Taste Test - Edy's Snickerdoodle Custard

Summer is just around the corner and as such it is time for the ice cream companies to bring out the new stuff to get in your wallet as you grab something to cool down with. Custard is getting big as an off-shoot of the gelato craze of the last few years and as people are looking for more unique items for their taste buds.

So Edy's has several new flavors, of course vanilla is one, but to step outside we grabbed the Snickerdoodle variety which is a nice cinnamon flavored cream, but it isn't very strong, with snickerdoodle cookie pieces in ribbons through the dessert. The custard has a nice consistency and while it isn't as hard as some ice cream can normally be, it isn't a really soft custard either. It fits in a nice little space as far as consistency.

This is a simple, review, because honestly it's a premium style of ice cream. Very creamy and made with rich ingredients, the taste is on point and it is just what you would expect. The only beef might be with the size of the container because you don't get a whole lot. You won't be giving this to the kids at their birthday parties. This is for the close family and friends only.


Rating: 4/5

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Places - Burger Fi

This week's brand new lunch selection was a place called Burger Fi in the new Luarel Town Center. This burger joint has all of the modern claims to fame that are hip with the publiuc these days. Burgers made with fresh more natural if not all natural ingredients, quick but not fast service, and a dining area with exposed wood and aluminum accents.

The thing is I have never been to Shake Shack yet this place seems just like what I expect it to be, only less crowded. The menu board is simple with a regular burger being a little pricey because once you start adding cheese, bacon, specialties it can add up. Small fries are like most places now where you get them dumped in your bag and I had a 'concrete' which I had assumed was a trademarked kind of thing but I guess it isn't. Red Velvet, which was cake swirled with a cream cheese tasting custard.

The burger itself was just alright to me. Maybe it should be with the sauce they make to be at it's best but it really lacked a stand out characteristic. The bacon wasn't memorable either and for a company preaching sustainability, it seemed over done in the take out container which is made from recycled materials but seemed to much. The fries were fine, I like mine a little darker most times but I'm not going to complain about them.

The Red Velvet Concrete was definitely the best thing. The cake asn't too dry and it was a good mix of cake to custard. The custard was smooth and creamy and had good flavor. That one thing was worth it's cost. Overall though I wasn't feeling it very much. The prices aren't great so it isn't a value play, I get it, but for the price I need the flavors to pop and all of the elements to make their mark. Bacon should never be forgettable and the burger really underwhelmed me with the lack of any real flavor.

Rating: 2.5/5

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Taste Test- JC's Pie Pops

So I saw these desserts in the store a few times but I decided to bide my time before grabbing some to try. I mean they look really appealing and have all of the great buzz words on them and a premium look, but it took me a while to pull the trigger. I was leaning towards the Key Lime Pie Flavor but then only I would eat them (which isn't always a bad thing) but instead I grabbed a box of strawberry.

The outside of these reminds me of the Strawberry Shortcake Good Humor bars. It was a little smaller than I was expecting as well. The outside is really good, a strong flavor and a slightly soft consistency. I'm sure some will have a little bit more of a crunch but this was fine. The ice cream itself was a disappointment. There was little if any strawberry flavor that I could discern and while it was creamy, it wasn't much better than the run of the mill ice cream. In fact, the Safeway Lucerne brand of ice cream is preferable to this.

At the end of the day, all this is is a premium branded Good Humor bar that isn't as good. I would eat this, and I still want to try the Key Lime to see how it stands on it's own but the value or bang for the buck wasn't there with these bars. I wouldn't suggest you try them unless you are getting a more standout flavor that you can't find other places.

Rating: 2/5

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Taste Test - Snyder's Pretzel poppers

Simple snacking is big business and in the pretzel game Snyder's of Hanover is definitely a leader in all things, flavors, and shapes. With so many people looking to cut back on starch, carbs, salt, and processed flour, yet still looking for that pretzel flavor and crunch, Snyder's has introduced the line of pretzel poppers for that market.

Thoughts on these, the size is good with it being full of pretzels and not a half nitrogen and air bag like a lot of snack chips. They are definitely easy to pop in your mouth a few at a time and crunch to your heart's content. My beef is with the cheese flavor in the bag that I tried because it didn't have as much of a cheese flavor, it was more salty and garlicky to my taste buds. The other main issue is that the cheese powder doesn't really stick to the pretzel outsides and ends up more on your fingers making this an in the house type of snack where you can lick your fingers in peace. My daughter got the same impressions and she is a pretzel fanatic.

If you're looking for something a little lighter than regular pretzels or better than chips but with the great crunch you might want to look into these, however the flavor in three cheese isn't going to appeal to everyone and the dust will be everywhere so if you cant wipe and wash your hands easily you might want to wait until you hit home (so don't give these to the kids in the back seat).


Rating: 2.5/5

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Taste Test - Kodiak Granola Unleashed

In search of a more healthy breakfast to get the day started and bored of oatmeal like I am, a new item to try is granola in a cup from Kodiak. You may have seen their pancake and waffle mixes around and they are a bit pricey and from my experience, not really worth it in the taste department. These cups are more budget friendly definitely and an item that will probably be on sale regularly.

I have tried both the vanilla and maple pecan and think they are both pretty good. I mean they have some flavor and can be eaten warmed or with your own preferred yogurt to be a bit more filling and if you have some fresh fruit nearby you can make a quick parfait with little effort. If you are heating be mindful of the amount of milk you put in because it soaks up liquid really quickly and can be a bit of a soup if you add too much.

My only beef with these cups is that the amount of granola is kind of low as a stand alone, so you will want to either use as a snack or add something else to it to make it last a little bit as a breakfast.

Rating: 4.5/5

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Places - the Fractured Prune

Doughnuts are just one of the many "new" rages these days with chefs and amateurs alike all taking the classic simple pastry and making them into something more. Locally, The Fractured Prune has been around for a while and the flagship is Ocean City's location. One just recently opened in the Owings Mills Town Center so I took the kids by to grab a taste (my son had never been) and check out the new place.

First of all it was crazy packed but it was the first day so it was what I expected, yet the wait didn't seem too long considering the quantities that people were ordering and it being the opening. The staff was courteous though it was easy to see they were tired. They managed to keep it moving however and the only hold up was waiting on the cake doughnuts to cook. You see the doughnuts are cooked fresh to order then dipped, tossed, and dribbled with the myriad of toppings that are offered.

They offer a great variety of ready designed specialties and as well you can pick out your own unique set of toppings which they will coat your treat with. The doughnut itself is a cake variety and is pretty tasty with just enough sweetness to give it it's own thing yet be a good canvas for other toppings. They did look a little bit dark but they weren't burnt at all.

Taking a look at some of our selections I chose the caramel and sea salt and it had a bit too much salt on it and they are huge blocks of salt so if ordering tell them to go light. Ocean sand is a staple and favorite of sweet glaze and cinnamon and sugar, nothing spectacular. The Banana cream pie was lacking the banana flavor and i thought the strawberry shortcake was cool.

Overall there is a lot to choose from and like and few flaws unless you don't like this kind of cake doughnut

Rating: 4/5

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Places - Blaze Pizza

There are so many new Quick Service Fast Casual Restaurants popping up all over the place it can be hard to keep up. One of the newest concepts you will see popping up everywhere is the on demand pizza model. I previously visited Pie 5 as one is close to me and the family enjoys it. For lunch this past week I visited another version of the idea, Blaze Pizza which is similar but it does definitely have some major differences.


First off the Blaze Pizza is bigger than the Pie 5 and where Pie 5 uses a dough that they have lined up in pans for baking in their conveyor belt oven, Blaze keeps the dough balls waiting until you arrive and press them right there. The ordering is little bit different as well, they have a variety of specialty pizzas and a make your own option which for the price and the variety can be beneficial if you can't make up your mind like me.  So you pick your toppings and they write them on the menu sheet which sits in front of them, which has to be helpful for prep, and put it into their more traditional style oven and it gets turned and cooked in under 5 minutes.

The one thing I have to say is that when it's crowded this area has to get hectic as the cook has to keep up and rotate the pizzas, this particular location in laurel could probably use more space between the oven and register from what I saw. Onto the pizza itself, I got two specialties put together, the Meat Lovers and White Pizza.

The ingredients are very fresh and it's amazing how much of that you can taste and tell. I did read reviews that the pepperonis didn't quite have enough spice to them and they were a bit mild maybe, but it could be from not aging and being processed as much as some other places. The sauce, while fresh had a lack of flavor, I mean it wasn't very tomato tasting nor was it really flavorful. They do offer a spicy red sauce as well so you might want to give that a try. The Meatballs on the meat lovers side were pretty good though.

The white pizza side the sauce was still slightly underwhelming. It could have used a little bit more salt and they sprinkle garlic over the top instead of having more of it in the sauce itself which would have been better so that it gets distributed more. It also has bacon on it which is cool but my preparer left off my arugula which I'm sure would have added some more contrast. it was fine though. My big issue is with a place like this the crust needs to be a star and it wasn't. It was very underwhelming and plain. I contrast with Pie 5 whose crust is very distinctive and worth eating on it's own this was the biggest disappointment for me.

Overall it wasn't a bad experience and the pizza isn't bad, it just doesn't make me scream out we have to go back. There are little tweaks they could make and the size and value are there for the price compared to pie 5 and so that is what makes it a more difficult decision, but if it's based on taste alone I'd choose Pie 5 personally. I almost forgot, I did get a heated SMore's cookie and it was good. I mean the cookie/cracker wasn't overly sweet but the entire composition was still tasty.






Rating: 3/5

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Taste Test- Cheetos Sweetos

In the push to always grow a brand, the Frito Lay company has decided to take its Cheetos brand and expand the other way, from all of the spicy, explosive, and cheesy flavors into the sweet and indulgent space with it's new Limited edition Sweetos variety.

It seems odd and yet obvious at the same time, a cinnamon and sugar puff with shapes reminiscent of Cheetos Paws. It's odd because the name Cheetos just brings up thoughts of cheese, it's pretty much in the name. On the other hand the actual corn puff part of a cheeto has no discernible flavor so it is a good base for pretty much anything.

These cheetos themselves have a more Hispanic or Latino tinge of flavor to them. The cinnamon is a bit strong compared to the sugar and it reminds me strongly of a sort of churro which then makes even more sense. That is one of the largest growth markets currently so finding a way to siphon some of those dollars is huge for any company. As for my family, my daughter liked them a little bit but wasn't clamoring for more and she and I both felt like there was an odd after taste from these. My son ate it and didn't say much which leads me to believe he doesn't really care for them. If you're looking for something different, give these a try especially if you like churros.

Rating: 2.5/5

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Taste Test- Sprite Lebron Mix

I'll tell you what, you can say what you want about Lebron whether or not he is or isn't the most imposing basketball figure these days and whether or not he lives up to his hype, skills, and potential on the court, but as a marketing machine he is unparalleled. He has many of the same types of endorsements that Michael Jordan had and with many of the same companies but MJ never had his own beverage flavor. This isn't the first year for Lebron mix, nor do I think for this particular variety but this is the first time I have ever had it.

This new Lebron mix is cherry and tropical flavors and the traditional lemon-lime flavor of Sprite. The drink itself is still clear which I thought was odd because I expected a slight tint of some sort. I didn't care for the flavor as much, it was subtle and cherry at first which went away and was kind of syrupy afterward. Both of my kids loved it however so it didn't go to waste. The one thing I don't like is that it's in a can which is an odd size so it's more than you may want to drink at once but no way to save it so if you're trying to cut back on what you give the kids then you will want to split it. Overall it's a cool drink but not my personal favorite.

Rating: 3/5

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Taste Test - Tastefully Simple Smokey Bacon BBQ Sauce

Tastefully simple is a brand of at-home business in the vein of Tupperware or Avon. (If you need some new Tupperware by the way go ahead and click the link to the right side of the page here and check it out.) They sell seasonings, sauces, mixes, pretty much everything but the meat chicken or fish that you would put the products on. I am a BBQ sauce fanatic and will try several brands and flavors every year and I will say this one does hold up with some of the best.

 I made up some chicken wings and used them for a quick sample and taste test. I will say this is everything advertised, it is smokey but not overly done and extra artificial like some I have tasted from big brands like Kraft and Bullseye whose Mesquite varieties I can't stand because of it. This sauce also has bacon and bacon is in right now. it manages to have a good bacon flavor that isn't too overwhelming, in fact, the sauce has a good balance on the hole and has a nice consistency, which as you can see in the pictures, sticks to something like chicken wings easily. The taste of this would definitely make me consider their other flavors. The downside for my family is they tend to like sweeter sauces and flavors and this had a bit less of that then they would like although I enjoyed it.

Now remember you can't get these in stores so look up your nearest Tastefully Simple rep and see what else they have to offer.

Rating: 4/5

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Taste Test- Reese's Snacksters

Some of you may have noticed that the Hershey company is in the 'spread' business these days, joining the makers of peanut butter and hazelnut style spreads in the bread aisle, fighting for your sandwich and desert dollar. These spreads have multiple applications from sweet sandwiches to added dips for fruits or even as crepe fillings. Most of the Hershey's flavors have almonds or some 'nut' flavor added to them. In order to continue to drive that brand, they have brought out these portable snack boxes which are great ideas for lunches or just quick snacks when you're grabbing something from a local market or convenience store.

This is once again something my son and I both enjoyed. The graham cracker stick was solid with a good snap and flavor to it. It wasn't crazy bland but it didn't have too much flavor and odd artificial additions that would make it a bad mix for the chocolate-peanut butter spread that came for dipping. That itself was a good mix and managed to balance both flavors very good. I enjoyed it and will definitely try it again.

Rating: 5/5

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Taste Test- Campbells Oven Sauce

I normally do not ever buy these pre-packaged quick meal solutions because for whatever reason they never really quite taste right but the Campbell's brand is pretty reliable and I had coupons which made this pretty much free. I figured it wouldn't hurt on a day where my wife and I had to work late and I needed to throw together a quick dinner. So of course after a couple of weeks of these sitting around I ended up with an occasion to use this and I had everything needed in the building already.

Prep is simple, some chicken, frozen vegetables and the sauce. Throw it into a casserole dish and let it cook for about 45 minutes or so and you have a dinner for the family. The suggestion is that you also make some quick biscuits and serve on top which I did.

As for the taste of this, I wasn't fond of it and neither were my wife and son. my son especially because he pretty much eats any and everything with no problems and this is something he was vocal about not caring for. My daughter however, liked it tremendously. As for my tastes there is definitely something off with this. The seasoning is a little off or maybe it's the sodium or the the stabilizers that give it an off putting taste. it's slightly sour and bitter to me, not overwhelmingly so, but it is an odd taste that I couldn't really get past.

As a dish, it should be easy because you could easily get this type of meal set up with an extra 10 minutes using a few more ingredients such as cream of chicken soup and some simple seasonings and get a better tasting dinner than using this single packet if you have some discerning tastes. If you aren't as picky then this could work out for you in a pinch.

Rating: 2/5

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Taste Test - The Cookie Dough Cafe - Cookie Dough

So I'm not sure where I saw this product at but I did and I had to go on their website and find out where I could get it and luckily Harris Teeter carries it in Maryland. Now people have asked why would I need to buy special cookie dough for eating, and one of the main reasons is a big warning that is normally on traditional cookie dough that tells you it is expressly not for eating raw. I'm pretty sure there are some other things in conventional store bought cookie dough you might not want to eat raw and a lot of people aren't going to make some expressly to eat, and apparently that is indeed a thing that people do.

It's not cheap, but it is pretty good, though you can tell something isn't quite there all of the way which is why you can't use this for baking. It is identical to any other cookie dough you're going to eat whether you make it yourself, by it from pillsbury, or get it in your ice cream. A good sweetness is in the dough as well as a little bit of salt to offset. This version I tried also had bits of Oreo cookies mixed in. Overall this is a cool little product and one that might be nice to eat with your ice cream as a treat to step things up a little bit.

Rating: 4.5/5

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Recipe Review - French Toast Bake

My wife loves breakfast, I mean she can eat it twice a week at night in addition to what I normally do for Sunday mornings. Me, I'm not as big of a fan by any means, I mean I can do pancakes and some french toast if it isn't completely soggy. The other thing is she sometimes asks for a casserole or something for her fellow teachers when they do a potluck. This one she thought looked simple enough to make and take.

This dish is a little more  difficult to 'set up' but in the end it's a pretty good dish. Not too heavy not too light and can easily be sliced up for a crowd. The main instructions can be found right here at Julies Eats and Treats. A couple of changes, I used Italian bread and not sourdough, although sourdough is probably pretty good and could offer up some different depth of flavor. I also used actual butter instead of the substitute but whichever you have could work easily. I topped it with some strawberries and some vanilla cream.

This is a really good recipe and would be great for upcoming holidays. This is one that will stay in the arsenal.

Rating: 5/5

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Recipe Review - Shrimp Fried Rice

In the interest of trying to do something different I have been all over pinterest and one recipe I found that seemed to be kind of simple yet different for our family is Shrimp Fried Rice. I took several recipes together but the mian one that I found was here on the blog Damn Delicious. I also looked at some other recipes and decided to use regular full size shrimp instead of the smaller ones that you normally get.

The shrimp I seasoned simply, and those aren't on the recipe I linked to above, but it was some salt, pepper, ginger, flour and a tiny bit of corn starch. Take the shrimp, peel and de-vein of course and  toss in the flour and seasoning and then remove so it can set up a little bit. It only takes a few minutes to cook the shrimp in a skillet with oil really quickly.

As for the fried rice, I made some white rice a little earlier and fried it but most recipes say to try and have it done earlier so that it can cool and have a slightly more 'fried' texture. It was pretty good but having rice done before hand would have saved a lot of time and probably improved this just so slightly. Overall this is a good recipe though.

Rating: 5/5

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Recipe Review - White Chocolate Mousse

So Valentine's day was around the corner and my wife doesn't care for chocolate covered strawberries unless it's white chocolate covered, and apparently it's ridiculously hard to get only those the week of valentine's day. I mean you can get them striped with regular chocolate or mixed with regular chocolate, but the simple white chocolate is a no-go for the most part. Even High end Wegman's at the godiva counter couldn't guarantee them so I had to improvise.

What I did was I had a recipe for chocolate mousse from Food Network Magazine All Access which I adapted using another recipe which I found in Sugar Rush: Master Tips, Techniques, and Recipes for Sweet Baking , which is a great book with a lot of good baking ideas. The mousse was really good and I topped it with some fresh strawberries which i topped with sugar and let sit for a while and a piece of puff pastry for texture. The recipe might be even better with a salted caramel perhaps, or a graham cracker layer to break up the texture, although the flavors with the berries and mousse are just perfect.

 First step was taking 9 ounces of white chocolate and melt it using the double boiler method. In my case I don't own a double boiler because using a bowl and a small pot works just fine.

 Melt the chocolate down until just melted and slightly above 95 degrees.

 Take 1.5 cups of heavy whipping cream and heat until just bubbled and warm then turn off. Mix into white chocolate a little bit at a time until completely mixed until it looks glossy.

 Take another 3/4 cup of heavy whipping cream and beat until it forms soft peaks. Once that is done, fold it into the white chocolate mixture carefully.

 Put into vessels and cool off in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

 While the mousse cools take out some puff pastry and follow the directions for it to allow it to thaw. Then use a cookie cutter or a knife and cut out your shapes and bake in the oven at 425 for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Slice some strawberries and sprinkle with sugar and put in the fridge until ready to put things together.

 Take some cut strawberries and puff pastry to top your mousse and serve. Enjoy.

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