Blondies Buzz

OLD EL PASO Stand ‘N Stuff® Soft Tortillas

2013-08-15T11:07:00.000-07:00

I'm really excited about a new bzz campaign I've been invited to for OLD EL PASO Stand ‘N Stuff® Soft Tortillas. As a Bzz Agent, I get to try products at no or low cost, in exchange for providing them with honest input, including but not limited to the input received from friends I share the product with, as well as my own opinion and/or experience using the product.

OLD EL PASO Stand ‘N Stuff® Soft Tortillas new shape makes them easy to fill, hold & eat.

Check out recipe's using Old El Paso cooking sauces, hard shell and soft tortilla's at the Spice for Life Community at their web site. You can share your tweets, photo's as well as check out other submissions for inspiration. :)

Love Old El Paso? You can find and follow them at the following sites:

Old El Paso Facebook
Old El Paso Pintrest
Old El Paso Instagram

Check out bzzagent.com for more information on how you can become a bzz agent too.

#oldelpasostand'nstuffsofttortilla

Fried Chicken at Fry's Market Place

2013-07-11T09:26:00.004-07:00

I've been participating in a new Bzz Campaign for Kroger Deli Fried Chicken. As a BzzAgent, I get to try different foods and products from time to time for free or at a low cost, share them with others, and provide honest feedback.

It's been extremely hot here in El Mirage Arizona, especially the last few weeks. When it's 118 to 120* degrees outside, the last thing I
want to do is cook in the kitchen.

When it's 118, barbequing isn't exactly an option either. This buzz campaign couldn't have come at a better time. The Fried Chicken from Fry's Market Place grocery store allows me to provide the kids with a well balanced meal, without having to deal with the heat!It's affordable, hand breaded and made fresh every day. Usually when I go to Fry's to pick up Fried Chicken from the Deli, it's just coming out of the fryer. :) It doesn't get any fresher than that! For those who are health conscious or restrict fried foods, Fry's Deli also has a couple of different varieties of baked chicken, which are also made fresh every day.

Our 4th of July celebration included Deli Fried Chicken, Potato Wedges, Cole Slaw, Potato Salad, Green Salad, Corn on the Cob and a variety of fresh fruits that included Watermelon, Grapes, Apples and Oranges; all which were purchased at my local Frys Market Place, which is part of the Kroger family of groceries stores.

Diary of a Yogurt Lover

2013-03-21T13:12:00.001-07:00

As many of you know, I've commited myself to a healthier and happier 2013, which includes eating healthier. I have to admit, I am a Greek Yogurt Lover. If I could have it my way, I'd have Greek Yogurt as part of every meal as well as snacks. :)) I like having eating Greek yogurt out of the container, in a bowl with Kroger low fat granola or oats, or as an ingredient in a frosty cold smoothie.

I recently received an invitation to join another Bzz Campaign; Kroger Good for You. The campaign is involves Kroger brand yogurts, Greek yogurt, CARBMaster yogurt for those watching their carb intake and CARBmaster milk drink.

For participating in the campaign I received a 10$ Frys food gift card to purchase Kroger's yogurt and the CARBmaster milk drink; and by 3 get one free coupons for Kroger Greek Yogurt and CARBMaster Yogurt to share.

Armed with my gift card, I headed to Frys to see what was available. I was pleased to find a variety of different flavors. Some of the usual like Vanilla, Blueberry and Strawberry were there, then I saw, Pomegranate, which really peeked my interest. They also had Greek Lite yogurt with flavors like Pineapple Mago, Blackberry Yummyberry and lemon creme.

In the Carbmaster section, I found exotic some flavors like Black Forest Cake, Cinnamon Roll, Carrot cake Key Lime and Strawberry Pomegranate in addition to the standards like Strawberry, Blueberry and vanilla.

I found the Carbmaster Milk drink around the "soy" milk options. Regular and Vanilla flavors. I generally use a vanilla or chocolate soy milk for the smoothies, but I was willing to give Kroger's Carbmaster reduced sugar milk a try.

The carbmaster milk was great addition to making smoothies. I love using Yogurt, fresh fruit and a skim or health milk alternative.

If you like Yogurt, and like traditional flavors as well as specialty flavors I highly recommend Kroger's brand yogurts. I'll admit, I am a Greek Yogurt fanatic. I'm spoiled with it's thickness and anything other than Greek Yogurt just won't do. Once I went Greek, I couldn't go back...... Wonder of Greek Yogurt will ever come out in flavors like Black forest cake and carrot cake.......

C is for Cereal-Post Sesame Street Cereal that is!

2013-02-25T13:39:00.000-07:00

I'm participating in another great Bzz Campaign for Post Sesame Street Cereal. As a BzzAgent, I get to try products from time to time for free or at a low cost, share them with others, and provide honest feedback.

This campaign is exciting for me. I have 3 wonderful grandsons, ages 2, 4 and 6, who love cereal and would eat it for every meal, if we let them. I'm always concerned about what cereals they eat while they're with me. I want them to eat healthy, and so many of the "popular" cereals are so full of sugar. Then there is the allure of marshmallows.

Post Sesame Street Cereal comes in 2 flavors, Elmo Apple and Cookie Monster Banana. They're shaped in x's and o's. No artificial flavors, no coloring, and only 1g of sugar per serving. A serving for a toddler 4 and under is three quarters of a cup. Each serving also provides two-thirds of a toddlers daily whole grains. The cereal is fortified with iron, that helps deliver oxygen to the brain and body; Zinc, that helps brain and body cells grow/develop and Choline+ that helps the brain send messages. Note: I've linked the flavors above to their nutrition facts pages.

The x's and o's are the perfect size for little fingers and easy to chew/swallow. I felt that they actually 'melted' in my mouth when I tried them. Having said this, Post Sesame Cereal should only be fed to toddlers who are accustomed to chewing solid foods. The taste of the cereal is light and isn't overwhelming. It's just a hint of apple with the Elmo Apple, and a hint of Banana with Cookie Monster Banana.

Breakfast is now learning time and fun time. There are games on the back of the cereal box. Currently our boxes have: Count with Elmo on Elmo Apple and Help Cookie Monster find all of the letters x and o. There are other games At snack time we play tic-tact-toe, create patterns and count how many o's and how many x's we each have- of-course, Nana makes sure everyone has the same 'number' when we have our snack time.

Elmo and Cookie Monster are a part of our breakfast, snack and play time. Anytime you can combine healthy food and learning at the same time is a big plus for me!

I've found Post C is for Cereal at my local Fry's Food Market Place (Krogrer) and Walmart.

Check out the following links for additional information.

C is for Cereal

C is for Cereal on Facebook for Mommy Tip Mondays and other info.

Special Offers from Post Cereals

AutoZone $500 Stimulus Sweepstakes

2013-02-13T16:51:00.004-07:00

Love tax refunds? Well, get a little extra dough of your own from AutoZone! Enter the AutoZone $500 Stimulus Sweepstakes today. Enter Here

Morningstar Farms Veggie Burgers

2013-01-25T14:37:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to join another Bzz Campaign for MorningStar Farms Veggie Burgers. To my suprise, MorningStar Farms isn't just breakfast sausage patties, links or bacon! They have an awesome assortment of burgers.

Asian Veggie Patties. Made with water chestnuts, celery, onion and bamboo shoots for a veggie burger that's both sweet and a bit spicy.

Chipotle Black Bean Burger. A quarter-pound black bean burger made with roasted corn and smoky chipotle peppers.

Grillers® Original. Classic, char-grilled burger flavor. Grillers® Original Burgers contain 57% less fat than regular ground beef.

Grillers® 1/4 Pounder A quarter-pound of off-the-grill flavor, super-delicious. MorningStar Farms® Grillers® Quarter Pounder Patties contain 51% less fat than regular ground beef.

Grillers Prime® Veggie Burger. A savory and smoky burger is full of prime steakhouse flavor.

Mediterranean Chickpea Burger. Made with chickpeas, spinach, Roma tomatoes, and traditional Greek herbs and spices.

Mushroom Lover's Burger. Combines button and portabella mushrooms with a hint of onion, sweet red pepper and garlic.

Spicy Black Bean Veggie Burger. Made with black beans, roasted corn, brown rice and chili peppers for a spicy kick.

Tomato & Basil Pizza Burger. Filled with onion, mushrooms, tomatoes, red peppers, and mozzarella and provolone cheese.

Grillers® Vegan Veggie Burger. For those who prefer a Vegan option. This burger has great grilled burger flavor in a completely animal-free veggie burger.

In addition to the burgers, MorningStar Farms also offers corn dogs, mini corndogs, hotdogs, lasagna, chili, enchilada's; as well as meal starters like Hickory BBQ Riblets, Chck'n Strips. Grillers Recipe Crumbles, a crumbled up version of the Griller burger.

I have to say that MorningStar Farms burger options are making my commitment to eat healthier a lot easier. I've committed to Meatless Monday to lose those last stubborn pounds and just to feel healthier over all. MorningStar Farms Veggie Burger varieties allows me to quench that burger craving without having all the guilt or give up any flavor. .

Now I can't wait to try MorningStar Farms Meal Starters® Grillers® Recipe Crumbles to make homemade taco's, chili and spaghetti sauce, among other yummy things. MorningStar Farms has a plethora of recipes for their product, you can check them out here.

I found MorningStar Farms line in the Frozen Breakfast isle at my local Fry's Marketplace (Kroger) grocery store. I also spotted some in the frozen area of the health food section.

Give MorningStar Farms at try and let me know what YOU think about them!

Burt's Bees® Natural Skin Solutions for Sensitive Skin

2013-01-25T14:30:00.001-07:00

I had an opportunity last year to participate in a Bzz Campaign for Burts Bees® Natural Skin Solutions for Sensitive Skin. I was provided a full size container of Burt's Bees Sensitive Daily Moisturizing Cream and Sensitive Facial Cleanser.

The cleanser doesn't "foam" like other cleansers. Usually other cleansers cause me to have a blemish or 2 the next day. I didn't experiencing this with the Sensitive Facial Cleanser.

PROGRESSO™ RECIPE STARTERS™

2012-09-06T18:08:00.005-07:00

I'm also currently participating in another Bzz Campaign, this time it's Progresso™ Recipe Starters™. If you're crunched for time these delicious sauces allow you to still be able to create amazing meals, that taste as if you slaved in the kitchen for hours.

I haven't received my Bzz Kit yet, but I had already picked some of these up at Frys before I was accepted to the Bzz Campaign. Progresso™ Recipe Starters™ were part of the Mega Sale, and I had coupons. I picked up Creamy Parmesan Basil, Creamy Portabella Mushroom, Creamy Three Cheese and Fire Roasted Tomato. They also have a Creamy Roasted Garlic. They're located in the Soup isle.

I used the Creamy Portabella Mushroom. The label has a recipe inside for Beef Stroganoff. I had purchased some Stir Fry Beef on markdown. I picked up 2 pounds. I didn't have any Worcestershire, so I used 2 packets of Swanson Beef Flavor Boost. It probably took me all of 15 minutes to put together. I served over medium egg noodles and sweet corn on the side.

I like to mix my corn with Beef Stroganoff. It was superb. The grandsons hadn't seen anything like "Beef Stroganoff" before so they were a bit hesitant at first. I told them to take a bite, and if they didn't like it I would make them something else. They both took a bite and they LOVED IT! Both boys cleaned their plates and asked for more. It also tastes good as a left over. I add the left over Stroganoff with the sweet corn and serve again over medium egg noodles. The reviews from my daughters and grandsons were the same.

My next adventure will be with the Fire Roasted Tomato. I'm torn between the recipe on the can for Chicken Parmesan, Baked Ziti or Double Mozzarella Margherita Pizza.

Check out Progresso™ Recipe Starters™ recipes. You'll find recipes for Mac N Cheese to Chicken Alfredo. I know that Progresso™ Recipe Starters™ will definately be a player in our weekly meal line up. :) Thank you Progresso™ for making my life easier. :)

COVERGIRL & Olay Tone Rehab 2-in-1 Foundation and COVERGIRL & Olay Pressed Powder

2012-08-31T15:38:00.002-07:00

I recently joined a BzzCampaign for COVERGIRL & Olay Tone Rehab 2-in-1 Foundation and COVERGIRL & Olay Pressed Powder. As a BzzAgent I get to try products, share them with my friends, family, acquaintances and anyone else who will listen. When I received my Bzz Kit, I was surprised to find a full size (1oz) bottle of Covergirl & OlayTone Rehab 2-in-1 Foundation and COVERGIRL & Olay Pressed Powder. I also received 10 $2 off coupons to share.

I found the packaging bottle is appealing. The contents of the makeup, foundation and Olay Hydrating Serum, are swirled as you can see in the image above. Both the pressed powder and bottle fit easily into the small makeup bag I keep in my purse.

COVERGIRL & Olay Tone Rehab 2-in-1 Foundation has the following shades: Ivory, Classic Ivory, Creamy Natural, Buff Beige, Nude Beige, Natural Beige, Medium Beige, Warm Beige, Creamy Beige, Soft Honey, Golden Tan, Classic Tan, Tawny and Soft Sable.

COVERGIRL & Olay Pressed Powder has the following shade choices: Fair, Fair/Light, Light, Light/Medium, Medium, and Medium Deep.

I am fair skinned and I don't tan well, I red. Today is the first time I applied the Rehab 2 in 1 foundation. Shade I used was Buff Beige and I found that really helped to tone down the redness, smooth most fine lines made my skin feel moisturized and that I didn't need to put any sort of concealer on before hand. So I feel it does have great coverage. I noticed I had some of the foundation on my hands, it didn't come off when I ran my hands under water, I had to use some hand soap. This is a plus in my book. The pressed powder I used, Fair/Light. It did glide on and even out the overall skin tone as promised.

The only concern I had was how they made the pores on my face look, but over all it provided great coverage and gave me a finished and polished look. I'm going to continue to use COVERGIRL & Olay Tone Rehab 2-in-1 Foundation and COVERGIRL & Olay Pressed Powder for the next 3 weeks to see if there is any difference in my skin tone due to continued use. Keep your eyes out for a follow up :)

I found the following while browsing the Covergirl's website. Tone Rehab Guarantee. They're so confident you’ll love the COVERGIRL & OLAY Tone Rehab 2-in-1 Foundation, that if you don’t, they will give you your money back, GUARANTEED! There are specific requirements. Offer expires 12/31/12. Give it a try, what do you have to lose?

Let me know what you think about COVERGIRL & Olay Tone Rehab 2-in-1 Foundation and COVERGIRL & Olay Pressed Powder, whether you like it, or don't like it, and why. I look forward to hearing from you.

Great Grilling with Lawry's Marinades

2012-08-09T10:28:00.001-07:00

I recently participated in a Bzz Campaign for Lawry's Marinades and Season salt. I can honestly say, I don't grill Pork Chops, Steaks, Chicken or Veggies anymore without using Lawry's Marinades. My newest favorite is Santa Fe Chili with Lime. I've used it on Pork and Chicken.

I have grandson's ages 2, 4 and 6. I was worried it may be too spicy, so I made 2 that I seasoned with Lawry's Season Salt. The boys loved the chops marinaded with Santa Fe Chili w/ Lime and didn't want anything to do with the other chops!! The oldest said "Nana, those were the best pork chops ever, can I have some more?" Thank goodness I had one more for him. :)

This brings me to another subject. Don't over cook your pork. Pork today is very lean and shouldn’t be overcooked. To check doneness, use a digital cooking thermometer. The National Pork Board follows the guidance of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which recommends that roasts, tenderloins, and chops should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F. and followed by a 3 minute rest time. This will give you a flavorful, tender and juicy pork roast, tenderloin and/or chop. :) ( I found this information on the cooking chart download available at Pork Be Inspired)

Happy Grilling!

NOTE: As a bzzagent I received a sample. The above is an honest opinion regarding my own personal experience with Lawry's Marinade.

SoBe® Flavors with Benefits™

2012-05-04T13:31:00.000-07:00

I'm really excited about the recent invite I received as a BzzAgent* for the SoBe® Flavors with Benefits™ BzzCampaign . I've been a SoBe Lifewater/Elixir fan for years! I'm really anxious to try the new SoBe Lifewater® with Coconut Water flavors. I've seen them, but I've not tried them yet.

Even though I've not yet received my BzzKit, my local Frys Food store (Kroger) has SoBe Lifewater®, Fruit flavored Elixirs and Teas on sale this week; Buy 10, get 5 free - that comes out to $0.65 each :). It's a great sale and with the warmer weather, a good time to stock up.

SoBe Lifewaters are nutrient enhanced hydration beverages that are delicious, low in calories and naturally sweetened with sugar. The following are my favorite SoBe Lifewater® flavors,

Strawberry Kiwi (with lemon balm and hibiscus)
Orange Tangerine (with acerola extract, rose hips and is high in vitamin C)
Agave Lemonade ( with Taurine and Yerba Mate)

The Fruit Flavored Elixirs I like are:

Cranberry Grapefruit (L-carnitin and red clover)
Green Tea (Gaurana, Ginseng and rose hips)
Citrus Energy (Gaurana, Ginseng and Taurine)

I'm looking forward to trying the new Pacific Coconut, Pomegranate Nectarine and Mango Maderin, flavors made with Coconut water this weekend. I'll also be sharing SoBe Lifewater®, teas and fruit flavored elixirs during the Cinco De Mayo festivities this weekend!

* BzzAgent, it's THE leading word-of-mouth marketing company. BzzAgents invite users to participate in campaigns for popular products and services, for free. Most campaigns also include samples and/or coupons to share when you're "bzzing" about the product. The brands are eager to hear feedback, good or bad, from the BzzAgent as well as those they've Bzzed/shared the product with.

QUAKER® OATMEAL SQUARES

2012-03-22T12:28:00.001-07:00

I'm currently participating in a Bzzcampaign for Quaker Oatmeal Squares. As a BzzAgent I receive samples to share with friends and family. It will be a few weeks before I receive my BzzKit.

Good news though, if you're on Facebook, you can get a FREE sample box of Quaker® Oatmeal Squares Brown Sugar and discover the delicious taste for yourself. Free Sample Quaker Oatmeal Squares Brown Sugar

Fun Facts: Quaker Oatmeal Squares were introduced in 1988. Currently the following varieties are available: Honey Nut, Brown Sugar, Cinnamon and Golden Maple. One serving (1 cup) of Oatmeal Squares contains 1 gram of soluble fiber from oats. Three grams of soluble fiber from oatmeal in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. You can enjoy delicious tasting cereal and eat heart healthy at the same time. :)

Quaker Oatmeal Squares are great to make your favorite sweet and savory snack mixes, you can crush and add as a crunchy topping for ice cream, yogurt (my favorite is greek yogurt with fruit) or you can enjoy them as a snack all by themselves. I put them in little snack size zip lock baggies for a snack when we're out running errands, the grandkids love them!

Let me know what you think about Quaker Oatmeal Squares. If you have any recipes you'd like to share, I'd love to hear about them.

HEALTH-FULL® BREADS

2012-03-02T12:41:00.002-07:00

I wasn't chosen for this Bzz Campaign, but I love Oroweat Healthfull Breads!! It's soft, delicious, flavorful and a great variety of choices. With only 80 calories per slice I don't feel guilty having one of my favorite sandwiches. I love the 10 Grain for toast with breakfast (eggs and bacon or breakfast sandwich). I love Nuttygrain when I make PB and J sandwiches or toast for a Tuna Sandwich. I even have the grandkids eating the Health-Full breads. They love the nuttygrain toasted with crunchy peanut butter, sliced bananas and an icey cold glass of milk.

CARMD Giveaway!!

2012-02-07T21:42:00.001-07:00

CarMD is giving away iPad2 plus CarMD Kits! Make sure you tell or invite your friends to enter this sweepstakes.

Go to their Facebook page. Select the iPad Giveaway link in the left menu. Click Like and fill out the form.

You can enter once per day. You can't win if you don't enter. :) The more friends you refer, the more chance for you to win.

I love my CarMD. Made my daughter take it with her when she went to buy her Jeep yesterday. Told her she couldn't even think of buying the car until she ran CarMD on it. I wanted her to make sure she was purchasing a good car, not purchasing a ton of costly future repairs.

Smarterer - Show What You Know

2012-02-02T19:43:00.008-07:00

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I've joined another BzzCampaign. This time it's for Smarterer. If you like answering Trivia, showing what you know to others, you'll love Smarterer

Smarterer scores your digital, social, and technical skills. How do they do this? First you pick a test and start answering questions. Each question is timed. Longer questions have longer times. Each question has a specific point value. Answer correctly, score points. Answer incorrectly, you lose points! The system has an adaptive feature that identifies your personal "skill level" and then give you questions that are appropriately difficult, which makes it challenging. :)

Smarterer's scoring system uses same algorithms used to score chess masters. You receive a numeric score that represents your skill level. You also receive a badge(s) for your skill and you have the ability to brag about it via Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin.

You can improve your score any time by answering more questions, creating a test, or by adding your own question to an existing test. When you add a question your score will go up based on how well the question performs with the other questions. If there isn't a test for something you like, you can create a test.

I found Smarterer to be not only entertaining, but educational. When you provide a wrong answer, it will show you the correct answer so I also "learn something new", which is a daily goal for me. :)
I currently have a contest going with friends to see who scores higher and I'm anxious to see how they do as well as my Mom, Smarterer could be a great brain exerciser for her. I'm sure her scores will blow me out of the water.

If you enjoy seeing what you know and bragging about it, check out Smarterer. Share and challenge your friends.

I'll be taking the following tests and I'll be sure to follow up to "Show What I Know" and what I don't. Some of the tests I'll be taking are:

Blogger test
Facebook test
Flickr test
Twitter test
WordPress test
Tumblr Test

I recently took the "Google" test. Much to my suprise I didn't know as much about Google as I thought I did. :)

Comforts for Baby. Great quality products at reasonable prices!

2012-01-25T01:19:00.011-07:00

As a Mom, who is now a Grandma, I am always looking for great deals for any child/baby care item you can think of for my grandsons who range from 22 months to 5 years. I was excited to be offered a chance to participate in the Comforts for Baby Bzz Campaign. As a BzzAgent I received a coupon for a free Comforts For Baby's diapers, 20% off coupon good for Diapers, trainers or Formula, a box of wipes and a 2 Spill-Proof Cups pack. Comforts for Baby is a Kroger (Ralphs, Smiths, Frys Food) store brand.

The first thing we tried was the Spill-Proof Cups. 2 words; Simply AMAZING! Not only are they truly "spill proof", they're leak proof! My 22 month old grand son is at a stage where he likes to see liquids drip, pour them from one container to another as well as throw things. outside and inside. The cup size was perfect for his hands. He spent the first 20 minutes holding the cup upside down, tapping it, shaking it trying to get a drop to come out. Disappointed that he could not get it to drip, he threw the cup across the room, where it hit the wall and then the floor. Other so call "spill proof cups" we've used in the past leaked at this point, flow regulators separated from the cap or the top/cup cracked; NOT the Comforts for Baby Spill Proof cups! Not a drop and even the flow regulator remained in place.

The Comforts for Baby baby wipe container is same size as the "brand" wipes. I found the texture of the Comforts for Baby wipes to be thicker and stronger than the brand my daughter usually buys. I also like that they're fragrance free and that they also moisturize as well as clean.

We picked up the Baby For Comforts diapers with our coupon, size 4 Value pack. . There are 82 diapers and are currently priced at my local Frys for $13.49. That comes out to $0.16 per diaper, which is somewhere around 43 % less than the cost for the name brand my daughter usually purchases. The diapers are thinner than the brand my daughter normally uses. They're white and have cute little bees in front where the fastening tabs go. I have to admit that I've been skeptical about purchasing any store brand Diapers. The quality of the store brands for these items when my children were babies/toddlers just never measured up to my standards. The prices were good, but the quality just wasn't there, so needless to say, I was leery.

I was totally amazed!! Comforts for Baby Diapers are not only 43% cheaper than the popular name brands, they work just as well, if not out perform them. We usually have one type diaper for daytime and use a "Night time" diaper at night. Not only did the Comforts for Baby diaper work as well as the "day time" diaper, it also worked just as well as the "night time" diaper we'd been using.

Comforts for Baby not only has diapers, wipes and spill proof cups, they also have formulas that have all the nutrients your baby needs for a healthy first year, delicious and nutritious meals for toddlers. A full line of health and hygiene items including mild soaps, shampoos and lotions as well as gentle powders and ointments. They also have other items such as bottles, cutlery, spoons, pacifiers, bibs and teethers. They also have just come out with "Touch of Nature diapers" that use natural and renewable materials that are good for both baby and the environment.

I went shopping this morning with my 22 month old grandson to grab some milk and I purposely went to the baby isle so that I could educate myself more on the price differences between Baby Comfort items and similar name brand items. (I love sharing the information with others.) The average savings I noticed was anywhere from 37% - 50% off the cost of the similar name brand item. Comforts for Baby really does provide great quality products at reasonable prices!

Check Engine light on? Plug in CarMD!!

2012-01-24T17:21:00.000-07:00

CarMD is a hand held device designed to work on all 1996 and newer vehicles ( cars, light trucks, minivans and SUVs – foreign and domestic) driven in the U.S., with on-board diagnostic second generation (OBD2) technology. CarMD also works with the newer hybrid vehicles.

Looking to buy a used car. Take this gem with you, to prevent purchasing a car that requires costly repairs. If you get a green light, you're good to go. If you get a yellow or red light there is an issue. Connect the device to your lap top / home computer and you'll be able learn exactly what the problem is (in terms and words you can understand), how to fix it, and the approximate cost of parts and labor in YOUR own area.

If the system doesn't have the information you need, their technicians will research and provide answers within 72 hours. It will also notify you of any important safety recalls and/or service bulletins for your car, which often lead to low- or no-cost repairs before something goes wrong.

The day before I received the CarMD in the mail, the Check Engine light came on in my car. I attached the device and found out exactly what had occurred, the specific part involved as well as how much it would cost to repair, broken down into part and labor cost. Needless to say, the mechanic was amazed how educated I was about the problem.

I can't tell you how empowered this tool has made me feel! No more guessing. No more worrying about being overcharged or whether or not I'll be paying for unnecessary repairs in the future. Being able to know what is wrong and how much it costs in my area makes me an educated consumer, in an area I really have no knowledge of, and it doesn't get any better than that!

Head over to CarMD/Bzz for a $30.00 discount. While you're there check out exactly what systems CarMD tests.

Krogers Private Selection Belgian Chocolate Lava Cakes

2011-12-19T11:44:00.000-07:00

As a bzzagent participating in the current Kroger Private Selection Frozen Foods Bzz Campaign I also had a chance to try one of their frozen desserts. My nearest Kroger store (Frys Food) had the Belgian Chocolate Lava cakes, Mini Vanilla Cream Puffs, Mini Eclairs and Northern Spy Apple Crisps just to name a few. I opted to purchase both the Belgian Chocolate Lava Cakes and the Northern Spy Apple Crisps. Both looked delicious.

Being the chocolate lover I am, I couldn't wait to try the Belgian Chocolate Lava cake. There are 4 individual servings, which makes it an extremely convenient dessert option for a mid week dinner with friends. The portion size is perfect.

Preparation is easy, no baking involved. Keep them frozen until you're ready to prepare in the microwave, on high - 30 to 40 seconds/until you see the chocolate ganache bubble up in the middle. It took about 35 seconds in my Microwave. Let set for 1-2 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges and then invert onto dessert plate. It's tastes great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Just add a nice hot cup of coffee and it's a great end to any meal, casual or semi formal or a special treat anytime. Next time I'll be adding whipped cream and drizzle some hot fudge or chocolate sauce on top. I've also considered just a sprinkle of powdered sugar instead of ice cream and chocolate sauce, the options are limitless.

I can't wait to try the Northern Spy Apple Crisp. The question at hand is add Ice Cream , Whipped Cream or both!

I Have A Dream Foundation

2011-12-15T13:11:00.000-07:00

BzzAgent is donating $5000 to charity this holiday season, and I get to help decide where it goes. I'm voting for the I Have A Dream Foundation because it's important to me. The charity with the most votes at the end of the campaign gets the check!

CARMD - more money in your pocket!

2011-12-10T01:32:00.000-07:00

I've joined another BZZ Campaign - this time for CarMD and I'm interested (and really excited) to see what this tool will tell me about my car when I receive it. I'll be sure to post an update.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Check Engine light on? Plug the handheld device into your car, and it will access your vehicle's computer system. If you get a yellow or red light, then you're supposed to connect the device to your home computer. This is where you'll learn what the problem is (in terms you can understand easily), how to fix it, and the approximate cost of repairs in YOUR own area. If the system doesn't have the information you need, their technicians will research and provide answers within 72 hours.

It will also show you any important safety recalls or service bulletins for your car, which often lead to low- or no-cost repairs.

Searching for that perfect holiday gift for your Dad, Brother or Uncle? CarMD® would make a great gift, check out carmd.com/bzz for $30 off the device - It's the lowest price on the web. :)

Update to this thread is posted above "Check Engine light on? Plug in CarMD!! "

Private Selection Frozen Pepperoni/Roasted Garlic Pizza

2011-12-07T21:05:00.000-07:00

I received a coupon for a free Private Selection Pizza as part of a current BzzAgent Campaign. My closest Kroger affiliate store, Frys Food didn't have much of a variety of pizza's available, so we opted for the Pepperoni and Roasted Garlic pizza.

The box is rectangular and smaller versus the square box other frozen pizzas come in. The packaging is pretty generic, black and gold. Prep and cooking time was about 10 minutes. I placed the Pizza directly on the rack in the middle of the oven and it took about 9 minutes as stated on the cooking directions. The crust cooked evenly and browned nicely. The cheese, pepperoni, garlic all cooked up nicely. The middle of the pizza was cooked to the same level as the outer edges,meaning no soggy middle, half cooked toppings and cheese that hadn't melted like I've experienced with other frozen pizzas.

The pizza reminded me more of an Artisan style pizza that is currently being offered by one of the major pizza delivery chains. Compared to those artisan pizzas, the Private Selection Pepperoni and Roasted Garlic had more toppings than the ones I've tried from a major Pizza chain.

The crust is on the thin side, but not too thin. The amount of toppings was adequate. There was plenty of Pepperoni and just the right amount of cheese. There were also garlic pieces, not minced garlic but actual pieces of roasted pepperoni, garlic and cheese. Some of the pieces of garlic were quite large. While I am a fan of roasted garlic the larger pieces were a bit overwhelming, so I would make sure to check and perhaps consider cutting up any larger pieces before placing the Pizza in the over or serving. You'll notice the large "chunks" of roasted garlic to the left side of the pizza.

The sauce was fantastic and fresh tasting. I found the fresh made taste quite refreshing and unique. The only thing I missed was oregano and perhaps a few other Italian seasonings and herbs, but that is just a personal preference.

The price of the Private Selection pizzas was higher than anticipated vs the servings, but in comparison to the prices of Artisan pizzas offered by some pizza delivery chains, the Private Selection cost is a few dollars less and without giving up taste and one might say the Private Selection pizza had a generous amount of toppings and cheese.

It would be a great meal for 2 if paired with a generous sized salad. I may purchase the pizza again in the future, especially if it was on sale and/or I had a coupon.

I'm also looking forward to the upcoming in-store sampling event for Private Selection™ Pizza and Ice Cream. I've marked my calendar and I'm checking to see which store in my area will be holding the event.

Couponing

2011-12-07T14:18:00.000-07:00

I'm a couponer. I'm not as good as those "extreme" coupon folks you see on Extreme Couponers on TLC, but I don't do too bad. Most likely because my cart not only has my great coupon deals, but also contains regular shopping such as fresh meats, fruits and veggies. :))

Generally I save between 60-75% using my shopper card perks and coupons. Since my daughters and grandkids live with me, coupons have been a life saver. One of the grandsons is in diapers still, he's 18 mo. My best deal this week was Luv's diapers at CVS, but the deal would have been sweeter if I had a coupon. <wink>.

If you have any coupon secrets or tricks, please feel free to share them. :)

Kroger's The Truly Awesome(TM) Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-11-18T22:48:00.000-07:00

My daughters and 3 grandsons, ages 19mo, 3 and 5 came over. My oldest grandson James (5) and I went to get the mail. He was excited to see a package had come and wanted to open it. Noticing the came from Bzzagent, I had a good idea of what was inside, so I let him.

My daughters know I am a Bzzagent and I let them know that the Kroger's Truly Awesome(TM) Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookies was the latest bzz campaign I had joined while James opened the box. I told my girls that I had seen the cookies in the local "Frys Food" store, but had not tried them yet so I was excited to try them. They were also excited. We're a chocolate chip cookie loving family.

My grandson opened the box and exclaimed "Nana, It's cookies!! Can I have one?". Naturally I said Yes, that I'd like one too and for him to give everyone else one too. The first words out of Jame's mouth after he took one bite was "Nana, this is an AWESOME cookie.". (We didn't tell him the "name" of the cookie. Just that it was chocolate chip.) I told him, that it was truly an "Awesome Cookie" because the box says so.

Frys Food had them on sale for 2 for 5$ so we picked up 3-4 boxes to use for a dessert for a BBQ; we decided to make Ice cream sandwiches with the cookies. They were a huge hit! Everyone really enjoyed them.

For those who don't like a "crunchy" cookie, try microwaving them for a few seconds, it softens them up. Break them up to make a tasty garnish for ice cream garnish or wonderful addition to a milkshake (Chocolate Cookie shake...Yumm)

The cookies were nice sized and 2 are definitely more than enough. I love eating them with an icey cold glass of Milk. With Thanksgiving coming up, I've already purchased more since they're on sale and I'll be making more "Truly Awesome Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookie" ice cream sandwiches for those who don't care for Pie.

Welcome

2011-11-18T17:48:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone. I'm Blondie and I love trying out new products. I've been a BzzAgent for several years and have the chance to try and share several different products over the years. I'm looking forward to sharing new products try as well as my thoughts on products I've tried in the past.

What is BzzAgent you ask?

BzzAgent is a social marketing company, leader in the community. They've taken the power of word of mouth advertising to the next level. They provide products to hundreds of thousands of real consumers, like me; and allow us to share our opinions about the products with friends and family. We then provide feedback and our opinions via Facebook posts, Twitter feeds, photos and videos, blog posts and more.

If you like trying new products, sharing what you think about the products with your friends and family AND providing feedback, whether it be positive or negative, you might be interested in becoming a bzzagent yourself. You can check them out at bzzagent.com

I'll try to post often - Check back soon.