billyeats on IReallyLikeFood

Monday, 07 May 2012

Can You Compromise With Reduced Fat Snack Foods?

My story involves reduced fat Cheez-Its. The Cheez-It is an incredibly addictive and tasty snack food. Once you pop open that red box, it's very difficult to stop yourself from finishing it. Before long your teeth are covered with an orange tint from the cheesy massacre.

One way to kill a Cheez-It addiction is to unknowingly eat a few reduced fat Cheez-Its. Immediately you'll be wondering where the flavor disappeared to.

During college I did the majority of the grocery shopping. I shopped for my roommate Quinn too. We shared meals and food for the last two years of college. As a frugal shopper I usually stick to the basic grocery items, going heavy on produce and cheese, and not straying far off the list by purchasing tons of snack foods and cookies.

But, Quinn loved his Cheez-Its. So, I typically bought either a box or two of white cheddar or regular Cheez-Its. Within no time the Cheez-It addiction took hold of me. Two to three days after a grocery trip the red boxes would be empty.

I made a huge grocery mishap on one trip to the store. I saw the sale tags in front of the Cheez-It boxes and grabbed two without realizing the catastrophe. The next day when I took that first bite I knew something was off. Someone stole the flavor from the box. I discovered the problem when seeing the "Reduced Fat" lettering across the box.
Somehow Quinn and I managed to not waste the food and eat the tasteless Cheez-Its. That was the worst snack week in history.

I don't think I could ever compromise with reduced fat Cheez-Its. For me, reduced fat translates to tasteless. Maybe they could grow on me if ate so many that I forgot what regularCheez-Its taste like.

What do you think about reduced fat snack foods?

Monday, 30 April 2012

Top 5 Little Debbie Snacks

Hostess filed for bankruptcy for the second time. Does this mean the end of the Twinkie?

The Twinkie won't disappear, but being a child of Little Debbie upbringing, I don't follow the lead of Woody Harrelson in Zombieland by ransacking the shelves and storage rooms of convenience and grocery stores across America in search of twinkies.

Twinkies were never found at my home growing up. We knew about the twinkie, but the grocery shoppers chose the Little Debbie snacks for the weekly family treat in our household.

Every week the sibling who took charge of the grocery shopping with mom would have the responsibility of selecting a family treat.

These are my top 5 Little Debbie snacks.

5. Zebra Cakes

This snack compensated for its lack of eating creativity with its cool zebra colored design. This is one of my personal favorites, but I rarely, if ever, gained enough sibling support to sneak them into the basket for the family treat.

4. Fudge Brownies

The walnut topped fudge brownie packs filled the treat void, but due to their inferiority to real homemade or box brownies, they infrequently took stage at my house.

3. Nutty Bars

The unmatched flavor combinations of chocolate and peanut butter combined with crispy wafers that is available in a candy bar shape stands apart from the other treats with its creative eating possibilities. To properly eat a Nutty Bar you need to slowly appreciate its texture and structure by disassembling it one layer at a time, licking the peanut butter inside or nibbling on one wafer at a time.

2. Swiss Cake Rolls

Who isn't addicted to these chocolate white cream filled swirly snacks? My sister Rose remembers the days when each person in the family was allowed to eat a single roll. Each box contained twelve rolls separated by packs of two. There are eleven children in my family. The Swiss cake rolls would vanish in the first day. I eat my Swiss rolls by peeling the chocolate coating jacket off first and then diving into the rest.

1. Oatmeal Creme Pies

You may disagree with this snack topping the list at number one, but it's the original, unforgettable, simple, go-to family tasty treat when growing up for me.

What are your favorite Little Debbie snacks?

Monday, 23 April 2012

The Corner Deli

What about the corner deli? I wrote a post called "Where Do You Shop For Groceries?" a little while ago and not one person mentioned the corner deli. I want to take step further past the major grocery stores to recognize the corner deli. Unlike major grocery stores, the corner deli will forever be cemented in my heart due to unmatched service, the friendly family feeling, and great deli food. This post is a tribute to all the small corner delis, especially mine, Berenato's Corner Deli in Ocean City, NJ. More Here...

Monday, 26 March 2012

Beer Madness: West Coast Beers

I hail from the east coast. So my knowledge of west coast beers is limited. Here are a few that I know or have heard that hang at the top the list for me. I also threw in a little Texas love and some other western beer hot spots that don't touch the Pacific.

I recently returned from a six week trip down the west coast and through half of the south. I spent more time seeking out the local brews in bars than running to the attractions or on tour buses. I was emphatic on drinking a new beer from each state, city, or region.

In San Francisco and Seattle I went on pub crawls. I experienced new beers and made new friends. There's nothing better than sharing a drink and conversation with a new friend. Even after a couple weeks removed from my travels the beer memories stand strong.

As in the previous group the livelihood of these beers depend on your votes. I'll present a quick look with my own personal relationship to each beer, and you can give me your vote. If your preferred west coast beer isn't here, then tell me what it is.

1. Sierra Nevada Pale

On the east or west coast you can relax with this California native in your hand during a nice summer day. The pale ale is good, but I prefer their IPA.

2. Blue Moon
For me, sitting on the dock of the bay at the Jersey shore, this beer is one of my favorites. This ale is known for its smooth, tasty, and orange flavored nature that attracts all beer drinkers.

Whether it's the Summer Honey, Harvest Pumpkin, Winter Abbey, Spring Blonde, or Belgian White, everyone has their favorite Blue Moon. The smell of a freshly sliced orange in my beer never grows old.

3. Shock Top

This Belgian styled wheat beer attracts beer drinks with its orange, lime and lemon peel flavors combining for a good beer. The real question that faces you is, Blue Moon or Shock Top?

4. Widmer Brothers
I spent three months working at a bar that had this beer on tap, 2 days in Oregon, and yet even the rumors of the tasty oatmeal porter haven't pulled me in yet. Widmer Brothers sits at the top of my beer to-do list.

5. The Green Flash
Apparently, in an instant before sunset, a green flash shoots forth above the setting sun and can only be seen if you look closely. I saw the Green Flash countless times in San Diego. Did I witness the phenomena at the beach or from a mountain top?

No, the Green Flash was available at almost every bar. This San Diego native beer kicks butt. Whatever bar I visited in my 11 day stay in the city, I ensured there was a Green Flash in my hand at all times.

6. Kona Longboard Lager
My brother introduced me to this cool, easy-going, summer beer at the Jersey shore. Yes, this Hawaiian brew sells in NJ. This ranks up there as one of my favorite beers. Kona's Pipeline Porterisn't shabby, but I prefer the lager.

7. Shiner
Two weeks ago I came to know Shiner's name in Houston, TX. My brother-in-law bought two cases of Shiner variety packs. At dinner or for a little dessert I guzzled down what the Shiner, TX brewing company had to offer.

I drank the Blonde, the Black Lager, Hefeweizen, Pale Ale, Light Blonde, the Dortmunder, and the Shiner Bock. I know Texas obsesses over oil, football and baseball, but their beers are pretty tasty.

8. New Belgium Fat Tire
"You got to try Fat Tire...It's awesome. And they Don't sell it east of the Mississippi." My brother's words stuck to me like glue before travelling west for the first time. But four months before I stepped foot west of the Mississippi, Fat Tire had already made the drive to the east coast.

Before I knew it, Fat Tire drafts were sold in local DC bars and the tall bottles crowded the fridges of liquor stores. I wasn't nearly as astounded as my brother, but it's a good tasting beer. I defer to my east coast beer Yuengling.

9. Pliny the Elder
I've only heard rumors of this miraculous double IPA. I'm a huge fan of IPAs and I came to appreciate them even more in San Diego. But, not knowing of its greatness, I ignored it on the beer menu chalkboard in Hamilton's Tavern in southern California. I've yet to taste the glory of theRussian River Brewing Co., but I look forward to the day.

What are your 3 favorite beers from this group?

Sunday, 25 March 2012

The Best Ice Cream Shop Ever

I consider myself a well-seasoned ice cream eater. How did I become one? My father is diabetic and let's just say he earned it. If a Dairy Queen exit sign presented itself on the highway, we needed to stop for gas. If there's a Carvel in a neighborhood, my father never forgets it's exact location. He is an ice cream expert.

I am not as bold of an ice cream eater as him. We were once pulled over by a local police officer for swerving. My father was attempting to "steady the wheel" while eating two cones.

I'll never ever forget our night trip to Wildwood, NJ. He tracked down the DQ location. I have never seen a person eat a small chocolate cone (the healthy part), two banana splits(one is enormous), and a large chocolate milkshake in the course of 20 minutes.

Despite the countless trips to DQ and other well-known ice cream shops, the Hobby Horse Ice Cream Parlor stands alone as my family's favorite.

This small business thrives during the summer months on the island of Ocean City, NJ. When my large family crowds our beach house we usually take at least one nightly trip eight blocks away for Hobby Horse. Typically the younger kids pile into the mini van and I have to take dessert orders from the people staying behind.

The shop serves hard ice cream mainly, specialty sundaes, with an abundance of different toppings, soft serve, pie, candy, and several diabetic ice cream options.

Whatever you choose, there's plenty of seats available at tables inside or outside to sit, relax, and eat ice cream. Occasionally you might witness a person dressed as Winnie the Pooh greeting customers out front.

At Hobby Horse I choose one of these three treats.

1. Peanut Butter Banana Milkshake
The PB Banana milkshake is mentioned in the "11 Favorite Peanut Butter Eats" post. This fattening yet completely delicious shake's greatness is hidden in a plain foam cup. The milkshake tastes better than the above picture looks. It's creamy, warm, peanut buttery, and extra thick, the way I like it.

I discovered this shake because my brother-in-law Tim requested it, hoping they made it. The ice cream scooper admitted that this was his favorite shake. He made it from peanut butter ice cream and bananas. It became my favorite shake when I stole a sip from Tim.

2. Snicker's Bar Pie
I talk about this in my "The Best of Snickers" post as the ultimate snickers treat. I only buy the pie from Hobby Horse.

If you're an observant person, you'll notice the display fridge next to the waiting line with slices of Snickers and Peanut Butter Cup Pie. The PB cup pie is rich and tasty too, but it can't compare to the Snickers pie.

My sister also loves this pie. As a wedding gift, my brother specially ordered a whole snickers pie just for her. I think her husband comes secondary to the pie.

If I'm not in an ice cream mood, I defer to pie. When no Snickers pie sits in the fridge, it's a sad dessert day.

3. Eric's Turtle Sundae
I have eaten the banana split, brownie sundae, customized my own creation, but the Eric's Sundae is my number one dessert option at Hobby Horse.

This decadent dessert draws similarities to the Pecan Mudslide available at Dairy Queen. Instead of soft serve, the Hobby Horse uses hard vanilla ice cream(not vanilla bean) or your choice from the infinite amount of flavors, with pecans, hot fudge, caramel, whipped cream, and a cherry on top.

I don't know who Eric is, but his sundae is now mine.

What's your favorite ice cream shop? What's you're favorite sundae, milkshake, or dessert?