Sometimes You NEED a cheat.... {Magical Pomi Salsa}

POMI SALSA

 No time?
This Salsa is THE best cheat ever....
less than 10 minutes prep and then IF you have time refrigerate to let it marry....
if not, seriously I would eat these ingredients out out the Pomi box.

WHAT YOU NEED:
1 box Pomi chopped
1/2 red onion chopped finely
3 tbsp fresh cilantro {chopped}
1 TBSP minced garlic
1 TBSP lime juice
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp kosher salt
2 TBSP canned diced green chilis

WHAT YOU DO:
Do the hokey pokey and mix it all around....

OLE!

Mussels, Clams & Shrimp in Drunken Tomatoes

Mussels, Clams & Shrimp in Drunken Tomatoes

ok, no significant back story to this recipe except that I LOVE Mussels.  I cannot walk into a restaurant and see them & not order them BUT I've never ever cooked them. 

Mainly because my girls {little fools} snub shellfish largely {Kyra will eat Shrimp only}.  But of late I've decided I don't care.... there I said it.  Seriously though, they can eat the sides.... in this case they had crusty bread AND WATER!  LOL.  Don't call DFS they were happy as CLAMS.... no pun intended.

Anyhow, this was a simple and FABULOUS and less than an hour from start to table including peeling & deveining the shrimp.

Chance for EXTRA GIVEAWAY ENTRY! Can You Say LAST CHANCE??? Giveaway entry closes at midnight!

Just a quick reminder that at MIDNIGHT my FIRST GIVEAWAY closes out.... a CASE, yes, you heard me correctly, a 12 box case of POMI Chopped Tomatoes to one lucky U.S. Winner!

All you had to do was confirm IN A COMMENT on any of the 3 posts related to this giveaway on my blog that you had done ONE of each of the following things to ensure you never miss another giveaway! 

#1 ~Followed/Joined my site OR signed up to receive my emails

[both in right margin]

#2 ~Liked my Facebook page or followed me on Twitter or Pinterest

The way I set this up you got one entry for doing both things.... 

The way to get a  SECOND entry.... vote for which of my remaining 11 FAVORITE things you'd like to see in May's Giveaway :)click here to see the list and full details so far I only have 2 votes.... both for a Sea Salt Collection!

Want a THIRD ENTRY? repost this to your Facebook page and let me know in a comment here or on MY FB page that you did!

BONNE CHANCE!

GIVEAWAY REMINDER & Chance for "extra" entry because I care

Just a quick reminder that a week from Monday my FIRST GIVEAWAY closes out.... a CASE, yes, you heard me correctly, a 12 box case of POMI Chopped Tomatoes to one lucky U.S. Winner! 

All you had to do was confirm to had done ONE of each of the following things to ensure you never miss another giveaway!  

• ****Followed/Joined my site 
OR signed up to receive my emails
• ****Liked my Facebook page or followed me on Twitter or Pinterest

The way I set this up you got one entry for doing both things.... here's a chance for A SECOND entry.... vote for which of my remaining 11 FAVORITE things you'd like to see in May's Giveaway :)click here to see the list and full details

BONNE CHANCE!

Eating in Shifts {Stuffed Peppers and Zucchini}

Stuffed Peppers

I'm not usually so quick to try the awesome meals I see on my friend's blogs { I have a dedicated email folder for my GOTTA try this recipes!} but when I saw this post by Pam at Wine & Dine With Us ,I told her in a comment "I'm making this tonight" and I believe I did!  I made only a couple substitutions and additions to meet our diet and tastes and I made some of mine as Stuffed Zucchini and some as Stuffed Peppers and everyone raved.  It's going to be a recipe my future daughter in law asks for I just know it! AND truth be told my kids LOVED the filling by itself, so take this recipe and run with it.  AGAIN, THREE CHEERS for Pam! It is a really awesome recipe. 

So, it was a quick fix no matter how you plan it but I personally made the filling the night before and stuffed the next night and because this was our "eating in shifts" night I set up different pans to go in at different times and my Dad even took his and freaking nuked it EEK..... he said it was PERFECT.... ARG.  {8 minutes nuking by the way}

Enough build up....

Eating in Shifts {Chicken & Cannellini Chili Recipe}

Chicken & Cannellini Chili

Tuesday nights have turned into our "eating in shifts night" and there's no way to possibly gather everyone... unless we ate at 9 o'clock... and I'll be watching The Voice by then, just sayin'


So, I have a handful of yummy go-to recipes for these occasions and many of them are Chili.  Who doesn't love Chili after all?  And this one happens to be... wait for it.... yup, healthy.

Twelve things I love ~13 if you count FREE stuff! {GIVEAWAY}

Twelve things I love dearly in my kitchen
{other than people ~of which there are many}

• my Magic Bullet
• my Too Cute Totes Apron
• my Kyocera Ceramic knives
• my Calphalon saute pan with silicone handles
• my candy stripe William~Sonoma pot holders
• my silicone potholders {see profile picture!}
• my Sea Salt collection
• my Scentsy burner
• my hanging measuring spoons from the Purple Dragonfly Boutique
• my Pampered Chef nesting measuring cups
• my Tom Colicchio "Think Like A Chef" cookbook
• my POMI tomatoes

And to celebrate these awesome things I'm going to write a review AND give one of them away EACH month for the next 12 months!  The entry periods will run from the day I post until the last day of the month.... for example entries for April's giveaway will start NOW and end on April 30th at 11:59 p.m. EST.  Note: while I will consider entries from anywhere, I will only pay for shipping within the US FOR THIS MONTH's ITEM {it's food & it's heavy}, so if you are living outside of the US we will have to reach an arrangement on shipping costs if you enter and win.... so, you are dying to know... what do you have to do?

The Quick Fix {Provençal Pork chops with Vegetable Saute}

Tuesday evening and just like most of you, the Webbs are going every which way.... and somewhere in there it's really important to me that we converge at the dining room table, even if its briefly, for a meal... and I want it to be yummy AND healthy.... I won't make a big deal about the diet we are trying to be on but you MIGHT notice a FEW healthier posts.... but I won't completely leave the dark side, fret not.
So, these chops are a good healthy quick fix.

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED:
for the chops:
4 boneless pork chops
1 tsp {just a drizzle} olive oil {I used garlic flavored}
2 cups diced tomatoes in juice {I used Pomi}
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 cup vegetable stock
2 tsp Herbes de Provence

Cough Cough Sniff Sniff {Tortellini Soup Recipe}

You know you're not feeling well when you can't blog.... but you know it's not the flu and "just" a cold when you still want to cook!


I was feeling pretty lousy yesterday, hadn't gone grocery shopping yet and so thinking of my friend Barbie's Tortellini Soup, I made a huge pot of what turned out to be a very loose rendition based on what I had in the house. That said, it was an awesome "Kitchen Sink" Soup..... so yummy, everyone wants to have it again tonight and I am glad because I'm still not quite right.

Chicken, Tortellini & Meatball Soup

a/k/a It-Was-In-The-Freezer/Fridge-So-It's-In-The-Soup Soup

10 c. Chicken stock 

3 chicken thighs, skin removed

1 small onion diced

2 c. sliced carrots

4 cups diced tomatoes [I used one 26 oz. Pomi]

1 cup Tomato sauce

1 c. Marsala cooking wine

16 oz. bag tortellini

1/2 bag [approx 1 lb] of frozen Italian style meatballs

2 tsp. each Celery Seed & Black Pepper

2 TBSP each:

Garlic Powder

Basil

Oregano

Parsley Flakes

Kosher Salt

I used my 7 quart stock pot with a colander insert, because I think it's easier when you are cooking chicken and then de-boning.

First, bring the stock to a low boil, add the chicken and simmer for 20 minutes,  remove the colander/chicken and set aside to cool.

Bring the stock back to a strong boil, add the Marsala and allow to boil 5 minutes then add the onion, carrots, tomatoes, tomato sauce & spices.  Reduce to a simmer and simmer 20 minutes.  While that's cooking, debone the chicken and break into small pieces and add to the pot.  

I mentioned I use Pomi products.... I just think they are superior to any other "canned" tomato product and if you cannot use fresh, it's the next best thing.

After 20 minutes add the tortellini, I used Schwans frozen 6 cheese, but I'm a Schwan's girl [Barella makes a nice one that just comes off the pasta shelf], and the meatballs, again I used Schwans Italian Style return soup to a simmer and cook for 20 more minutes.

Spoon into bowls and top with grated Parmesan~Romano and a couple homemade croutons [recipe below].  

AHHHH, I felt better instantly.

p.s. I mentioned homemade croutons.  They are sooooo easy it's ridiculous to NOT make them in my opinion.  I swear people eat one and immediately propose marriage.... they are THAT good.

HOMEMADE GARLIC CROUTONS

1/2 cup [1 stick] butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

6 (3/4 inch thick) slices Italian Loaf Bread cut into cubes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; spray large jelly roll pan with non-stick cooking spray [I use olive oil flavored].

In a large saute pan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in garlic; cook and stir for 1 minute. Turn off heat, add bread cubes and toss to coat. Spread on jelly roll pan in single layer.

Bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until crisp, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent burning. Cool completely before storing in Ziploc baggie to maintain freshness.

Sorry so skimpy in picture.... they ate them ALL!

p.p.s. To give a shout to the original soup that ROCKS......

Barbie's Tortellini Soup

1 lb. bulk Italian Sausage

1 c. chopped onion

2 cloves garlic sliced

5 cups beef broth

1 c. water

1 c. red wine

2 c. canned diced tomatoes

1 c. carrots

1 c. tomato sauce

1/2 tsp. each basil & oregano

8 oz. fresh cheese tortellini

1 1/2 c. sliced zucchini

1 medium green pepper sliced

3 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley

Brown sausage in pot, remove from pot draining all but 1 TBSP of fat.  Brown onion and garlic in fat until tender.  Add cooked sausage, beef broth, water, red wine, tomatoes, carrots, tomato sauce, basil & oregano bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and simmer uncovered 30 minutes.

Skim fat from soup, add remaining ingredients and simmer covered 20 minutes.

Serve with Parmesan.

BUON APPETITO!