Del Monte Party

Some of my favorite canned products have to be from Del Monte. They have a huge selection of fruits and vegetables and they are my go to for when I’m making quick and easy recipes or even saving time from those lengthy recipes. I was even more excited when they contacted me to create a couple of recipes using their products. I was able to test out some new ideas I had been working on for our monthly dinner club gathering. I have to say one of the coolest things they sent me was the can strainer. I hate having to get out one of my big strainers just to drain a can.

Here’s a couple things you might not have known about Del Monte:

· Del Monte products deliver the same essential nutrients as fresh, making it simple to incorporate a full serving of fruits and vegetables into your dish.

· Since they’re packed at the peak of ripeness, Del Monte makes it possible to enjoy garden quality fruits and vegetables all year round, no matter what the season.

· Del Monte^® can help add an easy, creative twist to your meal while also helping save time in a savvy way that family or guests wouldn’t even notice.

Do you want to win a fun prize pack from Del Monte? All you have to do is tell me what your favorite canned item is from Del Monte. Giveaway ends 6-6-13 at midnight Central time. The gift pack will include:

· (1) can Del Monte® Cut Green Beans

· (1) can Del Monte® Diced Tomatoes

· (1) can Del Monte® Whole Kernel Corn

· (1) can Del Monte® Pear Halves

· (1) can Del Monte® Sliced Peaches

· 1 can strainer

· 1 apron

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That's it! You can do as many or as little as you want-it's all up to you! Good Luck!!

If you want some inspiration of what you can make if you win the prize pack here’s a few ideas. My Refreshing Cold Pasta Salad is perfect for the summer time heat. We loved this recipe the best and I can’t wait to make it again. It’s best served cold, but when you need something to bring to a pot luck that will keep this is a great one to bring. I also made some shrimp tacos with 2 separate sauces to choose from. With this dish I pan fried some corn which adds a whole other level of flavor to your dish. It’s great as a side dish, on tacos, or added to anything you can think of. It really brings out the sweetness in the corn and almost taste just like grilled corn. For dessert I made little Pear Pockets. You could easily swap the pears for peaches and do the same thing. These are also easy to make ahead of time and pop in the oven when you’re ready.

Refreshing Cold Pasta Salad

(Created by Finding Inspiration in Food)

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1 pound pasta

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup chicken broth

1 large lemon, juice and zest

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 can Del Monte® Diced Tomatoes, drained

1 can Del Monte® Cut Green Beans, drained

5 ounces baby arugula

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan Romano cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the garlic briefly (less than a minute).

Add the heavy cream, lemon juice and zest, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower heat. Simmer sauce for 15 minutes until it reduces and starts to thicken.

Combine the sauce with the cooked pasta, canned vegetables and arugula. Then fold in the cheese.

Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, overnight is best.

Shrimp Tacos with 2 types of sauces.

Shrimp Tacos

(Created by Finding Inspiration in Food)

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Sour Cream Spread

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder

Mix together and refrigerate until needed.

 

Yogurt Spread

6 ounces Greek yogurt

¼ cup cilantro

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

¼-½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and refrigerate until needed.

Fried Corn

1 can Del Monte® Whole Kernel Corn, drained

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon Tony Chacheres

1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash

Combine all ingredients in a pan over medium high heat. Once butter is evaporated and corn is a light caramelized brown color it's ready.

Grilled Shrimp

1 pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined

seasoning of choice, we like to use HEB Texas BBQ Sauce as our marinade

Shrimp cook quickly on the grill so be sure you keep an eye on them.

Once shrimp are cooked you can assemble your taco with a tortilla, your choice of spread, fried corn, lettuce and grilled shrimp.

Pear Pockets

(Created by Finding Inspiration in Food)

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3 packages of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

1 ½ cups Nutella hazelnut spread

1 Del Monte® Pear Halves, drained with juice set aside

Unroll dough and separate into individual triangles.

Spread a tablespoons of hazelnut spread on each triangle and top with a piece of pear.

Roll up triangle starting at the widest end and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Pear Glaze

reserved pear juice

1 cup powdered sugar

Starting with a tablespoon of juice at a time combine with powdered sugar until desired thickness.

Drizzle over baked pear pockets.

Disclaimer: The Del Monte products, information and two gift packs have been provided by Del Monte.