Fudgesicle Triple Chocolate Low Fat - An Accidental Reviewer

One of the fun things about being a food blogger is that you are often asked to try new products, and so I was thrilled when I was contacted by Popsicle brand to try new products targeted for those of us who are trying to pare down after holiday excesses. It is a well-known fact that often the best-intentioned diet is broken by the feeling of constant deprivation. Popsicle's new Sugar Free Tropical Bars and Fudgesicle Low Fat Triple Chocolate Bars were intended to address one of the toughest problems faced by parents and dieters alike-what can you eat for a treat when you are watching your sugar and fat? Popsicle has been around since I was a kid and they have gathered some data on eating habits that is very interesting, and it confirms what many of us as parents know - we are often sneaking these treats we buy for our children, and so choosing wisely is not only important for their health but for ours.

So when they offered me a sample of one of these new products and some coupons for free products for my readers, I jumped at the chance! Given my choice, and my strong penchant for chocolate, I chose the low-fat Triple Chocolate, and within a day or two, a package with dry ice and the complementary bars were at my house (as you can imagine, the dry ice was as exciting for the kids as the popsicles were!) The Triple Chocolate includes a white chocolate bar as well as more traditional milk and dark chocolate versions. Since the bars had been shipped in dry ice, I set them in the freezer to wait a day as recommended by the shipping instructions. Finally one night after dinner, I thought I would finally try each of the three flavors and write a review, but when I pulled open the freezer, I could see the box was open, but I was shocked when I saw the inside of the box (Share my dismay, right!) It turns out my husband and kids had been reviewing the bars for several days, and I think you can see, the Triple Chocolate Fudgesicles got rave reviews! After a severe dressing down, my husband brought back a new box for me to actually get a chance. I have to say that my favorite was the white chocolate -it was so rich and creamy that you would never guess it was missing the fat. For those of you who have to watch your sugar, Fudgesicle also has a No Sugar Added variety that is perfect for children or adults who want the flavor without the sugar

So here is the fun for you- Popsicle will be providing 10 coupons for free products so you can find Play with Food readers can find their own favorite frozen treat . Leave a comment with your best Popsicle-related memory, and I will pick ten readers at random on Valentine's Day.

Here is mine to start- I remember as a child the classic twin pops and how we used to push them on the edge of the counter top to break them in two, and how great those popsicles were on a hot summer day (before air-conditioning!) What a simple time! Now it's your turn!

That little something unexpected...

I have to admit that I am always intrigued when I see a recipe that has an unusual and unexpected ingredient- root beer or Dr. Pepper in barbecue sauce, mayonnaise in chocolate cake, Heidi's recipe that mated black beans and brownies, Mexican hot chocolate with chili- there's something that attracts me to these recipes. So when I saw a recipe for apple turnovers made with Mountain Dew I had to try it!

You can hardly call this a recipe since it uses prepackaged crescent roll dough (horrors!), a Granny Smith Apple or two, sugar, butter, and, of all things Mountain Dew. I was highly suspicious since I am not a big fan of tubes of crescent dough, but the hope for a delicious and easy apple turnover was enough to spur me on. I have to say, these are a great easy dessert. I had them with ice cream for dinner guests and they devoured seconds, and they were totally taken aback when I told them how they were made. So try these yourself (just what you need, another guilty pleasure, right?)

Now, it's your turn- let me hear some of your favorite recipes or dishes that have that little something unexpected. Everybody has one- now it's time to share!

Dew-Licious Apple Turnovers

2 Granny Smith apples ( I didn't peel mine, just cut in thin slices)

2 cans crescent rolls, separated

1 1/2 sticks butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoons vanilla

cinnamon

1 1/2 cups Mountain Dew

Core and slice apples. Cut apples into 8 slices each. Roll 2-3 thin slices in a crescent roll(put apples in thick side and wrap). Place in a 9 x 13 buttered pan. Melt butter, then add sugar and and vanilla, stirring, and pour over apples. Pour Mountain Dew around the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon, cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15-20 minutes until turnovers are golden and syrup is thick and bubbly. Serve with ice cream, and with some of the sauce from the pan over the top.