Introducing Smidgen - The Podcast of Red Stick Spice Company

Sweet Potato love is a real thing. But have you ever wondered what the difference is between yams and sweet potatoes? Well, our host Anne Milneck (chef and owner of Red Stick Spice Company) dives into the history of yams—or should we say “yams”—in the United States and reveals all, including how Louisiana lost out on being the Yam (or Sweet Potato) capitol of the world and if there is such a thing as sweet potato fudge. After “nerding out” on the history, Anne gives a set of sweet potato recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert.

Sweet Potato Recipes to Try

- There are an amazing array of sweet potato recipes on the Red Stick Spice Company website. Start your sweet potato journey here: https://blog.redstickspice.com/?s=sweet+potato

- Anne mentioned the incomparable Holly Clegg. Find out more about Holly and her legacy here: https://thehealthycookingblog.com/about/

- Did your ears perk up at the mention of the coffee BBQ rub? Order it here: https://www.redstickspice.com/products/coffee-bbq-rub

- Want to share Smidgen podcast with someone who is a sweet potato lover? Please do! Easy link to share: https://pod.link/1465606357

- How do I get the Red Stick Spice Company newsletter with recipes and cooking ideas? Sign up for our newsletter here.

 Hear all Smidgen episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, or your browser, or your favorite podcast app. Follow Red Stick Spice Co socials, including Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Smidgen is the award-winning podcast of Red Stick Spice Co.

The Lenten Season changes the menu for some families as they observe the 40-day period before Easter. Traditionally, this has meant a lot of fish meals (especially on Fridays.) But what if you want to observe lent without leaning too heavily on fish? This new episode of Smidgen—hosted by Anne Milneck, owner of Red Stick Spice Company is here to help.

What are the best meals to serve during Lent?

- Read Anne’s blog post on the Lenten meals here:

- Want to share Smidgen podcast with someone who might appreciate knowing these resolutions? Please do! Easy link to share: https://pod.link/1465606357

- How do I get the Red Stick Spice Company newsletter with recipes and cooking ideas? Sign up for our newsletter here.

 Hear all Smidgen episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, or your browser, or your favorite podcast app. Follow Red Stick Spice Co socials, including Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Smidgen is the award-winning podcast of Red Stick Spice Co.

You can make a lovely and romantic dinner for Valentine’s Day at home! Anne Milneck of  Red Stick Spice Company has you covered with an elegant, multi-course meal that will impress—and that you can actually successfully make—that is sure to make your evening in something special.

What is a good menu for home cooked Valentine’s dinner?

- Read Anne’s blog post on Valentine’s, complete with menu and optional variations. Click here to read Anne’s blog post.

- Did someone say vanilla balsamic? Shop for this unique vinegar, featured in the menu: https://www.redstickspice.com/products/vanilla-balsamic-vinegar

- Anne mentioned that slow roasted salmon is all over the internet. Here’s Red Stick Spice Company’s spin—Chipotle Slow Roasted Salmon: https://blog.redstickspice.com/recipe/chipotle-slow-roasted-salmon/

- Want to share Smidgen podcast with someone who might appreciate knowing these resolutions? Please do! Easy link to share: https://pod.link/1465606357

- How do I get the Red Stick Spice Company newsletter with recipes and cooking ideas? Sign up for our newsletter here.

 Hear all Smidgen episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, or your browser, or your favorite podcast app. Follow Red Stick Spice Co socials, including Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Smidgen is the award-winning podcast of Red Stick Spice Co.

What food trends are home cooks going to be seeing everywhere in 2024, and maybe more importantly, what are some of the recipes that will help you explore the best this new year has to offer? Smidgen host and owner of Red Stick Spice Company Anne Milneck loves food trends. So when she saw Southern Living’s list of pertinent food trends for 2024, she knew she wanted to talk about them on the show—and bring some exciting recipes from the Red Stick Spice Company teaching kitchen to help our customers bring these trends into their homes right away.  

This week’s episode is inspired by Southern Living’s article: Food Trends You'll See Everywhere In 2024, According To Southern Living Editors

What are the best food trends for 2024?

- Read Anne’s blog post on the big food trends for 2024, including recipes you can try and get a feel for the trend:

- MUST-TRY! Anne says this maple tahini tea latte is sure to please: https://blog.redstickspice.com/recipe/maple-tahini-tea-latte/

- Have you tried Soom tahini yet? Select any of the wonderful Soom products, available at Red Stick Spice Company, INCLUDING dark chocolate sea salt (yum!): https://www.redstickspice.com/search?type=product&q=soom*

- Whip up a batch of tahini blossoms with chocolate kisses: https://blog.redstickspice.com/recipe/tahini-blossom-cookies-with-chocolate-kisses/

- Want to share Smidgen podcast with someone who might appreciate knowing these resolutions? Please do! Easy link to share: https://pod.link/1465606357

- How do I get the Red Stick Spice Company newsletter with recipes and cooking ideas? Sign up for our newsletter here.

 Hear all Smidgen episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, or your browser, or your favorite podcast app. Follow Red Stick Spice Co socials, including Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Smidgen is the award-winning podcast of Red Stick Spice Co.

Hello, 2024! Are you ready to cook up a storm this year? Do you want to love your kitchen and your home cooking even more this year? On this episode of Smidgen, Anne Milneck—chef and proprietor of Red Stick Spice Company—has some practical resolutions that you can easily incorporate to your routines and are you ready for this? Are resolutions you can actually stick to.

What are cooking resolutions can I actually stick to?

Meal prep one thing each week (just one!); try a new recipe from a new cookbook every month; cook something in a wok; eat down the freezer strategically; explore fridge-friendly salads that can sub in as sides. Anne walks through each of these tips and explains how each idea can make life easier as you cook meals this year.

- Read Anne’s blog post with 5 cooking resolutions that will actually change and improve your home cooking: https://blog.redstickspice.com/five-cooking-resolutions/

- Did you hear Anne give a shout-out to Country Captain Chicken? Check out this vintage recipe that now is a Teaching Kitchen favorite. Yum! https://blog.redstickspice.com/recipe/country-captain-chicken/

- Can’t get enough of Kung Pao Chicken. A MUST-TRY: https://blog.redstickspice.com/recipe/kung-pao-chicken/

- BTW the class which brought Kung Pao Chicken to Anne’s attention originated is Better Than Take-Out. You can take this class, too! More info here: https://www.redstickspice.com/products/better-than-takeout

- Ready to wok? Matt from the Teaching Kitchen likes this one, Helen Chen Carbon Steel Wok: https://www.redstickspice.com/products/helen-chen-carbon-steel-wok

- Attention duck hunters and duck hunters’ loved ones: https://blog.redstickspice.com/recipe/duck-flatbread-with-shallot-and-figs/

- Want to share Smidgen podcast with someone who might appreciate knowing these resolutions? Please do! Easy link to share: https://pod.link/1465606357

- How do I get the Red Stick Spice Company newsletter with recipes and cooking ideas? Sign up for our newsletter here.

 Hear all Smidgen episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, or your browser, or your favorite podcast app. Follow Red Stick Spice Co socials, including Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Smidgen is the award-winning podcast of Red Stick Spice Co.

The holidays and Christmas season is here! Are you or a favorite home cook feeling stressed? Less than jolly? Anne Milneck, chef, owner of Red Stick Spice Company, and host of Smidgen has some help for you. Lots of outlets churn out “helpful hints for the holidays” lists that… let’s face it… are a little less than robust. We need real help this year, and Anne delivers on this episode of Smidgen.

What are the best tips to make holiday cooking easier?

- Read Anne’s blog post with 12 Holiday Tips that are impactful; real-world tested; not your usual run-of-the-mill tips. Link on the Red Stick Spice Co website: https://blog.redstickspice.com/12-helpful-holiday-tips/

- Did you hear Anne mention Lily’s Apple Strudel? No better reason to have some puff pastry on hand. Recipe here: https://blog.redstickspice.com/recipe/apple-strudel/

- Want to share Smidgen podcast with someone who might appreciate knowing these REAL holiday kitchen tips? Please do! Easy link to share: https://pod.link/1465606357

- How do I get the Red Stick Spice Company newsletter with recipes and cooking ideas? Sign up for our newsletter here.

Hear all Smidgen episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, or your browser, or your favorite podcast app. Follow Red Stick Spice Co socials, including Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Smidgen is the award-winning podcast of Red Stick Spice Co.

We’ve all said it: we don’t want more “stuff” and we want to keep our Holiday budget intact. But we also don’t want to go empty handed to our friend’s house this season. Anne Milneck—chef and owner of Red Stick Spice Company has a delicious solution on this episode of Smidgen. Have fun and a joyful kitchen as you make these 5 wonderful gifts from your kitchen to share with the people you love.

What are the best homemade Christmas gifts?

From scratch granola, shortbread, sumptuous dessert sauces, savory quick pickles, and comforting quick breads are recommended gifts—Anne wrote a blog post highlighting each of these most-wanted hostess gifts. Read the blog post here.

- Bonus! Anne has some ideas about gifts to give to your favorite home cook, too!

• Make your own Chile Crisp Kit, for the chili lover in your life: https://www.redstickspice.com/products/chile-crisp-kit
• Sourdough starter from Magnolia Hill-- what is better than homemade bread? https://www.redstickspice.com/products/home-on-magnolia-hill-sourdough-starter
• Cocktail makers and mixologists are going to love Elderberry Creamed Honey from Cockeyed Farms: https://www.redstickspice.com/products/cockeyed-farms-16oz-american-elderberry-creamed-honey
• Snackers will love candied jalapenos from Grinning Jupiter: https://www.redstickspice.com/products/candied-jalapenos

- Want to share Smidgen podcast with someone who might appreciate knowing these gifts from the kitchen? Please do! Easy link to share: https://pod.link/1465606357

- How do I get the Red Stick Spice Company newsletter with recipes and cooking ideas? Sign up for our newsletter here.

Hear all Smidgen episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, or your browser, or your favorite podcast app. Follow Red Stick Spice Co socials, including Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Smidgen is the award-winning podcast of Red Stick Spice Co.

Oh my! What are we going to do with all this food?? If you are looking upon your Thanksgiving Leftovers with a little bit of dread, Anne Milneck—chef and owner of Red Stick Spice Company reveals her skill as a meal makeover artist in this episode of Smidgen. Now, keep in mind: we are pro-leftover on Smidgen; this is not about simply eating down the Thanksgiving meal. Rather, this episode is all about fully transformed meals, using food from Thanksgiving. Each of the recipes Anne discusses are great dishes on their own—the fact that they help making a dent in the leftovers crowding the fridge: a bonus.

How do you deal with leftovers on Thanksgiving?

You don’t have to face your post-Thanksgiving fridge with dread. Here are 5 great recipes to makeover your Thanksgiving leftovers.

- A South Louisiana staple: Turkey & Sausage Gumbo

- Have you ever said, “Will it waffle?” then this is for you: Cheesy Waffled Mashed Potatoes

- Ooh la la ooey gooey goodness: Turkey & Brie Panini with Cranberry Sauce

- Nothing like a good sweet potato. Try these Sweet Potato Pancakes—yum!

- Cranberry lovers unite! Rosemary Thumbprint Cookies with Cranberry Sauce

-… and if you heard Anne mention the Bourbon Vanilla Cranberry Sauce—recipe is here.  

- Producer note: This stuffing is amazing! Do yourself a favor and give it a try: Ciabatta & Sausage Stuffing

- Y’all interested in a make-ahead roux? Anne has you covered: Make-Ahead Roux

- Want to share Smidgen podcast with a fellow Thanksgiving leftover lover? Please do! Easy link to share: https://pod.link/1465606357

- How do I get the Red Stick Spice Company newsletter with recipes and cooking ideas? Sign up for our newsletter here.

Hear all Smidgen episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Pandora, or your browser, or your favorite podcast app. Follow Red Stick Spice Co socials, including Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Smidgen is the award-winning podcast of Red Stick Spice Co.

Spatchcock your Thanksgiving turkey for gorgeous crispy skin and juicy turkey meat. Smidgen host Anne Milneck of Red Stick Spice Company details on this episode why everyone should consider taking a note out of Kenji Lopez-Alt’s book (or podcast appearance) and spatchcocking this year’s Thanksgiving turkey. What do you get?

•           CRISPY, crispy golden lovely delicious skin
•          Plump, juicy turkey (NO dry bird—you’re not relying on all the great Thanksgiving sides to carry the meal. Enjoy the bird, too!)
•          Relatively quick cooking time (a 14-16 lbs in 90 minutes, OH YEAH!)

Anne explains why this year is a perfect time to try this technique and have wow results for your family and other Thanksgiving guests.

What’s the best way to cook turkey this Thanksgiving?

There’s a step-by-step guide on the Red Stick Spice Company website showing how to spatchcock your Thanksgiving turkey here: https://blog.redstickspice.com/why-we-are-spatchcocking-our-turkey/

Anne recommends several spice blends to try on your turkey when spatchcocking and a variety of salts:

- This is the time of year to try Gobble Gobble Blend: https://www.redstickspice.com/products/gobble-gobble-blend

- Italian Herb Blend: https://www.redstickspice.com/products/italian-seasoning

- When you dry brine, use our Dry Brine Blend: https://www.redstickspice.com/products/dry-brine

- Customer favorite Butcher Salt is also a great choice: https://www.redstickspice.com/products/sea-salts-products-butcher-salt

 - Want to share Smidgen podcast with a fellow Thanksgiving cook? Please do! Easy link to share: https://pod.link/1465606357

- Anne recommends the countdown to Thanksgiving method, covered previously on Smidgen. Want to know how to prepare? Listen to these short, technique-packed episodes: 5 Days before T-Day; 4 days; 3 days, 2 days; 1 day until Thanksgiving. What do you think of this sequence? 

- How do I get the Red Stick Spice Company newsletter with recipes and cooking ideas? Sign up for our newsletter here.

Hear all Smidgen episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, or your browser, or your favorite podcast app. Follow Red Stick Spice Co socials, including Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Smidgen is the award-winning podcast of Red Stick Spice Co.

Boo! Halloween is a fun and special time for Smidgen host Anne Milneck and Red Stick Spice Company. Anne likes to go big with costumes, decorations, and Halloween festivities! You can too—even at this date, you can pull together a delightful and delicious Halloween celebration for friends and neighbors. On this episode, 7 Halloween recipes that are easy and can feed a crowd. Spooky root beer, sheet pan nachos, pumpkin soup, mummy-wrapped baked brie, sloppy joes, ogre-green matcha popcorn, witch’s fingers cookies are sure to amaze your favorite fiends (er, or friends.)

What is a good Halloween party menu?

- Spooky Halloween root beer: https://blog.redstickspice.com/recipe/spooky-halloween-rootbeer/

- Matcha popcorn: https://blog.redstickspice.com/recipe/matcha-popcorn/

- Feed-a-crowd smoky sloppy joes: https://blog.redstickspice.com/recipe/smoky-sloppy-joes/

- Listen to the episode to hear how to make mummy wrapped brie; witches’ fingers cookies; and check out Anne’s blog post about Halloween treats.

- Want to share Smidgen podcast with a fellow trick or treater? Please do! Easy link to share: https://pod.link/1465606357

- How do I get the Red Stick Spice Company newsletter with recipes and cooking ideas? Sign up for our newsletter here.

Hear all Smidgen episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Pandora, or your browser, or your favorite podcast app. Follow Red Stick Spice Co socials, including Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Smidgen is the award-winning podcast of Red Stick Spice Co.