Review: Panda Express - Orange Chicken with Bacon & Shiitake Kale Chicken Breast

Panda Express's Orange Chicken with Bacon is their signature Orange Chicken with the simple addition of pieces of bacon. Their Shiitake Kale Chicken Breast features chicken breast, shiitake mushrooms, kale, and broccoli wok-tossed in a savory house sauce.

It cost $6.59 for a 2-entree plate plus 50 cent extra for the bacon. There were also a la carte single servings available for $3.50 each (plus 50 cents extra for bacon).

Around the World: McDonald's UK - My Burger Contest

McDonald's just launched the "My Burger" contest over in the UK where fans can use an online burger generator to build and name their own burgers for a chance to see it on the menu in the fall.

The promotion first started a few years back over in Germany where it spread to a couple of other European countries over the years and now finds itself in merry old England.

If you were to judge by available ingredients here in the US, you wouldn't think there would be that many possible burger combinations. But for the My Burger contest, there are over 20 bun choices and well over 50 ingredients to put inside said buns.

Here's the full (and exhaustive) list:

News: Taco Bell Testing Crunchwrap Sliders

Taco Bell is testing new Crunchwrap Sliders out in Bakersfield, CA and central Ohio. Priced at $1 each, they're basically smaller versions of the chain's signature Crunchwrap Supreme ($3.29) and come in three different flavors: Beefy Cheddar, Spicy Chicken, and BLT.

Rather than going with the tostada shell of the Crunchwrap Supreme for crunch, Taco Bell went with Fritos corn chips for these. The Crunchwrap Sliders look to be about the size of an A.M. Crunchwrap (starting at $2.49) but are lighter and at a much lower price point.

News: The Coffee Bean - New Mud Pie and Caramel Brownie Ice Blendeds

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf offers two, new, limited-time Ice Blended drink flavors for the summer: Mud Pie and Caramel Brownie.

News: Outback Steakhouse - New Moonshine BBQ Menu

Outback's latest is a new, limited-time Moonshine BBQ Menu.

To encourage sampling, the restaurant chain will be offering a free half-order of new Moonshine BBQ Wood-Fire Grilled Wings with the purchase of any adult entree on Wednesday, May 21 and Thursday, May 22. To take advantage of the offer, say "Moonshine BBQ Wings" to your server (I recommend just asking for the deal specifically).

Review: Domino's - Oven Baked Philly Cheesesteak

Domino's Oven Baked Philly Cheesesteak sandwich features slices of steak, American and provolone cheeses, fresh onions, fresh green peppers, and fresh mushrooms on artisan bread, baked in their pizza ovens.

I picked one up for $5.99.

News: McDonald's Offers New World Cup Family Meal in Southern California

McDonald's is offering a World Cup-themed, boxed family meal that they're calling the "$15 Mickey D's Value Pack" here in Southern California.

The $15 Mickey D's Value Pack comes in a World Cup-themed box and includes:

Around the World: McDonald's Offers New Cookie Frappes in France

McDonald's is offering new Cookie Frappes over in France. Like the name suggests, the new Frappes are blended with a cookie, which can be chosen from three varieties: Raspberry and White Chocolate, Double Chocolate, and Mlik Chocolate and Hazelnut.

News: Krispy Kreme - New Cake and Brownie Batter Donuts

Because if ice cream can do it, why not donuts? Krispy Kreme introduces new Birthday Cake Batter and Brownie Batter Donuts.

The Birthday Cake Batter Donut is a yeast shell donut filled with a blend of Kreme and birthday cake batter filling, topped with yellow icing and confetti sprinkles.

Review: Nonni's - Thinaddictives Almond Thins

Nonni's Thinaddictives are twice-baked almond thin cookies. Basically they're like biscotti but thinner. They sent me Banana Dark Chocolate and Blueberry Oat flavors to try.

It's normally $3.29 for a 4.44-oz box with 6 packages of 3 cookies each.

News: New Dannon Oikos Greek Frozen Yogurt

Similar to an effort by rival Yoplait, Dannon Oikos brand Greek yogurt expands to the frozen food aisle with new Dannon Oikos Greek Frozen Yogurt.

The new frozen yogurt comes in six flavors: Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Café Latte, Black Cherry, and Key Lime.

News: McDonald's Testing Guacamole Burgers

McDonald's is testing Guacamole Burgers as well as guacamole with any other menu item at participating locations in Denver as well as the rest of Colorado.

The Guacamole Burger is available with either a quarter pound beef patty or grilled or crispy chicken filet and comes with guacamole made from Haas avocados, pico de gallo, ranch sauce, processed white cheddar, and leaf lettuce on the same toasted, egg-washed artisan roll you'd find on the Bacon Clubhouse Burger.

News: YoCrunch - New Yogurt Cereal Bowls

Because just having a little bit of granola or candies to top your yogurt isn't enough, YoCrunch has partnered with Kellogg's to come up with the YoCrunch Cereal Bowl.

It's basically a bowl of cereal that you mix with a bowl of yogurt by shaking them together. Specifically, the assembly of the product features two separate bowls, one of yogurt and one of cereal, with the cereal bowl inverted on the yogurt bowl so that the tops are touching. The idea is you open both bowls and fit them back together and shake to mix.

Review: Nabisco - Sea Salt & Pepper Brown Rice Thins

Nabisco's Sea Salt & Pepper Brown Rice Thins are gluten-free, thin, rice crackers that riff off of their Wheat Thins brand.

A 3.5-oz box was $2.50.

News: Nestle - New Wonka Peel-A-Pop

Wonka is now making frozen dessert pops that look and peel like bananas. They're calling them "Peel-a-Pops." They come with an edible, flavored peel. Never mind that you could just freeze a banana but I guess you wouldn't want to eat its peel.

Wonka's Peel-a-Pops come in two flavors: Vanilla Banana and Vanilla Grape. After you peel back the flavored shell, there's a vanilla frozen dessert core.

News: Coca-Cola Looks to Expand Freestyle Fountain Soda Machines with New Countertop Versions

You may have noticed the Freestyle Coca-Cola fountain soda machine at a number of fast-food chains lately, which let you add extra flavors, like Vanilla and Lime, to a selection of Coca-Cola beverages. But you may also have noticed that the machines are quite tall, which may not fit so well into the existing layout at your local restaurants. Which is why Coca-Cola plans three countertop versions of the platform.

The first two are designed for "medium volume" locations and can dispense 80 different drink choices. One of them sports a rather retro design that I quite like:

Frozen Friday - Jelly Belly Flavored Popsicles

Jelly Belly-flavored Popsicles are new this summer and come in a selection of three flavors in each box: Blueberry, RaspberryVery Cherry, and Tutti-Frutti. Each comes with a "unique center."

A 18-count box was $3.79 but I received this courtesy of the Popsicle brand.

Around the World: Pizza Hut Malaysia - New Taste of Italy Menu

Over in Malaysia, Pizza Hut is offering a new Italian-themed Taste of Italy menu featuring three "artisan" flatbread pizzas, a few pastas, and a combo box.

News: Panera Bread - New Flatbread Sandwiches

Panera debuts new flatbread sandwiches featuring a lighter, more international flavor and an Indian naan-style flatbread. The flatbreads are baked daily at all Panera locations and are made with a blend of 80% wheat flour and 20% whole wheat flour and Greek yogurt.

Review: McDonald's Horchata Frappe

McDonald's new Horchata Frappe is something they're testing out here in Southern California. It features a new horchata-flavored syrup blended with their coffee base, milk, and ice, and then topped with whipped cream and caramel sauce.

I bought a 12-oz small for $2.39.