Clancy's Cheese Dip - A Review

Having leftover chili encouraged us to prepare chili dogs the following Sunday.  The family is big on chili cheese dogs and also adding some chili on top of fries. I made a quick trip to Aldi for the hot dogs, fries and I did manage to find they carried cheese sauce. The cheese dip is located next to the display of all the Clancy label tortilla chips.

Packaging

The cheese dip is packaged in typical clear cheese sauce jar much like the Tostitos jar of sauce.  This dip is sold next to all the other Clancy products (potato chips, cheese curls, tortilla chips, nacho chips, etc).

Price

The cost of the fifteen ounce size jar is only $1.99. The name brand sauce such as Velveeta Cheese toppers cost on average about $3.15 and are only 12 ounces (all four pouches combined). The Tostitos cheeses sold at the neighborhood Meijer are also priced around three dollars.

Preparation

There is not much effort involved when it comes to heating up this product. Simply empty contents into microwave safe bowl and cover. Heat on high for three minutes, but interrupt the cooking time every thirty to forty seconds to stir product. (While microwaves are convenient, these appliances cook food very unevenly).  I placed a paper towel over the top of the microwave dish to contain cheese explosions all over my microwave.

Taste/Texture

The color and consistency of this sauce resembles everything you would expect when seeing cheese sauce covering up a chili dog, French fries, nachos, or a baked potato with broccoli. The presentation of the chili dog and fries really looked legit with this Clancy sauce. Everything seemed to go swimmingly until that first bite. The first chomp on the chili dog revealed the usually delicious dog and chili flavor only to be accompanied by the tone of the chalky, salty and flavorless cheese sauce.  Perhaps my expectations were too great. I understand most of these commercially made cheese sauces are water and oil based and void of real cheese, but I really expected some sort of cheese flavoring to come out and announce itself.   That certainly did not happen.

Overall Result

I will not buy the Clancy’s cheese dip again. I may try the nacho version just to see if there is a defined flavor. I rate a poor buy.

Review of Meijer Classic Alfredo Sauce

Our weekly dinners often consist of at least two meals that include pasta. Pasta is a good food budget stretcher and it is an easy sell with kids. Last Sunday, I had a desire for fettucine alfredo. Typically we consume our pasta buried in a marinara or other tomato based sauce. Lately, I have been craving a cheesy white alfredo topping. Meijer carries quite a few of their own label alfredo sauces (Classic, Four Cheese, and Roasted Garlic). I chose the Meijer classic alfredo.

Packaging

The alfredo sauce is packaged in typical Ragu or Classico style jar.  The jars are sold in the dry good section next to the pasta.

Price

The cost of the fifteen ounce size jar was $2.29. The name brand sauces run between ten to fifty cents higher than Meijer labels.

Preparation

There is not much effort to preparing the sauce. Simply empty the jar contents into saucepan and heat up until hot enough to serve over pasta. It process of cooking the pasta took much longer than heating up the sauce.

Taste/Texture

I was pleased with the quantity of sauce in proportion to the pound of fettucine I served. There was plenty of sauce to coat all the pasta evenly. The sauce was not as thick as I am accustomed to seeing with heavier alfredo sauces in restaurants or even sold in the refrigerated sections of stores. The taste of this alfredo sauce was a disappointment. There seemed to be something definitely missing in this sauce. Perhaps the sauce needed a more pronounced parmesan flavor or a hint of garlic. When I think of delicious alfredo sauce, I think of a good dose of cheese flavor in every bite. That was not the case with this sauce.

Overall Result

I don’t see myself purchasing this sauce again. I will either spend a little more and purchase the heavier refrigerated instant alfredo sauces or test the Meijer four cheese or garlic option, or even go with the brand name labels.

Review of Oscar Mayer Bun-Length Angus Beef Franks

When it comes to buying hotdogs, I only go all beef and I usually pick from my three go to brands. These hot dog picks include the Vienna Beef label, the Ball Park Angus, and the Aldi Parkview All Beef Vienna Hot dog (See past review on the Aldi Parkview).

Well my last trip to Meijer, I decided to step outside my comfort zone and try the Oscar Mayer Angus franks. They were on sale for $2.69 for the package of eight. The deal seemed pleasing especially since the Vienna was selling for over five dollars and the Ball Park were just below that amount.

Appearance

The bun length franks are skinny and sold eight to the package (as with any package of hot dogs). The color of the franks is a deep red akin to the Vienna or Ball park dogs. I can’t stand the flavor or color of the hybrid hot dog (Pork, chicken, and turkey) that carry a pale tone and devoid of taste and a mushy texture.

Preparation

The package instructions recommend cooking franks in a saucepan of boiling water for seven minutes. Not me, I steam them for about eight to ten minutes in a covered saucepan of shallow water. I have a little metal container contraption that rests above the boiling water to hold the franks so they are cooking entirely in this controlled steam bath environment. That is the only way I heat hot dogs.

Taste

First bite reveals a decent Vienna like casing snap. The frank definitely taste all beef (as there is no filler). Then this frank’s promising early returns go awry. The finishing flavor has some sort of smoky flavor one would expect with a sausage or dehydrated beef stick. It isn’t overwhelming but enough to dash any hopes of considering this Oscar Mayer substitute worthy as a Vienna alternate.

Price

The price of this package of franks was on sale for $2.69 and I believe the regular price hovered around the four dollar mark.

Overall Result

I would rank these franks as mediocre at best. I would probably only buy these again if I am making a bunch of chili dogs for a football Sunday get together as that smoky taste would likely get buried in my   spicy chili.

October 2016 Lowest Pumpkin Prices in Chicago suburbs

Every year I typically wait until two weeks prior to Halloween to pick out a good size pumpkin to carve.  I hold off purchasing pumpkins too early as I do not want to freely feed my offering up to the local squirrels. I also avoid early purchasing so I can patiently wait it out and test the volatile “pumpkin market” in pursuit of the lowest price possible. The September and October typical dollar range for Chicago area pumpkin prices ranges anywhere from three to ten dollars per pumpkin. The three to four dollar range is considered sales prices offered up at big box stores; and the higher end pricing is what one will encounter at the local pumpkin patches and farms in the area.  As we are at the mid-point of October 2016, I did some research to reveal those exceptionally low prices I found in the western suburbs of Chicago. Most big box stores during periods when there are no sales will list around the five dollar mark.

Aldi Carving Pumpkins ($2.49) this was the price listed in the flyer this week (October 12). I am not sure how long this sale price will last. I noticed the large box of pumpkins in the store last week, though the stock was severely depleted. This store will offer the best prices, but the sizes are medium at best for carving and the supply is not as plentiful as the other stores (Meijer, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, etc).

Meijer Pumpkins (Currently $3.99) this week, Meijer is pricing their carving pumpkins for just under $4.00 a piece! That is a good price considering they have pumpkin sizes ranging from medium to very large. The good news is this retailer carries plenty of pumpkins in stock in their numerous cardboard containers at the entrance to the store. Just be wary that this lower price may entice a heavy run on pumpkins this weekend.

Wal-Mart ($3.88) the price is a tad lower than Meijer. I am almost convinced Wal-Mart observes the competitors closely and knocks the price down a few cents just to claim they are the lowest.  Aldi still holds the” lowest price in the land” claim, though Wal-Mart wins out due to greater supply and offers larger sized pumpkins for carving still at this $3.88 price.

Review of Extra Large Mama Cozzi’s Mega Meat Pizza

This was not my first take and bake pizza review,  nor will it be my last. First of all, I have tried Mama Cozzi brand pizza’s before and this will be my first review of the Mega Meat variety.  We typically purchase the mama cozy four cheese pizza and improvise adding our own additional  toppings such as bacon, sliced mushrooms, garlic, etc. As much  of my Sunday got away from due to chores, I was left with few options  for dinner  so I went to Aldi to pick up a take and bake. The “Cheese only” pizzas were picked clean leaving only the Mega Meat and the Supreme options. I chose the all meat since my kids usually like pepperoni  and  sausage.

This extra large 16 inch pizza is a thin crust. The meat toppings include Italian sausage, pepperoni, salami, beef pizza topping and bacon. I am not sure what the “beef pizza topping” really is, but I am assuming it is ground beef.Aside from the meat, there appears to be plenty of sauce and cheese.

The preparation is no more difficult than preheating oven and baking on center rack for 15 minutes.

The pizza is thin crust and I would say to expect to feed a family of five will require a second pizza if it is a hungry group. A smaller group will get by with this pizza. Next time I will buy a second pizza. (I did serve salad with this pizza which helped satisfy everyone’s hunger).

At $5.99 for this 16 inch pizza, I will rate this Aldi Mama Cozzi mega meat pizza a strong buy. I am still preferential to the all cheese variety, but this one works too.

Low Prices on Caramel Apples at Aldi

During autumn season, just about anyone that enjoys apples really enjoys gets pumped up to see stores carrying caramel apples. One of the most well known brands of caramel apples sold in the grocery stores are those produced by Affy Tapple. This company has been selling the treats since 1948. This brand of caramel apple is pretty much the only commercially made caramel apples sold at your local grocery stores. All others caramel apple options can sometimes be found at a local confectioner. Those higher end apples are usually much larger and very delicious, but with a hefty price tag.  I have to shop for a family of five so I continue down the path of the Affy Tapple brand label. I have been eating these Affy Tapple caramel apples every year since I was about three.

On that note, I was really happy to see Aldi has the package of three Affy Tapple caramel apples ( 12 ounces) for only $1.29! How is that for a low price? The current sale price at Meijer had them for $1.99 which is also not a bad price. Aldi is the store to go this week to stock up on Affy Tapples.  

Review of Arizona Iced Tea with Natural Lemon Flavor

So I recently picked up the twenty three ounce tall can of Arizona Iced tea with natural lemon flavor. The enticement of paying a buck for almost a double sized portion beverage made this an easy choice.

Here is my quick breakdown on this beverage:

Positives:

•  The price. At ninety nine cents this is a steal of price that can be beat by other beverages. Even a twenty ounce soda is more expensive.
•   Less heavy than soda. This is a sweetened beverage but has only slightly fewer calories than a soda. The tea comes off lighter due to the absence of carbonation and thus is more refreshing.
•   Quantity – This tall can will easily pour over two to three glasses of ice and serve more than one person. While it is a large can, it still magically fits in my car cup holder.

Negatives

• Too much citrus flavor. Though the first ingredient is tea, I felt like the strongest element of this beverage was lemon flavor. I really only refer to this as iced tea because that is what the label shows.
•  Corn syrup is the sweetener. Arizona does not hold back on its use of corn syrup in this drink. I would have preferred cane sugar for a lighter finish. I wish more beverage companies would resort to using cane sugar instead of syrups.
•  Calories – Though this drink is only slightly lighter than calories of a coca cola or sprite, I still think the calories are way too high for an iced tea beverage.

Overall

The return on one dollar spent is good considering you get almost three servings in this tall can. The quality leaves a bit to be desired since I really enjoy true iced tea, and the tea flavor is definitely lacking here. This drink could be more passable with more tea flavor and less lemon and syrup. Still I would consider this 23 ounce drink much more refreshing up against a soda. A Lipton Pure leaf or Snapple tea beverage has Arizona beat in flavor, but they are also way more expensive. I would consider this drink an average buy at best.  

Review of L’Oven Fresh Hawaiian Sweet Rolls

For years I have been a huge fan of the King’s Hawaiian sweet rolls as they were a huge hit when it comes time to get a side kick for fried chicken dinner or a great bread accompaniment to the Thanksgiving meal. These little sweet bread rolls also are fantastic for making miniature sandwiches or “Sliders” as we refer to them.  Our most common uses of Hawaiian rolls include using ham and swiss sliders and occasional sweet, savory stuffing.

For years, Kings bakery has had a monopoly on this sweet type of dinner roll as no lower cost competition existed anywhere, that is until my last trip to Aldi. I found these gems immediately tucked away to the side of the bread case in their tropical floral packaging. I could not believe with my own eyes I found a substitute. The packaging is outlined in turquoise and orange that includes the transparent “window” in the middle showing the actual rolls much like that of the rolls sold by Kings.

These Aldi rolls are sold a dozen to a package for $1.99 compared to $3.25 price of King. That is serious savings, but does the quality measure up?

Absolutely! Not sure I could tell the difference if I was given a blind taste test. We recently used the L’oven fresh rolls to make four dozen sliders last weekend for a party and they were delicious; at more than $1.25 savings per package!

I am already considering working these into holiday menus in some way. This is a definite recommended purchase.

Review of Benton’s Fudge Mint Cookies

Aldi does a pretty good job of offering their brand of knock offs of most popular style cookies and the girl scouts thin mint cookies are no exception. My last trip down the entry aisle at Aldi revealed that this great store carried fudge mint cookies. I felt it was a calling to try this one out and see if they even came close the name brand treat sold by the scouts.

Appearance

The cookies are sold in a glossy green plastic package with a plastic tray holding two rows of thin mints. There is approximately 10 ounces of cookies in one package. The packaging hypes up the fact that these are “minty” and made with “real cocoa”.

Taste

The first sample of the thin mint was tried at room temperature.  I like to point that out, because I prefer my Girl Scout thin mints in a frozen state, but wanted to taste at least one cookie before subjected them all to the freezer. I think sometimes some chocolate coatings lose their flavor when frozen. (This actually happens with Keebler grasshoppers). So the first taste of the Aldi thin mint revealed decent hints of chocolate and mint flavor but a very bland lifeless cookie at the base. Was that really a cookie or a tasteless cracker hidden in there? The cookie layer also lacked the firmness that one is accustomed to when eating a thin mint or grasshopper. The frozen state sampler was no better and probably worse as the chocolate flavor sort of went away, though I could still taste the cool mint. The mint was really the only strong performer.

Price

The price of a package of Benton’s Fudge mint cookies is only $1.29. Much lower than $3.00 grasshoppers or the $2.00 Meijer fudge treasures mint cookie.

Overall Result

Though this is a heck of a lot cheaper than other brands, the flavor is meh and the texture or crunchy bite is severely lacking. This cookie is lifeless. Spend at least a little more and go with the Meijer brand or better yet help out your local Girl Scout troop and buy a box of thin mints from them.

Review of Aldi Specially Selected Ciabatta Sandwich Rolls

The breads and rolls sold at Aldi can be hit or miss. We recently tried a package of the Specialty Select Ciabatta rolls. Ciabatta is a great base for serving a grilled chicken, steak or veggie sandwich.  This type of bread is also not always an easy find when browsing the supermarkets. Aldi has it! Now let’s get to the review.

Appearance

The bread is sold in clear packaging of six (6) three ounce rolls which pre split. No cutting required! The rolls are fresh and pull apart fairly easily. These Specially select rolls resemble a top tier product one would expect to find at a cozy lunch eatery.

Preparation

It is up to you how you want to prepare these. We like our ciabatta slightly warmed so drizzle the underside with a tad of olive oil and warm them in an oven for about five to ten minutes at 300 degrees, until lightly toasted and crisp. From there we add a spread of herb mayo underside of top slice and close it over grilled chicken with melted cheese.

Taste

First bite reveals crisp crunch and a delicious flavor. The bread is airy and flavorful, not to yeasty or doughy. Every “nook and cranny” of this roll is superb. I suppose one could eat this at room temperature and it would still be good. I am so stuck in my ways of lightly toasting Ciabatta as I like it better that way.

Price

The price of the Ciabatta is $2.79 for package of six. Much pricier than your normal hamburger buns, but they taste way better and a much better option when you are making a grilled chicken or steak sandwich. Keep the hamburger buns for hamburgers.

Overall Result

The Aldi Ciabatta rolls are a solid buy for fewer than three dollars. This fun rectangular shaped flavorful bread makes your grilled offering look much more palatable. I highly recommend.

Review of Aldi Deutsche Kuche Apple Strudel

Apple season is finally here. I made a late afternoon stop at Aldi to pick up a jug of cider and something additional of apple origin to serve as a Sunday evening dessert. Low and behold in the frozen food section, I stumbled upon the Aldi version of apple strudel. One box contains two miniature “loaves” or strudels which in frozen state (pictured) weigh in at approximately 19.2 ounces (544 grams) as indicated on the box. 

I understand that pastry has a tendency to rise during the heating process so I was optimistic that these two strudels would feed our household of five as the product information label on the  packaging indicates this package provides six servings.

Preparation

Getting this strudel from frozen state to serving at the table is fairly easy. No need to thaw pastry. Process is really simple. Place frozen strudels on sheet pan and bake at 425 between 35 to 40 minutes…or so I thought! I placed these strudels on parchment paper before placing on sheet tray on center rack. The baking times will vary depending on oven and sheet tray. My sheet tray is dark metal and probably would have fared better using my higher end no stick cookie sheets. The time I chose was right down the middle of the manufacturers recommendations, at 37 minutes, which was still too long as the pastry was slightly blackened on the bottom. Despite that slight charring, I was able to scrape the blackened crust off the bottom with a knife. Lesson learned. Next time, bake with a better quality pan and decrease cooking time a few minutes. Note to self, always pick the lowest time suggested.

Taste

There are not a whole lot of comparisons to make when tasting strudel. Most strudels I have sampled have been at German restaurants of which no frozen product can compare. The stores I shop at don’t have any brand name or generic equivalents. Anyway, this strudel was pretty darn good in spite of my over baking mishap. The outer crust had a nice golden flaky and buttery finish. The dense filling of sweet apples came out in every bite with hint of cinnamon. The box advertised that there were raisins but I did not find one in my particular bite. The only thing missing with this dessert was the a la mode.

Price

The price of the Deutsche Kuche Apple Strudel was only $2.69. Is that a fair price? Well that all depends on your appetite. I think for a family of five or six, one definitely needs to buy two boxes. I consider one box of strudels to be approximately four servings.

Overall Result

This dessert is a winner.  Again, I would suggest purchasing two boxes for groups greater than four people. Apple strudel is a great break from the all too common apple pie and makes a great autumn dessert especially when preparing a festive Oktoberfest meal. I recommend this dessert

Review of Meijer Country Style Baked Beans

Labor day weekend is a red flag sign that one needs to get out and grill. Grilling meats often involves the desire for a little corn on the cob and baked beans. Normally I pick my name brand standby of Bush’s baked beans. While I enjoy the lovable golden retriever, Duke as their marketing shtick, I would probably still buy these beans due to their exceptional flavor. Labor Day sales at Meijer tempted me to try a new option from the Meijer brands. I decided to go for the larger 28 ounce size can of Meijer Country Style Baked Beans with Bacon and Brown sugar. There were numerous options within the Meijer bean family, though bacon and brown sugar sounds most to my liking.

My option to select the larger can of beans was out of necessity to feed five as we served cheddar bratwurst, hot dogs, and needed some beans to go with it. The smaller sixteen ounce can was not going to cut it. The large can of these high fiber beans by Meijer was only $1.69 and approximately thirty cents cheaper than the Bushes counterpart.

As I opened the can I noticed a runny or thinner consistency than Bush’s baked beans. However that all seemed to change as the beans warmed up in the saucepan and I served them in a more thickened state.  The beans surprisingly also measured up in flavor and aroma. I was pleased with the decent sweet taste of the Meijer beans. The hint of brown sugar was recognized though the chunks of bacon were slight. I am pretty sure there are no commercially made baked beans that provide ample amounts of bacon in a can, probably more reason to add a few chopped slices of your own.

My conclusion of these beans was mixed. I like them but will most likely stick to my Bush’s option and splurge on the extra thirty cents. While I liked the taste of the Meijer beans, I was slightly put off by the pale color of the beans as they did not have the darker tones of other brands I have tried. I also found the sweet and smoky flavors of the Bush brand to also have an edge over Meijer. Overall, I would still consider Meijer baked beans an average buy.  

Review of Bakers Treat Peanut Butter Wafers

It has been a long time since I posted. Perhaps, I mark this return to this site with a food review vengeance, or I return to my self- imposed exile and mutter my good and bad food tasting experiences to my dog, cat or anyone willing to lend an ear. Nevertheless I am going to give you the quick and dirty on my latest trial with Baker’s Treat Peanut Butter Wafers.  First of all, peanut butter wafers (or Nutty Bars) are a guilty pleasure of mine. I prefer this sweet post lunch dessert over any commercially made cookie such as Oreos, Famous Amos or even the girl scout thin mint.  Nutty bars have a whole lot of goodness going on,  all in every bite.

 Let’s see..numerous thin wafers hit with layers of peanut butter all to be pressed together before the final dunk in a chocolate coating; pure magic. Probably the only peanut butter chocolate combination better than this is the Reese’s sticks, which coincidentally also has a wafer base.

I usually have one standby peanut butter wafer brand; Little Debbie. Little Debbie is the benchmark of this delectable treat. I have had the Hostess peanut butter wafer ,but that was many moons ago and that product is not as prevalent in the local stores. In addition to these two Nutty Bar competitors, there is also a third option, Bakers Treat Peanut Butter Wafers sold at Aldi.

The Baker’s Treat box contains 12 bars as they are sold two bars in mini packages. To the naked eye, these bars look suspiciously close to the competitors Little Debbie and Hostess. Unfortunately, that is pretty much where the competition ends.

First bite reveals a similar crunch and texture of Little Debbie, but leaves the taste buds demanding more peanut butter and chocolate. I get more flavor of dry wafer than anything else.  The chocolate coating must be sprayed on with chocolate coloring because it is barely detectable. Peanut butter also very skimpy (not skippy).

The price of a box of Baker’s Treat Peanut Butter Wafers is a really low $.99. Meh. Take that dollar and add another seventy five cents and upgrade to the Little Debbie box. Your taste buds will thank you.