Dos Amigos Tamales - Deal of the Day Review

Plump and pungent in a small package, my latest Latin-style Deal of the Day is worth a second bite.

I unearthed tamales by Dos Amigos from the frozen deli case at my local Dollar Tree. You get two for a buck. Right off the bat, not a bad deal. The tamales are wrapped in corn husks, Mexican-style.

You have to read the fine print under Ingredients on the front of the package to discover if the tamales are cheese, veggie, fruit or meat filled. The tamales I purchased are made with pork.

The cooked pork is halfway between ground and shredded, and you get a good amount. Often tamales are skimpy with the meat, not so here. The pork is steeped in zesty chili pepper spices.

The spice mix is well balanced with a slight tongue-tingling heat that slowly builds. The overall flavor is similar to enchilada sauce, what one would expect. I was not disappointed.

I microwaved these suckers like the label says. Since tamales are normally steamed, I made sure to wrap them in a damp paper towel to keep moist during defrosting.

It only took a couple of minutes for tamales to reach steaming hot.

A tamale rises or falls based on the corn husk-covered steamed masa. And masa can be too dry and crumbly, like eating sawdust, at it's worst.

The ground corn masa coating did not dry out like I expected. While not as moist as the best tamales you would get at a Mexican bakery or grocery, these retained a soft texture, but there were a few dry flaky spots. Next time I would steam these tamales, instead of microwaving. But overall not a bad texture.

The corn masa was not gritty and the flavor was mild to contrast with the intense chili spices in the pork filling. Overall a nice balance of corn and pork flavors.

The two tamales are small, just short of four inches in length, but you get two fat ones for a buck, so no complaints here.

I also like that the ingredient list is short. They seem a little on the oily side, so not a low-calorie meal. But it's a small amount overall, in a  plump package.

So, on my Cheap$kate Dining Scale of 1 to 9, 9 being perfection, I give Dos Amigos tamales a tasty 6!

I can recommend my latest Deal of the Day from the Dollar Tree. While they won't replace tamales you get from the neighborhood street vendor, they're enough to temporally satisfy an attack of tamale-fever.

Cream Puffs from Dollar Tree - Cheap$kate Video Review

What dessert do I bring to a patio BBQ? Well, I took a chance with Dolce Tuscano Miini Vanilla Cream Puffs that I bought for $1 at the Dollar Tree, down the street from my place. These confections reside in the frozen deli case, along with ice creams and frozen dinners. They are described as "Delicious creamy filling inside a flaky European-style pastry" - hey, they gotta be good enough for a party, right?

They needed defrosting, first, although I ate one that was semi-frozen, and liked it that way - the outer pastry was soft and the vanilla pudding inside was slightly frozen.

My neighbors were just starting to barbecue when I got there, so there was time for the Cream Puffs to finish defrosting.

BBQ Crew

Normally I would not subject friends to my filming (yeah right,) but Bob and Anne were game and I thought it would be a nice change of scenery to let them share screen time with me, plus it's always interesting to show how tastes vary. But overall I was not too surprised at the Cheap$kate Dining rating numbers given in the range of 1 to 9, 9 being best.

Cheap$kate guest reviewers: Anne & Bob

Bob and I were on the same page with an above average rating, while Anne liked the cream but dissed the pastry (see her revised rating* at end of this post,) thus dropping it a few points. I know what she means. The advertised flaky crust was not flaky, but slightly soggy -- that's the problem with frozen pastry desserts.

So I can't really blame purveyor Dolce Tuscano too much for that, they're handicapped right off the bat.

The pastry part was fine with a bread crust texture and taste, although slightly damp from defrosting. Maybe a solution is to make sure the pastries defrost out of the box so the moisture evaporates and the crust dries out.

Everyone agreed that the creamy filling was the best part of this cheap$kate dessert. It's light and fluffy, not too heavy. The filling is very sweet with strong vanilla flavor. And the cream is a nice contrast to the pastry.

You get 8 ping pong ball size pastries, so that's great value for a buck. The ingredient list is heavy on sugar, but it is a dessert.

Click on any photo to see larger

I have a comment on my YouTube channel that states they don't carry food items in their local Dollar Tree. I think for Los Angeles the competition is fierce for 99c and dollar stores, so Dollar Tree has to up it's game here and stock more food items. My local one carries all manner of frozen veggies, chilled eggs and cheese, dried pasta, canned beans and pasta sauce -- all for a buck each.

So how does my latest Deal of the Day rate to my guests, Bob and Anne? Well you will have to watch the video below to get their Cheap$kate Dining rating of 1 to 9, 9 being best.

But I will give you my rating right now. I thought Dolce Tuscano Miini Vanilla Cream Puffs are a decent Deal of the Day and give them a rating of 6! I, too, take of a couple of points for the non-flaky crust, and blandness. Maybe a better defrosting technique is needed to improve the rating? But for a buck this is a good deal and I would serve them again for my next patio BBQ gathering.

Cream Puffs from Dollar Tree - Video Review

Play it here. Video runs 2 minute, 7 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Dolce Tuscano is part of Smart Price food products.

*Anne and I have exchanged a few Facebook posts and she actually has upped her Cheap$kate rating by a couple of points when I mentioned the pastries are kept fresh frozen in the deli case - not just set out on the grocery shelf forever, jacked up on preservatives.

Shrimp & Angel Hair Pasta - Deal of the Day

For once the cover photo is not an exaggeration. My latest Deal of the Day is off to a great start!

See the plump shrimp, they're really inside the box. While not large shrimp, they're so much better than typical teeny bay shrimp used in frozen seafood fare. Shrimp & Angel Hair Pasta by Lean Cuisine is not a perfect meal, but pretty darn close.

And I'm glad the shrimp are frozen raw. They have a great texture when fresh cooked firm. 

I got a few boxes of Shrimp & Angel Hair Pasta by Lean Cuisine at my local 99c only Store. I was nervous when examining the crinkled and crumbled packages they had in the frozen deli case. But, when I was at work the next day and opened the box, the cellophane was still sealed on the black microwave bowl. So all was well with this steal of a deal.

Click on photo to read ingredient list.

The best parts of this cheap meal are the shrimp. I got 5 nice sized ones, peeled and deveined. They are raw, so you need to turn them halfway through microwaving to cook all the way through. Look for a pink color, that's means they are done.

If you like bell pepper there is plenty here, and it doesn't take much to overpower an entree. The amount in this meal skates right up to the edge for me. There are also welcome matchstick slices of carrot, and not too well done. I like some crunchy veggies in my pasta.

The pasta is peppered with fine chopped herbs, but what they are is a mystery, as there is no mention in the ingredient list. -- kinda strange.

The weakest link is the too light and watery cream sauce. It's mainly flavored with skim milk, cheese, garlic and sherry wine. Now I enjoyed the sauce, I just wish it was a little richer with cream, but that's to be expected when an entree is made by Lean Cuisine. But this is a quibble.

The angel hair pasta is fine. A bit overcooked, but I know it's difficult to microwave cooked pasta. It can easily become mushy if steamed too long, especially thin angel hair. The pasta strands were chopped - I like my noodles left long. But the pasta mixes well with all the shrimp, veggies and sauce.

So how does Shrimp & Angel Hair Pasta by Lean Cuisine rate on my cheaps$kate scale of 1-9, 9 being best? Even with a couple of small flaws, this Deal of the Day still gets a perfect 9 !

If you are lucky enough to run across this small and tasty entree, make sure to pick up a few packages. Even for low calorie fare, I can highly recommend it for taste and quality cooking.

Spicy Thai Basil Chicken - Deal of the Day

This Deal of the Day will leave your taste buds spinning. It's one pungent bowl of noodles, both sweet and spicy and loaded with flavor. Spicy Thai Basil Chicken by Thai Kitchen is a very good 99c only Store find.

A big plus are the large cubes of white meat chicken. I pulled apart the chicken to to make sure it is not a solid processed cube - the meat seemed real enough as I detected strands chicken meat. And you get a lot of chicken meat for a 99.99 cent frozen meal.

If you like the classic Pad Thai entree, then you will like these rice noodles, too. I like the light and airy consistency of rice noodles. And the noodles are not mushy like typical Italian pasta frozen dinners.

But you want to give the noodles and sauce a stir when defrosted enough; this will help steam all the noodles to an even tenderness and cut down on typical microwave cold and hot spots. I don't know why they are still slightly chewy, the way I like them. Maybe it's just that rice noodles hold up better when frozen, than Italian flour noodles?

A couple ingredients make this a pungent meal, first there is chopped garlic on top and visible red Thai chili pieces throughout. At first glance when defrosted, I thought the small sprinkles-looking topping was peanuts. Nope, just garlic pieces that flavor but, fortunately, not overpower.

You will also find pieces of Thai basil, although not much of that herb. This frozen meal is not for the faint of pallet as the red chili flakes are very spicy, and I like it that way.

But one word of warning, to quote my gym-rat workmate when he read the "Nutrition Facts:" Dude, that's a crazy amount of salt in there." Yep, the sodium amount is 710mg, or 30% of the recommended daily total!

I try to keep my sodium intake low, no processed chips or crackers, except on occasion. And if I am cooking with processed foods, then I leave out seasoning with salt. I try to balance it all out - some days are salty and some aren't.

Thai Kitchen has a list of other frozen entrees including: Pad That, Green Curry Chicken and a Veggie Red Curry. All sound good to me, and if they show up cheaply, I would definitely try them all.

At 10 ounces you get a lot for your buck. So, other than too much salt and if you can take the spicy heat, I give Spicy Thai Basil Chicken by Thai Kitchen, on a scale of 1 to 9, 9 being best......I give this delicious Deal of the Day an 8 !

Original Tommy's Hamburgers - Cheap$kate Dining Video Review

If you live in LA, then you've heard about the Tommy Burger. Next to In-n-Out Burgers, Tommy's is at the top of the fast-food burger heap. And, so much so that there are many imitators trying to pull off a homonym scam by calling their burger joint similar-sounding (and spelled) names like Tomy's, Thoma's, Tommie's, Toms, etc. But don't be fooled -- there is only one Original Tommy's Hamburgers and I have the heartburn and a Cheap$kate Dining Video review to prove it! 

The Original Tommy's shack, on Beverly Blvd., has been around since 1946 - that's older than McDonalds (1954) and even In-n-out Burger (1948.) While Tommy's doesn't have the fanatical fan base of In-n-Out Burger, it has plenty of customers, and operates in over 25 locations throughout LA county. The one I go to most is on Hollywood Boulevard, at Bronson Avenue.

A Tommy Burger is an eccentric burger, and I like it that way. First off, there is no lettuce, but you won't miss it, since all the burgers come with plenty of chili. Lettuce and chili don't go together anyway.

And it's one sour burger with the addition of 4 pickle slices and mustard. It's too much of a puckering good thing, so I always ask for some creamy mayo.

But the most unusual ingredient is a huge, juicy, tomato slice, that's about as thick as the hamburger bun. While the tomato is no big shakes (it tastes like any regular store-bought variety) -- but, that's just what this chili burger needs to balance out the disparate flavors.

Chili's all it's about at Tommy's. The chili is of the fine-ground variety and no beans. (It's very similar to Pink's Hot Dogs chili, another fantastic fast food joint in Los Angeles - my blog post video of the hot dog landmark is here.) Like a meaty thick gravy, the flavor is just what I want, beefy and spiced perfectly. It's best eaten right away while the chili is hot.

And the Chili Fries aren't too bad either. The fries are fat and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside -- a very good French fry and a great combination when chili is heaped on.

They pile it on the hamburger, so make sure to get a plastic spoon and a couple extra napkins. And, if you get it at the drive-thru window, just pull over in a parking slot. Please resist eating it on the drive home - much too messy and dangerous to maneuver!

And as a special visual treat, I shot my on-camera review in the middle of the public art assemblage "Urban Light", by one of my fav LA artist Chris Burden. To read about the city lamp assemblage click here, and make sure to add it to your Los Angeles art bucket list (it's best viewed at night - plus it's free to see.) Leave it to The 99 Cent Chef to combine a chili burger with art!

A Tommy Burger is not for the faint of palate. Flavors are intense, the chili is like heavyweight oil, and it's a hot mess -- just the way I like it. And it's a less expensive, at $2.15 (plus tax,) than a Big Mac. Now, that's a great cheap$kate deal.

So check out my video below to see how The Tightwad Restaurant Critic rates a Tommy Burger on a scale of 1 to 9, 9 being best. And if you are new to LA, or plan on visiting soon, make sure to chow down on one of our top 9 burgers, a Tommy Burger.

Original Tommy's Hamburgers - VIDEO

Play it here, video runs 2 minutes, 46 seconds.

My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.

Original Tommy's Hamburgers
 2575 Beverly Boulevard
Los Angeles, Ca. 90057

Website for info and other locations: www.originaltommys.com

Italian Sausage Primavera by Atkins - Deal of the Day

I'll admit to not being familiar with the Atkins diet, but if this is a typical meal then sign me up. You will not be disappointed in my latest Deal of the Day.

I've purchased my share of cheap frozen fare and it can be hit or miss. So if I luck out and find a tasty frozen dinner for a buck, then I have to share it with you, my visitors. I've never seen an Atkins diet frozen dinner until I ran across Italian Sausage Primavera at my local 99c only Store. I took a chance and bought 3 of them -- it  was a good purchase, and I'll be back for more (if they remain in stock.)

I though there would be pasta, but it's just Italian sausage and a cream sauce with veggies. But that's okay - you could always cook up some pasta to add, and break your diet. (The Atkins Diet is built on limiting your intake of carbohydrates - click here to read all about it.)

First off, you get a lot of Italian sausage in this 9 ounce package, at least a dozen slices. The sausage has a mild spice, but I think most diners would barely notice any heat. The sausage is well seasoned and pungent with Italian spices. The meat is firm, not crumbly like some types. I was relieved how delectable the Italian sausage tasted.

What I especially enjoyed was the large chunks of cauliflower and green beans. Most frozen dinners have veggies chopped into an unrecognizable hot mess. I didn't notice much spinach though, but that is not a problem as there were plenty of other veggies. The cauliflower florets and green beans were firm enough, but still cooked tender.

You also get a lot of creamy red pepper sauce. You may want to stir the ingredients halfway through cooking so the sauce keeps the sausage moist. The sauce has a pleasing Parmesan and Romano cheese intensity. The red pepper flavor is more like bell pepper -- I liked it. (And since there is plenty of sauce, add a serving of cooked pasta, rice or a fave carb -- heck with the Atkins Diet!)

The ingredient list is short for a frozen dinner. And if you are a carb-counter then click on the photo below and check out the Nutrition Facts.

So on my Deal of the Day rating scale of 1 to 9, 9 being best, I give Italian Sausage Primavera by Atkins a perfect 9 ! It's so good you'll sop up every last drop of red pepper cream sauce.