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.