What is Your Favorite Oreo Flavor??

I'm working with Oreo and Dollar General to bring you some fun times and yes, some cookie flavors we tried out!

*Disclaimer: I was provided the party pack in exchange for hosting a party for Oreo. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed. All opinions shared are mine or my guests.*

First off, I was asked to get my cookies from Dollar General. This is not somewhere I would normally go to get... well, anything! Occasionally I will drop in, usually around the holidays. You never can tell what kinds of fun finds they might have. But they do have a great new app. So, who knows? We might be stopping in more often. 

Their selection of Oreo cookies was lacking, in my opinion. So we grabbed a pack there and then grabbed other flavors from another store.

Let's talk Oreo

Who has not tried an Oreo cookie at least once in their lives?? If you live in the States, chances are really good you have had one. At least once. And if you haven't.... Maybe you are Amish? I mean they are a treat that just about any person I know should be able to recognize. And the flavors?? Oh man.... I've been testing various flavors they put out FOR YEARS! Some are huge hits. Some are misses. But they are always a fun experience. 

For the party, Oreo sent soooo much swag! I mean... This party pack was absolutely AMAZING! And I had fun giving them out. I invited friends from our church family to come hang out. We shared so many laughs while playing and talking. Comparisons of favorite flavors were also included! 

We tried the Oreo Thins, Mega Stuf, Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie, and Birthday Cake flavors. Personally, out of these flavors, I'd say the Mega Stuf was my favorite. The Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie one was very similar in taste to Nutter Butter cookies, according to my guests. 

My guests were the best! We didn't have instructions on how to use the included silly straws, but we had fun figuring them out. 

My daughter suggested that I make a cake that looked like an Oreo. So I gave it my best shot. It came out a bit lopsided, but I've heard it tasted wonderful still. 

Overall, I think Oreo got a lot of love! They are a highly versatile snack food. Sweet treat, after school snack, movie snack, part of a fantastic dessert - the options just keep coming. They are often creating new flavors, both limited editions and ones that join the popular ranks of staples on the store shelves. And let's not forget - you can find them just about anywhere! Including Dollar General! 

Do you have a favorite flavor? I'd love to hear what it is. So drop me a comment below. Have you tried any of the limited edition flavors? We have! Do you remember the Blueberry Pie? How about the more recent Mario ones? Here's to seeing what comes next.

Creative Meals With Heinz 57 Sauces!

I love cooking. The easier the meal, the better. Especially since I started having so much pain. But I don't want to sacrifice healthy or tasty for ease. I've discovered that sauces can go a long way in keeping the balance for all 3 of these needs! 

*Disclaimer: I was sent a party pack in exchange for hosting a dinner party as well as sharing my reviews. All opinions are mine or my guests alone. I was not otherwise endorsed.*

I'm not as knowledgeable in Heinz 57 sauces. Once upon a shopping trip, I only knew of its original sauce. They have certainly branched out since then! I was sent several sauces. And even some other party materials. I'll show you my unboxing below. Then we can talk about the cooking and tasting!

Okay, this is why I don't make videos often. I feel so awkward in them. But at least you get to see what I was sent to work with as I prepared for the feasting. 

Sauce choices include...

We found the sauces at our local Walmart. These are sauces I don't think I would have tried unless I was doing the party. Not that I wouldn't think them good. Just that they are a shot in the dark with my picky eaters.  There are 5 flavors to choose from, 3 are crunchy and 2 are infused with honey.
 

We decided to make the Crunch Chili Pasta recipe that had been sent in the pack. However, in my normal cooking habits, I modified the recipe a bit.

I decided to use ramen noodle instead of spaghetti and pair it with egg rolls as the side dish. It was a super simple meal to put together using the Chili Pepper Crunch sauce. I also added small pieces of pork loin into it. 

Next up was trying the Roasted Garlic crunch sauce. Heavy on the garlic, not so much on anything else. This was the one that was least liked. I could see it working better if it was used with another sauce of some sort, maybe. Not so much alone.

The final sauce in the crunch variety is the Mandarin Orange Miso. I saved the best for last! This one was the winner of the taste test. Even a couple of the kids preferred this one most. Perfect blend of the orange with seasoning. Slow cooked some pork with this one too. (We only ever seem to have pork now.) Served with fried rice and sides.

What about the honey?

Now we move on to talking about the final two sauces. Both of these are infused with honey to give them a sweet tone. As soon as I looked up the one with truffle in the title (Infused Honey with Black Truffle), I knew that one wasn't happening for our family. My husband said if it comes from the mushroom family, it doesn't serve our family. So I gave that one away to guests. The Infused Honey with Chili is the other one, however. I cooked this one slow with pork and served over rice. Taste-test for this one showed that it was more favorable among the adults than the kids. My sons reaction was that it was "too sweet". His loss! This was one of my favorites. 

Pricing and Location! 

Two important factors for my family when buying groceries are how much it cost and where to find them. We found these in the sauce aisle of our local Walmart. A quick search should even tell you what aisle they would be in your local store IF they are carried. As for pricing, each bottle is $6.78. Which makes one full meal as you have seen from the dishes I created and served. 

Over all, I'd say they each have merit. Best 2 were the Honey Infused Chili and the Mandarin Orange Miso Crunch. I would gladly make those again and be looking for new recipes that included them.

Galentine's Day With the Body Shop! (Review Included)

Galentine's Day falls the day before Valentine's Day. A day to celebrate the women in your life, or your 'gal pals'. Ripple Street partnered with the Body Shop to host a Galentine's Party with me. It was so much fun! Despite the crazy video issues. I invited several of the ladies in my life to share in the fun. 

*Disclaimer: My guests and I all received products for free in exchange for me hosting the virtual party and writing a review. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed. All opinions are my own.*

Who is the Body Shop?

In 1976, Anita Roddick decided to make revolutionary changes to beauty. She believed she could use the business as a force for good. They strive to empower women and girls in feeling beautiful. Not by making them look like someone else, but in feeling good in their own skin! They go for sustainable creation of their products. But they also want to keep as natural as possible with their products. In a world where chemicals seem to be in everything, it is nice to come across products that stray from the norm.

What did I get?

Each of us got different things. Which was really cool. I enjoyed hearing about their products and how my guests felt about them. The one thing we all received is the Carrot Wash. This is totally vegan and made to re-hydrate your skin. It is really orange, and reminds me of blended carrots with gel. Totally orange like a carrot, but in a smooth gel form. My skin was incredibly smooth after using it though.

The Vitamin C Glow-Protect Lotion went on well and was definitely a good moisturizer. However, I noticed it was pretty oily for me. I had to wash my hands after applying. I had used it right after using the Carrot Wash, so maybe my skin was too oily already. The smell was nice though. 

I also received the British Rose Plumping Mask. Love the scent of roses that it has. This one is meant to re-hydrate the skin., while plumping and toning it. Another totally vegan option. Oh I loved how my face felt afterwards! The concoction looked a little weird, smelled fantastic, and my skin was like silk. Absolutely love it! 

The Youth Serums are also fabulous! I can't believe how well they worked on softening and firming the skin. And all I used was the packets they sent. I love it!

What were our thoughts?

Personally, I enjoyed trying out the products. They are definitely different from anything else I have ever used. The Carrot Wash was amazing. I could see myself getting this product again.

My mother-in-law loved the Charcoal Mask and Youth Serum Cream. Since she has very sensitive skin, she tried the mask first on her hand. The silky smooth feeling lasted all week! Despite washing her hands a lot. The Youth Serum was another thing that had long-lasting effects. She thought the Carrot Wash smelled like her grandmothers house though - not in a complimentary way. 

My mother and sister-in-law both received the Tea Tree Oil products. My sister-in-law seemed to enjoy those most.  

Overall, I think the Youth Serum was a favorite of us all. The masks seem to do well in our crowd. And would be something I'd recommend to those wanting to get started with Body Shop products. 

Some of my other guests and their products. Lots of smiles all around! It was a fun time for us to chat and connect.

Settle In For Your Best Sleep Ever! (+ discount)

Getting a good nights sleep is always essential to healthy living. However, there are many things that get in the way of sleeping well. Besides stress or insomnia, some people sleep hot, can't sleep because the sheets slip and bunch from not fitting well or they wrinkle up. Everyone has a sleeping style. A way they typically sleep (or lose sleep). For us, we sleep hot. So having sheets that have the cooling technology is incredibly helpful. With Settle In, we can get just such a set that adds comfort to our sleep. 

*Disclaimer: I was sent this product through my association with Ripple Street, free of charge in exchange for my honest review and to show them off at a party. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed.* 

I was so excited when I heard about Settle In. They have so many options to fit your needs. They list out the sleeping styles as follows:

• Sleep hot
• Sleep green
• Sleep naturally
• Sleep easy
• Sleep tight

My husband and children, without a doubt, sleep hot. They have terrible dreams from overheating. More than once have I felt the sheets and pillow case dampened after my husband has slept on them. I think I would have preferred to pick something from the Sleep Green line, with the sustainable bamboo option, but I'd rather my husband cool off for a change.

I ordered the 525 thread count cooling cotton solid 4-piece sheet set in Dusk Blue. The color is beautiful! And they are so soft. I threw a house party to show these amazing products off. 

Then came the party! 

Ripple Street sent me all kinds of goodies to throw a fantastic party and share the news about Settle In. Hot/cold face masks, discount cards, grip sticks for our phones, coasters, lotion and book light for yours truly.

I made brownies and got some cookies to have with milk.

After all, if you are talking about sleep then you need to have a pre-slumber party! And slumber parties need great treats. 

Now is the time to buy! 

They are currently offering free shipping on all orders. They are also giving a portion of all sales to the REED Foundation for Autism. That's a cause I can sympathize with. Whether you want sheets for yourself, for your guests or as gifts - you are bound to find the perfect set or for your needs. 
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. What product do you like the most? Want to sae 20%? Use code GETSETTLED at checkout! Good until December 15th.

Sleep your best! Sleep well so that you can live well!