MeghanVK

Oh, if only we could sit down for dinner with MeghanVK tonight. 

It’s clear that with this girl, “dinner” could mean a number of things (witness her profile Q&A below). Would we play it classy, with martinis and oysters? Or kick back with some Tostitos-brand queso and pretzels?

MeghanVK seems to straddle this line between indulgent and practical, between wild and sophisticated -- dancing from the high to the low brow, the classic to the unexpected. We dig that. Sometimes oysters are just what we need. Other times, it’s nachos. For dinner. If variety is the spice of life, then let’s just say that MeghanVK’s dinners are very, very spicy.

On one hand, there’s her delightfully healthy Quick-Pickled Cucumber-Melon Salad. On the other, the mayo-laced Deviled Eggs; Purgatory Edition. Kale Salad with Roasted Garlic-Horseradish Dressing, for the sensible side of MeghanVK, Beer and Pretzels (IPA Fondue) for that (there it is again!) nachos-for-dinner side. And no matter what end of the spectrum a recipe falls -- or if it's happily smack in the middle (like the winning Chicken That Fancies Itself Spanish, pictured above) -- you can count on a laugh from her headnote. Or ingredients list. Or directions.

So, what’s for dinner? We’ll take all of it. Plus a martini ... and a cold Bud.

Read MeghanVK's profile Q&A below and check out her blog here.

• What is the strangest food you have ever eaten?
  Pasta water, back in my "Leave No Trace" hiking and camping days. It's pretty gross. 

• What do you cook when home alone?
  Generally something complicated and impractical - OR - if I really want to treat myself - store-bought Tostitos-brand queso, with pretzels.

• Your most treasured kitchen possession:
  I love my small Le Creuset Dutch oven - it was my first major kitchen purchase for myself, and I use it all the time. 

• Your ideal meal:
  West coast oysters, a dirty martini, and a lobster roll.

• Something you'd like a chance to eat or cook:
  Truffles!

• The number of bottles of wine you own:
  Before or after dinner?

• The ideal number of guests for a dinner party is:
  Our "dining" table is a desk, so at the moment, we can only squeeze in four. But I dream of the day when I can answer 10. 

• Kitchen pet peeve:
  High shelves

• Your favorite cookbook:
  Barefoot Contessa: The Series