5 new breakfast sandwiches at Caribou

​Breakfast is hot right now and everyone wants a piece of the action. Burger King is running a surreal campaign with a flute soloist for their new breakfast bowls, Dunkin' Donuts just started serving hot breakfast sandwiches, and even our own Caribou came out with five new breakfast options. Here's our take on the new under-400-calorie eats from Caribou.

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Punch Pizza

​John Puckett recoiled when I referred to him as the most prolific restaurateur in the Twin Cities, "Let's hope not." But the founder of Caribou coffee and partner in Punch Pizza can claim a hand in opening over 400 stores, easily eclipsing Famous Dave and his BBQ joints at 175. The first question was an easy one.

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Asian nachos

​The Cowboys are coming, are your apps ready? For the big game this weekend, you can make normal nachos or you can try these four variations: Indian Nachos, French Nachos, Asian Nachos, and Breakfast Nachos. Impress your friends, it may be the best part of the game.

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rob barrett

The perfect meal if one of the things you're thankful for is the State Fair

​For some the State Fair could never be over soon enough; for the rest of us, we will be pining away for food on a stick for the next 11 months. If you find yourself in the latter group, there's a great way to enjoy that food-stick sensation and celebrate the upcoming holiday season. I call it Thanksgiving on a Stick.

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A pizza with your plastic

​All this week, you can get a free punch pizza if you own a American Express card. It's a buy-one, get-one free deal --so grab your favorite Sicilian and head down to your local Punch. Get the coupon after the jump.

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rob barrett

Fresh pesto

​With Sunday's forecast of frost, be sure to take in any of your crops or herbs that are left. If you still have some basil, and you probably do, making pesto is a great way to keep that fresh basil taste all winter long. Maybe some of you have been put off by the unavailability or high cost of pine nuts ($30 a pound at whole foods). In this video I'll show you how to make great-tasting pesto with either pecans, almonds, or walnuts.

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The Great Minnesota Eat-Together

​The main question we get asked when people learn we go to the MN State Fair four times each year is, "What do you do there?" When we learn that some people only go for a couple hours and then leave, we ask them, "How do you possibly see everything in such a short time?" For those of you who think it should be called the Great Minnesota Eat-Together, only go for the same food every year, and wonder what sane people do at the fair for more than an afternoon, here is a list of 10 things to do at this year's State Fair. There's more than just butter sculptures and Pronto Pups.

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3,000 years in the making

​Bread, apparently man can't live by it alone. We've been eating bread for about 3,000 years, and while the staple seems ubiquitous, its genesis remains a mystery. (Somehow we discovered yeast and added it to the wheat.Go figure.) This weekend, take a few minutes and rediscover the explosive, unique, chewy, delicious wonder of fresh bread. And don't be afraid to experiment.

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Chicken salad without the mayo

​There's a lot of talk about food revolution these days. There was a TV show about it, Oprah is all over it, and the movie Food Inc. may well start it. If you've seen the movie, you'd agree we are in need of something, certainly. Well, if you're going to make chicken salad anytime soon, try this one. It doesn't have any mayo in it, so it's safe and lower in fat. Not that fat is all bad; this one just has olive oil, which is the best of the fats, apparently.

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If you're paying full price, you're paying too much.

Paying too much?

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In tough economic times, one of the first budgetary cuts is often eating out. But with so many restaurants embracing social media and finding new ways to get customers, there's never been a better time to eat out. Here are 10 great ideas to help you save money whether eating out is a special treat or a way of life.

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