About a month ago, Pillsbury’s PR agency sent me a free coupon for a box of Savorings, tiny pastry snacks to be enjoyed with a glass of wine; Or, if you are following their TV ads, an alternative to Happy Hour at a bar. I have to admit, I don’t quite relate the the couple in the ad who are younger and better dressed and live in such a quiet house, but I like the idea of savoring a quiet moment with a glass of wine and a tiny pastry. I also like how Savorings suggests pairings for each of their flavors.
Spinach & Cheese – Riesling
Mozzarella-Pepperoni – Pinot Noir
Buffalo Chicken Style — Rose
Okay, I didn’t follow them, but I liked reading the pairings.
But the big question, do Savorings taste good? Yes! They are delicious. Many of you are scratch enthusiasts, but the Savorings are a great little last minute appetizer and worth a try. I thought the dough was pretty good and am certain my friends would like it.
If you’d like to try Savorings for free, here’s your BIG CHANCE. I’m holding a contest…..a game of skill, luck and creativity. It starts ASAP and ends tonight at 6:00 CST.
Your prize package includes a coupon for a free box of Savorings and a little wine goodie bag with wine charms, a wine stopper, a wine pairing booklet, and a wine opener.
To win, make up names and careers for the couple in the Pillsbury’s TV ad. (Click on Featured Product TV Spot) and post in the Comment section below.
For instance, here is my entry:
Her name is Samantha and she is in pharmaceutical sales. His name is Dan. I want to say he’s a lawyer but am not really sure. Can you think of better names and career choices for these people? Extra points if you provide background info on their relationship status. For instance, notice how Dan leans backwards in his chair and kind of sighs when Samantha puts the Savorings on the table? It’s an odd sigh. Dan has a secret, but I’m not sure what is is. Who are these people and what’s up with them?
The winner will be chosen by a random friend of mine — maybe someone I know on Facebook. That way, there’s no bias. Feel free to enter as “Anonymous” but if you win, you’ll have to provide a mailing address so I can send you the prize.
Go.
{ 46 comments… read them below or add one }
Fun… Gotta think on this one and then comment later with my idea… Can you only enter once or can you enter multiple times?
Um, hmmm. How about one entry per household.
His name is Marc and her name is Deborah. He is unemployed and searching hard for a job. He just got home and when he sits down he sighs a huge sigh of frustration because the job market stinks.
Deborah is cooking after just getting home from a party for a coworker and when he says “come here often?” she feels sorry that she works so hard she isn’t home more. She knows they will be fine money-wise, they will just have to cut back a tiny bit on their clothing budget.
They were thinking about starting a family, but due to Marc’s temporary unemployment, they decided to wait until things are more stable. They are drinking wine to celebrate their adult responsible decision even though they really would like to start trying to have a baby right away.
I’m so glad you asked me about my friends, Rachael & Phil. In truth, they’ve been having a pretty stressful time of it lately and this little “happy hour at home” is just one of their many attempts to de-stress. Phil does something I don’t understand at a brokerage firm (hence, the wierd sigh. So much stress!) and Rach (I like to call her ‘Rach’) works as a paralegal while waiting for her board exam scores to come back. In the ‘crazy’ that has been their life lately, this quiet moment will hopefully serve as a time to reconnect, reflect and snag me a very cool prize package.
Randy is a business consultant who’s on the road most of the time- which makes the “Come here often?” “I live here” dialogue make sense. He’s home this Thursday night for a long weekend. Emily is an interior designer, who spends her day in other people’s kitchens, so wouldn’t consider trying to make an appetizer like this from scratch. They’re newlyweds, still flirting and missing each other terribly during the week, so the splurge on Savorings to celebrate a weekend home was worth it.
How’s that? Making up stories in fun
Great idea!
What a fun contest!! Good luck to those who enter
This couple needs marriage counseling quick-like! Her name is Susan and his..Bob. She is trying desperately to save their so-called marriage. Susan want so badly to live in a reality show that she has become one..un-beknowest to Bob. Little does hard-working Bob actually KNOW….what Susan has been doing all day. That’s right…she/Susan has been watching Housewives of Atlanta all day….the wine she is pouring is her 2nd bottle of wine. She had her own wine-tasting party for one earlier in the day. So to cover the days faults…she puts on her sexy black dress hoping Bob will notice the dress first…not her swollen eyes and the tears she cried earlier in the day. Here Bob…have another glass of wine.
Wow, I didn’t know my next door neighbors were in a TV commercial!
Scott and Jamie are so much fun to have over for dinners. Scott is a systems analyst at a computer consulting firm, and he is going to school part time to get his MBA. Jamie is a graphic designer. She comes up with some wonderful, funky websites for local groups and organizations. She is following her bliss, and it just radiates from her. When Scott is stressed with work and school, she knows just how to lift his spirits. They are both so positive and fun to play trivial pursuit and scattergories with.
Their role playing makes sense with this rollicking couple…
Okay, now this is fun! Here goes…..
This is Will and Brenda. They are not married but just roommates. They are roommates because they live in expensive Manhattan and both lost their consulting jobs due to the economy. They were in the same circle of friends and Brenda found out Will needed a roommate to keep his 2 bedroom apartment. Tonight she is seducing him because she realized she wants to be more than friends. So after a long day of job interviews, she makes some appetizers and pours some wine. It looks like it is going well. Besides those spinach Savorings plumping up, I am wondering what else will plump up? Probably a box of pepperoni ones next (come on, what were you thinking?)
This is fun!
Their names are Todd and Margo Chester. They love to work out in flashy metallic jogging suits and drink expensive wine. Their home is posh and sterile and they wouldn’t think of children. They have an annoying neighbor, Clark, and they despise him and his antics. They are taking a break with their wine and Pillsbury Savorings because this evening, while putting up his Christmas lights, Clark caused a giant icicle to fly through their window and destroy their fancy schmancy stereo system – with a double cassette deck, turntable, and new-fangled compact disc player.
(OK, so Todd and Margo are straight out of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, but I just couldn’t resist using them! They crack me up every time I watch it!)
I think her name is Sabrina Williams and he is her hubby, Scott. They are both in marketing–working for different companies now that they are married. This is their first alone night without the baby–and they are trying to recreate their first meeting, at a party she threw at her home during a conference for marketing professionals. He used a cheesy pickup line–and it ended up with them getting married and having kids. However–since the baby arrived, they haven’t had much couple time so finally–almost a year later, they are making time to rediscover why they fell in love and reconnect. Unfortunately Sabrina is normally a horrible cook and even though he loves her, he hates her cooking. He’s sighing b/c he’s imagining yet another evening of pretending to like what she’s made for dinner–but she’s secretly been taking some cooking lessons and is planning to shock him with his favorite meal, cooked from scratch.
Her name is Ellie and the gentleman is her fiance, Ethan. Ethan is successfully climbing up the corporate ladder somewhere, and Ellie is a freelance graphic designer working at home. They live in a nice house, eat nice food, and are expecting to have kids in the next…say, three years. For now, they have the time to sit down and relax
Calvin and Jana, they love to unwind after such a day. Besides the wine, they love Savorings quick fix before the Chinese take-out arrives. His community college teaching position is just not all he thought it would be. Those kids just really don’t seem to care about E=MC2! He was much more excited (or was he jealous!?) to hear about Jana’s day at the station. That’s right, she co-anchors the morning news and just got home from a long day doing interviews for some special segments coming up. Cal is happy right now to let Jana have the limelight. He knows what’s coming later and he’ll say or do whatever it takes to keep Jana happy.
Okay, lame. Just thought I’d see what I come up with. But don’t worry about putting my name in the drawing, Anna. Since I don’t drink alcohol, I’ll sit this one out.
Everyone’s ideas so far are GREAT. Love reading them.
These are great! Keep them coming so my celebrity judge will have plenty to choose from. It’s going to be difficult, I can tell.
John and Maggie.
They live in a suburb outside of Philadelphia. Maggie works in public relations. John works in sales. They both work a lot. They’ve been together for 10 years – married for 5. Since they work so much, they don’t see each much. Especially lately. John got promoted to regional manager and he travels all the time now. He doesn’t eat well on the road and he’s really constipated. That’s why he sighed. That plus he just got the American Express bill. Maggie loves to shop and buy expensive shoes and John just saw the bill. Money has been tight despite his recent promotion b/c they bought a bigger house than they really could afford, but…
Anyway, Maggie found the Pillsbury Savourings on sale which will make John happy. They are trying to reconnect tonight after a long road trip. They are going to enjoy all the Savorings and drink a bottle of pinot noir because no one drinks merlot anymore…not since “Sideways…” Speaking of, I think that’s the movie they are going to watch tonight!
Mike and Monica are successful. Mike works in advertising and Monica is a journalist. They met at a party through mutual friends. They hit it off and found that they had a lot in common and they’ve been together ever since and just returned about a week ago from their honeymoon vacation in Europe. They want to have children in the future but want to concentrate on their careers for now and buy a nice home in which they can raise their children, entertain, have wonderful holidays and eventually retire. After retiring they want to spend some time traveling and live happily ever after.
Matt sits down with a heavy sigh after taking his turn to tuck in the kids for the night. Oliver and Olivia are a lively pair who always want “just one more” book before Mom and Dad turn off the light. Matt is ready to relax with his beautiful wife Jen after his long day as a financial advisor. Everyone is demanding his time and advice as they watch their investments and dwindle during these rough economic times. Jen is ready with a bottle of wine and their favorite Savorings hot out of the oven. Her job as a real estate attorney doesn’t leave her a lot of time for cooking, but the Savorings are fast and easy, and she actually prefers these quiet moments, a glass of wine, and a tasty appetizer with Matt over the loud social scene at the bars after work.
Oh!! And Jen can’t wait for the weekend when she can finally set aside the time to try that Levain Copycat recipe that Anna from Cookie Madness posted long ago in May. Not only are they saving a few dollars by staying home and enjoying their Pillsbury Savorings, but there are no more $3.50 dollar cookie breaks for them either. Jen is looking forward to making her own fantastic chocolate chip cookies, and sharing them with her family.
He name is definitely Brad, and that is Veronica, his girlfriend. They are your typical upper class couple that sees themselves as upper-middle class. She is a very successful editor at a fashion magazine and he is an investigative reporter. She is clearly more attractive and successful, but loves Brad for is quirky personality and passion for his work. He is working on a piece about faulty easy-bake ovens (think exploding cupcake fireballs) which (rightfully so) has left him emotionally drained and physically exhausted (cue the sigh).
Naturally his work left him wary of kitchen appliances and because Veronica rarely eats anything at all (fashion is a brutal business), she has no idea how to cook. Luckily, she is able to pop in those cute little Savorings in order to provide for Brad. One piece for her and glass of wine and boy is she stuffed! They then enjoy some witty banter about how that have such little time to spend together these days. Brad eats the rest of the Savorings and finishes off the wine (he seems to be doing that a lot these days) and they both fall contently asleep for the first time in months.
The gentleman’s name is ‘James’. At least that’s the pseudonym he uses. James is a rather prominent behind-the-scene financial aid for a long-term politician who just got re-elected for senate of an undisclosed state. James also has a couple of deep-seeded issues. A byproduct of his high-powered position, James experiences frequent feelings of longing to have a much simpler life. In his off hours, he’d prefer not to make any decisions whatsoever – actually wanting to be told what to do. Which is why James has enlisted help with his problems and is killing two birds with one stone by making regular weekly engagements with Madame Lucinda for a period of at least 16 months.
Madame Lucinda is a highly sought after dominatrix. Madame Lucinda trained for several years under the strict tutelage of Grand Dame Beatrice du’Champe in the secret organization of Les Seins Nus Des Femmes de la Société in Paris. In the past, Madame Lucinda has had clients all over Europe and North America. Two years ago, Madame Lucinda decided to consolidate her travels and concentrate her efforts and her talents to a central location on the coast of the United States. She still takes clients from across the ocean, however, they travel to her instead of her to them. Madame Lucinda prefers to conduct her business in luxury hotels in the local area, but she does make exceptions for liaisons requiring the highest discretion.
When Madame Lucinda conducts meetings with James, she travels to his in-town loft, disguising herself as his personal masseuse. When she arrives, she redresses in appropriate garb for the event as discussed previously through a unique method of messaging – the last communique consisting of a rare combination of semaphore, old English prose, a sequence of coded palindrones, and one donkey.
For this evening’s engagment, Madame Lucinda was to start the evening off pretending to be a very well put-together career woman and wife to James. Madame Lucinda isn’t without a sense of humor. After James had been served a snack of tasty and savory morsels to keep his strength up, James asks her if she visited his loft often. This was typical of James in an attempt to make small talk. Madame Lucinda makes a slight joke about how often she’s been treating James by saying that she actually lives there.
After James has started on his spiked wine and energy tidbits, Madame Lucinda will adjourn to the back room to change her outfit once again into the traditional black leather, accented with silver studs and shiny zippers, with matching accouterments of cuffs and whip. At which point she will call for James and the games will begin.
*****
Don’t know where this came from. Honest. Just thought I’d have a little fun.
John is a teacher but he likes to “dress” for work. Amanda is a lawyer. She secretly wishes John would get a “real” job–he has his MBA after all, and wonders if her friends could be fooled into thinking that she made the Savorings from scratch. John wonders whether Amanda is sleeping with her boss and wishes Amanda would let her hair down and serve tater tots and beer once in awhile.
Mike and Sara are having hard times like the rest of us. In an effort to cut back, they keep as few lights on as possible and they have their happy hour at home. Just because the economy sucks doesn’t mean you can’t be dressed up and enjoy wine and snacks. Mike works for a small investment banking firm and was happy until it was bought up by a larger impersonal place. Sara works as a fund raiser for non profits/arm candy for Mike’s important work functions. But, they have been laying low recently and are trying to be happy.
Meet Nathan and Kate Rigby. He is a copywriter for an advertising agency in St. Louis, MO. You may know some of his work, actually. He has most recently been working on the “Real Men of Genius” campaign for Budweiser. He has been a bit stressed at work lately, because they are already trying to come up with some good super bowl advertisements to make up for the dismal showing in the past few years.
And actually, don’t tell his wife Kate, but he was actually suppossed to destress with his coworkers and hob-nob with the boss over a few beers while watching the game tonight. He had forgotten until Kate gave him a midday call that they had agreed to do weekly catch-up with each other, since they have been so busy with their respective careers.
You see, Kate is equally as busy because she is an architect and works long hours. That is one of the things that attracted Nathan to Kate…she has brains and beauty – which more than makes up for her inability to cook. Usually when they are together, Nathan cooks because Kate could burn water (which is why she was watching the oven so closely – she wouldn’t want the savorings to burn!) but Kate beat Nathan home today and wanted to surprise him…even if it was only by heating up pre-packaged food!
Seeing Kate cook in, let’s face it, her kinda sexy dress, makes Nathan remember when they first met at a party of a mutual friend – she was heating up popcorn in the microwave, but did it wrong and the popcorn caught fire, making the smoke alarms go off and the party had to evacuate to the backyard. He was the only one that noticed it was her, but was smitten with her kitchen awkwardness. That’s why when she sits down, so obviously proud of her ability to heat up the appetizer correctly, he uses a pick up line on her…it’s love at first sight all over again.
Kinda makes me want to have happy hour at home…
Susan and Bob…part duex.
What’s the matter Susan? I see that you have been crying. He say’s in his bedroom voice. C’mon…you know my hours at the office! I am soooo sorry that I missed going to your “little” neighborhood Christmas party. He is tired and fed up with Susan and all her drama.
Well, Bob….my bags are packed. I am leaving you. I am NOT sorry. Goodbye.
Enjoy your wine and those special horsederves that I took time out of MY busy day to make for you. She knows him like the back of her hand.
The tension is to much for him…he throws the glass across the table. The microwave is beeping. She leaves.
Larry is a used car salesman and things aren’t going so great. The car lot has an abundance of gas guzzling SUV’s and he doesn’t know how he is going to get rid of them. His wife Monica has just gotten home from her job as a secretary for a real estate office. Things aren’t so great for her either at work. She’s pretty sure she is about to lose her job. Before she breaks the bad news to Larry she decides to bake a box of Savorings and open a bottle of cheap wine. She made sure to print the $1 off coupon on the Pillsbury website before leaving work. Larry and Monica are keeping their bad news to themselves and trying to keep up appearances to family and neighbors but who knows if they will make it to the New Year.
I love the Real Men of Genius campaign! Poor Nathan.
Good news! I’ve found the celebrity judge. The judge is avoiding this blog entirely today and will be receiving your comments/stories without names or emails. So judging is blind.
His name is Todd and hers is Sarah. He just got back from an awards ceremony for a snowmachine race (he won) and she just finished a race of her own (she lost). They’ve both been on the road alot lately, but now things have quieted down. All the secret service and camera crews have finally left, the kids are at her sister’s house and they have time to sit down for a nice drink and appetizer as they reflect on the ups and downs of the last couple of months before they start planning for 2012.
Scott is really trying hard — you have to give him credit for that. After a hard day of showing luxury condos to “active seniors” he just wasn’t quite prepared for any domestic roleplaying.
But Eric had other plans. Since his gender reassignment surgery is only weeks away, “Erica” is the one who greets Scott when he gets home most days, as the doctors have suggested. She needs to show her full commitment.
She is stunning in her black dress and heels, Scott has to admit, but the upcoming transformation is going to be a little more than he signed up for.
But he owes her…for so much. That support through his ill-fated attempt at graduate school, the long nights when his poodle went missing in St. Louis, and the bizarre Cirque De Soleil experience they have never spoken of since. It stayed in Vegas.
Pass the wine and those damn appetizers, baby….
Meet Greg and Elise. Greg just finished a stressful day trading on the New York Stock Exchange. These markets are brutal and he wasn’t in the mood to blow $75 on happy hour after work. Elise also works in the financial sector- as an investment advisor to high net worth individuals. The down markets also affect her bottom line, but she had a more leisurely day meeting with clients at her posh office. Greg and Elise are engaged- the wedding is overdue, they just haven’t gotten it planned given their hectic lifestyle.
Elise’s birthday was a few days ago. The couple had a bit of a row because Greg didn’t plan anything until the last minute. Elise was hoping he made reservations at new trendy italian place on the west side or maybe a surprise party with their close friends at a nearby wine bar. Greg decided to take her to the fun Tex Mex place where they drank Margarita’s and ate too many chips. Festive, but not the relaxing, intimate celebration she was looking for. Tonight on the way home from work, Elise picks up the bottle of red wine she is craving. Knowing she’s too tired to cook and it will be near impossible to get Greg out to a decent restaurant, the Savorings look like the perfect solution.
Peter has short term memory loss. He and Michelle were high school sweethearts and married shortly after college. After 2 years of college, Peter was hit by a drunk driver and left in a coma for another 2 years. Upon finally waking up, the doctors discovered that Peter has short term memory loss and does not remember much of his life. Michelle stayed by his side continuously and was determined to help Peter regain his memories. Every Friday night, the two enjoy a glass of wine over a plate of Savorings, just as they had before the accident. Friday nights were the quality time they spent together as they both lived such busy lives (Peter an engineer and Michelle a kindergarten teacher) and Michelle is trying to evoke the memories in Peter with the good times that they shared. It seems to be triggering something as she is starting to look even more and more familiar to him.
After a long day at the kennel, Monroe was anxious to spend a night alone with her boyfriend. He had been away on business working on a documentary on doughnut making.
She slipped into a tiny, black number and popped some Savorings into the oven, knowing the buttery scent would mask her own. George walked in, noting the table was set and the wine was poured. He was in a jubilant mood to be home again, and to be away from dough with holes in it.
“Snugglemuffin!” George called out. “You’re home, Pookywooky! Gimme a second and I’ll be right in.” “What’s that amazing smell?” George asked, his nostrils flaring. “I feel like I’m being taken back in time to our first date. You remember?” “Of course, I do,” Monroe answered, a giddy smile forming across her face. “How could I forgot the Mozzarella Ball Eating Contest? Haha”
Chuck is a high school science teacher in the suburbs outside Boston. He used to really love to go out to the bars, but since he bought his condo in the South End and changed jobs from a high-paid systems analyst to educator, he just can’t afford it anymore.
Madeleine (Maddie to friends) works in advertising — hence her sleek dress and her sarcastic lilt — and makes significantly more than Chuck, which she worries makes Chuck uncomfortable. Maddie — who also owns a chic condo in the South End — is trying to adjust to Chuck’s new, more frugal, life and snuck into his apartment before he got home from work to pour some wine and whip up a few (easy) appetizers.
She hopes that showing her new, thrifty, side — and the fun of staying in — will push Chuck along the road to a certain other purchase of a slightly sparklier variety.
Stay tuned …
I think I need the wine before I can make up my entry
Great idea Anna, I love reading everyone’s stories. So Creative!!!
Matt and Lina have been stuck in a rut. They decided to spice things up with role play and happy hour at home. Lina knew she’d be short on time, so she thought Savorings would be perfect to whip up. That left her with plenty of time to get dressed and fuss with her hair before Matt arrived home from a long day of crunching numbers at the office. Matt had no objections knowing where a couple bottles of wine leads…
She’s Suzanne. She’s a writer who works at home. Her husband is Frank, who is a lawyer. However, that is Dan in the ad. He’s Frank’s best friend, who has had a crush on Suzanne since the three of them all met in college. Dan spied Suzanne at a freshman orientation event, but Dan was too shy to approach her. He pointed her out to Frank… and he’s regretted it ever since. Suzanne kind of suspects that Dan likes her, but she’s happy with Frank and wanting to have a baby soon. She’s quite happy to keep Dan in their lives as a friend and a potential godfather some day. Frank is just oblivious. Suzanne is thinking about introducing Dan to a nice girl she met at the tennis court last week.
She is Danielle and is an executive for a large company. Alex works in sales and has never made as much money as Danielle. Alex has been cheating on her and Danielle knows it! She is just about to bust him big time. Notice how he leans back from her and he doesn’t maintain eye contact? He is definately cheating but totally thinks that he has gotten away with it. Just wait until they finish those appetizers and she’ll bust him.
His name is Danny and he’s a high school math teacher. Her name is Lindsey and she’s a lawyer. They are celebrating a recent promotion that Lindsey received in her firm; she’s been working long hour and hasn’t been home much lately. His sigh…well, who wouldn’t sigh after a day with teenagers!
Wow! Thanks for all the entries.
I’ve sent the entries to our celebrity judge and will announce the winner by tomorrow AM.
His name is Don and he’s a pimp and her name is Tiffany and she’s his pros!! They both took the night off for some savorings!!
Ok, sorry, that was rude, but I’ve been working all day and I need a laugh.
I can’t believe I got home from work, only to find I had missed an Anna contest! Oh, why not, for glory if not for gain:
Bored, dispirited, Erica stared into the freezer of her local supermarket. What she really wanted for dinner after a hard day working overtime was an entire roll of raw Pillsbury chocolate chip cookie dough and an entire bottle of Chianti all to herself. However, she knew that she would just feel bloated and miserable afterwards, and she had to stay looking slim and trim in her job at an advertising agency. People were loosing jobs right and left, and every day she might be next, given all of the hungry, fresh young faces that were willing to work for lower salaries crowding up at the door.
So instead, she bought some Pillsbury Savorings as a compromise, and tried to ignore the fact that her husband Phil she thought was such a catch in college was losing his hair. Her mother said he was lucky to get Erica, and Erica was beginning to think mom was right. Then again, mom also said that Pillsbury crescent rolls and wiener franks were everyone’s favorite appetizer, so what did she know?
Erica put on a black dress from Target that looked more expensive than it was, clipped on a pair of earrings that didn’t hurt too much and fantasized about Brad Pitt as she looked into her husband’s eyes. After dinner, she ate some coffee ice cream from the container in the refrigerator with a fork, and spent the rest of the night online, reading blogs about women undergoing mid-life angst like herself and ordering overly expensive clothing she would later regret.
Inquiring minds want to know! Who won!? Personally, I loved Liz’s entry. It made me laugh out loud. They were all fun to read!
Still waiting. The celebrity judge is doing a thorough evaluation.
Who won? Who won?
Am I too late to enter? It’s weird, because I went grocery shopping yesterday, saw these in the freezer section and bought a box to try. I had never heard of them or seen that commercial. I hope they are good!
Her name is Rebecca and she’s in PR. She met Mitch, an architect, when her company was hired to promote a new shopping development that he helped design. They are very much in love, but with fast-paced, high powered jobs, rarely have much time to spend together.
Have a great day!
I know I’m a little late, but you little contest reminded me a PostSecret this week!
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These are hilarious! Number 19 had me laughing out loud (the Easy Bake Oven bit is priceless!)– Liz, you are hysterical. I came across this contest after it was over — but was a fun idea Anna