Kicking off this week's Fun Friday: Home Run Inn is introducing Home Run Inn Pizza Spice, a versatile seasoning blend.

Designed for adventurous home cooks and professional chefs alike, this spice blend opens a world of possibilities for those looking to add a dash of pizzazz to dishes. While the name may say "pizza," this spice blend is designed to enhance a wide variety of dishes, including pastas, salads, roasted vegetables, and grilled meats.

Home Run Inn has also launched an array of fun holiday gifts for pizza lovers in your life including pizza plates, a pizza ornament, pizza scented candles, and even a pizza dog toy pack.  All gifts and the new Home Run Inn Anything But Pizza Spice are available for purchase online here and at select Home Run Inn Pizzerias.

Pop-Tarts puts one million toaster pastries on the line

When North Carolina State faces off against Kansas State in Orlando at the highly-anticipated Pop-Tarts Bowl, the Crazy Good action will extend far beyond the matchup on the field. Pop-Tarts is putting a whopping one million pastries on the line to give fans even more reason to tune into the game. Introducing Prop-Tarts: fans can guess what will be dumped on the winning coach's head during the Pop-Tarts Bowl, and who will take the first bite of the first-ever Edible Mascot.

Fans can visit Prop-Tarts.com to participate and lock in their predictions for what Crazy Goodness will go down on game day. For each correct prediction, fans will have the opportunity to receive free Pop-Tarts. But they must act fast: the sooner predictions are submitted, the greater the opportunity there is to receive free Pop-Tarts, should the predictions be correct. There is no purchase necessary.

Fans can make predictions until 5 p.m. ET on Thursday, December 28, 45 minutes before the game kicks off on ESPN. Real-time results will be live on Prop-Tarts.com, and winners will be notified via email if they are among the first to enter a prediction that hits the mark.

For fans in attendance, Pop-Tarts is bringing inventive flavors to game-day snacks and incorporating the pastries into classic college football concessions that can be enjoyed at Camping World Stadium or replicated at home. Introducing Pop-Tart Banana Pudding, an End Zone Celebration Pop-Tart Cheesecake, a Pop-Tart Ice Cream Sundae and even Pop-Tarts Popcorn.

From Starter to Finish: La Brea Bakery debuts cookbook

La Brea Bakery’s new cookbook, From Starter to Finish, has launched, just in time for the holidays.

La Brea Bakery has led the modern artisan bread movement since 1989, celebrated for its iconic sourdough starter. With a signature golden crust and soft interior, La Brea Bakery artisan breads grace the tables of homes and restaurants across the country. Now fans of La Brea Bakery will find more inspiration for their meals with the La Brea Bakery cookbook, From Starter to Finish: Sourdough Breadmaking and Culinary Inspirations. 

A fresh addition to the cookbook world, this collection of simple recipes incorporating artisan bread is designed for both seasoned and aspiring home bakers and chefs, passionate sourdough aficionados, and devotees of the La Brea Bakery brand. Diving into the art of breadmaking, From Starter to Finish shares breadmaking insights, tips, and techniques, along with the secrets of sourdough. With beautiful imagery and food creativity, the cookbook presents recipes for every meal and every occasion, from sandwiches and appetizers to sweet or savory dishes that incorporate La Brea Bakery artisan breads, baguettes, and rolls.

Swedish telecoms giant invents connected chocolate box

For consumers who are tired of running out of Christmas sweets before the holidays have even begun, Swedish telecoms company Tele2 has a solution for you: a connected chocolate box that sends a notification to your phone when the lid is opened.

The company conducted a survey finding that four out of ten people sneak pieces from the Christmas chocolate box before the start of the holidays. 15% said they had experienced running out of Christmas sweets before the big day.

The connected box, dubbed Chocolate Bytes, helps avoid that last-minute dash to the shop by discovering the praline thief in good time before Christmas. A sensor detects if the lid is opened, triggering a notification to your phone.

"We always want to explore how technology is used in different contexts, big and small. We are becoming increasingly connected and digitization affects our everyday lives and traditions. The connected chocolate box is a playful experiment, but it may also spark thoughts about future Christmas traditions," says Karin Nygren, director B2C, Tele2.

Tele2 is currently undergoing its largest network modernization to date, aiming to provide the majority of Swedes with access to 5G by the end of 2023. This means higher speeds and faster response times, enabling connectivity and interconnection of devices at an entirely new level.

Chocolate Bytes is available for consumers to win through a social media competition. For more information, click here.