When Brad and I got married, one of my aunties bought us a gift set for cooking with Epicure.
Ever heard of it? (If not, click here.)
From their website:
“Epicure is dedicated to sharing delicious meal solutions that use only real, whole ingredients you can trust, while never ever compromising on taste.”
We enjoyed the set, but since it’s a privately sold product, it was off my radar as soon as we used the last mix.
Luckily, one of the moms at Archer’s day care is an Epicure representative, so I reached out to her for a catalogue before our trip last month and placed an order when we got back.
Here’s my haul:
My Epicure Haul (Not pictured: Basil & Garlic Aioli)
I’ve been on the lookout for something to mix and store my homemade salad dressings in, so this Cruet and Funnel were a perfect first choice. Then, I decided on the Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing Mix so that I had a fancy new salad dressing to make. It was so good! I made a full cup of dressing, which is a lot for our little family, but I’ve kept the leftovers in the fridge. We’ve used it twice this week so far and it’s delicious! I made up some honey garlic pork and forgot to add the vegetables, so instead I sautéed them in a little bit of the prepared balsamic dressing and served it alongside the pork with a simple green salad. Monday night dinner was done!
The process and the finished product.
Basil & Garlic Aioli
Dinner is served!
One night we were set to have salmon. I had planned on roasting some veggies, but time got away with me after I picked the kids up from day care, so I just made a green salad (which I topped with more of the vinaigrette) and sliced an apple. It was the perfect meal to add a little extra to, so I mixed up the Basil & Garlic Aioli Mix, though this time I cut the recipe in half. It was delicious with a touch of fresh lemon juice and mayo with the salmon.
Next up, an addition to my favourite snack. Popcorn! I am also a sucker for anything “fake cheese” as Brad calls it. Enter, the White Cheddar Popcorn Seasoning. Confession: I suck at following directions. Well, not that I suck at it so much as I just dislike being told what to do. Instead of the requested 1tsp of olive oil per 2 cups of popcorn to go with the seasoning (they suggest 1tbsp for that amount of popcorn), I just made my popcorn with butter as usual and added a bunch of the seasoning instead of salt. The popcorn popper that we have has a bowl, but the cover for the vent (which ends up at the bottom of the bowl) is just a trap for things to fall through, so I moved the popcorn while it was still hot to a metal bowl with a lid and shook everything up in there instead.
It was delicious and will definitely be in my regular snack rotation.
All I can say is, YUM!
That leaves one last item, the Pakora Mix. In all honesty, my first attempt at these bad boys didn’t go so well. I baked them, for which there are instructions on the package. I added some chopped green pepper, onions and a handful of chopped spinach to the mix. Sadly, they ended up a little chewy on the inside.
Things have been a bit busy lately so I haven’t had the chance for attempt #2 with the pakora mix. I’ll update when I do.
I’m the one responsible for feeding our family 99% of the time, so I’m thankful to have some help from Epicure to mix things up and keep it healthy!
Cooking with Epicure where I can,
Anya