Crunchy pretzel pieces

Earlier this month I was tasked with the assignment of creating a custom recipe for Snack Factory® Pretzel Crisps®. While I can't share the recipes just yet, I will take the time to give my opinion on the product.

The company wanted us to keep the pretzels whole - after all, the pretzel crisp is the star product. Unfortunately, the company does not have sturdy packaging. Out of TWO bags of pretzel crisps, I was fortunate to have around 20 whole crisps.

This picture of broken pretzels is from ONE bag of pretzel crisps. Ultimately I was not happy with the limitation on creativity. I could have found many uses for the broken pretzels whether it be pretzel crusted chicken nuggets, a pretzel cheesecake crust, peanut butter pretzel bars etc.,
Naturally I either would discard the broken pieces, but instead, I elected to make the famous strawberry pretzel salad and no it's not a salad in the traditional sense, but it's tasty.

I do not know if I will ever buy the snack factory pretzels again. They may be a healthy alternative to most snack food, but they're not for me. I think the company needs to rethink their packaging. It's rather deceptive to see stacks of whole pretzels on their package and to have the contents look like the bag had been drop-kicked.

Gluten-free cookie dough..say what?!

I'm allergic to wheat, I'm allergic to dairy, I'm allergic to soy...actually I'm NOT allergic to any of these food categories, but many people are.

The folks at Cheerios were an Allrecipes product sponsor for the month of November, and I was one Allstar who was tasked with creating a recipe. This particular recipe was to be designated as Gluten-free. Not knowing anything about celiacs or gluten intolerance, I had a crash course in foods safe for those who are following a gluten-free diet.

Oodles of Noodles

My life is busy, and I'm sure many readers can echo the same sentiment. The last thing I want to do at 2040 hours (8:40 pm for my non-military time readers) is cook dinner.  I do *LOVE* cooking, but not at that hour!  What to do?  Well in my case I turned to a Smithfield recipe.

Shout out to Smithfield/Farmland!

Yes, I know! I haven't posted a blog in about four months.  Quite simple really - combine working adult, college student, college finals, two out of state trips, not being assigned any campaigns recently and moving...I'm sure you can understand why there have been no posts lately.

NOTE: If my blog posts seem to go back in time, there is a strong chance of this occurring only b/c I have SO much AMAZING news to share!!!!

Bursting with blueberries!!!

There is something about blueberries I adore, especially when they are included in muffins!
Perhaps it's the juicy, warm texture...oh who am I kidding - I love the rich purple colour they develop once cooked!!!

Fiesta of Flavours

My most recent Mazola recipe was another success.  I chose to make the Sweet & Spicy Salmon with grapefruit salsa.  This recipe packs a zesty kick that is only enhanced by the grapefruit salsa. 

Mazola Food Rave!

To those who may stop by from time to time I will start with a simple apology for neglecting my blog for SO long!  December was crazy with cooking, parties, and presents; January was busy with multiple birthdays, and I also started a new semester of college!  February was a flurry of work, college class, college assignments and FINALLY the brand ambassador program with Allrecipes.com re-launched!!!!

One potato, two potato...

This month as an Allrecipes Allstar I teamed up with Ore-Ida, and was given the task to incorporate Ore-Ida products into my menu.  I am a fan of french fries, who isn't, but I decided to stick with my roots.

Beautiful bison

Most people have heard of the phrase "Pork, the other white meat."  However, I'm not cooking with Pork today.  I'm cooking with Bison!  Meet the better red meat!
Have you ever had beef bison! Of course you have (unless you're a vegetarian). This month I was able to work with the The Bison Council, and if you've never had bison you're missing out on some yummy goodness!!  Often called Buffalo, Bison is the same.   

The folks at High Plains Bison shipped a package of their Bison top sirloin steaks to me, and the folks at Allrecipes.com requested that I make the Caprese Bison Sirloin Steak with Bow tie pasta using my bison.  At that point it was game on!
In making the suggested recipe I cheated.  Did I just say that?  Yes I did.  I didn't want so much pesto in my pasta so I reduced the amount to 1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons of pesto.  It was MORE than enough.   Once my pasta was cooked, I allowed it to cool slightly and then mixed in my pesto.  I placed the bowl in the fridge to chill, while I did some research on bison.
In cooking with Bison you have to be aware of one extremely important factor. 
It is a lean meat!  For every 100 grams of Bison there is 1.35 grams of fat (contrast that with Beef which has 11.1 grams of fat per 100 grams)
What does this mean for the carnivore meat lover?   It means that it has a totally different preparation method!  It will take 1/3 LESS time, and 1/3 less heat.    The bonus:  You can now have your steak and eat healthier!  Remember how I said I cheated in making the suggested recipe?  I chose to marinate my bison steaks, in typical fashion. If you want the marinade recipe, click here.  After I allowed my bison to marinate and get happy, I cranked up the grill. 

In knowing that these steaks cook faster, and use less heat I made sure to keep an eye on them.  I'm typically a well done kinda gal, but for the bison I made an exception and cooked them to medium rare, meaning the internal temperature was about 110°-115°.   Don't the steaks look mouthwatering!

After letting my steaks rest for the nominal time, I then proceeded to slice them. One slightly important note to make.  This recipe calls for fresh mozzarella, so please don't use the brick stuff, use the fresh stuff.  Back to the center of attraction: Voila!  Bison Caprese Farfalle salad - it's the same recipe, just renamed *grins* doesn't it look yum!  The bison council twitter group thought so!!!

Add caption

 

Spook-tacular treats!

Pumpkins, goblins, candy, costumes, and Karo syrup!  The bewitching hour of Halloween is always a fun time for kids and adults alike.

Pillsbury pumpkin perfection...

There's something about October that I love.  I'm not sure if it's the weather, the leaves turning a brilliant shade of red, amber, and a golden brown, or if it just means that the upcoming holidays are quickly approaching which translates into baking for me. Haha!

A bowl of soup

It's the middle of September, and across some of the country it's getting cooler. That means it's the perfect time for a bowl of soup!

Progresso meets pasta

This month as an Allrecipes brand ambassador one of the brand sponsors was Progresso.  They sent out five different flavours of their new cooking sauces.  I immediately looked at the ingredient label and 4 out of the 5 cooking sauces listed water as the main (first) ingredient.  I inwardly cringed and thought the sauces would lack flavour.  I hesitated on cooking anything as I'm not paid for my time, or any ingredients I may use.

The flavours I received were: Creamy roasted garlic, Creamy portobello, Fire roasted tomato, Creamy three cheese, and Creamy Parmesan Basil.

I was given a list of recipes from which to choose and I'll admit that as a food snob I didn't want to use the products. I grudgingly settled for the easy weeknight bacon mac 'n cheese using the Creamy three cheese cooking sauce.

I'll admit to tweaking it up a little bit.  Instead of the cheese loaf (think Velveeta) I used a blend of extra sharp cheddar and mild cheddar cheese.  The sauce looked thin.  I groaned and fussed.

I put the dish together and proceeded to bake it, placed it in the oven set the timer and waited for it to cook.  I'll admit that my next reaction shocked me.  This stuff smelled good!  Seriously good.  My stomach was growling!  Finally the dish was done...and wait...where did that soupy thin sauce go to?!  I wasn't about to let this mac 'n cheese cool down.  I wanted it, and I scooped some out.  Oh wow!  This stuff tastes amazing!   I never thought I would've liked a sauce out of a can, but this really surprised me!   If you've seen the starter sauces you should give this one a try!

*Disclosure: The information and free Progresso Recipe Starters products were provided by Progresso through the Allrecipes Brand Ambassadors Program.

A mouthful of mushrooms

This will be a relatively short blog, but sometimes it's the little things in life that are often the most memorable.  A couple of weeks ago I stumbled onto an incredibly simple mushroom recipe that has had me CRAVING mushrooms ever since.

I served the mushrooms on top of a filet mignon, along w/ a side of baked potato, and asparagus w/ roasted mushrooms and pronounced dinner done. I didn't think too much about it, but I submitted a picture of my dinner (mainly the mushrooms) to Allrecipes.com b/c the mushrooms didn't have a picture and were therefore a "faceless" recipe.

Imagine my surprise to see that people had voted my picture and it ended up being a top picture the following day!  It's like I said it's the little things in life.  That picture was the FIRST time I've ever had any picture I've taken show up as a "winner" :-)

Sausage and salad

Where has the last month gone?!  I've been traveling a LOT! In the time I've been absent I took a trip from Tampa, FL to Seattle, WA and upon my return I moved from Tampa, FL to Oklahoma City, OK!  I'm just beginning to settle down (temporarily) into Oklahoma.  I may move around a LOT, but I don't think I'll ever lose my passion for flavour.

One recent change I've made has been eating healthier.  Earlier this year I became acquainted with al Fresco sausages.  They have made their way into my kitchen on a regular basis. I'm loving their Roasted Garlic chicken sausage.  It's packed full of flavour and is also healthy -for those on a points plan it calculates out to 3 points per sausage!  Today I made a super fantastic ceasar salad (6 points!)

Can you believe this salad can be made in less than 10 minutes?!  I don't think you could drive to that overly priced sandwich, soup, and salad place and get a salad this good! 

Bring on the grill!

May has got to be one of my favourite months - if for any other reason than it's usually the PERFECT weather for grilling out!

One of my activities for the month of May was to use a recipe from the Memorial day collection at Allrecipes.com.  I've always been one to push the edge w/ my cooking, so when I saw the recipe for the Crunchy coconut and lime burgers I knew I had to try it!

First thing I knew was that I would NOT add the salt as the soy sauce is MORE than salty enough.  Next I left out the egg.  I didn't see the purpose in adding the egg.  I was in shock with the amount of mayonnaise the recipe called for and I dropped it to a max of 2 Tbsp per burger.   Next up...taste test!

These were given great reviews by my friends at the gun range!  Perfectly seasoned, flavourful, and the carmelised coconut was a perfect touch!  Absolutely a burger made for the grill! 

Buttery goodness

Are there ever times when you smell something and a memory comes back to mind?  Sometimes when I smell cinnamon I start reminiscing on the comforts of home.  In thinking about cinnamon most people will readily think cinnamon rolls as they have gained popularity from a well known bakery chain.  Have you ever thought about cinnamon scones tho?

The other day I decided to use my newly purchased scone pan and I made cinnamon scones.   Granted I didn't follow the recipe in its entirety and while I'm giving credit to the recipe, I'll share my tweaked version below.

2 cup all purpose flour
4 TBSP sugar, divided
2 TBSP brown sugar
3/4 tsp cinnamon, divided
1 TBSP baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 TBSP cold unsalted butter (cut into 6 pieces)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream


Preheat oven to 375°F.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, 2 TBSP sugar, brown sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and work into the flour mixture, using a pastry blender, until the butter and flour form pea size balls.
Add vanilla, egg and 1/2 cup of the heavy cream. Mix together. If the dough is too dry, continue mixing and adding more cream 1 Tbsp at a time in small increments until a pliable dough has formed.
If you have a scone pan, evenly divide the dough amongst the pan and press into place.  Otherwise dump dough onto a floured surface and form into about an inch tall rectangle. Cut into triangles. Brush the tops with more heavy cream. In a small bowl, mix together the remaining 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 2 Tbsp sugar. Sprinkle mixture on top of scones.
Place on a non-stick baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes. Top with your favorite icing* 

*I used a Four roses bourbon, mixed with butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar for a buttery bourbon vanilla glaze - it was incredible!

Chicken Kiev: updated culinary classic

Chicken kiev - I'll never forget the first time I made it, subsequently it was the last time I made it until I found a different way to make it.   Thanks to a recipe I found that made this classic extra easy to prepare!   Can you believe that I had everything pictured from oven to table in UNDER 45 minutes - including prep time?

Admittedly I strayed ever so slightly but I think my changes were on target w/ the goal of the recipe.  While the recipe initially called for some white bread to be pulsed in a food processor I figured there was no need to use white bread, and I substituted a mixture of panko bread crumbs and Italian seasoned bread crumbs using a 2:1 ratio. 

Most important part in this recipe - you'll need to use BUTTER!  Don't even think for a moment that you'll get the same results by using an oily spread!

Allrecipes: a trip down memory lane

A little over 10 years ago I first discovered Allrecipes.com.  Admittedly I didn't join right away because I had an annual subscription to a well known cooking magazine, and I also didn't have a computer at my house.  I soon began working a full time job, and as a result I had a very limited time to devote to thumbing through a magazine, finding recipes that I hoped were good, writing down a menu, writing down a grocery list, and going grocery shopping. 

I decided to buy a computer, and quickly joined the Allrecipes.com community. I loved that I didn't have to wait for a month to pass in order to have a supply of new recipes.  I enjoyed that I could save recipes that I wanted to try, I could create a menu, I could do ingredient searches for recipes, I could submit a picture for any recipe I made, and I could also share my experience via the recipe review area.

One of the memories I have that stands out to me is the year that I was away from my family for Thanksgiving. I had most of our family's Thanksgiving recipes, but there was one recipe that was absent from my collection. Through tears and homesickness I turned to Allrecipes trying to find a recipe like my granna's giblet gravy.  I will have to say that Allrecipes truly lives up to their name!  Allrecipes made the difference in my Thanksgiving dinner as I found a giblet gravy recipe that was almost identical to my granna's.

Over the past 10 years I've had many culinary challenges as well as successes, and like a cherished
friend Allrecipes has been there for me. 

Refreshingly good - sausage!

For the month of April one of the brand partners I've worked with has been Al Fresco. Their products are both natural, unique and taste amazing!  While not all products are readily available in my city, the products I've tried have been bursting with flavour!

One of the recipes I've tried is the Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage, Endive, & Blueberry Salad with Toasted Pecans I did make some deviations to the original recipe but it didn't detract from the mouth watering goodness!

One of the slight changes I made was to use Lyle's Golden Syrup in place of the honey.  I found that the Lyle's golden syrup gives a distinctive buttery taste that is simply incredible!   In place of pecans I used glazed walnuts. 

Many of those that I've had the occasion of discussing the Al Fresco sausage with have all mentioned the same thing...price point.  Depending on where you live, the sausage may run $6 for a package.  I easily remedied the pricing issue by purchasing the breakfast version of the sausage - which is the same product, but the sausage size is reflective of it being the breakfast version. 

Al Fresco currently has a coupon for $1 off their products so if you're lucky enough to locate their products give them a try - your mouth will thank you!