Shane’s 2 & a half, which means he’s right at the prime age for being a super picky eater. One food that is his favorite on Monday, he ends up hating by Wednesday, so I like to keep it simple & make meals for him that not only the whole family will like {especially when he decides not to eat it & we then have extra leftovers} but also that are easy & fast, so that if he doesn’t like it, I didn’t waste that much time making it. &Of course, I want the food to be at least mostly healthy, too.
Back in August, I found the amazing Chili-Roni recipe, which uses Chef Boyardee’s Beefaroni as well as beans and tomatoes to make a fast, easy & healthy dinner that Shane gobbled down & Justin and I both loved.
When I was asked to host a party this month and make a yummy Chef Boyardee-inspired lunch for my friends, I knew I had to make this one! There were several choices of recipes to make on the Chef Boyardee Recipe Page, but I wanted to go with Chili-Roni again because I loved it so much the first time. So we went to my friend Kathryn’s house {our garage is still being renovated so we’re still lacking a dining room} &had a fun lunchtime play date!
{First we had to go outside & watch the garbage truck in action, of course.}
So while the Chili-Roni was cooking, the kids were playing & us Mamas were chatting. Once all the ingredients were in the pan, all I had to do was stir occasionally, so I didn’t miss any of the fun. That makes this a great meal to make on the weeknights too, when you’re talking about your day with your significant other or helping older kids with homework. &It’s ready in just 15 minutes, so it’s easy AND fast.
Ingredients
- 2 cans (15 oz each) Chef Boyardee® Beefaroni®
- 1 can (14.5 oz each) Hunt's® Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes, drained
- 1 can (8 oz each) Hunt's® Tomato Sauce-No Salt Added
- 1 can (16 oz each) reduced sodium dark red kidney beans, drained, rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz each) Rosarita® Premium Whole Pinto Beans, drained, rinsed
- 1 tablespoon Gebhardt® Chili Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Directions
- Place all ingredients in large saucepan; stir to combine.
- Bring to boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Overall, the meal was a really big hit. Even my friends who didn’t like Chef Boyardee growing up or make a habit of buying it now really enjoyed the meal & were surprised by how tasty & healthy it was. Kathryn, who hosted, even made the leftovers for her husband that night & he thought that it was yummy, too- even reheated!
Everyone liked the recipe as it was, but also had great ideas for things they’d add in to make it more personalized to their tastes. I personally intend on adding sour cream & cilantro to it the next time that I make it, and my friends had even more great ideas:
-Add Sautéed onions and/or Fritos
-Top with sour cream & shredded cheese
-Add some ground beef or ground turkey
-Add in some taco seasoning & serve with tortilla chips
There are so many possibilities!
Do you have a great idea for a Chef Boyardee recipe? Be sure to enter the Make it Boyardeelicious Recipe Contest on the Chef Boyardee Facebook Page- you can win free groceries for a year!
{My little chef is ready to help me come up with something!}
Now through March 11, 2012, you can submit an original recipe that uses Chef Boyardee as an ingredient. Simply upload a photo of the recipe, and share why your family loves it for a chance to win! Each week, a winner will be chosen based on creativity, all-family appeal, ease of preparation, and palatable appeal by an expert panel of judges. The weekly winner receives a $500 prize as well as $75 in Chef coupons. {If you don’t win in one week, you can re-enter again the next week!} Each of the top ten finalists from all the accumulated weeks will have the chance to win the grand prize of free groceries for a year. The winner will be chosen based on a combined score of taste points and voting. The voting period lasts March 26-April 8, 2012, and all voters get entered into a daily sweepstakes for the chance to win $100!
For more recipes including Chef Boyardee products to get your creative juices flowing, be sure to check out the recipes on the Chef Boyardee website!
Susie’s Note: I wrote this review while participating in a In Home Party campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Chef Boyardee and received product samples to facilitate my party and review, and a promotional item to thank me for participating.
Last Day! 
