Content for Foodies

How to Save Money on Keurig Coffee

2012-01-19T05:08:00.000-08:00

It's easy to get wrapped up in the latest technology, even if that technology is in the form of a coffeemaker. The Keurig Coffeemaker is probably the most coveted brand on the market. However, one of the first things people notice after buying the machine is how expensive the coffee can be. Thankfully, there are several simple ways to save money on Keurig coffee.

Reuse Your K-Cups

A great solution that many Keurig owners suggest is to reuse the K-Cup. The coffee is usually strong enough to reuse the cup a second time. However, you should only do this if you're drinking a second cup shortly after the first or the coffee inside the cup could mold.

Buy a Reusable K-Cup

By far, one of the best ways to save money on Keurig coffee is to purchase a reusable K-Cup. These cups can be filled with your favorite coffee, which allows you to use the less expensive brands for every day coffee and more expensive chain brands for dessert or weekend coffee.

Shop Through Keurig.com

Believe it or not, it may be less expensive to buy your K-Cups through Keurig than the grocery store. Not only are the prices less expensive, but you can also save 15% by becoming a member. Best of all, you'll find tons of different flavors that you may not be able to find at your local grocery store.

Do Our Taste Buds Really Change as We Get Older?

2012-01-16T07:51:00.000-08:00

We hear the expression all the time, "I think my taste buds have changed over the years." You may have even said the expression yourself after trying a piece of candy you loved as a child. But, do taste buds really change as we age? Actually, they do.

I found it incredibly fascinating to learn that babies have taste buds not only on their tongue, but on the sides and roof of their mouths as well. This is why children can be so sensitive to strongly flavored foods. However, as we age, the taste buds disappear from these areas and we're able to better enjoy foods we hadn't enjoyed in the past. As we get older our taste buds even begin to lose sensitivity and stronger foods may be better appreciated.

It's also important to note that smoking, drugs and a number of medical conditions can impair our sense of taste. If you've been smoking for 20 years, chances are your sense of taste is greatly impaired. Last, but not least, those that consume sugary beverages may not notice the high levels of sodium in their foods. For example, I gave up soda a year ago and have noticed that many of the foods I loved are simply too salty for me to enjoy now.

How have your taste buds changed over the years? Are there foods you used to love, but can't stand now? What about foods you detested as a child? Do you like any of those foods now?

Photo by Tomaz1111

Why It Pays to Buy Made in the USA Products - Even Orange Juice

2012-01-12T11:34:00.000-08:00

You may walk through the grocery store, aimlessly putting items in your cart, but have you ever considered where those items come from? The truth is some of the items in American grocery stores are imported from other countries. While this may not sound like a big deal, recent news may change your outlook.

The FDA is now requiring that all imported orange juice be tested for pesticides. But, big deal, right? I mean we have huge orange groves in America and probably don't need that much from other countries. Unfortunately, this isn't the case. In fact, if you look on the package of many top brands, including Tropicana, you'll find that they use imported orange juice. This means that your glass of morning orange juice could have contained a pesticide.

The good news is that not all products are imported. With a quick glance at the packaging, you can make sure you purchase foods that are made right here in America. Oh, and if you're still worried about getting your morning orange juice, don't be. Companies like Florida's Natural use oranges grown in the USA, so as long as you're buying American made, you have a much better chance of remaining safe.

Photo by topfer

Bye, Bye Twinkie? Hostess Files Bankruptcy

2012-01-10T15:39:00.000-08:00

Fans of Hostess products may be tempted to start stocking their cabinets with Twinkies, but believe it or not the financial future looks strong for the company despite their filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time in a decade.

The Hostess Twinkie made it's debut in 1930 surviving even the lack of ingredients which lead to a change in the filling's flavor. While the cost of flour and sugar may be on the rise (which is why the company claims to be filing for a second time) junk food junkies can sleep better knowing that they'll still be able to get their "fix" for years to come.

Want Free Cookbooks? Check Amazon

2012-01-09T12:53:00.000-08:00

The size of my cookbook collection is staggering. However, I find it hard to pass up cheap cookbooks at thrift stores or when I find an extremely good deal on The Good Cook Club. So, naturally, when I got my first Kindle, one of the first books I downloaded was a cookbook. My collection has now grown and best of all, I haven't had to spend a dime.

Want some free cookbooks of your own? You definitely need to check the top 100 free books on Amazon at least once a week. I have found cookbooks on cheesecakes, Chinese food and even chili and all of them have been free, but only for a short time.

What are you waiting for? Go grab those free books and start cooking up some new dishes.

McDonald's Apple Cinnamon Walnut Oatmeal Review

2012-01-06T10:44:00.000-08:00

Just the other day I was thinking how great it would be if McDonald's offered different flavors of oatmeal, especially one that had nuts. Imagine my surprise when I opened the latest arrival of coupons and found that McDonald's was now offering Apple Cinnamon Walnut Oatmeal. It sounded absolutely delicious, but would it be as good as the Fruit and Maple Oatmeal?

I was a bit concerned that I didn't smell the oatmeal on my way home from the drive-thru. I had expected to be greeted with the aroma of cinnamon upon receiving my bag at the window. However, that wasn't the case. Even when I opened the container, the small wasn't very strong. I stirred the oatmeal around before taking a bite. I was a bit disappointed that the oatmeal didn't seem to have much flavor. I stirred it up a bit more and found there was more flavor, but still not much. My biggest disappointment though was the walnuts. There was probably one entire walnut throughout the entire bowl. The pieces were finely chopped and were honestly quite bitter against the other flavors of the oatmeal.

McDonald's Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal contains 290 calories, 9 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 10mg of cholesterol, 150mg of sodium, 44 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 17 grams of sugar, 6 grams of protein, 2% of your daily Vitamin A, 30% of your daily Vitamin C, 6% of your daily calcium and 2% of your daily iron.

I would give McDonald's Cinnamon Apple Walnut Oatmeal 3 out 5 stars. I do plan to try it again, but I like the Fruit and Maple Oatmeal a lot better. I still recommend giving it a try and seeing how you like it. After all, it is a much healthier option that some of the other breakfast options McDonald's offers.

Sara Lee Now Offering No High Fructose Corn Syrup Bread

2012-01-01T08:08:00.000-08:00

Before I starting living a healthier lifestyle, I purchased Sara Lee products on a weekly basis. In fact, it was the only brand of bread my boyfriend and I purchased. When we gave up high fructose corn syrup, we were disappointed to learn that Sara Lee bread contained the dangerous ingredient. However, things are finally changing and in all honesty, it's about time.

Sara Lee now offers a few varieties of bread without high fructose corn syrup. I recently purchased the 12 grain variety and while it's good, I still prefer other brands. What's really important to note is that the white bread still contains HFCS. It seems as though only the healthier varieties have been changed to HFCS-free.

Will Sara Lee start removing HFCS from other products? One can only hope. After all, Sara Lee products are awesome, but there are many consumers, including myself, that will not buy them unless they remove the HFCS.

Content for Foodies' First Giveaway

2011-12-18T14:55:00.000-08:00

Here's the deal. This is Content for Foodies' 75th post and the blog currently has 49 followers. If we can make 100 followers by the 100th post I will randomly choose a follower to win a $25 Amazon gift card. It's that simple. All you have to do let people know about the blog and contest and help increase the number of followers by the 100th post. Let the giveaway begin!

McDonald's Peppermint Hot Chocolate Review

2011-12-15T03:10:00.000-08:00

There's just something about Christmas that makes me yearn for a good cup of hot chocolate. When I saw that McDonald's was serving peppermint hot chocolate for the holiday season, I had to try it. Never mind the fact that I wasn't a fan of their regular cocoa - this had peppermint in it and would taste of Christmas!

Okay, so it didn't taste too Christmassy. It did have a nice peppermint flavor and the drink reminded me of Thin Mint cookies, but like McDonald's regular hot chocolate, it just wasn't creamy enough. It doesn't have the mouth feel that a good quality hot chocolate should have.

Personally, I suggest grabbing a box of your favorite hot chocolate mix from the store and preparing it with milk before adding a peppermint syrup or drop of peppermint extract. In a pinch, you could even stir a candy cane around in the cocoa until the candy begins to melt and flavor the drink. Either way, you're going to end up with a better flavor than what you'll get at McDonald's. Best of all, you won't have to fork over $2.89 to $3.09.

I give McDonald's Peppermint Hot Chocolate 3 out 5 stars. It's okay, but certainly not worth the high price.

McDonald's Sweet Chili Sauce Teases the Taste Buds

2011-08-05T13:55:00.000-07:00

Who could resist McDonald's 20 piece nuggets for $4.99? Throw in 5 new sauces and whoo hoo! I decided to try the Spicy Buffalo and Sweet Chili Sauce. Let me start by saving that I had the highest hopes for the Spicy Buffalo, but was greatly disappointed. It was just so mediocre. It was too vinegary, bitter and not very hot. The Sweet Chili sauce, on the other hand, was a completely different story.

When I tasted the Sweet Chili sauce I was immediately hit was a pleasing sweet, honey like taste, which then melded into a slightly spicy heat that tickles the back of your throat. The sauce is such a tease. It's all, "I'm sweet and pleasing on the tongue" and then BAM, it's all, "Oh, no I ain't. I'm spicy and addictive". In one word, this sauce is sassy.

I could honestly see myself buying this at the store and putting it on grilled chicken or even salmon. The taste is simply unbelievable. If you love the sweet and spicy combo, you are going to LOVE this sauce.

Peter Peppers

2011-05-13T14:49:00.000-07:00

Okay, this post is not for the faint of heart - you have been warned. If you are easily offended, do not read further!

My boyfriend and I both love hot peppers and my boyfriend brought home two new pepper plants the other day. He said he wasn't going to tell me and just let one of the plants grow, but decided to go ahead and tell me. He told me to Google the "peter pepper" and I did.

I couldn't stop laughing at what I saw. I mean obviously these peppers have been engineered to look this way, but it was still hilarious. And, as lame as it sounds, these peppers are hot in more ways than one.

Yes, they really do grow to look like male genitalia. The peppers grow to be about 3 inches long and are about 10 times hotter than jalapenos. Pretty tame compared to what we're used to, but definitely a lot more fun.

I hope this post gave you a giggle and didn't offend you too much.

Quiche

2011-05-12T06:51:00.000-07:00

There was a book written in the 70s called, "Real Men Don't Eat Quiche". The title was certainly accurate. My boyfriend won't touch the stuff. However, I absolutely love quiche. I love the fact that you can make it in a thousand different ways and uses up leftover ingredients. Best of all, it's an easy dish to make gourmet. You could even make quiche healthy, if you wanted to.

How do you like to make quiche? Do you like the classic bacon, onion and cheese variety or do you like something more gourmet, such as goat cheese and caramelized onions?

Photo by Bonbon

Raisinets

2011-05-11T14:08:00.000-07:00

What is it about Raisinets that make them so good? Is it the perfect chocolate coating, the moist contrast of the raisin against the chocolate.......Or, maybe it's the fact that they have less fat than other leading chocolate candies on the market. That way we don't feel as guilty when we indulge.

Of course, Raisinets aren't just good for snacking on plain. They also make an excellent addition to snack and trail mixes. They do wonders for oatmeal cookies and they can even help decorate a Halloween cake (just add a few behind a giant gummy rat).

Seriously, though, Raisinets are one of the more healthy candies on the market and can be used in various ways to help punch up different snacks. How do you like your Raisinets and have you tried the other flavors?

Sunday Dinners

2011-05-10T04:46:00.000-07:00

Since a small child, I remember Sundays being reserved for a special meal. I remember visiting my Mamaw's house and she would make fried chicken, biscuits and gravy. After she passed on, my great aunt carried on the tradition, but only for a short time.

To this day, I like to enjoy a special meal on Sundays. It might not always be fried chicken, but I like to serve something that I wouldn't make on a busier day. It might be pot roast, fried cube steak or even a roasted chicken.

Sunday dinners will always hold a special place in my heart. Even if I now have to work on Sundays, I try to have a special meal planned. I hope you do the same and spend time with your loved ones gathered around a special feast.

Photo by DougsTech

Tang

2011-05-09T07:58:00.000-07:00

I wasn't born early enough to appreciate Tang for the simple fact that it's what the astronauts drank. I was a child of the 80s and while astronauts were no longer cool, Tang was still pretty darn delicious. It was like orange Kool-Aid, but better - or, at least that's what parents thought since Tang also had Vitamin C.

Over two decades have passed since I tasted Tang for the first time. While it's not something I drink on a regular basis, it's a taste I fondly remember. A quick sip of Tang can take me back in time to when my biggest worry was whether or not school would be canceled because of the weather.

Many things have changed, including Tang. No longer is there just an orange flavor, but you can now find the drink mix in strawberry, pineapple, passion fruit, mango and several other flavors. You can even find a sugar-free version. That's not all though. You can even purchase pre-made Tang in little pouches. Personally, I'll stick with the original orange flavor in a mix.

Remedies for Uneven Cakes

2011-05-07T10:40:00.000-07:00

There is nothing more frustrating than taking a cake out of the oven only for there to be a large hump in the middle. Thankfully, there are things you can do to prevent and fix an uneven cake.

First of all, you need to ensure that your oven is clean. This will help ensure than it bakes evenly. When an oven is baking unevenly, you will get humps on your cakes. You may also want to check the temperature to see if your oven's thermostat needs to be calibrated. When it comes to the cake batter itself, it's important to bang the cake pans on the counter before they go in the oven. This will help knock air out of the batter and provide you with a denser, more even cake.

If your cake is still uneven, there are some tricks you can use to remedy the situation. First of all, you can always just flip the cake over. This work well for round cakes, but isn't always practical for sheet cakes. If you're working with a large cake, you can use a knife to slice off the hump. You can do this freehand or use guides along the edges of the cake to help guide your knife along the top of the cake. And, if all else fails, you can do wonders with a large amount of icing.

Photo by ChildofMidnight

Vanilla Ice Cream Making Tips

2011-05-06T06:03:00.000-07:00

Homemade ice cream is unlike anything you buy in the store. Not only are you getting the freshest product possible, but you have complete control over the quality of the product. When making vanilla ice cream, there are a few tips you can follow to ensure you get the best flavor possible.

First of all, don't scrimp on the ingredients you use. While it may be cheaper to use half and half and whole milk, you won't get a good taste or texture. For the best flavor and texture, use a mixture of heavy cream and half and half. This ensures that your ice cream has a high enough butter fat content, which means the ice cream will be silky.

Another thing you should consider is how you get your vanilla flavor. While you can use extract, fresh vanilla beans will add a much better flavor. If you must use extract, make sure it's not only pure, but high quality and fresh. If you have no idea how long the vanilla has been in your cabinet, it should probably be thrown out.

Last, but not least, don't be afraid to choose a recipe that uses eggs. Eggs add a rich flavor to ice cream and if you know where your eggs are coming from, and store them properly, you don't have to worry about getting sick from raw egg yolks.

Photo by Steven Depolo

Watermelon

2011-05-05T08:18:00.001-07:00

I grew up in a small Southern town and entertainment was mostly what you could do to entertain yourself. I remember sitting around campfires eating watermelon and while I didn't care for the way my elders salted their's, I still loved the juicy fruit.

Those days are long gone, but I still enjoy watermelon at least once each summer. While spitting out seeds isn't quite as fun as it was when I was a child, I still enjoy watermelon as much as I did back then. And, why not? After all, watermelon is loaded with health benefits (find out more here) and can be used in hundreds of recipes. Whether you want to make a fruit salad, a fruity salsa to top grilled chicken or even a frozen drink, watermelon is a great ingredient.

Summer is right around the corner and many stores are starting to carry several varieties of watermelon. Get in there and a grab a few. It's a snack you won't have to feel guilty about and you may even find a few new recipes to try online.

Photo by Steve Evans

Xylocarps

2011-05-04T10:45:00.001-07:00

Here's a random food fact for the day. An xylocarp is a plant that bears a fruit with a woody outer shell, such as a coconut. I discovered this while trying to come up with an X word for today's post. This got me wondering whether or not there were other xylocarps that we eat on a daily basis.

After a bit of research, I discovered that several fruits could technically fall into this description, such as watermelons and pumpkins.

Anyways, I thought it was interesting.

Photo by Robert Wetzlmayr

Yucky Foods

2011-05-03T08:04:00.000-07:00

It doesn't matter if you're a food snob or a regular foodie, there will always be foods you find downright disgusting. These are the foods that even the smell can make you want to run from the room and the thought of some of these foods is enough to make you sick. For the sake of this post, I'll skip the foods that normal people wouldn't eat, such as insects (even though they go beyond yucky to extremely disgusting).

For me, there aren't a lot of yucky foods on my list, but there are a few. First of all, canned peas not only taste disgusting, but the smell makes me sick to my stomach. I like fresh peas and even frozen, but whatever they do to canned peas is just plain wrong. Another food that tops my list is raw oysters. I finally got brave enough to try them a couple months ago and they were as gross as I thought they would be. The feeling of them sliding down your thought is equivalent to swallowing a big gob of snot. Yuck! Then there's guacamole. Not only am I turned off by the color of this condiment/dip, but I'm just not a big fan of avocados. Not to mention that is tastes awful.

These are just a few of the foods I thought of off the top of my head. So, what do you find yucky when it comes to your dinner plate?

Photos by LWY and Robin

Zero Bars

2011-05-02T14:52:00.000-07:00

One of the first candy bars I remember eating was the Zero Bar. Even at a small age, I absolutely loved white chocolate. Of course, now you can't call it white chocolate as it's technically not chocolate. That's why Hershey now states that the Zero Bar has a white fudge coating. Whatever you want to call it, it's the beginning of a darn good candy bar.

The Zero Bar is also one of those foods that I eat a certain way. With each bite, I let the candy bar set in my mouth until the coating begins to melt. The silky texture of the white fudge coating is decadent and has such a smooth flavor. Then you get a slight bit of saltiness from the caramel and almonds. Mmmm, just the thought of it makes me want one. Thank goodness there's none in the house.

Photo by Evan-Amos

Z - A in May Challenge

2011-04-30T05:40:00.000-07:00

I made it to the last day of the A-Z challenge, but I'm not going to let that stop me. Nope, I'm going to keep going. In fact, I'm ready to start new challenge in May. I'm going to work backwards and do the Z-A in May Challenge. Get ready for more reviews, food memories and general oddball posts starting May 2nd! Interested in signing up your own blog(s)? Visit the Write, Wrong or Indifferent blog for more details.

Yoo-Hoo

2011-04-29T14:20:00.000-07:00

Today I wondered where the letter Y would lead me. At first, I considered a post about my foodie youth, but this got me to thinking about how tastes change as we grow. Then, I thought of Yoo-Hoo.

When I was little, I absolutely love Yoo-Hoo, even though my elders referred to it as muddy water. To me, it was a delicious chocolate concoction and the strawberry version was pure heaven. Many a time in my youth I got tickled and even shot Yoo-Hoo out my nose. Ahhhh, memories.

I'd love to say that I still have a special place in my heart for Yoo-Hoo and in a way I do. I'll never forget shaking up those glass bottles or the flavor. Unfortunately, my tastes have changed and Yoo-Hoo is something I no longer care for. Youth is truly fleeting. One moment you're sucking down Yoo-Hoo and the next a large mocha latte. I wonder if they make a coffee flavored Yoo-Hoo..........

Xocolatl - The Food of the Gods

2011-04-28T07:39:00.000-07:00

While we owe quite a bit of thanks to Milton Hershey for finding an inexpensive way to produce chocolate for the masses, we must also give thanks to the Aztecs. The Aztecs referred to chocolate as xocolatl and it was certainly no where near the chocolate we think of today. Still, they thought highly enough of the drink to call it the food of the gods.

Everyone has heard of Moctezuma who consumed 50 goblets of xocolatl a day, but many nobleman consumed this drink. It was estimated that 2,000 jugs were consumed a day. However, lower class citizens were not lucky enough to enjoy this beverage. Instead, they used cacao beans as a form of currency. As strange as it seems, cacao beans were more highly prized than gold or silver.

The next time you sit down to enjoy a cup of cocoa, give thanks to the Aztecs. More importantly, think of it as a form of luxury. After all, you're drinking the food of the gods.

Photos by kimberlykv and VALE TV

Willy Wonka

2011-04-27T07:08:00.000-07:00

I may have been the only child that hated the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I'm not even sure why I hated the movie, but I never enjoyed it and certainly didn't watch the latest version with Johnny Depp as I'm not a fan of his. With all this being said, I'm certainly a fan of Willy Wonka products.

I remember eating Nerds at a very early age. As I grew older, Spree became a favorite, but one of my all time favorites was a chocolate shell that had Nerds inside. There was something delicious about the combination of creamy milk chocolate and tangy Nerds. Of course, I can't write this post without mentioning Laffy Taffy, which was another one of my favorites.

I do have to admit that not all of the Willy Wonka products have been a hit. While their chocolate candy bars and individually wrapped chocolates looked amazing, they were quite poor quality. Personally, I think the company should stick with tangy candies, like Nerds Rope.

While my tastes have changed over the years, I'll probably still continue to enjoy Willy Wonka products from time to time, especially Nerds products. Yummy. Oh! I almost forgot! Gobstoppers and Runts were also some of my favorites. Willy Wonka products were certainly a big part of my childhood.

Photos by Scott Ehardt, Evan-Amos and Eli the Bearded