REVIEW: Arby’s Smokehouse Beef Short Rib Sandwich and Loaded Curly Fries

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Arby s Smokehouse Beef Short Rib Sandwich

America’s favorite fast food punching bag, Arby’s, should stick to the one thing they do best: roast beef sandwiches.

Think about it: have you ever, in your life, stopped what you’re doing and made a beeline for the joint because you simply had to nosh on its gyro or down a fish sandwich pronto? Has a day ever been made better by one of its ice coffee drinks? Ever sat at work daydreaming about a big bowl of those curly fries, well, okay, I’ll give you the curly fries. But, still, Arby’s meandering attempt to enter the barbeque game — one of many, I’m sure — by putting a beef short rib sandwich on the menu is mediocre at best.

Utilizing the mainly fatty beef parts of the aforementioned short rib, an admittedly nice big handful of that cheap cut is packed between two thick slices of mostly toasted Texas toast and topped with soggy fried onions, misplaced melted cheddar cheese and a little slight drizzle of barbeque sauce to give it more of that down-home back-country feel. It doesn’t work, but kudos for trying, Arby’s.

As I took as large a bite as my medium mouth could allow, I tasted more of the sauce than the meat which is never a good sign, especially when it Arby’s barbeque sauce. However, pulling a few pieces of the short rib out to taste by its lonesome, I can see why; the meat was a bit dry, and a good dollop of that sickly sauce gave it its much needed (but still pretty unwanted) flavor.

Additionally, that fraudulent smoky sauce seeped deep into the bread as well, so there’s that if you’re big into sticky, damp bread.

Arby s Smokehouse Beef Short Rib Loaded Curly Fries

Alongside the Short Rib Sandwich, Arby’s has a quasi-companion piece taking the form of Short Rib Loaded Fries which are exactly how they sound: a decent pile of their quintessential curly fries, bastardized with short rib meat, even more melted cheddar cheese, and a whole mess of that barbeque sauce to give them a sense of purpose and meaning.

It’s an unapologetically mishmash of flavors, none of which seemingly belong together in the slightest. The corporate entity barbeque sauce sweetens, almost to a fault, the mildly limp fries. Meanwhile, the short rib meat makes a pretty garnish but not a very useful tater topping, big clumps falling everywhere, just looking for that Texas toast.

For a nice size bowl of these loaded fries—loaded fries being my favorite of all fries, honestly, it’s kind of a wasted effort. Give me some plain curlies and few packs of Horsey Sauce and I’m gold, kid.

Arby’s, your bold experimentalism let me down again, but don’t worry: come Christmastime I promise I’ll be back in line for your five roast beef sandwiches for five bucks. You all still do that, right? Please tell me you do.

(Nutrition Facts – Sandwich – 590 calories, 28 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 75 milligrams of cholesterol, 1510 milligrams of sodium, 59 grams of carbohydrates, 14 grams of sugar, 4 grams of fiber, and 26 grams of protein. Loaded Curly Fries – 730 calories, 41 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 2300 milligrams of sodium, 75 grams of carbohydrates, 13 grams of sugar, 6 grams of fiber, and 15 grams of protein.)

Purchased Price: $5.99 (sandwich)
Size: N/A
Rating: 3 out of 10 (Sandwich)
Rating: 2 out of 10 (Loaded Curly Fries)
Pros: Lots of meat. Good to see Texas toast on the menu. Chance to visit your local Arby’s.
Cons: Barbeque sauce too “fake sweet.” Soggy onions and bread. Cheese sauce not like I remember.

QUICK REVIEW: Jack in the Box Steak Teriyaki Bowl (2018)

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Jack in the Box Steak Teriyaki Bowl 2018

What is it?

A steak version of Jack in the Box’s Chicken Teriyaki Bowl, both of which come with broccoli, carrots, and now with your choice of white or brown rice (I got white rice). While it’s advertised as “new,” it’s not the first time Jack has offered a teriyaki bowl with steak.

How is it?

There’s a decent amount of meat, and the pieces are tender, but there were a few that I had to get a little rough with. The broccoli and carrots are bright, fresh, have a pleasant crunch to them, and there’s enough that it’s safe for me to proudly exclaim to anyone who cares about my health that I had a serving of vegetables.

Jack in the Box Steak Teriyaki Bowl 2018 2

As for the teriyaki sauce, it’s sweet with a slight peppery kick. But it’s also annoyingly salty and completely masks the steak’s flavor. If anyone who cares about my health tasted the sauce, they would most definitely say I negated any health benefits from eating the serving of vegetables in this bowl with the sodium in that sauce.

Is there anything else I need to know?

Use the fork that comes with the bowl to mix everything because the teriyaki sauce isn’t drizzled over the rice and vegetables. But there’s enough of it under and around the steak pieces to make the white rice not so blindingly white if you toss the ingredients well.

Conclusion:

Jack in the Box’s Steak Teriyaki Bowl is okay fast food fare. But the sauce makes me hesitant to purchase it again. I’ve had the chicken teriyaki bowl several times, but I don’t remember the teriyaki being that salty. Maybe it’s the combination of meat with the sauce. I don’t know.

Jack in the Box Steak Teriyaki Bowl 2018 3

Purchased Price: $6.99*
Size: N/A
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (with white rice) 800 calories, 130 calories from fat, 14 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 70 milligrams of cholesterol, 2450 milligrams of sodium, 135 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 35 grams of sugar, and 36 grams of protein.

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.

QUICK REVIEW: Krispy Kreme Reese’s Outrageous Chocolate Doughnut

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Krispy Kreme Reese s Outrageous Doughnut

What is it?

The latest and (hopefully) greatest follow up to last year’s Reese’s Peanut Butter Doughnut – the Reese’s Outrageous Chocolate Doughnut; inspired by

How is it?

Krispy Kreme Reese s Outrageous Doughnut 2

I gotta say, for a non-filled doughnut this is pretty much as good as it gets. The chocolate yeast base is different for Krispy Kreme and carries the same wonderful light and fluffy texture as its Original Glazed but with a pleasantly less sweet chocolate flavor that lays an excellent foundation. It reminds me more of a yeast-cake hybrid in that it’s nice and moist but also ever so slightly dense from the presence of the cocoa.

Krispy Kreme Reese s Outrageous Doughnut 3

The dual action drizzle brings some serious bolts of flavor, almost acting like a lush creamy filling the way it elevates the entire experience beyond a typical iced or glazed. I get more peanut butter than caramel, but the slightly salty sticky drizzles work brilliantly together to emulate the profile of the Outrageous Bar, highlighted by the occasional crunch of Reese’s Pieces.

Is there anything else I need to know?

As with most Krispy creations, this one performs well in the microwave. Popping it in for eight seconds melts the icing on top and softens the cake to a melt-in-your-mouth treat that reminds me of peanut butter hot chocolate. All the flavors combine into one delectably sweet coffee companion that will no doubt disappear in less than 30 seconds.

Conclusion:

This is an awesome doughnut. It lives up to the Reese’s name and brings all the contrast of textures and salty sweet flavors that make Reese’s products the most craveable in the candy aisle.

Purchased Price: $1.59
Size: N/A
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 00 calories, 14 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 125 milligrams of sodium, 41 grams of carbohydrates, 26 grams of sugar, 2 grams of fiber, and 4 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Skippy P.B. Fruit Bites (Strawberry and Grape)

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Skippy P B Fruit Bites Strawberry and Grape

“Mommy, I want a snack!” “Mommy, I need a snack!” “Mommy, can I have a snack, please?” “I’m soooooo hungry, mommy!”

If you saw us out in public, you might believe that I never feed my kids by the way they are always asking for food. But, if you have young kids, or if you haven’t yet fully repressed the less-endearing memories from when your children were preschoolers, you know that snack management is at least 50 percent of your parenting responsibility at that age.

Snacks are essential to mom life. Bonus if the snacks are quick and relatively healthy. But, just like adults, kids get bored with the usual options, which is why finding something new is exciting for all of us. Enter the new Skippy P.B. Fruit Bites.

Skippy P B Fruit Bites Strawberry and Grape 2

Skippy P.B. Fruit Bites are available in two varieties, grape and strawberry. They feature fruit-flavored centers with a Skippy peanut butter-flavored coating and are advertised as “portable, pop-able snacks.” They resemble yogurt or chocolate covered raisins in size and texture.

Skippy P B Fruit Bites Grape

We tried the Grape bites first as I was curious to know how a “dried grape center” would differ from a raisin center. The answer is that it tasted like dried grape flavored bubble gum. I think a full raisin, and not a manufactured dried grape, would have resulted in a snack that more closely resembled a peanut butter & grape jelly sandwich.

The textures of the peanut butter coating and the fruit center did not blend well and were distinctly obvious in each bite. The grape-flavored center was artificial and not fruity tasting at all. Each bite tasted like a piece of cheap, old grape-flavored candy and oily peanut butter powder. I did not feel compelled to eat more than a few and couldn’t even pawn them off on my hungry, snack-loving kiddos.

Skippy P B Fruit Bites Strawberry

The strawberry P.B. Fruit Bites were a different story, though. The Skippy Peanut Butter coating had the iconic Skippy flavor, slightly sweet with a smooth and creamy peanut flavor. The coating melded well with the fruit center and did not disintegrate into separate pieces like its grape counterpart.

The fruit center tasted more authentic than the grape one, with natural strawberry flavor (in the form of a cranberry). It was more convincingly fruit than just “fruit flavored.” This matters when you’re trying to convince yourself, as a parent, that your kids’ snacks have some value other than to buy a few minutes of peace and quiet.

Overall, I liked the strawberry P.B. Fruit Bites enough to add them into the snack rotation, but not as a regular addition. At over $3 for a small bag of bites, they are too pricey for an everyday snack but will be an occasional sweet treat.

(Nutrition Facts – 1 oz. – Grape – 140 calories, 8 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 70 milligrams of sodium, 14 grams of carbohydrates, 11 grams of sugars, and 4 grams of protein. Strawberry – 150 calories, 8 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 70 milligrams of sodium, 15 grams of carbohydrates, 11 grams of sugars, and 4 grams of protein.)

Purchased Price: $3.29 each
Size: 4 oz. bag
Purchased at: Food Lion
Rating: 2 out of 10 (Grape)
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Strawberry)
Pros: Quick snack with some nutritional value. Strawberry one tasted more authentic than grape. Didn’t melt in summer heat. Real fruit in centers.
Cons: Grape one tasted like a piece of cheap, old grape-flavored candy and oily peanut butter powder. Expensive as an everyday snack. Choking hazard warning on front of package suggests that these are not for kids under 3.

REVIEW: Hostess Cookies ‘n Creme Brownies

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Hostess Cookies n Creme Brownies

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’ve always been one of those people that get paralyzed by the abundance of choice I have when it comes to food.

Do I want peanut butter or almond butter on my sandwich? Cinnamon chewing gum or spearmint to keep in my purse? As for coffee, don’t even get me started on Starbucks since I can easily spend half an hour trying to decide what I want.

With Hostess and its new Cookies ‘n Crème Brownies, though, at least I won’t have to agonizingly choose between cookies or brownies for dessert anymore!

Hostess Cookies n Creme Brownies 2

Out of the box, each one of these cute little pucks come individually wrapped in Hostess-branded cellophane, which I suppose is to keep them fresh while also making them easy to eat on the go. Also, as an unintentional bonus, they help to prevent people from confusing them for especially lonely Little Debbie Zebra Cakes, which is appreciated since they look nearly identical from the outside.

Picking one of them up, I was surprised to find they’re oddly light for brownies. I associate brownies with being dense, fudgy, chewy squares of bliss, so I had a hard time believing these were going to be anything like that.

My trepidation about the texture wasn’t unfounded, either, because the brownies were as airy as I had expected them to be. They were so cakey that I don’t even think that they’re in the same galaxy as Cosmic Brownies. Compared to the decadent delights brought forth by Little Debbie, these are more like a flat, chocolate snack cake coated with Cookies ‘n Crème-styled icing.

After I stopped thinking about them as brownies and start thinking about them as any other snack cake, they get a lot more enjoyable. They smell like a combination of milk chocolate and sweet cream, and that’s the primary flavor that comes across when I chomp down on one of them. The white outer coating supplied the “cream” aspect, while the baked interior reminded me of cookies.

Hostess Cookies n Creme Brownies 3

Expanding on the cookie aspect, Hostess didn’t nail the whole Oreo-esque flavor profile that well here. Instead, I felt the light cocoa and spongier texture used in the cake were more reminiscent of the cookies used to construct Whoopie Pies. While that’s not necessarily a bad thing, I still think that Hostess should have used a crème filling studded with cookie crumbs or something to bring the Cookies ‘N Crème theme around full-circle.

Even though I would consider two or three of these a worthy choice for a midnight snack, I still think Hostess should take some baking lessons from Little Debbie, because her brownies are out-of-this-world delicious by comparison.

(Nutrition Facts – 1 Brownie – 180 calories, 80 calories from fat, 8 grams of total fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 80 milligrams of sodium, 24 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 17 grams of total sugars, and 2 grams of protein.)

Purchased Price: $2.97
Size: 6-pack
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: Not having to decide between cookies and brownies. Branded wrapper keeps you from confusing them for a different snack. Pretty tasty when you think of them as snack cakes. Acceptable choice for late night noshing.
Cons: Not nearly fudgy enough to be called a brownie. Doesn’t remind me of Oreos. Needs a crème filling or some cookie crumbs or something. Makes me wish that Little Debbie could teach Hostess how to make better brownies.

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