1. Chicken Surprise. An original recipe by my mom. Crescent roll dough, cream cheese, chives, chicken, butter, and breadcrumbs. Little dumplings of delightful awesomeness covered with cream of mushroom soup. DELIGHTFUL! Especially when paired with those green beans with slivered almonds from the freezer section and that magical flavored chicken rice from a box.
2. Sugar Cookies from the Junior League of Salt Lake City cookbook. These things are so melty delicious they dissolve in magical goodness in your mouth. Like...MELT. So darn good. My grandma and aunt have recipes in that cookbook. It is a little bit of historical awesomeness.
3. KFC Original Recipe. One of my favorite memories is of our entire family going on a Father’s Day picnic with my real dad (he committed suicide when I was 6). He would play softball and everyone was there and he was happy. We were all happy. I love that coleslaw and those biscuits. There are never enough of those damn biscuits.
4. Beer. Cheap ass beer. PBR. Bud Light. Cheap ass shitty beer reminds me of my favorite times with my friends either at The Cotton Bottom in Salt Lake City or camping in the mountains and the desert. Cheap beer transports me to beautiful memories of absolute freedom in nature.
5. The cake my Aunt Nancy used to make me for my birthday. Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. I think she used Duncan Hines. Regardless she would put these beautiful marigolds on my cake every year and I loved it so much. It was made with so much love it never tastes the same any other time of year.
6. Oysters on the half shell with really amazing champagne. The best dates of my life have been with James Thomas Kelly where we would eat dozens of oysters and drink too much champagne. It was wonderful. We would stay at The Oyster Bar for hours and hours.
7. Strawberry shortcake made from Bisquick. Homemade whipped cream and fresh strawberries. My mom used to make that for us all the time in the summer. It always made me feel so loved.
8. Apricot jam. My grandpa used to make the most amazing things. Miniature Barbie hangers and apricot jam. His apricot jam would go on cottage cheese after dinner. It felt like a sweet grandpa hug. I miss him so much.
9. Peanut butter and raisin sandwich on Jack Sprat bread lightly toasted. My grandma used to make this for me at lunch with a banana and skim milk with an ice cube. Every time I smell that bread I am transported back to her kitchen and her softer than soft hands. She was my angel on earth. I miss her so much.
10. Speaking of raisins. They don’t go in oatmeal cookies but chocolate chips do. I make the best damn oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. I mean they are like a little orgasm in a cookie. They are divine. So damn good.