Reviews

Outside-In Bacon Cheeseburgers with Green Onion Mayo

July 20, 2021 By Joi Sigers

I have quite a few Rachael Ray Cookbooks in my cookbook collection. Okay, let’s be honest and have full disclosure here…. I have every single one except for the newest one, and that’s just a matter of time. She’s a favorite TV Personality and cookbook author, so if her name’s on it, I’m not just “in,” I’m “all in.”

The cookbook pictured here is just one of my favorites.

Guy Food: Rachael Ray’s Top 30 30-Minute Meals is filled with recipes you’ll use again and again – the Outside-In Bacon Cheeseburgers (with HEAVENLY Green Onion Mayo) is a classic example of why you need this cookbook.

Outside-In Bacon Cheeseburgers with Green Onion Mayo – by Rachael Ray

5 slices bacon, chopped
4 scallions, cleaned and trimmed
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1 1/3 pounds ground beef sirloin
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
1 tablespoon steak seasoning blend or coarse salt and black pepper
1/2 pound extra sharp white cheddar cheese, crumbled
1 cup mayonnaise or reduced fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper
4 crusty Kaiser rolls, split
4 leaves crisp romaine lettuce

Preheat grill pan over high heat.

In a medium pan brown bacon over medium high heat and drain on paper towel lined plate.

Brush scallions with a little oil and grill on hot grill pan 2 or 3 minutes on each side. Remove from heat to cool.

Combine ground beef with Worcestershire and steak seasoning or salt and pepper. Divide meat into 4 equal parts. Combine cheese crumbles and cooked bacon. Take 1/4 of the meat in your hand and make a well in the center of it. Pile in cheese and bacon, then carefully form the burger around the cheese and bacon filling. Make sure the fillings are completely covered with meat. When all 4 patties are formed, drizzle burgers with oil and place on hot grill pan. Cook 2 minutes on each side over high heat, reduce heat to medium low and cook burgers 7 or 8 minutes longer, turning occasionally. Do not press down on burgers as they cook. Transfer burgers to a plate and let them rest 5 minutes before serving.

Green Onion Mayo: Chop cooled, grilled scallions and add to a food processor. Add mayonnaise and cumin to the food processor and pulse the onions and mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper, to your taste.

Pile burgers on crusty buns and top with crisp lettuce leaves and a slather of green onion mayonnaise. As you bite into the burgers, you will find a smoky, cheesy surprise at the center.

Below are just a few of the other recipes in this great little cookbook:

There’s a very manly chili recipe with some surprising ingredients that will be tried in this very kitchen this week!
Blackened Chicken Pizza
A recipe for Mahi-Mahi Fillets, grilled
Tenderloin Steaks with Gorgonzola and Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary
If you or your guy (or kids! – they always love them) have a thing for chicken tenders, there’s a recipe for pecan-crusted chicken tenders you’ll flip for
Cheddar and Chive Bread
Corn on the Cob with Chili and Lime
Grilled Halibut Tacos with Guacamole Sauce
A lot more!

If you love great food, and especially if you have a guy you love to cook for, you’ll want to grab a copy of Guy Food: Rachael Ray’s Top 30 30-Minute Meals right away. It’s just a little over $10 and these are recipes you’ll use all year long…. year after year.

Hamilton Beach Juice Extractor: Arming Your Kitchen for Greater Health!

July 19, 2021 By Joi Sigers

While almost everything about the Pandemic has been tragic, hideous, ugly, and negative in every way – a few small benefits can’t be overlooked.

Most of us will never take anyone in our lives for granted ever again – young or old, I truly believe our loved ones will be cherished more than ever before. I also believe we’ll be more apt to be more thankful for the simple joys in life, things we once took for granted, like simply going out for a hamburger with your spouse or shopping at Target with your daughters.

Another benefit, I believe, will be a lot more people getting serious (really SERIOUS) about their health and weight. COVID, like so very many diseases, did not and does not discriminate when it comes to its victims BUT it most certainly does more damage to those who are older, those with pre-existing diseases, and/or those who are overweight.

Many people are realizing that the time is now (past now, if we’re being honest) to get in better shape and lose excess weight where it may lurk.

Fortunately there are a lot of healthy kitchen tools and small appliances that make it easier to eat and live much healthier. Juice extractors, for example, are one of the easiest, fastest, and most efficient ways to make sure we’re getting all the fruits and vegetables we need in our diet.

I am as big a fan of smoothies as anyone in the world, but even I admit that they can tend to be pretty high in calories. When it comes to juicing, you can get the benefits of the vegetables and fruits without all the extras we put in our smoothies.

The beauty pictured here is the Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juice Extractor and it is one of the best on the market.

Features

Fits whole foods – for less pre-cutting
Easy to assemble and store
Powerful 800 Watt motor
Dishwasher safe parts
Includes recipes, tips and juicing cup
Extra-large pulp bin lets you juice longer – use pulp in recipes or for composting

Product Description

Tired of those expensive, sugary juices filled with preservatives and questionable additives? Ready to retire your old juicer and upgrade to something better? The Big Mouth Pro Juice Extractor can take nutrition to the next level and help you kick-start a healthy lifestyle.

Eating healthier and incorporating fruits and veggies into snacks or meals doesn’t have to be boring, expensive or time-consuming. In no time flat, before you can say “over-priced juice bar,” the Big Mouth Pro Juice Extractor extracts the juice from a whole apple. This kitchen staple and secret weapon proves that there’s a fast, easy way to add more produce into your daily diet. What’s more, there is no need for adding sweeteners or preservatives, making juice the ultimate healthy drink.

Rated a “Best Buy” by a leading consumer advocacy publication, the Big Mouth Pro Juice Extractor flawlessly performs the task of extracting juice from whole fruits, vegetables, citrus fruits and tomatoes with efficiency and speed. Equipped with a powerful 1.1 horsepower motor, an extra-wide feed chute and a stainless steel cutter/strainer, it quickly processes whole fruits and vegetables — with no pre-cutting — to produce invigorating, healthy juice.

See Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juice Extractor (Amazon link) for A LOT more information.

Parma! Vegan, Plant-Based Alternative to Parmesan Cheese (Review)

May 23, 2021 By Joi Sigers

Parma! Vegan Alternative to Parmesan Cheese

Okay, first of all, I have to say this: Even if you aren’t a vegan and aren’t actively looking to add more plant-based foods to your daily life… you will want to continue reading and you will most certainly want to try the Parma! products.

Trust me. I am not TOTALLY in either of these camps either – although I do enjoy a lot of vegan and plant-based meals and recipes, I do not exclusively eat this way. The more I read about healthy ingredients, however, the more closely I look at the ingredients in everything I buy. When it comes to ingredients, I want there to be as few as humanly possible, I want to be able to pronounce each ingredient, and I want to be able to recognize each one as an actual food.

The ingredients for Parma! Garlicky Green Vegan Parmesan: Nutritional yeast, sunflower seeds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, garlic, Himalayan salt, sesame seeds, hemp seeds, kelp, basil, oregano
The ingredients for Parma! Chipotle Cayenne Vegan Parmesan: Nutritional yeast, sunflower seeds, walnuts, Chipotle (roasted jalapeno pepper), Himalayan salt, hemp seeds, onion, cayenne

If you’re one of the ones who is looking for a vegan and plant-based answer to Parmesan cheese… this is your lucky day. These products are absolutely delicious.

Baked Potato

Since I had to give up gluten and wheat (celiac), I have been very mindful of my eating. Years of eating food I didn’t fully realize were doing harm damaged my digestive tract and (even after 10 years), it’s only recently showing huge improvement. Eating more healthy foods (and keeping a keen eye on ingredients!) has helped.

The simple truth is, the healthier you eat, the healthier you feel and the healthier you are. If you’re interested in health and how what you eat influences it (which I assume you are since you are still reading!), you know as well as I do that oftentimes vegan alternatives and plant-based foods and ingredients can be disappointing. I have bought so many products that sounded like Heaven and tasted like… well you know.

I believe more of us would eat a lot healthier if the healthier was tastier. All indications point to the fact that the people behind Parma! fully, fully get that.

I was a bit nervous about trying these products. They were sent to me in exchange for telling you all about them – completely honest and upfront about whether I liked, disliked, hated or loved them. Before I first tried them, I was actually thinking about how I would be able to write a review about something while saying, “Didn’t care for it, myself, but…”

I guess I just didn’t think it’d be possible to create a delicious alternative to Parmesan Cheese. Here’s the thing: I’m a cheese fanatic! I use Parmesan cheese in and on everything.

Now can you see why I was nervous??

Parma! Vegan Parmesan

Imagine the look on my face when I opened the two bottles, tasted each and literally said, “Wow… Delicious!” after each one. Same script, same words, same shocked and delighted expression.

These are both nutty, delicious, and incredibly flavorful. The Parma! Chipotle Cayenne Vegan Parmesan has a little heat but not (at all) too much. It’s outstanding.

The Parma! Garlicky Green Vegan Parmesan is equally delicious with a subtle and wonderful taste of garlic. I made a potato casserole (pictured below) a few nights ago and, whereas I normally use cheddar cheese, I wanted to try smoked Gouda instead. I added a little minced garlic and some of the Parma! Garlicky Green Vegan Parmesan – it was delicious!

Potato Casserole

I have also used EACH of these products on baked potatoes. My favorite way to enjoy them on a fresh baked potato (white or sweet) is to sprinkle it directly onto the potato, followed by butter and whatever else I’m in the mood for.

Recently, I made baked potatoes and topped them with some of the Parma! Chipotle Cayenne Vegan Parmesan before adding butter, sour cream, chopped scallions, and thinly sliced Romaine lettuce (you’d be amazed how much Romaine adds to a baked potato). The Parma Parmesan gave the potato so much flavor! I’ve since also used the other variety of Parma! on baked potatoes. Phenomenal!

Things I love about Parma! Vegan Parmesan:

The products are gluten-free and are made in a dedicated facility.
They’re dairy free – whether you eat keto fulltime or part-time (like me), the more food you can enjoy that’s keto, the better. Any swap (from dairy to non-dairy) you make counts toward better health.
The products are Kosher.
They’re delicious!

In addition to the uses pictured and named above, I have also loved using these products on popcorn (DELICIOUS!), gluten-free toast, in and on Chaffles, sprinkled on asparagus, on gluten-free pasta, and sprinkled on gluten-free bread… parmesan bread never tasted so good!

These are truly delicious and I hope you’ll try them as soon as possible.

Where can you buy Parma! Vegan Parmesan?

There are stores across the country that carry the wonderful products (none anywhere near me, however!). When you visit their website, you can find use the map to locate the deliciousness near you.
Shop for the products directly from their website!
Parma! is available on Amazon – so if you’re already throwing things hot and heavy into your cart (surely I’m not the only one), throw in a couple of bottles of Parma! and get ready to be amazed. Nutty, wholesome, flavorful, and CRAZY delicious.

To read more about Parma and the CEO (Shannon Schnibbe) behind the deliciousness, click here.

The BEST Bacon is Made in the Oven-Baked Bacon (Here’s How)

April 26, 2021 By Joi Sigers

Oven-Baked Bacon

It’s already been established on the food blog that I’m a huge Rachael Ray fan. If she makes it, I buy it and use it. If she tapes it, I watch it and watch it. When I saw her bake bacon in the oven on an episode, I immediately bought her baking sheet (with a rack) and couldn’t wait to test the results.

The Rachael Ray Bacon Baking Sheet with Rack QUICKLY became one of my favorite things in the kitchen. How much did I love it? Well, I ordered a second one immediately.

I’ve used it most often for baking bacon but it is also ideal for roasting vegetables and, of course, the baking sheet itself can be used for anything, simply remove the rack.

The Best Oven-Baked Bacon

The basics (please read below for the whys and hows): Place your bacon onto the pan. Place into a cold oven and THEN turn on the heat to 400 degrees. Cook for 20 minutes.

Bacon in the oven simply tastes better and I have to admit, I was surprised just how much better. I also love that it doesn’t curl up – especially useful for breakfast wraps, crispy homemade bacon bits for salads, and BLTs.

(Continued below the goodness….)

Oven-Baked Bacon at 400 degrees for 20 Minutes

While I, of course, use my baking sheet with rack for cooking bacon in the oven, it isn’t a necessity. You can put your bacon directly on a foil-lined baking sheet and you’ll do just fine. I have experimented for months with oven-baked bacon (I love my life) and these are my tips of the trade:

Buy good bacon. The whole bacon is bacon premise is incorrect and when you try different brands you’ll see what I mean. Smithfield and Oscar Meyer are the two I buy the most frequently.
Don’t pre-heat the oven. I mean, you CAN, but putting the bacon into a cold oven, then turning on the heat, seems to cause the bacon to render its fat more slowly (which is a delicious thing) and more evenly, as in less instances of a slice of bacon that’s half crispy and half fatty.
Baking Times Vary. Not only do oven temperatures and personalities vary, people’s individual preferences vary too. My husband likes for his bacon to be crisp whereas I like for mine to bend if you hold him out like a diving board. Use 400 degrees and 20 minutes as a “guide,” not as an “absolute.” Use this approach, but check the bacon at the 15 minute mark – unless you like yours to bend even more than I do, it will not be ready to eat at this point, but you’ll get an idea of how much further you want to go.
Keep Time. When you discover your favorite time frame for baking the bacon just as you like, write it down and put it someplace you’ll ALWAYS know where it is. On the refrigerator, in a frequently-used recipe box, or tattooed on your arm – this is vital information, treat it as such!

Not even remotely and ad and I have not been paid to say anything (if only I were paid to talk, I’d talk all the way to the bank!), but I highly recommend this Oscar Mayer Naturally Hardwood Smoked bacon, pictured below. Extraordinary and worth the extra pennies.

I just realized I don’t have a category for bacon on the food blog. What kind of madness is this?! I’m about to take care of that irresponsible oversight…

Done.

Coconut Recipes: The Complete Coconut Cookbook

April 26, 2021 By Joi Sigers

Outstanding Coconut Recipe Collection

The Complete Coconut Cookbook (Amazon link) may as well have been written with me in mine – I love coconut that much. My undying devotion to coconut extends outside of the kitchen with coconut-scented lotions, bath gel, conditioner, candles, etc… but it’s in the kitchen where the real magic happens.

When I was contacted about reviewing a cookbook devoted entirely to coconut recipes, you can imagine how quickly I jumped on the idea. There’s just something about the wonderful, unmistakable flavor of coconut – ESPECIALLY during the summer. Obviously, I eat and cook with coconut, coconut oil, coconut sugar, and coconut milk all year, but in the summer I think I love it even more.

After all, it tastes like summer and smells like summer.

The Complete Coconut Cookbook (Amazon link) is a beautiful paperback cookbook with 200 excellent, easy recipes and packed with gorgeous photos. I am honestly tempted to buy a copy for the photos alone. They’d be so beautiful framed and grouped on a wall.

I love that the recipes are gluten-free and grain-free and anyone with nut allergies will appreciate that they’re nut-free as well.

Book Description:

Coconut is a “hot” ingredient among foodies, primarily for its rediscovered healthy impact.

Always a delicious ingredient and often a decadent treat, coconut is now embraced with a new enthusiasm that borders on obsession. Its rich, smooth and creamy textures add to the compelling and considerable health and nutrition benefits of pure coconut products.

Despite the mounting evidence supporting the health benefits of coconut and the ever-increasing number of coconut products in supermarkets, comprehensive guidance on how to use such products lags behind. The Complete Coconut Cookbook offers home cooks the delicious, convenient coconut using its entire range of special ingredients.

Everyone, from hardcore health-foodies to recreational cooks and everyone in between, will enjoy these all-natural, high-energy, top-notch coconut recipes which can all be made with ease and flair. The 200 innovative recipes cover a broad spectrum of fresh flavors and textures and provide delicious and dependable results. Perhaps most importantly, there is a complete nutritional analysis for every recipe.

Camilla Saulsbury includes coconut recipes for virtually every occasion and every time of the day: Breakfast, Breads and Muffins, Beverages, Salads, Vegetable Sides, Soups and Stews, Main Dishes, Cookies and Cakes and Desserts.

For example a nutritious start is Coconut Waffles, a late afternoon snack is Coconut Flour Zucchini Bread, and a sit-down hearty dinner is Southwestern Sweet Potato and Poblano Soup.

An unusual feature is a comprehensive section on the science of coconut nutrition along with a survey of user-friendly nutrition information about each coconut ingredient and “how-to” data for each coconut product. ~ From Amazon (link to the cookbook on Amazon)

Some of the wonderful recipes in The Complete Coconut Cookbook Include:

- Sunflower, Pepita and Chia Granola
- Coconut Chia Breakfast Bowl
- Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Hot and Sour Coconut Soup
- Green Chile Chili
- Stuffed Portobellos
- Japanese Ginger “Noodle” Bowls
- Cauliflower “Rice”
- Coconut “Bacon”
- Crispy Coconut French Fries
- Steamed Broccoli with Tahini Coconut Sauce
- Sautéed Spinach
- Coconut Shortbread
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Coconut Butter
- No-Bake Lemon Coconut Bars
- Plus many, many more recipes (and did I mention the many gorgeous photos??!)

In addition to the wonderful recipes (they are certainly the main stars) and full-page gorgeous photos, I also love the wonderful section at the front of the book praising the health benefits of coconut and detailing the perfect “coconut pantry.” Great stuff.

Finally, I also love the extra health and nutritional information included about some of coconut’s co-stars:

Cranberries are loaded with disease-fighting antioxidants and are a good source of vitamin C as well.
Active compounds in ginger have anticancer properties and have actually been shown to DESTROY color, ovarian, and rectal cancer cells.
The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin, an antioxidant that has been shown to fend off cancer growth.
Turmeric is also good for your heart’s health.
The book is filled with similar information… priceless information.

I whole-heartedly recommend adding The Complete Coconut Cookbook (Amazon link) to your cookbook library. You’ll be so glad you did… and you’ll know what to do with all that coconut flour, coconut milk, and coconut oil you’ve stocked up on! (oh wait, that’s me)

T-Fal Signature Nonstick 12 Piece Cookware Set

April 14, 2021 By Joi Sigers

When it comes to pots, pans, and kitchen appliances (big and small), I am as brand-loyal as it gets. I figure, if I’m going to spend money on something, I want to make certain it’s something that…

I’ll love
will serve me well
will last
won’t make me regret it!

T-fal is one of the names I go to again and again and again. I have never bought a T-fal product and regretted it for a second. In fact, each time I use a T-fal pan, I ask myself, “Why would anyone buy any other brand?”

A bit overly-dramatic and flowery, but true.

Oddly enough, I have never (yet) bought a T-fal collection of pans. I always buy them piece by piece which, if we’re being honest, doesn’t make a lot of sense because that’s a sure-fire way to spend more money than if you bought them in a great collection.

The T-fal Signature Nonstick Cookware Set (12-Pieces) pictured here is making me see the error of my ways and I can’t wait to add it to my already healthy T-fal collection. I love that this set includes a Dutch oven and griddle – I don’t have either one of these and can’t wait to cook pancakes to celebrate their arrival in their new forever home. I make pancakes, fried eggs, and French toast regularly and a griddle is absolutely the way to go.

T-fal Signature Nonstick Cookware Set Features

Set includes: 7.75 inch and 11 inch fry pans, 1 quart and 2 quart sauce pans with lids, a 5.5 quart Dutch oven with lid, a 10.25 inch griddle, and a spoon, ladle, and slotted spatula
Dishwasher safe: Easy to clean and dishwasher safe cookware set; Nonstick interior and exterior for low fat cooking and easy cleaning
Use and care: Safe for all cooking methods except induction; PFOA, Lead, and Cadmium free. Wash the frying pan in hot water and washing-up liquid to remove any dust. Dry it and rub a little cooking oil into the non-stick coating before using for the first time
Heats evenly: With our thermo spot indicator, know when our T fal pan is ready for use; Oven safe up to 350 Fahrenheit
Ergonomic heat resistant handles for a comfortable grip; Vented tempered glass lids trap in heat and moisture

The fact that T-fal is easy to clean and dishwasher safe make me love it even more.

See T-fal Signature Nonstick Cookware Set (Amazon link) for a lot more details, pictures, and a video explaining the brilliance of the T-fal Thermo Spot. As soon as my set arrives, I’ll post the review. I don’t have to tell you what an AMAZING Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gift this would make!

Summer Kitchen Towels, for that Summer State of Mind!

April 10, 2021 By Joi Sigers

I told my youngest daughter, Stephany, recently that I don’t think I’ve ever looked so forward to spring and summer in my life as I did this past winter. I mean, for one thing, I absolutely love winter and everything about it (Christmas, snow, fuzzy sweaters, hot chocolate, soup, curling up under a warm throw while watching movies with my husband…)

And yet, all January and February, all I could think about was baseball, grilled hamburgers, my flower beds, trips to the lake, watermelon, butterflies, bees, and feeling the warm sun on my face.

Suffice to say, I am as happy as a cat in a bed of catnip now that the weather is warmer!

As I’ve often said on the food blog, I love to decorate seasonally – changing towels, knick-knacks, and so forth with the seasons and upcoming holidays. I’ve been looking on Amazon for more summerlicious kitchen towels and…. tada!… like any shopper who puts her heart into her work, I have had success.

I’m including a few of my favorite towel finds, here, in case you are as ready as I am to embrace summer like it’s never been embraced before!

Details for the Watermelon Towel Set Above:

Polyester
Imported
Soft Material : 100% High-quality durable fibers, machine washable & tumble dry, ultra-soft so they won’t scratch your delicate cookware, plates, pots, or pans
Highly Absorbent : Absorbent enough for drying, cleaning, scrubbing or achieving any other household task. Keep absorbent even after multiple machine cycles
Includes : Brand new set of 2 stylish dish towels/tea towels 18 X 28 Inches (45cm X 75cm), long-lasting durability and performance
Kitchen Decor : Add flair to your kitchen decor with Artoid Mode colorful kitchen dish towels. Perfect for all of your daily drying and cleaning kitchen jobs
Unique Cute Design : Printed with stylish, unique and cute patterns. It is the perfect combination of seasonal decor and daily cleaning

I also love the Hello, Summer towels pictured on the right. I’ve already ordered popsicle molds to make plenty of healthy popsicles for my grandbabies (as well as the grown-up family members who love them just as much). Not only can you use organic juice to make healthier popsicles, you can add bits of fruit and even use yogurt to make creamy popsicles. I’m pretty sure I’m as excited about them as anyone.

These towels will be perfect for a popsicle-filled summer!

These colorful polyester kitchen towels, like the ones above, come in a set of two and measure 18 X 28 Inches (45cm X 75cm).

Melamine Dinnerware Set (These Dishes are to DIE FOR!)

March 27, 2021 By Joi Sigers

These gorgeous outdoor dishes, the Melamine Dinnerware Set, isn’t just on my “buy for this grilling season,” it’s at the top. In fact, if I only get one thing on the list this year… it MUST be this set.

The set for four includes 4 large 10.5″ dinner plates, 4 8.5″ salad (or dessert) plates, and 4 6″ wide x 3″ high bowls.

These beauties are sturdy, food grade and BPA free. They’re even top-rack dishwasher safe, which is quickly becoming a must for every dish I buy. What can I say, especially in the pretty months, I don’t want to be at my sink when I can be… well… anywhere BUT at my sink!

Something else I love about them is the fact they’re perfectly willing to serve you and your family & friends indoors or outdoors. They’re made for both, and I fully intend to use them for both.

I’ve always felt strongly (and lived by the code, if we’re being honest) that you should fill your home with things that make you smile, things that resonate with joy for you. These dishes speak to me on that note – I love the rustic look, often referred to as “farmhouse” decor, but truth be told, they’d go with any type of decor or family personality.

I hope you’ll click through and take a closer look at this gorgeous set. There are larger images (trust me, the closer the look, the deeper in love with them you’ll fall) and even a video.

See Melamine Dinnerware Set (Amazon link) for more information.

LOVE THESE!!!

Great New Obsession: Silicone Loaf Pans!

January 23, 2021 By Joi Sigers

Silicone Loaf Pans

These Silicone Bread Loaf Pans are my newest obsession. Obviously, these silicone pans are available in many colors, from many different companies but these beauties happen to be from SILIVO, sold on Amazon. I’ve always been a huge Amazon shopper, but since the pandemic, I shop almost exclusively online and Amazon is the one I trust the most. They proved their reliability again this past Christmas – of the different online stores I ordered gifts from, they are the only one who had everything delivered in time to wrap and give for Christmas.

I’m still waiting on a few things (that I ordered in November) from Zulily! I know it’s a pandemic and things are slower… but dang.

These silicone pans are everything you hope for them to be when you buy them – they bake perfectly, nothing sticks (HATE STICKING!), cleanup is a breeze, and… to be perfectly honest.. they just look downright gorgeous in the cabinets.

Product Description from Amazon:

Set of 2：2 pack silicone bread&loaf pans
Multi-Purpose:Size:8.9×3.7×2.5 inches
Perfect for Bread, Cake, Brownies, Rice crispy treats, Meatloaf, Cobbler cake, Lasagna, Fruit cakes, Quiche, Pot Pies and more
100% Food Grade Silicone: The silicone cake pan constructed of high-quality Eco-friendly 100 % pure food grade silicone, conforms to the American quality.
Non-stick Pan: The flexible silicone and non-stick finish allow for easy and quick release of baked goods and desserts, stain- and odor-resistant.
Easy Life: Fridge,Microwave & Oven safe
Operating temperature:-20℉~450℉(-30℃~230℃).
Easily hand wash by warm soapy or put in dishwasher.

While the Silicone Bread Loaf Pans are ideal for bread (lemon loaves, zucchini bread, banana nut bread, sourdough bread, cranberry orange bread..), my favorite uses may be meatloaf, brownies, and fudge. It may seem unusual to cook brownies in a loaf-size pan, but I had rather divide my brownie mix among two loaf pans than one 8×8 pan – you get more uniform cooking. Nothing messes with a chocoholic’s day quite like baking brownies that are smooshy in the middle and hard around the edges.

Silicone pans, by their very nature, make it all but impossible for brownies to pull off this trick.

I love the same approach to fudge and, again, the silicone beautifully keeps anything from sticking.

(Review Continued Below…)

Silicone Loaf Pans

You can click through to take a closer look at the beautiful Silicone Bread Loaf Pans shown here. While there, be sure to check out the other silicone cookware and kitchen tools. I am on a mission to cover my kitchen in silicone pans and gadgets – I love them that much.

Testing them out will give me something to do while waiting for my Zulily order!

Quick and Easy Meal Ideas: “Nights Off” at Home with Less Stress and Less Mess

November 8, 2020 By Joi Sigers

I love cooking. I mean… LOVE LOVE cooking. Everything about it. In fact, most of the time I don’t even mind the time and effort it takes to clean everything up. I figure it’s a great opportunity to use up a few of the calories I just consumed.

Yesterday, my husband and I were out of town most of the day and went to a local restaurant for supper (more about restaurants in a minute!) when we got back in town. Last night, it hit me… I missed my kitchen time!

Having said all of that, however, I find that some nights (usually once… sometimes twice a week), I just want everything to be as simple and easy as possible. I don’t want to be in the kitchen for 30 minutes to an hour making the meal, followed by another 30 cleaning it up. I want food on the table fast and dishes that can either be tossed or washed in record time. Basically, my comfortable chair in the den is calling me and I want as few obstacles as possible before I answer the call!

I call these my “nights off” because instead of the normal, full-fledge, photo-worthy meals I make, I either pull something out of the freezer I had made and frozen previously or I pull out something ready to roll, pretty much as is.

Everyone needs nights or days off, right? Can anyone who works 5 days a week imagine not having a day off?! No way. Having days or nights off keeps you sane, keeps you rested, and most definitely keeps you from burning out.

Reasons for Eating Home More and Eating Out Less

I have nothing against eating out on occasion. I mean, let’s face it, it can be fun. Letting someone else do all the work while you sit and let them bring it to you… sweet luxury!

However, eating at home is almost always healthier – especially if you have food allergies, are on a special diet, or have any of the many diseases that can be greatly effected by the wrong food. Even trace amounts of the enemy foods build up and can be very bad for you.

Add to this the fact that we are in a pandemic AND coming up on cold and flu season (not to mention all the bugs that show up as soon as the weather cools) – even the biggest fan of dining out has to admit – you are safer at home.

I honestly hate to say it, but my experience lately is that many restaurants are “going down.” I don’t know if they’re having trouble getting or keeping good help or if cooking is a dying art but, just in the last year, four of my five favorite restaurants (two locally-owned and two chain restaurants) have gotten so bad I don’t care if I ever go back. The one of the five that’s still as good as ever is a local authentic Mexican restaurant.

Stay strong, guys, stay strong!

Another reason to keep your pantry, refrigerator, and even freezer stocked is that (as this global pandemic has taught us) you just never know what lies ahead. It’s always better to be able to take care of yourself and your family without having to count on others. You never know when their doors will close.

(Continued Below…)

Tips for Nights Off Meals (As Many Times a Week as You Want Them!)

You may be like me and actually love to cook, but simply are human and want a night off every now and then. Or, you may be like one of my daughters who had (literally, y’all) rather go to the dentist than cook! Whichever group you fall into, the following tips and ideas will, hopefully, help you as much as they do me.

When you make soup, chili, or casseroles, make a little extra to freeze for a future meal. I have perfected this routine to where I always have at least two soups and one chili in the freezer and ready to go at a moment’s notice. Amazon has countless sizes and shapes of freezing containers (link to Amazon) – you’ll want to find a set with different sizes. This has been such a wonderful system for me. Soups and chili, in particular, taste like they were made that day.
Don’t think the freezer has to have just food you’ve made! As you can see from the sample pictures here, I’m a huge fan of Amy’s frozen meals, as well as her burritos. While I keep them on hand, primarily, for my lunches while my husband is at work, I have often fixed them for both of us on one of my luxurious “nights off.” The burritos are excellent with rice, a salad, eggs, or (simpler, still) tortilla chips and salsa. The frozen meals are even easier because the only dishes you mess up are your forks and glasses! Frozen pizzas, corndogs, fries (top with a can of heated canned chili and cheese and call it a meal)… the choices are limitless. Just be sure to always have your “night off” section of your freezer locked and loaded.
My favorite night off meal is actually one of my husband’s favorite meals – bacon, eggs, and a few vegetables cooked in the same pan (broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers… whatever combo you like). The one pan strategy helps with clean up considerably and, let’s face it, it doesn’t get any simpler than bacon and eggs.
Oatmeal or grits is another filling, warm, comforting, and delicious meal. I could eat either of these all by themselves, but my husband loves a couple of fried eggs with his.
Never, ever underestimate soup and sandwiches – they’re filling, healthy, and most definitely perfect for your night off.
When possible, keep salad makings on hand and your favorite salad dressing ready to pour. Simply adding chicken, beef, boiled eggs, or bacon to a great salad makes a healthy meal.
Have you seen those little packets of instant potatoes? They cook in less time than it takes to brush your teeth and, frankly, taste darn good. They come in lots of flavors and varieties and are outstanding. Keep plenty of these on hands for accompanying deli chicken or soup or chili from the freezer. Soup and chili, both are great served over these guys.

Some people think certain foods are only “acceptable” for breakfast or lunch and wouldn’t consider them for supper. They’re nuts! Breakfast suppers are downright addictive and traditional “lunch” suppers are right there with them.

I have seen some people schedule these types of nights and call them things like “cheat nights” or “lazy nights” – and scheduling them is certainly an option. For me, personally, however – I never know quite when the “My chair is calling me and I don’t want to be on my feet another minute!” mood is going to hit until it does… so, I simply have my options on stand by.

One final word about restaurants…

I actually put this post together because of something that I experienced last night at what was once a favorite chain restaurant. I ordered the grilled catfish as I normally do (along with greens and pinto beans). I took a bite of the catfish from the end… all seemed normal… ate some of the greens and beans… then picked up my fork and knife and tried to cut into the catfish. It would not cut… it was completely undercooked. I literally could not cut through it.

Undercooked meats can host a whole world of trouble for a person – salmonella, food poisoning… and if you’ve ever been on the receiving end of either of these, you know how horribly sick they make you. I am very, very lucky that I only took a small bite of this fish that was all but flopping around on my plate.

Now I know for certain that, in the future, whenever I order meat, I will never again assume that restaurant cooks use food thermometers as I do in my own kitchen. I’ll also cut into the middle of the meat before even thinking about taking a bite.

As I said before, I don’t know why it is but a lot of restaurants are, collectively, getting worse. You just can’t be too careful – certainly not when it comes to your health!

Stay safe and stay well!

~ Joi (“Joy”)

Outside-In Bacon Cheeseburgers with Green Onion Mayo

Outside-In Bacon Cheeseburgers with Green Onion Mayo – by Rachael Ray