My Chip Obsession

I have been meaning to post this much earlier! But, have you seen these? I had the privilege of enjoying them recently. They are really tasty. Chips in general are tasty, but these are really great. After scarfing down a bag with some friends, I wondered, how many different flavors of chips are there that I don't know about? Feeding into my chip obsession, I, of course, had to google it. There are so many. I already knew about Ketchup Chips in Canada and have to say...I have a serious problem with the fact that they are only sold in Canada. WHY? Bring them here, to me, in the US of A! It's not fair! I did recently come upon Dill Pickle chips in Maryland. I thought those were only sold in Canada too. So maybe there's hope that Ketchup Chips are here too...just hidden...in a some remote, unheard of place probably.

So, when googling flavors of chips, I think I stumbled upon a new favorite website....it's Chip Heaven, really. There's just so many I've never even heard of...Balsamic Sweet Onion, Maui Onion, Pepper Relish, Parmesan and Tuscan Herb. Those are just the Lays. There are still the Doritos, Cheetos, Tostitos, Fritos, and SunChips. I feel like FritoLay has been holding out on me. If you have some downtime...I highly suggest checking out their website. A new mission in life for myself: Find all of these flavors. And probably enjoy them with some Cottage Cheese. Don't judge.

My Caramelized Onion Hummus

I tried this hummus at Whole Foods, and was floored. It was soooo good. Like, unexpectedly good. While I love hummus, this was almost a different concept. It was lighter than a normal hummus and more flavorful. It was in their pre-made food section. The name: Caramelized Onion Hummus. I could live in Whole Foods forever. Till I died. Just put a bed and a TV and maybe a tiny Kitchen...and done, I'm all set.

That would probably be a bit outrageous though, and well, expensive. One day, Whole Foods might own me the way I spend money there.

Anyway, I think the flavor in the hummus came from the fact that there was more onion than chickpea. So, of course, I tried to make my own. While not quite like Whole Foods', it was still really good and worth a try. The next time I make it, I will definitely add more onion. I think that in this recipe, there is no limit on the amount of onion you use. The more, the better. Especially if you're an onion lover like myself.

Kathleen's Caramelized Onion Hummus

2 whole yellow onions, chopped
olive oil for caramelizing
1 tablespoon butter for caramelizing also
1 can chickpeas
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 tablespoons tahini
2-3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste




1. Combine butter and olive oil in pan and cook onions. Add salt as desired. Cook until they are a caramel color.

2. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add oil, lemon juice, tahini, salt and pepper as desired.


So the next time you need a crowd pleasing appetizer, just stop by here, and you're all set!

Happy Almost Friday!

Maryland Blue Crabs

Jon and I recently took a day trip to Annapolis, Maryland to enjoy some of Marylanders' favorite - Maryland Blue Crab. We also ventured around the cute town for a little while, but the temperatures weren't really working with us. Luckily, Annapolis is very small, especially when you skip the tour of the Naval Academy. (I felt slightly like a traitor!!)

We asked a security guard what his favorite place to get Blue Crabs was, and he told us it was between Buddy's Crab and Ribs or another one that I am currently not remembering (sorry!). We made it just in time for the raw bar deal, but realized that we really just wanted some crabs. So we ordered this:



Let me tell ya, those suckers are a lot of work! Talk about earning your food! And they are very messy. Not only are they slathered in Old Bay seasoning, but you have to crack them, hammer them, break them, tear them apart...you get the idea. Pretty sure I ate some crab poop too...



Below was my side of the table earlier on in the meal:



This was Jon's side when he was done:



I clearly had some difficulties.

But regardless of the mess and the time it took to eat MOST of the crabs, they were delicious. Just one of the many advantages of living close to the ocean!

Ocean City, MD

There we are. The Dugan clan...in all our glory.

My family and I recently returned home from our summer vacation in Ocean City, MD. It was lovely. I got to spend time with my adorable niece who lives all the way over in Western Michigan, and her dad, Patrick, and my younger brother Andrew who is at West Point, and my parents, who are all the way up in Boston! And Jon, who just moved to Brooklyn, NY this week ;(




Hopefully, we will all live a bit closer one day. But for now...summer vacations and these pictures will have to do.








And for those of you unfamiliar with being "iced", welp, here ya go. Andrew's apparently a pro. Pretty sure Bri, his girlfriend, got him this time. This was maybe his third?





As for the food, I'd say that with Thrashers French Fries soaked in apple cider vinegar, Fisher's Caramel Popcorn , Dumser's ice cream, Kohr's Frozen Custard , The fish tacos Jon and I made, and the well deserved chili cheese fries from The Dough Roller I did pretty well...and that I will be running off the calories for a while! I also had this little treat at a restaurant on the Boardwalk...a Black Velvet (Guiness and Cider, my favorite!):



Now...back to the real world again.

Cheers to happy, sunny summer vacations!

Product Rave: Arctic Zero Ice Cream

It's going to be over 100 degrees in DC tomorrow. I don't know what's going on over here on the East Coast, but it needs to cut.it.out...and chill...literally! There are currently Excessive Heat Watches, Heat Advisories and Air Quality Alerts. Not cool, again, literally.

So what's a girl to do? Eat ice cream. Obviously.

What's a girl, that is going to have to wear a bikini tomorrow here, going to do?

She's going to indulge in this:



Why? Because that whole container of "ice cream" (yes, quotations because it's not REAL ice cream) is 134 calories. That's right. You heard me. 1.3.4. TOTAL. This is the Chocolate Peanut Butter. I've also had the vanilla (with a hint of maple). Vanilla won that battle. But the Mint Chocolate Cookie sounds incredibly refreshing and weather appropriate.

Note, the greatness of this Arctic Zero ice cream is not in taste, but in the quantities that you can consume. Yup, sometimes quantity is better than quality. The "ice cream" is more like a sorbet. So it lacks the creaminess that you would find in a pint of Ben and Jerry's. But, I think it's safe to say that saving yourself somewhere around 1200 calories in one sitting make this pseudo ice cream worth your while.

So, I hope you are able to stumble upon this cold treat, as I did in my small convenient market, and indulge yourself. While you're doing that, I'll be relaxing here:



Peace out!

Hi Ho! Cherry-O

It's cherry season. I think this is the first summer I've truly enjoyed cherries. Personally, I think they are one of the world's greatest fruits. Throw them in a Ziploc bag, carry them to work, and have a sweet, fresh snack whenever you want!

Or...make a pie! Or a salad, or a glaze for pork, or a vinaigrette, or a summery drink, or....I could go on forever. The list is endless. Enjoy them while they last.

Have you Chop't lately?

This is what I do when I don't bring a lunch to work.

1. I get a little excited on the inside that I HAVE to go out for lunch.
2. I get on Chop't's website to plan an awesomely healthy salad.
3. I write the choppings that I want on a sticky note. Yes, I write them down.
4. I look out the window of my office, and assess the line at Chop't, which is usually out the door.
5. I wait in the ridiculous long lines despite their length.
6. In line, I change my mind about a dozen times.
7. I get my salad, pay, and hope that I get a free soda that day on my card...or maybe even a free salad (but THAT I would have known and planned for in advance.)
8. I steal extra salt and pepper packets that I keep at my desk, in case of emergencies.
9. I walk briskly back to my office anticipating my new creation.
10. I discuss with my co-workers what I got, and why we love Chop't so much.
11. I eat it. Usually all of it. And I love it. A LOT.
12. Lastly, I sit at my desk and wish I had created the concept of Chop't.


I love everything about it. The idea, the restaurant set-up, the lettuce options, the way it's chopped, and mostly, the dressings! The one pictured above is really good. It was a mixture of romaine and spinach, chopped with bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, fried onions, and cucumbers. I topped it off with their Spa Dijon dressing, which is a mere 30 calories per serving and delicious.

Unfortunately, Chop't is only located in NYC and DC. So if you're ever around, I suggest you check it out.

I just started following the owners on Twitter. That's what they call devotion...or obsessed.