Eaters, are you like me - still occasionally daydreaming about the last new snack flavor you found and wondering when the next will come along?  Okay, I'm relieved I'm not alone in that bone-deep need for new flavors of everything all the time. Sometimes, the FvF family even finds ourselves at Big Lots, scouting for discontinued, limited-edition flavors we can't find anymore.

Mikesell's launched new flavors in spring of '13 and late summer of '14 - which means southern Ohians were ready for something new. Now that the public expects it and competition gets thicker every year - they know they have to stay leveled up. In all sincerity, this company has yet to make anything I don't like. While all of their flavors aren't my jam (I'm a sucky baby about heat), they're all well developed, balanced flavors. They haven't tried to be too trendy, either. Enter Salted Caramel Puffcorn.


I know a lot of you are thinking, "Yeah, but isn't salted caramel sorta trendy?" Depending on who you ask, sure. But, salting sweets is not simply a trend or a new thing. Chefs and home cooks have been doing this for years. I don't remember how, where or when, but about a decade ago - I was traveling and got a taste of something filled with salted caramel and I, the girl who has long salted her brownies, went bonkers for the stuff. I started seeking it out everywhere, but it hadn't really gained momentum.

Is it like their Caramel Puffcorn Delites? Surprisingly, not really. I never really got into the caramel ones, because they were too sweet for me. Again, I like a little balance - a salt tooth, if you will. The flavor on the salted caramel is akin to if you were to make salted caramel at home - very rich, buttery,  and decadent. If you can make something taste buttery, I am ALL in, friends. Even people who haven't been fans of salty sweets in the past just might dig this. The flavor is mellow, but rich. Plus, no hulls and kernels - so you can feed it to babies. What are you waiting for?! Go find a baby and feed it some Mikesell's Puffcorn!!

"Table Scraps" is where I'll put all of the little blurbs for the week that didn't really deserve their own post. The orphaned, inner-city kids of commentary, if you will.

- Picked up a bag of Planter's Smokey Bacon Peanuts when making a cigarette run in NKY last week. I was very excited that two of my favorite things had come together and made a delicious love child, but BLARGH. The peanuts seem to have been blanched and flavored ONLY with the smoke seasoning. Not impressed, Mr. Peanut. Try again.

- Trophy Nut & Candy in Tipp City won my heart by making a little something called Crunch & Nutties Hot and Spicy mix. NOM! I've been buying it at Big Lots about 5 cans at a time until they inevitably run out. A super tasty low-carb snack that offers more than just nuts. Cashews, almonds, peanuts, sesame sticks and corn mama sticks tossed in a spicy seasoning. But, of course any time I find something I love, they have to go and break my heart and discontinue it. I checked Trophy's website and they have something similar, but not exactly the same. But, I'll still probably end up buying it in bulk once I clean Big Lots out of their stash.

- J's aunt & uncle bought us a fancy microwave popcorn maker for Christmas, but I've been brawling with it. It came with about a dozen different types of corn, and I've found some good recipes for doctoring it up (such as making your own kettle corn!). Only problem is, I can't get it all to pop without burning. Does anyone have any tips for using one of these mothers?

- I've exhausted my one & only ramekin recipe. Do my kick-ass readers have any more? I'm open to desserts, but I'd love to get some ideas for savory dishes and side items I can serve with diner.

- I tried my hand at my mom's beef stew recipe idea last night, and it came out DELISH. I worked up the nutritional facts on it and turns out I don't need to feel guilty about eating a heaping helping of it!

- The sausage & breadcrumb stuffed chicken was only a halfway success. Very tasty, but really too much of a pain in the ass to make. Maybe If you get the wimpy little Tyson Chicken breasts, it would be easier. But, I buy all my meat freshly butchered from Dot's Market, thank you very much. I don't know what they're feeding their chickens, but they are some busty broads! I pounded the chicken out with a meat mallet until my arms gave out, but it still took almost twice the cooking time.

- That reminds me - if you live in Dayton, you're doing yourself a disservice if you're buying your meat and poultry anywhere else but Dot's. You absolutely can't beat the value, and I'd put their steaks & chops up against DLM's any day.