Cold Day, Hot spicy soup. We will survive

Wow!!!  The weather is really extreme.  It was almost tropical this morning and the downpour was like a Monsoon.  However, no one cares.  That's because everyone is waiting for the thermometer drop 50 degrees this afternoon when we get hit by a Polar Vortex.  We are preparing for the Ice Age.  Break out the hand and foot warmers, it's Artic Monday in GuiltyTown.  

Our winter weather this year  has been horrible.  Shivering in the cold makes a grown man crumble. Thankfully we have a Guilty skill set to combat the elements. Someday's we look to the kitchen for nourishment and someday's pleasure.  Today we seek warmth and escape.  Let the daydreaming begin.  I am Jonesing for a change in the weather.  While no vacation is possible,  we need some Guilty relief to melt away the ice.

The chefs are in this morning at 7 am for full production and relief is on the horizon.  I have put a spicy Pork Ginger soup with mustard greens and Asian noodles on the top of the production list.  I need that fire from within.

Going green Guilty style.

I want to eat healthier in 2014 and beyond.  That means incorporating more vegetables into my diet.  With a new International Market close by, Guilty is going green.  I love my veggies and it's time to get serious. about my diet.  Lately I have been enjoying whole artichokes with our son, Guilty Too.  He loves spicy food and that includes these Mediterranean vegetables.  Low in calories and high in vitamins, these garden globes are awesome in so many ways.

Once you know the rules of eating them, artichokes are a true Guilty Pleasure.  From purple to green. artichokes come in many beautiful colors. There are so many delicious artichoke recipes to enjoy and you always get a huge portion.   Have you noticed the size of these enormous veggies. They can grow to be as big as a volleyball.  Whole artichokes can be stuffed or savored leaf by leaf and the best part is that you don't have to share them.  The leaves are endless and fun to eat. With the right yogurt dipping sauce, you don't even have to count calories.  Here are some cooking light recipes that are quite tasty.

Or you can cut them into quarters and enjoy the hearts.  Here are some other recipes and cooking tips.

Onion Ring Junkie or Guilty Pleasure Enthusiast. You decide.

I have a dark and crispy secret that needs to be disclosed.. There is no way to ignore the truth.  I must come clean to all of you in this opulent forum.  I have waited years to publicly disclose my secret decadent addiction to my Guilty Brethren.  

I am an Onion Rings Junkie and the Lord of the Onion Rings. There, I have said it!  I cannot live in the dark shadows anymore and ignore the societal burdens associated with this ultimate Guilty Pleasure. My darkness with a fryer runs deep. If I could main line this deep-fried salted delicacy into my taste buds, I would. Is that sinful or ingenious? You know my answer!

With that sense of logic and lordship, who wouldn't be clandestine? My quest for battered and fried onions goes well beyond the double fryers at work.
I have made it through many a Funeral Repass or Shiva luncheon with my hand stuck in a bowl of salty Onion Straws.  They are so addictive, providing a crunchy comfort to your friends and family. You cannot stop eating them.

There are so many different varieties of Onions and Onion Rings recipes to enjoy.  I crave them all.  Are we loving deep-fried Vidalia's? Are we savoring spicy fried Red Onion rings? Is there a Tempura Onion platter that I have not dreamed about?  Are we mingling with a rotund Spanish onion?

Are we giving a new purpose to mild white onions? They are all so tempting.  From the wide ringlets served up in Dixie's finest dives to Tony Roma's famed Onion loaf  to Emeril's spicy offering, there is no better Guiltorious indulgence than a galaxy of deep-friend orbs. While the Tony Roma onion loaf recipe is always the headliner, take a look at this recipe on the helpful, yet . I particularly like their "Hints for a Tiny tummy."  

With a Guilty addiction, you need every trick in the book to beat the calorie counter.

Getting lost in the sauce or finding Culinary Nirvana.

May I please have another ladle of that spicy Rancho Nuevo sauce please on my breakfast. "Don't be chincy.  I am watching you."  As you may have guessed, I like my South of the Border eggs to be swimming in a canyon of  hot sauce. It's called the Guilty Gulch. OMG!!!  It's awesome.  My Culinary Nirvana is reached when the Saucier kicks it into high gear.  It's their deft touch and refined cooking skills that make our Guilty Town cuisine explode with flavor.

Hail to the Saucier and their magic touch,

Food as an aphrodisiac. Guilty Pleasure facts and fantasy....

Many of our club members have encouraged us to discuss food as an aphrodisiac. Of course you get extra credit for creating Sexy Food.  Thin Mint and myself eagerly accepted the challenge of exploring the history, the myths, the secrets and the truth about the connection between food and increased sexual enjoyment. For example, melted Chocolats Valrhona has many life enriching qualities.

Since winter is the perfect to time to rev up your romance, the experts on Guilty Street will be sampling secret love potions, fresh fruit fantasies, spicy concoctions and sexy souffles. Over the next few weeks we will focus on the history of aphrodisiacs, the myths, the facts and the wishful thinking.

We invite personal reflections, creative suggestions and fiery stories. When it comes to researching the mysteries of Amore, who says trial and error is a bad thing.