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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Lobster Hollandaise Poutine

Serves 2

So maybe this isn’t textbook poutine: there’s no fries, no gravy and certainly no cheese curds - but it's crazy damn good.

Ingredients

• 3 cups onion tots

• Two 6 ounce lobster tails, out of their shells

• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced

• Neutral oil (just means unflavored: as in no extra virgin, no sesame etc)

• 12 ounces beer, something preferably not dark - unless that’s all you have in which case it’s perfect

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter

• 2 eggs, poached, how-to video here

• Hollandaise sauce, see recipe

• Parsley & green onion for garnish

Directions

1. Cook tots according to package directions - but you want them crispy, so if the timer goes off and they’re not - put em back in

2. Cook mushrooms in a non-stick pan with a tablespoon of oil, until they begin to soften - about 5 minutes, then turn off the heat but leave in the pan

3. Melt butter in a small pot and add beer - allow to heat through and come to almost a simmer

4. Put shelled lobster tails in the beer/butter and cook until just done - 2 to 3 minutes - remove and slice into bite-sized pieces

5. While they cook, put the heat back on the mushrooms and add a couple tablespoons of the beer/butter - mix well

6. Then plate - and by plate I mean bowl: tots, mushrooms, lobster, poached egg, Hollandaise and garnish

Chicken Soup

There’s something truly wonderful about making your own chicken soup. I make it, eat some, eat some more, then freeze some – if there’s any left.

Makes about 12 cups

1 whole chicken, uncooked (with bones & skin for flavor) cut into 8 parts

3 celery stalks, cut into 2 inch pieces

1 large onion, cut into slightly largish bite size pieces

4 carrots, cut into bite sized pieces

2 tablespoons garlic paste, or 4 cloves minced

2 tablespoons ginger paste, or 1 inch piece of ginger cut into thin strips

Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons ‘Better Than Bouillon’ chicken base, or 3 chicken bouillon cubes

• Put chicken in a large pot, cover with cold water by about 2 inches & bring to a boil

• Let boil 20 minutes, periodically skimming off the icky foam that floats to the top

• Turn down, cover and simmer for 90 minutes

• Remove from heat and remove chicken to a baking sheet to cool

• Add the celery, onion, carrots, garlic, ginger and bouillon to the broth, bring to a low simmer, and cover for another 30 minutes

• While it does, and once the chicken has cooled enough to handle, pull the chicken off the bones, remove skin then shred then add back into the soup with the vegetables

• Season to taste with salt & pepper – be aggressive, it’ll need it

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Denver Omelet Nachos

Serves 6

Think Denver Omelet, but turned into nachos. Genius? Aw shucks, why'd you have to go and embarrass me by saying that?

1 pasilla or poblano pepper, diced

8 ounces white mushrooms, diced

1/2 yellow onion, diced

1 pound Black Forest ham, about 1/4 inch thick - diced

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar, colby-jack, monterey jack - up to you

3 big handfuls homemade tortilla chips, see recipe here (or store bought)

1 or 2 eggs, cooked sunny or over easy - just be sure there’s a runny yolk

• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large non-stick pan over medium, and add the pepper, mushrooms & onion - cook until nicely softened, about 5 minutes

• While it cooks, melt butter in a small butter then stir in the flour - cook stirring about a minute

• Preheat oven to 350

• Add milk, and continue cooking a couple minutes, using a whisk then add the shredded cheese and continue whisking until smooth

• Season with salt & pepper - keep warm

• Put a large layer of chips in an oven safe dish, cover with a layer of the cheese sauce, a layer of the ham/veggie combo, then more chips, more cheese sauce, the rest of the ham/veggei and top with remaining 1/4 cup of the shredded cheese

• Place in oven or microwave until the shredded top cheese has melted

• Top with eggs, and away you go

SIMPLE ALFREDO SAUCE

Serves 4

Get with the program y’all…this will help your food life. Such an easy base for any pasta to add whatever toppings you want, mushrooms, bacon, shrimp, chicken… you name it.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1 big garlic clove, crushed

• 16oz carton whipping cream

• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated

• 1 large pinch Kosher salt

• 3-4 grinds fresh ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat butter in large deep skillet to low/medium heat, add garlic cook for one minute

2. Add whipping cream to pan, cook for 20-30 minutes, to thicken and reduce a little

3. add parmesan to sauce, stir and cook for further 3-4 minutes

4. Pour over your favorite pasta

 WATCH ME MAKE THIS

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Salt and Pepper Shrimp

Makes 6 appetizer servings

Put this in front of your friends - they won't believe it! You can say "Yeah, I made it - I mean I made that!" No one has to know it took about 5 minutes in the kitchen but you.

Ingredients

• 1/2 tablespoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1 pound shrimp, raw shell-on & de-veined – 31/40’s are the prefect size
• 2 large cloves garlic, chopped fine
• 1/2 inch fresh ginger,minced
• 1 bunch green onions, cut into 2 inch lengths

Directions

1. Mix salt & pepper in small bowl and set aside
2. Turn on the fan above your stove and heat a wok or pan until really really hot and smoking and then add the oil
3. Wait until it smokes even more
4. Don't get freaked out by the smoke
5. Add garlic, ginger, green onion and the shrimp
6. Stir often so all is mixed and shrimp are fully cooked – which should not take more than a couple minutes, then add the salt & pepper
7. Stir fry quickly to coat shrimp in the salt and pepper mixture – serve
8. Prepare yourself for the compliments to come

WATCH ME MAKE THIS, AND A BUNCH MORE

Kewpie shrimp

INGREDIENTS

• 30 raw shelled Shrimp (size: 21/25)
• 2-3 tablespoons Kewpie mayonnaise (Japanese mayo) 
• Nanami Togarashi (Japanese Mixed pepper seasoning) *
• 1-2 tablespoons EVOO
• Kosher salt
• Fresh black pepper
• wooden skewers, soaked in water

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat grill
2. Pinch tails off, skewer each shrimp so it is straight, see photo  
3. Drizzle EVOO, sprinkle with big pinch Kosher salt
4. Grill 2 minutes maximum, each side, remove from grill
5. Brush on Kewpie mayo to one side, sprinkle with Togarashi 
6. Place back on flaming hot grill for 15 seconds, until a little blacked, or if you have one use a gas torch, that's what I use.
7. eat

* If you don't have this seasoning, you can sub, with a mix of fresh Kosher salt, Paprika and  fresh black pepper.

RECIPE FEATURED ON "NEW OUTDOOR KITCHEN DAY" EPISODE OF SAM THE COOKING GUY SHOW

WATCH ME COOK THIS...

Pho

Serves 4

That really good Vietnamese beef and noodle soup...and it's pronounced 'fuh', like duh.

Ingredients

• 1 16-ounce pack of Rice Noodles
• 32 oz low sodium beef broth
• 2 inch piece of fresh Ginger
• 3 limes
• 2 Star Anise stars
• 8 oz bag bean sprouts
• 1 bunch green onion light green and white parts only
• 1 big handful Cilantro
• 1 pound beef
• 1 small red jalapeno or chili, seeds removed and diced small
• 1/2 cup Hoisin sauce

Directions

1. 30 minutes before you're ready to serve - put the beef in your freezer
2. To a medium pot add broth, Star Anise, juice of 2 of the limes and ginger - bring to a boil and continue to boil about 15 minutes
3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add noodles and cook for 10 minutes
4. slice green onion into thin vertical strips
5. Slice beef into very thin strips and set aside
6. Drain noodles well and separate into 4 bowls
7. Cover noodles with beef slices, and top with broth
8. Then to each bowl add some bean sprouts, cilantro, green onion, red jalapeno, fresh lime juice and Hoisin
9. Mix in hoisin and eat - damn it's so good

Filet Topped with Crab & Bernaise Sauce

Serves 2

A super delicious and romantic dinner...unless you're my wife who doesn't like sauces. Bernaise (sort of a non-lemony Hollandaise) goes brilliantly with beef.

Ingredients

• Two 6 oz filet mignon, about 11/2 inches thick
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• 4 ounces crab meat (notice I spell crab with a C, not a K)
• Package Bernaise sauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees
2. NOTE: remove filets from fridge 30-45 minutes before cooking
3. Rub filets with oil on all sides and season well with salt & pepper
4. Heat a cast iron (preferably) pan or other oven safe pan on high heat for 5 minutes - with nothing in the pan
5. Sear the filets until brown and crispy, about 3-4 minutes per side. Then put the pan in the oven until the internal temperature reaches 130 to 135 degrees - about 4-5 more minutes
6. Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil and let rest 10 minutes
7. Meanwhile, make sauce according to package directions
8. To serve, top filet with crab and drizzle with Bernaise

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 

WATCH ME MAKE THIS.... 

Sriracha Chicken Wrap

Super fast food, then perfect munchie food remedy. Make it!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup Deli Roasted Chicken breast meat, shredded
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon Srirach
• 1 tablespoon runny honey
• Blue Cheese crumbles
• Iceberg lettuce
• handful celery leaves
• wheat tortilla

DIRECTIONS

1. In small pot on low heat melt butter, add Sriacha and honey 
2. Add chicken, cook 2 minutes (until heated through)
3. Warm tortilla
4. Build: tortilla, lettuce, chicken/sauce, blue cheese crumbles, celery leaves.

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Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms

Makes 24 mushrooms

These little gems are perfect for anything. NO really - anything.

Ingredients

• 24 mushrooms: white, cremini, brown, whatever works for you
• Olive oil
• 6 green onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 1 cup smoked Gouda, grated
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and fresh ground
• 1/2 cup bacon, cooked and finely diced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Remove stems from mushrooms, set caps aside and chop stems finely
3. Preheat non-stick pan on low/medium heat
4. Lightly drizzle mushroom caps with olive oil and place bottom-side up in pan
5. Cook until softened and just beginning to color - about 5 minutes - remove, gently turn upside down on a paper towel to drain any liquid then put face up on a lightly greased baking sheet
6. Cook chopped stems with a little oil over medium heat in a non-stick pan about a minute
7. Add green onions and continue to cook until all is softened, 4 to 5 minutes more - remove and put in a bowl
8. Add panko, gouda, Worcestershire, parsley, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper & bacon - mix well
9. Put some of the mixture into each mushroom cap
10. Bake 20 minutes or until slightly crispy on top - serve

Baked Dills

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 jar sliced dill pickles, drained 
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
•  3 eggs, beaten

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400  
2. Remove moisture from pickles with paper towels
3. In large bowl mix dry ingredients 
4. Coat pickles in beaten egg
5. Scoop pickles out (discard remaining eggs) add pickles to breadcrumb mix, coat well
6. Place single layer of pickles on large non stick baking sheet, cook for 10 minutes, flip and cook another 5 minutes

WATCH SAM MAKE THIS >>> 

Palmiers

Two ingredients never tasted so good together. 

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

• Puff pastry sheets, defrosted
• 1/4 cup sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Roll out pastry sheet into rectangle, trim edges
2. Sprinkle surface with half the sugar, lay pastry on top, coat top with remaining sugar, using a rolling pin again to flatten and press the sugar into the pastry, flip, do the same
3. Roll shorter ends towards eachother to meet in the middle
4. Wrap in plastic wrap chill in fridge for 30 minutes 
5. Preheat oven 400
6. Slice 1/2" rounds, position 1'' apart on a lined cookie sheet (using parchment paper) 
7. Bake for 15 minutes until golden

WATCH SAM MAKE THIS >>> 

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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Chorizo & Potato Quesadilla

Serves 4 as appetizer

I had this dish for breakfast on a recent trip to the beautiful wine region, Valle de Guadlupe, Mexico... They were made by the most wonderful chef, Dona Estela in this amazing restaurant (see photos). This is my version of the recipe and it's super easy.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Pork Chorizo sausage pack (you can use soy chorizo, but don't use beef chorizo!)
• 8 appetizer size tortillas
• 1/2 large cooked sweet potato, skin removed, diced small
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 3 green onions, chopped, discard dark green parts
• 1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup Pork rinds (Chicharrones), scrunched up in your hands

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat skillet on medium cook chorizo, until throughly for about 10 minutes or until 145° 
2. In separate skillet, heat oil and butter to warm and add color to sweet potato 2-3 minutes
3. Preheat a skillet on low/medium
4. In medium bowl, mix 1/2 cup cheese, potato, chorizo, green onion, pork rinds
5. Get layering: sprinkle cheese on 4 tortillas, add 3 tablespoons of the mix to each, then top with sprinkle cheese and tortilla, and cook for 2 minutes each side.

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Pastrami reuben

Makes 1 sandwich

Sometimes less is more and in this case I mean in words. Just..make…it.

INGREDIENTS

My "Russian" Dressing:

• 2 tablespoons mayo
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha
• 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup (I used, Sir Kensington Ketchup... anything will do)
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon horseradish (to your taste)
• 2 grinds fresh black pepper
• pinch kosher salt

Sandwich:

• 4-6 deli pastrami slices
• Bag slaw mix
• 2 slices Swiss cheese slices
• 1 egg, over easy
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 slices Jewish rye bread

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix the slaw. In separate bowl, mix all dressing ingredients
2. Heat the pastrami in skillet on high heat for one minute, flip, layer cheese on top, heat for 1 more minute
3. Cook egg
4. Butter one side of each rye slice, grill that side only
5. Start layering, generously... Bread, dressing, pastrami/Swiss cheese, slaw, egg, top with other slice!

WATCH SAM MAKE IT >>> 

the best chicken livers

Serves 4

I realize I will have already lost some of you – but for those who like chicken livers, you gotta make this. For those that don’t, I feel sorry for you.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoon butter
• 1 green pepper, diced, large pieces 
• 1/2 medium sized yellow onion, diced, large pieces 
• 1lb chicken livers, rinsed, drained, remove white parts, chopped
• 1/4 cup cream
• 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon vermouth
• 1 pinch Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha
• 2 cups cooked white rice

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat 1 tablespoon each of oil and butter in large skillet on medium, cook pepper and onion for 8 minutes, remove set aside
2. Using same skillet, on high heat, add rest of oil and butter, sear livers for 2 minutes, season with Kosher salt and pepper
3. Add peppers and onions back in, with vermouth, cream, worcester and Sriracha, cook for 3-4 minutes to thicken sauce
4. Serve on rice

WATCH SAM MAKE THIS

Chicken Parmesan

Serves 4 

This classic is way easier than you think to make, try it this way and you can have it on the table for the fam in under 30 minutes. 

INGREDIENTS

• 4 chicken thighs, bone removed, flattened 
• 1/2 plain cup flour
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1  1/2 cup MY EVERYDAY TOMATO SAUCE (but any marinara will do, I used leftover homemade tomato soup in the video below)
• 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Bread the chicken (in this order) using 3 separate bowls for flour, beaten eggs, panko/parmesan 
3. Preheat oil in large deep skillet on medium, gently add breaded chicken cook for 3 minutes each side, remove excess oil place on paper towels
4. In 9'' oven proof dish, get layering… chicken, then sauce, then cheese, cook 15 minutes

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GRILLED HALLOUMI CHEESE & TOMATOES

Serves 3-4

I love this simple appetizer: grilled cheese, literally. You’d seldom think to use an outside grill for cheese because it would just melt all over, but Halloumi is a super hearty Greek cheese that’s just perfect for grilling. And served alongside some grilled tomatoes it’s even better.  

INGREDIENTS

• 8 ounce block Halloumi cheese
• 6 roma tomatoes, halved
• Extra virgin live oil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Fresh ground pepper
• Baguette, grilled for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat grill to medium
2. Slice cheese in half to make 2 half inch thick pieces
3. Brush both sides of each cheese and grill until well marked on all sides
4. When you flip the cheese, oil tomatoes and add to grill cut side down
5. Cook tomatoes until softened and marked – remove to serving plate with cheese
6. Sprinkle cheese & tomatoes with oregano, drizzle with a little extra oil and serve with bread