Paula's Picks

Simply Potatoes - Southwest Style Hashbrowns

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:05:03 -0700

Simply Potatoes - Southwest Style Hashbrowns

These potatoes are made with fresh ingredients and ready-to-serve in just 5 minutes. Simply Potatoes products are so good and so easy, you'll never want to make potatoes from scratch again. The Simply Potatoes cut potato varieties are fresh potatoes that have been peeled, cut, diced or shredded and ready-to-use in your favorite recipe.

My first clue that I'd like these is that they are, well...potatoes. My second clue is that the checker at the store said these hashbrowns are so good. My third clue is that the first three ingredients are "potatoes, seasonings, dried vegetables..."

The Simply Potatoes varieties are regularly priced at $3.25. The hashbrowns I tried were sale priced at $1.25 for 20 ozs. This bag serves approximately 7.

Definitely worth the try with a vigorous thumb's up - especially for potato lovers!

Until next time,
~Paula

Kellogg's Fiber Plus Antioxidants Bars

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:48:05 -0700

Kellogg's Fiber Plus Antioxidants Bars

These new chewy granola bars by Kellogg's are definitely a winner! These bars have 9 grams of fiber or 35% of your daily fiber. They are also rich in antioxidants, Vitamin E & Zinc.

They have chocolate-caramel mixed into the bar making them a nutritious, fabulous pick-me-up for mid-morning or mid-afternoon slumps. And the kids love them too!

Definitely a thumbs-up!

Until next time,
~Paula

Quaker Quakes

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 16:36:03 -0700

Quaker Quakes

Quaker has a rice snack called Quakes. I've been anxious to try them since I see them often at $1 per pkg, and there's $1 Off coupon. They come in several flavors - Caramel Corn, Ranch, BBQ being a few. Quaker claims they're "surprisingly delicious with a satisfying crunch." What did I think?

Quakes have 70 calories per serving (9 mini cakes) with 0g trans fat and 11g carbohydrates, and they're made from rice flour.

I saw three flavors on the shelf, and I chose the Cheddar Cheese quakes. I found them, as Quaker says, surprisingly delicious, and I enjoyed the crunch. But watch out, they are addicting. You have to stop yourself from eating the whole bag!

I have heard the other flavors are very good also with the favorite being caramel corn.

There is $1 Off coupon in the Red Plum coupon booklets. And if you live in the western U.S., Smith's has them on sale this week for Buy 10 Get them for $.49 each. Not bad with that $1 Off coupon!

Until next time,
~Paula

Gold'n Plump Chicken

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 15:39:42 -0700

From Gold'n Plump:

Raised By Family Farmers

Our chickens are raised by people who know what’s best for chicken. Family farmers, trained service representatives and local veterinarians all share in the care of our chickens, making sure they’re humanely treated and kept healthy.
Furthermore, we believe in using antibiotics only when absolutely necessary to maintain bird health and ensure humane care.

Raised on Premium Chicken Feed

Gold’n Plump mills its own feed from locally grown corn, soybean meal, vitamins, minerals, and other natural ingredients. Our proprietary nutritious feed recipes are created with the help of a nutritionist—and balanced to meet the changing dietary needs of growing chickens.

Inspected and Graded for Quality

Under our USDA-approved HACCP Plan, our chicken products must pass numerous quality inspections before packaging. Once packaged, it’s kept cold and delivered quickly to grocery stores, grocery delis, restaurants and other places that use our premium chicken.

Stamped for Freshness, Food Safety

Every package of our fresh chicken is stamped with a manufacturer’s freshness date code that includes important usage and product identification information to ensure freshness, proper handling, and food safety.

Labeled Per USDA Standards

Gold’n Plump Poultry follows all labeling regulations as mandated by the USDA-Food Safety & Inspection Service (FSIS)—the agency responsible for ensuring the truthfulness and accuracy of labeling for meat and poultry. Every Gold’n Plump Product Label is reviewed and approved by the USDA-FSIS to ensure that all product claims are accurate and truthful.

Nutrition?
When mom said, "Eat your chicken soup. It’s good for you!" she wasn’t kidding around. There are few foods so naturally good for you as chicken. According to the American Dietetic Association, a baked chicken drumstick with the skin removed has less fat than the same portion of sirloin steak, beef tenderloin, pork chop or salmon. Consider these nutrition facts about chicken:
Power Packed
Chicken is a significant source of daily requirements of protein, niacin, B-6, B-12, vitamin D, iron and zinc.
Low Fat, Zero Carbs
Ounce for ounce, skinless chicken is one of the lowest-fat meats around. Although breast meat definitely has the lowest fat content, even skinless dark meat is comparatively low in fat and high in iron and other essential vitamins and minerals. Plus, a good portion of the fat it does have is unsaturated — the good kind of fat. Prepared the right way, chicken is low in calories, cholesterol and has no carbohydrates.
Complements Any Diet
Chicken is the perfect ingredient in today’s most popular diet plans. Some diets, such as Atkins or South Beach, emphasize protein consumption and low-carb intake. Others focus on fat and cholesterol. Compared to popular cuts of steak, chicken (even with the skin on) has lower fat, and similar levels of protein, iron and minerals. And zero carbs!

I've purchased and eaten Gold'n Plump chicken legs. We cooked them with the skin taken off. They were delicious and nutritious. And you don't have blood spots in the chicken.

Yeah, baby, it's worth the few extra bucks for this chicken!

Go to their website for more information and coupons.

Until later,
~Paula

Stove Top Quick Cups

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 12:16:50 -0700

For $.99, this Stove Top Quick Cup cooks in 45 seconds. It is the good Stove Top taste we know and love. And it's SO easy!. Add water to the fill line and microwave 45 seconds. That's it!

If you're single or cooking for two, this is perfect. If you're cooking on a budget with a family, it is better to buy the bigger 6 oz box which when not on sale is $1.50. Kroger brand's stuffing mix is $1.09 for 6 oz.

Until next time...
~Paula

Ken's Salad Spritzers & Salad Dressing

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:18:32 -0700

Ken's Steak House Salad Dressing or Accent Spritzers probably isn't a salad dressing I would have chosen to buy except that it was FREE with my coupon. In fact, I got back $.50 for each bottle I bought. The regular price was $3.50 - it was on sale for $1.50, and I used my $2 off coupon. Would I pay $3.50 for it?

I checked the labels as I do for nearly everything I buy. Both Dressing and Spritzer have .5 gm of saturated fat and no trans fats. The calories are low for both. $3.50 is a high price - I would not pay that as a normal price.

I tried the Raspberry Walnut Spritzer, the Italian Salad Dressing and the Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing. The Spritzer was very light and brightened up the salad. You could use this as a way to hold calories down on your salad. However, the salad dressings didn't appeal to me at all. They separate so quickly after shaking that all I get on my salad is oil. And the flavors didn't taste as good as their labels sounded. I expected a sudden burst of flavor with both dressings, and the burst was no where to be found.

I purchased my Ken's products at Smith's. It wasn't a very good experience since my cashier would not allow use of the coupon since it exceeded the price of the product. I later talked with the store manager, and she said their policy is to redeem the coupon at full value, even if it exceeds the product price and there's money back. She checked me out - my products and coupons - and I got $3 back in change. She said their policy will continue as such unless it is abused.

This week, June 18th, at Albertsons, Ken's products are $2 each. So use the $2 off coupon in your coupon booklet and it's free.

We'd love to hear what you think!

Until next time,
~Paula

Kraft Bagel-fuls

Mon, 05 May 2008 10:34:59 -0700

Kraft Bagel-fuls

A bagel and cream cheese all in one. It's an authentic bagel wrapped around a center of creamy Philadelphia cream cheese. You can keep them in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Eat them straight from the fridge, toast in toaster or microwave. Couldn't be easier. They range from $1.80 to $2.25 and there's $1 off coupon. But how did they taste?

I have to tell you, I tried this product expecting that I wouldn't like it. I'm more of a make-from-scratch gal, and there has to be something wrong with a product like this that comes from the freezer or fridge straight to the mouth or microwave. But you know what?....I liked them!

They have no trans fats, but each one has 200 calories and 3 grams of saturated fat. And there's 10% of your daily recommended B vitamins. You could probably use two of these to equal a whole bagel and cream cheese or plan on a snack in 2 hours.

They come in different flavors - I tried the plain cream cheese. There's 4 to a box. I bought mine on sale for $1.88 and had a $1 off coupon from the booklets. You definitely pay for convenience. But at $.88, I'd probably get them again.

Being a make-from-scratch gal, I'd still get the real bagel, put a real toast on it, and top it with real cream cheese. Ahhh, yes!

Until next time,
~Paula

Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower Cleaner

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 08:42:02 -0700

Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower Cleaner

I have been waiting for this shower cleaner to go on sale...I've been dying to try it and write about it! Basically, it hangs from your shower head, push a button, and 10 seconds later, bam, your shower is clean. I paid $2 for it. What do I think of it for $2?

I have hard water and it's hard to keep the bath/shower area sparkling as I like. This shower cleaner, according to the claims, should make my cleaning job easier.

The claims:

Covers all 4 walls and tub
Fresh Scent Formula
Fits all standard shower heads
Safe on all bath care products
Works in showers with curtains or glass doors
One 34 oz refill bottle included
Results are guaranteed

Just push the button once a day and walk away - no rinsing required. Each activation sprays continually for 12 seconds covering the entire shower and targeting back corners and edges.

What I found:

The price of these at Walmart this week is $12. (Price is listed in their ad.) There is a $10 off coupon available making it $2.

I keep wondering if I have set it up wrong. The spraying nozzle reaches a depth of about 3 feet. It hardly reaches the back of my tub/shower making the "corners and edges" completely out of the question.

It is a fun gadget (weighs a little heavy on the shower head) and has a nice fragrance smelling clean. But the cleaning part is very lacking.

For $2, certainly give it a chance. I'm still going to be scrubbing my shower, however. It doesn't cut it.

Until next time,
~Paula

Adidas Action 3 Anti-perspirant/Deodorant

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 08:54:11 -0700

Deodorants and Anti-perspirants are a very personal routine and regimen. I don't profess to be an expert of this men's deodorant. But I can tell you it is a great buy being that it's FREE with a manufacturer's coupon, and it smells good!

In last Sunday's Red Plum coupon booklet (04/13/08) there is a coupon for this Adidas Action 3 deodorant for free up to $4.99. I tried to purchase this product at our local Smith's store, but they don't carry this particular Adidas deodorant - I think it is still pretty new. The claim is it provides 24 hour fragrance and is dermatologist tested. (We are still undergoing testing in our house!)

Rite Aid has it in their ad, on sale, at $4.99 each which is where I purchased it. I have seen it in other ads for $3.50 to $4.50. Is it worth that much money? Probably not. But for free....yeah!

Until next time,
~Paula

Nabisco Oreo Cakesters

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 11:18:32 -0700

It's hard to believe that an Oreo cookie may have some competition. But it certainly does - with its own Oreo Cakester. Experience the classic taste of Oreo in a soft snack cake – smooth, one-of-a-kind Oreo crème sandwiched between two luscious chocolate cakes. They're rich and moist; your family will love them (Nabisco says). Did we love them?

Oreo Cakesters are packed 6 single serve pouches to a carton – so they're great for at home or on the go while staying deliciously fresh. Oreo Cakesters come in two varieties: Original and Chocolate Crème. They run in price anywhere from $2.50 to $3 per pkg.

Me, and my family too, like the original Oreos best. The original dunks better in milk. I guess that tells the sophisticated comparison we chose!

Until next time,
~Paula

Renuzit Tri-Sscents Oil Air Freshener

Mon, 03 Mar 2008 14:01:26 -0700

I found a coupon in the March 2nd coupon booklets for $5 off a new air freshener called Renuzit Tri-Scents Air Fresheners, which when priced at $10 is no big savings. Except that at a local store, they are marked almost half off this week, and combined with this coupon I paid $.99! Is it a bargain?

The store that has them marked half off was our local Smith's stores (or Kroger-check your coupon booklet). You have to use your Fresh Values Card to get them at $5.99 (half off). This price does not show on the shelf, just at the register. Then combined with this coupon they are $.99! I went home and cut out two more coupons and went back to Smith's. They chuckled when they saw me again!

My home has the scent of a seaside breeze. Which is pretty cool since I love the sea and live a long ways from it. The Tri-Scents has three slots for the three fragrances. Every 45 minutes, the scent changes to the next one. These are supposed to last for 60 days before you need to replace the oil scents.

It is a great find, and everyone likes the fresh scents as they walk into my house. You must try to get one at this price!

Until next time,
~Paula

Dannon DanActive Immunity Yogurt

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 11:43:16 -0700

DanActive™ is a cultured probiotic drink that contains a unique combination of beneficial live cultures, including Lactobacillus casei (L. casei Immunitas™). Each bottle of DanActive™ contains over 10 billion cultures and has been clinically proven to help strengthen your body's defenses. About 70% of your immune system is in your digestive tract. This is where DanActive goes to work with the exclusive L. casei Immunitas cultures.

DanActive™ is available in Strawberry, Plain, Vanilla, Cranberry Raspberry and Blueberry, and now also in Light! All DanActive™ flavors have a taste people love. They're easy to drink and taste like a yogurt smoothie.

These come in a pack of eight, 3.1oz small bottles. I bought a pack of 8 on closeout for $2. Otherwise they can cost anywhere from $2.50 to $3.50. I haven't consumed these little bottles regularly, so I can't tell you if they've built my immune system or not. I can tell you that yogurt with live cultures does help my digestion.

For $2 I would purchase it again, absolutely. Otherwise, I'll stay with regular yogurt and save a little green!

Until next time,
~Paula

Electrasol 3 in 1 Powerball Tabs

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 07:38:01 -0700

I have to add either a liquid dishwasher soap, vinegar or Jet-Dry to my dishwasher detergent just to clean the dishes let alone not have spots and hard water stains left on the dishes. And I couldn't see that little tab could take the place of all that I usually have to do. I think we have the mineral sludge from several counties coming into our drinking water!

After examining the dishes following a couple of different washings, it certainly did clean my dishes nicely! And I didn't have the water spots I would generally have. It was so simple to use - just plop in a tab into the soap slot. I have to say, it was a delight to wash my dishes!

Until next time,
~Paula

Ziploc Zip'n Steam

Fri, 28 Dec 2007 14:43:32 -0700

The instructions are printed on each bag. It matches a vegetable to the quantity to steam and the microwave time. There's also recipes to try with potatoes, fish, corn on the cob, shrimp, and more. The broccoli took 6 minutes and the cauliflower took 8 minutes to cook. Also by steaming, you are keeping the vitamins and nutrients in tact rather than boiling in water and draining the water.

In our very rushed and hurried lives and the need to eat nutritiously, these are a must in my kitchen.

Until next time,
~Paula

Tide 2X Laundry Detergent

Sun, 25 Nov 2007 13:43:36 -0700

The thought of using half as much Tide as normal, less storage space and less to lift to the washer is appealing. But the answers to the above, in our unscientific opinion, are "No," "No," and "Yes."

I thought it was just me....but in asking other people I discovered my results to be the same. The Liquid 2X Tide may be thicker, but half the quantity of the regular Tide does not clean the clothes as well as the regular amount of the regular Tide.

So, we purchase 1/2 the amount of Tide liquid with the 2X for the same amount of money, but we have to use the same quantity as the regular Tide to get the clothes clean. A great marketing idea for Tide, but I will stay with the old traditional and lift the heavy container.

Until next time...
~Paula