The Dude of Food can’t remember where he crossed paths with the Herdez sauce representative but when he did he was given a few bottles to try by the agent. Since I had a few bottles to play with I tried experimenting and discovered that this product is a great addition to my Croc Pot with a pork roast and some onions. After a few hours of slow cooking you’ll pull the top off the Croc Pot and you have a pretty amazingly concocted Chile Verde. When the Dude of Food tasted this product he realized that this little bottle of green sauce contained a kick.
The avocado hot sauce can simply be used as a dip for tortilla chips but is pleasantly spicy and might be too strong for some on its own. Splashing some hot sauce into freshly crushed avocados works well. Spooning some into a fondue or as a side dip next to a plate of chicken nachos or chicken fingers would also be good options.
Herdez did well when they came up with this product. If you click on the image or Herdez name you will be redirected to Amazon to where you can purchase your own. As a new Amazon Associate I can earn from qualifying purchases and am happy to share a recommendation of a product I believe in.
The original point of this blog was to give recognition to all things food that deserved it. As I cleaned up the kitchen the other day I realized that many of the items I use on a daily basis have come from Amazon. I decided to make a list of my favorite kitchen utensils and tools and talk about them. During the creation of this story I looked into and became an Amazon Associate at ID dudefoodtalk1. As an Amazon Associate I can earn from recommending these products for qualifying purchases.
The following kitchen items are presented in alphabetical order. They are all my favorite kitchen tools and utensils. I will try to briefly describe why in each listing. Amazon links to these favorite items will be supplied in this post and will direct the reader to the Amazon product page.
Ninja Pro Ultima
Blender: My Ninja blender is an older model as you can see from the photo. It came to me as a gift from the Dr. Phil show. The Ninja team was at the show handing out cards to the audience and crew redeemable for a blender/ kitchen system. A couple of weeks after sending in the card a Ninja blender arrived to my creation center. This machine is amazing and can do way more than I ever ask it to. I have always loved this tool. Thank you Ninja.
Coffee: I have had only 1 other brand of coffee maker in my life and I went back to Mr. Coffee after that brief vacation. These Mr Coffee machines are work horses made for work horses. Besides being reliable they are easy to use and clean. Danke schon Mr. Coffee.
Coolers: My Igloo Playmate and bigColeman are great tools. Between work and weekends they get used often. The small one holds a 6 pack of pints and the larger Coleman cooler holds plenty of beer, ice, salsa, guacamole and ceviche for day trips no problem. Tack Igloo and Coleman.
Croc Pot: This is the Croc Pot SCV700-S-BR model and this slow cooker is another great asset to the kitchen countertop. It is large enough to hold a chicken or small roast and vegetables. Merci Croc Pot.
Cutting Board: I have been using a cheesy plastic cutting board and really need a good hardwood cutting board.
Knife: There are a number of knives in my kitchen but the one I reach for and use the most is my Oneida 5″ blade. Mine is an older model, is super solid and works well. The newer 5″ version is an excellent choice. I keep mine sharp. Obrigado Oneida.
Vevor Stainless Steel Meat Grinder
Meat Grinder: This Vevor stainless 304 is something I’ve recently added to my kitchen toolbox and glad I did. You can purchase the same thing only made byVbenlem instead of Vevor. This tool reminds me of growing up when everyone’s mom had a meat grinder in the kitchen drawer. I love mixing various ground meats for sausage patties and sauces. Eating homemade noodles with ground meat sauce is always cool.
Pans: I have an 2 set All Clad Big Pan Set which includes a 10″ and a 12″ non stick pan with glass covers for each. I also regularly use my Rachael Ray 2 Pan Cucina Set which includes a 9.25″ and an 11″ non stick pan. (mine’s yellow) Both pans work well but the All Clad pans distribute the heat better. Grazie Rachael Ray and All Clad.
The Cellar Dinnerware
Plates: I have been using a set of The Cellar Dinnerware for years. I feel attached to these plates now. This particular pattern is no longer available. These plates are great. Gracias The Cellar Dinnerware.
Spatula: Using a floppy bendable cheap plastic spatula that melts in your eggs is not the one to be using. I have a Guy Fieri spatula that I have had for a couple of years and it has help up great in the kitchen. I use a smaller spatula for flipping eggs.
Toaster: Growing up my mother had a toaster oven on the kitchen counter and it was a great way to warm leftover pizza slices and heating English muffin pizzas. I have tried putting my Faberware white plastic toaster on it’s side and sliding tortillas in it but that method didn’t work that great. I can use a better 2 slice toaster for bagels and English muffin mornings.
So there you have it. A list of the Dude of Food’s 10 favorite items. Click on the links to find them on Amazon. Bon Appetit.
The boss of a film crew I was working with gave the 7 member’s of our team thoughtful homemade gift bags for Christmas. One of the cool gifts in my bag included a bottle of Santa Cruz Chili & Spice Company Picante Sauce. When used in a dish I discovered this product was pleasantly surprising and complimented the dish nicely. The flavor was unique and delicious. The bottle information said the company and sauce were located near my mom. I asked mom if she was familiar with this brand of sauce and she said she knew the brand and told me the family was a well respected part of the local business community. It turns out the granddaughter of the founders of Santa Cruz Chili & Spice Co and my mother had met at an event somewhere in town in the past. My mom confirmed that the granddaughter was a very nice lady whose name is Jeanie England Neubauer. Jeanie is the granddaughter of an international business agent named Beck Kibbey. Jeanie has done a great job maintaining the business her parents and another couple began in 1943. Her family roots are deep and have ties with the towns of Nogales, Arizona and across the border in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. Her family history is amazing and the Anaheim chili became their friend. Gene England, Jeanie’s grand-father, had developed methods to stew and grind chili’s to make paste. They also ground chili pods down into powder for seasoning. The folks at Santa Cruz Chili & Spice Co still support the family traditions of the founders and have employees generations deep maintaining these traditions. Go visit their web page. https://santacruzchili.com/ The online sales page will show you the various sauces offered. Other pages will show that these folks support some really cool causes. If you are near the Tucson area and headed to the Mexican border you can go visit the Santa Cruz Chili & Spice Co gift store in person which is located a few minutes south of Tubac. The drive from Tucson is roughly 60 miles and if you love chili, then it’s well worth the trip.
This 2022 holiday season I introduced a couple of new items to my kitchen tool box which is important as we grow as chefs.
The paella pan is made by Garcima from Valencia, Spain and is a traditional polished steel paella pan that I plan to use to prepare risotto. The pan seems well made and carries a 2 year guarantee. I look forward to cooking with it.
The Dutch Oven is called Pure Intentions ‘Ecolution’ by Epoca Int’l in Florida. This pan is also stainless steel with a tempered glass top. This item has a Limited Lifetime Warranty.
The wooden roller is an Everyday Living item distributed by Inter-American Products and was made in Taiwan. It has held up pretty well so far for helping to thin out homemade pasta for my noodle cutting machine. This item has a quality guarantee or receive a full refund. How can you go wrong?
Whatever your budget or skill level remember that joy comes from sharing and cooking is to be shared, so bring joy to the world and keep cooking. Happy holidays.
The first place to eat the Dude of Food came across after exiting the Vatican City museum is this sidewalk cafe called ALDO.
After much walking, I was ready to sit down and have some nutritious authentic Italian lunch and the Aldo Restaurant provided it for me. The thoughtful staff, cool service and really good food left me feeling blessed and content and the meal was very reasonably priced.
“I would eat here all the time, if I was the Pope” exclaimed the Dude of Food.
So when I craved pasta with alfredo sauce I just took a half pound of bacon and pan fried it. After draining the pan I added some onions and finely chopped garlic. Fresh broccoli was added and then the frozen peas. Later I added a jar of alfredo and a small container of another brand of alfredo sauce and some milk. Add a dash of salt, some pepper, some basil or mint or whatever you like and bring to a simmer.
The Dude of Food is a big fan of In-n-Out burger. Ever wonder why they are so good? Is the quality of the meat? Is it the consistency in quality? Is the care they take in customer service? Is it the fresh iced tea and clean bathrooms?
Whatever it is, these employees learn at the IN-N-OUT University in Baldwin Park.
Around the corner is a replica of one of the originals, seen below. Instead of millions served they advertise ‘NO DELAY’. My how times have changed.
