As a follow-up to yesterday’s post about foods without MSG added, here is the promised recipe. First, a short summary for new readers: MSG is an oft-used flavor enhancer usually found on meats and spices. While it is an FDA-approved additive, some consumers feel it is not healthful and look for foods that are MSG-free.

No-MSG Complete Chili Mix. 1 cup Chili Mix; 2.5 cups water. 1. Bring water to a rolling boil. 2. Add the soup mix while continuing to stir. 3. Reduce heat and continue to cook at a low boil for 15 minutes. Stir frequently. 4. Remove from heat, cover and let steam 5 minutes before serving.

A common request at our market in Bird-in-Hand is for no-MSG-added products. While MSG is an FDA-approved flavor enhancer often used in meats and to enhance spices, there is some thinking that MSG provides a negative health benefit. Our bulk food aisles have some no-MSG-added items, which are growing in popularity.

In addition to the many spices that are naturally MSG-free, our bulk food department stocks 11 different MSG-free soup mixes plus no-MSG-added chicken base and beef base. We are always open to suggestions about other items that customers would like us to carry. For more details about our no-MSG-added bulk foods, call our bulk food department at 717-768-7112 or email Bulk Foods. Watch this blog for a follow-up article with a recipe for no-MSG-added soup.

At Kauffman’s, we buy bulk foods in large case quantities and re-package the foods into smaller packages suitable for our customers. Our main supplier of bulk cases, Dutch Valley Foods, offers periodic specials to us with the intent of us, the merchant, passing those specials along to our retail customers. The following list shows the current set of specials:

• Strawberry Gelatin on special for 20% off (two sizes)
• Ranch Dressing & Dip Mix, on special for 25% off
• All-Natural Amish Macaroni Salad Mix on special for 25% off
• Jake & Amos Real Bacon Dressing (prepared in a jar, not a mix) on special 25% off

I’d like to advertise the existence of a folder in our online store that contains drink mixes, hot and cold ones. In this month of April, we all know how the weather fluctuates between downright chilly and sweaty warm. This drink folder is made for the occasion – it has lemonade mix, cappuccino mixes, and others.

So go ahead, place an order, and shortly you’ll be enjoying a hot drink on a cold day or a cold drink on a hot day. These drinks are Lancaster County quality, and make great encouragement or “I’m thinking of you” gifts.

There are a lot of foodies out there – foodies, as in folks who enjoy food and spend some time cooking, baking, frying, consuming, and otherwise dabbling with how-to and where-from and recipes and other details about food. Some foodies like to do culinary projects from scratch; others like a little guidance.

This post is dedicated to those foodies among us who like a little guidance. Do your friends a favor and alert them to this post – they just might thank you. Cookbooks, anyone?

Attention bargain hunters, and attention local residents in eastern Lancaster County – here are some coupons for the newly reset Kauffman’s Fruit Farm & Market that will make your winter shopping a pleasure!

Click the link to download a PDF document and print it using your printer. Cut out a coupon, bring it in to our market… and enjoy:

• More-customer-friendly travel throughout the market
• Many more products
• Better, more logical product grouping
• Easier checkout

We think you’ll like it! See you soon. Don’t forget, the coupons are only good in February and March, 2012.

Kauffman’s Fruit Farm is happy to announce that our farm market along Rt. 340 in Bird-in-Hand has undergone quite a drastic renovation and product reset. In order to get additional product displays, a more customer friendly layout, and faster checkout time, we’ve added better doors, moved the checkout counters, moved some shelving, and added refrigerator space and quite a bit additional shelving.

We have been open through the entire process, and thank our friendly customers for their patronage during the renovation. Our store is better and bigger than ever, and we look forward to your comments and to serving you in our greater capacity!

Tonight my wife and I hosted my parents and siblings for the evening. We ate in style, with my wife showing her skills in supplying a meal fit for a king… sorry, president, seeing we live in the USA.

Before finishing our family Christmas celebrations, we feasted on chicken wings, salad, and El Salvador rice, which received quite a few compliments. Made with white rice, chicken base, and sauteed vegetables, it’s a flavorful (and healthy) piece of the puzzle in a well-rounded meal.

Another dish that’s often served on New Year’s is sauerkraut, a type of pickled cabbage. Some people like it sour, and others prefer to have it more sweet. If you prefer it sweet, simply add brown sugar till it suits your tastebuds.

Ok, so why not try your hand at it? You still have the whole winter; even if the holidays are past, who says it has to be served around the holidays? Try sauerkraut anytime and enjoy healthy, tasty eating all through 2012!

Around Christmas and New Years’ Day there is always a lot of wonderful food.  We are blessed!  One delicious Christmas dish is “roasht”, sometimes called stuffing or dressing.  It consists of bread, veggies, and chicken, and is best served with a gravy. One of the most popular gravy flavors is chicken gravy.

The Amish and Mennonites are really good at making homemade chicken gravy. For those of us that want a quality gravy mix, here is a good selection.