Cracker Chips

Review by: Do

I enjoy crunchy snacks. Crunchy, salty, yummy snacks. But it's hard to indulge in such a treat with all the fat and calories they usually bring along. So when I spotted the new Special K Cracker Chips in the cracker aisle at my local store, I decided to give them a try.

Let me just say, they are a tastey treat! They taste like a cross between a pringle and a rice cake. Thin and salty like the pringle, but crunchy and ricey like the cake. And they only pack on 110 calories, 2.5g fat, in 30 chips! And you wouldn't always think so, but 30 chips is a lot.

They come in 2 flavors, sea salt and sour cream & onion. I prefer the sea salt over the sour cream & onion variety. I find the sc&0 flavoring to be too powdery and not as flavorful as I would have hoped. So if you are looking for a light and crispy crunchy snack, do give these cracker chips a try. They definitely pack the big potato chip crunch you like, but without all the fat & calories you hate.

Saucy!

So I'm walking through Publix, my favorite local grocery store, doing a bit of shopping. I was in the pasta aisle contemplating making something with red sauce and cheese. And what catches my eye but price tag, not a sauce. A price tag. $5.99 for freaking jar of sauce? You've GOT to be kidding me.

Oh, Mario Batali. That explains it.

But what makes a jar of tomato sauce worth of that kind of price? I'm not a big jarred tomato sauce person, preferring to make my own. But I'm willing to try this stuff to see if it's any good.

The jar claims the following -- no preservatives, no sugar, fresh ingredients, "imported San Marzano tomatoes and slivers of fresh garlic", and "produced in a green facility." Does it taste good?

When I opened the jar it smelled like SpaghettiOs. Um...ew. I hate SpaghettiOs. They really quite gross. Not a good sign.

I boiled some Barilla mini-farfalle pasta in one pan and dump some MB marinara into another pan. Taste. Blah. Yes, blah...as in bland. Add some kosher salt, a little basil and a pinch of Italian seasoning. Better. Acceptable. Poured on the pasta.


I added some grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Helped. I started eating. As far as store bought tomato sauce goes, it's okay. It's not a thick sauce, it's kind of watery. And then, what I feel, the cardinal sin of red sauce has happened -- there are tomato seeds in the sauce! Gross. I hate, hate, hate that! Who wants to bite into a bitter, nasty tomato seed? Fate sealed.

MB, I don't care HOW many television shows you have...your sauce sucks and it's seriously unworthy of any money, let alone $6! You can put all the buzz words on the label but if your product is bland, watery and annoying, no one will buy it.

Paul Newman's sauce is MUCH better. Hell, even my red sauce is better than that.

YummO

Ever heard of Salt Potatoes? If you are from central New York, you not only know about these tasty little morsels, you love them. They are a staple at any cook-out, carnival or summer get-together. Me? I ♥ salt potatoes. Big ♥. You can't get them in the south. You have to make due.

The Syracuse, New York area has a long history of salt production. Salt springs located around Onondaga lake were used to create consumable salt that was distributed throughout the northeast via the Erie Canal. Salinated water was laid out to dry on large trays. The salt residue was then scraped up, ground, and packaged. Salt potatoes were created in the nineteenth century by Irish immigrants working the springs who cooked their potatoes in the salty brine. [See Wikipedia]

When I got my monthly Food Network Magazine this month I paged through the recipes. And what do I see? SYRACUSE scrawled across the top of the page. Food Network had discovered salt potatoes! Hmmmm. Little potatoes slowly cooked in a LOT of salt (which raises the boiling point so it takes much longer to cook) and drenched in butter. They are so creamy and delicious. Yeah, they won't clean our your arteries but they will make you smile.

Want to try them? Here is the recipe from the magazine. Let me know what you think!