Evelyn's Blog - Taste of Gourmet

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! 

Meals in the Freezer....so good!

I'll admit....I do love stocking my freezer with my good foods!  I use the ideas on our Suppers Made Simple pages all the time...and we never feel like we are eating "left-overs" .....course I call leftovers... a "Bonus Meal."   You know what's in my freezer right now?  Well a few things are.....

One more serving for two of our Creole File' Gumbo...We ate one last night with a serving of rice and a fresh spinach salad!  Yum!  I made a pot of Gumbo during Christmas when some friends came over... with chicken and sausage like I usually do...but this time I put in a few HUGE shrimp that I had cut into 3 or 4 pieces each!  Talk about good!   The six of us ate Gumbo that night, then I put two containers in the freezer with enough for Tony and I a meal...and that first one was almost toooo much!   Even for me! (I do love to eat if you haven't figured that out yet!)

Then there is one more container of New Orleans Beef!  I made that in January for Art After Hours and had "Bonus Beef"...so froze it!  I'll cook two servings of grits and pour the Beef over the grits...the gravy just soaks into the grits..sooo good!  We'll have a salad with that too and probably some fresh steamed broccoli with a dab of Garlic Herb Butter (that stays in my fridge all the time..ready to serve.)

I've got a pie pan in the freezer with the last two servings of East Indian Curry that we'll eat over rice with my Cranberry Chutney on the side!  I'll make a fresh fruit salad with Vidalia Dressing to serve it with over a little fresh spinach!  (We love fresh spinach!)

There are still three containers frozen of White Chili made with boneless chicken breasts!  I've already served White Chili two other times from that batch!  One: I piled a bowl with fresh spinach, then topped the spinach with a small serving each of pasta then topped that with my thawed, hot White Chili!  A sprinkle of Parmesan and it really was a yummy supper!   Two:  We love brown rice ...and a simple plate of rice topped with the White Chili and a cucumber salad made with Lime Cilantro and thin slices of onion on the side!  Healthy too!

Southwest Soup made with chicken breasts is on the stove now and I'll make some Bayou Beer Bread to go with that for supper tonight...then tomorrow morning, Ill put together the rest into our King Ranch Chicken!  You know layered "soup" with fresh flour tortillas and cheese.  It freezes really well and the recipe is on the back of the box...also on our Suppers made Simple pages.

It's really nice on these cold Winter days, to just go to the freezer and pull out a meal...and in the Winter...what is better than a bowl of soup?  And then a Bonus Meal ( or two or three) made to go into the freezer for later!  Eat well...Eat healthy ... Eat economically....and it's all so easy with Taste of Gourmet in your pantry!  And we have a sale running right now too....check the Home Page for the Discount code!!

Soups are simmering all over....

Soups were the food focus for Art After Hours last night and our guests loved sampling the White Chili, the Black Bean Chili and the New Orleans Beef that I served with Garlic Herb Cheese Grits...(just like Grillades and Grits from New Orleans.)  It was COLD and our hot soups were a hit!

AND the orders coming in on the website and through Consultants are hugely (is that a word?) soups and breads!  I can't even count how many Creole File Gumbos have been shipped in January!  Maybe people are stocking up on Gumbo for Super Bowl Parties and for Mardi Gras....I'm in love with my Gumbo too...and Jen eats a cup almost every day for lunch at The Crown!

Southwest Soup is the St. Jude product of the Month so those are really rolling out the door too!  Someone asked me at The Crown yesterday...."Is the Southwest Soup really spicy?"  Her husband doesn't like hot...hot foods!  And the answer is NO!  It has a little peppery heat but the combination of peppers is flavorful...not super hot!  I sometimes put a little cooked thin spaghetti in....then it's so much like my mama's vegetable beef soup.  Be sure and look at the Recipe Page on the website for Southwest Soup! It's FULL of good ideas!  Keep those kettles of soup simmering...we are in for a long winter! 

Gift Ideas....that YOU can do!

Gifts are "rolling out the door" today!  Christmas Gift Shipping is well under way!  Taste of the South (Jezebel, Sweet Potato Muffins, Gumbo, Praline Pie and Peach Pecan Pepper Preserves) is a big hit as a great gift this year...lots of those shipping today!   AND the Southern Comfort (a Praline Pie with a box of Mulling Spice)  I love Christmas time!

I keep a few extra Muffin and Mulling Spice gifts under MY tree..so I'm ready to "give"...and they look pretty there too with a bow on top! 

YOU can put together....Simple...inexpensive...delicious gifts yourself!  For Example:
In a clear gift bag, put a small bag of corn chips with a jar of Tomatillo Salsa!
A jar of RazzMaTazz with a bag of pretzels. 
Tie a basting brush onto a jar of Great Grilling Marinade
Put a Jar of Great Grilling in an oven mitt!
Tie several large open cookie cutters onto a box of Fudge Triples.  Kids will love spooning the batter into the oiled cookie cutter to bake their own BIG cookies.
Give EVERYONE a jar of Pickled Black Eyed Peas to eat for good luck on New Year's Day!
Use your imagination.....Great Gifts don't have to be expensive!

Call your Consultant or call us at the Office (800-833-7731) or go on line yourself to www.tasteofgourmet.com and order what you want to give your friends and family for Christmas!  We'll all be happy to help you!

I want to send you a Gift....

I know that some of you are my customers already and you've seen this email...but I would love for all of you to get a free box of my Deliciously Dill Dip to enjoy on your turkey sandwiches Thanksgiving night! 

A turkey sandwich and some more cornbread dressing (I even like it stone cold!) is just my favorite "snack" on Thanksgiving!  And now that I have Dill Dip to spread on....that sandwich is even better!

So do order before Friday the 20th and your order can arrive before Turkey Day AND you'll get your Dill Dip!   And let me know if you are ordering because you saw it here on my blog...AND thanks for reading my chatter....I do love to "talk!"

Thanksgiving is just 12 days away!
And we want you to know how very thankful we are for YOU.. our treasured customers!
Orders you place during the next week will be 10% off using the Discount Code...
PLUS
Your package will also contain a FREE box of Dill Dip from all of us at Taste of Gourmet! 
"Spread Dill Dip on your turkey sandwiches and you'll just LOVE those leftovers!"

Discount Code is RIOJH 
Code is Valid through Friday - November 20th

Happy Thanksgiving and Thank You from all of us at Taste of Gourmet

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!

Food was yummy at Art After Hours!

We had a great time last night "partying in Indianola" as Jennifer put it on her emails about the event!  Lots of people starting to shop for Christmas and just enjoying the music, visiting with the artists and with each other!  We had a great menu at The Crown too for some new Holiday Food Ideas from Taste of Gourmet!

Cranberry Apple Crunch using fresh apples, pecans (last night I used almonds but I've decided I really like pecans best!) and our Cranberry Chutney!  Other recipes for Chutney are on the website and Chutney is our St. Jude Product of the Month for November! 

Brunch Bread - I baked two breads using a Sprite (for sweetness) and layered the brown sugar bag into the dough!  Swirled it around a little with a knife and sort of "glazed" it with a bit of butter before I baked it! It was so good!  Even stone cold!  But I forgot to drizzle the icing on it.....and it was still yummy! 

Suddenly Cheese Dip - Using one of my Salsa mixes, cream cheese, sour cream and cheddar...the recipe makes a huge amount and it doubles easily too!  It was a huge hit with tostito rounds and it refrigerates for days....or it would have if we hadn't eaten every single bit last night!

Pumpkin Cake iced with Toffee Crunch - Use a small can of pumpkin instead of apples in my All-American Apple Cake mix - then spread the top with a little Toffee Crunch...or a lot!  So fresh and so good and very "Autumny"....is that a word?

Chipotle Torta - It's a new thing and simple and delicious and pretty!  Just layer "slices" of cream cheese (cut horizontally) with a little Chipotle Sauce, sprinkle with finely shredded Cheddar or Mexican cheese...and keep layering to make an appetizer "cake."  Garnish with chopped tomatoes and more cheese!  Serve with crackers or flour tortillas in wedges!

Chocolate Truffle Tarts - Make the Chocolate Truffle Cheese Cake Ball as directed and pop a teaspoon in a tiny filo tart shell from the grocery store!  Make a variety for a party using the Toffee Crunch and Lemon Almond too!  And it taste so richly chocolate!

Wasn't much left last night to send home with Brantley Catlette....we try to feed our musicians well during and after the event!  Don't miss the NEXT Art After Hours in Indianola - Thursday December 3rd from 5:00 to 7:00!  Ya'll come!

Mississippi.....

Have you noticed that I always SPELL OUT the name of our great state..Mississippi...no abbreviation MS for me!  People all over the globe know the name....Mississippi....and they can spell it too!  So why would we shorten it at all...it has a beautiful sound...just rolling off your tongue (especially when our deep Southern accents take over!)  It's a beautiful word and I've used it to describe some of our best selling food too!

The only time I use MS is for the Post Office....and if we all wrote out Mississippi...maybe we wouldn't be getting mail that's been forwarded to us from ME or MI or MO....We are Mississippi....we're proud of our beautiful state, of Indianola...our little town of the bayou and the blues, and we are proud of the food we ship all over the country using abbreviations because we have to! 

Saveur Magazine featured The Crown...

Ben Nims wrote a piece called Southern Glories in the October issue...including 6 restaurants in Mississippi and their "specialty!"  I was so excited that Ben included The Crown...you can look at it on-line at www.saveur.com ... but I just have to quote him too...

In Ben's words, "To understand the world, you must first understand a place like Mississippi," said the native son William Faulkner.  The best way to do that, if you ask me, is to eat.  Here is a cross-section of Mississippi's soul-stirring culinary landscape."

Then he wrote, "The Crown.  The Catfish Pate and Catfish Allison (a whole filet gratineed in a scallion cream sauce) have kept this Indianola restaurant going strong for 33 years."  The article is short and oh, so sweet and I love every word Ben wrote!  He's eaten with us...lots of time...so he knows what he's talking about.  No "hearsay" for Ben! 

Then on the same page in  "Ask a Local, Amy Evans, an oral historian from Southern Foodways Alliance in Oxford, Mississippi answered the question, "Why is Catfish so popular in the state?"  with..."we raise more of it than any other state. At restaurants you find it broiled, fried, barbecued; we even have Catfish Pate."

Our Catfish Pate of course.  Thanks to Saveur and Ben and Amy.....we do love our Catfish in Mississippi and in Indianola...and we do love to eat ...especially at The Crown!  Ya;ll come eat with us!

Indianola on Saturday....Art and Music at the Museum.....

Help us Celebrate the First Anniversary of Indianola'sB.B. King Museum on Saturday, September 12!  

Art at B.B.'s is going to be wonderful!   Over 30 Artists will be exhibiting in the Open Art Market at the B.B. King Museum!  There will be live music all day on three stages at the Museum, Face Painting, Food, lots of Fresh Produce, Plants, Jellies and Pickled Okra from our Market Vendors PLUS this talented array of painters, potters and photographers from 10 to 2:00! 

 

At 7:00 pm...there is a special showing in the Museum of B.B.'s performance in 1983 with Austin City Limits!  We're really excited about that too!  We're so proud of the Museum and want you to enjoy every part of the town and the the activities that day!

 

And just think of the great "one of a kind" gifts you can buy for Christmas...and listen to live music while you shop!  It doesn't get better than that!  Just look at this list of the Artists coming and make your plans to be in Indianola on Saturday....and of course I want you to come to The Crown for Lunch....We'll be serving our yummy Catfish Cakes.......See you there!

Eva Champion                 Kappy Russell

Charles Chapin                Kathy Davis Day

Daryl Simpson                 Brenda Yants

Beth Long                        Susan Gilbert

Anna Woods                    Barry McWilliams

Lee Washington                Paul Canonici

Sydney Parker                 Jack Catlette

Susan Sheridan                James Blumenburg'

Garden Park                     Charles Herring

Lei Ann Parker                 Shea Hitchcock

Claire Boyles                    Katrina Nesbit

Laurie Noble                     Grady Robinson

Susan Steen                    Mary Jo Ayres

Brenda Barnett                 Lucy May

Lizzie Oglesby                 Laurie Fisher

Memorie Dixon                 Amy McCullough