Thumbs Down!

These R.W. Garcia 5 Seed Crackers look tasty, but they're not.  Do not be fooled by their sleek and clean packaging!  As my 3-year old niece might say, "These are yucka!" 

Actually, the flavors of the rosemary & garlic and onion & chive R.W. Garcia 5 Seed Crackers were okay, but the crackers themselves lacked crunch and almost seemed stale.  I had bought them to put out as an appetizer when my girlfriends came over for a "fancy," home cooked meal, but needless to say, after one bite of those crummy crackers, I don't think anyone went back for seconds!  (Which explains why there are two opened boxes still sitting in my cupboard!)  

-Kami

Who Knew?!?

Who knew Grocery Outlet would ever carry a gluten, wheat, casein, milk, soy, and nut free macaroni and cheese?  And for only $1.49?!?  (I've only seen one other frozen mac n' cheese like this and it cost over $4.00!)  

But last week I spotted this Ian's Mac & No Cheese in my Crown Hill Grocery Outlet's frozen food section and put a few in my cart to take home.  I bought one for myself and a couple for my friends with food sensitivities.  

Reviews for this product ended up being lukewarm.  The mac n' cheese had an okay taste, kind of like tuna noodle casserole without the tuna.  Or better yet, like that canned chicken noodle soup they used to make years ago, the one with the thick noodles.  

But the consistency of Ian's Mac & No Cheese was little mushy for me, and it didn't cook evenly in the microwave.  I suppose if you didn't know what real mac n' cheese tasted like or you've been on a restrictive diet for quite awhile, you would think it's pretty tasty.  Otherwise, I'd probably pass on this item next time I see it in the freezer section.  

-Kami

Make Your Own Happy Hour Anytime!

Last Friday, after teaching a classroom full of energetic 8 and 9 year olds all day long and attending my school's Lunar New Year celebration, I was more than ready for happy hour.  


The only problem was that most happy hours were already over.  (So sad.) 


So, I decided to make the best of a long day and have my own happy hour at home.  (Yay!)


First I made some quick nachos.  I used some Nacho flavored Blue Diamond Almonds Baked Nut Chips (wheat and gluten free) as my base, then added some shredded Morning Fresh Sharp Cheddar, and threw it in the microwave for a few seconds.  I added some salsa, sour cream, tomatoes, sliced avocado, and green onions, and poured myself a glass of wine.
Let happy hour begin!
-Kami
P.S.  (Want to know which wine I chose?  Check out my blog on Wednesday to find out!)

Side Note:  The nacho flavored chips were okay by themselves, but much tastier as nachos.  My friends and I recently tried the Sea Salt flavored Blue Diamond Almonds Baked Nut Chips (wheat and gluten free) and they were approved by all of us.

(What did I get from Grocery Outlet?  Blue Diamond Almond Baked Nut Chips ($0.99), Morning Farms Sharp Cheddar ($2.39), avocados ($0.50 each), tomatoes, and green onions ($0.69).

Winter Rainbow Salad Recipe

A couple weeks ago we had friends come over for a post-holiday, no-stress, get-together.  A couple of us have dietary restrictions, but I knew I wanted to make at least one dish we could all eat.  I’m vegetarian (technically, I think I’m a pescatarian since I eat fish occasionally, but that’s too confusing to explain to others, so I just say I’m vegetarian if anyone asks), one friend can’t have soy, and another friend is gluten, dairy, corn, peanut, and night-shade vegetable (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, etc.) free.  I know that sounds like a lot of restrictions, but I’ve cooked for this group before, so I had a few ideas.  I ended up making a delicious salad I saw in a cooking magazine.  This salad is so bright and colorful, I call it the Winter Rainbow Salad. 

Winter Rainbow Salad 

(serves 4-6)

Vegetarian and gluten, dairy, corn, peanut, soy and night-shade vegetable free

Ingredients:

3 ounces (about 3 cups) of salad greens, washed and dried

2 avocados, sliced

3-4 radishes, trimmed and sliced

2-3 Mandarin oranges, peeled and separated

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons orange juice

2-3 scallions, thinly sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  Place the salad greens in a pretty bowl.

2.  Top with avocados, radishes, and orange slices.

3.  Drizzle with olive oil and orange juice.

4.  Sprinkle the scallions on top and salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

What products did I use from Grocery Outlet?  Salad greens ($4.99), avocados, radishes ($0.50 a bunch), Mandarin oranges ($3.99 a bag), olive oil, and scallions (also $0.50 a bunch).