Eat With Your Hands: An Empanada Exchange

Written by Natalie -

Well, hello there! This is my first post on Nestlé Kitchens. I’m new-ish to the test kitchen but have lots to share already. Today I’m going to tell you about my recent foray into the world of Empanadas and about a blogger event we recently held.

Empanadas are delicious, flakey and comforting hand pies that are a traditional food in Latin American countries with each country having their own spin. Until a few months ago I had never made an empanada. While I’ve enjoyed all kinds, they seemed like they’d be tedious, time consuming and better left to the professionals to make. Turns out, they are quite simple and very gratifying to make at home. Your friends and family will be in awe of your empanada skills. Mine were!

Taking help from the store and using frozen empanada dough discs makes this job infinitely easier and much quicker. They also taste great. For my empanada project I opted to make some non-traditional fillings to highlight the diversity of this dish. The Coconut Curry Chicken Empanada (Pictured Above) has a creamy chicken filling that has a sweetness thanks to the coconut and raisins as well as an aromatic touch from the curry. The Sweet and Savory Beef Empanadas (Pictured Below) are rich and filling and can definitely make for a meal when served with a side salad.

At our blogger event we made sweet Creamy Pineapple and Coconut Empanadas and Baked Chicken Empanadas. Making empanadas with 10 of the warmest and funniest food bloggers was a blast! We decided to take the idea of the traditional cookie exchange and make an Empanada Exchange. Everyone baked a different empanada and at the end we all swapped our empanada goodies. So much fun.

So don’t be intimidated about making empanadas! Have fun and enjoy eating with your hands.

Links:

• Coconut Curry Chicken Empanada
• Sweet and Savory Beef Empanadas
• Creamy Pineapple and Coconut Empanadas
• Baked Chicken Empanadas

More Empanadas:

Baked Chicken Empanadas	Creamy Pineapple & Coconut Empanadas

Family Game Night & a Trail Mix Recipe

Written by Chris -

Spending quality time together as a family, whether it be eating together or gathering around the table for game night, is essential. This is a time to reconnect; a fun and interactive way for family members to spend time together.

Over the summer, our family took our love for games to a whole new level. We decided to register for Family Game Night on The Hub network. Guess what? We were selected!

If you aren’t familiar with Family Game Night, this is an hour show featuring classic board games where families come together to compete for prizes and a chance to win cash. The show we were on aired last Sunday.

It was a first for us and a first for FGN; we’ve never been on a game show and they’ve never had triplets as contestants.

Our hearts were racing as host Todd Newton called our names. As we ran to the stage, we saw that we were going to be playing Yahtzee. As Mr. Newton talked through the prizes, my husband had his eye on 3 of a Kind, which was a VIP sports package. The kids were pulling for a Straight, which were 3 laptops. Four of a Kind was a trip to the Caribbean – that’s what I was secretly hoping for. My daughter had two ones with her first roll, so we decided to play for 3 of a Kind. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out so well. We only had two ones and by our third roll, it was too late to change course.

We still had an opportunity to win by pulling a card from Mr. Monopoly shown above. If we picked the card with the correct colors, we had a chance to play for a car.

Well, it just wasn’t meant to be. See the family next to us also in red? They won it all! But, like I said earlier, what matters is the quality time you spend with your loved ones. This was the most amazing experience for us and we have created so many memories that will last us a lifetime!

So I leave you with this; a game night recipe that I promise will go over well with kids and adults alike!

Raisinets Trail Mix

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (12.5 ounces) NESTLÉ RAISINETS Milk Chocolate-Covered Raisins
• 2 cups small pretzel twists
• 2 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots
• 1 cup coarsely chopped dried apples

Directions:

COMBINE Raisinets, pretzels, marshmallows, raisins, apricots and apples in large bowl.

NOTE: Any variety of Raisinets can be substituted.

Links:

• Raisinets Trail Mix
• Family Game Night
• Nestlé Kitchens Snacks on Pinterest

Related recipes:

Sweet Minglers Recipe

Nutty Raisinets Trail Mix

Baked Banana Boats & Granola: Raisinets Snacks for Kids

Written by Brandi -

Please enjoy today’s guest post by Brandi of Bran Appetit.

If you’re anything like me, snacks get boring after a few weeks. I tend to find one thing that I love, bring it to work every day, and after 2 weeks of eating the same thing every afternoon, I don’t ever want to see it again. I’m always looking for new ideas to throw into the rotation, and these banana boats are my new favorites.

Bringing a plain banana is fine, but stuffing it full of nuts, coconut, and dark chocolate Raisinets puts it over the top. The best way to make these is to bake them, but if you want to make a quick version at home for a snack or dessert or in the office, just wrap them loosely in some paper towels and microwave them for about a minute until everything is warmed and the chocolate is starting to melt.

Baked Raisinets Banana Boats

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 4 bananas
• 3/4 cup NESTLÉ RAISINETS Dark Chocolate or Milk Chocolate-Covered Raisins
• 1/2 cup macadamia nuts (chopped)
• 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 350° F.SLICE each banana lengthwise, leaving the peel on to keep the banana together.DIVIDE Raisinets, macadamia nuts, coconut and salt between each banana, stuffing the mixture into the middle of each banana.

WRAP each banana with a piece of foil, making sure to not wrap too tightly. Leave top loose so foil doesn’t touch ingredients inside of banana. Place on baking sheet.

BAKE for 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through. Remove foil: serve warm.

A few months ago, Raisinets were a treat I ate by themselves. That’s not a bad thing, but I had never tried mixing them into my favorite recipes to make a twist on a classic.

And then I fell in love with the Dark Chocolate Raisinets. Have you tried them yet? You’ll be addicted after the first one, too. As much as I wanted to just sit and enjoy them on their own, I decided to throw them into my favorite quick and easy granola recipe with some unexpected spices and dried fruit.

This granola is absolutely perfect for a quick snack or served with milk or yogurt for breakfast. The best thing about this granola is that it’s quick to make and it’s easy to customize.

Get the recipe for Stove Top Spiced Raisinets Granola here.

Links:

• Baked Raisinets Banana Boats
• Stove Top Spiced Raisinets Granola
• Watch the Raisinets drama on YouTube

More Raisinets recipes:

Spicy Sweet Raisinets Popcorn

Iced Cranberry Raisinets Cinnamon Rolls

New Pinterest Raisinets Recipe Board + Sweepstakes

Written by Chris -

Hi Friends! Many of you already follow Nestlé Kitchens on Pinterest, but I wanted to make sure you’re aware that Nestlé Raisinets is now on Pinterest too!

For those of you who don’t know, Pinterest is a Virtual Pinboard that lets you organize, share and keep all the beautiful things you find on the web. It’s a great place to view and share interests, plan weddings, learn about new trends in home décor, or find your next favorite recipe. It’s a visual representation of all the things you’re looking for on the web.

MORE NEWS! Raisinets launched their Pinterest page with a great new sweepstakes. It’s all about sharing your “Enlightened Enjoyment” and includes some of our favorite Nestlé Kitchens recipes. There’s $1,000 in cash prizes available, but you must enter by 10/15/12 for your chance to win! So hop on over to the Raisinets Enlightened Enjoyment Sweepstakes page to learn all about it, read through the sweepstakes details and start pinning!

Here are some tasty examples of the recipes you will find on the Pinterest Raisinets Recipe Board:

Thin Oatmeal Raisinets Cookies with Orange Icing (Pictured Above)

My favorite oatmeal cookies – they have a hint of orange!

Raisinets Banana Muffins

These two ingredient muffins couldn’t be easier to make! Kids and family love them!

Don’t forget to out check Meals.com for even more recipe inspiration.

Links:

• Enter the Raisinets Enlightened Enjoyment Sweepstakes
• Nestlé Kitchens on Pinterest
• Nestlé Raisinets on Pinterest

Happy National Watermelon Day!

Written by Liz -

Tomorrow, National Watermelon day is one of the best days of the year! And there are so many ways to enjoy watermelon, whether you just dig in to this juicy, sweet summertime treat or use it in sorbet, drinks or even salsa. Or maybe you just want an ice cream treat that looks like watermelon…

Read on for recipes using watermelon in an ice cream treat, salsa, sorbet and agua fresca. Get even more watermelon recipes from the official watermelon site! And enjoy summertime.

Watermelon Ice Cream Bombe

Ingredients for 16 servings:

• 4 cups lime sherbet, slightly softened
• 5 cups Vanilla DREYER’S or EDY’S SLOW CHURNED Light Ice Cream
• 1 container (28 ounces) Strawberry or Raspberry HÄAGEN-DAZS Fat Free Sorbet
• 1/2 cup NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Mini Morsels

Directions:

LINE 2-quart bowl with plastic wrap, making sure wrap hangs over side of the bowl by at least 4 inches.

SPOON sherbet into large mixer bowl; beat with mixer or stir with spoon until smooth. Spoon sherbet into prepared bowl, pressing into the bottom and up the side with the back of a spoon to form a smooth layer. Freeze for 30 minutes. Remove vanilla ice cream from freezer and allow to soften for 10 minutes; spoon into large mixer bowl and beat with mixer or stir with spoon until smooth. Add to bowl with sherbet, smoothing it over the sherbet in a thin layer. Freeze for 30 minutes.

REMOVE sorbet from the freezer and allow to soften for 10 minutes. Spoon sorbet into large mixer bowl and beat with mixer or stir with spoon until smooth; stir in morsels. Spoon sorbet mixture over ice cream so it fills the remaining space and fills the bowl. Smooth down top; cover with plastic overhang, then add another sheet of plastic wrap. Freeze for at least 6 hours or up to 1 week.

TO UNMOLD, remove plastic wrap from top of bowl. Gently tug at the plastic overhang to loosen the bombe from the bowl. (If the bombe is difficult to remove from the bowl, set it in a large bowl filled with warm water for 8 to 10 seconds.) Place a serving platter over the bowl, invert and shake to release bombe. Peel away plastic wrap, then cut bombe into wedges. Serve immediately.

Watermelon Salsa, shown above

Ingredients:

• 3 cups diced watermelon
• 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
• ¼ cup lime juice
• ½ cup minced red onion
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and stir. Adjust spices as needed. Serve at room temperature with tacos, fish, meats or vegetables.

Links:

• Watermelon Ice Cream Bombe
• Watermelon Sorbet
• Agua Fresca de Melon
• Watermelon Board

More watermelon recipes:

How to Make Watermelon Sorbet

Agua Fresca de Melon

Grilled Panzanella: A Twist on the Traditional Italian Bread Salad

Written by Chris -

For a summery appetizer, nothing’s easier than fresh, seasonal produce and firing up the grill. Traditional panzanella is an Italian summer salad incorporating semi-stale bread which has been moistened by presoaking in water or vinaigrette. Garden-fresh produce like tomatoes, cucumbers and basil are common ingredients and it’s typically dressed with a simple vinaigrette. And it’s great for Father’s Day!

In this recipe, grilled bell peppers and zucchini, fresh cucumber, ripe tomatoes, fresh basil and sliced shallot are tossed with a pesto-spiked vinaigrette, and then placed on top of rustic grilled bread slices (like a bruschetta). I prefer less bread, so serving the salad over bread is a simple solution. If you want to go the more traditional route, tear or cut the grilled bread into pieces and add to the salad. Be sure to toss it well so that the bread can soften and soak up the tasty vinaigrette.

Served atop bread, I find it to be the perfect summer appetizer, especially with a medium-bodied white wine, like a Pinot Gris. It’s also wonderful with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc. To make this a light meal (something I do all the time), pile the vegetable mixture into a bowl and serve with grilled bread.

A few tips before you get started:

• Sweet bell peppers, yellow and red in particular, are especially tasty when grilled. They take on a complex, smoky flavor. Simply cut them in quarters, brush with a little oil, and then throw them on the grill. Once their skin wrinkles and blisters, they’re done.
• Grilling zucchini couldn’t be easier – it’s the easiest way to cook zucchini. Cut in half lengthwise or into thick strips, coat with a little oil and grill.
• I’m a huge fan of grilling bread. But watch it carefully – all it needs is about 30 seconds on each side. Any Italian-style rustic bread will be great. If you are using a larger/wider loaf, cut the slices in half for serving.
• Cut the veggies into bite-size pieces so that they don’t fall off the bread slices as you take a bite (I’m speaking from experience here).

Grilled Panzanella

Ingredients for 20 individual appetizers or 4-6 light servings:

VINAIGRETTE

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 6 tablespoons BUITONI Refrigerated All Natural Pesto with Basil
• 6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• Salt and ground black pepper

PANZANELLA

• 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, cored, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 loaf (1 pound) rustic Italian, whole-wheat or French bread (10 to 12 inches long), sliced into 1-inch pieces, cut in half
• 2 large bell peppers, any color, quartered
• 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
• 1/2 English cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, sliced thin
• 1 shallot, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup shredded fresh basil, plus more for garnish

Directions:

FOR VINAIGRETTE:
WHISK together ¼ cup oil, pesto, vinegar and garlic in small bowl; season with salt and pepper.

FOR PANZANELLA:
GENTLY toss tomatoes with ½ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Transfer to colander and set over bowl or in sink; set aside to drain for 15 minutes, tossing occasionally (this will allow water to drain out).

HEAT grill to medium-high. Brush bread pieces on both sides with some of the remaining oil (you will need about 2 to 3 tablespoons); sprinkle with a little sea salt. Grill for about 30 seconds on each side or until nicely browned. Set aside.

BRUSH peppers and zucchini with a little of the remaining oil (about 1 tablespoon will be needed); grill on each side for about 4 minutes. Cool; cut into bite-size pieces.

ADD tomatoes, cucumber, shallot and basil to large bowl. Add grilled vegetables and vinaigrette; toss to coat.

SPOON a few tablespoons vegetable mixture over each bread slice and serve bruschetta-style. Or, for a light entrée, serve two bread slices with about 1 cup of the vegetable mixture. Garnish with additional shredded basil, if desired.

Here’s to a joyful, relaxing summer! Bon appétit!

Links:

• Grilled Panzanella
• Entertain with Buitoni

Related Buitoni recipes:

Chicken & Four Cheese Ravioli with Peas and Basil

Vegetable Tortellini Soup with Pesto