Shameless Plug Sunday!

What is more perfect on a hot summer day than a glass of ice tea? I know you're familiar with Crystal Light but do you know they have a lot more flavors than lemonade?

My favorite has always been their Peach Iced Tea but I'm now jumping up and down for Green Tea Natural Peach Mango flavor. You'll love it it's so refreshing! But there are many more new flavors like Red Tea Mandarin, Green Tea Raspberry and White Tea Blueberry plus their old time favorites like Strawberry Kiwi and Fruit Punch.

Each purchase contains 5 tubs of iced tea mix making 2 quarts of thirst quenching tea. The best news is that each 8 ounce serving is only 5 calories! Here's a tip, try mixing it with a little seltzer water or club soda, it really sparkles.

It's a win win all the way around - Cheers!

Here's Linda Evans in an 80s Crystal Light Commercial

Shameless Plug Sunday

Looks innocent doesn't it? A little 11.5 oz bag of powdered donuts that packs a punch of 230 calories per serving size of 4 donuts. Oh, and calories from fat - 100. I could go on but why bother, we all know this isn't really good for us at least in the whole caloric and let's get healthy sense. But when it comes to memories, I would down a million of them!

These powdery delights take me back to my school days. We used to receive this treat along with a cup of hot cocoa after mass at Star of the Sea. There was daily mass that we were encouraged to go to but there was always a special mass we went to once a month where we were treated to donuts and chocolate afterward.

I can't remember the last time I had one of these but for some reason I couldn't tear my eyes away from them when I was grocery shopping. I finally caved and bought a bag. When I got home I plopped myself in front of the TV and couldn't stop munching. I should have stopped at 4 but they are so teeny I confess to consuming more than that. They are now safely tucked away in a vault - I wish - because now I can't stop thinking about them!

Here's a very vintage commercial!



Ok, who remembered that commercial? Hope you have a great Sunday!

Vindaloo Hoo?

Exactly! This is another great food find from Target.

I am not all that familiar with Indian cuisine except for curry but based on the Moroccan dish I enjoyed from this same brand, Archer Farms, I decided to try Vindaloo.

The meal has four separate components and includes a spicy onion-ginger sauce, basmati rice with spicy potato, pea saute and mango chutney. Be careful this dish is packing heat but I enjoyed every mouthful. The mango chutney is not of a consistency that I am used to however you can use it as a topping or dipping sauce. The chutney I'm used to back home is a little more substantial and chunky. Still it did add some sweet hot flavor to the dish.

There are more Indian dishes in this line and I'll get through them as fast as I can because this dish was tasty! As for serving suggestions, you can garnish with tomatoes and chopped cilantro, add a dollop of plain yogurt and serve with naan bread. I did add a little shredded chicken and sliced up some bananas that added some additional flavor and cooled down the heat.

The box says it is a product of India so I'm guessing it's fairly authentic. I think this begs some investigative work at a real Indian restaurant to get a taste of traditional and authentic Indian flavors!

Shameless Plug Sunday - Part 5

It's Fresh and Exciting! Isn't that the name of a song by Kool and the Gang? Oooops, I may be showing my age. That song is from the deep dark 80s home to big hair and even bigger shoulder pads!

Anyway, it also describes this week's Shameless Plug Sunday! I was at Costco recently and they were passing out Del Monte's Fruit Naturals. I don't mean one or two slices of the cut up grapefruit, I mean the whole container full, all 8ozs of it and you know what, it was refreshing! I liked it so much I went back to pick up another one this time wearing a fake moustache! Well, I ended up putting a case full in my basket so I didn't have to embarass myself anymore! Besides I was running out of disguises.

A plus for me is that since I can't find my grapefruit spoons, don't know what happened to 'em, this product works out pretty well since it's already sectioned for you. As the saying goes, try it, you'll like it!

Shameless Plug Sunday - Part 4

Michael Angelo's makes only the BEST frozen Italian meals ever and this is my favorite....Eggplant Parmesan. I've tried a few of their other meals but keep going back to this one. Really, the best description I can give you is that it tastes authentic. This particular dish rivals my Godmother's Italian cooking, God rest her soul! I once tried to get her recipes and she said what recipe??? It's a little of this and a pinch of that! Sadly, I never did get her Sunday gravy recipe or any of the other specialities she made. One of my favorite never forget moments is visiting with her in Brooklyn at about 13 years old. Queenie, my Godmother's nickname, and all the other Italian families would open their doors every Sunday and the most amazing smells would waft through the building...heaven on earth! Please be my guest and try this meal, you won't regret it! Mangia, mangia I can still hear my uncle calling for us to come to the dinner table!

Ciao Bella

Shameless Plug Sunday-3

I would love to present Tasty Bite's Madras Lentils. I accepted a sample while shopping at Costco and found it to be quite tasty as canned chili goes (actually it comes in a pouch). I didn't realize what kind of product it was because it tasted like chili , looked like it too so it had to be chili even tho it's not called chili! What I didn't realize was that it was vegetarian. I only noticed that tidbit after the fact because what I had really wanted was a chili dog but I didn't feel like making a pot of chili. Well, I guess the whole vegetarian thing got negated because I did have a hot dog. I suppose it doesn't even matter that the hot dog was kosher because well it's still meat. The lentils certainly don't replace a steaming pot of chili but if you find yourself strapped for time or are just plain lazy like I was then this item will certainly do the trick.

Ciao and hope you had a great Sunday.

Shameless Plug Sunday-2

Gosh, is it Sunday already!?

I am pleased to be continuing Shameless Plug Sunday. This time featuring Safeway's Clear Sparkling Water a beverage that comes in many different flavors. I lean towards....every single one of them!

Some time ago my friend Cheri told me I absolutely had to try it. I did but didn't find myself enthused. Quite a spell went by before I tried it again and this time - EuRekA - I heard the bells clamoring in the town square or something like that. It was as if I had discovered the cure for what ails humankind...a one liter bottle of flavored fizzy water.

Get thee to the nearest Vons, Safeway or Pavillions to pick up this product. It is refreshingly good! Oh, and all the better, it is caffeine/sodium/sugar FREE!

Ciao Bella

Shameless Plug Sunday

In the tradition of Metamorphosis Monday, Tablescape Thursday, etc., may I present Shameless Plug Sunday as a forum to feature a product with no fear of having the brand name fuzzied out like on TV. In this case may I present Archer Farms Moroccan inspired Apricot Currant Whole Wheat Couscous and Chicken entree. What a mouthful, literally! You can purchase this product at Target and the box is a one stop shop because it contains everything you need including the chicken which is canned.

This is my second attenpt at trying this product. Amazingly it's quite tasty and I knew I wanted to try it again this time with roasted chicken instead of canned and a few more apricots and currants. For roughly $5+ dollars, and a 30 minute cook time it is the perfect dinner for a busy work night. Archer Farms promises the vibrant flavors of Morocco come to life in this delicious dish! Which way to the casbah?

Ciao Bella