lists Archives - Chattavore

Top Ten Burgers in Chattanooga (According to Chattavore)

August 17, 2016

It’s a hotly contested topic, and I won’t lie…some of my choices are controversial. These are the top ten burgers in Chattanooga according to Chattavore. What are your favorites?

It’s been a year since I first posted this! Exactly a year – since 2016 was a leap year, my birthday falls on a Wednesday just like it did last year! Since it’s my birthday, I thought I’d share my favorite post ever again. I fully intend to have at least one of the burgers off this list this week!
This is a pretty perfect list for today, because it’s my birthday, y’all! You know how I love burgers, so I think a burger list on my birthday is pretty ideal. My top five, from summer of 2013, has gone a long way….but I’ve eaten a lot of burgers since then and wanted to give some love to my new favorites…so here’s my latest list: top ten burgers in Chattanooga (according to Chattavore).

To be fair and objective (I got accused of a little subjectivity the last time I wrote a burger list), I devised a rating system for my top ten burgers in Chattanooga. The ratings are on a scale of 1 to 5 and the categories are: meat (quality of the meat, cook of the meat, and seasoning); cheese (how well does it melt, how much flavor does it add); quality of the bread; toppings (how well-thought-out are the toppings? How do they affect the structural integrity?); and speaking of that-structural integrity (how well does the burger hold together, all the way to the last bite); and size (is it big enough? Is it too big?). I add them all up and divide by 6.

One more thing: in order to be eligible for the list, a burger must be on the menu every day, not a special, and the restaurant must be local.

10. Tie: Merv’s – 3.7

So, after a little thought and recalculation, Merv’s tied with Dub’s. Merv’s is kind of the dark horse here, though lots of people will tell you that Merv’s is the only place in Chattanooga to get a burger. Merv’s used to be known as a pretty dank dive bar that happened to have a great burger. They became non-smoking and family-friendly a few years back, and after a flood put them out of commission for several months Merv’s reopened last year with a totally new look. I wouldn’t call it a dive anymore, that’s for sure! Merv’s hand-patted burgers now come in two sizes (small and large, duh) and is a pretty classic, standard burger-American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle, mayo, and mustard. Don’t pass up the hand-cut fries. It’s worth a trip just for those! Ratings: Meat: 3.5; cheese: 4; bread: 3; toppings: 3; size: 5; structural integrity: 3.5.

Merv’s on Facebook

Dub’s Place – 3.7

Dub’s has been around in Red Bank for many years…it’s definitely a town favorite. Their burgers are simple and old-fashioned…and gigantic. They are hand-patted and well-seasoned and served with very fresh toppings (you choose your own toppings). If you’re looking for something a little different, you can try Dub’s famous crumble burger, which is a delicious and grease-tastic loose meat sandwich. Don’t pass up the shakes here, and let me know if you figure out which states are missing from owner Jordan’s license plate collection! Ratings: Meat: 4; cheese: 4; bread: 3; toppings: 3; size: 4; structural integrity: 4.

Dub’s on Facebook!

9. Southern Burger – 4.0

Southern Burger made the first list, back when their static location was in Warehouse Row. I really think that they had a major role in Chattanooga’s “burger renaissance”, making people put a little more thought into their burgers. The Warehouse Row location is closed now, but they have a beautiful spot in Ooltewah now. My favorite things about Southern Burger: thin patty, bacon jam (which I always add to my burger) and Wickles Pickles. They pile it on to a Niedlov’s bun….this burger was a little messy, so they lost some points for structural integrity. I’m not hatin’, though. Ratings: Meat: 3.5; cheese: 4; bread: 5; toppings: 3; size: 5; structural integrity: 3.5.

Southern Burger Co. on Facebook.

Southern Burger Co.’s website

8. Mike’s Hole in the Wall – 4.08

Look, I’m not afraid to admit when I’m wrong. I had never been to Mike’s Hole in the Wall….in fact, until a year or so ago I didn’t know it existed. It’s pretty obscure, located on Cherokee Boulevard past the flash and flair of the North Shore, and it’s a pretty small and nondescript space. With a pretty impressive menu for a bar (lots of sandwiches and some out-of-the-box appetizers) even non-burger-lovers will find something to eat here…but the comprehensive burger menu is one of the best I’ve seen, with ten different varieties. We had the “Classic” with added cheese: lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, mayo, and mustard on a Niedlov’s bun. Executed very well…I can’t believe I’ve never been before! Other reasons to visit: darts, dog-friendly deck, and some of the best hand-cut seasoned fries I’ve ever had. Ratings: Meat: 3.5; cheese: 5; bread: 5; toppings: 4; size: 4; structural integrity: 3.5.

7. Clyde’s on Main – 4.17

A lot of people may be surprised not to see Clyde’s sister restaurant, Urban Stack, on my menu (I liked it but it just didn’t make me want to turn cartwheels). Double Angus beef patties, American cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion (which I left off, of course), Duke’s mayo (!!!!), and whole grain mustard on a Niedlov’s bun. I was just expecting an average burger but I got so much more. Dividing the meat into 2 patties gives more surface area to crisp up on the griddle, which pretty much makes the burger for me. This burger held together surprisingly well considering all the toppings. And paired perfectly with a Jungle Juice from the bar! Ratings: meat: 4; cheese: 4; bread: 5; toppings: 3; size: 4; structural integrity: 4.

Clyde’s on Main on Facebook

Clyde’s website

6. Blue Plate – 4.25

This one was a surprise. I’ve always liked The Blue Plate, but when I ordered the burger this past spring I wasn’t expecting a burger that I would deem worthy of “the list”. Surprise! The best thing about this burger is that the meat is divided into 2 ultra-thin patties that are cooked to a perfect crust and topped with melty American cheese, a slightly sweet, creamy burger sauce, and pickles on a Niedlov’s bun. The Blue Plate tries to source as many ingredients as possible locally and they don’t even own a microwave. Ratings: meat: 4; cheese: 4; bread: 5; toppings: 4; size: 3.5; structural integrity: 5.

The Blue Plate on Facebook

The Blue Plate’s website

5. The Terminal – 4.3

When I originally wrote my first list, the Terminal burger was my number one pick…but then Tremont went and started grinding their own meat, catapulting themselves into the number one spot. Obviously, I’ve had a few more burgers since then and there are some new players on the field as well…but The Terminal still serves an amazing burger. Topping-wise it’s basic, served with your choice of cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle on a Niedlov’s bun. Mayo and mustard are included on request. I always find that the burger here is cooked just the way I like it. It doesn’t hurt that the rest of their menu is fantastic and they serve up their own house-brewed beers. Ratings: meat: 4; cheese: 5; toppings: 3; size: 5; bread; 5; structural integrity: 4.

The Terminal on Facebook

The Terminal website

4. Zarzour’s – 4.4

Zarzour’s has been around for ages, for good reason. Salty-mouthed owner Shannon slings burgers (among other things) Monday-Friday, 11-3:30. These burgers look pretty unassuming, but GAH. They are amazing! She uses the flat-top to put a perfect crust on the burgers, which she puts on a grilled to a crisp Niedlov’s bun along with American cheese, mayo, mustard, ketchup (well, whatever condiments you want, that is), lettuce, tomato, and onion. Almost everyone I saw in the place was having a burger and I totally get why! Ratings: meat: 4; bread: 5; cheese: 4; toppings: 3.5; size: 5; structural integrity: 5.

Zarzour’s on Facebook

3. Tie: Slick’s – 4.5

Slick’s has slick (see what I did there?) new digs on Main Street, but I haven’t made it to check them out yet. However, I don’t really care where they’re located…all I care about is that they serve me up a great burger every time. Slick’s is one of the spots that grinds their own meat, and I always appreciate that. You can choose your own meat (beef, turkey, lamb, chicken, veggie) and your own cheese and toppings, or you can choose one of Slick’s creations from the board. It’s all served on a Niedlov’s bun. They have excellent house-cut fries, too! Ratings: meat: 4; bread: 5; cheese: 5; toppings: 5; size: 4; structural integrity: 4.

Slick’s Burgers on Facebook

3. Tie: The Honest Pint – 4.5

Okay, the Pint tied with Slick’s so I had to break the tie. The Pint wins because of their duck-fat fried tots. The burger that I based this score on was the “This Burger is the Jam” burger with caramelized onions, blue cheese, and bacon jam. The Honest Pint uses a very unique seasoning blend on their burgers that adds a great flavor to them. They recently added another burger, the “Papaw’s Minter Cheese Bacon Burger” with applewood smoked bacon and house pimento cheese, that I’ve heard is even better than the Jam Burger. They recently converted to a non-smoking space and now allow the under-21 crowd before 10 p.m. By the way…my initial review of this burger was a little “meh”…but I’ve had it several times since and loved it every time. Ratings: meat: 4; bread: 5; cheese: 4; toppings: 5; structural integrity: 5; size: 4.

The Honest Pint on Facebook

The Honest Pint website

2. Tremont Tavern – 4.67

I realize that this is going to cause quite a bit of controversy. Tremont’s house-ground meat gave them the edge on my last list and they are definitely the hometown favorite. They got edged out just a little bit into the number two slot, but don’t let this make you think that I have any less affection for their burgers. To my knowledge, Tremont was the first spot in town to grind their own meat in-house. They offer a large variety of burgers, including the Gouda (pictured here) with Gouda cheese (obvi), onion strings, and BBQ sauce. Tremont is a tiny spot, so I try to time my visits for less busy times; however, they are currently expanding into the space next door so that problem will be over soon! Ratings: meat: 4; bread: 5; cheese: 5; toppings: 5; structural integrity: 4; size: 5.

Tremont Tavern on Facebook

Tremont Tavern website

1. Main Street Meats – 5

Yep. The house burger is the perfect burger. Main Street Meats edged out Tremont with their burgers made from grass-fed beef, dry-aged in house, removed from the case when you order and cooked up in cast iron. Gruyere cheese is melted on top, then the burger is dressed simply with a light layer of mayo on the bottom bun and whole grain mustard, with their amazing Link41 house bacon on top. It has just enough toppings to add amazing flavor but not enough to distract from the flavor of the perfectly crusted meat or effect the structural integrity. They have recently expanded their seating and added a bar and have started serving dinner! Ratings: meat: 5; bread: 5; cheese: 5; toppings: 5; structural integrity: 5; size: 5.

Main Street Meats on Facebook

Main Street Meats website

Photo courtesy of Main Street Meats’ Facebook page.

So, those are Chattavore’s top ten burgers in Chattanooga…and now for some honorable mentions:

Blue Ribbon Café – Would have made the list, but it doesn’t qualify because it’s a special, not part of the daily menu. As far as I know, the only bun made in-house in town!
Innside Restaurant – I just discovered this one. It’s huge and tasty and served by some very nice people in a spot I’d never even heard of till not too long ago!
Armando’s Chester Frost – the best burger within a couple of miles of my house!
Urban Stack – inarguably Chattanooga’s largest variety of burgers.

Now, obviously not everyone feels the same way as I do! I asked my readers to vote for their top ten burgers in Chattanooga as well. Here’s how that went down:

10. Nikki’s Drive-in

9. The Honest Pint

8. Tie: Main Street Meats & Armando’s Chester Frost

7. Universal Joint

6. Sofa King Juicy Burger

5. Slick’s

4. Merv’s

3. The Terminal

2. Urban Stack

1. Tremont Tavern

What’s your favorite burger in Chattanooga?

Top Kitchen Tools in My House

April 27, 2016

I have more kitchen gadgets than I can count, but some get more use than others. Here are the top kitchen tools in my house!

I am a kitchen gadget fanatic. Try as I might to cull the ever-growing craziness that flows from my kitchen cabinets, counters, and shelves….it’s a losing battle. I can’t stop, and when I get rid of something, I have to replace it with something else. There are a few that I probably don’t use enough to really justify keeping them around, but when you are DIY-er like I am, you can stand to have a stash of useful tools. Still, there are some I use more than others. Here are the 10 top kitchen tools in my house, including small appliances.

10) KitchenAid food processor. After using a basic, no frills Cuisinart for years, I ran into this one dirt-cheap at Tuesday morning. It has a mini work bowl, a dough blade (that I’ll admit I never use, since I make all my dough in my stand mixer), and shredding/slicing disks. I use it for salsa, pesto, hummus, pastry doughs, etc., etc. Plus when I have a ton of cheese or cabbage to shred it makes my life so much easier.

9) Vitamix. I had a pretty nice KitchenAid blender before, but when Philip came home with this baby I was beside myself. I use it mostly to make smoothies, salsa, and dressings, but you can use it for any number of things…including making soup. Like, from start to finish. That’s how fast the motor runs – it heats the food up eventually. You can even get a special container for grinding grains (I haven’t made it to that point yet). The Vitamix is pricey, but I have heard of people who have owned theirs since the seventies. If you do a lot of blending, this will be your kitchen workhorse.

8) My KitchenAid stand mixer. Not only can I mix things in it…but when I have über thick bread doughs that are too exhausting to stir by hand, I use it for bread dough. I also make ice cream in it, and use it to whip cream. Oh, and I grind meat with it (using a special attachment). I have the grain mill attachment but I’ll admit that I don’t use it much, and one of these days (when I’m a lot wealthier!) I’m going to get the pasta roller attachment. By the way, the one in the link is very similar to mine, but a little bit bigger and a little more expensive.

7) Instant Pot. This is a new one. I got it for Christmas last year and I am pretty much obsessed with it. It’s a pressure cooker, a slow cooker, a rice cooker, a saute pot, a steamer, a yogurt maker….it’s pretty much amazing. I’ve been working on developing some pressure cooker recipes, so I can’t wait to share them with you. I am so glad I asked for this handy-dandy tool…I use it at least twice a week.

6) A kitchen scale. I know a lot of people probably think that I’m crazy, but I use my kitchen scale every single day. I use it for cooking, baking, and weighing out nuts, chips, etc. to pack in my lunch (I’m really not obsessive about portions, but it’s really easy to over-do it).

5) Metal half-sheet pans. I have three and I want more. I buy them for like $9 at the restaurant supply store. They’re strong and sturdy and a much higher quality than the much more flimsy and much more expensive ones that you can purchase at Target, Bed, Bath, and Beyond, etc.

4) I have ten different mixing bowls in nine different sizes and I use them all frequently, sometimes simultaneously. And I need more, to be perfectly honest with you.

3) Wooden spoons and spatulas. Lots and lots of wooden spoons and spatulas. Actually, most of mine are bamboo, which I love because I can stick them in the dishwasher. They’re super sturdy and they’re great for stirring in my nonstick cookware. I use them every single day.

2) My Shun knives. Philip bought me a set for my birthday several years back and completed it with a slicer last year. They are sharp and gorgeous and decorate my wall on the magnetic strip better than any purchased art could. I am totally obsessed with honing them. The odds are good that I’ll never have to purchase another set of knives. They were expensive but totally worth it. If you don’t have good knives, know that they’re worth the cost to have good, sharp knives (dull knives are a real danger in the kitchen!). Do it!

1) Lodge Cast Iron. Lodge is manufactured 50 miles from my house, so I feel like I’m supporting local business when I buy Lodge (and I usually buy it from their factory store, located right by the manufacturing facility, so even better!). I have the skillets in four different sizes, from 6 inches to 12 inches, a 6-quart Dutch oven, and several gratin dishes. It’s the best stuff in the world…indestructible, conducts the heat well, etc. There’s no better vessel for making a burger or a pan of cornbread.

It’s quite a collection I’ve amassed over the years. These are the things I use daily or weekly…my top kitchen tools.

What are your top kitchen tools?

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Ten Foods That are Cheaper to Make at Home

April 13, 2016

Unless you’re eating off the dollar menu, you can save a ton of money by cooking for yourself. Here are ten foods that are cheaper to make at home.

I’m not telling anyone anything you don’t already know here. A lot of restaurants try to tell you that if you come in and eat off of their special menus that you can eat in their restaurant cheaper than you can eat at home. Now, I’ve ordered quite a few value-sized fries and junior bacon cheeseburgers off of Wendy’s value menu in my lifetime, but unless you are ordering off of the dollar menu, it’s not cheaper to eat out than to make food at home. Here are some of my favorite examples of foods that are cheaper to make at home (in no particular order)

1. Coffee
I have a Starbuck’s gift card in my wallet that’s been sitting there since November. I don’t really have anything against Starbucks, but it’s pretty darn expensive – even for just plain old coffee. I’d rather make a huge cup at home for pennies than wait in a long line to pay for a small cup.

2. Cupcakes
Gigi’s closed a while back, and I won’t lie…I didn’t cry. I bought cupcakes there once and I didn’t hate them, but they were so expensive and, as I mentioned in this list, I just thought that the icing to cake ratio was way too high. Obviously, baking your own cupcakes takes a lot more time than dropping by a bakery, but even if you make your cupcakes from scratch (because yes, cupcakes from a mix are cheaper than making them from scratch), you get 24 cupcakes for, in most cases, less than $10. And you control your icing ratio. WINNING.

3. Salad
I saw a meme the other day that said something along the lines of “Don’t talk to me about obesity unless you can explain why a burger is $1 and a salad is $7.” Touché. It’s true, it’s true. Even a fast food salad is expensive…Philip and I went to a fast food restaurant for dinner a while back and I thought that I’d get a salad to take for lunch the next day. Until I saw how much the salads cost. Um, no thanks. I’m sure I ended up eating cheese, crackers, and pickles for lunch. For the cost of one of those fast food salads, you could buy a package of romaine hearts and some tomatoes, whisk together a quick vinaigrette, add some toppings, and have salad for a week.

4. Burgers
So, sure…I mentioned the Wendy’s junior bacon cheeseburger, which is no longer $1 but is less than $2. And you probably won’t make burgers for a family for four for under $8. But let’s be honest: that junior bacon cheeseburger doesn’t last that long. I like my burgers simply topped – cheese, caramelized onions, and a quick sauce of things I have in my fridge – and I could definitely buy an onion, a pack of ground chuck, and some buns for under $10. I always have cheese and mayo, ketchup, and pickles (for saucifying) in my fridge, so this is a no-brainer.

5. Fries
A 5-pound bag of potatoes is $4.00. Salt is less than a penny per teaspoon and few teaspoons of oil aren’t much more. And you don’t have to leave the house (which means you don’t have to change out of your pjs) to make my baked fries. The choice is obvious.

6. Ice Cream
Okay, let me clarify here. Ice cream actually can be pretty pricey to make (though I love to experiment with new ice cream flavors from time to time). However, it is way cheaper to buy ice cream at the grocery store than it is to buy it at an ice cream shop. Since it’s just me and Philip, though, a lot of times I can make the excuse that it just makes more sense to buy a single serving at an ice cream shop than to have ice cream in the freezer that’s either going to go uneaten or is going to tempt me with its evil deliciousness night after night.

7. Fruit
Okay, so we don’t “make” fruit, but much like salads, fruit is a great example of how we get ripped off in order to eat healthier items in restaurants. The upcharge on fruit is outrageous. Buy your own and cut it up yourself, or buy fruit that doesn’t require cutting – apples, bananas, oranges, pears.

8. Lunchables
No, you don’t get Lunchables in restaurants…but think about those little trays that you can pick up in the lunch meat section of the store. They are super convenient, and yes, they are fun for kids. But they’re kind of pricey, when you consider the cost of buying a box of crackers, a package of lunch meat, some cheese, some fruit, and maybe even some cookies (though you guys know I’d make my own) and packing them into a fun lunch box (like these Easy Lunchboxes, which are my personal favorite and fit perfectly into my lunch bag). (◀️Those are affiliate links)

9. Breakfast Sandwiches
Whether you like your breakfast sandwich on a biscuit, an English muffin, a croissant, bread, or a tortilla, it’s hard to argue that assembling your own with bacon, sausage, or ham, eggs, and cheese at home is a lot cheaper than the drive-thru. They’re super-convenient to freeze, too.

10. Alcoholic Beverages
No matter what your drink of choice is, alcohol is consistently less expensive to consume at home. Beer, wine, mixed drinks…you’ll save a ton of cash if you buy it at the store and mix it or pour it yourself. The upcharge on alcohol might be the most outrageous of all – Philip once paid $10 (he forgot to ask the price) for a pint of beer at a restaurant then bought the same beer in a 12-ounce bottle at a store for around $3…and these days, mixed drinks run around $8-$9 each at a bar. Whoa.

Now, I’m not saying that you should never, ever go out to eat. Dining out is fun, and it’s nice to have access to convenience when you need it. What I am saying, though, is that you aren’t saving money by dining out. If you make a few more things at home rather than buying them out, you’ll save a ton of cash!

Guilty Pleasure Foods – Chattavore Top Ten

March 30, 2016

We all have guilty pleasure foods that we can’t resist. This is a list of foods that I can’t keep in the house, or I’ll eat all of it. What are your guilty pleasure foods?

1. Kettle Chips

Topping my list of guilty pleasure foods is kettle chips. If I’m going with chips (besides my homemade microwave chips), these are definitely my first choice. Preferably Kettle Brand, but I’ll really eat any kettle-cooked chips I can get my hands on. In my mind, they really aren’t all that bad….they only have three ingredients (potatoes, oil, and salt) and they taste so good they couldn’t possibly be bad. The problem is that once I start eating them I can’t stop. My justification is that “I need to get them out of the house”. Because it’s obviously better to eat them all at once and have them gone than to eat them a few at a time…right?

2. Salt & Vinegar or Dill Pickle Lay’s

Actually, I don’t think that they make the dill pickle variety anymore. It’s been ages since I bought a bag of Lay’s potato chips. Not because they’re “bad” but because the flavored varieties usually only come in gigantic bags. It’s dangerous to have these in the house. I used to buy bags of chips for Philip to parse out to take in his lunch, and every time we would have salt & vinegar or dill pickle chips, I would eat them until my mouth burned and the corners of my mouth started to crack from the salt and the acidity of the vinegar.

3. Nacho or Taco Doritos

Okay, does anyone see a pattern here? Chips are my weakness…my trigger food…my kryptonite. They are literally the only food that I just can’t. Stop. Eating. My number one guilty pleasure, for sure. I love Doritos. Love them, love them, love them. I know they have approximately 18,000 ingredients. You know what? I don’t care. I love the fact that the orange cheese powder coats my fingers. It’s like second snack. I cannot cannot cannot purchase these in a large bag to bring home with me. I only eat them in a restaurant (say, Subway or Firehouse Subs) where I can purchase a small bag and not see them again once I have finished my meal. By the way, I recently discovered that my cat loves them too. Weirdo.

4. Boxed Cake Mix

I don’t do it very often. It’s hard to justify. But when I make cake balls, it’s much easier to just mix up a cake from a box and stir in some canned icing. I love to scrape all of the excess batter out of the bowl and straight into my mouth (I married someone who doesn’t care for this practice-what? Who doesn’t like cake batter?!?!-so more for me!).

5. Homemade Cream Cheese Icing

This is a guilty pleasure that I share with my mom and my sister. If you’ve ever had cream cheese icing out of a can, you know that there is no comparison to the homemade stuff. Cream cheese + butter + powdered sugar = perfection. If I could get away with it, I would make an entire batch just for eating with a spoon. I think that would probably evoke the evil eye from my husband, so it’s doubtful that this is ever going to happen. Plus there’s the whole problem of needing to fit into my jeans….but can you imagine a world where you could just eat cream cheese icing with a spoon and never gain an ounce? That’s the way it’s going to be in Heaven. I’m sure of it.

6. Bacon

Duh. I don’t know that I can really call this a “guilty” pleasure because I really don’t feel all that guilty about it. I probably should, though. Bacon is a perfect food. It’s salty candy. And it’s practically religion in this house.

7. Crusty Bread Dipped in Olive Oil

So, bread and olive oil may not seem like a “guilty pleasure” food to many of you, but when you consider the volumes of it that I could eat, it might. I can throw this stuff down. Carb and fat overload, I tell you. And let’s be honest, wheat bread generally doesn’t make the cut for this purpose. Oh boy. This is my favorite thing about going to Tony’s (where they serve garlic-studded ciabatta with an olive/canola oil mix).

8. Peppermint Patties

I remember my grandmother buying these when I was a kid. These days, they’re in my freezer at all times. I buy the minis and eat them, one at a time, each night. I don’t eat a lot of candy but this is a 50-calorie indulgence. Like bacon, I call this a guilty pleasure but honestly I really don’t feel all that guilty about it. I ❤️ peppermint anything. I tried to make my own peppermint patties and it didn’t go so well. I’ll keep buying them, thanks.

9. Cheese

I’m pretty much an equal opportunity cheese lover, as long as it’s a cow’s milk cheese. Goat and sheep milk cheeses have not quite grown on me yet. I won’t lie, since Philip and I started eating less meat, I pretty much eat cheese every day. I do portion it carefully, but still. The sharpest cheddars are probably my favorite, especially when I make a grilled cheese and some of the cheese falls into the pan and burns. I love to eat those little burnt cheese crusts. Mmmmmm. Chips and queso? Well, think about that one….two of my weaknesses rolled into one. Stick a fork in me…..

10. Firehouse Subs Cherry Limeade

Really, Firehouse Subs anything (I usually order the steamer, with pastrami and melted cheese…gah). But there is something about that giant cup of high-fructose syrup sweetened non-carbonated cherry drink with a bunch of limes squeezed into it. Philip and I are both addicted and we can look right past that sugar rush to slurp down this syrupy sweet but still a little tart goodness. If you ever see me looking like a kid who’s been slurping cherry Kool-aid, you’ll know where I’ve been.

Can any of you commiserate with me on any of my guilty pleasure foods? Do you have anything to add? Tell me your guilty pleasure foods – inquiring minds want to know!

Comfort Foods (Top Ten)

March 18, 2016

What are the foods that you crave when you need some soothing? Here are my top ten comfort foods!

When I’m feeling sick, tired, or otherwise low, there are certain comfort foods that just sound better to me than anything else. I don’t consider myself an emotional eater – that is, I don’t eat to try to treat my emotional state. However, when I’m feeling less than 100%, I don’t necessarily want a salad. Here are the comfort foods that I crave.

1. Chips and Dip

Pretty specifically, Ruffles and Mayfield French onion dip. I could probably eat an entire bag or chips. This has been my go-to for as long as I can remember.

2. BLT sandwich

Yep, salt and fat. Bacon, crunchy lettuce, a couple of slices of ripe tomato, and mayonnaise on toasted white bread. Or maybe untoasted white bread, just depending on my mood. I could eat a BLT anytime, any day.

3. Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Here we go again. Again, white bread, American cheese, butter…grilled to a crisp. Hot, crunchy, and gooey, there really is nothing like a grilled cheese.

4. Campbell’s Cream of Chicken Soup with Saltine Crackers

Now, honestly…I can’t remember the last time that I actually ate Campbell’s Cream of Chicken Soup, but my memories of it are so fond. Everyone thinks of chicken noodle soup as the classic comfort food, but I always ate cream of chicken, never chicken noodle. Always with saltines.

5. Tacos

This may sound weird, but when I feel a little sick, I would 100% rather eat good old classic ground beef tacos than just about anything else.

6. Chicken Tenders and Fries

With copious amounts of honey mustard (and it must be creamy, mayonnaise-based honey mustard). I rarely order this in restaurants anymore (it used to be a standard order) but when my spirits are kind of low, I am much more likely to order this.

7. Popcorn

Just my favorite snack ever. EVER. When I don’t feel like packing a lunch, I’ll pop some popcorn and throw it in my lunch bag with some fruit, cheese, pickles, etc. and call it a day.

8. Fresh Fruit Popsicles

Always the kind that have actual pieces of fruit in them. This is my standard stomach virus food, the thing that I eat when there is about a 10% chance that anything that goes into my stomach will stay there. Strawberry is my favorite.

9. French Fries

I can make a meal out of French fries. I don’t need anything else to go with them. Sometimes, when I go to a restaurant, I will order just based on what comes with fries. Other times, I’ll want to try a different side, but I. Just. Can’t. Not order. Fries. They must have a dipping sauce, too.

10. Tortilla Chips and Queso

Like, the white cheese dip that might have some jalapeños in it and is most definitely made from American cheese. It’s 100% unauthentic but I must order it every time I go to a Mexican restaurant because it’s delicious. I crave it at home, too, but rarely make it myself.

Why is it that comfort foods are rarely “healthy” foods? Why can’t I crave salads or carrot sticks and hummus? Oh well. Comfort foods are things that I crave from time to time, but not all the time, so I’m cool with eating them when that’s what I really want.

What are your favorite comfort foods? Comment below and let me know!