Jelly Bean Easter Bark with Nestle

March 18, 2013 By Anne

There are so many fun ideas for desserts to make for Easter! It’s hard to choose just one. What fun way to make these dessert? Nestle!

Nestle has some fun candy this year, like the Butterfinger or Crunch Bunny and NEW WONKA Laffy Taffy Jelly beans. Oh my those things are so good! I really need to stop eating them. Don’t try them or you may not be able to stop from eating the whole bag! Don’t forget the delicious Nestlé Crunch and Butterfinger NestEggs. Mmmm, they are all so good!

Nestle sent me some of these yummy treat and I decided to create a fun Easter basket. Can you see the odd colored eggs? There are dirt, grass and sand colored to make it more fun to hide! I love that idea! Plus they are a little bigger to place yummy treats inside.

I also wanted to make a fun Easter dessert. I made a Jelly Bean Easter Bark. Very simple to make and oh how good it tastes!!

All you need is Nestle White Chocolate Chips, a bag of the Laffy Taffy Jelly Beans (careful, they are addicting), some shorting, wax paper and a cookie sheet.

Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Melt 2 cups white chocolate chips and 2 Tsp shorting in a microwave safe bowl for one minute. Stir and continue melting at 30 second intervals until creamy. Add 1/4 cup jelly beans. I added a few more.

Spread the mixture onto the cookie sheet and top with another 1/4 jelly beans. Place into the fridge for about 15 minutes. Then break into pieces.

I took some to my neighbors to share. Such a fun, simple treat!!

For more Nestle fun recipes see these:

Jelly Bean Easter Bark

Egg-ceptional Easter Nests

Chocolate Chip Easter Baskets

Easter Ice Cream Nests Coconut Orange Macaroons

I received yummy candy to facilitate this review and recipe. Opinions are my own.

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

Jacksonville Firefighters Battle Over Food

March 15, 2013 By Anne

My husband is a retired Palm Beach County Firefighter, but even though we moved five hours north the firefighter brotherhood still stands strong. We had several firefighters help us move in to our new home last year and we never met them! That’s just the way it is.

Next Saturday, March 23rd, Firefighters from two Jacksonville firehouses will be going head-to-head in the Walmart Steak-Over Challenge presented by Kingsford Charcoal, Dr. Pepper and A.1. Station 1 will compete with Station 4 from noon – 1 p.m. at the 8808 Beach Boulevard Walmart store parking lot. They will each grill up their own “secret” recipe and will ask shoppers to vote for their favorite. Whoever wins will go on to represent Jacksonville in the national finale event in Los Angeles, for a chance to win the grand prize of $20,000.

This will a great time to bring the family out, meet the firefights and taste some delicious foods. Firefighters are known for their cooking. I should know, I married one of them! What kid doesn’t like checking out the fire trucks?

Want a sneak peak at one of the recipes?

Smoked and Seasoned Steaks

Recipe Type: Dinner

Author: Jacksonville Firefighters Station 1

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 15 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

3-4 Walmart Choice ribeye steaks, about 24-32 ounces total
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic salt
2 tablespoons McCormick® Grill Mates® Montreal® Steak Seasoning
Butter for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Place the steaks in a shallow dish. Mix Worcestershire sauce, olive oil and garlic salt together, and pour over the steaks, turning the meat over and rubbing the marinade in to coat both sides. Marinate for 1-2 hours, turning steak once halfway through to coat again with the sauce.
When ready to cook, prepare a charcoal grill for direct high heat (450-500 degrees F) using Kingsford® charcoal. Brush the cooking grates clean.
Remove the steak from the marinade. Sprinkle steak seasoning evenly on both sides of each steak. Place steak on the grill, and cook with the lid closed as much as possible, turning once or twice, until cooked to your desired doneness, 6 to 8 minutes for medium rare. Remove steaks from the grill and immediately top each with a pat of butter. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Local firefighters from Station 1 and from Station 4 will compete in the Walmart Steak-Over Challenge presented by Kingsford^® Charcoal, Dr. Pepper^® and A.1.^® steak sauce to determine who has the best steak-grilling chops in town. Walmart shoppers in Jacksonville will get a front row seat to the event, which will take place in the parking lot at the 8808 Beach Boulevard store. Shoppers who attend will have the chance to join in the festivities, taste test Walmart USDA Choice Premium steaks, sample Dr. Pepper and A.1. steak sauce for free, and cast their vote for best steak.

The Walmart Steak-Over Challenge will visit eight other cities, including Jacksonville, Fla., San Antonio, Texas, Tampa, Fla. Charlotte, N.C., Atlanta, Ga., Kansas City, Mo., Houston, Texas, and Indianapolis, Ind. The firefighter finalist from each city will compete on behalf of their station for a $20,000 grand prize in Los Angeles, the week of May 20.

Saturday, March 23

8808 Beach Boulevard

Jacksonville, Fla. 32216

Firefighters start grilling at noon, winner announced at 2 p.m.

Other 2013 competitions include:

Jacksonville, Fla.: March 23
San Antonio, Texas: March 30
Tampa, Fla.: April 6
Charlotte, N.C.: April 13
Atlanta, Ga.: April 20
Kansas City, Mo.: April 27
Houston, Texas: May 4
Indianapolis, Ind.: May 11
Los Angeles: Week of May 20

Visit www.walmart.com/steak for steak-grilling tips and recipes from all participating firehouses

Anne

Lucky You Mint Pie

March 14, 2013 By Anne

My mother was supposed to make this pie and I was going to share some pictures from her pie. However…..she decides to make something else. But I wanted to share this delicious looking pie with you anyway.

I found the picture and recipe at VeryBestBaking.com

Lucky You Mint pie

Recipe Type: Dessert

Author: Very Best Baking

Prep time: 15 mins

Total time: 15 mins

Serves: 8

Ingredients

1 cup (6 oz.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Morsels
1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
1 tablespoon butter
1 prepared 9-inch (6 oz.) chocolate crumb crust
1 package (3.4 oz.) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
3 to 4 drops green food coloring (optional)
1 container (8 oz.) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
Additional NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Morsels, fresh mint sprigs (optional)

Instructions

MICROWAVE 1 cup morsels and 1/3 cup evaporated milk in medium, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 45 seconds; stir until smooth. Stir in butter; pour into crust. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until cool to the touch.
MEANWHILE, BEAT remaining evaporated milk, pudding mix, water, peppermint extract and 3 drops food coloring in medium bowl until combined. Gently stir in 2 cups whipped topping and additional drop of food coloring, if desired. Spoon over chocolate layer.
REFRIGERATE for 2 hours or until set. Sprinkle with additional morsels. Spoon remaining whipped topping in center of pie. Garnish with fresh mint.

Anne

Southern Living Cookbooks Giveaway!!

February 18, 2013 By Anne

I received both of these cook =books to review. I had a lot of fun sampling the recipes. See my Chicken Corncakes, Fiesta Chicken Soup and the Sausage and Egg Frittata recipes.

Southern Living would like to give one Mommy has to Work reader both books: Rotisserie Chicken Cookbook and What’s for Supper. See details below to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Anne

Fiesta Chicken Soup from Southern Living

February 18, 2013 By Anne

Another recipe from Southern Living’s Rotisserie Chicken Cookbook. Fiesta Chicken Soup. This was by far my favorite!! It had just enough spice and it tasted so good. I had it for lunch for three days in a row and am wishing I made a bigger batch. I really want to make some more and you know what? I think I will do just that!!

The sour cream and cheese toppings made this taste even better. I would truly recommend them, if you like them. This will keep you warm on those chilly days.

Fiesta Chicken Soup

Recipe Type: Dinner

Author: Rotisserie Chicken Cookbook by Southern Living

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 8

This is the best soup I’ve had in a long time!

Ingredients

1 medium onion, diced
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken
1 (15 oz.) can chili-hot beans, undrained
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 (15 1/4 oz.) can whole kernel corn with red and green peppers, drained
1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
Toppings:
sour cream, shredded Mexican four-cheese blend

Instructions

Saute onion in hot oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat 7 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Stir in chicken and next 8 ingredients.
Bring to boil, stirring occasionally; reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Serve with desired toppings.