PASSED HORS D’OEUVRES ~ PART TWO

(Image from www.thewildthymecompany.com)

Today’s feature is all about cooking and taste discoveries.  Featured will be my wonderful cooking and taste experiences from a Chicago-area prepared meal delivery service, Meez Meals, and also the delicious and versatile flavoring products from BLiS Gourmet.  Enjoy!

~ Meez Meals ~

“Meez is inspired by the cooking philosophy of Mise En Place –

French for having everything ready to go when you’re ready to cook.”

(Photo by T. Herman)

In the world of cooking, it’s often a great deal of effort from beginning to end, but it’s so worth it.  Yet, in today’s fast-food, restaurant patronizing, overly processed, and often poorly prepared ideal of real food, the consumer mentality often views scratch cooking as following a boxed cake mix, or opening up a can of whatever, or cooking a frozen whatever.  True, it’s not the bygone era of “Susie Homemaker”, given that many folks work, or have thriving time consuming families that pre-empt a good-old fashioned home cooked, honest to goodness scratch prepared meal, but that’s where services like Meez Meals come in.  Meez Meals has reinvented the finer art of preparing and cooking delicious made from scratch dinners.  All of the meal planning, recipe testing, and quality shopping for wholesome, naturally healthy food, and prepping has been taken care of.  Very little is expected of the customer…you select which meals you want based on your dietary preferences, you place the order and wait for the weekly delivery.  Once your order arrives, voila, you’re transformed into a creative chef who is no stranger to the finer art of cooking. 

Each meal is comprised of fresh quality produce, protein, and finishing ingredients; proteins are non-GMO, and also free-range, grass fed, or wild caught; all ingredients are pre-measured and ready for easy assembly and cooking.  The detailed recipe cards are easy to follow.  For me, I also enjoyed slightly modifying a recipe to further conform to some of my preferences.  That’s what’s great about these services…you can follow recipes verbatim, or modify them and make the recipe your own!

~ My Selections ~

(Photo by T. Herman)

Southwestern Salmon with Fresh Corn Salsa…included salmon steaks, cauliflower rice; prepared corn and tomato salsa (corn, tomato, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and spices; and, a Southwestern spice blend.

My Take:  The only change I made to the recipe was to omit coating the salmon with the Southwestern spice blend, which I’m not a fan of.  All of the other steps were followed.  For pan roasting the cauliflower rice, I used a blend of EVOO and canola.  Overall, the dish was delicious; the corn salsa was a nice touch, although I thought it was seasoned with too much cumin, which almost overpowered the sweet delicate flavor of the corn and tomatoes.  Overall, the flavors were fresh and bright.  Leftovers were as delicious cold as they were warm.  This is a wonderful recipe that can easily be replicated, and would be perfect for a warm summer lunch or dinner.

(Photo by T. Herman)

Rotini di Modena with Chicago and Spinach…included free-range boneless, skinless chicken breast; grape tomatoes; goat cheese; whole wheat Rotini pasta; spinach; and, balsamic cream (heavy cream, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, vegetable stock, garlic, and herbs).

My Take:  For pan roasting the chicken breast, I cut into chunks, versus strips, seasoning them with S&P, and used a blend of EVOO and canola; the pasta was prepared separately, and the spinach leaves were placed on top, allowing for any steam coming from the pasta to slightly wilt the spinach; the grape tomatoes were added and sautéed along with the chicken, until they began blistering; then, the balsamic cream was added; after this mixture was brought to a boil, I added the pasta and spinach leaves, and plated, topping it with nobs of goat cheese.  This was another delicious dish; warmed up leftovers were also delicious the following day (note, any leftover goat cheese was mixed into the tossed pasta and chicken mix, which made it very creamy).  This is another wonderful recipe that can easily be replicated.

(Photo by T. Herman)

Buttermilk Salad with Nut Crusted Chicken…free-range boneless, skinless chicken breast; Panko breadcrumbs seasoned with Pecorino cheese; shaved Brussels sprouts, buttermilk salad dressing (buttermilk, mayonnaise, cider vinegar, and sugar); and, walnuts and dates.

My Take:  I cut the chicken breast in strips and seasoned lightly with S&P; I supplied a beaten egg for coating the seasoned chicken strips, and then dredged and coated each strip with the Panko Pecorino seasoned breadcrumbs.  Instead of oven roasting, I pan roasted the coated chicken strips in my blend of EVOO and canola, until each side was browned; I used any remaining seasoned breadcrumbs and added them to the pan drippings as a reserve for drizzling on the chicken; I prepared the Brussels sprouts salad base by adding the buttermilk salad dressing, along with the walnuts and dates, then thoroughly mixed; I served the prepared salad and topped it with the cooked chicken, and then lightly drizzled the reserve pan drippings that included seasoned breadcrumbs.  This was yet another delicious dish that went great the next day as a luncheon salad.  And, this is yet another wonderful recipe that can easily be replicated. 

(Photo by T. Herman)

Sides of Dijon Roasted Brussels Sprouts…included shaved Brussels sprouts, sliced almonds, and whole grain (not Dijon!) mustard dressing (seasoned with olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, herbs and spices).

My Take:  I pan roasted the shaved Brussels sprouts, versus oven roasting, and used my blend of EVOO and canola; once browned, I added the prepared “Dijon” mustard dressing, and the sliced almonds.  The mustard dressing didn’t use Dijon mustard…it used a much more pungent grainy mustard, which diminished the delicate sweetness of the vegetable; although this recipe can be replicated, I would totally skip any type of mustard dressing; roasted Brussels sprouts can stand on their own.

Meez Meals is generously offering my readers a special discount of one free meal for two people.  Use the special code secondhelpings30 when you visit their website http://www.meezmeals.com

~ BLiS Gourmet ~

“Because Life is Short”

(Photo by T. Herman)

BLiS Gourmet is a unique curated line of handcrafted, sustainable, gourmet vinegars, syrups, and sauces that are prized worldwide by discerning chefs and home cooks.  The name behind the brand is noted culinary arts expert Chef Steve Stallard whose passion for food and superior flavoring led him to developing the line, whose hallmark also includes aged bourbon barrel curing.  Using the finest of ingredients is one thing, but when cured in aged Kentucky bourbon barrels, the flavor profile is greatly enhanced.  I was able to experience the following items Bourbon Maple Syrup, White Truffle Oil, #9 Maple Sherry Vinegar, Blast Hot Pepper Sauce, Barrel Aged Fish Sauce, Bourbon Barrel Aged Soy Sauce, and Hardwood Smoked Maple Barrel Aged Soy Sauce.

Bourbon Maple Syrup ~ This delicious Grade A maple syrup is matured in single barrel Kentucky bourbon casks that is nearly 20 years old.  My Takes:  The curing process helps to intensify and expand the overall sweetness, which transforms ordinary breakfast items like pancakes or French toast into extraordinary culinary works of art.  I also loved adding this to salad dressings for a touch of sweetness; added to spicy sauces, it tame the fiery aspects.

White Truffle Oil ~ The natural essence of Alba White Truffle is combined with high quality cold pressed grape seed and gives a well balanced earthiness of the blend.  My Takes:  I loved using a subtle drizzle on my simple version of Pasta Aglio e Olio (al dente pasta, coated with heated EVOO, sprinkled with oregano and chili flakes, with shaved Parmesan); the addition of the White Truffle Oil, as a “condiment” or “garnish”, elevated the overall flavor profile.  Use a few drops added to your homemade EVOO and white balsamic vinegar to make the perfect vinaigrette to dress salads, chicken, etc.

#9 Maple Sherry Vinegar ~ Aged for at least a year in the proprietary BLiS “Double Solera” aging process in single barrel Kentucky bourbon casks that previously housed our BLiS maple syrup, adding a rich sweet aspect to the flavor profile.  My Takes:  This blended well with my homemade vinaigrettes, and was exceptional when lightly drizzled on macerated berries for a sweet and savory component.

Blast Hot Pepper Sauce ~ This intensely fiery sauce is a proprietary blend of chipotle, arbol and cayenne chilies that are aged for up to a year in seasoned oak barrels that previously cured Kentucky bourbon, BLiS maple syrup and Founder’s Kentucky Breakfast Stout.  My Takes:  When it comes to spicy or fiery, I wimp out; but, if used sparingly, like this product, and paired with a bit of the Maple Syrup and/or the Sherry Vinegar, I was fine; went nicely when added to chili, yogurt-based dips, and cheese spreads; not for the faint of heart, but with just a light hit of heat, this could also add some peppery brightness to fried chicken, or fried fish.  Although not tried in a Bloody Mary drink, I’d imagine this would be a perfect addition to that drink.  The fermentation process of this sauce added a pleasant umami taste element.

Barrel Aged Fish Sauce ~ BLiS collaborated with Red Boat Fish Sauce; Red Boat is highly regarded in the culinary world for its premium fish sauce made from fermented black anchovies that have been cured in wooden barrels.  BLiS takes Red Boat Fish Sauce and further ages it using a seven month proprietary curative process to enhance the natural flavors; the result is a delicate sweet and smokey flavor component.  My Takes:  I mixed a small amount of this sauce with the Soy Sauces, plus a bit of the Maple Syrup and Cherry Vinegar to arrive at a unique sweet and savory embellished Fish Sauce that was great drizzled on plain white rice, or sautéed salmon, or cod.  The fermentation process of this sauce added a pleasant umami taste element.

Bourbon Barrel Aged Soy Sauce ~ Partnering with Japan’s best soy brewing company, Yamato Soy, non-GMO soy sauce is aged for one year in bourbon barrels to add a hint of sweet bourbon to the finished Sauce.  My Takes:  This goes great in traditional Asian-influenced dishes, or as a condiment or flavor enhancer; is also ideal for barbecue sauces, or Thai peanut sauce (don’t forget to use the Fish Sauce, too!).  The fermentation process of this sauce added a pronounced umami taste element.

Hardwood Smoked Maple Barrel Aged Soy Sauce ~ This Sauce also uses Yamato Soy non-GMO soy sauce and is aged in Japan for one year in bourbon barrels, and then hardwood smoked using Michigan cherry wood for several days; the result is a finished Sauce with smoky sweet bourbon flavor notes.  My Takes:  This also goes great in traditional Asian-influenced dishes, especially those with grilled proteins, or, as a condiment or flavor enhancer; it’s also ideal for barbecue sauces, or Thai peanut sauce (don’t forget to use the Fish Sauce, too!).  The fermentation process of this sauce added a pronounced umami taste element.

For more information on all of the wonderful BLiS Gourmet products, visit https://blisgourmet.com

~ In Closing ~

(Image from www.cooknwithclass.com)

Consider locating one of these prepared meal delivery services in your own area; there are several national services that probably deliver in your area.  In considering the cost per meal for this beneficial convenience, consider the value of your time to shop and prepare the food.  About the only thing you need to do is follow the recipes and cook, then serve and enjoy…the worst thing is the cleanup!  And, consider amping up the flavor profiles of your culinary creations by exploring and discovering new products to add to your recipes that enhance and expand its taste dimension. 

That’s it for this edition.  Until the next one, remember to always celebrate yourself and your culinary curiosity.  Happy creating…happy cooking…happy eating!

By Terry Herman

TERRY HERMAN continues perfecting her passion for food and wine.  She has been covering culinary related for many years as it relates to wellness and a healthy lifestyle.  Her popular blog, Terry's Spa, Beauty and Wellness Go-To has featured formidable reviews of cookbooks, restaurants, wine and food, food prep and tools, chef interviews, and coverage of prestigious events such as the International Home+Housewares Show, the National Restaurant Show and the Sweets and Snacks Expo.  She has been published since the mid-1990s in both consumer and trade publications, and is regarded as an expert in spa, beauty, wellness, travel and lifestyle, and is frequently interviewed by publications for her expert content.  She has also presented at major industry conferences, and has served with distinction on numerous governing and advisory boards.  She has a background in strategic and qualitative management, consulting, and motivational speaking.  In addition to her blogs, her social media outreach also includes Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.  Don’t forget to “Like” her Facebook Page, “Terry’s Second Helpings”.  Please note that the “Comment Section” has been disabled.  For additional information, email her at terry.herman@gmail.com.

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