Travels in Chicago

Mom/Dad left us again a couple of weeks ago.  They went back to see my Aunt Tina in Schaumburg, Illinois.  Of course you know this means more food porn from them, right?  And of course that means us anipals didn’t get any doggy bags per say.  But then again, we were at Nana’s and well I can’t tell you what happened there… cause you know what happens at Nana’s stays at Nana’s.  So with that, I will let mom explain this awesome picture to you.  Take it away mom –

A restaurant that we found the last time we visited my sister was called Richard Walker’s Pancake House.  Now the hub unit has talked about this place every since the first time we ate there.  And I’ll tell you truthfully – the hub unit even dreamt about this place.  Yep, he liked it that much.

So of course it was on the ‘must go’ places on our list.  But this time, I fell in love with something on the menu.  Let me introduce you to my new love – bacon pancakes.

I’m sorry my sweet Bacon.  These pancakes are the bomb!  I think we ate them like three times while we were in Illinois a couple of weeks ago.  I couldn’t help it!  They kept calling my name.  The bacon was crispy – not mushy – and they were in the pancakes.  Of course I used sugar free syrup – LOL.  Don’t they look gorgeous?!

Now I want some more – ❤

 

Travels in the South

The question is why is mom/dad posting this delectable picture of goodness at the beginning of the new year?  Why mom/dad?  Please explain.  Well, they said they had this dessert last year.  Okay, sure mom/dad.   Sure.  It does look yummy though, right?

Mom/dad found it at a restaurant that they don’t frequent very often – but they might now because of this dessert.  This delicious dessert is called a Goo Goo Cluster.  It has creamy layers of chocolate fudge, peanut butter mousse and nougat cream topped with caramel, chocolate sauce, fresh whipped cream and Nashville’s original candy ~ chopped Goo Goo Cluster ®.  (That’s what it says on the restaurants website).

Nods head.  Mom/dad says it tastes as good as it sounds… not that she will be tasting it anytime soon this year – snorts with piggy laughter.

 

Travels in the South

If happiness had to be explained in a picture – well there you go.  This is one of mom’s all time favorite desserts.  I know – I know.  Has there ever been a dessert that mom has turned her back to?  Of course not.  But this one she said is exceptional.

Right now the current thing for deserts are those molten lava cakes.  This is one of those with a twist.  The inside of this cake is filled with caramel.  Then the topping is ice cream.  All of the dusting around the plate and on top – that would be salted caramel.  Go ahead.  I’ll give you a moment to ooh and aaw.

Mom says it’s very sweet but when you need something straight up with some extra special kick, go for this treat… the salted caramel lava cake.

 

Travels in the South

Sometimes you just need a little comfort food.  You know something warm to your belly and tasty… don’t forget tasty.  A couple of weeks ago, mom was craving some comfort food just like this.  So her and daddy went to a local pub that has what mom calls the *best* grilled cheese sandwich evah.  Why do you ask is it the best?  This is what it has on it:  American cheese, cheddar cheese and pimento cheese… and mom added gulps bacon to it with a side of crispy french fries.  Hey I can overlook the bacon when it brings a smile to mom’s face like this lunch did.  Have you ever had something so cheesy and good?

 

Travels in the South

Can you look at that picture and say yummo!?  Mom recently got a coupon – the woman is Queen of coupons here at the Hotel Thompson.  This coupon was buy one 12 piece shrimp and get one for free.  Now mom/dad have gotten these shrimp at a local ‘bar’ restaurant before and they have been awesome.  They usually get them medium extra crispy with a side of blue cheese.  But the restaurant has recently changed their sauces.  The usual sauce esd a light colored less saucy kind of yum.  These were more wet and you could smell the heat before you even bit one. In fact, dad was the one that brought up the smell of the new sauce before mom did.  The restaurant did not tell us about the change in the sauce before we ordered.

These were H.O.T.  Mom/dad ate them but way prefer their old sauce more.  Why do restaurants do this and change a good thing?  They hope this restaurant brings it back or gives the patrons a choice in the future.  But hey, free buffalo shrimp you still can pass up, right?

 

Travels in the South

Sometimes you want food that just screams comfort to you.  My mom’s comfort food when she is feeling really bad – are you ready for this – is a Happy Meal from McDonald’s.  Can you believe that?  She has been recuperating from her surgery, some days are good and some days are testing her ability not to scream.  Well one of her friends brought her a hamburger Happy Meal ordered with extra happy for her one day.  Wasn’t that awesome?  I’m not sure if it was the Happy Meal or the extra happy that made mom’s day but it did.

Mom had to take this picture of everything.  That is a hamburger, two bags of cut up apples (I guess that was the extra happy, you think?) a small fries, a drink and of course a girl toy.  And yes, please check out the size of that fries in relationship to the hamburger.  Do you think they could be any smaller?  Snorts and rolls with piggy laughter.

 

Travels in the South

Can you say buffet fun?  Mom/dad went out with some friends to a local hamburger joint called Krystal’s.  Look it up to see if you have one in the area.  Kind of like White Castle but better… we think.  A group of four went out to eat and got all of this food and four drinks for $15.00 – not bad huh?  We call that cheap eats here.  They have miniature square hamburgers that are awesome hot off of the grill.  Their chicken wings are also awesome – they have a little heat though and will give you a kick.  Have you tried any of these?

 

Travels in the South

What is this gooey yummy awesomeness you ask?  Can you guess?  Mom/dad found one of their favorites at a local restaurant they sometimes frequent.   I believe dad said the menu called them Mac and Cheese Bites. Dad was really digging them cause they were really cheesy – like him. Snorts and rolls with piggy laughter. I just had to go there. Mom said they were okay and that she liked her Mac and cheese the old fashioned way. Have you ever had a creation like this?

 

Travels in the South

What is this you ask my friends? Mom called it heaven on earth.  Mom/dad found this delicacy way before mom’s surgery. It’s fried Twinkies.  Yep – you read right.  Fried Twinkies.  And when they fry the Twinkie, it makes the white cream even creamier.  Dad loves them.  Have you ever tried them?

 

Travels in the South

Do you know what that is in the picture?  It’s the snack of the south… boiled peanuts.  Mom grew up with boiled peanuts straight out of the hot pot.  Dad not so much.  But since they’ve been married, mom has gotten dad hooked on these deletable salty morsels of yum.  And yeah, I love them too.  You can find them all over the south here at roadside stands and corner markets.  They usually give you a scoop right out of the boiling water into these double bags.  Double bags because you need one bag to put your shells into.  Have you had these before?  A lot of people will even put peanuts in their soda.  It’s a southern thing.  Trust me – don’t knock it until you try it says mom.  Snorts with piggy laughter!