Shakshuka

Featured on my TV episode, Mediterranean Day.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 green bell, thinly sliced
• ½ of a yellow onion, thinly sliced
• Neutral oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1½ teaspoons cumin
• One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
• 6 ounces baby spinach
• 6 large eggs
• 1/4 cup each finely chopped parsley & green onion

DIRECTIONS

1. Put the peppers, onions and a tablespoon of oil in a large pan (with at least 2 inch sides) over medium heat and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes

2. Add the garlic with a little bit more oil and cook until very fragrant – about a minute

3. Add paprika and cumin – mix well and let toast slightly

4. Squish each tomato to break up and dd to the pan along with any juices from the can and let the whole thing simmer 15 minutes

5. Add spinach, stir to combine and continue to cook until spinach has completely wilted and is well incorporated

6. Carefully crack eggs on top of the sauce, cover with a lid or a double piece of foil and cook until the whites are set but the yolks still runny

7. Top with green onion & parsley – serve.

WATCH HOW I MAKE THIS... FULL TV EPISODE

Cold Asian Noodle Salad

A simple and delicious way of eating without cranking up the oven.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 4 ounces soba noodles
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil
• ½ teaspoon white granulated sugar
• ½ tablespoon Sriracha
• ½ cup carrots, julienned (matchstick size)
• ½ cup sugar snap peas sliced diagonally
• ¼ cup radish sliced thin in half circles
• 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup English cucumbers sliced thin in half circles
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil (like avocado)
• 10 peeled, deveined tail-on shrimp (I used 16/20’s in this recipe)
• Kosher salt
• Sesame seeds
• Thinly sliced green onions and chopped cilantro for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook noodles according to package directions - do not overcook, drain, rinse well with cold water, drain again and transfer to a bowl
2. While noodles are cooking, in a small bowl combine vinegar, soy, sesame oil, sugar and sriracha - stir well and set aside
3. To the noodles add carrots, peas, radishes, celery and cucumber - mix and add a little sauce (adding more sauce as needed)
4. Heat a pan over medium/high, add oil and justvwhen it’s about to smoke add the shrimp and cook about 1 minute - season with Kosher salt, add splash of ½ tablespoon soy and 1 tablespoon Sriracha; mix well and cook until done, remove shrimp from heat
5. Place the noodles/vegetables on serving plate, top with shrimp and garnish with green onions, cilantro and sesame seeds

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

5 Spice Apple Hand Pies

Think light, delicious, crispy little individual apples you can hold in your hands.  

INGREDIENTS

• 2 sheets puff pastry, defrosted
• 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced small
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon Chinese 5 spice powder – go with me on this
• Pinch Kosher salt 
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/3 cup caramel sauce
• Turbinado sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Put apples, lemon juice, sugar 5 spice & salt in a bowl – mix well to combine
3. Breathe it in, it smells uhmazing
4. Unfold pastry and roll out until slightly larger all around 
5. Using a cooking cutter or a glass, cut out an even amount of 4 inch circles - you should get 8-10 from each sheet
6. Line a baking tray with parchment or use a silpat and lay down ½ of the circles
7. Top with a some of the apple, being sure to leave a border at the edges
8. Add about a teaspoon of caramel to each pile of apples, and top with remaining pastry
9. Use a fork to seal the edges, brush top with beaten egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar
10. Bake until gorgeous, golden brown and crispy.

View fullsize

Watch me make 'em...

Asian Rice Bowl

Not to sound like a broken record, but this is super easy and super delicious. And very likely different than your everyday stuff... #justsayin

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound ground beef
• Neutral oil, meaning non-flavored like canola, avocado, peanut etc
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 heaping teaspoon of Asian chili garlic sauce
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
• 2 cups cooked rice

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook ground beef with about ½ tablespoon oil in a large pan until just cooked through - remove excess fat
2. Add ginger, garlic and add a little more oil if needed, stir and cook until very fragrant - about a minute
3. In a small bowl combine brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil and chili garlic sauce - mix well
4. Add the sauce to the beef mixture, stir and let thicken a little
5. Add 1 tablespoon of green onion to the mixture
6. Spoon the beef mixture over rice and garnish with more green onions.

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

---

Grilled Steak Sandwich

Is a simple and delicious thing to make - and the addition of pesto makes it even greater.

Makes 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1 boneless New York steak, at least 1 inch thick & room temperature
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves
• 2 sandwich rolls, sliced in half & buttered
• 2 tablespoons mayo
• 2 tablespoons prepared basil pesto

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat cast iron pan or skillet until smoking hot
2. Lightly rub steak with a little oil and season well on both sides with salt & pepper
3. Cook steak for 3 minutes, flip & continue cooking for 2 minutes (for medium rare), remove from pan and place on a plate to rest
4. In the same pan, add spinach and cook until slightly wilted - about 2 minutes
5. While steak is resting, place buns cut-side down on a flat top or large non-stick pan until lightly toasted
6. Spread mayo and pesto on bottom half of each toasted bun and top with spinach
7. Slice the steak thinly and stack on the spinach - season steak with a little more salt and pepper and top with the other bun.

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

---

Strawberry Cheesecake Milkshake

Three ingredients and so damn good.

Makes 1 serving

INGREDIENTS

• 1 slice frozen strawberry cheesecake, broken into chunks
• ⅓ cup vanilla ice cream
• ⅓ cup milk

DIRECTIONS

1. Put everything into a blender and blend for a couple of minutes, until smooth
2. And this next part should be really, really obvious: put in a glass and drink...unless you want to add a little rum - then you would blend it again and then drink

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

---

Pasta with Bacon and Brussels Sprouts

FEATURED ON MY TV EPISODE, "NOT SO HEALTHY DAY"

Even if you hate brussels sprouts, I think you’ll like this.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 ounces bacon, sliced widthwise
• 10 whole brussels sprouts, sliced thin
• 6 ounces pasta - your choice but Iike “Casarecce” for this one
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a large frying pan, add bacon - cook until just the edge of crispy, take bacon out and drain on paper towels
2. Leave about 1 ½ tablespoons of grease in the pan discarding the rest and add brussel sprouts -  cook about 6-7 minutes
3. While it cooks, bring large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions
4. Add the bacon back in the brussel sprouts pan - then add garlic until fragrant and mix
5. When the pasta is ready, drain (keeping about a cup of the water) and add pasta to bacon and brussels sprouts mixture with parmesan
6. 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
7. Season with salt & pepper
8. Add red pepper flakes - top with a little more parmesan and serve

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

FEATURED ON MY TV SHOW 

---

---

Mexican Breakfast Bowl

One of my all time favorite breakfasts - and it’s not just good, it’s good for you. If this is eating healthy, call me Richard Simmons

Makes 4

INGREDIENTS

• 15 ounce can black beans, drained
• 1 pinch Kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon cumin, chipotle chili powder & garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ¼ cup red onions, thinly sliced
• 4 eggs, beaten
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped white onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• Hot sauce, any you prefer (I like Cholula)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat on black beans in a small pot, add salt, cumin, chipotle and garlic powder-mix well, keep warm on low heat and set aside
2. Put a non-stick pan over medium and add butter
3. As it melts add red onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes
4. Stir in eggs and cook to your desired doneness (which hopefully is not too dry) - season with salt and pepper, remove from heat and keep warm
5. Compile your bowl in thirds starting with ½ cup of rice, then ¼ of the black beans and scrambled eggs - repeat with remaining bowls
6. Top each bowl with avocado, some white onion, cilantro and a couple of dashes of hot sauce

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

---

Fresh Tomato Sauce

The only way this gets easier is if someone makes it for you.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ cup diced yellow onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 vine-ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
• ⅓ cup red wine (any wine you enjoy drinking will do)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 10 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade (stacked, roll like a cigar and then thinly sliced lengthwise)
• Kosher salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat and add onion - cook about 5 minutes
2. Add garlic and cook another minute or so - just until fragrant
3. Add tomatoes, turn heat up and let cook a minute or two
4. Next add wine and tomato paste, mix then bring sauce to a boil, turn down heat and let simmer about 10 minutes
5. Add the basil then season with salt and pepper to taste
6. Serve on everything - pasta (of course), toast, eggs, polenta, pizza, grilled bread, chicken... did I say on everything?

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

---

GRILLED STUFFED TERIYAKI BURGER

Not to sound like a broken record, but it’s time to stop eating the same thing all the time. So for something a little different, I suggest trying a stuffed burger. And this one has sautéed onions, Swiss cheese and well, you’ll just have to watch, then make it.

Makes 2 burgers

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup red onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon butter
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 slices Swiss cheese
• 1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
• 4 pineapple rings
• Iceberg lettuce

Directions

1. Cook onions with butter in a non-stick pan until softened, season with salt & pepper and set aside.
2. Flatten beef into 4 patties, and using your hands or burger press, make a pocket in two of them. Put half the onion and one piece of cheese (folded to fit) into the pockets and top with second patty. Season each stuffed burger well with salt & pepper.
3. Preheat grill to medium high and put on the burgers and pineapple slices. Cook until done on one side, then flip them over, and begin brushing both with teriyaki. When both sides of burgers and pineapple are almost done, add more sauce, then toast buns on the grill.
4. Build burger: bun bottom, lettuce, burger, pineapple slices, bun top.

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

---

Udon with Shrimp

Yes, I make a lot of Asian food. And so should you cuzit’sway better for you than fast food and certainly much faster.

Serves 1

INGREDIENTS 

• 1/3 cup oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon sesame oil
• ½ pound peeled, deveined shrimp (31-40 size)
• 2 small bunches baby bok choy
• 1 package udon noodles – frozen noodles work too
• 1 tablespoon vegetable/canola oil
• Sesame seeds to garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine oyster sauce, soy and sesame oil in a small bowl – mix well
2. Add half the sauce to the shrimp and let marinate
3. Prepare bok choy-cut the ends to separate individual leaves
4. Cooking noodles according to package directions – adding bokchoy after about a minute
5. Heat a pan or wok over medium/high, add oil and marinated shrimp, cook until done - about 3 minutes
6. Drain noodles & bokchoy, put back in pot and mix with remaining sauce
7. Place the noodles/bok choy in a bowl and top with shrimp, garnish with sesame seeds

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

---

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Regular sweet potatoes-good. Hasselback sweet potatoes brushed with curry and cumin butter sauce – mental.

Make 2 potatoes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium size sweet potatoes

• ¼ cup butter

• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

• ½ teaspoon ground cumin

• ½ teaspoon curry powder

• ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt

• ¼ cup sour cream

• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees

2. Cut a slice from bottom of potato so it will sit flat and set between two chopsticks 

3. Using a sharp knife, make cuts across the potato (the short way) down to the sticks 1/8 to 1/4 inch which will prevent you from cutting all the way through the potatoes

4. Repeat with 2nd potato and place on parchment lined baking sheet

5. Melt butter in small saucepan, add red pepper flakes, cumin, curry and salt - mix well

6. Brush potatoes with the butter mixture, getting in between the layers

7. Bake 50 min-1hour or until potatoes are tender on the inside and crispy on the outside

8. Add a little sour cream and garnish with cilantro to serve.

View fullsize

Watch me make this

---

Joe’s Special

I know eggs, ground beef and spinach may not sound like a winner, but his old-school San Fran restaurant item is ridiculous. And by ridiculous I mean effing great.

Makes 1-2

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ½ cup white onion, diced
• ¼ pound ground beef
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4 ounces cooked chopped spinach (squeeze out liquid)
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan
• Baguette or any bread of your choice

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil in a small skillet over low to medium heat, add onions and cook until soften about 5 minutes
2. Add the beef, breaking it up along the way
3. Just when beef is almost done, add the garlic, cook until fragrant
4. Add the spinach and mix in well, season with salt and pepper
5. Add the eggs to the pan, cook slowly, stirring often making sure the eggs don’t stick to the pan
6. When the eggs are about halfway done, mix in parmesan and continue stirring until eggs are cooked though but still creamy
7. Serve with baguette.

FEATURED RECIPE ON STCG "ONLINE" SHOW

FEATURED RECIPE ON MY TV SHOW

---

Chili Tots

Makes 2

INGREDIENTS

• 15 oz can of chili, heated
• 16 oz frozen tater tots
• ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook tots according to package directions
2. Top with chili and cheese

---

Turkey Chili Enchiladas

Makes 8

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound ground turkey, cooked and crumbled
• 1 cup chili 
• ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 8 small flour tortillas
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix first 3 ingredients in bowl, set aside
2. Pour 1/2 the whipping cream in the bottom of a 9x13-baking dish
3. Pour chicken broth in bowl and one by one submerge each tortilla
4. Place approximately 1/8 turkey mixture in the center of each moistened tortilla and roll up
5. Place all 8 side by side in dish seam down in baking dish, sprinkle with Monterey jack cheese and pour remaining whipping cream over top
6. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly and gorgeous

View fullsize

---

WATCH ME MAKE IT, SEE THE TV EPSIODE

---

Chili Cheese Omelet

Makes 1

INGREDIENTS

• 15 oz can of chili, heated
• ½ tablespoon butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 slice Kraft American cheese (you can use any kind you like, but this kinda makes it)
• ¼ cup green onions, chopped for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Beat the eggs well in a bowl
2. Melt butter in a non-stick pan over medium heat, and add eggs.
3. If making a true omelet, allow the eggs to set - add chili to one half, cover with cheese and flip side with no chili over making a half moon - cook to desired doneness (which for me is not too dry)
4. Put on a plate, add a little more chili and garnish with green onions

---

Chili Cheese Waffle

Makes 2

INGREDIENTS

• 1 8.5 oz box Jiffy Corn Muffin mix  
• 1 egg, beaten
• ¾ cup milk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon butter, softened
• 1 15 oz can of chili, heated
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
• ¼ cup sour cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat waffle iron
2. Combine muffin mix, egg, milk, oil and sugar in a large bowl - mix well
3. Spray both sides of waffle iron with non-stick spray, add batter, cook until done
4. Place on plate, spread lightly with butter, add chili, top with cheddar cheese and sour cream

---

Double Wrapped Shrimp & Bacon Tacos

Makes about 6

I like the idea of putting everything out in bowls, and letting my guests make their own.  I mean come on – why do I have to do all the work?  

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 3/4 lb peeled, uncooked shrimp cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• 1 lime cut in half, then one half into wedges
• 6 soft corn tortillas
• 3/4 cup refried beans, warmed
• 6 hard taco shells, warmed according to package directions
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• Lettuce, shredded
• 6 slices bacon, cooked, crispy and crumbled
• 3 green onions, finely diced
• Cholula hot sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat pan well then add oil and shrimp - stir-fry quickly as the shrimp will cook fast 
2. When almost done (about 2 minutes) sprinkle shrimp with Old Bay then squeeze juice from the lime half on top 
3. Give them one quick mix and remove to a bowl alongside the tortillas, beans, sour cream and lettuce, bacon and green onions 
4. Now simply let people make their own: put some beans on one side of a soft tortilla, the wrap that around a hard shell tortilla
5. Add some sour cream, some lettuce, the shrimp, some bacon, some green onions and finally a few shakes of hot sauce
6. Eat – as if that wasn’t fricking obvious

View fullsize

Green Goddess Dressing

It’s 1973, Sacheen Littlefeather accepts the Best Actor Award for Marlon Brando in The Godfather, All in the Family was huge on TV and Green Goddess Dressing was all the rage – and still should be.  

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon
• 1/3 cup fresh parsley 
• 2 tablespoons fresh chives, coarsley chopped
• 2 green onions, white & light green parts coarsely chopped
• Juice of one lemon
• 2 teaspoons anchovy paste
• 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 3/4 cup sour cream

DIRECTIONS

1.  Put all ingredients in a processor and blend until smooth 

View fullsize

---

Pork Chow Mein

Get ready for the Chinese New Year with these great noodles - and the quick little black bean sauce makes this ridiculous.

Serves 2-4

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons black bean garlic sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• ½ pound boneless pork (tenderloin or country style ribs work great), thinly sliced 
• ½ tablespoon of neutral oil*
• *(unflavored oils such as canola, vegetable or peanut)
• ¼ pound sugar snap peas sliced diagonally
• ½ pound shitake mushrooms
• 4 oz chow mein noodles, cooked
• green onions, chopped to garnish

 DIRECTIONS

1. Combine black bean and soy sauce, set aside
2. Heat sautéed pan on medium-high, add oil and pork and cook cooked until pork is just done, about 4 minutes ­ - remove pork mixture to a bowl
3. In same pan, heat to high and add a little more oil
4. Add peas and stir fry until crisp tender, about 3 minutes then add to pork mixture
5. Return pan to heat again, add more oil and the shitakes, cook until softened, about 5 minutes
6. Turn heat up to high, add the pork mixture and then the add soy/black bean - stir until heated through
7. Add chow mein noodles, combine well, plate and garnish with green onions
8. Serve

View fullsize

---