The Region's many Catholics know the drill. On Fridays during Lent they abstain from meat. That typically results in a lot of trips to the McDonald's drive-through to grab Filet-O-Fishes for lunch and visits to fish fries at churches, VFW halls and restaurants. Crispy golden lake perch can be delicious but many cannot live on fish alone.

Enter the pepper and egg sandwich, a Lenten favorite among Catholic Italian-Americans, especially in the greater Chicagoland area. French bread is stuffed with bell peppers and scrambled eggs served hot to create an almost deli version of an omelet. Many Italian beef restaurants serve them, though typically only on Fridays during Lent when the demand is highest.