Giant Cookie On A Skillet

Yesterday I went to one of my favorite restaurants for lunch. Since that is the restaurant I visit the most often, I am quite familiar with the menu, and have already tried many of the items on the menu. I had a delicious panzerotti for lunch, which is basically an enclosed pizza. This is a pizza restaurant, and actually it is my favorite pizza aside from homemade. I wanted a little something different, so I opted for the panzerotti. Of course the panzerotti was delicious, with a perfect sauce, a nice crust, and an excellent filling (you can choose your filling ingredients).  However, the restaurant recently introduced a new dessert, and that is what I was looking forward to the most. For awhile now, this restaurant has always had a dessert called the "Brownie Skillet", which I thought was one of the best dessert inventions ever. Basically, you take a chocolate brownie, cook it on a skillet, then top it with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and chocolate sauce. It gets delivered to the table, right on the skillet, piping hot. Sounds simple, but it is so genius. Now they have come up with a new creation: a cookie skillet. It is a giant (and I mean GIANT) chocolate chip and chunk cookie, the biggest I have ever seen, cooked on a skillet, then topped with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and chocolate sauce. It is absolute heaven. And totally worth it (it's actually very reasonably priced in my opinion). The only complaint I have, is I would have preferred no whipped cream (not a huge fan), and double (or triple) the chocolate sauce (a huge chocolate fan). Other than that though, it was absolutely delicious, and I would definitely get it again. The menu states it as being "Delightfully Craveable" and the caption sums it all up very nicely, "Where have you been all my life?" Who knows, I might even try making it at home myself some day, and experiment with different kinds of cookies! Also: this divine dessert is waaaayy better than it looks. I don't think any picture could ever do it enough justice. You will just have to experience it for yourself!

PHOTO CREDIT:"PD2012_Web Dessert Menu (1)" http://www.pizzadelight.com/5-desserts-menu.html.Pizza Delight, n.d. Tuesday, May 22, 2012.

Fast Food Restaurants

Time for another just for fun post. Today I am going to see how many international fast food restaurant chains I can name.

• McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Harvey's, Subway, A&W, KFC
• Dairy Queen, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Quizno's, Greco, Captain Sub, Sonic
• Arby's, Domino's

Actually, there aren't as many as I thought. I don't tend to eat out at fast food restaurants very often. Basically only when I am travelling. I prefer to prepare my own, fresh, wholesome food at home. However, keep in mind that there are healthy options available at most fast food restaurants if that is your only option.

PHOTO CREDIT:"Fast%20food%20restaurants%20001"  http://pizzarecipes.net/healthy-pizza-recipes.html . PizzaRecipes.net, n.d. Wednesday, February 1, 2012.

Dining Out

Just today I realized that I have never talked about restaurants or eating out on my blog. There is so much I could say about this topic, but I will start off with my opinion on eating out in general.To tell the truth, I have mixed feelings about dining out. I am actually not a huge fan of it. I would prefer to have a hearty, home-cooked meal, whether it is made by me or someone else. This way I know exactly what is in my food, and the meal is almost always more nutritious than restaurant fare. There are also more options and alterations available when dining in. For example, maybe you want to order the baked fish, but don't like the fact that it comes with a side of french fries. Or maybe you are a huge fan of roasted chicken, but will get heartburn from the garlic seasoning. I also am not a fan of restaurant atmosphere. You are always dining with strangers, or acquaintances you would rather choose to avoid, in a crowded, noisy atmosphere with lighting that certainly is not prime, and temperatures that are usually disagreeable. I prefer to eat in the comfort of my own home. Eating out is also more expensive, and usually the portion sizes are much too large anyway.

However, there are some aspects of dining out that I enjoy. I like being able to try new foods, things I normally would not have access to at home. I also like how restaurants can accommodate large crowds of people for gatherings, and many even have private banquet rooms. But, as you can see, this list is a lot shorter than my list of cons.

I can understand why people eat out once in a while, especially when on vacation. Some people dine out for celebrations, some for convenience. I think it is always possible to have home-cooked meals that are more convenient and affordable, by way of make-ahead and freeze, slow-cookers, or prep in advance. However, I know that supper isn't always the first thought on people's minds, and restaurants are a quick and easy way to get that meal in. I think that people also eat out at restaurants because they believe the food is much better than what they could ever make, which isn't always true.

Do not get me wrong, I am not totally against eating out once in a while. In fact, it is a great way to consume some balanced meals while on vacation, and presents a nice opportunity to try new foods. Moderation, healthier choices, and portion size are key!