Prego Alfredo Sauce Review

So I've had Prego Alfredo sauce before, but to be honest it wasn't always my favorite. While it was good I always reached or the more inexpensive brand that was just as good, but certainly not better. Well I was able to try Prego's Light Alfredo through Crowdtap and loved it. Sadly though when I went to go find it again in my store...there wasn't any. Apparently stores don't carry it and when trying to search for it online, nothing comes up!

Okay Prego, why you holding out on us? Give us the tasty Light Homestyle Alfredo sauce please. So since I wasn't able to find the light variety I just got regular Homestyle Alfredo. It still had the same thick, creamy, not too salty flavor as the light version.

So of course I like things simple and easy so I went for some Shrimp Alfredo! So I grabbed my shrimp, a little unsalted butter, and some peppercorn and started cooking. I cooked the shrimp till they were almost done and added the alfredo sauce. I let it continue cooking making sure not to overcook the shrimp. No one needs rubbery overcooked shrimp in their life...no one. Before I even started to cook the shrimp though, I took some Barilla thin spaghetti and started boiling it. I like my noodles to be a little chewy, how about you?

After making sure the noodles were just right, for me anyway, I drained them and dumped them in the pan with the shrimp and alfredo sauce. I made sure to coat the noodles so that they would all have sauce...sauceless noodles = no bueno!

So obviously the final verdict was delicious! Seriously I think I'll spend the extra cash to get the Prego sauce because it's really good. It has the right flavor, the right consistency, and I don't feel too guilty about eating it. It isn't overloaded with salt so it makes a great dinner for me and the family.

So if you're ever out at the store and see some Prego Alfredo Sauces grab them up! They also work really well for some homemade mac and cheese. Check out the recipe below which serves 10, obviously I did mention I've got a large family which means lots of servings! You can fix it to fit your family by halfing the recipe, etc. It's super tasty and actually really easy. Feel free to use reduced fat cheeses and skim milk, you won't be able to tell the difference.

 
Extra Recipe!
Mac and Cheese:
Ingredients:

• cooking spray 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni  
• 1 (15 ounce) jar Alfredo sauce (I recommend Prego Alfredo Sauce)
• 1/2 (1 pound) package processed cheese (such as Velveeta®), cubed 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika 
• 1/2 (16 ounce) package shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup of milk (your choice)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13 baking dish or pan with cooking spray.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil; stir 1 teaspoon salt and vegetable oil into boiling water. Gradually stir macaroni into the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until macaroni are tender but still slightly firm, about 10 minutes. Drain well and pour macaroni into prepared baking dish.
3. Pour Alfredo sauce into a 3-quart microwave-safe bowl and stir processed cheese into sauce; microwave on 60 percent power for 6 minutes. Stir sauce mixture and microwave for 5 more minutes on 60 percent power. Season with black pepper and paprika. Stir 1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese into mixture until cheese has melted and sauce is thick and smooth.
4. Pour half the cheese sauce over macaroni and stir to coat; pour in remaining cheese mixture and stir again. Spread remaining shredded sharp Cheddar cheese over macaroni.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until the casserole is bubbling, 30 to 40 mins. Let macaroni and cheese stand for 10 minutes before serving.

 
Disclaimer: I originally tried Prego Light Alfredo through Crowdtap, this review is on regular Homestyle Alfredo. All opinions are my own and no compensation was received for this review.
 
 

Campbells Soup For Easy Cooking Review

Review:
I tried out the Campbell's Soups For Easy Cooking "Mexican Style Tomato" and it was really great. I honestly didn't think it would taste as good as it did because sometimes big companies don't get Mexican or Hispanic flavors right. Things could sometimes end up tasting generic and just doesn't hit the spot. Well I was pleasantly surprised because the soup or sauce came out great.

So the soup actually doesn't really seem like a soup to me. I really see it as a flavored tomato sauce that can be used in different recipes. I don't think I could really see myself eating this as a soup. Maybe you would, but I just don't see it...now as a soup base, yes. Anyway, its got a really great flavor to it and thankfully wasn't that salty. I've been cutting down on my salt intake and now whenever I do eat things that are a bit saltier, it's totally unbearable. It tastes like I'm drinking sea water, it just assaults my taste buds.

So I was looking for something simple and easy to cook because now that summer weather has hit  South Texas I do not want to spend too much time roasting away...I mean cooking in the kitchen. So I went online to Campbell's Kitchen and found a recipe for "Easy Beef Taco Skillet". I didn't want to put tortillas into my recipe though because it just seemed too heavy, not too mention they add more salt to the recipe. I'm always changing up recipes and making them my own, cooking should reflect your wants and needs and in this moment I don't need tortillas. I did keep the cheese in the recipe though because...who doesn't love cheese!?

Recipe:
Easy Beef Taco Skillet
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 large onion (about 1 cup)
1 carton (14.5 ounces) Campbell's® Mexican Style Tomato Soup
4 flour tortillas (6-inch), cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Instructions:

• Cook the beef and onion in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until well browned, stirring often to separate meat. Pour off any fat.
• Stir the soup and tortillas in the skillet and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir the beef mixture. Top with the cheese.

The kids really enjoyed this and honestly I wasn't totally sure they would. They can be extremely picky when it comes to certain foods. The whole, "I don't know what that is, but I know I don't like it" routine. Well they loved it and asked for more, thankfully this was more than enough to feed my extremely large famil.

The Campbells Soups for Easy Cooking do come in other flavors :
Creamy Herb & Garlic Soup With Chicken Stock
Savory Portabello Mushroom
Sweet Onion Soup

I'd definitely recommend trying them out, especially the Mexican Style Tomato, it is great with enchiladas too!

Campbell's Tasters Mission Review

 I was chosen to try out some great new and wonderful products from Campbell's through Crowdtap. I was amazed at the the huge selection of products and at how many different things I'd be able to make. All individual reviews can be seen just by clicking on the links below.

Included in the mission kit was:

• a Campbell's tote bag
• a small cutting board
• wooden spoon
• plastic shaker (sadly it didn't make it through shipping and was cracked)
• a coupon book 
• one carton of Swanson Cream Starter
• one pouch of Campbells Skillet Sauce Creamy Parmesan Chicken
• one Campbell's Slow Kettle Style Roasted Chicken Noodle Soup
• one can Campbell's Beer n Cheese with Beer and Bacon
• one jar of Prego Light Alfredo Sauce (didn't get photos so used Homestyle Alfredo Sauce)
• one can of Campbell's Creamy Poblano & Queso
• one Spaghetti O's Micros
• one carton Campbell's Soups For Easy Cooking Savory Portobello Mushroom (used Mexican Style Tomato)

Extra Review: Campbell's Slow Cooker Sauce (bought using coupon included in kit)

 As you can see there was a huge amount of great products to try out which lead me to try out other products as well. Also included was a coupon to try out new varities of V8, but sadly couldn't find it in stores. The V8 varieties are Sea Salt & Clam, Spicy Mango, and Mint & Lime - I really wanted to try out the Mint and Lime and use it as part of a marinade. It had a great recipe for a marinade that I know would taste fantastic! Also I had used the Prego Light Alfredo sauce and totally forgot to take photos. When I went to the store I found that I couldn't find it! I had to substitute regular Homestyle Alfredo Sauce for my review, which is just as tasty. In the case for the Soups For Easy Cooking I opted to save the one that I got in the kit and chose to use the Mexican Style Tomato. It was totally awesome and something totally new! I don't think I would have ever tried it out if not for the mission kit.

I really enjoyed all the products that I used from the kit. They were a little high in sodium content at times, but with a little work I was able to really have fun with them. However, I didn't try the Beer N Cheese soup because it includes bacon and I just can't eat bacon. I passed it to my mom's boyfriend who practically inhaled it before I could take photos of it. He said it was alright, but not the best he has had from Campbell's soup. He mentioned a slight after taste that wasn't too bad so he didn't stop eating it. He did say he would try it again, so I guess he liked it enough.

Campbell's has been in my family for years and will definitely continue to be a staple. Nothing makes you feel better when you're sick than a nice warm bowl of Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup. V8 juices are tasty in smoothies or just by themselves and are healthier than some other drinks. The new skillet sauces, slow cooker sauces, etc can make your life easier and your stomach full.


Disclaimer: I received all products herein for FREE in return for my honest reviews. All opinions are my own and no further compensation was given. If you'd like to try new products such as these then sign up for Crowdtap.

Campbells Condensed Soup Review Creamy Poblano & Queso

Campbell's Condensed soups aren't just supposed to be thrown in a pan or in a bowl to be served just as it is. Some soups can be used in delicious recipes to spice up your regular menu. I can honestly say the only condensed soups I got were cans of chicken noodle soup. Everyone knows that nothing makes you feel better than some Campbells Chicken Noodle so when I received this can of Creamy Poblano & Queso in my kit I was a bit lost.



Thankfully I wasn't lost for long because Campbells has a great recipe for a jazzed up macaroni and cheese. The Creamy Poblano Mac N Cheese is so easy and doesn't require a lot of ingredients. The best thing about it is it's totally customizable so you can add different ingredients or leave some out and still have a great tasting dish in the end.

Creamy Poblano Mac & Cheese:

What You'll Need 
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup medium tomato, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/8 teaspoon salt and ground black pepper
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell’s® Condensed Creamy Poblano & Queso Soup
3/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded Cheddar Jack cheese (about 4 ounces)
8 ounces (1/2 of a 1-pound package) elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

How to Make It:

Heat the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and pepper and cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

Add the tomato and garlic to the saucepan and cook and stir for 1 minute. Season with the salt and black pepper.
Stir in the soup and milk and heat to a boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Stir in the macaroni. Sprinkle with the cilantro.




I modified the ingredients list quite a bit, but that's because I was using whatever I had in the house. It still came out super delish and I will definitely be making this again. I wish there were more recipes using this soup though, so hopefully I can use it for more than just mac and cheese.

The actual flavor of the soup was actually really light tasting. It didn't have any spiciness to it, and actually wasn't overly cheesy either. It was pretty mellow and had nice chunks of poblano mixed in it. All the kids really loved it, even though it was totally DIFFERENT. Score! So if you're looking for a great addition to your regular boring meals, then try out the poblano mac n cheese! You're family and their stomachs will thank you.









Disclaimer: I received this can for FREE through Crowdtap for the sole purpose of reviewing. It was included in the Campbells Tasters kit. All opinions are my own and no further compensation was received.

Campbells Slow Cooker Review Mexican Red Chile Taco

While this wasn't included in the Campbell's Tasters Crowdtap kit. I did happen to find it because of it. While I was there looking for another package of the Creamy Parmesan Chicken Skillet Sauce, I saw this and couldn't pass it up.

I mean what is not to love about tacos!? We eat tacos all the time, but they can get a little boring. The same seasoning, same toppings, just the same ole thing every time. This gave me a chance to try out something new without having to worry about messing it up. It's so easy just follow the directions on the back and you end up with a delicious meal!







First I used pork shoulder roast instead of beef. We don't eat much red meat so I knew I'd be using either pork or chicken. I got a medium sized pork shoulder roast, just enough to fit into the slow cooker. I opened up the package and dumped all the sauce on right on top. Looking at it as first I wasn't sure it would be juicy enough, but I went with it.

The sauce is made with onions, vinegar, and a blend of peppers, that makes this sauce super tasty! It smelled so good throughout the house as it the pork slowly cooked and turned the thin sauce into a juicy delicious sauce.










After I let the pork sit for a little bit I started the process of pulling it apart. It was so easy because the pork was super tender that I hardly had to touch it at all. I used a bone in shoulder roast and I easily just pulled the bone straight out and it was clean. The pork was moist and juicy and after a couple of taste tests - I knew it was ready.

Because the meat had tons of flavor already I didn't want to add to much to it that would take away from that. I used corn tortillas to cut down on salt and calories and added some tasty avocados to round it out. I think if anything I would have added some fresh thinly sliced onions because I know it would have went really well together.

There are other varities of slow cooker sauces such as:
Moroccan Spiced Stew
Sweet Korean BBQ
Apple Bourbon BBQ
Tavern Style Pot Roast
Hawaiian Luau Pork


You should try these out for yourselves and see how easy and tasty they really are. One of the best things, other than them being easy to use, is that they're pretty affordable. You can find all varieties at most grocery and bigbox stores.





Disclaimer: I paid for this product myself using a coupon received from the Crowdtap Campbell's mission. All opinions are my own and no compensation was given.

Campbells Skillet Sauce Review Creamy Parmesan

In my kit I received a package of Creamy Parmesan Chicken Campbell's Skillet Sauce. Each package serves four people and with there being 8 of us, another package was definitely needed. Thankfully the price was really affordable so I didn't break my food budget. I used the extra $1.00/1 coupon I received in my coupon book and put it to good use! I grabbed some boneless, skinless chicken, some green onions, and I was ready to go.

 The package was really easy to open and contained more sauce than I thought. It's so simple all you have to do is open it up and pour it on top of your cooked chicken. You can bake, broil, boil, or grill your chicken before hand. You don't even need pasta, but I definitely felt like it needed some some so I made some veggie rotini. The sauce was creamy and rich, and thankfully not salty tasting. Since I've started cutting down on my salt intake I've noticed that things that aren't salty to the family, are salty for me. With that I was sure that I wouldn't be able to stomach this because sadly cheese is salty.

The recipe is practically not needed, but here it is anyway just in case.

Creamy Parmesan Chicken

What You Need 

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil 
• 1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1 1/2" pieces

3 Simple Steps

• Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. 
• Add chicken and cook until browned. 
• Stir in sauce and heat to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 5 min. or until chicken is cooked through.

 Campbell's Skillet Sauces come in 7 different varities including:

• Creamy Parmesan Chicken
• Sweet & Sour Chicken
• Chicken Marsala
• Sesame Chicken
• Thai Curry Chicken
• Bacon Cheddar Beef
• Shrimp Scampi

All of them only require a small amount of ingredients and only 3 simple steps to make the meal. Just because it's simply and easy, doesn't mean you aren't getting quality. From the ones I've tried (shrimp scampi, creamy parmesan, and sweet & sour), you get a ton of flavor for a really affordable price.




Disclaimer: I received the product for FREE in return for my honest review from Crowdtap and Campbell's. All opinions are my own and no further compensation was received.

Swanson Cream Starter Review

Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

made with Swanson Cream Starter

So part of my Crowdtap #DiscoverCampbells mission kit I received a carton of Swanson's Cream Starter. I was sort of at a loss at what to make because I've never used this type of cream before. I am not a fan of clam chowder - or any chowder for that matter, so I went online. I went to CampbellsKitchen.com and looked up some recipes using the Swanson Cream Starter. I found the website easy to navigate, but sadly not many recipes utilizing the cream starter. I opted for the very simple and very safe: Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes. Who doesn't love mashed potatoes? They're certainly a main staple in my household so I knew they would go over well.

The recipe is as follows -
Ingredients:

• 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes (about 5 cups)
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup Swanson® Cream Starter Traditional or 25% Reduced Fat or Swanson® Cream Starter 25% Reduced Fat
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened 

Instructions

1. Place the potatoes and garlic into a 3-quart saucepan.  Add water to cover.
2. Heat over medium-high heat to a boil.  Cook for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.  Drain the potato mixture well in a colander.  Return the potato mixture to the saucepan.
3. Mash the potatoes.  Stir in the cream starter and butter.  Season with salt and black pepper.

This recipe is so simple that I know the kids could make this themselves. This is so simple that even the person with the worst cooking skills ever couldn't really mess this up. I made some baked meatballs with gravy and some corn to finish off the meal.

The carton was easy to open and easy to hold, so if you have issues with arthritis it won't give you any problems. The cream itself smelled pretty good, the thickness was good, and tasted good as well. I did get a little taste of the cream before I put it in the mashed potatoes. At that point there was still time to back out if I didn't like the smell or taste. The kids and I are those kinds of eaters - if it doesn't smell or look good, we ain't eating it.

The potatoes came out really good, really creamy and smooth. The only thing I'd do different would be to scale back the garlic as it was just too intense a flavor for the kids. They still ate it and said it was good, but just that it was too garlicky. I liked it and thought it was fine, so I would add half the amount of garlic first and then go from there.

Overall the cream starter is super easy to use and I'm looking forward to using it in many more different recipes. If you only buy it for mashed potatoes though, it'll be totally worth it, much creamier than when using milk.

 Disclaimer: I received this product  for FREE with the sole purpose of trying it out in my home. All opinions are my own and no further compensation was given.