Sandwich Thins Prize Pack Giveaway

This giveaway has ended. Sandwiches are pretty big at my house because they are quick, easy, healthy and can be made a variety of different ways. So I was excited when I was chosen by House Party to be a party host for the Sandwich Revolution House Party to promote the new Oroweat Sandwich Thins (or Arnold Sandwich Thins, in some areas). Then reality set in...we just moved and I have no friends! It was too late to decline to host the party so my lack of friends will be your gain.

We tried the 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Thins variety. I enjoyed the flavor although the thinness of the sandwich might take a little getting used to. However, this size was great for my little guy because it wasn't such a mouthful. He actually ate a sandwich and kept it together. If you are trying to watch your calories, these would be a great way to enjoy a sandwich without blowing your diet. We also plan to make mini pizzas out of them soon. I'll update you with how they turn out. You can use the store locator to find out where Sandwich Thins are near you and what varieties they have available.

Here is some information about these new additions to the everyday sandwich line-up. Sandwich Thins are available in five varieties: Multi-Grain, 100% Whole Wheat, Honey Wheat Whole Grain White and Seedless Rye. They are made with whole grains, made without high fructose corn syrup, are cholesterol-free and have 5 grams of fiber with only 100 calories and 1 gram of fat. Looks like a winner to me! I found several great ideas of ways to serve the Sandwich Thins. You can find several recipes on their website, such as Turkey Club and Chicken & Apple Panini. These would also be great to make kid pizzas or a quick tart dessert.

Since I have a whole box of Sandwich Thins goodies that were supposed to be used for my House Party, I have made up four Sandwich Thins prize packs to giveaway to Recipes for Moms readers. This prize pack will include:
- One free coupon for any Oroweat or Arnold Sandwich Thins product (up to $4.00)
- One $1.00 off coupon for any Oroweat or Arnold Sandwich Thins product
- One Sandwich Thins grocery list pad
- One Sandwich Thins reusable grocery bag
- 3 Sandwich Thins recipe cards, five blank recipe cards & a nutrition guide

Required Entry:

- Leave a comment with your favorite type of sandwich. (This has to be done for any additional entries to be valid.)

Additional Entries:

- Find a recipe from Recipes for Moms you plan to try with your family and leave a comment telling me which recipe.

- Grab my button and add it to your site. Please let me know where I can find it. (If you already have it, that counts too.)

- Blog, post info, tweet or otherwise publicize this giveaway and link back to this post. Again, let me know where I can find it. (1 entry allowed for each form of publicity)

- Become a fan of Recipes for Moms on Facebook. (If you are already a fan, that counts.)

- Subscribe to Recipes for Moms by E-mail. Please make sure you activate your subscription by clicking the activate link in the initial e-mail. If you already subscribe, just leave a comment saying so.

Please be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry and your e-mail address if it is not available on your profile. This giveaway is open to US residents only. The winner will be chosen using Random.org and the contest will end on Sunday, March 7th at midnight (MST). After I contact the winner, they will have 48 hours to get back to me or another winner will be chosen. Good luck! I reserve the right to delete entries that do not adhere to the entry rules.

*Disclosure: I was provided with a House Party Sandwich Thins pack to host a house party. House Party gave me permission to use this as a blog giveaway. The prizes will be mailed directly from me. All opinions are my own.

New Coupons - Feb 26

Here are the new coupons I found this week:
(these are also included in the full list in the coupons post)

Coupons.com
Land O Lakes Seasoning - $1.00 off
Hillshire Farms Hearty Slices Lunchmeat - $1.00 off 2
Kashi TLC Bars - $1.50 off 2
Del Monte Fruit Chillers - $1.00 off
Kellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats cereal - $1.50 off 2

Cool Savings
No new coupons this week

Red Plum
Sara Lee Soft & Smooth Bread, Buns or Mini Bagels - 55¢ off

Cellfire - can be saved until 3/8/10
New coupons available to save but no new items
* If you are not familiar with Cellfire, please read my Cellfire post to help get yourself acquainted with this free, clipless coupon service.

Kashi Heart to Heart Cereal or Crackers - $1.50 off
Butterball Ground Turkey - 75¢ off (Exp. 2/28)
Earth Fare - Free Pizza Dough & Mozzarella w/purchase of Pasta Sauce
Yoplait True Delights yogurt - $1.00 off
FAGE Yogurt - $1.00 off (Become a fan on Facebook)

Free Samples
South Beach Living Fiber Fit S'mores bar - (Yes to provide feedback)

Happy Saving!

Yogurt Cornbread

Serves: 6-8

2 eggs
1/4 c. sugar
1 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
2/3 c. cornmeal
1/2 t. salt
1 c. plain yogurt
1/4 c. butter, melted & slightly cooled

Beat the eggs, add the sugar, and mix well. Stir together flour, baking powder, soda, cornmeal and salt. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the yogurt to the egg-sugar mixture. Stir in the cooled butter. Pour into a greased square baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, watching closely after the first 15 minutes to make sure it doesn't burn.

Click here to see if there are any coupons available to go with this recipe!

Tips: This was a wonderfully moist and tasty cornbread! I think this recipe will take the place of my usual Easy Cornbread. I still recommend the other but it is a bit drier and more crumbly so it might be better for cornbread stuffing. I used Brown Cow Greek Yogurt because it is thicker than regular plain yogurt but also fat-free. I always serve cornbread with my Easy Chili. I also shared this recipe at 8-Muddy Boots' From Scratch & I Heart Naptime's Sundae Scoop.

Recipe from Brown Cow

Orange Pork Stir-Fry

Serves: 4

1 pkg. Italian salad dressing mix
1/3 c. orange juice
3 T. oil
2 T. soy sauce
1 lb. pork loin, cut into strips
1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen stir-fry vegetables, thawed
Hot, cooked rice

Mix together dressing mix, juice, oil and soy sauce. In a large skillet or wok, combine one tablespoon of dressing mixture and pork strips. Cook and stir over medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Add vegetables and remaining dressing mixture; cook and stir until vegetables are crisp-tender. Serve over rice.

Click here to see if there are any coupons available to go with this recipe!

Tips: This was a nice chicken stir-fry that was easy to put together. The orange flavor was a little on the light side but the overall flavor was still good. I also shared this recipe at Momtrends' Friday Food.

Recipe adapted from Cheap & Easy Recipes Cookbook (Gooseberry Patch)

Taste of Home Cookbook Sale

Taste of Home cookbooks are my absolute favorite places to find recipes. I have several Taste of Home cookbooks and the Quick Cooking Annual Recipes book is the best for a busy mom (or anyone who wants easy yet not boring recipes). You've probably seen these cookbooks referenced often as the source of many of the recipes I post.

Right now Taste of Home is offering 18 of their cookbooks for only $5.00! One of them is even a Quick Cooking book. Here are the details: "The 2008 Quick Cooking Annual Recipes Cookbook gathers all 653 recipes from the 2007 issues of Taste of Home's Simple and Delicious magazine. You'll find family favorites like "Dijon Chicken and Spinach" and "Steak Sandwich Kabobs" in this hardcover book. All recipes are indexed two ways, and special-diet recipes are noted. 336 pages, hundreds of full-color photos. 8-3/8" x 11-1/8"." There are also several cookbooks available with specific themes such as Christmas, Chicken and Diabetic cooking.

I know we're only 2 months past Christmas but cookbooks make great presents so start planning ahead for the holidays, birthdays or Mother's Day! Of course the best is just to give yourself a little present that will make your meal planning easier and give your menu a boost.

Shipping costs $5.99 for one cookbook (not sure what is it for more than one) but that still gets you an awesome $25.00 cookbook shipped to your door for just over ten bucks. Combine that will the discounts available (see ad box on the right sidebar for the code). This sale ends on March 5, 2010 so don't miss out!

Disclosure: I am an affiliate for Taste of Home but was not compensated for writing this review. All opinions are my own (I truly love these cookbooks!).

Dinner Solution Winner

Congratulations to Katie-O who has won the Premium version of the Dinner Solution meal planning software. She will receive an e-mail from me. She will have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway and don't forget to enter the General Mills cereal giveaway ending on Wednesday.

Company Chicken

Serves: 4-6

4-6 chicken breasts, skin removed
1/4 c. sherry
1/2 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
Pepper
Seasoned salt
Hot, cooked rice

Place chicken in a greased baking dish (size will depend on how much chicken you are making). Sprinkle chicken with pepper and seasoned salt. Pour sherry and chicken broth on top of chicken. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover and cook an additional 15 minutes. Serve with rice.

Click here to see if there are any coupons available to go with this recipe!

Tips: This chicken dish was very easy to put together and can probably use whatever chicken pieces you prefer. I think it would also be great with noodles on the side if you like those better than rice. If you don't keep sherry on hand, just purchase a small bottle of cooking sherry which can be found in most grocery stores near the vinegars. Also, check out Marinated Pork Loin, Chicken Tetrazzini, Sherry Chicken for other uses for the sherry. I also shared at Blessed with Grace's Tempt my Tummy Tuesday.

Recipe adapted from The Four Ingredient Cookbook

New Coupons - Feb 20

I keep telling myself that I need to be doing a better job of keeping the coupons post up-to-date as well as letting you know about new coupons that come out. So this is my first attempt at keeping you more updated and I hope that it will become a weekly post.

Here are the new coupons I found this week:
(these are also included in the full list in the coupons post)

Coupons.com
Dannon Light & Fit 6 oz. yogurt cups - 75¢ off 6
Dole Blend, Distinctively Dole Salad or Complete Salad Kit - 75¢ off
Kellogg's Smart Start cereal - $1.00 off
Land O Lakes Butter with Olive Oil - 50¢ off
Land O Lakes Fresh Buttery Taste Spread - 55¢ off
Litehouse Salad dressing - $1.00 off 2
Old Wisconsin, Any product - $1.00 off
Orbit Gum Multipack - $1.00 off
Oscar Meyer Lunchable Combination Subs - 75¢ off
Polaner Sugar Free w/Fiber Preserves & Jellies - $1.00 off
Welsh's Refrigerated Juice or Juice Cocktail, 64 oz. - $1.00 off 2

Cool Savings
Eagle Mills Flour w/Ultragrain Whole Wheat, 5 lb. - $1.00 off
Fiber One Frozen Muffins - 75¢ off
Freshetta Pizza - $1.00 off
Frito-Lay Baked! Snacks, 8.75 oz. or larger - $1.00 off
Polaner Sugar Free w/Fiber Preserves & Jellies - $1.00 off
Weight Watchers Smart Ones Frozen Entrees - $3.00 off 10 (w/sign-up)

Red Plum
Del Monte Fruit Chillers Tubs or Cups - $1.00 off
EarthGrains Bread or Thin Buns - 55¢ off
Keebler Town House Flipsides Pretzel Crackers - $1.00 off 2
Kellogg's cereal - $1.00 off 3
Sara Lee Pre-sliced meat - $1.00 off

Cellfire - can be saved until 2/22/10
Betty Crocker Cookie mix - 40¢ off
Betty Crocker Supreme Brownie Mix - 75¢ off 2
Betty Crocker or Fiber One Box Muffin Mix - 50¢ off
Cheerios Honey Nut cereal - 55¢ off
Reese's Puffs cereal - 55¢ off
Yoplait Go-gurt or Trix yogurt - 80¢ off 2
Yoplait Fiber One Multipack - $1.00 off
Yoplait Delights Multipack - $1.00 off

YoBaby Whole Milk Yogurt - $1.00 off (Register w/Stonyfield)
Kashi Heart to Heart - $1.50 off
Fresh Express Artisanal Salads - $1.50 off
Land O'Frost Premium Lunchmeat - $2.00 off
Multigrain Cheerios - 5 $1.00 off coupons by e-mail
8th Continent Soymilk - $1.50 off
Kraft Mac N Cheese - $1.00 off 5
Coffee-Mate Stick Packs- Buy One, Get One Free

Happy Saving!

Salisbury Steak with Gravy

Serves: 4

1 lb. ground beef
1 egg
1 medium onion, chopped
1 beef bouillon cube
1/2 c. boiling water
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 c. cold water
2 T. flour

Mix ground beef, egg, onion, salt & pepper. Shape into patties. In a skillet, brown patties on both sides over high heat; drain. Dissolve bouillon in boiling water and pour into skillet. Simmer uncovered until desired doneness. Remove patties from skillet; keep warm. Mix together cold water and flour. Stir into remaining liquid in skillet. Mix well; bring to a boil. Cook until thickened. Serve over patties.

Click here to see if there are any coupons available to go with this recipe!

Tips: These patties are easy to put together and easy to make. They are wonderful served with hot mashed potatoes on the side. As always whenever I make a recipe that I have to mix ingredients into ground meat, I use my KitchenAid Stand Mixer. Here is another Salisbury Steak recipe that uses a few extra ingredients. Patties with Mushroom Gravy is also a similar recipe. I also shared this recipe at A Southern Fairytale's Mouthwatering Mondays.

Recipe adapted from The Four Ingredient Cookbook

General Mills Cereal Giveaway

This giveaway has ended. General Mills has announced a commitment to further reduce sugar in cereals advertised to kids under 12 to single digit grams of sugar per serving. The company has already been reducing sugar in cereals while increasing key nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, and providing whole grain.

Did you know that ready-to-eat cereal eaters consume less fat, less cholesterol and more fiber than non-cereal eaters? Cereals also deliver important vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients, making cereal a top source of key nutrients in children's diets.

Other cereal benefits:

* Ready-to-eat cereals, including presweetened cereals, account for only 5% of sugar in children´s diets.

* Ready-to-eat cereal is the No. 1 source of whole grains in a child´s diet today.

* More frequent cereal eaters tend to have healthier body weights and lower Body Mass Index measures.

Studies also demonstrate the benefits of eating breakfast. A 1998 study showed that children who eat breakfast tend to perform better at school. Compared to children who skip breakfast, children who eat breakfast score higher on tests, are less likely to miss class or be tardy, have fewer reported discipline problems, and make fewer trips to the office. For more information about kids and cereals, please visit Cereal Health and Wellness.

While I do tend to avoid purchasing the typical "sugar cereals" for my family, I know that many parents do buy these cereals regularly. In my opinion, any effort to reduce the sugar in a child's diet is a step in the right direction. Here are a few additional ideas to continue to reduce your child's intake of sugar:

* Try mixing a "sugar cereal" with a similar "non-sugar cereal". For example, mix regular Cheerios with Banana Nut Cheerios or mix Corn or Rice Chex with Honey Nut Chex. If your kids are young, they won't realize the difference. If your kids are older, use it as a lesson in healthy eating.

* Use "sugar cereals" as a special treat or dessert. As I said I don't usually buy sugar cereals but I did receive some Trix and Cookie Crisp for free. After dinner I would give both my kids a small bowl of dry cereal as a treat. When using it in this capacity my kids are probably getting less sugar and more nutrients than if they had cookies or ice cream.

I was provided with some free cereal coupons from General Mills and MyBlogSpark. I am going to share a coupon for a free box of General Mills cereal (up to $6.00) with 2 Recipes for Moms readers. If you need a coupon now, this coupon is good for $1.00 off Trix, Cocoa Puffs, Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Lucky Charms. Also, check my coupons post - there are almost always cereal coupons available somewhere on the web.

Required Entry:

- Leave a comment with your favorite breakfast cereal. (This has to be done for any additional entries to be valid.)

Additional Entries:

- Find a recipe from Recipes for Moms you plan to try with your family and leave a comment telling me which recipe.

- Grab my button and add it to your site. Please let me know where I can find it. (If you already have it, that counts too.)

- Blog, post info, tweet or otherwise publicize this giveaway and link back to this post. Again, let me know where I can find it. (1 entry allowed for each form of publicity)

- Become a fan of Recipes for Moms on Facebook. (If you are already a fan, that counts.)

- Subscribe to Recipes for Moms by E-mail. Please make sure you activate your subscription by clicking the activate link in the initial e-mail. If you already subscribe, just leave a comment saying so.

Please be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry and your e-mail address if it is not available on your profile. This giveaway is open to US residents only. The winner will be chosen using Random.org and the contest will end on Wednesday, February 24th at midnight (MST). After I contact the winner, they will have 48 hours to get back to me or another winner will be chosen. Good luck! I reserve the right to delete entries that do not adhere to the entry rules.

*Disclosure: I was provided with 4 free cereal coupons and information from General Mills and MyBlogSpark. I used 2 coupons for my family and chose to give 2 away to my readers. The coupons will be mailed directly from me. All opinions are my own.

Oven-Barbecued Ribs

Serves: 4-6

3-4 lbs. country-style pork ribs
1 1/2 c. water
1 c. ketchup
1/3 c. Worcestershire sauce
1 t. salt
1 t. chili powder
1/2 t. onion powder

Place ribs in a greased roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; cook for 1 minute. Drain ribs. Pour sauce over ribs. Cover and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Uncover; bake 30 minutes longer, basting once.

Click here to see if there are any coupons available to go with this recipe!

Tips: These ribs were super easy to put together! Look for country-style ribs on go on sale and the other ingredients you probably already have on hand. I love meals like this that you can put in the oven early. Then just come back when it's almost finished, make a quick salad and dinner's ready. I cooked half the package of ribs (4 ribs) and cut the sauce in half. For my young family, that was just the right amount. If you want to try a similar country ribs recipe, try Saucy Country Ribs. I also shared this recipe at Balancing Beauty & Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday.

Recipe from Taste of Home's 2002 Quick Cooking Annual Recipes

Safeway Gift Card Winner

Congratulations to Ardy22 who is the winner of the $50 Safeway Gift Card! He will receive and e-mail from me and have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. Don't forget to enter the Dinner Solution Software giveaway to make your meal planning a cinch!

Spicy Muffins

Makes: 12 muffins

2 c. flour
3/4 c. sugar
1 T. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. ginger
1/4 t. ground cloves
3 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1 egg, beaten
1 c. milk
1/4 c. oil
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)

In a large bowl, mix together all dry ingredients. Stir in wet ingredients until just moist. Spoon into greased muffins tins; bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Click here to see if there are any coupons available to go with this recipe!

Tips: We love making muffins on Saturday mornings but often the problem is that the muffin recipe calls for a specific fruit or ingredients I don't have on hand. I like these muffins because these are all ingredients and spices I have in my pantry. They are also very tasty spread with some butter! We have nut allergies in my family so we leave the nuts out and they still taste great. I also shared this recipe at Blessed with Grace's Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.

Recipe from Where's Mom Now That I Need Her?

Dinner Solution Software Giveaway

This giveaway has ended. Do you struggle with the whole idea of meal planning? From picking the recipes, to making the grocery list, to deciding which night to fix which meal? Well, struggle no more! Thanks to Karin & Kristi, sisters from California, there is now a simple software program that will help you will all these issues. They call it The Dinner Solution!

Most moms know that one of the easiest ways to save money and save time is to plan your meals. Meal planning is now super easy with The Dinner Solution software program. This is not a menu service, it’s an actual software program that you install and use on your computer…. a complete control center for your meal planning! (available for Windows only)

Using the calendar feature, you can plan out your meals in minutes, then instantly print a complete grocery list. The grocery list is sorted by category and also by store name. The program comes pre-loaded with some easy recipes, and you can also add your own recipes (like ones from Recipes for Moms). Another cool feature is the ability to organize freezer meals: You can print freezer labels, assembly instructions, a freezer inventory list and more. It’s like having one of those “dinner assembly” centers in your own home. In addition, you can plan leftovers or take-out into your weekly menu.

I think this software is such a great idea. Check out their Menu Planning page to see a step-by-step explanation of how the system works. Who couldn't use a system to make meal planning more streamlined? If you still have more questions about the Dinner Solution, visit their FAQ's page. They also have a e-newsletter available (scroll to the bottom of the page).

Now that you are ready to menu plan with ease - here is how you can get your hands on this great tool. First it is available to download in two versions. The Basic version is $39.95 and contains recipes, list planning and calendars. The Premium version is $59.95 and contains all the basic features plus the tools for freezer/make-ahead cooking. These are one-time prices and the software is yours on your computer. Right now, Recipes for Moms readers can get a 15% off discount by using the coupon code RFM15 when you make your purchase.

And the best part...one Recipes for Moms reader will win the Premium version of the Dinner Solution software. Please remember that this is only available for Windows.

Required Entry:

- Leave a comment telling me why you need this program. (This has to be done for any additional entries to be valid.)

Additional Entries:

- Visit The Dinner Solution website and leave a comment about your favorite feature of The Dinner Solution.

- Find a recipe from Recipes for Moms you plan to try with your family and leave a comment telling me which recipe.

- Grab my button and add it to your site. Please let me know where I can find it. (If you already have it, that counts too.)

- Blog, post info, tweet or otherwise publicize this giveaway and link back to this post. Again, let me know where I can find it. (1 entry allowed for each form of publicity)

- Become a fan of Recipes for Moms on Facebook. (If you are already a fan, that counts.)

- Subscribe to Recipes for Moms by E-mail. Please make sure you activate your subscription by clicking the activate link in the initial e-mail. If you already subscribe, just leave a comment saying so.

Please be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry and your e-mail address if it is not available on your profile. This giveaway is open to anyone with a Windows operating system. The winner will be chosen using Random.org and the contest will end on Sunday, February 21st at midnight (MST). After I contact the winner, you will have 48 hours to get back to me or another winner will be chosen. Good luck! I reserve the right to delete entries that do not adhere to the entry rules.

*Disclosure: No compensation was given for this review and giveaway. The opinions are my own.

Make-Ahead Meals Cookbook Winner

Congratulations to Kristin who is the winner of the new cookbook Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms. She has been e-mailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Thanks to the 204 entries! Keep your eyes open for more giveaways coming in the next few days and don't forget to enter to win the $50 Safeway Gift Card. That contest ends on Saturday.

Bean 'n Rice Burritos

Serves: 4-6

1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, drained
2 t. garlic powder
1 t. cumin
2 c. cooked rice
1 c. Mexican blend cheese, shredded
Flour tortillas
Sour cream
Salsa

In a large skillet, combine the beans, tomatoes, garlic powder and cumin; heat through. Stir in the rice. Spoon about 1/3-1/2 cupful into the center of the tortilla. Top with cheese, sour cream and salsa. Fold sides and ends over filling and roll up.

Click here to see if there are any coupons available to go with this recipe!

Tips: This was a nice, easy meatless dinner and the clean up was easy too. For a little extra flavor, try using the pre-seasoned diced tomatoes. (I can't remember exactly what the flavor combo is but you can usually find one that has a Mexican twist.) If your kids have trouble picking up and eating burritos, give them the option to eat the filling out of a bowl. Then butter a tortilla, warm it up and they still get both parts. Use whatever size flour tortillas your family usually keeps on hand or whatever is on sale that week. If you prefer to make burritos in the oven, try Black Bean Burrito Bake. I also shared this recipe at Blessed with Grace's Tempt my Tummy Tuesday.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home's 2004 Quick Cooking Annual Recipes

Crescent Creations Winner

I apologize for not being quite as timely as I should on picking winners for my giveaways. But better late than never, right? So without further ado, the winner of the Pillsbury Crescent Creations Prize Pack is Tracysweetangl. The winner has been e-mailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Thanks to all who entered. Look for more giveaways coming this week!

Rustic Chicken Soup

Serves: 4

1 t. oil
1-2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
3/4 c. onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, shredded
1/2 celery rib, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 can (14.5 oz.) chicken broth
1/4 c. uncooked, instant brown rice
1/8 t. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 t. basil
1/4 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 t. Parmesan cheese, grated

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until no longer pink. Add in onion, carrot, celery and garlic for 4 minutes or until onion is soft. Add the broth, rice, pepper flakes and basil. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered for 10 minutes or until celery is tender and rice is soft. Serve into bowl. Sprinkle each bowl with cheeses.

Click here to see if there are any coupons available to go with this recipe!

Tips: This was a light chicken soup that coupled with some bread from the bread maker or biscuits makes a great meal. To shredded the carrots, I just used my cheese grater and used the large grater holes. If red pepper flakes are not something you use regularly, here is my suggestion. Pick up a packet the next time you have pizza. Now I'm not encouraging you to snag handfuls of red pepper packets from your local pizzeria just one or two from time to time. This soup is low in fat & calories too! I also shared this recipe at Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free's Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays.

Recipe adapted from the American Heart Association's Love Your Heart recipes

$50 Safeway Gift Card Giveaway

This giveaway has ended. I'm not sure why I seem to be the target (in a good way) for so many yogurt giveaways/reviews but I'm not complaining. Maybe the giveaway people can see into my fridge and know that it is never without a few cartons of yogurt of varying brands and flavors. So this time my family had the opportunity to test the new Fiber One nonfat yogurt from Yoplait. Our favorite is probably the Key Lime Pie. My 4-year-old daughter gives it a 10 because she loves lime and it doesn't have "bits" in it. I also like these yogurts that come in a multi-pack of 4 because they are perfect for a small adult snack or a right-sized kid snack.

Fiber One is the only leading nonfat yogurt with 50 calories and 5 grams of fiber (20 percent of the Recommended Daily Value). It is also a good source of calcium and vitamins A and D, making this a guilt-free and all-around great choice for dieters and those watching their weights. Each cup includes the creamy, delicious taste you expect from Yoplait, and you don't have to feel guilty about enjoying it. Fiber One is available in a variety of flavors including, Strawberry, Peach, Vanilla and Key Lime Pie. It has also been given the Hungry Girl "seal of approval". It is usually pretty easy to find a coupon for Fiber One yogurt so check my coupons post to see what is available.

Now here is the best part, Fiber One yogurt are on sale at Safeway stores (Dominick´s, Tom Thumb, Randalls, Vons, Genuardi´s) until Tuesday, February 9th. And...I have one $50 gift card to the Safeway family of stores to giveaway to one Recipes for Moms reader!

Required Entry:

- Leave a comment on which flavor of Fiber One yogurt you would like to try. (This has to be done for any additional entries to be valid.)

Additional Entries:

- Find a recipe from Recipes for Moms you plan to try with your family and leave a comment telling me which recipe.

- Grab my button and add it to your site. Please let me know where I can find it. (If you already have it, that counts too.)

- Blog, post info, tweet or otherwise publicize this giveaway and link back to this post. Again, let me know where I can find it. (1 entry allowed for each form of publicity)

- Become a fan of Recipes for Moms on Facebook. (If you are already a fan, that counts.)

- Subscribe to Recipes for Moms by E-mail. Please make sure you activate your subscription by clicking the activate link in the initial e-mail. If you already subscribe, just leave a comment saying so.

Please be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry and your e-mail address if it is not available on your profile. This giveaway is open to US residents only. The winner will be chosen using Random.org and the contest will end on Saturday, February 13th at midnight (MST). After I contact the winner, you will have 48 hours to get back to me or another winner will be chosen. Good luck! I reserve the right to delete entries that do not adhere to the entry rules.

*Disclosure: I was provided with one free coupon for Fiber One yogurt and one $50 gift card for myself from Safeway and Fiber One through MyBlogSpark. The opinions are my own.

10 Things Every Kitchen Needs

Here are the 10 items that, in my opinion, no kitchen should be without.

1. Crock pot/Slow-cooker - If you have never made a crock pot part of your regular dinner routine, you don't know what you're missing. A crock pot allows you to start it early and forget it until dinnertime. It also allows you to dine on lower priced cuts of meat that because they have been slow-cooked come out juicy and tender. I use a 5-quart crock pot because you can usually cook smaller meals in a larger pot but you'll have trouble squishing big meals into a small pot. If you need some motivation to cook in your crock pot, check out my selection of slow-cooked crock pot recipes. The two crock pot cookbooks I use regularly are 365 Favorite Brand Name Slow Cooker Recipes & More and Southern Living: Slow-Cooker Cookbook.

2. Food Chopper- This item is similar to a food processor just smaller. I have never owned a food processor so I cannot make a true comparison. However I have had my Black & Decker Food Chopper since I was in college (and it was my grandma's before that) and it is still running like new. It chops quickly and I do everything from nuts to salsa to beans to milkshakes in it. I use the smaller1-1/2 cup chopper but Black & Decker makes a 3-cup chopper as well.

3. Spice Rack - When I first got married, I had almost no spices and quickly realized how expensive spices are when purchased individually. Thankfully I had received a nice revolving spice rack as a wedding gift. Some of these spices I use regularly and some I rarely use but it great to have them in my kitchen. Usually a spice rack is also a space-saver so you don't need to find room for 20-30 different little containers.

4. Baking Stone - A few years ago, I purchased a Pampered Chef Baking Stone because of all the rave reviews I had heard about them from my friends. Well, now it is my turn for the rave review. These stones come is various sizes and shapes but mine is a typical bar pan/cookie sheet size. The stone cooks evenly, cleans easily and burns nothing. I do cookies, biscuits, chicken fingers, you name it on my stone and they all cook great.

5. Bread Maker- Whenever we used to go visit my husband's grandparents they would always have a couple of loaves of fresh homemade bread at their house. When his grandpa passed away, his grandma gave me her bread maker and I am happy to carry on the family tradition. If you have never baked a homemade loaf of bread, the smell is intoxicating. Also, knowing how to pronounce every ingredient in your bread is very comforting. I love the varieties of bread you can make and bread machine recipes abound both on and off the internet.

6. 13 x 9 Glass Dish - A 13 x 9 pan is used for everything from casseroles to cakes and baking them in glass is always my preference. If something has to be cut in the pan, I don't worry about scratching the non-stick finish. If food is crusted onto the bottom of the pan, I can scrub as hard as I want without damaging the dish. A pan with a lid is a plus and makes it easy to transport your food for potlucks or just for covering your leftovers. Also you can see through the pan to see how you food is cooking. A square glass dish (8x8 or 9x9) is also very handy.

7. Kitchen Spritzer - This is another Pampered Chef item that I cannot do without. I hated the price I had to pay for non-stick cooking spray every time I was out. I also didn't like the extra things that were added to the spray. Then I found out about the Kitchen Spritzer. You fill it with regular vegetable or olive oil and pump it to create the pressure to spray. The spritzer comes with two pump tops so you have an extra when the first wears out. That being said, I have been using mine for about 2 years and it is still doing fine.

8. Taste of Home's Quick Cooking Cookbooks - These are far and away my favorite cookbooks ever. All of the recipes come from Taste of Home Quick Cooking Magazine and are compiled at the end of the year into one large cookbook. They are also broken down within the book into great chapters such as "Give me 5 or Fewer", "30 Minutes Until Mealtime" and "Fast, Delicious and Nutritious".


9. Garlic Press - I love using fresh garlic when I'm cooking. There are so many health benefits from garlic and the taste is so much better then garlic from a jar. There was a time when I had no garlic press so I would mince the garlic cloves with a knife when I needed fresh garlic. Very tedious and flavor does not come through as well. It is worth it to pay a little extra for a sturdy, preferably stainless steel garlic press. I went through 2 five-dollar Wal-Mart garlic presses in a short period of time because the pressure of pushing eventually broke the front out.

10. KitchenAid Stand Mixer - Okay, I admit that this is not absolutely necessary in every kitchen - but it is so wonderful to have and it is one of my favorites. If you have to start saving up now or put it on your Christmas wish list, do it! I mix up cookie dough, meatloaf, meatballs, cakes, just about anything that needs electric mixing. If you shop around or online, you can pick from a plethora of different colors.

I just wanted to share with you the favorite items in my kitchen. Maybe this list will help you as you select kitchen items for a wedding gift, wedding registry, house-warming, college student or just someone starting out on their own. I also shared this list at We are THAT Family's Works-for-Me Wednesday. What is your favorite item in the kitchen?

Teriyaki Pork Chops

Serves: 4

4 pork chops
Salt & pepper
1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen stir-fry vegetables
1/3 c. teriyaki marinade & sauce
2 T. orange marmalade
Hot, cooked rice
4 sheets (12 x 18 inches each) heavy duty aluminum foil or 8 sheets of regular strength foil

Spread out sheets of foil, if using regular foil put 2 sheets on top of each other. Lightly spray top sheet of foil with non-stick cooking spray. Center one pork chop on each sheet of foil. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Top each pork chop with vegetables. In a small bowl, combine teriyaki sauce and marmalade; spoon evenly over each pork chop. Bring up long sides of foil and double fold top then sides, leaving room for circulation inside. If using oven, place packets on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until internal temperature of pork chop reaches 160 degrees. If using barbecue, grill packets over medium-high heat on covered grill for 13-16 minutes. Serve over rice.

Click here to see if there are any coupons available to go with this recipe!

Tips: These pork chops are very easy to put together and don't let the foil packets scare you off. See the tips on the Reynolds site for foil packet instructions. They are great for cooking pork chops or chicken breast with the veggies inside and help keep the meat nice and moist. Plus your clean up is practically done for you! I also shared this recipe at Dining with Debbie's What On The Menu Wednesday.

Recipe from Reynolds Wrap

Chicken Marseilles

Serves: 4

3 T. butter
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 c. water
1 pkg. (1 oz.) vegetable soup/dip mix
1/2 t. dill
1/2 c. sour cream or plain yogurt
Hot, cooked brown rice

In a large skillet, melt butter and brown chicken for 10-15 minutes; turn occasionally. Stir water, dill and soup mix into skillet; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet; keep warm. Stir sour cream or yogurt into skillet until smooth. Serve chicken and sauce over rice.

Click here to see if there are any coupons available to go with this recipe!

Tips: This was a very easy, very tasty chicken dish. I used Brown Cow Greek Plain Yogurt so the yogurt was nice and thick but still cut down the calories for this dish. You can use any chicken pieces with this recipe just make sure the juices run clear before you remove them from the pan. I think I used Knorr's Vegetable Soup Mix. It did seem a bit pricey for one little soup mix so watch for a sale or coupon and pick it up then. I also shared this recipe at Tales from the Fairy Blogmother's What's Cooking Wednesday.

Recipe from 365 Easy Chicken Recipes

Make-Ahead Meals For Busy Moms Cookbook Giveaway

This giveaway has ended. I love new cookbooks! I really love when that cookbook fits with the Recipes for Moms theme of quick, easy and uses mostly ingredients you keep in your pantry. So I was very excited when Jane Doiron contacted me about reviewing and giving away her new cookbook, Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms.

Here is some information about the cookbook from her website: "Jane Doiron helps you, a very busy mom like herself, to put a fabulous dinner on the table every night for friends, or just for the family, with a minimum of fuss and a maximum of flavor.

Jane's goal was to seek out main dish, family-favorite recipes that could be make ahead meals without sacrificing the food’s taste and texture by freezing. After years of home-testing recipes, Jane has compiled this must-have cookbook with specific make-ahead directions. In addition, Jane includes her best recipes for clever side dishes, flavorful appetizers and luscious desserts. Imagine opening your freezer to pick out a family-favorite appetizer, main dish, or dessert, and all you have to do is thaw and heat it!

Make-ahead meals are a healthy and economical alternative to take-out and preservative filled, pre-packaged foods. With make ahead meal planning, you are making fewer trips to the grocery store, and saving money otherwise spent on unhealthy, take-out and fast foods. It’s simple. Give yourself a break during the hectic weeknights with Jane’s make-ahead meal recipes. Spend the time that you save outside of the kitchen doing something that you enjoy."

I like this cookbook because it is what I would call simple make-ahead. This is not once-a-month cooking or mass freezer cooking. Not that I am opposed to those methods but I haven't yet found the time they require. Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms just helps you when you need to plan ahead so you won't be scrambling at the last minute. We tried Overnight Pancakes and Shepherd's Pie and they were both a hit with all members of my family.

Buy it! Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms can be purchased at Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com.

Win it! One Recipes for Moms reader will win a copy of Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms courtesy of Jane.

Required Entry:

- Visit the Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms website and let me know one recipe you would like to try, excluding the two I mentioned above. (This has to be done for any additional entries to be valid.)

Additional Entries:

- Find a recipe from Recipes for Moms you plan to try with your family and leave a comment telling me which recipe.

- Grab my button and add it to your site. Please let me know where I can find it. (If you already have it, that counts too.)

- Grab the Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms button and add it to your site. Look for it on the right hand bar.

- Blog, post info, tweet or otherwise publicize this giveaway and link back to this post. Again, let me know where I can find it. (1 entry allowed for each form of publicity)

- Become a fan of Recipes for Moms on Facebook. (If you are already a fan, that counts.)

- Become a follower of the Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms blog.

- Subscribe to Recipes for Moms by E-mail. Please make sure you activate your subscription by clicking the activate link in the initial e-mail. If you already subscribe, just leave a comment saying so.

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Please be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry and your e-mail address if it is not available on your profile. This giveaway is open to US & Canadian residents. The winner will be chosen using Random.org and the contest will end on Thursday, February 11th at midnight (MST). After I contact the winner, you will have 48 hours to get back to me or another winner will be chosen. Good luck! I reserve the right to delete entries that do not adhere to the entry rules.

*Disclosure: I was provided with one copy of Make-Ahead Meals for Busy Moms to review and keep for myself. I did not receive any other compensation and the opinions expressed are my own.