Red Velvet Oreos

Just stumbled across a post at The Verge about Red Velvet Oreos and why they are probably fake. I had actually suggest Red Velvet Oreos to Nabisco through Twitter as early as September 2012, and maybe even earlier than that via e-mail to them.

I have to say that I'm not too sure about the reasoning The Verge uses to claim these are fake items. For one, they say they couldn't be real because Oreos only use chocolate or golden cookies. But there used to be a time when they only used chocolate and then later the golden vanilla ones came along. So there's precedent for new cookies flavors getting introduced. Of course, there was also a time when there was only one Oreo product, period. And Double Stuf was the first innovation.

The Verge also says that Red Velvet Oreos are fake because a Facebook group claims it was just for a school project. But none of the pictures shown at that Facebook group match the image shown in the Verge article. Odd...

And as far as the package size goes, I wouldn't say that's a deal-breaker by any means. If someone was purposely faking it it seems like they would go to extra lengths to match existing package sizes.

Now, none of these things mean Red Velvet Oreos are real. I'm just saying that The Verge's reasoning that they are definitely fake is not totally impeccable. I will also conclude this post by pointing to this Tweet.

UPDATE: The Verge has updated their piece to say it might not be fake.

Elbows Mac n' Cheese Teams Up With Breast Cancer Angels

Elbows Mac n’ Cheese Teams Up with Breast Cancer Angels to Support Those in Treatment and Their Families

OC-Based Mac n’ Cheese Eatery to Donate 10 Percent of Gross Receipts on National Pasta Day (Oct. 17); Invites Community to Join In Giving Back

ORANGE COUNTY Calif. – Oct. 6, 2014 – Elbows Mac n’ Cheese, the famous OC-based mac n’ cheese eatery known for its blend of classic American home cooking with gourmet international inspiration, is partnering with Breast Cancer Angels in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. On Friday, Oct. 17, 2014, in honor of National Pasta Day and Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Elbows Mac n’ Cheese will donate 10 percent of gross receipts from both its Brea and Cerritos, Calif., locations in support of those currently undergoing breast cancer treatment, and their families. Guests are invited to visit either Elbows Mac n’ Cheese restaurant location on Oct. 17, and a portion of their purchase will automatically be donated to the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

Breast Cancer Angels is an emergency necessities of life resource with a mission to provide financial and emotional assistance for people as they endure treatment for breast cancer. As corporate sponsorship pays for overhead, 100 percent (100%) of donations go directly to assist women and men in treatment. Breast Cancer Angels currently serves over 120 families a month who have a combined total of more than 130 children. Breast Cancer Angels assists in Orange County, Long Beach/South Bay, and San Diego, allowing the money raised in specific communities, such as Orange County, to benefit those undergoing treatment in the same communities, the epitome of truly helping a neighbor.

“At Elbows Mac n’ Cheese, we’re passionate about giving back and supporting the community,” said Punita Patel, owner and co-founder of Elbows Mac n’ Cheese. “Breast Cancer Angels is an incredible organization. Not only does it support the individual undergoing treatment, but also the family. Handling everything from grocery bills and housing needs to legal assistance and transportation. By providing this type of peace of mind, those in treatment and their families can focus on what’s important: their health and being together.”

Donations from this partnership will support Breast Cancer Angels’ programs and directly benefit those undergoing treatment in the Cerritos and Brea communities. Breast Cancer Angels’ programs include:

-       Food – the average grocery bill per household is $250 per month. Breast Cancer Angels provides those undergoing treatment with gift cards to the grocery market of their choice.
-       Housing – Breast Cancer Angels assists with emergency housing costs, up to $500 per month.
-       Clothing – throughout the year, Breast Cancer Angels provides gift cards to local stores for the children of those undergoing treatment.
-       Medical costs – understanding the extreme burden of mounting medical bills, Breast Cancer Angels, works to ensure that those undergoing treatment can continue treatment regardless of their ability to pay.
-       Transportation – Breast Cancer Angels provides gas cards or bus passes to ensure that those undergoing treatment can get to scheduled doctors’ appointments.

Offerings guests a casual gourmet dining experience that caters to consumers’ busy lifestyles, Elbows Mac n’ Cheese is a place where high-quality, fresh ingredients are a priority and service standards meet those of the best restaurants. Elbows Mac n’ Cheese uses fresh vegetables, gourmet cheeses and high-quality meats to create signature dishes and specialty creations, including “Living Fajita Loca,”“Do You Want a Pizza Me,” “So Shellfish” and “Cajun Sensation,” all designed to make guests melt.  Additionally, with its “build your own” mac n’ cheese offering, the cuisine combinations are endless. Elbows Mac n’ Cheese’s menu also includes fresh salads, classic soups and gourmet melts. Regular restaurant hours for both locations are Sunday through Thursday, 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Friday through Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

For more information on Elbows Mac n’ Cheese, please visit www.elbowsmacncheese.com or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter. 

About Elbows Mac n’ Cheese

Elbows Mac n’ Cheese is owner owned and operated with two restaurants, in Brea, Calif., and Cerritos, Calif. The restaurant brings a new twist to an American comfort food favorite: Mac n’ Cheese. A place where high-quality, fresh ingredients are a priority and service standards meet those of the best restaurants, Elbows Mac n’ Cheese was founded in 2011 to blend classic American home cooking with gourmet international inspiration. Designed to be quick, comforting and delicious, Elbows Mac n’ Cheese is the kind of place where everyone will feel at home. For more information, visit www.elbowsmacncheese.com.

About Breast Cancer Angels

Breast Cancer Angels, an emergency necessities of life resource with a mission to provide financial and emotional assistance for people as they endure treatment for breast cancer.

Breast Cancer Angels assists in Orange County, Long Beach/South Bay, and San Diego. Breast Cancer Angels is an independent, not for profit 501(c) 3 organization and currently assists 120 clients per-month who have a combined total of 133 children. Breast Cancer Angels programs include housing, clothing and other needs, food, medical co-pays, gas/transportation, a pro-bono legal service, and more.  The money raised in a community will go to help a family in that same community, allowing donors to truly help a neighbor. Corporate sponsorship pays overhead costs, allowing the organization to give 100% of all other donations to assist women and men in treatment, and their families. For more information, visit www.breastcancerangels.org.

Quest Nutrition Bites Into New Snack Category

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

A CRUNCH HEARD ‘ROUND THE WORLD . . .

QUEST NUTRITION BITES INTO NEW SNACK CATEGORY
WITH INTRODUCTION OF QUEST PROTEIN CHIPS!

High-Protein, Low-Carb, Gluten Free Chips Comparable to Flagship Quest Bar

Los Angeles, CA (July 25, 2014) – Quest Nutrition introduces the world’s first high-protein snack potato chip, offering consumers a revolutionary potato chip experience that’s actually good for you instead of being just “less bad”. Quest Protein Chips are the latest innovation from the makers of the #1-selling protein bar whose mission is to reinvent food by marrying amazing taste with perfect nutrition.  Quest Protein Chips are available for pre-order now and will be available for sale on Tuesday, July 29, 2014. Quest Protein Chips are sold exclusively via the Quest website (www.QuestNutrition.com) before launching at retail later this summer.

Two years in development, each personal size bag of Quest Protein Chips boast a full 21 grams of high-quality whey-and milk-based protein, only 5 grams of carbohydrates and are low in fat (1.5 grams). Quest Protein Chips have a percentage of calories from protein that is superior to many of the top-selling protein powders on the market. These revolutionary baked, gluten free chips will debut in three varieties – Sea Salt, Barbecue, and Cheddar & Sour Cream – with other flavors and sizes to come. 

“At Quest Nutrition our goal is to revolutionize food by making healthy versions of traditionally unhealthy foods that people love to eat. We’re excited to introduce a product that delivers all the fun of potato chips with the health benefits of a high-quality protein meal,” said President and Co-founder Tom Bilyeu.  “With the rollout of Quest Protein Chips, we hope to show our community of users that we are working tirelessly to give them the products they’ve always wished existed.”

About Quest Nutrition

Quest Nutrition is headquartered in Los Angeles, California.  Its products are available in more than 6,000 locations across all 50 states, in such retail stores as GNC, Vitamin Shoppe and Whole Foods Markets, as well as internationally in Canada, Australia, United Kingdom, Brazil, Russia and other countries worldwide.  Quest products are also available through the website, www.QuestNutrition.com.  Follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+ or via the hashtag #CheatClean.

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Santa Ana Farmers’ Market Debuts March 27

 The newest addition to Downtown offers fresh produce, artisan foods, and specialty items from local farms and vendors in an engaging, outdoor setting.

[Santa Ana, Calif.] –  The Santa Ana Farmers’ Market comes to life Thursday, March 27 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., and continues every following Thursday, rain or shine. The market features locally farmed produce, eggs, and meat, along with artisan foods from specialty vendors. The community-oriented event teams up with local residents, restaurants, and organizations to bring Santa Ana a thoughtful, quality market fit for all ages and every walk of life.

The Downtown area continues to experience a revitalization period, and the new market offers a fresh take on neighborhood shopping. Craft vendors like Santa Ana’s own Bread Artisan Bakery will offer fine baked goods and breads. Taart Pan gives passersby an opportunity to indulge in beautifully crafted hand pies and desserts made with natural ingredients. Niche products like Laguna Salt Company’s environmentally sound, whole mineral sea salts will gain new exposure at the public market. Massey Honey also caters to specialty shoppers with their Yorba Linda harvested, 100% raw honey that comes in various flavors including wildflower, orange blossom, and avocado.

Produce and meats are an integral part of farmers markets, and Santa Ana is proud to feature the finest family farms and ranches in Southern California. Sunny Cal Farms has grown produce in The Golden State for the past 100 years, and will offer Santa Ana countless varieties of stone fruit, pomegranates, citrus, dried fruit, and nuts. Da-Le Ranch brings grass-fed beef, lamb, chicken, pork, eggs, and various game from Lake Elsinore. Gaytan Family Farms furthers the produce options with year round, locally grown vegetable offerings. Gaytan Family Farms is also proud to accept WIC.

The Santa Ana Farmers’ Market fuses community, family farms, and small businesses to serve as the newest element in the burgeoning Downtown area. Various local restaurants will be sourcing directly from the market and participating in weekly specials for those who shop at the market and then dine in the downtown. For more information visit http://dtsafarmersmarket.com.

The New Southwest Cookbook

Classic Flavors with a Modern Twist

Was recently sent a copy of The New Southwest: Classic Flavors with a Modern Twist cookbook by Meagan Micozzi, who runs the Scarletta Bakes blog, and published by Hippocrene Books. Meagan moved from the East Coast to Arizona where she encountered and was intrigued by Southwestern cuisine, a style that blends Mexican, Native American and American cuisines. She dove right in to learning all about the Southwestern style, including its flavors for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and more. Her immersion in the topic led her to start her popular blog, which eventually led to the creation of this cookbook. The recipes in the cookbook are all new so they can't be found on the blog, which is fine, because with as much time as I spend on the Internet sometimes I have to take my eyes off of the computer monitor and just read some traditional print.

I've gone through my review copy and left little Post-It flags on all the recipes I wanted to try. I ended up lots of flags sticking out of the book. The book strikes a good balance between traditional and contemporary. There's recipes for Navajo Fry Bread and Chorizo but there's also Vegan Puffy Tacos and Peanut Butter & Jelly Empanadas. And then there's Fancified Frito Pie. Oh, and Avocado Doughnuts. So, with this cookbook you can be traditional without being boring. Right now I'm headed out to pick up some of the ingredients. The first recipe I'll be trying is the Caramel-soaked Mexican Chocolate Pancakes… and then the Skillet-baked Corn Pudding… and then the Hatch Chile Cheeseburgers…

Valentine's or Singles Awareness Day?

Was recently sent a press release about new "Halo Top ice cream, the first ever, low calorie ice cream that’s non-gmo, 100% natural, high in protein and fiber, and sweetened with organic stevia to lower the sugar content!" That makes it good whether this February 14th you will be celebrating Valentine's or Singles Awareness Day. The press release goes on to say:

Made with cage-free egg whites and skim milk, 1 pint of Halo Top Vanilla Bean contains 280 calories, 28g protein and 16g net carbs. Compare that to the 1,080 calories, 16g of protein and 96g net carbs in a pint of Haagen-Dazs Vanilla Bean Ice Cream! In addition to containing no cheap corn syrup, no artificial sweeteners, and no synthetic growth hormones and being completely free of gluten, trans fat and gelatin (making it vegetarian friendly), Halo Top is lovingly crafted with premium ingredients like authentic Belgian chocolate, pure Madagascar vanilla, and real California lemons and strawberries (move over fake “strawberry swirl!”) to make the taste heavenly.

I had actually tried the Vanilla kind last August and made a dark chocolate Kit Kat, vanilla, peanut butter, and cinnamon shake with it.

And last night I got some of the Strawberry kind, so tonight I am making a Halo Top Strawberry & Cap'n Crunch Malt. Purely experimental:

Official Site | Facebook Page

Middle Keys' Largest Seafood Festival Returns March 8-9

MARATHON, Florida Keys -- Seafood lovers can savor a "fisherman-to-fork" feast of indigenous fish, shrimp, lobster and stone crab claws at Marathon's sumptuous signature foodie fair, the Original Marathon Seafood Festival, set for Saturday and Sunday, March 8-9.

More than 20,000 revelers are expected to descend on Marathon Community Park, mile marker 49 oceanside, to munch on mahi-mahi, crackers piled high with creamy smoked fish dip and conch served four ways: as ceviche, chowder, fried golden fritters and bun-hugging "conchwurst" sausage.

Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Decades of experience and help from scores of fishing families committed to serving their community keep local fishermen and their wives involved in the event each year, along with scores of volunteers.

Keys Fisheries, which processes fishermen's catches for its busy market and restaurant, has space large enough to prepare the festival's feast: a whopping 2,750 pounds of whole lobster, 1,400 pounds of mahi-mahi (dolphin), 1,000 pounds of stone crab claws, 750 pounds of Key West pink shrimp, 200 pounds of fish dip, 80 gallons of conch chowder and 50 gallons of conch ceviche. From the west coast of Florida come 75 bushels of oysters and 75 bags of clams.

Local chefs offer up their talents to prepare the foods according to Keys-based recipes. Save room for the sweets booth, an extravaganza of fresh Key lime pies, baked goods and cakes, cool smoothies and icy treats -- all crafted locally.

The family-friendly event also features a Keys artists' village and art show, raffle giveaways and prizes including a cooler stocked with fresh Keys seafood awaiting one lucky attendee. Children's games and more than 200 vendor and information booths are to dot the park, offering a variety of wares, nautical items, tropical apparel and accessories, plants, flowers, boats and material about watersports and organizations.

Live music performances are slated all weekend. The lineup includes favorite Keys entertainers as well as South Florida's country music favorite Amber Leigh, scheduled to perform Sunday.

The springtime weekend celebrates the area's commercial fishing heritage and raises funds for local scholarship programs. To date, nearly $75,000 has been awarded to Marathon High School students through the Marathon chapter of the Organized Fishermen of Florida, a statewide group that represents the interests and well-being of the commercial fishing industries.

Admission is $5 per adult. Children age 10 and under are admitted free when accompanied by a paying adult.

The festival is co-sponsored by the Greater Marathon Chamber of Commerce.


Event information: www.marathonseafoodfestival.com
Marathon visitor information: www.fla-keys.com/marathon or 1-800-262-7284
Social: facebook.com/floridakeysandkeywest · twitter.com/thefloridakeys · youtube.com/FloridaKeysTV

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