$100 American Express Gift Card Giveaway and Six Ingredient Dinner

I’m very excited about today’s post, because, you, my readers, have the chance to win a $100 American Express gift card! Oh, all the things you could buy with it… Just think… I personally have visions of Lululemon, Anthropologie, DSW… But it’s not about my dreams!

So here is how it all came about. I was selected through the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program in partnership with American Express to participate in the Dinner@6 program, and one of the rewards is a $100 American Express gift card to give to my readers! The challenge is to create a complete meal with six (6) ingredients or less. Salt, pepper, oil, and water may be used without counting as one of the six (6) ingredients. Here is a link to the official rules: http://www.foodbuzz.com/blogs/4169032-dinner-6-official-rules.

Now on to my six ingredient meal. Right away, I thought about a pasta dish. But I wanted it to be “unusual,” and I remembered a simple, “no recipe” dish I sometimes throw together. It’s quick, uses ingredients we all love, and everyone in our house loves the finished dish. I use cottage cheese to make the sauce, which turns out nice and creamy thanks to the melted cottage cheese. It also has bacon, which adds bacony goodness. And for freshness and nutrients, there are green onions and veggies.

Creamy, Bacony Pasta with Mushrooms and Peppers 

6 Ingredients

• 27 ounces fresh “Asian”pasta (available in my regular grocery store in the produce aisle or in Asian supermarkets in the “noodle” and tofu section)
• 6 slices lean bacon, cut into thin strips
• 10 - 12 green onions, cut into slices
• 16 ounces cottage cheese
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 4 bell peppers, sliced
• Salt and pepper, to taste (free ingredients)

Here are the prepped ingredients:


Directions

1. Boil the pasta according to the instructions on the package and drain.
2. In the meantime, heat pan and add the bacon strips once the pan is hot. Cook for a few minutes, until the bacon gets slightly crispy. Drain excess grease.
3. Add the mushrooms and peppers and cook for a few minutes.
4. Add 3/4 of the  green onions and cook until wilted.
5. Add the cottage cheese, cook for a minute and then turn off the heat. Keep the cottage cheese in the warm pan until it is slightly melted.
6. Mix the cooked pasta with the cheesy sauce.
7. Sprinkle the pasta with the remaining green onions.
8. Serve the pasta and enjoy!

Servings: 8

Prep and cook time: 20 minutes



As part of the Dinner@6 contest sponsored by Blue Cash PreferredSM, American Express provided me with a $100 gift card to give out to one lucky commenter. Sound off in the comments for a chance to win! Question: What is your favorite six-ingredient recipe?

For additional entries, do one or all of the following. Leave one comment for each entry:

1. Like my Facebook page.
2. Follow me on Twitter.
3. Blog about the giveaway.
4. Tweet about the giveaway.

Good luck to everyone. The giveaway is open only to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia who are at least eighteen (18) years old at the time of entry. Sorry international readers! The giveaway is open until September 30, 2011 at 8:59 p.m. PST (11:59 p.m. EST) at which time I will randomly select a winner. I will post the winner on this blog on October 1, so check back then to find out if you’ve won!

Be well,
Andrea