Taste of Gourmet Product of the Month

The All-American Apple Cake mix is the Taste of Gourmet "Product of the Month" during February.  TOG has a "Product of the Month" each month...a fundraising product to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.  Purchasing the All-American Apple Cake Mix during the month of February will generate a $1.00 donation to St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The hospital is devoted to research and treatment toward eliminating chronic childhood diseases like leukemia and is the only childhood cancer research center designated by the National Cancer Institute.

This mix is priced at $7.95 and makes a large cake baked in a 9 x 13 pan.

The light cinnamon flavor and moist tender texture will make you crave the apple cake again and again.  I added chopped apples to the mix, but you can also add canned pears.

This morning I had a slice of the warm cake with a bit of whipped cream on top...delicious y'all!

I hope that you will try this product and support St. Jude!

Super Bowl Foods

I confess that the only reason I'll be watching the Super Bowl this Sunday is because I love football.  I'm just not excited about either team this year.  There's always hope for the Bucs next year!  We're not having a watch party but I will be preparing food for the family.

If you have never tried Savory Saltine Seasoning, you are missing out.  This mix turns an ordinary saltine cracker into a gourmet party cracker.  I first tried the crackers at Save the Date in Macon.  They keep a canister of the crackers for tasting at the checkout desk.  These are so addicting y'all!

These crackers are great by themselves or try some of these recipes.  Serve them at tailgates or watch parties and they will definitely be a crowd pleaser!

The love the Original spice, but it's also available in Texas Chipotle or Garden Dill.



Recipe for Savory Saltines:

1 package Savory Saltine Seasoning
1 2/3 cups Canola Oil
4 sleeves of saltines
2 gallon zip lock bag

Combine Savory Seasoning and Canola Oil in a 2-gallon zip lock bag and mix well.  (The mixture will look similar to bar-b-que sauce).  Add the crackers and seal bag (leaving as much air as possible).  Toss crackers in the bag every 5-10 minutes for one hour to evenly coat crackers, or until Savory Seasoning is absorbed.  Allow crackers to sit in the bag overnight.  The next day, remove the crackers from the bag and they are ready to serve.  You may also transfer them to another airtight container and they should stay fresh for 2 weeks.

To make 1 sleeve of saltines, add 5 teaspoons of seasoning to 1/2 cup Canola Oil and follow the above directions.

Need a quick hostess gift?  Give the Savory Seasoning along with a box of saltines!

Of course, we're not just having saltines on Super Bowl Sunday.  I'm fixing a big pot of White Chili from my Taste of Gourmet pantry and loaf of Roasted Onion Garlic Bread.

The White Chili is fabulous!  I add 4 cans beans, chicken broth, and 2 pounds of shredded chicken breast.  The Roasted Onion Garlic bread mix is easy to prepare with one can of beer/club soda.

Y'all enjoy the game!

National Soup Month

Did you know?

I know...it's also National Hot Tea Month, National Oatmeal Month (I won't go there), and National Whatever Else Month!  But yesterday was rainy and cold, not to mention we watched the National College Football Championship Game...Boo Hoo, Florida State wasn't there!  I find myself craving the comfort of piping hot soups during these times, so I made a big pot of the Taste of Gourmet Positively Smashing Potato Soup...

It's a deliciously flavorful and perfectly creamy potato soup that is easy and quick to prepare.  Just add milk and simmer.  Well, I added a little bit of diced onion, carrot, celery, red bell pepper, red potatoes, and whole corn kernels.  Lord have mercy y'all, this is a great soup!  The mix makes 1 1/2 quarts for $9.95.

Remember to practice proper soup etiquette:

Hold the spoon just like a pencil between your index and middle fingers with the thumb up.  Spoon the soup away from you toward the center of the bowl.  Don't fill the soup spoon completely full.  Place the soup spoon on the plate in the 10:20 "I am finished" position in between sips and when you have finished.  Never leave a soup spoon in a soup bowl.  Also, do not blow on your soup to cool it down and do not slurp your soup.

Enjoy the soup season!

Comfort Food Giveaway

January is a great month to enjoy some comfort food...those foods that make you feel warm and content.  I'm offering a giveaway of some of my favorite comfort foods from Taste of Gourmet.

The winner will receive:

~One box of Mama's Meatloaf Mix.  Each of the two mixes in the box makes a two-pound meat loaf!  There are recipe suggestions on the box and also at Taste of Gourmet.

~One box of White Chili Soup Mix.  This soup is hearty and healthy.  Add canned beans and chunks of chicken to the tasty vegetables and spices already in the mix for a meal ready in minutes.  Two mixes are included.

~One box of Positively Smashing Potato Soup Mix.  Flavorful and perfectly creamy potato soup that is easy and quick to prepare.  Add milk or water to the mix.

Your comfort food will arrive in a gift package...straight from The Roost.

This is a great gift to use to stock your own Entertaining Pantry or to re gift to someone else.  Head over to my Instagram and follow the simple rules to enter this giveaway.  I will announce the winner of this giveaway on Tuesday, January 13, 2015.

Good Luck!

This giveaway is closed.  Congratulations to Instagram.com/becky_joelle , she is the winner!

Toffee Crunch Cheesecake Ball

A Toffee Crunch Cheesecake Ball is an easy dessert/appetizer to prepare for your guests during the holiday season.  Crunchy chunks of chocolate and caramel are hidden through this sweet delicious cheesecake ball.  A pack of toffee is included with this mix and all you need to add is butter and cream cheese for a yummy no-bake dessert!  There are 2 mixes in the box and the cost is only $8.95/box.  You may purchase your cheesecake ball here at my Taste of Gourmet site.

Buy some to stock your Entertaining Pantry or to give as a hostess gift.

Southern Praline Pie

During the Christmas season, give the gift of food...everybody's gotta eat y'all!

Southern Praline Pie...oh how Southerners love this sweet pie.  Imagine the taste of fabulous praline candy found in the French Market of New Orleans.  That's the flavors found in the Southern Praline Pie!  The Praline Pie has a rich, dark, sugary, crunchy flavor and texture that is just delicious!

I love serving this pie to my guests...it is such a Southern favorite!

You can call it by the Mississippi-Louisiana name and pronounce it PRAW-LEAN or you can say PRAY-LEAN...either way, it tastes great!

You can order the Southern Praline Pie mix here.  One box of the mix is only $7.95 {makes 2 pies} and is great to have in your Entertaining Pantry.

The Southern Praline Pie mix is the Taste of Gourmet "Product of the Month" during December.  Taste of Gourmet has a "Product of the Month" each month...a fundraising product to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.  Purchasing the Southern Praline Pie mix during the month of December will generate a $1.00 donation to St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.  The hospital is devoted to research and treatment toward eliminating chronic childhood diseases like leukemia and is the only childhood cancer research center designated by the National Cancer Institute.

The Taste of Gourmet Southern Praline Pie mix doesn't have nuts, but I added chopped pecans to the recipe...

Recipe for Southern Praline Pecan Pie:

1 box of Southern Praline Pie mix

2 eggs

1 stick butter

1/2 cup milk

1 cup of chopped pecans

1 unbaked pie crust

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Follow the directions on the box of the Southern Praline Pie mix.  Add the eggs and butter as directed.  Stir in the milk and pecans and pour into the unbaked pie crust.  Bake for 45 to 50 minutes.  Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream or serve cold and it's just a good!  Oh-so Southern y'all!

This Southern Praline Pie mix makes an awesome gift!  Wrap it up on a dish and tie it up with a festive bow...presentation is everything!

Thanksgiving Friendship Gifts

The taste of the season...Sweet Potato Muffins!

These muffins are topped with a crunchy sugar topping and are scrumptious served at breakfast with coffee and heavenly served for supper with ham and green beans.  Add chopped pecans, walnuts, or raisins if you choose.  They are perfect anytime of the day.

The Sweet Potato Muffins are always a hit whenever I serve them and are the most popular food product that I offer!

I always try to have "Friendship Gifts" on hand to give to those people who visit my home or to take as small hostess gift.  I was trying to come up with something easy since right now I am visiting my Mama in Georgia.  I wanted something that I could take to her neighbors who are all so good to her and to have on hand for friends who might drop by.

A couple of years ago, I baked the muffins in mini-muffin pans and used these cute Thanksgiving-theme treat bags I found at Hobby Lobby.

  I thought I was over the chevron design fad but last week I found these cute bags at Hobby Lobby with the turkey-motif toppers and the presentation was appreciated by recipients!

Each box of Sweet Potato Muffins makes 12 muffins or 48 mini muffins and cost only $7.95/box.  Click here to order.

A wrapped muffin mix makes a great hostess gift...

You can visit my Taste of Gourmet site here to find these and more gourmet food products to stock your entertaining pantry.

Cranberry Chutney

Cranberry Chutney!

What is Chutney?  Chutney is a relish originating in India made with fruits and spices.  The Chutney preserved the fruit itself so that it could be eaten out of season and it also acted as a cooling condiment to tone down the hot and spicy flavor of Indian curries.

Taste of Gourmet's Cranberry Chutney is a sweet flavorful condiment filled with whole cranberries and spices to serve with roast turkey, chicken, or pork.  You can mix a little of the Chutney into chicken salad or spread it on sliced turkey/ham sandwiches.

A great party food treat:  Cover the top of a Brie cheese with the Cranberry Chutney, wrap it in pastry, and bake until brown.

It is wonderful mixed with cream cheese as a bagel spread.  Just add 2-3 tblsp Cranberry Chutney to 8 oz. cream cheese at room temperature.  Spread on warm bagels and enjoy!

This Cranberry Chutney is my Taste of Gourmet "Product of the Month" during November.  TOG has a "Product of the Month" each month...a fundraising project to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Purchasing the Cranberry Chutney during the month of November will generate a $1 donation to St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.  The hospital is devoted to research and treatment toward eliminating chronic childhood diseases like leukemia and is the only childhood cancer research center designated by the National Cancer Institute. 

It's time to start thinking about hostess gifts for the holidays.  Food is a gift of love.  We all have to eat y'all!  Stock your entertaining pantry and gift closet while making a donation to St. Jude.  A 12 oz jar of the Cranberry Chutney is only $8.95.  This is delish y'all and will make a great hostess gift during the holidays.  Just take your hostess a jar of Chutney and some bagels that she can enjoy the next morning.  You can order the Chutney from me HERE.  

Thank you so much for stopping by to visit with me.

Soup Etiquette

Tonight I'm in the kitchen preparing a pot of Creamy Delta Shrimp Bisque.

  The soup mix is from my Taste of Gourmet products...The Creamy Delta Bisque.  After adding 5 cups of milk and 1 stick of butter {I know...it's a treat} to the base, I also added some fresh peeled shrimp.

The shrimp with the creamy bisque...decadent!  This the reason I eat veges and brown rice with some fish most nights of the week!

Taste of Gourmet Creamy Delta Bisque is packaged 2 mixes per box for $9.95/box.  You can order this soup or other great soup mixes from me HERE.  The bisque is great with catfish, crab, ham, or chicken.  The bisque can be thickened with cheese to make a hot seafood dip.

Social Graces 101 tip:  

There is of course proper etiquette to be followed when eating soup:

At an informal meal you may serve soup in a soup plate on top of an underplate and provide an oval soup spoon.  You will spoon the soup away from you and place the soup spoon on the underplate between sips or when finished.

Informal soup plate and oval soup spoon presentation

Resting and finished position--soup plate

At a formal dinner, soup must be served in a soup bowl with an underplate and a round/cream soup spoon provided.  Again place the soup spoon on the underplate between sips or when finished.

Formal soup bowl presentation with cream soup spoon.

Resting and finished position--soup bowl

Since we are having cream soup tonight, the soup will be eaten with a medium round/soup spoon.  Hold the spoon just like a pencil between your index and middle fingers with the thumb up.  Spoon the soup away from you toward the center of the bowl.  Don't fill the soup spoon completely full.  Place the soup spoon on the plate in the 10:20 "I am finished" position in between sips and when you have finished.  Never leave a soup spoon in a soup bowl.

Also, do not blow on your soup to cool it down and do not slurp your soup.

I hope y'all are enjoying the soup season!

Sunday Night Soiree

I promised y'all the photos from our Sunday Night 'Sips n Nibbles' party...Like everyone, I feel like I can't keep up from Thanksgiving to New Years!  I'm soooo behind!

I set up nibbles on the island in the kitchen.  I served dips from my Taste of Gourmet foods and chips.

"Here's What I Wore"   Black slacks, a white turtleneck, and this cute apron from my "Prissy Apron Collection."   Of course my apron simply must match my soiree decor and this darling apron is monogrammed!

My wine goblet is usually coordinated with my outfit as well...Matchy Matchy!

I'm ready to receive our guests...

More goodies...

I set up a table of goodies for the children...

Little Debbie Treats are a perfect choice to serve to the youngins at this time of year!

Christmas tree peeps!

Festive paper products...

Each guest left with their choice of a party favor from my "Friendship Gifts."

I always walk around serving our guests hot canapes...from a silver tray with bows!

Chocolates and nuts in the Relaxing Room...{aka the den}

The bar is set for dessert...

Sweet Potato Muffins...

Cheetah print Santa and cheetah and palm print paper dessert plates...If you're gonna use paper products, they better be cute!

Cheetah and palm print napkins with a petite tree...

Thanks for stopping by y'all.  I"m in a rush getting ready for a visit from my BF Miss Joy!  Lord have mercy, my house is a mess.