Chinet Bakeware Winner

TGIF! Seafood Frenzy Friday will be taking a 2 week hiatus due to the upcoming holiday weekend. If you missed any of last weeks' entries you can catch them all here. Thank you to everyone that linked up this past week. If you missed any posts, you can also stop by my Seafood Frenzy Friday Pinterest Board where you can share and pin your own favorites.  Congratulations to Laurie Bakke's Kitchen for having the most viewed recipe for her Horseradish Crusted Salmon Salad last week. 

And now for our winner...

Congratulations to Susan Devaux! She will be winning a sample case of Chinet Disposable Bakeware to make their own family favorites. Thank you to everyone that entered and tweeted about the giveaway. I loved your recipe ideas, they all sound like hits to me! I wish I could give each of you a sample case to try for yourself. They're fabulous to take with you to a bbq. However, I can tell you how to get a coupon. Just LIKE Chinet on Facebook and download a $1.00 off any product coupon.

Linda's Portuguese Baked Beans & Chinet Bakeware Giveaway!

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. 

If you've been following CEK for a while, it should be no surprise that I love this new disposable bakeware from Chinet.  I even entered one of my recipes, Sausage and Spinach Lasagna with Parmigiano Reggiano Cream Sauce showcasing their product into a contest where the winner had their recipe posted in a 2 page spread in Martha Stewart Living Magazine (November 2012 issue). And guess what? I WON! 

 

So when Chinet asked me if I would be interested in creating another recipe this summer I was thrilled and I knew exactly what I would make. The infamous end of summer Labor Day BBQ is almost here and for our family, as with many others, it also means the kids go back to school shortly thereafter. And for as long as I've been married (19 years this coming Spring), every family picnic with my in laws has always included my  mother in laws' Portuguese Baked Beans. Everyone loves them!

I realized I had never made them myself so I finally got her recipe. Have you ever heard of the term 'Doctor it up'? It's when you take a food item that is already in essence done, but add your own unique flavor and spices to make it your own. Well, that's what she's been doing all of these years with Campbell's Pork & Beans.  At first I thought about doing the same thing, but then when I looked at the ingredients and all of the added sodium, sugar and preservatives, I knew I could make it a little healthier on my own.  So after I made my version of her Portuguese Baked Beans, we gathered together for the official taste testing and I got a huge thumbs up from all six participants! They really were very good; however, her version includes extra bacon and mine doesn't have any. Again, if you've been following along on this blog adventure I don't eat bacon so I left it out. If you like bacon, by all means throw some of that in here too.

I'll be bringing these Portuguese Baked Beans in my disposable Chinet Bakeware^® to our family Labor Day picnic so I don't have to worry about getting my dish back (not that there's going to be any beans left anyway!). The bakeware goes right into the oven (minus the plastic lid). It heats the food beautifully. And...you can take it with you! 

Linda's Portuguese Baked Beans
Prep Time: 20 minutes                     Yield: 16
Cook Time: 1 hour                           Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 Green Pepper, small dice
• 1 c. Onion, small dice
• 1 lb. Portuguese Chorizo, skin removed, small dice
• 1 Clove Garlic, minced
• 1 12-ounce Can Tomato Paste (I used Hunts)
• 2 c. Water
• 3 tbsp. White Vinegar
• 2 tsp. Paprika
• 1 1/2 c. Light Brown Sugar, packed
• 2 tsp. Kosher Salt
• 4 16-ounce Cans Navy Beans, rinsed and drained

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat the oil then add in the peppers, onions and chorizo. Saute over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften and the chorizo starts to brown.
3. Next, add in the garlic and saute for another minute; then add in the tomato paste, water, vinegar, paprika, sugar and salt.  Mix well then add in the beans. 
4. Bring mixture to a boil on top of the stove then turn off the heat. 
5. Transfer beans to an oven safe baking dish like Chinet Bakeware® and bake for 1 hour; stirring every 20 minutes. 

Nutrition Facts

Calories 268, Carbs 37.3g, Fat 9.5g, Protein 12g, Fiber 7.8g, Sugar 20.1g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate as different brands yield different nutritional information. 

Enjoy! 

Linda's Portuguese Baked Beans Shopping List

And now for the Giveaway...

Chinet Bakeware^® is the first disposable baking dishes that let you take your food from oven to table to freezer to microwave, all in one attractive, non-stick pan. And because it's from the Chinet brand, strength and stability are built in. Bakeware is designed to be sturdy and dependable no matter what you've got cooked up. Not only does it look good, but you can leave it behind without worrying about losing your favorite permanent pan. And, it's made in the USA of 90% recycled material! 

The bakeware comes in four convenient sizes in sets of two including the pan and clear plastic lids: Square 8"x8", Rectangular 9"x13", Oval 7"x11" and Oval 7 1/4" x 9 1/4". Chinet has offered to give one lucky winner a chance to receive their own set of Chinet Bakeware by entering the contest below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good Luck!

The Cookbook is Here and Other Exciting News!

First, I'm thrilled to announce that after a year in the making, Carrie's Experimental Kitchen has launched it's first cookbook! 

This book is 272 pages and includes 185 of my original recipes, along with a story behind many of the dishes. It is broken out by category and includes recipes for Appetizers, Soup, Salads, Poultry, Beef and Pork, Pasta and Non Meat, Sides, Vegetables, Sauces, Marinades, Dressings and For the Sweet Tooth.  I hope you enjoy experimenting with these recipes as much as I've had creating them!

Look around your kitchen. What do you see? Some frozen chicken? 

A bunch of basil? Maybe your favorite cheese?

Carrie has a recipe for that.

Are you always dreading your family's inevitable question,What's for dinner?

Carrie has a recipe for that.

Or maybe you love Chicken Marsala but hate waiting for a table at your favorite restaurant.

Carrie has a recipe for that too.

From the ingredients that you already have, you can make a delicious meal that will impress your friends without spending hours in the kitchen (or hurting your wallet)!

Carrie Palladino Farias has always loved being in the kitchen, and in her collection of recipes, you'll get a chance to take your regular repertoire of daily meals to the next level. She includes ingredients that are already in your pantry, so any busy parent or entertainer can whip up a fabulous meal without digging through the obscure aisles of the grocery store.

Grab this cookbook today and turn your kitchen into Carrie's Experimental Kitchen!

How to Purchase...

The official release is set for December 4, 2012 for national distribution in stores like Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com; however, you can Pre-Order your copy NOW by clicking on the red link! (estimated delivery 10/1/12)

• Paperback book Tate Publishing for $24.99 (plus s/h)
• eBook Download Tate Publishing for $15.99 (Unless otherwise noted, all eBooks are in the PDF format which is compatible with most eBook readers including Sony Reader, Nook, Kindle 2, iPad, and iPhone 4)

*Signed copies (both paperback and hardcover) are also available for sale. Please email Carrie's Experimental Kitchen for specific pricing and shipping information. 

Next up...

I've been very busy here at CEK so I apologize if I haven't been as active on my social media outlets as I have been in the past. The next exciting news I've been dying to share with you is that I was invited to be a contributor for Kitchen Daily, which is a food networking site owned by AOL/Huffington Post. They have recently changed their platform where you can find recipes and cooking inspiration one day at a time and I'm honored to say that my first article was published called "The Spice Connection", go check it out and I'll keep you posted on future publications!  

And last, but not least...

Do you remember a few months ago when I made the Sausage, Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna using the new Chinet Bakeware products? Well, I submitted that recipe to them for a contest they were having and won! My recipe will be featured in an advertisement for Chinet Bakeware in the November 2012 issue of Martha Stewart Living Magazine, so keep a look out for it in newsstands! 

Coming Soon...

• Online Store for special orders and specialty products
• Local Book Signing Events* 

*If you live in the Tri-State area and are interested in coordinating a book signing event for your organization or group, please email carrieexpktchn@optonline.net

I wish to thank each and every one of you for reading my blog each week. I'm awestruck everyday by the talent I see by my fellow food bloggers and I'm truly honored and blessed that you choose to support me here at Carrie's Experimental Kitchen. If you have any suggestions on how I can make your visit here more enjoyable or if you have a specific dish that you like to order when dining out and would  like me to try to replicate at home, please let me know...I would be happy to experiment!

xoxo Carrie   

Sausage, Spinach & Mushroom Lasagna, Chinet Bakeware® Product Review & Giveaway!

A couple of weeks ago, Chinet^® contacted me to see if I would be interested in reviewing one of their new products...a disposable bakeware line called  Chinet Bakeware^®. I was THRILLED to say the least because I am already a HUGE fan of Chinet® paper products and only buy their plates when serving on disposable dishes for parties, especially because I owned light colored couches!


The day they arrived I was so excited. I opened the box to find one set of each size along with wonderful packaging, clear instructions, neutral green colors and sturdy disposable bakeware with lids. They were beautiful and are perfect to take along to a party without having to worry about getting your dish back! I couldn't wait to get started to see how this paper product was going to hold up in an oven so I decided to make a lasagna for dinner. 


I didn't have any marinara sauce in the freezer so I opted to make a cream sauce. I didn't want all of the added calories of heavy cream, especially since I was using sausage, so I used 2% milk, then thickened it up with a roux. As for the cheese, I used shredded (since hubby went shopping and couldn't resist the block of fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese), but you can use grated as well.  The lasagna was incredible, but very rich and had a robust flavor so a small piece with a tossed salad was perfect for dinner. 

As far as the pan...AWESOME! Even after taking it out of the oven the outside wasn't extremely hot to touch, but was steamy and hot on the inside. I would definitely purchase this product, especially now that picnic season is underway. Here is a little information about the bakeware directly from their website.  "Introducing Chinet Bakeware^® baking pans. The first disposable baking dishes that let you take your food from oven to table to freezer to microwave, all in one attractive, non-stick pan. And because it's from the Chinet brand, strength and stability are built in. Bakeware is designed to be sturdy and dependable no matter what you've got cooked up. And not only does it look good, but you can leave it behind without worrying about losing your favorite permanent pan. Made in the USA of 90% recycled material, Chinet Bakeware is finally an idea in disposable bakeware that isn't half-baked."

They come in four convenient sizes in sets of two including the pan and clear plastic lids: Square 8"x8", Rectangular 9"x13", Oval 7"x11" and Oval 7 1/4" x 9 1/4" (just don't put the lid in the oven!)

Sausage, Spinach & Mushroom Lasagna with a Parmigiano Reggiano Cream Sauce
1 box Barilla® No Boil Lasagna Sheets (15)
8 Links Italian Sausage, casings removed
2 Cloves Garlic, chopped
1 - 10oz. Package White Mushrooms, rinsed and sliced
1 - 10oz. Package Frozen Chopped Spinach, defrosted and drained
4 c. Prepared Parmigiano Reggiano Cream Sauce
1 c. Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1/4 c. Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs


In a large saute pan, add the sausage, break apart and cook until there is no more pink. Next, add in the garlic, spinach and mushrooms and saute until the mushrooms start to soften. Set aside. Using the 9"x13" disposable Chinet Bakeware^®, ladle a thin layer of sauce on the bottom. Next, add 5 lasagna sheets then top with half of the sausage mixture. Add some of the sauce to the top of the sausage, then sprinkle 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Place another layer of lasagna sheets, the remaining sausage mixture and remaining mozzarella cheese. Top with the last 5 lasagna sheets, pour remaining sauce over the top then sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the sauce. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and bubbly. Serves 12-16. 


Parmigiano Reggiano Cream Sauce
3 tbsp. Butter
4 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour
4 c. 2% Milk
2 c. Fresh Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper
1/2 tsp. Ground Nutmeg


In a medium saucepan, melt butter then stir in flour forming a roux. Add in the milk and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg and stir until the cheese melts and sauce thickens; approximately 10 minutes. Makes 4 cups


Nutritional Information:
12pp Calories 491, Carbs 26g, Fat 30g, Protein 31g
16pp Calories 368, Carbs 20g, Fat 22g, Protein 23g

AND NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY! 
Since I received one package of each size, I will send, not one, not two but three lucky readers a sample 2-pack to give this new product a try. Simply tell me what you would make in this new disposable bakeware and comment below. (Don't forget to include your email address if you're not currently a follower so I can contact you if you're chosen as a winner!)


Winner 1: One 2-pack 8"x8" Chinet Bakeware^®
Winner 2: One 2-pack Oval 7 1/4" x 9 1/4"Chinet Bakeware^®
Winner 3: One 2-pack Oval 7"x11" Chinet Bakeware^®


THE GIVEAWAY HAS NOW ENDED. 
Giveaway entries will close on Wednesday, May 2, 2012 at 9pm EST and the winners will be randomly selected using random.org and announced on Thursday, May 3, 2012.  GOOD LUCK! 


I'm also excited to have my Morello Cherry Almond Crisp recipe on their site as well so go check it out!




Disclaimer: I received these products free from Chinet®. All opinions are my own based on my own personal experiences. For more information on Chinet Bakeware^® or where you can purchase this new product locally, visit their website!