Your latest 'addiction'?

[Chow_Down]

What's the one thing that you can't just get enough of lately?

Maybe it's a drink you just tried for the first time, or a rekindled love for a favorite appy, or a spice that you now put on everything... What ever it is, what's your current addiction?

For me, I recently started making my own hummus... I probably make 3 'batches' a week with slight tweaks. (Maybe a little amateur-ish)

Your turn!

[Anomay]

Natto - yeah, those sticky, slimey soy beans!

I eat them on toasts, rice, or by themselves. Just can't seem to stop.

I'm thinking about making my own batch. Has anyone made natto before?

[Tsar_Pushka]

I hear you ... straight out of the little styrofoam packets. Have you tried it with a raw egg mixed in? My sister swears by it, but I'm into just straight up style myself. On toast? That's hysterical!

I don't know about making them yourself ... I think you need a special bacteria? Let us know how you go ...

[bulavinaka]

My mom used to make it in the days where you couldn't readily buy it at stores and when pilot lights were standard on most ovens. The heat generated by they oven's pilot light was just enough to turn cooked soy beans into natto. I would imagine that if you have access to a yogurt maker or something similar (or even an oven with a pilot light), you could do the same. I've even heard of folks using incandescent light bulbs for a heat source. You can use store-bought natto for your seed material. Look online for details - I'm sure there are plenty of detailed recipes. Good luck...

[Caralien]

Considering what others have written, the classic Easy Bake Oven might work too (though with a 15-30 watt bulb instead of a 100)

http://www.hasbro.com/easybake/defaul...

[hyacinthgirl]

Only once have I ever had hummus in a restaurant that I liked more than the kind I make at home.

But my recent obession is jalapeno stuffed olives. I don't even usually like spicy that much, but lately I just crave them.

[canadianbeaver]

The same thing happened to me! I don't really like spicy that much, but then I started craving jalapenos on everything. So strange.

[phantomdoc]

I have started making a substitute for spinach pie using escarole instead of spinach. No phyllo. Less feta and more ricotta.

[Jacey]

recipe please?

[michelley]

Can you share the recipe please?

[phantomdoc]

Here is my jumping off point.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe-Tools/Pr...

I modify to my particular circumstance.

2 onions chopped fine as i fine tune my knife skills.
A bunch of green onion is not an exact measure, so, I usually use 3 bunches.
5 cloves garlic chopped or pressed
2 pounds escarole or more (I do not really measure.
1 bunch of parsley. any kind any quantity that the store bunches up.
3 eggs dropped into the blender
A cup and a half to two cups ricotta. Also in the blender.
Half cup of crumbled feta, limits the saltyness.
Any pieces of leftover cheese either dropped in blender with the eggs and ricotta, or chopped up with the crumbled feta. I usually have some cheddar or Reggiano to toss in.

i use no phyllo.

I fry the veggies in the following order . first the onion 5-10 min., then the garlic, scallion, parsley, escarole. I fully cook the escarole in the pan before combining with the eggs/cheeses.
Top with 3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs (optional) and 2 oz. oil.
Put into an oiled corning ware casserole. Bake for an hour or so at 350.

[michelley]

Thanks!

[phantomdoc]

Let me know if you try it. Thanks
Works well without the breadcrumbs

[ipsedixit]

Clif Bars (chocolate peanut butter).

[Nestra]

Love Cliff Bars! I am a fan of the Chocolate Chip. Great meal replacement.

[hundwalden]

Luna Bars - made by Clif but lighter, fewer calories, etc.

[jayaymeye]

Making homemade bagels a la Smitten Kitchen: http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/09/bro... They're AMAZING!

But, I hardly ever eat them/indulge. Mostly enjoy baking them for the family.

[aweintra]

Barbara's Peanut Butter Puffins... I cant get enough of these!!!

[yankeefan]

Could not agree more. The only thing I eat more than those are the Honey Nut Puffins. I bring a box home, start snacking, and they are gone.

[Pia]

Ritter Sport. I need to break this addiction!

[DiningDiva]

OMG... I LOVE the Ritter Sport Coconut :-)

[mjhals]

Agreed! Love Ritter Sport Yogurt. Having withdrawls since I left Germany, glad to see there are a few varieties here, still need to track down yogurt though (which, btw- tastes nothing like yogurt).

[KristieB]

I love the Ritter Sport with the cornflakes. What a unique combination.

[Sal Vanilla]

Dare I ask?

[Nestra]

My favorite is the Ritter Sport with the biscuit layer. So good.

[Popkin]

cold-brewed coffee. it's coffee, it's concentrated, it doesn't kill my stomach if I drink more than a little on an empty stomach, it's smooth and lovely tasting, and I'm gonna accidentally give myself a heart attack eventually after not realizing that I just drank two gallons of coffee in one day. but I'll die happy and hyper, so I guess it's not a terrible way to go lol!

[DiningDiva]

Umm, let's see...

Yakult
Zhenda Gypsy Teas (Plum White tea and Coconut Chai)
Kettle Chips Chipotle flavor
PopChips Wasabi

[somedaysue]

Do you know where I can find the Gypsy Teas in Florida?

[demigodh]

Morir Sonando. Just discovered it.

[gillyweed]

Following a post on the Home Cooking board, I've recently been obsessed with Chicken Adobo. Had never heard of it before, but now my husband and I can't get enough. So easy to make and so delicious!

[DiningDiva]

Which version, Mexican or Filipino?

[gillyweed]

Filipino - soy sauce, vinegar, onions, garlic, black pepper, bay leaves, honey.

[foodlover23]

This has been a long time addiction but I can't get enough of putting hot peppers and banana peppers on my sandwiches. They're just so good!

[gryphonskeeper]

OMG me too!!!! I :accidentally had them put on my tuna sandwich at a local shop when I asked for it loaded last month, since that day I have not had any sandwich without them.

[schrutefarms]

If you're in LA, Jons Marketplace had the jar of banana peppers (Mazzeti's? Marzetti's? Whatever that brand is called) for $1.

[alkapal]

great price!! i too love banana peppers on sandwiches -- and pizza. i think the brand i have right now is mt. olive. i have three versions: hot, regular, and hot and sweet.

[pcdarnell]

Preserved lemons. I saw a few recipes calling for them and couldn't believe the exorbitant cost, so I started making my own. I have easy access to a couple of prolific lemon trees, so the cost is almost nothing. Now I cook with them, give jars away for gifts, and just plain enjoy the sight of them in my fridge.

[Jacey]

cottage cheese--but I've had this obsession for a long time. I love adding different sweet mix-ins to make it a healthy "dessert."

[nimeye]

I absolutely love cottage cheese with a bit of sugar and salt! Everyone thinks I'm strange for putting sugar on it.

[The Professor]

i think it's stranger to add salt to it!

[Jacey]

Actually, most cottage cheese has added salt to it. If you're going the savory route, salt makes sense. I tend to go the sweet route, though.

[Emme]

back when i could still eat it, hold for *tear*, i used to mix in sweetener, cinnamon and vanilla. and really back in the day, i'd mix in a little cooked barley for a barley/rice pudding concoction.

occasionally for savory, i'd top it with salsa.

i was never a fan of fruit with cottage cheese... the whole idea of those knudsen's doubles pairing pineapple with CC... ooohhh, gives me the willies just thinking about it.

[schrutefarms]

Fruit in cottage cheese sounds gross to me too! I eat mine with salt and pepper. Sometimes I add diced tomato.

[Jacey]

why can't you have it anymore?

[The Professor]

True, they do have salt in there...I just couldn't see adding any more.
One thing I do love to add though is a sliced up plum. It's my favorite c-cheese/fruit combination.

[riverwalk]

When I was a kid, we ate cottage cheese with apple butter mixed in it. I haven't seen apple butter since....that was about 50 years ago. If you can find it, it's delicious.

[BaltoPhilFood]

That is such a good combo! With some cinnamon sprinkled on top too. I also eat pumpkin butter with cc in fall/winter time

[Jacey]

I eat--in all seasons--Libby pumpkin mixed in with a some pumpkin pie spice and splenda. I also add a few drops of maple syrup. It's delicious.

[pikawicca]

Our local Dillman Farm makes apple butter and sells it commercially. Apple butter is also available at many local restaurants in lieu of jam, with toast or biscuits. I'm sure you can find it online.

[soft tofu]

Clabbered cottage cheese and guava jam on toast - sooo good!

[Jacey]

Try putting it under the broiler or in the toaster for a few moments.

[BeaN]

cottage cheese with kimchi!

[jchamberlain]

Ok I'm here for a weird factor, cottage cheese and french dressing with pepper.

[cycloneillini]

Not so weird - I used to eat it with 1000 Island dressing.

[kattyeyes]

Broccoli & cheese strata--I'm stuck on this since I've made it 3 weeks in a row!

Rhubarb syrup & Pellegrino

Sriracha tartar sauce

Rhubarb--what can I make with it next and when can I get another bag of it? :)

[BaltoPhilFood]

Did you make your own rhubarb syrup or did you find it in a store? Sounds delicious!

[kattyeyes]

Made my own as a by-product (?!) of making rhubarb custard. There's a teaspoon of ginger in it and we used 1/2 cup of sugar instead of 1/4 cup. Here's the whole recipe if you'd like to check it out:
http://www.recipespin.com/recipedetai...

[LaLa]

Margaritaville Artichoke Garlic Jalapeno Dip from Sam's club on bagel crisps...I have ate three things full in the last 10 days!

[misnatalie]

Dancing Deer Cherry Almond Ginger Chew Cookies, so yummy

[KristieB]

Firstly: BLT sandwiches. On toast. I could eat at least one a week. Even in the winter months where I use grape tomatoes as they taste the most like summer tomatoes that time of year.

Secondly: Plain old tomato sandwiches. Mayo, salt and pepper and tomato on bread.

[kattyeyes]

Re your second item, you'll want to check out (if you haven't already!) alkapal's tomato sandwich thread:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/550332

[KristieB]

Thanks for the tip!! I knew there were other tomato sandwich lovers out there!!

[Sal Vanilla]

Whatever you do, do not... I repeat, do NOT try tomato and pimiento cheese open faced sammiches. I had an 8 year affair with that and breaking up was hard to do.

[trishyb]

home-baked cookie bars with reeses peanut butter cups and peanut butter chips in them. i use 2 rolls of pre-made cookie dough, press it a pan with the candies (2 layers) and bake them for half an hour. then i cut them into squares. i have to bake a batch every few days... yummy!

[mrbigshotno.1]

Mexican paletas!

[enbell]

Powerade Zero - trying to get off the diet pepsi

[invinotheresverde]

The purple one is pure crack.

[enbell]

I know, right...the best :)

[salsailsa]

Vietnamese food. I go through food phases.

[Cinnamon]

I'm basically between there and Thailand foodwise, at moment. The concept of Italian seems weird to me. Though I might make a run for cooking Moo Goo Gai Pan tonight. (In L.A., not an Asian.)

Once in awhile we do go exotic and get Mexican seafood though.

[Emme]

i'm so dull, but i got on the kick of this freshly ground Onion Salt... found the grater at the 99 cent store. it's quite surprisingly enjoyable.

also, created a new chocolate toffee cookie recipe last week, and have made it twice since for different occasions. since i can't eat them myself, they're not exactly my *eating* addiction, but somewhat of a cooking addiction.

[MysticYoYo]

Triscuits, jalapeno jack cheese and pepperoni. Now half of my office is eating these like crazy but everyone has a different flavor Triscuit they "must" use. Me, I like the original.

[buttertart]

The caraway rye Triscuit is very good - I also love the original one but rye fanciers should give this one a go.

[Val]

Just in case you are health-conscious (or ever become that way) AND love Triscuits, they have a "hint of salt" variety now...I almost live on them. With the toppings MysticYoYo describes, who gives a damn, but just in case you love them otherwise....

[Jacey]

do kid yourself, the "hint of salt" are just as useless for your body as the regular one.

[Val]

May I ask, are you saying that whole grains are a waste nutritionally?

[carminabee]

I'm trying to understand the Triscuit hate too.....3 ingredients.....whole wheat first....what's so offensive about them, if you don't mind?

[The Professor]

I can't imagine anyone hating a Triscuit!!! They are perfection, and while I generally dislike microwave ovens except for reheating leftovers, Triscuits hold up really well under microwave torture covered with a bit of cheese and tabasco.

[schrutefarms]

Yech. I hate Triscuits. It's like chewing on a Brillo pad.

[Passadumkeg]

A salty Brillo pad.

[Jacey]

Yeah, they taste like cardboard with salt sprinkled on it--but still cardboard.

[bflobear]

yes! absolutely delicious - but i prefer no pepperoni and franks instead of tobasco.

[small h]

My extremely loose interpretation of banh mi, which is baked tofu, homemade pickled daikon & carrots, avocado, cilantro (because it's taking over my window box and it MUST BE STOPPED), sriracha sauce and mayonnaise. On a bialy. Did I mention it was an extremely loose interpretation?

[BaltoPhilFood]

sort of off topic- but can you give me more info on growing cilantro in a window box? location? morning or eve sun?
BTW-your sandwich sounds amazing

[small h]

The box is on my balcony, which faces east and gets about 4 hours of sun, mostly indirect. I started with a small plant, and I expect a couple more weeks of craziness from it before it gives up growing and tries to reproduce instead. I wish I could say that I made some reasoned and conscious decision about the best way to grow cilantro in Manhattan, but I didn't - I just made do with what was available. If you post this question on the gardening board, though, you'll get responses from people who know much more than I do.

[BaltoPhilFood]

Thank you!

[Alicat24]

I have two. I've been on a kick for about two weeks for "Artichoke and garlic" Rondele on Triscuit's. I'd argue the artichoke is nearly non-existant though and what little there is, is overpowered by the garlic. I think the next tub, I may chop and add a heap of artichokes to beef it up.

Thankfully it's waning but for about a month I had a craving for chocolate cake with really fudgy rich frosting. Every trip to the grocery I was going through the bakery scanning for anything chocolate that might fit the bill. I hate to admit it but I even grabbed a pack of Zinger's at the corner store (blech, hard chalky "something" on top and dry cake). I have a very good recipe but the hubbie and I rarely will finish even a half cake and when this craving started, I didn't know it was going to last for a month.

Believe it or not, the best I have found are the single pieces of cake that are sold in the cold bakery cases at Wal-mart. Rich, moist and a great thick fudgy frosting. Incidentally, their New York Cheesecake is also my favorite I've found in this area. Hmmm, I think I may have an errand to run near Wal-mart tomorrow....

[stephle]

Vietnamese coffee. 2 oz of dark delicious imbibable liquid Crack. Thank goodness I didn't have any sweetened condensed milk when I fell down the rabbit hole or I'm sure my addiction would be far worse.

For the moment I've managed to contain my 3pm fix to fat free half half and a little sugar but god help us all if (when?) I crack open the emergency La Lechera can I've got stashed in the back of my cupboard.

[chromacosmic]

Hahahaha, I broke out the emergency rations when a Vietnamese coffee attack struck a few weeks back, but I didn't have any sweetened-condensed, just cajeta. That toasted caramel goodness and coffee, woohoo!

[cayjohan]

Feta/Roasted Red Pepper Hummus. The Hummus Of The Gods.

Extra garlicky and lemony skordalia. On everything.

The asparagus jones is still running fast and furious.

Cay

[Passadumkeg]

Freshly dug steamed clams (W/ cold beer.). Ahhh, summer is here!

[BeaN]

I just love clams and folks don't seem to eat them much here in NC.

[Will Owen]

Salads. Never minded them much before, but found them a time-consuming bore to make. Then all these different greens started showing up in the markets, and I discovered stuff like Belgian endive, frisée, mache, and all those lovely wild-type greens that people are now growing commercially. The very best discovery, though, was Tony Bourdain's recipe for the classic frisée aux lardons, with freshly-cooked chunks of bacon tossed in the pan with torn-up frisée, then dished up, and each serving topped with a tender poached egg. I bumped it a bit by deglazing the pan with a small splash of vinegar before tossing in the greens, so the bacon fat and the vinegar made a sort of vinaigrette, like my mom's old classic wilted lettuce only not so wilted, and with an egg instead of the half-and-half.

[mdantzler]

Oooohhhhhhhhh......

[The Professor]

Cured meats of all types...brined, dried, simply spiced and salted, or bathed in bacterium. Salumi/salami from every culture and the various preparations made using some of them. It's become a bit of an obsession, kept in check by concern for my arteries.

[TampaAurora]

Chicken Schwarma with garlic paste, hummus, cucumbers, pickled turnips and loads of tabbouleh.
I have been eating a whole lot of spinach and portobello mushrooms. I'm finding lots of ways to eat them - mostly pizza and pasta but when I do it's mostly spinach and mushrooms not carbs.

[TampaAurora]

My doc just told me I had to cut out my spinach habit - he thinks it may be the reason I ended up with some suspected kidney stones. It's been a very painful and sad week for me.

[fmcoxe6188]

Oh Im so sorry! I can definitely imagine how sad that is for you! Spinach is definitely a staple. Is it just cooked spinach that was causing the stones?

I hope youre feeling better now!

[bulavinaka]

Drink LOTS of water. Go to the head often - this will happen automatically if you follow the first rec. :) Moderation is the key when it comes to certain foods. If you're obsessed with some particular food, this will usually lead to problems that are specific to overeating that item. I don't think you need to cut it out - just cut back. This is assuming you had the typical most common type of kidney stone: if your diet is high foods containing oxalic acid, you should pull back on those foods and increase your intake of calcium at the same time. Oxalic acid will bind with calcium. This is where the water comes into play. If you're drinking enough water, the calcium bound with oxalic acid should wash out of your system regularly.

[TampaAurora]

Unfortunately, no one knows what is really going on and won't until specialists come in to the picture this coming week. For safety sake, I cut it out until we know more. I also regularly drink lots of water anyway, but still have significantly changed how much more I drink. What other foods contain oxalic acid?

[bulavinaka]

Kidney stones are usually blown off as, "Oooh - I bet that's painful - I've heard it's as painful as having a baby..." Being a guy, I guess I'll never know. But many eventually pass the stone(s) and all is well. But if you're one of the unlucky ones, the stone, due to its shape and/or size, can become lodged somewhere between the kidney and the bladder - usually in the ureter. This can potentially become life-threatening, as the resulting obstruction can severely reduce or even completely restrict urine flow, which will eventually distend or even cause the kidney and ureter to burst open. Very scary, and I'm assuming much more painful than giving birth.

The list of foods known to have oxalic acid can be pretty lengthy. Aged cheeses, aged wines (as opposed to say a bougelais nouveau), chocolate, many nuts, many vegetables/greens, berries, and basic tea. Another cause of increase in oxalates is from the metabolism of ascorbic acid. The lists below cover most items but definitely ask your urologist for a list of items to be concerned about.

http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/Data/Other/oxalic.html
http://www.foodandhealth.com/cpecourses/kidney.php
http://alternativehealing.org/food_hi...

As you can see, spinach is high in oxalic acid, as are other dense green vegetables. Good luck with your stone - been there, done that - if you suffer severe pain, go straight to the ER - don't be a hero...

[TampaAurora]

Haha. I woke up my poor husband at 4 AM after almost passing out from the pain and called my dr's emergency line. I finally spent a whole day without pain, and am very grateful for your lists. Until I know more, I'll be very careful about what I consume.

Newest addiction - pizza! I have been using my bread machine to make pizza dough about once a week and always have some extra dough in my freezer. My most recent was a chicken, corn and tomato pizza on whole wheat.

[bulavinaka]

The first time where the pain subsides for any length of time is like having your life handed back to you - I feel for you! I hope they can get some imaging soon so you can get an idea of what you're in for.

Surprisingly, white wine is considered friendly for kidney stone-prone folks. Unlike red wine, it doesn't inhibit your body from properly utilizing calcium. So pick a nice white to go with your pizza!

[alkapal]

tampaaurora, blessings and healing to you.

not to play m.d., but for everyone to know, my niece's husband got kidney stones, they say, from drinking way too many soft drinks all the time.

[bulavinaka]

One of the assistants at my ophthalmologist said the same about his relation with kidney stones and excessive soda drinking. Stress seems to be a common thread to many kidney stone victims, as was the case with this person. Sip that water - whenever you get a chance!

[TampaAurora]

Drink water all day - soda is too sweet. The Dr said my symptoms confused him so I go for testing on Monday. Maybe we should start a kidney thread?

[Val]

Maybe add some fresh lemon juice to that water? A co-worker of mine has kidney issues and his urologist tells him to drink lemonade during the day at work--it's Crystal Light. I believe that I've read that lemon cleanses kidneys and liver, but, of course, do check with your doctor. Co-worker said there has been improvement but I don't know if he had issues with soft drinks originally.

[alkapal]

val, some urologist is recommending crystal light w/ aspartame and artificial flavorings *instead* of real lemon juice in pure water? am i getting this right?!?

if so, that's NUTS!!!

[phantomdoc]

Outside of my scope of practice, but, I would never condone aspartame for anyone.
As to avoiding spinach, see my post above substituting escarole for spinach in a spinach pie recipe.

Side note, Cranberry has hippururic acid that is not neutralized by the lung, so the acid makes it to the urine, and acidifies the urine making it anti bacterial.

[alkapal]

phantomdoc: ah, so that's why cranberry juice can help with a threatening bladder infection!

it has never occurred to me that lungs play a role in neutralizing acid in foods! neat!
~~~~
ps, phantomdoc, did you weigh in on that thread where lgss (a vegan) couldn't eat certain greens, and she was looking for alternatives?

[Cinnamon]

Just googled and apparently 'potassium citrate' is favored for helping with kidney stones now, and guess what has potassium citrate on the ingredients list?
Abstract:
http://journals.lww.com/co-urology/Abstract/2009/03000/Update_on_the_medical_management_of_stone_disease.16.aspx
Lay message board post:
http://askwaltstollmd.com/archives/ki...

[Val]

Alkapal: Yes, I said to him: Why not just water with lemon in it instead of all that sweetener? But he said that's what the doctor suggested. (maybe there's an issue with him giving up sweet drinks, I don't know)

[alkapal]

wow, val, that *is* bizarre!

[Boccone Dolce]

Yes, my husband's urologist urges him to drink crystal light as well. He says it has some ingredient that helps (I wasn't there to hear it first hand) - my husband sips G2, Water and CL during the day (after he had 2 bouts with kidney stones- so ver ver very painful)
I was really surprised.

[alkapal]

hmmm, now i'm really curious!

[hankthecrab]

Its the citric acid in all those beverages that helps with some stones. Citric acid is in everything these days as a flavor enhancer and preservative, but comes naturally from citrus. So drinking things like lemonade is recommended, but you'll also find it in crystal light, etc. to give that tangy citrus flavor.

Cranberry juice doesn't prevent UTIs via acidification. It has compounds in it that actually inhibit attachment of some bacteria to urinary tract epithelium.

[alkapal]

thanks hank!
~~~

cranberry juice works a charm for me if i feel my kidneys acting up (because i haven't been drinking enough water...).

[TampaAurora]

It's not kidney stones!!!! No diet changes are needed. Thank you all for your help. I'm now back on the spinach bandwagon but I have added zucchini too.
Indian foods are my obsession but I don't get to eat it as often as I'd like (every day).

[alkapal]

tampa aurora, i'm so glad that got sorted out! ;-).

[schrutefarms]

I can't get enough lemon and garlic pita chips with roasted red pepper hummus. Also, Cederlane brand cous cous and veggie frozen "burrito". Found them buy one, get one free at Ralphs last week-I can barely close my freezer now! :)

[Sean]

Smoked Chipotle Tabasco, I put in everything, mix it with my ketchup when I have fries, add it to baked beans, buffalo wings, chili. Now my wife is hooked on it...

[kattyeyes]

I like it on canned fried hash!

[The Professor]

hmmm...THAT sounds really good!

[Sal Vanilla]

I think it smells like dog food. Still, I keep a can in the pantry. it reminds me of my grandaddy.

[kattyeyes]

It certainly doesn't smell like dog food when it's cooked!

[newfoodie]

My boyfriend loves that Chipotle Tabasco! He puts on everything as well.

[Passadumkeg]

Wickles, hoagie & sub sandwich relish; it make turkey sandwiches, burgers and meat loaf edible, no delicious.

[cimui]

caprese salad!

it's partly because i bought a huge head of basil the other day and have been trying to use it up before it goes bad. i have about five big, sun-ripened tomatoes in my fruit bowl, a big ball of buffalo mozzarella from murray's cheese shop that's so soft and velvety and sweet that it could make you cry, a fantastic zesty mini bottle of olive oil from picholine (they sent us home with it as a party favor), and a nice, aged balsamic from zabar's that i got on sale for a pittance. we've had it almost every day for a week and i'm still going strong!

[nvcook]

Has to be the picture of crown roast of hot dogs I saw on another thread.

[nvcook]

oops! the above comment was supposed to be on the most frightening foods thread. My fingers just got away from me.

[cimui]

hilarious. admit it, nvcook! you're addicted to that crown roast of hot dogs. ;)

[gryphonskeeper]

lol. I saw that thread and picture as well... with all the other weird old card recipes from the 70s...

[jchamberlain]

which board is this on? I have seen many references to it and I am curious.

[BaltoPhilFood]

i think the website is candyboots

[jchamberlain]

You have just introduced me to my new love. Hmmmmmm...candyboots.

[moh]

just had this salad yesterday - so simple, so perfect! We have enough cheese for tonight, may have to run out and buy more.

I am also currently very addicted to French Echire butter. I have been eating this butter on any slice of carbohydrate, and I have been smearing it on as if it was cheese. I haven't had butter this good in years. I like all butter, but this butter is a step beyond my regular butter. I don't toast the bread, I don't melt the butter in any way, I just enjoy it in its natural state. This is a bad thing. I don't think I can afford to buy it regularly, as it is stinking expensive! But while I have this batch, it'll be bread and butter day and night.

Dang, just smeared some Echire butter on the computer. It must not be wasted... why do I post while eating?

[cimui]

ooh, lucky 'hound! beurre d'echire isn't still contraband in your parts is it? (a ridiculous policy... hopefully it's gone.)

it's as delicious to me as foie gras and i've managed to convince myself that it's healthy (better for you than foie gras... nominally), inexpensive (less expensive than foie gras... nominally) and humane. you ought to feel virtuous for eating the stuff. :) i hope you licked it off the computer. i would have.

[moh]

Cimui, Montreal abounds in contraband items, hence its nickname, City of Sin... We are indeed fortunate that we can purchase it here. I get it in one of my favorite cheese shops in the city, which overflows with raw milk cheeses. So stinky, so wonderful!

I may have a chance to visit NYC soon, and would be willing to smuggle some in. Your other option is to come up and visit us in the Great White North!

And of course I licked it off the computer (hee hee hee!). The whole world is one big plate.

[cimui]

oh my, what a kind offer! but it would probably make more sense for us ny-ers to bring it to you, since it's legal, here (i think...). i believe one can find it at fairway, as well as in the butter ramekin at jean jeorges.

but do come to nyc to visit, anyway. a lot of us nyc 'hounds would be *so* thrilled to take you out or, better yet, lure into our homes for a meal.

[jujuthomas]

Fuze Slenderize Blueberry Raspberry drink. nicely berry flavored, 20 cals per bottle. A nice appetite quencher for me.

[vttp926]

all the slenderize flavors are very good.

[Cinnamon]

Agree. Love the Tropical Punch too. Recently tried SoBe Lean in a couple flavors (like mango) and those are nice too, but different.

[jujuthomas]

this is only the second flavor i've tried - the cran raspberry didn't have enuf flavor for me... seemed watery. I just checked their website, and it seems they've changed the flavors. I'll have to try the others. :)

[Cinnamon]

Just in case, my faves are, largely in order:
tropical punch
dragonfruit lime
blueberry raspberry
strawberry melon (have to be in the mood for it)
tangerine grapefruit (likewise)

They also have a couple diet teas - not a fan of the pomegranate though.

One has to be careful w/the labels as it's easy to mistakenly pick up the nondiet varieties.

[vttp926]

i haven't seen the dragonfruit lime or the tangerine grapefruit. i think those are going to be my next 2 to look out for.

but my favorite has to be the pomegranate acai, then blueberry raspberry, strawberry melon.

[jujuthomas]

you really do have to be careful... the others have way more cals. I'll have to keep an eye out for the other flavors. :)

[JungMann]

My friends and I were just joking the other day how I haven't so much gotten over my addiction to taco truck tortas as much as replaced that craving by substituting Jamaican beef patties as my crack of choice.

[kattyeyes]

One of the Jamaican places in my town makes a mean one with beef AND CHEESE! Have you had this combo? Must get one again soon (with a Ting, of course)--thanks for reminding me.

[JungMann]

Some places will put a slice of cheese on your beef patty here in NYC. I'm not sure how authentic it is or even what kind of quality the cheese and patty are, but the combination is indeed the best thing you can eat at 2am after a night out.

[kattyeyes]

This one has the cheese *in* the patty--and if I had to guess, it's just American cheese--but a winning combo for sure!

[kattyeyes]

I went yesterday and had two different patties--one spinach and cheese (new and very tasty!) and one beef and cheese. I asked about what kind of cheese it was and was told, "Jamaican cheese!" I didn't know there even was such a thing--who knew? ;) The woman behind the counter said they might be selling it soon as it's a favorite on buns (maybe coco bread?).

Also finally tried pink Ting. I like both, but agree with the counter lady--original Ting is best.

Ironically, I told her Ting tastes a bit like the rhubarb soda I've been making and she didn't know what rhubarb was. So I'll have to make some and bring it in the next time I go. ;)

[Sal Vanilla]

I am a sangria making fool. I am also strangely fixated on toffee making lately. A couple months ago i was all about trying to make tofu taste good. My husband demanded I stop.

Hummus is not amateurish. Have you tried adding black beans or roasted red peppers? I put tons of lemon and garlic in it and sometimes togarashi seasoning. It keeps muchers out of my stash. I am a hummus hog.

I have aslo been back on the crostini kick. And tapenade. I have olives coming out the ying yang.

Mostly I am about my sangria and toffee.

[waytob]

Recently its been red grapefruit with crunchy peanut butter....can't seem to get enough of it and the sweet, salt combo is perfect

[Cinnamon]

no - no!

[pinkprimp]

Sounds really interesting! Can't wait to try it tonight!

[waytob]

Still on the grapefruit-peanut butter kick (which is now dessert after my latest kick), but since last week have moved onto salad...but this one is more of an empty out the kitchen drawers version, and i absolutely love it. Make a large bowlful for dinner, and wind up having it for 2 more days:
Diced green pepper, diced red pepper, diced red onion, can of sweet corn, diced cucumber, diced carrot, dced celery, bit of rucola, torn mixed salad leaves, fresh coriander and cubes of mature cheddar. Dressed with balsamic, EVOO, few drops of toasted sesame oil, sea salt, black pepper and ground toasted cumin. Yum yum yum

[BaltoPhilFood]

Smooze frozen fruit snacks, in guava/coconut and Trader Joe's plain frozen yogurt topped with almonds, cinnamon and vanilla agave. Experimenting with different toppings/mix-ins is definitely part of the fun!

[shanagain]

Jalapeno poppers - cheddar, cream cheese & sausage stuffed, bacon wrapped, grilled or broiled. Don't know why I'm on a kick, but I want the all the time.

[crabby_cakes]

Jalapeno poppers are the perfect food. They include most major food groups. Vegetable, dairy, meat. Now you have me craving them, too.

[Tacopedia]

Oh yeah, I love them!!!

[alkapal]

here is a good looking popper: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/07/bacon-wrapped_j/

and if you like bacon-wrapped goodies: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/604944

[shanagain]

The Pioneer Woman makes everything look good, I think. That's almost exactly how I make mine, but I make more of a "boat" with the jalapenos, reserving the leftovers for jalapeno-stuffed, bacon-wrapped dates. (Try it - salty, spicy, sweet = grown-up candy.)

[jchamberlain]

that post actually made me drool. I love even the heavily processed bar versions.

[vday]

One of my favorite treats . . . my sis makes hers with cream cheese mixed with some other grated sharp cheeses, then rolls the whole tooth-picked mass in finely gated parmesan and bakes them until the bacon is crisped up and the cheese is gooey. Lots of cheese runs out onto the pan and makes the best cheese crispies!

[alkapal]

odwalla's "strawberry c-monster" drink. expensive, but i crave it! <maybe i should try making my own, now that i see it's just strawberry puree, orange, apple & grape juice!>
and the food that i must often get a "fix" of is the thai dish "pad kee mao" with good wok char -- paired with some killer som tum.

[soypower]

Vietnamese Pancakes (Banh Xeo) - so yummy and fresh-tasting during the summer that i don't even look at the shrimp salad rolls (Goi Cuon) anymore ...

Chicken Biryani - It's like crack. Everytime I have it, the flavor lingers and I stay up that night thinking about the next time I can have it...

Talking Rain Peach/Nectarine - Sparkling water with an essence of nectarine.

[Passadumkeg]

Breakfast green chile tacos. Tacos in general. A big addiction.

[Cookiephage]

Fuji apples. Crispy and the perfect balance of sweet and tart.

Sometimes I cut them up and drizzle with honey and a dash of cinnamon. A sprinkle of raisins lifts it to another level.

[Cookiephage]

Oh, and red peppers. Raw, grilled, pickled, stuffed, sauteed- I love it all.

[Nestra]

I have a few addictions right now:

1. Tuna Sashimi - if I could find sushi grade tuna at the market, I would buy it in BULK and eat it every day. I know, mercury and all that, but I love it! On that note, if you know of a place to buy fresh sushi grade fish in NW Arkansas, I would love to know!
2. Gruyere cheese sliced very thin and eaten with thin slices of green apple.
3. Melissa's brand Soyrizo (vegan chorizo) cooked with an egg and served in a warm tortilla with cilantro and fresh salsa for brekkie.

[kattyeyes]

Dig your Emily Strange avatar with Sabbath, too! :)

No kidding re tuna, though I think buying it in bulk would ruin it for ya (i.e., you'd want it fresh). I'm with you in sentiment, though. LOVE it!

[Olallieberry]

Tortilla chips and fresh salsa. I could eat them every day for dinner and be happy doing it.

My more surprising addiction, though, is Jiffy Pop popcorn with just a touch of butter and salt. After working at a movie theater for years in high school and college, I swore I'd never go back to stovepop popcorn, but now that it's been several years and I've lost the taste for the oily stuff, I can finally start eating it again.

[betsydiver]

I recently was surprised at a NYC movie theatre by a salt and sugar combo on the popcorn.... mmmm

[goodhealthgourmet]

clearly you've never had anyone introduce you to the culinary genius of mixing movie popcorn with sno-caps or M&Ms ;)

[enbell]

a good friend of mine does this with junior mints

[goodhealthgourmet]

i should have also mentioned Milk Duds - that's what i used to do...instant caramel/chocolate popcorn!

[terkalin]

lay's "natural" corn tortilla chips & homemade salsa....always
lately: thinly sliced vidalia onions marinated in olive oil, lemon & salt...put them on everything!

[alkapal]

that is what i'm gonna do with that vidalia in the kitchen! thanks, terkalin!

[sparkalina]

add some cilantro! a local grocer sells that combo.

I like it over chopped tomatoes and canned tuna.

[alkapal]

i've enjoyed the vidalia in oil and lemon with salt. i left it out of the fridge for a day or so (in a closed tupperware). do you think the onion has the same issues as raw garlic not being safe in an anaerobic environment? if so, i'll throw it out.

[goodhealthgourmet]

for me, it's mostly certain seasonal ingredients - i can't get enough asparagus, California avocado, leeks, radishes & fresh mint. and i'm *dying* for the strawberries & tomatoes to get REALLY good.

[sf toronto]

Quite possibly the most boring offering so far: Steel cut oats before bedtime.

Pretty embarassing, right? I eat them every single day for breakfast with blueberries, but now I'm snacking on them too. I'm staring at the empty bowl as I write this...

[kattyeyes]

Boring, maybe, but I wish my addictions/cravings were as healthy as yours!

[Tacopedia]

Choripan with a glass of red wine...
Or, vegetable empanadas from Argentina with a glass of red wine.
I'm in a very Argentinian period, trying every Argentinian spot in my city...(monterrey, mexico)

[Cinnamon]

Hollow, soft, glutinous but browned black sesame buns from the Korean bakery.

hey are probably mochi-based, there might be tapioca involved. I am still trying to track down what exactly they are besides delicious. (They are not the overly sweet poor excuse for a danish stuffed with red bean paste that I found at Marukai, an L.A. Asian grocer. But a Japanese bakery does seem to make something similar that is definitely mochi based.)

[LPhila]

Didn't read all the posts - making me hungry - but I'd like to add potato chips on my sandwiches (forgot how delicious!) and manhattans. I was off bourbon for a while, lost the taste for it, but one of my favorite spots here in Philly makes one that I need to have weekly these days, or rather, twice weekly

[Inthewater]

Two things for me on my current "Must have" list:

Pho (or any vietnamese / S.E. Asian soups bun rieu, bun bo hue). I can not go more than 3 days without eating a bowl. Luckily, we have a huge S.E. Asian population in the midwest, comparitively speaking.

Also, saw this mentioned already, but fresh salsa or pico de gallo. Some mildly salty, crisp chips and some good salsa and I am in heaven.

:)

[six dower]

Baked Dorito's, Sobe Lifewater (pear flavor)
still digging "Better than Peanutbutter "- must have every day with apples, Salted peanuts mixed in chocolate pudding over vanilla ice cream(Sugar free)

[twisterp]

Stacy's "naked" Pita chips--if I open the bag I'm in trouble...
Pickle juice, I keep having to throw all my pickles out because I drink all the juice and they start shriveling!
Sliced cucumbers sprinkled w/ chili limon, it's a summer thing.

[ScarlettNola]

I have three- Making daube glace (a common NOLA dish) and experimenting with different versions, BLT sandwiches slathered in Mayo and with toasted bread, and any and all drinks containing creme de violette. These three do not go together in any way shape or form, just three intense loves at this point.

[lainekerr]

Lately I've been obsessed with fresh lebanese dates with an unripened white cheese called Akawie that I found at the local Halal store (never had it or heard of it before...it's a bit briny like feta, but with a slightly smoother texture). The velvety sweetness of the dates and the briny-ness of the cheese is soooo good.

[alkapal]

lainekerr, i think dates are sublime -- the Good Lord's own candy ;-).
do you know where the akawie cheese is from?

[lainekerr]

I couldn't agree more! :)
The akawie cheese I bought was made in Canada, but I actually don't know what the origin is. Very nice though...would be great in salad or maybe crumbled on pizza or something as well! Yum :)

[alkapal]

lainekerr, this cheese "sounds" like yours, but the description is a ewe's milk cheese that is *hard*: http://www.cheese.com/Description.asp?Name=Ackawi

other research finds it is a mid-eastern brined cheese, related to feta, and very prominent and popular in syria, cyprus and lebanon.

ooh, this says it's a good filling inside a pastry puff! http://www.mid-eastpantry.com/kaakch2...

[Sherri K]

Korean ice cream bars with red beans and a wafer outer part! Yummie!

[Sherri K]

Here's a photo

[kattyeyes]

The photos make it--thanks for sharing! I want to look for these. Love red bean and love even more the idea of eating an ice cream bar that looks like that! :)

[mokafeinomane]

That sounds completely delicious. Never seen that, but I'll look forward to try it.

[juliewong]

Beef ribs - my SO and I have been consuming them at a local korean resto, I have been making them in a crock pot with asian/jerk seasonings and getting them from a local chines take out that do them very thin with a soya and onion sauce. Not sure what it's all about but love the ribs.

[LeahBaila]

Brachetto d'Aqui (sparkling Italian wine)
Haagen Dazs Reserve Fleur de Sel Caramel Ice Cream
505 Red Chile Sauce

www.thelunchbelle.com

[melly]

French breakfast radishes from my garden. Every day I go out to see if more are ready. They are good sliced on a tomato sandwich too.

Also..chopped liver. I cannot make enough.

[moh]

Those french radishes are yummy! I love them with a pat of good butter and some sea salt.... Very addictive indeed.

[alkapal]

how do "french" radishes taste compared with american radishes that i buy in the supermarket (sharp)?

[moh]

The french radishes I've enjoyed are much less sharp than the red round radishes we traditionally see here in North America, they are slightly sweeter as well. I can easily eat a handful of them, even with out the butter. Lovely lovely things, and they are relatively easy to grow, even for a bad gardener like me, although birds did once scavenge our seeds and we were left radish-less... Fortunately, they are popular here and are relatively easy to buy in the market.

[alkapal]

those are pretty http://beyondthelawn.blogspot.com/200... and from what i understand, they're easy and quick to grow.

[adventuresinbaking]

Smoked eel rolls. Even at the supermarket I can't get out without one.

Summer fruit pies, I am being cursed by the people I share a house with.

My newest discovery was grilled cheese with mango chutney and sriracha. It is an interesting combination of sweet/ spicy/ gooey. I limit how many of these I eat.

[LeahBaila]

"My newest discovery was grilled cheese with mango chutney and sriracha. It is an interesting combination of sweet/ spicy/ gooey. I limit how many of these I eat."

...That sounds sooooooooo good!!!! :) Thx for sharing.

www.thelunchbelle.com

[JungMann]

Try grilled cheese with green or Bombay chutney. It's got the spicy kick without the sugar, so you needn't feel guilty about having more!

[vttp926]

so i am not much of a peanut butter lover. but i just got a jar of jif peanut butter and honey. i have already gone through 1/2 the jar in less than 2 weeks. that is definitely not normal for me. just been eating it straight out the jar using a pretzel as a scoop for it. yum! that is definitely an addiction for me.

[FoodChic]

Guiltless Gourmet baked black bean chips. They aren't so guiltless when you eat the whole bag. Yeah, it's a problem.

[vencogirl]

I too had the homemade hummus kick for quite a while but have now moved on to Tzazaki. I couldn't find one that was just perfect so I started toying around with it. And discovered I could make it with fat free Fage yogurt without a big compromise of flavor or texture. (I've been on a weight loss campaign for the last 6 months--25 ugly pounds GONE so far) and my other obsession is roasted tomatillo/garlic salsa. Every time I fire up the grill, I have to throw at least a pound or two or tomatillos on there to blacken them. I probably make up a thing of Tzaziki every week now and same with the salsa. And I put them on everything. Pour either one over grilled chicken and you are set. Also good on beef, pork or fish. Add them to a wrap, use them as a dip, use as salad dressing...I think I need some salsa RIGHT NOW!

[fmcoxe6188]

Ive been obsessed with a healthy type tuna salad recently- I blend the tuna with some chick peas, shallot, parsley, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and dijon mustard- its a bit crumblier than traditional tuna salad with mayo but loads healthier. Its delicious on wheat toast with spinach, or in a wrap with spinach and sliced zucchini :-)

[gryphonskeeper]

That actually sounds pretty good.... if you added red wine vinegar it would be perfect!

[Passadumkeg]

We crush the chick peas w/ the mustard then add the tuna; makes a more spreadable paste.

[fmcoxe6188]

wow-great ideas! Ill have to try reversing the order- and Ill definitely have to check out the red wine vinegar addition! That sounds delicious!

[Boccone Dolce]

Thinly sliced raw zucchini, marinated in minced raw garlic, chopped roasted red peppers, olive oil, sriracha, splash of vinegar, salt and pepper. Killer at room temp, mixed in with cold leftover orzo or whatever ya got.
I'll add chopped mozzarella and small bits of chicken and call it a meal. It's terrible how much of it I've managed to eat before my husband has come home tonight. No dinner for me!

[cimui]

That zucchini prep sounds great! How long do you marinate for and is it your own invention?

[Boccone Dolce]

Oops Cimui- I neglected this thread. If you still wanna know-
it's sort of my own invention.
I have one Aunt that is famous for marinated roasted red peppers in nothing but minced garlic and olive oil. I have another Aunt that used to do raw zuke the same way (I actually can't remember what else was in hers, but it just tastes so good w/the raw garlic and olive oil.
I added the sriracha, and the mix-ins... I want some now!!
Marinate at least an hour to let things get used to each other. It's better to me @ room temp.

[mbnaso1]

vietnamese coffee with sweetened condensed milk

[HillJ]

pumpkin butter and Greek yogurt

[Caralien]

I'm back to tomatoes and watermelon.

The last 2 watermelons were blah (note to self: no more seedless watermelons!). I may try one of the watermelon feta salads now, even though I think they're somehow not right, but can't accept that because we were served watermelons with salt as children, so it ought to make sense!

Tomatoes? Eat as one eats peaches or bosc pears. Or slice up and add to the pulled pork sandwich. Chop and add to a salad with fresh zucchini, olive oil, balsamic. Let sit. Slice another one open while waiting for the salad flavors to meld.

Realise that there's a lot in common between the tomato and the watermelon. Eat more.

[rednyellow]

My current obsession is dark chocolate M&M's in the following order. Green, Yellow, Brown, Orange, Red, Blue.

[cimui]

=P

so do you eat all the greens, first, then all the yellows, then all the browns, etc...?

or do you eat one green, one yellow, one brown, one orange, one red and one blue. and then repeat until the whole bag is done?

[rednyellow]

All of one color, then all of the next color until all are gone.

[cimui]

that really is kind of obsessive compulsive -- but i like it. :) i used to drive my sister crazy by cherry picking all the chocolate chips out of our trail mix, first, then all the raisins and other dried fruit, then the banana chips, etc... until all that were left were the peanuts, which i didn't like. made the eatin' more fun, especially since it got on her nerves.

[rednyellow]

I'm totally OCD, just part of the magic that is me.

[soypower]

I've can't seem to get enough of the soy wasabi almonds from blue diamond. I bought them when they were on sale for $1.99 and after devouring all 4 cans, I'm sorry I didn't buy more...

[soypower]

Yay! Walgreens is having a sale on soy wasabi almonds...Buy one get one free! I can't believe how many of these I eat...They're like crack....And the jalapeno smokehouse ones are not bad...

[Cinnamon]

Got a new one... in search of the perfect genmaicha (toasted rice and green sencha tea), I tried making it myself. I have some green tea leaves that I got in a sampler pack from a tea shop awhile back. I toss those in a dry frying pan or wok with about the same volume of sushi rice (black rice is what I have on hand), and I heat it till the tea leaves have toasted somewhat and many of the rice kernels have popped. (This is easy to see with the black rice - they turn white as they pop.)

Then I put those in a big juice jar, fill it up with purified water (room temp, from our filter tap), put the lid on, shake it, and put it in the fridge. Within half an hour it has some taste. It's better if left overnight. By then usually the ingredients have settled to the bottom. I decant off all the liquid into drinking beverage bottles that I keep cold in the fridge, fill the jar up with water again, shake, and put back in the fridge. This works for several days before it gets too weak.

It is light and toasty and SO good over ice.

[cimui]

that sounds really fun to make. =)

[braisinhussy]

Ooh, that sounds remarkably good.

[LEsherick2008]

Lately its anything carmel. I bought this bag of Carmels from Amazon and they are the best I have ever had. But Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream with Home made Carmel Sauce is divine. I also love this Peach Salsa its Amish made and I can only get it at this Amish store in my town. I love to mix it with cream cheese and serve with cinnamon tortilla chips or cinnamon pita chips. Another thing I love to make most can be bought at a Olive Bar. Take these slightly spicy Red Peppers(don't know the actual name) stuff them with Oil Cures Olives pitted ones, a piece of a mozzarella ball, and a bit of Anchovy. Yum its a great snack.

[charentais]

Saltine crackers, embarassingly enough.

[EWSflash]

LOL- When my son was old enough to stay home during the summer by himself, he spent a lot of that time eating. One day when I got home from work I realized he'd eaten two inner packs of saltines and a quarter-pound of butter that day!

[schrutefarms]

Mmmm!!! I love saltines and butter!! My Dad would always put a plate of them out when we had tuna salad for dinner.

[thew]

tonight at kalustyan's a bought some amazing dried mango coated with very hot spices.

it's isn't an addiction yet, but will be as soon as i finish this bag off

[waytob]

Its what we call achari, and can really make your mouth pucker. Does it stain your fingers red? If you like those then there's another treat you will love...bunya.
These are the tart dried seeds of the baobab tree coated in a sweet, chilli covering...an absolute addiction

[thew]

sounds awesome.

i'm on it.....

[veggiemelt]

Burnt Sugar! Only in the Sea Salt Caramel flavor. Oh my, it's totally addictive. It's kinda pricey, but worth double. It's from England, but you can find it at specialty stores here, and on Amazon. Amazing flavor. It's a crumbly fudge, Mmmmm. Great, now I have to go buy a box!

[alkapal]

is it similar at all to penuche fudge? http://www.slashfood.com/2007/07/22/h...

[jayaymeye]

This:
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives...

Spiced Pretzel and Nuts from David Lebowitz.

Ohh... even with just pretzels (no nuts for me, most of the time), this is just so good and so easy to make!!

[thew]

this freakin can of mixed nuts that i keep saying "that's my last handful" about

[Passadumkeg]

Lobster. At 2 bucks a pound, why not? A dozen last night for 4 people for 30 bucks. What a great way to go....pass the butter.

[QSheba]

Where are you getting lobster at $2/lb?!?! $12.99/lb here....

I am currently on a home-brewed ice tea kick....and I am obsessed with grapefruits. I was thinking while eating my grapefruit the other day- Do we enjoy things like grapefruit, crab, and lobster more because they are a pain to eat? (e.g. cracking shells, picking the meat or cutting each little segment of grapefruit so you can eat it with a spoon?).....

[trvler]

Manchego cheese and Sidecars...not necessarily together

[nomadchowwoman]

Chowhound

[buttertart]

Tell me about it...

[nomadchowwoman]

It's bad. When I stop cooking altogether and start having cocktails at the computer, I'll know it's time to stop . . . .

[BartenderMT41]

Extremely addicted to pop chips (salt and pepper is my fav) http://www.popchips.com/

Averaging at least a bag a day with this awesome garlic dip my mom gets at local NJ craft fairs...

[nvcook]

Already there. At least the cocktail at the keyboard part.

[nomadchowwoman]

Idea for a thread: "What are you drinking right this minute?"!

[Val]

There is such a thread over on the wine board ...hic...oops, excuse me. LOLZ! Yes, CH is totally addictive...I'm in way too deep.

[dancer0707]

Breyers Peanut Butter Overload Ice Cream with those tiny little peanut butter cups...I have never been addicted to any food, but this stuff is absolute heaven!

[CookieWeasel]

Really sour-tart plain frozen yogurt, either by itself or with some toppings like strawberries, bananas & Captain Crunch. Very addictive, especially in hot weather.

[kattyeyes]

Neat combo. I never thought of topping froyo with the Cap'n. Cool! Always nice to see another Cap'n Crunch fan. :)

[woodleyparkhound]

I'm addicted to the "Pinkberry"-type tart frozen yogurt with fruit toppings. I've been getting it WAY too much lately!

[Jetgirly]

Liberte Mediterreanean yogurt (8% fat) - lemon flavoured. I eat it with granola every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning (after the gym).

[braisinhussy]

I LOVE Liberte plum walnut yogurt -- it's my favorite brand & flavor in the U.S. I usually love lemon yogurts, too, but actually haven't tried Liberte's. This must be remedied!

[foreignmuck]

Stichelton - an English blue cheese

It's a rich, creamy verision of Stilton, but made with unpasteurized milk. it's basically dairy crack.

might have to go and get some now....

http://www.stichelton.co.uk/

[alkapal]

i cannot get enough of odwalla brand "strawberry c monster." it's like a strawberry daquiri, sans booze. maybe i'm needing more vitamin c and this product delivers. it is quite delicious, but i only splurge when it is on sale (like now at harris teeter) or i am in a serious crave mode.

[alkapal]

triscuits rye crackers with caraway seeds. they are *way* too easy to eat -- especially with some nice cheese. oh heck, i even munch 'em straight up. triscuits makes some mighty fine crackers -- mighty fine. <a nod to andy griffith http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PVUit1-0Ck "aint bea, these are some mighty fine biscuits you made -- mighty fine!">

i also love the rosemary and black peppercorn with olive oil varieties.

~~~~~~~
look! an iphone app for triscuits "small plates" snack ideas paired with wine! ;-)). http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/recipe...#

[dpmc]

Carmelized onions, goat cheese, and tomato sandwiches..can't get enough.

[cheesemaestro]

Wasabi peas. I'm scarfing them down like there's no tomorrow. Luckily, I tend to outgrow addictions fairly quickly and move on to others.

[Yum_Yum_Cookies]

Reese's Peanutbutter Cups. They have to be refridgerated at 48 degree and have to be the full sized cups that come in the two pack.

[soypower]

I just discovered hearts of palm. Insanely delicious. I make a salad with sliced hearts of palm, green onions, capers and mayo. I just can't get enough...

[goodhealthgourmet]

really? you just discovered them? glad you're no longer missing out! i LOVE them but i have to be careful because the sodium kills me. if you shop at TJ's, buy the ones in the glass jar. they're excellent, and you don't have to worry about chemicals or an aftertaste from aluminum cans....or get the 2-pack of large glass jars at Costco!

try them with avocado, sliced grape tomatoes, and a lime- or lemon-based mustard dressing. amazing.

[alkapal]

costco's got the best price. terrific stuff!

[goodhealthgourmet]

i know, right? but i can't buy them there anymore because half the jar spoils before i finish them. the TJ's ones are still a great deal.

[alkapal]

half the jar spoils?!? wha?!?!

i could eat those babies like snack crackers!

[Emme]

me too! the concept of them possibly having time to spoil baffles the mind.

[goodhealthgourmet]

believe me, i wish i could eat them in greater quantities. it's the sodium - i'm majorly sensitive, and too much makes my hands, legs & feet swell up. it's really not a pleasant experience.

[alkapal]

maybe soak them.... i love the flavor and the crunch....but maybe there is not much flavor past the brine.... EXCEPT down in florida; we'd do "swamp cabbage," and you can cut it up and cook it in some good fat, then eat it alongside a nice ribeye as a side dish! http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0...

~~~~
but i "get" the "foot swole up" thing, too.

[buttertart]

On one glorious occasion we had fresh (from Hawaii)...that was just wonderful.

[alkapal]

miss tart-a-larka: how were they prepared?

[lyndak]

Roasted beets with goat cheese and walnut oil & champagne vinegar vinaigrette.
I blame Thomas Keller for this particular craving.

[invinotheresverde]

Tomato juice. I'm six weeks pregnant, which must have something to do with it.

[gryphonskeeper]

I drank TONS and TONS of Veggie/Tomato juice when I was pregnant, but I put red wine vinegar in it. Almost 1:4 parts ratio. I loved it! Canned tomatoes with red wine vinegar dressing as well. I could not get enough. Strange huh? (Oh both times I was pregnant with boys, when I was pregnant with my daughter it was chicken and ben and jerrys ice cream)

[alkapal]

i'm not preggers, but sometimes i get a strong craving to just open a can of tomatoes and drink the juice, then fish out the tomatoes and slurp them down!

ps, congratulations, invivotheresbebe! < LOL! >

[buttertart]

Me too, and salt the tomatoes before eating them.

[MARISKANY]

Now that tomatos are in season, I've become addicted to tomato jam - so easy to make and so delicious.

[rHairing]

I have many. Bok choy as a replacement for lettuce in my salad, roasted beets, salad from Chopt'd, and the fricking food trucks that are all the rage in DC/NoVA...thank God! Loving the bahn mi from Rebel Heroes and I'm praying for Red Hook Lobster to make it across the river!!!

[buttertart]

Emmi Swiss yogurts. The red grapefruit one was my starter drug, now I'm on to the apricot. You could almost be eating a sublime apricot pudding. The fruit flavors in these are intense and real.

[alkapal]

i'm intrigued by the swiss yogurts from emmi. here is a link to retailers that carry their products: http://www.emmiusa.com/en/where-to-shop/

jaggery tart, have you tried the la yogurt passionfruit, guava, mango and piña colada flavors? the passionfuit is the best....

[buttertart]

I haven't seen them but will keep an eye out, thanks. Passionfruit is one of my absolutely favorite flavors. (Emmi is in NYC grocery stores and delis.)

[Aravisea]

Pepper jelly on cream cheese as a cracker spread - quite an oldie but soooo good!

[Joishii]

Dried squid from Asian markets.

And not just any...i like the big, thick and meaty legs that are flavored with vinegar. I also can not stop spending my extra change on the super-dried-out legs in the small snack baggies. These don't have much flavor and are too hard to chew on their own, but i will microwave them with a liiiittle soy sauce, sesame oil, and just a spurt of water until they almost burn up to a crisp in the micro. Then they are charred and perfect.

I have been eating dried squid for breakfast way too much.

*joy

[Joishii]

Oh, and i eat gai lan like it's an endangered plant about to go into extinction tomorrow! But i need some flavor/seasoning ideas after i blanch it. Oyster sauce is way too rich for gai lan for me, unless i go to a really good Chinese place and they don't just *glorp* it on.

[buttertart]

Skittles "Fizzl'd Fruits". It pains me even to write the name. A (mostly berry-flavored) Skittle with a Fizzies coating.

[braisinhussy]

My rotating addictions - I eat these at least every other day lately, if not daily:

Zone Perfect Double Dark Chocolate bars

Barbara's Puffins cereal - favorite is peanut butter, but I usually buy plain

tons of raw yellow pepper with smoked cheese on high fiber whole wheat w/mustard

...black and white cookies (lowers head)

[jindomommy]

Cold brew French Market chicory coffee. I didn't buy one of those toddy machines. I just do a 1:4 coffee to filtered water and let it sit in a container for no more than 12 hours. Pour it through a Chinese "silk stocking" the next morning and I'm done. I pour 1/2 milk and 1/2 coffee. It's so delicious

[BamiaWruz]

homemade preserved lemons, sooooo good!!

Lemons are my favourite ingredient, so it make sense.

[DoobieWah]

Lindt Lindor Dark Chocolate Truffles.

Best.

Chocolate.

Ever.