Oh, Give Me A Home...

...where the Buffalo Pop'rs roam? Well, that's what my Friend from FLA, who Blogs under the pseudonym Does Anybody Hear Me? says!

Anybody, who makes her Bloggy Home at Don't Get Married...You Won't Like It!, purchased some Pop'rs earlier this month from Uncle Lynn, The Pop'r King. You know, the only place you can buy Pop'rs right now is online. Click here to find out how!

So, back to my story. Or, I should say, Anybody's story. Here's what Anybody reports: "Uncle Lynn and Aunt Julie have come up with a wonderful product called Pop'rs. They POP in your mouth and make veggies so much fun to eat!! I have tried them myself and love the Butter flavor. And the Buffalo is terrific on popcorn!!"

Thanks for the Positive Vibes, Anybody! And remember, all you Pop'rs Fans out in Cyberland. You, too, can pick up your very own Pop'rs by clicking here to find out how. Or, you can win them by clicking here. Or here. Or here! It's that easy! Remember, the Pop'rs Polls close at 11:59 p.m. EST tomorrow night, so you'd best get crackin'! Help Veggie Mom celebrate her 100th post, and win some Pop'rs in the bargain!

A Guest Blogger, Carbonated Crystals, and the Value of Myth-Busting

Today, Eat Your Veggies! features a Returning Guest Blogger! You may recall that Uncle Lynn told you the first chapter in his Amazing Pop'rs Story last month. Well, he's back to fill you in on more of his extraordinary journey.

Before we get started, though, Lynn wanted me to remind each and every one of you that his Great New Pop'rs Giveaway ends Friday at 11:59 p.m. EST. Click here to enter! Also, the photo above shows Uncle Lynn on our recent OBX Vacation. Seems the poor guy was trying to get back to the beach house, and was cornered by a young hawk. Neither Uncle Lynn nor the hawk knew quite what to make of the situation!

So, sit back, relax, and I'll turn it over to Our Guest Blogger, The Pop'r King. Hope you enjoy Chapter 2!

When I left off telling the Pop'rs Story, I had just found out that the owners of Pop Rocks were in Spain. In this chapter I thought I would fill you in on a little "popping" background; by the way, these are things that I have heard over the years from various people, not due to any historical research I have done–so if I get something wrong, I'm sorry; I am just repeating what I have heard!

Pop Rocks were actually invented in the '50s by a man named Dr. William Mitchell. He died four years ago, much to my regret, because his invention has become a great part of my life. I met his daughter, Cheryl, at a trade show some years ago, and she invited me back to California to meet her father. I will forever regret that I did not find the time to take her up on that offer–always remember, when you have extraordinary opportunities, never get too busy and decide to “do it later”!

Anyway, Dr. Mitchell worked for General Foods (GF–now know as Kraft General Foods) and invented Pop Rocks while he was trying to make an instant carbonated Kool-Aid, but the invention was considered a failure since it only made a "noisy" drink. What I have been told is that the product was a GF curiosity, and Dr. Mitchell would make a batch once a year or so for many, many years and offer the little magic crystals at company summer picnics, much to the delight of all, especially the kids.

Somewhere in this, GF bought a chip company located in Canada. The former owner of that company was touring GF plants, and happened to be at one of Dr. Mitchell’s "popping picnics." Delighted by the crystals, he arranged to get enough packets to use as a premium for his chips in a promotion he ran. Apparently, kids were seen going into stores to buy the chips, and throwing the chips away just to get the little packet of Popping Magic! That was apparently enough for GF to decide to introduce the product, and in the mid-'70s, Pop Rocks were born.

I think we all know about the rumors about the “dangers” of Pop Rocks, all of which are fun to tell and all of which Are Not True. I know–in fact, I inadvertently helped prove this: Several years ago, the popular but crazy Mancow Radio show asked us for samples of our Carbonated Crystals. Thinking this might be a fun opportunity for our little company, we sent him several pounds of a number of flavors. Should have thought that one through better: On the morning of the show, we all got by the radio in our offices in Neenah, WI, and got ready to hear our national introduction. Well…..

Mancow did a nice job of introducing our company, and all seemed to be going well. Then, we listened as he asked one of his assistants to lie down on a desk; then we, in growing fear, listened as spoonfuls of our crystals are poured into this assistant’s mouth–flat on his back. Then came the horrible sound of a Coke can being opened. Flat on your back, with a mouth and throat full of the explosive little crystals, and now a Coke about to be poured on top of that–I thought I was going to listen to the death of my little company on national radio as Mancow killed his assistant!

Well, I am more than pleased to report that there was certainly some sputtering and a lot of laughing, but no death! So, if anyone ever tells you that popping crystals can hurt you, I can tell you Mancow did his darned best, and NOTHING bad happened. There was also a great "MythBusters" show on the Discovery Channel, which showed for all time that there is nothing but fun to be had with Carbonated Crystals.

Anyway, when I pick this up next, I will tell you about my travel to Spain and how I introduced Popping Popsicles and more to the world!

Happy Birthday to an Old Dog!

Aunt Julie is on vacation, which means she's missing a Major Milestone back home. Trouble Elizabeth (remember, Julie has no girls, so had to grant the family surname to someone, even if he is a male dog) turns 16 today. Little Red, Julie's soon-to-be DIL, is dog-sitting while The Pop'r Queen is at the beach.

Julie picks up the Trouble Elizabeth tale: "We found him from an ad in the newspaper. There were lots of Springer Spaniel ads that week, and most were $350 or so. The ad for Trouble said $50. I called, to see if it was a typo. No. Why so cheap? Turns out the owner had 12 puppies to find homes for."

Trouble Eliz turned out to be a rabbit-chasing machine. "Almost every morning we’d let him out and he’d take off and not come back 'til he could hardly move, and the neighborhood was free of bunnies for another day," she remembers. "My kids were late many mornings for school because we were scouring the streets in our SUV, calling 'Trouble! Trouble!' and eventually 'Trouble Elizabeth! You get over here right this minute!' "

Julie and Uncle Lynn, The Pop'r King, came up with a great way to wake up their boys in the winter. "We had a habit of taking him outside to play and then letting him jump on the boys' beds to wake them up. Cold toes, cold nose…"

Trouble Elizabeth's alarm clock duties, however, were numbered. "One Sunday morning he jumped off the bed, but his leg got caught between the mattress and footboard, and snapped," Julie says. "Since we lived in a rural area, the local vet was a large animal vet, and his suggestion was to shoot him and get another dog! Good thing we lived near Madison and the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine! One day and $1,000 later, he was good as new!"

There are too many Trouble Elizabeth stories to tell here, "but needless to say, it was the best $50 we ever spent!" Aunt Julie declares. "He's an old doggy, but all we want is another 16 years. What a great dog!"

Like a lot of 112-year-old men, Trouble Elizabeth has become mostly an indoor doggy, and leads a pretty pampered life. His various ailments come and go; he has a "dribbling" problem, among others, and wears a Doggy Diaper. The Pop'rs Family calls him "Captain Underpants"!

Auntie J. says Trouble's aches and pains are pretty minor, though. "As long as he still barks at the mailman and wags his tail when we come home, we can cope!"

They're Hot for Pop'rs! And YOU Can Be, Too!

Cyber-chatter continued over the weekend for Pop'rs, Uncle Lynn's cool new seasoning that's fun and good for you, too! The Pop'r King wants to Share the Pop'rs Love, and also let you know about a cool new Giveaway! And BTW, that's Soccer Boy, doin' a little Double-Dippin'. He's sprinkling Chocolate Pop'rs in his Chocolate Milk. Yummy in the tummy!

Veronica, who patrols the aisles at Supermarket Serenade, started us off on Friday with a Music and Pop'rs combo. She posted a pretty cool Music *Meme*, and paired it with a review of that fabulous seasoning that literally makes your food sing! I'm talking about Pop'rs, of course, available only from Uncle Lynn in eight awesome flavors!

And in what kind of Pop'rs Pleasure did Veronica and Family partake? Cinammon Pop'rs on pancakes and Colorburst Pop'rs on mango slices--sounds pretty delish and exotic to moi! Then Veronica. Just. Went. Crazy!

"Taco Pop'rs to popcorn, Butter Pop'rs to broccoli and green beans, Buffalo Pop'rs to our turkey sandwiches," Veronica blogs enthusiastically. "It says on the bottles that they have vitamins added, which is an extra bonus, but we (especially the kids) just liked the crackling! I don't think they are available in the supermarket yet, but I'm sure Veggie Mom will let us know when they are. Thanks for the fun treat, Veggie Mom!"

No, Pop'rs aren't in supermarket aisles. They're easy to get, though. Just click here to order your Pop'rs from Uncle Lynn, at new Recession-Proof Prices!

Saturday dawned bright and beautiful, with more Great Pop'rs News to report! Deanna, who's got our attention over in Deanna's Corner, had some Saturday Savings news on homemade popcorn topped, of course, by Pop'rs! Deanna's out to save her Bloggy Readers a buck or two, and increase their taste sensation at the same time. I'd say you're successful, D! "I highly recommend Butter and Taco" -flavored Pop'rs on the homemade popcorn, Deanna suggests.

Already Pumped Up on all this Pop'rs Love, imagine Uncle Lynn's glee when he took a gander at what Angie, The Ringmaster at SevEn cLoWn CirCuS had to say about his product. She enlisted her five kiddos as "Official Product Testers." What were they reviewing? Why, Pop'rs, of course! Let's let Angie explain:

"My kids really eat to live," Angie says. "Unless the article to be consumed has an enormous sugar content, they usually don't get very excited about it. Don't get me wrong. They are good eaters, but if they are not hungry, they won't eat, just to eat. Even if it is delicious."

Sounds like a Mom who needs to offer the Wee Ones a tad more encouragement. "So, I really wanted to try out Pop'rs. They are a new product that can only be purchased online and have gotten the nod from the likes of Rachael Ray. They sounded intriguing to me, so I felt especially lucky to win every flavor in a giveaway."

OK, Angie, but what are they like? "Basically, Pop'rs are like Pop Rocks in different flavors, but with vitamins. So, not only do they add flavor, they provide music in your mouth. Literally. They pop in your mouth (and in the sink if there are any remaining on the plate) and the effect is really quite enjoyable." I like the image of the popping plates in the sink, don't you?

Angie and Family went wild with the Pop'rs, and got wonderful results! "So far, we've added the berry flavor to a peanut butter sandwich, and the butter flavor to a grilled (with no butter on purpose) cheese and turkey sandwich, and I have big plans for dinner tonight," she says. "Taco and butter flavor on corn on the cob, and cinnamon on homemade applesauces for dessert. My kids won't eat cottage cheese, but I'm going to try a raspberry on that, too."

Our Bloggy Friend Angie was pretty pleased with the Pop'rs. "It seems that the possibilities are limitless," she says, "and I know we'll enjoy a little magic in our eating in the future. And, just in case anyone is wondering if I went commercial on you, let me reassure you that I rarely, rarely do product reviews. This is my way of saying thanks to Pop'rs and Veggie Mom at Eat Your Veggies for my free gift."

Wow! Uncle Lynn was pretty pleased himself, after all that good news about Pop'rs! So pleased, in fact, that he's running another Great Pop'rs Giveaway. It kicks off tomorrow, so make sure you're there, too, to Share the Pop'rs Love!

Pop'rs Quiz: The Jonas Brothers, Oprah, The Great Pop'rs Giveaway, and More!

1. Who are Kevin, Joe and Nick Jonas?

2. Why would Pop’rs Inventor Uncle Lynn make a Great Guest on Oprah?

3. How can you help Uncle Lynn score big points with Oprah?

4. How can you help Aunt Julie plan for an Extra Special Rehearsal Dinner for Big Bear and Little Red?

5. How can you become a Big Winner in the Great Pop’rs Giveaway?

Now, because Uncle Lynn, The Pop’r King, believes in keeping his readers informed, everyone gets an “A” on this Pop’rs Quiz. Here, Faithful Readers, are your answers:

1. The Jonas Brothers, who performed on Oprah Thursday, are The Talk Show Diva’s Most Requested Guests of the Year. The reason they hold such a high honor? Because their fans absolutely deluged Oprah with online requests!

2. Uncle Lynn’s Pop’rs are good for you, add fun to family meals, and encourage you to Eat Your Veggies! An Oprah show featuring Uncle Lynn, Pop'rs, and kids like yours sampling this surprising seasoning on different kinds of food would be a hoot! In his e-mail to Oprah yesterday, Uncle Lynn even suggested adding a discussion with Dr. Oz about healthy eating into the mix!

3. Please post a note to Oprah on her Web site, encouraging her to build a show around Pop’rs and their Fun and Family Factor! Tell her about your children's eating habits and your concerns that they eat more healthy foods. Heck, send her a photo of your little darlin's, so she can include them on a Pop'rs Show! Click here to find out how you can help, plus get Extra Entries in the Great Pop’rs Giveaway!

4. Aunt Julie, The Pop'r Queen, has just two months to get ready for a 60-person rehearsal dinner at her house. Click here to offer suggestions, and enter the Great Pop’rs Giveaway at the same time!

5. The Great Pop’rs Giveaway runs through Monday, July 28. Click here to find out more, and remember: If you don’t enter, you can’t win!

Dear Oprah...

So many of you have been Sharing the Comment Love about Uncle Lynn, The Pop'r Family, Pop'rs, and Big Bear and Little Red's Wedding that we're overwhelmed with gratitude.

Today, we'd like to Take. It. Up. A. Notch.

Yesterday, we blogged about Rachael Ray, and her enthusiasm for Pop'rs, that delightful, fun and good-for-you seasoning that convinces kids to Eat Their Veggies! Several of our Faithful Readers said we needed to plead our case to The Food Network. Others, including Marla, suggested that Oprah is the way to go.

So, here's the deal. Uncle Lynn sent an e-mail to Oprah this morning, telling her about Pop'rs and his family business, and inviting the Queen of Daytime TV to try Pop'rs for herself! Here's a little bit of his invitation:

"We'd love to provide you and your staff with enough boxes of Pop’rs—each containing all eight flavors—to try out for a while. After you’ve given this amazing product a 'test run,' why not invite some real kids—of all ages—on your show, and let them try the Pop’rs on all kinds of foods? You could pair this 'demonstration' with a segment featuring the Great Dr. Oz, talking about a serious subject like children’s health. You could even do an audience giveaway of Pop’rs that day. I promise you—the Fun Factor will definitely come alive with when Pop’rs are unveiled on Oprah!"

Here's where you come in, faithful readers--we'd love for you to Share the Comment Love with Oprah! Please send Oprah and her producers a short message, encouraging them to take Uncle Lynn up on his offer. All you have to do is click here; then look on the right side of Oprah's Home Page. See the orange button that says BE FEATURED ON? Click on that! A list, all in orange, will appear. Click on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Then, look for Be on the Show, and click on Do You Want to Be a Part of the Action? Click on that, fill out the info, leave your comment, and we'll be on our way!

You can tell Oprah anything you want! How you'd love to see kids--including yours, perhaps?--experiment with Pop'rs on television; how you'd find it interesting to tune in to a conversation between Uncle Lynn and Dr. Oz about healthy eating; how your sweet children turn into finicky eaters at dinner time, and how Pop'rs could help; how you'd like to join Uncle Lynn and Oprah and try Pop'rs for yourself!

And what do you get for your trouble, other than the satisfaction of helping a family-owned company get its 15 Minutes of Fame? Well, right now all we can send you is our gratitude, and of course group hugs, but who knows? Someday soon, Oprah might just take Uncle Lynn up on his offer! Then we'll all be able to Share the Pop'rs Love! And what, I ask you, could be better than that?

On the Red Carpet? Well, Not Yet, But...

So many of you have been Blogging Up a Storm about Pop'rs that I just wanted to post a Big Group Hug this morning--and send a hearty "Thanks, guys!"

The question remains, Dear Readers: How do we get the word out about Pop'rs? Those of you who are avid fans of Eat Your Veggies! already know that this delightful seasoning is so fun and so good for you that it should be in splashed across the covers of all the great foodie mags and covered by everyone from Paula to Giada on The Food Network. So, how do we get started?

Well, we had what advertisers call a "bump" in May, when Every Day with Rachael Ray gave us some pretty good pub. Rachael said Pop'rs "...add pop to anything! We like the cinnamon on buttered toast. FIZZ FACTOR: full fireworks ..."

But you know, Faithful Readers, we're a small, family-owned company. Teeny-tiny. One mention from Rachael is wonderful, but we've got to--how do you say it?--keep the Big Mo (as in momentum) going. And that's where you come in!

The Blogosphere is abuzz about Pop'rs, and Uncle Lynn, The Pop'r King, couldn't be more pleased! Just yesterday, we received the biggest blog boosts yet.

Scary Mommy wants to know why we're not on "Unwrapped," of Food Network fame. Aunt Julie, The Pop'r Queen, says we'd love to be showcased, except that our Pop'rs process is a secret, and we don't want it getting out. Yup, we make 'em, market 'em, the whole shebang! And we're the only company that does! Scary, please help us find another way to Share the Pop'rs!

Lula, over in Lulaville (natch!), says "Y'all totally need to be on Food Network. And I totally need to be ordering some Pop'rs." Thanks for the endorsement, Lula! The only way you can get your Pop'rs fix, BTW, is to order online. And as for The Food Network: Do you know how to get us there?

Adiel, who says It's Because I Think Too Much, has given quite a bit of thought recently to Sharing the Comment Love. Thanks, Adiel--hope you think on it some more and spread the word!

Lisa, our insomniac friend from CA (did you notice that she's often first on the SITS Roll Call?), is all about The Pop'rs Love. Please help us Blog About Pop'rs, Lisa--you'll be glad you did!

Greedy Grace, our Bloggy Buddy from Just Lisa, No Filler, has questions galore about Big Bear, The Pilot, and the process for making Pop'rs. Yes, it's a secret, patented by Uncle Lynn. We're the only folks in the country who make Pop'rs. And you know where you can get 'em--online, but of course. And now Uncle Lynn is offering Pop'rs at new, reduced, recession-proof prices--so check 'em out!

Brandy, who is Not Your Average Soccer Mom, just received a fresh batch o' Pop'rs and plans to post about their yummy-ness soon. Thanks so much for the support, Brandy!

So, I guess what I'm asking you to do, Dear Readers, is Spread. The. Word. Pretty Please? Write Rachael Ray! Call the Food Network! E-mail Emeril! But above all, please keep on blogging about our fanTAbulous product! And remember--Our Great Pop'rs Giveaway is now underway, and every time you comment, you receive another entry! Aunt Julie needs tons of help planning the rehearsal dinner for Big Bear and Little Red, so don't delay--enter today!

Get Ready for a Sweet Celebration!

For those of you wondering about the lovey-dovey ticker at the top of this page, exciting stuff happening in the Land of Pop’rs! Big Bear, Aunt Julie and Uncle Lynn’s Number One Son, is getting married in October! He and Little Red, his fiancé, are taking that stroll down the aisle October 11, in the first-ever Pop'rs Wedding!

Bear and Red met five years ago, when he was working for a dealership and sold her a new car (He is not exactly a fast mover—nor a smooth talker—like his Dad Lynn, The Pop'r King, who married Aunt Julie just five months and five days after meeting her on Valentine’s Day!). About 250 people are invited to Bear and Red’s wedding, with 50 to 60 invited over to The Pop’r Family’s house for the rehearsal dinner. What does Aunt Julie have to say about that? Only one word: “Yikes!” All three of Bear’s brothers will be in the wedding.

Fortunately, Aunt Julie, being The Pop'r Queen and all, sure does love to cook!…the dessert menu has been solid for months—homemade carrot cake cupcakes, cheesecake with strawberries that Julie Eliz picked in June, and a chocolate fountain! Dinner is still negotiable. “Sixty people is starting to sound like an awful lot,” Aunt Julie says. Let’s see: wedding party and out-of-town family and friends. Auntie J. is taking suggestions for the dinner!

The sweetest part of all is that Bear gave Red Grandma Vera’s engagement ring. “I thought they would just remove the diamond and put it in a new setting,” Aunt Julie explains, “but the bride loves it just like it is and prefers not to change a thing. So it has been separated (it was once welded to Grandma V.’s wedding band because of wear), gold added and a new head built, and cleaned—the goldsmith said it will look just like it did when Grandpa Ernie gave it to my Mom in 1947!”

Auntie J., naturally, is a sentimental gal. “When I returned from the jeweler’s, I cried. To think it had been in a drawer since Grandma Vera died. I’m thrilled that it has been taken out, restored and is once again on the finger of the girl who is about to become Vera's first grandson’s wife!”

Here’s where you come in, Faithful Readers! Watch this space tomorrow, when I’ll explain how you, too, can get involved and help The Pop’r Family prepare for The Big Day!

Our Giveaway was a Bloomin' Success!

Congrats to M~, of The Suburban Farmer, and Veronica, of Supermarket Serenade, the Random Drawing Winners of our Great Pop'rs Giveaway! Uncle Lynn, The Pop'r King, will ship each gal a complete set of Pop'rs--that fun and actually good-for-you seasoning--to try with her family. Remember, Pop'rs come in eight fantabulous flavors--Cinnamon, Colorburst, Chocolate, Strawberry, Raspberry, Butter, Taco, and Buffalo--that can be sprinkled over all kinds of foods, from broccoli to yogurt--literally, To Infinity and Beyond!--as Soccer Boy and Buzz Lightyear used to say!

Uncle Lynn, Aunt Julie, Soccer Boy, and The Gang are really looking forward to what M~ and Veronica have to say about Pop'rs! Veronica asked in her entry post if Pop'rs are available in stores--right now, these vitamin-infused seasonings can be ordered exclusively online from Uncle Lynn, The Pop'r King. And The Pop'r King wants you to know that he's now offering Pop'rs at a new, reduced, recession-proof price--so just click on his name and order yours today!

Our Great Pop'rs Giveaway was so Bloomin' Successful that Aunt Julie, The Pop'r Queen, wanted to share a gardening photo and a tip with her Dear Bloggy Readers. Aunt Julie has been trying like mad to grow the Delphiniums pictured above for years. Trouble was, she planted these delightful perennials on the west side of the house, resulting in stringy, skinny, scrawny plants, with few blooms. In a nutshell, Auntie J. was frustrated. I'll let her explain the problem.

"They are one of my favorite flowers, and I have never had any luck with them coming back a second season," The Pop'r Queen laments. "I had an open spot in the east-facing garden this year, so I tried just one delphinium. It was a great success, so I moved the ones from the opposite side of the house there also. Some of the flowers are topping out at 53 inches now!" Aunt Julie will have to wait 'til next spring to see what happens, but for now, she's more than happy with this season's accomplishment!

That Aunt Julie is a pretty accomplished--but awfully modest--gal, isn't she? The thing she does brag on though, besides Uncle Lynn and her four boys, is Pop'rs. We'll be offering more Great Giveaways this summer, so drop in soon. And don't forget to Share the Comment Love!

Try Something Cool and Delish for a Summer Potluck!

Aunt Julie and Uncle Lynn, The Pop'r Queen and King, live in a family-friendly neighborhood. That means lots of kids playing, lots of parents on the lawn chatting, lots and lots of potlucks.

Auntie J. spends some of this social time gathering recipes from the neighbors. Here's some simple summertime fare, which Aunt Julie calls a "real hit at our block party a few years ago."

Summer Block Party

Chicken Salad

2 ½ cups cooked chicken, cut in chunks
1 ½ cups cooked white rice (really!)
¾ cup red or green grapes, halved or whole
¾ cup diced celery

1/2 cup pineapple tidbits (drain)
½ cup mandarin oranges (drain)
Dressing:
½ cup Hellman’s mayo
1 cup ranch dressing

Top with Slivered Almonds.

I've never heard of ranch dressing in chicken salad, but my mouth's watering already! This is a delightful dish that would pair well with one of Aunt Julie's pies. Hope you've had a chance to try either her Scrumptious Blueberry Pie or Tasty Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, or even both--I know I have!

And hey, Pop'rs Pals: You've got all or part of Four Full Days to enter our Great Pop'rs Giveaway Contest! So get crackin', and let us know where you like to spend those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer! We have a pretty funny photo--shot by the Talented Aunt Julie, of course!--for tomorrow's post. I know--you're on the edge of your seat, right? Well, folks, you should be--see ya then!

You Won't Wipe Out If You Enter Our Giveaway!

Where do you like to vacation! We're staying close to home this year, 'cause of gas prices, the economy and all. In fact, Aunt Julie, The Pop'r Queen, has been taking the family to the lake a lot recently, catching a little Vay-Kay in her own neck o' the woods.

They had a rousing good time up at the cottage over the Fourth. Auntie J. was soooooo proud when she was able to get up on waterskis, for the first time in ages. She was having a rolllicking good time until...well...see for yourself!

It's not too late to enter our Great Pop'rs Giveaway! Just click on this link and go from there. The contest runs through Monday, July 14 at 6 p.m. EST, so Get Poppin'! And don't forget to Share the Comment Love after you enter. Pretty Please?

PS, to All You Pop'rs Pals: Because the economy has us all in a bind, Uncle Lynn, The Pop'r King, has just reduced the price of Pop'rs! You can purchase a 4-pack of this fun seasoning for $7.69, while an 8-pack of Pop'rs now sells for $14.99. Please order your Pop'rs online by clicking here. Such a bargain!

Aunt Julie's agreed to send another yummy recipe our way tomorrow. Please join us, and don't forget: You can't win unless you enter--Today!

Tasty "Therapy"

As you regular visitors know, Aunt Julie--The Pop'r Queen--bakes quite a bit. She regards this kind of nesting as a "tasty therapy," which helps to brighten her day, along with those of Uncle Lynn (you all know him as The Pop'r King) and the rest of her brood.

Last week, Aunt Julie dropped a delightful Blueberry Pie recipe on us. Today, she reached into her Secret Recipe Box and pulled out an index card for Strawberry Rhubarb Pie. Uncle Lynn's on his way home from Talking Pop'rs at the International Food Technology get-together in New Orleans. Anyone who Snaps, Crackles or Pops in the food industry was at the IFT Fest, including The Popr King, promoting his home-grown company with the able assistance of two of his sons, who help run the family business.

This yummy pie combines a fruit and a vegetable that are both in season. Won't Uncle Lynn and the boys be pleased when they get home? Aunt Julie's happy to share, so enjoy!

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
2 cups cut up strawberries (Julie uses more!)
2 cups cut up rhubarb (Julie uses more!)
1 1/3 to 1 ½ cups sugar
1/3 cup flour

Heat over to 425 degrees. Prepare pastry. (Auntie J's secret? "Unrolling a Pillsbury crust, and thanking God that I don’t have to make my own!") Mix sugar and flour, and then gently mix these ingredients with the strawberries and rhubarb, to coat them. Obviously, if you'd like more than 2 cups of each fruit/veggie, you should go for it--Aunt Julie does! Turn the mixture into a pastry-lined pie plate. Sprinkle with any remaining sugar/flour mixture. Cover with top crust. Cut slits and sprinkle with sugar. Seal the edges well. Cover the top of the pie foil, 'til the last 15 minutes of baking. Bake 40-50 minutes. Best served warm, with plenty of vanilla ice cream!