You Can Cook | Seasonest Spice Blends

Seasonest Makes New Orleans Style Gumbo

We’re so glad it’s Friday and we’re feeling kind of festive! For this #FlashBackFriday we wanted to share one of our favorite (and most viewed) recipes: New Orleans Style Gumbo. Full of tasty seafood, sausage and chicken, this recipe continues to steal hearts and stomach alike. Watch our super easy video tutorial to see how it’s done!

Have a great weekend!

The Seasonest Family

Motivation Monday: Things to Think About

Life is hard. But, it’s also wonderful and full of new joys every day. Sometimes it takes someone else to help us see the good in things when we’re at our wits’ end or just don’t see the opportunities in front of us. Because of this, we wanted to change things up a bit and share some of our favorite motivational quotes with you to help inspire a more motivated you this Monday!

Firstly, we must debunk that thought you have running through your mind. No more saying you can’t cook! Are you putting food on the table? Yes. Are you and those you care for eating it? Yes. Think about how great of an impact you are having by providing needed nutrition that is being EATEN to those you love. Once you realize that kind of an impact you are having, take a step back and realize… you’re cooking! If it’s a matter of you not liking the flavor of your food, we can most definitely help with that. Seasonings do make a difference! Remember, though: You CAN cook.

Never forget that you’ve got flavor! You’re a unique person with your very own personality and style. Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise. Whether you’re spicy, soulful, original, or even a combination of them all, make sure to share your unique flavor with the world! The spice you add to the world’s recipe is special and important.

Are there any personal goals that you have? How about some ambitious dreams? It’s so wonderful to have hope for the future and what you can accomplish. Sometimes we can get a bit sidetracked or doubtful in ourselves and lose our excitement or confidence in our abilities and the dreams we have for ourselves. Believe in yourself and don’t give up; your dreams hold great value. You have those dreams for a reason; now, make sure to pursue them!

Amidst our hustle and bustle and wanting to live our lives comfortably, we can forget that there are others in the world and that they have great value, too. As people, we need other people and no matter how independent or confident we try to be, we will always come back to the realization that our relationships are one of the most important parts of our lives. Take care of those around you, love them from the bottom of your heart and even though it can be challenging, make sure to put them first. I can assure you that it will make a big difference.

Have you ever realized how amazing our world is? When you look back through history, you can see how far we’ve come and what all we have accomplished. Can you believe that indoor plumbing wasn’t always a thing? How about cars, the internet, grocery stores or cell phones? People have an amazing capacity to dream and create. What dreams do you have? As Walt Disney said, “If you can dream it, you can do it.”

If you’re feeling inspired, make sure to share this with others. You never know how big of an impact some motivation and inspiration can have on someone!

Abundant Blessings,

Crystal Peterson

You CAN Cook: A Simple, Romantic Meal

Hi Everyone,

Since it’s Valentine’s Day week, we felt that it was time to pull out a quick and tasty meal that you and your special someone can enjoy together. You may be so busy with kids that having a lot time to yourself just isn’t a real option. You may be coming back from a long trip, a weekend away or, just simply wish to keep this Valentine’s Day dinner simple (And as an added bonus, relatively inexpensive!).

Whichever category you may fall into, we hope that you enjoy this tasty meal and can share it with the ones you love!

Ingredients:

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or strips)
1 head of organic broccoli
2-3 full-size, organic carrots
1 head of organic cauliflower
3/4 cup long grain or wild rice
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 1/4 cups water
Sharp cheddar cheese (Or, mixed cheeses for added flavor!)
Seasonest Original Blend

Utensils:
Baking/ casserole dish (the one pictured is around 12″x 9.75″x 5″)
Medium stove-top pot and lid
Wok or frying pan
Scoop/stirring spoon
Two oven mitts
Cutting knife
Two cutting boards (one for meat, one for vegetables)
Measuring cup
Cheese grater

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Set aside casserole dish (You may wish to apply olive oil to keep ingredients from sticking to the side of the dish.).
Measure out 3/4 cup rice and 2 1/4 cup water and place these in a medium stove-top pot. Add in 1 Tbsp. of olive oil so that the rice doesn’t stick to the pot.
Turn on a stove-top burner to Medium-High and place the rice-filled pot on top. Bring contents to a boil, then cover with a lid and turn burner down to Low or Med-Low for 20 minutes.
Remove chicken from packaging and wash thoroughly. Cut chicken into desired size (Bite-size preferable). Set aside.
Take out your vegetables and wash them thoroughly, then chop them up to bite-size pieces. Set aside.
Place wok or frying pan onto the stove and turn burner on to Medium heat. Once it is fully heated, toss in chicken and 1 Tbsp. olive oil and cook well (Chicken will turn white and need flipping to ensure thorough cooking.). Once well-cooked, toss in the vegetables and another 1 Tbsp. of olive oil. Also, sprinkle in Seasonest Original Blend in desired amount.
Once rice, chicken and vegetables are all done cooking, place rice into the bottom of the casserole dish, adding the vegetables and chicken on top. Add a layer of grated sharp cheddar to the top until fully covered and place the dish in the oven for 20 minutes, or until cheese is fully melted.
After the cheese has melted, remove cooked casserole from oven using BOTH oven mitts and let sit for 5 minutes to cool.
Enjoy!

Let us know if you get the opportunity to try this dish and how it goes!

Happy Motivation Monday,

The Seasonest Family

Homemade Pizza

It’s Friday. You have time to do things tonight and tomorrow and Sunday… wow. What to do with a whole weekend? How about having some fun and making a pizza with family or friends?

Ingredients

Dough

2.5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sugar
1 (0.25 oz) package of active, dry yeast
1 cup warm water

Etc.

3 cloves of garlic
Tomato-based sauce
Pepperoni slices
Mozzarella cheese
Seasonest Italian Blend

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Take a medium or large bowl and pour in the warm water. Then, add the sugar and yeast until dissolved. Leave for 10 minutes (it will be creamy).
While waiting, mince garlic cloves. (How to: Peel the garlic clove out of its rough shell (you want the part that is smooth and shiny). Rinse it off and place it on a cutting board. Take a knife and press into the garlic with the flat side of the knife until garlic flattens. Chop into small pieces and leave to the side until ready to use.
Once creamy, add in flour, salt and oil and mix and until smooth. Leave for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle a clean surface with flour (lightly) and roll into a ball. Let it sit for a moment.
Spread olive oil lightly on a pan.
Roll out dough to desired shape and place upon pan.
Take the tomato sauce and spread it over the dough using a spoon for even distribution.
Add the garlic, then a generous amount of cheese and the pepperoni slices.
Top with Seasonest Italian Blend.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Let sit for 5 minutes to cool down.

Enjoy!

The Seasonest Family

You CAN Cook: Mediterranean Chicken Kabobs

Mmm, mmm, mmm… food inspired by the Mediterranean. We like to let our taste buds travel and we hope you do too, because this recipe is an easy way to take your dinner to a new sea level. If you are still a non-believer in your ability to cook, it’s time to roll up your sleeves, toss some ingredients into a bowl and let things marinade for a bit. But, really… it’s pretty much that simple.

Happy Monday.

Supplies:

One large bowl
Large skillet/pan
Choice of oil
Skewers
Tongs

Marinade Ingredients:

Juice from three limes
15 minced garlic cloves (It’s worth it!)
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp smoked paprika
2 tsp thyme
2 tsp cardamom
Dash of salt and pepper
2 tbsp of the Seasonest Italian Blend

Other Ingredients:

Cubed chicken thighs
Red onion
Zucchini
Optional: yellow rice and Greek salad

Instructions:

Mix spices together in a large bowl and season the cubed chicken. Add in the lime juice, olive oil and garlic cloves, and mix until everything is well-coated. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes or more.
After meat has finished marinating, thread onto skewers with your choice of veggies (We used zucchini and red onion!).
Lightly oil a large skillet and lay skewers in hot pan. Cook by rotating with tongs until finished.
Serve over a bed of rice and with a Greek side salad.
Enjoy!

The Seasonest Family

Flavorful Recipes: Roasted Cornish Hen

It’s a new year, which means it’s time to work on those resolutions! If you resolved to be a better cook or to simply try some fun, new recipes, here’s a great one for a simple and delicious meal: roasted Cornish hen.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 25 minutes

Ingredients:

Seasonest Original Blend
Seasonest Lemon Pepper Blend
Cornish hen
Olive oil
Your choice of vegetables

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Take a Cornish hen and pat dry.
Season with the Seasonest Original Blend until entire bird is covered and follow with a dash of our Lemon Pepper Blend on top.
Baste with a little olive oil.
Place on a baking tray and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the thickest part of the thigh has reached 180 degrees. Halfway through cooking, baste again with olive oil, to help ensure crispy skin.
Let sit for 5 minutes before serving to let the juices settle.
Serve with your favorite veggies and side dishes!

If you hold yourself accountable, or have an accountability partner, it tends to make keeping your resolutions much easier. We can help with that! Make sure to send us your photos with your finished masterpieces and let us know how your Cornish hen turned out.

Remember, you CAN cook!

The Seasonest Family