Larry the Cable Guy Chicken Batter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!