Experimenting with Recipes--Your Feedback Needed

It's no secret around the elementary school that Eli's house is a great place for sleepovers.  We camp out in the yard, dance like fools until the wee hours of the morning, have water fights and (most importantly) Eli's mom makes the best homemade donuts in the whole world for breakfast.

Well, Eli's been begging for a sleepover and that means it's time to start thinking about a re-vamp on the donut recipe.  My original recipe is made with sour cream and eggs and It. Is. Awesome.  Really.  Kids I've only met once or twice before in my life have been known to hug me uncontrollably over those donuts.  One young boy even looked me straight in the eye with total seriousness and told me he really, truly loved me. 

So I'm debating over making the same donuts or trying something vegan.  Thus the ginormous mess in my kitchen right now.  I've printed off numerous recipes from numerous vegan sites trying to find something that is not "good enough," but that is worthy of the same reaction my non-vegan donuts get.

And, by golly, I think I've got it.  I ended up taking a couple different recipes and merging them together.  Then I changed the cooking method and ended up with a big platter of donut holes this morning that Gracie would NOT share with me.  Her exact quote was, "This plate is mine.  You can eat cereal." 

I am not going to share the recipe with you just yet.  I will make it again later this week (when we've scheduled a sleepover) and I will photograph the process for you.  It requires a little bit of work, so I want to be sure I've got the recipe just right before sending it off to cyber-land.

But today has me thinking.  What are some of your favorite foods you grew up eating and just can't live without?  I love experimenting with recipes and I'd like to take on a new challenge or two.  If there's something you'd like me to run through my test kitchen, let me know.  Of course, I'm sure I won't be able to replicate your grandmother's famous fried chicken or your dad's grilled ribeye steak, but give me a reasonable request and I'll see what I can do.  I'm willing to take on both vegan and gluten-free challenges.  I can't make any promises that it will end up the same, but hopefully I can find a healthier version of your favorites that satisfies your cravings. 

I look forward to hearing from you!!