Bobby Flay’s Turkey Reuben

When the weather warms up, I find myself looking for simple meal ideas that don’t involve a lot of time in a hot kitchen.  Grilled sandwiches offer the warmth of a hot meal without the time and hassle of using the oven.   This particular Reuben sandwich, with inspiration from The Big Apple, includes Bobby Flay’s Thousand Island Coleslaw and can be prepped and cooked in less than 30 minutes.  While you can definitely cook the sandwich on the stove (a cast iron pan works well for this), I recommend using a Panini Press, which offers the convenience of even heat distribution and a perfectly grilled sandwich!

Turkey Reuben with Thousand Island Coleslaw

Ingredients

1/2 cup Hellmann’s or Best Foods Real Mayonnaise, divided
1/4 cup finely chopped dill pickle
2 Tbsp. ketchup
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. dijon mustard
2 cups coleslaw mix
8 slices rye bread
8 slices Swiss cheese
1 lb. sliced cooked turkey

Directions:
1. Combine 1/4 cup mayonnaise, pickle, ketchup, vinegar and mustard with wire whisk in medium bowl. Season, if desired, with salt and pepper. Stir in coleslaw mix; set aside.

2. Top 4 bread slices with cheese, turkey, coleslaw mixture, then remaining bread slice. Evenly spread outside of sandwiches with remaining 1/4 cup mayonnaise. Cook sandwiches, in batches, in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, turning once, 8 minutes or until golden brown.

I’ve been sharing some of Bobby Flay’s signature Hellmann’s recipes.  But very soon, I’ll be sharing my recipe for the perfect sandwich. Stay tuned!

Disclosure:  This post was created in connection with my appointment as an Ambassador in Hellmann’s Club Sandwich Program. For more great ideas, go to www.facebook.com/hellmanns.

Cascade’s 24 Hour Challenge!

Do you ever doubt your dishwasher?  I do.  The eco side of me says to take all of those dirty dishes, no matter how many days they’ve been sitting there, and load them up without turning the water on.  The germ-a-phobe side of me insists on rinsing…even scrubbing that caked on food off.  In reality, I typically fall somewhere in the middle, despite the fact that the manufacturer of our dishwasher advises owners not to rinse before loading (it’s also greener this way).

My husband and I have tried a variety of dishwasher gels and powders and have never found one to be effective.  We prefer the  pre-filled tabs/pacs that combine the washing and rinsing agents and easily pop into the dispenser.  I have only tried one brand which we like and use, but was open to trying Cascade’s Complete All-in-1 ActionPacs to see how they compare.

These ActionPacs combine the action of both a powder and a gel to tackle tough cleaning.  The combination pre-treats, fights stains, and rinses away food particles while removing grease and preventing leftover residues.  To test the effectiveness of Cascade’s Complete All-in-1 ActionPacs, I had to leave a pile of dirty dishes (no rinsing allowed!) overnight (gasp!).  I can’t stand a sink of dirty dishes so you can imagine how difficult this was.  I loaded the dishwasher the next day, mostly without rinsing and then put these little ActionPacs to the test.

Now, I will say that having used a dishwasher for many, many years, I know there are several things that can assist in ensuring your dishes come out clean and spotless.  I routinely run an empty load with vinegar to clean out the dishwasher and had done that about 2 weeks prior to my 24 hour challenge.  I also ensured that the rinse agent chamber was full (when this is empty, the dishes don’t come out nearly as clean).

Voila! With minimal rinsing (I guess I sort of cheated?), my dishes came out without any food residues.  I don’t rinse everything, but some foods like oatmeal really stick if they’re not rinsed off right away.  I was quite pleased with Cascade’s tough cleaning action and ease of use.  Now…if only a company would develop a greener dishwasher tab/pac that actually works at getting those dishes clean!

For more information, just visit Cascade!

I have a few sample packets to giveaway (5 to be exact).  If you’re interested, just leave a comment!

No compensation was received for this post. Products for review (including a gift card) and giveaway were supplied by Cascade, P&G, and Walmart.

Just a Spoonful of Sugar…Mary Poppins Takes Flight in Orange County

Disney is all about bringing the magic to life and it seemed natural to adapt P. L. Travers’ children’s books about a magical English nanny into a musical film.  Even more brilliant was bringing the story to life on-stage.  Mary Poppins, the stage musical, first performed on Broadway in 2006 and is still performing for sold out audiences today.  But you don’t have to travel to New York City to experience the music and magic of this hit Broadway musical. For four weeks this summer, Mary Poppins will perform live at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

 

Photo Credit: Steve Dawson

A little over a week ago, legendary composer Richard Sherman, producer Thomas Schumacher, and stars Steffanie Leigh (Mary Poppins) and Nicolas Dromard (Bert) treated a small group of members and press to a preview and behind-the-scenes look at the hit musical.

Thomas Schumacher, who is president of Disney Theatrical Group, gave audiences some background on how the 1930′s books evolved into the musical sensation it is today.  Richard Sherman, who co-wrote the score with his brother Robert, joined Schumacher for a lively, musical journey back in time.  He talked about how the music was purposefully written to reflect Mary Poppins’ character. For example, throughout the story, Mary Poppins does the thing you don’t expect.  When writing A Spoonful of Sugar, the melody was written so that it would go up (the unexpected) rather than down (which is what is expected).

Richard Sherman talks about writing A Spoonful of Sugar
Also discussed was the origin of the silly word supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, which doesn’t actually appear in the original books.  The Sherman brothers used to make up double talk words…”crazy, silly words that nobody understood.”  They wanted to give Mary Poppins a word to give to the children, and in two weeks, they came up with the word that has evolved into the noteworthy song it is today.

Dreaming up the word “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”
In the musical, Burt tap dances on the ceiling in a very popular scene. But did you know that in the books, his part is actually quite small.  How does a minor character who barely exists in the book take on such a prominent role in the film and musical?

Burt’s character evolves
Audiences who are already familiar with the film and it’s story might find themselves singing along with the cast.  Perhaps one of my favorite aspects of a musical is the music! Our preview concluded with a special performance by Steffanie Leigh, who plays Mary Poppins and Nicolas Dromard, who plays Bert. Here is a sneak preview that is certain to get you excited about the upcoming production!

 

Photo Credit: Steve Dawson

Steffanie Leigh and Nicolas Dromard

Mary Poppins, the “roof-raising, toe-tapping, high-flying extravaganza” debuts at Segerstrom Hall on July 14th and will run through August 7th, 2011.  Tickets can be purchased online, via phone or in person at the box office.

No compensation was received for this post. I was invited to a preview of the show.

Putting Dyson’s Digital Slim Vacuum To The Ultimate Test…My Kid’s Messes!

Having children means coming to terms with their little messes.  Whether it’s my daughter throwing her Cheerios all over the living room, or my son emptying his sand-filled shoes on our floors, there is never a dull moment when it comes to domestics!  Thankfully, Dyson’s Digital Slim Vacuum is versatile enough to handle these not so teeny messes. Check out how we’ve been using the powerful cordless vacuum:

As you can see, Dyson packs power and versatility into the machine.  I don’t even think I need to use my full-sized vacuum downstairs anymore since I don’t have carpet.

Can you think of other ways to use this innovative cordless vacuum?

Dyson’s Digital Slim Vacuum retails for $299 and is available at Walmart.

Disclosure: I participate in the Walmart Moms program and am compensated for my time and honest opinions.

 

Simple, Affordable Meal Solutions From Publix *Giveaway*

This week, we make our annual trip out to the Southeast to visit my husband’s family! This week also happens to be BlogHer Food, which I will be attending for the very first time.  Our visits typically include a trip to the local grocery store to stock up on essentials.

Publix, the supermarket with stores in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama, is currently offering savings on popular brands. If you visit Great Deals On Great Meals, you’ll find simple, affordable meal solutions like this Warm Gingered Chicken Salad with Crispy Greens:

Phto Credit: Publix

Ingredients

1/2 cup Hellmann’s® Light Mayonnaise
2 tsp. rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. honey
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
Pinch salt
1 Tbsp. orange juice
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/4 lbs.)
6 cups torn romaine lettuce leaves
1 small bunch watercress (optional)
4 ounces snow peas (optional)
2 oranges, peeled and sectioned or 1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained (optional)

Directions

  • In small bowl, combine Hellmann’s® Light Mayonnaise, vinegar, soy sauce, honey, ginger and salt. Reserve 1/4 cup mayonnaise mixture for grilling. Stir orange juice into remaining mayonnaise mixture; reserve for greens.
  • Grill or broil chicken, brushing with reserved 1/4 cup mayonnaise mixture, 12 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked, turning once.
  • In large bowl, toss lettuce and watercress with reserved orange juice mixture. To serve, arrange sliced chicken over greens, then top with snow peas and oranges.

Through May 29th, you can visit the site to download $10.80 in coupons from brands like Cheerios, Yoplait, Nature Valley, Hellmann’s, Bertolli, and more.

For quick and easy menu ideas and savings, visit Publix.

Win It! One of you will win a $25 Publix Gift Card. Simply leave me a comment with one of the recipes you’d like to create from the site. Comments will close on May 30th, 2011 at 11:59 PM PST.

US Residents only.  Duplicates and comments not including the above information will be disqualified. Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment in a reasonable amount of time, send me an email. Bloggers and non-bloggers may enter. If you don’t want to leave your email address, please be sure to check back for my announcement on the winner. Please note that winners must respond within 48 hours of being announced/contacted or another winner will be drawn.

Want an extra entry? Do any or all of the following and receive an extra entry for each one. Be sure to leave me a separate comment for each additional entry.

Follow me on Twitter AND tweet about the contest.

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Blog about this giveaway. It doesn’t have to be a separate post. Just include a blurb about it when you blog about other giveaways.

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No compensation was received for this post. Items for review/giveaway supplied by MyBlogSpark/Publix.