News: Carl's Jr. - New Santa Fe Turkey Burger

Carl's Jr. expands its line of under-500 calories Charbroiled Turkey Burgers with the new Santa Fe Turkey Burger.

The Santa Fe version clocks in at 490 calories and features a charbroiled Turkey Burger patty, spicy Santa Fe sauce, Pepper-Jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and sliced green chili on a toasted, honey wheat bun.

The suggested price for the Santa Fe Turkey Burger alone is $3.49 with the combo coming in at $5.99.

News: Panera Bread Featured 2011 Winter Menu

New to the menu this winter at Panera Bread is their Sonoma Chicken Stew, a creamy chicken stew with Parisian carrots, peas, leeks and diced red potatoes simmered with sweet cream and thyme. It's served with a new Dry Jack Cheese Biscuit.

There's also two new panini sandwiches: the Steak Balsamico and the Roasted Turkey Artichoke.

The Steak Balsamico features seared top sirloin, mozzarella cheese, roasted red peppers, baby spinach, tomato, and basil balsamic spread on ciabatta bread.

Review: Burger King - New Thicker Fries

Burger King's new Fries are thicker and don't appear to be as battered and crusty as their old fries.

I picked up a large order at my local BK restaurant for $2.09.

News: 7-Eleven - New Maple Sausage Breakfast Roller

Appearing to be a modified pig in a blanket, 7-Eleven serves up their new Maple Sausage Breakfast Roller. The new breakfast item features a maple-flavored pancake wrapped around a pork sausage and served hot off their roller grill.

These are available at participating locations at an introductory price of $1 each.

It's kinda like a McGriddle but as a roll, no? These are meant for easy on-the-go eating.

International Weekend: Delacre Roule d'Or

Delacre Roule d'Or hail from France and feature crisp fluted crepe cookies baked till golden.

A 7.1-ounce box cost me $2.79 at a local market.

Frozen Friday: Stouffer's - Farmer's Harvest Chicken Fettucini Alfredo

From Stouffer's Farmer's Harvest line (so called because they feature ingredients like olive oil, sea salt or whole grains), Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo with a Vegetable Medley comes with a main dish of grilled white meat chicken and fettuccini in a creamy Alfredo sauce (Parmesan cheese and butter sauce). On the side there's a vegetable mix of broccoli, carrots, and grilled red peppers.

These are available at my local supermarket for $3.99 or around $2 to $2.50 on sale.

News: Dunkin' Donuts - New Texas Toast Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Dunkin' Donuts is out with a new sandwich: the new Texas Toast Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

The sandwich, which is actually oven-toasted and not grilled, features two slices of American cheese and one slice of white cheddar cheese sandwiched between two thick slices of Texas toast.

Bacon or ham can be added for an additional charge.

News: Krispy Kreme - Seasonal Christmas Doughnuts

Krispy Kreme showcases three different holiday donuts this season: the new Red Velvet Cake Doughnut, as well as the returning Snowman and Chocolate Iced with Holiday Sprinkles.

The Snowman Doughnut is a snowman-shaped doughnut decorated in white icing and a red icing scarf.

The Chocolate Iced with Holiday Sprinkles consists of a chocolate-iced doughnut with red and green sprinkles.

The Red Velvet Cake Doughnut features a cake doughnut topped with cream cheese icing and red velvet cake crumbles.

The donuts are available at participating Krispy Kreme locations through December 31st.

News: Dairy Queen - December Blizzard of the Month - Candy Cane Chill

Dairy Queen hits us with a Christmas-themed Blizzard this December: the Candy Cane Chill Blizzard.

The Candy Cane Chill Blizzard is pretty simple; just a pieces of peppermint candy cane and chocolate mixed with their standard vanilla soft serve. Sort of like peppermint bark I guess?

As always, you can also get the Blizzard of the Month as an ice cream cake and it will only be available through the month of December.

News: Baskin-Robbins - Bobsled Brownie - December 2011 Flavor of the Month

Baskin-Robbins' featured flavor for the month of December 2011 is the winter themed Bobsled Brownie featuring Butter Caramel ice cream, chocolate chip blondie brownie pieces paired with Milk Chocolate Mousse ice cream with a fudge crackle ribbon.

Fun fact: Bobsled Brownie was created in 2002 inspired by the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, where the U.S. won the inaugural women’s bobsled event. Butter Caramel has since replaced Cookie Dough ice cream in the mix though.

Bobsled Brownie ice cream is available nationwide during the month of December by the scoop (in a cup or cone), in a sundae or in hand-packed pints, quarts and half-gallons.

News: Subway - Two $2 6-inch Subs for December

Subway has a good deal going on this month: Calling December "Customer Appreciation Month," they're offering their classic Meatball Marinara and Cold Cut Combo 6-inch subs for just $2 each. Get two and you got yourself a $4 footlong sub.

In addition, the Featured $5 Footlong for December is the Western Egg and Cheese which features your choice of bread and veggies plus eggs and Black Forest ham. It's normally only served at breakfast but for December it's available all day.

Subway also has a limited-time breakfast deal going on where you can pick up one of 3 6-inch breakfast subs (your choice of Black Forest Ham, Egg & Cheese, Egg & Cheese, or Bacon, Egg & Cheese) plus a 16-ounce coffee or 21-ounce fountain drink for $3.

Review: McDonald's - Baked Pumpkin Pie

McDonald's Baked Pumpkin Pie is a limited-time, limited-availability, seasonal item that's sold around the fall at some McDonald's here and there.

The price is the same as other McDonald's Baked Pies at two for $1.

News: Burger King - New Fries and "Free Fries Friday"

Last changed in 1998, Burger King once again returned to the drawing board and will be out with new French fries nationwide starting Monday, December 5th, 2011.

The new fries feature a thicker cut that's purported to give the fries a more fluffy, more potato-y within while remaining crisp without.

To promote the new fries, Burger King will be giving out free value sized (normally $1) orders of their new French fries on Friday, December 16th dubbing the day "Free Fries Friday."

The outgoing, old fries were unveiled in 1998 and featured a light batter that helped the fries remain hotter and crisper.

News: Dunkin' Donuts - New Mint Hot Chocolate and Holiday Lineup

For the holidays this year, Dunkin' Donuts adds new Mint Hot Chocolate as a permanent addition to the menu and new Warm Cinnamon Swirl Muffins.

Mint Hot Chocolate comes from a mix of peppermint hot chocolate powder and hot water melding the flavors of mint with hot chocolate.

Served warmed, the Warm Cinnamon Swirl Muffin features a yellow cake muffin with baked in cinnamon swirl topped with coffee cake streusel and white powdered sugar.

Other Dunkin' Donuts' seasonal holiday menu items include seasonal holiday drinks and donuts including:

Review: McDonald's - Peppermint Hot Chocolate

McDonald's Peppermint Hot Chocolate is a new, limited-time seasonal drink that the House of Ronald is selling this holiday season. It mixes (whole or nonfat) steamed milk with chocolate peppermint syrup topped with whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup.

I picked up a 16-ounce medium for $2.79.

News: Wendy's - New Cheesy Cheddarburger

An unheralded new value menu item I recently noticed at my local Wendy's, the new Cheesy Cheddarburger is simple and to the point: it features a plain junior hamburger bun and patty plus a slice of American cheese and a scoop of Cheddar cheese sauce (the stuff Wendy's uses for their Baked Potatoes and what not).

You can pick one up for 99 cents.

It seems a bit plain but that might not be a bad thing.

Review: Taco Bell - Triple Steak Stack

Taco Bell's limited-time Triple Steak Stack is simple enough: marinated steak and cheese folded in a large piece of flatbread.

With 4.5 ounces of steak (compared to the normal 1.5 ounce), one of these will run you about $4.99.

Review: Jack in the Box - Outlaw Burger

What's typically called a "Western" or "BBQ Bacon" burger at other chains is named the Outlaw Burger at Jack in the Box.

The Outlaw Burger features a jumbo hamburger patty, lettuce, tomato, hickory-smoked bacon, American cheese, onion rings, and a bourbon barbecue sauce on a sesame seed bun for $3.49.

Starbucks Debuts New Holiday Petites

This holiday season, Starbucks expands their line of petites for a limited-time with two new mini desserts: the Peppermint Brownie Cake Pop and Chocolate Creme Whoopie Pie.

Each petite boasts an under-200 calorie count.

News: Domino's - New Parmesan Bread Bites

Overshadowed amid the hubbub over Domino's new Stuffed Cheesy Bread was the quiet launch of Domino's new Parmesan Bread Bites.

Parmesan Bread Bites feature oven-baked, bite-size breadsticks lightly sprinkled with a blend of Parmesan and Asiago cheese, seasoned with garlic and more Parmesan.

They're available in 16-piece for $2.99 or 32-piece orders for $5.00. If you want something to dip them in, Domino's has dipping cups (marinara, blue cheese, garlic sauce, ranch, and jalapeno cheese) for an additional charge.

Update 2/7/12: Looks like Domino's is finally getting around to promoting these; for a limited-time, they're offering 16 bites for $1 with the purchase of 2-medium, 2-topping pizzas for $5.99 (a total of $12.98 for the pizzas plus Parmesan Bread Bites). You can check out my review of the bites here.