Kangaroo Santa Fe Omelet Pita

August 29, 2007 | Reviewer: Jenn

Kangaroo Santa Fe Omelet Pita Price: Free from producer
Serving: 1 pocket, 3.74oz.
Calories: 200 per serving
Fat: 11%, 7g
Cholesterol: 58%, 175mg
Sodium: 18%, 445mg
Protein: 11gg
Carbs: 8%, 24g
Fiber: 20%, 5g
Weight Watchers Points: 5 Points

Kangaroo says: You’ll be pleased with the homemade taste of this all natural breakfast sandwich. The Omelet is made with fresh, whole eggs, natural cheese and bell peppers, then nestled inside a fresh-baked wheat pita pocket.

Jenn says: I’m headed to New Mexico next week for a conference so it was nice of Abi to give me a little preview of some southwestern food with the Santa Fe Omelet Pita. Generally super spicy foods and I don’t get along, but I figured the Santa Fe Omelet Pita would be a good way to get started on the spicier foods I will surely find all over New Mexico.

I started to like this breakfast item before I even got it out of the box. This is because it gave me three choices of how to cook it. For someone who rarely follows directions, this is key. I had the choice of microwaving a refrigerated pita for 40 seconds, microwaving a frozen pita for 80 seconds, and baking a frozen pita for 12-15 minutes in the oven. I was hungry and the pita was frozen so, microwaving for 80 seconds seemed like the best bet.

I have to say that upon emerging from the microwave, the cooked pita omelet didn’t really appear that different from the frozen version. It wasn’t until I bit into it that I was sure my teeth weren’t going to hit a layer of frozen egg. Fortunately, the pita omelet was fully cooked and the eggs were fluffy. The eggs reminded me of Egg Beater’s Southwestern mix, which I like. The pita omelet had a little kick of heat, enough to satisfy my need for spice, but probably not enough for a real Southwesterner.

At 200 calories, I would definitely eat the Santa Fe Omelet Pita again, especially because it is so portable. I eat eggs at least once a day (and if there is no food in my fridge, sometimes more often.) The omelet pita had the same great taste of the eggs I cook myself but was ready in a flash and didn’t get any of my pans dirty. Next time though, I think I would try popping the pita in the oven for a crisper pita pocket.

Filed Under Four Stars, Kangaroo Reviews, Vegetarian | 11 Comments

Product Recall: Marie Callender Turtle Pies

August 29, 2007 | Reviewer: Abi Jones

From the Associated Press:

American Pie LLC is recalling 1440 cases of Marie Callender Turtle Pies, because of elevated amounts of bacteria. The pies were on hold due to a bacterial count that was higher than company standard when they were accidentally shipped from a warehouse. The company warned that eating the pies could lead to gastrointestinal illness, nausea, or vomiting. No illnesses have been reported.

Smucker's Uncrustables Peanut Butter Sandwich

August 27, 2007 | Reviewer: Abi

Smucker’s Uncrustables Peanut Butter Sandwich Price: $2.50 per box of 4
Serving: 1 sandwich, 1.72oz.
Calories: 200 per serving
Fat: 17%, 11g
Cholesterol: 0%, 0mg
Sodium: 10%, 250mg
Protein: 7gg
Carbs: 6%, 18g
Fiber: 7%, 2g
Weight Watchers Points: 5 Points

Smuckers says: We’ve discovered a new way to seal our homemade goodness into a delicious PB sandwich. The secret is there’s no crust to kids love ‘em!

Abi says: These are a huge waste of money. $2.50 for four peanut butter (no jelly) sandwiches? That’s 62.5¢ per sandwich, and that’s when they’re on sale.

But, if I see these on sale I pick up a box. Why? Because I don’t eat enough bread to make buying an entire loaf worthwhile (this may change when I start working from home) and peanut butter? I’m sure I have some in the cupboard, but without any bread a sandwich is out of the question. And when I do buy bread it is usually something fun like a fresh baguette from the farmer’s market, a loaf of rosemary and olive oil bread from Wegman’s, or a couple of Asiago bagels. None of those things are particularly good partners for peanut butter.

Smucker’s Uncrustables let me satisfy my occasional peanut butter craving without requiring me to keep a loaf of bread in the house at all times. Sure, I wish that they were made with whole wheat bread and that they came with all natural peanut butter, but considering that at most I have one a week, I can deal with those limitations.

Filed Under 5 WW Points, Four Stars, Smuckers, Vegetarian | 15 Comments

Marie Callender Cheesy Chicken Breast & Rice

August 24, 2007 | Reviewer: Jess

Marie Callender Cheesy Chicken Breast & Rice Price: $2.50
Serving: 1 meal, 14 oz.
Calories: 440
Fat: 23%, 15g
Cholesterol: 20%, 60mg
Sodium: 55%, 1330mg
Protein: 31g
Carbs: 15%, 44g
Fiber: 28%, 7g

Marie Callender says: I simmered white meat chicken in a creamy cheese sauce, then added broccoli florets and a blend of white and wild rice.

Jess says: I did it and I did it for you, Internet. I bought a Marie Calendar meal, even if it did mean possibly taking years from my life (but certainly only adding to the life in my years). Oh Marie, you look so classy and done up on your cardboard box portrait. You could be on a 1950s vacuum cleaner advertisement, in your pristine apron with that look of self-satisfied whimsy. And, yet, I just found myself presented with a Velveeta Volcano from inside that green box. With this meal, you’re less June Cleaver and more Paula Deen.

Fat, sodium, and other health considerations aside, I paraded this cheesy lava through the halls of our office and saw the envy in my co-workers’ eyes. I work with good people who know innately what a little (too much) lactose can add to a Friday. And following too many beers at Thursday’s happy hour? Oh, it’s just the ticket. If the box says that there are chicken, rice, and broccoli resting under the sunshine yellow spread, I’ll believe it. But it could have been anything. All I tasted was cheese and later, due to dehydrated feeling I carried around with me, probably salt. Actually, though I did not taste the rice, I liked its texture. The small grains allow for greater cheese coating between rice clumps. Like rice cheese balls! (A new appetizer for entertaining? Indeed!) But of course, cheeselovers, this cheese isn’t Vermont Sharp Cheddar and is far from a Smoked Gouda. This will be more reminiscent (with similar rib sticking) of the Velveeta shells and cheese of your youth. This cheese is so processed that it’s probably a new life form. In fact, this cheese strongly resists holding heat. I had to reheat this meal 3 times in the course of consuming it due to the cheese’s odd property of rapid heat loss. A contributing factor is that the serving is rather large. It’s an undertaking, not merely a lunch. Lordy, lord. I’m so freaking full right now. And thirsty! I need a camel pack so the guy across the hall from the water cooler will stop judging me.

Buy one of these suckers and leave it stored in your freezer. There will be a cold, hungry, hungover day in your life at some point and this will be exactly what you need. Simply treat as a guilty pleasure and use sparingly.

Filed Under Chicken, Four Stars, Marie Callender Reviews | 2 Comments