The Impulsive Buy

PRIZE DRAWING: Because Denny’s Baconalia Is Back!

March 14, 2013December 24, 2020 Marvo 155 Comments

Two years ago, Denny’s celebrated Baconalia by rolling out a line of bacon-heavy dishes, like Pepper Bacon & Eggs, the Ultimate Bacon Breakfast, the Spicy Pepper Bacon Jack Burger, and the Maple Bacon Sundae.

Last year, there wasn’t a Denny’s Baconalia celebration. I don’t know why, but my guess is that the previous Baconalia celebration caused the swine population to dwindle to the brink of extinction.

This year, Baconalia is back and Denny’s has not only brought back a few entrees from their previous celebration, but they’ve also introduced a pig’s worth of new bacon menu items.

Caramel Bacon Stuffed French Toast

Caramel Bacon Stuffed French Toast

A sweet and savory layer of bacon white chocolate spread between two thick slice of French toast, all of which is topped with caramel sauce and diced bacon. It’s served with two eggs, two hickory-smoked bacon strips, and warm syrup.

Pepper Bacon Avocado Omelette

Pepper Bacon Avocado Omelette

A three-egg omelet with diced pepper bacon, fresh avocado, fire-roasted peppers and onions, mushrooms, American cheese, and pico de gallo. It’s served with hash browns and your choice of bread.

Ultimate BLT

Ultimate BLT

Four strips of pepper bacon, spring mix vegetables, tomatoes, fresh avocado, and a creamy pepper spread between toasted sourdough bread. It’s served with a side of wavy-cut French fries.

Bacon Pepper Jack Tilapia

Bacon Pepper Jack Tilapia

Grilled seasoned tilapia topped with sautéed spinach, diced bacon, and pico de gallo. Smothered with a Pepper Jack cheese sauce and served with your choice of two sides and dinner bread.

BBQ Bacon Mac ‘n Cheese Bites

BBQ Bacon Mac n Cheese Bites

Six golden brown fried macaroni and cheese bites with bits of bacon. Served with BBQ sauce and a side of warm Pepper Jack cheese sauce topped with bacon.

Bacon Cheddar Red-Skinned Potatoes

Bacon Cheddar Red Skinned Potatoes Side Choice

Seasoned red-skinned potatoes topped with Cheddar cheese and diced bacon. Available as a side choice.

Maple Bacon Milk Shake

Maple Bacon Milkshake

Hand-dipped milk shake blended with premium vanilla ice cream, maple-flavored syrup, diced bacon, and topped with whipped cream.

Salted Caramel Brownie Sundae with Bacon

Salted Caramel Brownie Bacon Sundae COMPRESSED

A warm salted caramel brownie topped with premium vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce, and diced bacon.

(NOTE: All images courtesy of Denny’s.)

Our friends over at Grub Grade and Foodbeast tried the new dishes. So click those links to help you figure out what dishes you might want to try if you win a $20 Denny’s gift card from us.

Whaaa?

Yup. Thanks to the nice folks at Denny’s, The Impulsive Buy is giving away, not one, but two $20 Denny’s gift cards.

To enter The Impulsive Buy’s Celebrate Baconalia With A $20 Denny’s Gift Card Drawing, leave a comment with THIS post. You can say whatever you want in your comment, but it must include the word “bacon” twice.

Please don’t forget to fill out the email field because we’ll be emailing the randomly selected winners for their mailing addresses. The Impulsive Buy will stop accepting entries on Wednesday, March 20, 2013 11:59 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time. Only one comment allowed per person, and it’s only open to U.S. residents 18 years old or older.

For those of you who have a Twitter account, you can get an additional entry by tweeting the following by Wednesday, March 20, 2013 11:59 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time:

Hey, @theimpulsivebuy! I want to throw bacon bits into the air like it’s confetti to celebrate #baconalia!

So just copy, paste, and tweet. Only one tweet per Twitter account.

Good luck!

Fine Print: The Impulsive Buy promises your email address will not be used to forward you Macy’s coupons. Impulsive Buy also promises your mailing address will not be used to send you Macy’s coupons. Bribes will not be accepted. The Impulsive Buy will not be responsible for lost mail, damaged mail, or Macy’s coupons.

SPOTTED ON SHELVES – 3/13/2013

March 13, 2013December 24, 2020 Marvo 4 Comments

Here are some interesting new and limited edition products found on store shelves by us and your fellow readers.

Limited Edition 3 Musketeer Marshmallow Minis are back! Fill your plastic eggs with them! Or fill your mouth with them! Here’s a review and another review. (Spotted by Linda at Walmart.)

These new Weight Watchers frozen treats will help you watch your weight, but who’s going to watch me to make sure I don’t eat a whole box in one sitting. (Spotted by Adam at Weis Markets.)

French toast? How about Goldfish crackers that taste like goldfish, Pepperidge Farm! (Spotted by Linda at Safeway.)

My teeth would like to thank Stacy’s for finally making thinner pita chips. (Spotted by Marvo at Safeway.)

If only the original Quakers could see these Popped Chips, they would probably say, “What is this sorcery before me? Is this the devil’s food? Remove thy foul food in front of me.” Yes, I have no idea how Quakers talked back then. (Spotted by Charmi at Foodland.)

Don’t know what kefir is? Join the club. Here’s a Wikipedia entry. Don’t want to read about kefir? Join the club. (Spotted by Kelcey at Path Mark.)

Thank you to all the photo contributors! If you’re out shopping and see an interesting new or limited edition product on the shelf (or really unusual), snap a picture of it, and send us an email ([email protected]) with where you found it and “Spotted” in the subject line. If you do so, you might see your picture in our next Spotted on Shelves post.

REVIEW: White Chocolate Carrot Cake M&M’s

March 13, 2013August 14, 2023 Margaret 23 Comments

Click here to buy M&M’s White Chocolate Carrot Cake from Amazon

Back in the good ol’ medieval days, when the world used catapults and ate turkey legs the size of canoe paddles, some hungry, conquering genius gathered a bunch of leftovers and root vegetables, shoved them in the oven, and called it a recipe. Thus, the lumpy, bumpy carrot cake was born.

Now, for those yet to be familiarized, a carrot cake is a spice cake that had dashed dreams of being a fruit cake: it’s fluffy cake crammed with all sorts of this-n-that’s (raisins, carrots, maybe some pineapple) and topped with a honking slather of buttercream or cream cheese frosting. Its warm spices have been known to carve a soft spot in the calloused hearts of one-eyed sailors and, when placed before me, it disappears.

Unfortunately, I’m no baker, so when I heard the folks at Mars were serving up that experience in a lentil-shaped white chocolate confection, I sped, tight-knuckled, pedal-to-the-floor, to the nearest Walmart to dig them from their hiding spot in the dusty display case.

These are pudgy ovoids, notably bigger than a regular M&M. If you’ve had the white chocolate limited edition, you have a feel of what we’re dealing with here: they’re a smidge wider in diameter than milk chocolate M&M’s and have a rounder belly.

See? They’re huge.

The colors come in a trio of light orange, green, and beige, which not only stays with the theme of “carrot colors” but also reinforces my inner belief that all good things come in threes, and it’s always nice to have my inner beliefs spontaneously reinforced.

Like its white chocolate cousin, these sweet bits have a thicker shell, adding a crunch before the white chocolate filling, which is soft, sweet, milky, and melts as fast as the memories of those poems I had to recite back in high school (“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood…” [she shudders])

One of the biggest problems I’ve faced in white chocolate M&Ms of the past is that, due to all that sweetness, it’s hard to eat more than a handful without passing out cold on the floor from a belligerent sugar rush to my frontal lobe. I celebrate with such gluttonous joy to find that these are far easier to eat. These start off sweet and, while there are no visible spices, there is a certain cinnamon/nutmeg-ish vibe that comes in the middle to contrast with the white chocolate, encouraging a higher ratio of consumption. They may give me a root canal, but I don’t care. That yoga teacher I took classes from three years ago told me to stay in the present, so I shall enjoy these right now…

And now…

In the end, eating these makes me want to do something good for the world. Like adopt a rescued guinea pig. Or educate elementary school kids about the importance of their credit score. Or pay those library fees I’ve neglected for four years. These are a solid rendition of a seasonal offering: creative enough to be pushing the boundaries, but familiar enough to inspire mouth-shoving tendencies. What’s even more exciting is that Mars took a risk and it paid off. The only downside is that I’m running out of them…and fast.

(Nutrition Facts – 1.5 oz. (about 1/4 cup) – 220 calories, 100 calories from fat, 11 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 40 milligrams of sodium, 0 milligrams of potassium, 29 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 28 grams of sugars, and 2 grams of protein.)

Item: White Chocolate Carrot Cake M&M’s
Purchased Price: $2.88
Size: 9.9 oz. bag
Purchased at: Walmart*
Rating: 9 out of 10
Pros: Bigger than the average M&M. Smooth melt. Crunchy shell. Spice taste balances white chocolate. Spontaneous reinforcement of inner beliefs. Rescued guinea pigs.
Cons: Never enough in the bag. Limited time. Only available at Walmart. Poobahs. Poems memorized in high school. Disco-ball-related accidents.

*If there’s a miff I have with these, it’s how hard they are to find. They’re available at “select” Walmarts only, which may or may not involve a fill up of your gas tank (a tragedy within itself)

REVIEW LIGHTNING ROUND (FAST FOOD FISH SANDWICH EDITION) – 3/12/2013

March 12, 2013April 30, 2021 Marvo 12 Comments

Here are some quick reviews of fast food fish sandwiches we’re too lazy to write full reviews for:

Item: McDonald’s Filet-o-Fish
Purchased Price: $2.99
Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: Adorable wittle sandwich. Decent fish flavor. Soft bun. Topped with a lot of tartar sauce. Fish comes from suppliers with sustainable fishing practices.
Cons: Cheese just added orange color. Tartar sauce could use a bit more tang. Exterior not crunchy. Adorable, but wittle.

Item: Jack in the Box Fish Sandwich
Purchased Price: $3.99
Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: At times it tasted like a McChicken Sandwich. Crispy exterior. Decent tartar sauce.
Cons: At times it tasted like a McChicken Sandwich. Needs a better name. Could’ve used more tartar sauce. Shredded lettuce falling out. Dry innards. Basic bun.

Item: Burger King Premium Alaskan Fish Sandwich
Purchased Price: $3.99
Rating: 5 out of 10
Pros: Nice crunchy exterior. Premium bun makes it look taller. Thicker fillet than other fast food fish sandwiches.
Cons: Filet has a weak fish flavor. Slightly dry interior. Bun overwhelms flavor of the fish. Tartar sauce didn’t have a strong flavor.

Item: Carl’s Jr. Charbroiled Atlantic Cod Fish Sandwich
Purchased Price: FREE (had coupon for free sandwich, reg. $4.99)
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Good fish flavor and it’s lightly seasoned. Decent tartar sauce. Points for not doing a fried fish sandwich. It has tomatoes, which other fish sandwiches don’t. Wider than other fast food fish sandwiches.
Cons: Cardboard-thin fish fillet. Weak wheat bun. Putting way too much lettuce in my sandwich.
Other reviews: Man Reviews Food, My Burning Kitchen

Item: Wendy’s Premium North Pacific Cod Fillet Sandwich
Purchased Price: FREE (had gift card via Wendy’s to try sandwich, reg. $3.69)
Rating: 5 out of 10
Pros: Nice crunchy exterior (thanks panko). Sturdy buttery bun. If you hate shredded lettuce because it keeps falling out of the sandwich, you’ll like the lettuce leaf this sandwich uses.
Cons: Weak fish flavor. Weak breading flavor. Weak tartar sauce without any tang. Pale lettuce.
Other reviews: Fast Food Geek, Brand Eating

REVIEW: McDonald’s Hot ‘n Spicy McChicken Sandwich

March 12, 2013September 4, 2023 Marvo 24 Comments

McDonald’s Hot ’n Spicy McChicken Sandwich is only a dollar, so I really shouldn’t complain about it.

But after looking under couch cushions, car floor mats, Coinstar machines, water in a wishing well, sand at a beach, and sleeping panhandlers to gather enough loose change to buy one, I believe I can add my two cents, which I took from a take a penny, leave a penny tray at my local convenience store.

At a quick glance, the Hot ’n Spicy McChicken looks very much like a regular McChicken. But a closer examination will show it’s got the same bun, shredded lettuce, and mayonnaise, but it’s got a breaded chicken patty with a reddish hue. Its color makes it look a little evil, but if you were to take the shredded lettuce and form a goatee on top of the patty it would look eviler.

Muahaha. Muahaha.

The reddish chicken patty used in the sandwich has a little bit more heat than McDonald’s Spicy McBites, which also had a reddish breading. Unfortunately, the patty’s breading provides no real flavor or crunch.

Also, unlike the Spicy McBites, the spicy chicken patty doesn’t have a sauce to give it flavor. It’s stuck with the usual mayonnaise. Not a spicy mayonnaise, mind you, but the same ol’ mayonnaise found on a regular McChicken Sandwich that prevents some of the shredded lettuce from falling out. So it’s just a McChicken with some heat.

The Hot ‘n Spicy McChicken isn’t a new sandwich, it’s been around at limited locations over the past 2-3 years, but during that time they’ve also introduced their wonderful Hot Habanero Sauce. So why couldn’t they combine the two and make a sandwich that’s not only spicy, but also has a flavor that goes beyond a normal McChicken.

Or, if they want the entire frickin’ internet talking about McDonald’s that doesn’t involve pink slime or a drop in revenue, they should come out with a hot and spicy Sriracha McChicken. Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, and (insert big internet 2.0 thingie here) would erupt over that.

Overall, McDonald’s Hot ’n Spicy McChicken Sandwich is hot and spicy, but it’s not much else. Some might be fine with that, but after their surprisingly flavorful $1 McDonald’s Grilled Onion Cheddar Burger, I was expecting a bit more.

(Nutrition Facts – 380 calories, 160 calories from fat, 17 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 1030 milligrams of sodium, 41 grams of carbohydrates, 22 grams of sugar, 2 grams of fiber, and 15 grams of protein.)

Other McDonald’s Hot ‘n Spicy McChicken reviews:
Grub Grade
An Immovable Feast

Item: McDonald’s Hot ‘n Spicy McChicken Sandwich
Purchased Price: $1.00
Size: N/A
Purchased at: McDonald’s
Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: It’s just one dollar. Nice heat. Great if you’re bored of eating regular McChicken sandwiches. Mayo helps keep lettuce from falling out. A Sriracha McChicken.
Cons: Breading doesn’t provide much flavor or crunch. Has just plain ol’ mayo. Reddish breading makes it look evil. Having to search for enough loose change to buy a Hot ‘n Spicy McChicken sandwich.