Have you ever heard of Cookwell & Company? Up until recently, this Austin-based condiments company was best known for its 2-Step products: chiles, soups and stews. Pick your protein, add a jar of your favor stuff and voila! A delicious “home cooked” meal in minutes. H-E-B semi-recently catapulted them into the spotlight by featuring their Better Than Good Bacon Jam (along with Troy Aikman) in a semi-recent commercial that aired during the Superbowl. They currently offer over 60 products from marinades, soups, dressings, glazes, salsa, quesos, etc…
Nearly a year ago, my husband and I enjoyed a DELICIOUS surf and turf meal thanks to Cookwell & Company’s Pecos 83 BBQ Marinade, and earlier this year, I shared one of my very favorite recipes I created for a Better Than Good Bacon Jam glazed pork loin. Basically, I love Cookwell & Company, and when they contacted me a couple weeks back, I couldn’t have been more excited.
The small company is actually celebrating their 10th anniversary this year, and in light of this exciting milestone, they sent me a few of their products to try out to see how we like them.
When I received the box full o goodies, I couldn’t have been more excited to get into the kitchen and prepare a delicious dinner for my family. I started off with their Garlic and Molasses Marinade, described on their site as, “Cookwell & Company’s Garlic & Molasses Marinade combines two ingredients that are synonymous with grilling. This vibrant beauty is tangy and sweet and will surely make you the envy of your neighborhood. Great on pork, (think baby-back ribs!), chicken, and beef.” Yum.
So I marinated a pound of boneless, skinless chicken tenders in the sauce for a little over an hour to ensure optimal flavor power. When it was time to cook, I did a quick pan sear and cook on a flat top pan. Easy breasy.
While the chicken was cooking, I trimmed some string beans, and got them in another pan with some olive oil, salt, pepper, chopped onion and chopped garlic. That’s when I got the brilliant idea to use some of the Better Than Good Bacon Jam. I mean, it sounded SO GOOD. BTGBJ + Green Beans = Match made in heaven. No joke.
Once it was all said and done, we had an amazing meal on our hands.
The chicken was both sweet and smoky with a touch of delicious traditional BBQ flare, And the green beans were to die for.
I can’t explain just how good they were, but I will for sure be using the bacon jam on more veggies in the future.
I actually used it last night with some Brussels sprouts and it was another amazing dish.
A couple of days after the first Cookwell & Company win, I was having a frantic day and didn’t feel much like cooking, but that wasn’t an option. I had to put dinner on the table. That’s when I remembered I had a jar of their Cerveza Carne Guisda Meal Mixers. Boom. I do love my Crock Pot!
The website has this to say about this particular Meal Mixer: “Carne Guisada is a favorite Mexican-style stew. It’s super easy to prepare using beef or pork (or even cabrito!) and Cookwell & Company’s Carne Guisada Cerveza Meal Mixer. We’ve created an authentic rich, Mexican-style gravy with South-of-the-Border seasonings, chiles, and a nice dose of cerveza (beer), resulting in an over-the-top flavor. Serve over cooked rice or wrap in warm flour tortillas for your own little fiesta.”
So I put 2 pounds of beef stew meat, half of an onion I chopped into big sections, as well as a red bell pepper, into the slow cooker. I added plenty of salt and pepper to the mix before stirring in the jar of Carne Guisada stuff, and setting the whole thing on high, and the timer for 5 hours.
An hour or so into cooking, the house started to smell wonderful. The spices and smells that go hand in hand with Mexican cuisine wafted through the air, making all the cleaning and laundry that much more bearable. Roughly 20 minutes before serving, I started cooking rice, and whipped up a nice salad. Dinner was super delicious, and BEYOND easy. With a garnish of scallions, the dish looked fabulously beautiful too.
So far, everything I’ve tried using Cookwell & Company has been delicious, and has made hectic days turn into delicious nights. I can’t wait to try the Cookwell & Company Grilled Pineapple & Candied Jalapeño Sauce, which combines fresh grilled pineapples with candied jalapeños to create a one-of-a-kind sweet/heat sensation. It’s all-natural, and I hear it’s delicious as a glaze on pork, chicken, shrimp. I bet it’d be delicious over cream cheese too. I’ll let you know how it is after I use it.
So thank you so much to Cookwell & Company, and happy 10th birthday!!!
