From the Inside Out

Domino’s Pizza has recently been advertising a complete overhaul of its 50-year old pizza recipe. In a 2009 Brand Keys survey of taste preference among national pizza chains, Domino’s came in last — tied with Chuck E. Cheese. No wonder they are making a change!

I have to admit, Domino’s appears last on my list too. The only time I ever order Domino’s Pizza is when all other pizza places are closed, and I honestly can’t even remember the last time I did that. But now their ads have intrigued me. Domino’s is responding to critics and consumers alike by completely changing the core elements of their pizza — new crust, sauce, and cheeses.

Curious, I decided to test it tonight. I started out by placing my order online. They have a great online ordering system, which is something I really like. I hate calling pizza places and being put on hold forever. It’s much more convenient to peruse your options online and order immediately. Once your order is placed, you can watch the online “order tracker” to keep tabs on the status of your pizza. You can see when it’s being prepped, put in the oven, going through a quality check, and ready for pick-up/delivery. It’s pretty cool.

The big test, however, would be the taste. Instantly, you notice that the pizza looks different. It also tastes different, very different. Gone is the cardboard crust. The new crust is hand-tossed, and it includes garlic and parsley seasonings which are quite tasty. The new sauce, according to Domino’s, has a bolder, sweeter taste with a kick of red pepper. I didn’t taste the red pepper, but I enjoyed the sauce. It wasn’t too heavy or overbearing — a nice mix. The new cheese is a mix of shredded mozzarella and provolone. I would have preferred a little more cheese on my pizza, but other than that, I had no complaints.

While I don’t think the new recipe will be winning any awards soon (do they even give out awards for great pizza?), it is a dramatic improvement over the old Domino’s pizza recipe. Both Gary and I liked it, and I think it stands up well to the other pizza delivery chains now. Mr Gatti’s and Papa Johns still rank as my No. 1 and No. 2 choices respectively, but I won’t completely rule out Domino’s as an alternative option in the future.

If you haven’t tried it out yet, give it a shot. You just might like what you see — and taste!

Each time I travel to Italy there’s one thing I seek out. The trip just isn’t the same without it. Gelato, Italy’s regional variant of ice cream, is a special treat I enjoy as much as I can while I’m there. I experienced gelato for the first time while in Rome. There were two shops conveniently located just outside the steps of our hotel. Each night when we would return from a fun-filled day of sightseeing, we’d grab a scoop, sit down, and gaze at the Pantheon.

An evening with the best companion, the best ice cream, and the best view = priceless!

Gelato differs from the ice cream we eat in the US. The flavors are richer, there is less fat, more sugar, and it has a different texture. It’s not just good; it’s great! Luckily, you don’t have to travel all the way to Italy to experience some for yourself. Paciugo serves authentic Italian gelato that’s made fresh daily in over 20 stores across the nation.

After apprenticing at a four-generation gelateria, the owners of Paciugo moved from Turin, Italy and started their first gelato cafè in Dallas in 2000. I’m not sure why anyone would want to move from Turin to Dallas, but I’m glad they did because I really enjoy having a little taste of Italy here in the US. The gelato doesn’t seem to be quite as good as the original, it’s pretty darn close. Either that, or I just think everything tastes better in Italy…haha!

Regardless, if you haven’t had a taste of gelato, you should check it out. Take a break from the frantic Christmas shopping this weekend, and give yourself a little treat. And, if you are near the Frisco location, take advantage of these special offers for some free gelato through Dec. 20th. Enjoy!

Are you still looking for ways to save money during the holiday season? Even better, do you want to help others save money? If so, I have a treat for you! Restaurant.com’s “Feed it Forward” program gives you the opportunity to help give away up to $30 million in free restaurant gift certificates. Over the next 16 days, you can give up to thirty $10 gift certificates per day to your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, strangers, or anyone else you think would like to have one. How’s that for the spirit of giving?

Restaurant.com is a website that connects restaurants and diners nationwide. They offer savings at more than 13,000 restaurants nationwide and to various online retailers with more than 20,000 gift certificate options. You can find participating restaurants using their search engine, and learn more about each restaurant by viewing their Web site featuring menus, driving directions, and more.

There are two ways to give. You can sign-up on the Feed It Forward website or participate through their page on Facebook. It’s simple. To send a gift, just enter your name and email address, as well as the name and email address for each recipient—as many as thirty people every single day. You can share your reason for giving with the person who is receiving the gift certificate, and you can also post it on the Feed It Forward site if you choose. People who receive gift certificates also will be given the opportunity to join the giving effort and “feed it forward.”

For more information on how it works, check out the FAQ and start giving today! If you don’t want to give (bah humbug), but you want to receive, send me your email address. I’ll send you a $10 gift certificate anyway!

Who doesn’t love getting something for free, especially during one of the worst recessions in the history of our country? Thanks to Whataburger, now you can get free food items every other day leading up to December 24th, 2009. It’s called the “12 Days of Whataburger” promotion, and it includes everything from free shakes to french fries and burgers.

All you have to do is visit Whataburger’s “12 Days” website and provide your email address and zip code. After signing up, you’ll receive free food coupons throughout December. It’s Whataburger’s way of spreading Christmas cheer, and nothing says “Merry Christmas” like free food.

Enjoy!

Thousands of people will head to the movies this weekend. When they arrive, many will head for the concession stand to grab a few snacks. After all, what goes better with a movie than fresh popcorn? But if you’re watching your calories (or just trying to eat healthy), be warned. Mindless snacking during a show can add hundreds of calories to your daily intake.

During a Cornell study, theater patrons with large buckets of popcorn ate nearly twice as much as those with medium buckets. And it gets even worse: some of the large buckets had two-week-old kernels instead of freshly popped corn. Those with the stale popcorn still ate 34 percent more than those with medium buckets. It just goes to further prove that absentminded snacking is your enemy.

To help you make better choices at the movies, the authors of “Eat This, Not That!” developed a guide to movie theater snack survival. The results are interesting. They say the worst snack at the movies is buttered popcorn. The butter used at the theater triples the calories and is full of trans fat (39 g fat total for a medium!). Instead, they recommend a soft pretzel (plain). It has no fat and only 290 calories.

Other choices include:

Junior Mints (1/2 box=170 calories, 3g fat) instead of M&Ms (1 bag=240 calories, 10g fat)

Good & Plenty (33 pieces=130 calories, 0g fat) instead of Twizzlers (1 pkg=480 calories, 2g fat, 64g sugar)

Swedish Fish (2 oz=200 calories, 0g fat, 28g sugar) instead of Dots (22 pieces=260 calories, 0g fat, 42g sugar)

For more great tips, check out the new Eat This, Not That! book.