So what did the Sassies and Becca, our guest Sassy, think of Shirley J? Read on to find out!
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QUESTION

What was your first impression?
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THE SCOOP

Becca: Loved the location. Happy and fun look with a to-die-for test kitchen! I want that!
Camille: I was impressed with the wide variety of mixes and spices! Anything instant to make my meals more convenient is more than welcome in my kitchen.
Emily: I know I said “holy crap!” last week but “Holy crap! I want that kitchen!” Oh, and the food Chef Brian prepared looked and smelled great!
Kalli: Impressive test-kitchen setup; I wish my kitchen looked like this…
Kristina: The packaging was very inviting. If I ever had the urge to make out with a bag of brownies or cornbread, it would be these.
Michelle: The test kitchen was really nice and I could not wait to test everything I spied cooking. I was really impressed that their chef was from the Zermatt Resort.
Quinn: I liked their bright colors, especially on the tile. The commercial kitchen was gorgeous, too!
Stephanie: I loved the bright, pretty packaging and how well it would fit in the pantry.
Vanessa: Excited! I have neighbors, friends and family who swear by some of their products and I could not wait to learn how to use them at the test kitchen and then figure them into my recipes at home. My mom makes the best roast ever with their Dutch Oven & Slow Cooker mix.
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QUESTION

What did you like the most?

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THE SCOOP

Becca: I loved the informative staff. They had endless ideas on how to use their products and they were happy to answer any questions.
Camille: I’ve used their sweet roll mix before to make cinnamon rolls. Very easy to use and it tasted great!
Emily: The cracker bread with the marinara sauce was my favorite. No, wait. I totally forgot about the ooey, gooey, cheesy goodness that was Kalli’s calzone creation. Kalli, I want more. Now.
Kalli: I thought the fresh marinara Chef Brian prepared was freaking good.
Kristina: I liked the ease of the mixes and seasonings. Most of their products just require water. Normally, even that would be too much work for me, but the slow cooker seasoning is worth it.
Michelle: I really like the versatility of the Pizza & Pasta seasoning. It transformed plain old diced tomatoes into a yummy bread stick dip and was used in tons of other fun recipes from that evening. I can’t wait to see how many things I can make with it!
Quinn: The Shirley J crackers.
Stephanie: I absolutely adore the Dutch Oven & Slow Cooker seasoning. It made my cheap beef roast tender and amazing.
Vanessa: The BBQ Sauce Mix and Pizza & Pasta Seasoning Mix! I use just bits of BBQ sauce in things; I have about six partially used containers in the fridge and I never know which ones are good. I love this seasoning so I’m throwing those tubs out and using this in their place! The Pizza & Pasta Seasoning is yummy in anything you’d use red sauce for or in homemade dressings.
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QUESTION

What didn’t you like?

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THE SCOOP

Becca: I’m not a big cream sauce person so their main product, the Universal Sauce, wasn’t one I’d use often.
Camille: The Universal Sauce doesn’t have a lot of flavor by itself. I think it’s meant to be used as a base sauce. But adding Italian spices and various cheeses made for a mean alfredo sauce in the end.
Emily: Though I enjoyed the grilled veggies in the lasagna, the lasagna itself (and the cream sauce) was not my favorite. I’ve made alfredo with the Universal Sauce and it didn’t go over well with the family BUT we recently made Shirley J’s Black & White Chili with the Universal Sauce and Chicken Bouillon (and some added white and cayenne pepper) and it was a hit!
Kalli: The lasagna prepped with the Universal Sauce was my least fave. I went home and tried an alfredo using it and was doubly unimpressed. I think I need to get a few more recipes before I pass final word though.
Kristina: The Universal Sauce was very bland. The products that I have tried that used this sauce needed a lot of additional seasoning.
Michelle: I was not a big fan of the BBQ sauce mix. There was a certain spice in it that just didn’t please my palate. I am picky about BBQ sauce, though.
Quinn: Honestly, I really didn’t enjoy any of the other foods they served us. Blame it on pregnancy, but it didn’t sit well with my taste buds or my tummy. {I do know Quinn liked one thing: the cracker bread!}
Stephanie: The Universal Sauce. I had a hard time getting it to the right consistency and it was bland as a main staple in a dish. But I haven’t tried it to replace a cream soup yet. I think I may like to use it that way. {Me too. I think it would work well as a substitute for cream soups in recipes.}
Vanessa: I am still not sold on the Universal Sauce but I just need to play around with it some more. I love the idea of it (1/4 less fat, very convenient, etc.) I just need to learn how to dress it up and use it in the right recipes. I also am a bit worried about one of the listed ingredients and if its healthy; I’m waiting for some clarification on it.
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QUESTION

Would you visit again? (In other words, would you buy their mixes in the future?)

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THE SCOOP

Becca: I am looking forward to seeing what else they have in their catalog. I love to bake bread and am loving their Dough Enhancer! I’ll be back!
Camille: Yes, I would stock up on the Universal Sweet Roll Mix and Buttermilk Pancake & Waffle Mix for sure and am anxious to cook with the BBQ Sauce mix!
Emily: I do want to try the Dough Enhancer and Universal Muffin Mix. Then I can let my oldest daughter cook Sunday morning muffins for us every week!
Kalli: I think their line of seasonings and bouillons is great, fo sho’ I’d get more of those. I’m also anxious to try the Dough Enhancer.
Kristina: I would definitely order the bouillions and spices. Using them was so easy a monkey, or Jessica Simpson, could use them.
Michelle: There are a lot of recipes to try and I am all about products that make cooking easy. I think the Pizza & Pasta Seasoning, Dutch Oven & Slow Cooker seasoning and Chicken Bouillon could become new staples in my pantry.
Quinn: No, I wouldn’t, unless I found some recipes that were much tastier than what we were sampled.
Stephanie: Yes! I am going to need to stock up on the Dutch Oven & Slow Cooker seasoning and Dough Enhancer.
Vanessa: The BBQ Seasoning, Pasta & Pizza Seasoning and Dutch Oven & Slow Cooker are SO yummy and are a staple in my pantry. The Universal Sauce and Treat Mixes I haven’t been sold on yet!
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QUESTION

If you could only send out one tweet about the business, what would you say?

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THE SCOOP

Becca: The Cannery on Steroids! Check out @Shirley_J’s for endless options for every day cooking and food storage!
Camille: Looking for quick and convenient mealtimes? Check out @shirley_j products today!
Emily: Made a mean Black & White Chili w/ @Shirley_J’s Universal Sauce & Chicken Bouillon. Can’t wait to try Dutch Oven seasoning next!
Kalli: @shirley_j is the every day chef’s go to source for cooking made easy!
Kristina: Surely you will want to make sure and try @Shirley_J’s products.
Michelle: Wanna mix it up? Try using some @Shirley_J in the kitchen tonight. From Pizza/Pasta to Beef Slow Cooker Seasoning, they have it all!
Quinn: Check out @Shirley_J for easy recipes and mixes that can simplify your meal routine.
Stephanie: @shirley_j fits perfectly in your pantry and in your favorite dishes.
Vanessa: Want the perfect roast or BBQ Seasoning at your fingertips or the best secret ingrd. for your Pizza and Pastas? @Shirley_J has it!

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CHECK OUT THEM SCOOPS!

Here is the official SassyScoops.com rating for Shirley J.
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Atmosphere n/a	Family friendly	Location
Prices	Quality	Service n/a

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Return to SassyScoops.com on Friday for our follow-up post on Shirley J! We might even have a tasty GIVEAWAY for our readers!

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Here’s the scoop on our guest Sassy Becca. We’d consider it a real treat if you’d visit her super sweet blog!
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Becca

Becca is one part wife, three parts mother and the rest is a mixed bag of genetic obligations, sass and reality. Rooted in self-taught sewing and having a borderline unhealthy obsession for fabric and paper, Becca is always out to create. She lives by three mottos: 1. Everything has potential and can become something wonderful. Everything and everyone! 2. Live the way you want to be remembered. 3. Mint Oreos are just as important in one’s creative arsenal as Mod Podge, ribbon and a hot glue gun! You can follow Becca’s adventures on Blue Cricket Design, Twitter (@iheartBCD) or Facebook.