In a medium bowl, add wings and toss with olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and salt and pepper.
Place them in an even layer in the air fryer basket. Cook them in batches. Cook for 10 minutes at 390 degrees. Flip the wings and cook for another 10 minutes or until crispy on the outside and they an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Honey Buffalo Sauce
In a small bowl, whisk buffalo sauce, honey, and Worcestershire sauce. Toss the hot wings in the sauce and serve with lime wedges and chopped parsley or cilantro.
1 handful fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped plus more for garnish
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 shots silver tequila
Juice from one lime
Lime wedges, for squeezing
12–16 6-inch corn tortillas
Red or green cabbage, shredded
Your favorite hot sauce, for serving
In a large skillet, or on your Blackstone, heat oil over medium-high to high heat. Add chorizo and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until crispy at the edges, 2 to 4 minutes.
Add shrimp and season with salt and pepper; add pineapple and toss with tongs until the shrimp is opaque in the centers and the pineapple is lightly browned, about 3 minutes more.
Add scallions, jalapeños, cilantro and garlic; toss until the garlic is aromatic and the scallions wilt, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the tequila; stir until evaporated, about 2 minutes.
Add lime juice and remove from the heat.
Char the tortillas directly over a gas flame or on your Blackstone.
Serve the shrimp filling with the tortillas, cabbage, hot sauce and lime wedges. Garnish with cilantro leaves.
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, or more if needed
Olive oil for frying, as needed
1 cup jarred or homemade Marinara sauce
Fresh mozzarella, cut into small cubes
Fresh basil
1 cup provolone, grated
1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat an oven to 450 degrees.
2. Place chicken breasts between two sheets of heavy plastic (resealable freezer bags work well) on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound chicken with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a thickness of 1/2-inch.
3. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Using a sifter or strainer, sprinkle flour over chicken breasts, evenly coating both sides
4. Beat eggs in a shallow bowl and set aside. Mix bread crumbs and 1/2 cup Parmesan in a separate bowl, set aside. Dip a flour-coated chicken breast in the beaten eggs. Transfer breast to the bread crumb mixture, pressing crumbs into both sides. Repeat for each breast. Let chicken rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Heat 1/2 inch olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Cook chicken in the hot oil until golden, about 2 minutes per side. The chicken will finish cooking in the oven.
6. Transfer chicken to a baking dish. Top each breast with 2 tablespoons of sauce. Layer each chicken breast with equal amounts of mozzarella, fresh basil, and provolone. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan over top and drizzle each with 1/2 teaspoon olive oil.
7. Bake in the oven until cheese is browned and bubbly and chicken breasts are no longer pink in the center, 15 to 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees.
Heat a large nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Place 5 slices of cheese in between two slices of bread (two on each side and one in the middle of one slice). Spread about 1 tablespoon butter on each exterior side of the bread. Place the first side in the pan (cooking in batches if necessary) and “dome” with an inverted large metal bowl or pan lid to create the proper vortex of heat. I use an electric, non-stick skillet with a glass lid. It works great! Cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes, then flip and continue to cook until the cheese is gooey and bread is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes more.
Cut and slowly separate. It’ll be a cascade of hot molten yellow lava, ooey-gooey, good ol’ American cheese goodness! Serve with the Tomato Soup.
Tomato Soup:
Heat a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the butter, onions, carrots, celery, chile flakes and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Sauté until translucent, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for an additional minute. Deglaze with the sherry while scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the tomatoes, bay leaves and stock. Simmer until everything is cooked through and very tender, about 1 hour.
Discard the bay leaves and blend the soup until completely smooth and uniform in texture using an immersion blender. Add the heavy cream and adjust the seasoning. Serve!
Happy Birthday to my mother-in-law, Susan! She wants steak tonight!
Rib Eyes with Red Wine Mushroom Pan Sauce
2 boneless rib-eye steaks, about 2 inches thick
Extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
8 sprigs thyme
Garlic salt, to taste
Red Wine Mushroom Pan Sauce
Extra virgin olive oil
1 stick unsalted butter, separated
8 ounces shiitake, cremini or white mushrooms, sliced
1 shallot, finely diced or red onion, halved and sliced into half-moons
4 cloves garlic, finely diced
8 sprigs thyme
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup beef broth
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt, to taste
Fire the grill for two-zone grilling at about 500 degrees. While the grill is warming up, coat the steaks on all sides with olive oil and liberally season with garlic salt.
Place the steaks on the grill over the fire. When you see a nice crust form, move the steak to the indirect side of the grill and top with butter and thyme to finish cooking.
Remove the steak from the grill when it reaches your desired internal temperature. For rare, remove when it’s 120 degrees at the thickest part of the steak and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Red Wine Mushroom Pan Sauce
Place a cast iron skillet on the grill over direct heat and add the oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. When it’s melted and slightly smoking, add the mushrooms. The pan will be hot, and you will hear a sizzle. Let the mushrooms sauté for about 3 minutes and then begin stirring them. After 3 – 5 additional minutes, the mushrooms should be browned. Next, add the shallots or onion and stir for 2 minutes to soften. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute.
Add the wine. It will immediately start to simmer. Then add the broth, balsamic vinegar, thyme, and salt. Stir and close the lid. Let the sauce come to a simmer and reduce by half (about 4 minutes).
After the sauce has reduced in half, remove the pan from the heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and stir to melt the butter. The sauce will start to thicken. Serve the sauce over the steak.
Cook the lasagna noodles in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water to cool and lay flat on a sheet of foil. Set aside.
Make the sauce: In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, mushrooms, green pepper and garlic and sauté 4 to 5 minutes, until the vegetables are starting to soften. Remove the veggie mixture from the pan, then add the meat to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until it’s totally browned. Drain the excess fat, then add salt and pepper, the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, the veggie mixture and 1 tablespoon each parsley and basil and stir to combine. Let the mixture simmer over low heat, 30 minutes.
Make the filling: Combine the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, the eggs, salt and pepper and the remaining parsley and basil. Stir to combine.
Assemble the lasagna: Spoon a thin layer of sauce onto the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Spread 2 to 3 tablespoons of the ricotta filling followed by the meat mixture and a little bit of sauce on each lasagna noodle, then roll them up so that the cheese and meat is on the inside of the roll. Lay them sideways in the dish. Top with the remaining sauce and plenty of grated mozzarella and Parmesan.
Heat some butter in non-stick pan over medium heat and Grill turkey breast stack without separating until the meat is golden brown on both sides, remove and set aside.
Butter the bread lightly on one side of each slice.
Place in pan, butter-side down.
Place a slice of Swiss cheese on un-buttered side, put turkey on the cheese, Sprinkle with salt (optional).
Place bacon strips on the turkey and Stack tomato on top of bacon, Top off with remaining sourdough slice, buttered side up.
1 Pound soppressata or Genoa salami, thinly sliced
1 Pound provolone sliced
Sliced tomato
Dried oregano
Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper
Red onion, peeled, halved and sliced into half-moons
Shredded iceberg lettuce
Olive oil
Red wine vinegar
Giardiniera (optional)
1. Slice the buns with a good serrated bread knife, but not all the way through. Season the bottom of the bun with olive oil, salt and pepper and oregano. Layer the cheese, meats, onion and the tomato on the buns. Season the tomato with salt and pepper and oregano. Add the shredded lettuce and drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. Top with giardiniera, if using. Close sandwiches and eat!
2. Have a pile of napkins or beach towel at the ready!
Pressure Cooker to Oven Pulled Pork Carnitas Tacos
For the spice rub:
4 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
For the pulled pork:
4 pounds (or so) bone-in pork shoulder roast, cut into two pieces.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup pineapple juice, orange juice, chicken stock or water
One 7oz. can chipotle in adobo
1 jalapeno & 1 poblano (pasilla) pepper, diced
2 limes
Warm tortillas, corn or flour
Toppings (pick a few!)
Sliced avocado
Sliced radishes
Thinly sliced red or green cabbage
Thinly sliced romaine lettuce
Diced red onions
Chopped tomatoes
Crumbled cotija cheese
Chopped cilantro
Lime wedges, for squeezing
Salsa
Hot sauce
In a small bowl, combine the spice rub ingredients. Pat the pork dry with paper towels.
In a glass baking dish, marinate the pork in oil, the spices, half of the adobo (pinch the chipotles to break them up) and fresh squeezed lime juice. Marinate for at least an hour in the fridge.
Select the “Sauté” program on your pressure cooker and add the oil to the pot. (If you are using a stove-top pressure cooker, heat the oil over medium heat.)
Using tongs, lower the pork into the pot so the side with the most fat is facing down. Sear for 5 minutes. Flip it over and sear it for 5 more minutes. Both sides should be browned.
Add the remaining spice rub, peppers and remaining adobo over the pork, then pour the juice, stock or water over the top.
Place the lid on your pressure cooker. Make sure that the pressure regulator is set to the “Sealing” position. Select the “Manual” program on the pressure cooker and set the time to 60-90 minutes, depending on the size of your pork butt, at high pressure. (For stove-top pressure cookers, cook for 45-60 minutes at high pressure.)
It will take about 10 minutes for your pressure cooker to come up to pressure, and then the actual cooking will begin.
You can either perform a quick pressure release by immediately moving the vent from “Sealing” to “Venting” (be careful of the steam!), or you can let the pot depressurize naturally, which takes about 20 minutes. (For stove-top pressure cookers, perform a quick pressure release.) Reserve the cooking liquid.
Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees
Use tongs to transfer the pork to a baking dish. Remove the bone and shred the pork with the bone, a couple of forks or your tongs. Ladle some of the cooking liquid over the pork.
Bake for one hour or until the pork is nice and crispy and carnitas like. Add cooking liquid during cooking so the meat doesn’t dry out too much.
Dill pickle chips, sliced onion and sauteed mushrooms, for serving (optional)
1. Combine ground beef, Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt, onion powder and pepper in a large bowl; mix well. Form 8, thin patties from the beef. Each patty should be slightly larger than a slice of cheese.
2. Cut each slice of American cheese into 4 equal pieces; stack the pieces. Sandwich one stack of cheese between 2 ground beef patties. Tightly pinch edges together to seal the cheese in the meat. Repeat with the remaining cheese and patties.
3. Preheat a cast-iron or other heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. Cook burgers until well browned, about 4 minutes. It is common for burgers to puff up due to steam from the melting cheese. Turn burgers and prick the top of each to allow steam to escape; cook until browned on the outside and no longer pink on the inside; about 4 minutes. Serve on hamburger buns.
4. If you like, top your burger with pickles, onions and/or sauteed mushrooms. Be careful that the molten lava of cheese doesn’t burn you on that first bite.
