I recently have become obsessed with couponing. My RSS feed has about four couponing sites that help me cheat. Basically they tell me the store, the product, and the coupons I need to get a great price. I know it's becoming pretty common and it seems like it's a mom thing too. I think I'm even going to subscribe to the Sunday paper (I found a deal where it's $1 a paper & I'll get more than that out of the coupons I think) even though John reads the news online & I use my time to read blogs and books (news can be depressing and maybe it's ignorant to keep myself in the dark but the dark is my happy place - LOL).
I've also joined a site/community called Kraft First Tastes. My first sample was for Jello Temptations. Instead of mailing out actual samples, Kraft send you a coupon for a free one (plus another coupon for a certain dollar amount off your second purchase).. So I got the Harvest Chocolate kind & it was really yummy. It is a custard like pudding on top of a creamy, more pie-filling type pudding. Yummy treat for me!
Today I got a coupon for Kraft shredded cheese with a touch of philadelphia which looks really good too.
Since this is my blog, here is where I'll be reviewing the products I get to try. I recommend you sign up, then you can get free food too.
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Sunday, March 7, 2010
No substitute
For those who know me, they all know I love Mexican food. I'm not sure if Cafe Rio falls strictly into the Mexican food genre - but it has to be one of my all time favorite chains. When I was pregnant and John was doing his internship 4 hours away (and would come home to spend weekends with me since I was still working), he would pick up a delicious burrito from the nearest Cafe Rio (3 hours and 40 minutes away from our house) and call me to preheat the oven when he got close enough. One time, when the server heard he was taking it that far, they almost didn't let him have it. But the cravings of a pregnant women were stronger than my worry for food poisoning (plus it's not like I didn't reheat it before I ate it).
The basic concept is a burrito filled with lime flavored rice, black or pinto beans, and steak, chicken or a sweet pulled pork. You can also get salads with their amazing dressing (which is a ranch with lime & some other stuff - called tomatillo sauce). Their tortillas are homemade - right in front of you. There are other things on the menu but these are the two favorites.
There are a few imitation Cafe Rio's around. Costa Vida is the closest recipes to Cafe Rio. Rumor has it that the original Cafe Rio had two partners and they split - one still runs Cafe Rio and the other started Costa Vida (with a variation on the original recipe - a little more sweeter in my opinion). There is also a place called Bajio Grill - which became really popular in Rexburg, only because most students had never tasted how good Cafe Rio was. Both John & I have only been there twice & call it "Blahio" - their recipes are WAY too sweet (to the point that I was sick when I finished). John's cousin made homemade Cafe Rio with a recipe on the web but it sounded way too time consuming for me.
Luckily, Cafe Rio has chains all over Utah and Idaho now with some in Nevada and I think California. The closest one is 5 minutes to our house - so my craving has been satisfied. Last night, when John got to choose where we went out - he suggested Cafe Rio and I was a little hesitant.The last six months or so, Cafe Rio hasn't been first on my list when we choose a place to eat out. Maybe I overdosed, I don't know. So I decided to try something new (usually he gets the salad and I get the pork burrito). The fried shrimp taco did not disappoint. There was a lot more shrimp pieces than I expected and it was freshly fried- yum! Maybe I would have put more tomatillo dressing on it, but I stole some of John's from his salad - so I was ok. They also noticed we had Buddy with us and said that a kids quesadilla is always free. Awesome! He only ate a few bites (typical for Buddy) and then we had to coax a few more bites of beans into him (with a various bribe for each bite).
Anyway, I should try something new (well the shrimp taco was new) more often - I really liked it.
The basic concept is a burrito filled with lime flavored rice, black or pinto beans, and steak, chicken or a sweet pulled pork. You can also get salads with their amazing dressing (which is a ranch with lime & some other stuff - called tomatillo sauce). Their tortillas are homemade - right in front of you. There are other things on the menu but these are the two favorites.
There are a few imitation Cafe Rio's around. Costa Vida is the closest recipes to Cafe Rio. Rumor has it that the original Cafe Rio had two partners and they split - one still runs Cafe Rio and the other started Costa Vida (with a variation on the original recipe - a little more sweeter in my opinion). There is also a place called Bajio Grill - which became really popular in Rexburg, only because most students had never tasted how good Cafe Rio was. Both John & I have only been there twice & call it "Blahio" - their recipes are WAY too sweet (to the point that I was sick when I finished). John's cousin made homemade Cafe Rio with a recipe on the web but it sounded way too time consuming for me.
Luckily, Cafe Rio has chains all over Utah and Idaho now with some in Nevada and I think California. The closest one is 5 minutes to our house - so my craving has been satisfied. Last night, when John got to choose where we went out - he suggested Cafe Rio and I was a little hesitant.The last six months or so, Cafe Rio hasn't been first on my list when we choose a place to eat out. Maybe I overdosed, I don't know. So I decided to try something new (usually he gets the salad and I get the pork burrito). The fried shrimp taco did not disappoint. There was a lot more shrimp pieces than I expected and it was freshly fried- yum! Maybe I would have put more tomatillo dressing on it, but I stole some of John's from his salad - so I was ok. They also noticed we had Buddy with us and said that a kids quesadilla is always free. Awesome! He only ate a few bites (typical for Buddy) and then we had to coax a few more bites of beans into him (with a various bribe for each bite).
Anyway, I should try something new (well the shrimp taco was new) more often - I really liked it.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Crop night at Robert's Arts & Crafts
I went to the $5 crop night last night at Robert's Arts & Crafts. It was my first crop (well that I had to pay for - so first "official" crop). It was scheduled from 5-midnight but I didn't arrive until about 6 (and I wasn't the last to arrive). There were 5 other ladies there as well as various Roberts employees stopping in (to chat with the other Roberts employee who was the "host").
I packed a lot more supplies than I ever used but I wanted to make sure that my time away was productive and for the most part it was (when I wasn't frustrated that my daughters book is 8 1/2 x 11 and that I feel like I have to shove all these cute pictures on one layout). I brought my scrapbooking tote full of paper, the album of pictures I have printed out for Buddy, some ribbon, a few sets of alphabet stickers, lots of glue / adhesive, my 12x12 paper cutter (the crappy one because I can't find my lovely since we moved in August), an idea book, three inking pads, a couple of punches (which I didn't use), some cards (in case I had extra time), and a KOTM (from Lisa Bernstein- again, if I had time leftover). I also brought some swedish fish & a bottle of water (I ate dinner before I left).
Upon arrival we each showed our receipt and got a $5 coupon to use in the store that night (must be used the night of the crop). One lady brought dinner (and ate it there before she started on her pages). Two ladies had brought their Cricuts (one had never used hers before & didn't have time to attend the weeknight class they offered so basically brought it to be taught how to use it - she was the only one who offered to let others use hers). Two of the ladies were friends & shared supplies (and the other cricut) - they stepped out to get take out @ the Chinese place next door for a while and then left about 9:45 to go to a late show (and make a full ladies night out of the evening). The Roberts employee said we could use the old school (and I'm talking pre-Sizzix) die cutting machine. the 20 + pattern-cutting scissors and 20 or so punches. The rest of the night was spent making scrapbook pages and shopping @ Roberts (for things the ladies had forgotten or things "needed" to complete a page). I was pretty happy with myself - I got nine layouts done (in my simple scrapbooking style). Only me & one other lady stayed until around 11:50 p.m. By then there were a bunch of Roberts employees scrapbooking or making card projects. They talked about a Cricut "swarm" coming up - where everyone brings their cricut, pays $25, gets a "make & take" project as part of their fees (which I wish they would have had @ this crop), and competes for prizes. I won't be going - as I don't have a Cricut.
In fact, I probably won't pay to go to a store crop again. The main reason for having it there at the store is the convenience factor - as in if you "need" something to complete your page or if you forgot something. I get a little overwhelmed at the shopping part of scrapbooking (and the details some people go to for their pages), so a store crop probably isn't for me. I don't think I've heard the words "so cute" SO much in the space of a couple of hours (that was one of the Roberts employees - ugh).
It was interesting to hear these ladies talk (the Roberts employees especially) and to hear how much "stuff" they have. I guess it would be comparable to me working at a book store - if you're around it all the time, it's hard not to spend everything you make on the latest and greatest for the craft. One of the employees said she had both the small and the large Cricut - what a waste (IMO).
I really enjoy our area group crops a lot better than this "official" one- we share our supplies a lot more, the conversation seems better and to involve everyone there, and the style of the pages (or craft style in general) is a lot more low key.
I think, too, because we have those every week and they don't cost money - I don't feel the pressure to put out / produce so many layouts every time (or to stay until midnight - my back is still aching today).
So that is my take on my Roberts crop night. What about those of you who scrapbook: Do you enjoy going to crops? What makes a crop successful in your mind? What are the essentials that you pack? (this is a major question that I googled before going last night) Do you offer to share your stuff? (I did but no one took me up on it - I guess my stuff just wasn't their style)
I packed a lot more supplies than I ever used but I wanted to make sure that my time away was productive and for the most part it was (when I wasn't frustrated that my daughters book is 8 1/2 x 11 and that I feel like I have to shove all these cute pictures on one layout). I brought my scrapbooking tote full of paper, the album of pictures I have printed out for Buddy, some ribbon, a few sets of alphabet stickers, lots of glue / adhesive, my 12x12 paper cutter (the crappy one because I can't find my lovely since we moved in August), an idea book, three inking pads, a couple of punches (which I didn't use), some cards (in case I had extra time), and a KOTM (from Lisa Bernstein- again, if I had time leftover). I also brought some swedish fish & a bottle of water (I ate dinner before I left).
Upon arrival we each showed our receipt and got a $5 coupon to use in the store that night (must be used the night of the crop). One lady brought dinner (and ate it there before she started on her pages). Two ladies had brought their Cricuts (one had never used hers before & didn't have time to attend the weeknight class they offered so basically brought it to be taught how to use it - she was the only one who offered to let others use hers). Two of the ladies were friends & shared supplies (and the other cricut) - they stepped out to get take out @ the Chinese place next door for a while and then left about 9:45 to go to a late show (and make a full ladies night out of the evening). The Roberts employee said we could use the old school (and I'm talking pre-Sizzix) die cutting machine. the 20 + pattern-cutting scissors and 20 or so punches. The rest of the night was spent making scrapbook pages and shopping @ Roberts (for things the ladies had forgotten or things "needed" to complete a page). I was pretty happy with myself - I got nine layouts done (in my simple scrapbooking style). Only me & one other lady stayed until around 11:50 p.m. By then there were a bunch of Roberts employees scrapbooking or making card projects. They talked about a Cricut "swarm" coming up - where everyone brings their cricut, pays $25, gets a "make & take" project as part of their fees (which I wish they would have had @ this crop), and competes for prizes. I won't be going - as I don't have a Cricut.
In fact, I probably won't pay to go to a store crop again. The main reason for having it there at the store is the convenience factor - as in if you "need" something to complete your page or if you forgot something. I get a little overwhelmed at the shopping part of scrapbooking (and the details some people go to for their pages), so a store crop probably isn't for me. I don't think I've heard the words "so cute" SO much in the space of a couple of hours (that was one of the Roberts employees - ugh).
It was interesting to hear these ladies talk (the Roberts employees especially) and to hear how much "stuff" they have. I guess it would be comparable to me working at a book store - if you're around it all the time, it's hard not to spend everything you make on the latest and greatest for the craft. One of the employees said she had both the small and the large Cricut - what a waste (IMO).
I really enjoy our area group crops a lot better than this "official" one- we share our supplies a lot more, the conversation seems better and to involve everyone there, and the style of the pages (or craft style in general) is a lot more low key.
I think, too, because we have those every week and they don't cost money - I don't feel the pressure to put out / produce so many layouts every time (or to stay until midnight - my back is still aching today).
So that is my take on my Roberts crop night. What about those of you who scrapbook: Do you enjoy going to crops? What makes a crop successful in your mind? What are the essentials that you pack? (this is a major question that I googled before going last night) Do you offer to share your stuff? (I did but no one took me up on it - I guess my stuff just wasn't their style)
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