Hormel EZCook- There's an App for That!

Search for a dish either by a code on the label or a drop down list of cuts
Gadgets and cooking are a match made in heaven particularly for the ipod, email, Twitter generation. While I am  a bit before that generation (though only by a bit)  I love to try a new technology especially related to cooking, so I was intrigued when Hormel  contacted me to ask if I would like to try a new product, EZ Cook , that can be used on smartphones to help consumers select and prepare meals featuring Hormel's line of Always Tender meats.  The idea is that by typing a code from an Always Tender meat package into your smartphone at the EZ Cook site, you can find a recipe using that cut. This sounded like a great idea perfect for someone trying to find dinner ideas for their family, and a fun way to play with food, so of course I agreed to give it a try.

This tool provides a grocery list for the dish you have selected that you can use at the store, or even print out for reference!
Since this was a new program, many of the labels on meats still in the store did not yet have the code, but luckily, the site allows you to look up by the cut as well as the code. Besides finding some great recipes tailored to the Always Tender meat line, the site has some great features, like  a complete shopping list for the selected dish that you can use directly on your phone or even print out. I went to the site to look up something I could make and selected a boneless pork loin as the cut I would make. Well I found a recipe that looked great, but this wouldn't be play with food if I just pulled up a recipe and cooked it, so I started with an Always Tender Mesquite barbecue pork tenderloin- I picked something a little spicy since my husband was fighting a cold and he thought something spicy would appeal to him.   I checked out the EZ Cook site and found this amazing recipe and I decided to alter it  a bit- taking inspiration from what I saw.  I kept the bacon-wrapped idea but I decided to kick it up a notch, brushing the roast with Chipotle Barbecue sauce that my friend Michael O' Boyle, the Chicken Fried Gourmet, had sent me to try. To go with the roast, I made some cheesy grits to offer a counterpoint to the spiciness of the meat , and shoepeg corn with mango and peach salsa for a bit of sweetness.  The roast was easy to prepare, cooked perfectly, moist and juicy. and a tenderloin is a perfect cut to cook at the end of a long day, yet worthy of company meal.

All in all it was a very successful meal, and a successful experiment. I can't wait till codes permeate the market and I can give the app a try in its full functionality. Until then check out the site yourself and look at it as a chance for you to play with food! 

I received a $100 stipend and product coupons from Hormel Foods to cover the cost of my groceries for my EZ Cook inspired meal. I am also entered to win a $500 gift card for writing this post.

Comments

Diana said…
That sounds like a pretty good idea, as i often find i buy great cuts of meat but don't really know what to do with them.
I like to have fun with cuts of meat. I don't like cooking it in ordinary method. I love to be creative with it.
EFT for cancer said…
What a great way to make busy people's life easier! It will surely cut prep time to half having access to such recipes!
hcg drops said…
Nifty lil app. I'll check that one out. Thanks for the share!
Nice site! Got any recipe for these?

http://topfiveawesome.blogspot.com/2011/04/top-5-awesome-foods-peta-would-love.html
Me Info all said…
Good Information about meat, if you interets about cooking meat with in Indonesian style, you can see in my blog the receipt:
http://meinfoculinary.blogspot.com/2011/04/ragey.html

Thanks, and enjoy the receipt..
Recipes Club said…
That's such a cool idea! I'm with Diana, I don't always know what to do with the meats I buy. Your chipotle tenderloins look delicious! What was the brand of BBQ that you used on it? Would you care to share the recipe you used?
~Nancy Lewis~
Chum-Chum said…
Nice Blog .. :D hehe

I've learn a lots of new things on it.. hehe

this my blog http://foodrecipe2011.blogspot.com/
hope you like it.. :D
That meat looks so succulent, Deborah. It's only 9:30 am, and I wish I had some right now.
Deborah Dowd said…
Diana- Anything to make cooking good food easier for the home cook is good by me!

Nirankar- Thanks for stopping in and I will be checking out your blog as well

toenail - Thanks for the comment, but it is a little hard to have comments on a food blog from toenail fungus treatment!

EFT- Thanks for checking in and I hope you give this a try!

hcg- Give it a try- it is really a big help with meal planning.

Top 5 - Checked out you post and it definitely puts one in touch with their food- I certainly don't condone the practices you highlight.

Info- I have only had Sate, but I will definitely check out your blog!

Nancy - Thanks so much for stopping by. The chipotle barbecue sauce was from a fellow blogger Michael O'Boyle at Chicken-Fried Gourmet.

Chum Chum- I am glad that Play with Food is helpful- that was what I had hoped to do. I will be checking out your blog.

Susan - It did turn out very moist, and Michael's barbecue sauce did it proud!
buy wow account said…
WoW! great idea. . nice blog..=)
Vicoprofen said…
Wow! This looks awesome. Will surely try it.