Reviews by Friends of cajunlady0

this2shallpass19 says "This delicious seasoning will wake up your taste buds!" about Cajun's Choice Blackened Seasoning

this2shallpass19 — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 23:48:48 GMT

I am a major foodie and a passionate cook, so I love having a cupboard filled with different spices and seasonings for all my cooking needs. My husband and I both love spicy food, so Cajun's Choice Blackened Seasoning is used pretty frequently in my home.

Even though this seasoning is called a "blackened" seasoning, you don't have to use it for that purpose. Although it does make great blackened fish and chicken, it could also be used as a spicy, more flavorful alternative to cayenne pepper.

Cajun's Choice Blackened Seasoning contains: all natural spices (including paprika, red, black and white peppers, oregano), salt, onion and garlic.

The flavor of this seasoning is nice and spicy and kind of dry in the sense that it isn't very salty. When I use this product I generously season my chicken with it and then cook it on a high heat to create a good Cajun "crust" of seasonings, and then lower the temperature to cook through out. I then chop up the blackened chicken and throw it...

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Bryan-Carey says "Absolut Mandarin Adds a New Dimension of Taste" about Absolut Mandarin Vodka

Bryan-Carey — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 19:05:24 GMT

Flavored liquors continue to grow in popularity and nowhere is this more evident than with vodka. Given vodka's neutral profile, it makes sense that it would be the liquor most likely to be flavored and one of many examples is Absolut Mandarin Vodka, a orange- enhanced vodka from Sweden.

Vodka Commentary:

Absolut Mandarin Vodka is an 80- proof, flavored vodka made from winter wheat, grown in the native Sweden, and it is made using Absolut's patented continuous distillation process. This flavored vodka features the aroma and flavor of orange, with orange peel being the dominant characteristic, along with a small amount of tangerine. The flavor of alcohol is obvious and the aftertaste is very orange- like and pleasant.

I'm a purist by nature and because of this, I generally do not like flavorings added to liquor of any type. However, with vodka, I have made an exception more than once. I have found that many of these flavored varieties not only match up nicely with the taste and character...

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vivasuzi says "For once, I'm glad I ran out of Chapstick!" about Burt's Bees Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil

vivasuzi — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:13:43 GMT

I had never used Burt's Bees, but I signed up for their email newsletter because everyone told me they had great products. A few months ago, I received an awesome email deal and went and got a ton of their products, but I didn't open any of them until now.... when I finally ran out of Chapstick.

I always used Chapstick because it is supposedly medicated, and supposedly the best thing for chapped lips, however now that I had some Burt's Bees to try - I couldn't wait! The Burt's Bees Replenishing Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil smelled great when I first opened it, and every time since. It is hard to describe the smell of Burt's Bees products, all I can say is they are strong! But don't worry, it doesn't smell that strong after you put it on.

I choose to try this one first because it said it was Replenishing. My lips get dry often and I can't stand it. With Chapstick I often had to reapply over and over. However with Burt's Bees I put it on once and my lips stayed moisturized...

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this2shallpass19 says "This shouldn't be lumped in the LashBlast category at all!" about CoverGirl LashBlast Length Mascara

this2shallpass19 — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:35:47 GMT

Since two of my favorite mascaras are CoverGirl LashBlast and LashExact, I was really looking forward to trying their latest mascara: CoverGirl LashBlast Length Mascara. Although the packaging only claims to add length, I figured it still had to be similar to it's sister, LashBlash, or why else would it keep the name LashBlast. Unfortunately, I was wrong; this mascara is nothing like it's sister.

CoverGirl LashBlast Length Mascara claims to add "extreme length that lasts" and not flake or smudge. I had high expectations for this mascara, so I eagerly swept the yellow brush over my lashes and....was totally underwhelmed. That's it? Isn't this called LashBlast Length? Yeah, I got a little length, but nothing spectacular. I wouldn't call it "extreme length". Not only was the length a little disappointing, but this mascara provides NO volume at all! In fact, it provides a barely noticeable amount of color to your lashes.

What I do like about this mascara is that it separates...

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CyndiA says "Boys love these snack bars - I'm more the Plain Jane type." about Quaker - Chewy Granola Bars

CyndiA — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:48:45 GMT

I have teen boys, so I buy lots of food and snack foods including Quaker Chewy Dipps. Chewy Dipps are snack bars with granola in the center and then coated in chocolate. They have various flavors, but the peanut butter go over well here.

Personally, I do like the granola bars, but I like mine rather plain. I go more for the granola and with nuts or fruit only. The boys, on the other hand, like the extras like the chocolate chips, chunks, and dips.

These Quaker bars are tasty. The center is, as they say, kind of chewy. Not as hard as some of the snack bars. This makes for a rather packed taste versus some of the looser ones that I generally go for.

With chocolate on the outside, these Dipps are messier. But, the boys eat them fast, so that's not such an issue. With little kids, I would expect some mess.

The Quaker Chewy Dipps bars are small as with most snack bars, and they rack in at around 150 calories. That, to me, seems kind of high for a snack. But, I'm an adult female. My boys can...

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CyndiA says "Barbie gets in shape on her pink bike with her boucing puppy. " about Barbie Beach Party with Bike and Puppy

CyndiA — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 23:30:09 GMT

Barbie is going to have a blast on her new pink bike, and so is her little puppy who bounces up and down in the basket that fits on the handlebars of the bike.

Beach Party Barbie is a set with a blonde Barbie who is wearing, of all things, a mini skirt dress in blue, pink, and lavendar. But, do not fear. She has on pink tights with her rather ugly blue tennis shoes, so I guess that's OK. Her pink sunglasses and lavendar bike helmet are cool. So, she is styling while getting some exercise. Not that she looks like she needs it.

Her little dog in the front basket is fashion focused too. He or she (could not tell) has a pink collar and lavendar sunglasses. OK. That is probably a she dog then.

The bike is not super sturdy, but what Barbie accessory is these days? The Barbie bike is pink and plastic. The wheels roll, so Barbie or any of her friends should be good to go. Now, Ken might look funny on the bike, and it is girl style with the dropped bar, but . . . well . . . Ken probably wouldn't...

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CyndiA says "Like the smaller sized Grands Jr but not so much the sweet taste" about Grands Jr Honey Butter Biscuits

CyndiA — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 19:36:12 GMT

I usually make biscuits from scratch, but I do buy Grands canned biscuits from time to time. For canned biscuits, they've very good. But, they are large.

I was glad to see these Grands Jr biscuits which are less than half the size of the usual Grands biscuits. While the boys knock out the big biscuits, I've always found the Grands size awfully big for the bread part of the meal.

The texture is like the regular Grands with the Grands Jr Honey Butter being the flaky type. They kind of have layers and do flake apart if you pull. The Southern style is more like other biscuits but a bit fluffier. We all like either style, but I think the flaky comes out a bit ahead.

My youngest son loves honey, so I decided to try out the honey butter version of the Grands Jr. The rest of us like honey as well, but he's the really big honey fan.

The flavor on the Grands Jr honey biscuits is rather like honey. Probably as close as you'd get with canned. But, it is awfully sweet.

One honey Grands biscuit each did...

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this2shallpass19 says "Tastefully Simple's Ruby Orange Slush satisfies my citrus fix!" about Tastefully Simple Ruby Orange Slush Drink Mix

this2shallpass19 — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 19:31:38 GMT

One of the great perks of being a Tastefully Simple consultant, is having to try all the products in the new catalog! Tastefully Simple Ruby Orange Slush Drink Mix is a seasonal item in the Fall/Winter catalog. It is an easy-to-make drink bucket with the great flavors of orange and grapefruit.

When you order this product, you will receive a 12.5 ounce bucket that contains a large packet inside. You can either prepare this bucket with alcohol or alcohol-free. To make it with alcohol, simply pour the contents of the included packet in the bucket with your choice of liquor and fill with water to the fill line. Once the contents have been mixed thoroughly, you can either pour it over ice or put it in the freezer for 8 hours and drink it as a slush.

When I make my Tastefully Simple Ruby Orange Slush Drink Mix, I use vodka and a little bit of orange liquor. I serve it in a wine glass with a spoon, and it makes a great alcoholic beverage/slush. It taste more like orange, than grapefruit,...

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this2shallpass19 says "Nothing special about these Gerber Onesies, but they do the job!" about Gerber Variety Onesies

this2shallpass19 — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 18:27:42 GMT

In an effort to keep my toddler a little warmer during these cold, winter nights, I decided to buy him some onesies for an extra layer of warmth under his footed sleepers. I had a hard time finding onesies in his size (24 months), but I finally found a package of Gerber Onesies at Target. 24 months happened to be the biggest size I could find, and also the hardest to find. According to the package, they make their Onesies up to size 3T.

A package of Gerber Onesies includes five onesies and costs about around $9.00. They are made from 100% cotton and are tag-free in the neck. I'm not sure if they all are, but the package I bought was all white.

What I like about these Onesies is that they are easy to get over the head and have nice, sturdy clasps. I'm weird about clasps, I like them to "snap" - to me it's a sign of a strong, well-made clasp. These do snap! Gerber Onesies also provide the extra layer of warmth that I was looking for. Unfortunately, they shrunk in the wash,...

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china-cat84 says "A good phone but not the best..." about Nokia - twist Cell Phone

china-cat84 — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 08:44:33 GMT

I purchased this phone mostly because it reminded me of a blackberry. I'm too cheap (and broke!) to add the stupid data plan onto my plan because I doubt I would use it and I think it's a waste of money. The main reason I wanted a blackberry is because I like the look and feel of them - I don't need it for email, I don't need internet, I don't need to view documents or download special apps. I already have an iPod Touch and I use it for all of those things. I just wanted a phone that was sleek, modern, with a full keyboard, easy to use, and portable. My last phone was an LG enV - I upgraded right before the enV 2 came out. The enV was a great phone but it was bulky, thick, and heavy and very dated looking. I knew I needed something new.

I have had this phone for nearly a month now and I feel I have had it long enough to write a fully educated review. When it comes to a product that a person will be forced to use for a couple years (until they are able to upgrade) I feel it's important to...

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CyndiA says "Nice place when we finally found it - close UNC Chapel Hill." about Hampton Inn - Chapel Hill, North Carolina

CyndiA — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 01:30:50 GMT

It took us a while to find the Hampton Inn on Fordham Blvd in Chapel Hill. It wasn't just us. the TomTom didn't know either. It told us we were at the hotel when we were right at some woods. Hum. I know Hampton Inn does not have camping spaces.

You want to get on the service road off Foardham right at the McDonalds. This is all right bewteen the Sheraton and the Holiday Inn which can be seen better from the highway with the Hampton back off the road and with a small sign.

We stayed at the Holiday Inn the last time we stayed over to see my kid in college, but it was booked up. So, they told us the Hampton was about the same price, and it was. It came to $110 for a weekend night which is good for Chapel Hill, NC.

Both these hotels are old style with balconies rather than halls and with outdoor pools kind of in the center. The rooms are a little newer looking at the Hampton Inn but are also a little smaller.

Hampton Inn has free wireless. It says the code is on your key package, but you really...

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this2shallpass19 says "I'm sure I would like this tea if I could taste it!" about Celestial Seasonings - Imperial White Peach White Tea

this2shallpass19 — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 22:00:21 GMT

As soon as the weather starts to get cooler, I find myself adding more and more flavors of tea to my cupboards. My newest addition is Celestial Seasonings Imperial White Peach White Tea. This tea is made with white tea leaves (which are the first leaves and buds of a tea plant) and white peaches. This was my first time drinking white tea, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but I'm not impressed so far.

Celestial Seasonings says: "The orchard-fresh taste of ripe, luscious white peaches-which have a slightly sweeter flavor than their yellow counterparts- adds a taste of spring to our delicate white tea".

The first time I drank this tea, I couldn't taste anything on my first sip, so I decided to leave the tea bag in my mug the whole time to increase flavor. It didn't work. All you can taste is water with a hint of a fruity flavor. I had a few more cups and decided to try steeping it for a LONG time. I left my tea bag in for 30 minutes, reheated my tea and had a sip. Still......nothing,...

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Bryan-Carey says "Orbitz.com Takes Care of Your Travel Needs" about Orbitz

Bryan-Carey — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:16:32 GMT

If you like to travel, then there is a very good chance you have utilized the internet and its many travel- related web sites. I have used most every travel site in cyberspace at least once, or so it seems. But there are a few I use more than others and one is Orbitz.com, a full- service travel web site.

Travel Site Commentary:

From the home page, Orbitz.com is ready to launch you into the flight search function. This is the standard default, since most people use this service for flights. However, you can quickly click the appropriate place and search for a hotel, car rental, cruise, and even activities, as well as a combination of the above (flight plus car, flight plus hotel, etc). If you have other travel plans or would like to see more options first, you can go to the appropriate tab for vacation packages, flights, hotels, cruises, cars & rail, etc. The rail option will link you to Amtrak, but the other options keep you right at Orbitz.com, to complete your travel purchase.

Flights...

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this2shallpass19 says "The Philosophy Recipe Box makes a great gift for the holidays!" about Philosophy The Recipe Box gift set

this2shallpass19 — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 17:49:39 GMT

A little bit ago, I ordered the Philosophy Warm By the Fire gift set, and loved getting a variety of different products to try out. It's a good way to introduce yourself to new scents without having to pay for the full-size product.

Having a good experience with the last gift set, I decided to order a new one: Philosophy The Recipe Box gift set. Like the previous gift set, this one also comes in adorable, gift-ready packaging. The box looks slightly festive and cozy with a little girl wearing a bakers hat. This gift set includes the following:

Red Velvet Cake 3-in-1 Shower Gel (6 oz.)
Sweet Creamy Frosting 3-in-1 Shower Gel (6 oz.)
Real recipe cards for Red Velvet Cake and Sweet Creamy Frosting
Reusable recipe box

If you are not familiar with Philosophy 3-in-1 products, they can be used as shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath. I love them for shower gel because they lather nicely and smell great, but I'm a little disappointed in their lack of bubbles for bubble bath.

I'm a...

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this2shallpass19 says "What's the point of a pocket if it doesn't catch anything?" about Circo Baby Bib

this2shallpass19 — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:28:31 GMT

My son has been trying to spoon feed himself lately, and we've been making a mess! His baby bibs don't fit anymore, so I went to Target looking for a toddler bib. I bought the Circo Baby Bib because it is made out of a plastic-like material that can be wiped off and it has a pocket to catch food that might fall down. It also has a dinosaur on the front, and my son is in a major dinosaur phase right now!

This Circo Baby Bib was $5.99 for only one bib, so I was a little hesitant to buy it at that price, but I bought it anyways. The bib has a velcro closure around the back of the neck like most bibs have. The front of the bib is made out of polyurethane, so you can easily wipe food off of it. There is a pocket at the bottom of the bib that is supposed to catch crumbs, chunks or whatever. I find the pocket to be almost totally useless.

The first time I put this bib on my son, I gave him a muffin to eat and excitedly looked inside the pocket afterwards to see what it collected. ...

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this2shallpass19 says "Pomegranate Pizzazz is a fruity tea that's not too sweet or sour" about Bigelow - Pomegranate Pizzazz Herb Tea

this2shallpass19 — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:13:51 GMT

Bigelow Pomegranate Pizzazz Herb Tea is a nice change from the horrible Tazo Wild Sweet Orange Tea I just bought. Pomegranate Pizzazz is a great tea that is made with all natural ingredients and comes in individually wrapped tea bags for freshness.

What makes Bigelow Pomegranate Pizzazz Herb Tea different from other teas I have had is that it is made with real fruit juice. The fruit juice must be what gives this tea a beautiful, dark cranberry color. They really put the best fruit flavors together in this tea because it is slightly sweet, not too "fruity", and just a tad bit tart. The pomegranate is detectable, but I also taste a little cranberry.

The tea bag wrapper states that since this tea is made with real fruit juice, it would make a great cold tea too. I have to admit, that sounds like it would be amazing. I think the fruit juice adds a great element to this tea that might not otherwise be obtained. If you enjoy fruit flavored tea, you should definitely love this!...

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CyndiA says "Love these little mini 5 x 7 inch legal pads in pastel colors." about Tops Docket 5 x 7 Mini Legal Pads

CyndiA — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 02:04:49 GMT

Legal pads are convenient but bulky, but these Tops Docket 5 x 7 inch are just perfect for most situations. I can even stick one in my purse which comes in handy for so many times when I want to write down a quick note.

I first ordered these at work through Office Depot, and I continue to do so. My boss found out that he liked the little pads better than the big ones too - or for most things.

They are, as I said, 5 x 7 inches - a nice size.

These little notepads are lined which is nice. They may have unlined paper pads too. I've never checked. I personally like lines on my paper.

The colors that I get here are yellow, blue, and my favorite - lavender. They call them pastels. They have a bit of color but not enough to make it hard to read over them. It's very easy to read my black and blue pens over these colors.

I do use full size legal pads from time to time, but these 5 x 7 inch writing pads are my "go to" now. I really like the size.

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LisaCarey says "I can breathe again- boy this is fast acting!" about 4 Way Fast Acting Nasal Decongestant Spray 1 Fl.oz

LisaCarey — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 23:29:38 GMT

It's winter time, which means I have sinus trouble. Between the wonky weather in Houston (one day it's 70 the next its 55), travel, dry air from furnaces and the cold weather when I travel the months of November, December and January are tough on me. Desperate for fast relief I sent the husband out (my hero!) to pick up a sinus spray that would really work. He came home with 4 Way Fast Acting Nasal Decongestant Spray.

4 Way Fast Acting Nasal Decongestant Spray is easy to use, and only takes a couple of puffs of the applicator. The applicator actually is the right size for me, not too big and not too small. It is important to follow the directions as using this product too many times or using too much of it can really damage your sinus passages and cause nose bleeds.

That being said, if you follow the directions and just want quick relief then 4 Way Fast Acting Nasal Decongestant Spray is a good nasal spray to use. Within about an hour I was able to breathe freely and get...

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LisaCarey says "Takes off a days worth of makeup and more " about Clinique Take The Day Off Makeup Remover

LisaCarey — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 23:12:01 GMT

My mom likes Clinique (and Lancome) in that order. I like Lancome and Clinique - in that order. The good news is that when we visit each other we don't have to pack our entire skin care regime but borrow from each other to take care of our skin. During my week of borrowing one of the products I absolutely had to use of her's was Clinique Take The Day Off Makeup Remover.

I am not big on makeup, but when I put it on I use products that are meant to last a long time, all day and most of the evening too, so I use waterproof mascara's and long wearing lipsticks. This makes removing make up at the end of the day a little tough, so I need something that can "take the day off" and be gentle enough on my skin. Clinique Take The Day Off Makeup Remover does a very good job of both.

Clinique Take The Day Off Makeup Remover is easy to use, but I do suggest using only cotton balls. I was out, and used a tissue and ended up having to use far more than I normally do. so invest in some cotton...

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this2shallpass19 says "I really wanted to like this eco-friendly product but....." about Scott Naturals Napkins

this2shallpass19 — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 23:03:45 GMT

Whenever I have options, I always try to buy the eco-friendly version of something as long as it isn't unreasonably priced. For Thanksgiving this year, I went to the desert with friends. As I did my shopping for the trip, I was searching the paper towel aisle for napkins made from recycled paper. There weren't very many to choose from, but Scott Naturals Napkins were both reasonably priced and made from recycled ingredients, so I chose them.

I like that you get 120 napkins in a package, and I also like that these napkins are made from 80% recycled fiber. Unfortunately, those are all the positive comments I have for Scott Naturals Napkins. Not only are these eco-friendly napkins one-ply, but they are unbelievably thin. They are so thin, they require several of them to do the job that a regular napkin can do in one. As soon as they get wet, they shrivel up and become totally useless.

I'm all for eco-friendly products, but if they don't work well, I won't bother. Unfortunately,...

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