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By Emily, June 25, 2010 11:28 am

I’m just a girl who can’t say no.  At least, to free food.  So when FoodBuzz contacted me a few weeks ago and asked if I’d like to try one of Buitoni’s new premium frozen meals for 2…for free, I said yes.  Sure, frozen dinners aren’t something we consume often around here, but I figured one night of processed food wouldn’t kill us.

Brian and I decided to try the Shrimp and Lobster Ravioli with Garlic Butter Sauce, because if you’re going to buy a frozen meal, you may as well get something more interesting than cheese or chicken.  The preparation was incredibly simple (one of the purposes of a frozen meal).  The box contains a package of sauce and a good number of ravioli.  You fill a pot with water, add the pouch of sauce and bring the water to a boil.  Then you add the pasta to the boiling water with the plastic bag of sauce floating in it and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove the sauce packet, drain the pasta, toss the pasta with the sauce and serve.

First, the bad:

• According to the box, the package contains a complete meal.  Maybe it’s just me, but I like to have more than just pasta and sauce as my meals.  Like, a vegetable, perhaps.  We added a side of spinach.
• There was more sauce than I would’ve liked and it was really thick.
• The ravioli wasn’t very flavorful and some of the seafood pieces were a little chewy.
• I wasn’t real happy with the nutrition facts.  That’s a lot of fat, cholesterol and sodium.  Luckily, Brian and I have been subsisting on a lot of salads lately.  You can decide how you feel about them for yourself though (click to enlarge).

Second, the good:

• The garlic butter sauce was yummy and added a lot of flavor to the dish.  And better too much than not enough, right?
• There was definitely the right amount of ravioli for 2 people.  Often, I’ve found that a frozen meal only serves half the number of people its supposed to.  This one actually satisfied.
• Ease of cooking; only one pot required!

The verdict:  Overall, the meal was good.  It tasted good, it was easy to prepare and we were full at the end.  Would I buy a Buitoni frozen meal again?  Probably not.  It’s more sodium, fat and ingredients than I prefer, plus the meals retail for between $7.99 and $9.99, at least where I live.  That’s more than I’d like to spend on one “meal” which needs a vegetable.

Disclosure: Free Buitoni frozen meal coupon was  provided by Buitoni through the FoodBuzz Tastemaker Program.

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By Emily, April 2, 2010 5:02 pm

At the end of February, in Highlights from My Reader: Good News Edition, I mentioned the addition of chocolate-covered marshmallow Peeps to the Easter candy options.  Intrigued, I spent the next couple weeks scouring supermarkets and convenience stores searching for Peeps covered in chocolate.  Why?  I like Peeps.  But more so, I like Russell Stover Marshmallow Eggs (or Santas, or hearts, or whatever the season happens to be).  They are one of the rare candies that, no matter the holiday season, I buy impulsively.  And I don’t even really like regular marshmallows.

Surprisingly, it took a while (granted, it was still early March…but it seemed like they should’ve been easy to find).  Brian and I finally tracked down both the dark and milk chocolate varieties at Rite Aid.

Along with the chocolate covered peeps, we picked up a couple of Russell Stover marshmallow eggs for comparison.

As you can see, the egg and the Peeps are about the same size.  The Peeps have been dyed bright yellow to replace the trademark coating of sugar.  After eating 3 chocolate covered marshmallow candies each (which, for the record, is two more than I need to have in a sitting), Brian and I came to the same conclusion:

Despite my excitement, the Russell Stover chocolate covered marshmallows taste much better. The marshmallow was stretchier and less dense and didn’t overwhelm the chocolate.   Maybe we liked the Russell Stover because it’s what we’re traditionalists.  I’m sure there are people who would pick the Peeps in an instant.  Nevertheless, we won’t be changing our Easter candy traditions anytime soon.*

Anyone else tried the chocolate covered Peeps?  Thoughts?

*Actually, for our first Easter together,  Brian and I are limiting our Easter candy to a Cadbury eggs and some See’s Candies that my parents sent us.  This is mostly his choice, not mine; I love Easter candy.  Nevertheless, it’s probably the right choice.

Happy Easter!

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By Emily, March 24, 2010 5:49 pm

I thought I was just going through a yogurt phase when I started eating yogurt over the summer.  6 months later and I’m still eating yogurt every day.  I never eat the same thing for that long, but I really like it and I feel good about eating it.

Part of this interest may be due to my discovery of Greek yogurt.  If I had the choice, I’d eat Oikos every day, but since Chobani goes on sale more frequently, I often have Chobani for lunch.  A few weeks ago, while clipping coupons from the Sunday paper, I discovered a coupon for a new Greek yogurt from Yoplait.  This weekend I finally tracked some down at my local Price Chopper supermarket.

Maybe Yoplait had heard that I was no longer eating their original yogurt, since I discovered a couple months ago that it contained High Fructose Corn Syrup, and wanted my business back?   Their Greek yogurt does not contain HFCS.

I picked up a container of plain and a container of honey vanilla, since plain, honey or vanilla are the flavors we most often consume.  Yoplait Greek Yogurt also comes in strawberry and blueberry.

Anyway, down to the results:

Price Comparison (at my local supermarket):

Chobani $1.39 (6 oz.)

Oikos $1.99 (5.3 oz)

Yoplait $1.19 (6 oz)

Taste:

I was pleasantly surprised by Yoplait’s new Greek yogurt.  The plain was quite a bit thicker than the honey-vanilla, which was only a bit thicker than regular yogurt.  The flavor was really good though (I preferred the honey-vanilla, Brian preferred the plain).

Would I buy Yoplait’s Greek Yogurt again?  Yes.  The taste is comparable to the other brands I usually eat and the price (though Chobani and Oikos often go on sale) is better.  If next week all of the Greek Yogurt is regular price, I’ll probably get Yoplait and be just as satisfied.

Want more?

Last August (before Yoplait hit the scene) Serious Eats did a Greek Yogurt taste test.

Mark Bittman’s Minimalist column just featured instructions for making your own greek yogurt.  (Clearly not the only one to do so, but the most recent in my Reader)

What’s your favorite kind (brand, style, flavor) of yogurt?

Disclaimer: I reviewed these products out of my own curiosity and love for yogurt.  I paid for the yogurt myself and received no compensation from Yoplait or any other entity.

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By Emily, February 19, 2010 4:18 pm

I’ve been on vacation all week, which has been awesome, but not so great in the productivity department.  Nevertheless, I did manage to randomly select a winner for the Yoplait Frozen Smoothie and single serving blender giveaway.

And the winner is…

Congrats Lucy! I hope you love the smoothies and blender!

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway and gave me great ideas for smoothies, especially the newcomers to Relishments. Thanks again to MyBlogSpark and Yoplait for providing me with the chance to try Yoplait’s new frozen smoothies and the opportunity to give some away to my readers.

Hopefully I’ll be giving away more cool stuff in the future–and getting back to regularly schedule cooking!

Comments (15)

By Emily, February 11, 2010 4:47 pm

The other day, the wonderful folks at MyBlogSpark sent me a Hamilton Beach Single-Serve Blender and a coupon for a free package of Yoplait’s new Frozen Smoothies!

Well, who am I to say no to free yogurt smoothies?  We go through a lot of yogurt in our house and any time I can get more fruit in my body is a good time.

We used the free product coupon to purchase a package of the Strawberry-Banana flavored smoothie.  Each package makes 2 smoothies.

contents of smoothie package: fruit and yogurt bits

We followed the directions on the package and created delicious, thick smoothies.  We actually added extra milk, they were so thick! I’d definitely have them again, though they don’t taste very different from the smoothies we usually make.

Since then, Brian’s used the single serving blender to mix up his after-workout protein shakes.  It’s so much less work to get out and clean than our full size blender!

Want to try Yoplait’s new Frozen Smoothies for yourself?

Not only did Yoplait and MyBlogSpark send me a blender and coupon for myself, but they’re giving me the chance to give away a blender and coupon for free Yoplait Frozen Smoothies to one of my readers!

All you have to do is leave a comment below telling me your favorite kind of smoothie.

I’ll leave it open for entries until next Thursday, February 18, at which time I’ll randomly choose a winner!

If you can’t wait to try out Yoplait’s Frozen Smoothies, you can go here for a coupon that will save you $1.25 off one package

Disclosure: Frozen smoothie coupon, prize pack, information, and giveaway were all provided by Yoplait through MyBlogSpark.

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By Emily, December 9, 2009 9:04 am

My Christmas shopping was done almost a month ago (!), but in the event that you haven’t finished yours yet, I’ve put together a list of the 10 gadgets and tools in my kitchen that I love the most.  If none of my favs strike your fancy, check out the links to gift guides at the bottom of the post!

1.  Bottle Stoppers

There are a lot of types of bottle stoppers out there and, for what they are, a lot of them seem pretty expensive.  Brian and I are huge fans of these cheap lever bottle stoppers from Zyliss ($9.99 for 6, Amazon.com)…they don’t look like much, but unlike a lot of bottle stoppers, they actually create a airtight seal.

2.  Oil Bottles

Similar to bottle stoppers, oil bottles ($4.99, Bed Bath and Beyond) are a dime a dozen in stores lately.  I never knew how much I’d use one until I had one though (actually, we have 2–one for olive oil and one for vegetable).   One of the best perks: it’s easier to buy big, cheaper bottles of oil when you have a smaller container to dispense it from.

3.  Flexible Cutting Boards

At my bridal showers last spring, I received not one, but two packages of flexible, plastic cutting boards.  Frankly, I was not impressed.  I didn’t even want one package.  I wanted “high quality” cutting boards.  That said, Brian and I almost always use them.  They’re a great size for cutting a lot of things (big pieces of meat, a soup’s worth of veggies) and the flexibility really comes in handy.  I can’t find the exact set we have, but these cutting boards from Norpro ($5.99, Amazon.com) look pretty good.

4.  Dry Erase Board

No list is complete without one item that seems a little random.  This is that item.  A couple months after moving into our new place, Brian had the idea to add a small dry erase board to the door of one of our cabinets.  It’s super helpful for writing to do or shopping lists, but mostly it’s used for hanging up recipes so they stay clean while I use them to cook. ($9.98, Amazon.com)

5.  Garlic Press

My knife skills are pretty bad and we go through an awful lot of garlic.  I’m sure there are folks out there who disagree with the notion of the garlic press, but our Oxo Good Grips Garlic Press has definitely saved me a lot of time. ($13.00, Amazon.com)

6.  Pyrex Bowls with Lids

Another wedding gift we got but didn’t ask for was a  Pyrex 8-Piece Mixing Bowl Set.  In addition to being 4 different sized mixing bowls (who doesn’t need mixing bowls?!), they’re Pyrex so I can use them in the oven, microwave, refrigerator, freezer, and dishwasher (in my fantasy life where I have a dishwasher).  Best part: each bowl has a lid, perfect for storage and travel.  ($19.88, Amazon.com)

7.  Zyliss Cheese Grater

For those times when you just need a little cheese…or just don’t feel like getting out and then cleaning the food processor, this (as Brian would say, manly) Zyliss Cheese Grater is awesome.  It comes with 2 drums for fine or coarse grating.  Perfect for adding cheddar to the top of a bowl of chili. ($19.99, Amazon)

8.  How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

It’s no secret that How to Cook Everything Vegetarian: Simple Meatless Recipes for Great Food is the most important book in my kitchen.  Anytime I have a question about how to make something, or how to use an ingredient, I consult this book.  If you know somehow who cooks, or has a kitchen, they could definitely use this book (or the original version).  ($20.47, Amazon)

9.  Slow Cooker

As I’ve mentioned before, I didn’t grow up with a slow cooker.  In the (almost) six months we’ve been married, I’ve only used my Rival 5 qt. Crock-Pot a few times,  but I know I’m going to love it this winter.  What’s better than throwing ingredients in a pot and having dinner ready to eat when you get home from work? ($24.99, Target)

10.  Food Processor

Of the few things I had to have for my kitchen, a Cuisinart Food Processor was at the top of the list.  Pricey, yes, but such a time saver.  ($177.45, Amazon).

Still need gift ideas?  Check out these gift guides:

From Serious Eats, a collection of gift guides, including gifts for the gluten free, the coffee lover, the chocolate lover, stocking stuffers and more.

Slashfood has a list of The Best Cheese Books of 2009.  (♥ Cheese)

The Atlantic has posted their Holiday Gift Guide: Kitchen Edition.

If you need something unique, check out A Food Coma’s collection of Gifts We Want.

Change.org has a Sustainable Food Holiday Gift Guide.

A Year of Slow Cooking has a list of Holiday Gifts to Help Bloggers–why not buy a book written by a blogger for someone on your list?

Merry Christmas!

Comments (2)

By Emily, September 16, 2009 1:20 pm

The Atlantic published a piece this morning titled “What Will Break Our Bottled Water Habit”.  It features a really great slide show and mentions several ways in which people are trying to draw attention to the fact that “about 86% of plastic water bottles in the U.S. end up as garbage or litter.”  That’s a lot of water bottles!

All that trash got me thinking that I should introduce you  to a very good friend of mine:

This is my Klean Kanteen stainless steel water bottle. I bought it last fall at L.L. Bean in Freeport (check them out, they have different colors!) and it has served me very well since then.  The purchase was a bit unneccessary; I had recently stopped bringing disposable bottled water to work every day and was using a Nalgene water bottle at the time.  However, I really liked the look of the Klean Kanteen bottles and the fact that it would fit in a car cupholder…and, being from Maine, I have a love for L.L. Bean, so I bought a new water bottle for myself.

Definitely one of my best purchases.  I love my Klean Kanteen.  The water always tastes good and, for some amazing reason,  seems to stay cool.  It’s also highly durable–my poor bottle has taken a few good falls (out of my hand, off the roof of my car…I’m a bit clumsy) and though the paint is a little chipped, the bottle is fine, even after over a year of very regular usage.   Brian’s bottle is plain stainless steel and his looks really good.  Mine just looks well loved–I take it to school, I take it to the gym, I take it on car rides.  It’s pretty much always with me.

So, if you’re ready to kick your disposable water bottle habit, either to help out the planet or your wallet, I highly recommend the Kleen Kanteen.  And neither Kleen Kanteen or L.L. Bean is giving me anything for saying so.