Review: BlueStar Cookware

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Andrea

I was recently contacted by BlueStar asking if I would be willing to review their new cookware set. This came at a great time because I was in desperate need of new cookware so I eagerly agreed!

BlueStar is a maker of high quality ranges for the home. They provide professional quality ranges in a variety of styles and colors so the home-cook can cook like a pro. You can read more about their ranges at the following links:

I long to have a gas range again and seeing those fancy ranges makes the pining more intense! You can even build your own custom range!

BlueStar recently created a stainless steel cookware set and added it to their product line. They sent me their 8 piece cookware set to test out.

Once it arrived, I got started right away using it! This was my first time using stainless steel cookware and I was both nervous and excited to test it out.

Read more on Review: BlueStar Cookware…

Green and Black’s Organic Chocolate

Posted on December 3, 2012 by Andrea

I was contacted by Green and Black’s Organic Chocolate asking if I would like to review and discuss their chocolate bars.

I love chocolate and very happily accepted the challenge.

Green and Black’s chocolate is not only certified organic but it is also fair trade chocolate. Goodness all around!

I was sent several bars to test out and instead of doing a standard post about the chocolate and their flavors, I wanted to do something different.

Since we moved this year to beautiful and beer friendly, Colorado, I decided to pair the Green and Black’s Chocolates with beers.

Oh yes I did!

Below are the flavors I recieved and the beers that I paired with them.

Milk and a Milk Stout (two choices):

Normally, I’m not a milk chocolate fan, preferring the darker chocolates. However this milk chocolate was creamy, slightly sweet, and very smooth. I loved that it wasn’t overly sweet and it quickly became a favorite.

American Heart Association’s Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook

Posted on October 15, 2012 by Andrea

I love my slow cooker and use it all the time.

Fall and winter mean soups, stews, chilis, and roasts! And that means it’s the busy season for my slow cooker.

It has already seen a ton of action and we are only a month in to fall!

When I was approached by Crown Publishing to review their newest cookbook for the slow cooker, I jumped at the chance!

The American Heart Association’s Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook is featured with 200 recipes that are geared towards a healthy lifestyle and diet. They are easy to put together with ingredients that you’ll already have on hand. Everything from roasts to shrimp and grits are featured in this cookbook.

Since we’re right smack in the middle of fall, I went with a soup recipe to try out.

Jamaican Bean and Vegetable Soup

Recipe from AHA’s Healthy Slow Cooker Cookbook

Reprinted with permission

2 1/2 cups Fat-Free, low-sodium vegetable broth

Review: KLUTCHclub

Posted on October 8, 2012 by Andrea

I was contacted by KLUTCHclub and asked if I would be willing to review their service. I accepted and was sent their September box of goodies.

The idea behind KLUTCHclub is that this is a monthly program where you are sent a box of lovely items to sample and try out for the month.

KLUTCHClub focuses on health and wellness so all the items in the box are related to that in some way.

The items in the box total about $100 but you only pay $16 -$18 per box depending on the monthly subscription you choose.

Each month has a different theme to it and the products sent to you reflect that theme. For September the theme was “Spa Month” so all the items were about relaxation and focused on decreasing stress.

The box arrived and was accompanied by a nice pamphlet that explained all the items in the box and why they were picked. I liked this feature because it provided great information about the products and I could use it as a resource guide.

Review: La Roja By Jolly Pumpkin

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Andrea

The Jolly Pumpkin’s La Roja is a beer that has been sitting in my fridge just waiting for the right moment to be enjoyed.

The first time I had this beer was at my friend’s house for a potluck and beer dinner. She mentioned that the shop clerk told her this was a blod beer and had the potential to be a bit sour.

I tasted it and it was indeed different than any style of beer I’ve had before. And I liked it. A lot. It was a hot and steamy Ohio summer day and this beer fit the bill perfectly.

I immedatedly went out and purchased my own bottle of it. Then sadly I didn’t get a chance to have it again and in the fridge it sat waiting patiently. I told Scott that the minute we have warm weather again, where we can open the windows and enjoy the outside, this beer was getting cracked.

Review: Red Gold’s Culinary Classics

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Andrea

I was recently contacted by Red Gold to see if I would like to try out some of their new tomato products that they are putting on the market.

I’ve worked with Red Gold before and I enjoy their products a great deal so I agreed! I got sent two 28oz cans of their newest products to hit the market.

The one I was drawn to first was their Culinary Classics Sliced Tomatoes and Zucchini. I gave the ingredient list a once over and there was nothing scary or weird in the list. Bonus!

I decided to use the tomatoes in a seafood stew.

This stew has a tomato and chicken stock base and is filled with potatoes, cod, bay scallops, and shrimp.

I’m still tinkering with the recipe, you’ll have to give me some time with it!

The tomatoes had a great flavor and I thought being sliced they would be on the thinner side but they were HUGE. In fact they were so big that for this stew, I had to get out the immersion blender and break them down just a tad.

Review: Brix Chocolate

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Andrea

During one of our visits to World Market, Scott pointed out this Brix chocolate to me and said I should try some.

I read the description and saw that it was chocolate developed to pair specifically with wine. Since I like dark chocolate with red wine, this was a no-brainer purchase for me. In the cart it went and I haven’t looked back.

This chocolate is very smooth and melts on your tongue quickly. Velvety chocolate nibbles for a post dinner treat.

I normally stick with their darkest variety but for Christmas, Scott got me a sampler pack. It contained four little bricks of all of their chocolates.

The chocolate is presented in brick form with the idea that you break off a piece to nibble as you like. Much like how a cheese plate is presented for wine tastings.

With each chocolate there are wine note pairings and suggestions. After trying all of the chocolate I have to say that each flavor goes with most wines.

Review: Traderspoint Creamery Yogurt

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Andrea

Let me start off by saying that this was the most difficult thing I have tried to take a picture of so far. I could not get a straight picture and was about to lose my cool while stomping off to get the tripod. Then I realized that the sticker on the bottle was crooked and not my picture taking.

Whew!

So I apologize for the crooked picture but it’s not my fault and I’m okay with that.

I stumbled upon this yogurt from Traderspoint Creamery, while I was picking up some Snowville half and half for Scott’s coffee. I thought this was just a milk company and then I noticed that this bottle said yogurt on it.

Oh?

I’ve been looking around for a new yogurt for a little while now. I still love Fage but sometimes I want something a little sweeter and not so thick. I’ve been displeased with yogurts lately and all about abandoned my mission. Then the florescent store lights shined down up this gem.

2011 Pumpkin Beer Review Roundup

Posted on November 15, 2011 by Andrea

The pumpkin beer reviews for 2011 have been completed! We tested a great variety of brews this fall and even found a new favorite!

First up was a crowd favorite, Pumpking by Southern Tier. Sadly not a FE favorite at all.

Next was Shipyard Brewing’s Smashed Pumpkin, and won this year’s favorite!

Followed that up with Heavy Seas The Greater Pumpkin, a lovely barrel aged ale.

Last up was Jolly Pumpkin La Parcela, which sadly didn’t rate very high.

We ended the pumpkin ale season with a tasting at our favorite bar, Hal and Al’s.

This was a great season for tasting new pumpkin brews!

Were you able to get any pumpkin ales this season? Did you find a new favorite?

Up next? Perhaps some winter ale tastings!

If you’re into ales as much as we are, feel free to follow me on Untappd!

Review: Jolly Pumpkin La Parcela

Posted on October 25, 2011 by Andrea

It’s the last pumpkin beer review for 2011! It’s been a month already and we are on our fourth pumpkin beer for October! Let’s get to it!

We had a hiccup with one of the pumpkin ales that we bought. It was skunky.

Ugh.

A skunky beer is never a good experience. So we were kind of scrambling to find a replacement beer. The thing with pumpkin beers, they don’t last long. When you see them in the store, you gotta jump on those quick because once they are gone, they’re gone.

Only so many of them get made and sometimes they are in limited release.

We stumbled across this Jolly Pumpkin , La Parcela No. 1 Pumpkin Ale and picked it up.

I have had Jolly Pumpkin’s La Roja which is a sour beer. It’s lovely for a very hot and humid summer day which means it’s great beer for an Ohio summer.

I decided to go with their Pumpkin Ale because if the brewery has pumpkin in the name, they should know what they’re doing, right?