Month: January 2015

Six Family Members Surveyed…

Since we still had a bunch of grandparents floating around last night, I thought I’d drag them into trying new stuff with me one more time before they headed off the next morning.

This one was pretty funny-

Dry Cucumber Soda...
Dry. Cucumber Soda…

The DRY Cucumber Soda was an impulse buy a couple of days ago and I had no idea what to expect. Everyone dutifully took their little sample and sipped suspiciously. Especially the boy. I had to threaten him to try a taste from my share. Six out of six family members did not care for cucumber soda. I wonder what they would have thought of the lavender soda from the same company? I’d like to try their other offerings.

This was certainly a confusing concoction. My dad and I decided that DRY Cucumber Soda would probably taste great as a mixer with gin, and I regret not being quick enough to snap a pic of my mom and mom-in-law’s reactions. Clearly, their patience with me and my new things is wearing thin.

I think all was forgiven when everyone received a cider and rum nightcap.

You expect me to believe you’ve never eaten Funyuns?

Pearls Before Swine and Funyuns! http://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2015/01/29
Pearls Before Swine and Funyuns!
http://www.gocomics.com/pearlsbeforeswine/2015/01/29

I thought it was really funny that Yesterday’s Pearls Before Swine comic was about Funyuns, ha.

My dad, about a week ago, stated that he’s not eaten Funyuns before. This, coming from a man who never met a salty snack he hasn’t liked. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree, either, I LOVE any kind of chips. And I consider it my mission to introduce my son’s friends to all kinds of different foods- nopales, ramen noodles, edamame, and a host of other different treats.

This was going to be fun, and we headed off to the Mexican market for some groceries and different chips… Funyuns for my dad and other snacks that I was sure the my mom, mom-in-law and husband have all not tried, and we had a great lineup:

I think my mom wins the Best Face Made while trying a new snack- despite this face, she decided that she liked freshly made chicharrones:

The mom tries real chicharrones from Pancho Villa Market.
The mom tries real chicharrones from Pancho Villa Market.

Here’s the Funyuns Face of Approval:

I still can't believe that he hasn't tried Funyuns before...
I still can’t believe that he hasn’t tried Funyuns before…

We also tried a corn stick snack called Charritos- Chile Limón flavor:

We all pretty much liked the Charritos Chile Limón flavor...
We all pretty much liked the Charritos Chile Limón flavor…

Despite the face mom-in-law is making, we all decided that the Original Black Bean Chips by Beanitos were not only all right, but they would be great with guacamole-

She didn't think these would be good, but was surprised that they were.
She didn’t think these would be good, but was surprised that they were.

Only Abby could handle the heat of the Ruffles Tapatío Limón flavored potato chips. Holy crap, these were HOT!

The one and a half Mexicans in the tasting panel thought that these were too hot! Abby liked them, though.
The one and a half Mexicans in the tasting panel thought that these were too hot! Abby liked them, though.

So try the Beanitos and Charritos for a different snack, the Ruffles Tapatío if you really like the heat, and if you have never had the pleasure of Funyuns, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR, GO GET SOME!

Hot Toddies for All

The husband has been making great hot toddies for years from his dad’s recipe, but he’s been trying to make a new version recently. It would help if we had all of the ingredients together all at once… We do tonight! And we have three grandparents here to drink with us, too. That’s our plan- get all the grandparents smashed then send them off to the official Grandparents Day at their grandson’s school tomorrow morning, hungover. “Really early,” says mom-in-law, “don’t leave that part out!” Lol.

Assorted grandparents getting their happy on.
Assorted grandparents getting their happy on.

Hot Toddies-

Per drink, you need
4 oz boiling water
2 oz bourbon
1 Tablespoon of honey
1/4 lemon
1 cinnamon stick

It is important to put the honey in the glass first, then pour the hot water in second… the honey needs to dissolve into the water. Squeeze the lemon into the class, then pour in your booze. Stir with the cinnamon stick.

 

Former Favorite Recipe-

Leave out the cinnamon stick and honey
Use half coke and half water
Nuke for about 45 seconds

 

Orange Chicken Showdown

Left, Crazy Cuisine from Costco; Right, Trader Joe's Orange Chicken... obviously...
Left, Crazy Cuisine from Costco; Right, Trader Joe’s Orange Chicken… duh…

You know how people say that store brands of a product are just the same national brand in plain packaging? Whatever. I just bought the Mandarin Orange Chicken from Costco’s freezer aisles completely on impulse even though I had some at home already from Trader Joe’s.

OK then, let’s see how close these dishes come to each other…
Squaring off tonight we have three versions of the same dinner-

Mandarin Chicken from Pick Up Stix take out, and frozen, ready to bake from Costco and Trader Joe’s.

All three had something big going for them in that they are all fried. Let’s face it, if it is fried, I’m there. You could fry a dirt clod and I would probably eat it, most certainly if it has gravy. Yep.

Servings and Price breakdown-
Crazy Cuisine 13 for 13.99
Trader Joe’s 5 for 4.99
Pick Up Stix 2 for 8.95

Per serving breakdown:
Costco’s Crazy Cuisine $1.08
Trader Joe’s- $.99
Pick Up Stix- $4.78

None of us cared for the Pick Up Stix. It just didn’t taste as good as the other two, according to the girl, while the boy and I really, really don’t care for water chestnuts. I will point out his puny taste buds and that he also for swore the take out was too spicy. Wimp. I think he was just still mad that I went to the wrong take out place- apparently I mix up Panda Express and Pick Up Stix easily, so, oops.

Drum roll for the winners: 

The girl liked the Costco (because she likes white meat), the boy liked the Trader Joe’s (he prefers dark meat), I liked both so it is officially a tie. The husband didn’t get a vote since he wasn’t home yet and I wanted to put up today’s new thing on the blog. We will make him eat the leftover Pick Up Stix for lunch- that’ll teach him not to be home when we want to try something new!