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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If you have been following me long enough, it’s no secret I’m a pasta junkie. I love to make spaghetti gravy and cream based sauces but, sometimes I want the meal without the mess or time spent preparing them. I mean, after a long day, preparing a delicious home-cooked meal can be quite a challenge, and getting started is often the hardest part. While there is nothing that can take the place of Mom’s cooking from scratch, new Progresso Recipe Starters cooking sauces give you a head start to a home cooked meal!  Maybe you are not the from scratch type of cook, and that’s ok!
Progresso Recipe Starters sauces will be available in five flavorful varieties that can each be used as a starter to create numerous home-cooked meals. Inspired by the five “Mother” Sauces that form the basis of classical French cooking, including Béchamel, Velouté, Tomato, Espagnole and Hollandaise, Recipe Starters use a variety of ingredients and the best techniques to make sure your family has endless solutions to the weeknight dinner dilemma. The five varieties are:

• Creamy Parmesan Basil: This creamy, full-bodied and indulgent sauce that was inspired by alfredo and creamy pesto sauces can be used to make meals such as Crispy Garlic-Parmesan Chicken, Creamy Chicken Alfredo, Basil Chicken Ravioli Carbonara and Basil Chicken Thai Noodle
• Creamy Roasted Garlic with Chicken Stock: With caramelized, roasted chicken broth, garlic and a touch of cream, this stock is perfect for dishes such as Creamy Lemon Chicken, Chicken Pot Pie and Chicken Enchiladas
• Fire Roasted Tomato: A medium-thick tomato sauce, accompanied by flavors of roasted, caramelized tomatoes, oregano and bell peppers, which can be used as a great way to begin creating  Pulled Chicken Sandwiches, Easy Weeknight Chicken Parmesan, Cheese-stuffed Mini Meat Loaves and Mole Tacos
• Creamy Portabella Mushroom: Creamy and highly indulgent, this smooth sauce is rich with sautéed Portabella mushrooms,  giving you any easy way to start decedent meals like Easy Weeknight Beef Stroganoff, Steak and Mushroom Sandwich and Tetrazzini
• Creamy Three Cheese: Rich and creamy with a blend of yellow and white cheeses, and a savory background of chicken stock, onion, garlic and cracked pepper, this is a great way to satisfy cheese lovers with Easy Weeknight Bacon Mac & Cheese, Twice-Baked Potato Pizza and Cheesy Egg Breakfast Tacos

I have to tell you I was bot impressed with this line at all. It is quite possible that because I cook from scratch a lot of the time, my standards were to high. I found all of the flavors to be very bland. Even after attempting to doctor the Creamy Three Cheese, it still didn’t taste right to me. If you try them, please come back and tell me what you thought! Not everyone loves the same things

For added inspiration, Progresso created 80 recipes utilizing this new line of cooking sauces that can be found on Progresso.com. Many of these recipes are classic family favorites, such as Bacon Mac n’ Cheese, Chicken Pot Pie and Chicken Parmesan, and utilize ingredients your family may already have on-hand.  Progresso Recipe Starters is available in stores now so look for them in the soup aisles!

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

I am a lover of meatloaf but for some reason, I will only eat my own! The other night I was just feelingin the mood for meatloaf and madhed potatoes. I didn’t feel like running to the store to get ground beef so I tried this recipe from Nakano. Meat loaf without meat! Just the tasty flavors of vegetables, mushrooms and crunchy nuts laced with herbs. A food processor makes fast work for all the chopped ingredients – nuts and bread crumbs too! Please let me know what you think if you try this!

NOTE: Vegetables, nuts and bread crumbs should be finely chopped, but not minced.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1/4 cup Nakano Roasted Garlic Seasoned Rice Vinegar (Print a $.50 off coupon!)
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
• 2-1/2 cups fresh whole wheat bread crumbs
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF
2. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan
3. Melt your butter in a large skillet
4. To the melted butter add your carrots, celery, onion, mushrooms, seasoned rice vinegar, soy sauce and herbs. (YUM!)
5. Cook this on high making sure to stir occasionally until liquid is absorbed This takes about 9 to 10 minutes.
6. Move your veggies to a large bowl and stir in the bread crumbs, nuts and eggs.
7. After it’s well combined, spoon it into your prepared loaf pan
8. Pat it down and make sure the top is smooth.
9. Bake it for 50 minutes or untilthe  internal temperature is 165°F
10. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes
11. Use a spatula to remove the loaf from the pan
12. I love mine with mashed potatoes and corn!

NAKANO Seasoned Rice Vinegars are a versatile and flavorful product that is traditionally used for salad dressings, recipes, or is splashed on protein, vegetables or red meat giving the finished meal a unique, delicious taste. They are made with real, whole grain rice and are naturally brewed in the traditional Mizkan manufacturing process that began in Japan more than 200 years ago . The light but full-flavor condiment is a great replacement for fatty or high-calorie condiments, such as mayonnaise. For those with a passion for food, NAKANO Seasoned Rice Vinegar is the secret ingredient that enhances but never overpowers food. NAKANO exclusively makes its own vinegar to guarantee a quality condiment that delivers a tantalizing taste. All NAKANO^® products are gluten-free and have 50 percent less sodium than the competition!

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.

This year for Valentine’s Day we stayed in. Since I am not big on this holiday to start with, I was happy with this. My son ended up with the Flu and home that night (and the rest of the week off school) so we made it work. My boyfriend made me a delicious Valentine’s Day dinner. I’m a chicken and pasta addict so the man fed right into that addiction! He has a background in cooking so I thought it was time the man cooked for me. Here is the recipe he used with a few of his own little tweaks.

Ingredients:

• 4  boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into thin strips or cubes
• 1 pound Mueller’s linguine cooked al dente
• 4 teaspoons McCormick Cajun seasoning
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 thinly sliced green onion
• 2 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 4 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1⁄4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon Nakano Red Pepper Seasoned Rice Vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Nakano Basil & Oregano Seasoned Rice Vinegar
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Place chicken, vinegars and Cajun seasoning in a bowl and toss to coat.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté chicken in butter until chicken is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Reduce heat add green onion, heavy cream, tomatoes, basil, salt, garlic powder, black pepper and heat through.
4. Pour over hot linguine and toss with Parmesan cheese.

Disclosure: MAK Media, LLC was not asked or paid in any form to share this information. Any Brand names that are listed are for the sole purpose of specifying a product used. It is still okay to post something simply because I wanted to share it with my readers right?

I love making lasagna and it is a dish that my boys really enjoy. I wanted to change it up a bit so I came up with these roll ups. I am sure it is not my original idea since there are so many awesome Mom’s out there! They are fun to make and to eat. It’s an easy recipe that you can get the kids involved in! Spencer loves to stick the toothpicks in the top since he couldn’t quite get the rolling part down. I actually made almost a double batch which is why there are so many in my pan pictured below. ENJOY!

Ingredients:

• Cooking Spray
• 12 lasagna noodles
• 1 cup of soft cheese (such as Alouette, I used Philidelphia Cooking Cremes)
• 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons of basil
• 1 1/2 cups of tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup of Parmeasan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Coat a shallow baking pan with cooking spray
3. Cook your lasagna noodles according to the package directions.
4. Drain them and set them to the side. Be careful not to stir them to often or they will break when you are trying to work with them.
5. Next,  in a small bowl, combine the herbed cheese, mozzarella and basil then mix it well.
6. Lay your lasagna noodles out on a flat surface.
7. Spoon a thin layer of the cheese mixture onto each noodle. You don’t want to over load these.
8. Starting from one end, roll up the noodle and secure it with a toothpick.
9. Place rolls side by side in the pan
10. Pour the tomato sauce on top and then sprinkle them with parmesean cheese.
11. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until cheese filling melts and the tops are golden brown.

I am a cheese lover and at first thought these needed more cheese than what I put in. However, once they were baked and I tasted them, it is actually enough. I am going to try them again with the standard mozzarella and ricotta one time. I know, I never make anything by the original recipe

Serves 4

CLICK ANY IMAGE TO SEE A LARGER VERSION

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.

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.

THIS POST HAS BEEN MOVED TO MY OTHER BLOG.

http://delightfulchaos.com/recipe-fast-easy-and-kid-friendly-lasagna-roll-ups/