The Amateur Southern Gourmet

Vote for Me please

2012-04-04T09:05:00.001-04:00

Can you all do me a big favor and Vote for my photo in the link below? I have 4 days to get as many votes as I can to win a 4 night stay in Orlando for our 5 year anniversary!

Please vote for me: https://apps.facebook.com/promotionshq/contests/193505/voteable_entries/43836449

Thank you!

Diamond Candles Company is Searching for Bloggers!

2011-12-08T19:08:00.006-05:00

PR Announcement) Diamond Candles Company is Searching for Bloggers
Bloggers, Listen Up! This is one blog opportunity you are not going to want to miss out on!

A Family Full of Opinions and the Diamond Candles Company are giving 100 bloggers the opportunity to review a Diamond Candle.

So why is this such a big deal?

Diamond Candles harbor a very special surprise. Each candle contains a ring valued from $10 – $100 – $500 – even up to $5,000! There’s no telling what kind of ring you’ll get inside the glittery pouch in the soy candle. And Diamond Candles offers so many Designs & scents like there New line of Christmas Sampler Pack Scented Candles in scents of

Mistletoe
Cozy Cabin
Fresh Snow
Christmas Tree
Gingerbread Latte

Each Housing a Beautiful Diamond Ring inside to Delight & Surprise you!

Hurry on over and sign up now at: http://afamilyfullofopinions.squarespace.com/journal/2011/12/3/diamond-candles-review-opp-for-bloggers.html

Disclaimer: Posting about this opportunity is a required entry for the chance to review a candle. I am not being compensated for this post in any way.

Entenmann's

2011-07-26T13:27:00.003-04:00

I was contacted to do a review on Entenmann's brand baked goods such as donuts, cookies, cakes, etc. I had eaten Entenmann's in the past, so I already knew that they were pretty much awesome!

I bought the 8 pack Rich Frosted Donuts that are everyone's favorite cake-style donut with a rich chocolatey frosting.

I also bought the Assorted with Frosted Donuts Softee Family Pack 12 pack.

These are so good and I will be buying them again in my very near future!

Visit their website at: http://entenmanns.bimbobakeriesusa.com/index.cfm

You can also "Like" them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/Entenmanns

Thanks Entenmann's for allowing me to review your products.

Disclosure: While I was sent samples, all opinions presented here are entirely my own.

Herr's

2011-05-24T10:51:00.002-04:00

The Herr Foods story began in 1946 when 21-year-old James Stauffer Herr bought a small potato chip company in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, for $1,750. In 1947, the business moved into a vacated tobacco shed on the Herr family farm. As he learned more about the business, Jim Herr developed new and better cooking processes and a delicious snack food became even better. As demand for Herr's® Potato Chips grew, so did the company.

In the new millennium, Herr Foods is a leader in the snack food industry. We continually introduce the innovative products and packaging needed to satisfy ever-changing appetites and tastes. Our full line of quality snacks currently consists of more than 340 items including potato chips, pretzels, tortilla chips, cheese curls, popcorn, crackers, nuts, pork rinds, onion rings and meat sticks. All are available in a variety of shapes, sizes and flavors. We maintain the highest standard of service to our retail customers through our dedicated sales force. Our company owned and operated sales routes and localized distribution network delivers our snacks directly from the factory to the shelf. Doing so enables us to guarantee each and every snack is as fresh and tasty as it was intended.

Jim Herr handed over the Chairman of the Board gavel to his son, James M. Herr in 2005. The company maintains the philosophy of "health through continued growth." While keeping his father's conservative approach to business, J.M. stresses the desire of the company's leadership to solidify existing markets and break into new ones.

From meager beginnings, through many challenges and difficulties, Herr Foods has survived and prospered. The legacy that Jim Herr passed on to the next generation of leadership has become the solid foundation for the future.

Some of my Favorite Flavors!

Find them online at: http://www.herrs.com/

Find them on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/#!/herrs

Disclosure: While I was sent samples, all opinions presented here are entirely my own.

Country Gourmet Home

2011-05-24T10:39:00.003-04:00

A full line of taste tantalizing gourmet food mixes, scone mix, soup mixes, smoothie mixes, dinner mixes, jams, jelly, fruit butter, side dishes, and free recipes.

Gourmet mixes with a focus on creating easy to make food mix delights that require little or no ingredients to make. These mixes are simply supreme, we use only real fruit and gourmet quality ingredients in our food mixes.

In addition to a high quality gourmet food selection we also offer the opportunity for you to sell our mixes at home shows, craft shows, and farmer's markets. With personal support and customer service directly from our home office we are here for your success.

If you are interested in earning free or discounted products please visit our consultant page to find a direct sales consultant near you or earn even more when you join our family as a consultant for Country Gourmet Home.

Retail customers please visit our facebook page and join our newsletter mailing list to receive coupon codes and information about new gourmet products and monthly specials.

I was sent the Creamy Cajun Dip Mix. Just add sour cream.

I was also sent the Citrus Carrot Quick Bread. It bakes in a loaf pan but you will want a spoon to eat it! Our rich moist cake with cinnamon spices and orange zest is wonderfully delicious.

As with all our mixes this quick bread mix is complete with real carrots and orange juice induced. Just add egg and water.

Visit their website at: http://www.mycountrygourmet.com/store/Default.asp

Find them on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/CountryGourmetHomeMixes

Disclosure: While I was sent samples, all opinions presented here are entirely my own.

Tornados in Greene County, Tennessee on 04/27/11

2011-05-03T16:04:00.003-04:00

I have not been posting lately because of the Tornados that we had here in Greene County on the night of April 27th, 2011. I will begin posting reviews and giveaways again sometime next week. I am sorry for the delays.

If you wish to donate to Greene County, please contact myself or the Greene County Chapter of the American Red Cross. The Greene County Red Cross assists in disaster relief in Greene County. We are presently assisting with disaster relief in the wake of the April 27, 2011 tornadoes that ravaged the Camp Creek community in Greene County.

Address: 218 North Main Street, Greeneville, TN 37745
Phone: 423-638-6441
Website: http://www.redcross.org

Thank you!

Georgetown Cupcake Review!

2011-04-06T16:16:00.006-04:00

As featured on TLC!

About:

Georgetown Cupcake was founded by sisters Katherine Kallinis and Sophie LaMontagne. Katherine and Sophie traded careers in fashion and private equity to pursue something a little sweeter — their passion for artful cupcakes. Both lifelong bakers, inspired by their grandmothers, Katherine and Sophie opened Georgetown Cupcake in February 2008 as DC’s first and only cupcakery. Watch Katherine and Sophie in action in DC CUPCAKES, their new TV series on TLC!

Sisters Katherine Kallinis and Sophie LaMontagne.

A beautiful Vanilla Cupcake!

Some awesome Chocolate Cupcakes!

After winning a dozen cupcakes from the Georgetown Cupcake Facebook page, I had to post the review on my food blog. I was soooooooo excited when I saw this pretty pink box arrive on my doorstep!

Here is what I saw when I opened the pretty pink box. Sheer awesomeness!! According to their website, the cupcakes are frozen before they’re shipped. Then they are packaged and wrapped in insulated bubble wrap.

I have to say that this cupcake, the Lemon Blossom is my all time favorite!
I will definately be ordering from Georgetown Cupcake in the very near future.

Be sure to tune in on Friday nights for new episodes of DC Cupcake on TLC.

To order, please visit their website at: http://www.georgetowncupcake.com

Visit them on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=283910&id=558984200#!/georgetowncupcake

Follow them on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/KatherineSophie#

Disclosure: All opinions presented here are entirely my own.

Shenzhen Knives Review

2011-04-04T18:43:00.011-04:00

When I was first contacted by Shenzhen Knives, I had never heard of the brand or of a Ceramic Knife before. I really didn't know what to think about them at first. I have always thought that unless you bought a $200.00 knife, that all knives were about the same. With Shenzhen Knives, I am proven wrong once again!

I was sent this 6 inch Ceramic Knife to try out and review. This first thing that I tried it on was a tomato. My goodness is all I have to say! It cut through the tomato like a hot knife through butter!

This 6 inch ceramic chef's knife is only $34.99.

The Ceramic Blade Advantage:

Shenzhen Ceramic Knives can be used by anyone for most slicing and cutting needs. These ceramic knives are made of an advanced ceramic called zirconia, the second hardest material known to man next to diamond. The material's properties make it particularly resistant to wear and tear, which means that a ceramic blade can hold its edge much longer than a steel blade without the need for re-sharpening as often as steel knives.

Right now you can get a 3-piece ceramic knife set for only $64.98.

This Set Includes:

6" ceramic chef's knife
4.8" ceramic slicing knife
3.2" ceramic paring knife

To order, please visit their website at: http://www.shenzhenknives.com/

Disclosure: While I was sent samples, all opinions presented here are entirely my own.

Hagensborg Chocolates BC Review

2011-03-30T14:02:00.007-04:00

Let's keep some awesome chocolate coming..........

Hagensborg Chocolates are excellent!
...As featured on The Food Channel.

Once upon a time…
In a chocolate kingdom located in Vancouver, Canada, the Reigning Princess assisted by her team of princesses in waiting produces and markets the finest European chocolates in all the land. From Snuffly the Truffle Pig to the Kiss Me Frog Prince, only the finest European ingredients have been master crafted and sold throughout Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Japan. Major department stores, specialty grocery chains, gift basket companies and local gift stores have fallen under the spell of magical award winning recipes. Why wait to experience happily ever after?

Wild Boar - Santa Domingo Dark 70%

Wild Boar - Madagascar Dark 64%

Wild Boar - Ecuador Milk 39%

Visit their website at: http://www.hagensborg.com/

Disclosure: While I was sent tasting samples, all opinions presented here are entirely my own.

Mo's Bacon Bar Review

2011-03-30T13:41:00.007-04:00

.......and the Bacon continues again!

This time, we have a review of Mo's Bacon Bar from Vosges Chocolate.

Who ever would have thought of combining bacon and chocolate? Well, Katrina the chocolatier at Vosges did and the result is fantastic. If you like chocolate -- the label says "deep milk chocolate" -- and you love bacon, you gotta try this. Like Katrina says, "Really, what doesn't taste better with bacon?"

Ingredients:

The ingredients in the Vosges Mo’s Bacon Bar Bar include: Milk chocolate (sugar, dry whole milk, milk fat, cocoa butter, cocoa mass, soy lecithin – an emulsifier, vanilla), uncured bacon (pork, sea salt, raw sugar, white pepper, dried juniper berries, celery juice, lactic acid – starter culture,) salt.

To order, visit their website at: http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/

Disclosure: All opinions presented here are entirely my own.

JD's Bacon Salt Reveiw

2011-03-30T11:52:00.008-04:00

............and the Bacon continues!!

This time I am reviewing JD's Bacon Salt and some of their other items that I was sent to reveiw.

Peanut butter and chocolate. Franks and beans. Cookies and milk. Bacon and anything.
It’s that last part that got us going. Bacon goes with just about anything. It’s kind of like a condiment, isn’t it? Except it doesn’t come in a bottle, is hard to cook, and makes an awful mess. Not to mention that it’s not the healthiest thing in the world.

The “aha moment” came at a kosher wedding that Justin was attending in New York. He described the joys of bacon, and that we needed more of it, to a group of people who are restricted from eating it. He said that there should be a bacon condiment, and dubbed it “Bacon Salt.” It wasn’t until much later that we realized that we could actually kosher certify a salt that tasted like bacon.

A few months later, Dave and Justin began trying to make Bacon Salt in Dave’s kitchen by mixing bacon drippings and sea salt together. The results were disastrous. From there, we found some people in the food industry and asked them to tell us everything they knew about how to realize our bacon-driven vision of making a condiment that made everything taste like bacon. Then, with funding from a 3 year old boy, we did it. We made Bacon Salt, a low sodium, zero calorie, zero fat, vegetarian and kosher seasoning that makes everything taste like bacon. At worst, we thought, we’d make something that we’d want to use at every meal. At best, everyone else who loves bacon (which is everyone) would embrace it too.

Today, Bacon Salt comes in a variety of flavors, including Original, Hickory, Peppered and Natural. We also have some Limited Edition flavors which typically come out around the holidays. It’s been shipped to 47 countries and all 50 states. It’s been on Good Morning America, ABC News, Daily Candy, NPR, Fox News, and even graced the pages of World Wrestling Entertainment magazine. And we’re just getting warmed up.

There’s now a Bacon Salt for every occasion, and we think you’ll want them all in your spice cabinet. We love them all, and think you will too.

Original -like a straight bacon punch in the mouth. Best on Eggs, Green Vegetables, Salads, Sandwiches and more.

Baconnaise™, available in Regular and Lite, is the newest addition to the J&D’s family.
We started with a customer request to make “spreadable bacon, namely mayonnaise.” At first, we were skeptical. Mostly because neither one of us really liked mayo much.

Then we started talking to people about whether a bacon-flavored mayonnaise would fly. We heard from a lot of people that just couldn’t wait for us to make it so they could use it on everything. They told us that sometimes they didn’t want salt, they just wanted bacon – so just mixing Bacon Salt and mayonnaise wouldn’t cut it. They wanted less mayo taste and more bacon taste – it should be Baconnaise, not “Mayocon” we heard. And many people requested a Lite and a Regular version, because some people loved Lite mayos and some people hated it (with a passion).

So we set out on another bacon-flavored adventure. Could we make a mayonnaise product that met our own high bacony standards? Could we get people as excited as they were for Bacon Salt (for which shrines have been built and songs have been written)?

It was at that point that we began a very unhealthy morning routine: eat a slice of bacon, try a version of Baconnaise, eat a slice of bacon. Compare. Improve. Repeat. Over the 6 months it took us to make Baconnaise, we estimate that we probably ate 20 pounds of bacon, consumed 5 large jars of mayonnaise and took 2 years off of our lives – looking for that exact and delicious flavor that we would be proud to call Baconnaise.

And then we did it. We tasted the smooth and slightly smoky taste that would henceforth be known as Baconnaise, The Ultimate Bacon Flavored Spread. We put it on sandwiches, salads, dips, fish, chicken, burgers and more. And they were all delicious!

Welcome to J&D’s Bacon Ranch, where the skies are blue, the pigs are pigs and the dressings and dips are delicious.

We're talking bacon-flavored ranch here. Not the gallon of ranch dressing you need to go through with a crime scene investigator’s kit to find the little bacon bits. It’s like bacon and ranch dimmed the lights, put on the Barry White records and made the world’s perfect condiment. Which is kind of what happened. Kind of.

OK, so what really happened is we got hungry. And when we get hungry, we get chicken wings. Dozens of them. And that's when it all began, our talk of two of the greatest things in the universe – ranch dressing and bacon. If we combined these two flavors in the right way, we thought, we could make the world’s best dressing and dip.

And you know what? We were right. It was so delicious that we instantly crowned it the best product we've ever made. These are flavors that were truly meant for each other.

So break out the chips. Fry up some chicken wings. Make up a salad. Or bring out the veggie tray. And head on out to J&D’s Bacon Ranch.

Git along little taste buds.

At J&D's Foods even we have an occasional non-porcine dream.

The last one we had started over fish and chips. Nothing like a shot of malt vinegar to liven things up, we thought. But what's all this then? Our fish ‘n' chips were soon as cold and soggy as a Seattle winter.

Enter J&D's Malt Salt™, the world's first malt vinegar flavored seasoning salt. It's all natural and made with real malt vinegar. Try it on your fish ‘n' chips. Tasty. Malty. Crispy. Spot-on. It also goes great with chicken, any kind of potatoes, seafood, pork, vegetables like peas, on sandwiches or mixed into frying batter. The possibilities are endless.

So grab a pint, sit back and enjoy the newest revolution from J&D's. Or are we just dreaming?

J&D's Bacon Lip Balm (the original bacon lip balm)
Now you can make yourself taste like bacon. Our Bacon Flavored Lip Balm is a constant reminder of the awesome power of bacon.

For decades, Great Granny's been saving her bacon grease in that old rusty coffee can in her kitchen, and popping some fresh kernels on her stovetop with it. Bless her heart. Then the microwave oven came along, and she didn’t quite jump on the bandwagon. She loved her bacon popcorn too much to give up her traditional bacon-popping ways.

Well Granny, now there's something called BaconPOP™ from J&D's. So you can just sit back in that comfy old rocking chair of yours, put on some Perry Como records, and rest those tired arches. Because in 5 minutes or less you'll be enjoying a savory, delicious mix of bacon, butter and premium popcorn that's designed for maximum eatability and anytime snacking. How's that for convenience?

And while you're sitting down, maybe you can fire up that computer we bought you so many years ago and tune into something called the Internet, which is kind of like TV except you have to do all the work. Yes, we know, the type's too small. And no, you can’t use your clicker to change the channel. But there are pictures of the grandkids, and unlimited reruns of Matlock. Just look out for viruses and spyware, OK?

And for heaven's sake, please pass the BaconPOP™.

J&D's Country Style Bacon Gravy (single packet).
NEW! What do you get when you mix country gravy and bacon? The best country gravy in the world, that's what.

Recipe:
Bacon Salt Doggie Treats

Doesn't man's best friend deserve man's greatest flavor? This recipe for bacon flavored, vegetarian doggie biscuits will please even the most finicky pooch and will act as the ultimate incentive not to eat your shoes, dig holes in the backyard or terrorize the mailman.

And because Bacon Salt is low sodium, you don't need to worry that you're oversalting your pup.

Ingredients

2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
2-3 Tbsp Bacon Salt
10 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 cups whole wheat flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a cookie sheet.

Beat eggs in a large bowl. Stir in milk, water, Bacon Salt, and vegetable oil until well blended. Gradually stir in flour to make a stiff dough. Pinch off pieces of the dough and roll into 2 inch balls. Place on prepared baking sheet.

Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on racks. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

To purchase products, please visit their website at: http://www.jdfoods.net/

Like them on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/JDsFoods

Disclosure: While I was sent tasting samples, all opinions presented here are entirely my own.

Bacon Hot Sauce Review

2011-03-30T11:38:00.004-04:00

I am going to do an all "Bacon" review special for my next few blog posts. These will include some very interesting Bacon products.

Let's get started by reviewing Bacon Hot Sauce!

Do you like bacon? Do you like hot sauce? Bacon Hot Sauce!

About:
We are a group of three friends who were hanging out on a Sunday morning craving eggs and potatoes with bacon and hot sauce. One person stated that bacon makes everything better, while another contended that hot sauce makes everything better. And the third thought, “you’re both right, why not bacon-flavored hot sauce?”

Ingredients:
Water, Distilled Vinegar, Cayenne Pepper, New Mexico Chili, Salt, Natural Flavor, Maltodextrin, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate

Serving Size 1 tsp...

0 Calories

0g Fat

85mg Sodium (4%)

0g Total Carbohydrates

0g Protein

Here are a few recipes using Bacon Hot Sauce:

The Bacon Mary
serves 4

32 oz. Tomato Juice
8 oz. Vodka
8 tbsp. Bacon Hot Sauce
Squeeze of Lemon

South Carolina Sauce

· 2 tablespoons butter

· 1 large onion, chopped

· 2 cloves garlic, minced

· 1 cup yellow mustard

· 3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

· 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar

· 1 tablespoon Bacon Hot Sauce!

· Salt and pepper to your taste

Toss the butter into a saucepan, over medium heat, then add the onion
and garlic and cook until you can smell them, then toss in all the
rest and simmer a few minutes. Let it cool to room temp, and serve as
a finishing sauce. You can use it to baste with if you want.

This stuff is great! Sell for $5.99 per bottle or $14.99 for a 3-pack.

Visit their website to order at: http://www.baconhotsauce.com/

Visit them on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/BaconHotSauce#!/BaconHotSauce

Visit them on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/BaconHotSauce

Disclosure: While I was sent tasting samples, all opinions presented here are entirely my own.

River Street Sweets Review

2011-03-17T15:24:00.005-04:00

Their Story

Back in 1973, our founders, Georgia Nash and Pamela Strickland, looking for a new opportunity, put their heads together and decided to open a quality gift shop in historic Savannah, Georgia. The mother and daughter team agreed their gift shop would abide by three unwavering standards: incomparable product quality, dedication to an unmatched customer experience and originality.

After an extensive search, the two budding entrepreneurs chose historic River Street for their store location. Back then, most of the Waterfront's old cotton warehouses remained either abandoned or vacant. In those days, landlords weren't too receptive to the idea of converting old buildings into retail shops. They didn't have the vision to see their properties' potential. Fortunately, Georgia and Pam found a willing landlord, a lease was signed, and "The Cotton Bale" was opened.

The Cotton Bale's inventory included Habersham Plantation Furniture, Georgia Gift Products, as well as distinctive Christmas gifts and ornaments. Georgia and Pam had dedicated themselves to providing their clientele with unusual gift items in a diversified and endearing retail store - they wanted their customers to have as much fun in there as they were having. The shop soon flourished under the partners' hard work, great attitude, and exceptional merchandise. Significant gains were further realized when additional renovations were made to River Street, and soon tourists from across the United States began traveling to Savannah's Historic Waterfront.

Accompanied by her young children, Jennifer and Tim, Pam Strickland traveled to Atlanta's Gift Show in 1978 in search of new ideas for the shop. The place was full of new ideas and products, but nothing seemed to really strike them as the 'right one.' Wandering off on his own, Tim was drawn by the sweet aromas of a giant fudge making pot and immediately called his mother and big sister over to share his yummy discovery. By the end of that week, the fudge maker was on its way to the Cotton Bale.

At first, the fudge pot and its operation required almost one-third of the store's total square footage, and many were skeptical that something occupying so much space could ever deliver the necessary profits. To everyone's delight, it became quickly apparent that the rich, made-right-before-your-eyes fudge was out-performing the staple gift items in The Cotton Bale. Ever the entrepreneur, Pam recognized her customers' fascination in quality, homemade candy and treats and began to test additional recipes. After weeks of tasting and testing, our "World Famous Praline" recipe was conceived, and the buttery, pecan-rich delights soon became our signature item.

The creation of our "World Famous Praline" recipe turned our simple family business from a retail gift shop dabbling in confections into River Street Sweets. No one could have foreseen the overwhelming demand for Southern confections we had discovered. Encouraged by further experimentation, Pam and company soon added such traditional candies as Glazed Pecans, Chocolates, Sugar and Spice Pecans, Log Rolls, Caramel, and Taffy to our product list. The concept of a truly Southern candy store had arrived.

By 1984, our secret was out! Sales were strong, and increasing demand for our scrumptious candies meant we needed more space and visibility. Choosing the Market Area in Charleston, South Carolina for its historic value and tourist potential, we named our new addition Market Street Sweets, and almost over night our new store was swamped with demand for our high quality Southern candies. Our third location opened in 1997 at Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and continues to provide gourmet Southern Candies to the ever-growing tourist industry in the Strand area.

Our family of stores continued to grow across the Southeast. In 1999, a River Street Sweets store opened its doors in Phipps Plaza in Atlanta, and a large mail order facility, warehouse and second retail store were established on Skidaway Road in Savannah. More stores followed in 2001, including Gwinnett Place Mall and the Mall of Georgia in the Atlanta suburbs. June 2005 saw the opening of our latest retail store, again in Myrtle Beach, in the famous shopping and restaurant complex known as Broadway at the Beach. More stores are in the works, so check back for a store near you!

Literally growing up in the River Street store in Savannah, siblings Tim and Jennifer like to joke they just might have fudge in their veins and pralines in their brains. Perhaps, but the fact is that they both know the candy-making and retail businesses like few other in the country, with over 70 years experience between them. In 1988, Jennifer began full-time for River Street Sweets/Market Street Sweets, with younger brother Tim following suit in 1990. Today, the two continue the family tradition of supervising daily operations for all locations, while constantly looking for new opportunities and challenges.

All of our stores are designed to incorporate our customers into the experience. In fact, like little Tim back in 1978, most of our new customers are drawn in by the delicious aromas wafting from every one! We encourage our customers to watch the products being made, chat with the cooks on duty, and sample the candy. Really enjoy themselves! We don't want anyone leaving one of our stores without feeling they have really experienced something unique and valuable. From the very beginning, customer satisfaction has been at the forefront of our minds.

And it always will be. We're proud to deliver to our customers and guests simply the freshest, highest quality, most flavorful candies and confections available. Our neighbors know it - we've consistently been voted "Savannah's Best Candy Store." As a family, we take great pride in providing our customers with only the finest Southern candies. It's a custom we want to extend across generations and into your home. Even as we grow, we won't compromise our standards. It goes against our tradition, and besides, life's just too sweet!

I received a beautiful gift basket of Pralines, Bear Claws, Pecans, Pecan Log Rolls and Peanut Brittle. Yum!

I looooovvvveeee Pralines, especially ones from River Street Sweets. Aren't these gorgeous?

Here are the Bear Claws. Oh, Chocolate!!

Here is the Peanut Brittle!

If you have never had a goodie from River Street Sweets, now is the time to order from them on their website or visit them in Savannah, GA or one of their other locations here in the South!

Visit their website at: http://www.riverstreetsweets.com/

Become a fan on facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/River-Street-Sweets/107473749280087

Disclosure: While I was sent tasting samples, all opinions presented here are entirely my own.

Amy's Review

2011-03-15T14:20:00.009-04:00

Learn all about our company! A brief history.

We didn’t set out to become the nation’s leading natural frozen food brand. All we wanted to do was create a business that would allow us to earn a living by providing convenient and tasty natural vegetarian meals for people like ourselves, who appreciated good food, but were often too busy to cook "from scratch."

We started on a "shoestring," using our own house and barn as headquarters. The founding meetings were held in the same room where we were married and where our daughter Amy was born.

This was in 1987, before the idea of "organic" food had become well known, and when there were very few frozen meals available for vegetarians to eat, either in health food stores or supermarkets. We were, however, very fortunate in being in the right place at the right time. The number of vegetarians had increased dramatically, as had consumer awareness of the harmful effects on their health and the environment of chemicals in the food supply.

Our first product, a vegetable pot pie, was an instant success.

Other products followed in rapid succession, and we made the amazing discovery that they were being eaten not only by vegetarians and those interested in natural foods, but by millions of people looking for easy to prepare meals that really tasted good.

Since then Amy’s has created over 88 frozen meals, including pizzas, pocket sandwiches, pot pies, entrées, snacks and whole meals. In 1999, we introduced a grocery line that now includes canned soups, beans and chili as well as jarred pasta sauces and salsas. Our foods are carried by all natural food stores, supermarkets and some club stores in the United States, Canada and abroad.

Although we have considerably expanded our production facilities and the number of people we employ, we have remained a family owned and operated business, sensitive to the needs of our customers.

In spite of the fact that many companies now produce similar products, Amy’s is still #1 in popularity and sales. Our total commitment to quality has made the difference.

I purchased a Spinach Pizza and added fresh mushrooms to it, it was really yummy! The Amy's Spinach Pizza is a blend of feta cheese, basil and organic spinach topped with a sprinkling of part-skim mozzarella cheese.

I also purchased the Vegetable Lasagna and it was also really good! The Amy's Vegetable Lasagna is an Organic pasta layered with cheese and organic vegetables in an authentic Italian sauce made from organic tomatoes. Worthy of the finest Italian restaurant.

Finally, I purchased the Lentil Soup. Amy, who is a picky eater, loves this nourishing lentil soup, made from her mom's favorite recipe. It's high in protein and fiber, and has a rich, satisfying flavor.

I highly recommend Amy's products. They are a little bit more expensive than your regular meals, but worth it big time!

Visit their website at: http://www.amys.com/

Find them on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/AmysGoOrganic

Follow them on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/amys_kitchen

Disclosure: While I was sent tasting samples, all opinions presented here are entirely my own.

CouponChief.com Review

2011-03-11T16:17:00.010-05:00

I was notified and asked to do a review of CouponChief.com. If you know me well, you know that I always use coupons! I clip coupons out of magazines and newspapers and I also print and use coupons off of the internet. I had never heard of www.couponchief.com until I was contacted. After checking this site out, it is great! I swear, one of these days I will be on that T.V. Show "Extreme Couponing".

If you are a coupon freak like me, you need to check out this site!

How it works:
Coupon clipping has gone digital! Armed with coupon codes right here from Coupon Chief, you'll be able to save a bundle the next time you're buying anything online, for both products and services.

1. Most online retailers now include a field to enter a promotional or coupon code during the checkout process. Some typical discounts might look like "10% Off your order" or "Free Shipping on orders over $25".

2. Head over to CouponChief.com and search for the domain where you're making a purchase (ie. http://www.target.com or even just target.com)

3. Write down or copy the code to your clipboard. Then click the "use it" link to go directly to the store where you want to make a purchase.

4. Shop around the store and find what you want to buy.

5. During checkout, look for the special box that says coupon or promotional code. Sometimes this might be after submitting your credit card but always before final order submission.

6. Submit the coupon code you copied down earlier and...

7. Voilà! You should see your savings applied.

Visit the website at: www.couponchief.com.

Visit them on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/couponchief.

Visit them on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/couponchief.

Disclosure: I was given a monetary reimbursement in exchange for an honest, unbiased review of CouponChief.com.

Head Country Food Products Review!

2011-03-03T16:01:00.007-05:00

About Country Head Food Products:

What makes Head Country unique? Cattle drives, land runs, ranches, rodeos, Oklahoma history. The proud heritage that shaped our state and our family is in every bottle. We invite you to visit Head Country. Read about our fierce commitment to quality. Explore tips and recipes from a crowned Bar-B-Q world champion and send us your own questions and ideas. So come on. Head west. Head Country!

The year was 1945. Donovan Fred Head, known affectionately as "Uncle Bud," was home from World War II and his service as a cook on a naval destroyer. Getting back into the rhythms of Oklahoma ranch life felt good, but so did tinkering at the stove and recalling the recipes he served up to his fellow sailors.

One such recipe was for a bar-b-q sauce that used wholesome ingredients easily found in a Navy ship's kitchen: ketchup, brown sugar, distilled vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and spices. Uncle Bud's "Head Country Bar-B-Q Sauce" proved just as popular with the neighbors as it was with his sailors! So many neighbors made the trip to buy fruit jars of the stuff that Uncle Bud decided to make it easier on his adoring fans. Head Country went retail in feed stores.

Through the years the family's bar-b-q sauce recipe became increasingly popular. Uncle Bud felt it was getting too much to handle out of his ranchhouse kitchen so he sold the recipe in 1977 to his nephew, Danny Head. Danny, himself a successful oilfield construction contractor, knew the sauce was too good to let go. After three years of juggling both the oilfield and bar-b-q sauce businesses, Danny had to make a choice.

As they say, timing is everything. Danny sold his oilfield construction business in 1980, just months before the oil boom went bust. From those proceeds he moved his family from Shidler, Oklahoma, to Ponca City and set up the bar-b-q sauce manufacturing plant in an old WWII Royal Air Force training barracks near the Ponca City Airport. It took more than five years for Head Country Food Products Inc. to make a profit. But Danny stuck to his dream, learned the grocery business and made it work.

In 1995 we moved to our new manufacturing plant. Three plant additions have doubled our size. Despite the dizzying growth, we are proud to still be a family-owned company.

Visitors from across the U.S. are drawn to Ponca City and our Head Country Bar-B-Q Restaurant. Head Country's catering staff pulls our fleet of smokers throughout the U.S., serving genuine, championship bar-b-q to thrilled guests across the country. Our competition bar-b-q teams have racked up hundreds of local, state and regional championship titles, two national championships and a world championship!

From such a simple ranch stove beginning, Head Country Bar-B-Q Sauce has become Oklahoma's No. 1-selling sauce. (That's quite a feat when your competition is international industry giants!)

From a handful of Osage County feed stores to grocery stores across Oklahoma and Texas, Head Country is a true story of a family's hard work and dedication to making a dream come true.

Awards:

Among the dozens of state, regional and national contests in which Head Country has done well are these favorite titles:

1994

Jack Daniels World Invitational Grand Champion, Lynchburg, TN
American Royal International Invitational Grand Champion,
Kansas City, MO
Missouri State Grand Champion, St. Joseph, MO
Illinois State Grand Champion, West Chicago, IL

1995

Oklahoma Joe's Interplanetary Bar-B-Q Grand Champion, Stillwater, OK
Arkansas State Grand Champion

1996

North Carolina State Grand Champion, Tryon, NC
Oklahoma State Grand Champion,(Cherokee Strip Cook-Off), Ponca City, OK
OKC Stockyard Stampede, Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion, OKC, OK

1998

Oklahoma Joe's Interplanetary Bar-B-Q Grand Champion, Stillwater, OK
Oklahoma State Bar-B-Q Grand Champion (Smoke On The Water), Grove, OK

1999

Oklahoma State Bar-B-Q Grand Champion (BBQ and Blues), Cushing, OK
Oklahoma State Bar-B-Q Grand Champion, Pawnee, OK
Mid-South Regional Grand Champion, Lincoln, AR
Oklahoma State Reserve Grand Champion (Cherokee Strip Cook-Off), Ponca City, OK

Recipe:

Baby Back Ribs

Ingredients:

2 lbs pork baby back ribs
liquid smoke
Head Country Seasoning
1 bottle Head Country BBQ
Heavy Duty Non-stick aluminum foil

Steps:

Remove the silver skin membrane from the back of the ribs. Brush both sides liberally with liquid smoke and season with Head Country Seasoning. Brush the ribs liberally with Head Country barbeque sauce and place each portion on two layers of the heavy duty non-stick foil. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
Bake ribs wrapped tightly in the foil at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 2 1/2 hours. Remove from foil and place on a broiler pan. Brush with more sauce, and broil on Hi for 5 minutes.

My Review:

This is an awesome company! I received 1 bottle of Orginal BBQ Sauce, 1 bottle of Hot BBQ Sauce, 1 bottle of Smoke BBQ Sauce, 1 bottle of Marinade, 1 Championship Seasoning, and 1 Garden Rich Salsa to review. All of the BBQ sauces have a wonderful taste and it is not too runny. I plan to make some ribs this weekend with the seasoning and the sauce!

To see their products or make a purchase, please go to their website at: http://www.headcountry.com/index.html

Disclosure: While I was sent tasting samples, all opinions presented here are entirely my own.

Sodastream Review!

2011-03-03T14:38:00.009-05:00

About Sodastream:

Home Soda Maker
Making carbonated water and soft drinks is simple! Turn tap water into sparkling water in under 30 seconds, with no clean-up. Enjoy the freshness and convenience of homemade soda and protect the environment at the same time. No heavy bottles to carry, store at home or throw away. Fizz to your taste and add the flavor of your choice to make your favorite drink. Simple to clean and reuse. With a variety of colors and silhouettes, you'll be sure to find a soda maker to match with any decor.

SodaStream soda makers are fashionable, fun, sleek and easy to use! SodaStream offers a wide variety of styles and colors to match any kitchen decor. All SodaStream models allow you to prepare great-tasting, fresh, fizzy beverages precisely to your taste - with no bottles, cans, electricity...and no clean-up. As part of our commitment to quality and satisfaction, we offer a 30-day money-back guarantee and a two-year manufacturer's warranty on all new soda makers.

Making your favorite soda, flavored sparkling water or energy drink is simple, with SodaStream's wide variety of over 30 sodamix syrups including dozens of regular, diet and caffeine-free options. Flavors include classics like cola, lemon-lime, and root beer...Exotic fruit flavors like orange mango and diet pink grapefruit...Energy drink, sparkling iced teas and cocktail mixers. Each bottle of sodamix makes about 12liters of soda (about 33 cans!) for around 25 cents per 12-ounce can.

SodaStream carbonating bottles are specially designed, high pressure-resistant bottles for use with SodaStream soda makers. SodaStream PET carbonating bottles are BPA-free and may be reused for up to 2 years. The glass carafes included with the Penguin soda maker may be used indefinitely, with proper care. Every SodaStream bottle and carafe comes with a fizz-preserving cap that helps to keep drinks fresh and fizzy longer than store-bought bottles.

SodaStream Carbonators are made of lightweight aluminum to exacting standards set forth by the US Department of Transportation. We maintain the highest quality standards to ensure safety and purity of our CO2 refills. Carbonators are available in two sizes, to make up to 60 or 130 liters of soda or sparkling water per carbonator. A full, licensed CO2 carbonator is included with the purchase of every SodaStream soda maker kit. When empty, SodaStream takes back the cylinder to be cleaned, inspected, refilled and reused. Carbonators may be exchanged online, or at select SodaStream authorized retailers.

Why Sodastream?

Fresh Soft Drinks In Seconds… Without Lugging Or Storage Hassles!

With a SodaStream soda maker, you’ll transform ordinary water into the freshest and best-tasting seltzer and soda anytime, at the touch of a button, with no clean-up.

Now, you can enjoy the best tasting soda on the planet … and it’s as easy as making coffee!

•Save space with concentrated sodamix and reusable carbonating bottles
•No more lugging and storing heavy, bulky bottles and cans
•No more hassles with empties in the trash or recycling bin
•No batteries, no electricity, no plumbing
•Over 30 flavors at the touch of a button

My Review:

I received a Sodastream Unit along with Flavors, 2 bottles and 1 3-pack of water flavorings. I opened it up to try it out as soon as I received it and was blown away by how easy this product was to assemble and use. Before I knew it, I had a fresh bottle of Ginger Ale and a bottle of Root Beer. This stuff is awesome.

For the price, value and quality of the products, I rate it a 10 out of 10!
Check out this item now at one of the below websites.

For more Information:

For more information or to order, please visit their website at: http://www.sodastreamusa.com/default.aspx

Join them on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/SodaStream

Join them on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/sodastreamusa

Visit their blog at: http://msfizz.sodastreamusa.com

They also have their own YouTube page at: http://www.youtube.com/user/SodaStreamGuru

Disclosure: While I was sent tasting samples, all opinions presented here are entirely my own.

This week's "New" winner!

2011-03-01T11:20:00.002-05:00

Last week's winner of the "Food Should Taste Good" Chip 5 pack box never did email me back, so I have picked a new winner on www.random.org. The new winner is comment #30 from Julie Cutshaw. Julie please email me your mailing address.
Thanks!

479° Popcorn Review

2011-03-01T10:46:00.009-05:00

As featured on Oprah Magazine's "O" List!

About 479° Popcorn:

479° Popcorn began with a fond childhood memory of cozy evenings spent playing cards and devouring fresh popcorn with my family. My mom refused to serve anything other than organic popcorn cooked in a sturdy stovetop popper that she'd hand crank until the kernels turned into a delightful fluffy treat. Then, as now, a bowl of popcorn could turn an ordinary moment into a special occasion.

Over the years, I experimented with making my own organic popcorn and flavoring it with exotic seasonings inspired by my international upbringing and training at Le Cordon Bleu in London. In the process, I came upon the discovery that 479 degrees Fahrenheit is the optimal temperature for popping corn. I knew immediately that this would be the name of my popcorn company, because it reflects the careful attention to detail that I work so hard to incorporate into every single element of the business, from the pristine ingredients to the beautiful packaging to the avid dedication to customer satisfaction.

These days, as I make popcorn by hand in the San Francisco kitchen I started with my husband, I am reminded of how simple, honest pleasures are often the most rewarding. As we continue the tradition of making this satisfying organic snack by hand, using the highest quality ingredients, our hope is that 479° Popcorn will become a treasured indulgence for you too.

My Review:

I was really excited when I received my box of 479 Popcorn in the mail. I opened one large box to find 5 smaller boxes of popcorn in it. They offer some really yummy and gourmet flavors and I received the following: Black Truffle with White Cheddar, Fleur de Sel Caramel, Ginger Sesame Caramel, Madras Curry Coconut + Cashews, and Vietnamese Cinnamon Sugar.

I can't wait to eat all 5 flavors. I have, however, eaten all of the Ginger Sesame Caramel and it was wonderful. The Caramel was really sweet while the Ginger kicked it up with a little spice!

As far as this flavor goes, I give it a 9.5 out of 10!

If you would like to find out more about 479 Popcorn, please visit their website at:
http://www.479popcorn.com/index.html.

Find them on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/popcorn479.

Find them on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/479popcorn.

Disclosure: While I was sent tasting samples, all opinions presented here are entirely my own

Gullah Gourmet Review

2011-02-25T09:23:00.015-05:00

As Featured on Food Network!

The Gullah Culture:

The Gullah are African Americans who live in the Low Country region of South Carolina and Georgia, which includes both the coastal plain and the Sea Islands. Historically, the Gullah region once extended north to the Cape Fear area on the coast of North Carolina and south to the vicinity of Jacksonville on the coast of Florida; but today the Gullah area is confined to the South Carolina and Georgia Low Country. The Gullah people are also called Geechee, after the Ogeechee River near Savannah, Georgia. The term Geechee is most com-monly used in Charleston, South Carolina.

The Gullah are known for preserving more of their African linguistic and cultural heritage than any other African American community in the United States. They speak an English-based creole language containing many African loanwords and significant influences from African languages in grammar and sentence structure. The Gullah language is related to Jamaican Creole, Bahamian Dialect, and the Krio language of Sierra Leone in West Africa. Gullah storytelling, foodways, music, folk beliefs, crafts, farming and fishing traditions, etc. all exhibit strong influences from West and Central African cultures.

About The Gullah Gourmet Company:

In 1993 I had a small Gourmet Basket Shop in the famous tourist area of the downtown Charleston Market. As you know, Charleston is very well known for its flavorful cuisine. We would have many tourists come in that would have tasted Shrimp & Grits in one of our wonderful restaurants, and they would want a recipe to take home. At the time we carried all of the local cookbooks and none of them had recipes for that, so I knew that would be a great first product. I wanted it to be unbreakable, yet eye catching, taste as if the finest chef in town had prepared it, and be easy because I am not a cook. I wanted the background of the bags to look like newspaper print because when I was younger and you went into a seafood house to purchase fresh seafood they would wrap it in newspaper for you to take home. I also wanted to incorporate the Gullah language on the back of the bags. Gullah is a language that is a mixture of Elizabethan English and African that is spoken rapidly, in a rhythm, and is rather difficult to understand. Of course, it had to be modified, because if it were true Gullah, most people would not understand it and not be able to prepare the product. As a child I would love to listen to the Gullah language, and all of the stories and the songs still ring in my head. The language is still spoken on the outer islands around our area. It is almost a lost language, and I wanted to try to keep it alive and pay homage to the colorful culture and people. In other words, when someone buys a package of Gullah Gourmet, I not only want them to take home the flavor of Charleston, but also a bit of the culture. We went to work on this new venture in 1994 with four products and have been so blessed the whole way through. Now, fifteen years later, we have thirty-two bagged products, twenty-four bottled and jarred products, a variety of canned seafood, aprons, and T-shirts. We are proud to say that we have been featured on the Food Network many times, the first of which was the Food Finds program. The most recent production was with Paula Deen's sons, Jamie and Bobby, on their show Road Tasted. Our products are now known worldwide and are award winners for taste as well as packaging.

My Review:

When I received my box of goodies to review from The Gullah Gourmet I was really excited to see that it contained all of my favorites. It had She Crab Soup, Shrimp and Grits, Fried Green Tomatoes, Hot Crab Dish, Peach Cobbler and Sweet Cornbread Mix. Even had a little toy blue crab tucked in it!

Last night I fixed the She Crab Soup, Shrimp and Grits and the Peach Cobbler. All was really yummy and thankfully I have enough left for my lunch today. I will fix the Fried Green Tomatoes and the Cornbread tonight!

Here is what the She Crab Soup Bag looks like.

And here is the finished She Crab Soup!

Here is what the Shrimp and Grits bag looks like.

And here is the finished Shrimp and Grits!

Here is what the Peach Cobbler Bag looks like.

And here is the yummy finished Peach Cobbler!

To visit their website and find out more about their products or to order, please go to: http://www.gullahgourmet.com

If you are ever in Charleston, SC, please be sure you go by and visit them!

These products were awesome and I rate them a 9.75 out of 10!

Disclosure: While I was sent tasting samples, all opinions presented here are entirely my own.

This Weeks Winner's!

2011-02-24T12:10:00.002-05:00

Congrats goes out to this weeks winner's!

The winner of the Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce 2 pack is comment #7 from Bev Casteel.

The winner of the Food Should Taste Good Chip 5 pack is comment #18 from Aubrey Laine.

Please email me your mailing address within 48 hours to claim your prizes.

Keep and eye out for more great giveaways coming in a few days!

Tips for Healthy Dining Out

2011-02-23T10:43:00.003-05:00

We are eating out more than ever. When dining out, it is easy to eat more calories and fat as well as food that is less healthy. Try these ideas for healthy dining-out.

Dining Ideas:

1. No matter where you’re eating, practice eating small portions. Take half the entrée home or split the meal with your friend. Order an appetizer as a main course instead.

2. Skip parts of the meal you like less. Have an “I can eat that food any old time” approach.

3. Go to places where you can order healthy, lowfat meals.

4. Ask to substitute high fat items like french fries for a baked potato or side salad instead. Request items be made without butter or oil.

5. Eat a little less at noon to save for a special dinner later, but don’t skip meals. This can lead to eating too much.

6. Eat something 30 minutes before your meal to help be in better control of your choices. Eat a piece of fruit or have a glass of water with lemon.

7. Avoid buffets, and all-you-can-eat specials.

Menu Choices:

• Breaded, batter-dipped, and tempura all mean fried food, which is heavy in fat. Look instead for lower fat, grilled, broiled and flame-cooked. Other good choices include entrees that are steamed, poached, roasted, or baked in their own juices.

• Avoid croissants, biscuits, potpies, quiches, and pastries. Pick hard rolls, bread sticks (if not brushed with butter), french bread, or whole-wheat buns.

• For sauces, stick to wine, or thinned, stock-based sauces. Avoid thick butter sauces, béarnaise, Mornay or sauces that sounds creamy. If you’re unsure, ask the waitstaff.

• Choose salads made with rich dark greens like spinach and romaine rather than pale iceberg lettuce.

• Order a baked potato instead of french fries or have a side salad, steamed vegetables or a cup of broth-based soup.

• Skip the mayonnaise and special sauces and ask for extra lettuce, tomatoes, onions and mustard on sandwiches.

• If ordering pizza, ask for extra vegetable toppings and forget the meats and extra cheese.

• We often forget to count alcohol calories as part of our eating. It is very high in calories and can prevent us from making healthy food choices. What to Order When You’re Eating Out…Here are some hints on how to order from menus. Ask if you can get nutrition facts for menu items.

Steakhouse
• Trim the fat from broiled meat and order without sauces or gravy.

• A filet, flank, or London broil steak is the leanest cut.
Salad Bar

• Be careful about potato and pasta salads, bacon bits, marinated vegetables, olives, fruits in heavy syrup, and seeds or nuts.

• One ladle of creamy salad dressing can be about 300 calories.

• Select dark, leafy greens, raw vegetables and fruits, lean ham or turkey and cottage cheese.

• Use fat-free dressing or low-fat dressing in small amounts.

Chinese/Oriental

• Many menu items can be made to order. Request no oil (ask for broth or stock instead) or ask for only a small amount of oil.

• Choose items with large portions of vegetables.
• Avoid wontons, egg rolls, sweet and sour choices, fried rice, fried dumplings, sesame noodles, egg foo young, and tempura.

Italian

• Pasta with red sauce (marinara, red clam, or marsala) is a great choice unless the sauce has high fat meat such as sausage.

• Avoid cream sauces such as Alfredo or butter sauce as well as parmigiana, beef lasagna, cheese sauce or filling, pesto, carbonara, sausage dishes and garlic bread.

Pizza

• Vegetable pizzas can have half the calories of the “works” type.

• Ask for extra vegetables to replace the meat on pizza.

• You can request ½ of the cheese as well.

Mexican

• Chicken fajitas, tortillas and Spanish rice without sour cream and guacamole are often OK choices.

• Go easy on chips and rich/fried items on the menu such as chili rellanos, nachos, chorizo, chimichangas, flautas, and taco bowl salads.

Fast Foods

• Choose BBQ or broiled and grilled chicken sandwiches as well as a regular hamburger or roast beef sandwich instead of jumbo burgers and fried sandwiches.

Clarine's Florentines Review

2011-02-21T09:57:00.009-05:00

Clarine’s Florentines are a gourmet confection made by hand in small batches using only the finest ingredients to ensure the best quality.

The main ingredient of this delectable treat is natural almonds that are baked until bubbly into a perfectly golden brown brittle.

The final step to creating heaven in your mouth is to give Clarine’s Florentines a generous coating of Guittard bittersweet chocolate.

My Review:

When I received my box of Clarine's Florentines, the little bag of 6 with a pretty yellow bow was really nice looking, and I could not wait to rip open the bag to taste these pretty little creations! The buttery taste of the almond brittle smothered in Guittard bittersweet chocolate was amazing. I was on the verge of rating these Clarine's Florentines a 10 out of 10 until I was on my last one over the weekend and found a hair embedded in the florentine. So, my only comment to the company would be to make sure everyone wears a hairnet! Other than that, they were awesome and I would definately purchase more from Clarine's Florentines in the near future!

You can find out more about Clarine's Florentines online on their website at:
http://www.clarinesflorentines.com/index.html

They can also be found on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Clarines-Florentines/310233907710?v=wall.

And on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/cflorentines.

Disclosure: While I was sent tasting samples, all opinions presented here are entirely my own.

Alexia Foods Review

2011-02-15T09:58:00.000-05:00

Never Complicated. Always Extraordinary.

We love food as much as you. That's why we make it exactly how you would: all-natural, gourmet-inspired, and absolutely delicious.

OUR BEGINNINGS: At Alexia, our creativity and passion for the highest quality side dishes runs deep in our roots. As a Manhattan chef, Alex always wondered why there weren't quality side dishes that achieved the same discerning standard as the main entrée. He knew others would agree, and believed he could create distinctive and inspired convenient everyday side dishes that lived up to what he might create in his own Greenpoint kitchen. Alex started by hand selecting the finest all-natural ingredients and producing only small batches making Alexia a hard to find favorite. Whether seasoning his Beauregard Sweets and Yukon Gold Potatoes or baking the perfect artisan Ciabatta and Focaccia breads, Alex always used real ingredients and put quality and taste first.

Aged cheddar lightly breaded with a beer batter and a sprinkling of sea salt makes these the perfect crispy bites.

Combining the delicious flavor of savory mozzarella cheese with classic Italian herbs and olive oil for a new Old World taste.

Fresh field mushrooms, robust roasted garlic and olive oil blend perfectly to create these savory bites of heaven.

Product InfoNutritional InfoLarge, sweet, farm grown white onions dipped in an irresistible beer batter, baked to perfection.

Biscuits baked using traditional methods and ingredients create anything but a traditional frozen bread, these are the perfect complement to any occasion.

Made with rosemary and extra virgin olive oil, these fluffy rolls are a delicious rendition of a savory Italian classic.

Made in the traditional style, carefully balancing humidity and temperature, you'll find an all-natural, international classic at your table in no time.

Made in the traditional style with crispy French bread and our own special blend of real butter, robust garlic and spices. This delicious side is worthy as a complement to any entrée or as an hors d'oeuvre at your next meal.

Fortified with nutritious flax seeds, soy and sunflower seeds, you'll taste that hearty old-world flavor and texture with new world whole grain goodness.

Alexia Spicy Sweet Potato Julienne Fries combine the sweet and savory flavor of the traditional sweet potato with spicy chipotle seasoning to bring you a delicious flavor combination that the entire family will enjoy.

Pacific Northwest Russet Potatoes deliciously seasoned with sea salt & cracked black pepper combine perfectly to bring out savory potato flavor like never before.

Columbia Basin red potatoes are combined with roasted garlic, parmesan and extra-virgin olive oil for an extraordinary flavor. This home-style recipe is sure to be a brilliant accompaniment to any dining occasion.

Our Roasted Red Potatoes & Baby Portabella Mushrooms are presented with whole green beans and onions, then bathed in a thyme-infused oil blend. The side is ready, bring on the roast.

These are just a few of my favorite items from Alexia Foods.

To find out more about their products, and to get a $1.00 off coupon, please visit their website at: http://alexiafoods.com/index.jsp

You can also find them on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/#!/alexiafoods

I love Alexia Foods because they offer a wide variety of products for a great value!

Disclosure: While I was sent tasting samples, all opinions presented here are entirely my own.

The Original Country Bob's Review and Giveaway! (CLOSED)

2011-02-09T10:02:00.001-05:00

The Original Country Bob's Review and Giveaway!

It was 1968 when Country Bob Edson perfected his sauce recipe and today we call it All Purpose Sauce because it was more than just a steak sauce. Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce has remained the flagship item since 1982 when Country Bob, Inc. was established.

Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce is in a class by itself. It is more than a steak sauce, because of its unique flavor and the variety of uses. You can grill, cook, and marinate with it, or put it in your soups, stews, baked beans, and your other favorite dishes. Experience the Taste of our Gluten Free All Purpose Sauce!

Use our All Purpose Sauce on:
Steak, Chicken, Barbeque, Fries, Hamburger, Fish and so much more!

Order a Gift Pack Today

Gift Pack Includes:
1 bottle of Original All Purpose Sauce
1 Bottle of Apple Chipotle All Purpose Sauce
1 Bottle of Honey Habanero All Purpose Sauce
1 Bottle of Barbecue Sauce
1 Container of Seasoning Salt
Great Gift for Family, Friends, Employees & Clients

Have you tried it yet? Sign up on the website to receive a FREE bottle!

Follow them online at: http://www.countrybobs.com

Follow them on twitter at: http://twitter.com/countrybobs

Follow them on facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Country-Bobs-All-Purpose-Sauce/132429261413

I had never tried this sauce before, I and would recommend you to try it as soon as possible. This stuff is awesome!!! Kind of has a steak sauce flair to it. Wonderful on steak, burgers, etc.

Disclosure: While I was sent tasting samples, all opinions presented here are entirely my own.

Now for the GIVEAWAY!!!!

One lucky reader will win a 2 pack of their own Original Sauce, courtesy of The Original Country Bob's.

Mandatory Entry (must be done for all other entries to count): Follow me through Google Friend Connect. (Be sure to leave a comment below for each entry that you made, so you get counted!)

For additional entries:

1. Follow @amateursgourmet on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway (can be done once daily, and leave a comment below).

2. For 2 entries! Become a fan (now called like) The Amateur Southern Gourmet on Facebook (remember to leave 2 separate comments.)

3. For 2 entries! Become a fan (now called like) The Original Country Bob's on Facebook (remember to leave 2 separate comments.)

4. For 2 entries! Follow The Original Country Bob's on Twitter.

5. For 3 Entries! Blog about this giveaway with a live link back to this post (Leave a comment below once done.)

One winner will be randomly selected from all valid entries via Random.org, and will have 48 hours to respond to their prize winner email notification. If winner fails to respond, within that time period, a new winner will be drawn. Contest ends February 23rd, 2011 at 11:59 pm EST. Open to all US residents, age 18+.

Thanks and good luck!