September 29th is National Coffee Day, so celebrate not with an everyday cup of Joe, but with a coffee cocktail. For generations there was Kahlua, an ingredient of the Black Russian and the Mudslide. More recent challengers are Starbucks and Illy liqueurs and the elegant Patrón XO Café, which comes from a small, family-owned distillery in Jalisco, Mexico, home of tequila (the liqueur is tequila-based). All three newcomers are more sophisticated than the old standby. Starbucks liqueur is sweeter, Illy and Patrón liqueurs are espresso-like. Try them straight; or for a Black Russian, mix 1 ounce of coffee liqueur with 1 ounce of vodka and pour over ice. For a Mudslide, shake together 1 ounce each of vodka, coffee liqueur, Irish cream liqueur and light cream and pour over ice in an old-fashioned glass.
After your celebratory cocktail, visit our Coffee Section for great articles about coffee, product reviews, recipes, and everything you want to know about coffee terminology and tasting coffee.
September 28, 2009 at 3:41 pm
· Filed under Contest
Dark chocolate lovers rejoice with new
Reese’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups.
Photo by Hannah Kaminsky | THE NIBBLE.
This week’s Gourmet Giveaway prize sponsor is Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, which never fail to deliver what they promise: creamy peanut butter encased in rich milk chocolate. It’s hard to fathom how the classic treat could be improved, but it’s definitely been upgraded for those who consider themselves die-hard dark chocolate lovers.
Hershey’s recently re-introduced Reese’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups for those who prefer dark chocolate, and can’t get enough of that smooth peanut butter taste. (The dark peanut butter cups were first introduced in 2003 as a limited-edition item.)
The prizes: Three winners will each receive four two-packs of Reese’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups along with two bags of the dark chocolate miniatures. If you’re concerned about too much candy, you can give the two-packs away and allot yourself two miniatures a day.
To enter this week’s Gourmet Giveaway: Visit THE NIBBLE’S Gourmet Chocolate Section and click on the link at the bottom of the page. Enter your email address for the Gourmet Giveaway prize drawing. Good luck!
September 28, 2009 at 7:04 am
· Filed under Contest, Recipes
Do you have an original, easy-to-make recipe that makes a great family meal? Then enter it in French’s first-ever Live National Cook-Off and you could win the $25,000 grand prize.
Encourage friends and family to vote for your recipe: In addition to the grand prize of $25,000, weekly prizes will be awarded based on the number of popular votes a recipe receives.
Recipes must include at least one French’s product. You can get inspiration from the recipes on the website. Submit your recipe by October 31, 2009 at www.frenchsfoods.com.
QUICK BURGER TIP: Make your burgers taste better. To 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey, mix:
1/4 cup French’s Classic Worcestershire Sauce or French’s Reduced Sodium Worcestershire Sauce (30 % less sodium)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Shape into 4 burgers.
Garlic & Lemon Herb Marinated Chicken is
made with French’s Spicy Brown Mustard or
Honey Dijon Mustard. The recipe is on the
website.
Grill over medium heat for 15 minutes or until cooked through, turning once.
Instead of giving a friend a bottle of wine as a birthday, congratulatory or holiday gift, take him or her to a wine tasting. Share the experience and the memories, and build your wine knowledge together. If your budget allows, you can add a bottle of wine as a surprise at the end of the tasting. Most cities have regular tasting events and classes. If you don’t know where to find them, ask at wine stores.
For some pointers on wine, visit our Wine Section.
September 27, 2009 at 6:10 pm
· Filed under Recipes, Snacks
Like things spicy? Try the Deviled Chex Mix.
Photo courtesy of Chex.
Earlier this year, Chex asked America to create the most Chex-ilicious party mixes, and the five finalists are awaiting America’s vote at ChexRecipeContest.com. Go get the five recipes, have a tasting party and cast your vote for:
Buffalo Chex Mix, inspired by buffalo wings, includes hot sauce, ranch dressing and celery seed.
Chexicago Party Mix, which combines caramel, cheese popcorn and cheese crackers for a sweet-and-salty effect.
Chex Pumpkin Pie Crunch has pumpkin pie spices and pecan halves, perfect for the holidays.
Deviled Chex Mix, a spicy blend of chili powder, coriander, cumin, curry and paprika.
Lemon Rosemary Chex Mix, with almonds, is a light and buttery take on Chex Mix
Each recipe takes just 15 minutes to prepare. We’ve been making Chex Mix since high school and while the original is still a favorite, these winners are fun. We’ll certainly be making one of them for the holidays. (That’s the hint to our favorite recipe, although everyone at THE NIBBLE voted for a different recipe.)
