PEEPSI - Peeps Flavored Pepsi

Why is this not labeled "PEEPSI?" Sure, it's silly, but this is soda flavored like marshmallow chicks. If the time to be silly isn't now, then when? (It's very fun to say out loud. You should try it.) 

I've reviewed a veritable glut of Peep flavors on the blog, so even though they're a pretty divisive candy, safe to say, I fricken love them and, like I mentioned in my Dr. Pepper (Dr. Peepers) post, I prefer them aged like a fine wine. (AKA: Stale AF.) But I'm also a Pepsi drinker. So, Peeps flavored Pepsi for a Peep-loving Pepsi drinking casual food blogger? Yes, please! 

Triple Scoop Review - 3 Aldi Flavors

Triple Scoop Review - 3 Aldi Flavors

Today we're finally putting a dent in my ice cream freezer. A triple-Aldi post, two seasonal novelties and a bonus "Super premium" pint. Let's get to scoopin'!

First up, Shamrock Swirl - Mint ice cream with yellow fudge chips & Choco-cookie crumb swirl 

I guess the accidental theme this week is...breakfast? - Apple Pie Toast Crunch

It's official, I've finally been doing this long enough that I've started to forget products. 

Take a look at this, vs, 2019's Apple Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Similar, yet, different. And 2019 wasn't even that long ago! (I guess that means that the flavor combination was rather forgettable.) 

Welp, at the very least, the cereal shape is different. So let's see how this compares to my old post. As always, I'll do a dry taste test and then a bowl with milk. 

Sometimes you feel like a Nut - or Two?

Another seasonal de-stash. 

I grabbed these from Lidl thinking I could incorporate them into my baking, but my cookie boxes were crowded already, so they were relegated to snacking. 

Problem is, I rarely eat nuts. (That's what she said!) I'm not allergic, and I love nut-flavored things like, marzipan, Reese's cups, and pistachio ice cream, or even chopped peanuts scattered over a savory pad Thai. But snacking on a handful of plain almonds? Not going to happen. 

But, these are fairly healthy (especially when compared to all the Doritos currently on top of my fridge), so I took them into work so I could eat them as a desk-snack. Maybe they'll surprise me and I'll be converted...but I doubt it. 

Visions of Sugar Plums danced down my drain...

Continuing the trend of  knocking out seasonal stuff before it gets too late, I have this wintery kombucha I picked up at Lidl. 

I used to grab kombucha at Aldi, they had an in-house line with three main flavors and the Cherry Cassis was my favorite, but they've been MIA for a few years now. Thankfully Lidl keeps the kombucha coming. They have in-house brands, name brands, and rotating seasonal flavors. I could have sworn I had already tried this one, but it is no where to be found on the blog, so, here we go! 

Writing this Post took longer than making this - Instant Brioche Stuffing

Another quickie post (said the girl who always gets carried away.)

I've had amazing homemade stuffing, like my aunt's which is my favorite stuffing ever and I look forward to it every Thanksgiving, but the boxed stuff has a special place in my heart (and stomach.) 

It's quick, and easy, and comforting. (I especially love all the rehydrated bits of onion and celery.) 

I also love Aldi's brioche bread, so this should be a match made in heaven. 

Gingerbread Kit-Kats - Quickie Review

While I work on my destash video, let's keep the posts a' coming. 

Today I have a quickie, Gingerbread Kit-Kats. 

Fall-bucha - Apple, Cinnamon, Vanilla and Clove flavored Kombucha

The blog has accidently turned into mostly-Lidl reviews. It makes sense, since I've been shopping there a lot lately, and they really went all-in with interesting fall themed products, but for the sake of variety, I promise my next review will be non-Lidl. 

Today we are still Lidl-ing it up, this time with a a seasonal kombucha: apple, cinnamon, vanilla and clove.

I love kombucha, and have tried a lot of flavors over the years, but my preferences typically lean into berry based flavors like cherry, raspberry, or cranberry. So this apple, cinnamon, vanilla, and clove option is pretty different for me. 

Will it be a good-different? I guess we'll see. 

Seasonally Saucy - Pumpkin Alfredo

As someone who is still burnt out on sweet pumpkin offerings (even after all these years,) I was thankful to see so many savory options at Lidl, like this pumpkin alfredo sauce. 

When it comes to store-bought sauces, I have never found one that was perfect right out of the jar, so I expected this to need a little doctoring. To give it an honest review, I'll try it first, as-is, and then I'll let you know what I did to make it better. 

Bonne Apple-Tea - Lidl Seasonal Tea

Cinnamon Apple Tea - Lidl 

I am officially over-pumpkin'd, but there is one pumpkin thing I purchase each year and enjoy, and that is Pumpkin Spiced Tea. 

A bunch of companies make this stuff. Over the years I have had Celestial Seasonings, Trader Joes, Harney & Sons, Aldi, and Lidl's takes. I even made this post about it, Three Teas Enter, One Tea Leafs! 

But, since I still had some pumpkin spice bags leftover from last year, I thought I would give apple a try this time. 

This was a bad call. 

Ice SCREAM Pumpkin Delights

Little Debbie has branched out into ice cream. Turning classics, like Cosmic Brownies and Oatmeal Creme Pies into scoop-able desserts.  

After the Fruity Pebbles ice cream left me feeling is was more of a gimmick than it was edible, I figured these would likely be the same and skipped them. Until I saw that the seasonal sweet, Pumpkin Delights, were getting the ice cream treatment. 

Pumpkin Delights look...rather unfortunate. I reviewed them back in 2015 and I stand by my comparison that they looks just like the Koopas from the live action Mario Bros movie. 

Twinning. 

They may look bizarre, but they are absolutely delicious. If the ice cream is even half as good, I'll consider this a win. 

Better than Oreo - Benton's Carrot Cake Creme Filled Cookies

Carrot Cake Creme Filled Cookies - Aldi

Easter is literally this weekend. How did that happen? Where does the time go? I think munching on clearance Valentine's Day candy post-holiday has messed with my perception of seasonal snacking time. Spring is officially here! To celebrate, I have another seasonal Aldi cookie. 

You know, after how bad the Hot Cocoa Cremes were (I ultimately threw them out) I thought I would be done with Benton's seasonal cookies, but the Red Velvet Cake flavor really did win me over.  Let's hope that Carrot Cake is just as awesome. 

Stuff Your Face - Aldi Turkey & Stuffing Chips

Clancy's Turkey & Stuffing Wavy Chips - Aldi

Stuffing chips aren't really a "new" item, Boulder came out with a whole awesome Thanksgiving in a bag theme with cranberry, stuffing, turkey & gravy, and pumpkin pie back in 2014, and I think I reviewed them...but maybe I never got around to it. Anyway, they were awesome. 

This year we have a few copycats. Trader Joe's has a Thanksgiving themed Kettle Chip, Pringles has a Thanksgiving Diner set, Mackie's of Scotland has a bag of Turkey and Stuffing Crisps, and now Aldi has these Turkey and Stuffing wavy chips. Each one is different, in it's own way, but they all follow a similar flavor-theme. 

#TBT White Pumpkin Pie m&m's, from 2019 (Because I'm a hoarder)

White Pumpkin Pie m&m's  - Target (I think)

In 2019, a simpler time, I went Halloween clearance crazy. While I totally don't regret it, a bunch of stuff ended up slipping through the cracks...like these m&m's. 

The bag says these are best before April of 2020, but do m&m's ever really go bad? They get chalky, sure, but rancid? Not really, unless they get wet.  So let's open up this (dry) bag of Halloween m&m's from 2019 and see how they've held up! 

La la la la Lava Cake, I'd love to Eat You Up! - Lava Cake Kisses (& Recipe Review)

Lava Cake Kisses - Target

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! (At the stroke of midnight, be sure to run out there and scoop up all the clearance candy!) 

To celebrate this day of candy consumption (and love), I've doubled down on the content. I'll be reviewing the candy as well as the recipe for lava cakes included on the bag. Will this post end up being twice as nice? Or double the disappointment?

Thanks, I Hate It - Sweet & Tangy Oreos

Sweet and Tangy Valentine Oreos - Target

Let's skip the (mildly) dramatic build up and reveal. After all, the title completely gives my opinion away. This year, Oreo released festive Valentine's Day cookies with lots of great gimmicks, and a vague flavor description, "Sweet and Tangy." Thanks, Oreo. I hate it.

Brach's Brunch Favorites - Candy Corn, For Breakfast?

Brunch Favorites - Target

Because I'm a hamster-human hybrid, and a heartbeat away from being on a special food-themed episode of Hoarders, I'm still finding random food items squirreled away in my moving boxes. I think these came out last year? Maybe last spring? I don't really remember when I bought them, but thanks to the Target exclusive logo at the very top, I do know WHERE I bought them. So, that's something. 

Limited Edition Candy Corn is not an avenue I really specialize in. I'm no candy corn hater, I dig the classics, but a lot of the specialty limited edition stuff just doesn't work for me. Especially not in a full-sized bag. If they came in fruit-snack-sized pouches I'd try a lot more of them, but I've thrown way too much money, and stale nibbled on candy corn, in the trash to continue taking risks on one-off flavors just for reviewing purposes. 

Yet, for some reason, I still bought this one? Maybe the allure of brunch was just too much for me to ignore. Anyway, past me bought it, and now present me (or not-as-past me, depending on when you read this review) is gonna eat it. 

Sizzlin' Cinnamon Oreos?

Hot & Spicy Cinnamon Oreos - Target 2-for-$5.00

This combo may sound strange to  some, but I'm no stranger to cinnamon Red Hot candy in cookies. Whenever Christmas rolled around my mom would make a bunch of cookies, and one of my favorites was her almond press-cookies with cinnamon red-hot candies mixed in. When baked, they melted into stained-glass-looking ornaments and added a wonderful crunch as well as cinnamon-y flavor. 

That being said, I'm kind of shocked that there aren't actual candies mixed into the cream for added texture. Part of the cinnamon-candy experience is the texture...but I'm excited for these nonetheless. 

#TBT Remember Starbuck's Unicorn Frappe?

This was a post I started writing a LONG time ago, 

thought it'd be fun to clean it up, add pics, and post it for today's #tbt  

To celebrate (finally) having hot water in my home, I took a break from home repair last week to pop into Starbucks. (Something I never do.) Why? Because of unicorns. 

That's right. I went against my better judgement and bought into the fancy unicorn drink craze along with all the other food bloggers and Instagramers. What can I say? It's pretty, and I'm a sucker. 

So, how was it?

Strange Things Are Afoot At The Special K - Limited Edition Apple Cinnamon Special K

Special K Apple Cinnamon Crunch - Aldi

You guys already know I have a newfound appreciation for breakfast cereal. (See this post for details.)  

I keep the staples, like (Aldi-branded) Frosted Flakes, Special K, and Frosted Mini Wheats stocked at all times, but I figure my family might appreciate some variety, so I've been buying these limited edition releases to keep things interesting...but that hasn't really worked out. 

These seasonal cereals are the last ones picked for the breakfast-kickball team. My family just doesn't want to eat them. After one bowl the novelty has worn off and they rather go back to a tried and true favorite. (Except for those seasonal Lucky Charms, they were decimated in less than a week.) As I type this I have two boxes of seasonal pumpkin spiced cereals in our pantry, practically untouched, but since my boyfriend and his daughter like apples I thought this flavor might be a winner. Was I right? I guess we'll find out!