Creamy Smoothies Perfect for Summer

Written by Liz -

We love smoothies here at Nestlé Kitchens. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’ve been obsessed with mixing up green concoctions for fruit smoothies (or margaritas), and my colleague Chris has been using Natural Bliss to create creamy smoothies as well. They are my favorite thing to drink on a warm summer morning, and also just after a run. It’s a good treat when you want to cut down on ice cream, and using Natural Bliss gives smoothies that creaminess you crave.

Our friend Susan of She’s Becoming Doughmesstic created a bunch of delicious, interesting new smoothies using Natural Bliss, and I just can’t get enough!

Here are a few of them for you to try. You can find the rest on Meals.com.

Super Fruit Bliss Green Smoothie (shown above)

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 1/3 cup acai berry juice
• 1/3 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/3 cup pomegranate juice
• 1/4 cup packed baby spinach
• 1/4 cup Sweet Cream Flavor NESTLÉ COFFEE-MATE NATURAL BLISS All-Natural Coffee Creamer
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional)
• 1 cup crushed ice

Directions:

PLACE acai juice, blueberries, pomegranate juice, spinach, Coffee-mate, sugar and ice in blender; cover. Blend until smooth.

Frozen Avocado Mocha Bliss

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 1 cup strong coffee, cooled
• 6 tablespoons Vanilla Flavor NESTLÉ COFFEE-MATE NATURAL BLISS All-Natural Coffee Creamer
• 1/2 avocado, pitted and peeled
• 1 tablespoon NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Baking Cocoa
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup crushed ice

Directions:

PLACE cooled coffee, Coffee-mate, avocado, cocoa, sugar and ice in blender; cover. Blend until smooth.

 

Links:

• Super Fruit Bliss Green Smoothie
• Frozen Avocado Mocha Bliss
• Get a Natural Bliss coupon
• Get a Toll House coupon

More Bliss smoothie recipes:

Blueberry Green Tea Iced Bliss

Strawberry Avocado Bliss

Mother’s Day Brunch: Whole-Wheat Overnight French Toast with Praline Topping

Written by Chris -

Next to sleeping in and being showered with hugs and kisses, there’s no better way to celebrate Mother’s Day than by making Mom a delicious brunch! We’ve made the prep quick and easy – all you need to do is assemble this casserole the night before. On Mother’s Day morning, add the pecan topping and pop it into the oven.  So simple, and so delicious!

Overnight Whole-Wheat French Toast with Praline Topping

Ingredients needed for 6 to 8 servings:

FRENCH TOAST

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 loaf (1 pound) whole-wheat French bread, sliced into 1-inch pieces (10-12 slices total)
• 8 large eggs
• 2 cans (12 fluid ounces each) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Lowfat 2% Milk
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

PRALINE TOPPING

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• Powdered sugar and maple syrup

Directions:

FOR FRENCH TOAST:
PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Spray 13 x 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

PLACE bread slices on large baking sheet. Bake, flipping bread slices halfway through, for 25 minutes or until dry and just golden. Turn off oven. Cut bread slices in half and layer them in the prepared baking dish.

WHISK together eggs in large bowl; whisk in evaporated milk, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour over bread, pressing bread to submerge. Spoon some of the mixture between the slices if needed. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight. The illustration above shows what it should look like at each stage (layered bread, egg mixture just added, chilled overnight, topping added).

FOR PRALINE TOPPING:

PREHEAT oven to 350° F.

COMBINE butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in large bowl; stir until smooth. Stir in pecans until coated. Uncover casserole; sprinkle evenly with pecan topping.

BAKE for 45 to 50 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve with maple syrup. Serve to Mom with a big hug and kiss!

Happy Mother’s Day, friends! And Happy Mother’s Day to my sweet Mom!  XO

Links:

• Overnight Whole-Wheat French Toast with Praline Topping
• Get a Coupon

Related recipes:

Make-Ahead Breakfast Sausage Casserole

Egg, Ham & Cheese Brunch Nests

March 24: National Chocolate-Covered Raisins Day

Written by Chris -

How about giving your weekend a delicious start with these Oatmeal Raisinets Pancakes?

I wish I could take credit for this masterpiece. Maria of Two Peas and Their Pod, the Cookie Queen herself, developed this recipe for our Nestlé Raisinets marketing team. I’ve added Raisinets to cinnamon rolls, cookies and the like, but have never tried them in pancakes. I was intrigued.

As with all new recipes, we put each recipe through a series of tests before we approve and release to our consumers. This recipe worked perfectly the first time – not one change was needed! And quite honestly, I didn’t expect anything different considering the recipe source. You can trust Maria’s recipes! By the way, she just released her first e-cookbook, Cookie Cravings. Stop by her blog and check it out.

Oatmeal Raisinets Pancakes

Ingredients needed for 6 servings:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup NESTLÉ RAISINETS Milk or Dark Chocolate-Covered Raisins
• Nonstick cooking spray
• Pure maple syrup

Directions:

WHISK together flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Set aside. Whisk together eggs, buttermilk, butter and vanilla extract in small bowl. Pour buttermilk mixture over flour mixture; mix until the ingredients are incorporated (batter will be thick and slightly lumpy). Fold in Raisinets.

HEAT griddle or pan over medium heat and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Pour 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle; cook until bubbles begin to pop. Turn and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes or until pancakes are golden brown. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve warm with maple syrup.

Since I am in a celebratory mood, I want to share one more irresistible recipe, developed by Brandi of Bran Appetit! Her Stove Top Spiced Raisinets Granola will have your entire kitchen smelling of spice – so aromatic!

After we made this recipe in our test kitchen, I was hooked. Well, obsessed may describe it more accurately. Perhaps it’s the toasted oats or the cardamom, or pure maple syrup, I’m not sure. What I do know, homemade granola is best.

Stove Top Spiced Raisinets Granola

Ingredients needed for 4-6 servings (about 2 ¾ cups total):

• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 tablespoon canola or safflower oil
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup NESTLÉ RAISINETS Dark Chocolate or Milk Chocolate-Covered Raisins
• 1/2 cup cashews, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped dried pineapple

Directions:

HEAT large skillet over medium heat. Toast oats, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes or until they turn a slight golden color and smell toasty. Remove from skillet.

ADD oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and salt to same skillet. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add oats back to skillet; stir to coat. Cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes.

POUR into large bowl or onto baking sheet to cool completely. Once completely cooled, stir in the Raisinets, cashews and dried pineapple and store in an airtight container.  That’s it! Trust me, you will never purchase premade granola again.  This granola is delicious layered between plain Greek yogurt too!

How will you be celebrating this day?

Links:

• Oatmeal Raisinets Pancakes
• Stove Top Spiced Raisinets Granola
• Two Peas and Their Pod
• Bran Appetit

More recipes featuring Nestlé Raisinets:

Original Nestlé Raisinets Cookies

Raisinets Cereal Snacking Mix Recipe

Easy Easter Brunch Menu: Enjoy Spring!

Written by Liz -

Spring is here! And that means time for brunch, spring vegetables and Easter delicacies. You won’t find any cute bunnies or other Easter treats for kids in this Easter Brunch menu; it’s a strictly grown-up affair. You can easily switch out the egg dish, vegetable side dish, coffee or pastry/dessert to come up with your own custom brunch menu.

1. Main Dish – Egg, Ham & Cheese Brunch Nests (shown above)

These egg nests have a spicy secret: chipotle chiles. You can adjust the amount of chipotle to get just the level of spice you like. And topped with cilantro-avocado crema adds just the right amount of cool to the dish. Thanks to Ericka of Nibbles and Feasts for this recipe; check out her blog for more.

2. Side Dish – Roasted Carrots with Shallots & Thyme

With many vegetables, cooking destroys some of their vitamins, but this isn’t the case with carrots. You can absorb more beta carotene from cooked carrots than from raw ones. If you like garlic, add a few peeled whole cloves to the mix. Or try these Roasted Asparagus with Pesto & Lemon.

3. Breakfast Bread – Pull-Apart Cinnamon Chocolate Coffeecake (above)

This coffeecake has the best of all breakfast breads: cinnamon, glaze on top and chocolate. Pull-apart bread is so easy to serve, and it goes really well with coffee before the meal, or as a dessert. Try this Orange-Kissed Brown Sugar Maple Espresso, using one of Coffee-mate’s new flavors plus orange peel for a citrus twist.

4. Dessert – Maple Browned Butter Bacon Cupcakes

Whether you’re baking for an upscale party, an Easter brunch or a winter respite, cupcakes are a universal favorite. These sweet and savory cupcakes will specifically please bacon lovers with a sweet tooth – and isn’t that everyone?

Links:

• Egg, Ham & Cheese Brunch Nests
• Roasted Carrots with Shallots & Thyme
• Pull-Apart Cinnamon Chocolate Coffeecake
• Orange-Kissed Brown Sugar Maple Espresso
• Maple Browned Butter Bacon Cupcakes

More Easter Brunch Menu recipes:

Roasted Asparagus with Pesto & Lemon

Caramel Macchiato Cappuccino

A Valentine Breakfast: Cocoa-Kissed Red Velvet Pancakes

Written by Chris -

February is National Pancake Month, how delicious is that? The food holidays keep getting better and better! These easy-to-make red velvet pancakes are flavored with cocoa – giving you a sweet start to Valentine’s Day.

I found these adorable heart-shaped “egg & pancake molds” at World Market for less than $3.00. They aren’t required; you can simply ladle ¼ cup batter onto the griddle for each pancake, but I think they add such a festive touch.

Cocoa-Kissed Red Velvet Pancakes

Ingredients needed for 10 pancakes:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Baking Cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup reduced-fat buttermilk or lowfat milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon red food coloring
• Heart-shaped pancake cutters or cookie cutters (optional)
• Optional garnishes: butter, powdered sugar, maple syrup and fresh berries

Directions:

COMBINE flour, sugar, baking cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl; stir well.

WHISK egg, buttermilk, butter, vanilla extract and food coloring together in large bowl. Add to flour mixture; stir to combine.

HEAT nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Brush with a little oil or butter. If using pancake molds, be sure to coat with a little oil so the pancakes don’t stick. Place molds into skillet; pour about ¼ cup batter into molds or directly onto skillet if you aren’t using molds. Cook for about 2 minutes or until bubbles start to form on top. Gently lift and remove molds; flip and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until bottom is lightly browned.

Kitchen Tip: Because these are chocolate, they need to cook at a lower temperature. So don’t rush them. Also, if you only have a couple heart-shaped molds, these will take a little time to make. If you want to serve the pancakes all at once, warm your oven to 225° F. Place a wire cooling rack in a baking sheet then place the pancakes in a single layer on the rack as you make them.

The cakelike texture of these pancakes beg for a sprinkling of powdered sugar and drizzle of maple syrup. Let’s dig in, shall we?

May your Valentine’s Day be extra sweet!

Chris

Links:

• Cocoa-Kissed Red Velvet Pancakes
• World Market
• NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Baking Cocoa

Related Recipes:

Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes

Heavenly Heart-Shaped Pancakes

Start 2012 Right: Top Ten Appetizers & Snacks

Written by Nick - 

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.