The Neely's at The Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show

Thanks to Groupon we got to see the Neely's at The Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show in Atlanta for $50 - a $150+ value. And we got so much more than what we paid for. Upon entering the Cobb Galleria we checked in at the VIP table where they handed us our badges, tickets, and some goodies (a recyclable bag with the Groupon logo and a cooking apron decorated for the event). We got to meet the Neely's and eat lunch provided by them. They served us sweet and spicy coleslaw, baked beans, buttermilk biscuits, grilled chicken, bbq ribs, ice cream, and some sweet tea or lemonade to wash it all down. The slaw was good, but of course had cayenne pepper, which I'm personally not a big fan of spicy. Matt, a baked bean lover, seemed to enjoy them very much. I, a chicken lover, enjoyed the chicken. It was juicy, but it was not sauced, which surprised me. I would imagine they could have glazed it with some of their famous bbq sauce. The best part of the meal was the ribs. Their bbq sauce is good and I can see why they are successful. Not only did we get to enjoy their bbq sauce but they gave us each a bottle to take home! We also got to attend their cooking and entertaining show in the Celebrity Theater. It was entertaining but kinda dirty. An example? One person asked what inspires them to change recipes. Gina's response - when they get tired of the same thing, kinda like changing positions - LOL! I wonder how some of the parents with their kids felt.

In between the Neely's events we checked out all the local vendors there to showcase and sell their products. It was basically a tasting galore and what's not to enjoy about that? We ended up buying some of the things we enjoyed sampling (Luscious Lobster dip from Sensational Dips; Cucumber Dill, Sesame Garlic, and Sundried Tomato dips from Laurie's Kitchen; Bold Blue jam from Emily G's Jam of Love; White Chocolate covered Oreos and Milk Chocolate covered oreos from Fudgemail; Artichoke Jalepeno Garlic dip from Margaritaville; and Artichoke Spinach Four Cheese dip from Garden Fresh Gourmet). The best thing I sampled was the Bold Blue jam we bought. She also had a Red Zinfandel jam that was good, but at $8 for a little jar we only splurged on one. All in all we had a lot of fun and hope Groupon will have another great deal next year!