Martha's List - The Good, The Bad, The Maybe

Martha White Blueberry Cheesecake Muffin Mix

2012-02-21T15:22:00.000-08:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give this product a 10
The muffins are perfect when you need something quick. The mix requires nothing more than 1/2 cup of water and they bake in about 15 minutes giving you 6 deliciously moist muffins. As for taste, you can actually taste 'cheesecake.' These will be another product that I will have stocked in my pantry. Did I tell you they also come in Strawberry Cheesecake?! Yum.

Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers

2012-02-20T15:33:00.000-08:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I have to give this product a 10. The 12 oz. package serves 2 with about 3/4 cup each making it perfect when cooking for 1 or 2. It's quick taking about 5-6 minutes in the microwave making it perfect for a quick after work meal. There is no mess nor clean up. It's cooked in it's own package allowing you to serve straight from the bag. I tried the Cheesy Rice Broccoli and found the rice was cooked perfectly. The broccoli was done but still had a slight crisp and the cheese was great. I normally dislike frozen dishes with cheese sauce. It's usually salty and has an artificial flavor. Not this! The sauce is smooth and creamy and seasoned perfectly. This is a product I will be stocking in my freezer.

Buitoni Grilled Chicken & Spinach Cannelloni with Alfredo Sauce

2012-02-05T11:10:00.000-08:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I'm giving this product an 8.
It's simple to make - you place the cannelloni into a baking dish and pour the Alfredo sauce over, cover and bake. The taste is really good. Add a salad and a glass of wine and you have a great dish for 2 all from one box made in one dish. Now, why did I give it an 8 instead of a 10? It's a little pricy for a frozen dish and I would like for it to have a little more chicken. I think an addition of chicken will make the price more justified. But... it is good and I will buy it again.

Krusteaz - Key Lime Bars

2012-01-29T11:24:00.000-08:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 this product receives a 10 from me. It's one of the quickest desserts I've found that requires only 2 ingredients - 3 eggs and water. The taste is great and the preparation is simple. You mix the eggs with water and let them sit while the crust, which requires no added ingredients, bakes. Add the egg mixture and bake another 25 minutes. That's it! It also gives you directions for making this into a Key Lime Pie by using whipping cream instead of the eggs. I took it to another level by adding a few chopped pecans to mine before baking but these can be mixed into the crust before baking. You can also add one of my favorites - coconut! This is one I plan on keeping on my shelf for emergency desserts.

Peet's Coffee

2012-01-15T12:36:00.000-08:00

I've tried 2 of this company's coffees. The first,Cafe Solano, which is a medium roast. The beans are a blend of vibrant and aromatic beans from Africa, the Americas and the Indo Pacific. When they say this coffee is Lively and Aromatic - they weren't kidding. This coffee was very pleasing. On a scale of 1 - 10 I give this coffee an 8. I don't know if I've ever drank a 10.

The second coffee was Cafe Domingo which is also a medium roast. This coffee come from three Latin American beans giving it a smooth taste with a hint of toffee sweetness and a clean crisp finish. They described this one perfectly! I love my flavored coffees but sometimes the flavor is simply too strong. To correct this I mix my flavored coffee 1/4 to 3/4 with regular. This gives me just a touch of flavor. With the Cafe Domingo, the hint of toffee is so light and delicate that there is no need to dilute. This is a great morning as well as evening coffee. On a scale of 1 - 10 I give this one an 8.

I will continue to buy both.

Shark Ninja Express Chop

2012-01-14T15:42:00.000-08:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 this product receives a 10+ from me. It is simply wonderful!

Target had the 'Magic Bullet' on sale just before Christmas and I had wanted one for some time so off I went to buy this product. A friend was with me and had said they wanted to buy the Bullet for me as a Christmas gift. I didn't want them to spend that much money so I looked at the Shark Ninja Express Chop which was on sale for $16.00. I made a big deal over how neat this little chopper was and convinced my friend that I wanted that instead. I actually thought I'd slip back over and buy the Bullet later.

Well, I took the Ninja home and that night I decided to make some chicken salad. What better way to test my newest gadget than with chicken. I broke the chicken up into big chunks, dropped it in the Ninja, pushed the bar about 5 times and I had the most perfectly chopped chicken ever.

Other choppers I've bought have the blades at the bottom. The Ninja has 2 sets of blades making a more perfect chop. And clean up is a breeze.

Tonight I made a casserole that called for chopped onion, bell peppers and celery. I had each chopped to the perfect size in just a few seconds. This thing is great!

Perdue Simply Smart Lightly Breaded Chicken Chunks

2012-01-08T07:41:00.000-08:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give this chicken a 10+.

I've tried many brands of chicken nuggets/strips, etc. but this has to be the best. For one thing, it's actual pieces of chicken, not chopped and pressed. It's fully cooked and lightly breaded cutting the calories down 40% and the fat down 50%. It has no preservatives or fillers and uses white meat only. And preparation is so easy. I placed what I needed into my toaster oven and they were ready in about 10 minutes - crispy, hot and delicious. These are a must try!

Fryar's Poppy Seed Dressing

2012-01-07T11:57:00.000-08:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give this product a 10+

I bought this dressing while at the Southern Christmas Show here in Charlotte, NC. I love poppy seed anything so this looked and sounded perfect. It's made with Olive Oil, Apple Cider Vinegar and just enough sugar to give it a touch of sweetness. Today I decided to give it a try over an Oriental style salad. I can describe it with one word - Wonderful! This is a must try dressing.

Fryar's Poppy Seed Dressing

(The opinion above is in no way solicited nor paid for. It consists of my own feelings regarding the product.)

Larry the Cable Guy Chicken Batter

2011-12-14T15:41:00.000-08:00

On a scale of 1 to 10 I have to give this product a 10! It's delicious!

I know it says 'Chicken Batter' but I wasn't making fried chicken, I was making cube steak. For 4 pieces of steak I put about 1/2 cup in a shallow bowl and coated the meat well pressing the batter into the meat as I went. I heated the oven to 400 degrees and put a light coat of oil in a cast iron frying pan. This I placed in the oven while it preheated. When the oven was hot I placed the battered meat into the hot oil and placed the pan back into the oven. After about 5 minutes I turned the meat and cooked the other side for about 5 minutes.

After removing the meat from the pan I poured off all but about 1 Tbsp. of oil and added a couple of Larry's batter to make gravy. Another great move! This batter has the perfect balance of seasonings, including salt and pepper. I added nothing other than the batter to my meat. Now I can't wait to try this with what it was made for - chicken.

Willie's Hog Dust Spicy BBQ Pork Rind Pellets Willie's Hog Dust

2011-12-06T16:09:00.001-08:00

Willie's Hog Dust Spicy BBQ Pork Rind Pellets

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give this product an 8.

I've never seen anything like these pork rind pellets! If you look at the picture on the left you will see the pellets on the left side of the plate and the cooked rinds on the right side. They are already seasoned and all you do is put a few on a plate or napkin and microwave for about 90 seconds. It's fun to watch them pop up as they cook.

Now why an 8 and not a 10. The spice is good but a touch hot for some people. I would like to see them in an unseasoned flavor. Other than that, they are great.

Now I'll tell you about the Willie's Hog Dust.

On a scale of 1 - 10 I also give this product an 8.

The blends of the spices/herbs are perfect for BBQ. To make mine I used Boston Butt 'ribs.' I gave them a good coating of Willie's Hog Dust, wrapped them in plastic wrap and then in a good coating of foil. They were then placed in a 325 degree oven for about 4 hours. They were not only flavorful but also juicy and tender. Again, why an 8 and not a 10? A little too hot for some tastes.

Amelia's Chowda Shack - Horsey Radish Dip

2011-11-30T14:50:00.001-08:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give this product a 9

Each year I go to the Southern Christmas Show here in Charlotte. Each year I have to try the different dips that are out for everyone to sample. I seldom walk away without purchasing at least 1 package. This year I discovered a new flavor. It's Amelia's Chowda Shack - Horsey Radish Dip. The dip is simple to make using the flavoring packet, mayo and sour cream and I love horseradish but wanted to Think With My Taste Buds and see if I could come up with something other than dip. I came up with what I'm calling Horsey Radish Cheese Spread. This cheese spread was a huge hit.

Now, there is only one problem. You will either have to find a show or festival or order your Horsey Radish Dip. Or you can order it through Rand Hill Farms along with other dip flavors, soups and chowders.

Ore-Ida Pepper and Onion Hashbrowns

2011-11-29T15:52:00.001-08:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give this product a 10+

I love hash browns but never make them. I've bought the frozen style before and have always had a hard time cooking them without either adding more oil than I really want or I end up with mush. Not this time. These are cut just a little larger than most hash browns, they fry up wonderfully and the addition of peppers and onions make them even better. And believe me, they don't skimp on the peppers and onions. The ratio of potato/pepper/onion is perfect for my taste.

Now, for a recipe that works great for breakfast, brunch and even as an on the go dish, try my Hash Brown Quiche. It's made with leftover ham and is delicious as well as easy to make.

Bruce's Baked Sweet Potatoes

2011-11-27T11:46:00.001-08:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give this product an 8.

The taste is good but the consistency is a little too thin. I love Bruce's Sweet Potatoes so decided to give thei Baked Sweet Potatoes a try. The taste is good but the consistency is a little to thin for me. But...they are great for cooking.

I found a recipe for the 'Perfect Pumpkin Pie' and decided to try making it into a Sweet Potato Pie. View the full recipe by going to Martha's Recipe Cabinet. This is a pie worth making and it uses Bruce's Sweet Potatoes so there is no baking, boiling nor mashing!

Duncan Hines Classic Carrot Cake Mix

2011-11-27T10:40:00.001-08:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give this product a 9

I was really impressed when I opened the box and found a bag of dehydrated carrots and raisins. Now that makes it really taste homemade without the hassle of peeling and shredding the carrots. To plump them back up you simply soak them in the same water that will be added to your mix.

I added a little pineapple to the mix giving the cake the hint of another flavor. If you would like to see the results of this addition, go to my post on Stir, Laugh, Repeat. Again, this is my way of Thinking With My Taste Buds.

Why a 9 and not a 10? It didn't have walnuts. Then it would have been perfect!

Newman's Own Pizza

2011-11-26T13:58:00.001-08:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give this product a 10!

I buy Newman's pasta/spaghetti sauces and know how great they are so I had high expectations for their pizza. There are 8 different flavors to choose from and all looked good but I decided to give the Supreme a try, giving me a taste of several flavors combined. The Supreme is topped with Italian Sausage, Uncured Pepperoni, peppers and onions, which are all favorites of mine. I had never heard of Uncured Pepperoni so was unsure of how that might taste. After reading the package I found that Uncured Pepperoni has no added nitrate. When I opened the package I was a bit unsure as to how this thin crusted pizza was going to taste. It had maybe 10 pieces of pepperoni, I could see a few pieces of Italian sausage and several scattered pieces of peppers. I really couldn't see how so few toppings could possibly create a tasty pizza. Oh well, what do I have to loose? I had already preheated my oven so about 12 minutes later I was ready to slice and eat. All I can say is OH MY! I don't know how they did it but this pizza had one of the best blends of taste that I've ever eaten. I could taste the pepperoni, sausage and the sweetness of the peppers. It was actually better than delivery pizza! Each bite had its own taste. It was like eating bites of several different pizzas. Now I want to try the White sauce pizza, and the Roasted Veggie, and the Roasted Garlic & Chicken. Actually I want to try all of them!

Duncan Hines Amazing Glazes

2011-11-21T14:54:00.001-08:00

On a scale of 1 - 10, I give this product an 8.

It's convenient to store in your pantry. It thins down when heated in the microwave but thickens up after cooling. It's handy for those last minute desserts and the taste is pretty good too. It's perfect for any cake you might want to glaze and you can allow some to actually seep into the cake when applying while still hot. But it's use doesn't stop with cakes. Go to my site Stir, Laugh, Repeat and see my recipe for Chex Mix Munchies using Amazing Glazes.

As always...simply Think With Your Taste Buds

BF Family Eggs

2011-11-20T12:36:00.001-08:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give this product a 10. I love that they are fed Whole grain vegetarian feed rich in soy protein and are fed no synthetics hormones, no antibiotics and no animal by products. Their container is simply wonderful. It's a try fold plastic container that really protects your eggs. But it doesn't stop there. Go to my site Stir, Laugh, Repeat to see my idea for reusing the carton.

Disclosure - This posting is completely my own. I have received no compensation whatsoever for my opinion and idea.

Bear Creek Cheddar Broccoli Soup Mix

2011-11-06T14:51:00.000-08:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give this mix an 8. I loved the convenience of using the mix but the taste wasn't quite me. So why did it rank an 8? Because this mix is the perfect "base" allowing you to make changes to fit your own taste. I ended up with a soup I'm calling Cheddar Chicken Broccoli Soup that has a little sage and an onion cube added to spice up the flavor. For the recipe go to my site Martha's Recipe Cabinet

Disclosure: The comments posted here are my own. In no way am I paid nor compensated for my comments and ratings of any product.

Newman's Own Tomato and Basil Bomolina Pasta Sauce

2011-11-06T09:33:00.000-08:00

On a Scale of 1 - 10 this sauce rates all the way up there with a 10.

I've always bought Newman's Own but this is the 1st time I've tried the Tomato & Basil Bombolina Pasta Sauce, which will definitely be on my shopping list for future uses. When I make up a new dish and serve it to some of my lucky food testers, I tell them very little about the dish. All 3 of my food testers that tried this dish remarked about it's "clean" taste. One thought it may have a touch of lemon added another wanted to know if I added a tiny bit of mint. It was the Basil they were tasting and they all 3 loved it.

If you would like to try my recipe for Chicken Mozzarella, visit my site Stir, Laugh, Repeat.

Disclosure: The comments posted here are my own. In no way am I paid nor compensated for my comments and ratings of any product.

Fleischmann's Simple Homemade No Knead Bread Mix

2011-10-23T13:15:00.000-07:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give this product a 8.

This was so simple to make. It's just a matter of mixing the yeast, sugar and water. Waiting a couple of minutes and then adding the bread mix. I placed mine into a loaf pan, let it sit for 25 minutes and then baked. The instructions call for a 400 degree oven and baking time of 20-25 minutes. I did find that it took about 10 minutes longer in my oven. Now, that might have been because the directions have you bake your bread on a flat pan and I used a loaf pan or it may be that my oven is off. No matter why the added time, I still had a great product.

The bread mix comes in Stoneground Wheat, Country White, Multi-Grain and Italian Herb. I love seeded rye so I bought the Italian Herb and added some caraway seed to acquire my rye bread taste. Since I had not tried this before I made 2 mistakes. #1 - I should have added the seeds to the yeast water instead of trying to work it into the dough. #2 - I added about 1/4 tsp. and wished I had added just a bit more.

After baking my bread I decided to dress it up a bit. I removed it from the pan, sliced it just down to the bottom crust but not cutting through. Inside the slits I added cheese, put the loaf back into the pan and placed it back in the oven for about 5 minutes giving the cheese time to melt. Now this was good! Add a little lunch meat and you have the perfect appetizer for a Monday night football game.

The only reason I didn't give this product a 10 is that the bread was a bit heavy. But this is a product that I will continue to buy.The one thing I would like to ask of Fleischmann is to please add a Seeded Rye to their flavors. Did I mention that my whole house smelled wonderful?!

Marzetti Simply Dressed

2011-10-22T08:57:00.000-07:00

On a scale of 1 to 10 I give this product a nine!

Marzetti Simply Dressed Coleslaw mix has the perfect touch of sweetness enhanced with the perfect touch of vinegar and just a hint of onion. For my coleslaws I shredded about 2 cups of cabbage, add about 1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar and equal amounts of vinegar, a sprinkle of dehydrated onions and then enough mayo to make it slightly creamy. This makes enough slaw to serve 4 but you have to wait for the onions to plump back up, the sugar to dissolve and the flavors to blend before serving. With the Marzetti Simply Dressed Coleslaw I used the same amount of cabbage and added about 3 Tbsp. of the mix. Nothing else and no waiting. Plus, with my old coleslaw recipe I would end up with the liquid running all over the plate mixing itself into everything it comes into contact with. Not so with Marzetti. It clings to the cabbage and giving you an enjoyable bite every time.

Now to dress up your coleslaw using Marzetti Simply Dressed Coleslaw mix you can add chopped apples, raisins, a little pineapple juice or pineapple flavoring. You can drizzle it over a chicken wrap or even use it in place of the mayo for your chicken salad. As I say in my cookbook "Think With Your Taste Buds."

Ro-Tel's new Zesty Tomato and Green Chili Sauce

2011-10-08T10:30:00.000-07:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give this product an 8. I've used this in both meatloaf and just recently in my newest recipe "Cube Steak Catatorie" and find the the flavor wonderful. It has just a bit of heat and makes a moist, flavorful meatloaf. My Cube Steak Catatorie was not only appealing to the eye it was also bursting with flavor. So, why didn't I give this product a 10? I know it's a sauce but I would loved to have seen just a few chunks of the peppers in the sauce.

Bauducco Panettone Specialty Cakes

2011-10-02T14:45:00.000-07:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I have the pleasure of giving this product a 10. I've tried two of these cakes. One is made with candied fruit and raisins, the other is made with milk chocolate chips. Both are great toasted with a little butter but the best was when I made up a butter bourbon glaze (go to my site Stir, Laugh, Repeat for recipe) and let it seep into the one with the fruit and raisins. Oh my! This was delicious, easy and perfect as a take along for any party, cookout or gathering. The chocolate chip one is great toasted, topped with ice cream and chocolate sauce. And my food testers simply loved it!

Rice A Roni Rice Pilaf

2011-09-27T15:35:00.000-07:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give this product an 8. Why not a 10. It makes a wonderful dish when adding meat and a touch of olive oil, but on its own it's a bit sticky. Taste wise it's wonderful!

Peter Pan - New Natural Peanut Butter

2011-09-25T11:21:00.000-07:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give this product a 10!

If you, like me, like lots of peanuts in your peanut butter than you can't help but love Peter Pan's new 100% Natural, No need to Stir, Crunchy peanut butter. As you can see, it's full of peanuts! And they are all the way through, not just on top. The spoonful in the picture were taken from the middle-bottom of the jar, still plenty of nuts. Plus, it works great in peanut butter cookies. I have a simple way of making peanut butter cookies in which I simply use a package of sugar cookie mix (dry), add 1 egg, 2 Tbsp. melted butter and 1/2 to 3/4 cups of peanut butter. The new Peter Pan is creamy enough that you can cut down the amount of butter called for on the cookie mix package. I believe the one I used called for 1/2 cup of butter and I cut it down to 2 Tbsp. So, like I said, this is a new product so if it's not made it to your store yet, ask for it. It's got to be the best Crunchy Peanut Butter I've eaten.

Don't like crunchy? It also comes in creamy and honey.

K.C. Masterpiece Buffalo Marinade

2011-09-08T14:39:00.000-07:00

On a scale of 1 - 10, I give this product an 9. Why not a 10? A little hot for me if used directly but most people do want their Buffalo sauce hot.

My 1st thought for using this product was, of course, chicken wings - but that's so common. So I decided to use pork instead of chicken. My 2nd thought was marinade which means to put the meat in the marinade for a certain period of time, remove and cook. I decided to do what I teach in my cookbook Think With Your Taste Buds and decided to use the marinade as a cooking sauce.

So, this is what I did. I put a 5 lb. Boston Butt in my slow cooker, covered it with K. C. Masterpiece Buffalo Marinade, set the controls on medium and let my butt cook all day. When I came home this evening my whole house smelled tasty making me rush to the cooker to see how my butt was doing. It literally fell off the bone, was juicy and tender. Of course I had to taste test and picked a few bites from the center as well as a few bites from the outside to see how the flavor had distributed. No matter which section I tasted, there was no difference in flavor.

K. C. Masterpiece Buffalo Marinade makes the perfect sauce for slow cooking meats. I can only imagine how it will taste on the grill. It is spicy and tangy with a bit of heat.

Birds Eye Voila! Shrimp Scampi

2011-08-29T14:27:00.000-07:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give this product a 9.

Birds Eye, Foodbuzz and Tastemaster again blessed me with an opportunity to try a new product. This time I was sent coupons for buy one get one free to try a couple of the Birds Eye's Voila products. I decided on the Shrimp Scampi and the Chicken Stir Fry.

I've made the scampi and boy is it easy. With the exception of 1 tablespoon of water, everything else you need is in the bag. In a frying pan you add the sauce mix, water and the rest of the ingredients. Cook for about 10 minutes and "Voila!" you have dinner for 2.

The flavor is wonderful. The red and yellow peppers create the perfect blend of flavors with the garlic. The peas give just a slight change in texture from the linguine and then comes the delicate taste of the shrimp. This one is well worth trying. Now I can't wait to try the Chicken Stir Fry.

"Sure Shot" Sid's Gunpowder Seasoning

2011-08-23T13:24:00.000-07:00

Who says you have to have a grill, charcoal and a hot flame to get that wonderful charcoal flavor?

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give this product a 10!

I have to tell you about another great product from J M Exotic Foods, Inc. This time product is called "Sure Shot" Sid's Gunpowder Seasoning - Charcoal Smoky Flavor and believe me, it lives up to it's name. It actually does look like gunpowder and tastes like "charbroil." You will be hearing a lot more about this seasoning in the next few days.

Today I used my indoor, steam grill to make hamburgers. I used a pound of 80% ground beef (more flavor than the leaner grade). I added 2 tsp. of Gunpowder Seasoning and grilled away. Boy were they good. If someone else had cooked and served them to me, I would have sworn they were cooked on a good old fashion grill. The only thing missing were the grill marks.

Next I'm cooking steaks on my indoor dry heat grill. I'll let you know how they turn out.

J M Exotic Foods, Inc.'s Bread Dip Seasonings

2011-08-18T15:44:00.000-07:00

I have to give you another review on the J M Exotic Foods Bread Dip Seasonings. I've just tried the Parmesan Blend and as I suspected, it's great. Here is what you do.

Peel and sliced some potatoes (I used 4 med.), onions (1 small) and red peppers (1/4). Pour about 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large frying pan and add the potatoes, onion and peppers. Cooked over med. high heat until the potatoes are slightly browned. Added a package of Smoked Sausage, sliced. Sprinkled a good amount of J M Exotic Foods' Parmesan Blend over everything. Turn heat down to low. Cover and cook until potatoes are done.

This seasoning gets a 10 too!

Bread Dip Seasoning by J M Exotic Foods, Inc.

2011-08-16T16:57:00.000-07:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give this product a 10!

On my trip to Florida for my cookbook release of Think With Your Taste Buds I stopped in one of my favorite grocery stores...Publix. This store has so much of everything and some really great buys but it also has a few things that I can't find here in NC, at least not yet. J M Exotic Foods' Bread Dip Seasoning is one of those items. In fact, I've never seen it any place other than Publix. Hopefully that will change and we will either get a Publix or the stores that are here will start carrying this wonderful seasoning.

Bread Dip Seasoning consists of not 1 but 4 different blends. They are simple to use. You mix as much or as little as you want to a little olive oil and use warm bread for dipping. Delicious! The flavors are Tuscany Blend, Sicily Blend, Garlic Rosemary Blend, and Parmesan Blend.

But...that's not all its good for. I cooked a roast this weekend, sprinkled both sides heavily with the Tuscany Blend, seared the seasonings into the meat and slow cooked. BOY was this good! I can't wait to try the Sicily Blend on chicken. I want to sprinkle some of the Parmesan Blend into my hamburgers. And the Garlic Rosemary Blend? I plan on adding that to my soup.

So, if you can't find these delicious blends through your own grocery store, ask them to check into stocking them. If that doesn't work, go the the J M Exotic Foods site and check into ordering direct. You won't be sorry.

Birds Eye Chef's Favorite - Creamed Spinach

2011-08-15T14:29:00.000-07:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 this product gets a 10 from me.

I love creamed spinach but I want "lots" of flavor. There is one restaurant that when I have the opportunity to go to I always order their creamed spinach. It's my favorite! But, since this specific restaurant is a bit pricy I don't go there often. So, I seldom have the pleasure of eating really good creamed spinach. That is until now!

Through the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program along with Birds Eye Chef's Favorites, I was offered the opportunity to sample and post on several of Birds Eye's newest products. The Tastemaker program is a program where there is no compensation passed on to the tester, that is unless you call being able to sample some really wonderful new products compensation. And I'm always open to new products.

When I received my package of Birds Eye Chef's Favorites I slowly went though the package picking out which one I wanted to try first. As soon as I spotted the Creamed Spinach I couldn't wait to give it a try. But I also knew that I had tried other frozen Creamed Spinach and they simply didn't meet my taste qualifications so I didn't really get my hopes up. Wrong!

Let me 1st say that the sauce is creamy, smooth, made with half and half and parmesan cheese. As for flavor...it's perfect. The amount of garlic added to the sauce couldn't have been better. Not too much but definitely not too little. This is a product that I WILL be buying.

I served my Creamed Spinach with Chicken Delicious and rolls making the perfect, simple, easy but delicious dinner.

Audio Books

2011-08-11T15:15:00.000-07:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give Audio Books a 6

This past week I traveled from NC to FL for my book release. Since its a 10-11 hr. drive one way and I was traveling by myself, I decided to give Audio Books a try. I was a little unsure at first. Driving, watching traffic, watching signs and listen to a book? Would it really work or distract me? I waited until I got onto my 1st interstate that would take me my 1st 100+ miles, inserted my 1st disk and started listening. It took about 10 minutes for me to get use to "multi-tasking" but after that I was fine. I could actually watch my driving, traffic, signs and listen all at the same time. Actually it was probably safer than having a passenger because you didn't have to talk. The 3 book sets that I bought came from Books a Million from the reduced bin costing me about $6.00 for each 5 disk set. That isn't too bad when you consider the cost of a new book plus the time that's required to stop everything and read. Also, I was able to find some of my favorite authors...Patterson and Deavers. All in all this is a great way to pass the time while driving alone.

Why didn't I give them a higher rating? All 3 sets of books are read by men changing their voices for different characters. Well, the books did have women characters too and the men just couldn't quite get it for me as they tried to change their voices to compensate for a more girlish voice. I really think they would be more enjoyable if the books were read by 2 people, one man and one woman. There may even be some out there that use both but that was not the case for the 3 that I bought. If it had been I would probably have given them a 10.

Minute Ready to Serve Brown & Wild Rice

2011-07-23T15:28:00.000-07:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give this product an 8.

I love rice but always seem cook too much. When I found Minute Ready to Serve Brown & Wild Rice I found a gem. Its the perfect size for one. Its convenient, you simply pop it into the microwave and poof, you have rice. And the cost here in NC is usually around $1.25 for 2.

I've never been a big fan of brown rice but love wild rice, so I wasn't sure how the combination would work out for me. Well, it worked out great! I love this stuff. I've eaten it straight from the container with just a bit of butter and I've eaten it served with gravy. Its great both ways. Another plus is that it doesn't cook up sticky.

So, why did I give it an 8 instead of a 10? I would love to have just a bit more wild rice in the mix but that's because I'm a wild rice fan.

I've tried the Spanish Rice flavor and like it too but I have trouble finding it in the stores in my area.

Fiber One 80 Calories

2011-07-19T16:16:00.000-07:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give this cereal an 8.

I enjoy eating cereal straight from the box as a snack and Fiber One 80 Calories works perfectly for that. It has just enough sweetness to make it satisfying. I can taste both corn and wheat. I tried it with milk. It has just enough crisp to give you just a little crunch in the milk and after letting it sit for 5 minutes in the milk, it still has crisp. So, it doesn't get soggy in milk!

It's nutritional facts are:
Total fat 1g
Cholesterol -0-
sodium 140mg
Carbohydrate 25g
sugar 3g

So, why did I give it an 8 instead of a 10? You can feel just a bit of the fiber texture as you eat making you aware that is is full of fiber and there is just a little aftertaste of wheat. But, I will buy this product and plan to work on recipes for other uses.

Simply Potatoes

2011-07-17T14:57:00.000-07:00

Below is a review for Simply Potatoes submitted by Author Sharon Hays.

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give Simply Potatoes a 10!

Hello friends. Here is a link to products that I 'simply' love to use when making dishes with potatoes and I'm in a hurry. Also now they are including 'simply creamy macaroni and cheese' that I have got to try. The ready to cook; half-done already, make it easy to skip peeling and extra time of using the raw whole potato. But I can gaurantee you will love the convenience and taste of these great potatoes. Also the new creamy 'Simply Macaroni and Cheese' has been added to their already line of hashed browns, sliced, mashed and cheesy potatoes,Try them, you'll be a fan as I am. Below is a recipe i copied from the Simply potatoes site.

Below is the recipe for Potato Salad from the Simply Potatoes website, they have many other recipes as well.

2 packages Simply Potatoes® Diced Potatoes with Onion 1/2 cup water 2 cups mayonnaise or salad dressing 1/4 cup yellow mustard 2 tablespoons white vinegar 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 cups chopped celery 1 medium red or green bell pepper, chopped 6 hard boiled eggs, peeled, chopped

Instructions:

1. In 2 1/2 quart microwave-safe casserole dish* combine Simply Potatoes and water. Cover; microwave on HIGH 10 to 12 minutes or until Simply Potatoes are tender. Drain water.

2. Meanwhile in large bowl whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper until smooth. Add cooked potatoes, celery, red pepper and chopped eggs. Stir gently. Refrigerate 1 hour to blend flavors.

Tips: To prepare hard boiled eggs, place eggs in 3 quart saucepan. Cover eggs with cold water. Bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer 15 minutes; drain water. Add cold water to saucepan. Let stand 5 minutes. Drain; peel and chop eggs.

* A 9-inch square baking dish can be used for a 2 1/2 quart casserole baking dish.

Nutrition Facts:

1/20th of recipe: Calories 222; Total Fat 19g; Saturated Fat 3g; Cholesterol 72mg; Sodium 437mg; Carbohydrate 10g; Dietary Fiber 1g; Protein 3g

by Author, Sharon Hays;

Suggested by Sharon Hays, (author, writer and poet.) Check out her websites and info or look her up on Facebook.

www.SharonHays.com

www.MysteerieManor.com

emails for Sharon Hays sparrill4104@yahoo.com, Sparrill1@tampabay.rr.com

Facebook, under Sharon Hays

RECENT BOOKS AND UP AND COMING:

Mysteerie Manor, Mysteerie Manor II, The Tumbleweed Family, (a children's book) and soon to be released beautiful coffee table book, 'An Opulent Tableau of Essence', (An art and Poetry compilation including artists and poets from around the Globe; Italy, USA, Germany, Russia, Uzbekistan, and Australia. Look for up and coming book, filled with inspiring and emotional prints and poetry.

Polaner All Fruit with Fiber

2011-07-17T10:03:00.000-07:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give the Black Cherry flavor a 10 and the Strawberry an 8.

I ran across a recipe for Thumbprint Cookies which are made using jam. Since the actual cookie portion is fairly healthy I wanted a jam/preserve that would keep them healthy. What I found was Polaner's All Fruit with Fiber Spreadable Fruit. It's sweetened with fruit juice and no sugar added. So I decided this would be perfect for my Thumbprint Cookies. And I was right! (For recipe visit my site Stir, Laugh, Repeat.)

The nutrition facts read for 1 Tbsp.:
Total fat -0-
Sodium-0-
Total Carb 10g
Dietary Fiber 3g
Sugars 7g

The price isn't bad either. Here in NC I paid just under $2.00 for a 10 oz. jar. Now, why did I give the strawberry a lower rating. The flavor is wonderful but has a touch of a raspberry taste. But still good.

Pictsweet Chopped Onions

2011-07-10T07:51:00.000-07:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give Pictsweet Chopped Onions a 9.

There are many times that I simply hate the thought of chopping onions. The smell, the tears and the time just don't always appeal to me. So, I found Pictsweet in the freezer department and I have to admit that I seldom chop onions anymore. As far as that goes, bell peppers either. Plus they have a mixture of peppers and onions. As for price, here in NC I pay about $1.50 for a 12 oz. pkg. sometimes less.

Now, why did I give them a 9 instead of a 10? Now and then I'll find a small piece of the peel or maybe a tough piece of onion but not enough to make me stop buying. They are too easy to spot and pick out. I usually keep at least 2 packs in my freezer and panic if I do find myself out.

Almay Smart Shade Makeup

2011-07-09T16:37:00.000-07:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give this product a 10.

I've finally found my perfect makeup. Almay's Smart Shade works perfect for me. It goes on smoothly and gives me such a gentle covering that my face looks natural. It covers blemishes without the caked on, dry powder look. I simply love it!

Southern Home Chicken Salad

2011-07-04T10:46:00.000-07:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give this chicken salad an 8.

I love chicken salad and normally make my own but...I've found that Southern Home (a Bi-Lo brand) is a great change from mine as well as a time saver. It's creamy texture makes it easy to spread on a slice of bread or cracker. The price, here in NC, is usually around $2.69 for a 12 oz. container but I frequently find it on sale as a buy one get one free. This is a sweet chicken salad with a 1/3 cup serving having:
125 calories
8g total fat (1.5g saturated fat)
35 mg cholorestral
450mg salt (this is where it gets you just a bit)
4g carbs
2g sugar

Not too bad.

Bush's Best Grillin' Beans

2011-07-03T12:54:00.000-07:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give these beans a 10!

I know these have been out for some time but this is the 1st time I've posted about them. I've tried several of the flavors - Bourbon Brown Sugar, Smokehouse Tradition, and Southern Pit BBQ, and liked them all, but my favorite has to be the Steakhouse Recipe. They are sweetened with brown sugar and steak sauce with actual pieces of real onion mixed in with the beans. Price wise I have to say that they are a bit higher than most baked beans but they are worth every penny. Here in NC they run from $1.89 to as low as $1.50 on sale and that's for a 22 oz. can. I would like to see them come out in a little smaller can. 22 ounces is a bit much for 1 - 2 people. But they are still just as good the next day.

I have to also admit that I haven't made homemade baked beans since trying my 1st can.

Triscuit Rye with Caraway Seeds

2011-07-03T10:40:00.000-07:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I give these crackers a 10!

I do have to admit that I'm partial to rye breads, especially with caraway seeds. These little crackers are lightly salted, baked using whole grain and have just the perfect amount of seeds to make them taste like crunchy seeded rye bread. They are perfect for spreads, a slice of cheese or just eaten by themselves. The price varies. I bought mine at a discount store for $2.00 a box.

A serving of 6 crackers has:
0mg cholesterol
20g Carbohydrate
3g dietary fiber
0g sugars
4g Total fat - .5g saturated, 0g trans, 2g polyunsaturated, 1g monounsaturated

So, if you like rye and caraway seed, you'll love these.

Covergirl Simply Ageless Foundation

2011-07-03T07:06:00.000-07:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 this product receives a 8 and a 3

I've bought this product twice in hopes that the second purchase would work out better but it didn't. The actual foundation isn't bad. It goes on easily and covers without caking allowing me to give it an 8. The part of the product that gets a 3 from me is the case. The case is a hard plastic which screws on top and bottom with the sponge applicator being stored in the bottom. The problem with the case is that pieces start breaking off with use allowing air to get inside to the makeup causing it to dry out and become useless. This has been the problem with both purchases. I've tried adding a little water to the sponge so I could continue using the makeup but that gave me a caked on look. Eventually I've had to throw both away after using less than half in each. Cost isn't bad. Here in NC the cost is about $12.00 with sales and coupons being frequent. But until they come up with a better made case I won't be purchasing this product again.

Zatarain's New Orlean Style Rice Pilaf

2011-07-02T14:35:00.000-07:00

On a scale of 1 - 10 I have to give this product an 8.

The flavor is wonderful. Not hot but with just the right amount of seasoning. If you follow the package directions you will find the texture to be perfect. Not too soft and yet not too firm. Preparation takes about 2 minutes with cooking time being from 20-25 minutes. This makes a great side dish with the possibility of adding ingredients such as cooked, chopped chicken to make it a main dish. Pricing for this product in NC is under $1.50 and serves 4.

This is a product that I will be buying again.