Whenever I visit the deli at my local market and Carol is behind the counter, if I ask for something like smoked turkey Carol will say “You want Boar’s Head? Hands down, Boars Head is the best!”
If I ask for sliced cheese, I’ll get “Hands down Land o’ Lakes American Italian is the best!”
Everything is hands down!
I’m not making fun of her, but her expression seems to have stuck in my craw. I can’t seem to go to the market now without thinking “Hands down, this is the best ice cream/peanut butter/orange juice I’ve had”. So.. I thought I’d share a few here while they’re being consumed.
FYI, no one is paying me to endorse these products… but I wouldn’t object!
1. Hands down, this is the best sloppy joe sauce I’ve ever had
A couple months ago, my market had MANWICH Sloppy Joe Sauce on special, 3 cans for 99 cents. Even though I haven’t eaten Manwich in 30 years, I snapped 3 right up.
Big mistake, it was bland, tasteless & watery. After that first can I put the other 2 on the ‘Free Table’ in my apt building’s package room.
GIA RUSSA Sloppy Joe Sauce is the best. ADD 1 TBLSP BROWN SUGAR & 1 TBLSP MINCED GREEN PEPPER. Hands down it makes the best sloppy joes I’ve ever had.
2. Hands down, these are my favorite french fries—better than most restaurants even
I HATE FROZEN FRENCH FRIES. Ore-Ida, McCain, crinkle-cut, shoestring, zesties… I’ve tried them all. They always taste like heated up frozen french fries.
And then a few months ago I was in frozen foods, and a man was putting a bag of these Red Robin steak fries into his cart. His wife (well, the woman he was with) said “We already have two bags of those at home” and he said “Yeah but the store’s only got two bags left!” He saw me looking and said “I’m obsessed with these fries.”
I decided to grab the remaining bag and am so glad I did. THESE ARE SO GOOD!! Crispy on the outside, smooth & creamy within; they’re lightly seasoned with a mild red-peppery heat.
I’m obsessed with these fries.
3. Hands down, this is the best breakfast cereal on the shelves
I’m not a big breakfast cereal person. My favorite thing to eat in the morning is one egg over easy, toast and some sliced tomatoes.
Still, variety is the spice of life and every once in awhile I like a bowl of cereal splashed with too much milk. For the longest time my go-to was Life cereal—and then a couple months ago I gave this a try. THIS IS NOT YOUR GRANDMOTHER’S SPECIAL K.
Sweet but not too sweet, love the cinammon & there’s lots of pecans (one of only two nuts I can chew with my TMJ). These don’t get soggy either!
4. Hands down, these are the best potato chips out there—for more than one reason too
I know potato chips aren’t the healthiest thing on the planet, but I was forced to give them up a couple years ago after developing severe TMJD.
Even after my jaw mostly healed, any food that’s too salty can cause very painful inflammation that lasts 2-3 days. (Of course, foods with high sodium content wreaks havoc with my high blood pressure too.)
I didn’t even know these EXISTED until 2 months ago. They’re delicious and I’m in saturated potato chip heaven.
I’ve since found & tried a couple other low-sodium brand chips, but they don’t compare to Wise. It’s these or nothing.
5. Hands down, this is my favorite condiment right now
Grab a couple slices of bread, a wedge of lettuce and a couple hunks of roast turkey.
Now spread on a dollop of Duke’s Mayonnaise with Bacon & Tomato. THAT’S ALL YOU NEED FOR A GREAT TURKEY BLT.
And it’s not just me—the manager at my market says he can’t keep this flavored mayo in stock.
Do you have any personal favorites? Let me know.
I love zesty garlic aioli by Westwood Products. I don't use anything else but these mayo. Hands down!
ReplyDeleteHaha! Thanks DJan, that sounds good and I'm adding it to my 'look for' list :^)
DeleteI've heard of wise potato chips, but right now, my husband is hooked on Utz for the same reason that you're hooked on Wise. Thin. Crispy. Not a lot of salt, but enough.
ReplyDeleteI usually have toast for breakfast with my coffee. Hands down, topping your toast with a slice of tomato is the breakfast of champions. Well...the mid sixty age range champions, at least. Okay. Me. It is hands down the best breakfast for me.
For french fries, I have an air fryer. Makes all the difference.
Thanks Debby--this is wild, for years my favorite potato chips were Utz too! I was particularly fond of the dill pickle chips. And I have an air fryer too, it does help with fries but nothing beats those Red Robins 😋😋
DeleteI love Tim's Cascade Chips but they would be way too crunchy for you, and I think they're only local to my area. Special K had a bad reputation as a grandma (or weight loss?) cereal; however I do love pecans, as long as the cinnamon isn't too strong. Like you, I'm generally not a breakfast cereal person and much prefer eggs. Those fries look intriguing! I wonder if we have them in our stores.
ReplyDeleteI never heard of those chips Margaret, but I can handle crunch! (Just nothing too chewy or salty). And I would definitely not classify the 'new' Special K as a weight loss cereal, but I dearly love it. If you find those Red Robins, let me know :^)
DeleteI don't believe Special K was ever meant as a weight loss cereal. its focus was the high fibre content, something sadly lacking in many, many diets when it was first introduced. These days more people are aware of the need for fibre, so original Special K has had to tweak its recipes or languish on the shelf.
DeleteI will look for those Red Robins steak fries. I have been using Ore-ida and they are OK, but would like to try those... may be too spicy for me, but the boys will probably like them. We really like Kettle Brand Krinkle-cut Salt and fresh ground Pepper chips (Hands down!) - but they may not be OK for your TMJ. And I also may try that Duke's with bacon and tomato (although I've not seen that on our shelves). We tend to look for Blue Plate Mayo (from N.O.).
ReplyDeleteRian, great comment thank you--I'm enjoying this more than I thought I would. :^) I think you're right about those kettle chips being too much for me, but I'm curious about that Blue Plate Mayo. And yes those Red Robins aren't too seasoned, just enough to be very tasty! Let me know if you find them. :^)
DeleteIf those chips are that good I'll have to pass. I get the Pringles lightly salted mainly they don't taste all that good so I am not at all tempted to over indulge. That bacon flavored mayo does sound good though. Will check around for that.
ReplyDeletePatti my friend, you just made me chuckle--now I have to try those lightly salted Pringles! (But yes, the Wise chips are SO good!) The bacon & tomato mayo--it tastes like the real deal (I don't like phony stuff). I hope you find it. :^)
DeleteHi Doug, first off I loved the Hands Down game as a kid. I think us kids went through two of them as we broke the first one!
ReplyDeleteYou have such different products in the States than we do here in Canada. The only one I recognize is the Special K.
I am a cereal in the morning kinda gal and have eaten Natures Path Heritage Flakes for the last few years. Healthy and terribly boring. I toss a few raisins in to jazz it up a bit.
I generally make my own fries with potatoes from our garden. Oven baked and again healthy and boring.
Enjoy your weekend.❤️
Robin
Hi Robin, I was hoping to hear from you as I knew I'd get your Canadian perspective. I don't know why, but I thought for sure Red Robin was like Tim Hortons--yours! :^) Anyway, no yours isn't boring! I wish I could grow my own fries, haha! Thank you my friend, I hope you're enjoying your weekend too. :)
DeleteWith the exception of the Special K cereal, none of those brands are available in my area of Canada. I'm an egg person for breakfast too, though I tend to make a one egg omelette with tomato (or red pepper) and green onion, and Mrs. Dash garlic/herb seasoning, topped with shredded cheese on a toasted everything bagel. Yum!
ReplyDeleteMaebeme, thank you for your comment here and I'm surprised, I either didn't know or somehow forgot you were Canadian! Well, I'm sure you folks eat better than us Americans (except for the cheese curds and gravy which I'm dying to try) but your breakfast bagel sounds pretty yummy. I am getting some Mrs Dash (we have that here too) and making your b'fast for sure. :^)
DeletePotato chips: Sam's Club Boulder Canyon (Olive oil/sea salt), Cereal: Special K (but with strawberries)
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen those other products here in Hawaii but I looked up the sloppy joes mix and see that Walmart is supposed to sell it. (Darn! I just checked Walmart and none of the stores on the island sell it.)
Kay, you know who has a great sloppy Joe recipe on the internet--the Pioneer Woman! I used to make it all the time before I found the stuff above 😋
DeleteOops! I should tell you that the Boulder Canyon is rather crunchy.
ReplyDeleteThey sound tasty but probably too salty for me! 🙂
DeleteI’ve never heard of any of the products either except the Special K which sounds good. I love baked Cheetos. But I’ve had trouble finding them in stores, so I looked on Amazon and bought a case of individual bags of “ Simply” Cheetos, cheese puffs and Doritos. They are organic, natural, etc and yellow! No red dye I guess. I am hooked, but have to remember they are for the grandchildren, lol. Joyce in Fl
ReplyDeleteThanks Joyce, I just assumed all these products were national--but had my doubts about the Wise chips. Hey I just looked up your baked Cheetos and wow, 50% less fat! I have a sudden craving for baked Cheetos and may have to try them out. And I'm glad you're not saving them all for the grandchildren, haha. :^)
DeleteThe Cheetos are crunchy, but the simply puffs are soft and fluffy. I like seeing what others have in their areas so thanks for sharing! Joyce
DeleteWell hands up, we don't seem to have those brands in Kansas. Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteYou've got Linda in Kansas, that's a pretty popular brand! 😉👍
DeleteWhere did the "Hands Down" expression originate? It annoys me when I hear it too often. I always thought mayonnaise was supposed to enhance the other flavours, so having it flavoured seems a bit wrong to me, but it does save you having to buy and cook the bacon, so it's probably a good thing.
ReplyDeleteRiver, the expression comes from horse racing. When a jockey was certain his horse had won, he could relax his hands. As for the flavored mayo, you're exactly right! 🙂
DeleteI'm doing a grocery run this morning but won't expect to see any of your favourite brands except for Special K on our canadian shelves. My addiction is Plant-Based Smart Bacon by Lightlife for BLT lunches. (Now I've got the 'hands down' phrase running around my brain.)
ReplyDeleteBut Florence, with this mayo you can avoid that planty bacon! I'm just kidding, good for you my vegan friend. 🙂🌻🐝
DeleteActually, that thought did occur, Doug. But then I'd miss that oh so satisfying faux bacon crunch. If your bacon flavoured mayo makes it this far north, I'll give it a try! (I'm still making lemon mug cake thanks to your tip.) 🙂🌻🐝
DeleteHaha good point Florence, and that's awesome about the lemon mug cake! Hey I'm sorry your comment didn't appear right away, I had my blog set up so comments aren't automatically posted after 24 hours because of spam. 🙂
DeleteHmmm, some of these are new to me. I eat Kellogg's raisin bran in the morning with my hands-down favorite Nescafe Taster's Choice instant coffee. BTW, I don't know ANYONE else who likes Taster's Choice coffee.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tom--well, if one of my sisters was reading this, they'd tell you that there was one other person out there who drank Taster's Choice instant coffee daily--our dad 🙂☕👍👍
DeleteI like my blackened seasoning. Blackened salmon is a favorite. Recipe: Heat EVOO in a frying pan, place 1/2 pound pieces of center cut salmon (skin down) on hot oil. Sprinkle the seasoning on the salmon. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes. Flip the salmon. Cook another 2-3 minutes. (Make a small cut in to the salmon to be sure it is fully and evenly cooked.) The more seasonings you sprinkle on the salmon the stronger the flavor and heat will be. Cajun seasonings provide another very good spicy salmon meal.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds delicious Susan, thanks for sharing. I wrote on an earlier post a couple months ago I was looking for new ways to cook fish and this sounds like something doable. 🙂👍
DeleteI never heard of these brands, but David does the shopping. They all sound great. You're making my mouth water. As for potato chips, I am fond of Lay's Kettle Chips (original). Yum!
ReplyDeleteI used to love Lay's Kettle chips, maybe someday... and must be nice having a personal shopper, Gigi :^)
DeleteWe don’t have any of those brands in Oz, okay we do have Kellogg’s Special K, but I don’t know if we have Cinnamon & Pecan. The only cereal I bother with, and that’s very rarely, is Corn Flakes (with a banana sliced on top).
ReplyDeleteI’ve heard of Sloppy Joes in books and the like, but we don’t do them. We might have something similar but I wouldn’t know, I’ve never had a Sloppy Joe, even in my many visits to your country.
We do have frozen French Fries (called chips here) but I don’t buy them. I prepare my own from scratch.
We have lightly salted chips (called chips here) but it’s been years since I’ve eaten any.
I buy my mayo from the Japanese store – I prefer it to the regular ones, or even the imported European ones.
I do have personal favorites of other things but I suspect you wouldn’t recognise them (as I didn’t with yours).
Hmm! This was an interesting read, thank you for taking the time to share that Peter. Well, I don't know how you feel about minced beef (I feel funny saying that we call it ground beef here) but if you googled Pioneer woman and sloppy joe, she has one of the best recipes I've ever made. I used to make hers before discovering the Gia Russia sauce. PS I've heard that too about Japanese Mayo, I'm anxious to find it and try it myself. 🙂
DeleteSeveral of my recipes start with minced beef (and onion).
DeleteOne of the best is with minced lamb (which we can usually get – you know about Aussies and lamb), but beef works okay too.
A small onion, about 150 grams (whatever that is in your weights) of lamb mince. Ensure the mince is separated (I use a wooden spoon to mash it all up as it’s cooking).
Add Hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce.
Meanwhile, I’ve steamed some green beans (these days I’ll add a few snow peas, perhaps some spring onions).
Beans (etc) on a plate, the mince on top.
Voilà, Mongolian Beans. There are no exact measurements, I make it up each time, and it seems to work whatever I do.
Peter I've never cooked with lamb but there's a first time for everything! Thanks for sharing, sir. 🙂👍
DeleteThis is great! I don't think we can find Duke's around here (30 miles from Kansas City). Or maybe I need to grocery shop someplace besides Walmart. I have seen Duke's mentioned on several blogs and it seems to be a big favorite. I'll be trying some of your "hands down best" products.
ReplyDeleteThanks Donna! I was just telling a friend that even if you can't find this specialty Duke's product, their mayonnaise is really good too. I hope you're able to score some!
DeleteGia Russa sloppy joe is the best I've ever had, just a bit of brown sugar 👍
ReplyDelete