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Miss Ellie’s Coffee Cakes: Cinnamon Coffee Cake (With or Without Nuts)

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Miss Ellie's Cinnamon Coffee Cake
Next Monday, I’ll publish my review of some of Miss Ellie’s wonderful Coffees on the food blog, but since today is National Coffee Cake Day, I wanted to tell you about her coffee cakes TODAY.

I’ll just say, right upfront that I cannot eat these beautiful cakes (I have to totally avoid gluten/wheat for health reasons)… but I can smell them! One was sent along with my coffee and while my family enjoyed eating it, I at least had the pleasure of admiring it with my eyes and nose.

The coffee cake pictured is the Traditional Cinnamon Coffee Cake (No Nuts) and word around the house is that it tastes even better than it looks or even smells.

Miss Ellie's Cinnamon Coffee Cake and Miss Ellie's Coffee
Given that it smells like Heaven’s own bakery, I can only imagine how wonderful it must taste.

Other Miss Ellie’s Coffee Cakes:

I will tell you much more about Miss Ellie’s coffees in the coffee review Monday morning, but suffice to say this: You absolutely should head over to Miss Ellie’s Website and order a coffee cake today and you absolutely positively should order a bag of coffee to enjoy with it.

Great coffee cake and exceptional coffee… that’s what I call a perfect match.

Miss Ellie's Cinnamon Coffee Cake

What Do You Get When You Combine SkinnyPop Popcorn and Melted Pink Himalayan Salt Ghee?

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SkinnyPop Popcorn with Melted Pink Himalayan Salt Ghee
SkinnyPop Popcorn with Melted Pink Himalayan Salt Ghee

A while back, a super friendly woman contacted me about doing a post on my food blog highlighting SkinnyPop Popcorn. Since it was a brand I already bought regularly, I was more than glad to help spread the word.  This isn’t a sponsored post – nor did I receive any popcorn to sample. I bought my own, as I regularly do.

Let me tell you a little secret about us food bloggers… we are regularly sent food products to review (whether we’re sent the product or a voucher, we’re compensated for the time we spend telling our readers about the food). If you see one of my kind (food bloggers) giving a “shout out” to a product for which we didn’t even receive a coupon for… mark it down… it’s one we’re already buying and loving.

There are just certain “staples” you grab each week at the grocery store, right? SkinnyPop popcorn is one of my favorite staples.  I regularly grab bags of their Original as well as their Sea Salt and Pepper. The Sea Salt and Pepper is actually my favorite – guess it’s because I’m a pepper fanatic, huh?

Popcorn is one of my favorite snacks, period. It’s delicious, fun to eat, doesn’t make a mess (unless you cover it with caramel or chocolate… then it’s shall we say a mess that’s worth it!), and nutritionally sound.

I almost always have a huge bowl of SkinnyPop popcorn on the table or counter – so anyone who passes by can grab a handful and crunch their little hearts out. It’s a great way to hold off the hungries until mealtime and I’d much rather my loved ones grab popcorn than greasy chips or sugar-coated snacks.

My husband and I often invite popcorn into the den when watching television in the evening or on weekends. A baseball game without popcorn? I don’t think so!

SkinnyPop Popcorn with Melted Ghee… HOLY CATS!!

I recently happened upon what is now one of my favorite things in the world: SkinnyPop popcorn with melted Pink Himalayan Salt Ghee – naturally, you can just use regular ghee and add a little Himalayan Salt at some point in the melting or drizzling process, but I’d HIGHLY recommend the ghee pictured above – 4th & Heart Grass-Fed Ghee with Himalayan Pink Salt. It’s on Amazon (what isn’t, right??) but I’ve also found it easily in Meijer’s and Kroger.

Again, any melted ghee would be fantastic, but this one is my “go to” for many things in life.

Since I first melted ghee and used it on popcorn, I’ve never used traditional butter…. and I LOVE traditional butter as much as anyone. Ghee is just perfectly perfect for drizzling on popcorn and I could go on and on about how delicious it is.   That, however, wouldn’t get the point across nearly as well as if you simply try it for yourself.

You’ll be as blown away as me and, yes, you may even exclaim HOLY CATS too.

SkinnyPop Popcorn with Grated Dark Chocolate
SkinnyPop Popcorn with Grated Dark Chocolate and Almonds

One of the things I like about SkinnyPop so much is the fact that it’s….

  1. … not Microwave Popcorn. Studies have shown that the majority of microwave popcorn is horrible for you.
  2. ….. doesn’t mess up dishes or call for vegetable oil.
  3. …. doesn’t mess up my hot air popcorn popper.

It’s healthier than most snacks, healthier than all microwavable popcorn, and it doesn’t mess up a single thing. I also love that they print Gluten Free in huge letters on the front. They’re proud to be gluten-free and that makes me smile.

While my absolute favorite way to eat SkinnyPop Popcorn is straight outta the bag (or bowl, if that’s where it’s hanging out at the time), I do like to get a little jazzy from time to time.

Keep reading for a few ways to have fun with popcorn.

SkinnyPop Popcorn with Dried Cranberries and Almonds
SkinnyPop Popcorn with Dried Cranberries and Almonds
 

In addition to melted ghee (please, please try this – trust me it’s too good for its own good), below are some of my favorite ways to have fun with popcorn.

  • I first fell in love with pouring M&Ms into popcorn at the theater many, many, many moons ago. I was trying to hold onto a huge bucket of popcorn (I go all out with theater popcorn, guys) and a box of plain M&Ms, while freeing up a hand to control my Diet Coke – yes, I’m that girl who has buttery popcorn, candy, and drinks a Diet Coke to wash it all down. At least I used to, that is. I gave up Diet Coke but candy and popcorn? NEVER. I decided that I either had to get creative or grow a third hand. I got creative. I poured the M&Ms into the bucket of popcorn and something legendary was born. Since that day (seriously, it must have been at least 25 years ago), I always have M&Ms in my popcorn at the theater. I often do the same at home. If you buy the “Baking M&Ms” bag, you’ll get more candies for your buck – plus they’re smaller, so you get more with each handful.
  • Lawry’s Seasoned salt is great on popcorn – plus it gives it a funky cool color.
  • Grating dark chocolate or white chocolate onto popcorn is also a darn tasty way to go.
  • Nuts are incredibly good for you, so I like to sneak them into our meals and snacks any way that I can. Tossing pecans, almonds, macadamia nuts, walnuts, or pistachios into popcorn just ups the nutritional boost. Smart and delicious.  I also like to toss in fried fruit sometimes. Experiment with the combinations of dried fruit and nuts for something extra special. One of my personal favorite combos is dried cranberries, almonds, and macadamia nuts.  If I have any on hand, I’ll throw in some white chocolate morsels too.
  • Cayenne pepper (if you like a little heat) and grated lime are a great combo for popcorn. The flavors go together perfectly.

SkinnyPop Popcorn with Dried Cranberries and Almonds SkinnyPop Popcorn with Dried Cranberries, Almonds, and White Chocolate Morsels

You can find SkinnyPop in your grocery store or your favorite super store. I just noticed on their website that they’ve added to their line of popcorn – I’ll have to keep my eyes out for these new varieties in my store. You can also find SkinnyPop on Amazon.  I’ve kind of fallen in love with ordering food along with whatever I’m ordering on Amazon.  Makes delivery day even sweeter.

You can also find the 4th & Heart Grass-Fed Ghee with Himalayan Pink Salt on Amazon.  It’s EXCELLENT on toast and chocolate as well as popcorn. Think I need a little popcorn with melted ghee right about now…


Gourmet Gift Baskets: Beautiful Choices for Easter Gift-Giving!

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Gourmet Gift Baskets Easter Basket
I’ve written about King of Pop popcorn and Gourmet Gift Baskets before on Get Cooking and I’m delighted to have the chance to do so again. I was recently sent an adorable Easter Basket in exchange for telling you about the Easter Baskets and sets on Gourmet Gift Baskets (which often include deliciousness from King of Pop). There are beautiful gifts for everyone of any age… a lot more creative than the ones you find in stores.

As you can see from the pictures, this particular gift basket, the Classic Easter Bunny Gift Basket includes an adorable stuffed rabbit (very good quality, too), chocolate candies, delicious popcorn, Peeps (a HUGE weakness of mine… I mean to tell you, I am a serious Peeps fanatic), and Laffy Taffy.

Gourmet Gift Baskets Easter Basket
If you have children in your life (or, if we’re being honest here… if you have a pet lover with a sweet tooth in your life), this gift basket makes a beautiful gift idea. I mention pet lovers because one of our cats has fallen head over fluffy tail in love with the rabbit and can often be found taking a nap with her head in its lap. As a matter of fact, she also LOVES the thick box the gift basket came in, the green ribbon that was on the basket and the basket, itself!

Between my sweet tooth and her love of FUN, we have enjoyed this gift basket more than any 8 year old would have!

From Gourmet Gift Baskets: There are certain things that are essential to Easter morning, like beautiful toys and irresistible chocolate. So, in this wonderful basket, we brought together all of those classic elements to create the perfect holiday gift! Complete with bright sweet candies and chocolates, crisp handcrafted popcorn, and a gorgeous stuffed bunny, this lovely arrangement will make Easter morning absolutely unforgettable!

Gourmet Gift Baskets Easter Basket
Gourmet Gift Baskets always come in excellent condition and they are extremely reliable and FAST. FAST is always good when sending gifts! Their gifts are always creative and go the extra step… you know the one… the extra step that takes you from feeling “good” about a gift you’ve given to feeling “great” about a gift you’ve given.

Click the following link to see more Easter Gift Baskets from Gourmet Gift Baskets – they have gift baskets in a wide variety of styles with plenty of different contents. The price range is also great, so you can find pretty much just what you’re looking for.

Their “gifts” can even be used to put your Easter meal together! It’d be a beautifully simple and simply beautiful way to provide extra desserts and/or snacks…. with very little effort on your part.

Some of the Easter and Spring Gifts Available:

See Gourmet Gift Baskets for more gift baskets for Easter, Birthdays, Christmas, and every other special occasion you can think of.

Gourmet Gift Baskets Easter Basket

CedarLane Cauliflower Pilaf Review

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CedarLane Cauliflower Pilaf Review
I frequently write about CedarLane foods on Get Cooking.

Why?

I frequently eat CedarLane foods in my kitchen.

 

Simple as that – delicious as that. The CedarLane Roasted Chile Relleno and CedarLane Sweet Corn (and vegetable) Tamales are a few of my grocery staples. I buy them each and every week.. to the tune of two at a time.

I spend a lot of money on CedarLane, if we’re being honest – but I can’t help myself, nor would I want to. They’re simply among the most flavorful, delicious, and healthiest frozen foods out there – whether (always, like me) you’re looking for gluten-free food or (sometimes, like me) looking for vegetarian meals. If you’re a gluten-free vegetarian… allow me to introduce you to your new best friend.

CedarLane recently told me about a new product they’ve come up with, Cauliflower Pilaf – and, just as I was about to head off to the store to look for it, they said they’d seen me one to sample.

Even sweeter!

CedarLane Cauliflower Pilaf Review
When the CedarLane Cauliflower Pilaf arrived, I made a huge Chef Salad to go with it for supper. Why wait, right? I was not in the least bit surprised to discover that it was FULL of vegetables and flavor.

A favorite combination, if I ever had one. CedarLane GETS (as well as it’s ever been gotten) that flavor matters. If a vegetarian or gluten-free or ANY meal for that matters is to be taken seriously, it has to taste good. The flavor has to be there. CedarLane packs an unreal amount of flavor into everything they make – including this exciting new Cauliflower Pilaf.

Not only do I strongly appreciate and enjoy the flavors CedarLane provides in every bite, I love that they put vegetables in the center of the stage. We all know that for optimum health, we need to eat an optimum amount of vegetables. When’s the last time a doctor, nurse, or nutritionist said, “Be sure you don’t eat too many vegetables.” or “You might want to cut back on your Cauliflower and carrots.”

The fact that CedarLane allows you to have nutritious, filling, delicious, AND flavorful (seriously, seriously flavorful and delicious) in such a quick and easy manner is nothing short of perfection.  While I, most of the time, enjoy CedarLane’s foods for lunch, I often invite them for supper as well.

For Example…

  • The Cauliflower Pilaf was absolutely delicious served with a salad, but it’d also be a healthy side for grilled chicken, hamburgers, meatloaf, steaks…. absolutely anything that could be accented with a delicious, wholesome, and filling side dish.
  • The Roasted Chile Relleno begs to be served on “Taco Night.” Simply buy two boxes and heat them up – just don’t blame me when they steal the the show from your tacos. They do that. Seriously, these are out of this world – I could drink the sauce, it’s so darn good.
  • The Sweet Corn Tamales (fun to make, funner to eat) and Vegetable Tamales are ridiculously delicious. I top them with mild Salsa Verde (Herdez is my favorite brand) and serve them with salads (yes, I am a salad fiend) or tomato soup when having them for dinner.

I, personally, haven’t seen the CedarLane Cauliflower Pilaf in stores yet, but trust me, I’m looking! It is fantastic – I love the thought of having a side that’s so vegetable-licious. When it comes to veggies, he more, the better, and CedarLane has found a clever way to up the ante.

CedarLane Cauliflower Pilaf Review
Other CedarLane Reviews on Get Cooking!

CedarLane Roasted Chile Relleno (personal obsession #1)

CedarLane Sweet Corn Tamales (personal obsession #2)

CedarLane Breakfast Omelettes  (so easy… so good!)

CedarLane Roasted Chile Relleno

How Moore’s Original Marinade Can Take Your Grass Fed Burgers Up a Couple of Notches

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Hamburgers with Moore's Original Marinade and Sauteed Onions
Burgers (Marinated with Moore’s Original Sauce) and Sauteed Onions
If you, like a lot of people, have tried grass-fed beef (or have chosen to only eat grass-fed beef), you already know a few things to be true:

  • It costs more.
  • It looks different.
  • It feels different.
  • It tastes different.

I’ve read a lot of people say that they can’t deal with the taste difference, so they stopped buying it altogether. While it’s your own decision if you decide to buy grass-fed beef or not (see Is Grass-Fed Beef Really Better for You, The Animal, and The Planet?), I do want to tell you that I have zero problem with it. Do I wish it were less expensive? You betcha, but I wish a lot of things were less expensive (I’m looking at you, frozen fruit, shrimp, and salmon). When things cost more than you’d like them to, you have to simply decide if it’s worth it or not. For me, when it comes to grass-fed beef, grass-fed butter, and eggs from cage-free chickens, it is definitely worth it. I figure that, in the long run, I’m still saving money because I rarely eat out.

The reason I don’t have a problem with the taste is I don’t leave it as is. I’ve worked with it over the months that I’ve been buying it and I’ve found there are secret weapons involved.

Moore's Original Marinade and Grass-Fed Ground Beef
My tips for Grass-Fed Burgers:

  • Cast Iron Skillet – yes, it makes a world of difference.
  • Sauteed Onions.
  • Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder.
  • Marinades like Moore’s Original Marinade aren’t just for chicken, steaks, and pork – they add a lot of flavor to ground beef as well. A LOT!
  • Bacon is another delicious way to add flavor to grass-fed ground beef.
  • Never underestimate the deliciousness of an egg sitting on top of a burger.

Sauteed Onions in Butter
Onions, Sauteed in Butter, Make Everything Better. Everything.
If you read my food blog regularly, you know I had to give up gluten/wheat years ago (health reasons), so when I have burgers, they are often either served on gluten-free bread or wrapped in lettuce. Oddly enough, however, I usually simply doll them up and serve them on a plate.

Simply delicious.

I almost always saute (in butter) onions or shallots to serve with my burgers – sometimes even throwing in sliced mushrooms. Adding a slice of your favorite cheese between the burger and sauteed onions is, of course, the way to go.

Grass-Fed Beef with Moore's Original Marinade
Allow the Marinade to Mingle with the Seasonings and Beef at Least 10 Mins.
But I’ve gotten woefully ahead of myself – as is my way. The mind goes 150 miles per hour, the mouth goes 100 miles per hour, and the rest of the body is like, “Where’d they go?!” Before we can top the burgers, we have to make the burgers!

While the onions are sauteing in the iron skillet, I take the grass-fed ground beef out of the package, place it into a bowl and add a little Moore’s Original Marinade. Then I add salt, pepper, and garlic powder and work it all into the beef with my hands.

I allow mine to sit and mingle for at least 10 minutes. I allowed it to sit, once, for 1 hour and the flavor wasn’t any more pronounced than the 10 minute deal.

I’ve been a happy fan of Moore’s Original Marinade for quite a while, but I had no idea it would work as wonderfully with ground beef as it does. I always just associated it with steak, pork and pork. It’s amazing with each of these, by the way.

I also had no idea they’d added to their line of products so extensively.  They have a little bit of everything.

I was sent this bottle of Moore’s Original Marinade in exchange for telling you about it and my original plan was to work it into a grilled steak post. However, the good people at Moore’s would surely wonder where their post was if I waited much longer (I have zero pull with the weather, it seems).

Click through the links above to read more about this flavorful marinade, as well as their other products.

Hamburgers with Moore's Original Marinade and Sauteed Onions

National Hot Breakfast Month with Kruteaz Gluten-Free Mixes

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Krusteaz Gluten-Free Mixes
While September is National Breakfast Month, February is National HOT Breakfast Month. Given that I am a bona fide breakfast fanatic, I feel that breakfast not only deserves two months, but it’s well within reason for it to have 10. Seriously, what’s not to love about breakfast food? Waffles with syrup seeping into its crevices, pancakes with butter melting down the sides, blueberry muffins with their warmth and sweetness, scrambled eggs with Monterey Jack cheese, bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs with cornbread, French toast with cream cheese and orange marmalade nestled in between its delectable layers..

Let’s make that 12 months breakfast deserves.

In honor of National HOT Breakfast Month, I’m going to feature a new breakfast recipe or idea each day of the month. These recipes will be perfect for breakfast OR supper (ironically my favorite time to enjoy breakfast food). The recipes will be quick and easy, gluten-free, and packed with flavor and goodness in each bite. Quite a few of the recipes will feature some of my kitchen staples:

  • Krusteaz Gluten-Free Mixes
  • Krusteaz Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour
  • T-fal Non-Stick Skillet (review upcoming)
  • T-fal Waffle/Sandwich Removable EZ Clean (review upcoming)
  • Eggs (color me obsessed)
  • Bacon
  • Berries – I’m crazy about blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries and work them in any chance I have.

I’ve declared my great love for Krusteaz Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour on the food blog before. I’ve even posted recipes for Cranberry Pecan Cookies and White Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies using this perfect gluten-free flour. It’s a staple in my gluten-free kitchen. In fact Krusteaz is synonymous with gluten-free baking as far as I’m concerned. Mind you, all of their products aren’t gluten-free, but the ones that are could not be any better.

That’s why I immediately jumped on their gluten-free mixes:

  • Gluten-Free Buttermilk Pancake Mix
  • Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffin Mix
  • Gluten-Free Honey Cornbread Mix
  • I just saw on their website that they now have a Gluten-Free Double Chocolate Brownie Mix – O.M.G. I’ll be looking for that at Meijer’s today!

A few days ago, I wrote about the Gluten-Free Honey Cornbread Mix in my recipe for Sloppy Joes Cornbread Pizza (other level delicious). If (like my cornbread loving husband) you can’t get enough of the flavor of great cornbread, you’ll love this idea for putting a breakfast spin on the Cornbread Mix – serve it with scrambled eggs or a breakfast casserole. Cornbread is delicious with butter and jam or even apple butter. Use it in place of toast for extra flavor.

Plus, let’s face it, there’s just something so right about the way cornbread looks in an iron skillet. Krusteaz Honey Cornbread Mix is the best cornbread mix I’ve ever had (gluten-free or not) and is as good as homemade cornbread. To get a crunchier bottom, use bacon grease in the skillet instead of shortening or oil. It gives it wonderful flavor, too. This is the mix I used (along with the bacon trick) for my stuffing last Thanksgiving and it was AMAZING.

Cornbread with Buttermilk
Have you ever taken a slice of hot cornbread and covered it with buttermilk? I remember seeing my grandmother and mom tear cornbread into pieces, place the pieces in a bowl and pour buttermilk on top. When I was a kid, I thought they were nuts. When I got a little older, curiosity got the better of me and I poured some buttermilk on hot cornbread – poking holes and letting it seep down into the golden goodness. Words CANNOT tell you how delicious this is. These ladies were onto something!

Krusteaz Gluten Free Blueberry Muffin Mix

Krusteaz Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffin Mix

Blueberry muffins are, in my opinion, one of the most perfect comfort foods in the world. Maybe it’s my fascination with berries, but I could eat them every single day of the year. They can be a little time-consuming, though, if you make them from scratch – but, unfortunately, most mixes are closer to comedy than comfort. The little dry things that pass for blueberries amaze me, and not in a good way.

Krusteaz Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins

Krusteaz Gluten-Free Blueberry Mix uses plump little blueberries (packaged in a separate can in the box) that you drain, rinse, and simply throw into the batter.  This mix couldn’t be any simpler and it couldn’t be any more delicious.

The muffins aren’t just quick, easy, and delicious, they have a little extra magic we gluten-free eaters RESPECT – they’re as good the second day as the first. For whatever reasons, this is often rare with gluten-free baking (whether from mixes or scratch). Somehow, with each subsequent day, the flavor deteriorates. I can’t vow for day three because they certainly didn’t stick around that long! I actually made myself hide one away so I could test it’s “next day/leftover” flavor. It passed with flying yummy colors.

These guys are phenomenal.

Krusteaz Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins

I didn’t this particular time, but you can toss in chopped pecans or walnuts and/or white chocolate chips for fun.

For easy cleanup, use paper liners – I’m not sure why but cleaning a muffin pan is near the top of my most hated kitchen chores. Paper liners keep the peace.

Eggs, Bacon and Gluten Free Blueberry Waffles

Krusteaz Gluten-Free Buttermilk Pancake Mix: Two Meals/One Mix

I have used (and loved!) Krusteaz Gluten-Free Buttermilk Pancake Mix for pancakes – they’re perfect each and every time. I recently bought a new T-fal Sandwich Waffle EZ Clean, however, and was anxious to use it, so I made the Waffles recipe on the back of the box. The recipe calls for 1/2 the box but I wanted to see how the mix would do refrigerated overnight, so I doubled the recipe, using the whole box.

I made some blueberry waffles for my husband and I last night (above) and they were stupendous. Seriously, they were out of this world delicious. Served with eggs over-easy and bacon, it was a supper we raved about all night. BTW, T-fal is as good as it gets for making breakfast or anything for that matter. I’ll go more into their goodness in upcoming posts, including an in-depth review of my newest T-fal non-stick fry pan.

T-fal Non-Stick Fry Pan

Also, I wanted to let you know that later this month, in celebration of Pancake Day (March 3rd), Target will offer 15% OFF select non-stick cookware in stores and online. The sale will take place from Feb 27th – March 3rd. I’ll remind you as the dates draw closer.

To add berries to your waffles, gently stir in the desired amount after you’ve combined the other ingredients.

Gluten Free Blueberry Waffles with Krusteaz

My husband was floored when I told him the waffles were from a mix. When he picked himself up, I told him the blueberry muffins we’d had a few days prior AND the cornbread for the Sloppy Joes Cornbread Pizza were also from mixes. He looked at me like I had two heads but I finally convinced him by showing him a box. He agreed with me that Krusteaz was in a class all their own.

I refrigerated the rest of the mix overnight and this morning decided to add a few extra ingredients for fun. I chopped up a few handfuls of almonds and threw them into the mix. Then I added a tablespoon of healthy chia seeds (pictured below).

Gluten Free Blueberry Waffles with Almonds and Chia Seeds

I was really anxious to see if this mix did well refrigerated overnight because for anyone with busy mornings knows that putting together even a simple mix can FEEL time-constraining. Whereas making the mix the night before (maybe even while you’re in the kitchen making supper) and stashing it in the fridge is much more time-friendly.

I was thrilled to see (make that taste) that the waffles are every bit as good the next day.

Two delicious meals/One quick and easy mix? Come on, what’s not to love about that!?

Homemade Whipped Topping

Homemade Whipped Topping

I wouldn’t dream of serving waffles without homemade whipped topping – it just wouldn’t feel right. To make a wonderful topping (so much better than the stuff in tubs or cans), simply use your blender and combine 1 cup heavy whipping cream and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar until very stiff peaks form.

So there you have it… quick and easy ways to use and LOVE Krusteaz gluten-free breakfast mixes. These are simply out of this world. In the coming days, you’ll see Krusteaz  and T-fal, for that matter, pop up in more breakfast recipes. In the meantime head over to the Krusteaz website for recipes and more information. You can find these mixes in most grocery stores. I find them, without fail, in Kroger and Meijer’s.

 

Krusteaz Gluten-Free mixes

AMAZON:

 

Herdez Salsa Verde… A “Can’t Possibly Live Without” Condiment

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Herdez Salsa Verde
Every now and again, I like to do a “Shout Out” post to some of my favorite foods, ingredients, and culinary obsessions. First off, let me just say that this is not a “sponsored post,” or ad in any way, shape, or form. This is just a food blogger going all “fan girl” about one of her favoritest favorites.

I list some of my culinary obsessions on the side —–> as a way of letting other cooks and bakers know what I strongly recommend. You’ll notice that Herdez Salsa Verde is there which, if we’re being honest, may seem like a strange bird among the other “ingredients.” After all, salsa verde isn’t considered an ingredient in the sense that vanilla extract, herbs, and white vinegar are. It does, however, make your entire life more delicious – so, there’s that.

Why am I Obsessed with Herdez Salsa Verde

For one thing, this is the best salsa verde I’ve ever tasted. If there’s one on the market that tastes even half as good, I haven’t found it yet. Well, in full disclosure, I’m not even looking…

It’s a quick and easy way to give just about anything an extra little kick. The taste is fresh and ridiculously flavorful.

We always (as in always, always, always) have multiple jars on hand – it’s as though we’re afraid the apocalypse will happen and we won’t have enough. At this very moment, we actually have three in the refrigerator and two in the pantry.

We might have a wee problem here.

{Continued Below the Bowl of Chili…}

Herdez Salsa Verde on Chili
My Favorite Ways to Use Herdez Salsa Verde:

  • A little or a lotta on chili is fantastic.
  • On  chili dogs
  • On top of migas (or omelets, scrambled eggs…)
  • Poured over loaded nachos
  • One of my favorite ways to use salsa verde is on frozen gluten free burritos (Amy’s, Red’s..) and CedarLane’s Sweet Corn tamales.  One of my favorite lunches is actually salsa verde poured over a CedarLane Sweet Corn Tamale. Insanely delicious.
  • Herdez Salsa Verde is actually wonderful on top of any “Southwestern Style” frozen meal. Sometimes frozen/microwavable meals can be a little dry, the salsa verde adds flavor and counters any dryness that may be going on.
  • Poured over softened cream cheese and eaten with thick tortilla chips or thick Kettle Style potato chips
  • On tacos
  • On taco salad
  • On taco pizza
  • On cheese pizza
  • With Chicken Tortilla Soup
  • On black bean burgers
  • With Rice, Beans, and Roasted Veggies in a bowl

Basically, once you fall in love with the flavor, you’ll knock your own socks off with the number of ways you can find to enjoy it.

Herdez Salsa Verde on a CedarLane Sweet Corn Tamale
Salsa Verde on a CedarLane Sweet Corn Tamale (So Very Much Yum!)
Herdez Salsa Verde is usually found in the Mexican Food’s section in grocery stores and is, of course, also available on Amazon.

Herdez Salsa Verde on Chili

CedarLane: Delicious Comfort Food From Box to Microwave to Plate

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CedarLane Roasted Chile Relleno

CedarLane Roasted Chile Relleno

I have a delicious relationship with CedarLane foods. Every now and then they send me a few of their new foods to sample and I love them muchly for this. Ironically, I’ve actually bought 10 times more (at least) than they have sent.  I throw more CedarLane meals into my cart than Aaron Rodgers throws footballs into the end zone.

If I’m not mistaken, my first CedarLane review was one of their products that I buy at least twice a week: CedarLane Sweet Corn Tamales. “Delicious” doesn’t even cut it when it comes to these corn tamales. They’re quick, easy, ridiculously tasty (especially with salsa verde on them), and even fun to make and eat.

One day in the grocery store, I saw CedarLane Roasted Vegetable Tamales and bought a box along with my Sweet Corn Tamales. I didn’t expect to like them as much as the Sweet Corn Tamales, but they were every bit as good. Seriously, the flavors are beyond belief.  I now buy the vegetable tamales weekly as well.

I’ve noticed on CedarLane‘s website that they have Chile & Cheese Tamales also – I haven’t seen these in a grocery store yet, but when I do, I’ll be all over them.

Another CedarLane favorite of mine is the STUPIDLY delicious Roasted Chile Relleno. My freezer always has at least two boxes of these in it. I’ll never forget the first time I tried this obsession – I nuked it, sat down at the table, took a bite… then looked at the box and said, “I can’t even with you.” Slang I picked up from my daughters which basically means my mind has been blown.

Three Layer Enchilada Pie with Salsa Verde
Three Layer Enchilada Pie with Salsa Verde
I branched out not long ago and tried the Three Layer Enchilada Pie and it was fantastic. As I do with many, many, many things in the kitchen, I added a little salsa verde to the top and it was a match made in foodie Heaven.

CedarLane Baked Stacked Eggplant

CedarLane Baked Stacked Eggplant

A recent meal sent to me to review on the food blog is pictured above, the Baked Stacked Eggplant. Unfortunately, it isn’t gluten free, so I couldn’t personally enjoy it. I gave it to a son-in-law and he said it was fantastic AND that it’s something he’d buy. The fact that it’s quick and easy adds to the deliciousness of the meal, itself.

This would be a perfect opportunity to remind you that not all CedarLane meals are gluten free. You have to always be dilligent (especially if you’re gluten-free for health reasons) and check the front of the box. As you can see by looking at the pictures in this review, CedarLane makes it easy to distinguish which are gluten-free and which are not.

I could not possibly recommend CedarLane foods enough. They are consistently delicious, very affordable, and make ideal quick & easy meals. I have them for lunch regularly and have even enjoyed them at suppertime. Paired with soup or a salad, they’re fantastic… and cleanup is a snap!

See CedarLane‘s website for all the wonderful products available, nutrition information, and (most importantly) where to buy CedarLane meals.

More CedarLane Reviews on Get Cooking:

Quinoa and Vegetable Enchiladas

CedarLane Sweet Corn Tamales

Frozen Breakfast Foods

More Gluten-Free Food Reviews!

CedarLane Roasted Chile Relleno
CedarLane Roasted Chile Relleno

Montana Mex: The Most Exciting Sauces and Ketchup Your Kitchen Ever Invited to Dinner

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Montana Mex Tomato Ketchup, BBQ Sauce, and Habanero Sauce
As mentioned in my Montana Mex Avocado Oil Review, I also received a set of delicious Montana Mex sauces to review:

  • Montana Mex Tomato Ketchup
  • Montana Mex Sweet & Spicy Habanero Sauce
  • Montana Mex Sweet & Spicy BBQ Sauce

I’m feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment, because I’m honestly not sure where to begin. My fingers are typing so hard and fast, my cat’s expression is somewhere between fear and awe.  I love each of these condiments so much and am so eager to tell you about them, I’m kind of star struck.

Why don’t we take them as they are in the picture, left to right.  Each one is gluten free and is a perfect 10 on a scale of 1-10.

Montana Mex Tomato Ketchup
Montana Mex Tomato Ketchup

My family is a little odd when it comes to ketchup. We are ketchup picky and proud of it. My husband and youngest daughter (before trying Montana Mex’s Ketchup, that is) have only eaten Heinz ketchup for years.  They simply want nothing to do with any other brand. As for my other daughters and myself, we love Heinz and Hunt’s evenly.  Again, that was before tasting Montana Mex’s Tomato Ketchup.

This stuff is phenomenal.  It tastes like you’d expect homemade ketchup to taste.

It’s… well..  words are failing to show up but let’s put it like this: If ketchup were a supermodel, it’d be Montana Mex Tomato Ketchup.

This FULL and FLAVORFUL ketchup is perfect on fries, hamburgers, corn dogs, tater tots (don’t look at me like that, you know you love them too), onion rings, hash browns… everything. It presents a quandary – the fact that it tastes like a gourmet ketchup makes you want to save it for extra special foods (hash browns from scratch, for example)…. but the fact that it’s so spectacular means it’s your go to for tater tots and hot dogs too.

Just. So. Dang. Good.

Montana Mex Tomato Ketchup and Habanero Sauce
Montana Mex Sweet & Spicy Habanero Sauce

I’m sure I’ve confessed before to being a big wuss when it comes to hot sauce. While peppers (bell peppers, mini sweet peppers, jalapenos..) are a staple in my kitchen and I probably don’t go a day without using them in some form, I cannot handle really hot peppers. I’m pretty famous in my family for this ridiculous weakness. And yet… and yet… here I was putting Montana Mex’s Habanero sauce on anything that didn’t move.

Sure, I squealed each time while reaching for my iced tea, my husband’s ice tea, and the cat’s water bowl… but I couldn’t stop. The flavor is just so ridiculously fantastic. The rest of my family simply enjoyed each drop without the floor show I put on. It’s just delicious.

My taste buds will play truth or dare with this sauce any day of the week.

Montana Mex Tomato Ketchup, BBQ Sauce, and Habanero Sauce
Montana Mex Sweet & Spicy BBQ Sauce

Like ketchup, my family is also a bunch of snobs when it comes to BBQ Sauce. We have our faves and that is that. As the brand did with ketchup, Montana Mex broke down our snobby barriers and introduced us all to a new favorite BBQ Sauce.  This particular delicious BBQ Sauce has a perfect blend of spice and sweetness that makes it mesmerizing.  It’s thick, which is something else I always appreciate about a sauce.

It made one of the best BBQ Chickens I’ve ever had in my life – and I’ve had a life filled with BBQ chicken. With this sauce’s thick deliciousness, the chicken never knew what hit him.

Did I mention it was thick?

And delicious?

Montana Mex Tomato Ketchup and Habanero Sauce
Where Can You Find These Montana Mex Sauces?

Apparently these sauces aren’t on Amazon yet (I’ll come back here and edit the review if they ever show up on Amazon… I’ll be the first to know, as I live on the website). In the meantime, see Where to Find Us on Montana Mex’s website for more information.

Visit Montana Mex‘s Official Website for more information and read more about their delicious sauces here.

You can also follow Montana Mex on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

Montana Mex Avocado Oil: Review of a Complete Obsession

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Montana Mex Avocado Oils
A while back on the food blog, I wrote a glowing  Montana Mex Seasoned Salts review.  I still use them daily and love them wildly.  If you aren’t familiar with these world-rocking salts, read the review – then try them for yourself.  They’re found, conveniently, on Amazon.

It turns out Montana Mex has more than just badass seasoned salts. They also bottle their badassery. Because I’m one lucky food blogger, I received a bottle of their  Extra Virgin Olive Oil  to review. I will also be reviewing a few of their other better-than-they-have-a-right-to-be condiments in a follow up post.

But let’s stick with this addictive, smooth and flavorful EVOO for now – as it deserves our full attention.  See the picture above? If you see a photo of something I’ve reviewed, pictured alongside the product I bought on my own, you know it was a huge hit. I ordered my own bottle before my review bottle even ran out!

Montana Mex Avocado Oil is a 100% natural, cold pressed, extra virgin avocado oil with omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids. Not only is it (naturally) gluten free, it’s non-gmo verified and kosher certified to boot. See the words “… with high levels of antioxidants” on the front of the bottle?  Yeah, I’m crazy wild about that.

‘Cold pressed’ simply means that all the goodness is still inside. It has not been treated or heated. The avocados are simply handpicked, mashed and then pressed to give you nutrient rich avocado oil.

Simply delicious and deliciously simple.

Roasted Asparagus and Carrots with Montana Mex Avocado Oil
My Favorite Ways to Use the Montana Mex Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Avocado Oil

  • It is ideal for frying eggs – which I then season with one (or a combo) of the seasoned salts  (Chile Seasoned Sea Salt,  Sweet Seasoned Sea Salt, Picante Seasoned Sea Salt). I have always loved a mixture of butter and EVOO when frying eggs. The butter brings the flavor to the party, while the EVOO keeps the butter from embarrassing itself. This beautiful Avocado Oil doesn’t need any butter, thank you very much, as it has plenty of flavor on its own.
  • I also love this Avocado Oil for sauteing onions and other vegetables. It gives them an extra subtle flavor that brings out their best.
  • One of my favorite ways to cook chicken strips is to marinate them in a mixture of Italian Dressing, honey, and lime juice for a few hours. Then I fry them in an iron skillet with a little olive oil. Montana Mex’s Avocado Oil gives these strips even more flavor. Somehow the lime and honey (two of my personal culinary obsessions) work with the avocado oil in a way they don’t work with any other oil. The flavor combo is like a match made in culinary Heaven.
  • Vinaigrettes – This is a fun and tasty new way to add excitement to your tired old vinaigrette recipe.
  • Drizzled on top of vegetables before roasting, it gives them an extra layer of flavor.
  • When I made a huge taco salad a few weeks ago, I drizzled a little Montana Mex Avocado Oil in a dish and added a little lime zest and fresh black pepper. It made a delicious dip for heated tortillas.

Basically, I use it anywhere I typically use EVOO. The above are just a few that come to mind (because I make them so often).

Why I have this review listed under “Christmas Gift Guide Ideas”

Foodies and cooks get a special kind of excited when we receive gift baskets filled with new ingredients, foods, condiments, etc. Placing something unique and extra cool like Montana Mex Avocado Oil (as well as their salts and condiments) in a bag with colorful dishtowels or a great looking set of salsa bowls is thoughtful… heck, it’d give you hero status. Trust me.


Visit Montana Mex‘s Official Website for more information and read more about their delicious Avocado Oil here.

You can also follow Montana Mex on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.