Product Review - Reynolds Crock Pot Liners

Ever since I met the man of my dreams (insert mushy groans here) I have discovered my true love for cooking. Whether it's baking my family-famous apple pies and chocolate chip cookies, roasting a whole chicken, or sauteeing some scallops, I adore cooking. The smells, the textures and tastes, the presentation excites me. When I go to the store I examine an artichoke closely, inhale the bright scent of an orange, or lust after a large butternut squash.

As a result, I have become very attached to my cookware and preserving its longevity. We are not a high income household to where we can afford a new set of Calphalon every year, so we take care of what we have.

The one thing I loathe doing is cleaning my crock pot. As much as I adore its slow simmers, the flavors that drift in my kitchen and entice two little furry faces to stare at it for hours, I despise cleaning the thing. The monstrosity barely fits in my dishwasher, and we all know the result of when it does fit - there is always a line of film or some leftover concoction. Sure, I can shove it in my sink, but water ends up everywhere, soap on the floor, and my shirt soaked.

My sister in law (of all people! She avoids cooking at all costs) introduced me to these clever little things. Reynold's, the makers of the famous Reynold's wrap, introduced crock pot liners. Simply remove the liner from the box - about 10 come in a box for a few bucks - open them up almost like a trash bag, but a wee bit more gently, and mold them into the crock pot. Cook, empty, voila!

I was certain these little bags were too good to be true. The food wouldn't cook properly, the bag would stick/melt into the piece, the bag would explode when I tossed the remnants. Whatever. I gave it a shot anyway, because judging before results is not professional. The challenger: Ms Judgemental's secret spice turkey chili. My future spouse adores my chili, but cleaning the crock pot...again...

I placed the bag in, added the ingredients, set it on low for the same amount of time that I would cook the chili without the bag, and waited. The aroma flooded the house just as it always does, the dogs came scrambling in the same amount of time, and I checked the dinner as often as I always do. Once my time was up, I spooned out a heaping bowl and served it.

Now, I would love to tell you that fireworks exploded more than they typically do just because of these bags, but they didn't. K (the guy) inhaled my chili as fast as he always does, complimented me repeatedly as always, and Life went on. OK...let's try the cleanup.

That is when fireworks exploded and angels opened up the heavens, singing praises. The CP Gods smiled down on me. The bag simply lifted out of the crock pot with no begging or peeling required. The crock pot itself? White as it was when I pulled it from the cabinet. A simple wipe down with a damp rag, a pat dry, and all was well.

Bottom line: I'm going to go buy stock in Reynold's now.

Food Review - Kellogg's Special K "Chocolatey Delight" cereal

Picture this: It's 10:00 at night, and you've got the munchies. Your sweet tooth has just smacked your tongue, demanding satisfaction in the forms of sugar. But those pesky pounds your promised yourself that you would drop hug you tightly, threatening to disembark new saddle bags on your already frustratingly large love handles (so you think).

What do you do?

Research has shown that diets don't work. Deprevation is not the key to dropping and keeping weight off of our bodies. Americans are known for eating over-processed, fried, greased, grilled garbage that we consider food. So sticking your head in the freezer for a giant fudgecream bar is not the best answer, nor the gallon of Haagen-Daaz inconveniently hidden in the back next to the chicken.

Why yes, this situation describes me to a T! (I don't eat Haagen Daaz...but you get the idea.)

Check out Kellogg's Special K Chocolate Delight cereal.

Yes, you heard/read me correctly. Cereal. This new marketing adventure from Kellogg's hit the nail on the head when they advertised a woman with a snack attack at 10 pm. Instead of charging through the white box of doom and attacking Blue Bell, she reaches for a box of this cereal. Coupled with a half a cup of skim (or 1%, if your tastebuds actually exist) milk, it is the better alternative to destroying any attempts at those smaller jeans the next morning.

While eating at night is not always the healthiest choice for people like yours truly, I get the munchies. Most of the time I go for a 100-calorie pack, some fruit, or a small piece of chocolate. But every now and then, I want something different. At a national Big Box store several months ago, I located the advertised product and chunked it in my cart next to other attempts at being uber-healthy.

I gave it a shot.

Hands down, this product was one of the smartest things Kellogg has ever done to get through the doors of my house. I don't particularly care of cereal, but this cereal is a definite winner. It satisfies my sweet tooth, tosses fewer calories into my system, and as someone who never gets enough calcium (sorry, Doc), it takes care of two birds with one bowl (er...stone).

Food Review - Pizza Hut's "The Rustica" pizza

Every so often I get a wild craving for a pizza. Something about the crispy crust, the hot cardboard box, and throwing $20 away on instant gratification is enough to make me do a mad dash for the phone and order one. However, I'm watching calories and carbs and everything else that gives cause for lovehandles this new years. So when I discovered Pizza Hut is *finally* making pizzas with wheat crust, I jumped on the chance to test it out. Wheat bread in general is known for being dryer than white bread, less sweet, and just plain boring. Curious, I ordered "The Rustica" displayed above behind the pepperoni pizza.

From the website: "With a multigrain crust, all-natural pepperoni or Rustica sausage, all-natural mozzarella cheese and all-natural sauce made from vine-ripened tomatoes, you'll fall in love with pizza all over again. Get a medium Natural Pepperoni for $9.99 or a medium Natural Rustica for $11.99!"

Before I jump into "all natural" and "pepperoni" being in the same sentence and the huge oxymoron that creates, I will remind myself this is an overall review and not a lesson in grammar and lying. Clickety click, I ordered the pizza online and anxiously awaited its arrival to my front door.

After battling a Bulldog attacking the pizza guy, shoving money in his hand, and sending him on his way, I hurredly stuffed my face with this steamy, 'healthy' creation.

My review: Not bad. The crust was substantial, not soggy at all, and held the toppings well. All cheese is good cheese to me, and Pizza Hut did not fail. The sausage had a delightful zing to it with no strange nauseating after-taste, and the tomatoes were deliciously seasoned. The sauce tasted a little different than the last time I recall eating a Pizza Hut pizza, but it wasn't something to complain over.

One pizza lasted me 3 days and 4 meals, with 2 slices over. I ordered a medium. I hope that the wheat crust is soon available on other variations of pizza, like a margherita or supreme. Even the morning after, the pizza still held freshness and a crispy crust.

I give it a thumbs up.