Thirteen Things I Love To Eat
I just realized it's only a couple of hours till dinnertime and I have no idea what I want to eat. It's boiling hot here in LA today and it just makes me want to slurp on a smoothie from Robek's. But I don't want to spend any Robek's $$$. Sigh!
And, in case you hadn't noticed, it's Thursday, which means it's time for another Thursday Thirteen! Since my mind is on dinner, let's talk about things I love to eat! I'm going to leave out my tried and true fruit and vegetable faves (tangerines, pinapple and carrots) and instead focus on stuff that has to be cooked.
1) My mom's ratatouille! My mom is SUCH a great cook and one of my favorite things she makes is ratatouille. She could teach that rat from the "Ratatouille" movie a thing or two. I wish I could eat some right now!
2) Cornbread and Vegetarian Chili: I can't cook ratatouille but I can make some fabulous cornbread and vegetarian chili. Dear weather, hurry up and get a little cooler here because then I'll make this more frequently. I don't make it too spicy because then the kids complain, but I like to throw jalapenos and pimentos in the cornbread to give it a little kick. Yum.
3) Giordano's Deep Dish Spinach Pizza: If you've never had Chicago style deep dish pizza, it's SOOO good. We're going to be doing some celebrating chez moi in a couple of weeks and I just might get one of these pizzas shipped out here. I can't eat more than one slice of it at a time because it is incredibly rich and it will sit in your belly like a brick. Gosh, all that cheese...
4) Blind Faith Cafe's Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes: I ate a lot of these this summer and I miss them. They are divine! Next time one of y'all come visit from Chicago, please head up to Evanston to pick some of these up for me and just bring 'em on the plane. I will be eternally grateful! They make a great after-dinner dessert!
5) Whole Wheat Pancakes: Bisquick did not exist in my house growing up. My mom made pancakes from scratch with real whole wheat flour and so I prefer them to any other kind of pancakes. They must be eaten with real syrup. Nope, I don't eat that fake corn syrup mess. And no, they're not just for breakfast. Branch out sometime and try them for lunch or dinner.
6) Tamales at the Hollywood Farmer's Market: I can't remember the name of the vendor (they set up shop on Selma, east of Ivar) but oh my goodness, they have the best tamales. I'd never eaten one before I came to LA and this vendor got me hooked! They sell a sweet corn & cheddar one and then there's the delicious beyond belief dessert tamale with raspberries, chocolate and walnuts. Yum!
7) Falafel Sandwich: I like falafels on their own but I especially like them in a pita sandwich. And for some reason that I can't explain, I really like eating falafel sandwiches with a glass of lemonade. The two just seem to go together marvelously to me.
8) Omelets: I've been in love with omelets for years. If a diner can't make a good omelet, seriously, I don't want to go back. Thankfully, some places can make still a really great one, like at the Coffee Table in Silver Lake. By good I mean that the cheese isn't in a nasty glob in the middle, it's not dripping with grease, and it actually tastes fresh. I also make a pretty decent omelet. I eat them a LOT but I make it with two egg whites and one whole egg to cut the cholesterol and calories.
9) Great Veggie Burgers: A good veggie burger is one of life's most beautiful things. I love it when veggie burgers have a great whole wheat bun, perfectly crisp lettuce, tomato that doesn't taste like it was injected with pesticides, some mustard and some perfect pickles, PLUS the burger itself. Thank goodness I can "cook" this at home!
10) Mustard Potato Salad: I can't stand potato salad with mayonnaise, but I can kill some well-made mustard potato salad. The best is, again, my mom's. It's sooo good. I need to ask her for the recipe. Back in my single days I used to make my own version: chop up a potato, boil it a bit, and then throw it in a bowl with some mustard, pickle relish, black pepper and paprika -- and I'd eat it for dinner with those Ak-Mak crackers. Trust me, it tastes better than it sounds.
11) Tofu Stir Fry: It doesn't matter what gets thrown in there with the tofu. I'll eat pretty much any stir fry and the spicier the better. My mom makes some great tofu stir fry and of course, living in China, I got hooked on it. I don't use much oil at all when I stir fry because I can't stand greasy food. But if you spice it up, it still tastes great.
12) Red Curry With Tofu & Vegetables: If I ever move out of LA I will seriously miss all the delicious Thai food. I'm lucky because I live right next door to Thai Town so I have some amazing Thai food at least once a week. My favorite dish is a very spicy red curry with tofu and vegetables. If you've never had any red curry, be adventurous and try some. And yes, you can get it with meat, chicken or shrimp instead.
13) Carrot Cake: My favorite cake in the world is carrot cake. My mom used to make one from scratch for me every year on my birthday, along with some homemade cream cheese frosting. Out here in LA, I haven't lost the carrot cake love. The best carrot cake I've had comes from Portos Bakery in Glendale. I get one for my birthday every year! And when I can't have that, I sometimes splurge on those carrot cake cupcakes from Trader Joe's. Nevermind that they have a gazillion calories. That's why it's a splurge, not an everyday treat.
Hmm... you know what I just realized? I've branched out a lot food-wise from what I ate growing up, but a whole lot of my tried and true favorites are stuff that my mom first cooked for me!
So what about you? What is your favorite food to eat? Don't tell me chocolate or Pringles. What's your favorite REAL food?
Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others' comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
And, in case you hadn't noticed, it's Thursday, which means it's time for another Thursday Thirteen! Since my mind is on dinner, let's talk about things I love to eat! I'm going to leave out my tried and true fruit and vegetable faves (tangerines, pinapple and carrots) and instead focus on stuff that has to be cooked.
Thirteen Things I Love To Eat!
1) My mom's ratatouille! My mom is SUCH a great cook and one of my favorite things she makes is ratatouille. She could teach that rat from the "Ratatouille" movie a thing or two. I wish I could eat some right now!
2) Cornbread and Vegetarian Chili: I can't cook ratatouille but I can make some fabulous cornbread and vegetarian chili. Dear weather, hurry up and get a little cooler here because then I'll make this more frequently. I don't make it too spicy because then the kids complain, but I like to throw jalapenos and pimentos in the cornbread to give it a little kick. Yum.
3) Giordano's Deep Dish Spinach Pizza: If you've never had Chicago style deep dish pizza, it's SOOO good. We're going to be doing some celebrating chez moi in a couple of weeks and I just might get one of these pizzas shipped out here. I can't eat more than one slice of it at a time because it is incredibly rich and it will sit in your belly like a brick. Gosh, all that cheese...
4) Blind Faith Cafe's Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes: I ate a lot of these this summer and I miss them. They are divine! Next time one of y'all come visit from Chicago, please head up to Evanston to pick some of these up for me and just bring 'em on the plane. I will be eternally grateful! They make a great after-dinner dessert!
5) Whole Wheat Pancakes: Bisquick did not exist in my house growing up. My mom made pancakes from scratch with real whole wheat flour and so I prefer them to any other kind of pancakes. They must be eaten with real syrup. Nope, I don't eat that fake corn syrup mess. And no, they're not just for breakfast. Branch out sometime and try them for lunch or dinner.
6) Tamales at the Hollywood Farmer's Market: I can't remember the name of the vendor (they set up shop on Selma, east of Ivar) but oh my goodness, they have the best tamales. I'd never eaten one before I came to LA and this vendor got me hooked! They sell a sweet corn & cheddar one and then there's the delicious beyond belief dessert tamale with raspberries, chocolate and walnuts. Yum!
7) Falafel Sandwich: I like falafels on their own but I especially like them in a pita sandwich. And for some reason that I can't explain, I really like eating falafel sandwiches with a glass of lemonade. The two just seem to go together marvelously to me.
8) Omelets: I've been in love with omelets for years. If a diner can't make a good omelet, seriously, I don't want to go back. Thankfully, some places can make still a really great one, like at the Coffee Table in Silver Lake. By good I mean that the cheese isn't in a nasty glob in the middle, it's not dripping with grease, and it actually tastes fresh. I also make a pretty decent omelet. I eat them a LOT but I make it with two egg whites and one whole egg to cut the cholesterol and calories.
9) Great Veggie Burgers: A good veggie burger is one of life's most beautiful things. I love it when veggie burgers have a great whole wheat bun, perfectly crisp lettuce, tomato that doesn't taste like it was injected with pesticides, some mustard and some perfect pickles, PLUS the burger itself. Thank goodness I can "cook" this at home!
10) Mustard Potato Salad: I can't stand potato salad with mayonnaise, but I can kill some well-made mustard potato salad. The best is, again, my mom's. It's sooo good. I need to ask her for the recipe. Back in my single days I used to make my own version: chop up a potato, boil it a bit, and then throw it in a bowl with some mustard, pickle relish, black pepper and paprika -- and I'd eat it for dinner with those Ak-Mak crackers. Trust me, it tastes better than it sounds.
11) Tofu Stir Fry: It doesn't matter what gets thrown in there with the tofu. I'll eat pretty much any stir fry and the spicier the better. My mom makes some great tofu stir fry and of course, living in China, I got hooked on it. I don't use much oil at all when I stir fry because I can't stand greasy food. But if you spice it up, it still tastes great.
12) Red Curry With Tofu & Vegetables: If I ever move out of LA I will seriously miss all the delicious Thai food. I'm lucky because I live right next door to Thai Town so I have some amazing Thai food at least once a week. My favorite dish is a very spicy red curry with tofu and vegetables. If you've never had any red curry, be adventurous and try some. And yes, you can get it with meat, chicken or shrimp instead.
13) Carrot Cake: My favorite cake in the world is carrot cake. My mom used to make one from scratch for me every year on my birthday, along with some homemade cream cheese frosting. Out here in LA, I haven't lost the carrot cake love. The best carrot cake I've had comes from Portos Bakery in Glendale. I get one for my birthday every year! And when I can't have that, I sometimes splurge on those carrot cake cupcakes from Trader Joe's. Nevermind that they have a gazillion calories. That's why it's a splurge, not an everyday treat.
Hmm... you know what I just realized? I've branched out a lot food-wise from what I ate growing up, but a whole lot of my tried and true favorites are stuff that my mom first cooked for me!
So what about you? What is your favorite food to eat? Don't tell me chocolate or Pringles. What's your favorite REAL food?
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others' comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
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Comments
Right now I'm really hungry and reheating Ham Tetrazzini from two nights ago...so right now THAT is my favorite food.
My list is up here. Stop by if you get a chance.
Uno's is where deep dish originated so I'm sure it had to be at least pretty good. YUM! I've never had any Ham Tetrazzini. I'd make it with some fake ham deli meat but I live with a bunch of mushroom haters. It's their loss!
Donna,
I have to ask my mom for hers again. It's SO good. I'll ask her and see if she minds if I post it. I think she modifies it out of a cookbook but I can't remember which one.
Fickleminded,
Oh my goodness, my list makes me hungry too! I ended up making bean and rice burritos. Definitely not as interesting as anything I had on my list.
Bygbaby
I love the mushroom pizza from the Forno around the corner.
Some of my favorites things to make are rigatoni w/sausage and arugula, roasted potatoes with rosemary, chicken with mushrooms, white wine and lemon juice, black beans and rice, the list goes on. Now I'm hungry.
Thanks for stopping by!
I don't remember the dessert tamales, how could I have missed those? Are they a new addition in the last few years?
Thank you, you have now set me up to crave tamales all day today, lol!
Thanks for stopping by my TT on 13 Things I liked about school!
BTW - stop by my food blog The The DIVA of TINY FOODS™ today - I'm posting a recipe for making ONE cup cake in 3 minutes in the microwave! -- now when you crave chocolate or cake you won't be facing having the rest of the cake to tempt you anymore!
Giordanos is FAB! (and right near my house so I have to put limitations on my visits),I MUST agree with blackliterature on the gumbo (Oceanas in New Orleans is good but my Aunts is better!) AND will be taking myself for a small ride to Evanston in search of those vegan cupcakes, YUM!
Fun post!!!
It has been at least 18 years since I've had gumbo. I wonder how a vegetarian gumbo would taste (fake sausage/fake chicken)?
Bygbaby,
Oh yes, if you have a tendency to get heartburn, the pizza will definitely give it to you. No doubt! It's sooo good though!
NYC/CR,
Ooh, potatoes and rosemary sounds SO good. Everybody's favorites are all so good! Yes, you can definitely mention the cakes! Those count as food! Every great meal needs some tasty dessert!
Tink,
Hope you found something tasty! I'm sure you did!
Toni,
Lima beans are one of my favorite foods and have been since I was a little girl. Yet another reason I could never join the NOI... Elijah Muhammad banned lima beans. Ooh, now I want some bean pie!
Popartdiva,
SO cool that you know which tamale cart I'm talking about! They had the dessert tamales around the holidays last year but I don't think they serve them year-round. I haven't been over there in a few months, but last time I got artichoke ones.
Nerd Girl,
Love it! I love how there'll be a million places that sell a certain food but that one special place is where you HAVE to get it from!
Definitely head up to Evanston to Blind Faith for the cupcakes. Actually, go for dinner and get a cupcake for dessert. Now I want their Mongolian Seitan Stir Fry. AAGH!
As for Giordanos, I can't believe I used to eat pizza from either there or Carmen's at least once a week. Ah, youth... when you can eat that kind of stuff all the time and your pants still fit.
Jameil,
I wanna go to Falafel King too! Sounds SO good. I am a big Italian food fan. I could never be one of those folks who does the no-carb/lo-carb diet. I like pasta a whole lot.
I also really, really love a great veggie lasagna, with mostly vegetables and only a bottom and top layer of the pasta.
A perfect nectarine is pretty great, too. And blueberries.
You mean you do both the cottage cheese and the mushrooms on the pancakes? I've heard of cottage cheese but not the mushrooms! I love mushrooms. I don't get why the three males I live with can't stand them.
I like veggie lasagna as well. I'm not that great at making it though. Mine always turns out a little too juicy and then falls apart.
I love nectarines. Love them. And blueberries too.
I love shwarma!!!!
It is NEVER too late for you to add your two cents! ;)
Well, you know my vegetarian self has never had that, but it does look like it would be a good sandwich!
As for favorite foods, shrimp is near the top of the list. When I say shrimp, not that itty bitty popcorn style stuff, I'm talking about the jumbo ones.
Yes, breakfast anytime works like a charm for me. Don't buy any Bisquik/Aunt Jemima/Mrs. Butterworth though. That stuff is poison!