Marvelous Marinades and Other Shortcuts

Ever in search of quick and easy weeknight dinners, I have been spending more and more time at specialty food stores looking for tasty marinades to help make my life easier. My latest loves are the marinades from Stonewall Kitchen. Stonewall Kitchen is a specialty food brand that was founded in nearby Hampton, NH. What started as two guys selling handmade jellies, jams, and vinegars at local farmer's markets and craft shows has turned into a huge national business. Despite the scale, I find the quality to be very good, and their sauces, marinades, and mustards are excellent time-savers in the kitchen. While they make recommendations for how to use their products on the label of each product, there is plenty of room for creativity as well. Here are some of my favorite ideas:

• I love using their marinades on shrimp and scallops for a SUPER easy weeknight dinner. My favorite with shellfish are Wasabi Ginger, Garlic Rosemary Citrus, and Sesame Ginger Teriyaki.
• The Roasted Garlic Peanut sauce is great on grilled chicken satay.
• Serve their lemon curd with store-bought pound cake for an easy and elegant dessert.
• I could make a meal on their mustards alone - Horseradish Mustard, Bourbon Molasses Mustard, Champagne Shallot Mustard, Wasabi Mustard, etc. all elevate your burgers and dogs from everday to exceptional. For a quick and easy sauce for roast beef (either dipping sauce or sandwich spread), combine two parts Horseradish Mustard with one part low fat sour cream.
• Spoon Black Cherry Cognac sauce over high-quality vanilla ice cream for a more adult dessert treat.

Stonewall Farms has several retail stores in southern Maine and New Hampshire, sells it's products in many specialty stores, and also has a nice website: http://www.stonewallkitchen.com/default.aspx