Sharp Snacks & a Snout

Can I just say that I am loving my new camera?! I am still playing around with it and trying to figure things out, but a bowl of LIFE cereal has never looked so tasty...although, the taste is unfailing ;)

Looking Sharp!

Anyways, I have two products worth a little review-action, so let's get rollin'...

Sonoma Creamy Jack Gourmet Snack- Smoked Gouda

I felt like a kid again...Grown up Handi Snacks! Source

Except the refined, stale, white breadsticks have been replaced by crispy, crunchy pretzel-like breadsticks dotted with an abundance of sesame seeds and the fake cheeze has evolved into a creamy dip prepared with the perfect culprit: all natural smoked gouda. I love the thoroughly smokey background that radiates in each bite. Oddly enough, the texture reminds me of cheese whiz, which I think I have only had about once in my life. :/ I liked it, especially when married with the crispy, sesame coated sticks!

The nutrition profile confuses me beyond all means. First of all, the package contains 6 breadsticks, but the nutrition says that there are "4 pieces in the container". Do the simple math and that would be 160 calories for the whole shabang.

Also on the package (not two inches from the nutrition profile) is a contradicting statement saying "195 total calories". Is anyone not mindboggled?

I hopped into some snowflake PJ's (will that subconsciously make this heat any more bearable!?), took my completely confused thoughts and tried to gather them into a review of some form or fashion.

I was quickly interrupted by a little snout on my keyboard.

Back to Nature Granola Cookies- Honey Nut I had no clue what to expect. Granola Cookies? Honey Nut?

Turns out, honey is listed after a whole slew of other ingredients and the only nut that I encountered was a plethora of peanuts. Not sure if the name fits the bill, but they sure are tasty!
The supremely soft cookies are somewhat small for the nutrition information that you see below; but they are also extremely dense, so perhaps that had something to do with it.

I can't decide if I would buy them again. They were really tasty (especially after a spin in the microwave), but they weren't anything EXTRA special!

Now, if you'll excuse me, Chopped is only a few channels away and I am totally ready to get some random food inspiration!

Auntie Who?

Everytime that my mom and I go to Target to shop (just about everytime that we get together!), we walk up to the foodie cashier to get a fountain drink and a soft pretzel or baggie of popcorn to share as we enjoy the vast array of bargains that are about to ensue. This past weekend, when I was home, we made a trip to Target and decided that our munchies of choice would be popcorn. However, that left me with a hankering for a fluffy, buttery, soft pretzel and I knew just the recipe...

My friend introduced me to this recipe and it truly is something special. The only change that we make is to nix the 10T of butter that you are supposed to dunk the golden goodies into and simply rub a stick of butter across the top of all of the radiating twists. You won't use anywhere near 10T (let alone 1T) and you will get all of that buttery goodness.

Gather the goods!

Wakey, Wakey little yeast! Don't kill the poor little guys with boiling water. Knead, Knead, Knead the dough!

(you would think I was a Cheerleader in a former life.)

Let your dough grow up for about an hour in a warm spot.

In the meantime, get your station ready.

George decided to join the show, although I told him we didn't need him!

That is a little cup of flour and salt you see off yonder...for easy access.

Flour, flour everywhere; but not a drop to EAT....yet!

MMM...10 minutes away from a truly delightful snack! These are a twist on the mouthwatering treats that Auntie Anne’s tempts mall go-ers everywhere with and I would say that the fabricators of this recipe must have had someone on the inside.

These are phenomenal!

You can find the recipe here. Enjoy!

Are they good leftover? I have no idea. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it! ;)

Gambucci's Measure-less Salad

I still remember when my aunt first introduced us to this recipe. I was somewhere on my high school journey and I was in the mode of cooking where everything needed a recipe with step-by-step instructions. Therefore, you can only imagine my perplexity when she told me that for dinner we were going to make the following:

Gambucci's Salad

Iceberg & Romaine - chopped
Tomatoes - chopped
Red Onion - chopped
Cooked, sliced chicken - chopped
Bacon Bits
Gorgonzola & Parmesan (I used Romano...any sharp cheese works)

The dressing is what truly makes the salad.
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup olive oil
1/6 cup vinegar (any type...red wine, white, apple cider...I've used them all at one point or another)
1/4t salt
1/8t pepper
1/4t celery salt
1/4t onion salt or powder
1/4t dry mustard
BLEND for 5 minutes (or mix with a fork because by the time you start whipping up the dressing there will undoubtedly be a few impatient people in the kitchen to talk to.)

There are a few contingencies that come with preparing this salad.

DO:
...finely chop everything. The red onions should be ultra thin, the chicken should be chopped very fine and the lettuce should be chopped into fine shreds.
...use both romaine and iceberg. The only time I pick up lonely little iceberg is when I've got this salad on the mind!
...make the dressing as stated above. The dressing is what makes this salad, so buy the extra spices that you don't have. You will use them again. Trust me.
...Let me know if you make it! It is named after a salad from a restaurant that I have never been to. Although, I don't feel a need to go there when I have this masterpiece at my fingertips! :)
...NOT measure anything, but the dressing. But use alot of the good stuff because you will wish you had made more, no matter what. ;)
...Feel free to double the dressing recipe if you go over-the-top with the salad fixins, but I have never had to cross that bridge. You certainly don't want to over-dress the salad!

I had a whole host of pictures on my phone from each step

(since my camera was going awall!),

but they got lost in cyberspace when I tried to email them to myself. :(

In other news, I made an impulse buy (props to the people who set up the floorplan for the CVS that I frequent) and picked up some Pretzel M&M's the other day. I was pleasantly surprised! The characteristic candy coated shell encloses a litle pretzel nugget and milky, smooth chocolate that combine for a sweet and salty, smooth and crunchy little treat. They are also lower in fat than the average M&M and are the perfect treat! My mom thought of malted milk balls after popping one into her mouth and I can definitely see where she is coming from.
No...these, pictures are not from my new camera. These are truly my last pics from the days before Sony Jr's Big Brother. It's Saturday...enjoy it!

Droid vs. Sony

Where have I been the past few days? Well, wouldn't you like to know! ;) Actually, I have been battling with my little Sony Cyber-shot and after a few days of blurry pictures and awkward lighting, I decided to let little Sony win the fight. Thankfully, I have quite the camera phone. I mean technology has truly advanced...

And that marks the end of posting my measly 7.0 Megapixel pictures. I purchased little Sony Jr's big brother and I can't wait to put my new friend to good use! Be back soon with loads of reviews and the most delicious salad ever. No really. This is the best. :)