Sriracha Popcorn

Makes one damn good bag

Why put sriracha in popcorn? Because we can, obviously.

Ingredients

• One bag microwave popcorn
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons Sriracha
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar
• Salt

Directions

1. Make popcorn according to package directions
2. While it cooks, melt butter in a small pot over low heat – stir in, garlic and Sriracha
3. Toss popcorn with sriracha butter, sugar and salt to taste
4. Serve

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Warm nuts

Bunch last minute visitors arrived on your doorstep...?! Have no fear. Keep your pantry stocked with these simple ingredients and it will always be a breeze.

INGREDIENTS

• bag of nuts (any kind, but I prefer cashews, unsalted)
• 1 teaspoon butter
• dash of smoked paprika
• pinch of Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

1. In small heat-proof dish, add all ingredients
2. Microwave for 30 seconds
3. Mix and serve with a ice cold beer or cocktail.

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Stuffed and Braided Pizza

This is the epitome of outstandingness! 

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 can refrigerated thin pizza dough crust
• 10 Spanish Chorizo slices
• 6 Provalone slices  
• 1 packed cup, spinach
• 10-12 slices Genoa Salami  
• 1/2 teaspoon dried Oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• big pinch Kosher salt  
• 3-4 grinds fresh black pepper  
• 1 cup marinara sauce (I used my EVERYDAY TOMATO SAUCE) 

DIRECTIONS

1. Stretch out the pizza dough to rectangle, about 10" on short ends
2. Get layering a single column  in the center of the dough: overlap Spanish chorizo, overlap Provolone, spinach, overlap salami, sprinkle on oregano, dust on the garlic powder evenly, load on mozzarella 
3. On both sides, make diagonal slices from edge of the filling, to dough edge, every 1/2" all the way down (see photos), get braiding one over the other
4. Brush lightly with olive oil, season generously with Kosher salt and pepper, cook for 15 minutes
5. Heat through tomato sauce
6. Slice and dip, devour!

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Moscow Mule

Makes 1

A great cocktail – just don’t be tempted to substitute ginger ‘ale’ for the ginger ‘beer’, because it won’t be the same. BTW, ginger beer does not contain alcohol.

Ingredients

• Ice cubes
• 1 half lime, cut into 2 wedges
• 2 ounces vodka
• 4 ounces cold ginger beer

Directions

1. Fill a copper mug (or tall glass) with ice, add vodka, squeeze in both lime wedges - and drop in one of the wedges
2. Fill with the ginger beer
3. Serve

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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...

Mexican Street Corn

Serves 4

Stupid good.

Ingredients

• 4 ears of corn, husks & silk removed
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 2 pairs wooden chopsticks
• 1/3 cup Mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup crumbled Queso Fresco or grated Parmesan cheese - on put on a plate
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tbs Chili Powder

Directions

1. Heat grill to medium high
2. Rub olive oil on each ear and grill until they soften and get grill marks - about 15 minutes
3. Remove from grill, insert a single chopstick into the end of each ear as a handle
4. Brush with mayonnaise, roll in cheese, then sprinkle with a little chili powder & finish with a squeeze of lime juice