Category: Product Reviews (Page 15 of 19)

      Try these wings…..

      June 7, 2011 /

      Chef JimBut first, you’ll need a stovetop smoker like the one I have from Cameron. When Jen and I got hooked on the Food Network about five years ago, more than one program pimped the use of a stovetop smoker, where you put a few wood chips in the bottom of the unit and put it on the stove on low heat while it smokes anything (within reason) and makes your whole house smell like bacon. But to me, nothing comes out as consistently amazing as the chicken wings. These smokers cost around $50 and are easy to store. And hey, Father’s Day is around the corner, so you might consider this for Dad. Anyway, I posted this on Grub For Guys a few years back, and it’s a good time to re-visit it….

      I know most of you probably have your favorite place for Buffalo chicken wings, or any chicken wings. Either that, or you think that the ones you make yourself are better than anything else out there. Well, since this is my column, I’m going to lobby for my own take on chicken wings. And I’ve got buddies to back me up about how good they are.

      Two years ago, my wife and I became enamored with the Food Network. And on more than one show, they were using this device that I just had to have – a stovetop smoker. In other words, you don’t need one of those giant, bulky contraptions to smoke meat. You can buy a small one that you put on your stove for around $50. My wife bought one for me as an anniversary gift and I still say it was the best present ever. So without making this into an infomercial, just read this article I wrote praising the Cameron indoor smoker which has links to buy one. I’m sure there are other varieties out there, but this is the only one I know of.

      Okay, you’ve got your smoker, now what? Well, buy yourself a 5-pound bag of fresh or frozen chicken wings. Lay them flat on a baking sheet, and spray both sides of the wings with olive oil spray. Then sprinkle the wings with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and then a very generous shaking of any type of Cajun seasoning (I use the dry rub stuff from Rendezvous restaurant in Memphis, which you can order online).

      Then, prepare the smoker according to the directions, meaning you have to put a small amount of wood chips in the bottom of the unit and spray the grill rack with cooking spray.

      After this, you’re in business. Put the wings in the smoker (it will hold 5 pounds easily, 10 pounds if you stuff them in there), and smoke on low-medium heat for about 3-4 hours. Folks, this is one of the most amazing smells known to man—natural smoke that will make your whole house smell like bacon. My mouth is watering as I type this.

      Anyway, once you’ve thoroughly smoked those wings, you have to finish them in the oven or on a grill. I prefer the grill, because not only do you have the smoky flavor and spice from the red pepper and Cajun seasoning, but the crispy barbecue chicken texture.
      Grill them for maybe three minutes per side and then keep warm in one of those tin party platters. Or bake them for maybe 15 minutes at 400 degrees.

      I have made these smoked wings for many occasions, mainly on Sundays during football season. Any time we’re having a get-together now with friends, I am asked to make them, and so far they have not disappointed. What are you waiting for?

      Ingredients, On the Grille, Product Reviews, Recipes, Tailgating

      Product review: Slim Jim Dare

      June 2, 2011 /

      Chef JimSeems like products are getting spicier these days. Last year, Doritos came out with those 1st, 2nd and 3rd Degree Burn flavors. We also recently reviewed some spicy Planter’s peanuts. Now, in Walgreens, of all places, I came across Slim Jim “Dare”–a new line of spicy meat snacks, featuring two flavors–“Freakin’ Hot Jalapeno” and “Really Freakin’ Hot Habanero.”

      I grew up on beef sticks like these–at least as I sort of out-grew candy, I remember my grandfather taking me to the deli and buying me beef sticks, and how I came to love the flavor. Well, the texture of these Slim Jim’s is similar to those that I remember from my childhood–though let’s face it, who knows what kind of mystery meat I’m eating.

      Anyway, the “Freakin’ Hot” is very hot, and takes 5-10 seconds to creep up on you. It is also tasty with a nice, slightly lingering burn. Meanwhile, the “Really Freakin’ Hot” were slightly more tender, but that could be the lot of Slim Jims and not the flavor. These took a good 10 seconds for the heat to kick in, and it was a much stronger burn. Well, duh. But it was really nice for someone that likes spicy food as I do.

      So if you do like spicy food and if you like Slim Jim’s or meat snacks, go grab some of these and as the late “Macho Man” Randy Savage used to say, “Snap into a Slim Jim!”

      Product Reviews, Tailgating, Your Kitchen

      Product review: Savi Seed

      May 23, 2011 /

      When the rep reached out to me about Savi Seed, it sounded too good to be true. Here was a nut product that is harvested in South America that have 13 times Omega 3 fatty acids as wild salmon. Say what? Well, that’s good news for me because I’m not a fish person. I am hesitant as well to take fish oil capsules, because I am afraid of having fish burps. But if you can have a product that has 3500 milligrams of Omega 3’s in a convenient little pouch, and if these nuts can be covered in sugar or chocolate to make them taste even better, why would you ever eat fish? Okay, I know that was a rhetorical question, because I’m in the minority about my distaste for seafood.

      Anyway, Savi Seeds are all that. I tried the two they sent me–“karmalized,” which are coated with raw sugar cane; and cocoa kissed, which are coated in extra dark chocolate. The sugar ones were a bit too crunchy, and kind of grainy. But you could still taste the roasted seeds and they taste pretty good. The chocolate ones are way better, and incredibly addictive. The seeds themselves are something akin to a cross between a peanut and hazelnut, and about the size of a small peanut. Each packet (1 oz./28 g) also has 5-6 grams of protein. Can you say mega-food?

      Anyway, it looks like these are distributed by Sequel Naturals in Vancouver, but if you can’t find them online or in health food or Whole Foods type stores, let me know–the information that was sent with the product was limited. But either way, Savi Seeds are well worth seeking out.

      Healthy, Product Reviews, Your Kitchen

      Product review: Blue Diamond Nut-Thins

      May 17, 2011 /

      Chef JimIf you haven’t tried Blue Diamond’s new Nut-Thins, you are in for a treat–especially if you are allergic to wheat products (although there is a disclaimer on the box about that). The fine folks of Blue Diamond have figured out a way to make a cracker out of almonds, even if the main ingredient is rice flour. The second ingredient is pure almonds, and you can surely taste the delcious nutty flavor in each bite.

      The company sent us two flavors–original and smokehouse. The original tastes very much like a flattened rice cake, but a bit more dense from the almonds. The smokehouse has that signature flavor we’ve all come to love from the company’s signature Smokehouse Almonds. And I can attest to one thing that Mrs. Mikey and I both noticed–you absolutely can’t stop eating them, especially the highly addictive smokehouse flavor.

      And the good thing about not being able to put the box down, is that each 16-cracker serving is only 130 calories, 2.5 grams of fat but with a whopping 3 grams of protein. They are baked, not fried, and yet are light and crispy.

      In addition to the flavors we tried, there is also a cheddar flavor almond cracker, as well as hazelnut and pecan versions.

      For more information, go to www.bluediamond.com or just go pluck a box or three off your grocery store shelf.

      Healthy, Product Reviews, Tailgating, Your Kitchen

      Product review: Spaghettios with Meatballs

      May 12, 2011 /

      Chef JimI am not sure when Campbell’s bought Franco American, but I just had some Spaghettios for the first time in years and the flavor has not changed one bit–it’s comfort food to the Nth degree, no matter when or where you grew up. I’ll be honest, though, I originally was going to review the ones with sliced hot dogs and those hot dog slices were pretty disgusting so I didn’t finish the dish or the review.

      But the one with mini-meatballs is delicious. And let’s face it, it can’t be easy to make processed meatballs taste real, and these do have that canned food meatball thing going on, but they still taste real enough not to be considered mystery meat (I think). And with ground pork being the first meat ingredient, the flavor is a bit milder than all-beef meatballs.

      As for the pasta rings, they were done about to the degree you’d expect for canned pasta, but those and the familiar mild tomato sauce with a slightly cheesy taste is still really great. Of course, at 480 calories a can (who’s going to eat half a can?), it’s a pretty hefty calorie binge for lunch. But still worth a once-in-a-while binge at that.

      Product Reviews, Your Kitchen

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