JeffB wrote:Italco's site says they've been making frozen food since 1927.

I read that too and found it quite surprising. In a 1980s interview, Iltaco's owner made no mention of frozen food. His description of the business in its early days makes it seem unlikely as well. The Illinois Tamale Company sold tamales, hot dogs, condiments and cooking gas to pushcart vendors who would assemble each morning at the factory door. It sounds like it was quite a small operation, . . .

happy_stomach wrote:Iltaco, the supposed inventor of pizza puffs

. . . small until the introduction of the Pizza Puff that is. The owner didn't claim to have invented the Pizza Puff (a name now trademarked by Iltaco), only to have perfected and popularized it. Obviously, nailing down the origins of any stuffed and fried Italianesque pastry is a tricky business but figuring out the first business in Chicago to stuff pizza goop into a flour tortilla should be a little easier. In the late 1970s the Illinois Tamale Company made an improved version of the reportedly popular "Italian Taco" fast food treat manufactured by another Chicago company (which went out of business shortly after). Pizza Puffs soon outsold tamales and eventually Iltaco stopped selling their original product. I see from their website they have resumed production of tamales.

dansch wrote:Any tips on really good ones? I see mentions on LTH of Albano's and Damenzo’s, but not a whole lot of detail.

There's only one Pizza Puff™, made by Iltaco*. I don't know which hot dog stand does the best job of frying them up. I'm sure there are similar competing products as well but I'm not familiar with them. Damenzo's (2324 W Taylor) makes what they call pizza puffs but I'd call them calzones. In this city of few calzone options, you can do a lot worse. I know nothing of Albano's.

* According to their website Iltaco stuffs the Puffs with many fillings including ham & cheese as well as "taco."

Store bought pumpkin pie + vanilla ice cream + blender; top with cool whip...





Hey, if DQ doesn't want to make their pumpkin pie blizzard a year-round thing, I'll make my own.

SCUBAchef wrote:One of my Dad’s weird ones was a big glass (~qt size) containing several slices of torn-up white bread topped off with milk, then eaten with a spoon.

Hey, that reminds me of my dad! Only he would crumble up cornbread and top it off with buttermilk. He also dumped M&Ms into Pepsi.

Chicago Expat wrote:Store bought pumpkin pie + vanilla ice cream + blender; top with cool whip...Hey, if DQ doesn't want to make their pumpkin pie blizzard a year-round thing, I'll make my own.

Oh, wow, that looks tasty. I can't wait til Thanksgiving now!

All this talk about PB and bacon reminded me of trying a hamburger with peanut butter on it after hearing about a place on the East Coast that did that. Something about a juicy hamburger intertwined with creamy peanut butter that made it soo good.

Grilled Cheese sandy with gyro meat piled on there from Mr. Greek. Doesn't get much better than that and surprisingly healthy too!!

Bologna sandwich on wonder bread, with cool ranch doritos.

lookjerk wrote:Bologna sandwich on wonder bread, with cool ranch doritos.

Are those Doritos on the side, or in the sandwich? I'm a big fan of layering chips into my sandwiches.

Years ago, my husband and I were reigning champions in a live version of "The Newlywed Game" called "The Oldieweds." In one round, the question, "What food is your guilty pleasure?" was a tie-breaker.

The men had answered the question as they thought their wives would, and then we women were brought back to give our replies. When it got to my turn, I thought and thought about what Himself might have said, but I really couldn't think of any one food that fit. Finally, I just blurted out the truth:

"I never feel guilty about food."

We won.

The "Elvis" at Kopi cafe -- peanut butter and banana panini (with a touch of honey), served with a side of potato chips. And a cup of hot sipping chocolate -- the consistency is, well, inconsistent. But I like it when it's almost like warm pudding.

Pizza puff bump! The restaurant in my place of employment just began selling two pizza puffs, fries and a drink (Iltaco, deep-fried, according to my sources in the kitchen ) for $3.99. Sausage only. Pair this with the throwback Pepsi, Mountain Dew, and heritage Dr. Pepper available in the employee lounge (but not the restaurant, sadly) and Cabela's in Hammond, IN (yes, the outdoor sports store) is fast becoming a guilty pleasure culinary mecca! I've never had a pizza puff before, but I have no excuse now, after all this hubbub.

Homemade pimento cheese on saltines with just a touch of crunchy fleur de sel on top, washed down with ice cold diet coke!!!

Hostess Chocolate Pudding Pie. I couldn't resist after not have one for so many years.

Blown Z wrote:Hostess Chocolate Pudding Pie. I couldn't resist after not have one for so many years.

Just don't read the nutrition facts. Or the ingredients list. Don't even turn it over.

I was going to put this in the Worst Thing... thread, but this is not the worst thing as I liked it more than I should have. The mozzarella stick at Leona's on Sheridan was one of the oddest things I've had recently. It was HUGE, first off, and the breading was unusual, like crushed corn flakes. It was impossible to pick up without it oozing through my fingers and it should have been eaten with a fork, thus dipping was impossible. I asked the waitress what they used on the outside and she said it was regular breading...bullshit! said I. Inwardly. No matter, I wanted seconds.

Right now my guilty pleasure is a glass of real thick grass fed chocolate milk that I get from Whole Foods, cannot remember name of the company. But it's really thick and filling, I usually have a glass for breakfast or right before bed.

But one of my all time favorites are Hostess Snowballs, remember those? Man they were so good. As well, I'm a sucker for the 7/11 slurpees. As a kid, I would have several a week, just realizing why I've had so many cavities, but now every once in a while I will get a small one when I need a little break at work.

Blown Z wrote:Hostess Chocolate Pudding Pie

Basically all Hostess products. Twinkies, Ding-Dongs, Suzie Q's, Fruit Pies. We were seven kids, and my dad never made a run to the store without my mom making him take a kid with him to get one off her hands. He allowed himself few pleasures - a two-pack of Twinkies, one for you, one for me. They remind me of him.

Shaggywillis wrote:But one of my all time favorites are Hostess Snowballs, remember those?

I still get those from time to time. I love the many different ways they can package the Cupcake. Suzy Qs, HoHos, Ding Dongs, they're all the same, but the brightly colored coconut gets me every time.

but the brightly colored coconut gets me every time

yes!!!

I just walked to the closest 7/11 to me to look for the snowballs, but they didn't have them. So I settled for a Barq's root beer slurpee and some Reese's cups.

Shaggywillis wrote:

Barq's root beer slurpee

Where is this 7/11?? I must try one of these. All I've ever seen is the Coke.

I don't know why, but as of late, I have been on a cheap-ass Ramen noodle kick.
You know the kind, the 3 oz. brick 25 cent variety ( mostly salt flavoring )

I know these things suck, but they are very convenient!

Where is this 7/11?? I must try one of these. All I've ever seen is the Coke.

Lake and Franklin.

Sweetened condensed milk out of the can.

Coconut milk (or better yet, cream) out of the can!

Shaggywillis wrote:Right now my guilty pleasure is a glass of real thick grass fed chocolate milk that I get from Whole Foods, cannot remember name of the company. But it's really thick and filling, I usually have a glass for breakfast or right before bed.

YUM. I need to get to Whole Foods pronto. The other day, I shamelessly got a Yoo-Hoo. Hadn't had a bottle of Yoo-Hoo since I was about 14. Used to slurp them up after school on a much too routine basis.

-Matt

All this Thanksgiving talk reminded me of my sister-in-law's treat a few years back: Broccoli Castlerole, made with White Castle burgers and other convenience foods. I hate White Castle, but I loved this.
http://www.whitecastle.com/food/recipes ... castlerole

And speaking of the pumpkin pie blizzard/shake thing upthread...awesome idea. I made a pumpkin pie the other day and after it finished cooling I realized I never added sugar. So...

A McDonald's Cheeseburger (or several)

Kraft Macaroni and Cheese with Peas and Ketchup.

Little Debbie Oatmeal Cremes.

---- I try to avoid that stuff....but it draws me.....

Oh, Halloween. You make me crave candy bars like no other holiday. This year it's Milky Way Simply Caramel. It doesn't make sense - I can have better caramel and better chocolate in a heartbeat; all I want is that crap.

Pie Lady wrote:

Shaggywillis wrote:Hostess Snowballs

brightly colored coconut

In a similar vein, Raspberry Zingers
can scratch that same itch.

I love those...I remember when they made their debut. They are much better than the vanilla and chocolate counterparts. But back in my day, we didn't have the flying version.

Philly Cheese Steak Egg Rolls. (Please take the minute needed to absorb that; go ahead.) This crunchy, crusty, casein clogged comestible is served piping hot and drippy at the lobby bar in the (actually rather cool) atrium of the Ameristar casino in East Chicago. Simultaneously the best and worst thing I've eaten in months, it tastes nothing like either of its namesakes. It is served in gut-busting portions. And yes, you will eat all of it.

Also Hostess pies, McDonalds double burger and fries as well as their Angus wrap. Dunkin donuts coffee with one double chocolate frosted and one custard filled with chocolate frosting.