Morning: #Annular #SolarEclipse #Skywatchers + Evening #OscarsParty #Oscars2017

There will be a "Ring of Fire" or Annular Solar Eclipse visible in South America and Africa this morning. Would have loved to be able to witness it from here, but no such luck for us North American skywatchers. Will look for pictures online later. I'm certain somebody will get some spectacular shots and post them.

Meanwhile, I'm prepping for our Oscars 2017 Party this evening. We generally don't actually watch the awards show itself (which is most often too long-winded and self-congratulatory) except for the original song performances, but we will have it on the telly as background noise during the festivities. We're making 7-Layer Nachos, assorted veggie fries (including French fries) and jalapeno poppers for snacks. There's also Key Lime Pie and (in a nod to the Oscar statuette) Golden Oreos for sweets. For beverages, we've got Cheerwine Milkshakes, assorted Coke products (for floats, shakes & mixers) and a full bar.

We play movie trivia games and debate our own award selections. Should be a fun evening. And then early next week, we'll be partying more, because... Mardi Gras! I happen to adore the idea of surprise trinkets hidden in food --- as long as one is forewarned --- so, of course, I love King Cake. (So help me, I'm finding that baby this year.) Looks like February is going out with a blast!

My Future #ShoppingList (#NewProducts on My Radar) #Alexa #ProductTrials #ProductLaunches

Several new products have launched in the last year or so which have piqued my interest. I plan to test and try these out once I locate the products in stores and have a need for them. (I abhor waste, so I try to only buy new products when they fulfill a need --- or there's a deal that's too good to pass up --- versus grabbing anything new I encounter the moment I see it.)

Until then I keep a future shopping list, in alphabetical order, of products to locate and test, which is updated as necessary. The fun part (other than finding and trying the products) is that I can use my Amazon Echo in order to verbally instruct Alexa to manage this shopping list for me, which has greatly lessened my reliance on sticky notes these days. (Saves paper. I transitioned to a paperless office years ago, and now I'm working on becoming a paperless household. Having Smart Assistants helps.)

My Future Shopping List (Grocery)
Beyond Burger
Brazi Bites (free product coupon)
Cheerwine Holiday Punch (also a recipe available)
Cheerwine Kreme
Cheerwine Squeeze
Green Giant Riced Veggies
Green Giant Veggie Fries
Just Mayo
Veggie Fries Tots

NOTE: I keep future shopping lists for household items (where I keep tabs on not necessarily new products, like appliances, that I think will fulfill a need or desire in my quest to create an "efficient household"), for health care aids and for clothing, jewelry & fashion accessories that catch my eye. This is merely my grocery list.

#Noted: A New Line of #Veggie Products from #GreenGiant: #VeggieFries + #RicedVeggies

It seems that all the foodie magazines to which I subscribe are currently featuring advertising for a new line of vegetable products from Green Giant. There's a veggie fries product line which claims to deliver healthier alternatives to standard potato French fries and a riced veggies product line which claims to deliver healthier alternatives to white rice. As rice and potatoes (particularly in the form of French fries) are two of my favorite food groups in the whole world, if these new Green Giant products are actually healthier and taste as good, I'll definitely buy them often. I haven't encountered any of these new products in the wild (in stores) as yet to verify nutritional contents (as listed on the product labels), but they do sound appetizing.

Once I've had the chance to check them out, I'll report back (with a product review). Generally, I like Green Giant products --- and I loved the animated Jolly Green Giant commercials as a child --- so I have high hopes that these new product lines will live up to their advertised billing. The proof will be in the taste test, however. (You could say that cardboard is healthy all you want, but I still wouldn't eat it.) As it stands, I've added these new products to my future shopping list, which simply means that I'll buy some if and when I find them at whatever future date and time. Hopefully, this will be sooner rather than later, but new product distribution can be somewhat haphazard.

#VeggieFries = The Spuds Gone Wild! #Review

I'm a lacto/ovo vegetarian and have been for a long time, having "gone veg" at a fairly young age and never looked back. I have a lot of hysterically funny stories that stem from trying to explain my being vegetarian or my asking for vegetarian food options in a society (small town Georgia, deep South) which largely believed that everything should be fried and flavored with ham hocks. Never a dull moment where interactions over food were concerned.

I enjoy food. I love to cook. I love to socialize over food and try new things. I also love discovering new ways to prepare old favorites. I'm always on the lookout for interesting and exciting ways to prepare foods that I love. I'm big on convenience and enjoy finding creative "fast foods", too.

One of my absolute favorite fast foods is French fries. I like them baked, I like them deep fried. I like them seasoned, covered in chili and/or cheese; dipped in sauces, dressings and mayo. I am a potato fiend. (My siblings use to tease that I'd never met a potato that I didn't like.) I've actually done tech support jobs for friends and family where I was "paid" in French fries.

Recently, I had the chance to try Veggie Fries [eatveggiefries.com], souped up French fries that use potatoes as a base and adds in other vegetables like chickpeas or kale. There are four varieties currently available (listed in order of my preference): Broccoli & Potatoes; Chickpeas, Red Peppers & Potatoes; Kale, Tuscan Beans & Potatoes; and Carrots & Potatoes. In spite of the fact that the Carrot version is my least favorite -- I have never like cooked carrots, only raw -- it's still decent and I'm certain that people who like (cooked) carrots would love them.

I had to experiment with baking times to reach my desired level of crispness, because I found the amount of time suggested on the bag resulted in too soft fries. Once I achieved a crispy batch of fries, it was all good. I could eat these for breakfast. (I did on at least one occasion.) They make a great addition to my options for French fries and can be used in a variety of ways in various dishes. (There's a growing recipe section on the product website.)

I found Veggie Fries in the frozen food aisles at both Sprouts and Whole Foods in my area, and prices ranged from $3.98 to $4.99 depending on the store and/or variety. For whatever reason, the Chickpea variety was only $3.98 at Sprouts when I purchased them, compared to $4.49 for the others. It might have been a special sale, though I didn't notice any signs to that effect. All varieties were $4.99 at Whole Foods. I originally got one of each variety to try them all. Then went back and purchased my favorites (skipping the Carrot variety) on the next shopping trip.

I liked them well enough that I'll definitely continue to purchase the product in the future. The company that makes them is launching a Veggie Tots version this Fall. Can't wait to try them, also!

DISCLAIMER: I received several free product coupons so that I could try Veggie Fries and experiment with them in recipes as part of the product manufacturer's outreach to bloggers. (A recent Veggie Fries Newsletter --- I had previously subscribed after first hearing about the product some months back --- asked if any bloggers would like to try the product. I responded and was sent a free product coupon. I tried the product and gave the company feedback and was sent a couple more free product coupons as a thank you.) However, I was not required to write a product review publicly. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.