Chicken Fried Steak

Serves 4

Diet food? No. Amazingly delicious? You fricking bet.

Btw - the confusing name is because it's steak that's cooked like fried chicken.

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons Montreal steak seasoning
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1.5 pounds sirloin steak - pounded to about an even 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness and cut into serving size pieces
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• Oil for frying
• 12 ounces chicken gravy, store-bought is totally fine
• 1/4 cup half & half cream
• Parsley for garnish

Directions

1. Using a couple pie pans or some other dish type thing, combine flour, steak seasoning, salt & paprika in one - and the beaten eggs & milk in the other
2. Dip steak pieces first in the flour (coating both sides), then in the eggs, then in the flour again
3. Put enough oil in a skillet to cover the bottom and set over medium/high heat
4. When the oil is hot (but not smoking) cook each piece in the oil on both sides until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side - don't crowd the pan though
5. While the steaks cook, warm gravy in a small pot with about 1/2 tablespoon of the seasoning and the cream - stir well to combine
6. Serve steaks with gravy and a little parsley

Chicken with Fresh Oregano & Lemon

Serves 4

Lemon, garlic, oregano and chicken? This is a no brainer

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh oregano
• 2 tablespoons garlic, finely chopped
• Kosher salt & pepper
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1.5 pounds chicken thighs

Directions

1. Preheat grill to medium high
2. Whisk lemon juice, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl and add the oil in a slow stream
3. Season chicken well with salt and pepper, then grill until cooked through
4. Put chicken in a shallow bowl and add dressing - turn to coat well and serve

Simple Teriyaki Chicken

Serves 4

If there's Chinese comfort food (and why wouldn't there be) this would be it. And just keeping a bottle of teriyaki sauce around makes the comfort even faster.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons peanut oil

• 1 bunch green onions, 1/2 of them cut into 1 inch pieces and the rest finely chopped

• 1 large clove garlic, chopped fine

• 1-1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped

• 1 lb chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces

• 1/4-1/3 cup bottled teriyaki sauce

Directions

1. Add oil to pan or wok and heat until almost smoking

2. Add green onion, garlic & ginger - stir fry 2 minutes, remove from pan

3. Get pan super hot, add a little more oil and add chicken

4. Cook quickly until almost done then add vegetables and and sauce

5. Mix all together well until heated through and serve on steamed rice

6. Topped with finely chopped green onion

Easy Cornbread & Sausage Stuffing

Makes about 4 cups

I start with seasoned corn bread stuffing - and add a couple things. And don't forget to make stuffing omelets with the leftovers.

1 pound spicy Italian sausage

1 cup diced yellow onion

1 cup diced celery

1 tablespoon dried sage

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 cup butter, 2 sticks

One 12 ounce bag cornbread stuffing

1 3/4 cup chicken stock

• Preheat oven to 350

• Put the cornbread into a large bowl

• Cook the sausage in a pan, breaking it up as you go until cooked through, remove to the cornbread bowl

• In the same pan melt the butter, then put in the onion, celery and sage and cook until softened - about 5 minutes, put in with the cornbread & sausage

• Add the broth and mix until well combine

• Then everything goes into a greased casserole dish, cover with foil and cook for 30 minutes, remove foil and continue to cook another 10

Turkey & Stuffing Benedict

Makes 1

I love traditional Eggs Benedict, but this made such a hit in our house it'll now be a regular breakfast item.

Ingredients

• 1/3-1/2 cup stuffing (cooked)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Few slices cooked turkey
• One egg
• Turkey gravy

Directions

1. Shape stuffing into a 1/2 thick patty - about the size and shape of an English muffin - compact it well
2. Melt butter in a non-stick pan over medium heat and cook patty until crispy on both sides - about 2 minutes a side - just be gentle cuz it'll try to break apart on you
3. While it cooks, poach the egg and heat the turkey and gravy
4. Plate with stuffing patty on the bottom, the turkey, the poached egg and finally gravy over the top

My Grandma Ruth's Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Makes one bundt cake

This is my grandmother's super simple recipe - just mix & bake. And as easy as it is, I wish she was still around to make it for me.

Ingredients

• 1 package lemon cake mix
• 1 large package Jello lemon pudding
• 1 cup warm water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup poppy seeds
• 4 eggs

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 325
2. Mix all ingredients well, and pour into a greased bundt pan
3. Bake for 1 1/4 hours

Prime Rib

Serves 4-6 maybe

A prime rib is not just delicious, but it's also really simple. This is my mom's recipe and for me is the quintessential roast beef. A handful of ingredients and a couple steps and you're there. A good instant read thermometer will help you nail the doneness. And don't skip the mustard - it's key for flavor (though it doesn't taste mustardy), promise.

Ingredients

• 1 4-5 pound prime rib

• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper

• 5 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/4 cup yellow mustard

• 3 tablespoons anchovy paste

Directions

1. Take the roast out of the fridge approx 2 hours before cooking and pat dry with paper towels

2. Preheat oven to 450

3. Season generously with the salt and pepper

4. Combine garlic, mustard and anchovy taste - mix well to combine and rub over the entire roast well

5. Place the roast into the oven for 20 minutes then turn down heat to 325 degrees

6. Cook approx 12-15 minutes a pound until you get the temp you want

7. For medium rare, look for a thermometer to read 125 degrees fin the center of the roast - 130 for medium

8. Once you hit your temp - take roast out of the oven and allow to rest for 20-30 minutes before carving - it will rise an additional 5 degrees while it rests

Tomato Egg Stir Fry

Serves 4

Eggs and tomatoes never tasted so good.

Ingredients

• 5 eggs, beaten
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
• Olive oil, peanut oil, whatever oil
• 4 vine ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Green onions, chopped fine for garnish

Directions

1. Heat a wok or large non-stick pan well over medium heat
2. Add enough oil to coat the bottom and sides, and add eggs, and season with salt & pepper
3. Roll pan around to spread eggs into sort of a large pancake
4. Cook on both sides until done - but not too try and remove to a cutting board
5. When it cools slightly, roll it up like a cigar and cut into 1/2 inch ribbons
6. Put wok or pan back on the heat, add more oil and then tomatoes and sugar
7. Cook tomatoes until they start to break down a bit, then add back in the eggs
8. Stir everything until well combined and heated through - about 2 more minutes then serve
9. Top with green onions

Mushroom Spinach Grilled Cheese

Makes 2 sandwiches

This was the crew's favorite when we shot Grill Cheese Day – and for good reason. It's crazy delicious...

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
• Olive oil
• 3 ounces (about 1/2 bag) spinach
• 1 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• 3 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 4 slices whole wheat bread
• Softened butter

Directions

1. Cook mushroom in a little oil over medium heat until nicely softened - about 5 minutes
2. Add garlic and stir about a minute until fragrant - then add spinach
3. Cook another 4 minutes or so until spinach wilts way down and put in a bowl
4. Add jack cheese to spinach and mix well
5. Spread Dijon on two slices of bread, add 1/2 the spinach mixture to each, then goat cheese to each and finally top each with 2nd slice of bread
6. Spread top slice with butter, and grill in a non-stick pan until nicely browned - repeat with 2nd side
7. Eat

German Pancake (aka Dutch Baby)

Serves 1 to 2

The most gorgeous light, puffed pancake you'll ever have. It's crazy looking and so delicious.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 cup milk

• 3 eggs

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• pinch of salt

• 1 tablespoon butter

• OPTIONAL FOR SERVING: butter, lemon juice, powdered sugar or syrup

• SAVORY version: omit sugar, add a little fresh ground pepper to the batter (I topped the pancake with crispy prosciutto, a fried egg and arugula greens)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425

2. Put a heavy ovenproof pan or a cast iron skillet in the oven for at least 10 minutes while you make the batter to get it really really hot

3. In a medium sized bowl, whisk flour, milk, eggs, sugar and salt until smooth

4. Quickly but carefully, remove pan from oven and add butter - coat bottom and sides well then pour the batter into the hot skillet all at once, and immediately put back in the oven

5. Bake 20 minutes (check at 15 minutes), without opening the door until puffed and golden brown

6. Remove from oven and serve right away - the pancake will start to deflate when out of the oven, but that's ok

7. Optional (but you should do it), serve with butter, lemon juice and powdered sugar

Vodka w/Caper Berry

Makes one

A classic, with a tiny berry twist. And 'twist' as in difference. Not 'twist' as in 'twist'.

Ingredients

• Ice

• 2 ounces Vodka

• Tiny splash of dry vermouth

• Splash of caper berry juice

• 2 caper berry's

Directions

1. Put ice in a glass

2. Add vodka, vermouth, juice and berries - drink

3. Add more berries as necessary

Chorizo & Cheese Torta

Makes 3

I had this in Cabo recently and couldn't wait to try it myself when I got back.

Ingredients

• 1 pound Mexican chorizo
• 1 big avocado
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• Pinch Kosher salt
• 1/3 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 3 crusty Mexican sandwich rolls or 3 Ciabatta rolls

Directions

1. Cook chorizo over medium heat in pan until fully cooked - 8-10 minutes
2. While it cooks, put avocado flesh (I hate saying that) in a bowl with lime juice and salt - mix well until it's the consistency of chunky guacamole
3. Preheat broiler
4. Split and lightly toast buns under broiler, remove
5. Put cooked chorizo on bottom of each bun and top with some of the cheese - put back under broiler just until cheese melts
6. Remove, put guacamole on top bun, close up and cut in half
7. Eat - and if you're really thinking you bust out a Mexican beer to go with this

Chorizo & Cheese Torta

Makes 3

I had this in Cabo recently and couldn't wait to try to make it myself when I got back. And btw...I nailed it.   

Ingredients

• 10-12 ounces Mexican chorizo - it comes in a tube that varies in size

• 1 big avocado

• Juice of 1/2 lime

• Pinch Kosher salt

• 1/3 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

• 3 crusty Mexican sandwich rolls or 3 Ciabatta rolls

Directions

1. Cook chorizo over medium heat in pan until fully cooked - 8-10 minutes

2. While it cooks, put avocado flesh (I hate saying that) in a bowl with lime juice and salt - mix well until it's the consistency of chunky guacamole

3. Preheat broiler

4. Split and lightly toast buns under broiler, remove

5. Put cooked chorizo on bottom of each bun and top with some of the cheese - put back under broiler just until cheese melts

6. Remove, put guacamole on top bun, close up and cut in half

7. Eat - and if you're really thinking you'll bust out a good Mexican beer to go with this...just sayin.

Sour Cream Hot Dogs

Makes 4 really damn good dogs

Another so simple but so good recipe. It's hard for me NOT to make my dogs like this every time.

Ingredients

• 4 Kosher all beef hot dogs (just trust me on the Kosher part)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup diced green onions

Directions

1. Heat grill to medium high
2. Using a knife, make a spiral cut all the way around each dog - about 1/4 of the way through
3. Grill dogs until beautiful and a wee bit crispy around the edges
4. Just as they're finishing, place buns on grill to get golden brown
5. Remove dogs and buns...spread sour cream on each bun...add a dog and top with a bunch of green onions - don't be stingy
6. Devour - I mean eat - no I mean devour

Bourbon Whipped Cream

Makes about 2 cups

Would this be good on a dessert like apple pie - yes. Would this be good on a breakfast item like waffles with a scatter of chopped pecans - yes. Would this be good straight out of the bowl - yes.

Ingredients

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon bourbon

Directions

1. Put cream, sugar and bourbon in a mixer or large bowl and beat until soft peaks form
2. You can DEFINITELY over beat whipping cream, so be careful

Cioppino

Serves 2-4

Think fish stew - unless that sounds gross. Then just think super delicious seafood in a glorious, rich tomato broth (which is basically a fish stew)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-28 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes (preferably San Marzano if you have them)
• 2 ounces Stu's 'This is Bloody Mary' or substitute with:
• 1 ounce Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 ounce hot sauce, juice from 1/2 lemon and 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 pound raw large shrimp, peeled - about a dozen
• 1 pound sea scallops - about 10
• 3/4 pound mahi mahi, halibut or red snapper - cut into big bite size pieces
• And of course you can always add clams, mussels, lobster (raw) cut into pieces - anything you like
• To garnish - chopped cilantro & green onion

Directions

1. Put a large pot over medium heat and add oil, onions & garlic
2. Cook slowly until onions have brown lightly and softened
3. Add tomatoes - squishing to break them up as you add them to the pot, then add Stu's (if using) or the Worcestershire, hot sauce lemon juice & chili powder - stir well
4. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and put the lid on - cook about 20 minutes
5. Open lid and add seafood, then return lid and cook until done, roughly 10 to 15 minutes
6. Serve by topping with cilantro & green onions

Kale & Roasted Corn Salad

Serves 4

Kale - the cardboard of the salad world. But marinating it in this dressing and using avocado help make it so delicious - not to mention healthy. It's our new favorite.

Ingredients

SALAD:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 - 15 ounce can whole kernel corn, drained well
• 2 ripe avocados, diced small
• 1 bag (12 ounces) chopped kale, chopped to make it even smaller
• 12 ounces cooked chicken, diced small
• 1/2 pound cooked bacon, diced

DRESSING:

• 4 ounces olive oil
• juice from 1 lemon
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• Good pinch salt & pepper

Directions

1. Heat wok or non-stick pan until almost smoking, add oil & corn and cook until browned in spots - remove to a dish and let cool
2. Make dressing by combining oil, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon and salt & pepper - mix
3. Put Kale, corn, avocado, chicken and dressing in a large bowl and toss well - put in fridge about 30 minutes to let all the flavors come together (and to allow the 'cardboardiness' of the kale to subside). 
4. Mix in bacon and serve

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Bacon Beer Cheese Dip

Makes a bunch

Cheese & beer & bacon. Really, do you need anything else?

Ingredients

• 6-8 pieces bacon
• 4-5 green onions, white & light green parts, chopped fine
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 8 ounces Velveeta cheese
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon Montreal Steak Seasoning
• Approx 6 ounces beer (I like something hoppy, like an IPA)
• Something to dip - bread would be good here

Directions

1. Cook bacon in a small pot until crisp, remove from pan and set aside on paper towels
2. Remove most of the grease, and add green onions until softened, then put back in bacon, cream cheese, Velveeta, Worcestershire, Montreal seasoning, green onions and beer
3. Cook on low until all is combined and melted - serve with something to dip

TIP: You can easily sub the bacon for fresh crab, for a Crab Beer Cheese Dip.

Marcela's Mango/Guayaba Mousse

Makes 20 tequila shot glasses

This is from Marcela Valladolid (Food Network's 'Mexican Made Easy'). It's like a trifle, but using the guava or mango makes it less sweet and crazy good - and for me that's saying a lot cuz I don't really like sweets.

Ingredients

• 5 ounces Maria crackers (about 32 crackers) or graham crackers (about 10 whole crackers)
• 1/2 cup minced (packed) piloncillo or dark brown sugar
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 2 1/2 cups sliced fruit in syrup (guava or mango), drained (syrup reserved for another use)
• Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar (or less if fruit is too sweet in syrup)
• 1- 0.25 ounce envelope whipped topping mix such as Dream Whip
• Purchased meringue cookies, crumbled (I like to add chocolate-mint flavored from Whole Foods, adds a nice kick)
• 2 fresh mangos, small dice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. In a food processor, process Maria crackers, plioncillo, and butter until well incorporated - everything should stick together when you grab it with your hand
3. Place it on a baking sheet and press it down to form a crust
4. Bake it for 10 minutes or until golden in color - remoe from oven and let cool
5. Once cooled, break into little pieces, this will be one of the layers of the trifle dish
6. In a blender, process fruit until smooth
7. Strain fruit (especially if it's guava so you can remove the seeds) into medium bowl
8. Using an electric mixer, whip the cream cheese and sour cream in a bowl until fluffy
9. Mix in 1/4 cup granulated sugar and whipped topping until well sugar has completely dissolved and add reserved fruit puree
10. In a shot glass, begin with a layer of the cookie crumble, top with fruit cream and continue with meringue cookies, more cream, and cookie crumble
11. Continue layering until reaching to the top
12. Serve immediately.

Queso Fundido Con Chorizo

Serves 10 as an appetizer

So really, aside from the fancy name this is just melty cheese with chorizo - that happens to be damn good. BTW, you can sub 'soyrizo' for the pork chorizo if you want no animal, less fat and less flavor - but have it still taste pretty good.

Ingredients

• 10 ounces pork chorizo
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 4 ounces diced green chilis
• 1/4 cup green onions, diced
• Tortilla chips or something for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Cook onion with chorizo in a medium sized oven proof skillet on the stove until chorizo is done - turn off heat
3. Add 3/4 cup of each cheese and the chilis to the chorizo - mix well
4. Add remaining cheeses to the top of skillet and place in oven
5. Cook until melty, bubbly and awesome looking - 15 to 20 minutes and remove from oven
6. Top with green onions and serve with something to put it on