Michael Chiarello Cookbook & Progresso Panko Giveaway

This giveaway has ended. I discovered panko bread crumbs sometime last year when Progresso introduced their own panko. If you are not familiar with them, they are made from the soft, tender centers of the bread. The large, flaky crumb has a coarser texture than traditional bread crumbs, delivering a lighter, crunchier coating or topping. Well, Progresso recently introduced Lemon Pepper Panko, which joins the Plain and Italian flavors. Lemon Pepper is such a great flavor because it goes with fish or chicken and can even add a nice crunch to your veggies. Progresso also has some great panko tips on their website.

Chef Michael Chiarello uses panko as his go-to bread crumb for a crunch that won't quit. If you aren't familiar with Michael Chiarello, he is a chef known for his emphasis on creating delicious dishes with fresh, premium ingredients. To add to his credentials, he is an Emmy-award winning TV chef and cookbook author who is the tastemaker behind Bottega Napa Valley Restaurant, NapaStyle and Chiarello Family Vineyards, and appears on The Cooking Channel and Top Chef Masters on Bravo.

You can find some of Michael Chiarello's signature recipes on the Progresso website also. They include Oven Fried Chicken Tenders, Caramel Apple Crisp, Mashed Potato Gratin, Maple-Pecan Chicken and Home-Style Minestrone, just to name a few. You can find a $1.00 coupon off any flavor panko on the website as well (click on the "Save Money" button on the left side).

Buy it! Michael Chiarello's Bottega is available on Amazon.com for $26.40 with free shipping. (Cookbooks make great Christmas gifts!) Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko is available at most grocery stores near the traditional bread crumbs.

Win it! One Recipes for Moms reader will win an autographed copy of chef Chiarello´s new Michael Chiarello's Bottega: Bold Italian Flavors from the Heart of California's Wine Country ($40 ARV) and one package of Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko.

Required Entry:

- Leave a comment telling me what type of dish would you create with Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko? (This has to be done for any additional entries to be valid.) Your dish doesn't have to complex or detailed, just let me know the general idea.

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)

- "Like" Recipes for Moms on Facebook. (If you already do, 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 Monday, November 29nd at midnight (Mountain Time). 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: General Mills provided me with information and the giveaway through MyBlogSpark. All opinions are my own.

If you're looking for another great deal on cookbooks for the holidays, check out my post about Taste of Home's $5 Cookbook sale. (Ends Nov. 18th)

Also, be sure to enter my giveaway for a great, simple vegan cookbook, "Radiant Health, Inner Wealth". (Ends Nov. 22nd)

Blueberry Cream Muffins

Makes: 1 dozen

Muffins:
2 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 c. milk
1/4 c. butter, melted
1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

Filling:
1/2 pkg. (4 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 egg *See tips
4 T. sugar
Dash salt

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat the egg, milk and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the blueberries. Spoon about 2 rounded tablespoonfuls into greased muffin cups. In a small mixing bowl, beat filling ingredients; place about 1 tablespoon in the center of each muffin cup. Top with remaining batter. Bake at 375 degree for 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in muffin comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Check my coupon resources page to save money when you make this recipe!

Tips: These were great moist muffins and the blueberry/cream cheese combination tastes great. If you are using frozen blueberries, do not thaw them before adding them to the mix. For the filling, just do your best to make a whole egg into a half. The original recipes was double this but I think most families probably use 1 dozen muffins more often than 2 dozen. Also, my cream cheese filling was pretty runny but baked up just fine.

Recipe from Taste of Home's 2003 Quick Cooking Annual Recipes

"Radiant Health, Inner Wealth" Vegan Cookbook Giveaway

This giveaway is closed. I met cookbook author Tess Challis last spring at a local Green Living Expo. After talking with her for a few minutes and telling her about Recipes for Moms, she gave me a copy of her vegan cookbook Radiant Health, Inner Wealth to giveaway to one of my readers. Now neither myself nor my family are vegan or vegetarian so honestly I kind of let this cookbook sit in a corner for several months. However, since I think cookbooks make such great Christmas presents I pulled it out and started looking through it in order to get this giveaway going.

Honestly, I was very pleasantly surprised with what I found. Tess's cookbook has a wide variety of recipes and is perfect for anyone wanting to improve their eating habits, vegan or otherwise. In it you will find recipes, such as "Peanut Butter Cup Shake", "Southwest Spring Rolls", "Tasty Lowfat Tostadas", "Rosemary Herb Pizza Crust" and more! The chapters are as follows:

• Breakfasts
• Starters
• Sides
• Salads
• Sauces & Dressings
• Everyday Entrees
• Extravagant Entrees
• Raw Foods
• Bread
• Soups
• Desserts

The book also has a nice introduction about changing your eating habits and healthy eating as well as several pages of color photos. I have always thought of vegetarian and vegan cooking as using tons of ingredients I've never heard of and being difficult to prepare. Radiant Health, Inner Wealth changes that perception by using normal ingredients and even has a list of kid friendly meals. This cookbook is over 275 pages and has great reviews on Amazon.

Buy it! Radiant Health, Inner Wealth is available on Amazon.com or on Tess's website (bottom of page) which also gives you free shipping and the option to pay with Pay Pal.

Win it! One Recipes for Moms reader will win a copy of Tess Chalis' vegan cookbook Radiant Health, Inner Wealth.

Required Entry:

- Leave a comment about which chapter, listed above, you would use most often and why. (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)

- "Like" Recipes for Moms on Facebook. (If you already do, 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 Monday, November 22nd at midnight (Mountain Time). 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 given a copy of Radiant Health, Inner Wealth to review and one to giveaway. The book will be shipped by me after the Thanksgiving weekend. All opinions are my own.

If you're looking for another great deal on cookbooks for the holidays, check out my post about Taste of Home's $5 Cookbook sale.

Tomato Meatloaf

Serves: 4-6

Meatloaf:
1 lb. ground beef
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce, divided
1/4 - 1/2 c. onion, chopped
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt (or less)
1/4 c. crushed saltine crackers (about 4-6 crackers)
2 eggs, beaten
3 tsp. ketchup

Gravy:
1 (15 oz.) can Italian stewed tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp. flour
Water

Meatloaf: Mix 3/4 cup tomato sauce into ground beef. Mix in onion, Italian seasoning, pepper, salt and saltines. Once meat mixture is well combined, add in eggs. Pat down into 9 x 5 loaf pan. In a small bowl, combine remaining tomato sauce and ketchup. Pour over meatloaf, sprinkle with small amount of salt & pepper. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes.

Gravy: When meatloaf is done, carefully drain off juice into small saucepan. In a small container or bowl, mix flour and small amount of water until smooth. Stir into saucepan. Cover meatloaf and put back in turned off oven. Cook gravy for 2-3 minutes over medium heat. Slow pour in juice from can of tomatoes. Turn heat down. Add 1/2 can tomatoes. Add water if needed. Cook 5 minutes or until desired thickness.

Check my coupon resources page to save money when you make this recipe!

Tips: This is my mother-in-law's meatloaf and I like it because it has a gravy that you make specifically to compliment the meat. The gravy can be a little bit of work but tastes great over the meatloaf as well as mashed potatoes. I will try to share my mom's Italian Meatloaf recipe with you soon.

Recipe from my mother-in-law, Connie.

Taste of Home $5 Cookbook Sale

As I have said before, I love Taste of Home Cookbooks! Well, Taste of Home is having their $5.oo cookbook sale now though November 18th. If you've never had a Taste of Home cookbook, let me assure you that they are high quality books and most include excellent pictures as well. The sale just started today and they currently have 28 different cookbooks available at the $5.00 price. Several of those have a regular price of $24.99 or higher. Most of the cookbooks cover a variety of recipes but they also have a Pasta and a Vegetarian cookbook available as well as my all-time favorite - Quick Cooking.

In my opinion, cookbooks make wonderful Christmas presents. Here is the best deal: Choose 4 $5.00 cookbooks and use coupon code "LST02" which will give you free shipping! This translates into 4 great cookbooks for a total price of $20.00 including shipping. Don't forget that the $5.oo cookbook offer ends next Thursday, November 18th.

Also, if you love healthy cooking, enter my giveaway to win an excellent vegan cookbook.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links but all opinion are my own. No compensation was given for this post.

Glazed Pork Chops

Serves: 4

4 pork chops
1/3 c. plus 1 T. cider vinegar, divided
3 T. soy sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch

In a non-stick skillet over medium heat, brown pork chops on both sides. In a bowl, combine 1/3 cup vinegar, soy sauce and garlic; pour over pork chops. Cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. In a bowl, combine cornstarch and remaining vinegar until smooth; stir into skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened.

Check my coupon resources page to save money when you make this recipe!

Tips: These were very simple pork chops to put together and goes great with rice or noodles. In my opinion, any type of pork chops can be used just make sure you adjust the cooking time accordingly. I also shared this recipe at Frugal Follies' Frugal Food Thursday.

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