Filed under: Holidays
I just read an interesting statistic. Thanksgiving is the biggest day of the year for food consumption. The second biggest day? If you guessed Christmas, Easter, or the 4th of July guess again – this honor goes to Super Bowl Sunday! Since the majority of the food that will be consumed on game day will be in front of the television, appetizers are a popular choice. Bring on the chips (14,500 tons will be consumed), dip, wings, pizza, meatballs, and veggie platters (remember — it’s all about balance…).
Hosting the Super Bowl festivities at your house? Celebrate in the end zone with Two Sisters Gourmet – whether you are rooting for the AFC or NFC we have your menu plan covered – Touchdown!
AFC Super Bowl Sunday TSG Appetizer Picks
NFC Super Bowl Sunday TSG Appetizer Picks
Morning after the Super Bowl………..
Can’t wait to try our Super Bowl appetizer picks? Easy online shopping is a click away…Go Team!!
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January 20, 2011
As we ring in 2011, healthy eating will be the focus rather than fad diets according to allrecipes.com. As I wrote about in a prior blog, I truly believe it is all about balance – especially when you are a foodie! Below are additional trends from allrecipes.com to watch for in 2011.
Ethnic Foods on the Rise – Want an easy way to try an ethnic dish? Try our new TSG Simmerin’ Sauces – no passport required!
Pies – The New Cupcake – Cupcakes will be taking a backseat to pies for 2011. From sweet to savory, pies will be taking the cake! Try TSG Tropical Coconut Cream Pie –a taste of the tropics to brighten up your winter taste buds.
Pre-made Ingredients – look to Two Sisters Gourmet to stock your pantry with staple favorites.
Entertaining at Home – this trend continues with a casual sit down dinner being a popular choice.
Men in the Kitchen – branching out from the BBQ, men are becoming more comfortable in the kitchen
I wish everyone a safe and happy New Year – See you in 2011!
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December 30, 2010
Over the holidays an easy way to entertain at home is hosting a brunch. This is also a great way to feed your overnight house guests. Below are three easy brunch menus that are real holiday guest pleasers.
After Sunday Service Brunch
Spinach and Feta Scramble
Broiled Tomatoes
Cranberry Coffee Crumble Cake
Coffee, Tea, Mimosas
Late Sleepers Brunch
Puff the Magic Dragon Black Bean and Salsa Omelet
Cheddar Cheese Hash Browns
Pina Colada Parfaits
Espresso, Chai Tea, Sparkling Water
Make Ahead Brunch
Banana Bread French Toast Casserole
Holiday Brunch Casserole
Frozen Fruit Cups
Coffee/Hot Chocolate Bar – offer brewed plain and decaf with flavored creamers, whipped cream, chocolate shavings, marshmallows, crushed peppermints
No matter which brunch you choose, have fun with it! Use Two Sisters Gourmet to complement the start of your day.
Have a blessed happy and healthy Holiday enjoyed with your friends and loved ones.
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December 23, 2010
Your passport to international flavors awaits you with our new Simmerin’ Sauces! Perfect for your slow cooker, these sauces make dinnertime a snap.
A trip to Italy not in the budget? Our Tuscan Country Simmerin’ Sauce brings the fresh flavors of the Tuscan countryside to your table. It will have you saying (or singing!) That’s Amore……… Try the Simply Delicious Chicken Cacciatore or the Hearty Minestrone Soup — perfect comfort food to come home to after a long day.
Or take a culinary trip to the Far East with our Asian Barbeque Simmerin’ Sauce. Hints of soy, sesame, garlic, chili, and ginger combine for true Asian flavor. From Asian-Style Short Ribs to Hot & Sour Chicken Soup, this versatile sauce is a must for your pantry. It can even be used as a dipper for egg or spring rolls!
Your last stop on our International flavor tour is to India with our Mild Madras Curry Simmerin’ Sauce. Tempt your family with Coconut Curry Chicken, Curried Butternut Squash Soup or use over meatballs for a new twist! The mild spices and coconut milk will warm you from within.
And last but not least, two new additions to our Two Sisters Gourmet Sauces and Dressings line up.
Serious Steak and Grilling Sauce will entice the entire family. Use this sauce to make Pecan Crunch Chicken Drumettes, Sassy Barbecue Beans, or Serious Meatball Appetizers. Also excellent as a marinade or brush on grilled meat – its spicy overtones give it a kick!
Rosy Raspberry Basil Vinaigrette will brighten up any salad with its fresh taste. This versatile dressing can also be used as a dipping sauce for bread or over pasta for a light meal (refreshing after the Holidays!) Try Leafy Greens with Orange & Avocado, Luscious Raspberry Lemon Chicken, and Rice & Apple Salad with Tangy Cheese. This is a pantry must.
Can’t wait to try our fabulous new products? Easy online shopping is a click away…Bon Appetit!!
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December 16, 2010
A holiday tradition my co-workers and I look forward to every year is our annual cookie exchange. What a great way to beat the stress of holiday baking! There is nothing better than offering your guests a variety of homemade cookies when you entertain at home (no one has to know you did not make them all — wink wink). The rule for our cookie exchange is to make a dozen for each person participating, and each person makes a different recipe. From cutout, drop, and bar cookies, to brownies and fudge, we have seen some very creative and yummy treats. One of my personal favorites was a couple years ago when a coworker made a cookie bar native to her Canadian roots. The Nanaimo Bar was thought to have originated in its namesake city. Although some say the original recipe might have appeared in the Nanaimo Hospital Cookbook in the late 1950s. All I know is that after one bite I was hooked. I am embarrassed to say that these decadent bars did not make it onto my holiday cookie platter!
Nanaimo Bars
Short on time but still want to participate in your cookie exchange? Try these easy and delicious Two Sisters Gourmet recipes.
What is your favorite holiday cookie?
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December 9, 2010
With the economy still in its current sluggish state, many of us are looking for ways to cut down on our holiday gift giving expenses. This is normally already a stressful time of year and cutting back on our spending is making it more so. Lucky for us, Two Sisters Gourmet can help with homemade gifts of love.
Here are some easy favorites to give.
Spiced nuts: Use TSG Outrageously Garlic for the garlic powder in the recipe. Wrap in a holiday tin or box.
Citrus Marinated Olives: Wrap in a jar with festive ribbon.
Bread: TSG Perfect Pumpkin Gingerbread Bread or TSG Beer Bread – one loaf for now, one for the freezer. Wrap in plastic and a lovely kitchen tea towel.
Or, for those of you who prefer the dining table to the kitchen stove, we can still help you with these creative ideas:
For the Flavored Coffee Drinker – why wait at the drive through when you can make an instant latte mix
For the New Homeowners – Taste of Italy gift basket – dried pasta noodles, TSG Outrageously Garlic, TSG Onion and Chive Seasoning Blend, jarred pasta sauce, TSG Garlic Parmesan Vinaigrette, TSG Italian Herb cheese Mix
For the Cookie Lover – try cowboy cookie mix in a jar
For the Novice Cook – assorted TSG spices with recipes so they can start creating their own signature dishes
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December 2, 2010
Be happy for all you have in life — one of the best gifts you can give someone is thanking them for being a part of your life — I would like to wish everyone a happy and healthy Thanksgiving.
Below are some highlights of our Thanksgiving meal that I would like to share with you -
First Course : Butternut squash soup with pomegranate seeds
Dinner: Roast turkey, cranberry sauce, garlic mashed potatoes (added plenty of TSG Outrageously Garlic!), Lemon Dill Green Beans, corn, roasted sweet potatoes with rosemary, arugula salad with candied pecans, pomegranate seeds, and TSG Garlic Parmesan Vinaigrette, roasted balsamic mushrooms and onions, pasta with vodka cream sauce (our tradition is to have pasta at every holiday)
Dessert: Pumpkin Trifles and Upside Down Cranberry Cake with TSG Incredible Creamy Caramel Sauce
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November 25, 2010
From stuffing to dressing, cornbread to oyster, this is the one part of the Thanksgiving meal (besides the turkey) that families are adamant about sticking to their favorite recipe.
To Stuff or Not to Stuff
That is the question! Stuffing is referred to as the mixture that is prepared and then cooked inside of the bird. The term dressing is used when baking the mixture in a dish outside of the bird. According to allrecipes.com’s Thanksgiving Trends survey, 41% prefer dressing, 27% prefer stuffing and 32% don’t care as long as it ends up on the Thanksgiving dinner table (I fall into this group!)
If you choose to stuff your Thanksgiving turkey, the experts at Butterball have prepared tried-and-true guidelines for stuffing your turkey. For a quick stuffing demo check out the video below.
What’s in Your Stuffing?
One thing is for sure, stuffing recipes vary across the country – depending on the ingredients traditionally available in each region. Below is a sampling of popular stuffing ingredients.
North – hearty white bread, celery, sage, poultry seasoning
South – depending on what part of the south it is either cornbread or rice based with Cajun or Creole influences
Southwest – poblano peppers, cornbread, chorizo
New England – Oysters, bacon, chestnuts
West – Sourdough, wild mushrooms, almonds
What region are you from, and what is your favorite Stuffing recipe?
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November 18, 2010
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, Two Sisters Gourmet would like to ease some of your holiday stress by offering two Thanksgiving menus. Which ever one you choose, your family and guests will leave your home talking about Thanksgiving dinner for weeks to come………
Want to serve a Thanksgiving Dinner that will dazzle your guests? Try our
Talk of the Town TSG Thanksgiving Dinner
Appetizer – TSG Spinach Smoked Salmon Appetizer
First Course – TSG Martini Ceasars, or Cream Sherry Mushroom Soup
Main Course – Your favorite Turkey and dressing recipe, TSG Oven Roasted Vegetables, Garlic Roasted Potatoes, your favorite cranberry sauce
Dessert – Perfect Pumpkin Trifle with Caramel Whipped Cream (see below)
Want to serve a more traditional Thanksgiving Meal? Try our
Let’s Be Thankful TSG Thanksgiving Dinner
Appetizer – Italian Herb, Pepper & Olive Cheese Ball (serve with assorted crackers or flatbreads), or Italian Herb Stuffed Veggies
First Course – Spinach with Blue Cheese, or your favorite fall salad
Main Course – Your favorite Turkey and dressing recipe, Cheddar Mashed Potatoes, Lemony-Dill Greens Beans, Maple Dijon Julienne Carrots, your favorite cranberry sauce
Dessert – Your favorite pumpkin pie or Pumpkin Ginger Three-Layer Loaf Cake
Product Tips
Perfect Pumpkin Trifle with Caramel Whipped Cream
Prepare Perfect Pumpkin Gingerbread Mix according to instructions – cool and cut into 1” pieces. Chill the bowl, beaters, and cream thoroughly before whipping heavy cream. Using an electric mixer, whip 2 cups heavy cream and beat until soft peaks form – add 2 Tbls Incredible Creamy Caramel Sauce and continue to beat until stiff but still creamy – In a serving or trifle bowl, layer pumpkin pieces, whipped cream and sweetened dried cranberries alternately in single layers until all ingredients are used, ending with the caramel whipped cream. Drizzle top with additional caramel sauce. Cover and chill for two hours to allow flavors to meld.
Need to restock you TSG Pantry? Locate a consultant near you to get started.
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November 12, 2010
Versatile, sweet, savory, decorative – Pumpkins truly represent the fall season and holidays. A member of the gourd and squash family, the pumpkin dates back to 7000 – 5000 BC with pumpkin like seeds that were found in Mexico. Today, eighty percent of the US pumpkin supply is available in October. Recently, the largest pumpkin world record was broken on October 9th by a Wisconsin grown pumpkin that weighed in at 1810.5 pounds!
Most parts of the pumpkin are edible – flesh, seeds, leaves and even the flowers. Out of all the ways to use pumpkin, the most popular dish has to be pumpkin pie. The infamous pumpkin pie originated when Colonists sliced off pumpkin tops, removed the seeds, and filled the insides with milk, spices, and honey. The pumpkin was then baked in hot ashes. A great way to get pumpkin pie taste without having to bake is Pumpkin Pie Dip. This is my friend Rachel’s signature dish for fall potlucks. A creamy blend of pumpkin, cream cheese, and spices, this dip has all the taste of pumpkin pie without all the fuss. For dippers, Rachel suggests butter cookies, vanilla wafers, or gingersnaps to replicate pie crust.
My signature fall dish is pumpkin cake roll. Check out TSG Pumpkin Roll for a quick and easy version. For presentation, I like to leave the cake roll unsliced — plate it on a festive platter – dust powered sugar on top and complete the look with a couple mini gourds or pumpkins.
Pumpkin Cake Roll
For your next get together try Pumpkin Ginger 3 Layer Loaf Cake and make it your fall signature dessert!
Pumpkin Fun Facts
- The top pumpkin production states are Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and California.
- The largest pumpkin pie ever made was over five feet in diameter and weighed over 350 pounds. It used 80 pounds of cooked pumpkin, 36 pounds of sugar, 12 dozen eggs and took six hours to bake.
- Pumpkins were once recommended for removing freckles and curing snake bites.
- Nutrients found in Pumpkins – Beta-carotene, Fiber, Vitamins C and E, Potassium, Magnesium
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October 28, 2010
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I just read an interesting statistic. Thanksgiving is the biggest day of the year for food consumption. The second biggest day? If you guessed Christmas, Easter, or the 4th of July guess again – this honor goes to Super Bowl Sunday! Since the majority of the food that will be consumed on game day will be in front of the television, appetizers are a popular choice. Bring on the chips (14,500 tons will be consumed), dip, wings, pizza, meatballs, and veggie platters (remember — it’s all about balance…).
