Newman's Own Organics & a Delicious Giveaway

This review has been a long time coming. You see, I realized there was a problem when I witnessed an entire package of Newman-O's get devoured in less than 15 minutes. The entire package! (RIP Vanilla Newman-O's, you were delicious while you lasted in this house.)For the record - I only ate four. That's when I realized desperate times called for desperate measures. I hid almost half of the goodies the kind folks from Newman's Own Organics sent me for this review. Actually, I hid them a little too well since it took me forever to find them all.

I had previously tried Newman's Own organics K-cups & loved them! But probably like you, I was a bit confused by the name. It looked like it was associated with Newman's Own (their pasta sauces & salad dressings are a staple in this house.) but it looked completely different at the same time. Well come to find out, Newman's Own Organics became a division of Newman's Own in 1993. then a separate company all their own in 2001. Business partners Nell Newman & Peter Meehan may have started with pretzels, but their plethora of organic snacks today is amazing!

The Cinnamon Graham Alphabet Cookies were a favorite with the kids, so was Pop's Corn. Actually I was ecstatic when I found the popcorn at a local store. I send it in for classroom snacks since it makes more popcorn than any other brands I've tried. I was also pleasantly surprised by the Chocolate Creme & Vanilla Newman-O's, there was obviously a reason why they disappeared so quickly. The Fig Newmans & Cinnamon Mints were uber popular with the hubs & the pretzels (salted sticks & unsalted rounds), along with the Chocolate Cups (peanut butter in milk chocolate & caramel in dark chocolate), were on the "most asked for" list. Then there were the prunes. I was skeptical of these for the simple fact that they do have a reputation & I had never tried them before. But I've got to say, I've tried them in a few recipes (desserts & breads mostly) & they're pretty good.

Of course I did have a few favorites of my own...

Family Recipe Chocolate Chip Cookies

These mini cookies had the perfect amount of chocolate & crunch. I was surprised that they reminded me of a different store bought brand that I buy every now & then, only better. And call me crazy, but the mini size & the fact that they're organic, makes me feel a gazillion times better about eating "just one more" cookie.

Cinnamon Hermits

These chewy cookies had quite the kick! Filled with raisins & molasses, they were very filling but in an odd twist of fate, had me wanting more as soon as I was done. I've been on the lookout for more of these at my local stores since they are perfect for the fall season.

"One theory is that Hermits were named for their long keeping qualities - better when hidden away like a hermit for several days. i doubt if these will last long enough to hide." - Nell Newman

Licorice Twists

I quickly learned that the licorice needed to be put away if I was going to get any. The regular strawberry was good, but the sours (apple, cherry, strawberry & mango) were amazing. The sugar & sour crystals (from natural citric sources) on the outside of the licorice has the perfect amount of each. I don't know about you, but too much sour seems to kill all the flavor. So I was able to enjoy my new absolute favorite licorice - Sour Mango.

Check out this photo on Instagram!

Signature Series Chocolate

I knew I was going to have to get creative hiding the Super Dark Chocolate with 70% Cocoa & the Orange Dark Chocolate. Apparently I was a bit too creative since it took me with my "Mommy Brain" what seemed like forever to remember where they were. But when I did...it was heaven! The Orange Dark Chocolate was unlike any chocolate I'd ever eaten before. You could taste the orange without it overpowering the bitterness you get from the dark chocolate (or vice versa). But the Super Dark Chocolate with 70% Cocoa...oh my goodness! If there was one chocolate I could eat every day for the rest of my life this would be it. Just thinking about it puts me in a chocolate coma again. Hence the loss of words, which says a lot actually.

Of course it should come as no surprise that Newman's Own Organics makes such delicious products (including pet food). Everything had "Pa's" approval after all!

Do my favorites make your mouth water?

 One lucky winner will receive a Prize pack of my 4 favorites (Family Recipe Chocolate Chip Cookies, Hermits, Sour Mango Licorice Twists & Super Dark Chocolate with 70% Cocoa Signature Series Chocolate), along with a surprise item from Newman's Own Organics. 

 The giveaway will conclude on at 12:00 a.m. est on Tuesday 11/13/13. Winners will be announced via rafflecopter & in a separate blog post which will be published no later than 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday 11/13/13. Winners will also be notified via email & announced on the Smith and Blessings facebook page. Winners will have 48 hours to submit shipping information, which will then be passed on to Newman's Own Organics for distribution of product. If 48 hours has lapsed, a new winner will be picked & then will also have 48 hours to submit their information. *Giveaway open to U.S. residents only.

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Be sure to connect with Newman's Own Organics on Facebook for the latest updates. And don't forget to check out Nell's Corner for some yummy recipes while you're at it.

 **Disclaimer: I received these products to try from Newman's Own Organics & am simply sharing my personal opinion which may vary from yours. I was not compensated for this review.