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Grilled Avocado Tacos

Grilled Avocado Tacos

Summer time is all about grilling.  It’s also all about tacos.  So when Reynolds asked me to help out and create a recipe for their summer BBQ Endless Table on Instagram, I knew this would be perfect.

I had never grilled Avocados before but after a bit of testing, I found that they tasted pretty good. It was best to grill them halved but with the skin still on so they held together nicely.  Technically you could quarter them before grilling if you wanted to grill multiple sides but I don’t think it’s necessary.

Grilled Avocados

If you’re thinking you won’t enjoy a taco without some sort of meat, think again.  Avocados make a great taco base that’s super satisfying and almost meaty; especially when grilled.  I’ve actually been meaning to try a deep fried avocado taco, which I will definitely check off the list soon.

Grilled Avocados

These tacos are topped with a fresh salsa made from grilled corn and black beans along with a spicy kick from jalapeño and some brightness from cilantro and lime. They’re perfect for a fun summer dinner or backyard BBQ.  They also make a great option if you are vegetarian or cooking for one.  It’s one of those meals that makes everybody happy.

Grilled Avocado Tacos

One of the easiest ways to grill corn, especially for a salsa is to just wrap it in foil and throw it on the grill.  Of course you can grill it without the foil for the added char, but you’ll have to keep an eye on it as it will burn quickly.  The foil method is worry free and always give great results.  Same goes for the tortillas. When I make a big batch of tacos, I always just wrap up a bunch in foil and toss it on the grill.  The foil even doubles as a tortilla warmer while everybody is eating.

Grilled Avocado Tacos

I still have one more recipe on the Endless table that I will be sharing this summer, but in the meantime, check out some other amazing recipes on the Endless Table here.  For this recipe, along with all the other Endless Table recipes, Reynolds sent me some foil to utilize.  I often use foil in my cooking so I am happy to incorporate it into my recipes.  All opinions about it are my own.

Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salsa

Grilled Avocado Tacos

Ingredients

  •  3 large avocados
  •  2 ears fresh corn, shucked
  • 1/2 can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 jalapeno, seeds removed and finely chopped
  • 1 large handful of cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 2 limes
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • Pinch of black pepper

Method

  1. Preheat grill to medium high heat
  2. Brush corn with olive oil and individually wrap with Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil. Place on the grill turning frequently for 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before handling.
  3. Cut corn off the cob and combine with black beans, jalapeno, cilantro and the juice of 1 lime. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set salsa aside.
  4. Slice avocados in half and remove the seeds but do not remove the skin yet. Squeeze the juice of the remaining lime over the avocados and lightly brush them with olive oil.
  5. Grill flesh side down for 2-3 minutes then remove. Quarter each avocado half and then carefully peel off the skin
  6. Wrap tortillas in foil and place on the grill while the avocados are cooking.
  7. Build tacos by placing avocado slices on tortillas and then top with the corn and black bean salsa.
  8. Serve with your favorite hot sauce and additional lime wedges.
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How to Make Poké Bowls at Home

How to Make Poké Bowls at Home

I first made poké several years ago after hearing about it on some Food Network show (probably diners, drives in, and dives).  I loved raw tuna so I thought I’d give it a shot.  I think I went with a pretty classic sauce which was essentially a mixture of sesame oil, soy sauce, and a bit of rice vinegar.

It was good. Not great, but good.  I enjoyed it but I knew it could be way better.  The tuna was good, the rice was good, the toppings were good, but they didn’t all fit together.

After that experience I forgot about poké and didn’t try to make it again.  That was until I visited my sister in Santa Monica.  I know that Poké is a Hawaiian dish but it seems that Los Angeles is some sort of Poké hub.  People literally line the streets just to wait for a bowl.

So since I was there I had to get a taste of the real deal.  It was a game changer.  My original bowl of Poké didn’t even compare.  I realized that I didn’t pre mix the bowl when I made it.  It doesn’t seem like a big deal but the initial incorporation of ingredients is key.  I watched how the pros did it and took my new knowledge back home.

It was like black and white. My trip to Santa Monica definitely increased my Poké skills and I was happy to see that my poké rivalled the most popular spots in LA.

Think of this recipe as a guide more than anything.  You don’t need to use theses specific toppings, they are just an example of a bowl I made.  I recently made poké for a crowd and set up tons of different toppings.  To give you an idea, I used mango, cucumber, avocado, oranges, grapefruit, kale, red onion, carrots, edamame, crispy fried onions, fried wontons, macadamia nuts, pickled ginger, and pickled shiitake mushrooms.

It doesn’t matter if you use tuna or salmon, just make sure you are using fresh fish.  At the end of the day, the fish is the star of the show. If you don’t start with good ingredients, you won’t get a good result.

It’s all about balance.  I recommend a few different vegetables (or fruits), something crispy, and something pickley in each bowl. Also, as a base, always include lots of green onion and sesame seeds.

Sriracha Ponzu Tuna Poké

Ingredients

For the Sauce

  • ¼ cup Soy Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Orange Juice
  • 2 tablespoons Carrot Juice
  • 1 tablespoons Lemon Juice
  • ½ tablespoons Mirin
  • 1 ½ tablespoons Sriracha
  • ¼ tablespoons Brown Sugar

To build your bowls 

  • 1 lb Yellowfin tuna
  • Chili marinated oranges*
  • Steamed edamame
  • Shaved red onion
  • Green onion
  • Sesame seeds

*To make the chili marinated oranges, peel and dice 1 orange and marinate in 2 tsp chili oil.

Method

  1. To make the sauce, Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl.  Stir well to combine and keep in fridge until ready to build bowls.
  2. To get the bowls ready, cube all the tuna and keep cold until ready to eat.  For a full portion, add about 4 oz tuna to a bowl along with the rest of your desired toppings and sauce.  stir well and serve over steamed rice.
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Fresh Homemade Tomato Gazpacho

Fresh Homemade Tomato Gazpacho 

Gazpacho has got to be one of the absolute best quick and easy summer recipes.  It is definitely up there as one of my favorite things to eat once the weather warms up.  The key to a good gazpacho is to use fresh ingredients.  Since there is no cooking involved, it’s a great opportunity to let the ingredients shine.

Gazpacho ingredients

The flavors of this particular gazpacho are super bright and refreshing.  Lots of cilantro, fresh lime, red onion, and of course tomato.  I love the freshness of cilantro and lime so I’m pretty generous with it.  Part of why I like this gazpacho so much is because it kind of tastes like a drinkable Pico de Galo, which I have no problem eating by the spoonful anyway.

I need to disclose that KitchenAid was generous enough to provide me with one of their food processors for this recipe but I assure you, all opinions are my own.

Gazpacho

Any food processor or blender would work fine for this recipe, but I do admit, I was pleasantly surprised with the dicing feature on the food processor they sent me.  I was hesitant that it would be able to evenly dice a tomato without turning it into mush but after testing it out, I was a big believer.

Diced Cucumber

I’ve always found dicing large quantities of tomatoes to be a bit of a pain but those days are over.  I see large amounts of Pico in my future.

Diced tomato

You don’t really need to dice anything for this recipe but I like a bit of additional tomato and cucumber for garnish and a bit of added texture.  If you are content without it, feel free to throw all the ingredients in and process away.  It really is that easy.   At the end of the day, it’s just a mixture of blended vegetables, some olive oil, and some tomato juice.

Gazpacho

Feel free to change up the recipe to your liking.  There are so many ways you can easily change it up. You can add more tomato juice to thin it out, take out the jalapeño if you don’t like any heat, or use different varieties of tomatoes.

The flavors of the gazpacho get better and better as it sits in the fridge so I recommend making this the day before you plan to serve it and keep it in the fridge until just before serving.  If you’re tight on time don’t sweat, you can make it day of.  But either way, make sure it is nicely chilled.

As the soup sits in the fridge, it tends to thicken up slightly, so if necessary thin it out with a little bit of tomato juice before serving.  I personally prefer it on the thicker end but that’s totally up to you.

Gazpacho

I usually make gazpacho as a snack or appetizer on a hot day but a larger bowl would definitely make for a satisfying meal.  It goes really well with some grilled shrimp and you can add croutons or serve with bread to make it a bit more filling.

Gazpacho

Tomato Gazpacho 

Makes about 10 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 vine ripened tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 English cucumbers cucumbers
  • 1 medium red onion
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 stalk of celery
  • 2-3 cups tomato juice
  • Big handful of cilantro
  • 5-6 Basil leaves (optional)
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
  • A few dashes of Tabasco
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground pepper

Method

  1. Start by dicing 1 tomato along with 1/2 a cucumber.  Reserve this for garnishing the gazpacho at the end
  2. In the bowl of a food processor, add the rest of the tomatoes and cucumber along with the onion, bell pepper, celery, cilantro, basil, garlic, and garlic.  You will need to roughly cut up the vegetables so they fit into the food processor.  Pulse until uniformly pureed.  Add in the tomato juice, oil, vinegar, lime juice and celery salt.  Pulse again until incorporated and smooth.
  3. Taste the soup and season to preference with salt, pepper, and a Tabasco.
  4. Transfer soup to fridge and chill well before serving.
  5. Garnish each bowl with the reserved cucumber and tomato
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Cookies & Cream Oreo Popsicles

Cookies & Cream Oreo Popsicles

I’m so happy that summer is finally here.  There are so many thinks I look forward to making all year long and popsicles are definitely at the top of my list.  I love to try out different recipes and always seem to have a freezer full of them.  A few of my favorites from last year are my mixed berry Paletas and lemon lime creamsicles.  I even have a print of the berry paletas hanging in the kitchen.

oreo popsicles

While the other popsicles are great, these Oreo ones definitely take the spot of my new favorite.  If you like Oreos, you are going to love these.  I think a big part of these is the coconut milk.  It makes such a great base and keeps the popsicles super creamy.  I find that homemade popsicles sometimes get a little too icy which isn’t so pleasant, especially if you have sensitive teeth.  I’ll definitely be experimenting with more coconut milk popsicles and paletas.

Oreo Popsicles

The blended in Oreos also help with the creaminess and add a “natural” sweetness so no additional sugar is needed.  I like the combination of blended Oreos along with the whole Oreo at the top but if you prefer, you could swap the whole Oreo with roughly crushed ones for a more even distribution.  I do love the way the Oreo looks at the top though; you can see the edges of it and it’s right there when you take your first few bites.

Whenever I make popsicles, I like the soak the sticks in water for a few minutes before putting them in the molds. It helps ensure a solid freeze.  Also, to get the popsicles out, run the molds under room temperature water before pulling them out.

Oreo Popsicles

Give these popsicles a try, you won’t be able to stop at just one.

Ingredients

  • 14 oreos
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Method

  1. Add 7 Oreos to your blender along with the coconut milk and vanilla.  Blend until the Oreos are chopped and the evenly combined.  Feel free to add more Oreos at this step if you want but I find that 7 is a good amount.
  2. Place one whole Oreo into each popsicle mold and top with the coconut milk mixture. Be sure to bang the molds on your counter to ensure the liquid fully surrounds the Oreos; it may take several additions of liquid to fill molds.
  3. Place popsicle sticks in molds and freeze overnight.
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Homemade Mac and Cheese Sliders

Mac and Cheese Sliders  

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, macaroni and burgers go together like peanut butter and jelly. It’s basically the ultimate cheeseburger.

Mac and Cheese sliders

This macaroni is made with aged cheddar and gruyere, and then the slider is topped with even more cheddar, because you can never have too much cheese. The sliders definitely don’t need the bacon but it does add a nice crunch and a bit of texture. I also used Sriracha mayo for a bit of heat.

Mac and Cheese

The soft and gooey macaroni, the juicy burger, and the crispy bacon all work together to form the perfect bite. I kept it pretty simple but you could also add some other toppings. Jalapeños would work well if you wanted some extra heat.

A big part of what makes these sliders so good is the buns. I went with mini brioche buns. They are so buttery and really take things to the next level. If you can’t find these don’t worry, regular slider buns will still be alright.

The macaroni recipe will make more than you need for the sliders, so feel free to half it if you don’t want a lot of leftovers. I usually like to make a big batch and freeze the extra in individual portions. It actually freezes quite well and is perfect for a quick snack.

Mac and Cheese slider

If you’ve never tried macaroni on a burger, just trust me and give these sliders a try.

Mac and Cheese Sliders  

Ingredient

For the Macaroni

  • 1lb elbow macaroni noodles (1 box)
  • ½ up (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 6 tbsp all purpose flour
  • 4½ cups whole milk
  • 6 cups shredded cheese (half cheddar, half gruyere)
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp mustard powder
  • 1 tsp black pepper

For the Sliders

  • 1lb ground beef
  • 4 slices bacon
  • 2 slices cheddar cheese
  • 8 slider buns
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp mayo
  • 1 tbsp Sriracha

Method

  1. Start by mixing the mayo with the Sriracha in a small bowl. Place in fridge until ready to build sliders.
  2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place bacon on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and cook in oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
  3. To make the macaroni, start by cooking the noodles according to package directions – they typically take 5-7 minutes in boiling water. Set aside when ready. In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter and then add the flour. Constantly whisk until golden brown. Slowly pour in the milk while constantly whisking. Continue to stir until it comes to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and then stir occasionally until the sauce has thickened. Add the salt, pepper, and mustard powder.
  4. Add in the cheese in 3-4 batches stirring between each batch until the cheese is fully melted. Turn off the heat and add the cooked noodles to the pot, then stir to combine everything. At this point it may be a little wet but the sauce will continue to get thicker as it sits.
  5. Form the beef into 8 equal 2 oz sliders and season both sides well with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet over medium heat and melt the butter to fry the sliders. Cook for 1½ – 2 minutes per side for medium rare. Cut each slice of cheese into 4 equal squares and place them on the sliders after you flip them. In a separate skillet, melt the other half of the butter and toast the buns for about a minute or until golden brown.
  6. To build the sliders, spread a layer of Sriracha mayo on the bottom bun and then place on the patty. Top with half a slice of bacon and then spoon on the macaroni. Add the top bun and you’re good to go.

 

 

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Buttermilk Bacon Pancakes with Bourbon-Maple Syrup

Buttermilk Bacon Pancakes with Bourbon-Maple Syrup

bacon bourbon pancakes

Nothing says brunch like a giant stack of pancakes. Whether you like to eat them with berries, chocolate or, in this case, bacon, pancakes are an easy way to make breakfast something special.

These buttermilk pancakes are light and airy on the inside with a nice caramelized char on the outside. They’re stacked high with crispy bacon between them and then doused in bourbon-maple syrup. I used to always cook my bacon in a pan, but ever since trying it in the oven, I haven’t gone back. There are a few reasons for this.

Firstly, it’s easier and cleaner. Secondly, I think it comes out way better; it gets perfectly crisp and doesn’t curl.

bacon

That perfect bacon is one of the things that make these pancakes so great. The other? Bourbon. These pancakes are basically just an excuse to start drinking before noon. The syrup is made by combining some maple and a little (or a lot) of bourbon. While you’re at it, you might as well throw a little in your coffee too.

bacon pancakes

 

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 4 tbsp (half a stick) unsalted butter
  • 2½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • Vegetable oil, for skillet
  • 8 slices of bacon
  • 1 cup maple syrup
  • 1/3 cup bourbon

Method

  1. Start by melting the butter in a microwave safe bowl or in a small pan on the stove. Allow it to cool off a little while you prep the rest of the ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla.
  2. When the butter has slightly cooled mix it in as well. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk together just until combined. The batter will be clumpy but that’s what you want. In order to get a light and airy pancake, it’s important not to over-mix the batter. Place the batter in the fridge until ready to cook the pancakes.
  3. To make the syrup, combine the bourbon and maple syrup in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat to low. Allow it to simmer until slightly thickened, this will only take a few minutes. Turn off the heat until ready to use.
  4. Get the bacon going before you move on. Lay the bacon on a baking sheet lined with a wire rack or parchment paper and place into oven set to 375°F. Don’t worry about it being preheated first. Allow the bacon to cook 20-25 minutes or until crisp to your liking.
  5. Remove batter from fridge and heat a large skillet or griddle on medium heat. Brush with vegetable oil and spoon on batter in about 1/3 cup portions. The pancakes only take 1-2 minutes per side. When the tops start bubbling, it’s time to flip. If not eating right away, you can keep them warm in a low oven.
  6. Serve with the bacon and bourbon maple syrup. This would also be a great place to use Candied Bacon Butter.

 

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Sriracha Fried Chicken Tacos

Sriracha Fried Chicken Tacos

Fried chicken probably doesn’t immediately come to mind when you think of tacos, but it should, because these tacos are amazing. It all starts with the chicken. This chicken is super crisp on the outside and extremely tender on the inside. It’s marinated in buttermilk and Sriracha overnight to ensure it stays juicy when cooked. Before it gets fried, the chicken gets a coating in flour that’s seasoned with garlic and Korean chilli flakes, for a kick of extra heat.

Sriracha tacos

 

Sounds pretty good so far right?

You could probably stop there and call it a day, but why would you when you can turn it into an amazing taco? To make the taco, the chicken is topped with a bright and citrusy slaw and then garnished with fresh jalapeno and thinly-sliced green onion. The sauce is a spicy crema made with sour cream, Sriracha and soy. All wrapped in a warm corn tortilla. Part of what makes these tacos so amazing is the contrast of textures you get. The chicken is crispy and juicy at the same time. The slaw and jalapenos are refreshing and crisp while the tortilla is soft and warm. It is truly an incredible taco experience.

Sriracha tacos

 

Ingredients

For the Chicken

  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp Sriracha
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp Korean chilli flakes*
  • Canola oil for frying

For the Toppings

  • ¼ purple cabbage (shredded)
  • 1 lime (juiced)
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 jalapeno (thinly sliced)
  • 2 green onions (thinly sliced)
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 1 tbsp Sriracha
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • Small handful of cilantro
  • Corn tortillas
  • Salt & pepper

Method

  1. The night before you plan to make these, slice the chicken into 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick pieces as if you were making chicken tenders. Place them in a bowl or freezer bag and cover with the buttermilk and Sriracha. It helps if you add the Sriracha to the milk first so it distributes evenly. Cover and keep in fridge to marinate overnight.
  2. Thinly shred ¼ of a purple cabbage and dress it with the juice of one lime and sesame oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep in fridge until ready to use.
  3. To make the sauce, combine the sour cream with 1 tbsp of Sriracha (feel free to add more if you want it spicier) and the soy sauce. Stir together and keep in fridge until ready to use.
  4. To get the chicken ready for frying, heat your oil to 350°F. Remove chicken from fridge and set up a medium bowl with the flour, salt, garlic powder, and chilli flakes. Stir the flour mixture together well. Working one piece at a time, remove the chicken from the buttermilk and place into the flour to fully coat it. Place coated chicken on parchment lined backing sheet until ready to fry.
  5. Pre-heat oven to 200°F. When all the chicken is coated, carefully place into hot oil. Fry for 6-7 minutes or until they have reached an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove and allow excess oil to drain on wire rack or paper towel and keep in oven to stay warm until ready to build tacos. Only fry 4-5 pieces at a time so the oil temperature doesn’t drop too much.
  6. Before assembling tacos, quickly warm tortillas in a dry pan over medium heat. To build, spoon a layer of sauce onto the centre of tortilla and then place on a piece of fried chicken. Top with slaw, jalapenos, and green onion. Garnish with cilantro  leaves and drizzle on more Sriracha if desired

*Korean chili flakes are available in most Asian grocery stores. If unavailable feel free to substitute for cayenne pepper.

 

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Spicy Thai Cucumber Salad

Spicy Thai Cucumber Salad

As you may have seen in the recipe for my Spicy Miso Soup, I have been working with Reynolds on their Endless Table program.  If you’re not familiar with it, check out the website and Instagram  for some cool photos and delicious recipes.

The theme of the first two recipes were International/spicy so I thought it would be perfect to make this Thai inspired spicy cucumber salad.  I don’t typically create salad recipes, but this one is so simple and tastes amazing.  It’s very bright and refreshing so it makes a perfect lunch, snack, or appetizer on a summer day.  The salad gets even better as it sits in the fridge and as the cucumbers continue to marinate.

In order to help me create this salad, Reynolds sent me some foil and parchment paper.  The parchment paper makes clean up super simple.  Just line you’re baking sheet with it and there is no clean up.  I hope you enjoy this recipe and stay tuned for the rest of my collaborations with Reynolds throughout the summer.

Spicy Thai Cucumber Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 large English cucumber, sliced into thin rounds
  • 1/4 medium red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 red chili pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1/3 cup rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup bean sprouts
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons peanuts
  • 1 pinch sea salt
  • 1 pinch black pepper
  • 4 Lime wedges, for serving


Directions

  1. Combine rice vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to simmer for 2 minutes to allow the sugar to dissolve. Leave mixture to cool to room temperature.
  2. Add cucumber, onion, and chili pepper to a mixing bowl and pour over the cooled vinegar solution. Stir to mix everything together. Tightly cover bowl with Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil and place in fridge for 30 minutes.
  3. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with Reynolds® Parchment Paper. Place peanuts on baking sheet and season with a generous pinch of salt. Roast for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.
  4. Remove the cucumber mixture from fridge and transfer to serving dish. Top with bean sprouts and roasted peanuts. Serve with lime wedges.
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Homemade Pasta with Fire Roasted Tomato Sauce

Homemade Pasta with Fire Roasted Tomato Sauce

Pasta Prep

Pasta is one of those things that I love making for a nice weeknight meal.  It’s something you can make with very few ingredients and I guarantee you that you usually have all the ingredients you need to make fresh pasta and sauce from scratch.

I seem to always have canned tomatoes in my cupboard and there is a good reason for that; there are so many meals you can make out of them.  Whether it’s pizza, tomato soup, or this pasta sauce, canned tomatoes are perfect for creating a meal out of nothing.  For this recipe I used Muir Glen, fire roasted tomatoes.  While Fire roasted tomatoes aren’t necessarily my go-to for a pasta sauce they provide a nice change of pace and definitely added a bit of sweetness and a hint of smokiness.

Pasta roller

Making pasta from scratch may seem a bit overwhelming if you’ve never made it before but it’s relatively simple and can be a very fun activity to do.  Technically, you don’t need any special equipment but a pasta roller definitely makes things easier and they aren’t too expensive.  If you don’t have one, you can always roll out the dough and cut the noodles by hand.

pasta sauce vitamix

I created this recipe in partnership with the feedfeed and Muir Glen as part of an Instagram takeover.  Definitely check out both Muir Glen and the feedfeed for more delicious cooking inspiration & recipes.

pasta and sauce

Ingredients

For the dough

  •      3 ¼ cups all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
  •      4 large eggs
  •      2 tablespoons water

For the sauce

  •      3-5 cloves garlic, sliced
  •      2 tablespoons olive oil
  •      Pinch of dried chili flakes
  •      Pinch of dried oregano
  •      1 28oz can Muir Glen Fire Roasted Crushed Tomatoes
  •      Kosher salt, to taste
  •      Handful of parsley, chopped for garnish
  •      A few basil leaves, for garnish
  •      Parmesan, for grating

Method

To make the pasta

  1. Pour the flour onto a large board or clean surface and form a well in the middle.  Crack 4 eggs into the well and add in the water.  Using a fork, gently beat the eggs together and start to slowly incorporate the flour into the eggs until a dough begins to form.  If it’s too dry, add more water at ½ tablespoon increments, if it’s too wet, sprinkle in more flour in 1 tablespoon increments.  At this point it will be much easier to start using your hands to form the dough.  Once the dough starts to hold together, begin to kneed it with your hands for about 10 minutes and then form into a ball and cover with plastic wrap to rest for about 30 minutes.
  2. Alternatively, if using a stand mixer, combine all the dough ingredients into the bowl with the flat mixer attachment and mix for about 1 minute and then turn it off.  It’s normal for the dough to be slightly crumbly at this point.  If it’s too dry, add more water at ½ tablespoon increments, if it’s too wet, sprinkle in more flour in 1 tablespoon increments.  Swap the flat mixer for the dough hook and run the mixer on speed 2 for about 2-3 minutes or until the dough is formed and sticking to the dough hook.  Dump the dough onto a floured surface and knead by hand for another minute or 2 until it is elastic and smooth.  Wrap in saran plastic and allow it to rest for about 30 minutes.
  3. Once the dough has rested, cut it into 4 equal pieces.  Using a rolling pin, roll one of the pieces into a rectangular-ish shape and feed it through your pasta roller on the widest setting.  Cover the unused pieces with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel while rolling.  Continue to roll the sheet through the machine and progressively set the machine to a thinner setting until desired thickness is reached.   Lightly flour the rolled sheet and cover with a damp kitchen towel.  Repeat this step for the remaining pieces of dough.
  4. Add the spaghetti attachment to the pasta machine and begin to feed the sheets into it.  Be sure to lightly flour the sheets (and machine) before rolling them through to prevent the noodles from sticking.  Twist the pasta into little nests and allow them to dry a bit before cooking them.  If you are going to have a long delay between cutting the noodles and cooking, cover them with a slightly damp kitchen towel.

To make the sauce

  1. Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat.  Add in the garlic, chili flakes, and oregano stirring to ensure the garlic doesn’t burn.  Once the garlic is golden, add in all of the tomatoes and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
  2. Once the tomatoes are at a simmer, turn heat to low and cover for at least 15 minutes.  Transfer the sauce to a blender and blend until smooth.  Be careful of escaping steam, depending on the size of your blender, you may want to do this in several batches.  Once the sauce is smooth, return it to the skillet over low heat and season to taste with salt.  Allow the sauce to continue simmering with a lid on until ready to eat.  If the sauce gets too thick, just add a splash of water to thin it out.
  3. To cook the noodles, add a few very generous pinches of salt to a large pot of boiling water.  Add the noodles and cook for about 3 minutes.  Fresh pasta cooks very quickly so be sure to keep an eye on it.  Before straining draining the noodles, reserve a cup of cooking water.  Add the strained noodles to the sauce along with a big splash of the cooking water.  Combine well with the sauce and then garnish with chopped parsley and a few basil leaves.
  4.  Serve family style right from the skillet and grate in fresh Parmesan at the table.

pasta with parmesan

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Fried Chicken Burger

Fried Chicken Burger 

It seems like there is some sort of national food day going on every single day.  April was national grilled cheese month and now May is national burger month, which I’m definitely not complaining about.  I’m all about any excuse to make and eat burgers.  To kick off national burger month, I combined two of my favorite foods, fried chicken and burgers to create the ultimate fried chicken burger.

Fried Chicken Burger

It starts with a juicy 1/4 patty made from ground chuck, then a crispy piece of fried chicken that’s been marinated in buttermilk and hot sauce. It’s topped with some shredded lettuce, pickle and tomato for a bit of a refreshing crispness.

Fried Chicken Burger 

Makes 4 burgers

Ingredients

For the chicken:

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to an even thickness
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tbsp Frank’s red hot
  • Canola oil, for frying

Everything else:

  • 1 lb ground chuck
  • 4 slices pepper jack cheese
  • 1 tomato, sliced
  • 1 pickle, sliced
  • Iceberg lettuce, shredded
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • Salt and pepper
  • 4 buns

Method

  1. In a bowl, marinate the chicken in the buttermilk and hot sauce and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours. Set up another bowl and combine the flour, salt, cayenne, garlic powder, and paprika and combine well.  Working one piece at a time, move the chicken from the buttermilk into the flour and coat well, then back into the buttermilk and then into the flour again for a second coat.  Place on parchment paper and heat oil to 365°F.  Carefully place the chicken into the hot oil and fry for about 5-7 minutes or until an internal temperature of 165°F is reached.
  2. Heat skillet over medium high heat and melt in 2 tbsp of butter.  Form the meat into 4 equal sized balls and gently squish them into patties using your hands.  You want them to be slightly larger than the buns (check out my burger tips for more info). Season one side generously with salt and pepper.  Fry for about 2 minutes per side and be sure to season the unseasoned side once they are in the pan. Place the cheese on the burgers right after the flip so it starts to melt. While the burgers are cooking, melt remaining butter in a separate pan over medium high heat and toast the buns until golden brown.
  3. To build the burgers, spread a layer of your favorite sauce (I used this special sauce) on the bottom bun and then top with the patty, then the chicken, and then the tomato, pickles, and lettuce.  Squish on the top bun and then dig in!
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Spicy Miso Soup with Roasted Shitake Mushrooms & Green Beans

Spicy Miso Soup with Roasted Shitake Mushrooms & Green Beans

I recently had the opportunity to get to work with Reynolds to help create recipes for their Endless Table Program on Instagram. If you aren’t familiar with the program, it is basically a bird’s eye view of a table featuring countless dishes that are all connected. It’s really cool, definitely check it out on Instagram, and visit the website for all the recipes.

Spicy Miso Soup

Reynolds sent me some parchment paper and foil in order to help me create some of the meals for the table. I pretty much use the parchment paper whenever I am roasting anything in the oven. Literally nothing will stick to it and it also makes cleaning up super quick.

Roasted mushrooms

For my first recipe, I created a vegetarian miso soup with roasted shitake mushrooms and green beans.   Although summer is around the corner, I love to make these Asian inspired soups all year long. They are so simple to make and there are countless ways you can change them up.

This soup makes a great lunch but is also perfect for a light dinner. I usually like to add a bit of extra heat to the soup with some sriricha right before I eat it.

Miso Soup

Spicy Miso Soup with Roasted Shitake Mushrooms & Green Beans

Ingredients

  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 3-4 tablespoons yellow miso paste
  • 2 tablespoons hot water
  • 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 Thai chili, scored
  • 1 package (8 oz) rice noodle
  • 6-8 ounces shitake mushrooms, sliced
  • 6-8 ounces green beans, cut into thirds
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 teaspoon sea salt

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with Reynolds® Parchment Paper. Place mushrooms on baking sheet and drizzle with half the olive oil and half the salt. Set aside momentarily
  2. Centre green beans on a sheet of Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil and drizzle with remaining olive oil and salt. Fold over edges of foil to create a packet. Ensure it is tightly sealed
  3. Place the mushrooms and the foil pack green beans in the oven and roast for 10 minutes, stirring the mushrooms halfway through.
  4. Heat vegetable broth to a low simmer in a medium pot. Pour in the soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar. Add the whole Thai chili to simmering broth (this will be removed later)
  5. Whisk the miso paste with hot water in small bowl until smooth then add to the broth. Continue to simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
  6. Cook noodles according to package directions while the broth is simmering. When the noodles are done, evenly divide them into two serving bowls.
  7. Bring a small pot of water to a boil and carefully drop in the egg to cook for 6 minutes. Remove from water and peel.
  8. Divide the mushrooms and green beans between the two bowls and then pour the broth evenly between the bowls.
  9. Slice the egg in half and place 1 half in each soup. Garnish with sliced green onion.

 

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Easy Homemade Margherita Pizza

Easy Homemade Margherita Pizza 

Making pizza from scratch is a lot easier than you think.  If you’ve never done it before, you should definitely give it a try.  This recipe is for a Margherita pizza made with a simple tomato sauce, mozzarella, and a bit of fresh basil.  But you could use any toppings you like and change it up.  Working with the dough takes a bit of practice, so don’t worry if you’re pizzas don’t come out perfectly round, mine usually don’t.

Pizzas

This pizza is all about simplicity.  The sauce is pretty much just one ingredient: a blended can of San Marzano tomatoes.  It seems a little too simple, but trust me, it’s all you need.  Same thing goes for toppings.  All you need is a little bit of mozzarella and some fresh basil to garnish with.  The flavours all go so well together and each one really speaks for itself.

Margherita Pizza

Ingredients

For the dough

  • 3 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1 cup warm water (about 110° F)
  • 1 packet active dry yeast
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil, plus more for greasing bowl
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar

Toppings

  • 1 ball of fresh mozzarella, torn into small pieces
  • Handful of basil leaves
  • 1 can (14 oz) San Marzano tomatoes
  • Big pinch of dried oregano
  • Kosher salt
  • Olive oil for drizzling

Method

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the warm water, yeast, and sugar.  Allow 10 minutes for yeast to start bubbling.  With the mixer running on low (with dough hook attachment), add the salt and olive oil.  Slowly add the flour in several additions until the dough starts to form.  If it’s too sticky, add a bit of flour, if it’s too dry, add a splash of water.  Continue to mix on low for about 5 minutes.
  2. Dump the dough onto a floured surface and knead with your hands for an additional minute or two.  Form into a ball and place in a large greased bowl and cover with a damp kitchen towel or saran wrap.  Place the dough somewhere warm to rise for 2 hours or until about doubled in size.
  3. To make the sauce, blend the whole can of tomatoes with a pinch of oregano and season to taste with salt.
  4. Preheat oven (and pizza stone if you have one) to 500°F
  5. When the dough has risen, punch it down and dump it out onto a floured surface.  Divide it into 3-5 pieces (depending on the size of pizza you want and form them into round disks.  Cover each disk for 15-20 minutes for another quick rise.  Now to form the dough into it’s final shape, roll out each piece of dough into a thin round circle.  If you feel confident, you could stretch it out with your hands instead.
  6. To make the pizzas, drizzle the dough with a bit of olive oil and spread on a thin layer of tomato sauce.  You don’t need a lot.  this is a situation where less is more.  Place on some torn mozzarella and then transfer to pizza stone.  Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly.
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The Best Homemade Hot Chicken Sandwich

The Best Homemade Hot Chicken Sandwich 

This sandwich is about as close to perfect as a chicken sandwich can be. There isn’t too much going on in it, but this is one of those times where keeping it simple is the way to go.

Hot chicken sandwich

The chicken is double dipped in flour that’s seasoned with cayenne and paprika, which creates a perfectly crisp and spicy crust. It’s then topped with some hot sauce and a few pickles.  I went with bread-and-butter pickles for this sandwich. They have a nice sweet and tangy crunch that complements the spicy chicken quite well.

Fried Chicken

Now, this would be great simply between two slices of bread, but putting it on a freshly baked buttermilk biscuit takes it to the next level. Not just any biscuit, a jalapeño-cheddar biscuit. They’re flaky, buttery, spicy, and cheesy all at the same time. The Jalapeño seeds are removed so they aren’t too spicy, but they have a subtle heat that you’ll definitely notice.  If you don’t feel like making the biscuit, feel free to use any bread you want.

Ff you want to see me assembling the sandwich, check out the video I made with my friend friends at Unbuttoned Media on my Instagram.

Hot Chicken Sandwich

Hot Chicken Sandwich 

Ingredients

  • 1lb chicken breasts
  • 1½ cups flour
  • 1½ tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1½ tsp paprika
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tbsp hot sauce

If you want to make the biscuits, the recipe can be found here: Jalapeño Cheddar Biscuits

Method

  1. The night before you plan to make this, pound out the chicken breasts to an even thickness and cut them in half cross-wise. Place them in a bowl and pour in the buttermilk and hot sauce. Cover and refrigerate. (If you can’t do this the night before, try to do it at least a few hours in advance to allow the chicken to marinate)
  2. Get the chicken ready for frying – start by heating the oil to 350°F/177°C. Whisk together the flour, cayenne, paprika and salt in a large bowl and place it next to the bowl with the chicken. Working one at a time, coat chicken in flour, then dip back into the buttermilk, and then coat in an additional layer of flour. Lay the chicken on a parchment paper lined sheet until ready to fry. Fry the chicken, a few pieces at a time for 7-8 minutes or until an internal temperature of 165°F/74°C is reached.
  3. To build the sandwiches, slice biscuits (or other bread  in half and then fill with chicken, some hot sauce, and a few pickles.
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Easy Homemade French Onion Soup

Easy Homemade French Onion Soup

French onion soup is one of my all time favorite soups.  The bread and cheese make it so satisfying and it’s perfect for a light lunch or makes a great appetizer before a nice steak.  It’s something I used to typically just get in restaurants but homemade french onion soup isn’t actually that hard to make.  It takes a while to caramelize the onions, but other than that there’s not much to it.

Homemade French Onion Soup

When it comes to the onions, it doesn’t really matter which type you use.  I usually use a mix of Spanish and red, but just use whatever you have on hand.  I also typically use a mandolin to slice the onions so they all are the exact same size and cook evenly.  Definitely not necessary though.   Same goes for the wine.  I’ve used both red or a dry white and they both work well.  Use whatever you have on hand or prefer.

A lot of places that serve french onion soup broil it at the end with the baguette already inside of it.  I actually prefer to toast the baguette separately and then place it in the soup.  This way, it still maintains a bit of crispness and isn’t a soggy mess.  That means you also don’t need any special bowls for this soup.  I still like to serve it in an oven safe bowl but that’s just preference.  Pictured are these mini Cocottes from Staub.

French Onion Soup

Easy Homemade French Onion Soup

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs of onions, halved and thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup butter, unsalted
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tsp flour
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 3/4 cup wine
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 black pepper
  • 1/2 cup gruyere, shredded
  • 1/4 cup parmesan
  • Baguette, sliced 1/2″ thick

Method

  1. In a large pot over medium heat, melt in butter and add in the onions, garlic, thyme, bay, leaf, salt, and pepper.  Cook till golden brown and cartelized stirring frequently.  This will take anywhere from 25-45 minutes depending on the heat and size of the onions.  Add in the flour and stir for another minute or two and then pour in the wine and bring it to a simmer for a few minutes until most of the liquid is gone.  Add in the beef broth and bring to a light simmer.  Season the broth to taste with salt and pepper.  Remove the thyme and the bay leaf.
  2. Top sliced baguettes with gruyere and parmesan and toast until the cheese is golden and bubbly
  3. Ladle soup into bowls and top with 2-3 baguettes, depending on the size of your bowl
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Quick and Easy Ginger-Lemongrass Soup

I love to make soups like this.  They are so easy but so satisfying.  They also don’t really require a “recipe”; you can throw in whatever you feel like depending on your current mood.  The soup comes together pretty quickly, you basically just need simmer the broth for a little while. I like to prep a bunch of different garnishes while the broth is cooking so that when it’s done, I’m ready to eat.

lemon grass soup

The same goes for proteins; for this soup, I used a sliced up steak and a poached egg.  But you could easily use chicken or go for tofu if you wanted to keep it vegetarian.  Use this recipe as a base and twist it up according to your liking.

Ginger-Lemongrass noodle soup

Ingredients

For the Soup

  • 4 cups chicken broth (vegetable is a fine substitute)
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 Lemongrass stalks, smashed and roughly chopped
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp rice vinegar
  • 1″ piece of ginger
  • Green onion (white part)
  • 1 thai chili, scored
  • 1 package of noodles

Garnishes

  • Green onions, sliced
  • bean sprouts
  • enoki mushrooms
  • thai basil, torn
  • lime

Method

  1. Bring all of the soup ingredients (except the noodle) to a boil then reduce to a simmer.  Cover pot and continue to simmer for 30 minutes to an hour depending on how much time you have.  Feel free to remove the chili early to keep the heat down, or even skip it entirely.
  2. While the broth is simmering away, prep all of the garnishes to get that out of the way.  Cook noodles according to package directions and divide between your bowls.
  3. Get any other proteins ready while the broth is simmering also. I used a sliced up leftover steak and poached egg.  You could also put a chicken breast in the simmering broth for 20-30 minutes and then shred it and divide it between the bowls as well.
  4. When the broth is done, put it through a strainer and then ladle it over the noodles.  Garnish soup with desired toppings and enjoy.

Lemongrass ginger soup

 

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Homemade Candied Bacon Butter

Bacon

That’s right. Candied. Bacon. Butter.  Doesn’t get much better than that.  Use it on steaks, pancakes, waffles, toast, bagels, wherever.  You really can’t go wrong.  Once its wrapped up, just keep it in the freezer and slice it off as needed.

Candied Bacon Butter

Candied Bacon Butter

Ingredients

  • 1 stick of butter (room temperature)
  • 3 slices of bacon
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp black pepper

It’s pretty simple to make, start off by preheating your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper and a wire rack (optional). Lay down the bacon and evenly coat in the brown sugar and crack on the black pepper. Cook for 25-30 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from oven, allow it to cool, then finely chop it. Add the butter and chopped bacon to small bowl. Using a wooden spoon, mix it together until evenly combined.

To roll it up, tear a square piece of parchment paper and place the butter on roughly in a log shape. Fold one end of parchment paper over the butter and using a straight edge (ruler or baking sheet) tuck the parchment paper under the butter and form into cylinder. Continue to roll and then twist the ends shut. Put it in the freezer to firm up.

Steak with Candied Bacon Butter

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Jalapeño-Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits

Jalapeño-Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits 

These biscuits are the real deal.  Every time I make them, they somehow get better and better.  I love to use them for breakfast sandwiches and fried chicken sandwiches but they are also great on their own.  They’re so easy to make as well.  You don’t need a mixer or any special tools and you can have them ready in about 20 minutes from start to finish.  Doesn’t get much better than that.

Jalapeño Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuit

These biscuits are light and buttery on the inside with a slightly crisp golden brown exterior.  I like the addition of jalapeño and cheddar but you can definitely skip them and keep the rest of the recipe the same if you want them plain.  Feel free to add more also if you want.  They come out relatively mild but have a subtle kick from the jalapeños and a nice cheesiness from the cheddar.

 Biscuit stack

 

These will seriously step up your brunch game.  Gotta risk it for the biscuit, right?

Jalapeño-Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits 

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 6 tablespoons butter, cold
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1-2 jalapeños, seeds removed and finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Method

  1. Pre-heat oven to 450°F. In a mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, jalapeño, and cheddar.  Mix everything together and try to distribute the cheese and jalapeño as evenly as possible.  Cut the butter into small pieces (I actually like to use a cheese grater and grate the butter in) and combine into the flour mixture until it resembles course meal.
  2. Add in the buttermilk and mix until everything is combined.  you can use a spoon but it’s easiest to just use your hands.  Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and press it down using your hands until it is about 1/2″ thick.  Fold the dough and flatten out again.  Repeat this 4 times and finish with it at about 3/4″ thick.
  3. Using a cookie cutter or glass (about 2 1/2″) cut out the biscuits.  I usually get 6-7 out of the first round of cuts, and then use the extra pieces to get another 2-3 biscuits.  Be careful not to twist as you cut them out, go straight down.
  4. Place the biscuits on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and cook for 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden brown on top.

Buttermilk Biscuits

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Charred and Marinated Hot Peppers

Charred and Marinated Hot Peppers 

I love spicy food and lately, I’ve been playing around with different ways to use chili peppers. From spicy sauces, to pickling them, to simply thinly slicing them, there are countless ways to use chili peppers. I’ve always bought charred and marinated hot peppers but they are so easy to make at home.

Charred hot peppers

This method of charring them and then marinating them in olive oil and a bit of vinegar is one of my new favorites. It only takes a few minutes of work, but it is such a great way to add a bunch of flavor to whatever your eating.

There are so many different ways you can eat these. Most recently I threw them on a burger (check out my tips for the best burger), which was of course amazing.   You can also put them on tacos, eggs, salads, fish, or add them to any sandwich.

When I made these, I used a variety or peppers. I went with jalapeno, cayenne, and hot banana peppers. Feel free to use whichever combination you want and adjust based on spice preference.   The marinated peppers do lose a bunch of heat after you’ve charred and sliced them; they still have a punch to them though.

Give these a try and let me know what you think!

Charred and Marinated Hot Peppers 

Ingredients

  • 8-10 chili peppers
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tbsp red wine vinegar
  • Salt

Method

  1. Heat grill or pan over high heat and add the peppers. Cook peppers, turning occasionally until very charred. You will be removing the skin so don’t worry if they are black, that’s how they are supposed to be.
  2. When the peppers are charred, place them in a bowl and cover the bowl with saran wrap. You want them to sit in there and steam for a few minutes. This will make the skin much easier to remove.
  3. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, working one pepper at a time, scrape off the skin with all the charred parts using a sharp knife. Slice each pepper open and scrape out the seeds and membrane.
  4. At this point you can use your knife to slice the pepper into strands but I prefer to just tare it with my hands. With the skin removed, the flesh of the pepper will tear quite naturally.

 

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5 Tips for the Best Homemade Burgers

bacon-jalapeno cheeseburger

As you can probably tell, I like to enjoy a good burger from time to time.  Over the years, I have gotten pretty good at making them, or at least I think I have. Everybody always asks me how I make them, and what recipe I use so I thought it would be a good idea to give you my tips on how to make an amazing burger every time.  Follow these tips to learn how to make the best homemade burgers.

5 tips for the best homemade Burgers 

Best Homemade Burger

1. Keep it Simple 

As with many things, simplicity is key.  This is especially true when it comes to burgers.  A lot of people mess burgers up by adding things to the meat.  I’ve seen people add breadcrumbs, eggs, garlic, onion, you name it.  But the truth is, all you need is the meat. Anything else is going to mess it up.  It’s true that an egg will help bind a burger and hold the meat together, but you don’t want your burger to be tight and packed.  A good burger should easily crumble when you bite into it.

2. Buy Good Meat 

Easy enough right?  When possible, always use freshly ground meat for your burgers.  You don’t need to own a meat grinder, just ask your butcher to grind it for you.  When it comes to meat, there are several options you can choose from.  I think the big 3 are chuck, short rib, and brisket.  My personal preference is to use 100% chuck but its totally acceptable to switch it up and combine them.  Adding short rib to the mix is great if you want to add a richness and savoury flavour to the burger.  It would work great for a korean-bbq themed one.

3. Be Gentle

I often see that when people make homemade burgers, they use ring molds and really pack the meat in.  This is a big mistake and will result in a tough burger.  What you want to do instead is gently form the burgers with your hands.  First, divide the meat up and form it into balls.  Then gently press down with your hands to form the patties.  It’s ok if they are not perfectly round.  You do need to handle them with care when cooking, since there is nothing holding the meat together, they can fall apart if you aren’t careful.

4. Choose Toppings Carefully 

There is no guide to choosing the right toppings; it comes down to personal preference.  But one thing I will say is that you don’t want to put on too many toppings.  I usually like to stick to the classic cheeseburger with lettuce, tomato, and pickle.  Onion is also a good option and jalapeño is nice if you’re craving something spicy.  Whatever you choose, just remember that the meat is the star of the show and you don’t want to get too off track.

5. Don’t Overcook It

You’ve put all the work in to create the perfect burger, now all that’s left to do is cook it properly.  Whether your cooking on the grill or cast iron, a dry overcooked burger is never fun.  After all, one of the most important parts of the burgers is its juiciness, an overcooked burger will definitely kill that.  I usually like to make my burgers pretty thin and as a result, I only cook them for 1 and half minutes per side.  This gives me a perfect pink interior.  If you prefer a thicker burger, adjust the cooking time as necessary.

For a more detailed burger recipe, check out my take out style burgers

Best Homemade Burger

 

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Chocolate Dipped Baked Doughnuts

Over the years I have tried several different recipes for baked doughnuts and never found one with amazing results.  This recipe (adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction) is by far my favorite.  Perfectly moist and will definitely satisfy your craving.

These chocolate dipped baked doughnuts are also extremely easy to make.  It takes about as much effort as it does to make pancakes.  The only special equipment you need is a doughnuts pan.  I also found a mini donut pan.  Just be careful with the mini doughnuts, they are dangerous.

 

This recipe is great for different types of doughnuts, you don’t have to go with chocolate.  Feel free to toss them in cinnamon sugar, icing sugar, or cover them in sprinkles.  They also taste great plain and dipped in coffee.  I wouldn’t say these donuts are healthy, but I feel a lot less guilty stuffing these down than I do when eating fried donuts.

 

 

 

Chocolate Dipped Baked Doughnuts

Ingredients

For the doughnuts

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup Greek Yogurt
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

For the chocolate dip

  • 1/2 cup dark or semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 tbsp butter, room temperature

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and spray doughnut pan with cooking spray.
  2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Whisk together well.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, brown sugar, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients and whisk until combined.  Like pancake batter, you don’t want to over mix.  Don’t worry if the batter is very thick, it is supposed to be.
  3. Spoon the batter into the doughnut pan.  You’ll want to fill each one about 3/4 of the way.  It is a little tricky to cleanly spoon in so you can use a piping bag (or ziplock bag with the end cut off) to easily squeeze the batter into the pan.
  4. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the doughnuts are lightly browned.  Allow them to cool for 2 minutes and then move to wire rack to fully cool.  Repeat step 3 and 4 with leftover batter.
  5. To make the chocolate ganache, place the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl and bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan.  Pour the heated cream over the chocolate and stir until melted.  Add the butter and stir until smooth.
  6. One by one, dip the doughnuts into the chocolate top side down.  You can also dip them as they are in the picture, they just might be a little messier to eat.