Childhood foods you would *totally* eat now...

[montrealeater]

Related to the "...wouldn't eat now" thread. Any specific childhood foods, especially the odd/possibly disgusting ones, that you never lost your love for?

The big one for me is, and probably no one outside of Canada will know about these, Billot Logs (called 'Billot Logs' by all western Canadian children, including myself, who could not speak French). Bright pink cake rolls filled with very sweet coconutty chemical cream and dusted with coconut. I thought these had been discontinued years ago until moving to Montreal and discovering that not only were they still made, but they were SOLD IN BOXES OF 6. Of course, my sister and immediately bought a couple of boxes and ate ourselves to near nostalgic sickness. Still crave them sometimes, and I always give in to the craving.

Also: Cadbury's Creme Eggs, shaved-thin Black Forest deli ham eaten out of the bag by the handful, butter and Marmite slathered toast, popsicles (the totally generic 2-stick kind that come in orange, pink or purple).

EDIT: Remembered another on that qualifies as weird: baby rice/flakes. Yes, the stuff for babies. Mmmmmm.

[mattstolz]

little bit different direction, but a couple foods that I wouldnt have gone NEAR as a child i now cant get enough of!!

Fresh Salmon Burgers
Brussel Sprouts (currently on my TOTAL OBSESSION list)
broccoli
actually almost any veggie that wasnt canned green beans

all these things are solidly atop my favorite foods list now though. cant get enough of them and HATED them as a kid

[MsDiPesto]

Devil Dogs, and I've been trying to remember what Tang tasted like. I loved those Melody chocolate cookies too. Progresso Escarole soup, they seem to have discontinued that one.

[buttertart]

I used to sneak spoonfuls of Tang dry from the jar (and catch it from my mom about it). Majorly orange popsicle/pixy stix taste.

[princeofpork]

How about the chocolate covered Twinkies called Chocodials

[mattstolz]

Fudgesicles. oh man those things are awesome.

prepackaged tollhouse cookie dough. because sometimes you just need to sit down with a tube of the stuff and go to town with a spoon.

JIF peanut butter. on anything.

and sometimes (read: anytime) ya just need a Chick-Fil-A nugget meal.

[cgarner]

Taking a bowl of ice cream (preferably chocolate) and stirring it around in the bowl until it reached a soft-serve consistency and then dipping in pretzels
the sweet/salty/creamy/crunchy combo was addicting!

[buttertart]

I used to eat ice cream stirred up like that all the time (without pretzels). Used to drive my mom batty.

[berkleybabe]

Sloppy Joes, only made with lower sodium tomato soup. Had one for dinner this week...best with a squishy crappy hot dog or burger bun.

[sandylc]

Oh, and I would have killed for Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, which I really can't stand now....

[berkleybabe]

What we called "cracker mush--pronounced "mooosh".." Just my sister and my three cousins have this as a childhood favorite. Here's the recipe: Break up a bunch of graham crackers in a bowl, pour milk over.
Best in front of a Walt Disney show, healing when you're sick.

[FoodFuser]

been there, did that wid' da moosh.

[sandylc]

Hawaiian Punch. Chef Boy-ar-dee box mix pizza. Hostess Suzi-Qs. Clark Bars. I can honestly say that I probably wouldn't eat any of them now, though.

[traveleryvette]

I remember a Halloween where I mostly received Clark Bars and Zagnut Bars. Yuk! I guess beggars can't be choosers and it beat Peanut's Charlie Brown's rock . ahah

[KellBell]

My mom would never let us have junk in the house. Occasionally when we would go to the commissary she would let us get powdered sugar donuts or fritos and bean dip. The trick was they could not come into the house, so we had to eat all we wanted of them in the car on the ride home from the commissary. Somehow I think this did more harm than good. We just learned to buy the junk and just eat it all at once so it wasn't sitting around as evidence.

[otps]

Butterscotch pudding.

[jbsiegel]

Not butterschotch, but chocolate - the kind that you actually cook on the stove - with that GREAT skin on top. I used to eat it out from under the skin and save the skin for last.

That and tapioca - another total yum!

[buttertart]

Brilliant idea I saw here on CH - make pudding and put it in a 13x9 pan so it's (almost) all skin!

[jbsiegel]

I'm SO going to do that!!! :)

[buttertart]

Good one, eh!!!

[mamachef]

I feel as if I'm being granted permission from the BEST fairy godsister ever to make and eat an entire pan of butterscotch pudding. Thank you!

[buttertart]

You do that, it'll do you a power of good. I was just thinking about butterscotch meringue pie...

[mamachef]

Which reminds, I need to make your mom's bars again.

[buttertart]

Yes you do. But please call them squares, that's what we do "up home".

[otps]

For some reason the skin always grossed me out, kind of like the hot cereal ( I forget which one ) that floated after I added milk and was like a piece of soft rubber.

[marthasway]

That sounds like Malt-o-Meal, my Mother's favorite hot cereal. I couldn't bear it, especially with cold whole milk. Farina I didn't mind so much but those Malt-o-meal mornings could be awful.

[cgarner]

I was thinking Wheatina ... I hated that stuff when I was a kid!

[buttertart]

Softboiled egg in an egg cup with toast soldiers to dip (buttered toast cut vertically into strips).

[cgarner]

My mother likes to spoil my daughter with this when she sleeps over. She feels very fancy eating from an egg held in an antique egg cup, using a pair of "topper scissors" to neatly remove the lid. LOL (she never made a fuss over me like that, I got mine cracked and scooped into a pyrex ramekin!)

[buttertart]

That was a very soecial feeling. I used to get them in a bowl too (with some butter added), but this was much nicer.

[tcamp]

That recipe for Tatertot Pita sandwiches in the sidebar keeps catching my eye, in a good way. Didn't eat that as a child but pitas toasted in the oven with some cheddar inside was a lunch favorite and I ADORED tatertots and begged for them relentlessly. I would totally scarf down a TT-pita sandwich if given half a chance.

[LA Buckeye Fan]

Oh gosh...where do I start? Pizza rolls, Spaghettios, underwood deviled ham spread, Otterpops (on their own or as margarita mixer in the blender) Cherry Iceess, daquiri ice ice cream from baskin robbins, oscar meyer bologna sandwiches, Hamburger helper, Swanson pot pies, Lipton's onion dip with ruffles, frito pies, fruit cocktail with miracle whip and pepper (thanks dad, for that recipe), I have the palate of a seven year old. Who drinks. I'll show myself out.

[mamachef]

LA Buckeye Fan? Split a banana in half lengthwise, and put little dabbies of Miracle Whip all over it. Now, sprinkle it with cinnamon. This is NOT a joke, try it. Seriously. : )

[linguafood]

Whoa. Miracle whip? You sure you don't mean Cool Whip? That I could get behind.

But then it wouldn't be a joke, I guess.

[mamachef]

I'd do it w/ Cool Whip too, but no, it's Miracle Whip. I can't even hardly stand to look at a jar of that stuff, but a friend told me about it and one day made it at her house. It's not the individual ingredients - it's one of those things that ONLY works when it's put together. You know: sum, wwwaaayyy greater than its' parts. Oh, and the cinnamon is mandatory too.
It sounds revoting, but girl.....it was good. Amazingly good.

[montrealeater]

I think I'm going to give that a try.

[al b. darned]

There wasn't much I wouldn't eat as a kid, but Underwood deviled ham spread was one of the few things I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. Ranks right up there with SPAM. Mom would try to slip a sandwich into our lunch box once in a while, but I was usually able to barter it off. Many moons later, and it is still on my "do not call" list. BLECH!!

[traveleryvette]

As a kid, we had spam cubed in a skillet with french style green beans and a can of sliced white potatoes all fried up. It was tasty. Spam gets a bad rap.

[NellyNel]

Underwood Deviled Ham!!

Me too - LA Buckeye

I was the only one in the family that liked it - and I LOVED it!

My sister used to tease me about eating cat food, but I didnt care at all - mmm

On Woder bread or spooned out of the can...

I'm craving it now!

I havent bought it in years, because of the fat content - but I may have to treat myself...

[LA Buckeye Fan]

Thanks MamaChef....I can get behind that banana, miracle whip, cinnamon thingamajig. Al B. Darned--I can respect your having trouble with the texture...something which NellyNel and I are clearly willing to overlook. Just means more for us...and our thighs.

[al b. darned]

It was the taste I couldn't/can't stand for deviled ham and SPAM.

[Passadumkeg]

I never had SPAM growing up. My only memory of it is getting way too much of it to eat in 'Nam; not a pleasant food association.

[traveleryvette]

What are your thoughts on vienna sausage, that's another canned meat? Grandpa made vienna sausage sandwiches on white bread and mustard. As a kid the sandwich always stuck to the roof of my mouth. :)

[al b. darned]

Never cared for Vienna sausages or "potted meat product" either.

[NellyNel]

LOL
I am buying some today - with a loaf of Wonder bread, of course!

[jbsiegel]

Peanut Butter Kandy Kakes! They were also a HUGE craving when pregnant with one of the kids!

[cgarner]

You revealed yourself as a Philly area person... PB Kandy Kakes from the freezer were great during the summer (they taste quite oily now, Tasty Kakes aren't the same in general any more)
:-(

[mamachef]

Most excellent afterschool snack when Mom the uncook was feelin' it: Chun King Eggrolls. Oh, the fried/baked crust; the little crispy hard ends. Yum, the gushy meatish vegetable filling.
Do they still make those? I'd eat a box to my head now. :)

[cleobeach]

Absolutely! How could I forget about those! I am going to check at the store on the way home.

Growing up, we had 4 commercial size freezers in the garage stocked full of frozen delights, it was an absolutely bounty of every frozen food product imaginable.

[NellyNel]

YES!!
I forgot about those too!
I loved them!
Chun King egg rolls and those litttle frozen bagel pizzas were a big hit...
And on new years eve, we'd always have frozen pigs in a blanket, and frozen hors d'oeuvres - it was a certain brand that used to have a variety...little ham and swiss quiches, I remember, and some other little flaky pastry things with blue cheese filling.....They were great!
My mother was a great home cook, but those little frozen things were a huge treat for us!
Very special for New Years eve!
I wonder if they still make them...I would definitely enjoy those again!

[madeliner]

I guess I have time on my hands :) I looked them up they were made by Red-L foods and steakumm comp bought them

I should buy a box sometime for old times sake

[NellyNel]

Yes, of course!!
Red L!

So, I asume they do still make them?

I haven't seen them in years!

[MandalayVA]

Ice Cubes chocolate candy, little squares in gold foil. They were very creamy and had a really interesting flavor to them. Vermont Country Store sells them and I keep meaning to order but I'm afraid if I order them now they'll sit outside and melt.

And maybe it's not food, but dear God I miss Hi-C peach flavor and Ecto Cooler in the big tin cans. Peach was around when I was a kid and I swear I went through three cans a week. Ecto Cooler arrived later and made a fantastic drink mixer. There's a recipe floating around that supposedly mimics Ecto Cooler and I am VERY tempted to try it this weekend.

[NellyNel]

I LOVED Ice Cubes!
They were the best - they had a completely different taste and texture about them...strangely silky. I'm sure I'd be disappointed if I ordered some... I bet they arent the same anymore

[MandalayVA]

No, one thing VCS is good about is getting the reboots to taste as good as the originals so I have hope they'll be the same.

[NellyNel]

ooh - thanks - maybe I'll order me some!

[tinahtulsa]

I didn't realize these were anything other than tasty little chocolates. All the QT convienence stores I've been in have them right by the register for a quarter.

[jmcarthur8]

Wow! I have got to go to QT! I have been craving an Ice Cube for years.

Today I found a Chunky bar at CVS. That's another one I've been jonesing for. It didn't taste quite the same as I remembered, but I think they used to be chunkier with the nuts and raisins.

[jbsiegel]

Yes yes yes on the Ice Cubes! I've ordered them from VCS - did it in the winter because of that very melty fear!

[jmcarthur8]

I miss Hi-C peach for making smoothies. My friend in high school in the 70's used to go to Silhouette Health Spa and they made 'high protein drinks' at the drink bar. That was before smoothies were popular. Anyway, it was Hi-C peach or berry, ice and protein powder whirled up in the blender.

[jester99]

my mother never liked chocolate so we rarely had chocolate. Now I have a chocolate drawer. Also, never ate sugar high cereals as a kid but now I get excited around this time of year when the GM Monster cereals are widely available, Count Chocula > Frankenberry > Booberry.

[mcap]

Wise Onion Rings. They have such a great crunch. And the light dusting of crack on them ensures I eat the whole bag in one sitting.

[jarona]

OMG!! My boys loved those Wise Onion Rings. It's so funny, but my memories of those things are bringing of my sons home from St. Ignatius Loyola School on the East Side of Manhattan and stopping off at the candy store a couple of times a week to get these. My sons called these "Hots" because my youngest said they tasted "hot". To this day we refer to these things as "Hots"...even refer to funyuns as "Hot's too! WOW!

[cleobeach]

Chocolate Jello Pudding Pops. I could eat (and did) an entire box in one sitting.

McDonald's apple pies, back when they were deep fried. I would carefully nibble one end and pour the apple chunks out and eat just the crusty with the goo.

I can't remember the brand name but in PA, there was a type of donut that came 6 to a pack. The package was white paper on the bottom and the donuts were standing "up" and the entire thing was wrapped in cellophane. The paper was printed with a border of various farm animals. Might have been Mayer's or Myer's?

Anyway, the donuts were filled with a sickening sweet white cream (like an angel creme) and the donuts had an odd texture, not like traditional donuts. The exterior was a nice brown loose dough coating that was easy to peel off.

[al b. darned]

For me it's a bologna sandwich. White bread, bologna, brown mustard, with a side of potato chips, preferably ripple chips. Of course you have to put some of the chips in the sandwich.

If I really want to feel nostalgic I will cut it I half so I have two rectangles, like Dad did, not triangles like Mom did.

[mamachef]

Mmmmmmm. 'Specially if it's good bologna. And I love the nostalgia you have for how it was cut, because I don't care what anyone says: it DOES taste different.

[Matahari22]

We never were allowed to have any treats in the house, or eat packaged stuff when I was little, my dad didn't like it. Sometimes, my mom would buy stuff when my dad was on hunting trips. One thing I liked was Funny Bones. They are chocolate covered peanut butter cream cakes. I hadn't eaten them in like 20 plus years. After not eating for 9 months because of cancer treatment side effects, when I was able to eat some stuff, I had cravings for Funny Bones, so I bought some. I may need to get a box again, now that I'm thinking of them.

The other thing that my mom would get us when he wasn't home and I would have totally kept eating, but I guess they stopped making, were these Toaster Pizza things. It was like a pita, with pizza stuff in it and you would put them in the toaster. I have no clue why I liked them, but I did.

[NellyNel]

Are you kidding?
Those Toast-r pizzas were the BEST. Sadly, they are gone.

The cracker-ish crust and the sweetish taste of the inside (the cheese and sauce were mixed togeter) - Good God, I still can taste them! and I crave them to this day.

[Matahari22]

Yes, you got it! That weird cracker-ish crust and the sauce and cheese all mixed in there. Lol. I can still remember the taste and smell, too.

[FoodFuser]

I grew 6 inches during the two years I was eating these.

They were made by Buitoni. Here's a picture:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29884868@N04/4833267973/

And a thread to their tribute:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/370788

[Matahari22]

Hmmmmm. I definitely don't remember meat in the ones I got. I also thought they were actually called Toast-R-Pizzas. Maybe there were a couple of kinds.

[FoodFuser]

It was slow evolution from homes who just had a toaster,
then toaster ovens
then morphed with the market to microwaves.

They'll reside in the joy of my memory
as first step up the ladder
of what as we parents
found enforced as "hot pockets".

[Seeker19104]

Cream of Rice cereal made with milk -- It's almost like a rice pudding!

[Passadumkeg]

Kiddy sick food, saltines & peanut butter and cold canned pears.

[anakalia]

When I was very little, and had trouble sleeping, my mom would break up graham crackers into a bowl of milk and give me a spoon to eat it with -- I've been craving that, on and off, for years -- but I never seem to have both graham crackers AND drinkable milk on hand at the same time!

Also -- when I was about 13, I used to babysit for a family who would buy me "hungry man" frozen dinners. They had chicken, potatoes, corn, a dessert of some kind... they were probably disgusting, but I have very fond memories of them. Every so often I pass them in the grocery store and get a (very short) longing for one...

[arashall]

Another carryover from my childhood is graham crackers spread with marshmallow cream! Over the top sweet!

[princeofpork]

My kids love lucky charms. Have you tried one of the "marshmellows" that are included in the box. They are like styrofoam. My mother seperates the charms from the cereal and gives just the charms to my kids for a snack. She was not like that when I was 8.

[EWSflash]

Did you know that you can buy the marshmallow separately on Amazon???

[cleobeach]

. My mother seperates the charms from the cereal and gives just the charms to my kids for a snack. She was not like that when I was 8.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Few were princeofpork, few were.......I swing between joy and anger when I witness how my mom "spoils" my son. It is unbelievable how different she is from when I was a child 30+ years ago.

I agree, those "marshmellows" are just horrible. My son and husband adore Lucky Charms.

[mamachef]

cleobeach, it seems that all Moms "morph" when they become Grandmas. Ma is so utterly relaxed and non-judgemental w/ my kids that I wonder if she had electroshock. :)

[cleobeach]

Yeah, Mr. CB is amazed because he has heard my stories over all these years and he can't believe she is the same woman that raised me.

[arashall]

Captain Crunch, out of the box, no milk :-)

[lcool]

A great dry snack on a road trip,an adulthood find for me.Turned on to it by a friend that just hated "PUFFINS",the previous choice.

[PotatoHouse]

WITH crunch berries!!!

[mamachef]

I used to eat those by the box when I was up burnin' the oil and studying for exams. Then there was the horror of the next day, when I'd realize (all over again) that my mouth's interior was completely shredded and burned like hell. Tried them again years later, and what a taste memory! Those "berries?" They don't taste fruity anymore. But they do taste red, whatever that means. :)

[mpjmph]

Captain Crunch is on my do-not-buy list because I will sit on the couch all day and eat the entire box. Same with cinnamon Life.

[arashall]

LOL! I use my nephew as an excuse to buy them.

[jarona]

The beauty of Cap'n Crunch was when those crunchie little boxes sat in the milk for a while they grew nice and soggy. Then after the cereal was gone, the aftertaste of the cereal milk infused with the cap'n crunch was greatness. Cereal milk from Cap'n Crunch, Life, and Cocoa Puffs ruled!

[EWSflash]

Peanut Butter Cap'n Crunch, nothing better. Roommate and I used to go to the all night market and buy a box, of course we were stoned, and take it home and eat the whole box. Neither of us smokes weed these days, for obvious reasons. at least to us.

[NellyNel]

lol!

I still love PB Cap'n Crunch.
I'll keep 'em in the house every so often just in case I have to have a sweet snack after dinner.

Regular Cap'n Crunch has sadly gone down hill as I recently discovered.

I order my groceries online, and every week there is at least on mistake. I had ordered some kind of Kashi or something healthy, but what I got was Cap'n Crunch..I was secretly delighted!!
Poo!
What a disappointment!
They were sickly sweet....and gone was that corny taste....just sweet.
Bleh!
I used to be able to munch half the box away, but I couldn't even finish a handful.

[traveleryvette]

Does anyone remember King Vitamin cereal? I think it preceded Captain Crunch or was put out of circulation because of Captain Crunch.

[jmcarthur8]

Yep, I remember it. The name was King Vitaman. Apparently you can still order it online. I don't know if it's still in stores.

[NellyNel]

I can still remember the jingle -
"King Vitamin!
Have breakfast with the King!"

Anyone else remember that?!

I liked it - it did have a corny -vitamin-y taste.

[mattstolz]

i suggest trying PB Puffins if you have been disappointed by PB capn. it also is normally in the organic section so it makes me feel slightly *less* like im being a little kid for buying a delicious cereal

[burlgurl]

I love Zoodles in a can..and sugar cereals! Frosted Flakes, Lucky Charms, Froot Loops

[madeliner]

cream of wheat with lots lots lots of butter and sugar or pancake syrup (or both!)

also McDonalds :)

[jbsiegel]

RIGHT there with you on the Cream of Wheat!!!! Actually - ANY hot cereal will do!

[brightside16]

Before I kept kosher, and when I was a kid, I would eat swedish fish every day before high school. I'm surprised my teeth don't have a red tint. I preferred it slightly "stale", enough so that it had that bite to it.

Also miss cheese fries. How that could have been justified as a camp lunch, I'll never know. Even better? Follow those fries with a vanilla milkshake made with Haggen Daz? Sigh...

Last but not least...fruit pies! Drakes, the kind that tasted almost like McDonald's apple pies when heated. I'd save my quarters to buy those.

[EWSflash]

I would buy six packages of Cinnamon Hot Hearts on the way to high school every day, for five cents each- took a while to break that habit, but now I don't; like cinnamon in much. But I ate all six boxes, that was a shameful episode in my history, since I don't usually have much of a sweet tooth. The worst part was, I was somewhat anorexic, and that may have been all I ate all day. God help me.

[cleobeach]

I preferred it slightly "stale", enough so that it had that bite to it.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I know EXACTLY what you are taking about. I liked them stale enough that the when you bite into them, the exterior sort of cracks.

[buttertart]

Oh yes...the only way to go.

[traveleryvette]

Hostess fruit pies in a bowl with milk. Its a easy quick cobbler dessert or breakfast.

[Passadumkeg]

Ice Box cake; made w/ Nabisco Chocolate Wafers and tons of whipped cake. It was a go to birthday cake for my kids, made in the shape of a castle, Superman shield, even a boa constrictor. I still crave it. Where's my Lipitor?

[mamachef]

Right next to the icebox cake in the fridge. I love that stuff. It's my go-to fast today to take for the next day dessert, and it's so darn retro hardly anyone can actually identify it for what it is anymore.

[Passadumkeg]

I won a teacher's dessert cook off w/ one (extra sweet), in the shape of yellow, Liberty Lightening bolt.

[gaffk]

Gasp! You "cooked" an icebox cake??

The horror, the horror.

[jarona]

This is really disgusting because I've actually looked for this recently, couldn't find it, and was upset because it is probably discontinued. Franco American--or is it Chef Boy-Ar-Di??
Macaroni and cheese in a CAN. Yes. Forget about the Kraft..THIS stuff was far better and I'm sure much worse for you. The 'macaroni" was almost like long, thick hollow strings of spaghetti. The cheese mixture was too-die-for gooey. Oh I miss that stuff so badly.

The second item actually was discontinued and I have no idea why. It was my favorite school-lunch dessert. Drakes Creme Cups--but the golden cups. It was a vanilla creme cup with the chocolate "frosting". YUM!

[mamachef]

jarona, I truly applaud your candor and courage. You have encouraged me to "out" myself by your brave admission. First: I thought immediately of that stuff. It was an ABSOLUTELY forbidden foodstuff in our California household. Mac and cheese had everything to do with spinach noodles and "good, fresh, REAL healthy cheese," this being the last thing in the world that I wanted. I finally got to taste them at a friend's house, and my eyes rolled back in my head. The mush of the tubular, wormy pasta, the sheen of the sauce in a certain light, the fake almost Swissy cheese taste. Oh, ho ho. It was a secret shamefood for many years, and then I think they stopped making it. But I could not admit it until I saw what you had bravely done.
So. Okay. All that being said, if I could find that Chicken a la King in a can, I'd totally buy it. I have no illusions that it would satisfy my truest palate, but I'd sure be willing to give it a try. And please; folks, don't tell me to make some fresh 'cause I make it regularly. I'm talkin' the canned, trashy equivalent here. Food from hell!

[NellyNel]

LOL!!

Food from Hell!
Glad for your admission!

I too, had many "food secrets" for years, but feel I can own up to them now!

One of mine is Oreo cookies enjoyed with a big dollop of sour cream!
mmm Heaven!
(or Hell?!)

[mamachef]

Shut UP! I've got to try it. And you have to try pineapple chunks with the same. Don't ask. Ok, ask. One day, we were out of berries. And so it goes.

[jarona]

mamachef: I actually did a search after word for the canned macaroni and cheese. I could not stop thinking about it after I posted. It WAS Franco American and the label on the can was yellow--to coordinate with the pale faux cheese. I"ll tell you--I've been to great restaurants in Paris, New York, Chicago, Sydney, ...and I've made some teriffic meals for my loved ones, but none..and I mean NONE can compare to that Franco-American Macaroni and Cheese in a can. It makes me very sad that I cannot find it. It makes me even more sad that it never became as popular as the stuff that Kraft makes. The canned is soooooooooooooooooooooo much better! I swear I can taste the cheese stuff.
As for the Chicken A'La King. Are you speaking about the Swanson Chicken A La King?
OMG..that was greatness on toasted Wonder bread. There is something special about canned foods done right! You cannot substitute that canned goodness and freshness!
There is also nothing more comforting on a cold, damp, snowy day than to enjoy a can of Campbell's Chicken and Noodle soup by a nice fire! Yes..and breaking up little pieces of Wonder bread into little pellets and dropping them into that canned soup for an even bigger carb fix is heaven. Just heaven!

[mamachef]

Yep, it surely was Swanson's. I still recall the can; white with a turquoise border on both sides, with the Swanson logo. My favorite part was the pimento-ish flavor, and getting the little red bits was like scoring the maraschino in fruit cocktail. (Another childhood food I totally still eat.)
Ah, yes. The chicken noodle soup still gets play here too. I remember buying my daughter cans of Progresso CN soup after she'd had surgery, and she burst into tears (yes, I know the anaesthaesia can do odd things to people), saying it just wasn't the same, not the same at all, she couldn't eat it, it was just wrong. And so it went, until I went back and made the proper modifications. Here, though: we must have Saltines to dip. We stand them up like little soldiers all the way around the mug's edge, and they soften and they slide into the soup, so you eat the tops first, and they're semi- soggy with a little crunch, and then at the very bottom after the noodles, you have a delicious few spoonfuls of saltine moosh, and it's quite, quite delicious.

[NellyNel]

Mamachef!

We are kindred spirits, you and I!

So with you on the saltines with chicken noodle soup - I love your descriptive and completely accurate description of the taste and texture!

With Campbell's tomato soup, however - it HAS to be with bits of Wonder Bread!

I've never tried or even remember seeing Mac and cheese in a can - it sounds gross, but I totally want to try it!!= I can't believe I missed out!

[cgarner]

I think I had blocked that out of my mind until I just read this post… My mother was a stay at home mom, until I was in 2nd grade. That summer I went to a sitter’s house and every day she fed me lunch out of a can… (my mom was not THE best cook, so it’s not a brag, but we rarely ate prepared foods)

I literally would cry because I was forced to eat spaghetti-o’s (we’re Italian-Americans so this was an affront to my being even at 8 years old)

Then one day, she opened a can of Franco American Macaroni and Cheese… and I actually LIKED it! I have the memory of it being very soupy (no?)

My other childhood favorite was Ellio’s Pizza

They were rectangular and perforated, into three pieces…. You’d pop them into the toaster oven and they’d buckle so sometimes the cheese and sauce would slide off and smoke and burn on the toaster tray. No better lunch than Ellio’s pizza and Hi-C, these were TREATS to me! LOL (OMFG they still make Ellio’s Pizza!)
http://www.ellios.com/Products.aspx

Oh and my Nan used to give us Mallowmars (cookie, topped with marshmallow, covered in chocolate) she’d dole them out to us, one at a time, day long!

[princeofpork]

My kids hate Elios but I still love them. Problem is you can never wait long enough for them to cool and you always burn the roof of your mouth.

[cgarner]

hahaha I know exactly what you mean! I will never forget a friend of mine introducing me to putting dried oregano onto Ellio's pizza... it was a revelation to me at 12 years old!

[jarona]

LOL--Your brought back a sweet memory regarding Mallowmars..and on my dad's birthday no less (he would have been 82 RIP).
He loved Mallowmars. LOVED them. When in season (we lived in New York and they were not sold year-round) he would actually go out and buy them for himself and put them in the freezer. He would count them. I swear to you he knew how many were in the box--well, the box wasn't that big, so go figure. Anyway, we forbidden to go near two things in the house--his police pistol (he was a NYC cop), and the Mallowmars. Sometimes he would give us one as a reward, but to tell you the truth, I was only interested in the chocolate. It was so funny!

[Teacakes]

I love this post! I have been eating that canned Chicken A La King for more years than I can remember. My children loved it growing up, and there are always two cans in my pantry. Swanson still makes it and we still eat it.

[mamachef]

I am delighted to find out Swanson's still makes it. I just almost fainted dead away when I read this. Then I got the urge to do a happy jig. Then I wanted to go to the store, but it's really late here and my husband would flip out if he found me gone, even if there was a note. So. Tomorrow then.
Question: Do you make your own as well, or have you had it made from scratch? It's incredibly easy and delicious. I suspect you have, and those pantry cans are reserved for when you NEED it. : ) If you haven't had it, I'd love to send you a recipe for it.

[PotatoHouse]

Mama, if you wouldn't mind, I've never made Chicken Ala King and would love to have a good recipe for it.

[mamachef]

But of course, PotatoHouse. That's just exactly how we do it here, which is why for the most part I really love the "Hound.

Chicken Newburg is classically served over patty shells, which are kind of like puff pastry cups. You can find them in your large market's freezer section. Otherwide consider noodles, rice, or toast, or mashed potatoes, the point being, you'll need something to chase down the wonderful sauce.

I have no idea whether or not my recipe jibes with the original, so I'm not making any big noises abut that. But this is fantastico:

Chicken Newburg

1 3/4 c. chicken stock (canned broth is okay for this; reduce by half)

1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

5 T. unsalted butter

1/2 each red, yellow and red bell pepper, diced, (It's not written in stone - you can use one color/type and the world won't explode..

1 1/2 t. salt, or to taste

3/4 t. black pepper, or to taste

1/2 c. finely chopped onion, any milder kind

2 T. AP flour

1 1/4 c. heavy cream

1/4 lb. regular mushrooms (white), rinsed and sliced lengthwise

3 lg. egg yolks

1 T. fresh lemon juice, maybe a tot more

2 T. dry sherry or whatever. White wine, vermouth. Whatever. Just nothing stupidly tropical like mango vodka or hazelnut Frangelico.

1/2 t. paprike

1/4 c. chopped parsley

Put broth and chicken into 2-3 qt. heavy saucepan, and bring to a boil. Lower heat so it simmers nicely. Let chicken poach for 8 minutes; turn off flame.Transfer chicken to cutting board. Pour broth through strainer into a two-cup measuring cup, and set aside for sauce. Heat 2 T. butter in 4-5 qt pot until foam subsides, then cook bell peppers until softened; do not brown. Transfer peppers to bowl, stir in 1/4 t. salt and a grind of pepper; set aside. Add onion and the remaining 3 T. butter to the pot and cook until softened, 3-5 minutes; Do not brown. Add flour and remaining salt and pepper, and reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring the entire time, for two minutes. Whisk in 3/4 c. broth, then all of the cream and mushrooms, and simmer until 'shrooms are tender, roughly 5 minutes. While that's going on behind your back, you should be whisking together the yolks, lemon juice and sherry. Whisk 1/4 c. sauce into it, and then whisk that entire mess into the sauce on the stove, whisking until fully incorporated. Don't let it even simmer, or mixture will curdle; it should just be on a really low heat while you whisk it in. Remove all from heat, and set aside.

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces, not too small, and add w. peppers to sauce. Cook over very low heat until all heated through and serve as directed above.

I hope you enjoy this!

'

[Teacakes]

I have NOT made it and like PotatoHouse, would love a recipe for it....possibly with more chicken. I do add boiled eggs to mine and eat it over finely cut noodles.

[sablemerle]

Franco-American. I had that for lunch nearly every day in first grade. My brother wouldn't even try it because the macaroni looked like big, white worms.

[MandalayVA]

I, too, was a big fan of the Franco-American mac-n-cheese. A couple of years ago I ran across one of those retro websites and it was stated that Campbell's had bought out F-A and that the mac-n-cheese was now sold under the Campbell's label. I found a can in my local supermarket and was all excited, only to be bitterly disappointed to find regular-looking mac-n-cheese instead of the long noodles and pale sauce of my childhood. DAMN YOU, CAMPBELL'S!

[traveleryvette]

i think you are referring to the Chef's Beefaroni. The cans are in my local grocery shelves.

[MandalayVA]

Late to this--no, this was very definitely mac-n-cheese. Beefaroni is a completely different beast.

[mamachef]

Can't manage baby rice flakes, but I have no problem stirring strained plums or apricots by Gerber straight into my yogurt - or over ice cream. Also both work as a great binder for cobblers, etc: a jar of apricot babyfood is a wonder stirred into an apple crisp; gives amazing flavor and nobody can figure it out.

[montrealeater]

I didnt put this in my OP because I thought baby rice flakes was weird enough but yes, apricot jarred baby food as well. I love that stuff. And the tutti frutti, but only for tiny babies because otherwise it has bits in it.

Oh god. The SHAME. Ima try it in a cobbler like you said.

[rorycat]

I have found my people!!

I was introduced to Gerber apricot baby food when an infant cousin refused to eat it and I subsequently volunteered for clean up duty. I polished it off. Quickly. My grandmother, bless her, went to the market the next day and brought back a couple more jars just for me. The big ones. Oh how I miss my Gramma.

I had to post because today, for reasons not related to human babies, I found myself perusing their food in the grocery store. And after I got what I needed, I scanned EVERY SINGLE ROW looking for strained apricots. Alas, no success. Which is not in any way meant to be taken that I will stop searching...

[jeanmarieok]

I can't find strained plums any more. They were delicious.

I loved pudding pops, especially those banana pudding pops. I keep hoping someone will recreate them as organic or something, because they are totally wonderful...

[pickychicky1979]

Baby food plums were delicious!! I ate them for breakfast in highschool, lol. When I got married and had kids I was very sad that I could not find them anymore.

[linguafood]

Planter's Cheez Curlz. Unfortunately, they don't make 'em anymore.

Tho that's probably best for all '-P

[lsmutko]

And the Planter's Cheez Balls. Those were incredibly good. I took a couple of road trips on the high school basketball camp circuit with my dad that were pretty much powered by cheez balls in the Lincoln Town Car. He'd (quite illegally) sip on a beer and I had Dr Pepper. And then a beer when we'd stop overnight and search out whatever was good for dinner.

[EWSflash]

For my wedding I had pictured a pretty little cheese and bread spread, not realizing that a bunch of Lutheran housewives circa 1948 Home Economics degrees were running the show. I told DH that i'd eat the whole five barrels of Planter's Cheese Balls (which my now-beloved MIL had bought) before i'd see them on my wedding reception table. Well, my cheese tasting ended up being sandwiches for the Lutheran masses, so what are you gonna do- try to change wedding standards? No, you roll with it and appreciate the lovely family and church that you married into.
I have not eaten a Planter' cheez Ball since, BTW

[gmk1322]

Cold Pop Tarts. There is just something about that non-toasted "buttery taste" that still rocks my world. Especially the non-frosted strawberry ones.

[montrealeater]

Yep, this exact variety was and is my favourite and I still buy a box about once a year.

[ipsedixit]

gmk1322,

Ever make an ice cream sandwich with Pop Tarts?? Take one Pop Tart, scoop your favorite ice cream on it, then take another Pop Tart and top it off to make a sandwich.

Awesome. Simply awesome. Esp. if you like cold Pop Tarts.

[EWSflash]

OMG- ice cream -poptart sandwich? Wow!

[dulce lover]

Ooooh. I was mad for them one very hot east coast summer - my flavors of choice were cinnamon pop tarts with coffee ice cream. It's hard but force yourself to put them back into the freezer after assembly so that they get good and 'married'. I'm drooling a bit just thinking of them! As long as we're back in RI, any Drakes cakes though most especially Funny Bones and Devil Dogs, those cheeseless pizza strips sold at just about every deli/convenience store counter wrapped in cellophane, Carvel cakes, and Table Talk pies. Why Table Talk isn't nationwide or even global is beyond me.

[ipsedixit]

Sometimes I will refreeze after assembly.

But sometimes I like to make my Pop Tart Ice Cream Sandwich by first toasting the Pop Tarts to make them warm and toasty, and then making my ice cream sandwich. You get a nice contrast in texture and mouth feel -- sort of like the indescribable tongue tingling sensation of hot fudge on a cold scoop of ice cream. My very own version of a poor-man's Affogato, if you will.

[Nrc16]

Only a true Rhode Islander knows about those pizza strips...loved them! And don't forget about a nice cold Dels on a summer day or ice cream from Newport Creamery! Miss those days...

[al b. darned]

Not only "true Rhode Islanders." Transplants liked those things, too...and miss them after they left.

[PotatoHouse]

Mine would be the old Banquet boil-in-the-bag hot sandwich meals. Salsbury steak or turkey. I know they are still available in a microwave version, but i seems that they tasted different/better when you boiled them.

[annagranfors]

Easy–the grade school version of Johnny Marzetti (sp?), with crispy crust and all. It was like Chef Boy-Ar-Dee, but awesome.

[exvaxman]

Fizzies are back -
http://www.fizzies.com/

Other than that, Tang and Kraft mac & cheese.

[thegforceny]

Those cheese and cracker combos: a small plastic package with about 4 club crackers in one compartment, and then next to it, another compartment with plastic-y, spreadable, bright orange 'cheese'. It came with a red plastic stick to use as a little knife. Mom put them in my lunch.

[mpjmph]

Handisnacks! They have several varieties now, including oreo cookie sticks with a little cup of white frosting...

[montrealeater]

Are you an 80's child, too? God, I used to covet those cracker/processed cheese thingamajigs. The height of awesomeness as a child was the lunch of a friend - every day 2 of those cheese/cracker things and a can of soda. I would have a giant homemade sandwich, an apple and a Smurfs flask full of orange juice. And I haaaated it.

[kubasd23]

Handi-snacks.... wow I loved those as a kid, they taste way too salty to me now. But Dunkaroos, the kangaroo shaped animal cracker with a little compartment of frosting. Now there is deliciousness in a completely awful way :)

[arktos]

I wouldn't mind having some of those Swanson's frozen TV dinners in the aluminum tray that you'd heat in the oven. The 'Meatloaf' and 'Salisbury Steak' in particular:

[princeofpork]

They have a 3 pound version now for real fatties.

[thegforceny]

I loved this comment.

[Vetter]

I didn't. Not chowish. Chowhounds are kind.

[marthasway]

My brother and I could have these if our parents were going out and leaving us with a sitter. I loved we could choose our own; I usually got the turkey and dressing and he liked Salibury steak. I don't eat those frozen dinners anymore, but when I was having cancer treatment, I really enjoyed frozen potpies with a top and bottom crust with Saltines on the side.

My teenaged son is very picky, and we go through 5-6 boxes of Kraft blue box every week. Another of my favorites in the ersatz cheese department is the pimento cheese spread in the little glasses, to go with small Fritos or piped onto celery.

[EWSflash]

What brand of potpies? Swanson or Marie Callender, or another brand?

And BTW I hope your cancer treatment was successful.

[marthasway]

Swanson Chicken Potpies with the top and bottom crust, and I've always turned them out on a plate and saved the top crust as a special treat. Makes me wish I had one in the freezer now!

And thank you, EWSflash, I'm in remission, at the 3.5 year mark, still getting good reports from my oncologist. I have some lingering side effects, but I'm so grateful for everyday!

[KellBell]

We only got frozen dinners when we had a baby sitter. I loved the turkey dinner ones and thought they were so fancy when we got to have them. I also loved the Swanson chicken potpies dumped out on a plate with the bottom crust broken up into it...lots of pepper and cottage cheese when I got down to the top crust.

[iluvcookies]

Ahh... these totally tasted better in foil trays, straight from Grandma's oven. Especially the salisbury steak.

[traveleryvette]

How about those Swanson Pot Pies double crust a must.

[princeofpork]

Take a look at the nutrition section on those. They are like half a days fat intake in one entree. Still love them though. Unfortunately, they take 45 min to heat up.

[iluvcookies]

I've never stopped loving ice cream or marshmallows, and my sweet tooth has only grown as I've aged.

I still have a soft spot for butterscotch pudding, though the one I make from scratch far outshines the My-T-Fine version I grew up wiith.

[EWSflash]

With you on the marshmallows, I've bought marshmallow creme so many times and never put them into a recipe- young son gobbles it down like I do. love marshmallows with some burn on them. Or not. :-)

[iluvcookies]

Mmmm... marshmallow creme. I gobble that by the spoonful as well.

[traveleryvette]

I try to keep the Nutella just for toast in the morning, but find myself eating it by the spoonfuls. I have even stirred a spoonful in my Quaker Oatmeal. Yum.

[ipsedixit]

I don't think I've ever stopped eating my childhood favorites, including ice cream scooped over warm Sara Lee Pound Cake.

[lcool]

All of the adults around our house ate cake,cookies,ice cream and fruit things when I was little,so I got my share.But out of home junk snacks took some begging and or groveling.Most likely the big attraction for me.I liked a good peach cobbler more even then.

[lcool]

tapioca,still warm with extra vanilla extract

ducking in shame here,Hostess TWINKIES I don't think I actually like them,but they are a great trip back in time

THE GOOD HUMOR TRUCK,still might get me

[montrealeater]

I didn't try Twinkies until I was a grown-up, and they were like a dried out, less awesome version of a Billot Log. Anyone who likes Twinkies should try Billot Logs!

[ipsedixit]

If you like Billot Logs, try the Zingers, with raspberry and coconut.
http://www.hostesscakes.com/zingers.asp

[lcool]

one grandson loves Zingers,my older brother who was a SNOW BALL addictee doesn't

[montrealeater]

Omfg those are a total Billot Log ripooff and I must have them. Never seen them here in Canada. Is the chemical cream to cake ratio the same as Twinkies? My 2 problems with Twinkies are: not enough cream and they always taste stale/chewy.

[ipsedixit]

It definitely has more cream than Twinkies. Plus, the icing makes it less dry.

You might also like Sno Balls. http://www.hostesscakes.com/snoballs.asp

[lcool]

I am part of an Eastern Montana,Western Canada ranching family and know Billet logs.I just can't get around the coconut,only like it fresh.So that said,for you coconut lovers;Hostess makes,made something called "SNOW BALLS" 2 per pack 1 white-chocolate cake,cream fill,white elastic frosting with coconut,1 pink-white cake covered with pink elastic coconut frosting.
freshness with twinkies is a real issue,their day has passed and the last 2 times I had a 2 pack-1 fresh 1 not

[escondido123]

Kraft mac and cheese in the blue box. I have no kids or grandkids, but 2 boxes are in the cupboard.

[middleagedfoodie]

OMG. That was my childhood dog's favorite. She knew when my mother got the box from the pantry shelf and propped herself on the counter to watch my mother make it. The chemicals are definitely what made it taste wonderful. My mother's secret recipe was all butter, no milk. Really dry and cheesy, in a good way.

[escondido123]

Mine is all heavy cream, no butter, lots of black pepper--and I only use 2/3s of the macaroni.

[NellyNel]

I have never grown out of love for my Kraft mac & cheese....

My special way is - no butteror milk - just a nice heaping splash of white wine!
I got that from a CH post a few years back - and indeed, it's wonderful! Kind of a fondue vibe to it.

[coastie]

college years had me eating it with beer instead of milk and butter LOL - but Yum.

[EWSflash]

OOOOOOOOOOOOh!

[traveleryvette]

White wine sounds yummy with mac and cheese. Thanks. I wonder if the white cheddar mac and cheese variety would be the best combo or stick to the tried and true original? I might just have to try both :)

[EWSflash]

Costco has it, but you have to buy something like fifteen shrinkwrapped boxes. It was a struggle, but it scared me to think about how long (not) the big batch would last me. i will buy that somedy, though, and not be afraid to eat them all one by one.

[antimony]

I usually assuage my guilt by buying the frou-frou organic versions, but: box mac and cheese, with frozen peas (not reheated, poured straight from the freezer onto the top of the mac&cheese) on top. Eaten like a hungry teenager while the temperatures still have that reverse-hot-fudge-sundae temperature difference. Mmm.

[princeofpork]

Any of us who have kids are eating that stuff all over again.

[jmcarthur8]

Jello 1-2-3. Last time I found a package of it was about 20 years ago at Big Lots. All the writing was in Arabic. Loved that stuff.

[skip o.]

I am on a mission to find the REAL Jello 123. Does anybody have any relevant info?