OK . . . I confess, I am a Food Network junkie. (Of course, with my job it is considered ‘research’ isn’t it?? Ha!) The cake competitions with gorgeous decorations and themes leaving me oohing and aahing. I like checking in to see what Rachel, Sandra, and Paula are making everyday. (The Contessa just uses too many ingredients for my lazy kitchen!)

But, by far, my favorite show is The Next Food Network Star. Lots of pressure (sometimes a bit brutal), but so much creativity and having to really think on your feet. Where else would someone limited to bread, tomatoes and garlic say, “Today I have created a Tuscan Bruschetta.” Sounds pretty good.

Wait a minute . . . THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT WE DO!!! We take some pretty unexciting sounding ingredients and finish up with something that tastes extraordinary. For example, stew meat, can of mushrooms, can of cream of mushroom soup, Sunday Roast Seasoning and a little wine over pasta - Viola - Burgundy Beef Tips over Egg Noodles. Or . . . pork tenderloin, honey, soy sauce, chicken broth, Garlic Lemon Seasoning - Viola - Asian Pork Tenderloin (one of my favorites!).

I’d like to hear from you . . . what is your simple ingredients to exotic sounding recipe? It can be one of your own original creations or one of your favorite HG recipes.

Cindy

Many times I am asked about my passion for family time at the table and why it is so strong, and as I answer I get very excited…passionate if you will…in my explanation.  You see, family time together gives us time to connect.  To me connecting represents unity .   Psalm 133:1 says “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”

When a family is united, God can bless.  It is in division that we are defeated.  Matthew 12:25 says ‘every house divided against itself will not stand’.  If we cannot find time to connect, the enemy can find ways to divide and defeat.  John 10:10 tells us that the enemy seeks to steal, kill and destroy, but God came to give life abundantly.  Webster defines abundance as “more than enough”.  Many define an abundant life as one that has more than enough money, things, success, wealth or prestige ~ and most often those looking for such never seem to have more than enough, but are always looking for more.  I have found that for me personally…an abundant life is one that has more than enough time to connect as a family, more than enough time to participate in raising the next presidents, doctors, lawyers, teachers, preachers, fathers, mothers and friends of others.  Most of all I find that an abundant life is one that has more than enough grace to cover the sins of my past, present and future to assure me a home with Christ in the final days.

So what is a post like this doing on a blog called Homemade Gourmet?  I believe that we have been created as living beings that need to be fed both physically and spiritually.  Without both, we suffer.  I have enjoyed being able to talk about satisfying the physical need for food…but I have a hunger to also share my thoughts on the need to satisfy the soul.  Occasionally, I will be inclined to talk more about feeding our souls…and I look forward to hearing your soul filling meals and snacks in response. 

God Bless and Keep You,

Tami

p.s. Do you have ‘more than enough grace’?  Not sure…let me know and I can tell you how!

I have been on vacation / working travel for the last 2 weeks and have had some great Homemade Gourmet experiences.  I’ll share more of those later next week, but wanted ask you a quick question today.  What are you doing with the limited edition products?  I’m talking about fun recipes that you might be creating with the new items that will only be here for a short time. 

I have family in town this week, and today they are coming over for a big lunch and family photo session.  Yesterday I was busy preparing things to put in the fridge to pull out today so I could have quality time with them instead of being in the kitchen.  I used several recipes from the “cooler supper” article in the Kitchen Connection magazine (if you don’t have it yet…you really need to get one…it is great!).  Anyway…I also got a little creative with a couple of the new products and thought I would share.

 MEXICAN SHRIMP COCKTAIL

After blending the ingredients as directed on the label, add chopped avocado and salad shrimp.  Add enough to make it thick and chunky and serve in a bowl with tortilla chips as a dip.  If I was having a smaller gathering…or just serving it as part of a family meal, I think I would put individual portions into margarita glasses to make it fun!  It would be a great compliment to one of our grilled fish recipes or even a steak with one of our spicy marinades (a little surf and turf!). 

CITRUS TRIFLE

I baked the new orange dream pound cake in a 9×13 pan instead of as a loaf as directed.  It only took 40 minutes in the oven. While it baked and cooled, I made a double batch of our Cool Lemonade Cheesecake.  Then I cut the cake into cubes, and put a layer of those cubes in the bottom of a large, clear glass bowl.  I drizzled half of the orange glaze over the cake cubes.  Then I put half of the cheesecake mixture over that and topped it with one large can of well drained and dried mandarine orange slices.  Then I layered the cake cubes, orange glaze and cheesecake again.  I topped it with a little lemon zest and it was done. 

 So what are you doing?  The limited edition summer product is only here for a short time…lets have some fun and share our ideas before it is too late to use them! 

God Bless and Keep You,

Tami

When I was a distributor, I had a customer with a young daughter who loved Homemade Gourmet. They lived down the street and she called me the “Cooking Lady.” She had her “Homemade Gourmet Kid” apron that she wore when she cooked (she had even had her own cooking class with her friends) and her mother always let her make her own “list of mixes” to add to her own.

After a cooking class one day, she asked me about the 3 options for the 4 Meals in 4 Minutes. “Which one is better - slow cooker, oven or grill?” WOW, talk about catching me off guard - EEEKK! I told her that depending on what was going on in my day each of them had great benefits. (Blank stare . . .) So, I explained that personally, I like the grilled taste best. But, the reason I loved the 4M4M meals was that if I had a busy day planned, the slow cooker would be much more convenient for me to walk in and serve dinner AND if I had defrosted my meal in the refrigerator and it was too hot or too rainy to grill, I could cover it with foil and pop it in the oven while I quickly prepared my side dishes.

She looked at me and asked again, “So, which way is better?” Kids really know how to get straight to the point, don’t they? - Cindy

WOW! Homemade Gourmet’s Family Reunion is right around the corner and I am so excited about everything that is scheduled. Every year that I have attended Family Reunion I have learned so much and met some of the greatest people in the world. Now, when I go to Family Reunion, my husband schedules vacation time and he and the girls go to visit his mother. BUT . . . I was thinking about all those husbands and kids that will be “home alone” when others come to Family Reunion.

I know we still have a little more than a month and a half, but now is the perfect time to stock your freezer with Homemade Gourmet 4 Meals in 4 Minutes so that while you are gone your family won’t have to eat take out every night.

What is your family’s FAVORITE 4 Meals in 4 Minutes recipe and what will you be leaving for your family to eat? - Cindy