Category Archives: Original Content

Glutino Products Review and Giveaway

Let me start by saying that the products featured in this post were provided to me free of charge in consideration of a review from Glutino. This in no way will influence the review to follow & all opinions are my own.

Glutino Review and Giveaway

As we get older we do not get gifts as often as we would like on holidays in which gifts are traditionally given. Usually Valentines Day in my house consists of the “I Love You’s”, and the wishes we had cards to trade or chocolates to share, something different. I am always looking for new ways to express my love and show the one I love I do care despite the pathetic Valentines Day we usually have.

One day while sitting planning in my head the best surprise I could think of for my husband I received a box that was all i needed, I just did not know it at the time. As I opened this Valentines Day themed bounty, I was struck by how much it really was my lifesaver.

In the box I received from Glutino I got a 5.5oz bag of each of the following pretzel flavors: Honey Mustard Pretzels, New Buffalo Style Pretzels, Fudge Pretzels and Salted Carmel Pretzels. I also received a pack of 6 Multi-grain English Muffins and 1 Shake and Pour pancake mix.

The Buffalo Style pretzels were spicy but not overpowering for those that have spicy food sensitivities. The Honey Mustard had the perfect blend of mustard and honey – the sweetness and sour was spot on! The Fudge pretzels had a mild but sweet fudge that was not overpowering over the saltiness of the pretzels. The Salty Caramel had a nice aftertaste and the perfect amount of coating and salt. The Multigrain English Muffins were tasty and they absorbed the typical butter/honey regime. If there was one downside to the muffins is that because of the lack of unhealthy ingredients they did not last as long as we would have liked; the upside is that we know we were eating a fresh product. The Shake and Pour Pancake mix made it easy to make pancakes, with little mess but big results!

Gluten’s are the mixture of proteins found in wheat grass. Glutens are typically not water soluble but are what give dough’s the elastic nature. Even without these seemingly needed ingredients the products are addicting and also justifies the somewhat high $5.99 for a 5.5oz bag price.

Now Valentines Day around here usually consists of the same as the day before, but like I said when I saw this box I knew that it was the Valentine’s Day lifesaver I was desperately seeking. I used the Pancake Mix to make my husband Jason heart-shaped pancakes, I toasted a couple Multi-grain Muffin’s and added the required butter and honey. We decided we did not want to brave movie crowds, and with a beach walk we had an assortment bag of pretzels to snack on, with the perfect mix of sweet and savory. With 6 simple items, I was able to turn our normally boring day into a day full of flavor.

I would recommend any of the Glutino products! We plan to purchase these pretzels more often and for special occasions purchase the chocolate/salty caramel varieties.

Now for the best part of any review, the GIVEAWAY!! I have a couple of coupons to give you! I will be choosing 1 person in the middle of March (3/15/2015) to receive 2 coupon’s for 2 free Glutino items of your choice to try (1 per coupon)!!! To enter please email us your email address (jennifer at dealsamongus dot com) or complete the form below and I will use a random generator to choose the winner! Winner will be notified the by the end of March 2015! GOOD LUCK!!

Click here for a full list of Glutino’s line of products

Click here for available coupons from Glutino

Glutino on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram

What is your favorite Gluten Free product? Do you want to try gluten-free items?

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Free Google Books

I just discovered this today through a book review I am working on! You can go to Google Books and type in a magazine or book and provided it has been scanned you can view it online in High Definition scans!

Here are a couple of my favorites I came across:

The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook: America’s Bestselling Step-By Cookbook c.1989

LIFE Dec 29, 1972

I think everyone should know about this! This would be a great utility for research papers for teens in school!

Maxim Hygiene Products Review

Let me start by saying that the products featured in this post were provided to me free of charge in consideration of a review. This in no way will influence the review to follow & all opinions are my own.

Maxim Hygiene Products Review

As I get older I realize the importance of knowing the ingredients that not only go into my body but what comes in contact with my body. This relatively new revelation extends from the food I eat, the clothes on my back and the products that I use each month. I am always looking for alternatives to the mass marketed questionably natural alternatives.

I read about Maxim products and I reached out to them and they generously sent me 2 sample packs. In the first package I received 1 sanitary pad, 1 recyclable applicator tampon and one no applicator tampon. The second package was their 3 in 1 cotton cosmetic travel pack which included 30 cotton balls, 10 cotton swabs and 10 cotton rounds.

The first thing that caught my attention was that all of the products I received were made of 100% certified organic and natural cotton, I really liked the fact that the items that would be the closet to my body were also chlorine free, dioxin free (a toxic chemical), wood fluff pulp free (a bleached chemical) and Hypoallergenic/irritation free.

The sanitary products were absorbent and they were comfortable. The tampon applicator is a cardboard that is bio-degradable as opposed to many plastic applicator tampons. I used the cotton swabs with a drop of water to clean my cat’s eye mongers, and the cotton ball did not disintegrate with water introduced. The cotton swabs had less cotton than commercial brands, yet I was still able to use them effectively.

This all natural hygiene company is also run by a father/daughter team, which I love being raised by a single father myself. The founder wanted a better product for the women in his life to use. After a lustrous career in New York, his daughter came to work with him to share the message of Maxim Hygiene Products.

If you are looking for a safe alternative to the mass marketed products I would recommend Maxim Hygiene products. If you want more information about Maxim product click any of the links below.

Maxim Hygiene Website: http://www.maximhy.com/
Maxim Hygiene Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maximhy
Maxim Hygiene Twitter: https://twitter.com/maximhy

To purchase online click here

To find a store near you click here

LARABAR Review

Let me start by saying that the products featured in this post were provided to me free of charge. This in no way will influence the review to follow and all opinions are my own.

LARABAR Review

I have wanted to try LARABAR’s for quite a while, but was hesitant to spend my dollars on an item that I may or may not like. I reached out to LARABAR to inquire about samples or coupons and they were generous enough to send me 6 bars of my choice to sample and review. The six bars I chose were Chocolate Chip Cookie, Cherry Pie, Apple Pie, Cashew Cookie, Peanut Butter Cookie and a Banana’s Foster Uber Bar.

LARABAR’s are made with a blend of unsweetened fruits, nuts and spices. Each 1.7oz bar contains no more than 9 ingredients. Of those 9 ingredients they are gluten-free, dairy free, soy free, Non-GMO, Vegan and Kosher. For the bars that include chocolate the chocolate chips are vegan (no dairy included in the chips). Each bar has no added sugars, syrups or oils. The process in which the bars are made is as simple as the ingredients. The fruits, nuts and spices are grounded and mixed together, products are never baked or cooked. The base fruit is dates, and other fruits and nuts are added to supplement and achieve the desired flavors.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough: Contains 4 ingredients – cashews, dates, chocolate chips (vanilla, unsweetened chocolate, sugar and cocoa butter). I had high hopes for this flavor, being a HUGE fan of cookie dough, and I have to say I was only a little let down. This would have tasted very similar to cookie dough if the unsweetened chips had a little sweetening. Otherwise, the bar was good.

Cherry Pie: Contains 3 ingredients – dates, almonds, unsweetened cherries. The first thing I noticed was the cherry smell from the package, it reminded me of a fresh cherry pie as it is cooling! The inside reminded me of the inside of a fig cookie. Overall tasted like an cherry pie.

Apple Pie: Contains 7 ingredients – dates, almonds, unsweetened apples, walnuts, raisins and cinnamon. The very first rip of the package exposing the contents I was hit with the fresh out of the oven apple smell. As the bar got closer and closer to my nose the scent became stronger – the bar did not disappoint. I was instantly transported to the era of apple pies, with the added benefit of natural ingredients.

Cashew Cookie: Contains 2 ingredients – cashews and dates. I generally do not like cashews, in nut mixes or alone. I am pleased to say that I no longer feel that way. As I opened the package there was no odor, or smell from the package or the bar itself. The cashews had a vanilla flavor which was surprising since the only ingredients were nuts.

Peanut Butter Cookie: Contains 3 ingredients – dates, peanuts and sea salt. This was the favorite of the group. The smell of fresh peanut butter cookies was evident when the package was opened and did not disappoint in flavor.

LARABAR uber Banana’s Foster: Contains 11 ingredients – walnuts, almonds, brown rice syrup, dates, dried bananas, pecans, honey, raisins, sea salt and cinnamon. Sadly this flavor is being retired soon, as it reminded me of a bananas foster. The sweet and salty mix that the uber bars are trying to achieve differentiates it from its older LARABAR contemporaries. These are not vegan due to the honey used.

These were satisfying and filled my stomach when I needed it. The fresh and pure ingredients are evident when the package is opened, and when the product is tasted. I encourage everyone to look into the flavors available and give them a try, I am glad I did. The LARABAR’s are available at Whole Foods.

Be sure to like LARABAR’s social media pages: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest

Also, be sure to sign for their eNewsletter

Let me know in the comments what your favorite flavor is?

Decode and read the price labels? Learn How Now!!!

Do you know how to read price labels? Did you know that despite its foreign combination of numbers and letters it all means something? When I learned this it was like a light bulb went off and all that gibberish made sense. I will walk you through some of the “logic” behind the gibberish!

Kohl’s – Look for the letters in the top right corner of the shelf tag.

NM means New Mark down – means that it will go on clearance that night or next day.
BB – Bonus buy and it is a limited price drop.
S – Sale Price

PetSmart –

Ending in .x9 the item is the full price (.09 or .99)
Ending in .x7 the item is on clearance or reduced price (.07 or .97)

Target –

.99 the item is the full price
Ending in .x8 the item is on mark down or clearance
Ending in .x4 the item is on mark down or clearance
The tiny print in the Upper Right Corner of the tag indicates the % mark down. The higher the better!
Here is the unofficial mark down schedule:
- Monday: Baby items, children’s clothing, electronics, and office supplies/gift wrap/stationery
- Tuesday: Home decor, women’s clothing, and domestic items
- Wednesday: Food, health and beauty items, men’s clothing, toys, and garden items
- Thursday: Lingerie, housewares, sporting goods, shoes, and luggage
- Friday: Cosmetics, jewelry, hardware, automotive, and home improvement

Costco –

Ending in .99 the item is full price
Ending in .97, .88, .00 means the item is a Manager Mark down
Look for * (asterisk) which means “sell through” (the item won’t be re-ordered and you can potentially save big (eg: *97, *.88 or *.00)
Ending in .79, .49 or .89 are Manufacturer specials

Sam’s Club –

Ending in .x1 it is a sale price and on clearance (.01, .91, etc.)
If the Shelf tag has “A” the item is active, “N” Never Sold Out or “C” Canceled item and it is was the Best Deal

Gap/Old Navy

Ending in .47, .49, .97, .99 the item has been discontinued or put on clearance

Office Depot

Ending in .04 to ,01 the item has been marked down 4 times

REI –

Ending in .x0 item is regular price vs .x9 is a sale price
Ending in .73 is Outlet pricing
Ending in .83 or .93 item is on clearance

Let us know any you know!

How To Get Freebies in the Grocery Store!

Jason and I get asked a lot how we get all the freebies and samples. I am signed up with a couple companies that help get samples and freebies in consumer hands. Here are a couple of our “secrets”:

– McCormick Spices Tester: When you sign up with McCormick you have the chance to test new seasonings in your own kitchen. Visit consumertesting.mccormick.com and sign up. If you’re accepted for an at-home study, McCormick will mail you a full-size sample of the test product along with recipes to try. Testers may participate four times per year. Plus, you get more than a free sample—McCormick also pays volunteers $10 to $15 for home testing, often via Amazon gift cards. I have had one sample in about a year, but they are always doing surveys.

– Kraft First Taste: When you create a free Kraft First Taste membership account, choose a featured product to try from the Offers section (these will not always be available so it pays to check back often) and you’ll be mailed a coupon for a free sample. The opportunity to fill out surveys about the company’s products boost your chances of getting more coupons in the mail.

– PinchMe: Pinchme.com testers sample one to three products every two weeks. Your chosen items arrive in the mail, and you review them online. Past treats include Gevalia coffee, shampoo and Mr. Sketch Pens. Products are available at noon Eastern time every other Tuesday. They go within 10 minutes, so act fast, and I mean FAST!

– Kroger Family of Stores: Kroger gives away a full-size product nearly every Friday at kroger.com. Download the digital coupon to your shoppers card and it is applied at checkout.

So now you know a couple of our secrets!

Let me know what you get!!!!

The Serpent Beguiled Eve Book Review and Giveaway!

Let me start by saying that the products featured in this post were provided to me free of charge. This in no way will influence the review to follow and all opinions are my own.

The Serpent Beguiled Eve Book Review and Giveaway!

I recently had the chance to read “The Serpent Beguiled Eve” by Acacia Slaton. This book covers topics from adultery, military separations and the sacred relationship between husband and wife. The author is resolute and determined to never let her faith waiver, a woman strong in religious convictions.

The dictionary definition of “beguile” is to influence by trickery, flattery, mislead or delude, I do not believe that Eve was beguiled by the Serpent, rather I think that Eve knew what she getting herself into. From the authors retelling, there were signs and her own instincts said that things may be cloudy in her otherwise sunny world. The author does a great job of taking us back to the events and retells them with clear and concise words that make you feel as though you were hover watching the events unfold.

Acacia, backed by her religious convictions, believes that if her husband attends more church with her, and speaks to respected religious leaders then he will become the man she fell in love with. The book follows the path of two people, living separate lives, yet still having so much tying them together. As the book draws to a close, those ties still evident are untied into two distinct separate ties.

If you want to read a story of resilience, love and religious devotion then I recommend “The Serpent Beguiled Eve”.

Now for the best part of any review (no, not the end!), the GIVEAWAY!! I have one copy of “The Serpent Beguiled Eve” to give away! I will be choosing 1 person in February (2/10/2015) to each receive one copy of “The Serpent Beguiled Eve”by Acacia Slaton!! To enter please email us your email address (jennifer at dealsamongus dot com) or complete the form below and I will use a random generator to choose the winner! Winner will be notified by email and prize will be fulfilled by the author, Acacia Slaton! GOOD LUCK!

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Up-cycling The Old & New Into Creative!

I have not posted much this weekend and now I can show you why. I spent my weekend learning new techniques to make a curtain for our bedroom! I started out with 2.5 yards of fabric, a couple 6 inch strips of black (that are the sides) and the remaining portion of the apron from the other day. I cut the top of the apron down into 8 inch by 2.5 inch strips, folded them in half and ran a quick stitch to hold them. I measured our window and added 3 inches on each side for my seam allowances. I put another layer in the middle to help with light, so I stitched them up like a sandwich. I went around 3 sides and on the top side, i inserted my now 4 inch strips into the upper seam and stitched them in. I turned the entire thing right side out and touched up where needed. I then went and installed in the bedroom and can officially say we have been invaded by dragonflies 🙂 I love the end result!!

Cute and should help keep the light out!

Stay tuned for the pillowcases I am making… should be done soon!

What have you made recently? Share in the comments.

Old/New Apron? Upcycle it!

About 9 months ago Jason and I were in our local Ralph’s and checking out the clearance aisle (which we do every trip) and I came across an apron for only $1.25. The only downside is that is was emblazoned with “Worlds Greatest Dad” on the front. I purchased it with the thought to use it someday and up-cycle it into something else, or give it as a gift someday.

Well that someday came tonight. I opened the package and began thinking what i could do to help this apron. I decided to cut it and make an apron that would be used. I cut the fabric right under the strap, then folded it to make a new casing for the strap. I looked in my craft stash and found 3 colors of the same size and style of ric-rac. I measured out three pieces in red, yellow and green. I located thread in the same colors and pinned the detailing to the bottom, and sewed them down. I threaded the strap through my new casing and made any appropriate adjustments.

So for about $2.00 (the apron cost and the ric-rac I used) I now have a cute waist apron!

I am working on a lot of refashion’s and up-cycling! Stay tuned!

Brookside Dark Chocolate Crunchy Clusters Review

Let me start by saying that the products featured in this post were provided to me free of charge from Crowdtap and Brookside. This in no way will influence the review to follow and all opinions are my own. #Crowdtap and #DiscoverBrookside

Brookside Dark Chocolate Crunchy Clusters Review!

It is no secret, Jason and I are chocolate lovers, more than that we are dark chocolate lovers. I had the opportunity to try and review Brookside’s Dark Chocolate Crunchy Clusters – Berry Medley. I did not know what to expect, other than the chances were good that I would at least like them since they were my favorite shade of chocolate. I was wrong, I loved them!!!

The clusters have a berry taste and are a pleasant mix of sweet and crunchy with no strange aftertaste. There are different textures that leave you guessing which berry you are eating. I love chocolate frozen so after I did my initial sampling, I put the resealable bag in the freezer (in a feeble attempt to make them harder to eat, as I would have to get up to get them, and maybe they would last longer this way: they did not). The only downside to these is that the sizes vary quite a bit, big clusters and then small pellets, and all in between. These are clusters of yumminess that I would recommend to anyone who loves chocolate! If you want more information about Brookside, click the below links.

Brookside Website

Brookside on Facebook and Twitter