I've Struck Red Gold! (And So Can You!) - Product Review and Giveaway

Have you tried Red Gold Tomatoes yet?  I hadn't, so I was excited when the people at Red Gold asked if I would give them a try and post my opinion on my blog.

Since Kat was off to her mom's house for the weekend, I didn't want to cook a full meal last night.  Instead I tried a couple of appetizers using the Red Gold Tomatoes:

Strawberry Salsa

and Pesto Pinwheels.

When I opened the cans of tomatoes, the first word that came to mind was Fresh!  They are bright red and have the freshest taste I can remember from a canned tomato product.  The Italian-style Petite Diced tomatoes are so good that I could just pour them into a bowl and eat them as straight up as a side dish!

The recipes I tried turned out great and I can't wait to try more of their products in more recipes.

In return for trying Red Gold Tomatoes and writing about them, the folks at Red Gold asked if they could send me "a few cans...some cookbooks, magnets, and other neat things".  Here's the amazing kit they sent:

For starters, it's a decorative tin that looks like a giant can of Red Gold Tomatoes.  I'm already getting ideas about how I can rust-proof it and turn it into a self-watering container for the garden.  Wouldn't it be cute to plant basil, garlic and oregano in it, just like on the label?

Inside I found a reusable tote bag, 2 cookbooks, 7 recipe cards, a coaster, 2 fridge magnets, an informational CD and an awesome 1:64 scale diecast Limited Production Red Gold Tomatoes Freightliner Semi with certificate of authenticity.  And of course, some Red Gold Tomatoes!  One 14.5 ounce can each of Petite Diced Tomatoes, Petite Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies, and Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Garlic and Oregano.

And for all of us uber-frugalistas out there, there's a ton of bright red packing crinkles.  Go ahead and laugh, but I know I'm not the only one who would save these for lining Christmas gift baskets.

I bet you'd like to win a kit just like this -- who wouldn't?  Not a problem since Red Gold has offered to give another kit to one of my readers! 

I want to see LOTS of entries for this giveaway!  Each reader can have up to four:

1) Visit the Red Gold website and look at the recipes there, then come back and comment on this post, telling me which recipe you'd like to try with Red Gold Tomatoes.

2) Become a follower of Real Life Living or subscribe in a reader.  Leave a separate comment telling me you did (or already do).

3) Leave a separate comment telling me which of the goodies in the gift kit you think you'd like best.

4) Post about this giveaway on your blog, being sure to link back to it.  Then come back and leave yet another comment telling me you posted, and if possible, including to your blog post.

The contest will close at 10 p.m. on Sunday, March 21, 2010.  I'll use a random number generator and post the winner's name on Monday, March 22.

Good luck to everyone!!

(Disclaimer:  Red Gold provided me with this gift kit in exchange for posting my opinion of their products; however, the opinions expressed in this post are strictly my own.)

Cookbook Review - The Amish Cook at Home by Lovina Eicher

My daughter recently gave me her copy of  The Amish Cook at Home by Lovina Eicher with Kevin Williams and I'm really enjoying it.  I've read a few other Amish cookbooks without much enthusiasm.  The Amish Cook at Home seems more authentic to me, although I really have no way of knowing what is or isn't authentic when it comes to Amish cooking.

There are many recipes in the book, from Dandelion Jam to Bacon-Wrapped Jalapenos.  The author covers traditional Amish foods, such as from-scratch chicken and noodles and homemade pies, but also explains why dishes like tacos and pizza are becoming new traditions in Amish homes.

This book is much more than just a cookbook.  It's an interesting overview of Amish customs and culture.  There are essays by Lovina Eicher and her eight children about food, family and faith.  Co-author Kevin Williams also writes a touching tribute to Eicher's mother, who was the author of the original syndicated column, The Amish Cook.

The photos in the book are outstanding, taken with care and respect.  While having a photo of each recipe is usually a requirement for me, there are no recipe photos in this book.  Instead there are photos of asparagus emerging from the ground in Spring, pumpkins on a porch in Fall, and Amish children at play all year long.  Oddly, I'm finding that I don't miss the food photos at all.

I highly recommend this book, not only to those who would like to try Amish cooking, but to anyone interested in a taste of daily Amish living.



This book was a gift from my daughter.  I have not been compensated in any way for writing this review.

Product Review - Jaccard Mandolin Slicer

A couple of weeks ago, I was contacted by Ashley, a promo representative for CSNStores.com. She offered me the opportunity to review an item from any of their web-based stores. I gladly agreed and waited patiently by my mailbox for the item to arrive.

Let me begin by saying that Ashley was very helpful at every step along the way. She gave me basic guidelines about the review and placed my order for me. My item arrived right on schedule in what appeared to be good condition. To date, I have had nothing but good things to say regarding CSNStores.com and the customer service they provide.

Unfortunately, I can't say the same thing about the product I received, the Jaccard Safehands Mandolin. I've never owned a mandolin slicer, but have always wanted to give one a try. I'm sorry to say that my experience was a disappointment and, overall, my opinion of the mandolin is neutral at best.


I like to give good reviews when I can, so let me start by highlighting what I think are the positives about this item:

• It is easy to assemble and disassemble.
  
  
• It is easy to clean.
  
  
• The cutting blades were easy to insert and remove.
  
  
• The waffle cut slicer works well.
  
  
  
  
• The grater works well.
  
  
  
• The directions are clear, and ideally, the mandolin should be easy to use.

This is where the store changes.

• I found the Safehands food holder (hand guard) uncomfortable to use and ended up gripping it around the outside rather than putting my fingers into the guard. The design still afforded protection to my hands, but I wasn't able to use it in the manner described.
  
  
• I felt the tomato slicing blade ripped through the tomato rather than slicing it. Using a firm tomato, per the directions, I ended up with rough and uneven slices with ragged edges.
  
  
  
• Most troublesome of all was that the straight cut blade, the one that I would probably use most often, would not cut. I tried numerous times and each time the blade would slice just halfway through a potato then stop suddenly. The food holder didn't seem to be caught up on anything, so I asked Shane to give it a try. The same thing happened to him. After close inspection of the blade, we found that the cutting edge was curled or rolled up, without a sharp edge. Only the speed of the food holder's downward motion was causing the half-way cut. With no speed behind it, I don't believe it would have cut at all.
  
  
  
• Further, with a straight blade that wouldn't cut, the three julienne blades were rendered useless. I couldn't even try them. What a disappointment, because I think I would have used them often.
  

I can't in good faith recommend this product. I have to say that I am glad to say that I didn't have to pay for it. I am aware that, as far as mandolins go, this was not an expensive one, and I expected it to perhaps feel a little flimsy. But I did expect it to at least slice a potato when put to use.

Ashley at CSNStores.com will be receiving a link to this review. Again, I have nothing negative to say about her or her company. I don't know if this is where the review ends or if a replacement product will be sent out; I'm fine with whatever happens at this point. Although I didn't like the product I chose, I had fun working with Ashley and writing this review.


Disclaimer: In the interest of transparency, when I do product reviews on my blog, I will always indicated whether or not I was compensated in any way (cash or merchandise) or if I’m sharing my views without compensation. In either case, the opinions I express are entirely my own. Your opinion may be different.

Product Review, Coming Right Up!

I was recently contacted by the CSNstores.com Promo Team asking if I’d like to review name plaque or other mailbox accessory, or an entirely different type of product from one of their other web-based stores. There are more than 200 stores under the CSNstores.com umbrella, so I had a lot of fun looking through their merchandise.

Anyone who reads here or knows me in person won’t be surprised that I decided to review a product from their Cookware.com site. I won’t say much about it now, just that I’ll be trying out and writing about a product I’ve never used but have always wanted to try. I’m excited and will be watching my mailbox for its arrival. Stay tuned for my review within the next couple of weeks!

Disclaimer: In the interest of transparency, when I do product reviews on my blog, I will always indicated whether or not I was compensated in any way (cash or merchandise) or if I’m sharing my views without compensation. In either case, the opinions I express are entirely my own. Your opinion may be different.

Product Review: Big City Slider Station

Kat loves the little slider burgers that are sometimes on the appetizer list or kids' menu when we go out to eat. I wasn't surprised that the first time Kat saw the late Billy Mays pitching the Big City Slider Station, she started begging me to get one. She told me I needed it.

Although I admit to thinking that it might be a fun little gadget to try out with her, I didn't agree that I needed it, so didn't really consider buying it. However, last week I found myself with a gift card to a store that sells several TV-pitched items, so I decided to get the Slider Station after all.

Kat took one look at the box when she came home from school and shouted, "You got it! You got it!" (I'm so proud of my little foodie!)

I have to say, I'm impressed. The burgers cook all the way through without turning them and the pan is non-stick and easy-to-clean. The directions stated I'd get 14 sliders from one pound of ground beef and guess what? I got exactly 14 sliders from a pound of meat. Everything about it is exactly as advertised! It provides a fun and easy way for kids to help in the kitchen, and is more versatile than you might think at first.

My only complaint is that the pan is small (in order to fit a standard stove burner) and makes only five sliders at a time. Anyone who knows Shane knows that it takes more than five little burgers to fill him up. That wasn't really a problem, though, because the burgers only take 3-1/2 minutes to cook over medium heat. If you were planning to make sliders for a party, you'd either have to make them ahead of time or have three or four of these pans going at once, but for family use, it's easy enough to keep the little burgers warm while you finish a batch.

The Big City Slider Station comes with a booklet of recipes, including instructions for making egg sliders for breakfast biscuit sandwiches. I've tried the basic slider recipe and plan to try the egg sliders soon.

Today I'm going to share are recipe using some of the Country Bob's All-Purpose Sauce I reviewed yesterday (click here for a chance to win some of this great sauce). As far as I know, the two products aren't related in any way, but I thought it would be fun to combine the two for this post. Store-bought dinner rolls are just the right size to use for buns, but you could use hot dog buns cut in half, or make your own small buns.




Bacon-Cheddar Sliders with Tangy Horseradish Sauce

1 pound ground beef (I used 90% lean beef for these to reduce shrinkage)
2 Tablespoons Country Bob's All-Purpose Sauce
1/4 teaspoon onion salt
4 slices of cheddar cheese, each cut into 4 squares
4-6 slices of bacon, crisply fried, broken into large pieces
Tangy Horseradish Sauce (see below)
Dinner rolls or small buns

Combine beef, Country Bob's All-Purpose Sauce and onion salt.

Form into balls using the scoop that comes with the Slider Station...


and place into the pan.


Press top onto burgers...


and cook in the Big City Slider Station per product directions (about 3-1/2 minutes over medium heat).


Drain burgers on paper towels if necessary, but these really weren't as fatty as they might appear in the picture. A lot of that was watery liquid that cooked out of both the meat and the sauce I added to it.

As soon as burgers are taken from the Slider Station, top each with a square of cheese and a small piece of bacon.

Spread bottom half of dinner rolls or buns with Tangy Horseradish Sauce. Top with prepared burger and a little more Country Bob's All-Purpose Sauce if you'd like. Add top of bun and enjoy.

Makes 14 slider burgers.


Tangy Horseradish Sauce (for sandwiches or dipping)

1/4 cup mayonnaise (can use salad dressing if preferred)
1/4 cup Country Bob's All-Purpose Sauce
2 teaspoons or more of hot prepared horseradish (not horseradish sauce)

Combine all ingredients. Use as a spread for sandwiches or a dipping sauce for fries.

Pork C'Bobs....And A Give-Away

Last week I was contacted by the folks at Country Bob's who asked if I would like to review their Country Bob's All-Purpose Sauce on my blog. I thought that sounded like a wonderful idea, so I accepted their offer and received a couple of bottles of the sauce just a day or two later.


Now, before I continue with my review, I want everyone to know that I do product and book reviews on my blog from time to time. Usually I've purchased a product myself and have decided to share my thoughts about it. For today's review, I received the product to try for free. In any case, I'm never paid to write about the products I review and always give my honest opinion about them.

Alright, now that my little disclaimer is out of the way, let's talk about the sauce. It's a tangy sauce with a rich, dark flavor. It's not exactly a steak sauce, definitely not a barbecue sauce, and is richer and thicker than Worcestershire sauce. Yet it reminds me of all three of those sauces. It's also gluten-free, which I know is very important to some of my readers.

If I'm to be entirely honest, I'm kind of a purist when it comes to steak and potatoes. I don't often use steak sauce on meat or ketchup for fries. While lots of people love sauces straight from the bottle, a little goes a long way with me. I do, however, love the flavor of Worcestershire sauce, usually doubling the amount in any recipe that calls for it.

With those things in mind, I decided to use the Country Bob's All-Purpose Sauce as a starting point for a marinade and grilling sauce for some pork kabobs. Oh my goodness! They were the best kabobs I've had. Pork loin often gets dry when grilling, but the marinade kept the lean pork loin moist and juicy, while the grilling sauce gave the kabobs (which I've decided to call C'Bobs) a wonderful sweet and tangy flavor. There was one C'Bob left after we were finished eating. It's not because we didn't want it, it's because we were so full we couldn't eat it!

Shane and I agree that the recipe is a keeper, and we'll be buying more Country Bob's in the future. I'm looking forward to trying it in or on meatloaf, and I've also come up with a fry dipping sauce/sandwich spread that I'll be talking about soon, hopefully tomorrow.

I think everyone should give Country Bob's All-Purpose Sauce a try, so I'm happy to work with Country Bob's to give away some bottles of sauce to two of my readers. The details follow the recipe.


Annie's Pork C'Bobs

1 pound pork loin roast, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-1/2" cubes
1 large green pepper, cut into large chunks
1 large onion, cut into large chunks and separated into pieces
1 can pineapple chunks, drained

Marinade:

1/4 cup Country Bob's All-Purpose Sauce
1/4 cup bottled Italian salad dressing
1/4 cup water

Grilling Sauce:

1/4 cup Country Bob's All-Purpose Sauce
1/4 cup honey
1 Tablespoon Dijon-style mustard

Combine marinade ingredients and set aside.

Combine pork loin cubes, green pepper and onion in large zipper bag. Pour marinade over all. Seal bag and knead to coat meat and vegetables well. Marinate for several hours, or preferably overnight, in the refrigerator.

Prepare charcoal or gas grill for grilling. Combine grilling sauce ingredients and set aside. Thread marinated pork cubes, marinated vegetables and the pineapple chunks onto wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for at least 30 minutes.


Place C'Bobs on medium-hot grill. Brush with grilling sauce. Turn; brush again with grilling sauce. Continue to turn and brush with sauce until meat is cooked through and vegetables are barely tender, about 12-15 minutes.


Serve hot with side dishes of your choice.

Serves 4.

**********

And now for the give-away. Country Bob's has generously offered some of their All-Purpose Sauce to two lucky readers. Each winner will receive two bottles of the sauce.

There are two ways to win:

1) Leave a comment on this post telling me how you'd incorporate Country Bob's All-Purpose sauce into your own cooking-style. Please leave an email address where I can contact you if you win.

2) Post about this contest on your blog, then leaving me a second comment with the link to that post (and again, an email address where I can reach you).

I will close the contest at 11:59 p.m. CDT on Thursday, September 3. Winners will be announced here on Friday.

Good luck to all!


P.S. Go here to find more great recipes using Country Bob's Sauces.

Quick Frugillionaire Review

Last Tuesday I won the book Frugillionaire: 500 Fabulous Ways To Live Richly and Save a Fortune from My Two Dollars. David sent the book out quickly and I received it on Saturday.

Since then I've read the book from cover to cover. While I wasn't asked by either David or the book's author, Francine Jay, to review it, some readers asked for a brief review, and I'm happy to oblige.

I really enjoyed this format over some of the other frugal living books I've read. This was easy read because each frugal tip is just a paragraph or more in length and there are only two tips per page. Between chores and other activities, I read a single tip or an entire chapter of them, depending on how much time I had.

I have to say that as an experienced "frugalite", I don't think I read any tips in this book that I were entirely new to me. That doesn't mean I already practice all of these; I was very happy to be reminded of dozens of ways to save money and live frugally, yet live well.

While useful to anyone trying to cut back, simplify and save, I think the person who would most benefit from this book is the newbie frugalite. The topics run the gamut from food, gardening, and home decor to entertainment, travel and holidays. The tips are clearly and concisely written, and what's more, they are practical. Almost every tip applies to almost every household.

Overall, Frugillionaire: 500 Fabulous Ways To Live Richly and Save a Fortune is a great book, and I'm glad I had the opportunity to read it. I think it would make a great addition to anyone's frugality library and would make a wonderful gift for a beginner in the ways of thrift.