Del Monte Chef's Pantry Review

I first heard about Del Monte's Chef's Pantry Meal Toppers on the radio a few weeks ago.  Another quick dinner solution... but this commercial was a little different... focused on adding vegetables to the dinner plate?!  I was intrigued.  Then Del Monte reached out to see if I wanted to review their product, I wanted to see just how healthy and quick it could be.

There are six or seven flavors, and right now it is only available in Columbus.  Each pack has sauce and three servings of vegetables.  The package says all you need to do is cook some chicken and rice... but really, you could go vegetarian and just make some rice, pasta, or quinoa... so that takes about 10 minutes!

I tried the pot pie medley packet.  It's been a while since I've had chicken pot pie, but when I opened that packet, even before it was warmed up with the chicken it smelled like the chicken pie I used to wait for an hour to come out of them oven as a kid... definitely some nostalgia there.  

It was really easy to make!  Cook the rice, cook the chicken, then dump the sauce and vegetables into the skillet to let heat up a minute or two and serve.  Ten minutes, done!  It definitely tasted like pot pie... although I'm used to the frozen pot pies... so both kind of have that canned soup taste to them.  I think Del Monte would agree that if you had an hour, fresh veggies, and someone to clean up the mess... you would have something that would taste a bit better.  But recently there have been at least a few nights every week that a ten minute meal is the only way we're going to eat dinner before 9pm.

So, at $3, definitely worth a try to add some vegetables in a super easy way.  You can find Chef's Pantry at Giant Eagle, Kroger, Target, and Walmart, but only in Columbus.  Give them a try and let me know what you think!

 

 

 

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Creamy Chicken with Spinach

Delicious and easy to prepare. Serve to your loved ones, I am sure that they will like it. 

Ingredients for 5 servings:
1/2 kilo chicken breast
2 cloves garlic
1 bunch Spinach
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup all purpose cream
salt and pepper to taste


Procedure:
1. Saute the garlic then add the chicken and stir for s minute.
2. Add the water and simmer until chicken is cooked. Add the all purpose cream then the spinach, salt and pepper to taste.
3. Simmer until done then serve with a smile :-).

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Chicken Liver Adobo

Exotic or not? that is the question. :-) Of course this recipe is not exotic if this is an ordinary food for you, but for those who do not know that chicken liver can be eaten, it is really weird or exotic for them, I cooked this because I challenged one friend from U.K that chicken liver can be eaten, he said yuck! Then we laughed! As I am about to put it in my mouth he said throw it away! I said noooooooooooooo it is really yummy hahahahaha, funny. Anyway liver is rich in iron therefore it is good for our health. Eat it.

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo chicken liver
1 small onion
5 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon ginger (strips)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons vinegar 

Procedure:

1. Saute garlic and ginger, then add the onion increase the heat
2. Put the liver and braise for a while. 
3. Add the soy sauce, vinegar and pepper, reduce the heat and cover then simmer until it is done.
5. Serve and garnish  it with green onion.

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Chicken Caldereta

Caldereta is a Spanish word for stew while the Filipinos term for stew is nilaga or sinigang. As what I have said there is no right or wrong in cooking because there are so many ways to cook a recipe, I think nilaga or sinigang is the original Filipino way of stewing, plain and simple, because stewing in Spain and other countries include a tomato sauce, that makes the Filipino caldereta delicious because this dish is a combination of Spanish and Filipino stewing. Caldereta was adapted from Spanish during the time when they colonized the Philippines. 
In our family gatherings, caldereta is always a special treat, I can not say that my caldereta is perfect but I think it is good enough to share with you. :-) This is just a simple one, I will share the special , soon, God willing :)

Ingredients:

1 kilo chicken
3 med. size potatoes ( sliced to your desired size)
2 med. size carrots ( sliced to your desired size)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 pack tomato sauce ( 200 or 250 grams)
1 small can liver spread mix with 1/2 glass evaporated milk ( this will thicken the sauce)
1 small size onion ( diced)
5 cloves garlic ( minced)
salt and pepper to taste


Procedure:
1. Saute garlic and onion
2. Add the chicken, simmer for few minutes, then mix it well.
3. Add the soy sauce and tomato sauce, simmer for another few minutes.
4. Add the potatoes and carrots then simmer for few minutes. ( add water if necessary)
5. If all of the ingredients are almost cooked, add the liver spread and milk mixture, salt and pepper to taste, then simmer until done.
6. Serve it with rice and enjoy your meal.

You can add green peas and bell pepper

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How To Cook Chicken Teriyaki

Wanna share this simple and easy way of making chicken teriyaki, since I had my teriyaki sauce (the one I posted yesterday). You will be surprised that it is very easy to make.

You can click the link for the teriyaki sauce recipe
How To Make Teriyaki Sauce

Ingredients for 3 servings:
3 deboned chicken thigh
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
chopped spring onion
oil- just enough for pan frying
salt and pepper to taste


Procedure:
1. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper then heat the oil and pan fry the chicken until fully cooked.

2. Slice to  your desired size, then arrange in a serving platter.

3. Pour the teriyaki sauce, sprinkle with sesame seeds and spring onion, serve with love and enjoy. :-)

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Fried Chicken

I think everybody loves fried chicken (that's my opinion). I belong to a big family and fried
 chicken is one of the favorites, buying it from KFC, McDonalds or Jollibee, will be too expensive if we will order 50 pieces for  family gatherings. The cheapest way is to buy chicken meat and cook it.  Here is my family's traditional way of cooking it. 

Ingredients:

1 kilo chicken
1 lemon or 5 calamansi
2 tablespoons Nestle Cream
1 egg ( beaten)
1 cup flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:

1. Mix the chicken,  lemon, salt and pepper. Marinate for 15 minutes.
2. Put the all purpose cream, mix well
3. Add the beaten egg, mix well
4. Roll over the breading.
5. Deep fry it until golden brown.
6. Serve it hot.

 

For Breading:

Mix the flour and cornstarch.

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Cheesy Fajita Couscous with Shredded Enchilada Chicken - total time 25minutes

Haha, I used to avoid those cooking game show type things on the Food Network or Cooking Channel (cupcake wars just gives me anxiety), but after participating in the first Chopped at Home challenge, I find myself watching the show on occasion. The last one I saw had viewers vote for the basket ingredients which included cow eyeballs! Ick!

Luckily, the at home challenge has much more forgiving ingredients. This time it is Mexican blend shredded cheese, chicken tenders, salsa, and couscous. All ingredients the average home cook has used before and almost make sense together. I love Mexican food, so the Mexican cheese blend round sounds delicious!

If you have never had couscous before, it is kind of like quinoa. I used to cook with it a lot more as a rice substitute before quinoa became so popular as a super food edging out some of the shelf space at grocery stores couscous once occupied. You can get different sized couscous, pea-sized to itty bitty grain size.

I was in the mood for some enchiladas, so this dish could easily be wrapped up in tortillas and baked for 20-25 minutes instead. But this way, we are cutting the carbs and attempting an artsy presentation that is really easy. Word of caution, you could use four pots/pans for this dish (which sounds like a cleaning nightmare to me)... Or you could use two and have to be watching things a little more attentively. Read all if the directions before starting the recipe (best practice for any recipe). :)

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More about → Cheesy Fajita Couscous with Shredded Enchilada Chicken - total time 25minutes

Spicy Chicken and Potato Waffles - total time 40 minutes

You know, there are a lot of fun kitchen gadgets out there! I mean, you could have the world's largest kitchen and still run out of space if you bought every gadget that might be useful. That's why I try to limit myself to gadgets that have at least a few uses and I see myself using at least once a season (here is a list of must haves). So I must pass on that mango pitter despite how useful it would be that one time a year I break down and need some mango in my life (how far did that mango have to travel to get to my plate again? ugh).

Introducing the waffle iron... used only for making waffles, right? It's also good for making waffle sammies and potato waffles. Potato waffles are great way for using leftover mashed potatoes! I always make soooo much mashed potatoes because it's one of my favorites (I was once known to eat an entire plate of mashed potatoes at buffet-style dinners) so we always have some left. Potato waffles are great for breakfast (they're like one big hash brown), a side, or with spicy chicken!

The traditional southern comfort meal of fried chicken and waffles gets a little twist. Take out the fryer and add some potatoes for a gluten free waffles!

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More about → Spicy Chicken and Potato Waffles - total time 40 minutes

Chicken Parm Paninis - total time 45 minutes

If you live in Ohio, you have probably heard of Melt Bar & Grilled. Even if you don't live in Ohio, you may have heard about these huge gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches on shows like Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. The first one opened in Columbus last winter (original is based in Cleveland) and I had a Parma, Italy which is chicken parmesan between two slices of Texas toast with a side of fries. While it was really, really good... I kind of feel like I might have a heart attack afterward! So I have been wanting to make a healthier version ever since.

So when Food Network teamed up with Sargento to do the Chopped at Home challenge, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to recreate this sandwich. I buy a lot of local cheeses, but I also love Sargento and their artisanal cheese wedges. I also like their commercials about how they are "real cheese people"... that cheese slices shouldn't come wrapped in plastic and I couldn't agree more!

Shredded cheese for a grilled cheese sandwich can get a little messy, but it's the best way to get all of those Italian flavors without tons and tons of cheese. Some other big differences between my sandwich and Melt's is that the chicken just has a light breading instead of being fried and the sauce is for dipping (kind of like tomato soup) because I hate, hate, hate soggy bread (can't have condiments of any sort actually touching the bread, ew). With the garlic butter, the bread ends up becoming garlic bread, so this really is a complete Italian meal without the pasta. Buon Appetito!

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More about → Chicken Parm Paninis - total time 45 minutes

Espetinho de Cora��o de Frango

This is one of my favorite Brazilian food. Cooked simply in a hot coal, aromatic and yummy. I cooked this for a friend's farewell party. One of the best that I've tasted is at Canasveieras, Santa Catarina, Brazil owned by Mr. Joao. 


Ingredientes:
1 kg de cora��o de frango  (limpo)
Sal grosso a gosto

Modo de preparo:
1. Em uma bacia, colocar os cora��es de frango, adicionar o sal grosso e mexer bem.

2. Espetar os cora��es em espeto de bambu.

3. Ass�-los com fogo baixo ate fica bem.

4. Servir com amor :-).

For the English translation of the recipe here it is.

Ingredients:
1 kilo chicken heart ( cleaned)
coarse salt to taste

Procedure:
1. In a bowl, combine the chicken heart and salt until fully mixed.
2. Put the hearts in the bamboo skewers.
3. Grill it over hot coal until fully cooked.
4. Serve with a smile :-).

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Chicken A La Barbecue

Just experimenting this but it turned out delicious so I am sharing this to all of you, happy cooking.

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken ( chop into serving pieces)
1 head garlic ( toasted and set aside)
1 onion (minced)
1/4 cup calamansi or lime juice
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup tomato sauce
 2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 cup Sprite
Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure:
1. Marinate the chicken with lime juice, salt and pepper for an hour then fry until half cooked, set aside.
2. Saute the onion then add the soy sauce, tomato sauce, ketchup and Sprite then allow to simmer, once it is simmering add the chicken, cover the pan and simmer it for 5 minutes over low fire. After 5 minutes stir well, add salt and pepper according to your taste, then simmer until the chicken is fully cooked.
3.When done topped it with toasted garlic and serve, make sure to have an extra rice and reserve your big smile after the last bite :-).

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Chicken Aloha

Will you try this recipe? It is very easy to cook but really yummy. 

Ingredients for 6 servings:
 Chicken ( I used 3 drumsticks  and 3 thighs)
1/2 cup soy sauce
6 cloves garlic ( minced)
1 1/2 cup pineapple juice from Pineapple slices can
1 can Pineapple slices
salt and pepper to taste


Procedure:
1. Saute the garlic then add the chicken simmer  until chicken is light toasted, then add the soy sauce and cover over low heat allowing the meat to absorb the soy sauce then add the pineapple juice
  then bring to a boil, when boiling decrease the heat to low then continue to simmer for 5 minutes. 
2. Add the pineapple slice, salt and pepper  then continue to simmer until done
3. Serve it hot.

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Chicken Spaghetti

I cooked this to add to my spaghetti recipe collection, it tastes so good, try it.

Ingredients for 6 Servings:
1/2 kilo Spaghetti ( cooked according to its packaging procedure)
400 grams chicken breast ( boiled and shredded)
370 grams tomato sauce
3 cloves garlic ( minced)
1 onion (minced)
1 1/2 cup ketchup
1 cup evaporated milk
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup grated cheese
salt and pepper to taste
extra cheese for toppings


Procedure:
1. Saute the garlic and onion then put the shredded chicken and saute for a minute then add the tomato sauce, ketchup, sugar and soy sauce then simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Add the milk, grated cheese, salt and pepper then simmer until done.

3. Arrange the spaghetti in a platter then top it with the sauce and some cheese then serve with a very BIG smile :-).

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Fajita Campfire Packets - total time 40 minutes

You know that perfect spot in a campfire to roast marshmallows? Right by the red embers not too close to the flame. It gets the marshmallow gooey and lightly toasted without catching them on fire. Well, that same spot is the perfect place to cook your dinner too! Just wrap the ingredients in heavy foil, spray with cooking spray, carefully put the foil packet in that perfect spot, and enjoy some perfectly cooked dinner in about 30 minutes.

I made this dinner while we were camping last weekend. As soon as I got everything on the campfire to cook, the sky opened up and it started to pour. We took cover in our Jeep and checked every single weather app on our phones... possible tornadoes. Eek! Thankfully the storm passed by pretty quickly. There were a lot of puddles and the ground was muddy, but the campfire was still hanging in there (thanks to good tree cover)... but only by a little bit. The rain made the whole fire those perfect red embers for cooking. Surprisingly everything cooked just right and as the sun came out, we were chowing down on some delicious camp food. :)

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Loaded Shredded Chicken Nachos - total time 20 minutes

So before I started reading about nutrition and really learned how to cook, occasionally I would just make some nachos for dinner which involved some chips, lots of cheese, and a little bit of salsa. It was quick, of course. Only about one minute in the microwave. But had no nutritional value what-so-ever.

After reading a couple books about digestion and the ways what you eat can cause certain annoying symptoms, most of which you might blame genetics on like unclear skin, stuffy nose, or trouble concentrating... I realized that there was more to food than just tasting good. Food is really about nourishing your body because it takes a lot just to keep our heart pumping, lungs inhaling, and brain thinking. I started to make a conscious effort to make sure vegetables always had a spot on my plate for both lunch and dinner. I started to cut back on meats and gluten. I tried to limit how much dairy I ate, but I just couldn't give up cheese. It is little steps that make the difference. Going to the extreme will leave you hungry and feeling deprived. Being too strict makes it nearly impossible to enjoy a meal out with a friend. With most things, a happy medium is best.

It's been several years since those old microwaved nachos days, but sometimes you just want what you want. I follow a couple bloggers that plan out their meals as well and one of them posted that they were making nachos for dinner one night. I've been thinking about whether nachos are really dinner food ever since. I decided to make my version of loaded nachos and it was quite filling and loaded with veggies (and cheese!). This makes a great quick meal that you eat with your hands. Perfect for a casual weekend dinner or to have with a couple drinks tailgating.

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Broccoli Chicken Alfredo Pizza - total time 30 minutes

Seems like every night this week I've been rushing to get dinner on the table before 9:00! Whether it's work, after work activities, working on our fitness, or running after kids, we all need a quick go to meal. My first mainstay is tacos, but sometimes get tacoed out (it takes a lot of tacos to get there, but occasionally I reach that tipping point). So my plan B menu item... pizza, of course!

I always have a ball of whole wheat dough in my fridge just waiting to be made into a pizza, stromboli, or calzone thanks to GreenBEAN delivery. It makes homemade pizza night sooo easy!

Usually we stick to traditional red sauce with mostly traditional toppings. But this time I changed things up a bit by making a white pizza! And what goes best with alfredo sauce? Chicken and broccoli! This pizza has become the new favorite in our household. Can't wait to make it again. :)

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More about → Broccoli Chicken Alfredo Pizza - total time 30 minutes

Get Your Greens Yakisoba - total time 25 minutes

If you're like any college student ever, you have probably had your fair share of Ramen noodles in your life. Probably to the point of never wanting to see a pack of those noodles again! But then a couple years ago, Ramen noodles came back in a more sophisticated, trendy way with chunks of fresh salmon and cute little restaurants.

As the Ramen goes, so goes the Soba noodle. Maruchan used to make a yakisoba kit available in the refrigerated section next to the wonton and eggroll wrappers. It had instructions on how to prepare vegetables to go along with your soba noodles and "yaki" sauce pack. Several years ago, they got rid of that option and opted for a version just like those Ramen noodles we loved to hate in college. Added in more preservatives to give it a shelf life of forever and has about a teaspoon of dried veggie pieces to try to pass as real yakisoba. Ugh.

Well, now soba noodles are getting trendy and I'm loving this Japanese fast food!

In this recipe, we're piling on the veggies and they happen to be all green (with at least one serving of green veggies per plateful, you're mom approves of this recipe). The sesame oil makes this dish a real treat with tons of flavor. And it truly is fast food, taking less than 30 minutes from start to finish.

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Rosemary Chicken - total time 20 minutes

Do you ever have those moments where you learn something that seems like it should be common sense and it changes the way you think about everything? Basically like there must be a better way to do everything... I just don't know it yet.

That's how I felt after watching one of Jamie Oliver's 15-minute meal episodes.

After having issues cooking chicken breasts all the way through (you know, there's the thinner side that's done in seconds and the thicker end that can sometimes seem to take an eternity to cook)... I started buying cutlets or actually using my cooking mallet (I have no idea if that's what it is actually called). And of course, I always season my chicken.

The new-to-me, crazy easy trick... pound the seasoning into the chicken while your flattening it out! Seriously so simple and the flavor is so much more pronounced. Wish I would have had this moment years ago!

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More about → Rosemary Chicken - total time 20 minutes