snack

Product Review : BettaSnax

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Once in a while companies send me samples of their products to review on ChefsOpinion. I am more than happy to do these review’s and since I don’t get paid or compensated in any way to do so, I can always give my honest, professional and private opinion. If here is a product I don’t like for any reason, I inform the company and refrain from reviewing it.
This time I received sample snacks from “BettaSnax”, which I am happy to write about and inform you of my tasting experience.
These are the snacks I sampled :
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BettaSnacks

: BettaSnacks – S’MORES BISCOTTI

: BettaSnacks – ORIGINAL BISCOTTI

: BettaSnacks – FRUIT & NUT BISCOTTI

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According to the manufacturer, these snack’s contain:
No cholesterol, no preservatives, no dairy products, no artificial flavors.
What’s more, they are low in fat and low in calories.
(Sounds like a winning formula to me) 🙂

ORIGINAL BISCOTTI CHIPS

” ORIGINAL BISCOTTI CHIPS” – These are my new commercial snack heroes.
Super tasty, great texture, slight hint of vanilla, slightly sweet.
I want these with my espresso, with my cheese, or just by them self as a healthy, satisfying snack.
Superb product.
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FRUIT & NUT BISCOTTI

“FRUIT & NUT BISCOTTI CHIPS” – These gave me a totally different taste impression.
Since they are much sweeter an fruitier, I can fully appreciate their flavor and texture but for me personally,
they lack the sophistication and “biscottiness” of the “ORIGINAL”.
Good product.
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S’MORES BISCOTTI

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“S’MORES CHIPS” – My least favorite product. They taste slightly burnt, the texture feels crumbly.
My neighbors kid’s absolutely love them, but I have to say no tho them.
Acquired taste ?
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Conclusion : The “original biscotti chips” will be a staple of my pantry, to be served with coffee, ice cream, cheese or just by them self. I love them and wish I’d discovered them earlier.

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Note :
1) I wish the manufacturer would consider a more attractive, elegant packaging. While the bag serves it’s purpose fully, the colors and writing are a bit dreary and unattractive in my opinion.

2) The online shop also seems to have some teething problems, I was not able to place an order.

3) The picture on amazon – come on, you can do better 🙂
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“Fondue” Au Fromage Sec

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Good Read’s. Good Eat’s. Good Drink’s. Good Company = Good Times.
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The title of this dish, “Fondue Au Fromage Sec”, is tongue in cheek, but the dish itself is a knock-out: A great snack, a simple dinner, or fun party food.
I have prepared this often over the years, but I never really gave it a proper name.
So when I made it this sunday afternoon, I wanted to finally give the dish a proper, clever ? name. Hopefully, I succeeded ?
I love a good cheese fondue , and this dish has most ingredients of a “fondue au fromage” , (but not the texture, because instead of being liquid, it is “dry”.
Let me know if you disagree and think you ‘ve got a better name for it 🙂
But then, nevertheless, follow the recipe and you will agree that the dish itself is an outstanding snack or party staple or even , if served with a side of greens, a meatless dinner good enough to shine on it’s own.

Fondue Au Fromage “Sec”

: Fondue Au Fromage “Sec”

: Fondue Au Fromage “Sec”

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Ingredient’s :

Sour dough bread, scored criss cross 3/4 down to the bottom crust
Brie cheese, cut into cubes
Asiago cheese, diced
Cheddar cheese, shredded
Roasted garlic paste,
White wine,
Scallions, thinly sliced
Walnuts, shelled
Dijon mustard,
Chili flakes,
Butter, melted

Method :

Open the slit’s of the scored bread with your fingers. Drizzle with melted buter, then white wine. Add a bit of the mustard to the bits of cheese. Stick one piece of brie and one piece of asiago cheese into each of the cavities. Add cheddar cheese into the cavities as well as on top of the bread. Bake at 375F until cheese melts. Remove from oven, sprinkle walnuts and chili flakes on top, return to oven until the bread starts to crisp up and is heated through all the way. Remove again from oven, sprinkle with finely sliced scallions and serve hot.

Enjoy ! Live is Good !

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“Brotzeit”

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Tonight’s dinner is simple but delicious.
Daikon (white radish) sprinkled with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, heirloom tomato sprinkled with sea salt, german weisslacker cheese, sourdough bread.
I was looking forward to have this “brotzeit” or “vesper” for a few day’s now; today, it fit perfectly into my schedule. Hardly any time to prepare but oh so good. Maybe you have to have been raised on food like this in order to appreciate a simple radish as a snack or dinner. But I grew up with goodies like this and I regret not having a “Brotzeit” like this more often.

Mahlzeit ! Life is good !
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Rettich Harmonika

: Brotzeit

: Vesper

: Daikon

: Snack

: Weisser Rettich

: Rettich Harmonika

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Obatzter

Here is a new take on ” Obatzter “, ” Illustrierter Camembert “, ” Verruehrter ” :
” Spicy Brie On Pear ”

Obatzter (Obatzda) is a traditional spread which is usually served as a snack, most famously at the Munich Octoberfest. It has it’s origin in the south of Germany, where it was a way to use leftover bit’s of cheese, which were given a new live after being mashed with butter, finely diced onions, beer and seasoning. The version below uses chicharones and pears instead of the more traditional bread as accompaniment.
( It’s still not exactly diet-fare 🙂
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Obatzter

: Obatzter

Ingredient’s :

Pears, thick slices, core removed
Brie, substitute with any soft cheese you might prefer
Pork rinds, (chicharones)
Butter, softened
Onions, finely diced
Beer,
Caraway, ground
Paprika,
Cayenne pepper,

Method :

With a dinner fork, mash the cheese coarsely. Add the soft butter , beer and seasoning and mash all together until smooth. Fold in the diced onions and scallions.
Serving suggestion : See pictures.

Bon Appetit! Life is Good !
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Chinese Pickled Cucumber

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Chinese cucumber salad. 涼拌黃瓜 (liáng bàn huáng guā)
This is a dish I make often at home. It is easy to prepare, economical , (say cheap if you want :-). It holds up well in the fridge for a few day’s and I use it as appetizer, side dish or snack during any time of the day, but mostly late at night when I want something tasty, fresh and spicy.

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Ingredients :

Cucumbers, cut into batons
White rice vinegar,
Garlic, paste
Ginger, grated
Chili , diced (substitute peper flakes if you must)
Soy sauce, just a small amount, so as not to discolor cucumbers
Sesame oil,
Kosher salt,
Sugar,

Method :

Salt the cucumbers, cover and let stand for 30 minutes. Discard the salty juices which have collected. Ad all other ingredients, adjust seasoning if necessary.

Note: For a variation add a teaspoon of finely diced ginger. You can substitute the cucumber with another vegetable such as radish, jicama, cabbage or Chinese cabbage.
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” Breakfast Of Champions ” # 10 – Tortilla Española

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This is without doubt one of my favorite potato dishes
and the good thing about it is that it tastes even better when you re-heat the leftovers.
Serve it as a substantial breakfast, as a snack, lunch, dinner or part of a buffet.
As for the ingredients, use potatoes and eggs for sure. Everything else is up to your fancy.
I have used seafood, chicken, ham, braised pork, any kind of sausage, mushroom, cheese,
any kind of vegetables, you name it. Just make sure that if you plan to serve it
at room temperature, season it stronger as when you plan to serve it hot,
since the seasoning is not as prominent at lower temperatures.
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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” Still Life – Wurst Salad & Merlot “. Midnight On The Front Porch

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My leftover Bologna and Asiago salad from yesterday came in handy last night ,
– and a good Merlot did not hurt either 🙂

Life is Good !
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” Bauern Vesper ” # 1

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The word “Vesper” has two very different meanings, and is used in different languages.
Obviously, we don’t want to discuss the religious meaning here, but the culinary one.
In southern Germany we use the word “Vesper” as an alternative to “Brotzeit“,
which means a meal consisting of bread (Brot) and usually, meat, poultry, cheese or fish.
It is a meal traditionally consumed at around sundown (there is a religious connection)
and used to be a simple version of dinner. These day’s, vesper has more or less taken on
the meaning of snack, consisting of bread and protein during any time of day.
Yesterday I skipped breakfast and lunch and instead, in the early afternoon,
had a VERY substantial bauern vesper (farmers meal),
consisting of smoked pork knuckles, slowly simmered until tender,
served with dijon mustard and a dipping sauce of cider vinegar with roasted garlic,
chilies, salt and onions. And last, but not least, a glass of fine merlot.
– And yes, this is one portion. (lot’s of bones) 🙂

Bon Appetit & Cheers ! Life is good !
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” Smoked Pig’s Tail, Bow Ties & Vegetable Stew “

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In my opinion, pig‘s tails are the second best part of the whole pig,
right after the cheek’s. I prefere them brined and simmered, served
with a good mustard and sour dough bread. However, I found those
smoked ones at my neighbor hood store and what better way to enjoy
them then in a good stew 🙂
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Ingredient‘s :

Smoked pig’s tail’s,
Bow tie pasta, cooked, al dente
Cauliflower, blanched
Broccoli, blanched
Carrots, blanched
Scallions, sliced
Tomatoes, wedges
Ginger, grated
Garlic, paste
Cilantro, chopped
Cayenne pepper, to taste
Kosher salt, to taste
Maggi seasoning, to taste

Method :

Simmer pig’s tail’s in lightly seasoned water until tender.
Add all other ingredients, simmer until heated through.
Serve with rustic sour dough bread.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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“ Vietnamese Pork & Mushroom Dumpling Soup “ ( NẤM RƠM & THIT HEO )

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Yesterday’s light and healthy dinner :
” Vietnamese pork & mushroom dumpling soup “.
I made twenty two dumplings, could not stop eating,
ate all of them at once ( Bella helped a bit. )
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Dumplings:
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Won ton wrappers, roundPork, very finely chopped or ground
Shiitake mushrooms, chopped
Scallions, very finely sliced
Egg white
Ginger, grated
Garlic, grated
Sesame oil
Fish sauce (Nuoc Mam)
Salt, cayenne pepper
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Soup:
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Chicken broth
Baby bok choy, blanched
Straw mushrooms
Ginger, grated
garlic, grated
Scallions, sliced
cilantro, coarsely chopped
Fish sauce (Nuoc Mam)
Sesame oil
Chili oil