Pink Rum Hammer

Makes 1, but a good 1

I'm not sure the combination of rum and ruby red grapefruit juice sounds all that good, but this is one of my favorite cocktails. And on a hot summer day, it's the official drink of the Red Kitchen.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces dark rum
• 1 ounce Ruby Red Grapefruit juice
• splash raspberry liquer, like Aqua Perfecta

Directions

1. Fill a short glass with ice
2. Add rum and grapefruit juice
3. Add the splash of raspberry
4. Squeeze and drop lime on top and serve

Double Ballpark Hotdogs

4 Servings

I have a very definite idea on what a good dog should be - and this is it. By the way, life is too short to eat single dogs on a bun...

Ingredients

• 8 hot dogs - go Kosher, you'll thank me later
• 1 medium red onion, diced fine
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1-2 ounce package 'ready bacon', diced fine
• 1-14 ounce can chili - beans...no beans, meat...no meat - you decide
• Hot sauce
• 4 big sandwich rolls or big hot dog buns or whatever
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Boil dogs in a pot of water 5-7 minutes or until they start to 'plump'
2. While they cook, saute red onion in oil until it softens really well - then add bacon and allow bacon to crisp slightly - remove to a bowl
3. Heat chili - in a pot or in the crow, it's up to you
4. Remove dogs from pot and slice lengthwise down the center, but not all the way through - leave a little hinge
5. In the same pan you used for the bacon, sear the dogs on both "open sides" until juicy, glistening and starting to brown
6. Heat broiler and brown buns just slightly
7. Build it like this - place 2 seared dogs on a bun, top with chili, top with onion & bacon, top with hot sauce then a final topping with the cheddar and stick under the broiler until melty
8. My bet is nothin' will top this...

Sweet & Spicy Flank

4 servings

A good flank steak is one of my favorite things. Just remember you have a day of marinating ahead you before you can eat it...

Ingredients

• 1 flank steak, about one and a half pounds
• 3 ounces chipotle peppers with adobo sauce
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 bunch green onions
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 8 ounces orange juice

Directions

1. Put all ingredients except flank in a food processor or blender and whirl until smooth
2. Put flank and marinade in a large Ziploc bag and seal - refrigerate over night
3. Remove from fridge 30-45 before grilling
4. Heat grill on high then grill flank about 5 minutes each side for medium rare
5. Slice into thin strips across grain to serve

South of the Border Scallops

Makes 12

Who doesn't love a scallop? Now that I think of, a bunch of people don't. Go figure...

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup diced fresh mango
• 1/3 cup peeled and diced cucumber
• 1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 pound sea scallops, rinsed and dried
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients except scallops and set aside
2. Season scallops with salt and pepper
3. Heat non-stick pan over high heat
4. Put in oil & when just smoking add scallops and sear each side until nicely brown and a cool little sort of crust builds
5. Put on a plate and serve with the mango salsa

Mexican Bruschetta

Makes 16-20 pieces

This could also be called a 'Mexcian Garlic bread'. Whatever you choose, just make it.

Ingredients

• 1 long sour dough baguette

• 1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, seeded and diced pretty small

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped fine

• 6 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 - 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes

• 3/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Heat broiler

2. Slice baguette down the middle and brown ever-so-slightly under the broiler

3. Mix remaining ingredients and put on top of sliced bread

4. Place under broiler until the whole things begins to brown

5. Remove and slice into serving pieces

Tequila Sunrise

Makes 1

This is definitely an old school cocktail. It reminds me of this one night we were all over at....oh never mind.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces tequila
• 1 ounce orange juice
• About 1/2 an ounce of Grenadine

Directions

1. Put ice in a glass and add tequila then oj
2. Drizzle the Grenadine over the ice and watch the sunrise - get it?

Open Face London Broilers...

Makes 16-20

The perfect cocktail party food. Cooking the beef the day before will make your life much easier...

Ingredients

• About 1.5 pounds London Broil - or any steak you like
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped fine
• Kosher and fresh ground pepper
• 1 long sour dough baguette
• 2/3 cup horseradish sauce - from the condiment aisle in the supermarket
• 4 ounces arugula leaves
• Olive oil

Directions

1. Heat grill to high
2. Rub steak lightly with olive oil, garlic and season well with salt and pepper
3. Cook until medium rare - about 5 minutes a side
4. Allow to cool and slice into very thin strips against the grain - if cooking this much in advance, seal well and refrigerate. Just remember to let it come to room temp before serving
5. When you're ready to go - heat broiler
6. Slice baguette lengthwise, drizzle lightly with olive oil and put under broiler until just lightly browned
7. Remove and spread cut sides of baguette with horseradish, then add a good (not skimpy) layer of the arugula and top with the sliced steak
8. I always give the top a final quick drizzle of olive oil and a little fresh ground pepper
9. Cut each baguette side into 8 pieces and serve

Shrimpy

Makes 2 pounds

It's butter and shrimp - ok, pepper, and garlic too. Okay...an ass load of butter - just don't eat the whole thing yourself.

2 cups butter (4 sticks)

2 pounds shrimp, shell on, but deveined

6 tablespoons ground black pepper

1/2 tablespoon Kosher salt, smoked salt if you have, if not no big

6-8 large cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika

Lemons for serving

• Heat oven to broil

• In a large cast iron pan or baking dish, thinly slice and spread out 2 sticks of the butter to cover bottom of pan

• Sprinkle half the pepper over the butter, then put in the shrimp in as much of a single layer as possible, use a couple pans if necessary, season with the salt

• Add the garlic, the paprika, the remaining butter and then the rest of the pepper

• Broil, about 6 to 8 inches away from the heat until shrimp are nicely pink, you don’t need to flip them - this could be anyway from 10-15 minutes. Keep an eye on them so they don’t overcook

• Peel, eat, peel eat, peel, eat and serve with lots of warm, crusty bread for dipping and ice cold beers for, well that should be obvious

Roast Beef, Pepper Jack & Grilled Onions

Makes 4 open sandwiches

These are served open-face.

Ingredients

• 1 large red onion, thinly sliced. ok I'll admit it, I think I'm in love with red onions
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound deli-counter roast beef, thinly sliced
• 4 slices pepper jack cheese
• 1¼ cup spicy brown mustard
• 2 onion Kaiser rolls or suitable equivalent - no pressure here, but something like a hot dog bun just ain't gonna cut it

Directions

1. Put a large non-stick pan on medium heat and add the oil and onions
2. Cook until they are nicely browned and well softened then remove from pan, put it a bowl and set aside
3. In the same pan, separate roast beef into 4 little piles over medium heat and grill
4. While the piles are grilling, stick sliced Kaiser halves in toaster until just slightly brown
5. When roast beef has started to get a nice color on the bottom, flip each little pile over and add cheese â?? allow to melt a bit
6. Put mustard on each toasted Kaiser half, and then a bunch of the onions
7. Remove roast beef and put on top of the onion bed â?? and eat, of course

Meatball Sandwich

6 servings

Once again, another frozen item to the rescue.

Ingredients

• 24 ounce jar pasta sauce
• 24 meatballs, the smaller already cooked and frozen guys
• 6 crusty Italian rolls or buns
• 12 slices Provolone cheese
• Hot sauce

Directions

1. Put meatballs and sauce in a pot and simmer until balls are cooked through, about 15 minutes
2. Heat broiler, split rolls down the middle and toast very slightly and remove
3. Put 4 meatballs plus some sauce on each roll, give a few good shakes with hot sauce and cover each with 2 slices cheese
4. Put back under the broiler until cheese has melted and you're done

Grilled Lox & Fontina

Makes 2 sandwiches

Lox, melty cheese & red onion - what else do you need?

Ingredients

• 4 slices some kind of whole grain bread, you can use whatever you like but a multi grain will just add more flavor and isn't that what we're going for?
• 4 ounces lox
• Thinly sliced red onion
• 8 thin slices Fontina cheese
• Softened butter

Directions

1. Place 2 slices of cheese on each slice of bread, add half the salmon to 2 of them, top that with onion, then remaining cheese and finally remaining bread
2. Butter one side of bread well and place face down in a heated non-stick pan
3. Squish down a little to flatten a bit while it's cooking
4. When it's golden brown, butter the top - flip and repeat cooking until golden as well
5. Remove and cut into wedges to serve

Chili Salmon

Makes 4 servings

Another example of 1 ingredient tasting like 5. This is really good, really simple and isn't too spicy.

Ingredients

• Four 6 - 8 ounce salmon fillets, skin off (that have been out of the fridge at least 20 minutes
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup sesame chili oil, approx
• 1/3 cup green onions, chopped fine

Directions

1. Put fillets on a plate, season well with Kosher salt and pepper and drizzle with the chili oil - being sure to get some on the bottom
2. Heat a non-stick pan really, really well until almost smoking
3. Turn on the fan and carefully add salmon
4. Cook until about 1/4 of the way done - and you can see this by watching the sides of the salmon change color
5. Carefully turn over, cook the same - remove
6. Serve topped with green onions

King Crab Legs

Serves 2

This is a great opening to a romantic meal for two. Don't be put off thinking crab is difficult to deal with - it's not.

Ingredients

• 1 pound King crab legs
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Directions

1. Cut the stick of butter in half and put each half into a small bowl - don't do anything with it yet
2. Break each leg into 2 - 4 pieces - depending on how long they are (pieces should be about 5 - 6 inches long)
3. Fold 3 paper towels in half, so they're sort of 1 1/2 paper towels long and lightly dampen with water then wrap around the crab legs (these are already cooked...we're just warming them)
4. Place the bundle in the microwave for 2 minutes
5. Remove the crab, and while you're putting it onto a platter, put the butter bowls into the crow to melt - about 30 seconds I think
6. Remove bowls and add the pepper to one and the chili powder to the other
7. Open the shells, get to the meat and dip into your favorite butter sauce (but be sure to try both before you decide)

Rack of Lamb

Serves 2

Rack of Lamb...can you think of anything more delicious??? Ok maybe you can, but this will be on your list if you try it. And for sure...you'll be on someone's good side if you make it for them.

Ingredients

• One "Frenched" rack of lamb - that just means the small bones are exposed
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, chopped coarsely (or 1 tablespoon dried, I like the fresh)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup grainy mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon each Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions

1. Let rack of lamb come to room temperature before using
2. Preheat oven to 500 (and when I say preheat I mean get it to 500 and let it stay there for 10 - 15 minutes
3. Rinse lamb under running water and pat dry with paper towels
4. In a small bowl mix the mustard, olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper to make a paste and spread on both sides of the lamb - but not on the exposed bones
5. Place the coated lamb on a baking sheet and place into well heated oven for 15 minutes(Note: this WILL smoke)
6. Take internal temperature at 15 minutes. It should be no more than 130
7. Place lamb on a plate and cover with foil, let rest for 10 minutes to let the juices flow back into the meat. (Note: The meat continues to cook during this time)
8. Slice the "chops" apart between the bones and arrange on a nice serving plate
9. Serve and be prepared for lots of "now that's what I'm talkin' abouts......."

Simple Roasted Asparagus

Serves 2

What goes better with a great rack of lamb...or anything else for that matter?

Ingredients

• One pound asparagus, not too thick, not too thin - just right
• 1 - 2 tablespoons olive oil, depending on the size of the
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 500 (You will have already done this if you are making this with the Rack of Lamb.)
2. Rinse the asparagus and cut off the tough ends
3. Put on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and season with Kosher salt and pepper
4. Put in hot oven (hopefully with the rack of lamb) for about 10-ish minutes. They will get a little darkened but stay crisp and taste wonderful
5. Put on something that looks cool and serve

Roasted Tomato Pasta

Serves 4-6

This is a totally fresh, not heavily-sauced pasta. The roasted tomatoes are so damn good, you'll be lucky if they all make it onto the pasta.

Ingredients

• 1 pound of the small cherry or strawberry sized tomatoes
• 3 - 4 cloves garlic, chopped, mashed, squished whatever
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• One pound pasta - a spaghetti type would be nice here, but pretty much any kind will work
• Shredded Parmesan cheese
• Basil, finely chopped - optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 and put a large pot of water on the stove to boil
2. Rinse tomatoes, then cut them in half and place in a bowl
3. Add the chopped garlic, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season well with salt and pepper
4. Dump tomatoes onto a baking sheet and spread to a single layer
5. Roast about 25 minutes or until they get soft, squishy and amazing
6. During the tomatoes last 10 minutes in the oven, cook the pasta according to package directions
7. Drain pasta well in a colander and drizzle with a tablespoon or so of the olive oil
8. Plate the pasta and top with the tomatoes, some Parmesan, a little more pepper and then the basil if using

White Pizza with Spinach & Garlic

Makes One 12 inch pizza

This is not your usual pizza. There's no red saucey stuff, there's three kinds of cheese and all kinds of flavor. And isn't flavor what it's all about?

Ingredients

• 1 ready made pizza crust
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
• 2 - 3 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 - 8 ounce bag of fresh spinach leaves
• 1 package sliced Provolone cheese
• 1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Lightly rub or brush the crust with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil
2. Heat a pan on the stove and cook garlic in the olive oil about 30 seconds
3. Add the spinach to the garlic and stir until wilted - this won't take more than about a minute
4. Sprinkle Feta over the crust, it's ok if there's gaps
5. Spread the garlic and spinach over the Feta and top with slices of Provolone (it's still ok if there's gaps between the slices)
6. Top with the Mozzarella
7. Bake at 425 for about 15 minutes, or until the crust starts to brown and the cheese gets all melty

Ballpark Food Extravaganza

Serves a lot

Sam eats some of everything on the menu at Petco Park - home of the Padres in San Diego, CA.

Ingredients

• All kinds of good ballpark food.

Directions

1. Attend your favorite ballpark and follow Sam's unique eating advice.

Shrimp BLT

Makes 2 large sandwiches

This is a great variation on your typical BLT. Messy but great. Go on...ignore the mess and just enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. peeled uncooked shrimp cut into smallish pieces
• Kosher salt and ground pepper to taste
• 1 head lettuce, the real head kind - don't substitute here
• 1 medium sized ripe tomato, sliced
• About 8 pieces ready bacon, cooked
• 2 nice sandwich (hoagie style) rolls
• Chili sauce, the ketchup kind (not the Asian kind)

Directions

1. Preheat a skillet on the stove, toss in the shrimp pieces and season to taste with salt and pepper (these will cook quickly)
2. Cook ready bacon per package instruction in the microwave
3. Preheat the broiler
4. Open the sandwich rolls, place on a baking sheet and toast lightly under the broiler (and I mean lightly!)
5. Cut the lettuce in half then quarters and shred about a quarter into thin slices
6. Spread the chili sauce to taste onto the toasted rolls
7. Top with 3 - 4 pieces of bacon, a pile of lettuce shreds and a couple of tomato slices
8. Finally top with 1/2 of the cooked shrimp in a pile on top of everything else
9. Put the top of the roll on and cut the sandwich in half
10. Forget how it falls apart - just make it and enjoy!

Fried Egg Sandwich

Makes 1 Sandwich

An old standby - yes but so good. Try one my way...

Ingredients

• 2 slices whole wheat bread
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon butter
• kosher salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 slices processed american cheese slices
• mayonnaise

Directions

1. Heat a skillet then melt butter in it
2. Add the eggs to the hot butter and be sure to bust the yolks open (I use a piece of the broken egg shell)
3. Sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste
4. Flip the eggs once and top with the cheese
5. Toast the whole wheat bread then put a little may on one side (to your taste)
6. Pile the eggs one on top of the other
7. Put the other slice of bread on top and enjoy!