Sunday, March 20, 2011

Breaking Up Is Hard To Do

I've had an long term relationship with fast food. We've been together for years now. I've had multiple relationships, Chick Fil-A, Zaxbys, Steak 'n Shake, McDonalds, and so many more. I've loved all the gifts, fried chicken sandwiches, perfectly golden french fries, fried apple pies, and the list goes on. My last favorite was the Wisconsin Buttery. Thank you Steak 'n Shake, words are not enough. Unfortunately, it may be time to finally let you go. Our relationship is becoming toxic to my health. It's time to face the hard facts and make a clean break. I'm sorry Fast Food. It's not me, it's you. My stomach will miss you.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Grilled vs. Fried

I've had a long term dillema with choosing between grilled or fried. Honestly, nothing sounds tasty about grilled. All I hear is healthy, healthy, healthy. Now fried on the other hand is absolutely delicious sounding. I hear crispy yumminess. It comes down to healthy versus tasty. Example #1, the Chick Fil-A Grilled Chicken Sandwich versus the Fried Chicken Sandwich. There's no competition, fried wins. After looking up the nutrition facts it's obvious that their Grilled sandwich is so much better for you. I've made an real effort to like it, I even got it on a white bread bun instead hoping that it would be more appealing. It's not working. I've come to terms with I'm always going to like fried better, but it doesn't have to be the ultimate choice. Just because I go with grilled, doesn't mean I have to feel unsatisfied and sacrifice taste. So, I'm on the search now for a health tasty grilled chicken recipe that has me coming back for more. There's got to be one out there. I'll keep you posted, it may be a while.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

3rd Place in the Office Chili Cook-off

In honor of March Madness, we had a chili cook off at work this week. I am a bystander in office events such as these. It's not that I am anti-social...no, I'm not. People really do like me...I just don't like to wake up early to prepare for things like a cook off. But today's competition is different. I pride myself on my chili. I try to make it on any occasion because I really do believe it tastes fabulous. So I couldn't stop myself when the email looking for contestants rang the bell in my Inbox.
K & I went to the grocery store and spent $33 of the $50 I was given (in advance) from work for supplies. I spent the 30 mins perfecting my chili recipe with hopes of getting the biggest prize of them all. I woke up this morning, packed everything up and off to work I drove. As I pulled into the parking lot at work, I thought to myself "how crazy, nothing split, nothing is burnt, nothing is wrong".
And then I walk into the break room where one person had already dropped off their chili in a CROCKPOT. AH! I had mine in an ordinary non-stick pot. How would I ever get this warm enough for the lunch time taste off. Something was bound to go wrong and this had to be it. But obstacle triumphed! I sped over to Steph's place (who is the only friend I have living out in the boonies where I work) and miraculously, she has a very adorable, red Crockpot. When I initially asked her if she had one, she gave me the sort of response that is interpreted as "Of course I have one, any red blooded American does." Well, I totally missed that day in home ec.
Back to the office and it's lunch time. Chili warmed up, sides already to go. Sri walks up to me and whispers, "which one is yours? I can only eat yours." I respond in a hushed tone with a huge smile "the red one, #4."
I hear people contemplating which ones they like best, #1 because blah blah blah, #5 ....on and on. I'm getting nervous but trying not to show, after all it's just a friendly team building exercise at work. The ballots are being placed in the voting box and then someone from marketing counts them - in front of everyone! I'm mortified. How many #4s will there be. I'm not sure....1, 2, 5, 10.
At last, the announcements and 3rd place goes to....Chili #4!! And the crowd goes wild! (Okay, so that didn't happen but I was really excited).

Who woulda thunk it, my 100% VEGGIE chili win 3rd place in a red-blooded, all-American office.

Quick & Easy Vegetarian Chili Recipe
2 can Bush's Chili Magic
1 onion (diced)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 jalepeno pepper (diced)
1/4 cup cheddar cheese

Optional:
1 bag Morningstar Veggie Crumbles
1 pouch of Chili Seasoning

1) Brown the Veggie Crumbles
2) Sautee the onions in a little cooking spray for 1-2 minutes
3) Add jalepeno pepper and cook for 1-2 minutes
4) Add tomatoes and cook for 4-5 minutes
5) Add crumbles & seasoning. Stir.
6) Add chili and simmer for 5 minutes
7) Add cheese and stir until it melts completely

Serve!

Friday, March 11, 2011

Coming Home

For me, home is actually two places - one is my parents house in the town where I grew up and the second is Atlanta, where I went to college and some of my closets friends still live.

So today, my home is the latter of the two - Atlanta. Whenever someone comes home, "home food" is always on their minds (or at least should be; if you do not think of food when you come home, then most likely I am not coming home to you), you think of the food you eat at home, sitting around the dining table and the food you go out for, sitting around a restaurant table.
Tonight we're going to eat something Atlanta does much better than Chicago (where I live at the moment) - MEXICAN!!! Chicago has mediocre mexican food. It's not delicious, the queso is not worth your nickel and the prices are not less than $6.95...oh you can't order the #11 combination, with a chicken taco. But here, Atlanta - the home of my heart - has it. IT HAS DELICIOSO MEXICAN!
I know this will be a great meal tonight and we haven't even made it to dinner. But friends, this is Atlanta where you know good mexican is on every corner, every neighborhood, in every heart.

Yes, I will have the #11 with a chicken taco please. Oh and a side of queso and please bring me a Coke (as in Coca Cola "the real thing", not Pepsi). Thank you :)