Catch him in the act! LOL

It's not food related, but how SO TOTALLY COOL is this!?  If you have little ones who are looking for concrete PROOF that Santa exists, check this out.

Mead Johnson, Maker of Enfamil, Loses Multi-Million Dollar False Advertising Case Against Store-Brand

This is a sponsored guest post written by a Press Release on behalf of PBM Products. Post powered by Sponzai.

GORDONSVILLE, VA., December  2 , 2009—PBM Products, LLC, a leading infant formula company that supplies store-brand infant formulas to Walmart, Sam's Club, Target, Kroger, Walgreens, and other retailers, has received a favorable jury verdict and a $13.5 million damages award in its false advertising lawsuit against Mead Johnson & Co., the operating subsidiary of   Mead Johnson Nutrition Company (NYSE: MJN) (“Mead Johnson”), the makers of the national-brand Enfamil® LIPIL® Infant Formula.  Mead Johnson is 83 percent-owned by Bristol-Myers Squibb.

 

PBM’s lawsuit claimed that Mead Johnson engaged in false and misleading campaigns against PBM’s competing store-brand of infant formulas, suggesting they do not provide the same nutrition as Mead Johnson’s brands.  PBM’s store-brand infant formulas cost up to 50 percent less than Enfamil® LIPIL®.  The $13.5 million in damages awarded by the jury in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia is one of the largest damages awards ever for a false advertising case.

 

“This decision by a jury of the people confirms that Mead Johnson’s ads have been false in suggesting that there is a nutritional difference between our store-brand formula products and their products, when in fact the only major difference is price,” said PBM CEO Paul B. Manning.  “Despite Mead Johnson’s scare tactics, parents are assured that PBM’s formula products are as high quality and nutritious as Mead Johnson’s.”

 

U.S. District Court Judge James R. Spencer issued his written rulings yesterday following the November 10^th jury verdict. Judge Spencer’s written rulings permanently enjoined Mead Johnson from making any false statements concerning PBM's infant formula, including the claims Mead Johnson previously made in Enfamil advertising that "It may be tempting to try a less expensive store brand, but only Enfamil LIPIL is clinically proven to improve brain and eye development," and "there are plenty of other ways to save on baby expenses without cutting back on nutrition."  The Court also ordered Mead Johnson to retrieve from the public domain all advertising or promotional materials containing these or any other false claims about PBM's store brand infant formula.  

The details of the decision and the complaint are posted online in full at:

 

·      http://www.pbmproducts.com/docs/Order_Laches.pdf

·      http://www.pbmproducts.com/docs/PBM_Complaint_MJ_III_LIPIL.pdf

 

The nutritional supplements under examination in the case are two fats, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and ARA (arachidonic acid), which Mead Johnson calls “LIPIL®” solely for marketing purposes and touts as promoting infant brain and eye development. PBM’s claim focused on Mead Johnson’s direct mailing to more than 1.6 million parents of an alarming blurry picture of a child’s cartoon duck next to a clear picture of the same image which suggested that anything other than the Enfamil LIPIL® blend of ingredients is inferior and will result in poor eye and brain development.  Other parts of the false advertising campaign consist of statements that only Enfamil LIPIL has been proven to confer visual and mental benefits on infants, and store-brand formulas are a “cut-back in nutrition” compared to Enfamil. 

 

PBM successfully argued that these advertisements were false and misleading especially since PBM store- brand infant formulas have the same nutrients at the same levels as Enfamil.  PBM infant formulas are formulated to contain DHA and ARA, and are sourced from the same supplier in amounts which equal or exceed the DHA and ARA in Mead Johnson’s Enfamil LIPIL®. 

 

This decision marks the third time PBM Products has sued Mead Johnson for false advertising claims. On the prior occasions Mead Johnson admitted that it made false claims about PBM’s products.  It is also the first false advertising case to focus on the issue of DHA and ARA nutritional ingredients in formula, which were introduced into the market in 2003 and have become a staple in recent years by many brands as key components for infant development.

 

“This jury verdict should send a significant and clear message to Mead Johnson about the way it conducts marketing and advertising for its brands,” said Manning.  “This lawsuit also demonstrates our complete commitment to defending our products and the valuable brands of our retail partners.”

 

“As a parent and supporter of children’s medical research, I take a personal responsibility in assuring our customers that the products we produce are healthy and nutritionally equivalent to brand names like Enfamil® LIPIL®.  It is important, especially now, for parents to know that there are lower priced yet highly nutritious store-brand formulas that will provide the same benefit to their children as any national brand name formula product,” Manning added.  

 

The U.S. infant formula market is estimated at $3.4 billion and the global market is estimated at $7.9 billion.

 

All of PBM’s formulas, and for that matter all of U.S. infant formulas, are subject to the exacting standards of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), pursuant to the Infant Formula Act of 1980.  This legislation vested FDA with the authority to ensure that all infant formula products sold in the United States provide the necessary levels of identified nutrients required for the growth of healthy babies. For more information, visit this FDA link.

 

PBM Products was represented by the law firm Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP.  Partners from the firm’s advertising practice, Harold P. Weinberger and Jonathan M. Wagner in New York, led the team.  

 

About PBM

PBM is privately owned and based in Gordonsville, VA.  PBM companies specialize in manufacturing, distributing, and marketing consumer food, nutritional, and pharmaceutical products. For more information, visit www.pbmproducts.com.

 

Enfamil® LIPIL® are registered trademarks of Mead Johnson & Co.

Save with Sav-a-Lot

As I’ve mentioned before, I need to be able to be thrifty when feeding my family.  As a 1 income family, we can’t afford to over-spend on ANYTHING, even food. So when I hear about things like this, I feel the NEED to pass it along to my bloggy friends.

In fact, I’ve written in the past about how I can easily feed my family for under $15 a meal, but the fact is, when it comes to HOLIDAY meals, that’s just impossible.

Or is it?!

Sav-A-Lot is making it easy this holiday season to feed your family of 4 a wonderful holiday meal for UNDER $20!  I know – it sounds impossible, right?  But it’s not!  They’re offering a $5 coupon on their website, and with the rest of the fixings for a delicious holiday meal priced REALLY nice, it’s a snap.  Santa would be proud.

 

You might be thinking “yeah, but what do THEY consider a nice holiday meal? Spam and boxed mashed?”

No!

Their menu includes ham, sweet potatoes, salad (with dressing), veggies, pineapple for the ham, rolls, mac & cheese AND PIE!  All of that for $20 and then you apply the $5 coupon and you’re feeding your family for $15. 

With over 1,500 stores nationwide, there’s sure to be one near you. Go grab your holiday dinner and then put the extra money you saved towards a present for yourself! :)

Have a bigger family than 4?  No problem – the coupon is good for purchases over $20, so grab some extras and still, you save $5 on it. 

Happy holidays!

My Thanksgiving Menu 2009

I’m attempting to scale back this year.   In the last few years, I’ve attempted to really make our dinner something spectacular.  I don’t think anyone but me noticed – so this year? Basics is #1.

• Turkey – cleaned inside and out, buttered inside and out, sprinkled with salt and pepper - roasted on 250°F all night*.  By the morning, it will be done, the house will smell incredible.  This in itself is a tradition that’s been a part of my family history for decades.  Truly, it is NOT Thanksgiving for any of my siblings if we haven’t woken up to the smell of Thanksgiving. [low-fat option for me – eating the white meat instead of my REAL love of the thigh meat!]
  
• Mashed potatoes – not boxed – REAL potatoes.  I peel and cut them into cubes and cover them in salted water the day before.  30 minutes before I’m ready to serve dinner, I place them on the stove, bring them to a boil and then time them.  10 minutes later, they’re done (usually).  I poke them with a fork to make sure.  Then I mash them with some canned milk and butter.  Canned milk (evaporated) just makes them SO creamy and delicious!  [low-fat option for me? None really – although I might try an old standby of mashing some with chicken broth instead. I dunno]
  
• Baked mashed sweet potatoes – I wrap my peeled sweet potatoes in foil and bake them in a 350 oven the day before – typically when I also cook the corn bread for my next item. [low-fat option for me – I can eat these because I don’t put butter on them at all!]
  
• A new favorite of mine – cornbread cranberry stuffing.  Corn bread, cranberries, almonds, ginger – it’s incredible.  I’ll post the directions for this soon.  [low-fat option for me – I can eat this if I scale back on the butter that the recipe calls for. This works out well, considering I’m the only one who eats it LOL]
  
• Sausage stuffing.  Here’s another OLD family tradition.  Although I do not technically STUFF the bird, it’s stuffing.  It’s not DRESSING.  DRESSING is what you put on salad! ;) Another tradition involving this particular holiday food is being sure to include your kids in the tearing the bread into bite-sized pieces preparation that goes along with it.  My grandmother reminded me, every.singe.time I helped her make this stuffing to make sure “the bread isn’t too big or too small!” – just as she did with my mom – and now just as I do with my son (and soon, daughter!).  If I’m on the phone with my mom or sister and mention that I’m making the stuffing, they’ll chime in with “and make sure the bread isn’t too big or too small!” in loving tribute to my Nana.  [low-fat option for me? hahahahaha. NONE. I will have just a tiny bit, though – stomach be damned.]
  
• The one thing I have made a concerted effort to do now is that NOTHING comes from a can on the big holidays.  My family deserves freshly made food.  So I’ll also include some corn and perhaps carrots – oooh, maybe some honey glazed carrots – as side dishes! [low-fat option for me – no brainer. I can eat all the veggies I want, as long as there’s no butter. ]
  
• Home-made pan gravy.  Made from the drippings from the turkey, I add some addition broth (chicken broth, truth be told).  Brought to a boil, you just thicken it with some flour & water (mixed together).  [Be sure to use COLD water when mixing the flour & water.]  Whisk out the lumps and voila! YUMMY gravy not from a jar. [low-fat option for me? Kind of out of luck with that, but I’ll have a tiny bit.  JUST a tiny bit, though.]
  
• Dessert.  I’m thinking maybe my apple pie, since it is such a crowd (read: all 5 of us) pleaser, and it’s easily made!  [low-fat option for me – MINE. ALL MINE!  oops.  I can have *some* – a small piece.]

That’s it.  No home-made orange cranberry sauce. No homemade rolls. No baked squash with apples. I have to live a low-fat lifestyle, so I won’t even be able to EAT most of what I’m cooking – or at least, not in the manner to which I have been accustomed to for the last 40(ish) years.

My new family tradition is when we all gather around the table and we each give thanks for something. Sometimes, it makes me cry, thinking about my grandparents and how much I miss them - but it makes me thankful that I've passed their memories on to my kids, and although 2 of my kids never even met them, they will know them in their hearts, always.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

---

*Note: I KNOW that the way I cook the turkey isn't up to snuff with the turkey hotline people. I've TRIED the turkey hotline people's way for several years - and was paid back by turkey that I didn't enjoy. Turkey that I would even wind up throwing away because we didn't eat it all. Last year, I decided to go back to my mom's way of cooking it and we quite literally would have licked the bones, if there were any meat left on them! So please. I know. Ok? :)

---

Target & TwitterMoms wants to know what what your Thanksgiving traditions are. You could win too!

 

 

The OMG-SO-Good apple pie, revisited

Apple pie is like the official mascot of Fall, isn't it? Once the apple trees are laden with their beautiful babes, we start thinking of pies, crisps, crumbles, cakes and more.

I, of course, am one of those people. Just this last couple of months, I've followed and created so many delicious apple recipes, my family have been VERY happy with me.

One such recipe that I had to come searching my own blog for was my apple pie. Of course, things had changed and I had a different kind of apple, but it turned out even better than I remembered!

You will need:

• 7 Macintosh YORK apples or other similarly tart apple
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 2 Tbls. butter
• 2 Tbls. flour
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 Ready-to-use pie crust (the kind you unroll)
• an extremely helpful 6 yr old named Libby
• Deep dish pie dish is helpful.

First things first, I put the bottom pie crust into my glass pie dish and threw it in the oven while I prepared the apples. I poked the bottom of the crust with a fork several times, though I have no idea what that did for it LOL

Thanks to AMAZINGINLY fast shipping from Amazon, I peeled my apples in record time with my new apple peeler and then cored and chopped them into chunks.

My daughter mixed the sugars, flour, cinnamon and salt in a separate bowl.

Once the apples were chopped into bite-sized pieces, we tossed the apples into the bowl with the sugar mixture and made sure every single apple piece was coated!

Next, we layered the apples into the pie dish, being careful because it's hot now. We cut the butter up into small chunks and placed it around the apples.

Next, we placed the top crust on to the pie, pinching the pie crust closed along the edges. We cut a couple of ventilation holes on top and then rimmed the edge of the crust with aluminum foil to prevent it from burning. I painted some scrambled egg white on top of the crust to help encourage that golden brown..ness.

Into the 375 degree oven (on a cookie sheet to prevent messy, burning spills). I baked ours for about 45 minutes or so - it really depends on the apples you use. The firmer the apple, the longer in the oven. But don't let them get TOO mushy. My suggestion for after the pie is done is to let it sit for a little while - an hour is good. That lets the juices settle and of course, the pie cools down from the molten lava stage. Top with some GOOD vanilla ice cream and you're in HEAVEN!!!!!

SUPER Easy Poached Tilapia

poach

–verb (used with object)

to cook (eggs, fish, fruits, etc.) in a hot liquid that is kept just below the boiling point.

 

When I originally went in search of “poached tilapia”, I was looking for the definition.  However, I ran across dozens of recipes for it instead, and they were all much more involved than mine.  Mine was sitting on the stove, already finished & waiting to be devoured by my family.  So that’s why I named this SUPER EASY Poached Tilapia, because seriously, how much easier can you get than this?

I’ve written before about one particular ingredient that I keep in my pantry.  I’m sure there may be other more expensive, more “gourmet” options, but if I find something I like, I tend to stick with it. 

Such is the case with the Goya Salad & Vegetable Seasoning . I've used it for years now, but I'd never tried it on meat. After all, it DOES say salad & vegetable! But I decided to be a rebel.

Here’s all you need:

1 c. water

1 packet Goya Salad & Vegetable Seasoning

You choice of fish – preferably thin fillets

In a skillet, dissolve 1 packet of the Goya Salad & Vegetable Seasoning in the 1 cup of water.  Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat to medium.

Place fish filets in a single layer in the pan and cook until the fish are flaky with a fork.  Seriously – that’s IT.  10 minutes, your dinner is ready!!! 

I’d taken photos of the recipe, but honestly – they just show fish in a pan. LOL

Don’t boil the fish – just cook it slowly.  Serve with a salad and some kind of yummy vegetable and call it a night!

Baked Squash w/Apples

As I’ve mentioned a time or three before, I LOVE Fall squash season!  There’s just so many varieties of squash and ways to cook them, and they’re all SO YUMMY!

I recently took advantage of some great sales on Delicata squash, which some call the sweet potato squash.  They’re small, delicious and easy to handle and cook quickly.  I’d also bought a bushel of apples (York) and the two just sort of came together.

I began with 4 Delicata squash and approximately 4-5 apples, some butter.

• 4 Delicata squash
• 4-5 apples – peeled, cored and chopped
• 2 Tbs. flour
• 2 Tbs. butter, melted
• 2 Tbs. brown sugar

1. Begin by washing the outside of your squash. It has, afterall, been living in the ground for the last 5-6 months or so.  Once they’re washed, take the tip of a sharp knife and pierce the side of the squash.  CAREFULLY, split the squash lengthwise.
2. Use a spoon to scrape out the inside pulp and seeds. 
3. Poke holes into the flesh of the squash but try not to pierce all the way through to the outside.
4. In a separate bowl, the apples with the flour just to coat them.
5. 
   Sprinkle the brown sugar over the mixture, and then add the melted butter to the mix – toss again (gently). You should guard against unauthorized taste-testing – it can be hazardous to your dinner!
6. In a foil-lined baking dish, place the squash cut side up. Spoon the apples into each half of the squash and then sprinkle with cinnamon.
7. Bake at 350°F for 30-40 minutes or until you can easily sink your fork through the squash.
8. Enjoy!

 

*Note: The final photo does not do this delicious dish justice!  The beautiful squash melts into a gorgeous color, the apples actually crisp up – just fabulous!!!

This dish is perfect to make beforehand for the upcoming holidays.  You can do this the day before, then just keep them covered until the big day – just throw them back in the oven or microwave!

Holiday traditions – giveaway!!!

Gobble Gobble,

The holiday season conjures up many feelings - joy, nostalgia, sentiment, and the desire to carry on past traditions and create new ones.

Often times, holiday hosts will adorn their Thanksgiving tables with treasured family heirlooms like Great-Grandma’s gravy boat, Papa’s Silver Carving Platter, or China received as a wedding gift – each with its own precious memory. 

Yet, many hosts also want to infuse their own unique personality into their celebrations and look for creative ways to make guests feel just as warm and welcome as the celebration itself.

MyPunchbowl.com, the leader in start to finish party planning, offers FREE online Thanksgiving invitations that will immediately engage the recipient and generate such excitement and anticipation, they’ll think they can already smell the turkey roasting!   And remember, the etiquette pros always say to send invitations out a month in advance!

Here is just a small sample of the FREE online invitations for Thanksgiving:

I love the turkey one!  But they also have tons where you upload your OWN photo to include on the invitation. Being a photography LOVER, that’s a great feature.

Who wouldn’t love to receive a warm, welcoming online Thanksgiving invitation to join in the celebration?

A MyPunchbowl.com membership is absolutely free and offers a huge array of standard invitations templates and eCards for any celebration or occasion.  They have everything you need from online invitations to party supplies, personalized favors and much more.

And online invitations save times, money, the environment, and, let’s face it, your writing hand!!

And of course, because this IS a recipe blog, some recipes!  This first one isn’t going to wait for Thanksgiving Day, I’ll tell you!

Cinnamon Apple Muffins for Thanksgiving Day Breakfast

Muffin or cupcake liners
1 ½ cups flour
1 ½ tsp. of baking powder

¾ cup of sugar

1.5 tsp. of baking powder

1 tsp. of ground cinnamon

½ of a cup of whole milk

1/3 of a cup of melted butter

1 egg

1 cup of peeled, cored and diced Granny Smith apples

1 cup of cinnamon chips

To make: stir the flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon together in a medium-sized bowl. Add the milk, butter, egg, apples and cinnamon chips next, stirring together until the mixture is smooth. Fill each muffin liner about 2/3 full, then bake in a 365 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Allow the muffins to cool for at least 5 minutes before serving them.

Non-Alcoholic Thanksgiving Cranberry Punch

2 Bottles of chilled cranberry juice
2 Containers of lemonade or orange juice concentrate
1 Bottle of chilled Sprite, Ginger Ale or seltzer water

Cranberry Pomegranate Thanksgiving Punch

2 bottles of cranberry pomegranate juice
1 container of orange juice concentrate
1 bottle of flavored seltzer water
Vodka, Grain Alcohol or Rum to taste
Garnish: slices of fresh fruit oranges, lemons and limes

What’s your favorite holiday tradition?

One lucky reader will receive a PREMIUM MEMBERSHIP UPGRADE!  All you do to enter is:

• Tell me your favorite holiday tradition.  Be sure to include your email address so I can contact you!
• If you’d like extra entries, tweet up this post. Use a seperate comment to let me know you’ve done it.
• Buzz me!  Visit my Food Buzz profile (click on that button up on the right corner) and view my recipes there. Buzz up the ones that you like :)
• Become a fan on Facebook, a follower on here, subscribe to my feed.  You know the deal :)  Just be sure to leave an entry for each thing that you do.
• ENTRIES THAT DO NOT INCLUDE EMAIL ADDRESS WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.

Winners will be chosen by random.org on November 13th!

I’m a Foodie Mama!

Hey, check meout! I’m on Foodie Mama’s front page with my winter squash article.  Go reaaaad it! :)

I'm famous now!

Holidays are coming!

I am writing this  on all my blogs in order to reach a large audience.

As some of you may know, we are a homeschooling family of 3 kids. I was thinking that it would be a fun geography lesson for at least the 2 oldest ones if we could organize a holiday card and/or ornament exchange with people from around the world - or at least the ones that respond to my plea. :)

I figured what we'd do is, each day that we got a card and/or ornament from a new person, we'd research that area that day. It'd be a great way to "meet" some of my facebook/blogging buddies, as well as to introduce my kids to different areas of the country and world without TOO much hassle.

In return, we'd be happy to return a card and/or ornament to you as well!

If this is something you'd be able to do, please contact me via email (dawniemom at gmail.com) so we can work out details, addresses, etc. The more, the merrier!

Thanks,
Dawn :)

Happy Fall, Y'all!

I know- I'm all Paula Dean now, right? I love Paula. I covet Paula. I want to make sweet, sweet pancakes with Paula.

ahem.

Anyway, I wanted to let you know that I haven't actually fallen off the face of the Earth. Just to West Virginia. I joke, I joke. Seriously, though, we did MOVE to West Virginia a few weeks ago, and before that, we spent a ridiculously huge amount of time and money hunting for a place to live in West Virginia. Why West Virginia? Because it's one of the only states that I mess up EVERY SINGLE TIME I TYPE IT.

Oh - and because hubby FINALLY got a job, and it happens to be in (can you guess?)


.......drumroll please.............

Maryland.

Ha! Almost had you there, didn't I?

Ok, so Maryland is more expensive to live in, so we're in WEST VIR GIN IA. There, I didn't screw it up that time. I know, I know - it's way easier to just type WV - but then the tens of thousands of NON-USA'er fans/followers/stalkers would have NO idea what WV is and would be all "wtf is WV?" so I suffer and type West Virignia. Crap. (see what I mean???)



In any case, it's FALL! I love Fall. I love the smells and sights of Fall. I especially love the foods of Fall. Squash & apples - apples & squash. Everywhere you look, everywhere you go, you'll see squash & apples for sale. Here in West VIR GIN IA, they have apple orchards and peach orchards seemingly on every corner (well - mostly). We visited a 1,000 acre farm this past weekend, and we were AMAZED at all that they had to offer. I swear, they grow every fruit possible. We picked our own raspberries - IN SEPTEMBER! We picked our own GRAPES! (We didn't like the grapes though - blech!) We did not, however, pick our own apples. For some odd reason, that wasn't an option. The website says their apple season starts next week
end, and so maybe then we'll go back and get our OWN apples.





I've NEVER had fresh raspberries that tasted this good, I literally ate them off the plant. Never! The ones I've bought in the market have always been too sour/bitter. These things - these little baby bundles of berry goodness - I could have just eaten them all - every single one!

We wound up picking 2 pints of berries - which they charge by the pound for, and wound up spending $3.47! In the market, we'd have spent about $10 for them!

Ok, so enough about the raspberries, I know. But still!


I just wanted to let you guys know that I'm back - I've already got a new post brewing in my head for a recipe celebrating Fall, too! I'll have that up soon. In the meantime,

Revisiting Turkey Pomodoro

I first made turkey pomodoro back in 2006, when I was following my low-carb diet. I even wrote in my original blog post that it was simply FANTASTIC. So I have no idea why I haven’t made it since! But when I was rifing through the freezer the other day, I found I had a package of turkey tenderloin and remembered this recipe – decided to revisit it.
Turkey Pomodoro

• 2 Tbs. whole-wheat flour
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• salt & pepper to taste
• 4 turkey tenderloins, sliced 1/2” thick
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1/2 c. chicken broth
• 1/2 c. white wine
• 2 Tbs. lemon juice
• 1/2 c. tomatoes, chopped
• 2 Tbs. fresh chopped basil
• 1 Tbs. butter

As I was preparing this, now that I have to follow a low-fat diet, I knew I might have to make some adjustments to the original recipe – so for me, I only used 1 Tbs. of butter, and maybe only 1/2 Tbs. olive oil – but it still came out wonderfully.

In a large ziplock-type bag, I combined the 2 Tbs. of whole wheat flour, garlic powder (which I know I used more than 1 tsp!), salt & pepper. Then I took each slice of tenderloin and 1 by 1, dropped them into the bag, shook them gently and removed them to a plate. I did them 1 at a time because it allowed it to get lightly coated, and not caked on. As a result, there was just enough of the flour mixture to coat the turkey, and as you can see, they were not cakey.
In the skillet, I heated the olive oil and then placed the tenderloins. All you want to do is brown them, but not necessarily cook them all the way through.

Once they’re browned on both sides, remove them to a plate and cover them with foil.

Now you’ll add the chicken broth and wine to the pan, deglazing with a whisk. Add the tomatoes, basil & lemon juice to the broth. Bring to a simmer and reduce a bit. When the sauce is almost done (the tomatoes are soft), add the butter and mix into the sauce. The butter serves to slightly thicken the mix, so it’s important not to skip this step in order to lower the fat content.
Place the cutlets back in and allow them to warm completely. Serve with the sauce on top.
I serve mine atop some angel hair pasta, and finish it off with some freshly grated parmesan, and it was just F A B U L O U S! Seriously.

To be honest, I have no idea what the nutritional info is on this, as I made it 2 weeks ago and didn’t run it through any program to check. I will say, though, that I didn’t have any stomach problems afterward, and that’s all that matters to me LOL
Also, this could easily be done with chicken or pork. In fact, my family all thought it was pork LOL
Enjoy!

Homemade Chicken & Dumplings

 

In the past, I’ve made chicken & dumplings, but it was a kind of cheater’s way – using canned cream of chicken soup, etc.  Today, for some reason, I woke up with the idea in my head to make chicken stew.  Once I started that, I thought wait… why not put dumplings on it! 

• 4 boneless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
• 6 cups of chicken broth
• 3 carrots, cut into 1/2” chunks
• 2 cups frozen green beans
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/4 cup dehydrated onions (because I can’t eat normal onions anymore :< )

Bring chicken broth to a low boil.  Add frozen vegetables and onion.  Simmer for 20 minutes.  Add chunks of chicken.  Continue to simmer for about 30 minutes.

Add 1/4” cup of your favorite thickening agent (corn starch, flour, etc.)) and water – Whisk well, and add to chicken soup.  Stir while it thickens.

Open can of crescent rolls.  do not unroll.  Cut them into 1/4” discs.   Please crescent rounds evenly across the surface of chicken mixture.  Continue cooking on a low light for 10 –15 minutes, or until  dumplings are cooked through. 

Do you have a Yoplait kid?

I sure do.  In fact, I have 3 Yoplait kids.  My kids LOVE Yoplait for Kids yogurt.  They love Go-gurts, they love Trix Yoplait and they love the Yoplait for Kids.  They think they’re getting a yummy treat, but *I* know that they’re also getting something healthy and nutritious, something that is providing Vitamin D and calcium to help build strong bones.  THEY think it’s a snack.  I look at it as a snack with benefits!

Living in an apartment complex, my kids don’t get out and stay as active, particularly in the cold months, as I’d like them to.  But in the summer, I encourage them to get out as soon as they’re finished with their breakfasts! LOL     ANOTHER problem, though, with livingin an apartment complex is that they don’t have a lot of outdoorsy toys to play with.  The ones that they do have, mysteriously disappear if they’re left out overnight.  So imagine their excitement when they opened the box from my friends at MySpark and found THIS incredible prize pack!

The Yoplait Get Active Prize Pack includes a travel cooler (to take your yogurt on the road), a jump rope, a water bottle and an outdoor game set that includes a beach ball, paddle ball, Jai-Ali and a Frisbee, PLUS a coupon for a FREE package of my choice of Yoplait! 

   They FREAKED!

And I’ll bet the kid(s) in your life will freak when you win yours!  Yes, I have not one, not two, but THREE AWESOME Yoplait Get Active Prize Packs to give away to 3 lucky readers!

As always, I have a variety of ways for you to win!

    Leave a comment  for each of the things you decide to do:

  Blog about this giveaway.    Leave your comment WITH your url to the post.
    Tweet about this giveaway.  In your comment, be sure to include a link to your actual tweet.  You can do this once a day, every day until the end of the contest (May 3rd).

    Share this on your facebook profile!  Just click below – and of course, make sure you send me the link to that in your comment.
    Become a fan of My Tasty Space on Facebook!  Just let me know in your comment what your Facebook name is.

    Become a follower on blogger.

    Send me lots of money.   KIDDING!

  Stumble this post.  In your comment, leave your SU Name.

Leave a comment here telling me how you like to get your family to get active and have fun.   

 *This coupon offer for a free six pack of Yoplait for Kids yogurt is not valid in some states, including Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota and Tennessee.   However, you’re still more than welcome to enter to win the rest of the prize pack!

Also, if you sign up to join my Facebook group, you’ll get a code for $1.50 coupon off Yoplait!

So, what are you waiting for? Get entering!

[This offer is valid in the US only]

[Entries without a valid email address will be deleted.]

Super Easter Dinner

Happy Easter everyone!

We typically have the standard ham dinner for Easter.  This year, however, I felt like changing it up, so I took advantage of an excellent sale and bought a 6.5 lb rib roast.  I’ve always been leery of trying to make a prime rib because they’re NOT cheap, and if I screw it up, that’s a lot of money wasted.  But last night, I went online and found a very easy, very basic recipe at  RecipeTips.com and decided to try it.  I wanted an easy dinner without tons of prep work, and without a lot of  fuss.    The prime rib recipe was exactly that.

You  take it out and let it sit on the counter until it becomes room temperature. 

You sprinkle salt & pepper all over it, rubbing it in to make sure it sticks.

You put it in the pan.

You preheat the oven to 460.

You place the roast in the oven at 450 for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, you reduce the heat to 325.

You bake it for 11-13 minutes per pound.  I’d figured on 2 hours.  I was mistaken LOL

After about 30 minutes or so, you place your sweet potatoes (see below) in the oven as well.    Do it quickly so as not to let the oven cool off too much.

Then after about an hour – an hour and a half (from when you put it in), check the temperature with a meat thermometer.   Depending on how well done you want the roast, you then make the decision whether it needs to stay in.  The recipe said

 

 

My meat thermometer read 160 so I took it out quickly and tented it with foil while I hurriedly made the veggies LOL

After it had sat for about 10-15 minutes, I removed the foil and sliced.

Voila!

It was tender and absolutely YUMMY!!!!!

Baked Sweet Potatoes

As easy as it sounds.  Peel your sweet potatoes.  Wrap them individually in foil.  I typically put myine on a baking sheet because the natural sugars inside the potato will come out and drip and smoke, otherwise.  I bake them while I am baking the meat – whatever I might be making.

TI baked them for approximately 1 hour, but your time will vary, depending on the oven temp.  When you unwrap them, they will be “juicy” – from the natural sugars that have been released.  I put them in a bowl, cut them up with a butter knife, sprinkle with brown sugar and then butter.

 

Finally, I also made approximately 1/2 a bag of frozen green beans.  To make those, I put  2 cups of water in a pan, along with a couple of teaspoons of chicken bouillon.  I add the green beans and bring to a boil , then  I let simmer until they are tender.

 

Oh, and can’t forget the rolls!

The best part of all of this is that it doesn’t have to be for a holiday.  Although I spent about $32 on the roast, it will easily feed 4-6 people (adults) or more with kids! 

4 for $15?

4 15.  That’s Shaw's new “thing” to entice people.  Four meals for under $15.  Not whole meals – 4 servings.  So you can feed your family of 4 for under $15.

Isn’t that big of them!

For $15, I can make 4 FULL dinners.  Because we’ve always had to live rather frugally, this new era that Americans are finding themselves in, the one in which they can’t be hitting MdD’s 4 times a week – is really nothing new to me. 

The trick, really, is to know how to shop.  You don’t buy things based on need. You buy things based on sales.  You stock up on things when they’re on sale, and then you don’t have to pay sometimes double the price when you need them.

This works particularly well with meats, although, obviously, you need a freezer large enough to accommodate good sales. 

Here’s an example:

Yesterday, I bought 1 lb of Butterball ground turkey.  It was on sale for $1.99 – it’s normally $3.99 or higher.

I would typically buy 2 or 3 of them, because I use it quite frequently.  (I didn’t this week because I have no room in my freezer.)

I also bought a pound of egg noodles that were on sale.

I went home and cooked the turkey up, with some salt & pepper.  I combined it with a jar of spaghetti sauce (Spinach & Cheese Florentine is awesome!), boiled the egg noodles, and voila.  I had a meal for way more than 4 people – for way less than $15! 

$1.99 – turkey

$1.99 – sauce

$1.29 – egg noodles

$5.27  - and enough for dinner for 5 and more than enough for lunch the next day for all of us.  So figure it, in total, fed 8 (at least).   $.65 for a meal is much more acceptable to me than $15!

I’ve already noticed that Shaw's also has boneless chicken breast on sale this week.  $1.88/lb is an excellent price, so I will buy 2 or 3 packages of it. 

There are tons of things I can make with boneless chicken breast, so I am not worried that I’ll put it in the freezer and it won’t get used.  In fact, one of the recipes I made with turkey, http://nhmom.blogspot.com/2008/12/turkey-pot-pie-with-corn-bread-stuffing.html, I will just substitute chicken for turkey with.  So figure $5 for the chicken, $1 for the box of stuffing, $1 for the gravy (if I’m feeling lazy and don’t make my own).  I got the pie crust for free with a coupon. 

Simple recipe, and delicious.  WAY less than $15.

What are some of your favorite recipes that are budget conscious?

Honey Kix Review + Giveaway! [closed]

My kids love cereal. Of course, they REALLY love sugar cereal, but I buy it so infrequently, they have learned to like pretty much anything. There are a few exceptions. Those cereals that are really plain looking tend to get me the hems and haws if I try to even SUGGEST that they eat it for breakfast. So when I opened the box of Honey Kix and gave it to them, I figured I’d get the same ‘tude. But I didn’t! They didn’t even ask for the sugar jar. Honey Kix has all the goodness of Kix® cereal but now with a touch of honey! Honey Kix is a good source of fiber, calcium and vitamin D, contains 16 grams of whole grain per serving (at least 48 grams recommended daily) and has no artificial flavors or preservatives. A perfect balance of taste and nutrition through simple ingredients, which both moms and kids can agree on!

If you would like to try the new Honey Kix, I have a great giveaway for you!

You will receive a coupon for a free box of Honey Kix, the cereal container, Kix cereal bowl, insulated on-the-go cereal container and an ADORABLE honey pot! Just leave a comment telling me what your favorite cereal is. No, not your kids – YOURS. :)

I have THREE of these packs to give away – and I’ll draw a winner this Monday, the 30th.

And a reminder - if you do not leave your email address, and only comment as "anonymous", your entry will be discarded. Thanks.

Happy New Year!

Wow - I can't believe it's been so long. Here's my excuse explanation.

My hubby lost his job in November. Although I did post for Christmas, I really haven't been feeling it. That's putting it mildly. Fortunately, we were able to qualify for state assistance, so we've actually had WAY too much food - but I really haven't felt too much like cooking anything particularly original or worth sharing. I will try, though. :)