If there is one thing I’m picky about, it’s my sandwich preferences. I don’t like certain kinds of meat. I don’t like my sandwiches made with the wrong ingredients. I’m a creature of habit, so I try to avoid change. Still, when you hear about how good the Reuben sandwiches are at Zingerman’s Deli in Ann Arbor, a little change is worth trying…at least once.

Food Network featured the Zingerman’s Reuben on its television show, The Best Of… If you have never seen this show, the premise is the hosts of the show go around the country to find the best of a particular food item. In Ann Arbor, they found the best Reuben, at Zingerman’s Deli. This Reuben features mounds of corn beef, Swiss cheese, freshly baked Jewish Rye Bread, sauerkraut and homemade Russian dressing. I can’t tell you how long I’ve wanted to try one of these sandwiches. They sound absolutely perfect and they’re made in the traditional Reuben way.

So, when I found out Zingerman’s would be offering a Reuben Kit in celebration of Father’s Day, I simply had to try a kit. When I found out that Zingerman’s doesn’t send out sauerkraut, I was apprehensive. In its place is sweet and delicious coleslaw. In all my OCD-ness I was worried about one little change to a traditional sandwich. How would the coleslaw differ from the sauerkraut? Would the sandwich still be as good?

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I remember back in the 80s when there were two main chocolate sandwich cookies from which to choose. You could pick up the Hydrox or the Oreo. Most everyone chose the Oreo and back in 2003 Kellogg’s silently removed Hydrox from the shelves and ended their war with Kraft on the chocolate cookie front. However, when this happened hundreds of people flooded Kellogg’s with emails and complaints. Over 1,000 people signed a petition and over 1,300 people called to complain.

Well Kellogg’s has heard the complaints and today they announced that Hydrox would be coming back for a limited time this summer. I imagine whether they stick around or not will depend on how many people end up buying them. The other reason they decided to bring the cookie back deals with the fact that in 2008 Hydrox turns 100.

From the Kellogg’s Hydrox Press Release:
Originated by the Sunshine Biscuit Company in 1908, Hydrox cookies were reformulated and re-branded in 1999. The consumer campaign to “Bring Back Hydrox” has succeeded in persuading the Kellogg Company, which acquired the brand in 2001, to return Hydrox cookies to stores as a limited 100th anniversary edition.

Limited Edition 100th Anniversary Hydrox® cookies will follow the original, beloved Hydrox recipe, though they will contain 0 grams trans fat. The cookies will be available nationally beginning in late August at the suggested retail price of $3.19 for a 14 oz. package while supplies last.

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DiGiorno recently came out with their new Pizza for One line (look out for some AHC reviews of these soon) and to celebrate they have whipped a contest almost as good as their pizza. If you’re like me (or most everyone else) you’ve found yourself making up an excuse to ditch the party and stay home alone for a relaxing evening of “you” time. If you’ve made up excuses before, you can do it again, and this time it could win you more than you ever thought it would!

Apparently, this new DiGiornio pizza is so delicious you will be thinking of tons of excuses to shy away from the crowd so you can have it all to yourself. In order to become a DiGiornio Ditch Master and win some awesome prizes all you need to do is write in your excuses and tell the folks at DiGiornio what you would do (the lengths you would go) to ditch the crowd.

The best excuses will be posted and public voting will choose the winner.

Enter the Ditchmaster Contest Now!

As far as the juicy details go, the winning Ditch Master will take home some great prizes including a Year’s Supply of DiGornio for One Pizza!

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One of the biggest staples of summer when it comes to food has always been Barbecue. It doesn’t seem to matter where you live. Everyone loves it in some form or fashion. While the method might change from that vinegary spice in the Carolinas to the rich sweetness of Kansas City, barbecue is something that almost anyone can enjoy.

When I was considering my next review I caught a commercial that made me laugh. It was for Bob Evans and their new summertime, barbecue dishes. Rather than calling them BBQ, they went with the name Bob-B-Q (get it?). I was skeptical, of course, so rather than heading out and succumbing to something that is probably less than edible I decided to do some digging about their infamous barbecue to determine if it really is worth it.

The short answer to what I found is a resounding no.

I don’t know what part of the world you are from, but when I hear barbecue, I expect a grill of some sort (charcoal or gas) or a smoker to be involved. Bob Evans apparently does not agree or hold the same fondness for the food that I do. Well, either that or they are just trying to make a quick buck.

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FOOD NETWORK IS CASTING FOR ‘DEAR FOOD NETWORK’ POPULAR HOLIDAY SPECIALS SOLVE VIEWER COOKING QUERIES Submissions on FoodNetwork.com Through July 14

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 27, 2008 – Food Network is casting for the popular Dear Food Network specials set to air this holiday season. Four all new, one-hour programs will feature Food Network fans as they get the chance to have their cooking questions answered face-to-face by their star of choice.

To be considered for Dear Food Network, viewers must upload a unique and entertaining three-minute video to www.foodnetwork.com by Monday, July 14th, sharing their story and explaining why they want a chance to have their cooking problems solved by their favorite Food Network star. Entrants must include their age, location and a humorous testimonial by a family member or friend. The best videos and questions will be considered for inclusion on the show. For additional information, please e-mail foodnetworkseries@gmail.com.

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Recently we have had some emails asking us how we decide to review certain foods. Well, the short answer is we make the decision in two ways that help us to decide what is worth trying and what isn’t. Either way we do our best to offer a thorough, non-biased review about whatever we are trying out.

The first way is about as simple as it comes. We go out (to eat or through buying things at the grocery store) and buy new things to test out. This could mean going to try the latest fare at Applebee’s, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, or Red Robin or it could mean buying the newest frozen pizza on the shelf. Whatever it is, we test it out and give a glowing (or not) review based on our honest feelings.

What do we consider in our reviews for these items?

If the food is restaurant based we look at the presentation first because visual aspects are very important. Additionally, if it’s takeout we take into account the way it is packaged. From there we look at the taste factor and the price. If we are dining in we look at the service of the restaurant, and occasionally the ambiance. If we are bringing it home, we look at how it holds up on the way home and what, if anything needs to be done to it before you can eat.

We rate these things on a scale of one to five for each area and the total is averaged out. Then a number is assigned to the review. One signifies that it’s awful and not worth buying. Five means that the item comes highly recommended.

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I don’t know if you’ve tried Simply Limeade or any of the “Simply” brand of juices, but if you haven’t you really should try them. I started out with the Orange because that’s all they had in the stores here. A few months ago, Apple came out and after trying it, I was hooked. I swear, all I drank was Apple Juice for a week.

Next came the Lemonade and Limeade. I have been switching those on and off as the weather has become warmer. I love the fresh, homemade taste of both, though lately the Limeade has been in my refrigerator more than the Lemonade.

Last night I was making dinner and spied some Cranberry juice next to the Limeade. I’m a huge Cranberry juice lover though Dominick is not as big a fan as I am. He likes it (so he says) though often complains of that strong Cranberry kick that comes with it. So, I decided to put the two together.

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If anyone knows I’m picky it’s Ashtyn. She’s the main person I let cook for me, though she’d say she’s the only one I don’t complain about on a regular basis. Let me just say, the girl has mad skills in the kitchen and she’s quite inventive when it comes to new foods. The only thing is that I’m not very adventurous about trying new things. Needless to say, when she told me she’d be making a special new adaptation on the traditional taco salad most people (myself included) seem to love, I was apprehensive.

It’s not that I don’t think Ash can cook well, because she can. I just heard her list of ingredients and one of them made me nervous. I might be somewhat neurotic because change often scares me, especially when it comes to my very picky stomach. Ash told me we’d be having grilled chicken with Mexican spices added to give it a kick, lettuce, tomatoes, and black olives. So far so good until she mentioned the last ingredient would be her special Taco Salad sauce.

So, I waited with uneasy anticipation as delicious Mexican smelling flavors filled the kitchen. Finally, dinner was served and I was about to take my first bite. With hesitation and skepticism, I took a bite and found out I liked it. It was actually quite good, with every bite covered in Ashtyn’s special sauce. I could make out some of the flavors in the sauce and know it included sour cream, ranch dressing, a splash of salsa, some hot sauce, and I’m sure there were some spices and other stuff she wouldn’t tell me she added. It ended up being spicy chicken that was cooled down by her smooth sour cream-ranch based secret dip.

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How would you like to drink the most delicious of smoothies that only has six calories of fat? You actually lose fat and become more energized by drinking the Tropical Smoothie Café’s Lean Machine. Just 173 calories with Splenda (and 473 with Turbinado) the Lean Machine is the best of the best when it comes to weight loss treats.

Sure, I need to lose weight. I’m a chubby guy in a wheelchair, but I don’t like having to sacrifice taste to do it. Nobody wants to eat cardboard and while I have some willpower, if my food tastes like cardboard I’m not going to want to stay on my diet, nor can I guarantee I’ll be able to stick to it long term. Maybe a few weeks, but that’s my limit.

The Tropical Smoothie Café’s Lean Machine is the first smoothie I tried from the café. I chose it because I like strawberries and bananas. Those are the two main ingredients in the Lean Machine. The smoothie also includes Fat Metabolizer and Energizer. So, you only get six calories of fat and the drink is pretty much free calories of fruity goodness.

The smoothies by the Tropical Smoothie Café use real fruit and they are perfectly blended. While Fat Metabolizer and Energizer come in this particular smoothie, you can order them or one of the other smoothie boosters for a nominal fee in any of the other smoothies you purchase. The worst thing about this smoothie is its price.

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I love wraps. I know most people think wraps are healthy and might not necessarily taste good, but that’s probably one of the biggest misunderstandings about wraps. In my day, I’ve had some really good wraps. The university I attended used to have a wrap shop and I’d get everything from the Buffalo Chicken to the Taco wraps. I just like the flavor and taste of wraps in general. Still, I’m picky about what I like on my wraps, so I’m often impressed when I find a wrap I can eat that I don’t have to personalize.

The Tropical Smoothie Café is quickly becoming one of my favorite restaurants. I love smoothies and I love refreshing summer foods, especially with summer just around the corner. Our first trip to this relatively new restaurant chain in nearby Grand Blanc, MI was one that made me a lover of all things smoothie. Not only did I get a smoothie that was huge, I also got the most delicious wrap I’ve ever tasted.

The King Caesar wrap is made of the absolute finest ingredients. That is what made the wrap so good. I’ve never had lettuce so crisp and delicious. The King Caesar is made up of strips of deliciously tender chicken breast, romaine lettuce, vine-ripe tomatoes, Parmesan cheese and Caesar dressing. These ingredients are wrapped in a garlic herb tortilla. In total, the wrap is 557 calories. If you get this with a Smoothie, you’ll barely be able to eat all of this, so it makes an excellent, reasonable calorie meal.

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