"Realgood Pizza Co" Cauliflower crust Pizza

I wasn't planning a blog post / review when I started
this, so I didn't take a picture before I opened the box.

So let me start by saying no one asked me for this review, no one is paying me for this review, and most likely no one will want this review...but I feel like writing it anyway.

So today, I was craving pizza. I hadn't figured out what I was making for supper and I had already planned to run by the grocery store on the way home from the office. I am trying to cook at home more (have cooked 16 out of the last 18 days!) so I went to the store planning to get ingredients to make homemade pizza.   I was also diagnosed Type 2 diabetic in Oct, so I'm trying to stick with a low carbs lifestyle.  I don't like the word diet because a diet has always ended up being short-term in my life. I am making a lifestyle change, and going with the motto of that I am "Eating to Live, Not Living to Eat".

Now I'm not a college student anymore, so I'm not an expert on pizza. But I do like pizza, and when I want pizza, I want good pizza.  I rarely buy frozen pizzas, because when I want pizza I either pay a "professional" or I make homemade pizza. Since Oct, I have been "adjusting the diet" that when I wanted pizza, I would do a Boat Load of Meats on a Thin & Crispy crust. I would then only allow myself to eat the crust on every other piece.  The thin crust is carbs, but so thin that it's much less carbs than other choices.  I haven't tried homemade pizza since the diagnosis.

So back to homemade pizza for supper...My first stop was my local Kroger. Now, I admit I am a lover of the Kroger Click! service, but today I wasn't prepared ahead enough to order online, plus I needed to see my options since I had decided to try my first cauliflower crust pizza attempt!  I had seen recipes, but my Facebook Friends said there was an Cauliflower crust option at Kroger so decided I would start there.

I gathered some pizza sauce, some pepperoni and diced ham...some mushrooms, 2 types of cheese.  I knew what other ingredients I had at home and was really looking forward to this homemade pizza.

I get to the frozen food section where I'm told I can find this cauliflower pizza crust.  All I can find is cauliflower frozen pizzas, meaning they already have the toppings.  There some empty shelves, so it is possible that Kroger were out of the just crust, since they are calling for more snow and people hear snow and go into "we must run to the grocery store and buy a month's worth of groceries".  So frozen pizza, cauliflower crust...choices are: Veggie or Cheese.  Now if you noticed the list of toppings I had gathered, you know I'm a meat eater. I like my veggies, but I like some meat on the pizza as well.  After examining my options, I decide to put back the pizza sauce, cheese, and mushrooms and just 'doctor' the veggie pizza.

Let's take a side trip about 'doctoring pizza' for a second.  I am the daughter of the King of Doctoring Frozen Pizza.  My dad used to go to the store and I am pretty sure he brought the cheapest frozen pizza they had...I'm talking so no-name brand the store didn't want to claim it!  Then he would bring it home and "doctor it". I have had Hot Dog pizza. I have had Sloopy Jo Pizza. I have had corn and green beans on a pizza.  If it was leftover in the fridge and he thought it would work, it went on the pizza.  Honestly, until I had a friend over and she commented on "Hot Dog & Corn Pizza", I thought everyone ate hot dogs and corn on their pizzas!

I get home, preheat the oven and add pepperoni, diced ham and a bit more cheese to my Veggie Cauliflower Crust Pizza.  Bake for 16 minutes. Check it, looks good...The directions say let it rest for 1 minute.  The first thing I notice when I cut it is the lack of sauce. It doesn't seem to have any runny sauce pooling up as I slice the pieces.  Oh and I cut it in half then in lines...more like cheese bread than pizza slices (that's important later on...)  I take the first bite...First impression is..."Lisa, you're eating to live, not living to eat. Some changes are necessary to live to see Grandchildren".  I plow through the the first piece, and by the end I'm thinking "I wish I had kept the jar of pizza sauce in the cart to dip this in."  The flavor isn't bad.  Now it's not my Boat Loads of Meats from my local Mom & Pops place, but it's not bad...if you like dry pizza.  For the next piece, since I started out with 2 on my plate...I end up tearing it apart with my fork looking for the sauce.  I never found it.  So anyone want 3/4 of a pizza?!  Stop by, it's untouched.

I'm not a fan of wasting food. Normally my lunches at the office are leftovers. But I'm not sure I'm going to put this pizza in the fridge for tomorrow. If I used the Movie scale, it would be a Thumbs Down or Rotten Tomato from me!

So going forward I will get a recipe for a cauliflower crust and try to make my own, complete with sauce and my toppings.  I also know I can try a crust-less pizza, so that will be another attempt.  If all that fails, I am not deleting my local favorite from my phone directory!

Social Media - Not a magic pill for every business!

Bare with me a moment. I just need to get something off my chest

I haven't had an overwhelming desire to write an ebook or blog, but I always seem to end up writing when people annoy me... Today I have encountered 3 different people in Facebook Business groups asking for advice because January is slow, "how do we get the phone to ring?" It's a common problem for a lot of businesses, because frankly everyone spends too much over the holidays so they try to recover in January. I see it in my business, and I see it in my clients businesses especially.

Anyway...for each one of these people asking, they got 20+ people trying to sell them on their social media marketing package/plan. No offense to Social Media Marketers if you happen to be reading this, I provide that service as well, but let's face some truths here!

Social Media is not the right solutions to every business problem. I will even repeat that...Social Media is not the right solution to every business problem.

When my bathtub stopped draining, and I was told I needed a plumber. I didn't wait until I happened to find a plumber updating his Facebook Page. I texted a friend who has lived in this area longer than me, and said "hey, know any plumbers you trust?" Then I texted a friend who is a local Realtor, and I said "hey, who is the plumber you trust? Not a single one of them, answered with "Oh I saw a Facebook Ad for XYZ Plumber on my news feed!" Shocking, right?

The Realtor builds a networking by trusting referrals from other Realtors. If you are new to the business and don't have that trust yet, then get your face and business name in front of the Realtors! The Realtor groups I know have weekly or monthly meetings for everyone under that Broker, and you know what...a good plumber will find out when that meeting is and spend a few bucks and PERSONALLY drop off donuts and coffee or a tray of cookies from the local bakery to the Realtor office DURING the meeting. Guess what? That plumber just got his name and face in front of a group of Realtors! Hmm, think they might remember his name when that next home inspector says "the kitchen sink is leaking slightly"? It depends - were they good donuts or the cheapie ones from Wal-mart? Was the cookies day olds and dried out? Spring for the good ones! :)

OH and my 2nd bit of annoyance from the people "selling" the people on their social media package....Not everyone who comes to ask for advice wants to be sold! Frankly, if I get desperate enough that I'm posting on Facebook "Hey, My phone isn't ringing...how do I make it ring?" I am likely more worried about paying my rent / mortgage or groceries to feed Little Johnny, than I am about buying your product! I know you are trying to make your own phone ring, and I get that. I am trying to get clients too, but seriously - build a relationship!

We buy from people we Know, Like, Trust and Respect. Get out of behind your keyboard and go meet someone for coffee, build a referral network, and please to God don't immediately start PMing the person telling them why your product or package is better than everyone else's! Seriously people!?!?

Now don't get me wrong, I think plumbers should have a Facebook Business Page and I think they should be active on it. Business Page being the key word there too...don't get me started on the people promoting their business via their Personal Page...that's a blog rant for another day. But Service industry companies, I'm sorry, but social media is not your magic pill to make the phone ring. It just isn't...

By the way, I'm using Plumber because I recently had to hire one...this is true for Water damage, restoration companies, Electricians, contractors, auto repairs, Realtors, etc...not just plumbers.

*steps off her soap box and goes to bed* Night all!