TheSnackHound

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of iNetVideo. All opinions are 100% mine.

We all know by now that if you are an “indoor person” you can get fit with Billy Blanks, but Billy Blanks doesn’t stop the video or DVD and tell you how you are actually doing compared to the folks in the studio.  Does he really know you are not sitting on the sofa watching him do all the work? Personally, if I was actually exercising, I’d make sure to send him an email or something to make sure he knew, because the last time I checked, it looks like Billy Blanks could flatten you if he wanted to, and maybe he doesn’t take kindly to sitters.

If there is a way to NOT exercise while having spent a lot of money on gadgets, there must be a way to feed your face too.

Over at , iNetVideo I have found amongst the sea of blu-ray movies and dvds, that Nintendo makes a game where Jamie Oliver helps you cook. Well, he really doesn’t, but its an interactive experience where you get grocery lists and figure out how to do all sorts of stuff.  In fact, they actually had other titles on dvd and various games revolving around cooking and nutrition.  iNetVideo has been around since the late 90s and has offered movies and games at a discount, but with the information overload of all the other movie websites out there, I’ve overlooked it until now.

If you interested, it appears to be a title that is being discontinued, or they just bought a lot of them, because its 70% at $5.99. It really doesn’t matter if they are coming out with a new game system, if a DS is what you have.  I still play the old Atari 2600. I don’t think Jamie Oliver would come over give you a whooping like Billy Blanks could, but he is certainly more skilled at wielding sharp objects, so you best make an effort, kids. Actually, he doesn’t have to do anything because if you choose to eat garbage all the time, you will cause more damage than a one time encounter with a juicer-of-steel could.

Next weekend, the Fiesta Factory tent sale Sale will occur at the Flatwoods outlet mall.  The dates are Thursday, August 12 through Saturday, August 14th.  Times on each day are 10 A.M. until 7 P.M.  Tickets will be distributed starting at 9 A.M. on each day, so you can get in line then.

Typically, there will be first quality as well as factory seconds.  Some factory seconds merely have an air bubble or other small production blemish and are perfect for daily use, so don’t let it discourage you if you are primarily looking to complete or compliment your set, versus looking to ferret away pieces for collecting posterity. This is a great opportunity to buy one of the more expensive pieces, like a pitcher or mixing bowl set that you intend to use daily.

For etiquette tips on going to the Factory Sale, check out this post from 2008 and here.

As of this moment, I do not know if the new Paprika color will be in the mix as far as 1st quality pieces, but you are sure to find decorated pieces that wouldn’t have been available at a standard department store, or get a chance to mix and match with older colors.

The store is located at 70 miles west of Charleston at :

Everything Fiesta®
52 Skidmore Lane
Sutton, WV 26601

View Larger Map

This is a very serious chocolate matter.  Firstly, Kroger has Endangered Species Chocolate bars on sale two for one or half off.  The exception is the Blueberry flavor with the turtle on the front. You have to pay over $4.25 for one of those bars.  I thought they excluded the turtle flavored bars because they were new. Oh no. That theory was blown out of the water when I found myself at Whole Foods.  The aroma from the candy aisle was like a siren song.  My car went on autopilot and drove out of the Kroger’s parking lot a few miles down the road to Whole Foods.  A bomb had went off in the candy aisle and there were only a few scattered Endangered candy bars to be had.  Yes, they too had a 2 for one sale but there 2 for one sale was BETTER, because the candy bars turned out to be $2 each instead of 2.50 or something like that on sale each AND the blueberry turtle bars were included.  I snapped up the very last one.

Three days later, the candy aisle at Whole Foods still is pilfered.  The only bar to be had, if the chocolate scanner picked things up correctly, is the Milk Chocolate variety.  That is just plain boresville to a dark chocolate aficionado. My worse fear was momentarily toyed with: what if Endangered Species bars were being discontinued and this was there way of giving us our last fix?  I don’t think so, based on the empty slots remaining on the shelf. If they were truly gone, the whole area would have been remerchandised.   I don’t buy these bars every day or week as it would appear, but since I can’t have them, it makes me want them even more, especially the Goji Berry bar.  I can’t remember what it tasted like.

In the meantime, I guess I will have to be happy with the Kroger sale, but I don’t want to be. They have a limited variety of varieties and they are more expensive.  Sure, its time versus money but perhaps the thrill of the hunt is worth more to me. Perhaps the true answer is that I am just somewhat insane.  Ascribing this task as a worthy pursuit just makes me feel a bit better about my condition.

The moral of the story? If you see said dark chocolate varieties of candy bar, just clean off the shelf.  It may be more chocolate than you need right now but its cheaper than paying full price in the long run. Get thee to a Whole Foods or Kroger’s.  Just stay away from mine.

I have patiently been waiting for tomorrow for a long time. Actually, I have only been waiting a few minutes because I just found out about it, but since tomorrow has not happened yet, I didn’t just “wait a few minutes” and it happened.   What is the significance of tomorrow aside from it being Tuesday?  It’s Ben and Jerry’s Free Cone Day.  At participating Ben and Jerry’s shops, you can burst through the door between 12:00 Noon and 8:00 P.M. (March 23, 2010) and have your day made.

Select from new flavors such as Cookies and Milk, Maple Blondie, or Peanut Brittle, or choose any other variety on the menu. There is much sorrow in the land.  Alas, it appears that they have discontinued Bovinity Divinity. It is chalk full of large pieces of chocolate shaped like happy cows.  It brought joy to my heart.  It was discontinued nine whole years ago, but I still haven’t quite gotten over it.

Enjoy your ice cream, just knowing that I may be weeping in my dish, reminiscing on how the world was once full of small (but large compared to an ice cream cone) benevolent bovine.  Also, the nearest Ben and Jerry’s shop or even counter is at least a forty minute drive away and they don’t even have all the flavors because I think it is just a counter in a hospital cafeteria.

I have a confession to make. I did NOT watch the Superbowl. There. I said it. I boycotted it. No, I didn’t boycott it intentionally. I simply did not watch it. How can I be such an important abriter of food related promotional tie-ins? Of course, the commercials are all over the internet. Last year, I was a bit flabbergasted by Denny’s bizarre low tech SuperBowl ad. This year, they have erred on the side of the unusual “what do I make of it?” once again to promote their Tuesday morning Grand Slam breakfast giveaway.

To me, it does not even hold a half melted birthday candle to the genius that is Nannerpuss from 2009. It has the charm of a 1983 5th grader created stop action film. You may disagree, but I am hard pressed to find anything that compares.

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Dirt Devil. All opinions are 100% mine.

This year, Dirt Devil is helping us all out by providing the world with the 2009 Dirt Devil Shopping Shortcuts guide.   There are some photos of some great Christmas gift ideas for both ladies and gents this year from Dirt Devil. There are small hand vacuums you can stow in the car for those emergency cleanups, or keep one handy behind the bedroom door for when guests unexpectedly show up.   However, if you were expecting a long winded ad about the virtues of Dirt Devil that will just end up in the circular file, think again. From page one, the company gives you all the different coupon and discount websites that are out there that offer promotion codes. They actually WANT you to find every code to save money on Dirt Devil products.

Well, that might be expected, but I had no idea that they wanted you to save on other stuff too.  They just want you to get out there on the computer and shop, period.   They give you all of the best Black Friday and coupon sites out there, plus sites where you can swap your stuff as well.

Of course, I knew all about the Black Friday websites, but “Free Shipping Day,” which is December 17th took me by surprise.  Maybe a bunch of retailers just made it up this year. Freeshipping.org is one place that they give to check out all the deals. I won’t give away all the tips and tricks.  Where can you get this bounteous find for yourself?  It is available for pdf download.  You don’t have to move your rear from your chair. But you should.  Once in awhile.  Remember, you have yo vaccuum before I get there.

I spotted this skirt online recently, and it made my imagination run wild like things usually do. First I had a rather unpleasant flashback to when I was fourteen years old. I was completely mortified when my dad bought my little sister a Happy Meal.  That doesn’t seem so bad does it?  Well, some may argue that it was terrible because it was years before the “healthier options” at Mickey D’s and she was probably getting well filled with preservatives.  The really bad thing was that she ate it at PIZZA HUT!  That was the time frame when the Hut was still using red and white tablecloths, hence the tie in with my memory.

I tried to point out a sign that said “No Outside Food or Beverage,” but I could only find a sign about taking a fresh plate up to the salad bar.  Drat, not even the Law could help me.   Being a teenager is hard enough, but having your baby sister eat something from one restaurant at a completely different restaurant is the equivalent of being put in the stocks, 18th century style, in the town square, or dying right then and there.

Of course, there are much happier thoughts and memories.  Fashion wise it reminds me of the large scale flannel shirt I had in the late 80s.  I loved that shirt, except for some reason it was made to tie.  Why would you want your midriff showing in the fall and winter?  I have no clue.

I think that I should buy some of these and it should be my signature look for the whole theme of this blog.  However, I will have to stop wearing it when I get into the Cougar years of life.  I have a ways to go, so maybe the term will be thankfully gone by then.  I could be walking my dog in the park, and see some young men having a picnic.  I could lay on some really creepy pick up like like, “Hey boys, the picnic’s over here…”

Thankfully, I am in love with a great guy who is of an age corresponding to my own, and I really feel that when the time comes, I will bypass the whole Cougar experience because I don’t need to meet anyone.

This skirt is available at Talbots. Not sure if it is in their store, but it is online. I have a shirt that has a similar pattern. No, I would not wear them together. That would be a bit much.   I just was surfing around in my spare time and pretending I had won a shopping spree.   Actually, that is not quite true.  I didn’t have any spare time at all.  I am totally ADD and have way too much to do, but was distracted by bright objects.

In fact, I was very surprised it was from Talbot’s.  There was a freestanding store in Marblehead, Massachusetts, which is a very “old money” water side town in the Boston area.  Ever since I popped into that store, I always got the impression that the shop had classic clothing for sure, but it mostly appealed to the well heeled slightly older woman.   I really have been changing my tune lately.

Recently, they launched a campaign based on a cliffhanger video where a young woman confesses her unnamed indulgence in a church confessional. It was recently revealed that the woman’s red chair confessions were her new found addictions to Talbots. They have long seemed to be a fairly conservative company that took few risks, but they seem to be working on capturing a younger demographic. I am all for more young ladies wearing classic lines rather than doing the whole trollopy look. It took me a couple years to know that is how I looked.  That was when I thought “curve flattering” meant wearing something so tight you would have thought you were wearing a space bag.

Can you believe that the spike heeled boots are something they have there?  I would expect to see some sensible loafers and basic pumps, but they have me surprised here.  I am going to have to get out more often.  Oh, yeah, they have a website.  I am going to have to stay in more often.

I issued a missive a few days ago, moping and grumping that no one has played with the flash fridge on the site recently.   Well, you came through in a big way.   Some mysterious person, who did not leave their name, but who lives in Arlington, TX, struck like Zorro.  Truth be told, they may not actually BE from Arlington, but their internet provider is.   They are definitely from Texas.  I can say that much.

Whoever you are, masked bandit, you delighted me to know that you gave a darn.   For those of you who can’t read multicolor kitchen magnets, the dedication is:

“The Puppy just licked the soy sauce jar… Who’s up for Chinese.” 

Ah, priceless.  Want to give yourself a shot at it?  Just go to the Resist The Fridge page on this blog and give it a whirl.

All the talk of Chinese food makes me hungry, but what it makes me crave even more is Japanese food.  I know, two totally different culinary styles, but tell that to the folks up the road at the Japanese/Chinese/Thai/Vietnamese restaurant.  I think I will open a restaurant across the street that serves Russian/Scottish/Creole/Inuit cuisine and see what they do with that.  I can just imagine the fear from the competition they will feel.

One of the staples I keep in my kitchen is Rice Vinegar. It is the perfect base for all types of salad dressing.  I sometimes add just a few spices and a dollop of honey and it makes a nice vinaigrette.   What I am just discovering is NAKANO Seasoned Rice Vinegar. There are of course traditional flavors and original seasonings, but don’t think that Rice Vinegar is just for Japanese dishes. They now have a Balsamic Blend, Roasted Garlic, Basil & Oregano, and Italian Herb version. You could use it right out of the bottle as a dipping sauce with a crusty bread or even a base oil for an Italian bruschetta.

In one tablespoon (a tablespoon is slightly larger than a “splash”), there are only 20 calories, and there is absolutely no fat, which is a boon to everyone watching their weight, or just their health. In fact, it also has 50% less sodium than other rice vinegars, so for those watching their blood pressure, it is much safer to indulge. In fact, Nakano is brewing it the same way they have been for 200 years.

Want to try it?  There is a $1.00 off coupon online. When you join Nakano’s Splash Recipe Club, you’ll get this rockin’ newsletter. I know it may surprise you, but they recently did a Caribbean theme. That is how universal it is for a condiment or ingredient.

I am having some issues here!  I have to sit around and wait for over 20 hours, as of this writing, to take a chance at free chocolate goodness.

Every Friday, the generous folks at MARS are giving us a big of sweet relief.  All during the summer, when you log on to RealChocolate.com, you can enter to be considered for a coupon for a free chocolate bar.  My personal choice is the Dove Dark Chocolate bar.  The stipulation is that you enter only on FRIDAY after 9:00 A.M. Eastern time.  I didn’t want to tell you this of course, as they only give it out to a certain number of people, and if you entered, it would shrink my chances.  Just kidding, of course.  You know how giving I am.

Firstly, they ask for your birthdate to find out if you are of a legal age and maturity level to be able to handle the excitement of free chocolate.  Once that is done, you can register to win a coupon.  By the way, I have never received any junk mail, only my coupons.  You can check off if you would like to receive emails about MARS news.  Of course I want it.  Bad.

The following is a guest blog post. Here, my computer tells me exactly how it feels about me and this blog.

What is most annoying is that I had one eye open again all night. She didn’t shut me off AGAIN. I was just in “sleep” mode which is very draining, because you never know when someone is going to come tap you. I get a little jumpy. It’s almost like having shell shock just anticipating it. I am too young to have survived the big Y2K that the old timers talk about, but it couldn’t be as bad as this. All day long its ON sleep ON sleep ON sleep ON.

I don’t know why, but my Alt-option key and my “Z” key have dark fingerprints all over them. It’s completely boggling because she doesn’t type many “z” words. All I can think is that the dolt accidentally presses the “z,” attempting to fumble for the shift button and misses. Nope, her fingers aren’t fat, though she is a bit obese if she were to go into business as a professional race horse jockey. Yep, those 5 spare extra pounds would definitely cost a career. I think it is the way that she sits on her legs in her chair. She should really buy a decent chair, but who am I to say. Then there are the days when she is figuring out a recipe. Don’t get me started. I still think I have dark chocolate crumbles on my little chicklet keyboard. It’s really a drag. At least I’m fit and pretty.

Maybe I am not pretty.  Maybe I am handsome instead, and a little too skinny.

I look forward to the weekends the most. I am on in the early morning hours, and then she is GONE. I finally get the peace and quiet I need to update iTunes like I have wanted to for far to long. She always hits “later” when asked if she would like to download the updates. Little does she realize all those pent up updates don’t go away, but they just sit and wait. It is like trying to back up a dam with a cork. It only works for a little while, then “Thar She Blows.” Someday, my situation will improve. It’s a living, I guess.

There you have it from the hardrive’s mouth.  You should have read what Hal9000, my old surly PC would have drafted. Even though Hal has since retired, his photo shows up every now and then, as it is doing at right.

If your computer is getting a little too ornery, there is an instant rebate you can get if you decide on an HP HDX 16t.   There is a $300 coupon to be had (use Code NBN3248), plus a rebate of $200.00. Valid through 8/23 or while supplies last. Restrictions and exclusions apply.  In other words, you have through this Friday to look lively.  Dust off your kiester.  Get out your credit card.

You may feel you are not ready for such a commitment, but if you dilly dally, you will just have to pay $500 more.  Can you afford to just toss 500 good dollars out the window like that?   If you have a credit card that gets cash back rewards, you might argue with me.  You may say that it is not really $500 dollars, because you get your points too.  The bottom line is, if you drag your feet, you will be out of 100% of the savings and 100% of your points, or baseball, or whatever else you get from your credit card company too.  Make sure to give me the stick of gum that comes along with it.

I remember as a kid going to Kmart, and a voice over the income would tell us what the Kmart Bluelight Specials were. There would actually be a blue light flashing on the little display bin.  I know you folks born after 1990 are jealous of me because I saw that. At some Kmarts, a lady that sounded like Charlie Brown’s teacher would warble a little too close to the microphone. All you would hear was “Wah wah wah wah WAH socks…”

At others, or at the same Kmarts but in later years, a prerecorded mans announcer-y voice would come on. He sounded like someone telling you to keep your arms clear of the closing door on the monorail.  He also sounded like someone who used to wear a smart suit and lots of bryl cream to have perfect Announcer Guy Hair, but he recently changed to the dry look.  That is why he was hiding behind the microphone and not on television.  He wasn’t quite comfortable with his new look.  The dry look is the hairdo the Jordanaires had during the Elvis comeback special or the Hawaii one.   Kind of Donald Trumpish.

Gone are those days.   The shine wore off.   There became “good Kmarts” and “bad Kmarts.”  There was the one in the next town where it was clean, stuff was actually on shelves, and the people were nice. However, the one in town was the “bad” Kmart. You had to really hunt to find someone to make a key for you, only one register was open, and they acted like you were bothering them. It was almost not even worth going. Now, it seems that many of the good Kmarts have stayed open, and the bad ones have gone away and some have turned into Sears.

However, this Saturday, maybe you’ll feel a little nostalgic, as it is BLUE LIGHT SPECIAL SATURDAY. Over 40 deals will be offered TOMORROW. That’s right, you read that correctly. There will be some BlueLight Specials online, but many more in the store. You’ll be able to find jewelry, housewares, and more. I am not quite sure if they are going to have the flashing light. I sure hope they do.  If they do, I am going to ask someone if I can press the button to make it flash.  I am sure that they won’t, but I can only hope.

Kmart is my place for small appliances like toasters and blenders. I hope some gadgets that I normally didn’t consider are on sale. I think the personal blenders for one serving are great, because when I make cake and need to blend things, I don’t want to pull out the Queen Mary. It is a pain to clean all the parts of a huge blender. I know it sounds like a frivolous thing to have, but when you just have to blend one or two cups of heavy cream of everyone wants a different kind of smoothie, it is the best thing ever.  Hamilton Beach makes one.  I may have to splurge.