I was shocked to find out that so many people I know have switched from pork bacon to turkey bacon. I am without a doubt a huge bacon lover so even getting myself to try it was a big ordeal. You can of course taste the difference but it’s really not bad! The boys have actually come to like it too. What I like about it most is knowing there is not all that grease in the pan when it’s done cooking. I know, I know, that’s the best part right?

I am certain this is not an original idea but it was one of those, open the fridge, look in and grab, dinner moments. Really simple and really delicious. I am a big fan of Applegate Naturals bacon for a number of reasons.

It is all natural, no antibiotics used, gluten free, casein free, not preserved, minimally processed, no artificial ingredients and a lot more. I purchase mine at Kroger so there is a very good chance you can find this at your local grocery store. Applegate isn’t just limited to bacon either. They make a wide variety of products from hot dogs to lunch meats!

Here is their entire line!

Ingredients:

5 Boneless Skinless Chicken breasts
12 strips of ApplegateBacon
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Slice your chicken long ways in half, making them more like a tender shape.

Season each side of your chicken with a little salt and pepper. You can really use any spices that you want for this step. I just used my house seasoning which is just salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Wrap a piece of bacon around each tender. I made some with pork bacon and some with turkey bacon. I was just interested to see the flavoring difference. I liked them both personally.

I did cook them in two smaller pans as to avoid all of the grease getting onto the turkey ones.

Cover each pan and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree over for 30 minutes. At this point, you want to uncover the chicken and turn the broiler on for just a few minutes. All you are really looking to do here is make the bacon a little crispy. If you like it on the softer side, by all means, skip this step and eat!

I happened to have some Kraft Smokin Bacon Ranch dipping sauce on hand so I figured, why not! There is no such thing as to much bacon!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Applegate Naturals. Any opinions, ideas and text expressed here are my own whether positive or negative. This post is not endorsed, sponsored or has any connection to Twitter, Facebook or any other Social Media network that may be mentioned.
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How many times have you wanted to make a salad or just had a craving for a hard boiled egg? I personally love eggs and could eat egg salad everyday if my body permitted it. The problem I have always had is getting that pesky shell off. More times than not, I take half of the egg with it. On a rare occasion I will get one peeled perfect, I am all excited like a high school girl getting asked to the prom.

From MotherFitness.com

It couldn’t be just me right? So I hopped around the web looking for other people who had had the horrible “egg peeling luck” as well. Guess what? We are among friends! Well, other bad egg people at least. This picture from Mother Fitness made me feel absolutely wonderful. Mine have come out something like that in the past!

While on the hunt for how to find a way to waste less egg, I found so many ideas.  I was going nuts trying to find one and I was certainly not going to kill dozens of eggs to see if they actually worked or not. I went for the simplest one and the one that popped up most.

Add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to the water. Why? To raise its pH level. Also cook your eggs a little bit longer to allow the whites to set firmly. Some people have reported that doing this can make the eggs taste more sulfuric. I for one didn’t notice it at all. I made a half dozen eggs.

Have you ever tried this method? Did it work for you?

If you don’t wish to use Baking Soda, here are a few other tips I found on how to make better hard boiled eggs.

• Let your eggs sit to room temperature before cooking them
• Always start cooking your eggs in cold water
• Immediately after your eggs are done, put them in ice water. If you don’t have ice available, use the coldest water you have. The ice water forces the membrane surrounding the white and the egg itself to shrink instantly and detach from the shell making it slide right off.
• I always peel my eggs under cold water before I even read the last one. It helps

If all else fails and you can’t get any of these to work for you…. Invite me over for egg salad sandwiches!

Disclosure: This is a personal post because I just felt like doing one. Not because I was asked to, paid to or given anything. That is still allowed right?

Next time you are going to a cookout, or any other kind of  event where you will be bringing a dish pass, give these a try! I love meatballs and am always looking for new ways to jazz up the normal ones. I have tasted several different kinds of  ”Swedish meatballs” and honestly, they never taste the same. This one met my standards! It is an easy to make appetizer is always a party pleaser! Please let me know what you think!

INGREDIENTS

Meatballs

• 1-1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
• 1 cup finely chopped onions
• 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup Holland House White Cooking Wine ($.50 off printable coupon)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 tsp. allspice
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Sauce

• 1 jar (10 oz.) currant jelly
• 1/2 cup chili sauce
• 1/4 cup HOLLAND HOUSE White Cooking Wine
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch

DIRECTIONS

In medium bowl, combine all meatball ingredients; mix well. Shape into 1 inch balls. Place meatballs in 15x10x1 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until brown.

In medium saucepan, combine all sauce ingredients; mix well. Cook over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens. Add meatballs.
To serve, place meatballs and sauce in fondue pot or chafing dish. Serve with cocktail picks.

As you can probably tell if you are a frequent reader of this site, I am in fact a chicken addict. This are probably the fastest chicken tenders I have ever made. Since our store seemed to have a run on Corn Flakes, I used a Toasted Corn cereal. It didn’t really come out as crispy as it should have so I do recommend making sure you use Corn Flakes. Next, The recipe calls for 6 to 1 on the Mayo and Honey Mustard sauce. I don’t think the flavor was there so I recommend using 5 tbsp of Mayo and 2 tbsp of Honey Mustard.

Prep Time: 15 minutes     Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 Tbsp. Hellmann’s® or Best Foods® Light Mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp. Honey Mustard
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 1-1/2 cups finely crushed corn flakes
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Combine Mayonnaise and Honey Mustard in medium bowl; reserve 1/2 for dipping.
2. Add chicken to remaining mayonnaise mixture; stir to coat.  Mix corn flakes with Parmesan Cheese, then roll chicken in crumbs.
3. Arrange on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Serve with reserved honey mustard sauce.

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Hellmann’s transforms your chicken into a juicier, crispier, more delicious meal that your family will love. Whether you’re trying to please picky eaters or create delicious meals on a budget, Hellmann’s provides tasty, juicy chicken recipe ideas, like this Parmesan Crusted Chicken, to help moms and dads solve every day dinnertime challenges. Hellmann’s “Chicken Change-Up” aims to help parents manage dinner dilemmas in kitchens across America – and they want to hear what it’s like at your house! Jump over to Hellmann’s on Facebook to participate in the Chicken Change-Up, where you can find ideas on managing dinner dilemmas and enter for a chance to win daily prizes. Had you heard of the Hellmann’s “Chicken Change Up” on Facebook? The Hellmann’s Facebook page will feature Celebrity Chef Tim Love providing his take on tackling these challenges in his own home. From now until April 30, 2012, parents across the country can participate in the Hellmann’s® Chicken Change-up by trying one of the featured Hellmann’s chicken recipes, sharing their recipe reviews and providing their own advice for managing dinnertime obstacles. After participating, consumers can enter into a sweepstakes for the chance to win a $5000 grocery store gift card and other daily prizes.

Disclosure: MAK Media, LLC was compensated for this post in some form. This post is not endorsed, sponsored or has any connection to Twitter, Facebook or any other mentioned social media network. This post is solely the property of MAK Media, LLC. All opinions are mine whether positive or negative. You can read more about our Policy Disclosure here.

Think you can’t cook? Do you watch those “30 Minute Meal” shows hoping to pick up something fast and easy? It’s true, you really can make something fast and simple in 30 minutes. I think this recipe would go great with some corn on the cob! It only takes 10 minutes to put together (It took me 7!) ans 20 minutes to bake. This is a much faster option to my previous Cajun Chicken recipe. I am loving these recipes so much for days when I don’t have a lot of time or I just don’t feel like getting into a long dinner process. My favorite part, not many dishes! I love these fast recipes because the chicken stays so moist. I hate dried out chicken.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Hellmann’s or Best Foods Mayonnaise
1-1/2 Tbsp. Cajun spice
1/2 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided
2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 4 oz. ea.)
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

Directions:
Combine mayonnaise, cajun spice and 1/4 cup of the cheese. Spread on chicken, then sprinkle with bread crumbs and parsley. Bake at 425°, 20 minutes or until thoroughly cooked. Sprinkle with remaining cheese; heat 1-2 minutes until cheese is melted. That’s it!

TIP: My sons found this a tad spicy so feel free to cut back on the Cajun Spice a little if you like.

CLICK ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Hellmann’s transforms your chicken into a juicier, crispier, more delicious meal that your family will love. Whether you’re trying to please picky eaters or create delicious meals on a budget, Hellmann’s provides tasty, juicy chicken recipe ideas, like this Parmesan Crusted Chicken, to help moms and dads solve every day dinnertime challenges. Hellmann’s “Chicken Change-Up” aims to help parents manage dinner dilemmas in kitchens across America – and they want to hear what it’s like at your house! Hellmann’s on Facebook to participate in the Chicken Change-Up, where you can find ideas on managing dinner dilemmas and enter for a chance to win daily prizes.Had you heard of the Hellmann’s “Chicken Change Up” on Facebook? The Hellmann’s Facebook page will feature Celebrity Chef Tim Love providing his take on tackling these challenges in his own home. From now until April 30, 2012, parents across the country can participate in the Hellmann’s® Chicken Change-up by trying one of the featured Hellmann’s chicken recipes, sharing their recipe reviews and providing their own advice for managing dinnertime obstacles.  After participating, consumers can enter into a sweepstakes for the chance to win a $5000 grocery store gift card and other daily prizes.

Disclosure: MAK Media, LLC was compensated for this post. This post is not endorsed, sponsored or has any connection to Twitter, Facebook or any other mentioned social media network. This post is solely the property of MAK Media, LLC.  All opinions are mine whether positive or negative. You can read more about our Policy Disclosure here.

I looked at this recipe and hesitated to make it. When I started making it, I wasn’t exactly sure how I was going to like the taste of cooked mayonnaise slathered on top of my chicken. I gave it a shot and surprisingly, it was delicious. I make a lot of chicken and this has to be one of the fastest and simplest chicken recipes I have ever made. The boys even asked for seconds. I hope you will give it a try and let me know what you and/or our family thinks!

Prep Time: 10 minutes     Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Hellmann’s or Best Foods Real Mayonnaise (I used Hellman’s Light)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/4 lbs.)
4 tsp. Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°.

Combine Hellmann’s® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise with cheese in medium bowl. Arrange chicken on baking sheet. Evenly top with mayonnaise mixture, then sprinkle with bread crumbs.

Bake 20 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Time saving Tip: Try making this dish with thin-cut boneless skinless chicken breasts! Prepare as above, decreasing bake time to 10 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked through. TIP: Omit Parmesan cheese and have Magically Moist Chicken on table in less then 30 minutes.

CLICK ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE

Disclosure: MAK Media, LLC was compensated for this post. This post is not endorsed, sponsored or has any connection to Twitter, Facebook or any other mentioned social media network. This post is solely the property of MAK Media, LLC.  All opinions are mine whether positive or negative. You can read more about our Policy Disclosure here.

I was looking for a fast, simple and delicious breakfast that I could prepare for the boys the night before when I found this recipe in one of my Robin Miller cook books. I mixed it up a little with what I had in the house. Below are the books directions with my alterations. I am going to try this one again with ham as we are not really big pepperoni fans. However, it was delicious the way it came out!

• Cooking Spray
• 1 pound acini di pepe pasta or orzo pasta (I used Orzo)
• 8 ounces of pepperoni diced (I used a 3 oz bag but mix it up! Use Ham, Ground Sausage, whatever!)
• 12 large aggs, lightly beaten
• 8 ounces of shredded mozzarella cheese (I used cheddar)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup basil (optional)

1. Preheat your oven to 350. Coat a 12 inch Bundt or tube pan with cooking spray.
2. Cook your choice of Orzo or Acini De Pepe pasta according to the package directions. Drain well and put it into a large bowl.
3. Add the pepperoni, eggs, cheese and pepper. Mix well, and pour into your prepared pan.
4. Press down slightly to make a smooth top.
5. Bake for 40 to50 minutes, until set.
6. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before inverting onto a platter and slicing.
7. Garnish top with basil.

Serves 6-8

Disclosure: MAK Media, LLC was not asked to share this information and was in no way compensated for this post. This post is not endorsed, sponsored or has any connection to Twitter, Facebook or any other mentioned social media network. This post is solely the property of MAK Media, LLC. . All opinions are mine whether positive or negative. You can read more about our Policy Disclosure here.

THIS RECIPE HAS BEEN MOVED. YOU CAN VIEW IT BY CLICKING THE LINK BELOW

Recipe: Homemade Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs

THANK YOU!

I was very excited to try this recipe and I have to tell you I was a bit disappointed. It had nothing to do with the recipe being good or bad, it was good, it just wasn’t for us. This is only my second encounter with cooking wines and I expected more of the wine taste to cook off. I don’t drink so the called for amount was a bit much. My friend, who is an ex chef, even thought it was a bit much. I listed the recipe as written originally but with some suggestions. I used Spaghetti even though I originally was going to use Angel hair. I thought the chunky sauce might be a little much for the fine pasta. I hope you will give this a try and let me know what you think! It was very easy to prepare.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. olive oil
3/4 c onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 oz. bacon, cooked, drained, chopped
2 cans (28 oz. each) plum or crushed tomatoes
1 tsp. sugar
1 c Holland House Red Cooking Wine (I recommend only 1/2 to 3/4 c)
Ground pepper, to taste
Red pepper flakes, to taste (I didn’t use)
Parmesan cheese (optional)
1 lb. pasta, cooked (I used Spaghetti)

Directions

Heat oil in heavy pan over medium heat. Sauté onion until soft. Stir in garlic and bacon for 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, sugar, wine and spices. Simmer on low, uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over pasta, with cheese.

Makes 6 servings.

Click any image to enlarge

I made this for dinner the other night and just had to share! I am sorry to say that it was a time restricted night and I didn’t get to take picture of all of the steps for you.  I will try to make it again and add some photos at a later date. Please don’t hold me to that It was SOOO delicious and easy! Give it a try and come back and tell me what you thought!

What You Need!

1/2 lb. fettuccine, uncooked
1 lb.  boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1-1/4 cups fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 tsp.  flour
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz.) 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese, cubed
3 tbsp.  Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp.  pepper

Make It!

COOK pasta as directed on package.

MEANWHILE, heat large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 5 to 7 min. or until chicken is done, stirring occasionally. Remove from skillet. Mix broth and flour in same skillet. Stir in cream cheese, 2 Tbsp. Parmesan, garlic powder and pepper; cook 2 min. or until mixture boils and thickens, stirring constantly with whisk. Stir in chicken.

DRAIN pasta; place in large bowl. Add chicken mixture; toss to coat. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.