Hostess Candy Corn Cupcakes

Remember when Hostess temporarily went out of business and brought Twinkies with them in their untimely demise?  In their wake, Hostess left behind a slew of products that would seemingly become nothing more than memories.  Along with their most popular items, we saw the end of their seasonal collection.  Gone were the days of Munster Packs, Scary Cakes, and Glo Balls.  Resting in pieces, Halloween cake would never be the same.  Remember that?  It was only a few years ago, but it's hard to believe it ever happened at all.  When Hostess returned, they bounced back stronger than ever.  Not only were their classics back on shelves, but so were new Halloween editions like Orange S'Creme Twinkies!  With a reignited flame, Hostess resurrected and took back Halloween with a vengeance.  This year, they're doing it again with not one, but two brand new varieties of CupCakes!

Halloween Twinkies - Orange S'Cream

Okay okay, I wanted Halloween season to start earlier than ever, but I'd like Halloween itself to slow itself down!  I cannot believe we are only 5 days away from October 31st!  Time seriously flew by and, like I said previously, work has limited my interaction with all of you via The Holidaze and Social Media.  For me, that's the sucky part about this time of year.  For whatever reason, I always seem to find myself busier in October than any other month.  But I wanted to take advantage of this weekend, both personally and on The Holidaze, to at least get this ball rolling through the week and into the big day.  I've been sitting on this post, along with the others coming at ya before Friday, because they're special and all represent Halloween perfectly in one way or another.  I'll throw in a few extra's here and there, but today we're talking about a product that I had only hoped for when we first covered the X-Men Twinkies with the Blue Creme center.  Once we saw them hit shelves, I found a glimmer of hope and depended on Hostess to do the rest.  This year, they didn't disappoint!

Pepperidge Farm Cinnamon Bun Cookies

Welp, I had high hopes for the month of October on The Holidaze.  I planned on bringing you a different Funko Pop design each day, I planned on keeping up with my own Holidaze Instagram Challenge, and I planned on updating the site with new articles as much as possible.  For the most part, I've failed you.  For whatever reason, and it never seems to fail, I am always at my busiest when October rolls around.  For as much as I'd love to brush work off and focus on cartoons and Halloween candy, my real-life simply won't allow it.  Finding the balance between the two, much like last year, has been difficult this October.  I wish I could simply take a month off and dedicate my entire life to Halloween for 31 days, but my bosses don't seem to be down with that idea.  I don't know when they're going to wake up and realize that Frankenberry is far more important than their company, but until then, I'm stuck doing my job.  How about I just hit the lottery and we take this site to a whole new level.  Or hey, does Donald Trump read The Holidaze?  I could use a couple mill, broski!

Since I don't think that's going to happen, I'll do what I gotta do and attempt to salvage what is left of the season.  Believe it or not, we are only TEN DAYS away from Halloween and I think I may be more unprepared for October 31st than I've ever been before.  It's a shame, really, but it is what it is.  For now, I'm going to do my best to keep the Holidaze spirit alive with the help of a seasonal standout.. Pepperidge Farm!

Pumpkin Spice Oreo Cookies

It may be the most highly anticipated cookie of all-time.  CNN calls it breaking News.  The President has called it a National Treasure and, from what I hear, thousands of white girls are lining up around the corner to get their hands on new Pumpkin Spice Oreo cookies. Okay, none of that true, but it wouldn't surprise me.  Have you seen the attention these are receiving?  They're all over the media.  Major news outlets have them covered and foodie blogs have been counting down the days to their release.  It's an odd happening for junk food and I haven't seen anything like it since Nabisco first released their Candy Corn Oreos. As a fan of these gimmicks and the variety of Oreo flavors, this is surely a treat!

Jolly Rancher Caramel Apple Crunch -n- Chew Candy

Before I begin tonight's review, let me preface it by telling you that this season, without a doubt, belongs to the Caramel Apple flavor.  In recent years, Pumpkin Spice ran the show and it seemed as if the whole world had become obsessed with everything orange and brown.  Pumpkin coffee, ice cream, donuts, cake, candy - you name it, they made it!  And it's not that Pumpkin Spice has gotten any less popular, it's just that Caramel Apple is climbing the ranks and finally getting just as much, if not more, notoriety for it's amazing taste.  When you look through the Halloween aisles, you'll see it everywhere.  As we progress on The Holidaze Halloween Countdown, you'll see it even more.  For a guy like me, who isn't really a fan of Pumpkin Spice, this is far from bad news.  I love the Caramel Apple flavor and enjoy seeing so many companies roll out their varieties.  The more we have, the more we all win in the end.  So this isn't a warning, but just a simple notice to be prepared - there's going to be a lot of Caramel Apple, Pumpkin Spice, and Candy Corn.

Tis The Season!

DC Comics: Monster Cereal Boxes

We interrupt TMNT Week on The Holidaze for this very big, very special, Halloween news!  As a staple of the season, the General Mills' Monster Cereal characters of Frankenberry, Boo Berry, Count Chocula, Frute Brute and Yummy Mummy are thread into the fabric of The Holidaze.  I love the cereals for what they represent, but I love the characters even more.  As I've grown older, I've come to appreciate them as amazing artwork brought to us by the great people over at General Mills.  Thankfully, I'm not the only one who views them as pop-culture icons more than simple cereal mascots.  Over the years, their popularity has increased more and more, resulting in various toys, shirts, and collectibles to go along with the iconic cereals we've all grown up on.  General Mills, being the marketers they are, capitalized on this boom in 2013 by bringing back Frute Brute and Yummy Mummy from their tombs and re-releasing the legendary retro box art for all of us to collect and enjoy.  It was definitely the highlight of last year's Halloween season and, this year, General Mills is back at it again!

I first became aware of these new boxes on Instagram as the social media app is proving to be more powerful than given credit for.  Somebody was lucky enough to already receive a brand new box of Frankenberry and posted the image for fans to salivate over.  Today, General Mills confirmed that the comic illustrated boxes are in fact a reality and will be debuting this September!  But not only are they designed to look like comic heroes (or villains) but they're designed by actual DC Comics illustrators!  Now that's pretty awesome!  Once working for the Brooklyn Nets, I was there when Marvel joined forces with the team to create Nets' mascot, The Brooklyknight.  However, that was an utter disaster and complete failure.  This?  Oh no.. There's no way this will suffer the same fate.  DC Comics and their artists have done an incredible job and fans are already clamoring for these boxes on their kitchen tables!

DC illustrator, Dave Johnson, designed the new Frankenberry box and I don't think I could love it any more than I do.  I was getting tired of the most recent modern design being released over and over again.  At first, the CGI-styled design was cool, but it got stale really quick.  Besides Frute Brute and Yummy Mummy making their modern debut last year, I was over the style and, apparently, General Mills was too.  This updated box, which is more than phenomenal, gives Frankenberry a new lease on life.  He's back and better than ever in 2014.  No, no design will ever top the originals.  The retro art will always be my favorite, but this is just too cool to pass up and I love the fact that General Mills went, once again, that extra mile to make fans happy and, of course, bring in that extra profit.

Designed by Terry and Rachel Dodson, Count Chocula has been given a more realistic, human appearance.  At first, I didn't know what to think about his new image.  Part of him looks like a Halloween elf, another part looks like he came from a Harry Potter novel, and the rest of him looks like Maleficent on crack.  But, given it further thought, I do appreciate the new direction.  If Count Chocula truly existed in our world, I'd assume he'd be human.  Unlike all previous incarnations, this box features him as a man, as a vampire, who happens to love chocolate more than anything else in this world.  I think parts of him could have been altered to better fit that image, but they also couldn't stray too far away from the original design.  He still needed to look like Count Chocula and I think the DC artists found the perfect medium.  In a matter of hours, Count Chocula has really grown on me,

 

Boo Berry has maintained his classic appearance more than the other two characters and I'm happy to see that.  I don't think there's much you can do to change his image without completely changing the character himself.  He's always had those big eyes with the saggy lids, his top hat and bow tie, along with that sly smirk.  You can't remove or alter any of that because by doing so with one of those characteristics, you're losing the nostalgia.  His body is different by being just a tad bit less ghostly on top, but the bottom portion remains true to what he is.  This isn't my favorite of the three, but it's far superior to what we've been getting over the last few years.

Regardless of which box you prefer or which is your favorite, none of us can deny just how awesome these new designs are.  Personally, I'm looking for Franky first, but the other two will be coming home with me as soon as I see them.  All three will be joining the collection of Monster Cereal boxes.

 In even better news, General Mills will, once again, be re-releasing retro boxes exclusively to Target.  Now, General Mills could have re-released 2103's art, but they're too smart for that.  At my Target, those boxes sold out completely before the Halloween season came to an end.  That means many of us bought the 2013 retro boxes and have no need for another set.  Personally, I have 3 of each character and don't regret a thing.  But knowing that, General Mills will be releasing a set of new retro boxes celebrating 1979 and 1980.  In addition, each box will come with a cut-out mask of your favorite Monster Cereal characters.  Take a minute and think about how cool that is!!  These boxes have not been on store shelves since the early 80s and, in 2014, they'll be back for us to collect!  From a marketing perspective, think about how smart this is.  Use me, for example.. I'll be buying 3 DC Comics boxes, 3 retro boxes, and 3 more retro boxes to cut out those masks!  In one trip, General Mills just sold me 9 boxes of cereal.  Absolutely genius!

Here comes the bad news... Yummy Mummy and Frute Brute will not be included in this year's festivities!  Major bummer!!  I would have loved to see what DC artists could do with the Yummy Mummy and Frute Brute characters and the retro boxes would have been must-haves.  My wallet is thanking General Mills for keeping me from buying 15 boxes of cereal, but I'm not.  I truly believed they'd return this season, but I guess the 2013 campaign wasn't as successful as we thought.  It's a shame because real fans wind up missing out on incredible Halloween goodies, but General Mills needs to do smart business and, in the end, they're surely doing their part to make up for the lack of two legendary characters.

Thankfully, I have enough retro boxes stocked up to keep me happy.  They're expired and it sucks that we may never get that flavor again, but having the collectible boxes in my possession makes 2013 a success.  If you never picked up a box of Yummy Mummy or Frute Brute, I suggest you do so soon.  Once scalpers catch wind of their value, you'll end up paying 10x what those boxes were worth.

TMNT Crush: Raphael Strawberry

As TMNT Week continues here on The Holidaze, we discuss our final Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle in the Crush soda collection - Raphael!  Known for his signature red eye band and rude attitude, Raphael is the loose cannon of the bunch.  He's hot-headed with a quick temper, but is loyal to his family regardless of their differing opinions at times.  While he may not be the leader, he's second in command and strives to be the best in his own way.  He's certainly the yin to Leonardo's yang and, together, they balance each other and the group perfectly.  So while Raph wouldn't like that he's the last Turtle to be reviewed, he may feel better once he hears how extremely difficult his flavor was to find in stores!

Raphael's Strawberry Crush can was the first one I discovered on Instagram.  I was shocked to see it existed and even after it was proven to be a reality, you still could have fooled me because I couldn't find Raph anywhere.  Maybe that's symbolic of who Raph is as a character.  While he's loyal to his family and defends his brothers, he's still very much a loner who would protect New York City as a solo vigilante if he could, but knows he's 4x less than what his brothers are as a team.  Maybe Raph was so hard to find because he was out on his own but, in the end, he came to his senses and finally joined forces with me at my local Path Mark.  It took me long enough, but Raphael is home, whether he likes it or not.

Like all Ninja Turtle cans, Raphael's is designed perfectly and, again, the colors contrast very well.  Usually, whenever you bring green and red together, it's hard to not think of Christmas, but Crush managed to avoid that trap.  Between the splatter logo, fruit slice and turtle shell, the can stands on it's own as something different; something special.  Of course, Raphael's eyes and brows are especially aggressive along the rim.  Since the first animated series, Raph has gone from funny sarcasm to a true bad ass.  His eyes say a lot and I'm sure the new film will back up that sentiment.

As a kid, I always wanted to be Michelangelo.  He's always been my favorite and I wanted to relate to him, but the truth is I'm much more like Raphael than any other turtle.  Sure, a nerdy blog that focuses on holidays and nostalgia probably doesn't back that up but, in real life, I'm the guy that loves to lead but lets my emotion get in the way of sound decisions.  Thankfully, much like Raph, I'm able to make the best of those decisions and have an awesome family to rally behind me, making me better than I could ever be on my own.  I think the majority of us can relate to Raph, but I'm nowhere near the bad ass he is.  For example, as I was taking photos outside on my deck, I had to run inside like a chicken because a swarm of wasps decided to make their Summer debut on a 90 degree day.  Unlike my wimp ass, they refused to leave the area, but I found my courage, got back out there and rushed these photos for your viewing enjoyment.  That's T-U-R-T-L-E Power!

I know Strawberry Crush has been around for some time, but I've never experienced the flavor.  I knew it would be delicious because I've read rave reviews in the past, but I was excited to finally form my own opinion.  It's awesome, but very sweet.  The best comparison I can make is to "Crazy Hair" candy.  Oh man, when I was a kid, Crazy Hair was available at the Corner Store and my cousin and I bought one every day.  They were sooo sweet and sugary that the rush was inevitable.  For an 8-year-old, the amount of sugar we took in was probably comparable to a drug, but we used the high to play wiffle ball.  We were like little A-Rod's on the block thanks to our Crazy Hair.  Well this Strawberry Crush flavor tastes exactly the same and it instantly brought back a wave of nostalgia and a retro rush of memories.  For that alone, Raphael Strawberry Crush is a great success, but even if you have no attachment to the flavor, I can almost guarantee you'll enjoy this variety of TMNT Crush.  What I can't guarantee is that you'll be able to find any bottles or cans.

Coming Soon: TMNT Crush

We live in a unique time.  Thanks to technology, specifically social media, the way in which we acquire news has changed greatly since I was a kid.  Back then, you either watched the news or bought tomorrow's newspaper to find out what's going on in the world.  When it came to new products, you'd either catch a commercial, advertisement, or get lucky when searching the aisles.  But nowadays, the world is at the tip of our fingers and everything is updated in real-time.  Today, with a quick search, it's much faster to find news on Twitter than any other media outlet.  In fact, in that same regard, those of us who used to read the news can now make our own.  Now, more than ever, nobody is a nobody.

In terms of The Holidaze, where I discuss new products, toys, events, nostalgia and, of course, holidays, this new age we live in can be just as effective.  In my down time (and when I'm killing time at work,) I'll randomly search hashtags on Instagram in relation to my interests.  It only takes a second and, before ya know it, there are thousands of #halloween photos to go through.  Try doing a quick #80s or #90s search and go on a trip back in time for a true ride down memory lane.  For so many reasons, Instagram has become my favorite social media outlet and it's where I find a lot of Holidaze topics.

Most recently, while doing a #TMNT search, I stumbled across something absolutely awesome!!

As I've stated here before, I am a HUGE Ninja Turtles fan!  They're my favorite cartoon characters of all-time and, to this day, you'll still find me collecting merchandise and watching the classic 80s toon.  So when I saw this, posted by @its_lpk-all_day, my jaw immediately dropped.  With the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film being released on August 8th, the movie promotion has clearly begun!  This brand new can of Crush Soda is specifically designed for Raphael and is Strawberry flavored to match his colored eye band.  This is almost too perfect that it was hard to believe.  Then, as I looked closely, I started to think it was fake.  If you look at the logo, it looks as if it's poorly cut-out.  So I tried not to get my hopes up, especially because this was the only photo I found, and just forget about it until something else came along.

Then, today, I saw.... this!!  In a similar search, @thepleasuretheprivilegeismine posted this masterpiece!!  If this doesn't make it official, then I don't know what will!  Not only are we getting Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Crush soda cans, we're getting 12-packs specifically designed and flavored to match all four Ninja Turtles.  Raphael will be Strawberry and I assumed Donatello will be Grape while Michelangelo will be Orange.  That makes sense, but I wasn't sure which blue flavor would be applied to Leonardo.  Well, now we know.. Crush Berry Punch!  As far as I know, this flavor has never been released before and will be making it's debut with our fearless leader!  Now, are there flavors for April, Splinter and Shredder, too?  I don't know, but I highly doubt it.  In reality, the only other flavor I can fathom is lime.  Perhaps we'll get a mutagen TGRI can to represent all four turtles.  That would put this over the top, but I'm already ecstatic over this promotional product.  It's a good sign for TMNT products and I hope to see much much more in the coming months.

As soon as I find these packs, they'll be here on The Holidaze.  Until then, keep your eyes peeled!!

Fruit Punch Oreo Cookies

In the day and age of social media, new products are often discovered by Insta-friends and Twitter-buds before I ever knew they existed.  On one hand, it's amazing that we have such a connection that allows us the opportunity to share things we may have missed on our own.  But, on the other hand, the days of walking into a store and feeling as if you were the first to ever find something are fleeting.  It's been quite a while since I found a product and said, "Whoa, why have I never seen this before?"  Remember those days?  Well, last night was one of those nostalgic nights for me.  My girlfriend and I made a run to Wal-Mart, as if we were Maggie and Glen, in hopes of finding something unique for Easter.  My hopes weren't very high, but something immediately caught my eye (that rhymed!).  I moved passed the automatic doors, looked to my left, and saw those yellow Oreo bags that I've come to know and love.  No, not the "Golden Oreo" bags, but the much more special "limited edition" bags reserved for only the best of wild and crazy flavors.  But what was this?  I was a bit far away and hoped that it wasn't a Watermelon re-release or something else I've tried before, so I approached with caution.  I noticed a giant red ball behind the logo and as it got clearer, I knew exactly what this was -Fruit Punch!!  Yes, if the giant design above didn't already tip you off, there is yet another limited-edition Oreo flavor and it is, amazingly, FRUIT PUNCH!

The first thing that went through my mind was, "Wow, how the hell has this not been posted on Instagram yet?"  My second thought was, "Fruit punch? That's verrrry interesting and, oh yeah, you're coming home with me."  I was pumped!  Not only did I find something new without any type of heads up, but I absolutely love anything Fruit Punch flavored.  I can't tell you how many Frooties I've eaten in my life because I used to buy giant jars of the Fruit Punch flavored tootsie rolls.  Now, don't get me wrong, I had no idea how this would translate into a cookie, but I couldn't wait to find out and share it all with you.  So, the first thing I did was snap a picture and post it on Instagram.  I was so excited, I put it on both accounts - The Holidaze and my personal gram!

As expected, the photo received a lot of attention but, to my surprise, most of it was negative.  Many of you think that Nabisco has gone too far and may have lost their minds.  Others said that they need to quit it with these crazy flavors.  More said that this is enough and it needs to stop.  To be honest with you, this shocked me.  I've said it before and I'll say it again - I LOVE the limited edition Oreo flavors simply for the fact that they're always bringing us something new.  Don't get me wrong, not every one of their flavors have been a hit, but why in the world would I want Nabisco to stop?  At the end of the day, they're giving me a product that nobody else is offering and continues to change things up as the seasons change.  It's not like these cookies are replacing traditional Oreo cookies, so why are people complaining?  These are simply bonus additions to the flavors and varieties that Nabisco is already offering.  I'll never have a problem with that!  How many times have I asked a company to go above and beyond, to go that extra mile, to enhance the consumers' experience and give them something to talk about?  That's what Nabisco is doing and they're hitting a home run, at least in terms of reaction, each and every time.  So if anybody from Nabisco is reading this - Don't stop!  Keep 'em coming!

Open up the bag and, wow, the scent is undoubtedly the strongest of any limited edition Oreo cookies I've purchased thus far.  It's as if I just threw a silver pouch of Capri Sun on the floor and mixed the splatter with Fruit Punch Snapple.  That might not make any sense, but the Fruit Punch aroma and the strength that comes with it is so amazing that it doesn't need to!  Granted, it helps if you're a fan of Fruit Punch, but I am and can't get enough of the sweet smell!  To go with it, another one of our senses is rocked by the bright pink/red colored creme in the middle.  It could be the rise in temperature, but these remind me of Spring and are perfect for its arrival.

I've been writing about limited edition Oreo cookies since they first released the Candy Corn variety and, in that time, I've learned something very important.  So many consumers go into these experiences with false expectations.  When you hear the word "Oreo," you think of two chocolate wafers connected by a white, frosted, creme.  Traditional Oreos have a very distinct taste and flavor and many feel it shouldn't be tampered with.  If anything, you accept and draw the line at "Golden Oreo" cookies and call it a day.  I get it, I understand that, but that's not what these Oreo cookies are.  These are something entirely different and should be embraced for what they are, not what you think they should be or what you're comparing them to.  Look at it this way, if Nabisco didn't attach the Oreo brand with the Fruit Punch cookie flavor, would it still be "gross?"  I don't think so and it's because so many are diving in with preconceived notions.  From day one, I separated "tradition" from "limited-edition" and welcomed every new flavor in a different way.  Look at them as flavored cookies rather than flavored Oreos because, if you don't, you may always think that Nabisco is crossing the line and messing with a product you and I love so much.

Now, for as objective as I am when reviewing these limited-edition flavors, I knew I'd be a bit biased this time because, as I said, I love Fruit Punch flavored things.  I'm still hoping for a re-release of Cap'n Crunch Punch Crunch, but won't hold my breath.  For these cookies, I was skeptical, but believed they'd impress me and, thankfully, they lived up to my own hype.  These Fruit Punch Oreo cookies are simply awesome and, so far, they're my favorite of any limited-edition Oreo varieties I've reviewed in the past.  Yes, they're sweet - very sweet - but that's what separates them from the rest for me.  As you're chewing these cookies, your taste buds are taken for a ride as the levels of Fruit Punch intensity go up and down.  Okay, I might be getting a bit carried away over a damn cookie, but I'm very happy to have found these and even happier that Nabisco came up with this idea.  If you like Fruit Punch as much as I do, you're going to love these.

But the best way to describe the creme flavor?  What a perfect time for a segue way!

I'm willing to bet money that, as soon as you smell these Fruit Punch Oreo cookies and chomp into one, you're going to think of bubble gum.  For me, it was Bubblicious: Tropical Fruit.  I spent years of my childhood going down to the corner store and spending whatever little money I had on different packs of Bubblicious.  Tropical Fruit was always one of my favorites and is, without a doubt, extremely close to that of Fruit Punch Oreo.  Obviously you're not going to blow a bubble with creme so, again, don't let your preconceived notions misguide you into believing something that isn't true.  The flavor is close, but it's not like they threw a piece of gum in between two Oreo cookies.  It's a totally different experience but, ironically, I found a brand new (new to me) Hubba Bubba Hawaiian Punch pack near the cashier's line.  Fruit Punch was last night's theme and this was another must-buy.

Does this new Hubba Bubba Bubble Gum actually taste like Hawaiian Punch?  Oh yeeeeaaahhh!  Did you read that like the Kool-Aid Man?  No, two different brands, I wanted you to read that like Macho Man Randy Savage.  If you didn't, it's all good and that's on me for crossing the streams.  But look, if you try this gum and Fruit Punch Oreos in the same night, you're going to find that the flavor is exactly the same while the texture makes all the difference.  They're both delicious, but each provide different experiences.  Hawaiian Punch?  I'll take that in small and moderate doses.  But the Fruit Punch Oreos?  I'm eating them as I type this and am already planning on picking up another bag.  It's possible that I'm in the minority, but I love the Fruit Punch Oreo cookies and can't wait to see what else Nabisco has up their sleeves!

Cap'n Crunch - Sprinkled Donut Crunch

It's March 11th, it's absolutely beautiful outside and the snow is finally melting.  I think that's as good a reason as any to bounce back and write a new post for The Holidaze.  It's surely been a while - almost a month - and I hate when the downfalls take place.  It's common this time of year, but it aggravates me when I can't find new topics or the time to cover them.  If you follow me on Instagram @HolidazeBlog, you might have already seen today's topic posted and, surprisingly, it caught a lot of attention and increased my number of followers by more than expected.  So if you're not one of them yet, make sure you are one now!  During the "off-season," I find myself focusing more on social media and pictures than the site itself.  It's quick and easy!  Now.. Let's get into the crunch - Cap'n Crunch's Sprinkled Donut Crunch, that is!

Like many of the new products I cover and am interested in, I first discovered this on Instagram and was thrilled to find out it wasn't an elaborate hoax.  Why does new cereal intrigue me so much?  I think it's because I've never had a really bad cereal and they all bring something different to the breakfast table.  Growing up, it was all I ate.  Whether it was the early morning or a late night snack while watching Nick-at-Nite, nothing's better than a bowl of cereal and milk.  This past weekend, I was sick with a cold and didn't have an appetite for much, but cereal is something I've never not been in the mood for.  So yeah, new boxes and flavors will always attract my attention and, really, Cap'n Crunch always has something new up his sleeve to entice us with.

I knew Donut Crunch would look cool, but I didn't think it would look that awesome.  The tiny donuts, covered in rainbow sprinkles, look too good to be considered cereal.  They're also pretty big.  I was expecting them to be the size of Cheerios, but they're more like Cheerios on steroids.  I was impressed by them in every way and they were already living up to my expectations.  In terms of flavor, they're hard to describe, but there's definitely a distinct donut flavor.  They remind me plain and glazed Entenmann's donuts that come in variety boxes.  There's also a hint of birthday cake flavor thrown in that works really well.  I think we can attribute that to the sprinkles.  Overall, these little rings of Heaven are great and worth every penny.  It's your traditional Cap'n Crunch undertone covered in Donuttiness.  Not a word?  Now it is!

Before I conclude, I think this little bit of info is important for those interested in trying Sprinkled Donut Crunch.  According to various reviews I've read, especially on TheImpulsiveBuy, this new cereal is very similar to that of Sprinkle Spangles.  They were star-shaped sprinkled bits that I vaguelyyyy remember and most of my memory is sparked by Google images so I can't confirm or deny, but if you were a fan of Sprinkle Spangles, this may be the return you've been waiting for.  It's an added bonus to this limited-edition and it may be better than any premium they could have thrown in the box.

Based on my research, Cap'n Crunch has released a plethora of limited-edition flavors in the past and I'd absolutely love to give them a try if ever resurrected.  It looks like I missed out on a bunch before my time, but just look at these names - Punch Crunch, Vanilly Crunch, Polar Crunch, Choco Crunch, Deep Sea Crunch, and Volcano Crunch - whoaa!!  I remember a few, but never tried them.  I'm particularly intrigued by Fruit Punch flavored cereal, but they all sound awesome.  So if Sprinkle Spangles can come back for all of you, I'm holding out hope that a few others return for me.  In the meantime, Sprinkled Donut Crunch is a hit!

P.S.  St. Patrick's Day is less than a week away, so get ready for a few posts here and there celebrating the color green, shamrocks, leprechauns, beer, and - oh, right - my heritage :)

Marshmallow Crispy Oreo Cookies

Back again with part two of the new limited-edition Oreo flavor reviews.  Hopefully you enjoyed reading all about the Cookie Dough Oreo cookies because we're about to see how they match up against the new Marshmallow Crispy Oreo cookies.  When I first read about these, I overlooked the flavor name and thought they were "marshmallow" flavored.  That didn't entice me at all because I'm not a fan of marshmallows and usually only have them in the house when we're making marshmallow treats.  Well, what a perfect segue way, because that's exactly what these Oreo cookies really are.  There's a huge difference between "marshmallow" and "marshmallow crispy."  Once I actually took the time and paid attention to the name, I was pretty pumped for these, even more so than the Cookie Dough Oreos!

It wasn't even the name that turned my thoughts around, but that giant marshmallow treat in the background.  As soon as I saw that, I knew what these were supposed to be.  That's proper usage of graphic design and I appreciate that Nabisco went two different routes for two very different flavors.  While Cookie Dough was a chocolate cookie in a blue bag, Crispy Marshmallow is a golden cookie in a yellow bag.  I think that's the appropriate route for each respective flavor because the opposite just wouldn't work.  Besides, I personally like the traditional Golden Oreo cookies better, so this one raised my hopes pretty high.  Are they too high?  Will my expectations be met, exceeded, or will it all come dwindling down?

Open the bag and, whoa, these smell just like marshmallow treats.  Specifically, these smell like the pre-packaged Rice Krispie Treats that you can buy in stores.  That's exactly what I was hoping for so, already, we're going in the right direction.  The Cookie Dough Oreos started to fizzle as soon as we opened the bag and realized it wasn't living up to its name or the hype, but Marshmallow Crispy isn't disappointing, at least not yet, and that's a great sign for this limited-edition flavor.

The creme is thick and creamy, even more so than the Cookie Dough flavor or any other limited-edition that I can remember.  I'm not sure what those tiny pieces in the mix are supposed to be, but there are more than enough of them.  Are they pieces of marshmallow treats?  Are the Rice Krispies?  The bag doesn't state one way or the other, but I can only assume that they're supposed to make this cookie taste more like "Marshmallow Crispy" treats.  Let's find out!

The entire cookie practically falls apart when you bite into it, and I guess that's because there's so much creme, but the amount of creme really doesn't matter because this is a far stretch from a marshmallow treat.  This tastes like nothing more than a basic Golden Oreo cookie.  I mean, maybe you get little hints of marshmallow treats here and there, but that may just be me making things up in my head to justify this purchase.  Those little pieces in the center aren't even anything special, they're just tiny chunks of Golden Oreo cookies.  Even as somebody who isn't a fan of marshmallows, I would have hoped and expected for more of a marshmallow taste than this.  It just doesn't work.

Because I recommend purchasing every and all limited-edition Oreo cookies, just so they'll keep making more, I'm going to do the same for this one.  However, I think you'll agree that there's nothing special aside from the packaging and smell.  After that, it's just the same old cookie you could buy all year-round.  It's disappointing because I had such high hopes for each of these cookie flavors, but neither blew me away.  If I had to pick one over the other, Cookie Dough easily wins in terms of difference and novelty.  But in terms of flavor, I'm still picking Marshmallow Crispy Oreos just because I'd see myself eating more of these in the long run.

I'm sure we'll see more limited-edition Oreo cookies in the near future, and even when they're disappointing, that's never a bad thing.  I love the thrill of searching and finally finding these flavors.  I love the excitement that comes with tasting these and sharing my thoughts with all of you.  Whether they're a hit or a miss, I appreciate Nabisco trying new things with their famous brand of Oreo cookies and attempting to give us all something we never expected.  So, good or bad, keep 'em coming because, like it or not, I'm going to keep on buying.

Three Musketeers - Strawberry Dark Chocolate

It's been exactly one month since my last Holidaze post and, as is common with this time of year, I saw it coming.  I told myself I wouldn't let the off-season affect the way I treated the site, but between work and the lack of topics, it's just natural.  But, to some degree, I wanted to stay true to my word and keep up with the site as much as possible.  Although I haven't had a lot of down time to dedicate to The Holidaze, I couldn't let Valentine's Day, which is now only 2-days away, come and go without paying it due diligence.  I've never covered it before, but this year had to be different, so we're kicking off the 2-day V-Day marathon with the hottest of cupid's products.

3 Musketeers Strawberry Dark Chocolate Minis!!

I first saw this on Instagram and knew it would be February's biggest hit.  Look, you can take any old Snickers or Reese's and shape it into a heart, but that just isn't going to cut it anymore.  You need to go the extra mile because that's what's going to attract me and make me spend my money, especially for a less popular holiday like Valentine's Day.  Let's face it, it's a day for love, couples, and girls.  I'm not against either of those, but it's far from wrestling and basketball so it takes a lot to lure me in and get me to spend money on myself.  But this year? You win, 3 Musketeers!  You had me at Strawberry..

Now, these may or may not be new, but having never covered Valentine's Day before, they're completely new to me.  I think I remember seeing a cherry flavored edition in the past, but didn't take the time to investigate the product.  This year, I wasn't going to let this get away.  Look at the pink and silver contrast with the red and purple to create the perfect Valentine's Day rainbow.  You couldn't incorporate better colors to appeal to my eye.  For me, sometimes it's more than just whatever flavor they're offering, it's about product design and how far they'll go to make it complete.  Not every product can change their taste, and some don't have to, but that doesn't mean you can't change a few colors and logos to celebrate the season.  For me, 3 Musketeers was already a success before I even tried the minis.  Package design and art always go a long way.

I love milk chocolate, but tend to avoid dark chocolate.  I've never liked the flavor.  It's like dark beer - I'll drink it, but would rather not.  In this case, I was willing to make the exception because I figured there had to be a reason why the 3 Musketeers chose dark over milk.  It had to work better with the strawberry and I trusted my three homies.  They wouldn't steer me wrong, so it wasn't really an issue for me.  Dark or milk, I had complete faith that this would be well worth it.

Man, I couldn't get my iphone to take a picture that does the color justice, but the pink strawberry filling is beautiful.  It screams Valentine's Day and tastes great.  For as much as my iphone doesn't do the visual justice, I don't think my words can do so for the flavor, either.  This is awesome.  It's strong, it's sweet, and tag teams with the dark chocolate well enough to be champions.  Usually, whenever I buy one of those big, overpriced, heart-shaped boxes of variously assorted chocolates from Russel Stover, I tend to avoid the strawberry filled candies.  They never appeal to me so I go straight for the caramel and call it a day.  But this?  This is the best starberry/chocolate candy I've ever had.  This is what should be offered in those big boxes because it puts all others, and their price tags, to shame.

Whether you're single and want to revel in your freedom or you're with that special someone who wants to indulge in your sweetness, this is the way to go.  Either way, you can't go wrong because this takes your regular, every-year Valentine's Day to the next level.  We know V-Day is all about candy, teddy bears, and flowers, so you're 1/3 of the way there and it's a lot cheaper than ordering that big box on February 13th.  I'm looking at you, guys, I'm right there with ya.  But don't pay an arm and a leg to get whatever body part it is you're trying to get on Valentine's Day.  Let the 3 Musketeers be your wingmen (or wingwomen) and you're good to go ;)