HAPPY NEW YEAR

Happy New Year! Thank you to all my followers!

I hope you all have an amazing night!

Here’s to another year of foodie photos and fun!

Fentiman’s Traditional Rose Lemonade - Cinema 16:9: Lansdown, PA

Fentiman’s Traditional Rose Lemonade - Cinema 16:9: Lansdown, PA

A while ago my boyfriend and I decided to be nerdy and we went to a screening of the Madoka Magica movie. The film was being shown at an independent movie theater called Cinema 16:9, which I had never heard of before, and it was awesome! (I am a pop-culture and movie junkie as well as sometimes foodie.) They served old fashioned bottled sodas, showed small indie films, and decorated the place with decoupaged film stills. If you’re nearby go and check it out!

I was VERY close to buying all the bottled sodas to try, but settled on the old fashioned rose lemonade. The bottle looked so lovely and unique I had to photograph it. Typically I am not a fan of floral flavors, but the packaging really won me over.

West Soy Chocolate Peppermint Stick - Wegman’s: Cherry Hill, NJ

West Soy Chocolate Peppermint Stick - Wegman’s: Cherry Hill, NJ

About three years ago I tried this for the first time….now I buy it every year! (After the holidays when it goes on sale.) Plus I get to try out my new sugar-skull cups! (Thank you Matt and Sean!)

The box is made of a thick, waxy, foiled paper. There is a plastic pour-spout at the top, which is quite common for this type of packaging, and very convenient. The packaging design is nothing really eye catching, but the picture of the beverage is really appealing.

The beverage smells and tastes a lot like Yoo-hoo with a hint of candy-canes. The mint flavor isn’t very strong, but it really adds something to the drink.

Since this beverage is soy-based, so it is great for people who can’t have dairy! It can be served hot, or cold, so you can use it as a chocolate milk OR a hot cocoa.

Even though I have no problems with dairy, I love this drink and happily buy it every year. I highly recommend it. (Plus it is great to have on hand just in case someone at your party is lactose intolerant.)

© Maria Smith http://poison-and-antidote.net

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Sumi-Yaki Coffee Candy - Asian Food Market: Cherry Hill, NJ

Sumi-Yaki Coffee Candy - Asian Food Market: Cherry Hill, NJ

Since my boyfriend is a coffee addict, I am always looking for new coffee treats. Before this, I had bought him bags of United Coffee Candy. (Which was one of my first ever Foodie posts!) This time, I wanted to get something new to mix in with his holiday gifts.

I really liked the design on this bag, and it was what made me pick this coffee candy over the others on the shelf. It is very bold, yet simple, with it’s limited color palette. I especially like the coffee cup at the bottom of the bag, It has light washes of color and obvious brushstrokes. Very lovely.

Inside the bag are individually wrapped hard candies. There aren’t as many candies in this bag as there were in the United version, but each one feels at least 2 times bigger.

This candy is pretty hefty! They look and feel like root-beer barrels, only they smell like a strong cup of coffee. At first I could taste strong black coffee, and it was really powerful, but it fades into a sweeter flavor. There weren’t any cream or milk notes, just sugar and coffee.

The United version had a more consistent flavor, but I did like these quite a bit. My boyfriend liked them too, but I think the United coffee candies are the better buy.

© Maria Smith http://poison-and-antidote.net

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White Chocolate Peppermint m&m’s - Target: Cherry Hill, NJ

White Chocolate Peppermint m&m’s - Target: Cherry Hill, NJ

I just reviewed mint m&m’s, will peppermint be any different? 

This time, the design is not as elegant. Red m&m has a holiday hat and candies are scattered about. I found it to be a bit obnoxious, even though it is rather simple.

The candies smell a bit like cocoa butter, and they are covered in a dusty powder. They are pretty big. (Almost twice the size of the mint variety I reviewed yesterday.)

The white chocolate inside is rich and creamy, but the peppermint is very weak. I really like white chocolate, and these were yummy, but if they are saying they are peppermint flavored…I want to really taste the peppermint.

If I had to pick one, I’d stick with the mint chocolate m&m’s and skip this white chocolate version entirely.

© Maria Smith http://poison-and-antidote.net

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Mint Chocolate m&m’s - Target: Cherry Hill, NJ

Mint Chocolate m&m’s - Target: Cherry Hill, NJ

This year Mars release these mint chocolate m&m’s AND white chocolate peppermint m&m’s. I bought both to see if one was more minty than another.  

The bag is made of a slightly thicker plastic than all the Hershey’s Kiss bags I have opened recently. I really like the overall design and color scheme, it's festive without being obnoxiously so.

The candies are red, white, and green. They smell just like the chocolate after dinner mints you get at restaurants. (Which I like)

As far as mint, these aren’t very strong. The flavor is very subdued. It also doesn’t leave a very lasting mint-feeling in your mouth. I think these would be great in holiday baked goods, because they are chocolatey and subtle, but I prefer the mint Kisses to these m&ms.

© Maria Smith http://poison-and-antidote.net

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Cherry Cordial Crème Hershey’s Kisses - Target: Cherry Hill, NJ

Cherry Cordial Crème Hershey’s Kisses - Target: Cherry Hill, NJ

Hershey’s released a bunch of holiday themed kisses this season, candy cane, cherry cordial, caramel, and mint truffle. This is the last seasonal flavor I picked up, the cherry cordial crèmes. 

Happy Holidays from Sometimes Foodie!

Happy Holidays from Sometimes Foodie!

© Maria Smith http://poison-and-antidote.net

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Mint Truffle Hershey’s Kisses - Target: Cherry Hill, NJ

Mint Truffle Hershey’s Kisses - Target: Cherry Hill, NJ

Another minty holiday confection. Hershey’s released a bunch of holiday themed kisses this season, candy cane, cherry, caramel, and mint truffle. I love minty candy (and baking holiday goodies) so I grabbed a few different flavors. 

The package feels small in my hands. (I remember the portion being larger as a kid.) This is definitely enough for a batch of cookies.  I like the color of the packaging and the overall design is very consistent with the candy cane and pumpkin spiced kisses. (I always like consistency in packaging design.)

Candy Cane Peeps Dipped in Chocolate - Target: Cherry Hill, NJ

Candy Cane Peeps Dipped in Chocolate - Target: Cherry Hill, NJ

Although I was excited for the sugar cookie Peeps (also dipped in chocolate) I couldn’t find them this year. Instead, I found the candy cane variety.

The package is small, it only holds three Peeps, but that is the perfect amount for decorating a gingerbread house.

When I opened the package I couldn’t smell any mint, but I could smell chocolate. The chocolatey aroma is sweet with a hint of cocoa powder.

Christmas Crack- Pinterest Recipe Review

Christmas Crack- Pinterest Recipe: The Pin The Actual Recipe

This was a recipe I had pinned on my food board and I finally decided to give it a try. I just made my first batch tonight and the results are DELICIOUS!

The recipe, found here, is NOT healthy in the least. It requires three sticks of butter! If you are watching your figure, or suffer from diabetes, this recipe isn’t for you. The finished product is very rich and makes great holiday gifts. (I plan on giving some to my friends and family.)

The recipe is a lot like the sweet flavors of Chex Mix I have seen around, for my batch I mixed:

• Pretzels
• Rice Chex
• Raisins
• Popcorn
• Broken up graham crackers

You can add dried fruits, assorted nuts or all sorts of goodies to your own mix.

© Maria Smith http://poison-and-antidote.net

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Dove Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel - Target: Cherry Hill, NJ

Dove Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel - Target: Cherry Hill, NJ

I love Dove brand chocolate. Their chocolates have a smooth and silky mouth-feel. Lately, this brand has been expanding to include new flavors. (I tried their version of cookies and cream a while back and wasn’t impressed.) Let’s see if sea salt and caramel is any better.

The packaging is standard for Dove. It’s a plastic bag which contains individual chocolates wrapped in foil. If you aren’t familiar with Dove, each one of the candies has a little message inside the wrapper. I just ate one that says, “Daydreaming is free.” I like the novelty of messages inside my candy, like a fortune cookie, but these are kinda cheesy.

CandyCane Oreos - Target: Cherry Hill, NJ

CandyCane Oreos - Target: Cherry Hill, NJ

Oreo released two different limited edition flavors for the holidays. Walmart got the gingerbread variety I reviewed before, and Target got these candy cane ones. 

Target seems to get the better packaging every time. They have the bags that reseal at the top and allow the tray to slide out. I like these bags a lot more, but both get the job done.

The cookies have a light minty scent, much sweeter than the normal mint Oreos, these have a lot more vanilla in the aroma. The creme inside is two toned, like the candy corn flavor released this fall, and there are little sprinkles to add a crunchy texture.

These taste very sweet and mild, I like these a lot more than the gingerbread. (But I am VERY picky when it comes to gingerbread.) These are definitely more of a candy cane peppermint, than a straight up mint flavor.

© Maria Smith http://poison-and-antidote.net

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Cinnamon & Sugar Pringles - Target : Cherry Hill, NJ

Cinnamon & Sugar Pringles - Target : Cherry Hill, NJ

I tried the white chocolate peppermint version a few days ago, and it was really disappointing. I hope that these cinnamon and sugar ones are much better. I mean, can you really mess up cinnamon and sugar?

The packaging is the same as any other Pringles can. I like that the design really focuses on cinnamon, it makes me feel like these chips will be really flavorful.
Opening the can, the crisps smell like cinnamon. So that is a good sign right there. The chips smell strongly, but they don’t look very seasoned. I can see a light dusting of cinnamon, but it is barely there.

Time to taste them!

These….are very salty. Again, it tastes like the original flavor. Except this time someone dumped a bit of cinnamon on them instead of toothpaste. I love the combination of sweet and salty, but there is no sweet cinnamon and sugar taste. Instead, I got cinnamon and salt.

I had such high hopes for these chips, and thought that the idea would have brought Pringles into a whole new market, but these are just as disappointing as the mint variety. (Maybe even more disappointing because I love cinnamon and sugar and hoped these would have been churro-like in flavor.)

Unless they change the flavor formulas, I won’t be buying these again or trying new flavors in the future.

© Maria Smith http://poison-and-antidote.net

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Kabaya Puchi Pasuteru - Asian Food Market: Cherry Hill, NJ

Kabaya Puchi Pasuteru - Asian Food Market: Cherry Hill, NJ

It’s been a while since I reviewed anything from the Asian Food Market. I picked this package up back in October and never got around to reviewing it, better late than never.

The box is really bright and busy. There is a LOT going on here.The entire box is absolutely covered in information. The front has the least going on, it features little chocolate ice cream cones and a cute bear mascot. (Isn’t he adorable?) The rest of the box is covered in words I can’t understand, and math. That’s right, MATH! There are 5 flavors of “ice cream” and 4 cone options, so there are 20 different possible combinations inside. I really liked this, because I have always liked math, and it’s fun to include education with candy.

Southern Tier Crème Brulé Stout - ???

Southern Tier Crème Brulé Stout - ???

Sorry for the last two updates I missed. I threw a party and that kept me pretty busy. Setting up, cooking, cleaning up….you know how it goes.

This was something my awesome friend Jamie brought to my cookie swap Saturday night. THANK YOU JAMIE!

I had seen this around the internet, but my local liquor shop ALWAYS sold out. The shelf is always clear every time I visited the store! I am not a big beer drinker, but I had to see what all the fuss was about.

White Chocolate Peppermint Pringles - Target : Cherry Hill, NJ

White Chocolate Peppermint Pringles - Target : Cherry Hill, NJ

When I saw the promo picture back in October for sweet Pringles I was really excited. Just look at it! The packaging is adorable, and matches the flavor. I have no complaints about it at all.

After I opened the canister, I really couldn’t smell anything. No mint. No white chocolate. That was really surprising. Inside, the chips looked like normal original flavor. I expected them to be coated in white chocolate, or to have flecks of minty candy.

I have had chocolate covered potato chips before, and they were delicious, so I assumed that these sweet Pringles would be great too.

Wrong.

I don’t know what the guys in the flavor department were thinking! The chips taste like original, SALTY, chips with a VERY light dusting of minty powdered sugar. I really wish that more effort was put into making them taste better. This idea has so much potential!

I wouldn’t recommend picking this flavor up. AT ALL. This one was a real disappointment, and I hope the cinnamon sugar flavor is better.

© Maria Smith http://poison-and-antidote.net

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NEW Holiday Pringles

NEW Holiday Pringles

These have been making their way around the internet for a while…but I got my hands on the white chocolate peppermint, and the cinnamon sugar flavors today! We’ll see if these are any good.

© Maria Smith http://poison-and-antidote.net

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Pinnacle Cotton Candy Vodka - ???

Pinnacle Cotton Candy Vodka - ???

Another little birthday gift from my boyfriend. (I got this back in October but I haven't gotten around to reviewing it.)

Now, I am not a big drinker, and I am no vodka expert, so take this review with a grain of salt. I am just a 20-something foodie who likes their booze to taste like candy and food. If you're like me and prefer your alcoholic drinks to taste yummy, this review is for you.

Due to the consistent packaging and design for all Pinnacle products, I’ll skip over the aesthetic part of my review. (Although I will say that all my Pinnacle bottles look so nice next to one another.) 

As soon as you twist off the cap it is blatantly obvious that this vodka will be sweet. It smells sugary, but there is still an alcohol aroma. In fact, the scent reminds me of this cotton candy perfume I used in middle school called Juice Bar. (Does anyone else remember that stuff?) The initial scent doesn’t bring cotton candy to mind, but it does have an indiscriminate candy smell.

Taking a sip, the vodka tastes as sweet as it smells. I'm not someone who usually does shots, but I think I could handle a few of these. There was more of a burning sensation for this flavor than the pumpkin pie version, but it isn’t as bad as the Wave flavored vodkas I reviewed before.

As far as taste, it isn’t very cotton-candy-like on it’s own, but I could see it being a good addition for a mixed drink. (This would mix well with cream sodas and other sweet beverages.)

© Maria Smith http://poison-and-antidote.net

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Candy Cane Pop Rocks - Michael’s : Moorestown, NJ

Candy Cane Pop Rocks - Michael’s : Moorestown, NJ

I teach art and Spanish to kids (2.5-5 years old) every Wednesday, so while I was buying some craft supplies, I also picked up some holiday candy.

The packaging SCREAMS Christmas. It’s bright red, with candy cane stripes down the sides and pine trees scattered about. I don’t think they could have made it any brighter. The package borders on being cheery, or obnoxious.

I opened up the packet expecting the candy to smell like peppermint, but is smells fruity. I can smell artificial cherry with a slight hint of mint. That was a little disappointing. I was really looking forward to peppermint Pop Rocks. I usually dislike fruity flavors paired with mint, but maybe it won’t taste fruity?

Flavored Honey Sticks - Aunt Charlotte’s : Merchantville, NJ

Flavored Honey Sticks - Aunt Charlotte’s : Merchantville, NJ

Sorry for the lack of real reviews and updates. I have a holiday themed review coming up tomorrow. Candy Cane Pop Rocks! 

© Maria Smith http://poison-and-antidote.net

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Holiday Cookies 2011 - Last Year’s Cookie Swap

Holiday Cookies 2011 - Last Year’s Cookie Swap

Here are even more cookies from the Cookie Swap I hosted last year.

Never heard of a cookie swap? You make 1 or 2 types of cookies (equaling 6 dozen), and you can swap a half-dozen or dozen cookies for another type of cookies from another person. Sometimes people give out prizes for best cookie, ugliest holiday sweater, or other silly things.

Top-to-bottom (left -> right): Oatmeal, gingerbread bats, raspberry cookies with raspberry jam filling, snicker-doodles, anise biscotti, pizzelles.

Which ones look the yummiest?

© Maria Smith http://poison-and-antidote.net

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My Version of General Tso’s Sauce - ~MY OWN RECIPE~

My Version of General Tso’s Sauce - ~MY OWN RECIPE~

General Tso’s chicken is a staple at every Chinese food restaurant, but each one does it differently. Sometimes it comes with a brown sauce, and other times it’s a tangy red.

I wanted to make the tangy red at home, but none of the recipes I found were quite right. They were all brown and savory!  After seeing a comment online about the red sauce using ketchup, I tried a few different combinations, and this is what I came up with!

It’s tangy, spicy, and delicious with rice and broccoli.

If you’d like to try the recipe, you can find it ~HERE~

© Maria Smith http://poison-and-antidote.net

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Holiday Cookies 2011 - Last Year’s Cookie Swap

Holiday Cookies 2011 - Last Year’s Cookie Swap

Last year I hosted my first ever cookie swap, and I’ll be doing it again this year. 

Never heard of a cookie swap? You make 1 or 2 types of cookies (equaling 6 dozen), and you can swap a half-dozen or dozen cookies for another type of cookies from another person. Sometimes people give out prizes for best cookie, ugliest holiday sweater, or other silly things.

My party is just about eating yummy cookies and hanging out with great friends. Do any of you participate in cookie swaps during the holiday season?

© Maria Smith http://poison-and-antidote.net

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Oven Baked Fries - Pinterest Recipe Review

Oven Baked Fries - From THIS recipe

I am a french-fry fiend! I always eat all my french-fries before even touching the rest of my food. (Something my boyfriend always teases me about.) I recently acquired a french-fry slicer, so I decided to try this oven baked recipe.

The recipe is very simple, creates almost no mess, and comes out deliciously crunchy. I used parchment paper on my baking sheets so all I had to do was throw away the parchment and I had clean pans! (Which is always awesome.)

I made 2 batches of fries using 7 medium potatoes (with the skin)

1. Seasoned with 2tsp Old Bay (on the right in the top photo, and photo #2)
2. Seasoned with 2 tsp garlic salt (on the left in the top photo, and photo #3)

Like the original poster, I like my fries crispy, so I followed her instructions and cooked my fries for almost an hour.

The fries that were seasoned with garlic salt were AMAZING. They were very crisp  and nicely seasoned. While, the Old Bay fries were very weakly spiced, I’ll have to use more seasoning next time. I like it when my Old Bay fries are really spicy.

Overall this was a great recipe, and it will definitely find it’s way into my dinner side-dish rotation. I can’t wait to make more seasoned french-fries. Any unique suggestions on flavor combos I should try?

© Maria Smith http://poison-and-antidote.net

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Chicken Fajita Soup - Modified version of an Ina Garten Recipe

Chicken Fajita Soup - Modified version of THIS Ina Garten recipe

I have been making this soup for several years. Although I love Ina Garten’s recipes, I always modify this specific recipe. The first time I made this Mexican chicken soup, it wasn’t very spicy, and it was very tomato heavy.

The changes I make:

• I add corn (usually half a bag of frozen corn) 
• I add 4-6 jalapeno peppers (Not 2-4)
• I add almost double the veggies
  
• I use a little less than half of the required crushed tomatoes
• I add about 4 drops of hot sauce
• I add a teaspoon of chili powder
• I double the cumin to 2 teaspoons
• I add a teaspoon of onion powder

I am actually (mildly) allergic to tomatoes, too much tomato can make me physically sick. That is why I cut the amount of tomato in half. This is also why I eat my pasta with Alfredo, or blush sauce. I may be Italian, but tomatoes and I aren’t friends. (I say I am fail-talian.)

If you’re looking for a different take on chicken soup, give this recipe a try. It’s especially yummy with broken tortilla chips on top. (Which is a GREAT way to use up all the broken chips at the bottom of the bag.)

© Maria Smith http://poison-and-antidote.net

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Darrell Lea’s Mango Soft Eating Licorice - HomeGoods : Moorestown, NJ

Darrell Lea’s Mango Soft Eating Licorice - HomeGoods : Moorestown, NJ

This is the last flavor of soft eating licorice I have in my stash. While all of them have been good, I did like some flavors more than others. Let’s see how mango ranks.

So far I have tried: (Starting with my favorite)

• Strawberry 
• Green Apple
• Blueberry Pomegranate

I’ve already talked about the packaging, so I’ll skip over that.

The mango licorice has an appealing color. (Unlike the green apple, which had the color of canned green beans.)

The licorice pieces don’t really smell like mango, the first thing this scent brings to mind is fruit punch.

When I popped one into my mouth the mango flavor is there, but it isn’t very strong. There is a tangy sweetness that reminds me of pineapple, or nectarines. The taste is a lot like the nectar drinks made by Goya. If you’ve never had one of those, they are really syrupy and sweet.

While the flavor wasn’t bad, I think that this was actually my least favorite of the Darrell Lea flavors I have tried. I’d much rather buy more strawberry or green apple. Even though I didn’t LOVE the flavor, this brand is still better than most of the flavored licorices I have had in the past.

© Maria Smith http://poison-and-antidote.net

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