If you’ve ever hosted a party for the big football game you know the pressure that comes with it. What should be a fun day of eating, drinking and watching football (or commercials) turns into a judgment of your party hosting capabilities. If you fail this year, there is no next year – your hosting duties will be revoked!

I’ve hosted a few viewing parties in the past and they’ve all been “catered” by DiGiorno Pizza and Hot Pockets Snackers and why not… they’re easy, tasty and everyone leaves full. But since I’ve been working with Nestlé Kitchens, I decided it was time for some home cookin’.

Knowing the importance of the big game, I decided to do a trial run for the championship games. The first part of hosting any great party is choosing the menu. After browsing meals.com and looking at some of our favorite apps and snacks, I decided on the Tequila Citrus Chicken Wings and the Baked Ravioli Bites.

The baked ravioli was super easy to put together, but it takes time to bread each “bite” so be sure to have them all ready before the game or you’ll spend the first half in the kitchen. Rather than top each ravioli I decided to serve it with a variety of Buitoni pasta sauces and everyone could dip as they liked. It made them almost like pasta nachos!

I’ve never made wings before so I thought this would be a great opportunity. Wings are a staple of any sporting event, but I wanted to make something slightly different. I came across these tequila and citrus spiced wings and knew I had to try them. Be sure to have plenty of napkins on hand!

So… after the practice run I would highly recommend serving both the Wings and the Ravioli for the big game. It’s something special and unexpected for your party.

Baked Ravioli Bites

Ingredients needed for 45 “bites”

• 1 package (9 ounces) BUITONI Refrigerated Four Cheese Ravioli, prepared according to package directions
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup Italian dry bread crumbs
• Olive oil cooking spray
• 1 container (7 ounces) BUITONI Refrigerated All Natural Pesto with Basil
• Assorted toppings*

Directions

PREHEAT broiler. Grease baking sheet.

DIP prepared ravioli into beaten eggs, coating both sides, then into bread crumbs, coating both sides. Place on prepared baking sheet. Lightly spray top of breaded ravioli with cooking spray.

BROIL for 1 to 2 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Turn and spray with additional cooking spray; broil for 1 minute or until edges begin to brown.

NOTE: Try substituting BUITONI Refrigerated Whole Wheat Four Cheese Ravioli and BUITONI Refrigerated Pesto with Sun Dried Tomatoes.

Tequila Citrus Chicken Wings

Ingredients needed for 4 servings:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 1/2 lbs. small chicken wings
• 1/2 cup tequila
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
• 6 tablespoons MAGGI Seasoning Sauce
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons grated orange peel
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Assorted vegetables
• Ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping

Directions
HEAT oil in large skillet over medium heat. Brown chicken wings in batches for 5 to 7 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove from skillet; set aside. Drain skillet.

PLACE tequila, orange juice, lime juice, seasoning sauce, honey, orange peel, chili powder and cumin in same skillet. Cook over medium heat until boiling. Add chicken wings; return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes or until sauce is thickened and chicken wings are fully cooked. Serve with assorted vegetables and ranch dressing.

Links:

• Tequila Citrus Chicken Wings
• Baked Ravioli Bites
• Entertaining Tips

If you want to make something more classic here are some other great ideas:

Cheesy Tortilla Spirals

Cheese and Chile Beef Dip

 “…small helpings, no seconds, no snacking, and a little bit of everything.”  – Julia Child

I laugh every time I read this quote. It sounds like my life! Working in a test kitchen, I sample a little bit of everything – and by doing so, I consume way too many calories! I recently heard a stat that recipe developers gain 3-4 pounds each year. That’s just scary!

I often joke about wearing my stretchy pants when recipe contests come along. My weight fluctuates depending on what recipe projects I am working on, but pounds gained eventually come off. It’s all about finding balance – good nutritional balance paired with physical activity.

Finding nutritional balance can be challenging, especially if you are on the run, or work in the culinary field (all those little tastes really add up!). I recently shared a few healthier eating/lifestyle tips that work for me over on Together Counts. Check it out if you’d like. And remember, it’s ok to give in to those little cravings every now and again. Having foods “off-limits” just increases their allure, in my opinion. As Julia Child once said, “Everything in moderation… even moderation.”

Let’s not forget exercise – love it or hate it, you’ve got to do it. Finding time is difficult – and I am the first to complain about lack of time. If you can’t carve out at least 30 minutes in your day, try to find creative ways to incorporate bits and pieces of exercise into your daily routine. Years ago I shared a tip (albeit embarrassing tip) with People magazine about doing squats and lunges while blow drying hair. I even have a Kettlebell in our test kitchen/at my desk – it provides a great arm workout while editing recipes! Find what works for you and stick to it.

Chicken Pot Pie, a culinary classic. Something I like to do is lighten up traditional favorites. It’s always fun to see if Nestlé brand managers or my family can tell a difference. This recipe is my latest attempt. Pot Pies, prepared in the traditional way, can top 25 grams of fat per serving. In this lighter version (a slimmed down 12 grams of fat per serving), I substituted lowfat evaporated milk for the cream. I also incorporated more vegetables and used a buttermilk biscuit in place of the traditional pastry crust. I’ve made this recipe for my family several times now. Since I have their stamp of approval, I thought I would share it with you.

Lighter Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients needed for 8 servings:

FILLING

• 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 3 celery ribs, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• Fine sea salt
• 1/4 cup dry white wine or sherry (optional, but I’d add it!)
• 3 cups water
• 2 teaspoons MAGGI Instant Chicken Flavor Bouillon
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 can (12 fluid ounces) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Lowfat 2% Milk
• One 3 1/2- to 4-pound rotisserie chicken, skin removed and meat shredded , about 4 cups (to cut fat, use cooked, shredded chicken breast)
• 1 cup (or more!) frozen green peas
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

BISCUITS

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (you can use ¾ cup all-purpose flour and ¾ cup whole-wheat flour if you’d like or 1 ½ cups white whole-wheat flour to boost nutrition)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup reduced-fat buttermilk
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425° F.

FOR FILLING:

Combine carrots, celery, onion, garlic, thyme, oil and ½ teaspoon salt in a large Dutch oven or saucepan. Cover; cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, for 6 to 8 minutes or until vegetables have softened.

Stir in wine; cook for 1 minute or until almost evaporated. Stir in water and bouillon; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low.

Whisk cornstarch and evaporated milk together; stir into sauce. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until sauce slightly thickens. Remove from heat; stir in chicken, peas and parsley. Season with ground black pepper.

Divide mixture between eight 8-ounce ramekins as shown above or spoon into 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Cover to keep warm while you are making the biscuits. (Creative note: pint-size mason jars without lids work great with this recipe and they are adorable when baked! You will need 9 jars total.)

FOR BISCUITS:

Whisk flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk and melted butter together. Gently stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined and no pockets of flour remain (add another tablespoon buttermilk if dough doesn’t hold together well).

Drop dough into equal mounds over ramekins, spreading out mounds somewhat so they cover most of the filling (as shown above). If you prefer for the biscuits to be more uniform, form each mound into a ball then flatten slightly and place over ramekins. Place on baking sheet. If using a 13 x 9-inch baking dish, drop dough into 8 mounds a few inches apart over hot filling.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the biscuits are golden and the filling is bubbly. Cool for 5 minutes before serving. Dig in!

Here’s to a healthier, more balanced 2012! (My pups are ready to take me for a walk… this will be my physical activity today!)

Links:

• Lighter Chicken Pot Pie
• Get a CARNATION® Evaporated Milk coupon

Zesty Chicken and Rice Casserole

Pork Tenderloin with Dijon Mustard Sauce

Every now and again I get really excited about a recipe project that comes my way. This is one of those projects. Problem is, this came through right smack in the middle of my busiest time. So I enlisted the help from fellow recipe bloggers DoughMessTic, Two Peas and Their Pod, BranAppetit! and My Man’s Belly. I joked and said I am sharing the love… recipe love, that is!

Each blogger created two brand new recipes using Nestlé Raisinets. I can’t wait to share their creations with you…in future posts. For now, I’m sharing this popcorn recipe since January 19 is National Popcorn Day!

Adding a little spice and a few extra nuggets really elevates the flavor of everyday popcorn. I never realized how much I loved popcorn until I sank my hand into this little concoction. Our Nestlé Kitchens assistant, Kathy (wickedly talented!) developed this recipe. I modified the spices just slightly to my liking, and threw in a cinnamon-sugar combo for all the kids out there. You can vary the “nuggets” – we used mango, pistachios and Nestlé Raisinets.

Spicy Sweet Raisinets Popcorn

Ingredients for 25 servings at 1/2 cup each:

• 10 cups popped popcorn (air popped or light butter microwave)
• 2 teaspoons garam masala or curry powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin (use less if you aren’t a cumin fan)
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 package (11 ounces) NESTLÉ RAISINETS Milk or Dark Chocolate-Covered Raisins
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried mango
• 1/2 cup shelled pistachios

Directions:

PLACE popcorn in a large bowl.

PLACE garam masala, chili powder, cumin and salt in small saucepan; cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat for 1 minute. Add butter, as shown above; cook, stirring frequently, until melted.

POUR butter-spice mixture over popcorn at the same time as mixture is gently lifted and tossed with tongs or both hands. Continue lifting and tossing until popcorn is evenly coated.

ADD Raisinets, mango and pistachios (shown above); lift and toss popcorn to distribute evenly. Makes 12 1/2 cups total (25 servings at 1/2 cup each).

Cook’s Tip: For Cinnamon-Sugar Popcorn, combine 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt in small bowl. Melt butter; drizzle over popcorn and toss to coat. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture; toss again to coat.

If you make this recipe (any of the variations), let me know what you think…I can’t decide if I like the curry, garam masala or cinnamon-sugar the best. All I know is that I need to make it again in the very near future!

If you have a favorite popcorn recipe, please share a link in our comment section!

Blogs to bookmark:

• DoughMessTic
• Two Peas and Their Pod
• BranAppetit!
• My Man’s Belly

Raisinets Trail Mix with Marshmallows

Chocolate Popcorn & Pretzel Raisinets Treats

I love oats. They are one of the healthiest foods, and you can enjoy them at breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can also add them to desserts to help make the best part of the meal heartier, crunchier and better for your heart.

Oatmeal in cookies are my favorite way to make cookies a bit healthier, and icing them using Bliss makes them even more naturally delicious. And if you like a super soft cookie, you can bake them a little less or bake them longer for a more crunchy treat. Enjoy National Oatmeal Month!

Thin Vanilla Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 4 tablespoons Vanilla Flavor NESTLÉ COFFEE-MATE NATURAL BLISS All-Natural Low Fat Coffee Creamer, divided
• 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel (optional)

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 350° F.

COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl; stir.

BEAT butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar in medium mixer bowl at medium-low speed until just combined. Increase speed to medium; continue to beat about 1 minute longer or until light and creamy. Scrape down bowl with rubber spatula. Add egg and 1 tablespoon Coffee-mate; beat on medium-low speed until fully incorporated. With mixer running at low speed, add flour mixture; mix just until incorporated and smooth. With mixer still running on low, gradually add oats; mix until well incorporated.

SCOOP dough by level tablespoon, then roll between palms into balls. Place on ungreased baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Using fingertips, gently press each dough ball to 3/4-inch thickness.

BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until golden brown and edges are crisp. Cool for 2 minutes on baking sheets; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

COMBINE powdered sugar, remaining 3 tablespoons Coffee-mate and orange peel in medium bowl; stir well. With fork or spoon, drizzle over cookies. Allow glaze to set for 15 minutes before serving.

Links:

• Thin Vanilla Oatmeal Cookies
• Get a Coffee-mate coupon

More oatmeal cookies recipes:

Deluxe Oatmeal Raisinets Cookies	Oatmeal Coconut Crunch Cookies
Choc-Oat-Chip Cookies	Oatmeal Scotchies

January 11, 2011 is National Milk day! It’s time to break out your milk-stache and rejoice. National Milk day might feel like an odd holiday to celebrate, but every once in a while we all need a good reason to have an ice cold glass of milk (and cookies). But if you’re like me, you don’t always have a well-stocked fridge and milk is often the first thing to disappear. One thing I always have in the pantry is evaporated milk. Now, I’m probably not going to drink it with a cookie, but it’s great for baking anything! I like to use evaporated milk to give recipes that creamy and rich taste.

Here are some of my favorite “milk” recipes. Each uses Carnation evaporated milk, making it a perfect way to celebrate National Milk Day.

Crispy Baked Dijon Chicken 

This dish above is super simple to put together. In less than 30 minutes you’ll be enjoying some zesty, crispy chicken. Keep the evaporated milk in the cupboard, the chicken in the freezer and the parmesan cheese on hand… you’ll have most of these ingredients already so it’s a perfect meal to whip up after a long day.

Scrumptious Cheddar Bacon Scalloped Potatoes

This side dish is great for entertaining. You’ll want to make enough to have leftovers, because who wouldn’t want some more tomorrow or the next day or the next day?

Simple Risotto with Peas & Parmesan

Another quick and simple dish you can whip up in a hurry, shown above. It’s a staple at any bachelor’s house. This risotto always comes out looking and tasting professional but it’s so simple to put together.

Links:

• Crispy Baked Dijon Chicken
• Scrumptious Cheddar Bacon Scalloped Potatoes
• Simple Risotto with Peas & Parmesan
• Get a Carnation Evaporated Milk coupon

More Evaporated Milk recipes :

Crustless Broccoli & Cheddar Mini Quiches

One-Dish Fiesta Casserole

Below are some of our favorite apps and snacks from 2011. Whether you’re having a super bowl bash or cocktail party, these bite size recipes will be perfect for all that 2012 has to offer.

1. Party Shrimp Skewers

The basil pesto salsa above adds a great flavor dimension to these grilled Party Shrimp Skewers. Perfect for outdoor parties or summertime entertaining on the patio.

2. Layered Monterey Pumpkin Dip

Enjoy this Layered Monterey Pumpkin Dip and experience unexpected flavors in this version of a traditional layered dip. Good to the last spoonful!

3. Crostini Aperitivo

Buon appetito! Add a touch of elegance to any gathering with this tasty Crostini Aperitivo appetizer above. Topped with prosciutto and a delicious goat cheese and pesto spread, you’ve never experienced Tuscany like this before.

4. Baked Ravioli Bites

Baked Ravioli Bites are decorated with artful toppings and are irresistible additions to a night of entertaining.

5. Party-Perfect Mini Quiches

These bite-size, crustless colorful mini quiches above are filled with cheddar cheese, broccoli and red peppers. A delicious and colorful addition to any meal and also perfect as a party appetizer.

6. Coffee-Glazed Nuts

Walnuts, pecans and almonds combine in this tasty twist on the classic nut mix. With a sweet and savory coffee glaze, these Coffee-Glazed Nuts are sure to create a buzz!

7. Pesto Party Dip

This Pesto Party Dip is perfect on veggies, crackers and bread sticks. It is a delicious crowd-pleaser with creamy texture and robust pesto taste.

8. Peanut Butter “Cheese Ball”

It’s a fact! Peanut butter and cheese top the list of kids’ favorite foods. Try them together in this unique recipe for Peanut Butter “Cheese Ball.”

With a shell of swirled morsels, this creamy, peanut-buttery snack is perfect for dipping graham cracker sticks and apple slices — a tasty addition to your child’s party menu.

Treat the little ones (and you too!) to this ever-so-delicious twist on the traditional cheese ball.

9. Smokin’ Almond Blue Cheese Dip

Smoked almonds paired with creamy Carnation are the secrets to this extra-special blue cheese dip. Use in place of the typical Ranch dip to serve with chicken thighs or wings, fresh veggies, or hearty crackers. It’s the perfect addition to any party buffet table.

10. TOLL HOUSE® Party Mix

Don’t wait for the next football game to enjoy one of your favorite party appetizers. TOLL HOUSE® Party Mix is great for any occasion.