Avocado & Crab Benedict

Serves 2

Buy decent crab - and that doesn't mean having to go down to the docks.  You can great crab at the supermarket - look for the pasteurized kind in the refrigerated section. 

Ingredients

• 4 eggs, poached
• 2 English muffins, split & toasted
• 1/2 cup crab meat - crab with a 'c', not a 'k'
• 1 avocado, ripe
• 1/2 cup hollandaise sauce, no need to make it - you can buy it
• Old Bay Seasoning

Directions

1. Top English Muffins with avocado and then poached eggs
2. Top eggs with crab and then with hollandaise sauce
3. Sprinkle each with Old Bay seasoning

Crab Omelet

Makes 1

Being a guy, of course I like eggs. And if I was single, this would be my "hey, know what I could make for you tomorrow morning' kinda of pick-up-line. But I'm married and would never use a line like that. Honest honey...

Ingredients

• 2 tablepoons red bell pepper, diced fine
• 2 eggs, beaten well
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Butter (or olive oil)
• 1/3 cup crab meat
• 1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese

Directions

1. Preheat nonstick skillet over medium heat
2. Add the red pepper and a smidge of olive oil and cook until slightly softened
3. Meanwhile beat the eggs well and add some freshly ground black pepper to taste
4. Melt about a teaspoon or so of butter (or put the oil) in the pan and pour the eggs over the red bell pepper
5. Cook the eggs by pulling them away from the sides of the pan so the raw egg runs underneath to cook
6. Once the egg is somewhat set add your crab and cheese
7. Fold the omelet in half and continue to cook so that the crab heats in the center, the cheese gets melty and the eggs finish cooking
8. Place the omelet on a plate and sprinkle with a little more freshly ground black pepper

Zamba

Makes 2 big servings

This is my son Zach's morning breakfast. It's his version of a Jamba Juice smoothie.

Ingredients

• One big handful frozen mango squares
• A handful frozen strawberries (not to many or it ruins the whole thing)
• 1 banana, peeled and cut into large pieces
• equal amount orange juice and cranberry juice to cover the fruit
• 5 pieces of ice, no more & no less

Directions

1. Add fruit to your blender and pour in juice just to cover
2. Add ice and start blending at medium so that everything begins to get chopped up
3. Turn up the blender a couple of times and blend until every thing becomes really smooth and well blended

The Worlds Freshest Pea Soup

Makes 4 - 6 servings

This is not that thick, army green gross stuff. This is fresh, bright and really delicious. But if you want the old-school version, I'm sure you can find it in a can in the back of an old supermarket somewhere...

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup red onion, diced
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 - 2 ounce package of Ready Bacon, diced
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 - 16oz bag frozen peas
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Sour cream

Directions

1. Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat, add oil and cook the red onion until very soft and beginning to brown slightly
2. Add bacon and continue to cook everything starts getting crispy
3. While that cooks, heat the chicken stock in a separate pot
4. Once it boils, add the peas and cook for about 2 1/2 minutes
5. Drain the peas (reserving the broth) and put into a blender and add just enough broth to cover
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste
7. Cover and blend until smooth
8. Add the whipping cream and continue blending until really smooth
9. Serve in a bowl and top with a spoonful of sour cream and some of the red onion/bacon mixture

Mini Boiler-Makers

Makes one

A 'boilermaker' is most often a shot glass of whiskey, dropped into a larger glass of beer. The size and the added spice make this one a little different.

Ingredients

• 1/2 ounce beer
• 1/2 ounce scotch
• Hot sauce, like Cholula

Directions

1. In a shot glass pour in the beer and scotch and add a couple nice shakes of the hot sauce
2. Stir well and sip

The Pinky

Makes 1

Named after Michelle who once produced the show. I nicknamed her 'Pinky' after a silly email name of hers. Anyway, I made this for her bridal shower and everyone loved it.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces vodka
• 1/2 ounce orange juice
• 1/2 ounce Chambord
• 2 ounces champagne

Directions

1. Put ice in a glass and add vodka, oj and Chambord
2. Top with champagne and stir slowly to mix
3. Drink

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Makes about 1 cup

Works for pasta, fish or pretty much anything. I put this on a fried egg that's on top of a grilled piece of whole wheat bread - then I drizzle the whole thing with a little really good extra virgin olive oil. Then I eat it. Then I make another one - ok, I'll stop now.

Ingredients

• 1-12 ounce jar roasted red peppers with garlic (if you can find them), drained
• 1 large clove garlic (if you don't have garlic in the peppers)
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Approximately 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth, or more if desired

Directions

1. Put everything in a blender except broth and blend - pretty easy so far huh?
2. Add broth until you get the thickness you like
3. Heat before using

Cranberry Marg

Makes one

I really like my regular margarita, so this is pretty much like that - but with cranberry juice added. Hey, why mess with a good thing?

Ingredients

• 2 parts tequila
• 1 part Sweet & Sour
• 1 part cranberry juice
• 1 splash Grand Marnier
• 1 lime wedge
• Handful of fresh cranberries, optional

Directions

1. Fill a glass with ice and add tequila, sweet & sour, cranberry juice and Grand Marnier
2. Add slice of lime and some cranberries
3. Stir well and drink

Turkey Tacos

Makes 6

I mean really - there are only so many turkey sandwiches or pot pies you can eat with leftover turkey before you want to poke your eyes out. Try these, ok?

Ingredients

• 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups leftover turkey
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 1 cup leftover mashed potatoes, warmed
• 6 corn tortillas, warmedsour cream

Directions

1. Cook onion in oil over medium heat until softened
2. Add turkey and cumin and stir well until heated through
3. Add carrots, stir and remove from heat
4. To a heated tortilla add some sour cream, mashed potato and then top with turkey mixture
5. Eat away...

Sweet Potato Pie

Makes one 9 inch pie

Sweet potato pie rules.

Ingredients

• One 9 inch pie crust
• 1.5 pounds sweet potatoes
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 5 ounces evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon each ground cinnamon, ginger and all spice
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 and pre-bake pie crust about 10 minutes, allow to cool
2. Turn oven to 425
3. Peel potatoes, cut into equal size pieces and boil until soft enough to poke a skewer through them - 15 to 20 minutes
4. Drain and then mash
5. Add remaining ingredients to potatoes and mix well
6. Pour into pie crust and bake at 425 for 5 minutes then turn down too 325 and finished baking for an additional 40 minutes
7. Allow to cool and then serve

Bourbon Baked Brie

Makes one brie wheel

From our dear friend, neighbor (and grandmother to our dog Haley) Peg.

Ingredients

• One 13 ounce wheel of brie
• About 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small-ish pieces
• 1 tablespoon bourbon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Place unwrapped wheel of brie in an oven safe baking dish - something nice enough you can serve it in
3. Top brie with pecans, then brown sugar, then butter and finally drizzle with bourbon
4. Bake about 20 minutes
5. Remove and serve with crackers

View fullsize

View fullsize

Potato Chip Cookies

Makes about 3 dozen

These were sent in by viewer Lori and came from her Grandma Thora. Sweet, salty and crunchy - these are really really good.

Ingredients

• 4 sticks of Butter, softened
• 3 1/2 cups Flour
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla
• 3-5 ounces plain, thick cut potato chips - crushed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Beat butter and sugar together until fluffy
3. Add vanilla and flour until mixed well and then add crushed chips - mix
4. Drop teaspoon size-ish spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet
5. Bake until a light golden brown on the edges, approximately 10 minutes

New Zealand Savory Muffins

Makes 8, I think

We had these in Christchurch, NZ when we shot a show way down there. They were off-the-hook-amazing.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup cooked bacon,diced
• 3/4 cup grilled onion
• 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1 cup cooked & mashed sweet potato
• 1/2 cup blue cheese

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients except blue cheese and mix well
2. Put in greased muffin tins (don't use paper cups, they don't cook as well)
3. Push a big chunk (about 1 tablespoon) of blue cheese into the middle of each muffin
4. Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes

Fish Stick Tacos

Makes 10

No laughing - I have not lost my mind and these are really good.

Ingredients

• 20 fish sticks, yes those little frozen-in-the-bag kind
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup green salsa
• 10 corn tortillas
• 1/2 cup green cabbage, shredded
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions

1. Bake sticks according to package directions
2. Mix sour cream and salsa, set aside
3. Warm tortillas until they get a tiny bit brown
4. Take a tortilla, add sauce, cabbage, 2 fish sticks and finally a squeeze of lime

Leftover Steak & Potato Pie

Serves 8

I could eat anything that had a crust on it - and this is no exception.

Ingredients

• 1 onion, diced
• One - 2 ounce pack pre-cooked bacon, diced
• 1 pound cooked steak, diced small
• 2 baked potatoes already baked, the Idaho kind - diced
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
• 12 ounces beef gravy, jarred
• 1 ready pie crustSalt & Pepper to taste
• Splash of Guinness beer
• One egg, beaten

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Cook onion & bacon in a pan until is soft and bacon is kinda crispy
3. In a large bowl put onion, bacon, steak, potato, peas, Worcestershire, gravy, Guinness and season with salt & pepper - mix well
4. Put everything in a 9x9 casserole dish and cover with pastry dough
5. Make a few small slits in the top with the point of a knife, and brush the top with the egg
6. Bake about 25 minutes, or until golden brown

Thai Curry Noodle Soup

Serves 4

This is easily one of Mrs Cooking Guy's most requested meals.

Ingredients

• 2 cups chicken broth

• 14-ounce can coconut milk

• 1/2 -1 tablespoon curry powder

• 1/2 tablespoon Asian chili paste

• 2 packs Ramen noodles, uncooked & without the seasoning pack

• 3/4 pound shrimp, raw, shell-off and de-veined (31/40’s or 21/25’s are great)

• 1/2 red pepper, diced small

• Green onions (scallions), cilantro and limes for garnish

Directions

1. Put broth, coconut milk, curry and chili sauce in a small pot and bring to a boil

2. Turn down to a simmer and add the noodles and shrimp

3. In about 4 minutes, the noodles will be soft, the shrimp will be pink and cooked - and you'll be eating like Thai royalty

4. In the meantime, cook red pepper in a little oil in a non-stick pan until softened and beginning to get a little color - set aside

5. Serve in a bowl and garnish with green onion, cilantro, diced red pepper and a squeeze of lime

Mixed Mushroom and Blue Cheese Pizza

Makes one 12 inch pizza

Make it and slice it into thin pieces for an appetizer. It's so good...

Ingredients

• 1 large red onion, sliced thin
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 16 ounces mixed mushrooms, sliced - white, shitake, cremini, oyster - mix it up
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• One 12" pizza crust
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1/3 cup walnut pieces

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. In a medium pan cook onions in a little buttter until really softened
3. At the same time cook mushrooms in a non-stick pan until softened
4. Stir brown sugar into onions, mix well
5. Put onion & mushrooms on crust, and top with blue cheese and then walnuts
6. Bake 12-15 minutes

Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Makes about 2 cups

Does this really need a description?

Ingredients

• 2 cups mashed potatoes
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt
• fresh ground pepper

Directions

1. Combine potatoes with blue cheese (start with 1/4 cup) in a small pot
2. Heat slowly until mixed through and stir in olive oil and season with salt & pepper
3. Taste - if you want add more of the cheese
4. If they're perfect, go eat

Blue Cheese Gnocchi

Serves 4

If you hate blue cheese, don't make this. If you love it, then get busy..

Ingredients

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1 pound gnocchi
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1 ounce 'ready bacon', diced

Directions

1. In a small pot, combine whipping cream and blue cheese - simmer on low/medium until it starts to thicken, stir
2. Cook diced bacon with peas in a small non-stick pan until the bacon is crispy and the peas are defrosted...soft and bitchin
3. Cook gnocchi in a pot of boiling water - when they float, they're ready
4. Drain gnocchi and add to cream sauce - mix well
5. To serve, put on a plate and add bacon/pea mixture and fresh ground pepper

Rum Cherry Thing

Makes 1

Just good.

Ingredients

• White sugar
• Lime wedge
• 2 parts dark rum
• 1 part Grand Marnier
• 1/2 part maraschino cherry juice

Directions

1. Put sugar on a small plate
2. Rub lime around the edge of a short glass and then dip in sugar to rim
3. Add ice to glass and add rum, GM and cherry juice
4. Squeeze and drop in lime