Can I tell you how much I hate KFC? KFC is gross. KFC was the only fried chicken place in our town in Canada and they didn't have mashed potatoes or macaroni and cheese. Twice I ordered Macaroni Salad because I didn't read the "salad' part on the menu because I hate things that call themselves salads that aren't really salad.

My favorite fast food place is Sonic. I really like tater tots. And vanilla Coke. And the Super Sonic Breakfast Burrito. And grilled cheese sandwiches. And Frito Chili Pies. I've heard they have other things, too.

My favorite sit down restaurant is the Melting Pot because it's awesome. It's fun, it's interactive because it's fondue, the atmosphere is great, the food is totally yummy, and we always have a good time. The staff at every Melting Pot I've been to has been laid back and fun. It's an enjoyable experience and delicious. And they have flaming desserts, which is always a plus.

My two favorite desserts are key lime pie and cheesecake. I like them both tremendously. You have no idea. Last year on our family vacation, I had key lime pie at four different restaurants. We were gone for four days. 

In 2001 I had the Cheesecake Factory's Key Lime Cheesecake and immediately bought the book Top Secret Restaurant Recipes for that recipe alone. I have made it many times and it is amazing. Against my better judgement (because some of you may mess the recipe up), I am giving you people my edited version of the recipe. AND FOR THE LOVE OF LIMES, DO NOT USE BOTTLED LIME JUICE or risk banishment from the blog.

Key Lime Cheesecake

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups Graham Cracker crumbs
5 tablespoons unsalted Butter, melted
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon Sugar
3 8oz. packages Cream Cheese, softened (yes, it's a lot of Cream Cheese – I didn't say this was diet food)
1 teaspoons real Vanilla (don't you dare use the fake junk)
1/2 cup fresh Lime Juice (about 5 limes) or 1/4 cup Key lime juice
about 3 key limes) if you can get Key limes, by all means – use them. Key limes are more tart than your regular ole lime.
3 Eggs
Whipped Cream (do not use meringue, it is a sin)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Combine crumbs, butter and 1 tablespoon sugar in a bowl. Stir well to to coat all crumbs.
3. Press the crumbs onto the bottom and 1/2 way up the sides of an 8 inch Springform pan.
4. Bake crust for 5 minutes and set aside.

5. In large bowl combine cheese, 1 cup sugar and vanilla. Mix with electric mixer till smooth.
6. Add the lime juice and eggs and continue to beat till smooth and creamy.
7. Pour filling into crust.
8. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes. If top is starting to get a little color on it, it's done – you do not want a brown cheesecake. Brown cheesecake = bad.
9. Remove from oven and allow to cool till room temperature. Put in fridge.
10. When chilled, remove the pan sides and cut. Rinse knife and wipe off before cutting each slice or things will get yucky.

Put a dollup of real whipped cream on each slice. 

 

I know I'm a horrible person, but my uncle posted this pic on Facebook and all I could think was, "Jesus, please step out of my light." Then, "Jesus, you didn't scrub in again."

And let's get this straight: I love Jesus. I just thought the pic was funny.

This is a difficult one. I'm torn between my two favorite dinners. I'm going with the one that is harder to come by. I had shrimp and grits for the first time in Macon, GA when we lived there over ten years ago. Since then, if it is on a menu, I will order it. Shrimp and grits sounds weird. I grew up with grits as a breakfast food, but lo and behold, they can be paired with things and become a supper food! The thing about shrimp and grits is, it's not just the shrimp – it's not plain old grits – it's when they come together with a sauce that is out of this world yummy.

The recipe I'm giving you today is from Throwdown with Bobby Flay. It is not Bobby Flay's recipe, as he did not win the throwdown. I can assure you that Joe Barnett knew his shrimp and grits. My mouth was watering. 

Ingredients

Shrimp:

• 1 1/2 pounds (26-30 count) Wild Georgia Shrimp
• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (recommended: Tone's LouisianaCajun seasoning)
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
• Freshly ground black pepper

Grits:

• 2 cups water
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes (recommended: Knorr)
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 cup quick grits (recommended: Quaker)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3 1/2 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended: Texas Pete)
• 1 slice sugar-cured country ham

Directions

 

My favorite lunch food is Asian. I love Asian food period. My current favorite is Pho: a wonderful Vietnamese soup with a great broth, rice noodles, cilantro, lime juice, bean sprouts, and (for me) shrimp and sauces to tweak the soup to exactly as spicy as you like. The restaurant I go to for pho also has an appetizer called Crab Delight, which is like a cream cheese crab wonton on steriods. I'm also a big fan of sushi and Chinese food. No recipes today because I go out for Asian.

Admittedly, I am not a breakfast person. I like coffee. A lot. I like IHOP after ScrapFest, late at night. I craved IHOP when I was pregnant with the first born. I made the hubs take me there for Christmas morning 2000. True story. Bless his heart. The only people there were truck drivers and single dads with their kids. I was 8 months pregnant and could just barely fit in a booth. So, an IHOP omlet with cheese, ham, and hasbrowns is good for me. 

But let's talk about my favorite breakfast. My favorite is Brennan's Eggs Owen. It is a hash. I love a hash – this one is the ultimate. Wait – when you're at brunch at Brennan's in New Orleans, first you get soup (Creole Onion soup is my favorite), the Eggs Owen, then dessert (most people get Bananas Foster prepared tableside). 

Here is the recipe for Eggs Owen, in case you can't make it to Brennan's. Read the recipe and tell me that doesn't sound divine.

serves 4

• EGGS OWEN
• 1 large Idaho potato
• ¼ cup (½ stick) butter
• 1 pound beef tenderloin, diced (beef tips can be substituted)
• ½ cup onion, finely chopped
• ½ cup celery, finely chopped
• ½ cup green bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons garlic, finely chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ½ cup scallions, finely chopped
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Pinch of white pepper
• 1 cup beef stock
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• Salt and black pepper
• 8 poached eggs
• ½ cup Marchand de Vin sauce (recipe below)
• Grilled tomatoes for garnish

Peel and cube the potato. Fill a large saucepan with water and bring the liquid to a boil. Add the potatoes to the boiling water and cook until tender, about 15 minutes; do not overcook. 

Melt the butter in a large skillet and brown the beef tenderloin over moderately high heat, about three to four minutes. 

Remove the meat from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onions to the skillet and cook for two minutes, then stir in the celery, bell pepper, garlic and bay leaves. 

Cook the vegetables for two to three minutes until tender, then blend in the Worcestershire, flour, scallions, cayenne and white pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Whisk the beef stock into the mixture and return the diced meat to the pan. When the mixture comes to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the liquid has reduced. 

Remove the bay leaves and fold in the diced potatoes and parsley. 

Spoon two portions of hash onto each serving plate, then place a poached egg on the hash. Ladle Marchand de Vin sauce over the eggs, garnished with grilled tomatoes and serve. 

Makes four servings. 

 

• MARCHAND DE VIN SAUCE
• 6 tablespoon butter
• ½ cup onion, finely chopped
• 1 ½ teaspoons garlic, finely chopped
• ½ cup scallions, finely chopped
• ½ cup boiled ham, finely chopped
• ½ cup mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 cups beef stock
• ½ cup red wine
• 1 ½ teaspoons thyme leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper

Melt the butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven and sauté the onion, garlic, scallions, and ham for five minutes. Add the mushrooms, reduce the heat to medium and cook for two minutes 

Blend in the flour and cook, stirring for four minutes. Add the Worcestershire, beef stock, wine, thyme and bay leaf. Simmer until the sauce thickens, about one hour. 

Before serving, remove the bay leaf and add the parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Yields three cups. 

 

Tales of Hilarious and moi are taking on another challenge for April. This time it's something she and I know a little something about: food. No, this is not an April Fool's joke. When possible, I'll try to include recipes.

Day 1: Favorite Breakfast Food
Day 2: Favorite Lunch Food
Day 3: Favorite Supper Food
Day 4: Favorite Dessert
Day 5: Favorite Sit Down Restaurant
Day 6: Favorite Fast Food Restaurant
Day 7: Least Favorite Fast Food Restaurant
Day 8: Do you prefer baking or cooking?
Day 9: Easiest Thing To Cook
Day 10: Favorite Home Cooked Meal
Day 11: Favorite Meal From Your Favorite Restaurant
Day 12: The Best Cook That You Know
Day 13: Favorite Cooking TV Show
Day 14: Favorite Meal To Cook
Day 15: A Meal You Wish You Could Cook
Day 16: Favorite Comfort Food
Day 17: Favorite Candy
Day 18: Favorite Chips
Day 19: Favorite Snack Food
Day 20: Favorite Type of Junk Food
Day 21: Do You Prefer Vegetarian or Regular Kinds of Meat?
Day 22: A Recipe That You Love
Day 23: Favorite Fruit
Day 24: Favorite Veggie
Day 25: Favorite Kind of Meat
Day 26: Favorite Non Alcoholic Drink
Day 27: Favorite Alcoholic Drink
Day 28: Favorite Food Blog
Day 29: A Recipe You Want To Try Out
Day 30: All The Foods You’d Eat If You Only Had One More Day To Live