Best Thing I Ever Ate...Up to Now...still Eating...

There are a couple of Food Network and Cooking Channel shows that highlight some of the FN host's favorite bites and unusual food-finds or unique eats. Watching these made me think of my own culinary experiences to date. Here is a short list and, as usual, this list is subject to change as I continue to travel, experiment and munch my way through this life.

I will start off with some favorite dishes from basic "food groups" and finish with some of my "other" favorite bites. Some made my eyes roll back in my head...Here we go:

Favorite Pizza: Canadian Bacon/Mushroom/Pineapple-Thin Crust @ Crystal's Pizza Cave in Ablilene, Tx. Favorite Local--Rosa's Pizza and Marietta Pizza Company in Marietta, Ga

Favorite Mexican: Queso Flameado con Chorizo@ Uncle Julio's and Chicken Tortilla Soup @ The Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas, Tx. Sour-Cream-Chicken Enchiladas my Mom's recipe.

Favorite Sushi: Favorite dish on the menu: Lobster Ceviche Salad@ Morimoto in Philly. Favorite Local--Shallot's Sushi and Thai in Roswell, Ga.

Favorite Steak: Grilled Rib-Eye with Garlic Butter @ Zentner's Daughter Steakhouse in San Angelo, Tx.

Favorite Chinese/Thai: Tea Smoked Duck @ Hunan's Home in San Fran.
Favorite Local--Prawn and Scallops in Garlic Sauce @Chin Chin, Marietta, Ga

Favorite Breakfast: Crab Cakes Cavallo @ Another Broken Egg Cafe--Destin, FL and Buttermilk Pancakes @ The Coffee Cup in Pensacola, Fl.

Favorite Seafood: Pan Roasted Mussels (with EXTRA Garlic Bread for soaking up the broth) @ Chicago's in Marietta, Ga.

Favorite Celebration Meal: 5 Course Dinner with Cornish Game Hen Tajine Entree @ Imperial Fez, Atlanta.

Other Best I Ever Ate--

Best Chicken Fried Steak: Joe Allen's in Abilene, Tx

Best Gravy: Whataburger (Everywhere in Tx and FL)

Best Salad Dressing: Pat's Garlic Dressing at Kountry Kitchen, McCaysville, Ga

Best Donut: The chocolate on chocolate from LaMar's in Kansas City
Best Mac and Cheese: Frankie Bone's on Hilton Head, SC
Best Meat and Three: Alcenia's in Memphis (Fried Pork Chop!!)
Best Sandwich: The Bacon Mushroom Club (sans the Sprouts) at Mellow Mushroom and the Super Duper from Jordan's in Hamlin, Tx. (Extinct :( )
Best Birthday Cake EVER: Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake--most moms and grandmothers in Texas have made this for their families.
Best Cupcake: Caramel Apple from Gigi's Cupcakes--East Cobb
Best Fried Pickles: Zaxby's
Best Lasagna: Blue Jeans in Blue Ridge, Ga
Best Wine: Evolution--Sokol Blosser Winery
Best Burger: Sonic or Whataburger


That's all for now...I'm hungry!

Foods to Focus on in 2011

As we all try to do the right thing and get on track after the gluttony of the holidays, here is a list of the Top 20 Healthiest Foods (according to nutrition experts, not me!)

Hope this helps...Drum roll please....

#20--Turkey Breast--Love It--most versatile protein on the planet
#19--Olive Oil--Use It, keep it simple
#18--Quinoa (hmm?)--had it once I think--becoming more common
#17--Black Beans--Good Stuff--find ways to incorporate in many dishes
#16--Green Tea--Drink it daily--good hot or cold
#15--Eggs--They are Back! Muscle-building, memory-enhancing Choline!
#14--Milk--Low Fat/Skim--daily dairy turns on your fat burners
#13--Water--8x80z per day...you cannot drink too much water in a day
#12--Sweet Potatoes--Baked (not the Yammy Casserole stuff)
#11--Soy--Milk, Tofu, Edemame...good stuff
#10--Beef--careful here--4oz LEAN portions only 3-4 times per week
#9--100% Whole Wheat/Whole Grain Breads--need that fiber--good carbs
#8--Almonds--great for heart, digestion, skin
#7--Yogurt--watch for sugar, keep it low fat and watch exp date--want "active" cultures
#6--Spinach/Broccoli (tie)--eat a bag full!
#5--Bell Peppers--Red, Orange, Yellow are best
#4--Tomatoes--Lycopene--Antioxidant--proven to prevent Prostate cancer
#3--Oatmeal--Best breakfast on the planet--takes down the cholestrol
#2--Blueberries--Antioxidant king!

AND THE #1 Healthist Food is...
#1--Salmon!! Not a personal favorite, but I will do the smoked/lox and in Sushi!

ENJOY!!