Seven Favorite Breakfasts

I need to tell you something.  You may know, but nobody knows just how extensive this problem is...

I'm in love.


There.  I said it. Can't take it back, its out there now! 

I'm in love with breakfast.  It has been going on for my entire life and I'm finally coming to a point where it is less embarassing, where I am embracing this part of my life. 

Breakfast is the meal that is often consumed first on a daily basis, but if it were up to me, it would not be confined to the first meal.  Many restaurants and food establishments allow breakfast to spread its wings and be enjoyed anytime any day and this is wonderful news.

May I please tell you about my deep running love?

Thank you. 

Seven Favorite Breakfasts

1. French Toast - This egg mixture soaked, griddle crisped delicacy is far and away my most favorite breakfast ever.  I could eat an entire loaf of bread as French Toast - and I wouldn't even feel guilty.  Any way it is prepared, any way it is served, and any shape it is in are all delicious to me.  I love it so hard, you will probably never understand so it may not be worth your time to even try.  French toast sticks are another gift from the Griddle Gods, this variety takes a dip in the fryer before taking another dip in syrup before I dip it into my mouth.  So good...mmmmm.
2. Pancakes - Griddled goodness rules this seven, I'll tell you that much.  Pancakes are amazing!  They can be so many different varieties and flavors but guess what?  I prefer mine plain.  Fluffy buttermilk pancakes, fresh butter, and real maple syrup is my personal nirvana and can pretty much fix all of my problems.  Good day, pancakes make it better.  Bad day, pancakes make it better.  Nervous, pancakes calm me down.  Sick, pancakes make it better.  Get it?
3. Sugary Cereal/Pop Tarts - I am basically a 12 year old child.  I love anything covered in sugar.  I was practically raised on pop tarts and their generic cousins.  My dad toasts the unfrosted flavors and rubs them with a special stick of butter.  Yes.  I like the frosted kind too but only 4 flavors: cherry, strawberry, brown sugar cinnamon and the double chocolate one when I'm in a pinch.  Cereal wise, you have already been informed of that love here.
4. Oatmeal - Its becoming a trendy breakfast again, with its whole grain properties and all that.  Combined with all of the delicious condiments that you are supposed to mix into it, it can't be that bad for you, right?  I love mine in every form, really.  Even oatmeal cookies count as breakfast in my book.
5. Scrambled Eggs, Sausage Links, Bacon, Hashbrowns, and Toast - Pretty much your typical breakfast.  Okay, maybe extra meat than normal breakfasts.  Just do it right, serve me some grape jelly and maple syrup(for my sausage of course) and we are good to go!
6. Sausage, Egg and Cheese McMuffins - Mickey D's knows whats up.  Delicious combination.  However, my grandfather created a homemade version that is EVEN BETTER.  Fresh eggs, delicious sausage, buttery english muffins and tasty cheese.  Thanks Grandpa you ruined me for life!
7.  Waffles - The sheer surface area that is crisped up on this treat is nothing short of a miracle.  How does that happen?  Its amazing.  Then we need to factor in butter in every square and maple syrup too and we have hit an overload of deliciousness.  Can you even handle it?  I know I can't.

Do you share my fondness for the beautiful meal known as breakfast?  If you do not have the same fondness as me, please zip your lip and move on to the next blog entry please. 

Seven Essential Summer Foods

Saturday! Its the last weekend of summer for some people around here.  Bummer for them. 


I haven't really had a summer vacation in 6-7 years, so it means nothing to me except my birthday is rapidly approaching and then Christmas!  Then we just rinse and repeat.  Some people really take summer to the extreme.  They switch out their closet and rotate their footwear.  Stop eating warm foods and simply eat chilled delicacies.  Not me.  No big deal to me.  Its hot.  Its sticky.  It rains randomly here in Arizona.  I don't care to swim too much, I don't vacation strictly during the summer months so its just kinda another season for me.


Herc has given me his essential list of summer foods.  What he doesn't know is that I am using my magical privileges as the owner of this blog and adding my own commentary(in orange)!


Herc’s 7 Essential Summer Foods

• Popsicles and other ice cream novelties (red white and blue bomb pops and rocket pops) from the ice cream man or, in a pinch, the freezer.  I can't believe Herc is forgetting about Cherry Popsicles and otter pops!  Bomb pops make my lips blue and I really can't stand blue food(more on that in an upcoming blog post!).  They even had awesome Root Beer Popsicles at one point.  If I recall, Herc has a certain affinity for root beer...
•  Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream - if you haven’t had it, it’s probably because you can’t get it as it’s only available in certain pockets of our great land.  If you haven't had it, you are missing out!  If you have confused it for "blue bunny", don't talk to me anymore.  I have had the distinct pleasure of touring their headquarters in Brenham, TX.  Ice cream has never been the same for me, you could say it was religious.  Blue Bell is the only ice cream that holds a candle to Sweet Republic.  
• Watermelon - whole, half, sliced, cubed, balled, seeded, seedless, orange, yellow, pink, warm, cold, whatever, whenever.  Might I add: salted, compressed, souped, sorbet-ed?  Word.
• Tuna salad sandwiches are apples + onions + bread and butter pickles + Miracle Whip + whole wheat pita pocket = nirvana.  HERC!  I've totally had this tuna salad!  Skip the pita, add some whole wheat bread and we are good to go.  My question is: why confine this to the summer?
• BBQ - it really doesn’t matter what the meat or the cut is, cooking meat over flame is what we do best as human beings. Well that and making other human beings.  Yes!
• Hot Dogs - Herc’s with Devyn on this one. The soft bun, the boiled or steamed “dog” and these condiments are what Herc is made of: ketchup, Kraft American singles x 2, sweet relish and diced onions. Nom, nom, nom.  No joke. Went to Costco yesterday to have one of their hot dogs.  Only, the food court area was closed for some reason.  Say it with me: de-nied.
• Eegee’s frozen fruit drinks especially Orange Dream, Cherry Cider, Pina Colada, Galactic Grape, Lucky Lime and Sour Cherry - sorry, they are strictly a Southern Arizona thing.  One of the things I miss most about not living in Tucson!  Again, Herc forgot another killer flavor: Root Beer.  In honor of the rodeo holidays every year, they serve this flavor for a week.  I travel to the nearest Eegee's(Casa Grande, FYI) all the time and can often consume my weight in this treat...thrice.

I would also like to add something: Corn on the Cob.  Grilled, salad-ed, ice creamed, no matter what it is get it in my belly!

What must you have in the summer time?  Add to this list in the comments!

PS I have a surprise for you starting tomorrow... 

Seven Burgers That Are Beyond Belief

Hey there!

Happy Friday!  Know what a good way to celebrate the weekend is?  A burger.  Casual, delicious, filling and just plain amazing!

I have never really met a burger that I didn't enjoy.  I give all burgers a fair chance at winning my heart.  I have seven burgers at casual joints that I can recommend with nothing but AMAZING results, guaranteed!

Seven Casual Burgers That Are Beyond Belief:

• In and Out.  Yes.  That red and white, crisscrossed palm tree palace with the limited menu.  I like to get a cheeseburger animal style and eat it in my car while I dangerously drive to my next destination.  Something about it is just so perfect.  Melty Cheese, caramelized onions, crispy lettuce, special sauce...nothing special here.  Just high quality ingredients served with love and care, folks!
• Five Guys.  I am a relative newcomer to this joint.  Another red and white burger joint?  Are red and white supposed to trigger something in me that says "BURGER!"?  Who knows.  Anyways, this place is priced a bit higher than most, but the amount of toppings you can get for free tries really hard to balance that.  I like a single cheeseburger with A1 sauce, bell peppers, and caramelized onions.  Who knew bell peppers would be so awesome on a burger?  Not me.  Best whim I have ever indulged. 
• Sonic Drive In.  A long time favorite restaurant of mine.  You can find that love documented here.  I used to go here so often, I had a regular order and a regular car hop.  Not anymore though, I've moved on.  But I still love me some #1 Sonic Cheeseburger with mayonnaise and no onions please!  Their burgers are on bigger buns and just more voluptuous for your hands to grasp.  Me likey.
• Chicago Hamburger Company.  A phoenix joint that I discovered on accident and can't get enough of.  They have a huge full menu on their website. I'll save you some time: just get the sliders.  They are perfect and amazing and all you need.  They have hot dogs and other Chicago sandwich style fare, but don't bother.  The decor at this joint is all Chicago all the time, and you can't help but love Chicago once you leave.  Da Bears!
• Wendy's.  I love this place for many a reason, but there is one thing I can't imagine life without: JBC for those in the know.  Junior Bacon Cheeseburger.  Smaller burger, weird bacon, and once upon a time they were only 99 cents.  Can't beat that with a stick.  Don't try.
• Whataburger.  Texas originated?(too lazy to fact check today, sorry)  Either way this orange and white paradise smells the same everywhere in the world.  Delicious.  I love an original cheeseburger and its another handful of a burger.  Must not lie: I prefer their chicken strips.
• Fudruckers.  I haven't been there in so long, but have talked about it in many recent occasions with various people and must go soon.  We used to go here to celebrate milestones in my family.  They have delicious seasoned wedge fries and we always got a free cookie in the kids meal.  I like the big meat room to the right as you walk into the one on Speedway in Tucson.  Let's go!

Am I writing about food too much?  This is my life you guys.  I eat. I enjoy food.  I think about food and make food and consume food.  I know about other things but I feel like the music and food posts get the most lovin'.  What do you think?

I gotta go get a burger!

Seven Pizza Toppings That Light Up My Life

Hi! 

Remember when I told you all about my love of pizza, here?

It continues.  I want to tell you all about my favorite pizza toppings.  I just ate pizza and felt inspired to tell you about what I like to eat on top of it.  I love these so much I say that they light up my life.  This is true. 


Seven Pizza Toppings That Light Up My Life:

• Sausage.  Ground meat and spices.  Pretty much the greatest thing to happen in our lifetimes, people.  Pizza is an incredible vessel for this incredible meat.  Do I need to wax poetic about sausage to you people?
• Cheeses.  Pretty much any and all cheeses.  They all taste wonderful on pizza.  Many cheeses combined make a very delicious pizza.  Combinations are awesome!  Even sprinkling with Parmesan on top after baking but before consuming is highly recommended.
• Basil.  Fresh basil added to a margherita pizza really elevates the pizza to a heavenly level.  Have you ever had it?  If not, stop what you are doing, bookmark this page for later, and go enjoy a margherita pizza at the best pizza place you can find.  tomato+basil+mozzarella+crust=swoon!
• Pineapple.  Fruit on a pizza!  It only sounds crazy.  No ham on mine either.  I just like a nice cheese pizza with pineapple.  From Papa John's.  With extra garlic butter.  Thankyouverymuch.
• Black Olives.  I kinda have a major thing for olives.  I haven't met an olive that I don't like.  Green ones, black ones, red ones.  Spicy ones, sour ones, briny ones.  I really enjoy black olives.  I used to eat them out of the can as a child and beyond.  Like yesterday.  I love a good pepperoni and olive pizza.  Like at pizzeria bianco.  Why aren't any of yous guys coming to visit me so I can take you there?
• Pepperoni.  Spicy, spicy, spicy.  Yummy, yummy, yummy.  On my pizza, leaving grease stains everywhere.  Reference that other pizza post. 
• Green Bell Peppers.  This vegetable is one of my favorites.  Crunchy, brightly colored, delicious - what's not to like?  I recently learned to enjoy these on my burgers too, I'll tell you about that some other time.  I like the traditional supreme pizza with everything on it and my favorite part has always been the green peppers.  Also on KM's veggie pizza.  (Hint Hint KM!!!!)

Tell me what you like to eat on your pizza!  Tell me if I am crazy!

Seven Foods That Keep Me From Vegetarianism

Another food post?

Really Devyn?

Yes, really.

Here's why, they say "write what you know".  I know food. We are gonna have to deal with that together.  

This is the follow up post to my post wondering why I wasn't a vegetarian here.  As much as I hate all of that stuff, I love all of this stuff even more.


Seven Foods That Keep Me From Being A Vegetarian or Vegan:

• Cheese. Who knew milk could make something so wonderful?  Cheddar, mozzarella, parmesan, provolone, brie, mascarpone, swiss, and on and on.  So delicious.  Alone, on things, in things, with other things, anyway you want it!  Melty, gooey, cheesey goodness. 
• Cheeseburgers.  Please see my ode to cheese above.  Add to that some top quality beef ground and pressed into a perfect patty.  Add a few other toppings and bingo! A solid burger can heal me.  It can elevate a blasé day to a fantastic day!  Look out for a post on my best burgers! I can feel it a-comin'!
• Sausage. Sometimes sausage gets a bad reputation, that nasty pair of words comes up sometimes(meat filler).  Sometimes it is just sublime, seasoned, meaty, paradise.  That pizza I wrote about at Pizzeria Bianco has homemade fennel sausage on it and without it, I wouldn't have enjoyed it half as much.  I die.
• Bacon.  Do I even need to explain this to you?  Honestly?  Put it on that cheeseburger and eat it.  Fry it up and eat it by the pound like my little brother.  Take some thick-cut applewood smoked bacon and make the best BLT of your life.  Nothing could ever take bacon away from me.  This is probably the #1 reason I will never be able to ditch meat or animal products.  Sorry to all the vegetarians out there.  Bacon is amazing. 
• Eggs.  Know what's cool?  Eggs.  They are the most versatile ingredient in my kitchen.  You can make a cake, brownies, angelfood, meringues, buttercream, custards, and even cookies.  Then you take them over to the savory side and you make quiche, scrambled eggs, fried eggs, french toast(swoon!), hard boiled eggs. They can be the most delicious thing, but they are also one more thing that can gross me out, I'll leave the specifics up to you but I'll be damned if I can't help but enjoy them!
• Hot Dogs.  All beef, soft bun, condiments, cold beverage.  Yep, simple things.
• Steak.  Beef, thick, slightly charred, well seasoned, perfectly cooked to medium, with some potatoes and sweet corn on the cobone of the most satisfying meals.  A special treat for me to have steak.  Most of the time I grill a burger patty and eat it with a steak knife and A1 sauce and call it my poor Devyn's steak.  Mmmmm.

Honorable Mention: BUTTER.

 Do you have a similar list of things you could never give up?  I need to go eat some of these delicious treats like now. 

Seven of My Favorite Ways To Use Butter

hiya! 

Do you like butter?  Do you really like butter?  Me, I'd say my feelings for butter are more along the lines of the other 4 letter L-word.  

That's right.  I said it.  Love.

I love butter.  Not just because it makes up a major part of my life(career).  Not just because it is delicious...but that certainly helps.  I mostly love it for its versatility.  Savory applications, sweet applications, even lubricating my fat fingers to get a too-small ring off.  

Have you ever made fresh butter? I did it once on accident and since then it has never been an accident.  Fresh cream, sea salt, mixer, warm bread or fresh tortillas and all of a sudden my day has turned around.  Life changing moments.  

Anyways, I'd like to share with you my favorite uses of this delicious treat.

Seven Of My Favorite Ways To Use Butter:
 

• Buttercream.  Yes, the frosting.  The sheer amount of butter used is borderline criminal.  The pure and utter deliciousness of it is absolutely criminal.  I make it all the time, which means I consume it all the time(duh.).  By my simple math I am a criminal.  And that is okay by me because if loving buttercream is wrong, then I have no intention of EVER being right again.  
• Lobster.  Drawn butter is lobster's sidekick to most people.  In my mind lobster is the robin to drawn butter's batman.  Lobster is okay.  Its texture can and has been compared to butter and this is a true comparison but the star of the show has always been butter.  Amen.
• Slathered on a fresh tortilla.  I'm Mexican and I am drawn to tortillas in every form.  We can talk about this at another time.  But a fresh flour tortilla slathered in melty fresh butter is my personal nirvana.  Everything else starts to fade away and voices sound like the teacher in Charlie Brown and the only thing that makes sense is the tortilla in my hand with the butter in front of me.  
• Cookies.  Everyone likes cookies.  Everyone has made cookies before.  Everyone knows you need butter to make any cookie worth eating....right?  First step to 90% of the best cookies ever? Creaming together butter and sugar.  Yep, great cookies start with butter.
• Croissants.  You ever had one?  That delicious flaky texture you love?  All thanks to butter.  It is painstakingly laminated between layers of dough over and over again until there are hundreds of tiny thin layers.  
• Melted atop pancakes/waffles/french toast.  I love breakfast.  That's another love note for another time.  These three things are my favorites.  I don't even need syrup if I've got butter on them.  Yes, I eat them (almost) naked.  The butter just imparts a rich, velvety flavor that syrup can either elevate or completely drown out.  This is a game of balance.
• Melted all over corn on the cob.  Based on my love for corn ice cream as shown here  it has already been established that I love corn in most every form.  My favorite way: leave it on the cob, throw it on the grill, roll heavily in butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Enjoy.  Bask in the butter running down your chin, the corn kernels stuck in your teeth, dwell in that moment as if it is the only thing that matters right now because its worth it.  

I think its safe to say that butter is one of my all time favorite condiments.    Aside from all of its delicious properties, it also is a great moisturizer.  Any food that multitasks outside of the kitchen is a friend of mine.  

mmmmmmmm....butter.

Seven Things I Like To Pile On My Hotdogs

Hello and welcome back from Harry Potter week!  I'd like to thank you for sticking it out and for continuing to read, I shall reward you with non-magical posts.  

I enjoy hot dogs.  Grilled. Charred but not burnt. On soft buns.  All the time.  Now you know.

Oh, my hot dogs are all beef.  You all can have your miscellany of meat in your "weiners" but I prefer the all beef franks.  I dress my dogs well too.  A plain dog will do in a pinch but who really enjoys a naked dog?  I like fully clothed dogs like the Sonoran dog as special treats, but I make a simple ketchup/mustard/relish dog at home at least a few times a month.

Seven Things I Like To Pile on My Hotdogs(not all at once):

• Ketchup - I only like this tomato based concoction on my hot dogs or hamburgers.  I never dip fries in it.  I don’t put it on my eggs, I don’t add it to my hash browns and I definitely don’t put it in my macaroni and cheese.

• Mustard - My dad always called this mouse-turd while I was growing up.  Needless to say, he hates the stuff.  My mom’s side of the family, however, can’t get enough of the stuff!  Its in my genes...but the yellow tang just makes a dog for me.  Whole grain mustard too!

• Pickle Relish - I am a die hard fan of pickles.  Sweet, dill, kosher, bread and butter or whole, spears, chips, relish.  Anyways you offer it to me, I’ll take it.  Lots and lots of it.

• Onions - I like red onions on my Sonoran style dogs.  I tolerate white onions as well and recently had caramelized onions on a hot dog too.  Again, please.

• Cheddar Cheese - Again, Sonoran Style dogs have made this okay with me.  Cheese on a hot dog was never my thing until the last few years.  Shredded cheddar, no American cheese slices.  Yes Dad, this was directed at you.  

• Jalapenos - As a Mexican I like anything spicy.  Jalapenos offer a kick that doesn’t ruin the rest of your meal. Sold.

• Bacon - What doesn’t taste better with bacon?  Bacon bits work well in a pinch, but hotdogs wrapped in bacon and then cooked take the cake.  Get yourself some!

What do you like to put on your hotdogs?  Such a happy summer food.  Its no wonder that July is National Hot Dog Month!!!