Chef Ema Quevedo dishes up tasty meals at Vivemejor.com + GIVEAWAY!!!

Holidays are hectic. With family visiting, friends dropping by and cooking elaborate dinners, my time is limited. It is during the holidays that I start making quick and easy meals for dinner. That means I have to rely on my go to meals that take 30 minutes or less.

This holiday season, I am counting on Ragu, Bertolli, Hellmann's, Lipton and Knorr to make my life easier. I don't use canned spaghetti sauce all the time. I try to limit the processed food I buy but I do buy it on occasion for this very reason. I don't always have the time to make my own sauce or chicken stock or other food items.

I have been a Ragu consumer for decades and it is my favorite jarred sauce. There is nothing better than spaghetti with a little Ragu. I always have some in my pantry. I also love Knorr products. From when I was very little I remember having Knorr Caldo de sabor a Pollo in my house. My abuelita used it. My mami still uses and so do I. It is the best thing to make soup or to flavor food.

I don't know about you but these products have always helped me make delicious meals. They also make my life easier during these busy times. I am glad for the help. That way I can spend less time enjoying the holidays and my family.

This year, Chef Ema Quevedo is cooking up some tasty meals to make your holidays easier and better. And she is cooking up some goodies with a little Latino twist. These recipes are up my alley! I know I will be visiting the Vivemejor site at  www.vivemejor.com to get some new ideas on how to use my favorite products!

I am so making this recipe this New Years Eve:

ROASTED EGGPLANT DIP 

Makes 2 cups

Prep Time:	10 min
Cook Time:	30 min

INGREDIENTS·         1/2 cup olive oil
·         2 medium eggplants, peeled and diced
·         2 Knorr® Garlic MiniCubes, crumbled
·         1 Tbsp. lemon juice
·         1 Knorr® Cilantro MiniCube, crumbled 

DIRECTIONS

               * Preheat oven to 450°.
               * Arrange eggplant on an aluminum-foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over eggplant,
                  then sprinkle with Knorr® Garlic MiniCubes; toss to coat. Roast for 30 minutes or until eggplant
                  is very tender, stirring once.
              * Process eggplant with remaining ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth.
                 Serve with your favorite vegetable dippers or tortilla chips.


How yummy does that look? It is the perfect appetizer especially since some of friends are vegetarians! And thanks to Unilever, I have FIVE (5), yes FIVE, gift baskets filled with various products. How wonderful is that? I know that you guys can use these products to have in your home! So enter on the Rafflecopter widget below to have a chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Rules: One entry per person per day. Once a winner is drawn I will contact them and the winner will have 48 hours to reply back before I draw a new winner. Giveaway is open to US residents only who are 18 years of age or older.

Disclosure: I received a sample product for review purposes. No other compensation was given and the opinions in this post are solely mine and are based on my experience with the product. Sponsors are responsible for shipping prizes unless otherwise stated. I am not responsible if sponsors do not fulfill prize. Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of any prizes.

EMA QUEVEDO

Unilever Kitchens Chef and Consultant

Ema first fell in love with cooking as a child growing up in McAllen, Texas.  The chef, originally from Mexico, watched her mother for hours as she prepared delicious homemade meals. As the years went by, her passion for cooking continued to grow. After graduating with a degree in photography and education, she moved to New York to work for a non-profit organization. Preparing meals at the soup kitchen, she realized something was still missing in her life. This is when she decided to head back to school and become a chef. She enrolled in the Institute of Culinary Education in New York where she received her diploma in culinary arts.

She continued to expand her creativity and skills in the culinary world as a chef in PRIMEHOUSE NEW YORK working with pastries and hot appetizers. She then went on to work at Kibo as the pastry chef and most recently as the pastry chef at the Atlantic Grill. Today, Ema is the consultant for Unilever Kitchens. With her Latin background and culinary knowledge, she develops mouthwatering recipes with a Latin kick. Her formal and informal training in the kitchen are the key ingredients that have created the perfect recipe for creating elegant and authentic dishes.

In New York, Ema enjoys running through Central Park on her free time. She also enjoys exploring and discovering new restaurants in the city.