Product Review

LUCKY IRON FISH

Did you know that over a third of the world's population go to bed malnourished and iron deficiency is one of the largest reasons why.

Iron is great for improving muscle function, circulating oxygen, alleviating anemia, fighting chronic diseases, eliminating fatigue, boosting immunity, aiding in better sleep, improving concentration, etc. There is a product that can help with that. It is called Lucky Iron Fish. It is a cooking tool that naturally boosts the iron content of any liquid it is boiled with like water, soups, stews, rice, sauces, etc. It releases a safe and consistent amount of iron when used properly. The fish is made with electrolytic iron and can be used for 5 years. It's a great way to add iron to your diet without any side effects and it doesn't affect taste. For those low on iron or on a vegan or vegetarian diet, this may be a way to boost this important nutrient. A portion of every sale is used to help undernourished families locally and globally.

(I learned about the Lucky Iron Fish through Tryazon)

#luckyironcrew @luckyironfish @tryazon

 

Product Review

Sweet Chaos Popcorn

Hosted another fun and fabulous Tryazon party. . . received bags of Fall popcorn from Sweet Chaos -- flavors such as Maple Brown Sugar, Vanilla Chai, Pumpkin Spice, Black and Orange and Candy Corn. Black and Orange and Candy Corn were our favorites; the perfect mix of sweet and salty with extra big kernels and I mean nice plump kernels. Learn more by clicking here and check out their other flavors: black and white, peanut butter cup, cake batter, peppermint crunch, iced gingerbread, honey chipotle, etc.

#sweetchaossnacks, #sweetchaospopcorn #embracethechaos #tryazon @sweetchaossnacks, @jointhechaos and @tryazon.

Tomato Pie

Several years ago my husband and I ate at a little restaurant in Lititz, Pennsylvania.  They are known for their tomato pie so we ordered it and loved it.  I have tried several times to capture the flavor of their famous pie but it eluded me.  I even called the restaurant to see if they would share.  Alas, they would not.  So I kept trying and finally came across a recipe that was pretty good.  I added my own twists to it to try to duplicate their well-known recipe and this is what I came up with.  Now when we have all those fresh tomatoes from our garden to use up, this is one of our favorite ways to taste that summer goodness.  Let me know if you try it and tell me what you think.

Tomato Pie

2 1/2 pounds of tomatoes, thinly sliced

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1 T. olive oil

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (mixture of mozarella, pizza cheese, mild cheddar, parmesan or whatever you have)

1/4 cup mayonnaise

3 T. bread crumbs

2 T. chives

2 tsp. parsley

1 tsp. thyme

1/4 tsp. Kosher salt,

1/4 tsp. pepper

basil to taste

oregano to taste

add'l. cheese (to sprinkle on top)

Make crust and bake it 4-5 minutes (or use store bought).  Toss tomatoes with 1 tsp. Kosher salt and drain in colander for 30 minutes (have them go up sides as well).  Blot them dry.

In the meanwhile, cook onions in oil for 15 minutes.  Let cool.

Mix onions with rest of ingredients (except pepper, basil and oregano).  Spread over bottom of pie.  Top with tomatoes.  Drizzle 1/2 T. olive oil over tomatoes and season with pepper, basil and oregano.  Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 45 minutes.  Add some cheese on top and bake an additional 5 minutes.

Product Review

Wewalka

Received a wonderful package from Wewalka and Tryazon.  Wewalka makes European bakery-style  food and offers quality ingredients so your baking experience can be easy and great.  These doughs are refrigerated (I found mine near the Pillsbury crescent rolls in the refrigerated section of my grocery store) so they do not require any thawing.  They are rolled up on parchment paper which you can use in the oven so that is a nice bonus.  The various products include classic pizza, bistro pizza , flatbread, danish pastry and puff pastry.

I bought the puff pastry and made cherry blossoms, apple strudel and lazy way cream horns.  It was very easy to use and very forgiving for those who may be new at working with pastry dough.  The package claims there are 64 layers so it is very flaky.  In the past I have tried the classic pizza which was fine.  I do prefer my own pizza dough but when in a hurry this is a great one to use.  I definitely recommend the puff pastry though.  It looks like you spent all this time creating a fabulous dessert but Wewalka is the one who did most of the work!  Their website contains lots of recipe ideas.  The possibilities are endless from pizza to danish to waffles to breadsticks to all kinds of appetizers.  They can be savory or sweet.  Check out this link for a coupon if you would like to give them a try:  wewalka.

#wewalkaparty and#Tryazon

Candy Cane Puffs

Candy Cane Puffs

Do you need a quick Christmas dessert?  This is so easy and the perfect flavor for the holidays.

Candy Cane Puffs
1 box white cake mix (+ ingredients needed to make cake)
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
6 T. butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 full size candy cane, crushed

Prepare white cake mix per the directions on the box adding the peppermint extract before beating.  Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full of cake batter and bake according to directions.  Cool 5 minutes.  Melt butter.  Mix sugar and candy cane in a separate small bowl.  Dip cupcakes in melted butter and then in sugar/candy mixture.

Daily Deal

Would you like a free 2018 calendar?  Then go to this link and fill out your mailing address.  Be quick though because these tend to go fast!

Product Review

Wise Apple 
I was given the opportunity to try out Wise Apple ready-to-serve balanced lunches that are delivered right to your doorstop.  Courtesy of Tryazon and Wise Apple, I received 12 lunches to taste.  Each meal is a dietitian-approved meal and includes a main dish, fruit, veggie and a treat. Whenever possible the food is organic, hormone-free and GMO-free. You are able to choose your menu options.  Some of them include, BBQ chicken tacos, pita pizza, sun butter and jelly on zucchini bread, veggie brownie, carrots and hummus, etc. They do have a flexible subscription which starts at $34.95 for 5 meals + shipping.


The samples I received included yogurt pretzels, grape tomatoes and crackers, crispy green pea fries, sliced green apples, grapes and blueberries, chicken salad, veggie chips, banana muffins, roast beef wrap and baby carrots with yogurt ranch dip, to name a few.  The positives are that I thought the packaging was great.  You can mix and match and take them out of their cardboard holder so it fits nicely into any size lunch box.  Plus it really is convenient and the food may be healthier than what your child is eating in the school cafeteria.  The negatives are that the portions aren't that big if you have a teen like I do.  Also there were many of the foods that he did not like.  Of course, the fruit he liked and the carrots, yogurt pretzels and roast beef wrap as well.  However, the crispy green pea fries, pizza, veggie chips, green apples with ricotta and apple butter were not to his liking.  Even my husband did not care for some of the selections and he likes most everything.

The good news is that if you would like to try this service, you can customize your menu. Check them out at this link.

#digintolunch #getwiseapple  #tryazon

Peach Creamsicle Smoothie

Can you believe we're still getting peaches off our trees even though it's the middle of September? Well we had a really nice crop this year which made me very happy because peaches are my favorite fruit to eat.  Between our trees and a friend's generous offer to some of the surplus from her trees, we canned and froze quite a few peaches. And now with the temperature being back in the 80s this week, what better way to cool off than to have a peach smoothie.  This recipe is one my son and I really, really love.  It truly tastes like a creamsicle.  I also like how adaptable it is.  I've tried it with raspberry yogurt as well as plain vanilla yogurt and loved them as well.  I think I'll try key lime yogurt next. . . yum!

Peach Creamsicle Smoothie

Peach Creamsicle Smoothie

2 cups frozen peaches
5.3 oz. orange creme yogurt (I used Oikos)
1/2 - 2/3 cup water
2 Tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Throw everything in a blender and blend until smooth. When it comes to adding the water, I typically add a little less than 2/3 cup water because I like my smoothies a little thick so add less if you like them thicker and more if you like them thinner.

Serve immediately.

Very Vanilla Ice Cream Cake

Very Vanilla Ice Cream Cake

My son wanted an ice cream cake for his birthday so I came up with this easy ice cream cake recipe.  It turned out really yummy and the best part was that I was able to eat it too because it contains no chocolate!  Usually, I get to eat half of an ice cream cake because it typically has chocolate cookie crumbs and chocolate ice cream which is a no no for me.  Of course, if you are like most people in this world, you can do a layer of chocolate ice cream and chocolate sprinkles to satisfy that chocolate craving!

Vanilla ice cream, softened
8 oz. Cool Whip
1 cup favorite vanilla or buttercream frosting*
sprinkles

I usually take the ice cream out about 1/2 hour before making this.  Spread a 1" layer of ice cream in an 8" x 8" pan.  Cover and freeze till firm.  In medium size bowl, mix frosting a few times with spoon so it's not too stiff.  Then mix in Cool Whip.  Layer half of mixture on top of ice cream.  Add a layer of sprinkles.  Cover and freeze till firm.  Then repeat layers.  Like I said, so easy!!

*You can use 1/2 of 16 oz. can frosting if you so desired.

Oodles of Fun

I just had an Oodles of Fun Cupcake Party thanks to #tryazon and #oodletip!   We celebrated my nephew's birthday this past weekend and I received a wonderful box of goodies filled with Sweet Creations by Good Cook.  In the box were cupcake dividers, cupcake stand, cupcake corers, cupcake batter scoops, cupcake papers, cupcake boxes and oodle tip decorating bags.  They even were generous enough to include a gift card to buy extra decorating products.  I couldn't pass up the sprinkles!

I have to admit that I really do like the decorating bags. They are one piece bags that already have the tip on the bag.  All you have to do is fill the bag, snip the tip to desired level and decorate.  The tip is designed to include many shapes like a giant swirl, a star swirl, a rosette and even writing.  You just snip to the level that will create these designs and away you go.  It literally takes minutes to decorate your batch of cupcakes, and you can do it with one bag.  The bags are twelve inches so they can hold quite a bit of frosting.  The best part is that these bags are disposable so less mess to clean up!   While I was using my gift card at Walmart I even saw bags that come with a shell tip. They really can take your cupcakes to the next level -- they will look professionally decorated!

As a side note, I really love the cupcake stand and cupcake boxes too.  The cupcake stand folds up flat so it is easy to store and adds a nice element to a party and the boxes are adorable.

For more information check out their site at http://everydaycooking.goodcook.com/sweet-creations or you can watch a video here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHadiZTxpq0.

Blount Organic Soup

Blount Organic Soup

Through Tryazon and Blount Soup I was able to try their gourmet soups.  I brought six samples along with me to my book club.  They included Savory Harvest Bisque, Broccoli Cheddar, Ancient Grain Minestrone, Coconut Lentil, Vegetarian Chili and Tomato Bisque. Some of the comments included that they liked the texture of all the soups and that they love that it is organic.  However, everyone said that they were too pricey.  My store sold them for $5.99 for a 16 oz. size.  They are convenient as you can microwave them right in the container and the upper rim does not get hot so it was nice to not get toasty fingers!  Everyone agreed that the Tomato Bisque was not good at all.  However, the Savory Harvest Bisque was a favorite followed by the Broccoli Cheddar and Coconut Lentil.  Not all stores sell these products so be sure to check online to see where they are sold in your area.

 #tryazon, #blountsoup

Daily Deal

Would you like to try a sample of Green Mountain coffee?  Well, then

click on this link for a free k-cup sample:

http://www.greenmountaincoffee.com/

Veggie Burritos

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, I thought I would share this family favorite recipe!  Buen apetito!

Veggie Burritos

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Veggie Burritos

1 onion, sliced thin
1 carrot, sliced into thin slivers
1 green pepper, sliced thin
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & minced*
4 oz. can mushrooms, drained
1 cup canned corn, drained
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 Tablespoons lime juice
1 1/4 cups cooked rice
3/4 cup Mexican cheese
shredded lettuce
8 flour tortillas for burritos

Cook onion, carrot and green pepper in oil over medium heat until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.  Add jalapeno pepper, mushrooms, corn, garlic, cilantro, oregano, salt, lime juice and rice.  Cook until heated through.  Add cheese and cook until melted.

Warm up tortillas per package directions.  Add an 1/8 of the mixture down center of tortilla, sprinkle with shredded lettuce and roll up.  Repeat with other tortillas.

Servings:  8 tortillas

*Be careful when cutting up the jalapeno pepper.  Do not touch the seeds (unless you're wearing gloves) as they will irritate your skin.

Games and Puzzles

Which Flour Doesn't Belong

I thought it might fun to test your knowledge about all the different types of flour there are.  I never even knew some of these existed!  Below are three groups of flours.  Tell me which one in each group doesn't belong.   Answers are listed below!

Bean
Tomato
Kamut
Pea

Teff
Triticale
Sweet Potato
Sorrel

Beet
Sorghum
Pumpernickel
Barley

Chickpea
Coconut
Parsnip
Tapioca


Answers:

Tomato, Sorrel, Beet and Parsnip are not flours.  All others are!

Tip of the Day

If you want to make sure there are no weevils or insect eggs in your flour, freeze it for 48 hours before storing.  This will kill any of them already in flour.

Do not store your all-purpose flour near food or products with strong odors such as onions or soap powder.  Instead store in a container with a tight fitting lid in a cool, dry dark area.  If stored properly it will keep 10 - 15 months.  Whole Wheat flour will keep for 3 months.

You can store your all-purpose flour in the refrigerator and it will keep 24 months.

You can freeze your flour.  Repackage it in an airtight, moisture-proof container or bag and store in freezer at 0 degrees F.  It will keep for several years.  Whole wheat flour, on the other hand, will keep for 6 months.

Did You Know. . .

that the way that flour is made is by grinding and sifting grains (or other foodstuffs) especially wheat?  Other examples of grains that are used to make flour include barley, rye, corn, rice and buckwheat.  Other foodstuffs include cassava, soybeans, bananas, potatoes, acorns, amaranth and mesquite.

that grinding stones from Russia, Italy and the Czech Republic were found to have been embedded with starch grains which suggests that people 30,000 years ago processed roots from ferns and cattails into flour?

that in 1818 on this date that Cadwallader C. Washburn was born in Livermore, Maine (he died on May 15, 1882)?  In 1866, he built a flour mill at St. Anthony Falls, Minnesota and his Washburn-Crosby Co. (forerunner of General Mills) would market Gold Medal flour. Click on this link to see a 1951 Gold Medal Flour TV commercial!

Butterscotch Pudding Dessert

I know many of you are in the process of planning your menus for Thanksgiving (among a whole list of other things like cleaning, ironing the tablecloth, etc.!).  Well, I think this dessert would be a great one to serve for this holiday meal.  It's a little easier to make than a pie but with the same taste of a pie.

Butterscotch Pudding Dessert

Crust:
2 sticks butter (half pound)
2 cups flour
1/3 cup + 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar

Filling:
3 cups cold milk
2 pkgs. (4-serving size) instant butterscotch pudding & pie filling
12 oz. Cool Whip (the large size)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Melt butter.  Mix flour and powdered sugar together. Pour butter over flour mixture and stir until combined.  Press into a 9 x 13" pan.  Bake 20 minutes.  Let cool.

Beat milk and pudding mixes with whisk until blended.  Spread 1 1/2 cups onto bottom of crust.  Add 1 cup cool whip to rest of pudding mix.  Spread over pudding layer.  Top with remaining cool whip.  Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Butterscotch Pudding Dessert

Autumn Trail Mix

Autumn Trail Mix

I just put this trail mix together this morning and thought it was a great combination.  You can put more or less of the ingredients depending on your tastes.  Also try it with other cereals like Chex or Honey Nut Cheerios.  I just used what I had on hand.

Autumn Trail Mix

10 oz. bag of Salted Caramel Sweet & Salty Pretzels*
11.1 oz. Cashews (halves & pieces)
1 to 1 1/2 cups Cheerios
1 cup Candy Corn

Just mix it all together. . . how easy is that?!!

Servings:  about 8 cups

*I used Synder's of Hanover brand

Product Review

Rhodes Cinnamon Rolls

Do you love cinnamon rolls but don't have the time, knowledge or the energy to make them yourself?  Well, let me tell you about a new product from Rhodes.  They now make microwaveable cinnamon rolls that take a minute to make!  Just plop one on a microwaveable plate, heat on high for 60 seconds and then drizzle the cream cheese frosting on.  That's it!  And what's nice about this is that you can make one and save the others for another time because all the cream cheese frosting packets are individual ones.  It's that easy!  Plus they taste good too!  I like that they are a generous size and so convenient to satisfy that sweet craving.

Note:  Through Tryazon I was able to try them for free.  #tryazon  #rhodesbread

Product Review

Muller Dessert Inspired Yogurt

Not too long ago I was able to try Muller's Dessert Inspired Strawberry Cheesecake yogurt for free through Bzz.  It was actually quite good.  There was a small flavor of cheesecake mixed up with some strawberry swirls and then topped with a graham crumble crunch.  I liked that there was no high fructose corn syrup or artificial preservatives, flavors or sweeteners and that it was filled with protein and calcium which is, of course, good for you.  The portion is not very big but it is enough to fill that craving for something sweet along with the added healthier bonus.  There are other flavors to choose from and they include Raspberry Brownie Supreme, Dulce de Leche Delight and Peach Cobbler.   Krogers and its affiliates do sell them for around $1.39 each.  Here is a coupon if you would like to give them a try:  coupon