Deep-Fried Spaghetti and Meatballs

Ingredients:

1/2 pound lean ground beef

2 tablespoons minced yellow onion

1 garlic clove, minced

1 egg white

2 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs

Salt and pepper, to taste

5 cups plus 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 pound cooked spaghetti

2 cups marinara sauce

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

8 Popsicle sticks

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Line a baking sheet and a shallow baking dish with parchment paper.

Make the Meatballs: Place all meatball ingredients in a medium bowl and mix until well combined. Shape into 1-inch balls and place on the prepared baking sheet.

Warm 3 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and cook, turning to brown all sides, until just cooked through. Remove from heat and let cool.

Gently toss meatballs, spaghetti, marinara sauce, and Parmesan in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Place mixture in the prepared baking dish, cover, and refrigerate at least 12 hours and up to overnight.

Preheat the remaining 5 cups of oil to 350F. Cut chilled pasta mixture into 8 equal squares. Remove squares from baking dish and insert a pop stick into each. Carefully place spaghetti sticks in pot, one at a time, and fry about 6 to 8 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve warm.

Chinese Chicken & Noodle Salad

Ingredients:

1 3-ounce package low-fat ramen-noodle soup mix (see Note)
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons orange juice
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
5 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
5 teaspoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 cups shredded green cabbage
1 medium carrot, shredded
3 scallions, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Crumble ramen noodles onto a large rimmed baking sheet (discard seasoning packet). Add almonds, sesame seeds and canola oil; toss to coat. Bake for 10 minutes. Stir, then bake until the noodles are golden brown, about 5 minutes more. Let cool on the pan on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, place chicken in a medium skillet or saucepan with water to cover. Add ginger and salt; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently until no longer pink in the center and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 165°F, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board to cool. Using forks, shred into bite-size pieces. (Discard the poaching liquid).

Meanwhile, combine orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil in a small bowl or jar with a tight-fitting lid. Whisk or shake until the sugar has dissolved.

Just before serving, combine the shredded chicken, cabbage, carrot and scallions in a large bowl. Add the toasted noodle mixture and the dressing; mix well.

Chicken Breakfast Biscuit

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts
1 teaspoon chili paprika
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp ground red pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
4 buttermilk biscuits
Monterrey Jack or Pepper Jack, for serving
Vegetable oil, for frying

Directions:

Pound chicken breasts to even thickness (~1/3-inch) and cut in half. (If you're chicken breasts are very large, consider cutting them into thirds - whatever fits your biscuits best.)

Stir milk and chili powder/paprika together in a shallow dish. It will look like strawberry milk but it won't taste like strawberry milk.

Whisk flour, salt, peppers, garlic and chile powders together in another shallow dish.

Dip the milk in the chicken and then dredge in the seasoned flour. Repeat and place on a plate.

Dredge the remaining three pieces of chicken breast. Place the chicken in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Heat oil (enough to come up 1/2 - 3/4 inch in your pan) over medium-high heat to 375. Fry chicken ~5-7 minutes on each side, until the internal temp reaches 165.

Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and let rest a few minutes.

Serve on a split biscuit, topped with cheese and honey.

Stuffed Bacon Cheeseburgers

Ingredients:

1 1/3 lb ground beef
3 slices bacon, cooked to a crisp and crumbled
1/2 cup shredded double cheddar cheese
Salt
Pepper
Worcestershire
4 hamburger buns (our current favorite)
Fixings of your choice: lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, mayo

Instructions:

Heat grill to medium-high heat.

Combine cheese and crumbled bacon in a bowl, set aside.

Divide ground beef into 4 equal portions and divide each portion in half.

Form each ball of ground beef into a patty. Top with 2-3 Tbsp cheddar-bacon mixture and a second patty.

Pinch the patties around the edges to seal well and lightly press into a uniform burger patty.

Season with salt, pepper, and a dash of Worcestershire.

Cook on the grill 4-5 minutes each side, until cooked to desired doneness.

Assemble on buns with the fixings of your choice.

Crabmeat Sandwich

Ingredients:

1 cup mayonnaise
1 large egg
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon hot chili sauce (recommended: Sriracha)
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup diced red pepper
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup jumbo lump crabmeat
1/2 cup all-purpose flour, for dusting
1/2 cup peanut oil, for sauteing
6 thin slices Italian pancetta, cooked until crispy
6 focaccia rolls

Roasted Tomato Remoulade Sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
1 tablespoon large capers
1 teaspoon hot chili sauce (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley leaves
1/2 lemon, zested and juiced

Oven Roasted Tomatoes
8 Roma tomatoes
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Combine mayonnaise, egg, Dijon mustard and hot chili sauce in a large bowl and using a whisk, mix well. Add green onions, dill, parsley, bread crumbs, diced red pepper, lemon zest and lemon juice and salt and pepper. Mix all ingredients well.
Gently fold in crabmeat and mix gently trying not to break up the crabmeat.

Carefully divide mixture into 6 patties and dust with flour. Place patties into saucepan with peanut oil. Saute on medium heat for 4 to 6 minutes and carefully turn and cook for 4 to 6 minutes on the other side.

Top each crab cake with a piece of crispy pancetta and serve on a focaccia roll with Roasted Tomato Remoulade Sauce.

Roasted Tomato Remoulade Sauce:

Whisk all ingredients together and refrigerate or serve immediately. Oven Roasted Tomatoes: Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Take fresh Roma tomatoes and cut in half lengthwise. Place tomatoes cut side up on sheet tray. Drizzle olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in oven for 8 hours or overnight.

Mediterranean Tuna Salad

Ingredients:

1 15- to 19-ounce can beans, such as chickpeas, black-eyed peas or kidney beans, rinsed
2 5- to 6-ounce cans water-packed chunk light tuna, drained and flaked (see Note)
1 large red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
4 teaspoons capers, rinsed
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup lemon juice, divided
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 cups mixed salad greens

Directions:

Combine and serve.

Grilled Lemon Lemonade

Ingredients/Directions:

Cut about 16 lemons in half. Dip sides in sugar, and place over hot coals. Make a rosemary simple syrups by pouring equal parts water, sugar, and honey into a disposable aluminum foil pan. Add a few fresh rosemary sprigs, and place pan on grill.

Grill about 10 minutes or until you see a golden caramelized color on the lemons. Meanwhile, your simple syrup should be heating up nicely and getting lots of good flavor from those sprigs.

Let the grilled lemons cool slightly. Place a wire-mesh strainer in a pitcher, and squeeze the juice from the lemons. (The heat softens the lemons for easy squeezing.) Add water and rosemary simple syrup to taste. Add a splash of bourbon for a mellow finish; serve over ice.

Blackberry Pie Bars

Ingredients:

Crust and Topping
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled

Fruit Filling
4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup flour
pinch salt
zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp almond extract
2 (16-oz) packages frozen blackberries, thawed and drained

Directions:

To make the crust and topping, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.

Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to mix. Cut the butter into 1/2-inch cubes, and add to the flour mixture. Process until the butter is evenly distributed but the mixture is still crumbly, 30-60 seconds.

Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the mixture to use as the topping. Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of the pan, and bake 12-15 minutes. Cool for at least 10 minutes.

To make the filling, whisk the eggs in a large bowl, then add the sugar, sour cream, flour, salt, lemon zest, and almond extract. Gently fold in the berries and spoon the mixture over the crust. Sprinkle the remaining flour mixture evenly over the filling, and bake 45 to 55 minutes.

Cool at least 1 hour before cutting into bars, or scoop out of the pan to serve cobbler-style.

Mexican Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 1/2 cups salsa
Vegetable cooking spray
6 cups cooked rice, divided
1 15- to 16-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 cups crushed tortilla chips

Directions:

In medium bowl, combine sour cream and salsa; set aside.

Coat a 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Layer bottom of dish with 3 cups rice. Top with half of the sour cream mixture, then with 1-1/2 cups cheese. Add layer of beans, remaining rice, and remaining sour cream mixture. Bake at 350 degrees 15 minutes; remove from oven.

Mix remaining cheese with chips and sprinkle on lasagna. Return to oven and bake 5 minutes, or until cheese melts.

Beer-Battered Fish Tacos

Ingredients:

1 pound firm white fish fillet, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 (12-ounce) bottle Mexican beer (or non-alcoholic option)
1 tablespoon Mexican seasoning
Vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup Mexican beer (or non-alcoholic option)
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
12 fresh corn tortillas, warmed
1 lime, cut into wedges
3/4 cup shredded queso blanco or Monterey Jack cheese
3 cups shredded green cabbage
1/2 red onion, cut into strips

Baja Sauce Ingredients and Preparation
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Mexican seasoning
1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Combine all ingredients; stir well.

Directions:

Place fish in a large heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag. Combine 12 ounces beer and Mexican seasoning in a bowl, stirring well. Pour beer mixture over fish; seal. Chill 2 to 3 hours.

Pour oil to depth of 1 1/2 inches into a deep skillet or Dutch oven; heat to 360°.

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients in a medium bowl. Whisk in 1 cup beer and hot sauce. Drain fish, discarding marinade. Coat fish in batter.

Cook fish in batches about 4 minutes or until done. Drain on paper towels.

Place 2 to 3 pieces of fish on each tortilla. Squeeze lime wedges over fish; top with remaining ingredients. Serve immediately.

S'More Pizza

Ingredients:

2 store-bought, 1- pound pizza dough balls
1⁄4 cup slivered almonds
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 sleeve graham crackers, crushed (about 1 1⁄4 cups crumbs)
1⁄2 teaspoon chili powder
1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1⁄4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1⁄2 cup all- purpose flour
1⁄4 cup fine cornmeal
3 cups mini marshmallows
Two 4- ounce dark chocolate bars, broken into 1⁄4- inch chunks

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Form the pizza dough into two 12- to 14- inch rounds, ¼ inch thick. Bake, preferably on a pizza stone, for 4 to 6 minutes, until just beginning to brown. Leave the oven on at 400°F.

While the pizza crust is baking, toast the almonds in a dry medium skillet over medium- high heat. Transfer the almonds to a plate to cool.

Melt the butter in the skillet. Add the graham cracker crumbs, chili powder, cayenne, and salt. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the crumbs are well- coated. Remove from the heat and set aside.

For each pizza, top the crust with half of the marshmallows and scatter half of the chocolate over the marshmallows. Return to the oven for 3 to 5 minutes, until the marshmallows are puffed and lightly browned. Sprinkle the pizza with half of the graham cracker mixture and top with half of the almonds. Let rest 3 to 4 minutes, slice, and serve. Repeat to make the second pizza.

Kentucky Hot Brown

Ingredients:

2 oz. Whole Butter
2 oz. All Purpose Flour
1 Qt. Heavy Cream
1/2 Cup Pecorino Romano Cheese, Plus 1 Tablespoon for Garnish
Salt & Pepper to Taste
14 oz. Sliced Roasted Turkey Breast
2 Slices of Texas Toast (Crust Trimmed)
4 slices of Crispy Bacon
2 Roma Tomatoes, Sliced in Half
Paprika, Parsley
Makes Two

Directions:

In a two-quart saucepan, melt butter and slowly whisk in flour until combined and forms a thick paste (roux). Continue to cook roux for two minutes over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Whisk whipping cream into the roux and cook over medium heat until the cream begins to simmer, about 2-3 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and slowly whisk in Pecorino Romano cheese until the Mornay sauce is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

For each Hot Brown, place one slice of toast in an oven safe dish and cover with 7 ounces of turkey. Take the two halves of Roma tomato and set them alongside the base of turkey and toast. Next, pour one half of the Mornay sauce to completely cover the dish. Sprinkle with additional Pecorino Romano cheese. Place entire dish under a broiler until cheese begins to brown and bubble. Remove from broiler, cross two pieces of crispy bacon on top, sprinkle with paprika and parsley, and serve immediately.

Guacamole

Ingredients:

5 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro, divided

1/4 cup minced white onion

1 large jalapeño, seeded, minced, divided

Kosher salt

6 medium or 4 large avocados (about 3 lb. total), halved, pitted

1 medium tomato, cored, chopped

3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

1 tsp. lime zest

Tortilla chips (for serving)

Directions:

Combine 2 1/2 Tbsp. cilantro, onion, and 1 Tbsp. jalapeño in a mortar or a large bowl; season with salt and mash with a pestle or the back of a fork until a coarse paste forms.

Using a small knife, cut flesh (not skin) of each avocado lengthwise into 4 strips, then crosswise 4 or 5 times, forming cubes. Using a spoon, scoop cubes out of peel and into mortar with onion mixture. Mash until slightly chunky.

Mix in remaining cilantro and jalapeño along with the tomato, lime juice, and zest. Season to taste with salt.

Serve with tortilla chips. DO AHEAD Can be made 4 hours ahead. Press plastic wrap on surface of guacamole and chill.