Page 23 of 55

      A Can a week: Chef Boyardee Overstuffed Beef Ravioli

      January 21, 2012 /

      Chef JimThere is something innately comforting to me about Chef Boyardee products. I grew up eating them on cold winter days when I was a kid, and in particular was thrilled when my mom taught me how to open a can and heat it on the stove. I mean, it wasn’t like I was learning to cook, but it’s liberating to a kid knowing that he can heat up his own lunch (I’m dating myself here, but we didn’t own a microwave until the mid-’80s.

      Anyway, Beef-a-roni is still awesome, and so are the raviolis and standard spaghetti and meatballs. But the one small drawback to some of these items is the lack of meat. Enter the Overstuffed Beef Ravioli. I mean, it’s not exactly premium beef here–I’m guessing it’s akin to ground chuck and/or the kind of ground meat used at Taco Bell. And it has fillers in it, but so do standard meatballs or the filling in your typical ravioli.

      But I digress. The Overstuffed Beef Ravioli is delicious, and it really does have 25% more meat as promised, and it seems like even more than that. It’s also nice that it is doused in a rich meat sauce as well. Yum. And Chef Boyardee’s tomato sauce is really tasty, and always has been. For you guys who need some quick meals to have on hand and do not have time to make something from scratch or even from a box, you should keep a few cans of this meaty pasta in your pantry.

      One word of advice though–one can equals two servings, and that equals 500 calories. If you are not watching your waistline (and I’m guessing most of you that are reading this are not), and you like meat, this is some good stuff right here. You done well, Chef!

      Chefs and Restaurants, Food on a Budget, Grocery stores, Product Reviews, Your Kitchen

      Product review: Blue Bunny Birthday Party ice cream sandwiches

      January 18, 2012 /

      Yeah, I know. This is a kid’s product. And I bought these for our 4-year old. But being a sucker for new products, especially any kind of snack food, I had to try them. I mean, I want to make sure my kid isn’t eating something that doesn’t taste good, right?

      Anyway, I had no intention of reviewing this product, but these ice cream sandwiches are so good that I couldn’t help but pimp them. We’re talking birthday cake flavored ice cream (what a great invention that is!) with confetti sprinkles and blue icing swirl, between two vanilla cookies (rather than the standard chocolate). Being that I don’t want to be 400 pounds and also that I need to save some for the kid, I think I will cease eating any more of these. But trust me, I could eat the whole box in one sitting. Okay, maybe half the box, but still….

      So if you see these Blue Bunny gems in your freezer, go for it…..just beware of how much you will love them.

      Grocery stores, Product Reviews, Your Kitchen

      A can a week: Swanson Chicken & Dumplings

      January 13, 2012 /

      Chef JimA can a week is back! We hope to bring this feature each week, since grocery store shelves are lined with the stuff…canned food, that is. Anyway, this week we tried Swanson Chicken & Dumplings. It’s not soup, but rather chunks of chicken and small dumplings in a rich chicken gravy.

      The pros–very tasty and satisfying, especially on a cold day like today; quality chicken meat and nicely made dumplings; perfectly seasoned
      The cons–a bit thin, and if I would have known, I could have tried it over noodles or rice; the chicken chunks were small; and I would have liked some carrots, peas or celery in addition to the chicken and the dumplings.

      But overall this is a winning can of food, and as I said a very satisfying cold weather lunch.

      Food on a Budget, Grocery stores, Product Reviews, Your Kitchen

      Planning a healthy Super Bowl party

      January 13, 2012 /

      The Super Bowl is right around the corner, and we might even get a rematch of the classic New York Giants-New England Patriots Super Bowl (we like the Giants!).

      Super Bowl parties have become an American tradition, almost as important as picnics on the Fourth of July. We all love these parties, and we love gorging on the food. Many also love throwing these parties and coming up with cool dishes for everyone to feast on.

      That said, for some people, healthy food needs to be an option for the big party. In many families, there are people battling obesity or conditions like diabetes, so this is no laughing matter. At the very least, every party should have some healthy options. But if you’re planning on making most dishes healthier, here’s a handy checklist of ideas.

      Many are obvious, but small things can go a long way. Diet pop is a must, but think about juices or maybe iced green tea as an option. Pretzels over chips is another simple change that won’t offend anyone. Also, it’s easy to go with multigrain bread for the sandwiches.

      Try to go with fruits and vegetables. There are so many cool appetizers you can make that are delicious and creative that are also low in fat and calories.

      Many people love meat, but you don’t have to eliminate it go go healthier. Avoid sodium heavy lunch meats and high fat cuts, and instead pick some lean meats. Grilled chicken is always a popular option. Think of spices like hot sauce that aren’t high in salt as well.

      With very little effort, you can make your party spread healthier and more delicious. With everyone trying to lose weight and trying to check the pharmacy in Canada for the latest diet pills, your guests will definitely appreciate a delicious yet healthy set of dishes for your party.

      Healthy

      Product review: Taco Bell Beefy Crunch Burrito

      January 11, 2012 /

      Memo to Taco Bell–your commercials work. I was watching football on Sunday and a commercial came on for the limited time only “Beefy Crunch Burrito.” It’s a burrito with (are you ready for this?) Flamin’ Hot Fritos right in the burrito. Are you kidding me? I knew I wouldn’t want to be plucked from my comfy blue recliner while watching my Giants crush the Falcons, but dammit, I will get to Taco Bell this week. That’s what I said to myself. Monday came and went and I forgot. Tuesday morning came and a light bulb went off in my head around the time I had lunch hunger pangs. Oh yeah, it’s time, I thought.

      I had to pick up our son from preschool which meant I had a short window of time to get to the Bell and then pick him up, and get home before my food got cold. The line was literally out the door, and I stood there for a few minutes, and then noticed the drive thru lane was near empty. I got in my car, cruised up and ordered, “Two Beefy Crunch Burritos, please, no sides, no drink”…..and amazingly, it was only $2.09. And I would still be in line if I didn’t do the drive-thru.

      Anyway, I got some hot sauce to go with the burritos, but these babies needed no sauce–there was some saucy taco meat, rice, some oozing cheese, sour cream, and of course, the spicy corn chips, wrapped in those pillows of flour tortilla. Damn. This is as close to dude food nirvana as it gets–of course, it’s not like it’s a juicy steak, but there is certainly a place for nicely crafted and delicious fast food in any guy’s diet. (speaking of which, don’t tell my doctor I ate these).

      Oh, and they did get cold by the time I got through my second one, because I was working while eating, and because I was savoring every bite. For real, yo. Go try these now…..seriously, go try these now!

      Chefs and Restaurants, Ingredients, Product Reviews

      « Older posts Newer posts »

      © 2026 Mikey’s Kitchen

      Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑