Ask Ms Recipe by Nina Marana | A Food blog with recipes, marvelous menus, grocery store helps, kitchen tips and more

My Memories Suite Giveaway Ends 5/24/12 World Wide

MY Memories gave me a copy of their Scrapbook Software to try. MyMemoires is a great scrapbook program that comes with plenty ways to get your creative juice running for anyone even a recipe blogger. I enjoyed playing with the different background papers and embellishments to create scrapbook pages for my family’s photos including our [...]

Frugal Menu ideas # 15

White Chicken Enchiladas By Giving Up on Perfect Chicken Tetrazzini Casserole By Barbara Bakes Greek Chicken and Vegetable Fried Rice By Aggies Kitchen Pineapple Pork Puffs By A Nut In a Nut Shell -Freebie Friday or Leftovers Baked Polenta By Two Peas and their Pod

Have you Drink a Cactus Today?

Would you drink cactus juice if it would help you? I would not have dreamed of trying it until I read more about it. Nopalea contains antioxidants that would help reduce swelling from conditions that cause joint swelling. For someone with conditions that cause swelling and painful joints that sounds like music, but most of [...]

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Green Ostrich Giveaway Ends: 11/30/10 USA Only

Filed under Giveaway/Review by msrecipe on November 21, 2010 at 8:04 pm {98 comments}

Lately, I’ve noticed that “Going Green” is becoming more and more popular. Green Ostrich is one of the companies that offers Green Gifts that are earth friendly”

Here’s the Green Ostrich Story:
A woman-owned business founded in 2009 based just outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Green Ostrich™ started with the following observation: the energy-intensive retail stores that we frequent do not offer many Earth-friendly, green products. That, and we were spending a lot of time and energy driving in our car to and from these stores.
So, we decided to create an online store dedicated to Earth-friendly, green gifts and green toys to spark a consumer movement that requires environmentally-sound solutions for our lives. We help people make changes, not sacrifices. We help them live well and refresh the Earth.
The power to make change rests with the individual consumer. They have to lead the way; they always do. When consumers decide to make the Earth a priority, the priorities of businesses and governments will shift.To save the Earth, we have to refresh the resources we borrow. Using Earth-friendly products in our daily lives helps. Learn to recognize them. Demand them. Buy them . . . if not from us, from someone else. Doing that consistently will move markets and governments, and the Earth will rebound from its concerning negative trends.

My Thoughts:
Green Ostrich sent me a To-Go Ware Bamboo Utensil Set in Recycled Plastic Case- Beet. I gave it to my daughter to test out at school. She’s a high schooler who is pretty picky about things so I was surprised how much she liked the To-Go Ware Bamboo Utensil Set. She packs her lunch because she hates standing in line forever.

The kids at her table said:
“What is that?”
“It’s a wooden spoon”
“Oh Cool I’ve never seen a wooden spoon.”

The set comes with a Bamboo fork, spoon, knife, and a pair of chopsticks. The case has a hook which makes it easy to hang on your lunch bag, purse, belt loop, and in your car. It’s one way you can help the earth. Imagine if you had take-out five days a week for a year look how much plastic you have wasted when you could reuse something and save the earth too. If everyone did this there would be a huge reduction in our waste. I tried the chopsticks, but I’ll need a lot of practice before I master them. I kept on dropping my food back on the plate. The case may be made out of recycled plastic, but it feels like cloth.
See something you LOVE at Green Ostrich? You can save 5% off your purchase with the coupon code Recipe expires 1/31/2010.
Save a few bucks here when you buy 3 Bamboo Utensil sets.

Green Ostrich is giving one lucky reader one To-Go Ware Bamboo Utensil Set in Recycled Plastic Set in the color Beet.

Mandatory Entry:

Like Green Ostrich on Facebook AND tell them “Ask Ms Recipe Sent Me.” ( I need your Facebook Name or link.)

Bonus Entries (Must do Mandatory First)

Visit Green Ostrich and tell me your favorite Green Gift (look in left sidebar) (+2 entries)
Tell me one way your family is helping the earth.(+2 entries)
Follow Ask Ms Recipe on Twitter (+1 entry)
Like my Author Page on Facebook (+1 entry)
Tweet about the giveaway daily for daily entry- (must include link in comment) You can use: Win Bamboo Utensil Set from Green Ostrich on #askmsrecipe http://tinyurl.com/29kz8me (+2 extra entries-)
Post the giveaway with link on Facebook (must include link in comment ) (+1 extra entry)
List it on another giveaway site and give me the link in comment. (+1 extra entry)
Blog about the giveaway with link back to this post. (+4 extra entries)
Tell me what your favorite casserole dish. (+2 extra entries)
Subscribe to Ask Ms Recipe RSS feed by email (found in the right sidebar) (+3 extra entries-tell me if you already subscribe and verify subscription-Check SPAM box)

The winner will have 48 hours to reply to my email or I’ll pick another winner. Submit 1 comment per entry Giveaway item is shipped to winner by Green Ostrich.

Contest Ends: 11/30/2010 at 11:59 P.M. Central Time and is open to USA only.

FTC requirement: I received no money for this review. I did receive product for the purpose of the review, but it didn’t influence my opinion of the product.

Dressing/Stuffing #2

Filed under Holiday Food, side dishes by msrecipe on November 18, 2010 at 8:44 pm {2 comments}

Fruit Stuffing

Cooking time 30 minutes
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
1/4 cup yellow onion, peeled, chopped
1 cup celery with leaves, chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups dried bread, cut into chunks
1/2 cup Granny Smith apple, chopped
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thaw
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large size skillet over low-medium heat melt butter; add onion and celery cook until tender. Remove from stove.
3. Add bread apple, poultry seasoning, orange juice, salt, pepper, egg, and broth. Stir well, with fork.
4. Pour into lightly greased shallow baking dish/pan on middle rack oven for 30 minutes; covered, for crisp uncover cook for 15 minutes longer.

Corn bread and bread crumbs Stuffing

Cooking time 20 minutes
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
2 cups crumbled cornbread
1 cup plain bread crumbs
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
2 stalks celery with leaves, diced
1/4 cup yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
3 cups chicken broth or turkey broth
3 large eggs, beaten

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Combine both breads into a large size bowl.
3. In a small skillet over low-medium heat melt butter, and celery, onion, pepper, and rosemary. Cook until soft and pour into bread bowl.
4. Stir in broth and eggs, mix well. Pour into well greased large shallow baking dish/pan.
5. Bake uncovered on middle rack oven for 15-20 minutes.

Corn bread Stuffing
Cooking time 15-20 minutes
Serves 6-8

Ingredients
2 cans Pillsbury Biscuits bake, break up
3 1/4 cups corn bread, broke up
3 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup red or yellow onion, peeled, diced
1/2 celery with leaves, chopped
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons dried sage
1 large egg, beaten
2 cups warm chicken broth
1/2 cup whole milk

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a large size bowl combine, biscuits, corn bread.
3. Over low-medium heat using small size skillet melt butter, brown onion, and celery until soft. Pour into large bowl with breads mix with fork.
4. Add salt, pepper, sage, egg, broth, and milk, mix well.
5. Transfer into shallow baking dish/pan, well greased, place on middle rack; back uncovered for 15-20 minutes

Tip: Biscuits and corn bread could

Dressing/Stuffing #1

Filed under Uncategorized by msrecipe on November 18, 2010 at 8:23 pm {no comments}

Hawaiian Bread Stuffing

Cooking time 30 minutes

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1/2 stick unsalted butter

3 large celery stalks with leaves, diced

1 large yellow onion, peeled, chopped

1 pound loaf Hawaiian Bread, broke up, keep soft

3/4 cup raisins

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon dried sage

Directions

1. Preheat the oven 325 degrees F.

2. In a medium size skillet, melt butter over medium heat; add celery with leaves, and onion cook, stir often until soft.

3. Pour into greased medium size greased baking dish/pan, place in oven on middle rack. Cover and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Tip: Golden raisins can be used

Whole Grain Stuffing

Cooking time 35-40 minutes

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/2 cup yellow onion, peeled, diced

1/2 cup celery with leaves, chopped

1 medium-large granny smith apple, peeled, cored, chopped

5 cups dry whole grain bread, remove crust, cut into bite size

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons golden raisins

3/4 cup chicken broth

1 teaspoon dried sage

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon kosher salt (to taste)

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

Directions:

1. In a large size non-stick skillet melt butter; add onion, and celery sauté over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes. Add apple cook until soft about 3 minutes longer.

2. In a large size bowl add bread, lemon juice, raisins, broth, sage, nutmeg, thyme, coriander, salt, pepper, and rosemary toss lightly.

3. Pour into greased casserole dish; cover, bake 30-35 minutes uncover last 10 minutes.

Oyster Stuffing

Cooking time 50minutes

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

6 cups dry white bread, remove crust and cut into 1 inch chunks

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 large egg, beaten

3 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/2 large yellow onion, peeled, chopped

1 cup celery with leaves, diced

2 cups oysters, drained, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a large size bowl, add bread, salt, poultry seasoning, thyme, black pepper, and egg.

3. In a medium size saucepan over low-medium heat melt butter add onion, and celery cook until soft, the add oysters stir.

4. Pour saucepan mixture into lightly greased large shallow dish.

5. Bake on middle rack uncovered for 30-40 minutes.

Wordless Wednesday: Fast 3/4 Pizza Slices

Filed under wordless Wednesday by msrecipe on November 16, 2010 at 7:57 pm {5 comments}

Country Bob Giveaway Ends 11/23/10

Written by msrecipe

Review and Giveaway: Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce (Ends 11/23/10) 2 Winners (closed)

I received two bottles of Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce in the mail shortly after I contacted the company. It arrived in a small box wrapped to protect the bottles from breakage. I unpacked them and they came with several recipe cards and a brochure about Country Bob’s products. On the bottle it says it’s [...]

November 16, 2010 29

Written by msrecipe

Marvelous Menu #21

Monday- Taco Casserole

Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds ground turkey
1 small yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 medium green pepper, cored and chopped

November 15, 2010 0

Written by msrecipe

Cheesy Chicken Spinach Soup

Warm yourself up with this creamy spinach soup you can whip up in only thirty minutes. It’s great for those cold nights when you want to cuddle up in your chair.

Preparation time- 15 minutes
Cooking time- 20 minutes

November 13, 2010 3

Written by msrecipe

Ecozip Giveaway Winner

We have a winner of the 3 boxes of Ecozip Bags. The winner is Emillie. Congratulations to the winner. If you see this before me please email me. If you would like to order your own bags if you didn’t win you can order them from Ecozip. They are worth the money. I’ve got several [...]

November 12, 2010 0

Written by msrecipe

Product Review: Soda Stream Fountain Jet Soda Maker

We are big soda drinkers in our household. We usually stock up on the various sodas when the sales show up our local store. When I can get 2 liters for a dollar I usually stock up, but that doesn’t happen that often. About a week ago, I received a wonderful product in the mail. It’s a soda maker by SodaStream for the home. It arrived in a large box by my local UPS driver. It was a bit like Santa Claus showing up at the front door. We knew it was coming, but we didn’t expect it to show up so soon. It was a bit of a race to open the box.

I received the Fountain Jet Home Soda Maker, 2 carbonating bottles, and 1 carbonator to get me started. They were generous enough to send me an assortment flavors too.

The flavors were:
Sparkling Naturals Apple Mango,
MyWater Flavor Essence in orange, berry and lemon lime
SodaMix flavors of orange, root beer, cranberry raspberry, energy drink, zero cola, and ginger ale.

November 10, 2010 1

Written by msrecipe