Evelyn's Blog - Taste of Gourmet

Getting set for Thanksgiving?

These are two of my favorite party/company foods!  Course I make the Bacon Muffins just for us sometime too!  You can order my products at www.tasteofgourmet.com and see lots of other great recipes too! But you already know that don't you?  Just get to cooking (and ordering your Christmas presents!)

Peach Pecan Pepper Cheese Ball is one of the FAVORITE party foods I make....and it's so easy!
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 of a jar of our Peach Pecan Pepper Preserves
Mix it all up in a mixer (or with your large spoon), pile it into a bowl and start enjoying it with crackers!  You can even STRETTTCH it a little with more cream cheese!  it keeps perfectly in your refrigerator for a couple of weeks and it just gets better!  Wonderful for the Holidays!

 

Bacon Brunch Muffins....Sound GOOD?   They are scrumptious for breakfast....or a snack at a party...or for Thanksgiving morning while you are cooking dinner....or anytime!   Bacon used all kinds of ways is the NEW THING...have you noticed on television and in magazines?
So simple to make!
Cook 6 to 8 pieces of bacon crisp, drain well then crumble the bacon.
Prepare my Sweet Potato Muffins just like the box says - 1 egg, 1 stick melted butter and 1 1/4 cups water.
Add the crumbled bacon and fold it into the batter.
Fill sprayed muffin tins about 3/4 full and bake at 350 until muffins are done...little muffins will take about 10 minutes.
Yes....I use real bacon...not bacon bits or "open and eat" bacon. 

It may be that everyone's on a "diet" after Christmas....but the Fabulous Four Dessert Pack is tremendously popular right now!  Of course it's on our Half-Price Customer Special list .....so it's only $16.00 when you purchase at least $40.00 of other products!  And these four are truly Fabulously Delicious!

The Fabulous Four includes:
One All-American Apple Cake that you can make with fresh or canned apples, or pumpkin, or grated carrots, or pineapple, or bananas!  All good...but my favorite way is with the fresh apples!

One box of Toffee Crunch Cheese Cake Ball and there are two mixes in the box!  Make one to use as an "icing" for your Apple Cake and use the other just to dip with Honey Graham Crackers, or Wheat Thins!  I love the salty-sweet taste with Wheat thins. (Or just eat it with a spoon...it's just like eating New York Cheese Cake!)

One box of Mississippi Mud Cake that is so rich and dark and yummy!  I rub the top with a little confectioners sugar for that beautiful black/white contrast!  Sometimes I sprinkle chopped pecans on top of a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of Royal Fudge Sauce...but that's almost TOOOOO good!

AND One box of Southern Praline Pie....the picture is on the Home Page of www.tasteofgourmet.com if you really want to get hungry!  Add some pecans if you choose to the batter before baking, or top with a scoop of ice cream and some Caramel Pecan Sauce! 
NO WONDER....the Fabulous Four are so popular....I'm starving just writing about them! 
What shall I cook for our "after supper dessert"tonight? 
I'm making Apple Cake at The Crown again tomorrow!  The smell coming out of the kitchen.......YUM! 

Catfish Allison is a favorite!!!

I THOUGHT that I had put the recipe for my Catfish Allison on my blog two weeks ago...but obviously didn't...or my computer had one of it's coughing spells and deleted it instead of posting it....with my computer skills anything is possible!

One of our wonderful guests from the Nomads Travel Club emailed me today to say she couldn't find it...I had told her when she was having lunch that it was on my blog!  Then I went searching and couldn't fine it either!  So here is is...and of course my cookbook, Classic Catfish had the Allison and lots of other wonderful dishes in case you want the book...it's $16.95 on www.tasteofgourmet.com!  So enjoy the recipe and .....you CAN use chicken breasts too...but we really like that catfish!

Catfish Allison

6 to 8 catfish fillets
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup butter softened
6 Tablespoons of mayonnaise
6 green onion, chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Generous dash Tabasco

Poach the catfish fillets in lightly simmering water for 4 to 5 minutes.  Gently lift the fillets from the water and set aside to drain.
Place all the other ingredients  in a bowl and mix thoroughly.  Butter mixture may be made days ahead and kept refrigerated.
When ready to serve:  Place fillets in au gratin dishes (or in a broilable pan) and cover with 2 Tablespoons of Allison butter (or more)  Then broil for 2 or 3 minutes or until the dish is deeply browned. 
You can poach fish the day before, cover with butter and then with saran wrap and refrigerate overnight to make your party easier the next day!  Enjoy my Allison and come see us again in Indianola!

A Way of Life......

Sometimes I read some words that just speak to me....that are how I look at things....that are how I look at life.....and I keep a log of all these quotes/sayings/words of wisdom!  These two quotes are from Lyn Conway's Fresh Idea that I enjoy so much!  Lyn is a motivational speaker/writer/coach and she's so down to earth with "ideas" for business and for just living!  Hope you like these too!

 

"A smile is a curve that sets everything straight."  Phyllis Diller
Lyn followed the quote with her own bit of wisdom...."Share your smile with everyone!  Look for and find the joy and beauty in even the smallest event that happens today." 

"There are always flowers for those who want to see them."  Henri Matisse

 

 

Pack Your Pantry NOW......

It's the perfect time to restock your kitchen cupboard with great food from Taste of Gourmet!
10% Discount on ALL our products is valid through May 15th!
Code is BVHUM
PLUS
Orders totaling $40.00 in products (after discount) will also qualify for a Customer Half-Price Item. 
You can choose one of three Half-Price items!   
Soup Collection (normally $54.95) for only $27.50 
Taste of the South (normally $39.95) for only $19.98 
Super Sauces (normally $32.95) for only $16.50 

Order on-line at www.tasteofgourmet.com or call your Consultant or call the Home Office (800-833-7731)to order.  We'd love to talk to you about our yummy food!
It's time to make your meals healthy, easy and economical!  Taste of Gourmet is your delicious solution!

Lots of Tastings this weekend.....

Is it Spring in the Air that is making people hungry for our good food?  From Pennsylvania to Nebraska, Illinois to South Carolina....people are talking about, tasting and buying food from Taste of Gourmet this weekend!  (Tastings happen all the time, but it so happens that FOUR Tastings are being spotlighted - every ordering guest at these four will be getting an extra FREE gift from me!)  It's part of a special promotion we are having with our Taste of Gourmet Consultants!

I'm calling it an April Gumbo Pot of contests, drawings and bonus items!  Our way to get the Spring and Summer filled with aromas, easy meals and yummy flavors - all over the country!  And some great Half-price items are being offered to our guests at Tastings AND on our website!    

One of the Three Half-Price items you can purchase is our Soup Collection - it includes our Creole File Gumbo!  I just heard from a man in; MA - "That Gumbo is the best meal I've ever eaten!"  Don't you love it?  And YOU can buy the Soup Collection for only $27.50 when you purchase $40.00 of our other wonderful food products!  Six different boxes of Soup (The Delta Bisque even has TWO mixes in it!)

We love giving our Consultants great reasons to sell....and our customers a great reason to buy!  Have a yummy weekend.

Thanksgiving Friday Gift for YOU...

Today is said to be the biggest shopping day of the year!  One of our Taste of Gourmet Consultants is having a Tasting today in South Carolina and she's calling it "Shop in your Seat and Not on your Feet!"  What a great slogan!  Stay comfortable while you shop for great food gifts (and get to sample too!)

So if you are thinking of going shopping this weekend...I have a 10% Discount code for YOU to use.  Use it on our website to order gifts or goodies for yourself.. Or use it in The Crown in Indianola, to get 10% off any Taste of Gourmet items you pick up to carry away yourself!

The 10% Discount Code is GBWEN and is valid through December First.  You'll find a box to enter the Code online - You can order for yourself or order a dozen or more individual gifts that we will ship out for you with a hand written gift card!  We make Christmas gifts easy!

When you are in The Crown, just tell us you saw the Discount Code on my Blog and you'll get the 10% off! We'll even gift wrap your presents for you!  Food from Taste of Gourmet is a Gift of Love....Always the "right size" and never has to "find" a place on the bookshelf!  Make this Christmas Delicious!   (I forgot to tell you...Jennifer is selling Toys and Books at 25% off on Friday and Saturday...Ya'll come see us at The Crown this weekend!

It's Delicious....AND...

Yes, I know I "talk" a lot about how delicious our Foods are!  Today, one of my Consultants, Lari Boswell, TN, made me realize that I don't "talk" nearly enough about  how simple it is to prepare our Taste of Gourmet main dishes and FREEZE them! 

Lari had a Tasting at a company with lots of busy women who really need our simple meal preparation and appreciate our quality.  Here's part of what Lari wrote.  "I did several soups and I did the Mama's Meatloaf, too. That's always a challenge to leave enough for a Tasting after I cook it. It's delicious!  And the women were amazed that most of the stuff I served them had been frozen. They couldn't believe how moist it all was."

You can cook and freeze a week's worth of delicious meals in just an hour or two when you use our simple mixes!  And you have quality, freshness and good nutrition!  With a few staples in your pantry, like canned tomatoes and chicken broth, you are ready to get some pots bubbling! 

I pulled some Black Bean Chicken Chili (very low fat by the way) out of my freezer last week, cooked some rice, topped it with my Chili and had a fabulously filling, healthy meal!  The Chili had been in the freezer for weeks, and I really needed a fast supper that night!

Have you looked at the Suppers made Simple pages on our website?  You'll be amazed at the variations and quick preparation for great meals this Summer!  Have a look and let me know if you have questions!  Nothing I enjoy more that "talking" about Food!

And the Winner is.......

I just have to brag a little!  Morgan Wood from Clarksdale, Mississippi, sold 60 Peach Pecan Pepper Preserves during April to set a new record for individual sales of the St. Jude Product of the Month!  I am so proud of Morgan!  She passed Tammy Caruther's previous record of 56! Morgan worked at it too! 

In her words, "I even did a "Tasting to Go" with the PPPP and the Sweet Potato Muffins and carried it to two banks and a couple of offices near mine downtown!  Everyone who tasted those products -BOUGHT!"  Thanks for your hard work Morgan!  The work at St. Jude Hospital needs all of our support!

Rhonda Orr, a new Consultant from South Carolina, was the Winner of our April Rain Drops Drawing!  Congratulations to Rhonda!  She also has earned her First Month of Fast Start and really sold the PPPP well too! Thank you for choosing Taste of Gourmet Rhonda!  You are setting your goals and working at reaching them - one step at a time!  Thank you!

I've decided to keep the St. Jude "Break the Record" Challenge going for May!  If you want to help your personal Consultant, just call and give her your order!  Or go on line to order and use your Consultant's name!  We will make a $1.00 donation to St. Jude for every box of Toffee Crunch Cheese Cake Ball that is sold during May!  And it's one of our all-time favorite products!

I wonder how long Morgan's Record will hold?

Peach Pecan Pepper Preserves....for breakfast?

Why not?  Our sweet fruity Peach Pecan Pepper Preserves, with just the right amount of "heat," is yummy on a bagel with cream cheese or on a simple piece of toast!  You don't even need butter! 

One of my dear friends and neighbor, Bethel Martin, stopped by the plant today to pick up her monthly supply of PPPP (Bethel got me started eating it for breakfast!)  Sometimes she hides the jars from James (he loves it too) and has hidden them from herself!  But she knows where to get more!

We have a challenge with our TOG Consultants going for April!  PPPP is the St. Jude Product of the Month and I want SOMEONE to break the record that Tammy Caruthers set with 56 jars sold in one month - personally!  And we are donating $1.00 to St. Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis for every jar sold in April! 

Morgan Wood is closest to the record right now, but Deanna Russell, Rhonda Orr, April Savell, Leanne Lawrence...and others are all working hard!  If you want to help your personal Consultant break the record...just call her or you can go on line to order and use her name!  She'll get credit for the sale, you'll enjoy every bite of your PPPP and you'll be helping the children of St. Jude! Now that is a true win-win situation!