What a HOT Memorial Day we had in Ohio. With over 90 degree temps, it sure feels like Summer. I don’t know about you but I do a lot more entertaining in the Summer than any other time of year. I like to plan themes for my parties and try out new recipes. I invited some family over today for a Backyard Bash featuring ConAgra Foods recipes.
ConAgra Foods Backyard Bash Review
We had a fun time with our family during our backyard Bash. First, check out some of the recipes that I made below.
Zucchini, Black Bean and Rice Skillet Recipe
The Zucchini, Black Bean and Rice Skillet recipe was a cinch to make with fresh zucchini and green peppers sauted. I added Rosarita black beans, and Hunts Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes with Garlic. Next, I added rice, and then Cheddar & Monterey Jack cheese blend. I doubled the recipe since we had 10 guests, however, one recipe made quite a bit so we had plenty of leftovers. This would make a hearty, meat-less dinner for a quick weeknight dinner. Everyone liked it, even my 1 year old nephew enjoyed some.
[slickr-flickr tag=ricehunts]Beef Ravioli Pizza Cups with Tomato Basil Salsa Recipe
The Beef Ravioli Pizza Cups with Tomato Basil Salsa recipe were easy to make, my daughter really enjoyed helping me make this appetizer. It is basically a pizza crust with a Chef Boyardee Overstuffed Beef Ravioli on top, and a a spoonful of pizza sauce. Bake, then add cheese and melt. Next, add a fresh tomato basil salsa on top. The fresh tomato basil salsa on top really freshens up the pizza cups flavor. I forgot to spray the bottom of my muffin pan, so they came out a little crispy but still were a hit. Everyone liked the unique way to incorporate ravioli as an appetizer!
[slickr-flickr tag=chefb]Lemon Bars recipe
The Lemon Bars recipe is from the Egg Beaters website. Prep time is just 15 minutes for this home-made Summertime delight. My kids helped prepare them the day before as they store well in the fridge in a covered container. Whenever you can get your kids involved in the kitchen, do it. It’s such a great learning experience with kids measuring, mixing ingredients to see the science of baking, and it teaches where their food comes from.
After grating 2 lemons for the lemon peel, I asked my kids if they wanted to make fresh lemonade. They eagerly agreed. My son Elijah had a great time squeezing the lemons for the juice. Afterward, both my kids sucked the sour lemons. They had a great time and I was happy to have fresh lemonade to serve at our Backyard Bash!
[slickr-flickr tag=lemonbars]Ready Set Eat
Below is a picture of our Backyard Bash buffet. I kept the food inside due to the 90 degree temps!
You have to check out the Ready Set Eat website. It is more than a recipe site, there fantastic recipes on the website with prep time, total time, and the # of ingredients listed right on top. What I love about it is that you can type in your zip code and the recipe will tell you what recipe ingredients are on sale at local stores! How great is that!? Plus, if you only shop at Giant Eagle, you can have it tell you only about items on sale there, or it will list all the stores in your zip code area that has it on sale.
Planning your menu around on sale items saves you a lot of money.
Do you know where your food comes from?
I’m not asking whether you shop at Giant Eagle or Acme. Do you just reach for what is on sale or do you know where your food actually comes from? I am constantly learning more about this topic and more than 1/2 the time, I’m scared of what I learn. Sometimes ignorance is bliss but not the best for your family. I was pleased to learn some positive facts about the ConAgra brands that I served my guests at our Backyard Bash today.
- Chef Boyardee – He is a real person, Hector Boiardi and from Cleveland, Ohio! He wanted to make his sauce and pasta dinners served at his restaurant accessible to everyone, 85 years later, you can enjoy the quick and easy meal with no preservatives!
- Egg Beaters – They are real eggs, just without the yolk. You get all the energy and nutrients from the egg without the fat, calories, and cholesterol of shell eggs. Plus, they are really convenient to use while cooking!
- Hunt’s Tomatoes – They are grown in the USA, in Oakdale, California. They are naturally steam peeled and contain No artificial preservatives or ingredients.
Backyard Bash Fun
After eating, we headed to the backyard for some fun! We started out with the sprinkler, the perfect option for a 90 degree hot day! I didn’t even mind when my son squirted me with the sprinkler.
For a fun craft, we used the leftover cans from the food prep time to make seedling containers. My kids have been bringing home seedlings from school for the past month and we have planted them in our garden. My kids love this kind of activity!
We also created a Time Capsule Box. This is exactly the type of thing that I like to do. I made time capsules growing up and buried them in our yard. I usually dug them up within a week but the thought of creating a time capsule and keeping it buried for 5 years is so fun to me. Each of our guests brought something to share like a photo, note, or trinket. We dug a hole and buried it beside a tree so we wouldn’t forget where it was buried. In 5 years, we’ll dig it up. Stay tuned! 🙂 What a different world it will be to have a 12 year old and 10 year old then!
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I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of ConAgra and received products to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for my participation.
