Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Skyline Fix

Skyline
September 2, 2009
6ish pm

I was weak.

I try to be healthy and fit throughout the week. I really do. I try to splurge only on the weekends. But alas, this becomes exceedingly more difficult as the school year marches on.

However, it's probably not a good sign that this is only the second week of school and it's happening already.

All through the summer I worked out out at the gym, swam at the pool, and made fabulously healthy (and yummy) dinners. I was the epitome of health conscious. I had will power. I had stamina.

Eight days into the new school year and it's gone. Today the health deck was stacked against me. I left work later than usual and checking up on emails at home resulted in me missing my favorite Zumba class. I reasoned with myself that I would just take a later spin class and then run home and fix a quick salad for myself for dinner. I knew I was on my own for the evening due to the husband's fantasy football draft. I knew there were already 2 strikes against me (1 being missing my preferred class, 2 being I knew the husband would not be around to cook or eat dinner with), but that was okay. Health would prevail because I had a plan!

So, dutifully, on I went to the gym. I checked in and ran up to my class. I was on my way! But, "Nooo!" Stopped in my tracks by the teacher. Now I admit I am quite picky about my spin classes. I desperately need a peppy teacher with rockin' music to get me through, or after about 10 minutes into things I feel like the bike is moving in mud and I'm about to fall over the handlebars flat on my face. I want to stop hearing the sappy music and give up with every peddle I push and deep, haggard breath I take. Unfortunately, from past experience I knew this class, with this teacher, was not going to be worth it for me. Double drat! I turned on my heal and convinced myself that it was okay, I would just get some lifting in instead. However, when I lift, I record my weights and exercises in a book that I had left in the car. No problemo, I'd just run right out, get my book and my workout would begin.

But then I got to my car, and all of a sudden I felt so tired. I didn't really want to lift and I was HUNGRY. Gosh darn it, I had had a hard day! Before I knew it there was a flash of yellow and blue checks in my mind and the old commercial tag line, "Whenever you're feeling good and hungry.....", starts playing in my head. At this point I was powerless and my mind was turning. It thought all on its own, "That's right, Skyline is just a few minutes from my gym." Strike 3 and I was out of the workout game. Why oh why do so many restuarants have to be within a mile radius of my gym?

Before I knew it my car was in the takeout line and my order of a classic 3-way was placed. As I waited I did have a moment of doubt. I still had time to make a healthy decision..... But then that spicy smell that can only mean Skyline wafted into my car as the cashier opened the window to the car before me and, Mmmmm. I knew I was right where I was supposed to be.

I quickly drove home with eager anticipation of my dinner. I got out a refreshing Coke (Side note: It was a Mexican Coke, thus explaining the glass bottle). Regardless of the debate of whether or not high fructose corn syrup is any better or worse for you than cane sugar, Coke made with cane sugar just tastes better. Seriously. Try it. It's a revelation and the taste you've been missing for years. I especially enjoy it with dinners like this that remind me of home and my childhood. I grew up near Cincinnati where Skyline and Coke were family traditions, especially on busy activity filled nights after school. Similar, in many ways, to the night I just had. What a comforting thought....

Anyway back to the food. Part of enjoying Skyline is prepping it just how you like it. Of course, there's debate between the 3, 4, and 5-way (a debate about adding onions, beans, or both to the mix). Oyster crackers mixed in or on the side. Hot sauce in the mix, on the crackers as an oyster bomb, or left out completely. But that's just the beauty of the food. Everyone has their way. Ha Ha, get it? 3-way, 4-way, their way :) I'm sure you're amazed by my sophisticated humor.

I like mine with 3/4 of the cheese piled on the spaghetti/meat mixture and 1/4 of my cheese left over for snacking plain. There's just something special about the texture of the finely grated Skyline cheese that I love to taste all on its own, in a big handful. On top of the spaghetti, meat, and cheese mix I use 2-3 packets of hot sauce. Just enough to feel it in your sinuses, but not enough to burn. Then the oyster crackers are left, by themselves, for a last finishing crunch after everything else is done.

Ahhh....."Whenever you're feeling good and hungry, at last...it's Skyline time."
Bill total: Regular 3-way $4.99
Overall Rating: 5 buckeyes (based on value and how much I want to return someday)

Skyline Chili on Urbanspoon

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Mmmm cane sugar Coke, it really is different!