By CJ Tiernan Since the beginning of time, bags of chips have served humanity as loyal side dishes. They've walked hand in hand with a cold sandwich inside a lunch box, presented a splash of color at picnics and barbecues, and waded through the cartoon-fueled waters of after-school snacks. They are crunchy and delightful and always welcome (except for maybe inside a library. Shhhh!). While it can be difficult to select a bag of chips in the grocery aisle due to sheer volume,

By CJ Tiernan I am writing this on Thanksgiving, so I figure it is an appropriate topic. We all have traditions we keep on Thanksgiving and different dishes we serve. While the world seems to be a more global society every single day, it is still fun to look back at the foods that someone first whipped up within the confines of the contiguous 48. Plus, your boy is into dessert. Like, big time into dessert. Much like the black box, I wonder why we don't make the whole meal out

By CJ Tiernan In honor of Thanksgiving this week, I have decided to create a list of my favorite American foods. These are foods that were invented here in the United States, as opposed to imported or transplanted. Some of these are next door neighbors to foods from other countries, but that's what makes America great. We are one big melting pot for global cultures. Nevertheless, it is fun to think there are some traditions that are inherent to this land (America. It's beauti

By CJ Tiernan By en:User:Daderot., CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons You remember that food pyramid thing? It had the 7-11 servings of grains at the bottom and then worked its way up to all the good stuff you were only supposed to indulge in with extreme moderation. Feh! What did they know? Well, the fruit was near the bottom, just above the grain and it is actually delicious (unlike its next-door neighbor: vegetables). Below

By CJ Tiernan It has been said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The proverbial foundation upon which the rest of the day is built. For some, that foundation is simply a cup of coffee (or one of those things you buy at a coffee store that has coffee in it but the dominant ingredient is like sugar or whipped cream or something). For others, it may be a smörgåsbord of proteins like eggs, bacon, and sausage. I love all sorts of breakfast options. In fact, I'm

By CJ Tiernan The smell of a freshly baked cookie makes the mouth water and the mind wander. It can take you back to Grandma's kitchen, as a child so small you held the cookie with both hands. Maybe you buried it up to your knuckles in milk. Maybe you even helped make the batter or spoon the batter onto a tray. A cookie is the perfect vessel for a shot of sugar or a batch of butter. It warms the heart and slaps a smile on your face. Here are my top 11 favorite cookies. 1. Sug