MY INSIDE LOOK AT KRAFT KITCHENS
Last week I visited Kraft Kitchens. Yes, that Kraft Kitchens. Kraft Fresh Take just introduced some new flavors (including my new favorite, Spicy Chipotle Cheddar) and they invited me to come take a look around to experience where the magic happens. How could I say no to that (and why would I say no to that)?
In my role as Dad of the House I frequently find myself in the kitchen. It’s not so much that I love cooking, but rather that my kids and wife become grouchy when they’re hungry. I basically cook as a preventive measure to try to keep the peace. As mentioned in an earlier post, I started using Kraft Fresh Take in my recipes last year, and my meals have taken a significant step up. One could say that I’ve even gained a certain amount of confidence in my meal preparation. But it turns out that said confidence only applies in my kitchen with my family.
The tour at Kraft Kitchens was fascinating. I met the chefs who create the recipes and learned about how it all worked including the research, the science, and all the late nights spent baking cupcakes. And lasagna. And pork tenderloin. And again and again until they find the perfect combination. It was definitely impressive to see how much effort was made for each and every recipe.
But when it was time for lunch, instead of enjoying a delicious meal prepared by the in-house experts, the experts handed me an apron and said, “Let’s see what you can come up with.” My first thought was, “What kind of do-it-yourself tour is this?” And then, “Are they really going to trust me with knives?”
That’s Chef Jen on the left. Photo appears blurry because of how fast she is.
Chef Jennifer Manning unloaded a stack of ingredients from the fridge and set them in front of me. But how was I supposed to cook something in front of a professional chef? Sure, they all seemed nice enough at the time, but remember how angry and jealous that chef from Ratatouille turned out to be? I wasn’t taking any chances.
Tomato-Basil Queso Fundido
After politely explaining that I generally prefer not to cook on even-numbered Fridays preceded by a Thursday they let me off the hook. I still helped prepare the meal (I made the guacamole) but I left the heavy lifting to the pros. And take a look at what “we” came up with using Kraft Fresh Take and a few common ingredients found in most fridges.
Turkey Guacamole Sandwiches with Kraft Chipotle Cheddar Big Slices, Chipotle Cheddar Shrimp made with Spicy Chipotle Fresh Take, Chef Troy (action shot)
The results were delicious! Before I left I committed become a bit more adventurous in the kitchen. Now that I have seen first-hand how simple it can be to make such tasty dishes I’m ready to venture out. Just as long as I can be home in my own kitchen without the pressure of a real chef watching.
FRESH POSSIBILITIES TOUR
To celebrate America’s exceptional love of cheese, Kraft is hitting the streets with the Fresh Take Fresh Possibilities Tour. A journey of four food trucks and more than 600 stops, the tour has one mission: bringing mealtime inspiration and Kraft Fresh Take to the people. To find out more about the tour, see and share photos or videos about how you are using Fresh Take, or take a peek at the tour map click here.
DISCLOSURE: I was selected as Kraft Fresh Take’s blog ambassador by Kraft Foods to participate in the KRAFT Fresh Take Fresh Possibilities Tour and testing of the Fresh Take product. While I have been compensated for my time, my opinions are my own, and I have not been paid to post positive comments.
16 responses to “MY INSIDE LOOK AT KRAFT KITCHENS”
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I really enjoyed reading your blog.Health is very importent in lift.Eat healthy live Healthy
Wait a second! We can have more than chicken with our Fresh Take? I LOVE THAT STUFF! Italian Parmesan is my fave.
The spicy chipotle shrimp look good to me. I do agree with Troy that he should be careful in the kitchen with knives.
Looks pretty good, Troy, and yes, I am available for dinner pretty much any night next week. Just let me know 😉
Awesome! Looks like you can come up with some pretty interesting things . . . and it’s EASY (which is the key!). We’ll have to pick some up. I have such a hard time coming up with new ideas and apparently Kraft has the answer I need to spice up meal time 🙂 OH, and I TOTALLY don’t blame you for not wanting to cook in front of a real chef . . . I would have done the same.
The Chipotle Cheddar Shrimp made with the Spicy Chipotle Fresh Take look delish! I would love some of those right now!
Who knew Kraft had so many great products. Thanks for sharing this post Troy. You made me hungry.
YUM! I am super hungry for dinner right now and I think you’ve just about convinced me to go to the store to get this stuff to make for dinner. Looks like you had a lot of fun!
Thanks for the blog post. To me, cooking is nothing more than another chore that has to be done…but the family loves to eat good food and so do I. Fresh Take sounds convenient and I’m all for that. Bring this Tour out west!
Sounds good to me. With two kids in lacrosse right now and not much time to prepare meals, I’m all over that Spicy Chipotle Fresh Take! The Tomato-Basil Queso Fundido is looking pretty good right now too.
Wow, if you can cook maybe I can, too!
How long did that take to cook? I’m trying to find a substitute for the bowl of cereal I eat every day after work and this looks like a great recipe.
That shrimp looks sooooo good (no, I’m not talking about you, Troy, but you do look handsome in an apron). Seriously though, I love the Kraft Fresh Takes. I’ve still been wanting to make homemade mac and cheese and sprinkle that in top. So many options!
that is very cool Troy.. Kraft has something for everything. I want that Turkey Guacamole sandwich!
I tried the Chipotle Cheddar and it was delicious. Kraft has a winner and I plan on buying more of this unique product.
Great report Troy!
Now that I’m retired, I don’t like spending lots of time cooking, but still like delicious food. Sounds like Kraft has come up with another good idea!