Guilty Pleasures

[Beearewhyain]

I imagine that most of the folks here fancy themselves as, at least, foodie adjacent. Which leads me to a question of what is considered "bad food". While I love myself a nice caprese salad and I will search for the freshest of ingredients to make a proper one there are some really "bad" foods that I still can't quite get over. Among them...box mac and cheese; no, not the one with the sauce packet but the one with the fluorescent powder. There are some times that nothing comes close to that as comfort food.

I also like ramen noodles and no not the proper ones but the ones that are ten for a dollar and come with an overly salted "soup" packet. Maybe it's me being nostalgic for my margin days but it is still something that I find satisfying (though I do doctor it up a bit)

But maybe my worst offense is my love of Outback caesar dressing. I know that the Outback ceaser dressing is not a "real" caesar dressing but it is a wonder to behold IMHO in all of it's in your face flavor. I now live in a place where a trip to an Outback is inconvenient so I have learned to make a home version (it is even more glorious

Bottom line is this question. What are the foods that you love and make you happy but aren't "proper"? -Damn the critics!

[LancetChick]

1. You can put me on the Ramen soup list.

This is the least nutritious, most hazardous-to-your-health food I can think of, next to Twinkies, but I always keep it around because sometimes nothing else will do. I don't have it often, maybe three times a year, but I make sure I always have some in stock... just in case. I prefer Top Ramen, and I used to get the Beef Picante flavor, but it disappeared, so now Oriental flavor is my go-to food drug. I use more than 2 cups of water so that I can have more of that ridiculously salty broth.

Chocolate candy is another guilty pleasure. My stash includes little Reese's cups, little Snickers bites and mini Hershey's almond bars. Hormones are to blame for this bad habit, not me. No, really!

[Beearewhyain]

3. The Chicken flavor is my goto ramen

but I add cayenne and garlic powder with just a bit of butter to add to its health benefits.

[cbayer]

2. Popeye's fried chicken, kraft shells with velveeta and puffy cheetos.

I also like the $1 hamburgers and chicken sandwiches at McDonalds.

None of these are things I eat often, but when I want them, I really, really want them. I haven't yet come up with a good reason to deny myself.

And I can't think of a reason you should either.

[Beearewhyain]

4. QP w/ Cheese

When the craving hits there is nothing else that will do. And Cheers to you too for the occasional indulgence.

[cbayer]

6. I just had a Popeye's Chicken thigh!

I will eat veggies for dinner, though.

[A HERETIC I AM]

5. Quite frankly, a regular old McDonalds hamburger!

The small, original ones.

I remember the days when you could get 2 of them, fries and a soda for $.99 and could feed a family of 6 for less than $7.00

Edit to add that they used to advertise you could "feed a family of four and get change back from a $5 bill"

Don't eat them too often, but they are in a LOT of truck stops so it happens

[cbayer]

7. I am on a "no chains" trip right now and have been indulging

in lots of local diners. We stay off the highway, so there are more options than you generally have.

I have to admit that I made a Popeye's exception yesterday.

Hope you are well.

[pinto]

8. Sliced hot dogs in canned baked beans with mustard and relish.

(Or as it is euphemistically called in New England - Saturday Supper.)

[cbayer]

9. I love that as well.

Would have made it for you if you had come to NOLA!

[pinto]

10. Color pinto still sorry he missed the weekend. Sounded (and looked) great.

Hey to your DH. And have a good one on the rest of your road trip.

[cbayer]

11. We are all equally sorry that you missed it.

We are at the mid-point in the trip and will head back west in a few days.

So far, it has been great.

[Whisp]

16. wiens and beaners. yum.

I chop up the wiener/s in bite size pieces, throw them in with the beans to heat up together. Add pinch or 2 of cayenne pepper and just before they are ready to pull off the stove I throw in some chunked up sweet onion.

With home made bread toast.
yumz

[greatauntoftriplets]

12. Cape Cod potato chips.

[Kali]

13. stouffers lasagna

I can't make it much better than them or for less money - certainly for less of a mess - and I love it. but I feel like I should do it from scratch - why?

most of the other non-"foodie" things I eat, no guilt whatsoever. sorry

[Beearewhyain]

14. I may have overstated my "guilt" for eating these things

[Whisp]

15. I love those ramen noodles.

I don't use them for a soup tho, I boil the noodles, drain, then sprinkle the seasoning on it and add a bit of olive oil or butter - mix it to blend in the spices. Goes really nice with stir fries or Chinese dishes.

I used to loooooove twinkies.

[Freddie]

17. Oscar Mayer Smokie Links are back!!

Totally love those things--the love child of hot dogs and smoked sausage--and about 4 years ago they were discontinued. Were hard to find before that. There were *lots* of complaints to OM and even a FB page dedicated to "bring back Smokies".
Was an article in Huffpo the other day about the new OM Bacon Dogs (mmmm) and it mentioned they were resurrecting Smokies, as well as adding a few other new products. Said the new stuff would be available nationwide in June but is already out in some areas. Including, according to their website, a nearby Walmart. Although I *hate* shopping at Wallyworld, I'm going there tonite on a Smokies hunt.

[Texasgal]

18. Velveeta!

I know it's horrible and processed but there is nothing like Velveeta queso with a can of rotel and some salty tortilla chips!!

[Lugnut]

19. Cubed chunks of German bologna fried along with home fries.

Mmmm. We love that buttery oniony mix with a side of baked beans.

[swimboy]

20. Pillsbury GRANDS cinnamon rolls

I put them in the oven with a pat of butter on top with a spoonful of brown sugar sprinkled with additional cinnamon.

They get real bubbly . . .