Review: Ben & Jerry's Stephen Colbert's AmeriCone Dream

Vanilla ice cream with fudge covered waffle cone pieces and a caramel swirl.

If that sounds tempting then have I got some good news! Ben & Jerry's Stephen Colbert's AmeriCone Dream is right up your alley. It won't make your laugh or have you feeling overly patriotic but this might be one the best ice creams you'll try.

It all starts with the base. The dreamy vanilla is built upon a buttery and oh-so-decadent foundation of cream, skim milk, liquid sugar and other all-natural ingredients.

Scattering throughout the pint carton is a generous portion of fudge-smothered waffle chunks. They're absolutely delightful! The waffles provide a thick crunch and coating them with chocolate only makes matters more awesome.

The final component of this awesome trinity is the big streaks of creamy caramel. What makes the caramel click is it tastes a little salty and thereby intensifies the chocolate and vanilla flavors. My only problem was near the bottom of the carton there were gobs of caramel. It's best when it plays a supporting role instead of being the star.

But kudos to the taster testers at Ben & Jerry's for finding textures and flavors that mix and match so well. Try to savor this ice cream slowly. Because it's so rich it's easy to overindulge and you could wind up with a stomach ache like me. I was considering this a negative but then again, if a dessert is so delicious that is causes you to overeat... I suppose that's a good thing?

Click here for the ingredients, nutrition facts and a much better picture than mine. Each 1/2 serving contains 280 calories, 15 grams of fat (10g saturated), 60mg of cholesterol and 24 grams of sugar. To put that in perspective that's 20% of your daily fat and cholesterol, 50% saturated fat and a lot of sugar. Positives include four grams of protein and modest amounts of Vitamin A and calcium.

For the sake of this blog I'll keep trying other Ben & Jerry's flavors, but wow, Stephen Colbert's AmeriCone Dream is a huge winner in my book.

Revew: Claim Jumper Meatloaf

Oh Claim Jumper, it's been awhile. In fact over ten months since I reviewed your bloated Chicken Marsala meal. While that left a bitter taste in my mouth I still fondly remember the Chicken Fried Beef Steak dinner. Here's hoping this Meatloaf will restore my faith in you.

The microwave instructions suggest peeling the plastic film from the dinner to add a tablespoon of water to the green beans. Recover and heat on high power for three and a half minutes. Stir the potatoes well and cook for an additional three minutes. As for the gravy place the pouch in a microwave safe bowl and heat on high for 1-2 minutes.

If you want to cook in a conventional oven like I did first puncture the plastic film a few times. Then place the plate onto a baking sheet, insert it into your center oven rack and bake for around 40 minutes at 350 degrees. Place the gravy pouch in a bowling pot of water for several minutes.

I'm no meat loaf lover but I definitely loved this Meatloaf. It arrives as a hearty pair of patties formed with beef, green and red peppers (which are clearly visible in every bite), ketchup, eggs, Worcestershire sauce and garlic among other ingredients. Near the end of the meal it did get a little tough but overall I find the meatloaf to be juicy, chewy and complex.

The beef-based brown gravy is a little muddy, which is precisely how I like it. However I'm disappointed by the slightly bitter-yet-somehow-salty taste. Despite this I find the gravy to be almost essential to go along with the mashed potatoes, which are made from rehydrated and red potatoes. I find them boring (hence the necessary gravy). Also the texture is awful. There's small chunks here and there but mostly the "mashed potatoes" amount to a glorified porridge.

And it gets even worse! Boy these green beans sucked something special. They're limp, bitter and possess a sick shade of green. I ate them (because I almost always finish my plate) but I certainly didn't enjoy them.

At over 15 ounces of homestyle cookin' this is one filling meal. That's good because you probably shouldn't eat awhile after consuming 520 calories, 31 grams of fat (12g saturated), 1490mg(!!) of sodium and 36 grams of carbs. Positives include a whopping 50% of your daily Vitamin C, 23 grams of protein as well as decent amounts of fiber and iron.

Claim Jumper Meatloaf can sell anywhere between $1.50 to $5 depending on if there's a sale. I have mixed feelings on this meal. On one hand the side dishes strike out. But then again the main course is outstanding. If I'm in the mood for meatloaf this frozen dinner might get a second look.

McDonald's to Debut Smoothies

Slashfood reports the world's biggest fast food chain is set to add a pair of frozen concoctions to its McCafe menu. Using the Vancouver Winter Games as a chilly background McDonald's announced Strawberry Banana and Wild Berry Real Fruit Smoothies will be arriving to its restaurants this summer.

As someone who's always looking for an excuse to eat more Mickey D's I'm lovin' this news.

Review: Red Baron Singles Deep Dish Pizzas Four Cheese

One of the great benefits of writing Frozen Food Journal is that it's a convenient excuse to try EVERY FROZEN PIZZA EVER MADE.

Today's entry is Red Baron Singles Deep Dish Pizzas Four Cheese. Why name frozen Italian food after a German WWI fighter pilot? Better than naming it Mussolini's or something I guess.

You can prepare this pizza either in the microwave or conventional oven. If using the former place the pizza on the provided silver cooking surface and cook on high for three minutes. Product is done when cheese is melted. For the conventional oven first preheat it to 375°F. Place pizza directly on the rack and bake for 20-22 minutes or until cheese is melted and lightly browned. Do not use the silver tray in the oven.

I tried both methods. The conventional oven cooked the pizza to perfection while the microwave didn't crisp the crust well.

The four cheeses are comprised of mozzarella, cheddar, smoked provolone and a touch of Parmesan. Could I distinctly taste each individual cheese? Not really. Was the cheese awesome and overflowing? Heck yea. Without question it's a big step up in flavor compared to most frozen pizzas.

This deep crust is equally phenomenal, particularly around the edges where you can really sink your teeth into it. the crispiness. Thick and chewy with a touch of greasy goodness all over. How a deep dish crust should be.

The tomato sauce was nothing special. In fact I thought so little of it that it never came up while I was typing notes for this review.

The box says each pizza is 159 grams, which would make it only slightly smaller than Stouffer's French Bread Pizzas. Red Baron Singles feel noticeably smaller. One pizza is inadequate for someone who's really worked up an appetite but should keep most folks satisfied for awhile.

Click here for the Red Baron Singles product page. The ingredients, nutrition facts and cooking instructions for the four cheese are located on the top right. Each pizza contains 410 calories, 18 grams of fat (10g saturated), 760mg of sodium and 11 grams of sugar. Okay those fat and salt numbers are pretty bad; no sense trying to deny it. Umm, I guess I would say don't eat this every day. Positives include being an excellent source of protein and calcium as well as some fiber, Vitamin A and iron.

I usually see Red Baron Singles Deep Dish Pizzas Four Cheese selling for around $5 a box. They're not exactly a good value but these pizzas hit the spot when you're too tired to cook and want something tasty late at night. Did I say it's oozing with cheese? Good times... and eats.

Ken's Five Favorite Photos at Frozen Food Journal

I named my five favorite frozen food reviews several months ago. This time it's my five favorite photos from the past 17 months. So sit back, relax and feast your eyes on my least-terrible frozen food pictures:


Cookie à la Mode
A giant scoop of the always amazing Thrifty Mint 'N Chip ice cream sits atop a homemade chocolate chip cookie. Good times. Normally I don't eat à la Mode style but sometimes ya just gotta splurge.


Hungry-Man - Buffalo Style Chicken Strips
What I like about this Hungry-Man dinner is that represents so much I enjoy about frozen meals. A meaty, greasy main dish, a couple of solid side dishes and a nice little dessert to finish things off.


California Pizza Kitchen - Crispy Thin Crust BBQ Recipe Chicken2
This is a huge pizza! Almost 11 inches in diameter and loaded with chicken, onions and cilantro. I adore dining at CPK... but something's off with the frozen version.


Haitai - Nougat Ice Bar
The clean, sleek and simple packaging looks fantastic. The earthy tones help the Haitai Nougat Ice Bar stand out at the Asian supermarket. Because when you're there, trust me, there's all kinds of bright items to choose from.


Smart Ones - Morning Express Breakfast Quesadillas2
This product is the closest I'll come to fancy schmancy photography. Of course you can see the cheap bottle of green soap in the background.


And if you like these images you can view my complete set over at Flickr.

Review: Van de Kamp's Crispy Fish Fillets

This product was provided for Frozen Food Journal.

Van de Kamp's Crispy Fish Fillets are like the bigger cousins of Van de Kamp's Crunchy Fish Sticks except this product has a batter crust instead of breadcrumbs. The fillets sit inside a plastic pouch which prevents freezer burning.

To properly cook them preheat your conventional oven to 425 degreees. Place the frozen fish fillets onto a pan and bake them on the middle rack for 18 to 21 minutes. Flip over the fillets halfway during baking. Van de Kamp's does not recommend using a toaster oven. As the fish comes out extremely hot be careful and give it five minutes to cool.

The batter coating came out as a mixed bag. On the one hand the outside never quite crisped up the way I wanted to; it was always a bit soft even though the fillets were cooked to golden brown. On the other hand they're thick, chewy and tasty on the inside.

As for the fish itself it's quite apparent that it's made from whole fillets of Alaska pollock. That wasn't as apparent with the Van de Kamp's fish sticks since the fillets are packed into bite-sized pieces. The fish is moist, flaky and quite oily. I found the flavor to be subdued. It tastes mellower compared to the fish sticks and I assume that's because there's less coating for the fish to mingle with.

A pair of fillets contains 240 calories, 12 grams of fat (3g saturated), 750mg of sodium and nine grams of protein. There's no fiber and almost non-existent numbers for vitamins and minerals. But on the plus side each serving contains 220mg of Omega 3 Fatty Acids.

If you're in the mood for frozen fish then I'd go with fish sticks rather than Van de Kamp's Crispy Fish Fillets. I prefer their smaller size, breadcrumbs and smaller fish/coating ratio. If you're looking for fish fillets then go with Van de Kamp's. The whole meat makes a big difference.

Review: Breyers Double Churn No Sugar Added Triple Chocolate

Breyers Double Churn No Sugar Added Triple Chocolate tries to be diet and decadent. Now, I believe if a dessert is going the healthy route it should provide real benefits like Arctic Zero Chocolate. Or if it wants to be luscious then go all out ala the Klondike Triple Chocolate Bar.

Sadly this ice cream fails on both counts, leaving the consumer with a half-assed product that satisfies no one.

Where do I start with this wack concoction? Let's begin with the ice cream itself. Breyers says it's double churned and extra creamy. Hmmmm. If this junk was quadruple churned it still wouldn't be creamy. It's actually quite chalky in taste and feel. The off flavor resembles a poorly constructed mocha ice cream. Plus it has a slight artificial aftertaste! Also this product is very airy. Chances are you'll be digging in for a second scoop of mediocrity.

Did I say I didn't like this ice cream?

The second and third components of this chocolate triumvirate fair a bit better. The chocolate chips are very hard, presumably because there's not a lot of cocoa butter in them. But at least they possess decent flavor with a tinge of bittersweetness. I would find only a few fudge stripes in every bowl, which was a shame because they're the yumminess part.

Click here to access Breyers product page. The Triple Chocolate package on the website looks different than what I bought but the nutrition facts and ingredients are almost identical. Each 1/2 cup serving contains 110 calories, 5 grams of fat (3g saturated), 4 grams of sugar, 8 grams of sugar alcohol and (surprise) 4 grams of fiber. This product has much less calories, fat and sugar compared to a typical serving of ice cream. Then again, it contains sucralose (aka Splenda) and other artificial ingredients. Each serving is worth 2 Weight Watchers Points.

I would pass on Breyers Double Churn No Sugar Added Triple Chocolate. It's too fake and doesn't taste good. Those are reasons enough to avoid this.

Review: Nestlé Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich

Late one night I needed some quarters for the laundry so I walked to the liquor store down the block and purchased a Nestlé Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich. Thus concludes the riveting tale of how I bought $2.50's worth of ice cream sandwich. Okay, that's not an interesting story. Let's get to the review.

Wow. This is one amazing dessert. The cookies are so savory! It's like biting down into a pair of fresh baked cookies... that came straight out of the freezer! All the wonderful nooks found in a great homemade cookie are here. I also loved the flavor; sweet enough to know you're eating a dessert but not at all overpowering. There's plenty of chocolate chips spread around to boot. Each chip finishes with a surge of flavor that's unexpected but very appreciated.

The outer ring feels a bit foamy before giving way to ice cream that is thick, delectable and velvety. It becomes soft serve-esque within minutes of leaving the freezer. There's no question the ice cream steals the show here.

My only real complaint with Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich is its thickness. I wish this dessert was thinner and more stretched out. Then again if that happened I'd probably eat so fast I'd barely have time to properly savor it.

There's some weird numbers floating around the internet regarding this product's nutritional content. I've post how the label reads on my 6 ounce dessert. Each ice cream sandwich consists of 380 calories, 17 grams of fat (nine saturated) and 32 grams of sugar. Benefits are minimal.

Do your taste buds flavor and try Nestlé Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich once. At least. It's not available everywhere and costs a little extra but this ice cream sandwich is worth the effort.