Silo’s Steakhouse in Merrimack is giving consumers no excuse to stay at home and hide from the horrors of today’s economy, by making it fun and affordable to go out to eat again. For starters, Silo’s is jumping on the brunch bandwagon, and will be offering Sunday Brunch made to order; no buffet. A “10 Under $10″ menu has also been added to their offerings, which includes a variety of smaller portions of Silo’s most popular dishes, including Steak Tips, Certified Angus Burger and BBQ Baby Back Ribs. Some other additions: a Tavern & Tapas Menu for those who want to relax in the bar and enjoy the game, as well as homemade desserts prepared by Sweet Cierra’s. And did I mention they also have a new wine list?

It has been at least a year since my last dinner at the Olive Garden, and this past Saturday night I was pleased to discover that not much has changed. The Italian chain, that has a rep for serving “fast food Italian,” offers delicious food, a variety of vino, and solid customer service. The wait for a table (even at 4:15 p.m.) can be 45 minutes and up, but there wouldn’t be a long line of customers if the waiting wasn’t worth it. On this most recent trip to the Olive Garden, I sipped on Riesling (Chateau Ste. Michelle, $5.65) and enjoyed the warm, buttery breadsticks and fresh salad, while waiting for my entree: Stuffed Chicken Marsala ($15.25), filled with Italian cheese and sun dried tomatoes, smothered in mushrooms and marsala sauce, with comforting mashed potatoes on the side. The meal was absolutely delicious and full of flavor, yet the portion was small enough to leave me plenty of room for dessert. To wash down my meal, I opted for the seasonal Pumpkin Cheesecake ($5.95): a creamy, rich, generously-sized way to enjoy the flavor of the Fall. The cheesecake was also topped with a thick layer of whipped cream, drizzled with caramel sauce and sprinkled with ginger cookie crumbs.

Frederick’s Pastries in Amherst and Bedford, voted Best Cakes and Best Pastries in 2008 by NH Magazine’s “Best of NH” Poll, is celebrating the beginning of Fall with a variety of sinfully sweet treats. The well-known cake maker will continue to satisfy their customers’ sweet tooths with seasonal favorites such as their Dutch Apple Torte, Milky Way Torte, Pumpkin Torte and Pumpkin Cheesecake. Each cake feeds up to 12 people, unless you cut your pieces as big as I do - then they will feed about half that. In addition to Frederick’s Fall cakes, they are also serving up treats like Pumpkin Whoopie Pies, filled with buttercream, whipped cream or cream cheese, as well as many people’s Fall favorite: Caramel Apples. Of course, Frederick’s will continue to carry their loyal customers’ favorites, such as the frosted brownies, cannolies and eclairs, but what better way to celebrate fall than with pumpkin baked goods and caramel coated fruit?