Beef Brisket

Serves 6

As great as brisket is for dinner, it's fantastic and arguably better the next day for sandwiches. You can use either the point or the flat (a whole brisket is made up of both) but the point has more fat which makes it ultimately more delicious.

Ingredients

• 3 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced

• 1 tablespoon each kosher salt & coarse ground black pepper

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 tablespoons oil

• One beef brisket (flat cut) 4 - 5 pounds

• 1-12 ounce can tomato paste

• 3/4 cup brown sugar

• 1/2 cup soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika

• 1 cup beef broth

• 6 ounces beer - whatever kind you want will work

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Season brisket with salt & pepper

3. Mix garlic with oil and rub over brisket

4. Put half the onions in the bottom of a roasting pan and put brisket on top of onions

5. Combine remaining ingredients except broth & beer, mix well and spoon over top of brisket - top with remaining onions

6. Pour broth and beer around the outside of brisket

7. Cover tightly with a lid or foil and bake 3 to 4 hours, or until fork tender

8. Let cool slightly and slice across grain to 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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Hummus 2.0

One of my favorite go-to lastminute appetizers, take a simple little hummus and make it party fancy. 

INGREDIENTS

• Spicy hummus (or whatever you have in the fridge)
• kalamata olives, chopped
• pita bread or flat bread
• extra virgin olive oil
• pinch Kosher salt
• pinch cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Garnish hummus with drizzle of evoo, olives, dusting of cayenne and pinch salt
2. Toast bread and slice and serve 

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Herbed slow-roasted salmon

I know 250 sounds low, but the result is perfectly cooked salmon - not dried out at all.  Plus it's delicious, fresh and healthy - you're gonna love this.

Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS

1 whole side of salmon, about 3 pounds

Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper

Approx 1/4 cup Kewpie Japanese mayonnaise, or regular mayo

1-2 tablespoons sriracha

1/3 - 1/2* cup finely diced green onions, white & light green parts only

1/3 - 1/2* cup curly parsley, finely chopped

1/3 - 1/2* cup fresh dill, finely chopped

*depending on how large your salmon is

• Preheat oven to 250° and line a baking sheet with foil

• Put salmon on foil, parchment or a silpat - brush on mayo & sriracha, then season with salt & pepper

• Combine green onion, parsley & dill in a bowl and mix well to combine

• Top salmon with herb mixture and bake 30 minutes

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RED WINE ONION GRAVY

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium red onions, diced
• 1 tablespoon salted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 cup goodquality beef broth
• 1 cup good red wine
• 1 pinch Kosher salt  
• 3 grinds Fresh black pepper
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or you can sub Worcestershire sauce)
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard

DIRECTIONS

• In large skillet, low/medium heat add oil and butter, cook onions 25 minutes until caramelized
• Add flour to onions, coat thoroughly, cook 2 minutes
• Add stock, wine, soy, mustard, salt and pepper, mix well, turn heat up to a simmer 4-5 minutes
• Enjoy with a good steak!

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Baked Sausage & Cheese balls

Makes 24 puffs

A simple trio of ingredients that result in awesomeness! This is a recipe donated by David a longtime viewer of the show, we gave it a go and we loved it.

INGREDIENTS

• 8oz Cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cup Bisquick mix
• 1 cup uncooked sausage meat (room temperature)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Put all ingredients in mixer and mix until well blended
3. Roll into roughly 24 one inch balls and place on un-greased baking sheet cook for 30 minutes

SPINACH, RICOTTA & FETA SOUFFLÉ

Serves 4

This Greek inspired side dish is a most delicious light and puffy soufflé. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 lb spinach leaves
• 3/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup feta, crumbled
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Heat oil in a large pan or wok and cook onion until softened, about 3 minutes then add garlic & cook for another minute 
3. Add spinach to wok and cook until fully wilted and no more moisture remains - about 5 minutes
4. Put in a large bowl with both cheeses, red pepper flakes and eggs - season well with salt & pepper
5. Mix well to combine everything and pour into greased 8" cast iron pan or oven proof dish
6. Cook for 40 minutes, or until puffy and beautiful
7.  Οπα!

GOAT CHEESE & GARLIC POTATOES

Serves 6

This dish is not just delicious & easy, but also a great switch up from the norm. The perfect side to a juicy steak. Make em and love em!

INGREDIENTS

• 2lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes (or similar), sliced about 1/8 inch thick (I used a mandolin)

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1 cup 2% milk

• 3 cloves garlic, crushed

• 1 bunch green onions, chopped

• 4oz goat cheese

• Kosher salt

• Fresh ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400

2. Slice potatoes and put in a large bowl of cold water to keep from turning brown

3. Combine cream, milk, garlic, green onions and goat cheese, season well with salt & pepper - mix well.

4. Drain potatoes, add to the cream mixture and combine thoroughly / try to keep them from sticking together.

5. Pour into a 9x 13 oven proof dish

6. Cook for 1 hour or until gorgeous and you can't stand it anymore. Let sit 5 to 10 minute before serving.

TIP: If you want to make this the day before you need them, after cooking just let cool then cover and refrigerate. Then cover with foil and bake about 45 minutes at 250 to reheat.

Old School Chocolate Wafer Log

Serves 6-ish

My mom used to made this years ago and I thought she was a genius for it. But when I went to make it the first time myself, I realized the recipe was right there on the wafer box. And even though she's still a genius, I think mine is a little better because I add Bailey's to the whipping and sliced almonds and shaved chocolate to the top.

Ingredients

• 1 pint whipping cream
• 2-3 tablespoons Bailey's Irish Cream
• 1 box Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds
• Chocolate for shaving

Directions

1. Put cream & Bailey's in a mixer and beat until stiff, yeah I said that
2. Spread some of the whipped cream on a serving plate as a base to hold the wafers
3. Spread a layer of cream on one side of a wafer, stack another wafer on top, add cream, another wafer and so on until all the wafers are used
4. Lay the wafer stack on it's side on the plate, and fully cover with remaining cream
5. Cover loosely with saran and refrigerate overnight
6. Remove from fridge, and top with almonds and shaved chocolate
7. Now this part is critical: cut the log on a diagonal to expose the wafer & cream layers

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Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs

Makes 24 halves

Think deviled eggs are old-school and don't belong in contemporary life? Think again junior.

Ingredients

• 12 hard-boiled eggs
• 6 ounces package smoked salmon, chopped fine
• 1/3-cup mayo, roughly
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced small
• 1 or 2 tablespoons hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
• Big pinch Kosher salt
• Pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup green onions, chopped fine
• Caviar

Directions

1. Slice eggs down the middle lengthwise (you knew that right?)
2. Put whites on your serving plate, and the yolks in a bowl
3. To the yolks add the salmon, mayo, red & green onion, hot sauce, salt, pepper & mustard
4. Mix all well and then fill each of the egg halves
5. Add a tiny amount of caviar to the top of each egg and sprinkle with chives
6. NOTE: You can get these all set a few hours in advance, but don't add the caviar until the last minute because when it sits on the eggs too long the liquid can come out and make the top of the eggs a bit messy.

Whole Grilled Filet of Beef

Serves about 15

Think one long filet mignon before it gets cut into individual steaks. And here's my thinking - one giant steak is easier to cook than about 10 small ones.

Ingredients

• 1 whole fillet of beef, about 4 pounds
• 6 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon each Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

Directions

1. Remove filet from fridge about 45 minutes before cooking
2. Clean and trim the filet, removing the silverskin and excess fat
3. Combine the garlic, salt, pepper and rosemary with 1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil
4. Rub oil/garlic mixture all over tenderloin
5. Heat your grill well and cook the filet, grilling until its cooked to your liking (medium rare is perfect, so look for your thermometer to read between 130-135 degrees)
6. Allow to sit at least 20 minutes before serving
7. Serve with horseradish cream

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Egg Nog Bread Pudding

Serves 12

To a lot of people nothing says holidays more than egg nog, which I don't happen to like. That being said - this bread pudding is stupid good.

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 cups eggnog
• 1 loaf sliced cinnamon raisin bread, ends removed and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1/2 cup pecan pieces
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Lightly butter 9x11 casserole dish
3. In a large bowl beat eggs and add sugar, eggnog & bread - mix well
4. Stir in pecans and chocolate chips so they're scattered throughout
5. Bake approximately 30 minutes or until set
6. Plate and top with caramel syrup and powdered sugar