Pizza Hut - TMNT Cheesy Bites Pizza

Earlier today, we talked about the perfect Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles breakfast - the recreation of a classic - TMNT Cereal : Reborn.  With the new movie being released in certain areas tonight and nationwide tomorrow, it's only right that we dedicate each one of our meals to our four beloved Ninja Turtles.  TMNT Cereal requires some time and creativity, but the Turtles' favorite meal is probably one of yours, too... Pizza!! I can't think of a more appropriate dinner to celebrate the new film and, even better, Pizza Hut has teamed up with Paramount and Nickelodeon to bring us specialized pies to represent each turtle!

When I first saw photos of the sewer's set design, with all those Pizza Hut boxes used as couches, I knew there was a partnership in the works.  For as much as the Turtles love pizza, there was no way Pizza Hut was going to receive that type of product placement without joining forced with The Green Machine.  Unlike the original film, The Ninja Turtles have now ditched Domino's and kicked them to the curb for Pizza Hut.  In my opinion, they made the right move.  Don't get me wrong, I love both companies for what they are, but Pizza Hut will always hold a special place in my heart because I associate it with Halloween.  The only reason I call Domino's is because they deliver to me and my local Pizza Hut doesn't.  If it were the other way around, I can't imagine I'd ever have Domino's again.  But, let's be honest, neither of them really serve Pizza.  They're a brand of their own, much like McDonalds and Burger King don't really serve burgers.  If you want a real slice of New York City pizza, you don't go to a fast food chain.  I'm sure the Turtles are well aware of this, but somebody's gotta pay the lair's rent.

In addition to bringing back Cheesy Bites to celebrate the 2014 film, Pizza Hut has created four different pies with four different recipes to match the personality and attitude of each character.

Michelangelo's Favorite pizza comes with the following toppings: Pepperoni, Ham, Pineapples, and Jalapenos.  Personally, I think Mikey would have picked Peanut Butter and Jelly Beans, but I'm sure Pizza Hut had to talk him out of that one.  I would have tried it, but popular demand asks for something more common.

Donatello's Favorite Pizza is topped with Chicken, Mushrooms, Green Peppers, and Tomatoes.  It's a smart choice for those who want to be more health conscious and watch their diet.  Leave it to Donnie to bring you a delicious pizza that watches the pounds and provides a few vitamins.

Leonardo, the leader of the group, tops his with Red Onions, Black Olives, Green Peppers and Mushrooms.  Leo chooses a hearty meal with the necessary nutrients packed in to give him the physical and mental strength to make wise decisions before enacting out his plan of attack.  He may very well be the wise man who said "never pay full price for late pizza."

Finally, Raphael chooses a more carnivorous diet and tops his favorite pizza with Pepperoni, Sausage, Bacon, and Beef.  Of course Raph would choose a protein packed pizza with enough grams to increase his strength and muscle.  This is a manly mean meant for the strongest of warriors.  Leave the thinking to Leonardo, this is for those who work from the neck down and strive to be physically fit.

During our trip to Pizza Hut, my girlfriend and I already knew which pizza's we wanted.  We did our research and both wanted to try something different.  We sat down and I asked the waiter to confirm that he knew what I was talking about.  He had a vague idea.  He said he's pretty sure he has the recipe's in the back and remembers seeing the names "Mikey and Ralph."  Close enough, especially because those were precisely the ones we wanted him to bring out.  I wanted to try the Raphael pie and Eileen wanted to try the Michelangelo variety.  So he offered to do half and half.  Good thinking, waiter..

I was already a fan of Cheesy Bites pizza and hated to see them go, but it makes their limited-time-only return even that much sweeter.  These TMNT toppings are incredible and add so much flavor to the Cheesy Bites pizza.  I'm not a big fan of Jalapenos so I have to put my favorite Turtle second to Raphael because his meaty recipe is off the hook.  I loved it and when I head out to catch an early screening of the movie tonight, you can bet your shell that we'll be stopping at Pizza Hut for dinner before-hand.  It's a must!  For as much as I'd like to try all 4 Turtle flavors, I think I'm going to stick with Raph's because it's just that good.  If anything, we'll go half and half again because Eileen loved the way those Pineapples and Jalapeno's work together to bring that sweet and spicy ninja kick to your taste buds.  It's a win-win no matter which you choose, you just need to make sure you order a pie before this promotional run is over!

What I didn't know when we first went to Pizza Hut is that there's even a special way of having your pizza cut that pays tribute to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  If you choose to do so, you can have your pie "Katana Cut" into 4 slices, just like the Turtles would.  Man, what an awesome bonus to throw in for fans.  We all know, whenever the Turtles ordered pizza, Leonardo would whip out his Katana and cut the pie for he and his brothers.  1 giant slice each before moving on to the next.  Sure, it means Splinter was left out in the cold, but he claims he'd rather eat sushi, anyway.  Yep, the giant rat doesn't like CHEESE pizza.  Go figure..  Now, I didn't know about the Katana Cut when we first made our trip, but I'll certainly be looking into that tonight.  I'll be wearing a Ninja Turtles shirt, a Ninja Turtles hat, green sneakers, and ordering a Katana Cut Ninja Turtles pizza.  The waiter is either going to think I'm nuts or absolutely awesome.  Eh, half and half.

10 Years

First of all, let me welcome you to 2014! It's a new year filled with promise and possibilities and, as I said in my last post, I hope greatness finds you all in every aspect of your life.  For me, I knew 2014 was going to start off with a celebration.  January 5th marked my 10 Year Anniversary with my girlfriend, Eileen and, to celebrate, we spent a relaxing weekend at the Tropicana in Atlantic City.  Now, I could go on and on about how I met her in high school, how I was only 16-years-old, how we were Prom King and Queen, are best friends, blah blah blah.. But after 10 years, most of that goes without saying and, be honest, you're not all that interested in all that.  But since The Holidaze is entering it's boring phase of the year, I had to find something to talk about so, here it is..

Whenever we make the 2-hour venture down to Atlantic City, we always stay at the Tropicana. One, because it's usually the cheapest hotel on the boardwalk and, two, it's beautiful.  I love the way it's designed.  Even with it being 5 degrees outside, they manage to make it look and feel like you're in a tropical environment.  The atmosphere and ambiance throughout the entire hotel is, in my opinion, better than most in Atlantic City.  Sure, you can stay at Harrah's and Revel for a more unique, modern, and younger experience, but they're so far away from everything and I like to be close enough to walk.  Of course, on this weekend, we did very little walking and spent all 3 days at the Trop.  It was way too cold to start wandering around outside.

Most people go to Atlantic City for the gambling, but I'm not one of them.  Don't get me wrong, I love the thrill that comes with the pull of a slot machine or spin of the roulette wheel, but I don't get too crazy.  When I first turned 21, I was in love with gambling.  I was betting more than I could afford and, surprisingly, came out on top most of the time.  By 5-years later, I've learned my lesson.  The house always wins and, if you're not careful, you'll end up losing money you could have spent on a good time.  That's what this trip was all about!  We wanted to relax, enjoy our time off from work, and indulge in nice restaurants, bars, and stores.  The first, for a late dinner, was Broadway Burger Bar.

I really liked the decor, especially the booths where we could sit next to one another.  It always adds to the date, even after 10 years.  To start off, we ordered a spiked milk shake because that's what we had in a similar restaurant in Las Vegas.  There, we had amazing milk shakes and one that had Pop Rocks thrown into the mix.  That was special, but this one?  Ah, I ordered a Root Beer Float spiked with Root Beer Vodka and it was just okay.  I drank it and it served it's purpose, but it didn't taste all that great.  After a while, I just started to drink the Stewart's Root Beer and ignore the float.  Ya can never go wrong with Stewart's!

Now, I'm a picky eater, but this just sounded too good to pass up.  Macaroni and Cheese on an Applewood smoked Bacon Cheeseburger?  Yes! Yes! Yes!  There was nothing I didn't like and everything I loved, so I knew it was a must for me.  Eileen got the same thing because, c'mon, who could pass up a burger like that?  Now just imagine how much better it would be with additional toppings that you like.  Lettuce? Tomatoes? Pickles?  That's all you, friend!  But I stick with the cheesy carbs that almost guarantee an early death.  Oh well, It was worth it!

I'm not sure if Broadway Burger Bar is a chain or exclusive to Tropicana, but I bet a quick Google search would give me the answer.  Okay, so I'm too lazy to do it, but you should because in all sincerity, this might have been the greatest cheeseburger I've ever had.  It wasn't the mac & cheese or the bacon.  It wasn't even the cheese, it was the burger itself.  I don't know what they did to season the meat, but it's heaven.  Seriously, it's amazing.  Even the fries deserve a prize because they were the perfect compliment to the main event.  The only thing I should have done differently?  Shoulda picked beer over that shake.  Luckily I'm a smart one and did just that when we went back for round two on Sunday.  Yeah, it's that good.

You can't go to Atlantic City without getting a little tipsy.  Whether it's Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall, you have to throw back a few drinks.  I don't care if it's beer, vodka, Jameson, Straw-ber-ritas, or Cosmopolitan's, you just have to enjoy yourself.  Now, for us, we wanted to check out Wet Willie's.  It's been a while since we've been to AC and this was new to us.  We saw tons of these daiquiri dispensers in Las Vegas, but this was the first time we'd ever seen one in Atlantic City.  Despite the rule that said "no hats," we walked in there with my Nets cap and defied authority.  Who gon' stop me, huh?

The bartender was a very good salesman and did a great job convincing me to not only buy alcohol, but buy two of the largest cups of alcohol they had.  First, he gave us a few samples which were all great.  Then he told us how strong they were - 190 Proof Grain Alcohol.  Finally, he made one and called it "The Superman."  Well Superman, meet Clifftonite because I'm about to destroy you!!

Correction - you don't destroy Superman, he destroys you and that's exactly what this drink does!  It's insanely strong.  I couldn't believe how buzzed I felt after only 3 sips.  I've never had Everclear, but that had to be what this was mixed with.  Believe me, there was no way I was going to finish the entire drink.  I barely made it halfway through and that's a good thing because, had I killed it, I can't guarantee it wouldn't have killed me right back.  This is Mark Henry strong, guys!

The next morning was beautifully cold.  Thanks to Winter Storm Hercules, there was snow everywhere, but still much less than what we had back at home in Jersey City.  It's always weird seeing snow on the beach, but I still find it very serene.  It's nature at it's finest and, at the same time, it's most brutal.  The ocean had to be ridiculously cold and just the thought of it all made me so happy to be in a warm hotel room with the heat blasting.

After sleeping in and making up for the work week, we finally did head out and I found this.  I mean, this IS The Holidaze so I had to mention the fact that Valentine's Day candy is out in full force.  Plus, Valentine's Day has a special connection to our 10-Year Anniversary - it was on that day that I first told Eileen I loved her.  

*Girls says "awww"* *Guys say "grow a pair, bro."

Yep, we were in high school and had only been going out for 1 month.  I have no idea if I really knew what love was at the time, but here we are 10-years later so you'll never hear this guy judge any 16-year-old kids when they say they're in love.  Ya never know, maybe they are!  But anyway, we'll get to Valentines Day candy down the road.  That's one holiday that isn't worth rushing - at all.

After getting all dressed up, we went to Carmine's for dinner.  If you've never been there, you're really missing out.  I love Italian food and this is one of the better restaurants I've been to.  Whenever we go to The Tropicana, it's always on our list of things to do.  I didn't take any pictures, because it's a little bit more ritzy than the Broadway Burger Bar, but we went with the family style Chicken Francese and Penne Vodka.  Of course, a beer for me and Sangria for the lady were a must before ending with cheesecake.  I'm now making myself hungry.

We did play a little blackjack, roulette, slots, and the big six, but we lost after going up and knew it would happen.  Still, like I said, it's always a thrill and leads to a few laughs.  But the coolest part about walking around the casino is seeing how many awesome slot machines they now have.  For some reason, security doesn't like you taking pictures, but I snatched that one of a giant Ghostbusters display that preyed on my sense of nostalgia to steal my money.  No, Slimer didn't win, but I was mesmerized by the man playing.  He managed to make Slimer and the Stay Puft Marshmallow man flash and fly on his screen every few minutes.  I have no idea if he won any money, but I still think I had more fun than he did.  Thanks, stranger!

Because I wasn't allowed to take pictures in the casino, I used Google to my advantage to show you one of the cooler slot displays at the Tropicana - Monster Jackpots!  I watched this one for a while just because it featured Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, The Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Invisible Man, and the Bride of Frankenstein.  The Universal Monsters were out in full force and it was just enough of a Halloween fix for me to remember how awesome of a season just ended and is only 299 days away.  Start prepping your costume, now!

On our last day, we went to an overpriced candy store called "Lick."  It's an incredible store with a vast variety of items to choose from, but way too expensive for my liking.  For those prices, I could have gone out and at least had the opportunity of doubling my money.  The same box of Peppermint Junior Mints I bought for a dollar was 5 bucks at Lick.  Really?  Still, they had more than enough for me to photograph and share with you.  Above are Jelly Belly Jelly Beans.  I love soda flavored anything and still hope to find the Dr. Pepper Ice Pops in the freezer section but, alas, we're stuck with these beans.  On the bright side, I've had them before and they're delicious!

You'd need a sugar daddy to buy you that Sugar Daddy because it's gigantic!  You'd also need an amazing dentist because, after eating one pound of sticky caramel, I don't know if you'd actually have any teeth left!  The Hershey's and Reese's are nothing new to me, but always fun to see.  I love the big candy even if I know I'd never buy them.

I couldn't bring myself to by these Gravy flavored Candy Canes.  It wasn't the price, because I would have paid anything for a Holidaze post that revolved around Gravy Candy Canes, but I wasn't in the Christmas spirit.  I don't know about you, but Candy Canes represent Christmas and I am already past the season.  Dipping into these now would be extending the season beyond its limits and I can't do that.  I like to start early, but rarely celebrate much after one holiday is over.  It's on to the next phase and that's why these Gravy Canes stayed on their shelf.  I'm sure they're disgusting, but I would have tried them had it been December 24th.  Maybe next year - remind me!

There was one section dedicated to Halloween candy and another dedicated to Christmas.  This is, of course, perfect for The Holidaze and I just loved seeing them last longer than their shelf life.  Most of the items have been reviewed or seen before, but I was disappointed to realize that I'd never heard of those Holiday Sugar Babies.  I should have picked them up or at least taken a better picture.  They were red, green, and white candy coated Sugar Babies decked out for Christmas!  How did I miss those?  They're either old, rare, or I underestimated baby caramels.  I know that Snowman would have caught my eye, but now he'll have to wait until next Christmas.  Again, remind me!

These were the coolest items in the store and it's for obvious reasons.  I'm a sucker for retro packaging and these two wrappers are absolutely classic!  I don't know, for a fact, that these are reproductions of original designs, but I'd bet they are and, even if they're not, they're still awesome and evoke enough nostalgia for me to snatch them up.  Remember when Pepsi released the throwback cans?  I LOVED that!  Same goes for Mountain Dew!  I want every major brand to release retro art, much like General Mills did with their cereals, so geeks like me can save them and enjoy what was, again.  Good times, good times!

Before we checked out of our hotel, we threw up the double 5's to celebrate our 10 years in what is a grainy, pixelated, orange filtered selfie.  It's not my favorite picture in the world, but I blame Steve Jobs and Apple for not putting a flash on the front side of my Iphone.  Regardless of what I think about this photo, it's symbolic and represents a major accomplishment that I couldn't be more proud of.  There are marriages that don't last 10 years and I couldn't be happier with the fact that we made it that far.  The best part is what the future holds.  The first 10 years were great, but the next 10 will be even better.  Of course, most of the texts I received said "Hey, when ya gonna put a ring on that?"  I get it, I get it.. But all I can say, for now, is stay tuned.

To end our trip, we drove home in this.  Oh yeah, this is fog and we couldn't see further than 3 dash marks ahead of us.  A 2-hour drive home turned into 3 because we couldn't see a damn thing.  We should have gone even slower and made it 10 hours.  That would have been fitting, no?

Hey, if you read this post that has nothing to do with any of the holidays, I appreciate it.  Like I said over the Summer, I want The Holidaze to be more about my life and what I do to celebrate the major moments in life rather than just the holidays.  I even want to change the name of the blog, but still haven't come up with anything creative and really like the Ghoul-Aid inspired logo so, for now, it is what it is.  In the end, there will be posts you like and posts you don't.  My goal is to throw it out there and hope you join me on a journey through life, filled with as much as we can possibly get out of it :)

Peppermint M&M's

It just seems like they're constantly releasing new M&M flavors!  I'm sure you've seen these before, because I know I have, but The Holidaze is behind on the Christmas times so I want to cover as much as I can in the short amount of time we have left.  If we're going to celebrate the season, we need to talk about everything - big and little - even if they've been released in the past.  Because next year, if these are discontinued, we can say we mentioned them.  For example, did you know there were Sugar Cookie Twix, last year?  I sure as hell didn't and now I regret missing out on the now extinct greatness!

When I first heard about these white chocolate peppermint M&M's, I was searching the Internet for various Christmas products.  This stood out to me because I couldn't find them and, on Ebay, they were selling for $15 a bag.  Really?  Were they that rare?  Was I gonna have to splurge on a bag of candy that I may not even like?  The answer is... no.  They're easy to find and readily available, somebody was just trying to cash in.  I'm sure somebody, somewhere, was suckered into the trap.  If they're reading The Holidaze, I hope they know I found stacks and stacks of Peppermint M&M's at Target.  Sorry, bud.. I was almost you.

I like how much they're using the snarky, sarcastic, red M&M to sell their products.  Out of all their characters, he's the closest thing to a used car salesman.  He gives you a smirk, points out the beauty of his candy, throws on a Santa hat to welcome your friendship, then charges you $15 for a bag you could have had for $3.  Isn't that how it goes?  He's good, and I like him, but I'll say it again - he needs a name.  I'm tired of calling him "The Red M&M."  I don't even like "Red," I just want him to have a traditional name like Joe or Bob.  It's funnier.. What would you name Red?

These were obviously going to be red and white colored and anything different would have been a disappointment and epic fail.  We knew that wouldn't happen, and that's a good thing because these are perfect for the season.  Everything from the bag design to the candy coating is red and white and emits a true feeling of winter.  You'd think blue would do a better job than red, but not when it's paired with white.  Peppermint is probably the number one Christmas flavor and nothing does it better than the Candy Cane.  Hence, red and white M&M's.  How come this stuff was never mentioned in College?  I could write pages and pages on the color of candy but couldn't write a paragraph about "The Great Gatsby."  Grown up, baby!

Usually, whenever I try these white chocolate + random flavor concoctions, I don't taste anything out of the ordinary.  Use the Candy Corn M&M's as the perfect example.  However, this time, they really hit the nail on the head and did a great job!  These are, without a doubt, my favorite Holiday M&M's and it's with good reason - the truly taste like Peppermint!  Yeah, there's the subtle hint of white chocolate, and that's to be expected, but it's not overwhelming and walks the line perfectly.  

So if you're only going to buy one of the 472 M&M flavors this season, I'd make this the winner.  They look and taste like Christmas and that's enough to make up for those damn Pumpkin Spice M&M's last October.

Chips Ahoy Holiday Cookies

Well, Christmas is only 5 days away and I've hardly posted at all this holiday season.  Believe me, I tried.  I have a bunch of junk sitting in my kitchen that will probably never see the light of technological day.  But like I've said before, work is obviously my top priority and for as much as I would like this to be more than just a hobby, it unfortunately is nothing more.  Since my last post, I've worked over 134 hours and slept the rest away.  Needless to say, my own holiday season took a major hit, but cue the annoying Rebecca Black song because "It's Friday.. Friday.." and I wanna get down on The Holidaze!

These Chips Ahoy Holiday Cookies aren't anything new.  In fact, I can't remember a Christmas season without them and, for that reason, they're tradition.  There's just something about a bag of cookies, decked out in their best holiday outfit, that screams Christmas and enhances the season.  There are so many ways to go with the package design.  Red bag, green bag, gold bag, you name it.  But I like that they went with a classic white bag covered in light blue snowflakes because it makes everything else pop off the bag.  Most importantly, the logo and "Holiday" text need to be displayed and they are, perfectly.

As a kid, I was a big fan of and lured in by package design, I just didn't know it at the time.  Kids are attracted to shiny objects and bright colors.  They like anything that stands out and is different than the everyday products they're used to.  To this day, I swear that's why I became so obsessed with TMNT figures - the box art!  As an adult, I'm still just as attracted as I ever was, but I'm now aware of the fact that I'm being lured in by pretty designs and change in appearances.  Let's face it, there's nothing different about this cookie other than a bag and the red & green candy coated chips.  But do I want it? Oh hell yeah and that's exactly why Chips Ahoy placed their cookie so prominently on the bag.  Stupid kids, right?

I always have Halloween and Christmas battle it out for Holidaze supremacy but, in the case of Chips Ahoy cookies, I think Christmas steals the battle.  There's just something about a bag of chocolate chip cookies that represents the season so well.  After all, Santa doesn't come around looking for Candy Corn or Frankenberry, he wants cookies and lots of them.  If they're baked, fresh out from the oven and warm, then even better.  I think that's at least an extra four presents.  With this full bag, there's no way you're making the naughty list - just be sure to share with the man in red.

When it comes to holiday packaging, I honestly couldn't care less about what holiday they're celebrating, representing, or targeting.  I'm not one of those guys who believes religion should be ignored or prohibited, but I also understand why so many companies choose to be less specific.  So, when I saw the big "Merry Christmas" in the top right corner, I was surprised.

Then, I looked even closer and found "Happy Hanukkah."  I think that's absolutely awesome.  Instead of ignoring the two major holidays, Nabisco chose to celebrate them both and incorporate their traditional colors.  For somebody like me, who hates seeing the religious aspects of this season ignored, it means a lot to see them supported and recognized.  Good for you, Nabisco.  But those Kwanza peeps are going to be maaaaad!

Quick post, but anything I have left in the tank between now and Christmas probably will be, too.  I just don't have the time.  I have family parties, shopping to be done, wrapping, and my own personal Christmas traditions.  You know how it is!  It's a busy busy time of year!  But hopefully I can provide you with a few more posts featuring a whole lot of useless information.  Until next time, go buy these Chips Ahoy cookies and celebrate as many holidays as you can with every bite.

Gingerbread TWIX

First off, let me just say - Happy December!! Only 24 days to go, friends!

Now, when I first starting searching for new, and not-so-new, holiday items, the first two to pop out at me were pretty damn awesome.  The first were those ever-so popular Gingerbread M&M's.  But the second, and even more enticing to me than the former, were Gingerbread Twix!!

I'm a big fan of Twix cookie bars, and we'll get into that a bit more in a later post, so I was pumped to see that they were releasing a limited-edition Gingerbread variety.  I looked everywhere to find them and it seemed as though they were becoming more allusive than the yet-to-be found Gingerbread Oreo cookies.  I looked to Ebay, but couldn't justify spending so much money on a bag of candy during what's already such an expensive season.  So, I gave it some time, kept my fingers crossed, and eventually found these babies at Target.  At first, I walked right by them because they blended in so well with the traditional bag, but those smiling Gingerbread men didn't let me get far.

When you take a closer look at the packaging, it's very well done while remaining true to the traditional Twix color and style.  They've added a few swirls to represent the caramel and, of course, two very festive Gingerbread men all decked out in their decorative icing for the holidays.  Although I missed them at first, it's hard to imagine how I could.  As such a big fan of packaging and graphic design, this is something I shouldn't miss at all.

Besides design, I always talk about going the extra mile and, yes, Twix definitely added that little bit extra and it goes a long way.  Take a look at the metallic Twix wrapper.  Not only is it brown and shiny, which is to be expected from Twix, but they added tiny Gingerbread men to the design!  You have to look closely when you purchase your own bag, because this picture actually makes them pop much more than the human eye, but they're there and they're beautiful.  It adds so much to the season.  Now, I don't feel like I'm about to open a regular mini Twix bar, I feel like it's something special and for the holidays.  It doesn't take much to do what Twix did and takes even less to make this nerd happy :)

Looking at the Twix cookie bar, you wouldn't expect anything out of the ordinary.  It looks traditional, but there is a faint smell of Gingerbread and it's enough to let you know that the season is upon us.  Now, I'm a fan of Gingerbread, so I was expecting greatness, but if you like Gingerbread the way I like Pumpkin Spice, then you should probably stop reading right now ;)

Gingerbread is gingerbread, but there are different levels and varieties and this one falls very high on the list of "extreme" gingerbread.  At first, even I wasn't sure what to think.  I actually didn't like them after the first few bites and that surprised me.  But, I realized, it's because I was expecting a traditional Twix flavor and that was throwing me off.  I've never had any Twix outside of the classics, so it's odd biting into one and tasting something that your mind says shouldn't be there.  But believe me, once I had my tastebuds talk to my mind and convince him that this is all going to be okay, it was awesome.  I just had one as I typed this to re-affirm my love for Gingerbread Twix and we're in the clear.  They're a bit bitter, maybe taste more like cinnamon than gingerbread, but it works and it works wonderfully.  I'm not sure if I like these more than the Gingerbread M&M's, but if you like gingerbread, you really can't go wrong with either one of these brands.  Pick 'em both up, have a taste test, throw a party, and enjoy the new candy gifted to us this Christmas.  It's the little things, really :)

Jolly Rancher Caramel Apple Lollipops

Well, it's been a while and I don't like that.  I recently started a new job and that's great news, but it requires so much time and effort that I now find myself in bed by 10pm every night.  That leaves very little time for The Holidaze and, personally, my Halloween season is taking a big hit.  But that doesn't mean the season is dead, that just means I have to go about things differently.  While I may not be able to post as often, I'll still do my best to make the most out of the spooky time of year and share those experiences with all of you.  To make somewhat of a comeback, I bring to you a product I've yet to see on any other blogs..

Jolly Rancher Caramel Apple Lollipops!

My very first Holidaze post focused on Caramel Apple Lollipops.  It featured the classic pops from Tootsie that we've all seen on store shelves.  They used to be a seasonal item, but now you'll find them throughout the entire year.  They're good!  They're green apple flavored with chewy caramel.  9 times outta 10, that equals delicious.  But if I'm being honest, the only reason that was my first post was because it was 9/10/11 and hardly any Halloween products were available.  Yet, I was too excited to start writing and I picked up the first thing I could relate to the season.  Hence, a star was born.  But today, as I tell you about JOLLY RANCHER Caramel Apple Lollipops, it has nothing to do with desperation or needing a filler.  No, these popped out at me and screamed Fall.  Now, if only the weather would be so cooperative.

When I was a kid, my cousin and I used to buy 5 cent Jolly Ranchers all the time.  We loved them.  I used to buy the hard-candy packs and suck on them instead of Halls cough drops when I was sick.  It did nothing to help my cold, but did wonders for the taste buds.  It was like eating Luden's in school.  We all know it was candy we could eat in class and get away with.  I tried doing the same with Jolly Ranchers and my favorite was always Green Apple.  The Watermelon flavor comes in close behind in second, but gets slightly edged out.  So when I saw that my favorite flavor was being combined with the taste of caramel to create an upgraded Caramel Apple Lollipop??  It was on like Donkey Kong.

In terms of packaging, I like these wrappers a lot.  The design doesn't represent Halloween, but it's really not supposed to.  Over the years, thanks to places like Starbucks and Yankee Candle, seasonal products have grown from spooky skulls and Snickers to Pumpkin Spice and Caramel Apple.  Now, as consumers, we get the best of both worlds and, for me, that's what makes Fall the greatest season of all.  Besides the obvious colors, that's what this wrapper symbolizes.

When you compare the way these Jolly Rancher Lollipops look next to the Tootsie variety, there's no contest.  Jolly Rancher wins, hands down.  Unlike the Tootsie Pop, this actually has a shape, size, and texture.  It has a real appearance and isn't just a big blob of candy thrown on a stick.  I know that doesn't seem very important, but I like the extra attention to detail.  These stand out as classics and remind me of when I was a kid and chomped down on cheap Cherry lollipops from the dollar store.  Besides that, I like to think Sam from "Trick R Treat" would use this a substitute if he ever discarded his Pumpkin Sucker.  It looks that cool.

What can I say about flavor?  Well, let me put it this way -- I opened this Caramel Apple Lollipop to try and throw away.  Before I realized it, the entire pop was gone.  It's delicious and, unfortunately for Tootsie, this could put their lollipops out of business.  There's a new hot shot in town and he's sponsored by Jolly Rancher.  With this lollipop, it's completely hard candy.  There's no chewiness or stickiness.  There are no fillings.  It's just a traditional lollipop with two contrasting flavors that work perfectly together.  One second you're tasting the Green Apple Jolly Rancher, then the next you're tasting a Sugar Daddy.  It's a whirlwind of flavor and taste that makes for an awesome Fall treat.  For some reason, these are either underrated or unheard of, but I've only seen them at Rite-Aid and they deserve a chance to shine!

I knew Sam would like the Jolly Rancher Caramel Apple Lollipops!!  They're perfect for Trick R Treating!