Lawhorn's Signature Seasonings

Children are picky. Let's face it, clothing, hair, FOOD - it's all something kids can be very particular about. In this house the food issue can be huge and there are several reasons for it, but in a nutshell the kids are very discerning about what seasonings I use.

One of their favorites is a well-known national seasoning blend that they like on bagels, no matter what they're topped with. It so happens that we were out of that particular one when Lawhorn's Signature Seasonings All-In-One Professional Seasoning Blend showed up at the door.

Everyone's favorite use, up-close and personal.

My oldest son grabbed it from the shelf and used it, then the next child used it and the next and the next (and you do know I have 7 kids, right?) until everyone had tried it without my knowing. They were hooked and I've had to fight them off so I can effectively test it for myself and deliver results to my readers.

Lawhorn's was developed by Tim Lawhorn, then Executive Chef and Assistant Food & Beverage Director of the Innverary Hilton Hotel in Ft. Lauderdale. Trying to help cut costs for the hotel, he began toying around with herbs and seasonings to come up with a blend that could be used on virtually anything and he hit the jackpot. The blend that he cam up with was so unique that it tasted different on everything it was used on.

Skeptical as I am, I tried it for myself on everything I could think of. Pork, chicken, beef, shrimp, fish, veggies (zucchini with Lawhorn's is to-die-for). Yep, Tim Lawhorn is right, it really does have a different effect on each food. My personal favorite is Lawhorn's on pork, but the hands-down winner here (beyond the kids' cheese bagels) is mixed into ground chuck for just about the best burgers you'll ever eat.

Worried about sodium? Don't! Lawhorn's contains 65-7-% less sodium than most 'seasoned salts', is made from 100% natural ingredients and is certified Kosher, as well.

Give it a try, you absolutely must, because my telling you won't sell it, it really sells itself. Pick up a bottle at the stores listed here, or buy it directly from the website.

While you're there, check out the blog, recipes, testimonials, history of Lawhorn's and even the commercial. Also give them a follow on Twitter and Facebook and tell them Anne sent you.

Lucky Leaf Pot-A-Cakes

I admit to being a baker who uses canned pie filling. It's not anything I'm ashamed of, on the contrary, I think it makes me a smarter baker. While fresh cherry pie is lovely, pitting cherries is not, and while fresh blueberries are the bomb, some days I just need them ready to go. I will admit that using apple pie filling from a can is something you'll almost never see me do, but I've slipped there on occasion, too.

Lucky Leaf recently sent along a few recipes for me to try along with cans of their pie fillings to make them with. The first was a clear winner in our house. Lucky Leaf Pot-A-Cakes was the Grand-Prize Winner of the Lucky Leaf Blue Ribbon Recipe challenge, submitted by Gloria Herdman of Pomeroy, Ohio. A combination of streusel bread, blueberry pie filling and cheesecake, they were absolutely yummy.

Pot-A-Cakes

Ingredients

1 21-ounce can LUCKY LEAF ® Premium Blueberry Pie Filling
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 4-serving size package (3.4 ounces) French vanilla instant pudding mix
1 1/3 cups whipping cream
1 17.4- to 18.3-ounce package cinnamon streusel quick bread mix
2/3 cup water
2 eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Divide pie filling among eight 10-ounce custard cups or ramekins (for one dish recipe see below). Set cups on a large baking sheet; set aside.
2. In a large bowl beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in pudding mix. Gradually beat in whipping cream until well combined (mixture will be thick). Spoon evenly over pie filling in cups.
3. In another large bowl combine quick bread mix, water, eggs, and oil. Stir until combined but slightly lumpy. Spoon 1/4 cup of the batter over the cream cheese mixture in each cup. Sprinkle evenly with all but 1/4 cup of the packaged streusel mixture. Spoon remaining batter over the streusel (batter won't cover the streusel layer). Sprinkle with reserved streusel. (Note: Cups will be full.)
4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into top portion comes out clean. Cool slightly. If desired, drizzle tops of cakes with icing* before serving. Serve warm.

*Icing: If your quick bread does not contain an icing packet, in a small bowl combine 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons milk, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla. If necessary, stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to make drizzling consistency.

One Dish Method: Prepare batters as above. Spread pie filling in a 3-quart rectangular baking dish. Dollop pudding mixture atop. Spoon on about 1/2 of the batter and sprinkle with all but 1/4 cup of the streusel. Spoon on remaining batter and sprinkle with reserved streusel. Bake in a 350°F for 40 minutes. Cool slightly and drizzle with icing.

Servings: 8

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Lucky Leaf products provided free of charge. This post and resulting opinions are my own and have not be influenced by free product.

Cookies!

Once again, we all know I don't like to bake cookies. It's tedium to me and I'd much rather make (and eat!) a large-ish chocolate cake smothered in even more chocolate ganache, but I make cookies for my dear children.

One thing that makes the whole task easier is to have pre-made dough on-hand. I will often whip up a batch of whatever strikes my fancy and stow it away in the freezer for later. However, I don't always have the time and will once in a great while resort to dough from the grocer's freezer. The only problem with that is the iffy ingredients often involved.

Enter the perfect solution for moms who are not only in short on time, but looking for products that aren't chock-full of preservatives and the like, Ice Box Bakery. Created by mom and pastry chef, Jen Bush, the Ice Box Bakery line covers it all; fresh ingredients and ease of use.

Not only are the cookies preservative-free and simple to bake and slice, they're absolutely delicious. Our test batches went from parchment-lined baking sheet to tummies in no time flat. And with 8 fabulous flavors to choose from, there's sure to be a cookie for everyone! Check them out: Gluten Free Chocolate Chip, Deluxe Chocolate Chip, Classic Sugar Cookies, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, Double Dutch Chocolate, Chewy Ginger Spice, Tart Cherry Pie, and Old Time Peanut Butter.

Ice Box Bakery Deluxe All-Natural Cookie Doughs can be found at retailers nation-wide by searching here: http://www.iceboxbakery.com/store-locator .

Ice Box Bakery Samples Provided free of charge through Ice Box Bakery.

Lindsay Olives - Perfect for Any Party

I love olives. Next to tomatoes they are my very favorite food and I could eat every variety known to man every minute of every day. That's serious love, folks. What I don't enjoy too much is opening cans. I like black olives as much as the next person (although Nicoise are my favorite) but wrestling cans open (you have to know my can opener to understand) just isn't fun.

Lindsay Olives have come up with a brilliant solution; re-closeable containers. While I admit that I could finish off an entire can of olives myself, not everyone has such fortitude and the need to store the little black gems is necessary.

Pitted ripe olives (medium or large size) and Italian Seasoned are the three products that come in handy little resealable bowls. Eat what you want, pop the lid back on and stow them in the fridge until the next time you need them - which would be every 5 minutes for me, but may be longer for other individuals. The Italian Seasoned olives are my favorite of the bunch - they taste nearly identical to my favorite baked olive, but with the added bonus of being ready from the jar! Those were gone in 15 minutes flat.

Try them for yourself by checking out the Lindsay website for a store near you, a valuable coupon and a complete list of Lindsay olive products. See if you don't think these are the next best thing to sliced tomatoes, too.

Strawberry Bread with More Fruit - Lucky Leaf Premium Pie Fillings

I've been baking for many, many years now - I was at least 10 when I started making sugar cookies and I'm not quite sure how old I was when I started making apple pies, but I know it was more than 25 years ago. I've used all sorts of fillings for pie, mostly homemade, but there are times I've relied on canned pie fillings.

I've not been disappointed, really, but it's not the same as the real deal. There's always more 'gunk' than fruit and sometimes the fruit itself just isn't very appetizing. Lucky Leaf recently revamped their fillings to be less 'gunky' and more fruity, and I think they've succeeded.

I was sent two cans of filling - one apple and one strawberry - along with a cookbook for recipe ideas. I couldn't find a better use for the apple pie filling than the apple and ginger tart in the cookbook, so I made that and it was gone so quickly that I never got a chance to take a photo.

The strawberry filling was a bit of a challenge for me. I find it hard to know what to do with strawberries when they aren't in season, so I had to think a bit. I took a recipe I already had for Strawberry Bread and altered it slightly to use the pie filling instead of the usual frozen strawberries.

This time the kids were at school so I had a chance to get a photo or two, but once they were home, the bread was gone instantly. In other words, there really is a lot of fruit in those cans and it's not lacking in flavor or overprocessed.

Strawberry Bread
(the unaltered version is linked above)
Printable Recipe

1 can Lucky Leaf Premium Strawberry Pie Filling
4 eggs
1 c cooking oil
1 1/2 c sugar
3 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 c chopped nuts

Stir first 4 ingredients together well then add dry ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in nuts and pour into 2 9x5 inch greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

*I top ours with cinnamon sugar.

You can find Lucky Leaf Premium Pie Fillings at your local grocer, and for a FREE copy of the cookbook, you can find it here: http://luckyleaf.com/RecipeBook.aspx

Ann Clark Cookie Cutters

With the Holidays fast approaching cookie making is at an all-time high. If you want cookie cutters that are sturdy, cut cleanly and have more variety than any other, you want Ann Clark Cookie Cutters.

Ann Clark started small, at a Philadelphia trade show, and is now one of the most well-known cookie cutter makers in the country. In fact, I pass by one of the Ann Clark Ltd. racks when I shop at Wegmans and I have to stop, each and every time, to look at them or add to my collection. Not only are these cookie cutters still made here in the USA - in Vermont - they are some of the cutest and most varied designs I have ever seen. Each cookie cutter comes with a tag that was designed and created by Ann Clark herself.

I have 3 cookie cutters that I received to review and each cut cleanly, held shape, cleaned up easily and the kids loved helping me use them. We used the cookie recipe that came with the cutters and it was so good that my kids asked me to make a second batch - right away!



Here's the recipe:

Sugar Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cup sifted flour

Directions:

Cream together: 1 cup butter 2/3 cup sugar
Beat in: 1 egg
Add: 1 Teaspoon vanilla 1/2 Teaspoon salt 2 1/2 cups sifted flour
Mix until all ingredients are well blended. Chill dough 3-4 hours before rolling Preheat oven to 350. Roll out 1/4" thick and cut. Bake about 8-10 minutes or until barely colored. Remove from cookie sheets and cool on wire racks. Cookies can be frosted and decorated or eaten just plain. Enjoy!

There are traditional tin cutters, copper cutters, entire sets, contemporary designs and so much more! You can find Ann Clark cookie cutters and more at the company website, www.annclarkcookiecutters.com and you can also read Ann's blog at Make More Cookies - now run off to check it all out and tell them the 'other Anne' sent you!

Natural Brew Sodas

I don't drink soft drinks as a rule, but once in a while I'll give in and have one that's off the beaten track. I'm not overly fond of cola and the lemon-lime type don't usually do it for me, either. Mostly, it's just too sweet, too fizzy and lacking in any real depth of flavor - and I can't see loading up with completely empty calories in such a lackluster way.

That being said, when it comes to fall and winter holidays, I usually concede and purchase ginger ale or root beer. I like that they aren't so sweet and the flavor is different than the standard sodas. So, when I was offered a full round of Natural Brew, I opted to check them out, knowing that our annual harvest party was in the near future.

I served them up with our fare of pumpkin-everything and pork products galore and the kids and I all really ejoyed them. This isn't your usual cola, and it isn't even the usual for root beer and ginger ale, these are robust in flavor and very different than all the other ginger ales, root beers, colas and creme sodas I've ever had.

These drinks fit in with my way of thinking - they're hand-crafted in small batches (think micro-brewing), and they're also produced with natural ingredients, using no artificial colors, flavors or additives. WOW!

These are really worth a try, I absolutely love their Draft Root Beer and the Outrageous Ginger Ale? Oh, not only does it taste like it's got the freshest just-grated ginger in it, when I wasn't feeling so good last week, it was just the ticket to settle my tummy. The kids loved it all, too and they can be picky, even when it comes to sodas.

Natural Brew comes in six delicious flavors:

Draft Root Beer – Brewed the old-fashioned way using only the finest ingredients from nature for a classic flavor. No need for anything else.

Outrageous Ginger Ale – We start with the zestiest ginger and add a splash of sweetness to create the brisk zing of our Outrageous Ginger Ale.

Vanilla Crème Soda – A soothing blend of the finest vanilla beans makes this classic a favorite for easy sipping.

Lemon Lime – Refreshing and bold, this lively mix of tart lemon and sweet lime will brighten your day.

Concord Grape – Reminiscent of childhood days, this authentic grape flavor will take you back to the soda fountain, summer time and baseball games.

Natural Brew handcrafted sodas are sold in 4-packs and available nationwide at natural food stores, the natural section of your local grocery and other select vendors for $5.49 per 4-pack.

Find a store near you that carries Natural Brew, because you will most definitely want to try it for yourself. Here in the Lehigh Valley and surrounding areas you can find it at the following retailers:

Queens Nutritional Products
1450 Pennsylvania Avenue
Allentown, PA
(610)691-6644

Shaffer's Health Center
Fairgrounds Market
Allentown, PA
(610)439-1013

Sign Of The Bear Natural Foods
514 N. Saint Cloud St.
Allentown, PA
(610)439-8575

Grahams Natural Health Source
750 South 25th St
Easton, PA
(610)252-7707

Nature's Way Markets
143 Northampton Street
Easton, PA
(610)253-0940

Healthy Alternatives
7150 Hamilton Blvd
Trexlertown, PA
(610)366-9866

Nature's Garden Limited
4290 Perkiomen Ave
Reading, PA
(610)779-3000

Products to Try

Crofter's Organic Superfruit Spreads - I had no idea what a superfruit was before this, and I'm still not sure I do, but it wouldn't make a difference to me with these spreads, they're so good it doesn't matter! Chock full of real fruit (a full pound in each jar!), tons of flavor and antioxidants like you've never seen before, you won't need another jam, jelly or preserve after you taste these. They are available in four different World-Traveled flavors:

• Crofter’s North America Superfruit: Classic Cranberry and Blueberry
• Crofter’s South America Superfruit: Exotic blend of Maqui Berry and Passionfruit
• Crofter’s Europe Superfruit: Old world Pomegranate and Black Currant
• Crofter’s Asia Superfruit: Bright blend of Yumberry and Raspberry

We had these on toast and English muffins every morning and I used a jar of Asia Superfruit for these delicious Fruit and Grain Bars I made for Family.com. Perfect! Find a location near you that sells these - NOW.

Gourmè Mist™ Olive Oil and Vinegar Misters are not only healthy oil and vinegar alternatives and organic to boot, they're also great for the environment. These misters work with a pump-action cap that dispenses a continuous stream of product without using aerosols.

Swanson Natural Goodness™ Chicken Broth has 1/3 less sodium and is 100% fat free but there's no way you'd know either. I've been making my own chicken stock for years and this is as close as I've come to it in a prepared product. I used it straight up as a soup base and also to cook rice and the flavor waas right on. Anything better for you that also tastes good is something I appreciate.

Le Towelé™ - Lost your towel? Not anymore! This handy little invention makes it easy to keep your towel at your side at all times. My kids like to run off with my kitchen towels at every turn and this gadget has thwarted them and kept the towel on my side. Check out Le Towelé™ and many other fine products at ARGEE Corporation.

Review: Perfect Salad Partners

Jennifer Chandler's Salad Niçoise

I was fortunate enough this month to have two products offered to me to review that just happened to be the perfect pairing: Simply Salads -a cookbook by Jennifer Chandler, and Tanimura and Antle Artisan Lettuces. What a great combo for this time of year!


I adore salads, so any cookbook that focuses solely on recipes for delicious salads is perfect for me. Add to it the fact that each of these salads is made using a base of any one of 26 bagged salad blends, and I jumped at the chance to read it. I love this book and it's going to be getting a lot of play in my kitchen this summer.

The book begins with Salad Blends 101, a chapter detailing each of the most common bagged salad blends available, with photos, so that you know just what you're looking for. It then goes on to the best-possible pantry for salad making and then offers up more than 100 different salad recipes listed by main ingredient. Jennifer Chandler has matched up ingredients with greens creating gourmet recipes that are simple enough to serve every day.

The Tanimura and Antle clamshell design protects these beauties and keeps them fresh.

I took these recipes and paired up one of them with the Tanimura and Antle lettuces that I received and the result was pure bliss. Tanimura and Antle have been selling the freshest of the fresh in produce since 1982. These new Artisan lettuces, Tango, Oak and Gem are petite and perfect. I received 8 lettuces total: 2 red Tango, 2 green Tango, 2 red Gem and 2 green Gem. The website and literature state that these have an extended shelf-life of 16 days, and they are 100% correct. I've never had lettuces hold up so well for so long and still taste good. Think about it, my samples were shipped from California, not purchased at the store, and they made their journey here in absolutely perfect condition and held up stored in the refrigerator until I had time to use them.

They were the perfect base for the salad recipes in Simply Salads and something I hope my own local stores begin carrying.

Copies of Simply Salads are available at Amazon.com.

Please see the Tanimura and Antle website for more information on Artisan lettuce and recipes for all of their wonderful produce.

Products to Love

EatSmart Nutrition Scales: Although culinary school was a long time ago for me (16 years!) I still find myself breaking out my copy of The New Professional Chef, the preferred textbook and guide for many chef schools. The recipes are some of the best I've ever had and I like to use the pastry and bread recipes in particular. The only problem with that is the recipes ingredients are more often than not listed by weight rather than volume.

Being without kitchen scales kept me from making many of my favorites. Lots of the conversions are fairly simple, but the end result isn't always the same. Having a set of scales has made it far simpler for me to replicate those much-loved recipes.

The EatSmart Precision Pro Multifunction Digital Kitchen Scale has an extra large LCD readout and a capacity of up to 11 pounds. For something to small, it sure does a big job. It's exact to the smallest amount in both metric and customary units and takes up very little space in my kitche. That was a huge plus for me because the kitchen we had just prior to this one was about 8ft x 8ft - truly diminutive.

For a scale that packs a punch, whether you're measuring ingredients or keeping track of your food intake, this one beats the rest hands-down in functionality and most especially, price. It sells for a mere $25.


Gaea Mediterranean food products: Certified Carbon Neutral food products from Greece. Partnering with myclimate, Gaea has offset carbon emissions from each step of their process resulting in carbon neutral products. I tried two products:

Cyprus Sauce - Rich Tomato & Orange Fusion Sauce. I had a moment's hesitation at the thought of a tomato sauce with citrus in it, but this sauce is absolutely delicious. I used Gaea's label recipe for Izmir Meatballs, and they were perfect; even the kids ate them!

Olive Oil - Laconia P.G.I. (which stands for Protected Geographical Indication) Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil from the land of the Spartans! After a few references to the movie, "300" we tried it and adored it. The flavor is light, bright and buttery smooth.

Ile de France Suprême Cheese: A soft-ripened cheese made with crème fraîche that boasts a fat content of 63%, this is one seriously rich cheese. While I try to come up with a great recipe for each of the Ile de France cheeses I've tried, this one was put to so many different uses that I lost track. I added it to creamy polenta for breakfast, tucked it into the vegetable filling of of my latest strudel, added it to the top of toasted bagels and stirred it into a rich homemade macaroni and cheese. This is a truly decadent cheese, meant to be eaten in small amounts, that delivers big flavor with every bite.

Scanpan: Scanpan, a Danish cookware maker, has just released the World's first PFOA-Free line of nonstick pans using Green Tek surfacing. I just won one of these at What's Cooking and I'm already in love with it. Made of ceramic and titanium, it holds and distributes heat very well and the safe nonstick surface has made this my go-to pan for omelets and other egg dishes. I also love that the pan comes with its own heat-resistant holder that fits right over the handle. Putting this pan in and out of the oven is a breeze and the fact that it can be put into the oven is my other favorite feature.


Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil: Did you know that coconut oil is not bad for you? After years of being vilified, coconut oil is making a comeback, and rightly so. The antibiotic and healing properties of this simple oil are unmatched and the saturated fat content is actually a 'good' saturated fat. If you don't believe me, get over to Tropical Traditions to watch the video, read the testimonies, and check out amazing (and heartwrenching) story of how this particuar coconut oil, the first certified 'virgin' and organic came to be.

This is the best coconut oil on the market with higher antioxidant levels than any other sold and the flavor doesn't compare to others either. We've used it in cooking, straight up and even set aside some to use externally on minor cuts and rashes. It's amazing stuff with awesome healing properties that begs to be looked at.

Ile de France Goat Cheese

I'm positive by now that it's no secret that my favorite cheese is goat cheese. A quick search on my blog turns up quite a few mentions of it. So, when I was offered the chance to sample and blog about goat cheese, you can bet I was thrilled. Ile de France happens to be the goat cheese I buy most often and the lovely package I received reinforced that for me.

While I've used goat cheese in many recipes, from pizzas to tarts, my very favorite way to enjoy is is with a crusty and warm loaf of French bread, a bowl of tapenade and some good olive oil. I prefer my cheese rolled in herbs or pepper and this time I used freshly cracked garlic pepper to coat the bouchette of cheese in. It was, as always, perfection.

The Ile de France website has all you need to know about this wonderfully tangy and creamy cheese - from recipes to pairings to history. Go and have a look and I'll sit back and enjoy my cheese.

St. Andrè Dessert Tart

A most delicious and decadent tart

In the world of cheeses there is one that stands head and shoulders above the rest in terms of richness. That cheese is St. Andrè. Hailing from France (mais, oui) it is a triple crème cheese with a soft rind and a butterfat content of 70% - rich, indeed.

St. Andrè triple crème cheese - just starting to soften at the top, if left at room temperature for 20 minutes it will become soft and very spreadable.

It pairs perfectly with several light beers and is perfect for spreading on a French baguette. I decided to do something a bit more decadent and designed this dessert tart using this truly luxurious cheese. The crust is very tender and delicate and the filling was perfectly done - not too set, just right. I may make this again with cream cheese replacing the ricotta. Not that it's not divine as-is, but the ricotta makes the texture a bit more grainy than I'd like. I think cream cheese or mascarpone would do very well here.

Find out more about St. Andrè Cheese at the Ile de France website or check out their interactive cheese map for other delicious French cheeses.

Orange, pine nuts and St. Andrè cheese make this tart a wonderfully delicious treat.

St. Andrè Dessert Tart
Serves 8

1 cup lightly toasted pine nuts - divided
1 stick butter
1 1/2 c unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-2 Tablespoons milk
1 cup ricotta cheese
12 ounces St. Andre cheese - rind removed and at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon orange extract
1 teaspoon orange zest
(Larger amounts of orange flavoring mask the cheese too much)

Process 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts until finely chopped. Add butter and pulse until smooth. Add flour and salt and pulse until crumbly. Add milk, as needed, and run processor on low speed until a ball forms. Remove dough from processor and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine ricotta, St. Andre, sugar, eggs, extract and zest in processor and pulse until very smooth and well combined. Fold in remaining pine nuts.

Press dough into and up the sides of a greased 10-inch spring-form pan or a pan with removable sides. Pour in filling and bake at 350 degrees F for 40 - 45 minutes or until center is nearly set. Shake the pan gently to determine this. A little jiggle in the center is what you're looking for.

Let cool for 20 minutes or so before refrigerating. Serve chilled.

Veggie Wednesday: Zōe's Granola

Zōe Foods may be small, but they're packing some serious flavor and goodness. Take their granola's for example; We taste-tested all three flavors - Cranberries Currants, Honey Almond and Cinnamon Raisin.

Unlike other granolas, which are mostly made up of oats, nuts and dried fruit, Zōe's has these great little soy crisps and rice crisps that make the crunch a whole different experience. Not only is the flavor and crunch awesome, these granolas are chock-full of protein, fiber and Omega-3's, low in sodium and wheat and dairy free.

Here's a tiny excerpt from a conversation I had with my 7 year-old daughter over breakfast one morning:

Katie: Why does the box say, "All Day Energy"?

Me: Because it has a lot of stuff in it that's good for you.

Katie: But, it tastes good!

Exactly.

Try out Zōe's for yourself at www.zoefoods.com , online at Amazon.com or at the retailers listed HERE.

Veggie Wednesday: Piccolo Foods

Piccolo Foods new pestos, spreads and tapenades are perfection in a little container. I will free you to read the official press release, but I must tell you that these are absolutely fabulous.

I was able to try Spinach Feta Dip, Artichoke Pesto, Green Olive and Almond Pesto and Green Chili Smoked Gouda Spread, and each one was exactly like homemade; perfectly flavor-balanced, preservative free and organic - which means there was no chemical or 'off' flavors going on at all. I can't count the times I've purchased pre-made pestos and the like and been very disappointed in the mass-produced taste.

The Green Chili and Smoked Gouda Spread and Spinach Feta dip went so fast I was left wishing I had another container. The Gouda Spread was perfect on a toasted bagel as well as with crackers. I used the Artichoke Pesto on fettuccine and it was velvety and smooth and so flavorful. The Green Olive and Almond Pesto was perfect on penne and I even had little ones begging for more. I'll be looking for these to serve on Christmas day - and you should, too!


Piccolo Foods Introduces First Line of Artisanal Pestos, Spreads and Tapenades

New Products Are Designed to Enliven Home-cooked Meals and Entertaining

Lafayette, Colo., Dec. 3, 2008 – Piccolo Foods, a new brand of artisanal, preservative-free dips, pestos, spreads and tapenades, are being introduced in specialty foods markets and grocery stores throughout New York City, New Jersey, Colorado and New Mexico starting today.

Available in 16 varieties, Piccolo Foods’ products are the latest offering from Tellory Inc., the same company that produces the successful Ciolo Foods line of all-natural pestos, spreads and tapenades sold exclusively in Whole Foods Markets.

The Piccolo Foods product line combines healthy, high-quality, sustainably produced ingredients in convenient, recyclable packages. Combinations include Spinach Feta Dip, Artichoke Pesto, Green Olive and Almond Pesto, Green Chili Smoked Gouda Spread, Santa Fe Pimento Cheese, Kalamata Artichoke Tapenade and “Tzing!” a Roasted Asian Eggplant spread.

All products are hand-crafted in the company’s modern and comfortable plant just outside the city of Boulder, Colorado.

"These products are designed to help today's time-constrained home cooks create restaurant-quality meals and parties quickly and inexpensively," said Mallory Kates, who co-founded Piccolo Foods in 2008 with business partner Curt Tellam. "The current economy means that more people will cook and entertain at home, and our products give them a creative shortcut."

The first retailers to carry the Piccolo Foods line include King Soopers in Colorado; Fairway, Zabar’s, Westside Markets, Amish Markets and Zaytuna Market, all in the New York City area; Kings Super Markets in New Jersey and Eldorado Supermarket in New Mexico.

Piccolo's products have a shelf-life of 30 to 60 days and a retail price ranging from 4.99 to $5.99. All Tellory Inc. products are created with a commitment to protecting the environment. The company uses biodegradable plastic containers and has a company-wide recycling program. Serving suggestions and recipes can be found at www.piccolofoods.com.

About Tellory Inc.

Tellory Inc.is a Colorado-based company founded in 2006 as Chello Foods. The company sells its Ciolo line of preservative-free, artisanal pestos, dips and spreads exclusively to more than 100 Whole Foods Markets nationwide. In December 2008, the company launched its second brand, Piccolo Foods, an equally healthy, natural line of hand-crafted tapenades, spreads, dips and pestos, in key U.S. regions. Co-founders Curt Tellam and Mallory Kates take special pride in the fact that they not only source their own ingredients, their company also manufactures every product from its own facility in Boulder County, Colorado.

The Spice Depot

If you haven't come across The Spice Depot products yet, please allow me to introduce you. The Spice Depot offers three main products; The World's Best Grinders, Organic Dried Herbs and Signature Spice Blends. All of their products are always all natural and in many cases, organic as well. There's nothing added, no fillers, no preservatives, no nothing; just real herbs and spices.

I've tried (so far) two of The World's Best Grinders - Garlic Pepper and Spicy Chicken. Both were excellent; the Garlic Pepper paired perfectly with beef, and the Spicy Chicken was fantastic on both grilled and roasted chicken. I love the built-in grinder in the top of each jar - it was easy to use, never clogged and delivered super-fresh seasoning exactly where I wanted it.

Their comprehensive website takes you through spice notes, recipes (you can also submit one of your own) and even wine pairings by ethnicity! There is a sustainability statement and they support The Zajac Ranch for Children.



Best of all, you can purchase these herb and spice blends across the United States and Canada at your local Wal-Mart stores and many other vendors. Check out the full list HERE.

Veggie Wednesday: Global Gardens

The Global Gardens Olive Oil & Gourmet Food Club, located in Southern California and on the web at http://www.oliverevolution.com/ , is a "revolutionary culinary adventure that offers members the opportunity to enjoy current harvest olive oils, vinegars and select gourmet foods made from worldly flavors." I happen to think it's just delicious.

Founded in 1998 by Theo Stephan as a way to reinvent and share her Greek heritage through food. Global Gardens is all-natural and pesticide free olive oils, organic snacks and spreads, fruit champagne vinegars and so much more. Global Gardens is Santa Barbara County’s first estate-grown, Certified Organic, Extra Virgin Olive Oil and complete food product line.

I was able to try the Pomegranate Champagne Vinegar, Mediterranean Kalamata Mustard and Asian Japanese Mushroom Roasted Garlic Spread. Each product was absolutely delicious and unique. That mustard should be an award winner! I think the unique part is what really caught me. These aren't products that I can just run to the store and find, and I'm completely OK with that, especially because the Gourmet Food Club makes these so accessible.

For a mere $39 and shipping four times a year (that's a 20% savings!) , you'll receive select Global Gourmet products; one olive oil, one fruit vinegar and one gourmet food, shipped right to your door. The 20% savings carries over to any product in the store, as well.

Log on to Global Gourmet to check out more about the club and the fantastic products.

Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker

Girl Gourmet is the newest line of 'girl toy' from Jakks Pacific. We tried out the Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker and the kids had a blast, both girl and boy alike. The cupcakes bake in a mere 30 seconds, making this the fastest 'craft' I've ever done with the kids. It comes equipped with a bowl, spatula and special measuring spoon for mixing the included cupcake and icing mixes, cupcake liners with fun prints, sprinkles, a special cupcake baker and the big guy - the cupcake icer. Simply place the baked cupcake on the icer, press down on the arm, and the icing comes out in a perfect swirl on the top of the cake.


Check out the Girl Gourmet website for information, monthly giveaways and more!

The Girl Gourmet Cupcake Maker and refills can be purchased at stores all over the U.S., including WalMart and online at Amazon.com.

Create My Cookbook is Not Like the Other Guys

How many times have you said to yourself, "I need to get all these family recipes into a book"? I know I've said it numerous times over the years. I'm heading into the "I should turn this blog into a cookbook" stage and I've checked out the web for sites that help with that sort of thing, but I've never really been satisfied with what I found out there. The bindings weren't right, I couldn't customize my cover, the layout changed if I wanted to choose more than one binding ... the list goes on.

Create My Cookbook is the perfect solution to all of those problems; and more. This site was developed with both the creation of the cookbook and its use in mind. Here are just a few of the things that make Create My Cookbook worth a look:

1. The covers are fully customizable. Choose your own photo or one of the many in stock and you're on your way to a completely unique look. Who wants a family cookbook that looks just like the one you bought from the church down the street?

2. There are multiple binding styles to choose from and you can have the same book printed in more than one binding without losing the integrity of the layout. That's a huge plus when Aunt Mabel insists that spiral bound is the only way to go, but Cousin Phyllis has to have hardback. This way you really can please everyone.

3. Collaboration! Now you can write a book with a family member or two. You know how it goes, Grandma catches wind of a family cookbook being written and she has to be Editor-in-Chief. Now she can join in and help with it without having to stop by for a visit. She can stay home in her rocking chair with her laptop and add recipe after recipe to the new family tome.

4. These recipes are YOURS, not something you pulled from a list of recipes in a database that everyone has added to. Nobody wants a recipe for Hilda's Apple pie when there's no Hilda in the family!

5. This is software developed expressly for cookbooks. Drag and drop is the name of the game and it doesn't get any easier. After all, Uncle Ed isn't too good with a keyboard and this will enable even the most technologically challenged person to create a real cookbook.

6. Add your own photos. These can be the whole gang eating like there's no tomorrow at the family reunion, or the professional-looking photos you've taken for your blog. There's no limit to creativity here.

7. Dedication. Yes, there's a customizable dedication page. Everyone who deserves such an honor can be proudly acknowledged on this page - even if it adds up to 123 people. This is where Grandma gets her name in print, even if she didn't collaborate.

8. Play before you pay. Upload those photos, type in those recipes, move it all around and make sure you love it before you purchase it. Sign up, look it over and don't pay one red penny until you're sold. They won't email you daily asking why you didn't purchase yet. They're nice like that. I promise.

Now, if that isn't enough to make you head on over to CreateMyCookbook.com and check things out, I may be able to bribe you with cookies. Let me know.

Eagle Snacks are Back!

Do you remember Eagle brand Snacks? I do. I'm old enough to remember the original 'A' shaped pretzels put out by Anheuser Busch as a snack to go with their beers.

I would accompany my step-father to a local grill to pick up cheese steaks and we would sit at the bar waiting for our order. It was then that I picked up my first Eagle Snack and fell in love with them. I was very happy to find that Eagle snacks were back.

We sampled all 7 flavors of the new Poppers and Bursts and and the kids couldn't keep their hands off them. So far the favorite is Honey Barbecue Poppers. Running a very close second is Salt & Vinegar Poppers. I wasn't too crazy about the Caramel Dulce de Leche Bursts, but that's OK, my husband finished the bag single-handedly. I can see us purchasing these new snacks often since there's a flavor that everyone seems to favor. I'm not surprised at all, they're just as good as I remember.

Don't forget to check out the website - if you're anywhere near my age, you'll love the vintage Eagle Snacks ads!

Veggie Wednesday: Tickle Me Plants

I know I usually write about veggies on Wednesday, but this time I'm going for all-out green. I just planted and grew the cutest little plants you'll ever see, and I'm starting to wonder about plants in general after this.

You know how we've all heard that talking to plants helps them to grow? You know how we were told that it was because plants use the carbon dioxide that we breathe out to grow? I really am not so sure that's the only reason that talking helps!

Why is that? Well, when you stroke a plant and it folds up and "shies away" from you - you have to start wondering about why. My Katie (7) shrieked with delight the moment she touched our first grown Tickle Me Plant and it "pulled away" from her! I have to admit that I was fascinated as well and we called the whole family over to witness the same. They all love these little plants and check on them daily to see how they are growing. I can't wait for the flowers to grow and see the plants fully developed.

Our plants actually grew in just two weeks! We had 'tickle leaves' on ours within 3 weeks. I can't think of any other plant that has grown that fast. You have to see these for yourself, and you can do that HERE. Watch the video, read all about the plant itself, and order one to have for your own! You really won't be disappointed, these are just FUN to have around.