Vampires Beware: It’s Garlic Month at STACKED!|@foodwellbuilt #foodwellbuilt #garlicmonth

Vampires Beware: It’s Garlic Month at STACKED!

By Erin

It’s Garlic Month at Stacked this October! Get ready to enjoy garlic inspired Signature Menu Items all month long. From sandwiches, to burgers, mac & cheese, pizza and more, Stacked has something everyone will love for garlic month (unless you’re a vampire, then probably not)! Of course I had to go and try it out for myself. I approve. 😉

STACKED-Garlic-Month

Before getting started on all the new signature items, we had to start off with an old favorite, The Candied BACON!! It’s so addicting. It’s a Stacked staple and once you’ve had them, you cannot come here and NOT order these! It’s the perfect mix of sweet and salty. Paired with some hard cider, it’s a match made in heaven. Yummmmm.

Candied-Bacon-Cider-Stacked

Ready to see what’s on the line-up for this month?

Garlic Shrimp Mac N Cheese

Garlic Shrimp Mac: Creamy Mac ‘N’ Cheese with shrimp, Fresh Garlic, Roasted Red Pepper, Roma Tomato and green onion, topped with Parmesan Breadcrumbs. What’s not to love about mac ‘n’ cheese? You’ll love this garlic and shrimp version that will leave you craving more.

Stacked-Chicken-Sandwich

Garlic Chicken Sandwich: Grilled Chicken Breast with Swiss Cheese, Tomato, Avocado and green leaf lettuce on a rustic French Roll with a house-made Garlic Aioli. It’s perfect if you want to indulge in something on the lighter side. I would add bacon to this. I love bacon and avocado on anything!

Steak-Salad-Stacked-Cerritos

Steak Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing: Flat Iron Steak, Crispy Bacon, Gouda cheese, red onion, grape tomatoes and roasted garlic on a bed or Romaine Lettuce, tossed with a Creamy Garlic Dressing. This salad is amazing! I think it’s my new favorite. My friend that was with me said the same thing. She LOVES the ‘Cow in the Garden’ salad Stacked has, but now she thinks this one takes the cake as the new favorite. So, it’s not just me that thinks this salad is perfection!

Stacked-Bacon-Chicken-Garlic-Pizza

Garlic Chicken and Bacon Pizza: Hand Stretched Pizza Crust that is topped with a tasty garlic sauce, Mozzarella and Cheddar Cheeses, Roasted Chicken, Bacon, grape tomatoes and green onions. The garlic sauce really helps make this one! So much goodness stacked onto one pizza!

Stacked-Bacon-Parmesan-Burger

Garlic Parmesan Bacon Burger:  a fresh Angus Beef stacked with Applewood Smoked Bacon, roasted garlic, Parmesan Cheese, green leaf lettuce and tomato on a Brioche Bun with a creamy herb dressing. I loved this one, with all the flavor from the barcon, garlic, and parmesan cheese, it’s is sure to make your mouth happy!

Stacked-Garlic-Fries

Garlic Parmesan Fries:  Fries tossed with fresh garlic and topped with fresh parmesan and green onions. Great as an appetizer or to go with your burger or sandwich. I’m always a sucker for some garlic fries!

Stacked-Mint-Pumpkin-Shakes

Don’t forget about Dessert! Cool off and take the edge off all that garlic with one of these special shakes! Choose from either the Pumpkin Pie Shake or the Mint Shake! The Pumpkin Pie Shake shown here is the ‘adult version’ that is called the ‘Jack-O-Lantern.’ Both were a perfect way to end our garlic filled meal. The mint shake is just minty enough, but the mint flavor is not overpowering. The Jack-O-Lantern has a lovely pumpkin spice taste with a kick.

Which Items do you want to try out this month? Get in the Halloween Spirit and fight off some Vampires with these delicious dishes! 😉

Del Taco’s New Handcrafted Ensaladas & Giveaway | @DelTaco #SaladAtDel #UnFreshingBelievable

Del Taco’s New Handcrafted Ensaladas & Giveaway

By Erin

*Disclosure: I received free product as part of this review. All thoughts and opinions stated remain my own.*

On those nights when I am in a hurry and it’s getting late, and I don’t have time to cook, I want something quick, yet something that isn’t greasy, fried, and filled with a gazillion calories. Del Taco has the perfect solution for me. Del Taco  is now offering their new Handcrafted Ensaladas! Priced at $5.49, Del Taco’s new Handcrafted Ensaladas are made to order salads that you’ll crave for under 600 calories (with cilantro pepita ranch dressing)Each salad is made to order for you with a fresh lettuce blend, hand sliced avocado and fresh made tortilla chips, and pico de gallo that is also made from scratch. You’ll be surprised to get this quality at this price from a Del Taco or drive-thru! I sure was!
Del Taco-Ensaladas
Choose from these three delicious salads:

  • Chicken Bacon Avocado Salad
  • Mexican Chopped Chicken Salad
  • Signature Taco Salad

Prefer ground turkey over beef? Just ask for it to be substituted! Going veggie? No problem, just ask for your salad without meat.

Salad Descriptions

Del-Taco-Salads-Fresh

Chicken Bacon Avocado Salad: features freshly grilled marinated chicken, fresh sliced Hass avocado, crispy hand-chopped bacon, handmade pico de gallo salsa, chopped cilantro, and fresh house-made tortilla chips atop a mix of fresh crisp romaine and iceberg lettuce. Served with new cilantro pepita ranch dressing and only 590 calories.

Del Taco Salads

Mexican Chopped Chicken Salad: includes a fresh blend of romaine and iceberg lettuce topped with fresh sliced Hass avocado, handmade pico de gallo salsa, chopped cilantro, fresh house-made tortilla chips, spicy jack cheese, seasoned black beans, and freshly grilled marinated chicken. Served with salsa casera and only 510 calories.

Signature Taco Salad: features seasoned beef, freshly sliced Hass avocado, handmade pico de gallo salsa, cheddar cheese freshly grated from 40-pound blocks, chopped cilantro, seasoned black beans, fresh house-made tortilla chips, and real sour cream on a mix of fresh crisp romaine and iceberg lettuce. Served with salsa casera and only 540 calories.

Each of Del Taco’s new Handcrafted Ensaladas are served in eco-friendly containers made from recycled beverage bottles.

Salad-Toppings-Del-Taco

Del Taco on Social

Hashtags: #SaladAtDel and #UnFreshingBelievable
About Del Taco

At Del Taco, all menu items taste better because they are made to order with fresh ingredients including cheddar cheese grated from 40-pound blocks, handmade pico de gallo salsa, lard-free beans slow-cooked from scratch, fresh sliced avocado and marinated chicken grilled in the restaurant. The menu, which includes a full line of breakfast, includes classic Mexican dishes such as tacos, burritos, quesadillas and nachos as well as American favorites including hamburgers, crinkle-cut fries and shakes.

Buy it: Head over to your local Del Taco and try one of the Handcrafted Ensaladas for yourself. For a limited time, you can download a coupon for a free small drink with the purchase of a salad here.

Win it: One of you will win a $20 Del Taco giftcard, so that you can try one or all of the new Handcrafted Ensaladas! Please enter through the Rafflecopter below, you may need to click on the Rafflecopter link. Ends 10/26/15 at 12AM PST. Open to US Residents age 18 years and older. See Sweepstakes Rules tab on the blog for more info.

Which Salad do you want to try the most? 🙂

Hard Hat Tour at the Great Wolf Lodge near Disneyland! | #GWLSoCal @GreatWolfLodge

Hard Hat Tour at the Great Wolf Lodge near Disneyland!

By Erin

Get ready SoCal! Great Wolf Lodge Southern California is a first-class, full service, indoor water park resort that is in the works to open its doors in early 2016. The other week I was invited to participate in the Hard Hat Tour at the Great Wolf Lodge as it is currently under construction. We even had a very special tour guide… 😉

Great-Wolf-Hard-Hats

Located on Harbor Boulevard in Garden Grove, it’s just down the road from Disneyland. I am very happy to report that it is on schedule to open in February 2016. The first indoor water park resort in Southern California, it is designed to impress with a 105,000 square f00t water park including over 4,000 feet of water slides exclusive to resort guests in woodsy-themed rooms (some with bunk beds) sleeping anywhere from 4 to 8 guests.

Great Wolf Lodge So Cal

What can you expect during a stay at the Great Wolf Lodge?

Accommodations:

  • Family Suite – Sleeps up to 6 guests. The Family Suite features two queen beds and a full sofa sleeper.
  • Double Queen Suite – Sleeps up to 4 guests. The Double Queen Suite features two queen beds.

Kids Bunk Beds

  • Wolf Den Suite® – Sleeps up to 6 guests. The Wolf Den features a queen bed, full sofa sleeper and a themed Wolf Den, complete with a set of bunk beds.
  • KidCabin® Suite – Sleeps up to 7 guests. The KidCabin suite features a queen bed, full sofa sleeper and a Great Wolf Kids-themed KidCabin complete with bunk beds and a twin bed.

Great Wolf Lodge Rooms

  • Grizzly Bear Suite – Sleeps up to 8 guests. The Grizzly Bear Suite features two private bedrooms, one with a private master bedroom with a king bed and full bathroom and a second bedroom with two queen beds.The main area includes a full sleeper sofa and a second bathroom.
  • Grand Bear Suit-Sleeps up to 8 guests. The Grand Bear Suite features a private master bedroom with a king bed and a full bathroom. The main area includes two queen beds, a full sofa sleeper and a second bathroom.

Great-Wolf-Lodge-Resort-Room-Animals

  • Great Bear Suit- Sleeps up to 6 guests. The Great Bear Suite features two queen beds and a semi-private living room complete with a private master bedroom with queen bed.
  • Great Bear King- Sleeps up to 6 guests. The Great Bear King Suite features two queen beds and a semi-private living room complete with a private master bedroom with king bed.

Indoor Waterpark

*Great Wolf Lodge Southern Califormia’s 105,000 square foot indoor water park is exclusive to resort guests.*

  • Fort Mackenzie® – Multi-level tree house water fort that combines suspension bridges, treetop slides, swinging cargo nets and spray stations. The park’s signature tipping bucket dumps one thousand gallons of water every four minutes.
  • Totem Towers – Five three-story body slides attached to Fort Mackenzie.
  • Wolf Tail™ – 360-degree thrill ride with a vertical plunge through a trapdoor into an enclosed tunnel.
  • Howlin’ Tornado™ – Six-story funnel slide.

GWL-SoCal-Water-Slide-Garden-Grove-Disneyland

  • River Canyon Run™ – A 476 foot long family raft ride.
  • Alberta Falls® – Two four-story enclosed tube slides.
  • Coyote Cannon – Pipe-style spiral flume ride with a 40’ drop.
  • Mountain Edge Raceway® – Four-story water slide with body surfing mat allows riders to race one another as they slide down the hills.

Great-Wolf-Lodge-WaterPark

  • Whooping Hollow – Kiddie slides exclusively for guests under 48” tall.
  • Slap Tail Pond® – Gigantic wave pool complete with waves reaching up to three feet in height as they roll through every five minutes.
  • Chinook Cove – Water playground for children of all ages featuring basketball and floating obstacles.
  • Big Foot Pass – Unique water obstacle challenges kids and adults alike to balance on floating logs and lily pads and hold on to hanging nets as they try to get across the pool.
  • Crooked Creek – Winding lazy river.
  • Cub Paw Pool – Zero-depth entry children’s pool with water fountain features and spray-and-play adventures.
  • Raccoon Lagoon® – Zero-depth entry pool extends the water park fun outdoors.
  • Wolf Rider Wipeout – Double indoor surf simulator with ocean-like waves that reach five feet; perfect for knee-boarding and surfing.

Dining

It’s no secret that I enjoy checking out new places to dine at! I can’t wait to try all of these!

  • Lodge Wood Fired Grill® – Full service a la carte restaurant open for lunch and dinner with delectable shareables and unique signature items to create the perfect place to eat.
  • Hungry as a Wolf® – Family meals on the go for lunch and dinner featuring fresh made pizza, sandwiches, salads and pasta.
  • Bear Paw Sweets & Eats™ – Confectionary that offers a variety of treats, such as fresh-baked pastries, ice cream, lodge-made fudge and more.

GWL-Foodie

*Fresh made fudge from Bear Paw Sweets & Eats and Donuts from Dunkin Donuts. Yum!*

  • Buckets Incredible Craveables® – Located inside the water park, the casual menu offers burgers, hot dogs, French fries, cold beverages, ice cream and more.
  • Loose Moose Family Kitchen – Open for breakfast and dinner, this buffet style restaurant has options for the entire family.
  • Grizzly Jack’s Bar and Grill – Located by the outdoor water park and with a variety of food and drinks to choose from, this is the place to refuel for more fun in the sun.
  • Dunkin’ Donuts® – America’s favorite all-day stop for coffee and baked goods, right in the resort.

Attractions and Entertainment

  • Character Appearances – Daily appearances with Wiley® the Wolf and Violet® the Wolf.
  • Story Time – The entire family gathers in the Grand Lobby each evening to hear a story about the Great Wolf Kids characters before bedtime.
  • Wolf Walk™ – Learn about the many animals and wildlife living in the Northwoods, and make an origami wolf to take home.
  • MagiQuest® – Battle dragons, befriend a pixie and wave a magic wand in this live-action adventure game throughout the resort. The games features three unique chapters, each with their own challenges and quests.
  • The Great Wolf Kids® Program – Daily activities for kids that take place around the resort, including dance parties, face painting and games such as Wiley bingo, character floor memory and character trivia.
  • Howly Wood® XD Theater – This motion thrill ride transports riders directly into the movie action with every effect amplified creating an unforgettable experience.

GWL-Entertainment

  • Howl at the Moon™ Mini Golf – 9-hole themed indoor miniature golf course.
  • Northern Lights™ Arcade – More than 100 interactive video and redemption games that allow guests to redeem points for prizes.
  • Scooops® Kid Spa – A unique spa created just for kids complete with ice cream-themed manicures, pedicures and more. Each service also includes a real ice cream treat.
  • Ten Paw Alley™ – Family-style bowling with pint-sized bowling balls.
  • Clubhouse Crew – Interactive scavenger hunt through the resort starring the Great Wolf Kids characters.  Perfect experience for the resort’s youngest guests.
  • Lazer Frenzy – Exciting arcade-style game with the latest in touch and LED technology. Players can see who is fastest as they dart between the “laser beams.”

Shopping

  • Buckhorn Exchange™ Gift Shop – Remember a Great Wolf Lodge adventure by taking home the perfect souvenir.
  • Bear Essentials™ Swim Shop – From flip flops to swimwear, Bear Essentials has it all and is conveniently located in the water park.
  • Great Wolf Kids® Store – Find a Great Wolf Kids character on an assortment of apparel, toys, drinkware and more.

Conference Center

GWL-Conference-Room

*Featuring over 20,000 sq. feet of meeting and banquet space with 12 separate and configurable meeting rooms.*

Seasonal Events

*Month-Long Seasonal Events*

  • Howl-O-Ween™ – October
  • Family-friendly Halloween celebration all month long featuring:
    • Trick-or-Treat Trail
    • Spooktacular Story Time
    • Daily Costume Parade
    • Monster Bash Dance Party
  • Snowland® – December
  • The resort is transformed into a winter wonderland complete with:
    • Daily snow showers in the Grand Lobby
    • Special appearances by Santa Claus
    • Dine in the life-size Gingerbread House
    • North Pole University

For more info  on Great Wolf Lodge– Garden Grove, CA click here

12681 Harbor Blvd. | Garden Grove, CA 92840

Reservations: greatwolf.com/southerncalifornia | 888.960.9653
I can’t wait until February to check the place out when it opens! The food, the waterpark, the rooms, glow golf, there are so many fun things here to look forward too! 🙂