Although I am on a special diet right now I made the most incredible appetizer for my boys tonight using VELVEETA® and RO*TEL® that I just have to share with you. We named them Mexican Egg Rolls.

Mexican Egg Rolls

• Egg roll wrappers

• 16 oz. of VELVEETA® cheese

• 1 can of CHUNKYRO*TEL®

• 1 lb. of lean ground beef

• 1 packet of taco seasoning

• Oil for deep frying

1. Fry ground beef until cooked thoroughly, drain well. Add taco seasoning and 1/4 cup water. Cook until water is well dissolved and cool.

2. While beef is cooking heat oil for deep frying. Cut VELVEETA® cheese into a rectangle about the length and thickness of a small cheese stick. Add VELVEETA® cheese and 2 tablespoons of meat mixture to egg roll wrapper.

3. Roll and deep fry until golden brown. Drain well. Serve with a side of CHUNKY RO*TEL®.

Every night as we get ready to eat we have the same dinner time ritual. As we eat we each share our day with each other one by one. You tell everyone sitting at the table what your favorite part of the day was and what your least favorite part of the day was… If you don’t have a dinnertime routine try our “sharing” ritual. You can really learn interesting things about your children and your spouse.

VELVEETA® and RO*TEL® are hosting an amazing sweepstakes to encourage simple, easy weeknight family meals and entertainment ideas. Winners will be picked each week, and the more points you collect the more chances you have of winning!Grand prize winner will receive $15,000! 

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of VELVEETA/RO*TEL. The opinions and text are all mine.

Atlantic Salmon Bites

Melba Snacks Roasted Garlic
Yields ~24

Ingredients

€¢ 1 box Melba Snacks Roasted Garlic
€¢ 1 “flat” salmon fillet with skin, about 2 pounds
€¢ 1 8-ounce 1/3 less fat cream cheese, room temperature
€¢ 2 tablespoons low fat sour cream
€¢ 2 tablespoons dried chives
For Spread
1. Mix cream cheese, sour cream, and chives in medium bowl until smooth
For Salmon
1. Preheat broiler.
2. Line broiler pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
3. Pat fish dry and check for bones; remove any bones with pliers.
4. Cut fillet into about 1” odd sizes
5. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper, then broil 5 inches from heat 5-10 minutes.

Assemble Bites
1. Spread each roasted garlic Melba Snack with cream cheese, and top with cooked salmon; garnish with
lemon if desired.

This recipe is compliments of Old London recipe section.  The reason I decided to share this recipe is because salmon is a great source of  protein, Omega-3, and amino acids.  Paired with the Old London Melba Snacks you can’t go wrong.  I especially enjoyed the crispness of each of their products – it is something that is hard to find in most brands.  There are over 20 different flavors between the Melba Snacks, Melba Toast, JJFlats Flatbreads, and Bagel Chips.  I personally tried the Spicy Cheddar (it was not really spicy for me), whole grain, and sea salt.

Aloha Old London Sweepstakes

Old London is sending one lucky winner and their guest on a once-in-a-lifetime vacation to the tropical resort island of Oahu in Hawaii.  While basking in the sun and enjoying their paradise they will also be treated to dinner for two at the Tropics Bar & Grill at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa, one Hawaiian Lomilomi Massage at Mandara Spa, a private cooking lesson at the award winning Chef Mavro restaurant, two Alii Luau packages at the Polynesian Cultural Center, and surfing lessons at Waikiki Beach.  The four-day, three-night, all expense paid experience also includes air travel and accomodations.  Check out the Aloha Old London Sweepstakes and  enter to win at http://www.facebook.com/OldLondonFoods – entries accepted through June 30, 2011.

Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Old London and received product samples and a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Being healthy isn’t just about exercise.  Having a healthy diet is equally important.  I learned something really interesting this week, something I never really thought about.  The food we eat is equally important to the health of your skin.  The “Healthier You” program sponsored by Dial NutriSkin launched a new website this week that features weekly tips and challenges by Amy Hendel.  This weeks focus is Skin Healthy Foods.

Here are some things I learned:

Hydration: To keep your skin from becoming dry, drink lots of water and eat foods like oily fish and flaxseed that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Make sure to include foods fortified with biotin like white meat chicken, eggs and Swiss chard to help your body process those healthy fats.

Blemish fighters: To fight breakouts, make sure to follow a proper skin care regimen, and include foods rich in zinc like vegetarian baked beans, garbanzo beans and pumpkin seeds.

Anti-aging: Commit to regular use of a broad spectrum SPF, and add vitamin E to your daily diet to prevent skin damage and wrinkles. Foods enriched with Vitamin E include tuna and fortified cereals. Dark chocolate, tea and watermelon contain compounds that will also help you fight skin damage.

In keeping with the theme I thought I would share a skin healthy recipe this week as I try to focus on the tips Amy provided on the Dial NutriSkin Healthier Skin, Healthier You website.  I hope you will check it out and follow along!

As you know I’m trying to be more healthy and what better way than to share some healthy recipes? Today I am featuring a yummy tuna recipe in hopes that others will leave their linky below with their featured healthy recipes.

For those of you who don’t know – I am half Filipino. Although I was not raised by my biological dad (he is 100% Filipino), I still enjoy the Asian flavors of the culture. I wanted to share this recipe. Please don’t let it seem overwhelming…it isn’t difficult and it sure is YUMMY!

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound ground pork
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup minced carrots
1/8 cup minced celery
1/8 cup bean sprouts (optional)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
3/4 cup thinly sliced savoy or green cabbage
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon soy sauce
30 lumpia or eggroll wrappers if you don’t have an asian market
2 cups vegetable oil for frying

Fry pork, stirring frequently, until no pink is showing in wok or frying pan with 1 T. oil on high. Remove pork from pan, drain, and set aside. Drain grease from pan, leaving a thin coating. Cook garlic and onion in the same pan for 2 minutes or until lightly brown. Stir in the cooked pork, carrots, green onions, celery, bean sprouts, and cabbage. Season with pepper, salt, garlic powder, and soy sauce. Remove from heat, and set aside until cool enough to handle.

Filipino Egg Roll

Place three heaping tablespoons of the filling diagonally near bottom of each wrapper, leaving a 1 1/2 inch space at both ends.

Stuffing Lumpia

Fold the side along the length of the filling over the filling, tuck in both ends, and roll neatly. Keep the roll tight as you assemble. Moisten the other side of the wrapper with water to seal the edge.

Looks Like Envelope

Cover with plastic to retain moisture.

Waiting to be Fried

Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat, add oil to 1/2 inch depth, and heat for 5 minutes. Slide 3 or 4 lumpia into the oil. Fry the rolls for 1 to 2 minutes, until all sides are golden brown.

Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.

Draining Lumpia

I never got a final photo because our small family of 4 ate all 14 of them in one night!