Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake
October 20, 2010 - Written by DianaIt’s apple season and I have had such a craving for an Apple (Cinnamon Coffee) Crumb Cake. It doesn’t help that I have all of these apples that my husband and I are planning on canning sitting around the house calling to me. Psst, psst, you want it, you know you doooooo. Well, I caved. I hit the books looking for a simple cake that I could put together quickly for a nice evening snack. This is one of the times it would be nice to have kids hanging around. I’ve got apple cake and I’m eating it, and eating it. This is my type of cake, not too sweet, a little bit of apple, moist and delicious. Love it. Warm is better, and if you have vanilla ice cream, dollop it on top. I don’t have any, but I just keep snacking on it. I found this recipe in my Best of Cooking Light Kitchen Secrets for Quick and Easy Meals from Sept 2008. I guess this is the reason I keep magazines I like around for a while.
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I’m trying to load all you hard working folks up with some quick and easy recipes that have funneled my way. Sometimes when there’s a big gathering of people who want to eat while sitting in front of the tube, you want something that’s not going to take all day to prepare, and maybe food that can be eaten with your fingers. Here are some from the Idaho Potato Commission. Idaho® Potato Pesto Bites Beat mid-meal hunger with these nutritional, bite-sized snacks sure to satisfy your appetite. Yield: 8 servings Estimated Cost per Serving*: $1.15 Ingredients: Taste of Home put out a second edition of the Taste of Home Cookbook. The new cookbook from Taste of Home, the # 1 cooking magazine in the country, is stuffed full of quick game day chow that won’t break the bank! Using everyday ingredients the Taste of Home cookbook 2nd edition has quick and scrumptious treats that will tackle your guests’ hungry tummies. It takes less than a half an hour to whip up these mouth watering munchies such as Hot Bean Dip, Easy Meatballs, Barbeque Wings, Tomato Pizza Bread, and a yummy Five Minute Beer Dip to get the crowd going. Without emptying your wallet or being stuck in the kitchen you’ll have a feast for champions! Hot Bean Dip Prep/Total Time: 15 Min Cost $.40 per serving Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef ¼ cup chopped onion 1 can (16 ounces) refried beans 1-1/4 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese ½ cup taco …
Thursday, a New York Style representative contacted me. She said National Garlic Day is on Sunday, would you like some stuff to review (promote?). Since I’ve tried them before and loved them I didn’t think it was out of line and told her, if you can get it here by then, we’ll review it. She was doing me a favor after all, I would have missed National Garlic Day. My mom has trouble with Garlic, but it’s one of my favorite ingredients in food. These snacks came along at the right time. We had cheese and hummus leftover from Easter, but nothing to spread it on because my dear husband ate it up. These snacks were great for spreading on and my favorite combination was the garlic bagel crisps with the hummus. Garlic and hummus are perfect together, so are garlic and cheeses. Funky Monkey is a really good tasting freeze dried fruit snack. It’s loaded with fiber, vitamins and anti-oxidants, and comes in five delicious flavors. My family had the opportunity to try out Funky Monkey snacks and we really enjoyed them. They are freeze dried and crunchy without being tough to chew. I’ve had other freeze dried snacks that just don’t have as nice of a texture as these do. Our favorites hands down were the banana with cinnamon and banana with acai. My husband – a pineapple lover, enjoyed the tart taste of the jivealime which is pineapple and lime. The Carnaval mix was pretty darn good too. Funky Monkey is a great way to get your fruit servings for the day. Each of their one-ounce bags contains three servings of real fruit, with no added sweeteners, colors, flavors or preservatives. Best of all, unlike chips or other fatty snacks, Funky Monkey Snacks contribute to good heart and cardiovascular health. The bags of …
First, lets discuss the popcorn. I liked the microwave popcorn a lot. My son apparently did also, since I found the stash disappearing. I have a microwave popper that I used with the regular popcorn kernels. I didn’t use any oil at all in the microwave popper, and it popped up light and fluffy. This is a great way to make fat free, almost calorie free popcorn. Then …
This Cookbook is so well laid out. It starts with the kitchen basics, then gives appetizers and beverages, soups and sandwiches, meats in their own separate sections, eggs, vegetables, fruit, salads and dressings, sauces and condiments, quick breads, yeast breads, pies, cakes, desserts, cookies and bars and candies. I like that the each of the different meat sections have a picture telling you where everything comes from. There’s a picture of a cow showing you where the different types of beef come from and where the most tender parts come from. The egg section has a page of beaten eggs and shows what a beaten egg is, and what soft peaks and stiff peaks look like(wait that almost sounds like food porn). The fruit section tells how to buy and store your fruit. Anyway, this is a really good book for the home cook and a beginner home cook could get some great use out of it. Taste of Home also has a contest going on right now. America’s Best Loved Recipe Contest – The grand prize is 25,000.00 – ends March 1, 2009 . I have some Taste of Home Superbowl recipes to help you prepare for your Steelers vs Cardinals game. These recipes are easy on the budget and simple to prepare, so you won’t be too tired out to join in on the fun. Hot Bean Dip Prep/Total Time: 15 Min Cost $.40 per serving Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef ¼ cup chopped onion 1 can (16 ounces) refried beans 1-1/4 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese ½ cup taco sauce Tortilla chips Directions: In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Reduce heat. Stir in the refried beans, Monterey Jack cheese and taco sauce; cook and stir until cheese is melted. Serve warm with tortilla chips. Yield: 3-1/2 cups The Winner of the "Pace Game Day Party Pack" is Jay French. Jay said,"Rooting for the stillers, as my hometown team is long gone this year. We’ll be watching at home. The salsa we usually get is Pace Original Chunky in Mild." Jay I’ll contact you by email Come back to Cookerati again. Oh and Go Steelers! – and Go ( as Deb would say) – those guys out there with the redbirds on their helmets. She wanted me to post a Thank You note to the Pace people – and this is what she had to say - Dear Pace company, Thank you so much for the salsa and chips! I was very surprised when I received your package, because my mother only told me to look out for a package, not who it was from or what it was. I didn’t even see the PACE logo on the side of the box until I got it back to my room and opened …
Pace is so good to Cookerati Readers – we love their products and their giveaways. Pace is giving away a “Pace Game Day Party Pack” for your Superbowl Party. Superbowl Sunday (Number 43) is coming up on February 1, and my husband’s team is still in the running – the Pittsburgh Steelers. They go up against the Ravens this weekend, so we’ll be cheering them on. On the other side there’s the Arizona Cardinals vs Philadelphia Eagles. I spent a couple of years in South Jersey before I moved away from home and the Eagles are the team for that area. Mr H says that there’s a chance for two Pennsylvania teams to play against each other. Me, I hope his team wins, but I’m not sure if I want the Eagles from my mom’s area, or to spread the enthusiasm out across the US. I make this Cheesy Chicken Bean Queso all of the time. Their Queso is the best, we put it on our hotdogs too. For more recipes go to the Pace recipe site. You’re sure to find one that fits your families tastes. Pace is going to help one person throw a Superbowl party with their “Pace Game Day Party Pack”. Here’s what is included: “We’re #1” foam fingers; squeezable footballs; tabletop football set; football balloons; referee drink holders; a copy of Pace’s 60th anniversary cook book; a Pace four-pack, including Pace Picante Sauce, Pace Thick & Chunky Salsa, and the two newest additions to the Pace lineup of specialty salsas, Pace Pineapple Mango Chipotle Salsa and Pace Black Bean & Roasted Corn Salsa. The Rules (because Deb likes them):
Idaho Potato Quick and Easy Superbowl Recipes
February 2, 2010 - Written by Diana
Recipe courtesy of Bonnie Cooper, Carrollton,GA Photo courtesy of Idaho Potato Commission
Taste of Home’s 2010 Quick, Cheap and Easy Superbowl Recipes
February 2, 2010 - Written by Diana
Celebrate National Garlic Day with New York Style Snacks
April 20, 2009 - Written by Diana
From left to right, on the plate and in the background. Focaccia Sticks – Roasted Garlic & …
Funky Monkey is a Heart Healthy Snack
February 28, 2009 - Written by Diana
No More Naked Popcorn – Kernel Seasons
February 24, 2009 - Written by Diana
We are popcorn eaters, big time popcorn eaters. My son scarfs it down after school in order to stave off the hunger pangs. It’s also because if he snacks enough he won’t have to figure out dinner, I’m sure. Kernel Season’s slogan is no more naked popcorn. We had the opportunity to try out their popcorn seasonings and though we’ve seen these seasonings in the movie theaters before, this is the first time we had a chance to try it out. They have quite a few different flavors – nacho cheese, ranch, caramel, butter, kettle, and more. Kernel Seasons also has different types of popcorn, butter spray and popping oil. Popcorn is great healthy food, full of fiber and makes a great snack for everyone.
Superbowl Snacks from Taste of Home Cookbook
January 23, 2009 - Written by Diana
Taste of home is everywhere. There’s the great Taste of Home magazine that comes out every month(as well as Healthy Cooking and Simple and Delicious) , the Taste of Home website with great recipes, Cooking School demonstrations to events around the US, and the cookbook. Taste of Home is geared toward the everyday home cook, using ingredients and tools the regular home cook has in the kitchen. This is a cookbook for me and you and my college girl daughter. I could totally give this book to my daughter and she could cook with it. My son, I’m lucky if he’ll read the macaroni and cheese box before he makes that, but if I can get him past that, yeah he could use this book too. My husband, well, he still thinks mixing cans of tuna and chicken together is a good thing. Not only are there recipes, you have dividers, plus a splash guard(I like that a lot), substitution suggestions, nutritional information, and more. In fact, on the first page is a invitation to enjoy a free year of Taste of Home Magazine with the purchase of the book. Yes, a year FREE of Taste of Home Magazine.
Pace Game Day Party Pack Winner
January 22, 2009 - Written by Diana
Thanks to everyone who entered and played along. I love reading all of the comments. The Superbowl is down to the Steelers (YAY!) and the Cardinals (no comment – too many terrible towels in the area). Before I announce the winner, I want to let you know that this contest was on the up and up. I used randomize to choose the winner, with no bias towards any teams. Although, I did make sure the winners followed the rules!
Send Some Pace to your College Kid – They’ll Love You For It
January 17, 2009 - Written by Diana
When Pace set up our Win a Pace Game Day Party Pack Contest, they asked to send my daughter some of her favorite Pineapple Mango Chipotle Salsa in a care package. I told College Girl to look out for a package, but I wouldn’t tell her what was in it. She called me up excited on the phone and said it was "Freakin Awesome". (We’ve had talks about the use of Freakin – so excuse me for repeating it, if it’s offensive.)
Win A "Pace Game Day Party Pack" For Your Superbowl Party
January 15, 2009 - Written by Diana
It doesn’t matter who wins (okay, it does), my husband and his brothers(he has 4) and his mom and some of the significant others – gather together and have a blast. Plenty of beer flowing, food eating, yelling cheering, stomping and all around good brotherly fun. Food eating is important, but it’s gotta all be munchable. You can’t do a Superbowl with a sit down at the table meal or who knows what you’d miss. The favorite food to bring in this house is Salsa and Chips. My husband is a tomato lover, a veggie lover and a really big salsa lover. I swear we go through more than one jar of salsa a week – that means we probably use more than 100 jars of salsa in a year. Besides my home made, Pace is our number one brand. My first choice is the new Black Bean and Roasted Corn Salsa. It has a delicious smokey flavor and plenty of black beans and corn. My daughter loved the new Pineapple Mango Chipotle Salsa so much she grabbed one for college. The Picante is also a family favorite too.
