Let's Get Cooking With Heinz!

Ripple Street has come through with an offer I couldn't refuse. A cooking party! You know me. I love trying new things. I was so happy to be chosen to work with Heinz Homestyle Gravy. But get this, they are thinking about just any recipe. They want me to make a gumbo! With jar gravy. Now... let's back up on this. I need to explain why this is so big. I'm Cajun. I have been making a recipe that has been passed down in my family for quite a while. And now I'm about to see if theirs is better. Say it isn't so! 

Let's see how it stacks up, shall we? For this party opportunity, I will be making 2 gumbos. The one from our family recipe and the other from Heinz. We will see how my guests to both. And we will see which earns higher praise. 

*Disclaimer: I was sent some things to make this recipe and host the party. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed. All opinions are strictly our own.*

Before you get to cooking with me, however, you need to know what gravy to look for at your local store. I know Walmart carries it.  And I found it at the HEB as well. Look where the sauces are.

Let's get cooking! 

I'll just share the video that my daughter helped me make of the Heinz gumbo. I hope it is clear enough. But just in case, I'll scan in the recipe. Let me know what you think!  

This was the gumbo from the family recipe I have. I have made this countless times before. Only a couple of my kids aren't a fan. Either because it has onions and bell peppers, or because it is served with rice. 

And this is the Heinz gumbo - what do you think just from the pictures?

I had a mixed bag of results on this. My son who doesn't like the bell peppers and onions said it was good. He told me he would eat this all the time if I removed the peppers and onions. My oldest son said it was good and that the bell peppers need to stay as they added to the flavor. He normally doesn't like gravy, but said that in this meal it was great! Another guest said they only kinda liked it and that they thought it had a smoky flavor to it.

There was an elf in my kitchen today! And it truly was all gravy, baby!Let me know your thoughts. I'd love to hear about what you think of the recipe.

Spice or No Spice?

I was recently sent some Heinz ketchup products to test out. I'm not really a fan of ketchup in general. I like it on certain grilled foods, but that is about all. However, after trying these three things, I'm thinking my fries might have a new best friend.

*Disclaimer: I was sent these products in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed. All opinions expressed here are from me or my family.*

So there are 3 products here. As the picture of the box they came in shows, they build in heat. We started at the lowest rung on the ladder, upon my request. I wanted to slowly work up and see how the spice would sit with me. 

First up!

The first one is the Chipotle Ketchup. My sister-in-law doesn't do spice. No heat in her food. Her taste is far to sensitive and her stomach can't handle it. All this to say - she thought this was amazingly spicy for her. On the flip side though, my husband said he barely recognized the taste of chipotle in the background. To be perfectly, I didn't taste it all! It tasted like ketchup to me. Then again, I was raised eating jalapenos from the jar by the spoonfuls... so... there is that to consider. 

Second flavor is...

Now, we have the Jalapeno Ketchup. I LOVED this one! You taste the jalapeno right away. However, it builds lightly and doesn't linger too long on your tongue. What does this mean? That I can eat a good amount of it and not ruin the experience of savoring the food I'm eating it with. This one went really good with the fries, but I would love to try it on a burger too. If I'm eating ketchup, this is the one I want! My husband agreed 100% on the description for this one. 

I found that Walmart had this one for $3.98. 

And now for the finale!

Okay guys, this is it. The Habanero Ketchup flavor. This one packs a punch immediately! You get the full habanero taste with your first bite. The heat can be intense for anyone who isn't good with hot foods. It also lingers and builds. So as you eat more, the hotness meter just goes up. This one is more for your heat-lovers, for those macho moments with the boys, or for just straight up wanna feel the burn on my food! For everyday eating, this isn't something I'd do. I kinda like enjoying the flavor of foods that I eat with my condiments, but that is just me. 

Hope you got a good understanding of these three Heinz products! Which one would you want to try? I'd love it if you would leave me a comment below and tell me. Have a great day!