You’d be surprised how long it takes to eat 12 large, gooey pretzels that are stuffed with utter deliciousness. Sure, I shared them with my family, but they were still so big that two of them could fill both Ash and I up if we split them. I’m not a big fan of bread, but I do love warm, gooey pretzels. I especially like to dip my original pretzels in creamy cheese, I guess that’s why my very favorite pretzel in this 12 pack was the Grilled Cheese. Filled with ooey gooey cheese from the center of the pretzel outward this delectable treat has won me over.

Not all of the 12 pretzels provided in the Kim and Scott’s Gourmet Pretzels Original Variety Pack were my cup of tea. For information on this pack, check out the Kim and Scott’s Gourmet Pretzel website. The 12 pretzels that we received for review include:

Stuffed Pizza Pretzel
Stuffed Grilled Cheese Pretzel
Stuffed Spinach & Feta Pretzel
Stuffed Savory Herb & Cream Cheese Pretzel
Stuffed Mixed Berry Cobbler Pretzel
Stuffed Cinnamon Roll Pretzel
Stuffed Twisted Omelette Pretzel
Stuffed Chocolate Crumb Pretzel
Stuffed Apple Cinnamon Pretzel
Stuffed Cheddar Jalapeño Pretzel
Traditional Bavarian Pretzel
Sourdough Asiago Pretzel

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When it comes to food, I have a few weaknesses. One of them is Italian food, primarily pasta. While I’m not in love with traditional spaghetti, feel free to bring on the lasagna, the ziti and definitely the macaroni and cheese. I’m picky about my mac. Big surprise there, right? I will tolerate (though rarely) eating the Velvetta Shells and Cheese from the box, but anything else just isn’t quite as good. I like my Mac and Cheese homemade (by Ashtyn). Sometimes I liked it baked, but I always like it extra creamy.

I’m not sure what Ashtyn did cheese wise with the Mini Farfalle, but the shape made it ideal for absorbing cheese. Every bite was filled with massive amounts of cheesy goodness. This was one of my favorite mac and cheese dishes she has made and boy was I clamoring for seconds! The right blend of cheeses and the unique twisting shape of this mini pasta by Barilla make this a favorite dish of kids (big and small). I know I’m a fan and I am already asking for more of this.

The Mini Farfalle pasta by Barilla is made of wheat. It’s shaped like a bowtie or a butterfly as the Barilla website suggests. The pasta is delicate, with the curved edges capturing all of the delicious, sticky sauce of your choice (in this case, a melody of delicious cheeses) within its crevices. The miniature pasta shapes make sure you get more sauce, more pasta and more for your buck in every bite.

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22,000-Head Missouri Operator Faces Court Action

BASSETT, Neb., June 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — What has been dubbed the “largest scandal in the history of the organic industry” has taken another victim. The USDA announced this week that Promiseland Livestock, LLC, a 22,000-head cattle producer, had “willfully” violated the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, the law regulating the industry.

Promiseland, and its principal owner Anthony J. Zeman, were found by the USDA to have failed to keep adequate records, the backbone of organic certification, to confirm that all their cattle were managed organically. Promiseland management also refused on multiple occasions to openly share records with the USDA and prevented agency officials from carrying out an unannounced inspection at Promiseland’s facilities.

“It’s about time the USDA started taking action against scofflaws like Zeman who have abused the trust of the organic consumer and put the livelihoods of ethical family-scale farmers at risk,” said Mark Kastel, Codirector of The Cornucopia Institute, an organic industry watchdog. The Institute, based in Cornucopia, Wisconsin, has filed a series of legal complaints against giant industrial dairies, milking as many as 2000-10,000 cows, and representing their milk as organic.

The USDA’s Promiseland investigation is a direct result of Cornucopia’s investigative work targeting Aurora Dairy the nation’s largest supplier of private-label organic milk and supplier to Wal-Mart, Target, Costco, and other major retailers.

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There are so many great celebrities on Food Network that when I asked this question to our resident Picky Eater he didn’t know how to respond. “When you say favorite,” he asked, “what o you mean?”

I had to consider that for a moment and we finally narrowed it down into a few categories.

I asked him who was his:

All around Favorite:
Favorite Cook who has food he’s most likely to eat:
Most Entertaining:
Chef most likely to teach him cooking skill:

I also was curious as to find out who the least favorite of all the stars were.

Our Picky Eater had this to say:

All around Favorite goes to: Paula Deen
Favorite Cook who has Food he’s most likely to eat: Paula Deen
Most Entertaining: Cat Cora
Chef most likely to teach him Cooking Skills: Giada De Laurentiis & Ina Garten
Least Favorite: Sandra Lee

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FOOD NETWORK IS CASTING FOR ‘DEAR FOOD NETWORK’ POPULAR HOLIDAY SPECIALS SOLVE VIEWER COOKING QUERIES Submissions on FoodNetwork.com Through July 14

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 27, 2008 – Food Network is casting for the popular Dear Food Network specials set to air this holiday season. Four all new, one-hour programs will feature Food Network fans as they get the chance to have their cooking questions answered face-to-face by their star of choice.

To be considered for Dear Food Network, viewers must upload a unique and entertaining three-minute video to www.foodnetwork.com by Monday, July 14th, sharing their story and explaining why they want a chance to have their cooking problems solved by their favorite Food Network star. Entrants must include their age, location and a humorous testimonial by a family member or friend. The best videos and questions will be considered for inclusion on the show. For additional information, please e-mail foodnetworkseries@gmail.com.

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Recently we have had some emails asking us how we decide to review certain foods. Well, the short answer is we make the decision in two ways that help us to decide what is worth trying and what isn’t. Either way we do our best to offer a thorough, non-biased review about whatever we are trying out.

The first way is about as simple as it comes. We go out (to eat or through buying things at the grocery store) and buy new things to test out. This could mean going to try the latest fare at Applebee’s, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, or Red Robin or it could mean buying the newest frozen pizza on the shelf. Whatever it is, we test it out and give a glowing (or not) review based on our honest feelings.

What do we consider in our reviews for these items?

If the food is restaurant based we look at the presentation first because visual aspects are very important. Additionally, if it’s takeout we take into account the way it is packaged. From there we look at the taste factor and the price. If we are dining in we look at the service of the restaurant, and occasionally the ambiance. If we are bringing it home, we look at how it holds up on the way home and what, if anything needs to be done to it before you can eat.

We rate these things on a scale of one to five for each area and the total is averaged out. Then a number is assigned to the review. One signifies that it’s awful and not worth buying. Five means that the item comes highly recommended.

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THE NEXT FOOD NETWORK STAR SHINES BRIGHT BEGINNING SUNDAY, JUNE 1st at 10 PM ET/PT

Bobby Flay Turns Up The Summer Heat For Ten Finalists With The Chance To Star in Their Own Series

Season Four of Food Network’s Top-Rated Program, “The Next Food Network Star” Sizzles
With Guest Appearances by Martha Stewart, Rachael Ray, Paula Deen, And Many More!

NEW YORK, APRIL 28, 2008 – The Next Food Network Star is back this summer with a star-studded fourth season on Food Network. This season Bobby Flay takes a seat with the selection committee full-time and the finalists are put through the ringer to prove that they can take the cake (and the pizza, and the lobster, and the potato salad) to be the last chef standing and winner of his-or-her own Food Network show. The series kicks off with a few friendly Food Network faces on Sunday, June 1st at 10pm ET/PT.

“What’s unique about The Next Food Network Star is that having top culinary chops is only half the battle,” said Bob Tuschman, Senior Vice President, Programming and Production. “If you can’t find the winning formula to deliver first rate creative food, a unique culinary point of view, and star charisma week after week, you’re going home. This year’s finalists are absolutely the most talented and fiercely competitive we’ve ever had on the show.”

The 10 finalists include: Nipa Bhatt (Victoria, MN), Jennifer Cochrane (Woonsocket, RI), Lisa Garza (Dallas, TX), Adam Gertler (Philadelphia, PA), Cory Kahaney (New York, NY), Shane Lyons (Colorado Springs, CO), Aaron McCargo Jr. (Camden, NJ), Kelsey Nixon (North Ogden, UT), Kevin Roberts (San Diego, CA), and Jeffrey Vaden (White Plains, NY).

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People living in the LA area or those interested in the organic food craze just might be thrilled to know that celebrity, movie star Jake Gyllenhaal (Zodiac) is set to open an organic restaurant with childhood friend and chef, Chris Fischer. Apparently, Gyllenhaal is quite the foodie and has always wanted to own his own restaurant.

Sources have spoken to Life & Style Magazine saying, “Cooking is Jake’s big hobby and his passion.”

In addition to cooking on his own, Gyllenhaal has even been on the former Food Network show, Molto Mario, which was hosted by celebrity chef Mario Batali. From what is being said, the young actor has vowed to open up a restaurant of his own before he hits 30. At 27 years old, there is no better time to get going than now.

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What is the most that you would pay for a burger at a fast food joint? I don’t know about you, but I definitely have a limit. In fact, I was in a restaurant drive thru last night ordering a chicken sandwich and some fries. I misheard the girl giving me my total and I thought she said $10 and change. As I drove around to the window, I thought, there was no way I would be paying for that if the sandwich cost that much. They could keep it and I would just make something when I got home. Luckily, I just heard her wrong, but it just goes to show that I have a limit.

Later this month, the Burger King restaurants in the UK will be testing people’s limits to the absolute extreme. They plan to do this by creating a burger that is far more expensive than anything you’ve ever seen in a fast food restaurant in your life.

According to The Sun:

FAST food chain Burger King are to serve up the world’s most expensive takeaway – costing a whopping £85.

There’s no common old meat in this burger. It will contain top-quality Kobe beef from Japan. And instead of ketchup and cheddar, it will be garnished with foie gras – a goose delicacy – and rare bleu cheese.

But BK customers will still be able to buy regular fries and a fizzy drink to help it go down.

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I am not one to rush out and have to have the newest fad, but there is something about this company that I simply love. Under The Hood takes Kelloggs products (Fruit Loops, Frosted Flakes, Tony the Tiger, Rice Krispies, and so on) and melds them into clothing icons for hip hop apparel. The results are pretty awesome, if you ask me.

The store, which offers service at online and offline retailers, has a line that includes hoodies, tees, jackets, and jeans. The prices may seem a little steep for some, but they are pretty close to what you will pay for any other brand name in the fashion industry, and in some cases they are actually less.

If you’re looking for something new and trendy or just different to wear with a food angle, you will want to check them out.

Under the Hood, if you’re reading this…I love your Rice Krispies Hoodies and my birthday is at the end of this month (hint, hint).

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