F O O D !
Get inspired to try something new, make something better or upgrade your kitchen with these tasty bits. Or heck, throw a whole dinner party and order my cookbook “The Dinner Party Project” out now!
Apple Cider Pork Chops with Crispy Potatoes
If you’re looking for a hearty fall comfort meal, I’ve got you covered. Between the buttery roasted potatoes, the candied bits at the charred ends of the apples and a dreamy mustard and herb sauce, everyone should be happy!
Ragu Lasagna
This is hands down my favorite way to make lasagna. One day when I was struggling with a boiled wet limp lasagna sheet that was stuck to another one and causing me anguish I thought to myself “can’t I just not do this?” and it turns out the answer is YES. By simply using raw sheets/noodles and building the lasagna one night in advance, enough moisture soaks into the pasta that by the time you’re ready to go, the lasagna sheets are perfectly soft and full of flavor from the sauce.
Smoky Spanish Spinach And Chickpeas (Espinacas Con Garbanzos)
After a month of eating in Spain, vegetables are the thing I get most excited about on a menu. The food here is insanely delicious, but it isn’t exactly vegetable-forward. At most traditional tapas restaurants there are generally two vegetable dishes on the menu: Padrón peppers and patatas bravas, and occasionally a third; espinacas con garbanzos! Espinacas con garbanzos (or spinach and chickpeas) is a dish that comes from Seville and I can't get enough of it. It's got an earthy, smoky flavor from the paprika. It's rich and creamy from the olive oil and chickpeas. And it has yet another layer of complexity from the roasted garlic and vinegar. Needless to say, it has quickly become one of my favorites.
Albondigas Receta (Spanish Meatballs)
One of the things I’ve been thinking about over my last week living in Barcelona is how can I bring the flavors I’ve grown to love home in a user-friendly way. Perhaps it’s my Eastern European roots talking, but the addition of sweet or smoked paprika into basically every dish has been something I’ve warmly welcomed. This recipe is an example of the many glorious paprika-infused dishes I've enjoyed in Barcelona. Although not originally from this region, these little meatballs have weaseled their way onto many a tapas menu (tapas are also not from this region), and they’re delicious! Unlike Italian meatballs, they are generally small, smoky, and usually onion-less. Like Italian meatballs, they’re soft and comforting, and most importantly, laden with garlic. And they hold onto my strong belief that breadcrumbs never belong in meatballs. Bread or bust!
Diner Style Smash Burgers With Crispy Rosemary Oven Fries
Don’t forget your roller skates! These burgers are inspired by my favorite diner burger growing up in Lake Oswego, OR. It was on a squishy bun with plenty of special sauce, a mountain of crisp cold iceberg, and, most importantly, a thin cheddar blanketed patty charred to perfection. Fries are optional, but are they?
Fall-Off-The-Bone Cocoa Spiced Ribs
I have always been a rib person. I recall being no older than 6 and always begging to go to Tony Roma’s to dig into a giant plate of sticky sugary ribs and be showered in moist towelettes to clean my hands after. Rarely did my parents agree, but every once in a while… it was GO TIME. I haven’t had their ribs in… I don’t know… 21 years? I don’t even know if they’re good? But in my memory, they’re fall-off-the-bone-tender, mildly spicy, sticky sweet and deeply smokey. These are my tribute to those, only with some extra spices to warm up the flavor and there are no moist towelettes included.
Wine-Drunk Short Ribs
Ok, this is another one of those recipes where you just have to be patient. The difference between an hour here can make or break the dish, and you basically can’t cook it too long. You can start them Sunday morning and have it for dinner Sunday night OR do cook it on Sunday and then reheat it for Monday, short ribs are always more delicious on day two.
Cinnamon Sugar Fries
I'm a sweet potato fan. I like them roasted whole with butter and salt. It doesn't take much to please me when it comes to potatoes. However, if I feel like kicking it up a notch this is an easy side dish that I really like.
Torn Sweet Potatoes With Chili And Lime
They're great hot. They're good cold. They're sweet, salty, a little spicy, and pair like a dream with a grilled skirt steak or a summer BBQed chicken. What more could you want from a simple side dish?
Charred Corn Salad With Cornbread Croutons
If you live in LA, then you've been to a Hillstone Restaurant. There are like a billion of them and they're always crowded. You might walk in and think "WHY IS THIS CHAIN SO CROWDED ALL THE TIME?!?" ... but then you eat the food and you're like "OH YES THIS FOOD IS SO GOOD." Where was I going with this? Oh yes, the cornbread. They have THE BEST cornbread, so I found the recipe and yoinked it. In trying to come up with a really delicious salad to highlight summer corn, I thought, why not up the corn salad with my favorite cornbread croutons. It’s like corn on corn on corn.
Rosemary Smashed Potatoes (SSRI Substitute Potatoes)
If you love potatoes and you like to smash things this recipe is for you. This simple recipe has only five ingredients and is an amazing side dish. Plus, it’s therapeutic to take all of your frustrations out on the potatoes. All you need is your favorite flat kitchen tool to smack. I usually use a fish spatula, but you can use basically anything. Honestly, even though it’s not flat the underside of a ladle works. So have fun and you can thank me later.
Zesty Peachy Shallot-Y Summer Salad
If I'm going to be turning on the grill at all (and by "turning on" I mean prepping the charcoal and crossing my fingers that it gets hot), I like to utilize it as much as possible. I learn a lot just by throwing random things on the grill. It's sort of miraculous how much a fruit or vegetable can change simply by being grilled... sometimes for the better, sometimes not so much. The peach is one thing that really, really changes on a grill. The sugars in the peach caramelize and the fruit picks up a seductive smoke quality. Even fruit that starts out as slightly under ripe takes on a buttery texture after being grilled. The whole thing is pretty special. This salad is a great way to utilize the peach, get in some greens, and still keep all your friends happy.
Please Pass the Stuffing Muffins
Crispy on the outside, soft and speckled with flavorful goodness on the inside. There really isn’t anything to dislike about the stuffing muffin. Try ‘em out on your Thanksgiving guests this year and prepare for the compliments to roll into the new year. :)
No Hassle Next Day Lasagna
One day, while I was struggling with a boiled lasagna sheet that had somehow adhered itself to itself and turned into an unusable pasta clump, I thought to myself THIS CAN NOT BE THE BEST WAY. Sure, there are no-boil noodles, but we all know those are lackluster and lacking in the wavy edge. Sure, you could make fresh pasta, but maybe you don’t want to. Sure, you could boil the noodles and then struggle with them to keep them separated and scald your hands, but now, you don’t have to do any of those things. May I present to you the No Hassle Next Day Lasagna.
Cinnamon Honey Butter Sweet Potatoes
I want to provide little ways to jazz things up to make them feel fun, without having to make you run back out to the store. So here are some REALLY delicious sweet potatoes with a cinnamon honey butter that just looks cool! You can use the butter on your toast in the morning, tossed into oatmeal, on said sweet potatoes, or, just eat it. I mean YOU DO YOU. If you’re gonna do the potatoes, roast a few extra so you can have them tomorrow!
Super Creamy Black Bean Soup
It’s incredible how easy it is to throw together a delicious meal in an instant with some thoughtful prep work. The honey jalapeño black beans are so full of flavor that essentially all you need to do is thin it out with some veggie broth and add some toppings, and voila! You have a creamy and robust black bean soup in minutes!
My Ideal Black Bean Burger
To be honest, I’ve met a lot of mediocre veggie burgers. Some are too gummy, some are too full of rice, some lack any flavor whatsoever, and some are just plain confusing. THESE incredibly thin and crispy vegetable patties remind me of a smashed burger in both appearance and texture. This isn’t a boring veggie patty, it’s very thin and delicate, packed full of flavor, and almost melt in your mouth creamy. Keep in mind you’ll need to make my honey jalapeño black beans as a base first!
“Creamy” Roasted Squash and Apple Soup
As a private chef, I’ve made a lot of variations on a butternut squash soup. Lots and lots and lots and lots. But this is the one I always come back to. It just tastes like a big hug. It’s a little sweet, super creamy, a little tangy and really well balanced. This soup uses leftover roasted squash, so you can roast it any way you like OR you can follow this recipe. If you want to try my Butternut Squash Baked Mac and Cheese (which is insane) then you should double up this recipe because it’s the base for that one as well!
Lemony Roasted Squash With Sage Yogurt
This recipe is part one of a Butternut Squash trilogy. We all know cutting up a butternut squash is a pain in the butt, so if you’re gonna do it, I want to make sure it’s worth it. This recipe is great on its own, full of fresh bright flavors that work really well with the sweet and earthy squash, but if you want to get the most out of your squash you can make extra and then convert it into a Roasted Squash and Apple Soup and Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese.
Crazy Sexy Cool Chickpea Soup
This soup has a lot of ingredients but it’s easy to make and you’re going to like it when it's done, promise. You'll need to make a major decision as soon as the vegetables are fork tender... to dirty your blender or not to dirty your blender. I prefer a creamier texture so I blend half of the soup into a puree and then add it back into the pot but you certainly don't have to do that. This soup can be vegan if you're on a health kick (or just vegan...), just simply leave out the cream.
