Holiday Season Prep And Saving Money On Gifts

This is a sponsored post in partnership with CouponDash.com. All opinions are my own. 

It's so crazy to think that in a couple months, the holiday season will begin. We have a tradition every year where we go and hang out on Halloween with close family-friends and we call it our 'kick-off to the holidays'. After that it seems like we all get into go-mode and the holiday hustle and bustle gets real. There is usually so much going on for all families with school events, football season, and family gatherings.

I find myself cooking and baking a whole lot once the weather gets cooler. There is something about that autumn air that gets me in the mood to be in the kitchen even more. Last year I bought an electric pressure cooker from Amazon and it has been my go-to appliance. I have been strongly considering getting a second one since I cook multiple foods for one meal most times. This would be extremely helpful during the holiday entertaining season as well since I can only cook so many dishes at one time on a four-burner stove. I am pretty sure I will be hosting Thanksgiving, so I will have to throw around a little *hint, hint* to my husband to get me another one of these beauties. 😍

I am so happy that I have Amazon Prime so I don't worry about paying for shipping. If you don't have it, be sure to take advantage of this free 30-day trial of Prime. Aside from cooking and baking during the holidays, I stock up on off-season goods. It's amazing how much marked-down merchandise is available in stores, especially one of my favorite places, Kohl's. I love using their shopping passes and getting Kohl's cash throughout the year. I get a thrill out of buying $800 worth of merchandise for as little as $200 and sometimes, even less! Also if you don't feel like weeding through the clearance racks, you can shop online and even get free shipping. This has become my new favorite way to shop! 

The great part about clearance shopping is that some of the items can be given as gifts for the holidays. I am always down for saving money and spending as little as I can for gifts. I also like giving home baked goodies to friends and neighbors each year. They always look forward to what I send over every year. You can say that it has become a tradition! I am already looking at decorative mini loaf pans for some sort of pound cake. I know it seems so early to be thinking about all of this, but it's best to prepare early so you can fit some relaxation time in. After all, you don't want to miss out on quality time with your family and friends because you are making the mad dash at the last minute. Speaking of dash, be sure to stop by CouponDash.com for savings from tons of well-known retailers like K-Mart, Best Buy, Michaels and more. You can find pretty much any brand you are looking for and they have the coupons savings already set up for you.

Do you get ready for the holidays early? Do you have any good shopping techniques that are helpful? Please share below in the comments. Thanks for stopping by today.

Perfect Turkey Meatball Recipe

I was talking with a good blog friend of mine the other day and she was telling me how she drools when she looks at my Insta feed. I am always in the kitchen baking or cooking up something. Today I made some super simple turkey meatballs and they came out perfectly seasoned and not dry like turkey tends to get. Since I get asked for recipes all the time, I decided I better get busy and throw them on the blog as often as I can. Check out the recipe below.

Ingredients:

• One pound of ground turkey (I use the less lean variety since I don't want dry meatballs)
• finely minced onion, garlic, herbs (I use thyme, rosemary, and parsley), and jalapenos 
• 1/4 grated Parmesan cheese
• assorted dry seasonings (here are my staples) 
• Olive oil
• Cookware: a cast iron skillet or heavy skillet, tongs, spatula, flat tray lined with parchment paper

What to do:

Simply add all of the fresh ingredients into a bowl with the ground turkey. Add desired seasonings. I like to add a few shakes of red pepper flakes for added spice. Throw in the Parmesan and mix everything together with a fork. Use a spoon to help scoop even amounts of turkey and roll into balls. Place them on parchment lined tray as you roll. Place tray in freezer for about 5-10 minutes so they can firm up a bit. Heat skillet on medium-high and add a few tablespoons of olive oil. Gently, but quickly place meatballs in hot skillet and let them start browning without moving them for a few minutes. Carefully use tongs to flip them. If they start to fall apart, you can use a spatula to help keep them together. Let them get brown and crispy all over. That's it! 

I like to serve these meatballs with sides like smashed sweet potatoes, regular mashed potatoes, asparagus, broccoli, or any vegetable my family likes. You can also add them in your favorite pasta sauce for spaghetti and meatballs, or eat them as is. They are the perfect protein-packed snack! 

I hope you will try this recipe soon. Thanks for stopping by xo 

$20 Little Big Meals From The Fresh Market

Cook up convenience with The Fresh Market’s grab-and-go “Little Big Meal” program. The specialty grocer makes dining at home delicious and affordable with inspiring meal solutions each week.

The Fresh Market is a specialty grocer focused on providing fresh, delicious food with friendly service in a warm and inviting atmosphere. From seasonally fresh produce to exceptional quality meat and seafood, signature baked goods and thousands of organic options; The Fresh Market is dedicated to offering guests the most delicious ingredients and inspiring meal solutions.

WHAT/WHEN: The Fresh Market is taking the guesswork out of preparing a deliciously different meal each week with its “Little Big Meal” program.  Available at all of the grocer’s 174 stores nationwide, the grab-and-go meals offer satisfying solutions to the perennial “What’s for dinner?” question.  Guests may simply stop by the “Little Big Meal” display every day of the week to choose from a variety of fresh ingredient options to help make every day eating nothing short of extraordinary.

Each “Little Big Meal” recipe is tastefully curated with the finest quality, hand-picked ingredients of the season and offers a quick and easy wholesome meal for four – available throughout the month for $20 or less!  Guests can visit The Fresh Market any day of the week in May to pick up the below simple and delicious meals:

Now through May 9 – Fajitas ($20)
Add some sizzle to dinner time with The Fresh Market’s Fajita Little Big Meal! Choose from fresh, seasonal ingredients to tastefully master steak or veggie fajitas. Also included in the meal, guests can choose from a side of refried, Cuban or chipotle beans! For an extra twist on this foodie favorite, The Fresh Market suggests whipping up its avocado crema recipe to dollop on top (not included in the Little Big Meal; recipe available at thefreshmarket.com).

May 10-16 – Salads ($20)
Toss the traditional salad recipe out the window, and explore the fresh and delicious Little Big Meal Salads from The Fresh Market! Choose from premium ingredients to make sirloin steak salad with blue cheese and balsamic vinaigrette; shrimp and feta salad with mango coconut dressing or grilled chicken and vegetable salad with parmesan and Meyer lemon poppy seed dressing. Guests will also receive a side of sourdough rolls to top off the meal!

May 17-23 – Grilling Meal ($20)
It’s time to fire up the grill! The Fresh Market’s Grilling Little Big Meal will help guests gear up their palates for the summer season ahead with hand-picked, fresh ingredients to grill pork and chicken skewers and vegetables. To sweeten up the deal, guests can also choose between a cherry, apple, peach or blueberry pie for dessert.

May 24-30 – Burgers ($20)
The Fresh Market’s Burger Little Big Meal is packed with the fresh ingredients necessary to craft four, juicy patties on gourmet brioche buns! Choose from high-quality ingredients to make a classic burger, or a portabella burger with roasted red peppers and pesto mayo. Complete the meal with crisp corn and either macaroni or potato salad – all included for only $20!
                             
WHERE: The Fresh Market’s 174 store locations nationwide

For local store information, please visit thefreshmarket.com/your-market/store-locator.

MORE INFO: For more information on the “Little Big Meals” program, ingredients and recipe ideas, please visit thefreshmarket.com/specials/little-big-meal and follow along on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

Choose the Best Rice Cooker in the Modern Technology Era

Thanks to modern technology, cooking has become easier and easier, even for people who don’t actually love to cook, but want to eat healthy. One great appliance for cooking nutritious meals is the rice cooker, appreciated by many for the fact that it’s easy to use. There are a couple of requirements every buyer wants to have in its cooking appliance: simplicity, efficiency, quality materials, safety and keeping the nutritional value of their food. You can always find useful recipes on several websites, such as http://ottawamommyclub.ca/, for example. However, is rice in a Rice Cooker is the best for you?

Zojirushi NS-LAC05XT Micom 3-Cup Rice Cooker and Warmer

Among the advantages you can find on this Zojirushi appliance you can count the reasonable price, the trendy and stylish design, the multiple functions and the sturdy construction. All together make up an excellent appliance which is particularly useful if you want to cook in a modern and healthy way. You can cook enough rice for one meal, which is 3 cups full of rice.

The machine only weighs 7 pounds, so it’s quite lightweight, but it compensates through a sturdy stainless steel body. Besides the preset menu programs, you can also customize your own program depending on what you want. For example, you can use the quick cooking option if you need to cook something urgently, such as brown rice, porridge, white sushi etc.

All in all, it’s a great rice cooker, durable and portable, suitable for all kinds of needs.

Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 5-1/2-Cup (Uncooked) Neuro Fuzzy Rice Cooker and Warmer

This model is more suitable for whoever has a large family and needs to cook a lot of rice at once. In this case, a 3-cup rice cooker would prove insufficient, so you should step up the game and head over to a 5 and a half cup one. This is the case with the Zojirushi NS-ZCC10 model. Even though it looks round and quite delicate, it is in fact a very powerful machine that works as a computerized device.

There are multiple menu settings available, for example quick cooking, porridge, mixed or white sushi or browning. Moreover, you enjoy an easy to use interface that comes together with an LCD display, digital controls and a panel you can program. There is even a delay timer setting, all for your convenience. The pot holds 1 liter of water, and it measures 14x8x10 inches in size. It weighs 8.5 pounds, so it’s quite manageable.

Aroma Housewares ARC-914SBD Cooked 8-Cup Digital Rice Cooker

Perhaps the most attractive thing about this Aroma appliance is the fact that it has a competitive price. It’s a lot cheaper than many other rivals on the market, plus it offers an amazing, versatile and durable experience. Many people are also delighted by the fact that it has a one-year warranty. It is quite a massive monster, holding 8 cups of cooked rice at once. The dimensions are 8.5x9.3x8.7 inches.

It weighs 4.2 pounds, so you can say it’s portable and easily manageable. You can cook for the entire family, or approximately 4 persons in one go, so it’s a time saver. Naturally, you have digital control and you can program it for browning, steaming or other basic options for white rice. It has an automatic keep-warm function and a delay timer that works for maximum 15 hours. This is helpful if you want to cook the rice in the morning, but serve it in the evening.

Aroma Housewares Stainless Steel 6-Cup Cooked Rice Cooker

We have to admit that Aroma is one of the best competitors on the market, and it’s hard to beat with the price and capacity it offers. The best thing about the Aroma Housewares Stainless Steel 6-Cup Cooked Rice Cooker is the fact that it has a surgical-grade cooking pot. It’s not just an ordinary pot, but it’s made of surgical-grade stainless steel 304.
It’s kind of lightweight, with only 4 pounds, which is awesome for its capacity. Though it has a traditional design, it compensates for the one-touch features that simplifies everything. It also brings the automatic keep-warm function that preserves the nutritional value of rice for hours in a row. All in all, this is a must have in every kitchen!

Zojirushi NS-TSC10 5-1/2-Cup (Uncooked) Micom Rice Cooker and Warmer

The NS-TSC10 model includes Fuzzy Logic technology. It is quite versatile, having a LCD display and digital controls. The best part about it is that it’s customizable, so you can program it as you wish. Of course, it has a stainless steel exterior and a 2 delay time settings, together with the automatic keep warm feature.

My Kitchen Cleaning Must Have Item- Chore Boy Golden Fleece Cloths

Do you have a specific thing you use every day that you can't live without? That is how I feel about my Chore Boy Golden Fleece Scrubbing Cloths . These scrubbing cloths are unlike any scrubber I have ever used. I cook in stainless steel pots and pans as well as cast iron. The golden fleece cloths work so well to get my cookware super clean. I will put it like this: my cookware sets are 24 and 18 years old, and you would never know it! I cook every day of the week so my pots and pans get a lot of abuse use. The golden fleece cloths are what has kept them in such good shape. I also love using them on my cast iron pans because it cleans the stuck on food without damaging them. I give my worn out scrubbing cloths to my husband so he can use them for his outdoor cleaning projects. These babies get so much use!

I have been using them for over 20 years! Sadly, I have been experiencing issues finding them in my local stores. It seems like no one carries them any more. Last year I found them on Walmart.com, but when I went to place an order last week, they no longer carried them. I looked around on Amazon and found them. I can't even begin to tell you how relieved I was. Yes, it's that serious to me! When the USPS truck pulled up this morning to drop off my Amazon Prime package, I was internally screaming with joy! I have tried almost every scrubber around and this one can't be beat. I have no idea why they are so hard to find, but glad I can order them on Amazon. I plan to buy up a bulk so I don't run out. I really hope they don't get discontinued, because that would break my homemaking heart.

Have you ever heard of or used these scrubbing cloths before?

This post contains affiliate links which means if you purchase anything, I will get a teeny tiny commission. 

Get Spicy This Holiday Season With RawSpice Bar

If you are looking for an affordable and unique gift option this holiday season, consider a RawSpice Bar monthly subscription. They start at $8 a month and if you get a full year, it works out to only $6 a month. So what do you get? 

You will receive 3 pouches of high quality spice blends that are recipe ready. A recipe card is included for each packet of spices so you don't have to try to figure out what to do with them. Genius! 

I have tried these spices before and was blown away by how potent they were. It's a great way to try something new without the commitment of having an entire bottle of spices that can potentially go to waste. I am looking forward to making the German Chicken Schnitzel recipe. It doesn't require a lot of ingredients and I am happy to try Schnitzel for the first time. 

To get the details, visit RawSpiceBar.com. I think this would make a unique holiday gift for friends, family, neighbors, or coworkers. 

I received product samples in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own as always. 

Give The Gift Of Home Chef For The Holidays ($50 Giveaway)

CLOSED- Winner is Ms. K 

One thing I feel we can all agree on is that we know that one person who seems to have everything. When it comes to buying a gift for them you are left with a huge burden of giving something meaningful that they will actually like or have use for. I have the ideal solution for that-- A Home Chef gift certificate. I did a full review last month in case you missed it. I think that anyone would love the gift of high quality ingredients that are pre-measured and ready to go to cook up your own gourmet meal at home.

You can personalize your tastes according to dietary needs or allergies to assure you get exactly what you want. This is such a great way to be able to experience new dishes you might not otherwise think to try. I absolutely loved the dishes I 'cheffed' up!

Parisian Bistro Steak with dauphinoise potatoes and green beans

Thai Red Curry Shrimp with jasmine rice and snow peas

Giving a Home Chef gift certificate makes the perfect gift for the holidays. I'm sure the recipient would be delighted. Who wouldn't want the gift of good food?
How would you like to try out Home Chef for yourself? I am thrilled to be able offer my wonderful readers the chance to win a Home Chef gift certificate valued at $50. This will cover the cost of 2 gourmet meals for 2 people. You can keep it for yourself or give it as a gift. Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This giveaway is open to U.S. Residents only and will end on Nov 7, 2016. Follow Rafflecopter rules for entries to count. One winner will be selected and contacted via email to be awarded prize. Good luck!

Gift code for winner is provided by Home Chef. All opinions are my own as always.

I Finally Got Over My Biggest Cooking Fear

I have been cooking since I was about 10 years old. I had a natural passion for it and have not been afraid to experiment or try new things. The one thing I was not able to do was cook in a traditional stove top pressure cooker. The anxiety and fear was too much, so I avoided it at all cost. I wrote a post about it a couple years back and I cringe looking at it.

Fast forward to now. I have seen the whole Instant Pot pressure cooker craze circulating around social media, so I took a look and did some research. I added like 8 different ones from different brands to my wishlist. Honestly, I didn't think I would ever buy one. The fear was too real and I had no idea what an electric pressure cooker would do. Would it be noisy? Will it explode? I had a few blog friends buy one during one of those big Amazon one-day sales and they swore it was the greatest thing ever. One day I was looking on Amazon and decided to jump on the bandwagon take the plunge. After hours of comparing and researching, I settled on the Cuisinart brand. It was on sale for under $70 and roughly $20-30 less than the comparable Instant Pot. I added it to my cart and patiently waited for the delivery. When it arrived, pure joy and fear washed over me at the same time. I did not know what to expect.

I happened to have a chuck roast in the fridge to cook that day so I figured I would try my new pressure cooker out. I watched a couple YouTube videos so I could get a good idea of what to do. I managed to get the roast cooked and something really surprised me. Although I was scared to death the entire time, it turns out that the cooker doesn't make that evil hissing noise while on high pressure. I couldn't believe it! I managed to cooked a perfectly tender pot roast in half the time it would have taken on the stove top and learned I have nothing to fear. I have been missing out on this fabulous kitchen appliance all of this time! As a matter of fact, I've been cooking curry twice a week and it comes out perfect each time!

I have had my pressure cooker for a few months now and use it 3-5 times per week. It quickly became my absolute favorite appliance in the kitchen. Below are the reasons I love my Cuisinart pressure cooker:

• You can brown, saute, and simmer. 
• It can be used as a rice cooker and takes only 3 minutes too cook for white/basmati/Jasmine rice. 
• It has high and low pressure settings with timer.
• Keep warm feature is perfect for keeping food hot if you're not eating right away
• I use it even when not using the pressure option
• Even, fast cooking 
• You can make soups, stews, curry, chili and more. 
• Perfect size, not too big or too small
• Easy to clean with a non-stick pot. Didn't think I'd care for the non-stick surface, but it's really great.
• Self-locking lid prevents accidents. This helped with my fear
• The pressure knob can't pop off while cooking. You have to manually jiggle it and pull to get it off. 
• The texture of food doesn't change like it would using a slow cooker
• It is SO EASY to use
• Pretty stainless steel finish that shockingly stays clean 
• I AM NO LONGER AFRAID! YAY!! 

If you have been thinking about buying an electric pressure cooker or if you are scared to death of them, I highly recommend the Cuisinart CPC-600 6 Quart 1000 Watt Electric Pressure Cooker (Stainless Steel). I am going to purchase a second one so I can use them both at the same time. I know for a fact that this will be the most used appliance in my kitchen. I need to donate my old dinosaur pot now that I think about it.

This cooker would make a great gift for yourself, a wedding, house warming or for the holidays. Trust me, anyone would be thrilled to unwrap this from under the tree! If you are on the fence, you should try this one out. If you decide to purchase one, please let me know. 

**This post contains affiliate links.

Struggling For Recipe Ideas? Here Are 5 Places To Get Inspiration!

It’s that time of week again parents - time to decide what the family will be eating this week. It’s time to draw up a shopping list, ingredients list and recipe list - even if you’re lacking inspiration.

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So instead of resorting to pizza and chips for the hundredth time, take a look down this list. From eBook downloads to YouTube videos, we’ve gathered all the best places for you to research and read recipes. It’s time for some fresh ideas!

1. Cooking eBooks

The reason I say ‘eBooks’ over regular books is that eBooks can store a lot more data. That means more recipes for you, and more ideas for you! Plus, with an eBook reader, you can store hundreds of individual books. Theoretically, this means you will never run out of ideas.

But firstly; where do you get these eBooks? Most eBook readers have a built in store, so try there. The selection may be limited, though. Alternatively, a site like Tradebit offers users the ability to download dozens and dozens of cookbooks at the click of a button. No more will you be out of ideas!

2. Recipe creation tools

One of the hard parts about coming up with recipe ideas is deciding what ingredients to use. There are hundreds to choose from, but which works best? Which will taste best?

Fortunately, the web is here to help. The advanced search tool on sites like AllRecipes lets you search for recipes by ingredients. So, for example, you could enter ‘buffalo chicken’ and ‘rice’ and be greeted with dishes containing those too. Or, you can choose to exclude ingredients from your search.

3. YouTube

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A lot of recipes are too long, too drawn out and not very engaging. That’s often what leads us to not cooking something very creative, or just whacking something in the oven.

But what if it wasn’t this way? What if recipes were engaging and made you want to eat that food? The advent of social media has seen the rise of many bitesize recipe videos which are plastered across YouTube. These are made with the intent to be shared, and as such are as short as you’re going to get.

4. Family recipes

Our families are full of hidden secrets. Did you know that your Uncle John is a two-time Olympic gold medalist? Or how about your Auntie Susan, whose claim to fame was appearing as an extra in Titanic?

Well, those probably aren’t true - but if they are, what an incredible guess! What’s more likely is that your family has that one special recipe, that secret that’s passed down from generation to generation. If you haven’t heard yours yet, now’s the time to ask - it could give you that inspiration boost that you need.

5. Try alternate cooking methods

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Perhaps you’re a bare-bones type of cooker. You like to stick with a familiar set of ingredients and don’t like to venture outside your comfort zone. And that’s fine! You don’t have to.

But there is a way to do this and still get great new ideas - try cooking the food differently. Instead of making chips, make those potatoes into a delicious sauteed dish. Braised meat tastes like an entirely different creation to roasted meat. Instead of frying those eggs, why not poach them?

The point here is that perhaps your cooking habits have grown a little stale. You’re using the same ingredients in the same cooking methods for weeks and weeks. By changing your cooking methods, you’re still in your comfort zone but are making things more exciting.

And that’s what cooking is all about.

Now Available at Publix Stores- Tabanero Hot Sauces #TabLife

If you like hot and spicy, I have something you are sure to like. Introducing Tabanero Hot Sauces, now available at your local Publix Supermarket. Tabanero sauces come in 3 varieties- Original Hot, Extra Hot, and Agave Sweet & Spicy. The Original Hot variety is actually more of a medium heat to me, so if you can't handle too much heat, this is a good one to try. It goes well with chili, soups or most savory dishes that need a little kick. 

I personally love the Agave Sweet & Spicy. It has a good balance of sweet and heat. It works well to add a kick to your chicken or meat marinade. The thing that makes Tabanero unique is that it's all-natural and not vinegar based like most hot sauces. Also, its unique flavor comes from the combination of carrots, onions, garlic, Key Lime juice, red habanero peppers and Agave nectar; which balances out the heat of the habaneros and adds a hint of sweetness. The perfect balance of flavor and heat to spice up any dish with a flavorful zest. They refer to their sauces as "Healthy Heat". 

Tasting is believing! You can incorporate Tabanero sauces into so many savory dishes and surprisingly, even a couple of sweets. Check out some of the recipe ideas on their website. Tabanero products are available in many restaurants across the country and can be purchased online as well as in Publix Supermarkets. Be sure to follow Tabanero on Twitter and Facebook for their zesty updates. 

I received product samples to review in exchange for my honest feedback. All opinions are my own as always. 

How to Make Anything Taste Better With Finlandia Butter and Cheese

June is a special month.  It marks graduation, the start of summer, weddings, vacation season. But did you know that June is also National Dairy Month? Finlandia is a brand that has been crafting some of the highest quality cheese and butter for over a century. Their butter and cheese products are all-natural and do not contain additives such as growth hormones, preservatives, and dyes. All you get is pure deliciousness that you can feel good giving your family. 

Many of my family and friends refer to me as a food snob. I'm okay with that label and I think more people should be food snobs as well. Caring about the quality of your food and eating real food is important.  Finlandia Butter is made from pure, hormone-free milk, which comes from happy cows that live on family-owned farms in Finland—the greenest country on Earth.  No hidden chemicals, no factory farms—just pure, creamy goodness. Let me tell you something, Finlandia butter is perfection times 20! It's so creamy and delicious and perfect as a spread on your toast or incorporated in both sweet and savory dishes. 

I love a good omelet (or scramble as mine tends to turn into) and the addition of Finlandia butter and cheese make it extra tasty. Oh and you can't forget the crunchy buttered toast. 

When you put quality ingredients into your dishes, you will be able to taste the difference. I am currently obsessed with Finlandia's perfectly salted butter. I'm waiting on some bananas to get overripe so that I can bake up a loaf of banana bread. Oh, and I'm thinking about a nice pound cake too! 

Be sure to check out the Finlandia website and follow on Facebook for recipes and promotions. 

I received product samples in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own and I absolutely love this brand!

3-Ingredient Buffalo Chicken Empanadas Recipe For Game Day

Today's post is sponsored by Naturally Fresh. All opinions are my own as always. 

It's football season and the big Game Day is approaching. This means you have a little time left to start getting your Game Day menu ready or plan on what you will take to a party you may attend. Of course you must have an abundance of savory finger foods on hand. One of my new favorites are my Buffalo Chicken Empanadas. The best part is you only need a handful of ingredients to make them.  These can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator if you need to. They can be heated up in the oven or microwave. They are so easy to make, taste SO good and really are a crowd-pleaser. 

Ingredients:

1 small pack of boneless, skinless chicken thighs 

1 box of refrigerated pie crust

Buffalo wing sauce 

1 egg 

Seasonings of your choice

Naturally Fresh Bleu Cheese Dressing for dipping 

Directions: 

Lightly season your chicken (if you choose to) and place in slow cooker on high setting and let cook for 2 hours or until tender. Shred and lightly chop chicken since it will be a filling. Big chunks will not work. Cut pie crust with a glass or cookie cutter that is about 3 1/2- 4 inches in diameter. Place a little bit of the shredded chicken in the middle of each pie crust round and drizzle with Buffalo sauce. Be careful not to add too much sauce to avoid spillover or a soggy crust. Fold circle in half and use a fork to press edges to seal. Beat one egg with a little bit of water and brush empanadas to give them a nice sheen and brown color when baked. 

I recommend using parchment paper for baking to make removal easier. Bake at 400 degrees (or lower according to your oven) for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with Naturally Fresh Bleu Cheese Dressing and enjoy! 

Isn't that flaky crust gorgeous? 

Look at all that delicious Buffalo chicken filling!

Why Naturally Fresh Bleu Cheese Dressing? It is the perfect dip for these zesty empanadas. Naturally Fresh makes their yummy dressings with their very own buttermilk and aged bleu cheese chunks. You can really taste the difference! I can't get enough of those glorious cheese chunks. They also use real herbs and spices like basil, black pepper, spicy ginger and tangy mustard seeds in many of their sweet and savory dressings and dips. Naturally Fresh does not use:

• Artificial thickeners to make up texture that should come from real ingredients.
• Monosodium glutamate (MSG), an artificial flavor enhancer.
• Artificial preservatives. That’s why you’ll only find Naturally Fresh products in the refrigerated section.
• Artificial colors or flavors

Naturally Fresh dips and dressings can be found in the refrigerated section of your produce department. You can use this store locator to find a nearby retailer that carries them. I have found these dressings at my local Publix and Kroger stores. You simply can't beat high-quality, homemade-tasting salad dressings and dips with no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. Be sure to "like" Naturally Fresh on Facebook for recipe ideas and more. 

5 Thanksgiving Turkey Carving Tips (Do's and Don’ts)

46 Million Turkey dinners are expected to be served on Thanksgiving.  But cooking is only half the battle. The taste can take a turkey turn downward if you don't slice your bird the right way. 

Dennis Snuszka, Vice President of Food & Beverage at dining destination TooJay’s Deli ( www.toojays.com ) has the must do's and don’ts to make sure you carving and serving of the feature Thanksgiving item is perfect.

  

1)    Don’t Cut Too Soon. Allow the roast turkey to rest 30 minutes before carving. This allows all of the natural juices to redistribute throughout the meat to prevent the turkey from drying out.

2)   Separation is a Good Thing.  Separate the leg from the breast by running a boning knife through the skin between the two. Continue to cut in a downward direction until you reach the thigh joint and carefully separate as you push the leg away from the frame. Cut off drumstick and serve it whole. Place thigh on to a cutting board and slice through the meat on either side of bone straight down

3)  Slicing the Right Size.   Using a slicer knife use the full length of the blade to cut slices no more than a ½” thick starting from the outside of the breast and moving towards the center or breastbone. 

4)  Again and Again.   Repeat these steps until the entire bird has been sliced. Remove the wings from the frame with a boning knife in the same way you removed the leg from the breast. 

5)   Boil and Go.  Make sure that the turkey gravy is brought up to a boil before serving to reheat the sliced turkey.

bistroMD’s Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes

Thanksgiving will be here in a matter of weeks and many of you may be menu-planning already. Here are some healthy Thanksgiving recipes courtesy of bistroMD. I'ms sure we all could 'healthify' one of the most decadent meals of the year. Even if it's just a couple dishes. Check it out...

bistroMD’s Roasted Turkey Breast with Cranberry Chutney Recipe

Nutrition Per Serving (serving includes: 5 oz Turkey Breast + ¼ cup Cranberry Chutney + ½ cup Butternut Squash and Wild Rice Blend + ¾ cup Broccoli):

Calories: 300
Protein: 29 grams
Net Carbohydrate: 27 grams
Ingredients:

Roasted Turkey Breast:
5-6 lb Turkey Breast, bone-in, skinless
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 tablespoon Sage, fresh, chopped
1 teaspoon Thyme, fresh, chopped
1 tablespoon Rosemary, fresh, chopped
1 teaspoon Dry Mustard
1 teaspoon Sea Salt
½ teaspoon Black Pepper

Cranberry Chutney:
1 lb Cranberries, fresh
½ cup Raspberries, frozen
¼ cup Water
½ cup Celery, finely chopped
Juice and Zest of 1 Orange
1 tablespoon Honey
¼ teaspoon Cinnamon

Roasted Butternut Squash and Wild Rice Blend:
1 cup Wild Rice Blend (we like Lundberg Wild Blend)
1 Butternut Squash, cubed
1 Fennel Bulb, sliced
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
¼ teaspoon Sea Salt
¼ teaspoon Black Pepper

Instructions:
Roasted Turkey Breast:
Pre-heat oven to 325 °F
In a small bowl combine the olive oil, garlic, herbs, sea salt and black pepper to make a paste. Then rub the mixture into the turkey breast, coating all sides.
Transfer to a roasting pan and roast for about 1 ½ hours to 1 ¾ hours, until an instant read thermometer registered 165 °F when inserted into the thickest part of the breast.
Remove from oven, cover with foil and allow to rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

Cranberry Chutney:
Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add water, orange juice, orange zest, honey and cinnamon and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low and add cranberries. Continue to cook until they become soft and burst, about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add raspberries and celery, cook an additional 10 minutes, until raspberries begin to burst.
Reduce heat to low and cover until ready to serve.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Wild Rice Blend:
Pre-heat oven to 425 °F.
Cook rice according to package directions.
Spread butternut squash and fennel evenly, in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil, sea salt and black pepper over the squash mixture and toss with your hands to coat.
Roast for 20-30 minutes, until squash is turning golden around the edges. Stir squash mixture halfway through cooking.
Once rice is complete, fluff with a fork and transfer to a serving bowl. Combine butternut squash and fennel with the rice, toss and serve

bistroMD’s Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie Tartlets

Nutrition Per Tartlet (Serves: approximately 15 tartlets):

Calories: 150
NET Carbohydrate: 12 grams
Protein: 4 grams

Ingredients:
Pie Crust:
1.5 cups Almond Flour
1 Egg
2 tablespoons Butter, unsalted

Pie Filling:
1 can (15 oz) Pumpkin Puree
½ can Coconut Milk, unsweetened
½ cup Honey
2 Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
½ teaspoon Ginger, ground
¼ teaspoon Cloves, ground
½ teaspoon Sea Salt

Instructions:

Pie Crust:
Preheat oven to 350 °F.
Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender until a smooth dough forms.
Spritz muffin pan with non-stick olive oil spray or use muffin liners.
Press approximately 1 tablespoon of dough into each cup and press to evenly fill the bottom.

Pie Filling:
Add all ingredients to a medium sized bowl and mix using a hand mixer until smooth. Or add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
Divide filling amongst muffin cups.
Bake approximately 10-15 minutes or until center is set.
Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before removing from pan

bistroMD’s Quinoa and Pumpkin Seed Stuffed Acorn Squash

Nutritional Information: (for each serving, serves 8):

Calories: 219
Protein: 5g
Carbohydrates: 44g
Ingedients:

4 medium acorn squash, halved lengthwise with the seeds removed
3 cups of water
2 cups quinoa
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 ½ cups diced onion
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
1 tablespoon minced cardamom
1/8 tablespoon of turmeric
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup diced apples
1/4 cup dried currants
1/3 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Adjust rack to the middle shelf.
Simmer the quinoa in 3 cups of water to make fluffy, this should take 15 to 20 minutes.
While the quinoa cooks, add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook until softened, stirring frequently, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the carrots, celery, cardamom and turmeric.
Using fresh apples, cut into small dices and soak with lemon juice.
Cover the pan and simmer the vegetables for 5 minutes until they are tender.
In a big bowl, toss together the quinoa and vegetables. Stir in the dried fruit, diced apples, pumpkin seeds, nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.
Brush the skin of the squash lightly with olive oil. Place the squash, cut side down, in a baking pan.
Pour 1/2-inch of boiling water into the pan and bake for 20 minutes to soften the squash. Move the squash to a plate and set aside until cool enough to handle.
Stuff the squash halves with the quinoa mix, return them, stuffing-up to the pan, and bake until the flesh can be easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife. This should take 30 minutes or less.