Appetizers for the Holidays

This is the first post about our appetizer test trial. Yesterday our package from Dean and Deluca arrived. We ordered the Dean and Deluca Comfort Appetizers Package ($56.25 for 48 pieces) which consists of Mashed Potato Toast, Mini Shrimp Newburg Pot Pie, Monte Cristo Sandwich and Welsh Rarebit Tomato Tart.

We ordered this product anonymously, paying for it ourselves since we want this taste test to be completely genuine. Now this package is quite pricey for a football get together, but reasonably priced for a nice holiday get together. Dean and Deluca is well known for having top notch mail order food so I was waiting in anticipation for the package arrival.

First we tried the Mashed Potato Toast. Sarah was not a fan. I was not that impressed thinking it was quit bland and if you are considering cost, this might be one you might want to skip. The Mini Shrimp Newburg Pot Pie, however, was to die for and Sarah Beth and I both loved it. This alone is worth the cost. We had guests over and everyone agreed that this was the best part of the entire package. Too bad these are not sold separately. The Monte Cristo Sandwich was equally tasty and a guest favorite. I thought it was messy since when you bake them the recommended time and temperature the cheese oozes out everywhere. The Welsh Rarebit Tomato Tart was nice but guests commented it was a bit bitter and did not taste fresh.

Overall for the cost, I was not impressed. I think for a company such as Dean and Deluca I expected more. My guests comments were varied, but most agreed over all they would have preferred to have something homemade even if it was not as glamorous. Later this week we will be trying Private Selections Appetizers from Kroger. How will they compare to more expensive and well known brands?

What to do with that cooked chicken

Yesterday I cooked a chicken straight from the farm. I was undecided what I was going to do with the chicken but knew it was going to involve more than one project. I let the chicken cool overnight in the refrigerator still in the pot I cooked it in. I have found this process allows me to get the best tasting stock. For those of you who do not know, we buy all our meat from a local ranch, Livestock First Ranch. Taylor is the most humble and genuine person I have ever met. I feel good buying my meat from him. Check out his website http://livestockfirstranch.squarespace.com/ You can catch Taylor at the Coppell Farmers Market on Saturdays.

Back to this chicken. Sarah Beth is not a fan of chicken and dumplings, however myself and all my friends are. Sarah Beth wanted chicken soup and made her request as she ran out the door to catch the school bus. So the solution was to divide the chicken and stock into two pots; one for chicken soup and one for chicken and dumplings. Sarah and I had picked up fresh corn, celery, carrots, mushrooms and turmeric from the Coppell Farmers Market. If you are local to the DFW area, you should really check out this farmers market. You can find them here: http://www.coppellfarmersmarket.org/ Both are on the stove cooking as I write this. I have made homemade egg noodles and biscuits for the dumplings. They are sitting patiently by waiting to be dumped into this wonderful smelling stock.

Now you may be thinking this whole project seems like it has taken hours upon hours of my time. However, Sarah and I decided to time the actual steps to making these two great meals. My actual time including prep time was less than 30 minutes. I did not include the time the pots actually sit on the stove since I am able to turn it down low and complete many other tasks. Not a lot of time to devote to making a fresh home cooked meal for your family. My costs? $4.50 for the soup and $4.90 for the chicken and dumplings. Both will serve 6-8 people. You won't find that kind of deal at McDonald's. The most important benefit of this wonderful meal is not only am I feeding my family a healthy meal but my house smells so good right now that the neighbor dogs are lined up outside waiting for scraps. I too can't wait for dinner. Now what to cook for dessert. Any ideas? Post them below.

I know this is not about food, but.....

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Refreshments Please

Okay soon we are going to be trying an experiment prior to the holidays. Everyone loves those little hors d'oeuvres and other snack food at holiday parties. However, many people do not have time to make them from scratch or the money for top brands. So Sarah Beth and I have set out to find some store brands that meet the high expectations you and your family set. Maybe we can save you a little money this holiday season and still get some good food. Do you have a recommendation for us to try? Post in comments!

It's a Prickly Little Thing

Michele: We went to HEB Central Market today and found an interesting fruit....rambutan. It looks like the Lychee fruit and is in the same botanical family. Sarah Beth picked this one out and will be the one to describe it today.

Sarah Beth: Hi everyone. I hope you are trying new fruits and vegetables. I was the first one to try the rambutan . We cut the rambutan in half with a knife. There is a seed in the middle. You can peel off the outer brown prickly part and easily squeeze out the seed. It looks like eye balls to me as you can see from the picture. The white flesh taste like coconut and pear mixed together. It is very sweet. It feels like a boiled on the inside, which is kind of weird. I do not think I would eat it again, but it was not bad.

Michele: Okay I tried it. The texture is very different. I thought it was like a gummy bear in my mouth. It is very sweet, but I did not think there was a dominate coconut flavor, but more of a really sweet pear soaked in coconut milk. I thought it was good and I would eat it again, but not sure I would keep it on my grocery list because it takes time to peel enough to get a good serving.

Nutrition: This rambutan came from Puerto Rico ( more brown than red) and the nutritional value ranges by where it is grown. This fruit is usually high in calcium and magnesium for a fruit and it also has a high sugar content. I would consider it a valuable contributor to daily nutritional needs.

Bcis Test