Fast Food and other Monthly Challenges?

Keltin

New member
Gold Site Supporter
I’ve been kicking this idea around for a while. I know we do the weekly IC challenge, but what about a separate monthly challenge that runs for 4 weeks. It would be theme based. Each new month brings a new theme.

To be honest, I haven’t given it much thought beyond what I’d like to do first. I was thinking we ought to have an open 4 week challenge based on “Fast Food”.

In that challenge, you replicate your favorite fast food of all time. If it’s something you have made before and posted here, no big deal, just make it again and post a new picture. For example, I’d re-make my Krystal Chick knock-offs. I’ve posted the recipe and made them twice already, but a third time would be fine with me. And the new pic would go into the Fast Food Challenge (but only the NEW pic).

In the end, we’d have a results thread highlighting how anyone at home can make their favorite fast foods that taste just as good, but are healthier and perhaps even cheaper. At NCT, I’ve seen recipes for Wendy’s Chili, and I think a Big Mac special sauce, and more……

It doesn’t have to be just a drive-thru chain, but also any fast appetizer/snack that you might get at a restaurant such as Sliders from Chili’s, Poppers from Ruby Tuesdays, etc.

Can anyone make waffle fries???? :w00t:

Each month we pick a new theme, and then you have all month to drop something into the challenge. The first month would be fast food based on foods from national chains. If it works, then the next month’s challenge could be something else……Italian cooking, Spanish cooking, Mexican cooking, French Cooking, Soul Food, From the Grill (or smoker), Outdoor Cooking, Vegetarian, Hot & Spicy, Midnight Snacks, TV Dinners, etc, etc, etc. Any conceivable theme.

What do you think? Is there any interest in a monthly Theme challenge? You’d have the whole month to think it over and post your favorites. Heck, more often than not, one of your nightly dinners would fall into the category???

Thoughts?
 

lilbopeep

🌹🐰 Still trying to get it right.
Site Supporter
I’ve been kicking this idea around for a while. I know we do the weekly IC challenge, but what about a separate monthly challenge that runs for 4 weeks. It would be theme based. Each new month brings a new theme.

To be honest, I haven’t given it much thought beyond what I’d like to do first. I was thinking we ought to have an open 4 week challenge based on “Fast Food”.

In that challenge, you replicate your favorite fast food of all time. If it’s something you have made before and posted here, no big deal, just make it again and post a new picture. For example, I’d re-make my Krystal Chick knock-offs. I’ve posted the recipe and made them twice already, but a third time would be fine with me. And the new pic would go into the Fast Food Challenge (but only the NEW pic).

In the end, we’d have a results thread highlighting how anyone at home can make their favorite fast foods that taste just as good, but are healthier and perhaps even cheaper. At NCT, I’ve seen recipes for Wendy’s Chili, and I think a Big Mac special sauce, and more……

It doesn’t have to be just a drive-thru chain, but also any fast appetizer/snack that you might get at a restaurant such as Sliders from Chili’s, Poppers from Ruby Tuesdays, etc.

Can anyone make waffle fries???? :w00t:

Each month we pick a new theme, and then you have all month to drop something into the challenge. The first month would be fast food based on foods from national chains. If it works, then the next month’s challenge could be something else……Italian cooking, Spanish cooking, Mexican cooking, French Cooking, Soul Food, From the Grill (or smoker), Outdoor Cooking, Vegetarian, Hot & Spicy, Midnight Snacks, TV Dinners, etc, etc, etc. Any conceivable theme.

What do you think? Is there any interest in a monthly Theme challenge? You’d have the whole month to think it over and post your favorites. Heck, more often than not, one of your nightly dinners would fall into the category???

Thoughts?
hmmmmmmmmmmmmm i don't know how to make any fast foods things per say but would be interested to see what you all come up with.
 

Deelady

New member
I would be interested only thing is I would imagine I wouldnt be able to participate much starting next month......be interesting to see though!
 

lilbopeep

🌹🐰 Still trying to get it right.
Site Supporter
I would be interested only thing is I would imagine I wouldnt be able to participate much starting next month......be interesting to see though!
yes i would also.

i would be able to participate in other catagories more. i am not really that interested in duplicating fast food. my family likes it more than i do, i usually get something and either give it to someone. i like more of the take out stuff like chinese, subs, chicken and pizza and restaurant food.
 

Sass Muffin

Coffee Queen ☕
Gold Site Supporter
Buy some hamburger.
Have some lettuce, cheese,pickles, onions and sesame seed buns on hand.
Don't forget the thousand island dressing to make Big Macs.

It's easy to make Taco Hell stuff. Done it a million times.

I've already got the recipe for KFC chicken, Popeyes biscuits, KFC coleslaw...

This would be fun, but I don't think I'll take part.
 

lilbopeep

🌹🐰 Still trying to get it right.
Site Supporter
Buy some hamburger.
Have some lettuce, cheese,pickles, onions and sesame seed buns on hand.
Don't forget the thousand island dressing to make Big Macs.

It's easy to make Taco Hell stuff. Done it a million times.

I've already got the recipe for KFC chicken, Popeyes biscuits, KFC coleslaw...

This would be fun, but I don't think I'll take part.
KFC 11 herbs and spices? share?
 

JoeV

Dough Boy
Site Supporter
I cook real food so I don't have to consume that stuff. I call it road food, and when I come home I want home food. Sorry, no interest here. I'm not one who has cravings for fast food. My last food craving was satisfied on Thursday when I made myself some Hungarian Hurka (rice) sausage and home fried potatoes. Right now I'm craving smoked Slovenian sausage and sauerkraut. I'm also salivating for a good goose liver sandwich on fresh Italian bread with Hellman's Real Mayo and a thick slice of Bermuda onion (can you tell I'm not actively dating?). Anyone up for a ketchup sandwich on white bread? That was a treat as a kid. We were poor and didn't even know it. I'm babbling, aren't I? Ok, bye, bye.
 

Keltin

New member
Gold Site Supporter
I cook real food so I don't have to consume that stuff. I call it road food, and when I come home I want home food. Sorry, no interest here. I'm not one who has cravings for fast food. My last food craving was satisfied on Thursday when I made myself some Hungarian Hurka (rice) sausage and home fried potatoes. Right now I'm craving smoked Slovenian sausage and sauerkraut. I'm also salivating for a good goose liver sandwich on fresh Italian bread with Hellman's Real Mayo and a thick slice of Bermuda onion (can you tell I'm not actively dating?). Anyone up for a ketchup sandwich on white bread? That was a treat as a kid. We were poor and didn't even know it. I'm babbling, aren't I? Ok, bye, bye.


Fast Food was only one of the proposed monthly challenges.

There could be more.

But, with such feed back as yours, why the hell should I or anybody bust their ass to make sure lists are done and posts are made to make sure weekly and monthly fun shit happens here.

So forget it. Thanks for you input.
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Each month we pick a new theme, and then you have all month to drop something into the challenge. .......Italian cooking, Spanish cooking, Mexican cooking, French Cooking, Soul Food, From the Grill (or smoker), Outdoor Cooking, Vegetarian, Hot & Spicy, Midnight Snacks, TV Dinners, etc, etc, etc. Any conceivable theme.

The other categories appeal more to me, K, than Fast Food, but I'm liking the idea a lot!

Different from the Iron Chef challenges, where we have one featured ingredient to use in a dish in a week, this would be a country, a region, a technique, a GENRE (love that word!) to experiment with. And a whole month to do it!

Be fun to research a cuisine and see what people come up with for different courses.

How about GREEK????!!

Lee
 

lilbopeep

🌹🐰 Still trying to get it right.
Site Supporter
The other categories appeal more to me, K, than Fast Food, but I'm liking the idea a lot!

Different from the Iron Chef challenges, where we have one featured ingredient to use in a dish in a week, this would be a country, a region, a technique, a GENRE (love that word!) to experiment with. And a whole month to do it!

Be fun to research a cuisine and see what people come up with for different courses.

How about GREEK????!!

Lee
YUP I AGREE!!


Greek I just did greek!! LOL well I tried to.






ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm I know there is a bad joke in there somewhere!! LOL
 
K

Kimchee

Guest
I think what might have been missed with the "Fast Food" idea is that we
make them all the time...

Who doesn't make burgers, tacos, pizzas, wings, fried chicken, and such all the
time at home?

I interpreted Fast Food to be more "Here's how I do a Big Mac" or "A taco"....

I happily admit that I am PROUD of my version of the Mushroom Swiss Burger..
it's fattening, sloppy and oh sooooo goooood!
and of my version of a Supreme Pizza (which is a darn decent jazzed up WalMart
take and bake pizza.) And I do a pretty good jalapeno popper, too... except mine
have some jalapeno flavor and bite to them.
And so on.

So don't go dissing Fast Food cuz it's not good enough for us... sure it is!

In fact.... Here is MY version of those Fast Food (TGIF's?) Flautas.
I used flour tortillas, a homemade carnita filling, and made my own
jalapeno guacamole sour cream dipping sauce and fresh simple salsa.

See? Bet there's a fair number of others out there with Fast Food already
in their picture files.....
:) :)
Now I am really in the mood for a Hardee's Thickburger...
 

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lilbopeep

🌹🐰 Still trying to get it right.
Site Supporter
I think what might have been missed with the "Fast Food" idea is that we
make them all the time...

Who doesn't make burgers, tacos, pizzas, wings, fried chicken, and such all the
time at home?

I interpreted Fast Food to be more "Here's how I do a Big Mac" or "A taco"....

I happily admit that I am PROUD of my version of the Mushroom Swiss Burger..
it's fattening, sloppy and oh sooooo goooood!
and of my version of a Supreme Pizza (which is a darn decent jazzed up WalMart
take and bake pizza.) And I do a pretty good jalapeno popper, too... except mine
have some jalapeno flavor and bite to them.
And so on.

So don't go dissing Fast Food cuz it's not good enough for us... sure it is!

In fact.... Here is MY version of those Fast Food (TGIF's?) Flautas.
I used flour tortillas, a homemade carnita filling, and made my own
jalapeno guacamole sour cream dipping sauce and fresh simple salsa.

See? Bet there's a fair number of others out there with Fast Food already
in their picture files.....
:) :)
Now I am really in the mood for a Hardee's Thickburger...
i've never had those. they look good, what exactly is it?
 
K

Kimchee

Guest
Basically, a Flauta is a flour tortilla wrapped around a meat filling, then fried.
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Basically, a Flauta is a flour tortilla wrapped around a meat filling, then fried.

Those look FANTASTIC, Kimchee!

Kinda look like some big, meaty-marrowed bones!

Yummmmm!

Lee
 

Deelady

New member
No empanadas are much bigger like a fried pocket and are mostly made from a dough of some sorts...flautas are long and tightly rolled like a huge cigar.
 
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Deelady

New member
NP! Kimchees flautas already had me drooling!! Chicken flautas were always my top favorite when I had Mexican food! IMO its not easy to find a good one!
 

Cooksie

Well-known member
Site Supporter
I like the idea. We do fast food type things all the time. I would like to try to duplicate Chili's Southwestern egg rolls, Jason's Deli's muffaletta, Schlotzsky's original sandwich, and Chili's awesome blossom and sauce, just to name a few.

My take on an old-fashioned burger (not really based on any particular restaurant burger):



IMG_0639.jpg
 

JoeV

Dough Boy
Site Supporter
Fast Food was only one of the proposed monthly challenges.

There could be more.

But, with such feed back as yours, why the hell should I or anybody bust their ass to make sure lists are done and posts are made to make sure weekly and monthly fun shit happens here.

So forget it. Thanks for you input.
Touched a nerve, did I?
 
Interesting concept. To take it a step further, how about How you turned a fast food dish you like into a Healthy dish, i.e. cutting the fat etc. Sort of a cooking light version - a recipe makeover. I only see a Diet catagory here, but would like more input on Healthy food/dishes.
 

VeraBlue

Head Mistress
Gold Site Supporter
Sure, I'm up for more challenges, especially when I don't have to 'get'er done' in a week!

If you are looking for additional ideas, I used to do 'road trip usa' when I worked at a couple of different accounts. I'd pick a city and create a menu with foods that particular city was famous for.

Thanks for the idea:thumb:
 
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