Mexican Fiesta Made Easy: Chicken Tortilla Lasagna #Recipe plus #Giveaway

Get ready to Mex-it-up!

My family and I like to have fun in our home with Mexi-Mondays (choice of Tacos, Quesadillas, Mexican Rice and Chicken, Fajitas, etc.) and would make it fun by incorporating a little bit of fun like watching a Mexican Movie - we love Selena and Nacho Libre (ha-ha!) in our home! For the adults, we enjoy La Bamba or Desperado. 

Or even just cooking and dining to some beautiful Mexican music. I have such a fondness for Mexican music - it's so charming and cheerful. And not to mention, it really gets the party started in the kitchen.

My husband and I sometimes like to dance around and the kids like to dance along! It's always a good time.

Here's one of our favourite songs of all time, Voltare from Gipsy Kings (a very popular Mexican band).

Ever since the school year started, my schedule has changed drastically and a little kitchen dancing can be such a nice stress-reliever. But easy, quick-to-make, delicious and filling meals is what matters the utmost to me, especially now more than ever.

As you already know, I am a big fan (and brand ambassador) for Old El Paso (Check out my recipe for Mini Tex-Mex Meatloaf!), as I find their quality of products always make for a variety of swift and tasty recipes.

There are some days when tacos just won't cut it and I want to provide my family with something new and delicious at the table for Mexi-Mondays. Mondays are one of my busiest (4 cups of coffee...) kind of days, but I love how easy this recipe is to make.
Are you a fan of Lasagna? How about Chicken?
Then you will LOVE my Chicken Tortilla Lasagna!
This is a kind of meal that will surely have you dancing to the dining table.

CHICKEN TORTILLA LASAGNA
Cooking Time: 30-45 minutes
Yields: 4-6 hearty servings

Ingredients:

- Olive Oil or Canola Oil (or whatever oil you prefer to cook the chicken in)
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Medium-sized onion, chopped
- 1 pack of Old El Paso Taco Seasoning
- Package of large Flour Tortillas (or whole wheat - I like Dempster's Tortillas!)
- 2 cups of Old El Paso Salsa (Mild if you're eating with small children)
- 1 1/2 cups of Old El Paso Refried Beans
- 2 cups of sour cream
- 1 cup of guacamole
- 1 cup of shredded Cheddar Cheese
- chopped fresh cilantro

Method:

1) Rub the OEP Taco Seasoning all over your chicken breasts
2) At medium heat, heat some oil in a frying skillet, cook the onions until transparent and then add in and cook your chicken breasts

3) While your chicken is cooking, make your sauce combining the salsa, refried beans, sour cream and guacamole (yummy!)

4) Once chicken is cooked and cooled, shred and put into a bowl

5) Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees celcius.
6) Arrange your Tortillas on a lightly oiled flat baking sheet and then create your lasagna in the following order:

a) Sauce

b) Chicken

c) Cheese

d) and Repeat!

7) Usually I have up to 3 stacks of Tortillas in the middle and top off with 4th Tortilla and lots and lots of Cheddar Cheese.
Pop into the Oven and bake for 30 minutes until cheese is bubbling.
Let sit out to stiffen for 15 minutes then cut into triangular pieces.
Serve with a nice dollop of sour cream and top with some cilantro. I also like to include some of the special sauce on the side as well.
Delicioso!

This is yet another example of the delicious meals you can create using Old El Paso products.
Feel free to follow Old El Paso Canada on Facebook or Old El Paso Ambassadors for more great recipes at hashtag #youmexiCAN on Twitter and Facebook.

To help you Mex-up your dinner routine, I am giving away an Old El Paso Prize Pack worth $75!

1) Leave a comment below telling me what your favourite Mexican dish is
2) Submit via rafflecopter plus chances for additional entries

Rules:
Open to Canadian Residents only.
Winner will be randomly selected on October 1st, 2013.

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Disclosure: I am participating in the Old El Paso Blogger Campaign by Mom Central Canada on behalf of General Mills, and received compensation as a thank you for participating and for sharing my honest opinion. The opinions on this blog are my own. 

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It's a Meatloaf Kinda Night: Mini Tex-Mex Meatloaf #Recipe

I was never a picky eater growing up as a child.
Seriously. Ask my mom.
She will tell you that I was always curious and open to trying new things and she was thankful that she didn't have to worry about what to feed me.
Unfortunately that non-picky-eater-ness did not rub off on my daughter.
It is SUCH a challenge getting her to eat anything and everything these days and most often I find her either playing with her food or negotiating with me about something to get out of finishing her meal.
Okay I do blame her diplomacy on me. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

I also don't blame her on her dinner boredom because I have to admit, she does see some of the same things often.
It's either Meatloaf or Spaghetti most times.

When you have the very little time to be Martha Stewart creative with your meals and have something new on the dinner table each night, sometimes you just gotta stick with the classics.
Classics as in easy to make and satisfies hunger.

I recently became a new Brand Ambassador for Old El Paso Canada (by the way they're on Facebook now - check them out!) and it really got my inventive juices flowing when it came to meals.
We love Old El Paso in our family (a definite go-to for their Salsa!).

We especially love the aromatic and piquant flavours of Mexican food and with the ease that the Old El Paso Products can provide you that you can pick up off the shelves of your local grocery store, you can really mix it up for dinner and offer some zest to your meals.

So of course, during yet another Meatloaf kinda night, I whipped out some of my Old El Paso taco seasoning and incorporated it into my meatloaf concoction and what a change!
It spiced it up and gave it some kick and I was actually surprised that my daughter ate it up!

One of the challenges with meatloaf sometimes is that because of the thickness, it takes a lot longer to really cook it through so I decided to start making mini meatloafs using my muffin tin.
It not only cooked it quicker, but it just made total sense with a 4 1/2 year old that loved everything mini.

How cute are these?
They're yummy too by the way.

Try them out for your next dinner and don't forget to throw in some of that Old El Paso seasoning!
You can also really Mex-it-up by adding some Old El Paso Refried Beans in the meatloaf and some salsa as part of the glaze with some Mexican Rice on the side!

Ingredients

• 1 (6 ounce) box Stuffing mix (any flavor is fine but I use the chicken stuffing)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup water
• 1.5 lbs ground beef or 1.5 lbs turkey
• Small onion, chopped
• 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1 Tbsp of Old El Paso Taco Seasoning
• Equal parts Ketchup and Brown sugar for glaze

Directions:

1) Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl.
2) Spray muffin tins with cooking spray (Pam).
3) Fill muffins tins to top, slightly rounded.

4) Add the glaze to the top of each mini meatloaf

5) Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes

And that's it!

Within the next 3 Months, stay tuned for some mucho delicioso Mexican recipes using Old El Paso's yummy product line to help you get out of your dinner rut!

You can follow along for all the scrumptious action on Social Media with hashtag #YouMexiCAN!

Here's a sneak peek at what's to come next month! 

Hungry yet?

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Disclosure: I am participating in the Old El Paso Blogger Campaign by Mom Central Canada on behalf of General Mills, and received compensation as a thank you for participating and for sharing my honest opinion. The opinions on this blog are my own. 

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Quick & Easy Tasty Pork Chops

Whipping up dinner every evening is near impossible with my current schedule. Sure I'm home, but I have a baby, a pre-schooler, and I work from home as well which makes for much shorter days!

This is one super easy recipe that I make that my family enjoys and always requests -- Tasty Pork Chops!
With only a few simple ingredients, it'll taste like you slaved over this dish, when really it took you minutes.

All you will need for this recipe are pork chops (bone in or not - doesn't really matter), canola oil, flour, water (or milk) and seasonings.
Just adding a little kick to your typical pork chop dinner.

QUICK & EASY TASTY PORK CHOPS

Total Time: 15 Minutes
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 small-medium sized pork chops (bone in or out) or 2 medium-large pork chops
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• water (Milk or Buttermilk can be substituted)
• canola oil, for frying

Method:

1) Mix dry ingredients in a resealable bag (Ziplock)

2) Rinse pork chops under running water. Toss them into a ziplock bag and shake, to coat well.

3) In a cast iron skillet, cook chops in enough oil to come 1/2 way up the side of the chops, for example - 1 inch chops need 1/2 an inch of oil, on medium high heat for approximately 4 minutes each side, until golden brown.

4) For the last 30 seconds of cooking the second side, increase heat to high, to cook the grease out of it.

5) Blot on paper towels before serving.

I usually serve this with either brown or white rice, broccoli florets or green beans and sweet potato.
Very yummy! Enjoy!

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A Knight to Remember at Medievel Times Dinner & Tournament {Giveaway}

Greetings, good gentles & ladies! How fare thee?

I have been practicing my Medieval English Lingo for the past couple of days prior to our Dinner experience at Medieval Times Dinner in Tournament in Toronto just so I can "fit in". 

As if I didn't already have a mild obsession over the English accent... I am now walking around my home speaking Medieval English. Let's just say my family was impressed... days ago.

When I got the opportunity to get the Royal Treatment at Medieval Times, I did not hesitate for a second.

For all the years that I have lived in the Greater Toronto area, I have never been to Medieval Times and have always wanted to! What took me so long?

Medieval Times is an exciting, family-friendly dinner attraction inspired by an 11th century feast and tournament. Guests are served a four-course banquet and cheer for one of six Knights competing in the joust and other tests of skill.

My family and I headed over to the Toronto castle this past weekend and was blown away from the moment we stepped in the Castle to the moment we stepped out.
Greeted by the GM of Medieval Times Toronto, Lynda Washkau, upon entering, we were led inside for our paper crowns, picture with the princess on her throne (which we received 3 copies of in a lovely keepsake frame during the show) and then backstage to the beautiful and oh-so serene stables where the lovely Andalusian Horses were getting pampered and prepped.

I was in horse heaven. Both my daughter and I LOVE horses and these gorgeous Andalusian horses also named 'Spanish Horses', PRE (Pura Raza Española) and commonly as 'Horse of Kings' stole our hearts. They truly are fit for a king (or Queen!).
Strongly built, and compact yet elegant, Andalusians have long, thick manes and tails.
Their most common coat color is gray, although they can be found in many other colors. I learned that day that the whiter the horse, the older they were. You would see some horses with grey spots which dependent on their size determines their age.
They are known for their intelligence, sensitivity and docility.

We were then led back to the main area where flags, armors and medieval decor adorned the walls and space. This was where you were able to grab refreshments (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic), take photographs and also purchase some great memorabilia.
From here, we were called by table (we were seated at Table 3 at the best seats in the house), where we were served and waited on by our "Wench".
Our Wench, Anna, was amazing! Super attentive, amusing and engaging -- she was the perfect wench! So glad we had her at our table; made for more entertainment!

As the show began, as did our feast.
We feasted on garlic bread, tomato bisque soup, roasted chicken, spare rib, herb-basted potatoes, pastry of the Castle (which was a scrumptious apple pie), coffee and two rounds of select beverages.
Vegetarian meals are available upon request. We were asked if there were any allergies or restrictions in our party.

We were more than impressed with our food. Everything (no exaggeration) was delightful and cooked perfectly. I'm a ribs gal, and those fall off the bone ribs were lip-smacking delicious!
The chicken was seasoned perfectly and very juicy, the tomato basil soap with garlic bread paired wonderfully together and the apple pie pastry was enjoyable. Great feast!

A full-service bar is also available for adult guests.  Another wench would appear and ask if you wanted anything from the bar. Because we were VIP, Lynda made sure to introduce us to the bartender prior to being seated letting him know which table we were seated at; he came to us directly and offered us a drink on the house. I treated myself to some amazing red wine and my husband got a nice cold beer.
Our little girl received a cool lit up keepsake glass filled with a refreshing blue slushy drink that wasn't too sweet which I liked!

Another cool feature that I liked was the portable debit machine so we didn't have to get up at all, just pay directly from our seats if we didn't have any cash handy.

The entertainment was just spectacular!
From the Horses to the Royal Falconer Flight, the Handsome Knights Jousting and Combating before the King and Princess's throne above and just the amazing pyrotechnics and music -- it was definitely an unforgettable experience.  One that you must experience for yourself (and also your family), especially if you are in and around the Toronto area.

Our Knight was the Red & Yellow Knight, Lord Del Font.
And ladies can I just say that the knights were pretty easy on the eyes. *wink* 
To add icing to the cake, the knights would ride around on their horse, throwing a few lovely roses to some lucky ladies in the crowd.
Obviously our Knight saved the best (and only red rose) for last. I got a rose!!!
Well, my little princess and I got a rose.
And may I add... I enjoyed being called m'lady from every single staff member - 'tis charming!

I have compiled a video of a few of the highlights of our Experience at Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament below. For more video footage, find me Vine at Carol Gomez.

For more information on Medieval Times, you can visit them online at: www.medievaltimes.com and also on Facebook and Twitter for updates and fun contests!

Thanks to Medieval Times Toronto, I am giving away 4 tickets to Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament! 

They rock, don't they?

To enter, simply leave me a comment below telling me WHAT YOU ARE MOST EXCITED FOR AT MEDIEVAL TIMES DINNER & TOURNAMENT and also get additional entries via rafflecopter (A comment is mandatory to be eligible to win).

*Open to Canada only.

Contest ends this Sunday, March 3rd.

Good fortune, m'lords and m'ladies!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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(Hotel) Gelato, Wine, Mac & Cheese... Oh My!

I remember trying gelato for the first time at a close Italian friends home during a hot summer day way back when.
Being the dessert (and especially ice cream) enthusiast that I am I was all over it although a tad leery after finding out that it was lower fat than ice cream.
Who cares about lower fat when it comes to ice cream! I thought.
These are one of life's indulgences where calories should not matter at all.
It was the pistachio that I tried for the first time...
that is when my love affair with gelato began.

Photo courtesy of Herkin, Langer & Castle.

Tucked away in the lovely neighborhood of Eglinton Avenue West and Chaplin, sits a charming gem of a café called Hotel Gelato.

The name basically says it all.
Upon entering, it looks like a luxury boutique hotel with it's aristocratic and contemporary interior decor yet still possesses a lot of demure and a classic gelateria character.
I love it!

Hotel Gelato is the creation of Dan Hoffman and Christopher Borowski.
As veterans of the luxury hotel industry, they bring their experience and passion for exceptional guest service to their unique, beautiful establishment.

I already knew I was going to enjoy my experience here from the initial phone conversation to make reservations.  First impressions are so important to me and how you are treated, even on the phone is a big reflection of your business.  The gentleman was so polite, accommodating and friendly.
Of course, reservations are not really needed because it's still a very casual vibe and many usually just walk in and out for their gelato.
However, if you plan to eat in for their new dinner menu, a reservation may be required because the place definitely gets packed on a Friday night!

The best seats in the house are definitely right by the window beside the beautiful fireplace where we were seated.  
It's a smaller establishment but that does not take away from how cozy and lovely it is.

Even the washrooms are pretty!

Loving this mirror in the ladies room!

I admit, initially I was a wee bit skeptical about the new dinner menu seeing that this was mainly a gelataria/café; boy was I pleasantly surprised.

The first item we ordered was of course drinks. 
They've got a fabulous wine menu.

My husband got a glass of sauvignon blanc ($13/6oz) and I opted for a cocktail so I tried out their raspberry popsicle cocktail ($8).
It was refreshingly delicious with fresh raspberries in it too!

Their dinner menu consists of what they call 'Plates for Sharing' items as they are usually enough to feed two (potentially 3 at the most but 2 is already cutting it as the servings are not that big).

We started with the Orange Cumin Steamed PEI Mussels with a side of crunchy ciabatta slices ($10).

Amazing!
The marriage of cumin with orange and mussel broth was so delectable! Dip with your ciabatta bread and oh my gosh!
I loved this as I am a big lover of mussels and the new flavours in this dish was a big hit for me.

The next dish we tried was their Hotel Gelato Mac & Cheese ($11).
I do love cheese but this is where my husband had the biggest say as he loves a good mac and cheese.

 

"This is the best mac and cheese I've had so far."  From the mouth of my dear mac & cheese aficionado himself.  

Considering the small portion, it was very gratifying.

The Hotel Gelato Mac and Cheese consists of spaghetti squash, cauliflower, kale, cherry tomatoes and aged cheddar.

We highly recommend trying this!

We didn't get enough of our mac & cheese fix, so we decided to try something new with the Jerk Chicken Mac and Cheese ($12).

This dish was a combination of lightly-seasoned jerk chicken, spinach, roasted sweet potato and asiago.

With a nice sweetness from the roasted sweet potatoes with just a little punch from the jerk chicken, this was a subtle thrill to our senses.  It wasn't what I expected -- it was even better!

Onto the next one; I had my eyes set on the Warm Prosciutto Flatbread ($12) the moment I saw it.  I love prosciutto! Paired with plum tomato sauce, baby arugula, grana padano and truffle oil, this was a winner for us as well!

There was nothing that we had that we did not like or even find to be just okay -- they were all delicious!

Had we not been so full after this, we would have kept on going. 

I've got the Braised Beef Short Ribs, Maple Glazed Salmon and Warm Duck Confit Flatbread on my next Dinner must-try's at Hotel Gelato.

Also look forward to their salads and panini's for a nice lunch!

Oh and before I go on about the gelato, I have to mention that they also carry other desserts as well which I will try on my next visit.  Desserts like Warm Bread Pudding, Chewy Nut Bars, Cupcakes and Mixed Berry Crumble Tarts. Mmm!

And the great thing too is that they offer gluten free, vegan and organic treats.

There`s something for everyone.

Okay back to the gelato! They've got a scrumptious selection of flavours including:Wild Strawberry Cheesecake, Pistachio, Dark Chocolate, Chocolate Hazelnut (with real pieces of Ferrero Rocher), Coconut, Avocado, Classic Vanilla, Vanilla Sponge Toffee and more!

They also offer Sorbet which is made of water instead of milk and fat-free (usually the fruitier variety and taste like a refreshing frozen juice!).

They also always offer sugar-free and lactose-free options.

Remember when I mentioned how on earth anything could taste just as good as ice cream but healthier? This is the case with Gelato. Why? Because gelato is made with milk instead of cream, it is much lower in calories and fat than ice cream.

We decided to take a litre of Gelato home so we can share with our little girl as well and to savour throughout the week (this only lasted a couple of days...).
We chose pistachio (my ultimate fave), vanilla sponge toffee and chocolate hazelnut.
They were all amazingly good!

Next time you're in the area (or even if you're not in the area), I am recommending you stop off at Hotel Gelato for either some of their delicious gelato or for a glass of wine paired with some of their delicious food.
Tom Cruise did!

For more information on Hotel Gelato, you can visit them here at: www.hotelgelato.com.

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Indian Spiced Potato Wedges {Recipe}

What I love about my husband is that he has a very adventurous palate just like me.
This is great because I can experiment with different dishes from different parts of the world not having to worry whether or not he will have a problem with it.

We are still trying to introduce different types of dishes to our four year old, who is still acquiring her own individual taste but so far I'm happy to see her progress.
Nothing makes me happier than culture. 

Today we introduced her to Indian for the first time.
She's been exposed to it many times as my husband and I absolutely LOVE Indian food, but never wanted to try it until today.

I thought I would take baby steps, so I incorporated one of her favourites, potato wedges, in the mix.

Usually I would make them myself with fresh potatoes as I try to stay away from the frozen variety but when I was offered the opportunity to try out Cavendish From the Farm™ Potatoes, of course the first thing I did was research the ingredients online.
After learning that they are made with premium PEI potatoes (Yay to Canadian Farmers!) and prepared with 100% canola oil with just a little sea salt, I jumped at the chance to try it out.  They even leave the skin on, the same exact thing I do when making from scratch for my family.

And if all that wasn't good enough, check out the impressive specs:

• Low in saturated fat
• Trans fat free
• Cholesterol free
• Source of fibre
• Low in fat
• Source of potassium 

They can be purchased in many grocers; thankfully they carried them in my local Metro.

Today the fragrant and delicious scents of South Asia filled our kitchen as I prepared dinner.
On the menu: Butter Chicken and Buttered Naan (our favourite!) with Indian-Spiced Cavendish From the Farm™ Potato Wedges.
I found this recipe on Good to Know Recipes.
YUM!
 
What I love about this recipe is that it is so quick to make with very minimal ingredients and prep work; such a BIG deal for a busy mom like me.
Time is not on my hands and as much as I try to avoid take-out for my family, I admit that making home-cooked dinner every night is not feasible.

My entire family enjoyed it very much, even my four year old! Yay!
Try these delicious potato wedges with an exotic twist next time as a side and I'm sure everyone will love it!

Indian Spiced Potato Wedges

Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 45 mins

  
Ingredients:

• Cavendish From the Farm ™ Potato Wedges
• 2tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 4 tsp olive oil
• A large handful of ready-to-eat baby spinach (chopped)
• Mango chutney for dipping (optional) 

  

 
 Method: 

1) Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6.

2) Place wedges in bowl with the olive oil, cumin, turmeric and ground coriander. Stir until coated.

3) Transfer to baking sheet and bake until tender, about 45 mins

4) Transfer to plate and sprinkle chopped baby spinach on top; serve with mango chutney

 

To learn more about Cavendish From the Farm ™ Products, visit them here.

Shake it up for dinner tonight!

**Disclosure – I am participating in the From the Farm blog tour by Mom Central Canada on behalf of Cavendish. 

I received compensation as a thank you for participating and for sharing my honest opinion. 

The opinions on this blog are my own.**

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Hide the Spinach! Olivieri Review & Giveaway

If there's one thing more difficult for me than getting my 3 year old to tidy her room at first request (or 2nd or 3rd... without a bribe), it's getting her to eat her veggies. 

Sadly, she has already decided that anything colourful or that may look like a vegetable is not going to the "party in her tummy."

This is the part of motherhood that requires you to think-outside-the-box and get all creative when preparing meals.  Lucky for me, I have a very ingenious way of thinking. But unfortunately, my daughter has inherited my investigative skills and can smell and see vegetables a mile away. Hiding food is near impossible, unless done well and of course, whatever it's hiding in, has to taste great.

Upon perusing the cheeses/deli and fresh food section at my local grocers, I came upon Olivieri's selection of pastas and sauces.  It instantly sparked my attention considering my family is big on pasta, especially my discriminating toddler, so I thought I'd give it a shot.

Was I a tad skeptical? Yes. The last time I purchased ready-to-prepare sauces and pasta, it tasted like the canned variety.  Not a fan at all. 

I know my little girl loves ravioli, so I picked up the Spinach and Cheese Ravioli and the Rosé Sauce (we love rosé).

It was quick and easy to make: Boil the pasta for 3-4 minutes in water, drain and add ready-made sauce, voila! And it tasted GOOD!

Ever since, this has been our choice for quick pasta dinners that tasted pure gourmet.

My Rosé Sauce was sold out so we tried Rustic Pomodoro this time & still just as good!  

I love that the pasta is fresh and made with all natural ingredients. This gives me peace of mind knowing my family is not consuming artificial preservatives and other junk.

And you know what's the best thing about this? My daughter is eating spinach and doesn't even notice. In fact, she absolutely loves Olivieri's Spinach & Cheese Ravioli - one of her faves!

"These can go to the party in my tummy!"

Doesn't that look appetizing? Wait until you smell it! 

And you know what's even more awesome? They also have their very own garlic bread too! Unfortunately my local grocers didn't have it, so I'm on the search! I love me some garlic bread.

I'd like to give you, my reader, an opportunity to try Olivieri products for yourself.  Believe me, this will be sure to satisfy even the most discerning of taste buds.

DINNER'S ON ME!

I'm giving away a pair of Olivieri coupons redeemable for FREE products so you can pick what you like and try it at home!

Just fill out entry form via rafflecopter and win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Disclosure: I am a member of the Maple Leaf Foods Connects program. I received an incentive for my participation. However, all opinions and ideas shared on this blog are my very own.

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