Chicken Taco Soup in the CrockPot Recipe

October 20, 2011 by The Mom Jen 6 Comments

With our hectic family schedules each week, I need to cook easy and fast meals but they have to be healthy too. I was at the store, thought chicken is the main protein of the meal and quickly googled crockpot recipes. I came across a few for chicken soup, but I always love a twist. My husband loves when I make my blog-friend’s chili recipe so I wanted to give this chicken-soup-slow cooker-thing a kick so here’s what I came up with for Chicken Taco Soup!

Chicken Taco Soup

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1 15 oz can black beans
1 15 oz can whole kernel corn
1 22 oz can diced tomatoes
1 8 oz can of tomato sauce
1 12 oz beer of choice
1 packet of taco seasoning
1 small can green chilies

–Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beer, taco seasoning, and green chilies to the crock pot. Drain black beans and corn and add to pot. Submerge chicken into the soup and set on low for 5 hours. Remove and chunk or shred chicken and add back to pot, cook on low 1 more hour.
–Serve in a bowl, top with sour cream and shredded cheese or with tortillas spread with melted butter.

Starbucks Bistro Boxes Review

September 1, 2011 by The Mom Jen 1 Comment

I’m now carpool mom in the mornings with all 3 kids in school. Always trying to beat the clock, I have breakfast to serve, lunches to make, and errands to run before the clock strikes 8 each morning. What often happens is that my breakfast goes by the wayside and lunch is my first meal. Often I tend to cave and buy donuts or something sweet to get me by in the mornings, I need to get out of that habit!

Starbucks now offers a new line of wholesome and delicious Bistro Boxes to offer Moms convenient and satisfying on-the-go options. The clear compartmentalized packaging makes it easy to see the quality ingredients, while the re-sealable cover offers the flexibility to save your food for later.

These eight new Bistro Boxes have less than 500 calories – whether you opt for the snack or entrée size – and each box contains daily essentials of protein, vegetables, fruits and whole grains. The full selection includes favorites like Cheese & Fruit and Chicken & Hummus, as well as new varieties like Chipotle Chicken Wraps and Sesame Noodles.

My Take: This morning I headed to Starbucks to peruse their selection of Bistro Boxes. I was pleased to say they had 5 out of their eight choices available for purchase. I was starving and it was 9am, so I wanted something that wasn’t quite lunch, but would be satisfying and more like breakfast. The Protein Bistro Box was the perfect choice.

Included in the box, I received a Cage-free hard-boiled egg, white cheddar cheese, honey peanut butter spread, multigrain muesli bread, apples and grapes. The 13g of protein caught my eye as well as only 380 calories! I could have easily taken in 1000 calories with the cinnamon roll I had in mind before I stopped at Starbucks. The meal was completely filling and tasty. The fruit was fresh, sweet, and juicy, satisfied my sweet tooth for sure (thank you for red not green apples!) The egg was perfect and there’s even small salt and pepper packets to put on it if you choose! The muesli bread was fresh and was good topped with the peanut butter!

I am concerned that 75% of my daily cholesterol was consumed so early in the day and the salami option has 75% of your daily sodium, I may opt for the Tuna Salad next time. The price point for my Bistro Box was $4.95 and even though it’s more than a breakfast drive-thru meal, they come out healthier in the end and that’s so many of our eating goals!

I’m happy to know that my local store carries the Bistro Boxes, I didn’t see them in the airport to my dismay (I had to buy an $8 sandwich and a $6 fruit cup), and the smaller Starbucks that are in our Target only have the sweeter treats. I do like the options and I will be buying them again!

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Starbucks Bistro Boxes and received a gift card to facilitate my review and thank me for taking the time to participate.

Chuck E. Cheese’s Introduces a New and Improved Pizza!

July 20, 2011 by The Mom Jen Leave a Comment

I went to Chuck E. Cheese‘s for my birthday party tons of years in a row when I was little. From about age 7 or 8 until probably 13 my parents would pack me and a half dozen of my friends into the bed of our pickup (with camper shell) to eat pizza and play games all afternoon. The 25 minute trek to the nearest location was so worth it, and we all came home full and full of memories.

For more than 30 years, families across the nation have enjoyed delicious pizza and classic games at the family entertainment leader. Now, Chuck E. invites guests nationwide to join in on the action and grab a piece of the fun as the company’s pizza recipe undergoes the biggest change in its history.

The new pizza features fresh, never-frozen dough, a crispier crust, fresh vegetables and 100-percent natural mozzarella cheese, freshly-grated in Chuck E. Cheese’s kitchens every day. Together, these ingredients make a “much-kneaded” recipe for a cheesier, crispier, tastier version of the childhood favorite – no matter how you slice it!

While the original recipe was loved by many families, Chuck E. Cheese’s saw “mushroom for improvement” and formulated the new recipe to accommodate the changing tastes of parents and children alike. By replacing the former blend of frozen cheeses with freshly-grated, 100-percent mozzarella and ensuring the freshness of the crust, Chuck E. Cheese’s has redefined the flavor of family fun with a consistently great-tasting pizza.

Our Take: My oldest daughter is a picky eater and a pizza snob. She was reluctant but tried Chuck E. Cheese’s pizza and said, “this is just how I like it, less sauce, more cheese, yum!” My husband and I were thrilled by this and by the taste. The stringy mozzarella cheese was fresh and plentiful on every slice. The spicy pepperoni was a nice contrast to the cheese and the crust was light and crisp.

I also noticed there wasn’t a whole lot of sauce, but what there was had a great italian seasoning flavor! We were all impressed. What was a place that recently been more popular in our immediate family for the games, has now bounced back for a place to go and have great tasting pizza too! Next time we head to Chuck E. Cheese, I look forward to a veggie pizza, to taste the freshness!

We were provided a gift card to try out the new pizza, all opinions are our own.

Kim & Scott’s Gourmet Pretzels Review

July 18, 2011 by The Mom Jen Leave a Comment

Kim & Scott’s Gourmet Stuffed Pretzels are a passionate pretzel company with bakers committed to bringing the finest gourmet soft pretzels to the planet and bringing jobs to the community.

Since 1995, Kim and Scott Holstein, co-founders of Kim & Scott’s Gourmet Pretzels, have grown their business from the kitchen in Kim’s studio apartment to a national presence selling millions of pretzels each week via grocery store chains like Albertsons, Target, Walmart and Whole Foods. In addition, their pretzels can be found at Barnes & Noble, and via regular appearances on QVC, where they sold more than 150,000 pretzels in just 12 minutes when they debuted on the network.

Each one of their delicious pretzels is twisted by hand and made from scratch. Kim & Scott’s Gourmet Pretzels offer an assortment of amazing pretzels, using ALL-NATURAL and PREMIUM ingredients, like freshly shredded cheeses, hearty spices, unbleached flour and whole grains.

Our Take: We sampled a variety of flavors including Grilled Cheese, Pizza, Apple Cinnamon, Cheddar Jalapeño, and Spinach Feta. The kids liked the taste of the Pizza pretzel best and so did I. We love all things cheese, pepperoni, and dough and this out of the oven was soft and tasty, with the sauce having a great italian flavor.

We prefer the oven baking thought they can be microwaved, but often get hot spots or hard spots with our microwave’s uneven cooking. The apple cinnamon can be a nice breakfast or dessert treat with coffee and I liked the cheddar jalepeno that had a nice spicy kick. Grilled cheese was okay, maybe too plain and flavor lacking, and spinach and feta are not our personal favorites. The pretzels are good size and one-two per package can make a great snack or quick meal!

Learn more on their website: http://www.kimandscotts.com as well as where you can purchase them, (almost anywhere!).

Connect with Kim & Scotts:
http://www.facebook.com/Kimandscotts
http://twitter.com/kimandscotts
http://kimandscotts.wordpress.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/kimandscotts
We were sent samples for honest review.

Razzmopolitan Mocktail Recipe

December 18, 2010 by The Mom Jen Leave a Comment

With the holidays come the arrival of holiday parties and family get-togethers. However, you don’t want a non-drinking family member or an expecting mother to miss out on all the fun. Why not add a tropical flair to a holiday cocktail party or New Year’s Day brunch with these festive and fruity “mocktails”?

These tasty non-alcoholic drinks are perfect for everyone at your festive holiday party, and they’re Healthy Living recipes to boot. For the most part, these drinks rely on simple ingredients you may already have around the house. Even better—they won’t take much time to prepare – perfect if you have little ones running around or food in the oven.

Here’s a recipe I’d love to try, I’m a Cosmopolitan fan, this“mocktail” will liven up any party or turn a regular evening into a cause for celebration.

Razzmopolitan

What You Need

1-1/4 qt. (5 cups) cold water

1 pkt. (makes 2 qt. drink) or 2 pkt. (makes 1 qt. drink each) CRYSTAL LIGHT SUNRISE Classic Orange Flavor Drink Mix*

2 cups light cranberry raspberry drink

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Make It

ADD water to drink mix in large plastic or glass pitcher; stir until mix is dissolved.
STIR in remaining ingredients.
SERVE over ice. Or, refrigerate until ready to serve.

Click on the links below and find the recipes for these delicious non-alcoholic drinks!

For more “mocktail” ideas, be sure to check out these recipes too. Maybe they will inspire you to throw a party or to invent your own “mocktail.” If you come up with anything truly delicious, feel free to share the recipe with us by posting on the Kraft Foods Facebook page.

As a part of the Delicious Byte Blogger program, this information was provided.