You’re answering this week’s Four Foods on Friday questions on your blog, right? Good. If you don’t have a blog, don’t feel left out. You can answer them right here in my comments section!

1. Are your kitchen utensils nylon, silicone, wood or other?

Everything we have is a mish-mosh. We’re at that stage where we are still renting an apartment, so we still tend to live like college students. I have big plans for proper dishes and utensils once we buy a house.

2. Do you prefer dishes washed in a dishwasher or by hand?

Doesn’t much matter as long as I don’t have to do them.

3. How many sets of dishes do you have?

I am positive we don’t have a complete set of dishes. There’s a set of plates and bowls that match, but there’s also favorite one-off dishes and bowls, as well as different platters that were used in photoshoots at work.

4. Share a recipe that calls for only one pot or pan.

This recipe is actually from Atkins, and is one of my favorites. You will also need a bowl, but you only need one skillet!

Cheese n Chili Chops

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• salt and pepper
• 4 boneless center-cut pork chops (about 1 pound)
• 1/4 cup tomato salsa
• 1/2 can (4.5 ounces) diced green chilies, drained
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/3 cup grated Cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese

Directions:

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season chops with salt and pepper. Brown chops about 2 minutes per side. Combine salsa, chilies and cumin in a bowl. Pour mixture over chops. Reduce heat to low, cover skillet and simmer chops 5 minutes or until cooked through. Mix cheeses in a bowl. Divide cheese mixture over chops, cover and cook 1 minute, just until cheese melts.

My sister bought me Kitchen Confidential for Christmas, which I read in approximately 48 hours and which rekindled my love for Anthony Bourdain. The Nasty Bits and Bone in The Throat both arrived in the mail today to complete my current reading list.

To round out my Anthony Bourdain experience, I’ve been watching No Reservations on Netflix and have requested that my mom Tivo the current episodes (cutbacks – cable had to go).

This week, Tony is on the east coast, visiting DC and the famous Ben’s Chili Bowl. If you’re keeping up with the news, President Elect Obama just visited and from the clip below, it looks like Tony is equally as impressed with the tasty chili dogs.

The culinary experience doesn’t stop there. Tony is all over the DC area, indulging in the regional cuisine, including Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs, which makes my mouth water.

Be sure to tune in to the Travel Channel, Monday, January 19th at 10pm to the latest episode of No Reservations, and read Anthony Bourdain’s blog for the leftovers. And don’t leave any spoilers in the comments. I’ll have to wait till next weekend to watch the full episode.

Oh, and if someone wants to buy me previous seasons on DVD for my birthday, that’s a welcome addition to my foodie (and Bourdain) collection.

I know a few of you live in warmer climates, but here in Chicago, we just survived a cold and blustery week. Over a foot of snow and a wind chill close to -35 degree had me working from home for two days and I was happy my car started when I left for work on Thursday.

The fridge is pretty empty at this point, so it’s Four Foods on Friday before a trip to the grocery!

1. Do you prefer to eat Chinese food in the restaurant or to have it delivered?

The best Chinese restaurants are seedy little places, so I prefer to have my shrimp lo mein delivered so I don’t have to know what the kitchen it was cooked in looks like.

2. Do you prefer wonton or egg drop soup?

Egg Drop. It’s totally Atkins friendly and I made it from scratch for lunch yesterday! It’s just chicken stock, green onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, and eggs. It was fantastic.

3. What flavor fried rice is your favorite?

Shrimp is my favorite.

4. Describe your favorite item on the Chinese food menu.

Crab Rangoon made with imitation crab, smooth cream cheese, and lots of that sweet red dipping sauce, folded into a flower. No purses or triangles!

Mike and I watch Check Please, a PBS show hosted by sommelier Alpana Singh which lets ordinary people review Chicago restaurants, frequently and were excited when we heard of the “lost episode” from 2001 featuring Barack Obama.

Obama reviews Hyde Park haunt Dixie Kitchen and Bait Shop, which is surprisingly still open and with multiple locations. I bet they are going to love the burst of publicity!

Anyway, here it is. Enjoy and make your reservation quick!

Welcome to the 4th of July edition of Four Foods on Friday! Take a break from beer pong and answer the questions on your blog, then leave a comment at Fun, Crafts and Recipes so everyone can stop by. You’ll be a regular in no time, I promise.

1. Name your biggest cooking influence.

The terms of volume of recipes, most can be credited to my mom, but I would like to be able to cook like Paula Dean without gaining 100 pounds.

2. What is your ultimate comfort food?

Mac & Cheese! Mike and I are still on the hunt for the perfect recipe if anyone has one they would like to share.

3. Name one must have tool that you think every kitchen should have.

I’m still in college-mode kitchen-wise, so I can make do with just about any utensils (or lack of). I do really enjoy a good silicone brush for sauces and marinades though.

4. Share a time saving tip.

Buy pre-diced onions in the freezer section! They are cheap, tasty, and you don’t have to cry when making dinner.