foodbuzzin’…and my favorite meals of late

I woke up to a wonderful post-birthday surprise this morning—my recent post on delicious Cuban sandwich spot Paseo made the Foodbuzz Top 9!

See right there? Yeah, I’m #2. I was at #1 for a while, but Food and Style with their roasted baby red potatoes had to go and knock me off my throne. Damn potatoes. But I’m comfortable with being second place. You know why? Lowered expectations.

Take, for instance, winning a baby red potato sack race. You win first place one year at the company picnic, build up a fan base who make t-shirts and a Facebook club, and then next year you have to win that damn race. Because if you didn’t, then you would be that gal (don’tcha remember?) who won that baby red potato sack race that one time. If you never won at all, then there’s nowhere to go but up.

See? Logic. It’s so comforting. Since I’m only #2, I can only get better. My posts will only grow cheesier and more random (which is undoubtedly why you all read this silly blog in the first place). My recipes will grow swankier (I’ll plate my next batch of cupcakes with solid gold). And the next thing you know, I’ll be rollin’ in an Escalade with diamonds on my teeth and Hypnotiq in my Big Gulp.

I think big, my friends.

So while I was daydreaming about all this gangsta style that Foodbuzz will surely bring my way, I also got to thinking about some other big hits that we’ve had around here at RDG. Or what I consider to be hits.

Okay, they’re not really hits at all. Just meals or recipes that I’ve drooled over more than normal.

Greek yogurt and honey pie. Creamy, dreamy, lighter-than-air filling on a crispy graham cracker crust. Five pounds of it are residing on my butt as we speak.

Vietnamese beef stew (bo kho). My pal Nancy’s recipe was a killer—smoky spice, tender morsels of meat and savory carrots in one satisfying stew.

Pork tenderloin with caramelized balsamic pears. Moist pork, tangy pears and a whole lotta lovin.

Girl scout cookie cupcakes. Just trust me on this one.

Momofuku pork buns. There are no words, except: eat these now.

And finally, simple roast chicken. A classic to write home about. Stuffed with lemon and rosemary, it’s the easiest kind of perfection there is.

And there you have it, folks: the recent recipes that are to blame for my girlish figure, or lack thereof. I’m off to recoup from a heck of a thursday and prepare for a 80′s-themed roller rink riot this evening. I will be showing off said girlish figure in rainbow leopard print tights, a jumpsuit, and entirely too much neon.

Thanks all for the kind birthday wishes and for being the most awesome readers a gal could ask for. Husband and I will get around to tweaking some design elements gone awry on the blog this weekend, so thanks for hanging tight while we iron this new look out.

And to the lovely Food and Style: no hard feelings. Just jealous feelings. And hungry-for-roasted-potatoes feelings.

TGIF!

-RDG

Update: Today my Greek Yogurt and Honey Pie made #1! Thanks to all my Foodbuzz friends and all of you awesome readers!