June 18, 2013 · 8:00 am

Small Business Week Salute to King Arthur Flour

King Arthur Flour started as a family business four centuries ago, and has evolved into an employee-owned business with a world-wide footprint.  It has also done a stellar job of staying true to its small business roots.  Company employees share tempting recipes and baking tips on its baking blog, and respond rapidly and courteously to questions and an occasional complaint on its Facebook page.  A telephone hotline and online baker’s chat help home bakers achieve success.  I recently chatted online with one of King Arthur’s baking consultants while using the company’s Gluten Free Bread Mix, and the conversation was as cordial as if I had called a friend for advice.  (More on that baking experience later.)

Check out this video showcasing King Arthur’s company culture and success, then head over to my favorite biscuit recipe using King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour and try them for yourself!

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June 10, 2013 · 8:00 am

The Original Bloomer Candy Company Chocolate Peanut Butter Logs

DSC01530We love this candy!  It brings dreamy chocolate together with the crispy, crunchy taste of vintage peanut butter logs.  The box we bought was empty before we knew it!  The Original Bloomer Candy Company has been operating in Zanesville, Ohio for more than 100 years.  The company’s products are literally a part of American history, and maybe part of your own personal history,too.  Orange slices, Bit-O-Honey and circus peanuts are just a few of the retro treats available on Bloomer’s website.  I wonder how many Dum Dums, Bloomer’s fruit-flavored pops, Karen and I received at the end of children’s choir practice at church!

The company prides itself not only on maintaining its history of producing quality candies, but also to its commitment to middle-class American values.  This video from Bloomer’s website expresses the company’s operating philosophy, and shows the level of mutual commitment between employer and employees that provides the foundation for its success.

Grab yourself a sweet taste of American candy history with some of The Original Bloomer Candy Company’s treats.

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June 3, 2013 · 8:00 am

TexaFrance Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

If you tune into any of the kitchen competition or restaurant “rescue”  television shows, you know the role of the sous chef.  Second in command to the chef, the sous helps supervise the prep and line cooks, and fills in for the executive chef on his or her day off.  How great would it be to have a sous chef in your kitchen?  What if you could walk into the kitchen and find all the ingredients prepped for your evening meal?  Wouldn’t it be completely awesome to have the sous chef prepare a meal on your “night off” from cooking, instead of hitting the nearest drive-through window after a busy day?  Dream on, right?  Two chefs at TexaFrance, Inc. have come up with the next best option – fresh, small batch pestos, sauces, salsas, and condiments that get meals off to a flying start without hiring staff for your kitchen.

IMG_0525Canadian Jean Pierre Parant and Texan David Griswold joined forces to help home cooks create dishes that taste and look good with a minimum fuss.  The Austin chefs dreamed up more than 40 different products, aimed at putting a virtual sous chef in your kitchen.  We tried their Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto and the “first-bite” response was a unanimous “Yum”!  Oil, parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, pistachios, sunflower seeds, and spices combine for a delicious flavor blend that would be great topping fish or chicken, or mixed with pasta.  We whipped up some simple and delicious appetizers using ingredients we had on hand that really showcased this tasty pesto.

Slice a small baguette into 1/2″ pieces, brush with extra virgin olive oil, and toast under the broiler until it is very light golden brown.   Add a slice of mozzarella cheese, which in our kitchen, would be Rumiano Family Certified Organic, Kosher, American Humane Certified, Non-GMO Verified Mozzarella Cheese.  (We are huge fans of this cheese, and Rumiano Family Organic Montery Jack.)  Run the bread and cheese back under the broiler just long enough for the cheese to slightly melt.  Top with TexaFrance Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto, and prepare to indulge.

IMG_0498TexaFrance’s generous measure of sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan delivers a tangy, savory bite that was complemented by the creamy mozzarella.  We enjoyed our apps so much, we almost skipped the main course!

I bought TexaFrance Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto at Central Market in Dallas.  The company’s website indicates their product locator information is coming soon, so keep watching for this great pesto and check out the entire line of products!

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· 12:01 am

Spicy Green Beans

IMG_0434I wish I had come up with the recipe for these fantastic green beans, but I didn’t. I also wish I could remember where I saw the recipe, but it was so simple to execute, I didn’t bookmark it. So with apologies to whoever came up with this great idea, here is a quick and easy recipe using Robert Rothschild Farm Horseradish Sauce you’ll want to try.

Spicy Green Beans

  • 1 pound fresh or frozen petite green beans
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons Robert Rothschild Farm Horseradish Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons dijon mustard

Cook green beans in boiling water until crisp-tender, about 5 – 10 minutes.  Mix together Horseradish Sauce and dijon mustard.

Drain green beans well.  Heat oil in large skillet, add green beans, and sauté, stirring constantly for about 3 minutes.   Remove from heat, and toss green beans with horseradish & mustard mixture.  Enjoy!

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May 20, 2013 · 8:00 am

Cherith Valley Gardens Mango-Lime Salsa

We seriously are not on the payroll of the marketing department at Cherith Valley Gardens; we just love their products!  Their Mango-Lime Salsa is one of our favorites with generous bits of sweet mango, spicy jalapenos, and cilantro.  We really enjoy it over grilled fish and chicken, and it is a tasty change of pace from tomato salsa for a chip and dip plate.

Our friend and CVG owner, Terri Werner, recently posted a crockpot recipe on Facebook I knew I had to try, although we normally don’t do much crockpot cooking at our house.  I’m usually not organized enough on weekday mornings to complete dinner prep before I get my workday started, and on weekends, I like to be a lot more hands-on in the kitchen.  However, when I looked at my busy schedule for the week, Terri’s recipe sounded pretty perfect, first, because we love CVG’s Mango-Lime Salsa; second, the prep work couldn’t take more than about three minutes; and finally, I already had all the ingredients on hand.  Done deal, or so I thought.  My schedule got even crazier than I expected and the super-easy early morning recipe prep I had planned just didn’t happen, so we were in restaurants for dinner way more than we like.  By the weekend, I was running on empty and the crockpot was beginning to look like a life saver.

CVG Mango Line SalsaOn Sunday morning, I lined the crockpot with the genius disposable liners that make clean-up a snap, added 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts straight from the freezer, poured CVG Mango-Lime Salsa over the chicken and pressed “Go” on the crockpot.  The chicken cooked over low heat for about 7 hours, during which I took a very long nap!  When the chicken was done, I took it out of the crockpot and stirred in one cup of heavy cream to make a decadent sauce.  Could this be any easier?

Crockpot Mango Lime ChickenWe enjoyed the chicken over rice, with a green salad and some fresh bread.  The chicken was fall-apart tender and the creamy sauce was subtly sweet and spicy.  It was definitely the best meal of the week, and as an added bonus, the leftovers were even better the following day.  I’ve said it before: having artisan and specialty food products in my pantry makes it easy to create delicious meals for  family and friends.  CVG condiments, sauces, relishes and salsas offer great taste and convenience, so  they are often on the menu at our house.

Cherith Valley Gardens marks its 20th anniversary this month, and since the beginning, the Werner Family has focused on providing the finest in gourmet foods from their family to yours.  Well done, dear friends!  Read more about the company’s history and get some of their tasty products for your pantry.  Be sure to try their Hot n’ Spicy Corn Relish, too.  It makes some amazing cornbread.

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May 19, 2013 · 10:15 pm

Nikki’s Key Lime & Meyer Lemon Shortbread Cookies

DSC01527 We found these neat 2-cookie packs at Central Market and loved the rich, buttery cookies with a just-right citrus tang. Nikki Taylor uses all-natural ingredients and family recipes in these delicious treats. A must-try, for sure!

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May 13, 2013 · 8:00 am

1-2-3 Gluten Free Brownies

Gluten-free food has got to be one of the most significant menu trends in many years.  Many people are making voluntary decisions to go gluten-free, but those who have  been diagnosed with celiac disease have no choice but to eliminate gluten from their diets.  Such has been the case for my sweet mom, who recently learned she  has celiac.  As she has been working on a major diet makeover, I’ve been trying to help out by researching gluten-free foods and doing some cooking for her.

I purchased a box of 1-2-3 Gluten Free Brownies before I knew the story behind the product, but I started doing my research as soon as I got home with the brownie mix.  Company founder Kimberlee Ullner learned she had celiac when she was an adult, and she resigned herself to eliminate foods she loved to eat, and eat only the gluten-free foods available on the market.  Her resignation turned to resolve when her two nieces and a nephew were diagnosed with celiac.  She wanted them to be able to eat the same types of foods their friends enjoyed, and she started developing her own recipes for gluten-free foods.  Her nieces and nephew were not the only ones to give her recipes rave reviews; everyone thought they were delicious, and family members encouraged her to develop products for the market.  Kimberlee’s story was very compelling and her products appealing.

Mom and I had researched gluten-free baking from scratch, and we quickly determined that was going to be a no-go in most cases.  In Mom’s home town, all the specialty flours and gluten-free products aren’t readily available.  In anyone’s home town, these ingredients can be expensive to buy and a pain to store.  Although the products are more accessible in the Dallas area where we live, the “from-scratch” recipes we found were complicated.  Mom doesn’t have the energy, and I don’t have the time for complex recipes.

When Mom was diagnosed, one of the first gluten-free products I bought was a brownie mix that yielded an 8″x*8″ pan and cost $19.99.  Not very practical for many people!  I was happy to find the 1-2-3 Gluten Free Brownie Mix for less than one-half of that cost, and was thrilled with the end result.  The mix makes a 9″x13″ pan of thick, silky, and completely delicious brownies.  They aren’t just good gluten-free brownies; they are really good brownies, period.   The company’s tag-line is “Easy to Make, Can’t Beat the Taste!”, and we heartily agree.

1-2-3 Gluten Free Brownies

1-2-3 Gluten Free Brownies achieved a trifecta in gluten-free baking:  affordable, easy, and delicious.  Mom and I are anxious to try some of the company’s other baking mixes.  ”Aaron’s Favorite Rolls” just might be next!  Check out Kimberlee’s gluten-free mixes on her website.   Mom and I highly recommend the brownies!

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May 10, 2013 · 8:00 am

Luscombe Farm Jalapeño Pepper Jelly

I had a hair appointment a couple of weeks ago, and Allen drove across town with me since we had dinner plans close to the salon later that evening.  He killed some time in a bookstore while he waited for me, and I was surprised to see he had bought a cookbook.  Although he is great help in the kitchen, usually in the clean-up department, he doesn’t cook that much.  He makes the coffee every morning without fail, he’s in charge of bacon and eggs for Saturday morning breakfast, he always mans the grill, but he never consults a cookbook.  His purchase was a good choice, though.  We’ve been trying to eat healthier, so he picked up a Weight Watchers® book of chicken recipes.  I was practically drooling over the recipes and gorgeous pictures of chicken appetizers, soups, salads, and entreés.  I kept gravitating to a recipe for Cream Cheese and Pepper Jelly Chicken and made a mental note to pick up the ingredients on the next grocery shopping run.

Luscombe Farm Jalapeno Pepper JellyI chose Luscombe Farm Jalapeño Pepper Jelly for the dish.  The Anna, Texas Luscombe Family farm was established in 1913 and is operated today by fourth generation family members, who produce an award-winning  line of fiery jellies and peppers.  Their pale green jalapeño pepper jelly has a  spicy kick that is tempered by organic pure cane sugar.  The Luscombes remove the peppers’ seeds and membranes, so even those who aren’t fond of jalapeño heat can enjoy it.  It was so great in the chicken recipe! Full disclosure–my mental grocery shopping notes weren’t complete, and I forgot to pick up the low-fat cream cheese called for in the recipe, so I adjusted it to use some regular cream cheese I had on hand.  The recipe wasn’t quite as healthy as intended, but it was definitely delicious served with cilantro lime rice.

Cream Cheese and Pepper Jelly Chicken

  • 1/2 cup Luscombe Farm Jalapeño Pepper Jelly
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 ounces tub-style 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (about 1/2 cup), softened (I used  about 1/3 cup regular cream cheese)
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
  • 4 (6 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Cooking spray
  • 2 tablespoons water

Preheat oven to 400°.  Place jelly and garlic in a small microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave on high temperature 45 seconds, or until jelly melts, stirring after 30 seconds.

Combine cream cheese and cilantro in another small bowl.  Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket.  Stuff 1/4 of the cheese mixture into each pocket, and close openings with wooden picks.  Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.

Heat a 12-inch cast-iron (or other oven-proof) skillet over medium high heat and coat with cooking spray.  Add chicken to pan, skinned side down, and cook for about 4 minutes.  Turn chicken over and brush with jelly mixture.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until done, basting with jelly mixture in skillet after 7 minutes.  Remove pan from oven, and transfer chicken to a serving plate.  Add water to pan, stirring with a wire whisk to deglaze the pan and make sauce.  Let stand for 5 minutes.

Remove and discard wooden picks.  Spoon pan sauce over chicken and enjoy!

Luscomb Jalapeno Jelly

The Luscombe Farm website has other recipes that use their awesome jellies.  Try some in your kitchen!

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May 6, 2013 · 8:00 am

G. H. Cretors Just the Cheese Corn

My husband thinks we should have a commercial popcorn popper.  Not one of the small-scale table-top models, but a full-sized movie-theater style popcorn machine.  Right, Honey.  Exactly what we need.    There is definitely something inherently more tasty about popcorn popped in a commercial popper, though.  I never gave the origin of the commercial popcorn popper a single thought until the vintage striped bag of G.H. Cretors Just the Cheese Corn grabbed my attention at Plano’s Central Market.  In business since 1885, it just stands to reason that the Cretors family must know a thing or two about popcorn.  As I quickly learned, “Great Grandpa” Cretors invented the popcorn machine in 1885, and in 1893, it debuted at the Chicago Columbian Exposition.  Five generations later, the Cretors family is still popping corn and making Cheese Corn with his recipe.

I haven’t been a huge fan of cheese popcorn because often the “cheese” is nothing more than a chalky dusting of fake cheese powder.  Ick!  Just the Cheese Corn seemed promising, because the ingredients listed on the bag included real cheddar cheese.  That had to be a good start.  The bag also indicated Cretors Just the Cheese Corn is Kosher, gluten-free, has no GMOs, and is made with all natural ingredients.  With such an impressive resumé, I was expecting it to be really good, and it certainly was!  The popcorn was exceptionally fluffy, and the tasty cheddar cheese was tangy without even the slightest hint of chalkiness.  Add one more attribute to Just the Cheese Corn — this yummy and wholesome snack has only 170 calories in a 2-cup serving.  Are you looking for your car keys right now to run out and pick up a bag?  This would be the perfect snack for family movie night.

G.H. Cretors

G.H. Cretors offers sweet and salty Kettle Corn, Caramel Corn made with real butter, Caramel Nut Crunch with roasted nuts, and Chicago Mix, a combination of caramel corn and cheese corn.  The company’s website offers a sampler pack with full-size bags of all flavors, and also features a store locator to find a local retailer.  The vintage photographs on the site are very cool, too.  Check out this Waukegan, Illinois family company and their very tasty popcorn flavors!

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April 29, 2013 · 8:00 am

Texas Toffee Queen Dark Chocolate Espresso Toffee

Toffee Queen Dark ChocWe have had some really strange weather in the past few weeks, and have set several low temperature records.  In many ways, it hasn’t seemed much like spring, but cooler temperatures haven’t kept me from craving ice cream.  King Arthur’s website whetted my appetite with a recipe for Mocha Madness Ice Cream.  I pretty much became an instant lover of all things mocha when I finally decided to become a coffee drinker several years ago.  I eased myself into it by mixing a tablespoon of hot chocolate mix into my coffee, so now, any recipe with coffee and chocolate gets a second look.  There was one ingredient in the mocha ice cream recipe that didn’t wow me – a mix-in of Oreo cookies.  I set the recipe aside while I considered other mix-in options, and inspiration struck very soon when I saw Texas Toffee Queen Dark Chocolate Espresso toffee at Central Market.  Yeah, that would be about a 200% upgrade from Oreos!  The package label indicated the toffee needed to be refrigerated and could be frozen, so that sealed the deal.

Of course, taste-testing the toffee was the first order of business.  The rich, buttery toffee topped with creamy dark chocolate, and dusted with espresso powder was wonderful.  The toffee layer avoided the often fatal flaws of being extremely sticky or hard as granite.  It was full-speed ahead to ice cream!

Mocha Madness Ice CreamDSC01557

  • 1 cup cold whole milk
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons espresso powder
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (Dutch processed preferred)
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon Sonoma Syrup Co. Vanilla Bean Extract “Crush”
  • 1 cup Texas Toffee Queen Dark Chocolate Espresso Toffee, crushed into small pieces

Whisk together the milk, sugar, espresso power and cocoa until well blended.  Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla.  Freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions for your ice cream freezer.  Add toffee pieces during the last 5 minutes of processing.  Transfer the ice cream to an airtight freezer container and freeze for another 2-4 hours, or until it is the desired consistency.

IMG_0461

Nancy Lalumia, the Texas Toffee Queen, comes from a family well-experienced in the food service business, and she was involved in family restaurants for a number of years.  Nancy has always loved English toffee, and she made it for friends and family at Christmas.  Her sister-in-law suggested Nancy bring some of the toffee to the gourmet food shop she and her brother owned.  It quickly sold out and Nancy had a special order from Dallas Independent School District, so she made a very quick leap into the toffee business.  Her core flavors are dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate cranberry, but she also has prize-winning spicy varieties:  white chocolate mango chili, dark chocolate salted jalapeño, and white chocolate peach ginger habanero.  Wow, those all sound amazing!  Now is certainly the time to order some of Nancy’s delicious toffee, because the Texas heat makes shipping a no-go from June through October.  Read more of Nancy’s story and check out all the delicious flavors on her website.

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