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This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Edwards for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine. Who doesn't love pie, but if you are in a holiday cram for time, you may not have the time to make that "awesomesauce" homemade cream pie your family raves about. No need to stress out, [...]
I recently had the opportunity to try the new NECTRESSE™Sweetener from the makers of Splenda. Nectresse is the only 100% natural sweetener made from fruit, monkfruit to be exact, a small green melon that ...
Unchained Naked Chardonnay… I can only imagine the weirdo spam comments I will garner from this innocent wine review. Well, it will be interesting. All joking aside though, this is another wonderful white from the folks over at Big House wines. Check out my earlier review of their Big House White & Birdman Pinot Grigio. [...]
I have been creating a great deal of gluten-free recipes lately, since my daughter is on a gluten and casein free diet. Most of them can be found on my primary blog, Mom Foodie, but seeing as we have such a large Italian influence here in Rhode Island, I thought focaccia bread fit just as [...]
I recently had the opportunity to try the new Michelob Ultra Light Cider. This light version of hard cider has a reasonable 120 calories, and since it is brewed from apples, it is also gluten free. In my opinion, the reduction in sweetness to lower calories in this cider results in a more refreshing beverage. [...]
I am a fan of good Pinot Noir, and even a bigger fan of good reasonably priced wines. The 2010 Mandolin Pinot Noir is one of those wines. The wine has nice balance . It goes down smoothly, while still entertaining your palette. What really stood out in this wine for me personally was the [...]
I recently had the opportunity to try out the new Quaker Soft Baked Bar line. I found these soft delicious bars to be a perfect breakfast snack , as well as, a convenient pick-me-up before a workout session. They are packed with 5 B-vitamins, which of course are helpful in boosting energy. These bars would also be nice post-workout too, since they have 6 grams of protein, at just 140 calor
This Oyster Mushroom and Goat Cheese Bruschetta recipe is easy to make. The rich flavors of the ingredients don’t need much help, so I kept it pretty simple. Since it is quick to prepare, it’s perfect for adding a course to special meals, when crunched for time. I personally would serve a creamy chardonnay with [...]
I was on a red wine kick, until recently. Zin to be exact, but I have been re-branching out, and thanks to a shipment from Big House Wine Company, I am having a lovely glass of blended white right now. Whites need some acid, but often they have too much for my taste. Yes, they [...]
I recently tried both the Pinot Grigio and the Shiraz from FishEye Winery. I found both to be easy drinking, and would make excellent options for serving at a dinner party or event. You see, FishEye offers their wines in a variety of convenient sizes. Both the Shiraz and Pinot Grigio are available in 750 [...]
I am generally more of a Zinfandel drinker, but do enjoy other reds on occasion. Upon opening, the nose shows plum/cherry and subtle tobacco, all of which hold throughout drinking. The strongest flavor in this wine is sweet black plum. Overall wine is mellowed with a hint of buttery oak. A light note of licorice [...]
I have seen confit made many times on television, and it always intrigued me. Since I had some chicken drumsticks on hand and didn’t feel like doing them my typical way, it seemed the perfect time to experiment with this technique. Confit is usually served on the bone, but I decided to pull the tender [...]
I was in the mood for a bit of kitchen experimentation this afternoon. I came up with many different pizza recipes, some more successful than others, but this Lemon, Walnut and Blue Cheese Pizza was the hands down winner. It packs a big flavor punch, and the smell of fresh lemon is lovely in the [...]
I am always on the lookout for good quality reasonably priced wines. I’ve nearly bought the Cupcake Vineyards Red Velvet (2009), a few times now, but always ended out grabbing something I’ve already tried and knew I liked. Tonight, I decided… was the night to try a bottle. Cupcake Vineyards Red Velvet 2009 Price: $8.99 [...]
This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Invino for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine. I recently had the opportunity to check out the Invino website. As a wine lover, I was like a kid in a candy store, investigating this website. The selections offered are from top of the line [...]
This Gorgonzola and Horseradish Potato Salad makes an excellent side for grill meats, barbecue and of course roast beef sandwiches. Keep it in mind for your upcoming tailgate party. Gorgonzola and Horseradish Potato Salad Recipe Ingredients: 1 – 1 1/2 lbs. potatoes (all purpose or red bliss) 1/3 c. Mayonnaise 2 tbs. low-fat buttermilk 1 [...]
This time of year vegetables are plentiful. It is the best time to add a few new vegetarian dishes to your repertoire. I typically make my vegetarian antipasto on the grill and just heap everything on a big platter. Today was a little cooler with off & on rain, so I decided to roast the [...]
I picked up some calamari this weekend, and wanted to make something a little different. I’ve never paired squid with garbanzo beans (chick peas) before, it seemed high time to do so. Spicy Calamari, Shrimp and Garbanzo Beans Recipe Ingredients: 2-3 calamari (squid) tubes 6-8 large shrimp 1 cup canned garbanzo beans tbs. olive oil [...]
Recipe: Double Peanut Chocolate Pretzel Drumsticks Summary: Fun & easy chocolate peanut dessert treat. Great for the kids. Total Time: 90 min Preparation time: 15 minutes Ingredients 1 1/4 cup Peanut Butter (natural) 1 cup graham cracker crumbs 1 cup light brown sugar bag pretzel sticks 12 oz bag semi-sweet chocolate chips 3 tbs milk [...]
I came up with this easy chocolate peanut butter and pretzel recipe, after munching on a handful of chocolate chips & lightly salted peanuts. Pretzels seemed like a logical addition to make them into drumstick pops, and the thought of an edible stick seemed to make sense to me. Great no-bake dessert to make with [...]
We are planning to redo our bedroom soon. Yesterday, as I was contemplating bedroom furniture placement, I caught myself figuring in how items would photograph in various spots, since I will be blogging about the transformation on my primary blog. These placements would not be practical, just look pretty. This reminded me of a [...]
This simple chicken stir fry recipe uses pineapple preserves both as a sweetener and to glaze the chicken. I added broccoli and peanuts in this version, but sometimes serve vegetables separately. Pineapple Glazed Chicken Stir Fry Recipe Stir Fry Ingredients: tbs. of oil (canola or vegetable) 3/4 – 1 lb. chicken (cut for stir fry) [...]
A very easy pineapple chicken stir fry recipe. The trick to the pineapple sauce is the use of pineapple preserves. The preserves not only omit the need for other sweeteners, but as the sauce reduces helps to thicken it into a glaze, which nicely coats the chicken and broccoli. To further enhance the gentle sweetness [...]
Tabasco is one of those must have on hand condiments, but when it comes to Super Bowl Party Food, well it just isn't a party without TABASCO® Original Red. Just about any food I love from these parties is better with a little hot sauce, and Tabasco' unique flavor is my personal favorite for spicing up the Game-Day Party Menu.
Barley is an earthy nutty grain, which pairs well with mushrooms. While most Americans are accustomed to eating barley in soups, it is rarely served as a dish in itself. I admit I don’t cook it all that often, but it does make for a nice change from the typical grains served at dinner. This [...]
The Sun-Maid Milk Chocolate Raisins is running a recipe contest through April 30th, and are looking for original recipe submissions. There are no limits on how you use the chocolate covered raisins, if you have a funky savory recipe up your sleeve go for it. One (1) Grand Prize winner will receive $1,000; one (1) [...]
I have sort of hidden from this blog, for the past few weeks. You see, I started a four letter word on New Year’s Day… D.I.E.T. For one accustomed to adding those lovely pats of butter to sautes, and covering things with scrumptious gooey cheese and washing it down with a nice glass of Zinfandel, [...]
My kitchen is pretty much a logistical nightmare. Our home was built in the 1890′s, and has a pantry/scullery rather than cabinets throughout the space. While the vintage sink and a few other features are quaint, I long for a fully renovated kitchen, with ample cabinet space and a large island with counter height stools. [...]
I concocted this recipe earlier this week, and I think this is my new favorite cookie. I was looking to create a cookie slightly sweet, a little salty, with interesting texture, not the typical chewy or crunchy cookie. I guess the goal was half way between a cookie & a crunchy granola bar. I was [...]
I had the opportunity to try Vodca Exclusiv recently, and I was pleasantly surprised by the excellent quality of this reasonably priced spirit. Vodkas in this price range often have a harsh flavor, unpleasant after taste, or lack any flavorful notes of merit, making then unfit, for anything other than mixers which mask their taste. [...]
A savory dressing, which features the simple flavors of bacon, onion and sun-dried tomato. Goes well with turkey, chicken, pork or vegetable main dishes. Bacon, Onion and Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffing Recipe Ingredients: 16 oz. loaf of Italian bread (cut into 1″ or smaller cubes) 8 slices of bacon (diced small) 1 cup onion (minced) 1 cup sun-dried [...]
I have an addiction for quality kitchen knives. So I was very pleased to have the opportunity to review a 7? Santoku from the Ergo Chef Pro-series. I have been using the knife for about a month now. While traditional traditional western chef’s knives use a rocking slice motionm Santoku knives are designed to be used with a chopping motion. It took me a little while to become [...]
There is a brand new dessert cook book just released from the editors of Bon Appétit. It is called Bon Appétit Desserts and it features more than 600 dessert recipes. All of the recipes have been meticulously tested to ensure excellent results every time. The book also details techniques needed in dessert preparation, such as, [...]
I know, puttanesca is supposed to be spicy. This is, it is just better served room temperature – slightly chilled, rather than hot. It also utilizes sliced sundried tomatoes and oil, rather than the usual tomato sauce base. Cool Tuna Puttanecsa Recipe Ingredients: 1/2 lb. dried rigatoni jar of quality tuna (I used Tonnino Premium [...]
I was sent an advance copy of the Easy & Delish: Comfort Food quarterly bookazine to check out, and it has some great hearty family friendly recipes in it. This deluxe print magazine is based off the successful website Delish.com, and also points readers to extra recipes and videos on the website. The issue is packed with soups, stews casseroles, [...]
With the holidays quickly approaching, many of us are looking for quick appetizers that are also easy for our guests to handle, and come across as special. I actually came up with Creamy Tango Crostinis in the summer, but it would be great for holiday parties. Buying pre-roasted tomatoes, makes this quick and easy. Although crostini [...]
CSN stores offers a vast selection of items for food and wine enthusiasts. Everything from cookware, to table linens, and quality stemware to bar furniture. They have all the bases covered. I love to stop in there and browse around. Although I was tempted to get something for myself, I decided to give my readers [...]
My husband and I are amateur history buffs, so when Jovial foods contacted me to try an einkorn pasta, and mentioned that the grain had been the last meal of Otzi, a bronze age man that had been found perfectly preserved frozen in the Italian Alps, I knew just what they were talking about. I remembered [...]
