Monday, November 19, 2012

Enjoy Life More with Del Monte $100 Sweepstakes




During this hectic time of the year, when I am preparing for the holidays and enjoying the special festivities of New York City, I still like to prepare a nutritious homemade meal packed with quality ingredients. This will be my last Christmas in New York for a while, as I am packing for a move out West.

Although I'm very busy I also want to find the time to enjoy life more each day. What better way to fulfill that goal than having quick, fuss free, and delicious meals to prepare, with the help of Del Monte canned Fruits, Vegetables and Tomatoes, such as the pizza seen above?


Or a meal that almost cooks itself, such as chicken and vegetables in the crock pot ...


... or a side of hearty cornbread, fresh from my oven?


That is why I always have Del Monte canned products in my pantry! Did you know that Del Monte canned Fruits, Vegetables and Tomatoes contain similar essential nutrients to fresh, with no artificial colors or flavors? That they are grown in the best regions for a consistently high-quality product? That the majority of Del Monte canned Fruits, Vegetables and Tomatoes are grown in the United States, and are packed at the peak of ripeness, with nearly 90% canned the same day to lock in nutrients and flavors?

Adding Del Monte canned Fruits, Vegetables and Tomatoes to your meals is an excellent way of adding more garden fresh versatility, along with ease of preparation.

Here are the recipes for some of the ways I add Del Monte canned Fruits, Vegetables and Tomatoes to my meals:

Quick and Easy Pizza

Press a store-bought pizza dough in your pizza pan to form a 14 - 16-inch circle.

Spread one 14 1/2 oz. can drained, of Del Monte Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic, and Oregano on top.

Spread 1/2 pound of sliced mozzarella cheese over the tomatoes

Add whatever other condiments your family enjoys to the pizza toppings. For this pizza I added some jarred artichoke hearts, sliced roasted red peppers and one small can of anchovies. I also added a few basil leaves that came from the garden that I have frozen for just such use.

Bake the pizza in a pre-heated 500 degree Fahrenheit oven for 15 minutes, or until the crust is crisp and slightly browned and the toppings are hot, and the cheese is bubbly.

Slice and enjoy!

Del Monte Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic, and Oregano makes the perfectly flavored pizza sauce, and they are a natural source of vitamins A and C and the powerful antioxidant, Lycopene.


Chicken and Vegetables in the Crock Pot

Two pounds of chicken thighs, skin and fat removed

One medium sized onion, sliced

One 14 1/12 oz can of Del Monte Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic, and Oregano (or substitute plain Del Monte Diced tomatoes and add your own blend of seasonings)

Add chicken to the pot, followed by sliced onions and the diced tomatoes on top. Cover and cook on crock pot low setting, 7 hours.

Open and drain one can Del Monte Fresh Cut Green Beans, one can drained Fresh Cut Sliced Carrots, and one can drained Fresh Cut Sweet Peas. Pour drained vegetables over the chicken and tomatoes in the crock pot, cover, and turn crock pot to high for the last hour of cooking.

Prepare rice or pasta as a side. Remove chicken from the crock pot and place on a platter to serve. Add the rice or pasta to your dish and ladle sauce and vegetables on top. Serve.


The Del Monte Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic and Oregano adds the perfect amount of seasoning to the chicken and sauce, and the added Del Monte vegetables makes this meal a snap to make, as all the preparation work is done for you. They are also a wonderful way to add more vegetables to your diet.

Hearty Skillet Corn Bread
One 15 1/2 oz Del Monte Fresh Cut, Golden Sweet, Whole Kernel Corn, drained
One cup all-purpose flour
One cup cornmeal
One tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Two beaten eggs
One cup of milk
1/4 cup cooking oil or shortening, melted
2 - 4 tablespoons sugar
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
Grease the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of a 12 inch cast iron skillet, set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl stir together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture; set aside.
In another bowl combine the eggs, milk, and cooking oil or melted shortening.
Add egg mixture all at once to dry mixture. Add drained corn. Stir just until moistened.
Spoon batter into the prepared pan.
Bake in a 425 degree Fahrenheit oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack.
The addition of Del Monte Whole Kernel Corn adds more fiber, nutrition and a sweet delicious taste to my favorite cornbread recipe, making it an extra special treat. I love to serve it as a side dish for a soup or stew, or as an accompaniment for a holiday meal.

Last, but not least, one of my favorite desserts as a child remains one of my favorite comfort desserts of today -- a scoop of cottage cheese covered with a few Del Monte Sliced Peaches in Extra Light Syrup. It has just the right amount of coolness and sweetness to bring a smile to my face every time I eat it!
I hope you'll try one of my recipes or find one you'd like to try at www.delmonte.com. Also, visit Del Monte's "Add Some Garden™" campaign Facebook page for more delicious recipe ideas.
Tell us about meals that make you feel good and are good for you, in the comment form on my blog, and you will be entered in sweepstakes for a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card.
Sweepstakes Rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
"b) Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the
following unique term in your tweet message: ""#SweepstakesEntry""; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post"
c) Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise, a new winner will be selected.
The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstake runs from 11/19/2012 - 12/21/2012

Be sure to visit Del Monte's brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!
* This is a paid promotion by Del Monte and BlogHer, but all recipes and opinions are my own.

86 comments:

From the Kitchen said...

This must be a very nostalgic time for you. Being with your family during the holidays will be special and, hopefully, you can gather back in NYC to celebrate in the future.

It's always good to have "help" from Del Monte in the kitchen.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Best,
Bonnie

Kris said...

I hope your Christmas season in NYC is the best ever! That pizza looked good!! I am hungry now.
Ta ta.
Kris

Mami2jcn said...

I love salmon! It tastes great and I feel good about what I’m eating.

mami2jcn at gmail dot com

Mami2jcn said...

tweet:


https://twitter.com/mami2jcn/status/270555401597104129

mami2jcn at gmail dot com

Snap said...

Hope you are ready for Thanksgiving. I know it will be a very special one for you. Love Del Monte!!!

ellen b. said...

These recipes look great Pat! Blessings on your remaining time living in New York!

Melissa said...

Homemade spaghetti sauce

Nellie said...

Absolutely LOVE Del Monte - my first brand of choice! I use Del Monte tomatoes with basil and oregano, Del Monte Zucchini with tomatoes, Del Monte sliced carrots (drained), Del Monte cubed potatoes (drained), and a can of vegetable broth to make the BEST pot of vegetable soup ever! If desired, ground meat could be browned and added to the soup, in which case beef broth would be tasty rather than vegetable broth. LOVE using their fruits in salads and desserts, too. Crushed pineapple with apricot gelatin, buttermilk, and whipped topping is a favorite, and peaches with cottage cheese as well. A peach crisp can also be made with their canned peaches!

Kelly Massman said...

I like meals that are well balanced to include veggies!!! Thanks for a chance to win and have a great day!
kmassmanATgmailDOTcom

Elena said...

I like making smoothies with fresh fruits, veggies and organic yogurt. It's delicious and healthy

elena150980@yahoo.com

Elena said...

https://twitter.com/ElenaIstomina/status/270631987759415296

elena150980@yahoo.com

akronugurl said...

i love to make Homemade spaghetti sauce!

freebiel0ve@yahoo.com

akronugurl said...

tweet: https://twitter.com/akronugurl/status/270635370968907777 .

freebiel0ve@yahoo.com

Paula's Postings said...

Your post has certainly made my mouth water Pat.

Unknown said...

A meal that is good and good for you is the chicken pot pies I make that use vegetarian "faux" chicken, organic veggies, and other organic ingredients. So good!
jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com

Unknown said...

https://twitter.com/LuLu_Brown24/status/270645342947655680
jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com

Ellie Wright said...

I love slow cooker spicy chicken stew. It's delicious and healthy.

Ellie Wright said...

tweet
https://twitter.com/eswright18/status/270653266948419584

SavoringTime in the Kitchen said...

I can so relate to the cottage cheese and peaches! It's something I've always loved from a little girl to today.

eileeninmd said...

You have featured two of my favorites, the pizza and the cornbread. YUMMY! Have a great day and a Happy Thanksgiving!

My name is Riet said...

Dear Pat.
Thank you so much for the recipies. I also always have Delmonte goodies in store, they are the best. I love the chicken in the crockpot recipe oh and the pizza and that desert makes me smile now that I read it.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving my friend.

Lisa @ Grandmas Briefs said...

Yum! I mostly stopped by just to tell you Happy Thanksgiving, but what the heck, I'll share that I love to use Del Monte tomatoes to make my all-time fave comfort food: macaroni & tomatoes. Yep, simple as that. Make some macaroni, throw in a can of tomatoes (maybe a smidgen of butter, too), lots of salt (I know, I know), heat and eat.

Your corn bread looks delicious! Love corn bread...as well as corn bread masquerading as Johnny Cake with some butter and syrup on top.

Enough about food. I'm here to tell you to have a lovely Thanksgiving, your last in NYC for a while. :-D

karenmed409 said...

With holidays one of our comfort foods to make are Turkey Pot pies loaded with veggies.

Unknown said...

meals made with ingredients picked fresh from my garden make me feel good and are good for me
thismomwins@gmail.com

Unknown said...

tweeted: https://twitter.com/thismomwins/status/271651910656860160
thismomwins@gmail.com

kellyr78 said...

Veggie Soup makes me feel good & is good for me since I add lots of fresh veggies.
kellywcuATyahooDOTcom

kellyr78 said...

Tweet
https://twitter.com/kellydsaver/status/272007531419807744?p=p

kellywcuATyahooDOTcom

Annesphamily said...

I just bought all my canned veggies from Del Monte for our Thanksgiving dinner! I love their products. I make my mothers chicken and rice and del Monte carries the full line of tomatos with different seasoning, and the addition of of some mild chilies makes this dish pop! My phamily loves it! I alsos made Corn Casserole for the first time and used my Del Monte Cream corn as well as whole kernel corn. My hubby makes red chili with hamburger and uses a variety of canned products to make this dish taste delicious. Thanks for the giveaway share!

erika said...

I love eating homemade- homemade chicken noodle soup sounds amazing right now!

chambanachik at gmail dot com

Unknown said...

Oatmeal with blueberries, almonds, cinnamon, and a bit of maple syrup.

junerlisle at gmail dot com

♡♥♬ Carolsue ♡♥♬ said...

I like to make Senate Bean Soup -- and I always use Del Monte Stewed or diced tomaotes in it!
Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net

Kaizen Fashion Project said...

I like to make 15 bean soups in my crockpot, then make a green salad and fruit salad as side dishes. A mixture of healthy servings!

heatheranne99 at gmail dot com

Kaizen Fashion Project said...

Tweet!
https://twitter.com/ScoomerBlog/status/273073511684272128

heatheranne99 at gmail dot com

cw said...

your cornbread sounds yummy.
Veggie quesadillas are yummy and make me feel good

sy said...

The pizza looks so good, thanks for the recipe. I like to make an arugula salad with vinaigrette dressing and dried figs.
songyueyu at gmail

sy said...

tweet: https://twitter.com/syytta/status/274012542857252865
songyueyu at gmail

JC said...

I like Kale Salad with Quinoa and salmon.
tcarolinep at gmail dot com

JC said...

https://twitter.com/tcarolinep/status/274375752932265984

Anonymous said...

Homemade soup is easy and good for you and I make it often.

rhoneygtn at yahoo dot com

ms-texas said...

I recently got a Vita Mix blender and I'm starting to eat a lot healthier by making soups and fruit smoothies

debbiebellows (at) gmail (dot) com

ms-texas said...

i tweeted here:

https://twitter.com/bellows22/status/275423222432952320

debbiebellows (at) gmail (dot) com

Judy B. said...

I like to stay close to vegan so I use a lot of fruits & veggies.

Judy B. said...

tweet
https://twitter.com/BBirdie2/status/275510049533743104

Amy said...

It would be my Mixed veggies pasta. Easy to prepare and delicious...makes me feel good and good for me.

amy [at] utry [dot] it

Amy said...

tweeted: https://twitter.com/uTry_it/status/275516467896807424

amy [at] utry [dot] it

MCantu1019 said...

I like salad with chicken or fruit.
MCantu1019 at aol dot com

bdiane34 said...


I love a good chicken salad

bdiane34 said...

tweeted
https://twitter.com/bdiane35/status/275779992158367746

Melissa O. said...

Jambalaya with lots of veggies and cornbread!

wolverina401 at gmail dot com

Tina said...

curry
merleandtina@Yahoo.com

Tina said...

https://twitter.com/HappyTina0115/status/276106174699552768
merleandtina@Yahoo.com

Jeanne said...

Mmmmmm, Pat. I always have canned food in my pantry. Del Monte is my favorite brand. Their canned goods are better than most. Your recipes are simple and easy. Are you finished with your packing for the most part?

I did a bit of decorating around the house. Even though we won't be home for Christmas I need some Christmas cheer. I am using things that are not stored in the attic.

I hope your last Christmas in NYC is a good one. There has to be some thoughts of sadness as you leave your home after all these years. However, the joy of being close to your darling family is very exciting.

Wishing you happy days ahead.
Hugs, Jeanne

Ashley H said...

I love spinach salad with a piece of baked fish or chicken! Thanks!
ashleygatewood1(AT)gmail.com

Kerry said...

I make a hamburger vegetable soup that is really good this time of year.
nuthouse(at)centurytel(dot)net

Kerry said...

tweeted: https://twitter.com/KerryBishop/status/276507676807155713
nuthouse(at)centurytel(dot)net

Unknown said...

I love making soup! I can load it up with veggies and it is super comforting.

Thanks for the cool giveaway!

wildorchid985 @ gmail dot com

Unknown said...

tweet--https://twitter.com/WildOrchid985/status/277075736521756672


wildorchid985 @ gmail dot com

sodahoney said...

I love veggie omelet batlorry@gmail.com

sodahoney said...

Blogged http://sodahoney.blogspot.com/2012/12/add-some-garden-into-your-meals-with.html
batlorry@gmail.com

Chelsey - The Paper Mama said...

My favorite good for me food: kale sautéed with garlic! Yuuuum!

Christina said...

The meal that makes me feel good and good for me is mixed veggie omelet.

ctong2[at]gmail[dot]com

Christina said...

Tweeted about this promotion: https://twitter.com/ctong2/status/279876496347262976

ctong2[at]gmail[dot]com

Courtney B said...

i would make a greek pita with fresh tazazti sauce

vanitizebaby at yahoo dot com

Courtney B said...

tweet

https://twitter.com/MeandBells/status/280377371645857793

vanitizebaby at yahoo dot com

Unknown said...

I love my baked lemon chicken. i feel so much better when I am eating healthy!

amypugmire@live.com

Unknown said...

tweet. amypugmire@live.com
https://twitter.com/1amypugmire/status/280383406397861889

LAMusing said...

Chinese Salad with Chicken - veggies, fruit, lo cal chinese dressing and a little lean chicken - tasty and healthy!
adrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com

LAMusing said...

https://twitter.com/LAMusing/status/280543217122955265

Anash said...

I love any meal that includes cheese..it warms my heart and gives me comfort! Thanks for a super giveaway!
My email: anashct1 [at] yahoo [dot] com

Anash said...

Tweeted:
https://twitter.com/anashct3/status/280896059222417409
Thanks for the chance to win!
email: anashct1 [at] yahoo [dot] com

rachel said...

Making Chinese stir-frys full of veggies!

Anonymous said...

I like to eat salmon (or even herring) with vegetables.
madelinebrubaker {at} gmail (dot) com

Anonymous said...

Tweet link: https://twitter.com/shala_darkstone/status/281364999337807873

angie lilly said...

I make a pizza with a whole wheat crust, homemade basil pine-nut pesto, and organic smoked light mozzarella cheese that is stupid delicious and very healthy!
Angie
14earth at gmail dot com

angie lilly said...

I tweeted here: https://twitter.com/MsTofuFairy/status/281429935963381761
Angie
14earth at gmail dot com

♡♥♬ Carolsue ♡♥♬ said...

I entered earlier. Here is my tweet:
https://twitter.com/MsCarolsueA/status/281684171980673024
Digicats {at} Sbcglobal {dot} Net

Unknown said...

I like to make chicken soup with veggies it always makes me feel better.

rounder9834 @yahoo.com

Unknown said...

https://twitter.com/thomasmurphy40/status/281909676755525632
rounder9834 @yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

My husband makes delicious homemade pizza - we can control how healthy it is (lots of veggies)!

Betty C said...

My family loves our vegetable beef soup. It started as an accident when I was first married and trying to make beef stew. I wasn't liking the way it was going so I kept experimenting and came up with a family favorite.

willitara [at] gmail [dot] com

Angel Jacklyn said...

SPAGHETTI & MEATBALLS- COMES WITH FOLIC ACID, PROTEIN, SELENIUM, VITAMIN B6... AND DID I MENTION, YOU COULD ALWAYS TOP THAT WITH A CAN OF DEL MONTE FRESH CUT TOMATOES???? HAHA. NOW BEAT THAT!

kytah00@yahoo.com

Angel Jacklyn said...

MY SECOND ENTRY TWEET! https://twitter.com/kytah00/status/282108319076864000

kytah00 AT yahoo DOT com

greaterexp said...

Soups are my favorite flavorful, easy, low-fat dishes to make.

Betty C said...

Tweet - https://twitter.com/willitara/status/282194270708981762

willitara [at] gmail [dot] com

Tabathia B said...


I love homemade chicken noodle soup

tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

Tabathia B said...

tweet
https://twitter.com/ChelleB36/status/282206856598913024
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com