The Counter #theNEWgoods and a Giveaway
Disclosure: The Counter provided me with gift cards to enjoy a meal for the purpose of this blog post. I happen to love The Counter, so I jumped at the chance!
I’m what some people may consider a picky eater. I’m very particular about what I like and don’t like, and that coupled with the fact that I haven’t eaten beef or pork for 20-something years makes me the person no one wants to share a meal with (or the person the chef hates). Fortunately, there are restaurants like The Counter, where you are encouraged to build your own burger, rather than get shamed for making substitutions! And I’m lucky that there is a location walking distance from my apartment, so it’s a great local place to meet up with friends.
Two quick things first: 1. They have two hours free parking with validation. This is a rarity in Hollywood, so it’s a huge plus for friends that don’t live as close as I do. 2. I just discovered they have sangria. Need I say more?
Anyway, for those of you who want to order off the menu, there are a bunch of new delicious Expert Builds menu items to choose from the next time you’re there!
- Red Eye: hormone and antibiotic free beef topped with melted tillamook cheddar, applewood smoked bacon, ripened red tomato, a sunny side up egg on an English muffin with a side of sweet sriracha
- Un-Brie-lievable: 100% natural ground turkey on a bed of organic mixed greens topped with soft-ripened brie, ripened red tomato, dried cranberries on a multigrain bun with a side of apricot sauce
- Bison with Bite: organic bison topped with tillamook cheddar, spicy pickles, sliced red onion on a brioche style bun with a side of house mustard and spicy worcestershire
- Southeast Asian Ahi: ahi tuna topped with pickled carrot and daikon slaw, ripened red tomato on a brioche style bun with a side of nori-soy sauce and sweet sriracha
- Anaheim Jack: 100% natural chicken breast topped with jalapeno jack, Anaheim peppers, red onions on a ciabatta bun with a side of roasted garlic aioli
My friends and I used the new menu items as inspiration for our dinner choices, and we all loved our meals. The counter has a wide range of protein options (beef, turkey, bison, tuna, and chicken), as well as a veggie burger for those that don’t eat meat, so we did a little swapping and were super satisfied.
I had the Anaheim Jack with turkey rather than chicken, and it was delicious. I loved the spice from the jalapeno jack, and the garlic aioli was divine. And they sure don’t skimp on the peppers!
One of my friends had the Un-Brie-lievable over lettuce instead of the bun, and swapped the turkey burger for a veggie burger. She said she was pleasantly surprised at how well the brie and cranberries went with the tomatoes. Two thumbs up! Side note: Isn’t it pretty?
Of course, we also enjoyed some sangria, because well, it was 70 degrees out and…sangria!
And a trip to The Counter isn’t complete without an order of fries. We went for the fifty-fifty with sweet potato and parmesan fries; the sweet potato were our faves.
Just when we thought we couldn’t eat another bite, we decided to order the oversized chocolate chip cookie a la mode with three spoons. I’m a sucker for a warm chocolate chip cookie with ice cream, and I wasn’t disappointed. We ate every single bite!
Want to know what The Counter is up to on social? Follow them here:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheCounter
Twitter: @CounterBurger
Instagram: @thecounterburger
Jealous yet? Don’t be! The Counter is also providing one lucky blog reader with a $25 gift card, so enter below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Brookside Chocolate Tasting Kit Giveaway
I was recently contacted by Hershey’s and asked if I wanted to try their new Brookside Chocolate–real fruit juice pieces dipped in dark chocolate. I’m normally not a huge fruit and chocolate fan; I’m that annoying person that bites into every piece of chocolate in those holiday assortments then throws away the other half when it’s fruit filled, but I was pleasantly surprised!
The fruit pieces are chewy and remind me of fruit snacks that I ate as a kid, and the chocolate is rich and has the right amount to complement the fruit without overpowering it. They currently offer three flavors: dark chocolate acai with blueberry, dark chocolate pomegranate, and dark chocolate goji with raspberry (my favorite).
Brookside sent me all three flavors (I shared the acai blueberry before I had time to snap a picture) as well as a headband, stemless wine glasses, a candy dish, a cheese board, a cheese knife, (all from Crate & Barrel!) and an AMEX gift card (cheese, crackers, and wine anyone?) so I can relax and indulge with friends.
And because Brookside is so awesome, one of you will win the same tasting kit! Leave a comment below letting us know what flavor you are most excited to try.
For more information about Brookside, visit them on Facebook and Twitter.
Brookside provided me with a tasting kit and will ship a second kit directly to a winner. Giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, January 27, 2013. One winner will be selected at random shortly thereafter and contacted by email. Please note this giveaway is only open to residents of the U.S.
Hershey’s Baking Melts Cookies & Giveaway
Print This Recipe
Before we get into the recipe, look what I got in the mail from Hershey’s!
Yep, that’s a Hershey’s® Cookie Headquarter Apron, one package of Hershey’s® Baking Melts Chocolates, one package of Hershey’s® Bits ‘o’ Brickle® Toffee Chips, one package of Hershey’s® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, one package of Hershey’s® Kisses® Chocolates, one canister of Hershey’s® Cocoa, and one set of recipe cards featuring the core Hershey’s® holiday recipes.
I know, it’s amazing. And I couldn’t wait to try out some of the chocolate, including Hershey’s new Baking Melts. The Baking Melts are these cute little discs that can be mixed into batters or even sandwiched between two cookies. The best thing about using them in this cookie recipe is that you get more chocolate in every bite. And how can you go wrong with more chocolate?
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) butter , softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1-3/4 cups (9.5-oz. pkg.) HERSHEY’S BAKING MELTS Milk Chocolate or (10-oz.-pkg.) HERSHEY’S BAKING MELTS Semi-Sweet Chocolate
Preparation
Heat oven to 325°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into butter mixture. Stir in chocolate pieces and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto prepared cookie sheet.
Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; slide parchment paper and cookies to wire rack. Cool completely. 3 dozen cookies.
Recipe from Hershey’s.
And because Hershey’s is so awesome, they’ve given me a holiday baking prize back to give away to one of you! Leave a comment below stating which Hershey’s product you are excited to bake with this holiday season.
Hershey’s provided me with a holiday baking pack and will ship a second pack directly to a winner. Giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, December 9, 2012. One winner will be selected at random shortly thereafter and contacted by email. Please note this giveaway is only open to residents of the U.S.
Chinet Bakeware Giveaway
Earlier this year, I was contacted by Chinet and asked to try out their disposable bakeware. I instantly fell in love, and told everyone I knew about it because it is so convenient. The bakeware is made of 90% recycled materials and is non-stick and disposable. And to make it even better, it can go from oven to table to freezer to microwave!
With the holidays coming up, Chinet asked if I wanted to give away another set to which I said, of course! To enter to win, leave a comment stating what holiday dish you think this bakeware would be perfect for.
Chinet provided me with a complete set of Chinet Bakeware and will ship a second set directly to a winner. Giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, November 18, 2012. One winner will be selected at random shortly thereafter and contacted by email. Please note this giveaway is only open to residents of the U.S.
Chinet Bakeware Giveaway
As I mentioned in the Salted Caramel Shortbread Bars post, Chinet sent me a huge box of their new disposable bakeware to test. The box included sets of their square, rectangular, large oval, and small oval sizes.
If you’re like me, most of the baking you do is for other people–coworkers, parties, bake sales, baby showers, wedding showers, etc. That often means baking in one dish, transferring to another container for freezing and transporting, then not getting the container/lid back after the party. This Chinet Bakeware solves that problem! I baked, sliced, and transported my bars without having to use multiple containers. And when the bars were gone, one of my coworkers simply threw the container away.
Also, the bakeware is made of 90% recycled materials and is non-stick and disposable. And, it can go from oven to table to freezer to microwave resulting in less dishes to wash and a very happy baker! In fact, I can’t wait to use these next weekend when I start baking for my friend’s baby shower.
The only negative I found was that when I sliced the bars in the bakeware, the pan’s shape got a little messed up which made getting the lid on a little tricky. But once I pushed it back into shape, all was good.
And because the folks at Chinet are so awesome, they are letting me give away a complete set of Chinet Bakeware to one of my lucky readers! Simply leave a comment below stating what you would make in the disposable bakeware.
Chinet provided me with a complete set of Chinet Bakeware and will ship a second set directly to a winner. Giveaway ends at 11:59 p.m. EST on Thursday, May 5, 2012. One winner will be selected at random shortly thereafter and contacted by email. Please note this giveaway is only open to residents of the U.S.
