tortilla chips

When it comes to Bobby Flay and the Burger Bash (an event hosted by Rachael Ray that takes place each February and October), he hasn't had the best of luck. Flay has competed in the bash at least eight times, and he always comes in second or third place — making him the Susan Lucci of the competition.

Last Friday, however, things changed: his Santa Fe Burger finally took home the top prize, the people's choice award! I tasted the scrumptious and messy burger that consisted of a beef patty topped with a queso sauce, roasted poblano peppers, and blue corn tortilla chips. It was so good that I found the recipe and tried it out. I wanted to see if the homemade version stood up to the burger made by Flay himself. Luckily it did!

The flavors in this burger are sublime: the smooth, creamy cheese sauce is rich, but light, and the crunch of the chips gives the burger a wonderful texture. If you are afraid of heat, don't worry: Flay calls the mild poblano "a gateway chile," and the burger isn't spicy at all. Get his winning recipe after the jump.

Whenever I go to a Mexican restaurant, I can't help but order too much food. Since I enjoy leftovers, I love to bring the extra tortillas, rice, beans, meat, and salsa home to eat later. However, what I don't love is soggy anything. To ensure that tortillas stay soft, I make a chip wall. You simply put wetter elements like salsa and refried beans on one side of a takeout container; then, place the items you don't want to get wet on the other side. Separate the two with a wall made of tortilla chips. The chips may get soggy, but I usually just discard them.

Do you have a tip for making restaurant leftovers more pleasant? Please share it!

This fun idea is one my Uncle Max taught me. When he has a large group of guests coming over for a Mexican fiesta, he likes to make his own tortilla chip blend. Instead of buying several bags of the same chip, he'll pick up at least three different kinds (he likes shopping at Trader Joe's because it has an assortment of tortilla chip flavors). Then he combines all the chips in one large bowl. It's a small detail that makes any event a little more personalized and special. Have you ever made your own chip mix?

I've got a penchant for risotto and Party has a debilitating weakness for chips, so we were definitely intrigued when we received a box of Risotto Chips ($3.49), a new creation released last month by New York Style (the brand behind those irresistible Bagel Crisps). They proclaimed to be all natural, gluten-free, and full of flavor. Were they all that and more? Keep reading to find out.

In the interest of living a healthier lifestyle, I've been trying to cut out my habit of late-night snacking. Unfortunately, it hasn't gone so well, as that's my favorite time of the day to snack. And the fact that Doritos sent me a bag of special-edition Late Night Tacos at Midnight? That doesn't make it any easier, either.

These chips are intense: each triangular bite is densely covered in a blizzard of burnt orange powder and flecked with black spices. Upon first trying them, I wasn't too crazy about their seemingly artificial taste. They had a flavor that I couldn't pin down — but by the 15th chip or so, I'd figured it out. To find out what they taste like, keep reading