REVIEW: McDonald's Premium McWrap Chicken & Bacon (Grilled)

Rounding out the trio of my McWrap reviews is McDonald's Premium Grilled Chicken & Bacon McWrap. This wrap features grilled chicken, thick cut Applewood smoked bacon, two half slices of tomato, spring greens, shredded lettuce, cheddar jack cheese, and creamy garlic sauce. All of this is served in a soft, warm tortilla. One McWrap, with fries and a Diet Coke, costs $5.99.

REVIEW: General Mill's Peanut Butter Toast Crunch

I love a good bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. It's one of my all-time favorite cereals- the cinnamon-sugary coating, the appealing crunch, the sheer yumminess of it all... But there are times when even my absolute favorite cereals can become a little... stale. So, feeling like mixing things up but not wanting to stray too far from the norm, I picked up a box of Peanut Butter Toast Crunch from General Mills. Sadly, I didn't remember to check how much one box costs, but I'd imagine it'll run you between 3 to 4 dollars, depending on your location.

REVIEW: Met-Rx Protein Plus Protein Bar Creamy Cookie Crisp

My quest to find the world's yummiest, healthiest protein bar has led me to my local CVS, where I decided to pick up a Protein Plus Creamy Cookie Crisp Protein Bar from Met-Rx. One bar cost me $2.77.

REVIEW: Slice of NY Pizzeria

There are quite a few pizza joints in Kenosha that have been around for a long, long time. Take Tenuta's, for example: It first opened its doors in 1950... That's older than the Beatles! I mean, people were just starting to wear poodle skirts and leather jackets and all that. The general public would still have to wait one more year before I Love Lucy even aired. So yeah, places like Tenuta's have been around for a long time. There's Valeo's Pizza too.. been in operation for more than 40 years. Gee, 1950s... 1970s... We're talking places where my parents could remember getting food from when they were kids! Yikes! Slice of NY, however, is like an infant in Kenosha terms. It's only been open since March of last year. That doesn't mean that Slice of NY has been treated like some pathetic rookie thus far though. Imagine if allllll the pizzerias in Kenosha went to high school together: You might think Slice of NY is the sad little freshmen who gets stuffed into lockers by the big tough seniors, like Tenuta's and Valeo's, but this isn't the case. Slice of NY is actually like that freshmen who's gaining popularity extremely fast- even bolstering a rep comparable to the seniors already! Why? Well, Slice of NY- if the name doesn't give it away already- serves up authentic, by-the-slice, New York-style pizza. This freshmen has a personality totally original to Kenosha High, one the likes of which the school has never housed before. And it's about time this reviewer gets her chance to meet this up-and-coming freshie.

REVIEW: Trolley Dogs

Trolley Dogs is a small corner restaurant located in downtown Kenosha, which has been selling delicious hot dogs since 2003. All of their hot dogs are made with Fresh Vienna JUMBO Dogs, and are served up in many different styles: There's the classic Chicago Dog, the savory Chili Dog, the Kenosha Dog (a hot dog with cheese), the meaty Bacon Dog, an Octo-Dog for the kids, and even the eponymous Trolley Dog, which is a tamale and a hot dog all together in the same bun! Today, my Dad took my brother and me to Trolley Dogs for dinner. Even with all the unique hot doggy options on the menu, I wasn't feeling in the weenie mood, so I purchased an Italian Beef for $5.00.

Slim Chocolate Pudding Recipe

Here's a Chocolate Pudding recipe I modified from Better Homes and Garden's Family Favorites Made Lighter. While their recipe is already light as is, I used Splenda instead of sugar to make it completely sugar-free for my friend, Michelle, who's been craving some low-sugar recipes lately. Not only is this pudding recipe good served plain, it can also be used as a tasty filling, like for cream puffs maybeeee...?
This recipe is easy to follow, and doesn't require very many ingredients or time. Keep reading for what you'll need to do for some super-delicious, guilt-free choco-pudding!

Slim Cream Puff Recipe

And now, for a delicious, low-sugar, low-calorie, healthy cream puff recipe I adapted from Better Homes & Garden's Family Favorites Made Lighter. These little buggers may not live up to the grandeur of the famous Wisconsin State Fair Cream Puffs, but they'll satiate your sweet tooth without being overly sugary. This recipe is only for the actual cream puff pastry; You can fill the shells with sugar-free puddings, Cool Whip Free, or a homemade Slim Chocolate Pudding. I tried filling these puffy puffs with all three, since I had them all on hand, but I bet you could use Fat Free Reddi Whip for a more State-Fair like filling as well! This recipe isn't difficult and doesn't require a lot of experience- It's fun to prepare on a lazy summer day, like I did!

REVIEW: McDonald's Premium McWrap Chicken & Ranch (Grilled)

It was another McDonald's day today, and I felt like going for another one of their new McWraps. The first one I reviewed was the Grilled Sweet Chili Chicken, which I admired for its tangy sauce and all-around good flavor. I felt like trying out McDonald's Grilled Chicken & Ranch McWrap this time. The Grilled Chicken & Ranch contains more calories than the Sweet Chili Chicken, but less than the Chicken & Bacon, which I guess would make it the middle child of the McWrap family. All McWraps cost $3.99 over in my part of town. I also decided to try McDonald's Side Salad (What? They actually have those?). Since it's on the Dollar Menu I thought, whyyyyy not!

Birthday Bash at the Tuscany Bistro Bar & Grill!

Hey, everyone! I'm so, so sorry I haven't written in so long... It's just that... Thursday was my birthday, and that's always a busy time, and I was sick that very day, along with the day after, so I was just too tired to work the cogs in my brain and type something up... And on Saturday, although I was feeling a lot better by then, a bunch of my friends and I went to Six Flags in Illinois to celebrate my birthday, and we didn't get back till' late... and Sunday...Well, I don't really have an excuse for Sunday. But it was Sunday, so uh... remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy or whatever?

But I'm back now! So don't fret! I really do apologize for the long hiatus, but I figure it's better late than never to get back into the swing of things and start working on a brand-new post! And since it was my big day just last Thursday, I thought I'd tell all of you dear readers how it turned out! I promised myself up and down the night before my birthday that when tomorrow came, I wouldn't worry about what I ate in the slightest. I figured if there was any day to go hog-wild on junk food (or any kind of food you want, really), it might as well be your birthday! You should do what makes you happy on your birthday, right? You don't want to go to bed that night thinking, "I could've done things different...", do you? I sure didn't! I hate lame birthdays with a passion! If your special day is lame, you've defeated the whole purpose of remembering your birthday in the first place! So, I vowed to make that Thursday as anti-lame as humanly possible!!!
Within reason, anyway...

I started my morning with a biiiiiiig bowl of cereal. It was a more indulgent take on my famous Yogurt Bowl than I'm used to creating. I didn't measure anything out at all- something I wouldn't even think of doing any other day. And instead of using just Fiber One for my cereal, I also threw in a couple good handfuls of Life, one of those rare cereals that actually tastes better in milk. I added in a plain Chobani yogurt, a whole bunch of cool, creamy milk, some Splenda, some vanilla flavoring, and a pinch of cinnamon. I even mixed in some Cool Whip Free for a tasty treat! And then I threw in some ice cubes, since I love it when my Yogurt Bowl is freezing cold. I ate this along with a Vanilla coffee, flavored with more milk, Cool Whip, and Splenda! What a great way to mix breakfast up a bit! It was very sweet, and a lot more decadent a Yogurt Bowl than I'm traditionally used to eating.

In Just ONE MORE DAY...!!!

Yes, dear readers, in just ONE MORE DAY... Some awesome event will be taking place.
Christmas? Um, noooooo, way off.
Last Day of School? Getting close, but still no.
D-Day? Well, technically, YES, but don't go and spoil it!!! It's MY DAY!!!
Ohp- Secret's out! Yes, tomorrow, June 6th, is myyyyyy birthday!!! Whoopee!!! (You can tell I'm excited because I'm using, like, three whole exclamation points after every sentence).

REVIEW: The Roma Lodge's Roast Beef Au Jus Bomber

Every Thursday at the Roma Lodge in Racine, Wisconsin, is Bingo Night, and I am NOT ashamed to say I've frequenting the joint for this certain event nearly every week with my grandmother for about a year now. We grab our daubers, our Sharpie pens, our good-luck possessions- whatever is required to win us some big bucks!
I don't think many teens my age realize that the Bingo played here this isn't your average, run-of-the-mill, "get five in a row" Bingo. No, rather, quite contrary to the sort: You have your Four Corners Bingo, your Arrow-Shaped Bingo, your Top & Bottom Row Bingo, and your Cover All Bingo, just to name a few (You can play about 20 different games, altogether). And what do you get if you win?A big wad of cash money, that's what! Most games pay out $75.00 to the winner, but some are even worth $200.00! With so much money at stake, the competitiveness is high. Which is why I think so many old people like the game: It's one of the only things they can compete at and not break a hip in the process.
That's not to say young people can't enjoy Bingo too. It can actually develop into something pretty fierce, believe it or not. Each game, your heart is pratically beating out of your chest. "What if the number you so desperately need is called next? But if it is called, will someone else shout out "Bingo" too? How close are all the other players to winning the game? What if the next number called ends it all? Or the next one? Or the one after that? Or the one after that?" Many thoughts swirl through your head as you stare intently at the paper sheet below you, dotted with the colorful ink of your dauber.
What I'm saying this, you gotta respect the game of Bingo. It's not just some chance for all the old bags out there to have their "ladies' night"- It's more than that. It's a high-risk game of luck and suspense! And, I think if more kids out there realized that their grandmothers are mainly playing for humongous cash prizes, they'd join in too. Of course, Bingo Night isn't free- You have to pay for your sets of Bingo sheets. And if you want dinner, you're going to have to pay for that too.
Which makes for a great segway into the main topic of this article- Roma Lodge's Roast Beef Au Jus Bomber: the greatest hot beef sandwich this young one has tasted in her short, fourteen (near fifteen, by the way) years.

The Roma Lodge has plenty of options for grub to eat during their Bingo Night- The selection varies from week to week, but there are a couple of staples- One of them being the Roast Beef Bomber. I can say, with the utmost certainty, that it will be available every Thursday. And that's good news for me, since I oh-so loooove this scrumptious sandwich. It's large, it's in charge, and it tastes like a big hunk of heaven!!! And one whale-sized sammy will only cost you $2.50, unless you're going to Bingo on the third week of the month, where all food items are priced at a discount $1.50. My Roast Beef Bomber (which I ordered with extra meat, because it is just that delicious), my Diet Mug, and my coffee only set me myself back $2.00, but this is because the cashier is sweet on kids. I may be reaching my age though- He used to even give me a free dessert- sometimes two even, but I'm not offered a single cookie anymore. Growing old is tough, and sometimes rather sad, when you think about it... Enjoy your youth while you can, kiddos!

REVIEW: General Mill's Hershey's Cookies 'n' Creme Cereal

Today I present to you, ladies and gentleman, a review on a SUPER-NEW product. So new, in fact, that as of the time I'm typing out this article, no other reviews have been given on it thus far. Not only that, but General Mills hasn't even put up a WEBPAGE for their newest cereal yet. Since I didn't even hear that General Mills was releasing a cereal based on Hershey's outstanding Cookies 'n' Cream Bar (or anyone else on the interwebs, for  that matter) I was flat-out FLABBERGASTED when I found it as I was casually strolling through the cereal aisle. I was originally at the supermarket just to grab a couple of bag of carrots for Mama and some Torani coffee syrup for me, but I discovered something much better. Mama wouldn't mind if I picked up an extra item or two, right? I mean, how could I pass this cereal up!? Cookies 'n' Cream, as I've said before, is one of THE BEST FLAVORS ever created by man. And now in cereal form? It's time to rock 'n' roll! One box of this cereal costed me $3.69. Wellll, TECHNICALLY, I wasn't the one paying for it... Mama's credit card was. But details, details...

REVIEW: PowerBar ProteinPlus 20g Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar

Mmm-mmm-mmm! Chocolate and peanut butter: A classic combination that just works. It's a hard pair to resist, am I right?! Rich, sweet chocolate and decadent, salty PB- It's also a very popular flavor for protein bars, or so I've noticed. While at the gas station, I decided to pick up PowerBar's take on it in their ProteinPlus Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar. I've tried their Cookies N Cream ProteinPlus Bar before, and wasn't even REMOTELY impressed, but I figured I ought to give PowerBar a second chance. So, I thought, "Why not try this bar?" Plus, I still have yet to find a line of exercise bars with so much protein for such a decent calorie count. PowerBar's 20g for 210 calories is quite a find in the world of protein bars. It's a great ratio to maximize your workout without using up too many calories in one sitting.

Unfortunately, this protein bar was NO cheap buy: A single one set me back a whole $1.99! Hooo boy... This Chocolate Peanut Butter bar better exceed its Cookies N Cream brother, or I will be sorely disappointed...

After you’ve pushed yourself as hard as you can, you need the proper nutrients to help recover. PowerBar ProteinPlus® bars are a great addition to your exercise regimen, especially after you’ve given it your all. They’re designed with 20 grams of TriSource™ protein: a proprietary blend of whey, soy and casein proteins. And, there’s no preservatives or artificial flavors.

Keep going strong with a delicious way to round out your exercise routine.

REVIEW: McDonald's Egg White Delight McMuffin

So... for one of my morning classes during school (I will not name which one), my teacher has been out for a few days now, and we've had the same substitute the whole time. This substitute is craaaazy cool, and although I won't name any names, he/she is one of the subs I can actually tolerate. Some subs are so blah, so boring; Some have no clue how to handle the class; Some subs are mean, some are old, some try to be funny (when they're NOT), and some subs... Some subs give you four pages of homework and say it'll be due the next day. Can you imagine how irritating it is to do all that work, to only have your real teacher come in the next day and say, "I never told the sub to assign you that." It's frustrating! I've learned that if homework assignments from subs are ridiculously long, you should just skip them altogether, because your teacher won't even ASK for them when they come back. Every time. I swear it!
But anyway, this certain sub for this certain class doesn't do any of that. Like I said, he/she's a coooool sub. One of the coolest I've ever had, anyway. So, a couple days into his/her substitution, two of my classmates asked if they could drive over to McDonald's to pick up some food and then come back. And can you believe it??? The sub actually let them go! I mean, wow! How coooooool is that?! If it's hard for you to understand, think of it is this way- We're not even allowed to leave school unless we have a release. And if we don't, someone has better lost an arm or barfing up a lung; Otherwise, good luck ducking out of class! I honestly couldn't believe my eyes when the two kids from my class came in with paper bags bearing the famous McDonald's logo.
"You guys went to McDonald's?" I said.
"Yeah." they replied.
"...Were you here when class first started?"
"(chuckles) Yeah."
"And you didn't get caught?"
"Yeah, it's pretty easy. Just don't go out by the gym doors."
"Oh." (looks at sub). "He/She actually let you go?"
"Yeah."

Did I mention our sub is totally cool?! Anyway, my friend and I were pretty jealous. But we were inspired by our classmate's creativity and cleverness, and decided that the very next day, we would go out and do the exact same thing.
So we did!
We got our sub's permission, then walked out the front doors of our school like we knew what we were doing, and nobody asked us any questions. My friend, who is a junior, said it was the first time she had ever left school during class. It was mine too... But I'm just a timid, lowly freshmen!
My friend and I took her car over to McDonald's, and we decided to order inside, as she apparently has never really driven into a drive-thru before. Even though I had already had breakfast, I found this to be the perfect opportunity to try McDonald's New Egg White Delight McMuffin, before it's not so "new" anymore. I ordered one of those for $2.69, along with a medium coffee for $1.00.