Earlier in the week I shared a recipe for Spam Hash and Grits, because I stocked up on said canned product during the grocery shopping craze when all this madness began. Of course, now I’m left with all this Spam and I’m running out of ideas on how to cook it up. The classic pan fried with eggs is good yes, but you can only take so much before things get a little boring. Spam fried rice is also yesterday’s news. So I thought it would be a great idea to share some new and exciting Spam recipes on this here blog. I don’t know about any of you, but I’ve now entered the phase of this quarantine where all I really want is some good ol’ trusty comfort food. Some fun grub that just hits the spot, without taking too much time to make. That’s where these Spam Corn Dogs come in. They’re fun. They’re exciting. They’re out of this world. And they’re just what we need during all this craziness. Trust me.
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I don’t eat vegan food at all, and actually try to avoid it like the plague as much as possible, but I am understanding of other people’s dietary restrictions. I’m also very aware that fresh seafood can be somewhat expensive, especially if you’re needing a lot of it for something like ceviche. You definitely need the top quality stuff for a dish like this. So keeping that in mind, this vegan cauliflower ceviche is the way to go if you’re watching your wallet and watching what you’re eating. Cauliflower is the perfect vegetable to make this with because it’s hearty and “meaty” and has a really good texture when slightly cooked. Everything else is prepared like a traditional Peruvian ceviche, and it’s out of this world. So much so that you won’t even miss the seafood. It’s a great dish to make this weekend to help cool you down. If I came across more dishes like this, I wouldn’t mind eating vegan more often. 
I love me some nachos. I’ll rephrase that though and say that I love me some really good nachos. You might think I don’t have much to say about the subject—because how much can a person really talk about chips loaded with cheese and topped with everything—but you’d be surprised. I have many opinions when it comes to this dish. I’d like to think they are very valid opinions, mostly about what it takes to make a really good nacho. There are multiple components that must be checked off in order to meet my high nacho expectations. The first most important step is homemade tortilla chips. You want a good firm tortilla chip that will hold up to all of the toppings. Jules and I once went to a “nice” bar where they had their “famous” nachos on the menu and so we ordered them, but before we did we asked the waitress how they were, and she said they were absolutely delicious and one of her favorites on the menu. So we ordered them and out comes this sad looking pile of chips (on a paper boat plate thing) and the chips, I kid you not, were those store-bought round bright yellow Mission tortilla chips, but probably not even Mission brand at a all and just some bootleg version of them. It was the saddest sight I’ve ever seen in my life. I went from being very excited to extremely disappointed in a split of a second, all because of the chips. Like I said, chips are very important. P.S. I was hesitant to order anything else, and before I ordered the chicken croquettes I asked her again what she thought of them and she responded with “they’re just like the nachos, SO GOOD.” Just like the nachos. 
I still haven’t given up on this Italian kick I’ve been on lately, and I’m definitely not complaining about it because I’ve been stepping out of my comfort zone and cooking new things. I’m hispanic and so I’m no stranger to rice. I could literally eat rice every single day and never get tired of it. So it’s no surprise that I’ll take any excuse to eat it in any way I can. With that being said, arancini have got to be my favorite Italian appetizer. Whenever I see it on any menu, I automatically get excited because there is nothing better than balls made of rice, stuffed with cheese, dredged and then fried until crispy. Am I right, or am I right? It’s completely out of this world. It’s like a euphoric experience. Surprisingly light, yet filling with just the right amount of decadence. I’m trying hard to sell this dish to you, but really, we all know that I don’t have to try that hard at all because look at them! They basically sell themselves. 
I love a good mash-up recipe first thing in the morning, don’t you? It’s a great way to get us through the work week, and have us looking forward to the weekend. This mash-up in particular is here to prompt us to start discussing game-day appetizers and snacks. It’s never too early to start planning our menu. Take it from me, the earlier you start the better. Also, it’s never about the sports themselves, it’s more about what you’re serving. Dips are the perfect game day appetizer because they feed a crowd, they’re easy to make, can be made ahead of time, and almost always involve loads of melted cheese. That’s never a bad thing in my book. I’m taking the classic chicken parmesan and turning it into a delicious, and I’m warning you now, incredibly addictive dip. You’re going to want to eat it by the boatload. I recommend making it a few times before the big day, you know so that way you can really perfect it before you serve it to your guests, and of course eating it a few times is the main objective. 
Don’t let anyone tell you that nachos can or should only be the Mexican variety. Tortilla chips with cheese sauce, some beef or chicken, salsa and guacamole sure is great and all, I’m the first to order it whenever I can, but maybe it’s time for nachos to get a Mediterranean makeover. Maybe it’s time they move over. Maybe we all need to back off Tex-Mex nachos for a bit, and think outside of the appetizer box. These Greek Nachos are nachos new and improved. Nachos 2.0. The new way we nacho this summer. If you’re a big fan of Mediterranean flavors like I am, then you’re going to love these, I promise. There’s no need to even think about it any longer. It’s a yes and yes again. It’s like that one time when I made 
