Herbed Butter Chicken

Serves: 2
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

I know what you're thinking, and if you thinking buttery, delicious and amazing… you're right. If that's not what you're thinking, maybe you should try this first.

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup Finlandia butter*, room temperature
• ¼ cup freshly chopped parsley, 4 tablespoons
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 chicken breasts
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat grill to high
2. Put butter, parsley & black pepper in a small bowl and mix well to combine – set aside
3. Place chicken breasts one at a time into a zip lock bag, add a little olive oil to each side and close bag
4. Using something heavy like a bottle of olive oil or vodka (my favorite btw) pound them carefully to an even thickness - approx 1/2'' thick
5. Remove from bag, season each breast well with Kosher salt and put on hot grill
6. Place chicken on the heated grill, cook approximately 3 minutes then turn 45 degrees to create cross hatch marks – cook another 2 minutes
7. Flip chicken over and spread another tablespoon of butter mixture on each breast
8. Cook until bottom is just cooked, then flip and give the top side a coating of butter
9. Take chicken off grill, brush with softened butter one last time and serve – in a sandwich, sliced on some pasta or use on a salad.

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*Finlandia Butter can be found at Vons, Albertsons and Safeway. Finlandia Cheeses are also available, in Southern California at Costco and other fine retailers.

Grilled Vegetables

Serves: 4-6
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

Grilled veggies - good.  Grilled veggies with herb butter – tremendous.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 red peppers, cored and cut into 2 inch slices
• 2 yellow peppers, cored and cut into 2 inch slices
• 1 red onion cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
• 1 pound asparagus, thick ends removed
• ½ cup Finlandia butter*, diced
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon each fresh thyme, rosemary and parsley, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• Salt & fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat grill to medium high
2. Combine butter, mustard, herbs, garlic & salt and pepper in a small pot, and stir over medium until melted and well blended – keep warm
3. Grill vegetables, brushing with herb butter until done – being sure to baste once more before serving.

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*Finlandia Butter can be found at Vons, Albertsons and Safeway. Finlandia Cheeses are also available, in Southern California at Costco and other fine retailers.

Crazy Good Garlic Bread

Makes one loaf – and a damn good one at that

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

6 cloves garlic, finely crushed

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan

1 bunch green onions, white & light green parts only, finely chopped

1 /3 cup chopped curly parsley

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 loaf French or sourdough bread

• Preheat oven to 425

• Put garlic & butter in a large bowl, mix well then add the Parmesan, green onions, parsley and salt - combine everything

• Cut loaf in half lengthwise and spread mixture on each cut side

• Place on baking sheet and put in oven about 6 minutes

• Turn oven to broil, then put loaves back in about 6-8 inches away from the heat until bread is beautifully golden brown and bubbly

• Slice into 2 inch pieces and serve

Lentil with Bacon Soup

Admittedly, this is not the best looking soup, but it is fricking delicious. Trying putting a piece of baguette in the bowl first...then adding the soup.  #nobadthere

Makes about 8 cups

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 pound bacon, diced
• 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 6+ cups chicken stock
• 1 cup lentils, rinsed
• Kosher salt (about 1/2 teaspoon) & 5 grinds fresh ground pepper
• Chopped cilantro for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook bacon in a large pot until halfway to being crispy
2. Remove excess grease, leaving a couple tablespoons
3. Add onion, celery, carrot and cumin - cook until just softened, about 5 minutes
4. Put in broth and lentils
5. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook 30-45 minutes or until lentils are soft
6. Add salt & pepper, mix well and serve with cilantro

WATCH ME MAKE IT

More soup recipes

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Chicken Soup with Rice, Dill & Spinach

Simple simple simple.

Makes about 8 cups

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 3 ribs of celery, each sliced lengthwise down the middle then crosswise into thin pieces 

• 1 small yellow onion, diced small

• 8 cups chicken broth

• 1/2 cup rice, uncooked

• 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken

• 3 ounces (roughly 2 cups) packed fresh spinach leaves, rough chopped

• 3/4 ounce chopped fresh dill

• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

• Lemon wedges for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Put olive oil, celery and onion in the bottom of a medium pot

2. Cook until softened - about 5 minutes

3. Add broth (carefully cuz it'll steam) and bring to a boil and add rice

4. When it comes to a boil again, turn down to a simmer and cook about 10 minutes or until rice is softened

5. Add chicken, spinach and dill - stir and let simmer about 5 minutes more

6. Season with salt & pepper

7. Serve in bowls with a lemon wedge squeezed on top

WATCH ME MAKE THIS

(in the video I use leek instead of onion, but you don't have to) 

Dukkah

Serve this or take this to a party and you will be the coolest person ever. Make a bunch put it in a jar and give it as a gift – spread the word!

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 white baguette, sliced
• 1 cup Macadamia nuts
• 1/4 cup good quality Extra Virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons ground coriander
• 3 tablespoons ground cumin 
• 1/3 cup toasted sesame seeds
• large pinch of Kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven 350
2. Toast nuts in oven until slightly golden, keep an eye on them, don't leave them
3. Blitz nuts until resemble coarse breadcrumbs
4. In a bowl, mix nuts and all dry ingredients
5. Slice baguette, dip in oil then generously dip in dry mix, enjoy!

SEE SAM MAKE IT >>>

Herbed Pork Tenderloin

Serves 4-6 (or a bunch more if you used this for sandwiches)

Super simple, delicious (and really inexpensive) pork tenderloin that you will love.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pork tenderloins (I like most of the fat removed)
• 1/2-1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2-1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 4 tablespoons mustard (I used Honey Truffle Mustard!)
• 1/2 cup Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 1 teaspoon dried Thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried Rosemary
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Season pork with generous pinch of Kosher salt and pepper on both sides
3. Coat the loins with mustard
4. In a large bowl mix Panko, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder
5. Add the tenderloins into the dry mix and coat generously, really pack it on.
6. Cook on a rack for 25 minutes or until 140-145 degrees

Cheese Pull Apart Bread

Serves 6

This is a viewer recipe sent in from Neil & Alana, and is simple and ridiculously good. But in the interest of full disclosure, I must admit I modified it slightly by adding the bacon.  So sue me…

INGREDIENTS

• 1 round bread loaf, sourdough is ideal for this

• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 6 green onions, white & light green parts only, diced

• 8 pieces of bacon, cooked & crumbled

• 1/2 cup butter, melted

• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

• 2 tablespoons sriracha

• 1 teaspoon each oregano and garlic powder

• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat your oven to 350

2. Score the loaf crosswise and lengthwise into 1 inch squares, cutting almost through to the bottom, but leaving it intact

3. In a small bowl put both cheeses, garlic, green onions and bacon – mix well and stuff mixture in between all of the cuts (some of it coming out of the top is just fine)

4. Melt butter in the microwave or a small pot – and add Dijon, sriracha, seasonings and salt & pepper – mix really well and drizzle evenly over the bread, especially over the cuts

5. Wrap loaf in a couple layers of aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes

6. Remove from the oven and remove foil to expose the top of the bread

7. Turn oven to broil and put back in the oven and cook until lightly brown, and the cheese is bubbly

8. Remove, maybe wait a minute to let it cool and then go nuts eating it

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Fresh basil pesto

Make about 1  1/2 cups

Pesto - what isn't it good for? And if you like it a little spicy, add the Serrano.

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed

• 1/4 cup pine nuts

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• Optional - 1 Serrano pepper, stem removed and rough chopped

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Combine basil, pine nuts, garlic & Parmesan (and Serrano if using) in a blender or food processor

2. Blend continuously until finely chopped

3. With the blender running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until well combined

4. Add salt & pepper to taste and use

Smoked Salmon, Dill And Goat Cheese Pizza

Serves 4

Bring on the brunch baby, cuz this is one of my favorite things to serve.

Ingredients

• 1 - 10 oz pre baked pizza crust
• Olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped fresh dill
• 5 ounces soft goat cheese
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 4 ounces smoked salmon, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons capers, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Brush crust lightly with olive oil.
3. Spread goatcheese over the crust, sprinkle with 1/2 the dill then top with sliced onions
4. Bake until cheese melts and crust starts getting crispy about 12 minutes.
5. Remove from oven, top with salmon and remaining dill

Cucumber & Watermelon Salad

Serves 4

Refreshing, delicious and pretty, so what more do you need? You want it simple? Ok then, simple too. The key is to cut everything into cubes somewhere around 1 inch square.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cucumber, peeled then cut into cubes (an English cucumber is is best)
• 2 cups, seedless watermelon, cubed
• 2 avocados, cubed
• 1 tablespoon each chopped cilantro, basil and chives
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

Directions

1. Put watermelon, cucumber, avocado, herbs, olive oil and vinegar in a large bowl
2. Season with salt & pepper
3. Mix well, but do it carefully so you do not bust up the watermelon
4. Serve