Panera Bread Hot Chocolate And Favorite Food Partners

 

Please forgive me if I go back on my word this weekend.

So I always say that I prefer to chew my calories rather than drink them but I need to make an exception. Have you seen the new Panera Bread hot chocolate topped with CHOCOLATE CHIP MARSHMALLOWS?

I decided that the new Panera Bread hot chocolate is a must-try and really, the marshmallows count as chewing.

You kind of wish you were hanging with me now this weekend, don’t you. I know where it’s at. Well, at least where the good tasting stuff is at.

The other morning while I was running my mind wandered to the topic of my favorite food partners.

You know, those people in your life you enjoy spending time with and more importantly, good food with.

Let’s start with my dad. Of all the things we have enjoyed, including our frozen stash of candy bars in the freezer (everyone should have a frozen stash), we still look back fondly on the day when we were out shoveling snow and decided we deserved a batch of warm chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven.

Only the cookies never made it into cookie form. I baked them in a square pan with the intention of blondies. Only the blondies didn’t happen either. We sat down with the pan, two forks and that was that.

While this is not the image from that memorable day, it is the  Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Peanut Butter Skillet Cookie  from the blog, Averie Cooks. I have been meaning to try this recipe. It would certainly work well on a snow day. Or any day.

Come to think of it, my friend Heather and I always skipped plates and normal servings as well.

We took this picture a few months ago at a party. 25 years later and we still think we are kids.

While she may have moved to Florida when we were 15 (which broke my heart at the time), during our regular visits- we had one agenda.

Entenmann’s Marshmallow Iced Devil’s Food Cake for her and Publix chocolate chip cookies for me.

I don’t have a picture of the Publix cookies BECAUSE NEW YORK DOES NOT HAVE A PUBLIX SUPERMARKET.

People think New York has it all but we don’t have a Publix nor do we have half of the yummy places described on other blogs.

Heather would bring the Publix cookies up from Florida and I would bring her the Entenmann’s cake when I went down to visit.

She happily sat with her cake, eating it row by row and I had my package of cookies. The stuff memories are made of I tell you.

If you think I am all about dessert, you are right. Sort of.

My friend Robyn and I have a specific agenda and unspoken agreement that dinner plans = sushi. We are currently on a mission to hit every sushi spot in New York.

She even allows me to snap pictures before we dig in.

But of course our time together never ends without dessert.

One time we couldn’t decide on which cupcake to get at Crumbs Bake Shop so we tried a whole bunch.

Ah Crumbs Bake Shop. Did you know I have gone to Crumbs on more than one occasion to only encounter empty display cases where cupcakes should be? Yeah, they tend to run out.

Imagine getting excited for a cupcake, opening the door to Crumbs only to see empty cases?

Traumatizing, I know.

And sometimes, they only run out of MY CUPCAKE. My cupcake would be the chocolate fudge brownie. Thank goodness for my selfless neighbor, Meaghan. She is quite the good food friend.

She has gone above and beyond more times than I care to admit to make sure I get the Crumbs cupcake of my desires.

She happily drives me across Long Island to locate the Crumbs Bake Shop that is fully stocked with “the right” cupcakes. She will tell you she does it because she understands I take dessert seriously and that otherwise I will remain hungry, cranky and dissatisfied.

And then, well, there is my partner in good food crime who routinely dines with me wherever I want to go.

And not only that, we both appreciate a fabulous meal and decadent dessert and when we share, I might even enjoy it. Did I just say that?

Sort of like those hidden Mickey Mouse images that appear all over Disney, you can find my partner in good food crime hidden throughout the blog. If you look closely enough, you will spot the shirt, the hands, the spoon…I like to keep you all on your toes.

Speaking of toes, mine have been freezing this week while I am running. We all worry about the right gloves, scarves, hats and apparel – what about winter running socks?

I think along with the Panera Bread Hot Chocolate, I will be seeking out therma-fit socks if they exist. Have a great weekend!

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Who are your favorite food partners? What do you eat together?

Have you tried the Panera Bread Hot Chocolate yet?

Do you wear different socks in the winter when you run?

Favorite Crumbs cupcake?