Mixed opinions on Pillsbury ice cream with mix-ins

Pillsbury Ice Cream From Kemps. Turtle Fudge Brownie, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Peanut Butter Fudge Chunk, Lovin' Caramel Swirl, Brownies 'N Cream, Cake & Ice Cream, and Homemade Vanilla. $4.99 to $5.49 per 56-ounce carton.

Bonnie: Pillsbury just introduced a line of seven new ice creams — a plain vanilla, a cake and ice cream, and others with chocolate add-ins. In other words, they're made for Carolyn rather than me. The add-ins overpower this airy-textured ice cream. The chunks of brownies in the Turtle Fudge Brownie were too large and too chewy, and the caramel swirls in the caramel, too sweet.

The calories and fat (170 to 190 calories and 7 to 11 grams of fat per half-cup) are typical of non-superpremium ice creams, or way too much for how little I enjoyed them.

Carolyn: Ice cream companies have long teamed up with candy companies to give you confidence in the quality of their mix-ins. This Kemp Ice Cream and Pillsbury bakery collaboration is designed to give you assurance about mix-in flavors based on baked goods.

So does "nothin' say lovin' " like something from the freezer as well as the oven? Does the Doughboy's ice cream rise to the quality of similar offerings from Edy's and Breyers?

In general, yes.

The Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and the Brownies 'N Cream are especially noteworthy. The Cake & Ice Cream is the only nationally available version of this wacky (and delicious) mix of colorful birthday cake and the ice cream that it's traditionally served beside.

Although tasty, the wholly candy-based Peanut Butter Fudge Chunk and the Lovin' Caramel Swirl are off the bakery message. The Peanut Butter needs more texture (like real peanuts), and the caramel is too sweet even for me.

But only the plain vanilla seemed totally pointless.

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Gorton's Grilled Fillet Meals. Alfredo, and Lemon & Herb Butter. $3.29 per 10-ounce box.

Bonnie: Gorton's first entry into grilled fish entrees is mediocre at best. Unlike fresh fish, the pollack in these tastes and smells fishy. These entrees also don't look appealing. Just imagine white fish next to white rice or white-sauce-covered broccoli. Gorton's recipe development team should know better.