dinners

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SousVidePerfection #CollectiveBias

I have been stuck in a cooking rut lately. When life gets busy it seems I tend to just stick with dishes that I know…and I’m trying to change that. So I recently purchased a sous-vide machine. Have you heard of cooking with this method before? I had heard of the name before, but up until a few months ago wasn’t very familiar with the term. A co-worker of mine who also enjoys cooking began mentioning theirs, and how it cooked their meat just ever so perfect, even and tender. Needless to say I had been thinking of purchasing one since that conversation.

What is a Sous-Vide?

Cooking food the sous-vide method is something that a lot of cooking professionals do. It entails sealing your food in a bag, then submerging it in the perfect water temperature. The sous-vide machine circulates and keeps the water consistently at the appropriate temperature.

It’s not meant to be a fast cooking method, however, once you’ve began you can then forget about it while it cooks. It’s definitely not just for meat either. You can cook vegetables, side dishes, desserts, eggs, etc. It’s certainly something cool to play around with!

I’ve use mine a couple of times now and have had a lot of success.

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and Mazola® Corn Oil. All opinions are mine alone. #SimpleSwap #CollectiveBias

I love cooking simple foods that when blended together create amazing flavors. Today I wanted to share a filet mignon recipe that I created for dinner a while back. All you need is a couple of filets, red grapes, pearl onions, garlic, rosemary, swiss chard and Mazola® Corn Oil. A recent study has found that adding Mazola Corn Oil to one’s diet resulted in lower cholesterol levels than Coconut Oil. A previous study found that corn oil can also help lower cholesterol more than extra virgin olive oil. To learn more about the study, see Mazola.com  

This meal is great because by using the filet mignon (instead of a cut higher in fat), the Mazola Corn Oil (instead of butter), and the swiss chard (instead of potato fries) are all options that make this dinner better for you. Mazola Corn Oil is an all-purpose cooking oil that is a smart heart-healthy choice for your family! Mazola has a smoke point higher than most cooking oils at 450°F and performs well in a variety of cooking applications, including stir-frying, sautéing, grilling and even baking.

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CampbellsShortcutMeals #CollectiveBias

I can’t help but notice all of the back to school displays out already. I was recently shopping at my local Walmart and realized that some kids only have a few more weeks before they head back. Luckily for us we are still on summer break until the Monday after Labor Day

Every week that goes by reminds me that fall will soon be here, and that we will have less free evenings to enjoy leisurely meals on the back deck. Each summer that passes I find myself flipping through magazines and old cook books for meal inspiration for the rest of the year. I also begin stocking up on pantry essentials – things like canned foods that will last for a while.

I recently stumbled on a tasty little meal that was a big hit around here; I called it Cowboy Caviar Chicken Flatbread. While it was great to eat on a summer evening, it would also be a great weeknight dinner during school nights. You could also pair it with a fruit, veggie, or pasta salad and a tasty drink like V8 Splash®, which has tasty fruit flavors that my whole family loves, and it’s made with fruits and vegetables.

You guys! Today I get to share a new recipe and talk about that time that I was in a cooking competition! It was so much fun!

Who loves mac and cheese? We sure do in my house. There is just something about macaroni and cheese that makes people nostalgic. It’s a comfort food that we associate with fond memories spent with family and friends.

I enjoy taking classic dishes and putting my own twist on them, and recently I did just that with Reser’s Main St. Bistro Signature Mac and Cheese.

Main St. Bistro Signature Mac and Cheese +3 Contest

I was chosen to be part of a really fun contest that Reser’s put on – a friendly little cooking competition between three bloggers to celebrate the upcoming National Macaroni and Cheese Day (July 14th). The challenge? To create a delicious flavorful macaroni and cheese dish by using their Main St. Bistro Signature Macaroni and Cheese along with just 3 other ingredients. Oh, and it all had to take 30 minutes or less.