You know, those days? When all you want to do is curl up in a ball in your sweats, sleep, watch some terrible Netflix movies and ask yourself why life can’t be like a Julia Roberts movie. (In fact, I’m having one of those days right now.) But those days are never quite complete without that pint of Ben and Jerrys, that pizza with pineapple, or tortilla chips and salsa.

Comfort food. It’s a necessity for late night binging, breakup wallowing, and rainy days with Real Housewives marathons. Everyone has a favorite, but these? These top ten classics are some comfort foods every gal indulges in at some point or another.

10. Pizza. With extra cheese. And all the toppings. Or none of the toppings.  My personal favorite is a single, original, round slice. But hey, to each her own.

9. Mashed Potatoes. Just as delicious when you have a toothache and can’t eat solid foods as they are paired with a juicy steak or with nothing at all.

8. Cheeseburger. An American classic. (Even if it wasn’t actually first created in America.) Burgers are great because they can be as quick and simple as a Big Mac or as fancy and fab as something with jack cheese and onion rings, but either way they’re delicious.

7. Grilled Cheese. Nothing quite like a 3 a.m. grilled cheese when you’re starving and there’s absolutely nothing in your fridge but well…bread and cheese. Hmm…do I have both of those right now? It’s almost three and I’m getting kind of hungry…

6. Chili. Perfect for cold winter nights. Football games. Toppings for your hot dogs. We don’t judge here, ladies.

5. Burritos. I was debating on whether to go with the quesadilla instead because I’m a quesadilla gal myself, but burritos are really more of a comfort food. Stuffed to the brim with rice and beans and meat and cheese, overflowing with juices in a wrap that never quite stays wrapped, making it the messiest of messy comfort foods. Yep. You’ve got to go with the burrito.

4. French Fries. I don’t really think that this particular food need’s an explanation. I mean it’s french fries. And french fries are classic comfort food.

3. Chicken Fingers. When I was younger the only thing I would ever order any time I went anywhere was chicken fingers. Because it was always on the children’s menu. It was simple. It tasted good. I knew what I liked. And I still do.

2. French Toast. Sure it’s a breakfast food, but it’s one of those breakfast foods that can be eaten at just about any time of the day. And the fact that I recently had a vanilla and orange infused french toast that I can’t stop thinking about at brunch a few weeks ago may or may not have influenced my decision to make this number two on the list…

1. Mac & Cheese. Number one purely because of the diversity of this cozy comfort food. Baked with breadcrumb. Heated up in a microwave. Served in a sizzling platter with three different types of cheese…mmm….

Alright now I’m hungry. Your turn. What are your favorite comfort foods? Your guiltiest of guilty pleasures? 

It’s simple: French fries are good but baked sweet potato fries are better! In every way, I might add. They satisfy junk food cravings without the grease and trans fat. And you can rest easy knowing they will be good to your shrinking Coach wallet at less than a dollar an order.

Plus they’re so. damn. good. I swear, I’m so addicted to these things I thought they had crack in them until I made them myself. Turns out, it’s just sweet potato goodness. And a bit of salt.

Stuff you need:

Sweet potatoes
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Let the salivating begin:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Scrub the potatoes clean.

3. Cut the potatoes. As you chop away like a veritable Martha Stewart, think about how good your fries are going to taste. I know, I know. These potatoes are like freaking carrots – I never expected them to be so hard either. But try to make them all the same size and thickness so they’ll cook the same. Also, the smaller you cut them, the less baking time you’ll need, which translates to less time you’ll have to wait before you can eat the deliciousness that will be your sweet potato fries. Oh, and leave the skin on – it has valuable nutrients and gives the fries texture. Your call though, obvi.

4. Throw the sweet potatoes in a baking pan and drizzle olive oil over them (you don’t need a ton, just enough to lightly coat the pieces). Season with salt and pepper as desired.

5. Mix so they are evenly coated.

6. Pop your potatoes in the oven, set the timer for about 20 minutes, and go check your e-mail or something. Don’t be alarmed if you hear funky sounds coming from the oven. From my experience, a slight hissing sound is normal. Go in there and flip those puppies over halfway through. Resume e-mailing.

7. After the timer goes off, grab a fork and poke one of your fries. If your fork sticks in the potato, give it a few more minutes. I know it’s hard to wait, especially considering how good they smell, but do it! They taste the best slightly browned.

Enjoy by themselves or with ketchup, but definitely enjoy them by yourself, unless you feel like sharing. With everyone. And getting none for you.

My university is not one of those schools that eagerly works to improve the situation in the dining hall, even though it is overwhelmingly a huge issue on campus.

From day one, I have heard nothing but complaints from my peers, and even my professors – and now, two and a half years later, complaints and concerns of the dining program (created by Sodexho – a program which works with many schools across the nation) still circulate on a day-to-day basis.

As a campus, Hollins students are indisputably guilty for interminable complaining about the issues with Sodexho as a program and the administration taking responsibility (or lack thereof) for student concerns over food issues, but I don’t blame anyone for their incessant pressure on trying to improve the situation. Hollins doesn’t offer a varying meal plan; its unlimited access to the dining hall from breakfast until the cafeteria closes at 7pm binds students to the meal-plan, making getting off the meal plan nearly impossible.

I have seen a huge variety of issues that students have brought up to the public forum: not enough variety in the menu options, foods not being cooked at right temperatures or having a decent amount of heat to them (especially the meat), alike foods such as quesadillas and burgers are in rotation every day (French fries are offered every day, too), no options for vegans except tofu in the salad bar (and very futile options available for vegetarians – especially at a school where vegetarians are a majority), unhealthy options clutter the stations (one night, three types of potatoes were offered: waffle fries, curly fries, and tatter tots), the ingredients on the labels are not present (what about students who have food allergies?), and most of the time, labels are not even put out near a station.

These are just the minimal grumbles that have been brought up over and over again within the student body, and no one from the administration or the manager of the dining hall ever really gives a solid answer on how to fix the program. The few times promises are made to make a change in the dining hall, nothing ever happens.

Many students have tried to jump start programs. For example, last year some students started a petition to get cage-free eggs instead of regular eggs on campus. I believe nearly 500 students signed it (in a school of 800), but the petition was ignored. How can 500 students be ignored? Students tried starting a food committee, but that didn’t last for long – no one seemed interested in taking on the responsibility, especially when everyone knows that the administration has no interest in really making changes. The Health Department has even been called before, and that wasn’t enough to jump start any movement. Honestly, I think students feel like nothing can be done – especially since everyone on campus knows that a contract was signed between Hollins and Sodexho a few years ago, making the partnership inevitable. The contract seems more important than the well-being of the students, at this point.

Although many point to Sodexho, I do not think all the blame can fall on the national food company. Many other universities use Sodexho, but they have no qualms about what their students are being served and neither do the students. The plan Hollins picked is not pleasing students, at all, and that needs to be addressed by those who have the power. Hello administration, are you listening yet? It seems like the only people who could do something are the administration, but I don’t think they care. After all, they don’t have to eat there night after night.

While the rest of the students have numerous complaints, I specifically have two:

My friend’s mothers who went here talk with smiles on their face about the food. They absolutely loved it, and it seems like it was such a coveted memory of long meals with their friends eating some good meals. Now, students rush to eat what they can (if anything, especially on weekends) and then compare food poisoning stories with their friends. In honor of our amazing alumni that Hollins toots so often, why not fix something that was so popular? Also, I think it is ironic how the food improves drastically whenever alumni, Board of Trustee members, or prospective students visit campus. Fondue and prime rib was served during Parents Weekend once, and I have to say, I haven’t seen either one since.

Whether or not it seems like it, food is a huge part of college life. If you live on campus, you eat there like it’s your home. No one should fret about whether or not they will have adequate options for dinner or if they will get sick from the Ranch Dressing that tasted more like spoiled milk.  While my fellow peers have said enough is enough over and over again, I think change will not come until the administration does something. And based on the way the administration has handled things in the past, I don’t see that happening any time soon.

Now, tell me about your dining hall. Do you love it or hate it? Does it stand out from other schools across the nation? Do you think the administration at your university is conscious of the food that its students consume on a daily basis? I want to know what (kind of crap) you are getting fed by both the dining hall and the administration.

You know what would really spice that meal up? Onion rings! Unfortunately, those little rings of fried goodness are not always an option when you’re eating at your favorite hamburger joint. And you cry.

But wipe those tears, sister. Say TTFN to that restaurant and head home to whip up your own tasty onion rings. Why not? They’re delish, easy…and they involve beer!

Here’s what you need:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper

3/4 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup beer

1 large egg

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

3 cups vegetable oil

2 large white onions, sliced into rings

How to get to onion ring heaven:

1) First, combine your flour, salt and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl and whisk in the buttermilk, beer, egg, and lemon zest.

2) Now heat your vegetable oil in a heavy sauce pan over medium heat. Dip several of the onions into your batter to generously coat them.

3) Place the coated onions into the oil and cook for about 2-3 minutes, turning once. Make sure they’re nice and golden brown. Remove the onions and place them on a paper towel to soak up the excess oil.

4) Season with salt and lemon (if you want) and dig in! Of course these onion rings are best with a big juicy burger, but I’ve been known to eat a plate of them on their own. What? Onions are a vegetable. And if I use enough ketchup, I get a full serving of tomato, too!

You should also have some beer left (lots if you bought a 6-pack!) and what’s something that goes just as well with hamburgers as onion rings? Beer, of course. I’m pretty sure life does not get better than this.

This is my tribute, my thank you, my ode to certain foods for being so delicious (albeit not very nutritious) that I consume them in mass quantities and therefore am forced to spend far more time at the gym than I’d like. In no particular order the foods that I’d do anything for are:

1) French fries: Regular, sweet potato, waffle, frozen, deep fried to crispy, baked – I don’t care how they were cooked or in what form I get them, but I need them and I need them with like half of a bottle of ketchup. They’re vegetables though, right? No matter how much I eat, I always always always have room for fries, whether I order them or you do. I especially have room if you ordered them and I got a side salad.

2) Nutella: It’s really versatile if you consider all of the pairing options. Fruit like strawberries and bananas are begging for Nutella and it’is fantastic on bread or waffles or crackers. I am such a mixer that I also add it to ice cream and cake and you can use it in pies to line the graham cracker crusts with chocolately goodness (well, I do). Despite the mixing options, my favorite way to consume it: off of a spoon, straight from the jar.

3) Peanut Butter: It’s normally good for you because of the vitamin E and because of fiber and protein as well, however, the way in which I consume is it anything but healthy. Because usually I chase spoonfuls of Nutella with PB. Seriously the best sandwich in the world is peanut butter and Nutella on toasted potato bread. My favorite PB brand is Peanut Butter and Co. because not only is natural peanut butter simply amazing, the good people there have found ways to incorporate dark chocolate, white chocolate, honey and maple syrup in their already delicious PB to enhance the peanut butter experience.

4) Cookie Dough: It’s the perfect food because whether you consume it raw or cooked it all, it equals the most yummy thing ever. I remember one night making a dinner entirely of raw Pilsbury chocolate chip cookie dough. And I remember the day that I discovered that some genius put cookie dough in ICE CREAM. Sweet, sweet perfection. Despite my allergy to wheat, I still get my cookie dough fix because they make some pretty great gluten free varities. Score.

5) Fritos: Dipsy Doodles (or any other corn chip for that matter) never compared. God, I love Fritos. Scoops (the best because they are the biggest), regular, whatever, just give me Fritos. Especially after all of that Nutella and cookie dough. Frito Lays people, if you read this – please make a scoop the size of my face. Because I’d totally try to finish that.

Does your top five look anything like mine, which is carb and sweet chocolate and salty carb/fat followed by more sweet with chocolate and salty carb/fat?

I get asked about my diet a whole lot. As my peers are getting older every year (because I am…and you are, too), it’s become progressively more difficult for lots of my lady friends to keep the figures that they want. But, some way or another, it’s become easier for me.

I used to eat whatever I wanted and exercised only when I wanted to. My metabolism was sickly fast and I just figured I was healthy because I was skinny. Over the past few years, I have slowly learned to eat right and to exercise right, too. Now that it’s a part of my routine, it’s easier than ever to be healthy.

BUT I still need to be unhealthy here and there. Some people I know can eat healthy 24-7 without any screw-ups. I am not one of those people. My diet regime that I get asked about so much actually DOES include days where I eat all of the wrong stuff. I have these days maybe once every week or two and nothing sets me back on track for healthy eating faster than a day filled with fried food and chocolate treats.

Are they good for my arteries and liver? Hell no.

Am I being unhealthy by indulging in these days? Hell yes.

But I still feel as though I am better off throwing these days in here and there (and savoring my sweets) than to always wonder what I’m missing, or living a bland life full of carrots and bottled water.

Here is a typical day’s worth of food for me:

BREAKFAST

1 or 2 packets of oatmeal and Iced Coffee with nonfat creamer.

LUNCH

Fruit: 1/2 a cantelope, an apple, a banana, strawberries, or whatever else. Water.

DINNER

Huge Salad: Spinach, hard boiled egg, tomato, cucumber, mushrooms, string beans, reduced fat feta cheese, low fat or nonfat dressing. Water.

SNACKS

If I want snacks, I usually go for carrots and hummus or nuts. Lots of water.

As you can see, I am typically pretty on cue with my health. But every so often, I throw days like the one below in the mix:

BREAKFAST

Turkey Bacon, Eggs, Cheese, Croissant, Coffee with *regular* creamer

LUNCH

Cheeseburger, Fries, LOTS OF KETCHUP, beer/wine spritzer

DINNER

Lots of pizza, wings, tons of beer

SNACKS

Beer. Chocolate. Cupcakes. Cookies. You name it.

Somehow, I feel like adding in these days makes me complete. I feel like I live my life to the fullest and yet I’m still BASICALLY healthy. I feel like if I didn’t have a beer or a burger smothered with cheese every now and then I would die.

What do you guys think?

(Photo from: besthangovercure.com)

Since you’re not always going to be in the mood for a straight-up baked sweet potato, or Thanksgiving-style yams, however, I discovered one summer a perfect way to incorporate these babies into my snacking routine. By baking them as fries, you’re treating yourself with no need to feel any guilt, AND getting in some of those veggies. What’s not to love?

To make these on your own, you’ll need:

-2 large sweet potatoes

-nonstick cooking spray

-I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter spray

-brown sugar OR salt

Tool-wise, you’ll need:

-a paring knife

-a cookie sheet

-an oven

Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees and spray your cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Peel your sweet potatoes and then cut them into fry-sized wedges, totally up to you how thick/thin you want them, long/short, etc. Rinse them after chopping and then spread the fries onto your cookie sheet. Pop them into the oven and let them bake for about an hour, checking them after about 35 minutes to check on crunchiness. They take awhile to cook, just to warn you, and may take a little over an hour if you want them extra crunchy.

When you deem them done, spray with I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter and sprinkle with brown sugar. If you prefer your sweet potato fries salty, by all means, use that instead, or try a combination of the two. Let cool so as not to scorch your tastebuds and voila, an easy snack or side!

Oh, and we proceed to eat every fatty, salty, chocolaty, everything that is in our path no matter how hard we were working out the week before.

So, when searching for this week’s recipes- I thought, “IDEA! Why not give our faithful CC readers some easy recipes that will satisfy your PMS cravings and not pack on the pounds?“

So sit back with some Midol, a heating pad, a good ‘ol sappy movie and a big, huge fork and indulge — sans guilt!

Oven Baked French Fries

(with ketchup, and a little salt they will taste like the real deal- try sweet potatoes if your feeling crazy!)

What you need:

6 lg. russet or other baking potatoes, scrubbed

Vegetable spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Cut potatoes into 1/2 inch strips or leave thicker if you prefer more of a potato wedge. Lightly spray baking pan with vegetable spray. Lay potatoes in a single layer on baking sheet.

Spray strips with vegetable spray before placing pan in oven. Bake 15-20 minutes, turn them and continue baking until crisp and browned, approximately 15-20 minutes more.

Chocolate Mousse-Cream Cones

(from my favorite guilt-free food site: Hungry-girl.com

Ingredients:

2 Keebler Ice Cream Cups

1 JELL-O Sugar Free Pudding Snack, Vanilla (or any flavor!)

2 tbsp. HERSHEY’S Syrup, Sugar Free; refrigerated

1/2 cup Cool Whip Free

(1 cone: 83 calories, 0.5g fat, 150mg sodium, 19g carbs, 0.25 fiber, 2g sugars, 0.5g protein)

Directions:

Begin by pouring 1 tbsp. of chocolate syrup into each cone. Swirl around until inside of cone is well coated; place in freezer immediately. In a small dish, combine Cool Whip and pudding; stir until blended. Place dish in freezer for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove cones and mousse mixture. Spoon mousse evenly into and on top of cones.

Optional: Top each cone with a drizzle of the sugar-free syrup! Serves 2.

Weight Watcher S’mores

What you need:

1 Chocolate Graham Cracker

1 lg. Marshmallow

Split the Graham cracker in half.

put one half of the cracker in the microwave and cook until the marshmallow is puffy. Top with remaining half of cracker.

*Add a little Organic Peanut Butter to make this super yummy!

WW Points: 1.5 pt.

Pickup lines can be pretty skeezy, but honestly, who doesn’t like to be hit on? Getting hit on is the greatest confidence – booster that exists. Even when an ugly dude throws me a lame line with the sole purpose of getting into my pants, I can’t help but ride the “gosh golly, maybe I really am pretty!” high for a couple of days. Guys: are you listening? Genuine or not, compliments large and small work wonders.According to dating guru Julia Allison, come – ons are rather failproof. But so is buying a girl french fries. She explains: girls want greasy food, but they are too self – conscious to order it for themselves. So if a guy orders it for a girl, it’s the ultimate in symbiotic pick – ups. Even if they don’t end up getting together, at least they get french fries. And it’s a lot less presumptuous than ordering a girl a Long Island Iced Tea.

Hmm. I’m not sure. I think I might prefer compliments to french fries, but I’ll still take any free grub. Thanks, guys!