Coolest Job Ever: Dunkin Donuts Head Donut Dude

            What’s the coolest job in the world? There’s probably not one right answer, but Rick Golden’s job description comes pretty close. Rick is the Research and Development Manager for Dunkin Donuts Bakery, which means he’s responsible for creating the tasty treats you use your Dunkin Donuts coupons on!        

         Rick says his donut-creating team calls him the “Ambassador of Dunkin Donuts” and “Manager of Donut Excellence,” but he’s basically a donut-loving dude with a cool job.

         He started working in the original Dunkin Donuts location in Quincy, Massachusets when he was just 14 years old. From the store level, he moved up in the company and became an Operations manager and then donut baker before joining the company’s culinary team. He earned a degree in restaurant management while working his way up, but Rick thinks that the familiarity he gained with the brand from a young age got him to where he is today.

         Rick likes donuts because they make people smile. He says his research team seeks to make donuts that are first and foremost delicious but that are also simple enough that they can be replicated in individual stores.

         Rick also acknowledges that a lot of donut innovation comes from the people who use Dunkin Donuts coupons most – the customers often provide inspiration for baked creations. That gives me hope that, though I’m already ten years too old to get my foot in the door at Dunkin Donuts like Rick, I might still be able to make a splash in the donut world. 

What Do Japanese Women Want? Spam, Apparently

           Spam may be an object of ridicule here in the US – we’ve even appropriated its name as a label for junk e-mails – but in Japan, the canned meat has so many fans that the execs of Burger King Japan are betting people will line up to swap their Burger King coupons for sliders made from the packaged precooked meat product.

         For whatever reason, the small sandwiches are being marketed primarily to women, with the slogan “What women want, women get.” I find it hard to imagine that women are demanding Spam in Japan or anywhere else, but Spam is evidently extremely popular in Japan and the sliders are expected to sell well.

         This isn’t the first time BK has spammed it up. In 2007, the restaurant added the Spam Platter-- two slices of the stuff between rice and scrambled eggs – to its breakfast menu in Hawaii.

         Spam is as big in Hawaii as it is in Japan, and Hawaiian residents consume more than 5 million pounds of Spam every year. There are more varieties of Spam sold in Hawaii than anyplace else in the world, but there are no plans to debut the BK Spam Sliders in Hawaii as of yet.

         BK Japan seems particularly invested in bringing its consumers distinctive reasons to use Burger King coupons, as they also recently introduced the “Meat Monster” sandwich, which is like a Whopper with two beef patties, bacon, and grilled chicken. 

YUM! Copycat Arby's Sauce Recipe

                   

       I’ve heard that Arby’s has had trouble keeping up with other fast food chains in the competitive arena of the economic marketplace, but I think they could help keep themselves in the black if they bottled their sauces. As a kid I’d always choose Arby’s when my mom let me have fast food, and I thought I really loved their chicken fingers – but as it turns out, I really liked the Arby’s sauce (and the curly fries, if I’m being totally honest). That stuff is good on sandwiches and chicken and fries and eggs and you name it – I know this because every time I go in and use Arbys coupons I grab about a million packets of Arbys sauce, so I have enough to bring home for later.

Until they decide to sell Arby’s sauce by the bottle, I’ve decided it’s better for me to make my own Arby’s sauce than get banned from my local restaurant for being a sauce thief. This recipe is pretty darn close to the real thing, and it keeps for a couple of weeks.

INGREDIENTS:

            1 cup ketchup

            ½ teaspoons Tabasco

            2 teaspoons water

            ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

            ¼ teaspoon onion powder

            ¼ teaspoon salt

            ¼ teaspoon pepper

To make the sauce, just mix all the ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring constantly until the sauce comes to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool before enjoying – I bet you won’t be able to tell the difference between this and the stuff you get with Arbys coupons!

Chill Out With Your Dog This Summer

Everyone loves popsicles in the summertime – even dogs! When the mercury rises, you can mix up your dog’s dietary routine from the usual Kibbles and Bits coupons with this “pupsicle” recipes. They’re pet safe, super refreshing, and easy to make with ingredients you have on hand. Bon appétit!

Basic recipe:

         1 banana, ripe

         4 cups natural orange juice

         ½ cup plain yogurt

Puree all the ingredients in a blender and pour into ta popsicle mold. Freeze & feed to your favorite pet! You can mix it up by substituting peaches, watermelons, blueberries or strawberries for the banana.

Savory popsicles:

         If you had chicken for dinner, your dog can enjoy it for dessert! Let the leftover chicken carcass simmer in a pot of hot water for an hour and a half. Cool, pick the meat off, and discard the bone. Combine chicken broth, mashed up carrots/peas/corn or other leftover veggies, pour into popsicle mold, and freeze. These can be a bit messy and are best served outside.

Lazy pet owner’s recipe:

         Cube some watermelon, put it in a plastic baggie, and put it in the freezer. This cool all natural treat is the easiest way to let your dog enjoy a sweet taste of summer!

        

If you don’t have a popsicle mold, you can freeze your pupsicles in a small Tupperware container or empty single-serve yogurt containers. Remember that these pupsicles can’t substitute for the well-rounded meal Kibbles and Bits coupons provide, so feed them to your dog only as a special treat. 

HELLO BABY! A New App For Moms

           There’s an app for everything these days. Now, there’s even an app to help expectant mothers get in touch with a group of people who definitely don’t have cell phone access – their unborn babies! Sure, preparing the nursery, reading baby books, and stocking up on diapers with Pampers coupons in anticipation of baby’s arrival is one way to get excited about adding a new member to the family, but the Pampers app is a way to track your baby’s growth that’s really revolutionary.

         The app is called Hello Baby, and it’s totally free in the Apple App store. When you open the app, you see the picture of a fetus and are prompted to scroll through to the appropriate gestational week. When you select your week, you’ll see the key anatomical features of the fetus during that week.

         Yes, it’s blatant advertising for Pampers – but it’s also a really cool app that helps parents visualize the growth of their baby in a new way. The app is doctor-developed and approved, and some doctors may even begin using it in their practices to help explain the development process to patients and family members. If companies are going to develop promotional apps, they ought to be functional and well-designed, like this one is. Check it out at Pampers.com, where you can also find parenting tips and Pampers coupons.

Signs You're Really A Parent

If the diaper bag and perpetually sleep-deprived look make it apparent to the rest of the world that you’re a new parent, these are the signs that prove to you that yes – you really are a parent. You know where the best Huggies coupons are, whether your baby prefers smashed peas or pureed carrots, and how to change a diaper with one hand. Here are 10 other sure signs that it’s official:
1) You can distinguish between a cry that says “I’m hungry” and one that says “I pooped.”
2) Other moms ask you for advice.
3) You finally understand what all the fuss over the “new baby smell” is about.
4) Your baby notices himself in the mirror for the first time.
5) You realize that your baby does look like you (or your significant other).
6) Your baby’s cuteness stops a stranger on the street.
7) You make your baby laugh so hard he gets hiccups.
8) You see dad and baby laughing napping together, both in the same position.
9) You’re told that you’re a great mom.
10) You believe it.
You go, mom. You’re a Huggies coupon-wielding, lullaby singing, spoon-feeding superhero.

Shaq Teams Up With Some Unexpected Partners

Shaq has been in the news a lot recently since he’s retired from basketball, but there’s bigger news to discuss. Shaq has teamed up with some unusual teammates o revolutionize an iconic American institution – the “got milk” campaign.

There have been more than 300 “Got Milk” ads featuring celebrities with milk moustaches, but this is the first ever ad to feature milk’s favorite cookie: Oreos! This dream team has been assembled to celebrate National Dairy Month this June, and getting Oreo coupons and a tall glass of milk is one way you can get in on the fun.

You can also log on to www.MilkandOreo.com, submit a description of your favorite milk and Oreo moment, and enter for a chance to win free milk and Oreo cookies! One winner will be selected every hour for the whole month, so there are a lot of cookies to be won for all you cookie monsters out there.

"The ad was created to inspire and encourage families to share special moments with each other over Oreo cookies and milk, just as Shaquille and his mom Lucille have done since he was young," said Victor Zaborsky, marketing director of the milk education program. "We cannot think of a better partner to invite into our campaign than 'Milk's Favorite Cookie.'"

Shaq is pretty stoked about the new team that has been assembled, too.

"Oreo cookies and milk are a slam dunk in my book.  My mom and I have enjoyed them together since I was a little kid. Now, as an adult, I do the same with my children," said the basketball superstar. "It was fun to share another 'dunk' with my mom in this upcoming ad."

You don’t have to be a legendary basketball star to enjoy the classic combination of milk and Oreos, of course – you just need a few Oreo coupons and a nice cold glass of milk!