Are you going to be hosting, or attending, a Super Bowl party this weekend? If so, I thought you might like to try out these hot and tasty recipes, sure to spice up your Super Bowl party, or any party.

These recipes are courtesy of Frank’s RedHot Sauce.

Franks’s RedHot Buffalo Chicken Dip

This robust creamy dip tastes like Buffalo Chicken Wings but without the mess! Serve hot with celery sticks, veggies or your favorite chips.

Prep Time: 5 min.  Cook Time:  20 min.

Ingredients:

1 (8 oz.) package Cream cheese, softened

½ cup Blue cheese or ranch salad dressing

½ cup of any flavor Frank’s RedHot Sauce

½ cup Crumbled blue cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese

2 cans (12.5 oz. each) of Swanson White Premium Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained  

Oven Directions:

1. HEAT oven to 350ºF. Place cream cheese into deep baking dish. Stir  until smooth.

2. MIX in salad dressing, Frank’s RedHot sauce and cheese. Stir in chicken.

3. BAKE 20 minutes or until mixture is heated through; stir. Garnish as desired. Serve with crackers or cut up vegetables.

- OR -

Microwave Directions:  Prepare as above. Place in microwave-safe dish. Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 5 min. until hot, stirring halfway through cooking.

- OR -

Slow Cooker Method: Combine ingredients as directed above. Place mixture into small slow cooker. Heat on HIGH setting for 1 ½ hours until hot and bubbly or on LOW setting for 2 ½ to 3 hours. Stir.

Makes 4 cups.

Tip: You can substitute shredded chicken for canned chicken.

Tailgating Tip: Prepare dip ahead and place in heavy disposable foil pan. Place pan on grill and heat dip until hot and bubbly.

Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Chicken Wings

Prep Time: 10 min. 

Cook Time:  20 min.

Ingredients:  

2 ½ lbs. chicken wing pieces

¾ cup any flavor Frank’s RedHot Wing Sauce

Directions:

BAKE wings in foil-lined pan at 500°F on lowest oven rack for 20 minutes until crispy, turning once.

TOSS wings in sauce to coat.

Makes 6 to 8 servings 

Tip:  You may substitute ½ cup Frank’s RedHot Sauce mixed with 1/3 cup melted butter for the Wings Sauce.

Alternate Cooking Directions:

Deep-fry at 375°F for 10 minutes.

Broil 6-inches from heat 15 to 20 minutes, turning once.

Grill over medium heat 20 to 25 minutes, turning often.

Sweet Chili BBQ Meatballs

Prep Time: 5 min.

Cook Time: 15 min.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup of barbecue sauce

3/4 cup of Frank’s RedHot Sweet Chili Sauce

36 (1 inche) frozen meatballs

Directions:

COMBINE barbecue sauce and Sweet Chili Sauce in a large skillet. Heat to a boil

STIR in meatballs. Simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes or until meatballs are heated through. Make sure to stir often.

SERVE meatballs with party picks

Makes 12 servings

Tip: This recipe can be easily doubled and heated in a slow cooker for a party buffet.

Valentine’s Day is around the corner. I used to love Valentine’s Day when my kids were younger. It was fun to help them fill out Valentine’s Day cards for their classmates and teacher. Now that my kids are teens I have to worry about them giving (or getting) Valentine’s Day cards from potential boyfriends/girlfriends. Sigh…

I also miss the class parties. I was a class parent for many years for both of my kids at one point or another. I loved planning holiday parties. It was fun to go shopping for holiday theme treats and decorations. I used to like to find Valentine’s crafts for the kids to do too.

If you are a class parent, or are planning a Valentine’s Day party for children, you should check out the cute crafts found at Hershey’s special holiday and seasonal website, Celebrate with Hershey’s (www.CelebratewithHersheys.com). They always have the cutest craft ideas.

I love the cute Valentine Favor craft. It’s a nice project for Spring too!

You can click on the image to go directly to the instructions on the Celebrate with Hershey’s website.

I also adore these cute little Valentine Love Bugs. I think it would be fun to supply children with an assortment of Hershey’s candies and various crafting supplies (feathers, pipe cleaners, googly eyes…) and let their imagination run wild. It would be fun to see what they come up with.

One of my all time favorite crafts are the roses that are made out of Hershey’s Kisses. I tried making these a few years ago. My chubby little fingers were not nimble enough to make the roses. However I have seen the roses made by others so I know that they do turn out beautifully. I just haven’t been able to “master” them yet.

You can find a lot more fun things on the Celebrate with Hershey’s website aside from crafts. You can also find mouth watering recipes to make some extra sweet treats for your special Valentine, or to serve to guests at a Valentines Day party.

I drool looking at the recipe for the Black Forest Mini Cheesecakes. 

 The Sweetheart Cupcakes look really good too! Making the chocolate hearts to embellish them is very easy to do. You just have to melt the Hershey’s chocolate, put it into an pastry bag, squeeze out the heart shape design and let cool.

You can find the complete recipe simply by clicking on the photo.

Of course not Valentine’s Day would be complete without Chocolate Dipped Strawberries. These are SO GOOD! I received some not too long ago as a “thank you” gift. My whole family gobbled them up. They are really easy to make. The hard part is finding large, perfect strawberries this time of the year.

Speaking of Valentine’s Day treats, don’t forget to check out all the fun Valentine’s Day goodies available from Hershey’s this season. You can find a list of Valentine’s Day products (and photos) here at this link, http://www.hersheys.com/celebrate/valentines/products.aspx.

One product I don’t see on the site are the cute Valentine’s Day hearts that come with a box of Hershey’s Miniatures attached to the back of it. There is room to write “To” and “From” on the packaging. This is the perfect Valentine for your child to give to someone special.

If you are looking for something special for your child to give to their teacher you should consider the Hershey’s Golden Apple. It’s a hollow chocolate apple that is wrapped in gold foil.

We have one but the packaging got a bit messed up. It’s a nice size piece of chocolate too (I could easily eat it in one shot).

I am a HUGE fan of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. I cannot keep them in the house. If we have them – I’m going to eat them. I ♥ Hershey’s Peanut Butter Cups! When the kids go Trick-or-Treating I quickly remove them from their bags.

Imagine how I felt when I received a Reece’s Peanut Butter tin filled with jumbo sized Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups. I was in heaven! Except I can’t enjoy them right now because I’m trying to loose weight. So my family will get the chance to enjoy them. I might just save one  of them for a special treat. We’ll see.

I love the tin because it can be re-used to hold pens and pencils, crayons, stationary or other items.

Speaking of pens and pencils, have you seen the cute Twizzlers container that doubles as a pen and pencil holder? I saw one in the store the other day. What a fun idea! It comes with several individually wrapped Twizzlers. When you are done with them you have a cute pen and pencil holders.

Of course no Valentine’s Day party would be complete without some Hershey’s Kisses, all dressed up for the holiday with red, silver and pink foils.

You can find Hershey’s products at many retail locations across the country.

For more information about Hershey’s products please visit www.Hersheys.com. Don’t forget to check out all the holiday and seasonal products, crafts and recipes at www.CelebratewithHersheys.com.

I have a sweet Valentines Day giveaway. One winner will receive some Hershey’s Hugs and Hershey’s Kisses. Thank you Hershey’s!

To enter please comment on your favorite Hershey’s candy. You can CLICK HERE to see other Hershey’s products.

For extra entries you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each that you have done. Extra entries are optional. 

- Subscribe to She Scribes via e-mail or RSS. Both options are found on the right side bar.

- “Like” Hershey’s Pieces on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/Hersheys.

- “Like” She Scribes on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/SheScribes.

- “Like” Hershey’s on Twitter, www.Twitter.com/Hersheys.

- Follow She Scribes on Twitter, www.Twitter.com/She_Scribes and tweet about this review/giveaway. Please include @She_Scribes in the tweet so I can see it too. This is limited to three tweets per day.

- Share this review/giveaway with others on Facebook, Digg, Technorati and so forth. Be sure to tell me what you did and please provide a name and/or URL so I can verify.

- Leave a thoughtful comment on a non-giveaway post on She Scribes and tell me which post you commented on. There is a limit of one comment per post, but you can comment on as many posts as you want for an unlimited extra entry option.

- Post about this review/giveaway on your site and please link back to this post. Please provide the URL.

This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on February 5, 2012 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winner will be chosen at random using a random number generator from all eligible entries. The winner will be notified via e-mail and will have three days to reply with a name and mailing address (no PO Box), otherwise a new winner will be chosen.  

Other great giveaways can be found on the right side bar under “Win It”.

Kimberly

*I received free product samples in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own. Hershey’s will be providing the prize.

This Valentine’s Day many couples will be enjoying a romantic dinner with the love of their life at a neighborhood restaurant. Sometimes couples prefer to create a romantic dinner at home instead of eating out.

If you are thinking about creating the perfect Valentine’s Day meal at home for your sweetie, here are some delicious recipes you might want to consider. These recipes are compliments of The Artisanal Kitchen (www.TheArtisanalKitchen.com). They were created by Anna Zoitas.

Cinnamon Poached Pears with Apple Caramel, Pecans and Crystallized Ginger

Ingredients:

6 pears

1 qt. apple juice

garnish:

¼ c pecans

¼ c dried cranberries

¼ c The Artisanal Kitchen Crystallized ginger 

Directions: 

Pour the apple juice (poaching liquid) into a large pot and bring to a simmer.

Peal, halve and scoop out the core or the pears, try to leave the stems intact. Place the pear halves in the poaching liquid for 30 minutes, or until toothpick tender.

While the poached pears are cooling, take about 1 cup of the poaching liquid and pour into a sauté pan. Over medium-high flame, reduce for about 10 minutes, whisking sporadically. Liquid should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Once pears are cooled, plate two halves per container, one half cut side down and the other cut side up. Drizzle reduced poaching liquid into pear well and lightly over both halves. Sprinkle pecans, cranberries, and crystallized ginger, chopped if you’d like. 

Optional: garnish with a sprig of mint as well. 

Olive oil and Lemon Curd Cake

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups Flour

3 large Eggs

½ cup Three Olives Olive Oil

1 cup sugar

½ cup heavy cream

½ cup lemon curd

½ cup Greek yoghurt

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

½ stick butter

2 teaspoon lemon zest

2 tea spoons baking powder

Pinch of Artisanal Kitchen Pacific Ocean Salt 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter, set aside. Cream sugar, eggs and butter for about 3 minutes. Add dry ingredients in sections, do not over mix. Incorporate the rest of the ingredients.

Pour batter into parchment lined and olive oiled baking dish. Bake for 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

“Just Right” Banana Crisps-Chocolate-Fruit Jumbles

Ingredients:

½ cup semisweet baking chocolate

1 cup Artisanal Banana Crisps (or you can use sweet-n-tart mango, pineapple or coconut flavors)

¼ cup mixed dried fruits, like raisins, cherries or cranberries

¼ cup roasted salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Directions:

Melt the chocolate in a covered double boiler over low heat, stirring occasionally until smooth, or microwave in a non-metallic bowl until melted. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat and gently mix in Artisanal Banana Crisps, dried fruits and peanuts.

Drop by tablespoonful’s into mounds on cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Refrigerate until set. Makes about 10 clusters. Store in an airtight container. 

“Addictively Delicious” Coconut-Ginger Crisps, Toffee-Like Cookies

Ingredients:

¼ cup butter (1/2 stick)

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon maple syrup

½ teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup Coconut Crisps

¼ cup Artisanal Kitchen crystallized ginger, chopped 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter with sugar and maple syrup over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in baking soda. Stir in flour just until smooth; stir in Artisanal Coconut Crisps and crystallized ginger.

Drop batter by heaping teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake 10 to 14 minutes, 1 cookie sheet at a time, until cookies are a light, golden brown.

Cool cookies on parchment on wire racks. Makes about 1 ½ dozen cookies. Store in an airtight container.

Kimberly

*I was not compensated for this post. I posted these recipes for the enjoyment of my site readers, compliments from The Artisanal Kitchen.

When I think about sweet, juicy Blueberries I think about foods like Bluberry Muffins, Blueberry Parfaits and Blueberry Smoothies. I don’t associate Blueberries with meats. For me it’s not a common ingredient in most meat-based recipes.

I receieved some information from Chilen Fresh Fruit, as well as a mouth watering recipe for Blueberry and Ginger-Glazed Pork Ribs. This rib recipe will deliver an incredible burst of flavor thanks to summer fresh fruit from Chile, which is available in markets across the country. Fresh blueberries make all the difference. Succulent and delicious, these ribs will demand encores all winter long.

Enjoy this recipe, compliments of Chilean Fresh Fruit.

Fresh Blueberry and Ginger Glazed Pork Ribs

Ingredients:  

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves, garlic, minced

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1-1/2 cups ketchup

2 cups Fresh Chilean Blueberries

1/4 cup molasses

2 Tablespoons vinegar

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

 2 Tablespoons fresh ginger, minced

salt and pepper to taste

4 lbs. baby back pork ribs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375

In a medium saucepan, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil. Add all other sauce ingredients. Stir well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.

Coat both sides of ribs with sauce. Reserve 1/3 of sauce for a second coating. Arrange ribs meat side up on a cooling rack. Set in a foil lined pan. Cover with foil and bake 1 hour. Remove foil and bake 30 minutes more. Coat ribs with second layer of sauce. Bake another 30 minutes at 400.

Makes 6 servings

Nutrients per Serving: 624 calories, 41 gms total fat, 371calories from fat, 15 gms saturated fat, 160 mg cholesterol, 676 mg sodium, 1 gm dietary fiber, 37gms protein

For more fresh ideas and recipes go to www.ChileanFruitOnliine.com. There you can find the recipe for Fresh Chilean Blueberry Chicken and Pork Marinade (pictured below), as well as recipes for other fruits including Grilled Pork Chops Stuffed With Nectarines and Fresh Fruit Pizza. 

Kimberly

*I was not compensated for this post. I posted this for the enjoyment of my site readers. Any opinions expressed are my own.

**PHOTOS: Copyright © 2012 Chilean Fresh Fruit Association Media Center.

Not too long ago my husband and I got into a discussion about “Girl’s Night Out” and “Boy’s Night Out”. Neither of us have been on one in ages (I’m thinking 10+ years… sigh…). We started talking about what men drink when they are out together, and what women drink. My husband is under the impression that women drink cocktails with silly names all the time. For example Jamaican Me Crazy, Shady Lady, Kiss in the Dark and Green Dinosaur (I’m not making these names up – they are real drinks).

I have always been curious as to how people come up with these crazy drink combinations and ever crazier names for them. I guess you have to really know your liquer to know what blends well with what other liquer or juices.

Have you ever heard of PAMA? Have you tried PAMA before? I am really curious about this liqueur. PAMA is a ruby-red Pomegranate liqueur. I would never think to have a Pomegranate flavored liqueur. I like the sweet taste of Pomegranates. I’m curious as to how PAMA tastes.

PAM A is a versatile cocktail ingredient that mixes with whiskey, rum and brandy equally well as it mixes with vodka, gin and tequila. It provides a delicately balanced sweet-tart flavor. 

PAMA is hosting a fun contest that I thought some of my readers might be interested in, especially is you are a whiz at creating cocktails at home (or perhaps you work as a bartender?). It’s called the Best Home Bar Star Contest. It began this past Monday (January 16, 2012) and ends on February 29, 2012 at 11:59 PM (EST).

PAMA will be accepting submissions to find a cocktail enthusiast who knows how to create a killer cocktail that is perfectly balanced, elegantly presented and definitely delicious.

The winner will receive a trip for two to the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen in June 2012 with $2,000 spending money and the opportunity for their recipe to be presented in front of thousands of attendees at the Grand Tasting Tent. Their recipe will also be featured on PAMA’s website.

To enter you need to submit a recipe and photo of your original drink creation, which will be judged based on the following criteria:

-  Originality/creativity

-  Unique use of PAMA

-  Ingredient combination

-  Appropriateness of the cocktail name

The top 25 entries, as determined by the PAMA judging panel, will be posted to PAMA’s website and Facebook page for visitors to vote on their favorite entry. Finalists can share their recipe with friends and family in order to gain votes. The top 10 highest-voted entries will then be judged by an esteemed panel of cocktail professionals who will create and taste each recipe. The panel includes Kate Krader (Food & Wine), Darryl Robinson (The Cooking Channel’s “Drink Up!”) and Eben Freeman (master mixologist and PAMA spokesperson).

Four runners-up will receive a one-year subscription to Food & Wine magazine and a PAMA gift bag.

For a full list of rules and to enter, go to www.PAMALiqueur.com/HomeBarStar.

To help you get started creating your own unique cocktail recipe using PAMA, PAMA has offered to give three lucky readers a special prize package which includes a cocktail shaker, stirer and PAMA t-shirt.

To enter comment on your favorite cocktail, or tell me a creative name for a cocktail. It can be one you made up yourself for this entry or one that you have heard of before.

For extra entries you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each that you have done. Extra entries are optional. 

- Subscribe to She Scribes via RSS or E-mail. Both options are found on the right side bar.

- “Like” PAMA on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/PAMALiqueur.

- “Like” She Scribes on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/SheScribes.

- Follow She Scribes on Twitter, www.Twitter.com/She_Scribes and tweet about the PAMA contest and/or this giveaway. Please include @She_Scribes in the tweet so I can see it too. This is limited to three tweets per day.

-  Share this giveaway and/or information about the PAMA contest on Facebook, Digg, Technorati or other social networking sites/forums. 

- Leave a thoughtful comment on a non-giveaway post on She Scribes and tell me which post you commented on. There is a limit of one comment per post, but you can comment on as many posts as you want for an unlimited extra entry option.

- Post information about this giveaway or the PAMA contest on your site and please link back to this post. Please provide the URL.

This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on January 29, 2012 at 11:59 PM (EST). The winners will be chosen at random using a random number generator from all eligible entries. The winners will be notified via e-mail and will have three days to reply with a name, mailing address (no PO Box) and t-shirt size. Failure to do so will result in a new winner will be chosen in their place.

Other cool giveaways can be found on the right side bar under “Win It”.

Kimberly

*I was not compensated for this post. I posted this information for the benefit and enjoyment of my site readers. Any opinion expressed is my own.

With Super Bowl XLVI just around the corner, it’s time to start planning your Super Bowl party and menu. Instead of stressing over what you should serve, take it easy this year with these delicious fuss free cheese dip recipes.

Since the Super Bowl takes place in early February, some of your party guests might be keeping to their resolve to lose weight. You can substitute low fat cheeses in any of these recipes so that they don’t break their diet resolutions.  

When hosting a party remember these six simple steps for party success:

1) Make sure your audio/video setup is functioning properly before the big day.

2) Find a spot to park the remote so that you (and your co-host) know exactly where to find it at critical moments.

3) Provide a variety of scrumptious snacks, like the cheese dip recipes below.

4) Have a variety of cold and hot dishes so that your stovetop and crock pot don’t max out

5) Have more than enough cold beers and beverages.

6) Speaking of cold….be sure to stock up on ice in advance (it stores well on the back porch in coolers).

I LOVE the tip about knowing where the remote is at all times. Usually it’s glued to my husband’s hand . But I suppose it can easily be misplaced, especially in a home full of people.

Bring On the Cheese Dip!

Every chip or cracker deserves a dance with a delicious cheesy dip. For a Super Bowl party – or any party – you can’t go wrong with cheese. You can modify these cheese dip recipes any way you wish, adding ingredients like chili, bacon, beans or salsa. While you can’t make your team win, you can serve up a winning party menu.

Pepperoni Pizza Cheese Dip

Servings: 16

Ingredients:

1 tub (8 oz.) cream cheese spread

1/2 cup pizza sauce

1/2 cup finely shredded Italian five-cheese blend

1/2 cup chopped pepperoni

1/3 cup chopped red peppers

1/3 cup chopped green peppers

Whole wheat crackers

Directions:

Heat oven to 350ºF.

Mix first 2 ingredients until well blended; spread onto bottom of 9-inch pie plate.

Top with next 4 ingredients.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until dip is heated through and shredded cheese is melted. Serve with crackers.

Italian Veggie & Cheese Dip

Servings: 40

Ingredients:

1 small eggplant, chopped

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup chopped red peppers

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup sun-dried tomato vinaigrette dressing

1 zucchini, chopped

1 large tomato, chopped

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Multi-grain chips or crackers

Directions:

Cook and stir eggplant, onions, peppers and garlic in dressing in large skillet on medium heat 8 minutes.

Stir in zucchini and tomatoes; cover. Simmer 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Stir in Parmesan cheese.

Spoon into serving bowl. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Serve with the chips.

Fiesta Chicken & Cheese Dip

Servings: 32

Ingredients:

4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) Neufchatel cheese, softened

1 cup sour cream

1 pkt. (1-1/4 oz.) taco seasoning mix

1-1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken

1 cup four cheese Mexican finely shredded, divided

4 green onions, sliced

1 small tomato, chopped

1/4 cup sliced black olives

Tortilla chips

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F.

Mix first 3 ingredients in medium bowl. Stir in chicken, 1/2 cup shredded cheese and onions.

Spoon into 9-inch pie plate.

Bake 25 minutes or until heated through. Top with remaining shredded cheese, tomatoes and olives. Serve with tortilla chips.

Mmmm… I cannot wait to try these recipes. I’m especially excited about the Fiesta Chicken and Cheese dip.

Are YOU planning a Super Bowl party this year? If so, what special dishes do you like to serve your guests? If you enjoy attending Super Bowl parties, what are your favorite types of foods?

Kimberly

Do you realize that Valentines Day is about a month away? Wasn’t it JUST Christmas? Sigh… times flies way too quickly.

Our local grocery store has had BOTH Valentines Day AND Easter things up in it’s seasonal aisle. I can understand Valentines Day stuff, but Easter? Come on now! That is rushing things a bit, don’t you think? Especially since Easter isn’t under April this year.

Did you know that last year MORE money was spent at pet stores on Valentines Day then was spent buying gifts for a significant other? That is what I read from a study that was done. So what does that say about us as people? Either we love our pets as much (or more!) then our significant other (LOL), or we’re just really in love with our pets?

I bought our pets (all six of them!) gifts for Christmas, but I would never think about a Valentines Day gift.

Lucy Postins, founder of The Honest Kitchen, has a special Valentines Day treat (or any time of the year) made with some homemade TLC. Lucy has created hundreds of nutritious recipes that began from experimenting with home cooked raw foods for her pets, which eventually evolved into her nationally distributed line of raw pet foods.  

For Valentine’s Day, she has a special treat for pets called “Valentine’s Day Nibbles” from her pet cook book, Made Out of Love. I inquired about this recipe and I was told it would work great for both cats and dogs. I have five cats and a dog, so any treat that would work for all of them is great. This recipe is both tasty and nutritionally balanced, so I was told. I haven’t personally tried to make this yet.

Valentines Liver Nibbles

This recipe uses heart-shaped or other cookie cutters to make pretty treats as a gift for your pet – or his or her boyfriends and girlfriends – for Valentine’s Day or other special occasions. For cats look for tiny cookie cutters or you might have to cut small pieces by hand to make it easier for them to eat and enjoy.

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh raw chicken liver, preferably organic
2 free range eggs
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups instant quinoa flakes
3 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
¼ cup dried cranberries or blueberries
1 clove fresh garlic, crushed
1 tsp of dried basil
Filtered water sufficient to make a batter

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F

2. Process the liver in a blender or food processor until completely pureed.

3. Beat the eggs in a bowl and pour in the oil.

4. Add the pureed liver.

5. Mix in the dry ingredients slowly, stirring continuously so they are thoroughly combined. Add water gradually until you have a ‘batter’ consistency.

6. Pour this batter into a flat 1½ to 2” cake tin.

7. Bake at 350°F for 50 minutes.

8. Cool in the tin until able to be handled, then gently turn the ‘cake’ out onto a rack and refrigerate to cool completely.

9. Use heart-shaped or other cookie cutters to gently press out individual shapes.

These sound yummy for my pets. I’m going to add this to my “To Do” list (or “todo” list as my husband calls it).

If you happen to make these for you pet I would love to hear from you. Did your pet enjoy them? Were they really easy to make (they seem easy enough)?

Do YOU give your pet a treat on Valentines Day? If so, I’d love to hear from you too.

Kimberly

*I was not compensated for this post. I posted this for the benefit and enjoyment of my site readers. Any opinions expressed are my own.

Pizza. Who doesn’t love pizza? For some people Pizza is it’s own food group.

I don’t think I would ever get bored with eating pizza. It’s very versatile. You can create so many unique recipes using a pizza crust and your imagination.

My family doesn’t order pizza too often because it doesn’t fit into our budget. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t make pizza on my own. All you need is a few simple ingredients and you can create a meal the whole family will be begging for more.

Boboli pre-made pizza crusts are my favorite pizza crust option. Since they are already made all you need to do is top the Boboli with your favorite ingredients and then bake for 10-15 minutes (depending on your toppings). Before you know is you have fresh, homemade pizza made just the way you like it. Plus YOU control the ingredients so you can make it as healthy as you want.

My favorite pizza is pizza topped with pineapple. I like the ham and pineapple pizzas too, but my family doesn’t. I can’t order a whole pizza for myself. With a Boboli, some  canned pineapple, cheese, and a few cut up pieces of ham from the deli and I have my very own pineapple and ham pizza.

Boboli offers large crusts and individual pizza crusts. The individual ones are fun because each member of the family can create their own favorite pizza recipe.

If you are looking for some inspiration check out the recipes found on Boboli’s website, www.BoboliPizza.com.

Every day is a pizza party for Chef Mark, the man behind Boboli Pizza’s mouth-watering recipes. Working with Boboli Pizza for 3 years, Chef Mark has created over 30 recipes now featured on the Boboli website.

Born in Brooklyn, NY, Chef Mark knows pizza – and loves it. From the recipes he’s created, Chef Mark admits that the Chili Pizza and the Buffalo Chicken Pizza are some of his favorites, perhaps because he likes meatier toppings.

When asked from where he draws his inspiration, Chef Mark recalls his time in the U.S. Navy in the 1980s when he had to use his creativity to create unique, yet delicious meals with limited ingredient supply. He’s also challenged his culinary expertise with stints at Four Seasons as a Saucier and 5-star restaurant French Connection.

However, the real challenge has been keeping up with requests from his seven year-old twin boys, for which he often turns to blogs and real-time Internet chatter to continually develop new and inspired Boboli Pizza combinations.

Pizza is the perfect go-to for a family night, quick appetizers for dinners with friends or a great starting slate for those leftovers from last night’s dinner – anytime of year! 

Chef Mark shared a recipe with me for one of my family’s favorite pizzas – Barbecue Chicken!

Here is the recipe so you can make this at home.

Kansas City “Red Zone” BBQ Chicken

Ingredients:

-  One 12″ Boboli Original Pizza Crust

-  2/3 cup of Barbecue Sauce

-  1 cup of cooked, diced Chicken Breast

-  1/4 of a small Red Onion, chopped

-  1 cup of Smoked Gouda or Smoked Cheddar Cheese (or your favorite cheese)

Directions:

Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees.

Spread the barbecue sauce all over the pizza crust, leaving a 1″ boarder around the edge. Top the pizza with the chicken, onions and cheese.

Bake 8-10 minutes until crust is light brown and the cheese is melted.

I made the pizza earlier today for my family. The only thing I did differently is that I used a Cheddar and Mozerella cheese mix (I couldn’t find Smoked Gouda or Cheddar).

FYI… the pan I used is very dark in color. It’s actually a pan my mom used. It has to be 25+ years old. I have a few of her pans that have blackend and warped over time. They still work perfectly fine so why replace them? I know it doesn’t look pretty but it serves it’s purpose well.

My mouth is watering just looking at the pictures! Now I wish I had some left over pizza. If I did I’d warm it up and eat it right now.

I love how I was able to create a gourmet pizza in less then 15 minutes (prep time and cook time) for my family. It’s good to keep a couple of Boboli pre-made pizza crusts on hand (large and individual sizes) for those nights when you don’t feel like cooking or you forgot to take out something for dinner. Teens can make their own pizzas too. If you are stuck late at work your teen can make their own yummy pizza.

If you could ask Chef Mark to create the perfect pizza for you, what would you request? What is your favorite pizza? What is your ideal “fantasy” pizza?

Kimberly

*I received a free product sample in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The extra ingredients came at my expense. Any opinions expressed are my own.

Every now and then I happen across a product that I think it totally genius. MuffinMeal is one of those products that I think is a brilliant idea.

I have always wanted to create fancy baked goods. I’m missing the “baking gene”. My sister seems to have inherited all of those genes. She is an amazing baker. I wish I had even have of her talent (her homemade chocolate chip cookies are to die for!).

I can bake things that come in a pre-made mix (cakes, brownies, cookies…). Well, normally I can. There are times I goof up on those too.

I can’t frost well. My cakes and cupcakes never look pretty after I frost them. Unlike my sister who can design a cake for any occasion or theme.

Thanks to this cool product by Cupcaqe called MuffinMeal, I can now bake and create beautiful treats for my family. I even use it to make them breakfast if you can believe that.

MuffinMeal is a product that resembles a cup. You place the MuffinMeal cup into your cupcake pan right after you put in the batter. That way when you bake whatever it is that you are making the batter rises around the cup, leaving the center open which you can use to stuff  with just about anything you want.

To give you a better idea of what I am talking about, let me share with you one of my kid’s favorite breakfasts that I have been making for them a lot lately – scrambled eggs INSIDE a biscuit.

First you start with the MuffinMeal product. You place the end with the “stick” (for lack of a better description) inside the cupcake pan. Next you place a cupcake liner on top of it. You can purchase ones with holes already popped out from MuffinMeal, or you can pop holes in ones you purchase in the store.

Next place some of the batter in the cupcake liner. Be careful not to put in too much or it will over flow.

The next step is to insert the cup part of the MuffinMeal on to the “stick” and gently push it down as low as you want. For a deep “well” in your cupcake or muffin push the cup all the way down. If you prefer a shallow well then just push it down a little bit.

After you are done baking let the cupcakes/muffins sit for a bit to cool down. Once cool GENTLY remove the top and bottom (stick and cup) of the MuffinMeal from your baked good.

What you are left with is a cupcake, muffin, or even a biscuit that you can fill with whatever you like.

My kids love scrambled eggs in a biscuit. I like to sprinkle a little shredded mozzarella on top to make it look a little fancy.

My kids also like it when I top the eggs off with some salsa. I love eggs and salsa!

I have made the scrambled eggs in a biscuit about four or five times now (sorry, I lost track). They take about a half hour to make between the mixing, baking and cooling off, but it’s well worth it. The kids love it. And they are very filling.

I need to play around with the biscuit recipe. I have been using Jiffy Mix, which is great, but the biscuits are coming out a bit crumbly so when the kids bite into the “meals” sometimes the biscuits falls apart. This has nothing to do with the Muffin Meal product. It’s simply a biscuit recipe that has to be tweaked to be less dry. Maybe I just need to add more milk or perhaps an egg?

My first attempt with the Muffin Meal I made dark chocolate cupcakes with strawberries and Cool Whip. I used pre-made cake mix (dark chocolate). When they were cooled I took cut up strawberries and filled each well with them. Then I topped them off with a dollop of Cool Whip. They were really good. The only reason why I don’t have a photo is because it was my first attempt with the MuffinMeal and all the cupcakes looked messy. Most overflowed because I over filled each cup cake liner, not thinking that the cup form the MuffinMeal would take up so much room, causing the batter to overflow. Now that I know better I won’t fill them up as much.

My kids really love this “meal” idea. I’m trying to think of other breakfast ideas. I was thinking of cutting up some turkey sausage and either mixing it with the scrambled eggs or putting it in the “cup” before topping it with scrambled eggs. I was also trying to think how I coud incorporate potatoes (hash browns) into a “meal” too.

My daughter wants me to try making dark chocolate cupcakes again and filling them with raspberries and topping them off with a drizzle of chocolate sauce.

I was also thinking about a banana nut muffin with a banana puree in the “well” and topped off with some nuts.

The possibilities are endless!

MuffinMeal is great for breakfast, desserts and even lunch and dinner. You just have to let your imagination run wild. I’m sure you can come up with dozens of possible ideas.

There are a lot of great recipes and ideas on the MuffinMeal website. My favorite is the meatloaf stuffed with mashed potatoes. I really want to try that one. And the Sloppy Joe sliders sound delish too!

If you can bake it in a cupcake pan, then you can turn it into a meal with MuffinMeal.

MuffinMeal sells for $19.99 for a set of six, plus 100 liners. Extra liners are also available if needed.

MuffinMeal would make a great gifts, especially for newlyweds, college students (I’m sure they will come up with some interesting recipes), and those who love to cook and bake.

To learn more, make a purchase or to get inspired by the delicious recipes visit www.Cupcaqe.com.

Kimberly

*I received free product samples in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.

Did you know that tomorrow, Wednesday, January 4, 2012 is National Spaghetti Day? I just found that out earlier today. I was actually going to make spaghetti for dinner tonight. Now that I know I’m going to make spaghetti tomorrow night instead. I might make a family favorite – Spaghetti Tacos! We put spaghetti mixed with sauce into Taco shells. We also add cut up meatballs, Parmesan cheese and other toppings. It’s really good! We got the idea a few years ago from a favorite TV show, iCarly.

Did you know that 32% of Americans prefer the shape of penne pasta over bowtie? That doesn’t surprise me. We usually use penne for most pasta dishes. I use bowties mostly as a side dish, not as a main dish.

In honor of National Spaghetti Day, the National Pasta Association (NPA) and its pasta ambassador chef Candice Kumai have cooked up three delicious and healthy spaghetti dishes that won’t ruin New Year’s Resolution diets:

- Spaghetti with Spinach Pesto – 325 calories per serving

- Zucchini and Tomata Spaghetti Frittata – 330 calories per serving

- Easy-Peasy Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Chicken – 536 calories per serving

I will post these recipes below for you to enjoy.

Candice also offered some tips on how to maintain a healthy diet in 2012.

-  Remember to portion. Overeating at mealtime can make you drowsy and not eating enough can leave you heading to the snack cabinet for a mid-afternoon or night snack. Try to follow the USDA’s MyPlate guidelines by including a balance of veggies, fruit, grains, protein and dairy.

-  Cook with Lean Proteins - Lean proteins like fish pair great with pasta and other pantry staples. Although fresh fish can be pricey, there are options like canned tuna, sardines and even salmon. This can be well within your price range. Another great affordable pairing with is fresh homemade sauces like tapenades, marinara and homemade pesto.

-  Use Fresh Herbs and Veggies – include fresh local produce when cooking your meals year round. In addition to in season vegetables try basil, oregano, rosemary or thyme in your dishes or garnish with fresh chopped parsley or sage – it can add in vibrant flavors, colors and phytonutrients.

-  Plan and pack lunch the night before. Don’t leave packing lunch for the morning rush. Make smart decisions by packing the night before. Packing items like salad dressings and pasta sauces separate will help to keep the food fresh for your midday meal.

-  Keep leftovers appealing. How often do you leave leftover dinners sitting in the fridge. If straight leftovers don’t excite you, try to turn your leftovers into a new meal.  One option for pasta is my Pasta Frittata recipe which turns leftover pasta into a whole new meal. (see the recipe below).

These are really very easy tips that anyone could follow.

Here are the delicious recipes I mentioned earlier in this post.

Spaghetti and Spinach Pesto 

From the National Pasta Association

1 lb. Spaghetti, uncooked
1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed, well drained
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried basil
2 tbsp. margarine (or butter)
1/3 cup water
4 oz. crumbled feta cheese

In a blender (or food processor), combine spinach, oil, Parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic, salt and basil. Mix at medium speed until finely chopped. Melt margarine in water. With blender or processor running, gradually pour in melted margarine mixture until blended. Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside. Toss pesto with pasta. Sprinkle feta on top and serve.

Makes 8 servings. Per serving: 325 calories, 11g total fat, 3 g saturated fat, 45 g carbohydrate, 12 g protein, 1 g dietary fiber, 420 mg sodium

Zucchini and Tomata Spaghetti Frittata

From Candice Kumai and the National Pasta Association

Vegetables
1 cup of diced tomatoes
1 cup of zucchini, cut length-wise, diced into cubes
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt, to taste

Egg Mixture
6 Eggs
3 tablespoons low-fat milk
3/4 cup of finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
3 tablespoons Herbs de Provence
Zest of one lemon
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Nonstick cooking spray

Pasta
3/4 cup spaghetti, leftover pasta works great here too!

Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Once boiling, add a generous amount of sea salt (it should taste like seawater). Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain and set aside in a colander.

Spray a large (oven safe, no plastic handles) sauté pan with nonstick cooking spray, add onions and place over medium heat. After about 1 minute, add the garlic as the onions start to sweat. Add the tomatoes and zucchini and cook until zucchini is al dente (soft but still has firmness), approximately 2 minutes.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Add a pinch of salt. Next, stir in the cooked pasta, herbs and lemon zest, season with sea salt. Stir until mixture is fully incorporated.

Pour the egg and pasta mixture over the cooked vegetables on a medium low heat. Cook approximately 8-10 minutes. Finish off in the oven on a high broil for a golden brown color. Remove from the broiler after 2-3 minutes.

Serve straight from the pan, sliced up like a pizza pie! Garnish with additional Herbs de Provence and Parmigiano-Reggiano if desired and enjoy my friends!

Makes 4 Servings. Per Serving: 330 calories, 17g fat (7g saturated fat), 17g carbohydrate, 21g protein, 2g dietary fiber, 780 mg sodium.

Easy-Peasy Peanut Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Chicken

From Candice Kumai and the National Pasta Association

1/2 pound whole wheat spaghetti
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
Heaping 1/4 cup creamy natural peanut butter
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
3/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1 cup sliced shiitake mushroom caps or 1/2 cup dried shiitake mushrooms soaked in boiling water for 5 minutes, drained, and chopped
1 red bell pepper, halved and thinly sliced
1 large zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
3 scallions, cut into strips

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and salt and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Scoop out 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water and then drain the pasta in a colander.

Rinse the pasta under cold running water for a minute or two to chill the noodles. Give them a few shakes to remove the excess water and set aside.

Heat the sesame oil in a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, stirring often, until golden brown on all sides and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Add the ginger and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the peanut butter, honey, soy sauce, red-pepper flakes, and reserved pasta cooking water and cook until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, bell pepper, and zucchini. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender, 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in the cooked chicken and drained noodles and serve sprinkled with the scallions.

Makes 4 Servings. Per Serving:  536 calories, 14 g fat (2 g saturated, 0 g trans), 35 g protein, 11 g fiber, 20 g sugars, 962 mg sodium, 72 g carbohydrates, 49 mg cholesterol

Mmm…Now I’m seriously craving pasta. Two things I could live on 24/7 would be pasta and pizza. Those are my favorite foods.

What is your favorite way to enjoy pasta? Are you going to celebrate National Spaghetti Day tomorrow?

For more pasta recipes or to learn more about Pasta visit www.ILovePasta.org.

Kimberly

*I was not compensated for this post. I posted this for the benefit and enjoyment of my site readers. Any opinions expressed are my own.