SPOTTED (SEASONAL EDITION) – 12/30/2021

Here are some new seasonal products found on store shelves by your fellow readers. If you’ve tried any of them, share your thoughts in the comments.

Duncan Hines Epic Chocolate Sandwich Cookie Kit

Duncan Hines Epic Chocolate Sandwich Cookie Kit

(Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart.)

Reese s Blossom top Miniature Cups
Reese’s Blossom-top Miniature Cups

(Spotted by Robbie at Walmart.)

Hershey s Pink Cookies  n Creme  Hearts
Hershey’s Pink Cookies ‘n’ Creme Hearts

(Spotted by Robbie at Target.)

Haribo Sweet  Sour Hearts
Haribo Sweet & Sour Hearts

(Spotted by Robbie at H-E-B.)

Dove White Chocolate Strawberry  Creme Promises
Dove White Chocolate Strawberry & Creme Promises

(Spotted by Robbie at Walmart.)

Alma s Pink Pancake  Waffle Mix
Alma’s Pink Pancake & Waffle Mix

(Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart.)

Marketside Gourmet Holiday Bark
Marketside Gourmet Holiday Bark

(Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart.)

One Marshmallow Hot Cocoa Protein Bar
One Marshmallow Hot Cocoa Protein Bar

(Spotted by Bob K at Giant Eagle.)

Joy Peppermint Dipped CupsJoy Peppermint Dipped Cups[/caption]

(Spotted by Robbie at H-E-B.)

Favorite Day Valentine Cookie House Kit
Favorite Day Valentine Cookie House Kit

Favorite Day Sparkle Heart Cookie KitFavorite Day Sparkle Heart Cookie Kit[/caption]

(Spotted by Robbie at Target.)

REVIEW: Ben & Jerry’s Mint Chocolate Chance Ice Cream

Ben  Jerry s Mint Chocolate Chance Ice Cream Pint

I know what some of you are thinking. The combination of mint ice cream and fudge brownies in Ben & Jerry’s Mint Chocolate Chance seems a bit simple, and I’m not going to disagree.

My first thought about it was similar to what I initially felt when I learned about the McDonald’s J Balvin Meal, which was just a Big Mac, medium fries with ketchup, and an Oreo McFlurry. It’s stuff we’ve already had, but in a slightly different way. Okay, actually, my earliest thought about the J Balvin Meal was, “Who’s J Balvin?” I’m so uncool.

It would’ve been neat if Ben & Jerry’s Flavor Gurus took advantage of the name “Chance” and added something like fudge question marks and a crunchy chocolate cookie swirl so that when I dip my spoon into a pint, there’s a CHANCE I’ll get brownies, fudge question marks, a cookie swirl, or any combination of the three.

But maybe Chance the Rapper wanted it with just mint ice cream and brownies? You know how some celebrities are. Or perhaps because the name is a play on mint chocolate chip, Ben & Jerry’s wanted to keep it as straightforward as the classic flavor.

Ben  Jerry s Mint Chocolate Chance Ice Cream Closeup

That said, with mint-flavored ice cream that’s been the base of other varieties and the same fudge brownies that have been in many different Ben & Jerry’s flavors, I knew there was a good chance that I’d enjoy this flavor, which I did. I think the brownies are a step up from chocolate chips because I love their rich chocolatey flavor and chewiness, but the ice cream’s flavor as a whole reminds me of mint chocolate chip.

Oooh, mid-pint texture update. My teeth have bitten into something in the brownies that snaps like chocolate chips. Oh, there’s another one. Wait. After a closer inspection, it’s just hardened brownie pieces. Oooh, maybe they were end pieces! Those are the best! Also, although the photo above makes it seem there were not a lot of brownies, they were more plentiful as I ate my way down into the pint.

Ben  Jerry s Mint Chocolate Chance Non Dairy Closeup

There’s also a non-dairy, certified vegan version of Mint Chocolate Chance with a base made from sunflower butter. It’s less minty and chocolatey than the dairy one, but I found it to be satisfying enough.

Ben  Jerry s Mint Chocolate Chance Ice Cream Pints

Yes, Ben & Jerry’s Mint Chocolate Chance is basic, and that gives me the same less thrilled feeling I get when I pull the Advance to the Nearest Railroad Chance card while playing Monopoly and going to a railroad I already own. Can’t buy it, but at least I don’t owe anyone money. With this ice cream, it tastes like something I’ve had before, but at least it’s tasty.

DISCLOSURE: I received free product samples from Ben & Jerry’s. Doing so did not influence my review.

Mint Chocolate Chance is hitting shelves in January. A portion of the proceeds from Mint Chocolate Chance will go to the rapper’s non-profit, SocialWorks, which empowers the youth through the arts, education, and civil engagement.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Received from Ben & Jerry’s
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 340 calories, 19 grams of fat, 12 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 80 milligrams of cholesterol, 120 milligrams of sodium, 36 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 33 grams of sugar (including 27 grams of added sugar), and 6 grams of protein.

SPOTTED: Mrs. Butterworth’s EPIC Post Fruity Pebbles and Double Chocolate Pancake Kits

SPOTTED: Dunkaroos Complete Rainbow Sprinkles Pancake Kit and Sugar Cookie Mix

REVIEW: Papa John’s NY Style Pizza

Papa John s NY Style Crust Pizza Whole

Papa John’s has been busy lately with a bunch of new offerings, including the Triple Bacon, Shaq-a-Roni, and Epic Stuffed Crust pizzas, all of which earned generally positive reviews from my esteemed colleagues of culinary critique. Now comes the NY Style Pizza, which launched nationwide on December 27 and will be available through March 13, 2022.

I’m sure this will shock you to your core, but no, Papa John’s did not successfully replicate true New York-style pizza. Yes, these are foldable and (somewhat) oversized as Papa John’s advertises, and I’m going to give it the benefit of the doubt that it is also hand-stretched as the website claims, even though I was not there to witness that. But if you tried serving this at a pizzeria in New York City, then a brouhaha, fracas and/or kerfuffle would probably ensue. Perhaps even all three.

Usually, my main qualification to do a review on this site is simply that I have a functioning mouth, but in this case, I do bring some pizza credentials. I grew up in New York (actually New Jersey, but we decided long ago as a state that it’s better to just say New York), so I’ve had my share of authentic New York pizza. And now, as a resident of Texas, I’m used to be being both disappointed and amused when I try New York pizza around here. Truthfully, some local joints come reasonably close, and maybe even closer than I give them credit, but I do deduct authenticity points when someone says, “Here’s y’alls pizza.”

Papa John s NY Style Crust Pizza Slice

With that said, this isn’t bad — it is still pizza after all — and it’s a bit better than I thought it would be, especially considering it’s made using the standard Papa John’s crust, sauce, and cheese. To me, the two things that define New York pizza are the crust being both chewy and crispy with a few of those big air bubbles and the cheese having some stretch and snap along with an unhealthy amount of grease/oil.

Papa John’s fared well on the first requirement, and I think they probably did as well as they could using their regular crust, which I’ve always found to be a little too thick and chewy. This pizza fixed both of those issues, and it comes close to the overall thinness of New York pizza. The outer crust doesn’t quite hit the mark as far as the right balance of crisp and chewy, but it did contain a few modest-size air bubbles and faintly reminded me of New York crust.

Papa John s NY Style Crust Pizza Crust

The shortcoming here is the standard Papa John’s cheese, which has very little of the stretchiness, snap, or general oiliness you might get with a New York pizza. The toppings (I went with pepperoni) were plentiful, so bonus points for that, and even though the slices were a little smaller than most New York pizza I’ve had, they did fold quite well.

Papa John s NY Style Crust Pizza Fold

I didn’t expect to get anything close to real New York-style pizza when I ordered this — and I didn’t — but if you temper your expectations based on what a big chain can deliver using its standard ingredients, and you don’t have many other options in your area, then this is a serviceable pie.

Purchased Price: $13 with one topping
Size: Extra-large (16”)
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: Detailed nutritional information not available on the Papa John’s website, but it does say each cheese slice has 310 calories.

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