tiggerprr’s scratching post

One guess… more to follow soon!

I love the Sonic Drive In. There’s no question that some days, a gooey cheese-topped order of tater tots and a yummy cheeseburger really hits the spot. But that’s not what I’m having a problem with that might require intervention.

It’s the Real Fruit Pineapple Slush. It’s more than just a great drink on a hot day, it’s a snack too. There are so many chunks of fresh pineapple in it! You literally can suck a frozen piece of pineapple-ly goodness in every sip. Who am I kidding? I don’t sip this drink, I devour it. It’s soooooo tasty. There really aren’t even words that I could use that would adequately describe my love for this drink.

You should go try one. Now.

Crossposted from Hello!Food

As summer draws to a close, many states across the country are celebrating their State Fairs. With that, comes competitions for the best pickles, the best cows, the best sheep, well you get the idea. The masses swell for concerts by favorite artists, to ride the rides, get creeped out by the fair game carnies and to view the spectacle that is the Butter Cow, if you’re at the Iowa State Fair. But let’s face the facts, you and I both know the real reason that anyone vists the State Fair is the food.
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Now, I’m not one that will argue that fast food, ie. McD’s, Burger King, and all of that ilk, are good for you. I’m simply not that dumb. However, I find crap like this to be annoying. Why? Because you have a choice.

You can choose not to order the Triple Yummy Heartstopping Burger of Death with Ginormous-size fries and the Big Bubba Pop (Yes, I said pop, because soda is what you put in your fridge to keep it smelling nice!). Or you can choose to order the Heartstoppers Super Duper Non-Value Meal and stick your foot one inch further into the grave.

Myself, I enjoy a yummy cheeseburger w/fries and a regular Coke. I can’t help myself. I always feel like crap after I eat them, but hey, I’d rather die because I enjoyed my food than to eat or drink chemicals (diet pop with whatever chemical of the day is en vogue). Everything should be within reason. That’s the problem, it’s not just the food choices that we make, it’s the sheer volume that we consume that is the problem. I must admit there are times where I WANT, no, NEEEEEEED that 42oz caffeine buzz in a cup just to make it through the day without just smacking someone.

But, is it really the responsiblity of the restaurant industry to limit people’s choices like some sort of food parent? I think not. If you can’t help yourself but to order the triple sized whatever you’re ordering, then isn’t that just a bit like natural selection taking you out of the gene pool a little bit earlier, thus strengthening it for the future?

What do you kind folks think? Is it the restaurant industry’s responsibility, or do you think you should be forced to wear the big girl/boy pants and police yourselves?

For more great posts about food, with recipes and general culinary mayhem, visit: Hello! Food

Personal to Desert Songbird: Why, yes…someone is home! (For a few minutes anyway, hehe.) See, I’m even posting!

So, along with a whole bunch of people, I watched last week’s “Idol Gives Back” special shows. I have to admit, that although I do feel compassion for the plight of those less fortunate than I am, I am not often moved to tears when it is not people in my own little community. In fact, I am more apt to get upset over the mistreatment or misfortunes that befall our furry friends than other humans. I’m not sure why, I’m not a mean person, I’m just wired that way. This special though, really struck all three of us and in fact, all three of us found ourselves wiping tears away and I know I heard sniffling. Seeing the softer side of Simon was sort of touching too. We voted for the first time this season, to help do our part to help give a little.

Homelessness and hunger are a much larger problem in our country than most people realize. What’s almost worse is how many “working homeless” people there are. I was shocked to learn when I lived in Springfield, IL that in a town of approximately 100,000 people, 400 people (mostly women and children) had no place to call home and either bounced from home to home of friends/relatives or vyed for one of the limited spaces in the various homeless shelters available to help them. It’s disturbing to me that families, who have jobs, can’t afford to pay for a roof over their heads. It affected my heart profoundly when I met with the director of one of those shelters to find out how serious the problem was in what was then the town I called home. I also realized that until I met her, I didn’t see the face of homelessness, aside from the one or two people I’d seen while driving through the “downtown” area. I now know, that even though I can’t always see it, no matter where I go, there is a homelessness problem. Don’t even get me started on hunger and the statistics of how many kids go to school hungry…

I never thought that American Idol would ever make me really think…but it sure did last week. How did it affect you if you watched it? Something to think about for sure, eh?

Because I clearly spend way too much time writing things at this blog (yes, that’s sarcasm! LOL)…I have become a contributing writer to Hello! Food. I haven’t written anything there yet, except a couple comments. So don’t feel neglected, I’m neglecting my duties there moreso than the ones here. I’m just incapable of saying, “No!” to my friend Yoshi.

Anywho…go visit, there’s yummy recipes and lord knows, lots of talk about food. Yoshi has the power…the power to make me hungry within 10 sentences. He does it every time I talk to him…it’s a wonder I’m not as big as a house!.

You’ll also notice that my good friend, Mert of Almost Somewhat Positive, is also a contributing writer. She’s such a busy bee in the blogosphere!