Katz Gluten Free Vanilla Rugelech

Katz Gluten Free has released a new flavor of Rugelech! As I'm sure you guessed from the title to this post, the new flavor is vanilla :) I'm sure I must have mentioned how vanilla obsessed I am in past posts so you can imagine my excitement over this new snacking option.

Katz is doing a Winter Grand Prize Giveaway to help roll out this new product. The Grand Prize is a huge box filled with one each of the Katz goodies. To enter the drawing (winner will be chosen on Jan. 3, 2011) follow this link to the Katz Page :)

One more thing before we move on to the review stuff: Katz has also supplied GFPR with a free sample pack to give to one lucky winner! To enter, just read this post and leave a comment. A winner will be chosen at random from all available entries on Monday, January 10, 2011. Now on to the review!

Gluten Free Bisquick

I'm sure that I'm not the only person on a gluten free diet that did backflips of excitement when I first heard that gluten free Bisquick was coming our way. (Figurative backflips, of course, I am not nearly that athletic.)After all, I am one of the newly gluten free, only two years. I remember vividly how easy meals used to be. I could eat anything, anywhere. For some reason Bisquick seemed like a return of this freedom and normalcy.

It took awhile to reach my local stores after being released. I was worried that it would be hard to find, or that I might not be able to find it at all. Thank goodness for MyBlogSpark! They offered to send me some to try and I was backflipping once again. Not only did they send me the gluten free Bisquick, but an entire prize pack to go with it. You may have guessed, Bisquick and MyBlogSpark have also provided one to give away! Look for details at the bottom of this post :) For now, on to the review!

Gluten Free Cookbook Review: Cooking for Isaiah by Silvana Nardone

I’m so excited right now! This is the first cookbook I have reviewed for GFPR, and it is fantastic! I had to create a whole new criteria and format for this, so let me know what you think. Are there any categories I have left out?

Cooking for Isaiah was  inspired by pure love. This is the first thing I noticed when I opened the book. The second thing I noticed was that Silvana Nardone knows what she is talking about. I learned so many new tips just by reading the first few pages that the recipes became secondary (for about five minutes...)

Katz Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes

Time again for a goody out of the Katz Gluten Free box! I’m not sure what I can say in introduction for this one besides chocolate and cupcake- yeah, D.D. was stoked :)

Katz Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

I think I have eaten enough gluten free chocolate chip cookies to be considered a connoisseur (who hasn’t. right?). That didn’t mean that I was any less happy to pull the chocolate chip cookies out of the Katz Gluten Free goody box :)

Katz Gluten Free Cinnamon Rugelech

Part of the fun of doing gluten free product reviews is all the new food that D.D. and I get to try. We are creatures of habit and if it weren’t for GFPR we would probably stick to the same stuff all the time. I love variety, and I love adventure. GFPR has given us an excuse to explore and have little adventures everyday.

Katz Gluten Free Rugeleh turned out to be a tasty adventure for both of us. If you can believe it, I actually had to talk my sugar-monster into tasting the rugeleh.

“A cross between a cookie and a cinnamon roll?!” she asked skeptically, “If you say so, Mom.”

I thought the hesitation a bit strange, but when it comes to food we all have our hang ups, right? She did taste them, and then kept tasting. I cut her off after four :)

Katz Gluten Free Marble Cake

Ease of Use

It should be super easy to eat Katz Gluten Free Marble Cake, and after the first serving it is :) When you first open the package, though, you ought to have a hammer and chisel, an exacto knife and some scissors handy. Okay, I am over-dramatizing, but this is some good packaging. The cake is baked in a paper liner (like muffins). Then it is wrapped in plastic and placed in a plastic snap-lid box, which is then wrapped in more plastic. This product does not get my green award, but it sure is air tight and fresh!

Katz Gluten Free Honey Muffins

Regular GFPR readers will know that my daughter D.D. and I do most of our reviews together. We like to share each new food and talk about the flavors and textures we like (and don’t like). Both of our opinions put together make up the reviews that you see here... But not today. I have to confess that I did a mean mom thing and practically hid the Katz Gluten Free Honey Muffins from D.D. I shared everything else in the box with her, but kind of counted these as a personal indulgence :)

She was pretty confused when she was digging through the cabinet and found that half of the muffins were missing. She turned to me and said, “When did we get these?”

I tell you, it was one of those rare parent-child role reversal moments. I got the guilty look of a cornered child and said nonchalantly, “Oh, those? They came in the box that Katz sent us.” At which point she sighed deeply and asked if she could have “at least one”. Of course I relented. Shame on me for trying to be selfish, right? It’s just that these muffins are perfect to go with my morning coffee, or afternoon smoothie, or whatever.... I’ll let the review itself tell the rest of why these gluten free muffins are a perfect mommy treat.

Kellog's Strawberry Slam Yogos

The gluten free product review for today is another pick from Mr. Man. As usual, Mr. Man's menu items should have their ingredients labels double and triple checked before purchasing in case the ingredients change after posting. Yogos Bits are made by Kellog's, who says on their site that Yogos are manufactured gluten free and may be suitable for a gluten free diet. To me, that is legal-speak for, "If you get sick, please don't blame us." :)

I, personally am wickedly sensitive to contamination in any form and have never had an issue with eating Yogos Bits. D.D. and I eat them all the time- and enjoy them every time!

Deli International Gluten Free Pizza

It’s frozen pizza time again. D.D. can’t get enough of the stuff. She actually picked this one from the store herself and was very excited to bring it home to me. I think part of the excitement was due to the fact that frozen pizza in our house has become synonymous with family movie night. Whatever her motivation, I heard little else from the moment she got home from the grocery store but how excited she was about her “real gluten free boxed pizza”. (So cute!)

Excitement is contagious, I suppose. I was even more excited when I saw that the Deli International Gluten Free Pizza she had picked came with the CSA (Celiac Sprue Association) Seal of Recognition. I got glutened a little while ago, so it was nice to have that extra bit of security in the gluten free status of dinner. As for the pizza itself, well, read on...

Dinty Moore Beef Stew

Mr. Man has picked a great gluten free product to review today. Dinty Moore Beef Stew (made by Hormel) has been a staple in my house for as long as I can remember. I love soups and stews and always stock my pantry with a few cans for my lazy nights. In the gluten eating days I had two favorites, but one of them didn’t survive the gluten free purge. I can’t even tell you how excited I was when I saw that Dinty Moore Beef Stew had gone gluten free before I did! Even better, it is labeled gluten free right on the can! In fact, on a perusal of their website, I found that this scrumptious meal contains none of the major allergens. You can find this beef stew in the soup isle of just about any grocery store. Read on to find out why you should.

Contes Cheese Ravioli

I ate gluten free cheese ravioli this week! This is exciting for me because I've been ravioli-less for over two years. I didn't even know they made gluten free ravioli until Poj surprised me with it this week. As a longtime fan of stuffed pasta, I cannot tell you how happy it made me that he found Contes Cheese Ravioli. It is frozen, so you will find it in the freezer case where you buy your gluten free goodies.

Caramel Apple On-the-Go Bars from Enjoy Life

Caramel Apple On-the-Go Bars from Enjoy Life are up for review today. Back in the gluten eating days we loved cereal bars and Newton bars, but I didn't see many of those options when we started our gluten free adventure. D.D. and I were excited last time we went to the store and really looked to see how many gluten free snack bar options there are now. As official snack addicts, we take this stuff seriously (well, as seriously as we take anything...)

Glutino Penne Alfredo

This week, when my husband brought home a new gluten free product to try, D.D. and I were both stoked. This new product moment just may be our favorite time of the week. When Poj says, "Oh yeah, I picked up something new for you to try." D.D. and I both rush to read the box and exclaim over the contents and wonder what new experience is in store. (I have mentioned that we're total food geeks, right?)

This time the product was Glutino Penne Alfredo. It was a gluten free frozen T.V. dinner that boasted alfredo sauce on brown rice penne. We LOVE alfredo! And, it was from Glutino, a gluten free company that has provided many hours of food happiness in the past. Which is why I'm a little sad about today's review of Glutino Penne Alfredo. To be honest, I considered not writing it, but I started GFPR to do honest reviews- So here goes...

WOW Chocolate Brownies

It is no secret that my house is full of chocolate lovers. As such, there are few things we appreciate more than a great brownie. Brownies are that happy place where fudge meets cake and everyone can rejoice in the pure yumminess of it all. This week, my husband handed me a package of gluten free chocolate brownies from WOW Baking Company that blew the top off of any other brownie I have ever had. Seriously, these things are so good that I kept them next to my desk so I could grab one whenever.

Schar Ciabatta Parbaked Rolls

A couple weeks ago, D.D. and I had a shopping day. She needed some new summer clothes and we needed some time together. We had a very strict budget (and she's a ten-year-old tomboy) so we decided to hit the thrift stores rather than the trendy shops. Well, thanks to superior bargain sniffing skills, we came in way under budget. Somehow we ended up at the grocery store with the surplus... Yes, we are big enough food geeks to spend the extra money in a grocery store.

We had a lot of fun! There were so many treats on the shelves that I hadn't seen yet that we spent an hour making choices. Surprisingly, I have not been disappointed by any of them, including today's gluten free product review: Schar Ciabatta Rolls.

Regular readers of GFPR will probably have noticed that I don't do many bread reviews. This is because I am a total bread snob and most gluten free bread is not so great. I get nervous whenever it comes to trying new gluten free bread, and I avoid it. Occasionally, though, I have to branch out a bit and these rolls looked good! Besides, D.D. reminded me that it had been too long since we had made any Ultimo Egg Sammiches- and you need good, sturdy rolls for that.   

Kinnikinnick Vanilla Glazed Gluten Free Donuts

I am more than excited about today's gluten free product review. Until I found these, I had been donut free for two years. That is just not okay! D.D. and I argued a bit over whether to get the vanilla or the chocolate first, but luckily she was distracted by some ice cream just in time :)

I'm not trying to get sappy or anything, but Kinnikinnick Vanilla Glazed Gluten Free Donuts provided me with an unexpected smile. I live right down the street from one of the best donut shops in the city. Before going gluten free it was a fun treat for D.D. and I to stop in and grab a couple donuts on our way to whatever adventures the day held. I didn't realize how much I missed this until I got to share a donut with my daughter again this week, and it tasted good! It was a small reminder that it really is the little things in life that make the difference.

Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil Hair Treatment

More great stuff from Tropical Traditions today, folks! Since the change of seasons I have been all about the hair. I have super long hair that I love, except that I get these crispy ends. (yes, CRISPY!) Even right after a trim. I think it's some strange combination of heat, humidity and sneaky little end-crisping gnomes. Whatever the cause, I found the solution in Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil Hair Treatment.

Glutino Pretzels

Gluten free snacks! Is there anything better than crunchy, munchy snacks? Not for me! Today, I offer for your product reviewing pleasure: Glutino gluten free pretzels. These babies come in three flavors: twists, sticks and sesame- all are equally happy :)

Tandoor Chef

I have been away for a long time! My dad had surgery on his knee a few weeks ago and I have been spending a lot of time at "The Ranch" with him. I loved the time, even though it kept me away from GFPR. Good news is, I ate a lot of food so I have a lot of reviews coming up :)

The gluten free product review for today is one that was fun for me to explore. Tandoor Chef sent me several of their gluten free frozen entrees to try (Disclaimer guy says: Although this product was sent to me, I was under no obligation to give a review- good or otherwise...) Not all of the products that Tandoor Chef makes are gluten free, so make sure to check the label and ingredients before you buy. (Tandoor Chef makes this easy by labeling each product with gluten free, vegan, medium spiced, etc. on the front of the box.)

I have never had much experience with Indian Cuisine so I was a bit nervous about venturing into unknown territory. D.D. loves anything that involves chicken, so she jumped right in. We both ended up enjoying the experience. We sat at the table together dipping bread in the sauce of two of the gluten free frozen entrees and discussing everything from complex spicy flavors to life in general. As for the food itself, well, read on:

Gluten Free Cracklebred from Natural Nectar

I've done reviews for gluten free crackers, and some for gluten free breads, but today is a first for GFPR! Today I get to do a review for something that is neither bread nor cracker, but something in between. I found Gluten Free Cracklebred from Natural Nectar in my mom's pantry. It was something I'd never seen before, so you know I had to try it!

Chocolate Tortilla Chips from Food Should Taste Good

My husband does the majority of the grocery shopping in our house. This created a new adventure for me when we agreed that he would pick a random gluten free product from the grocery store each week for me to try for GFPR. A lot of what comes home is a variation on other brands I've tried. We've tried a plethora of gluten free crackers, crusts and cookies. I was a tad surprised when I asked for the latest find and was handed a bag of chocolate flavored tortilla chips.

Yes, Chocolate Chips! I looked sideways at the bag and said, "Seriously?!" He just shrugged and replied, "You said to be creative." About that time, D.D. walked into the room. Her eyes completely lit up when she saw the bag. Right there she decided that since they were chips, they didn't fit under the candy rules, which meant she could have as much as she wanted :)

I checked the nutrition information and had to agree with her when I saw that there were only 4 grams of sugar per serving. We decided that these new chocolate chips were a great addition to the popcorn for Family Movie Night. I made D.D. wait until then to open the bag.

Ease of Use

As easy as a bag of chips should be! The bag is thick enough that the rattling didn't even detract too much from the movie soundtrack.

Appearance

The chips look a lot like the picture on the bag. They are thick and have an uneven texture. The bag, I must say, is very stylish.








Taste and Texture

First, the texture: Chocolate Tortilla Chips from Food Should Taste Good have a great texture. They are thick, textured and crunchy. The sea salt is visible on each chip and creates an extra demension to the snacking.

Now for the flavor: Oh my! These gluten free chips have a rich dark chocolate flavor that is hard to resist. It is a sweet and salty snacking combination worth repeating!

Versatility

I'm sure we could find a million and one uses for Chocolate Tortilla Chips, but I can't keep them on hand long enough to find out what they are. I would love to hear the uses that you have found.

Overall Value

The bag of Food Should Taste Good Chocolate Tortilla Chips can be bought for under $3. Unfortunately, The chips don't last very long- I'm honestly not sure if that is due more to the small quantity in the bag, or D.D.'s chocolate addiction. Whatever the reason, our bag didn't make it through the whole movie :)

Rating

I recommend that everyone try these chips at least once.

Tropical Traditions Organic Hulled Millet

Since changing to a gluten free diet, I have been more aware of my nutritional needs. Before, I was one of those rare fast food junkies that always opted for the whole grain breads and chips in the stores. It was very depressing to me that going gluten free not only meant a lot of tasteless spongy food, but most of it was pure sugar as well.

I started exploring the food available to me in my new gluten free life (hence the gluten free product review blog) and have found some great stuff out there. Reading those labels began to take it's toll, though, and I knew I could do better than I ever had before to offer my family good nutrition. I began to study the other grains that were available to me. It was very encouraging to discover that there were a lot of whole grain, healthy options out there, even for people who can't eat wheat.

I have to admit, I was a bit nervous when I received the bag of millet from Tropical Traditions to try. As stated, I've done the research and I know how healthy millet is, but buying a loaf of gluten free bread made of millet is a lot different than just eating the millet itself.

D.D. had a nervous reaction as well, "Mom, that's what I feed the birds!" I replied with, "Well, if it's good enough for them, then we may like it too." We swallowed our nerves and tried the most basic recipe for millet I could find. I'm glad we did! This was another learning experience that I am more than happy to share with all of you.

Ease of Use

Tropical Traditions Hulled Millet is pretty easy to prepare. It can be made on the stove, or in a crock pot or a host of other cooking options. The cooking methods and times are very similar to brown rice.

Appearance

These little grains are pretty! They have a pearly sheen with a tan color. I had to talk D.D. out of playing in the bag because they feel neat in your hands. Once cooked, the millet looked a lot like couscous.







Taste and Texture

The cooked millet from Tropical traditions had a nice bite to it. It was a little like brown rice, but with more texture due to the smaller grain size. It has a great mouth feel. The flavor was mild, but delicious. I was very pleasantly surprised by both the flavor and texture that this gluten free whole grain offered.

Versatility

Honestly, I'm going to say that this is the best part about the millet from Tropical Traditions. You can use it for anything! It can be used at breakfast as a hot cereal, at lunch as part of a salad and a side dish or main course for dinner. It can be mixed in to any dish to add texture and flavor, it would be a fantastic substitute for barley in soup... The list goes on! Those of you who are industrious enough in your kitchens to have a grain mill can even make your own whole grain millet flour.

Overall Value

My jaw just about hit the floor on this one- A five pound bag of organic, whole grain hulled millet from Tropical Traditions is only $8.88! Get a ten pound bag for $15.54. I get very excited about low prices and with this kind of versatility, this is a LOW price! (Not that I'm suggesting it should be raised :)

Rating

I love the stuff! I'm very glad I tried it and I can't wait to find many more uses for it.

The Giveaway

If you are familiar with Tropical Traditions or GFPR, I'm sure you saw this coming- Tropical Traditions will send one lucky reader a five pound bag of millet to try for themselves. Before we get into that, though, we have to see the legal stuff:

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, 

and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation 

to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product. 

Back to the fun stuff! To enter to win a five pound bag of gluten free whole grain millet from Tropical Traditions, you must first use this link to sign up for their newsletter. After you've done that, come back here and celebrate the versatility of this product by leaving a comment telling me your best use for the millet. It can be a recipe, or just the name of a dish, but make it fun.

On Wednesday, April 28, 2010 D.D. is going to pick her five favorites from the list. Out of the top five, we will draw a random winner out of a hat. If you need a little inspiration, check out the recipe section of the Tropical Traditions site.

As usual, please make sure that there is a way to contact you within your comment. Good luck to all who enter!

This giveaway has been completed, Thank You!

Schar Gluten Free Table Crackers

Back in the days of my gluten innocence, one of my favorite snacks was cheese and crackers. Not just any cheese and crackers, though. I had to have the gourmet crackers with garlic and herb cheese spread. Luckily for me the cheese spread is gluten free, but I've had a hard time finding gluten free crackers that would hold up to the spread and create the flavor I was looking for...Until now.

Ease of Use

Inside the main package are two smaller cellophane wrapped packages. They are easy to open, but keep the gluten free crackers nice and fresh.

Appearance

Schar Gluten Free Table Crackers are large and golden. They have slightly raised edges on the top which makes them perfect for any kind of toppings.

Taste and Texture

Both the flavor and the texture of these gluten free crackers are a bit complex. They are dense and crunchy, yet light and crispy at the same time. The flavor is slightly pungent and bold, but not overpowering. They are the perfect gluten free crackers for strong cheeses and pate, but a little too much for soups and basic uses. For me, they are more of an indulgent treat than an every day snack.

Versatility

Schar Gluten Free Table Crackers would make a delicious crumb topping or a flavorful surprise crust for certain casseroles. As with most crackers, the possible uses seem to be endless.

Overall Value

At $6.29 per package, the cost per cracker is about 30 cents. That's not too shabby!

Rating

I recommend Schar Gluten Free Table Crackers for those times when you need bold flavors or something a little extra special.

Gluten Free Houston Sandwich Rolls/Hamburger Buns

For our gluten free product review today, we're going back to gluten free breads. More to the point, gluten free rolls :) These rolls from Gluten Free Houston can be used for just about anything. Three out of the four that got sent to my house were commandeered by my daughter to make mega-egg sammiches. It takes quite a bun to stand up to the sausage, bacon egg and cheese sandwiches that D.D. loves, so this was a great test.

Ease of Use

These gluten free buns are not split when you get them. They cut cleanly and easily with any kind of serrated knife. The cut is not so clean with a butter knife, however, as evidenced by the amount of crumbs left behind when D.D. tried.

Appearance

Gluten Free Houston does not skimp on the portion sizes when it comes to their gluten free rolls. The buns are large enough to make an impressive sammich.





Taste and Texture

The first thing I should point out about these gluten free rolls is the smell. Right out of the package they have a fresh baked smell, with not a hint of strangeness.

They taste great! The flavor is very fresh and tasty. It is also versatile enough to compliment any type of sandwich. The only issue that I had was that they are dry. Not a crumbly, grainy type of dry (which is common) but more like a day-old baguette. On the other hand, it is probably the texture that makes these gluten free rolls so spread friendly. The bread doesn't absorb moisture the way that a lot of gluten free breads do. The lack of sogginess makes for a better sandwich experience overall.

Versatility

I could not even begin to list all of the possible uses for these gluten free rolls! The flavor is such that they are good for anything you can imagine needing gluten free bread for.

Overall Value

You can get a 4-pack of Gluten Free Houston Hamburger Buns for $6.95. I wouldn't call this a bargain price, but it's not completely extravagant either. The value of this product fits into my "sometime indulgence" category.

Rating

Gluten free Hamburger Buns/Sandwich Rolls from Gluten Free Houston come recommended by both D.D. and I. 

Gluten Free Beauty Facial Moisture Serum

I was super excited a couple weeks ago when Kristen Campbell from Gluten Free Fox sent me a message to tell me about the new Gluten Free Beauty line she was starting. The new line will be completely natural as well as cruelty free. As of yet, there is no "organic" claim on the label, but once everything is properly registered there will be. I love the fact that there seems to be no corner cutting on this gluten free product, even the labels are being done just right.

I was even more thrilled when Kristen offered to sponsor a giveaway so one of my lucky readers could try her new Facial Moisture Serum for themselves. Having tried this product myself, I can tell you that this will absolutely make someone's day! Keep reading to learn more about this new gluten free product and how to get your own for free!

Ease of Use

All it takes are a couple drops of this Facial Moisture Serum to feel the difference in your skin. It is very easy to get those couple drops since this lovely oil is in a dropper bottle. There is a downside- It takes a bit of practice to make sure you don't get too much each time because the dropper holds much more than you need.

Appearance

The bottle itself is very pretty. The Facial Moisture Serum it contains is a foggy amber-gold color.






Scent and Texture

Gluten Free Beauty Facial Moisture Serum has almost no scent. There is a slight hint of herbs when sniffing the bottle, but not much fragrance is left on your skin.

The serum is pure oil, and feels that way when you put it on. It takes a little while to absorb, but when it does... My goodness your skin will be soft! I noticed a difference in the way my skin felt with the very first use. Now, after using the Serum for almost two weeks, I see a difference in the appearance of my skin as well. My complexion has evened out and has a softness and suppleness that I love.

Versatility

Facial Moisture Serum is made only for the face. I'm okay with that because any other use would be a waste :)

Overall Value

Gluten Free Beauty Facial Moisture Serum is $45 for a one ounce bottle. It is comparable in price to most of the beauty creams I have seen and will last a very long time.

Rating

I love what this product has done for my skin. No opinions from my daughter to report here since she still has perfect skin and I won't share this with her :)

The Giveaway

By now I'm sure you're convinced that this is a must-have product, so let me tell you how to get your own! I will hold a random drawing to select the person to give one bottle of Gluten Free Beauty Facial Moisture Serum to on Monday, April 19, 2010. The drawing will be completely random (think names in a hat). To enter the drawing, leave a comment below telling me why you want to win. A good story won't improve your chance of winning, but it will make us all smile :)

*Important* Make sure that when you leave your comment that you also leave a way for me to contact you when you win. This can be done by selecting the name/URL option for "Comment as", or by any other means that will be easy for me to use. While you're at it, why not click the "Subscribe by Email" link as well, that way you're always in the loop.

Good luck to all who enter!

This giveaway has been completed, Thank You! 

Tiramisu Cupcakes from Brody's Bakery

I was very pleased a couple weeks ago when I discovered Brody's Bakery, which is local here in Kansas City. I was even more pleased when I found out they have tiramisu! I haven't had tiramisu since I went gluten free and have really missed it. Not only can I order tiramisu, but I can have tiramisu cupcakes as well. This is fun for me because I love single serve things (like cupcakes).

Brody's Bakery is a vegan bakery and makes many yummy gluten free items as well. This means that I can have my tiramisu cupcakes and eat them too, without the upset that comes with too much dairy :)

Ease of Use

The wrappers practically peel themselves off of these goodies. It makes me feel good to know that they want me to eat them as bad as I do.

Appearance

White frosting, mini chocolate chips, a sprinkle of cocoa powder in a zebra print paper- very fun! If you cut a tiramisu cupcake in half you can see the marble effect of all the flavor inside. Overall, I'd say the appearance is almost as good as the taste.




Taste and Texture

I am not a vegan, therefore I had no idea what to expect from a vegan gluten free cupcake (especially one as ambitious as a tiramisu cupcake) It was amazing! Very moist inside without any hint of sogginess. it was firm to hold, yet soft and melty to eat. And so good! The flavors blend perfectly, making it fun to eat from the first to the last bite.

Overall Value

You can order a dozen of Brody's Bakery Tiramisu Cupcakes for $14. They are well worth it.

Rating

My daughter and I loved these cupcakes so much that we actually sang a song when she ate the last one. It was to the tune of The Last Unicorn and loudly showed our sadness about not having any more.

Dei Fratelli Pasta Sauce

I know today is St. Patrick's Day, but I don't have anything green for you. The color for today is red! The color of romance, danger... and lycopene. The product for today carries a bit of the first two and an extraordinary amount of the third. For those of you that are not familiar with lycopene, you should know that it is the substance that makes tomatoes red and cares for your healthy heart.

What does this have to do with Dei Fratelli Pasta Sauce? Well, a lot. There are quite a few pasta sauces out there that are gluten free, but not like this! Dei Fratelli loves their tomatoes, and it shows from the first bite to the last. If I can help my heart beat and enjoy food like this, I'm a happy woman.

Ease of Use

Dei Fratelli Pasta Sauce comes in a jar. It is easy to heat and serve, or add to any recipe.

Appearance

Jars are not high on my list of artistic treasures, but this one impressed me. I immediately felt like I had to have wine and some crusty bread to complete any pasta meal that had sauce from a jar like this.

The sauce itself had chunks of tomatoes. They were irregular, these were not your typical diced tomatoes made into a sauce. There was also a plethora of herbs and spices to tempt my eyes.





Taste and Texture

The flavor of Dei Fratelli Pasta Sauce is rich and bold, while being slightly tangy and sweet at the same time. It was a little spicy, but nothing overpowering. The texture is perfect to pair with any pasta dish. It was chunky enough to stand up to short pastas, but not so much that it would overpower spaghetti. The best part was that it tasted so fresh! It was like I had made it myself out of my garden (which I do not have due to the act that I am "gardening deficient). The little one was not as pleased with the sauce as I was- It was too spicy for her (but then, she has a very sensitive tongue).

Overall Value

A four pack of Dei Fratelli Pasta Sauce runs about $15.99 on their site. Not a bad price considering it would make an easy and impressive dinner for company.

Rating

I recommend Dei Fratelli Pasta Sauce to anyone who is not a ten year old girl with a tender tongue :)