Sent Suggestion to Test Kitchens..here's the Details

[kreaser]

-----Original Message-----
From: Karlene Reaser <[email protected]>
[mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2009 9:53 AM
To: Test Kitchens
Subject: Test Kitchens (Product Use and Care, Recipes)

Message = I just wanted to give a suggestion for the Grilled Penne Pasta
recipe. I have made it 5 times already. A substitution for fresh basil
could be our Rosemary seasoning or our Italian seasoning. I have done
both...I like the Italian better. Also, I found if you use a whole 1 lb.
box of the penne pasta you will not have the issue of it being "runny"
as many consultants are talking about. Plus, it stretches the recipe.
Why open a box of pasta and use only 3 cups of it, when a 1 lb. box is
about 4 cups. It is the perfect solution. I demoed this 2 times already
at shows and have sold 8 bakers to customers. They love it. Goes great
with the garlicky biscuits in the saute pan.

Dear Karlene,
Thank you for contacting The Pampered Chef! I totally agree! I developed
the penne al fresco and wanted to use a whole box but in the end I think
it came down to a nutritional/costing issue since we're going for $2 a
serving (that recipe was kind of a close shave. We had to do what was
necessary) By all means, substitute any one of those seasonings. That's
a great idea and a money saver as well. Basil can be pricey! I am so
glad to hear that it's working for you though!! Sell those Bakers!!!!

By all means, use a whole box of pasta. It makes perfect sense. Keep in
mind though that as it sits, the pasta will absorb more liquid so serve
it immediately if you do this. Take care!!


Damien Eftekhar
Senior Recipe Applications Specialist
The Pampered Chef

 

[candiejayne]

Very cool! Its nice to see they read what we write!

 

[tlag1986]

That is true about them reading what we write. You always wonder if someone even looks at our emails.

 

[babywings76]

I love those guys/gals at the test kitchens! I had a question once about cooking times and temps when using stoneware and a convection oven. They got back to me so fast! Another time I asked about the brownie lollipops and they also replied quickly. They are always friendly sounding and encouraging. Never condescending.

 

[KellyTheChef]

Glad to hear they responded so nicely, and that they explained their reasoning behind only using 3 cups of the pasta as opposed to the whole box. I like your recipe version better!

 

[BethCooks4U]

I don't understand how it's a money SAVING thing to not use the whole box of pasta. You have to buy the whole box and besides the extra pasta stretches the recipe so wouldn't the cost be less? ...now the nutrition/calorie part I understand.


Karlene, How much seasoning do you use and which of the two did you like better? I'm making this tonight for dinner.

 

[chefsteph07]

I don't understand how it's a money SAVING thing to not use the whole box of pasta. You have to buy the whole box and besides the extra pasta stretches the recipe so wouldn't the cost be less? ...now the nutrition/calorie part I understand.


Karlene, How much seasoning do you use and which of the two did you like better? I'm making this tonight for dinner.

I suggested to Karlene about the Italian Seasoning, when I made it I didn't measure it, I rubbed it into the chicken and then sprinkled it on top of the pasta before putting in the micro. I know she did the Rosemary a few times, she can give you details on that, but I think she said the Italian went over better.

 

[BethCooks4U]

I suggested to Karlene about the Italian Seasoning, when I made it I didn't measure it, I rubbed it into the chicken and then sprinkled it on top of the pasta before putting in the micro. I know she did the Rosemary a few times, she can give you details on that, but I think she said the Italian went over better.

Thanks. My DH prefers Italian to the Rosemary anyway so I think I'll try that.

 

[chefsteph07]

Karlene and another one of our clustermates said they used the Rosemary and they both said it had a bit of a "bite" to it.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I don't understand how it's a money SAVING thing to not use the whole box of pasta. You have to buy the whole box and besides the extra pasta stretches the recipe so wouldn't the cost be less? ...now the nutrition/calorie part I understand.


Karlene, How much seasoning do you use and which of the two did you like better? I'm making this tonight for dinner.

That's what I was wondering. Wouldn't using more pasta make more servings? Why not just develop the recipe to make the # of servings a whole box would make.....the cost per serving would be the same if not less.

 

[cmdtrgd]

You can buy pasta in bulk sometimes. We have WinCo that sells lots of bulk items and they tend to be less expensive than the prepackaged ones. So, in bulk, it saves money and you get just what you need.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

You can buy pasta in bulk sometimes. We have WinCo that sells lots of bulk items and they tend to be less expensive than the prepackaged ones. So, in bulk, it saves money and you get just what you need.

Hmmm, that would be nice - don't know any place around here that sells bulk pasta though. Even at Costco, I buy Barilla Pasta, but it is 6 or 8 one pound pkgs bundled together.

 

[BethCooks4U]

You can buy pasta in bulk sometimes. We have WinCo that sells lots of bulk items and they tend to be less expensive than the prepackaged ones. So, in bulk, it saves money and you get just what you need.

I would say most people in most places don't have that option.

I find it interesting that often the new recipes will have ingredients that aren't available all over and I think "gee, do they realize we don't all live in Chicago or New York?" but then a few weeks later those items ARE available. Must be because the consultants started asking for them so the stores stocked them or maybe PC sends something out to stores around the country that the new recipes have those things in them and they're gonna start getting a lot of requests... :balloon:

 

[kam]

I would say most people in most places don't have that option.

I find it interesting that often the new recipes will have ingredients that aren't available all over and I think "gee, do they realize we don't all live in Chicago or New York?" but then a few weeks later those items ARE available. Must be because the consultants started asking for them so the stores stocked them or maybe PC sends something out to stores around the country that the new recipes have those things in them and they're gonna start getting a lot of requests... :balloon:

I have been thinking the SAME thing about some of the ingredients lately! Sometimes it is really a struggle to find the ingredients for a recipe. For example, our main store does not even carry green enchilada sauce. (I don't know if that is needed for our recipes, but DH will be more likely to try a recipe if I sub green for red.) And our store is no help. Anytime I ask for something they say there is nothing they can do as the Warehouse does not carry it. I have quit asking.

So, there is no way I would put any recipe on my list that I can either not find the ingredient - or I can only find it at one select place.

Remember all the post over Christmas about those chocolate wafers for the Raspberry things? Everyone was on here asking where to find them. Can you imagine a host locating them? And those weren't even as "odd" as some of these other ingredients.

JMO

 

[kreaser]

HERE IS "PART 2" OF THE EMAIL CONVERSATION FROM THE TEST KITCHEN. I AM SO IMPRESSED WITH THEIR FOLLOW UP WITH US...

From: karlene reaser [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2009 6:25 PM
To: Eftekhar, Damien
Subject: recipe

Damien
thanks for the response back.. I just have to tell you, this is one of the BEST PC recipes that has come out in the 10 years I've been with PC...it is incredible!!! And very budget friendly. I haven't tried it with the basil, only because the two grocery stores I went into when I got the urge to make it, didn't have fresh basil...that's when I came up with the idea to use our Rosemary or Italian! My 5 kids are very picky and they love the recipe. I had to chuckle the first time I made it, because no one in my family, except me, likes tomatoes. They all thought the "red things" were peppers. I let them believe that until they scraped the baker clean...then I told them. LOL
thanks again for such a great recipe
karlene reaser

************************************************

Thanks so much Karlene! Education is always important when it comes to food and family. People in this country need a serious wake up call when it comes to learning how to eat. Thank God it's finally happening.

A brief history of me; I married a single mother of a 3 and a 5 year old who had only eaten cereal and chicken fingers till I came along. When they met their new daddy though, I put things like braised duck, rack of lamb, lobster bisque and "Spaghetti a la Amatriciana" (spaghetti with tomatoes, pancetta and fresh herbs). Their little faces pouted as they said "What's this?" as they shook their heads. My answer was simply this every time..."A favorite dish of mine I like to call...'Shut-up and eat it'".

Needless to say they eventually stopped asking what it was and learned to enjoy and even appreciate many fine foods while also not turning their noses towards simpler foods because Lord knows there's always room for chicken fingers and frozen pizza.

Happy Cooking!!!

Damien Eftekhar
Senior Recipe Applications Specialist
The Pampered Chef




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: karlene reaser [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2009 6:25 PM
To: Eftekhar, Damien
Subject: recipe


Damien
thanks for the response back.. I just have to tell you, this is one of the BEST PC recipes that has come out in the 10 years I've been with PC...it is incredible!!! And very budget friendly. I haven't tried it with the basil, only because the two grocery stores I went into when I got the urge to make it, didn't have fresh basil...that's when I came up with the idea to use our Rosemary or Italian! My 5 kids are very picky and they love the recipe. I had to chuckle the first time I made it, because no one in my family, except me, likes tomatoes. They all thought the "red things" were peppers. I let them believe that until they scraped the baker clean...then I told them. LOL
thanks again for such a great recipe
karlene reaser