I'm not ashamed.

This is just pure food porn. Sent by a buddy traveling in Arizona. Chicken Fried Steak at the Cowboy Cafe in Wickenburg, Arizona.

This got me thinking -- send me your CFS pics (chickenfriedtexan@gmail.com) and I'll post them. Our collective culinary travels will celebrate the tastiest of all the fried meats!

Frank's Restaraunt - Shulenburg, TX

You may know Frank’s for their famous “Shulenburger” Burger but there is more to know. I sampled their CFS on the last leg of a trip and enjoyed it immensely.

It was simple, petite and magnificent. Her diminutive size belied her flavor packed punch. The creamy gravy cascaded over the crispy breading like a glorious waterfall – just enough gravy to entertain each bite. Mashed potatoes accompanied and were lumpy and starchy – the perfect compliment to a perfectly cooked steak and just salty enough breading. The only vegetable in sight was a sprig of parsley (which I declined to eat for health reasons).

So, next time you stop, order up the CFS if you’re looking for a burger alternative. Just expect to be very sleepy afterwards.

Texas Land & Cattle – Tomball, TX

A little Chicken Fried Texan math: Bacon + Jalapeno + Melty Cheddar Cheese = delight.

Our waitress told us about a new menu “soft” rollout with some tasty fried goodies. The one that caught my eye was the “fried jalapeños.” These were not your corner bar’s stuffed jalapenos. These plump heaters were lightly breaded and stuffed with cheddar cheese, bacon and onions, unlike traditional fried jalapenos filled with only cream cheese or cheddar cheese. The seeds were left inside, giving the redesigned “poppers” a nice but understated heat.

These new poppers with a cold beer and some helmet-on-helmet football violence on Sunday afternoon and I’m a happy man.

Twisted Root Burger Company - Richardson, TX

There’s more to life than CFS. Taking a brief sojourn from CFS, on a recent trip north to Dallas we had the chance to eat at Twisted Root (www.twistedrootburgerco.com), an excellent and eclectic burger joint.

The burgers were excellent, but the fried goodie basket was amazing. Aptly named the “Fried Ride,” this basket of fried vittles arrived at the table with deep fried sweet potatoes, pickles, green beans and onions. Dipped in a little ranch and zinged with a dribble of one of Twisted Root’s signature ketchups (featuring curry and chipotle, among others) and you’re in heart-clogging heaven. The crispness of the veggies , the tender fried exterior and the salty, creamy ranch made for a wonderful bite at all levels.

Just forget about that New Year’s diet idea right now and get some of this.