New IHOP Griddle Melts and a Giveaway!

I recently received an email asking if I'd like to try out the new Griddle Melts from IHOP. You better believe I did! I am a big fan of breakfast and breakfast sandwiches and these Griddle Melts not only looked delicious, they quite tasty as well. 

There are three Griddle Melt varieties to choose from. All are served with french fries, hash browns or fresh fruit. 

• Spinach, Roasted Pepper & Cheese
  Sautéed fresh spinach in a fluffy egg omelet topped with roasted red peppers and onions, melted Provolone, Parmesan and Pepper Jack cheeses on grilled artisan sourdough bread. 
• Western
  Smoked ham and sautéed peppers and onions in a classic omelet, topped with sliced ham, melted American cheese and served on grilled artisan sourdough bread. 
• Ham & Egg Melt
  Sliced ham and melted Swiss and American cheeses over a fluffy egg omelet served on grilled artisan sourdough bread. 

I chose the ham and egg melt and it was stuffed with multiple layers of ham, egg omelet and two kinds of cheese- Swiss and American. The thick sourdough was buttery and toasty and tasted fresh. I'm not a huge fan of American cheese and would have preferred Cheddar, but it was good. Everyone at the table got a taste and we all seemed to like it, but my mother-in-law thought it was a little salty. If you're sensitive to salt, keep that in mind. 

If you like omelets and breakfast sandwiches, these are for you. Between the three varieties, there is something for everyone for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Which one would  you chose?

Would you like to try an IHOP Griddle Melt for yourself? 

Simply leave me a comment on this post telling me which of the three varieties of Griddle Melts you would like to try and you could win a $25 IHOP giftcard. One comment per person please. 

I'll chose a winner at random and announce it here on Lick The Bowl Good on Thursday, February 28th. 

This post is sponsored by IHOP. I was provided with gift cards to try the new Griddle Melts but I was not paid to write this post nor did they influence my opinion. 

Superbowl Round Up

Superbowl Sunday is in a few days! I have no earthly idea which teams are playing, but I know there will be balls and sweaty men wearing tight uniforms playing catch. Football is not my thing, but eating yummy foods at Superbowl parties is! I've compiled several recipes, both sweet and savory, that I've made over the years that are simple and great for feeding crowds. Here they are in no particular order. 

One-Bowl Brownies- Basic homemade brownies, with or without nuts that come together in s snap.  

Goldfish Bowl Bites- These goldfish crackers are coated in butter and Ranch seasoning. Addicting and great for snacking. 

Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Dip- Gooey, cheesy and warm form the oven. Tasty with crackers, chips or veggie dippers. 

Soft Pretzels- I could eat these everyday. I love a warm, chewy pretzel. These are versatile and can be made  into a sweet or salty treat. 

Rolo Stuffed Ritz Crackers- Two ingredients. Ready in 10 minutes or less. Sweet and salty- yes, please!

Motherload Cookie Bars- These bars have something for everyone. 4 layers of cookie dough, together in one bar, then drizzled with chocolate. mmm!

Pepperoni Pizza Puffs- These pizza puffs are the most popular recipe on my blog, thanks to Pinterest. Pepperoni not your thing? Use sausage or veggies. 

Cap'n Crunch Peanut Butter Bars-  No bake and fuss free. marshmallows combine with creamy peanut butter to coat crunchy cereal. 

Aunt Nette's Scramble Dogs- My blog friend Jeanette used to make these scramble dogs. It's like a decomposed chili dog with the crunch of oyster crackers, served in a bowl. Messy man food!

Sopaipilla Cheesecake Bars- If you love cinnamon sugar and cheesecake, these are for you! Make them the day before you need them. 

Baked Corn Dog Muffins- I love corn dogs but don't eat them often because they're deep fried and no so healthy. These use cornbread and your favorite wieners and are baked in muffin tins. 

Bruschetta Burgers- Probably one of my favorite burgers ever. The garlicky tomato topping and the pesto mayo make these special. 

Buffalo Chicken Dip- The name says it all. Buffalo chicken flavors in a dip!

Cheesy Ranch BLT Dip- Cheese. Ranch Dressing. Bacon. Spinach. Tomato. On warm crusty bread. I could eat this hot dip as a meal. 

Crockpot BBQ Pulled Pork- Let the crockpot do the work for you! Juicy, spicy shredded pork sandwiches.

Ham and Swiss Sliders- These are fun and simple and both kids and adults like them. Toast them in the oven to melt the cheese and the buttery mustard topping soaks into the bread. Ohhh! 

Chocolate Sybil Cake- Also known as Texas Sheetcake. Chocolate cake, topped with rich chocolate frosting them sprinkled with pecans. Heaven help me. 

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Hope you guys eat well this weekend. What are you planning on making?

Souper Woman

Happy New Year! Yes, I'm a little late, with that greeting, but I've been on (a self awarded) winter break, lounging in my pajamas, hanging out with family and playing with my son. I haven't picked up my camera since Christmas except to snap a few photos of the sunset or Hayden and it's been quite nice. I'm ready to get back in the kitchen though and start playing with sugar and flour again-- so many recipes, so little time. 

I came up with this recipe awhile back and I've made it several times. My hubs is not a soup lover so we don't eat much of it, but he actually requests this one often. Sometimes, he doesn't even say anything, he just jots down the ingredients on our grocery list and I know he's having a craving. My 17 year old brother even liked it so much, he ate 2 1/2 bowls of it and kindly requested I write the recipe down for him (on his iPhone) so he could replicate it. If that's not a sign of a good recipe, I don't know what it. Of course, he had my mom make it and was no where to be found when she was in the kitchen, but he had the best of intentions :-).  There are few ingredients in this soup, but it's so flavorful. Served with crusty bread, this is a hearty, but healthy meal. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. 

Sausage, Spinach and Tortellini Soup from Monica h

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• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
• 1 pound Italian sausage
• 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes, undrained
• 10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 32 ounces chicken broth
• 4 cups water
• 9 ounces fresh Buitoni cheese tortellini
• kosher salt to taste

In a heavy bottomed pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes until fragrant. Add the sausage to the pot, breaking it up into crumbles; cook thoroughly. 

Add the diced tomatoes, spinach, chicken broth and water. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. 

Bring the mixture to a boil then add the fresh pasta. Cook according to package directions (5-10 minutes) or until pasta is tender. Season with salt to taste. Serve. 

A Dip Recipe and A Chinet Bakeware Giveaway!

The month of November has slipped on by me without me noticing it. How is it possible that Thanksgiving is next week? It was 82 degrees here a couple days ago and I've been seeing Christmas stuff filling up the stores. It just doesn't feel right. I'm not ready! Surely I'm not the only one? I'd love to have a lineup of Thanksgiving sides and dessert ideas for you, but that's just not going to happen. Instead I have one delicious dip for you that you can serve to your guests while watching the ball game and enjoying a cold beer. That's better than green been casserole, any day. 

I was asked by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board to come up with an original idea for a dip containing dairy. I brainstormed a bit with my mom and my friend Maranda, from Jolts and Jollies and we came up with  this Cheesy Ranch BLT Dip. It's loaded with spinach, tomatoes, bacon, held together with a healthy serving of Mozzarella and cream cheese and seasoned with Ranch dressing and fresh garlic. Served atop a a sliced baguette, this was like the classic sandwich kicked up a few notches. Maranda and I came up with several ideas for dips that we wanted to make so she decided to throw herself an impromptu birthday party and asked people to bring a dip along with them. I brought two dips- this hot BLT dip and Mr. H :-) It was great fun, we laughed, made new friends and no one went home hungry- Happy birthday Manna!

Cheesy Ranch BLT Dip from Monica h

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Serves 8

• 6 slices bacon
• 1 box (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
• 8 oz. (2 cups) Mozzarella cheese, freshly grated
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup diced tomato, seeded
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 3 Tablespoons Ranch dressing powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a 2 quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

Dice bacon into 1/2-inch pieces and cook over medium-high heat til crisp. Remove bacon from the grease with a slotted spoon and allow to drain on a paper towel lined plate. 

In a large bowl, combine spinach, cream cheese, 1 1/2 cups of the grated Mozzarella, cooked bacon, mayonnaise, tomato, garlic and Ranch dressing powder. Using a rubber spatula, mix until well combined. Scrape mixture into the prepared dish and smooth the top. Sprinkle the top with the remaining half cup of Mozzarella. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly and golden. Serve with a sliced baguette or crackers. 

Earlier this year, I did a review of Chinet Bakeware and loved it. Anytime I have a gathering to go to or if I'm taking a dish to a friend, I now bake it in these wonderful pans. You can read my review of the product HERE, if you'd like. Since the holidays are right around the corner, Chinet has graciously offered to give one of my readers a set of disposable Chinet Bakeware. One lucky reader will receive a set of each of the sizes pictured in the photo above. 

All you have to do is tell me what your favorite Thanksgiving food is by leaving me a comment on this post. Please leave a way for me to contact you if you win. I will select a winner this week. Offer valid to residents of the USA only. Good luck!

"Whatever Happened To Sunday Dinner?" Cookbook Review & Giveaway

Two savory recipes in a row! No, I'm not sick and yes, I have more sweetness coming your way, but first I have a cookbook to share with you- Whatever Happened To Sunday Dinner? by Lisa Caponigri. This is such a clever book. The concept behind this book is bringing back Sunday dinner. "Fifty-two menus are presented in the Italian tradition: an antipasto (usually a crostini to pass at the table), a primo (first course: almost always a pasta), a secondo (call it the main course) served with a single contorno (side dish) and finally, dessert. Every menu is different; not a single repeated."

Sunday dinner according to Lisa is not just about eating. It's about getting the family together in the kitchen and dividing up the tasks so that everyone is involved and contributing to the family meal, whether it's by chopping, baking, stirring or setting the table. "Sunday dinner doesn't have to be elaborate, just delicious." There are 260 recipe in this book to choose from. Obviously you don't have to follow each menu as written; you can mix and match recipes from different menus to create your perfect meal. The idea is to get comfortable in the kitchen, eat, linger at the table, relax and share the highlights of your week. "Sunday dinner is irreplaceable, the meeting place of memories that will last a lifetime."

You can feel Lisa's passion for Sunday dinner through her family photos, words and menus. As I read about her love of food and family, I started planning my own Sunday dinners. We often have Sunday dinner at my mom's house, but that usually means my mom does most of the cooking and I provide dessert. We all sit down together, share stories and laughter and enjoy a great meal. But I realized after reading Lisa's stories that we could all help out a little more and make it more of a family activity.  

I flipped through page after page of this book. The recipes are enticing and the photos are gorgeous. This really is a handsome book, and hefty at that. And because there is so much variety, you could cook through it all throughout the week, not just on Sundays. I chose to make Pasta alla Carbonara and Pesto Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes, only to simplify things I used store bought pesto because it's what I had on hand. I made the pasta recipe as written but I added my thoughts and notes below. Both were delicious and easy enough to make on a  busy weekday. To win a copy of "Whatever Happened To Sunday Dinner?" scroll down. 

Pasta Alla Carbonara- Pasta with Eggs and Bacon

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Recipe serves 8, but can easily be halved-

• 8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter* (see note)
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound thick-sliced bacon or pancetta, cut into 1-inch pieces
• head of garlic, separated into cloves and chopped
• 2 pounds of spaghetti
• 6 large eggs
• 2 cups grated pecorino romano 
• freshly ground pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the olive oil. Add the bacon and garlic and cook until the bacon is very crisp, taking care not to burn the garlic* (see note). Remove the bacon and garlic from the skillet, using a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels. 

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl, beat together the eggs, cheese, and pepper to taste. Stir in the bacon and garlic. 

Drain the pasta and add to the bowl. Toss until the pasta is well coated with the eggs and cheese mixture and serve immediately. 

NOTE: I didn't find that cooking the bacon and garlic in butter and olive oil was necessary. It just resulted in a lot of grease in a pan that had to be thrown away. The bacon yields a lot of fat on it it's own- next time, I'd crisp up the bacon then just before it's done, add the garlic. I found cooking the garlic along with the bacon just overcooked it.

Pomodorini Ripieni Di Pesto- Cherry Tomatoes Stuffed with Pesto

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• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 3-4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 5 Tbsp. pine nuts
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
• 1/2 cup grated pecorino romano
• 1 pound cherry tomatoes

Place the basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, salt, olive oil, and Pecorino in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. If the pesto is too thick for your taste, add a little more olive oil. 

Cut the tops off the tomatoes. With a small spoon scoop out the seeds and pulp, taking care not to puncture the skin. Fill the tomatoes with the pesto and serve at room temperature. 

NOTE: Don't use grape tomatoes to make this- they won't stand upright and the filling will spill out.

To win a copy of "Whatever Happened To Sunday Dinner?" by Lisa Caponigri all you need to do is leave me a comment below telling me about your family meals. It doesn't have to be Italian, it can be anything. Do you have a tradition of getting the family together on a regular basis, cooking and eating? Tell me about it! 

Be sure to leave your contact info so if you win I know how to get a hold of you. I'll announce a winner next week and ship the book out. One comment per person, please. Giveaway open to US residents only. Good luck!

My little helper!

Road Trip Recap and Breakfast For Dinner

We headed out last Friday for a road trip to see family last weekend. I was concerned about travelling with Hayden but in reality he was wonderful and I could not have asked for a better travel companion. We did have some hiccups along the way, but surprisingly they had nothing to so with Hayden. We loaded up the truck and piled everyone in. We got about two hours out of town and started having issues with our vehicle. Out of nowhere it overheated and we found ourselves on the side of the road in the blistering heat, with white smoke pouring out the tail pipe and fluids bubbling under the hood. Not good. 

My brother and Mr. H saved the day and we barely made it to the nearest Ford dealership, only to be held up there for 3 hours. We had lunch, the service department diagnosed the problem and we tried to track down a rental car to get us to our destination. Long story short, our 9 hour strip turned into 13. Hayden got (understandably) restless about two hours out so we stopped, stretched our legs and got some dinner. Once we got back on the road he passed out and was peaceful the rest of the way, though we were all crammed into a minivan and uncomfortable. We made it to my grandma's house nearing midnight and had a great weekend. We ended up staying an extra day than planned but we got to visit family that we hadn't seen in years, including my new cousin that's only 3 weeks old. Love. 

The trip back home was a little less exciting but we were all so tired, hot and easily agitated. I don't think I've ever been so happy to back in my own home- I forgot how good it smelled and how great the A/C works :-). All this to say, that we survived our first road trip with the boy. And don't tell Mr. H, but I'd do it all over again just to spend more time with my family. I guess now it's time for me to talk about this breakfast casserole. It's delicious and I've made it several times over the past few months. I've made it with different meats and cheeses and it's always a hit. I make the full recipe and we eat on it for about 3 days, for either breakfast or dinner, and never tire of the leftovers. That's a rarity. 

Breakfast Casserole adapted from Confabulation In The Kitchen

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• 1- 20 oz. bag  Simply Potatoes shredded hash browns
  
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  
• 1 lb. sausage, cooked and crumbled (ham or bacon works well too)
  
• 2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
  
• 5 large eggs
  
• 1 cup half n half or heavy cream
  
• A few dashes of hot sauce
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place potatoes in a large bowl. Pour melted butter over potatoes and stir until well-combined. Line  anungreased 9x13-inch casserole dish with buttered potatoes, and press to make a crust. Bake 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are just crisped and brown on the edges. Remove dish from oven and set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk eggs, half n half or cream, hot sauce, salt and pepper.

Sprinkle sausage over potato crust then sprinkle the cheese over sausage to create even layers. Pour egg mixture over ingredients. 

Bake 12-20 minutes or until the eggs are set in the center and the edges are golden and bubbling.

"Steak BBQ On A Budget" & A $25 Walmart Gift Card Giveaway

I was contacted earlier in the month asking if I'd like to try Walmart's new USDA Choice steaks.  Mr. H is a huge meat eater, so of course I said yes! Have you seen the commercials on TV where the people are dining in a steakhouse and a guy comes along telling them they've just eaten Walmart Steaks? Well these are those steaks!

I was given two $25 Walmart gift cards. One for me to create a "Steak BBQ On A Budget" and one to give away to a lucky reader! I went to Walmart and immediately spotted the USDA Choice steaks since they are easily identified by the black tray packaging.  There were several different cuts of meat to choose from, but Mr. H is partial to filet mignon, so that's what we got. My one complaint about the filets were that they were packaged individually rather than in pairs (like the rib eye steaks) so it was difficult finding two that were similar in size. I like to pan sear my steaks rather than putting them on a grill, so while the cooking times varied because one steak was larger than the other, it did not affect the flavor one bit. 

The steaks were fresh and well trimmed and tasted like any others that I would get from the butcher counter at my local market only at a lower price point. The steaks we chose were $14.99/lb. We purchased two steaks, but ended up getting three servings out of them. In addition to the seared steaks, I made rosemary and garlic roasted potatoes and in lieu of a salad, I set out fresh veggies and dip. A fruit salad served as dessert. It was a perfect Summer meal and it was affordable. I spent just over the $25 limit because I got a little carried away with the fruit but if you think about it- a filet mignon steak dinner for three people under $25 is a great deal! It would be at least three times that at a restaurant. 

I simply seasoned the steaks with salt and pepper and seared them in a super hot pan with a tad of butter until they were medium rare. I don't have a recipe for that, but I am sharing my favorite way to make roasted potatoes. These are delicious, if I say so myself :-)

Rosemary & Garlic Oven Roasted Potatoes from Monica h

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• 2 lbs. new potatoes, rinsed and patted dry
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary, finely minced
• 3-4 clove of garlic, finely minced
• 2-3 tsp. kosher salt
• black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and set aside. If using foil, spray with non-stick cooking spray. 

Cut your potatoes into 1 1/2-inch chunks. You want them to be all about the same size (quarter the smaller potatoes, cut the larger ones into 8 pieces). Place them in a large bowl and toss with olive oil, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper. 

Once the potatoes are well coated, place them on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. 

Place in oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, turning them with a spatula every 10-15 minutes, until uniformly golden and tender. 

GIVEAWAY:  I have one $25 Walmart gift card for one lucky reader to purchase Walmart's USDA Choice Steaks so that you can create your own "Steak BBQ On A Budget". All you have to do is leave me a comment on this post telling me what your ideal steak dinner is. I want details- what kind of steak do you like, how do you like it cooked and what are your favorite sides? 

I'll announce a winner later in the week. Good luck!