PRODUCT REVIEW - Mayacamas Gravy Mixes

And, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I thought this would be perfect timing to introduce these all natural, gluten free, vegetarian gravy mixes. Mayacamas Gravy Mixes have 4 all natural, gluten free varieties: Turkey, Brown, Chicken, and Savory Herb.

Believe it or not, these mixes were discovered in a New Jersey super market! A few days ago I wrote about discovering the Glutino pretzels in Jersey, I guess this is becoming a trend.

The best thing about these mixes is that they are really cheap (~$1.50) and they're super easy to make: mix packet + 1 cup water, whisk, and heat over medium-high heat, whisking frequently until thickened and hot.

These gravy mixes are nicely flavored, they don't have that metallic taste that can come out of a can. And, my favorite, they are not too salty. I would be careful not to heat them too long, they could become too thick and get a little salty, but you could always fix this by adding a little water. You can also get a little gourmet and use very very low / no sodium chicken stock in place of water.

Mayacamas also makes gluten free soup mixes, and pasta sauce mixes (like Alfredo). I prefer to make my own soup, but I will definitely check out the Alfredo sauce mix very soon.

Here's a few other ideas on how to use this gravy mix:
- Use turkey or chicken gravy in pot pies as the sauce
- Use a little in a creamy soup to help thicken and flavor the soup
- Use in a casserole or shepherd's pie type dish

Have you tried Mayacamas gravy or soup mixes? Let me know what you think!

PRODUCT REVIEW - Glutino Pretzels

My boyfriend Eric's favorite snack food in the whole world is pretzels and lemonade. The planet could be overtaken by zombies, we could be the only living humans left, and give this man a bag of pretzels and a glass of lemonade, and he'd be just fine.

Eric had almost given up on the thought of his perfect snack combo. Until one day, he went to New Jersey and came back with this snack...

Enter Glutino Pretzels

These are delicious! They are the perfect pretzel to bring on a picnic, throw in a lunch, or enjoy with a glass of lemonade. They are crunchy, salty, buttery, and satisfying. Not quite like the normal pretzel sticks that you can buy at a deli. The taste if nearly identical (slightly less wheat-y than traditional pretzels), but they are definitely more buttery, which is fantastic. Kind of like the buttery-ness that you would expect from a Ritz cracker.

Now, the only downside to these pretzels is that they are way overpriced. I remember when I was younger I could buy an individual bag of pretzels for $1, a family pack for $2 or $3.

These pretzels: an 8oz bag is $5, and a 14oz family pack is $8. They're very tasty, but you have to ration your pretzels.

Have you tried these pretzels? Leave a comment and let me know what you think!