Sapporo Ichiban Shio Ramen

Made By:  Sanyo Foods of America [USA]
Preparation:  Saucepan & Range
480 calories per package

Available online via Amazon

This morning, we decided it was high time we had some ramen noodles again!  This is the second product from the June Ramen Box, and even though I expressed a little bit of disappointment that a "domestic" noodle would make its way into the Box, it does seem like it could be a 'breakfast noodle' kind of thing.  We'll give it a chance.

Inside the package is a block of fairly standard looking instant ramen, a 'soup base' packet, and also an included packet of sesame seeds for garnish.  Preparation is standard for 'domestic' packet noodles; we boil 2 cups (or 500cc) of water, boil the noodles for 3 minutes, then transfer to a bowl and stir in the Soup Base.  Finally, we sprinkle the sesame seed garnish on top, and our noodles are ready to serve!

The noodles have a bit firmer texture than I might have been expecting from an "American" ramen, and the broth flavor is also a pleasant surprise.  It tastes very similar to the normal domestic 'chicken' flavor ramen broth, but seems lighter and cleaner-tasting somehow.  It actually reminds me of the broth from the Paldo Kokomen we got in the previous Box, except without the jalapeño flavor and heat.  The light sesame flavor from the seeds was a nice touch; I think with a light clean flavor like this, adding sesame oil would be too much, but the seeds work, giving the flavor a little more dimension without any extra 'heaviness.'

I have to say, I am very pleasantly surprised!  I do accept that something doesn't have to be "Americanized" just because it's made in the USA (like many of Nong Shim's noodle products that are manufactured here but are otherwise like the Korean counterparts), and it seems that Sapporo Ichiban is following that standard, at least for this product.  Especially considering that this product should be readily available for a reasonable price, I could see us getting this again.  I'd definitely choose it over the Top Ramen and Maruchan chicken flavors, since both the noodles and the broth flavor are a big step up.  Sorry for doubting you, Ramen Box! :)

Nissin Chow Mein Premium Teriyaki Chicken Flavor

Made By:  Nissin USA
Required to Prepare:  Microwave
500 calories per package

Available online via Amazon

I'm enjoying the fact that recently my wife has had a bigger interest in sharing my ramen and instant noodles with me.  However, that means that I've had to re-think the Ramen Stash, because I had been getting just one of everything, and now I'm wanting to have two of each.  (It's also why I'm appreciating that The Ramen Box sends two each of everything.)
I bought a pair of a few different things when I was at the local Safeway, just to have some more things we could have together, and this was one of them!

This is probably actually a re-review of something I reviewed a few years back, but I've noticed that Nissin has changed the packaging so it looks like the name is now "Chow Mein Premium".  So, I'd like to see if anything besides the package has changed.  The contents had not; we still have straight-cut instant noodles, a liquid sauce, and a package of dried "Premium Ingredients."  {Note:  A second round of these, purchased a couple of weeks later, had the dried veggies loose in the package instead of in a packet, which seems to be the new format.}  Cooking directions are also still the same:  We add the dried vegetables, fill with water to the line, microwave for five minutes (I did nine minutes for two), and then stir in the sauce.

Comparing this to the description in my old review, I think this is the same product as before, just with an updated package appearance.  I will say I think I forgot how deep and enjoyable the flavor was; I was expecting something more sweet and less balanced than what the sauce actually tasted like. They earned a glowing review last time, and now four years later, I don't see why I would change that; in fact, I've managed to be pleasantly surprised by them a second time.  Especially considering the low price and easy availability of these since they are a domestic product, I would easily see myself keeping some of these around. :D

Soup it Up:  This one was probably mostly a no-brainer; we had some leftover restaurant teriyaki (mostly chicken, but some pork as well), so we added a decent portion of teriyaki meat to go with the noodles, along with some fresh green onion and some kizami shoga [pickled ginger] for some bright contrast.  It was delicious, and I could imagine us doing this (or a slight variation) every time we have teriyaki leftovers. :D

Nissin Souper Meal Picante Shrimp Flavor

Made By:  Nissin USA
Required to Prepare:  Water, Microwave
580 calories per package

I've decided it is high time I have some noodles for lunch again!  So, even though the doctors are all having Jimmy Johns for lunch, instead of getting that for myself, I brought some ramen to work.  I got these Souper Meals on sale at Safeway the other day for buy-1-get-1-free, so today's lunch will be an enormous bowl of Picante Shrimp noodles!  With "Improved Flavor and Premium Straight Noodles," I don't see how we can go wrong.

There are two packets to open inside, one with dried goodies (including some tiny shrimp), and the other with a spicy-smelling soup base.  We add water to the inside line, then microwave for around 4-1/2 minutes.  We are supposed to let it stand for 2 minutes before serving; mine ended up standing a bit longer than that as work interfered for a while, and the delicious aroma of noodles permeated a good portion of the office, taunting me, until I was able to get away again and enjoy my lunch.

There seems to be even more noodles in one of these than I remember!  They have a nice soft texture, not unlike an egg noodle from a canned soup, and they absorbed the flavor of the broth well.  The broth was not dramatically spicy, but did have a nice chili-powder flavor to counterpoint the typical shrimp broth.  I definitely enjoyed this!  The portion size was a little bit ridiculous, honestly, since no-one is really going to eat the "serving size" of half the container; however, I did finish the whole thing without feeling miserable.  I'd buy them again!  :)

Oh, ramen, how I've missed you.  If grocery-store ramen hits the spot like this, I really need to get to an Asian market soon.

Safeway Select Appetizers: Chicken Empanadas, Firecrackers, and Bags of Gold

Distributed by:  Safeway, Inc.
Required to Prepare:  Oven

Chicken Empanadas:  75 calories per piece
Firecrackers:  70 calories per piece
Bags of Gold:  80 calories per piece

My sweetie and I occasionally enjoy having a "tapas" dinner of sorts, by getting a variety of these frozen appetizers and making a meal out of them.  These are the ones that we usually get; she was the one that got me started on them, and even after all manner of flitting around trying different things by the Butterfly, these are still the ones we seem to like the best.

Although the package directions give a slightly different cook time for the empanadas, I find they all turn out fine by baking at 400° for 7 minutes per side.  They can also be deep-fried, which gives them a crisper texture, but we use the oven more often, just because it seems a little easier.

The Chicken Empanadas and Firecrackers are similar; the crispy exterior is sort of like a grilled flour tortilla.  The filling of the empanadas have a distinct jalapeño and bell pepper flavor along with the chicken and cheese, and the Firecrackers have more like a pulled roast beef and nacho filling.  The Bags of Gold are the odd one out; the wrapper is thinner and lighter, more like a wonton wrap, and rather than a Mexican flavor, the spinach and cheese filling is more European in style.  Even from the oven, they do get crispy on the outside, although they are of course a bit chewier than if they were deep-fried.

We definitely enjoy them, with either prep method.  We choose them over more expensive name-brand frozen appetizers, and it's not because we are sacrificing quality for price--it's because we like these the best, and the fact that they are inexpensive is just a happy coincidence.  :)

Old El Paso Meal for 2 Shredded Beef Burritos

Distributed By:  General Mills Sales
Required to Prepare:  Microwave
490 calories per burrito


I apologize for not having taken my own photos for this one; I wasn't intending to review this one until after I experienced the quality of this product.

The first bit of wrongness comes from the preparation instructions:  Despite being billed as a "Meal for 2", the only instructions provided are for microwave cooking, which specifically state not to cook both burritos at the same time--so, do they plan for my wife to start eating while mine is heating up, or do they think one of us just gets a cold one?

At any rate, we cook them one at a time, for five minutes each, in their silly little individual steamer bags.  (The cooking instructions say 4-6 minutes depending on microwave wattage; mine isn't low or high, so 5 it is.)  They also stand for two minutes to "complete cooking", which is apparently slang for "turn into concrete".  You know, I expected a soggy tortilla, and I wouldn't have complained about that.  Dried out, leathery, impenetrable tortilla?  Not as acceptable.  Forget cutting with a fork; they couldn't even be cut with a table knife.

For the record, the flour tortilla seemed to have been of the whole-wheat variety; unlike the package picture, they were moderately dark in color and the little bits that were edible had a whole-wheat flavor.  After using kitchen shears to finally get at it, the filling inside seemed overly spicy and really didn't seem worth the effort needed to free it from its protective shell.

To summarize, these were utterly abysmal.  Not only have they warned me away from ever trying any more of Old El Paso's frozen offerings, they've actually made me wary of their traditional products as well.  I don't know who decided these were ready to market, but they deserve to have to eat this. :b

Hormel Compleats Cafe Creations Spicy Ginger Chicken

Distributed By:  Hormel Foods, LLC

Required to Prepare:  Microwave

280 calories per package

 This shelf-stable meal had been lingering in the cabinet for a while, so when I wanted a small lunch yesterday before my shopping trip, I decided it was time to use it.  These shelf-stable "Compleats" meals do have the advantage of being extremely convenient, with their very short microwave time (as they are being heated from room temperature instead of from frozen).  One minute in the microwave plus a one-minute stand time, and my small, quick and convenient lunch is ready to eat!

The flavor is a bit different than I had expected based on the name; the sauce is very rich, almost with a tomato-beef-stock flavor (although I don't think there is actually any tomatoes or beef in it).  The spice was noticeable but not overwhelming, which is to be expected for a mainstream product such as this.  The ginger, which I expected to be the top note in a light and crisp Thai-style flavor, instead becomes the base note in a deep and rich sauce.  Naturally the noodles are quite a bit softer than "al-dente," being in essence a canned pasta product, but I have to say I don't mind soft pasta in this context--I think it all comes together nicely, expecially with the water-chestnuts for a crispy textural aside.

I notice, though, that on the Hormel Compleats web page, this product is not listed anymore.  I think that's kind of a shame, as I rather liked it.  I don't imagine I could have singlehandedly "saved" the flavor from extinction, but if I had eaten it sooner, I might have at least been able to buy a couple more before they went away.

Now, it seems the only thing I can do is give it a posthumous happy-face. :)

Maruchan Instant Lunch Roast Chicken Flavor

Made By:  Maruchan Inc. [USA]
Required to Prepare:  Hot Water (10 oz.)
290 calories per serving

Available online through Amazon.com

It occurs to me that I have done very few reviews of cup noodles, which is kind of a shame, since I think for convenience and versatility they're really hard to beat--add some chips and some fruit on the side, and they're a really easy lunch; have them by themselves and they're a great afternoon snack.  If you have access to either a water cooler with a hot-water tap or a single-cup coffee maker that can dispense hot water, there is literally no cooking required.

This flavor used to be one of my favorites when I lived in Maruchan country [Missouri], and I hadn't found it again since moving to Nissin territory [Seattle area].  So when I found a good selection of Maruchan products at the local WinCo (for 28¢ a cup!) I had to grab a few for review!  As I mentioned above, preparation is as simple as adding 10 oz. of boiling or nearly-boiling water (to the fill line) and waiting three minutes.  Time for a noodle break!

I don't know if the noodle texture of Instant Lunch has improved, or if I just didn't remember how good they were, but I do actually prefer the noodles here to the domestic 'packet' noodles that tend to be soft and soggy.  I remember liking the broth, but I didn't remember details; it's a nice chicken-stock flavor, but with a hint of cumin that gives it a little depth.  The corn rehydrates a little better than the carrot bits, but both provide a nice little pop of sweetness to contrast the salty-savory broth.  I enjoyed it!  I think I might be having some more "cup noodle breaks" in the near future. :)

Lowrey's Bacon Curls Original Microwave Pork Rinds

Made By:  Oberto Sausage Co. [USA]
Required to Prepare:  Microwave
210 calories per package

(Available online through Amazon.com)

Due to the new work situation, I have had a bit fewer opportunities to enjoy (and thus review) ramen.  Who knew company-paid lunches could be a bad thing, right?  The reviews must go on, though, so today I will talk about low-carb snacks.

One thing I remember from my childhood is that my grandfather's favorite snack food was pork rinds.  He would usually have a bag next to his recliner, and he would share with the grandkids when we came to visit.  Maybe because of that memory, they are also a favorite snack food of mine, although I don't know if I've ever found a brand that tastes as good as what I remember him having.  So when I heard about these microwave pork rinds, made locally here in the Pacific Northwest by Oberto in Kent, WA, I knew I had to give them a try!

Preparation is both simple to anyone who's made microwave popcorn, and also slightly different.  The package cautions us to shake up the unpuffed pork rinds after unfolding the bag (to spread them out), and also has dire warnings about how it doesn't make popping noises like popcorn does and to watch the microwave like a hawk while cooking.  All I know is, with my older microwave, I can cook a bag for 2:10 and it turns out perfect every time without worrying about burning anything up.  (Your wattage may vary, naturally).  The bag inflates fully, like popcorn, but then deflates once cooking is done and the steam re-condenses--one package produces the amount pictured in the bowl.

The flavor is salty and sort of bacon-y, a lot like you would expect if you know what pork rinds taste like.  However, these will be the freshest pork rinds you've ever had; they are still snapping and crackling while you start to eat them, and I must say, fresh, hot pork rinds are a more memorable experience than cold ones out of a bag.  If you dislike the flavor of regular pork rinds, I doubt you'd like these either.  But if you do like them, I heartily recommend these, and I imagine you will have trouble going back to "pre-puffed" after tasting them. ^_^

Thai Kitchen Rice Noodle Cart Pad Thai

Imported By:  Simply Asia Foods, LLC [Product of China]
Required to Prepare:  2 tbsp Water, Microwave
460 calories per package

Tonight, my usually-not-noodle-loving sweetie told me she wasn't all that hungry, and asked if we could have instant noodles for dinner!  I had something in the Noodle Stash for just such an occasion--two packages of these Pad Thai noodles from Thai Kitchen.  They were perfect not only because I actually had two, but because I know my sweetie prefers this type of dish over noodle soups.  Dinner is decided upon, so it's time to cook, eat, and review!

The package consists of a shrink-wrapped plastic container inside the paperboard overwrap; inside this container is a packet of "fresh" rice noodles, some sauce, and foil packs of dried veggies and peanut topping.  We open the noodles and dried veggies into the container, pour the sauce over the noodles and add 2 tablespoons of water, cover loosely with the lid, and microwave for two minutes.  After stirring things up, we top with the peanuts.  I cooked each meal individually, due to the short cook time, so after repeating all of the above, dinner is ready to go!

The texture of the noodles is actually pretty good; they are not sticky and are pleasantly firm.  Unfortunately, that's pretty much the only good thing for me to say about it.  The flavor of the sauce is a bit strange; it's overly tangy and sweet, and tastes much more like a not-very-good hoisin sauce than anything resembling an authentic Pad Thai sauce.  I ended up wishing I had left the peanut topping off; despite the product being in date, the peanuts were quite stale and actually tasted a bit rancid.  Overall, it just didn't seem like a quality product.  And it wasn't just my package; before I mentioned my impressions, my sweetie independently critiqued both the flavor of the sauce and the freshness of the nut topping.

The consensus of the Ramen Butterfly household, then, is that we were a bit disappointed in this one. :\

Marie Callender's Cheesy Chicken & Bacon Pot Pie

Made By:  ConAgra Foods
Required to Prepare:  Microwave, OR oven, baking sheet, and aluminum foil
1180 calories per package

A while back, I mentioned that my partner rather liked these Marie Callender's pot pies.  I think I've also mentioned at least once that I rather have a thing for trying new products that pop up in the store.  Today while shopping, I noticed that Marie Callender's had a couple of "New!" pot pie selections on the shelf, so it seemed like the kind of thing that would appeal to both of us.  So tonight, we shall have pot pies!

Like last time, I use the oven directions since I want to prepare two at once:  We remove the pie from the box (but not the little paper pie pan), protect the crust edges with strips of aluminum foil, put them on a baking sheet, and put them in a 400° oven for 65 minutes.  Then they have to cool for about five minutes, and we remove the foil and serve.

Oh man, this is the STUFF.  The pie is filled with a thick, rich cheese sauce; it has a wonderful flavor and texture, very smooth and creamy.  In addition to the advertised chicken and bacon pieces, the pie also contains broccoli, and I'm pretty sure there were some chunks of potato and possibly a carrot slice or two as well.  It was a little harder than usual to identify the components, since they were all thoroughly smited with delicious golden cheese sauce, so there may be some minor ingredients that I missed.  Not that any of that matters, because all I could really taste is bacon, cheese, and crisp buttery pastry.  And if that sounds like a bad thing, well... it just wasn't.

This is pure decadent comfort food, but isn't that what pot pies are supposed to be?  Not only would I say this is definitely a worthy addition to Marie Callender's lineup, I might also say I think I have a new favorite pot pie. ^_^

Newman's Own Complete Skillet Meal for Two--Chicken Parmigiana & Penne

Made By:  Newman's Own, Inc. [USA]
Required to Prepare:  Skillet and Range (or 2qt casserole and microwave)
490 calories per 1/2 package

For dinner tonight, we are looking to the freezer for one of the convenience meals I try to keep available, and we ended up choosing this Chicken Parmigiana penne pasta dish from Newman's Own to try.  I'm not sure I have the usual anecdote about how we arrived at this decision today, but I will say that, as is usual for me, I purchased this while it was on sale with a coupon, so instead of the shelf price of (I think) $8.99, I gave $4.99 for it.

Anyway, we are hungry, so let's get on to the review.  Inside the bag we find par-boiled penne pasta, frozen sauce chips, some things that look like little cubes of white cheese, and six chicken nuggets.  To prepare, we simply empty the contents of the bag into a large non-stick skillet, cover, and heat on high for 4 minutes, then on medium-high for 6 minutes while stirring occasionally.  After the ten-minute cook time advertised, everything is bubbly and hot, and the sauce has thickened nicely, which is frankly more than I was expecting based on my experiences with these bag meals.  Since it doesn't seem to need extra cook time, it looks like dinner is ready to serve!

On first taste, my partner said to me (and I agreed) that it seems to be "missing something."  The sauce seems to be a bit on the sweeter side, which is something I am not used to with a chicken parmigiana.  Another thing I am used to with chicken parmigiana is for it to actually be made with parmesan cheese, which this isn't--the little bits of cheese I saw were mozzarella, according to the ingredients list.  I try adding some shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano of my own to try to rectify this situation, which helped but didn't completely solve the issue with the sweet sauce.  The three chicken pieces we each got were very soft and the breading was quite soggy, naturally; I didn't mind them and sort of enjoyed the salt-and-pepper seasoning of the breading, but my sweetie was a bit put off by the texture.

Overall, it wasn't bad, but it didn't seem especially good either, and really didn't seem to be quite as quality a product as we were expecting from Newman's.  I still have respect for the brand and will be trying some of their other offerings, but I doubt we'll get this one again. :|

El Monterey All Natural Shredded Steak & Cheese Burrito

Made By:  Ruiz Foods [USA]
Required to Prepare:  Microwave (or Oven)
280 calories per package

And now for something really different!  After this, we'll get back to ramen for a while, I promise.  (A trip to Uwajimaya is overdue and is in the near future.)  I'm going to admit up front that this isn't the type of thing I normally choose for myself, and that it made it into my freezer, and into the review queue, for one reason only--there was a coupon in the Sunday paper to try one free.  It should go without saying that this was a price the Ramen Butterfly was incapable of passing up.  So for today's lunch, a frozen burrito it is!

Preparation is so simple, I hate to even call it that.  You open one end of the package, and then microwave it for 75 seconds if it was frozen, or for 30 seconds if it was thawed.  (You can also take it out of the package, wrap it in foil, put it on a baking sheet, and put it in the oven for 30 to 45 minutes, if you're so inclined.)  I chose to let it stand in the microwave afterwards for a minute or two just to make sure all the cold spots would be gone, and then I take it out of the wrapper.

Okay, I'll start with the outside and work my way in.  The tortilla has a really odd texture... I worried it might turn out soggy and wet from microwaving in the wrapper, but it's not, really; instead it seems doughy, as if the tortilla itself were undercooked somehow.

And unfortunately, the tortilla is the high point, compared to the fillings.  I had a hard time figuring out what I was actually eating, because there was such a disconnect between the flavor and the texture.  As you observe the picture of the inside of my burrito, keep in mind that refried beans are not on the ingredient list.  This must mean that the brown paste you see must be, in fact, the "shredded steak."  Once I realized this, the flavor I was tasting--bland beef and mild cheese--started to make sense.  And there was, in fact, an occasional 'string' here and there to hint that I might be eating a meat product.  But it's certainly a far cry from the picture on the wrapper.

Well, it was free, anyway, so I suppose I got my money's worth.  But for the normal price of $1.29?  Not so much.
I do suppose it's possible it would have tasted a little better if I had thawed it first, or used the oven directions.  And, I'm certain it would have tasted a lot better if I had gone to Taco Bell and got a Burrito Supreme for roughly the same price.  :b

Birds Eye Voila! Three Cheese Chicken

Made By:  Pinnacle Foods Group LLC  [USA]
Required to Prepare:  Covered Skillet & Range (or Microwave), 1/2c water
420 calories per 1/2 package


We worked hard today, and so I'm making a convenience meal for our dinner tonight!  In the freezer I had this Voila! Three Cheese Chicken skillet meal, which sounded pretty good, so that's what I settled on.  These Birds Eye meals are actually very economical compared to some of the other brands--I think I gave around $4 for this, so if it's good, then I expect to be trying some of the other varieties!

Inside the bag is a mélange of broccoli, corn, carrots, radiatori pasta, and chicken cubes.  I don't actually see any sauce chips; I think the sauce might be frozen onto the pasta pieces.  Anyway, this one is very simple to prepare; we dump the contents of the bag into our skillet, cover, and cook over medium-high heat for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.  After I lifted the lid, the meal was hot, but still looked watery, so I gave it a couple of extra minutes uncovered to cook down a bit, which helped things quite a bit.  I ladle it out into two dinner-size bowls, and my sweetie and I are ready to eat!

For something billed as a Three-Cheese Chicken, I do have to say that the cheese and chicken, while present, are not all that prominent.  The veggies actually seem to be the star of the show; the broccoli and carrots are very nicely firm-tender, and the carrots and corn are naturally quite sweet, to the point of making the overall dish seem a bit sweet.  The chicken pieces do have a nice texture and flavor, as does the sauce, though I wish there were a bit more of both.

On the plus side, it was a reasonably good dinner for a very reasonable price, and it has the side benefit of making you feel like you just had a really healthy meal--we definitely ate our vegetables tonight!  That said, I'm not sure it's the kind of thing I would really get excited about.  :|

Ruffles Ultimate: Kickin' Jalapeño Ranch Chips & Smokehouse Bacon Dip

I have to admit, I do enjoy being one of the first to try the newest stuff, especially when it comes to food items.  I also tend to be adventurous when it comes to wanting to try all the "wild" snack flavors that come out--most of which don't end up staying on the shelf long, but hey, I was one of the ones that got to taste them.  So, that means that when I saw these new "Ultimate" Ruffles chips in the store the other day, there was no question that they were going to take a ride in my shopping cart.  I settled on the Kickin' Jalapeño Ranch flavor to try first, and I noticed that on the bag it suggested that they should be paired with the Ruffles Ultimate Smokehouse Bacon Dip, so into my cart that went as well.  I had to try the combo, right?

Ruffles Ultimate Kickin' Jalapeño Ranch Potato Chips
Made By:  Frito-Lay, Inc.
160 calories per 1 oz. serving (pictured)

The first thing I notice about the chips once I open the bag is that the shape is a little different than regular Ruffles chips; instead of the tiny "ridges" that everyone is familiar with, the shape and texture is very similar to Wavy Lay's chips, except the "waves" are a bit more angular.  I guess the sharp corners make them more edgy and cool or something.  The flavor is really quite nice!  The trend in novelty chip flavors recently had been to just make things extra spicy and call them "extreme," so I was kind of expecting something along those lines.  Instead, these are just mildly to moderately spicy, and the main flavor note is a fairly good rendition of the 'green' flavor of a jalapeño pepper.  I am pleasantly surprised!  :)

Ruffles Ultimate Smokehouse Bacon Dip
Made By:  Frito-Lay, Inc.
70 calories per 2 tbsp. serving

I'm just going to get straight to the verdict and say that the dip is another pleasant surprise!  In this case, the "Ultimate" factor seems to be the thickness of the dip; it is really rather thick, and loaded down with a generous amount of real bacon bits.  The sauce is very creamy, and seems to be somewhere between a sour cream and an alfredo-style flavor.  I actually had to warm up to it, but I think that's because of what I didn't taste more than what I did--my 'usual' is a Hidden Valley Ranch dip mix in sour cream, and I think I was used to the tartness of the buttermilk and sour cream, which is really not present in this dip.  After I got used to the flavor, though, I started really liking it on most things I tried it with, especially raw veggies like snap peas and baby carrots.  Even my sweetie, who is not really a big dipper, told me she enjoyed this.  I really only bought this because the potato chip bag told me to, but out of the two products, this one is the one that stands out to me--I don't feel like I would have to have more of the chips once the bag is gone, but I've already purchased another jar of this dip for when the first one runs out.  :D

And finally, of course, I had to try the two of them together!  I would have to say the bag was right--they do pair together very well!  The flavors seem to combine to make something new; the creamy base of the dip seems to mute the jalapeño pepper flavor a bit, which lets the underlying ranch flavor of the chip come through more.  The result is a nice balance of creamy ranch and bacon, with the jalapeño becoming the undertone.  So I guess the bottom line is, if you do get the chips to try, go ahead and get the dip to go with them and you shouldn't regret it.  And if the chips don't sound like your kind of thing, the dip is really good anyway.

Yamachan Shoyu Ramen

Made By:  Nippon Trends Food Service (Product of USA)
Required to Prepare:  Saucepan & Range, Boiling Water
360 calories per package

While I was browsing the aisles at Uwajimaya Bellevue on my last visit, I found a section of fresh noodles in the refrigerated section, away from the extensive dry-goods instant noodle aisle.  Since they are fresh and need to be refrigerated, they obviously have a shorter shelf-life than the 'normal' dry ramen, so I just picked up one to try this time.

Inside the package there is a styrofoam tray that holds the pack of fresh noodles, and a little foil packet of liquid soup base.  To prepare, we need to boil water in both our saucepan and our teakettle; we add the noodles to the saucepan and cook for 1-1/2 minutes (or 2-1/2 minutes if frozen), and meanwhile we mix 1-1/4 cups of boiling water with the soup base in our bowl.  Once the noodles are cooked, we drain them and add them to the bowl, and the noodles are ready to serve!

The noodles have a wonderful texture, much more like "real" restaurant ramen than the dry ramen everyone is used to.  The broth tastes a bit different than I was expecting from a shoyu broth; there is a strong taste of sesame oil which really overpowers the other flavors.  Overall, the soup is kind of plain, honestly, but I don't hold that against it, because it's clearly meant as a base for you to add your own ingredients (much like restaurant ramen).  So, although I think it is just okay on its own (and I felt obligated to review it that way), I am definitely looking forward to having it again--and adding my own green onion, crab stick, boiled egg, and other nifty ingredients to make this into a really awesome bowl of "real" ramen.  :)

Velveeta Cheesy Skillets Ultimate Cheeseburger Mac

Distributed By:  Kraft Foods Global, Inc.
Required to Prepare:  1 lb ground beef, 2c water, covered skillet & range
350 calories per prepared serving (5 servings per box)

Just when I start thinking I've gone just as far afield from instant noodles as I was going to go... I end up finding a product in another new category that I'm excited about and want to review.  These Velveeta Cheesy Skillets were on my radar strictly because of their original TV commercial; I figure that if they're responsible for adding the phrase "until there can be no more smiting" to my vocabulary, then they probably at least deserve a try.  So from there, a 75¢ coupon (complete with picture of the Velveeta Blacksmith) was all it took to push me off the fence and pick this up with a package of ground beef.  Let the smiting begin!

We start off by browning and draining our ground beef; then into the skillet goes 2c of water and the powdered seasoning mix (which looks a lot like mac-and-cheese powder), which we stir it into a sauce.  We add the included pasta and return the ground beef to the skillet, bring to a boil, and simmer covered for around 13 minutes, stirring often.  Finally, we SMITE THEM WITH LIQUID GOLD UNTIL THERE CAN BE NO MORE SMITING (ahem) add and stir in the pouch of cheese sauce, and they are ready to serve!

Despite the passing resemblance to a Hamburger Helper dinner, which frankly had me a bit nervous, I have to say these are actually very good!  The cheese flavor is very rich and the sauce is nice and thick, coating the meat and macaroni well.  The ground beef itself might seem a bit bland if you get a bite that is heavy in meat, though--I might consider seasoning the ground beef with a little salt and pepper as I brown it in the future, but that is a very minor complaint.  The package claims that the box makes five servings, which is probably a little unrealistic, but it could be at least three helpings, and maybe four if it were paired with some generous side dishes.  My sweetie and I both enjoyed this!  We'll probably be trying at least two of the other flavors eventually (the Nacho Supreme and Chicken & Broccoli both sound good) and I could definitely see us having this one again too.  Smite me again, please!  ^_^

Marie Callender's Creamy Parmesan Chicken Pot Pie

Made By:  ConAgra Foods Inc.
Required to Prepare:  oven, baking sheet, aluminum foil
{OR:  Microwave}
980 calories per package

This review is a special request from my sweetie!  We usually have my home cooking for dinners here, but before I came along, she used to have a lot of convenience dinners like this.  I can relate; when it's just you, you sometimes just want something easy.  Anyway, it had been a couple of years since she had one of these and the craving struck, so off to the store I  went to get dinner!

These can be prepared one at a time in the microwave, with a roughly 10-minute cooking time.  Since I was making two, we went with the "for flakier crust" oven directions--remove the pie from the box (but not the cooking tray), place on a baking sheet, shield the crust edges with a bit of aluminum foil, and bake at 400° for around 65 minutes.  Not exactly a quick dinner, but still rather easy and convenient.  I let the pies cool for around five minutes, and then we dug in!

Although the picture on the box shows the pie sitting pleasantly on a plate, I actually don't know how you'd get it out of the tray in one piece like that; we just left them in the little paper bowls.  The crust is really rich and buttery, and has a nice crisp texture.  The sauce has a nice flavor; the parmesan flavor is actually a bit subtle, I mainly notice a roasted pepper flavor, but it's definitely not bad.  The chicken is tender without being too soft, and the veggies were firmer than expected, almost a little too firm (but not quite).  I can see why my sweetie asked for these!  The calorie count is a little high, I suppose, but it's filling enough to be the meal all by itself, so it's not really too outrageous.  And, it's good enough to feel like a treat, at a really reasonable price. I don't think it'll be two years before we have the next one!  :D

Pagoda Express Chicken Fried Rice

Distributed By:  Schwan's Consumer Brands Inc. [Product of USA]
Required to Prepare:  Microwave Oven
680 calories per package

Last week I found myself in possession of a Safeway coupon good for $5 off any "New" frozen products.  So, of course I cruised the freezer aisles looking for "New" things to spend my coupon on!  I finally settled on three of these Pagoda Express frozen take-out style meals, and I am reviewing the first of them today!  I decided to try the Chicken Fried Rice first, as it seems like a direct competitor to the Tai Pei Chicken Fried Rice product that I've already reviewed (and enjoyed).

To prepare, we pull back the corner of the lid a little to vent, and microwave for four minutes; then we rip the lid off, give it a stir, set the lid back on top, and microwave for another two minutes or so.  Just like that, lunch is piping hot and ready to eat!

Comparing this to the Tai Pei product, I notice that the volume doesn't seem to have cooked down as much here, and the rice is a bit less soft, probably because this product doesn't use the steaming film.  Actually, I think I prefer the texture of this product; although the rice seems a bit on the dry side, the meat is much less soft and spongy--I think the lack of steaming is probably good for the chicken.  On the other hand, I think the Tai Pei fried rice may have been a bit more flavorful; I especially noticed the baby corn pieces being very bland and watery.  That is really my only real criticism with this, though, so overall I guess I thought it was good, if not memorable.  I'd probably get it again... if I get another coupon. :|

Safeway Select Chicken Bacon Alfredo Pizza

Distributed by:  Safeway Inc.
Tools Required:  Oven
600 calories per 1/2 pizza

I debated with myself as to whether to include store-brand products like this one, but I decided that Safeway is a national chain, after all, and I imagine there are people who would like to know if the store-branded products can compare with the more-expensive name brands.  Now that that's settled, it's time for the Butterfly to review!

Out of the package, the pizza doesn't look too bad; there is a fairly generous sprinkling of bacon bits and cubes of white-meat chicken.  It kind of looks like there isn't much sauce, but that could just be because it's a white sauce and blends in with the crust.  I preheat the oven to 425°, fix the positioning of the chicken cubes a bit, and bake it for 13 minutes (the package says 12-14).  Let it cool for a bit, and it's time to serve!

The pastry-style "Pizzeria Crust" isn't too bad, although I think the Red Baron crust was better both in texture and flavor.  I think this one could have stood a little extra time in the oven to crisp up, and maybe then the texture would have compared better.  The chicken pieces have a nice "real-meat" texture and flavor and stay tender and moist, and there is a nice balance between chicken and bacon. The sauce, though, seems a bit off to me; it doesn't come across as quite rich enough to be true alfredo sauce, and especially with the black pepper sprinkling, it ends up tasting a bit more like country gravy to me--which makes the whole thing taste kind of like one of those 'breakfast' pizzas.

Overall, I think it did seem like a quality product and a decent value; it might not be quite as appealing as the name-brand Red Baron pizza I tried last time, but it wasn't bad by any means.  I will be interested to try one with a normal pizza sauce for a better comparison.  As for this particular flavor, my sweetie said she liked it, but I'm probably going to try something else next time.  :|

Red Baron Classic Crust Special Deluxe Pizza

Distributed by:  Schwan's Consumer Brands, Inc.
Tools Required:  Oven
750 calories per 1/2 pizza

We had something "quick and easy" for dinner last night, and settled on this Red Baron pizza that I had picked up on sale at Safeway last week.  Even at regular price, this brand is fairly economical compared to some of the more "gourmet" brands like DiGiorno's or Freschetta.  So I'm hoping it turns out to be good!

The toppings sounded good, anyway; this is their Special Deluxe Pizza, which says it has "Two Cheeses, Sausage, Mushrooms, Pepperoni, Black Olives, Green & Red Peppers, and Onions."  (The two cheeses happen to be mozzarella and cheddar, for the record.)  Out of the box, the toppings actually seem to be distributed fairly well, though I did fuss with the pepperoni pieces a bit to eliminate any overlapping ones.  We preheat our oven to 400°, then stick the pizza in straight on the rack and bake it for 19 minutes or so.  I was happy to see that no cheese or toppings dripped onto the oven floor, a common downfall with on-the-rack pizza cooking, so it scores a few points there.  Although the box doesn't specifically say to, I let it cool for about five minutes before cutting.  Dinner is served!

There is a generous portion of cheese(s) included, and although the toppings aren't piled high and deep, there is definitely enough to give a good flavor.  I especially enjoyed the sweet bits of onion and mushroom, but all the flavors blended nicely.  I actually really liked the flavor of the sauce, too; it is slightly sweet, but not too sweet, and definitely not too tangy or spicy like I have had with some other products.  I really enjoyed the texture of the crust!  It is nicely crispy on the bottom without being hard and crusty, and is sort of pastry-like, with a rich buttery flavor.  I have to say I like it better than most of the fancy-pantsy "Rising Crust" products I've tried in the past--those have a habit of coming out too dry and sort of bitter (probably from the rising agent).  I am impressed, especially considering the economical price!  I'll definitely be letting the Red Baron cook for me again sometime. :)