Top 15 Guilty Pleasures

First, I am totally "borrowing" this from Brown Eyed Baker's site. I read her blog entry and fell in love. Her title, My Top 15 Favorite Indulgences made me think of my own favorite delicious indulgences...or what I have come to sometimes call "guilty pleasures". They are my go-to, never get sick of, almost always make me feel better foods.

Here is the list...in no particular order...




1. Jellybeans
I realize is is Easter time right now, so jelly beans are everywhere, but I just adore them. The starbursts ones have my heart, but I will really eat any kind--as long as they are not black. In high school I used to stash a bag of them in my glove compartment at all times. Dangerous, right?

2. Buffalo Chicken Pizza
I could easily eat pizza everyday. My newest favorite is making it on the grill, but I am a sucker for Jim's Buffalo Chicken Pizza (cooked well done, thank you Matthew). The crust is covered with buffalo sauce and a blue cheese dressing with actual chunks of blue cheese! Chicken and scallions cover the pizza. To top it off, a little cheese and...gulp...butter on the crust. I can never eat just one piece. Oh, and did I mention they deliver?

3. Cape Cod  Kettle Cooked Salt and Vinegar Chips
They go GREAT with Buffalo Chicken Pizza. The combination of loads of salt and just enough vinegar on a kettle cooked chip...need I say more? I am even a little embarrassed to say there are times where I have eaten so many I get canker sores in my mouth. A problem? Maybe, but I am ok with it!

4. Ham and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich
Not exactly an unhealthy indulgence on a normal day, but my favorite way to make breakfast sandwiches are when MATT makes them. It is the best morning surprise ever! I specifically love when he puts a big, thick slice of ham on it. A toasted wheat english muffin, fried egg, american cheese, ham steak, salt and pepper...next to a great big cup of coffee. YUM.

5. Dunkin Donuts Vanilla Spice Coffee
Some would argue coffee to be a relatively healthy indulgence, but I disagree. Coffee with a little skim milk once a day is not so bad. However, the way I like it...with real cream, not so healthy. Do I buy this to have at home? No, but I do love my Friday morning Dunkin Donut's runs...coffee with real cream. 

6. Lobster Rolls
Chunks of lobster meat tossed with celery and the tiniest bit of mayo stuffed into a toasted hoagie roll? Sounds easy, but I have not found many places that do it right. Billy's Chowder House holds the number one spot in my book with an 18 inch roll overflowing with delicious lobster meat. Sarah's Cafe in Wiscasett is a close second in the most delicious roll. It helps that I can sit outside and look out to the ocean. There is something about a lobster roll, a local beer, and some sunshine that just gives me goosebumps.

7. Red Wine
I suppose I prefer a cab sav, but really, I enjoy any red. Not sure I can choose a favorite brand, but my current, affordable go-to is Yellow Tail Shiraz-Cabernet. I have not met many glasses of red wine that I do not enjoy. Especially on a Friday evening after a day with seven year olds...

8. Peanut M&M's
I have recently discovered dark chocolate peanut m&m's which are right up there in rank with the milk chocolate ones. I have a hard time grocery shopping and not grabbing a bag of these. I try to convince myself the peanuts provide a bit of protein so they could also be eaten as a health food. I also use company as an excuse to put bowls of them around my house. I take one every time I walk by. It's amazing how quickly the bowl empties. Oops.

9. S'more's with Toasted Coconut Marshmellows
These are certainly more of a summer indulgence, but there is nothing better than sitting around a warm fire on a summer night roasting a marshmellow...unless it is a toasted coconut marshmellow! If you have not yet tasted one, YOU MUST. They are to die for. Graham crackers, hershey's milk chocolate, and a warm, toasted coconut marshmellow on a perfect summer night? Yes please.


10. Ice Cream
Remember this post? That pretty much sums up my love affair with ice cream. I am pretty easy to please, but I will say that frozen yogurt doesn't really cut it. I used to just crave ice cream in the summer, but now, I crave it about every day. Perhaps it has something to do with how much Matt loves it as well. I always have someone to indulge with me. Oh, and I am obsessed with l o t s of chocolate sprinkles on top.

11. Cheeseburgers
Notice the "s" at the end. This is because I really am not picky. I love when we cook them on the grill, in the house on the george foreman, I love ordering them at a pub or even a fine dining establishment. There is not another sandwich that beats a cheeseburger. My favorite is when they are topped with mushrooms, onions, and BACON with some kind of delicious cheese, but really, I will eat them all. Mexican burgers, turkey burgers, blue cheese burgers...I could go on and on. A handmade cheeseburger, crispy fries, and a beer. Is 8:04 in the morning too early to crave one?

12. Shipyard Summer Ale
A local, Maine beer--it has my heart all summer long. In a bottle or on draught, I can't get enough in June, July, and August. They have started to release it in April, which in my opinion is a bit too early. The appeal to be is that I cannot get it all year and when I do--it just tastes like summer! Sometimes, I get a little crazy and add a slice of lemon.

13. Nachos
Nachos are a staple meal at my house. Crunchy tortilla chips topped with loads of salsa, cheese, olives, peppers, onions, chicken...anything we have in the fridge. Our latest invention was meatball nachos. They were a hit! They may not be that unhealthy, except for the fact that I smother them with sour cream and guacamole. Then...eh...might not be considered a "well-rounded" meal. Topped off with a Shipyard Summer, life really is good.

14. Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies
These are absolutely my new favorite chocolate chip cookies. If you don't look at how much butter is in them, you will be more apt to eat them. Topped with a little sea salt, you cannot just have one. Don't even think about tasting the batter...a taste here and a taste there quickly turns into half of the batter gone! Once I even got a little crazy and mixed in some peanut butter chips. Try it, I dare you.

15. Wings
Willy's Ale House in Acton has some pretty delicious wings. Especially when they used to be 25 cents each on Tuesdays. I love pretty much any sauce dipped smothered in blue cheese dressing. I also love the mess I make then I eat them. They are so not a first date food, but rather a "I've been married for almost two years now" kind of food.

As I created this list I realized there are a lot more than 15 things that I just love--I guess you could say I just love food. And, that's ok. :) What are YOUR favorite guilty pleasures?