Culture Shock: The Salad That Wasn’t

This is a “salad,” according to Texas.

Yep. Spicy chicken on a thick bed of refried beans and deep-fried tortillas, smothered in cheese and pecans (yes, pecans).

To be fair:

(a) When I mentioned I was trying to eat healthy and would therefore be ordering a salad, I was warned that “the fajita salad isn’t really a salad-salad.”
(b) It does have some sliced vegetables on the side, plus a small scattering of shredded iceberg lettuce.
(c) Probably the most delicious and filling “salad” I’ve ever eaten. I’m into it. Props, Tex-Mex. Thank you for continually improving my life… and challenging my preconceived notions of what I can classify as a healthy dining option.

Macaroni and Cheese Hot Dogs. Seriously.

Here’s a shocker for everyone: I’m here to report yet more breaking hot dog news! Two of my favorite trashy bar foods, mac & cheese and hot dogs, have found each other at last. Then they found my mouth.

We’ve covered the existence of macaroni & cheese hot dogs before on ES, but I’d never seen them in the wild… until now. During one of my many bar-hopping benders last week, I cruised into Po Dogs in Seattle for a late-night meat fix, and discovered the accurately named Mac ‘n’ Cheese Dog: Homemade macaroni and cheese topped with Tillamook cheddar cheese. As a professional food writer, I advise you to order barbecue sauce on this as well.

For those of you who demand yet more cheese-drenched meat options, feel free to order the Dub-T Dog: creamy cheese sauce, crushed potato chips, topped with mustard and ketchup.

I mean, why not? Frankly (no pun intended!), I would like to cover most of my meals in melted cheese. This is a step in the right direction.

Previously: Peanut Butter Bacon Hot Dogs. Seriously.
Octopus Hot Dogs. Seriously.

100 Things to Do With Peanut Butter

You most likely learned long ago that peanut butter ain’t only good for PB&J sandwiches. George Washington Carver’s greatest invention can in fact spruce up everything from drinks to desserts. Actually, we’d be hard-pressed to come up with a dish that wouldn’t be better with a little Skippy. Peanut butter chili, peanut butter broccoli, peanut butter ice cream and peanut butter cocktails — it all works. Folks, there is peanut butter tuna salad to be found on this list. No lie.

Sincere apologies to those with allergies and all you non-Americans who just don’t get it. Otherwise, enjoy our list of 100 things to do with peanut butter:

Click on the photos for full recipes.

 

See also: 100 Ways to Use a Strip of Bacon

100 Ways to Cook With Guinness

 

From strawberries to sriracha, find the rest of our 100 Ways here.

Another Win for America

Evanston, Illinois fast food restaurant Wiener and Still Champion (awesome name!) is already locally famous for their hunky cheeseburgers, fresh-cut french fries, and bacon-wrapped hot dogs. But now they’ve added a new menu item that deserves national attention.

For an extra charge of just $1.50, any burger on Wiener’s menu now comes with a thick patty of  deep-fried gravy. The golden-brown crust of the patty adds a big crunch to the burger, and then on first bite, the hot gravy comes oozing out all over everything, ensuring each bite remains juicy and gravy-licious.

Bravo, Wiener. Bravo.

How to Make a Turducken Sandwich

America loves sandwiches. America loves turducken. If only there was a way to combine them both, we would likely have to put it next to George Washington’s face on the quarter.

There is. Check out CHOW.com’s video above, about the glory that is the turducken sandwich from William Hallet in Queens, New York.

More: America’s Best New Sandwiches
Top 10 Foods Only America Could Have Invented

P is for Pig Poppers

Earlier this fall, we told you about the newest deep-fried wonders at this year’s state fairs.

Now that the fried-iest of fried food festivals is well under way, Kat Robinson at Tie Dye Travels has put together a pretty amazing Guide to Texas State Fair Food, from A-Z.

D is for Deep Fried Biscuits and Gravy, S is for Sweet Jalapeno Shrimp Corn Dogs, etc…Basically, this one’s a can’t-miss for proud American eaters.

Check it out in all its glory: Guide to the Texas State Fair Food, from A-Z

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