Radical Review Wednesday: Stouffer's Corner Bistro Stuffed Melts and Soups

First, apologies for posting this a day late. I had a killer headache last night and spent most of my night lying on the couch annoying my husband :D

When I fist saw the advertisement on TV for Stouffer's Corner Bistro Stuffed Melts and Soups I knew I had to buy them! Yes, sad to say, TV advertising worked on me. But I am really glad it did! I had a coupon though they weren't on sale I gave in a bought both flavors my grocery store had -
Three Cheese and Ham Stuffed Melt with Creamy Tomato Bisque Soup  and Steak and Swiss Stuffed Melt with Broccoli Cheddar Soup.  The third flavor, Chicken Bacon Ranch Stuffed Melt with Baked Potato Soup, of course, is the one I want to try the most, so I'm gonna keep my eye out for sales at other grocery stores!

The first product I tried was Three Cheese and Ham Stuffed Melt with Creamy Tomato Bisque Soup.
I was impressed by the size of the soup - it was more of a bowl than a cup. The soup itself was very bland, but I added bacon salt and garlic salt it it, and it tasted great. The soup was very thick. I hate runny soup, so this was very nice!

The sandwich was excellent as well. It was creamy and tasty. It tasted especially delicious dipped into the soup.

And I was full for a long time! That might have been the best part!

Steak and Swiss Stuffed Melt with Broccoli Cheddar Soup was the other version I tried. As a disclaimer - I am not a huge broccoli cheddar soup fan, but I found this soup a lot more cheddar than broccoli. That was a-ok by me!! It tasted really good, but it was really thin.

The steak sandwich was good. Not as good as the ham and cheese one, but good. I would buy it again.

Overall, I give these a 4.5 out of 5, total. Can't wait to try the ranch and potato soup version!

Menu Plan Monday Week og 9/20/10

 I'm back to planning! Our Omaha meat came in Friday, so we are set for awhile!





Monday: Stuffed filet of sole (we'll see if I like it!) and scalloped potatoes from Omaha, peas and corn
Tuesday:  Crock pot pork chops and potatoes
Wednesday: leftovers
Thursday:  I think J wants to do one of the steaks!!
Friday:  Probably a simple pasta dish, easy for a Friday!
Saturday:  not really sure... it may end up being Chipotle at the outlets!!
Sunday:  we are going apple picking! Dinner will probably be something really quick

To join MPM or for more meal ideas, visit this week's Linky at I'm an Organizing Junkie!

WINNERS! Pillsbury Sweet moments and Blogmania

Winner! of the Pillsbury Sweet Moments prize pack is

#62! Jenndiggy!! Congrats!!
CONFIRMED

The Blogmania winner is lucky number 

265... Arline!
CONFIRMED

You both are being e-mailed and will have 48 hours to reply!

Thank you again to EVERYONE who entered, as well as Lynda and Gina!
EXTRA SPECIAL thank you to all of my sponsors.... they are all awesome, please go patronize them!!

Free Sample of Cream of Wheat Cinnabon!

The last free sample of Cream of wheat I totally messed up by not putting in enough water (we have no measuring cups at work!) so I am excited to try it again!

Free sample of Cream of Wheat Cinnabon

Perdue Whole Grain Breaded Chicken Nuggets Review

I absolutely love Perdue's fully cooked refrigerated products. The Italian Style cutlets and the nuggets with cheese are my family's favorites! I was so happy to get to try the new whole grain breading (also called whole grain breaded) chicken nuggets.

As you can tell by the picture, the nuggets are good size. I love how you can SEE the chicken before you buy it! The breading was really tasty - it didn't taste "healthy." They have 8g of whole grains and 4 g of fiber per serving!! We put them in the microwave (I was starving!!) but I bet they would taste even better in the toaster oven!

The only thing i didn't like about Perdue's whole grain breading chicken nuggets was that the breading fell off pretty easily. Again, this might have been a microwave thing. But that is a minor quibble! Overall, they are a delicious quick dinner that has been made healthier!

If you go to the Perdue breaded freshly prepared chicken section on their Web site, a coupon will pop up for $1 off a package of whole grain breaded chicken!

ENJOY!!!




*I was provided a coupon by Perdue for a free package of chicken. All thoughts and opinions are solely mine.*

Thank you to all who entered Blogmania!

Just want to thank all of you who entered my Blogmania giveaway, follow me on titter and subscribe by e-mail! I had such a great time during this event and hope you guys had a lot of fun too!!! The winner of my Blogmania giveaway and my Pillsbury Sweet Moments giveaway should be posted Sunday!

I really hope you stick around because I have big things planned - including a HUGE announcement in a week or so! :D

BLOGMANIA IS HERE!!! CLOSED!!!

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!!
The winner will be announced in a few days.
 Thank you all for entering!!!!!


Hello and welcome to my Blogmania post!!!
I am blog #74 of 169

I am giving away a "FROM OUR KITCHEN TO YOURS" prize package to ONE person in the U.S. that includes:

• EasyLunchboxes is giving away ONE set of containers and ONE cooler bag in the color of your choice. My Review
•  A box of trufles from Cowgirl Chocolates. My Review
• Country Bob's gift package, which includes a bottle of all purpose sauce, a bottle of SPICY all purpose sauce, barbecue sauce, and seasoning salt. My Review.
• One Print Membership and 1 ePlanner of your choice from listplanit.com.  My Review
•  A set of 12 3-inch chalkboard vinyls from Bradens Grace Wall Art
• A $15 gift certificate to garnish.com

 

 

Those prizes will be fulfilled by the sponsors. In addition, I have a few cute little prizes I will be sending out on my own, including a child's baking set.

Also, I currently have 677 Twitter followers. If I get 100 more in the 2 days of Blogmania, I will include a $10 Starbucks card - increasing by $10 for every hundred more I get these 2 days!! Maximum of $40. Ok... a $10 Starbucks gift card will be added! Keep spreading the word and see if we an get it up to $20!

ENTERING IS EASY....

Mandatory Entry:

1. Just comment and answer this question: Which one of my prizes would you most like to win? You MUST reply with the answer - any other replies such as "Enter Me" will not be counted. You also must include an e-mail address so I can contact you when you win! :)

 

Bonus Entries:

*must do the mandatory entry first or these entries won't count*

*leave a separate comment for each entry*

2. Follow me on Twitter (new or current followers.) Please leave your Twitter user name in your comment. 

3. Subscribe to me by e-mail, located in the left sidebar. (new or current subscribers). You MUST confirm before Blogmania ends. Leave your e-mail in your comment.

EASY!!!! :) This giveaway will run from midnight Sept 16 through midnight Sept 17th EST. Open to U.S. only, ages 13 and older.

When you are done entering, visit another blog below:

Menu Plan Monday...Blogmania....

Unofficial MPM post, since i don't really have a plan! LOL Today we had some Weight watchers Fresh Entrees - from the refrigerated section. Killer deal at $1.50 each. They were "ok"

J ordered a big Omaha steaks package that should arrive this week, so we are winging it until then. Tomorrow we are going out to Applebees - there is a local promo where 10% of your bill will go to the Alzheimer's Association.

Otherwise, it is pasta and Gardenburgers! Saturday we are going to Jeff's cousin's new house to celebrate their Grandpa's birthday. I am making dessert, but it is a surprise!

Other than that, of course.... BLOGMANIA STARTS WEDNESDAY!!!! Flex those fingers and get ready to type and click! LOL!!! I have my post mostly written and ready to go :D :D:D

Win a Kindle!

As part of blogfest, Bitten By books is givng away a Kindle!! how awesome!
Go here to enter: http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=30336

Kaleidoscope Heart is in stores now!!

If you have ever heard Sara Bareilles before, then your ears are in for a real treat!! I have been a fan of hers for a very long time, since her (and my!) Hotel Cafe days, and i am sooooo excited that her second studio album has just been released. The first single, King of Anything, has been out for awhile. It is very peppy and high energy, yet the lyrics are very real and grounded. You can watch the video here as well as a few of her other videos.

Here is some info on the album, in Sara's own words:

Kaleidoscope Heart is my new album, and I’m beyond proud of this collection of songs, in no small part due to the fact it was like pulling teeth to write them. ...

As the time passed, I slowly started writing again, and truly amazed myself with just how horrible the songs were. And then the fear set in.
I think I fell victim to what a lot of artists go through with a second record: the expectations, the pressure, the anxiety of what’s to come, the idea that maybe I’ve already written my best work…
Weeks before I was supposed to start recording, I was in full-scale panic-attack mode, feeling pressure to start the ball rolling again, but not having material I cared about. I only had about 4 new songs that I really loved, and the rest were truly embarrassing. Thankfully, over a margarita, my good friend Matt said something profound and poetic that made it all come clear:
He said, “You can’t polish a turd. A bad song is a bad song. Ask for more time.”
And so I did.
My manager suggested only recording the 4 songs I loved and I agreed. Thank God he did, because the floodgates opened after a taste of what being in the studio would look and feel like. It was easy, and exciting, and infinitely inspiring. I wrote the rest of the record in about a month, largely based around the song “Uncharted” that still feels like the centerpiece to me. My fear of what was to come was keeping me from doing anything. And finally, I cared about what I was saying.
As homage to the song that freed me, I took the title of the record from its lyrics...


I can’t wait to see these songs come to life.
I can’t wait to reconnect with fans from the stage. I can’t wait to see how many times the word “Kaleidoscope” gets misspelled.
I can’t wait to get on the ride again.

Watch Sara on the Today Show!

I am anxiously awaiting my CD to arrive in the mail (YES I am old skool that way!!!) but you can instantly download the album on MP3 for $9.99 on Amazon. You can also get to the CD from Amazon for $9.99 as well.

I hope you all buy her CD - you will not be disappointed!!! And if she is touring in a city near you, go see her! She is AMAZING live!!

Tonight's Recipe: Baked Chicken Cutlets With Stove Top Stuffing

Hi all. Happy Labor Day weekend!!! It has been a nice weekend of shopping (mostly looking!) and reading for me. I had some chicken I needed to use, but all of the "regular" ways of cooking it just weren't tickling my fancy. So I did a few Web searches and came up with this recipe: Baked Chicken Cutlets with Stove top Stuffing. I thought since it was such a fall day :D a casserole would be great.

Now, of course, me being me, I did a few things differently. To make it a little healthier, I used 98% fat free cream of mushroom soup (didn't have cream of chicken) and lite sour cream. I also used 50% reduced fat cheddar cheese - NASTY stuff, truly, and I thought this would be a good way to use it up. I did sprinkle some fuller fat cheese on it to help make up for it ;)

Also, I had no chicken broth so i just used water. Annnnnnd.... my stuffing wasn't Stove Top! :0! Shh don't tell ;)

So here is my new version. Please note the original recipe was totally confusing, so hopefully this is a bit better!

Baked chicken with Stuffing

2 pounds  boneless chicken breasts or 1 pound chicken tenderloin strips

1/4 cup butter 

2 1/2 cups Stove Top (or other) Stuffing 

10-oz. can 98% reduced fat cream of chicken or mushroom soup

1/2 cup water or chicken broth 

8 oz Sour cream
Shredded cheese - mozzarella, 5 cheese blend, whaetver you want! 1 to 2 cups

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

  

1. Prepare the chicken cutlets. Place the breasts on a cutting board and cut into small pieces. Put the cutlets on a plate or bowl and set aside. 

2. Make the stuffing. Put the stuffing in a bowl. Melt butter on the stove and then pour over the stuffing. Mix together.

3. Spray the pan. I used a glass 9x13 pan. Take half of the stuffing and line the pan with it. Put the chicken cutlets in a layer on top of the first half of stuffing.

4. Mix the sauce. Open the cream of chicken soup and dump into a bowl. Add the sour cream and the chicken broth or water. Stir them all together. Pour over the top of the chicken cutlets and stuffing. Add a layer of shredded  cheese and then cover all previous layers with a layer of the last half of the stuffing. 

5. Place the baking pan into the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Take out and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes.

OPTIONAL: If you want a vegetable with this meal, try adding a 16-oz. bag of frozen mixed vegetables on top of the chicken. You'll need to thaw them before adding to the dish. Or you could just drain a can of green beans and put them in with the chicken and stuffing.

We served it with some Steamfresh carrots, broccoli and cauliflower. Deeelish!!
We figured it out to be 5 Weight watchers points if you make it 8 servings!

Radical Review Wednesday BONUS: Pillsbury Sweet Moments Review and Giveaway!

This giveaway is now CLOSED!

Thank you to all who entered!

The winner will be announced in a few days.

Come back at midnight for my Blogmania Giveaway!!

They say: Pillsbury introduces two new ways to enjoy life’s little luxuries with Sweet Moments Bite-Size and Molten Lava Brownies! Pillsbury Sweet Moments, now available in the refrigerated baked goods section of your local grocery store, are perfect for indulging any time of the day. The Bite-Size Brownies, which are layered with either rich caramel or fudge and chocolaty coating, are just the right size to grab and go for a quick pick-me-up. They’re ready to eat, so are ready right when the craving strikes – no preparation necessary! And, at 60 calories per brownie, they’re just enough to satisfy your sweet tooth.

And to reward yourself for a busy day well spent, try a Sweet Moments Molten Lava Brownie, which are served in single-serve bowls and are also available in rich caramel and fudge varieties. Each are covered in decadent chocolate or creamy caramel and topped with a chocolatey drizzle. After only 15 seconds in the microwave, the brownie bowls are warm and ready to enjoy. When chocolate bliss is this easy, how could you resist pausing for a Sweet Moment at the end of your day? 


I say: Chocolate... caramel... brownies.... how could anyone resist??? I bought the chocolate caramel bite sized brownies shown above. They are creamy and chocolatey. And at only 60 calories they really are a nice indulgence - esp. for someone like me who needs a bit of chocolate every day. ;)

Want to win a VIP coupon for a free bag of Sweet Moments  AND a chocolate spa kit? Keep reading!!

Mandatory Entry:

1. Which of the new Pillsbury Sweet Moments desserts are you most excited to try? (1 entry)

 

Bonus Entries:

*must do the mandatory entry first or these entries won't count*

*for items with more than one entry, leave a separate comment for each entry*

 

2. Like Pillsbury on Facebook. (1 entry)

3, Follow Pillsbury on Twitter. Leave your Twitter name in your comment.(1 entry)

4. Follow Me on Twitter. Leave your Twitter name in your comment (3 entries)  

5. Subscribe to my blog via e-mail. (2 entries)

6. Subscribe to my blog publicly via Google Friend Connect ( 1 entry) 

7. Tweet this giveaway, using the following tweet or your own that includes a link to this post and @lbandj and the hashtag #mbsspark.     
Win a Pillsbury Sweet Moments coupon and chocolate spa kit! @lbandj http://tinyurl.com/lbandjgiveaway #win #giveaway #mbsspark  
(2 entries for the first tweet. Can be done daily for one additional entry per day)

7. Add my button to your sidebar. Leave link to your blog. (1 entry)

8. FOR 5 EXTRA ENTRIES - Blog about this giveaway, with a link to my blog and this post and come back and leave the link to your blog post.  You MUST have at least 25 followers.

LEAVE YOUR EMAIL IN YOUR COMMENT SO I CAN REACH YOU IF YOU WIN!  I will check your entries. Giveaway will end on Tuesday, 9/14 at 10 p.m. EST. Open to U.S. Good luck! :)



The product, prize pack, information and additional prize pack to give away were all given to me from Pillsbury through MyBlogSpark. All opinions are my own.

Radical Review Wednesday: Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce (Blogmania Sponsor!!)

Today is the last Blogmania sponsor spotlight! As I mentioned yesterday, it is Country bob's all Purpose Sauce.

Tonight, I deiced to make Cheesy BBQ Chicken Sandwiches. It seemed like a very good way to showcase the sauce. And it sure did. Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce is sweet with a touch of tang. It's just plain delicious!!! It is great as a dipping sauce, as a BBQ sauce or as just a way to add moisture and flavor.

(I tried to take a picture of mine, but it looked horrible!)

When you enter my Blgomania giveaway, you'll win a Country bob's gift package, which includes a bottle of all purpose sauce, a bottle of SPICY all purpose sauce (it has a nice kick!), barbecue sauce, and seasoning salt. Let me tell you - this seasoning salt is good!!! It is it spicy and flavorful. You'll also get a Country Cob's cookbook, filled with delicious and unique recipes.

The ONLY way to win this and all of the other prizes is to enter my BLOGMAINA giveaway, Sept. 15th and 16th!  The excitement is building!!!!