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 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 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 Best Pizzas I've Eaten

Silly question: Who doesn't like pizza? 

Everyone has their preferences.  Everyone has a favorite pizza.  Deep dish, thin, saucy, no sauce, cheeses, herbs, vegetables, fruits, meats, crusts, baking method, well done, underdone, etc etc. I have tried a lot of pizza and have compiled a list of my favorites as of this moment.  My list varies from gourmet to cheap frozen pizzas, but they are all delicious.

I love pizza.  I will probably never turn it down.  I don't like beer, but would take a six pack of Dr. Pepper and any one of these pizzas as my best easy meal.  If I ever go on a date ever again, I want to have a weekly pizza date.  So casual.  Some of my favorite moments happened over pizza or with pizza involved.  Birthdays, moving, family time.  Pizza might just be one of my faves. 

The Seven Best Pizzas I've Ever Eaten:

Barro's Mega Meat - Barro's is an Arizona phenomenon.  I was only introduced to their magical thick crusted pies about two years ago, but I have long since made up for the years I never knew it existed.  This pizza has every meat on it, along with plenty of cheese and sauce.  Their crust is thick and sturdy and can handle all of the meat and still taste great.  I love it.  Meaty goodness.


Peter Piper Pizza's Bacon Double Cheeseburger - This pie is a go to staple in my family's house in Tucson.  I have only had it once outside of Tucson and not in the company of my family and it didn't taste the same.  It must be Tucson magic at work again.  Beef, cheddar cheese AND mozzarella, tomatoes, onions, bacon bits all atop their thinner crust.  So.Darn.Good.  Peter Piper does carry out too.  We used to have our birthday parties at PPP for YEARS, but now its like a circus in there and I'd rather eat my pizza sitting on the curb and using my jeans as a napkin. 

Pizzeria Bianco's Wiseguy - This is one of the most popular restaurants in Phoenix.  Its tiny, they don't do carry out or take reservations and sometimes you can wait HOURS just to get a table.  Luckily there is a bar next door to help pass the time.  PB has been named best in the country many times.  Chris Bianco, owner/chef of this joint is so dedicated to quality that it puts others to shame.  Let me give an example: Ships his water from NYC, makes his own cheese, makes his own dough, makes his own sauce, makes his own sausage, grows all herbs right there on property and OH YEAH still can be seen at the restaurant every night.  The wiseguy pizza is one of only 6 pizza offerings.  It has caramelized onions, that homemade fennel sausage, smoked house made mozzarella cheese and no sauce all on their amazing chewy crust.  I am drooling all over my keyboard thinking about this pizza right now, I kid you not.  Please come visit me here and I will take you to this place.  My treat.

Kirkland Signature Frozen Cheese Pizza - Yes, this is the Costco house brand.   At that great big warehouse, $9.99 will buy you 4 ten-inch pizzas from the freezer section.  KM and I can polish off one pizza in a sitting together, so that's dinner for 2 @ $2.50.  SOLD.  Its a four cheese blend, on a better than average crust that has panko breadcrumbs on the bottom as opposed to cornmeal.  A pleasant surprise, and the very best part, I must say.  Costco has its flaws in our society, but this is definitely a step towards world peace, I just know it. 


 Red Baron Four Cheese Pizza - Another frozen delicacy.  This one hails from my childhood and I am pleased to say it still exists.  Its a boring thin crust pizza, with supposedly 4 cheeses on top of some tangy sauce.  The magic here comes from the green herb sprinkled all over the top.  Until I discovered that Costco pizza brand, this was my go-to.  Sadly it is not anymore, but I still have the memories from back in the day.


Mama's Pizza Supreme - This joint is hidden behind a shopping center, and adjacent to a high school in Tucson's east side.  My family has been going here for as long as I can remember.  They serve pizzas as big around as you can imagine.  Huge ones that a single slice of equals three regular slices.  They make this traditional supreme pizza that is just perfect every single time.  I really only go here for the doors that lead to the restrooms, they are swinging western saloon style doors.  I get such a kick out of barging through with my hands on my holsters, getting ready to go wrangle up some cattle just as soon as I finish my pizza. 

Pepperoni Pizza From That Bowling Alley - When I was in grade school, we had hot lunch every Thursday.  It alternated between pizza and either McDonald's or Eegees every other week.  The pizza you could order cheese or pepperoni and it cost $1.50.  You had to bring an envelope with your money, your name, your classroom and your order on it every Thursday.  Mom and Dad would write our envelopes out for us and help us decide our order and we would proudly carry them to school.  Then at lunch time, we got our treat.  The pepperoni pizza was always just a little too greasy but always DELICIOUS.  Guess where this pizza came from?  From the little cafe in the bowling alley across the street.  A bowling alley.  Go figure.

Runners up include: KM's vegetable pizza, Hungry Howie's anything, Papa John's garlic butter, and Pizza Hut's Pan pizza/lunch buffet/dessert pizzas

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!!!