Skillet Pumpkin Sauce Review

A few months back, I had the opportunity to review Skillet Bacon Jam. I loved the flavor and the variety of uses for it. I used it mostly as an ingredient in my grilled burgers, but the recipe I included in my review was for a delicious crusted salmon.

Now I have the pleasure of working with Skillet again and reviewing their Pumpkin Sauce. It comes in three flavors and I chose Chipotle since I'm a big fan of food with a kick.

From their Website: 

Skillet Pumpkin Sauce comes in three varieties: Thai Coconut, Chipotle and Apple Vinegar Brown Sugar.

Skillet Pumpkin Sauce is the newest addition to the Skillet line. Our pumpkin ketchups have all the same condiment appeal as regular ketchup but with a unique flavor and a great nutritional profile that comes from the naturally occurring vitamins and minerals in pumpkin.

Southwest meets pumpkin in our Chipotle flavor! The deep smoky chipotle flavor, coupled with aromatic spices, delivered on the rich base of pumpkin. Use it with home-made tortillas, or with traditional French fries. Add it to your super-secret taco recipe. Or marinate a flank steak with it for the barbeque.

Our Thai Coconut is filled with a rich coconut flavor, Asian spices and curry, and – of course – pumpkin, the Thai Coconut flavor goes in a new direction. It terrific as a dipping sauce with Vietnamese spring rolls or as a flavor base for a stir fry with your favorite veggies.

The Brown Sugar and Vinegar flavor does a number on your head and your mouth. At first taste, you want to say “it tastes like a yummy ketchup.” But then you get the spicy pumpkin flavor and all you can say is “wow!” Try it on a grilled Turkey-and-Gruyere Panini or add some cream and vegetable stock to make a fabulous sauce for butternut squash ravioli.

My Thoughts

I chose the Skillet Chipotle flavor. 

The description suggests using it with steak or tacos however  I was planning on making pork chops tonight and decided to use the Pumpkin sauce as a marinate. I'm such a culinary rebel! The color is a chocolate brown and the consistency is smooth and creamy with a texture similar to pumpkin pie filling. I had a taste of it and the chipotle is not strong, but just compliments the sweetness of the pumpkin perfectly. 

I marinated my chops in the pumpkin sauce and grilled them on the barbecue. They were thick chops so I cooked them on a medium to high heat and I was sure to give each side a quarter turn to get those desirable grill marks. Steven Reichlan of PBS's BBQ-U would be so proud!

It was perfect paired with corn on the cob and some pasta salad. I grilled the corn on the barbecue also wrapped in foil and seasoned with Country Crock butter and Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime seasoning.

You can view more recipes on Skillet's recipe page and even add your own. Additionally, if you are in the Seattle area, they have their own diner. I checked out the menu.... YUM! Overall, my opinion of Skillet is very positive and I love them more and more as I try their food. Run, don't walk, to their website and purchase yours now.


For more information you can email Skillet at eat@skilletstreetfood.com

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

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Sweet Potato Casserole

I love baked sweet potatoes and sweet potato fries. So very good and lighter then a russet or even red potatoes. I was searching for a good sweet potato casserole recipe and most of them online (I'd say about 80%) call for mashing the potatoes. That wasnt' going to cut it for me for a casserole. After looking all over through my Cook'n Recipe Software, I created the following that was suitable for myself and wound up to be quite tasty.

Ingredients

3 sweet potatoes (peeled and sliced)

1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/4 cup low fat margarine
114 tsp ground cinnamon 
1/4 tsp nutmeg
12 ozs miniature marshmallow

 1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).


2.  Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. I prefer Pam butter flavor for this dish as it enhances the flavor.  


3.  In a skillet melt the butter and blend in the brown sugar until dissolved. Add margarine, cinnamon and nutmeg.


4.  Layer the potatoes in a 9x13 baking dish. Pour the brown sugar mix over the potatoes, then cover and bake for 45 minutes. If you sliced your potatoes thick, add 10-15 minutes depending on thickness. i sliced mine with my Pampered Chef Mandolin set on the thinner cut, so 45 minutes was enough

5.  Sprinkle the miniature marshmallows over the top and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) until golden brown.

I served it with pork BBQ ribs and it was a perfect combination. The sweetness of the potatoes was the perfect pairing with the tangy flavor of BBQ and my husband was just thrilled.  In fact, here's his dessert: Sweet Potato Parfait

EZstringer Review and Giveaway

One of the most frustrating things for me is when my drawstrings in my hoodies or my sweats come out and it's near impossible to get them restrung. When I was offered the opportunity to review EZstringer, I was stoked. Can something this simple make a complicated task easy and efficient? YOU BET!

Product Description
EZstringer is a cool new product that restrings any drawstring in a manner of seconds back into clothing. As seen on the Discovery channel's, Pitchmen Show, and in Real Simple magazine as the problem solver of the month!

Especially in this tight economy, people don’t want to replace a perfectly good item of clothing just because of a missing string. Sweat pants, athletic shorts, and hoodies are all wardrobe staples. With the EZstringer, it’s a simple guide and slide. You just attach the drawstring to the EZstringer, and feed it down the hole. Plus, there’s a visual “wow” factor because multiple items can be re laced in a short period of time.

Here's a short video on EZstringer:

My thoughts:

Since I have a "collection" of hoodies (as my husband calls them), I knew this would be a "for me" product. I can't tell you how many times I pulled a hoodie out of the dryer and then found the drawstring among the dried clothes. I'm tired of using discarded drawstrings as a new cat toy when I cannot restring it into the hood.

Well, sorry cats. But I now can restring my hoodies in less then 30 seconds. Serious, it doesn't take any time at all. It's quick, easy and amazingly simple.

EZstringer can be used on many items such as pants, hoodies, drawstring skirts, yoga pants etc. The EZstringer comes with 3 different sizes. 1 for large bulky clothes, 1 small for delicate items & 1 medium for everything in between. The cost is only $10 + Shipping.  You can also purchase a set of replacement drawstrings at EZstringer for $9.98.

I guess I now have to buy my cat toys at the pet store.

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I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Easy Zucchini and Tomato Bake

It's that time of year to plant tomatoes and other veggies. I've planted in the past and usually have enough tomatoes and zucchini for us and all the neighbors. Here is an easy and tasty recipe for your crops.

Zucchini and Tomato Bake

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup grated Italian Blend cheeses
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
2 medium zucchinis, thinly sliced
5 roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs


Directions


1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray 9x9-inch pan with Pam cooking spray. I prefer butter flavor or olive oil flavor.


2.In a bowl, combine Cheddar, the Italian Cheeses, oregano, basil, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside. We love garlic so sometimes I'll add an extra clove just because. I sometimes add or substitute pepper jack cheese if I want something just a bit spicier.


3.Arrange half of the zucchini slices in the pan. Sprinkle 1/4 of the cheese and herb mixture on top. Arrange half of the tomatoes, and top with another 1/4 of the cheese mixture. Repeat layers.


4.Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onions, and cook until soft and translucent. Stir in breadcrumbs; cook until they have absorbed the butter. Sprinkle on top of casserole.


5.Cover loosely with foil, and bake in a preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake until the top is crusty and the vegetables are tender, about 20 more minutes.

I like to serve this with a pasta dish or seafood. I try to keep the entire meal light during the summer. A glass of chardonnay completes the meal. YUM!

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