My compliments to the chef at Imo's

Last week I made a bunch of bad decisions after seeing we had nasty weather headed our way. I don't enjoy being cold, but I can certainly appreciate the excuse it gives me to stay warm and cozy at home indulging in all kinds of comfort foods, so off to the store I went to load up on "supplies."

Did I pick up de-icer spray or a snow shovel? Of course not. I picked up Coca-Cola and popcorn in case it turned out to be a long Netflix kind of weekend. I bought coconut chocolate-covered almonds and other sweets. I loaded up on canned soup and ramen noodles. Ramen noodles would be my guilty pleasure if I felt guilty about eating them, but I don't. Quick, easy and noodles. What is not to love?

Well, it only took a couple of days for my body to revolt. The culprit? Sodium. Big oops. I had let down my guard, invited the enemy in, and felt the kind of gross you feel once you reach a certain age. You know, that age we think will hit everyone except us? My body was sending a message loud and clear: You can be as youthful as you'd like, but you can't be young again. Ouch.

I had no appetite much less a desire to face the frigid temps in search of a foodie adventure. The days rolled by as I tried to think of something to eat that might feel "right." Then I had a light bulb moment. Salad. I could probably muster up enough of an appetite to eat a salad. I also wanted something I could pick up without leaving the warmth of my car. I made a few calls with no luck. All the local places had done away with curbside pick up when they returned to in-person dining. Fast-food salads didn't seem hearty enough, and even the thought of pulling my car into a place that serves greasy burgers was unusually off putting. Then I remembered overhearing someone gushing about Imo's chef salad. I looked it up online, found a lunch special that included garlic bread and a drink, and off I went.

How great could a fast-food salad really be? My expectations weren't high, but when I arrived, I watched as the person at the drive-through pulled the salad out of a refrigerator and the bread out of a warmer. That seemed promising. My appetite grew as I returned home.

Imo's Cheese Garlic Bread brings toasty goodness to a cold winter day.Submitted by Mary Ann Castillo

First, I opened the bag containing garlic cheese bread. It was toasty, warm and slathered with melted Provel cheese, a perfect way to begin any meal. Talk about comfort food!

Next, I opened the bag containing the chef salad. To say the thing was loaded to the brim is putting it lightly. It was packed with crisp fresh cut vegetables and topped with a huge portion of meats including: roast beef, salami, ham, and a sliced hard boiled egg. I heard the house dressing is delicious, but I topped it with my favorite, ranch. Luckily, my salad container was on a serving tray because it was so full I risked losing some ingredients as I attempted to mix in the salad dressing.

I felt so much better after enjoying my chef salad but in the interest of full disclosure, anything with that amount of deli meat is going to pack a wallop as far as sodium content goes, and it certainly did.

I know many are die-hard about their Imo's pizza while others are loyal to their toasted ravioli but I am here to say you simply must give their chef salad a try. This is no light salad and it will definitely satiate even the biggest appetite ... without leaving the comfort and warmth of your car.

Find Imo's at 1008 N. Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau.