Lucky Charms - Valentine's Day Treats

For some reason, General Mills always gives Lucky Charms the special treatment when it comes to the holidays.  Whether it's a decorative box, a St. Patrick's Day cereal, or seasonal marshmallow treats, Lucky the Leprechaun always has a wee bit of Irish luck on his side.  For us, that's a great thing because it leads to awesome products that enhance the season and, of course, our Holidaze.  This one, which I caught at the last minute, was a cool surprise.  I missed out on the orange-bottom Halloween edition, so I was happy to see their was a pink-bottom Valentine's Day edition to make up it.

Look at Lucky, laying there with his head in his hand, thinking about the countless girls he picks up over the rainbow.  You don't smile like that when you're not getting Lucky, and that's gotta be his name for a reason.  I'm starting to think he's a bit of a player, because look at what the wrapper says - "To: Sophia From: Jacob."  Last I checked, his name isn't Jacob, but he's the one with the feathered pen.  So, either Lucky is writing this one for his friends and is more of a cherub named Cupid than a Leprechaun named Lucky, or he's giving out fake names when he pops out from cereal boxes.  I don't know about you guys, but "Taste Me Lucky Charms" is taking on a whole new meaning this Valentine's Day.  I see you, Lucky.. Play on playa..

In all seriousness, I think these mini treats are perfect for Valentine's Day.  When I was a kid, the boys would always bring in V-Day cards and candy for the girls in our class.  I only wanted to bring them in for the cute girls, but my Mom told me I couldn't do that and I had to bring them in for everybody.  That defeated the purpose, so I usually sat that one out and let the candy come to me on the down low.  But we didn't have Lucky Charms mini treats when I was a kid.  If that were the case, I would have easily brought these in for everybody, boys and girls, just to make the popularity meter go up.  It's been a while since I've been a kid, physically anyway, so I don't know if these would make somebody "nerdy" or not, but at 26-years-old, I'd consider it an affection of love.  Just make all 25 pouches out to Cliff and my heart is yours.

 

I've had Lucky Charm marshmallow treats in the past and absolutely love them.  I once bought two of the smaller boxes and killed them by the end of the day.  It was getting to the point that I ate too many and the thrill was gone.  Well, it's been a while since I've picked them up and, of course, as soon as I saw the pink-bottom icing, it was going down.  That's the selling point, but I knew what to expect in terms of flavor so it was really more of a bonus than anything else.  It just creates a Valentine's Day experience and enhances the spirit of this day.  It's cute, it's pretty, it's everything boys aren't supposed to like, yet I do and am not ashamed to tell you how much that pink makes me happy.  We've seen an orange variety on Halloween, a pink on Valentine's Day and, I can only hope, that there's a green variety on St. Patrick's Day.  Given the fact that Lucky is Irish, that makes more sense than the others!  If General Mills pulls that off next month, they may just break the home run record for awesomness.

To celebrate Valentine's Day, here's a Lucky Charms Treat from The Holidaze to you.  Yeah, you!  No, I'm not like Lucky.. I'm not a player.. I'm talking to you, not that other reader, but you, with the nice eyes made perfectly for reading The Holidaze :)

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Dunkin Donuts - Valentine's Day

I'm addicted to Dunkin' Donuts and ever since I've started my new job, it's become even worse.  We may need to have an intervention, because co-workers are starting to call me "Dunkin."  With a nickname like that, you'd think there'd be some type of endorsement.  Maybe a gift card or lifetime supply of iced coffee in the winter?  But no, just me and a whole lot of money spent on donuts and bagels.  But hey, when they say America runs on Dunkin, they're not lying - at least on the east coast - because I can't start my day off without it.  It's become my morning tradition.

Now, I've always been a fan of Dunkin' Donuts during the holiday seasons because of the awesomely themed donuts they release.  For example, they just had Super Bowl donuts available in Broncos and Seahawks colors.  That's the type of dedication that I appreciate, but at the same time, I know they can do better.  Remember when their Halloween donuts were especially special?  Between orange spider web icing and candy shaped monsters on top, they truly went all out.  Those were the days and moments that shaped what is now nostalgia associated with Dunkin' Donuts.  To commemorate those times and to keep the tradition alive, Dunkin' Donuts has released a variety of Valentine's Day themed donuts that needed to be tried.  At the request of my cousin, Allie @AllieRandz, they're being reviewed for The Holidaze!

We have a few varieties to choose from here and they're all ready for Valentine's Day.  First, Strawberry frosted is my favorite on any day of the year, but Chocolate frosted is a close second.  The pink and red sprinkles add to the V-Day experience.  Especially made for the season, we have the heart-shaped donuts.  Boston Creme and Cupid's choice are great and have been around for a few years, but I really want to focus on the last two - Brownie Batter and the brand new Cookie Dough!  I hadn't tried either one of them and it was over due.  When my cousin told me I needed to talk about them on the site, it reminded me and inspired me to finally pick up a dozen.  Thankfully the snow didn't stop me.

First out from the box is the Cookie Dough donut.  Looks great, right?  The chocolate icing and chips would be enough, but the fact that there's a filling in there that tastes like cookie dough is even better.  I really didn't know what to expect, because it's a unique flavor for a donut, but I wasn't going to judge the book by its cover because, if I did, it would have already been a success.  We had to dive in there and really test it out.

Ahhh.. Unfortunately, I'm not feeling this variety of Valentine's Day themed donuts.  I don't really taste anything that resembles Cookie Dough and the filling looks too much like gravy for me to find appetizing.  For some reason, it's tangy and tastes more like a sweet, alcoholic, vanilla than anything close to cookie dough.  I don't know, maybe I got a bad batch, but this isn't something I'd buy again.  In theory, it's an awesome concept and I appreciate the effort, but I'm not a fan of this edition and won't be looking for it again in the future.  I hate to say that I didn't like it, because I really wanted to, but I'd have to give it a 5/10 and most of that is thanks to the chocolate chips on top of the icing.  But I'm curious to hear what you have to say.  Have you tried the Cookie Dough donut?  Did you like it?  Share in the comments below!

Next up, we have Brownie Batter which is entering its second year at Dunkin' Donuts.  For as much as I like brownies, I missed out on this one last year and was pumped to get another chance at it.  I had high expectations because Dunkin' Donuts brought it back in 2014 so that had to mean it was a success last year and left people wanting more.  So, going in, I really thought this one was going to blow me away and make up for the lackluster Cookie Dough.

Oh man.. Happy Valentine's Day to me!  This is amazing!  How in the world did I neglect the Brownie Batter donut in 2013?  This is like a gift from God.  I think he sent Cupid down from Heaven with a bow and arrow in one hand and a Brownie Batter donut in the other.  This will bring complete strangers together and I bet it leads to long-term relationships with Brownie Batter as their foundation.  It's so good..  I mean, I love brownies so I may be a bit biased, but this completely makes up for the Cookie Dough donut and should be a year-round offering.  If you haven't tried one yet, get it while you can!  They're only available throughout February and, believe it or not, we're halfway through the month!  Where is all the time going?

The Holidaze will keep the Valentine's Day posts rolling with one more at 4pm, today.  Check back later!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

 

Happy Valentine's Day!! 

I know this may not be the most popular of holidays, and I get that it's largely associated with girly things that most guys aren't in to, but it's a pretty cool day if you ask me.  It's a day to celebrate the love we have for not only our significant others, but everybody we hold close to our heart.  Whether it's your Mother, Father, Brother, Sister, Son, Daughter, Friend, Cousin, Wife or Husband, today is a day to remind them how much they mean to you and let them know how much they're appreciated.  Candy, teddy bears, and balloons are great and they're one way of symbolizing that love and affection, but a simple word or warm embrace can do the trick.  You don't have to go out and spend money on the materialism that drives this site, but rather put the extra thought, that runs this site, behind your gesture to create an unforgettable memory or experience that lasts a lifetime.  It's not about what you do, but how you do it.  As is the case with everything, it's about going the extra mile to show somebody how much you care.

To commemorate this February 14th, here's a Valentine's Flashback Friday

In 2009, money was tight, but I wanted to create a memory for my girlfriend that would not only surprise her, but make her feel as special as she is to me.  So, we went down the shore on a cold February 13th and I went out to gather all the ingredients I needed to make some type of Valentine's Day breakfast.  The first thing I bought were a dozen roses and the biggest box of candy I could find.  I bought Valentine's Day cookies and donuts, made waffles and sandwiches because, honestly, I'm not much of a cook and that's about as good as it gets.  I picked up a box of cherry Pop-Tarts and Dr. Pepper Cherry to compliment the flavor and give us something red to drink.  To top it all off, I made her a bowl of Lucky Charms cereal.  But the kicker?  I picked out all of the heart-shaped marshmallows so that it would be her very own Valentine's Day cereal.  It was a huge hit and, of course, I scored some major brownie points for going the extra mile.  It cost me nothing but time but earned me the most beautiful smile I could ask for.

Looking back, I'm surprised General Mills hasn't released an all-hearts Lucky Charms cereal!  What are they waiting for?  That's perfect for V-Day and I'm speaking from experience.  Until then, start picking out those hearts, gentlemen!  She'll appreciate it!

Whether you're single, mingling, flirting, talking, in a relationship or not interested at all - you have somebody in your life that loves you and you love them back.  Use this day as an opportunity to embrace that feeling and show them how much they mean to you.

For all my Holidaze readers, I have two more Valentine's Day posts on deck to help commemorate the day and the connection I have with all of you.  After that, all this mushy gushy stuff is being put aside for green beer and shamrocks :) 

Red Velvet Valentine's Day M&M's

I had no problem finding Cherry M&M's, but the Red Velvet M&M's were a different story.  Whenever I can't find a product, I need to drive out to a Wal-Mart much further away because, for some reason, they always seem to carry more than my local retailers.  Over the years, they're to thank for Halloween and Christmas Crunch cereals, Oreo Cookies, and a few cakes and candies that have been unattainable elsewhere.  In this case, they're to thank again because they're the only location to offer me these highly sought after Red Velvet M&M's.

Red Velvet cake and cupcakes have been all the rage for quite some time.  I think the Food Network deserves the credit, especially Duff from Ace of Cakes and his TLC rival, Buddy the Cake Boss, for creating masterpieces with Red Velvet ingredients.  To be honest, I can't remember anybody mentioning or wanting the flavor before it hit the TV screen.  When I was a kid, I didn't even know what Red Velvet was.  Outside of some type of sensual cloth, I had no idea that it was something you can taste.  Now, and especially over the last few years, everything is being flavored in Red Velvet!  Candy, ice cream, cake - you name it.  But hey, I can't blame them.  When something is that popular, you have to cash in before it crashes down. M&M's are no exception and leave it to Ms. Green to lure us in with her freshly baked cupcakes topped with, what I can only assume are, crushed Red Velvet M&M's.  Some imagination, eh?

The M&M colors are nearly identical to that of the Cherry bag.  If not for the white M&M's thrown into the mix, I don't think you would be able to tell the difference.  The white makes sense, though, because it represents the icing on Ms. Green's cupcakes.  The only color I would have liked to see more of is a deep purple.  Why?  Just because I like the color and think it would work.  Does it matter?  Absolutely not, I'm just being picky at this point.

Just like the Cherry M&M, the Red Velvet version is chocolate on the inside with less of an impact when it comes to flavor.  This one reminds me more of the Pumpkin Spice and Gingerbread M&M's because there isn't much taste to it.  To me, it was still basically a chocolate M&M with very little Red Velvet in the mix.  To a degree, that's not a bad thing because, unlike the Cherry, it's far from overwhelming.  But, at the same time, a little bit more punch would have been appreciated and might have worked better.  Either way, It's a good pick-up and a welcome addition to the line of Valentine's Day M&M flavors.  Believe it or not, there are more than just these two bags that I've reviewed today, but these are the hot shots that deserve all the glory and acclamation.

It's the day before Valentine's Day, so if you're still behind and need to get something quick for that special someone in your life, then these are worth the money.  If you can find them, I'd recommend purchasing both.  I know they'll receive mixed reviews, as they have on The Holidaze, but they represent the season so well that they deserve a shot.  Throw them in with a bag of 3 Musketeers Strawberry Dark Chocolate and you're well on your way to sealing the deal.  Or a stomach ache, whatever comes first :)

Cherry Valentines Day M&M's

If there's one brand of candy that you can count on during the holiday seasons, it's M&M's.  The funny part is I'm not even a big fan of M&M's candy, but can't resist the various flavors that hit the shelves every few months.  Even if it's a taste that I'm not necessarily fond of, I pick up a bag and waste my money anyway, just to say I tried them.  Seriously, 95% of the bag sits there in my kitchen or in a bowl and never gets touched.  Once they're photographed and tasted for The Holidaze, they've served their purpose and can rest in peace.

Unlike many of the limited-editions I buy, Cherry M&M's was one that actually interested me.  It's rare that cherry and chocolate don't work out well together, so I assumed this would be a hit.  The package design, like all varieties of M&M's, is superb.  There's are friend Red again, sporting a bow tie and jacket, bringing you a big box of chocolates and two giant cherries.  Not sure what they represent, but my dirty mind thinks something other than these M&M's.  I mean, just look at the grin on his face - he's got something up his sleeve as he prepares for the big night.

To nobody's surprise, the Cherry M&M's are red and dark red.  We'll call it maroon to avoid any confusion, but the two colors are more than appropriate for the season and flavor.  I would have accepted green to represent the cherry stem, but then you're entering Christmas territory and this separates itself from the rest and symbolizes Valentine's Day as it should.  Besides the color, the smell is overwhelming.  I've review a few of these holiday bags over the years and, without a doubt, this was the strongest scent to fly out from the bag since I started.  It's sweet, strong and seductive.  Okay, maybe not seductive, but I needed a third "S" word to make that sound better.  Smelly would have been a turn off.

The inside is traditionally chocolate with a hint of cherry.  Actually, scratch that, a hint is undermining the amount of impact that this cherry flavor brings.  It's a smack in the face and that will lead to differing opinions.  I've had a few people give this bag a taste test and, so far, the reviews are mixed.  Even my own opinion isn't official yet.  I've had at least 6 since I opened the bag and I can't figure out if I like them or not.  One second I love them, but the next I can't stand them.  If that doesn't sum up Valentine's Day, then what else does?  But seriously, when it's good, I get a taste of Cherry Tootsie Pops which is awesome.  But, when it's bad, it's more like Cherry Nyquil and that isn't so great.  So this one is a bit up in the air and I think the only way to get a true review is for you to make the decision yourself.  I do recommend the Cherry M&M's, at least to try during this season, but I can't promise that you'll like them.

Here's another heart made from Cherry M&M's.  Because I go from having no time to having too much time on my hands.

Check back later today for another batch of M&M's - Red Velvet!

Junior Mints - Heart Shaped

I was walking through the aisles of Target a few weeks ago and something stood out at me - Junior Mints.  Now, that's not something I usually pay attention to, but after eating countless Peppermint Crunch Junior Mints during the Christmas season, the candy has now been on my radar.  Thanks to the success of Peppermint Crunch, I had my eyes peeled and picked up a Valentine's Day edition of Junior Mints that I was very excited to see and try.

Had these been your regular, old, boring, everyday Junior Mints, I would have walked on by and waited until December before giving them any more of my money.  But two things stood out and attracted me - heart shaped candies and red filling.  Like I said in my last post, it doesn't take much to lure me in and if you've been reading The Holidaze for a while, you should know that by now.  Red filling?  That's an instant sale.  In fact, if it weren't for the change in color, I don't think I would have even bothered with the heart shaped Junior Mints.  That's cute, but not enough for this manly man to waste a dollar.

After opening the box and looking at the size and shape of these Junior Mints, I realized I would have made a mistake had I walked on by and ignored the heart shape alone.  They're much bigger than I expected and look very cool.  They're perfect for Valentine's Day, but it was still all about the red filling.  If I didn't have that to entice me, this post would have ended here and I'd have nothing else to talk about.  The fact that we still have red mint filling to review is what's keeping this post alive.  Right?  Hmm..

My plan was to bite two, get a picture of the white and red next to one another, and upload them to my laptop.  I didn't intend on eating an entire box, but I had to find that damn red Junior Mint and, believe me when I tell ya, I was getting pissed off.  Bite after bite and all I kept seeing was your traditional white filling.  I thought there was supposed to be a variety here?  I thought I was going to see some red in this box, but I kept striking out on every attempt.  The only reason I bought this candy at all was to see the red filling and pretend I was a vampire or zombie eating a red heart on Valentine's Day, but things weren't looking good.  I bit at least 13 Junior Mint hearts, had only 4 left, before.. finally.. one damn heart.

Just as I was starting to lose hope, there is is!  It's too bad that there weren't any more than one because it truly looks awesome!  Of course I acted as if I was a walker feasting on the flesh of mere mortals.  That's to be expected, right?  Whether it's a celebration of love or not, you don't eat a red filled heart without throwing in a little horror.  Maybe it's a guy thing, but that was pretty much the only reason I bought this box at all.  Fortunately, I was able to experience the thrill of finding a red filled Junior Mint because I honestly thought it was turning into a case of false advertisement.  I have no idea if "one-to-a-box" is what they're going for or if I just caught some bad luck while walking down the aisle, but this was aggravating.  I felt like a kid looking for the Great White Shark in a box of "Shark Bites" fruit snacks.  After a while, you start to whine and throw in the towel.  Luckily I found this one and was able to share it with you.  Otherwise, a boring post would have been even more boring.  The red heart saved us all.

Because I literally bit into every Junior Mint in the box before throwing the wasted half-hearts out, I had to do something special with them.  So I designed a heart using all of my broken ones to give all of my Holidaze readers.  But the kid in me is coming out again and all I see now is a gang of white-filled walkers surrounding the lonesome red-filled heart as they attempt to attack and make him a walker as well.  Yeah, as you can tell, The Walking Dead is back and I'm a little bit more into that than I am Valentine's Day.

Normally I recommend most products I review, but I'd advise you to stay away from this one because you may be disappointed.  I don't know if you'll find more than one or not, but unless you like eating Junior Mints on a regular basis, this one isn't worth the money.

Little Debbie - Be My Valentine Brownies

Little Debbie never fails to disappoint around the holidays.  Whether it's Halloween, Christmas, Easter, or Valentine's Day, they always seem to release something that celebrates the season.  Sometimes, they come out with multiple products featuring different flavors and designs.  I used to put Hostess in first place, especially back when they had the Scary Cakes and awesome box art, but Little Debbie has taken over.  She goes all out every year and doesn't go out of business. Ohhhh snap!

Photo credit goes to Leaping to Learning because, honestly, I couldn't get creative enough with my positioning to get a decent image of this box.  If you've ever picked up a box of Little Debbie brownies, you know the box is long and awkward.  This doesn't make for great photos, but it does work out perfectly for package design.  As you can see, it's all decked out for Valentine's Day with red and pink hearts and displays the iced brownies prominently.  That's all well and good, but what really sold me was the red icing.  Once I saw that, Little Debbie was laying in my cart, just waiting to see my kitchen.

I always laugh how Little Debbie shapes her brownies because, when they're not square, they're still cut with straight edges.  Hearts are supposed to be rounded on top and met with a point at the bottom.  This heart is rugged and looks more like something a ninja would throw at you, but we all get the point (pun intended!)  On the bright side, the red icing is true to the box art and the pink and white heart-shaped sprinkles are appropriately designed and shaped.  If you can accept the awkwardly shaped heart for what it is, then you'll enjoy looking at this very cool brownie.

Of all the Little Debbie products offered, the brownies have always been my favorite.  I remember going up to my Grandfather's house and devouring an entire box while watching Batman and Animaniacs on the WB.  Cosmic Brownies came along and only enhanced the experience, so I'm very happy and filled with lots of nostalgia whenever I have them around.  The fact that they design and release these different varieties for the seasons is a bonus and I'll always go out of my way to pick them up.  Like every Little Debbie brownie I've had before this one, the "Be My Valentine" edition is a success.  The red icing is still the same icing we're used to, just colored for Valentine's Day, so if you're a fan of brownies and are easily sold by different colors (like me) then this is something you'll want to have in the house.  Eat one on Valentine's Day and think of me.  Even if you don't want to, I bet you will now, anyway ;)