News: Carl's Jr. / Hardee's - Philly Cheesesteak Burger Returns

The Philly Cheesesteak Burger is back at Carl's Jr. and Hardee's restaurants. It comes with thinly-sliced steak, grilled onions, green peppers, Swiss and American cheeses, mayo, and a beef patty (single, double, or Six Dollar / 1/3 lb.). The Six Dollar / 1/3 lb. version comes on the chains' new fresh-baked buns (an available upgrade on the single and double).

News: Sonic Offers $3.99 Footlong Hotdog and Tots Combo

Sonic has brought back quarter pound Footlong versions of each variety of their hot dogs for a limited time and are pairing them with an order of tots and charging $3.99 for the combo.

The hot dogs are available in four varieties: Chicago, New York, All-American, and Chili Cheese Coney.

Review: Starbucks - Frosted Snowman Cookie

Starbucks Frosted Snowman Cookie is a holiday offering and features a hand-decorated shortbread cookie shaped like a snowman and frosted with white icing and a milk chocolate hat.

I paid $2.25 for one.

News: Subway to Open Pizza Concept

Subway plans to open a new pizza concept called Subway Pizza Express next semester at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln according to the university's student newspaper, The Daily Nebraskan.

The concept eschews Subway's signature sub sandwiches for made-to-order personal pizzas with choose-your-own-toppings (basically the same pizzas currently offered at select Subway stores).

News: Domino's First Vegan Pizza Offered in Israel

After six months of work, Domino's has developed their first vegan pizza ever and just started offering it in Israel this week.

The new pizza is topped with a non-dairy soy-based "cheese" and vegetables such as olives, tomatoes, spinach, and eggplant.

Review: Jack in the Box - Fajita Ranch Melt

Jack in the Box's new Fajita Ranch Melt is only available for a limited time in California, Idaho, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah. It features grilled chicken, grilled onions, fire roasted red and green bell peppers, pepper jack cheese, ranch sauce, and taco sauce on grilled sourdough bread.

I picked one up for $3.99.

Around the World: McDonald's Canada - Chocolate Mint Pie

While we here in the States once again get the Holiday Pie for this Christmas season, McDonald's Canada gets a chocolate mint pie based on After Eight thin mints.

News: Chick-fil-A Opens Hawaiian Restaurant

Chick-fil-A opened a Hawaiian-themed restaurant last week in La Fayetteville, Georgia.

Going by the name "Truett's Luau," (named after the chain's founder Truett S. Cathy), it joins a number of Chick-fil-A concept restaurants including a diner concept (Truett's Grill), a full-service restaurant concept (Dwarf House), and a pizza concept (Truett's Pizza Cafe).

Beyond some regular Chick-fil-A mainstays, like the Original Chicken Sandwich, here's a sample of what you'll find on the menu:

News: Jack in the Box - Two for $3 New Southern Style Biscuit Sandwiches

Jack in the Box has replaced their old buttermilk biscuits with new "Southern Style Biscuits," which are also buttermilk biscuits... (hopefully they're more buttery).

To promote the new biscuits, Jack is offering a limited-time two Biscuit Sandwiches for $3 deal.

Review: Trader Joe's - Pumpkin Bread Pudding

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Bread Pudding is a seasonal fall offering that's been sitting in my fridge since November that features a mix of pumpkin bread and pumpkin custard baked together.

A 20-ounce box was $3.99.

Around the World: Domino's Singapore's New Cheesy Crust Looks Better than Stuffed Crust

Domino's Singapore recently unveiled new Cheesy Crust as a crust option on their pizzas. The concept isn't new or groundbreaking but there are a few small tweaks that makes it sound a lot better than your typical stuffed crust pizza (especially considering that Domino's doesn't even offer stuffed crust here in the US).

Around the World: McDonald's Swiss-Themed Burgers

McDonald's Switzerland is in the midst of an annual Swiss Weeks line of limited-time burgers featuring local tastes and ingredients. And just what does Swiss ingredients mean? Swiss beef and Swiss cheeses (but not Swiss cheese as we know it).

Review: Hot Cocoa with Marshmallow Three Musketeers Minis

Hot Cocoa with Marshmallow Three Musketeers Minis are here for the holidays and are touted as "whipped up, fluffy chocolate-on-hot-cocoa taste."

A 10-ounce bag was $2.99 on sale.

Around the World: McDonald's France Goes with the Breads of America

McDonald's France is currently running a limited-time American-themed promotion called "Breads & America" featuring burgers with various "American" buns.

News: Sour Patch Kids Branch Off into Gum

Rejoice Sour Patch Kids fans, now your (possibly) favorite sour candy is a new Stride gum line coming in January.

New Stride Sour Patch Kids sugarfree-gum will come in Redberry and Lime flavors. I'm not exactly sure what a Redberry is but I'd hazard a guess it's a generic berry flavor colored red or maybe a combination of all berries that are naturally red (i.e. raspberries and strawberries).

Frozen Friday - Totino's - Meatball Marinara Rolls

Totino's Meatball Marinara Rolls feature their signature pizza rolls but with a filling of meatballs and marinara sauce.

A 19.8-ounce bag was $2.99 on sale.

Preview / Review: Post - Poppin' Pebbles Cereal

Post is trying something new with their Fruity Pebbles brand of cereal by adding "poppin' pieces" to it and calling it "Poppin' Pebbles," which basically sounds like Fruity Pebbles plus Pop Rocks.

They won't be available in stores until January but I was sent a box to try them out.

News: El Pollo Loco - Limited-Time Shredded Beef Menu

El Pollo Loco is offering a new shredded beef menu for a limited time. The menu features a new shredded beef sandwich, taco, and quesadilla.

Shredded beef was first offered by the chain around this time last year with a similar menu. The beef is slow-simmered in a stew of tomatoes, onions, garlic, cumin, chipotle peppers, chiles, and Mexican oregano and shredded by hand to order.

Neat! Oreo Posts Snack Hack for Dipping Oreos Neatly

Oreo recently posted a pretty sweet way to dip and serve Oreos on their Facebook page and Vine. They call it "The Mini Dipper" and you can check it out below.

Basically, the idea is to use the plunger of a French press coffee maker as a platform to raise and lower your Oreo cookies into milk.

Review: Sonic - New Natural-Cut Fries

Sonic's new Natural-Cut Fries are skin-on French fries that replace their previous version. They're cut from whole, unpeeled russet potatoes and then blanched and dusted with starch before frozen and shipped out to Sonic locations.

A small order was $1, but I received this one courtesy of Sonic.