Cheerios Crunchy Hot Dog Nuggets

I spotted this recipe for hot dog nuggets in a General Mills e-newsletter. They're coated in Cheerios. This is so many levels of wrong. Hot dog nuggets look like something Gordon Ramsay would force himself to try on Kitchen Nightmares. Yuck! 

Carmex Blog Squad: Carmex Healing & Hydrating

It's been a stressful month, dear readers. My computer had to be fixed after a melt down, winter lasted longer than usual and my work hours have been cut. On top of that, my skin dries out whenever I am this stressed. The bright note, though, is that I received a package from the Carmex Blog Squad. In the box was a beautiful, comfy yellow Carmex jacket and two full sized Carmex tubes.

Some of you may remember a previous post where I reviewed Carmex's healing cream and healing lotion. Both products now feature new packing and contain more lanolin (which is key to healing dry skin). Let's take a look at some of the other changes, too.

Carmex healing cream
- Then: Had a vanilla frosting scent that morphed into vanilla plus lemon or lime.
- Now: The new scent initially reminded me of vanilla (but not vanilla frosting)  and sunscreen. The smell changed to lemon, vanilla and sunscreen when placed on the skin.
- Then: Healing cream dried quickly. Hands became soft and smooth.
- Now: Healing cream dries quickly, but not as as fast as the healing lotion. Hands became even more soft and smooth.
- Then: Not greasy. Great on dry, rough skin
- Now: Still not greasy. Is concentrated and can be used in small amounts.

Carmex healing lotion
- Then: Smelled like honey and vanilla
- Now: A lighter lemon and sunscreen scent
- Then: Had a thick and waxy feeling, more so than the healing cream
- Now: No thick or waxy texture. Is much closer to a creamy texture
- Then: Dries quickly
- Now: Dries even faster
- Then: Contains aloe and vitamin E. Can be used daily
- Now: Has aloe and vitamin E, plus a patent pending new solution that  "delivers healing and moisturization without a greasy feel."

I feel that Carmex's healing lotion and cream have changed in positive ways. Both formulas helped bring my skin from stressed, dry and patchy back to nourished, healthy, hydrated and lovely. I also received repeated requests in the AMW house for "Can I borrow your new Carmex ? It works so good on me!" And with Mother's Day coming up, Carmex healing lotion and healing cream would be perfect in a gift basket for the ladies in your life.

Speaking of lucky ladies (or gentlemen. We're equally opportunity when it comes to skin care!): One AMW reader will receive a set of Carmex cream and lotion. Leave a comment below with your name, email address and what your Mother's Day plans are. One reader will be chose in a random drawing. Carmex will directly mail the prize to the winner. One entry per person, please. The contest will run from 11:30 PM EST on April 8, 2013 and end on April 18, 2013 at noon EST.

Weight Watchers ad, part 2

Some of you may remember this past post about Jennifer Hudson in a Weight Watchers ad. I came across a new one tonight. Clicking on the picture took me directly to a Weight Watchers site, so it's for real. Take a gander: 

 So many problems here!

- Looks like Jennifer was standing when this photo was shot. Yet someone added pulled down, incorrectly positioned pants and part of a chair to look like she's sitting.

- Why does her left hand have a large white object sprouting from the pinkie ? I tried to enlarge the photo on my desktop and it seems to be a random finger added on. YMMV

- Jennifer's right hand ? Nobody poses with their hand at that odd angle. Seriously, I tested out this pose myself over here.  

- WW photoshopped Jennifer to have big man hands and shrunken arms yet again. I'm getting flashbacks to the little armed t-rex from Meet The Robinsons.  

- Pretty sure Jennifer's head was added into the picture. Either that or they tried messing with the size / angle of her neck and head

- What is that white line on Jennifer's right shoulder ? 

AmericInn Hotels ad

Oh goodness. I'm on the AmericInn Hotels email 
list and I received this today:

"WAKEY, WAKEY, EGGS & BAKEY

We've upgraded our rooms and beds. 
And now, even our breakfasts are better - 
which means your day will be too"

My reaction to the email was "Ooh, I want to find out what their new improved breakfast menu has! *scrolls down* Why is a kid licking a plate ? Ewww! Wait, does this mean the little boy will be staying in the room next to mine ? Will he also be shrieking and running in the hallway at 6 am, running underfoot when I'm checking in, etc ?" So yes, probably not the best way to convey "We're family friendly and our food is delicious." 

Sugar Free Carrot Cake

Today I had a bag of baby carrots that needed to be used ASAP. I baked the Sugar Free Carrot Cake recipe from Sugar Free Recipes. The cake came out amazingly moist, fluffy and flavorful, with just the right amount of sweetness. Here are my notes:
- Replaced the white flour with Hodgson Mill whole wheat flour
- Added cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. I didn't have allspice
- Mixed in toasted coconut. I was out of walnuts but still wanted a nice nutty flavor
- Left off the cream cheese-apricot mix. It just didn't sound appetizing. That's not cake frosting, no matter how you spin it. And this is coming from someone who loves apricots mixed in creamy desserts.
- Grated carrots will blend into your batter and give you carrot cake. Shredded carrots will give you a great spice cake with carrot strips mixed in.

*ETA: Yes, I know the honey and shredded coconut have sugar in them.