Saturday, April 23, 2011

Freschetta By The Slice & Simply Inspired Pizza

My favorite meal on a busy, hectic day is pizza. But who has time to make pizza from scratch or wait for the pizza delivery guy, when you're hungry and there's a million things on your to-do list ? If you're anything like me, you've already thought ahead and bought some Freschetta Pizzas on a previous shopping trip, for just such a day.

Speaking of time savers: This week, the Freschetta Fresh Connection bloggers panel sent me an awesome package: a Freschetta storage set (six pieces) and coupons to try Freschetta By The Slice Pizza and Freschetta Simply Inspired Pizza. The box arrived when I was bustling around the house, getting ready for work the next day. I had been thinking "What on earth will I fix everyone for dinner tonight ? And why don't we have any more tupperware for my lunch box tomorrow ? Did you guys eat my tupperware when you ate all my dinner ingredients ?" So after finding the package at the door, I made a quick Freschetta run to the store, came home to cook the pizzas and packed lunches in the wicked cool storage set. I was one happy lady that day!
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Freschetta Simply Inspired Pizza



"Bringing vibrant flavors to life, this pizza offers a creamy tomato and garlic pesto sauce, roma tomatoes and roasted garlic topped by a blend of premium cheeses (provolone, sharp parmesan and smoky asiago)"



Freschetta coupon

Variety tasted: Classic Bruschetta

Cooked in: 20 minutes in an oven

Serving size: 8 slices

Toppings: The tomatoes were very fresh, plump and juicy.

The first flavors that hit me: asiago and parmesan.

Sauce: is creamy, but there isn't enough of it. Gets absorbed into cheese. Tomato sauce flavor kicks in after bites of cheese and the pesto sauce.

Overall flavor: Definite garlic taste. Just the right amount

Crust: is perfect amount of crisp and flaky. Not cardboardy. Is buttery and indulgent! Underside of crust looks like pita bread.Has the right amount of cheese to crust ratio

Bonus points for: Fresch Taste Seal packaging. It locks in flavor, requires less packing and peels open easily. No more yanking at plastic shrink wrap to open a pizza and great for the environment!

Overall opinion: A+ for a pizza with rich, bold flavors, fresh ingredients and eco-friendly packaging. Definitely buying 2 or 3 pizzas next times, because everyone over here took two slices and there weren't leftovers.

Other flavors available:
Harvest Supreme
Chicken Bianco
Farmers Market Veggie
Rustic Pepperoni Pomodoro
Southern BBQ Recipe Chicken
Tuscan Farmhouse
Hawaiian Style
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"FRESCHETTA® By The Slice – One Perfect Slice of Pizza
The fresh taste you love in FRESCHETTA® pizza is now available in FRESCHETTA® By The Slice. A single slice cut from a whole pizza, FRESCHETTA® By The Slice delivers one perfect slice of pizza in minutes with the same premium ingredients and oven-baked taste right out of the microwave."




"Take a few moments out of a busy day and enjoy a slice of pizza topped with generous chunks of white meat chicken, savory mushrooms and spinach on a creamy white sauce. Perfect for a little quiet time."




Freschetta coupon

Freschetta By The Slice Pizza

Variety tasted: Chicken, Spinach & Mushroom

Serving size: 1 large, filling slice of pizza that can be microwaved

Dominant scent while pizza baked: Parmesan

Dominant taste: Mozzarella and basil

Roasted mushroom topping: Delicious, fresh and buttery taste. Tastes like home roasted mushrooms and not the canned variety one normally finds on frozen pizza

Chicken topping: Is moist and juicy, but pieces are too small. Unfortunately, the chicken gets lost behind the rich mushroom. It would be better if the chicken pieces were either larger or left off all together.

Spinach topping: Generous amount. Cooked perfectly with the pizza and wasn't soggy or too finely shredded.

Sauce: Tastes similar to alfredo sauce. Slice has a small amount of sauce, but the small amount works for this pizza variety better than with the Simply Inspired pizza.

Crust: Top of crust is soft and thick. Bottom of the crust is flaky and delicious, with a cheddar after taste. This crust is thicker than that of the Simply Inspired pizza

Overall opinion: A+ for being full of flavor and tasting like fresh from the oven gourmet pizza.

Other flavors available:
BBQ Recipe Chicken
Six Cheese Medley
Vegetable Medley
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Here's the storage set. Every piece is very sturdy, easy to clean & doesn't pop open if jostled around in your lunch bag.


LaCuisine Locking Storage Containers
Set Includes:
204 oz Container with Handle on Lid
64 oz Container with Lid
2 pc 25 oz Containers with Lids
17 oz Container with Lid
12 oz Container with Lid



"Silicone Seals Up to 280 F. Refrigerator Safe. FDA Certified"



One lucky reader will receive a smaller version of this storage set (3 pieces) and a coupon to try Freschetta By The Slice. The giveaway rules are simple:
- Leave a comment below telling me which By The Slice variety and Simply Inspired variety you want to try. Entries that do not include both answers will be disqualified
- One entry per person and per household, please
- Please include your name and email address in your entry. I will need to contact the winner for his / her address so Freschetta can mail the prize. If you don't wish to leave your email address, please send me a private message letting know what your email address is and which your entry was your's.
- A random drawing will take place on Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 1:15 PM EST. All entries must be received by Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 1 PM EST.

*Update #1: Congrats to Chloe! You are the winner. Please send me your email address and home address to AMW by April 27 at 11:59 PM EST. If I haven't heard from you by then, a runner up will be chosen.
*Update #2: Chloe, received your email. Your prize will arrive in a few weeks.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Carmex Moisture Plus: Orange Lip Balm








Living in Florida, you know I love oranges. But it's definitely a challenge finding orange flavored lip balms out here that aren't waxy, glitter coated or aimed at the 12 and under crowd. The Carmex Blog Squad has a great solution, though. They sent me a tube of Carmex Moisture Plus lip balm in orange flavor. And it rocks!

Orange Carmex Moisture Plus comes in a cute, retractable tube. It fits perfectly in a purse or a beach tote. And trust me, ladies, you'll be glad you've brought orange Carmex Moisture Plus to the beach. Protecting your lips with orange Carmex Moisture Plus' SPF 15, aloe and vitamin E is just good sense. A day in the sun and surf can leave your lips in need of TLC if you don't take preventive action.

Orange Carmex Moisture Plus has a light, heavenly taste of homemade orange creamsicles. I also detected yummy notes of lime in the lip balm for some reason. Even better, orange Carmex Moisture Plus glides on smooth and doesn't have an artificial taste or leave your lips waxy, sticky or glitter covered. Yep, we have found lip balm with a great taste and no glitter. Can I get an amen ?

I can't wait till the orange flavor of Carmex Moisture Plus hits the stores. It'll make a great Mother's Day present!

Side note: Other Carmex Mositure Plus Lip Balms are available exclusively at Walgreens and Walgreens.com

Friday, February 25, 2011

My Spring Garden

February in North East Florida means two things: We can ditch the heavy winter coats and long pants (yes, it gets cold out here). And spring planting can begin! This is what my garden consists of this year:

Bleeding hearts
Ranunculus
Peppermint
Basil
Rosemary
Lettuce
Jack-O-Lantern pumpkins
Big Max competition size pumpkins
Picklebush cucumbers
Green Fordhook zucchini / summer squash
Ambrosia hybrid cantaloupe
Dark seeded early perfection green peas
Green goliath broccoli
Evergreen long white bunching onion / mild scallion flavor
Hot peppers mixture (Hungarian Wax, Anaheim, Large Cherry, Long Red Cayenne and Jalapeno)
Small sugar pumpkins
Cool green melon
Danvers half long carrots
Early and often hybrid sweet corn
Yellow summer squash / early prolific straight neck
Super sweet 100 hybrid tomato / extra prolific cherry type
Sweet carnival peppers hybrid mix (Early Sunsation, Purple Beauty, Orange Sun, Big Red and Diamond)
Sugar snap peas
Organic brandywine red tomatoes
Crimson sweet watermelon
Fordhook giant swiss chard

What is everyone else planting / planning to plant this spring ? I'd love to hear about it.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Martha White Cornbread Cook-Off

I've been wracking my brain for several weeks thinking of a recipe for the Martha White Cornbread Cook-Off. I am having recipe writer's block. So annoying! Anyone else entering the contest ?

"How to Enter
To qualify for the contest, an entry must be an original main dish recipe and prepared with at least one package of Martha White Cornbread Mix and must be cooked in Lodge® Cast Iron cookware. Entries must also include contestant's complete name, complete mailing address, daytime phone number, and date of birth. Each recipe must include U.S. standard measurements, complete preparation instructions, cooking time and temperatures, number of servings, size of pans and any special utensils or cookware."

Sunday, January 23, 2011

DiGiorno Pizza & Cookies / Boneless Wyngz

"It's Not Delivery, It's DiGiorno"

I was in the pizza aisle of Super Wal-Mart today. I was surprised to see this in the freezer case and took out my camera:


DiGiorno Supreme Pizza + Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough


"Full Size Supreme Pizza"
"Makes 12 Cookies"
"$6.50"
"Do Not Consume Raw Cookie Dough"
"Keep Frozen. Not Ready To Eat. Cook Thoroughly"


Shown on the back of the box:
"DiGiorno Supreme Pizza + 7-8 Honey BBQ Boneless Wyngz"

I don't see mention of the cookies or Wyngz on DiGiorno's official website yet. However, their Facebook page has pictures and a small amount of information.

From DiGiorno's FB wall, dated January 14:
"Here's a sneak peek just for you. Starting Monday, our new Pizza & Boneless Wyngz and Pizza & Cookies combos will begin arriving on store shelves across the country. Be on the lookout for our delicious new combinations and be sure to tell us what you think!"

From DiGiorno's FB photo album:
"Boneless Wyngz* White Meat Chicken Fritters
*With No Wing Meat"
"Hand Tossed Style Crust"


-Three Meat Pizza + 7-8 Honey BBQ Boneless Wyngz
-Pepperoni Pizza + 7-8 Buffalo Style Boneless Wyngz
-Supreme Pizza + 7-8 Honey BBQ Boneless Wyngz
-Pepperoni Pizza + Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
-Supreme Pizza + Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
-Four Cheese Pizza + Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough


I can't wait to try DiGiorno Pizza + Cookies & DiGiorno Pizza + Boneless Wyngz. How can you go wrong with pizza plus snacks or dessert ? I'll try to buy a package of it on another shopping trip.