billyeats's IReallyLikeFood

Can You Compromise With Reduced Fat Snack Foods?

Mon, 07 May 2012 13:48:45 GMT

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?

Top 5 Little Debbie Snacks

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:50:29 GMT

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?

The Corner Deli

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:00:33 GMT

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...

Beer Madness: West Coast Beers

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:11:09 GMT

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?

The Best Ice Cream Shop Ever

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 18:57:44 GMT

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?

My Restaurant Kitchen Experience

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 04:56:24 GMT

Do you remember that first moment you fell in love with cooking? Maybe it wasn't an instant revelation. Perhaps the love had always been there or it gradually grew.

Everyone must have had their moment when cooking wasn't simply a task or a necessity to feed yourself. It's like reading an amazing book or watching an incredible movie, and your curiosity is booming at an all time high.

You are captivated, locked in, and the joy swells inside you while chopping vegetables, seasoning a chicken roaster, unwrapping a rack of lamb for the very first time, or touching a piece of Mahi Mahi and knowing it's perfectly cooked.

My love story doesn't include that one magic moment. I fell in love with cooking two summers ago.

I had always been handy and resourceful in the kitchen. I knew recipes, certain culinary basics, and instead of eating out or depending on the dining hall like every other college kid, I nixed my meal plan and cooked for myself. My confidence slowly rose in the kitchen, but I knew little of anything.

I needed a job to earn money for tuition my junior year. I hit the streets in early march to job hunt at the local restaurants in Ocean City, NJ.

With the previous summer's sandwich and salad station experience at hand, I landed a job as a broiler cook in a high-paced popular seafood restaurant. I had never cooked seafood before or worked on a broiler in a restaurant.

Terrifying doesn't even begin the describe my shaken nerves entering that kitchen the first day. Luckily, the head chef Bryan took me under his wing and put me at ease. He taught me everything I know now that goes beyond the necessary skills needed to survive in that seafood kitchen.

That summer I learned how to use chef and filet knives. When September rolled around I loved the fishy smell that stuck to my hands. I could peel, devein, and butterfly 20-30lbs of shrimp a day in no time at all. I didn't fret or internally freak out when the entire line was filled with tickets and the printer wouldn't stop shooting out more orders.

I wished for nights when my oven would be stuffed with 15-20 entrees and I could only depend on the touch of my hand and the quickness of my eyes for fish, lobster tails, or shrimp to be sent on their way to a customer.

In the kitchen I learned to grow and love my third hand, a pair of tongs. I always had a pair of tongs and a dry rag stuck in my hands or around my waist.

I looked forward to those nights where we would pump out 400-500 dinners, lose six pounds from sweating, and feel like I just took a dip in the ocean nearby.

The ultimate cooking high is discovered in a dinner rush when all madness ensues. You lose your mind, get lost in the weeds, and dig yourself out by shoveling entrees in and out of the oven.

I learned about the different types of fish, where they came from, how they tasted. and the various ways to cook the types of fish.

The attraction couldn't be stopped again this last summer. So, I went back for another 3-4 months to live in the kitchen at Spadafora's Seafood Restaurant and Market.
Do you have a moment when you fell in love with cooking? Have you worked in a restaurant kitchen? If yes, then did you enjoy that experience?

What's Your Take on Competitive Eating?

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 04:54:51 GMT

Like any young hot-blooded American, my competitive nature was conditioned from an early age. I played almost every sport, worked hard, and excelled to beat out my competitors. Despite my competitive nature, I have mixed feelings about competitive eating.

With a society that largely suffers from childhood obesity and unhealthy diets, does this so-called sport send the wrong message?

When I was younger, like any growing boy, I could eat a ton. Due to nonstop sports I was always eating.

I remember one night after wrestling practice everyone on the team met at Cheeburger Cheeburger. We competed with one another in a race to see who could eat the 1 lb burger the fastest, and perhaps, be daring enough to eat two. I ate two 1 pounders. I was lucky to have a high metabolism and a meal like that didn't affect my health in a drastic way due to my lifestyle.

I initially enjoyed watching competitive eating, especially the Nathan's Hot Dog eating contest. It's truly a sight to see a person eating 60 plus hot dogs in 12 minutes.

I have mixed views on this subject. As I previously stated it's interesting watching these trained eaters compete with one another. But, food is sustenance. Food gives us energy, keeps us healthy, and is meant to be enjoyed. By presenting this perspective on food and treating it merely as means to a competition, then we can lose respect for what we eat.

I think competitive eating should not be glorified the way it is today.

Do you think there's nothing wrong with a little hot dog eating contest? Are these competitions feeding our youth the wrong message?

Beer Bread Recipe

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 04:52:57 GMT

At almost every family party one of my sisters brings homemade beer bread. Before the main course is served everyone crowds around the beer bread and munches away. My family loves beer bread. Whoever brings it always has two loaves on hand. I have a big family and we can eat.

I'm not entirely sure where my sister's got this recipe. It is very simple and delicious.

Ingredients:
- 3 cups of self rising flour
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 12 ounces of beer
- 2 tablespoons of butter
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease the loaf pan with butter. Mix the flour, sugar, and beer together in a bowl. When mixed well enough, evenly place the dough in the loaf pan. Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter and pour it over the top of the dough. Pop it in the oven and let it cook for 50-55 minutes.

You are not home free yet. For good beer bread you need a tasty dip to accompany it to the party. For the best dip you need to buy Tasteyfully Simple Spinach and Herb Dip Mix. It is worth it to buy the entire bottle. The bottle can make up to 7 cups of dip.

Ingredients: (For 1 Loaf of Beer Bread)
- 2 tablespoons of Tastefully Simple Herb and Spinach Mix
- 1/2 cup of mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup of sour cream
Add and mix these ingredients together in a bowl. Place the bowl in the refrigerator to cool and wait for the beer bread to be ready.

Have you made beer bread before? Do you have a different beer bread recipe?

Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream Buffet

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 04:50:50 GMT

Do you dare dream of such a place? Where the ice cream options are limitless and you're free to choice whatever you like. I grow tired of being forced to buy one small pint at the grocery store. Ben and Jerry's ice cream costs a pretty penny.

My dream is to attend a party where the host serves a Ben and Jerry's ice cream buffet. Every flavor imaginable would be available and you could choose a scoop or even a pint of whatever you pleased.

The flavor options go on forever. There are too many Ben and Jerry Flavors to count.

I still remember my first spoonful of Half Baked and thinking, "cookie dough, brownies, vanilla, and chocolate ice cream...it can't get better than this." Oh it got better, much better.
You would be surprised at the unusual types of ice cream. Recently, Ben and Jerry's released a Jeremy Lin inspired kind called "Taste The Linsanity" with fortune cookies that caused a little uproar.
The ice cream flavor lords even created a "Schweddy Balls" flavor based upon the Saturday Night Live skit.
If I were in the fortunate position to scoop away at the buffet, I would choose my three favorite kinds.

3. Red Velvet Cake
I tried this two months ago. I wasn't expecting the smooth and silky similarities to actual red velvet cake. Sometimes, you can get the ice cream and cake in one pint.

2. One Cheesecake Brownie
I discovered this late night friend in college at the university convenience store. They offered a limited selection of ice cream options, but I wasn't disappointed when I plugged a spoon of this in my mouth.

Cheesecake and brownies are two of the greatest foods in the world. When smashed into a tiny container of ice cream they truly create an unforgettable taste memory. It's hard to put this pint back in the freezer after ripping the plastic seal off.

1. Everything But The...
The ellipsis says everything about this ice cream. Its greatness never ends. This is my favorite Ben and Jerry's ice cream flavor.

This pint contains a jumble of vanilla and chocolate ice cream, white chocolate bars, peanut butter cups, chocolate covered almonds, and the best ever toffee chunks.

I feel as if I'm on a treasure hunt, digging through sand, and overjoyed by the wealth of variety and riches I find in a tiny pint of ice cream.

If you attended a party or restaurant with a Ben and Jerry's buffet, what flavor would you target first? What's your favorite Ben and Jerry's ice cream flavor? What's the most unusual flavor you have encountered?

My 3 Favorite Places to Eat Crab Cakes

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 04:47:58 GMT

"Crab cakes and football," that's how Maryland does it. Yes, I'm a Marylander and we do boast the best crab cakes around. There's nothing better than an incredible, rich, and tasty crab cake to lift your spirits on a beautiful summer day. Please don't tell me you're allergic to seafood or dislike crab because I may just cry and men who love football don't cry.

Whenever I'm away from my home state I'm hesitant to take the leap of faith to try a crab cake on a menu. I may be bold enough to order a crab cake sandwich if nothing appetizing on the menu lures me in. A bad crab cake can almost always be hidden by two buns, lots of tartar or cocktail sauce, lettuce, and tomato.

A truly amazing crab cake needs nothing extra. I judge my crab cakes by taste and texture. When I say texture I am referring to the type of crab meat in the crab cake.

A crab cake with solely back fin or crab claw meat tends to be overpowered or filled with too many bread crumbs and it leans more towards the mushy side.

An ideal crab cake finds the balance of jumbo lump and back fin crab meat with the right amount of filler. if necessary, that adds flavor.

People eat crab cakes because they don't want to burden of breaking open and searching for the meat within the actual crabs. I know, a great summer day is found with a bushel of crabs and case of beer. But not everyone is cut out for that.

If you happen to find yourself in Maryland be sure to visit one of my top three crab cake restaurants.

3. Calvert House Inn Restaurant & Pub
This small and old restaurant is located on Route 1 between historic Hyattsville and the University of MD/College Park area. I've been eating there my whole life. I ordered take-out from there the other night and got myself two crab cakes.

Their crab cakes are broiled with the perfect balance of jumbo lump and back fin crab meat. You easily forget about the tartar sauce on the side when biting into them. They weigh about 5 oz a piece and cost $27 for the entire meal.

2. Jerry's Seafood
This restaurant used to be my favorite place to find the ideal crab cake until the new number one came along. Their crab cakes are a little more pricey than the Calvert house.

You eat two crab cakes for $33 or pay one more dollar for the "Crab Bomb." This colossal crab ball is made out of 10 oz of jumbo lump crab meat, loved with Old Bay, and baked. If you prefer the fried side then you can choose the normal crab cakes which are cooked to your liking.

Either way you can't go wrong. If you hate fillers in you crab cakes, then this is the place to go since they claim to have "Absolutely No Filler!" For me, Jerry's jumps to the 2 spot with their tempting options and promise of jumbo lump.

1. Timbuktu
For the best crab cakes out there you need to hit up this place in Hanover, Maryland, a couple minutes away from Arundel Mills Mall. I first ate here with my brothers and sister five years ago. My brother begged us to go with him for the crab cakes. He called them "heavenly." He told no lies.

The "Famous Timbuktu Crab Cakes" costs $27 and each cake weighs a staggering half pound due to jumbo lump overload.

These crab cakes are so famous that you can even order 4 or 24 to be shipped to your home. They package them with ice packs in coolers to keep them fresh.

I love eating at these restaurants, but I'd much rather prefer sitting at a long picnic table, banging on crab shells, sucking crab meat and old bay out of claws, and drinking beers. Also, whether deep fried or broiled, nothing beats a homemade crab cake. You don't have to be in Maryland to make a great crab cake.

Are you a crab cake fan? Where restaurant is your favorite crab cake located at? Have you made crab cakes before?