SPOTTED: Hot Pockets with Pancake and Biscuit Crusts
Get back to me when you’ve created a waffle or hash brown crust, Hot Pockets. (Spotted by Leonard G at Giant.)
SPOTTED: Hershey’s Red White & Blue Cookies ‘N’ Creme Bars
These bars with colorful cookies have got me thinking about what a Hershey’s white creme bar would taste with Fruity Pebbles. Cereal ‘N’ Creme? (Spotted by Rachel C at Walmart.)
REVIEW: Jimmy Dean Casserole Bites
Finally, some innovation in the frozen breakfast aisle!
Not since its Stuffed Hash Browns have I’ve been excited for one of Jimmy Dean’s new launches. This time around, it is tackling breakfast casseroles and turning into them into heat-and-eat bites. Jimmy Dean’s Casserole Bites are available in three flavors – French Toast, Meat Lovers, and Sausage, Egg & Cheese.
All three are bite-sized dollop concoctions, just a tad larger than a quarter. They have a breading base filled with a different combination of ingredients based on the flavor. Let’s dig in!
French Toast
First up is French toast, which is made with French toast, pork sausage, and scrambled eggs. This one is noticeably darker than the other two and has a potent maple flavor when you get up close to it. It’s definitely on the sweet side with maple syrup being the main taste, but cinnamon comes in intensely and the sausage bits were large and prevalent. When biting into one of those bits it offered a nice smoky, salty punch that counteracted all the sweetness. The eggs were the hardest to taste individually, but I don’t think I missed them.
As I was eating these, I kept thinking this thing tastes so familiar, what is it? Then it hit me like a late night hangover. Remember the Television Room in Willy Wonka where the items being transported shrunk? Well, imagine taking a McDonald’s Sausage McGriddle and it being put into a smaller form. BOOM! That is 100% exactly what these taste like. It is crazy how much I thought I was eating the remnants of one. If you are a McGriddles fan in any way, shape, or form, you will gobble these up. They are sweet and delicious.
Purchased Price: $5.99
Purchased at: ShopRite
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (5 pieces – about 3 servings per container) – 220 calories, 12 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 160 milligrams of cholesterol, 320 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 13 grams of sugar, and 8 grams of protein.
Sausage, Egg and Cheese
Next up is Sausage, Egg & Cheese containing scrambled eggs, pork sausage, cheese, and potatoes. Whereas the French Toast one was very sweet, this one is on the opposite side of the spectrum i.e. all kinds of savory. This one definitely has a lot more going on with the sausage, potato bits, and cheese, but they all work together.
Remember how in Willy Wonka each child got their own distinct moment to shine throughout the factory tour? The elements here mimic that as the sausage, potato, and cheese all come through at different times, offering a nice flavor profile.
However, it is definitely sodium heavy, so it is a bit overpowering on the salt side of things. I also kind of wish Jimmy Dean went with more hash brown-style potatoes. A nice stringy component would have made things more texturally interesting to go along with the gobs of sausage and gobs of eggs. These are good, just a bit salty.
Purchased Price: $5.99
Purchased at: Shoprite
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (5 pieces) – 190 calories, 15 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 180 milligrams of cholesterol, 580 milligrams of sodium, 4 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 11 grams of protein.
Meat Lovers
Finally is Meat Lovers, which contains scrambled eggs, pork sausage, cheese, bacon, and potatoes. This one confuses me all around. When I think of “meat lovers,” it’s usually at least three meats, not just two, right? Also, when you have one sausage option, shouldn’t the other one be bacon? AAAHHH, so many questions!!!
Regardless of the confusion of this one and ironically, even though it contains more components, it ended up being the most one-note for me. Remember Veruca Salt in Willy Wonka, the spoiled brat who always wanted everything to revolve around her? Well here Veruca is the bacon as it is a strong flavor and one that usually takes over, which is exactly what is happening here. It’s also maybe because there were tiny bits of bacon rather than larger chunks.
The potato and sausage pieces pretty much vanish into bacon oblivion. This one is again a bit salty, but it’s hard to argue with the meaty bacon flavor. Bacon aficionados, this one is definitely for you!
Purchased Price: $5.99
Purchased at: Shoprite
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (5 pieces) – 200 calories, 15 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 185 milligrams of cholesterol, 560 milligrams of sodium, 5 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 12 grams of protein.
Other things
- I hope these do well so that Jimmy Dean could do a few Delights options. Healthier versions with some veggies would be divine!
- I wouldn’t recommend buying all three of these as the sausage and meat lover ones are so close in execution. Definitely get the French Toast one as is it a fantastic and flavorful sweet option. I still can’t believe how much it tastes like McGriddles. It’s unbelievable! To keep my theme going, maybe there is some Wonka magic involved?! If you grab a second, definitely go for the Sausage, Egg & Cheese unless bacon is your number one breakfast meat of choice. If that is the case, do the Meat Lovers.
SPOTTED: Herr’s Dippin’ Dots Cookies ‘n Cream Snack Balls
These won’t hit the spot this summer when the temperature is in the 90s. If only these were smaller, made out of ice cream, and flash frozen. (Spotted by Michael F at Redner’s.)
REVIEW: Sakura Matcha and Peach Oolong Oreo Cookies (China)
What are Sakura Matcha and Peach Oolong Oreo Cookies?
New spring Oreo flavors are hitting China! And I’m stuck at home with an itchy internet shopping trigger finger!
Sakura Matcha is inspired by Japanese green tea and the white/pink cherry blossoms of the sakura tree. In a first for Oreo, the cookie wafers are glorious Pepto PINK. I thought the fire-engine-red Supreme Oreo were a sight, but this pink/bright green combo is hitting me at my core.
Peach Oolong is inspired by Chinese flavors – Americans probably know oolong as the tea often served at Chinese restaurants, and peaches are native to China. This one’s the more traditional chocolate cookie with a muted orange-colored filling.
How are they?
These are both good, but the Sakura Matcha stood out a bit flavor-wise. This cookie had the potential of being “too much” – heavy matcha can border on tasting like dirt, and florals can easily overwhelm. But in this case, they both hit the right levels. The result was a moderately sweet cookie with just a bit of earthy green tea and a hint of perfumey cherry blossom. They’re not fruity, but I didn’t miss that. And I mean, the color wins everything.
The Peach Oolong Oreo smelled strongly like peach gummy candies, but the actual peach taste was more subdued. The oolong was even more low-key – enough that if I didn’t expect it there, I would’ve missed it. I love oolong tea and wanted that flavor stronger here. But if I held my finger over the word “Oolong,” we basically had tasty peach cookies, which I’m fine with.
Anything else you need to know?
Each box held two sealed packs of five. This is so smart – keeps half of them fresh, it’s just the right size for a taste, and they’re easy to share.
Conclusion:
These are absolutely worth trying, if the price doesn’t put you off. I hope a peach Oreo will happen in the US, but I suspect Sakura Matcha Oreo are less likely, so you’ll probably have to order them if you want to taste.
Purchased Price: $19.99 for both boxes (+ free shipping)
Size: 97g box (10 cookies)
Purchased at: eBay
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Sakura Matcha), 8 out of 10 (Peach Oolong)
Nutrition Facts: (per 100g) 2038 calories, 21.5 grams of fat, 380 milligrams of sodium, 67.5 grams of carbohydrates, 5.1 grams of protein. 1 serving = 19.4g / approx. 2 cookies