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Product Name: McCormick 2011 Flavor Forecast

Product Information: “Taste preferences are changing, palates are expanding.  This newly confident passion for flavor demands food experiences that deliver on multiple levels of satisfaction and fulfillment.  Flavor can offer comfort, provide pleasure, promote wellness and take the taste buds to exhilarating new places.

As people have become more adventurous and seek global cuisines, the McCormick Flavor Forecast has been on the leading edge of identifying emerging tastes and trends.

The flavor experts at McCormick were joined by a trendsetting group of chefs and food personalities to identify this collection of influential undercurrents that will shape the way we eat in the year ahead and beyond.”

Top 10 Flavor Pairings:

1. Fennel & Peri-Peri Sauce
2. Pickling Spice & Rice Vinegar
3. Roasted Curry Powder & Wild Mushrooms
4. Caramelized Honey & Adzuki Red Beans
5. Ancho Chile Pepper & Hibiscus
6. Thyme & Stone Fruits
7. Mustard Seed & Vermouth
8. Cilantro & Nut Butters
9. Herbes de Provence & Popcorn
10. Green Peppercorn & Goat’s Milk

Purchase Information: McCormick products can be purchase in grocery stores nationwide.

My Thoughts: I’m sure I’m not alone in saying that I LOVE flavor in my food!  Am I right?  I mean who really likes bland food??  So I was very excited when I received the McCormick’s Flavor Forecast Kit full of great products for my family and I to use along with the wonderful recipes they put together.  Like I’ve said many times, I’m not a big cook but if I’m going to cook something different I love to have an exact recipe to make it easier for me.  I’m not that creative in the kitchen!

As I glanced though the Flavor Forecast (which included all the flavor pairings above) the flavors seriously jumped off the page and made my mouth start to water!  So I grabbed the recipe cards they sent me in the kit and decided on the first meal I’d try and that was the Coconut-Almond Chicken Stew with Cilantro.  I’ve never cooked with Coconut Milk so I was excited to give this recipe a whirl.  It was extremely easy to put together especially since I had all the ingredients on hand with my kit and the flavor was amazing!!  My husband didn’t like it, but he’s Extremely picky but my oldest and I loved it!  Unfortunately it’s very high in points for my diet (I’m on weight watchers) so the next time I make it I’m going to see how I can modify it a bit so it’s a little more point friendly.

But the kit was a big hit and it forced me to cook with some different ingredients that I don’t normally use.  And I’m still enjoying it!  McCormick’s has an array of recipes to go along with the flavor forecast so I’m all set for a while!

WIN IT

(1) Koupon Karen reader will win a McCormick 2011 Flavor Forecast Kit worth approximately $85 and will include:

  • A 2011 Flavor Forecast Report
  • 4 recipe cards
  • A Variety of Spices and other ingredients for all 4 recipes
  • A $25 gift card to purchase additional ingredients for the recipes

Entry is simple! You just need to answer the question below by leaving a comment on this site! You can even gain up to 4 bonus entries for doing each additional item listed (just make sure that you leave one entry for each one — up to a total of 6 comments). As a reminder, comments left on Facebook, Twitter or other posts will not be included.

REQUIRED ENTRY

Visit McCormick.com and check out their recipes.  Then come back and tell me what you’d like to try.

BONUS ENTRIES:

1. Follow @KouponKaren on twitter and tweet the following “I entered to #win McCormick’s 2011 Flavor Forecast Kit @KouponKaren You can too! https://wp.me/pMKCI-64T #giveaway

2. “Like” Koupon Karen on Facebook –> I have a new page so if you were previously my “friend on facebook” please like this page as well.

3. Comment on any other post on my blog (giveaway posts don’t count) then come back here and let me know what post you commented on.

4. Sign up to receive Koupon Karen daily emails or add me to your favorite reader.

Details: This giveaway is open to US Residents and will remain open until April 18th at 11:59 p.m. EST . Any comments left after this time will not be counted. The winner will be selected randomly and will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to claim their prize.

Disclosure: I received a McCormick 2011 Flavor Forecast kit for my review. This did not influence my post and as always, my words are my own.