MVF Adventure: Edwards Drive In

I love food. That's no secret. And I really enjoy shows about food. Shows about big food? Even better!

I have grown to love Man vs. Food, with Adam Richman and his crazy food challenges. One of my missions is to check out the different places that he's been. You're not likely to find me completing the eating challenges, but I'm definitely up for some good eats. Here in St. Louis, I've been to both Crown Candy Kitchen (the place where he did the milkshake challenge), and Pappy's Smokehouse - probably the best BBQ that I've ever had. I've also sampled the Krispy Kreme Burger, which was featured on the Ballpark episode during his visit to the Gateway Grizzlies. Don't believe me? Here it is:

I've noticed that they are now making appearances at many state fairs. 

During my most recent trip to Indianapolis, we decided to check out one of the MVF restaurants there. I actually haven't seen the episode yet, since I no longer have cable, so we went solely based on what we could find online. The episode just aired during this season, after filming during the Indy 500. (I also happened to be in town that weekend!)

Adam stopped at Edwards Drive In for a giant fried pork tenderloin sandwich. How big is it? It could use multiple buns. The restaurant is an old fashioned diner that still has a few drive in spots up front. According to the articles I found online, they've had quite the boom in business following their MVF appearance, which proved true when we got there. It was definitely busy!

I took one look at the tenderloin and decided there was no way that I'd finish one, but Chris gave it a shot:

He said that it was pretty good. I went for the root beer float, grilled cheese and onion rings, which were delicious!

  

Gotta love some good greasy food. I don't know how Adam doesn't gain like 500 lbs! 

Kitty Pic(s) of the Week!

How cute is he?! I appreciate when they are sleeping.

While he sleeps...she hides in the hamper!

Recipe from TV: Curtis Stone's Biggest Loser 100-Calorie Cupcakes

I spent a lot of time last week catching up on tv, and was excited to see one of my favorite things on The Biggest Loser: Cupcakes!

I am a huge cupcake fan, and was a little nervous when they did a temptation challenge with them, because they talked about the calorie-count in my favorite food. Not good.

However, the contestants also had the opportunity to do some baking with chef Curtis Stone, who provided an alternative cupcake recipe. Cupcakes for just 100 calories!

I haven't had the chance to make them yet, but it's on my To Do list for this week. Here's the recipe for others who would like to give it a shot.

Television can teach some good things!

Recipe to Try: Rachael Ray's Buffalo Chicken Chili

Despite the 80+ temps this weekend, I was in the mood for some comfort food! I decided to make Rachael Ray's Buffalo Chicken Chili - a spicy and suprisingly, semi-healthy soup!

The chili is really easy to make, starting with browning two lbs of ground chicken. After adding some chopped veggies (carrots, celery, onions), and some seasonings (paprika, a bay leaf, garlic, and S/P) and letting them flavor the meat, you add two cups of chicken stock, a can of tomatoes, a can of tomato sauce and some hot sauce (half a cup) top it off. I opted out of the corn chip garnish, but added some corn muffins.

Here is the full recipe right from Rachael.

Be prepared. It's definitely spicy. There were tears. But it was SO good.

Kitty Pic of the Week: Home Sweet Home

Stella found a new home inside the Build-A-Bear Box. And she was excited to find that it came complete with an escape hatch on the front. I didn't think she'd fit, but I guess when you have a big cat sneaking in your roof, you make it happen!

My Name is Kirstin and I'm a Television Addict...

It's true. I love tv.

Probably too much.

Since I got rid of my cable, I had actually been watching a lot less tv during the summer. With the new season underway, I find myself hooked on the Hulu.

There are my standbys:

House, The Office, Grey's Anatomy, The Biggest Loser, Glee, Modern Family

Plus the shows that I picked up in the last year or so after catching up via Netflix and Hulu:

30 Rock, How I Met Your Mother, Community, Rescue Me, Lie to Me, Cougartown,

And then there are the ones that I am embarassed to admit:

Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, The Bachelor/Bachelorette/Bachelor Pad

That's a ton! I find that I spend most of my weekends catching up on the tv that I miss during the week. I think it's time to go read a book.

Book #13: Mini Shopaholic

I have been buzzing through those library books!

I could not have been more excited for the latest of Sophie Kinsella's shopaholic books. I've had it on reserve at the library three months before it even came out.

I love love LOVE Becky Bloomwood. She is a fantastic character, who sadly could have been done much better via film. I love Isla Fischer, but the movie was just okay. Why they made her character American in the movie, I just don't understand. Way too many changes. I digress.

The fifth in the series, Mini Shopaholic, finds Becky and Luke living with their two year-old, Minnie at Becky's parents. Minnie causes lots of chaos, as she wants anything and everything (just like her mother). As the city undergoes a financial crisis and everyone tries to reign in their spending, Becky of course struggles with her lavish tastes and over the top indulgences. As she tries to plan a fabulous surprise birthday party for Luke, she runs into her usual blunders and hilarity ensues.

I really liked the book, although I would have loved even more of Minnie. After the last book featuring momma-to-be Becky, I figured Minnie would be a more central piece of this story than she was. However I think that the book had a fabulous focus on motherhood, through the stories of the different mothers: Becky, her mother, and Elinor.

I won't give too much more away, but you should definitely check it out. Kinsella writes fabulous chick lit, that is funny without being cheesy or unintelligent. I hope I don't have to wait too long for the next Becky book!

Book #12: Julie and Julia

It's been ages since I saw Julie and Julia, which was a great movie. I have been waiting to read the book for awhile, but just hadn't gotten around to it. For those who haven't seen or heard of the movie, Julie Powell was a secretary living in post-9/11 New York when she decided to take on a blogging project to help get her out of her rut. Back when blogging was still relatively new, she cooked her way through Julia Child's cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. The book follows her kitchen adventures as she makes her way through 524 recipes in 365 days.

I'll be honest. I liked the movie better. The movie actually combines pieces of Powell's book with piece's of Child's autobiography, My Life in France, putting the two stories of the women side-by-side, which you do not get as much of in Julie and Julia, the book. I also felt like Powell was sort of irritating. I had a hard time liking her, which didn't help me get through the book. I love food so much, that I was disappointed that I didn't like it more.

Powell's challenge was certainly an interesting one. Hearing the different recipes, I could feel how difficult and frustrating that it must be to cook classic french meals. She also ate a lot of things that I don't think I'd ever want to try. If I had to do my own challenge with a cookbook, I think I'd try to work my way through Martha Stewart Cupcakes. A recipe per day might be a little much, but I would like to get through them all someday.

What would you cook?

Saving Lids to Save Lives

It's officially October!

Which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. While I am incredibly fortunate that my family has not been touched directly by breast cancer, I try to support those who have been impacted. And, since Zeta Tau Alpha is a sorority with whom I work, I try to also support my students in their philanthropic efforts. They engage in a number of different efforts to raise awareness and money Susan G. Komen each year.

One way in which I try to help is by eating yogurt as part of the Save Lids to Save Lives campaign through Yoplait. I stocked up with a variety of flavors to support the cause. I am eating a Red Velvet Cake yogurt as we speak. I wasn't sure how I really felt about the whole "dessert yogurt" thing that they've been pushing, but since I LOVE red velvet cake, I thought it was worth giving it a shot. It's decent, although nothing to write home about. On to more yogurt flavors. Anything to support a good cause!