I had the opportunity to sample some pretty tasty meatballs recently, as did some of the members of my official taste testers, The Grill Team. The Italian style meatballs from Mama Lucia were good in texture and taste, easy to prepare, and were missing some ingredients like MSG that I sometimes have problems with in prepared foods.
These meatballs are fully cooked, so they can be ready fast if needed. However, I chose to put them into some tomato sauce and let them simmer in my crock pot for awhile. Everyone loved them. Honestly, I like …read more

Dozens and dozens of deliciously crisp little hexagonal chips greeted me in this 100 calorie snack sized bag of tortilla chips! I was thrilled with the taste, the texture, and the lack of broken pieces, even after they had been shipped long-distance to me. The same goes for the full-sized bags that were sent for The Grill Team and I to sample. We loved them. And they have the added bonus of being fortified with a pretty interesting grain.
All this good stuff, and they’re delicious too
Since I’ve never heard of “Salba” before, I …read more

The July/August issue of Hannaford Supermarket’s recipe magazine had a great carrot slaw recipe in it. Mike and I were going to a cookout on Sunday afternoon with the Grill Team, so I decided to make this as my offering. It was a big hit. Although I made it their way for the party, for my own family I would have to cut the amount by half, and that would still probably make it through 2 meals. Here’s my smaller version:
Carrot Raisin Slaw
1/4 c orange juice
1 T red wine vinegar
2 T canola oil
1/2 t …read more

I hope you have a wonderful holiday, filled with family, friends, and grilled food!

Since my group of best friends and I refer to ourselves as The Grill Team, you’d better believe that we are serious about our grilling! Well, I was really excited when I found this  Grilling Equipment Guide at Epicurious.   It’s got info on brands, but it’s not so much about the brands as about features – what to look for – so pay attention to the generic advice. Believe me, Mike and I bought grills that each lasted about 4 years for…well, too many years to admit to. The best thing we ever did was to sink some money into …read more

Hand Blender by Hamilton Beach
A couple of weeks ago, I got together with part of my Grill Team to make a breakfast for twenty-some ladies. I cut and assembled fruit platters, while Dan and Bill made French toast, sausage links, and scrambled eggs. We discovered one very funny thing about the differences between men and women when it comes to food. As the ladies wandered into the kitchen area to get coffee and tea, every single one of them remarked on the beauty of the fruit platters. When a couple of husbands, who were dropping off …read more

Yum. Don’t the words “Tortuga” and “rum” conjure up images of Pirates of the Caribbean? Tortuga rum cakes are just the thing to get you in that Caribbean mood! They are known for being the #1 export of the Cayman Islands and a favorite Caribbean souvenir. For four years in a row, they’ve been named the “Best Cruise Souvenir” by Porthole Cruise magazine. Well, that’s nice, but I haven’t been on any cruises lately (or ever!), so just how would they hold up to the scrutiny of the infamous Grill Team?
Just fine, thank you very much.
They are amazing! …read more

I was treated recently to a sample pack of Steaz energy drinks and green tea-based sodas. Steaz has created the world’s first and only USDA Organic and Fair Trade Certified energy drink. Well, I assembled my Grill Team*, and we put the products to the test! I was particularly interested in the energy drinks as opposed to the sodas, since they are such a fixture in the lives of busy families…particularly those with kids in sports. These contain no chemical compounds with unpronounceable names, only organic Fair Trade certified natural ingredients.
When they first arrived at my house, …read more