Review of Progresso Panko Crispy Bread Crumbs

I was first introduced to Panko flakes over 6 years ago when I met my new daughter-in-law, whom I will introduce here as J. She is a delightful girl who is originally from South Korea. She's also a wonderful cook, naturally specializing in Asian dishes  (which my son loves). One of the first dishes she made for me was Panko coated shrimp deep fried in a Wok.  It was absolutely delicious.

I watched (and helped) J. make the Panko Shrimp that evening and, after tasting how good the Panko coating was, I have used it ever since. J. does a lot of food shopping at a local Asian Market, but I found a product similar to her Asian Panko Flakes in a product by Progresso. Not only is it good on shrimp, but it is equally delicious on fried chicken fingers and on pork chops. 

 

Progresso Panko Crispy Bread Crumbs

Panko is drawn from Japanese crusine. It is a delicious flaky bread crumb which can be used in a variety of recipes.  My favorite way is as a coating for fried meat and seafood. It adds a golden crispness to fried creations and makes the food crunchy  and flavorful.

Panko bread crumbs can be used in many ways.  

• It makes a delicious stuffing for chicken breasts or pork chops when combined with cheese, onions and herbs.  
• You can make quick croutons by browning in a skillet with melted butter and spices for a tasty salad topping.
• I  haven't tried this yet, but I can just imagine how tasty it would be to replace your usual amount of regular bread crumbs with these Panko bread crumbs in your favorite meatloaf recipe. 
• Mix these Panko bread crumbs with olive oil and your favorite seasonings and sprinkle on top of casserole in the last few minutes of baking.
• Panko Crispy Bread Crumbs come in two varieties – 'Plain' and 'Italian Style'. I prefer the Italian Style because they are so deliciously seasoned that no additional seasonings are needed.  The Plain version is good if there are specific seasonings you prefer to add to your bread crumbs. 

Panko Coated Pork Chop Dinner

My teenage grandson's favorite meal served by his G-MA (the grandmother name he calls me) is pork chops and white rice with butter, along with applesauce. Here is a sample of our Panko-coated pork chop dinner. 

Panko Fried Shrimp Recipe 

Panko Fried Shrimp

For your dining pleasure (and a tasty way to duplicate the delicious deep-fried shrimp meal my daughter-in-law J made me), here is a recipe for Panko Fried Shrimp from AllRecipes.

Recipe: Japanese-Style Deep-Fried Shrimp

Ingredients: shrimp, seasonings, flour, eggs, Panko flakes and oil for frying. 

Directions: 

• Place the flour, eggs and panko crumbs into separate bowls.
• Heat the oil in a deep-fryer or deep skillet.
• Dip each shrimp into the flour mixture, then into the egg, and finally into the panko crumbs to coat. Fry a few at a time until golden brown. 
• Drain and serve. Yum!

Progresso

The Progresso brand has been around for more than 80 years. Begun by the merging of two prominent Italian importing companies in New Orleans in 1925, they specialized in canned Italian food products. They are most known for their soups, as well as canned tomato products, olive oil, spaghetti, ravioli and beans. Progresso was acquired by Pillsbury in 1988 and today it is in the General Mills family of products.

Where to Purchase:

Progresso Panko Crispy Bread Crumbs are available on Amazon, which is convenient as it is delivered right to your door. And, in addition, besides the single packages, it is also available in bulk (6 and 12 box units). 

It is also available online and in-store at Target and Walmart. 

Wherever you purchase your Panko Crispy Bread Crumbs, it is a very tasty product to have on hand for all the reasons I mentioned above. 

For more Recipe Reviews, check out ReviewThisReviews: Recipes

(c) Written by Wednesday Elf (11/7/2020)

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A Review of Handmade Halloween Home Decor

Halloween is a favorite time to decorate your house and yard, most especially if you are like my daughter-in-law who goes 'all out'. Their outside yard décor is so elaborate and fantastic that they have even won local 'Halloween Decoration' contests in the past.

But it is 'inside the home' that can lend itself to creating a Halloween atmosphere limited only by your imagination. You can go scary with ghosts and goblins, skeletons and spiders, or sweetly seasonal with pumpkins, or cute with black cats and bats.

The following are a few ideas to get you started. They are the creative results of fellow handmade artists on Etsy.

Pumpkins

A Pumpkin Table Runner

Halloween Pumpkins Table Runner

Decorate your table with a seasonal table runner for the Halloween season. 

This table runner is made with 2 different prewashed cotton fabrics so that it is reversible. One side has decorated orange, white and black pumpkins that are outlined in gold on a black background. It also has gold stars and the words "Boo" and "Trick or treat". The reverse side is orange with Halloween words and phrases, spiders and crows in black, gray and white. The words and phrases are "Trick or treat", "Spooky", "Happy Halloween" and "Boo".  

This table runner is 14" wide and 39 1/2" long and can be found in Kathie's Etsy Shop she calls CutePurseNalities.

Pumpkin Coasters

Pumpkin Beverage Coasters

Pumpkin design beverage coasters are perfect for home décor in the season of Harvest-time, Autumn, or Fall. They can also be fun all year round for anyone who likes pumpkin designs.

This is a set of 4 drink coasters with a pumpkin design measure 4 x 4 inches each. They are created using plastic canvas and acrylic yarn in two shades of orange, plus brown and green. The pumpkin design sits on an ecru/off-white background. Perfect colors for your Harvest time decor. 

They are available in the Etsy Store of Coastal Crochet Crafts.

Black Cats & Bats

Black Cat

Wooden 
Black Cat

This rustic wooden black cat figurine is handmade from whitewood or reclaimed pallet wood

Approximate measurement: about 6 inches tall x 4.3 inches wide.  

Handmade by Christina and found in her Etsy Shop Tinkerbinks.

Scary Bats

Halloween Bats Decor

Scary 3D bats all over the wall / window. Arrange them as you wish. You definitely want them in your Halloween Party. Comes with easy to apply style.

-Easy to apply to walls, doors, glass and other hard surfaces. For use on smooth walls -- can also go on glass

-Material: waterproof pvc. Color: black. Leave no residue or damage when peel off from wall / window. 

Find these bats at AJProducts on Etsy.

Halloween Kitchen Décor

Handy for Halloween are these decorative and useful dishcloths, potholders and refrigerator magnets for your kitchen.

Pumpkin Set

Pumpkin Kitchen Set

Pumpkin Kitchen Combo. Pumpkin shaped cotton dishcloth/washcloth with matching pumpkin potholder and pumpkin magnet

Washing dishes is a chore made easier with dishcloths made of 100% cotton yarn. This dishcloth in the shape of a pumpkin makes kitchen chores more fun.

This pumpkin-shaped handmade-in-crochet dishcloth can also be used as a washcloth in the bathroom - especially fun for kids in the bathtub. 

The matching pumpkin potholder is crocheted in washable orange acrylic yarn with a green top. It measures 9.5 x 11 inches and is made double-thick.

This pumpkin set makes a cute Halloween home décor item or can be used as a gift. (Makes a unique hostess gift when invited out to dinner, especially during the Harvest-Time season).

The kitchen set comes with a matching pumpkin refrigerator magnet.  Available at Wednesday Elf's eBay site. 

Ghost Set

Ghost Washcloth & Magnet

This cute ghost kitchen set includes a fun novelty washcloth in the shape of a ghost. A cute way to entertain children at bathtime or to make choretime in the kitchen washing dishes more fun. Or just display it in your kitchen for a Halloween decoration. It comes with a cute ghost magnet for your refrigerator. Find it at my eBay site.

Related Links:

• For more Halloween home décor ideas, check out Fun Halloween Home Decor by Sylvestermouse.
• For Halloween recipes, costumes and more decorating ideas, check out this group of Halloween articles reviewed for you here on ReviewThisReviews. 

Happy Halloween

Halloween Yard Décor (c) Elf

*Handmade Halloween Home Décor written on 10/24/2020 by (c) Wednesday Elf

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Dream Bars Cookie Recipe Review

Once again from the pages of my 1979 Kansas church ladies cookbook comes a vintage cookie recipe. Something a bit different and unique using brown sugar, coconut and walnuts. A very tasty bar cookie that is 'grandson-tested and highly approved'. 

Dream Bars Recipe

Crust Ingredients:

½ c. butter
½ c. brown sugar
1 c. flour

Mix first 3 ingredients until  crumbly.  Press into an 8x8 inch pan.  Bake 12 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool.


Filling Ingredients:

2 eggs (beaten)
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. Baking soda
1 T. flour
1 c. moist coconut
1 c. chopped nutmeats
1 tsp. Vanilla

Instructions:

Filling:  Mix eggs, brown sugar, baking soda, flour and vanilla.  Stir nuts and coconut into mixture.  Spread over baked crust.  Bake 30 minutes or until set at 250 degrees.  When cool, cut into  bars.

Makes 24.

Summary:

With so many basic packaged cookies on the market, and the standard chocolate chip cookies and brownies most people bake, I think it is rather nice to occasionally try a different cookie recipe from long-ago. Most kids today have never tasted cookies from the pasts of grandmothers and great-grandmothers, so it becomes a special taste treat for them. At least my teenage grandson thinks so and he can hardly wait to try out my latest baking effort.  So far he has given each of my 'vintage' cookie recipes Five Stars! 

So, for a cookie recipe that is 'old' and different, give these Dream Bars cookies a try!

For more cookie recipes, check out

Review This Reviews – Cookie Recipes

*Dream Bars Cookie Recipe Review by (c) Wednesday Elf

Related Links:

• Honey Walnut Drops Cookie Recipe Review

For more vintage cookie recipes from long ago (1920s through the 1960s), check out this Vintage Baker cookbook I found on Amazon. A tasty variety of more than 50 recipes of desserts from the past, including cookies. 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Rabbit Day Review

International Rabbit Day is held on the 4th Saturday of September every year.  It first began in 1998 as an awareness day to protect and care for both wild rabbits and pet rabbits. 

We call rabbits by various names ~ rabbit, bunny rabbit, bunnies, and hares.  The difference between a hare and a rabbit is size (hares are larger). Also hares live in nests on the ground and rabbits live in burrows.

The word Bunny originally was used as an endearment for a young girl. Over time, it began to mean a young or small animal. Today it usually means a rabbit.  Bunny has become popular as the Easter Bunny or used when referring to a small or baby rabbit. Thus, we have Bunny Rabbit! 

If you want to know all the ins and outs of the rabbit terms, the website Wide Open Pets goes into detail of the various differences. 

How to Observe International Rabbit Day

• Read a book about rabbits.  My favorite is The Velveteen Rabbit, definitely a classic in children's books. Other sweet rabbit stories include The Tale of Peter Rabbit and Watership Down. 
• Watch a movie about rabbits.  Popular ones, especially with children, are Roger Rabbit, Watership Down, Bambi, and Bugs Bunny .
• Treat your pet rabbit to some extra carrots on its special day!

Pet Rabbits

Source: Pixabay

Rabbits make good pets.  They are quiet, they are easy to house train, they don't require a lot of space, and they bond well with their owner.

Did you know that rabbits are the third most popular animal to have as a pet, right behind dogs and cats. 

Crafty Rabbits (or Handmade Hares)

If it is not possible to have a real rabbit for a pet, get your child a toy rabbit. Some really cute ones are handmade by crafters.  I found dozens in all forms on Etsy.

Here are a few in handmade crochet.


Roly-Poly Pink Baby Bunny

Roly-Poly Pink Bunny @ Coastal Crochet Crafts 

This is a cute little plush bunny rabbit in a Roly-Poly Amigurumi Design.

Roly-Poly bunny measures a round 4 x 4 inches (including the bunny ears) and is about 9.5 inches around. She is filled with soft new fiberfill.

Plush bunny rabbit is handmade in pink acrylic yarn, and an Ombre variegated acrylic yarn called 'Wedgewood' in pinks, blues and white. Her features include blue craft eyes* and a dark pink embroidered nose. Her ears and feet are pink.

Roly-Poly bunny rabbit is a cute and cuddly soft toy just the right size for little hands to hold. Pink bunny has been sold, but contact: Coastal Crochet Crafts Etsy Store to order a custom bunny made for you.

Bunny Girl Plush Dolls

These darling handmade bunny rabbits, one in white and one in gold, are cute as can be.  

Wonderland White Rabbit is handmade in white acrylic yarn and filled with new polyester fiberfill.

Plush white bunny rabbit with crocheted carrot, is soft and cuddly. White rabbit measures 10 inches x 6 inches. The carrot, crocheted in orange yarn with green leaves, measures 5 inches long. 

Golden Bunny Girl Plush Doll on Etsy

Golden Bunny Girl is a soft plush doll.  She is hand-crocheted in a wheat-gold shade of acrylic yarn and comes complete with her own wardrobe for your favorite little girl to play 'dress-up' with her Bunny.

Golden Bunny Rabbit measures 9 inches tall (11 inches tall when you count her 'bunny ears') and 6 inches tall in a sitting position. She is about 5 inches across. Bunny Girl has craft eyes for features (eyes and nose) and she is softly stuffed with polyfil.

Golden Bunny Girl comes with her own wardrobe of 2 dresses which easily slip on by having her 'step into' the dress and pull up to tie around the neck in a bow. Each dress measures 4 inches long with 8 inch long crocheted 'ties'. Her dresses are crocheted in a pinafore style with a ruffle around the hem. The 2-piece crocheted wardrobe includes:

1. Pale green dress with two dark green buttons sewn on as trim
2. Colorful dress created with an ombre variegated yarn called "Artist Print" with shades of purple, lavender, rose, burgundy, gold, blue and green.

Both bunny girl dolls, plus more bunny-related items, are available on Etsy at Coastal Crochet Crafts.

International Rabbit Day

So, celebrate this special day by hopping down the bunny trail your favorite way – reading, watching movies, or playing with your pet rabbit or toy rabbit.

Don't forget the carrots! 

Source: Pixabay

Related Reviews:

Rabbit-related reviews number more than one dozen here on ReviewThisReviews.  Check out this 'search' for 'rabbits' link for articles by our contributors which include books about rabbits, movies about rabbits, and stories of the Easter Bunny. A fun way to fill your Rabbit Day!


Rabbit Day Review written by:

Wednesday Elf 
(9/26/2020)

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Living Accents Rectangular Folding Table Review

I participate in a local Farmers Market as a craft vendor.  I have a 4 foot by 2 foot folding table that fits nicely in my small car for transportation to Market. 

Several years ago, in South Carolina, I took part in another Farmers Market using my folding table and a card table for displaying my crafts. The card table broke and, since my move to Iowa, I haven't needed it.  Now, with the opportunity to join in at an Iowa Farmers Market, I find my single table does not give me enough display room. Therefore, this week I purchased a second folding table.

Living Accents Folding 4 ft. Rectangular Table

The table I chose is by Living Accents.  It measures 48 inches long x 24 inches wide x 29.5 inches high. It is lightweight and easy to carry, plus fits just fine on top of my first table in the car. It is on a steel frame and the legs fold in for easy storage and transportation. 

The polyethylene top is resistant to water, stains, scratch and impacts, which is handy since hauling the table in and out of the car and back & forth to my space at the park where the Farmers Market is held outside would be very hard on any 'indoor' type table. 

Ace is the Place

I purchased my new folding table at Ace Hardware, my favorite local 'go-to' place for many things I need. Other places one can find this folding table by Living Accents is Walmart and Target.  Other brands of similar folding tables can be found at a variety of Big Box Stores and on Amazon. 

Summary

The current Farmers Market will run weekly through October.  Once the winter snows blanket my Iowa landscape, I will use my folding craft tables for my craft room as I create more inventory for my Etsy Store and for next season's Farmer's Market! 

My new folding table at the Farmers Market

Table filled with my crafts on Market Day

Elf and her Crocheted Critters at the Farmers Market

Related Links:

• Ace Hardware Store Review
• My Favorite Local Ace Hardware Store Reviewed
• Ace Hardware Color of the Year Review

*Review written by (c) Wednesday Elf  (9/12/2020)

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Review of Budweiser Beer Battered Cod by Seapak

Mothers everywhere know their children's favorite meal – fish sticks and Mac & Cheese. Frozen fish sticks used to be really good (even adults liked them), but lately it seems they are not as tasty as they used to be.  It seems to me that many of the frozen breaded or battered fish products have changed in recent years to a lesser quality (or my taste buds don't care for them as much).  But recently I discovered a frozen fish product that is not only VERY tasty, but does not have that 'packaged' taste so often prevalent.

The product is called Budweiser Beer Battered Cod produced by SeaPak, the Shrimp & Seafood Co.  It is wild caught cod fillets in a crunchy beer batter and it is delicious.  

It's like having your kitchen become your new favorite Pub. 

SeaPak

The SeaPak company is known as the Shrimp & Seafood Co. They are known as the #1 retail brand in the frozen specialty seafood category. 

SeaPak has been making great tasting and high quality seafood products for over 70 years. They choose only the best seafood for their products and their signature seasonings, breadings and sauces bring you an authentic coastal seafood flavor right to your home dining table.

They are known for their Shrimp dishes (including Jumbo Butterfly Shrimp, Shrimp Scampi and Popcorn Shrimp), as well as their Maryland style Crab Cakes and Fish products which appeal to seafood lovers of all ages. 

Budweiser Beer Battered Cod

This beer battered cod is very fresh tasting and delicious.  The product comes from a fishery that has been independently certified to the MSC's standard for a well-managed and sustainable fishery. (www.msc.org) 

Quick and easy to fix in a conventional oven at 425 degrees, cooking in a single layer on a baking sheet for 17-18 minutes. Turn over half way through cooking. 

Ways to Serve:

Cod Filets with Macaroni & in a Sandwich

I have had this beer battered cod with Mac & Cheese and also as a fish sandwich on a roll with macaroni salad.  I think it would be good any way you serve it. The combination of Cod and the Budweiser Lager Beer used in the batter is yummy. You will find more serving suggestions and recipes for this product and the other SeaPak selections on the recipe section of their website. 

Where to Buy:

This Beer Battered Cod and other SeaPak seafoods are available from Target and Walmart and most of your favorite grocery stores (Kroger, Hy-Vee, Publix). 

For a quick and easy meal on no-time-to-cook busy days, these SeaPak seafood selections are a delicious product to keep in your freezer, and a satisfying meal choice. 

Available at:

• Walmart & Walmart.com
• Target & Target.com
• Many grocery stores

*Images by Wednesday Elf

+Review written by (c) Wednesday Elf 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Marie Callender's Shrimp Mac & Cheese Bowl Review

Frozen dinners are, naturally, not anywhere as good as home-cooked meals, but they are convenient for a segment of the population. These include singles, college students, widow/widowers living alone, and busy moms who find a day became too busy to cook.

There are a wide variety of brands of frozen dinners on the market today.  Some are just okay, some are pretty average, and then there are a couple which stand out in taste and deliciousness, making them an above-average, close-to-homemade choice for a meal. Stouffer's Frozen Foods has been just such a line of frozen meals for me for many years, until I came across another one just as good or better.  It's the Marie Callender's line of frozen dinners. 

Marie Callender

Marie Callender's story is a Heritage of Homemade.  She believed that slowing down to share a meal strengthened the bonds of family and friends. 

In the 1940s, she began baking pies in her home kitchen, which her son delivered on his bicycle to local restaurants in their Orange, California area. By 1948 she was able to open her first bakery, where she baked over 100 pies every day. 

In 1964, Marie's family opened the first of what eventually became a chain of pie and coffee shops.

Today it has expanded to frozen pies and other desserts, and into frozen meals available in grocery stores.  

Marie Callender's Shrimp Mac & Cheese Bowl

I have tried ~ and very much enjoyed ~ the Marie Callender pot pies and a few varieties of her frozen dinners. Recently I discovered a new line of products – microwavable bowls, and purchased the Shrimp Mac & Cheese Bowl.  It was Delicious! 

Image Source: (c) Elf

The Shrimp Mac & Cheese Bowl consists of shrimp over pasta with a buttery white wine cheese sauce. Mmmmm! 

It is a big bowl of succulent premium shrimp with pasta in a creamy sauce made from scratch with real butter and white wine. 

The bowl cooks up quickly in the microwave on high for 3 minutes, stir, re-cover and cook an additional 1-1/2 to 2 minutes.  VERY hot when done, so remove carefully.  Stir & enjoy!  I did! It is very fresh tasting and delicious. 

Summary

Check out the complete line of Marie Callender frozen dinners and bowls.  The variety is amazing and everything I have tried is very good. You can see the various meals available on the Marie Callender Website.

Image Source: (c) Elf

Related Links:

• Stouffer's Escalloped Chicken & Noodles

*Review of Marie Callender's White Wine & Butter Shrimp Mac & Cheese Bowl by:

Wednesday Elf 
8/29/2020

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Bonion Burgers Recipe Review

Or, our version of bacon-wrapped burgers!

Go ahead, laugh! But Bonion Burgers is the name we came up with to describe the bacon-wrapped burger combination we like best. It consists of a slice of onion and a slice of tomato on a hamburger patty which is then completely wrapped in bacon slices. We tried to come up with a name that included the 'T' for tomato, but nothing seemed to fit.  So we ended up using the 'B' for 'bacon' with onion and burger. It was the closest we could come to a name for our concoction.

(c) Elf

We originally wrapped just one slice of bacon around the outside of the hamburger patty a la filet minion. Then we discovered a tastier way! 

There are many recipes online for burgers with bacon. Recipe combinations include cheese and mushrooms and many other ingredients. The recipes are for all styles of cooking, from pan to oven to grill, and all served on some form of bun.  We wanted just bacon-favored hamburger cooked in a broiler oven and served without a bun. Thus, Bonion Burgers. So ~ you may laugh at our name, but the end result is delicious!

Simple Ingredients:

• Hamburger formed into patties
• One onion slice each
• One tomato slice each
• 4 slices bacon per hamburger patty
• Seasoning as desired
• Toothpicks

Very Easy Instructions:

(c) Elf

1. Simply make as many hamburger patties as you need – one per person. Season as desired.
2. Place a slice of tomato and a slice of onion on each patty.
3. Wrap 4 slices of bacon around each patty – completely covering the meat patty. Secure with toothpicks.

(c) Elf

Place the oven rack one shelf lower than the rack usually used for broiling so the bacon does not get overcooked or burned while the meat is cooking.

Broil under the broiler in the oven approximately 10 minutes per side  (20 minutes total, turning once). 

*Cook's Note:  I tend to make my burgers a bit smaller than most people, so I cook mine 8 minutes per side. 

Serving

(c) Elf

*Serve with rice and a vegetable.  We enjoy the combination of long-grain white rice (takes 20 minutes to cook so is perfectly timed with the broiled burgers) and green peas. 





Bonion Burgers ~ One of our favorite meals! 

(c) Elf

For more Recipes

Check out ReviewThisRecipes.com

Hamburger Recipes Galore right here on Amazon




Recipe Review written by Wednesday Elf (8/15/2020)

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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