Tri Tip with Tomato Pepper Sauce

Makes approx one 2 pound tri tip

This trip tip is crazy good by itself, but served with the tomato/pepper stuff...it's insane.

Ingredients

• One trip tip, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 pounds

• 1 tablespoon each: Kosher salt, ground pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, dried rosemary and celery salt

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 green pasilla (poblano) pepper, diced

• 1/2 large yellow onion, diced

• 10 strips ready bacon, diced

• 1 large garlic clove, crushed

• 1 - 14oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes

Directions

1. Remove tri tip from fridge 30 minutes before cooking, let come to room temperature

2. Combine all herbs in a small bowl, mix well

3. Rub oil into tri tip, then rub well with herb mix

4. Cook over direct heat 4-5 minutes a side to sear, then move to indirect heat and continue cooking until 130 degrees for medium rare

5. While it cooks, put one tablespoon of oil in a medium pan and add onion and diced pepper - cook until softened, about 5 minutes

6. Add bacon, cook until a little crispy

7. Then stir in garlic and cook about 30 seconds or until fragrant and add tomatoes

8. Stir well, turn down and let simmer, about 10 minutes

9. When beef is done, remove, cover with foil and let rest 10 minutes before slicing & serving with tomato/pepper sauce

Fresh basil pesto

Make about 1  1/2 cups

Pesto - what isn't it good for? And if you like it a little spicy, add the Serrano.

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed

• 1/4 cup pine nuts

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• Optional - 1 Serrano pepper, stem removed and rough chopped

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Combine basil, pine nuts, garlic & Parmesan (and Serrano if using) in a blender or food processor

2. Blend continuously until finely chopped

3. With the blender running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until well combined

4. Add salt & pepper to taste and use

Pasta with Zucchini & Sausage

Ingredients

• 3 medium zucchini
• 3 links sausage: Chicken & Feta, Spicy Italian (any type you like)
• 3/4 pound pasta, something short like penne
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/3 cup chopped parsley
• Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Slice zucchini in 1/4 inch lengths, oil lightly and grill until well marked but still firm - remove and slice into bite size pieces.
2. Cook sausages, and slice into 1/3 inch diagonal pieces - keep warm.
3. Combine oil, vinegar, garlic, oregano, lemon, parsley, salt & pepper - mix well and set dressing aside.
4. Cook pasta one minute less than package directions. Drain well and mix in a large bowl with zucchini, sausage & dressing - serve.

Grilled Pineapple

Serves 4

This is the easiest thing in the world to do with just a few basic ingredients, it has to be tried. And, you can keep the sauce in the fridge for a week.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 stick butter
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup dark rum
• 1 can Pineapple rings (or fresh if you like)
• vanilla ice cream
• powdered sugar to garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Pre-heat grill to medium high
2. In a small pot melt butter with sugar - add rum and let warm through and thicken slightly
3. Drain pineapple slices, dip in the sauce and place on grill cook until well marked, 2-3 minutes
4. Baste each slice then flip and cook on other side, baste again cooking until golden 
5. Plate, add a scoop of ice cream, a little more sauce and a dusting of powdered sugar

Herbed Tri Tip

Makes approx one 2 pound tri tip

A good tri tip has so many uses, you should cook 2 of them so you have extra.

Ingredients

• One trip tip, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 pounds
• 1 tablespoon each: Kosher salt, ground pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, dried rosemary and celery salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. Remove tri tip from fridge 30 minutes before cooking & let come to room temperature
2. Combine all herbs in a small bowl, mix well
3. Rub oil into tri tip, then rub well with herb mix
4. Cook over direct heat 4-5 minutes a side to sear, then move to indirect heat and continue cooking until 130 degrees for medium rare
5. When the beef is done, remove, cover with foil and let rest 10 minutes before slicing & serving

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White Bean Crostini

Serves 8

Perfect super fast appetizer to feed everyone at a moments notice.

Ingredients

• 1 french stick, sliced
• 1 can white beans, strained and rinsed
• 3 spring onions
• 1/2 red pepper
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• generous pinch salt
• pinch of chili flakes
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

Directions

1. Pre-heat your broiler to high, grill the baguette slices, on both sides
2. Throw everything else in the processor, and blend until smooth
3. Generously spread on the bread and drizzle with olive oil and garnish with green onions.

Bacon Tomato and Ricotta Pasta

Serves 2-3

I'm a huge ricotta fan, nuff said.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 green pasilla (poblano) pepper, diced
• 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
• 10 strips ready bacon, diced
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed
• 1 - 14oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes
• 1/2 lb pasta, you choose
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper

Directions

1. Heat one medium frying pan, add oil, onion and diced pepper - cook until softened, about 5 minutes
2. Add bacon, cook until a little crispy
3. Then stir in garlic and cook about 30 seconds or until fragrant and add tomatoes
4. Stir well, turn down and let simmer, about 10 minutes
5. While it cooks, cook pasta according to package directions
6. When the pasta is ready, drain (keeping about a cup of the water) and add pasta to onion mix along with ricotta
7. Stir to combine well and if it's too thick, add pasta water about a 1/4 cup at a time until it's where you like it
8. Season with salt & pepper and serve

Ricotta & Arugula Pizza

Makes one 12 inch-ish pizza

Ricotta becomes the sauce-like layer of a ridiculously good pizza. Don't like ricotta? It won't matter...just make it.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 ball pizza dough or pre-made crust
• 1/2 cup mozzarella shredded cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1-2 cups baby arugula, depending on how arugula you like it
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Put ricotta, olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes in a bowl and mix well until smooth
3. If using raw dough, oil a baking sheet, put on dough, lightly oil the top and spread out into desired shape
4. Spread ricotta mix onto dough or crust, top with mozzarella then Parmesan
5. Bake about 15 minutes or until starting to get brown and bubbly
6. Remove, top with arugula, drizzle with olive oil and season to taste with salt & pepper

Homemade Mayonnaise

Makes about a cup & a half

Make it once and you probably won't buy it again.

Ingredients

• 1 large whole egg
• 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
• 1 1/3 cup of Canola oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• pinch salt

Directions

1. Set up your processor using the whisk attachment, but if you don't have one use the S blade
2. Add egg, mustard, start processor
3. Then very slowly pour in the oil in a slow, steady stream
4. Add the lemon juice and salt to taste, and blend for few more seconds
5. Store in refrigerator, it will keep for about 4-5 days.

THE BEST 'NO MAYO' POTATO SALAD

Serves about 6-8

This is perfect summer food & goes stupidly well with this Spicy Dijon Maple Chicken

1.5 pounds baby or pee wee or small potatoes - I used purple, red & yellow, but one color is all good

3 celery stalks, diced

1/4 cup chopped curly parsley

2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped

10 ounces bacon, cooked and chopped

3 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic, minced

Juice of 1 lemon

6 hard boiled eggs, diced up medium

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

• Cook potatoes in boiling water until soft enough for a fork to pierce easily

• Drain, run cool water over them, and when cool enough to handle Halve the smaller ones and 1/4 the larger ones - put in a large bowl

• Add celery, parsley, dill and and bacon

• Combine honey, mustard, garlic, lemon juice, salt & pepper to taste - mix well and add about half to salad stir through to combine

• Then add the eggs, and gently mix them in gently, add more of the dressing if you like

• Serve

Roasted Poblano Soup

Makes 4 to 5 cups-ish

This is just amazingly good. Kelly says it’s her favorite soup…EVER

3 pounds poblano/pasilla peppers (about 5 or 6)

1 tablespoon oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 small white or yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic clove, minced

2 1/2 -3 cup chicken broth

Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper

Diced avocado, chopped green onion and cilantro for garnish

• Place peppers on a baking sheet and broil until blackened all around, or put on top of a gas burner on your stove - you'll have to turn them a couple times. Or you could put them over your stove's open top and keep turning until blackened all around

• While they blacken, heat oil and butter in large deep skillet, cook onions about 5 minutes until softened

• When black, put the poblanos in a paper bag, or in a bowl and cover with foil or cling film for 15 minutes to steam

• Peel off blackened skin, remove stem and seeds and rough chop and add to the onions with the garlic

• Stir until fragrant then put in a blender and blend until smooth

• Put back into the pan/pot and add broth until it’s at the thickness you like - heat through

• Serve in a bowl with the avocado, green onion and cilantro

• Boom…hell yes beotches!!!

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Caprese Grilled Cheese

Makes 2 sandwiches

What’s not to like? We take all the wonderfulness of a caprese salad but turn into a grilled cheese with a little garlic aioli to go with it. I’m in love…

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 leaves fresh basil, finely chopped
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 4 slices Sourdough (or any white bread with a good crust)
• 1 large fresh mozzarella ball, sliced
• 1 large tomato, sliced
• 2 tablespoons butter

Directions

1. Combine mayo, garlic, chopped basil and lemon juice, mix well and set aside
2. For each sandwich, generously spread the aioli on 1 slice
3. layer on mozzarella, tomato, more mozzarella and top with other slice of bread
4. Butter the top, then place face down onto medium hot grill pan and cook until golden brown
5. Butter the top, flip and cook until golden
6. Slice and serve, enjoy!

 

Wonton & Noodle Soup

Serves 2

If a Jewish & Chinese grandmother got together and made a feel-good soup, this would be it.

Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken broth

• 1" fresh ginger, thinly sliced

• 3 cloves garlic, crushed & roughly chopped

• 6 green onions, white & light green parts cut in one inch lengths, with the dark green parts chopped finely for garnish

• 6 frozen chicken pork or chicken pot-stickers

• 4 baby bok choy, root end cut off & leaves separated

• 1 pack instant ramen noodles (discard the seasoning pack, don’t need it)

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon sesame chili oil

Directions

1. Bring broth, ginger, garlic & green onions to a simmer in a medium sized pot - simmer 5 minutes

2. Add pot-stickers and cook for 5 minutes, then add noodles and bok choy

3. Cook until noodles are softened, then stir in soy

4. Serve with a drizzle of chili oil and green onion

Mini Sriracha Bloody Mary

Serves 1

This will complete any breakfast.

Ingredients

• 2 ice cubes
• 1 small can tomato juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha
• 2-3 drops Worcestershire sauce
• 1 vodka shot
• 1/4 piece lime, juice salt and pepper

Directions

1. Add ingredients to tall glass, stir well and enjoy.

One Minute Breakfast Bagel

Serves 1

No time to eat you say? In a rush and can’t get it together? Well the most important meal of the day needs more respect than that. And in the time it takes you to brush your teeth you could make this.

Ingredients

• One egg
• Salt and pepper
• 2 ready bacon strips
• One slice of American cheese
• 1 bagel

Directions

1. In a microwave safe bowl beat one egg and season with salt and pepper
2. On one large plate put the bowl on one side and on the other, folded kitchen paper with bacon laid on top, then microwave for 1 minute.
3. While it cooks, grab your bagel cut in half and layer on cheese
4. Then top with egg, and bacon, cut in half and enjoy.

Pesto Meatball French Bread Pizza

Makes one French loaf - serves about 6

Frozen meatballs, pesto & French bread tun into a wildly good pizza-kinda-thing.

Ingredients

• 20 frozen 1-inch meatballs
• 2 tablespoons butter 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons pesto
• 1 loaf French bread
• 1 cup Mozzarella, grated

Directions

1. Place meatballs on a plate and microwave until just softened, then cut in half
2. Put in a bowl and toss with pesto - set aside
3. Melt butter in a medium pot on low heat, add garlic
4. Cook about a minute or until just fragrant then whisk in flour
5. Continue stirring and cook about a minute until it becomes a thick paste
6. Add milk and whisk to incorporate
7. When it starts to thicken, add Parmesan cheese and stir well until thick & smooth
8. Preheat broiler
9. Cut french bread lengthwise and add a generous layer of the cheese sauce to both cut sides
10. Add a layer of meatballs and top with mozzarella
11. Place under the broiler until bubbly, melty and gorgeous
12. Slice & serve

Scrambled Eggchiladas

Makes 4 enchiladas

This combines so many of my favorites into one perfect breakfast: eggs, refried beans, tortillas, eggs - you get the idea.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon veg or canola oil
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
• 1/3 cup diced green chilies
• 4 eggs, beaten
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
• 3/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese
• 8 ounces refried beans, warmed up a bit
• 4 flour tortillas
• 1 cup whipping cream
• Sour cream & green salsa for ganish

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Heat oil in a non stick pan over medium heat and add onions and diced chilies - cook until softened
3. Pour in eggs, add 1/4 cup of the cheese, season with salt & pepper and stir constantly until mostly set - remove from heat
4. Pour half the cream in the bottom of a 9x9 baking dish
5. Spread 1/4 of the beans on a tortilla and add 1/4 of the eggs
6. Roll up and put in baking dish - repeat with remaining 3
7. Top with rest of cheese and then drizzle with remaining cream
8. Bake until starting to get brown and get bubbly
9. Serve with sour cream and salsa

Artichoke & Alouette Dip

If I can get down to 1-ingredient recipes some day, I'll be very happy. But until then, this simple and delicious little 2'er will have to suffice.

Ingredients

• 1 can artichoke bottoms
• 1 6.5 oz tub of Alouette Garlic & Herb Cheese spread

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Drain artichokes and chop fine
3. Place in a bowl and mix well with Alouette
4. Put in small ovenproof bowl, and bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes
5. Serve with crackers or toasted pitas

Crab Quesadilla

There's good crab and there's bad crab. If it's spelled with a 'k', as in 'krab' - stay away. It won't be crab - but it will be krappy.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces crab meat
• 1/4 cup red pepper, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon diced jalapenos
• 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• Fresh tortillas

Directions

1. Heat large pan over medium heat
2. Mix all ingredients except tortillas in medium bowl
3. Spread approximately 3/4 of a cup of mixture over tortilla, and top second tortilla
4. Place in pan and squish down slightly
5. Cook until lightly brown on both sides
6. Cut into wedges and serve with sour cream and salsa - the green kind (salsa verde) would be very good with this

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Makes one 10 inch pizza

This has all the great taste of those spicy little chicken wings except in a pizza and with no bones.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded (one of those deli roasted ones perfect)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 6 ounces hot sauce
• 3/4 cup blue cheese dressing, any kind but chunkier is better
• 1-10" ready-made pizza crust like Boboli, or fresh pizza dough spread out to be about that size
• 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Melt butter with hot sauce in small pot, remove from heat
3. Add chicken to the sauce and set aside
4. Spread dressing on crust, then chicken mixture - it will be messy
5. Top with mozzarella
6. Bake until bubbly, brown and awesome looking - about 15 minutes