Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

Growing up in NY, my Dad owned a pizza place - and my Mom ate her pizza *EXACTLY* like your wife. I always thought she was just bizarre, tearing off the 3" point at the end of the slice and setting it down on her plate because it was "the best part"... while I loved eating it first before it got soft and floppy. That pointy piece just wasn't the same if it sat around and got cold.

Now I don't get to have NY-style pizza (unless I make it) because Milwaukee just pumps out "bar pies" with their weird cracker-y crust and checkerboard slices. Me no likey.

Holy stromboli... this is the MOST AWESOME THREAD EVER. I'm having so much fun, because now I know I'm not the only one dealing w/knuckleheads all the time. *sigh*

Step 1: make a loaf of tasty homemade bread
Step 2: slather thick loads of said butter on homemade bread
Step 3: Recline on sofa for 30 minutes after eating tasty treat
[repeat w/slices of black radish in Step 1 plus a sprinkling of kosher salt] I'm hungry now.

Roasted cauliflower (w/olive oil) - it gets incredibly nutty. You can even add shallots or garlic if you're feeling adventurous. ;-) And, easy enough as a stovetop item (sauteed vs. roasted).

Maple-ginger carrots w/thyme. I sometimes alter it w/honey and/or brown sugar.

I read the words "Velveeta Fudge" somewhere up above... and the internal conversation went like this:
Me: what? no way?
Self: yep. that's what it said, VELVEETA FUDGE
Me: you've got to be kidding
Self: nope. go look it up.
Me: [click, clickety click, 404error, click click...] HOLY SCHEISSE!! NO WAY!! WHAT THE___?!?
[--> sadness and dismay]

Like Mae Ploy... only crappier. Plus, they don't seem to believe that you actually want THAT sauce - gave me Sweet & Sour for the 2nd package.

When I worked in Private Banking (w/high net worth clients frequently in the office), they banned:
1. fish (or dishes with fish sauce)
2. popcorn
3. sugar-coated items in the toaster (e.g. - Pop Tarts)
4. anything "funky" (this was the catch-all subjective item)
5. and perfume in the office.

Essentially, we were supposed to pretend we didn't eat on that floor. Or subsisted on water and yogurt.

He grew up in Queens. Went to BU for school.

My go-to app (I couldn't tell you the name of it, but it sure is tasty):

* shrimp (large)
* chorizo (a firm, cooking chorizo/not soft mexican style) - find them in the cooked/smoked sausage section [in Milwaukee, Usinger's/Klements is great]
* bacon (I partially cook 1/2-sized strips before I use them to wrap)
* Mae Ploy or Sweet Thai Chili Sauce
* small skewers (I like World Market's bamboo picks)

Place a 1" slice of chorizo inside the curve of the shrimp & skewer from tail to tip, through the chorizo. Wrap a piece of bacon around the entire skewered piece. Grill or broil until bacon is crispy-ish (shrimp will be protected)... brush w/Mae Ploy and serve some sauce on the side for dipping.

Prep time is the longest - cooking is quick & simple. I let them sit for a bit, so they can be semi-room temp (think food safety - 2 hrs max).

I am a grammar nazi. Go TJ's!

Tonight I was going to make a fish fry (only *someone* forgot to take the cod out of the freezer... um, that would be me.), so now it's pizza and a movie tonight. Complete w/totally awesome 'Pillow & Blanket Fort by Mom' (TM) for the boys. Fridays are my night to finally take it easy.

HOLY... I'm laughing my rear off w/the Shakey's pizza - we live right near that place!

If you have a car (or even if you don't - take the bus) to PFI (Big John's PFI - they have a website) in the International District on 6th Ave. South off Airport Way (it's behind the INS building that's at Dearborn & 6th/Maynard - not easy to find, but worth the trip). You will find every lovely ingredient known to mankind... at seriously great prices. Bulk herbs/spices/grains/beans, cheeses, international foods - and you can pick up just one or two things for your pantry and it won't break the bank. Then, next month, go back for something else, etc. You should also take a spin around the ID for produce markets (Uwajimaya is a good source, but you need to be selective for the inexpensive stuff) but there are others where your dollar will go further.

I used to bargain w/the low stall merchants @ Pike Place Mkt for end-of-day produce, too. Usually, a buck will get you a nice bunch of something they don't want to drag back in the truck. Happy eating!