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Spaghetti with meatballs and spicy tomato sauce!

Ground chicken lettuce wraps!

Um, what Super Bowl? I'll be packing up a rather large production of "The Threepenny Opera" after its final matinee. That said, theatre technicians eat lots of burgers - we could use a case of 'em to get us through show strike :-)

This time of year, I always get a serious craving for gingerbread men cookies. Maybe I'll make some this weekend!

I'm a Chicago ex-pat, and I completely agree with gbania about Edgewater/Andersonville. That whole area, especially Clark Street around Foster, is an eating paradise and it has only gotten better since I lived there - Hollywood and Clark, myself, and it was about a 10-minute walk to the Bryn Mawr Red Line, probably faster if you power-walk, hehe.

I worked allllll the way down south at Cermak - it usually took about an hour on the El if I was lucky that day - so tayter is right in that respect. Bring a good book every day! And gbania's list of eateries is right on. Big Jones is my husband's friend's restaurant, and I once had a burger there that I am still dreaming about. Reza's and Calo are also favorites of mine. Is the Swedish Bakery still there too?

One other comment - I am in love with Lito's Empanadas, on Clark near Wrightwood. Every time I visit the city I get a bunch of the BBQ chicken empanadas to take home for lunches! So that's my recommendation.

I think you (or someone from SE) have already reviewed Ian's Pizza, so I'd definitely go try Glass Nickel's pizza this time. They are a bit further afield from State Street; I enjoy the East Side location at Atwood and Fair Oaks. The Fetalicious seems to be the popular pizza style (I like it myself, but am not real big on red onions).

The Old Fashioned has some great food (http://www.theoldfashioned.com/) and they are right on the Square. I loved their burgers the handful of times I visited. Fair warning though, it's almost always pretty crowded, and not really the greatest place for solo dining unless you can grab a seat at the bar.

Also check out http://www.madisonatoz.com for food recommendations! Their goal is to review every restaurant in Madison in alphabetical order, and it's very fun and informative reading!

Chocolate fondue with a touch of cinnamon. I love choc-dipped strawberries, but discovered that fresh pineapple dipped in chocolate fondue is even more delicious!

My favorite potato-chip dip is one where I dump a carton of sour cream into a bowl, add an 8 oz package of sharp shredded cheddar cheese, season with garlic powder, onion powder, pepper and paprika to taste, put in fridge for 30-60 minutes, eat massive amounts piled on ruffled potato chips. My husband thinks this is the grossest thing ever and will not come near me when I make or eat it. He's probably right, but it's strangely addictive.

I suppose I could trick myself into believing that this is less fat-filled by using fat-free sour cream and baked chips, but it's not as delicious, nor does it probably matter.

oops, DIP, not dop. I don't know what "dop" might taste like. ;-)

I have nearly the same Rival crock-pot, but it has a press button function (warm, low, high) and a timer display that you can set at 30 minute increments. I believe it is also the 5-quart model, and it cost exactly the same price as the original pictured above (at Target). Plus mine is shiny red, hehe :-) In fact I am making pot roast in it right now! I love using it - especially in winter.

Chocolate-covered strawberries, chocolate-covered pretzels (do you see a theme here?) and any type of brittle or toffee crunch candy!

I have scorched more pans of mixed nut brittle than I care to remember.....

Like many others here, I am partial to Shake Shack (on the occasions I am in NYC), but in my current hometown of Madison, WI, there is a little locally-famous bar called the Blue Moon that serves delicious burgers. My favorite is the Blue Moon Burger which comes with blue cheese, garlic and raw onions. (I loathe onions - sorry - so I leave them off when ordering.) And you can order it medium rare too! Their fries are also crispy and delicious.