Sounds Good

Do you have Dr Pepper in a bottle? Better let him out
My daughter and I know people who are crazy for Dr Pepper, so we simply made silent eye contact when we found a reduced priced, damaged squeeze bottle of something we’d never spied before. Dr Pepper cherry dessert topper is like a thick, sweet sludge of what might be left at the bottom of a soda fountain syrup canister. I didn’t have ice cream, so I tried it on a frozen banana. This is the perfect gift for all those addicted to the doc.

Ready broth
I made a reduced-priced box of barley into the star of a meal with new Ready to Serve Broth from Manischewitz. I popped a top on the can of beef flavor, which features a recipe for beef short ribs and balsamic turnips, and dinner was ready in a snap. I know broth is essential for many cooks, but I’m not a frequent user. This line could change all that. Chicken and reduced-sodium chicken comes in cans or reusable cartons. It’s kosher good.

Jug Sliders
Northerners couldn’t guess how unusual it sounds to us Texans to call tiny sandwiches “sliders.” It doesn’t stop use from enjoying them. And while Texans are expert at flavoring meat, Carlo Rossi offers a game-day blend for mini-burgers that I’ve played with and enjoyed. The recipe calls for a big ol’ jug of Carlo Rossi merlot, but you don’t have to use it all in the burgers. It’s very nice to have some left over.

Carlo Rossi Jug Sliders
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 package mini buns
2 tablespoons of butter or margarine
4 ounces of button mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 large scallions, sliced
1 shallot, minced
1 cup of Carlo Rossi Merlot
Green leaf lettuce
Salt, pepper to taste
Shape about 3 tablespoons of ground beef into a 1" thick pattie, sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Repeat with remaining mixture. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.  Melt butter in a skillet and add mushrooms, scallions and shallot. Cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally; add Carlo Rossi Merlot and simmer.  Grill burgers to preferred degree of temperature.  Place each burger on miniature bun with lettuce and top with mushroom mixture.  Makes 16.

Simply
Some may argue, with great success, that any chocolate chip cookie is already just about the best it can be. Pillsbury took it up a notch with Simply, a new line of refrigerated cookie dough boasting 0 grams trans fat, no high fructose corn syrup or artificial flavors, colors or preservatives. The packaginge can convince you it’s a health food, but it doesn’t say zero calories. I will say that every calorie was worth it.

Pink picking in October
Will grabbing a pink O-Cedar broom make you look forward to cleaning?
Maybe, but it will for sure remind you of breast cancer awareness, and October is the official month for that. Breast Cancer Network of Strength and O-Cedar pinked up several signature products including the Angler Broom, Power Corner Broom and Pro-Wring Self-Twisting Mop. It’s a while-they-last sort of deal you’ll want to get in on. These are stylish and important.
ddoiron@panews.com