Review- M&S NEW LE Mac 'n' Cheese & Bacon Pie

Holy moly, steady yourselves. M&S have gone and combined 2 of possibly the greatest foods that life has to offer.. Saucy macaroni pasta meet all buttery pastry, with a sprinkle of the porky stuff as it would be rude not to, it's only Mac 'n' Cheese & Bacon Pie! 

Oh how the excitement was overwhelming when I stumbled across the 200g Limited Edition, sunny boxed delight, at the start of the month! - Shame about the £3 price tag when bought individually but what can you do.. It is M&S after all! Fit to serve 1, (With nutritional values that may make you anything but!) the Pie is to be heated at 180ºC Fan for 30 minutes until possessing the heat of molten lava.. 

Cooked macaroni pasta in a cheese sauce topped with smoked bacon crumble, in an all butter pastry case. 

So I did just that and it came out beautifully - Golden on top, crisp around the edges and smelling very scrumptious. Then came the challenge of getting the thing out of the foil*.. A quick game of "Hot Potato" and miraculously it was on a plate in one piece! Hallelujah! 

Cutting the Pie in half, I did expect there to be more of the oozing sauce suggested on the packaging image.. But no such luck despite being piping hot. Thankfully, this minor blip didn't reflect in the taste, as cheesy it certainly was! ..But starting with the buttery pastry, the upper crust was extremely short and crisp, transitioning into something much softer, although not soggy, and having far more of a flake. This contrasted nicely against the full size, soft macaroni pieces, packing a good amount of the aforementioned Cheddar and Regato flavours combined with an undeniable indulgent creaminess. The crumble added a second crunchy aspect a long with a lot of seasoning, albeit perhaps personally too much for me, and bacon tones of both the pleasant smoked "farmyard" variety and something a tad more artificial which as expected, wasn't quite so appealing.. But generally went well with the cheesy pasta/pastry combo! 

Overall, this NEW LE Mac 'n' Cheese & Bacon Pie delivers all that it promises and makes for one  solid little snack. The only thing I am torn over is the fact it is exactly that.. A snack. Not one to usually be overly fixated on the fat content of foodstuffs, it is very much hard to ignore when a red symbol is slapped straight in front of your peepers and you know full well, you will be having a potato product as an accompaniment.. And maybe a can of baked beans.. Or is one meant to just have salad to make it a meal? Salad offends me. Either way, it still packs a serious punch for something so dinky.. Not to mention, to consume in one sitting since we're still only talking about one lonesome meal here! What about all the other "bad" things, one eats in a day? I am genuinely surprised that M&S are down with selling such "unhealthy"** options in such tiny packages***.. But I enjoyed it nevertheless****! It's a 4 out of 5 from me*****. 

*Turns out, you are meant to remove said foil and place on a preheated baking tray which poses the question.. Why use the foil to begin with, hmm!?

**The rest of the NEW LE Pies, e.g Chicken & Bacon, are no "better". 

***Everything in moderation. 

****To be enjoyed as part of a healthy active lifestyle. 

*****Please don't make me eat salad. 

Snackmas Day 16- M&S Party Food

As I mentioned last Snackmas, MSW is a sucker for Party Food. She buys it all despite never having an actual party.. We do always have it for tea on the 24th though and all the way through to New Year just to keep the spirit alive - You might say we have several of our own mini celebrations with the help of tiny finger foods!

M&S caught my eye when it came to this years offerings with plenty of NEW bits to feast upon - Handmade Prawn Parcel Selection, Mini Porcini & Chestnut Mushroom Mac & Cheese, Duck Croquettes and Mini Mozzarella Bites, all priced at £3.50 each minus the latter which I think was £2.  Conveniently, this little lot can be cooked from fresh at the same temperature of 180ºC Fan for 10 minutes.. Even the Mozzarella Bites which came with a recommended time of 7 minutes, turned out perfectly - I always give cheesy things a smidgen longer to avoid any soggy outsides! 

Handmade Prawn Parcel Selection

4 wheat pancake parcels with a prawn sweet and sour filling, 4 pastry stars with prawn and red chilli, 4 pastry parcels with prawns, mushrooms and hoisin sauce filling. 

Golden and crisp, all 3 of the prawn parcels looked most attractive when straight out of the oven and certainly something you would be proud to display on your party table. Smelling as one would expect in being mildy fishy, the Sweet & Sour Pancake Parcels were the first I tried and didn't disappoint in terms of flavour - The outside was pleasantly on the greasy side with a packed filling of prawn chunks and complimenting vegetables which reminded me a bit of a Spring Roll. Moving onto the Pastry Stars which I felt quite brave in even trying given the use of red chilli. Thankfully, it was just about bearable but still delivered enough heat for those who appreciate such a thing, for that spicy kick and went well with the soft prawn layer between 2 crisp sheets of pastry. Thirdly, the Pastry Parcels or as I feel compelled to call them, the crunchy blobs! Thicker on the pastry front but not overly dry, these were just as yummy as the previous 2 with the addition of hoisin sauce for that added bit of sweetness and mushrooms for a "meatier" flavour. I didn't find any of the trio to be overly fishy so can't see them offending many.. Apart from the Shellfish allergy sufferers.. Obviously, you're excused. A 4 out of 5 from me. 

Mini Porcini & Chestnut Mushroom Mac & Cheese

10 mini foils containing conchigliette pasta, chestnut and porcini mushrooms in a rich cheese and marsala wine sauce. Complete with spoons. 

How cute are the individual pots with a handy, baby spoon!? The cheese may have exploded everywhere but I don't think they could look more adorable! Taking a mouthful, quite a potent flavour was delivered of rich, creamy cheese with squidgy pasta pieces throughout and a real kick of mushroom - Strong to the point of definitely being one for the fanatics of the aforementioned. I couldn't taste any marsala wine whatsoever but that didn't take away the enjoyment and I would quite happily eat 6 - 3 spoonfuls in each, just isn't enough! It's 4.5 out of 5 from me. 

Duck Croquettes

Tender and tasty roast duck croquettes coated in a crunchy crumb and served with a honey and truffle dip. 

These, cylindrical shaped croquettes cooked a treat to be exactly as promised - Soft on the inside with a satisfyingly crisp coating. Full of meaty flavour and undeniably that of duck, they were quite rich alone but mellowed by the delicious sweet, honey tones of the dip. Some sort of spice was also noticeable, not that I could say what exactly and for me, the truffle was completely MIA.. What is truffle suppose to taste like anyway? I probably wouldn't know it if it hit me in the face! It's a 4 out of 5. 

Mini Mozzarella Bites

Italian mozzarella in a thyme and parsley breadcrumb with a garlic and herb dips. 

Lastly and the type of Party Food that I am particularly fond of.. The Mozzarella Bites! Smelling ridiculously herby, the balls were ooey gooey inside with another crunchy outside to contrast to all the soft. Unfortunately, the thyme aspect of these was very overpowering and I felt, took away from any decent cheese flavour. Bizarrely however, when eaten with the rather slimy green looking dip, despite adding further herb into the equation, I found the bites to mellow and generally be far more palatable. An odd one - A 3 out of 5. 

Overall, there is not much to complain about when it comes to this range of Party Food from M&S. The quality is most definitely there and I feel, brings something a bit different oppose to the usual selection on offer - Mini Pizza's and Quiches are great and all but just sometimes, only a fancier snack will cut it.. Maybe do avoid the Mozzarella Bites though unless you've got an extended family member who's favourite food is thyme and nothing but! 

Three Bird Roast Sausage Rolls

All butter puff pastry, filled with lightly seasoned British pork, turkey, chicken & duck with smoked bacon. 

But what if you prefer a cold Party Food option? I hear ya and present to thee, the Three Bird Roast Sausage Rolls! Priced at the ludicrously expensive £5 for 12, I purchased the 420g pack when it had been reduced with every intention of whacking them in the freezer to bring out over the holidays.. This never happened and we ended up eating them there and then, as is.. Although they are fine to be heated at 180ºC Fan for 10-15 minutes, if one so wishes. 

Cutting the Roll in half, a good amount of filling presented itself with the layers of pastry, to produce that flaky feel, clear to see. Taste wise, bacon was at the forefront with an array of not quite bird distinguishable yet deliciously meaty flavours throughout - I especially didn't get duck at all despite it being such a rich taste. A good amount of seasoning was included along with a salty edge making them really quite moreish.. Not to mention, the oodles of buttery, almost cheese tones from the pastry! Yummy - A 4 out of 5 from me!

..I think I might have eaten too much.

Review- M&S NEW Spirit of Summer: BBQ Pulled Pork Mac 'n' Cheese

The weather may still be grey, muggy and imploring for a thunderstorm but the Spirit of Summer is still well and truly running through me and today's little number is one I've had my eye on for quite a few months.. It's BBQ Pulled Pork Mac 'n' Cheese! 

The 300g cheesy pasta is actually designed to feed 2 as it is a side dish within a Pizza meal deal. I wasn't in the mood for the whole shebang so bought it on its own for £3.. Whilst eyeing up the Onion Rings and Cheesy Fries! 

Cooked pasta in a creamy cheese sauce with pulled pork in a smoky barbecue sauce topped with mature cheddar cheese and parsley. 

I cooked as instructed at 180ºC Fan* for 25 minutes on a baking tray after stabbing the film on top with some aggression - Trust me, it helps. 

The Mac 'n" Cheese came out smelling delightful - Super cheesy with a hint of BBQ. Unfortunately though, I was disappointed by how dry the pasta looked.. There was no where near enough sauce to coat the lot evenly and in turn, some of the macaroni had caught slightly! This was only reaffirmed when eating with a mish mash of textures - Soft and Al dente in parts yet rock solid in others despite giving a bit of a stir! The sauce itself, even though there was little of it, was decent enough with a thick gooey texture and good cheesy flavour. As for the pulled pork, a fairly generous lump was present and had the soft, melt in the mouth texture one would expect.. If only it didn't taste of fennel and nothing but! As a passionate hater of the stuff, I found this to overpower the entire dish and scooped the lot out promptly and ended up just picking at the bits of pasta it hadn't touched! - Yuck! 

Good grief - How can anyone get Mac 'n' Cheese wrong? I've heard nothing but good things about the one in M&S regular line! Some serious recipe editing needs to happen here starting with the amount of sauce being doubled to prevent dry, solid pasta pieces and that meat.. Well get rid of the fennel at least, if not do away with it completely - I think I've been put off entirely! It's a 2.5 out of 5 from me. 

*Nuke for 3 minutes if that's what tickles your pickle. 

Review- M&S NEW Activehealth Roasted Vegetable Ravioli with Tomato Sauce

So, after eating all that Chocolate Spread, I am thinking I need to get back on the healthy and start lowering my cholestrol once more.. Move over scrumptious Slow Cooked Lamb, Roasted Vegetable Ravioli is here! 

Free range egg pasta parcels filled with roasted vegetables with a smoked tomato sauce, roasted baby plum tomatoes and parsley. 

I don't know if M&S heard me moaning about the price of these NEW activehealth meals or what but the entire range is now a Mix & Match, 3 for £10 deal which is far more reasonable than having to fork out £4.25 each! 

I stabbed the 355g, Veggie friendly meal with a fork, ready to pop into the microwave for about 4 minutes.. Although you can also whack it in the oven at 160ºC Fan for 15 minutes, if you live for hard work. 

It looked a real treat after a good zapping! - Gloriously tomato-ey with a very rich, slightly smokey scent. I have to admit, I was hoping the latter wasn't going to reflect to much in the taste.. 

Thankfully, my wishes came true as the smoked tomato sauce wasn't really smokey at all - Just tomato all the way! 7 large and generously coated Ravioli were the star of the show with a soft bite (Some might say al dente!) and well filled vegetable centre. As expected, the pasta paired up perfectly with the not to sloppy, super fresh tasting sauce which came with a ever so slight hint of basil. The whole baby tomatoes were another element in abundance with 6 present.. But unfortunately, the skins were really quite unpleasantly chewy - I ended up peeling them and just eating the soft, juicy centre! One other negative which although didn't effect the overall deliciousness, was how one of the Ravioli had gone crisp. I can only assume this was down to not being covered in sauce fully which was unfortunate but easily avoidable with a bit of shifting about, next time! 

What on earth has happened to M&S? This Roasted Vegetable Ravioli is another champion product from the store! I am starting to worry a bit really.. I'm seeing past "faults" like undigestible tomato skins and occasional plaster like pasta all for an amazingly potent sauce come carb fest. You wouldn't even recognise it as a healthy meal either - It tastes that good.. And even better with cheese on top! 

Could they be "poisoning" us all into liking them? Perhaps. Are they intent on taking all our money? Wouldn't put it past them. Is this all part of a grand scheme in which we get hooked on Spirit of Summer? Without a shadow of a doubt. It's a cracking 4.5 out of 5 from me! 

Review- Harvester NEW: Mac & Cheddar Bites and Red Velvet Cake

A few weeks ago, myself and the Snack Warrior family went to Harvester for lunch having not been for quite some time. As with every visit, there appeared to be a NEW menu for us to give a whirl - Pork Belly and Pasta were listed, to name a few. As I am boring, I stuck with my usual of a Burger but wasn't going to pass up a NEW Starter and a NEW Dessert! 

Mac & Cheddar Cheese Bites

"Cheese please!" I exclaimed when my £4.50 Starter arrived, still toasty warm from the fryers. The 5 Bites, that were marginally smaller than Golf Balls in size were piled up in a little bowl and topped with a tomato salsa which smelled suspiciously spicy!

Scared to go anywhere near the Salsa, I opted for the plain lil fella first, who was beautifully golden brown and crisp. The interior of soft pasta and super duper stringy cheese was delightful in both taste and texture with a contrast to the crunchy exterior. A hint of what I assume were chives paired up with the fairly strong chedder, a treat and gave another flavour dimension. Going back to the scary Salsa which I eventually built up the courage to try.. Fresh Tomato was certainly apparent but then the spice kicked in, I got upset, salvaged the Bites I could and chucked the rest at BSW - Next time I'm ordering without! A solid starter and a solid 4 out of 5 from me. 

Red Velvet Cake

Yes, you have read that correctly.. RED VELVET CAKE! This wodge, served with whipped cream and strawberries cost £4.99 (Ish?) but I essentially had it for free thanks to a £5 off voucher - Winner!

Delightful shot in it's half eaten state! The texture of this cake was a weird one.. And not actually cake at all but more of a dense brownie! I am not sure if this was due to the fact it had only just been removed from the fridge but it didn't appear to soften up even towards the end. Taste wise, all I can say is SWEET - Very very very sweet. The more than generous cream cheese frosting did have the signature taste but the sponge itself didn't reflect Red Velvet at all.. The only way to describe the flavour in its entirety was pink! - If one could taste such a colour that is! The shards of chocolate topping and coating the side, did go someway to cut a bit of sweetness but at the same time.. Not really. As for the fluffy cream and strawberries with sauce, I have no idea of its purpose as although nice enough, it didn't go with the cake whatsoever. Cloying to say the least - It's a 2.5 out of 5 from me. 

Well, it's a mixed bag of NEW here from Harvester - The Mac & Cheese Bites are delicious and I would most definitely order them again (Minus the Salsa of course) whereas the Red Velvet Cake is just Diabetes central! I can't see the latter going down well with anyone who isn't under the age of 12 which I guess works out pretty well as the Chain now allows you to order an entire Birthday sized Cake of the stuff - On your own head be it when you've got 20 hyperactive kids to wrangle for the afternoon! 

If anyone has tried any other of the NEW offerings from the Restaurant, I would love to know your thoughts and feelings.. If there are some hidden gems, I may even take another trip myself!