House Autry Mills Seafood Breader, 8 oz. Box

Here in this house, though we’ve never lived anywhere but the West Coast, we’re somewhat southern at heart, especially in the kitchen. Catfish? Check. Spicy Fried Chicken? Check. Po’ Boy Sandwiches? Check. Gumbo? Check. Etouffee? Check. The list goes on and on. And when I got the opportunity to give House Autry Mills’ Seafood Breader, I was ecstatic. I’m always on the lookout for a good, light batter for fried fish and shrimp, especially since that’s about the only way Hubby eats fish. I’m glad I got to try it, too.

Too often, when something is sold as a breading, it’s just that, with bread crumbs or panko breading, and that’s so very different from a batter. It’s not light, airy, or truly crispy, just kinda crunchy and that’s just not the same thing. This House Autry Mills breading was just what I was looking for, and tasted like a million bucks. Lightly seasoned and crispy, it was dynamite on tilapia, pollock, shrimp, and made absolutely to-die-for onion rings. It’s just as economical for us as mixing our own batter here at home from scratch, and because it’s just the Hubby and I, one box went a loooong way. Want to mix it up? Add some buttermilk for extra southern tang, or mix in a little cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes (Or both!!) to spice it proper! Dip some potato wedges. Any way we used it, we loved this batter. Right out of the box the instructions are simple, and easy, and your right down to business in about 5 minutes. It doesn’t get any easier than that!

My markets sadly don’t carry this brand, but thankfully, you can find it on Amazon shipped to your door for a very reasonable price. The ingredients are simple, with 95% of the ingredients being things you probably have in your kitchen or pantry already. I so love when ingredient labels don’t read like some mad scientist’s experiment. And House Autry Mills has been around since 1812, so they probably know a thing or two about making a good product. I’m hoping to trying their entire line and seeing what other gems House Autry Mills has in store for me!

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Creative Energy Group and House Autry Mills.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

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Nutriva’s Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

I’ve been singing the praises of coconut oil for a few years now. I use it on my skin, my hair, and my eyelids, especially after taking off my makeup. I also use it in cooking and baking, and it’s kind of become my go-to oil for almost everything. And when I was offered a couple of cookbooks and a jar of this wunder-oil from Nutriva to review, I was over the moon at opportunity.

Not all oils are created equal and this Nutriva Organic Virgin Coconut Oil takes the coconut experience to whole another level. Nutriva is the #1 selling coconut oil in the US for over 10 years, and it’s not hard to see why. USDA organic, non-GMO, kosher, non-hydrogenated, and no cholesterol, it’s made from freshly made from cold-pressed coconuts, with a light and pleasant coconut taste and aroma that is clean and pure tasting. I baked delicious cookies that were moist in the inside and crisp on the outside and the pineapple chunks just gave them that tropical burst I was looking for. Nutiva makes everything you can get out of a coconut from flours, sugars, oils to you got to check out what an “o’ coconut” is! Nutriva also carries hemp, chia and red palm derived products, but my favorite is, easily, their Organic Virgin Coconut Oil. I got lost on their site just checking out everything they make! You can use it to pan fry and saute too, because it has a high smoke point to boot. And, OMG, it makes the best popcorn ever.

But the benefits don’t stop there. There’s an entire cottage industry springing up around coconut oil, and for good reason. Nutriva’s Organic Virgin Coconut Oil has kept my hair and skin healthy, and hydrated without all the harsh, nasty chemicals found in most mass-marketed moisturizers. And, ounce for ounce, it’s also an incredible value. Just a little bit goes a long way, and after a full day of eyeshadow over primer, nothing feels better on tired lids than a smidge of Nutiva’s coconut oil. Especially since the horrible reaction I had to the reformulated Urban Decay products, my eyelids have never been the same, but Nutriva’s coconut oil has helped…a lot. I put it on a scar from a recent surgery and watched the angry pink and purple boo-boo turn into a minimally noticeable line on my leg. The only thing I worry about with coconut oil anymore, is, figuratively speaking, oversaturation. The health benefits and dietary pluses have been so oversold and overstated that I’m worried it’ll go back to a niche oil that’s difficult and expensive to find. Thankfully, for now, it’s affordable, shelf stable, pretty versatile and relatively affordable in all it’s forms. I definitely recommend that if you haven’t, you immediately give Nutriva’s Organic Coconut oil a try.

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I received the above product(s) free of charge for the purposes of review.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

 

 

The Gourmet Nut: Tilapia Fish Bites made with the Himalayan Pink and Hiwa Kai Hawaiian Sea Salt #Recipe #Review

With fish prices rising and myself still craving fish, I have pretty much made every fish readily available in a manner of ways. Nothing satisfies a dual craving of seafood and fried food like the recipe below. The combination of salts brings a unique flavor to the dish as do the flours, which create a perfect thin crust that is super crunchy but remains light. You can make the dish using pretty much any fish (that is not ultra oily)or even use shrimps….po’ boys style or just bites to enjoy. You can also make “Devil Fish” bites by adding Sriracha to the buttermilk soak. Great for fish tacos too because the batter is crunchy but not heavy!

Himalayan Pink Salt

Salt Crystals are a nice size!

Hiwa Kai Hawaiian Sea Salt

Nothing in the salts I have tasted is like this one. Unique and delicious!

The combination of salts is what makes the impact because the salinity in the Himalayan Pink Salt is great in the buttermilk soak but does not “pickle” the meat. The Hiwa Kai Hawaiian Salt brings those earthy notes that is almost like a truffle but so unique that is difficult to pin point. In the end, you just end up with a flavor combination that is perfect and better than anything you can buy. It’s also quick to make!

Let’s get started……

I start the night before to allow the fish soak up all the flavors and I like making meals that allow me to prep the evening before, so I get less mess but the benefit of capturing every flavor note without doing a thing.

 

I purchased Frozen this time and just defrosted the fillets.

I use 3 Tilapia Fillets.

You cut the fish into bite sizes

• Start with 3 Tilapia Fish Fillets and cut them into finger size pieces and I usually try to make bites in size that take one to two bites each to eat.

Buttermilk Soak:

• 1/8 of teaspoon of each (Dried Herbs)- Thyme, Oregano, Parsley, Dill Weed, Marjoram, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Black Pepper, and the Gourmet Nut’s Himalayan Pink Salt.
• Optional- You may add 1/8 of a teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper or more to suit your taste. I have added Sriracha in the past to create “Devil Bites” but again this is to your own discretion. You can also make 1/2 normal and 1/2 deviled to get different bites out of one dish.
• 1/2 cup of Buttermilk

Combine the dry ingredients

Then add fish and coat evenly

You add the dry ingredients and the fish to a bowl and mix to combine and cover everything evenly.

Allow the fish to soak at least 4 hours but best overnight.

You will see the buttermilk level just lower to the point very little is left.

Then add the buttermilk and allow the fish to soak over night. I like to give it at least 4 hours but the more you give it, the more the fish absorbs and the better the flavor.

The following day, take the fish out and allow it to lower in temperature for about 20 minutes and then begin making the coating/batter.

Batter/Coating:

• 1/4 cup of Corn Flour
• 1/4 cup of Rice Flour
• 1/2 cup of All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of Gourmet Nut’s Hiwa Kai Hawaiian Sea Salt
• Cracked Black Pepper to taste
• Optional- Cayenne Pepper to taste

Add all flours

Then ingredients and combine

Batter fish until evenly coated and usually set mine on a plate as I go

Combine the batter and no egg needed bath is needed as the buttermilk serves as a great “glue” to make the coating stick. You simply drop each bite and coat evenly, repeat until finished.

 

Frying:
I use Peanut Oil to produce a nice crisp outside and a clean taste when frying but you may use any oil you desire. I heat up the oil between 370 and 395 degrees because I find this heat point perfect for less spatter and spitting, even though my chicken tends to cause more than the fish does. Simply drop the bites and because this is a light batter, the fish coating will remain light in color and you will achieve a light golden tone. The fish literally stops making noise when they are done. You will see within the oil the bubbling starts to subside and it takes only a few minutes to fry in small batches. It’s quick and self telling when it’s done, so that works for me.

Heat oil and I use Peanut

Fry in small batches to not over crowd

Color is a light golden just like the batter’s texture. It only takes a few minutes to fry.

 

 

Serving:
You can make fish tacos or serve the fish as-is with a side of tartar sauce. I made shrimps and crab cakes that evening, plus fries because I wanted to nip my fried food craving. I also like to grind a little finishing salt of the Hiwa Kai Hawaiian Sea Salt when serving because it gives it touch of extra flavor and the color against the white meat of the fish is just gorgeous! Enjoy!

 

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from The Gourmet Nut.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

BzzAgent: Glade® PlugIns Scented Oil Customizables™ and Glade® Wax Melts Refill Packs #Review

Everybody sometimes gets a funky house. Sour trashcans, All-Fried Fridays, heaping plates of brussel sprouts (aka “stinkberries” as hubby calls them). All of this creates funk. The kind you wake up in the morning, and go “Ew” over.

The lovely folks at BzzAgents must’ve had a few of those morning too, since the offered me a Glade campaign that included coupons for melts and a plug-in. Huzzah and hooray, because man, all the cooking I do around here has the house fun-KAY.

I’ll start with the Glade Wax Melts. You’ll need something to melt them in, but one little square goes a loooong way. I mean the whole house smells amazing! I was shocked at how long it lasted, how great it smelled, and how all that funk just went away. You get 8 cubes to a pack for less than three bucks! Are you kidding me? I chose “Cashmere Woods”, because it was the tail end of winter and it just smelled dreamy in the package. If it tells you anything, I’ve already bought 4 more. Can you say “stockpile”?

Next up is the plug-in, Glade Scented Oil Warmers Customizables. You get to pick 2 scents, or packs of pre-selected mixes, to fill your entire house with fragrance. The cute little plug-in alternates between fragrances so you never have a chance to GO ” Ug, spiced apples AGAIN?”. Did I mention it’s adorable? It’s adorable. Not the same-old same-old white, huge, honking “Look at me!” type, a delicate little flip up plug in that looks almost as nice as it smells. With a little doo-dad on the side to adjust the amount of fragrance it puts into the air (low, medium, and “I’ve been eatin’ raw onions”), you get to customize your experience even further. Sometimes, with other plug-ins, I’d get a headache from the amount of atomized oil that gets put into the air. Not here. This one, this one’s a keeper. And at $7.48 (starter kit) for up to 60 days of great smells, it’s a true value. Plus, coupons abound.

You’ll be doing yourself a huge favor picking up one or the other (or both! 😉 ), and then you can chop garlic, fry up bacon, or eat a plate of brussel sprouts until your little heart’s content!

Price Points: $2.98 for Wax Melts (pack of 8 count) and $7.48 for the Starter Kit in the Glade Plugins Customizables

Scents available in the Wax Melts:

• Scents- Clean Linen, Hawaiian Breeze, Apple Cinnamon, Pure Vanilla Joy, Lavender & Peach Blossom, Red Honeysuckle Nectar, Lavender & Vanilla, Creamy Custard, Sunny Days, Cashmere Woods and Fresh Berries, Fresh Berries & Wild Raspberry, Hawaiian Breeze and Vanilla Passion Fruit, Jubilant Rose, Jubilant Rose & Lavender Peach Blossom, Vanilla Passion Fruit, and Wild Raspberry.
• Limited Edition Scents- Let Loose, Lift Off, Live Loud, and Splash Out

Scents available in the Plugins Scented Oil Customizables:

• Scents- Clean Linen, Hawaiian Breeze, Apple Cinnamon, Pure Vanilla Joy, Lavender & Peach Blossom, Red Honeysuckle Nectar, Lavender & Vanilla, Apple Cinnamon & Lavender & Peach Blossom, Cashmere Woods, Clean Linen & Sunny Days, Clean Linen & Lavender & Peach Blossom, Clean Springs & Fresh Mountain Morning, Crisp Waters, Fresh Berries, Hawaiian Breeze & Vanilla Passion Fruit, Jubilant Rose & Lavender & Peach Blossom, Ocean Blue & Refreshing Surf, Sweet Pea & Lilac, and White Tea & Lily.
• Limited Edition Scents- Lift Off & Live Loud, Dig It, Let Loose, Lift Off, Live Loud, and Splash Out

Connect & Save:

• On-line– http://www.glade.com/en
• Facebook– https://www.facebook.com/Glade
• Twitter– https://twitter.com/Glade
• Instagram– http://instagram.com/glade
• Pinterest– http://www.pinterest.com/bzzagent/
• Save $2.00 on the Plug-Ins Coupon– http://bricks.coupons.com/Install.asp?tqnm=vamiafd49542419&bt=xg&o=116218&c=SJ&p=oVc2LqMf
• Save $1.00 off Wax Melts Coupon– http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?tqnm=vamiain3949380&bt=xg&o=116220&c=SJ&p=IKMAolva

I received the above product free of charge from BzzAgent and Glade.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.