Rachael Ray Feature

Keep your eyes peeled later today...I'm having a Thanks Giving-Away Week with a ton of great prizes for you all!

Today I sat down for my "blogging time" (aka it's naptime) to see that my Asparagus and Parmesan Cream Pastry is featured on the Rachael Ray Show website! Wow! Pinch me!

Yes, this is the recipe that won $25,000 and my hosting gig for Real Women of Philadelphia. If you're looking for an easy and elegant Thanksgiving Side Dish, this one is fantastic. Click here for full recipe. You also can catch a glimpse of myself and the other RWOP hosts on the Rachael Ray Show tomorrow, November 23! Plus, the fabulous Paula Deen will be preparing a delicious Pot Pie using Thanksgiving Leftovers. And, of course, she's up to her usual crazy and wonderful antics. Be sure to watch!

Elegant Salad Cups

I'm in NYC for a few days, I can't wait to share the details with you when I get back!
The Holiday Season is upon us, can you believe it? I want to share with you one of my favorite "tricks" for elegant entertaining...Salad Cups! They are SO EASY and gorgeous on the table!

The truth is, you could fill these cups with anything! Also, you could use large cookie cutters for a more shaped look (check out our pomegranate mousse in snowflake cups from last year)

Elegant Salad Cups
Makes 6
Shell Ingredients:
1 can Pillsbury Refrigerated Pizza Crust
Nonstick cooking spray
Extra large cupcake or muffin tin
fresh herbs or parmesan, optional

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Open pizza crust and unroll on cutting board. Cut into 6 rectangles. Pick up one rectangle, flatten slightly in hand, and press into muffin tin, letting edges come up over the sides. Remember, this is a rustic cup, so don't worry about making it look perfect! The charm is in it's funky shape.:) Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes until browned. Let cool completely and fill with favorite salad.
Notes: You could sprinkle fresh herbs or parmesan on the dough before baking for extra flavor or color. Also, you can use ANY size muffin tin to fit your needs. For example, if you want to put a chicken salad in the cups, I'd use a regular size muffin tin. For a leafy green salad, use the extra large muffin tins. For mousse or small savory bites, use a mini muffin tin.

Our Favorite Salad Ingredients:
1 apple, diced
2 green scallions, chopped fine
½ c. slivered almonds (or candied pecans, yum!)
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1 Head romaine lettuce, torn into pieces
1 pear, diced
1 c. fresh raspberries

Directions: Mix all salad ingredients and toss with dressing just before serving.

Dressing:
1 c. canola oil

½ c. sugar or Splenda
1/3 c. apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 T. poppy seeds
2 T. red onion, chopped fine
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dry mustard

Directions: Mix all except oil and poppy seeds in blender. Blend on medium speed while slowly adding oil. Add poppy seeds and pulse a few times. Chill at least 2 hours or overnight.

Sparkling Side Dishes

As I have been hosting the "Make to Impress" Side Dish Challenge at The Real Women of Philadelphia this week, I've been blown away by everyone's creativity!
If you're looking for great entertaining and Holiday recipes, look no further! You can see the whole gallery here. Get ready to blow your guests away!

Here are a few favorites that I just had to share!
(click text or image for recipe)
Elegant Layered Eggplant by Josee Lanzi

Creamy Corn Filled Tomatoes by Maria Holguin

Sushi in a Pan by Raquel Martes
Sweet Potato Turkey Bacon Baskets by Mindie Hilton
(Thanksgiving leftovers, anyone? YUM!)

Coconut Lemongrass Rice by Hoopfinity
Avocado that Sounds like Meatloaf by Jeffrey Goldade
Flambeed Mushrooms Au Poivre by Melissa Scott

Basket Weave Stuffing Pockets

I am having such a great time being the Side Dish host for The Real Women of Philadelphia! For Make to Impress Week, I created a recipe that's a new family favorite and I know you'll love it, too! Can't you see these at your Fall dinner parties?It looks fancy but is honestly oh-so-simple to put together. Plus, the kids love weaving those veggie strips! Here's my video tutorial:
(as a side note, cooking videos are waaaaay harder than I thought! I have new respect for those Food Network folks!)


Basket Weave Stuffing Pockets
Serves: 6, Prep Time: 25 minutes, Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
1 box Stove Top Stuffing Mix, Pork flavor
4 oz. butter or margarine
8 oz. Philadelphia Cream Cheese
12 oz. package uncooked sausage
3 large carrots
3 medium zucchini
Parchment Paper
Thyme springs (optional, for garnish)
Lemon slices (optional, for garnish)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare Stove Top Mix with butter or margarine as directed on package.
3. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown sausage and drain.
4. Return sausage to pan over low heat.
5. Microwave Philadelphia Cream Cheese for 30 seconds and add to sausage, stir until incorporated.
6. Add Stove Top to sausage mixture and stir gently to combine.
7. Using a potato peeler, slice carrots and zucchini into thin, long slices (see picture)
8. Drop zucchini and carrot slices into boiling water, cook for one minute.
9. Remove slices from water, drain and rinse with cold water.
10. On a 10” x 10” piece of parchment paper, line up 5 zucchini pieces next to each other.
11. Weave 5 carrot slices, one at a time, with the zucchini, forming a woven square.
12. Place ½ C. sausage stuffing mixture on top of woven carrots and zucchini. Spread to form a rectangle.
13. Wrap ends of zucchini & carrots around stuffing mixture, forming a rectangle (vegetables will not completely cover the stuffing mixture)
14. Tightly fold parchment around stuffing pocket and place on baking sheet.
15. Repeat with remaining zucchini/carrot slices and stuffing mixture.
16. Bake pockets at 350 degrees for 5 minutes, until warm throughout.
17. Remove parchment paper and place pockets on serving tray. Garnish with thyme and lemon slices, if desired.

YOUR recipe could win you $500! Go to Real Women of Philadelphia to learn more! They still have over $20,000 to give away!

Greek Guac

Last week a lovely basket of Avocados from Mexico arrived and I've been thinking and thinking of what to make...should I whip up some
Southwest Quiche?

Avocado Penne Pesto? Avocado & Peach Coladas? Or, should I just whip up some plain ol' guac? That's always a favorite! I was stumped until I tried my friend Rich's "Greek Guac" recipe. It was amazing and he graciously said I could share it with you all!If you're wondering what "Greek Guac" is, think hummus but on a whole new level! You'll love it and I can't wait for you to try it out!!

I've heard some of you say that your kids aren't just avocado fans. You'll be surprised just how adaptable avodacos are! My friend Lindsay just tried baking it in Mac & Cheese with amazing results! Also, did you know that Avocados from Mexico contain 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, including potassium, vitamins B6, C and E, folate and fiber? They also contain the "good" mono and poly-unsaturated fats. PLUS, they're only 50 calories per ounce! So, give them a try in your family's diet--you'll feel great about serving them to your fam.

Greek Guac by Rich Swanson
Ingredients:
•3 large ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
•3 ounce(s) of Philly Cream Cheese, softened
•3/4 cup(s) of crumbled feta cheese
•2 tbsp. of onion, chopped fine
•2 tbsp. of sun dried tomato (oil packed), chopped fine
•1 tbsp. of white balsamic vinegar
•1/4 tsp. of ground red pepper
•1/4 tsp. of sea salt (plus a pinch extra for garnish)
•1/2 tsp. of dried Greek oregano
•1/4 cup(s) of extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
1.With a hand blender, mix one of the avocados with the Philly Cream Cheese in a small mixing bowl until creamy.
2.Dice the remaining avocados and fold them into the mixture along with the feta, onion, sun dried tomato, balsamic vinegar, pepper and salt.
3.Spoon the guac into a serving bowl and smooth out the top. Sprinkle the oregano over the top.
4.Pour the olive oil over the top and swirl it around till it coats the top surface (this will stop any browning if you make it a few hours ahead of time). Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt over the olive oil. Let the flavors mingle for at least a half hour before serving. Serve with tortilla or pita chips.

Disclosure: I was given a basket of Avocados from Avocados from Mexico. I was not compensated in any way for this post. All opinions, as always, are my own.

Food Adventure Passport

Hi Everyone! We're back from vacation and we have lots of fun coming your way this Fall!
The start of the school year is a time for new things so why not incorporate that into your family's mealtime?
How about a little Food Adventure?
I have something fun for your family to try! I made up some Food Adventure Passports that you can download and print here. Simply print the cover, add some plain paper, fold in half and staple.

As you try new foods, your kids can write about them, draw them, put in photos, write about the country it's from, whatever you want! It's also a great conversation-starter for dinnertime.

Looking for an idea for dinner tonight? Here's a video of me showing you how to make an Easy Cheesey Swiss Potato Pancake.
Be warned: there's yodeling involved....

This week on Real Women of Philadelphia, I'm hosting an International Side Dish Challenge. You can go here to join in on the fun and your recipe could win $500!

Stuffed Turtle Rolls

I'll be with 24/7 Moms tonight talking about Picky Eaters

& making some "School's Out!" Edible Crayons. You can watch live here at 7 PM Pacific Time. Download my "School's Out!" crayon labels here.

How about some Stuffed Turtle Rolls tonight?

Your picky eaters will gobble up these adorable turtle rolls so quickly that they won’t realize they’re filled with vegetables! Stuffed with cream cheese, spinach, carrots, parmesan and artichokes, these delicious rolls are a favorite with adults and too cute to resist for the younger set. Perfect for everyone!

Stuffed Turtle Rolls
Ingredients:
1 tsp. dried minced onion
¼ tsp. garlic powder
8 oz. Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1 C. Kraft grated parmesan cheese
1 pkg. (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 large carrot, shredded
1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, packed in water
2 pkg (16 oz each) ready-made pizza dough
2 Tbs. whole cloves (optional, for garnish)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Drain artichoke hearts and chop coarsely. In a medium mixing bowl, combine artichoke hearts, cream cheese, garlic powder, minced onion, parmesan cheese, spinach & carrot. Set aside.

3. Divide one package of dough in thirds. Divide each in thirds again.
4. Take one piece of dough and divide in half. Roll one half into a ball, then flatten down into palm.
5. Place a heaping tablespoon of cream cheese mixture into center of flattened dough. Bring ends toward the center and pinch to seal, forming a round “body”. Place on greased baking sheet.
6. Divide second piece of dough in half. Roll one piece in to a sphere and place at one end of the stuffed roll as the “head”. Divide remaining pieces into four parts and roll to form “legs”. Place on either side of turtle body. Use one small pinch of dough for a tail.
7. Repeat with remaining dough until you have made 6 turtles (they should fill one baking sheet). Bake at 400 degrees for 13-15 minutes while you assemble the remaining 6 turtles.
8. Repeat steps 3-7 with other package of dough.
9. Place any remaining filling in a pie pan and bake along with turtle rolls.
10. Remove from oven and transfer to a serving platter. Serve leftover baked filling along with rolls for dipping.
Optional: Press two cloves (“eyes”) into each turtle head before serving. Remove cloves before eating.

Mission: Fruits and Veggies

Do any of you feel like it's hard to get your kids to try new (or any!) fruits and vegetables? My older two are GREAT produce eaters but sometimes the youngest can be finicky. A few months ago I started buying a new or unusual fruit/veggie at least once a week to have

at our house. It's fun and a great way to have a mealtime conversation! You can download the Secret Mission Worksheet I made or just discuss the questions around the table. Enjoy!

(This week it was Cherimoya. I had to buy one after eating some fabulous cherimoya gelato in Vancouver--it wasn't as good as the gelato but still fun!)

Click on the photo below to download and print their Secret Agent Worksheet:

For toddlers (we have a 3 year-old): ask them the questions and give them a chance to answer. They can also draw a picture of the fruit on the page or any blank paper. You could also have some kind of "secret agent hat" and magnifying glass that they can use during their adventure.

Crab Rangoon & Peach Sauce

I recently received a few coupons from Nasoya and decided to try their won ton wraps, I use won ton wrappers all the time, especially during the Holidays for quick appetizers. So, I thought I'd share a family favorite recipe, Crab Rangoon with Peach Sauce! I was happy with the wraps, they easily came apart and didn't tear when handling or cooking. They have a GREAT entertaining recipe book that's free to download and also a searchable recipe site here.I've always loved Crab Won Tons (or Crab Rangoon), but they're expensive in the restaurants. So, in high school, we whipped up our own version and it's been a favorite ever since. I made them for Gourmet Dad when we were dating and I think it was a major factor in landing that hunk!
You can make about 50 of these for about $5, which is a lot cheaper and tastier than any restaurant version that I've had. The cold and a little tart peach sauce is the perfect compliment. Enjoy!
CRAB RANGOON
Ingredients:
1 pkg. Nasoya won ton wraps (can be found in the produce section)
1 pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 pkg. imitation crab meat (about 8 oz.), found in the seafood section of the grocery store
chopped Green onion to taste (about 2-3 stems chopped up)
Garlic salt to taste
1 can diced water chestnuts, diced (if desired, I don’t use them)

Directions:
Put all except wraps in mixer and mix until well blended and the crab is in small pieces. Place one heaping teaspoon in the center of each won ton skin--if you put so much in that the skin breaks when you fold them, it will explode when cooking!

Dip your fingers into a glass of water and wet two edges of the skin. Fold into a triangle and press all edges to seal. I know you can do all kinds of fancy folds, but honestly, this is faster and you can get in more filling (very important!):)

Fry in hot oil (at least 375 degrees) until brown, 30-60 seconds each side. The filling is already cooked, so you just need to make sure the outside is cooked.
SWEET & SOUR PEACH SAUCE
Ingredients:
1 large can peaches (packed in juice or light syrup is best)
White or Apple Cider vinegar to taste (about 5 Tbs.)
Honey or Sugar to taste

Directions:
Drain peaches and set juice aside (you can save the juice if you want to add more later to thin the sauce). Put peaches, vinegar, and honey in blender and adjust sugar/vinegar until you get the sweet/sour taste that you want. Serve with Crab Rangoon and rice.

Loaded Picnic Basket Giveaway & Dip

Wow, so many great recipes! Thank you for all your submissions, I can't wait to try some of them!

We have a randomly-picked Winner!
janetfaye who said...
"I found this online:
Chicken Casserole:
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
* 2 (5 ounce) cans Swanson Canned Chicken
* 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
* 2 cups milk
* 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
* 1 (4 ounce) can sliced mushrooms
* 1/4 cup chopped onion

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl combine the macaroni, Swanson Canned Chicken, cheese, milk, soup, mushrooms and onion. Mix together and transfer mixture to a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 45 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown. "

Memorial Day kicked off Picnic Season--hooray! One of our favorites is Buffalo Chicken Dip (recipe below). Speaking of chicken, the lovely people at the Campbell Soup Company, makers of Swanson Chicken offered to sponsor a fun giveaway for Gourmet-Mom-on-the-Go readers. Let's party!
Anyone interested in this super-cute loaded picnic basket?
I'm drooling!...

Here's what you get:
* Picnic basket for two with reusable plastic plates, cups, and utensils
* Recipes
* Swanson Chicken
* VIP Coupons for additional cans of Swanson Chicken
* Mix-Ins for chicken salad like curry powder, dill, raisins, mayonnaise,
and dijon mustard

This giveaway is now closed.

Buffalo Chicken Dip from Swanson
Ingredients:
1 pkg. (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese (about 2 ounces)
1/2 cup blue cheese salad dressing or ranch salad dressing
2 cans (9.75 ounces each) Swanson® Premium Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained
1/2 cup any flavor FRANK'S® RedHot® sauce
Assorted fresh vegetables or crackers

Directions:
Heat the oven to 350° F. 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, pepper sauce and blue cheese. Stir in the chicken.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the chicken mixture is hot and bubbling. Stir before serving. Serve with the vegetables and crackers for dipping.

Easy Crème Fraîche

I wanted to have a little "tasting" adventure with the girls so we decided to make crème fraîche . It's easy and fun to taste the different stages. If you haven't had crème fraîche , it like sour cream but BETTER (less acidic/bitter tasting). Another great thing about creme fraiche is that you can beat it to thicken to the consistency you want.
To make authentic crème fraîche, you need unpasturized cream, but I found that you can make a decent version with pasturized cream. The best part? You can keep it in the fridge for a week or so and use it for all kinds of things (potato topping, sauces, fruit dip, etc.). We saved a little to put in lasagna and also made a cinnamon fruit dip.

Guess what else? I was featured on RNCentral as one of their Top 100 Healthy Mom Blogs. How cool is that? Thank you! It's a great resource for anyone in nursing.

Cinnamon Crème fraîche
Ingredients:
2 C. heavy cream
1 C. buttermilk
2 T. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon


Directions:
Let the kids taste the cream and tell you what it tastes like. Have them taste the buttermilk. Put both cream and buttermilk in a sealed container. Shake well (make sure everyone gets a turn!). Leave out at room temperature overnight, at least 8 hours.
In the morning, shake well. Let the kids taste again--how did the taste change overnight? Add sugar and cinnamon to taste and beat until fluffy.

Let them taste again, how did the sugar/cinnamon and beating it change the taste and texture? Serve with fresh fruit for a fabulous breakfast! Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

50-Yard Fiesta Dip

Need a quick, delicious, but healthier football food for this weekend? Try out this easy & oh-so-yummy dip! You can serve it with chips, or I cut up whole wheat tortillas into football shapes & baked them w/ a little salt. Either way, you'll see this disappear before you can say "Touchdown!"

50-Yard Fiesta Dip

Ingredients:
1 can (15 oz) Black Beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 oz) Great Northern Beans or Navy Beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 oz) Corn, drained
3/4 c. red salsa, any kind
2 C. shredded cheese (I used Kraft 2% Mexican Blend)
1 jar (16 oz) Pace Tequila Lime Salsa (or salsa verde if you can't find it)
1 package (8 oz) reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. light sour cream

Whole Wheat Tortillas & Sea Salt (optional--these are for the "football crisps" or you can just use chips)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix Black Beans, Great Northern Beans, Corn, Red Salsa, and shredded cheese in a large bowl. Spread in a 9 x 13 pan sprayed with cooking spray.
Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes until warm and bubbly. Remove from oven and let set for 5 minutes.
While dip is baking, place a stack of tortillas on a cutting board and cut out football shapes. Spread on a greased cookie sheet and spray tops with cooking spray. Sprinkle sea salt on top. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 5 minutes until crispy.

After dip has cooled for 5 minutes and set a little bit, gently spread Pace Tequila Lime Salsa over the top. In a gallon ziploc freezer baggie, mix cream cheese and sour cream. Snip an end off the bag and pipe on yard lines and hash marks. If the mixture is too thick to pipe out, add a little more sour cream. Hike!

Finger Lickin Fruit Dip

This fruit dip is FABULOUS, I've tried all different kinds and this one is definitely our favorite. It is SO EASY and it's my "go-to recipe" for get-togethers. Enjoy!

Finger Lickin' Fruit Dip

Ingredients:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
3 limes
green food coloring, optional
Fresh Fruit

Directions:
Using fine grater, scrape the zest from two of the limes. Place in a bowl. Squeeze juice from all three limes into bowl. Add can of sweetened condensed milk. Add one drop green food coloring (optional--it just looks nice:)) and stir well. Refrigerate at least one hour until set. Serve with your favorite fresh fruit and enjoy!

Pomegranate & Strawberry Chilled Soup

This is my family’s new favorite dish! The first time I made it last week, everyone wanted thirds, fourths, until it was gone--we've had it three times since then!:)Did you know that pomegranates have more antioxidant power than red wine or even white tea? Before buying an expensive red wine this holiday season, think about serving this elegant and delicious soup.
You can prepare this impressive dish in under 10 minutes! Serve it up in shot glasses or Pomegranate bowls (see video tutorial below) and you have one impressive appetizer or dessert. The best part? It’s low calorie and low fat. Eating well has never been more delicious!

It was such a success with my family that we served it as the first course at Thanksgiving Dinner and it was a hit with everyone.
Pomegranate & Strawberry Chilled Soup
Ingredients:
Juice from 2 large POM Wonderful Pomegranates (about 1 Cup)
Arils from 1 large POM Wonderful Pomegranate (about 1 Cup)
2 C. fat free half & half
1 ½ C. fresh strawberries, hulled
¼ c. orange Juice (juice from one orange)
½ c. Reduced fat sour cream
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
3 Tablespoons fresh mint leaves, chopped

Directions:
Remove arils from 1 large Pomegranate. I have a couple favorite ways to get them out, but for this recipe, I want to keep the shells to make “soup bowls”. Here's a video tutorial on how to easily remove the arils & pulp to make your bowls:

To juice pomegranates, slice in half and juice them with a citrus reamer. Pour the mixture through a cheesecloth-lined strainer. Scrape the shells to remove any excess pulp and save to serve your soup in. If you’re short on time, you can substitute 1 C. POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice (found in the produce section at the grocery store).

Put all ingredients except arils into blender and process until well blended. Transfer to refrigerator until ready to serve. Pour soup into Pomegranate bowls and sprinkle 2-3 Tablespoons arils on top. If serving in shot glasses, fill and sprinkle arils to cover the top. Garnish with a fresh mint leaf. Makes 6 bowls.

Cute Salad Rings

The Tinkerbell House tutorial is coming, I promise! I'm just trying to type it all up.
In the meantime, need something fun and easy for the kids to do to help with Thanksgiving Dinner (or any nice dinner)? How about fancy salad rings? This is a super cute and fancy way to present individual salads on a plate. We made these for a dinner we had tonight.
After finishing them, I realized how "Christmas-y" they look--we'll be definitely be serving them at Holiday dinners!
Cute & Fancy Salad Rings
Ingredients:
Cherry Tomatoes (or grapes)
Dental Floss (unwaxed)
Large needle
Lettuce

Directions:
Make sure needle is clean by boiling it in water for a minute or two. Dry and thread a 12" piece of dental floss on it. I like to use large upholstery needles because they are easy for my children to handle and not especially sharp. Let your child thread 6 or 7 cherry tomatoes on a string.
Wrap around several pieces of lettuce and tie in a knot (see video tutorial). Trim any excess string. Viola! Fancy salad rings.

Easy Homemade Butter

We have a ton of fun posts coming this week, sorry I've been busy with company.
Today the girls made their own butter in baby food jars! I love activities that show them how food is made and they LOVED eating their fresh butter wtih rolls for lunch. All you need is heavy cream, small jars or containers, and lot of shakin'! Cortini mentioned that they do this at Thanksgiving, what a great idea! You could give each child a jar and they can make the butter for dinner!:)

Fresh Butter

Ingredients:
Baby food jars (or other small sealable container)

Heavy Cream
optional: fresh herbs, honey, or other flavoring

Directions:

Fill baby food jar about 1/4 full of heavy cream.

Screw on lid tightly and shake!! It takes about half an hour, so let the kids run around with them outside, or shake them while watching a movie (or General Conference this weekend if you're Mormon. Ha!:)). Here's what it will look like when done.

At first, the cream will just coat the sides of the jar. Then, it will start to seperate into a watery substance and more solid cream. Keep shaking a few more minutes, and it will re-combine into creamy butter! You can add fresh herbs or even a little honey if you want some different flavors (add them after you've finished mixing the butter). Serve with fresh rolls or crackers. Yum!