Stuffed zucchini

I know what you’re thinking… “Zucchini? Is this chick for real? What kind of Fat Kids Club President is she?” Well before you go on, you may or may not have read what the Fat Kids Club is all about. Here’s a refresher: it’s about answering your craving – whatever that craving is at the time. Right now, I want some godforsaken stuffed zucchini. Lucky for me, I have a very talented mother who cooks for fun (and has over 25 years of experience in the restaurant business). Below is her recipe that she so graciously decided to share with the club. Thanks, Mom.

Stuffed Zucchini

Serves 6 (Depending on your fat kid stomachs)

• 3 medium zucchini – washed
• 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
• 4-6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• ¼ cup shredded cheddar
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan
• 1 Tablespoon of Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• ¼ teaspoon of pepper
• 4 Tablespoons of melted butter

Cut zucchini lengthwise, use a spoon to scoop out insides and seeds. Place insides and seeds on cutting board and chop medium-fine. Mix all ingredients except butter well and then add butter and mix again. Place 1/6 of stuffing in each zucchini half. Place on foiled cookie sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Banana Cafe's Key lime crepes.

Key West – the United States’ southernmost point – is well-known to mainlanders for excessive amounts of bars, seafood, and a dessert that is nearly impossible to replicate: Key lime pie.

Earlier this month, I had the esteemed pleasure of taking a long weekend down way way south and indulge in all three of those famous attractions. More than the traditional pie, however, it was the different variations of it that sparked my curiosity.

Banana Café on Duval Street – a French restaurant that offers breakfast until 3 p.m. – has one of those tasty variations: Key lime pie crepes. They’re made with real key lime pie filling and topped with whipped crème, powdered sugar and a piece of lime. Basically, everything you love about Key Lime pie in a crepe. (In case you’ve been living under a rock and don’t know what a “crepe” is, take a lookie here…)

If Key Lime pie isn’t your thing, never fear. The Banana Café also makes at least a dozen other crepes, including both breakfast and dessert variations. Trust me, this place is definitely worth a second visit. I had breakfast there two days in a row.

Back here on the mainland while we’re still trying so hard to perfect the traditional pie, those Key Westerners are having fun making new treats with an old tradition. A few I discovered on my trip were Key lime ice cream, chocolate-dipped key lime pie, and key lime martinis.

Got an original key lime recipe or idea? Share with the group in the comments.

Dori with beautiful brownie goodness.

No. It’s not “just brownies,” it’s a way of life.

For the past 23 years, eating brownies sans nuts was the norm in my household. It wasn’t until I was in college and working in a restaurant when a co-worker told me she was a baker and loved making brownies. And then the weird question arose…

“What do you put in yours?”

Excuse me? What did she just say?

“Oh, umm… you know… eggs, oil, water… brownie mix…”

She laughed and said that when she makes brownies, she likes to add extras to it. I totally didn’t get it.

“I put in all sorts of stuff,” she said. “Like reeses pieces, chocolate chips, nuts… ohhh I love nuts.”

I made that face that a child makes when they smell something funny coming from Grandpa.

…Nuts?

Apparently there was entire world out there that ate nuts in their brownies. I gave it a try with co-worker baker, and wasn’t too happy with them (again, imagine child-like unhappy face). That doesn’t mean, however, I am holding it against anyone who does enjoys nut-filled brownies. I just prefer all desserts – brownies included – to be nut-free (again, my preference).

There’s also apparently a world full of Betty Crocker brownie lovers (maybe it’s all those brownie-nut freaks). I stick to this Duncan Hines chewy fudge recipe for happy fat kid faces.

Am I being close-minded when it comes to brownie options? I may or may not be the only one who prefers them the way they were intended: plain.

What’s your preference? Betty or Duncan? With nuts or without? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment.

Down for the challenge? Just sign at the bottom.

If you’re up for hot sauce challenge, just sign your name at the bottom.

Tijuana Flats Burrito Co. – one South Florida’s most delicious Mexican restaurants ever – doesn’t mess around when it comes to their fond appreciation of the eye-watering, mouth-numbing deliciousness.

Besides the 15 different selections on their hot sauce bar, TF has five that are the VIP of hot sauces – and are only available upon request.

TF South Florida Area Director Gerard Salerno – who is in charge of the eight South Florida locations – says that a signed product disclaimer is required to try any of the selections. You must be at least 18 years of age… and sober. Check out the product disclaimer to the right.

Here’s a little fun fact for you: hot sauce is measured in Scoville units. Tabasco sauce is rated at 2,140 Scoville units. TF’s hottest sauce, Smack My Ass & Call Me Sally…Chet’s Gone Mad, is rated at 1.5 million Scoville units. That’s 700 times hotter than Tabasco sauce, according to the TF website.

And it looks like it’s the company mini-secret. No signs, no promotions, and no ads. Just your word of mouth… and this blog post…

Another fun fact: check out the Guinness World Record winner for hottest pepper!

What’s your favorite Tijuana Flats hot sauce? Share with the group in the comments section!

Hungry Howie's large cheese pizza for just $5 on Wednesdays. Try the flavored crusts, too!

There are $5 footlongs, $5 combo meals, and even $5 cookies that are the size of small children. But nothing beats a $5 large cheese pizza from Hungry Howie’s for a mid-week hunger attack.

Every Wednesday, Hungry Howie’s offers a plain cheese pizza for the same price as a sub at one of those other places. Only in this case, you can feed more people than just yourself… unless you’re, of course, a super-size fat kid and can eat the entire thing.

Don’t do it. Get a pie, with some butter-cheese crust, and give some to a buddy. Even fat kids can share.

Toppings and goodies are extra, of course. With a $5 pie for the night, I’m sure you can splurge on some pepperoni, right?

On Twitter? Follow Hungry Howie’s.

I love you, Monster, no matter how ginormous you are...

Anything that’s named “the Monster” was obviously named for people like me. Rare roast beef, ham, and turkey… it’s like it was created from the Fat Kid Gods above.

Or maybe they’re not above. Maybe they’re the master meat slicers at Laspada’s Original Hoagies who toss sandwich meat like it’s a professional sport rather than building a sub.

But maybe that’s what makes the Monster so godforsaken delicious – the way it’s created. The meat isn’t pre-sliced and in a mini-fridge. It doesn’t sit in a metal bucket on ice. It sits whole, as if you’re at a deli counter, before meat-slicer man creates hoagie sub heaven with his own two hands.

Your special toppings are exactly that: your special toppings. Make it however your little heart desires. But remember the base is exactly like the top. The cut-to-order meat sets the foundation and closes in the extras on the hoagie. Making it, in fact, a monster. Or, in some cases, a bitch. Can you really stuff that that sucker in your mouth?

Exactly. But once you get started, monster hoagie craving takes over and you find yourself unable to stop. I’ve eaten a foot-long to the point of sheer expansion, on the brink of explosion. It’s not a sickness. In fact, I consider it a love – a love of food that only Laspada’s can provide. I’m OK with that realization, as long as the meat slicers keep creating sweet monster sub salvation.

I visit the Coral Springs location on Sample Rd., but click here to see which Broward County shop is closest to you.

Crabby Jack's infamous VooDoo buckets include four different rums.

If it were any cheaper, Crabby Jacks in Deerfield Beach would be paying you to drink.

Every night – yes, including weekends – from 9 p.m. –10 p.m., you can enjoy 69 percent off all drinks. Yes, all drinks. *Yours truly* can enjoy at least half a dozen Jack and Cokes for under $15. That’s more than half of what it costs for a 1.75L bottle of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey sold in stores. Yes, kids, it’s officially cheaper to drink out than it is at home. Just don’t tell my mom that I had six drinks in an hour…

Manager Tommy Caputo says that while they have felt the recession effects like many other local places, they started the special because they wanted to have better deals than there competitors. Despite the dirty minds of management, the special holds true: 69 percent off is one of the cheapest happy hours I’ve ever seen.

“You wont find a better deal in town,” he said. “We’re looking good (during the recession) while others are suffering.”

At some other restaurants and bars, happy hour consists of 2-4-1 single–well–liquor mixed drinks, house wines, and some domestic beers. At Crabby’s, as the regulars call it, even their famous VooDoo bucket – which includes four different types of rum – is discounted during the hour. Normally a $7 drink, the grand total is $2.17 per bucket during the 69 percent off special.

In this economy, it’s OK to be a cheap date. And you don’t have to be at home to do it! Drink on, kids.

Never enough deals, right? Visit SouthFloridaDines.com for $20 gift certificate to Crabby Jack’s that will only cost you $10! (Not valid with any other offers or promotions).

As if 32 original varieties weren’t enough for the Cheesecake Factory signature dessert, they had to add one more.

You may have missed National Cheesecake Day on July 30, but that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the restaurant’s newest cheesecake: Stefanie’s Ultimate Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake. This to-die-for dessert includes layers of Red Velvet Cake, Original Cheesecake, cream cheese frosting and white chocolate shavings.

Is anyone else drooling at this besides me?

And don’t feel guilty about consuming this calorie-packed treat because it’s for a good cause. With each slice of the new cheesecake that is sold over the next 12 months (starting this month), The Cheesecake Factory will donate 25 cents to Feeding America – the nation’s top hunger relief network.

How convenient, right? Save the world while satisfying your sweet tooth.

On Facebook? Become a fan by clicking here.

As if summer wasn’t hot enough in South Florida, Jamba Juice is all about cooling off the fat kids with a smoothie deal everyone can be happy about. Take advantage of the BOGO smoothie sale now through Aug. 9.

Present this coupon until Aug. 9 for a free smoothie with the purchase of one.

Present this snazzy coupon at any participating Jamba Juice locations and then share with the group your favorite smoothie.

Need some help finding one? Good thing they have a store locator.

If it were any regular cheeseburger, I wouldn’t have to talk about it.

But it’s the Cowboy burger from Charm City Burger Co. in Deerfield Beach, and it’s like it was made just for fat kids like me.

I get it sans-sautéed mushrooms, but that doesn’t take away from its awesomeness. It’s also loaded up with sautéed onions, cheddar cheese and thick-cut bacon because, as co-owner Mike Saperstein puts it, “people love bacon.”

That they do. And Saperstein attributes it to how it is prepared.

“It’s thick cut and slow-cooked in the oven,” Saperstein says. “If I’m holding it and it doesn’t stick straight up, it’s no good.”

I’m not going to argue with a man with such passion for bacon, because the man knows how to make a damn good burger. Meat arrives daily from their own meat company in Ft. Lauderdale, Green Range Farms.

But the bacon… don’t forget the bacon. Don’t ever forget the bacon. Because it’s delicious.

If you’re not convinced, follow them on Twitter and look out for their daily specials.