While trying to figure out what to eat for dinner, I had a flashback to when I worked for a local marketing agency. I remembered a co-worker microwave a frozen burrito, then added some pulled strands of string cheese on top, and heated it up until I started to melt. It became one of my lunch staples, along with chicken nuggets and broccoli with melted Tillamook Sharp Cheddar.

So I decided to take out two PJ’s Organic Burritos (one chicken and one beef) and gave both the string cheese treatment. Just to mix it up a bit, I drizzled the tops of each burrito with some Dave’s Gourmet Hurtin’ Habanero hot sauce.

Waxing nostalgic? Yes. Comfort food? Yes. That’s a double-plus good to me.

Last October, I decided to take on Salvador Molly’s Great Balls of Fire challenge and was able to complete it in under three minutes.

This afternoon, another set of co-workers wanted to attempt the challenge and I decided to try it again. This time, I was able to take down the five fritters and salsa in under two and a half minutes… without hiccups even (I had a short bout of hiccups when I chugged the salsa last time).

What slowed me down this time was that the fritters were just fried and were absolutely, searing hot. The first bite was almost hot enough to scorch my tongue and the roof of my mouth. The level of capsicum heat didn’t seem to be as high as last time, but that could be a sign of acclimation. I wanted to chug the salsa, but it was spread out on the plate this time, instead of being in a small ramekin.

There has already been some chatter among the same co-workers about the next food challenge: durian. Keep in mind, I’ve grown up eating durian in many ways, fresh, baked and made into ice cream. In this case, I’ll be more of an evil spectator ;)

When I get home, after a hectic day at work, I tend to crave something simple and comforting. Lately, I have been able to satiate my cravings with a 0.75-1.0″ thick biased-cut slice of challah, covered with sliced cheese (be it jalapeño or habañero jack, sharp cheddar or crumbled Rogue Creamery blue cheese), chuck it into a toaster oven and toast it until the edges and bottom get slightly charred.

It may not be as iconic as a proper grilled cheese sandwich, but an open-face, toasted challah and cheese sandwich is rich and has a good amount of chew.

For additional flair, spread a thin layer of good mustard, such as Beaver Food’s Sweet Hot Mustard, on the slice of challah before layering on the cheese. Want even more spice? Apply your choice and amount of hot sauce on the challah or cheese before toasting. It’s even better if you have a panini or grill press. Instead of one thick slice of challah, use two slightly thinner slices. No butter or non-stick spray is needed, as the challah shouldn’t stick and you don’t want to mess up the mallard reaction.