Octopus Overlords

The last of them around here shut down maybe a year ago. We had four in close proximity and that whittled down to one over the last decade. They're still in the grocer frozen aisle and still make a comparatively fine frozen meal. One of the only two I "like". Them and Marie Calendar.

LordMortis wrote: Mon Jul 08, 2024 11:55 am The last of them around here shut down maybe a year ago. We had four in close proximity and that whittled down to one over the last decade. They're still in the grocer frozen aisle and still make a comparatively fine frozen meal. One of the only two I "like". Them and Marie Calendar.

I get their Chicken Parm when they're on bogo. I doctor them up with a slice of cheese, extra sauce, & some shaker parm. I get the Marie pot pies when they're on bogo, those I don't doctor up at all.

I wish Id tried KRR's...I love rotisserie chicken.

em2nought wrote: Mon Jul 08, 2024 12:04 pm

LordMortis wrote: Mon Jul 08, 2024 11:55 am The last of them around here shut down maybe a year ago. We had four in close proximity and that whittled down to one over the last decade. They're still in the grocer frozen aisle and still make a comparatively fine frozen meal. One of the only two I "like". Them and Marie Calendar.

I get their Chicken Parm when they're on bogo. I doctor them up with a slice of cheese, extra sauce, & some shaker parm. I get the Marie pot pies when they're on bogo, those I don't doctor up at all.

They don't do BOGO around here. They used to go down to about $2 a pie or meal fairly regularly. Now it's about every other month 5 for $10 (meaning you have to buy at least 5) and my freezer rarely has room to let five frozen meals sit. Especially when I can still occasionally get a reasonable frozen pizza for $2.99 in the form of a Freschetta or barring that Red Barrons or barring that I'll even sometimes get a Jack's. Freschetta Supreme Rising Crust for three bucks is some good eatin'.

LordMortis wrote: Mon Jul 08, 2024 12:46 pm

em2nought wrote: Mon Jul 08, 2024 12:04 pm

LordMortis wrote: Mon Jul 08, 2024 11:55 am The last of them around here shut down maybe a year ago. We had four in close proximity and that whittled down to one over the last decade. They're still in the grocer frozen aisle and still make a comparatively fine frozen meal. One of the only two I "like". Them and Marie Calendar.

I get their Chicken Parm when they're on bogo.

Now it's about every other month 5 for $10 (meaning you have to buy at least 5) and my freezer rarely has room to let five frozen meals sit.

Have you actually asked them if you have to buy five? Whether they make you buy the entire five varies from store to store and chain to chain. For example when my sister's Publix has BOGO they sell her one at half price instead of making her buy two. Mine, I have to get both to get the bogo.

It's states on the sale something along the lines of quantities of less than 5 at $x.xx. I'm a sale shopper and I've been burned enough times by not reading the fine print on all of these eCoupons and app driven loyalty discounts that I rarely get burned anymore. I also review my receipt before I leave the store. On the rare occasion I don't, I still seem to get burned too often. Just two weeks ago Lee's forgot two sides. I swear to Pancake I've become Leo Getz when I wasn't looking.

Our Boston Market shut down ages ago. I wasn't surprised -- whenever we went in there the staff were like "OMG somebody's ordering food! What do we do???"

McDonalds was always the worst at messing up the drive through order followed by Captain D's. Get home and it was buggard

Daehawk wrote: Mon Jul 08, 2024 1:45 pm McDonalds was always the worst at messing up the drive through order followed by Captain D's. Get home and it was buggard

I've stopped waiting in the stalls at Sonic because you'll be sitting there 30 minutes while your food sits on the counter inside the store for 20 minutes waiting for somebody to make somebody else take the orders out to the stalls. Now I go in after making the order in the app!

I even considered volunteering to take the other orders out to the stalls for them.

Theres no going in our Sonics around here.

Daehawk wrote: Mon Jul 08, 2024 5:50 pm Theres no going in our Sonics around here.

My Sonic used to be a Taco Bell. I can imagine them shutting down the entire lobby as I've never seen more than one table of guests seated in there eating.

Wendy's has saucy chicken nuggets so I gave them a try. I had the spicy Buffalo sauce version which is the second spiciest choice. Just OK although it did have a nice kick but myself and I am sure most people want a crispy nugget and not one drenched in sauce. It also came with a "blue cheese" dipping sauce which was bad. I would describe it as blue cheese for people that are intimidated by blue cheese.

Blue cheese has mold in it.

The other choice was ranch .

Daehawk wrote: Mon Jul 01, 2024 9:53 pm Looks like KFC is testing a new Chicken Quesadilla at select locations. I want one!

Here's something new to try that I just came up with and it's cheap too. Applebee's clone veggie patch pizza but made in a flour burrito tortilla in a pan and then folded over. A pizzadilla. Tasted really yummy. Two teaspoons of butter melted in a large pan, then place the tortilla in there push it down swirl it around get it all buttered up, turn the heat down to middle something, place a thin layer of cheese on half the tortilla, use the lid to get it melting, put some pre-heated creamed spinach on there and some salsa, then some mushrooms and sliced black olives, another thin layer of cheese then fold the shell over, spin it around to gather up that butter, and press down on the thing with your spatula, flip it over and press down with your spatula again. If it's the level of golden that you want then remove it or flip it again to make it as golden as you want on both sides. Cut it into triangles and shake some parm on it. Eat! Mine was delicious, way better than any frozen pizza I've ever bought. I think you can make one for about a $1. I'll get at least 4 pizzadillas from a can of olives, a can of mushrooms, and one pack of creamed spinach. Plenty of tortillas, salsa, cheese, and butter left over to make even more of them. So good I had to eat two.

Went to KFC to get the new quesadilla.
Ordered it through kiosk and then while we were waiting the guy at the counter comes back and says they were discontinued the day before. Apparently they pulled them from the registers but not from the kiosk.
To make matters worse the 2 systems do not talk to each other so there was no way to process a refund.
The manager had to call her DM who talked her through a workaround. Was a huge pain.
I did try their new apple poppers though and they were good.

Punisher wrote: Wed Jul 10, 2024 10:51 pm To make matters worse the 2 systems do not talk to each other so there was no way to process a refund.

How is that your problem? The manager doesn't have the ability to just give you money or credit a card? Wow.

Do any places still use those drive thru menu speakers from other states? Like a McDonalds in TN has someone that takes your order from Kansas? I never thought those were a good idea.

LordMortis wrote: Thu Jul 11, 2024 6:49 am

Punisher wrote: Wed Jul 10, 2024 10:51 pm To make matters worse the 2 systems do not talk to each other so there was no way to process a refund.

How is that your problem? The manager doesn't have the ability to just give you money or credit a card? Wow.

That's what I told my wife. What's really odd is that the systems don't talk to each other to get a refund but her computer in the back was able to look it up.
Her solution was call my bank and cancel the order with a chargeback or she could give me other food instead.
After my bank said I'd have to wait a few days for it to fully process I decided to just get food instead. So I gave the new order to the cashier and he went to get the manager to proceed and she turns around and says that she can't give me an exchange because she has no way of knowing if I'll do the chargeback later. I asked her why she offered in the first place and I got a dumbfounded look.
That's when I insisted that she find a way because how did I know that she wouldn't fight the chargeback when it got processed.
That's when she called the DM and got it sorted.
The whole time, my wife and I were discussing the refund situation. We've both worked retail and there has always been a way to do refunds. Either through the register as a manual refund or worst case scenario through petty cash.

How does she know that any customer who pays with a card inside or drive thru won't cancel the charge later?

Daehawk wrote: Fri Jul 12, 2024 2:26 am How does she know that any customer who pays with a card inside or drive thru won't cancel the charge later?

Exactly!
I wouldn't have been as upset if she wasn't the one who suggested an exchange of food in the 1st place.

Today is Manwich day! I got some fresh 80/20 ground beef and some Manwich BOLD to mix in and of course buns.

I also pricked up some fresh sliced deli roast beef and some Inglehoffer Cream Style Horseradish to make sandwiches in the coming week or weekend now I guess.

Never had Inglehoffer before..usually Im a Kraft guy. But Walmart no longer sells Kraft online it seems so had to go with what looked good. Hope it is good.

Daehawk wrote: Thu Jul 18, 2024 11:07 am Never had Inglehoffer before..usually Im a Kraft guy. But Walmart no longer sells Kraft online it seems so had to go with what looked good. Hope it is good.

Inglehoffer Sweet Hot Mustard is some good stuff. Makes me pucker when I eat it.

Do not buy Walmarts house brand Prima Della roast beef. It has NO flavor. Nothing. None at all. In fact its like the black hole of flavor. It has so little in fact it will suck any you have on your taste buds away. Their brand garlic and herb chicken is excellent. But the roast beef is like putting leather in your mouth..not that tough but tasteless. In fact leather would have a taste. Its like I know I put something in my mouth I can feel it but zero taste.

And the worst part is Walmart quit carrying any other brands of fresh deli meat when they started carrying their own brand. No Boars Head no nothing.

Daehawk wrote: Tue Jul 23, 2024 10:56 am And the worst part is Walmart quit carrying any other brands of fresh deli meat when they started carrying their own brand. No Boars Head no nothing.

Your posts had me wanting to eat some cheap stuff. I tried some Bologna: Aldi's is terrible & slimy, but the Bar S made with chicken at Walmart isn't too bad. Tried some Great Value generic bacon flavored spam too. Not a fan.

I've had pastrami that was marked down from Walmart less than a year ago. Don't know if it was their brand or not, but I thought it was pretty good.

Lord help me, I love a refrigerated glass jar of liquid nacho cheese "queso dip" and tortilla chips as a delivery mechanism for said liquid cheeselike product. Got a jar of Pace Salsa Con Queso Dip for a buck a couple of weeks go and finally could warrant eating from it this week. Even as I only get a couple table spoons and a dozen chips a day, for a buck, I totally wish I bought 10 jars.

LordMortis wrote: Tue Jul 23, 2024 12:09 pm Lord help me, I love a refrigerated glass jar of liquid nacho cheese "queso dip" and tortilla chips as a delivery mechanism for said liquid cheeselike product. Got a jar of Pace Salsa Con Queso Dip for a buck a couple of weeks go and finally could warrant eating from it this week. Even as I only get a couple table spoons and a dozen chips a day, for a buck, I totally wish I bought 10 jars.

I've been snacking on a spoonful of salsa occasionally, and now I know what I forgot at Aldi this morning.

I got canned cheese. Not had it in a while. Me and the wife loved it. I got by and get a mouth full when im in the kitchen.

I've had pastrami that was marked down from Walmart less than a year ago. Don't know if it was their brand or not, but I thought it was pretty good.

I love pastrami but since Im limited to food from walmart Ive been afraid to branch out after that roast beef. If I hadn't tried the chicken first id not have bought ti either but it turned out great so maybe pastrami there is ok.

LordMortis wrote: Tue Jul 23, 2024 12:09 pm Lord help me, I love a refrigerated glass jar of liquid nacho cheese "queso dip" and tortilla chips as a delivery mechanism for said liquid cheeselike product. Got a jar of Pace Salsa Con Queso Dip for a buck a couple of weeks go and finally could warrant eating from it this week. Even as I only get a couple table spoons and a dozen chips a day, for a buck, I totally wish I bought 10 jars.

We started making our own queso. I'm not great about making an exact recipe and following it, so it tends to vary a bit. But at least I know what is in it.

The drawback is that you are likely to eat more of it than you currently do.

But it is pretty easy to make. I would suggest a double boiler, though.

TheMix wrote: Tue Jul 23, 2024 12:28 pm

LordMortis wrote: Tue Jul 23, 2024 12:09 pm Lord help me, I love a refrigerated glass jar of liquid nacho cheese "queso dip" and tortilla chips as a delivery mechanism for said liquid cheeselike product. Got a jar of Pace Salsa Con Queso Dip for a buck a couple of weeks go and finally could warrant eating from it this week. Even as I only get a couple table spoons and a dozen chips a day, for a buck, I totally wish I bought 10 jars.

We started making our own queso. I'm not great about making an exact recipe and following it, so it tends to vary a bit. But at least I know what is in it.

The drawback is that you are likely to eat more of it than you currently do.

But it is pretty easy to make. I would suggest a double boiler, though.

Not sure if I should ask for recipe or not.

LordMortis wrote: Tue Jul 23, 2024 12:30 pm

TheMix wrote: Tue Jul 23, 2024 12:28 pm

LordMortis wrote: Tue Jul 23, 2024 12:09 pm Lord help me, I love a refrigerated glass jar of liquid nacho cheese "queso dip" and tortilla chips as a delivery mechanism for said liquid cheeselike product. Got a jar of Pace Salsa Con Queso Dip for a buck a couple of weeks go and finally could warrant eating from it this week. Even as I only get a couple table spoons and a dozen chips a day, for a buck, I totally wish I bought 10 jars.

We started making our own queso. I'm not great about making an exact recipe and following it, so it tends to vary a bit. But at least I know what is in it.

The drawback is that you are likely to eat more of it than you currently do.

But it is pretty easy to make. I would suggest a double boiler, though.

Not sure if I should ask for recipe or not.

The main thing is to get a rue going. I just put in some butter (a tablespoon or less) and, once it melts, a roughly equal amount of flour. Stir and then add milk. Once it warms a bit (and ideally thickens some - though if it gets too thick, you likely need more milk), I add grated/chunked cheese. Tends to be whatever is around. Lately it's usually a blend of medium cheddar (I like the orange for color ) and some pepper jack. I usually add some salsa/hot sauce to it once everything has melted.

Also, we got some of this to add:
https://www.amazon.com/Judees-Sodium-Ci ... B00PKHAQDY

It helps a lot with reheating. It prevents the oil from separating out. Though it does mean that your cheese might get pretty "plastic-y" if you add too much. I think you'd definitely want this. It would allow you to better reheat small amounts.

After that it's just a matter of playing around to find out what works.

I don't know why but making a rue is like the hardest thing for me do in cooking. I'm going to put this in my notepad o recipe notes though as I always have cheese on hand because

The cheat code for making a roux (well, a bechamel, which is what happens to a roux when you add milk) is to get the milk hot first. I have it warming in a separate saucepan while i melt the butter and cook the flour. Adding the hot milk a bit at a time helps to prevent lumps.

ImLawBoy wrote: Tue Jul 23, 2024 1:12 pm The cheat code for making a roux (well, a bechamel, which is what happens to a roux when you add milk) is to get the milk hot first. I have it warming in a separate saucepan while i melt the butter and cook the flour. Adding the hot milk a bit at a time helps to prevent lumps.

Oh? Hmmm... I'll have to try that. I have noticed that sometimes it all thickens up; and other times it seems like the milk doesn't mix.

I'm sure French chefs would scoff at me for having to heat the milk first instead of slowly whisking in cold milk like a professional, but let's face it - they're going to scoff at me for something anyway.

FWIW, I learned this trick first from a Fannie Farmer cookbook I bought when I was in law school 30 years ago.

Did my 6 month visit to Chick-fil-la to try the maple bacon, pepper, grilled chicken sandwich that is being heavily pushed in advertising. It was terrible. No seasoning, the bacon is below average fast food bacon, and they forgot anything pepper or spicy. I will be back in 6 months after I forget how underwhelming the food is going to be.

Maybe they'll have a sandwich with a longer name.

mori wrote: Tue Jul 23, 2024 10:39 pm Did my 6 month visit to Chick-fil-la to try the maple bacon, pepper, grilled chicken sandwich that is being heavily pushed in advertising. It was terrible. No seasoning, the bacon is below average fast food bacon, and they forgot anything pepper or spicy. I will be back in 6 months after I forget how underwhelming the food is going to be.

Why even go there that often? Profits from your purchase are funneled into anti-LGBT hate groups...that company is a pariah.

Jeff V wrote: Tue Jul 23, 2024 10:59 pm

mori wrote: Tue Jul 23, 2024 10:39 pm Did my 6 month visit to Chick-fil-la to try the maple bacon, pepper, grilled chicken sandwich that is being heavily pushed in advertising. It was terrible. No seasoning, the bacon is below average fast food bacon, and they forgot anything pepper or spicy. I will be back in 6 months after I forget how underwhelming the food is going to be.

Why even go there that often? Profits from your purchase are funneled into anti-LGBT hate groups...that company is a pariah.

Wrong forum.

I love Chik-fil-A but Popeye's has a better chicken sandwich IMO. I changed and started going there instead of CFA when I needed a chicken sandwich fix. However, I've changed back to CFA. Popeye's has an app with rewards, but the rewards are determined by the franchisees, and so the rewards at my local Popeye's are crap. So my points are useless. So now I am back to CFA where my patronage is appreciated.

I also love Bojangles, especially their breakfast biscuits. But their app is crap. They used to but no longer give rewards, and on top of that, they charge a $0.50 fee to place an order using the app! WTF!? So I just ignore the app and place orders at the counter or drive through.