Tastefully Simple Honey BBQ Seasoning & Rub - All Natural

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Tastefully Simple Honey BBQ Seasoning & Rub - All Natural
Heather told me that they had added quite a few new products to the Tastefully Simple line and wanted to know if I'd like to sample something (free in exchange for an honest review). The Honey BBQ seasoning and rub had my name written all over it. OK. Well, not really. But, I do love barbecue rubs, and honey is messy (and tends to burn on large cuts of meat) so having that in a dry rub sounded fabulous.

Harry won a ham at the turkey shoot (no - they don't shoot turkeys - they shoot at paper targets), so I thought a honey rub would taste good. Before sprinkling on the rub, I put mustard all over the ham. That's the trick to get your rub to stay on a big cut like a ham. You can't taste the mustard at the end. It just acts like a rub glue.


Ham Bone In Covered with Tastefully Simple BBQ Rub
As you can see, this rub is a beautiful color and the ingredients are all natural (can't beat that). The smell was really nice. The combination of honey and heat was obvious even at the rubbing stage.


Putting the Ham on the Bottom Level of Our Weber BBQ Smoker
Jimmy took the ham out and put it on the bottom level of our Weber smoker. We were smoking ribs too, so it was easier to put the ham on the lower level, since the ribs got sauced later.


Ham on Bottom Level of Weber Smokey Mountain Bullet
Here you can see the ham right before we pulled it off. This ham was pre-cooked, so we were basically just heating it through. At 225 to 250 degrees F, three hours worked well for heating and getting that smoked flavor in with the meat and rub.


 Tastefully Simple BBQ Rubbed Smoked Ham
The ham smoked up beautifully and smelled terrific. The rub slow smoked created a nice crispness while holding in the moisture (along with that mustard I mentioned earlier).

It's all about the flavor when it comes to barbecue, so the real test was when I sliced and served the ham. In some cases, something will look and even smell great but then doesn't really pass the taste test.

The Tastefully Simple Honey BBQ rub flavor was spot on and went well on the ham. For summer, I'd suggest pork chops or chicken (quicker to make and light tasting meats that benefit from a nice BBQ rub). On the ham, we got that holiday honey kick but with some heat (not over the top - just enough to pop). The rub is well named as it was actually "tastefully simple." The flavors were classic and simple but blended at just the right ratios to taste wonderful.

If you like honey but find that the natural sugars in there tend to burn before you finish smoking or grilling, this is a great alternative. Or, Tastefully Simple a good pick if you want a flavorful rub that delivers on the flavor without having too much of any one thing that might freak out your guests. This one is not too sweet (even with honey) and not too hot. I'd recommend it for any griller or smoker unless he or she doesn't like honey. And, who doesn't like the taste of honey?

Cyndi's Southern Serenity Prayer

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God grant me the serenity to stop cussing about the things I can't change, the courage to raise cain on the stuff where I can make a difference, and enough common sense to not get arrested sorting that junk out. Amen ~ Cyndi Allison

I made this up and posted it on Facebook. Thought some of my barbecue friends might need this one when you burn your steaks up or your shoulders come out dry.

Daddy Joe's Beach House BBQ & Grill in Gaffney, SC - Review

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Daddy Joe's Beach House BBQ and Grill
My son and I were headed to the Brenau University BBQ festival when we saw the road signs for Daddy Joe's Beach House BBQ & Grill in Gaffney, South Carolina. What should you eat on the way to a barbecue bash? Well . . . barbecue of course.

Daddy Joe's is right off I85 (about a mile off the exit). You'll see the billboards, and it's close the big peach shaped and painted water tower which is darn hard to miss.

The name is kind of confusing, because trust me, you are not near the beach in Gaffney, although you kind of get that feel at Daddy Joe's sans the ocean.


Ceiling at Daddy Joe's BBQ Restaurant
Daddy Joe's has that cool factor but not over the top so that it feels fake. We ate inside below this fan you see in the photo above (plus AC - so I was almost chilly). They had outdoor seating too. But, it was in the 90s, so we decided not to melt on the porch, although it did look like a fun place to have a meal.

They had a pretty meaty menu. In fact, I could not find the sides. The waitress showed me the single line with sides. I would not be sending my vegetarian friends to Daddy Joe's, but I don't have many veggie buddies. I live in a real small Southern town, and I suspect the vegetarians just give up and move to cities.


Guys Having a Meat Mosh at Daddy Joe's Gaffney, SC
We went for the pork, since that's the big deal meat here in the piedmont of North Carolina (and since I write about BBQ). That puts some pressure on a BBQ joint outside the area, since we have top notch chopped pork all around us here. I don't mention that I blog though, so that's neither here nor there. I'm just the odd woman that pulls out her camera and shoots her food before diving in.


Chopped Pork Platter at Daddy Joe's BBQ & Grill
First, I'll speak to the pork. Oink. It was excellent. Nice smoke flavor. It was lightly sauced with a western North Carolina style barbecue sauce (vinegar with a little red and body). South Carolina is kind of all over the place on sauces. You might get vinegar or mustard or thick Kansas style. Good thing to ask if you have a preference. The kitchen sauce and table sauce were both NC vinegar with some tomato, so I felt right at home.

The hush puppies were the sweet kind I like. Some people will tell you that real Southern cornbread products don't have any sugar. Well, shut my mouth. That just ain't true. My Grandma put sugar in hers, and she's now gone, but no one can tell me she wasn't a darn fine Southern cook. My family does about 1 tablespoon of sugar to a 12 inch pone of cornbread in cast iron. Not very sweet - but a tickle of it. These hushpuppies were a little north of that but not like those box mixes where you get corn cake or some sort that tastes nothing of corn or anything else known to man or woman. So, to cut to the chase, those were some rocking hush puppies.

They put my slaw on the side by request as I'm just not a slaw fan. I know my Southern card may get revoked for telling that. Raw cabbage in gunk just doesn't do it for me. I did taste the slaw which was red which made me think it was a vinegar BBQ sauce based slaw which I can tolerate better than mayo based ones. Wrong on that. This slaw was rather dry. I think I could jam it in a red Solo cup and make sandcastles. Also, it was very sweet. All I can think of to describe the slaw is finely chopped cabbage with a Kraft sauce like honey style stirred in lightly. Sweet sand comes to mind. Remember though that I'm not a slaw fan. I'm sure lots of people love the slaw at Daddy Joe's. Me? Just pass the vinegar sauce, and I'm good.

I was surprised to find really good chopped pork barbecue outside of North Carolina, but Daddy Joe's was excellent. The ribs and kielbalsa looked good too. Yes. I peaked at the table next to us. I'd certainly stop here again. Great food and service and an easy stop on a road trip off I85.

Schwan's Grill Pack - Excellent Quality and Yummy

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Two Grill Wok Night with Schwan's BBQ Foods
Brandi contacted me on behalf of Schwan's Foods to see if I'd do a honest taste test and review. What she didn't know was that I graduated with a guy who drove a Schwan's truck and remebered that the company had some great foods. Of course, that was a LONG time back, so you just never know how a company fares over the years. In any case, I was game to try out Schwan's again to see.

First, I was surprised at how many foods Schwan's has geared toward grillers now. They even include the directions for grilling. Before, you could, of course, put their foods on the grill, but you'd have to figure out frozen/unfrozen on the grill and times and things like that.

Schwan's sent a big box which came by UPS, so I don't think we have a truck out on our route now. I know I've not seen one here in years - since my high school friend opened up a landscaping business.

I called the boys in to see what they'd like to try out. The beefs tips caught their eyes, and the youngest loves asparagus (though usually the mushy canned type - go figure).


Schwan's Beef Tips for Kabobs
The Schwan's beef sirloin steak tips came boxed for kabobs including the kabob sticks and directions. I could have made some beautiful kabobs, but I must confess to finding it tedious to string kabobs and turn them all the time to ensure even grilling. My solution to that is what I call deconstructed kabobs. You can call me a genius or lazy - either works.

What I did was season the kabobs with some Steak Splash out of Canada (can use Italian dressing or any favorite marinade) and with lemon pepper as you can see below.


Schwan's Beef Tips - Seasoned Up
The meat looked beautiful. It was bright red and had some marbling but not any fat blobs. No trim up needed. These are just right out of the Schwan's box.

I sprayed a little non-stick spray in my wok grilling basket and poured in the beef tips. They made a nice sizzle and colored up well. After around 8 minutes, I added the onions and green peppers. Beef really needs more grill time than those vegetables, so I start the meat and then add when the meat is about 1/4 to 1/2 done (depending on the heat on my grill).


Beef Tips Sizzling Away on the Grill with Green Peppers and Onions
Then, it was time for the Schwan's asparagus spears, but again they are easier to handle in a grill wok. I got a second wok for Christmas, so I woked the asparagus right beside the meat and covered the entire PK grill.

The aspargus went in frozen (and my Facebook friends thought I had fresh asparagus - should I tell them it's frozen?). I brushed it with some Garlic Gold (olive oil - my favorite) and just grilled until it had some grilled color. This took around 10 minutes - a little less than on the box directions (but my fire was pretty hot by this time).



It All Comes Down to the Taste - How Did Schwan's Do?
I was very impressed with the Schwan's grilling foods (and we still have some to test out and share).

First, the food was packed well and looked good. Brownie points for that. But, I've had some products sent that did look great but did not taste that great.

The meat (and our fresh veggies) which I ate with a knife and fork and the boys made into wraps with burrito wraps was moist and very flavorful. Some tips are kind of tough and fatty. Not these. In fact, I'd say the Schwan's are as good of beef tips as I've grilled out. Tasted like good restaurant quality. No leftovers though. Bummer on that. The boys put a hurting on the beef. Thumbs up - for sure on the kabob pack (even if I did not kabob them).

As far as the asparagus, I lived on a farm with a fresh bed. So, I spent a couple of summers eating tons of asparagus but not anytime recently. It's kind of hard to find around here. I'd never thought to get frozen asparagus and wasn't sure what I'd think of that.

If I'd not grilled the asparagus myself, someone could have pulled these off on me as fresh. The color was perfect, and the flavor was spot on. As I said, my grilling friends on FB thought I'd picked up fresh asparagus. It's grilled the same, so either one is fine (as I found with this pack). I'd not hesitate to buy Schwan's asparagus again. It really was excellent.

If you live in a Schwan's area, ask your Schwan's guy or girl about the grilling products. They really are high quality, and the directions for success are right on the box if you need them, or you can think outside the box as I did here.

Great dinner and Schwan's goes on my recommend list.

A. Thomas Steaks Now Sold Through Sperry's of Nashville

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A. Thomas Steaks - Now Available for Home Grillers
Natalie emailed to let me know that Sperry's of Nashville now offers their signature steaks from A. Thomas for delivery. We were down through Nashville this summer, and I wish I'd known about Sperry's then. It looks like a wonderful place to eat, and I have them on my list when I get back down that way. In the meantime, Natalie said that she could send out one of the new home packs if I'd like to try them and and let readers know honestly what I think.

Some people think all meat is created equal. This is not true and especially for cuts like steak. Of course, you've got a difference with round versus rib eye. But, there are quality differences in the same cut as well.

Sperry's used A. Thomas black Angus meats and partnered with the meat company and Mattingly Foods to offer these steaks for delivery purchase.

The gift pack I received was the A. Thomas Favorite which includes 6 center cut fillets and 4 center cut strips. The fillets run 4 ounces and the strips 6 ounces. No bones. Hardly any fat. Well marbled.

I had those steaks on my mind when they came in and I saw how pretty they were. The guys were out and about, so I had to wait a couple of days to fire up the barbecue grill - the PK grill in this case.


A. Thomas Steaks from Sperry's on the Portable Kitchen Grill
When everyone made it back home, I fired up the grill and put the strips on. They looked beautiful and smelled great.

 
It did not take long to grill the steaks off to a medium rare to medium. That's good, because the guys were starving as usual.


It was also getting dark, and I don't have good outside lights. So the sun was setting just as I pulled the strip steaks off the grill.

We sat down to enjoy our strip steaks, and WOW . . . this meat just melted. I can't say that I've ever had a better steak. It was obvious that this was premium meat. It just had that umph of flavor as well as being super tender.

Sperry's A. Thomas gift pack steaks are expensive, but they are a cut above. If you want a really special meal at home or want to treat your favorite home griller, this is certainly meat to remember.



 

A. Thomas Steaks Now Sold Through Sperry's of Nashville

To contact us Click HERE

A. Thomas Steaks - Now Available for Home Grillers
Natalie emailed to let me know that Sperry's of Nashville now offers their signature steaks from A. Thomas for delivery. We were down through Nashville this summer, and I wish I'd known about Sperry's then. It looks like a wonderful place to eat, and I have them on my list when I get back down that way. In the meantime, Natalie said that she could send out one of the new home packs if I'd like to try them and and let readers know honestly what I think.

Some people think all meat is created equal. This is not true and especially for cuts like steak. Of course, you've got a difference with round versus rib eye. But, there are quality differences in the same cut as well.

Sperry's used A. Thomas black Angus meats and partnered with the meat company and Mattingly Foods to offer these steaks for delivery purchase.

The gift pack I received was the A. Thomas Favorite which includes 6 center cut fillets and 4 center cut strips. The fillets run 4 ounces and the strips 6 ounces. No bones. Hardly any fat. Well marbled.

I had those steaks on my mind when they came in and I saw how pretty they were. The guys were out and about, so I had to wait a couple of days to fire up the barbecue grill - the PK grill in this case.


A. Thomas Steaks from Sperry's on the Portable Kitchen Grill
When everyone made it back home, I fired up the grill and put the strips on. They looked beautiful and smelled great.

 
It did not take long to grill the steaks off to a medium rare to medium. That's good, because the guys were starving as usual.


It was also getting dark, and I don't have good outside lights. So the sun was setting just as I pulled the strip steaks off the grill.

We sat down to enjoy our strip steaks, and WOW . . . this meat just melted. I can't say that I've ever had a better steak. It was obvious that this was premium meat. It just had that umph of flavor as well as being super tender.

Sperry's A. Thomas gift pack steaks are expensive, but they are a cut above. If you want a really special meal at home or want to treat your favorite home griller, this is certainly meat to remember.



 

Hot Pepper Jelly Pork Shoulder in the Crock Pot

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Happy New Year my sweet friends!!  I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas season filled with friends and family, traditions kept and new memories made. I know I did!  This year was all about our boys, and taking a little break from blogging was a nice way to decompress and keep my mind focused on the true meaning of the season.  But now that it is all over I am SO excited to get back into it all!  I know I missed you- and I sure hope you missed me!  
Being it is January and the New Year is upon us, I thought it fitting to share a recipe for pork that we have been going wild over lately!  It is supposed to be good luck to eat pork on New Years day, but I think all of January is good enough too ((wink, wink)).   Right now you can also usually find the pork shoulder (also labeled pork butt) marked down after the big holiday making it the perfect time to stock up.  Our grocery store had them buy one get one free!  I LOVE when that happens!  Being an already budget-friendly cut of meat, this is a huge savings.  
This recipe takes Hot Pepper Jelly, which is a bit sweet but also packs a nice bite from the hot peppers, some brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and a good squeeze of Dijon mustard making a sauce which tenderizes and flavors the meat so, so, so amazing. We are seriously addicted to this recipe and I know you will be too!  
**I've been asked on my facebook page if this is a spicy dish.  It actually isn't hot at all. You get all the flavor of the hot peppers, but none of the heat. You may get a zip here and there depending on the heat of the jelly you use. But I wouldn't call it hot. Both of my boys can eat it and love it. **


Hot Pepper Jelly Pork Shoulder in the Crock Pot 
1 (3-5lb) pork shoulder (also labeled as the butt)
1 large onion, chopped
1 Cup hot pepper jelly
1/4 Cup Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Spray inside of crock pot with nonstick cooking spray.  Place the chopped onion in the bottom of the crock pot.  Rinse the pork shoulder, pat dry and put into the crock pot on top of the onions.  Season WELL with salt and pepper- don't be afraid of the salt and pepper folks!  Whisk the jelly, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and Dijon mustard together and pour over pork.  Do not be tempted to add any water or liquid to the crock pot. It isn't necessary because the jelly melts down and the pork creates its own juice while cooking.

Cook on HIGH for 5-6 hours or on LOW for 8-10. Around the last hour or so of cooking time, you want to check your meat by taking the lid of the crock pot off and giving the pork a pull with a fork.  It should be fall-apart tender.  If it isn't, let it cook until it is!  It is well worth the wait.  When it is at fall-apart stage you can carefully remove it from the crock pot, and using two forks, pull the meat apart and then add it back to the pot for an additional 30 minutes to absorb more of the juices.  Lately I have been just pulling it gently apart into chunks while inside the pot instead of shredding it outside so we can have larger pieces.  But both are fine- do to your preference!

Serve alongside rice, or mashed potatoes with lots of juice on the side to pour on top.  You can also stuff into buns or mini rolls for sliders- kids love this!  And the left overs we always use in soft taco shells for carnitas. With so many options, this is sure to be a hit in your home!

Four Benefits of Paleo Diet Meals That Can't Be Ignored

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The Paleo diet goes by many names, including the Caveman Diet, the Hunter-Gather Diet, and the Stone Age Diet. Regardless of the name you call it by, the benefits of Paleo diet are numerous. Once you adjust to this different way of eating-and looking at food-you will begin to feel the difference in your body.

Our bodies are simply not designed to process and utilize many of the foods in our modern diet. Many of the staples of the modern diet that we consider healthy are in fact products that man himself cultivated. They are not naturally occurring foods. And they are certainly not foods that our bodies were designed to use as fuel. Relatively speaking, these foods are new to our diets and our bodies have not fully adapted to our intake.

\"Diet Meals\"

The result of our consumption of these foods is much like what happens when you use the wrong fuel in your vehicle: a sluggish engine. Our bodies respond by becoming susceptible to illness and disease. Our bodies run more slowly and less effectively than they should. In general, we just don't feel good. However, most of us cannot remember a time that these 'foods' were not in our diets, so we don't realize that how we feel is not normal. We are unaware that our bodies can in fact feel better and perform at much higher levels.

Four Benefits of Paleo Diet Meals That Can't Be Ignored

The four benefits of the Paelo diet are: increased energy; clearer, smoother skin; weight loss; and a stronger immune system.

Increased Energy

One of the benefits of the Paleo diet is increased energy. You will have more energy than you know what to do with. Some people say they feel younger, but others claim they have more energy than they ever recall having. Think about it: the Paleo man had to have a lot of energy just to get through his day, which centered upon surviving. His diet sustained him through the equivalent of walking ten miles each day, as well as running from predators, and lifting heavy objects.

Clearer, Smoother Skin

Your skin will look clearer and smoother skin than ever before. Sometimes we don't even realize how dull and lackluster our skin's appearance has become until it begins to clear. The Paleo diet is a skin-clearing miracle.

Weight Loss

Many of us begin battling our weight as we age. Once you make the shift to the Paleo diet, you will be surprised by how easy weight loss becomes. The Paleo man did not battle the bulge like we do. His physique was slim and trim.

Stronger Immune System

Once you eliminate the damaging processed and cultivated foods we have added to our diets, your body begins to regain its natural resistance to illness and disease. The Paleo man had a short life expectancy due to a lack of medical care, not due to illness. He did not suffer from heart disease or diabetes like we do.

The benefits of the Paleo diet are too good to ignore.

Four Benefits of Paleo Diet Meals That Can't Be Ignored

Want to know even more benefits of Paleo diet meals? Learn more at http://www.thepaleodietrecipesblog.com/

Weight Loss Recipes - 3 Delicious and Filling Low-Fat Meals That Don't Even Taste Like Diet Foods

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The fact that you are on a diet does not mean that your food must taste like diet food. In the contrary! If you want to lose weight effectively and in a healthy way, with a high chance of preventing it from coming back, than you must enjoy what you eat. Because that's the only way how you will continue to eat this healthy food.

The problem why many fad diets fail is simply that you can't keep on eating like that. And even if a restrictive diet does help you to lose weight - as soon as you finish the diet and return to your old eating habits, you will almost certainly pick up weight again.

\"Diet Meals\"

But if you make lasting changes in your lifestyle and start eating healthier instead of going on a diet, then you have a high chance that you will not only lose weight but also keep it off afterwards. A healthy diet and weight is a lifetime commitment, not a 6-weeks affair. Eat healthy and you will be healthy, that's the secret.

Weight Loss Recipes - 3 Delicious and Filling Low-Fat Meals That Don't Even Taste Like Diet Foods

Try these three low-fat dishes that don't taste like low-fat at all! They are healthy and easy to make, filling, high in nutrients and low in calories. And they are not "diet meals" but something you can enjoy.

Spicy Vegetable And Mince Curry

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. canola oil
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. crushed chili
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 700 g lean minced beef
• 600 g butternut, diced
• 500 g carrots, thickly sliced
• 600 g potatoes, diced
• 500 g sweet potatoes, diced
• salt

Steps

1. Heat the oil in a large pot. Fry cumin and coriander for about 1 minute, continuously stirring.
2. Add turmeric, chili and lemon juice and mix well. Add minced meat and roast it briefly.
3. Add the vegetables, mix well, cover and roast for 20-30 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Stir frequently to prevent burning.
4. Season with salt and serve

Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

• 1 small marrow, cubed
• 1 tomato, cubed  
• 1/2 stick celery, sliced  
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/8 cabbage
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/4 l vegetable stock
• oregano
• salt, freshly ground black pepper

Steps

1. Bring the vegetable stock to boil, add the vegetables and bay leaf and cook for about 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are just soft.
2. Season with oregano, salt and pepper.
3. Serve with whole grain bread.

Pasta With Mixed Vegetables And Cashews 

Ingredients

• 200 g whole wheat pasta
• 4 tbsp. canola oil
• 3 red chili, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 80 g cashew nuts
• 2 red and 1 yellow pepper, thinly sliced
• 150 g green beans  
• 1 tin corn

Steps

1. Cook the pasta in boiling water according to the instructions on the packet.
2. Heat the oil in a large pan, fry the onions and chili for about 3 minutes, occasionally stirring. Add the cashews and fry for another minute. Add pepper and beans and stir-fry for 5-10 minutes until the vegetables are just soft. Then add the corn, mix everything well and allow the corn to heat up.
3. Drain the pasta and serve it with the veggies.

All three recipes make four servings. They are based on large portions of vegetables and foods rich in complex carbohydrates (potatoes, whole grain bread and pasta) which will fill you long before you could possibly overeat. They provide you with important nutrients whilst being low in calories. No or little fat has been added to the recipes, and the ingredients are rather low in fat. This way, you can lose weight and still enjoy delicious meals of a reasonable portion size.

Weight Loss Recipes - 3 Delicious and Filling Low-Fat Meals That Don't Even Taste Like Diet Foods

Bettina Berlin is a health professional specializing in healthy weight loss approaches. Losing weight can prevent diseases, improve recovery and bring relief for chronically ill people. Are you tired of diets letting you down? Visit http://www.elishas-quick-recipes.blogspot.com to discover how you can achieve permanent weight loss whilst enjoying your life to the fullest! Get The Slim Habit NOW, the weight loss program that teaches you to change your lifestyle instead of torturing you with diets!

A Medifast Diet Food List - Examples of What You'll Eat on This Diet

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People often ask me if it's possible to see a list of foods that you eat while on the medifast diet. The list for the diet is extensive. There are over 70 food choices. And, the possibilities for the "lean and green meal" that you prepare for yourself each day are endless. Still, I can offer you a list of possibilities in the article below to give you some idea of the food choices that you have on this diet.

A List Of Possible Medifast Breakfast Foods: Every one is different of course. So, what I might eat for breakfast may not sound all that good to you. But, possible choices for me are the plan's latte, cappuccino, oatmeal, and eggs. There's also the shakes, bars, and brownies. And of course, within each category, there are different flavors. For example, if you are considering the oatmeal, you can chose between blueberry, peach, apple cinnamon, and maple/brown sugar.

\"Diet Meals\"

Medifast Snacks Food Choices: Now, you are supposed to eat five of the plan's meals each day in addition to the larger meal that you need to provide. (Everything but the "lean and green meal" is prepackaged and made already for you.) So, since you have to cover this five times, most people will eat breakfast, lunch, and three snacks. For me, I have one snack mid morning, one in the afternoon, and the last one a few hours after dinner. This is in addition to breakfast and lunch.

A Medifast Diet Food List - Examples of What You'll Eat on This Diet

For snacks, the choices are things like pretzels, cheese puffs, pudding, shakes, bars, juice drinks, and brownies. Again, there are several flavors within each food category. For example there are two kinds of bars (all with their own flavors) and several kinds of shakes from which to chose. In terms of shakes, most people will opt for the regular 55, at least at first. With bars, I usually stick with the crunch bars. You can have more than one of these per day. With the maintenance bars, they only want for you to have one per day.

Medifast Lunch Food List: This diet offers a lot of different soups, stews, and chilis in several different flavors. Examples are chicken and rice, chicken noodle, crab, vegetable beef, cream of broccoli, cream of tomato, and cream of chicken. There is also a pretty good chili. I eat these a lot, but sometimes, I will make an egg burrito or wrap using the diet eggs. Other times, I will take my lean and green option at lunch time and eat out (sensibly of course.) And, you are also free to chose any of the shakes and bars or any other item on the menu for lunch.

Medifast Dinner Foods: As I alluded to, most people chose to eat their own prepared meal at dinner. This allows them to sit down to a meal with their family. This is not a requirement though. You can have this meal anytime that you want. I know some folks that eat their larger meal at breakfast or lunch and then chose one of the smaller diet meals for dinner.

A Medifast Diet Food List - Examples of What You'll Eat on This Diet

Want to see the entire Medifast diet food and product list? Visit Lindsey's Medifast Review Website. You'll find a full meal list, videos, tips, coupons information, and products related to success on this diet. She also offers a free weight loss ebook at http://easiest-diet.com/

Schwan's Grill Pack - Excellent Quality and Yummy

To contact us Click HERE

Two Grill Wok Night with Schwan's BBQ Foods
Brandi contacted me on behalf of Schwan's Foods to see if I'd do a honest taste test and review. What she didn't know was that I graduated with a guy who drove a Schwan's truck and remebered that the company had some great foods. Of course, that was a LONG time back, so you just never know how a company fares over the years. In any case, I was game to try out Schwan's again to see.

First, I was surprised at how many foods Schwan's has geared toward grillers now. They even include the directions for grilling. Before, you could, of course, put their foods on the grill, but you'd have to figure out frozen/unfrozen on the grill and times and things like that.

Schwan's sent a big box which came by UPS, so I don't think we have a truck out on our route now. I know I've not seen one here in years - since my high school friend opened up a landscaping business.

I called the boys in to see what they'd like to try out. The beefs tips caught their eyes, and the youngest loves asparagus (though usually the mushy canned type - go figure).


Schwan's Beef Tips for Kabobs
The Schwan's beef sirloin steak tips came boxed for kabobs including the kabob sticks and directions. I could have made some beautiful kabobs, but I must confess to finding it tedious to string kabobs and turn them all the time to ensure even grilling. My solution to that is what I call deconstructed kabobs. You can call me a genius or lazy - either works.

What I did was season the kabobs with some Steak Splash out of Canada (can use Italian dressing or any favorite marinade) and with lemon pepper as you can see below.


Schwan's Beef Tips - Seasoned Up
The meat looked beautiful. It was bright red and had some marbling but not any fat blobs. No trim up needed. These are just right out of the Schwan's box.

I sprayed a little non-stick spray in my wok grilling basket and poured in the beef tips. They made a nice sizzle and colored up well. After around 8 minutes, I added the onions and green peppers. Beef really needs more grill time than those vegetables, so I start the meat and then add when the meat is about 1/4 to 1/2 done (depending on the heat on my grill).


Beef Tips Sizzling Away on the Grill with Green Peppers and Onions
Then, it was time for the Schwan's asparagus spears, but again they are easier to handle in a grill wok. I got a second wok for Christmas, so I woked the asparagus right beside the meat and covered the entire PK grill.

The aspargus went in frozen (and my Facebook friends thought I had fresh asparagus - should I tell them it's frozen?). I brushed it with some Garlic Gold (olive oil - my favorite) and just grilled until it had some grilled color. This took around 10 minutes - a little less than on the box directions (but my fire was pretty hot by this time).



It All Comes Down to the Taste - How Did Schwan's Do?
I was very impressed with the Schwan's grilling foods (and we still have some to test out and share).

First, the food was packed well and looked good. Brownie points for that. But, I've had some products sent that did look great but did not taste that great.

The meat (and our fresh veggies) which I ate with a knife and fork and the boys made into wraps with burrito wraps was moist and very flavorful. Some tips are kind of tough and fatty. Not these. In fact, I'd say the Schwan's are as good of beef tips as I've grilled out. Tasted like good restaurant quality. No leftovers though. Bummer on that. The boys put a hurting on the beef. Thumbs up - for sure on the kabob pack (even if I did not kabob them).

As far as the asparagus, I lived on a farm with a fresh bed. So, I spent a couple of summers eating tons of asparagus but not anytime recently. It's kind of hard to find around here. I'd never thought to get frozen asparagus and wasn't sure what I'd think of that.

If I'd not grilled the asparagus myself, someone could have pulled these off on me as fresh. The color was perfect, and the flavor was spot on. As I said, my grilling friends on FB thought I'd picked up fresh asparagus. It's grilled the same, so either one is fine (as I found with this pack). I'd not hesitate to buy Schwan's asparagus again. It really was excellent.

If you live in a Schwan's area, ask your Schwan's guy or girl about the grilling products. They really are high quality, and the directions for success are right on the box if you need them, or you can think outside the box as I did here.

Great dinner and Schwan's goes on my recommend list.

A. Thomas Steaks Now Sold Through Sperry's of Nashville

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A. Thomas Steaks - Now Available for Home Grillers
Natalie emailed to let me know that Sperry's of Nashville now offers their signature steaks from A. Thomas for delivery. We were down through Nashville this summer, and I wish I'd known about Sperry's then. It looks like a wonderful place to eat, and I have them on my list when I get back down that way. In the meantime, Natalie said that she could send out one of the new home packs if I'd like to try them and and let readers know honestly what I think.

Some people think all meat is created equal. This is not true and especially for cuts like steak. Of course, you've got a difference with round versus rib eye. But, there are quality differences in the same cut as well.

Sperry's used A. Thomas black Angus meats and partnered with the meat company and Mattingly Foods to offer these steaks for delivery purchase.

The gift pack I received was the A. Thomas Favorite which includes 6 center cut fillets and 4 center cut strips. The fillets run 4 ounces and the strips 6 ounces. No bones. Hardly any fat. Well marbled.

I had those steaks on my mind when they came in and I saw how pretty they were. The guys were out and about, so I had to wait a couple of days to fire up the barbecue grill - the PK grill in this case.


A. Thomas Steaks from Sperry's on the Portable Kitchen Grill
When everyone made it back home, I fired up the grill and put the strips on. They looked beautiful and smelled great.

 
It did not take long to grill the steaks off to a medium rare to medium. That's good, because the guys were starving as usual.


It was also getting dark, and I don't have good outside lights. So the sun was setting just as I pulled the strip steaks off the grill.

We sat down to enjoy our strip steaks, and WOW . . . this meat just melted. I can't say that I've ever had a better steak. It was obvious that this was premium meat. It just had that umph of flavor as well as being super tender.

Sperry's A. Thomas gift pack steaks are expensive, but they are a cut above. If you want a really special meal at home or want to treat your favorite home griller, this is certainly meat to remember.



 

Dr. Phil, Robin, and Open Sky - Wrong on Many Levels

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I'm just a regular person with a regular job and a little barbecue blog that I've worked on for eight or so years. I started the blog to help family and friends, and then others found Barbecue Master, and my numbers went up. This doesn't mean I got rich. It took four years I think to make the $100 pay out amount for Adsense, and a good month now (spelled summer with my topic) is when I do make pay out in a single month. Clearly, I'm not in it for the money.

Open Sky - We Have a Vision

Open Sky got in touch three or four years backs. I don't recall all the details on the dates. I'm better with information over dates and numbers.

The idea that was sold to bloggers they hunted up online was that we could share really good products with our readers and get (or sometimes even not) a few cents if someone clicked through and purchased. I link companies all the time for free (and no kick back), and this sounded kind of like Adsense. But, it included kind of a custom store - sort of like Amazon affiliates when you link (which you can't in my state).

A lot of the little bloggers out here thought we might help out with best picks. It did not appear that there would be much money, but people could get the best of the best we could suggest.

What Open Sky Did

Open Sky kept pulling in more and more bloggers and pushed for our contacts for good small products and pushed for us to spam link our blogs and pushed for us to backlink to Open Sky (which makes it rank higher on Google). The stress was great (if you listened to the emails and calls). I know one early Open Sky shop keeper (as they called us) committed suicide. I don't know why, but I'm sure extra stress did not help.

Most of the bloggers bailed on Open Sky when they tried to get us to push products we did not know, love, and trust. They put a Beer Pong table on my Open Sky page which is when I cut all ties. I teach, so there is no way I would have ever recommended a Beer Pong blow up table thing. Per the email . . . oops Open Sky was sorry about that.

Others (mostly new bloggers I think) stuck with this plan. Open Sky was very convincing.

Then . . . Open Sky canned all the little bloggers who did not have huge fan lists and sales. This little blogger model was what they sold to everyone, but they just got the backlinks and then dumped all the little ones - most who were honest and on the level.

You can Google around and find many stories about the early years of Open Sky.

Open Sky - The New Company SPLASH

I've seen a few articles just out about this new company Open Sky that is fab-u-lous. They make it sound like it's a few months old. That is not true.

Tonight Dr. Phil's wife ended his show with a pitch for Open Sky with her personal favorite products. You sign up, and you can buy what Mrs. Phil loves. She gets a cut of your money as well as Open Sky, and the companies sell more but priced up, of course, for such big endorsements.

What You Get at Open Sky

Some products at Open Sky are great. Some are not. That's life.

The short time I was active, one shop owner who was featured by Oprah was able to sell a ton of cereal bowls for $16 each. She was the darling of Open Sky back then (and others like her who had a TV audience etc). You could get bowls just like the ones on the darling's site for a couple of bucks at Target.

So, the bottom line is that you have two middle men when you shop Open Sky. That's fine if you want to pay for what stars tell you that you should buy. If you just Google the product, it's likely that you can find it for less, unless the actual company is new and desperate enough to take very little or no profit.

Note to Dr. Phil

You are good at business Dr. Phil. That's clear, or you would not be where you are. Good for you. I did, however, think that you had some heart, and I thought your wife did with her showing up at your tapings all the time.

I must say that I am disappointed that it appears that you did not do your research and did not know how many people Open Sky walked over (little bloggers, little companies, buyers) to suddenly be a new HIT. This is not a new company, and they did not build those backlinks. They used up people, and they tossed them in the trash. I'm just thankful I walked away.

Sure. Robin can have her little Open Sky shop to share what she love, love, loves, and make money, money, money. That was the idea (I guess), but the first idea was that the shops would be by real experts who really cared about the product areas. The topic experts with real blogs would not sell out, so that did not work out. Not enough money for the real deal.

Impact?

I can't say what the impact will be with a small blogger sharing this information. I'm sure Dr. Phil could smash me like a bug. Heck, all the Open Sky big wheels have connections that could hurt me I'm sure. Just check the pedigrees.

As far as my readers, if you need or want something related to grilling, smoking, or barbecue, I will tell you what I use and love period. You can take that to the bank, and you do not need to pay Open Sky and a TV star to tell you what to buy.

   

How to Help the Families of the Sandy Hook Newtown Connecticut Shooting Victim Families

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I was shocked as the news came through yesterday about the killings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. I went and hugged my son. He's 22 years old. I can't even imagine my life without him and his brother who is on a trip and will be home today. So, my heart breaks as does those of our nation (and I would think the world) as the thought of little children gunned down at school weighs on my mind.

Along with so many others, I wondered how to help. Really, there is no help at the moment as families are shattered there in Connecticut. What could anyone say or do that would mean very much in the immediate aftermath? I'm sure the families and the whole community are simply in shock right now.

As the days pass, there will be needs.
I'm always concerned about organizations that profess to help communities and then appear to squander the money or pad the pockets of the top executives.

After much research and seeing a lot of sketchy looking places soliciting donations, I felt that Newtown Connecticut Familiy Services sounded like the best bet. They promise that all money does go to the families through a program called Caroline's Gift.

You can read up on the organization through the link above, and here is the mission statement.

"Newtown Youth and Family Services, Inc. is dedicated to helping children and families achieve their highest potential. Newtown Youth & Family Services’ vision is to become a recognized leader in providing mental health and support services."

The group offers free counseling which has previously been with children of divorce and other such traumas. We're not talking about a town where seeing your classmates shot dead would be expected. They are, however, working toward getting more counseling set up.

Can you add other groups that would be trustworthy?
If you know of other groups in the community that would be solid and good stewards of donations, please do add them. Be sure to double check though. I found several that I would not trust to do the right thing with donations. And, I found articles about the misuse of funds during other tragedies.

Help - Don't Hurt
Please do not use this post and blog to air political concerns. You will find many places to argue and flame about any number of issues. Honor this space for the children, adults, and their families of Newton, Connecticut.

Excellent Sausage - Sunset Farm Foods out of Georgia

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Southern Smoked Link Sausages from Sunset Farm Foods of Georgia
I'm a sausage fan as most of my readers know, and it's hard to find good sausages in the South. I buy a local bulk sausage (Frank Corriher) which I grill on a griddle or salt block, but it's hard to find anything other than very generic link sausages. I season and smoke them up, and they're really yummy. But, the meat really isn't center stage.

When Joy with Sunset Farm Foods out of Georgia offered to send samples of link sausage out of Georgia I wondered how those would taste. I said I'd give them a try. I didn't know if they would be much different from what I can get here, but I was hoping.

This semester I taught a freshman seminar class on barbecue. Since the class is only an hour and a half, I can't do actual barbecue in that time. So, I decided to surprise the class and do grilled sausages. That would be a good test for these Georgia sausages, becauce there are fifteen kids in the class.

  Catawba College First Year Seminar Barbecue Class
I got up early and packed my tailgate O grill, grill wok, and sausages. I had a large bulk pack of IGA grocery sausages with a group this size and saved the Sunset Farm Foods sausages for last. The two flavors were cracked pepper and jalapeno. I did warn the students that the last batches would be spicy, and everyone in the class likes zippy foods so that was good.


Getting Sausages Ready to Grill
I told my students how to grill sausages. Basically, you just slice them up, put them in a zip lock bag with some seasoning (Dizzy Pig rub in this case), and then load them in the grill wok until they are hot and some crispy, since many people like the crispy outside.


Grilled Sausages from Sunset Farm Foods in a Grill Wok
My students took turns checking and turning the sausages. They caught on fast. This is a really easy grilled appetizer that tastes great. I told them that sausages are great for tailgating. They're done quick and are hard to mess up.


Yes. Those Sausages Rock.
The students devoured the sausages and really enjoyed them. It was universal that the Sunset Farm Foods sausages were better than the bulk grocery sausages (although the low priced sausages were tasty too).

Sunset Farm Foods has all natural sausages. Some readers may not care one way or the other on that. But, the taste is better too. I was glad I had these side by side, because it made for a good comparison. There was an extra pop to the sausages out of Georgia. Part of that was the pepper and jalapeno - but not all of it. The meat was just better. The texture on the Sunset Farm sausages was firmer too while the less expensive have kind of the bologna texture.


Grilled Sausages from Sunset Farm Foods
I had one package left of Sunset Farm Foods sausages after the school grill out, and I wanted all my family to get to try them. This was the mild package, and I used Tatonka Dust on them.

The guys ate the whole package, so you can be sure that they went over great at home too.

If you're looking for some really wonderful sausage, then Sunset Farm Foods has a very impressive product. The meat is wonderful. If you like spicy foods, then you'll find that the cracked pepper and jalapeno are excellent as well. Some of the meats with stuff added are not very good. In this case, the additions were balanced and went with the meat. If I had to pick, I'd say the cracked pepper were my favorite, but I'd take a plate of Sunset Farm sausages any day in any flavor.