Thomas Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

Remember the old commercial for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, where two people ran into each other and accidentally combined their respective chocolate and peanut butter snacks only to discover that the resulting combination was delicious? Well, Thomas Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing reminds me of that: A serendipitous blending of tangy tomato-vinegar barbecue sauce (the original Thomas Sauce) with traditional balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing, and the resulting combination tastes surprisingly delicious! With more body and substance than ordinary vinaigrettes, Thomas Dressing will coat and cling to your tossed salads, roasted or steamed vegetables, and anything else you toss with it. But Thomas Dressing is for much more than lettuces and veggies: The sweet & savory, perkily peppery tomato-vinegar flavors from the barbecue sauce work remarkably well with the balsamic vinegar and olive oil to create a wonderful marinade for seafood, meat and poultry that will penetrate without overpowering. If you like grilled portobello mushroom burgers, use Thomas Balsamic Vinaigrette to marinate the portobello caps for a couple of hours and then grill them to perfection, melting a slice of provolone or mozzarella cheese on top during the last couple of minute on the grill. Simply fabulous!

So if you're tired of your run-of-the-mill balsamic vinaigrettes and are ready to try something a little different to wake up your palate, give Thomas Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing a try. It's currently on sale at the Carolina Sauce Company online store. And if you happen to be watching your sodium intake, you'll be thrilled to know that Thomas Dressing is very low in sodium, with only 25mg per tablespoon!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Spicy 3-Bean Salad

I took an old family recipe and spiced it up to create a zesty version of Three Bean Salad that's perfect for folks who like hot & spicy foods.

Ingredients
1 can French-cut green beans, drained
1 can yellow wax beans, drained
1 can red kidney beans, drained
1/3 cup diced green peppers
1 de-seeded & diced red jalapeno pepper (use green if no red ripe jalapenos are available)
1 de-seeded & diced serrano pepper
Optional: 1 de-seeded & diced habanero pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion (I use a sweet onion)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup white or cider vinegar (I prefer cider)
1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar (I prefer 1/2 cup)
1 tsp salt or to taste
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper

In a large bowl (preferably glass) combine the beans, peppers & onions and stir to mix well. In a separate bowl whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper to make a dressing. Pour this dressing over the beans, stir to thoroughly mix in the dressing, then cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or ideally overnight.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria
Carolina Sauce Company

Melinda's Spicy Ketchups

I love ketchup. There, I've admitted it. Always have loved it, and always will. As a kid, I'd slather it on almost everything except dessert. As an adult, however, the red stuff found in grocery stores is not my preference as it's too sweet, with a boring one-dimensional flavor and no zip, plus it usually has high-fructose corn syrup. If you think you've outgrown ketchup for those reasons, or if you've only had grocery store brands, let me introduce you to a new world of ketchup, courtesy of Melinda's Spicy Ketchups. These all-natural ketchups are packed with real tomato flavor, sweetened with sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup, and spiced with just the right amount of hot chile peppers for a zesty kick that will complement, not overpower, your foods.

Melinda's Jalapeno Ketchup has a tangy, peppery zip that's on the mild-medium side, making it perfect for scrambled eggs and other breakfast dishes, as well as for any other normal "ketchup application" that could use a wake-up call. If you have adventurous kids who enjoy a bit of spice, I'll bet they'll love this ketchup. If you like food with zip but not fiery heat, then this is the Melinda's Ketchup for you. On the other hand, if you live for fire, then check out Melinda's Habanero Ketchup, with a seriously fiery habanero kick! It's especially good with heartier fare like burgers and other grilled meats, or in recipes where you want to ratchet up the heat (hot & spicy meatloaf, anyone?). And if you enjoy earthy, smoky flavors, then Melinda's Chipotle Ketchup is sure to make you smile. Made with real chipotles (smoked jalapenos), this rich, complex ketchup is also great on burgers and anything grilled, as well as with Tex-Mex egg or sausage breakfast dishes. And of course you can dip french fries and onion rings in any of Melinda's Ketchups.

You can get all three flavors of Melinda's Spicy Ketchups at the Carolina Sauce Company online store.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Rosemary Pesto

I adore the taste and fragrance of fresh rosemary. In fact, the dried stuff is also one of my favorite herbs. If you enjoy rosemary and have access to a rosemary bush (my neighbors are kind enough to share theirs with me), here is a delicious rosemary pesto recipe. The flavor is quite intense, so a little goes a long way. I recommend starting with 1/4 cup of the rosemary leaves first and giving it a taste, and then adding more if you want. I like to stir in a dash of red pepper flakes at the end, to add a bit of a spicy kick -- this pesto is robust enough to handle it! Serve this aromatic pesto tossed with pasta, or as a "wet rub" or marinade base for lamb or chicken, or whisked with a little melted butter to make a quick sauce for grilled vegetables, seafood, and steamed carrots. Rosemary pesto freezes well, so I usually make a whole bunch and spoon into little plastic 1/2-cup containers, adding a thin layer of olive oil on top (to protect against freezer burn) before covering and freezing.

Ingredients
1/4 cup to 1/3 cup fresh rosemary leaves
1 1/2 cups fresh Italian flat parsley
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup walnuts pieces
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (don't use the stuff that comes in a can)
1/2 cup to 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Optional: Red pepper flakes to taste

Place the the first 5 ingredients in your food processor and begin processing. Slowly and carefully drizzle in the olive oil while processing to desired consistency. Taste, then season with salt and pepper (and red pepper flakes) as desired, making sure to stir or pulse to mix in the seasoning. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before using, to allow flavors to develop.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria
Carolina Sauce Company

Operation Sauce Drop Ships 600th Gift Box!

Operation Sauce Drop is a non-profit program that sends free gift boxes of BBQ sauce and hot sauce to US troops serving abroad. I'm thrilled to announce that as of today, we've shipped free gift boxes to 600 of our troops in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other overseas locations! The troops greatly appreciate receiving a free taste of home, as you can see from the photo and thank-you note on the left, and the many other notes and photos posted on our Operation Sauce Drop feedback page. This program is made possible by donations from individuals and companies. One hundred percent of all donations are used ONLY to purchase the gift boxes at cost and to pay for the shipping. Additionally, the Carolina Sauce Company matches ALL monetary donations, dollar for dollar, AND also covers all incidental costs associated with running Operation Sauce Drop, including the labor involved, packaging materials, etc.

Because Operation Sauce Drop is funded through donations, gift box requests come in faster than donations, meaning that there are always lots of troops on our waiting list. In fact, currently there are over 240 pending gift box requests. The average cost for us to purchase and ship a gift box of sauce is about $20. Want to bring a smile to a soldier's face by sending them a free taste of home? Please donate to Operation Sauce Drop, or shop to support Operation Sauce Drop where some or all of the purchase price goes straight to OSD. Remember, the Carolina Sauce Company matches all donations, so for only $10 you can help send a free gift box of sauce to a deployed serviceman or woman. Let's see how quickly we can get to 700 gift boxes for our troops!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Melinda's All-Natural Buffalo Wing Sauces

Many mass-produced Buffalo style wing sauces "cut corners" by using artificial ingredients to add flavor and buttery texture to their sauces, thereby sacrificing quality. Unlike such lesser products, Melinda's Buffalo Wing Sauces use only all-natural ingredients including cayenne peppers, natural butter flavor, and the Caribbean habanero peppers that Melinda's product line has become famous for. The result is a pair of traditional Buffalo style hot wing sauces that pack peppery heat, fabulous flavor, and tongue-pleasing texture and richness that will cling to your chicken wings. Melinda's All-Natural Buffalo Wing Sauces come in two flavors: Their original Hot wing sauce is definitely a true hot, not a medium, and is perfect for most folks who enjoy hot wings. If you prefer "suicide" wings or fiery-hot foods at the top of the heat scale (but without the punishing and unrelenting pain of capsaicin extract), then Melinda's Extra Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce is for you, with even more fiery habanero peppers than the original Hot.

Use Melinda's All-Natural Buffalo Wing Sauces just as you would any other wing sauce -- the label includes a simple recipe for making hot wings. You can also enjoy these good-for-you wing sauces with Buffalo style fried shrimp, as a dipping sauce for chicken nuggets or french fries, as a table sauce for fried fish or grilled chicken, and with any other foods that could benefit from a tangy, peppery, buttery hot sauce. Both flavors of Melinda's wing sauce are currently on sale online at the Carolina Sauce Company.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS: If you're counting carbs, you'll be happy to know that Melinda's Wing Sauces are low carb, with only 1 gram of carbs per serving!

Soyabi Crab & Cucumber Salad

If you enjoy wasabi, you'll love this zesty Asian-inspired salad -- it's simple to make, and simply delicious!

Ingredients
2 medium cucumbers, or 3 small cucumbers (or 1 long, seedless English cucumber)
1 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs Dave's Gourmet Soyabi Sauce (shake well before using)
1 Tbs rice wine vinegar
1 Tbs sugar (or Splenda brand sugar substitute)
1 Tbs sesame oil
Pinch of white pepper
1/2 lb fresh crabmeat (or surimi crab substitute, flaked)

Peel the cucumbers, cut lengthwise, and use a spoon to scrape out the seeds (this last step is not necessary if using a seedless English cucumber). Coarsely shred the cucumbers and set aside. In a large glass or ceramic bowl, combine all the remaining ingredients except the crab and whisk to mix thoroughly. Add the crab and shredded cucumbers, toss to coat thoroughly, cover and chill for at least half an hour before serving.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS: If you are seriously crazy about wasabi, you can substitute another tablespoon of Dave's Soyabi Sauce for the ordinary soy sauce.

July's Top 10 Best-Selling Zesty Products

Here are the Top 10 best-selling sauces and seasonings for July across all product categories at the Carolina Sauce Company. If you're looking for some fiery and flavorful new hot sauces and condiments, this list is a great place to start!

1. Castle Sauce is an old-fashioned mustard & tomato based steak sauce from Greensboro, NC, and it's our best-selling product of all time, so it's no surprise that it tops our list for July. Enjoy Castle Sauce on steaks and burgers, with french fries, onion rings & more.

2. Scorned Woman Hot Sauce moves up several spots from last month. This is a classic vinegar-based hot sauce that gets its fire from a blend of hot chile peppers plus red and black pepper

3. Walkerswood Traditional Jamaican Jerk Seasoning is an authentic Jamaican jerk paste or wet rub that's an essential staple for cooking Jamaican cuisine

4. Wells Hog Heaven BBQ Sauce is a true eastern NC vinegar-based barbecue sauce made in the tiny town of Burgaw, NC (about 30 minutes from Wilmington), and is perfect for pulled pork BBQ

5. Walkerswood Jonkanoo Pepper Sauce moves up several spots from last month, and is named after a Jamaican street festival. With its spirited blend of fiery hot peppers and tropical flavors, Jonkanoo Sauce lives up to its festive name!

6. Matouk's Calypso Sauce is a rich and savory mustard-based hot sauce that's made with aged pickled scotch bonnet peppers

7. Walkerswood Spicy Jamaican Jerk Marinade: After being out of stock for some time, this authentic Jamaican jerk marinade burst back on the market last month and made many fans of traditional Jamaican cooking very happy!

8. Georgia Peach & Vidalia Onion Hot Sauce is a mildly spicy and richly flavorful pepper sauce that features two of the South's most famous summertime treats: sunny Georgia peaches and sweet Vidalia onions

9. Matouk's West Indian Hot Sauce is similar to Matouk's Calypso Sauce, with fiery scotch bonnet peppers in a thick, Caribbean mustard base, but it adds tropical papayas for a touch of sweet tropical fruit

10. Susie's Original Hot Sauce from Antigua rounds out our top ten list, and is a traditional mustard-based Caribbean hot sauce that will add island flavor to any dish

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Follow me on Twitter for Carolina Sauce Coupons!

If you enjoy zesty foods and enjoy saving money, then follow me on Twitter to do both! Simply go to http://twitter.com/saucyglo and follow me. As a SaucyGlo follower you'll have access to exclusive coupons available only on Twitter, read interesting and cool food-related articles I find, plus see occasional culinary musings, tips, recipes, new product announcements, and a Tweet to let you know I've posted something new on this blog. Better yet, you can Tweet your food and product questions to me (i.e., can you recommend an all-natural chunky salsa with medium heat? or, what can I use wing sauce on in addition to chicken wings?) and I'll be happy to help you out. And when I can't make up my mind, you can even help me decide what to drink with my meal, or provide other input when I ask for your suggestions and advice! And of course if YOU find something zesty to Tweet about, you can share it with me.

If you go to http://twitter.com/saucyglo right now, you'll find a new coupon good for 10% off all products at the Carolina Sauce Company online store, even those with already reduced sale prices! This coupon expires on August 5th, so sign up now to follow me and become one of my "Tweeps".

Zestfully yours,
Gloria