Marie Calender's Baked Meals Review and giveaway!

I've been given the opportunity to try the new Marie Calender's Baked meals at no cost and pass on my thoughts and some coupons to you! Two readers will get coupons for a free meal! Read through to the end for more details.

Regular readers may be surprised to see me writing a review for frozen meals. While I recommend cooking everything from scratch whenever possible, I acknowledge that there are days that circumstances don't make that easy. The best case scenario is that your fridge and pantry are stocked full of fresh and easy to prepare ingredients. Second best is that you have prepared for rough and/or hurried days with some frozen meals you cooked ahead of time from scratch. I won't lie though, sometimes the convenience of a frozen pizza or even fast food proves rewarding enough in the dividends it pays to my sanity to make it worth it.

So, long justification over, I'm posting a review for a frozen meal because the reality is that most of us eat them. I cannot in good consciousness recommend eating these on a regular basis due to the large amount of sodium and the processed ingredients they contain, but for the occasional relief from cooking, here's what I think:

I tried 3 of the Baked Meals and one Pie. A review of each is below.

Southwestern Style Chipotle Chicken Bake
 We microwaved this one as we were in a hurry. We were pleased that it really did come out cooked evenly and the rice had a good texture - not that gross grainy-ness that some instant rice has. I will warn you though that while the sauce had a good flavor, it was way too spicy for my husband and 2 year old. They weren't impressed at all. Also, we should have eaten it with tortilla chips or with a big salad b/c we were hungry an hour later. We don't do many carbs/grains and there wasn't much chicken in the meal. Still not bad for what it is.

Creamy Chicken Alfredo with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
This was delicious! I'll be tempted to buy it again for sure. The sauce was just right and the tomatoes added a kick. Everyone loved it! We microwaved this one as well. Even though all of these can be baked, the difference in prep time for this one was 10 minutes in the microwave, or 50 in the oven!! We knew we'd still be hungry this time, so we MAY have finshed dinner off with some pie...

Razzleberry Pie
I received a coupon for a percentage off of a pie and they were on sale, so I grabbed one. The fact that I chose Razzleberry is a testament to how much I love my husband. I would much rather have chosen Chocolate Cream, but he's a fruit guy. And as far as fruit pies go, I enjoyed this one. The biggest bummer for me was that I didn't read the baking instructions far enough ahead, and they suggest that you let the pit set for 3 hours after it's baked. We ended up eating it right before bed, which I wouldn't have chosen. Like most pies, I thought it was better cold for breakfast the next morning.

Three Meat and Four Cheese Lasagna
We finally got around to baking this one. The baking tray held up well and it baked very evenly! I made Cheesy Garlic Coconut Quick Bread to go with. It was definitely more substantial that the other two with 290 calories and 14g of protein per serving. Not bad at all for a frozen lasagna.

There are also three more varieties of baked meals that I didn't try:  Chicken Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna, Scalloped Potatoes and Ham, and Vermont White Cheddar Mac 'n Cheese.


Would you like to try your own??

Marie Callender's has graciously sent me coupons to give away to two of my readers! To win a coupon for a free Marie Callender's Multi-Serve Baked Meal, visit their site and then tell me in the comments which meal you think you'll try. That's it! Easy-peasy!

Comments will close on Wednesday, November 24th at 11:59pm. Two comments will be randomly chosen on Thanksgiving Day. Please leave me a way to contact you in your comment or I'll have to choose someone else.

***Disclosure: I was given coupons for two free baked meals as well as for cents off of a few more. I was also compensated for writing up my review and hosting the giveaway. However, I was in no way obligated to write anything favorable about the products or company. All ideas expressed in this post are mine.

Get Back to the Table Wrap-up

CONGRATULATIONS to Tara for winning the Libby's giveaway with this comment:

"I like to get the whole family involved in cooking dinner."

Enjoy your tote and book!

Here are some of my other favorites from the comments:

"I make my kids eat at the table every night. I plan meals and let the "help" make them. I also use fun placemats,napkins, and plates to make dinner more fun." Amy V.

"Turning off the TV is #1 for us as that encourages us to sit at the dinner table to eat and chat!" Jes

"I like to get input on the menu for the week. Why cook if they're not going to enjoy it, plus, it makes it easy to look forward to dinner together when it's a meal someone has specifically chosen!" Chelsea

On a related note, I recently stumbled across some great resources at the Above Rubies Magazine page - Check them out!

And don't forget to join me in helping Libby's and Feeding America by clicking the button on the right!

Lunch With Hannah Keeley and a Giveaway!

Last Thursday I had the joy to meet for lunch with Hannah Keeley and the women behind some awesome blogs (Mommypalooza, Super Jenn, Penny Pinchin' Mom, Kansas City Mamas, Dine & Dish, and My Kansas City Mommy) at an awesome restaurant in midtown Kansas City. The lunch was sponsored by Libby's and The Motherhood.

In addition to awesome food (best Reuben sandwich ever!), we had a blast sharing ideas and getting advice about eating dinner with our families. I've already shared a bit from our online talk, but it was way more fun hearing the anecdotes and tidbits of wisdom in person! Some of my favorite pieces of advice were:

• Offer young ones a toothpick (with tip cut off) and bite-sized portions instead of a fork. They'll eat anything!
• Try family style meals with everyone serving themselves from dishes in the middle of the table. (I have to say that I saw this a lot while in Japan and noticed that everyone lingered longer, chatted more, and enjoyed having control over their own portions, though I'd suspect that a bit of supervision may be needed for big eaters if this were a regular thing.)
• If you're going to make a casserole, buy enough ingredients to make 5 and do them all at the same time and freeze the others.
• Don't be afraid to buy out the whole shelf of an item that is on sale (I feel guilty about this, so I needed to hear that others do it!)

It was great to compare shopping budgets (anywhere from under $200/month to $2000!!) and get to know each other.

We also spent time together after lunch filling reusable Libby's bags with goodies that were donated to a local charity, Hillcrest Transitional Housing. Libby's provided canned goods for the bags, and each of us contributed something to encourage families to spend time together at the table.

 Photo credit: Kristen Doyle

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You have the chance to win a Libby's tote of your own for sharing your best tips for getting your family to to the table! I'm excited about this because 1) I love doing giveaways, 2) I'm stock-piling ideas for dinner times when my kiddos are a bit older, and 3) It's my BIRTHDAY - what a fun way to celebrate!


The Prize: A Libby’s reusable shopping tote bag full of Libby’s products, a state-of-the-art can opener and a copy of Hannah Keeley’s book, Total Mom Makeover.

How to Enter:

• Leave a comment with your favorite tip for getting your family "back to the table" for dinner. (required)

 Get bonus entries by leaving separate comments for each of the following actions:

• Follow Libby's on Twitter.
• Become a fan of Get Back to the Table on Facebook.
• Create your own Virtual Canned Food Drive profile (include link in your comment please).

This giveaway will be open until 11:59pm (Central time) October 10th. The winner will be chosen at random on Oct. 11th.

Even if you don't win, I'm going to be choosing my favorite tips and sending them to Libby's and the Motherhood. They will then choose their favorites to share with everyone else across our blogs, The Motherhood, and Libby's websites! So please take the time to comment and share your wisdom with others!

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Also, in case you've forgotten, I'm raising money with the Libby's Virtual Canned Food Drive as well. Click the button over on the right of the blog to read more and donate! Think of it as a birthday present! :D

E-Book Winner and Discount Code!

So excited to announce that my friend Brianah's comment was picked by random.org and she has won a free copy of the Healthy Snacks to Go E-book!

And for the rest of you, Katie has kindly offered a discount code for 25% OFF!! Use code EFP25off at checkout before July 8th midnight. This really is a fantastic e-book - read my review if you haven't yet.

Hurry and buy your e-book before time runs out!

Healthy Snacks to Go e-book Review and GIVEAWAY

How often do you give your kids a snack that you *know* isn't good for them, simply because you need to feed them/make them happy and don't have time to make anything better?

I already struggle when out with my 2 year old - especially when someone offers him something for free. I know I would feel much better/nicer declining the free sucker if I had something yummy in my purse to give him as a consolation, but I rarely have snacks with me.

This can be especially difficult for those of us trying to avoid processed foods because "real food" doesn't usually come in pre-packaged individual servings, and often needs refrigeration anyway.

I LOVE this new e-book from Katie at Kitchen Stewardship! She is already one of my very favorite bloggers, and this e-book makes me appreciate her even more. It's a wonderfully simple to read and understand guide to making or assembling nutritious snacks for you and your family to take with you on the go. It includes over 30 healthy snack recipes and a ton of tips and extra info.

The first thing I noticed - and the thing I love most - about this e-book is how much thought she put into creating it to be user-friendly. It's designed to be easy to read on your computer or to print and put in a binder. The margins are larger on the side you'd punch holes. She has also kept recipes to one page or a front and back of one if printed double-sided so that they are easy to take out of a binder to keep close at hand while preparing your snack. It's worth printing - that's what I did - to keep in the kitchen, but you should also make sure to read through it on your computer so you don't miss all of the wonderful links she's included. I'm so glad I read this e-book while working on my own because she's given me wonderful ideas for making what I have even better.

Healthy Snacks to Go also has a fantastic key full of symbols to help you understand more about the recipes at a glance. You can tell right away if they are gluten or dairy free, if they are frugal or a little more costly to make, and if they are going to require a little or a lot of effort.

I sampled 4 of the recipes for you (a sacrifice, lemme tell you!) so that I could report back with some authority. Katie's directions are clear and easy to follow, and all 4 recipes I tried came out better than I expected! My family tried the soaked granola (picture from the ebook below), fruit rolls, basic Power Bars, and the wheat thin crackers.

The soaked granola was the most surprising success - it really clumped together well! I think I'll add a little more honey or some dried fruit next time, but I liked it better than any of the granola I make! I think the fruit rolls (we made strawberry) were my favorite, but everything has been good so far. I can't wait to try the rice pudding next time we buy milk!

Over the next few days I'll be sharing two of the recipes from the book that I tried out and posting yummy pictures of the results. Of course, you'll have to buy the book yourself for access to the bulk of them!! You can read the table of contents here to see what you have to look forward to!

Buy it:

Only $6.95 for this 44 page digital book. It's worth every penny! Grab it here.

Win it:

Katie has graciously agreed to give one of my readers a free copy of her book! This contest is open to anyone anywhere! To enter, read about the e-book and leave a comment telling me why you'd like to win it! Simple!

For bonus entries:

*Become a Fan of Kitchen Stewardship on Facebook.

*Follow Katie on Twitter.

*Tweet about this contest (please leave me a url) Here's a sample tweet to copy/paste:

Don't miss the Healthy Snacks to Go e-book giveaway from @kitchenstew and @EatFromPantry! http://bit.ly/arpJK7

*Subscribe to Kitchen Stewardship via RSS or email.

Leave a separate comment for each (five possible) entry!

The contest will be open until 11:59pm CST on Tuesday, July 6th. The winner will be notified by email and posted here on the blog. Good luck!

***Disclaimer: I received a copy of this e-book for free for the purpose of reviewing it for you, my readers. Giving a copy away was optional and I was in no way obligated to write a positive review. All opinions in this review are truly my own. I am also an affiliate of Kitchen Stewardship and will earn a commission for any e-book purchased through the links above.

Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to commenter #12, susan (at) cravingthesavings (dot) com!! Please respond to my email within 48 hours to claim your prize! :)

I hope everyone else who entered has taken the time to check out all of their great coconut recipes at the very least!

Remember, if you decide to order anything from Tropical Traditions (and I hope you do!), specify that you were referred by me (5989786) and you'll receive a free book about coconut oil with your order! :)

Enjoy!

Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil Review & Giveaway

Giveaway Closed...

I'm so excited to share this product with you! I LOVE coconut oil and use it in place of olive oil for high heat cooking and vegetable or canola oil for baking. In fact, as I explained in a previous post, it is the only cooking "fat" I use now other than ghee/butter!

My husband likes it so much that he puts it on toast, and my two year old calls it "snow" and frequently asks for a spoonful! I am more than happy to oblige considering what a wonderful "real food" coconut oil is! We also use it as a lotion and in our kids' bath water!! Seriously, it's amazing stuff! Here's a little blurb about Tropical Tradition's Virgin Coconut oil and what makes it different than others on the market:

"This Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is a truly unrefined coconut oil... Only the highest quality coconuts are hand-picked from each harvest... The fresh coconut meat is shredded (wet milled), and thencold-pressed using the water from inside the coconuts to make coconut milk. The milk is then allowed to sit for about half a day, while the oil naturally separates from the heavier water. The oil is then filtered from the curds (coconut solids). No chemical or high-heat treatment is used, and this oil contains no trans fatty acids.

We do NOT mass produce this oil. It is made by families who are coconut farmers using old-fashioned traditional methods that have been used in the Philippines for hundreds of years. Our coconut trees and family producers are certified organic according to strict USDA standards. The families who produce the oil are also trained according to GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) standards and re-certified each year. This high-grade Virgin Coconut Oil has a long shelf life due to the high antioxidant properties."

This video explains that info in more detail:

I've enjoyed the flavor of the oil I received from Tropical Traditions, it isn't as sweet as some other brands I've tasted so it does well in main dish cooking as well as baked goods. If you are looking for ways to use your coconut oil, Tropical Traditions has an awesome collection of recipes at FreeCoconutRecipes.com. My family enjoyed the Chocolate Coconut Gluten Free Protein Bars.

I also used coconut oil in these recipes:

Zucchini Coconut Brownies

Homemade Cashew Butter

Coconut Sweet Potato Pie

Chicken Fried Rice

Cranberry Coconut Granola

Buy it:

Grab a jar of Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil on sale starting at $19.95 for a pint. The normal price is $25.00!

Tropical Traditions also has a Referral Program, so if you place an order with them as a first-time customer, please select “Referred by a friend” and in the box that says “How did you hear of us?” enter my sponsor ID number… 5989786. By telling Tropical Traditions that I referred you, you will receive a complimentary copy of the book Virgin Coconut Oil: How it has changed people’s lives and how it can change yours! by Brian and Marianita Shilhavy with your first order! This book is filled with testimonies and research showing how healthy coconut oil is, and it also includes over 85 recipes showing how you can incorporate coconut into your diet.

Win it:

One lucky person will be shipped a free quart of Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil! To enter, simply sign up for the Tropical Traditions Sales Newsletter and leave me a comment telling me you did so!

For bonus entries:

*Become a Fan of Tropical Traditions on Facebook.

*Follow @troptraditions on Twitter

Leave a separate comment for each (three possible) entry!

The contest will be open until midnight CST on Wednesday, May 26th. The winner will be notified by email and posted here on the blog on Thursday, May 27th! Good luck!

***Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

Congratulations!

The winner of the Wrap-N-Mat reusable sandwich wrap is Ally from Sweet & Savory! Please check your email and respond asap!

Thanks to all who entered, look forward to more great giveaways in the near future!

Wrap-n-mat Review and Giveaway

My husband and I have been gradually switching out all of our old plastic food and water storage containers for BPA and PVC free alternatives. We have also tried to move away from anything that is plastic and "disposable" (both for our wallets and to waste less.) We have a nice collection of re-purposed glass jars, pyrex, and cloth bags. Some things (ahem... ziplocks!) are harder to replace than others, though. I've had my eye on several reusable options for a while and we finally decided to go ahead and purchase a Wrap-N-Mat sandwich wrap a few months ago (the green one if you're curious).

I am very pleased to have the opportunity to pass along my recommendation for this great product! I am not receiving a sample or any compensation from the company for this review, but they have graciously offered to send a mat to one of YOU, so read through to the end!!

The president of Wrap-N-Mat Wraps is a mother of four who became aware of just how may plastic bags her family was using. The 13" x 13" wraps were designed in 1997 and patented in 1999 to provide help families take "small steps to changing our daily routine" to make a difference to our planet.

The wraps have cloth on one side and a plastic liner on the other. The liner is made to FDA standards for contact with food and is BPA, phthalate, and lead free. You can read a more detailed decription of how the linings are manufactured here.

We have really enjoyed using ours. My husband takes it to work a few times a week with a sandwich or bread and loves that he can just brush the crumbs off and bring it home. My toddler and I recently used it to bring carrot sticks to the park for our hummus. It was great to have a surface to eat off of too!

WIN ONE!

Here's your chance to give this great product a try for free! This giveaway will be open until midnight CST on March 23rd. The winner will be contacted by email and announced on this blog by midnight on the 24th. Leave a separate comment per entry. Here are all of the ways you can enter:

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1. (mandatory) Visit Wrap-N-Mat an then leave me a comment telling me why you'd like to try their sandwich wrap and who in your family will be using it.

2. Follow Eat From Your Pantry on twitter. Leave your user name so I can return the favor!

3. Tweet about this contest. You can copy and paste this text if you'd like:
Win a re-usable sandwich wrap from Wrap-N-Mat and @EatFromPantry Enter before 3-23! http://bit.ly/asGy1z #giveaway
Leave a URL for your tweet. You can do this once a day!

4. Subscribe to my RSS feed (left side bar).

5. Become a friend on Google friend connect (right sidebar).

6. Become a fan of Eat From Your Pantry on Facebook!

7. Leave a comment on any other post on this blog. Mention the contest in your comment so that I can keep track!

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Good luck and thanks for entering!! :)

Edible Christmas gifts freebie

Tawra Kellam, author of the Living on a Dime book series I've posted about before has sent me a link to a wonderful freebie for all of you!!


"Gifts In A Jar shows you how to make all sorts of cool, yummy gifts that will save you money while endearing you to your friends for life! ;-) Gifts In A Jar features ideas to make delightful Gift Baskets like those in the expensive stores -- everything from the Honeymoon Basket to the Get Well Basket."

Tawra is offering the e-book free to all of you for Christmas!!! That's a $5.95 value! CLICK HERE to snatch it up and make sure you check out all og her other great poducts, too!

And the prizes go to...

The following people have been contacted (check your email and/or blogs

Heidi
Katie Stacey
Deborah
The Green Yak
rlgrady

Congratulations!!!

and from those 5, one person was randomly selected for the grand prize - $20 to use at Cooking.com! That person is... HEIDI!!!!!!!

Who said,

"Fun, the book and recipe both look great. I would give the gift card to my husband, he has quite a wish list of items he would like to pick up for the kitchen and I LOVE when he cooks!

Suggestion for topic, and this is a tricky one! We have several friends that must eat gluten free and we are constantly searching for recipes or "safe" foods we can keep on hand for when they are over. Most of these families just recently learned of the gluten issue with their children so they are also searching for ideas as they make this huge change in their diets. Any ideas?"

Congratulations all and thank you to everyone who entered and stopped by! I have loved reading each of your comments and look forward to using some of your ideas as inspiration for future entries!

(And to answer your question, heidi, check out the great blogging from Hold the Gluten and the Gluten Free Girl!)

Recycle Those Pumpkins!

I am so pleased with the response so far to my very first giveaway! Don't miss it - you still have almost two whole days to enter! I am loving all of the comments I'm receiving and thank you so much everyone for the great content suggestions! I understand now why people love doing giveaways - I want you *all* to win! :)

To keep you excited for the Dining on a Dime cookbook and all things frugal, here's another article by Tawra Kellam to enjoy! Stay tuned for more pumpkin recipes soon! 'Tis the season!

Recycle Those Pumpkins !

Peter Piper Picked a Profoundly Plump Pumpkin -- Now what does he do with it?

How to Roast a Pumpkin

You can only do this with a freshly carved pumpkin! Do not use on a pumpkin that has been carved and sitting out for several days.

To bake a fresh 6 to 7 pound pumpkin, halve the pumpkin crosswise and scoop out the seeds and strings. Place halves, hollow side down, in a large baking pan covered with aluminum foil and add a little water. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until fork-tender. Remove. When cool, scrape pulp from shells and puree, a little at time, in food processor or blender. Mix with a little salt.

To freeze pumpkin puree. Put 1-2 cups in freezer bags along with spices and use in pies. To use pumpkin puree for recipes: Line a strainer with a double layer of cheesecloth or a flour sack dish towel and let the pumpkin sit to drain out the extra moisture BEFORE cooking with it. Pumpkin is very moist, so in order for your recipe to come out correctly, you MUST strain it.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Boil seeds in water for 5 minutes. Drain well. Sprinkle with salt or seasoned salt. Place a thin layer on a cookie sheet. Bake at 250 degrees. Stir after 30 minutes. Bake ½-1 hour more or until crunchy.

*Squash seeds may also be used.

Pumpkin Smoothies

1/2 cup pumpkin 2 tsp. brown sugar
3/4 cup milk or vanilla yogurt 4 ice cubes
1/4 tsp. cinnamon whipped cream (optional)
1/8 tsp. nutmeg sprinkles (optional)

Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into 2-3 glasses. Serve with a small amount of whipped cream on top. You may also add orange sprinkles if you like. Serves 2-3.

Visit www.LivingOnADime.com in the press room for a text version of this article and recipes.

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Tawra Kellam is the publisher of the website www.LivingOnADime.com and the author of Halloween On A Dime and the cookbook Dining On A Dime: Eat Better Spend Less.

Very First Giveaway!

******Update: this giveaway is now closed, thanks!!******

I have wanted to participate in Bloggy Giveaway's carnival for a year and am finally prepared! Are *you* ready? :)

You've read about Living on a Dime here before and I said I'd refer to that site, and specifically the Dining on a Dime cookbook a lot in the future. I received an autographed copy of the cookbook, co-authored by Tawra Kellam and Jill Cooper as a wedding present from my aunt and it remains on of our most-used gifts from that day! It really is an invaluable resource as it is full of all kinds of wisdom about cooking with what you have, saving on grocery bills, and even how to clean with items from your pantry! And of course... recipes! :) Here's a taste:

Pumpkin Cookies

1/2 cup shortening   1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup sugar    1 tsp. soda
1 cup pumpkin    1 tsp. brown sugar
1 cup raisins    1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup nuts    2 cups flour



Cream shortening, sugar and pumpkin in a bowl.
Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
Drop by small spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
Brush tops with milk.  Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. Top with frosting.

They are good - believe me!!!

And now, Tawra Kellam has generously agreed to giveaway 5 copies of the ebook version of Dining on a Dime to my readers!!!! One of those 5 readers will also win a $20 gift certificate to Cooking.com to stock up on some of the pantry goods they will need for the meals you'll be making from the book! Cooking.com also has a great selection of everything else you need for the kitchen if you are good on food.

To enter, please leave a comment telling me what you would do with the $20 over at Cooking.com by Midnight EST on 10/30/o8.

For extra entries: subscribe to my RSS feed (on the right under my profile blurb) and tell me so in a separate comment. AND you can receive a THIRD entry by leaving another comment with a pantry-related content suggestion or question that you would like to see me blog about. That's three chances to win and there are 5 prizes to be had! Pretty good odds! :)

NOTE: Because both prizes are electronic (the gc will be delivered via email) *anyone* is welcome to enter - regardless of where you live! yay!

I will contact the winners and post them here on Halloween (Oct. 31st) so make sure you either leave me some way to contact you (blog address, email, etc.) or check back here!

And stay tuned throughout the week for some more great seasonal tips from Living on a Dime - including what to do with all those great big pumpkins you are seeing for sale besides carving them!!

More giveaways at the Bloggy Giveaways Quarterly Carnival!