Deep Dish of Fat

No, I'm not referring to the entire holiday season with that headline. I'm talking about ordering a regional specialty that is so sinful and special and scrumptious that it's worth breaking every diet just to cram it down your face.

Meet Lou Malnati's Chicago Deep Dish Pizza. It's the real deal, with restaurants found only in the Chicago area. The pizza is... remarkable. A buttery, almost biscuit-like crust that's crunchy on the outside and moist inside holds a bounty of goodies ranging from sausage or pepperoni to spinach and veggies. The big construction difference on this deep dish is that the cheese is stuffed the middle and slathered with tomato sauce on top. They come frozen, shipped to your door, and they keep really well in the freezer. Plus, there's no fancy pizza oven required; 450 degrees at about 30 minutes should do it.

With all the mid-west transplants, there's sure to be someone on your list who would simply kvell to receive such carb-loaded bounty. Go to Lou Malnati's and order a bunch for a real taste of Chicago.