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Monday, August 19, 2013

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!

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Seafood Frenzy Friday #58

TGIF and Welcome to Seafood Frenzy Friday! If you missed any of last weeks' entries you can catch them all here. Thank you to everyone that linked up last week and don't forget to check back for new entries each day. You can also stop by my Seafood Frenzy Friday Pinterest Board where you can share and pin your own favorites.  Congratulations to Lisa's Dinnertime Dish for having the most viewed recipe recipe last week!

And now for this week's party...

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Back to School: The Most Common Food Allergies

Photo courtesy of Paper & Pigtails.
For Free Printables for Kids with Allergies, click HERE
For many kids, summer fun is over and children are gradually starting to make their way back to the classroom. For some, being in school can be life threatening; especially if surrounded by foods that can make them sick.

According to a recent article in Family Circle, about 90% of food allergies involve just eight foods. I've heard many parents complain over the years about not being able to bring in cupcakes or a specific treat for their child's birthday. But is it really worth another child getting sick over? I am one of the fortunate ones who have children without any food allergy issues, but many of my children's friends do. It's important that everyone be aware and to seek alternatives so as not to alienate a child in class. No one wants to feel like they don't belong.

Though not a complete list, here are the most common food allergies...
  • Peanuts .6%
  • Fish .6%
  • Soy .6%
  • Eggs 1%
  • Shellfish 1.2%
  • Wheat 1.3%
  • Milk 3%
  • Tree Nuts (almonds, pecans, cashews, walnuts) 4.1%
Helpful Tips
  1. Before bringing in a snack, ask your childs' teacher if anyone in the class has a specific allergy. 
  2. Check labels! Even if a product doesn't contain the ingredient, it may be produced in a factory that does and cross contamination may occur. Every allergy sufferer has a different level of tolerance from mild (slight nausea or rash) to extreme (anaphylaxis shock). 
  3. If your child does have a food allergy, provide a suggested list of acceptable items. The teacher can then distribute the list to other parents so that they know what is/isn't safe. 
  4. Some good choices are snacks that are healthier like fruit, popcorn, vegetables with hummus or low/no sugar popsicles. 
A Little Inspiration

(contains dairy)

(contains wheat)

(contains dairy)

(contains wheat and eggs)

(contains tree nuts)


(contains tree nuts)

And one of our favorites....
Bruschetta

Have a great school year! 

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