Tuesday, September 24, 2013

"Try It" Tuesday- Special K Nourish Review

Since I was offline last month, I was able to try some new things that I will be sharing with you in the next few weeks. 
Most of the time, I like to share things that I really like.
BUT, if I didn't tell you about the flops, I would be doing you a great disservice. 

I can't wait to try new foods. Not necessarily meals, but small food items like snack bars, cereals, etc.
For example, when I saw this on sale in the grocery store, I was totally excited:
I tossed it in my bag on the way to work and looked forward to a delicious, filling breakfast.
I first suspected trouble when I added the water to the fill line, which is only about 1/3 cup. Being a huge oatmeal fan, I knew there was NO way the oatmeal would expand to fill the cup.

In plain English: Nice packaging, but here's how much oatmeal you really get:
Don't believe me? Here's an actual shot of the prepared oatmeal:
That is a bit depressing, right? What's up with the other 2/3's of the cup?

I tried to convince myself that this is what I get for only 190 calories... I shouldn't really expect for the cup to be full, right?
Still, I couldn't help but think about how McDonald's Fruit and Maple oatmeal has only 50 more calories, but is 2-3 times more of a serving than this!
Sigh.
Maybe it's just me. Maybe it was the quinoa, but this oatmeal was definitely not working for me AT ALL.
There are too many different textures going on and the flavor just falls flat. Literally.
There was hardly any flavor at all, in fact.
I probably ate three bites before I decided it was time to toss the rest and pop open a
protein shake I had on standby- (Thanks, Umas!)

I can't tell you how much I was really wanting to like this stuff.
All I can say is: Kudos to Kellogg's marketing staff...they really build this stuff up in the commercials.
Too bad it falls short in reality (and I actually like Special K stuff!)
I may have been able to get over the tiny portion size if the taste was better, but I just couldn't do it.
I actually like to enjoy my breakfast. 

Guess I'll stick with the old reliable for now...now you know.

Tuesday, September 17, 2013

The Easiest Chicken Pot Pie You'll Ever Make

I'm back with some new recipes and reviews for you! I hadn't initially planned on using this recipe as a blog post, but my husband requested this dish the other day and I realized I haven't made it in a while...but why? It's one of the easiest and tastiest dishes I know of and ANYONE can make it. 

I didn't think it fair to keep it all to myself, so, for this new edition of "Try It" Tuesday, I present to you:

Now this dish has been in my repertoire for many years. It was given to me by a coworker when the hubs and I were dating. It is a favorite in our home and I hope it becomes a new favorite for you. 
It's very simple and can be changed up to suit any palate.

Here's how I make it:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
(you can use a rotisserie chicken if you're short on time)
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1- 16 oz. can VegAll

For the topping:
1 stick butter (melted)
1 c. flour
1 c. buttermilk

Place the chicken and soup in a slow cooker and season with a little salt and pepper.
Cook on low for 4 hours or until juices run clear.
Mix chicken and soup with a hand mixer on low to shred chicken:

Drain the can of VegAll, fold it in the chicken mixture and pour it in a 9x9 baking dish.

Make the topping:
Mix the melted butter, flour and buttermilk together until well blended. Pour over the chicken mixture:

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes or until the breading is golden brown.
Yum!

Be sure to let it cool for a bit, because this stuff will burn your face off it's so hot!
As I said, this recipe is so versatile. You can add boiled eggs or chopped onions or any veggies you may have left over in the fridge, but whatever you do, you don't want to mess with the topping!
This stuff is amazing! It tastes just like the best buttermilk biscuit you've ever put in your mouth. 
Too bad it's too runny to make a good biscuit. I'm still working on it, though.

Enjoy!