Fierce Cinnamon Flavor? Don't be Chicken!

Hot Tamales Peeps - CVS

I haven't had Hot Tamales in ages, but you know what I have had? Red Hots. And no offense to Tamales fans, but I think they are the superior cinnamon-based candy.  

Red Hots are tiny dot-shaped candies with a glossy exterior and crunchy, sugary, interior, both packed with bold cinnamon flavoring. Think Big Red, but with a crunch. 

This might just be a me-thing, but my favorite way to eat them is when they are stale. When Red Hots have been sitting in your pantry for a while the first layer of candy softens and gets kind of chewy, while the interior stays crisp and crunchy. It's the best. I like to add them to holiday baking, so I always have some on hand and the older they get, the better they are for snacking. Just like Peeps! When those little bunnies and chicks get old, and a little shriveled, that's when Peeps are at their prime. (Bunny shape is vastly superior thanks to it's ears! Why can't fancy flavors come in bunny-shape?) In my opinion they get more similar to Mar-bits aka freeze dried marshmallows. I used to stab a bunch of holes in the clear window of the Peeps package and leave them on the counter for a while.  

So, when I saw these new Hot Tamales Peeps, I was excited because it's the best of both worlds, but skeptical about how "fierce" they would actually be. 

Let's get (hopefully) spicy! 

Maltesers Malty Chocolate Drink - Food Review UK

Maltesers Malty Chocolate Drink - Food Review UK

I made 2 YouTube videos (video 1, video 2) reviewing the products I got from my swap with Food Review UK, which was awesome, but a few of the products they sent over required a bit more prep so along with the videos I have a few items I'll be reviewing in blog post form. The first of which being this awesome Maltesers drink powder!

Choi's Wasabi Seaweed Snack - Asian Food Market: Cherry Hill, NJ

Choi's Wasabi Seaweed Snack - Asian Food Market: Cherry Hill, NJ

I've reviewed two different flavors of these Choi's seaweed snacks in the past, Teriyaki and Hot & Spicy. Both were enjoyable, but I saved my favorite for last!

In 2014, I went wasabi crazy. I bought tubes of it to add to my food at home, bought these wasabi seaweed snacks from Wegman's, wasabi pea crackers, and I ate 5 bags worth of Shirakiku Wasabi Mate last year. That might not seem like a lot, but that large green bag contains several small bags, and as I type this, I have another bag next to me, already open, and ready to feed my wasabi addicition in 2015. I may or may not have a problem. No, really, I might actually have a problem. My tolerance to the wasabi is building up and I'm not getting the same satisfying burn from my favorite snacks that I used to. This specific package of seaweed claims to be "hot," so I am hoping these seaweed snacks can help me get to the next level of wasabi goodness.

Pecan Pumpkin Instant Oatmeal - Trader Joe's: Marlton, NJ

Pecan Pumpkin Instant Oatmeal - Trader Joe's: Marlton, NJ

Am I the only person who eats breakfast foods for dinner? In college I made an infographic of all the food I ate in a month, check it out HERE, and as you can see...none of those bowls of cereal were for breakfast. I gotta say, my eating habits haven't changed. Am I alone? Do the rest of you eat cereal for dinner too? 

Now that it's getting colder here in Jersey, I've been craving warmer items for my breakfast/dinners, and what's better than a hot bowl of oatmeal? Let's see if this fancy pumpkin pecan oatmeal is any better than the Archer Farms one I reviewed last year.

Hot Buffalo Wing Chip'ins - Home Goods: Moorestown, NJ

Hot Buffalo Wing Chip'ins - Home Goods: Moorestown, NJ

Home Goods is more than fancy throw pillows and lamps, they get some of the most interesting foodie items! In the last two years I have bought jams that came in reusable European glassware, raw vegan kale chips, various seasonal coffees, and "vintage" sodas. What's next?

Buffalo wing flavored rice chips.

How does this seemingly normal home-themed store get a hold of this stuff? (Not that I am complaining. The kitchen supplies and foodie items are the only reason I even shop here.)

The bag's bold "blood orange" color is what initially caught my attention. Maybe this is a bit pretentious of me, but I thought the color was really sophisticated. (Anyone else watch Project Runway?)

Okay, on a more serious note, the color and faux crosshatching texture really did draw me in. Just look at this bag! The overall design is simple but playful. My only complaint was that I was a bit confused by the little chip accent. I wasn't sure if it really was an apostrophe, or if it was a stylized dot for the 'i." Not that that was really a problem, a 15 second Google search was all it took to find the site and see that it's an accent. (Also it showed me that there are other flavors out there.)

Frank’s RedHot Wings Pringles - Walmart : Lumberton, NJ

Frank’s RedHot Wings Pringles - Walmart : Lumberton, NJ

I haven’t had Pringles since they attempted a dessert line, and since I no longer see any of those flavors on the shelves, I’m guessing that didn’t work out. I wanted to like them, but the chips just weren’t good. (Check out my reviews on the White Chocolate Peppermint and Cinnamon Sugar versions if you don’t believe me.)

I saw an announcement online that the limited edition Frank’s RedHot Wings Pringles were being re-released. I’ve heard good things about this flavor, but I missed out on it last year. This time I was able to get a can before the shelves were cleared.

Like all Pringles, the chips are stacked inside a tall foiled container with a color scheme that plays off the flavor. For Frank’s RedHot, the design features a bright yellow-orange gradient and a bottle of buffalo wing sauce. Compared to the other packaging I photograph/review, Pringles have a lack-luster design. I’m not really liking this label, and I feel like they could have done a lot more with it.