Tumaro’s Gourmet Organic Flour Tortillas – A Refreshing Chance to Bread!

Tumaro’s Gourmet Tortillas recently added new line of Gourmet Organic Flour Tortillas to there delicious product line and I had the pleasure of trying them.  The new USDA certified organic 8″ tortillas are made with the finest organic ingredients, contain absolutely no preservatives and come in five scrumptious flavors which include Organic Garden Herb, Organic Honey Wheat, Organic Jalapeño & Cilantro, Organic Multi Grain, and Organic Premium White.

Tumaro’s tortillas are also certified by the American Heart Association, are low in fat, high in fiber, and contain no artificial flavors, preservatives, cholesterol or trans fats. Additionally, the tortillas are free from lactose too!

Sound pretty good?  They are!  I used the tortillas to make veggie wraps, tuna wraps, and more!  I even made Aiden a quesadilla that he enjoyed for lunch.  The tortillas are a refreshing change to bread and can turn an ordinary sandwich into a gourmet treat.

BUY IT

“Tumaro’s^® Organic Tortillas are sold in natural food stores nationwide. Each resealable, recyclable plastic bag of six tortillas has an SRP of $3.49.”

Greek Salad Wrap

Toss ingredients in mixture and place on a Garden
Spinach & Vegetable Tortilla. Wrap & Roll

*Recipe borrowed from Tumaro’s.

FTC  disclosure :  In adherence to the  FTC   it  is necessary  to add when ever I receive any compensation in return for posting about a company or product.  Tumaro’s provided me with samples for review purposes. No further compensation was received.    Even though a free product was received,  the opinions were of my own.

Chocolate Cookie Bark

The Chocolate Cookie Bark is absolutely delicious and is made with just 4 ingredients!  Prep time is about 20 minutes and the recipe makes about 14 servings.  Whip up a batch and watch the yummy chocolaty cookies disappear in minutes!

Chocolate Cookie Bark

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. peanut butter

1 pkg. (6 squares) BAKER’S White Chocolate, melted

10 OREO Cookies, crumbled, divided

1 pkg. (8 squares) BAKER’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

Directions

ADD peanut butter to white chocolate; stir until well blended. Stir 1/2 the cookies into each bowl of chocolate.

DROP spoonfuls of the chocolate mixtures onto waxed paper-covered baking sheet, alternating colors of chocolates. Swirl with knife.

REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm. Break into pieces.

(recipe borrowed from Kraftfoods.com)

Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies

I’m beginning to bake my yearly Christmas cookies and I thought I would bring to you some of the recipes tested and approved by the cookie critic. The Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookie recipe is one of our favorites and was borrowed  from Kraftfoods.com.  I like the recipes from Kraft because the preparation is fairly simple, are kid friendly, and usually use easy to find ingredients.  The only change I made in the recipe was to omit the pecans.  I wanted my son to be able to enjoy the cookies and not worry about him possibly being sensitive to the nuts.  The cookie has a nice soft texture and rich flavor.  Give them a try and let me know what you think!

Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2-1/4 cups flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup PLANTERS Chopped Pecans

1-1/4 cups raspberry preserves

Directions

HEAT oven to 350°F. Beat cream cheese, butter, sugar and vanilla with mixer until blended. Add flour, baking soda and pecans; mix well. Refrigerate 30 min.

SHAPE dough into 1-inch balls. Place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets. Indent centers.

BAKE 10 min. Fill each cookie with about 1 tsp. preserves. Bake 8 to 10 min. or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets 2 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

Spicy Turkey Stuffed Peppers – Challenge Dairy Butter -”A Taste of the West” Sweepstakes

A few weeks ago I was contacted by Challenge Dairy to see if I would be interested in whipping up a recipe using Challenge Dairy butter and a few other ingredients.   Being that I love to cook,  I happily agreed and they sent me a bunch of goodies including Challenge Butter, 3 Spice Island Spices, OXO Good Grips Whisk, and an OXO Good Grips POP Container.

My mission was to use all the ingredients to create an appetizer.  I immediately went on a mad dash search through all my cookbooks and online recipe sources to try and find something that contained butter, Chipotle Chile, Fennel Seed, and Beau Monde Seasoning.  I couldn’t find not one recipe with ALL these ingredients so I took one of my favorite dishes and incorporated the spices.

WOW it turned out delicious.  My daughter and husband LOVED it.  My son on the other hand thought it was an alien pod that landed on his plate and decided to dissect it.

If you choose to try the recipe beware to only add as much Chipotle Chile as you see fit.  The spice is extremely hot and should be used sparingly.  I used a few pinches and it was just enough to add a hint of spiciness.

I served the Spicy Turkey Stuffed Peppers with a side of crisp romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and Italian dressing with a slice of fresh mozzarella.  It was extremely yummy and filling,  therefore it could also be used as a main coarse instead of an appetizer.  I doubled the ingredients to accommodate a family of four but the recipe below is simply for two stuffed peppers.

Spicy Turkey Stuffed Peppers

2 large green peppers, tops and seeds removed

1/2 pound ground turkey

1 small onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon Spice Islands Fennel Seed

pinch of Spice Islands Chipotle Chile  (add enough for desired hotness)

2 tablespoons Challenge Butter

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon Spice Islands Beau Monde Seasoning

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup chopped tomato

1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

In large saucepan, cook peppers in boiling water for 3 minutes.  Drain and rinse with cold water, set aside.

In a skillet, combine the turkey, onion, garlic, Fennel Seed, and Chipotle.  Cook over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink.  Drain and set aside.

In the same skillet, melt butter.  Stir in flour, Beau Monde Seasoning, and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened.

Return turkey mixture to skillet.  Stir in tomato and half the cheese; heat thoroughly.

Spoon into peppers; sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Place in a greased 1-qt baking dish. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until peppers are tender and the filling is hot.

Servings = 2

Enjoy!

About Challenge Dairy (quoted from website)

Challenge Dairy Products, Inc. is a cooperative association responsible for the marketing and distribution of dairy products produced from 600 large family-owned dairies. Challenge Dairy has had a tradition for natural, quality dairy products since 1911.

Challenge Butter is the largest selling brand in the West. Challenge also markets Danish Creamery Butter, a strong brand in Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley. Very early, the management of Challenge recognized the elements of successful butter marketing: consistent quality, consistently promoted. By refusing to sell any butter that did not meet the highest standards, Challenge built a reputation for quality throughout the Western States.

Spice Islands

Spice Islands has scoured the lush tropics, the desert lands of Africa, the flourishing regions of India, and the unimaginable beauty of the islands, and these travels have been just the beginning. Spice Islands has traveled the world in search for the most revered spices of the world. So that you can give your family the best taste the world has to offer.

Spice Islands has intently studied the beginning of the spice trade, sifting through every story, folklore, and rumor. With immense education, Spice Islands has the knowledge and intuition to find the most treasured spices in the world.

Not only do we find great spices, we source them during prime harvesting. Our global sourcing ensures that only the highest-quality spices and flavorings bear the Spice Islands name. So you can always trust that your Spice Islands product will give you an award-winning dish.

As a trading company, Spice Islands has been stocking shelves with the best spices in the world. Since 1941, we have been making sure you get the freshest spices available.

With over one hundred products, Spice Islands is offering the flavor of the world to your kitchen. New products have been developed throughout the years to provide even better quality. Try our unique adjustable grinders, organics, or delicious world flavors that bring the best flavors of the world right into your favorite dishes.

OXO

Have you ever seen a single glove on the street and wondered who lost it? We have too. As a reminder of who we are designing products for, OXO employees collect lost gloves around New York City and around the world. These gloves are prominently displayed at our office as a reminder of the different hands our products need to comfortably fit – large, small, male, female, young, old and in between.

OXO was founded in 1990 on the philosophy of Universal Design, which is the concept of designing products that are easy to use for the largest possible spectrum of users. At OXO, living by Universal Design principles gives us an opportunity to see things from a different perspective. The goal of making products more usable forces us to first identify problems and inefficiencies of existing products (including our own), not only in terms of comfort, but performance as well. This gives us the foundation to meet our commitment of making only products that offer tangible improvements. Each year, OXO introduces more than 50 products. Many of these products take more than two years to develop. In fact, a few of the products never make it to the market because they fail to meet the OXO criteria.

We’re often asked where product ideas come from at OXO. The reality is they come from everywhere – employees, consumers, inventors, retailers, even the aunt of an employee. The fact that we are all users of the types of products we produce makes us more sensitive to the validity of these ideas. And through our product development process, we have been able to bring a steady stream of innovative solutions to user problems.

It also doesn’t hurt that we’re all crammed into our office like sardines where no one is allowed to forget the true OXO mission.

Challenge Dairy Sweepstakes!

Challenge Dairy is running a sweepstakes for a chance to win a 7-day/6-night vacation to the Mountain Sky Guest Ranch in Montana! This is an AWESOME prize.  Get your entry in for your chance to win.

Sweepstakes details quoted directly from Challenge Dairy

Grand Prize

So we’d like to invite you to enter to win A Taste of the West during a 7-day/6-night trip for 4 people to the incredible Mountain Sky Guest Ranch (mtnsky.com) in Montana’s Paradise Valley, just North of Yellowstone National Park.

In addition to world-class fine dining, the guest ranch features cozy accommodations, horseback riding, hiking, fishing, rock climbing, clay shooting and much more! Revive, rejuvenate and reconnect with a variety of activities for everyone.

Airfare, food, accommodations and certain activities are all-included in this $17,000 luxury getaway.

First Prize

We’ll also be churning more good luck with an $850 kitchen package from Spice Islands and OXO.

Spice Islands (spiceislands.com) is renowned for sourcing and delivering the world’s most flavorful spices, herbs, and extracts. With over 100 distinct products you are sure to find a new favorite among their premium spices and blends at your local grocer.

OXO (oxo.com) offers over 850 household products that ease the tasks of everyday life for the widest range of users possible. Their collection of TOP Containers are perfect to store any culinary masterpiece.

Prize Eligibility

This sweepstakes is open to people at least 13 years old that reside in United States.

Sweepstakes Starts

October 08, 2009 @ 12:00 pm (PDT)

Sweepstakes Ends

December 31, 2009 @ 11:59 pm (PST)

Homemade Pie Spice Air Freshener

I love autumn and all the special gifts it brings.  The apple festivals, beautiful foliage, Halloween festivities, Thanksgiving, and the sweet aroma of fresh baked apple pie make it my favorite time of the year.

Try this homemade aromatic mixture to give your house a homey  fresh baked apple pie scent and help get you in the mood for fall.  It only costs a few pennies to make and beats the smell of pricey commercial room fresheners.

3 cups water

6 cloves

1 cinnamon stick

6 pieces dried orange peel

In a small pan, combine all the ingredients and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until your home is filled with the  spicy fragrance.  Make sure to keep checking the water level!

Pearly Bites

This idea was borrowed and tested from the August FamilyFun Magazine’s Treat Of The Month.  The sweet “under the sea style snacks”  are perfect to serve up at beached themed parties, picnics, or summer gatherings.  The cute “Pearly Bites” are not the most nutritional snack to let your children devour, but they are fun to make and the kids love them.

The ingredients you will need to make each oyster  are pink frosting, small round wafer cookies, yogurt-covered raisins, white frosting, toothpick, and food coloring for adding the pupils.

To prepare, spread a layer of pink frosting (I used Pillsbury Whipped Supreme Strawberry Frosting) to the bottom of the small wafer cookie, then press a yogurt-covered raisin on the top toward the edge.  Place another cookie as shown, making sure one edge is in the frosting to hold it together.  Dab on the white frosting for the eyes.  Next, use a toothpick dipped in the food coloring to add the pupils.

You can find more easy to make treat and snack recipes at FamilyFun.com.

Chiquita Smoothies- A Fun Healthy Treat!

I know when I hear someone mention Chiquita I automatically  think of bananas!  Chiquita has marketed bananas, its most recognized product,  for more than 100 years.  They are operating in more than  80 countries world wide and employ approximately  25,000 people.   In 2006 the company sold 144 million boxes of bananas and since the mid 1990’s made a dedication to be environmentally responsible  with their commitment to achieve certification to the high standards of the Rainforest Alliance in all their company owned banana farms.   The Rainforest Alliance is an international organization whose mission is to protect the ecosystems and the people plus wildlife who live in them.  The organization works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainability by implementing better production practices for working the land.

Chiquita offers a huge variety of  other fruits, vegetables, and healthy snacks.  Besides bananas, you can find their label on apples, avocados, grapes, kiwi, cherries, melons, pineapples, pears, peaches, plums and nectarines, ready to eat spinach, salads, fruit beverages, and  bite sized nutritious  snacks.

The new addition to their line of wholesome products is the delicious Chiquita Fruit Smoothies!  The all natural fruit smoothies do not have any artificial sweeteners, coloring, preservatives, dairy, or gluten, and are packed   with antioxidants.   Each serving of the yummy treat  contains at least 1/2 cup of fruit per eight-ounces and 100 percent of the  recommended daily value of vitamin C.  The four flavors currently available  are Strawberry Banana, Banana Colada, Peach Mango and Mixed Berry.  They are a great value costing less than $1 per serving and a wonderful alternative to consumers who want a great tasting smoothie that can be easily prepared at home for an affordable price.

My daughter and I whipped up a batch of the Chiquita Mixed Berry Smoothie and we loved the frozen refreshing taste.  Even my son who is severely picky enjoyed the cold lip smacking treat!

Preparing the smoothie was easy.  All I did was mix the contents of the smoothie canister with six ounces of water and two cans of ice in my Oster Fusion blender.   I maxed blended on high for a little over a minute and voilà-a perfect tasty smoothie!

You can even use the Chiquita Smoothies in recipes.  There are several recipes located at www.chiquitasmoothie.com along with some fun games , $1 off coupon, the chance to win a Tropical Trip for four, and to enter the drawing for an  Oster Fusion Reversing Motor Blender, Blend-N-Go Cup, and one year supply of Chiquita Smoothies!

Chiquita Smoothies are available nation-wide in your grocer’s freezer aisle, with a suggested retail price of $2.69.

If you would like to learn more about Chiquita Brands International, please  click here.

To find information about Old Orchard, visit  www.oldorchardjuice.com.

Follow Chiquita Smoothies on Twitter

Become a fan of Chiquita Smoothies on Facebook

STRAWBERRY BANANA MUFFINS

1 can Strawberry Banana Chiquita™ Smoothie, slightly thawed
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine smoothie contents, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and butter. In another bowl, combine dry ingredients. Slowly add dry ingredients to the bowl with the smoothie mixture. Stir until well combined. Spoon batter into lined or greased muffin cups, filling each cup about two thirds full. Bake muffins for 20-25 minutes.

Recipe borrowed from www.chiquitasmoothie.com

Wordless Wednesday – Let The Sunflower In Cupcakes!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Recipe has been borrowed from Food Network…

Lasagna Soup Review

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and sauté, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until the sausage is no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain any excess fat from the pot. Add the onions and sauté until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and sauté for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and sauté until the paste turns a rusty brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, the broth, and the bay leaves and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.
2. Add the pasta, then increase the heat to medium-high and boil the soup until the pasta is tender to the bite, following the time recommendations on the pasta package. Discard the bay leaves, then stir in the basil. If desired, season with salt and black pepper to taste.
3. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, the Parmesan, the 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and the pinch of pepper. To serve, place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture in each bowl, sprinkle with some of the mozzarella, and ladle the soup on top. Makes about 13 cups.