Hot Buttered Doughnuts

Makes 4 servings

Once again there's truth in advertising. These are exactly as the name suggests - doughnuts that have been simply cooked in hot butter - and boy are they good.

Ingredients

• 16 glazed doughnut holes
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 lemon wedge
• 1 pint really good vanilla ice cream
• 1/4 cup caramel/butterscotch sauce, warmed
• Powdered sugar for garnish

Directions

1. Slice each hole in half
2. Melt butter in a non stick pan and add doughnuts
3. Cook on all sides but especially with the flat side down so they get brown, caramelized and crispy
4. Squeeze on lemon juice just before removing from pan
5. Serve with ice cream, drizzled with caramel/butterscotch sauce and dusted with powdered sugar

Potato/Leek Flatbread

Makes one 7"x12" flatbread

Flatbread pretty much just means very thin crust pizza - and this is a delicious one. Many supermarkets now sell balls of raw pizza dough - or you can make your own. Either way you'll like this.

Ingredients

• 1 large leek
• Olive oil
• Salt & Pepper
• 1/2 ball store bought pizza dough
• Soft garlic & herb cheese, like Alouette
• 3 or 4 small red potatoes, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Cut off root end and bright green tops of leek
3. Slice what's left (the white & light green middle) in half lengthwise, rinse under cold water to remove any dirt and dry
4. Slice each half lengthwise into thin match sticks and saute in a non stick pan with a little olive, salt & pepper until softened (about 3 minutes), remove from heat
5. Lightly oil baking sheet and spread out dough into about a 7x12 oval
6. Spread with garlic & herb cheese, potato slices, sauteed leeks and finally the Parmesan
7. Bake until crispy & golden brown, 10-12 minutes

Spicy Baked Scotch Eggs

Makes 6

This is a baked (and still delicious) version of the normally deep-fried pub treat.

Ingredients

• 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
• 1 pound spicy Italian sausage
• 1 cup flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Wrap each egg with approximately 1/6 of the sausage, making sure there are no gaps
3. Coat with flour, shaking off excess
4. Dip in egg and then in the bread crumbs
5. Put on a baking sheet and bake 30 minutes, or until crispy and cooked through
6. Slice open and enjoy

Pork Jerky Machaca Burrito

Makes six burritos

Not only does the jerky give this great taste, but it also gives it a nice toothsomeness.

Ingredients

• 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 small jalapeno, diced small
• 4 ounces pork jerky, chopped very fine
• 2 roma tomatoes, diced small
• 5 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 6-eight inch flour tortillas, warmed
• 2 avocados, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch slices
• Sour cream

Directions

1. Heat large non-stick pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat
2. Add onion & jalapeno, cook about 3 minutes
3. Add the jerky, mix well and allow to soften, 5-7 minutes
4. Stir in eggs and cheese, cook until done the way you want (just don't dry them out)
5. Add some sour cream to a warmed tortilla, a layer of avo and then some of the jerky eggs
6. Fold anyway you can, and eat

Loco Moco

Makes 4

Perhaps the epitome of Hawaiian comfort food. Only food snobs wouldn't like this. Oh and my wife, but not because she's a food snob. Because she'd just find this whole combo disgusting.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• Olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
• 1.5 cups beef gravy
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups cooked rice

Directions

1. Mix ground beef with soy sauce, season well with salt and pepper & shape into 4 patties
2. Heat your grill, pan or whatever to medium high
3. Brush patties with olive oil and and ccok burgers until done - and by done I mean medium rare
4. While burgers cook, put onions and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan over medium heat and cook until nicely softened, about 5 minutes
5. Heat gravy with Worcestershire in a small pot
6. Cook eggs, ideally maintaining a runny yolk
7. Serve like this from the bottom up: rice, hamburger, onions, egg, gravy
8. Oh my

Tuna & White Bean Salad

Serves 4 -6 (I think)

I like to make this and keep it in the fridge. Then when I need a snack, it's not only filling & delicious, but it's super healthy for you. Low in fat and calories but high in protein.

Ingredients

• 1/4-1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• Juice of one lemon - about 3 tablespoons
• Good pinch Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
• One 12 ounce can solid white tuna
• One 15 ounce can white cannellini beans, drained & rinsed (you can easily substitute with garbanzo beans)
• 1/2 cup leeks, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup of chopped parsley

Directions

1. Make the dressing: combine olive oil, sesame oil, soy, lemon juice and salt & pepper - mix really well & set aside
2. Put tuna in a large bowl and break up
3. Add beans, leeks and parsley - mix carefully not to break the beans
4. Toss with some of the dressing and serve

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Tuna Cakes with Lemon Salsa

Makes about twelve 2" cakes

Think crab cake - but with canned tuna. And before you dismiss them as crappy cuz it's canned tuna, maybe you should try them. Just a thought.

Ingredients

CAKES:

• 12 ounces canned tuna, drained
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup green onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
• Juice of half a lemon

LEMON SALSA:

• 3 lemons peeled, seeded and diced small
• 1/4 cup red onion, diced
• 1/4 cup cucumber, peeled and diced small
• 1 red jalapeno, diced tiny
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
• Non-fat plain yogurt for serving

Directions

1. In a large bowl combine all ingredients for the tuna cakes
2. Shape into 12 cakes and cook in a medium hot pan wit olive oil until brown and crispy on both sides
3. While they cook, mix ingredients for salsa
4. Serve topped with a little yogurt and the salsa

Chimichurri

Makes about 1 cup

Thank you Argentina! This is so delicious on any kind of grilled meat, poultry, vegetables whatever. Even just to use for dipping grilled, crusty bread into would be insane

4 cloves garlic

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon each Kosher salt, cumin and crushed red pepper

3/4 cup chopped parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried oregano)

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Juice of 1 lemon

• Either put everything into a food processor and process until fairly smooth, or

• Hand chop everything, pout into a bowl and mix

• Either way it’ll be delicious - so use it on everything

BBQ Shrimp PO Boy

Serves 3 - maybe 4, but probably 3. Yeah 3 seems right.

A classic New Orleans-type of sandwich. But instead of a pain in the ass deep-fried concoction, it's done on the grill.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup mayo
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons (not Asian) chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce
• 1/2 pound shrimp, 21/25's raw shell off and de-veined
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 4 French Rolls
• Shredded Iceberg lettuce
• Sliced tomatoes
• Olive oil

Directions

1. Heat grill to medium
2. Combine mayo, onion, chili sauce, horseradish and hot sauce - mix well and set aside
3. Mix shrimp with cayenne, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt & pepper
4. Grill shrimp until done � juicy and amazing, not dried out and disgusting
5. Slice rolls lengthwise, drizzle with olive oil and place cut side down on bbq and grill slightly
6. Build PO Boy with shrimp, sauce, lettuce & tomato

Mexican Caesar

Serves 3 – maybe 4, but probably 3. Yeah 3 seems right.

This is at least a once a week item in our house (that means we like it)

Ingredients

• 1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce, or about a tablespoon of anchovy paste
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
• 1-2 tablespoons milk
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
• 6 cups romaine lettuce, cut into small bites
• 1/2 pound bacon, cooked until crispy and then crumbled
• One 15 ounce can whole kernel corn, drained and sauteed in a little oil until just starting to brown

Directions

1. Combine yogurt (or sour cream), garlic, fish sauce, lemon juice, Worcestershire, milk and cilantro, mix until smooth -  season to taste with salt
2. Put romaine in a large bowl and add bacon, corn and dressing - toss well, add pepper and serve

Pie Crust

Makes 1 crust

If you've always bought dough, stop it and start making your own. Yes really.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very-cold, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 6 to 8 Tbsp ice water

Directions

1. Put flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer (or processor) and turn on briefly to mix
2. Add the butter in cubes and mix just until the pieces are the size of small peas
3. Add water about a tablespoon at a time and mix on low only until the dough pulls together
4. Take the dough out and flatten into a disk on a lightly flour surface
5. Wrap in cling film and chill in the refrigerator 15 minutes up to a couple days
6. When ready to use - gently flatten the disk, dust the top with flour, and roll out into a round approximately 12 inches in diameter
7. Carefully transfer the dough onto a pie plate and use as normal for baking

Sriracha & Bacon Egg Salad Sandwich

Makes 2

We made this on the Livecast and everyone was very happy. VERY.

Ingredients

• 4 hard boiled eggs - if you're not sure how to properly hard boil eggs check out the recipe in the 'Things That Don't Fit In Any Other Category'
• 2 tablespoons diced green onion
• 2-3 tablespoons mayo
• About 1 1/2 tablespoons sriracha - it's up to you
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 6 slices bacon, cooked & crispy
• 4 slices good bread (whole wheat would be excellent), toasted
• Iceberg lettuce
• Mayo, to taste

Directions

1. Grate or chop eggs and put in a small bowl
2. Add green onion, mayo, sriracha & salt - mix well
3. Add a bed of lettuce to 2 slices of the toast, egg salad and then bacon - top with toast
4. Slice, eat and smile

Seared Scallops with Sriracha Butter

Serves 2 or 3 as an appetizer

Beautifully seared scallops are simple and the sriracha butter makes them amazing.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon sriracha
• Olive oil
• One bunch green onions, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 6 sea scallops (they're the big guys)

Directions

1. Mix butter with sriracha - set aside
2. Heat non stick pan over medium heat, add oil and green onions
3. Cook green onions until just tender
4. Add garlic and stir into onions until fragrant - set onions and garlic aside
5. Return pan to stove and turn up to medium/high
6. Put in a little more oil and then scallops
7. Sear 2-3 minutes until golden brown, then turn over
8. While searing second side, add green onions and sriracha butter
9. As the butter melts, baste the scallops with it
10. Finish cooking second side and plate scallops

Roast Turkey Breast

Serves 4-6

Much less fuss than all the fanfare required for a whole turkey - but still super delicious.

Ingredients

• One fresh turkey breast with bone
• 2 tablespoons softened butter
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 2 celery stalks, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 2 small carrot, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 small onions, peeled and quartered

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Rub turkey with the butter, inside & out
3. Season well with salt and pepper
4. Put vegetables on the bottom of a roasting pan and set turkey on top
5. Turn heat down to 325 and roast until an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast reads 160 degrees
6. Transfer turkey to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil for about 20 minutes
7. While turkey rests, make pan gravy
8. Carve the breast and serve with the gravy :)

Chipotle Sloppy Joes

Makes 6 slider-sized Joes

Ahhhh yes, the amazing Sloppy Joe - what's not to like? Especially ones made with chipotle.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oil

• 1/2 onion, diced small

• 1 green bell pepper, diced small

• 1 pound ground beef

• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper

• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire

• 1 large clove garlic, minced

• 6 ounces tomato paste

• 1 cup really good beer, and something a little bitter wouldn't be a bad thing here

• 3-4 chipotle peppers, minced well

• Hawaiian rolls, or something equally as delicious for serving

• French's Fried Onions

Directions

1. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large pan, add onion and green pepper and cook about 3 minutes, then add beef

2. Continue cooking until beef is just cooked through, add garlic and cook 1 more minute

3. Season with S&P and add Worcestershire, tomato paste, beer and chipotles - mix everything well then simmer a few minutes on medium/low until slightly thickened

4. Serve on Hawaiian rolls and top with the crispy onions

Crispy Veal Cutlet & Garlicy Spinach Sandwich

Makes 3 sandwiches

Crispy thin veal with amazingly beautiful garlic spinach - I have only 2 words: Boo-ya!!!

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 2 cups Panko bread crumbs

• Salt & pepper

• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

• 1 pound thinly sliced veal

• Fresh mozzarella, sliced thin

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 small bag fresh spinach

• 1 large clove garlic, minced

• 3 Ciabatta rolls

Directions

1. In 3 wide bowls put flour in one, beaten eggs in one and Panko in one

2. Season Panko with salt, pepper & Parmesan

3. In a large pan, add butter & olive oil over medium heat

4. Dredge veal slices in flour, then dip in egg, then in Panko

5. Cook in butter/oil about 2 1/2 minutes - flip and top with cheese - cook 2 minutes more

6. While it cooks, sautee spinach in oil until wilted - then stir in garlic - cook one minute

7. Slice rolls, drizzle with a little oil and cook in a non-stick pan until slightly golden brown

8. Serve by putting spinach on a roll and adding veal

9. Boom!

Hot Chicken Sandwich

Makes one sandwich

Not 'hot chicken' as in hot chicken. But 'hot chicken' as in hot chicken...sandwich. Think open faced turkey sandwich but with chicken instead of turkey, not open faced and topped with peas. Not all that sophisticated, but just good, comfort food.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup peas, thawed
• 1/3 cup chicken gravy, warmed
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup cooked chicken, shredded or diced - and
• 2 slices whole wheat bread
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions

1. Warm peas in microwave or small pot
2. Put chicken on one slice of bread, add second slice, top with warm peas and then gravy
3. Add salt & pepper to taste

South African Gatsby

Makes one sandwich

It's a bit odd, but good. Think hoagie, hero, sub - whatever but with the addition of fries and pretty much any kind of meat you'd like. In this version I use boloney because that's how I first saw it in Capetown.

Ingredients

• 4-5 slices of boloney
• 1 sub, hoagie or hero roll
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
• 1 handful oven baked French fries, cooked, hot & crispy
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce

Directions

1. Grill boloney a couple minutes a side in a medium hot pan until beginning to brown
2. Slice roll lengthwise, leaving a hinge and add lettuce, cooked bologna, fries, ketchup and hot sauce - that's it :)

Baked Fish Sticks

Serves 3-4

Ah yes...fish sticks. Always crispy and oh so delicious. And deep fried - but not this time. We lighten everything up by baking them and using non-fat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.

Ingredients

• One pound cod (or your favorite white fish)
• 1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup flour
• Kosher salt & pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
• 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 2 fat dill pickles, diced small
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Slice fish into finger-size pieces
3. Put flour, eggs and Panko crumbs into 3 separate wide, flat bowls
4. Season Panko with salt, pepper and dill
5. Put fish into flour bowl being sure it covers well and shake off any excess
6. Then into egg and finally into Panko (again covering well)
7. Place on lightly greased baking sheet and bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown
8. While they bake, combine yogurt, pickles, Worcestershire and lemon juice - mix well and set aside
9. Serve fish with tartar sauce

Classic Patty Melt

Makes 2 Sandwiches

Call it a burger...call it a sandwich...call it whatever you want, but the classic Patty Melt is an amazingly simple combination of deliciousness. Learn how to make it and save yourself a trip to Denny's.

Ingredients

• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 5 tablespoons butter
• Olive oil
• 1 lb of ground beef
• Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper
• 4 tbsp of soft butter
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 4 slices Swiss cheese
• 4 slices rye bread

Directions

1. Cook sliced onions in 1 tablespoon each butter and olive oil until caramelized and soft - about 10 minutes
2. Stir in Worcestershire, remove from heat
3. In a large bowl, mix ground beef with garlic powder and season with salt & pepper
4. Shape into 2 patties, each a little larger than the rye bread
5. Heat a pan on medium high heat, and cook patties in a little oil about 5 minutes
6. Flip and add 2 slices of cheese to each patty add cook an additional 3-4 minutes for medium rare
7. Meanwhile, butter one side of 2 pieces of the bread and place butter-side down in a non-stick pan
8. Place one patty on each slice of bread, then a generous layer of onions and top with remaining bread
9. Cook on medium until golden brown - then butter the top, flip and repeat
10. Remove, slice and eat