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Good Question: Guilty Pleasures in the Kitchen

2006_02_01-hot-dogs.jpgDear The Kitchen,

I have a great friend who is a Certified Working Chef and culinary educator. In spite of his expert skills and true gourmet inclinations, he has a weakness (after a few cocktails) for chicken hot dogs, either popped in the microwave... or not...

So, my question for your loyal foodies... what's their guilty pleasure?!

cheers, p(too)

 
 

Patrick,

Well that's a revealing question. We did a quick poll in the office, and got a top-ten list started. Readers, hop on in!

1. Chicken Hot Dogs, possibly microwaved
2. Totally Butter Maple syrup: Maple syrup to butter ratio is 1:1. Heated and whizzed up in the blender
3. Grilled Cheese - bread buttered
4.
5.
...

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Comments (70)

Cheetos. I love the bright-orange, fake-cheese flavor!

posted by GM on 2006-02-01 11:55:01

growing up, one of my favorite snacks in the world was a spoonful of peanut butter dipped in mini chocolate chips and accompanied by a glass of orange juice. i have no idea how i came up with it, but i still do it every now and then. :)

other than that, grilled cheese (american on wonderbread) dipped into campbell's tomato soup, pepperoni pizza, and i can't hide my roots: chili pie made with cheez wiz and fritos.

posted by liz on 2006-02-01 12:03:14

a ketchup sandwich
basically, wheat bread, velveeta and lots and lots of ketchup!

posted by ann on 2006-02-01 12:10:06

A tuna sandwich with LOTS of potato chips on the sandwich. Actually, more of a chip sandwich with tuna to hold them together.
YUM!

posted by Janel on 2006-02-01 12:20:29

I love fake cheese, too! Cheetos (although I prefer Cheese Doodles), cheese-its, salsa con queso, and especially macaroni and cheese (Annies is my preferred brand).

Plus I have an occasional need for a McDonalds fix.

posted by abby on 2006-02-01 12:20:33

I'm no foodie, but I have to say my all-time guilty pleasure is Ritz Crackers with butter and grape jelly!

Isn't everything better on a Ritz?

Also, I have to second the grilled cheese with tomato soup, that's a classic!

posted by Marie on 2006-02-01 12:21:03

Ketchup and mayo mixed together for french fry dipping.

Snyder's Bavarian pretzels spread with cream cheese

Peanut butter on graham crackers

posted by guttersnipe on 2006-02-01 12:43:50

I had a looooooooong email conversation about this with a friend recently, wherein I was lamenting the fact that I hadn't had SpaghettiOs in ages, and I couldn't bring myself to do it because they aren't actual food... she sent me a can of Annie's "BernieO's", which were fine, but just didn't quite cut it.

posted by jenblossom on 2006-02-01 12:50:36

Anything with NUTELLA

posted by luigi on 2006-02-01 13:08:48

Baked ruffles with cottage cheese and/or kahlua and coke accompanied by balsamic vinegar potato chips.

Regarding the grilled cheese, we served tomato-corn chowder with sandwiches last night to friends. Inspired by a domino article a few months back, we plopped some sharp cheddar and hot mango chutney on pumpernickel and grilled away! yummy.

posted by Kirsten on 2006-02-01 13:19:18

Kirsten has crossed the line from trailer trash back into foodie-ism, but dear god that cheddar/chutney/pumpernickel thing makes any lunch possibility ahead of me today seem, well, sucky.

luigi--
ANYthing?!? ;)

posted by patrick (the other one) on 2006-02-01 13:38:55

PB & J on white bread...

posted by Linda on 2006-02-01 13:41:52

PB & J on white TOAST is so awesome, too!!!

posted by patrick (the other one) on 2006-02-01 13:44:51

(and you all are seriously hardcore... even your guilty pleasures have steps and ingredients!)

If you need me, I'll be in the kitchen, eating an entire box of Chocolate Chip Kudos.

posted by patrick (the other one) on 2006-02-01 13:46:44

p(too) - I live in a midwestern city, so each day is like walking a thin line between nascar and, well, anything less trailer than that.

posted by Kirsten on 2006-02-01 13:47:34

Kirsten--

Based on your ingredients (and sense of humor), I'd come over to your house to watch Jeff Gordon do laps any day. :)

posted by patrick (the other one) on 2006-02-01 13:57:32

Skippy Extra-Crunchy Peanut Butter, Raspberry Jam (with seeds), Lay's Potato Chips in between 2 pieces of toasted seeded wheat bread (usuallly Ezekial), cut in half on the diagonal. (My favorite comfort food, especially when nursing a cold. Sweet, salty, lots of texture.) I like to eat it with a cup of old school Campbell's Chicken Noodle soup (red and white can) and a Sprite... Glad to see I'm not the only who likes potato chips in their sandwiches!

posted by Enrique on 2006-02-01 14:06:18

There's nothing more guiltily pleasurable than a Coke Float while watching late night television. Fill a nice big tall glass with as many scoops of Vanilla Hagen Dazs ice cream and then pour actual (not Diet) Coca Cola over it, and drink with a straw AND use a teaspoon.

The crazy coldness of it, the texture of bits of coke that crystallize next to the ice cream bits, the riduculous sugar rush and the caffeine rush and the satisfying fat in the ice cream can almost make you step outside of yourself for a minute and feel life is temporarily so very much worth living while dreading the moment when the straw draws dry the dregs of the glass, and you're wishing your tongue were long enough to lick the murky filmy residue from the insides of the glass. Then all of the blood in your body rushes to your stomach to digest it all, and you feebly pinch the remote to quench the tube and stumble to bed and drift to sleep.

posted by Curtis on 2006-02-01 14:12:37

Ellios pizza. Living in South Philly I have plenty of great basic & great gourmet pizza options on hand - but I still love Ellios.

posted by meg19148 on 2006-02-01 14:16:47

I can't believe I'm going to admit this, but...Chef Boyardee mini raviolis with a slice of american cheese melted into it.

If we're talking WT food, I'm going to go with the classic ham baked in coca cola....mmm! mmm! good! (of course accompanied by apple sauce out of a jar)

posted by minipanda on 2006-02-01 14:19:08

They both sound pretty gross until you try them ...

Potato Chips (nice and salty) dipped in vanilla ice-cream.

Also, grilled cheese sandwiches (on white bread just like mom used to make) with strawberry jam spread on top of the finished sandwich.

posted by alex on 2006-02-01 15:26:21

Can't believe Pop Tarts have yet to make an appearance!

posted by patrick (the other one) on 2006-02-01 15:27:55

Macaroni & cheese (box variety) with cut up hot dogs in it.

Fried baloney sandwiches.

Tater Tots.

posted by Amber on 2006-02-01 15:50:41

omg, i cant believe i forgot two of my faves!
big pennsylvania dutch pretzels dipped into ice cream (preferably peach -- may gran swears this is actually a "classic" dessert in lancaster county!)
and when i'm sick
elbow macaroni coated in tons and tons of butter and then mixed up with room temperature salsa

posted by ann on 2006-02-01 15:54:02

ann--
WHEN you're sick, or just before? ;)

posted by patrick (the other one) on 2006-02-01 15:58:27

A lot of these weakness foods are real comfort foods I love! One of my favorite things is peanutbutter, fluff & nutella on white bread.

posted by Nadine on 2006-02-01 16:03:49

Pulparindo, Pellon Pello mexican candies. Fake corn dogs.

posted by Scazza on 2006-02-01 16:04:22

enrique -- i'm totally with you on the diagonally-cut sandwiches. somehow it makes it taste better.

also i forgot another:
french fried grilled cheese (dipped in egg before it's put in the pan)

posted by abby on 2006-02-01 16:13:40

graham crackers with cold butter

posted by Ruby on 2006-02-01 16:29:27

Excellent contributions so far. I've been known to dip french fries into chocolate malts or milkshakes -- awesome chocolate/salt/starch combination.

Dill pickle, American cheese, and ketchup sandwiches on white-as-possible bread. Oh man.

Dill pickle potato chips. (I begin to perceive a theme.)

Those little chocolate-covered donuts you get in packages of six at the 7-11.

posted by BNA on 2006-02-01 16:29:37

Pop Tarts actually toasted in a toaster oven, instead of a pop-up toaster, with real butter slathered on and melted... that's really kind of nice, although it reallllly makes you hate yourself in the morning, because you're actually eating it at night.

posted by Curtis on 2006-02-01 16:33:35

1) pasta topped with cheese whiz

2) chocolate milk with a side of grated cheddar cheese.

3) a Canadian fave - Poutine!

posted by Anne on 2006-02-01 16:40:21

Soft-boiled egg and toast, or a really drippy-yolk fried-egg sandwich, with mayo.

posted by Joan on 2006-02-01 16:40:28

ah p(too) my friend of little faith!
try it, its some serious comfort food! (kind of like really buttery noodles that are just barely coated with marinara, except, with a kick!)

and BNA, you go with your bad pickle self!
pickles RULE!

posted by ann on 2006-02-01 16:43:38

Easy Mac with extras on top - grated cheese, Tobasco, sour cream - something like that.

posted by Erin on 2006-02-01 16:52:23

-cheez doodles, for sure (crunchy, not puffy)
-pigs-in-a-blanket (the kosher kind, but still pretty WT)
-buttered noodles
-Kraft mac and cheese
-french fries dipped in mayo
-klondike bar

sad...i'm having trouble remembering. the switch to un-processed foods has been perhaps a little too complete!

posted by Rachel on 2006-02-01 16:59:21

Ohmigod, french fries in Mayo. THE BEST.

I just had "Elvis Pickles": the crinkle-cut ("Bread and butter"?) pickles, battered then fried. With Ranch dipping sauce. ohdearLORD.

posted by patrick (the other one) on 2006-02-01 17:08:04

One more, Taco Dip with cream cheese, mayo, taco flavoring and onions topped with olives, diced tomatoes and shredded cheese. So good it hurts!

posted by guttersnipe on 2006-02-01 17:11:26

FRIED PICKLES? with RANCH?

I'm in love. I bet Ann is too.

posted by BNA on 2006-02-01 17:30:59

p(too)
WHERE?!?!?!!?!?!?!?

posted by ann on 2006-02-01 17:42:41

Atlanta... a place called Roxx, I think.

Awesome, but BOY do those babies repeat! Whoah.

posted by patrick (the other one) on 2006-02-01 17:46:56

French Fries in mayo! Yes!

And fried pickle chips with a side of ranch? Yum. I discovered them last year at a restaurant/bar in the Belltown district of downtown Seattle. (The Strand, maybe?) I ended up making a meal of pickle chips, angus beef cheeseburger "sliders", and a cold glass of Pyramid Hefeweizen! Mmmm...

posted by Enrique on 2006-02-01 17:54:02

Mmmm.. guilty pleasures.. cannot beat the grilled cheese with big bad processed American cheese slices and soft bread. Maybe.. just Maybe.. onion in there to spice it up.

Oh.. and extra super gnarly crunchy peanut butter on fresh out of the oven wheat toast

posted by DrewB on 2006-02-01 17:54:19

let us not forget that all time 'my boyfriend/husband/job/life/hair/war in Iraq sucks' solace provider -- raw cookie dough straight from that ubiquitous plastic wrapped cylinder

posted by mbpmbp2 on 2006-02-01 18:26:56

Peanut butter on wheat toast as a guilty pleasure??? DrewB, you can much more evil than THAT!!!

Oh, I am sooooo *@$@%@^&! hungry right now!!!

Who want's to head down to Cowgirl Hall of Fame for some Frito Pie?!?!? Enrique, I'll buy your ticket!! :)

posted by patrick (the other one) on 2006-02-01 18:39:27

Frito Pie and Cowgirls? I'm in. (Maybe we can borrow some of Anne Hathaway's bad wigs from Brokeback. Dibs on the "Sue Ellen" fringe.) But I'm gonna draw the line at Fried Twinkies and Fried Snickers. I tried both of those at the L.A. County Fair two years ago... Blech! Had to wash it down with a slushee strawberry Margarita. (I'm reliving the delightful combination of sour stomach and brain freeze as I type this.)

posted by Enrique on 2006-02-01 18:52:02

Balsamic vinegar. On nothing, with nothing, just slurping teaspoons of balsamic.

In my defense, an old roommate drinks Red Hot Sauce from the bottle, and another girl drinks soy sauce.

posted by Nada on 2006-02-01 19:06:46

Fried pickles are everywhere in the South. i had my first taste in Natchez, MS and recently in Mobile, AL. There's an art to good fried pickles - kinda like good onion rings. I love'em.

posted by Jennifer on 2006-02-01 19:35:02

Two words: TACO BELL

When I am really, really stressed out - usually running an event for work, which I do once or twice a year - this is all I want. I usually eat 7-layer burritos two or three times that week. Also, Wendy's fries dunked in a Frostie.

At home, this is a cross between a five-minute meal and a guilty indulgence: frozen dumplings from the Chinese grocery, boiled up and eaten with LOTS of salty soy sauce.

And p(too) thanks a lot - now ALL I can think about is fried pickles... wonder if Orlando is southern enough to have em somewhere.

posted by Faith on 2006-02-01 20:09:29

Ever tried peanut butter spread on a Chips Ahoy cookie?

posted by Alice on 2006-02-01 20:33:33

Nada... I guess folks need to hide their condiments when you and your crew vist?

posted by Enrique on 2006-02-01 20:39:22

*gulp*
i've been known to eat A1 straight from the bottle, by the teaspoon
i thought i was utterly, and completely, alone, in the condiment as guilty pleasure realm
oh thank god i'm not alone :-)

posted by ann on 2006-02-01 21:27:06

Enrique: on the plus side, when someone says "I have nothing in the fridge but condiments!", we'd think "mmm, dinner."

posted by Nada on 2006-02-01 22:05:45

dipping things in queso. from hamburgers to mozzarella sticks to fries (and fried pickles), queso is my weakness in the world. the old kitchen manager at work once dipped a BLT in queso. she's hardcore.

the queso we make at work is not made with cheese (obviously -- it never is) but with this off-brand velveeta product called Golden Velvet. my new year's resolution was to not eat as much queso as i had been (i was up to 3-4 days a week). i caved on january 11th and felt no guilt.

posted by Raspil on 2006-02-02 02:30:59

Diner food when you have a hangover.... but this Diner food must include waffel fries, a pickel and an enormous diet coke.

And I love peanut butter and apricot jelly on rice cakes. If I ever opened a rest. it would be on the menu.

posted by kristian on 2006-02-02 03:05:24

I also admit to the fine art of eating crunchy peanut butter sandwiches with soy sauce and tabasco. :) I guess it's a side effect of my childhood.

And I find periodically a nice glass of black vinegar is a tasty treat.

posted by DrewB on 2006-02-02 03:14:36

I may lead the league in guilty pleasures:

Peanut Butter eaten out of a jar with my index finger.

Dark Russet Potato Chips

Those 100 calorie bags of oreo thin crips

Dark chocolate-covered malted milk balls.
Two Gray's Papaya Hot Dogs with mustard and onions.

posted by Ed Levine on 2006-02-02 07:11:36

Ed: Ohhhh, Gray's Papaya.

Here are mine.

A) Processed American cheese slices with Miracle Whip
(B) Hominy and ketchup and syrup
(C) Banquet pot pies
(D) Peanut butter, jelly and butter toast
(E) Pizza sandwiches (grilled cheese with spaghetti sauce and pepperoni)
(F) Pretzels and strawberry cream cheese
(G) Chili dogs with American cheese, ketchup, mustard, relish and onions
(H) Strawberry milk
(I) Powdered Nestle Quik straight out of the box.
(J) French fries with TONS of malt vinegar

Okay, now I am STARVING.

posted by Mia on 2006-02-02 09:17:42

HOW could I have forgetten queso? I love that stuff. And especially on regular Lay's -- none of those tortilla chips, which interfere with the direct assimilation of "cheese" and salt.

posted by BNA on 2006-02-02 09:50:28

Matt's chocolate chip cookies. Hands down. I'm considering having my friends mail me some since the brand's not in Dallas. But to cure my withdrawl, I beg mom to make her banana pudding. She makes her with multiple layers of banana and vanilla wafers. Served chilled. If not handled correctly, it starts the "You got more than I did!" kid fight between me and my husband. Yes, it's that serious.

posted by dani on 2006-02-02 09:55:58

my husband also eats condiments out of the jar, but he likes the sweet ones. he'll eat huge spoonfuls of nutella, jam, and especially honey.

posted by abby on 2006-02-02 10:08:53

Frito pie? So Cowgirl Hall of Fame is the only place in the city you can get that? THAT's what I WANT! Hell, that really IS something you can make, yourself, at home -- but no one does! We used to get that at the wonderful/horrible little drive-in Dairy Dream in Jena, Louisiana in 1970.

posted by Curtis on 2006-02-02 10:16:46

Cold mushroom pizza, at least 2 slices straight out of the fridge before 10 AM on a Saturday morning. It's the best after a night out!

posted by Francesca on 2006-02-02 11:12:12

Anne, I'm with you - there's nothing like a good, greasy, poutine after a couple of beers!
For non-Canadians, that's french fries, slathered in gravy with curd cheese that melts all over...it's good!
-the rest, well, you guys are too hard core for me! My 'guilty pleasures' are tortilla chips or melba toast - plain! gotta get a life...What's wrong with me!?

posted by leeds on 2006-02-02 15:24:53

Vanilla icing out of the can--fresh from the fridge. Add some peanut butter and you're in heaven.

posted by Laura on 2006-02-02 16:06:51

Nia, thanks for reminding us of the pleasure of a wet finger in powdered Nestle's Quik. jesus!

But since I haven't see a box of that stuff since I was ten . . .

Ben and Jerry's - that flavor with the salted pretzels in it.

or spicy pickled okra and/or pepperoncino peppers out of the jar . . . you can't eat just one.

or salt and vinegar potato chips.
(but we never keep those in the house....)

or the shiny green and white foil wrapped dill pickle flavored potato chips that you can only get in Minnesota and Wisconsin at the gas station.

p.s.
Nada and her friends are super models
betcha!

posted by guido on 2006-02-02 17:37:04

Lately I have been eating marshmallows-those big jet-puffed kind either straight from the bag or "toasted" over a candle!

posted by beth Becker on 2006-02-02 18:44:37

oh my goodness, where do i start? shrimp flavored chips, easy mac, and those lychee flavored jellies, now banned in the U.S. because they're a choking hazard!

posted by sparky on 2006-02-02 19:16:09

-Ramen noodles not cooked, just dry eaten right out of the package plain.
-Tropical Punch Kool Aid.
-Steps for my favorite comfort soup:
cook a handful of elbow macaroni a little more than half way in about 2 cups of water, don't drain because the starch makes the soup special, add a can of Campbell's condensed tomato soup, cook for a couple minutes, put in bowl, sprinkle with cheese (cheddar or mozzerella).

posted by Stacie on 2006-02-02 23:25:24

DrewB -
You may be onto something with the soy sauce and the peanut butter, because there's peanut flavored stuff in Chinese food, so NOW I'm thinking that instead of jelly, one could put some sweet-and-sour sauce AND some soy sauce and maybe some kind of sprout on it. Wait, that's starting to be a little less guilty of a pleasure. Oh, well, that sweet-and-sour sauce would probably keep enough guilt in there.

posted by Curtis on 2006-02-03 12:40:16