Baked Chipotle Chicken Taquitos

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• 1/3 cup salsa verde (green salsa)
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese - Monterey Jack, cheddar or even a mix…it’s up to you
• 1-2 tablespoons finely minced chipotle peppers
• 10 flour tortillas, approximately 6 inches in diameter

Toppings for serving

• sour cream
• shredded lettuce
• guacamole (my recipe)
• diced tomatoes

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 425
• Combine chicken, salsa, cheese and chipotles in a bowl - mix well to combine
• Heat tortillas slightly to make them pliable, add some filling and roll up tightly
• Place seem-side down on a greased baking sheet and brush or spray with neutral oil
• Bake approximately 25 minutes or until golden and crispy
• Plate, add toppings and serve - yum.

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Mayo Cheese Bread

My mom's old school recipe never fails.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup diced yellow onion
• 1/3 cup shredded asiago cheese (or a combo of shredded Monterey jack & cheddar)  
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1 sourdough baguette  

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Combine mayo, onion, cheese & parsley - mix really well
3. Season with pepper and a pinch of salt, stir through
4. Cut baguette horizontally and spread on cheese mayo mix
5. Bake 10-15 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly
6. Slice into pieces and serve

Watch me make this...

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Breakfast Bean Benedict

Featured on Tailgate Day TV episode.

5 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 can fridge large biscuits (5 count)
• 15 ounce can baked beans
• ¼ pound bacon, cooked halfway (not crispy)
• ¼ cup red onion, diced small
• 1 tablespoon grainy mustard
• ½ tablespoon worcestershire sauce
• Poached Eggs in advance (make as many as you need)

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook biscuits, as per instructions; set aside
2. In a saucepan cook beans, bacon and red onion until onion is translucent - mix in mustard and worcestershire sauce; let simmer for 10-15 minutes
3. Make poached eggs and set aside
4. To assemble split biscuits in half. Ladle baked beans over biscuit and top with a poached egg

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Pork Sandwich

Featured recipe on my Tailgate Day TV episode.

Makes 1 large sandwich

INGREDIENTS

• ½ pound pork tenderloin, thinly sliced into 4-5 portions

Marinade:

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced/crushed
• ½ teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
• ½-1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
• Juice from ½ lime
• Kosher salt

Sandwich Sauce:

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ½ teaspoon chili garlic sauce

Sandwich Fixings:

• 1 large good Italian or French roll, cut in half lengthwise
• 1 cup baby arugula, tossed in olive oil
• 4 slices of tomato
• 4 onion rings, cooked per instructions

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, add all the marinade ingredients and whisk until thoroughly mixed
2. Put the pork cutlets and the marinade in a ziplock bag, seal and refrigerate a couple of hours
3. Mix the sandwich sauce ingredients, set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use
4. Heat grill on medium, cook pork until done (about 3 minutes each side) - at this point you can also heat the sandwich bread and onion rings if you want
5. To assemble spread sauce on bottom half of the bread, layer arugula, pork, tomatoes and onion rings - top with bread, slice into portions or eat the whole thing yourself.

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Chile Verde with Pork

Recipe featured on Sam The Cooking Guy Tailgate Day TV episode.

 

Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS

• 1-3 tablespoons neutral oil (like vegetable or canola)

• 3 pound pork shoulder (cut into 1 inch size cubes)

• 1 cup white or yellow onion, diced

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• ½ teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 16 ounce jar salsa verde

• 1 10 ounce can green enchilada sauce

• 1 25 ounce can hominy, drained

• ½-1 cup chicken broth

Suggested servings and toppings:

• Cooked riced

• Tortillas

• Chopped red onions

• Chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot on medium-high heat - cook the pork until brown on all sides (cook in batches, add more oil if needed); remove pork and set aside

2. In the same pot, saute onions for about a minute, add garlic and cumin; cook until fragrant then add the cooked pork back in

3. Next add the salsa, enchilada sauce and hominy; mix and add chicken broth just enough to cover the pork mixture

4. Bring to a boil, turn down heat and simmer partially covered for about 2 hours or until pork is fork tender

5. Serve over cooked rice with tortillas on the side and top with fresh onions and cilantro.

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Turkey Injector Marinade

This is a simple but delicious marinade to help moisten the inside of the bird. No bad will ever come from injecting – unless you inject yourself, and then it will only hurt.  It'll hurt like sxxt, but you'll get over it.

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup chicken broth
• ½ cup butter
• Juice of ½ lemon
• ½ tablespoon Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients in a small pot over medium heat and bring to a boil, then immediately turn down to low and simmer 5 minute, stirring often
2. Turn off heat and let cool about 10 minutes
3. Load the syringe with marinade and inject in the turkey all over - breast, thigh, and leg – repeat to ensure even coverage
4. Wipe off any excess from the outside, then season the turkey with your rub and cook

Brisket Mac N Cheese

Featured recipe on Back to School Day TV episode.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound pasta of your choice (I used orecchiette)
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil (like vegetable or canola)
• ½  yellow onion, diced
• ½ pound cooked brisket
• 2 ½ cups milk
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 8 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, shredded
• 8 ounces horseradish Cheddar cheese, shredded
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• ½-1 cup French Fried Onions

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
2. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water a little less time than the directions on the package, drain well but save some of the pasta water.
3. Cook onion in oil until soft and brisket - cook another 2 minutes to just warm up the brisket, set aside.
4. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it.
5. Melt butter in a large (4-quart) pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth.
6. On low heat, add handfuls of the Gouda and Cheddar cheese to the sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat, add the cooked macaroni, brisket mixture and stir well.
7. Pour into a 3-quart baking dish and sprinkle fried onions on top
8. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

WATCH HOW TO MAKE THIS

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Mexican-ish Poutine

Featured recipe on my BACK TO SCHOOL DAY TV episode.

Serves 2-4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bag frozen fries (I used waffle fries, but any french fry will work)
• 10 ounces pork chorizo
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 large poblano chile pepper
• ¼ cup chopped fresh green onions
• 1 cup shredded cooked chicken (deli rotisserie chicken works great)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven per french fry package instructions; spread the fries evenly onto a baking sheet and bake as package instructs - until browned and crunchy
2. Cook chorizo in a small sized saucepan until chorizo is done, about 5 minutes - add cream and let simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes
3. Roast poblano chile over your stove's open top and keep turning until blackened all around or you can place chile on baking sheet and broil until blackened all the way around - you'll have to turn them a couple times
4. Let the pepper cool, and remove blackened skin or put in a paper bag and seal for 10 minutes to steam then peel off charred skin, remove stem and seeds and dice small - set aside.
5. On a plate layer as follows: fries, chicken, chorizo gravy, poblano peppers and green onions
6. Be sure to get a little of everything in each bite

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Watch how to make this...

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Peanut Butter Smoothie

Featured recipe on Back to School Day TV episode.

Makes 2 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 2 frozen bananas
• 1 cup milk
• 6 ounces plain Greek yogurt
• ½ cup peanut butter, creamy or smooth

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.

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Cheesy Breakfast Grits

So so easy and delicious - ok, we complicate slightly but deliciously by adding sausage and a fried egg.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups water
• big pinch Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup quick cooking grits
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese (I like Monterey Jack, but use whatever you like or have)
• 6 ounces pork sausage
• 2 eggs 
• 2 greens onions, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Boil water and add salt & grits - stir well and turn down to low
2. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened
3. Add butter, milk and cheese, stir until creamy & well combined - cover and keep warm
4. Cook sausage in a non-stick pan until just no longer pink and keep warm
5. Cook eggs however you like - over easy, sunny, poached it’s up to you
6. Put 1/2 the grits into each of 2 bowls and add some sausage, green onions and top with the egg
7. Boom

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White Clam Flatbread

FEATURED ON PANTRY DAY TV EPISODE

Serves 2-4

You won't believe how good and easy this is until you try it. It's epic!

Ingredients

• 1 flatbread
• 1 can Progresso White Clam Sauce (most of the juice drained)
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/8 cup Mozzarella
• 1 green onion, finely sliced
• fresh black pepper

Directions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 425
2. Heat a dry skillet on high heat, cook the flatbread for one minute on each side to crisp it up a bit
3. Spread the sour cream evenly all over the flatbread
4. Mix the clam sauce and fresh garlic and spread on top of the sour cream
5. Sprinkle on the mozzarella
6. Cook in oven for 10 minutes
7. Garnish with green onions and black pepper
8. Slice and serve

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Artichoke Hearts

FEATURED ON PANTRY DAY TV EPISODE

Serves 1-2

INGREDIENTS

• 1 can (15oz) whole artichoke hearts, drain, cut in half and dry on paper towels
• Avocado oil or any high retention oil to cook
• Kosher salt and fresh black ground pepper
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a wok or pan on high with about 2 tablespoons oil and add artichokes- let sit about a minute or until artichokes get some “charred” coloring
2. Add pinch of salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic and stir-fry about 30 seconds or so - add fresh parsley, stir and serve with squeeze of fresh lemon juice on top

Note: This is a fast cooking dish...prep all your ingredients beforehand

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Black Bean Burger

Makes 2 big burgers or 3 smaller ones

1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/3 cup red onion, diced

2 Holland peppers pepper, diced

1/2 cup sliced, loosely packed shiitake mushrooms

1 - 15 ounce black beans, well drained

1 egg

1 teaspoon each: cumin, garlic powder and chipotle chili powder

1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs, divided

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, divided

Kosher salt & pepper to taste

2 or 3 burger buns toasted - just something good though ya hear me?

3/4 cup guacamole, recipe here

2 or 3 slices pepperjack cheese

• Heat non-stick pan, add butter and oil and add onions - cook over medium heat stirring often, about 20 minutes or until golden, remove to a plate but don’t clean the pan

• ‘Dry cook’ onion, peppers and mushrooms in a non-stick pan until just softened and dry, 5-7 minutes

• Do the same with the beans in another pan until beginning to stick

• Put onions, peppers, mushrooms and black beans into the bowl of a processor, pulse 3 or 4 times then add the cumin, garlic powder, 1/3 cup of the panko, 2 tablespoons of the flour & salt & pepper

• Process until really well combined, form into 2 large, or 3 medium patties and put on a parchment covered plate, and refrigerate 30 minutes

• Coat the patties (in this order) using 3 separate bowls for remaining flour, eggs and remaining panko

• Heat the pan you cooked the onions in, add a little more oil and cook patties until crispy and brown on each side (about 3-4 minutes per side)

• Add cheese when you flip them over, let cheese melt

• Toast buns lightly and build: bottom bun, guacamole, pattie with cheese, onions, bun top.

Sardine Avocado Toast

FEATURED ON PATRY DAY TV EPSIODE

Serves 1-2

Ingredients

• 4 slices french baguette - about ¼ inch thick
• Olive oil
• 1 ripe avocado, slightly mashed
• 4-6 grape tomatoes, sliced
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 can sardines (I like the ones in olive oil)
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Directions

1. Heat a flat griddle or pan on medium-high
2. Brush each baguette slice with olive oil and toast until lightly golden
3. Spread a little avocado on the toast, then layer with a few slices of tomatoes - season each slice with pinch of salt, fresh ground pepper and a little bit of the red pepper flakes (if you want)
4. Top with sardines and garnish with parsley

Ginger Sesame Kale

One of my favorite side dishes and the perfect accompaniment to any Asian main course. Not to mention a great way to learn to like kale.

Serves 4 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 1 bunch Tuscan kale (aka dinosaur kale), washed
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce 
• 1 teaspoon chili sesame oil, or
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil with ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Sesame seeds for garnish 

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut or pull out the thick middle stem of each kale leaf, then cut cross-wise into one inch strips
2. Heat a large pan or wok to medium high, add neutral oil and just when it starts to smoke – add kale
3. Cook kale, stirring a lot until wilted about 2 minutes, then add ginger & garlic – continue stirring another couple minutes
4. Add soy, sesame oil and red pepper flakes if using and cook, stirring one more minute
5. Plate and top with seeds.

WATCH ME MAKE THIS...

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Quick Asian Noodles

5 minutes, 5 ingredients. No stir frying and so damn delicious.

Serves 1-2

Ingredients

• 3 ounces chow mein noodles (or any noodle like spaghetti can work)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• ¼ teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons Sriracha
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Cook noodles according to package directions
2. While noodles are cooking, make the sauce - in a small bowl add soy sauce, cornstarch, sugar and Sriracha; mix well and set aside
3. Drain noodles, put back in pot and mix sauce with the noodles
4. Top with green onions and cilantro; serve on plate or eat out of the pot like me

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

These small, little bites of deliciousness are always welcome - and easy to make especially if you keep frozen, precooked meatballs in your freezer.  

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 pound ready made mini meatballs (in the freezer section)
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
• 2 green onions, white & light green parts only, thinly sliced on an angle
• sesame seeds for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a pot and heat on the stove over medium heat until sauce comes to a slight boil - then turn down heat and simmer
2. Place the meatballs in the pot, simmer 10-15 minutes until heated through
3. Serve over rice, garnish sesame seeds and green onions on top.

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Brussels Sprout & Bacon Flatbread

If you're a Brussels sprouts hater, there's a very good chance this could change your mind.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 bacon strips, sliced widthwise
• 3-4 whole brussels sprouts, sliced thin
• ⅓ cup ricotta cheese
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon each Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 pita bread
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• ¼ cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
• ½ cup fresh baby arugula

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven 425 degrees
2. Heat a medium frying pan, add bacon - cook until just the edge of crispy, leave about ½ tablespoon of grease in the pan discarding the rest and add Brussels sprouts -  cook about 6-7 minutes and set aside
3. In a small bowl, combine ricotta, olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic - mix well
4. Spread ricotta mixture evenly on pita, add bacon/Brussels mixture and top with Monterey Jack cheese
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until cheese melts and pita is slightly crispy
6. While flatbread is in the oven, mix arugula with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper
7. Remove flatbread, top with arugula and serve.

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Grilled Scrambled Egg Sandwich

How have I not done this before?

Makes 1 sandwich

INGREDIENTS

• 2 strips bacon, sliced thin
• 4 cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1 egg
• 2 slices of bread (any you like)
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 slice cheese (any you like, I used Jack)
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. In small skillet on medium heat cook bacon until almost crispy, remove excess bacon fat and add mushrooms – cook until nicely softened, about 5 minutes
2. Add butter to the bacon mixture then the egg – scramble in the pan until egg cooked through and set aside
3. Spread 1 tablespoon mayonnaise on one side of bread, then cheese and the egg mixture, season with salt and pepper to taste – top with 2nd slice of bread
4. Spread top slice with ½ tablespoon mayonnaise, and grill in a non-stick pan until nicely browned – repeat with 2nd sid.

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One Pot Mac

INGREDIENTS

• ⅓ lb bacon, sliced thin widthwise
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 8 ounces macaroni-type pasta (I used orecchiette in this recipe)
• 2 cups milk
• ½ teaspoon mustard powder
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup chicken broth
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Using a large pan with high sides, cook bacon on medium heat just until almost crisp and mix in garlic until fragrant - remove bacon in a small bowl
2. Lightly rinse and drain the uncooked pasta to get some of the starch out - set aside
3. Put the same pan back on medium heat - add milk, pasta, mustard powder, butter, ½ cup chicken broth and pepper - give it a little stir to loosen the pasta
4. Bring to a boil, then turn it down and let simmer until milk has reduced into thick sauce; about 10 minutes or so
5. Stir in cheese and bacon - if sauce is too thick, add a little more broth to thin sauce out.

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