I know it's already the 14th and that no one is even going to look at this thread or care, but I would like to point out that despite its name and southern origins, a can of ro-tel is no less classy than a can of crushed tomatoes (frequently used as a base for soups and pasta sauces by even the classiest cooks). I can't say the same for Velveeta, b/c it's laden with chemicals and metric tons of salt, but it doesn't need my help because it's indisputably delicious.
@countchocula - the phrase "eats peanuts like the world is ending" cracked me up. i have often watched in amazement as my dad snarfed things like nuts, rolled up lunch meat, ranch dressing, cold hot dogs, blocks of cheese--all in the name of "healthy snacking."
When I was in middle school/high school, I used to get the Pizza Hut "P'ZONE" (hilarious name) and dip it in ranch dressing. It was disgusting, but also awesome. Something about the inordinately salty, almost-fried crunchy crust of a sub-par pizza chain pie melds well with ranch dressing. Especially in places (such as Texas, where I grew up) where good pizza is not really available, and the only choice is pretty much Domino's or Pizza Hut or Papa Johns, I'm willing to give everyone who espouses this practice the benefit of the doubt.
And to be completely fair, the combo of "salty fried thing + creamy dip" is not all that crazy. I see it as an extension of this. I probably wouldn't do it now, as an adult, but I'm definitely not appalled.
I know this post is old, but I gotta say - I'm with you, captpizza. I completely agree with everything Lahey is saying here, but he sure sounds like a pretentious twit. Third person will not be tolerated. I'd still eat his pizza though.
at my old college there was this domino's delivery guy who used drive around campus in the middle of the night selling leftover pizzas for cheap from his car. that's pretty much the only way i can be persuaded to consume domino's: i'm extremely drunk, it's 2 AM, and a pizza arrives unasked for, unexpected, for very little money.
that was one of the craziest things i've ever read.
bravo!
my grandparents are notorious for their obsession with low fat cooking. one thanksgiving, my aunt fried a turkey and put my grandfather in charge of carving it. while no one was looking, my grandfather trimmed every sliver of crispy golden fried turkey skin and threw it in the garbage. tragedy!
to those who suggested mark rippetoe and stumptuous - these are great sources for beginning weight lifters! smart, sensible and no-nonsense weightlifting advice with a focus on technique. i haven't read starting strength but i've meant to.
as a sort-of-new weightlifter, i've found rippetoe's youtube videos for basic exercises (squat, deadlift, etc.) invaluable! i also really like the way he talks, incidentally. he has the cadence of a really good, perceptive teacher. it's weirdly soothing to me.
both these pictures are giving me heart palpitations. delicious!
I just drove through Delaware for the first time and saw several Grotto Pizza restaurants...my assumption was that the pizza was most likely terrible franchise crap. But just now, I noticed a SE thread in which someone mentioned Grotto Pizza as a must-visit hometown eatery in PA and DE. I realize 'must-visit hometown places' are sometimes more prized for the comfort/nostalgia they induce rather than the quality of the actual food...still, I'm weirdly curious. thoughts?
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also one more thing regarding the importation of ro-tel: when my family moved to Germany for 2 years, my dad bought like 10 cases of ro-tel and packed them in our shipping container with the rest of our household belongings.