Reviews by Friends of ntilton

njchicaa says "Kill off the worms in your dog or puppy's intestinal tract." about Safe-Guard 4 Canine Dewormer

njchicaa — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 23:41:32 GMT

One of the constants of animal rescue is that kittens and puppies have worms. I always deworm them with Pyrantel Pamoate four times in order to remove the common roundworms that they always have. With the last foster puppy, though, I was still finding worms in his poop which meant I was dealing with tapeworms--something Pyrantel cannot kill.

I bought a box of four 3-gram pouches of Safeguard 4 Canine Dewormer at the local PetCo for about $10 I believe. The main ingredient in Safeguard 4 Canine Dewormer is fenbendazole which kills tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms. To use it you simply add the appropriate amount of deworming granules to canned food (there is a chart on the back of the box which bases treatment amounts on weight), mix well, and then feed to your dog or puppy. You must repeat the treatment for 3 days in a row to consider the dog fully-dewormed. That's it!

I've been very happy with Safeguard 4 Canine Dewormer. It was effective in eliminating...

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njchicaa says "If you like cooking and/or the Food Network, buy this magazine!" about Food Network Magazine

njchicaa — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 23:13:01 GMT

I'm not the best cook in the world, but I've been buying cookbooks over the years and trying to make new appetizers and dinners. I've gone from the greenest, most clueless person in the kitchen to someone who can whip up fairly impressive meals given enough notice. I recently discovered the Food Network and have become addicted to watching several hours of their programming each evening. When I saw that there was a Food Network Magazine, I decided to pay the full news-stand price and check it out.

Unlike other most other magazines, Food Network Magazine focuses on cooking. They feature new trends, quick tips, fresh ideas for using ingredients or updating dishes, Food Network stars at home/giving parties, and many new recipes and meal ideas. I used to really like Martha Stewart Living for the cooking information but over the years the focus has changed and now includes makeup spotlights, wine lessons, health information, etc. I don't want to read a magazine for health or makeup...

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njchicaa says "This classic mix is a must-have in your kitchen pantry." about Lipton Onion Recipe Soup & Dip Mix

njchicaa — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 19:51:21 GMT

Lipton Onion Soup Mix is just one of those things that I always keep in my kitchen cabinets. It is supposed to be a dry soup mix but, in all honesty, I don't know of anyone who has ever actually used it to make onion soup. You can find it in every grocery store on the planet for less than $2 for two packges.

Everyone seems to have their own special use for Lipton Onion Soup Mix, including onion dip, meatloaf seasoning, hamburger seasoning, potato seasoning, marinades, etc. Personally, I use it for onion dip and mealoaf seasoning.

To me, there is nothing better than the lovely blend of sour cream and salty Lipton Onion Soup Mix. I actually get angry when I go to family and friend's houses and they serve the pre-made and completely white French Onion Dip with green specks scattered throughout. It is nowhere even close to how yummy the traditional onion dip made with this soup mix.

I've also used this soup mix to make meatloaf. I normally make my meatloaf like a giant meatball:...

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njchicaa says "Yummy appetizers that you simply heat and serve. " about Pillsbury Savorings Artichoke and Spinach Bread Bowl Bites

njchicaa — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 18:03:05 GMT

I'm becoming quite the foodie and can be really snobby when I go to a friend or family member's house and am served all pre-prepared appetizers, sides, desserts, etc. My mother-in-law is infamous for using that kind of stuff which is how I first encountered Pillsbury Savorings Artichoke and Spinach Bread Bowl Bites. I enjoyed them enough on Thanksgiving to buy and serve them myself last night when we had friends over for dinner.

As the name implies, Pillsbury Artichoke & Spinach Bread Bowl Bites are bite-sized bits of spinach/artichoke dip in miniature bread bowls that can be served as appetizers or snacks. You simply preheat the oven or toaster oven to 400 F, spread them out on a baking sheet, and then bake for 14-16 minutes until golden brown. You don't have to thaw them before heating them which makes them a perfect thing to keep in the freezer for unexpected or extra guests and you are scrambling to make sure you have enough food for everyone.

There are good artichoke and spinach...

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njchicaa says "My Sister's Keeper is a mostly-faithful version of the book. " about My Sister's Keeper (2009)

njchicaa — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 02:58:44 GMT

My Sister's Keeper was the first of many Jodi Picoult books that I've read over the years. Reading it blew my mind and cemented the book up in my Top 10 Books Ever. I had heard that the movie adaptaion of the book was simply awful, but I must say that I was very pleasantly surprised by it.

Of course, the movie follows the main plot of the book. A daughter had leukemia and couldn't find a bone marrow match, so her parents went to a fertility clinic to create a "perfect match" child that would be able to give blood cells, bone marrow, etc. as the older daughter needed it. By the time she is 11 years old, her older sister is in kidney failure and her parents are trying to force her to donate one of her kidneys to her sister. Anna has decided that she is DONE donating body parts to save her sister's life, and both hires a lawyer and files a suit for medical emancipation from her parents to ensure that she won't have to unwillingly donate a vital organ. As the case winds through the...

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njchicaa says "Pillsbury Pizza Crust is good for a quick meal, but that's it." about Pillsbury Refrigerated Pizza Crust

njchicaa — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 01:59:34 GMT

Friday nights between October and March are pizza nights in this house. I always make homemade dough the old-fashioned way with yeast, hours for letting it rise, etc. Still, there are some evenings when I'm tired, I just want to relax, and I won't want to have to deal with making homemade dough. When I saw Pillsbury Pizza Crust available in the refrigerated cases next to the crescent rolls and hot dogs, I figured it was worth trying out.

This Pillsbury Thin Pizza Crust is a pre-made roll of refrigerated dough that you simply spread out onto a greased baking sheet. You are supposed to "pre-bake" it (just the dough on the baking sheet) for 5 minutes, remove it, add your sauce and toppings, and then bake the whole pizza for another 6-10 minutes.

I made our Pillsbury Thin Crust Pizza tonight with a thin layer of bruschetta instead of sauce, a blend of shredded mozzerella and sharp provolone, and some chopped fresh basil sprinkled on top of everything. It made a decent "quick" pizza,...

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njchicaa says "This organic chicken broth is a great addition to many meals!" about College Inn Organic Chicken Broth

njchicaa — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 02:16:44 GMT

The more I cook, the more recipes I try, which means the more chicken broth that I need to buy and use in my cooking. I have tried to buy organic foods for the past two years or so, but with the current state of the economy, I've had to cut back in the food budget and switch back to many non-organic products just to save money.

I've been using plain old College Inn Chicken Broth for the past several months, so I was excited to find a 32 ounce cardboard box of their Organic Chicken Broth shoved into the back of a cabinet. It costs about $3.50 per box compared to a same-size box of non-organic chicken broth for $1.79, which is why I had to stop buying it for the time being.

College Inn Organic Chicken Broth is 99% fat free and USDA certified organic. According to the information on the box, it is made by simmering free-range (but no mention of organic) chicken, organic veggies, and spices. A 1-cup serving contains only 15 calories but a whopping 510 milligrams of sodium.

I use this...

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Jolie says "buyuggsboot.net is a scam! Ugg Boots from China that are fake." about www.buyuggsboot.net

Jolie — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 05:22:46 GMT

Background on Buyuggsboot.net

A friend of mine at Viewpoints recently passed along a site called www.buyuggsboot.net. She found it online. www.buyuggsboot.net is a web site that sells all styles of Ugg Boots at discounted prices.

We werent certain if www.buyuggsboot.net were the real or not. But after a thorough review of the site, we thought it was legit. Buyuggsboot.net looks like a reasonable reseller of Ugg Boots. The page is designed well, the pictures look authentic and they make claim to having the real deal. They also consistently site throughout the web site having customer satisfaction commitments.

To add to the thought it was authentic, the pricing seemed good but not amazing. As you probably know a typical pair of Ugg Boots cost about $110. On Buyuggsboot.net the cost was $89.00- approximately a $20 savings. Seemed like a good deal, but they werent so cheap that I thought it could be scam. As an aside, last year Nordstrom had a similiar sale on Ugg boots so the pricing seemed...

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njchicaa says "A faithful and great adaptation of the 4th Harry Potter book." about Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

njchicaa — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 02:00:18 GMT

I've been a fan of the Harry Potter series of books (and movies) ever since J.K Rowling started releasing them. For some reason, I missed seeing the fourth movie in the series, Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire, many years ago so I added it to my Netflix list and recently watched it for the very first time.

Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire follows Harry and his friends Ron and Hermione as they work their way through their fourth year at Hogwarts, the school for the magical education of wizards and witches. Aside from the usual classes, struggles with Slytherins and Professor Snape, this movie also includes the Tri-Wizard Tournament. This tournament is between the 3 magical schools (Hogwarts, Durmstrang, and Beauxbatons), is held every 5 years, and is designed to test school champions in their magical powers, courage, intelligence, etc. Witches and wizards over the age of 17 are eligible to place their names into The Goblet of Fire and the cup selects one champion from each...

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njchicaa says "I really enjoyed Half Broke Horses." about Half Broke Horses

njchicaa — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 01:22:06 GMT

Half Broke Horses is written by Jeannette Walls, a former entertainment reporter who wrote a gripping memoir of her childhood called The Glass Castle. This book tells the story of her grandmother, Lily Casey Smith, and her life from childhood through adulthood and even up until she became a grandmother for the first time.

Lily Casey Smith had a challenging life. She grew up in poverty, eventually escaped Texas ranch life for Chicago, marries a man who is already married, divorces, and then moves to Arizona to start over again. She is a strong and confident woman who takes life as it comes, learns the lessons she can from it, and carries on as best she can in any given situation. It is very reminiscent of The Glass Castle in that both of the main characters refuse to be broken by what life throws at them and still manage to improve their circumstances as best they can.

I've long considered Jeannette Walls' The Glass Castle to be one of the very best books I've ever read and I...

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njchicaa says "This is delicious and really inexpensive Extra Virgin Olive Oil!" about Trader Joe's Extra Virgin Olive Oil

njchicaa — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 02:59:36 GMT

As someone who is interested in cooking and always attempting to improve, I've been cooking more often with extra virgin olive oil. The problem is that it is so expensive at the local grocery store--$20 for a 1 quart bottle. I had been reluctantly buying it and sparingly using it due to the cost. When I saw 1 quart bottles of Trader Joe's Extra Virgin Olive Oil for just $5.99 each during a recent visit to the store, I picked up two and now wish I had bought several more.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is made from the first pressing of the olives which means that it has the most color and flavor of all of the various types of olive oils. EVOO, as it is sometimes called, is full of heart-healthy unsaturated fats and lots of fruity flavor. Due to the strong flavor and expense, Extra Virgin Olive Oil is usually used for sauteeing, marinades, salad dressings, etc. You don't want to use it for baking due to the strong flavor or for frying due to the low smoke point. I use Trader Joe's...

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njchicaa says "Add flavor to steaks and burgers with the Steakhouse Grinder!" about McCormick Steakhouse Seasoning Grinder

njchicaa — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:59:05 GMT

My husband loves to try different seasonings and rubs that he finds in the spice section of the local grocery store which is how we wound up with the McCormick Steakhouse Seasoning Grinder. It is sold in a 1.3 ounce glass bottle with a grinding apparatus at the top.

This McCormick Steakhouse Seasoning Grinder contains a blend of spices and herbs including black/pink/green peppercorns, red pepper, sea salt, garlic, onion, parsley, and paprika. I've always liked the various McCormick steak and burger seasonings that I've tried in the past, so I figured that I'd like this Steakhouse Seasoning as well... and I was correct.

The big selling point of this Steakhouse Seasoning is the fact that the jar has a built-in grinder so you can add freshly-ground spices to your beef, chicken, etc. To dispense them, you simply remove the top, turn the jar upside-down, and then twist the "base" to grind and sprinkle the seasonings onto the food.

I've used the McCormick Steakhouse Seasoning Grinder...

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njchicaa says "Omaha Steaks Burgers are mediocre pre-made hamburger patties. " about Omaha Steaks Burgers

njchicaa — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:17:29 GMT

We recently placed a couple of Omaha Steaks orders and wound up with a package of 6 free Omaha Steaks Hamburgers as a "free gift" with purchase. We've had them for dinner twice now and, while they aren't horrible, they aren't something that I'd go out of my way to buy in the future.

These Omaha Steaks Burgers are four ounces each and contain North American beef. Each one contains about 290 calories and a whopping 23 grams of fat. There are no seasonings mixed into the ground beef which means that, although the Omaha Steaks Burgers are very juicy, they don't have any real flavor.

A package of six of these 4-ounce hamburgers costs $21 plus shipping. Seriously, I can buy twice as much ground beef at less than half of the cost at the local grocery store, add some seasonings, and make a much tastier (and leaner) burger. Omaha Steaks Burgers aren't totally awful, in fact they are pretty juicy though without much flavor. In fact, they are probably better than your typical pre-made...

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njchicaa says "Ziploc Evolve Gallon Bags: kind of the Earth but very thin." about Ziploc Evolve Gallon Food Storage Bags

njchicaa — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:42:45 GMT

I'm always looking for environmentally-friendly alternatives for the products that I usually use. When I saw Ziploc's Evolve series of plastic storage bags, I decided to try them out despite the fact that they were more expensive than the regular ones. Ziploc claims that their Evolve Food Storage Bags are "better for the environment" because they are ultra-light bags that use 25% less plastic and are made with wind energy.

I typically use gallon-size food storage bags for two things: marinating meat in the fridge and storing meats in the freezer. Ziploc Evolve Gallon Storage Bags work well for soaking beef, chicken, pork, and even fish in a marinade for a couple of hours in the refrigerator. They hold in the food and liquid marinades without the leaks that I've experienced when using other brands of plastic storage bags.

As for long-term use in the freezer, the jury is still out on that one. There are only 2 of us in the house and I usually buy meat (chicken breasts/thighs,...

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njchicaa says "Celebrate Christmas with Mrs. Meyer's Peppermint Soy Candle." about Mrs. Meyer's Peppermint Scented Soy Candle

njchicaa — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:53:32 GMT

I love candles and always have them burning throughout my house. I change the scents to match the seasons and one of my absolute favorite holiday scents is peppermint. I didn't buy any this year, though, because I was already overloaded with Christmas-type scents. My sister surprised me, however, with a Mrs. Meyer's Peppermint Scented Soy Candle and I've been burning it ever since.

This 7.2 ounce candle is made with vegetable wax, fragrance, essential oils, and a paper core with cotton wick. It is opaque white in color and has a festive minty scent. The suggested retail price for these candles is $9.99, but my sister found it in Home Goods for about $3.

Mrs. Meyer's Peppermint Scented Soy Candle has kind of a medium scent. It is less intense than your typical Yankee Candle and is best suited for smaller rooms like bathrooms, offices, or even bedrooms. I first tried burning mine in our living room, but the scent was so mild that I felt like I was wasting the andle. I then...

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njchicaa says "Trader Joe's Spanakopita has yummy filling but mushy filo dough." about Trader Joe's Spanakopita

njchicaa — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 02:28:04 GMT

I'm not usually one for pre-made appetizers or meals, but when I saw Trader Joe's Spanakopita sitting prettily there in the freezer last month, I remembered how good the Barefoot Contessa's version looked when I saw it on Food Network and tossed 2 boxes into my cart. I didn't get around to actually trying them until today...

To prepare Trader Joe's Spanakopita, you simply open up the box, remove the plastic wrapping, and bake the pieces (straight out of the freezer) in their foil pan at 375 degrees F for 20-22 minutes. After they are cooked, you are supposed to let them cool for 10 minutes before serving. I followed the directions while preparing the Spanakopita and was somewhat disappointed. Yes, after 22 minutes the filling of the little pockets was warm, but the phyllo/filo dough was still very soft and doughy. I tried to cook one of the trays for an extra 10 minutes or so, but that just resulted in the phyllo dough cracking, splitting, and otherwise self-destructing rather...

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njchicaa says "I'm very happy with this Depo-Provera generic birth control." about Medroxyprogesterone Acetate (Depo-Provera generic)

njchicaa — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:42:29 GMT

At 32, I'm pretty sure that I don't want children. I already take a fair amount of medication daily for my asthma, so I didn't want to use birth control pills. I had used Depo-Provera injections successfully in the past, so that was what I chose to go with again on my last visit with the OB/GYN.

Medroxyprogesterone Acetate is the generic version of Depo-Provera and what the pharmacy has been giving me for the past year. It is basically a derivative of progesterone, that prevents ovulation and thickens cervical mucus. It is 99.7% effective which means it provides more pregnancy protection than pills and condoms. It is worth noting, however, that Medroxyprogesterone Acetate Injections do not provide any protection from STDs, including HIV and HPV.

You receive these birth control injections intramuscularly every 11-13 weeks. The needle is rather large but, I promise you, you won't feel it if you can stand to drop your pants a bit and have the injection in your upper butt. ...

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njchicaa says "It isn't Christmas in my house without WickIt Good's Noel Candle" about WickIt Good Noel Candle

njchicaa — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:08:15 GMT

I really enjoy candles and am always looking for new brands and exciting fragrances. One of the lines that I keep returning to is WickIt Good Candles, a local candle company that has 3 New Jersey shops and an online store. Each Christmas I buy several of their Noel Candles and enjoy every minute of the fragrance that they spread throughout the house.

WickIt Good's Noel Candle is opaque white in color and has a fragrance described as a "true tanenbaum". I'm not sure what "tanenbaum" is supposed to smell like, but I can say that this Noel scent is simply Christmas. It seems to be a blend of evergreen, mint, and a hint of sweet berries. WickIt Good Candles contain 10% fragrance oil as opposed to the competition's 4-5%, so these are very strongly-scented candles that don't contain fillers, hardeners, or stabilizing chemicals. Basically, they are wax and fragrance.

I bought WickIt Good Noel in the 18 Ounce Double Wick Jar Candle for $22.50. It is a bit more expensive per ounce...

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njchicaa says "Yum! I love Trader Joe's Cafe Pajaro Whole Bean Coffee!" about Trader Joe's Cafe Pajaro Whole Bean Coffee

njchicaa — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 00:33:19 GMT

I'm a big fan of organic and fair-trade products, but the main reason that I bought Trader Joe's Cafe Pajaro Whole Bean Coffee was because it was nicely priced and had a cute picture of a bird on the container. I'm not kidding.

According to the Cafe Pajaro container, this is a whole bean arabica coffee that is full-bodied and has an extra-dark roast. It also consists of organic coffee beans that have been fairly-traded, which means that the growers are given a fair price for their product and don't have to sell at cut-throat prices. I paid about $7 per 13 ounce can of Trader Joe's Cafe Pajaro Whole Bean Coffee which is cheaper than the usual brand that we buy that *isn't* organic, fair-trade, or the rest...

We really enjoy this Cafe Pajaro coffee. It is an extra-dark roast which produces a robust and flavorful coffee which is the perfect way to perk us up at 5am each morning. The price is nice and this product also has the benefits of being organic and fairly-traded. For someone...

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njchicaa says "Ocean Potion Moisturizing Body lotion isn't moisturizing. " about Ocean Potion Moisturizing Body Lotion Aloe Lotion

njchicaa — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:05:02 GMT

Every spring a large group of my family heads south for a spring break vacation at Cozumel, Mexico. My birthday is usually a few weeks before the trip, so it wasn't surprising last year to receive a beach tote filled with a new towel, a bottle of tequila, sunscreen, aloe, and a bottle of Ocean Potion Moisturizing Aloe Lotion.

I didn't get around to using it until just the past month or so (6+ months after receiving it) because I had quite a stash of lotions already in the house. I don't get much sun exposure in November/December these days, but I decided to use this stuff as a daily moisturizer. Ocean Potion Moisturizing Lotion contains ingredients like rapeseed (canola) oil, sunflower oil, glycerin, aloe leaf juice, vitamins C/E/A/B6/D, tea tree oil, etc.

Ocean Potion Lotion is an opaque, white, and fairly thin product that spreads easily across and absorbs quickly into skin. The scent is strong and somewhat fruity, though I'd be hard-pressed to name exactly what fruits are combined...

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