Molten Chocolate Cake Microwave Mini's from Betty Crocker

In our archives you will find a recipe for microwave coffee cup chocolate cake that is really good, however in the spirit of dirtying less dishes/utensils our staff decided to try these little microwave cakes from Betty Crocker. These little things are easy to mix up in the plastic dish provided and after that all you do is microwave it for a short time and then drizzle the fudge (comes with in a seperate little packet) on top of the mini cake. We found these "Molten Chocolate Cake Microwave Mini's" to be pretty tasty, but the portion is small and it will take 2-4 of these to satisfy a prider.

Burger Battle: Carl's Jr.'s Big Carl Knocks Out The Big Mac From McDonalds

The key stats in this burger battle royale had the oddsmakers placing the Big Carl as the clear favorite before it even got underway. The new Big Carl has twice the meat and twice the cheese as the Big Mac and sells for just $2.49 or less in most restaurants. The Big Mac ranges in price, but averages more than $3. Inside our test kitchens we found the Big Carl not only trumped the Big Mac in size but also in taste - which is very important, it doesn't matter how big something is if it does not taste good.

InnovAsian Frozen Chicken Dishes - Orange, General Tsao's & Sweet & Sour

Finally our crew has found a microwave line of asian foods that we can really stand behind. These meals from InnovAsians are tasty, large portioned and priced right.
The pictures above show what you get for around 5.00 to 5.50 in the frozen foods area of your supermarket. If you look closely, and then more closelier you will see that this portion is over a full pound. Chicken microwaves really nice - tastes like restaurant food. They do not come with rice - but you can figure out how to deal with that.
FPT RANK: 8.5

Arby's "Free" Wednesdays? What Happened August 27th?

As we reported earlier Arby's gave out a printed calendar for the month of August with a free item every wednesday with the purchase of a soft drink. Their flyer had this "August 26th- Free Roast Beef 'n Cheddar with soft drink purchase". Upon visiting, we noticed no signs outside like before and when we checked out inside there was no free deal as advertised prior.
Major letdown Arby's.

Al's Garage Restaurant - Located In Henderson, Nevada - Mobi Pix

Thanks to our MOBI embedded reporter in the Las Vegas arenas, we have photos of Al's Garage Restaurant in Henderson, Nevada. Popular place with the locals - located away from the strip. Prices seem kind of high, but Blak2oof says the foods are good. Some other reviews: Al's Garage Reviews

10 Pound Pork Roast Picture from Lynxwolf

Our longtime reader Lynxwolf, finally after many years has contributed a photo for us to share with you. This is a 10 pound pork roast - decent! Nice work Lynxwolf - we think his wife probably cooked it and he just took the pic but not sure.

Hasentorte - Picture & Recipe from RiffRaff

If you did the translation and found this means rabbit torte/cake, and were expecting a colorful rabbit shaped cake with sprinkles and frosting - you will need to think again. This is the real deal here. Thanks to RiffRaff for sharing this with us.

Hasentorte

1.5 lbs rabbit or hare meat (meat from 1 rabbit), cubed

1/2 pound bacon

1 pack Pillsbury pie crust (top & bottom)

1 med. vidalia onion

4 tbsp redcurrant jelly

5 oz. port (or bockbier)

6 prunes, diced

1/2 stick + 1/2 tbsp butter

1/2 cup broken kluski noodles

3/4 c. flour, sifted

1 pt. beef stock

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp grated pepper

1/2 tsp grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp chopped thyme

1/4 tsp chopped marjoram

1. Using 1 tbsp butter, saute chopped onion & chopped bacon in skillet until bacon is crispy.

2. Mix flour, salt & pepper and use to coat cubed meat.

3. Brown the floured meat in skillet using 3 tbsp butter.

4. Put meat, bacon, onion and prunes with spices into pot, adding stock and port (or bockbier) to cover meat.

5. While stirring, bring liquid to a boil, reduce to simmer and cover for 1 hour. Let sit 20 minutes for sauce to thicken.

6. Boil kluski noodles for a few minutes, until flexible but not soft.

7. Lay bottom pie crust into a pie dish, fill with mix of rabbit, sauce, noodles & redcurrant jelly and cover with second pie crust.

8. Using tines of a fork, press together top and bottom crust. Brush with melted butter before placing in oven.

9. Bake pie at 425 F for 25-30 minutes or until crust becomes a golden brown.

The FPT Angus McMuffin

Here are some photos of our staff constructing one of our own creations, the "Angus McMuffin". Simple item to prepare - cook off an Angus beef patty, fry an egg, cut some cheese, toast some muffins, and stack together. Great in the evening as well as the morning.

FastFoodMaps.Com - WOW

The FPT staff loves this website. It is an interactive map of the U.S. that displays locations of the 'major' fast-food players. Simply click which restaurants you want to see and then it will then become an active google map where you can zoom in or zoom out for details. This would make a great cell phone application. Excellent idea - respect out to the creators of this long overdue food tool.

FastFoodMaps.Com

KFC: What Is Missing In This Photo?

Above you see why the staff here avoids our local KFC for the most part. The photo above has lots of chicken in it and a nice stack of cups for iced beverages, however there is something missing. Also, the huge iron monolithic steel kitchen barrier does not help. A friendly employee is what is missing. Our experience has shown us that when it comes to KFC - it is all about the location and the franchise owner. If you find a good location - stick with it, and tell us about it.

We Helped Fight Breast Cancer - Now We Challenge You To Also Help

We found this photo which had been filed in the wrong folder awhile back and decided to go ahead and post it. The FPT was happy to donate to the National Breast Cancer Foundation at our local Carls' Jr. restaurant and we are encouraging our readers to donate as well. This fundraiser is long over, but we are certain you can find a way to give something via some method. Any photos sent along to us will be published here to help encourage the giving.

Taste of Asia Opens in Snowshoe, WV

The other day I was invited to private tasting prior to the grand opening of a new Japanese/Thai restaurant, Taste of Asia. Located in the Village at Snowshoe, this place provides a very authentic Asain dining experience. The food was fantastic and just as impressive was the decor of the restaurant. Samurai swords, golden buddhas, and several other oriental statues really provide a pleasant and unique atmosphere. Throw in a quant sushi bar and what more can you ask for?! I sampled several different sushi rolls, fresh fish, crab rangoons, as well as a couple chicken and rice dishes. All were top notch. As an extra bonus, Taste of Asia also delivers to anywhere in the village at Snowshoe (which includes my office!) Here is their official site: Taste of Asia

From Etathed FPT Mountain Man Reporter

Stuart Anderson Steakhouse Entree Photos

Our embedded MOBI reporter in the Las Vegas area sent us pictures of the dishes ordered on a recent visit. Black2oof tells us that the meals were good overall. Nobody here has been to a Stuart Anderson's in a long time so we are opening up this to our readers for reviews and stories. Please use the comment link below to share anything you know. The two plates above would have been app. 50.00 dollars total, our MOBIman had a coupon that knocked it down to 30.00 dollars for two.

New Hardee's Breakfast Holes - A vs B

Hardee's has recently introduced a new item to their AM breakfast menu - Cinnamon Sugar Buscuit Holes with icing. These guys are created with Made from Scratch™ biscuit dough, cut into doughnut-like holes, deep fried then tossed in cinnamon & sugar, and served with sweet icing for dipping.

Help Hardee's name their holes!
Not satisfied with the name for this item, Hardee's has launched a website - NameOurHoles.com - where you can help try and re-name these guys by sending in a video with your suggestions.
NameOurHoles.Com

The commercial above is pure comedy gold.

Good Humor Toasted Almond Ice Cream Bars - These Are Decent!

Good Humor, a longtime American ice cream maker, just blew our minds with their toasted almond ice cream bars. While I dont recall having these when I was young, the box has the excellent slogan "bringing back the memories". Those who haven't seen these around for 20 years or whatnot must be happy know. These bars are an almond pasty ice cream bar that is rolled in crushed toasted almonds. Very hard to describe, but very easy to eat a whole box in one night. We have only seen these in one store, so they may not be in your area. FPT RANK: 8.5

Help The Honeybees With Haagen Daaz & The ColemanChaos Blog

Our friend from the ColemanChaos blog allowed us to re-post one of her most excellent posts on the FPT: I love this campaign! Whether you have hear about it or not, Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is a crisis that might soon be effecting us all in a major way. One in every three bites of food us Americans eat is directly attributed to honey bee pollination. Yet, due to CCD the honey bees we depend on are dying at an alarming rate. Haagen-Dazs posted these stats on their Web site (www.helphoneybees.com): More than 35 percent of the Western honey bee population has disappeared over the last several winters, posing a serious risk to our natural food supply. One cause of these losses is an alarming phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder, or “CCD.” When a hive experiences CCD, the honey bees mysteriously leave their hive and die. CCD symptoms were reports by more than 35 states across the United States and in many other countries. Researchers do not know exactly what causes CCD, but believe there may be many factors contributing to the problem, including viruses, mites, chemical exposure and poor nutrition. So how can you help? Plant bee-friendly flowers, donate, support beekeepers, and tell your friends about CCD. And a very tasty way to contribute is by purchasing Haagen-Dazs’ new Vanilla Honey Bee ice cream – a portion of the proceeds go to fund honey bee research. Visit "Help The Honeybees" to learn more about the Haagen Dazs loves Honeybees campaign. Help The Honeybees
Thank You ColemanChaos! ColemanChaos Blog

Meatloaf Wedding Cake Photos from The Black Widow Bakery

"I hate that wedding cakes are all girly. There should be like a groom cake to go with the traditional wedding cake. A guy's cake. Like..made out of meat."

This is what the husband to-be said when talking about his wedding cake with Black Widow Bakery.

As the picture above shows, his request was fulfilled and then some. You have to visit the website and look at the full gallery of photos that include the step by step creation and really interesting FAQS.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT BLACK WIDOW BAKERY

Fast Food First: Monster Energy Drinks Now Served At Carl's Jr. & Hardee's

Fast Food First: Monster Energy Drink Now Permanent Menu Item at Carl's Jr. & Hardee's restaurants. Get a boost with your burger!

The staff at the FPT are big fans of energy drinks as we often spend long periods of time eating large quantities of foods and the little bump they give you allows for more energy for cooking and chowing down.

"Talk about a perfect pairing," said CKE Restaurants' CEO, Andrew Puzder. "Carl’s Jr., Hardee's and Monster are made for each other. You can't walk down the street without seeing a young guy holding a can of Monster. Now guests can start their morning with one of our delicious breakfasts and cap it off with a can of Monster to get a head start on the day, or they can have one after their burger to keep them going. They can even grab one on the go in the drive-thru."

Serving Up Some Eye Candy - Miscellaneous MOBI Pix & More

We get a lot of submissions from our reader's, and the photos/info we get sent to us from others is really what makes this Thinktank work. The staff here would like to thank everyone who has sent in stuff to us over the years, without our reader's support we would not have grown into whatever it is we are today. Above are photos that somehow got mixed up in the shuffle around here and rather than cast them aside we are just posting them all now. Interesting stuff as you can see and if you have any info on a picture in this post - please contact us. Our email link is always found on the right side of our webpages.

Sweet Tomatoes Leaves A Sour Taste

After disussing the issue with one of our MOBI Reporters, and our Test Kitchen Staff - It seems that Sweet Tomatoes (also called Soup Plantation) is beginning to signs of going sour.

For those unfamiliar, these are buffet restaurants specializing in salads, soups, and pastas. They have speciality tossed salads at the start of buffet, then follow with side salads, veggies and lots of dressings/toppings. They also have cheesy pizza bread, cornbread, soups and pastas. Dessrt of brownies, ice cream and sometimes chocolate chip cookies. In the time before, this was all one set price with beverages being extra. Not a "Hearty Foods buffet, but pretty nice spread.

One of our friends recently went for lunch and when they first stepped up to the speciality tossed salads at the tip of the buffet found that not only was one sald station completely empty but they added salad surchages now.

The speciality tossed salads might be chicken caesar, or oriental chicken - among others. But in this Las Vegas location you didn't get any chicken on these unless you want to fork another $1.25 to each guest's total. With each guest's charge of $8.00 before adding a beverage - having this chicken added to the sald puts total for one over the 10.00 mark even before taxes.

We recall when the prices were lower, and/or you could find a 2 for 1 coupon everywhere. You could overlook that the "pizza" was just a cheesy bread and that the pasta offerings are generally boring and bland.

Plus, they should make sure everyone gets offered a warm cookie. We here at the FPT Test Kitchens hope that they turn things around for the better. An all-you-can-eat buffet is something that we can never root against.

Arby's Free Food Wednesdays - Thru The Rest Of Summer

Arby's is running a free food item with a beverage/sandwich purchase thru the rest of August. You do not need a coupon - the locations we saw had signs all around the corners where they are located.
Heres the list:

August 5th- Free Regular Roast Beef with soft drink purchase August 12th- Free Roast Chicken Club with soft drink purchase August 19th- Free FruiTea with any sandwich purchase August 26th- Free Roast Beef 'n Cheddar with soft drink purchase

Thanks to Yancy for first telling us about this.

Quiznos Sub Special Confusion

Once again, a trip to Quiznos was filled with confusion. At this time they are running specials for 1 dollar subs, 2 dollar subs, 3 dollar torpedo subs, 4 dollar torpedo subs and some limited choice 5 dollar subs - as well as a buy one get one for a dollar deal.

The bread for the torpedo subs is just too skinny for our tastes so we decided to get one and another for a buck. We saw the offer sign and it featured 6 choices. Upon ordering the first one, we asked for one of the others (of the 6) and were told that the 1 dollar sub had to be an exact match to the one ordered at their regular price (5.39). Is that not weird?

Moving on on the same order we had one person wanting just roast beef and cheese so we did the double deal for a 'cold cut combo' kinda sandwich. The one that we asked for only roast beef - we discovered at home was served with 2 thin slices of beef only - they did not replace the ham and turkey not wanted with roast beef in its place.

Overall, the bread was dull, the bacon was chopped up into little pieces and the sandwiches were just not good.

Subway seems to have figured out the sub special game with its 8 solid subs for 5.00 everyday - simple and no confusion.

Jack In The Box MOBI Pix from Chris Norton/KBLO Radio

Our friend from KBLO radio sent us this pic MOBI style while on the road at Tejon Pass. Norton told us "No mini sirloin burgers. Going for sour jack small combo with curly fries & coke."

Congrats to Etathed - Winner of the Carl's Jr./Hardee's Prize Pack Contest

The staff here was happy to see Etathed win the "Taste For Speed" prize package as he regularly checks in with pics and info for posting. Ironically, he resides in a remote location and is not close to a Carl's Jr. or a Hardee's. So he let us know that he will be sending the coupons and some of the items along to the second and third place guessers (Barnabus and Brainwreck). Also soon Etathed will be making some videos of his RC Camaro in action for us to view. We suggested he use it a drive-thru with the remote control.