The Urge to Splurge

15

Hola friends – welcome to your weekend!

As I was on my way home from work today, my Mom called with a proposal. “Grab Ben and meet your Dad and me at Granite City!”

Seeing as how Granite City is one of our favorite restaurants ever, I said “OK!” and sped on over!

15 minutes later, Ben and I found those crazy kids enjoying some beers and Idaho Nachos in a booth at the bar. We hopped right in!

Granite-City-Clive

Granite City has got a stellar beer selection (remember that Blueberry Ale?!) but tonight I stuck with good, old-fashined H-TWO-O.

 ice-water

Ahhh…thirst quenching!

ice-water

Flatbread pizzas (which are absolutely unbelievable at Granite City) were 1/2 price for Happy Hour – but I said “no thank you” and ordered Mediterranean Chicken instead.

Mediterranean-Chicken

Half-pound seasoned chicken breast charbroiled to perfection. Served with wild rice pilaf and steamed fresh broccoli. Finished with marinated bruschetta tomatoes, onions and drizzled with a balsamic reduction.

The chicken and wild rice pilaf were good – but the broccoli was GREAT! Cooked just the way I like it…nice and soft. :)

Mediterranean-Chicken

What REALLY stole the show, was dessert!! My Mom and I split the Caramel Apple Crumble. No camera tricks folks, this plate was as big as my torso!

caramel-apple-dessert

This was a puff pastry shell filled with caramel-apple pie filling, topped with sweet, brown sugar crumble, vanilla ice cream and taken over the top with a serious drizzling of homemade caramel sauce. We skipped the optional whip cream, because we’re ladies and have a waistline to watch…or something like that ;)

caramel-apple-dessert

For some reason I thought that since I wasn’t drinking beer tonight, dessert would be a good option. Ask my stomach if it agrees. It doesn’t. I have serious sugar belly right now, which only a good session on the couch can cure – here I go!

~~~~~

Do you usually order dessert when you go to restaurants?

I rarely do, but like I said, since I wasn’t drinking – I got the urge to splurge!

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Comments

  1. shandy 10.23.2009

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    That looks tasty (most of all the broccoli…loves me some broccoli). I never order desserts (unless a certain dinner companion MAKES me). But I have a beef with a previous post. You posted about Tater Tots. I wasn’t able to stop thinking about them and bought some and ate them. My trainer is going to kill me. :)

  2. Lauren 10.23.2009

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    What a fun night! Love those impromptu dinners with the fam.

    Are you kidding? I’m always in the mood for dessert. But especially if something looks incredible at a restaraunt. For instance, my friend and I are having dinner at the Cheesecake Factory tomorrow and you better beleive that some Pumpkin Cheesecake is in my future!!! :)

    Have a great weekend darling.

  3. Comment Callout

    I don’t order dessert when I go out. Far to much sugar and I get sick. I prefer to have fruit when I get home if I want something sweet. But I make up for it by ordering a nicer meal if I want to spluge at dinner.

  4. Evan Thomas 10.23.2009

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    That apple crumble looks soo good!

  5. Stephanie 10.23.2009

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    Dessert looks beautiful and deelish! I get dessert only if there is something I really want to try, and if the boyfriend or whomever I with want to share :) I had a sugar induced belly ache earlier thanks to these new dark chocolate crisps I found at TJs …. didnt even have an appetite for dinner til 9pm haha. Ah well, welcome to the weekend, it happens :)

  6. Mary Ann 10.23.2009

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    I’m totally drooling over the Balsamic reduction! I have a serious thing for Balsamic vinegar, yum! The bluberry ale sounds good, one of my fave local breweries, Widmer, has a beer called Widberry that was my drink of choice when I turned of drinking age.

    I love dessert (what chick doesn’t?) but try to balance it like you did, I get it depending on if I had a lower calorie meal or skipped a drink or whatever. I am liking the trend I’m seeing in some restaurants like Applebee’s of smaller desserts that are a cheaper price and a smaller serving, usually served in shot glasses!

  7. emily 10.23.2009

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    I usually don’t order dessert unless I am at a place that is just known for desserts (or an Italian restaurant). So many places use things from the freezer aisle and I’d rather not be disappointed.

  8. Sara 10.23.2009

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    I don’t usually order dessert at a restaurant unless it’s a special occassion. Or unless we just go out for dessert. Yummy!

  9. Leianna 10.24.2009

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    I try not to order desserts, but sometime sthe menu looks so good you have to!

  10. sophia 10.24.2009

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    Wow! What a great meal! that chicken looks perfect! I love that char!
    I don’t ever order dessert. I’m not so into sweet stuff!

  11. kristine 10.24.2009

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    your dinner looks good!

    i usually dont order desserts at restaurants. instead i go get froyo :]

  12. Comment Callout

    That broccoli looks so good! I love broccoli – it’s my favorite vegetable!

    I don’t normally order desserts at restaurants, so it’s a definitely a fun treat when I do!

  13. Anna 10.24.2009

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    mmm I LOVE blueberry beers! Mainly because they are purple! If you want to look for it bottled, my favorites are Wild Blue Blueberry Beer and Seadog Bluepaw Wild Blueberry.

  14. Lizzy 10.24.2009

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    dinner looks amazing and i wont even start with dessert! it looks awesome! I normally don’t order dessert while out either, mainly to just save money!

  15. Comment Callout

    [...] Ben and I are heading to our favorite hangout Granite City in a little bit to watch some football. First, I’ll be snacking on this Peanut Butter Larabar [...]

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