EIFA Lists #1 ABC's of My Favorite Foods

Avocado- There aren’t a lot of foods that can’t be enhanced by the subtle flavor and creamy texture of avocado. There’s just so much you can do with it. It’s seen in a variety of food items. It adds healthy fat and texture. I just can’t get enough. The only time it is a disappointment is if it’s made into guacamole and then it’s bland. I also have never put it in a smoothie because I actually want to taste it.

Brownies- I don’t think I have ever had a bad brownie. However, I much prefer the more fudgy type. If I want cake, I’ll have cake because then I want buttercream frosting on them. I enjoy the deep chocolate flavor with a brownie that is slightly underdone. Brownies are one dessert that you can have alone, customize it or add it to other desserts. They are one of my favorites add-ins for ice cream.

Croissants- My favorite type of bread of all time. Bread made with a lot of butter are my favorites but croissants have light flaky layers. But strong enough to use for sandwiches as well. It’s best for a breakfast sandwich or you can just eat it alone. I don’t need any sweet fillings either. Just a warm croissant is enough. I recently heard that people eat them warm with butter and I have been thinking about it ever since. I can eat them any time of day.

Deviled Eggs- Why are these only around in the summer? I’m a fan of most egg preparations but I like the filling with deviled eggs. You can do so much with the flavor profile as well. Yes, it can be a little tedious to make but eggs are pretty cheap and filling. I’ve been looking into making more options because I just don’t eat them enough.

Enchiladas- My go-to at a tex-mex or something related place. I’m a big fan of that type of food in general but enchiladas have so many different directions that they can go in. My ideal enchilada has a lot of cheese and chicken inside, a decently spicy sauce on top with more cheese. I can do red or green sauce, just depends on the spice level. A creamy spicy sauce can be good too. If I cant customize them I usually get a variety platter

Fried (insert here): I can’t turn down fried chicken, fries, cheese or vegetables. Frying adds a new level of texture and flavor that can’t be replicated well. It also allows me to have a dipping sauce which is one of my favorite things in the food world. I really like tempura batter I order that any time I see it. I have my own recipe as well but I try not to fry too much at home. Unless I get a deep fryer, that’s a different thing.

Gravy- Creamy gravy is not appreciated enough. It can add so much to a dish and potentially save a lot of dry meats. It is an underrated dipping sauce for chicken tenders. The gravy at dairy queen is so underrated I don’t understand why it’s not talked about more. A lot of fast-food chains overseas have gravy involved in a lot of meals. I feel like most Americans can appreciate gravy so I don’t know why it isn’t more represented.

Ham- Prosciutto is my favorite type of ham, any cured pork products that you will see at a buffet or a charcuterie board I want all day every day. I really love the fatty, salty flavor profile prosciutto has. It goes well with so many types of cheeses. I don’t understand why meat plates aren’t more popular, especially for a gathering at someone’s home. If I had to choose between unlimited chicken or prosciutto, I’m choosing prosciutto every time. I just really enjoy cured products.

Iced Coffee- I have been drinking iced coffee for years but it really picked up in college and after being sick for a while. Hot coffee sometimes hurts my stomach but iced coffee? If I let myself I could have at least 3-4 cups. I like a light or medium roast (kind of depends on what is on sale), with almond milk, creamer, and some sugar. If I’m out, I love a frappe. I don’t care that it's basically a milkshake. Too many places have them so why not get something I’m not taking the time to make at home. I have no problem ordering drinks high schoolers buy. My go-to flavors involve caramel or chocolate. The pitcher I have right now is butter pecan which is actually pretty good! When I’m buying creamer, I usually get the Hershey chocolate caramel or the Oreo.

Jerky (Bacon)- Where did this go? I used to buy it all the time at gas stations or even Walmart. It’s so hard to find these days. It is more expensive than the other meat options but it tastes so much better. It’s an easy texture to chew and the smoking process adds more to the fatty parts of the bacon. It is the best jerky in my opinion and it needs to come back. It would be such a good snack for low carb dieters as well, even keto. A lot of keto stuff is already expensive but at leave give me my bacon jerky back. I’ll pay the $8 dollars whatever.

King Crab- Crab with butter is my favorite meal of all time. I love dipping seafood in hot melted butter. I don’t care how much work it is to open although crab legs are my first choice because I’m a bit lazy. To be honest I love all crab but the king is the largest and offers more meat. Plus, they look cool in those big tanks at Costco

Lamb Chops- These have a flavor and tenderness that is hard to beat. I have never had a bad lamb chop. There’s something about them that is fancier than usual. I like that I don’t need a fork unless I'm trying to be polite. I don’t need any condiments with these. I never have tried mint jelly because that doesn’t make sense to me but a well-seasoned lamb chop is always a good meal. I like to have them at Brazilian steakhouses because of the grilling. It’s what you wait for when they walk around the tables.

Macaron- These are so light but full of flavor at the same time. I go for the chocolate, vanilla, pistachio and lemon options. I love how chewy they are and light in the stomach. I can eat so many of these because of the almond flour. I love how they look as well, always such a pretty dessert. One day I will learn how to make them. It’s hard to pick a favorite dessert but I’d probably request these over anything else.

Nachos- Again, love tex-mex so I love nachos. I prefer either melted cheese or a homemade cheese sauce. I can not do the overly salty melted fake Velveeta. Cheesecake Factory has the best chain nachos although sometimes the cheese is a bit different. Sometimes it's just melted cheese, sometimes it’s a combo of melted and sauce. My ideal plate would be homemade tortilla chips, a mix of Mexican cheese that melts well and has a strong pull, steak, onion, jalapeno, tomato and sour cream with guac to dip. I like being able to dip into different options. I wouldn’t mind a good homemade salsa as well, on the thinner side. Chilis also have good nachos but I get them without beans

Oreo- I love Oreos with other things. Cake, brownies, ice cream, alcoholic drinks you name it. It is a go-to add-in for me. My favorite milkshake is chocolate Oreo. Oreo is my first add-in option. Even the knock off ones is good. I don’t eat them alone but they’re still a favorite. They go so well with brownies. I used to get the oreo milkshake kits every year when I was younger that came with the cup. I’ve been thinking about making my own birthday dessert and I think I want to include Oreos somehow.

Pizza- It’s a classic and hard to turn down. My favorite is deep dish or stuffed crust. If I’m picking the toppings for a red sauce its bacon, sausage and extra cheese. I also love a chicken pesto pizza but that’s hard to find for some reason. Whole foods has a good one and so does matchbox. You just have to make sure the chicken doesn’t dry out. However, I don’t do fruit on pizza or BBQ sauce I have to draw the line somewhere. Buffalo chicken pizza is negotiable.

Quiche- it's like an omelet but with more ingredients, moisture and pie crust. It feels fancy even though it doesn’t cost much to make. I love mine extra meaty and cheesy. I just realized I’ve never had a quiche with a double crust layer…would it still be quiche? I also really like those egg soufflés at Panera Bread. Even the frozen ones are at least decent.

Ribs- Ribs can be messed up easily. Too much sauce, not enough, too salty, too tough. When they’re made correctly, they’re hard to resist. I like it when they are tender and a bit fatty. I like to have the option to have sauce or not because I’m picky about BBQ sauce. I like it smoky and a bit sweet. If the ribs themselves have enough flavor I don’t need sauce. A well-seasoned dry rib doesn’t get enough attention. The best ribs are made by a family member usually. Although TGI Fridays have good ribs, especially with the Jack Daniels sauce.

Seafood- Seafood is probably my favorite protein because I can have it with butter or with most foods really. My top 3 are crab, salmon and lobster. Special mention to shrimp. There’s so much variety it’s hard to get tired of it. The only fish I really don’t care for is tilapia because it doesn’t taste like anything. In sushi I get salmon, spicy tuna or tempura shrimp. If I’m going for fish, it’s salmon. I am obsessed with smoked and cured salmon, that’s something I could eat any time of the day. Now fake seafood… I just can’t do. The texture is always off.

Tea- Like coffee, I drink it every day but I like it hot and iced. My favorite iced tea is Thai or just classic sweet. Chai tea is also a favorite but it can be too spicy sometimes. Actually, I’m not too picky about tea. I currently have regular and some sleepy time tea. I add almond milk to hot or iced tea as well which apparently isn’t that popular. Green tea is my least favorite but iced matcha can help the worst hangovers so it has its place.

Upside down pineapple cake- Where are all the pineapple desserts? It’s hard enough finding it in alcoholic drinks but pineapple is so good. I can have pineapple salsa but not pineapple cake? You can’t even buy it, someone’s aunt or family friend makes it. I haven’t had it in years but I really have been thinking about trying to recreate it or something similar. Maybe a Pina colada type of cake. The fake cherries can go though I don’t want that anywhere near my cake.

Vermont sharp cheddar cheese- I truly love most cheeses but cheddar is the most flexible for my eating habits. It can be used for so many meats and vegetables. Soul food, tex-mex sandwiches, cheese plates, etc. If a cheese plate doesn’t have some sort of cheddar, I feel like it’s unfinished.  I think cheddar cheese should replace American. I can live the rest of my life without eating American cheese.

Wine- Wine is the only type of alcohol that I can finish even if it's not my preference. I prefer a sweeter red wine or a mix of white or dry. However, I can sip on a dry red or use it for sangria. It doesn’t have to be expensive wine either. I love barefoot and cupcake wineries. I actually have never bought a bottle of wine that cost over $15.

X-mas food- Christmas is my favorite food holiday because of the variety. The classics are there but Christmas is where people feel more comfortable bringing other options. My dad does seafood every year. On mom's side there is fried chicken and ribs. I am known for my spinach artichoke dip, sangria, and mac n cheese.

Yolks(runny). Poached eggs are my favorite. I love runny yolk mixing with breakfast meats and starches. At brunch, I'm always looking for the benedicts and the over-easy egg options. I know it can gross people out but I just really like yolks. If they sold just yolks id probably buy it. Even a sunny side up egg with a scramble is a good choice. I don’t make them at home often but I really should make more effort feeding myself breakfast.

Zucchini- Super underrated vegetable. I love it roasted, sautéed and fried. Fried zucchini is probably my favorite fried vegetable variety. It just goes well with so many different flavor profiles and regions. It is also the superior squash. Better than yellow and spaghetti. You can stuff them as well and they work really well for when you’re trying to replace pasta.