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Home :: Food For Thought :: Archives For The 'Recommended Items' Category
Best Back-To-School Food Find!
Yes it's certainly still sizzling summertime, but before we know it those yellow school buses will be picking up our kids so now is the time to get prepared for the inevitable. Television is bombarding us with commercials about school supplies, trendy clothing and technical gadgets. I have discovered a site that will be helpful not only to parents when it comes to kids' lunches, but also is a valuable tool for office workers to use as well.
They have a gallery of their ideas.
This web site has a practical and thoughtful approach to insuring kids' lunches are more nutritious, stored properly and will keep food fresh until lunchtime. They have sections for the products they sell, and lunch ideas for every day of the year. They have even provided food selections by seasons. There is a lot of data about portion control, healthy eating, suggestions for your tiny picky eaters, and for those who suffer with food allergies.
Lap Top Lunches is a practical way to pack school lunches.
Big kids like these containers, too.
The products they sell are touted to be safe, cost-effective, reusable, easy to clean, recyclable, waste-free and Made in the USA. They offer a flat rate shipping charge of $5.95 within the continental US. They do offer their wares in other countries, just check the bottom of their shop page for more details.
Fabulous Food Find ... A New Ice Cream Flavor!
I have been enjoying a lovely food site called Love To Eat. Naturally, most of us can easily fit into this category so you can understand why I was attracted to her food site. I've found a new friend who has a great personality, combined with her career as an Attorney, dog lover, and she is a lady who loves to cook for her family, friends and canine kids. She shares with us her incredible ice cream flavored with the pulp of the Mamey. Until a few days ago, I had never heard of this fruit. Living in Florida has many benefits and Mamey seems to be one of them.
Lauren shows us what the fruit of the Mamey looks like.
She scoops out the pulp of two Mamey.
And she produced this wonderful Mamey Ice Cream!
Lauren said it was cool to share this with you. Please visit her blog to see the entire
process and to read her recipe. Thank you Lauren we're glad you Love To Eat!
Say Cheese
We've heard it all our lives and most often when someone is ready to snap our photograph, "Say Cheese!" There’s a lot to smile about because this super food comes from all sorts of animals, in all shapes, flavors and sizes. Since the first time cheese was created people have been experimenting with it and taking all sorts of liberties with its properties. They have done everything from promoting texture, color, age, portioning, enhancing its flavor, and even further modified it from its original complex innocence by creating cheesy meals, snacks, and so much more.
As I began my trek looking into this versatile and delicious member of the dairy group, I was first amazed by how many varieties there are from which to choose. I was familiar with cheese from cows, goats and sheep, but it doesn’t stop there. Think outside the box: buffalo, camels, yaks, moose and reindeer! You heard me right. Who knew? Just about 10,000 years ago people began breeding mammals for their milk and turning it into cheese. They watched their animals' diet because it greatly influenced the taste of the milk and thus of the cheese.
Our ancestors found that when milk was churned into cheese, they could shape it and store it in cool dry places. That this food lasted longer and provided nutrition for their families was a real bonus. Over time they figured out many ways to add this precious ingredient to their meals, in-between their bread slices, as side dishes, or just ate it on its own. Cheese was definitely worth smiling about.
I bet I could spend years getting an education on this topic. It is so interesting that I encourage you to delve into this tasty subject, too. If you have children it would mean hours upon hours of family entertainment researching the many styles and varieties of cheese. There are dairy farms that offer tours to the public and it is a good way to taste test different cheeses. The next time you stroll down the cheese or deli aisles and focus on the dairy section you'll know you've stumbled on to a huge subject. It is incredible how many choices we have right inside our grocery stores.
Eat some on its own, put it on vegetables, melt it in fondue pots, create a soufflé, cream it in icings, serve it with fruits or pair it with wines. Shred some on top of your pasta dishes, layer it between lasagna noodles, or toss some on scrambled eggs or on top of your pizza. It is astounding just how many ways we use this product without realizing it. Cheese has an almost perfect personality and likes to get along with most foods. It’s hard to go wrong by incorporating cheese in practically any meal and presenting it at table on special occasions. Just remember to “Say Cheese” and smile.
Here is a link to some of our member recipes using cheese.
* attribution Cheese Poster http://www.gmushrooms.com/Posters/Cheeses.jpg *
Amazing Taste
Let me share a word or two about a product I really love - Amazing Taste Seasoning Packets. Big flavor, little package, even smaller price. In these times when stretching your food dollar is a big deal, this is a product that will help you do just that without sacrificing flavor.
There is NO OTHER seasoning product I know of that does what Amazing Taste accomplishes. Not only are meats, poultry and seafood perfectly seasoned, but the tenderizing effect makes it possible to use cheaper cuts of meat and still get a quality meal on the table.
But wait, there's MORE! Really. This stuff is lower in sodium than the 'other guys' and also contains absolutely NO MSG. On top of that, there's no guess work about nutrition facts or ingredients here. While all the nutrition facts are available on-site, you don't have to go there to find them, they're on the back of each and every packet of Amazing Taste. Did I mention these packets sell for a mere 99 cents each and that each packet seasons from 2 to 4 pounds of protein? Does it get any better than that?
The Amazing Taste Seasoning Packets come in nine fabulous flavors:
Beef Seasoning
Burger Seasoning
Chili Seasoning
Fajita Seasoning
Malibu Seasoning
Pork Seasoning
Poultry Seasoning
Seafood Seasoning
Steak House Seasoning
Dr. Ghazi Taki and Adam Taki are the father-son team that developed and founded Amazing Taste. I spoke with Adam Taki the other day and I was able to tell him how much I love this product. Not only am I sure of what we're eating, but I'm also able to stretch the food budget in a truly delicious way. There's no hidden fluff in these packets, just real ingredients without extra salt or MSG and it's a product I fully trust.
Where do you get Amazing Taste? Check out the store locator at the Amazing Taste website, and while you're there, have a look at the recipes, read about the company and how it all started, and even order a packet or two (or all 9 flavors!) to try out for yourself. You can even find a link to my original post about Amazing Taste at Cooking with Anne.
I'm looking forward to any and everything the Amazing Taste label can dish up!
Gadget Must Haves For Foodies
A few months ago I wrote about my cookbook obsession. Well, that is not the only one.. Come into my kitchen, open my drawers, and you will see what I mean. GADGETS. Gadgets here, gadgets there, everywhere a gadget. My husband, a doctor, says it looks like an operating room. However, if I am going to cook, there are quite a few of these I can not live without. That being said, here are a few of my favorites.
Kitchen Aid Mixer – If you bake, you absolutely must save for and then splurge on this item. I couldn’t bake without it. My mother had hers for well over 20 years and will be the first to tell you that it is indestructible. It has fallen off her counter more times than she could count and it keeps on ticking.
Silpat Nonstick Baking liners – They are amazingly sturdy. Nothing sticks to them and they make clean up a breeze.
Kitchen Shears – They cut anything. Here a few things I use them for: cutting a whole chicken slicing a pizza, cutting tomatoes, twine and even parchment paper. It’s also a great tool for everything from snipping herbs to trimming a pie crust.
Immersion blender – It’s a food processor and blender all in one. If you love to make soup then this item is for you. No more mess as you attempt to pour a huge pot of ingredients into your bulky food processor. Just plug it in and turn it on. Easy to use and lightweight, it will blend things without muss or fuss in seconds.
Microplanes graters/zesters – Definitely the best grater and the only only one you need. It occupies virtually no drawer space, leaving that much more room your remaining gadgets. You can use this tool for so many things, from zesting a lemon to grating cheese, ginger or chocolate. Once you try this one I bet you’ll throw your others away.
Silicone Spatulas – How many times have you had to throw away your spatula because you accidentally used it in hot foods? A silicone spatula, while a little more expensive, can withstand heat up to about 500 degrees and will last a very long time. It will certainly outlast my cooking career.
Electric can opener – When I cook I like to move fast. Some people say that applies to all aspects of my life. So for me, I will try anything to help cut prep time in the kitchen. This is definitely an item that will help you speed things up.
Chef’s Knife – A must have in any kitchen. I use it for chopping, mincing or slicing.
Coffee Grinder – My grinder isn’t just for coffee. Actually, it has probably never even seen a coffee bean. I use it for grinding nuts or spices. Fast, easy, and small.
Dip It, Dip It Good!
Last week I had the opportunity to try a selection of Stonemill Kitchens premium refrigerated dips: Artichoke and Jalapeno, Spinach & Artichoke Parmesean, Artichoke & Parmesean, and Three Cheese Peperoncini. Since there was way more dip than one man could possibly eat all by himself, I threw a little dinner party for my wife and her two sisters. First I served each dip heated with crackers, bagel chips and warm baguettes. Next, we sampled each one as a sauce on top of some fresh pasta. And finally, we tried each one broiled on top of a piece of ribeye steak. Here, I'll go through each coures one-by-one and let you know what the ladies and I thought of the dips.
So, for the first course I heated each dip and served it on it's own with crackers, bagel chips and baguettes. My first recommendation is definitely heat these dips! The containers say "Great Heated" and they mean it. I tried each one cold as I was preparing them and, in my opinion, they were too rich and way too thick to eat without heating them first. Once they were heated, it was a totally different story. The thickness I experienced when trying them cold disappeared allowing us to enjoy the creamy texture and flavor of each dip.
The three ladies were all born and raised in South Texas; so it was no surprise to me that their favorite was the Artichoke and Jalapeno dip. In fact, this was my favorite too. Unlike a lot of jalapeno dips, this one is not overwhelmingly hot. The jalapeno adds a nice flavor and a wee bit of heat, but even those who do not enjoy hot foods can still handle this one and enjoy the flavor and subtle heat the pepper provides. The Spinach & Artichoke Parmesean as well as the Artichoke & Parmesean went over well too. Although, once these dips began to cool, the ladies agreed that the consitincy became a bit too thick, and, while they were still good, the thickness made it harder to enjoy. My suggestion would be to serve these dips in a thick bowl that will hold in the heat and allow guests to enjoy them warm. Out of the four dips, the Three Cheese Peperoncini was the groups least favorite as a dip. Peperoncini fans shouldn't worry though; it made a great comeback during our second course!
For the second course, I served each dip as a sauce on top of some fresh Rotini pasta. Here is where the Three Cheese Peperoncini shined. Three out of the four of us, decided that this was our favorite pasta topper. My wife was the only holdout sticking with the Artichoke and Jalapeno as her favorite. Every single one of the dips worked well as a pasta sauce. While the Peperoncini was dubbed the overall favorite, the Artichoke & Paremsean as well as the Spinach & Artichoke Parmesean were very good also. I mean can you really go wrong combining parmesean, spinach, artichoke and pasta? I think not!
For the final course, I prepared some all-natural ribeye steaks with a generous portion of the dip broiled on top of the meat. This was by far my favorite use of the dips. The flavors and the texture of each dip complemeted the natural flavor of the meat quite well. Interstingly, this is the one course where there was not a clear favorite. I preferred the Spinach & Artichoke Parmesean; I thought the combination of the spinach, cheese and meat were amazing. The younger of my sister-in-laws decided that she thought the Three Cheese Peperoncini went best with the meat while the older of the two said that she preffered the Artichoke & Parmesean. We had a little debate about this as I felt that if she liked the Artichoke & Parmesean than clearly the Spinach & Artichoke Parmesean should be her favorite because the spinach only adds another dimension of flavor. Alas, she would not concede. My wife surprised no one by sticking by the Artichoke & Jalapeno, which I have to admit was a close second for me. The flavor of the pepper blends very nicely with the flavor of the steak.
So, the final verdict form the group was that we definitely recommend the Stonemill Kitchens dips. Everyone enjoyed them as a dip, a pasta sauce and a meat topping. Even though they are called dips, the group definitely seemed to enjoy them more when I served them with the pasta and the steak. My personal preference was to serve them on top of the steaks. It seems that I enjoy these dips more the hotter they are, and getting them super hot in the broiler where they got a nice golden brown crust on top was, in my opinion, the best way to serve them. In retrospect, when serving them as dips in the future I would broil them too to ensure that they are served hot and get that nice golden crisp on top. It really does add a lot. Check out the Stonemill Kitchens website for heating suggestions.
If you'd like more information about the dips we tried, or any other Stonemill Kitches products, simply go to www.StonemillKitchens.com. There you will find information about each of their products and their chefs as well as coupons.
Crock Pot Cookers: Slow Cook Beginnings
There are many members at Half Hour Meals who are avid slow cooks. They absolutely have to have their crock pots, or as some refer to them, slow cookers. These photos are nostalgic for me because the little booklet came with my very first slow cooker. The red one is the type I had, however mine was an olive green with a light brownish design round the bottom.
This crock pot lasted from 1977 until I finally gave it away about five years ago and only because I just wanted a new one. One of the photographs shows a few recipes. Some of my very favorites were beef stroganoff, stewed chicken with biscuits cooked during the last twenty-five minutes, spaghetti sauce with meatballs, macaroni and cheese and even scrambled eggs (keeping them warm).
I used to use mine to take to the office parties through the years and my co-workers were always pleased to have a portion of their meal heated throughly. You can even cook cakes in them. Recently, we moved and I found this old treasure. It takes me back to the times I used to use this style of cooking every week. I have a new one which is now going to get used on a regular basis.
I give the crock pots ten points because they are a true value to any home cook.
Review: Digital Balloon Whisk
Many times the question is posed as to which kitchen tool a cook would want to have in their work area. Mine is The Cuisipro Digital Balloon Whisk. Anyone who has ever made ice cream base, pastry cream, custard, caramel, candy and pudding will know, that these recipes need to be cooked to a certain temperature, before they are considered done. If the heat is too high you will scorch or burn your sauce.
Using this brilliant tool has been a faster and more accurate way for me to produce perfect pastry cream, without having to try to hold a candy thermometer and keep whisking. This way you continue whisking and simply glance at the digital read-out. It cuts down on whisking and it keeps my sauces and custards perfect every time.
It is heat resistant and registers form 40º to 400º. I love it!
Member Recipe Review: Chicken Casserole from The Paris House
Another cool, rainy weekend, another perfect opportunity to try out a Half Hour Meals member recipe! The problem was, that with so many great recipes to choose from, I was at a loss about what to make. Dessert or entree? Sweet or savory? Looking for inspiration, I started searching through all the scrumptious recipes that have been posted recently.
As I got to the second page of the chicken recipes, I saw exactly what I was looking for...comfort food in the form of Chicken Casserole (faster than you can say cocka-doodle-doo) from member Michele aka The Paris House. This yummy chicken and rice casserole is different from others I have tried because it includes spinach, an unexpected and delicious addition. Added to the other taste-tempting ingredients is a generous topping of cheese, making this dish a real comfort food winner.
Other than great ingredients and terrific taste, another thing to love about this recipe is that it can be assembled in 20 minutes if you already have some cooked brown rice. Even if you don't already have rice, the dish comes together quickly and is well worth the time. It smelled so good and looked so tempting when it came out of the oven, that my family was digging into the casserole with spoons before I even had a chance to serve it!
All-in-all, this recipe exceeded my expectations in every way and I highly recommend it. Do yourself a favor the next time you need a dinner idea- try Michele's Chicken Casserole!
Eat Cheats: Breakfast on the Go
The other day, a colleague of mine walked into our office kitchen while I was getting my breakfast. He looked at my plate, dumbfounded. "French toast? Where did you get French toast from?" Another time, I was asked how in the world I was able to have pancakes at the office. I am building quite a reputation as the woman with the awesome breakfasts.
The secret isn't really a secret. Brands such as Aunt Jemima have really expanded their product lines, and we no longer have to settle for frozen waffles alone. Sure, the waffles are great, but now we have a choice between those or pancakes or French toast. At the supermarket, you can find all of these fancy breakfast items in the frozen section. Just pop a pancake or slice of French toast in the toaster, as you would a waffle, and you're done.
Not only that, but brands such as Jimmy Dean offer breakfast bowls and sandwiches containing eggs, cheese, sausage, etc. that you can pop into the microwave. All of these options are fast and really help break up the monotony of breakfast.
