:00.000-08:00

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!

Turkey Leftover Overload and Holiday Entertaining

2009-12-04T10:57:00.000-08:00

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.

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

2009-11-24T07:17:00.000-08:00

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!

My weeknight dinner menus are becoming a drag…

2009-11-19T06:40:00.000-08:00

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!

Thanksgiving is Two Weeks Away!

2009-11-12T08:19:00.000-08:00

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!

Happy November! It’s Time for Sunday Soup Days

2009-11-06T12:52:00.000-08:00

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!

The Eagle vs. The Giant

2009-10-30T08:05:00.000-07:00

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!

It’s Pumpkin Carving Time!

2009-10-23T09:44:00.000-07:00

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.

It’s Lunchtime in the Campbell’s Kitchen!

2009-10-15T08:16:00.000-07:00

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!

Fall Foliage & Dinner for Two

2009-10-09T09:45:00.000-07:00

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.

Pumpkins, Squash, Apples and Pears!

2009-10-01T12:29:00.000-07:00

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!

Fall Harvest Party – Part 2

2009-09-23T12:16:00.000-07:00

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.

Fall Harvest Party – Part 1

2009-09-17T07:17:00.000-07:00

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.

Happy Football Entertaining!

2009-09-11T06:12:00.000-07:00

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.

Final Four Recipe Showdown!

2009-04-02T08:42:00.000-07:00

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

Midwest: Smokin’ Baby Back Ribs

West: Chicken and Black Bean Quesadilla

South: Hot ‘n’ Honeyed Wings

March Madness Bracket!

2009-03-20T10:08:00.001-07:00

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!

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

2009-02-19T09:03:00.000-08:00

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.

Getting Ready for Valentine's Day!

2009-02-12T09:03:00.000-08:00

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

Beating the Winter Blues with a Weekend Getaway!

2009-02-07T09:18:00.000-08:00

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?

Time to make those Super Bowl party plans

2009-01-27T10:52:00.000-08:00

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.

Tailgating Tips from Good Morning San Diego!

2009-01-23T08:05:00.001-08:00

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

Inauguration Party: Tonight!

2009-01-20T07:55:00.000-08:00

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.

Inauguration Party Preparations

2009-01-17T16:44:00.000-08:00

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!

NFC Championship Party!

2009-01-16T16:36:00.000-08:00

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!

Fiesta Bowl Party

2009-01-09T08:55:00.000-08:00

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!

New Years Party Planner

2008-12-29T19:23:00.000-08:00

For the longest time, my friends and I couldn’t decide what we were going to do on New Year’s Eve. Go out of town, or stay close to home? Buy tickets to a swanky party in the city or throw an intimate bash in the living room?

Problem #1: We’re all recent college grads on limited budget. So much for the swanky (but ridiculously expensive) party in the city.

Problem #2: Most of us either live with our parents or in tiny apartments that barely fit a futon in the living room…meaning any get-togethers at home would be a little too cozy.

The Solution? We’ve decide to spend the New Year’s holiday at the beach. We have a free place to stay (thanks to some generous parents who are loaning us their house) and plenty of room to throw a festive party.

But how do we turn a beach-themed summer retreat into a fantastic winter soiree? Luckily, I stumbled upon my new favorite blog www.hostessblog.com which offers some amazing ideas for planning a New Year’s Eve party (and lots of other types of parties, too!). Just click on your favorite theme (I like “Gold and Silver Shimmer”) and you’ll find everything from ideas for decorating the table to recipes that fit the theme. The best part is it’s easy to do on a budget! As the web site suggests, I found tons of great stuff at Target: 100 feet of gold tinsel for less than $45 and gold charger plates for a steal ($19.99 for 10). You can even find plastic silverware painted to look like real gold at party stores or here.

And, here are two awesome, quick and delicious recipes that I’m planning to bring to the party:

Chicken Quesadillas

Ingredients:
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Campbell's® Healthy Request® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 can (9.75 oz.) Swanson® Premium Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
8 flour tortillas (8-inch)

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 425°F.
2) Mix soup, chili powder, cheese and chicken.
3) Spread about 1/4 cup soup mixture on half of each tortilla to within 1/2" of edge. Moisten edge with water. Fold over and seal. Place on 2 baking sheets.
4) Bake 10 min. or until hot. Makes 8 quesadillas.

Holiday Brie en Croute

Ingredients:
1/2 of a 17.3 ounce package Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet)
1 egg
1 tbsp. water
1/2 cup apricot preserves OR seedless raspberry jam
1/3 cup dried cranberry, softened*
1/4 cup toasted sliced almond
1 (13.2 ounces) Brie cheese round
1 pkg. (26 ounces) Pepperidge Farm® Entertaining Quartet Distinctive Crackers

Directions:
1) Thaw the pastry sheet at room temperature for 40 minutes or until it's easy to handle. Heat the oven to 400°F. Mix the egg and water in a small bowl.
2) Unfold the pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a 14-inch square. Cut off the corners to make a circle.
3) Spread the preserves on the pastry circle to within 1-inch of the edge. Sprinkle the cranberries and almonds over the preserves. Place the cheese in the center of the pastry circle. Brush the edge of the pastry circle with the egg mixture. Fold 2 opposite sides over the cheese.
4) Trim the remaining 2 sides to 2-inches from the edge of the cheese and fold them up onto the cheese. Press the edges to seal. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet. Decorate the top with the pastry scraps, if desired. Brush with the egg mixture.
5) Bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry is golden. Let stand for 1 hour. Serve with the crackers.

*To soften the cranberries, mix the cranberries and 1/2 cup hot water in a small bowl. Let stand for 1 minute. Drain and pat the cranberries dry.

I must say, I love the pre-pared Pepperidge farm pastry sheets! They make my dishes look artistic and complex, taste delicious, and save me lots of time! Happy New Year’s party planning!

Party Idea: A Creative Way to Use Your "Other" Leftovers

2008-12-28T13:58:00.000-08:00

On Friday, I suggested a few recipes for using your holiday leftovers. Well, here’s another creative way to use “leftovers” from the holidays….but not the kind of leftovers you keep in the fridge, the kind you still have sitting under the tree. It happens every year – I inevitably receive at least one gift that I just don’t know what to do with. It could have been a horrific sweater from a distant aunt or a gag gift from a best friend, but either way, seriously re-gifting it is usually out of the question.

So, for a great “post-Christmas” holiday party, why not have an entertaining gift exchange? At my party, everyone is going to rewrap the worst, least favorite, or funniest holiday gift they received and bring it to the party. Then, the guests swap gifts in a game that is played like this:

Guests sit in a circle and place their wrapped gifts in the center. Each guest picks three numbers from a hat. The host then calls out numbers one at a time, bingo style. When a guest’s number is called, they pick a gift from the pile, unwrap it, and place it in front of them. Once all of the gifts are unwrapped, the guests can begin “stealing” unwrapped gifts from other guests when their number is called. Play continues until all of the numbers have been called and all of the gifts are distributed. You’ll be amazed to see who actually likes that ugly sweater or gag gift!

Here’s another idea to spice up the party: Turn the party into a potluck by asking each guest to bring a dish to the party using their leftovers from the holidays. Not only will everyone have an excuse to clear their fridges of leftovers, but you’ll be spared from having to supply all of the food!

Check out these blogs for more party ideas:

http://www.fun-theme-party-ideas.com/theme-party-ideas-blog.html
http://sarahpartygameideas.blogspot.com/
http://www.theme-party-queen.com/

Using Your Holiday Leftovers

2008-12-26T13:34:00.000-08:00

Okay, so if you’re anything like my family, you have a ton of leftover food from the holidays, and not a clue what to do with it all. When I was in college, I fondly remember wrapping up as much as possible and bringing it back with me! This year, I’m determined to find a creative way to use the leftovers – they certainly aren’t going to waste. Here are some great recipes that call for ingredients you probably have taking up room in your refrigerator right now or staples you should have in your pantry if your relatives did indeed suck you dry. Try them out and let me know which is your favorite!

Here are some other sites that can help you use every last bit of your holiday leftovers:
http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/recipes
http://www.leftoverchef.com/
http://teriskitchen.com/leftovers.html

Turkey and Stuffing Casserole
Ingredients:
Vegetable cooking spray
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 cup milk or water
1 bag (16 ounces) frozen vegetable combination (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots),
thawed
2 cups cubed cooked turkey or chicken
4 cups Pepperidge Farm® Herb Seasoned Stuffing
1 cup shredded Swiss or Cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)

Directions:

1. Spray a 2-quart shallow baking dish with the cooking spray.
2. Stir the soup and milk in a large bowl. Stir in the vegetables, turkey and stuffing. Spoon the mixture into the baking dish.
3. Bake at 400°F. for 20 minutes or until the turkey mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir the turkey mixture. Top with the cheese. Bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Tip: When you don't have any leftover turkey or chicken for this recipe, substitute 1 can (9.75 ounces) Swanson® Premium White Chunk Chicken Breast, drained.

Cheddar Potato Bake
Ingredients:
3 cups mashed potatoes
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup
⅓ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
Generous dash ground black pepper
1 green onion, chopped (about 2 tablespoons)

Directions:
1. Stir the potatoes, soup, sour cream, black pepper and

onion in a medium bowl. Spoon into a 1 1/2-quart baking dish.
2. Bake at 350°F. for 30 minutes or until the potato mixture is hot.

Chicken Nachos
Ingredients:
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup
½ cup Pace® Chunky Salsa
2 cans (4.5 ounces each) Swanson® Premium Chunk Chicken Breast in Water,
drained
1 bag (about 10 ounces) tortilla chips
Chopped tomato
Sliced green onion
Sliced pitted ripe olives

Directions:
1. Heat the soup, salsa and chicken in a 1-quart saucepan

over medium heat until the mixture is hot and bubbling, stirring often.
2. Spoon the chicken mixture over the tortilla chips.

Top with the tomato, onion and olives.

Some other great, easy leftovers recipe suggestions:
Easy Turkey Pot Pie
Chicken Pizza Muffins
Turkey Noodle Soup

Holiday Party Meal Plan

2008-12-23T13:18:00.000-08:00

If you’re hosting a holiday party this year, I’ve compiled a menu you can use that’s sure to impress your guests. These recipes are all simple, and many are tried and true classics! I’ve broken the menu down into sections – appetizers, main course and dessert. So even if you’re not the host, you can offer to bring one (or more!) of these easy dishes to a holiday party.

Give them a try and let me know which is your favorite!

Appetizers:

Spinach-Cheese Swirls

Shrimp Dip

Main Course:

Green Bean Casserole
Holiday Vegetable Stuffing
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Double-Apricot Glazed Ham

Dessert:

Easy Fruit Shells

And check out these blogs for some other easy holiday recipes:
http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/
http://www.cheapcooking.com/blog/http://janene-primitivelifestyle.blogspot.com/2008/11/quick-and-easy-holiday-recipesjust.html

Last Minute Gift Idea

2008-12-20T06:13:00.000-08:00

My mom is a teacher, so during the holidays she gets tons of gifts from her students. The other day, she brought home a gift from one student that I thought was so smart! It was a mason jar filled with all of the dry ingredients needed to make holiday bread. The ingredients were pre-measured and layered in the mason jar. The lid was covered in a holiday fabric and tied with ribbon, and the recipe for the bread was attached. So, when my mom decides to make the bread, all she’ll need to do is mix in the wet ingredients and bake!

Speaking of bread, BakingBites.com, a great blog for baking ideas, featured some adorable holiday bread pans. The pans bake mini loaves of bread that would be perfect to give as gifts.

Here’s a delicious and easy recipe for a unique Banana Salsa Bread that would be perfect to make in the bread pans:

Banana Salsa Bread

Ingredients:

Vegetable cooking spray

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

3 medium ripe bananas, mashed

1 cup Pace Chunky Salsa

2 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

Directions:
1) Heat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan with the cooking spray.
2) Beat the butter and sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium until the mixture is light and fluffy. Stir in the bananas, salsa and eggs. Stir in the flour and baking soda. Pour the mixture into the loaf pan.
3)Bake for 1 hour or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
Tip: It's best to set the oven rack in the middle of the oven for this recipe.

My First Office Holiday Party!

2008-12-17T08:06:00.000-08:00

As a “recent college graduate” office holiday parties are a brand new experience for me and many of my friends. I’m already finding myself overwhelmed with the amount of work that needs to be done before the end of the year! On top of that the first holiday party of my career has the potential to be a bit of an awkward experience for the newbie who doesn’t quite know the drill. So, when it was announced that our office holiday party was a potuck, I felt even more pressure to contribute something that would get notice and approval from all of my co-workers.

Yesterday was my office’s annual holiday party. The pressure was on, so I decided to make my Buffalo Chicken Dip, the dish that tested so well among my friends. This time, to change things up I substituted ranch dressing for the blue cheese dressing and shredded cheddar cheese for the blue cheese crumbles. I actually preferred it this way, although blue cheese does give it that “wings and football” feel.

I held my breath as my co-workers asked “what is that?” when I unveiled my masterpiece. Since Buffalo Chicken Dip is so popular, I was surprised by how many people hadn’t tried it yet. Luckily, it passed with flying colors! There was none leftover after the party, and everyone asked for the recipe. The “new” girl had brought a great “new” dip. I took a big sigh of relief and silently said a thank you to the gods who invented Buffalo Chicken Dip.

As a side note, I made Buffalo Chicken Dip (which my co-workers now lovingly refer to as BCD) the night before the party and just heated it up in the microwave in the kitchen at the office. It couldn’t have been easier! I brought tortilla chips for dipping, but there were also vegetables at the party that some people used to dip. I know I have now written two full entries about Buffalo Chicken Dip, but I LOVE this recipe! I am not alone in my excitement over Buffalo Chicken Dip either, check out www.BuffaloChickenDip.com for more variations of the recipe. There are so many ways to spice it up!

Sometime in the next few weeks, you probably have a work holiday party on your calendar, right? I’m sure it’s there, somewhere in between the gift shopping, tree decorating and frantic wrapping. If you’re the one that got stuck planning your office’s holiday party, check out these blogs for some great tips:

http://newlycorporate.com/2008/11/24/5-secrets-to-a-classy-holiday-party-on-a-budget/

Holiday Gift Guide

2008-12-12T07:28:00.000-08:00

If you’re anything like me, the most stressful part of the holidays is shopping for presents. The long lines are a pain and the stress of overspending is no fun, but the worst part is just thinking of what to get for your friends, family and co-workers, year after year. Especially if you, like me, have a friend who, without fail, somehow has the time to go out and find the perfect gift. I think she starts shopping in August.

Here’s the deal: the present can’t be too expensive….but it can’t be too cheap either. It has to show you put thought into the gift, and be creative and original. Basically, I need to be able to get gifts that convey thoughtfulness or, as our friends at Mastercard say, “the things that money can’t buy,” since I don’t have money! The pressure! Well, workingmomsblog.com has posted an awesome holiday gift guide that covers everyone on your shopping list. It’s broken down by persona and price range so it’s easy to navigate. How do I know it’s awesome? Cause every item I looked at, I thought “I could use that!” or “That’s perfect for ______!”

Another great blog is The Gift Ideas Blog for really cool, artsy jewelry and other original ideas! The image above is courtesy of their fantastic holiday gift guide. This is a great place to find ideas for hard to buy for women like your Mom and sister or really hard to buy for women such as your mother or sister in law!

Some other great blogs to check out for gift guides:
http://boyfriendgiftguide.blogspot.com/
http://babygiftguide.wordpress.com/
http://www.thebudgetbabe.com/categories/23-Holiday-Gift-Guide
http://www.giftgirl.com/

Recipe Test Run: Buffalo Chicken Dip

2008-12-08T11:58:00.000-08:00

It has become apparent to me that being a college grad means two things in my family:

My parents are finished supporting me financially in any way, shape or form. (Well, it was nice while it lasted!)
I’m now expected to bring a “dish” to all of our holiday gatherings, celebrations and/or functions.

This may not seem like a big deal, but you should know that for the past four years I lived mainly on a diet of spaghetti and cold pizza, so my cooking skills are a bit rusty. Now that I’m out in the real world, my wallet hasn’t had a chance to catch up with me. So, with my lack of cooking expertise and a minimal budget, I wasn’t sure how I’d compete with my Mom’s amazing sweet potato casserole, my aunt’s pies, and my sister’s famed appetizers.

Last Sunday night, I decided to do a test run with Buffalo Chicken Dip, a recipe that has been getting a lot of buzz lately. I brought it to a Sunday Night Football party, and I was blown away by the reviews. Since “planning ahead” is not my strong suit, I didn’t have time to cook chicken, wait for it to cool, and then shred it in time to make the dip for the party. Instead, I used Swanson® Chicken which is made with only white chicken breast. Everyone loved it! Not only was the dip super easy and affordable to make, but I (ok, Buffalo Chicken Dip) was the hit of the party. Now I know what I’ll be bring to many holiday parties this season. I think it may even stand a chance against Mom’s casserole!

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

Cookie Swap Party

2008-12-04T12:01:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I was invited to a “Christmas Cookie Swap Party,” and I thought that this was a great idea! It will save me from spending way too much time attempting to bake a bunch of different cookies. I’m excited to try my friends’ favorite recipes and find some new ones to share. If you’ve never heard of a cookie swap before, here’s how it works:

Each guest is asked to bring a batch of their favorite holiday cookies or treats and an empty cookie tin. At the party, everyone swaps cookies so that they end up with a variety of treats. By the time you leave the party, you’ll have an assortment of holiday cookies, without having to bake them all yourself. It’ll look like you’ve been slaving away in the kitchen for days!

Since I’m always one for saving time, my contribution will look like it took me all day when it only requires about an hour and just a few ingredients!

Here’s a great recipe for Dessert Mini Wraparounds:

Ingredients:
1 pkg. Pepperidge Farm® Puff Pastry Sheets (2 sheets)
1 egg
1 Tbsp water
Flour, for coating prep. surface
Assorted Fillings: Jam, preserves, peanut butter, chocolate pieces, chopped dried fruit, chopped nuts, chopped mini chocolate peanut butter cups or caramel.

Directions:

Thaw pastry sheets at room temperature 30 min. Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix egg and water.
Unfold pastry on lightly floured surface. Roll each sheet into 12" square and cut into 16 (3") squares. Place 1 tsp. filling in center of each square. Brush edges of squares with egg mixture. Fold corners to center over filling and pinch edges to seal. Place on baking sheets.
Bake 15 min. or until golden. Remove from baking sheets and cool on wire racks 10 min.

Gift Idea
I’m always looking for ways to save on both time and money, so when I came across t hese super cute Chinese-take out style boxes I thought they would be great to fill with cookies or treats and give as a gift. These boxes look really trendy and are even decorated with holiday prints! They’re perfect for gifts to coworkers, friends or even the mailman! If you’re feeling crafty, you can buy the boxes in plain white and decorate them yourself by simply tying red and green ribbon around them.

For more info. on great “cookie” gift ideas and recipes, check out:

http://bakingbites.com/
http://www.cookiemadness.net/
http://www.cookiemadness.net/
http://giftideas.blogsome.com/
http://www.cookiegiftbaskets.com/gram/

Holiday Decorating Ideas

2008-12-01T15:10:00.000-08:00

This is my first Christmas as an official adult (let’s face it, college doesn’t count), so I don’t have much in the way of decorations yet. My entire holiday decoration collection consists of my Mom’s unwanted stuff and a few strands of burnt out Christmas lights. I certainly don’t have the money to buy a ton of new decorations, so I’ve been in search of inexpensive and easy ways to decorate for the holidays.

Here are some of my favorite finds so far:

Recycle empty mayonnaise jars by using them as votives for tealight candles. You can surround the candle with nuts or peppermints, and wrap the jar with a ribbon for extra holiday appeal. See Rubyglen.com for more information.

Use holiday wrapping paper around your home to add holiday flare. You can cover your front door, or just wrap empty boxes like gifts to “stage” around your house. Even a simple bow tied around a mirror or picture frame will create a seasonal feel in a room.

Fill an empty glass bowl with some inexpensive holiday ornaments, pine cones, candies, or whatever you have around the house.

Use luminaries to decorate the exterior of your home for a classy look. Simply buy white paper bags and tall candles. Fill the bags about ¼ of the way with sand, and a candle, and line your driveway or sidewalk with the bags. When they are all lit, the effect is extremely elegant!

If you want more tips for decorating on a budget, check out The Decorating Diva and Amazing Christmas Ideas.