Sunday, December 30, 2007

Right on Target: Archer Farms Appetizers

You know I am a fan of natural ingredients, homemade cooking and putting a little work into a wonderful meal or party. On the other hand, I'm also a big fan of simplicity. Last week, as I made a final Santa run to Super Target, I found myself in the frozen food section. I was amazed at the selection of Archer Farms (Target's house brand) products. I was already a fan of their "gourmet" potato chips and some of their cookies, but had never tried any of their frozen foods. Decided to take a couple along to my sister's house for our Christmas Day dinner and see what we thought. We really liked them.

One was a delicious phyllo cup filled with a Southwestern mix of cheese and black beans. It was a perfect bite-size appetizer with nice rich flavor and just enough spice. The other was a little mushroom "purse"--pastry wrapped up and around a rich mushroom filling. I'm looking forward to trying the third product that is still in the freezer: beef with a Bourbon sauce served on tiny bagel bites. They're all worth a try.

They reminded me of an article in Real Simple magazine's December issue. They tested a variety of products to find the best finger foods in several categories. I have tried several of them and have to agree. Seapack makes a wonderful jumbo butterfly shrimp you can find in the frozen food section. Nice and crispy and perfect with your favorite cocktail or dipping sauce. (You might try this one.) They also recommend Delimex Three Cheese Taquitos. They're a generous size and filled with a rich cheese filling. Great to set out with queso, salsa and/or guacamole on the side.

And of course there are other choices at your grocery store. The more "upscale" the store, the more elegant the choices. Save yourself some time in the kitchen and check them out.

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