UPDATE: Chex Mix party from MyGetTogether

So it's been a few weeks since my Chex Mix party from MyGetTogether, and I'm finally getting around to updating- sorry it took so long!

My roommate, another friend, and I enjoyed our Chex Mix while watching House (which we do every week).  The Chex Mix was a great addition to our weekly get-together.  Normally, we don't have snacks or we are all eating dinner while watching TV.  Because of all the flavors of Chex Mix provided by MyGetTogether, each of us was able to enjoy what we liked.  My friend and I quickly downed the bag of Turtle Chex Mix, while my roommate preferred the Original.  We were also given Honey Nut Chex Mix to sample.

After participating in my first MyGetTogether, I am eager for opportunities to host more parties.  I really enjoyed sharing the food and product information with my friends in a casual, fun environment.  On top of that, we all got to eat really great snacks!

Here's a shout-out to MyGetTogether and General Mills for such a wonderful opportunity!

General Mills & MyGetTogether- Chex Mix party!

First, I want to apologize for not posting as often as I should be.  Now that I'm back at school, I (a) have a lot less free time than I did over the summer, and (b) don't get samples as often.  My mailing address at school is a PO Box, and since most companies won't mail samples to PO Boxes, I have to wait until I go home to get my mail.

Next week, I will be hosting a Chex Mix MyGetTogether, courtesy of General Mills.  For those of you that have heard of HouseParty, this is a similar event.  (However- I haven't yet been selected for a HouseParty; it seems much easier to participate through MyGetTogether.)  I've been sent a "Host Kit" containing materials for my party.  Specifically, I've been given

• 3 bags of Chex Mix- original, Turtle, and Honey Nut
• football-themed paper plates and napkins
• a nice Chex Mix-branded plastic bowl, to fill with snacks
• coupons to share with my guests

Wow!  All of that, for me to share with my friends.  How generous!  It is obvious to me that General Mills really cares about their brand and their reputation with consumers.

My party will be spread over a few days, as I normally have friends over throughout the week. Since General Mills wants these MyGetTogethers to spread information about their brand, I will be sharing the Chex Mix, etc., with different groups of my friends as they visit me over the course of a few days.

I've put together a mini-blog type thing to chronicle my preparations for this party; it's also where I will post pictures and comments after the big event.  You can find it here.  Please check it out and comment!!

From now on, I'll put forth more effort into maintaining regular posts on this blog.  Stay tuned for updates about my MyGetTogether as well as some new product reviews!

Country Crock Original Butter

Rating: 9

I sampled Country Crock Original Butter as part of the Sam's Club open house this weekend. There were a lot of food samples, so many of my next posts will be reviews of these items.

The butter was served over corn. Unlike some butters that make food too greasy, Country Crock Original Butter imposed a sweet flavor on to the food. I can imagine it tasting great on anything from a bagel to other vegetables.

Since I do a lot of baking, I tend to buy sticks of butter and not tubs. However, if you are looking for a flavorful, sweet tub butter that won't make your food greasy, this is a must buy!

BzzAgent Campaign update - Orbit Gum

Rating (for the Orbit spearmint gum):  9

I was lucky enough to receive my Orbit Gum BzzKit early last week.  How generous- I got 5 packs of gum in 5 different flavors, as well as 6 BOGO coupons to give away to my friends.  BzzAgent relies on word-of-mouth marketing, so the campaigns are designed to facilitate conversations about the product.

I work at a day camp with a bunch of other college students or recent grads, and after lunch is the perfect time for gum.  I was able to share Orbit spearmint gum with my co-workers and give away the BOGO coupons, too.  It seems like Orbit will have some new customers!  I rarely ever chew gum, but even I love the long-lasting, sweet flavor of Orbit gum.  I liked that the gum did not lose its flavor too quickly, so it felt like a worthwhile product compared to some other gums.  The new retro package designs are cool, too- not necessarily a selling point for me, but nice if I was already going to purchase the product.

This BzzAgent campaign has been a really positive experience, and I'm looking forward to participating in more in the future!

You can reach the BzzAgent website by clicking on their button in the sidebar of my blog.  Let me know if you sign up!

Houlihan's Salsa Cruda Bruschetta

Rating: 9

Some folks from Houlihan's stopped by the camp I work at this afternoon to drop off food and coupons for the staff. How nice! (Of course, they were soliciting- but who doesn't like free food, especially after an entire day of working outside?!)

The bruschetta is made with perfectly seasoned chopped tomatoes atop an herb cream cheese spread. I tend to find bruschetta too garlicky, but the seasonings on this were not too overpowering, and the tomato flavor was very prominent. The herb cream cheese added a nice, fresh touch and also prevented the bread from getting too soggy. Fresh, soft italian bread completed this wonderful bite. My only complaint would be that the end pieces had a lot less topping than the middle- but, it still tasted delicious! I would be sure to order this the next time I go to Houlihan's.

Dunkin' Donuts Strawberry Coolata

Rating:  8

What a perfectly refreshing treat for a hot summer day!  I'm a huge fan of fruity-flavored things, and this drink was delicious!

The strawberry flavor is not too sweet, but sweet enough to still be really yummy.  Unlike a lot of fruit-flavored drinks, the Strawberry Coolata was not sticky-sweet or too sugary, which I was very pleased about.  The flavor is complemented perfectly by the slushee-like consistency of the drink, which cools you off while still tasting great.  I got my Coolata topped with whipped cream (one of my favorite foods =] ), and that just added another level of refreshing flavor.

I got my Coolata as part of my breakfast, and I am happy to say that it successfully took the place of juice (or whatever other cold drink you'd have with that meal).  So, it's perfect any time of day!

The one problem I did have was that as I got to the bottom of the cup, there was a lot more ice and a lot less strawberry flavor than in the rest of the Coolata.

However, I ordered a medium and it was HUGE- so DD is definitely doing their part to make the price worthwhile.  Yum!

Chick-fil-A Spicy Chicken Sandwich

Rating:  1

This sandwich did not live up to my previous experiences with Chick-fil-A sandwiches.  In fact, I ate less than half of my Spicy Chicken Sandwich before throwing it away.

As someone who generally likes spicy foods, I was repulsed by the combination of spices used on this sandwich.  They were too overpowering, making it impossible to eat more than one bite at a time without taking a drink of water in between.  Besides that, the actual flavor of the spices did not taste good, so even when I looked past the overwhelming spiciness of the chicken, I disliked its flavor.

To make the sandwich more appealing to a larger population, Chick-fil-A should have focused on making a flavorful, slightly tangy "spicy" sandwich instead.

For a sandwich that has been so highly advertised, I was expecting much more from the Spicy Chicken Sandwich.  Unfortunately, this is one item I will not be purchasing in the future.

Dunkin' Turbo

[I don't drink coffee, so I had some guests of mine try this sample for me.]

Rating:  7 (6+8)

Taster #1:  It's pretty good...a darker roast than the usual Dunkin' Donuts coffee.
Taster #2:  Good tasting and smooth...a stronger roast than most coffee but not too strong.

Maxwell House Vanilla Caramel Latte

Rating:  1

I was very disappointed to not like this sample, but it fell extremely short of my expectations.  I made the Vanilla Caramel Latte using a little bit less than 8 oz. of warm milk, as directed on the package.  After making the drink, I found the milk to be very overwhelming compared to the proposed flavor of the mix.  I was completely unable to taste the vanilla, and the "caramel" flavor came across as very sweet but unidentifiable as caramel.  I'm not sure if adding less milk would have done anything to alleviate the problem, as the drink was too sweet even as the vanilla flavor disappeared.

I am not the world's biggest coffee drinker, but I normally don't mind drinking it so long as there is another flavor involved- my personal preference for that being vanilla.  Because of this, I was terribly disappointed with Maxwell House Vanilla Caramel Latte.

Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Extreme Cheese Explosion

Rating:  5

In terms of macaroni and cheese, this is not at the top of my list.  The cheese sauce was flavorful, but it was too intense and made the dish difficult to eat.  Even with the addition of extra milk and butter, the cheese flavor was very overpowering.  After letting the dish cool for a while (so that it was nearly at room temperature), the cheese flavor became milder, but of course most people want to eat macaroni and cheese when it's hot.  Be prepared to be overwhelmed by a very sharp cheese flavor if you eat this macaroni and cheese.

The pasta was neither the traditional elbow nor shell shape.  Instead, it used radiatore pasta, which held onto the cheese sauce better than the traditional shapes would.  I did not mind the pasta shape itself- in fact, I appreciated the novelty of it- but since I was not a fan of the cheese sauce, the extra sauce that stayed with the noodle was not appetizing to me.

Wheat Thins Sun Dried Tomato and Basil

Rating:  8

As someone who's not normally a fan of Wheat Thins, these really hit the mark.

The basil taste was hard to distinguish from the tomato, but the overall flavor was reminiscent of pizza- yum!  The crackers had a nice crisp to them, and every cracker in the package was covered in seasoning.  They were by no means lacking in taste.  A handful of these crackers would be a filling mid-morning snack or a great alternative to chips at your next get-together.  The one problem that I did have was that the flavor tends to get overpowering if you eat too many in a row- so make sure you have a drink handy to refresh your mouth.

Philly Cheesesteak Pretzel

Rating:  7

The Philly Cheesesteak pretzel is exactly what it sounds like- fresh pretzel dough filled with cheesesteak.  Unlike a pretzel dog, where the meat sticks out the end of the pretzel, the Cheesesteak Pretzel is completely enclosed, making it a lot less messy to eat than a regular cheesesteak.

The pretzel dough was fresh and had a nice crispy outside while the inside remained soft.  However, I was looking for it to be saltier, more like an actual pretzel.  Instead, they have designed it to be a secondary player to the cheesesteak and just act as a carrier.

The cheesesteak itself was very moist and flavorful.  It had a slightly peppery flavor, which was a nice touch.  There could have been more cheese inside to make it like a real cheesesteak, but flavor-wise, the cheese was not missed.  I put ketchup on mine, and that definitely complimented the overall flavor.

The Philly Cheesesteak Pretzel is the perfect size for a filling snack; however, it is not suitable to be a full meal like a cheesesteak would be.

On Monday, May 24, you can try a Philly Cheesesteak Pretzel for free at any Philly Pretzel Factory location.