Cuisine Diva

Cuisine Diva Reviews Marinelli's True Italian Pasta Sauce

Above: Marinelli's True Italian Pasta Sauce

Cuisine Diva Tries a New Tomato Sauce

I recently had a chance to test out Marinelli's Classic Marinara pasta sauce. The tomato sauce is certified gluten-free, kosher, non GMO project verified, vegan and free from cholesterol and artificial flavors and colors. The all-natural line of pasta sauce's are made in small batches of only 950 jars at a time.

The pasta sauce comes packaged in a 24 ounce glass jar inside a box. Marinelli's pasta sauce is manufactured by DeBest Gourmet Food Products, Ltd. They explain the reasoning behind the outer box as follows: "Why the outer box? Simply to keep our sauce at its very best without the need for additives. We know from research that continuing exposure to light will debase the flavor considerably."

Above: Marinelli's classic marinara tomato sauce

Ingredients in Marinelli's Classic Marinara

• Vine ripened tomatoes
• Cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
• Sauteed Spanish onions
• Sauteed whole garlic
• Genovese basil leaf
• Purified sea salt
• Ground whole black pepper
• Chili flakes

Above: Cuisine Diva added a bit of society garlic and Greek oregano to Marinelli's marinara sauce

Cuisine Diva Opinion of Marinelli's Classic Marinara Pasta Sauce

I think this is a delicious tomato sauce. I normally feel the need to doctor up most jar sauces, but this tomato sauce tasted great straight out of the jar. I didn't need to add salt to flavor it up, or add sugar to cut the acidity, like I do with most sauces.

I live in SE Florida and am able to garden year round. I always have a terrific selection of fresh herbs to cook with, so I went to the backyard garden and harvested a bit of society garlic and oregano to add to the pasta sauce, but it really didn't need any additions. I served the Marinelli's sauce over Ronzoni's tricolor rotini pasta garnished with a bit of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. It was really, REALLY good!

Above: enjoy a delicious plate of pasta served with Marinelli's tomato sauce

Marinelli's True Pasta Sauce Flavors

• Vine Tomato & Fresh Basil
• Classic Marinara
• Slow Roasted Whole Garlic
• Spicy Peperoncino Arrabiatta
• Roasted Sweet Red Pepper
• No Meat Bolgnese
• Carmalized Onion Cipollata
• Sweet Pepporonata Primavera
• Mushroom Soffritto

Additional Details

Marinelli's tomato sauce is available at Whole Foods and retails for $9.99 per jar.

Website: www.marinellitrue.com

E-mail: [email protected]

Take care,
Lynn Smythe, AKA the Cuisine Diva

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Enjoy Christmas Gift Baskets from Clearwater Hampers

Christmas is just around the corner. Are you looking for a great gift idea the entire family can enjoy? Consider putting together a gift basket filled with gourmet delights. Today's article is a sponsored post brought to you by Clearwater Hampers, located in Great Britain. They can put together a gift basket for any occasion and ship it to almost any place in the world.

It’s (Almost!) Beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

The holidays are fast approaching. The last few leaves are falling from the trees and the crisp winter air has certainly made its presence felt over the last couple of weeks. One of the best parts of late autumn is the almost tangible build up to the holiday season. Working out who’s going to host Christmas dinner and what presents to buy your loved ones are both part and parcel of the excitement and preparation. Arguably the best part of the Christmas holidays is having the opportunity to spend time together as a family and see the people you don’t get the opportunity to see as often as you’d like.

Here’s a great gift idea for those special people in your life who may be a bit tricky to buy for. These hampers for Christmas from Clearwater make fantastic options for a range of people as they are so versatile and offer a little something for everyone.  Another great thing is that they contain a variety of little luxuries and are ideal for sharing. There’s a great choice available too. Here are a few highlights. 

The Australian themed baskets come complete with a lovely bottle of wine and various tempting snacks popular with the Aussies!  These little beauties certainly lead the mind to ponder what a Christmas down under in the height of summer would be like. Slathering on the sun cream and lighting up the barbeque for Christmas dinner seems like a slightly bizarre concept!

On a cooler note, the Tinsel Time hamper contains a lovely selection of winter warmers like mulled spice tea bags and iced Christmas cake along with plenty more to make perfect additions to cosy evenings in front of the fire.

 

There’s even a hamper for the ultimate chocolate lover. Who could resist this mouth-watering selection of Belgian chocolates and truffles? The only potential problem with these is that they may be too tasty to share!

 

Hopefully that’s given some food for thought and provided an array of inspiration for treating your nearest and dearest this Christmas. Happy holidays!

Buy a Stalk of Brussels Sprouts

Above: Whole stalk of Brussels sprouts.

Stalk of Brussels Sprouts

I am a huge fan of Brussels sprouts. They look like miniature cabbages, but if cooked correctly, have a nice, slightly sweet and nutty taste. Unfortunately, many people over cook Brussels sprouts, by boiling them to death, and then they take on a nasty, bitter cabbage flavor.

Above: Benders Farmer's Market is selling whole stalks of Brussels sprouts from Ocean Mist Farms.

Brussels Sprouts Recipes

I will post up recipes for cooking Brussels sprouts, on future Cuisine Diva posts. One of the recipes is for a Brussels sprouts and parsnips casserole, which was one of the side dishes I made as part of our Thanksgiving Day menu. Today's post is about my recent trip to Benders Farmer's Market in Boynton Beach, Florida. Benders is just a short drive from my house. My husband and I made a trip there two days after Thanksgiving.

Above: It's the Brussels sprouts queen, AKA the Cuisine Diva.

Fresh Brussels Sprouts

I was pleased to find a display showing a few full stalks of Brussels srpouts. I knew this was how they grew, but I've never actually seen an entire stalk of Brussels sprouts for sale. I added a stalk to our shopping cart and got a few stares and questions as we finished our shopping.

Above: Snap each individual sprout off of the stalk. No need to use a knife to cut them off. Give each sprout a brief twist, and it should snap right off the stalk.

Harvest and Store Your Brussels Sprouts

I took a few pictures of the Brussels sprouts, on the stalk, before removing the individual sprouts to store in the refridgerator. Brussels sprouts on the stalk are much fresher and juicier than buying a package of frozen Brussels sprouts. And when I purchase fresh Brussels sprouts in packages, they are always a bit dried out compared to the sprouts on the stalk. I'll be cooking up the Brussels sprouts in the next day or two, to use them while they are nice and fresh.

Above: I harvested 75 individual Brussels sprouts from the stalk. More than enough to make a couple of dishes featuring Brussels sprouts.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

 

Jazzed Up Instant Spanish Rice

Above: Jazzed up Spanish rice.

 

Jazzed Up Instant Spanish Rice

I was looking for a quick and easy to prepare meal last night. I found a package of Knorr Spanish Rice in the pantry. It looked rather bland on its own, so I looked in the refridgerator to see what I could add to the rice to make it a bit more interesting.

 

Above: Spanish Rice flavor of Knorr Fiesta Sides.

Gourmet Ingredients

I found a jar of capers, a container of sun dried tomatoes and some kalamata olives in the refrigerator. I prepared the rice according to package directions, and once the water came to a boil, I stirred in about 1 tablespoon of capers, 4 chopped sun dried tomatoes and 6 chopped olives. I also had a left over grilled chicken breast, so I chopped that up and added it to the rice.

Above: Choose a few gourmet ingredients; such as capers, sun dried tomatoes and kalamata olives, to jazz up the Spanish style rice side dish.

Delicious Side Dish

My jazzed up Spanish style rice came out quite tasty. I would definitely make this dish again. And I love how easy it was to prepare. My husband wrinkled up his nose at the rice, but he is not a fan of olives, capers or sun dried tomatoes. BORING!

Above: Completed jazzed up Spanish rice. I added a chopped up, left over, cooked chicken breast to my rice, but you could omit the meat to make a vegetarian friendly side dish.

 

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

Individual Gourmet Pizzas

Above: Individual, whole wheat pizza crusts by Boboli.

Fun With Cheese

Yesterday I wrote a review of Alouette's Soft Spreadable Cheese. Here is an idea for an easy to prepare, gourmet pizza, featuring the sundried tomato with basil flavor of their spreadable cheese.

Above: A variety of toppings to add to gourmet pizzas.

Gourmet Pizza Ingredients

• Boboli, or other premade, individual pizza crust
• Alouette soft spreadable cheese
• Pizza toppings
• Parmesan cheese
• Fresh basil

Above: I used a perforated, metal pizza pan to make my gourmet pizza.

Gourmet Pizza Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Spread the bottom of the pizza crust with a layer of spreadable cheese. I used Alouette's sundried tomato and basil soft spreadable cheese.
3. Top the pizza with your favorite pizza toppings.
4. Sprinkle a layer of grated Parmesan cheese on top of the toppings.
5. Add a handful of chopped, fresh basil leaves to the top of the pizza.
6. Cook in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, until the cheese has melted and is lightly brown on top.
7. Cut into 4 pieces using a pizza wheel.
8. Serve immediately.

Above: Spread a layer of cheese spread on top of the pizza crust.

Gourmet Pizza Toppings

Choose from your favorite pizza toppings to top your individual gourmet pizzas. Here are a few suggestions:

• Kalamata olives
• Green olives
• Capers
• Minced garlic
• Marinated mushrooms
• Anchovy fillets
• Sundried tomatoes
• Thin sliced green onions
• Feta cheese
• Crumbled bacon
• Diced Canadian bacon
• Fresh herbs such as basil, parsley, oregano

Above: Sprinkle the toppings of your choice on top of the pizza.

Pizza as Appetizer or Dinner

Serve individual gourmet pizzas as the main course for dinner. You can also cut up a couple of pizzas to serve as an appetizer.

Above: Hot, homemade pizza fresh out of the oven.

Salad Topping

I've seen a few chefs adding fresh greens, such as baby arugula, to the top of their pizzas, after they come out of the oven. I decided to give it a try, kind of a neat way to eat a salad along with your pizza.

• Mixed greens such as baby arugula, spinach and radicchio
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh ground black pepper
• Course sea salt

Above: Salad topping on top of individual gourmet pizza.

Sprinkle the greens on top of the pizza, as soon as you remove it from the oven. Then drizzle on a bit of good quality, extra virgin olive oil and top with a few grinds of black pepper and some course sea salt.

Above: Gourmet pizza, topped with salad greens, ready to eat.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

Cuisine Diva Reviews Alouette Cheese Spread

Above: Alouette Sundried Tomato & Basil soft spreadable cheese.

Alouette All Natural Cheese Spread

I recently had a chance to try the sundried tomato and basil flavor of Alouette's soft spreadable cheese. The cheese is soft and spreadable directly from the refrigerator. The cheese can also be heated in the microwave, to make a hot cheese spread. The inner wrapper of the cheese package contains a recipe for Alouette Mediterranean Bruschetta. Additional recipe ideas can be found on the Alouette website.

I enjoyed the flavor and consistency of the cheese, and tried it on a number of different crackers. The cheese spread would also taste great, spread on a couple of slices of bread, and used in place of mayonnaise when making a sandwich. I'm also going to try spreading it on the base of a premade pizza crust, to create a sauceless pizza with a variety of toppings; I'll post photos and details of the pizza in a day or two.

A variety of raw vegetables, such as carrots, bell peppers and celery could also be served along with the cheese. Try using a spoonful of the spreadable cheese on top of burgers or grilled chicken or fish. I bet the cheese spread would also taste great on top of a baked potato.

Alouette Tomato Basil Cheese Spread Details

• Size: 6.5 ounces
• Suggested retail price: $5.49
• Serving size: 2 tablespoons = 80 calories
• All natural; no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives

Additional Cheese Flavors

Alouette cheese spread is available in 9 flavors:

1. Sundried tomato and basil
2. Creamy onion & shallot
3. Light cucumber dill
4. Peppercorn Parmesan
5. Savory vegetable
6. Garlic & herbs
7. Light garlic & herbs
8. Sweet & spicy pepper medley
9. Spinach artichoke

Above: Alouette cheese spread taken directly from the refrigerator.

From the Alouette Cheese Website

Introducing innovative packaging.In the 1990s, Alouette^® Spreadable Cheese underwent a packaging change to address requests for a convenient and attractive container that users could take directly from the refrigerator to their cheese platters. As a result, the widely recognized, French-style ramekin cup was introduced. This attractive container, unique to Alouette^® Spreadable Cheese, is perfect for every occasion. Consumer requests for recipes and serving suggestions led to the printing on the inside of the sleeve that surrounds the ramekin cup.

Above: platter featuring Alouette sundried tomato & basil cheese spread with an assortment of crackers.

Additional Information

• Alouette Cheese USA, LLC
• 400 South Custer Avenue
• New Holland, PA 17557
• 1-800-322-2743 
• [email protected]

Website: www.alouettecheese.com

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

How-to Make Traditional Pad Thai

Above: family style serving of pad thai

My previous Cuisine Diva post provides details on how to prepare all the ingredients for pad thai ahead of time: How-to Prepare Recipe Ingredients for Pad Thai. This article describes how to cook pad thai. My recipe for pad thai serves 4-6 people, depending on how hungry you are.

Above: prepared ingredients, ready to be made into pad thai

Pad Thai Recipe Ingredients

Refer to the How-to Prepare Recipe Ingredients for Pad Thai post for complete details on how to prepare each of these ingredients. Pad thai is a stir-fried noodle dish and only takes a few minutes to cook. The ingredients need to be processed and ready to go into the wok before starting to cook the pad thai.

Above: stir fry shallots and garlic

 

Above: stir fry shrimp until they turn pink

• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 4 shallots
• 4 cloves garlic
• 10 ounce raw shrimp
• 2 eggs
• 8 ounces thin to medium wide, dry rice noodles
• 1 bunch chives
• 3 tablespoons tamarind concentrate
• 2 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons palm sugar
• 2 teaspoons chili paste
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
• 2 tablespoons dried shrimp
• 1/3 cup roasted peanuts
• 2 cups mung bean sprouts
• 4 green onions
• 1 carrot
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 lime

Above: scramble egg in the wok

Pad Thai Recipe Directions

1. Heat half of the vegetable oil in a wok, over medium high heat.
2. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until the garlic begins to turn golden.
3. Add the shrimp and cook for a few minutes, or just until they turn pink.
4. Remove the cooked shrimp from the wok, place in a small bowl, and set aside.
5. Add the remaining vegetable oil to the wok.
6. Add the eggs and stir until scrambled.
7. Add the rice noodles and chives to the wok and cook for 1 or 2 minutes.
8. Stir in the processed tamarind, fish sauce, palm sugar and chili paste.
9. Stir in half of the peanuts, bean sprouts and green onions.
10. Stir in the cooked shrimp.
11. Add the pad thai to a large serving platter.
12. Sprinkle the remaining peanuts, bean sprouts and green onions over the top.
13. Garnish with the carrot, cilantro leaves and lime wedges.
14. Serve immediately.
15. Pad thai is best served fresh, as the noodles tend to get a bit mushy after a short time.

Above: add rice noodles and chives

 

Above: stir in pad thai sauce

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva

Clementine Oranges

Bag of clementines

Oh my darling, oh my darling,
Oh my darling, Clementine!
Thou art lost and gone forever
Dreadful sorry, Clementine

Click here, for the complete lyrics to Oh My Darling Clementine.

Clementines are a type of mandarin orange. You know, those cute little, bitty orange segments that you can find in the grocery store, either in tin cans, or clear plastic jars. We LOVE mandarin oranges at our house. Clementines are available in the fall down here in south Florida. I started getting them a few years ago, when I saw a small crate of them at Costco.

Perfect Little Packages
They are perfect little snacks, easy to peel and seedless. They remind me of a tangerine, but with a sweet orange taste, and no seeds. I almost never buy regular oranges, just a bit too big for a snack. Since clementines are only available for a short time, I buy them whenever I see them at the grocery store. Today I found a large net bag of them at my local Publix grocery store. A little bit disappointed that they didn't have them in the wooden crates like I usually find them. My husband and kids like them too, always nice to have a healthy snack for a change.

Clementine Facts
Clementines are normally imported from Spain, Morocco and other parts of North Africa. But my bag says it came from Chile. The Produce Pete website mentions that "Clementines have been available in Europe for many years, but the market for them in the United States was made only a few years ago, when a devastating freeze in Florida made domestic oranges scarce and expensive. A lot of oranges, including clementines, were imported from Europe, and clementines started to catch on. Over the past few years they've become increasingly popular, and as the demand has gone up, so has the price."

Snack Time
We've even found mandarin oranges in individual size plastic cups, 6 cups to a package. My daughter, the vegetarian, likes to pack those in her school lunch,much more interesting than a cup of boring applesauce. The individual cups are also great to take along on road trips, much neater than trying to open a full can of mandarin oranges in the van.

Clementine Trees
I would like to grow a few clementine orange trees, but I'm not sure if they can be shipped to Florida or not. Most citrus fruit trees aren't available for Florida shipment. I'll wait until we move to North Carolina, then I'd like to grow a tree or two in a large container. That way the clementine can grow outside during the summer, then be brought indoors, or inside my greenhouse (wishful thinking?) for the winter. A quick search on the Internet found clementine trees available from $24.99 to $325.00, depending on the size and variety.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Cuisine Diva