Posts tagged with "reviews"

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After a hectic couple of weeks my hubby and I needed to make time to get the oil changed in our SUV. The light actually came on last week alerting us to the need for an oil change. Before we headed to the garage for the oil change, I pulled out my Motor Oil Matters checklist to make sure that we had everything in order. 

I really love the MOM’s Oil Change Checklist as it educates me to the things that I need to know about keeping our SUV in tip top shape!

Motor Oil Matters or MOM,

is the American Petroleum Institute’s (API) new Consumer education and industy watchdog program that was established to stress the benefits of quality licensed motor oils. 

If you are like me and not very knowledgable when it comes to car-related issues, Motor Oil Matters was formed to help understand what important things to look for at your next oil change. In fact, MOM has put together a checklist of important things to look for during your next oil change. One key thing is to make sure that your service provider is using a quaility motor oil in your vehicle. Some service providers may be quick to use inexpensive motor oil in your vehicle which, in the long run of things, may actually cost you more money for vehicle maintenance fees.

While we were having the oil changed in our SUV, we also told them to go ahead and rotate the tires for us. I just love getting into a car that has a fresh oil change and roated tires! I know that this may sound silly but it seems like a new car all over again! 

Be sure to chceck out the MOM’s checklist the next time that you need the oil changed in your vehicle. It really does make a difference and you will be prepared!

Disclosure: My Sweet Savings through My Oil Matters received a $50 Visa Gift Card forthis review & giveaway. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

My husband and I recently had the amazing opportunity to visit Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar in Tampa, Florida for their $29.95 3-Course Prime Rib Dinner offer. We had heard such wonderful things about Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse from some friends and were thrilled to try it out for ourselves.

The experience, food and service was beyond amazing! The ambience in the restaurant definitely makes for a great date night! It is a very romantic atmosphere with dim lighting and candles. In my opinion, this is the perfect atmosphere for a night out with your special someone!

The 3-Course Prime Rib Dinner offer starts off with your choice of salad. Choose between The New Wedge, Fleming’s Salad or Modern Caesar. My husband and I both chose The New Wedge Salad and it was to die for. The grape tomatoes, crispy onions, caramelized bacon and blue cheese are a party in your mouth. I could have kept eating this salad all night long it was that yummy!

After our delicious New Wedge salad we moved on to the star of the 3-Course dinner, the Prime Rib. This was not just any Prime Rib. Fleming’s serves the finest USDA Prime beef: corn-fed, aged up to four weeks for flavor and texture, then broiled at 1600 degrees to seal in all the juices and flavor. The meat just melts in your mouth and is so tender and delicious! It is served alongside a trio of sauces including Prime Rib au jus, creamy horseradish and Dijon Sauce. The Creamy Horseradish sauce is simply the best I have ever tasted. Even my husband who typically does not care for Horseradish sauce raved about this particular one!

Along with our Prime Rib, we were served a delicious side of Fleming’s Potatoes. These potatoes are Fleming’s House Specialty combined with cream, jalapeños and cheddar cheese. The thing that I loved the most about these potatoes is that the jalapeño was not overpowering at all. It gives the potatoes such a unique and delicious flavor.

Last, but definitely not least in the 3 course Prime Rib Dinner is the Dessert. My husband chose the Cheesecake which is a classic New York style cheesecake. It is served on a graham cracker crust  with blueberry sauce and white chocolate shavings. He let me have a little taste of it and it was a very creamy cheesecake which I love!

I, on the other hand, chose the Carrot Cake. This carrot cake is a three layer cake with cream cheese frosting topped with a drizzle of dark rum caramel. This was probably the most delicious carrot cake that I have ever eaten. That is saying alot as Carrot Cake is one my all-time favorite desserts! The cream cheese frosting was divine and just melts in your mouth! I enjoyed delicious cappucino with my Carrot Cake that made for the perfect ending to a delicious meal!

If you have been wanting to try Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse, I cannot say enough wonderful things about it. Through September 2, you can try out the Three Course Prime Rib Dinner at the remarkable price of just $29.95 per person! This offer is valid every Sunday and you can make reservations online or by telephone. Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse now has over 65 restaurant locations in 28 states. You can see the locations and make reservations HERE.

Thanks again to the generous and wonderful folks at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse in Tampa, Florida for hosting my husband and I! Be sure to ask for Mark and Holly if you visit this location. They are super nice and helpful about the entire menu and offerings!

(All posts may contain affiliate links and/or sponsored content. Please see my disclosure policy)

I was recently privileged to try out the Corazonas Oatmeal Squares for the first time. I had previously heard of these snacks but had never tried them before so I was super excited to do so!

Not only are these squares absolutely delicious, but they are also very healthy and filled with good-for-you ingredients as well! In fact, a serving of Corazonas Oatmeal Squares supplies a full serving of plant sterols. That is like eating about 61 tomatoes all at once! Oatmeal Bars have never been so healthy! You can see more of the health benefits of these yummy snacks HERE.

Corazonas Oatmeal Squares come in 7 delicious flavors: Banana Walnut, Chocolate Brownie and Almonds, Chocolate Chip, Cranberry Flax, Peanut Butter, Blueberry and White Chocolate Macadamia. 

I loved all the different favors, but one of my favorites is definitely the Whice Chocolate Macadamia. Even my little boy who is 20 months old loved snacking on the bars with me! There were pieces of Macadamia Nuts and White Chocolate throughout every bite. Yummy!

Corazonas Oatmeal Squares are so good that they are named one of the finalists in the QVC Customer Choice Awards for Best Healthy Snack! That definitely tells you that these are one delicious snack! You may vote for this delicious snack on QVC through August 25.

Thanks to the folks at Corazonas, one lucky My Sweet Savings reader will have the chance to win a sample pack of the Corazonas Oatmeal Squares! To enter the giveaway, please follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter below. The first entry is mandatory while you may gain addtional entries with the other options. 

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Disclaimer: I was provided a sample pack of the Corazonas Oatmeal Squares for my review. All thoughs and opinions are 100% my own. This giveaway is not sponsored or endorsed by Facebook or Twitter.

(All posts may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my disclosure policy)

My husband and I had the wonderful opportunity to dine at the Carmel Cafe & Wine Bar in Clearwater, FL this past Monday evening for their Carmel Three-Course Prix Fixe. If you are not familiar with the Carmel Cafe & Wine Bar, they feature Modern Mediterranean cuisine at fantastic prices!

Every Sunday and Monday you can dine from the Prix-Fixe Menu at the Carmel Cafe and Wine Bar and enjoy a 3 Course Prix-Fixe for only $12.99 per person. That is a fantastic price for the quality food that you are receiving! The atmosphere at the Carmel Cafe & Wine Bar is also one of high-quality. The ambience surrounding the restaurant allows you to easily gather with friends for a fun night out or it makes for a wonderful date night with that special someone! You may dine from tables, booths or they even have couches for an initmate setting.

One of the fun things about this restaurant is that when you place your order you may actually do it from the convenience of an iPad right at your table. You place your order and it is immediately sent to the kitchen. How cool is that?

For the appetizer, you may choose between the delicious Chickpea Fries or Edamame Hummus. My husband and I were able to try both and they are just delicious! I have never been a fan of Chickpeas before, but the Chickpea Fries are to die for! Dip them in the yummy Tomato Jam and the Curry Ailoli for a delicious start to your meal!

After your delicious appetizer, you may choose between the Carmel Café House Salad, Caesar Salad or a Cup of Soup. I chose the Carmel Cafe House Salad while my husband ordered the Caesar Salad. They were both delightful to the tastebuds!

Moving on to the Star of our 3 Course Prix-Fixe- the Entree portion. The standard serving is a small plate, however you may choose a large plate for just $4 more. My hubby actually ordered the larger plate for his dish, the Ravioli Verde, and as you can see it was quite substantial. This yummy dish was comprised of spinach and ricotta filling, truffle butter, peas, pea shoots, mushrooms, and haricot verts. He ate every last bite so and I can tell you that is was delicious as I stole a few bites! I ordered the Basil Grilled Salmon with Cous Cous and Kalamata Olive Tapanade. It was some of the best salmon that I have ever put into my mouth and the Kalamata Olive Tapanade was so flavorful! The olives with the salmon were such a nice compliment.

After we had enjoyed our delightful 3 course Prix-Fixe, manager Andrew ordered us some of the classic Caramel Cafe & Wine Bar Desserts-the Pound Cake with Strawberries and the Chocolate Lava Cake. Both of the desserts were absolutely divine, but I could not get enough of the Pound Cake with Strawberries! They actually take the cake and caramelize it in a pan before adding the strawberries and whip cream which are also flavored with Vanilla and other yummy flavors. I then ended the delightful night with a yummy cappucino!

I want to give a big Thank You to the Carmel Cafe and Wine Bar and manager Andrew for allowing My Sweet Savings to review your delicious 3-Course Prix-Fixe! My husband and I had a fantastic night out and now we have another favorite date night spot to add onto our list! 

If you are a local reader and live in the Tampa Bay area, there are actually 5 locations for you to enjoy your own dining experience. There are restaurants in Countryside, South Tampa, Sarasota, Carrollwood and Winter Park. GO HERE to see more details.

Be sure to check out the Carmel Cafe Facebook page for special offers, events and more!

Disclaimer: My Sweet Savings was provided the 3-Course Prix-Fixe from Carmel Cafe for this review. All thoughts & opinions are 100% my own.

**Winners have been announced on the Rafflecopter below & emailed! Congrats to Mary G, Rachel E and Mary Beth E!

My family and I love Italian Food, so when I was recently given the opportunity to try several of the Michael Angelo’s Entrees, my hubby and kiddos were just as excited as I was!

The folks at Michael Angelo’s sent me vouchers to try a Family Sized Entree and 2 single-serve entrees. For the full-sized entree I chose a dish that I knew the entire family would love-Baked Ziti and Meatballs. For the smaller single-serve entrees I chose Shrimp Scampi and Eggplant Parmesan.

If you are not familiar with Michael Angelo’s Products, you are missing out! All of the products that I have tried are truly amazing and taste just like the dishes that Mom used to make. In fact, the goal of Michael Angelo’s has always been to create dishes that taste like they were made in a home cook’s kitchen. That can’t be done if you add preservatives, fillers or chemicals. The only way to get that made-from-scratch taste is to cook it fresh, freeze it fast and send it straight to your grocer. 

My family and I LOVED all 3 of the dishes that we tried. As you can see from the photos my boys Drew and Brady 18 months and 7 years old adored the Ziti and Meatballs. The layers of Ziti and Meatballs along with the Fresh Tomato Sauce and Mozzarella Cheese are definitely a party in the mouth! 

My hubby and I enjoyed the Baked Ziti and Meatballs as well as the kiddos, but we also thoroughly enjoyed the Shrimp Scampi and Eggplant Parmesan.

Shrimp Scampi is one of those items at the top of my list when we dine out and the Michael Angelo’s Shrimp Scampi tasted even better than any I have had dining out! The flavors are simply amazing and the taste of garlic, butter and lemon are in every bite! 

The Eggplant Parmesan was so fresh and homemade tasting that I would have never believed it came from a box if I did not know differently. There was no artificial taste and every bite was as if my Grandma had made this dish from scratch. 

Also, please be sure to head on over to the Michael Angelo’s Facebook Page to enter the “Share Your Taste for Italy” Contest. Winners will stay in a private villa with the Michael Angelo’s family and will tour the region throughout the trip, experiencing the authenticity and natural ingredients that have inspired Michael Angelo’s to make their meals the same way for over 30 years. Founder and CEO Michael and his mom Sara spend a great deal of time in Italy, and they make great tour guides!

If you’re someone who shares our passion for authentic Italian experiences and the ingredients that make great food, show us your expertise by creating and submitting a video that shares your knowledge and your love of Italian food— whether it feature your own dish, an old family recipe or a passion for a certain ingredient. To enter, record a 1-3 minute video and submit it on the Michael Angelo’s Facebook page, now through July 5, 2013. On July 15, Michael Angelo’s Facebook fans will vote on the finalists to determine the winning video. If you’re a finalist, it’s up to you to share your video to score more votes. 

Now, on to the Giveaway! Thanks to folks at Michael Angelo’s, 3 My Sweet Savings readers will each win vouchers to try out some of these delicious entrees for you and your family.

To enter this giveaway, please follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter below. The first entry is mandatory while you may gain additional entries with the other options.

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Disclaimer: I was provided with vouchers to faciliate my review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. This giveaway is not endorsed or sponsored by Facebook or Twitter.

If your family is anything like mine, Summertime can be a rather hectic time of the year. It seems that

we are always on the go! I try to search for affordable yet tasty meal options for the boys if we are out and about and need to pick up something. Wendy’s is one place that I know I can trust to meet those expectations.

I was recently sent some Wendy’s gift cards so that I could take my family to Wendy’s and try out some of the newer menu items. We had such a fun time together as a family and the food did not disappoint! 

I enjoyed the new Berry Almond Chicken Salad. This salad is SO yummy! It comes with eleven types of freshly chopped field greens topped with plump blueberries, sweet California strawberries, almonds roasted with sea salt, shaved Asiago cheese, and a warm grilled chicken breast. I topped it

with the Fat Free Raspberry Vinaigrette dressing and it was very tasty!

While I enjoyed my salad, Drew tried a Kids meal with the Grilled Chicken Go Wrap. I love the fact that Wendy’s is now allow the kiddos to go for a healthier option in the wrap. As you can see from the picture, Drew just loved it!

My hubby Keith downed one of the Premium Strawberry Lemonades with his meal and he even let me have a taste. It is very refreshing and the strawberries are so fresh throughout the entire drink.

We topped off our fun-filled lunch with the new Frosty Waffle Cone. How can you go wrong with the classic Wendy’s Frosty filled in a yummy Waffle Cone? I think that Brady agrees! 

If you are out and about this Summer and need a quick but affordable meal, be sure to stop by your local Wendy’s to try some of these yummy goodies!

Disclaimer: I was provided with Wendy’s Gift cards to facilitate this review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

(This post may contain affiliate links and/or sponsored content.)